(2020-04-27). US House Speaker Pelosi endorses Biden for president. rt.com 
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Joe Biden for president. The endorsement of the Democratic Party presidential candidate follows that of US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Al Gore. | In a video statement released on Monday, Pelosi cited Biden's experience in government, including his role in passing the Affordable Care Act. She said Biden is well-positioned to lead the country amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. "As we face coronavirus, Joe has been a voice of reason and resilience, with a clear path to lead u…
(2020-04-27). Bernie Sanders and the Future of the Movement. indybay.org Online…
(2020-04-27). Scientific American: As Trump Touts Dangerous Cures, Here's What We Know About COVID-19 Drug Tests. democracynow.org 
President Trump dangerously suggested injecting disinfectants could help patients sick with the coronavirus, then said he was being "sarcastic." But his remarks led to a spike in calls to helplines about taking disinfectants. We look at "What We Know About the Most Touted Drugs Tested for COVID-19" with Tanya Lewis, associate editor for health and medicine at Scientific American.
(2020-04-27). "Unconscionable": Planned Parenthood Pres. Condemns States Using Pandemic to Limit Abortion Access. democracynow.org 
As much of the U.S. remains on lockdown, abortion rights are under attack nationwide. We get an update on the fight for abortion access with Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. "Our bodies have literally been deemed essential," she says, "and yet the control of our bodies and the right to control our own bodies has not."
(2020-04-27). "Never Rarely Sometimes Always": New Film Follows Teenager's Perilous Journey to Access Abortion. democracynow.org 
As multiple states have moved to further restrict access to abortions during the pandemic, a powerful new dramatic film follows a 17-year-old girl as she travels from her small town in Pennsylvania to New York City to get an abortion without having to notify her parents. "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" director and writer Eliza Hittman joins us to discuss the making of the film, which is being distributed online while cinemas remain closed in most states due to the pandemic.
(2020-04-27). Headlines for April 27, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Deaths Top 207,000 as Hard-Hit European Nations Start Relaxing Lockdowns, States Prepare to Reopen Economies as Cases Continue to Mount, Doctors See Rise in Strokes Caused by Coronavirus; CDC Expands List of Possible Symptoms, Oakland Police Tackle and Detain Unhoused Outreach Workers, Poison Control Center Calls Spike After President Trump Suggests Injections of Disinfectant, WHO Warns Against Issuing "Immunity Passports", Activists Hold "Cancel the Rent" Protests Around the Country, Coronavirus Outbreak Reported at Tyson Foods Meat Processing Plant, "Larry King Live" Tape from 1993 Supports T…
(2020-04-27). Schumer wants to wipe Trump's name off stimulus checks, accuses president of 'exploitation'. rt.com 
In a classic piece of Washington partisanship, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will introduce legislation to remove President Trump's signature from stimulus checks, accusing Trump of pushing his "political interests." | A $1,200 payment from the federal government, part of the $2.2 trillion stimulus package signed into law by President Donald Trump last month, is supposed to reach approximately 150 million Americans. For the roughly 70 million whose paper checks are currently in the mail, the check will be signed by Trump, and will be accompanied by a letter from the president. | Attaching his name to th…
(2020-04-27). Not dead anymore? As Pyongyang cites Kim's message, media downplays death rumors after Seoul adviser says he's 'alive & well'. rt.com 
International media headlines have undergone some changes following reports from South Korea that Kim Jong-un isn't dead or even in grave condition. This coincided with the North's state media citing his message to workers. | Major news outlets rushed to quote Moon Chung-in, a national security adviser to South Korea's president, who said on Sunday that the North Korean leader has been staying in the coastal town of Wonsan, downplaying the death rumors. Seoul's position is "firm" that Kim Jong-un, believed to be 36 years of age, "is alive and well," the senior official stated. | Around the same time the remark…
(2020-04-27). Thinking caps on: Chinese school kids return to classroom with the help of 'social distancing hats' (PHOTOS). rt.com 
Elementary schoolers in the Chinese megacity of Hangzhou have returned to school, sporting an unusual addition to their regular uniform: a winged cardboard hat reminding them to maintain distance from each other. | The longest ever winter vacation for Hangzhou's elementary students ended this week, as first to third grades returned to the classroom. One school in the city, Yangzheng Primary School, gave its students an early assignment: fashion their own homemade "one-meter hats," to remind the youngsters to stay a meter apart at all times. | Photos of the headwear have circulated on Chinese social media platf…
(2020-04-27). Trump and Biden Trade Hit Pieces: Distinctions without a Difference. mintpressnews.com This season's sequel to the "Game of Thrones" features reality TV star and the current occupant of the Oval Office versus the former Senator from The narrower the distinctions between Democrats and Republicans, the more vociferous they get in inflating those distinctions as if a distinction were really a difference. As liberation president of Tanzania Julius Nyerere famously observed,…
(2020-04-27). The Likely Democratic Party Candidate for the Senate Opposing McConnell is a Militarist Who is Not Much of an Alternative. counterpunch.org Given the 2018 election results, one might expect a wave of more liberally-minded peace candidates. In one race for the senate, that is definitely not happening. I live in California. A couple of weeks ago, I received a fundraising letter from Amy McGrath who is running for the Kentucky seat in the U.S. Senate against
(2020-04-27). Cuba Plans National Production of Drug Against COVID-19. telesurenglish.net The Cuban pharmaceutic Company MedSol Laboratories develops antiretroviral Kaletra; this drug has been effectively used to treat COVID-19 infected patients. | RELATED: | MedSol research and development group, Novatec, is because of Kaletra's testing and production. According to Adalberto Izquierdo Castro, Novatec's manager, the drug is in the development stage. So far, Cuban laboratories produced three pilot batches and ca…
(2020-04-26). 'Just calm down': Pelosi fails to reassure with message for state and local governments battling Covid-19 and its economic fallout. rt.com 
As small businesses and state governments struggle amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Nancy Pelosi has dismissed accusations that she made an error by supporting an interim relief package, telling critics to "just calm down." | Speaker of the House Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received heavy criticism from progressives following their support of an interim coronavirus relief bill that did not include financial support for state and local governments, originally a sticking point for their party. | A second CARES Act has been promised, which will be a more expansive relief bill, though the inter…
(2020-04-26). A history of American protest music: Which Side Are You On? mronline.org 
Just as we were in the 1930s and '60s, America is suffering a moral crisis. We have to decide which side we are on: hate and exclusion, or justice, inclusion, and democracy?>
(2020-04-26). 'I haven't heard anything directly': Lindsey Graham makes headlines by weighing in on Kim Jong-un death rumours, but knows nothing. rt.com 
Media outlets keep sharing Senator Lindsey Graham's opinion on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health, even though there is no official information on the matter, and despite the fact Graham hasn't provided any evidence. | The South Carolina Republican senator, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, admitted to Fox News's Jeanine Pirro he has no direct knowledge of Kim's health — but weighed in anyway, calling North Korea a "cult." | "It's a closed society. I haven't heard anything directly, but I'll be shocked if he's not dead or in some incapacitated state, because you don't let rumors like this…
(2020-04-26). Hilarious Kim Jong Un Jokes, And Other Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Ha ha ha let's all laugh about rumors that Kim Jong Un might be dead because he runs a crazy backwards regime where the media are a propaganda arm of the state and the public is oppressed and surveilled and people are imprisoned for exposing the truth about the government. | ~ | "I sure hope those North Koreans get to have democracy someday like we have here. Lemme log off this search engine algorithmically stacked toward billionaire CIA-tied media and ponder whether I want Donald Trump or Joe Biden to continue the wars and oligarchic exploitation." | ~ | The US needs to constantly bully the world, drop bombs, pa…
(2020-04-26). New Poll Shows Nearly 90 Percent of Democratic Voters Support Medicare for All. truthout.org A new poll showing nearly 90 percent approval among Democratic voters for Medicare for All has stirred fresh calls for Joe Biden, the party's presumptive nominee, to end his outdated opposition to the healthcare solution that would Arriving amid the coronavir…
(2020-04-25). As the dust settles over the Corbyn and Sanders era, we must remember one crucial reality. thecanary.co It seemed almost celestially ordained that Corbyn's term as leader of the Labour Party in the UK and Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential run in the US would come to
(2020-04-25). Corporate Media Deny Their Own Existence, Despite Driving Biden's Primary Victory. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speak during the second night of the first Democratic presidential debate on June 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_joe_biden_msnbc.jpg …
(2020-04-25). Joe Biden: no lesser, just evil. mronline.org 
The only thing Joe Biden and Donald Trump should be battling over is the top bunk of a prison cell. Instead, these two crooks are vying for the presidency of the United States. If Biden is this year's lesser evil, he is sorely testing the meaning of "lesser". No Democratic politician has worked longer and …
(2020-04-25). Senator hands outrage culture a win, apologizes for wearing Confederate flag face mask after defending it only a day earlier. rt.com 
A Michigan state senator gave in to triggered critics by apologizing for wearing a mask resembling the Confederate flag. A day earlier he ardently defended it, saying history should be taught so as not to repeat itself. | Republican Dale Zorn was photographed wearing the mask while in the Michigan state chamber on Friday to vote on bills seeking to limit the emergency powers of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. | This is Dale Zorn. He is an elected member of the Michigan Senate. He wore a Confederate Flag mask on the floor of the Michigan Senate. Then he tried to tell us he didn't…
(2020-04-25). Blast from the past: Recording of a call to Larry King bolsters Tara Reade's claim Joe Biden sexually assaulted her. rt.com 
The mainstream media's dismissal of Tara Reade's claims she was sexually assaulted by then-Senator Joe Biden just became more awkward after a video emerged of her mother's 1993 call into CNN's Larry King Live. | The minute-long clip that surfaced on Friday shows a female called into Larry King Live from San Luis Obispo, California on August 11, 1993, seeking advice about her daughter who just left Washington after having "problems" with "a prominent senator." | BREAKING: Is this the mother of Joe Biden's accuser talking to CNN in 1993?
(2020-04-25). How a Trump administration official is quietly exploiting the pandemic to advance her family business — and right-wing agenda. mronline.org 
As school districts reported huge problems with converting classroom learning into online instruction delivered to students' homes, often due to lack of funding for internet-capable devices and Wi-Fi hotspots, charter school proponents spread the news of how their industry could take advantage of emergency aid.
(2020-04-25). David Stockman on the Real Reason Why the Government Shutdown Caused an Economic Collapse. strategic-culture.org David STOCKMAN | International Man: Is the government's reaction to COVID-19 worse than the virus itself? What are your thoughts? | David Stockman: I think for once, Donald Trump was right when he worried out loud the other day that the cure may be far worse than the disease. | Governors—mostly Democratic governors and mayors of major areas of the country—have imposed Lockdown Nation. It's a complete economic disaster. | It's a wrong policy from a public health point of view and an economic point of view. | It is hitting, like a ton of bricks, a highly fragile and vulnerable economy that was living ha…
(2020-04-25). Joe Biden Needs To Stay Away From Larry Summers. commondreams.org Then-Vice President Joseph Biden and then-Director of the National Economic Council Larry Summers, in October 2009. (Photo: Alex Wong via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/biden_summers.jpg …
(2020-04-27). US: Joe Biden's run gets nod from House Speaker Pelosi. yenisafak.com US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday became the latest high-profile Democrat to officially endorse former Vice President Joe Biden's White House bid."Today, I'm proud to endorse Joe Biden for President of the United States because he will be an extraordinary president," she said in a pre-recorded video message attached to her tweet. "He knows how to get the job done."Praising Biden's work in various policy areas, Pelosi touted his character in an implicit dig at the current president, saying: "Joe Biden brings values and integrity to work every day because he never forgets his roots.""Now more than ever we nee…
(2020-04-27). Mass measles vaccination starts in DR Congo. yenisafak.com A mass vaccination campaign against measles has been launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo, local media reported on Monday.The vaccination campaign for children aged zero and five started in the Beni health zone in North Kivu province, according to the UN Radio Okapi.It said the campaign targets 25,000 children in Kasabinyole, Kanzulinzuli, Madrandele, Tuungane and Malepe health zones.Administrative authorities, the chief medical officer of the area, health partners including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Ebola response team took part in the launching event.Measles outbreak in the Cen…
(2020-04-26). Russia's Love of Trump, But Why? Trump is Burying the United States, Just Like Nikita Promised. thealtworld.com 
Over the past year, since Russiagate has blown over for the most part, Sputnik News and Russia Today, the two major government controlled media operations (controlled by the same person) have embarrassingly fawned over Trump. | More than that, their slant has been decidedly racist, anti-Semitic (expressing virulent hatred for America's liberal Jewish majority), anti-Hispaic/African American/Islamic America and anti-intellectual. | They have also been anti-science but their real bias has been an ongoing smear campaign against any democratic politician or anyone that isn't a pure Deep State sludge eater. | Above al…
(2020-04-26). 'Just Calm Down,' Says Pelosi, When Asked If She Made Tactical Error in Covid-19 Relief Fight With McConnell. commondreams.org "It's no use going on to what might have been," said Democratic Speaker of the House on Sunday morning when asked about her legislative strategy against Republicans. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pelosi_just_calm_down.jpg …
(2020-04-25). As Poll Shows Nearly 90% Democratic Support, Biden Told Hostility to Medicare for All 'No Longer Tenable Position for You'. commondreams.org "Hey, ‚ŶJoe Biden, ‚Å© as a Democrat running for president in a pandemic, this looks like a popular idea." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_medicare_for_all_0.jpg …
(2020-04-24). New $484B Relief Bill Lacks Funds for Food Aid, Rent Relief, US Postal Service, Election Protection. democracynow.org 
As the House passes a new $484 Billion coronavirus relief bill, Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the sole Democrat to vote no, saying it falls far short, failing to protect those at greatest health risk, including essential frontline workers, and could let millions go hungry. We get response from The American Prospect's David Dayen.
(2020-04-24). Headlines for April 24, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Nears 50,000, as Pandemic Leaves 26 Million Unemployed, House Approves $484 Billion in Additional Coronavirus Relief Funding, House Members Wear Masks During Historic Vote as COVID-19 Impacts Lawmakers' Families, Trump Suggests Injecting COVID-19 Patients with Disinfectant, Leaving Doctors Aghast, "Trump Lies People Die": Protesters Dump Body Bags in Front of Trump D.C. Hotel, New York Governor Says 1 in 5 NYC Residents Have Coronavirus Antibodies in Blood, As Georgia Reopens Businesses, Hospitals Brace for New Wave of Coronavirus Deaths, Gov. Newsom Keeps Lockdown in Place as California…
(2020-04-24). Organizer: Domestic Workers Make All Work Possible, But the Coronavirus Relief Bill Discounts Them. democracynow.org 
To talk more about how the coronavirus relief bills have affected essential workers, we speak with an organizer in Queens, New York, the epicenter of the epicenter of the pandemic. "Things are being done, but it's not enough to serve the domestic workers who are essential workers and keep this city running," says Riya Ortiz, lead organizer and case manager for the nonprofit Damayan Migrant Workers Association in New York City.
(2020-04-24). "We Don't Have the Capacity to Treat": Palestinian-Canadian Doctor Says Israel Must Lift Gaza Siege. democracynow.org 
As fears continue to grow about what a rampant outbreak of the coronavirus might do to the occupied Palestinian territory, already crippled by years of Israeli sanctions, we get an update from Dr. Tarek Loubani, Palestinian-Canadian doctor and emergency physician who volunteers in the Gaza Strip and returned from a trip there last month. "Testing is severely limited," he says. "There have been fewer tests in Gaza so far throughout the entire pandemic than there were in South Korea yesterday."
(2020-04-24). "Nobody Wants to Do This": Georgia Reopens Nonessential Businesses Despite Public Health Warnings. democracynow.org 
We go to Georgia, which is reopening nonessential businesses today — hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors and massage therapists — despite a rising number of COVID-19 deaths. The governor is opening the state over the objections of mayors in Savannah, Atlanta and Augusta. "This order has nothing to do with public health. It has everything to do with the financial health of the state," says George Chidi, columnist for Decaturish, and public policy director for PadSplit, an Atlanta-based affordable housing organization.
(2020-04-24). CNN claims Trump can't postpone election because then we get PRESIDENT PELOSI, but quickly 'updates' report after getting schooled. rt.com 
After Joe Biden claimed President Donald Trump could use the Covid-19 pandemic to postpone the 2020 election, CNN alleged Nancy Pelosi could become POTUS for months in such a scenario — but faceplanted when confronted with facts. | "If the election were postponed, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence would no longer have their jobs," CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza wrote on Friday, in a piece humoring Biden's warning this week that the president could delay the November presidential election. | "Because of the line of succession," Cillizza continued, "Pelosi, as likely Speaker of the House in 2021, wou…
(2020-04-24). Dem legislator accuses Trump of taking over US Postal Service to 'interfere' with 2020 election. rt.com 
Democrats have largely been in support of mail-in voting and Republicans against it, but one congressman believes Donald Trump is trying to take control of…
(2020-04-24). Illinois, Michigan governors hit Trump response to coronavirus pandemic. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Democratic Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan have been targets of GOP President Donald Trump's incendiary tweets during the coronavirus pandemic. Wednesday, they got a chance to hit back. They did, Whitmer politely, Pritzker less so. The two governors head states whose big cities, Chicago and Detroit, have been hard-hit by …
(2020-04-24). Even Biden's WIFE is rooting for Michelle Obama as VP (so who cares if the former First Lady doesn't want it?). rt.com 
Joe Biden's wife Jill is the latest Democrat to openly wish for Michelle Obama to be on the 2020 ticket as her husband's vice president — despite the fact that the former first lady appears to have zero interest in the job.
(2020-04-24). Corporate Media Deny Their Own Existence, Despite Driving Biden's Primary Victory. fair.org 
If someone were to tell you that major and influential business sectors like the fossil fuel and health insurance industries simply don't exist, or imply that major corporations like ExxonMobil and Cigna don't try to manipulate public opinion and advance a political agenda in order to protect and maximize their profits, you might find it hard to contain your laughter. | But looking at corporate media's coverage of corporate media, one gets the sense that anyone who dares to suggest that media corporations like Comcast-owned MSNBC, AT&T-owned CNN or News Corp…
(2020-04-24). Nearly 50 Progressive Groups Urge Pelosi and Schumer to Pursue Bold Relief Package. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-04-24). Tampa students say no to unfair summer tuition fees. fightbacknews.org Tampa, Fl – On April 21 Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) had its most recent email-in for the University of South Florida (USF) to end unnecessary summer tuition fees. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person classes and certain activities at the USF are canceled for the summer semester. Instead of canceling additional tuition fees, USF is planning to charge them at a reduced rate. One of the fees Tampa Bay SDS demands be removed is the distance learning fee, which is a fee per credit hour of online courses. Tampa Bay SDS demands USF remove these unfair fees entirely for summer tuition due to the…
(2020-04-24). Philippines: Martial Law or Peace Talks? fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Luis Jalandoni, Member, Executive Committee and National Council, National Democratic Front of the Philippines. | The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) vigorously condemns President Rodrigo Duterte for threatening the imposition of martial law against the Filipino people to force them to comply with his disastrous anti-people policies in his alleged combating of the Covid-19 pandemic. | On television on April 16, 2020, he made this threat declaring that the people had better comply because he is ordering the Armed Forces of the…
(2020-04-24). India's Communist-governed Kerala state is beating COVID-19. peoplesworld.org Morning StarLike free stuff? So do we. Here at People's World, we believe strongly in the mission of keeping the labor and democratic movements informed so they are prepared for the struggle. But we need your help. While our content is free for readers (something we are proud of) it takes money — a lot of it — to produce and cover the stories you see in our pages. Only you, our readers and supporters, can keep us going. Only you can make sure we keep the news that matters free of paywalls and advertisements. If you enjoy reading People's World and the stories we bring you, (2020-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2020. democracynow.org ACLU Warns Spread of Coronavirus in Jails Could Add 100,000 Deaths to U.S. Toll, Government Scientist Claims Reprisal for Opposing Trump's Unproven Coronavirus Treatment, As Coronavirus Reached the U.S., Trump Admin Tapped Ex-Labradoodle Breeder to Lead Task Force, President Trump "Disagrees Strongly" with Governor's Plans to Reopen Georgia, Scientists Skeptical of Reports of High Rates of Coronavirus Antibodies in California Residents, Funeral Directors Association Warns U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Are Underreported, Doctors Report Life-Threatening Blood Clotting in COVID-19 Patients, More Human Trials of Experimental…
(2020-04-23). Global Health Doctor: Hire 1000s of Contact Tracers to Stop COVID-19, Save Lives and the Economy. democracynow.org 
As parts of the United States and Europe consider reopening, most of the world's population remains susceptible to the coronavirus. We look at new efforts to stop the deadly spread of COVID-19 with contact tracing — finding who infected patients have been in contact with so they can get tested and isolated. We'll speak with global health expert Dr. Joia Mukherjee, with Partners in Health, about a contact tracing project she is working on now in Massachusetts.
(2020-04-23). "The Virus Is Still Out There": Infectious Disease Expert Warns Against Reopening States Too Soon. democracynow.org 
Despite strong objections of public health officials, governors in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina still plan to reopen parks, beaches and nonessential businesses. Even Trump reversed his support. Increased testing is critical for the whole country. But where are the tests? We look at the path ahead with Dr. Syra Madad, infectious disease specialist and special pathogens expert, who was recently featured in the Netflix docuseries "Pandemic."
(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 …
(2020-04-22). Greta Thunberg: Climate Activists Have Not Lost Hope Amid Pandemic. We're Changing How We Organize. democracynow.org 
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke in an Earth Day live stream hosted by the Nobel Prize Museum about how the Fridays for Future school strikes movement she launched is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. "Within the Fridays for Future movement, there's still this sort of big sense of resistance, and people are thinking, 'We will get out of this. And when we do, we will continue, and we will do everything we can that is possible in that situation to continue to push even harder,'" says Thunberg. "I feel like many people have not lost their sense of hope. We have just changed the way we do things. W…
(2020-04-22). "Frightening Moment": On Earth Day, Kumi Naidoo on Africa's Twin Pandemics of Coronavirus & Hunger. democracynow.org 
Some 265 million people are expected to face acute hunger as the coronavirus crisis could trigger a second pandemic of hunger. The crisis is projected to disproportionately affect Africa, where there is already widespread hunger. This comes as the World Health Organization estimates the number of COVID-19 cases in Africa could rise to 10 million in the next three to six months. Ten African countries don't have a single ventilator. "This is an extremely terrifying and frightening moment for the people of Africa. … We were already facing a major food crisis — that was before the coronavirus hit," says lifel…
(2020-04-22). Chileans Who Took to Streets Against Inequality & Climate Crisis Say Virus Lockdowns Won't Stop Them. democracynow.org 
Months ago, the streets of Santiago and other Chilean cities were alive with a vibrant mass protest movement that drew hundreds of thousands and even led the U.N. climate summit to be relocated to Madrid, Spain, last December. Now the public spaces of Santiago are largely empty as citizens shelter in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But the protest movement against austerity and right-wing President Sebastián Piñera lives on as activists find new ways to organize online. We go to Santiago, Chile, to speak with Angela Valenzuela, a 350.org organizer who has been active both in the country's uprising and in…
(2020-04-22). Headlines for April 22, 2020. democracynow.org U.N. Warns Pandemic May Unleash "Multiple Famines of Biblical Proportions", $484 Billion U.S. Coronavirus Bill Won't Fund Relief Checks, Food Stamps or State Aid, Trump Organization Asks Trump Administration for Rent Relief for D.C. Hotel, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Trump Agree to Expand Coronavirus Testing in New York, Wisconsin COVID-19 Cases Linked to In-Person Voting During April 7 Election, More Slaughterhouse Workers Contract COVID-19, Anti-Quarantine Protesters, Backed by Far-Right Groups, Flout Social Distancing, At White House Protest, Nurses Read Names of Colleagues Who Died of COVID-19, California Confirms…
(2020-04-22). Bill McKibben on Earth Day at 50: We Must Stop Subsidizing Fossil Fuel Industry Wrecking the Planet. democracynow.org 
Today marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, when more than 20 million Americans joined in actions to protect the environment — 10% of the U.S. population at the time. Half a century later, in the middle of a pandemic, protests planned around the world have moved online, and the Trump administration has gutted the Environmental Protection Agency — established not long after Earth Day — rolled back fuel economy standards and eased the enforcement of pollution regulations. "The countries that flattened the coronavirus curve early on are doing far better than those like ours, which delayed," says…
(2020-04-21). Headlines for April 21, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Says He Will Shut Down All Immigration to the U.S. Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Southern States to Reopen Businesses Despite Mounting COVID-19 Cases | , Coronavirus Cases Surging in Massachusetts , NY Nurses Sue over Lack of Protection Against Coronavirus, MTA Moves Ahead with Increase in Police Force Despite Financial Hardship and Drop in Riders | , Federal Judge Orders ICE to Consider Releasing Immigrants Vulnerable to COVID-19, SCOTUS to Consider Crucial Role of DACA First Responders, Airline Industry Receives $3 Billion in Gov't Funds as Flight Attendants Denounce Working Conditions, Disney to Stop Paying…
(2020-04-21). NYC Immigrant Communities Fight Hunger, Exploitation & Invisibility Through Mutual Aid. democracynow.org 
We look at how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting undocumented people here in New York City, where the coronavirus has hit immigrant communities the hardest, even as the numbers of daily deaths statewide has declined in recent days. As reports of widespread poverty and hunger continue in the immigrant communities, people are also organizing and helping each other through mutual aid despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances. We are joined by Juan Carlos Ruiz, Lutheran pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Brooklyn and co-founder of the national New Sanctuary Movement and the New Sanctuary Coalition here in Ne…
(2020-04-21). Coronavirus Relief Bills Bail Out Corporations as Small Businesses & Workers Suffer. democracynow.org 
As the White House and Democrats near a deal on a $450 billion coronavirus relief package, members of the Progressive Caucus say it bails out businesses once again and fails to protect working people. "In general, there's been kind of a disproportionate response that is reflected in the CARES Act. For individuals, for small businesses, it's very hard to get relief," says The American Prospect's executive editor, David Dayen. "But if you're a big corporation, the Federal Reserve has $4.5 trillion in reserves ready for you."
(2020-04-21). Death Trap Jail: Pepper-Sprayed, Otay Mesa Detainees Demand Release as COVID-19 Spreads Inside. democracynow.org 
We look at the mounting number of COVID-19 cases inside immigration jails across the country and one of the largest outbreaks at the Otay Mesa Detention Center near San Diego, run by private prison company CoreCivic. Prisoners were told to sign contracts, written only in English, in exchange for receiving face masks. When some refused to sign, guards pepper-sprayed them. This comes as activists say hundreds imprisoned in detention centers in California are on hunger strike. We get an update from Ruth Mendez, community activist and volunteer with Otay Mesa Detention Resistance.
(2020-04-21). Juan González: "Make No Mistake: This Country Is Edging Closer to Neo-Fascist Authoritarianism" democracynow.org 
We get an update from Democracy Now! co-host Juan González about his mother and wife, who were infected with COVID-19, and discuss how right-wing Trump supporters are brandishing automatic weapons at protests to demand an end to coronavirus shutdowns and are being egged on by the president. "We should make no mistake, that this country is edging closer and closer to neo-fascist authoritarianism," says González, expressing concern these actions will become normalized in the lead-up to a bitter national election in November.
(2020-04-21). Media Fail to Identify Xenophobia as Biden Says Trump 'Rolled Over for Chinese'. fair.org Election Focus 2020: Rather than respond by focusing blame for the crisis squarely where it belongs—on Trump's incompetent, reckless and self-centered management—and working to beat back the dangerously rising anti-Asian sentiment in this country, Biden and some of his supporting super PACs are choosing to adopt rather than challenge the anti-China premise of the attacks.
(2020-04-20). Want to Push Biden Left? Focus on These Appointments. cepr.net In These Times See article on original site Last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential campaign but assured his supporters that "the struggle continues." And he's right. In the coming weeks and months, the struggle will continue in the streets (although perhaps in cars for the time being), at the ballot box, in workplaces, …
(2020-04-20). Essential or Expendable? Gig Workers at Instacart & Grocery Stores Demand Safety Gear & Hazard Pay. democracynow.org 
Grocery stores are one of the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, with store workers and gig economy shoppers often working without protection, as demand for groceries soars and millions of Americans stay home. "At first, when the adrenaline was still there, we were essential. We were prideful. And now, as we get more into it, that's wearing off, and it's seeming more like expendable," says Matthew Telles, a member of the Gig Workers Collective, who is a personal shopper who helped organize a strike by Instacart workers in March to demand the company implement appropriate safety measures and give them hazard…
(2020-04-20). Handcuffed: Black Miami Doctor Who Works with Homeless Says He Was Racially Profiled by Police. democracynow.org 
We continue our conversation with Dr. Armen Henderson, an African-American doctor in Miami who was handcuffed outside his home while preparing for a volunteer shift to help protect homeless people from the spread of COVID-19. The encounter has sparked widespread outrage, and Miami's police chief has now tested positive for COVID-19 and is in self-isolation. Dr Henderson has taken a test himself and is waiting for results — and accountability.
(2020-04-20). Headlines for April 20, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Fatalities Top 40,000; Nursing Homes Hit Hard as Death Tolls Soar | , Trump and Governors at Odds over Coronavirus Testing as Uneven Reopening of States Commences, Right-Wing Groups Organize Anti-Lockdown Protests Around the Country | , New Deal on Relief for Small Businesses Could Be Imminent But May Lack Key Democratic Provisions, Immigrant Prisoners at Otay Mesa Launch Hunger Strike, Denounce Inhumane Treatment | , Michael Cohen to Be Released from Federal Detention as Prisoners Nationwide Face Mounting Coronavirus Risk, Italy Records Lowest Daily Death Toll in a Week; Spain & France Also Show Signs of Pr…
(2020-04-17). Headlines for April 17, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Surge to New Record High as 4,500+ People Die in 24 Hours, New York COVID-19 Death Toll Surpasses 12,000 While Hospitalizations Continue to Fall | , CDC Investigating SD Pork Processing Plant, Single Biggest COVID-19 Hot Spot in U.S. | , Nurses Suspended in CA for Refusing to Treat COVID-19 Patients Without N95 Masks | , $349B Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Exhausted | , USAA Will No Longer Seize Stimulus Checks; ProPublica Finds Landlords Violated Eviction Ban, NY Gov. Cuomo Rules Out Relief for Undocumented Residents | , UnitedHealth Group Profits Surge as Coronavirus Spre…
(2020-04-17). Frontline Medical Workers Protest New NYC Policy Demanding Doctor's Notes When They Are Sick. democracynow.org 
A new policy at New York City's public hospitals requires medical workers who call in sick to produce a doctor's note. "We know that people just need a mental health day," says Sean Petty, a registered nurse at a public hospital in the Bronx who is organizing a protest against the policy. "Thousands of us have been exposed. Health workers are the least tested group of people in this city." Petty is a member of the board of directors of the New York State Nurses Association.
(2020-04-17). "Gangster in the White House": Noam Chomsky on COVID-19, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism. democracynow.org 
We continue our conversation with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky. He responds to President Trump's cuts to U.S. support for the World Health Organization and the surge in deaths in the United States to another record high, and discusses conditions in Gaza, the rise of authoritarianism around the world, and the progressive response. "This is typical behavior of autocrats and dictators. When you make colossal errors which are killing thousands of people, find somebody else to blame," say Chomsky. "In the United States, it's unfortunately the case, for well over a century, centu…
(2020-04-16). Pandemic Is a Portal: Arundhati Roy on COVID-19 in India, Imagining Another World & Fighting for It. democracynow.org 
Officials in India say six major cities are coronavirus hot spots, including the capital city, New Delhi. We go there to speak with writer and activist Arundhati Roy, who has a new essay on how "The Pandemic Is a Portal." She says, "You have the sense that you're sitting on some kind of explosive substance," and describes how the government of Narendra Modi is using the pandemic to crack down on opponents and dissidents.
(2020-03-27). 'The universe is collapsing'. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders mocks Republicans over coronavirus aid…
(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). 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). 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 …
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. 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…
(2020-02-01). The Times They Are a-Changin: Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Sometimes it feels like our world is falling apart, but real change is all around us…
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …