Unknown to most people in Australia, Julian Assange’s hearing in London resumed on 27 April via video link, because of the Covid-19 lock down. Judge Vanessa Baraitser had decided to start the second stage of the hearing on 18 May. The pandemic social distancing rule has got in the way, and the judge has had to postpone. In the following interview with Mohamed Elmaazi on Sputnik, made on the same day, author and active supporter of Julian Assange journalist, John Rees talks about the postponement, and the farce being carried out in the name of the law, a well as the push to have Julian released from prison as protection.  Before going to the interview, watch the following documentary. Continue reading Journalist John Rees describes ‘farcical’ experience of listening to Assange’s hearing by audio link →

Venezuela has been one of the most with the greatest success in combatting the Covid-19 pandemic. They have done better than other countries on the South American continent, and better than North America, Europe, Australian many other places. There have been far fewer deaths. Meanwhile Brazil on one side, and Colombia on the other, are the worst affected. This is remarkable, given the blockade being waged against Venezuela by the United Sates. And the resulting critical shortage of medicine. They did get some thanks to generous donations form Cuba and China. Then the United States set a naval armada to stop more coming in. It is still there. What is the secret? Early action, voluntary lock down and isolation, house to house mass tasting, mobilisation of the population and generous social subsidies.

Video from Tim Anderson

Contributed

The League for Increased Transparency and Ethics (WASHLITE) in Washington, has filed a lawsuit against Fox News for spreading false news. They are seeking to have the network barred from “interfering with reasonable and necessary measures to contain the virus by publishing further false and deceptive content.” Continue reading Fox is being sued for misinformation →

By Jim Hayes

Reeling form epic mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak, US President Donald Trump has gone and cut all funding for the World Health Organisation (WHO), and has found himself facing a wave of condemnation from around the world and at home. Continue reading Donald Trump cuts funding for the WHO and finds condemnation and no support →

By Joe Montero

The International monetary fund (IMF) isn’t hiding its fears over the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. A little over a week ago, it predicted that the global economy will contract by 3 percent this year. This pessimistic forecast was made public in the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook. Continue reading The IMF predicts a possible global and Australian contraction on the scale of the Great Depression →

Following statement is an from The Palestine Project, based in Haifa and Ramallah in the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories. The statement was released on 4 April 2020. It is about the plight of Palestinian prisoners exposed to Coronavirus infection, and the addressing the failure of the Israeli authorities to do anything about it. On 3 April 10 prisoners began an open ended hunger strike against ongoing solitary confinement of 2 detainees, as well as the failure to protect them against the Cronavirus.

Continue reading Rights groups demand urgent Israeli preventive measures for Palestinian political prisoners →

Another veteran of the fight against fascism has just died. Rafael Gómez Nieto passed away at the age of 99, after being infected by the Corona virus. As young man, he fought against Franco’s Falangist forced in Spain and then took part is setting up the Resistance when Germany occupied France. His story reproduced here was written by Sam Jones in Madrid and Kim Willsher in Charny-Orée-de-Puisaye and published in The Guardian (1 April 2020)

Continue reading Ex-soldier’s death casts light on Spaniards who helped liberate Paris →

Taxi drivers show their appreciation as the contingent of 52 Cuban doctors make their way way though the airport in Madrid. Cuban doctor are now also helping to fight the Corona virus in Italy, France, Andora in Europe, and throughout South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. They are highly trained and have experience in fighting serious epidemics.

Video from Diari d’ Andorra