(2020-04-10). 50 cases of Covid-19 aboard France's ONLY aircraft carrier, Defense Ministry confirms. rt.com 
The coronavirus outbreak on board France's only aircraft carrier has infected 50 crew members, the French Defense Ministry has confirmed. The Navy flagship is on its way to Toulon after cutting short its Mediterranean mission. | A military medical team was dispatched to the Charles de Gaulle to assess the situation after the start of the outbreak. Of the 66 people tested after its arrival on Wednesday, 50 returned positive results, the ministry said on Friday. | Three infected sailors were evacuated from the Charles de Gaulle on Thursday by an NH90 military helicopter to Portugal before being airlifted to a mi…
(2020-04-10). No Cannes do! French police turn away would-be holidaymakers fleeing London lockdown in private jet. rt.com 
A group of 10 would-be holidaymakers who rented a private jet to flee London for the sunny shores of the Cote-d'Azur in France were turned back by furious border police at Marseille-Provence airport. | The group of Croatian, German, French, Romanian, and Ukrainian nationals had planned to spend a few days on the French Riviera despite the fact that the country has been in lockdown since March 17. Their flight arrived last Saturday but the incident was only publicized by French police Thursday. | The group of seven men, aged between 24 and 50, and three women, aged between 24 and 27, were reportedly led by a Cr…
(2020-04-10). Number of coronavirus cases in Russia rises by 1,786 to 11,917. rt.com 
The number of coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 1,786 in the past 24 hours, the country's largest daily rise so far, the crisis center said in a statement on Friday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Russia to 11,917. | It added that coronavirus patients had been identified for the first time in southern Siberia's Tuva region. "A total of 11,917 coronavirus cases have so far been recorded in 82 Russian regions, up by 17.6 percent," the center said. | "As many as 97 people were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours. Eighteen coronavirus patients died in the past 24 hours, taking the…
(2020-04-10). Exporters like Russia won as Covid-19 fears pushed grain market up, but now veggies may get sliced & diced. rt.com 
Coronavirus tanked global markets, but for grain producers like Russia, the pain was eased by a surge in prices. More bad news is on the horizon, however, as virus-induced labor shortages threaten the fruit and vegetable supply. | The Covid-19 pandemic caused a worldwide economic slowdown, sending the prices of oil and many other commodities into free fall. Grain prices went sharply against this trend, surging in the second half of March and prompting observations in Russia that carbohydrates were becoming more valuable than hydrocarbons. | This provided an unexpected economic boon for Russia, the world's numb…
(2020-04-10). Syrian chemical dossier: Russia slams misinformation in OPCW team's report on alleged Ltamenah incidents in 2017. rt.com 
The Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) of the world's chemical weapons watchdog has released its initial report on the three alleged chemical incidents in the Syrian village of Ltamenah on March 24, 25 and 30 in 2017. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was difficult to expect anything else from the body, set up by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), after the report said that "there are reasonable grounds to believe" that in all three instances, chemical weapons were used by the Syrian Air Force. | The relevant Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires the mandatory dis…
(2020-04-10). 'Real test' yet to come, Orban says as Hungary reports biggest daily increase in infections. rt.com 
Restrictive steps have managed to slow the spread of coronavirus in Hungary but the "real test" is yet to come, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday. Orban said that at the peak of the crisis, Hungary would need about 8,000 ventilators and intensive-care hospital beds, of which around 2,000 would be available in "normal times." | The statement came as the government reported the single biggest daily increase in infections. Hungary's confirmed coronavirus cases have increased by 210 to 1,190, government data showed on Friday. | On Thursday, a nationwide lockdown was prolonged indefinitely to slow the spre…
(2020-04-10). Organizing under lockdown: online activism, local solidarity. zcomm.org As the pandemic forces us into lockdown, activists across Europe demonstrate that there are still ways to organize and practice solidarity at a safe social distance…
(2020-04-10). Will the EU Survive the Coronavirus? zcomm.org Hungary's authoritarianism, Portugal's generosity, Italy's call for solidarity, Germany's tightfistedness: European responses to the crisis are all over the map…
(2020-04-10). Memoir: A Liberation Theology Stations of the Cross in Northeast Brazil. counterpunch.org Padre Andreas, a Jesuit priest from Spain, came on a radical mission to the impoverished hillside shantytown of Alto do Cruzeiro in the municipio of Timbauba, a sugarcane market town in Pernambuco Brazil. At the time, 1989, I was living on "the Alto" (the hill) with the rural workers, sugarcane cutters, and fishermen and women
(2020-04-10). EEU regards US sanctions on Iran amid COVID-19 'irrational'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 10 (MNA) — In a Friday telephone conversation with Iran's ambassador to Russia, Minister of Commerce of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) said that the union supports Iran's stance on the US irrational sanctions especially amid the global battle against the coronavirus…
(2020-04-10). Russia's workers sent back to factories as coronavirus continues to spread. wsws.org Industrial and manufacturing enterprises are reopening in Russia, even as thousands of new infections are reported daily.
(2020-04-10). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 update. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org On today's Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, shares the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Poland discusses antibody testing, immunity, and how the scientific and research communities are collaborating to fight this disease. Click the player below: Mayo Clinic Q&A is available …
(2020-04-10). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: CDC recommends wearing cloth masks in public. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that Americans wear wearing cloth masks in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. The CDC considers cloth masks an additional, voluntary public health measure. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, a …
(2020-04-10). Grand jury records in notorious 1946 US lynching case to remain sealed. wsws.org The heinous crime near the Moore's Ford Bridge in Georgia sparked wide outrage which contributed to the emergence of the civil rights movement.
(2020-04-10). Cuban Medical Science in the Service of Humanity. counterpunch.org By 21 March, Cuba had sent healthcare professionals to 37 countries to collaborate in combating the pandemic. Italy received 53 Cuban medics who had previously worked in West Africa during the deadly Ebola outbreak of 2014. Cuba also stepped into the breach in mid-March when a cruise ship with over 600 mostly British passengers and
(2020-04-10). Interview with Italian communists on COVID-19 impact and the working class. fightbacknews.org Fight Back! interviews Guido Salza, the head of the International Relations Department of the Italian communist organization Fronte Popolare. | Fight Back!: How are the working people of Italy being impacted by the pandemic? | Guido Salza: A clear picture of the dynamics of the infection are not yet apparent. However, it is likely that the working class is paying the highest price. Similar to what happened in China, COVID has spread very fast in the most industrial areas of our country. The more concentrated the production and population are (as it is in Lombardia, Piemonte, Veneto and Emilia Romagna), the more t…
(2020-04-10). Cuban Development of Biomedical High Technology. counterpunch.org As the United States and the nations of Europe experience the sad tragedy of an uncontrolled pandemic, they for the most part have not noticed the well-organized and coherent plan of the Cuban government against Covid-19, being carried out with the determined and patriotic support of the people; nor the availability of a Cuban
(2020-04-10). Europe's investors celebrate stock market rally as thousands die of COVID-19. wsws.org While over 4,100 people died of COVID-19 yesterday, stock markets finished the week with huge gains as the ruling elite's plan to force workers back to work emerges.
(2020-04-10). Last Chance to Save the Euro? counterpunch.org After a faulty start to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union members appear to be getting their act together, as they all appear to have abandoned ruinous slash-and-burn austerity policies (including budget cuts to health care, education and other social services) in order to cope with the onset of a global depression. At least that's
(2020-04-10). President Putin Says Russia to Continue Contact with US on Space Exploration and COVID-19 Fight. sputniknews.com The statement comes as the Russian president held a videocall with astronauts on the International Space Station from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence.
(2020-04-10). 'Russia Believes Price Stability Requires Global Effort that Can't be Taken by OPEC Alone' – Scholar. sputniknews.com OPEC members have agreed to reduce oil production by about 10% amid a slump in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Oil output will be cut in May and June by 10 million barrels per day, to be gradually eased until April 2022.
(2020-04-10). 3 Proton-M Rockets Sent Back to Manufacturer Over Quality Control Issues — Space Industry Source. sputniknews.com Russian space agency Roscosmos recently introduced more stringent quality control measures in a bid to reduce the amount of defective components and equipment in both the commercial and state space sector orders.
(2020-04-10). Russian Genomic Engineer Has Theory About When COVID-19 Patient Zero Was Infected. sputniknews.com As the planet continues to reel from the health-related and economic ramifications of the new coronavirus, scientists have continued their search to find out more about the first case of the virus's transmission to a human being.
(2020-04-10). Rossiya Segodnya, COVID-19 News Centre Launch Joint Project About Doctors Fighting Disease. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Rossiya Segodnya International News Agency, the Russian information centre on the coronavirus and the stopcoronavirus.rf website are launching a special project to share stories of doctors and medical staff who are fighting the disease on a daily basis.
(2020-04-10). Fifty COVID-19 Cases Confirmed on Board France's Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier. sputniknews.com This comes as France's death toll from the new coronavirus infection has exceeded 12,000, according to the country's health ministry.
(2020-04-10). Health Care in Many EU Nations Proves Inefficient Amid Pandemic – Council of Europe. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) -Health care systems in many European Union member states have proven unprepared to the emergency and should, therefore, be strengthened to comply with the European common standards, Council of Europe Secretary-General Marija Pejcinovic Buric said on Friday.
(2020-04-10). Turkish, Bulgarian presidents discuss COVID-19 measures. yenisafak.com The two leaders brainstormed ways to collaborate during the health crisis, bilateral relations and regional issues, according to Turkey's Communication Directorate.Since appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 185 countries and regions.Data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University shows worldwide infections have surpassed 1.61 million, with the death toll over 97,000, while more than 364,600 people have recovered so far.
(2020-04-10). Turkey: Coronavirus causes fall in blood donations. yenisafak.com The number of blood donors in Turkey, which was nearly 9,000 per day, has fallen below 2,000 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the head of Turkish Red Crescent said Friday.In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Dr. Kerem Kinik said although there was no decrease in the need for blood, the donations were falling.Hence, the supply chain has been disturbed."We deliver at least 9,000 units of blood to over 1,500 hospitals in Turkey every day. And this necessity continues every day," he said.The phenomenon, however, is not limited to Turkey but has been witnessed around the world."We had meetings with the heads…
(2020-04-10). Hospital in southern Turkey ready to use plasma therapy. yenisafak.com A university hospital in southern Turkey is now ready to treat novel coronavirus patients with convalescent plasma therapy, which helps remove the novel coronavirus from the body.Dr. Alphan Kupesiz at the Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine in Antalya province told Anadolu Agency that blood plasma from a recovered patient could be crucial in strengthening the immune systems of other patients under critical care.All donors take tests to make sure they do not carry coronavirus, Hepatitis or HIV."Antibodies in plasma taken from a recovered patient can enable the body to eradicate viruses more easily. Patients hav…
(2020-04-10). Coronavirus death toll exceeds 3,000 in Belgium. yenisafak.com Belgium reported 494 new deaths from coronavirus, bringing the tally to 3,019, the Federal Public Service of Health announced on Friday.Over the past 24 hours, 325 more people lost their lives, marking the highest daily figure since the previous record of 283 cases reported a day before.During the last two weeks of March, 171 other victims passed away in elderly homes in Flanders, but the authorities could just confirm the cause.In total, 57% of the victims lost their lives in hospitals, while 40% in elderly centers.Also, 1,684 new infections were diagnosed, which raises the sum of COVID-19 patients to 26,667 sin…
(2020-04-09). Trump says he had 'a very good call' with Putin & Saudi King, says OPEC+ 'getting close' to historic deal. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump said that he had a "very good talk" with his Russian and Saudi counterparts amid reports oil producers are about to reach a deal to cut output. Trump warned of major layoffs if it falls flat. | "The conversation was very good. They're getting close to a deal." the president said at a White House briefing on Thursday, adding that an announcement on the talks could come sometime in the next day. | Trump did not specify what oil price would be needed to keep the American shale oil industry afloat, however, stating only that "we need a minimum number so these companies don't go out of bus…
(2020-04-09). US boasts of intercepting 2 Russian military planes on routine training flight far off Alaska. rt.com 
The US Air Force has reported intercepting two Russian scout planes that entered its "defense identification zone" off Alaska. Moscow says it was a training flight and the planes came nowhere near US airspace. | US F-22 Raptor fighters, supported by an aerial refueling KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and an early warning E-3 AWACS plane, were mustered to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Bering Sea on April 8, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported in a series of tweets on Thursday. | The intercept happened north of the Aleutian Islands, which stretch from the coast of Alaska far…
(2020-04-09). Headlines for April 9, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Pandemic Could Push 600 Million More People into Poverty, New York Reports Record 779 Coronavirus Deaths in Just 24 Hours, General Motors to Deliver 30,000 Ventilators, with Most Arriving Long After Projected COVID-19 Peak, Kansas to Allow Crowded Church Services as L.A. Expands Order on Face Coverings, California Fast-Food Workers Strike, Demanding Hazard Pay and Protections Against COVID-19, Trump Touts Unproven Treatments of Hydroxychloroquine and Zinc for COVID-19, World Health Organization Head: "Please Don't Politicize This Virus", Researchers Find Coronavirus Arrived in New York from Europe in…
(2020-04-09). U2 Donates Over 10 Million to Ireland's Healthcare Workers. telesurenglish.net The rock band U2 donated US$10.9 million to buy Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies to fight COVID-19 in Ireland. | RELATED: | Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen, and Adam Clayton thus joined a fundraising project led by the plane rental company Avolon, which works with other public and private companies to import medical supplies from China. | On Tuesday, the first shipment with these supplies arriv…
(2020-04-09). Video: Alleged Video shows explosion aftermath in central Moscow. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA) — According to media reports, an explosion took place in a business center near the embassy of Slovakia in Moscow. Alleged footage of the aftermath of the explosion has been shared online.
(2020-04-09). Iran, Russia discuss pandemic situation in Syria. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister's Senior Assistant for Special Political Affairs Ali Asghar Khaji and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin conferred on the latest developments in Syria, including the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-04-09). How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership—and the System He Created. thenation.com How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership—and the System He Created…
(2020-04-09). Iran, Turkey parl. speakers discuss COVID-19 fight. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Speaker of Grand National Assembly of Turkey Mustafa Sentop discussed in a phone conversation the joint efforts in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-04-09). FM spox expresses regret over Hungary's expelling 17 Iranian students. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA) — Iran has expressed deep regret over Hungary's decision to expel 17 Iranian university students on unjustifiable charges that they had violated coronavirus health protocols.
(2020-04-09). OPEC to Decide Historic Oil Production Cut Due to COVID-19. telesurenglish.net The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) just started an emergency meeting this Thursday to agree on a historic cut in fuel production after COVID-19 crushed global demand. | RELATED: | The meeting agreed upon by OPEC and non-OPEC partners, known as OPEC+, takes place at 4 P.M. Vienna time, Austria, and will be conducted via video conference. | The G-20 presidency said the meeting will foster dialogue…
(2020-04-09). US attempt to block Iranian funds in Europe nullified: Iran. iranian.com Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), also known as Bank Markazi, says the country has won a legal battle in Europe to dismiss a US attempt to have Iranian funds blocked and handed over to Washington for compensating the so-called victims of terror. Abdolnasser Hemmati said on Wednesday that courts in Luxembourg had …
(2020-04-08). NY to fly flags HALF MAST for Covid-19 victims as number of infected in US passes 400,000. rt.com 
As the number of American victims of the novel coronavirus has jumped over 14,000 and the number of infected began creeping towards half a million, New York Governor has announced flags will be flown at half mast in his state. | The US now has nearly 420,000 cases of the coronavirus, along with 14,262 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University count. The hardest hit state remains New York, which has recorded 6,268 deaths from the virus. The state has over 140,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, making it the epicenter of the outbreak, as its new deaths have put its toll ahead of Spain, which previou…
(2020-04-08). Headlines for April 8, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Daily Death Toll Nears 2,000 as Hundreds of COVID-19 Deaths Go Uncounted, Trump Threatens to Withhold U.S. Funding for World Health Organization, New WH Press Secretary Said Recently, "We Will Not See Diseases Like the Coronavirus Come Here", Trump Fires Inspector General Tasked with Overseeing $2 Trillion Stimulus, China Lifts Lockdown in Wuhan, Where Coronavirus Pandemic Began, EU Coronavirus Stimulus Talks Fail as Deaths Surge in Spain and France, Libyan Rebels Attack Hospital for COVID-19 Patients; Chadian Ex-Dictator Released from Prison, International Labour Organization: Pandemic Could Wipe Out 195 Mi…
(2020-04-08). The Arab World Flounders in the Face of the Coronavirus Crisis. mintpressnews.com While the Coronavirus continues to ravage almost every nation on earth, Arab countries remain unable, or unwilling, to formulate a collective strategy to help the poorest and most vulnerable Arabs survive the deadly virus and its economic fallout. | Worse, amid growing international solidarity, we are yet to see a pan-Arab initiative that aims to provide material support to countries and regions that have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 disease. | The lack of collective Arab responsiveness is not unique as it mirrors Europe's own systematic failure, exhibiting 'solidarity' when it is financially convenient, and…
(2020-04-08). 66,000 UK deaths projected by 'Institute' has 95 per cent 'uncertainty' value. truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica: There are many headlines in a range of national newspapers across the spectrum reporting that Britain could see as many as 66,000 COVID-19 deaths during the first wave of the current pandemic. This is new research published Tuesday (07/04), effectively making the outbreak in Britain by far the deadliest in Europe. In fact, …
(2020-04-08). Iran Welcomes Putin's Idea for Green Corridor in Coronavirus Fight. iranian.com Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to create a green corridor for the global battle with the coronavirus pandemic. "In order to contain the situation of coronavirus, different countries have closed their geographical borders, but opened them to provide assistance," Zarif said in a tweet on Wednesday, …
(2020-04-08). US Media Downplay Overseas Coronavirus Lessons to Focus on Easter Bunny. fair.org 
Ardern's Easter Bunny comments got the kind of widespread coverage that has largely been absent for an important piece of the pandemic puzzle: What can nations that are at the center of the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, like the US and much of Europe, learn from those that were in the first wave, particularly China, South Korea and Hong Kong?>
(2020-04-06). Headlines for April 6, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Cases Surge in U.S., Surgeon General Warns of "Pearl Harbor Moment" | , Gov. Cuomo Slashes Medicaid as New York Struggles to Get Handle on COVID-19 Cases | , Black Communities Hit Disproportionately Hard by Coronavirus , Coronavirus Cases Appear to Level Off in Parts of Europe, But Death Tolls Remain High | , Boris Johnson Hospitalized for Acute Coronavirus Symptoms | , Japan's Shinzo Abe to Declare Emergency; Filipino Police Kills Man Who Flouted Coronavirus Rules, Low-Paid Garment Workers in Bangladesh Face Mass Unemployment , Former Prime Ministers of Somalia and Libya Die from COVID-19, Complaint…
(2020-04-06). Rouhani Speaks to Macron: INSTEX a good step but "must not be limited to medical and food items." iranian.com President Hassan Rouhani spoke with the President of France Emmanuel Macron on Monday evening and wished the French government and people success in combatting coronavirus, saying, "All countries and governments need to pay attention to the fact that they cannot pass these critical conditions without taking advantage of each other's experiences". Macron: I hope with …
(2020-04-02). "There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst. democracynow.org 
After devastating China, Europe and the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is now intensifying across the Global South. The United Nations warns the pandemic is poised to destroy fragile economies in poor nations, decimating food security, education and human rights. We speak with Yanis Ben Amor, assistant professor of global health and microbiological sciences at Columbia University and executive director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute.