2020-04-16: 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.)

Arab League warns of virus risk in Syria refugee camps
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-16
The Arab League warned Wednesday that a humanitarian disaster could occur if the coronavirus pandemic spreads in refugee camps in Syria.A statement by the bloc's 22 Arab nations came after a meeting between its Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen.They discussed the dangerous consequences of the spread of the virus among refugees and asylum seekers, and the importance of an Idlib cease-fire agreement, inked March 5 between Turkey and Russia, to prevent the military escalation in the region.The statement said many of those who live in camps do so in poor health condition…
yenisafak.com/en/world/arab-league-warns…

The Decade of Transformation: Being in Balance with Nature
Kevin Zeese | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-16
This is the fourth newsletter in our series on the 2020s as a decade of transformation See Remaking International Relations, Remaking the Economy for the People, and Remaking Healthcare. In addition to COVID-19 and the economic collapse, …
globalresearch.ca/decade-transformation-balance-nature/5709799

Coronavirus stimulus bill funds State Dept/USAID operations that once helped trigger polio outbreak in Syria
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2020-04-16
A look at recent USAID schemes from Pakistan to Syria shows US empire can be very hazardous to your health….
thegrayzone.com/2020/04/16/coronavirus-s…

Video: Coronavirus: Economic and Social Collapse: Mass Unemployment, Bankruptcy, Poverty and Despair
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-16
There is a serious health crisis which must be duly resolved. But there is another important dimension which has to be addressed. | Millions of people have lost their jobs, and their lifelong savings. In developing countries, poverty and despair prevail. …
globalresearch.ca/video-corona-virus-economic-and-social-collapse-bankruptcy-debt-and-poverty/5709883

German court rules blanket ban on demonstrations 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL' as Merkel plans easing of Covid-19 restrictions
rt.com | 2020-04-16
Covid-19 health concerns are not grounds for a general ban on public demonstrations, a German court has ruled, after activists took a case arguing that Berlin's current restrictions on public gatherings are unconstitutional. | If they adhere to social distancing rules, Germans should have the right to hold political protests, the Constitutional Court said in the Thursday ruling. | Activists in Giessen, a town in the federal state of Hesse, had planned a protest march to denounce new rules that ban gatherings of more than two people in public, arguing that they were in breach of the country's constitution and c…
rt.com/news/486048-germany-court-ban-unc…

Azerbaijani leader thanks Turkey for show of solidarity
yenisafak.com | 2020-04-16
A top Azerbaijani leader on Wednesday praised Turkey over a recent mutual display of solidarity against coronavirus."I express my deep gratitude to fraternal Turkey. Our countries always stand by each other, on both joyful and difficult days," First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva said on Instagram.She added: "This is our unity, our strength. I wish our peoples the best of health, and our countries peace and prosperity. May Almighty God bless our world!"Over the last week, Turkey and Azerbaijan lit up iconic buildings in Ankara and Baku, their respective capitals, with both countries' flags, honoring their cooper…
yenisafak.com/en/news/azerbaijani-leader…

"Pure Baloney": Zoologist Debunks Trump's COVID-19 Origin Theory, Explains Animal-Human Transmission
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-16
With the largest one-day death toll in the U.S. yet

Coronavirus and the Crisis of African American Human Rights
Ajamu Baraka | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-16
Pushing workers back to work and attempting to "normalize" the economy was the growing consensus among the capitalist class, not just Trump. | "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and …
globalresearch.ca/coronavirus-crisis-african-american-human-rights/5709781

The Russians Get Blamed Again, but Who Is Really Subverting American Democracy?
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-16
It is perhaps inevitable that a major health panic like the coronavirus will have political ramifications based on whether those most affected by the illness will perceive that the government performed well or poorly in the crisis. The government for …
globalresearch.ca/russians-get-blamed-again-who-really-subverting-american-democracy/5709858

Venezuela Seeks to Perform 10 Million Tests for COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-16
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Wednesday mentioned that his administration is taking action to carry out 10 million detection tests for COVID-19. | RELATED: | Venezuela Has the Lowest Contagion Rate in Latin America | "We have to get at least 10 million tests with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization, China…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Seeks-…

Abramovich & Chelsea to provide 78,000 free meals to NHS workers as UK battles Covid-19
rt.com | 2020-04-16
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will donate 78,000 free meals through the club to National Health Service (NHS) workers throughout hospitals in London and vulnerable areas in the community during the coronavirus pandemic. | READ MORE: 'No one at Chelsea knew Abramovich so his lawyers just showed them Forbes': Ex-director reveals how billionaire bought club | An initial 13,000 meals will be distributed free of charge over a period of six weeks to local hospitals including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hos…
rt.com/sport/486028-abramovich-chelsea-f…

COVID-Meals Supports Restaurants, Healthcare Workers in Santa Cruz County
COVID-Meals | indybay.org | 2020-04-16
COVID-Meals was created to provide an easy way for anyone to help support our local restaurants while saying thank you to local healthcare workers.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/14/1883235…

Private hospital threatens nurses refusing to treat Covid-19 patients
graham | truepublica.org.uk | 2020-04-16
By Rebecca Thomas: Nurses at a hospital run by a major private healthcare provider have been threatened with disciplinary action after apparently refusing to treat coronavirus patients, according to a leaked email. The email, seen by Health Service Journal, was sent on Sunday by a senior matron at Nuffield Health's Cheltenham Hospital, which has been made available …
truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/private-hospital-threatens-nurses-refusing-to-treat-covid-19-patients/

Rouhani vows continuation of country's development despite outbreak
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-16
TEHRAN, Apr. 16 (MNA)

A Perspective on the Pacifica Bylaws Referendum
Akio Tanaka | indybay.org | 2020-04-16
Pacifica still need a functional Board that can ensure the financial health of the Foundation.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/14/1883236…

Positive signs in Europe over coronavirus 'tempered by UK', WHO says
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-16
The UK is among a handful of countries singled out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for having "tempered" the "positive signs" that Europe is passing the peak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said that while there have been "optimistic signs" in countries worst affected by coronavirus, others, such as the UK, demonstrated "sustained or increased levels of incidents". | Latest figures from the Department of Health said a total of 12,868 patients died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on 14 April

China rejects news report about Covid-19 origin, says WHO found 'no evidence' virus was made in lab
rt.com | 2020-04-16
China's Foreign Ministry has said that claims about the novel coronavirus originating in a lab are not based on science, citing the WHO as it rebuked the latest news story on Covid-19 'patient zero.' | "I want to remind you that the head of the [World Health Organization] has repeatedly stated that there is no evidence that the novel coronavirus has been produced in the laboratory," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters on Thursday. | He added that "many well-known medical experts in the world also believe that the claims about the so-called leak [of the virus] from a laboratory are not base…
rt.com/news/485993-china-who-coronavirus…

Zoologist Debunks Trump's COVID-19 Origin Theory, Calling It "Pure Baloney"
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-16
With the largest one-day death toll in the U.S. yet

Thank You Farmworkers, Truckers, Delivery People and Those Oft Forgotten
Raging Grannies | indybay.org | 2020-04-16
Photos and Video to thank essential workers who put themselves on the line everyday. Undocumented farmworkers have no health care. Truckers, delivery people, grocery workers keep supplies coming to those who can afford them, risking their own safety. Janitors in hospitals are heroes too. Governor Newsom, heed our call for resources to these essential workers! Photos and 3: 47 video by Jack Owicki, Pro Bono Photo.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/15/1883238…

Brazil's COVID-19 Death Toll Nears 2,000 30,000+ Test Positive
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-16
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Brazil rose from 28,320 to 30,425, the Health Ministry said on Thursday. | RELATED: | Brazil's COVID-19 Denialist President Fired His Health Minister | The death toll from the disease increased from 1,736 to 1,924, for a mortality rate of 6.3 percent, the ministry said. | Brazil's epicenter of the outbreak continues to be the southeast state of Sao Paulo (11,568), followed by the states of Rio de Janeiro (3,944), Ceara (2,386), Amazonas…
telesurenglish.net/news/Brazils-COVID-19…

Where I'm Incarcerated, People With COVID-19 Are Warehoused in a Gym
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-16
Joe, a Michigan prisoner housed at the Macomb Correctional Facility where I am also incarcerated, considered contacting prison nurses a month ago. He had a cough that lasted more than a week, a fever and shortness of breath. Joe (whom I'm describing using a pseudonym here) thought he might have contracted "that virus talked about nonstop on the TV." | However, Joe had plenty of previous encounters with prison health care, and few

Mayo Clinic responds to COVID-19 financial impact
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-16
Mayo Clinic staff are doing extraordinary work, leading in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are proud of, and committed to, our staff and our communities as they come together to fight this global health crisis. Mayo Clinic is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of these circumstances, including a financial impact that requires significant …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

Cuba Calls for International Cooperation to Combat COVID-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-16
The impact of COVID19 can already be measured and will be assessed in the future by the striking numbers of people infected, the unacceptable numbers of deaths, the unquestionable damages to the world economy, production, trade, employment and personal income of millions of people. | It is a crisis that goes well beyond the scope of health. The pandemic has emerged and spread amidst a scenario previously marked by overwhelming economic and social inequalities within and among nations. With unprecedented migratory and refugee flows, xenophobia and racial discrimination have reemerged. The remarkable advances of…
telesurenglish.net/news/Cuba-Calls-for-I…

Teens and mental health: Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-16
Depression can affect how your teenager thinks, feels and behaves. In extreme cases, it can lead to suicidal thoughts. It's important to know if your teen is depressed versus being a normal, moody teen. In this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute, Dr. Paul Croarkin, a pediatric psychiatrist, discusses teens and mental health. To listen, click the link …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/te…

Hospital suspends nurses after they refuse COVID-19 duties over lack of PPE
Martha Mendoza, Kimberlee Kruesi | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-16
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP)–Nurse Mike Gulick was meticulous about not bringing the coronavirus home to his wife and their 2-year-old daughter. He'd stop at a hotel after work just to take a shower. He'd wash his clothes in Lysol disinfectant. They did a tremendous amount of handwashing. But at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, …
peoplesworld.org/article/hospital-suspen…

Is COVID-19 the end of the handshake as we know it?
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-16
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to accept a "new normal" and change behaviors. One example has been the need to alter how we greet each other. As part of social distancing, health experts have recommended that people to avoid shaking hands, since hands tend to carry a lot of germs. Dr. Anthony Fauci, …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/is…

As pandemic rages, U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba are getting deadlier
W. T. Whitney Jr. | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-16
We know that for almost 60 years the U.S. government has blockaded Cuba and, in the process, has damaged Cuba's economy and threatened the health and safety of the Cuban people. We know that the Cuban people are now defending themselves against the COVID-19 virus and know, too, that COVID-19 often causes death. We know …
peoplesworld.org/article/as-pandemic-rag…

Trump Says His "Authority Is Total." In Response, Governors Are Rebelling
William rivers Pitt | zcomm.org | 2020-04-16
The capitalists want the machine to begin grinding again, and give not a single damn about how that will affect the health of the workers who generate their wealth…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/trump-says-his-aut…

Vietnam ships 450,000 protective suits for U.S. health care workers
Steve Sweeney | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-16
Vietnam has sent 450,000 protective suits to the U.S. as part of the country's support in the "global effort" to contain the coronavirus package, the government said. The shipment was provided to help U.S. medical teams who face a severe shortage of equipment as the number of cases of COVID-19 there continues to spiral. Vietnam's …
peoplesworld.org/article/vietnam-ships-4…

'Recipe for DISASTER': Public health expert warns of potential catastrophe if Tour de France is held as planned in August
rt.com | 2020-04-16
Devi Sridhar, a health expert currently guiding Scotland's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, says that officials have 'no choice' but to cancel the Tour de France given the significant risk to public health it represents. | The annual race was pushed back to August from its usual start date in June after French president Emmanuel Macron banned all large public gatherings in the country until at least July 11. | But Sridhar says that the logistics of the large-scale race would further the spread of coronavirus throughout France, potentially leading to further lockdown measures being announced by the end of sum…
rt.com/sport/486032-tour-de-france-recip…

Is it safe to wear contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic?
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-16
To prevent becoming infected with COVID-19, health experts are urging people to avoid touching their face. That's because SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can enter the body through the mouth, nose and eyes. That's left millions of people around the world who wear contact lenses wondering if they should stop wearing them and switch …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/is…

Iran's confirmed COVID-19 cases hit almost 78k with recovered at 52k
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-16
TEHRAN, Apr. 16 (MNA)

With the collapse of health care system, Ecuador is the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in Latin America
wsws.org | 2020-04-16
Ecuador listed 388 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 Tuesday, but Guayaquil's mayor estimates that in her city alone the number is over 7,000.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/16/ecua…

Scientist challenges health secretary Matt Hancock on face masks claim
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-16
A prominent scientist has taken health minister Matt Hancock to task for casting doubt on the effectiveness of face masks to fight the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). | Hancock told ITV's Peston programme on 15 April it was important the government made the right decisions on the supply and use of face masks amid continuing high demand for them, saying "if they don't help, then it doesn't improve the national effort to tackle this virus". | But Hancock's comments were disputed by University of San Francisco data scientist Jeremy Howard, who recently led a review panel with 18 other experts from around the globe…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/2020/04/16/scientist-challenges-health-secretary-matt-hancock-on-face-masks-claim/

Army of Mayo employees come together to identify COVID-19 exposures within hours
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-16
ROCHESTER, Minn.

'Who cares?' UK Health Secretary unveils 'badge of honor' for social care workers, gets hit by FURIOUS criticism
rt.com | 2020-04-16
The UK Health Secretary has offered care workers a "badge of honor" that may get them perks similar to NHS staff amid the pandemic. The move got staggeringly negative reception

Thank You Farmworkers, Truckers, Delivery People and Those Oft Forgotten
Raging Grannies | indybay.org | 2020-04-16
Photos and Video to thank essential workers who put themselves on the line everyday. Undocumented farmworkers have no health care. Truckers, delivery people, grocery workers keep supplies coming to those who can afford them, risking their own safety. Janitors in hospitals are heroes too. Governor Newsom, heed our call for resources to these essential workers! Photos and 3: 47 video by Jack Owicki, Pro Bono Photo.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/15/1883238…

Iran's confirmed COVID-19 cases hit almost 78,000
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-16
TEHRAN, Apr. 16 (MNA)

'Let me finish the answer!' UK Health Secretary loses it with BBC host amid Covid-19 lockdown 'exit strategy' talk
rt.com | 2020-04-16
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock lost his temper with the BBC on Thursday, after accusations the government is giving mixed messages on Covid-19 and calls for clarity on an 'exit strategy' from the current lockdown. | During an interview with Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4's Today program, Hancock was pressed on remarks made by Professor Neil Ferguson

NHS hospitals have four times more empty beds than normal
graham | truepublica.org.uk | 2020-04-16
By Dave West: Tens of thousands of NHS hospital beds remain unoccupied amid the coronavirus crisis

Drop in China's imported coronavirus cases but local infections rise
rt.com | 2020-04-16
China reported fewer new coronavirus cases on Thursday that involved travelers arriving from abroad. It said, however, that locally transmitted infections had risen, with the capital Beijing seeing new cases for the first time in more than three weeks. | New imported cases dropped to 34 on Wednesday from 36 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said, down for the third straight day. The numbers come amid stringent border checks, reduced international flights, and a ban on entry by foreigners. | Beijing has asked border provinces to make targeted plans for coronavirus prevention and control, the state c…
rt.com/newsline/485995-china-drop-import…

Danish study reveals that coronavirus may be almost 20 TIMES less deadly than WHO predicted
rt.com | 2020-04-16
Research on a group of blood donors in Denmark points to its Covid-19 mortality rate being well below one percent of the number of people infected with the disease, according to a team at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen. | Tests were carried out on 1,487 samples from Danish blood donors at the hospital showed a mortality rate of just 0.16 percent. | That puts the Danish scientists' estimates up to 20 times lower than those of the World Health Organization, which is putting deaths at anywhere between one percent and three percent of the number who contract Covid-19. | The study also suggested that far more Dan…
rt.com/news/486017-denmark-covid19-morta…

G20 Suspends Debt Payments for Poor Countries As the Coronavirus Spreads
Kate Zeller | indybay.org | 2020-04-16
The G20 announced a suspension of debt payments and interest for the world's 76 poorest countries in order to bolster health services to confront the coronavirus.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/15/1883239…

First Person: DR Congo doctor prepares for latest in long line of health crises
news.un.org | 2020-04-16
Health professionals working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in eastern Democratic of Congo (DRC), have been dealing with the deadly Ebola epidemic since August 2018. This experience is helping them to prepare for the latest disease to arrive: COVID-19.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/04/1…

COVID-19 and the role of Labor and the unions in Australia
wsws.org | 2020-04-16
In fighting against mass unemployment, financial ruin and the danger to their very health and lives in many workplaces, the chief political obstacle confronting the working class is the Labor and union apparatus.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/16/labo…

Argentina: Health Authorities Report Dengue Fever Outbreak
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-16
Argentina's Health Ministry reported Wednesday an increase in dengue cases in the South American country. In the Epidemiological Surveillance bulletin, the authorities revealed that, from August 2019 to March 2020, more than 25,000 suspected cases of dengue were recorded, of which 7,862 were confirmed and probable. | RELATED: | Argentina Extends Mandatory Lockdown Until April 26 | According to the report, of the total 26,351, most of the infected are of local origin. 6,169 of these cases…
telesurenglish.net/news/argentina-health…

Trump defunds the World Health Organization: A "crime against humanity"
wsws.org | 2020-04-16
Public health experts have warned that Trump's move would leave developing countries in the crosshairs of COVID-19 defenseless.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/16/pers…

More Than 40 Entities in China Donate Health Materials to Cuba
Prensa Latina | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-16
More than 40 companies and institutions in China have prepared donations of medical supplies to help Cuba strengthen its capacity to confront the Covid-19 pandemic, official sources reported today. | The ambassador of Havana in Beijing, Carlos Miguel Pereira, explained …
globalresearch.ca/more-than-40-entities-china-donate-health-materials-cuba/5709815

Three more weeks of coronavirus lockdown expected
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-04-16
The coronavirus lockdown will be extended for another three weeks, the government is expected to announce.Ministers will agree the prolonged social distancing controls in a cabinet meeting on 16 April. It comes after the number of people who have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) reached almost 13,000, with growing concern over increasing deaths in care homes. | The victims included a pregnant nurse whose baby, a little girl, was delivered successfully and is said to be doing well. | Speaking at the daily No 10 press conference on 15 April Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/04/16/three-more-weeks-of-coronavirus-lockdown-expected/

Putin postpones Victory Day Parade as coronavirus concerns rule out celebrations on 75th anniversary of Nazi defeat
rt.com | 2020-04-16
Holding planned commemorations of the 75th anniversary of Soviet Russia's World War Two victory over Nazi Germany, across the country, would be too risky with Covid-19 spreading nationwide, President Vladimir Putin has said. | As a result, he has postponed the events until after the current coronavirus crisis has eased. The celebrations on May 9 were expected to be a major date in Russia, with military parades and other public gatherings planned throughout the country, and world leaders set to descend on Moscow. | However, proceeding under the cloud of coronavirus would be too great a risk to public health, Pu…
rt.com/russia/486009-russia-postpones-vi…