2020-11-30: News Headlines

Eds. (2020-11-30). Big Pharma and the search for a vaccine. mronline.org A second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping across the world with countries reporting record daily case numbers and the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that the death toll could be much higher than during the first wave earlier this year.

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-11-30). 'Housing Is Healthcare': Evictions Have Exacerbated Covid-19 Pandemic, Research Shows. commondreams.org "This is a time where it's not an overstatement to say that for many people, eviction can lead to death." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

WSWS (2020-11-30). Cleveland-Heights University Heights School District threatens to halt health care benefits if teachers strike. wsws.org A school district just outside of Cleveland, Ohio is threatening to cut healthcare payments to 500 teachers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-30). Iran COVID-19 update: 13,321 infections, 371 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 30 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 13,321 COVID-19 infections and 371 deaths due to the disease in the past 24 hours.

teleSUR (2020-11-30). Moderna Asks Permission to Sell Its Vaccine in the US and EU. telesurenglish.net The pharmaceutical company Moderna on Monday announced it would request authorization to market its COVID-19 vaccine from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency. | RELATED: | Regulators will analyze the mRNA vaccine test data and decide if it is safe and effective enough to recommend its implementation. | According to the company, the efficacy analysis of the phase 3 study…

Reiner Fuellmich (2020-11-30). Video: Is it a Staged Pandemic? The RT-PCR Test. globalresearch.ca An important guest to get to Dr. Reiner, is with us now and he is in Germany and my understanding is, is actually filing a lawsuit, correct me if I'm wrong, filing a lawsuit over many of the lockdowns …

WSWS (2020-11-30). New York City schools to reopen amid explosion of coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, deaths. wsws.org Mayor Bill de Blasio's announcement is a warning to the working class in the United States and internationally that even as numerous coronavirus vaccines are nearing completion, workers and youth will continue to be sent into workplaces and schools to needlessly get sick and die.

teleSUR (2020-11-30). Uruguay: Ex-President Tabare Vazquez's Health Remains Stable. telesurenglish.net Uruguay's former President Tabare Vazquez's health condition remains "stable" after surfing an acute thrombosis in his left leg and an infection on Saturday. | RELATED: | "He is very well, talking -as every day- with us, making stories of all his past life, of the political activity, of the soccer activity, receiving some closer friends and taking care of himself a lot because of the health condition," Alvaro…

Jeffrey D. Sachs (2020-11-29). Supreme Court's Scientifically Illiterate Decision Will Cost Lives. commondreams.org Pope Francis: The common good takes precedence over simplistic appeals to "personal freedom" in protests against justified public health measures. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

RT (2020-11-29). Western scientists divided over Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V as developers aim to make ONE BILLION doses in 2021. rt.com Experts and world leaders continue to have conflicting opinions on Russia's pioneering Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, as the country moves closer to delivering a mass immunization program at home and exporting it abroad. |

MEE and agencies (2020-11-29). Turkey sees record Covid-19 deaths for seventh day in a row. middleeasteye.net Turkey sees record Covid-19 deaths for seventh day in a row | Surge in cases comes despite stricter efforts to contain virus, but opposition politicians accuse Erdogan of taking 'band-aid' measures | Sun, 11/29/2020 – 18: 00 | A deserted street in Istanbul's popular tourist neighbourhood of Beyoglu amid the coronavirus pandemic, 21 November 2020 (Reuters) | Coronavirus deaths in Turkey ros…

Scott Brown (2020-11-29). As winter approaches, Denver plans massive homeless sweep, again despite CDC guidelines. liberationnews.org Liberation News previously reported on Denver's non-CDC-compliant homeless sweeps in May, and as winter approaches, the city is continuing to sweep residents. After a flurry of snowfall coated the streets of Denver on the morning of November 24, the city announced that it would carry out a massive homeless sweep of approximately 300 unhoused people …

RT (2020-11-29). 'Check for little people behind the screen': UK culture secretary mocked for suggesting Netflix should warn 'The Crown' is fiction. rt.com Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has suggested the hit Netflix series 'The Crown' should come with a "health warning" so people know the show is a work of fiction. Online reaction proves not all viewers approve of the idea. | Though Dowden praised the show as a "beautifully produced work of fiction," he believes Netflix "should be very clear at the beginning it is just that." | 'The Crown' is a scripted piece of historical fiction following the royal family, and it is currently in its fourth series. Dowden fears that if the show does not warn viewers that it is fiction then people will take everything presented…

news.un (2020-11-29). COVID-19 threatens global progress against malaria, warns UN health agency. news.un.org Gaps in life-saving interventions are undermining efforts to curb malaria, amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic could set back the fight against the disease even further, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

Michelle Eigenheer (2020-11-29). I ditched my microwave three years ago and never looked back. salon.com Weaning myself from the microwave was surprisingly easy, but also led to being happier and healthier than before…

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-29). Funeral ceremony of veteran actor Parviz Pourhosseini. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov . 29 (MNA) — The funeral ceremony of veteran stage and cinema actor Parviz Pourhosseini was held at Tehran's Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery on Sunday. Pourhosseini passed away at the age of 79 on Friday due to coronavirus disease.

sputniknews (2020-11-29). Red Cross Says Hospitals in Ethiopia's Tigray Region Lack Medical Supplies for Wounded. sputniknews.com GENEVA (Sputnik) – Health facilities in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray are running out of medical supplies necessary to treat patients wounded as a result of the recent armed clashes in the region's capital of Mek'ele, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Sunday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-29). Iran registers 12,950 new COVID-19 infections, 389 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 29 (MNA) — According to the Iranian Health Ministry, 12,950 new cases of COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in the country during the past 24 hours.

Sharmila Devi (2020-11-28). [World Report] Funding crisis threatens Palestinian refugee agency. thelancet.com UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East says that a $300 million shortfall is threatening health services. Sharmila Devi reports.

RT (2020-11-28). Boris Johnson names business minister Nadhim Zahawi top UK official responsible for vaccine deployment. rt.com UK Conservative Party politician Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed as under secretary of state responsible for the deployment of a Covid-19 vaccine across the country, signalling a massive vaccination programme is forthcoming. | The prime minister's office said Zahawi's new position is temporary and will last until at least next summer. | According to UK media, Zahawi is expected to oversee the rollout of a vaccine across the country once it is approved. He will report to Health Secretary Matt Hancock. | Zahawi has served as parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Indus…

The Canary (2020-11-28). Health experts fear rapid tests may distract from vaccine work. thecanary.co Ambitious rapid coronavirus testing plans for England threaten to become a distraction from other key goals such as the roll-out of a vaccine, prominent health officials have warned.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised the fast mass community testing systems conducted in Liverpool — which gave results in around 20 minutes without the need for a laboratory — will be replicated in all tier three areas after lockdown ends. This covers areas with a combined population of some 23 million people.Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Liverpool — where 300,000 people have been tested in the pilot scheme…

Vijay Prashad (2020-11-28). We suffer from an incurable disease called hope. mronline.org The total level of global indebtedness now sits at an astronomical $277 trillion, an increase of $15 trillion since 2019. This amount is equivalent to 365% of the global gross domestic product.

Tanya Wadhwa (2020-11-28). Chilean health workers hold an indefinite national strike. peoplesdispatch.org The healthcare professionals are demanding special bonuses for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and a greater budget for the public health sector in 2021, among other measures…

_____ (2020-11-28). Greek General Strike Against Attacks On Right To Demonstrate. popularresistance.org The mood in the international working class is strained to the breaking point. As millions of people were demonstrating against the government across India on Thursday, tens of thousands of public sector workers and employees in Greece also went on a nationwide 24-hour general strike. | They were protesting against the devastating coronavirus policies and demanded better protective measures, the confiscation of private hospitals, mass hiring of health workers and salary increases. This week, the total number of infections in Greece exceeded the 100,000 mark and the death toll rose to over 2,000.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-28). COVID-19 daily deaths drop below 400 after nearly a month. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 28 (MNA) — According to the latest announced figures by the Iranian Health Ministry, daily death toll of the COVID-19 has dropped belowe 400 for the first time since Oct. 31.

John Zarocostas (2020-11-28). [World Report] New international group on antimicrobial resistance. thelancet.com The One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance aims to raise awareness and political advocacy on antimicrobial resistance. John Zarocostas reports from Geneva.

Darren Powell (2020-11-28). [Correspondence] Harmful marketing to children. thelancet.com The WHO—UNICEF—Lancet Commission1 identified an important threat to children's health and futures by stating that children across the globe are exposed to exploitative advertising and marketing by the private sector. Fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, breastmilk substitutes, and gambling, were positioned as the key products that children are increasingly exposed to and harmed by. However, by focusing on the marketing of particular so-called unhealthy products, the Commission has made a critical oversight.

Sophie Cousins (2020-11-28). [World Report] Afghanistan braced for second wave of COVID-19. thelancet.com Afghan health workers predict a second wave of COVID-19 infections, but is the health system ready? Sophie Cousins reports from Afghanistan.

Richard Horton (2020-11-28). [Comment] Offline: Europe and COVID-19—struggling with tragedy. thelancet.com The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, publishes weekly reports on progress to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. They make grim reading. The latest iteration, dated Nov 19, predicts that daily deaths from COVID-19 will continue to rise in the coming weeks, reaching a peak of over 7000 deaths per day around mid-January. Hospitals will be stretched to breaking point from December through to the end of February. COVID-19 is currently the second leading cause of death in the region—29‚Äà858 weekly deaths (ischaemic heart dis…

The Lancet (2020-11-28). [Editorial] Maintaining the HIV response in a world shaped by COVID-19. thelancet.com Although global attention is dominated by COVID-19, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, as it enters its fifth decade, is far from over. Since the early 1980s, 75 ∑7 million people have become infected with HIV. 32 ∑7 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses. HIV/AIDS remains a major public health crisis and only a few countries will meet the 90—90—90 treatment target for 2020. Much has been made of how information systems and service models in the HIV response have helped the COVID-19 response, but the COVID-19 pandemic could have knock-on effects on the HIV response and be devastating for com…

WSWS (2020-11-28). Brazilian government intensifies herd immunity campaign amid new COVID-19 surge. wsws.org With the beginning of the second wave, Bolsonaro is carrying out an anti-vaccine campaign, while state governments align their policies to a de facto herd immunity policy.

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-27). No Thanks on Thanksgiving During US-Engineered Economic Collapse. globalresearch.ca On Thanksgiving day, throughout the year, with likely worsening times ahead, ordinary Americans are suffering through the hardest of hard times in US history. | For 36 straight weeks since March, over one million Americans sought unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. | It's …

RT (2020-11-27). 'More information needed': WHO says it needs more than just press release to assess AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com AstraZeneca's press release on its Covid-19 vaccine's efficacy is "certainly" not enough for the World Health Organization to draw any conclusion on the matter, the UN health watchdog said, calling for more data to be made public. | "What we have seen is a press release. And what is the next most important step is that the data really needs to be evaluated on [something] more than a press release," Katherine O'Brien, the WHO director of immunization vaccines and biologicals, told a press conference on Friday. | The pediatric infectious disease physician said that the statement released by the British-Swedish c…

John Pilger (2020-11-27). Britain's Class War on Children. counterpunch.org When I first reported on child poverty in Britain, I was struck by the faces of children I spoke to, especially the eyes. They were different: watchful, fearful. In Hackney, in 1975, I filmed Irene Brunsden's family. Irene told me she gave her two-year-old a plate of cornflakes. "She doesn't tell me she's hungry, she

_____ (2020-11-27). COVID-19 Economy: A Deliberate Disaster. popularresistance.org With nearly 12 million cases and a quarter million deaths in the US so far (over 55 million cases and 1.3 million deaths world-wide), the COVID 19 pandemic is ravaging civilization. The disease is on track to be the deadliest epidemic since 1918. | The economic fallout for the working class has been severe. In the US, unemployment has skyrocketed, with 45.4 million new unemployment claims since March 14. At least 1/6 of those with jobs before the pandemic are now out of work. According to The New York Times, "The economic downturn is shaping up to be particularly devastating for renters, who are more likely to be…

news.un (2020-11-27). COVID-19: Testing still vital even as vaccines roll out. news.un.org Testing will still be a critical tool against COVID-19, even as vaccines are deployed against the disease, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday during his regular briefing on the crisis.

Christopher Robertson (2020-11-27). Conservatives backed the ideas behind Obamacare, so how did they come to hate it?>. salon.com Republicans like Newt Gingrich were the ones who came up with the blueprint for the Affordable Care Act…

WSWS (2020-11-27). US CDC plans to reduce quarantine time after potential COVID-19 exposure. wsws.org The purpose of reducing the isolation period to as little as seven days is to ensure workers will be back on the job faster, even though the CDC admits this will increase the transmission of the virus.

teleSUR (2020-11-27). Cuba: Researchers Develop 2 New COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Center for Control of Drugs, Equipment, and Medical Devices (Cecmed) authorized the beginning of clinical trials of two new COVID-19 vaccine candidates, which were named Mambisa (CIGB-669) and Abdala (CIGB-66). | RELATED: | The Mambisa vaccine will be applied as a nasal spray and its clinical trials will be carried out in Havana, while Abdala will be administered as an intramuscular injection and will be res…

teleSUR (2020-11-27). Cuba and Japan Sign First Memorandum on Health Cooperation. telesurenglish.net On Thursday afternoon, the signing ceremony of a cooperation memorandum between the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan and the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (Minsap) took place, intending to collaborate to strengthen the public health and medical assistance system, as well as to share the experience in the treatment of the elderly.

Julia Conley, Common Dreams (2020-11-27). Atlas Welcomes Killing Loved Ones With Covid as This May Be 'Their Final Thanksgiving'. indybay.org Dr. Scott Atlas, a top White House coronavirus adviser, said that Americans should flout public health guidance and gather as normal for the holidays as this may be "the final Thanksgiving" for many. | Photo of Hoover Tower under Creative Commons via flicker. Scott Atlas is on leave from Stanford University's Hoover Institute while he serves under Trump.

teleSUR (2020-11-27). US: 90,000 People Hospitalized With COVID-19 Amid Thanksgiving. telesurenglish.net Nearly 90,000 COVID-19 patients are in hospitals across the United States as of Thursday, the Thanksgiving day, reaching a new all-time high for the 16th consecutive day, according to The COVID Tracking Project. | RELATED: | Wednesday's death toll climbed to 2,284 cases, the highest since May 7, also the 7th highest daily death total to data. | The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted that t…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-11-27). Imperial engineer to develop AI clinician to help frontline health workers. imperial.ac.uk Professor Aldo Faisal has won a Turing AI Fellowship to develop AI that will help doctors make complex decisions.

WSWS (2020-11-27). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Youth and workers shut state-run phosphate plant in Tunisia demanding jobs; four-hour national public sector strike in Italy in protest at pandemic social and health catastrophe; months-long strike of nurses in Zimbabwe sold out by unions; community health workers continue stoppages and protests for pay rise and improved conditions…

sputniknews (2020-11-27). WHO Wants to See 'More Than a Press Release' on AstraZeneca's Vaccine. sputniknews.com Doubts have emerged about the vaccine's efficiency after AstraZeneca released interim results of its candidate vaccine on Monday showing two different levels of efficacy depending on the dosing regimen.

news.un (2020-11-27). African nations 'far from ready' for COVID-19 vaccination drive, says UN health agency. news.un.org As efforts to find safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 are showing increasing promise, the African continent is "far from ready" to roll out what will be its largest ever immunization drive, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

_____ (2020-11-27). VIDEO: Zero Point: Our 4th Industrial Revolution Against Their Great Reset. strategic-culture.org Freedom of the Internet of any sort could drift forever into the past. But most importantly, why do we need to reset society because of the low-lethality plague? Watch the video and read more in the

teleSUR (2020-11-27). Germany: 12th Country to Surpass One Million COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net The number of COVID-19 infections in Germany surpassed the one million mark. The daily death toll hit a record of 426, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Friday. | RELATED: | The figures reflected the reality that Germany was at best keeping new infections stable, which Chancellor Angela Merkel has said would not suffice to ease restrictions and eliminate the risk of ove…

teleSUR (2020-11-27). UN Warns of Famines in Madagascar After Years of Droughts. telesurenglish.net The UN World Food Program (WFP) warned of serious famines in Madagascar, a country which has been ravaged by three consecutive years of droughts. | RELATED: | Approximately 1.5 million people are experiencing extreme food emergency conditions. They are being forced to eat insects and sell kitchen utensils and other basic items. | The WFP warned that the number of people in need of help is three times higher than they forecast i…

sputniknews (2020-11-26). Trump Says COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery to Begin Next Week. sputniknews.com The US president previously said that the vaccine would be available before the 3 November presidential election, prompting criticism from Democrats who believed he was rushing its development.