Daily Archives: April 15, 2020

2020-04-15: News Headlines

RT (2020-04-15). Anti-surveillance activists claim they set fire outside German institute developing Covid-19 tracking app. rt.com Left-wing activists aiming to prevent mass surveillance via the 'Corona App' claim they caused a fire outside Berlin's telecommunications institute, which is developing software designed to track the spread of the disease. | Several power and telecommunication cables were badly damaged during the fire at a construction site in Berlin's Charlottenburg district on Tuesday morning, outside the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications. The fire caused a temporary power outage on adjacent streets, and police are investigating the incident as a suspected arsonist attack. | A letter has since been sent to a number…

KOB 4 (2020-04-15). Health care workers protest outside UNM Hospital, demand better working conditions and PPE. kob.com "We don't want to die at work."

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-04-15). Despite CDC Warning of 'Significant Risk' of Lifting Stay-in-Place Orders, Right-Wingers Launch Anti-Lockdown Movement. commondreams.org "These selfish and out-of-touch fringe groups are throwing a temper tantrum at the expense of public safety and health." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Staff (2020-04-15). Headlines for April 15, 2020. democracynow.org Lancet Editor Calls Trump's WHO Funding Freeze a "Crime Against Humanity", NYC Coronavirus Toll Tops 10,000 as Thousands of Uncounted Deaths Added, Health Official Says COVID-19 May Be Present in All New Jersey Nursing Homes , California Governor Outlines Roadmap for Easing Coronavirus Lockdown, Florida Governor Declares Pro Wrestling an "Essential Service" Amid Lockdown, Pandemic to Increase U.S. Budget Deficit to World War II Levels, IMF Warns Global Economy Faces Worst Downturn Since Great Depression, Indian PM Modi Cracks Down on Political Opponents Amid Coronavirus Lockdown, Scientists Warn 400,000 Will Die…

Staff (2020-04-15). Trump Cuts Funds for World Health Org as Oxfam Warns Pandemic Could Push Half a Billion into Poverty. democracynow.org As the confirmed cases of coronavirus surpass 2 million around the world, President Donald Trump says he will cut U.S. support for the World Health Organization. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, called it a "crime against humanity." Oxfam America said the cuts slash "any hopes for the responsible international cooperation and solidarity that is critical to save lives and restore the global economy." This comes as a new Oxfam report estimates the pandemic's economic fallout could push more than half a billion more people into poverty. We get response from Paul O'Brien, vice president…

Stephen Lendman (2020-04-15). Corruption at the WHO. Trump Regime COVID-19 Blame Game Diverts Attention from Its Own Failings. globalresearch.ca Trump is the latest in a long line of US leaders and other key officials who time and again blame others for their own harmful actions and failings. | On Tuesday, Trump directed his blame game at the World Health Organization …

RT (2020-04-15). Scandal in the making? A HUGE 70% of UK care homes could be riddled with Covid-19, private healthcare chief warns. rt.com Coronavirus infection rates in UK care homes may be as high as 70 percent, the chief executive of a major care provider has claimed, casting doubts over the validity of the government's official Covid-19 figures. | Jeremy Richardson, head of Four Seasons Health Care, one of Britain's biggest independent providers of care for the elderly, claimed on Sky News on Wednesday that the number of Covid-19 infections in such facilities is being massively underreported by PM Boris Johnson's administration. | I think the number is probably up at 60 or 70 percent. We're running at a similar number; I think the numbers are…

RT (2020-04-15). Researchers blast Swedish govt for disastrous Covid-19 strategy, claim country's death toll headed for 'heights of Italy'. rt.com A group of 22 researchers has penned a letter demanding "swift and radical action" by the Swedish government to prevent the further spread of coronavirus in the country and the potential collapse of its healthcare system. | The scientists According to the group, Sweden's Public H…

RT (2020-04-15). US cutting WHO funding will 'undermine' intl efforts against pandemic at 'critical moment' — Beijing. rt.com Beijing has blasted US President Donald Trump for cutting funds for the World Health Organization (WHO), warning it would have serious implications for the global Covid-19 response. | Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, said the battle against coronavirus is now "at a critical moment," AFP reports. The US decision to withdraw funding from the WHO will "undermine the international cooperation against the epidemic," which makes China "seriously concerned." | Zhao added that China is urging "the United States to earnestly fulfill their responsibilities and obligations, and support the WHO-led internationa…

RT (2020-04-15). WHO is 'one of the best investments': German FM blasts US after Trump cuts health organization's funding. rt.com Providing money to the "underfunded" World Health Organization is among the best ways to help develop a vaccine against Covid-19, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said after Trump halted the WHO's funding. | "Apportioning blame doesn't help. The virus knows no borders," Maas We have to work closely together against Covid-19. One of the best investments is to strengthen the UN, especially the under-funded WHO, for example for developing and distributing tests and vaccines.

RT (2020-04-15). German schools to reopen in early May as lockdown measures set to ease. rt.com Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Germany's schools will gradually reopen from May 4, as the European nation plans to ease some of the measures in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus. | At a press conference on Wednesday, Merkel sought to reassure Germans that hospitals are not overburdened and thanked them for adhering to social distancing measures. She said that health authorities are working on an app that will enable them to track coronavirus cases. | The Chancellor said that any further relaxation of the restrictions will depend on how the infection rate develops. The ban on religious…

RT (2020-04-15). Trump globally scolded for denying funds to WHO amid Covid-19 pandemic. rt.com Nations and medics around the world have blasted US President Donald Trump for defunding the UN's health agency over alleged pro-Chinese bias. Even the head of America's own Centers for Disease Control had kind words for the WHO. | The US leader accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus," claiming the agency conspired with Beijing to cover up the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump said American funding would be frozen pending a US investigation into his theory. | Withdrawing the money at a time when the disease is months from being…

John Wojcik (2020-04-15). At height of pandemic, Trump halts funds for WHO. peoplesworld.org At an angry blame-shifting press conference yesterday, Trump announced he is halting funding for the World Health Organization (WHO), the world's premier health organization founded by the UN in 1948. He accused the organization of delays and of committing every single misstep that he and his administration have committed in the handling of the coronavirus …

RT (2020-04-15). 'Now is not the time!' UN chief says WHO is 'critical' in global war against Covid-19 as US cuts funding to probe its 'China ties'. rt.com The United Nations has urged continued support for the World Health Organization (WHO) as countries around the globe battle the coronavirus pandemic, just hours after US President Donald Trump froze American funding to the agency. | The WHO and its thousands of staff are fighting the health crisis on the front lines, supporting the most vulnerable nations with "concrete life-saving services," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote in a It is my belief…

RT (2020-04-15). 'There's a way of doing that': Infectious disease expert outlines how US sports can resume this summer (VIDEO). rt.com Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says that it will be possible for many sports to resume play this summer, so long as events are staged without fans and players adhere to a strict regime of staying isolated in hotels. | The spread of coronavirus and associated restrictions on travel and public gatherings has led to a near-global standstill of world sport which currently has no end in sight, but Dr. Fauci – the man central to the United States' response to the virus – says that many sporting activities could resume this summer provided that correct health and safety provisions are in place. | Also on…

RT (2020-04-15). Covid-19 'avalanche' in Africa & India could lead to FOUR waves of virus hitting Europe & US, health expert says. rt.com A WHO public health expert has warned that if the coronavirus is allowed to "march through" Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian sub-continent unarrested, the rest of the world risks being hit by repeated bouts of Covid-19. | Professor Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization's Center on Public Health and Human Rights, told BBC Radio 4's Today program on Wednesday that we are "only as safe as the weakest link in the global chain" on tackling coronavirus. | If you've got Covid rages in other parts of the world, in this interconnected society we live in, it will come back to Europe and the United…

RT (2020-04-15). Covid-19 pandemic tops 2 MILLION cases worldwide — AFP tally. rt.com More than two million people have contracted Covid-19 globally since the lethal outbreak began last December, passing another dark milestone as the World Health Organization is pulled into a war of words between the US and China. | The worldwide coronavirus case count now sits at over two million, the latest figures from AFP showed on Wednesday. More than half of the number relates to outbreaks in European nations, but globally the single worst-hit country is the United States, with almost 610,000 identified Covid-19 patients and over 26,000 deaths recorded, according to Johns Hopkins University. | As the pand…

RT (2020-04-15). 'Virus exploiting cracks between us': WHO responds to Trump cutting funding, promises internal probe. rt.com World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says its pandemic response will be reviewed in "due course" after President Donald Trump ordered a halt to US funding. | "In due course, [the] WHO's performance in tackling this pandemic will be reviewed by [the] WHO's member states and the independent bodies that are in place to ensure transparency and accountability," Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday after saying the organization regrets the "decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding." | The director general added that independent reviews will "no doubt…

RT (2020-04-15). 'Complete nonsense': Piers Morgan savages UK care minister over Covid-19 death toll among health and care workers (VIDEOS). rt.com Piers Morgan has lashed out at the UK government's care minister, branding her numbers on Covid-19 deaths in the health and care sector "complete nonsense" as anger grows over the apparent lack of protection for frontline workers. | The 55-year-old Good Morning Britain TV presenter grilled Care Minister Helen Whately in a heated interview on Wednesday morning on the working conditions for health and care staff at the center of the coronavirus crisis. | Morgan asked Whately what the death toll was for health and care professionals who have fallen victim to the deadly Covid-19 disease. The stuttering minister re…

RT (2020-04-15). 'Post-mortem' analysis needed: US disease control chief says too early to say whether WHO failed, after Trump suspends funding. rt.com The US CDC director, Robert Redfield, has hailed America's 'productive cooperation' with the WHO as President Donald Trump blamed if for failed response to Covid-19 crisis. It was too early to decide if it failed, Redfield said. | "The CDC and WHO have had a long history of working together in multiple outbreaks throughout the world, and we continue to do [so] on this one," Robert Redfield

RT (2020-04-15). NY gov Cuomo mandates masks after offering New Yorkers as GUINEA PIGS for coronavirus vaccine. rt.com New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has volunteered his state as a "laboratory" for coronavirus vaccine testing as he contemplates reopening its economy. He has then ordered state residents to wear masks in public at all times. | "You want to use New York state as a laboratory? We are ready, willing and able," Cuomo gushed on Wednesday during his daily coronavirus press conference, addressing the Food and Drug Administration, which is conducting early-stage vaccine trials on a number of experimental coronavirus vaccine compounds. | .

RT (2020-04-15). Russia reports 3,388 new coronavirus cases, overall nationwide tally stands at 24,490. rt.com The coronavirus case count in Russia has grown by 3,388 over the past day to 24,490 in 84 regions, the crisis center said on Wednesday. | The Altai Republic remains the only Russian region which has not been affected by the virus. A total of 1,986 people have recovered from the disease and 198 people have died, TASS reports. | Moscow has confirmed 1,774 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the official count in the Russian capital to 14,776. New cases of the disease have been recorded in 64 other regions, including in the Moscow Region (272), the Murmansk Region (137), St. Petersburg (130), the Leningrad Region (108),…

Conn Hallinan (2020-04-15). Only good news allowed—India's independent media fights government's COVID-19 censorship. peoplesworld.org While the coronavirus has focused much of the world on Europe and the United States lately, India promises to be the greatest victim of the disease. But other than a slick public relations campaign, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done little to confront the crisis. Indeed, a number of policy moves by …

RT (2020-04-15). Indian scientists discover new type of coronavirus in two species of fruit BAT. rt.com While the world battles against the rapidly spreading Covid-19 disease, another type of coronavirus has been discovered in bats inhabiting India, a new study has found. | Some 25 bats have tested positive for the new coronavirus dubbed BtCoV, local media reported, citing a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The tested animals are from the bat species Rousettus and Pteropus, commonly referred to as fruit bats. They were found in India's southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, as well as in Himachal Pradesh state in the Western Himalayas. | "These bat coronaviruses have no rela…

COVID-Meals (2020-04-15). COVID-Meals Supports Restaurants, Healthcare Workers in Santa Cruz County. indybay.org 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.

KOAT (2020-04-15). Police and fire rescue crews team up to thank healthcare workers. koat.com Albuquerque Police Department teamed up with Albuquerque Fire & Rescue to thank healthcare workers with a drive-by parade Wednesday.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-15). Teens and mental health: Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …

teleSUR (2020-04-15). UNICEF Advocates for Child Care During COVID-19 Crisis. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, warns of the need to protect children during the health emergency caused by COVID-19. | RELATED: | According to the international agency, infants are not only vulnerable to infection, but also to the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. | UNICEF advocates for indirect protection of children through securing work and income for parents and legal guardians who su…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-04-15). US COVID-19 Response Was Set to Fail Even Before Trump. indybay.org Primitive labor system far behind those of other countries has national health impact…

The Canary (2020-04-15). A list of the 40+ NHS heroes who've died so far in the fight against coronavirus. thecanary.co More than 40 NHS staff members have now reportedly died during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak in the UK. | The government has confirmed 19 deaths among those working for the health service, but announcements from NHS trusts and tributes from loved ones indicate the true number is higher still. | Latest victims: | Specific tributes have been paid to a pregnant nurse who died after contracting coronavirus. Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, worked as a nurse on a general ward at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years. She died on Sunday. Her baby girl was delivered successfully and is doing we…

Kate Zeller (2020-04-15). G20 Suspends Debt Payments for Poor Countries As the Coronavirus Spreads. indybay.org 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.

en.mehrnews (2020-04-15). 76,389 infected by, 49,933 recover from coronavirus in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA) — Iranian Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that the number of coronavirus cases has hit 76,389 in Iran, while 49,933 have recovered from the disease.

Staff (2020-04-15). Louisiana Issued a COVID Memo to Release Prisoners — Then Quickly Rescinded It. truthout.org Last week, the Louisiana Department of Health issued — and then quickly rescinded — a

Staff (2020-04-15). Trump's Defunding of the WHO Threatens to Make the Pandemic Worse. truthout.org Trump's announcement that the U.S. will withhold all its contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) is an unforgivable abnegation of U.S. responsibility at the very moment when a coordinated international public health response is most needed. | At the height of a pandemic that threatens to kill millions and capsize the global economy, the U.S. president is trying to deflect blame for his own failings by going on a public offensive against the world's preeminent public health organization. In c…

teleSUR (2020-04-15). The U.S. Must Meet Its Obligations to the WHO, China Says. telesurenglish.net China expressed "serious concern" over the U.S. government's decision to suspend its financial contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO). | RELATED: | "We call on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations and to support WHO's leadership in the international campaign against the pandemic," China's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | The Chinese governm…

KOB 4 (2020-04-15). 80 new COVID-19 cases reported in New Mexico, no new deaths. kob.com The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reported no additional COVID-19-related deaths in the state on Wednesday.

en.mehrnews (2020-04-15). Trump's WHO cuts tantamount to 'crime against humanity': FM spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said that the recent move taken by the United States in defunding the only coordinator of the global health is the same as irresponsibility and crime against humanity.

teleSUR (2020-04-15). Spain: Death Toll Keeps Falling but New COVID-19 Cases Rise. telesurenglish.net Spain's Health Ministry Wednesday reported that the daily death toll decreased from 567 to 523 in the past 24 hours. However, in the same period, the number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases increased by 5,092. | RELATED: | So far, Spain registers 177,633 COVID-19 confirmed cases and 18,579 deaths, and 70,853 discharged patients. Madrid is the most affected region with 49,256 registered cases and 6,724 deaths. | These s…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-15). Mayo Clinic responds to COVID-19 financial impact. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org 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 …

KOAT (2020-04-15). CDC estimates more than 9,200 health care workers have been infected with the coronavirus. koat.com The number is likely an underestimate, since most reports of the novel coronavirus cases don't include whether the person worked in health care.

graham (2020-04-15). Australian construction workers denounce union enforcement of unsafe conditions. truepublica.org.uk Hundreds of workers across the country have taken to social media over the past weeks to denounce the construction union for enforcing continued production in the sector, despite the health risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) has responded with censorship. Supporters of the union bureaucracy have …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-15). How Mohs surgery is used to fight skin cancer: Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mohs surgery is used to treat the most common skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as some kinds of melanoma. It's especially useful for skin cancers located in areas where it's important to preserve as much healthy skin as possible, such as around the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. In …

en.mehrnews (2020-04-15). I do not expect a significant change in modern socio-political arrangements: Nicholas Onuf. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA) — Prof. Nicholas Onuf, one of the founders of constructivism in International Relations, has told MNA that "Despite the uneven, laggard response of public health authorities at every level to the pandemic, I do not expect a significant change in what I would call modernist socio-political arrangements."

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-15). Travel safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org COVID-19 is a global issue. The disease is in every country and nearly every city. That's why health experts do not recommend any nonessential travel at this time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says crowded travel settings, like airports, may increase chances of getting COVID-19 if there are other travelers with COVID-19 …

teleSUR (2020-04-15). Sub-Saharan Africa Won't Be Spared in Health, Economic Crisis. telesurenglish.net Sub-Saharan African Countries are facing a health crisis and economic downturns with consequences that could last for years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday, warning that no country would be spared. | RELATED: | So far, more than 16,000 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded across the region, including North Africa. In the Sub Saharian part of the continent,…

KOAT (2020-04-15). 'I'm Young, Healthy, and I Exercise 5 Times a Week. COVID-19 Came for Me Anyway'. koat.com "I spent 22 days battling the virus. My lifestyle didn't protect me from it like I thought it would."

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-04-15). Mayo Clinic teaming up with area organizations to collect face masks. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) recently recommended that all people wear cloth face masks or coverings when in public. While face masks do not replace social distancing measures, they help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Mayo Clinic, and local government and health care partners, have come together to collect and …

en.mehrnews (2020-04-15). Iran enjoying fine public health system: Chinese ambassador. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA) — As Iran is fighting to contain the deadly coronavirus pandemic, China's ambassador to Tehran says "Iran is among the countries enjoying fine public health system in the Middle East."

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-15). Imperial welcomes world-leading health, research and education designation. imperial.ac.uk Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre has been redesignated an AHSC for a further five years.

KOAT (2020-04-15). This is where all 50 states stand on reopening. koat.com Along with expanding testing and tracing, governors across the country are highlighting the importance of using science and advice from health officials rather than politics to choose when to reopen the economy.

2020-04-15: 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.)

Spain: Death Toll Keeps Falling but New COVID-19 Cases Rise
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-15
Spain's Health Ministry Wednesday reported that the daily death toll decreased from 567 to 523 in the past 24 hours. However, in the same period, the number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases increased by 5,092. | RELATED: | Spain Hires Migrants in Agriculture To Maintain Supply Chain | So far, Spain registers 177,633 COVID-19 confirmed cases and 18,579 deaths, and 70,853 discharged patients. Madrid is the most affected region with 49,256 registered cases and 6,724 deaths. | These s…
telesurenglish.net/news/Spain-Death-Toll…

Sanders has endorsed Biden, but progressives won't join him without a massive policy shift
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2020-04-15
Bernie Sanders has now endorsed establishment rival Joe Biden for the US presidency. The two had previously clashed during the Democratic Party primary over policy issues like the 'Medicare for All' universal healthcare plan (which Sanders advocated and Biden opposed). But Sanders cited ongoing work between the two camps on several policy matters, and the importance of defeating Donald Trump in November, as key reasons for backing Biden. Hi…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/04/15/sanders-has-endorsed-biden-but-progressives-wont-join-him-without-a-big-policy-shift/

Anti-surveillance activists claim they set fire outside German institute developing Covid-19 tracking app
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Left-wing activists aiming to prevent mass surveillance via the 'Corona App' claim they caused a fire outside Berlin's telecommunications institute, which is developing software designed to track the spread of the disease. | Several power and telecommunication cables were badly damaged during the fire at a construction site in Berlin's Charlottenburg district on Tuesday morning, outside the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications. The fire caused a temporary power outage on adjacent streets, and police are investigating the incident as a suspected arsonist attack. | A letter has since been sent to a number…
rt.com/news/485883-germany-covid19-app-f…

Health care workers protest outside UNM Hospital, demand better working conditions and PPE
KOB 4 | kob.com | 2020-04-15
"We don't want to die at work."
kob.com/albuquerque-news/health-care-wor…

Beyond Bernie: The Next Challenge for Progressives
Christopher D. Cook | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
Whoever wins the presidency, the millions of people who voted and worked for Bernie Sanders will need to plow their energies and talents into creating serious political pressure to win gains for climate action, health care access, people power, workers' rights, corporate accountability, and much more. (Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/15/beyond…

Trump Cuts Funds for World Health Org as Oxfam Warns Pandemic Could Push Half a Billion into Poverty
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-04-15
As the confirmed cases of coronavirus surpass 2 million around the world, President Donald Trump says he will cut U.S. support for the World Health Organization. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, called it a "crime against humanity." Oxfam America said the cuts slash "any hopes for the responsible international cooperation and solidarity that is critical to save lives and restore the global economy." This comes as a new Oxfam report estimates the pandemic's economic fallout could push more than half a billion more people into poverty. We get response from Paul O'Brien, vice president…
www.democracynow.org/2020/4/15/oxfam_cor…

Corruption at the WHO. Trump Regime COVID-19 Blame Game Diverts Attention from Its Own Failings
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-15
Trump is the latest in a long line of US leaders and other key officials who time and again blame others for their own harmful actions and failings. | On Tuesday, Trump directed his blame game at the World Health Organization …
globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-covid-19-blame-game-diverts-attention-own-failings/5709729

Despite CDC Warning of 'Significant Risk' of Lifting Stay-in-Place Orders, Right-Wingers Launch Anti-Lockdown Movement
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
"These selfish and out-of-touch fringe groups are throwing a temper tantrum at the expense of public safety and health." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2020/04/15/despite…

Scandal in the making? A HUGE 70% of UK care homes could be riddled with Covid-19, private healthcare chief warns
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Coronavirus infection rates in UK care homes may be as high as 70 percent, the chief executive of a major care provider has claimed, casting doubts over the validity of the government's official Covid-19 figures. | Jeremy Richardson, head of Four Seasons Health Care, one of Britain's biggest independent providers of care for the elderly, claimed on Sky News on Wednesday that the number of Covid-19 infections in such facilities is being massively underreported by PM Boris Johnson's administration. | I think the number is probably up at 60 or 70 percent. We're running at a similar number; I think the numbers are…
rt.com/uk/485886-care-homes-elderly-coro…

COVID-Meals Supports Restaurants, Healthcare Workers in Santa Cruz County
COVID-Meals | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
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…

Researchers blast Swedish govt for disastrous Covid-19 strategy, claim country's death toll headed for 'heights of Italy'
rt.com | 2020-04-15
A group of 22 researchers has penned a letter demanding "swift and radical action" by the Swedish government to prevent the further spread of coronavirus in the country and the potential collapse of its healthcare system. | The scientists published an open letter lambasting the government for its herd immunity strategy and claiming the Swedish health authorities had failed the country as few, if any, restrictions have been put in place. | According to the group, Sweden's Public H…
rt.com/news/485839-sweden-coronavirus-re…

Police and fire rescue crews team up to thank healthcare workers
koat.com | 2020-04-15
Albuquerque Police Department teamed up with Albuquerque Fire & Rescue to thank healthcare workers with a drive-by parade Wednesday.
koat.com/article/police-and-fire-rescue-…

Can Biden Go Left?
D.D. Guttenplan, The Nation | thenation.com | 2020-04-15
Can Biden Go Left?
thenation.com/article/politics/biden-san…

Farmington mayor calls for immediate opening of all businesses at 20% occupancy
KOB 4 | kob.com | 2020-04-15
He says the public health order has led to an "economic disaster."
kob.com/new-mexico-news/farmington-mayor…

G20 Suspends Debt Payments for Poor Countries As the Coronavirus Spreads
Kate Zeller | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
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…

The U.S. Must Meet Its Obligations to the WHO, China Says
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-15
China expressed "serious concern" over the U.S. government's decision to suspend its financial contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO). | RELATED: | Trump Halts US Funding to WHO | "We call on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities and obligations and to support WHO's leadership in the international campaign against the pandemic," China's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | The Chinese governm…
telesurenglish.net/news/The-U.S.-Must-Me…

This is where all 50 states stand on reopening
koat.com | 2020-04-15
Along with expanding testing and tracing, governors across the country are highlighting the importance of using science and advice from health officials rather than politics to choose when to reopen the economy.
koat.com/article/this-is-where-all-50-st…

Imperial welcomes world-leading health, research and education designation
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-15
Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre has been redesignated an AHSC for a further five years.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196894/imperial-welcomes-world-leading-health-research-education

Trump globally scolded for denying funds to WHO amid Covid-19 pandemic
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Nations and medics around the world have blasted US President Donald Trump for defunding the UN's health agency over alleged pro-Chinese bias. Even the head of America's own Centers for Disease Control had kind words for the WHO. | The US leader accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus," claiming the agency conspired with Beijing to cover up the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump said American funding would be frozen pending a US investigation into his theory. | Withdrawing the money at a time when the disease is months from being…
rt.com/news/485890-who-defunding-global-…

DeVos Group, Right-Wing Fringe Organization Threaten Public Health
commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
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commondreams.org/newswire/2020/04/15/dev…

German schools to reopen in early May as lockdown measures set to ease
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Germany's schools will gradually reopen from May 4, as the European nation plans to ease some of the measures in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus. | At a press conference on Wednesday, Merkel sought to reassure Germans that hospitals are not overburdened and thanked them for adhering to social distancing measures. She said that health authorities are working on an app that will enable them to track coronavirus cases. | The Chancellor said that any further relaxation of the restrictions will depend on how the infection rate develops. The ban on religious…
rt.com/news/485909-germany-schools-reope…

Teens and mental health: Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-15
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…

Data show COVID-19 is hitting essential workers and people of color hardest
Eds. | mronline.org | 2020-04-15
Newly released data from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) show that COVID-19 is present at higher rates in certain Boston communities, including Hyde Park, Mattapan, Dorchester, and East Boston.
mronline.org/2020/04/15/data-show-covid-…

Trump's Defunding of the WHO Threatens to Make the Pandemic Worse
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-04-15
Trump's announcement that the U.S. will withhold all its contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) is an unforgivable abnegation of U.S. responsibility at the very moment when a coordinated international public health response is most needed. | At the height of a pandemic that threatens to kill millions and capsize the global economy, the U.S. president is trying to deflect blame for his own failings by going on a public offensive against the world's preeminent public health organization. In c…
truthout.org/articles/trumps-defunding-o…

'I'm Young, Healthy, and I Exercise 5 Times a Week. COVID-19 Came for Me Anyway'
koat.com | 2020-04-15
"I spent 22 days battling the virus. My lifestyle didn't protect me from it like I thought it would."
koat.com/article/coronavirus-symptoms-da…

'There's a way of doing that': Infectious disease expert outlines how US sports can resume this summer (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says that it will be possible for many sports to resume play this summer, so long as events are staged without fans and players adhere to a strict regime of staying isolated in hotels. | The spread of coronavirus and associated restrictions on travel and public gatherings has led to a near-global standstill of world sport which currently has no end in sight, but Dr. Fauci – the man central to the United States' response to the virus – says that many sporting activities could resume this summer provided that correct health and safety provisions are in place. | Also on…
rt.com/sport/485908-anthony-fauci-us-spo…

'Virus exploiting cracks between us': WHO responds to Trump cutting funding, promises internal probe
rt.com | 2020-04-15
World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says its pandemic response will be reviewed in "due course" after President Donald Trump ordered a halt to US funding. | "In due course, [the] WHO's performance in tackling this pandemic will be reviewed by [the] WHO's member states and the independent bodies that are in place to ensure transparency and accountability," Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday after saying the organization regrets the "decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding." | The director general added that independent reviews will "no doubt…
rt.com/news/485913-who-trump-funding-pro…

Is it safe to wear contact lenses during the COVID-19 pandemic?
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-15
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…

False-negative COVID-19 test results may lead to false sense of security
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-15
ROCHESTER, Minn.

Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Emergency medicine in the time of COVID-19
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-15
Emergency medicine is a specialty that prides itself on a mantra: anyone, anything, anytime. The COVID-19 pandemic has put emergency health care providers and first responders on the front lines, fighting the spread of the virus and caring for critically ill patients. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Annie Sadosty, a Mayo Clinic emergency medicine …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

WHO is 'one of the best investments': German FM blasts US after Trump cuts health organization's funding
rt.com | 2020-04-15
Providing money to the "underfunded" World Health Organization is among the best ways to help develop a vaccine against Covid-19, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said after Trump halted the WHO's funding. | "Apportioning blame doesn't help. The virus knows no borders," Maas wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. | We have to work closely together against Covid-19. One of the best investments is to strengthen the UN, especially the under-funded WHO, for example for developing and distributing tests and vaccines.
rt.com/news/485843-germany-says-who-best…

Iran enjoying fine public health system: Chinese ambassador
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-15
TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA)

CDC estimates more than 9,200 health care workers have been infected with the coronavirus
koat.com | 2020-04-15
The number is likely an underestimate, since most reports of the novel coronavirus cases don't include whether the person worked in health care.
koat.com/article/cdc-estimates-more-than…

Modi extends India's coronavirus lockdown till May 3
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
Modi offered no plan to deal either with the health emergency or the socio-economic calamity triggered by the sudden, unplanned lockdown.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/inco…

76,389 infected by, 49,933 recover from coronavirus in Iran
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-15
TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA)

Australian construction workers denounce union enforcement of unsafe conditions
graham | truepublica.org.uk | 2020-04-15
Hundreds of workers across the country have taken to social media over the past weeks to denounce the construction union for enforcing continued production in the sector, despite the health risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic. The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) has responded with censorship. Supporters of the union bureaucracy have …
truepublica.org.uk/newsbits/australian-construction-workers-denounce-union-enforcement-of-unsafe-conditions/

A Perspective on the Pacifica Bylaws Referendum
Akio Tanaka | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
Pacifica still need a functional Board that can ensure the financial health of the Foundation.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/14/1883236…

US Deportations Risk Spreading COVID-19 in Guatemala
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-15
Guatemala's Health Minister Hugo Monroy denounced Tuesday that an estimated 75 percent of the people on one deportation flight from the United States later tested positive for the novel coronavirus, raising fears that the U.S. is willfully sending sick people back. | RELATED: | US Continues Deporting Guatemalans Amid the Pandemic | "There are really flights where the deportees arrive … citizens who come with fever, and they get on the planes that way," Monroy said, adding they "automa…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Deportations-…

Uruguay: Lacalle Evaluates Trade Possibilities Despite Health Emergency
telesurenglish.net | 2020-04-15
Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou assessed on Monday the possible performance of his country's business sector. The president met with members of the Confederation of Business Chambers (CCE) to discuss the possibilities and the current economic climate in the South American nation. | RELATED: | Uruguay: Constructive Work Resumes Despite Measures by COVID-19 | Lacalle's meeting with the business association was aimed at analyzing the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic…
telesurenglish.net/news/uruguay-lacalle-…

'Now is not the time!' UN chief says WHO is 'critical' in global war against Covid-19 as US cuts funding to probe its 'China ties'
rt.com | 2020-04-15
The United Nations has urged continued support for the World Health Organization (WHO) as countries around the globe battle the coronavirus pandemic, just hours after US President Donald Trump froze American funding to the agency. | The WHO and its thousands of staff are fighting the health crisis on the front lines, supporting the most vulnerable nations with "concrete life-saving services," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote in a statement on Tuesday. | It is my belief…
rt.com/news/485832-un-chief-who-funding/

We Are Clapping for Health Care Workers–but Are We Protecting Them?
Brad Lander | thenation.com | 2020-04-15
We Are Clapping for Health Care Workers–but Are We Protecting Them?
thenation.com/article/economy/workers-co…

Stop The Murder! Workers, Covid-19, The Attack On Labor, Our Unions & The Fightback
Labor Video Project | indybay.org | 2020-04-15
WorkWeek hosts a national panel on transit, health and shipping and they talk about the failure of the agencies and companies to protect their health and safety. They also discuss the failure of their union officials in many cases to fight management to educate and protect their members from the virus and pandemic…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/14/1883234…

US Hospitals Are Sick With COVID-19. Here's the Treatment
Robbie Goldstein | commondreams.org | 2020-04-15
"In 2008, the banks were too big to fail, so we moved quickly to bail them out," writes Dr. Goldstein. "Now, in the face of the largest public health crisis we've seen in a century, the American hospital system is too important to fail." (Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2020/04/15/us-hos…

I do not expect a significant change in modern socio-political arrangements: Nicholas Onuf
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-15
TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA)

Canadian workers denounce lack of safety measures and forced labor
wsws.org | 2020-04-15
"If they ask me what is needed before the lockdown measures are lifted, I would definitely say health," a Quebec construction worker told the WSWS.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/15/cain…

Trump's WHO cuts tantamount to 'crime against humanity': FM spox
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-15
TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA)

Mayo Clinic teaming up with area organizations to collect face masks
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-04-15
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) recently recommended that all people wear cloth face masks or coverings when in public. While face masks do not replace social distancing measures, they help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Mayo Clinic, and local government and health care partners, have come together to collect and …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ma…

Health Care Workers Are Being Fired for Speaking Out About a Lack of Supplies
Brad Lander | thenation.com | 2020-04-15
Health Care Workers Are Being Fired for Speaking Out About a Lack of Supplies…
thenation.com/article/economy/workers-co…

Govt. should establish health protocol with neighbors to spur exports
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-04-15
TEHRAN, Apr. 15 (MNA)

At height of pandemic, Trump halts funds for WHO
John Wojcik | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-15
At an angry blame-shifting press conference yesterday, Trump announced he is halting funding for the World Health Organization (WHO), the world's premier health organization founded by the UN in 1948. He accused the organization of delays and of committing every single misstep that he and his administration have committed in the handling of the coronavirus …
peoplesworld.org/article/at-height-of-pa…