WSWS (2020-04-07). French state covered up mass COVID-19 deaths in retirement homes. wsws.org Over the weekend, the reported daily COVID-19 toll in France nearly tripled from earlier levels as deaths of the elderly were finally reported.

David Swanson (2020-04-06). A Department of Actual Defense in a Time of Coronavirus. counterpunch.org When a few thousand people were murdered on September 11, 2001, I was actually stupid enough — I kid you not — to imagine that the general public would conclude that because massive military forces, nuclear arsenals, and foreign bases had done nothing to prevent and much to provoke those crimes, the U.S. government would

RT (2020-04-06). European stocks jump as Covid-19 deaths slow across hardest-hit areas. rt.com Stock markets gained on Monday on the positive news that the coronavirus pandemic may be slowing down in some parts of the world, giving hope to investors that global business will resume. | German stocks lead European gains with the DAX index growing more than four percent. France\'s CAC 40 was up three percent, while Britain\'s FTSE 100 rose over two percent. | Stock markets also rose strongly across Asia, finishing higher in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and South Korea. Markets in mainland China were closed for a public holiday. | \"Like the rest of the world, financial markets are searching for any slivers of…

RT (2020-04-06). Singapore quarantines migrant workers, unveils \'unprecedented budget for extraordinary times\'. rt.com Singapore has put nearly 20,000 foreign workers under quarantine for two weeks after a growing number of coronavirus infections were detected in their dormitories. Authorities reported 120 new virus cases Sunday, the highest jump for the country in a single day, with many linked to foreign workers\' dorms, AFP said. | Many workers, particularly from parts of South Asia, come to Singapore to work in construction and are typically housed in large dormitory complexes. | On Monday, the city-state announced S$5.1 billion ($3.55 billion) in additional economic spending, such as wage support, waiver of levies and one-…

RT (2020-04-06). Oil slips 6% after OPEC+ meeting delay as Trump vows \'very substantial tariffs\' if Saudis & Russia fail to reach output cut deal. rt.com US President Donald Trump has promised to impose \"very substantial tariffs\" on imported oil, unless Saudi Arabia and Russia reach a deal to push crude prices up, just as oil skidded again following last week\'s rally. | Both Brent and WTI crude futures dived over nine percent at the Asian session opening, before bouncing back to around $32.6 and $26.6 a barrel respectively. The drop comes after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member partners abruptly delayed their emergency meeting until Thursday, apparently due to standing disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Russia. | Cr…

RT (2020-04-06). Moscow & Riyadh 'very, very close' to striking oil deal — Russia's sovereign wealth fund. rt.com Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and other countries need to bring stability to the markets as the world faces \"probably the greatest recession ever,\" said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). | He told CNBC that Moscow and Riyadh are very close to striking a deal on oil production cuts.\"I think the whole market understands that this deal is important and it will bring lots of stability, so much important stability to the market, and we are very close,\" said Dmitriev. | The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member partners were expected to di…

The Canary (2020-04-06). Covid-19: What is the UK\'s exit strategy from lockdown? thecanary.co Thoughts are turning to how the UK will end its period of lockdown and start the transition back to normal life.— What is the UK\'s exit strategy?No precise exit strategy has yet been formed, though Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College, who is advising the government, said experts are looking at it in detail this week.Ending the lockdown will rely on a substantial slowdown in the epidemic of Covid-19 — the so-called \"flattening the curve\" — and a downward trend, which has not yet happened in the UK.The number of deaths is also still rising as the UK moves towards the peak of its epidemic,…

The Canary (2020-04-06). US braced for \'9/11 moment\' as parts of Europe see glimmers of hope. thecanary.co The United States is braced for one of its darkest weeks in living memory amid the coronavirus pandemic, as some hard-hit European areas were seeing glimmers of hope.Italy, Spain and France saw signs that they are flattening the Covid-19 pandemic curve, but still reported hundreds of people dying each day.(PA Graphics)Leaders cautioned, however, that any gains could easily be reversed if people did not continue to adhere to strict social distancing measures and national lockdowns.In Washington, US surgeon general Jerome Adams offered a stark warning about the expected wave of deaths.\"This is going to be our Pearl…

RT (2020-04-06). New Zealand to stick with tough Covid-19 curbs amid \'early signs of improvement\'. rt.com New Zealand will stick to its tough curbs to combat the coronavirus, despite some early signs that the spread of the illness has been stabilizing. \"Our actions for the remainder of the period in level four will be about doubling down to ensure the gains made in the first half are not squandered in the second,\" Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Monday. | The country\'s 67 new infections were the lowest in five days, taking its tally to just over 1,100. New Zealand has reported one death, Reuters said. | Level-four curbs allow people to take walks or go to supermarkets for essentials,…

RT (2020-04-06). Czech Republic reports slowest daily rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases. rt.com The Czech Republic reported its slowest daily percentage rise in confirmed coronavirus cases on Monday, the Health Ministry said. The country had 4,591 cases as of Sunday midnight, up 2.6 percent from the previous day, the lowest percentage increase since early March, when there was a handful of known infections. | This followed increases of 282 on Saturday, 332 on Friday and 269 on Thursday, and was the lowest absolute daily increase since March 22. There were 4,710 tests done on Sunday, down from a record 6,889 on Friday but still up by nearly 2,000 from a week ago, when the daily number of detected infectio…

RT (2020-04-06). BoJo will stay \'in charge\' of UK govt as he undergoes MORE Covid-19 tests after night in hospital — housing secretary. rt.com Boris Johnson will continue to lead the UK government despite spending the night in hospital due to his Covid-19 infection, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said. The PM will also undergo a series of tests later in the day. | Although Johnson is in the hospital, he is still leading the UK government, Jenrick said on Monday. | \"He\'s been working extremely hard, leading the government and being constantly updated, that\'s going to continue,\" Jenrick told BBC TV. He stressed that Johnson would \"continue to be kept informed as to what\'s happening and to be in charge of the government.\" | The UK leader is not th…

UC Santa Cruz Wildcat Strikers (2020-04-06). The University of California Strike Enters Its 4th Month. thenation.com Amid the Covid-19 outbreak, graduate student workers\' living conditions are now their working conditions—and more than ever, we need them to be safe.

RT (2020-04-06). Japan to declare month-long state of emergency in Tokyo, 6 other prefectures, PM Abe says. rt.com Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday in a bid to stop the coronavirus. Abe made the announcement in remarks to media televised live. | More than 3,500 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan and 85 have died, Reuters reported. The numbers have been rising with particular alarm over the spread in Tokyo, which has more than 1,000 cases, including 83 new ones on Monday. | An emergency, which Abe said would last about a month, will give governors authority to call on people to stay at home and businesses to close, bu…

The Canary (2020-04-06). Japan\'s PM to declare state of emergency. thecanary.co Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he will declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday to fight the coronavirus outbreak but there will be no hard lockdowns.Abe also told reporters his government will launch a 108 trillion yen economic stimulus package to help counter the economic impact of the pandemic, including cash payouts to households in need and support to protect businesses and jobs.The prime minister said experts on a government-commissioned task force urged him to get a state of emergency ready as the Covid-19 outbreak is rapidly expanding in major citie…

RT (2020-04-06). Russia confirms biggest one-day spike in new Covid-19 cases, as almost 1000 reported on Monday. rt.com A week after most of the country went into a strict partial lockdown, Russia reported 954 new Covid-19 infections on Monday. A sharp increase on the previous days tally and a sign the fight against coronavirus is intensifying. | The total number of cases nationwide now stands at 6,343, with 47 dead. Over two-thirds (4,484) of known cases are concentrated in Moscow, Europe\'s largest city and the country\'s main transport hub. | However, there are worrying signs that Covid-19 is also spreading to more far-flung provinces, with infections now recorded in 80 of Russia\'s 85 federal subjects. On Monday, the first dea…

RT (2020-04-06). Flowers of gratitude: Georgians save desperate farmer from going broke & shower medics fighting Covid-19 with HUNDREDS of tulips. rt.com The coronavirus pandemic calls for self-distancing, but people can still come together to do a good deed — one Georgian farmer and a group of local medics can vouch for that. | Kako Jeiranashvili was in despair. The 63-year-old man had been growing tulips on his lot in Georgia\'s eastern Kakheti region for years. The beautiful red flowers, which he sent to capital Tbilisi every spring, have always been a reliable source of income for him. | But the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a massive blow to the market as few are eager to spend cash on flowers when they need face masks. This put the farmer on the…

The Canary (2020-04-06). Firefighters work to contain forest fires near Chernobyl nuclear site. thecanary.co Ukrainian firefighters worked overnight trying to put out two forest blazes in the area around the Chernobyl nuclear power station.The area was evacuated because of radioactive contamination after the 1986 explosion at the plant.Ukraine\'s emergencies service said one of the fires, covering about five hectares, had been localised. | It said the other fire was about 20 hectares.The head of the state ecological inspection service, Yehor Firsov, earlier said the fires had spread to about 100 hectares.Firsov said radiation levels at the fire were substantially higher than normal.But the emergencies service said radiat…

RT (2020-04-06). Merkel plans not to run for 5th term as chancellor haven\'t changed — aide. rt.com Angela Merkel\'s chief of staff said on Monday that he did not think the chancellor\'s plans not to run for a fifth term in office had changed. Bild newspaper last week raised the question of whether she might. | \"I don\'t think this is any time to discuss something like that,\" Helge Braun told German broadcasters RTL/n-tv. \"She has said that this is her last term in office and I believe nothing has changed about that.\" | Merkel has led Germany for 15 years and has stated previously that she will not seek re-election in autumn 2021. | Germany\'s confirmed coronavirus infections rose by 3,677 in the past 24 hours t…

RT (2020-04-06). Pentagon orders US military personnel to wear face coverings made from… \'–°LEAN T-SHIRTS\' & other household items. rt.com All US military personnel must cover their faces in situations where they are unable to adhere to social-distancing guidelines, the Pentagon has announced. However, a shortage of masks means troops will have to get creative. | The new anti-coronavirus protocol — which applies to military and civilian personnel, along with family members, contractors and guests on military bases — calls for wearing \"cloth face coverings\" when individuals are unable to keep at least six feet away from each other. | Personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators will be reserved for \"appropriate personnel\" &#150…

RT (2020-04-06). Israel to mass produce beard-friendly masks for the follicled faithful. rt.com Israeli authorities have announced that they will produce custom-made face masks to protect the religious in the country, who sport beards as part of their faith, from the coronavirus. | In a move that will no doubt come as a relief to Israel\'s religious faithful, there will be no orders issued by government to mow down their mutton chops, or curtail their chin curtains. | Israeli authorities have asked the public to cover their mouths and noses in public, but this provides somewhat of a challenge to pious proponents of pogonotrophy; Jewish, Muslim and Christian groups in the country all wear beards as a sign…

RT (2020-04-06). India\'s PM Modi, lawmakers agree 30% salary cut as govt deals with coronavirus outbreak. rt.com Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top government figures will take a 30 percent salary cut this year, cabinet minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday. | Modi has imposed a three-week lockdown to halt the spread of the virus. The move has left millions without jobs and many of the more vulnerable sections of society struggling for food and shelter, Reuters said. | The federal cabinet has approved a decree under which Modi, along with President Ram Nath Kovind, state governors and members of parliament, will take the salary cut as part of their social responsibility, according to Javadekar.

RT (2020-04-06). Swedish minister\'s \'Russian trolls\' fanning 5G fears turn out to be… anti-radiation activists led by local granny. rt.com Sweden\'s digitization minister blamed a flurry of anti-5G comments on the usual suspect — \"Russian trolls\" — but a closer look revealed that a local granny opposed to wireless radiation was behind the campaign. | The controversy dates back to late-December 2019, when Anders Ygeman, the Swedish energy and digital development minister, lamented that he had fallen victim to some \"Russian trolls.\" Who else could flood his Facebook page with hundreds of comments demanding that he backpedal on the introduction of 5G networks in Sweden? | \"There is a Russian political interest in disrupting and hindering…

ICFA (2020-04-06). Angola 3 Newsletter: DECARCERATE!!!! indybay.org We dedicate this newsletter to the men, women and children in detention centers, jails and prisons, where they are unable to social distance or sanitize–leaving them to anxiously wait for the virus to take hold in their facilities. Please encourage your local governments to take action before the virus hits.

repost (2020-04-06). San Diego \"Honk for Justice\" Calls for the Release of people in ICE Detention. indybay.org Author Pedro Rios serves as director of the AFSC\'s U.S./Mexico Border Program and has been on staff with AFSC since 2003. He is a steering committee member of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, which brings together over 60 organizations along the Southern border working to support migrants and border communities.

Quiver Watts, Street Sheet (2020-04-06). San Francisco: Mayor Breed Opts for Mass Indoor Camps. indybay.org While hundreds of advocates have been desperately contacting Mayor London Breed imploring her to place homeless people in hotel rooms and vacant units, it seems she has her own plan for addressing poverty during the pandemic: opening indoor camps to further concentrate vulnerable people.

WSWS (2020-04-06). As it releases thousands of prisoners, UK government keeps Julian Assange locked-up in danger. wsws.org The WikiLeaks founder is currently held on remand pending extradition to the US, not charged with any crime or serving any sentence, in Belmarsh maximum security prison.

Norman Solomon (2020-04-06). The Pandemic Makes the Bernie 2020 Campaign More Vital Than Ever. zcomm.org There\'s no doubt that Bernie Sanders will do all he can to help defeat Donald Trump…

Robert Norse (2020-04-06). Updates from Santa Cruz\'s Struggling Benchlands Meal & Santa Barbara\'s Peter Marin. indybay.org Santa Barbara activist Peter Marin blasts Santa Barbara\'s \"Let \'Em Die: \" Lack of Services. Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry Calls for More Volunteers, Warns Local Authorities Violate CDC Safeguards for Those Outside…

Robert Norse & Keith McHenry (2020-04-06). Correcting the Sentinel\'s Latest Errors. indybay.org Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry corrects errors, omissions, and distoertions in Sentinel writer Jessica York\'s recent story \"Santa Cruz County launches joint homelessness task force in coronavirus pandemic; Food Not Bombs expands food distribution\" (4 PM, April 4th) at www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/04/04/santa-cruz-county-launches-joint-homelessness-task-force-in-coronavirus-pandemic .

George Lakey (2020-04-06). US opinion is shifting in favor of the Nordic model — can activists keep up? zcomm.org In recognition of the pandemic crisis, big-city, mainstream newspapers are calling for actual system change. Activists need to be ready to answer the invitation…

MoveOn.org, Veterans For Peace, others (2020-04-06). Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic. indybay.org Online (go to link below)…

WSWS (2020-04-06). Nurses across the US demand equipment for protection against COVID-19. wsws.org In a show of unity, nurses at hospitals in several states are protesting against the lack of personal protective gear, ventilators and other life-saving equipment.

Kathy Kelly (2020-04-06). \"He\'s Got Eight Numbers, Just Like Everybody Else\" counterpunch.org On April 4, 2020, my friend Steve Kelly will begin a third year of imprisonment in Georgia\'s Glynn County jail. He turned 70 while in prison, and while he has served multiple prison sentences for protesting nuclear weapons, spending two years in a county jail is unusual even for him. Yet he adamantly urges supporters

WSWS (2020-04-06). Strikes, protests continue against unsafe working conditions amid coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org Workers are asserting their own interests with increasing forcefulness, while capitalist governments are preoccupied with how quickly they can restart production and renew the flow of profits.

WSWS (2020-04-06). This week in history: April 6-12. wsws.org 25 years ago: One-day strike in RussiaOn April 12, 1995, more than 1 million Russian workers carried out a one-day strike protesting nonpayment of wages and calling for the resignation of the government of President Boris Yeltsin. It was the most widespread strike action in Russia since the 1989 coal miners\' walkouts.

Ralph Nader (2020-04-06). Trump\'s 7 Pro-Contagion Reversals Increase the Coronavirus Toll. counterpunch.org Trump ridiculed, then minimized, then delayed the federal government\'s response to the coronavirus for weeks. Then finally he wrapped his boastful, confused ego around reality. But Trump is actively pushing programs that will endanger more Americans. Here\'s a brief look at Trump\'s pro-contagion activities that leave Americans defenseless in the face of the virus, implemented

WSWS (2020-04-06). Australian Committee for Public Education holds successful online meeting on pandemic crisis. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party\'s (US) candidate for vice president, Norissa Santa Cruz, brought greetings to the meeting which was attended by more than 70 people.

Dave Lindorff (2020-04-06). Neither Pandemic Nor Economic Collapse is Going to Be a Short-Lived Crisis. counterpunch.org On Thursday, April 2, the bottom fell out of the US economy, as the US Department of Labor reported that an unprecedented 6.6 million more workers in the US had been laid off and had filed claims for unemployment compensation payments with their state Unemployment Offices last week. That stunning news followed the already shocking

WSWS (2020-04-06). Ten years since WikiLeaks published Collateral Murder. wsws.org The video exposed the criminality of the Iraq war and had a profound impact on the consciousness of millions of workers and young people the world over.

Fight Back (2020-04-06). China donates 1000 ventilators to New York. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on April 4 that China has donated 1000 ventilators to the state of New York. This act further shows the contrast between how China has handled the novel coronavirus versus the United States, and how socialism is better equipped to handle public health crises than capitalism can. | China, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, took swift action when the coronavirus hit. In mid-January, China implemented a lockdown, including movement in and out of Wuhan and 15 cities in the Hubei province. As a result, new cases went from a peak of thousands per day to…

Nomi Prins (2020-04-06). Wall Street Wins, Again: Bailouts in the Time of Coronavirus. counterpunch.org To say that these are unprecedented times would be the understatement of the century. Even as the United States became the latest target of Hurricane COVID-19, in \"hot spots\" around the globe a continuing frenzy of health concerns represented yet another drop down the economic rabbit hole. Stay-at-home orders have engulfed the planet, encompassing a majority of Americans, all of India, the United Kingdom, and much of Europe. A second round of cases may be starting to surface in China. Meanwhile, small- and medium-sized businesses, not to speak of giant corporate entities, are already facing severe financial pain.

Nick Licata (2020-04-06). Authoritarian Leaders Rejected the Danger of a COVID-19 Pandemic Because It Challenged Their Image. counterpunch.org A Brazilian government official (r) posing for a photo next to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Mar-A-Lago who tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus. In the current coronavirus pandemic authoritarian-oriented leaders, whether communist or capitalist, initially portrayed the virus as an insignificant danger. Once they could no longer ignore the

WSWS (2020-04-06). As COVID-19 death toll rises, the ruling classes agitate for a premature return to work. wsws.org As the surgeon general of the United States warned that the coming week will be \"our 9/11 moment,\" President Trump demanded that the government stop \"paying people to stay home.\"

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-04-06). Capitalism in America Has Dropped the Mask: Its Face is Cruel and Selfish. counterpunch.org Among the countless distressing news stories covering the COVID-19 pandemic over the past month are the heartwarming ones that focus on what ordinary human beings are doing to help one another during this historic crisis. Many of these \"good news\" reports have focused on a nation-wide effort by fashion industry labels, domestic apparel manufacturers, and

WSWS (2020-04-06). No to the domestic deployment of the German army! wsws.org The German army\'s so-called \"Coronavirus operation\" is the largest military operation in country\'s post-war history.

WSWS (2020-04-06). Ontario warns of more than 10,000 COVID-19 deaths as pandemic spreads rapidly across Canada. wsws.org The figures presented are horrifying, but likely an underestimation of the catastrophe threatening the province and country unless urgent counter-measures are taken.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-06). Working toward a COVID-19 vaccine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The push to create a vaccine that prevents people from contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues. Dr. Stacey Rizza, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, says developing a vaccine takes research, money and time. \"Everyone wants to have a vaccine ready right now,\" says Dr. Rizza. \"Researchers around the globe and at Mayo …

Richard Eskow (2020-04-06). Iran Sanctions Are Biological Warfare Against Civilians. zcomm.org This is not an economic policy. It is the collective punishment of civilians. It is an act of biological warfare against children, the elderly, and people of all ages…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-06). Mayo Clinic expert puts grim COVID-19 projections into perspective. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation\'s leading infectious diseases expert, shared sobering estimates that COVID-19 could kill 100,000 to 240,000 Americans. Top government scientists warn that the death toll could be even higher if Americans don\'t follow the strict guidelines put in place to slow the spread of the virus. Dr. Gregory Poland, a …

Michael Harris (2020-04-06). Toward A Complete Dr. Martin Luther King Legacy. indybay.org MLK Library Sacramento | 24th Street Bypass | Sacramento, CA. 95822…

RT (2020-04-05). Saudi stocks open higher as deal to save oil market looms. rt.com The main stock index of Saudi bourse rose nearly two percent despite a delay in talks between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and major oil producers. | The Saudi Tadawul market lost some gains less than one hour after the trading week started in the Gulf states on Sunday, but was still up around half a percent. | Stock in other countries in the region were mixed, with the premier index of Boursa Kuwait gaining around one percent, and the Bahrain stock market was also slightly up. Stock markets in both Qatar and Oman were slightly down, losing around 0.1 percent each. | Also on rt.

RT (2020-04-05). China's exports of key medical supplies rise to $1.5 BILLION amid global shortage of anti-virus gear. rt.com As the coronavirus landed in Europe and the US, the former epicenter of the outbreak, China, has exported to other countries medical supplies worth $1.45 billion (10.2 billion yuan) to battle the deadly pandemic. | The key supplies, including billions of masks, millions of protection suits and infrared temperature detectors, as well as 16,000 units of ventilators, were sent overseas in one month from March 1 to April 4, the country\'s General Administration of Customs announced on Sunday. | According to Chinese Ministry of Commerce, exports of medical supplies have been increasing and the government is not goin…

RT (2020-04-05). Some good news! Number of people who\'ve RECOVERED from Covid-19 passes quarter of a million. rt.com Perhaps the most under-reported statistic in the entire coronavirus pandemic passed an important milestone on Sunday as 250,000 were marked as having recovered from the illness. | The onward march of the death toll and number of confirmed cases has prompted countless hours of media coverage, as the virus spread around the globe. However, the number of people who are officially recorded as having recovered from the disease receives far less attention. | The important stat climbed past the quarter of a million barrier (to 252,478) on Sunday, as more than 20 percent of confirmed carriers of the virus have officia…

RT (2020-04-05). \'Better days will return\': Queen Elizabeth compares Covid-19 fight to WWII, but reassures Brits, as coronavirus deaths near 5,000. rt.com Adapting her wartime message for the present, Queen Elizabeth II has assured the UK that by remaining \"united and resolute\" it will beat the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the virus claimed another 621 lives overnight. | In what was only her fourth special broadcast since her coronation in 1953, the queen thanked healthcare workers \"who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all.\" | Her Majesty The Queen addresses the UK and the Commonwealth in a special broadcast recorded at Windsor Castle.

RT (2020-04-05). \'Profound lack of human decency\': Oliver Stone tears into US govt over Iran & Venezuela sanctions amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com The United States government has revealed its contempt for human compassion and global solidarity by refusing to lift draconian sanctions on Iran and Venezuela during the Covid-19 crisis, director Oliver Stone has argued. | Iran has suffered immensely from the virus, Stone noted in an op-ed published by the New York Daily News, but due to US sanctions the Islamic Republic is \"reportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic.\" | The outspoken Hollywood legend similarly condemned Washington\'s decision to maintain — and in some cases, increase — its economi…

RT (2020-04-05). \'We will WHIP YOU\': Police employ no-nonsense measures to force Covid-19 lawbreakers to self-isolate in Zambia (VIDEO). rt.com Some people just don\'t get it when it comes to bans on partying and loitering amid the Covid-19 pandemic — you\'ve certainly heard of this type in your country. Zambia\'s police just found a \"creative\" way to force them to comply.

RT (2020-04-05). UK ministers \'no longer discounting\' theory that Covid-19 leaked from Wuhan lab — report. rt.com Senior members of the UK government have become less skeptical of the fringe theory that the coronavirus pandemic came from a lab in Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the outbreak, high-ranked sources told the Daily Mail. | A member of Cobra, the emergency committee led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, told the papaer that while it\'s still believed that the virus originated from animals, intelligence reports have not ruled out the possibility that the deadly illness was man-made. | \"There is a credible alternative view [to the zoonotic theory] based on the nature of the virus. Perhaps it is no coincidenc…

RT (2020-04-05). Covid-19 hotspot Italy rolls out plan for \'living with the virus\' once peak has passed. rt.com Rome is set to cautiously relax some of its lockdown restrictions when the pandemic slows down or stops its spread, while at the same time boosting health services to keep coronavirus at bay. | Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza has outlined a five-step plan to allow his Covid-stricken country to outlast the fatal disease, which has claimed 15,362 lives to date. \"There are difficult months ahead. Our task is to create the conditions to live with the virus,\" he was quoted as saying by La Repubblica newspaper. | Italy, the worst-affected country in Europe in terms of Covid-19 deaths, will exit the nationwi…

RT (2020-04-05). \'Low-risk\' businesses in Iran will start operating within a week, Rouhani says. rt.com Some commerce and industries in Iran will likely be able to resume activities in a week\'s time, President Hassan Rouhani has announced, signaling that the Islamic Republic has survived the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. | \"Under the supervision of the Health Ministry, all those low-risk economic activities will resume from Saturday,\" Rouhani said in a televised meeting. | He added that two-thirds of Iranian government employees will work from their offices starting next weekend, adding that the easing of anti-coronavirus measures does not conflict with the country\'s health advisories. | Businesses deemed \"hig…

RT (2020-04-05). Market speculations, not real demand, sank Russian oil to 20-year lows. rt.com The swings in the oil market are mainly caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of a deal between the OPEC and major exporters of crude. However, some analysts believe that there are more factors behind the market rout. | The price for Russian Urals oil blend fell to $10.54 per barrel (CIF Rotterdam) on April 2, the weakest level since March 1999. Despite having managed to rebound since then, the rally could be short-term and just a reaction to a possible big oil deal, independent economic analyst Narek Avakyan told RT, explaining that demand is still going to fall amid the pandemic and worldwide boost…

RT (2020-04-05). Scottish health chief RESIGNS after police tells her off for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules. rt.com Dr Catherine Calderwood is stepping down from…

RT (2020-04-05). Magic bullet for Covid-19? Scientists look to century-old plasma treatment, but there are some big \'BUTS\'. rt.com As the world seeks a Covid-19 panacea, treating patients with plasma harvested from those who have recovered from the virus is being touted as a possible cure — but big challenges still remain, scientists say. | It\'s been months since the novel coronavirus started to rage across China, spilling over to other countries and infecting more than a million people around the world, but there is still no clinically tested vaccine or medication. However, one possible treatment that has been around for over a century is attracting attention, with some scientists suggesting it could be a game-changer — provid…

RT (2020-04-05). Easier said than done? Trump says major US leagues 'have to get back' but Covid-19 carnage could mean long waiting game. rt.com US President Donald Trump says that the nation\'s various sports leagues could resume by the end of the summer but experts warn that any such move could come in direct contrast to coronavirus safety measures. | The US has joined the majority of the rest of the world in shutting down practically all sporting events in the country indefinitely as surge they past 300,000 cases of Covid-19, but with the Trump administration apparently keen to return to a state of \'business as usual\' they have signposted a resumption of sports in time for the kick-off of the NFL season in early September as a target. | The NBA, whic…

RT (2020-04-05). Spanish PM says EU survival is at stake in war against coronavirus as Spain becomes Europe\'s most infected nation. rt.com As Spain becomes Europe\'s most infected country, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has sent a forceful message to Brussels, warning that the European Union will fail if it gets its handling of the Covid-19 crisis wrong. | In a piece Sanchez called for solidarity between membe…

RT (2020-04-05). Trump brandishes tariff stick at \'illegal OPEC cartel\' & vows to do \'whatever it takes\' (but no US oil cuts!). rt.com Calling on Russia and Saudi Arabia to urgently resolve the global oil output crisis, President Donald Trump said he will do whatever it takes — except for cutting the US\' own oil production, apparently — to protect American jobs. | \"I will do whatever it takes to protect US oil jobs,\" Trump told reporters at a daily Covid-19 task force press briefing. \"We are the number one producer in the world right now… I am a big believer in our great energy business, and we are going to take care of our energy business.\" | If I have to level tariffs on all imported oil coming into this country, I will. | \"I\'

The Canary (2020-04-05). \'I\'m only a van driver,\' says one man on the front line, \'but everyone\'s going above and beyond\'. thecanary.co As a delivery driver for the NHS, Dave Holt is experiencing the most intense working conditions of his professional life.In the first of a series of profiles looking at workers on the front line of the battle against Covid-19 in the UK, the 49-year-old from Farnborough tells the PA news agency what life is like right now.What was a normal working day like before coronavirus?: I work for Berkshire Surrey Pathology Services. We serve all the surgeries around the South East of England. All the pathology departments of these hospitals work together. We go out and collect specimens, drop off mail, absolutely an…

RT (2020-04-05). Covid-19 cases in Moscow near 4,000 as mayor says capital is country's \'HIGHEST RISK\' region. rt.com Moscow\'s mayor has warned that the growing number of coronavirus infections in the city means tough self-isolation measures are still needed. The capital reported more than 500 new cases on Sunday from a national total of 658. | It means the overall number of confirmed infections in the capital is now 3,893, up by 536, and more than two-thirds of Russia\'s nationwide tally of 5,389, according to official figures. Authorities have recorded 45 deaths. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Sunday that Moscow is considered to be at the \"highest risk\" because of the number of people that have have traveled through the cit…

RT (2020-04-05). \'What do you have to lose?\' Trump touts anti-malaria drug as Covid-19 cure, urges India to lift export ban. rt.com Praising the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure for Covid-19 and claiming he would take a pill himself, if infected, US President Donald Trump has urged Indian PM Narendra Modi to lift a ban on its exports. | The federal government has already accumulated some 29 million doses of hydroxychloroquine in its national stockpiles, and is seeking to acquire more, even though the drug\'s effectiveness against Covid-19 is still being tested and remains questionable. | \"After a call today with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is giving serious consideration to releasing the hold it put on…

The Canary (2020-04-05). Colleagues pay tribute to NHS staff who have died during Covid-19 crisis. thecanary.co Tributes have flooded in for NHS staff known to have died after contracting Covid-19.Two nurses — both young mothers — five doctors and two healthcare assistants have contracted the coronavirus and died since the start of the outbreak.Nurse Areema Nasreen, 36, died just after midnight on April 2 in intensive care at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands — the hospital where she had worked for 16 years. | Richard Beeken, chief executive of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, paid tribute to her, saying: \"Any death is devastating but losing one of our own is beyond words.\"He said Nasreen had started…

RT (2020-04-05). Spain registers fewer than 700 new coronavirus-related deaths as daily fatalities show signs of slowing. rt.com Spain\'s death toll from Covid-19 has risen by 674 in the last 24 hours, the country\'s Health Ministry reported, marking fewer deaths than in previous days. The number of newly-confirmed cases has also fallen by around 1,000. | The daily number of registered cases is also showing signs of decline. Cases rose to 130,759 from 124,736 on Sunday — an increase of 6,023 — down from 7,000 new infections the previous day. | New infections grew just five percent over the past day, which is the lowest rise since the health crisis began, El Pais reported. Total deaths stand at 12,418, with daily fatalities decre…

RT (2020-04-05). Covid-19 cases in Moscow near 4,000 as mayor says residents are at \'HIGHEST RISK\' compared to other regions. rt.com Moscow has over 500 new coronavirus cases, with the total number of infections in the capital approaching 4,000. The city\'s mayor has warned that residents remain at risk and that\'s why tough measures are still needed. | The Russian capital registered 536 new infections on Sunday, increasing the city\'s total case count to 3,893, according to official figures. The latest data lists 5,389 cases nationwide, resulting in 45 deaths. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Sunday that Moscow is at \"highest risk\" because of the number of people that have have traveled through the city or returned from abroad. The large numbe…

Eds. (2020-04-05). Spoken Word Poetry — \'this world we live in\'. mronline.org TheTamim is a young and very passionate boy who writes about his upmost emotions and feelings, not only towards the world but also distintive individuals across history.

RT (2020-04-05). Coronavirus lockdowns shave off almost 30 percent of entire US economy — Moody's. rt.com As stay-at-home orders to battle the coronavirus are effective in most states, the virus-related restrictions have already shed 29 percent of US daily output, Moody\'s Analytics warns as cited by the Wall Street Journal. | The full scale of economic disaster stemming from almost countrywide closures of businesses in various industries — from entertainment to retail — will not be seen for years. However, the first estimates have already started to emerge, and the picture is quite gloomy. | According to Moody\'s study, which was carried when 41 states shut down non-essential businesses, California alon…

RT (2020-04-05). Scottish medical chief WITHDRAWN from briefings after flouting lockdown rules to visit holiday home. rt.com Scotland\'s chief medical officer will no longer attend press briefings after coming under fire for twice flouting the UK\'s lockdown rules in order to visit her holiday home on the coast. | Dr Catherine Calderwood was publicly imploring Scots to adhere to the \'stay at home\' measures, while privately she was travelling to the east coast of Scotland to visit her second home at weekends. | The medical chief was photographed with her family near a coastal retreat in Earlsferry and the images were published in The Scottish Sun late on Saturday. | EXCLUSIVE: Fury as Scots chief medic flouts own coronavirus lockdown r…

The Canary (2020-04-05). Tory incompetence revealed as Hancock admits NHS may not hit ventilator target before virus peak. thecanary.co The health secretary has said the government is on track to meet its goal of ventilator capacity for 18,000 patients. However, he also admitted that may not be in place before the expected peak of the virus.Matt Hancock said the virus is expected to peak within a week to 10 days but said the ventilator capacity will likely be below 18,000 by then.He defended the government\'s handling of the outbreak and said the army is now helping to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS front line.He also said now is \"not the time\" to be discussing a pay rise for nurses, but said he was \"sympathetic\" to calls for t…

ICFA (2020-04-05). Angola 3 Newsletter: DECARCERATE!!!! indybay.org We dedicate this newsletter to the men, women and children in detention centers, jails and prisons, where they are unable to social distance or sanitize–leaving them to anxiously wait for the virus to take hold in their facilities. Please encourage your local governments to take action before the virus hits.

Robert Norse & Keith McHenry (2020-04-05). Correcting the Sentinel\'s Latest Errors. indybay.org Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry corrects errors, omissions, and distoertions in Sentinel writer Jessica York\'s recent story \"Santa Cruz County launches joint homelessness task force in coronavirus pandemic; Food Not Bombs expands food distribution\" (4 PM, April 4th) at www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/04/04/santa-cruz-county-launches-joint-homelessness-task-force-in-coronavirus-pandemic .

Staff (2020-04-05). COVID-19 Is Turning Prisons Into \"Kill-Boxes\" truthout.org \"Our prisons are about to be utterly transformed by tragedy on a grand scale.\" So concludes \"COVID-19 And Indiana Prisons,\" a 13-page blueprint to save the lives of thousands of people locked up in the cages of the Indiana Department of Corrections. | Written through a collective process involving more than 600 formerly incarcerated women, the report calls for the release of 5,662 people — 21 percent of the state prison population — and lays out a process to use funds from the state\'s share of the f…

Robert Norse (2020-04-05). Updates from Santa Cruz\'s Struggling Benchlands Meal & Santa Barbara\'s Peter Marin. indybay.org Santa Barbara activist Peter Marin blasts Santa Barbara\'s \"Let \'Em Die: \" Lack of Services. Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry Calls for More Volunteers, Warns Local Authorities Violate CDC Safeguards for Those Outside…

MoveOn.org, Veterans For Peace, others (2020-04-05). Webinar: Racial Justice has no Borders: War & Militarization in the time of Pandemic. indybay.org Online (go to link below)…

teleSUR (2020-04-05). Venezuelan Leader Pens Open Letter to US Public. telesurenglish.net In a letter issued on Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump against making any unwise military decisions against the Bolivarian Republic. | RELATED: | Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza read a letter on Sunday that Venezuelan President Maduro sent to the people of the United States, following Washington\'s recent threats toward the Bolivarian Republ…

South Front (2020-04-05). Video: Syrian Soldiers Killed in Turkish Strikes in Idlib. Kurdish Rebels Attack Turkish Proxies in Afrin. globalresearch.ca The Afrin Liberation Forces carried out a series of attacks on Turkish-backed militants in northern Aleppo. According to the group, its fighters stormed positions of Turkish proxies near Omra killing three of them on March 26. On April 1, the …

Steve Ellner (2020-04-05). Why The Mainstream Media Suggests Lifting Sanctions Against Iran While Not Saying Anything About Venezuela ‚Ä®. zcomm.org No other country in the world is being subjected to the type of regime change strategy that the Trump administration is applying to Venezuela…

Danica Jorden (2020-04-05). ICE Eases Threat but \"Essential\" Immigrant Farmworkers Struggle to Feed Themselves. zcomm.org Immigrant farm workers have long been essential to the United States. But they have never been recognized, respected or properly rewarded for their labor…

teleSUR (2020-04-05). Spain\'s Sanchez Calls for New \'Marshall Plan\' in Europe. telesurenglish.net Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, told the nations of the European Union (EU) that they will fail as a community if forceful measures are not taken to face the coronavirus pandemic. | RELATED: | In an article published on Sunday in more than a dozen European newspapers, in different languages, Sánchez appealed for solidarity between EU countries to get ahead in the face of the health emergency that is hitting the co…

teleSUR (2020-04-05). UK PM Admitted to Hospital Over COVID-19 Symptoms. telesurenglish.net The United Kingdom\'s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted Sunday to the hospital for further tests and as a \"precautionary step,\" 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19, the British government announced. | RELATED: | \"On the advice of his doctor, the prime minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests,\" a Downing Street spokeswoman said, adding that \"this is a precautionary step, as the prime minis…

teleSUR (2020-04-05). Brazil, Chile, Ecuador Report Highest Number of COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net Brazil, Chile and Ecuador are currently reporting the highest number of COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in the entire Latin America region, the latest reports revealed on Sunday morning. | RELATED: | According to data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the death toll from coronavirus increased to 432, with 73 deaths reported in the last 24 hours. | The figure of 73 deaths is the highest for a single day since the first cas…

teleSUR (2020-04-05). Peru Announces Economic Plan for People Affected by COVID-19. telesurenglish.net \"What we want, on the one hand, is to minimize the damage that social isolation has been causing to the economy,\" he stressed, adding that it is important to aid companies because \"behind them, there are a significant number of workers who have to continue, as far as possible, with their work.\"

The Commonwealth Club (2020-04-05). Livestream: Democracy and COVID-19: What Happens Next? indybay.org Online via livestream…

David Daley (2020-04-05). More Democracy or Less? Elections in a Pandemic. zcomm.org The GOP\'s decade-long war on voting rights is making it harder to hold fair elections as COVID-19 spreads…

Robert Freeman (2020-04-05). Will the Media Help Elect Trump? Again? commondreams.org In the 2016 election the media gave more than $2 billion of free publicity to Donald Trump. It was voyeurism of his biting-off-the-heads-of-chickens campaign style. The nation had never seen anything like it, and it was, regrettably, newsworthy.

Staff (2020-04-05). The Billionaires Putting Their Wealth Above Public Health Amid the Pandemic. truthout.org While millions are facing health and financial uncertainty and unemployment rolls are reaching record levels due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a small group of wealthy elites are thriving. Not only do the rich and powerful seem to have access to otherwise near-impossible to obtain

Kurt Nimmo (2020-04-05). COVID-19 Depression: Trump Needs a War. globalresearch.ca It is seriously astounding how fast the economy is crumbling. No infusion of funny money will save the American people from the historically severe depression now evolving. | State and federal governments are becoming more authoritarian in response to serious influenza …

Jessica Corbett (2020-04-05). Big Brother in the Age of Coronavirus: 100+ Groups Warn Against Exploiting Pandemic to Permanently Expand Surveillance State. globalresearch.ca As the number of COVID-19 cases

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-04-05). Coronavirus Pandemic Will Inevitably Cause Food Crisis. globalresearch.ca The coronavirus crisis will not end anytime soon. Day after day, news about the catastrophe becomes increasingly frightening and alarming. The numbers do not indicate any sign of a truce and we cannot see improvements in the world scenario in …

Nino Pagliccia (2020-04-05). A Simple \"Democratic Transition\" Framework for Venezuela: End All \"Sanctions\" globalresearch.ca On March 31 the US Secretary of State issued a

Robert Fantina (2020-04-05). Coronavirus in Albania and the Presence of Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) in Tirana. globalresearch.ca Following the outbreak of coronavirus in Italy, more than 120,000 Albanians residing in Italy returned to their country. Albania, with a population under 3,000,000, has, as of this writing, 243 cases of coronavirus. That is 84 cases per 1,000,000 people. …

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-04-05). Boastful Pay Cuts: The Coronavirus Incentive. globalresearch.ca It has become a source of pride. Highly salaried executives — often, it should be said, receiving pay very much disconnected from the value of their work — making voluntary pay cuts and telling everybody else about it. In sport, …

Tony Cartalucci (2020-04-05). Covid-19: Have \"Real Journalists\" Forgotten the H1N1 Scandal They Reported On? globalresearch.ca Overreaction and big-pharma profiteering from Covid-19 is a repeat of the 2009 H1N1 \"Swine Flu\" scandal. Why has the corporate media that would eventually expose the 2009 scandal failed to inform readers today that the same corrupt interests are leading …

John Lee (2020-04-05). How Deadly Is the Coronavirus? It\'s Still Far from Clear. globalresearch.ca In announcing the most far-reaching restrictions on personal freedom in the history of our nation, Boris Johnson resolutely followed the scientific advice that he had been given. The advisers to the government seem calm and collected, with a solid consensus …