(2020-06-06). Brazil's President Bolsonaro calls demonstrators "terrorists," threatens military repression. wsws.org Gen. Hamilton Mourà£o viciously attacked protests against the murder of George Floyd and social inequality, calling for the arrest of demonstrators.
(2020-06-06). [Perspectives] Indigenous populations: left behind in the COVID-19 response. thelancet.com Scholar Annie Belcourt described Native American populations in the USA as having lives that are "challenging and short". Globally, across countries and populations, Indigenous peoples face a greater burden of disease than non-Indigenous peoples, including cardiovascular disease and HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and have higher infant and maternal mortality and lower life expectancy. Their health is impacted by epigenetic stressors of generational oppression and violence, including disproportionate numbers of missing and murdered Indigenous women, lower educational attainment, and persistent poverty.
(2020-06-06). [Comment] Healthier societies for healthy populations. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic makes the importance of health and wellbeing clear. The pandemic's implications for societies are far reaching. Yet the response to this pandemic and the creation and promotion of health and wellbeing require action beyond the health sector—and beyond the usual ways of working in global health. Governments are not adequately tackling inequality, ongoing economic crises, or continuing environmental damage, which undermines the health of current and future generations. For example, tobacco and alcohol use, unhealthy diets, air pollution, and insufficient physical exercise contribute to m…
(2020-06-06). Trump hails dubious May jobless report to boost stock market, back-to-work drive. wsws.org An unexpected decline in the unemployment rate in May is being used by the White House to declare the pandemic-fueled economic crisis over.
(2020-06-06). Don't believe the hype: Unemployment increased in May. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Corporate-owned media is blaring that the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell in May to 13.3%, from 14.7% in April. This was far better than even the most optimistic economist expected and even led to at least one to declare that "the recession is over." Well, when something is too good to be true, it usually isn't true. | This report flies in the face of all the other reports on the job market in May. The Labor Department's own report on continuing unemployment insurance claims, including regular state unemployment insurance, the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), the federal Pandemic…
(2020-06-05). Extraordinary Disconnect Between Stock Prices and Economic Collapse. globalresearch.ca US equity prices are near or at all-time highs at a time of unprecedented economic collapse, a festering main street Depression, unemployment way higher than in the 1930s, with no prospect for a V-shaped recovery, only its illusion. | The Wall …
(2020-06-05). Urban Poor Lose Fear and Release Pent-Up Rage. zcomm.org The torching of our cities, and the looting of the malls is what is really sending the message that we're "all in this together," by making it clear that if this country continues down its current path towards ever increasing racial and economic inequality, no one, regardless of their wealth and power, will escape the consequences…
(2020-06-05). Killing Workers (and Customers) — With No Liability. counterpunch.org 
Republicans want to help businesses kill workers. They want to force employees to return to Covid-19 hotspots, like slaughterhouses, by depriving them of unemployment checks if they don't clock in. In addition, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell wants to give these businesses and others, like nursing homes, legal immunity for deliberately exposing workers to a
(2020-06-05). As 42.6 Million Americans File for Unemployment, Billionaires Add Half a Trillion Dollars to Their Cumulative Wealth. counterpunch.org 
In a turbulent week across the nation, the wealth of U.S. billionaires surged past half a trillion dollars since the beginning of the pandemic unemployment. The announcement on June 4th that an additional 1.9 million more have filed for unemployment in the last week means that 42.6 million Americans have filed since March 18th, according
(2020-06-05). Protests spread in Chile as hospitals reach saturation point. wsws.org The loss of life is the outcome of decades of pro-corporate policies that have led to a chronically underfunded health system, now on the verge of collapse and extreme poverty.
(2020-06-05). Taxing large fortunes, a tool of social justice. peoplesdispatch.org Several countries around the world are discussing a tax on large fortunes to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The question of combating extreme inequality is a political decision that governments have to make. | According to an Oxfam study, since 2015, the richest population, which accounts for 1% of the total, has more wealth than the rest of the planet. Small elites of countries seize an increasing proportion of national income, while hundreds of millions of people still do not have access to potable drinking water or enough food for their families. | The gap between rich and poor people wid…
(2020-06-05). Unemployment Far Worse in Lockdown States, Data Show. globalresearch.ca The novel coronavirus has done severe economic damage all over the globe. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) stated on June 1, 2020 that
(2020-06-05). New US weekly unemployment claims near 2 million as foreclosures, hunger loom. wsws.org The economic meltdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving into a deep and long economic slump.
(2020-06-04). One third of labor force now jobless as pandemic unemployment climbs. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Another 2.226 million people filed for jobless benefits in the week ending May 30, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on June 4. That pushed the total official number of jobless benefits claims in this new great depression to 42.65 million. And that may understate the case. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka has said for weeks …
(2020-06-04). Racial Inequality Among Workers in Frontline Industries: Black Workers are Overrepresented and Undercompensated. cepr.net 
The three figures below compare Black and White workers in six frontline industry groups (see our previous report for methodology). These figures show that: Black workers are much more likely to work in frontline industries than White workers. As Figure 1 shows, nearly three out of every ten (29.7 percent) Black workers work in one …
(2020-06-04). The UN's Anti-Poverty Proposal for Latin America: a "Basic Emergency Income" counterpunch.org The economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis on Latin America could be potentially devastating, according to a new Special Report by the UN's Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The report, based on the available data in mid-April, has estimated a -5.3 percent drop for the region's GDP growth in 2020 —
(2020-06-04). Billionaire Wealth Surges By Over Half Trillion Dollars During the Pandemic. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-06-04). Washington Post Invents a Growth Dividend from Sweden's Coronavirus Strategy. cepr.net Sweden has stood apart from most other wealthy countries in dealing with the pandemic, by not imposing some sort of shutdown, where non-essential businesses are closed and travel is kept to a minimum. Its Nordic neighbors all went this route and then engaged in extensive testing and tracing strategies. As a result, Sweden has seen …
(2020-06-04). New claims for state unemployment insurance 1.9 million in last week of May. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On Thursday, June 4 the federal Department of Labor reported that 1.9 million new claims for state unemployment insurance or UI benefits were filed in the week ending May 30. This was down by 250,000 claims from the previous week, continuing the slow decline in new applications. However, this was still more than two and a half times higher than the previous pre-pandemic record of almost 700,000 claims made during the deep 1981-82 recession. | The total number of people receiving state unemployment benefits – which is delayed by a week – rose by 650,000 to 21.5 million for the week ending May 23. Th…
(2020-06-05). Jim Cramer: Coronavirus Pandemic Triggered 'One of the Greatest Wealth Transfers in History'. commondreams.org Small businesses are "dropping like flies," said the "Mad Money" host. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/wealth-transfer.jpg …
(2020-06-04). Across Colombia, Red Flags of Despair Fly as Harsh COVID Lockdown Is Extended for a Third Time. anti-empire.com 
Bogota, Colombia — Red flags hang draped from the doors, rooftops and windows of Bogota's impoverished southern neighborhoods. They symbolize the suffering wreaked by a now thrice-extended house-arrest and quarantine policy purportedly aimed at containing the Coronavirus. While the pandemic has infected only a few thousand people out of a population of more than thirty million in Colombia, the quarantine has caused prolonged unemployment, a wave of housing evictions, and rioting; fueling scourges like domestic violence while pushing many to the edge of starvation. | Colombia's tragedy mirrors those of the m…
(2020-06-05). Thursday 6/4: Intersection of Racial Inequality and Pride Month (webinar). indybay.org Online livestream…
(2020-06-05). Employment Jumps 2.5 Million in May, as Unemployment Falls to 13.3 Percent. truthout.org The May jobs numbers were considerably better than most analysts had expected with the economy reportedly adding 2,509,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate fell by 1.4 percentage points to 13.3 percent. This improved labor market picture should not have been surprising since many businesses across the country had reopened by the survey week in mid-April. The high number of unemployment insurance claims, continuing through May, likely gave a wrong picture, as delays in processing caused claims t…
(2020-06-05). New measures to tackle racial inequality, as Imperial pledges to 'do better'. imperial.ac.uk Imperial's President has announced a series of initiatives to address current and historic racial injustices.
(2020-06-06). As UK braces for post-lockdown 'crime tsunami,' some turn to TRAINED DOGS for security. rt.com 
The UK is bracing for a crime wave, with unemployment soaring and US riots on every screen. But unlike Americans, Brits cannot own guns — so they're scrambling for whatever security they can get, from CCTV to trained dogs. | As Britain begins to ease its Covid-19 lockdown conditions, the nation is on alert. | The UK has been warned to expect a deluge of criminality. | Doctor Simon Harding, a former Home Office and Metropolitan Police adviser,
(2020-06-05). Twitter users blast Trump over out-of-context 'great day for George Floyd' quote. It was about 'equal justice,' not jobs numbers. rt.com 
Twitter erupted in a rage after reports that Donald Trump said the murdered George Floyd would be "happy" about good US jobs figures. It turned out the president wasn't talking about jobs figures when he made the comment at all. | During remarks at the White House on Friday, Trump took time to boast about figures showing unemployment had fallen to 13.3 percent with 2.5 million jobs added in May, as the economy begins to rebound following the Covid-19 lockdown. | Many reporters on Twitter were then quick to share shortened versions of a clip in which Trump said Floyd was hopefully "looking down right now and sa…
(2020-06-05). Twitter blasts Trump for saying it's a 'great day for George Floyd' after good US jobs numbers, but his words taken out of context. rt.com Twitter erupted in a rage after reports that Donald Trump said the murdered George Floyd would be "happy" about good US jobs figures. It turned out the president wasn't talking about jobs figures when he made the comment at all. | During remarks at the White House on Friday, Trump took time to boast about figures showing unemployment had fallen to 13.3 percent with 2.5 million jobs added in May, as the economy begins to rebound following the Covid-19 lockdown. | Many reporters on Twitter were then quick to share shortened versions of a clip in which Trump said Floyd was hopefully "looking down right now and sa…
(2020-06-05). Post-lockdown job recovery numbers are cooked, but not for the reason Paul Krugman & the never-Trumpers believe. rt.com 
The Trump administration has hailed new US jobs numbers showing a dip in sky-high unemployment rates as an economic victory, and the president's enemies are crying foul. They're right — but not for the reasons they think. | The president and his allies are hailing the addition of millions of jobs in Friday's report from the Department of Labor as a sign the US has reversed the economic death spiral that began when state governments forced entire industries to close their doors in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. | Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had expected the unemployment rate to spike from 14.
(2020-06-06). 'Major Co-Option': Without Action, Hospitals' BLM Statements Are Performative. popularresistance.org As the fight against racial inequality in the US has become a national, pervasive movement following the killing of Minneapolis, Minnesota, resident George Floyd, many corporations have argued that they too are helping in the struggle for justice. One anonymous doctor reminds Sputnik that these statements, without acts, are simply performative. | An academic physician based in Washington, DC, who wished to remain anonymous joined Radio Sputnik's Political Misfits on Friday to provide insight on performative allyship and how their own hospital is contributing to the problematic practice. | "I just witnessed major…
(2020-06-04). Climate Activists: Here's Why Your Work Depends On Ending Police Violence. popularresistance.org We live in a world where government agents can kill hundreds of people a year, without the whole system being held accountable. When the crisis presents the opportunity for billionaires to extract even more wealth from people and the planet, how can we expect that same government to be accountable to climate change? | To win on climate, we need to reinvent the power structures that haven't functionally changed since slavery. To win on climate, we need to pry our economic systems away from the legacies of colonialism, slavery, genocide, and violence on which our country is founded and push it towards liberation, f…
(2020-06-04). We Are Watching the Story of America Crash Headlong Into the Reality of America. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | I have a bedtime story for you. | Once upon a time a brave nation liberated itself from the tyranny of the British empire and birthed freedom and democracy into the world. With the help of heroes like the abolitionists, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X it overcame systemic racial inequality, and now it is a shining exemplar of human rights, the respected friend of free democracies around the world and the hated foe of all tyrannical regimes. It is not without its faults and its past mistakes, but it is the best leader and protector of the liberal world order that we could p…
(2020-06-04). Turkish president marks World Environment Day. yenisafak.com Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday marked World Environment Day, highlighting the importance of global efforts to resolve environmental problems."Humanity today strives for a greener and more liveable world where sustainable use of resources is adopted, biodiversity is preserved, hunger and poverty are minimized, and environmental pollution is prevented," Erdogan said in a statement ahead of the day.Stressing the solution of environmental problems requires the cooperation of all countries at the global scale and the implementation of long-term policies through joint efforts, he stated that Turkey…
(2020-06-04). PROFILE: Who is Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga? yenisafak.com A French court ruled Wednesday that Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga should be handed to a UN tribunal for trial. | The court is based in The Hague as well as in Arusha in the East African nation of Tanzania. | The 84-year-old was arrested in May in France. | – Who is Kabuga? | Kabuga was born in 1935 in northern Rwanda's Byumba prefecture, now called the Gicumbi district, bordering Uganda. | He rose from humble origins to become one of Rwanda's richest men, before allegedly using his wealth to sponsor the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group
(2020-06-04). Trump Sends Unambiguous Message To Police And Vigilantes. popularresistance.org It is time to embrace the parallels, to be unafraid to speak a clear truth: Whether by design or lack of it, Donald Trump and the Republican Party operate an American state that they have increasingly organized on fascist principles. It is also time to consider what else the fascists may yet do, during an unprecedented pandemic, amid unprecedented unemployment, faced with unprecedented resistance ahead of an unprecedented election. The Republican Party wants to make "antifascist" a category of terrorist; whether or not it actually uses active-duty soldiers to round up this new class of undesirables in the "nation…
(2020-06-03). 'Yes, I Will Name Names': AOC Leads Charge Against Empty Corporate Claims of #BlackLivesMatter. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez set the record straight for wealthy corporations on Wednesday, rejecting what she called "bland statements" of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and calling on the companies to take concrete action to further racial justice. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ocasio_cortez_coronavirus_2.jpg …
