RT (2020-03-31). Iran-Turkey gas pipeline stops functioning after 'terrorist' attack — gas company official (VIDEO). rt.com A senior official with Iran's state gas company has alleged that terrorists were behind an explosion and massive fire on the pipeline transporting natural gas from the Islamic Republic to Turkey. | "This morning, terrorists attacked a natural gas pipeline inside Turkey near Iran's Bazargan border with Turkey," National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Dispatching Director Mehdi Jamshidi Dana said on Tuesday, as cited by Reuters. | The official told IRNA that fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a guerilla group active in eastern Turkey, have attacked the pipeline in the past. NIGC spokesperson Mohammad…

RT (2020-03-31). Covid-19 deaths in Russia almost DOUBLE in single day: Parliament clears path for state of emergency. rt.com The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 500 on Tuesday — a new daily record for the world's largest country. Authorities also reported eight new deaths, bringing the overall total to 17. | The latest figures mean Russia has now recorded 2,337 known Covid-19 infections, with 121 patients recovered. While cases are beginning to multiply, the country still remains an outlier in European terms. Other large states, such as Italy and Spain, have been hit much harder by the outbreak, with even the likes of Ireland, Luxembourg and Norway, with comparatively tiny populations, more badly affect…

RT (2020-03-31). World reaches another grim Covid-19 milestone as global cases surpass 800,000. rt.com The number of cases of coronavirus infection around the world surpassed 800,000 confirmed cases on Tuesday, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. | At the time of writing the total number of coronavirus cases worldwide stood at 800,049 resulting in some 38,714 deaths. | Of this grim tally, the US accounts for 164,000 cases followed by Italy with 101,739 and Spain with 87,956, marking the three largest and most severe outbreaks within the wider, global pandemic. | Authorities the world over are preaching continued caution, as WHO experts in Asia warn that the pandemic in Asia is "far from…

The Canary (2020-03-31). US nears China's virus death toll as New York calls for help. thecanary.co The mounting death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in the United States had it poised to overtake China's total of 3,300 deaths.Hard-hit Italy and Spain have already overtaken China and now account for more than half of the nearly 38,000 Covid-19 deaths worldwide, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.But the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Tuesday that while attention has shifted to epicentres in Western Europe and North America, the coronavirus pandemic was far from over in Asia."This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard," said Dr Takeshi Kasai, the WHO re…

RT (2020-03-31). Spain's Covid-19 death toll rises by a RECORD 849 overnight, as known cases reach almost 95,000. rt.com The number of Covid-19 cases in Spain has risen from 85,195 on Monday to 94,417 by Tuesday morning, while its death toll rose by 849 to 8,189, according to the latest figures from the Spanish Health Ministry. | The increase in the death toll was the highest one-day total in the country since the outbreak began. However, despite this, it still marked a slightly lower increase in percentage terms than on previous days. | Spain's emergency health chief Fernando Simon tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday night and he was replaced by his deputy chief, Maria Jose Sierra, who confirmed that at least 12,298 healt…

RT (2020-03-31). How disinformation really works: Activists linked to pro-NATO think tank smear Russian Covid-19 aid to Italy. rt.com With over 11,000 deaths and more than 100,000 cases of Covid-19, Italy is currently a country which feels under siege. But this is no impediment to the think tank racket twisting an offer of support for its propaganda purposes. | Here's what happened. The weekend before last, Vladimir Putin called Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. During the conversation, Conte asked for help, in fighting coronavirus, according to the Kremlin readout which hasn't been contradicted by Italian officials. | Let's be clear from the outset, there was undoubtably a strong PR, as well as practical, element to Russia's assistance…

RT (2020-03-31). Russian dog owners offer pets for rent as excuse to walk outside despite Covid-19 'stay home' order. rt.com The quarantine in Russia leaves people with few legit excuses to go out. Some dog owners are willing to rent their pets to restless clients, so that they could take a walk not be stopped by the police. | People in many parts of Russia, including the capital, are supposed to stay home to curb the spread of Covid-19. A handful of exceptions is made, including for dog owners who need to walk their pets, but even those are expected to keep the walks short and not stray further than 100 meters from their home. | The loophole creates an obvious temporary business opportunity. Want to have a pretext to be outside and…

RT (2020-03-31). 'Happily surprised'? Trump says Russia sent US 'very, very large' aid package to combat Covid-19. rt.com US President Donald Trump has praised Moscow for sending a 'very large planeload of things' to help fight the spread of the coronavirus and treat sickened patients, noting that China and other nations had also chipped in. | UPDATE: "We've had great relationships with a lot of countries," the president told reporters at his daily Covid-19 briefing on Monday, adding: "China sent us some stuff, which was terr…

RT (2020-03-31). Oil recovers from decades' lows as Russia & US agree energy talks. rt.com The price of crude rebounded on Tuesday from an 18-year low after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump have agreed talks to stabilize energy markets. | International benchmark Brent rose 1.5 percent to $23.15 per barrel, as of 08: 06 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up six percent at $21.19 a barrel. Both Brent and the WTI closed the previous session at their lowest levels since 2002. | According to the Kremlin, Trump and Putin agreed during a phone call on Monday to have their top energy officials discuss stabilizing oil markets. | "Oil prices are clawing back from a ne…

RT (2020-03-31). Lower house of Russian Parliament approves fines, jail terms for quarantine offenders. rt.com Russian lawmakers in the State Duma on Tuesday approved legislation backing jail terms of up to seven years and fines of up to two million rubles ($25,500) for anyone flouting quarantine rules if their doing so led to people dying. | The lower house of the parliament also passed a bill in the first reading vesting the government with additional powers because of the coronavirus pandemic. | The legislation must be backed by the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin before entering into force. | The official tally in Russia rose to 2,337 coronavirus ca…

RT (2020-03-31). Russia sets up new oil company to potentially take over operations in Venezuela. rt.com A company specializing in the production and transportation of oil and gas has been set up in Russia, according to the state registry data. The new firm could take over projects in Venezuela after Rosneft sold its assets there. | Roszarubezhneft, which is owned by the Federal Agency for Government Property Management, will have an authorized capital of 322.7 billion rubles (over $4 billion). | The company was registered in Moscow on March 28, after Russia's oil major Rosneft announced the sale of its assets in Venezuela. On Saturday, Rosneft signed an agreement with the newly established government-run company…

RT (2020-03-31). Head of Russian coronavirus hospital visited by Putin tests positive for Covid-19. rt.com Denis Protsenko, head doctor at a hospital treating coronavirus patients in Moscow has tested positive for Covid-19. President Vladimir Putin visited the clinic earlier this month. | Protsenko "Dear friends, I'm really touched by your concerns. Yes, I've tested positive for the CoV, but I feel quite well. I've self-isolated at my office where I have everything n…

RT (2020-03-31). Russian Covid-19 aid plane to US: Putin asked Trump if he needed help & he accepted, Kremlin spokesman says. rt.com A cargo plane loaded with medical supplies and protection equipment may depart for the US by the end of Tuesday, the Kremlin said, after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. | The issue of protective gear was raised during the Monday phone talks, with Putin asking if the US needed help and Trump accepting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. | Moscow suggested the aid in anticipation that the US will be able to return the favor if necessary, once its manufacturers of medical and protective equipment catch up with demand, Peskov said. | The…

RT (2020-03-31). Coronacrazy? Quarantined rapper cheers as his German shepherd GNAWS on retriever in sickening livestream (VIDEO). rt.com A popular Russian rapper with a long record of controversy has added apparent animal abuse to his list of sins. He livestreamed his dog attacking someone else's pet, cheering it on and asking viewers if they wanted more action. | Animal rights activists in Russia are after the blood of Aleksey Dolmatov, better known by his stage name Guf. The 40-year-old is a veteran award-winning performer, but lately it's his erratic behavior rather than his music that has been making headlines. | On Monday, Guf seemingly hit a new low as he was walking his German shepherd named Gucci near his country house. In a livestream…

RT (2020-03-31). Values and virus: European Commission tells EU states emergency coronavirus laws 'cannot flout democracy'. rt.com The European Union's executive warned member states on Tuesday that emergency measures adopted to fight the coronavirus crisis cannot undercut democracy. | "It is of utmost importance that emergency measures are not at the expense of our fundamental principles and values," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. "Democracy cannot work without free and independent media." | Any emergency measures "must be limited to what is necessary and strictly proportionate," she said, adding that "they must not last indefinitely." | Governments must make sure that such measures are subject to…

RT (2020-03-31). France, Germany & Britain send medical goods to Iran, test new trade mechanism. rt.com Germany, France and Britain have exported medical goods to Iran in the first transaction conducted under a new trade mechanism, Instex, Berlin said on Tuesday. The mechanism was set up to facilitate trade in humanitarian goods and food after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. | The German Foreign Ministry said the medical goods were now in Iran, adding that the trade mechanism and Tehran would now work on more transactions and on enhancing the system. | The three European states said earlier this month they had offered a $5.5 million package to Iran to help fight coronavirus there and are also sendi…

RT (2020-03-31). Global Covid-19 death toll hits 40,000 as countries continue to struggle with outbreak. rt.com The latest coronavirus figures compiled separately by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and the AFP news agency each show that the global death toll from Covid-19 has reached 40,000. | An increasing death toll across both Western Europe and in the US was a major contributor to the somber milestone. | Earlier on Tuesday, Spanish authorities confirmed a jump of 849 in Covid-19 deaths — the largest number of fatalities the country has recorded in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began. | Meanwhile, authorities in Germany said the country now has at least 67,051 confirmed cases and a cumulative…

Al Neal (2020-03-31). COVID-19 be damned, Belarusian Premier Soccer League plays on. peoplesworld.org Crisis is such a curious and complex system. This is something we can all agree on. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to much fear and uncertainty regarding what the near future will look like; it has also magnified and brought forward the best and worst in people. On the front lines we see nurses, doctors, grocery …

RT (2020-03-31). Chemical brothers: Monsanto & BASF knew for years their products destroy US farms, documents reveal. rt.com US agro-chemical firm Monsanto and Germany's BASF were aware for a long time that their plan to introduce a new agricultural seed and chemical system would probably lead to damage on many US farms. | According to internal documents seen by the The documents (some of them date back more than a decade) have been uncovered during…

RT (2020-03-31). Cat-astrophe in the making? ANOTHER feline tests positive for coronavirus, this time in Hong Kong. rt.com A pet cat has tested positive for the dreaded Covid-19 coronavirus in Hong Kong, after apparently contracting the disease from its owner. Last week, another feline turned out to have the virus in Belgium. | The Hong Kong cat patient was sent to a special animal quarantine facility on Monday, after its owner, a 25-year-old woman, was confirmed to have contracted the disease. Samples collected from the feline's oral, nasal and rectal cavities tested positive for the virus, but it did not show any symptoms. | "The cat has not shown any signs of disease," a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation…

RT (2020-03-31). 12yo girl dies of Covid-19 in Belgium, as country counts 700+ victims. rt.com A 12-year-old girl has died of the coronavirus in Belgium, becoming the youngest person to succumb to the disease in the country, authorities have announced. The epidemic death toll has surpassed 700 in Belgium. | Losing the child to the disease is "an emotionally difficult moment" not only for the family, but also for medics and researchers," Belgian crisis-center coronavirus spokesman Emmanuel Andre said on Tuesday as he announced the death. | "We are thinking of her family and friends. It is an event that is very rare, but one which upsets us greatly," he added as cited by AP. | Belgium has identified 12,70…

Ben Norton (2020-03-31). Southcom boosts US military presence in Latin America, citing China, Russia 'threats'. thegrayzone.com Southern Command is ramping up the US military presence in Latin America to counter China, Russia, and Venezuela, after signing…

Dave Lindorff (2020-03-31). We've Met the Enemy and It's a Tiny Virus. counterpunch.org Over the course of just a couple of days last week, the backbone of the US Navy's Pacific fleet has just been shut down for the next month. The enemy that managed to cause this sudden surprise unilateral disarmament of the mighty US Navy's Pacific Fleet was not Russian or Chinese cyber hackers or a

WSWS (2020-03-31). IYSSE (Australia) online lecture tonight 7pm on the contemporary significance of the Russian Revolution. wsws.org WSWS writer Nick Beams will explain the necessity to turn to the socialist and internationalist perspective of the Russian Revolution, amid the crisis of world capitalism triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Thomas Klikauer (2020-03-31). COVID-19 in Germany: Explaining a Low Death Rate. counterpunch.org On 31st March 2020, www.worldometers.info calculated the global death toll from Corona tallied 38,000. Among comparable European countries, Italy (population 60 million) had 11,600 Corona deaths, Spain (46,6 million) registered 7,700, France (67 million) 3,000, the UK (67 million) noted 1,400 deaths, the Netherlands (17 million) 740, the USA (330 million) 3,000, and Germany (83

Binoy Kampmark (2020-03-31). The Swedish Alternative: Coronavirus as a Grand Gamble. dissidentvoice.org As draconian lockdowns, punitive regimes and surveillance become the norm of the coronavirus world, Sweden has treaded more softly in the field. This is certainly in contrast to its Scandinavian cousins, Denmark and Norway. The rudiments of a life uninterrupted generally remain in place. Cafes, restaurants and shops, for the most part, remain open and …

WSWS (2020-03-31). Millions of Europe's health care workers endangered by government neglect. wsws.org The crisis is taking a particularly heavy toll on health care workers fighting on the front lines of the pandemic.

Edward Martin (2020-03-31). Erik Olin Wright and the Anti-Capitalist Economy. counterpunch.org Tubac, Arizona The devastating effects of neoliberal economic schemes have laid the foundation for rebellion against this very system. Neoliberalism, understood as unrestricted free market economics can be traced to the sixteenth-century European colonization of the "new world" and its later manifestation in imperialism and neo-imperialism. This strategy has also fueled the industrial revolution until

WSWS (2020-03-31). Nurse suicides rise in Europe amid stress of COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org Last week, 34-year-old nurse Daniella Trezzi, who worked in the COVID-19 intensive care ward of San Gerardo hospital at Monza, near Milan, committed suicide.

Staff (2020-03-31). As Fashion Lines Are Praised for Making Face Masks, Don't Ignore Garment Workers. truthout.org Fashion labels from Christian Siriano, H&M and Zara to luxury firms like LVMH, Kering and Prada have recently pledged to redirect their resources to making medical masks and (non-medical-grade) face mask covers. If all goes according to plan, fashion firms will donate many tens of millions of masks to the battle against COVID-19 in the hardest-hit places in the U.S. and Europe. | But when fashion designers and CEOs of fashion firms promise to make masks, they don't mean that they will be pe…

William Astore (2020-03-31). What My Father Taught Me About Living Through Coronavirus Hard Times. commondreams.org During the COVID-19 coronavirus emergency, tourists on the quay of the port of Naples are checked with a thermo scanner by Civil Protection personnel, dressed in overalls and masks to protect themselves. (Photo: Marco Cantile/LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/italy_coronavirus_0.jpg …

WSWS (2020-03-31). Germany: The coronavirus pandemic and the destruction of the public health system. wsws.org Over the last 30 years, the German health care system has been radically damaged as a result of austerity, privatised and its institutions trimmed for profit.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Trump, Erdogan Stress Need for Ceasefire in Syria, Libya During COVID-19 Pandemic – White House. sputniknews.com In January, an international conference on Libya took place in the German capital, counting Russia, the United States, the European Union, Turkey, and Egypt among its participants. The sides agreed to a ceasefire and for third parties not to be involved in the conflict.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). What's in a Number? How Russia's Fighter Su-57 Got Its Name. sputniknews.com The fighter jet is a single-seat twin engine aircraft that has superb manoeuvrability, supersonic fighting capabilities, as well as an advanced radar and electronics. Reports say that China, Turkey, and India are interested in purchasing the jet, which reportedly costs $50 million.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Iran to Restore Pipeline Gas Deliveries to Turkey in Coming Days – Company. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Pipeline gas deliveries from Iran to Turkey will be restored in the coming days after an explosion on the pipeline, National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said on Tuesday.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). North Macedonia's Admission to NATO Will Not Assist Fight Against New Threats – Moscow. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – North Macedonia's admission to NATO will neither strengthen the regional security nor assist the fight against new threats, including the coronavirus, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). India Will Help US With Regard to Medicines Amid COVID-19 Outbreak, Envoy Says. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): With 164,610 positive cases of COVID-19 and more than 2,800 deaths as per Johns Hopkins University, the United States has the highest number of cases, followed by Italy and Spain. With every passing day, the coronavirus tally continues to soar in the country.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Head of Russia's Coronavirus Hospital Who Met With Putin Tests Positive for COVID-19. sputniknews.com The Russian capital, as well as the Moscow Region, previously introduced severe quarantine measures in order to curb the pandemic. President Vladimir Putin also urged people to stay at home, ordering a week with paid leave from 28 March to 5 April.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Russian Upper House OKs Bill on Up to 5 Years of Imprisonment for COVID-19 Disinformation. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian upper house, the Federation Council, approved on Tuesday a bill that makes the dissemination of fake information about the coronavirus a crime punishable with up to five years of imprisonment.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Stop Coronavirus: Russian Researchers Roll Out Reusable Face Masks. sputniknews.com The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to skyrocketing sales of face masks worldwide even though their effectiveness to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is rather limited.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Kremlin Slams Talk of Russian Health Care System Failing in Situation With Coronavirus. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday called the rumors of the Russian health care system unpreparedness for the coronavirus "empty talk."

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Su-57 Chief Engineer Explains Why Russian Jet is Superior to US F-22 and F-35 Fighters. sputniknews.com The F-35 jet has received hundreds of requests from buyers around the world, but the aircraft, which has been in development for decades, still reportedly faces a number of technical issues.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Second Plane With 30 Tons of Medical Protective Equipment Arrives in Madrid From China. sputniknews.com MADRID (Sputnik) – The second Spanish Iberia airline aircraft with sanitary supplies arrived in Madrid from China on Tuesday morning.

sputniknews (2020-03-31). Thai King Goes Into 'Self-Isolation' in Fashionable German Hotel with Harem of 20 Women – Reports. sputniknews.com The 67-year-old monarch is a frequent visitor of Germany, where he owns property on Lake Starnberg. His trip to the hotel was authorised in spite of the lockdown imposed in Bavaria due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected 67,051 people across Germany.

yenisafak (2020-03-31). Sit-in against YPG/PKK in Turkey enters day 211. yenisafak.com A sit-in by families in southeastern Turkey has entered its 211th day on Tuesday.The protesters, camped outside the office of a Turkish opposition party in Diyarbakir province, are demanding that their children kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terrorists be returned. Dozens of mothers started the protest on Sept. 3, 2019 outside the offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.One of the mothers, Zumrut Salim's son Hamza was abducted by the terror group six years ago when he was just 14 years old.Salim said: "We are sitting here for our chil…

yenisafak (2020-03-31). Panicked residents call police on Chinese man strolling without mask in Turkey. yenisafak.com Panicked residents in Turkey's eastern Kars province on Tuesday called the police upon spotting a Chinese man taking a stroll in the city's most bustling area without wearing a face mask.The man, who had arrived in Kars from Erzurum, was convinced by medical teams to wear a mask and a pair of gloves.The man was later persuaded to hand over his bag to the police after security members pleaded with him for some time.He was later taken to a hospital where he was tested for coronavirus and then transferred to the migration department.It is not yet clear whether the man tested positive for coronavirus.After first appe…

yenisafak (2020-03-31). Coronavirus deaths in Netherlands rise by 175 to 1,039. yenisafak.com The number of deaths in the Netherlands resulting from the coronavirus epidemic has risen by 175 to 1,039, health authorities said on Tuesday.The number of confirmed infections increased by 845 to 12,595, the Netherlands' National Institute for Health (RIVM) said.

yenisafak (2020-03-31). Russian doctor who met Putin last week diagnosed with coronavirus. yenisafak.com A doctor who gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a tour of Moscow's main coronavirus hospital last week said on Tuesday he had himself been diagnosed with the virus.Putin visited the Kommunarka hospital last Tuesday where he chatted to the doctor, Denis Protsenko. Neither man was wearing protective equipment during their conversation, TV footage from the visit showed.Protsenko, writing on Facebook said: "Yes, I have tested positive for coronavirus, but I feel pretty good. I've isolated myself in my office. I think the immunity I've developed this month is doing its job."The Kremlin said that Putin was being reg…

yenisafak (2020-03-31). $99M EU grant for public-private efforts against virus. yenisafak.com The EU is set to allocate a total ‚Ǩ90 million (nearly $99 million) investment in a public-private partnership between the EU and the pharmaceutical industry to help tackle coronavirus, it said on Tuesday.Calling for research proposals under the Innovative Medicines Initiative by the end of March focusing on developing treatments and diagnostics to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, the EU aims to increase preparedness for the future, according to a statement on the European Parliament website.Half of the expected investment will come from the EU budget and the rest from industry, it said.The EU h…

yenisafak (2020-03-31). No proof Trump touted drug is effective against coronavirus, EU says. yenisafak.com Trump had said that hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, could be among "the biggest game changers in the history of medicine" for its potential effects against COVID-19."The efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 patients has to date not been proved," a spokesman for the European Commission said on Tuesday, relaying an internal opinion from the European Medicine Agency.The spokesman said there was also no evidence either of the positive effects of chloroquine, another malaria drug, which is also being tested for its possible use against COVID-19.The U.S. Health and Human Services on Thu…