(2020-03-14). Sing when you're winning: Watch British boxer Nathan Heaney's brilliant ring walk before winning middleweight title fight (VIDEO). rt.com 
British boxer Nathan Heaney may not have been a household name heading into his bout on Friday night, but after his brilliant ring walk went viral on Saturday, he's becoming a lot more popular now. | The 30-year-old middleweight from Stoke-on-Trent, England was the star of the show at a boxing event in his hometown as he took on Malta's Christian Schembri for the vacant IBO continental middleweight title. | Fighting in front of his hometown fans in the biggest fight of his unbeaten career, Heaney was determined to make an impact, and he made sure he did just that, right from the very start of his walkout. | He…
(2020-03-14). Defeated by coronavirus? NATO's biggest drill Defender 2020 under risk of being sneezed off. rt.com 
The Alliance has been preparing to stage its biggest military exercise in decades when it encountered a foe it was not apparently ready to face — the coronavirus. Now, the drill is at risk, while its true aim comes to the fore.
(2020-03-14). 'Euroleaks': Varoufakis LEAKS recordings of secretive Eurogroup talks on Greece in fight for 'democratization of the EU'. rt.com 
The former finance minister of Greece, Yanis Varoufakis, has released a cache of audio files, secretly recorded in 2015 during the bailout talks with the Eurogroup — a powerful group of eurozone's finance chiefs. | The recordings and their transcripts were | In 2015, Varoufakis was…
(2020-03-14). European airlines facing BLOODBATH as coronavirus crisis rocks industry. rt.com 
Major European airlines are set to axe thousands of jobs and, without bailouts, some are facing collapse as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the industry. | After weeks of uncertainty in the sector, Saturday brought a raft of bad news for European carriers. The French government said it is not considering a bailout of Air France-KLM at this stage, as the airline struggles for survival amidst the public health crisis. | Scandanavian Airlines is reportedly laying off 100 pilots and 100 cabin crew on a temporary basis while Swiss International is taking half its fleet out of service and reducing working h…
(2020-03-14). Defeated by Covid-19? NATO's biggest war drill 'Defender 2020' is at risk of being sneezed off. rt.com NATO had been preparing to stage its biggest military exercise in decades when it encountered a foe it was not apparently ready to face — coronavirus. Now, the drill is in jeopardy, while its true aim comes to the surface. | A large-scale exercise with the pompous name 'Defender Europe 2020' was expected to become the Alliance's biggest in a quarter of a century. Up to 20,000 US troops, together with some 17,000 more soldiers from 17 other NATO members, were scheduled to take part in the drill, which was about to be held in Germany, Poland and the Baltic states. | To be staged mainly between April and Ma…
(2020-03-14). China sends medical experts to support Italy's fight against coronavirus. peoplesworld.org 
China has sent a team of medical experts and aid to support Italy in its fight against coronavirus after Rome blasted the European Union for ignoring its pleas for help. A charter flight with a nine-member Chinese medical-aid team and tons of supplies arrived in Rome the evening of March 12. Organized by the National …
(2020-03-14). Berlin shuts museums, bars & even BROTHELS, in tough crackdown on virus spread. rt.com 
No action will be available in Germany's capital from now on, after Berlin shut down all public venues in an attempt to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus in central Europe's most populated city. | The decision was announced by Berlin's authorities on Saturday. All venues such as bars, clubs, cinemas, theaters and even brothels have been closed, while citizens are effectively prohibited from forming any groups of 50 or more. | "The Berlin Senate decided today that from now on all public and non-public events in Berlin with 50 or more participants are forbidden," the city's authorities said in a statemen…
(2020-03-14). Spanish PM's wife tests positive for Covid-19 after Madrid imposes national lockdown to tackle the disease. rt.com 
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez's wife, Begona Gomez, has tested positive for the deadly coronavirus, the government has confirmed. It comes after the Iberian country entered into lockdown, with ban on all non-essential movement. | Both Gomez and her husband, the Prime Minister, are feeling well, Sanchez's office reported Sunday night. | The new comes shortly after Sanchez unveiled what he described as "drastic" and "extraordinary" measures as part of the state of emergency to fend off the spread of the disease that has so far claimed at least 193 lives across the country, and infected over 6,250. | The restrictive m…
(2020-03-14). Spain to enter nationwide LOCKDOWN as coronavirus crisis prompts 'drastic' measures. rt.com 
Spain is imposing a nationwide lockdown in a bid to tackle the coronavirus, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has confirmed. It prevents citizens from leaving their homes except to buy food and medicine and for work or emergencies. | The government announced the new measures at a news conference on Saturday and they are set to come into effect on Monday morning. | The measures, which Sanchez called "extraordinary" and "drastic" will last for 15 days as part of the state of emergency and may be extended further with a decision from the Spanish Congress of Deputies. Sanchez acknowledged that the lockdown will have a…
(2020-03-14). Several UK planes turn MID-FLIGHT as Spain declares state of emergency. rt.com 
British low cost airline Jet2 announced it has cancelled flight to coronavirus-stricken mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. | At least five Jet2 aircraft have turned mid-flight and returned to the UK on Saturday, according to air tracking service FlightRadar24. The company said it was "contacting our customers," who expected to return home "to advise them of their options." TUI took a similar decision, cancelling all flights to Spain over the weekend. | Both airlines cited the measures announced by the Spanish government on Friday to curb the spread of the infection. Prime Minister Ped…
(2020-03-14). Russia's number of confirmed coronavirus cases reaches 59. rt.com 
Some 14 new coronavirus patients were identified in Russia on Saturday with the total number of infected reaching 59. Moscow leads with the number of new cases, with 9 infected with Covid-19 detected in the capital. So far, the coronavirus has not claimed any lives in Russia. | Over 145,000 coronavirus patients have been registered worldwide, and more than 5,400 of them died. While the majority of cases have originated in the pandemic's ground zero — Wuhan, China — and countries such as Iran and South Korea have been heavily hit, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this week that the hotspot o…
(2020-03-14). Western media sends Russian career politician TO SPACE in rush to write about Putin & constitutional reform. rt.com 
The head of Russian Parliament's upper chamber had hidden a glorious space-faring past until the Daily Mail blew the lid off her secret. Or it might just be a fantasy tale propelled by a rush for clicks instead of a Soyuz rocket.
(2020-03-14). British media launches Russian senate speaker INTO SPACE in latest battle with 'difficult' foreign names. rt.com The head of Russian Parliament's upper chamber had hidden a glorious space-faring past until the Daily Mail blew the lid off her secret. Or it might just be a fantasy tale propelled by a rush for clicks instead of a Soyuz rocket.
(2020-03-14). Covid-19 Updates: Chinese Delegation Approves Italy's Measures. telesurenglish.net Update: 9: 30 | MOROCCO: meetings with more than 50 people are prohibited. | The Interior Ministry announced that all public agglomerations with more than 50 people are prohibited to prevent the Covid-19 spread. | Air and sea traffic with Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, China, and Algeria was also suspended. | So far, Morocco has 17 Covid-19 confirmed cases, including five Moroccans who entered the country from Spain. | As of March 16, face-to-face classes will be suspended at all educational levels. | Update: 8: 30 | SPAIN: The government restricts the movement of people.
(2020-03-14). More than 250 deaths in Italy in one day as coronavirus continues to spread. wsws.org Italy is the focal point of the outbreak in Europe, which Europe is now reporting more new cases each day than China did, even at the height of its outbreak.
(2020-03-14). Poland, Czech Republic close borders, shut down public life due to coronavirus. wsws.org Three decades after the restoration of capitalism and endless austerity, the health care system in Poland and the Czech Republic, as across all of Europe, is in a devastating condition.
(2020-03-14). Russia's coronavirus cases double in two days, as Ukraine reports first death. wsws.org COVID-19 is spreading in Russia and Ukraine, as the governments impose bans on travel and public gatherings.
(2020-03-14). Spain declares state of emergency as unions agree to mass layoffs. wsws.org The decision comes as there are 4,209 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 1,000 more than the day before, and 120 deaths from the disease across Spain.
(2020-03-14). Covid-19 Updates: Pentagon restricts access to building over virus. telesurenglish.net Update 17: 35 | Georgia 2nd state to postpone pres. primaries over virus | Georgia's March 24 presidential primaries will be postponed until May because of fears over the new coronavirus, state election officials announced Saturday, a day after Louisiana also pushed back its primaries. | In-person early voting, which began statewide March 2, will be halted and the election will be moved to May 19, when Georgia's other 2020 primary elections are being held, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement Saturday. | Update 17: 30 | Florida's famed South Beach closed to stop virus | Florida's fam…
(2020-03-14). Wildcat strikes erupt across Italy to demand idling of plants during coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org The working class, not the financial markets and their corrupt political and trade union representatives, must decide what plants run and under what conditions.
(2020-03-14). Russia: President Putin Signs Law Amending the Constitution. telesurenglish.net Russia's RELATED: | This legal instrument specifies the requirements to be met by the President, members of the Government and Parliament, and other positions related t…
(2020-03-14). Yellow Vests Protesters Pour Into Streets in Paris Ahead of France's Municipal Vote – Video. sputniknews.com The upcoming municipal election in France is scheduled to take place on Sunday followed by a second round that is slated to take place a week later, on 22 March.
(2020-03-14). Russian-Turkish Talks in Ankara to Allow Implementation of Agreements on Syria's Idlib. sputniknews.com Russia and Turkey inked a ceasefire deal earlier this month ensuring the cessation of hostilities between Turkish and Syrian forces in the province of Idlib in northwestern Syria. The two sides established joint military patrols in the area.
(2020-03-14). German Finance Minister Vows to Use 'Bazooka' to Shore Up Companies Amid COVID-19 Crisis. sputniknews.com Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the coronavirus outbreak can be viewed as a pandemic which WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said is "a crisis that will touch every sector".
(2020-03-14). Spain Records Over 1,500 New Coronavirus Cases in 24 Hours – Health Ministry. sputniknews.com MADRID (Sputnik) – Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation declared the spread of the COVID-19 a pandemic. The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 145,000, with over 5,400 fatalities.
(2020-03-14). Passenger Airliner Travelling from Budapest to Moscow Sounds Emergency Signal – Reports. sputniknews.com The plane sounded a "general emergency" signal 30 minutes after take-off. It is not immediately clear what prompted the plane to set off the alarm.
(2020-03-14). Putin Signs Constitutional Amendments Into Law. sputniknews.com The constitutional reform legislation put forward by Putin includes the expansion of the Parliament's powers, a ban on senior officials from having a residence permit in other countries, a limit on the number of presidential terms, the main law's precedence over international agreements, and strengthening the social obligations of the state.
(2020-03-14). Russia Bans Upper House Lawmakers From Travelling Abroad Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. sputniknews.com According to Russian Upper House speaker Valentina Matvienko, visits by foreign delegations from those countries deemed "dangerous" in terms of the coronavirus outbreak have also been suspended.
(2020-03-14). Turkey neutralizes 10 PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com The Turkish army "neutralized" 10 YPG/PKK terrorists in northern Syrian territories, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.In a Twitter post, the ministry said eight PKK/YPG terrorists, who were found plotting attacks on Turkish troops in the Operation Peace Spring area, as well as other two PKK/YPG terrorists attempting to infiltrate the Operation Euphrates Shield area were "neutralized."Turkish authorities generally use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.In 2016-2019, Turkey launched a trio of successful anti-terrorist operations across its…
(2020-03-14). Turkey halts ethanol-mixed fuel for more disinfectants. yenisafak.com Turkey's temporary suspension of the requirement to include ethanol in gasoline will provide an additional 20,000 cubic meter ethanol capacity for the production of disinfectants and colognes in the country.Cologne is a traditional ethanol-based scented disinfectant in Turkey.The precautionary move in order to help stem the coronavirus outbreak came after Turkey announced coronavirus cases this week.The regulation of blending ethanol produced from domestic agricultural products with gasoline was first introduced in 2013 to comply with renewable energy policies, reduce import dependency in energy and support the a…
(2020-03-14). Qatar overcomes Gulf crisis despite 1,000-day blockade. yenisafak.com Doha continues to flourish and overcome economic difficulties despite a blockade that has been underway for more than 1,000 days."At the end of February 2020, the unfair besiege completed 1,000 days, it was an era of failure, confusion, and moral downfall for the countries of the blockade," Qatar's Ambassador to Turkey, Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi told Anadolu Agency. "But for Qatar, it was 1,000 days of pride and steadfastness."In mid-2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt all abruptly severed ties with Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups.Qatar, for its part, has vociferousl…
(2020-03-14). Austria announces coronavirus aid package, ditches deficit target. yenisafak.com Austria is making 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) immediately available to deal with the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, the conservative-led government said on Saturday as it ditched a central pledge to balance its budget.Austria has closed its borders to most arrivals from neighbouring Switzerland and Italy because of the coronavirus outbreaks there and is in the process of scaling back daily life to slow the disease's spread, shutting schools and most shops other than those selling food and medicine."A balanced budget is always important, but Austrians' health, jobs and a stable economy is more…
(2020-03-14). Yellow Vests DEFY Covid-19, lockdown & TEAR GAS to protest Macron government (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Yellow Vest demonstrators aren't letting a ban on mass gatherings or fears of coronavirus stop them from expressing their opposition to the French government, and are staging their weekly protests in Paris. | France's Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Friday banned all gatherings of more than 100 people but hundreds of demonstrators are continuing the weekly Yellow Vest vigil and are protesting at Paris landmarks. | Thousands of French security forces personnel hit the streets of the capital in a bid to clamp down on the movement, which has now been running for 70 consecutive weeks. | Eyewitness foot…
(2020-03-13). Italy sees a one-day record of 250 Covid-19 DEATHS, officials say. rt.com 
Italy has reported 250 new deaths due to the Covid-19 virus — a one-day record since the country experienced the biggest outbreak of positive cases across Europe. | The latest spate of deaths has brought the Italian death toll to 1,266, up from 1,016 on Thursday, officials said. | The total number of confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus in Italy also rose from 15,113 on Thursday to 17,660 on Friday. The outbreak was first identified in Italy's northern regions in late February and has spread rapidly since. | The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that Europe was now the center of the global…
(2020-03-13). Denmark & Poland close borders to combat coronavirus. rt.com 
Denmark and Poland said they will close their borders to all non-citizens in a bid to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. | The move comes as Denmark recorded its 800th case of the deadly illness on Friday, and Poland its 68th. Elsewhere in Europe, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine have closed their borders to foreigners, while a number of other countries – the latest among them Albania – have restricted travel to and from virus hotspots like Italy and Spain. Cyprus joined the list on Friday, denying entry to non-Europeans. | Germany and France, however, have stuck by their commitment to keep…
(2020-03-13). Solar system mystery finally solved, thanks to salty space rock. rt.com 
A space puzzle that has long left scientists scratching their heads has finally been solved thanks to the salty surface of a comet and to some diligent researchers. | Investigations have long shown that comets appear to have 10 times less nitrogen than they ought to, based on scientific understanding of how they form. This has confounded boffins and sparked a search for the missing element. | The secret was given up by a comet named 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko which was orbited by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft. The probe captured a trove of pictures from the comet and an analysis found that some…
(2020-03-13). Stock market crushed after Trump's speech. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – U.S. stocks fell almost 10% Thursday, March 12, the day after President Trump called for a travel ban on Europe. This was the largest drop since the stock market crash of October 1987 and put the broader S&P 500 as well as the tech heavy NASDAQ stock market indices in bear market territory as all three major indices are down more than 20%. | Trump did nothing to address the growing economic worries as more and more industries are being affected by COVID-19, now officially a pandemic. In fact, his travel ban only added to economic and social disruption as Americans tried to return and plane tickets…
(2020-03-13). 'Europe Is Now Epicenter of Coronavirus Pandemic', WHO Warns. telesurenglish.net The RELATED: | The WHO official commented that more cases are reported on the European continent every day than were confirmed in China…
(2020-03-13). Editorial: Fed takes action to save Wall Street, not the people. fightbacknews.org The U.S. Federal Reserve has pledged $1.5 trillion to calm Wall Street's worries as the COVID-19 pandemic rattles stock markets and wealthy investors. | But what the people need is more testing done for free, and health care for all. What workers need are unemployment benefits and income support for the self-employed. Working people need protection from eviction and relief from debts. What nurses and other medical workers need is more masks and other protective equipment. | With more than 1500 confirmed infections in the United States, the novel coronavirus is not a foreign threat from Europe, as Trump seems to b…
(2020-03-13). Venezuela: Two Covid-19 Cases Are Confirmed. telesurenglish.net In the early hours of Friday, two cases of coronavirus in Venezuela were confirmed, according to Vice President Delcy Rodriguez. | RELATED: | The affected people are a 42-year-old woman who was traveling through the European Union and a 52-year-old man who was in Spain. | The two infected patients, who reside in the Miranda state, are duly isolated and in mandatory quarantine. | The epidemiological fence around their direct contac…
(2020-03-13). Germany Launches Plan Against the Economic Impacts of Covid-19. telesurenglish.net Germany's Finance Minister Olaf Scholz Friday indicated that his government will implement an "unlimited" loan program to avoid liquidity problems in companies, a tax reduction to avoid bankruptcies, and a "safety net" to help maintain employment levels. | RELATED: | "We are going to put all the weapons on the table from the beginning," Scholz said when presenting the plan against the economic consequences of Covid-19…
(2020-03-13). The Rise of the Far Right in France's Poorest Cities. thenation.com The Rise of the Far Right in France's Poorest Cities…
(2020-03-13). Air Pollution Clears in Northern Italy After Coronavirus Lockdown. telesurenglish.net Air pollution over northern Italy fell after the government introduced a nationwide lockdown to combat coronavirus, satellite imagery showed on Friday, in a new example of the pandemic's potential impact on emissions. | RELATED: | China, where the outbreak started, showed a marked reduction in pollution after the government imposed travel bans and quarantines, and the data from Italy, which was struck several wee…
(2020-03-12). Trump suspends ALL travel from Europe for 30 days starting Friday as he addresses nation on coronavirus. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has announced that all travel from Europe to the United States will be temporarily halted for a period of 30 days, in the most significant measure yet taken to stem the spread of the lethal coronavirus. | In an address to the nation on Wednesday night, the president said the 30-day travel ban will take effect on Friday at midnight, noting that the United Kingdom would be exempt from the new restrictions. | "After consulting with our top government health professionals, I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and wellbeing of all Americans," Tr…
(2020-03-12). Trump Calls COVID-19 "Foreign Virus" as Lack of Universal Healthcare Makes the Pandemic Worse. democracynow.org 
After downplaying the threat of coronavirus for days, President Donald Trump addressed the nation Wednesday from the Oval Office, calling COVID-19 a "foreign virus" and announcing an unprecedented travel ban from most of Europe to the U.S. He also said he will expand sick leave. This comes as Senate Republicans blocked paid sick leave legislation. Robert Pollin, distinguished university professor of economics and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, says the lack of universal healthcare in the U.S. is exacerbating the coronavirus crisis due to "the ab…
(2020-03-12). Trump says trade will 'in no way' be affected by Europe travel ban in apparent about-face after markets crash. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump said that trade in "no way" will be impacted by the 30-day Europe travel ban, despite saying less than an hour earlier the restrictive measures would apply to a "tremendous amount of trade and cargo." | Trump has baffled traders and ordinary netizens after he took to Twitter in the wake of his national address earlier on Wednesday to assure the public that his order to suspend all travel from Europe pertains only to the movement of people, but not goods. | Hoping to get the payroll tax cut approved by both Republicans and Democrats, and please remember, very important for all countrie…
(2020-03-12). Italy's "Darkest Hour": Life Grinds to a Halt Amid COVID-19 Lockdown, as Death Toll Spikes. democracynow.org 
We get an update from Italy, where 60 million people are under an unprecedented nationwide lockdown and the death toll has increased to at least 827, rising by 31% in just 24 hours. Authorities ordered all shops closed except food markets and pharmacies. Italy's economy has all but ground to a halt, with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte describing the outbreak as the country's "darkest hour." Italian journalist Antonella Serrecchia joins us from Milan, where she is a reporter for the online magazine The Vision.
(2020-03-12). EU to Offer Migrants in Greece US$2,225 to Voluntarily Go Home. telesurenglish.net The European Union (EU) announced Thursday it would offer US$2,225 (‚Ǩ2,000) to each migrant in overpopulated camps on the Greek islands if they decide to go back to their home countries voluntarily. | RELATED: | EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said the scheme was "a window of opportunity for a targeted group," adding that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) would handle t…
(2020-03-12). The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020" globalresearch.ca WHO has most likely received orders from "above", from those people who also manage Trump and the "leaders" (sic) of the EU, European Union. The final decision to go ahead NOW with COVID-19 pandemic, was taken in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos – behind very much closed doors.
(2020-03-12). Headlines for March 12, 2020. democracynow.org World Health Organization Declares Coronavirus Pandemic, Top Italian Health Official Among 827 Coronavirus Dead as Italy Faces "Darkest Hour", Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as "Medical Terrorism" as Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 429, President Trump Announces Europe Travel Ban in Error-Laden Oval Office Speech, U.S. Labs Face Shortage of Supplies Needed to Test for Coronavirus, Sen. Lamar Alexander Blocks Quick Passage of Paid Sick Leave Bill, School Closures from Coronavirus Affecting Over 1 Million K-12 Students Nationwide, Bernie Sanders Promises to Question Biden Over Progressive Policies at Next Debate, Joe Bid…