(2020-03-17). The Senate Must Pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. truthout.org The coronavirus pandemic has laid bare how ill-prepared the U.S. is to address basic human needs. Unlike every other wealthy nation, the U.S. fails to provide access to health care for everyone, paid time off for workers who are sick, safety standards to protect health workers, adequate payment to caregivers for people with disabilities, or financial support for businesses in times of natural disasters or widespread illness. | The House of Representatives, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative R…
(2020-03-17). How to fight the COVID-19 pandemic: A program of action for the working class. wsws.org The essential principle that must guide the response to the crisis is that the needs of working people must take absolute and unconditional priority over all considerations of corporate profit and private wealth.
(2020-03-17). Islamic finance body sets up fund on coronavirus impact. yenisafak.com The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB Group) is setting up a special $730 million fund to mitigate the negative health and socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.The IsDB Group said on Monday that global supply chain disruptions, demand compression, and macroeconomic instability will have severe economic growth and poverty fallout on member countries, if not managed appropriately.The Strategic Preparedness and Response Facility fund is meant to ease the adverse impacts of coronavirus, according to a bank statement.The fund will include $280 million from the Bank and Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development for…
(2020-03-17). 'Unimaginable Pain': Indian Opposition Politician Predicts Economic Tsunami in Six Months. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): India's opposition parties have blamed the government for the ongoing economic crisis in the country. In the past few months, most of the global rating agencies have lowered the country's growth projections amid rising unemployment.
(2020-03-17). Does the COVID-19 Crisis Have to Result in a Wealthier Wealthy? counterpunch.org 
In times of crisis — the current coronavirus pandemic, for instance — these sorts of calls for cooperation become the drumbeat of our daily lives. And most all of us march to that drumbeat because we understand that we do need to cooperate and help each other when crises crash down upon us.
(2020-03-16). Coronavirus calls US' 'world's richest country' bluff: Will it cling to busted myths or evolve under pressure? rt.com 
The coronavirus containment measures the US has (belatedly, reluctantly) taken are revealing enormous fissures in its first-world facade, from legions of hungry schoolchildren to their broke parents left to fend for themselves. | The US puts a lot of effort into maintaining its image as the world's richest country, but while it may have the world's highest GDP, near-record levels of income inequality mean that the "American dream" is out of reach for much of the population. Aside from an upper-crust of fantastically wealthy families and the professional class that supports them, much of the US population strug…
(2020-03-16). Foreign Office advises against travel to more than 30 countries. thecanary.co 
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has affected thousands of people across the globe as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported cases in 144 countries, territories or areas.As a result of Covid-19, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has issued travel advice warning people against visiting certain countries or areas due to restrictions or the risk of quarantine.FCO travel advice can range from advising against all travel to a whole country to recommending travellers seek advice before travelling to a particular area, based on how safe it is to visit.The guidance as of Monday morning advises against a…
(2020-03-15). Latest travel guidance as number of countries affected by coronavirus rises. thecanary.co 
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has affected thousands of people across the world as the World Health Organisation has reported cases in 135 countries, territories or areas.As a result of Covid-19, or coronavirus, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has issued travel advice warning people against visiting certain countries or areas.Here is a look at the current guidance, which advises against all but essential travel to 23 countries: China: The FCO advises against all travel to Hubei province due to the outbreak, and against all but essential travel to the rest of mainland China. If you are in China…
(2020-03-15). Accomplishments of Venezuela hailed on International Women's Day. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following speech by Sarah Martin. Martin is a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). | Happy Women's Day everyone. Our sisters in Venezuela have a lot to celebrate. Just over 20 years ago Hugo Chavez was swept into power on the backs of powerful movements fighting for a better way of life for the vast majority of Venezuelans. The wealth from this oil and mineral rich country was lining the pockets of the oligarchs inside and outside the country while the vast majority of people, mostly black and brown were desperately poor. | Venezuelan women fought in tha…
(2020-03-13). Editorial: Fed takes action to save Wall Street, not the people. fightbacknews.org The U.S. Federal Reserve has pledged $1.5 trillion to calm Wall Street's worries as the COVID-19 pandemic rattles stock markets and wealthy investors. | But what the people need is more testing done for free, and health care for all. What workers need are unemployment benefits and income support for the self-employed. Working people need protection from eviction and relief from debts. What nurses and other medical workers need is more masks and other protective equipment. | With more than 1500 confirmed infections in the United States, the novel coronavirus is not a foreign threat from Europe, as Trump seems to b…
(2020-03-12). Bernie Sanders: We Are Winning "Ideological" & "Generational" Debate, Now Need to Win "Electability" democracynow.org 
After a disappointing showing in Tuesday night's Democratic presidential primaries, Senator Bernie Sanders said Wednesday he will stay in the race. In his address from Burlington, Vermont, Sanders challenged his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, to address key issues like economic inequality, healthcare access and the climate crisis. Sanders is set to debate Biden this Sunday in Arizona. "It is not just the ideological debate that our progressive movement is winning. We are winning the generational debate," Sanders said. "While Joe Biden continues to do very well with older Americans, especially those peopl…
(2020-03-09). Coronavirus Is a Reason to Worry About the Economy—the Stock Market Plunge Is Not. fair.org 
New York Times ( Many people have become very concerned about the economy because of the stock market's plunge in the last two weeks. While the spread of the coronavirus gives us very good reason to worry about the state of the economy, the plunge in the stock market does not. In fact, those folks who are very concerned about wealth inequality can celebrate, because the wealth of the top 1% has just dropped by around 10%, while the wealth of the bottom 50% has barely been touched. (I tend to focus on income inequali…
(2020-03-06). "Supreme Inequality": Author Adam Cohen on the Supreme Court's 50-Year Battle Against Justice. democracynow.org 
The makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court has come under intense criticism in recent years after two Trump-nominated justices joined the bench. Senate Republicans confirmed Neil Gorsuch in 2017 after having refused to consider President Barack Obama's nominee in his final year in office, and they confirmed Brett Kavanaugh a year later despite multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the judge. During the 2020 Democratic presidential contest, several candidates floated the idea of "packing the court" — appointing more than nine justices — in order to counter the court's rightward drift. But while t…
(2020-03-03). SPLC mourns loss of former board member Andrew Fredman. splcenter.org The Southern Poverty Law Center is deeply saddened today by the loss of longtime donor and board member Andrew Fredman, 58, who recently died.