Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-17: News Headlines

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-17). Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela. globalresearch.ca The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …

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

teleSUR (2020-05-16). Venezuelan Army Captures Another Member of Operation Gedeon. telesurenglish.net The Venezuelan armed forces captured another member Saturday involved in the failed coup plot, dubbed 'Operation Gedeon', against President Nicolas Maduro. | RELATED: | The Strategic Operational Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) reported that the arrest was made by the Operational Defense Comprehensive Zone (ZODI) of northern Aragua state. | The Venezuelan national police reported that se…

RT (2020-05-16). POLAND would gladly host American nukes if Germany refuses, US envoy claims, fanning 'Cuban missile crisis 2.0'. rt.com As the US ambassador to Germany — and acting spy chief — tried persuading Berlin to keep hosting US nuclear weapons, his colleague in Warsaw suggested Poland would be willing to take them instead, an act sure to provoke Moscow. | "If Germany wants to diminish nuclear capability and weaken NATO, perhaps Poland — which pays its fair share, understands the risks, and is on NATO's eastern flank — could house the capabilities here," Ambassador Georgette Mosbacher tweeted on Friday. | If Germany wants to diminish nuclear capability and weaken NATO, perhaps Poland – which pays its fair share, un…

RT (2020-05-16). Hungary's Orban says Budapest lockdown will now be gradually lifted amid Covid-19 powers row with EU. rt.com The gradual removal of coronavirus restrictions will begin in Budapest from Monday, bringing Hungarian PM Victor Orban closer to fulfilling his promise to give up the emergency powers that had angered the EU. | "It has become clear that we have managed to curb the epidemic in Budapest as well…and thus we can lift the lockdown," Orban announced in a video address on his Facebook page. | However, the prime minister pointed out that the government will be moving "cautiously" towards what he called the second phase of defense against the virus in Hungary's capital and largest city, which has a population of mor…

WSWS (2020-05-16). Washington places Cuba and Venezuela on "terror" list. wsws.org After fostering an abortive mercenary invasion aimed at overthrowing Venezuela's government and murdering its president, the US placed Caracas on a list of governments deemed uncooperative in the "war on terrorism."

Staff (2020-05-16). Cuba's Resilience Through Economic Crisis Prepared It for COVID Health Crisis. truthout.org In times of crisis, who we are is revealed. That is true of people and of nations. What COVID-19 has exposed — not created — is a deeply flawed and inequitable society. The truths of how race and class intersect to shorten the existence of some in our society are now laid bare for all to see. The collapse of structures that were barely holding on have revealed how inadequate they were to begin with. The failure of many states to prevent, protect against and help contain an illness…

Don Fitz (2020-05-16). Cuba's Biotechnology and "Medical Internationalism". Monsanto "Bioimperialism" versus Cuba's "Biosolidarity" globalresearch.ca Genetically engineered crops are a form of food imperialism. This technology allows mega-corporations like Bayer/Monsanto to patent seeds, lure farmers into buying them with visions of high yields, and then destroy the ability of small farmers to survive. | Genetic engineering …

teleSUR (2020-05-16). Puerto Rico to Hold Statehood Referendum Amid Disillusion. telesurenglish.net Puerto Rico's Governor Wanda Vazquez announced Saturday that she will hold a nonbinding referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a U.S. state, a move that comes amid growing disillusion with the island's U.S. territorial status. | RELATED: | For the first time in the island's history, the referendum will ask a single, simple question: Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted as a U.S. state? | It i…

teleSUR (2020-05-16). Iran Warns US Against Actions on Tankers Heading to Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Iran warned that any "pirate-like" actions take by the United States against an Iranian fuel shipment to Venezuela would trigger Tehran's "harsh response," as reported Saturday by Iran's Nour News Agency. | RELATED: | "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 agency said. | Iran's Fars…

teleSUR (2020-05-16). 'Colombia's Policy Towards Venezuela Is Aggressive' Samper Says. telesurenglish.net Colombia's RELATED: | "Colombia has had ill-advised handling of its relationship with Venezuela. Colombian policy has been very aggressive to…

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

en.mehrnews (2020-05-16). Trade exchange between Iran, Venezuela has nothing to do with anyone else. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 16 (MNA) — Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiei said that trade volume exchange between Islamic Republic of Iran and Venezuela, as two independent countries in the world, has nothing to do with anyone else, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to sell its oil.

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.

ahtribune (2020-05-15). Venezuela Shows World Under No Less Threat of War After Donald Trump's First Term. ahtribune.com When Donald Trump ran for president in the 2016 election, his criticisms of regime change presented a real opportunity for anti-war voices and organizations to demand an end to U.S. regime change wars abroad. That did not happen. In fact, the Trump administration has become even more bellicose amid the spread of the

W. T. Whitney (2020-05-15). For Cuba and Venezuela, US Silence May Not Be Golden. counterpunch.org The U. S. President and his Secretary of State frequently expound about the supposed failings of enemies abroad. Recently they've blasted China's response to the pandemic, Venezuela's dictatorship, Cuba's "slave doctors" overseas, and even Iranian border guards beating up on Afghan migrants. But they've been mostly silent about two recent disruptions of the imperialist status

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 . . . |

Louis Proyect (2020-05-15). How Economic Misery Helped Fuel the Syrian War. counterpunch.org Ever since the civil war began in Syria in early 2011, the left has largely ignored the social and economic circumstances that led to a conflict costing over a half-million deaths and the migration—internal and external—of half the population. The tendency was to see Syria as a piece on a global chessboard with "the axis

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…

Ryan Parry (2020-05-15). Venezuelan TV Exposed US Mercenaries' Names, Photos and Incursion Plan a Month Before It Happened. anti-empire.com The Americans behind the failed Venezuelan coup went ahead with the ill-fated mission even though the country's ruling regime publicly exposed their plan on live TV more than a month earlier. | In footage unearthed by DailyMail.com Venezuelan state television claimed its government had infiltrated the 'mercenaries' and even aired photographs of the coup's US leader, Jordan Goudreau. | They also appeared to have the names of the other two Americans captured and paraded on TV this week, ex Green Berets Luke Denman and Airan Berry. | The revelation, alongside the apparent lack of funding and adequate equipment fo…

Patricio Zamorano (2020-05-15). Guaidó and the Failed Military Operation Against Venezuela: a Story of Betrayal and Financial Corruption. counterpunch.org Now that we have had a few days to study the failed, illegal paramilitary incursion by a group of American and Venezuelan mercenaries into Venezuela, some key details have emerged in this incredible story. They reveal the internal dynamics of the fractured, demoralized, and financially corrupt nature of the hardline sectors of the opposition. Much

Irina Slav (2020-05-15). Up to Five Iranian Tankers en Route to Venezuela Carrying Much-Needed Gasoline. anti-empire.com An Iranian tanker loaded with gasoline has set sail for Venezuela, Reuters reports, citing tanker tracking data. The cargo should help alleviate a growing shortage of gasoline in the sanctions-stricken South American country. | The Clavel, a medium tanker, loaded in March at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, and this week passed the Suez Canal, the data showed. | TankerTrackers.com co-founder Samir Madani confirmed the data to Oilprice.com, noting that there were several vessels en route from Iran to Venezuela, with the cargo all or mostly gasoline. | twitter.com/Joyce_Karam/status/1261022167669

Staff (2020-05-15). US Deports COVID-Positive Immigrants to Haiti and Guatemala, Spreading Virus. truthout.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. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: We turn now…

WSWS (2020-05-15). Rushed relaxation of coronavirus measures in Germany puts thousands of lives at risk. wsws.org With the general relaxation of the coronavirus measures, cases in schools, retirement homes, local transport, industry and the entire working population are inevitably on the rise again.

WSWS (2020-05-15). Amid charges of unsafe conditions, Puerto Rico's governor issues back-to-work orders. wsws.org Businesses have been left to supervise themselves in all matters related to worker safety as the government's regulatory agencies essentially wash their hands of the matter.

Macdonald Stainsby (2020-05-15). Socialism and Collective Responses: Attacking Venezuela in a Pandemic. counterpunch.org That feeling of international solidarity. This pandemic has brought terror in daily life to many, including this home where a 79 year old with COPD resides. Global calls of "we are all in this together" have served to blunt the bleakness in the face of unprecedented threats to our collective health. However, the initial rush

Nino Pagliccia (2020-05-15). Canadians Must Ask Questions About the Mercenary Raid on Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Details of the failed armed mercenary incursion on Venezuela are surfacing daily thanks to the prompt public information system from Venezuela and scant corporate media reports. The so-called Operation Gideon took off from Colombia on May 3 and was effectively …

teleSUR (2020-05-14). President Maduro: New Mercenary Groups are Formed in Colombia. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, denounced this Thursday that "new groups of mercenaries are being formed in Colombia" under the complicity of the Ivan Duque government, with the purpose of attempting new attacks against his country. | "New groups of hitmen, mercenaries and terrorists are being formed in Colombia; We have the names, the place where they are, those who protect them and everything points to Ivan Duque again ", denounced the president while leading the day with the health sector to evaluate the protocols implemented in the combat of Covid-19. | The head of state asserted that those who pro…

Sasha Yumbila Paz (2020-05-14). The Colombian Political System is Ravaged by Corruption: Pablo Beltrán. peoplesdispatch.org The ELN, took up arms in 1964. Since 1989, it has held peace talks with five administrations. The government of Juan Manuel Santos and the ELN advanced an agenda to end the conflict. The last round of negotiations was held in Havana, Cuba, where the ELN's Dialogue Delegation continues to work for a political solution to Colombia's armed conflict. | The government of Iván Duque Márquez, since taking office in August 2018, has ignored the Agenda for Peace Talks, including the security protocols and the return of the ELN to Colombia; and in January 2019 it terminated all dialogue. | Over 56 years, the armed conflict…

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…

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 …

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.

Surangya (2020-05-14). COVID crisis in Puerto Rico worsened by US neglect. peoplesdispatch.org After hurricanes and earthquakes, the COVID-19 pandemic is the third major health crisis in Puerto Rico in three years. There have been around 2,300 COVID cases and around 115 deaths in the Caribbean island as of May 14. This crisis is exacerbated in the region because of the historical neglect and because of its colonial relationship with the United States.

Adriaan Alsema (2020-05-14). UN economic commission backs guaranteed minimum income in Colombia. colombiareports.com The United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) supports an urgent guaranteed minimum income (GMI) as proposed in Colombia's senate. The proposal was coined by some…

teleSUR (2020-05-14). 'Major' Mental Health Crisis Looming Due to COVID-19: UN. telesurenglish.net The COVID-19 outbreak risks sparking a major global mental health crisis, the United Nations warned Thursday, calling for urgent action to address the psychological suffering brought on by the pandemic. | RELATED: | While protecting physical health has been the primary concern during the first months of the crisis, it is also placing substantial mental strains on large swathes of the global population, the U.N. sai…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-14). 'Zombie Neocon': How This Iran Contra Architect Is Leading Trump Policy. strategic-culture.org Hawk Elliot Abrams, reborn as a U.S. envoy, is at the spear point of recent aggressive moves in Venezuela. | Barbara BOLAND | As we await answers on who funded the plot to Called the "neocon zombie" by officials at the State Department, Abrams is know…

John McEvoy (2020-05-14). Revealed: Secretive British Unit Planning for 'Reconstruction' of Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have exposed a secretive Foreign Office unit aimed at the 'reconstruction' of Venezuela. The files also reveal private discussions between Venezuelan opposition figures and UK officials, detailing proposals for the promotion of …

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.

Don Fitz (2020-05-13). Can we simultaneously oppose Bayer/Monsanto's biotechnology and support Cuba's Interferon Alpha 2B? mronline.org Technology reflects social factors throughout its development and use. Genetically engineered crops allow mega-corporations to patent seeds, lure farmers into buying them with visions of high yields, and then destroy small farmers. Cuba's drugs are shared throughout the world. Making a distinction between the biotechnology of agro-industry and Cuba requires understanding the difference between bioimperialism …

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, …

imperial.ac.uk (2020-05-13). Coronavirus will have bigger impact on world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable. imperial.ac.uk The coronavirus pandemic will have a greater impact on the world's most disadvantaged and vulnerable populations, according to an Imperial report.

ahtribune (2020-05-12). Trump's Ex-Security Company and Their Botched Plot to Overthrow the President of Venezuela. ahtribune.com Reports coming out of Venezuela and Miami, Florida in the United States are boarding on the hilarious. If you thought you had seen it all with Venezuela's hard right-wing opposition and their allies in the U.S. with their actions to overthrow the socialist government of Nicolas Maduro, well, think again. In recent days, images of two captured North American mercenaries have been flooding the air waves in the South American country of Venezuela where Maduro remains the president, despite harsh U.S. Accord…

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.

Beau Peters (2020-05-12). Shelter-in-Place and Internet Inequality: What's the Connection? dissidentvoice.org Photo Source: Unsplash As most of the world is forced to stay home, internet and technology play essential roles in almost every aspect of the population's shelter-at-home lives. The internet keeps loved ones communicating and in touch, informs people of what's going on in the world, connects students to their teachers and professors, and provides …

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…

ahtribune (2020-05-11). Was the Latest Coup Plot Against Democratic Venezuela Made in the US? ahtribune.com UN Charter Article 2(4) states the following: | "All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations." | Since US grand theft of half of Mexican territory in the mid 19th century, long before the UN Charter's existence, the US time and again waged wars by hot and other means against nations threatening no one, including countless coups — seeking to control them and their resources. | Since establishment of Bolivarian V…

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.

2020-05-17: 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.)

Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …
globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-aims-block-legal-cooperation-between-iran-venezuela/5713152

Trump Regime Aims to Block Legal Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The US is at war by hot or others means against all nations unwilling to subordinate their sovereign rights to its interests. | Russia and China top its regime change target list, Iran and Venezuela close behind. | The Islamic and Bolivarian …
globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-aims-block-legal-cooperation-between-iran-venezuela/5713152

[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?
Gary L Ross | thelancet.com | 2020-05-17
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30129-2/fulltext?rss=yes

'Colombia's Policy Towards Venezuela Is Aggressive' Samper Says
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-16
Colombia's former President Ernesto Samper (1994-1998) Friday said that his country has deployed an erroneous and aggressive foreign policy towards Venezuela. | RELATED: | President Maduro: New Mercenary Groups are Formed in Colombia | "Colombia has had ill-advised handling of its relationship with Venezuela. Colombian policy has been very aggressive to…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombias-Policy-Towards-Venezuela-Is-Aggressive-Samper-Says-20200516-0003.html

Venezuelan Army Captures Another Member of Operation Gedeon
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-16
The Venezuelan armed forces captured another member Saturday involved in the failed coup plot, dubbed 'Operation Gedeon', against President Nicolas Maduro. | RELATED: | Venezuela Arrests Another Man Involved in Failed Incursion Plan | The Strategic Operational Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) reported that the arrest was made by the Operational Defense Comprehensive Zone (ZODI) of northern Aragua state. | The Venezuelan national police reported that se…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelan-Army-Captures-Another-Member-of-Operation-Gedeon-20200516-0006.html

Cuba's Resilience Through Economic Crisis Prepared It for COVID Health Crisis
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-05-16
In times of crisis, who we are is revealed. That is true of people and of nations. What COVID-19 has exposed

Cuba's Biotechnology and "Medical Internationalism". Monsanto "Bioimperialism" versus Cuba's "Biosolidarity"
Don Fitz | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-16
Genetically engineered crops are a form of food imperialism. This technology allows mega-corporations like Bayer/Monsanto to patent seeds, lure farmers into buying them with visions of high yields, and then destroy the ability of small farmers to survive. | Genetic engineering …
globalresearch.ca/difference-between-bioimperialism-biosolidarity/5713001

POLAND would gladly host American nukes if Germany refuses, US envoy claims, fanning 'Cuban missile crisis 2.0'
rt.com | 2020-05-16
As the US ambassador to Germany

Washington places Cuba and Venezuela on "terror" list
wsws.org | 2020-05-16
After fostering an abortive mercenary invasion aimed at overthrowing Venezuela's government and murdering its president, the US placed Caracas on a list of governments deemed uncooperative in the "war on terrorism."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/16/cuba-m16.html

The murderous pseudoscience of "herd immunity"
wsws.org | 2020-05-16
Foreign Affairs has published an article endorsing a policy of allowing large portions of the world's population to be infected with COVID-19.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/16/pers-m16.html

Hungary's Orban says Budapest lockdown will now be gradually lifted amid Covid-19 powers row with EU
rt.com | 2020-05-16
The gradual removal of coronavirus restrictions will begin in Budapest from Monday, bringing Hungarian PM Victor Orban closer to fulfilling his promise to give up the emergency powers that had angered the EU. | "It has become clear that we have managed to curb the epidemic in Budapest as well…and thus we can lift the lockdown," Orban announced in a video address on his Facebook page. | However, the prime minister pointed out that the government will be moving "cautiously" towards what he called the second phase of defense against the virus in Hungary's capital and largest city, which has a population of mor…
rt.com/news/488872-hungary-orban-budapest-lockdown/

Hungary's Orban says Budapest lockdown will now be gradually lifted amid Covid-19 powers row with EU
rt.com | 2020-05-16
The gradual removal of coronavirus restrictions will begin in Budapest from Monday, bringing Hungarian PM Victor Orban closer to fulfilling his promise to give up the emergency powers that had angered the EU. | "It has become clear that we have managed to curb the epidemic in Budapest as well…and thus we can lift the lockdown," Orban announced in a video address on his Facebook page. | However, the prime minister pointed out that the government will be moving "cautiously" towards what he called the second phase of defense against the virus in Hungary's capital and largest city, which has a population of mor…
rt.com/news/488872-hungary-orban-budapest-lockdown/

Puerto Rico to Hold Statehood Referendum Amid Disillusion
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-16
Puerto Rico's Governor Wanda Vazquez announced Saturday that she will hold a nonbinding referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a U.S. state, a move that comes amid growing disillusion with the island's U.S. territorial status. | RELATED: | Puerto Rico Asks Washington for More Post-Earthquake Aid | For the first time in the island's history, the referendum will ask a single, simple question: Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted as a U.S. state? | It i…
telesurenglish.net/news/Puerto-Rico-to-Hold-Statehood-Referendum-Amid-Disillusion-20200516-0011.html

Puerto Rico to Hold Statehood Referendum Amid Disillusion
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-16
Puerto Rico's Governor Wanda Vazquez announced Saturday that she will hold a nonbinding referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should become a U.S. state, a move that comes amid growing disillusion with the island's U.S. territorial status. | RELATED: | Puerto Rico Asks Washington for More Post-Earthquake Aid | For the first time in the island's history, the referendum will ask a single, simple question: Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted as a U.S. state? | It i…
telesurenglish.net/news/Puerto-Rico-to-Hold-Statehood-Referendum-Amid-Disillusion-20200516-0011.html

Iran Warns US Against Actions on Tankers Heading to Venezuela
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-16
Iran warned that any "pirate-like" actions take by the United States against an Iranian fuel shipment to Venezuela would trigger Tehran's "harsh response," as reported Saturday by Iran's Nour News Agency. | RELATED: | Venezuela Denounces US at UN Security Council | "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 agency said. | Iran's Fars…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-Warns-US-Against-Actions-on-Oil-Tankers-Heading-to-Venezuela-20200516-0010.html

Trade exchange between Iran, Venezuela has nothing to do with anyone else
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-16
TEHRAN, May 16 (MNA)

Venezuela calls on UK government to 'abandon coup-mongering plans' after The Canary's investigation
John McEvoy | thecanary.co | 2020-05-16
Following an investigation by The Canary, the Venezuelan government has formally called on the UK to "abandon Washington's coup-mongering plans and any destabilizing initiative". | Venezuela Reconstruction Unit: | On 13 May, The Canary revealed the existence of a specialist unit within the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) dedicated to the 'reconstruction' of Venezuela. Files obtained un…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/05/16/venezuela-calls-on-uk-government-to-abandon-coup-mongering-plans-after-the-canarys-investigation/

"The Wuhan of the Americas": U.S. Deports COVID-19-Positive Immigrants to Haiti & Guatemala
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-15
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.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/15/us_deportations_haiti_guatemala_coronavirus

Venezuela Shows World Under No Less Threat of War After Donald Trump's First Term
ahtribune.com | 2020-05-15
When Donald Trump ran for president in the 2016 election, his criticisms of regime change presented a real opportunity for anti-war voices and organizations to demand an end to U.S. regime change wars abroad. That did not happen. In fact, the Trump administration has become even more bellicose amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. Anti-war forces in the U.S. made the mistake of believing Donald Trump would truly make a difference in the bipartisan war agenda. Venezuela is facing th…
ahtribune.com/world/americas/venezuela/4153-no-less-threat-of-war.html

Remembering Palestine on Nakba Day: Use the Hashtag COVID1948
ahtribune.com | 2020-05-15
Palestinians worldwide have an annual day of remembrance called Nakba Day. Nakba comes from the Arabic al-Nakbah and means "disaster" or "catastrophe." It takes place on May 15th, the day after the Gregorian calendar date for Israeli independence in 1948. It is an opportunity for a people who live largely in exile to recall what was stolen from them by the nascent Israeli state in 1947 through 1949. An estimated 700,000 Palestinians, half of the country's Arab Christian and Muslim population, were driven from their homes through a deliberate…
ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/palestine/4155-nakba-covid1948.html

Arabs, UN Must Move to Swiftly Protect the Status of Palestinian Refugees
Ramzy Baroud | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
'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…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/arabs-un-must-move-to-swiftly-protect-the-status-of-palestinian-refugees/

US Deports COVID-Positive Immigrants to Haiti and Guatemala, Spreading Virus
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-05-15
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. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: We turn now…
truthout.org/video/us-deports-covid-positive-immigrants-to-haiti-and-guatemala-spreading-virus/

'Together We'll Overcome' ANC Leader Tells the World's Peoples
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-15
The African National Congress (ANC) General Secretary Elias Sekgobelo Magashule Friday delivered a public lecture about the significance of human solidarity and internationalism and the role of the Cuban revolution in the struggle against imperialism and colonialism. | RELATED: | Venezuela Denounces US at UN Security Council | "We are proud and much encouraged that young…
telesurenglish.net/news/Together-Well-Overcome-ANC-Leader-Tells-the-Worlds-Peoples-20200515-0011.html

Can We Simultaneously Oppose Bayer/Monsanto's Biotechnology and Support Cuba's Interferon Alpha 2B?
Don Fitz | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
Genetically engineered crops are a form of food imperialism. This technology allows mega-corporations like Bayer/Monsanto to patent seeds, lure farmers into buying them with visions of high yields, and then destroy the ability of small farmers to survive. Genetic engineering produces an artificial combination of plant traits which often results in foods with less nutritional…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/can-we-simultaneously-oppose-bayer-monsantos-biotechnology-and-support-cubas-interferon-alpha-2b/

For Cuba and Venezuela, US Silence May Not Be Golden
W. T. Whitney | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
The U. S. President and his Secretary of State frequently expound about the supposed failings of enemies abroad. Recently they've blasted China's response to the pandemic, Venezuela's dictatorship, Cuba's "slave doctors" overseas, and even Iranian border guards beating up on Afghan migrants. But they've been mostly silent about two recent disruptions of the imperialist status…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/for-cuba-and-venezuela-us-silence-may-not-be-golden/

PDF download of May 14 issue
A. Majumdar | workers.org | 2020-05-15
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 . . . | Continue reading PDF download of May 14 issue at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/05/48613/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pdf-download-of-may-14-issue

PDF download of May 14 issue
A. Majumdar | workers.org | 2020-05-15
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 . . . | Continue reading PDF download of May 14 issue at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/05/48613/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pdf-download-of-may-14-issue

How Economic Misery Helped Fuel the Syrian War
Louis Proyect | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
Ever since the civil war began in Syria in early 2011, the left has largely ignored the social and economic circumstances that led to a conflict costing over a half-million deaths and the migration–internal and external–of half the population. The tendency was to see Syria as a piece on a global chessboard with…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/how-economic-misery-helped-fuel-the-syrian-war/

Define 'distribute'! Trump mobilizing MILITARY to deliver Covid-19 vaccine 'assuming we get it,' sparks conspiracy frenzy
rt.com | 2020-05-15
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…
rt.com/usa/488691-trump-military-distribute-vaccine/

Wild white storks hatch in UK for first time in centuries
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-05-16
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…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/2020/05/16/wild-white-storks-hatch-in-uk-for-first-time-in-centuries/

Rushed relaxation of coronavirus measures in Germany puts thousands of lives at risk
wsws.org | 2020-05-15
With the general relaxation of the coronavirus measures, cases in schools, retirement homes, local transport, industry and the entire working population are inevitably on the rise again.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/15/rela-m15.html

Define 'distribute'! Trump mobilizing MILITARY to deliver Covid-19 vaccine 'assuming we get it,' sparks conspiracy frenzy
rt.com | 2020-05-15
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…
rt.com/usa/488691-trump-military-distribute-vaccine/

Amid charges of unsafe conditions, Puerto Rico's governor issues back-to-work orders
wsws.org | 2020-05-15
Businesses have been left to supervise themselves in all matters related to worker safety as the government's regulatory agencies essentially wash their hands of the matter.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/15/puer-m15.html

Venezuelan TV Exposed US Mercenaries' Names, Photos and Incursion Plan a Month Before It Happened
Ryan Parry | anti-empire.com | 2020-05-15
The Americans behind the failed Venezuelan coup went ahead with the ill-fated mission even though the country's ruling regime publicly exposed their plan on live TV more than a month earlier. | In footage unearthed by DailyMail.com Venezuelan state television claimed its government had infiltrated the 'mercenaries' and even aired photographs of the coup's US leader, Jordan Goudreau. | They also appeared to have the names of the other two Americans captured and paraded on TV this week, ex Green Berets Luke Denman and Airan Berry. | The revelation, alongside the apparent lack of funding and adequate equipment fo…
anti-empire.com/venezuelan-tv-exposed-us-mercenaries-names-photos-and-incursion-plan-a-month-before-it-happened/

Canadians Must Ask Questions About the Mercenary Raid on Venezuela
Nino Pagliccia | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-15
Details of the failed armed mercenary incursion on Venezuela are surfacing daily thanks to the prompt public information system from Venezuela and scant corporate media reports. The so-called Operation Gideon took off from Colombia on May 3 and was effectively …
globalresearch.ca/canadians-must-ask-questions-about-mercenary-raid-venezuela/5712996

Socialism and Collective Responses: Attacking Venezuela in a Pandemic
Macdonald Stainsby | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
That feeling of international solidarity. This pandemic has brought terror in daily life to many, including this home where a 79 year old with COPD resides. Global calls of "we are all in this together" have served to blunt the bleakness in the face of unprecedented threats to our collective health. However, the initial rush…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/socialism-and-collective-responses-attacking-venezuela-in-a-pandemic/

Guaidó and the Failed Military Operation Against Venezuela: a Story of Betrayal and Financial Corruption
Patricio Zamorano | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-15
Now that we have had a few days to study the failed, illegal paramilitary incursion by a group of American and Venezuelan mercenaries into Venezuela, some key details have emerged in this incredible story. They reveal the internal dynamics of the fractured, demoralized, and financially corrupt nature of the hardline sectors of the opposition. Much…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/15/guaido-and-the-failed-military-operation-against-venezuela-a-story-of-betrayal-and-financial-corruption/

Up to Five Iranian Tankers en Route to Venezuela Carrying Much-Needed Gasoline
Irina Slav | anti-empire.com | 2020-05-15
An Iranian tanker loaded with gasoline has set sail for Venezuela, Reuters reports, citing tanker tracking data. The cargo should help alleviate a growing shortage of gasoline in the sanctions-stricken South American country. | The Clavel, a medium tanker, loaded in March at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, and this week passed the Suez Canal, the data showed. | TankerTrackers.com co-founder Samir Madani confirmed the data to Oilprice.com, noting that there were several vessels en route from Iran to Venezuela, with the cargo all or mostly gasoline. | twitter.com/Joyce_Karam/status/1261022167669
anti-empire.com/up-to-five-iranian-tankers-en-route-to-venezuela-carrying-much-needed-gasoline/

'Zombie Neocon': How This Iran Contra Architect Is Leading Trump Policy
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-14
Hawk Elliot Abrams, reborn as a U.S. envoy, is at the spear point of recent aggressive moves in Venezuela. | Barbara BOLAND | As we await answers on who funded the plot to use a handful of mercenaries and ex-Green Berets to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, it's worth taking a closer look at the man behind regime change policy, the special envoy on Venezuela, Elliott Abrams. | Called the "neocon zombie" by officials at the State Department, Abrams is know…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/05/14/zombie-neocon-how-this-iran-contra-architect-is-leading-trump-policy/

President Maduro: New Mercenary Groups are Formed in Colombia
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-14
Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, denounced this Thursday that "new groups of mercenaries are being formed in Colombia" under the complicity of the Ivan Duque government, with the purpose of attempting new attacks against his country. | "New groups of hitmen, mercenaries and terrorists are being formed in Colombia; We have the names, the place where they are, those who protect them and everything points to Ivan Duque again ", denounced the president while leading the day with the health sector to evaluate the protocols implemented in the combat of Covid-19. | The head of state asserted that those who pro…
telesurenglish.net/news/President-Maduro-New-Mercenary-Groups-are-Formed-in-Colombia-20200514-0022.html

Arabs, UN Must Move to Swiftly Protect the Status of Palestinian Refugees
Ramzy Baroud | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-05-14
'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 …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/05/arabs-un-must-move-to-swiftly-protect-the-status-of-palestinian-refugees/

The Colombian Political System is Ravaged by Corruption: Pablo Beltrán
Sasha Yumbila Paz | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-14
The ELN, took up arms in 1964. Since 1989, it has held peace talks with five administrations. The government of Juan Manuel Santos and the ELN advanced an agenda to end the conflict. The last round of negotiations was held in Havana, Cuba, where the ELN's Dialogue Delegation continues to work for a political solution to Colombia's armed conflict. | The government of Iván Duque Márquez, since taking office in August 2018, has ignored the Agenda for Peace Talks, including the security protocols and the return of the ELN to Colombia; and in January 2019 it terminated all dialogue. | Over 56 years, the armed conflict…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/14/the-colombian-political-system-is-ravaged-by-corruption-pablo-beltran/

UN economic commission backs guaranteed minimum income in Colombia
Adriaan Alsema | colombiareports.com | 2020-05-14
The United Nations' Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) supports an urgent guaranteed minimum income (GMI) as proposed in Colombia's senate. The proposal was coined by some…
colombiareports.com/un-economic-commission-backs-guaranteed-minimum-income-in-colombia/

COVID crisis in Puerto Rico worsened by US neglect
Surangya | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-14
After hurricanes and earthquakes, the COVID-19 pandemic is the third major health crisis in Puerto Rico in three years. There have been around 2,300 COVID cases and around 115 deaths in the Caribbean island as of May 14. This crisis is exacerbated in the region because of the historical neglect and because of its colonial relationship with the United States.
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/14/covid-crisis-in-puerto-rico-worsened-by-us-neglect/

COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be Ready Within a Year: EU
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-14
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that a coronavirus vaccine could be ready for approval within a year in an "optimistic scenario". | RELATED: | Cuba: In Test Phase Vaccine That Activates Innate Immune System | "I don't think a vaccine could be ready by September of this year," EMA vaccine department chief Marco Cavaleri said at a press conference. | For Cavaleri, the world could look on the optimistic side that the vaccine will be ready within a year, in 2021. | C…
telesurenglish.net/news/covid19-vaccine-could-be-ready-within-a-year-eu-says-20200514-0013.html

'Major' Mental Health Crisis Looming Due to COVID-19: UN
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-14
The COVID-19 outbreak risks sparking a major global mental health crisis, the United Nations warned Thursday, calling for urgent action to address the psychological suffering brought on by the pandemic. | RELATED: | COVID-19 Means a Systemic Human Development Crisis, UNDP Warns | While protecting physical health has been the primary concern during the first months of the crisis, it is also placing substantial mental strains on large swathes of the global population, the U.N. sai…
telesurenglish.net/news/Major-Mental-Health-Crisis-Looming-Due-to-COVID-19-UN-20200514-0020.html

Who's Fighting The War Against Cash?
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-14
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.
therealnews.com/stories/who-is-fighting-war-against-cash-visa-mastercard-bill-gates

Revealed: Secretive British Unit Planning for 'Reconstruction' of Venezuela
John McEvoy | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-14
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act have exposed a secretive Foreign Office unit aimed at the 'reconstruction' of Venezuela. The files also reveal private discussions between Venezuelan opposition figures and UK officials, detailing proposals for the promotion of …
globalresearch.ca/british-unit-planning-reconstruction-venezuela/5712896

[UPDATED] Venezuelan Oil Sector Continues Slump Amid Pandemic, US Sanctions
Ricardo Vaz | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-05-13
The Maduro government is working to repair refineries with Chinese and Iranian assistance to tackle fuel shortages.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14874

From Lebanon to Syria, the Arab World is Failing Palestinian Refugees
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2020-05-13
Heinous racism. That 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 the residency status of Palestinian refugees in this Arab country. | Many were ta…
mintpressnews.com/lebanon-syria-arab-world-failing-palestinian-refugees/267521/