2020-04-02: News Headlines

RT (2020-04-02). Saudi Arabia won't undermine Russia-US energy deal & risk facing oil price war on two fronts — market analyst to RT. rt.com If Moscow and Washington strike a deal to boost the sinking oil markets, Saudi Arabia had better stay out of their way, according to analysts who spoke to RT. | The US and Russia agreed to engage in energy talks earlier this week, as both the global coronavirus crisis and the oil row between Russia and Saudi Arabia sent crude prices into a tailspin. International benchmark Brent and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crashed to 18-year lows on Monday, but they have slightly recovered since then with the news of a possible deal. | The prices could plunge lower if no agreement is reached, analysts have told RT. Ac…

Dean Baker (2020-04-02). The Relative Generosity of the Economic Rescue Package. zcomm.org Boeing and Public Broadcasting…

yenisafak (2020-04-02). From chatbots to online markets, Africans craft weapons against coronavirus. yenisafak.com From a WhatsApp chatbot to a self-diagnosis tool, Africans are devising mobile tech solutions to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid fears it could have disastrous effects for the continent's most vulnerable.Africa has not been as badly hit by coronavirus as other continents so far – with roughly 6,000 people infected, according to a Reuters tally, compared to about 500,000 in Europe.But experts fear the respiratory disease could have a catastrophic impact on a continent with shaky healthcare systems and where soap and clean water for hand washing are out of reach for many.Governments, charities and entrep…

Dean Baker (2020-04-02). The Relative Generosity of the Economic Rescue Package: Boeing vs. Public Broadcasting. counterpunch.org The media have been engaged big time in the numbers without context game, throwing out really big numbers faster than anyone can catch them. (For the biggest, the overall size of the stimulus, given the time frame, we are looking at a stimulus that is about five times as large as the Obama stimulus.) While

The Canary (2020-04-01). Police given new guidance on enforcing coronavirus lockdown after backlash. thecanary.co Police forces have been told people should not be punished for travelling a "reasonable distance" to exercise following criticism of heavy-handed tactics used to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown.The new guidance, issued by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing on Tuesday night, also states road checks on every vehicle are "disproportionate".It comes after Derbyshire Police faced a backlash for filming walkers with drones to deter visitors to the Peak District, while North Yorkshire Police stopped motorists at "checkpoints" last week.The new guidance states: "Use your judgement and co…

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J.S. Davies (2020-04-01). Could COVID-19 Reshape Global Leadership? commondreams.org The coronavirus pandemic is reshaping the world and what comes out on the other side may be something completely new when it comes to the global order. (Photo: CodePink) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/coronavirus_leadership.jpg

John Nichols (2020-03-31). On the Need for Dissent and Debate in These Urgent Times. thenation.com On the Need for Dissent and Debate in These Urgent Times…

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-03-30). The Decade Of Transformation Is Here: Remaking The Economy For The People. dissidentvoice.org The pandemic, economic collapse and the government's response to them are going to not only determine the 2020 election but define the future for this decade and beyond. People are seeing the failure of the US healthcare nonsystem and the economy. The government was able to provide trillions for big business and Wall Street without …

Steven Sahiounie (2020-03-30). US Accused of Using Food Aid to Smuggle Weapons to Militants in Syria's Rukban Refugee Camp. mintpressnews.com UN aid trucks, according to Russian military sources, are being used to deliver not only food and supplies to the suffering civilians but also arms and ammunition to Maghawir Al-Thawra.

Andrew Green (2020-03-28). [Obituary] Aron Goldhirsch. thelancet.com Medical oncologist specialising in breast cancer. Born on April 25, 1946, in Landsberg am Lech, Germany, he died on Feb 26, 2020, in Lugano, Switzerland, aged 73 years.

Staff (2020-03-27). "Total System Failure": Congress Pushes $2 Trillion Pandemic Bill. Will Dems Allow "Corporate Coup"? democracynow.org We continue our look at the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package — the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history — with author Matt Stoller, who argues the country will be unrecognizable after this pandemic if big corporations walk away with trillions of dollars and no strings attached. Stoller is research director at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of the book "Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy." His recent column for The Guardian is headlined "The coronavirus relief bill could turn into a corporate coup if we aren't careful."

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …