(2019-09-18). GM Just Took Away Our Insurance, But It Can't Stop Our Strike. commondreams.org A General Motors worker holds a picket sign after United Auto Workers Local 440 workers joined a national labor strike against GM in Bedford, Indiana on 9/16/2019. (Photo: InTheseTimes) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-09-18). Labor and Climate Activists Are Teaming Up to Push for Green New Deal. truthout.org | | As UAW workers stand on picket lines across the country, teachers prepare to strike in Chicago, and thousands of healthcare workers with Kaiser Permanente plan to strike in October, we speak with longtime labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, author of the new book Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor. Among other issues, Greenhouse discusses how labor and climate activists are teaming up to push for a Green New Deal. | TRANSCRIPT: | JUAN GONZÁLEZ: W…
(2019-09-18). Climate Change Expected to Accelerate Spread of Sometimes-Fatal Fungal Infection. truthout.org | | Valley fever is endemic to hot and dry regions like the southwestern United States and California's San Joaquin Valley, but a new study predicts climate change will cause the fungal infection's range to more than double in size this century, reaching previously unaffected areas across the western U.S. | In a new study published in AGU's journal GeoHealth, scientists at the U…
(2019-09-18). Sterilized Mosquitoes Released in Burkina Faso to Fight Malaria. telesurenglish.net A new solution against malaria was applied as thousands of genetically sterilized mosquitoes were set free in Burkina Faso, a country where 100 percent of the population is at risk of getting that often deadly disease. | RELATED | 1st in Africa, Burkina Faso OKs Release of Modified Mosquitoes | For years scientists have been working on the technique known as Gene Drive which alters a gene on the species which are then spread through for reproduction. The goal, in this case, is…
(2019-09-18). UAW Strike Enters Day 3 as 50,000 Workers Demand GM to Share Its Billions in Profits. democracynow.org 
As members of the United Auto Workers head into their third day of a nationwide strike, General Motors has cut off health insurance for the nearly 50,000 people on picket lines across the country demanding better working conditions and fair pay. The workers say GM continues to deny employees' demands for better conditions and compensation despite leading the company to record profits following bankruptcy and a federal bailout. It's the first company-wide strike against GM in 12 years. UAW had sought to have GM cover striking workers' health insurance through the end of the month. In New York City, we speak with S…
(2019-09-18). "Beaten Down, Worked Up": Steven Greenhouse on the Past, Present and Future of American Labor. democracynow.org 
As UAW workers stand on picket lines across the country, teachers prepare to strike in Chicago, and thousands of healthcare workers with Kaiser Permanente plan to strike in October, we speak with longtime labor reporter Steven Greenhouse, author of the new book "Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor." Among other issues, Greenhouse discusses how labor and climate activists are teaming up to push for a Green New Deal.
(2019-09-18). Progressives Say GM's Decision to Cut Off Employee Health Insurance 'Yet Another Reason Why We Need Medicare for All'. commondreams.org Under a single-payer system, said one Medicare for All advocate, employers would no longer have "tons of leverage because workers are desperate to keep their benefit." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-09-18). 'Heartless and Unconscionable': Outrage as General Motors Cuts Off Healthcare for 50,000 Striking Workers. commondreams.org "It is cruel and outrageous that GM has cut off the healthcare benefits from their employees in a blatant attempt to force the union into submission," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-09-17). Health Care: Premiums and Taxes. counterpunch.org 
Our pundit class have to decided to make a crusade out of forcing Senators Warren and Sanders into saying that their proposals for universal Medicare will require a tax increase. Both have repeatedly responded by saying that total costs for the vast majority of people will fall, since Medicare for All will lead to a large reduction in costs by all accounts, because it reduces waste in the health care system. | More
(2019-09-17). Tuesday's Daily Brief: Hope for Myanmar, UN News sits down with new Assembly President, youth speak out on climate crisis. un.org A recap of Tuesday's top stories: Hope for justice in Myanmar rights violations; First major interview with new Assembly President; Youth activists want a platform in solving climate crisis; Five deaths every minute due to unsafe health care; Number of migrants outpacing world population growth.
(2019-09-17). Argentinian Hospitals 'On The Verge Of Collapse'. telesurenglish.net Medical groups have appealed to the government on Tuesday, asking for urgent intervention to avert mass closures of health centers in the country. Hospitals have been particularly hard by the country's economic crisis, presided over by neoliberal President Mauricio Macri. | RELATED: | Argentina Police Suppress Protesters Demanding Food Emergency
(2019-09-17). Five avoidable deaths per minute shows urgent need for action on patient safety. un.org With at least five people dying every minute due to unsafe health care, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging medical professionals, policy makers, caregivers and patients to take urgent action to ensure no one is harmed while receiving treatment.
(2019-09-17). The Health Care Industry Poses an Existential Threat to the Middle Class. truthdig.com Our employer-based health insurance system has created a vicious cycle for working American families and the businesses that employ them.
(2019-09-17). GM workers determined to fight as Ford and Chrysler workers press to join strike. wsws.org On their first day on the picket lines, General Motors workers are expressing their determination to fight the auto giant. Workers are winning broad popular support for their stand in defense of health care and an end to the abuse of younger second-tier and temporary part-time (TPT) workers.
(2019-09-17). Applauding Progressive Challenger for Championing Green New Deal and Medicare for All, Ocasio-Cortez Endorses Marie Newman. commondreams.org In her first endorsement of the 2020 elections, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced Tuesday that she is supporting progressive challenger Marie Newman in Illinois's 3rd congressional district. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-09-17). 'Trust women, support the bill', say rally-goers. greenleft.org.au 
health care Pip HinmanIssue 1238 Australia pro-choice Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 SydneySeptember 1…
(2019-09-16). Recovering from the opioid addiction crisis: Time for progressive strategies? peoplesworld.org 
A major effort is underway in court rooms across the continent to prosecute Big Pharma companies that have irresponsibly promoted some of the medicines that have fueled the opioid epidemic and resulted in harm and death for many vulnerable people, such as OxyContin. Cases have been brought by more than 2,000 states, counties, municipalities, and …
(2019-09-16). OxyContin maker files for bankruptcy faced with over 2,000 lawsuits over opioid epidemic. rt.com 
Purdue Pharma, accused of fostering the US opioid crisis with its drug OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy protection in a New York court, after a tentative settlement deal faced opposition from multiple states. | The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in White Plains, New York on Sunday evening, as part of its efforts to finalize a settlement with state and local governments, which sued the pharmaceutical giant en mass for its role in the nation's deadly opioid crisis. | The much-anticipated filing aims to help the company to shield itself from 2,600 lawsuits, including from 26 states. | Also on rt.com…
(2019-09-16). AmeriCorps Adopts Health Screening Process That's Fair to Candidates with Disabilities. aclu.org Susie was disqualified from AmeriCorps NCCC for seeking therapy. Now they're changing their screening process so everyone can apply to serve. | Susie Balcom was overjoyed when she received a conditional offer to serve as a support team leader in Mississippi with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a national, residential service program for young adults. After graduating from college with a 4.0 GPA and spending two terms in the AmeriCorps state program, Susie was ready, willing, and able to fulfill her dream of serving in the national program. | However, a few weeks later, AmeriCorps NCCC to…
(2019-09-16). Headlines for September 16, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Iran After Oil Attacks in Saudi Arabia, United Auto Workers Strike to Demand Fair Wages, Healthcare & Job Security from GM, Purdue Pharma Files for Bankruptcy, Calls Mount to Impeach Justice Kavanaugh After NYT Report on Sexual Misconduct, Hong Kong Protesters Appeal to U.S., U.K. as Uprising Shows No Sign of Slowing Down, Outsiders Lead Tunisia's Presidential Exit Polls, Algeria Announces Elections Amid Ongoing Protests Against Ruling Elite, U.K. Judge Says Julian Assange a Flight Risk, Must Remain in Prison, Appeals Court Revives Emoluments Case Against Trump, Felicity Huf…
(2019-09-16). Women's pain, medicine's shame. greenleft.org.au 
books women's rights Diana McGinnIssue 1238September 18, 2019Pain & Prejudice: A Call to Arms for Women& Their Bodies
| By Gabrielle Jackson
| Allen and Unwin, 2019
| 360 pp, $29.99 | Women's health and chronic pain has been ignored throughout medical history, writes Gabrielle Jackson. Pain, and more specificall…
(2019-09-15). At least 22 injured after multistory deck collapses on Jersey Shore (PHOTOS). rt.com 
Multiple people have been pulled from the debris of a three-story deck in Wildwood, New Jersey after the structure came crashing down, injuring over two dozen people, including three children. | Ambulances, rescue teams, and police rushed to the scene on the 200 block of East Baker Avenue at about 6pm on Saturday after a multistory balcony collapsed, trapping people underneath. | Over two dozen people were taken to hospitals in the aftermath of the incident. Medical officials with Cape May Regional Health System told WPVI-TV that they have been treating 21 patients, including three children. AtlantiCare Region…
(2019-09-14). Green Fascism: A far-right ecology movement is on the rise in Germany, and it's spreading here. mronline.org 
Using green sensibilities to rally people around a nationalist ideology is also at the core of the AfD's agenda. The party, which does not seem to see a contradiction in its embrace of "a healthy environment" and climate-change denial, fuels fears that climate politics could threaten Germany's national sovereignty — for example, if ending fossil-fuel […] | Source
(2019-09-14). Green Fascism: A Far-Right Ecology Movement is on the Rise in Germany, And It's Spreading Here. mronline.org Using green sensibilities to rally people around a nationalist ideology is also at the core of the AfD's agenda. The party, which does not seem to see a contradiction in its embrace of "a healthy environment" and climate-change denial, fuels fears that climate politics could threaten Germany's national sovereignty — for example, if ending fossil-fuel […] | Source
(2019-09-13). Clerical workers confront U of MN President Gabel, Board of Regents. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota AFSCME members confronted soon-to-be-inaugurated University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel at the September 13 Board of Regents meeting in the McNamara Alumni Center. | Steph Taylor, AFSCME 3800 vice-president, said, "We presented over 1000 petition signatures demanding that our contributions should be respected with a contract that includes real wage increases and moves people to the top of the pay scale faster, with no increases to health care costs." | She added, "President Gabel has met with every employee group but refuses to meet with us while we are in negotiati…
(2019-09-13). Friday's Daily Brief: 12 million may miss school, Bangladesh and Mali updates, Kenya's malaria vaccine, land degradation pact. un.org A recap of Friday's top stories: 12 million children may never go to school; Monsoon rains crush Rohingya shelters; 3.9 million Malians in need of humanitarian aid; Kenya launches malaria vaccine; and agreement made to neutralize land degradation.
(2019-09-13). Joe Biden Faces Criticism over His Healthcare Plan & His Support for Iraq Invasion at Third Debate. democracynow.org 
The 10 leading Democratic presidential candidates appeared for the first time on the same stage Thursday night at a debate at Texas Southern University in Houston. It was the third debate of the primary season, but it marked the first time former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren took part in the same debate. Biden repeatedly faced criticism for his healthcare plans and for his vote to support the war in Iraq.
(2019-09-13). Medicare for All: Sanders & Warren Defend Plan to Expand Healthcare Coverage to Everyone. democracynow.org 
At Thursday's debate, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren defended their Medicare for All plan. They faced criticism from several rivals, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, who described it as a "bad idea," and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who claimed the bill shows Sanders and Warren do not "trust the American people."
(2019-09-13). Bernie Sanders on Democratic Socialism: We Want to Create an Economy That Works for All of Us. democracynow.org 
After being questioned about the crisis in Venezuela, Senator Bernie Sanders defended his vision of democratic socialism. "I agree with what goes on in Canada and in Scandinavia: guaranteeing healthcare to all people as a human right. I believe that the United States should not be the only major country on Earth not to provide paid family and medical leave," Sanders said. "I believe that every worker in this country deserves a living wage and that we expand the trade union movement."
(2019-09-13). The world must recognise Western Sahara. greenleft.org.au 
self-determination Tony Iltis Tecber Ahmed SalehIssue 1237 Western Sahara Moroccan occupation of Western SaharaSeptember 13, 2019Tecber Ahmed Saleh, a health w…
(2019-09-12). Thursday's Daily Brief: Religious site protection, South-South Cooperation, 'UNComplicated' airs, West Bank threat, vaccination, Hong Kong update. un.org A recap of Thursday's top stories: UN Chief's global call to safeguard religious sites; South-South Cooperation 'accelerates' towards SDGs; Guterres on West Bank annexation threat; WHO says one in 10 children not getting proper vaccines; Protestor protection call over Hong Kong; New 'UNComplicated' podcast launches.
(2019-09-12). The Insurance Industry's War of Words Against Medicare-for-All. progressive.org Why are we seeing all the hand-wringing about "losing" private insurance when so many people's experiences with it are so negative?
(2019-09-12). Another Flint? Newark, NJ, Faces Public Health Crisis over Lead Contamination in City's Water Supply. democracynow.org 
Thousands of residents in Newark, New Jersey, remain unable to drink their tap water in an enduring public health nightmare. Lead contamination has plagued the city for years, but lead levels have spiked even higher in 2019. The crisis recently came to a head following revelations that water filters distributed to residents may not have been effective. New Jersey's political leaders are facing mounting criticism for their handling of the water crisis. Advocates say the city downplayed the severity of the problem for years and has been slow on solutions, comparing Newark's water crisis to Flint, Michigan. We speak…
(2019-09-11). Headlines for September 11, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Ousts National Security Adviser John Bolton, Palestinians Say Annexation of West Bank Would Be "Paramount to a War Crime", Scottish Court Declares Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Ahead of Brexit "Unlawful", Japan Warns Radioactive Water from Fukushima to Be Dumped into Pacific Ocean, Republicans Win Two Special Congressional Elections in North Carolina, Study: 1,700 Polling Places Have Closed Since Gutting of Voting Rights Act, California Votes to Force Gig Companies to Treat Contract Workers Like Employees, Number of Uninsured Americans Jumps to 27.5 Million, CDC Warns Against Vaping Use as Sixth User D…
(2019-09-10). Planned Parenthood Has an App for That. progressive.org Health provider counters funding setbacks by expanding access to new technologies.
(2019-09-09). As Biden Invokes Dead Family Members Against Medicare for All, Media Play Along. fair.org 
by Joshua Cho | Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden last month released a new Iowa TV ad called " Personal," which recounts the former vice president's personal tragedy of losing his wife and daughter to a car crash, and the subsequent loss of his son Beau Biden from brain cancer. | Biden presented his story as a celebration of for-profit health insurance by saying that he "couldn't imagine" what it would've been like if their insurance didn't cover the healthcare required "immediately," and that…
(2019-09-05). California health-care workers prepare to strike at Kaiser. liberationnews.org 
On Labor Day, Sept. 2, around 2,200 people, comprised of health-care workers, union organizers, and allies, gathered at Los Angeles City College to demonstrate their readiness to strike.
(2019-09-05). Three Percent Security Force's Split Highlights Plague of Infighting. splcenter.org The incessant power struggles that plague militia groups prompted defections in the Three Percent Security Force, robbed its leader of control and delivered the well-known antigovernment militia to the man who defied his commander.
(2019-09-01). Kennewick teachers' strike shows power of the union in Washington state. liberationnews.org 
Teachers win gains on important issues including pay and insurance.
(2019-06-19). House Casts Historic Vote to Repeal Authorization for Endless War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 19, 2019 — In response to the House of Representatives passing H.R. 2740 (Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Legislative Branch, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2020), which includes language to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) eight months after …