(2020-09-30). COVID U.S. Death Toll Tops 205,000 & 7M Infections as Trump Mocks Biden's Mask, Attacks the ACA. democracynow.org 
During the first presidential debate, former Vice President Joe Biden repeatedly criticized President Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 205,000 people in the United States — the highest death toll in the world. Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask, while claiming that a vaccine would be available within weeks. "It was very bizarre," says Marc Lamont Hill, author and professor of media studies and urban education at Temple University. "The idea of not erring on the side of caution is representative of the entire Trump administration's handling of the COVID-19 crisis.
(2020-09-30). Headlines for September 30, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Refuses to Condemn White Supremacists or Rule Out Post-Election Violence, New York City Coronavirus Infections Surge for First Time in Months, Indian Health Officials Claim 60 Million Coronavirus Infections Nationwide, House Democrats Unveil Pared-Down $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill, Texas Sheriff and Prosecutor Indicted for Evidence Tampering in Javier Ambler Police Killing, Kentucky AG Didn't Recommend Murder Charges for Breonna Taylor's Killers, Trump Plans Pre-Election ICE Raids in U.S. Sanctuary Cities, More Women Detail Forced Sterilizations, Unnecessary Surgeries at Georgia ICE Jail, World Hea…
(2020-09-30). 'Political theater'?! Pennsylvania lawmaker, governor caught joking about taking their MASKS OFF before speech in 'hot mic' VIDEO. rt.com 
Pennsylvania State Representative Wendy Ullman and Governor Tom Wolf were caught joking off camera about taking their masks off just before they spoke at a press conference touting the need to defend Obamacare during Covid-19. | Just as Ullman was preparing to speak behind the podium on Tuesday at a press conference north of Philadelphia, Wolf can be heard off camera to her left, saying: "So Wendy, I'm gonna take, I'm gonna take my mask off when I speak." | Ullman walks toward Wolf, off camera, and says: "I will as well, just, I'm waiting so that we can do a little political theater." | Wolf replies, "OK," and…
(2020-09-30). Israel's parliament curbs protests with new coronavirus laws. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's parliament curbs protests with new coronavirus laws | Critics fear that the measures have been introduced to stop anti-Netanyahu protests over the prime minister's alleged corruption | Wed, 09/30/2020 – 10: 24 | The new laws also give the government powers to declare a 'special emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic' for renewable periods of one week (Reuters) | Israel's par…
(2020-09-30). Up to half a million sharks could be killed to create global coronavirus vaccines, conservationists warn. nationofchange.org Conservationists fear that if two doses of the vaccine are needed to immunize the global population than half a million sharks would subsequently die.
(2020-09-30). Listen to older people's 'suggestions and ideas' for more inclusive societies, urges UN chief. news.un.org Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is reckoning with the disproportionate and severe impact that the virus has wrought on the "health…rights and well being" of older persons, the UN chief has said, marking the international day highlighting their issues.
(2020-09-30). Iran registers 3,582 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 30 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 3,582 COVID-19 infections and 183 deaths due to the disease in the past 24 hours.
(2020-09-30). 'Not According to Harris': Biden Sets Off Meme Storm After Saying 'I'm the Democratic Party'. sputniknews.com The 29th of September saw the first presidential debate between incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, during which the two exchanged barbs over a spate of issues, including the coronavirus, healthcare, and election integrity.
(2020-09-30). Germany's Merkel pledges $100 mln for COVID-19 vacine for poor countries. yenisafak.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday pledged $100 million to help developing countries access a COVID-19 vaccine as World Bank President David Malpass said "broad, rapid and affordable" access to vaccines "will be at the core of a resilient global economic recovery that lifts everyone."Merkel also called on "those who are still dithering" to commit to the global vaccine effort.
(2020-09-30). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:
(2020-09-29). Assange's Fifteenth Day at the Old Bailey: Solitary Confinement and Parlous Health Care. dissidentvoice.org September 28. Central Criminal Court, London. Throughout the sham process formally known as the Julian Assange extradition trial, prosecutors representing the United States have been adamant: the carceral conditions awaiting him in freedom's land will be pleasant, accommodating and appropriate. Confronting 17 charges under the US Espionage Act and one under the Computer Fraud and …
(2020-09-29). Assange on Trial: Solitary Confinement and Parlous Health Care. counterpunch.org September 28. Central Criminal Court, London. Throughout the sham process formally known as the Julian Assange extradition trial, prosecutors representing the United States have been adamant: the carceral conditions awaiting him in freedom's land will be pleasant, accommodating and appropriate. Confronting 17 charges under the US Espionage Act and one under the Computer Fraud and
(2020-09-29). Gates Vaccine Spreads Polio Across Africa. globalresearch.ca Microsoft founder Bill Gates has made himself the global vaccine czar as his foundation spends billions on spreading new vaccines globally. While much attention has been given to the role of Gates behind the corrupt WHO in promoting radical untested …
(2020-09-29). Britain Will Seek Coronavirus 'Herd Immunity' Covertly or by Default, Thanks to an Inability to Get anything Done. counterpunch.org 
I was six years old in 1956 when my parents decided to return to Ireland from London, though a polio epidemic was in full swing in Cork city thirty miles from where we lived. They thought we would be safe in our house deep in the countryside and were encouraged by the fact that there were no cases in the nearest town.
(2020-09-29). On the Precipice of Tyranny. counterpunch.org 
As if climate change, its consuming heat and fires, and the killer pandemic plague were not enough, the country is getting closer to tyranny — by the day. Trump refuses peaceful transfer of power President Trump keeps saying the only result of the November 3 elections he will accept is his own reelection. His refusal
(2020-09-29). Stop the war against Black and Brown communities! workers.org 
Following the 2014 police murders of Eric Gardner and Michael Brown, activists raised concerns about an "epidemic" of police brutality. Six years later it is clear that Black and Brown communities, living under police occupation, are confronting a very real war. The numbers do not lie. Documented police killings of . . . |
(2020-09-29). Former Sainsbury's boss to take on key Test and Trace role. thecanary.co 
The former chief executive of Sainsbury's is to take over as testing director at Test and Trace.Mike Coupe, who retired as chief executive officer of Sainsbury's at the end of May, is set to replace Sarah-Jane Marsh who is returning to her post as chief executive of Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.Dido Harding, who runs NHS Test and Trace and is interim executive chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said in an email to staff that Mr Coupe "will bring a wealth of experience in large scale supply chains, logistics and digital transformation".Baroness Dido Harding (Dominic Li…
(2020-09-29). Less than 50% of Americans would take Covid-19 vaccine, even if they were paid $100 — poll. rt.com 
Mounting skepticism around a Covid-19 vaccine in the US continues, with less than half of respondents saying they'd take one even if they were offered $100, according to a new poll. | Of the 1,000-plus adults who participated in the Axios-Ipsos poll, only 44 percent said they'd take a vaccine if offered the incentive of $100. They would be even less likely to get the vaccine if they were the ones who had to pay $100, with only 26 percent saying they'd be willing to take on the cost. | More than half, however, said they'd be more "likely" to get it if their health insurance covered the entire cost. | Also on rt…
(2020-09-29). Progressive Democrats denounce Biden's 'shift to left' with 'Bidenomics' as nothing more than REAGANOMICS. rt.com 
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's attempt to woo estranged left-leaning voters with an economic plan presented as a 21st-century New Deal has been slammed by progressive voters as too little, too late. | The Democratic challenger's economic policy, dubbed "Bidenomics" and aimed at propping up the country's ailing healthcare, education, and infrastructure with a hefty infusion of taxpayer dollars, has triggered a backlash from the Left, after a detailed explainer on it appeared in Financial Times on Monday. | The plan, which Biden earlier linked to the New Deal deployed by former president Franklin…
(2020-09-29). Major US health care firm hit by cyberattack, forcing hospitals to revert to 'pen and paper'. rt.com 
Universal Health Services, one of the largest US for-profit hospital operators, was hit by a massive cyberattack over the weekend, reportedly forcing staff at some of its facilities to record patient data with "pen and paper." | The attack "looks and smells like ransomware," Al…
(2020-09-29). Russia faces potential autumn Covid-19 hospital crisis as cases rise sharply & 90% of allocated beds are already in use. rt.com 
Almost 90 percent of the 129,000 hospital beds allocated for Covid-19 patients in Russia are occupied. That's according to Alexey Kuznetsov, an assistant to the country's Health Minister, who was speaking on Tuesday. | Kuznetsov's comments came as it was revealed that the number of daily cases in Russia has almost doubled in the last month. | At the peak of the outbreak in late spring, Russian hospitals rapidly managed to increase the number of available beds from 50,000 to 184,000. As case numbers began to fall off, the extra capacity was used for regular patient treatment. Now, with coronavirus cases rising,…
(2020-09-29). No jab, no movement? UK MP pushes mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for travel, suggests army should oversee rollout. rt.com 
A British Conservative MP has urged the government to draft in the armed forces for the rollout of a mass coronavirus vaccination program, which would include mandatory certificates that allow people to travel internationally. | Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday night, Tobias Ellwood argued that the mass vaccination scheme is a challenge of the scale and complexity of "the D-day landings and Dunkirk." | The MP for Bournemouth East told the parliament that a vaccine could be six months away and urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to use the armed forces to oversee the process of delivering it to the UK…
(2020-09-29). Socialist Equality Party (Australia) holds online health workers' forum. wsws.org Australian health workers speak out over the lack of PPE and proper training to deal with COVID-19, and the government's run-down of the healthcare system.
(2020-09-29). Indian court set to deliver verdict in Babri mosque demolition case. yenisafak.com A special court in India will deliver on Wednesday the verdict in the criminal case related to the Babri mosque demolition, almost 28 years after the structure in the Ayodhya town was pulled down.Last month, the Supreme Court had set Sept. 30 as the deadline to conclude the trial and pronounce the judgment.However, many senior defendants above 90 years of age may not be able to attend the court proceedings on that day due to health concerns although they are legally required to be present in court. It is not clear what arrangements the court would make for them.As many as 32 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders w…
(2020-09-29). UK imports Dutch sewage for use on farmland despite being banned in Holland. truepublica.org.uk The UK is importing thousands of tonnes of sewage sludge to be used on farmland despite serious health and environmental concerns over the controversial practice, Unearthed can reveal. Documents obtained using freedom of information rules show that the Environment Agency (EA) has approved shipments that would see the arrival of 27,500 tonnes of sewage waste …
(2020-09-29). Climate change 'the defining challenge of our generation' says New Zealand Ambassador. news.un.org There is no vaccine against climate change, the Permanent Representative of New Zealand told the UN General Assembly debate on Tuesday, noting that now more than ever, the international community must "step up, collectively and in the common interest."
(2020-09-29). Are we close to herd immunity? peoplesdispatch.org In this interview with scientist Satyajit Rath, we talk about whether the world is reaching any closer to herd immunity. While COVID-19 cases continue to rise almost exponentially, Rath talks about what is happening with the vaccine and more.
(2020-09-29). Natural Gas Fracking Under Fire In Pennsylvania. popularresistance.org In a blistering report on Pennsylvania's 12-year experience with hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, a special statewide grand jury said public health and the environment have suffered and the state's environmental and health agencies, rather than acting as watchdogs, had a "culture of inadequate oversight." | "When it comes to fracking, Pennsylvania failed," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who convened the Investigating Statewide Grand Jury that listened to scores of witnesses and reports of investigators over two years.
(2020-09-29). Public healthcare strikes continue in Kenya as workers demand their rights. peoplesdispatch.org Doctors and nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi have downed tools. Meanwhile, the strike by medics in Embu county's government hospitals was called off after the government committed to a timeline to address their grievances…
(2020-09-29). Universal Collaboration is Needed to End This Pandemic. dissidentvoice.org Cuba, battling successfully to contain COVID-19 at home, also provides medical internationalism and solidarity abroad. While Cuba dispatches the Henry Reeve Brigade to countries requesting healthcare assistance, Donald Trump's administration escalates the anti-Cuba economic, financial and commercial blockade while threatening sovereign states who request needed Cuban medical solidarity — in a global pandemic. The limited measures implemented …
(2020-09-29). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Protesting health care workers in Chile and teachers in Mexico faced police repression while call center workers in Cordoba, Argentina and transit workers in Recife, Brazil have launched strikes.
(2020-09-29). WHO promises 'robust' investigation of sexual abuse allegations against workers in DR Congo. news.un.org The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, promised that any of its staff working as part of the agency's Ebola response team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) found to have been involved in sexual exploitation and abuse, would face "serious consequences, including instant dismissal."
(2020-09-29). White House Pressured CDC to Produce Data Backing Trump's Push to Reopen Schools. truthout.org Officials within the Trump administration sought to pressure the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to downplay the risks associated with coronavirus in children in order to bolster the narrative that it was safe for schools to resume in-person instruction across the United States, according to Trump officials also wanted the health agency to find data t…
(2020-09-29). Coronavirus situation update in Eurasian countries. yenisafak.com Health authorities in Eurasian and Central Asian countries on Tuesday reported new coronavirus cases, related deaths and recoveries. | The world's death toll from the novel infection, meanwhile, crossed one million, a development the UN secretary general termed "mind-numbing" and "an agonizing milestone." | – Ukraine | The death toll in Ukraine reached 4,065 with 69 more fatalities reported over the past 24 hours. | Confirming another 3,627 cases, the tally of cases reached 204,932, with 90,250 recoveries. | Over 114,000 patients remain under treatment. | – Georgia | With 314 new cases and 270 more patients regai…
(2020-09-29). COVID-19 continues to claim more lives in Arab region. yenisafak.com Health authorities in four Arab countries confirmed additional fatalities due to the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday. | In a statement, the Tunisian Health Ministry said 32 people died from COVID-19, while 1,291 others tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours. | Tunisia's tally now rose to 17,405 confirmed cases, including 246 deaths. | In Oman, the Health Ministry confirmed 11 fatalities and 528 infections, taking the Gulf state's count to 98,585, including 935 deaths, and 88,528 recoveries. | In the United Arab Emirates, the country's nationwide death toll rose to 416 after three people lost their l…
(2020-09-29). Showing 76% of Coney Barrett Rulings Put Corporate Interests Over People, Analysis Warns Confirmation Would 'Supercharge' GOP Agenda. commondreams.org "This nominee would be no friend to the small businesses and workers who continue to struggle during the ongoing public health and economic crises." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-29). 'Disgusting': Critics Denounce Reported Trump Team Effort to Pressure CDC on School Reopenings. commondreams.org One former aide said she saw "senior White House political staff actively undermine the doctors by attempting to manipulate scientific data on the virus and force changes to CDC guidances." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-09-29). The government is quietly trying to destroy freedom of speech in our schools. thecanary.co The Department for Education has updated its PSHE stands for 'personal, social, health and economic education'. It teaches children skills intended to prepare them for adult life, as well as knowledge about keeping themselves healthy and safe. | But the new guidelines amount to a direct attack on freedom of speech. And many education professionals have expressed concern about how this will affect their fr…
(2020-09-28). Planned Parenthood CEO: Trump's SCOTUS Pick Could Overturn Roe v. Wade & Kill Obamacare. democracynow.org 
President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court could threaten reproductive rights across the U.S., according to Planned Parenthood president and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson. Barrett, who once called abortion "always immoral," would give conservatives a decisive 6-3 advantage on the top court if she is confirmed by the Senate, and President Trump has openly promoted her nomination by suggesting she would help overturn the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in the U.S. Barrett "would be a huge threat to reproductive rights" on the Supreme Court, says McGill Johnson. "R…
(2020-09-28). Illinois: Black and Latinx women health workers lead strike to victory. workers.org 
They won! The historic 10-day strike by workers at medical facilities in three Illinois cities resulted in an all-out victory, with every demand met. Black and Latinx women workers played a decisive role in organizing the strike and steering it to its successful conclusion. Chicago health workers in the 'Strike . . . |
(2020-09-28). Let's Talk about Racism and Health. dissidentvoice.org 
The current uprising across the nation is a take-off moment for systemic racism in the United States. A take-off moment occurs when awareness about a crisis reaches a level of public consciousness where an event (in this case, the recent high-profile police murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd) sparks protests across the country. Racist …
(2020-09-28). Big Lies About Blacks From Bigot Boy. counterpunch.org 
During President Trump's appearance on a nationally televised Town Hall forum held recently at the U.S. Constitution Center in Philadelphia, he engaged in the 'Big Lie' — that propaganda technique linked with Hitler's Nazi regime. Trump spun Big Lies of varying size on topics ranging from health care to racial hatred throughout that Q-&-A session broadcast from
(2020-09-28). Texas gov. issues disaster declaration after BRAIN-EATING amoeba found in tap water supply kills 6-yo boy. rt.com 
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation mobilizing a rapid government response after the discovery of a deadly amoeba in a local water supply that killed a child. | Read more | | In his disaster declaration, Abbott states that naegleria fowleri was identified in three of 11 tests of the water in Lake Jackson, Texas. The amoeba, which can cause an infection of the brain, poses "an imminent threat to public health and safety, including lo…
(2020-09-28). Over 5,000 Russians have taken world's first Covid-19 vaccine, none have reported serious side effects. rt.com 
Trials of Russia's Sputnik V, the world's first registered vaccine against Covid-19, are going well, and giving hope of a return to normality. That's according to a statement from the ministry of health in Moscow. | More than 5,000 volunteers have received the formula, and there have been no severe side effects,officials announced on Monday. Trials are currently in the third, and final, stage. | "To date, more than 5,000 citizens have been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine,"
(2020-09-28). Organic Food Is a 'Human Right', Says Leading Food Scientist. globalresearch.ca To stamp out pesticides from our fragile food systems is to protect those most prone to ill health, Friends of the Earth's senior staff scientist, Kendra Klein explains to Yasmin Dahnoun. | *** | From seed to harvest, the food that arrives …
(2020-09-28). From superpower to failed state: Inequality and the public health crisis in America. nationofchange.org The pandemic has shined a spotlight on the failings of leaders and elites.
(2020-09-28). Uruguay's Ex-President Pepe Mujica Retires From Political Life. telesurenglish.net Uruguay's former President Jose Mujica (2010-2015) Sunday informed he will leave his place in the Senate and retire from politics due to health problems. | RELATED: | "I have a chronic immune disease… I love politics and I would not want to leave, but I love my life even more," he said. | Mujica emphasized that his difficulties to move anywhere and at any time would prevent him from being active in his duties as a senator and polit…
(2020-09-28). How Academic Medical Centers Made Out on Coronavirus Bailouts. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site Some of the most financially successful nonprofit health systems are academic medical centers and the systems they anchor. Despite being considered "nonprofit" hospitals, that doesn't mean they don't make a profit. Nonprofit is a tax status that means a hospital is exempt from paying federal, state, and …
(2020-09-28). Nearly Half of US States Report Increasing COVID-19 Infections. telesurenglish.net Almost half of the U.S. states are reporting increasing numbers of new COVID-19 cases as health experts warn of a potential coronavirus surge in the United States in the fall and winter. | As of Sunday, the number of new COVID-19 cases has increased by at least 10 percent or more than the week before in 21 states, most of them in the West, according to a CNN analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. | RELATED: | Cases are rising in 21 states su…
(2020-09-28). Peru: 3,000 Volunteers Added To Chinese COVID-19 Vaccines Tests. telesurenglish.net In Peru, the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) and the Cayetano Heredia University Sunday announced that some 3,000 volunteers joined the third phase of clinical studies of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines prepared by the China Sinopharm company. | RELATED: | After the registration process, the Sinopharm researching team would determine the volunteers' eligibility and contact the ones who suit as candidates. | Research…