(2021-06-09). Haiti and African Liberation in the Americas. libya360.wordpress.com Editors, The Black Agenda Review TRANSCRIPT: Gerald Horne: Haiti and African Liberation in the Americas The Haitian Revolution was not only a victory for the millions of enslaved Africans in the Americas, it was a victory for all working class people." "Abolitionist Haiti was the main campaigner against enslavement of Africans before 1888, when the…
(2021-06-09). President Maduro: Certain Groups 'Injecting Lots of Money to Buy Criminal Gangs'. orinocotribune.com Certain political sectors of Venezuela "are injecting a lot of money to buy criminal gangs and generate violence in working-class neighborhoods," said the president of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, on Tuesday afternoon. | He warned that his government will not stand idly by. "Then don't cry, don't scream, when justice is done with the Constitution," commented Maduro in a speech broadcast on the public television outlet Venezolana de Television (VTV). "Do not go out to say you are politically persecuted, to get a statement from Almagro." | He also said that those responsible for these "dirty plans against the peac…
(2021-06-09). House Committee on Natural Resources Announces Another Hearing on Puerto Rico's Status Bills. latinorebels.com The June 16 hearing "will more deeply examine the implications of passing each of the bills."
(2021-06-09). Venezuela: 'My Concerns About the Special Economic Zones Law'. orinocotribune.com By Pasqualina Curcio — Jun 2, 2021 | It is impossible not to think of maquilas when one hears talk of Special Economic Zones (SEZ). The first thing that comes to mind is cheap labor, violation of labor rights, increased worker exploitation, low or no taxes and exports. This is what characterizes an SEZ according to the World Bank manuals. | Let us ask ourselves the following question: What is it that would make large foreign capitals move so that, instead of investing in their countries, they come to Venezuela or any other nation? Obviously the maximization of their profit. In a capitalist system, given the…
(2021-06-09). [Research Paper] Validation of a rapid antigen test as a screening tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic populations. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. thelancet.com This study suggests that rapid antigen tests are less effective in asymptomatic population, when compared with RT-PCR. Further studies are needed to evaluate different options to improve screenings based on rapid antigen test, such as the use of clinical questionnaires to select higher risk-participants, the confirmation of negative results with RT-PCR or the use of repetitive sequential testing.
(2021-06-09). Over 90% of English constituencies to be redrawn under Boundary Commission proposals. challenge-magazine.org The Boundary Commission for England has announced plans for redrawing over 90% of parliamentary constituencies. The changes made would ensure all MP's have between 69,724 and 77,062 constituents, though some island constituencies such as Anglesey or the Isle of Wight will not be held to these requirements. | The review would create an additional 10 seats in England, while also reducing the number in Wales by 8 and in Scotland by 2, so as to reflect changes in population. This will most likely provide a boost to the Tories, with the population growing in the south where they are traditionally stronger, and fall…
(2021-06-09). 'Commune or nothing'. zcomm.org New laws reignite old debates over communal power in Venezuela…
(2021-06-08). Haiti Postpones Constitutional Referendum. telesurenglish.net Haiti ¥s authorities postponed the constitutional referendum due to June 27 over COVID-19 pandemic concerns but they did not confirm a new date. This amid political turmoil as president Jovenel Moise seeks to extend his term despite widespread rejection. | RELATED: | The constitutional referendum, proposed by Moise, would go ahead despite pressure from the international community, highlighting the process was not "inclusive,…
(2021-06-08). On Monday, Venezuela Reports 1,483 New COVID-19 Cases & 15 Deaths. orinocotribune.com 
Venezuelan Minister for Communication and Information Freddy àëáñez reported this Monday, June 7 that in the past 24 hours 1,483 new COVID-19 cases had been recorded in Venezuela, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 243,621. | In the course of the daily reprt offered by President Maduro's administration, the senior official, through his Twitter account @luchaalmada, revealed that 222,788 (92%) patients have recovered, while 8,675 patients are asymptomatic, 7,131 demonstrate mild acute respiratory failure, one thousand have moderate acute respiratory failure, and 293 patients are in Intensive Care…
(2021-06-08). 30th Anniversary of Charter Schools: Three Decades of Neoliberal Wrecking. dissidentvoice.org 
June 4, 2021 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the first charter school law in the United States. Privately-operated charter schools are now legal in 45 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont have no laws enabling the creation of charter schools. About 3.3 million …
(2021-06-08). Honoring Ramsey Clark on June 13. workers.org 
Representatives from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Palestine, the Philippines, Malaysia, Serbia, Syria and more will be paying tribute June 13 to Ramsey Clark, a beloved and respected antiwar humanitarian. Clark, a former U.S. Attorney General under the Lyndon Johnson administration from 1967 to 1969, died April 9 after a long illness . . . |
(2021-06-08). Fund The Canary's Investigations Unit. thecanary.co 
As one of the only independent investigations units in the country, we work for you — but we need your help to keep going. We need to raise £10,000 to continue our groundbreaking investigations. Click below to find our more and Why should you support us?: | The investigations unit is continuing the outstanding body of work established by The Canary over the past 5 years. | In that time, we've exposed a secretive 'Venezuela reconstruction unit' within the British government, worked with whistleblow…
(2021-06-08). Council of Ministers Approves Improvement of Cuban Economic Actors. en.cubadebate.cu During its most recent session, the Council of Ministers approved plans to improve the work of all actors in the Cuban economy, including the socialist state enterprise; non-agricultural cooperatives; micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; as well as the self-employed, all of which are called upon to promote the development of the nation, in their respective arenas.
(2021-06-08). US Compels Small African Country to Imprison Venezuelan Diplomat — International Human Rights Delegation Files Habeas Corpus to #FreeAlexSaab. orinocotribune.com June 7, 2021. Praia, Cabo Verde (Special by Roger Harris)— The Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, imprisoned for trying to buy humanitarian supplies from Iran in legal international trade but in violation of illegal US sanctions, is facing extradition to the US. That is like getting stabbed in the back and then being arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. | US extraterritorial judicial overreach | On June 12, 2020, Saab was on his way from Caracas to Tehran, when his plane had to make a routine fueling stop. While in the air, the pilot was informed that Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia would not allow the plane…
(2021-06-08). PAHO Welcomes US Donation of 19 Million COVID-19 Vaccines. telesurenglish.net Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa Etienne welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to donate COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility. | RELATED: | "This pandemic is far from over, and it is hitting Latin America and the Caribbean severely… Yet only about 8 percent of our citizens have been vaccinated," Etienne warned, adding that the region should be an epicenter for vaccination since i…
(2021-06-08). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Dissecting COVID-19 research and putting data in perspective. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. continues to decline. However, cases of COVID-19 are increasing in younger populations. "It's becoming a childhood disease," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "Children have composed over 16,000 hospitalizations for COVID-19 and about 300 have died." …
(2021-06-08). Trinidad & Tobago Recorded 2,697 Vaccine Shots in a Single Day. telesurenglish.net In Trinidad and Tobago, COVID-19 mass immunization campaign hit a record number daily on Sunday when 2,697 employees in the manufacturing sector got vaccinated. | RELATED: | The Health Ministry, the Trade and Industry Ministry, and the Manufacturers Association (TTMA) conducted the vaccination drive with AstraZeneca doses. | Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh announced the beginning of a "vaccination system" at regional h…
(2021-06-08). A People's Vaccine Against a Mutating Virus and Neoliberal Rule. strategic-culture.org Vietnam is a COVID success story, with one of the lowest rates of infection and death in the world. Vietnam's excellent community-based public health system prevented the virus from spreading beyond isolated cases and localized outbreaks, without a nationwide lockdown. With a population of 98 million people, Vietnam has had only 8,883 cases and 53 deaths.
(2021-06-08). Why are Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela Managing So Well in the Fight Against Covid-19? libya360.wordpress.com Marc Vandepitte It is curious that the three American countries that are suffering harsh economic sanctions from the United States are doing much better than the others in their fight against covid-19. One thing is certain: the pandemic has highlighted the crisis of the neoliberal and capitalist model. Actual number of deaths from covid As…
(2021-06-08). Venezuela's Left Voices Concerns over Government's Special Economic Zone Project. venezuelanalysis.com Weakened labor rights and increased private sector involvement in the economy have fuelled rejection of the bill by many grassroots activists.
(2021-06-08). How the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood Saved Israeli Democracy from Netanyahu. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Mervat Oaf writes for al-Jazeera on how Mansour Abbas and his Muslim Brotherhood-inspired United Arab List became unlikely kingmakers in Israeli politics. Israelis of Palestinian heritage comprise a little over 20 percent of the Israeli population, and most of them are Muslims. Their politics, however, has skewed toward leftist parties. …
(2021-06-08). Realizing the Potential of Maternal Influenza Vaccination. jamanetwork.com Influenza viruses cause substantial morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and neonates worldwide annually, with higher incidence during pandemics. To reduce disease incidence in these vulnerable populations, the World Health Organization recommended in 2012 that countries prioritize pregnant women for influenza vaccination. Over 2 decades, compelling evidence has accumulated about the complex interplay among risks of influenza virus infection to the mother, the fetus, and the offspring, vs the benefits and safety of vaccination.
(2021-06-08). Vaccines for Refugee Populations. counterpunch.org Despite the efforts of UN vaccine donation schemes such as COVAX, refugees around the world stand naked in the gale of this pandemic. We should heed the words of UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic, who this week warned: 'The pandemic will be defeated only when vaccinations become available everywhere on an equitable basis.' Equity is proving
(2021-06-08). Cuba and Kenya Sign Important Medical Collaboration Agreements. telesurenglish.net Based on the principles of humanity, solidarity and dedication, and the precepts of equality and mutual benefit, the Inter-Ministerial Cooperation Agreement for the provision of medical services between the two governments will renew the commitment of the largest of the Antilles, first signed on April 25, 2018, to support medical services in the African nation.
(2021-06-08). Rural-Urban Disparity in Mortality in the US From 1999 to 2019. jamanetwork.com This study analyzes all deaths occurring in the US using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database from 1999-2019 and the National Center for Health Statistics Urban-Rural Classification Scheme to create population categories per the 2013 US Census classification (large, small- or medium-sized, and rural areas).
(2021-06-08). Puerto Rican Workers: No Peace If Energy Is Privatized. popularresistance.org Union organizations today warned Governor Pedro Pierluisi and the Financial Oversight and Management Board that they will paralyze the country if the LUMA Energy contract — that increases rates, allows the consortium to leave Puerto Rico if a hurricane strikes and displaces thousands of workers — is not canceled. | "We are warning the attorney for the Financial Oversight and Management Board, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, that there will be no peace in Puerto Rico if the contract is not repealed and they listen to the people who demand, not only a public and more efficient PREPA, but also one free of fossil f…
(2021-06-08). UN Committee Rules on Detention of Venezuelan Diplomat Saab. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled on the illegal detention of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab and requested the government of Cabo Verde to suspend his extradition process to the United States. | RELATED: | "Pursuant to rule 94 of the Committee's rules of procedure, the State party has been requested to refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Nain Saab Moran to the United States of America wh…
(2021-06-08). UN Committee Ruled on Detention of Venezuelan Diplomat Saab. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled on the illegal detention of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab and requested the government of Cabo Verde to suspend his extradition process to the United States. | RELATED: | "Pursuant to rule 94 of the Committee's rules of procedure, the State party has been requested to refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Nain Saab Moran to the United States of America wh…
(2021-06-08). 'Africa Is the Source of Caribbean Cultures', Ethiopia Recalls. telesurenglish.net Ethiopia's Abassador to Cuba Shibru Mamo Kedida on Tuesday said his country seeks to foster ties with Caribbean nations and knowledge of the African roots of local cultures. | RELATED: | "Africa is the home and source of ancient cultures and traditions that are inherent to the heart of Caribbean people," he said, adding that bilateral cooperation is vital to his country's development. | From Havana, Kedida also acts as ambassador to…
(2021-06-08). Mini-industries key to making the most of production. en.cubadebate.cu Since the Agricultural Enterprise Group (GAG) affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture was established five years ago, this entity's policy has been to prioritize the development of its entire enterprise system, with the creation of agro-industrial companies, to close the production cycle with the highest possible value added to agricultural produce. Leonardo Martínez López, GAG director of Industries and Marketing, commented on the effort in a meeting with the press revisiting the process.
(2021-06-08). A farcical debate on Cuba in European Parliament. en.cubadebate.cu Today, June 8, the European Parliament has scheduled an artificial debate on what they call the political situation and human rights in Cuba. "If the European Parliament decides to discuss Cuba, the debate would necessarily need to refer to the massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of the entire Cuban population, by the genocidal, immoral and illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade that the United States government has maintained against our country for more than 60 years," reads a statement from the Cuban diplomatic mission in Brussels.
(2021-06-08). China at the Edges. counterpunch.org China is the world's fourth largest country by landmass. It's nearly three times bigger than India, with roughly the same population. It spans roughly four time zones (but uses only one). Its terrain encompasses desert, jungle, plains and river valley—and everything in between. It has 9,000 miles of coastline. In other words, it's big. But
(2021-06-08). Austria's Black-Green government agitates against Muslims. wsws.org The Austrian government has launched a deliberate provocation against the country's Muslim population in the form of a so-called "Islam Map."
(2021-06-08). Even The New York Times Now Admits That It's US Sanctions, Not Socialism, That's Destroying Venezuela. counterpunch.org The facile right-wing talking point that the economic crisis facing Venezuela "proves" that "socialism always ends in failure" has become so hackneyed by overuse that it has attained its own tongue-in-cheek name. The ad Venezuelum, as it has come to be known, has slowly developed into such a tedious and predictable right-wing tactic that it seems to now serve as an all-purpose retort to try to discredit even the most modest of left-of-center proposals. In October 2018, for instance, then-President Trump responded to a plan by progressive Democrats in congress to introduce a bill to establish a system of universal…