Persecution of Georgian communist leader draws widespread condemnation
Temur Pipia, leader of the Unified Communist Party of Georgia, was detained by the Georgian police while returning from Russia. The state authorities have registered a case against him invoking the 2011 Freedom Charter
Australian MPs call for Assange’s release from UK prison
MPs who are part of a pro-Assange parliamentary group have called for his release from the Belmarsh prison in the UK over concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19 in prisons
United States set to block IMF’s emergency loan to Iran
Iran had requested a USD 5 billion emergency loan from the IMF last month to help its fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The US claims the money will be used to fund terrorism in the region
Two-week ceasefire in Yemen takes effect
The Saudi-led alliance announced the ceasefire on Wednesday. The decision comes after the UN appealed for a halt to all military hostilities worldwide in the face of COVID-19 emergency
Students’ Struggle Front in Greece demands direct rent allowance for students
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak in Greece, the Students Struggle Front (MAS) has asked the government to provide a direct housing allowance of 800 euros (USD 868.63) to all student families who pay rent for the months of March and April
Unions demand enhanced safety measures for transport workers in London
Trade unions including Unite the Union, National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), among others, have raised concerns about the rising number of deaths of transport workers due to COVID-19. 14 transport workers have died in London alone as of April 8
Second COVID-19 death in Zimbabwe reveals extent of government unpreparedness
The 79-year-old victim died on April 4 but the cause of death was determined to be COVID-19 only on April 7. The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights has demanded the government clarify the true state of preparedness
UN, WHO call for unity in the face of COVID-19
“We will have many body bags in front of us if we don’t behave,” the WHO director-general said in response to Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw funding to the organization. Trump had also alleged that the WHO was China-centric