(2022-04-29). US GDP drops 1.4 percent in first quarter amidst Omicron surge and war in Ukraine. wsws.org While Biden attempted to downplay the abysmal numbers, his bravado cannot paper over the myriad contradictions facing US and world capitalism.
(2022-04-29). 'Generation Z' lends dramatic drive to Chinese fad economy: report. ecns.cn China's "Generation Z" has strong cultural confidence, and the Chinese culture is popular among them, which drives the Chinese fad economy, according to a report released by JD Research Institute for Consumption and Industrial Development on Thursday.
(2022-04-29). U.S. economy shrinks in Q1 amid Omicron surge, high inflation, raising recession fear. ecns.cn The U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 1.4 percent in the first quarter this year amid the Omicron surge and elevated inflation, raising the fear of a looming recession.
(2022-04-29). Peace Policy and Every military solution leads to disaster. indybay.org "Our Common Security" (April 21, 1982) called the Palme Report revealed a new way of thinking that helped make German unity and the overcoming of the European divide possible in 1989. Willy Brandt's North-South report "Ensuring Survival" (1980) described the need for a socially just world economic order and the equal inclusion of the global South.
(2022-04-29). Pdte. argentino reconoce avances en recuperación económica del país. telesurtv.net Sobre los salarios Alberto Fernández indicó que el Gobierno se ha propuesto "que los salarios recompongan lo perdido en los cuatro años anteriores".
(2022-04-29). Top epidemiologist rebuts claim dynamic 'zero-COVID' approach harms economic growth. ecns.cn A leading Chinese epidemiologist on Friday rebutted the claim that China's dynamic "zero-COVID" policy has impeded the country's economic growth, saying the approach does not run counter to economic development and normal production and life.
(2022-04-29). US interest rate policies leading to major shifts in global currency markets. wsws.org The value of the euro and the yen has fallen sharply in recent weeks because of the expectation that interest rates will not rise as fast as in the US, if at all.
(2022-04-29). Daily Blog urges "treason" investigation into New Zealand Trotskyists. wsws.org The Daily Blog, which supports the Labour Party-led government, demands state repression against the Socialist Equality Group, because of the SEG's opposition to anti-China war propaganda.
(2022-04-29). Starbucks workers: Partners in the labor movement. liberationnews.org 
Starbucks workers, also known as partners, at store #5583 in Covina, California, on the corner of Citrus and Rowland, declared their intent to file for a union election on April 11th. Over 230 of 9,000 U.S. Starbucks locations have filed for union elections within the last year, organizing with Starbucks Workers United.
(2022-04-29). Teachers speak out against Australian Education Union-Victorian Labor government agreement. wsws.org "If the unions won't do it for us, fight for solidarity, then we need to do it ourselves. As the CFPE says, form rank-and-file committees and vote 'no' to the Victorian agreement!"
(2022-04-29). At bogus aged care rallies, nurses union promotes Australia Labor Party's big business election campaign. wsws.org The protests were a cynical photo opportunity for Labor politicians, whose party has presided over the privatisation of the sector and the decimation of workers wages and conditions.
(2022-04-29). President Maduro Meets with ILO Delegation. orinocotribune.com 
This Wednesday night, the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, held a meeting at Miraflores Palace with a delegation from the International Labor Organization (ILO) as part of the Social Dialogue Forum being held in Caracas from April 25 until Thursday, April 28. | "Excellent meeting with the delegation of the International Labor Organization that is in our country, within the framework of the Social Dialogue Forum,'" the head of state wrote on his Twitter account. | "Our fight will always be in favor of the Venezuelan working class, of which I am proud to belong," he added. | pic.tw…
(2022-04-29). ILWU 10 Backs OEA Strike Against Closure of Oakland Schools & Privatization of Port. indybay.org ILWU Local 10 at a press conference supported the OEA teachers strike against the closures of public schools in Oakland. They were joined by parents of students and also other unions. | SEIU 1021 leaders supported the teachers and also adamantly opposed the privatization of Howard Terminal in the Port of Oakland which they said would destroy the working port of Oakland. They were also supported by USW Local 5 president PK White from the striking Chevron Richmond refinery workers.
(2022-04-29). Mayo Clinic invests in laboratory expansion to enhance patient care. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. — To support the ongoing investment in patient care, Mayo Clinic is investing in a major laboratory expansion project at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The expansion includes a $49 million investment in the laboratory. Construction for the project has started and will continue through 2025. The expansion project will increase laboratory space at Mayo Clinic's Superior Drive Support Center in Rochester. The new laboratory space will house several clinical laboratories that reside in…
(2022-04-29). COVID-19 shines a spotlight on laboratory professionals' vital role in health care. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, April 24—30, honors and recognizes the dedication, innovation, and expertise that clinical lab professionals bring to patient care. Over the last two years, clinical laboratory professionals have shown extraordinary dedication in the fight against COVID-19. Their commitment and hard work during this difficult time has made a difference in the lives of people across the globe. "Throughout the pandemic, we have seen the power of teamwork in health care. And…
(2022-04-29). Corporate Capture Of OSHA & US Gov Corruption Cover-up With OSHA Lawyer Darrel Whitman. indybay.org WorkWeek interviews Darrell Whitman, former Federal OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program lawyer and investigator about the take-over of the agency and US Labor Department by the corporations that they are supposed to regulate and do oversight over.
(2022-04-29). Gobierno de El Salvador equipara a trabajadores con pandilleros. telesurtv.net El ministro de Trabajo llamó "colaboradores de pandillas" a los trabajadores que tienen previsto marchar el 1 de mayo.
(2022-04-29). Estiman miles de muertes por accidentes laborales para 2030 en Europa. telesurtv.net Los sindicatos europeos presentaron un informe firmado por autoridades gubernamentales, en el cual solicitan inspecciones y sanciones en materia de seguridad laboral.
(2022-04-29). How collectives are empowering people to understand the tricky financial side of life. nationofchange.org Removing the taboo around talking about money, two collectives are helping people work toward securing their financial well-being.
(2022-04-29). Zero-COVID strategy drives Omicron cases down across China. wsws.org Cases across China continue to decline in response to massive efforts employed by the Chinese authorities and population. However, Beijing is implementing citywide mass testing to identify the extent of community spread, and financial interests are concerned health authorities will implement a complete lockdown.
(2022-04-29). As Stanford nurses strike continues, Oakland teachers launch one-day strike against school closures. wsws.org The two job actions demonstrate the potential for a broader offensive of the working class in defense of its standard of living against runaway inflation, mass death due to the pandemic and the danger of nuclear war.
(2022-04-29). Biden lacks real courage to curb sky-high inflation rates. ecns.cn U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has recently taken note of the U.S. 40-year record-high inflation rates, and said that lowering a select number of Trump-era tariffs could prove helpful. Nonetheless, Yellen's proposed solution seems short-sighted.
(2022-04-29). Atlanta officer indicted after killing innocent man on scooter. nationofchange.org An emergency hearing is being scheduled to determine Chandler's employment status.
(2022-04-29). Gradually, Then Suddenly: A whitewashing of the 2013 Detroit bankruptcy. wsws.org The documentary provides the media and political establishment's version of the city of Detroit's supposed "monumental climb out of bankruptcy [in 2013] toward a new era."
(2022-04-28). The real Zelensky: from celebrity populist to unpopular Pinochet-style neoliberal. thegrayzone.com Ukrainian academic Olga Baysha details Volodymyr Zelensky's embrace of widely loathed neoliberal policies, his repression of rivals, and how his actions fueled the current war with Russia. A comedic actor who rose to the country's highest office in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was virtually unknown to the average American, except perhaps as a bit player in the Trump impeachment theater. But when Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Zelensky was suddenly transformed to an A-list celebrity in US media. American …
(2022-04-28). 'Only Complete Military Defeat of Ukraine Is Resolution': Q&A with Russian Communist Leader on Ukraine, Russia, China & More. orinocotribune.com 
TF contributor Fergie Chambers got the opportunity on April 15 to conduct an in-person interview in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with Roman Kononenko, a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) and First Secretary of the Saint Petersburg City Committee of the KPRF. The interview ranged on topics including, the Russian "special military operation," the nature of the Ukrainian state, the KPRF's standing within Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin's popularity and China. This interview was conducted mainly in English and a little in Russian. | Fergie Chamb…
(2022-04-28). The Biden Family is Hardly the Only One to Profit from the Ukraine Conflict. journal-neo.org 
In the US, the future of the Biden administration and the President himself are at stake because of an ongoing corruption scandal that is closely linked to the war in Ukraine. The New York Times, a leading voice for Liberal America, published a rather unexpected special report, which confirmed the truth of the two-year-old leaks …
(2022-04-28). LIVE on Monday 5/2 @ 2pm EST : Reckoning with the Ukraine government's armed Nazi militias. iacenter.org Register to join the discussion now! REGISTER NOW! MONDAY, MAY 2ND @ 2PM EASTERN Join the discussion via Zoom: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KS1g5l_hQi-kXZ0Jm-w3Cg Reckoning with the Ukraine government's armed Nazi militias Join the International Action Center for live discussion with anti-fascist Ukrainians on the 2014 massacre at the Odessa House of Labor and the continuing struggle Featuring: Leonid Ilderkin Ukrainian communist in exile, member of coordination council of the Union of Political Refugees and Political Prisoners of Ukraine Phil Wilayto Author and activist, coordinator of the Odessa…
(2022-04-28). China to temporarily adjust coal tariffs to zero. ecns.cn China will impose provisional zero tariffs on coal imports from May to secure energy supply, an official statement said Thursday.
(2022-04-28). ICJ Rules in Favor of Nicaragua in Maritime Case Against Colombia. orinocotribune.com On April 21, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in favor of Nicaragua and against Colombia in the maritime case "Alleged Violations of Sovereign Rights and Maritime Spaces in the Caribbean Sea." With ten votes in favor and 5 against, the majority of judges at the ICJ sided with Nicaragua, ruling that Colombia violated Nicaragua's sovereign rights by trying to control fishing activities and interfering with maritime research in parts of the Caribbean sea that are within Nicaragua's exclusive economic zone. The United Nations' court, by 9 to 6 votes, also ordered Colombia to immediately cease patrolling…
(2022-04-28). Venezuela Asks International Labor Organization to Study Effects of Sanctions on Workers. orinocotribune.com The government of Venezuela held a meeting with representatives of the International Labor Organization (ILO), as part of the Social Dialogue Forum that is being hosted in Caracas during April 25-28. | Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez urged the ILO representatives to start an investigation regarding the economic hardships endured by countries on which unilateral coercive measures have been imposed by the US with the association of its Western allies. | Rodríguez stated that the investigation should ask: "What happens to sanctioned workers in those countries? How does the blockade affect employers a…
(2022-04-28). UIC graduate students: Vote no on the GEO-AFT sellout tentative agreement! Form rank-and-file committees to expand the struggle for a living wage! wsws.org The tentative agreement reached by the GEO-AFT with the University of Illinois Chicago would mean further economic devastation for grad student workers.
(2022-04-28). Video: The Covid-19 "Global Lockdown". Destabilizing Planet Earth. Towards Worldwide Economic Collapse? globalresearch.ca Note: | If you want to receive our Newsletter and/or become a
(2022-04-28). IGG Insists on Lifestyle Audit. plusnews.ug 
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Olive Namisango Kamya has announced that she will press ahead with conducting a lifestyle audit on government officials whose wealth does not match their known income. Kamya's declaration comes four months after Presient Yoweri Museveni cautioned her on the strategy, saying she should go slow as it could …
(2022-04-28). Interview with Starbucks union organizer in New Orleans. fightbacknews.org New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, April 19, baristas at the Starbucks café on Maple Street filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a union election. Workers complain about chronic understaffing, few hours and low wages. Poor scheduling was especially hard on the employees during Mardi Gras, when the New Orleans tourism industry is at its peak. Fight Back! interviewed Billie, a shift supervisor and organizer of the union drive. Billie's last name is not being used due to concerns about company retaliation. | Fight Back!: What are the issues that made y'all want to start unionizing? | Billie: I ha…
(2022-04-28). Russian miners work in "bondage-like conditions" says government official. wsws.org In the days surrounding official acknowledgment that miners labor under brutal conditions, news broke of more deaths in the country's extraction, metallurgy and construction industries.
(2022-04-28). Atlanta Apple store workers move to unionize. workers.org 
Atlanta April 27 — Shock waves were no doubt felt at tech giant Apple headquarters when workers at the Cumberland Mall Apple retail store in Atlanta made national news with the announcement that they had filed for an National Labor Relations Board election — the first Apple store to do . . . |
(2022-04-28). At Staten Island rallies, Amazon Labor Union closes ranks with Democrats and trade union bureaucracy. wsws.org The rally, attended by few actual Amazon workers, emphasized the abandonment of the ALU's much vaunted "independence" and growing integration into the pro-corporate unions.
(2022-04-28). SEP (Australia) election campaigners find widespread opposition to inequality and cost of living crisis in Queensland. wsws.org Asked about what Labor and the Coalition were saying in the election campaign, Andrew, a Brisbane construction worker said with disgust: "I don't listen to them any more. It's all about money."
(2022-04-28). [Articles] Neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes after invasive Group B Streptococcus in early infancy: A multi-country matched cohort study in South Africa, Mozambique, India, Kenya, and Argentina. thelancet.com Our findings suggest that iGBS disease is on average associated with a higher risk of moderate/severe NDI, however substantial variation in risk was observed between sites and data are consistent with a wide range of values. Our study underlines the importance of long-term follow-up for at-risk neonates and more feasible, standardised assessments to facilitate diagnosis in research and clinical practice.
(2022-04-28). Trade and Inventories Cause Drop in GDP, Underlying Growth Healthy. cepr.net Swings in trade complicate the picture. | A sharp increase in the trade deficit, along with a slower pace of inventory accumulation, lead to a 1.4 decline in first quarter GDP. These two factors subtracted 4.0 percentage points from the quarter's growth. However, consumption and investment demand were both strong in the quarter, rising at 2.7 percent and 9.2 percent annual rates, respectively. As a result, final sales to domestic purchases, a category which excludes both inventories and the trade deficit, rose at a 3.7 percent annual rate. | Inventories and the Trade Deficit | The sharp rise in the trade deficit…
(2022-04-28). Increasing disasters are 'setting humanity on a spiral of self-destruction,' UN warns. nationofchange.org "The financial system really needs to get ahead of this curve, because otherwise there's a lot of built-up risk that isn't being priced into how we make decisions."
(2022-04-28). "We want adequate staffing and pay that meets inflation"—Striking Stanford nurses speak out. wsws.org Striking nurses at Stanford Health Care explain why they are fighting…
(2022-04-28). Inflation intensifies cost of living crisis for workers in Australia. wsws.org Runaway price rises for food, fuel, housing, education and other essentials are tearing through working-class living conditions.
(2022-04-28). Ministry prioritizing finding jobs for new graduates. ecns.cn The employment of young people, college graduates in particular, will remain the priority of the nation's work in stabilizing the job market this year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Wednesday.
(2022-04-28). China to reinforce its employment-first approach. ecns.cn
(2022-04-28). Peace Movement Needs to Demand Dismantling of NATO. libya360.wordpress.com Harry Targ [Source: greatgameindia.com] NATO went from fighting socialism to enforcing global empire It looks a lot like a return to the past. Founded in 1949 to defend against the "Soviet threat," the NATO alliance is facing a return to mechanized warfare, a huge increase in defense spending, and potentially a new Iron Curtain falling across…
(2022-04-28). Regulation on protecting major lake in east China to go into effect. ecns.cn A local legislation on the protection of Hongze Lake, the fourth-largest freshwater lake of China, will go into effect on May 1.
(2022-04-28). IU Graduate Workers Continue Strike, Faculty Float Vote Of No Confidence. popularresistance.org Bloomington, Indiana – As the graduate worker strike at Indiana University extends into finals week, some faculty members and students plan to take bold measures against the administration to show their solidarity. | On Tuesday, graduate students who are part of the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition voted to extend the graduate student workers' strike through May 3. The extension was supported by 867 votes, a 95.7% majority. | Since the strike's beginning on April 13, graduate workers have been requesting union recognition from IU and an outlined process on how to discuss benefits, higher wages and fee reduction…
(2022-04-28). Connecticut mental health care workers strike over quality patient care. peoplesworld.org 
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Workers at Sound Community Services walked the picket lines for three days, starting Sunday April 24, demanding increased wages, access to benefits, and improved staffing conditions that will allow them to provide quality care to mental health patients, while also protecting them and their families. Striking workers, members of District 1199, …