2020-04-10: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Organizing under lockdown: online activism, local solidarity
Bernd Bonfert | zcomm.org | 2020-04-10
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…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/organizing-under-lockdown-online-activism-local-solidarity/

Interview with Italian communists on COVID-19 impact and the working class
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-04-10
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…
fightbacknews.org/2020/4/9/interview-italian-communists-covid-19-impact-and-working-class

Will the EU Survive the Coronavirus?
John Feffer | zcomm.org | 2020-04-10
Hungary's authoritarianism, Portugal's generosity, Italy's call for solidarity, Germany's tightfistedness: European responses to the crisis are all over the map…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/will-the-eu-survive-the-coronavirus/

Cuban Medical Science in the Service of Humanity
Helen Yaffe | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-10
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…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/10/cuban-medical-science-in-the-service-of-humanity/

Europe's investors celebrate stock market rally as thousands die of COVID-19
wsws.org | 2020-04-10
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.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/10/euro-a10.html

Last Chance to Save the Euro?
Marshall Auerback | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-10
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…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/10/last-chance-to-save-the-euro/

Cuban Development of Biomedical High Technology
Charles McKelvey | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-10
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…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/10/cuban-development-of-biomedical-high-technology/

Memoir: A Liberation Theology Stations of the Cross in Northeast Brazil
Nancy Scheper-Hughes | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-10
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…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/10/memoir-a-liberation-theology-stations-of-the-cross-in-northeast-brazil/

Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: CDC recommends wearing cloth masks in public
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-10
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 …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-qa-podcast-cdc-recommends-wearing-cloth-masks-in-public/

Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 update
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-10
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 …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-qa-podcast-covid-19-update/

EEU regards US sanctions on Iran amid COVID-19 'irrational'
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-10
TEHRAN, Apr. 10 (MNA)

Russia's workers sent back to factories as coronavirus continues to spread
wsws.org | 2020-04-10
Industrial and manufacturing enterprises are reopening in Russia, even as thousands of new infections are reported daily.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/10/russ-a10.html

Exporters like Russia won as Covid-19 fears pushed grain market up, but now veggies may get sliced & diced
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/business/485396-grain-markets-coronavirus-surge/

Number of coronavirus cases in Russia rises by 1,786 to 11,917
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/newsline/485459-cases-rise-russia-tuva/

Syrian chemical dossier: Russia slams misinformation in OPCW team's report on alleged Ltamenah incidents in 2017
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/newsline/485461-syria-opcw-chemical-russia/

No Cannes do! French police turn away would-be holidaymakers fleeing London lockdown in private jet
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/news/485465-police-block-private-jet-cannes/

50 cases of Covid-19 aboard France's ONLY aircraft carrier, Defense Ministry confirms
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/news/485486-french-carrier-coronavirus-confirmed/

'Real test' yet to come, Orban says as Hungary reports biggest daily increase in infections
rt.com | 2020-04-10
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…
rt.com/newsline/485460-real-test-orban-hungary/

Grand jury records in notorious 1946 US lynching case to remain sealed
wsws.org | 2020-04-10
The heinous crime near the Moore's Ford Bridge in Georgia sparked wide outrage which contributed to the emergence of the civil rights movement.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/10/lync-a08.html

Turkish, Bulgarian presidents discuss COVID-19 measures
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-10
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.
yenisafak.com/en/life/turkish-bulgarian-presidents-discuss-covid-19-measures-3516584

Turkey: Coronavirus causes fall in blood donations
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-10
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…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-coronavirus-causes-fall-in-blood-donations-3516573

Hospital in southern Turkey ready to use plasma therapy
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-10
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…
yenisafak.com/en/news/hospital-in-southern-turkey-ready-to-use-plasma-therapy-3516570

Coronavirus death toll exceeds 3,000 in Belgium
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-10
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…
yenisafak.com/en/world/coronavirus-death-toll-exceeds-3000-in-belgium-3516581

Fifty COVID-19 Cases Confirmed on Board France's Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
This comes as France's death toll from the new coronavirus infection has exceeded 12,000, according to the country's health ministry.
sputniknews.com/europe/202004101078906514-fifty-covid-19-cases-confirmed-on-board-frances-charles-de-gaulle-aircraft-carrier/

Health Care in Many EU Nations Proves Inefficient Amid Pandemic – Council of Europe
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
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.
sputniknews.com/europe/202004101078907175-health-care-in-many-eu-nations-proves-inefficient-amid-pandemic—council-of-europe/

'Russia Believes Price Stability Requires Global Effort that Can't be Taken by OPEC Alone' – Scholar
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
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.
sputniknews.com/analysis/202004101078905858-russia-believes-price-stability-requires-global-effort-that-cant-be-taken-by-opec-alone—scholar/

Russian Genomic Engineer Has Theory About When COVID-19 Patient Zero Was Infected
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
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.
sputniknews.com/science/202004101078907833-russian-genomic-engineer-has-theory-about-when-covid-19-patient-zero-was-infected/

Rossiya Segodnya, COVID-19 News Centre Launch Joint Project About Doctors Fighting Disease
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
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.
sputniknews.com/russia/202004101078906310-rossiya-segodnya-covid-19-news-centre-launch-joint-project-about-doctors-fighting-disease/

President Putin Says Russia to Continue Contact with US on Space Exploration and COVID-19 Fight
sputniknews.com | 2020-04-10
The statement comes as the Russian president held a videocall with astronauts on the International Space Station from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence.
sputniknews.com/world/202004101078906428-president-putin-says-russia-to-continue-contact-with-us-on-space-exploration-and-covid-19-fight/

OPEC to Decide Historic Oil Production Cut Due to COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-09
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: | Maduro Announces Measures to Defend Venezuela's Oil Industry | 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…
telesurenglish.net/news/opec-to-decide-historic-oil-production-cut-due-to-covid19-20200409-0005.html

U2 Donates Over 10 Million to Ireland's Healthcare Workers
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-09
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: | Kendrick Lamar Opened Grammy With Revolutionary-Themed Set | 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…
telesurenglish.net/news/U2-Donates-Over-10-Million-to-Irelands-Healthcare-Workers–20200409-0008.html

How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership–and the System He Created
Stephen F. Cohen | thenation.com | 2020-04-09
How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership–and the System He Created…
thenation.com/article/world/coronavirus-russia-putin/

Trump says he had 'a very good call' with Putin & Saudi King, says OPEC+ 'getting close' to historic deal
rt.com | 2020-04-09
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…
rt.com/news/485437-trump-opec-deal-oil-price/

US boasts of intercepting 2 Russian military planes on routine training flight far off Alaska
rt.com | 2020-04-09
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…
rt.com/usa/485433-us-intercept-russian-military-planes/

Iran, Russia discuss pandemic situation in Syria
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-09
TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA)

Video: Alleged Video shows explosion aftermath in central Moscow
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-09
TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA)

Vietnam Records Zero Deaths From COVID in the Last 24 Hours
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-09
Vietnam has not reported any deaths from the COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, a new report has revealed. According to the Vietnamese government's official website, the sanitary authorities reported 251 cases, but 126 do not show SARS-Cov-2 symptoms and two other patients were discharged. They will continue to be medically monitored at home for the next 14 days. | RELATED: | France's Coronavirus Daily Hospital Death Toll Slows | Even though Vietnam registered more than 200 cases, the recove…
telesurenglish.net/news/vietnam-records-zero-deaths-from-covid-in-the-last-24-hours-20200409-0003.html

FM spox expresses regret over Hungary's expelling 17 Iranian students
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-09
TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA)

Iran, Turkey parl. speakers discuss COVID-19 fight
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-09
TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA)

US attempt to block Iranian funds in Europe nullified: Iran
Press TV | iranian.com | 2020-04-09
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 …
iranian.com/2020/04/08/us-attempt-to-block-iranian-funds-in-europe-nullified-iran/

The Arab World Flounders in the Face of the Coronavirus Crisis
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2020-04-08
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…
mintpressnews.com/coronavirus-crisis-middle-east-flounders/266451/

66,000 UK deaths projected by 'Institute' has 95 per cent 'uncertainty' value
graham | truepublica.org.uk | 2020-04-08
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, …
truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/66000-uk-deaths-projected-by-institute-has-95-per-cent-uncertainty-value/

US Media Downplay Overseas Coronavirus Lessons to Focus on Easter Bunny
Neil deMause | fair.org | 2020-04-08
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?>…
fair.org/home/us-media-downplay-overseas-coronavirus-lessons-to-focus-on-easter-bunny/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=us-media-downplay-overseas-coronavirus-lessons-to-focus-on-easter-bunny

NY to fly flags HALF MAST for Covid-19 victims as number of infected in US passes 400,000
rt.com | 2020-04-08
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…
rt.com/usa/485324-new-york-flags-half-mast-coronavirus/

Iran Welcomes Putin's Idea for Green Corridor in Coronavirus Fight
Tasnim News | iranian.com | 2020-04-08
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, …
iranian.com/2020/04/08/iran-welcomes-putins-idea-for-green-corridor-in-coronavirus-fight/

Rouhani Speaks to Macron: INSTEX a good step but "must not be limited to medical and food items."
president.ir | iranian.com | 2020-04-06
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 …
iranian.com/2020/04/06/rouhani-speaks-to-macron-instex-a-good-step-but-must-not-be-limited-to-medical-and-food-items/

No more unconditional corporate bailouts
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-04-06
Economy Abigail BoydIssue 1260 Australia undefinedApril 6, 2020Working on the frontline of the response to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in Europe in 2008, I had a front-row seat watching the wealthy and powerful being bailed out at the expense of the poorest and most vulner…
greenleft.org.au/content/no-more-unconditional-corporate-bailouts

"There Aren't Enough Tests": As Pandemic Intensifies, Global South Prepares for the Worst
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-02
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.
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/2/yanis_ben_amor_developing_countries_coronavirus

Infected or sick? Infected or ill?
fernando_santamaria | zcomm.org | 2020-03-30
In Spain around 80.000 people are infected, or sick, and around 7000 have been cured. Deads are approximately 8000. There is a big gap between the number of ill people (80,000) and the rest. I don't understand why these 80.000 (infected/sick/ill) ) citizens have barely presence in the media. In my opinion, there should be Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/infected-or-ill-infected-or-sick/

The Italian war-like measures to fight coronavirus spreading: Re-open closed hospitals now
Alessandro Miani, Ernesto Burgio, Prisco Piscitelli, Renato Lauro, Annamaria Colao | thelancet.com | 2020-03-27
As recently highlighted by The Lancet, the Covid-19 outbreak started in Northern Italy has shocked Europe, while it has been questioned if China benefits from an authoritarian advantage in disease response [1,2]. In Italy, after the shutdown of the educational system (schools and Universities will remain closed at least for one month) and the collapse of the touristic sector (90% of travels and reservations cancelled), the Government officially locked down residents of all the region of Milan (Lombardia) and other 11 provinces.
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30064-X/fulltext?rss=yes

2020-04-09: News Headlines

RT (2020-04-09). US overtakes Spain with second highest Covid-19 deaths worldwide, but Italy still holds top spot. rt.com The United States surpassed Spain's coronavirus death toll late Wednesday night, according to the latest figures gathered by Johns Hopkins University, putting it in second place behind Italy, which still leads the globe in fatalities. | The lethal virus has killed 14,817 patients in the US, the new data shows, edging out Spain by fewer than 50 deaths. Though Italy's toll of 17,669 remains the world's highest, the US leads all other nations in cases by far, reporting well over 430,000 infections — more than the next three countries combined. | Covid-19 has afflicted 1.5 million people worldwide since the o…

RT (2020-04-09). 'Mere insinuation offends me': Italy's PM Conte blasts suggestion of ulterior motive behind Russian coronavirus aid. rt.com Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has called any suggestion that Russia had an ulterior motive in sending coronavirus aid to Italy "an insult to the Italian government," warning that the pandemic poses an existential threat to the EU. | Amid stalled EU relief efforts, aid and personnel arrived in Italy from China, Cuba and Russia to help Italian medical authorities fight back against the coronavirus outbreak in the country, which ravaged its northern regions and forced a total lockdown of society. | When asked if the Russian coronavirus aid, in the form of both manpower and medical equipment, was a ploy by the Kre…

RT (2020-04-09). Gradual return to normality in Germany possible 'if infection trend continues'. rt.com German Health Minister Jens Spahn has said the country's coronavirus infection numbers are showing a "positive trend," and if that continues it will be possible to talk about a gradual return to normality after the Easter break. | He told the Handelsblatt newspaper that citizens sticking to the restrictions on public life over the Easter holiday was a necessary condition for a possible easing of the lockdown. | Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany will re-evaluate the situation after the Easter holiday. | The German Labor Office said on Thursday that some 650,000 companies had applied for short-time work…

RT (2020-04-09). Catch me if you can! WATCH coronavirus suspect FLEE medics in Russia. rt.com A suspected coronavirus patient sparked a frantic chase by medics — in full protective gear — in the Russian city of Arzamas, as the supposed patient sprinted away from a moving ambulance, action-movie style. | The bizarre scene, seemingly lifted from a zombie flick, unfolded on Wednesday, with footage of the pursuit going viral across the Russian-speaking part of the internet. The short clip shows a man being chased by medics wearing white biohazard suits. | –°–ª–∞–≤–Ω—ã–π –≥–æ—Ä–&aeli…

RT (2020-04-09). Russia's coronavirus tally surpasses 10,000 after record daily surge, 13 more deaths. rt.com The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has broken the 10,000 barrier in Russia, with 1,459 more people testing positive in the past 24 hours, the national disease response team revealed on Thursday morning. | Officials reported that 13 more patients have died, bringing the nationwide death toll from the disease to 76. The tally of reported Covid-19 cases now stands at 10,131. | Worryingly, the curve is sharply upward. 1,175 fresh infections were recorded the previous day and 954 on Tuesday. | Of the new cases, 1,056 are in Moscow and its surrounding region, where there have been ten more deaths. Russia's secon…

RT (2020-04-09). Russia: US shale decline can't count as 'output cut'. rt.com Production declines across the US shale patch as companies reduce drilling and spending cannot be viewed as a voluntary US cut aimed at supporting oil prices, Vladimir Putin's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday. | The comments suggest that Russia may insist on a collective cut from the United States when major oil producers sit down to discuss a global production reduction later this week. | "These are totally different types of cuts," Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday, as carried by Russian news agency Also on rt.com

RT (2020-04-09). Finnish govt extends coronavirus-related restrictions to May 13. rt.com Finland on Thursday extended most of its restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus by one month to May 13, the government said. | It extended its ban on public meetings of more than 10 people, and the closure of public services such as libraries and schools for most students. The government had previously decided to close all restaurants until the end of May. | On Tuesday, the country's public health authority said it would start tracking the spread of the new coronavirus in the population with randomized antibody tests. The results will be used to help the government decide what meas…

RT (2020-04-09). Irish minister says people 'will have to live alongside the virus' at some point. rt.com Ireland's health minister expects to be advised on Friday to keep restrictions intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in place for a period of weeks, but he suggests the country will have to move onto a "different terrain" after that. | "What's highly likely tomorrow is that the National Public Health Emergency Team will recommend that we continue with the very strict restrictions," Simon Harris told broadcaster Virgin Media. "I expect that to be a period of weeks," said Harris, who ordered citizens on March 27 to stay home until at least Sunday, according to Reuters. | "In relation to the roadmap, the…

WSWS (2020-04-09). Germany: Weighing economic interests vs. human life in the coronavirus pandemic. wsws.org The German media are again openly discussing how much a human life is worth and how many lives should be sacrificed to the interests of the economy.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-09). COVID-19 expert explains what soap does to SARS-CoV-2 virus. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to drive home the message that excellent hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent illnesses, such as COVID-19. Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, explains what soap does to SARS-CoV-2, and other viruses …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-09). 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 …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-09). 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 …

Binoy Kampmark (2020-04-09). Banal Terrors: Pandemics and the Ordinary Business of War. counterpunch.org The twaddle of framing the confrontation of the coronavirus as a "war" has proven to be a cheapening, misguided exercise. France's president Emmanuel Macron has deemed COVID-19 the "invisible, elusive enemy", making it sound like an adept guerrilla specialising in sneak attacks. China's Xi Jinping has gone for the language of the "people's war", suggesting

Eugene Schulman (2020-04-09). Lost in the Pandemic: the Forever Wars. counterpunch.org Locked down in my fifth floor apartment in Geneva, Switzerland with a view across the French border dominated by the snow-capped Monte Blanc, I began to wonder whatever happened to the forever wars we used to hear and read about every day in the main stream media. For weeks, now, our newspapers and TV seem

en.mehrnews (2020-04-09). Iran, Kazakh FMs discuss cooperation on COVID-19 battle. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 09 (MNA) — The Islamic Republic of Iran and Kazakhstan have stressed the expansion of collaborations in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

WSWS (2020-04-09). EU talks on COVID-19 pandemic response collapse. wsws.org With over 700,000 sick and nearly 60,000 dead of COVID-19 across Europe, EU governments clashed bitterly over how to bail out the continent's banks.

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Italy may relax some coronavirus measures by end of April, says Conte. yenisafak.com Italy may start gradually lifting some restrictions in place to contain the new coronavirus by the end of April, provided the spread of the disease continues to slow, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the BBC on Thursday."We need to pick sectors that can restart their activity. If scientists confirm it, we might begin to relax some measures already by the end of this month," Conte told the British broadcaster.Conte warned, however, that Italy could not lower its guard and restrictions would only be eased gradually.There were 542 deaths from COVID-19 in Italy on Wednesday, lower than the 604 the day before, takin…

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Turkish university adapts diving masks into ventilators. yenisafak.com A university in northwestern Turkey is modifying diving masks for intubated patients who need respiration support.Trakya University said in a statement that a team had begun producing an apparatus via 3D printers to adapt diving masks to be compatible with mechanical ventilation devices.University President Erhan Tabakoglu said the masks, covering the entire face, both protected the wearer and reduced the risk of infection.Stressing that the masks would provide fast and easy support for patients who needed intensive care, Tabakoglu said that apart from COVID-19 patients, the apparatuses could also be used for oth…

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Turkish man hosts 7 foreign nationals amid virus spread. yenisafak.com After seven travelers from abroad got stuck in Turkey due to coronavirus restrictions, a local came to their rescue and took them into his home.When six French nationals and a Spaniard found themselves high and dry due to traveling restrictions in the Aegean Mugla province, musician Alper Kaya welcomed them to his home, where they all now enjoy playing music or doing yoga.Kaya told Anadolu Agency that he sympathized with the travelers and brought them home, and the group have been together more over two weeks now, living an isolated life."After all, the world is in chaos and we need solidarity," said Kaya, adding…

yenisafak (2020-04-09). World Bank: Turkish economy to grow 0.5% in 2020. yenisafak.com The World Bank has projected Turkey's economy to expand by 0.5% this year, 3 percentage points lower than the pre-coronavirus estimate.The uptick in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be supported by "strong" government stimulus, the bank said in its Spring 2020 Economic Update for Europe and Central Asia late Wednesday.Pointing to the country's growth last year on the back of a strong fourth quarter, driven by private consumption, the bank said COVID-19 imperils both stability and growth prospects.The bank estimated that growth will pick up steam in 2021-22 to hit 4%.According to the Turki…

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Poland extends restrictions on public life to curb coronavirus. yenisafak.com Polish borders will remain closed until May 3 and the government will extend a lockdown for schools and businesses, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday.Businesses will remain locked down until April 19 and limits for schools, as well as rail and air transport, will be extended for another two weeks, he said.Poles have also been told to cover their mouth and nose as of Thursday next week, at which point the government is also expected to publish a schedule of "coming back to a new economic reality."

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Russia releases first cargo of wheat to Saudi Arabia: sources. yenisafak.com The cargo is being sent by a trading house under a tender with optional origin it won a couple of months ago, sources said.Saudi Arabian state grain buyer SAGO did not reply to a Reuters request for immediate comment.Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, has long sought access to the Saudi market.Saudi Arabia last August moved to smooth a path for Russian wheat imports by relaxing import specifications.That was seen as a sign of strengthening ties with Moscow beyond cooperation on oil, weeks before Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited the country.The shipment comes at another crucial moment in relation…

yenisafak (2020-04-09). Saudi ready to cut up to 4 mln bpd from record April output. yenisafak.com Saudi Arabia is ready to cut up to 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of its production but only from its record output levels of 12.3 million bpd achieved in April, a source briefed on the kingdom's oil policy said on Thursday.OPEC and other producers meet on Thursday to decide on cuts to cope with the falling demand due to the coronavirus crisis. Non-OPEC Russia has said it wants output to be cut from the January-March levels before Saudi production jumped.

sputniknews (2020-04-09). Alleged Videos of Explosion Aftermath in Central Moscow Released Online. sputniknews.com According to media reports, an explosion took place in a business centre near the embassy of Slovakia.

sputniknews (2020-04-09). Trump Mulling Tariffs, New Anti-Russian Sanctions Amid Oil Glut — Reports. sputniknews.com Oil prices collapsed to levels unsustainable for American shale producers last month after OPEC+ failed to reach an agreement on production cuts amid the drop in global economic activity due to the new coronavirus.

sputniknews (2020-04-09). Explosion Rocks Business Centre Near Slovak Embassy in Moscow, Two Injured. sputniknews.com Russian media initially reported that the blast reportedly occurred at a boiler room in a business centre in downtown Moscow, causing a fire that was promptly put down.

sputniknews (2020-04-09). Ancient Greek Doctors Drilled Human Skulls in Early Form of Brain Surgery, Skeletal Remains Reveal. sputniknews.com As one of the great civilisations of classical antiquity, Ancient Greece is known for its many fundamental insights which have since become part of the foundation for the ideas of Western civilisation, including basic geometry and the Hippocratic school of medicine.

Press TV (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 …

Michael Berkowitz (2020-04-08). What does a hero look like? See 'El Pepe: A Supreme Life'. peoplesworld.org At first glance, he's a gnarled, wizened, disheveled, weather-beaten old man. He could use a trim and new clothes. He sits on a bench at his farm, the chickens pecking for insects in the ground around his feet. He's talking slowly, but thoughtfully, to Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica, two-time Cannes Palme d'Or Prize Winner. "One …

RT (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…

Staff (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 Announces Hold on U.S. Funding for World Health Organization, Then Reverses Stance, 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 Cou…

Lucas Koerner (2020-04-08). European Left Slams EU Support for Trump's Venezuela 'Transition' Plan. venezuelanalysis.com The European Union took "positive note" of Washington's initiative.

Ramzy Baroud (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…

teleSUR (2020-04-08). Venezuela Receives Humanitarian Aid From UN, WHO, Russia. telesurenglish.net Venezuela received Wednesday about 90 tons of humanitarian aid from the United Nations, World Health Organization, PanAmerican Health Organization, and Russia. | RELATED: | "On behalf of President Nicolas Maduro, we thank the United Nations, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Russian Federation led by Ambassador Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, who has strengthened bilateral relations, for this hum…

teleSUR (2020-04-08). Iran's COVID-19 Cases Near 65,000 as Downward Trend Continues. telesurenglish.net The COVID-19 pandemic in Iran continued its week-long downward trend on Wednesday as less than 2,000 new cases were reported. Meanwhile, Turkey's tally of infections with the novel coronavirus was poised to pass 40,000. | Iran reported 1,997 new COVID-19 cases and 121 more deaths from the infectious disease, bringing the tally of infections to 64,586 and the death toll to 3,993. | RELATED: | Kianush Jahanpur, head…

en.mehrnews (2020-04-08). CBI releases $1.6bn blocked assets in Luxembourg. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 08 (MNA) — The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdolnaser Hemmati announced on Wednesday that in spite of US attempts, the bank managed to release $1.6 billion of its seized assets in Luxembourg and avoid its transfer to the US.

Archyde (2020-04-08). Putin Believes that the Situation in Russia with the Coronavirus Is "Complicated but Not Hopeless" globalresearch.ca Russian President Vladimir Putin tried yesterday to inspire his fellow citizens by ensuring that the situation with the spread of Covid-19 in the country "is complicated, but not hopeless." Putin held a new meeting by videoconference with members of the …

teleSUR (2020-04-08). France's Coronavirus Daily Hospital Death Toll Slows. telesurenglish.net The number of people who died from coronavirus infections in French hospitals climbed by 8 percent in a day to a cumulative total of 7,632, state health agency director Jerome Salomon told a news conference on Wednesday. | RELATED: | But he added the day's figures were incomplete as authorities were not able to register nursing homes data, which account for more than 30 percent of total fatalities, due to "technical p…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-04-08). Health workers across Greece mark Day of Panhellenic Action for Health. peoplesdispatch.org Health workers under the banner of the Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors' Associations (OENGE) demanded state support, including adequate funds, staff and resources, for the fight against COVID-19 in the country…

Gideon Polya (2020-04-08). UK- Australia COVID-19 Deaths, Deprivation Deaths in Developing Countries, Indigenous Avoidable Deaths. globalresearch.ca We are all shocked by the Covid-19-related carnage in Western Europe and the US in particular and fervently hope for an early end to the disaster. However it is timely to note huge avoidable deaths from deprivation in the Developing …

graham (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, …

teleSUR (2020-04-08). Scientists Unveil Coronavirus Genome That Arrived in Argentina. telesurenglish.net Scientists from the National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes Carlos Malbran (ANLIS-Malbran) announced that they sequenced the complete genomes of three patients with the SARS-COV-2. | RELATED: | "We established the origin of the viruses: one of them is from the U.S., another from Europe, and another from Asia. This is a first step to start to see what the autochthonous circulation strains are like,…

teleSUR (2020-04-08). New Outbreak Might Happen in the Fall, Chinese Expert Says. telesurenglish.net Shanghai's COVID-19 Clinical Expert Team director Zhang Wenhong warned of the high probability of a second international wave of infections occurring next fall. | RELATED: | "Europe and the U.S. have not been effectively controlled for the time being. In Africa, South America and India, where the economy is less developed and medical resources are insufficient, new cases have increased exponentially, which brings g…

teleSUR (2020-04-08). 7 out of 10 Dead Patients Are Men in the European Countries. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Wednesday reported that 75 percent of some 52,000 deaths from COVID-19 in Europe are male and a 95 percent were over 65 years of age. | RELATED: | Many of the deceased had previous health problems that were complicated by contracting the coronavirus. Over 60 percent suffered from cardiovascular disease, 29 percent diabetes, and 21 percent kidney disease, the WHO regional director Hans Kluge said. | While the COV…

Tasnim News (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, …

Neil deMause (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?>

Frances Madeson (2020-04-07). Putting Black Empowerment to Emergency Use. progressive.org Cooperation Jackson deploys its community production capacity to make masks during COVID-19.

The Canary (2020-04-07). Belfast researchers lead UK-wide coronavirus clinical trial. thecanary.co Belfast researchers are leading a UK-wide clinical trial offering cell therapy treatment for coronavirus patients with acute respiratory failure. | The team at the Queen's University Belfast is investigating the use of allogenic Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in patients with a complication known as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by Covid-19. | The trial involves the use of MSCs, a type of cell derived from human tissue such as bone marrow or umbilical cord to treat the injury to the lung caused by Covid-19. | Health Minister Robin Swann has visited Northern Ireland's first Nightingale site a…

Staff (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…

Fight Back (2020-04-06). The COVID-19 pandemic and the African American Nation. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Much of the day-to-day news coverage on the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has been on the plight of New York City, which has been the hardest hit to date. With more than 8 million people, NYC is the largest city in the United States, but the number of COVID-19 infections, at more than 63,000, is more than any other entire country in the world except for the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and China. The death toll of more than 2500 is more than every other country in the world except for Italy, Spain, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Iran and China. | Without try…