(2020-04-14). Progressive lawmakers say pandemic underlines need for Workers' Bill of Rights. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Progressive lawmakers are using workers' sacrifices due to the coronavirus pandemic — especially the sacrifices of those who put their lives on the line to serve all of us — to argue for approval of a Workers Bill of Rights, guaranteed pay, retraining money and other pro-labor reforms. The common denominator: All the lawmakers want …
(2020-04-14). Obama endorses Biden for president in long-expected video. rt.com 
Former US president Barack Obama has officially endorsed his former vice president Joe Biden for the 2020 presidential race. The long-awaited anointing came days after challenger Bernie Sanders packed in his own candidacy. | Obama endorsed Biden in a video message on Twitter on Tuesday, calling the selection of Biden as his VP "one of the best decisions I ever made" and referring to the candidate as "a close friend." | @JoeBiden for President of the United States. Let's go: t.co/maHVGRozkX— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) (2020-04-14). "Terrified to Go to Work": Hundreds of Workers in Meat & Poultry Plants Test Positive for COVID-19. democracynow.org 
We look at the spike in coronavirus infections at meatpacking plants. In just one case, Smithfield Foods shut down a plant responsible for 5% of U.S. pork production after more than 350 workers at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, deaths of slaughterhouse workers have been reported in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Colorado. Many meat processing facilities employ large numbers of immigrants, including undocumented workers. We speak with Wenonah Hauter, executive director and founder of Food & Water Watch, and with Magaly Licolli, executive director of Venceremos, an advocacy group for poultry plant…
(2020-04-14). Merkel's party may delay leadership vote until December, CDU chief says. rt.com 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) will likely delay the election of a new chief until December due to the coronavirus, according to current leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. | "The nearer we get to the summer break with a possible special party conference, the less the need for a conference that will take place just a few weeks before the normal one," dpa quoted Kramp-Karrenbauer as saying on Tuesday. | The new leader will be in pole position to run as chancellor in the next federal election. Merkel has said she will not seek a fifth term. Kramp-Karrenbauer, Merkel's pro…
(2020-04-14). Essential or Expendable? Farmworkers Condemn Lack of Protection and Economic Help During Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As the coronavirus sweeps through the United States, the country's 2.5 million farmworkers are continuing to go to work every day, often facing crowded and unsanitary conditions without personal protective equipment, for poverty wages. We speak with Gerardo Reyes Chávez, a farmworker leader with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who describes the conditions farmworkers in Florida are facing and how they are calling on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to protect farmworkers during the COVID-19 crisis, and with Mónica Ramírez, president and founder of Justice for Migrant Women and co-founder of the National Farmwork…
(2020-04-14). Covid-19 vaccine could take '12 months or longer,' WHO warns as almost 2mn people infected with deadly virus. rt.com 
An effective vaccine against the novel coronavirus is unlikely to be available until the spring of 2021, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson, Dr. Margaret Harris, has warned. | Dr. Harris told a briefing in Geneva that "We really shouldn't be expecting to see the vaccine at least for 12 months or longer." | Vaccinations take a long time to become available due to stringent regulations surrounding clinical trials. While there has been speculation about the effectiveness of some existing medications — such as the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine — these have not been proven to be effective ag…
(2020-04-14). John Prine and Bernie Sanders: Honoring Two Men Just Brought Down by the Coronavirus Pandemic. counterpunch.org Two hugely important people were taken down by COVID-19 this past week. Both have left a legacy, the importance of which cannot be ignored. John Prine The first struck down last week is one of the greatest modern songwriters of my lifetime, John Prine. One of my favorite musicians, Prine was a humble, funny and
(2020-04-14). Sanders Formally Capitulates to Corporatist-Warmonger Biden. globalresearch.ca There never was any doubt. In 2016, Sanders capitulated to unfit to serve Hillary. | History repeated on Monday as expected. Biden's agenda since the 1970s matches Hillary's with a gender difference. | It's much the same as Trump's with a party …
(2020-04-14). Republican Supreme Court justice defeated in Wisconsin vote. wsws.org Appointed incumbent Daniel Kelly lost to Democrat Jill Karofsky despite Republican Party efforts to rig the voting in last week's election, whose results were released April 13.
(2020-04-14). Headlines for April 14, 2020. democracynow.org New York Says Coronavirus Cases May Be Stabilizing But Hospitals Still Overwhelmed, 50 NYC Education Employees, Including At Least 21 School Teachers, Have Died of COVID-19, New Jersey Grapples with Surge in Cases as Deaths Mount in Veterans' and Nursing Homes, Deceased COVID-19 Patients Were Piled into Vacant Rooms as Detroit Hospital Overwhelmed with Cases, Virginia Pastor Who Held Packed Services, Defying Order to "Stay at Home," Dies of COVID-19, Sailor from Coronavirus-Stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt Dies of COVID-19, At Least 19 Immigrant Children Infected with COVID-19 at Chicago Facility, Demolition of Ch…
(2020-04-14). Digital Day of Action to #ShutDown850 Bryant St. indybay.org Phone, Email, and Social Media…
(2020-04-14). Q&A w/ Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Coronavirus Relief that Puts People First. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-04-14). SECURE Act Leaves Millions of Workers as Insecure as Ever. dissidentvoice.org Tweeter-in-chief Donald Trump constantly bashes "do nothing Democrats." In fact, it's Mopey Mitch McConnell who's the do nothing man, refusing to act on nearly 400 bills passed by Pelosi's House. One big Democratic initiative did manage to become law, pushed through as part of a late-2019 budget deal. Titled the SECURE Act, it's the latest …
(2020-04-14). Sanders endorses Biden: The "political revolution" that never was! wsws.org Sanders' endorsement of Biden is the shabby outcome of his campaign, the entire purpose of which was to prevent social and political opposition from breaking free of the Democratic Party.
(2020-04-14). Trump, the media, and the COVID-19 disaster. wsws.org Even as they focus on Trump's obvious negligence, the Democratic Party and the New York Times cannot account for their own failure to warn the public and demand emergency measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-04-14). Democrats join with Trump in bipartisan push for rapid return to work. wsws.org The ruling class in the United States is preparing to reopen the economy despite a complete lack of a public health infrastructure to address the deadly risk of a second surge.
(2020-04-14). New York City makes first wave of massive budget cuts to public education. wsws.org New York City Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week that he will cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the city's education budget as well as funding for other critical programs.
(2020-04-14). Democratic Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Protect Fauci From Being Fired by Trump. truthout.org After President Donald Trump sent out a tweet this past weekend that included a suggestion to fire one of the most recognizable and trusted names on his coronavirus task force, a Democratic senator hopes to pass legislation to prevent him from doing so without just cause or oversight. | Trump's tweet
(2020-04-14). New York Democratic mayor de Blasio forces teachers to work during spring break. wsws.org New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio cut public school vacation during April, including for religious holidays, on the same day that the New York state legislature gave Governor Andrew Cuomo broad powers to impose budget cuts on education.
(2020-04-14). Solidarity in a Time of Pandemic, while the US capitalizes on Disaster. dissidentvoice.org Like most everyone else, I don't get out much lately due to shelter-in-place. But when I walk around my community, I am heartened by neighbors asking if there is anything we might need. I suspect this scenario is taking place everywhere. Around the world amidst the pandemic, people step out at a mutually designated evening …
(2020-04-14). Newly-Blue Virginia Leaves Workers Behind. thenation.com 
The Democratic governor used Covid 19 as an excuse to delay pro-labor bills. But unions say the virus shows why workers need protection ASAP.
(2020-04-14). Newly Blue Virginia Leaves Workers Behind. thenation.com The Democratic governor used Covid-19 as an excuse to delay pro-labor bills. But unions say the virus shows why workers need protection ASAP.
(2020-04-14). Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously. thenation.com Republicans Need to Take This Pandemic Seriously…
(2020-04-14). Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP. thenation.com Why Not the Best? Elizabeth Warren for VP.
(2020-04-14). WHO Says World Not Past COVID-19 Peak Despite Decline in New Cases in Spain, Italy. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The coronavirus pandemic has not yet reached its global peak despite showing slight slowdowns in the worst-affected European nations, it remains on the rise in other nations, World Health Organisation spokeswoman Margaret Harris said on Tuesday.
(2020-04-14). US states announce joint economic reopening amid virus. yenisafak.com The U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington have announced a shared vision to reopening their economies amid the novel coronavirus.California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced in a joint statement that they made a Western States Pact pact on Monday."COVID-19 has preyed upon our interconnectedness. In the coming weeks, the West Coast will flip the script on COVID-19 — with our states acting in close coordination and collaboration to ensure the virus can never spread wildly in our communities," the statement said.It added that the joint res…
(2020-04-14). COVID-19 cases not peaked yet in Europe, US: WHO. yenisafak.com Of the overall outbreaks of COVID-19 around the world, 90% are registered in Europe and the U.S., and the peaks in both have certainly not been reached yet, a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said Tuesday.WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris, at a UN press briefing from Geneva, urged following the organization's guidelines on the lifting of restrictions before lockdown easing measures are made."We're beginning to see a slight deceleration in cases," Harris said responding to a question of Anadolu Agency, adding: "It's going to take time. But yes, they see a slowing."Harris said other countries were st…
(2020-04-14). Juan González: My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID-19 Experience Shows Me How Rotten Our Health System Is. democracynow.org 
As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get his own 92-year-old mother tested when he took her to the emergency room in New Jersey. "It is just an outrage that this di…
(2020-04-14). My 92-Year-Old Mother's COVID Experience Shows How Rotten Our Health System Is. truthout.org As the United States leads the world in both reported COVID-19 cases and death toll, hospitals at other coronavirus hot spots around the country are reporting dire conditions as they deal with a surge in critically sick patients. "We have to ask ourselves why, in a country that spends so much money on healthcare, are we still having problems producing the most basic equipment, [such as masks, gowns and tests]," says Democracy Now! co-host, Juan González, who describes how he struggled to get…
(2020-04-13). Sanders joins Biden livestream to give full-throated ENDORSEMENT. rt.com 
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprising appearance on former Vice President joe Biden's livestream to give the rival for the Democrat presidential nomination an enthusiastic endorsement against President Donald Trump. | Denouncing Trump as a "racist, sexist, homophobe" who "lies all the time," Sanders announced he was now supporting Biden's presidential bid. The self-described democratic socialist had suspended his campaign last week, saying he would stay on the ballot to influence party policy at the convention — but apparently changed his mind on Monday. | "I am asking all Americans — I'm…
(2020-04-13). 'We scared the hell out of the American people' over 'flu,' says Fox News guest. rt.com 
Former education secretary Bill Bennett has been savaged online for suggesting that the coronavirus is "not a pandemic," calling for the lifting of lockdown measures, as the debate rages over reopening the shuttered US economy. | More than half a million Americans have caught the coronavirus, with just over 22,000 deaths. While the numbers are dire, the University of Washington's forecasters revised their total predicted Covid-19 deaths down to 60,000 last week, a number comparable to deaths from
(2020-04-13). "Reckless and Irresponsible": Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Trump's Promotion of Hydroxychloroquine. democracynow.org 
The coronavirus hot spot Detroit is the site of the first major U.S. study into whether or not the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine could help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This comes after weeks of President Trump promoting the drug despite warnings from medical experts. "There's been a lot of hype from the president, and that is so problematic, because we know that hydroxychloroquine … has some potential side effects that can be really dangerous," responds Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and epidemiologist who is the former head of Detroit's Health Department.
(2020-04-13). What Trump Knew & When He Knew It: NYT on How Trump Ignored COVID-19 Warnings Until It Was Too Late. democracynow.org 
As the United States surpasses the coronavirus death toll of any country in the world with more than 22,000 dead, we look how President Trump led the country to this point with Eric Lipton, lead author of The New York Times's explosive new exposé, "He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump's Failure on the Virus."
(2020-04-13). Wash Your Hands? Despite Pandemic, Thousands Still Have No Water in Detroit, a Coronavirus Hot Spot. democracynow.org 
Water shutoffs continue amid the coronavirus pandemic in Detroit, despite a moratorium and a program to help thousands of residents restore service last month. The lack of water access comes as nearly 1,500 people in Michigan have died from COVID-19, and 40% of those who have died are African-American, despite making up just 14% of the state's population. We speak with community pastor and activist Rev. Roslyn Bouier, who has been working with residents to restore their water.
(2020-04-13). Bernie Sanders Forced Open the Books on the Last Bailout. cepr.net A Washington Post piece that noted the lack of disclosure requirements in the current round of bailouts referred to efforts to force disclosures in the last bailout. It only noted a suit by Bloomberg to force the Fed to make disclosures: "During the global financial crisis, the Federal Reserve refused to turn over to reporters …
(2020-04-13). Biden Must Become the Climate-Commander-in-Chief. counterpunch.org Now that Bernie Sanders has suspended his run for President Joe Biden is the presumptive Democratic nominee. But not so fast. Sanders' voters are going to support Biden when he earns it. Sanders blazed new trails of climate leadership, making it compulsory to have multi-billion dollar plans to decarbonize. He defined the terms of the
(2020-04-13). Sanders Says Congress Must Stop Trump From Privatizing the Postal Service. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday urged Congress to act immediately to stop President Donald Trump from using the novel coronavirus outbreak "as an opportunity to bankrupt and privatize…
(2020-04-13). Sanders Endorses Biden to 'Bring Democrats Against Trump'. telesurenglish.net United States (U.S.) Senator and former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Monday former Vice President Joe Biden, joining him as a guest on an online appearance. | RELATED: | "We must come together to defeat the most dangerous president in modern history," tweeted Sanders announcing his appearance with Biden and referencing U.S. President Donald Trump. | "Today, I am asking all Americans[mdas…
(2020-04-13). Headlines for April 13, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Leads in Coronavirus Death Toll, as Trump Eyes Easing Restrictions in Weeks, Trump Moves to Slash Pay for Essential Migrant Farmworkers | , USPS Says It Will Become Insolvent Without Gov't Help, But Trump Refuses to Bail It Out | , 200+ Prisoners Released in Philadelphia After Weeks of Protest Calling for Decarceration, Protests Call Out Mounting COVID-19 Cases at Immigrant Prisons in Arizona, California | , Mounting COVID-19 Clusters Reported at Meat Processing Plants | , Almost 600 Sailors On Board USS Theodore Roosevelt Test Positive for COVID-19 | , Judge Blocks Alabama Coronavirus Abortion Ban; Texas Pr…
(2020-04-13). Federal Wardens Must Immediately Flatten the Curve in our Nation's Prisons. aclu.org With 10 deaths and more than 500 positive COVID-19 cases in the nation's federal prisons, wardens must "
(2020-04-13). A Special Gift for Donald Trump's Friends: An Excess Profits Tax. cepr.net When he fired the inspector general who would have overseen the bailout fund, Trump made it clear that he fully intends to use the money to advance his re-election campaign, just as he has done with his presidential powers throughout his term in office. While the Democrats ceded their ability to prevent the corruption of …
(2020-04-13). Brazilian Democracy Is Dead. globalresearch.ca The word is that that General Braga Netto is the new "acting president" of Brazil. Firstly, this position does not legally exist. We live in a presidential system, and the power of the executive is in the hands of the …
(2020-04-13). How Big Tech Is Preparing for a Biden Presidency. cepr.net Washington Monthly See article on original site Three days after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, he took press questions standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a figure now vilified by his base: ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Back then, Big Tech didn't need to ask if it had a seat at the table of a Democratic presidential …
(2020-04-13). 'We Must Come Together to Defeat Most Dangerous President in Modern History': Sanders Endorses Biden. commondreams.org Former Democratic primary rivals hold joint livestream to denounce Trump, discuss battle against coronavirus, and call for unity against unprecedented threats. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_sanders.jpg …
(2020-04-13). New York City Tops US With Over 100,000 Coronavirus Cases. telesurenglish.net New York City saw confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass the 100,000 mark to reach 103,208 by midnight Sunday with a death toll of 6,898, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. | RELATED: | Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Sunday that the city would open five new testing centers in hardest-hit communities to address previously-found disparities among different racial groups and between the rich and the poor. | "
(2020-04-13). Cuomo's star power exposes Biden drawbacks. nationofchange.org Who imagines in four months that Cuomo, a thunderous governor without a federal record and unscarred by any campaign dust-ups, would refuse the party nomination?>
(2020-04-13). Warren and Khanna's "Essential Workers Bill of Rights" Cheered as Much-Needed Protections for Those on Frontlines of Crisis. commondreams.org "If we can find the resources to bail out the cruise and airline industries and other big corporations, we can support the people who risk their lives every day to care for the ill, stock store shelves, and care for children." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/essential-workers-bill-rights-.jpg …
(2020-04-13). Ocasio-Cortez Warns Biden That Just Throwing Progressives a 'Couple of Bones' Will Not Be Enough. commondreams.org "At the bare minimum, we should aspire to be better than what we have been before," says New York Democrat in new interview. "People need to feel hope." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_7.jpg …
(2020-04-13). Next Coronavirus Relief Package Must Include Moratorium on Utility Shutoffs, 830+ Justice Groups Say. commondreams.org "It's unconscionable that Senate Republicans chose to protect corporate America over families in the last rescue package." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/drinking_water_1_0.jpg …
(2020-04-13). Trump Ignored COVID-19 Warnings Until It Was Too Late. truthout.org As the United States surpasses the coronavirus death toll of any country in the world with more than 22,000 dead, we look how President Trump led the country to this point with Eric Lipton, lead author of The New York Times's explosive new exposé, "He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump's Failure on the Virus." | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I'm Amy Goodman. As the United States surpasses the death toll of any country in the world with mo…
(2020-04-13). Ilhan Omar Joins Global Call for Debt Relief as Coronavirus Threatens to Push Developing Nations 'Over the Edge'. commondreams.org U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday joined growing demands for providing debt relief to developing countries that are struggling economically amid the coronavirus pandemic as economists warn the world could be facing the worst recession since the 1930s. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ilhan_omar_tucker_carlson_0.png …
(2020-04-12). Believe all women? New York Times only remembers its journalistic skepticism when it's Biden in the crosshairs. rt.com 
For anyone running for office in modern America, accusations of sexual assault are par for the course. But when it comes to weighing up these accusations, the US' mainstream paper of record applies some very uneven standards. | Take Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. If doubts weren't already raised by his fondness for Yet amid the coronav…
(2020-04-12). New York: New social distancing fines attack workers, not coronavirus. fightbacknews.org New York, NY – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that he has increased the maximum fines for not adhering to social distancing orders. Previously $500, the maximum fines suddenly jumped to $1000. The NYPD has also started arresting people for not social distancing, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio claims "is about educating people, helping them understanding the new reality." | While it is of course important that those who are able to work from home keep others safe through social distancing, the increase in fines will primarily affect essential workers, many of whom are still forced to…
(2020-04-11). NY's Cuomo pleases crowds with 'Hero Compensation Fund' for healthcare workers… after 9 years of hospital cuts. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched a fund to support sick healthcare workers and their families, but some blame him for the dire working conditions facing the state's caregivers after nine years of hospital budget cuts. | Cuomo announced the state is working on a "Covid-19 Heroes Compensation Fund" to support healthcare workers and their families who have been diagnosed with the coronavirus during his daily briefing on Friday. It was heralded by his growing Democratic fan club as a generous, thoughtful move from a politician who cares about the "frontline workers." | AAbsent from the lovefest was any…
(2020-04-10). Thank you, Bernie. Screw You, New York Times. fair.org 
| It is the essence of American liberalism to trash radical dreams and then dance on them. And that's just what the New York Times did the day after Bernie Sanders bowed out of the Democratic race for the nomination. On that day, in a special editorial ( 4/9/20), the editors of the very same paper that disparaged his every move opined that America is divided and our democracy corrupt, and launched a series promising to report on just the sort of transformative policies Sanders advocated. The New York Times (
(2020-04-10). Noam Chomsky on Trump's Disastrous Coronavirus Response, Bernie Sanders & What Gives Him Hope. democracynow.org 
How did the United States — the richest country in the world — become the worldwide epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, with one person dying of COVID-19 every 47 seconds? We spend the hour with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, discussing this unprecedented moment in history, and its political implications, as Senator Bernie Sanders announces he is suspending his campaign for the presidency. Chomsky also describes how frontline medical workers and progressive organizing are giving him hope.
(2020-04-10). A Victory for the Fogeys: Bernie Sanders Drops Out. dissidentvoice.org Champagne corks will be popping in the Trump Empire for good reason. Whatever happens come November, the exit of Senator Bernie Sanders from the US presidential race will be a relief. The fractured republic can be reassured that the Democrats have not moved on, stuck, as it were, in the glades of vengeful melancholia and …
(2020-04-10). COVID-19: How the Media Hyped the Public Into an Anti-China Frenzy. mintpressnews.com A new Harris
(2020-04-10). Headlines for April 10, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Patients Dying Every Minute in the United States, Epicenter of the Pandemic, 17 Million U.S. Workers File Unemployment Claims in Just Three Weeks, New York City Workers Dig Mass Graves Amid Surge of COVID-19 Deaths, President Trump Pushes to Reopen U.S. Economy Despite Severe Shortage of Tests, California Nursing Home with COVID-19 Cases Evacuated After Workers' No-Show, Kansas Governor Sues to Halt Church Congregations Ahead of Easter, Chicago Prisoners Post Signs in Jail Windows: "Help, No Supply" and "We're Dying", NYC Cathedral Won't Partner with Christian Fundamentalist Field Hospital Group over LGB…
(2020-04-10). Joe Biden, Here's How to Earn Our Support. thenation.com Joe Biden, Here's How to Earn Our Support…
(2020-04-10). Emmanuel Barthélemy: A revolutionary who became a tawdry tabloid tale. greenleft.org.au 
The Murderer Of Warren Street: The True Story of a Nineteenth-Century Revolutionary
| Marc Mulholland
| W F Howes Ltd, 2019 | It is the sad, but not entirely undeserved, fate of Emmanuel Barthélem…
(2020-04-09). Naomi Klein: Sanders "Broke the Spell" of Neoliberalism as Trump Pushes Coronavirus Capitalism. democracynow.org 
We talk to journalist and activist Naomi Klein about Bernie Sanders's historic presidential campaign as he suspends his bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination, and about coronavirus capitalism — President Trump's response to the pandemic. Sanders "opened up the window of what was possible politically in this country," says Klein, a senior correspondent at The Intercept, Rutgers University professor and longtime Sanders supporter.
(2020-04-09). Noam Chomsky: Bernie Sanders Campaign Didn't Fail. It Energized Millions & Shifted U.S. Politics. democracynow.org 
In a new interview, world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky reflects on the significance of the Bernie Sanders campaign, calling it "an extraordinary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States.
(2020-04-09). Suspending the Campaign, Not the Movement: Sanders Pulls Out of 2020 Race But Will Stay on Ballot. democracynow.org 
Senator Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, making former Vice President Joe Biden the presumptive nominee to face Donald Trump in November. Sanders says he will stay on the ballot in remaining primary races and continue to assemble delegates. We play highlights from Sanders's speech to supporters in a live stream on Wednesday. "Together, we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become, and have taken this country a major step forward in the never-ending struggle for economic justice, social justice, racial justice and envir…
(2020-04-09). "Exposing U.S. Racism in a Stark New Way": COVID-19 Kills Disproportionate Number of Black Americans. democracynow.org 
We speak with family physician and epidemiologist Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones about how the coronavirus is taking a devastating toll on black Americans, who are disproportionately dying from the virus across the country as a result of entrenched racial inequality. Black Americans are more likely to have chronic health problems and less likely to have insurance. They also make up significant numbers of frontline workers that are still going to work amid the pandemic. Jones is the former president of the American Public Health Association. Her recent piece for Newsweek magazine is headlined "Coronavirus Disease Discri…
(2020-04-09). What we all need to learn now that Bernie Sanders's presidential bid is over. thecanary.co Unfair fr…
(2020-04-09). Headlines for April 9, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Pandemic Could Push 600 Million More People into Poverty, New York Reports Record 779 Coronavirus Deaths in Just 24 Hours, General Motors to Deliver 30,000 Ventilators, with Most Arriving Long After Projected COVID-19 Peak, Kansas to Allow Crowded Church Services as L.A. Expands Order on Face Coverings, California Fast-Food Workers Strike, Demanding Hazard Pay and Protections Against COVID-19, Trump Touts Unproven Treatments of Hydroxychloroquine and Zinc for COVID-19, World Health Organization Head: "Please Don't Politicize This Virus", Researchers Find Coronavirus Arrived in New York from Europe in…
(2020-04-09). Why You Should Never Vote for Joe Biden. dissidentvoice.org 
There's a video of Lawrence O'Donnell, spokesperson for MSNBC, saying in 2020 what he's paid to say, namely that electing a candidate with a platform you approve of is somehow in conflict with electing a candidate who can win. The logic of this is that most people are expected to vote for a candidate with …
(2020-04-08). Journalist on Wisconsin Election: Republicans Are Letting People Die in Order to Hang On to Power. democracynow.org 
Lines stretching city blocks, hours-long waits and polling officials in hazmat suits. That's the scene voters in Wisconsin encountered as they braved the polls Tuesday amid the coronavirus pandemic. Despite growing outcry about the risks to public health and safety that in-person voting would pose, on Monday the state Supreme Court blocked Democratic Governor Tony Evers's ruling to delay the election until June. At least 92 people in Wisconsin have died from exposure to COVID-19. In Milwaukee — the most diverse city in Wisconsin — the number of polling stations went from 180 to five. We speak with Jes…
(2020-04-08). "People Are Dying in the Streets": Ecuador Struggles to Cope with COVID-19 as Cases Skyrocket. democracynow.org 
The coronavirus pandemic is exhausting Ecuador's medical resources, with at least 220 dead and more than 4,000 cases. Ecuador is among the top three countries with the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the entire Latin American region. In recent days, images of dead bodies wrapped in plastic tarp left on the streets of the city of Guayaquil as families desperately try to bury loved ones have shocked the entire country and the world. Guayaquil is Ecuador's most populous city and the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. We speak with Denisse Herrera, the Ecuador correspondent for teleSUR.
(2020-04-08). "A Systematic Issue of Disparity": Black People in Louisiana Account for 70% of COVID-19 Deaths. democracynow.org 
Louisiana faces one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus in the United States. New data shows black people account for 70% of all the state's coronavirus deaths, though they comprise just 32% of the state's population. Louisiana also has the highest incarceration rate in the country, and more than 65% of the people in its jails and prisons are black. At least 28 people are infected, and 22 corrections staff have tested positive. State corrections officials are sending infected prisoners to the Louisiana State Penitentiary — known as Angola, the largest maximum-security prison in the United States [mdas…
(2020-04-08). Albert Woodfox: COVID-19 Offers Public a "Small Window" into What Prisoners Face in Solitary Confinement. democracynow.org 
As millions shelter in place around the world, we speak with Albert Woodfox, who served the longest time in solitary confinement of any prisoner in the United States. Known as one of the Angola Three, along with Robert King and Herman Wallace, Woodfox was held in isolation for nearly 44 years at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola. He was convicted of killing a guard in jail, but always maintained his innocence. He says he was targeted for co-founding the first Black Panther chapter in Angola. He was released in 2016 and is now 73 years old. His memoir is "Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solit…
(2020-04-08). Bernie Sanders ends US presidential bid. thecanary.co Senator Today I am suspending my campaign. But while the campaign ends, the struggle for justice continues on. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) Sanders used strong polling…
(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 Threatens to Withhold U.S. Funding for World Health Organization, 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 Could Wipe Out 195 Mi…
(2020-04-07). Deaths of Inequality: AOC on Black and Latinx Communities at Epicenter of Epicenter of the Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As COVID-19 deaths spike in African-American and immigrant communities, almost a third of New York City's infections are in Queens, one of the most diverse places in the world, and many in the hardest-hit neighborhoods are undocumented and working-class. We speak with Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the neighborhoods at the epicenter of the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, about how the Trump administration's response to the pandemic is causing "deaths of incompetence," "deaths of science denial" and "deaths of inequality."
(2020-04-07). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders & Fight for a Progressive Future. democracynow.org 
As millions hope to receive support as soon as possible from the massive coronavirus stimulus bill passed by Congress without adequate oversight mechanisms, we look at who will benefit from "extraordinary asymmetrical assistance" that went to corporations instead of working people. "Some of the people who need it the most are not getting it," says Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "This contributes to a public health crisis in addition to an economic one." She also discusses plans for the 2020 election and a "progressive future" for the United States with a single-payer health system and a living wage.
(2020-04-07). Amazon "Profiting from This Pandemic" as Warehouse Workers Walk Off Job to Demand Safer Conditions. democracynow.org 
Just a week "after Amazon fired": www.democracynow.org/2020/3/31/headlines/amazon_fires_organizer_of_staten_island_strike_action a worker who led a walkout, workers at the same Staten Island warehouse walked off the job again Monday to protest unsafe working conditions as online orders soar during the pandemic. We get an update from Angeles Solis, lead organizer at Make the Road New York, which helped organize the strike. Solis helps lead the group's Beyond Amazon coalition in New York City. If Amazon doesn't do more to protect workers, "they are not only profiting from this pandemic, but they're helping t…
(2020-04-07). Headlines for April 7, 2020. democracynow.org Boris Johnson in Intensive Care for COVID-19, U.K.'s Foreign Secretary Deputized | , Most of U.S. Population Told to Stay Home as Medical Equipment Shortages Continue to Mar Response, Trump Ignored Coronavirus Warnings from His Own Administration as Early as January | , Grocery Stores Report Coronavirus Deaths as Workers Say They Are Not Receiving Adequate Protection, WI Primary Vote Goes Ahead After Ruling by State Supreme Court; SCOTUS Throws Out Mail-in Ballot Extension, New York Appears to Flatten COVID-19 Curve as Cuomo Tightens Preventive Measures, Gov't Called to Release Data on Racial Makeup of COVID-19 D…
(2020-04-06). "Leaving Us in Here to Die": Prisoners Plea for Release, Protection Amid Skyrocketing Infections. democracynow.org 
U.S. Attorney General William Barr issued an emergency order Friday calling for the release of vulnerable federal prisoners into home confinement amid the coronavirus crisis. This news comes as at least 16 states have also released prisoners. We look at the treatment of incarcerated people in New York state, where Governor Andrew Cuomo has yet to grant anyone freedom despite at least 24 confirmed cases among state prisoners. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he'll release about 300 people from Rikers Island and other city jails, but advocates are calling for far more to be freed. We speak to…
(2020-04-06). One Mask for Five 12-Hour Shifts: Harlem Hospital Nurses Demand Better Protection Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As New York state's death toll from coronavirus passes 4,000, nurses and medical workers on the frontlines in New York City are protesting for better protections. We go to a demonstration outside Harlem Hospital to speak with Sarah Dowd, a registered nurse who works in its medical/surgical unit and has been treating COVID-19-positive patients. She is a member of the New York State Nurses Association union. "This is not a time for people to be sitting on the sidelines," Dowd says. "We need to make big demands of the system."
(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…
(2020-04-06). NY Bishop Explains Why St John Divine Cathedral Is Working with Fundamentalist Group During Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As millions of worshipers around the globe enter the month of April preparing to celebrate Holy Week, Passover and Ramadan in the age of coronavirus, Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan is set to open its doors to 400 beds for non-COVID-19 patients to make more space in the hospitals for those suffering from the coronavirus. But there's a catch: The city is partnering with the Christian fundamentalist group Samaritan's Purse, led by Franklin Graham, a virulently Islamophobic, anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ preacher. Last week, the group erected an emergency field hospital in Central Park to treat spillover…
(2020-04-03). Protect Immigrant Communities: Fear Mounts of Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak in U.S. Border Camps, ICE Jails. democracynow.org 
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has joined thousands of medical professionals and immigration rights groups to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement release all prisoners from immigration jails as the coronavirus continues to spread. Meanwhile, immigration advocates are working to prepare crowded encampments of asylum seekers across the U.S.-Mexico border for a potentially catastrophic outbreak of COVID-19. Since the implementation of the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy, tens of thousands of asylum seekers from regions like Central America and Africa have been stranded in Mexican bord…
(2020-04-03). Amazon on strike: what workers need to know about their rights. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Kevin Gustafson, an organizer with Democracy at Work and host of the Sensible…
(2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
(2020-03-24). [Comment] National UK programme of community health workers for COVID-19 response. thelancet.com The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic threatens to kill large numbers of people in the UK and to place unprecedented demands on the National Health Service (NHS). The case fatality rate is increased in older people and those with pre-existing disease and is reported to be about 20% in people with COVID-19 who are older than 80 years,1 although this does not take into account the under-reporting of mildly affected cases. There are about 8 ∑8 million people aged 70 years or older in the UK and many others with health conditions that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19.
(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 …
(2020-03-13). [Correspondence] COVID-19, ECMO, and lymphopenia: a word of caution. thelancet.com Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can serve as life-saving rescue therapy for refractory respiratory failure in the setting of acute respiratory distress syndrome, such as that induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the study by Yang and colleagues,1 who compared clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19, five (83%) of six patients receiving ECMO died. Although this sample was small, and specific baseline characteristics and disease courses were almost unknown, it raises concerns about potential harms of ECMO therapy for COVID-19.
(2020-03-13). Latest U.S. Military Strikes Are as Reckless as they are Cruel. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 12, 2020 — In response to reports that the U.S. has carried out five airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "At a time of one of the greatest global challenges of our lifetimes, it is shocking that the Trump …
(2020-03-11). [Correspondence] Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? thelancet.com The most distinctive comorbidities of 32 non-survivors from a group of 52 intensive care unit patients with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the study by Xiaobo Yang and colleagues1 were cerebrovascular diseases (22%) and diabetes (22%). Another study2 included 1099 patients with confirmed COVID-19, of whom 173 had severe disease with comorbidities of hypertension (23 ∑7%), diabetes mellitus (16 ∑2%), coronary heart diseases (5 ∑8%), and cerebrovascular disease (2 ∑3%). In a third study,3 of 140 patients who were admitted to hospital with COVID-19, 30% had hypertension and 12% had diab…
(2020-03-11). Congress Sends Bipartisan Bill to Trump Rebuking Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — March 11, 2020 — In response to the House passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Both chambers and …
(2020-03-06). If Sanders forms a real Alliance with Warren, their Popular Policies Can Win. zcomm.org Conventional wisdom is that a presidential candidate should pick an opposite or contrasting vice presidential running mate, to create a perception of a balanced ticket. But this is not a conventional time or race, Bernie is offering a clear and practical progressive choice to fix the USA. So his running mate needs to be a
(2020-03-05). [Correspondence] Respiratory support for patients with COVID-19 infection. thelancet.com As of Feb 27, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected 47 countries and territories around the world.1 Xiaobo Yang and colleagues2 described 52 of 710 patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in Wuhan, China. 29 (56%) of 52 patients were given non-invasive ventilation at ICU admission, of whom 22 (76%) required further orotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. The ICU mortality rate among those who required non-invasive ventilation was 23 (79%) of 29 and among those who required invasive mechanical ventilation was 19 (86%) of 22.
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…
(2020-02-28). [Corrections] Correction to Lancet Respir Med 2020; published online Feb 21. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30079-5. thelancet.com Yang X, Yu Y, Xu J, et al. Clinical course and outcomes of critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a single-centred, retrospective, observational study. Lancet Respir Med 2020; published online Feb 21. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30079-5—In this Article, Tables 1, 2, and 3 have been updated. These corrections have been made to the online version as of Feb 28, 2020, and will be made to the printed version.
(2020-02-24). [Correspondence] Viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples. thelancet.com An outbreak caused by a novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Wuhan in December 2019,1 and has since spread within China and to other countries. Real-time RT-PCR assays are recommended for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.2 However, viral dynamics in infected patients are still yet to be fully determined. Here, we report our findings from different types of clinical specimens collected from 82 infected individuals.
(2020-02-19). [Correspondence] Asymptomatic cases in a family cluster with SARS-CoV-2 infection. thelancet.com Since December, 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a serious epidemic in China and other countries, resulting in worldwide concern.1 Family clusters of infected individuals have been reported, and this phenomenon could present a serious threat to public health if not strictly controlled. In a previously reported family cluster, most infected individuals had clinical symptoms, decreased lymphocyte counts, and abnormal chest CT images, and were positive for the virus on quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis.
(2020-02-14). Jim Naureckas on Democratic Primaries, Nina Luo on Decriminalizing Sex Work. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-02-13). Senate Reclaims War Powers to Thwart Iran War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — February 13, 2020 — In response to the Senate passing the bipartisan bill — S.J.Res.68 — that would thwart President Trump from going to war with Iran and end any current hostilities, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "It's about time …
(2020-02-08). Hasan Sits Down With Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Interview on aging and retirement in America…