(2020-03-12). 'Ability to help may reach limit': Italian doctor says medics 'exhausted' helping isolated patients amid coronavirus pandemic. rt.com 
If the number of the infected keeps rising, patients with better chances of survival will have to be prioritized, an ER doctor at the epicenter of the Italian outbreak told RT's Ruptly video agency. | In the city of Piacenza, in the heart of northern Italy's coronavirus outbreak, overworked medical personnel are reaching their breaking point — and there seems to be no sign that the epidemic is letting up. With a population of just over 100,000, the city was placed on lockdown on Sunday, after suffering 50 deaths and more than 630 coronavirus diagnoses. | Visibly tired and with bags under his eyes, Davide…
(2020-03-12). Resisting US Blockade, Cuba Embraces Change, Builds Socialism. counterpunch.org Any U.S. politician who says nice things about Cuba can expect abuse. That's been so since the victory of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. Recently presidential candidate Bernie Sanders tried to ward off attacks as he praised Cuba's 1961 literacy campaign. He labeled Cuba's leadership as "authoritarian," but it didn't work. Senators Rubio and Menendez and other politicians, Democratic and Republican alike, lashed out. Democratic leaders in Florida joined in. Cuba matters there at voting time.
(2020-03-12). Cuba Confirms Three Positive Cases of Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net The Cuban Ministry of Public Health confirmed Wednesday night that three Italian tourists who arrived on the Caribbean island last Monday tested positive for the new coronavirus. | RELATED: | Four Italian tourists from Lombardy were identified by the country's health authorities on Tuesday, the day after their arrival, with respiratory symptoms. After conducting the pertinent tests, three of them tested positive for Covi…
(2020-03-12). The Final Chapter Has Still Not Been Written: Remembering The 2004 Coup in Haiti. counterpunch.org On February 29, 2004, the democratically elected government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti was overthrown by a violent coup. This was the second U.S.-sponsored coup against a popularly elected Aristide government, the first one taking place in 1991 after he had served only eight months in office. Orchestrated by the United States, France and
(2020-03-12). Russia cannot do without Turkey's cooperation in Syria. iranian.com The former Soviet Union was a satiated world power. It didn't have to prove anything. The Great Patriotic War (1941-45) spoke for itself. Thus, triumphalism was never a diplomatic tool in the Soviet inventory. The removal of the US nuclear missiles from Turkey in the downstream of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis was not even …
(2020-03-11). Media malfunction as Sanders notes positive aspects of Latin American socialism. mronline.org 
When 60 Minutes (2/24/20) asked Sen. Bernie Sanders about his past support for aspects of Cuba's socialist revolution, as well as for Nicaragua's 1979—90 leftist Sandinista government, Sanders responded by saying he opposes what he described as the "authoritarian" features of the Cuban government, while noting that after the 1959 revolution, Cuba launched "a massive […] |
(2020-03-11). Venezuela: FRSO labor delegation meets with Bolivarian Space Agency. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela — The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) labor delegation met with space program officials, March 11, at the Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities. Pictured are Adolfo Godoy, the president of ABAE; Mariano Imbert, the manager of Commercial Development; Salvador Lugo, the vice minister of Science and Technology, along with members of the FRSO delegation.
(2020-03-11). A Case Study of Corporate Media Disinformation. dissidentvoice.org Some alternative media have exposed the US government and its corporate media fake news reporting on Russian "election interference," on Venezuela, the war on Syria, China's Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Palestine, among others. One of the longest running media disinformation campaigns has been directed at Cuba, well covered in Keith Bolender's Manufacturing the Enemy: …
(2020-03-11). FRSO labor delegation joins Venezuelan march defending the Bolivarian government. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – Over 600,000 people took to the streets in Caracas, March 10, marching to support President Maduro and the Bolivarian government. The small opposition called for a march on the Presidential Palace Miraflores and held small rallies in the wealthy neighborhoods. However, huge masses of people in central Caracas marched through several working-class neighborhoods to counter the opposition's call. The gigantic march went as far as the eye could see. There were banners, trucks and music. People were chanting, singing and dancing. | "I saw thousands of working people celebrating their revoluti…
(2020-03-11). Caricom Delegation Meets Guyana's Leaders, Election Observers. telesurenglish.net Caribbean Community Chairman and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley arrived with a delegation Wednesday in Guyana to meet with elections stakeholders, including President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo. | RELATED: | Mottley announced that after meeting with Granger, the delegation of Heads from Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago met wit…
(2020-03-11). The Dominican Republic Prepares to Hold New Municipal Elections. telesurenglish.net The Dominican Republic's Central Election Board (JCE) authorities affirmed this Caribbean nation is ready for holding new municipal elections on March 15. | RELATED: | On Feb. 16, the municipal elections were canceled due to a generalized failure in automated voting equipment, which was used for the first time in this Caribbean country. | Among other things, the current JCE preparations include the elimination…
(2020-03-11). Caricom Prime Ministers to Make Post-Elections Visit to Guyana. telesurenglish.net Caribbean Community's Chairman and Barbados' Prime Minister Mia Mottley will lead a delegation of regional Prime Ministers on a special two-day mission to Guyana, starting March 11. | RELATED: | The delegation will meet with the leadership of all parties that contested the poll, according to a statement released Tuesday by the organization. | Mottley will be joined by Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit of…
(2020-03-11). U.S. Flight Restrictions to Cuba Became Effective on March 10. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Tuesday denounced that the restrictions established by the United States on commercial flights to his country deteriorate the ties of Cuban families with their relatives abroad. | RELATED: | "The ban on charter flights to Cuba… harms Cuban families and their ties. It violates the human rights of Cubans and U.S. citizens' freedom of travel," Rodriguez tweeted. | As a result of this new wave of…
(2020-03-10). FRSO labor delegation meets with Venezuelan trade union leaders. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – On March 9, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization labor delegation met with Venezuelan transport sector union leaders. The delegation met to support the struggle of union workers against Trump's sanctions and economic blockade. President Francisco Torrealba of the Venezuelan Transport Workers Federation spoke, "We welcome you to Venezuela and hope to build ties between workers and unions of both countries." He proudly said, "President Maduro is a member of our union!" | Jesus Delgado, president of the airlines sector for the transport workers union, and also a worker at Conviasa airlin…
(2020-03-10). FRSO delegation arrives in Caracas, meets with human rights organization. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela — The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) labor delegation met with Sures, a human rights NGO, March 9, to learn about the impact of U.S. sanctions on the Venezuelan people. | While Trump has imposed the most sanctions, the punishing sanctions began under Bush, and were built on by President Obama who created a broader framework, defining Venezuela as a national security threat. | Cristobal Corrieles of Sures said, "The U.S. sanctions are immoral, illegal and unjust." | Corrieles explained that the sanctions are immoral for using humanitarian deliveries to exacerbate tensions and t…
(2020-03-06). Are Our Prisons and Jails Ready for COVID-19? aclu.org The | country and the world face a public health emergency in the new coronavirus | causing COVID-19. The media is filled with concerns about how we will respond. | Will we close schools? Cancel sporting events and other large gatherings? Work | from home? Avoid public transportation? | But | little has been said about one of the most vulnerable sectors of our | population: the people in our prisons and jails. Although people often think of | prisons and jails as closed environments, they are not. Medical staff, correctional | staff, and visitors come from the community into the facilities every day and | then…
(2020-03-04). Then There Were Two: Sanders Wins California with Latinx Support as Biden Sweeps Southern Black Vote. democracynow.org 
The biggest voting day of the Democratic presidential primary has ended in a two-person race between former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders. With more than a third of delegates at stake, Biden swept the Midwest and the South, winning Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas. Sanders saw victories in Colorado, Utah, his home state of Vermont, and the grand prize of the night, California, where Latinx voters account for nearly 40% of the population. His campaign had 23 field offices in the state. Latinx voters could also play a key role…
(2020-02-06). Embassy Protection Collective: "We Are Not the Ones Who Violated the Law" theantimedia.com In this exclusive interview, VA talks to the activists who defended the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC ahead of their trial.
(2019-12-20). Notes on a private TV newscast in Bolivia. The contrast with Venezuela is clear as day. zcomm.org In August, I took detailed notes a news broadcast on one of Venezuela's largest TV networks. I summarized these notes in an interview I did with the Real News Network making the point that Venezuela's private media (which reaches 60-90% of households) is remarkably free — most especially when you consider the US is openly
