Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-18: News Headlines

Phyllis Bennis (2020-05-18). Sanctions in the Era of Pandemic. zcomm.org From Venezuela to Iran, Washington's illegal and inhumane economic sanctions are putting millions of lives at risk…

Eds. (2020-05-18). Freedom Rider: New attacks on Venezuela. mronline.org The Democratic Party's "left" wing is mute on the latest US aggression against the people and government of Venezuela, thus giving assent to Trump by their silence.

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

Yves Engler (2020-05-18). Ottawa's Ties with Far Right Colombian President Undermines Human Rights Rhetoric Regarding Venezuela. globalresearch.ca A week ago a former Canadian soldier instigated a harebrained bid to kidnap or kill Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Launched from Colombia, the plot failed spectacularly with most of the men captured or killed. | Still, the leader of the …

Raúl Capote (2020-05-18). Attack on Cuban Embassy in Washington Brings Complicit Silence From U.S. Government. globalresearch.ca Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla discussed the April 30 attack on the country's embassy in Washington with the press yesterday, stating: "Here is the attacker, an AK-47 rifle, 32 shell casings, 32 bullet holes and a statement — by …

WSWS (2020-05-18). Even as death toll climbs, Indonesian government urges workers under 45 to resume work. wsws.org Indonesian epidemiologists have warned that a return to work will dramatically increase transmission of the virus and put the entire population, regardless of age, at extreme risk.

Steve Sweeney (2020-05-18). Britain Warned Against 'Coup-mongering' in Venezuela After Embassy Discovery. globalresearch.ca Venezuela has warned Britain against "coup-mongering" after the discovery of a "Venezuelan reconstruction unit" in the Foreign Office. | Demanding an urgent explanation, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreeaza lodged a formal complaint with ambassador Duncan Hill, who the minister said confirmed …

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."

Patricio Zamorano (2020-05-18). Guaido Was the 'Commander in Chief' of the Failed Mercenary Operation Against Venezuela. globalresearch.ca New information divulged this week reveals that Juan Guaidó was designated as "commander and chief" of the mercenary operation that completely unraveled on the shores of Venezuela. The 41 page contract that formed the basis of the already known eight …

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

Rania Khalek (2020-05-16). Rania & Anya Show: Venezuela invasion, Bolivia coup, China conspiracies w/ Wyatt Reed. thealtworld.com Rania Khalek and Anya Parampil discuss the attempted mercenary invasion of Venezuela, conspiracies about China and Covid-19, and the aftermath of the US-backed military coup against Bolivia's democratically elected government, with journalist Wyatt Reed, who was on the ground in Bolivia reporting on the violent repression.

A. Majumdar (2020-05-15). PDF download of May 14 issue. workers.org Download entire 12-page PDF here. Justice for Ahmaud Arbery. Kent State and Jackson State. Also: COVID‚Äë19: capitalism's end stage; workers resist. Editorial: Changing narrative in Michigan. World: China, Vietnam, Haiti, Ecuador. Tear down prisons: victory in PA; San Quentin caravan; No cages for migrants; Global prisons & white supremacy; Solidarity . . . |

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.

Gabriella N. Báez (2020-05-18). Puerto Rico's Sex Workers Are Struggling to Survive. thenation.com Puerto Rico's Sex Workers Are Struggling to Survive…

The Canary (2020-05-16). Wild white storks hatch in UK for first time in centuries. thecanary.co White stork chicks have hatched in the wild in the UK for the first time in centuries.Eggs in one of three nests at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex have hatched, the White Stork Project announced.Observers watched as the parents incubated the nest of five eggs located in an oak tree.They were seen removing eggshells from the nest and later regurgitating food for the chicks.It comes after the same pair of white storks unsuccessfully tried to breed at Knepp last year.Lucy Groves, project officer for the White Stork Project, said it was the first time in hundreds of years that wild white stork chicks have hatched in…

Global Research News (2020-05-18). Selected Articles: Who Is Behind the Failed Invasion of Venezuela? globalresearch.ca Lying is a money making activity and lies are commodities. There is a profitable global market for media and public figures committed to spreading disinformation. | Needless to say, "Telling the Truth", on the other hand, Is Not a Money-Making Proposition. …

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 …

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 …

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-05-15). Russia makes a botch of its Syrian alliance. iranian.com 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. What complicates Russia's relationship with Syria is that two strong-willed, highly self-opinionated leaders are also …

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 (2020-05-15). "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.

John McEvoy (2020-05-16). Venezuela calls on UK government to 'abandon coup-mongering plans' after The Canary's investigation. thecanary.co Following an investigation by The Canary, the Venezuelan government has Venezuela Reconstruction Unit: | On 13 May, The Canary

RT (2020-05-18). Personal pods, 'bumper tables' & pool noodle hats? Inventive 'social distancing' enforcers ensure New Normal is anything but. rt.com As populations emerge from Covid-19 lockdown, businesses are scrambling to comply with the onerous social-distancing regulations still in place, deploying everything from repurposed pool noodles to hula hoops to keep people apart. | Schools and 'non-essential' businesses like restaurants and bars are preparing to reopen after lengthy lockdowns, but many governments are insisting on the need for continued "social distancing" – keeping people six feet apart at all times to prevent the spread of Covid-19. After months all but trapped in their homes, many people want nothing more than human contact. How to prevent…

RT (2020-05-18). Saudi-backed Yemen's govt accuses Houthis of covering up coronavirus outbreak, calls for global assistance. rt.com Yemen's Saudi-backed government accused the Houthi movement of covering up a big outbreak of coronavirus in areas it holds. The Aden-based government also called for urgent global assistance to help Yemen's war-ravaged health sector deal with Covid-19, Reuters said. | The United Nations warned that the country could suffer a "catastrophic" food security situation due to the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus is spreading undetected among the population in the country, control of which is divided between the government in the south and the Houthi group in the north. | The government ha…

RT (2020-05-15). Define 'distribute'! Trump mobilizing MILITARY to deliver Covid-19 vaccine 'assuming we get it,' sparks conspiracy frenzy. rt.com US President Donald Trump said the military is gearing up to distribute a coronavirus vaccine when one is ready, unleashing a torrent of takes from conspiracy-minded netizens, many sounding alarms over mandatory inoculations. | American GIs are already being mobilized to parcel out a future vaccine to "most of the population," Trump told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo in an interview on Thursday, giving a highly optimistic end-of-the-year time frame even as many experts suggest a remedy won't be ready for mass distribution for another 12 to 18 months. | "We're mobilizing our military on the basis that we do hav…

sputniknews (2020-05-18). Coronavirus; US Election; Venezuela. sputniknews.com Join George Galloway on the new home for the Mother of All Talk Shows – this week we talk all about coronavirus and US election…

yenisafak (2020-05-18). Bangladesh may see coronavirus peak next week: Experts. yenisafak.com As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus continues to rise in Bangladesh, experts say the South Asian nation may see a peak in infections in the next two weeks. The country on Monday registered 1,602 new infections of COVID-19, with 21 deaths, marking the single day record in the country of around 165 million population."Bangladesh may see a peak in COVID-19 cases in next two weeks or so," said Dr. Bijon Kumar Sil, leader of a Bangladeshi research team at Gonoshasthaya Kendra Hospital that invented a $3 test kit that can detect the coronavirus in less than 15 minutes.Since the first positive case…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-05-14). Arabs, UN Must Move to Swiftly Protect the Status of Palestinian Refugees. dissidentvoice.org 'Heinous racism,' is how the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor described a recent decision by Lebanese authorities to bar Palestinian refugee expats from returning to Lebanon. Lebanon's restrictions on its ever-diminishing population of Palestinian refugees is nothing new. However, this event is particularly alarming as it may be linked to a long-term official policy regarding …

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.

Kuehn BM. (2020-05-12). Discovering Why Some Infants Have Delayed Hearing Loss Detection. jamanetwork.com Several socioeconomic factors were linked in a recent study with delayed hearing loss diagnoses in Minnesota infants. Launching initiatives to pinpoint these populations and identify infants with hearing loss more quickly could help reduce their risk of delayed speech and language development, the study's authors noted.

Bauchner H, Sharfstein J. (2020-05-12). Medical Students and Public Health Service for the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com Over the next few months it is likely that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has surged in New York City, Seattle, New Orleans, and Detroit will move from city to city and state to state. After the initial peak, absent highly effective medical interventions, the US will likely experience outbreaks of lingering disease for months and potentially years to come. As the US enters the next phase of COVID-19, critical questions will involve the nation's capacity to respond to outbreaks, protect high-risk populations, and limit community spread.

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…

Staff (2020-05-11). Headlines for May 11, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Cases Mount as States Reopen Economies, NY Investigating Deaths of at Least 3 Children Linked to COVID-19, Bronx Hospital Investigating Nurse Who Shared Video of Medical Staff Speaking Out About Lack of PPE, Cheyenne River Sioux Defies South Dakota Order to Remove Coronavirus Checkpoints, Another COVID-19 Case Confirmed at White House as Barack Obama Blasts Trump's "Chaotic" Response, Hunger-Striking Immigrant Women Released from California Prison, U.S. Continues to Deport Haitian Immigrants, Including Those with COVID-19 Infections, WSJ: Trump Planning to Ban H-1B Visas, Three Prisoners Die at Chino Fac…

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.

Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi, Emilia M Sordillo, Marilianna C Márquez-Colmenarez, Lourdes A Delgado-Noguera, Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales (2020-05-04). [Correspondence] The arrival of SARS-CoV-2 in Venezuela. thelancet.com We read with interest the World Report about the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Venezuelan migrants.1 We concur wholeheartedly that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a negative impact on Venezuelans who have taken refuge in neighbouring countries.

Paul Dobson (2020-05-04). Venezuela: 45 Killed in Guanare Prison Riot. venezuelanalysis.com The government pledged to investigate the May 1 riot, which it described as an attempted breakout.

Ricardo Vaz (2020-05-03). Venezuelan Armed Forces: Paramilitary Incursion Neutralized. venezuelanalysis.com Former US green beret Jordan Goudreau, reported to have led preparations for a coup, confirmed the operation.

Lucas Koerner (2020-05-02). Former US Special Ops Soldier Led Plot to Invade Venezuela: Sources. venezuelanalysis.com AP reports that the Venezuelan opposition and Colombian authorities were aware of the plan.

2020-05-18: 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.)

The Prospects of Russia and India Jointly Leading a New Non-Aligned Movement
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
The ongoing global systemic transition is transforming international relations from its erstwhile unipolarity to what experts agree is either multipolarity or, less popularly, bipolarity. However one chooses to describe the present world order, it's clear that the US and China …
globalresearch.ca/russia-india-leading-new-non-aligned-movement/5713271

Improved Russia-Pakistan Relations. Moscow's "New Bipolarity"
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
There's a growing consensus among Russia's leading experts that International Relations are increasingly characterized by what they've termed the "new bipolarity" that's emerging out of World War C, and it's within this global context that the continued improvement of Russian-Pakistani …
globalresearch.ca/improved-russian-pakistani-relations-help-moscow-balance-new-bipolarity/5713275

Sanctions in the Era of Pandemic
Phyllis Bennis | zcomm.org | 2020-05-18
From Venezuela to Iran, Washington's illegal and inhumane economic sanctions are putting millions of lives at risk…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/sanctions-in-the-era-of-pandemic/

Exposed: CIA used Sheldon Adelson's firm to spy on Julian Assange
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-05-18
The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal reveals explosive new details on the CIA spying and sabotage operation against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange….
thegrayzone.com/2020/05/18/exposed-cia-used-sheldon-adelsons-firm-to-spy-on-julian-assange/

Opening Up for Demonstrations?
Ted Glick | zcomm.org | 2020-05-18
Stop racist killings! Act together to end the pandemic! Living wages or income now! A Green New Deal and Medicare for All! Trump must go!
zcomm.org/znetarticle/opening-up-for-demonstrations/

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/

What You Need to Know about the ICC Investigation of War Crimes in Occupied Palestine
Romana Rubeo | mintpressnews.com | 2020-05-18
Considering the number of UN resolutions that Israel has violated throughout the years – the perpetual occupation of Palestine, the siege on Gaza, and the elaborate system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians, finding Israel guilty of war crimes, among others "serious crimes" should be a straightforward matter.
mintpressnews.com/icc-investigation-israel-war-crimes-occupied-palestine/267657/

The Nakba: 72 years of ongoing catastrophe
Ted Kelly | workers.org | 2020-05-18
May 15 is the day commemorating Youm al-Nakba, the Day of Catastrophe, when white European settlers declared war on the people of Palestine in 1948. In the violence that immediately followed the settlers' so-called "independence" declaration, at least 700,000 Palestinians were forced out of their homes, and hundreds of towns . . . | Continue reading The Nakba: 72 years of ongoing catastrophe at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/05/48740/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-nakba-72-years-of-ongoing-catastrophe

Ottawa's Ties with Far Right Colombian President Undermines Human Rights Rhetoric Regarding Venezuela
Yves Engler | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
A week ago a former Canadian soldier instigated a harebrained bid to kidnap or kill Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Launched from Colombia, the plot failed spectacularly with most of the men captured or killed. | Still, the leader of the …
globalresearch.ca/ottawa-colombian-president-undermine-human-rights-regarding-venezuela/5713214

Germany's Kosovo Policy Shift. Implications for Serbia and the EU
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
The debate in the German Bundestag on the extension of the mandate of German Kosovo Force (KFOR) soldiers turned into a criticism of long-time Chancellor Angela Merkel and raised speculation that Berlin might adopt a different position on Kosovo. The …
globalresearch.ca/will-germany-kosovo-policy-shift-back-serbia-favor/5713293

Trump's Megalomania and Boris Johnson's Incompetence Have Only Increased in COVID Pandemic
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-18
It was the pandemic that turned Trump's and Johnson's character and behavioural flaws into lethal failings that have since killed many people. Both had risen to power by skilfully exploiting nativist fears and ambitions and scapegoating foreigners at home and abroad. They had become like a pair of conmen who have been successfully peddling lies and fantasies, but who must suddenly grapple with a highly-dangerous reality.
counterpunch.org/2020/05/18/trumps-megalomania-and-boris-johnsons-incompetence-have-only-increased-in-covid-pandemic/

Trump's Megalomania and Boris Johnson's Incompetence Have Only Increased in COVID Pandemic
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-18
It was the pandemic that turned Trump's and Johnson's character and behavioural flaws into lethal failings that have since killed many people. Both had risen to power by skilfully exploiting nativist fears and ambitions and scapegoating foreigners at home and abroad. They had become like a pair of conmen who have been successfully peddling lies and fantasies, but who must suddenly grapple with a highly-dangerous reality.
counterpunch.org/2020/05/18/trumps-megalomania-and-boris-johnsons-incompetence-have-only-increased-in-covid-pandemic/

Trump Tightens Restrictions on Huawei, China Threatens Retaliation
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
Even during a major public health crisis compounded by economic collapse

Trump Tightens Restrictions on Huawei, China Threatens Retaliation
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
Even during a major public health crisis compounded by economic collapse

Federal Reserve Financial Mismanagement
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
The misnamed Federal Reserve isn't federal. It's owned and controlled by major Wall Street banks. | It serves their interests at the expense of sound economic policy, ignoring its congressional mandate to "promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices, …
globalresearch.ca/federal-reserve-financial-mismanagement/5713281

Federal Reserve Financial Mismanagement
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
The misnamed Federal Reserve isn't federal. It's owned and controlled by major Wall Street banks. | It serves their interests at the expense of sound economic policy, ignoring its congressional mandate to "promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices, …
globalresearch.ca/federal-reserve-financial-mismanagement/5713281

US Military Planners Advise Expanded Online Psychological Warfare against China
Alan MacLeod | thealtworld.com | 2020-05-18
Just three years ago, Americans had a neutral view of China (and nine years ago it was strongly favorable). Today, the same polls show that 66 percent of Americans dislike the country. | MPN– As the U.S. military turns its attention from the Middle East to conflict with Russia and China, American war planners are advising that the United States greatly expand its own online "psychological operations" against Beijing. | A new report from the Financial Times details how top brass in Washington are strategiz…
thealtworld.com/alan_macleod/us-military-planners-advise-expanded-online-psychological-warfare-against-china

US Military Planners Advise Expanded Online Psychological Warfare against China
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-05-18
Just three years ago, Americans had a neutral view of China (and nine years ago it was strongly favorable). Today, the same polls show that 66 percent of Americans dislike the country.
mintpressnews.com/us-military-planners-advise-expanded-online-psychological-warfare-against-china/267665/

Latin America Braces for Major Spike in COVID-19 Cases
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-05-18
Latin America appears to be on a precipice, about to lose what little control over the COVID-19 pandemic it had. Across the region, daily positive tests are rising rapidly. Chilean figures show infections have doubled since last week. Around 4,000 Peruvians have tested positive each day in the past week. Meanwhile, Argentina, where an official 12 percent mortality rate suggests authorities are testing nowhere near enough people, suffered its two worst days on Friday and Saturday. As figures are often revised upwards the d…
mintpressnews.com/latin-america-massive-spike-covid-19-cases/267674/

Latin America Braces for Major Spike in COVID-19 Cases
Alan MacLeod | thealtworld.com | 2020-05-18
Many Latin American countries have been hollowed out after decades of neoliberal "reforms," leaving them weaker than ever. | MPN– Latin America appears to be on a precipice, about to lose what little control over the COVID-19 pandemic it had. Across the region, daily positive tests are rising rapidly. Chilean figures show infections have doubled since last week. Around 4,000 Peruvians have tested positive each day in the past week. Meanwhile, Argentina, where an official 12 percent mortality rate suggests authorities…
thealtworld.com/alan_macleod/latin-america-braces-for-major-spike-in-covid-19-cases

Latin America Braces for Major Spike in COVID-19 Cases
Alan MacLeod | thealtworld.com | 2020-05-18
Many Latin American countries have been hollowed out after decades of neoliberal "reforms," leaving them weaker than ever. | MPN– Latin America appears to be on a precipice, about to lose what little control over the COVID-19 pandemic it had. Across the region, daily positive tests are rising rapidly. Chilean figures show infections have doubled since last week. Around 4,000 Peruvians have tested positive each day in the past week. Meanwhile, Argentina, where an official 12 percent mortality rate suggests authorities…
thealtworld.com/alan_macleod/latin-america-braces-for-major-spike-in-covid-19-cases

Stir Crazy! Episode #36: Slaves To The Economy
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-18
On today's show: Incoming TRNN Executive Director John Duda, PERI Gender and Care Work Program economist Katherine Moos, and Economic Update host and founder of Democracy at Work Richard Wolff. Hosted by Kim Brown.
therealnews.com/stories/stir-crazy-episode-36-slaves-to-the-economy

Ghani-Abdullah power sharing deal marks an end to stalemate in Afghanistan
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-18
According to the agreement, president Ashraf Ghani will continue as the Afghan president while rival Abdullah Abdullah will lead the peace talks with the Taliban. Abdullah will also choose an equal number of ministers in the government…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/18/ghani-abdullah-power-sharing-deal-marks-an-end-to-stalemate-in-afghanistan/

Iran Is Not A Victim, It Is One of The Most Influential and Strong-Minded Nations on Earth
Andre Vltchek | iranian.com | 2020-05-18
When facing mortal danger, its people unite, harden themselves and get ready to face invaders, no matter how threatening they might be. Iran is home to one of the oldest and deepest cultures in the world, and it's precisely this culture that helps Iranian people to survive the most frightening moments. And one such moment …
iranian.com/2020/05/17/iran-is-not-a-victim-it-is-one-of-the-most-influential-and-strong-minded-nations-on-earth/

How Will COVID-19 Change the World? Historian Frank Snowden on Epidemics From the Black Death to Now
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-18
Pandemics, like revolution, war and economic crises, are key determinants of historic change. We look at the history of epidemics, from Black Death to smallpox to COVID-19, and discuss how the coronavirus will reshape the world with leading medical historian Frank Snowden, author of "Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present." He is a professor emeritus at Yale University who has been in Italy since the pandemic began, and himself survived a COVID-19 infection.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/18/frank_snowden_covid_19_epidemics_history

Poetry in the Time of the Pandemic & Other Earthly Ills
Freedom Socialist Party Bay Area | indybay.org | 2020-05-18
Zoom (access registration after ticket purchase)…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/17/18833103.php

'Rotten from the top': Sexual harassment 'RAMPANT' at McDonald's, international labor group tells OECD in complaint
rt.com | 2020-05-19
An international group of labor unions has filed a complaint alleging "systemic" and "rampant" sexual harassment at McDonald's restaurants around the globe, arguing the corporate fast food giant has ignored the problem for years. | The complaint was filed with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Monday by the International Union of Food Workers (IUF), which said McDonald's had allowed a "sexual harassment crisis" to persist in restaurants all over the world, including in the US, Brazil, Australia, France, the UK, Chile and Colombia, among other countries. | "McDonald's workers h…
rt.com/news/489028-mcdonalds-sexual-harassment-oecd/

'Potential benefit outweighed the risk': Trump's doctor pens letter in defense of HCQ, Twitter still unconvinced he takes it
rt.com | 2020-05-19
With media and online pundits going into a full-blown meltdown after US President Donald Trump said that he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a prophylaxis against coronavirus, his doctor issued a statement in support of the drug. | Trump's admission late Monday that he has been taking the experimental drug, originally designed to treat malaria and several other conditions, has caught many off-guard, spawning a torrent of reactions online. | pic.twitter.com/o9DQrfSjJH– Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 19,…
rt.com/usa/489029-hydroxychloroquine-doctor-letter-trump/

'Masks are Sharia-lite!' Explosive conservative host compares Covid-19 orders to 'ISIS & TALIBAN policies' on Rush Limbaugh Show
rt.com | 2020-05-18
Conservative author Mark Steyn has taken criticism of Covid-19 lockdown orders to a new level by comparing the measures to terrorist policies and mask-wearing rules to the Sharia law. | Filling in for conservative Rush Limbaugh on his radio show on Monday, Steyn began his lockdown critique by comparing the canceling of live musical performances to performers being killed and banned in the Middle East by none other than Islamic State (IS, ISIS/ISIL) terrorists. | "You know the last time I was writing about societies banning music it was ISIS and the Taliban," Steyn said. "I'm creeped out by the fact that we're…
rt.com/usa/489020-limbaugh-sharia-masks-coronavirus-lockdown/

Taliban blamed for over 3,800 attacks after peace deal
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-18
Afghan government on Monday blamed the Taliban for "blatantly violating" terms of their peace deal with the US signed in February.Flanked by the country's army chief and interior minister, Brig. Gen. Ahmad Zia Siraj, the head of the secret service NDS, told a news conference the Taliban continued their assaults across the country.Siraj also accused the Taliban of having close ties with foreign terrorist groups such as al-Qaida, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Islamic Movement of Eastern Turkistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba and others."The Taliban, after the peace deal with the US orchestrated over 3,800 attacks in differen…
yenisafak.com/en/world/taliban-blamed-for-over-3800-attacks-after-peace-deal-3529810

Iran Sends Fuel Tankers to Venezuela, Vows 'Decisive Response' to US Threats
Lucas Koerner | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-05-18
Crippling US sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14877

Iran Sends Fuel Tankers to Venezuela, Vows 'Decisive Response' to US Threats
Lucas Koerner | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-05-18
Crippling US sanctions have caused severe fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14877

Part II of the Kent-State Series
Project Censored | projectcensored.org | 2020-05-18
50 years have passed since Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on Kent State University students protesting the Vietnam War. Four students were killed and nine wounded. On this Part…
projectcensored.org/part-ii-of-the-kent-state-series/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-ii-of-the-kent-state-series

Video: German Medical Doctor Katrin Korb's Analysis of Big Pharma's "Dubious Vaccine"
Dr. Katrin Korb | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
German Medical Doctor Katrin Korb discusses COVID-19, the lockdown and the vaccine during a protest held in Oldeburg. | Below is the transcript of her speech. | *** | Dear fellow citizens, | I'm thankful for being able to stand here today. My name …
globalresearch.ca/video-german-medical-doctor-katrin-korb/5713250

Israeli Soldiers Abduct Eight Palestinians, Injure Several Others, In West Bank
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-05-18
Israeli soldiers abducted, Monday, eight Palestinians, and injured many others, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, after the soldiers invaded many communities, stormed and ransacked homes, and attack protesters. In Jenin, in northern West Bank, the soldiers invaded the home of Ahmad Nabeeh Abu ar-Rob, and violently searched …
imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-abduct-eight-palestinians-injure-several-others-in-west-bank/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=israeli-soldiers-abduct-eight-palestinians-injure-several-others-in-west-bank

COVID-19: Podemos, social-democrats prepare to send Spanish police against workers' protests
wsws.org | 2020-05-18
The "left populist" Podemos party is backing plans for Civil Guards to attack working class protests and monitor social media for signs of online dissent.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/18/pode-m18.html

Philadelphia: #FreeBlackMamas demand prisoner release
Joe Piette | workers.org | 2020-05-18
Philadelphia Protesters, led by currently and formerly incarcerated women, trans and non gender-binary people, held a rally on May 15 in a city park next to Riverside Correctional Facility to demand the release of people held in Philadelphia jails and an end to unjust cash bail. The action featured speeches . . . | Continue reading Philadelphia: #FreeBlackMamas demand prisoner release at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/05/48756/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=philadelphia-freeblackmamas-demand-prisoner-release

Protest at Fort Mason Against CCSF Cuts
Leon Kunstenaar | indybay.org | 2020-05-18
People young and old protest CCSF cuts in programs that benefit seniors, immigrants and working people.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/15/18833052.php

Group that TRACKED protesters' cell phones accuses them of spreading Covid-19 across US… even if they DIDN'T leave their cars
rt.com | 2020-05-18
A Democrat-linked advocacy group is blaming the spread of Covid-19 on anti-lockdown protesters in the US after tracking their cell phones cross-country. Despite the tempting partisan narrative, though, many never left their cars. | Anti-lockdown demonstrators traveled hundreds of miles to attend protests, almost certainly spreading the coronavirus to places where infections were rare, according to the Committee to Protect Medicare, a supposedly non-partisan group run by a former Democratic congressional candidate. The group provided a comprehensive analysis of smartphone location data from rallies in Michigan,…
rt.com/usa/488992-lockdown-protests-spread-virus-cars/

'Have a good day & be safe': New Jersey cops are latest police force to REFUSE enforcing Covid-19 restrictions
rt.com | 2020-05-18
Footage of police in New Jersey informing anti-lockdown protesters they're in violation of Covid-19 executive orders, but will not face consequences, is the latest example of officers taking a more hands-off approach to the rules. | People began gathering outside Atilis Gym in southern New Jersey hours before it opened on Monday to show support for the business defying executive orders from the governor, and to protest the continuing lockdown measures in place across the state. | While almost no protesters wore face coverings and were clearly breaking social distancing guidelines by gathering in a big crowd, p…
rt.com/usa/489015-jersey-police-gym-coronavirus-social-distancing/

Protesters storm MBC Iraq office, destroy its contents: report
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-18
TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA)

UN sends 89 trucks carrying aid to Syria's Idlib
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-18
The United Nations sent Monday 89 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, a northwestern Syrian province where millions are in urgent need of assistance.The trucks loaded with the supplies entered Syria through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province bordering Idlib.The aid will be distributed to vulnerable people in 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…
yenisafak.com/en/world/un-sends-89-trucks-carrying-aid-to-syrias-idlib-3529806

Iraqi protesters storm Saudi channel HQ in Baghdad
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-18
Iraqi demonstrators on Monday stormed the premises of the Saudi-owned MBC channel in Baghdad to protest what they describe as an insult to late Shia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. | Scores of angry protesters gathered outside the MBC office in central Baghdad before forcing their way into the building and destroying everything inside, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter at the scene. | Waving photos of al-Muhandis and Iraqi flags, protesters chanted slogans against Saudi Arabia during their rally. | "We don't accept any insult to al-Muhandis, who is one of Iraq's symbols," Hussein al-Jumaili, a protester, told…
yenisafak.com/en/world/iraqi-protesters-storm-saudi-channel-hq-in-baghdad-3529800

Soldiers Abduct Four Palestinians, Injure Many, In Hebron
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-05-18
Israeli soldiers invaded, earlier Monday, Hebron city, and nearby towns of Beit Ummar and Yatta, in addition to the al-'Arroub refugee camp, in southern West Bank, searched and ransacked many homes and abducted four Palestinians, in addition to wounding several others. Mohammad Awad, a local nonviolent media activist in Beit …
imemc.org/article/soldiers-abduct-four-palestinians-injure-many-in-hebron/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=soldiers-abduct-four-palestinians-injure-many-in-hebron

Taking the Air out of Balloon Pollution: Grassroots Environmental Activist of the Year Danielle Vosburgh
Douglas Bevington | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-18
Danielle Vosburgh has been selected as the Fund for Wild Nature's Grassroots Activist of the Year for 2020. Danielle is co-founder of the Florida-based grassroots group Balloons Blow, which opposes helium balloon releases and their harmful impact on wildlife. Discarded balloons are particularly dangerous for animals living in the ocean. When balloons deflate and fall…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/18/taking-the-air-out-of-balloon-pollution-grassroots-environmental-activist-of-the-year-danielle-vosburgh/

World Health Assembly 2020: Is our response to COVID-19 adequate?
Ben Eder | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-18
Activists of the People's Health Movement talk about the World Health Assembly that begins today, the key issues that will come up for discussion, and the collapse of the global governance system in the realm of public health…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/18/world-health-assembly-2020-are-we-doing-enough-to-protect-the-world-from-covid-19/

Corporate Media Setting Stage for "New Cold War" with China
Gregory Shupak | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-18
Corporate media are laying the ideological groundwork for a new cold war with China, presenting the nation as a hostile power that needs to be kept in check. | The Washington Post ( 4/23/20) ran an article by Republican Sen. …
globalresearch.ca/corporate-media-setting-stage-new-cold-war-china/5713266

Australian government heightens trade conflict with China
wsws.org | 2020-05-18
Successive Australian governments have been in the forefront of imposing tariffs and other restrictions on imports from China.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/18/auch-m18.html

As death toll mounts, White House steps up efforts to scapegoat China for pandemic
wsws.org | 2020-05-18
Blaming China not only deflects attention from the Trump administration's responsibility for the horrific US death toll but feeds into its anti-China trade war measures.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/18/usch-m18.html

The Coming Nuclear Menace: Hypersonic Missiles
Karl Grossman | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-18
The United States is seeking to acquire "volumes of hundreds or even thousands" of nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles that are "stealthy" and can fly undetected at 3,600 miles per hour, five times faster than the speed of sound. Why so many? A Pentagon official is quoted in the current issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology as saying "we have to be careful we're not building boutique weapons. If we build boutique weapons, we won't–we'll be very reluctant to–use them." | …
counterpunch.org/2020/05/18/the-coming-nuclear-menace-hypersonic-missiles/