Saturday, July 25, 2020

Coronavirus continues to plague Iraq





That's BBC NEWS reporting on the coronavirus in Iraq.  AP notes:

In Iraq, the virus has been surrounded by stigma, driven by religious beliefs, customs and a deep mistrust of the health care system.

Overseeing the “New Wadi al-Salam,” or Valley of Peace, cemetery and helping with the burial procedures are Iraqi Shiite volunteers from the Imam Ali Combat Division. They had been fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq over the past few years, operating under the umbrella group known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Corpses of the virus victims arrive at night in body bags driven by ambulances and burial procedures take place at daybreak. In the past four months, more than 3,000 bodies have been buried here, said Sarmad Khalaf Ibrahim, an official with the martyrs affairs department of the PMF.


XINHUA notes that the official count, from the Ministry of Health, was 2,862 new cases today -- "the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the disease, bringing the total infections in the country to 107,573."  THE NEW ARAB Tweets:

#Qatar has sent two field hospitals, including medical supplies and 250 beds, to help #Iraq in its ongoing battle with Covid-19




THE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari has held a meeting with Iraqi Health Minister Hassan Mohamed al-Tamimi through video conferencing.
The meeting dealt with ways and mechanisms for enhancing co-operation between the two countries in the health sector. This comes within the framework of implementing the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani of sending field hospitals with various medical equipment to the Republic of Iraq in support of the efforts to confront coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

And as the numbers increase, the mood in the country worsens.  Azhar al-Ruabie (AL-MONITOR) reports:

After the coronavirus hit this country of 39 million, doctors began receiving a torrent of abuse from families of COVID-19 patients, escalating the already high scale of violence in Iraq.

The pandemic has further revealed the fragility of Iraq's health system.

Health authorities announced the first coronavirus case in February, in a patient who traveled from Iran to study in Iraq's holy city of Najaf.

It quickly spread across the country.

Inadequate measures from the government, corruption and a lack of medicines added to the struggle of health care workers seeking to deal with the virus.



One of #Covid_19 victims in Basra yesterday was a pregnant woman.
Disappointed face
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1:50 PM · Jul 22, 2020


Turning to the US presidential race, Roman Peregrino and Darren Jian (GEORGETOWN VOICE) report on Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins:

According to Hawkins, college students have “more power than they know” when it comes to fighting for a better society.

“The study of history will show when you think it’s hopeless, you actually may be winning. In the back of people’s minds you’re winning them over, and they won’t even admit it to you,” he said. “Look at how movements develop, and you will realize you don’t win at first, but you win in the end.”

Hawkins knows a lot about how movements develop. His career in activism began in the Bay Area in the 1960s. There, he was a part of civil rights and anti-war demonstrations. It was during this time Hawkins became focused on the need for a third political party, one which he hoped would understand the issues of the day more than Republicans and Democrats. This thought process culminated in the Green Party, which Hawkins has been involved in since its inception. At the first National Green Gathering in 1987, Hawkins helped chart the party’s way forward. 

“My message at that first Green Party meeting was that we can’t build this out of a presidential campaign,” Hawkins said. “We got to build it from the bottom up, organize local groups, get involved in local politics, build a base.”

The Green Party succeeded on that smaller scale for several years before rising to national prominence with the campaigns of Ralph Nader for president in 1996 and 2000. While Nader did not run an active campaign, his name allowed the Green Party to receive a national profile, especially as Democrats blamed his voters for Al Gore’s loss in 2000. 

That recognition has continued today, with Green Party candidates garnering votes in every presidential election since 1996. Hawkins understands that Green Party candidates are often considered “spoilers” of the Democratic Party, but he wants to set the record straight, especially during this election season. 

“A vote for us is a vote against Trump. It’s not in Trump’s cause. You can vote against Trump by voting for us,” he said. “If you’re a progressive, vote for progressive positions. You vote for Biden, like I like to say, you get lost in the sauce.”

Partially because of this tension between strategy and ideology, Hawkins and the Green Party have been longtime advocates of ranked-choice voting, which they believe would allow citizens to truly vote for who represents them.  

“Until the Democrats take that up seriously, don’t tell us we’re spoiling the election,” Hawkins said.  “You have the answer; we’ve given it to you for two decades.”







The following sites updated:






 

#thetightropepod Cornel West: AOC is a leading candidate to run for President in 2024





Yesterday on Twitter, Dr. Cornel West (who supported Bernie Sanders) tweeted the following about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez running for President in 2024: "There is no doubt AOC is already a leading candidate for a presidential run in 2024. The profound effect of the great Howard Thurman – MLK's Mentor – and her experiences in Africa deeply shape and mold AOC’s spirit and vision. #thetightropepod" He interviewed for for his new podcast (@The Tight Rope), and while I agree that she will one day run, I wonder if 2024 is too soon, and that her next step might be the Senate where she could eye a 2028 run for president What do you think? Support me on Patreon: https://patreon.com/ChristoAivalis Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/chri... For Christo Aivalis: Twitter: https://twitter.com/christoaivalis Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christoaival... Website: https://www.christoaivalis.com Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/christoaivalis1








Lisa for Maine: You Are Not Alone - Rising sea levels





Website: https://www.lisaformaine.org Lisa Savage, candidate for the US Senate seat of Susan Collins under ranked choice voting, talks about climate change, rising sea levels, and how lots of Mainers will be affected. The Lisa for Maine team invites you to use our campaign website (linked above) to connect with people during the pandemic. Let's use digital communication tools to stay in touch during the time of social distancing. You are not alone.



#TheJimmyDoreShow Portland Protests Escalate! Chicago Mayor Welcomes Federal Goons!





Become a Premium Member: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/join Go to a Live Show: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/tour Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/jimmydorecomedy/yt... LIVESTREAM & LIVE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS: Email: https://mailchi.mp/jimmydorecomedy/yt... Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmy_dore Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JimmyDoreShow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmydor... WATCH / LISTEN FREE: Videos: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/watch Podcasts: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/podcasts (Also available on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast player.) ACCESS TO FULL REPLAYABLE LIVESTREAMS: Become a Premium Member: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/join SUPPORT THE JIMMY DORE SHOW: Make a Donation: https://jimmydorecomedy.com/donate Buy Official Merch (Tees, Sweatshirts, Hats, Bags): https://jimmydorecomedy.com/store DOWNLOAD OUR MOBILE APP: App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jimmy-d... Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... Jimmy Dore on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jimmy_Dore Stef Zamorano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/miserablelib Edited by Koki Miyazaki About The Jimmy Dore Show: #TheJimmyDoreShow is a hilarious and irreverent take on news, politics and culture featuring Jimmy Dore, a professional stand up comedian, author and podcaster. With over 5 million downloads on iTunes, the show is also broadcast on KPFK stations throughout the country.






We must stop the Patriot Act

Free Press Action
Take Action: Tell your members of Congress to vote NO on reauthorizing the Stop the Patriot Act.

 

We’ve been fighting the Patriot Act, and the invasive spying powers built into it, for the better part of 6 years. And many of you have been with us every step of the way.

While these powers have always been dangerous, what we are seeing today is truly shocking. Abuse by police and the federal government is rampant. This is no longer a time to talk about reforming vast federal-surveillance powers. We need Congress to end the Patriot Act. And we need lawmakers to do this now.

The federal government is escalating its attacks against protesters and political opponents. Trump has sent violent and secretive federal forces into several states — and if what happened in Portland is a sign of what’s to come, we can expect even more unidentified feds driving unmarked vans to swoop into cities and abduct people exercising their First Amendment rights.1

This is not normal. And it’s clearer than ever that we shouldn’t renew the federal government’s power to spy on activists, journalists and political opponents. Tell your members of Congress to vote NO on reauthorizing the Patriot Act and reject any attempt to spy on people without a warrant.

Reauthorizing the Patriot Act would put more people in danger of being surveilled and targeted by the Trump administration. We can’t let this happen.

Thanks for all you do,

Lucia and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net

P.S. Congress is debating whether to renew the Patriot right now. Tell lawmakers it’s unacceptable to give the federal government more spying power when Trump has directed federal forces to abduct and detain protesters for exercising their First Amendment rights.

Police Budgets Are Ballooning as Social Programs Crumble | Philly D.A. Larry Krasner Is Ready to Charge Invading Federal Agents



25 July 2020

TOP STORIES

Police Budgets Are Ballooning as Social Programs Crumble

Cities across the country have defied demands from protesters to defund police despite facing huge budget deficits from Covid-19.

BY INDIGO OLIVIER

Philly D.A. Larry Krasner Says He’s Ready to Charge Invading Federal Agents with Crimes

Krasner sees a way out of our “drunken stumble” into fascism.

BY HAMILTON NOLAN

Beware the Anti-Defamation League’s Efforts to Partner with Progressive Orgs

The Anti-Defamation League has a long history of smearing Black activists, working with police, and evoking “hate speech” to demonize the peaceful BDS movement.

BY SARAH LAZARE AND ADAM JOHNSON

Defund the Police? Why Not?

We should not confuse public safety with investments in systems of punishment.

BY JOEL BLEIFUSS

Protesting Native Deaths by Police

Amid protests against police violence nationwide, a march was held in remembrance of a Native man who died in police custody while suffering a mental health crisis.

BY ELENA CARTER

No Excuses for a Racist Murderer: W.E.B. DuBois on the Legacy of Robert E. Lee

Historian and civil rights organizer, W.E.B. DuBois, wrote this short essay in 1928.

BY W.E.B. DUBOIS

WORKING IN THESE TIMES

Single Mothers and Their Children Are Taking Over Abandoned Public Buildings

This is the most significant housing take over in the country.

BY MINDY ISSER

RURAL AMERICA IN THESE TIMES

Bayer Engineered a New Corn Seed That’s Resistant to Five Herbicides. But How Long Will It Work?

The product comes at a time when Bayer, which acquired agribusiness giant Monsanto in 2018, and its pesticides are under scrutiny.

BY JOHNATHAN HETTINGER


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Bill Gates: Bio-Terrorist, Vaccine Profiteer & Enemy of the American People ~ Part 1