(2020-05-24). Trump Claims to Have Venezuela 'Surrounded' as Iranian Tankers Approach. zcomm.org Venezuela's armed forces will escort the vessels upon reaching territorial waters.
(2020-05-23). Mercenaries, pandemic and riots in Venezuela: A grassroots perspective. mronline.org 
Venezuela is confronting COVID-19 amid foreign sanctions and mercenary incursions. Complicating matters further is the explosive combination of deep recession and a nationwide lockdown, which has triggered incidents of looting and riots.
(2020-05-23). [World Report] England and Wales see 20‚Äà000 excess deaths in care homes. thelancet.com PPE shortages, lack of testing, and a vulnerable population have seen care homes in England and Wales become hotspots of the COVID-19 epidemic. Talha Burki reports.
(2020-05-23). [Perspectives] Stereotype threat. thelancet.com Among the disturbing statistics to have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic has been the disproportionate impact in terms of death and severe illness on ethnic minorities in the UK and the USA. On April 7, 2020, it was reported that in the US city of Chicago, where the black population is roughly 30%, nearly 70% of COVID-19 deaths were in this demographic. A report released by the UK Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre on April 17, 2020, showed that 34% of patients in the UK receiving advanced respiratory support were non-white, despite the non-white population nationally being about 14%.
(2020-05-23). Iran Warns US Not to Interfere with Venezuelan Oil Flotilla. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/iranian-oil-tanker.jpg …
(2020-05-22). Cuba has maintained a lower infant morality rate than Canada since 2009. zcomm.org According to UNICEF's latest figures which can be downloaded here. I should add that UN agencies like UNICEF are not biased in favor of states like Cuba that the US has been trying to destroy for decades.
(2020-05-22). Venezuelan Army to escort Iranian tankers bringing gasoline to Venezuelans blockaded by U.S. sanctions. mronline.org 
This was announced by the Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, this Wednesday. "We have established contact with the Minister of Defense of Iran. All these ships, when they enter our exclusive economic zone (370Km), will be escorted by ships and planes of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), to welcome them and say to …
(2020-05-22). US Militarizes the Caribbean Sea to Surround Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Recently, the number of American ships and planes in the Caribbean Sea has increased exponentially. The most likely hypothesis so far is that there will be an attempt to block Venezuela, as the military flow in the region began to …
(2020-05-22). Venezuela sends military to escort Iranian fuel tankers over US threats. peoplesdispatch.org Officials in the Trump administration have told the press that the US will consider mobilizing its forces in the Caribbean against Iranian shipment of petrol en route to Venezuela…
(2020-05-22). Cuba Has Sent 2,000 Doctors and Nurses Overseas to Fight Covid-19. thenation.com Cuba Has Sent 2,000 Doctors and Nurses Overseas to Fight Covid-19…
(2020-05-21). US Blocks UNSC Draft Resolution Denouncing Paramilitary Incursion into Venezuela. venezuelanalysis.com Russia, China and other countries criticized violations of Venezuelan sovereignty.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(2020-05-23). To Understand Iran's 150-Year Fight, Follow the Trail of Blood and Oil. strategic-culture.org This past Sunday, April 17th, a dispute between Iran and the U.S. occurred over the U.S.' decision to increase its military presence in Caribbean and Eastern Pacific waters, with the purported reason being a counter-narcotics campaign. | Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this past Sunday, that the real purpose for this move by the U.S. is to "intervene and create disruption in the transfer of Iran's fuel to Venezuela." In the same letter, Zarif expressed concern over "the United States' intention to consider dangerous, unlawful and provocative measure…
(2020-05-22). Why the West Is Not the Best When It Comes to COVID-19. strategic-culture.org 
East Asia fares significantly better in terms of the impact of COVID-19 than the West. Although the virus is believed to have originated in East Asia, as of May 22, 2020 no East Asian nation was among the first ten countries in number of total cases of COVID-19. No matter what type of rule — democratic or autocratic — the numbers of total cases and deaths per 1 million of population in East Asian countries are significantly lower than in the West despite huge population density.
(2020-05-24). First Iranian tanker crosses into Venezuela's economic zone as US ships spotted nearby – tracking data. rt.com 
The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has entered the nation's exclusive economic zone, tracking data shows. Earlier, Tehran threatened the US with retaliation for interfering with the vessels' passage.
| The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has entered the nation's exclusive economic zone, tracking data shows. Earlier, Tehran threatened the US with retaliation for interfering with the vessels' passage. | Iranian-flagged oil tanker 'F…
(2020-05-24). Tehran-Caracas ties stronger than ever, says Iranian diplomat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 24 (MNA) — Iranian ambassador to Venezuela Hojatollah Soltani hailed on Sunday the growing friendly ties between Tehran and Caracas.
(2020-05-22). The role of the state in Venezuela. mronline.org 
Venezuelan former Vice President Elias Jaua calls for the government to rebuild the state and retake the reins of the economy.
