Daily Archives: June 1, 2020

2020-06-01: News Headlines

Jon Queally (2020-06-01). "If You Want to End Unrest, End the Conditions That Create It" zcomm.org Instead of calls for things to simply calm down and "go back to normal," said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, "let's create a new world—one where all people are held to the same standard of the rule of law."

Scott Owen (2020-06-01). On Sheep, Shepherds, Wolves and Other Political Creatures. counterpunch.org Noam Chomsky was recently recorded in an interview saying that the Bernie Sanders campaign was "an extraordinary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States. While I agree with Chomsky when he says in the same Democracy Now interview that "If Trump is reelected, it's an indescribable disaster. It

Eds. (2020-06-01). Cornel West: 'Neo-fascist gangster' Trump and neoliberal Democrats expose America as 'failed social experiment'. mronline.org West explained the current anger over Floyd's murder by police—one of whom, officer Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter—adds to a "perfect storm" of multiple failures and inequities that pre-exist under an American imperial system that people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and others have been warning about since the middle …

Brasil de Fato (2020-06-01). Protests against Bolsonaro end up in repression and confrontation with far-right. peoplesdispatch.org For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, anti-fascist groups linked to organized soccer fans in Brazil took to the streets to demand that President Jair Bolsonaro step down from office, and fight against demonstrations organized by far right supporters, who are attacking the Legislative and Judiciary Power. | In Sà£o Paulo, as soccer fan supporters held a pro-democracy demonstration on Avenida Paulista, in the central region of the capital, this Sunday May 31, and were repressed by the Military Police. During the demonstration, military policemen started a confrontation against the protesters…

news.un (2020-06-01). WHO to support DR Congo as Ebola resurfaces in the northwest. news.un.org The World Health Organization (WHO) will assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as it confronts a new Ebola outbreak in the northwest amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and other challenges, agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.

Dean Baker (2020-06-01). Republican Attacks on State and Local Government Are Yet Another Assault on Black People. cepr.net Democrats in Congress have been pushing for a large amount of assistance for state and local governments in the next pandemic aid package. The finances of these governments have been devastated by the pandemic, with all of them seeing massive shortfalls in revenue due to the shutdowns and the weak economy that is projected for …

Fight Back (2020-06-01). Thousands in Tampa Bay demand justice for George Floyd and all victims of police brutality. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society hosted a protest May 30 to demand justice for George Floyd and community control of the police. The event corresponded with the National Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression's national day of protest. Reporters estimate 5000 people in attendance at the height of the protest. | A crowd began to form a half-hour before the scheduled time. Hundreds marched to the Temple Terrace Police Department, chanting, "Say his name! George Floyd!" and "No justice, no peace! No racist police!" The protesters circled back to the corner of 53rd Street and Fowler…

Richard Silverstein (2020-06-01). Mueller Investigated Former Lebanese Phalangist, Trump Advisor, for Ties to Egyptian Dictator. globalresearch.ca The ranks of Republican consultants are filled by hoaxsters, swindlers and crooks. In the era of Trump, this phenomenon has become even more pronounced. One of them is Walid Phares, a

Ryan Cristián (2020-06-01). Top Ten Signs We're Living in a Police State. thelastamericanvagabond.com "The further a society drifts from Truth, the more it will hate those that speak it." — George Orwell There are some who would have Americans believe that certain kinds of change are necessary to the modern survival of this country. In this time of limitless and unforeseen possibilities, that statement is inevitably true. Yet, …

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-06-01). 'They Need Our Help': As CBO Projects $16 Trillion GDP Loss Due to Pandemic, Sanders and Schumer Demand Relief for Working Families. commondreams.org Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer demanded to know on Monday how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can remain committed to passing no additional coronavirus relief for working families. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/unemployment_coronavirus_1.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-06-01). Federal Judge Upholds Expanded Absentee Ballot Law in Virginia, Blocking Right-Wing Group's Attempt at Voter Suppression. commondreams.org Civil rights advocates applauded a victory for voting rights Monday after a federal judge denied a right-wing, pro-voter suppression group's request to restrict the use of absentee ballots in Virginia. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1211232916_1_1.jpg

Staff (2020-06-01). Headlines for June 1, 2020. democracynow.org Minneapolis Protests at Epicenter of Nationwide Uprising Met with More Police Violence, Louisville Police Shoot and Kill Man at Protest, New Yorkers Take to Streets Around City, Shut Down Traffic as NYPD Arrests Hundreds, Attacks Peaceful Crowds, Rep. Joyce Beatty and Two Columbus City Officials Pepper-Sprayed by Ohio Police, Video Shows 9-Year-Old Seattle Child in Distress After Reportedly Being Maced by Police, Protesters Rally in Front of Capitol, White House, as Trump Retreats to Presidential Bunker, Black Sacramento Teen Recovering After Being Shot in Face with Rubber Bullet, Atlanta Police Officers Fired Af…

Staff (2020-06-01). A Class Rebellion: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on How Racism & Racial Terrorism Fueled Nationwide Anger. democracynow.org In the largest nationwide uprising since the 1960s, protesters shut down cities across the United States over the weekend following the police killing of George Floyd, an African American man in Minneapolis. "These are not just repeats of past events," says scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "These are the consequences of the failures of this government and the political establishment … to resolve these crises."

Staff (2020-06-01). "My Vanishing Country": Mass Protests Rise from 400 Years of Systemic Racism, Says Bakari Sellers. democracynow.org As mass unrest engulfs the U.S., we speak with attorney and political commentator Bakari Sellers, whose new memoir "My Vanishing Country" was just published. One of the central moments in the book is the Orangeburg massacre of 1968, when police opened fire on a crowd of students gathered on the campus of South Carolina State University to protest segregation at Orangeburg's only bowling alley. When the shooting stopped, three Black students were dead, 28 students were wounded. The nine officers who opened fire that day were all acquitted. The only person convicted of wrongdoing was Bakari Sellers's father, Clevel…

Staff (2020-06-01). "America's Moment of Reckoning": Cornel West Says Nationwide Uprising Is Sign of "Empire Imploding" democracynow.org As thousands from coast to coast took to the streets this weekend to protest the state-sanctioned killing of Black people, and the nation faces its largest public health crisis in generations and the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, professor Cornel West calls the U.S. a "predatory capitalist civilization obsessed with money, money, money." He also makes the connections between U.S. violence abroad and at home. "There is a connection between the seeds that you sow of violence externally and internally."

Staff (2020-06-01). "America Has Looted Black People. We Learned It from You" Says Women's March Activist Tamika Mallory. democracynow.org In a powerful address among people in Minneapolis protesting the police murder of George Floyd, activist and former Women's March co-chair Tamika Mallory demanded, "Charge the cops. … Charge them in every city across America where our people are being murdered."

Staff (2020-06-01). Defund Police: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor Says Budgets Wrongly Prioritize Cops Over Schools, Hospitals. democracynow.org Calls to defund the police mount after police erupted into violence this weekend in response to widespread protests across the nation, arresting more than 4,000 people and attacking demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets. As police departments face increasing criticism for using excessive force on protesters, we get response from Professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, renowned scholar Professor Cornel West and attorney Bakari Sellers.

Andrey Areshev (2020-06-01). Joe Biden Is Cancer for the Democrats: Urgent Strategy Change Needed. strategic-culture.org There have been U.S. presidential candidates in our lifetimes that seemed like really pathetic offerings such as the soulless human business suit that is Mitt Romney. There have been some that could have competed. had they gotten the big nomination, if not for one big mistake like Howard Dean. And there are some that just had really tough incumbent competition that they had no hope of defeating like Walter Mondale. However, as it stands today there is no (serious) candidate in the past few generations of American society worse than today's Joe Biden. It isn't even a question at this point if he will lose, the rea…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-06-01). Pelosi's Support of Sanctions Protested. indybay.org Car caravan protest at Pelosi's home as part of "International Days of Action"

Trump is the Terrorist (2020-06-01). Trump Says He Will Name Antifa a Terrorist Organization. indybay.org Corporate media is reporting Trump said Sunday that he will designate antifa as a terrorist organization. This follows Democratic and Republican officials' statements that extremist groups are responsible for violence at protests calling for Justice for George Floyd across the nation.

The Canary (2020-06-01). How the spectre of police brutality could influence Joe Biden's choice of running mate. thecanary.co Joe Biden's search for a running mate could be reshaped by the police killing of George Floyd and the unrest it has ignited across the US, raising questions about contenders with law and order backgrounds and intensifying pressure on the presumptive Democratic nominee to select a Black woman.Biden, who has already pledged to pick a woman, has cast a wide net in his search.Some of the women on his list have drawn national praise amid the protests over Floyd's death, including Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who delivered an impassioned appeal for calm in her city on Friday night.But the outcry over police brut…

RT (2020-06-01). 'It's on you when MPs start dying': Jacob Rees-Mogg roasted for forcing UK lawmakers back to Parliament amid Covid-19 crisis. rt.com UK House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has come under fire after insisting the now-defunct virtual Parliament was "no longer necessary." Now the MPs may have to form endless 'social distancing' queues to cast their votes. | "Westminster has been the seat of our democracy for centuries. It will take more than the coronavirus to change that," said Rees-Mogg, writing for the PoliticsHome website on Monday. Insisting that "If Parliament is to deliver on the people's priorities, it must sit physically," he argued that the "virtual Parliament" that has seen the majority of MPs take part in House of Commons debat…

RT (2020-06-01). 'RADICAL LEFT' trying to seize power by controlling 'CLUELESS' Biden, Trump alleges. rt.com Far-left extremists are pulling the strings of Joe Biden's presidential campaign, and would be the real decision-makers in the Oval Office should he win, Donald Trump has suggested, adding that the former VP is "clueless." | "Sleepy Joe Biden's people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesn't know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus!" read the somewhat jumbled message of the US president. | Sleepy Joe Biden's people are so Radical Left that t…

RT (2020-06-01). Cuomo announces NYC CURFEW, doubles NYPD presence as civil unrest continues. rt.com New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a curfew for New York City and will double the number of police officers on the ground from 4,000 to 8,000 after Sunday night's protests over George Floyd's death devolved into looting. | The city will impose a curfew from 11pm to 5am, Cuomo declared on Monday following a conversation with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot O'Shea. | The decision came in the wake of several days of protests against the police killing of George Floyd, culminating in extensive looting in Manhattan's upscale Soho retail district on Sunday night. | Also on rt.com

RT (2020-06-01). 'I'm proud of her': NY Mayor De Blasio defends daughter following her arrest during Manhattan protest. rt.com New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he is "proud" of his daughter after it emerged that she was arrested at a protest in Manhattan at the weekend for reportedly blocking traffic and refusing to disperse. | "I am proud of her that she cares so much and is willing to do something about it," De Blasio told reporters during a Monday press conference. He said he had asked her to recount the whole story and that she assured him she was "acting peacefully." | "She believes everything she did was in the spirit of peaceful, respectful protest," he said, later adding: "I admire that she was out there trying to c…

RT (2020-06-01). 'Violence was taught to us, we're tired of racism & injustice': BLM protesters reveal grievances as riots rage in DC. rt.com While violence is counterproductive, it is "necessary" during the riots currently plaguing US cities, because people of color are fed up with stigma and racial bias, Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists told Ruptly video agency. | "I just want to be able to walk around every day and not feel like I'm going to get shot, just because I'm black," BLM protester Aryana Evan told Ruptly in the middle of large rallies blighting in the US capital for several days in a row. | "I am tired," Evan said, nearly bursting into tears. "All these black people, all these allies out here, all of these different faces, we are all t…

yenisafak (2020-06-01). UN sends over 100 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The trucks carrying supplies entered Idlib, Syria through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed to residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia. The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have frequently been violated…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-06-01). Biden and Obama: Floyd killing exposes systemic racism in U.S. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — From Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the AFL-CIO and progressive allies there have come declarations that the Minneapolis police killing of 46-year-old George Floyd on May 25 once again exposed the systemic racism that undergirds U.S. society. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the presidency, added that this …

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-06-01). An Open Letter to Joe Biden on Race. counterpunch.org Dear Mr. Vice President Joe Biden, You showed up in public on Memorial Day weekend for the first time in weeks and I breathed a sigh of relief. You showed up in public on Memorial Day weekend for the first time in weeks and I breathed a sigh of relief. Your visit to the veterans

Sara Luterman (2020-06-01). Biden's Disability Policy Plan Is Surprisingly Good. thenation.com Biden's Disability Policy Plan Is Surprisingly Good…

Elie Mystal (2020-06-01). Bill de Blasio Has Failed the Test of This Moment. thenation.com Bill de Blasio Has Failed the Test of This Moment…

Staff (2020-05-31). Ocasio-Cortez: "If You Want to End Unrest, End the Conditions That Create It" truthout.org In a video message posted to Instagram on Saturday amidst days of nationwide protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a plea to anyone calling for the end of the "unrest" stirred by brutality and oppression to focus on the root causes of poverty, distrust, and violence in American society. | "If you are calling for an end to this unrest… but you are not calling for the end to the conditions that…

Staff (2020-05-31). Police Intensify Repression Of Protests Demanding Justice For George Floyd. therealnews.com Photo: Protesters in Baltimore demand justice for George Floyd. Ryan Harvey/ On Saturday, May 30, people in cities across the United States took to the streets for the fourth night in a row demanding justice for George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police on Monday, May 25. Law enforcement responded with heavy handed tactics, using tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Looting and property damage was reported in multiple cities. Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Phil…

_____ (2020-05-31). Democracy — removing our representative rights. truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica: The letter sent to MPs from the Speaker Lindsay Hoyle last Friday spelt out a request by Tory Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg to reconvene parliament. The request really means only 50 MPs will be in the Commons Chamber from next Tuesday. The new hybrid online system that was working …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-31). MSM Is Creating A Race War To Hide The Revolution, As "COVID" Control Measures Forced In Everywhere. 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 (5/31/20). 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 …

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-31). Silicon Valley Has Effectively Banned the Freedom of Speech. It's Time We Take It Back. strategic-culture.org Somewhere along the road of America's development, corporations were blessed with not only 'personhood,' but with the power to sanction what sort of messages were permissible to enter the public realm. Let's be clear: This sort of corporate control, which borders on pure fascism, has no place in a democracy. | There is no need to ask. There is no need to be polite. There is no need to debate. It is only necessary to point to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for this fundamental human right, inscribed into law over 200 years ago, to be returned to the American people. | "Congress shall make no law resp…

Paul Haeder (2020-05-30). Caught in a Madhouse without My Mask. dissidentvoice.org Caught with their proverbial pants down? The blustery conversations tied to corona virus, lockdown, Trump LLC, Pelosi and Comp., and the failed state that is the USA are to be expected. It is a country of nanosecond attention spans. A country with amnesia in vitro. A country that has sacrificed future and future-future generations for …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-30). Bill Gates' Web of Dark Money and Influence with Derrick Broze. 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 (5/29/20). 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 …

Max Blumenthal (2020-05-29). Exclusive images from inside British court expose Assange's un-democratic treatment, physical deterioration. thegrayzone.com Photographs surreptitiously taken inside a British courtroom and provided to The Grayzone show a visibly disoriented Julian Assange confined to…

Staff (2020-05-29). Headlines for May 29, 2020. democracynow.org Protests Rage After Minneapolis Prosecutor Does Not Bring Charges Against Officers Who Killed George Floyd, Scores Tear-Gassed, Arrested as Protests Against George Floyd's Killing Spread to Other Cities, Twitter Flags Trump Tweet for Glorifying Violence After President Attacks Minnesota Protesters as "THUGS", Trump Executive Order Threatens to Punish Social Media Companies over Fact-Checking, U.S. Economy Sheds Another 2.1 Million Jobs, Leaving 40.7 Million Unemployed Since Start of Pandemic, Pennsylvania Democratic Lawmakers Accuse Republicans of Knowingly Exposing Them to Coronavirus, Protesters Demand ICE Empt…

Staff (2020-05-29). "It Was Murder": Minneapolis Demands Charges in Police Killing of George Floyd, Calls to Defund Cops. democracynow.org As thousands take to the streets of Minneapolis to protest against the police killing of George Floyd for the third night in a row, we go to Minneapolis to speak with City Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison. Police pointed an automatic rifle at his head in 2015 when he was peacefully protesting the police killing of another African American man, Jamar Clark. We also speak with Kandace Montgomery with the Black Visions Collective, which is calling for the abolition of police.

Staff (2020-05-29). Twitter Warns Trump Tweet Glorifies Violence as He Signs Executive Order to Weaken Social Media. democracynow.org As President Trump calls Minneapolis protesters "THUGS" and tweets, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," Twitter flags the tweet with a warning it glorifies violence, just as Trump signs an executive order to punish social media companies for how they monitor content. "Trump has prospered through his use of social media and its attention-hoarding algorithms to basically disinform and misinform people," says Ramesh Srinivasan, professor in the Department of Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Staff (2020-05-29). As Pandemic Epicenter Shifts to Latin America, Gov'ts Use COVID-19 as Pretext for Police Repression. democracynow.org As the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic shifts to Latin America, so too has the use of COVID-19 as a pretext for police repression. "We're seeing that COVID-19, like other pandemics before it, magnifies structural discrimination. And sadly, it's often the most marginalized that are the first targets," says Louise Tillotson, co-author of a new Amnesty International report on the abuse. We also go to San Salvador to speak with journalist Jorge Cuéllar.

Kate Ruane (2020-05-29). President Trump has No Idea How Online Speech Works. aclu.org Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at bullying social media companies and online platforms into changing how they moderate content online. The order came the day after President Trump tweeted that Republicans feel that social media platforms silence conservative voices. And, notably, just days after Twitter's decision to place a fact-checking

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-29). James Corbett Interview — The Social Media Regulation Psyop. thelastamericanvagabond.com Originally Published August 26 2018 In a time of such obvious deceit and aggressive manipulation, not only by those who once sought our votes or our subservience but today even by each other, unwittingly doing the bidding of those who seek to control our every purchase, our every click, view and action, one would think …

Staff (2020-05-28). "Fight Back!": ACT UP Members & Tony Kushner Remember Trailblazing AIDS Activist Larry Kramer. democracynow.org We discuss the life and legacy of Larry Kramer, the legendary writer and trailblazing activist in the fight against AIDS, who has died at the age of 84. Kramer helped start Gay Men's Health Crisis and ACT UP to demand life-saving drugs, and faced off with Dr. Anthony Fauci before the two became friends. Many credit Kramer for saving thousands of lives. We hear from Kramer in his own words at the 2019 anti-corporate Queer Liberation March and host a roundtable with two former ACT UP members: "Gay USA" host Ann Northrop and Yale epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves. We also speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright To…

Staff (2020-05-28). "No Justification": Minneapolis Demands Murder Charges for Police Officer Who Killed George Floyd. democracynow.org Parts of Minneapolis erupted into flames Wednesday night as residents again took to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin on Monday. A viral video shows Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for a number of minutes as Floyd repeatedly says "I cannot breathe." Three other officers stood by as George Floyd suffocated. They have been identified as Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng. All four officers were fired on Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called on prosecutors to file criminal charges against Derek Chauvin. We speak wit…

Staff (2020-05-28). Headlines for May 28, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 100,000, Minneapolis Erupts in Flames as Protesters Rage Against Police Killing of George Floyd, China Tightens Grip on Hong Kong with New National Security Law, House of Representatives Holds First-Ever Remote Vote Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Protesters Surround Sing Sing Prison Demanding Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Researchers: 6 Feet of Social Distancing Might Not Be Enough to Stop Coronavirus Spread, Doctors Without Borders Warns of Spike in Coronavirus Cases Among Florida Farmworkers, Brazilian Police Raid Fake News Network Linked to Son of Far-Right President, A…

Dale Ho (2020-05-28). We're Working to Safeguard Our Democracy and Our Health. aclu.org No one should have to choose between their health and their vote, but during the Wisconsin primary, an estimated

Staff (2020-05-27). From George Floyd to Chris Cooper: Ibram X. Kendi on "Racist Terror" Facing Black People in America. democracynow.org "I can't breathe" — that's what George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, repeatedly told a white Minneapolis police officer who pinned him to the ground Monday with a knee to his neck. Video of the police attack went viral. Now four officers have been fired. This comes as another video went viral of a white woman calling the cops on a Black man in New York City's Central Park and falsely accusing him of "threatening her life" after he asked her to leash her dog. We discuss these developments and more with Ibram X. Kendi, founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American Univer…

Staff (2020-05-27). COVID Racial Data Tracker: Ibram X. Kendi on How Better Data Reveals the True Toll of the Pandemic. democracynow.org Ibram X. Kendi says early media coverage of COVID-19 as "the great equalizer" missed the racial impact of the disease. But it soon became clear "that it was Latino Americans and African Americans and Native Americans in particular who were disproportionately being infected and dying." The award-winning author and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University joins us to discuss why he started the COVID Racial Data Tracker.

Staff (2020-05-27). "Horrifying Neglect": COVID-19 Deaths in ICE Custody Spark New Calls for Mass Release of Prisoners. democracynow.org Calls are growing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release people from detention during the pandemic, as two people have died from COVID-19 while in custody. We speak with The Intercept's Ryan Devereaux, who reported on how Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia, held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, suffered horrifying neglect before he passed away. We are also joined by Erika Andiola with RAICES Action. "None of those folks — especially people who migrated seeking asylum — they did not do anything to deserve a life sentence in a detention center," Andiola notes.

Staff (2020-05-27). Headlines for May 27, 2020. democracynow.org Four Minneapolis Cops Fired After Shocking Video Shows Killing of George Floyd, Federal Food Program Fails to Reach Millions Even as Child Hunger Surges in U.S., NY Governor Cuomo Shielded Nursing Homes from Liability After Big Campaign Donation, GOP Governors Vie for Republican National Convention as NC Won't Commit to Packed Arena, Yemen's Health System Has "Collapsed" Amid Explosion of Coronavirus Cases, India Resumes Domestic Air Travel Even as COVID-19 Cases Surge, China Completing Plans to Test 11 Million Wuhan Residents for Coronavirus, South Korea Reports 40 New Coronavirus Infections, Highest Level in 7…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-27). All The Numbers Are Wrong, Not Just COVID & They're Being Used To Justify "Immunity Passports" 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 (5/26/20). 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 …

Matt Sedlar (2020-05-26). Joe Biden's Friend From JPMorgan Chase. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site Much has been made of Joe Biden's public "pivot to the left" in recent weeks, from calling for a stimulus "a hell of a lot bigger" than $3 trillion to seating Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive populists on major policy committees. But while Biden seems sincere about …

Staff (2020-05-26). Photojournalist Sebastià£o Salgado: Brazil's Reckless COVID Response Threatens Indigenous Survival. democracynow.org As Brazil sees more than 800 deaths in 24 hours and nearly 400,000 confirmed cases, we look at COVID-19's devastating impact on Brazil's Indigenous peoples, who are dying at double the rate of the rest of the country. We speak with world-renowned Brazilian photojournalist Sebastià£o Salgado, who wrote an open letter to right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who called the virus a "little flu," to warn him the pandemic is "an extreme threat to their very survival."

Staff (2020-05-26). Headlines for May 26, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Nears 100,000 Deaths from COVID-19 as Trump Shuns Face Masks, Goes After Democrats on Twitter, Trump Threatens to Pull RNC Out of North Carolina If Dem Governor Refuses to Allow Packed Crowds, Second Immigrant in ICE Jail Dies from COVID-19, U.S. to Deport Haitian Death Squad Leader and COVID-Positive Haitians Amid Pandemic, U.S. Restricts Travel from Brazil as It Becomes Second Most Infected Country, South American Nations Experience Mounting Cases as New Epicenter of the Pandemic, Boris Johnson Faces Pressure over Reopening Country and Lockdown-Flouting Adviser, WHO Suspends Tests of Hydroxychloroquine as…

Staff (2020-05-26). Stay Home, Stay Safe, Be Kind: What New Zealand Can Teach the World About Eliminating COVID-19. democracynow.org New Zealand implemented one of the earliest lockdowns and has largely succeeded in eliminating the coronavirus under the leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Some of the country's success has been attributed to her leadership, trust in science, and clear communication during the crisis. We get an update from Michael Baker, professor of public health at the University of Otago in Wellington, New Zealand. He is an epidemiologist and a member of the New Zealand Ministry of Health's Technical Advisory Group. Baker has been advising the government on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their slogan is "Stay…

Ruth Conniff (2020-05-26). The GOP's Hollow War on 'Tyranny'. progressive.org The GOP attacked the "tyranny" of Democratic officeholders who are trying to manage the public-health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-26). Closer Look At The COVID Profit-Motive, Bill Gates' Flexner Report 2.0 & Congress' Quiet Israel Push. 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 (5/25/20). 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 (2020-05-25). Noam Chomsky on Trump's Disastrous Coronavirus Response, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism. 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. 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. He also responds to President Trump's cuts to U.S. support for t…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-23). The Biodefense Illusion & The Final Push For Technocratic Control. 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 (5/22/20). 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 (2020-05-22). "Diarrhea, Dehydration, Hunger, Exhaustion": India's Rural Poor Suffer Most Under Lockdown. democracynow.org India just saw its biggest spike in coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 6,000 new reported infections, as an estimated 3 million seek shelter from a powerful cyclone and tens of thousands have no work or food. We go to Mumbai for an update from renowned journalist P. Sainath, founder of the People's Archive of Rural India.

Staff (2020-05-22). FBI Says It Will Investigate Breonna Taylor Shooting Death as Police Chief Announces Retirement. democracynow.org We speak with Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nurse who was shot to death by police inside her own apartment. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department that details how police shot Taylor at least eight times after they burst into her apartment, unannounced, with a search warrant. The man police were looking for did not live in Taylor's apartment and was reportedly already detained by police when officers arrived at Taylor's residence on the night of March 13. At the time of her killing, Taylor had been working as an e…

Staff (2020-05-22). Mike Davis: Workers Face "Sophie's Choice" Between Income & Health as 50 States Reopen Amid Pandemic. democracynow.org All 50 states will be at least partially reopened this Memorial Day weekend, as the U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak tops 95,000 and some states prepare for a surge in cases. We're joined by historian and writer Mike Davis, who says in Jacobin that "Reopening the Economy Will Send Us to Hell."

Staff (2020-05-22). Third White Man Arrested for Murder in Ahmaud Arbery Shooting as DOJ Considers Hate Crime Charges. democracynow.org Authorities have arrested a third white man for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, this one charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump about how William Bryan filmed Arbery jogging down a narrow road in Brunswick, Georgia, in broad daylight, before he was confronted by two armed white men — retired police officer Gregory McMichael and his son Travis — who shot him three times. "This was never about any trespassing or burglary," Crump says. "This was always about profiling Ahmaud Arbery because of the color of his skin."

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-21). Israel Uses COVID To Further Infiltrate US Cybersecurity & US Gov Sets Fire To Wheat Crops In Syria. 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 (5/21/20). 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 (2020-05-21). Bob Langer The Coronavirus "Common Denominator" Tied To Charles Lieber & Israel's NY "Smart Cities" 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 (5/20/19). 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 (2020-05-19). Gene-Editing Vaccines: Forced Vaccination vs. Informed Consent In The Age Of COVID-19. 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 (5/18/19). 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 …

Joe Emersberger (2020-05-18). Disgraceful yet illuminating reactions to the 2002 coup that briefly ousted Hugo Chavez: IACHR, CPJ and RSF. zcomm.org The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) The IACHR claimed in 2009 report on Venezuela that its reaction to the "the attempted coup d'état [of 2002] was immediate and decisive" and that it "warned that these acts constituted an interruption of the constitutional order as defined in the Democratic Charter." The evidence it offered

Tim Bryant (2020-05-16). Starve The Beast, Feed The Light. thelastamericanvagabond.com It is often echoed by the marginalized masses that "the system doesn't work for the people" and "it only works for the elite that own it." Regardless of ideology, it's pretty hard to deny this claim when wealth inequality and power concentration are rampant all over society with plenty of hard data to back it …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-16). Trump Appoints Gates-Tied Pharma Exec As Vaccine Czar & Florida's Mandatory COVID Vaccination Order. 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 (5/15/19). 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 …

CounterSpin (2020-05-15). Ari Berman on Voter Suppression and Coronavirus. fair.org Media…

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-15). Meet The Bio-Psyop Profiteers Behind The COVID Response & Trump To Mobilize Military For Vaccination. 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 (5/14/19). 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 …

Yichang Yang (2020-05-15). [Correspondence] Use of herbal drugs to treat COVID-19 should be with caution. thelancet.com On April 14, 2020, a Chinese official announced at a press conference that indications of three patent herbal drugs were approved to be expanded to include COVID-19 symptoms.1 This included Lianhuaqingwen capsules and Jinhuaqinggan granules for mild conditions, and Xuebijing (injectable) for severe conditions.

Whitney Webb & Raul Diego (2020-05-14). Head of the Hydra: The Rise of Robert Kadlec. thelastamericanvagabond.com A powerful network of political operatives, a global vaccine mafia and their man in Washington. Last Friday, a group of Democratic Senators "demanded" that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Robert Kadlec, "accurately disclose all his personal, financial and political ties in light of new reporting …

Ryan Cristián (2020-05-14). AI-Powered Medical "Pre-Crime" Is Officially Here To "Fight COVID-19" 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 (5/13/19). 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 …

Bryan Williams, Yi Zhang (2020-05-14). [Comment] Hypertension, renin—angiotensin—aldosterone system inhibition, and COVID-19. thelancet.com Few could have imagined that hypertension and its treatment with inhibitors of the renin—angiotensin—aldosterone system (RAAS) would become a hot topic during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Two factors have contributed to this: first, the observation that hypertension is one of the most common comorbidities associated with severe cases of COVID-19 in patients who have been admitted to hospital and their risk of death;1 and second, that like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2 infects cells via specific binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is ubiq…

Norman Solomon (2020-05-13). Bernie's Decision: Retreat Should Not Be Confused with Surrender. zcomm.org Photo by StoopDown/Shutterstock.com Politics is ultimately about life and death, as the current pandemic horrors make clear. Policies that can seem abstract not only routinely harm quality of life; they also kill. Both Bernie Sanders campaigns for president have brought a principled seriousness to the national discourse that no other candidate has come near

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-05-13). Can Democracy Survive the Coronavirus? zcomm.org The coronavirus is not just a threat to our personal and collective health; it is a threat to our democratic institutions as well. We need to protect lives and democracies…

Wim Laven (2020-05-13). GOP's Achievement is Now on Display. zcomm.org Republicans are responsible for condoning his corruption, persistent abuses of power, and ongoing grift…

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 …

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…

Yang Xiong, Lingli Peng (2020-04-29). [Comment] Focusing on health-care providers' experiences in the COVID-19 crisis. thelancet.com As of April 15, 2020, there have been 1‚Äà918‚Äà138 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally, including 123‚Äà126 deaths, as reported by WHO. The outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern and could be a long-term challenge worldwide. An increasing number of health-care providers around the world are getting involved in the COVID-19 crisis. They have a crucial role and are making great contributions, but they also face great challenges.1 The importance of health-care providers in this crisis is not in doubt, and aware…

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 …

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

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 …

Yang Liu, Li-Meng Yan, Lagen Wan, Tian-Xin Xiang, Aiping Le, Jia-Ming Liu, Malik Peiris, Leo L M Poon, Wei Zhang (2020-03-19). [Correspondence] Viral dynamics in mild and severe cases of COVID-19. thelancet.com Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new pandemic disease. We previously reported that the viral load of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) peaks within the first week of disease onset.1,2 Findings from Feb, 2020, indicated that the clinical spectrum of this disease can be very heterogeneous.3 Here, we report the viral RNA shedding patterns observed in patients with mild and severe COVID-19.

Lilly Dragnev (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 …

2020-06-01: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

"If You Want to End Unrest, End the Conditions That Create It"
Jon Queally | zcomm.org | 2020-06-01
Instead of calls for things to simply calm down and "go back to normal," said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, "let's create a new world–one where all people are held to the same standard of the rule of law."
zcomm.org/znetarticle/if-you-want-to-end-unrest-end-the-conditions-that-create-it/

On Sheep, Shepherds, Wolves and Other Political Creatures
Scott Owen | counterpunch.org | 2020-06-01
Noam Chomsky was recently recorded in an interview saying that the Bernie Sanders campaign was "an extraordinary success" that "completely shifted the arena of debate and discussion" in the United States. While I agree with Chomsky when he says in the same Democracy Now interview that…
counterpunch.org/2020/06/01/on-sheep-shepherds-wolves-and-other-political-creatures/

Cornel West: 'Neo-fascist gangster' Trump and neoliberal Democrats expose America as 'failed social experiment'
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-06-01
West explained the current anger over Floyd's murder by police–one of whom, officer Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter–adds to a "perfect storm" of multiple failures and inequities that pre-exist under an American imperial system that people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and others have been warning about since the middle …
mronline.org/2020/06/01/cornel-west-neo-fascist-gangster-trump-and-neoliberal-democrats-expose-america-as-failed-social-experiment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cornel-west-neo-fascist-gangster-trump-and-neoliberal-democrats-expose-america-as-failed-social-experiment

Protests against Bolsonaro end up in repression and confrontation with far-right
Brasil de Fato | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-06-01
For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, anti-fascist groups linked to organized soccer fans in Brazil took to the streets to demand that President Jair Bolsonaro step down from office, and fight against demonstrations organized by far right supporters, who are attacking the Legislative and Judiciary Power. | In Sà£o Paulo, as soccer fan supporters held a pro-democracy demonstration on Avenida Paulista, in the central region of the capital, this Sunday May 31, and were repressed by the Military Police. During the demonstration, military policemen started a confrontation against the protesters…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/06/01/protests-against-bolsonaro-end-up-in-repression-and-confrontation-with-far-right/

Republican Attacks on State and Local Government Are Yet Another Assault on Black People
Dean Baker | cepr.net | 2020-06-01
Democrats in Congress have been pushing for a large amount of assistance for state and local governments in the next pandemic aid package. The finances of these governments have been devastated by the pandemic, with all of them seeing massive shortfalls in revenue due to the shutdowns and the weak economy that is projected for …
cepr.net/republican-attacks-on-state-and-local-government-are-yet-another-assault-on-black-people/

WHO to support DR Congo as Ebola resurfaces in the northwest
news.un.org | 2020-06-01
The World Health Organization (WHO) will assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as it confronts a new Ebola outbreak in the northwest amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and other challenges, agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/06/1065182

Thousands in Tampa Bay demand justice for George Floyd and all victims of police brutality
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-06-01
Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society hosted a protest May 30 to demand justice for George Floyd and community control of the police. The event corresponded with the National Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression's national day of protest. Reporters estimate 5000 people in attendance at the height of the protest. | A crowd began to form a half-hour before the scheduled time. Hundreds marched to the Temple Terrace Police Department, chanting, "Say his name! George Floyd!" and "No justice, no peace! No racist police!" The protesters circled back to the corner of 53rd Street and Fowler…
fightbacknews.org/2020/6/1/thousands-tampa-bay-demand-justice-george-floyd-and-all-victims-police-brutality

Mueller Investigated Former Lebanese Phalangist, Trump Advisor, for Ties to Egyptian Dictator
Richard Silverstein | globalresearch.ca | 2020-06-01
The ranks of Republican consultants are filled by hoaxsters, swindlers and crooks. In the era of Trump, this phenomenon has become even more pronounced. One of them is Walid Phares, a former ideological commissar for the Lebanese Phalangist militia…
globalresearch.ca/mueller-investigated-former-lebanese-phalangist-trump-advisor-ties-egyptian-dictator/5714610

Biden and Obama: Floyd killing exposes systemic racism in U.S
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-06-01
WASHINGTON

'They Need Our Help': As CBO Projects $16 Trillion GDP Loss Due to Pandemic, Sanders and Schumer Demand Relief for Working Families
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-06-01
Sens. Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer demanded to know on Monday how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can remain committed to passing no additional coronavirus relief for working families. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/unemployment_coronavirus_1.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/06/01/they-need-our-help-cbo-projects-16-trillion-gdp-loss-due-pandemic-sanders-and?cd-origin=rss

Federal Judge Upholds Expanded Absentee Ballot Law in Virginia, Blocking Right-Wing Group's Attempt at Voter Suppression
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-06-01
Civil rights advocates applauded a victory for voting rights Monday after a federal judge denied a right-wing, pro-voter suppression group's request to restrict the use of absentee ballots in Virginia. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1211232916_1_1.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/06/01/federal-judge-upholds-expanded-absentee-ballot-law-virginia-blocking-right-wing?cd-origin=rss

"America Has Looted Black People. We Learned It from You" Says Women's March Activist Tamika Mallory
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-06-01
In a powerful address among people in Minneapolis protesting the police murder of George Floyd, activist and former Women's March co-chair Tamika Mallory demanded, "Charge the cops. … Charge them in every city across America where our people are being murdered."
www.democracynow.org/2020/6/1/tamika_mallory_speech_police_brutality

"America's Moment of Reckoning": Cornel West Says Nationwide Uprising Is Sign of "Empire Imploding"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-06-01
As thousands from coast to coast took to the streets this weekend to protest the state-sanctioned killing of Black people, and the nation faces its largest public health crisis in generations and the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, professor Cornel West calls the U.S. a "predatory capitalist civilization obsessed with money, money, money." He also makes the connections between U.S. violence abroad and at home. "There is a connection between the seeds that you sow of violence externally and internally."
www.democracynow.org/2020/6/1/cornel_west_us_moment_of_reckoning

"My Vanishing Country": Mass Protests Rise from 400 Years of Systemic Racism, Says Bakari Sellers
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-06-01
As mass unrest engulfs the U.S., we speak with attorney and political commentator Bakari Sellers, whose new memoir "My Vanishing Country" was just published. One of the central moments in the book is the Orangeburg massacre of 1968, when police opened fire on a crowd of students gathered on the campus of South Carolina State University to protest segregation at Orangeburg's only bowling alley. When the shooting stopped, three Black students were dead, 28 students were wounded. The nine officers who opened fire that day were all acquitted. The only person convicted of wrongdoing was Bakari Sellers's father, Clevel…
www.democracynow.org/2020/6/1/bakari_sellers_400_years_systemic_racism

Defund Police: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor Says Budgets Wrongly Prioritize Cops Over Schools, Hospitals
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-06-01
Calls to defund the police mount after police erupted into violence this weekend in response to widespread protests across the nation, arresting more than 4,000 people and attacking demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets. As police departments face increasing criticism for using excessive force on protesters, we get response from Professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, renowned scholar Professor Cornel West and attorney Bakari Sellers.
www.democracynow.org/2020/6/1/keeanga_yamahtta_taylor_defund_us_police

A Class Rebellion: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on How Racism & Racial Terrorism Fueled Nationwide Anger
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-06-01
In the largest nationwide uprising since the 1960s, protesters shut down cities across the United States over the weekend following the police killing of George Floyd, an African American man in Minneapolis. "These are not just repeats of past events," says scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "These are the consequences of the failures of this government and the political establishment … to resolve these crises."
www.democracynow.org/2020/6/1/keeanga_yamahtta_taylor_protests_class_rebellion

Joe Biden Is Cancer for the Democrats: Urgent Strategy Change Needed
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-06-01
There have been U.S. presidential candidates in our lifetimes that seemed like really pathetic offerings such as the soulless human business suit that is Mitt Romney. There have been some that could have competed. had they gotten the big nomination, if not for one big mistake like Howard Dean. And there are some that just had really tough incumbent competition that they had no hope of defeating like Walter Mondale. However, as it stands today there is no (serious) candidate in the past few generations of American society worse than today's Joe Biden. It isn't even a question at this point if he will lose, the rea…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/06/01/joe-biden-cancer-for-democrats-urgent-strategy-change-needed/

Pelosi's Support of Sanctions Protested
Leon Kunstenaar | indybay.org | 2020-06-01
Car caravan protest at Pelosi's home as part of "International Days of Action"
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/31/18833450.php

Trump Says He Will Name Antifa a Terrorist Organization
Trump is the Terrorist | indybay.org | 2020-06-01
Corporate media is reporting Trump said Sunday that he will designate antifa as a terrorist organization. This follows Democratic and Republican officials' statements that extremist groups are responsible for violence at protests calling for Justice for George Floyd across the nation.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/31/18833470.php

Ocasio-Cortez: "If You Want to End Unrest, End the Conditions That Create It"
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-05-31
In a video message posted to Instagram on Saturday amidst days of nationwide protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a plea to anyone calling for the end of the "unrest" stirred by brutality and oppression to focus on the root causes of poverty, distrust, and violence in American society. | "If you are calling for an end to this unrest… but you are not calling for the end to the conditions that…
truthout.org/articles/ocasio-cortez-if-you-want-to-end-unrest-end-the-conditions-that-create-it/

How the spectre of police brutality could influence Joe Biden's choice of running mate
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-06-01
Joe Biden's search for a running mate could be reshaped by the police killing of George Floyd and the unrest it has ignited across the US, raising questions about contenders with law and order backgrounds and intensifying pressure on the presumptive Democratic nominee to select a Black woman.Biden, who has already pledged to pick a woman, has cast a wide net in his search.Some of the women on his list have drawn national praise amid the protests over Floyd's death, including Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who delivered an impassioned appeal for calm in her city on Friday night.But the outcry over police brut…
thecanary.co/us/us-news-us/2020/06/01/how-the-spectre-of-police-brutality-could-influence-joe-bidens-choice-of-running-mate/

'It's on you when MPs start dying': Jacob Rees-Mogg roasted for forcing UK lawmakers back to Parliament amid Covid-19 crisis
rt.com | 2020-06-01
UK House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has come under fire after insisting the now-defunct virtual Parliament was "no longer necessary." Now the MPs may have to form endless 'social distancing' queues to cast their votes. | "Westminster has been the seat of our democracy for centuries. It will take more than the coronavirus to change that," said Rees-Mogg, writing for the PoliticsHome website on Monday. Insisting that "If Parliament is to deliver on the people's priorities, it must sit physically," he argued that the "virtual Parliament" that has seen the majority of MPs take part in House of Commons debat…
rt.com/uk/490421-rees-mogg-mps-parliament-covid19/

'RADICAL LEFT' trying to seize power by controlling 'CLUELESS' Biden, Trump alleges
rt.com | 2020-06-01
Far-left extremists are pulling the strings of Joe Biden's presidential campaign, and would be the real decision-makers in the Oval Office should he win, Donald Trump has suggested, adding that the former VP is "clueless." | "Sleepy Joe Biden's people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesn't know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus!" read the somewhat jumbled message of the US president. | Sleepy Joe Biden's people are so Radical Left that t…
rt.com/usa/490412-antifa-biden-trump-power-anarchists/

'I'm proud of her': NY Mayor De Blasio defends daughter following her arrest during Manhattan protest
rt.com | 2020-06-01
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he is "proud" of his daughter after it emerged that she was arrested at a protest in Manhattan at the weekend for reportedly blocking traffic and refusing to disperse. | "I am proud of her that she cares so much and is willing to do something about it," De Blasio told reporters during a Monday press conference. He said he had asked her to recount the whole story and that she assured him she was "acting peacefully." | "She believes everything she did was in the spirit of peaceful, respectful protest," he said, later adding: "I admire that she was out there trying to c…
rt.com/usa/490425-blasio-defends-daughter-arrest/

Cuomo announces NYC CURFEW, doubles NYPD presence as civil unrest continues
rt.com | 2020-06-01
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced a curfew for New York City and will double the number of police officers on the ground from 4,000 to 8,000 after Sunday night's protests over George Floyd's death devolved into looting. | The city will impose a curfew from 11pm to 5am, Cuomo declared on Monday following a conversation with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot O'Shea. | The decision came in the wake of several days of protests against the police killing of George Floyd, culminating in extensive looting in Manhattan's upscale Soho retail district on Sunday night. | Also on rt.com
rt.com/usa/490442-nyc-curfew-floyd-protests-riots/

'Violence was taught to us, we're tired of racism & injustice': BLM protesters reveal grievances as riots rage in DC
rt.com | 2020-06-01
While violence is counterproductive, it is "necessary" during the riots currently plaguing US cities, because people of color are fed up with stigma and racial bias, Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists told Ruptly video agency. | "I just want to be able to walk around every day and not feel like I'm going to get shot, just because I'm black," BLM protester Aryana Evan told Ruptly in the middle of large rallies blighting in the US capital for several days in a row. | "I am tired," Evan said, nearly bursting into tears. "All these black people, all these allies out here, all of these different faces, we are all t…
rt.com/news/490391-violence-taught-racism-protests/

UN sends over 100 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria
yenisafak.com | 2020-06-01
The trucks carrying supplies entered Idlib, Syria through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed to residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia. The area has been the subject of multiple cease-fire understandings, which have frequently been violated…
yenisafak.com/en/world/un-sends-over-100-truckloads-of-aid-to-idlib-syria-3530921

An Open Letter to Joe Biden on Race
Sonali Kolhatkar | counterpunch.org | 2020-06-01
Dear Mr. Vice President Joe Biden, You showed up in public on Memorial Day weekend for the first time in weeks and I breathed a sigh of relief. You showed up in public on Memorial Day weekend for the first time in weeks and I breathed a sigh of relief. Your visit to the veterans…
counterpunch.org/2020/06/01/an-open-letter-to-joe-biden-on-race/

Biden's Disability Policy Plan Is Surprisingly Good
Sara Luterman | thenation.com | 2020-06-01
Biden's Disability Policy Plan Is Surprisingly Good…
thenation.com/article/politics/biden-disability-policy-plan/

Bill de Blasio Has Failed the Test of This Moment
Elie Mystal | thenation.com | 2020-06-01
Bill de Blasio Has Failed the Test of This Moment…
thenation.com/article/society/de-blasio-policing-failure/

Police Intensify Repression Of Protests Demanding Justice For George Floyd
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-31
Photo: Protesters in Baltimore demand justice for George Floyd. Ryan Harvey/ Rebel Lens Baltimore | On Saturday, May 30, people in cities across the United States took to the streets for the fourth night in a row demanding justice for George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police on Monday, May 25. Law enforcement responded with heavy handed tactics, using tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Looting and property damage was reported in multiple cities. Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Phil…
therealnews.com/columns/police-intensify-repression-of-protests-demanding-justice-for-george-floyd

Silicon Valley Has Effectively Banned the Freedom of Speech. It's Time We Take It Back
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-31
Somewhere along the road of America's development, corporations were blessed with not only 'personhood,' but with the power to sanction what sort of messages were permissible to enter the public realm. Let's be clear: This sort of corporate control, which borders on pure fascism, has no place in a democracy. | There is no need to ask. There is no need to be polite. There is no need to debate. It is only necessary to point to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for this fundamental human right, inscribed into law over 200 years ago, to be returned to the American people. | "Congress shall make no law resp…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/05/31/silicon-valley-has-effectively-banned-the-freedom-speech-time-we-take-back/

Caught in a Madhouse without My Mask
Paul Haeder | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-05-30
Caught with their proverbial pants down? The blustery conversations tied to corona virus, lockdown, Trump LLC, Pelosi and Comp., and the failed state that is the USA are to be expected. It is a country of nanosecond attention spans. A country with amnesia in vitro. A country that has sacrificed future and future-future generations for …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/05/caught-in-a-madhouse-without-my-mask/

Exclusive images from inside British court expose Assange's un-democratic treatment, physical deterioration
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2020-05-29
Photographs surreptitiously taken inside a British courtroom and provided to The Grayzone show a visibly disoriented Julian Assange confined to…
thegrayzone.com/2020/05/29/british-court-assanges-physical-deterioration/

Reflections from Vermont
Bernie Sanders | mronline.org | 2020-05-29
That there are good and honorable people who believe that the Democratic Party can be turned around. I don't. Our major task is to change the entire nature of political discussion in the country. In my view that's just not going to happen within the Democratic Party.
mronline.org/2020/05/29/reflections-from-vermont/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reflections-from-vermont

"It Was Murder": Minneapolis Demands Charges in Police Killing of George Floyd, Calls to Defund Cops
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-29
As thousands take to the streets of Minneapolis to protest against the police killing of George Floyd for the third night in a row, we go to Minneapolis to speak with City Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison. Police pointed an automatic rifle at his head in 2015 when he was peacefully protesting the police killing of another African American man, Jamar Clark. We also speak with Kandace Montgomery with the Black Visions Collective, which is calling for the abolition of police.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/29/minneapolis

Twitter Warns Trump Tweet Glorifies Violence as He Signs Executive Order to Weaken Social Media
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-29
As President Trump calls Minneapolis protesters "THUGS" and tweets, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," Twitter flags the tweet with a warning it glorifies violence, just as Trump signs an executive order to punish social media companies for how they monitor content. "Trump has prospered through his use of social media and its attention-hoarding algorithms to basically disinform and misinform people," says Ramesh Srinivasan, professor in the Department of Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/29/trump_tweets_social_media_regulation

Headlines for May 29, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-29
Protests Rage After Minneapolis Prosecutor Does Not Bring Charges Against Officers Who Killed George Floyd, Scores Tear-Gassed, Arrested as Protests Against George Floyd's Killing Spread to Other Cities, Twitter Flags Trump Tweet for Glorifying Violence After President Attacks Minnesota Protesters as "THUGS", Trump Executive Order Threatens to Punish Social Media Companies over Fact-Checking, U.S. Economy Sheds Another 2.1 Million Jobs, Leaving 40.7 Million Unemployed Since Start of Pandemic, Pennsylvania Democratic Lawmakers Accuse Republicans of Knowingly Exposing Them to Coronavirus, Protesters Demand ICE Empt…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/29/headlines

As Pandemic Epicenter Shifts to Latin America, Gov'ts Use COVID-19 as Pretext for Police Repression
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-29
As the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic shifts to Latin America, so too has the use of COVID-19 as a pretext for police repression. "We're seeing that COVID-19, like other pandemics before it, magnifies structural discrimination. And sadly, it's often the most marginalized that are the first targets," says Louise Tillotson, co-author of a new Amnesty International report on the abuse. We also go to San Salvador to speak with journalist Jorge Cuéllar.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/29/latin_america_covid_19

"Fight Back!": ACT UP Members & Tony Kushner Remember Trailblazing AIDS Activist Larry Kramer
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-28
We discuss the life and legacy of Larry Kramer, the legendary writer and trailblazing activist in the fight against AIDS, who has died at the age of 84. Kramer helped start Gay Men's Health Crisis and ACT UP to demand life-saving drugs, and faced off with Dr. Anthony Fauci before the two became friends. Many credit Kramer for saving thousands of lives. We hear from Kramer in his own words at the 2019 anti-corporate Queer Liberation March and host a roundtable with two former ACT UP members: "Gay USA" host Ann Northrop and Yale epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves. We also speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright To…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/28/rip_larry_kramer

"No Justification": Minneapolis Demands Murder Charges for Police Officer Who Killed George Floyd
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-28
Parts of Minneapolis erupted into flames Wednesday night as residents again took to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin on Monday. A viral video shows Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd's neck for a number of minutes as Floyd repeatedly says "I cannot breathe." Three other officers stood by as George Floyd suffocated. They have been identified as Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng. All four officers were fired on Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has called on prosecutors to file criminal charges against Derek Chauvin. We speak wit…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/28/george_floyd_death_minneapolis_protests

Headlines for May 28, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-28
U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 100,000, Minneapolis Erupts in Flames as Protesters Rage Against Police Killing of George Floyd, China Tightens Grip on Hong Kong with New National Security Law, House of Representatives Holds First-Ever Remote Vote Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Protesters Surround Sing Sing Prison Demanding Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Researchers: 6 Feet of Social Distancing Might Not Be Enough to Stop Coronavirus Spread, Doctors Without Borders Warns of Spike in Coronavirus Cases Among Florida Farmworkers, Brazilian Police Raid Fake News Network Linked to Son of Far-Right President, A…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/28/headlines

San Diego protest demands: 'Stop the evictions and cancel the rents!'
Anzy Adams | liberationnews.org | 2020-05-27
On May 26, dozens of organizers and activists from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, San Diego Tenants Union, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Democratic Socialists of America, and other organizations protested in front of a condo in the gentrified neighborhood of Hillcrest in San Diego.
liberationnews.org/san-diego-demands-stop-the-evictions-and-cancel-the-rents/

Headlines for May 27, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-27
Four Minneapolis Cops Fired After Shocking Video Shows Killing of George Floyd, Federal Food Program Fails to Reach Millions Even as Child Hunger Surges in U.S., NY Governor Cuomo Shielded Nursing Homes from Liability After Big Campaign Donation, GOP Governors Vie for Republican National Convention as NC Won't Commit to Packed Arena, Yemen's Health System Has "Collapsed" Amid Explosion of Coronavirus Cases, India Resumes Domestic Air Travel Even as COVID-19 Cases Surge, China Completing Plans to Test 11 Million Wuhan Residents for Coronavirus, South Korea Reports 40 New Coronavirus Infections, Highest Level in 7…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/27/headlines

"Horrifying Neglect": COVID-19 Deaths in ICE Custody Spark New Calls for Mass Release of Prisoners
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-27
Calls are growing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release people from detention during the pandemic, as two people have died from COVID-19 while in custody. We speak with The Intercept's Ryan Devereaux, who reported on how Carlos Ernesto Escobar Mejia, held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, suffered horrifying neglect before he passed away. We are also joined by Erika Andiola with RAICES Action. "None of those folks

COVID Racial Data Tracker: Ibram X. Kendi on How Better Data Reveals the True Toll of the Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-27
Ibram X. Kendi says early media coverage of COVID-19 as "the great equalizer" missed the racial impact of the disease. But it soon became clear "that it was Latino Americans and African Americans and Native Americans in particular who were disproportionately being infected and dying." The award-winning author and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University joins us to discuss why he started the COVID Racial Data Tracker.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/27/the_covid_racial_data_tracker

From George Floyd to Chris Cooper: Ibram X. Kendi on "Racist Terror" Facing Black People in America
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-27
"I can't breathe"

Joe Biden's Friend From JPMorgan Chase
Matt Sedlar | cepr.net | 2020-05-26
The American Prospect See article on original site Much has been made of Joe Biden's public "pivot to the left" in recent weeks, from calling for a stimulus "a hell of a lot bigger" than $3 trillion to seating Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive populists on major policy committees. But while Biden seems sincere about …
cepr.net/joe-bidens-friend-from-jpmorgan-chase/

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Be Kind: What New Zealand Can Teach the World About Eliminating COVID-19
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-26
New Zealand implemented one of the earliest lockdowns and has largely succeeded in eliminating the coronavirus under the leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Some of the country's success has been attributed to her leadership, trust in science, and clear communication during the crisis. We get an update from Michael Baker, professor of public health at the University of Otago in Wellington, New Zealand. He is an epidemiologist and a member of the New Zealand Ministry of Health's Technical Advisory Group. Baker has been advising the government on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their slogan is "Stay…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/26/new_zealand_coronavirus_response_jacinda_ardern

Photojournalist Sebastià£o Salgado: Brazil's Reckless COVID Response Threatens Indigenous Survival
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-26
As Brazil sees more than 800 deaths in 24 hours and nearly 400,000 confirmed cases, we look at COVID-19's devastating impact on Brazil's Indigenous peoples, who are dying at double the rate of the rest of the country. We speak with world-renowned Brazilian photojournalist Sebastià£o Salgado, who wrote an open letter to right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who called the virus a "little flu," to warn him the pandemic is "an extreme threat to their very survival."
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/26/brazil

Headlines for May 26, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-26
U.S. Nears 100,000 Deaths from COVID-19 as Trump Shuns Face Masks, Goes After Democrats on Twitter, Trump Threatens to Pull RNC Out of North Carolina If Dem Governor Refuses to Allow Packed Crowds, Second Immigrant in ICE Jail Dies from COVID-19, U.S. to Deport Haitian Death Squad Leader and COVID-Positive Haitians Amid Pandemic, U.S. Restricts Travel from Brazil as It Becomes Second Most Infected Country, South American Nations Experience Mounting Cases as New Epicenter of the Pandemic, Boris Johnson Faces Pressure over Reopening Country and Lockdown-Flouting Adviser, WHO Suspends Tests of Hydroxychloroquine as…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/26/headlines

The GOP's Hollow War on 'Tyranny'
Ruth Conniff | progressive.org | 2020-05-26
The GOP attacked the "tyranny" of Democratic officeholders who are trying to manage the public-health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
progressive.org/magazine/gop-hollow-war-on-tyranny-conniff/

Susan Connelly: Secret trial a cover up of Australia's swindling of Timor-Leste
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-05-26
Democracy Paul OboohovIssue 1267 Australia East Timor Witness K East Timor buggingMay 26, 2020The Australian government is pursuing crimi…
greenleft.org.au/content/susan-connelly-secret-trial-cover-australias-swindling-timor-leste

Noam Chomsky on Trump's Disastrous Coronavirus Response, WHO, China, Gaza and Global Capitalism
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-25
How did the United States

FBI Says It Will Investigate Breonna Taylor Shooting Death as Police Chief Announces Retirement
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-22
We speak with Ben Crump, attorney for the family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old aspiring nurse who was shot to death by police inside her own apartment. Her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Police Department that details how police shot Taylor at least eight times after they burst into her apartment, unannounced, with a search warrant. The man police were looking for did not live in Taylor's apartment and was reportedly already detained by police when officers arrived at Taylor's residence on the night of March 13. At the time of her killing, Taylor had been working as an e…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/22/breonna_taylor_killing_attorney_benjamin_crump

Mike Davis: Workers Face "Sophie's Choice" Between Income & Health as 50 States Reopen Amid Pandemic
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-22
All 50 states will be at least partially reopened this Memorial Day weekend, as the U.S. death toll from the COVID-19 outbreak tops 95,000 and some states prepare for a surge in cases. We're joined by historian and writer Mike Davis, who says in Jacobin that "Reopening the Economy Will Send Us to Hell."
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/22/historian_mike_davis_increased_inequality_coronavirus

Third White Man Arrested for Murder in Ahmaud Arbery Shooting as DOJ Considers Hate Crime Charges
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-22
Authorities have arrested a third white man for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, this one charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump about how William Bryan filmed Arbery jogging down a narrow road in Brunswick, Georgia, in broad daylight, before he was confronted by two armed white men

"Diarrhea, Dehydration, Hunger, Exhaustion": India's Rural Poor Suffer Most Under Lockdown
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-22
India just saw its biggest spike in coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 6,000 new reported infections, as an estimated 3 million seek shelter from a powerful cyclone and tens of thousands have no work or food. We go to Mumbai for an update from renowned journalist P. Sainath, founder of the People's Archive of Rural India.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/22/p_sainath_rural_india_coronavirus_neoliberal

Disgraceful yet illuminating reactions to the 2002 coup that briefly ousted Hugo Chavez: IACHR, CPJ and RSF
Joe Emersberger | zcomm.org | 2020-05-18
The Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) The IACHR claimed in 2009 report on Venezuela that its reaction to the "the attempted coup d'état [of 2002] was immediate and decisive" and that it "warned that these acts constituted an interruption of the constitutional order as defined in the Democratic Charter." The evidence it offered Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/disgraceful-yet-illuminating-reactions-to-the-2002-coup-that-briefly-ousted-chavez-iachr-cpj-and-rsf/

Ari Berman on Voter Suppression and Coronavirus
CounterSpin | fair.org | 2020-05-15
Media…
fair.org/home/ari-berman-on-voter-suppression-and-coronavirus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ari-berman-on-voter-suppression-and-coronavirus

[Correspondence] Use of herbal drugs to treat COVID-19 should be with caution
Yichang Yang | thelancet.com | 2020-05-15
On April 14, 2020, a Chinese official announced at a press conference that indications of three patent herbal drugs were approved to be expanded to include COVID-19 symptoms.1 This included Lianhuaqingwen capsules and Jinhuaqinggan granules for mild conditions, and Xuebijing (injectable) for severe conditions.
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31143-0/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] Hypertension, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibition, and COVID-19
Bryan Williams, Yi Zhang | thelancet.com | 2020-05-14
Few could have imagined that hypertension and its treatment with inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) would become a hot topic during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Two factors have contributed to this: first, the observation that hypertension is one of the most common comorbidities associated with severe cases of COVID-19 in patients who have been admitted to hospital and their risk of death;1 and second, that like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2 infects cells via specific binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is ubiq…
thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31131-4/fulltext?rss=yes

Bernie's Decision: Retreat Should Not Be Confused with Surrender
Norman Solomon | zcomm.org | 2020-05-13
Photo by StoopDown/Shutterstock.com Politics is ultimately about life and death, as the current pandemic horrors make clear. Policies that can seem abstract not only routinely harm quality of life; they also kill. Both Bernie Sanders campaigns for president have brought a principled seriousness to the national discourse that no other candidate has come near Read…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/bernies-decision-retreat-should-not-be-confused-with-surrender/

Can Democracy Survive the Coronavirus?
Sonali Kolhatkar | zcomm.org | 2020-05-13
The coronavirus is not just a threat to our personal and collective health; it is a threat to our democratic institutions as well. We need to protect lives and democracies…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/can-democracy-survive-the-coronavirus/

GOP's Achievement is Now on Display
Wim Laven | zcomm.org | 2020-05-13
Republicans are responsible for condoning his corruption, persistent abuses of power, and ongoing grift…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/gops-achievement-is-now-on-display/

[Comment] Focusing on health-care providers' experiences in the COVID-19 crisis
Yang Xiong, Lingli Peng | thelancet.com | 2020-04-29
As of April 15, 2020, there have been 1‚Äà918‚Äà138 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally, including 123‚Äà126 deaths, as reported by WHO. The outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern and could be a long-term challenge worldwide. An increasing number of health-care providers around the world are getting involved in the COVID-19 crisis. They have a crucial role and are making great contributions, but they also face great challenges.1 The importance of health-care providers in this crisis is not in doubt, and aware…
thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30214-X/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Antihypertensive drugs and risk of COVID-19?
Kevin Bryan Lo, Peter A McCullough, Janani Rangaswami | thelancet.com | 2020-03-26
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.
thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30156-9/fulltext?rss=yes

[Comment] The role of CT in case ascertainment and management of COVID-19 pneumonia in the UK: insights from high-incidence regions
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 | thelancet.com | 2020-03-25
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.
thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30132-6/fulltext?rss=yes

[Correspondence] Viral dynamics in mild and severe cases of COVID-19
Yang Liu, Li-Meng Yan, Lagen Wan, Tian-Xin Xiang, Aiping Le, Jia-Ming Liu, Malik Peiris, Leo L M Poon, Wei Zhang | thelancet.com | 2020-03-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new pandemic disease. We previously reported that the viral load of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) peaks within the first week of disease onset.1,2 Findings from Feb, 2020, indicated that the clinical spectrum of this disease can be very heterogeneous.3 Here, we report the viral RNA shedding patterns observed in patients with mild and severe COVID-19.
thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30232-2/fulltext?rss=yes