(2020-04-29). Why Did the World Health Organization Wait Until March to Declare a Global Pandemic? zcomm.org The 2005 regulations pushed on the World Health Organization by the United States and the Europeans hampered the WHO's ability to declare an emergency and a pandemic…
(2020-04-29). Why did the World Health Organization wait until March to declare a global pandemic? peoplesdispatch.org The 2005 regulations pushed on the World Health Organization by the United States and the Europeans hampered the WHO's ability to declare an emergency and a pandemic…
(2020-04-29). Turkey's lack of coop. with Iran in road transport sector criticized. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Turkey's lack of cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in international road transport sector was protested amid the outbreak of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
(2020-04-29). Declaring victory too soon: Lessons from Europe's different responses to coronavirus. mronline.org 
But do these assumptions hold up to the test? To find out, we must first take a quick look at some recent history.
(2020-04-29). Foreign competitors 'won't buy French firms at low cost' as govt tightens controls in strategic sectors. rt.com 
The French government will tighten restrictions on foreign investments from outside Europe in French companies to limit external control over strategic sectors and technology. Currently, non-European investments in French companies do not need government approval as long as the stake is 25 percent or less. | Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday he would lower the threshold to 10 percent for investments in large companies until the end of the year. "In this period of crisis, some companies are vulnerable, some technologies are fragile and could be bought by foreign competitors at a low cost. I won'
(2020-04-29). Poland to reopen hotels, shopping malls on May 4. rt.com 
Polish hotels and shopping malls will reopen on May 4 and pre-schools will have the option to open on May 6, PM Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday. The largest economy in the European Union's eastern wing started relaxing some of its curbs on public life earlier in April, alongside other countries keen to prop up industry damaged by the pandemic. | Morawiecki also reaffirmed the government's plan to hold a presidential election as scheduled on May 10, or with a delay of a couple of weeks at most, despite calls from opposition parties and others for a much longer delay. | Further steps to unfreeze the economy…
(2020-04-29). WATCH Russian Tu-160 bombers shadowed by NATO jets in cat-and-mouse game over Baltic Sea. rt.com 
Flying a routine mission over neutral Baltic waters, a pair of Tu-160s were approached by NATO fighter jets which swarmed so close to the Russian planes that their crew could easily see the small roundels on their chasers' wings. | A one-minute video clip, released by Russia's Defense Ministry, shows the two Tupolev Tu-160 supersonic bombers — painted in identical white nuclear heat-resistant livery — setting off for their eight-hour patrol over the Baltic Sea. | Shrinking civilian traffic has left the skies over Europe empty on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, but air forces across the continent…
(2020-04-29). Testing tsar 'confident' government will hit 100,000 target for Covid-19. thecanary.co 
The government's testing tsar has said he is confident the 100,000 daily target for coronavirus tests will be met on Thursday.Professor John Newton, director of public health improvement for Public Health England (PHE), said: "We are pretty confident we will hit that target. It puts us really right up there with countries like Germany, so we need that now but we need that for the future as well."There will be a lag in receiving the data but "by the end of the week we will know whether we have reached that target", he added.The government has been under pressure over the target, with health secretary Matt Hancock…
(2020-04-29). Not kitten around: Cat that Putin gifted to Japanese governor placed in isolation over coronavirus. rt.com 
A Siberian cat named Mir that Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted to the Governor of Japan's Akita prefecture has been placed in quarantine over the paw-sibility that it could catch Covid-19. | President Putin gave Norihisa Satake the 11-month-old gray kitten back in 2012, after the governor gifted him an Akita Inu puppy called Yume ('Dream'). The governor's gift was in gratitude for Russia helping Japan deal with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that caused a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. | | President Putin and Yume. © Global Look Press | Mir quickly became a be…
(2020-04-29). Turkey extends closure of schools to end of May — minister. rt.com 
Turkey has extended the closure of schools until the end of May as part of its measures to combat the spread of coronavirus, Education Minister Ziya Selcuk said on Wednesday. | Ankara announced the initial closure of schools on March 12 after it reported its first case of Covid-19. It now has almost 115,000 cases with a death toll of nearly 3,000, Reuters reported. | The government aims to begin reviving the economy in late May after a sharp slowdown due to measures to contain the outbreak, while minimizing the risk of a second wave of infections, a senior official said on Tuesday. | A group of Turkish malls s…
(2020-04-29). 2 Iranian filmmakers receive awards at European Independent Film Fest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Two Iranian filmmakers, Kaveh Mazaheri and Kaveh Tehrani, have received the awards at the European Independent Film Festival (ECU).
(2020-04-29). 13-ton cargo of laboratory diagnostic equipment arrives Iran from France. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — The fifth consignment of laboratory diagnostic equipment has arrived in Iran through the Sari Su border market in West Azerbaijan Province, according to an official.
(2020-04-29). Bailout? Tax experts publish 5-step test for Covid19 business bailouts. truepublica.org.uk By Mark Bou Mansour: Following bans from Denmark, Poland and Argentina on companies registered in tax havens from receiving Covid19 bailouts, the Tax Justice Network has published a "bail or bailout" test to clarify uncertainty on how governments can determine which companies are discreetly using tax havens to pay less tax. The test is designed …
(2020-04-29). Iranian short film wins Jury award at Italian filmfest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Life Gone with the Wind' directed by Siavash Saed-Panah has won the Jury Award at the International Festival of Cinema Patologico in Italy.
(2020-04-29). Why are more men dying from COVID-19 than women? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Men appear to be hit harder by COVID-19 than women. Early data from China and the World Health Organization (WHO) show that more men than women are dying from COVID-19. Other countries like Spain and Italy also are seeing higher death rates among men. But why might that be? Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic …
(2020-04-29). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 news briefing with Dr. Greg Poland. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, covers the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Poland discusses current outbreak numbers, why there may be a second wave of infections, and research on a vaccine. Click the player below: Mayo Clinic Q&A is …
(2020-04-29). Russia slams US maximum pressure policy against Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 29 (MNA) — Russia has slammed the United States' policy of maximum pressure against the Islamic Republic, saying such measures have negatively affected the global non-proliferation regime and regional security.
(2020-04-29). BRICS Countries Seek Ways to Mitigate COVID-19's Impact. telesurenglish.net The BRICS countries discussed on Tuesday night the actions to be taken by the bloc's member nations to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. | RELATED: | The debate took place during the Extraordinary Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BRICS countries, held on the evening of Tuesday 28 April via videoconference. | The virtual meeting was chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. | The Ministers of F…
(2020-04-28). Fires amid COVID-19 crisis rattle refugees in Aegean camps of Greece. peoplesdispatch.org Incidents of fire outbreaks were reported from refugee camps on Samos and Chios islands in Greece this month. Refugees also protested in Lesvos, demanding safety and evacuation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic…
(2020-04-28). World economy faces a $5 trillion hit, like losing UK AND France. truepublica.org.uk The coronavirus pandemic is set to rob the global economy of more than $5 trillion of growth over the next two years, greater than the annual output of Japan or both the UK and France combined That's the warning from Wall Street banks as the world plunges into its deepest peacetime recession since the 1930s, …
(2020-04-28). The Corporate Food System is Making the Coronavirus Crisis Worse. counterpunch.org The global food system has been very much front and center in the COVID-19 story. Everyone, of course, is aware that hunger is closely tracking the virus as its wreaks havoc in both the global North and global South. Indeed, one can say that, unlike in East Asia, Europe, and the U.S., in South Asia,
(2020-04-29). Turkey's TIKA donates personal care items for Rohingya. yenisafak.com The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), a state-run aid body, donated 5,000 personal care packages for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's camps.The distribution run through Wednesday starting on Saturday in various camps set up in the southern Cox's Bazar district, TIKA's Dhaka office said in a statement on Wednesday."COVID-19 affects Rohingya refugees just as it affects the whole world. TIKA has also not forgotten the Rohingya refugees and has distributed cleaning supplies to help them fight the coronavirus," said Ismail Gundogdu, the agency's Bangladesh coordinator.The package included produ…
(2020-04-29). Sweden's confirmed COVID-19 cases rise above 20,000. yenisafak.com The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sweden rose past the 20,000 mark on Wednesday as the Nordic country reported 107 new deaths to put the tally at 2,462 since the outbreak began.Statistics compiled and reported daily by Sweden's Public Health Agency showed 681 new cases of the disease caused by the new coronavirus that emerged in China late last year, bringing the accumulated number to 20,302.Sweden has taken a less strict approach to curbing the the spread of the disease than most European countries, allowing most schools and businesses to remain open even as its mortality rate in the pandemic has r…
(2020-04-29). From hairdressers to beaches – Spain's plan to phase out lockdown. yenisafak.com Spain announced a four-phase plan late on Tuesday to lift one of the toughest coronavirus lockdowns in Europe and return to normality by the end of June.Following are the key points of the plan, which will vary from province to province. Advancing through the stages will depend on factors such as how the rate of infection evolves, the number of intensive care beds available locally and compliance with distancing rules. These targets are yet to be announced.Preparatory Phase 0 (May 4-11)- Hairdressers and other businesses that offer service by appointment can reopen.- Restaurants can offer take-away services.- Pro…
(2020-04-29). Germany extends global travel warning until mid-June. yenisafak.com Ulrike Demmer said the travel warning was extended until at least June 14 because the pandemic has not been brought under control.She underlined restrictions on international air travel, quarantine regulations and lockdown measures were likely to continue in the coming weeks in many countries.The government brought home more than 240,000 Germans since the pandemic began, which cost the state an estimated ‚Ǩ 50 million ($54.2 million).Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters the government would not be in a position to organize another major repatriation operation in the summer."We hope to ach…
(2020-04-29). 'Give or take food': Turkish mosques launch campaign. yenisafak.com Two mosques in Turkey have converted their shoe racks to food shelves in a bid to help those in need due to the coronavirus lockdown.The project with the theme "Give if you can, take if you need" was initiated in the central Konya province by Mevlader Foundation, Provincial Mufti's Office and Selcuklu District Mufti's Office.As part of the project, Adnan Menderes and Yildirim Beyazit mosques in the Selcuklu district have opened their doors to the needy."Even though our mosques are open for worship, they are closed for congregational prayers," Provincial Mufti Ahmet Pocanoglu said.He added they are working to conv…
(2020-04-29). Hofburg Presidential Palace in Vienna Evacuated After Bomb Threat. sputniknews.com …
(2020-04-29). Inspired by Heroes: Murals Painted on Buildings in Russia in Celebration of WWII Victory. sputniknews.com The year 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
(2020-04-29). Pentagon to Reportedly Redirect Funds for Anti-Russia Projects to Pay for Border Wall Construction. sputniknews.com In February, the Pentagon reportedly notified the US Congress of reducing finds allocated for military programmes, in a move that was aimed at contributing to the construction of a southern border wall with Mexico.
(2020-04-29). Russia Calls on US and Iran to Exercise 'Maximum Restraint' Amid Escalating Tensions in Persian Gulf. sputniknews.com Tensions between the US and Iran in the Persian Gulf grew after American troops conducted drills in the region, despite complaining that Iranian boats had "harassed" their vessels.
(2020-04-28). Erekat Briefs European Officials on Israeli Annexation Plans. imemc.org Top Palestinian negotiator and executive member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Dr. Saeb Erekat, briefed a number of Palestinian officials on the latest announcement by Israel regarding the planned annexation of the occupied West Bank. During phone calls, Erekat was reportedly introduced to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Anne Lindy …
(2020-04-28). The U.S. Wants to "Purchase" Greenland from Denmark. globalresearch.ca The US' plan to leverage economic aid to Greenland for strategic ends is exactly the same thing that it accuses China of doing in Africa, suggesting that its infowar against Beijing's Belt & Road Initiative is driven more by jealousy …
(2020-04-28). A cautious reopening, but gatherings still off the cards: How Europe is lifting its lockdown. rt.com 
Across Europe, leaders have made tentative steps toward easing their countries' coronavirus lockdowns. However, a return to total normality has been all but written off for the year. | The Austrian government announced on Tuesday that the spread of the coronavirus has slowed to a point where restrictions can now be lifted. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober said that Austrians may freely leave their homes from May 1, with public gatherings to follow in the near future. Though social distancing rules will still apply, businesses like hairdressers will reopen, followed two weeks later by cafes and restaurants, and…
(2020-04-28). New Zealand eases lockdown as coronavirus tamed in Australasia. thecanary.co 
New Zealand has eased a strict lockdown amid hopeful signs coronavirus (Covid-19) has been all but vanquished in Australasia for the moment.But elsewhere, Brazil is emerging as a potential new hotspot for infections, and fresh doubts have been raised over whether Japan would be able to host the already postponed Olympic Games next year.Europe and some US states are also continuing to gradually ease limits on movement and commerce as they try to restart their economies.But in a reminder of the virus's increasing toll, president Donald Trump said the numbers of deaths could reach 70,000 in the US, after putting the…
(2020-04-28). Ukraine denies Armenian genocide, refers instead to 'tragic events of April'. rt.com 
Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar has urged government agencies to refrain from using the term 'genocide' when referring to the slaughter of Armenians a century ago, as it would go against Kiev's political interests. | An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1922. Bodnar outlined reasons for refusing to recognize the events as genocide in a letter to government officials, which was subsequently leaked on Facebook by a member of the Verkovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. | According to Bodnar, these events do not fit the UN definition of genocide, which…
(2020-04-28). Lenin: Thinker and fighter. workers.org 
April 22, 2020, marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin, leader of the 1917 Russian Revolution. This successful socialist revolution was led by the Bolshevik Party, which Lenin had built during the previous 14 years. In establishing a workers' state, also known as a "dictatorship of the . . . |
(2020-04-28). Barcelona police catch 'SERIAL KILLER' suspect after 3 homeless people found viciously beaten to death. rt.com 
A suspected serial killer believed to have murdered at least three homeless men in Barcelona has been taken into custody, accused of stalking the city's deserted streets amid Spain's Covid-19 lockdown for defenseless victims. | The suspect — a 35-year-old Brazilian man who has yet to be named,
(2020-04-28). Drama erupts after half-naked woman photobombs broadcast of Spanish celebrity journalist. rt.com 
Spanish journalist Alfonso Merlos is in hot water after a beauty wearing only a top walked into the background of an interview he was broadcasting from home. His jilted girlfriend dubbed the sordid affair "shameful." | Merlos is a journalist, model and celebrity in his native Spain, but now his tangled private life is being torn apart by the Spanish-speaking media. | He was speaking as a guest on journalist Javier Negre's 'State of Alarm' YouTube channel last Friday, when a semi-naked woman casually sauntered into the frame, causing Negre's jaw to drop. | Esto es una auténtica maravilla: Javier Negre hace un S…
(2020-04-28). COVID-19 and the Rise of the Police State. globalresearch.ca In December 1917, Europe was immersed in the First World War—one of the most vicious, insane wars the world had ever witnessed. After learning about the high casualty toll and the horrific nature of trench warfare, which included the use …
(2020-04-28). Under Europe's Strictest Lockdown, the World Is Only As Big as Our Windows. thenation.com Under Europe's Strictest Lockdown, the World Is Only As Big as Our Windows…
(2020-04-28). Ex-FBI agent charged with accepting bribes from Armenian organized crime figure. nationofchange.org "The public needs to have confidence that law enforcement officials conduct their work with integrity and honesty. When law enforcement officials participate in bribery schemes, they tarnish the reputations of their colleagues who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe."
(2020-04-28). France: Unions Call for May 1st Demonstration. telesurenglish.net French Union organizations convoked members to celebrate Workers Day, despite the current COVID-19 pandemic. The groups stated they would demonstrate through social media to comply with COVID-19 preventive measures. | RELATED: | The General Confederation of Labour (CGT), the United Federation of Trade Unions (FSU), the Union Syndicale Solidaires (USS), the National Union of Students of France (UNEF), the Union Nationa…
(2020-04-28). Covid-19 Is the Perfect Catalyst for Trump's War Against China. globalresearch.ca The phrase 'Yellow Peril' — pertaining to the alleged threat of the Far East — was coined by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany in the 1880s after he had a dream featuring a Buddha riding a dragon threatening to invade …
(2020-04-28). 9/11 Truth and Giulietto Chiesa, 1940-2020. His Legacy Will Live. globalresearch.ca The 9/11 Consensus Panel mourns the loss of the great Italian journalist, Giulietto Chiesa, whose life was devoted to upholding the foundations of democracy, not just in his native Italy, but in Russia and worldwide. | The Consensus Panel was …
(2020-04-28). BRICS Bank to Allocate $15 Billion to Economic Recovery. telesurenglish.net Russia's RELATED: | "We have decided to create a special credit instrument to finance economic recovery projects in the countries. It is expected t…
(2020-04-28). Putin Extends National Paid Leave to May 11. telesurenglish.net Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday extended the national paid leave introduced to contain the spread of COVID-19 to May 11. | RELATED: | "We are now facing a new, perhaps the most intense stage in the fight against the epidemic. The risks of getting infected have reached a climax. The threat, the mortal danger of the virus persists, and this can affect everyone," Putin said in a televised address to the nat…
(2020-04-28). Covid-19: Oxford University Vaccine Proves Effective in Monkeys. telesurenglish.net The Jenner Institute at Oxford University in the United Kingdom successfully tested a vaccine against COVID-19 in Rhesus macaques, scientists revealed on Monday. | RELATED: | The results of the research will be released next week, a month after testing the drug on six Rhesus macaques. | The vaccine was given to the six monkeys at the U.S. National Institutes of Health's Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana. | The…
(2020-04-27). FROM THE FIELD: How refugees are helping overwhelmed health systems' COVID-19 response. news.un.org With many European health services struggling to deal with an influx of COVID-19 patients, many refugees and migrants with experience in the sector, are being drafted in to help respond to the crisis.
(2020-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Deaths Top 207,000 as Hard-Hit European Nations Start Relaxing Lockdowns, States Prepare to Reopen Economies as Cases Continue to Mount, Doctors See Rise in Strokes Caused by Coronavirus; CDC Expands List of Possible Symptoms, Oakland Police Tackle and Detain Unhoused Outreach Workers, Poison Control Center Calls Spike After President Trump Suggests Injections of Disinfectant, WHO Warns Against Issuing "Immunity Passports", Activists Hold "Cancel the Rent" Protests Around the Country, Coronavirus Outbreak Reported at Tyson Foods Meat Processing Plant, "Larry King Live" Tape from 1993 Supports T…
(2020-04-27). Progressive sections in Madrid protest evictions at La Ingobernable social center. peoplesdispatch.org La Ingobernable is a platform of feminists, environmentalists and anarchists running a series of self-managed social centers in central Madrid. The Madrid committees of Izquierda Unida (IU) and the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) have condemned their eviction during the lockdown…