2020-09-16: News Headlines

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-09-16). COVID-19 Coronavirus: The Crisis. "You Simulate and Then You Go Live" globalresearch.ca On January 30th 2020, the WHO Director General declared a Public Health Emergency (PHEIC) in relation to China's novel coronavirus. This far-reaching decision was taken without the support of expert opinion. There were 150 confirmed cases outside China, when the decision was taken. 6 in the US, 3 in Canada, 2 in the UK, etc.

Stansfield Smith (2020-09-16). Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and the Power of the US Dollar in the World Economy (Part 1). dissidentvoice.org Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) has become popularized by some of the liberal-left because it offers an explanation how to achieve full employment, national health insurance, free college education, and the Green New Deal without raising taxes. Political leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have espoused MMT. Economist Stephanie Kelton, a leading spokesperson of the theory, …

RJ Redmann (2020-09-16). Protests for Daniel Prude in second week in Rochester, N.Y. workers.org Sept. 13 — Nearly six months ago, Daniel Prude was murdered by police officers in Rochester, N.Y., while experiencing a mental health crisis. Initially, the details of the case were swept under the rug by Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary and Mayor Lovely Warren. However, on Sept. 2, body camera . . . |

Teresa Gutierrez (2020-09-16). COVID and People of Color: Is it genocide yet? workers.org If you are a person of color, you too, like me, are probably traumatized and fed up with reading article after article that states: "Black and Brown people are especially affected by the coronavirus." Substitute "coronavirus" with most diseases or other dire social conditions such as unemployment, gentrification, hunger or . . . |

ACLU (2020-09-16). Why We Want to Vote By Mail. aclu.org Voting by mail is the safest way to cast a ballot for many voters, whether they are immunocompromised, have a disability, or simply want to protect the health of their community. Six voters from across the country shared with us why they want to vote by mail, and why it should be an option for all voters. No excuses. |

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: | "I have voted in every general election since 1972. The right to vote is my tool to manage those conditions that I want for my country, my children and my old age. Failure to vote is simply to alienate myself from what I criticize of the current government an…

RT (2020-09-16). Masks better than vaccines? CDC director baffles with suggestion face coverings are 'more guaranteed' to protect against Covid-19. rt.com Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield has raised eyebrows after telling the Senate face masks are a "powerful public health tool" and may even be more effective against Covid-19 than vaccines. | "I've said that if we [wore masks] for six, eight, ten, twelve weeks, we'd bring this pandemic under control," Redfield, who is also on the White House coronavirus task force, told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. | After calling face coverings the "best defense" against the virus, Redfield then claimed masks are "more guaranteed" to protect from Covid-19 than a vac…

pip.hinman (2020-09-16). Activists ask Arch Insurance to back away from Adani. greenleft.org.au

news.un (2020-09-16). More research needed into COVID-19 effects on children, says WHO head. news.un.org More research is needed into factors that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 disease among children and adolescents, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has said, adding that while children may have largely been spared many of the most severe effects, they have suffered in other ways.

news.un (2020-09-16). UN chief: COVID-19 vaccine must be affordable and available to all. news.un.org The continuing COVID-19 pandemic continues to top a long list of global concerns, the UN chief told journalists on Wednesday, noting that "the grimmest of milestones" is upon us.

Melissa Jones (2020-09-16). Western Wildfires Could Worsen Inequality. progressive.org As new threats compound old injustices, too many Americans are consigned to poverty and poor health.

SickKids (2020-09-16). COVID-19: Guidance for School Reopening. Report by The Hospital For Sick Children and Unity Health Toronto. globalresearch.ca Preamble | The main objective of this document is to advocate for the safe return of children and youth to school by emphasizing the importance of school reopening for broader child health, balanced against the potential and important risks of coronavirus …

Food Empowerment Project (2020-09-16). Learn the Keys to Transformative Eating at the Free Vallejo Healthy Food Fest. indybay.org Food Empowerment Project takes the Vallejo event virtual in its 5th year!

Healthcare-Now! (2020-09-16). Tuesday 9/15: M4A Caucus Panel: Global Perspectives of Single-Payer during COVID-19. indybay.org Online…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-16). 410,334 infected by, 352,019 recovered from COVID-19 in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 16 (MNA) — Iran's Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that the number of coronavirus cases has hit 410,334 in the country, while 352,019 have so far recovered from the disease.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-09-16). AI-based brain monitoring and robotic muscle projects win £11.5m EPSRC boost. imperial.ac.uk Two Imperial College London projects have won a total of £11.5 million to transform healthcare technologies by 2050.

Staff (2020-09-16). CDC Director: Face Mask "More Guaranteed to Protect" Against COVID Than Vaccine. truthout.org The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocated for continued mask-wearing at a Senate hearing on Wednesday, stating that facial coverings could be more effective at preventing the spread of coronavirus than even a vaccine may be when one eventually becomes available. |

Staff (2020-09-16). "Let Me Finish My Question" — English Professor Reprimands Trump at Town Hall. truthout.org President Trump was confronted by a voter claiming to be "on the fence" about the elections over a question regarding protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. The incident took place at a town hall event hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday evening. | Ellesia Blaque, an English professor at Kutztown University,

yenisafak (2020-09-16). Turkish president congratulates new Japanese premier. yenisafak.com Turkey's president on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to Japan's new prime minister.Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent best wishes to Yoshihide Suga, the new leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Turkey's Communications Directorate. | Suga replaces longtime Premier Shinzo Abe, who stepped down over health issues.Pointing to how Turkish-Japanese diplomatic relations sprang from the aftermath of the tragic Sept. 16, 1890 shipwreck of the Ertugrul frigate, and Japan's rescue efforts and the hospitality it showed the survivors, Erdogan said the date of Suga's election is meaningful and significant for bi…

yenisafak (2020-09-16). France: Education minister upbeat on schools amid virus. yenisafak.com The state of education in France is moving forward, with only a fraction of 1% of France's 60,000 schools presently closed, said the country's education minister on Wednesday. | "The situation we have to face is the best possible given the health crisis," Jean-Michel Blanquer told LCI Radio."We have about 1,200 new cases of COVID-19 among students compared to the previous week," he said, adding, "As I speak to you, there are 81 schools or establishments that are closed, so there are a little over 2,100 classes that are closed. It's still a good start to the school year." | Blanquer said in general classes close i…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-16). Massive rally in Belgium demands refinancing of healthcare. peoplesdispatch.org On September 13, Sunday, several thousand health workers marched in the Belgian capital Brussels, demanding massive refinancing of the health sector. The call for the march was given by a number of groups and organizations, including La Sante en Lutte, Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt (CADTM) and the General Labour Federation of Belgium (FGTB/ABVV). Participants in the rally denounced the commodification of healthcare and demanded massive refinancing of health services in the country through investments in infrastructure, increased recruitment, and a rise in the wages of health workers. An online…

Staff (2020-09-15). Headlines for September 15, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Doubles Down on Climate Crisis Denial as West Coast Burns, World's Largest Vaccine Maker Says It Could Take 5 Years for Universal COVID-19 Vaccination, Trump Calls COVID-19 "The Plague" in April Interview with Woodward as He Called for U.S. to Reopen, Nevada City Fines Venue That Hosted Trump Rally Which Violated State's Coronavirus Restrictions, Appeals Court Gives Trump Greenlight to End Immigration Protections for 400,000 TPS Holders, Whistleblowing Nurse Says Georgia Immigration Jail Performing Forced Hysterectomies, Palestinians Form Unified Front as Israel, UAE and Bahrain Sign Deal Normalizing Relati…

_____ (2020-09-15). To Succeed, Struggles Have To Be Connected, Not Localized. popularresistance.org In this video, Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, and Fayrouz Sharqawi, Global Mobilisation Coordinator of Grassroots Al-Quds discuss the situation in contemporary Palestine. What do the people of Palestine think in 2020? They talk about former chairman of Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat's numerous visits to India. They also talk about how Israeli army's recent airstrikes and healthcare crisis due to Covid-19 in the Gaza city are dismantling the life of the people there.

teleSUR (2020-09-15). Malta Denies Port To Dock 278 Migrants Aboard the Open Arms. telesurenglish.net The Spanish NGO Open Arms denounced that Malta denied its ship a port to disembark and assistance for urgent evacuations of people with complicated health conditions. | RELATED: | "Of the 278 people on board, all of them need to disembark and immediate assistance, some for the violence suffered, others for rape, for burns. In addition, we have 50 unaccompanied minors. All of them also need psychological assistance for the…

RT (2020-09-15). Bill Gates Senior, father of Microsoft's co-founder, dies at 94. rt.com Philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has confirmed the passing of his father William Henry Gates Senior, at the age of 94. The elder Gates suffered from Alzheimer's disease. | Gates Senior "passed away peacefully at home…, surrounded by his family," his son His "wisdom, generosity, empathy, and humility had a huge influence on people around the world," Gates Junior added, noting his father's legal advice helped him and Paul Allen establish Microsoft, but also aided Howard Schultz with Sta…

RT (2020-09-15). 'Catastrophic failure': Greece supplies GIGANTIC face masks that cover whole head to schools (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Greece's plan to supply schools nationwide with free face masks has failed spectacularly after the delivered ones turned out to be too large for both children and adults due to wrong measurements. | Greek officials admitted the failure on Tuesday, after the first batch of masks was delivered to schools this week. | "The size was too large from the start," contractor Yiannis Stathopoulos, who won the tender for 500,000 masks, told Open TV on Tuesday. The masks intended for children under 10 measured 10 by 18 centimeters, and those for older schoolchildren — whopping 12 by 22 centimeters. | Deputy health mi…

teleSUR (2020-09-15). Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Governor to Face Corruption Charges. telesurenglish.net The Brazilian Attorney General's Office Monday filed a complaint to the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) against Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel over charges of corruption. | RELATED: | Earlier this month, he was accused of being the head of a criminal organization that came up with a scheme to divert public health resources during the pandemic. | Twelve other people were accused of being involved in the scheme…

_____ (2020-09-15). Experiments In Free Transit. popularresistance.org Among the few positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, some localities have taken the impressive step of implementing free transit. Several cities in Ohio, including Akron, Canton, Toledo and Youngstown announced free fares as of March 16. Towns in Vermont and Nevada have done so as well. Unfortunately, local officials are quite clear that these are only temporary for health purposes and will be reversed once it is "safe." | Over the last several decades, though, many cities around the world have experimented with free transit.

Roberts MB, Gandhi RG, Kotton CN. (2020-09-15). Preemptive Therapy vs Antiviral Prophylaxis in Cytomegalovirus-Seronegative Liver Transplant Recipients With Seropositive Donors. jamanetwork.com To the Editor Dr Singh and colleagues reported that within the first 12 months after liver transplantation, preemptive therapy resulted in significantly lower rates of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease compared with primary valganciclovir prophylaxis in 205 CMV-seronegative recipients from seropositive donors. The authors noted that a 1-patient difference in each group would have nullified this outcome. The study reported 2 cases of CMV disease in the prophylaxis group (usually rare), potentially due to inadequate kidney dosing; while this highlights the importance of appropriate dosing, would the outcome have been d…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-15). Kenyan govt. approves insurance cover for frontline workers but protests set to continue. peoplesdispatch.org The Kenyan government's approval of insurance cover addresses only one of the key demands of health workers as many professionals are unhappy over unpaid remittances, lack of PPEs and pending promotions…

Kuehn BM. (2020-09-15). Interest in Global COVID-19 Vaccine Alliance Grows. jamanetwork.com More than 150 countries may join a global alliance to ensure rapid and equitable access to an eventual coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.

Brett Wilkins (2020-09-15). 'Outrageous': Sanders blasts AstraZeneca for raising drug prices despite $1.2 billion from taxpayers for Covid-19 vaccine. nationofchange.org "Big drug companies don't need more subsidies. We need to end their greed." —Sen. Bernie Sanders…

O'Leary ST, Cataldi JR, Lindley MC, et al. (2020-09-15). Policies Among US Pediatricians for Dismissing Patients for Delaying or Refusing Vaccination. jamanetwork.com This survey study assesses US pediatrician practices and office policies in response to parents who either refuse primary vaccinations or request to spread out individual vaccines in the primary series.

Singh N, Limaye AP. (2020-09-15). Preemptive Therapy vs Antiviral Prophylaxis in Cytomegalovirus-Seronegative Liver Transplant Recipients With Seropositive Donors—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply The observed rate of breakthrough disease (2%) during prophylaxis in our study is consistent with the rate in other clinical studies (1%-4%). Both CMV disease cases in the prophylaxis group were receiving intermittent hemodialysis and kidney-adjusted parenteral ganciclovir per manufacturer's instructions. Inadequate dosing is unlikely given data showing that in solid organ transplant recipients with advanced kidney dysfunction, manufacturer's recommended dosing results in relative drug overexposure, not underexposure. Excluding these 2 cases, the odds of CMV disease by 12 months (0.46 [95% CI, 0.191-1.05…

Jaklevic M. (2020-09-15). CBD Drug Is Approved for a Third Form of Epilepsy. jamanetwork.com A drug containing the marijuana derivative cannabidiol (CBD) was approved to treat seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in patients aged 1 year or older. TSC is a genetic disease that causes benign tumors to grow throughout the body. It affects 1 in 6000 people.

teleSUR (2020-09-15). Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be Distributed in Saudi Arabia. telesurenglish.net The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saudi Chemical Holding Co. so that the COVID-19 Sputnik V vaccine can be developed in Saudi Arabia, the country most affected by the pandemic in the Persian Gulf. | RELATED: | For the Russian vaccine to be used in that nation, the Saudi company must locally register Sputnik V and its clinical studies. | Authorizations for its…

Kuehn BM. (2020-09-15). Routine Vaccinations Decline During Pandemic. jamanetwork.com An alarming decline in routine vaccinations among children and adolescents has occurred since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, according to a survey led by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Cutler D. (2020-09-15). New Rules for the Pandemic Era. jamanetwork.com Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not the world's first pandemic, and it is unlikely to be the last. In recent years, there have been actual or potential pandemics in 2002 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus), 2009 (H1N1 influenza), 2012 (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus), and 2014 (Ebola). The new normal seems to be an actual or potential epidemic every 2 to 3 years.

Hunasikatti M. (2020-09-15). Benefits of Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea. jamanetwork.com To the Editor Drs Gottlieb and Punjabi, in their Review on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), stated that "current evidence suggests that treatment does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or metabolic abnormalities in asymptomatic patients." Even though studies have failed to find a decrease in cardiovascular mortality in patients using continuous positive airway pressure (PAP), they have had significant methodological flaws, such as excluding patients with excessive sleepiness—precisely the patients who need continuous PAP therapy.

teleSUR (2020-09-15). UN Acknowledges Women's Leadership in Environment Conservation. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) said on Tuesday that farmer women leadership is paramount in biodiversity and nature conservation. | RELATED: | In rural contexts, seed stocks and traditional plant-based drugs are often under women's running. Female leadership frequently leads to sustainable natural resources exploitation on health, nutrition, and farming. | According to the report, 164 natio…

Grohskopf LA, Liburd LC, Redfield RR. (2020-09-15). Addressing Influenza Vaccination Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com In this Viewpoint, CDC scientists discuss the public health urgency of increasing influenza vaccination uptake early in the 2020-2021 season to ameliorate the threat to patients and hospitals of overlapping outbreaks, and urges clinicians to strongly recommend the vaccine and administer it to patients whenever and wherever possible.

WSWS (2020-09-15). The precedents for disease eradication through international cooperation. wsws.org An examination of the historical record demonstrates that infectious diseases like COVID-19 can be eliminated.

news.un (2020-09-15). UN report highlights links between 'unprecedented biodiversity loss' and spread of disease. news.un.org The continued degradation of the environment is increasing the likelihood of diseases spreading from animals to humans, warns a UN report on biodiversity, released on Tuesday.

news.un (2020-09-15). Famine threat returns to Yemen, amid upsurge in fighting. news.un.org The spectre of famine has returned to Yemen as donor countries fail to make good on their 2020 pledges, amidst an upsurge in fighting, fresh hurdles for aid deliveries, and ongoing efforts to nail down a nationwide ceasefire, the Security Council heard on Tuesday.

Fight Back (2020-09-15). 5300 UIC workers 'strike for our lives'. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – 4000 workers represented by SEIU Local 73 at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) began an open-ended strike, September 14. They join 1300 nurses represented by the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) at the University of Illinois Hospital (UIH), who began a weeklong strike on Saturday, September 12. Central to both strikes is the demand for staffing measures to protect the health and safety of frontline workers, many of whom have been exposed to COVID-19. | The INA nurses' three-year contract was set to expire in August but was extended to September. Over 20 bargaining sessions throughout the…

Slomski A. (2020-09-15). Telehealth Success Spurs a Call for Greater Post—COVID-19 License Portability. jamanetwork.com This Medical News article examines the pros and cons of national medical licensure as physicians have grappled with seeing out-of-state patients via telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

sputniknews (2020-09-15). Biden Woos Military Veterans in Florida, Slams Trump for Allegedly Calling Them 'Suckers'. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, September 16 (Sputnik) – President Donald Trump has shown reprehensible behavior in denigrating US military veterans and has failed to take action to halt the epidemic of veterans' suicides running at 600 a year, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told a campaign meeting in Tampa, Florida.

sputniknews (2020-09-15). Bill Gates Sr. Dies From Alzheimer's Disease, Aged 94. sputniknews.com Microsoft's co-founder revealed for the first time that his father suffered from Alzheimer's disease in 2018, when the younger Gates also expressed his own fears of getting dementia at an older age.

yenisafak (2020-09-15). Indonesia reports coronavirus cases rise by 3,507 to 225,030. yenisafak.com Indonesia reported on Tuesday 3,507 new coronavirus infections, taking the country's total tally to 225,030, Health Ministry data showed.The number of deaths rose by 124 to 8,965, the highest number of fatalities in Southeast Asia.

WSWS (2020-09-15). SEP (Australia) online forum: The COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis of capitalism and the way forward for health workers. wsws.org The safety and well being of health workers must be taken out of the hands of governments and unions who have no interest in this task.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-09-15). Trump's Proposal to Further Expand Global Gag Rule Amid Pandemic Would Cut Off Healthcare Access to Millions, Rights Groups Warn. commondreams.org Reproductive rights advocates on Tuesday warned that a newly proposed expansion of the anti-choice global gag rule will put millions at even greater risk of being unable to access healthcare including abortion care. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…