2020-05-12: News Headlines

Staff (2020-05-12). "Losing the Fabric of the City": COVID-19 Took Chicago Black Lives First & Exposed Structural Racism. democracynow.org We look at the coronavirus pandemic's disproportionate toll on African Americans through the story of Chicago's first 100 recorded deaths. A report by ProPublica found that 70 of the first 100 people to die were African American. Black people account for 30% of Chicago's population and 72% of COVID-19 deaths. We speak with ProPublica reporter Adriana Gallardo, who contributed to the report "COVID-19 Took Black Lives First. It Didn't Have To." She says the story paints a picture of "sophisticated structural racism" in Chicago.

Staff (2020-05-12). Los New Yorkers: Essential, Underprotected Undocumented Immigrants Struggle to Survive in Epicenter. democracynow.org As the coronavirus continues to devastate New York City communities, we hear the voices of undocumented New Yorkers about how they are surviving the pandemic. Their stories are told in a new ProPublica story headlined "Los New Yorkers: Essential and Underprotected in the Pandemic's Epicenter." We speak with one of the story's reporters, Adriana Gallardo.

Staff (2020-05-12). Headlines for May 12, 2020. democracynow.org Dr. Fauci to Warn Lawmakers of "Needless Suffering and Death" If Lockdowns End Too Soon, European Countries Report New Spikes as They Reopen Economies, Trump Makes False Claim About Testing Capacity, Tells Reporter Weijia Jiang to "Ask China" About Coronavirus, PA Plant Canceled Trump Visit over Concern for Worker Health, New Study Finds Hydroxychloroquine Does Not Help COVID-19, Can Cause Heart Attacks, China Threatens "Countermeasures" for U.S. Journalist Visa Restrictions, Meatpacking Union Condemns Reopening of Factories Amid Pandemic, India Starts to Ease Lockdown as Cases Mount, Coronavirus Cases Mount in W…

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (2020-05-12). Lobbying for Burial Costs. zcomm.org "I feel like I'm the cleaning crew for Congress's neglect and mess."

RT (2020-05-12). No HEROES here: Democrats seek tax breaks for rich donors & lobbyists in $3 TRILLION Covid-19 wishlist bill. rt.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's proposed $3 trillion coronavirus aid bill contains massive tax breaks for wealthy Democrat donors and lobbyists but precious little for working Americans, and has an odd preoccupation with cannabis. | Dubbed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, the

RT (2020-05-12). Six big lies you have been told about 'Russiagate'. rt.com Russian 'meddling' in the 2016 US presidential election has become an article of faith, not just among Democrats but many Republicans as well, thanks to the endless repetition of vague talking points, none of which hold water. | It all began with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) claiming in June 2016 that Russia hacked their computers, after

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). The 'See-No-Evil' Phase of Russiagate. strategic-culture.org The media spinfest following the collapse of this conspiracy theory suggests our troubled republic simply cannot accept its errors, leaving us unable to learn from them. | Patrick LAWRENCE | The long, destructive conspiracy theory known as Russiagate, the mother of them all, at last evaporates into thin air. No shred of it remains as of back-to-back disclosures over the past couple of weeks. Where does this leave us? What is to come of this momentous turn of events? | Among those not inclined toward hysteria or copious quaffs of Democratic Party Kool—Aid, it has long been a question how those who concocted…

RT (2020-05-12). Biden says 'responsible' journalists have duty to investigate Reade claims… yet will not authorize opening his archives. rt.com "Women should be believed," Joe Biden said in a new interview, while insisting Tara Reade's allegations against him are totally unfounded. He also wants journalists to "investigate" — but refuses to open sought-after archives. | The former vice president joined Good Morning America on Tuesday to once again deny the allegations of sexual assault brought against him by former staff assistant Reade. "I think women should be believed," Biden said. "They should have an opportunity to have their case and state it forthright, what their case is." | The presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic Party…

RT (2020-05-12). 'I don't think you are the end-all': Rand Paul calls out Fauci over Covid-19 policy based 'one wrong prediction after another'. rt.com Republican Senator Rand Paul has challenged National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr Anthony Fauci on the nation's Covid-19 policy, suggesting the US is waiting too long to reopen. | Paul, who also has a medical degree, called for "a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what's best for our economy," questioning Fauci's support for a prolonged economic shutdown during a Senate hearing on the government's coronavirus response on Tuesday. | Sen. Paul argues school decisions should be made district by district, tells Dr. Fauci: "I don't think you're the end all." | Fauci: "I'

RT (2020-05-12). 'Humans are not herds': WHO thrashes 'brutal arithmetic' of herd immunity to beat Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com In the absence of a vaccine, the increasingly discussed idea of beating the novel coronavirus pandemic through achieving so-called herd immunity could be a disastrous miscalculation, a senior WHO official has warned. | "This is a really dangerous, dangerous calculation," Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's health emergencies program, This idea that maybe countries that had lax measures and haven't done anything will all of a sudden magically reach some herd i…

Eugene E Ruyle (2020-05-12). The Bernie Sanders Movement, Its Historical Antecedents, and Its Legacy. indybay.org Online ZOOM Meeting. | LOG-IN INFORMATION AT OUR WEBSITE | ICSSMARX.ORG | OR EMAIL CUYLERUYLE [at] MAC.COM

WSWS (2020-05-12). Bernie Sanders' interview with the Washington Post: The thin gruel of Democratic Party politics. wsws.org Sanders glossed over the reality of the health and economic catastrophe facing millions of workers and made no mention of the corporate bailouts for which he has voted in the Senate.

WSWS (2020-05-12). Biden attacks Trump for "hampering" the reopening of business. wsws.org In an op-ed column by Joe Biden posted on the Washington Post's website on Monday, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate criticizes Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic entirely from the standpoint of disaffected sections of business.

WSWS (2020-05-12). Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf begins unsafe reopening of 37 counties. wsws.org Wolf, presented as a more rational leader than his Republican counterparts, is restarting the economy as the virus is still killing workers across the state in nursing homes, food-processing plants and warehouses.

Staff (2020-05-12). Ignoring Trump and Right-Wing Think Tanks, Red States Expand Vote by Mail. truthout.org On April 23, during the same week that Kentucky's Republican secretary of state said he was contemplating a "significant expansion" of vote by mail, the Public Interest Legal Foundation emailed one of his employees under the subject line "28 MILLION ballots lost." | "Putting the election in the hands of the United States Postal Service would be a catastrophe," wrote J. Christian Adams, president of PILF, a conservative organization that has long complained about voter fraud. His missive contended…

WSWS (2020-05-12). Trump crony appointed as new head of US Postal Service. wsws.org Louis DeJoy, the recently appointed US postmaster general, has donated millions of dollars to the Republican Party and reaped immense profits from sitting atop private logistics corporations and investment firms.

Roger Harris (2020-05-12). Biden Ridin' the Pandemic to the White House, Trump to Take Hit for Neoliberalism's Failures. counterpunch.org The world is amidst the COVID-19 crisis and in our corner of the planet a presidential campaign is reduced to a single issue: Trump/not Trump. Pick your poison. At a time that calls for national leadership or least debate on the issues, Congress unanimously passed the two-trillion-dollar Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

Planned Parenthood Action (2020-05-12). Planned Parenthood: What's at Stake in 2020 Talk w/ former Sec. Julian Castro. indybay.org Online…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-12). Mountains Of Evidence Show COVID-19 Was All Over The World Oct/Nov 2019, Why Is It Being Ignored? thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/12/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Staff (2020-05-11). "COVID-19 Has Been Racialized": Black Scholar Jill Nelson Arrested for Chalking "Trump = Plague" democracynow.org Black and Brown communities are being disproportionately targeted and policed in New York City's response to the spread of COVID-19. We speak with author and activist Jill Nelson, who was herself arrested by NYPD in April for writing "Trump = Plague" in chalk on an abandoned building in her Washington Heights neighborhood. The 67-year-old scholar was handcuffed, taken to the police station and held for five hours. Now she is speaking out. The president is "telling us that as people of color, and older people, we should just die," says Nelson. "It's ridiculous."

Staff (2020-05-11). Headlines for May 11, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Cases Mount as States Reopen Economies, NY Investigating Deaths of at Least 3 Children Linked to COVID-19, Bronx Hospital Investigating Nurse Who Shared Video of Medical Staff Speaking Out About Lack of PPE, Cheyenne River Sioux Defies South Dakota Order to Remove Coronavirus Checkpoints, Another COVID-19 Case Confirmed at White House as Barack Obama Blasts Trump's "Chaotic" Response, Hunger-Striking Immigrant Women Released from California Prison, U.S. Continues to Deport Haitian Immigrants, Including Those with COVID-19 Infections, WSJ: Trump Planning to Ban H-1B Visas, Three Prisoners Die at Chino Fac…

Staff (2020-05-11). Trump Death Clock: Creator Eugene Jarecki Says "Reckless Mishandling" of COVID-19 Must Be Quantified. democracynow.org As the death toll from COVID-19 in the United States surpasses 80,000, an unusual new billboard called the Trump Death Clock in New York City's Times Square keeps tally of lives lost to government inaction. "What we found was that there was an amazing and very dark truth underlying the numbers that spoke to reckless mishandling of a pandemic by the president and his team, and we felt that ought to be quantified," says Eugene Jarecki, the award-winning documentary filmmaker, author and activist behind the project.

Staff (2020-05-11). "Weaponized and Racialized": Police Departments Use COVID-19 to Target Black & Brown Communities. democracynow.org Viral images have shone a spotlight on uneven policing. Some show police officers distributing masks to White residents in crowded New York City parks — and apparently arresting no one. Meanwhile, videos have emerged of violent crackdowns on social distancing measures in Black and Latinx neighborhoods. We continue our look at how Black and Brown communities are being disproportionately targeted and policed in New York City's enforcement measures during the pandemic, and also discuss how officers have ordered protesters to disband, citing executive orders from the mayor and the governor that ban "any non-ess…

Halah Ahmad (2020-05-11). The Fight for the Democratic Platform on Racial Justice, Palestine. commondreams.org While support for Palestinian self-determination represents a departure from the status quo in US politics, it actually mirrors a shift in opinion among the Democratic Party's electorate. (Photo: Stop the War UK) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/palestinian.png

Alan MacLeod (2020-05-11). New Facial Recognition Software Predicts You're a Criminal Based on your Face. thealtworld.com The latest technological development appears to be an updated, "algorithmic phrenology," repackaging a dangerous idea for the 21st century, all the more noteworthy because they are trying to sell it to law enforcement as an unbiased tool helping society. | MPN— A team from the University of Harrisburg, PA, has developed automated computer facial recognition software that they claim can predict with 80 percent accuracy and "no racial bias" whether a person is likely going to be a criminal, purely by looking at a picture of them. "By automating the identification of potential threats without bias, our aim is t…

Joe Bernick (2020-05-11). Right wing on the defensive in Arizona elections. peoplesworld.org TUCSON—Arizona's right-wing governor and state legislature are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to defeat progressive change. The Republicans in this state are terrified that Arizona will flip to the Democrats in the 2020 elections. They are scared of the fightback by striking teachers, miners, and all working people, and of the rising militancy …

RT (2020-05-11). 'He's just not there yet': MSNBC founder says Joe Biden not ready to face Trump in election 'primetime' & has no coherent message. rt.com Joe Biden is woefully unprepared to go up against Donald Trump in the 2020 election, having failed to offer a compelling narrative to voters and missing the mark even in "softball interviews," said the founder of MSNBC and CNBC. | Speaking on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Monday, Tom Rogers voiced concern that the former VP and presumptive Democratic nominee could be heading for a "crisis," unable to field any "eloquent" or "convincing" critiques of President Trump or his policies, namely his handling of the Covid-19 outbreak. | "It pains me to say this, it really does, but his performance in being able to come up wi…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-11). New House Documents Sow Further Doubt That Russia Hacked the DNC. strategic-culture.org For two and a half years the House Intelligence Committee knew CrowdStrike didn't have the goods on Russia. Now the public knows too. | Ray McGOVERN | House Intelligence Committee documents released Thursday reveal that the committee was told two and half years ago that the FBI had no concrete evidence that Russia hacked Democratic National Committee computers to filch the DNC emails published by WikiLeaks in July 2016. | The until-now-buried, closed-door testimony came on Dec. 5, 2017 from Shawn Henry, a protege of former FBI Director Robert Mueller (from 2001 to 2012), for whom Henry served as head of the Burea…

Julie Hollar (2020-05-11). New York State tries to suspend Democracy; NYT and WaPo shrug. mronline.org Blaming health risks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York State Board of Elections announced last week that the state would simply cancel its Democratic presidential primary, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden to be proclaimed the victor without a vote. The response from the country's two most prominent newspapers? Meh.

yenisafak (2020-05-12). Hard to make vaccines for 'tricky' coronavirus: UN body. yenisafak.com "The work to develop the vaccine is moving faster than in the history of science, and we have over 100 candidate vaccines, and the ways in which it's being tested are being accelerated," said Dr. Margaret Harris at an online media briefing."But coronaviruses are very tricky viruses

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-11). Class conflict rages in the fight over next stimulus bill. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Call it class conflict: The fight over the next economic stimulus bill will pit the representatives of the rich against the representatives of the rest of us. And it's playing out on Capitol Hill even before the U.S. House and its pro-worker Democratic majority planned to return to work — if congressional doctors will let …

RT (2020-05-11). 'Binders full of women' anyone? Biden blasted for 'calendar model' VP search. rt.com Joe Biden is getting put through the ringer on social media for his latest reported blunder, comparing vice presidential picks to calendar models, which looks especially bad considering he wants a female running mate. | The tidbit that set social media ablaze was buried in a friendly New York Times piece about Biden picking a vice presidential nominee for November. | "Mr. Biden has likened running-mate evaluation to deciding among calendar models," The Times

teleSUR (2020-05-11). Bahrain Blocks Event Criticizing Normalization With Israel. telesurenglish.net Authorities in Bahrain canceled Saturday an online event on the Gulf state's normalization of relations with Israel, shortly after its transmission began on YouTube. | RELATED: | The event's organizer, the Bahraini Democratic Youth Society, said it had received a phone call from the security authorities ordering them to stop live-streaming the event "without discussions." | The president of Bahrain's chapter o…

Michael Arney (2020-05-11). COVID-19 election question: Can absentee voting preserve democracy? peoplesworld.org

teleSUR (2020-05-11). Chomsky, Sanders, Others Launch Progressive International. telesurenglish.net A coalition of left-leaning intellectuals, activists, and political leaders from around the world officially launched Monday the Progressive International with the support of the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 and the Sanders Institute. | RELATED: | "Never before has international solidarity been more necessary—and more absent," General Coordinator of the PI David Adler said, adding that "only a common internat…

Sarah Anderson (2020-05-11). Let's Save the Postal Service. commondreams.org Ordinary Americans of every political stripe, including 90 percent of Republicans and 96 percent of Democrats, support a postal relief package. (Photo: Ron Doke/Flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/postoffcie_1.jpeg

commondreams (2020-05-11). More Than 50 National Organizations From Progressive, Anti-war, and Faith Communities Urge Presumptive Democratic Nominee Joe Biden and President Trump to Adopt a More Principled Foreign Policy. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Fight Back (2020-05-11). Tampa Bay SDS demands justice for Ahmaud Arbery. fightbacknews.org "Trayvon Martin, Emmett Till. How many Black lives will you kill?" This was one of many chants heard across downtown Tampa on Saturday, May 9, as protesters gathered to demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery. The South Georgia resident was murdered by two white supremacist vigilantes, father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, while he out for a jog. | Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), along with members of the community, parked outside the Sam M. Gibbons Federal Courthouse to participate in the socially-distanced protest. After the protesters were forced to leave by the building's security, the ral…

Dan Brook (2020-05-11). Republicans Are On the Wrong Side of History—and Everything Else! commondreams.org Republicans are always destructive and regressive, both aggressively anti-people and anti-planet, if not individually, then certainly as a party. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2017-05-13_at_3.53.50_pm_1.png

Roger D. Harris (2020-05-11). Joe Biden is Ridin' the Pandemic All the Way to the White House. mintpressnews.com A ruling class consensus is coalescing that Trump will be the fall guy, blamed for the increasingly undeniable defects of the neoliberal model.

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-11). Doctors Speak Out About COVID 19 & The Violent Suppression Of Your Rights. thelastamericanvagabond.com The only question, is whether We The People have the courage to stand for what we know to be right, or if we will allow ourselves to be scared into passively accepting the "new normal," a locked down controlled society that was prepped for, planned out, and designed years ago. I for one, will never …

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-05-11). 'Time for a Major Shift': Groups Demand Biden Vow End to Endless Wars and Destructive US Foreign Policy. commondreams.org In a letter Monday to former Vice President Joe Biden, over 50 groups urged the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for president to embrace "a principled foreign policy, one that prioritizes diplomacy and multilateralism over militarism." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1192534199.png

RT (2020-05-10). NYC more than doubles number of 'social-distancing ambassadors' after cops' enforcement of Covid-19 rules causes backlash. rt.com Following troubling viral videos of arrests and concerns about racial disparity in enforcing Covid-19-related social distancing, Mayor Bill De Blasio says he is increasing "ambassadors" in the city from 1,000 to 2,300. | "Enforcement has always been the last resort," the mayor said at a press conference Sunday. | His comment comes in the wake of the city having come under increased scrutiny thanks to a viral video, of what some have flagged as police brutality, showing NYPD officers arresting several people suspected of breaking social-distancing rules, and also to statistics showing the last few months have s…

RT (2020-05-09). No options: The choice between Trump & Biden is meaningless & proves US democracy is a 'sham,' Roger Waters tells RT. rt.com With US President Donald Trump preparing to square off with presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 race, Americans might as well be choosing between Orwell and Huxley, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters told RT. | Though the current US president is a "failed landlord" who somehow managed to become "the most powerful man in the Western world," Biden, his likely rival, does not present a better option, Waters said in an interview with Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador who now hosts a show on RT Spanish. | "There's no choice to be made by the American people, this is why the idea that t…

Roger D. Harris (2020-05-09). Biden Ridin' the Pandemic to the White House. dissidentvoice.org The world is amidst the COVID-19 crisis and in our corner of the planet a presidential campaign is reduced to a single issue: Trump/not Trump. Pick your poison. At a time that calls for national leadership or least debate on the issues, Congress unanimously passed the two-trillion-dollar Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-09). "Gene-Edited" Future Justified By COVID-19 & France Admits Athletes Infected At Wuhan Military Games. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/8/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Staff (2020-05-08). As States Loosen Pandemic Restrictions, Dr. Leana Wen Warns "We Are Not Ready for a Safe Reopening" democracynow.org As more than 40 states begin to reopen, President Trump is downplaying the need for mass COVID-19 testing, even as he himself is now being tested every day for the virus. We speak with emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen, who says, "Widespread testing is so critical. … Why shouldn't this testing be available to all Americans?"

Staff (2020-05-08). "A Terrible Price": Mardi Gras Story Lays Bare How COVID-19 Is Devastating Black America. democracynow.org We look at the deadly disparate impact of the pandemic on African Americans as told through an in-depth story for The New York Times Magazine by writer Linda Villarosa in her new piece, "'A Terrible Price': The Deadly Racial Disparities of Covid-19 in America," that tells what happened to the Zulu club, a Black social organization in New Orleans, during and after Mardi Gras. She reports that the experience is usually a joy, but the coronavirus made it a tragedy.

Staff (2020-05-08). Headlines for May 8, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Pass 75,000 as Trump Sidelines Top Medical Experts, Trump to Be Tested for Coronavirus Daily After Valet Tests Positive, Vigil at White House Honors 88 Who Died from "Trump's Abhorrent Failure to Protect Nurses", U.S. Unemployment Claims Soar to 33.3 Million Amid Pandemic | , Democrats Promise "Rooseveltian" Coronavirus Relief Bill | , Mitch McConnell Prioritizes Judicial Confirmations as Senate Returns Amid Pandemic | , Data Shows 35 of 40 People Arrested in NY for Social Distancing Violations Are Black | , Texas Stops Jailing Lockdown Violators; Nebraska Ends Reporting on Meat Plant COVI…

Staff (2020-05-08). "A Lynch Mob": After Months of Inaction, 2 White Men Are Charged with Murder of Ahmaud Arbery in GA. democracynow.org The two white men caught on camera shooting and killing Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old African American man, were arrested and charged Thursday with murder. The arrests came two days after video of the attack in February was shared with the public, sparking widespread outrage. Today would have been Arbery's 26th birthday. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Arbery family and formerly represented Trayvon Martin.

Staff (2020-05-08). Trump Death Clock: Times Square Billboard Tallies Lives Lost to COVID-19 Inaction. democracynow.org A 56-foot billboard called the Trump Death Clock was unveiled in Times Square in New York City. The tally of lives lost to government inaction was created by filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, who says, "On behalf of all of those who needlessly lost their lives to this failed leadership in a pandemic, we need a symbol, a symbol that cries out not only for accountability, but also for more responsible and responsive stewardship, going forward." As of the Friday morning broadcast, the death toll count was nearly 47,000 and growing.

Reese Erlich (2020-05-08). Foreign Correspondent: Biden vs. Trump on Foreign Policy. progressive.org The differences are not as great as you might suspect, but there is a clear winner.

Sarah Nesbitt, Sage Carson (2020-05-08). Investigating Tara Reade's Claims Doesn't Violate Due Process. thenation.com Investigating Tara Reade's Claims Doesn't Violate Due Process…

Staff (2020-05-07). Profiting from the Pandemic: Will Pharmaceutical Giants Use Patents to Limit Access to COVID Drugs? democracynow.org As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide approaches 4 million and the pandemic could be with us for months or years, we look at who can access drugs like remdesivir, being developed by pharmaceutical giant Gilead, which has the patent for the drug and is poised to make massive profits. We look at how much drugs like remdesivir will cost, and who can access them, with writer Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which campaigns for access to medicines in India, Brazil and South Africa.

Staff (2020-05-07). Headlines for May 7, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 73,400 as 41 States Begin Reopening | , White House Shelves Guidelines on Reopening, as Experts Warn U.S. Failing to Stem COVID-19 Deaths, Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. Children Going Hungry as Unemployment Surges to Great Depression Levels, State Budget Cuts Loom as Trump Rails Against "Blue State Bailouts" | , United Nations Seeks $6.7 Billion for Coronavirus Aid to Poor Countries | , EU Warns Pandemic Economic Recession Will Be Worst in History | , Closing Ceremony of Spanish Coronavirus Field Hospital Marred by Tightly Packed Crowds, Venezuelan TV Airs Video of Arrested U.S. Mercenary Co…

Staff (2020-05-07). How Russia Became the Next COVID-19 Hot Spot: Infection Rate Soars with 10,000 New Cases Each Day. democracynow.org We go to Moscow for an update on the pandemic in Russia, where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, with at least 10,000 new cases a day and the second-highest infection rate in the world, and more than 100 medical workers have died fighting the virus, and many have reported lack of personal protective equipment. Meanwhile, three Russian healthcare workers mysteriously fell from hospital windows over the past two weeks. Two died, and the one who is hospitalized had posted a video online to note the lack of medical equipment and said he had to keep working despite testing positive. We speak with Joshua Yaffa, Mos…

Staff (2020-05-07). Sanders Is Back On The NY Primary Ballot. therealnews.com Before the ruling was announced, TRNN spoke with Norman Solomon and Marcus Ferrell about how the split between establishment Democrats and progressives could help hand Trump the November election.

news.un (2020-05-07). Iraq: Guterres welcomes new Prime Minister, calls for 'meaningful' reforms. news.un.org UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Representative in Iraq, welcomed the long-delayed formation of a new Government in Baghdad on Thursday and called for meaningful reforms to be put into place to better the lives of the Iraqi people and strengthen democratic institutions.

Jeff Jurgens (2020-05-07). Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help. peaceaction.org Once Again Trump Scoffs Congressional War Powers with Republican Help Washington, D.C. — May 7, 2020 — In response to the veto by President Trump yesterday of a bill (S.J.Res.68) to reclaim congressional war powers in regards to Iran and the anticipated failure today of the Senate override vote, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for …

Dean Baker (2020-05-07). Why Did the NYT Tell Readers that Republicans "Distrust" Food Stamps? cepr.net It was a very bizarre choice of words. In a useful and lengthy article on Republican efforts to cut food stamp benefits, we are told: "The Republican distrust of food stamps has now collided with a monumental crisis. Cars outside food banks have lined up for miles in places as different as San Antonio, Pittsburgh …

Emily Berch (2020-05-07). Iowa's Republican Governor Sacrifices Citizens to Trump. thenation.com Iowa's Republican Governor Sacrifices Citizens to Trump…

Staff (2020-05-06). U.S. Mercenaries Captured in Venezuela After Failed Coup Attempt Compared to a "Bad Rambo Movie" democracynow.org We look at an incredible story unfolding in Venezuela of a failed coup attempt. Did a former Green Beret mastermind it? Two Americans have been arrested in Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro claims the U.S. was behind the plot. "It looks like a bad Rambo movie, or a really bad telenovela," says Miguel Tinker Salas, author of "The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela." He notes that "the U.S. is seeking regime change … and the consequences for Venezuela could be very dire going forward."

Staff (2020-05-06). As Trump Claims "Fantastic Job" on COVID, Reporter Laurie Garrett Warns Pandemic May Last 36+ Months. democracynow.org As President Trump starts to reopen the country, Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Laurie Garrett predicts the pandemic will last at least 36 months. Meanwhile, a top government vaccine specialist says he was forced from his job after he resisted the administration's promotion of untested treatments for COVID-19. Garrett predicted the pandemic. In an extended interview, she discusses what's next.

Staff (2020-05-06). Headlines for May 6, 2020. democracynow.org White House to Wind Down Coronavirus Task Force Even as U.S. Cases Surge, Trump Meets Tribal Leaders, Promising to Distribute Long-Delayed Coronavirus Relief Funds, Ousted Scientist's Whistleblower Complaint Cites "Political Connections and Cronyism", Trump Lashes Out Against "Mourning in America" Advertisement, Researchers Say Coronavirus May Have Mutated in Europe to Become More Contagious, Amazon Worker Dies of COVID-19; Wisconsin Supreme Court May Revoke Remain-at-Home Order, Michigan Security Guard Shot After Enforcing Mask Policy, As Meatpackers Fall Ill from COVID-19, Wendy's Faces Hamburger Shortage, Sena…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-06). A Massive "COVID-19" Cover Up Is Underway & 'US Mercenaries' Caught In Venezuelan Coup Attempt. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/5/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-06). Horrifying Glimpse Into How DARPA Will "Save" You From COVID-19 & Venezuela Coup Tied Back To Trump. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/6/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Staff (2020-05-05). Remembering Valentina Blackhorse, Beloved 28-Year-Old Navajo Community Activist Who Died of COVID-19. democracynow.org After New York and New Jersey, the next highest number of coronavirus infections per capita in the United States is in the Navajo Nation, the largest Indigenous reservation in the country. We go to Kayenta, Arizona, to speak with Robby Jones, a member of the Navajo Nation and the partner of one of those to die from the virus: 28-year-old Valentina Blackhorse, a beloved community leader who promoted Navajo culture and left behind a daughter named Poet.

Staff (2020-05-05). Navajo Nation Suffers Third-Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in U.S. with Limited Healthcare & Water. democracynow.org We get an update from two doctors treating patients with the Navajo Nation, the largest Indigenous reservation in the country, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Michelle Tom is a member of the Navajo Nation and a family physician treating COVID-19 patients at the Winslow Indian Health Care Center and Little Colorado Medical Center in northern Arizona near the Navajo reservation. In Gallup, New Mexico, Dr. Sriram Shamasunder is leading a medical volunteer group of 21 nurses and doctors from the University of California, San Francisco as part of the HEAL Initiative. He says the coronavirus hi…

Staff (2020-05-05). Headlines for May 5, 2020. democracynow.org Dire Forecasts Warn U.S. Death Toll Could Surge in Coming Weeks as States Move to Relax Restrictions, China Rebukes Trump Admin Claim That Coronavirus Was Man-Made, Report Says Brooklyn Jail Destroying Medical Records to Hide Toll of COVID-19, J. Crew Files for Bankruptcy, Betsy DeVos Sued for Garnishing Wages of Student Loan Holders During Pandemic, EU, World Leaders Pledge Billions to Fund Coronavirus Vaccine; U.S. Sits Out, Questions Raised After 3 Doctors in Russia Fall from Hospital Windows, U.K. May Have Second-Highest Coronavirus Death Toll; France Identifies COVID-19 Case from December, Venezuela Detains…

Staff (2020-05-05). Calls Grow for Mass Release from Ohio's Marion Prison as 80% of Prisoners Test Positive for COVID-19. democracynow.org We get an update on one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the United States, at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, where 11 prisoners and one staff member have died, and at least 80% of prisoners and half of the prison staff tested positive. Despite growing calls to release thousands of Ohio's nearly 50,000 incarcerated people as the coronavirus spreads, Governor Mike DeWine has only approved the release of more than 100 people in the state's prisons. "We're seeing a few people being released … but not anywhere near the 20,000 [we are] demanding," says Azzurra Crispino, whose husband, James, is in…

Staff (2020-05-05). The Case for Prison Abolition: Ruth Wilson Gilmore on COVID-19, Racial Capitalism & Decarceration. democracynow.org The spread of COVID-19 threatens the lives of more than 2.3 million people locked up in prisons and jails throughout the United States. We look at how the call to release prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic makes the case for prison abolition, with scholar Ruth Wilson Gilmore, co-founder of California Prison Moratorium Project and Critical Resistance and the author of "Golden Gulag: Prison, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California." Her forthcoming book is "Change Everything: Racial Capitalism and the Case for Abolition."

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-05). Dr. Andrew Kaufman Interview — The COVID-19 Theory That You Are Not Allowed To Hear. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today is Dr. Andrew Kaufman to discuss a topic that, despite being rooted in facts, evidence and years of research, has been suppressed, censored and ignored by the entirety of the mainstream medical and scientific community. (d.tube/c/tlavagabond) Bitcoin Donations Are Appreciated: www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/bitcoin-donation (3FSozj9gQ1UniHvEiRmkPnXzHSVMc68U9f)…

Staff (2020-05-04). As Workers Get Sick & Die from COVID-19, McConnell Demands Corporate Immunity in New Stimulus Bill. democracynow.org As the Senate reconvenes today, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is demanding that Congress use the next stimulus bill to protect corporations from liability for workers. "He wants to protect their right to engage in egregious misconduct," says Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.

Staff (2020-05-04). "It's Very Scary": COVID Surges in Meat Plants as Activists Demand Worker Safety & Meatless Mondays. democracynow.org At least 20 workers at meat processing plants have died from COVID-19, and around 5,000 have tested positive, but President Trump invoked an executive order to bar local governments from closing meat plants. We hear from meat plant workers and organizers about conditions during the pandemic and speak with Sindy Benavides, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which is supporting the workers with a virtual town hall on food worker safety with presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and calling for Meatless May Mondays.

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…

Staff (2020-05-04). ER Doctor: Pulse Oximeters Detect Oxygen Deprivation Earlier from COVID-19, Help Avoid Ventilators. democracynow.org We speak with Dr. Richard Levitan, an emergency physician based in Littleton, New Hampshire, who volunteered at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for 10 days at the height of the COVID-19 surge in April. Based on what he saw, he argues patients should be going to hospitals sooner and that medical professionals could use a small device you clip on your fingertip, called a pulse oximeter, to help detect the virus earlier by revealing oxygenation problems and elevated heart rates. "A pulse oximeter is just a measure of identifying how well the lungs are working, and, I believe, can be basically an early warning system…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-03). The FULL Story Behind "Fauci's" 3.7 Million To Wuhan, Flu/CV Overlap & It Was Always Israelgate. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/2/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Staff (2020-05-01). Caravan for Life: Protesters in Puerto Rico Demand More Tests & Resources to Combat the Coronavirus. democracynow.org On Thursday in Puerto Rico, activists in dozens of cars held a "Caravan Por La Vida," or "Caravan for Life," through San Juan to demand the government provide more COVID-19 tests and sufficient resources for people to stay at home during the pandemic. At least 92 people have died from COVID-19 in Puerto Rico, and last week the island was reporting a testing rate lower than any U.S. state, at an abysmal average of 15 tests a day for every 100,000 people. No one in Puerto Rico has received $1,200 checks from the government, according to San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. Police stopped the caravan and said their sou…

Project Censored (2020-05-01). Episode 81 — The Biden Veepstakes and The Media's COVID War Rhetoric and Bernie Coverage with Dr. Robin Andersen. projectcensored.org Along the Line, is a member of the Demcast network, brought to you by the Media Freedom Foundation. On today's episode hosts Nicholas Baham III (Dr. Dreadlocks), Janice Domingo, and Nolan…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-01). France Says COVID Was Already 'Silently Circulating' & DARPA's "Implantable Nanoplatform" Vaccines. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/30/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Yang S, Hu J, Li Q. (2020-05-01). Not All Hypertension Is a Lifelong Disease. jamanetwork.com This Teachable Moment encourages clinicians to be aware of the high prevalence of primary aldosteronism and to consider screening in appropriately selected patients.

Leela Anand (2020-04-30). Biden and Trump compete to produce most misleading, racist anti-China ad. liberationnews.org Both political parties in the U.S. seek to make a national enemy out of China. But the U.S. working class has more to gain from friendship, solidarity and exchange of knowledge with China and the Chinese people.

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-30). Dismantling The Superficial "China Did It" Narrative (Origin Unknown) & CDC "Suspends" Flu Reporting. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/29/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-29). Israel Attacks Syria, US OKs Annexation, OPCW Caught Again & Impending (Already Here) Bio False Flag. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/28/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Yang Liu, Zhonglei Gu, Shang Xia, Benyun Shi, Xiao-Nong Zhou, Yong Shi, Jiming Liu (2020-04-29). What are the underlying transmission patterns of COVID-19 outbreak? An age-specific social contact characterization. thelancet.com With an in-depth characterization of age-specific social contact-based transmission, the retrospective and prospective situations of the disease outbreak, including the past and future transmission risks, the effectiveness of different interventions, and the disease transmission risks of restoring normal social activities, are computationally analyzed and reasonably explained. The conclusions drawn from the study not only provide a comprehensive explanation of the underlying COVID-19 transmission patterns in China, but more importantly, offer the social contact-based risk analysis methods that can readily be appl…

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-26). Evidence US Gov Knew Of COVID Before November 2019 & Anti-China Talking Points Expose CV Cover Up. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/25/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Maria Demarco, Noorie Hyun, Olivia Carter-Pokras, Tina R. Raine-Bennett, Li Cheung, Xiaojian Chen, Anne Hammer, Nicole Campos, Walter Kinney, Julia C. Gage, Brian Befano, Rebecca B. Perkins, Xin He, Cher Dallal, Jie Chen, Nancy Poitras, Marie-Helene Mayrand, Francois Coutlee, Robert D. Burk, Thomas Lorey, Philip E. Castle, Nicolas Wentzensen, Mark Schiffman (2020-04-24). [Research Paper] A study of type-specific HPV natural history and implications for contemporary cervical cancer screening programs. thelancet.com HPV type and persistence are the major predictors of progression to CIN3+; at a minimum, distinguishing HPV16 is clinically important. Dividing the other HPV types into three risk-groups is worth considering.

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-24). Dr. Rashid Buttar Interview — Why COVID-19 Is Not What You Think. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today to discuss further some of the very relevant and important points we went over during our recent roundtable (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO2Fh3ThKoE) is Dr. Rashid Buttar. We discuss the very obvious way in which it seems we are all being deceived, and the many and varied ways in which that deception is taking place. (d.tube/c/tlavagabond) …

Jon Rainwater (2020-04-23). A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times. peaceaction.org As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-22). "Artificial Intelligence Plan" That Became "Coronavirus Plan" & "China Did It" Narrative Is WMDs 2.0. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/21/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-20). Coronavirus Roundtable With Dr. Buttar & Dr. Mikovits — How Your System Is Being Used Against You. thelastamericanvagabond.com I was honored to be a part of a Coronavirus roundtable discussion with Dr. Rashid Buttar & Dr. Judy Mikovits recently where we discussed many different aspects of COVID-19 and the lies and misinformation surrounding this topic. We also discussed the legal and constitutional ramifications of the current government response. This discussion was hosted by …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-20). The Top Ten Marijuana Myths That No One Should Believe. thelastamericanvagabond.com Originally published on October 16, 2016 Even today, with 80% of states legalizing cannabis in some form, and half the country legalizing it for medical purposes, I have been called a lunatic for ever thinking that cannabis would be recognized for the miracle plant that it is. Shockingly enough many have yet to see through …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-18). David Meiswinkle Interview — Ongoing Suppression Of 9/11 Truth & Proof Of Controlled Demolition. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today is the President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for 9/11 Inquiry, David R. Meiswinkle, Esq. David is a retired New Brunswick police officer and a United States Army veteran, as well as a criminal defense attorney. He is here today to discuss the continuing cover up of 9/11 truth, and …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-16). In Coronavirus We Trust: Medical Surveillance State For A Gov That's Experimented On You 239 Times. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/14/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Ryan Cristián (2020-04-15). From Anthrax To Coronavirus: Same 9/11 False Flag Players, New COVID-19 Boogeyman. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (4/14/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

Susan L Erikson, Leigh Johnson (2020-03-30). [Comment] Will financial innovation transform pandemic response? thelancet.com The mounting death toll from COVID-19 recently prompted The Guardian to declare, "The World Bank's $500m pandemic scheme accused of 'waiting for people to die'".1 Similarly, as the number of deaths from Ebola increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), there was outrage in prominent journals. "The World Bank has the money to fight Ebola but won't use it" wrote Garrett in Foreign Policy.2 Others3—7 too describe the malfeasance of the financial innovation called the pandemic bond. Hailed by former World Bank president Jim Kim as an instrument that "would rapidly respond to future outbreaks by deliver…

Bernie Sanders (2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…

Kevin Bryan Lo, Peter A McCullough, Janani Rangaswami (2020-03-26). [Correspondence] Antihypertensive drugs and risk of COVID-19? thelancet.com Lei Fang and colleagues1 postulate that because severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to facilitate host cell entry,2,3 disease severity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might be increased in patients taking angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, because the ACE2 receptor might be upregulated with use of ACEIs and ARBs.

Felix Chua, Darius Armstrong-James, Sujal R Desai, Joseph Barnett, Vasileios Kouranos, Onn Min Kon, Ricardo José, Rama Vancheeswaran, Michael R Loebinger, Joyce Wong, Maria Teresa Cutino-Moguel, Cliff Morgan, Stephane Ledot, Boris Lams, Wing Ho Yip, Leski Li, Ying Cheong Lee, Adrian Draper, Sze Shyang Kho, Elisabetta Renzoni, Katie Ward, Jimstan Periselneris, Sisa Grubnic, Marc Lipman, Athol U Wells, Anand Devaraj (2020-03-25). [Comment] The role of CT in case ascertainment and management of COVID-19 pneumonia in the UK: insights from high-incidence regions. thelancet.com Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh pathogenic human coronavirus to be identified and the third with a predilection for causing potentially fatal pneumonia, after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection is highly transmissible but has a relatively low death rate (1 ∑0—3 ∑5%), except in older people (aged >70 years) with comorbidities.1,2 It is estimated that 15—20% of people infected develop severe pneumonia and 5—10% require critical care.

Lilly Dragnev (2020-03-20). Peace Action Supports Wyden-Klobuchar Bill to Protect Democracy and Ensure Safe Elections. peaceaction.org Statement of Jon Rainwater, Executive Director, Peace Action, on the introduction of the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act (NDEBA) by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). This bill would help ensure that elections can take place in a safe and secure way throughout the pandemic and beyond. March 19, 2020 Peace Action …