RT (2020-05-04). WHO should debunk 'conspiracy theorist' Pompeo with independent Covid-19 probe, says German politician. rt.com Leading member of Germany's Green Party Jàºrgen Trittin called on the World Health Organization to investigate the origins of the coronavirus so as to counter 'conspiracy theorists' such as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. | Trittin reacted on Monday to claims by the top US diplomat that there was "enormous evidence" the Covid-19 pathogen originated in a Chinese laboratory, calling Pompeo a "conspiracy theorist" and demanding a WHO-led independent probe to clear the air. | Verschwà∂rungstheoretikern wie

RT (2020-05-04). Flaring US-China tensions send European markets lower. rt.com Markets in Europe followed their Asian peers, suffering steep losses at Monday's opening, as Washington continues to pin the blame for the coronavirus outbreak on China. | Stock markets in Germany and France dipped on the first trading of this month, as they opened after the Labor Day holiday. France's CAC 40 led the losses, dropping nearly four percent, while Germany's DAX was not much higher as it lost over three percent. | Also on rt.com | | The British stock market, which wa…

Ramzy Baroud, Romana Rubeo (2020-05-04). Portugal Leads the Way: How European Countries Fared in Their Treatment of Refugees. counterpunch.org As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading its tentacles throughout China and eventually to the rest of the world, the World Health Organization (WHO), along with other international groups, sounded the alarm that refugees and migrants are particularly vulnerable to the deadly disease. "We strongly emphasize the need for inclusive national public health measures

RT (2020-05-04). Drone LOST in Latvian airspace: Main airport shut down as army rushes to search. rt.com The Baltic nation of Latvia has deployed army aircraft to search for a drone that was lost during a test flight. The incident has forced at least one airliner to be quickly rerouted from the country's main airport. | The airspace over Riga International Airport has been closed due to a lost drone. The airport's spokesperson, Laura Karnite, told local media that the measure has already caused disruption of air traffic, as a Riga-bound flight from the Chinese city of Urumqi was forced to change course and land in Tallinn, Estonia, which borders Latvia. | Latvian drone-maker UAV Factory lost all communication wit…

RT (2020-05-04). 'We can't be garbage dump for Europe': Fears in Turkey over imported plastic waste spike. rt.com Turkey has become a primary destination for plastic waste from richer European countries after the garbage was rejected by China and India. An environmental and health crisis is now in the making in Turkey, locals say. | In 2018, China banned the import of plastic waste, citing the environmental damage the practice had done to the country over the decades. India followed suit the next year. The decisions sent shockwaves across the global waste management industry, with exporting nations forced to find new destinations for their refuse. | For several European countries, Turkey became the new major target for se…

RT (2020-05-04). Parents in Paris exasperated as schools plan to take only 10% of students back in phase 1 of lifting lockdown. rt.com When public schools in Paris finally reopen on May 11, only 10 percent of children will be accommodated, leaving many worried French parents in the lurch as they attempt to return to work after the Covid-19 lockdown. | The limited capacity is due to the numerous health measures which will need to be implemented in schools as restrictions are being phased out, the deputy mayor in charge of education Patrick Bloche told Le Figaro on Sunday. | "If we reach [this figure], it will already be very good," Bloche said, given that Paris is within France's 'red zone' for Covid-19 and that some school premises will strug…

The Canary (2020-05-04). French care home where staff locked themselves in with residents defies Covid-19. thecanary.co A care home in France which took a novel approach to warding off coronavirus (Covid-19) has emerged with a clean bill of health.As coronavirus cut a deadly path through care homes across the country, Valerie Martin vowed that the story would be different in the home she runs.To keep Covid-19 at bay and stop it from infecting and killing the vulnerable older adults in her care, Martin and her staff locked themselves in with the 106 residents.Residents at the Vilanova care home in Corbas, central France (Valerie Martin via AP)For 47 days and nights, staff and residents of the Vilanova care home on the outskirts of…

RT (2020-05-04). First Covid-19 case in France could have been as early as December, new evidence suggests. rt.com The first coronavirus case in France could have occurred a month earlier than official figures suggest, according to a professor from Avicenne Hospital, following the retesting of 24 patient blood samples. | Professor Yves Cohen from the Avicenne Hospital in Bobigny said in an

RT (2020-05-04). Germany's actual Covid-19 cases could be TEN TIMES higher than officially confirmed number — study. rt.com The number of Covid-19 infections across Germany could be 10 times higher than official numbers show, researchers have concluded after conducting a study in one of the country's hardest-hit towns. | Researchers from the University of Bonn say that while the official count is around 160,000 cases nationwide, in reality about 1.8 million people in the country could be infected — with many people being asymptomatic and others having symptoms so mild that they were not reported. | The team analysed swabs from 919 people living in Heinsberg, a district on the Dutch border which recorded one of the highest deat…

RT (2020-05-04). Buzzing where corona can't get you: Watch Russian warplanes train for V-Day air show. rt.com Russia may have suspended most public events marking the upcoming Victory Day, but demonstrations by military aircraft are still expected to take place. With less than a week to go, the crews are busy training. | Footage released by Russia's Southern Military District on Monday shows fighter jets training solo and in formations for next Saturday's demonstrations, held to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany. | May 9 is one of the biggest national holidays in Russia, with military parades and commemorative ceremonies held throughout the country. This year the coronavirus pandemic threw a spanner in the works…

John Reynolds (2020-05-04). The Politics of the coronavirus conjuncture in Ireland. mronline.org The election in Ireland in early February marked a clear acceleration of the country's ongoing left turn over recent years. Then came the virus.

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-05-04). Russia-China entente deepens in the shadow of the pandemic. mronline.org The Russian-Chinese entente emerged as one of the most significant templates of international politics in the recent period since the hugely consequential developments in Ukraine in 2014 that led to western sanctions against Moscow, which in turn galvanised the latter's 'pivot to Asia'.

RT (2020-05-04). Russian flag-carrier Aeroflot warns air travel may not resume until mid-summer. rt.com As the coronavirus pandemic has halted almost all travel around the globe, Russian's biggest airline said that in the best-case scenario, international flights could be resumed in July. | "It is difficult to indicate the exact timing of flights so far but when looking at the best-case forecasts… international traffic may start recovering in the middle of summer," Aeroflot spokesperson Yulia Spivakova told Rossiya 24 TV. | Read more | | Even when most of the danger…

RT (2020-05-04). As number of recorded Covid-19 cases skyrocket, Russian official declares complete victory impossible. rt.com With Russia seeing another day of more than 10,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, it seems like Covid-19 will never end. According to one official, that fear might be exactly right. | Speaking to TV channel Russia 24, Anna Popova, the head of Russia's consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, revealed that it is impossible to completely end the circulation of Covid-19. "No matter what, there will always be some kind of communication," she explained. "There are risks of renewal, even if the virus is no longer in the country." | Popova also announced that anti-coronavirus measures would have to be gradually removed, and…

RT (2020-05-04). Former Ukrainian PM Tymoshenko received $5.5 MILLION in compensation from US resident for 'REPRESSIONS'. rt.com Ukraine's ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has stunned the public and media by saying in her income declaration that she got $5.5 million from a "US resident" as compensation for Ukrainian government "repressions." | A financial disclosure

Staff (2020-05-04). Headlines for May 4, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Makes Up a Third of Known Cases as Trump Revises Predicted Death Toll, NYC Nursing Home Reports Nearly 100 Deaths Linked to COVID-19, Trump Admin Continues Attack on China, Insists COVID-19 Developed in Wuhan Lab, White House Blocks Anthony Fauci from Testifying to House, Senators Return to Work in Coronavirus Hot Spot Washington, D.C., SCOTUS to Hear Cases by Phone, Arguments Will Be Open to Public, NYPD Violently Attack Two Black Men During Social Distancing Enforcement, Guards Sue ICE Jail for Failing to Protect Workers, Georgia Restaurants Refuse to Reopen After Gov. Kemp Lifts Lockdown, Spain, Italy Eas…

WSWS (2020-05-04). Austria lifts most measures to counter coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org Despite the continuing spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe, the government has adopted a pioneering "easing policy," posing a deadly risk for hundreds of thousands of people.

news.un (2020-05-04). None of us is safe until we all are, says UN chief at EU push to end COVID-19 pandemic. news.un.org The "most massive public health effort in history" is needed to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN chief said on Monday, addressing a European Union pledging conference in Brussels.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-04). Hybrid War flashback: the Deeper Roots of Chinese Demonizatio. strategic-culture.org Hegel saw history moving east to west — 'Europe thus absolutely being the end of history, Asia the beginning' | Pepe ESCOBAR | Fasten your seat belts: the US The US strategy remains, ess…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-04). Pres. Rouhani to take part in NAM summit today via videoconferencing. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 04, (MNA) — Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Mon. that President Rouhani will participate in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit today, hosted by the Republic of Azerbaijan, via videoconferencing.

Adam Dick (2020-05-04). Knock, Knock. We're From the Government, and We Want Your Family's Blood. globalresearch.ca Talk about creepy. The Georgia Department of Public Health has announced that it, the United Sates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and county health boards are together

en.mehrnews (2020-05-04). Iran's corona diagnostic kits to be exported to Germany, Turkey: VP. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 04 (MNA) — Vice-President for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari said that Iran-made coronavirus diagnostic kits will be exported to Germany and Turkey in the coming weeks.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-04). Iran Air to launch flight to bring home Iranians from Netherlands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 04 (MNA) — Iran Air announced that it will launch one flight to the Netherlands on May 14 to return stranded Iranians due to coronavirus pandemic.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-04). Mayo Clinic expert talks social distancing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The need for?social distancing?will continue into the summer as an important public health tool to reduce the spread of?COVID-19. ?Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic acknowledges the hardships of public safety measures and says they are important. "The nature of social distancing, isolating ourselves, and shelter-in-place has been tremendous hardships from …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-04). Russia slams US for obstructing Iran's loan request from IMF. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 4 (MNA) — Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin on Monday lashed out at US's attempt for obstructing a loan by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria amid the pandemic.

Nebojsa Malic (2020-05-04). US Push for "Low-yield Nukes" Makes Nuclear War More Likely as Russia Will Retaliate with Full Force, Moscow Says. globalresearch.ca The US State Department's case for tactical nuclear weapons is a case study in psychological projection not seen since the darkest days of the Cold War and its ever-present threat of world-ending atomic holocaust. | Back in February, the Pentagon announced …

Joaquin Flores (2020-05-04). China Calls for Closing All U.S. Deep-State Bioweapons Laboratories in Former USSR Countries. globalresearch.ca As countries have openly begun to utilize their military structures in fighting the coronavirus in programs intended to guard against biological warfare, Chinese authorities have come out in support the official position of Russia and considers it dangerous that there …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-04). Need to boost coop. between Iran, Turkey more than before: Vaezi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 4 (MNA) — Iranian President's Chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi said that the two countries of Iran and Turkey should make their utmost effort to increase bilateral cooperation more than before.

Pacifica COVID-19 Taskforce (2020-05-04). 24 hour May Day programing on mayday.pacifica.org. indybay.org Pacifica COVID-19 Taskforce is hosting May Day with programing from throughout the world. Live streaming from South Africa, Korea, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and other countries.

RT (2020-05-04). Shops, hair salons and bookstores reopen in Spain as rate of Covid-19 infections & deaths drop. rt.com Spain has initiated the first phase of relaxing its coronavirus restrictions, allowing smaller retail establishments and services to resume, while still observing strict disease control protocols. | Shops, hair salons, beauty parlors, bookstores, and hardware stores with premises less than 400 square meters (4,305 square feet) are allowed to reopen on condition they maintain quarantine measures and distancing rules. The visits have to be pre-arranged by phone or email, however, and the stores must reserve a priority schedule for people over 65 years old during certain hours. | The stores were also ordered to p…

graham (2020-05-04). Northern Ireland: Another reminder that a hard Brexit is looming. truepublica.org.uk RTÉ News is the national news service provided by Irish public broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Its Europe Editor, Tony Connelly has written a piece that further exposes the lie that the British government is actively working towards signing a mutually agreeable trade deal with the EU and that the 'Withdrawal Agreement' was anything but an …

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Germany extends border checks until May 15, says spox. yenisafak.com Germany, which is part of Europe's open-border Schengen area, will extend its border checks until May 15, a spokesman for the interior ministry said on Monday.The measure is in line with the European Commission, he added. "Of course, we are guided by the European spirit not to act unilaterally or in an uncoordinated way."Numerous Schengen countries have imposed emergency border checks in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Trade talks between UK and US to start on Tuesday. yenisafak.com Trade talks between Britain and the United States will begin via a video conferencing call on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said, as the two countries seek to strike an "ambitious free trade agreement"."Both sides have expressed their willingnes to make progress as quickly as possible, so we look forward to a constructive two weeks of talks," the spokesman told reporters."We want to strike an ambitious free trade agreement with out biggest single trading partner."Britain left the European Union in January and is now negotiating future trading terms with Brussels and other major economies.

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Germany's Merkel pledges 525 million euros to global coronavirus vaccine hunt. yenisafak.com "We will contribute 525 million euros directly to this pledging conference and we will also continue our obligations for global health overall with around 1.3 billion euros," Merkel said. ($1 = 0.9154 euros) Norway pledges $1 bln to vaccines against COVID-19, other diseasesNorway will give $1 billion to support the distribution worldwide of any vaccine developed against COVID-19 as well as for vaccines against other diseases, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Monday.Oslo made the pledge as part of a donor conference held on Monday by the European Union to raise 7.5 billion euros ($8.23 billion) towards the test…

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Italy joins nations warily leaving lockdown amid fears of 'second wave'. yenisafak.com Italy was among a slew of countries easing lockdown restrictions on Monday to resurrect their economies, but officials cautioned against moving too swiftly as new coronavirus cases passed 3.5 million globally and deaths neared a quarter of a million.Italy, among the world's hardest-hit countries, started to relax the longest lockdown in Europe, allowing about 4.5 million people to return to work after nearly two months at home.Spain, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Israel, Tunisia and Lebanon were also among countries easing some restrictions, variously reopening factories, construction sites, parks, hairdressers…

yenisafak (2020-05-04). China, Russia take advantage of virus emergency, US defense secretary says. yenisafak.com Russia and China are taking advantage of the coronavirus emergency to put their interests forward in Europe, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday, describing Chinese efforts to promote Huawei mobile phone network equipment as malign."(The United States) is aware that some (countries) will try to use the pandemic as a way to invest in critical industry and infrastructure, with effect on security in the long term," Esper told newspaper La Stampa, when asked whether China and Russia were trying to gain influence in Italy by sending aid."Potential opponents will almost certainly try to use their interest…

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Dutch confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 199 to 40,770. yenisafak.com The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands rose by 199 on Monday to 40,770, with 26 new deaths, health authorities said.Total deaths in the country rose to 5,082, the Netherlands Institute for Health (RIVM) said in its daily update. The RIVM cautioned that it only reports confirmed cases and deaths, and actual numbers are higher.

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Turkey may be Libya's supply chain leader in new normal. yenisafak.com If positioned well, Turkey can be the leader in Libya's supply chain in the new normal, said a top business leader on Monday.Murtaza Karanfil, head of Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Turkey-Libya Business Council, underlined that countries that restarted production swiftly by combatting the COVID-19 outbreak will play a key role post-pandemic.Karanfil suggested that Turkey should improve its ability to respond quickly to demand and be ready for post-pandemic trade.Praising Turkey's steps to mitigate economic fallout and to stem the spread of the coronavirus, Karanfil said: "If we add the production strate…

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Turkey quarantines 143 expats evacuated from S. Arabia. yenisafak.com A total of 143 Turkish nationals, who were evacuated from Saudi Arabia, were placed under a 14-day quarantine on Monday to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.The flight landed at Van Ferit Melen Airport in eastern Turkey and the group was placed in a dormitory after health checks.Upon the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, Turkey repatriated nearly 25,000 citizens from 59 countries ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.As of Sunday, Turkey registered a total of 3,397 deaths due to coronavirus whereas nearly 63,200 people have recovered from th…

yenisafak (2020-05-04). Turkey donates mechanical ventilators to Somalia. yenisafak.com Turkey donated mechanical ventilators to Somalia to help in Mogadishu's efforts against the novel coronavirus pandemic, a senior Turkish official said on Monday.Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said the ventilators had become a "breath" for Somalia, with many low-income countries hard-pressed in treating COVID-19 due to medical equipment shortages.Ankara-based biotech firm BIOSYS began mass-producing a Turkish indigenous respirator last month with the support of technology firms Baykar, Arcelik and Aselsan. The first 100 devices have since been delivered and the production of 5,000 more is…

sputniknews (2020-05-04). 'Education, not Compulsion' Required for Successful Deployment of COVID-19 Vaccine – Commentator. sputniknews.com European countries have pledged to raise £6.6 billion in a bid to help accelerate the process of finding a coronavirus vaccine. The UK will contribute £388 million to the cause. The UN has repeatedly outlined that the pandemic can only be ended, should an effective vaccine be developed and mass produced.

sputniknews (2020-05-04). Ex-Pope Benedict Claims Opponents Tried to 'Silence' Him in New Authorised Biography. sputniknews.com Former pope Benedict XVI, who dramatically resigned in 2013, was often criticized for his attitudes to social issues such as diversity, and attempting to undermine the modernisation drive of his successor Pope Francis.

sputniknews (2020-05-04). Russian Embassy in Bosnia Expresses Dismay Over Entry Ban for Russian Humanitarian Convoy. sputniknews.com BELGRADE (Sputnik) – The Russian embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed on Monday its perplexity due to the entry ban for a humanitarian convoy of the Russian Defense Ministry to assist in the fight against the coronavirus.

sputniknews (2020-05-04). UK Among Five European States Not Seeing Decline in Covid-19 Cases, Despite Government Claims. sputniknews.com The United Kingdom has boasted that its lockdown strategy, intended to enforce social distancing measures and slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, was a success. However, this claim has now been contradicted by new reports released by European Union affiliated research groups.

sputniknews (2020-05-04). Finding The Right Exit: How Might Britain Find Its Way Out Of COVID-19 Lockdown Safely? sputniknews.com Britain is set to overtake Italy this week as the European country with the most deaths from coronavirus. But despite that morbid milestone, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to reveal his exit strategy from the lockdown later this week.

sputniknews (2020-05-04). Russian-German Board Chair Calls for Reconsidering Sanctions Against Russia Amid COVID-19. sputniknews.com BERLIN (Sputnik) – The COVID-19 pandemic could be the basis for considering the issue of lifting European sanctions against Russia, Matthias Platzeck, the board chairman of the German-Russian Forum and a former minister-president of Germany's Brandenburg, said on Monday during a video conference in Berlin.

Mike Whitney (2020-05-03). Why Sweden Succeeded While Others Failed. globalresearch.ca How do you measure success in dealing with an illness for which there is no cure? | This is the question we need to ask ourselves before judging which country's approach has been most successful in dealing with the coronavirus. The …

RT (2020-05-03). Your passport and corona test, please: Vienna airport starts on-site screening for those who wish to avoid quarantine. rt.com Starting Monday, passengers arriving at Vienna International Airport will be offered an on-site Covid-19 test to avoid the mandatory 14-day quarantine. | Austrian health officials require everyone arriving in the country by air to provide a health certificate ensuring they are not carrying the coronavirus. Without one issued no less than four days prior to arrival, travelers must sign up for two weeks of self-isolation. Starting Monday, there will be an alternative — an on-site express test with a three-hour wait before the results come through. | The same PCR express test will be available to people leav…

RT (2020-05-03). 'As long as coronavirus doesn't go on vacation': German interior minister warns against 'reckless' reopening of borders. rt.com Germany's interior minister said that early decisions to reopen borders could backfire in terms of the spread of Covid-19. The leader of Austria had earlier floated the idea of inviting German tourists to return. | "As long as the virus does not go on vacation, we also have to restrict our travel plans. As understandable as the desires of people and the tourism industry are, the disease protection has its own timetable," Horst Seehofer told Bild am Sonntag. | No one wants to restrict citizens' freedom of movement longer than is absolutely necessary. But the reckless opening [of borders], which later backfires…

RT (2020-05-03). German Interior Minister Seehofer mulls FIFTH term for Chancellor Merkel as Covid-19 crisis boosts her popularity. rt.com The Covid-19 crisis has surprisingly turned out to be a boon for German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she regained public support. Now, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer believes a fifth term in office might not be ruled out. | Successful handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic which has allowed Germany to start the process of gradually easing quarantine rules which have been crippling its economy for quite some time has apparently boosted Merkel's image among her fellow party members and political allies. | Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who has had quite a thorny relationship with the chancellor over the…