(2020-03-17). Concerns over supply shortage of protective gear for frontline health workers. thecanary.co 
There are "critical" shortages of laboratory equipment, medical devices and protective equipment in some countries, European health leaders have said.The European branch of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it was aware of some shortages and was also monitoring the potential risk of a disruption to medicine supplies.It comes after officials in Britain faced renewed calls to keep frontline staff healthy and ensure they have enough protective equipment to continue caring for patients. | "Health facilities have to have the necessary equipment to care for those seriously affected and to protect health workers…
(2020-03-17). Airbus & Volkswagen stop production as Covid-19 brings Europe to screeching halt. rt.com 
European aviation giant Airbus has decided to pause production and assembly activities at its French and Spanish facilities for the next four days to contain the spread of coronavirus. | "This will allow sufficient time to implement stringent health and safety conditions in terms of hygiene, cleaning and self-distancing, while improving the efficiency of operations under the new working conditions," the company said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it will allow its staff to work remotely wherever possible. | Airbus' announcement came shortly after France and Spain imposed drastic measures to battle the…
(2020-03-17). Leaders of Turkey, Germany, France, UK discuss Syria & migration crisis in videoconference. rt.com 
Turkish, German, British and French leaders discussed the Syria crisis and migrant issue as well as joint action against coronavirus in a videoconference, Turkish presidency said on Tuesday. | It issued a statement saying that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also discussed methods of humanitarian aid to Syria's northwestern Idlib province, Reuters reports. | A summit was planned after Ankara opened its borders to migrants trying to enter the bloc, but the leaders decided to switch to a video call.
(2020-03-17). France may nationalize major companies amid market meltdown, finance minister says. rt.com 
The French government said on Tuesday it is ready to use all measures necessary to support big companies suffering during the current global market turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. | "I won't hesitate to use all means available to protect big French companies," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on a call with journalists, adding: "That can be done by recapitalisation, that can be done by taking a stake, I can even use the term nationalisation if necessary." | According to the Financial Times citing Le Maire, Paris has also promised a package of measures worth €45 billion (US$49.8bn) to help com…
(2020-03-17). France postpones 2nd round of municipal elections to late June. rt.com 
The second round of France's municipal elections, originally set for this weekend, has been postponed to June 21 after the first round of voting on Sunday was marred by record no-shows. The results of the first round of local elections on Sunday will remain valid. | The French government has been criticized for choosing to press ahead with the first round even as it imposed stringent curbs on public life in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. | President Emmanuel Macron ordered people on Monday to stay at home to avoid spreading the virus. He will ask parliament on Thursday to approve a law gr…
(2020-03-17). Covid-19 pandemic could continue for 2 YEARS, German health expert warns. rt.com 
A senior German disease control expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic could continue for two years, depending on how long it takes for an effective vaccine to be developed and if people develop immunity after illness. | Speaking on Tuesday, the Robert Kock Institut's (RKI) president, Prof. Lothar Wieler, said pandemics tend to run their course in waves, and factors influencing how it unfolds from this point include how many people become immune to it after contracting the virus — and how quickly a vaccine is made. | The RKI, a German federal agency responsible for disease control and prevention,…
(2020-03-17). It took Italian doctors days & an emergency to check her cough, and she still doesn't know if she has Covid-19. rt.com 
As the EU belatedly recommends member nations seal their borders, Italy is on the frontline of the fight against coronavirus. RT talked to a student in Milan who became a witness — and almost a collateral victim — of this fight.
(2020-03-17). Older people enjoy dedicated shopping sessions at supermarkets. thecanary.co 
Older people have enjoyed dedicated shopping sessions at some supermarkets.Pensioners were able to shop at Iceland and Lidl stores before general admittance to the public.The moves come amid reports of panic buying leaving shelves empty of essentials such as toilet rolls amid concern over the impact of Covid-19.Older shoppers enter the branch of Iceland in the Kennedy Centre, Belfast, for an early dedicated shopping session (Liam McBurney/PA)At the Kennedy Centre in west Belfast, the local Iceland store opened its doors only for older people at 8am.Kennedy Centre manager John Jones said it had been a chink of lig…
(2020-03-17). Bless me father, for I may be DRUNK! Russian church will DOUBLE communion wine servings to kill coronavirus. rt.com 
The Russian Orthodox Church's response to the ever-changing Covid-19 situation has raised some eyebrows, but one new measure will undoubtedly receive a good reception from those partial to a tipple. | In what could only be described as an 'unorthodox' proposal, parishioners who wish to receive communion will be drinking a lot more wine than usual. | Speaking to radio station Moscow Talks, Archpriest Leonid Kalinin, a member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture, said that Moscow churchgoers would be receiving double the usual volume of the holy sacrament when attending one of the capital's churches. | "Accord…
(2020-03-17). DOJ drops charges against 'Russian trolls' after they dared demand evidence in US court. rt.com 
The US is dropping the much-hyped indictment for 'election meddling' against a company supposedly behind the so-called Russian troll farm, closing the opening chapter of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russiagate investigation. | Further pursuing the case against Concord Management & Consulting LLC "promotes neither the interests of justice nor the nation's security," the Department of Justice wrote to the federal judge overseeing the case on Monday in a
(2020-03-17). Not so scary! Russian model says if Covid-19 wipes out half of humanity, the planet will benefit. rt.com 
A well-known Russian celebrity and glamour model has caused a stir online after suggesting that the death of a massive chunk of humanity would be no big deal, and that it would be good for the Earth as a whole. | Victoria Bonya, a former participant on the massively popular reality television show 'Dom-2', recorded the controversial statement on Instagram, and the clip was shared widely on Russian social media. | In her video, Bonya said that coronavirus is actually needed by the Earth and will be a positive thing for the planet. "Because [humanity] simply devoured the planet, we destroyed the planet. And, to…
(2020-03-17). With economy imploding, US losing its superpower status to make room for Russia and China, says Max Keiser. rt.com 
The global markets' current implosion was 100 percent guaranteed, former Wall Street stockbroker Max Keiser told RT. According to him, the financial markets are best described as a "quadrillion-dollar Ponzi scheme." | "Central banks' policy of allowing governments and corporations to borrow, at virtually no cost, against decades of future consumption to consume now, hollowed out the global economy and made it extremely fragile," said Keiser. | He explained that industries and companies that destroyed themselves buying back their own stock (airlines, for example) are "rightfully being wiped off the face of the…
(2020-03-17). 'Russian troll firm' says it has a $50bn grudge to settle with US after indictment dropped by DoJ. rt.com 
A Russian firm that the DoJ failed to prosecute for "sowing discord" during the 2016 election aims to take its pound of flesh — or at least a hefty compensation for its tarnished reputation. | The February 2018 indictment of Concord Management & Consulting LLC, one of several issued by the team of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, was praised by the Russiagate crowds as a crucial step in uncovering the holy grail of Trump-Russia collusion. The case was dropped just weeks before going to trial, with prosecutors claiming that the firm's defense strategy — demanding evidence that the company had waged 'i…
(2020-03-17). Eduard Limonov, Soviet-Era dissident & writer who shocked Russia, dead at 77. rt.com 
The Russian writer, politician and Soviet-era dissident Eduard Limonov has died at 77. His controversial 1970s memoir 'It's me, Eddie' scandalized Russia when first published in the country in 1991, selling over a million copies. | His death was announced by State Duma (national parliament) deputy and chief editor of 'Yunost' magazine Sergei Shargunov. His assistant Dmitry Sidorenko subsequently confirmed it to Moscow daily RBK. He didn't specify a cause of death, but Russian media suggested it was complications from surgery. | Shargunov told the TASS news agency that Limonov died on Tuesday evening at a hospi…
(2020-03-17). Quarantine for the US-NATO Military Machine? globalresearch.ca It happened almost on the same day. Italy's lockdown. People confined to their homes across the European Union. Influx of 30,000 US troops in preparation of the "Defend Europe 2020" war games against Russia in the largest display of military …
(2020-03-17). Nine Years Ago: The US-NATO-Israel Sponsored Al Qaeda Insurgency in Syria. Who Was Behind the 2011 "Protest Movement"? globalresearch.ca It was not a protest movement, it was an armed insurgency integrated by US-Israeli & allied supported "jihadist" death squads. From Day One, the Islamist "freedom fighters" were supported, trained & equipped by NATO & Turkey's High Command.
(2020-03-17). Video: New Syrian Army Offensive in Idlib Becoming Inevitable as Militants Sabotage Joint Turkish-Russian Patrols. globalresearch.ca On March 15, Russian and Turkish forces conducted a first joint patrol in Greater Idlib in the framework of the new de-escalation agreement reached in Moscow. The planned route of the patrol goes along the M4 highway, where a buffer …
(2020-03-17). The UK and Spain make coronavirus plans to use private healthcare, with one glaring difference. thecanary.co Both the UK and Spain have made plans to use private healthcare facilities to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. But there's a glaring difference between the policies. One that speaks volumes about the Conservative government. | Public good vs private profit: | The Spanish government
(2020-03-17). We Have Met the Enemy, But It May Turn Out to Be Not a Virus But Us. zcomm.org If people think things have gotten bad quickly in Italy, where the whole country is currently on lockdown in an attempt to try and slow the coronavirus pandemic's spread, wait until the disease really gets going her in the US, where it arrived later. We ain't seen nothing yet…
(2020-03-17). With US Hospitals Unprepared for COVID-19, European Students Urged Home. truthout.org The biggest college in Norway urged students to return from countries with "poorly developed" health systems — such as the United States! — as experts warned that the American hospital system would be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. | Norway's University of Science and Technology issued an alert to students studying abroad urging them to "return home." | "This applies especially if you are staying in a country with poorly developed health services. This also applies for countries…
(2020-03-17). "Defender-Europe 20" War Games, COVID-19 and NATO's Disjointed Flight Forward. Computer Simulations of Nuclear War. globalresearch.ca Presently NATO is in the initial stages of military operations called Defender-Europe 20. The 40,000 soldier strong war game exercise includes roughly 20,000 American troops and accompanying weaponry. This witnesses the largest deployment of US personnel in Europe since 1983 …
(2020-03-17). Africans Accuse Europeans of Bringing in Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net Africa has so far reported relatively few coronavirus cases compared to the other continents, but governments have come under growing pressure to shut down airports and place travel bans to stop Europeans from coming in and possibly bringing the virus, Middle East Eye reported. | RELATED: | At the start of the month, after two French nationals had tested positive for the new coronavirus in Senegal, Senegalese new…
(2020-03-17). Covid Update: Europe Must Make More Effort to Halt the Pandemic. telesurenglish.net Update: 1: 00 pm. | Italy: death toll rises to 2,503 | The Civil Protection chief Angelo Borrelli reported that 345 people died in the last 24 hours, which increased the number of deaths to 2,503 deaths. | In this European country the number of positive cases amounts to 26,062 people, 2,941 of whom have been discharged. | Since the end of February, the number of total infections since the outbreak was detected at the end of February is 31,506, counting the positives, deaths, and discharges. | US: Amazon suspends storage of non-essential products | Amazon will suspend until April 5 the storage of non-essential p…
(2020-03-17). Covid Update: European Union Works to Bring Its Ex-Pats Back. telesurenglish.net Update: 10: 30 | France: public deficit will rise to 3.9 percent due to the pandemic | France's Public Action and Accounts Minister Geral Darmanin Tuesday estimated that the Covid-19 pandemic will generate a fiscal deficit equivalent to 3.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a 1 percent reduction in production growth in 2020. | Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced that his government will disburse more than US$49 billion to finance policies to counter the decline in economic activity. | France will establish a "solidarity fund" of about US$2 billion for small businesses whose revenues have decline…
(2020-03-17). Spain deploys army to impose coronavirus lockdown. wsws.org Spain has registered more than 9,191 infections, becoming the second country after Italy with most new infections.
(2020-03-17). Temporary work stoppage at Fiat Chrysler's Warren Truck plant as wildcat strikes spread in global auto industry. wsws.org Actions against continued production during the coronavirus pandemic have spread from Italy to Spain, Canada and now the United States.
(2020-03-17). Army enters Paris as Macron announces coronavirus lockdown in France. wsws.org The total number of SARS-Covid-2 cases in France grew by 1,210 yesterday to 6,663, with 148 deaths.
(2020-03-17). From The Plague Doctor to Plague Culture. counterpunch.org In Italy and France during the 17th century, the plague doctor was a physician who treated victims of the bubonic plague. He would dawn a plague mask which usually resembled the face of a white bird to include a curved beak and glass, goggle-like eye holes. Inside the beak or nose-case were placed various aromas—often
(2020-03-17). Coronavirus crisis in Germany: Workers must demand factories and large enterprises be closed. wsws.org The shareholders' profits are of more value than workers' lives for the managers, the government and also the union officials.
(2020-03-17). No, Italy is Not Consigning 80-Year Olds to Death. counterpunch.org Fake News Alert. Many people around the world are circulating this Telegraph article and it appears that the main source of this news seems to be the Telegraph, not the Italian media. The Italian media, based on accounts and projections from doctors, medical practitioners, family members and analysts, speak, instead, in terms of doctors already
(2020-03-17). The Stop5GL Foundation Takes Netherlands Government to Court over 5G Rollout, Citing Health Concerns. globalresearch.ca The Stop5GNL Foundation has filed a suit summary proceedings against the Dutch government, to stop it from rolling out 5G. The foundation believes the deployment is unlawful because it does not protect citizens against the consequences of radiation exposure from …
(2020-03-17). Virus fight: France under lockdown, troops to enforce. yenisafak.com In an effort to stem the further spread of coronavirus pandemic, a lockdown has been put in place in France starting at noon Tuesday.In a televised address to the nation Monday evening, President Emmanuel Macron announced that all people are to stay confined for next 15 days to avoid further infection and spread of the virus."Never has France had to take such decisions, albeit temporary, in time of peace. All our energy should be on one aim: to slow the progress of the virus."The unprecedented move came after government officials had warned the populace of the severity of the situation and that social gatherings…
(2020-03-17). Morocco confirms 2nd death from coronavirus. yenisafak.com Morocco confirmed a second death from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, according to the health ministry.A 75-year-old man from Sale city in north-western Morocco had died from the disease, the ministry said in a statement.The ministry said a Moroccan national in Casablanca who recently visited France was infected with the virus, taking the total infections in the country to 38.On Sunday, Moroccan authorities created a $1 billion fund to upgrade health facilities and help the country's economic sectors in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.The disease, known as COVID-19, emerged in Wuhan, China last December, a…
(2020-03-17). No French coronavirus curfew measures for now: government spokeswoman. yenisafak.com The French government has no plans to implement a curfew to enforce the country's strict lockdown measures aimed at fighting the coronavirus outbreak, said government spokeswoman Sibeth Ndiaye."We are not envisaging a curfew at this stage," she told a media briefing.France's draconian measures kicked in at midday local time on Tuesday, with President Emmanuel Macron describing the fight against the virus as a "war".Some 100,000 police will be deployed to enforce the lockdown. Checkpoints will be set up nationwide and those on the move will have to be able to justify their journey on a printed ministry document, p…
(2020-03-17). Coronavirus care: Northern Irish supermarket prioritises older shoppers. yenisafak.com A Northern Irish supermarket opened one hour early on Tuesday to allow older customers to shop safely and avoid coronavirus-related panic buying, sparking similar moves south of the border in Ireland.The west Belfast store of the Iceland chain of supermarkets will continue to open at 0800 GMT each day, reserving the first hour for elderly customers, after worried shoppers began rushing to grocery stores last week jostling to buy essentials that have flown off shelves.Older shoppers, some with family members to help and one carrying a walking stick, queued up next to each other at the Kennedy shopping centre befor…
(2020-03-17). Balanced nutrition crucial to strengthen immune system. yenisafak.com Vitamin D and NRF2 molecule strengthen body's defense mechanism, and are effective in combating viruses, according to a pharmacologist."Vitamin D is effective in combating the coronavirus because it strengthens the immune system. Those who are deficient in vitamin D should definitely receive a treatment," Dr. Coskun Usta, an expert at Akdeniz University in Turkey's Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, told Anadolu Agency.He stressed that a balanced nutrition
(2020-03-17). Turkish FM congratulates Slovenian counterpart. yenisafak.com Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday held a phone talk with Anze Logar, the newly appointed foreign minister of Slovenia.Cavusoglu congratulated Logar on his appointment to…
(2020-03-17). European Shares Start to Rise After Coronavirus Panic Sends Them to Historic Low. sputniknews.com The accelerating spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus has forced governments across the globe to shut borders and businesses to close their doors. The panic has affected global supply chains and, hence, stock markets, which are suffering their worst time in years.
(2020-03-17). Paris on Lockdown Due to Covid-19 Outbreak – Video. sputniknews.com On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation amid the Covid-19 outbreak and urged people to observe travel restrictions to stop the spread of the deadly infection.
(2020-03-17). Many European Countries Impose Quarantines as the US Declares State of Emergency. sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon & Lee Stranahan discussed the coronavirus after the US declared a state of emergency and countries in the European Union have imposed increasingly tight restrictions on travel. We also talked about last night's Democratic debates.
(2020-03-17). Boris Johnson Promises Fiscal Lifeline As UK Industry Groups Slam Gov't Inaction On Coronavirus. sputniknews.com Firms across the United Kingdom has come under intense pressure to survive as the coronavirus impacts revenue streams and employee productivity. Numerous major organisations representing British business interests have called on the UK government to take tougher measures to preserve the economy.
(2020-03-17). Spain Nationalizes Health Care as Its Coronavirus Cases Double. truthout.org Europe is the epicenter of coronavirus, and Spain now has the second most cases in Europe, with more than 2,000 new cases in 24 hours and the number of deaths doubled. We'll go to Madrid for an update, where more than half of the country's cases have been reported. This comes as the Spanish government announced it is nationalizing hospitals and private healthcare companies to better manage the pandemic. We are joined by María Carrión, a freelance journalist and former Democracy Now! producer who is also execu…
(2020-03-17). Iran calls on Europe to defy US sanctions amid COVID-19 outbreak. iranian.com Iran's foreign minister has called on London and the European Union to defy Washington's anti-Iran sanctions amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. In a Monday phone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced the US' illegal and unilateral sanctions against Iran as an obstacle to the battle …
(2020-03-16). 'Taken Down' and the underbelly of the Irish economic miracle. peoplesworld.org 
First it was called the Celtic Tiger and then the Celtic Phoenix. The rise of Ireland to a European economic powerhouse was fueled initially by a housing boom which then crashed in the wake of the bursting of the U.S. housing bubble. The Phoenix then rose from the ashes fueled this time by foreign direct …
(2020-03-16). 'Stay home!' France mobilizes 100,000 police to enforce coronavirus lockdown. rt.com 
France will deploy 100,000 police officers along fixed checkpoints around the country to enforce President Emmanuel Macron's two-week lockdown order, the latest dramatic measure taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. | Anyone caught violating the far-reaching restrictions "must be able to justify the reason for their movements," or will face legal penalties, including a fine of up to €135, Castaner said. | The instruction is clear: stay home | Some "exceptions may be tolerated," Castaner added, including "travel between home and work, for shopping, for health reasons, for the assistance of vulnerable…
(2020-03-16). Russia to ban entry for foreign nationals until May: Government Press Service. rt.com 
The Russian government has decided to temporarily restrict the entry of foreigners into the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The rules will come to force on Wednesday and will last until May 1. | According to the government's press service, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin held a series of telephone conversations on Sunday and Monday to explain the move to leaders of neighboring states. | "The measures taken by Russia comply with the recommendations of the World Health Organization, are the result of special circumstances and are absolutely temporary," the report said. | Exceptions will be made for f…
(2020-03-16). Isolation, Bans on Travels, Border Closures as COVID-19 Spreads. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to test all suspected cases and described the coronavirus pandemic as a "defining global health crisis of our time." | The United States (U.S.) and European countries closed schools, bars, restaurants and all but essential services, in an effort to halt the spread of the virus. | States in Latin America and across the world are limiting travels and closing borders to curb the movement of people. | More cases are now being reported outside China, where the COVID-19 first emerged in December than inside. | Globally, More than 182,400 people worldwide have been…
(2020-03-16). Coronavirus: Africans Accuse Europeans of 'Coronising' the Continent. globalresearch.ca The large number of Europeans being diagnosed with coronavirus in Africa has sparked debate and ridicule, with one Senegalese newspaper questioning whether France was out to "coronise" its former colony after two French nationals received a positive diagnosis. | With around …
(2020-03-16). Chile's Communist Mayor to Import Cuban Meds to Fight COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Chile's Daniel Jadue, Mayor of Recoleta – a borough in Santiago – announced Monday that through the People's Pharmacies initiative they will begin importing Cuban medicine in order to help patients infected with the novel coronavirus. | RELATED: | "We started import procedures for Interferon 2b, a Cuban medicine used successfully in China and Spain. This will be for high-risk infected people," the Mayor from Communist Party s…
(2020-03-16). The Coronavirus and the New World Order. "War is in the Air" globalresearch.ca "Time is out of joint…" — "Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark". These two sentences by the English dramatist William Shakespeare from his tragedy Hamlet (Act I, Scene V and IV) come to mind when you look at …