2020-05-21: News Headlines

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-21). Trump Claims to Have Venezuela 'Surrounded' as Iranian Tankers Approach. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuela's armed forces will escort the vessels upon reaching territorial waters.

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-05-20). How Russia is botching its alliance with Syria. mronline.org Russia's relationships with its client states have never been easy. Of course, managing client states is always a complicated exercise. The Kremlin's cupboard is full of skeletons—Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), Cuba (1962), Afghanistan (1980), Ukraine (2014) and so on.

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-20). AT&T Shuts down DirecTV in Venezuela over Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The National Assembly will investigate the "rash decision" that affects 600 workers and two million households.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-20). Venezuela invasion bid: US denial on its role is not credible. peoplesdispatch.org Can we believe the claims of the US administration that it had no involvement in the most recent Venezuelan invasion attempt? Anya Parampil of The Grayzone tells more.

Eva Bartlett (2020-05-20). US just piled more misery on Venezuelans already hit by sanctions & pandemic. Now they are deprived of most popular TV service. thealtworld.com America's meddling in Venezuela has no boundaries. After a failed coup attempt, trying to install a bogus …

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-05-20). Jordan and the annexation plan. thealtworld.com Everything possible must be done to resist Netanyahu's scheme, even if that leads to military confrontation | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to extend Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank effectively means annulling the Palestinian Authority (PA) and abandoning the Oslo Accords and the two-state solution. It sets the stage overtime for the expulsion of hundreds of thousands if not millions of Palestinians from the major population centres to Jordan, which the Israeli right deems to be their 'alternative homeland'. | No need to wonder what the Arab world will do to counter this plan, which is the signa…

news.un (2020-05-20). Only Venezuelans can resolve Venezuela's deepening crisis, DiCarlo tells Security Council. news.un.org Negotiations remain the only way to overcome the ongoing political deadlock in Venezuela, especially given the potentially far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-20). Venezuela Sues UK over Frozen Gold Reserves, Loses CITGO Appeal. venezuelanalysis.com The US $1 billion worth of gold would be used in the fight against COVID-19.

Media Lens (2020-05-19). An Illusion of Protection: The Pandemic, the "Criminal" Government and Public Distrust of the Media. dissidentvoice.org Any notion that the UK government actually considers that its primary responsibility is to protect the health and security of the country's population ought to have been demolished in 2020. The appalling death toll that continues to mount during the coronavirus pandemic is largely rooted, not merely in government 'incompetence', but in criminal dereliction of …

Misión Verdad (2020-05-19). Genocide and military occupation: The five most important keys of the agreement executed between Guaidó and Silvercorp. peoplesdispatch.org Analysis by Misión Verdad of the contract between Silvercorp and the Venezuelan opposition which lays out their plan to overthrow Maduro and install a military occupation…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-19). Mismanagement of pandemic by Haitian President Jovenel MoàØse fuels latest protests demanding his resignation. peoplesdispatch.org In response to the anti-government demonstrations, the Haitian National Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd and arrested many social leaders…

Walensky RP, del Rio C. (2020-05-19). From Mitigation to Containment of the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses public health strategies necessary for the US to relax its mitigation strategies—most notably expanded testing, isolation, and contact-tracing in ways that avoid stigmatization of vulnerable populations—and proposes investing returns from a reopened economy to finance testing and public health infrastructure.

Rà§ikkà∂nen K, Gissler M, Kajantie E. (2020-05-19). Association Between Antenatal Maternal Corticosteroid Treatment and Mental/Behavioral Disorders in Children. jamanetwork.com This population cohort study uses national Finnish birth registry data to assess associations between antenatal corticosteroid treatment to accelerate fetal maturation and mental and behavioral disorders in term and preterm children.

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-18). Iran Sends Fuel Tankers to Venezuela, Vows 'Decisive Response' to US Threats. venezuelanalysis.com Crippling US sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation.

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

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-05-21). "We're Ready for Whatever, Whenever,' Says Maduro as Venezuela Vows Navy Escort to Protect Iranian Oil Tankers from US Threats. commondreams.org Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warns that the U.S. government "must give up bullying on the world stage and respect the rule of international law, especially free shipping in the high seas." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/iran_venezuela1.jpg

Zero Hedge (2020-05-21). Regime Change Back In Focus: Pompeo Targets Iran, Cuba & Venezuela In Epic Tweet Thread. iranian.com Given the very noticeable rise in threatening rhetoric focused on Iran over the past week, it seems thoughts of regime change in Tehran are once again top of the agenda. Or perhaps simultaneously the administration needs a significant distraction of sorts amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the persistent national reopening question and agenda. On Wednesday, Secretary …

Sputnik News (2020-05-21). Venezuelan Military to Escort Iranian Tankers Delivering Fuel — Defense Minister. iranian.com Venezuela's military will escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel to the country when they enter Venezuela's exclusive economic zone, the country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino revealed Wednesday. In a state television interview, Padrino said the escort would "welcome them in and thank the Iranian people for their solidarity and cooperation," Reuters reported. Padrino also said that …

Zero Hedge (2020-05-18). US Headed For Another 'Tanker War' With Iran — This Time Off Venezuela's Coast. iranian.com Iranian state TV has announced at least five least five Iranian-flagged tankers are transporting fuel to Venezuela through the Atlantic Ocean and plan to break the American blockade on the Latin American country. Iran has warned that any US attempt at intercepting its fuel tankers "would have serious repercussions for the Trump administration ahead of the November elections." State-funded PressTV underscores that "Iran is shipping …

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-20). Cuba: End of Sanctions Is More Important Than Nobel Peace Prize for Its Doctors. strategic-culture.org In recognition for the Cuban doctors' efforts to aid nations across the world to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, there have been In 2015, the Henry Reeves Medical Brigade was nominated for the Nob…

Adam Tooze (2020-05-21). The Forgotten History of the Financial Crisis. indybay.org In the United States between late 2008 and early 2009, 800,000 people were losing their jobs every month. By 2015, over nine million American families would lose their homes to foreclosure—the largest forced population movement in the United States since the Dust Bowl.

John McEvoy (2020-05-19). "I was outraged": Venezuelan foreign minister responds to secretive British 'reconstruction' plans. thecanary.co On 13 May, The Canary

RT (2020-05-21). Covid-19 may end India's hopes of becoming world leading economic force, Professor Wolff tells Boom Bust. rt.com After Goldman Sachs projected the Indian economy to shrink by 45 percent this quarter, Professor Richard Wolff believes that no one can predict the future amid the coronavirus uncertainty. | "We're in uncharted waters, we do not know what the ramification of this crash is and we do not know how long it will last," he told the host of RT's Boom Bust. | He added that while India failed to stockpile the necessary medical supplies and was not prepared for the pandemic as was the case with many other nations, the situation there is aggravated by its enormous population living in very close quarters. | "And like…

RT (2020-05-21). US 'KILLS' Russian draft seeking UNSC support for Venezuela amid sanctions & suspected coup attempt. rt.com The US has rejected a draft statement condemning terrorism and voicing support for Venezuela's sovereignty at the UN Security Council. The Russian-sponsored draft did not assign blame for the botched incursion. | The short statement was watered down to sound "politically neutral" in hopes it would not face any opposition from the UNSC members, the Russian mission to the United Nations said. | However, despite the text not even mentioning the recent boat incursion that led to the capture of two former US Green Berets, Washington did not give the document any chance, "killing" it "within 9 minutes" from the star…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-21). Venezuelan military to escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 21 (MNA) — Venezuela's military will escort Iranian tankers delivering fuel to the country when they enter Venezuela's exclusive economic zone, the country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Wednesday.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-20). Iran population growth rate below 1%: official. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 20 (MNA) — Hamed Barakat, who presides over health ministry's department of population, family and school's health, said in a video conference on Wednesday that for the first time since the victory of the Islamic revolution, i.e.42 years ago, population growth in Iran has fallen below one percent.

sputniknews (2020-05-21). Maduro Accuses Colombian President of Ordering to 'Infect' Venezuela With Coronavirus – Report. sputniknews.com In the mid-March, Venezuela declared a state of emergency in the country due to the spread of coronavirus; so far, the country has registered only 824 cases of the infection and 10 deaths. However, 44% of these cases were diagnosed in the last five days, as many of the new patients were reportedly returning from Colombia.

sputniknews (2020-05-21). Refusal to Return Venezuelan Gold Undermines UK's Stance on COVID-19 Response – Ex-Lawmaker. sputniknews.com LONDON (Sputnik) – The repeated refusal by the UK to return Venezuelan gold assets to their legitimate owner is compromising the UK's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, especially after the Latin American nation made it clear that the money would be used exclusively for the virus response efforts, ex-lawmaker Chris Williamson said.

yenisafak (2020-05-21). Libyan Army enters downtown al-Asabaa. yenisafak.com The Libyan Army on Thursday entered al-Asabaa downtown after clashes with warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia.Libya Al-Ahrar TV channel cited unnamed military source as saying the army launched an attack on the remnants of Haftar's militia, who had escaped from the al-Watiya airbase.On Wednesday, the Libyan army said it was in progress towards liberating the town located 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the capital Tripoli from Haftar's militia.Local tribes in al-Asabaa announced their support to the Libyan government on the same day.Libya's army on Monday retook al-Watiya Airbase, a key facility now back under governme…

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-05-20). Due to US coercive measures, DirecTV's operations suspended in Venezuela. peoplesdispatch.org On May 19, the US telecommunications company AT&T announced, without prior notice, the suspension of DirecTV's operations in Venezuela. DirecTV is a broadcast satellite service provider, transmitting digital television and radio signals to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. | In an official statement, AT&T said that due to the sanctions imposed by the US government on Venezuela, it was impossible for the company "to comply with the legal requirements of both countries" and it "was forced to close its pay TV service in Venezuela." | The abrupt suspension of services was denounced by…

Paul Dobson (2020-05-18). Venezuela Sees COVID-19 Surge as Returning Migrants Surpass 40,000. venezuelanalysis.com Authorities say that 75 percent of recent cases have been "imported."

Press TV (2020-05-18). US unable to block Iran gasoline shipments to Venezuela: Source. iranian.com A senior source within the Iranian petroleum industry says the United States would be practically unable to block shipments of gasoline from Iran to Venezuela at a time the two countries need to cooperate to mitigate the impacts of American sanctions on their energy sectors. Hamid Hosseini, who serves as the spokesman of the Iranian …

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-17). Venezuela: Guaido's Leadership in Question Following Failed Coup Attempt. venezuelanalysis.com A letter from Silvercorp's lawyers demanding payment has cast doubt on Guaido's denials of involvement in a recent paramilitary operation.

Joe Emersberger (2020-05-17). Attempts to whitewash the military coup of April 2002 in Venezuela. zcomm.org Given the overwhelming support opposition voices have been given in western media since Hugo Chavez was first elected in 1998, it is unsurprising that some would have had the audacity to attempt at least a partial whitewash of what the opposition and its foreign allies did in April of 2002. I'll address some of those

Gary L Ross (2020-05-17). [Letter] Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing surgeries during the incubation period of COVID-19 infection. What are the implications for the commencement of elective surgery? thelancet.com

Staff (2020-05-15). "The Wuhan of the Americas": U.S. Deports COVID-19-Positive Immigrants to Haiti & Guatemala. democracynow.org The United States continues to deport thousands during the coronavirus pandemic, causing a dangerous spread of COVID-19 to Central America and the Caribbean. We speak with Haitian American novelist Edwidge Danticat, who says "U.S. deportations to Haiti during coronavirus pandemic are 'unconscionable,'" and go to Guatemala City for an update from reporter José Alejandro García Escobar.

Sputnik News (2020-05-15). Iranian Warns US Acts Over Venezuela Fuel Shipments Will Not 'Go Without Repercussion'. iranian.com An Iranian news agency has warned the US against taking action against several Iranian-flagged tankers transporting fuel to Venezuela, as Washington has threatened. "If the United States, just like pirates, intends to create insecurity on international waterways, it would be taking a dangerous risk and that will certainly not go without repercussion," Iran's Nour News …

Staff (2020-05-14). Who's Fighting The War Against Cash? therealnews.com Mastercard, Visa, and Bill Gates are all pushing for polices to make it harder to use cash, hoping to keep closer tabs on the population through the trail of electronic transactions.

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-13). [UPDATED] Venezuelan Oil Sector Continues Slump Amid Pandemic, US Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Maduro government is working to repair refineries with Chinese and Iranian assistance to tackle fuel shortages.

Matt Sedlar (2020-05-13). El ministerio de las Colonias estadounidenses. cepr.net Le Monde diplomatique en español, mayo de 2020 Ver artículo en sitio original Creada en 1948, en el marco del enfrentamiento entre Estados Unidos y la Unión Soviética (URSS), la Organización de los Estados Americanos (OEA) constituye uno de los instrumentos de la proyección geopolítica de Washington en América Latina y los Estados del Caribe, …

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

Alan MacLeod (2020-05-11). Guaidó's mercenary hit contract on Venezuela's Maduro mirrors official US bounty, authorizes death squad killings. thegrayzone.com The leaked contract between Juan Guaidó and the Silvercorp USA mercenary firm closely resembles a DEA bounty placed on the…

Paul Dobson (2020-05-11). Western Venezuela Rocked by Rolling Blackouts. venezuelanalysis.com Low water levels at hydroelectric dams, "terrorist sabotage" and damaged infrastructure have been blamed for the power cuts.

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-10). [UPDATED] Venezuela Makes Fresh Arrests as Opposition Splinters over Failed Coup. venezuelanalysis.com Trump said the operation "was not a good attack," again denying any US involvement.

Anya Parampil (2020-05-08). Silvercorp co-founder speaks with The Grayzone: What did State Department know about failed Venezuela invasion? thegrayzone.com The Grayzone speaks to Drew White — a close friend and business partner of Silvercorp mercenary firm founder and failed…

Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner (2020-05-07). US Investigating Ex-Green Beret, Denies 'Direct' Involvement in Failed Venezuela Coup. venezuelanalysis.com New documents confirm that the Venezuelan opposition signed a contract with Florida-based Silvercorp to kidnap President Nicolas Maduro.

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

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

Nic de la Riva (2020-05-05). Paramilitary invasions in Venezuela: Made in USA. liberationnews.org Attempted invasion taken care of swiftly and efficiently by the Venezuelan government.

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-05). Venezuela: Two US Citizens Captured in Botched Coup Attempt. venezuelanalysis.com Two former green berets were arrested in a second failed assault on Venezuelan shores on Monday.