Monthly Archives: July 2020

2020-07-21: News Headlines

Labor Video Project (2020-07-21). Alameda Highland Hospital Workers Fight Covid, Privatization, Bullying & Union Busting. indybay.org Alameda County Highland hospital workers and supporters protested the privatization, lack of health and safety and union busting by the private operator.

Staff (2020-07-21). Headlines for July 21, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Spikes Across U.S. as Tensions Mount over Plans to Reopen Schools, Labs Show Promising Results in COVID-19 Vaccine as Cases Surge in Countries Around the World, Trump Threatens to Send More Feds into Cities Across U.S. to Crack Down on Protests, Georgia Dems Select State Senator Nikema Williams to Run for Late John Lewis's Congressional Seat, Suspect in Killing of NJ Judge's Son Is Found Dead, Was an "Anti-Feminist," Racist Lawyer, U.K. Suspends Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong, Iran Executes Man Convicted of Spying, After Halting Killing of Protesters Following Public Outcry, Rights Groups Call for…

Rabail Chaudhry, George Dranitsaris, Talha Mubashir, Justyna Bartoszko, Sheila Riazi (2020-07-21). [Research Paper] A country level analysis measuring the impact of government actions, country preparedness and socioeconomic factors on COVID-19 mortality and related health outcomes. thelancet.com In this exploratory analysis, low levels of national preparedness, scale of testing and population characteristics were associated with increased national case load and overall mortality.

Miko Peled (2020-07-21). As US Courts Release Inmates amid COVID-19, Palestinian Political Prisoners Are Still Persecuted. mintpressnews.com The now elderly Palestinian political prisoners involved in the Holy Land Foundation case have appealed to the courts for early release, yet despite the looming threat to their fragile health from COVID-19, their motions continue to be denied with tenuous justifications.

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-21). The Only Obstacle To A Healthy World Is Government Secrecy And Propaganda. thealtworld.com If the public could see what's actually happening in their world, they would immediately begin using the power of their numbers to overhaul our current system. This is why our current system pours so much energy into preventing the public from seeing what's actually happening in their world. | If it weren't for the constant campaign of obfuscation and manipulation of public perception via veils of government secrecy and propaganda, humanity would naturally find its way out of the power-driven tribulations it now faces, as surely as you'll avoid obstacles and hazards in your path when you are walking with your eye…

Gloria La Riva (2020-07-21). Cuba flattens the COVID-19 curve. liberationnews.org Photo: Director of Epidemiology of the Cuban Ministry of Health Dr. Francisco Durán García, in his daily press conference Yesterday, the United States surpassed 140,000 COVID-19 deaths. More than 3.7 million people in the U.S. are known to have fallen ill, by far the largest number of cases in the world. The Trump administration's monumentally …

RT (2020-07-21). Yanny or Laurel 2.0? Confusion as reporter accused of calling WH press sec 'lying b**ch' says it was something ENTIRELY different. rt.com Video of a reporter seemingly calling White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany a "lying b**ch" has outraged many — but she claims what was actually said was "engage," and now two opposing camps are battling it out on Twitter. | While taking questions from the press on Tuesday, McEnany was fielding multiple questions at once, one about President Donald Trump's claims of mail-in voting potentially leading to fraud and another from Al Jazeera's Kimberly Halkett about a claim that there is "tremendous progress" on a Covid-19 vaccine. | After McEnany refused to answer Halkett's question, many on social media…

Yanis Iqbal (2020-07-21). Environmental Disaster and Health Crisis in Cerrejon. dissidentvoice.org At Cerrejon (Colombia), the largest open-pit coal mine in Latin America owned equally by BHP (Australia), Anglo American PLC (United Kingdom) and Glencore (Switzerland), the situation of the indigenous people is progressively worsening. Cerrejon Limited has informed the workers that "all the existing shifts will be unified into a single 7-day work, for three days …

Wayne Nealis (2020-07-21). Lessons from the Pandemic Not Yet Learned. dissidentvoice.org As the coronavirus, once again, surges out of control in the United States, it is safe to say that even those few lessons learned have been cast aside by those who place profits before people. Greed and ignorance, not public health policy, is deciding the fate of tens of thousands in our nation who are …

Gregg Gonsalves (2020-07-21). The New Lysenkoism in Washington. zcomm.org Trofim Lysenko's refusal to acknowledge scientific fact led to famine and death on an enormous scale…

_____ (2020-07-21). As COVID-19 Stalks Florida's Inmates, So Does Another Plague. popularresistance.org "They are dying in the heat," said the distraught mother of an inmate at Dade Correctional Institution south of Miami. "What have we done to deserve this. … How is it possible, knowing how hot it is here?" | "We have gone an entire week without a set of showers ‚Å — two were turned off last week because one of them wouldn't turn off, so they just turned the water off and have not been back to fix it," wrote an inmate at Avon Park Correctional Institution, a prison in Highlands County, in an email shared with the Miami Herald. | "Plus the water temp is too hot to stand under and they won't turn…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Iran records highest daily deaths from coronavirus. yenisafak.com Health Ministry spokesperson Sima Sadat Lari said 2,625 additional cases were registered over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 278,827 infections. Iran's nationwide death toll now stands at 14,634.The alarming surge in daily fatalities has sent shockwaves across the country as the healthcare system is already overwhelmed. The previous record single-day death toll was 221 on June 9.According to Lari, some 3,589 coronavirus patients are presently in "critical condition," which means the daily deaths could rise in coming weeks.One of the first countries in the region to witness the COVID-19 outbreak, the fir…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Saudi king in stable condition after being admitted to hospital: sources. yenisafak.com The king, who has ruled the world's largest oil exporter and close U.S. ally since 2015, was undergoing medical checks, state media on Monday cited a Royal Court statement as saying without further details.Three well-connnected Saudi sources who declined to be identified, two of whom were speaking late on Monday and one on Tuesday, told Reuters the king was "fine".An official in the region, who requested anonymity, said he spoke to one of King Salman's sons on Monday who seemed "calm" and that there was no sense of panic about the monarch's health.King Salman received phone calls from the leaders of Kuwait, Bahra…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Africa's coronavirus caseload surpasses 736,000. yenisafak.com The number of coronavirus cases in Africa reached 736,288 on Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.At least 15,418 people have died of the virus, while 391,898 patients have recovered across the continent, according to the latest update.Of the give geographic regions Southern Africa is the hardest hit with 388,000 cases of which 373,600 are in South Africa.North Africa has recorded 138,300 cases, West Africa 109,400, East Africa 57,000 and Central Africa 43,500.In terms of death toll, North Africa suffered the most with 6,000 fatalities, while Southern Africa registered 5,500, West A…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-21). Iran registers 2,625 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 21 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,625 people and claimed 229 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

The Canary (2020-07-21). Matt Hancock hints at PHE reform during evidence to MPs. thecanary.co Matt Hancock gave the strongest indication yet that Public Health England (PHE) would be reformed, saying it was not set up to be an organisation "ready to go to mass national scale". | The health secretary praised PHE for being a "really good" scientific organisation, but said that a standing capability was needed. | He made the comments as he gave evidence at the Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday. | Hancock said: "We need a standing capability, right, we need a public health agency that isn't only brilliant at science, but also is ready to mass scale very, very quickly. | "PHE was designed as a scient…

Laborfest (2020-07-21). Saturday 7/25: LaborFest 2020 presents: Chile & US Healthcare Workers Under COVID-19 & Capitalist Control. indybay.org This is a free LIVE Zoom based event. You can be anywhere to view and participant. Please visit the LaborFest 2020 website URL to register and to receive a Zoom invitation to the event.

_____ (2020-07-21). Pandemic and Hair Trigger Flash Points: an Explosive Situation. strategic-culture.org As the Covid-19 pandemic continues its deadly march around the world, a number of relatively dormant conflicts, as well as several well-known flash points, stand ready to place the world on the edge of a major armed conflict. History shows us that during times of stress — economic depression, religious strife, vacuums of political leadership, and public health crises like that which is now plaguing the world — the chances for war increase commensurately. | India and China, which fought a border war in 1962, are against faced off at several key border locations stretching from Ladakh in the western Him…

Loretta Graceffo (2020-07-20). Community peacemakers in Chicago offer a proven alternative to policing. zcomm.org As calls to defund police grow, peacemakers on the frontlines of Chicago's gun violence epidemic have dramatically reduced homicides and shootings…

_____ (2020-07-20). The UK and U.S. Are Starting a New Cold War With Russia and China, So What Are These Governments Trying to Hide? strategic-culture.org Patrick COCKBURN | The new Cold War launched by the West against China and Russia is escalating by the day. In a single week, the Kremlin has been unmasked trying to discover the secrets of Britain's pursuit of a vaccine against coronavirus and revelations are promised about covert Russian interference in British politics. Boris Johnson made a U-turn on Huawei, announcing that it is to be kicked out of participation in the 5G network because it poses a threat to British security, though a curiously slow-burning one since they will only be evicted over seven years. | The US may put the widely-used Chinese video ap…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-07-20). Teachers Sue Florida Governor for Order to Reopen Schools in Defiance of 'Basic Human Needs for Health and Safety'. commondreams.org The state's "push to physically reopen schools full time without any precautions or new resources, and, most importantly, amid a skyrocketing Covid-19 surge, ignores science, safety, and basic humanity." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Ajit Singh (2020-07-20). With U.S. support, Taiwan planted deception about warning World Health Org of COVID. mronline.org Taiwan's claim that it provided early warning to the WHO about COVID and "human-to human-transmission" has been exploited by the Trump administration to attack the multi-lateral body and turn up the heat on China. There's just one problem: it's totally false.

The Canary (2020-07-20). Chief nurse confirms she was 'dropped' from briefing during Cummings lockdown travel scandal. thecanary.co Chief nursing officer Ruth May has confirmed she was dropped from a Number 10 press briefing during the lockdown travel storm surrounding Dominic Cummings.She had been due to appear alongside health secretary Matt Hancock on 1 June, but was cut when she felt unable to defend the prime minister's chief adviser, according to the Independent.Ministers had previously denied that May was blocked from taking questions because she refused to defend Cummings after he moved his family 260 miles from London to Durham to stay on his parents' farm while strict travel restrictions were in place during the lockdown. | But spea…

The Canary (2020-07-20). UK Government signs deal for 90 million doses of potential Covid-19 vaccines. thecanary.co The government has signed deals for 90 million doses of promising coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines, with more in the pipeline.The latest deal is for vaccines being developed by an alliance between the pharmaceutical giants BioNtech and Pfizer as well as the firm Valneva.This is in addition to 100 million doses of a vaccine being developed by Oxford University with AstraZeneca, whose early results are due to be published in the Lancet medical journal on Monday. | @BioNTech_Group, @pfizer and

news.un (2020-07-20). First-ever World Chess Day, helps calm nerves during COVID-19 pandemic. news.un.org With the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a pause for most sport worldwide, the UN has been celebrating a highly-competitive game that you can play safely indoors or online — with the added bonus of helping reduce anxiety, and improving mental health: Monday marks the first ever World Chess Day.

commondreams (2020-07-20). 92 Groups Urge Senate to Protect Health, Rights, and Democracy in COVID-19 Response. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-20). Cancel Government Secrecy: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com ~ | Want a healthy world? End secrecy for the powerful, break up all media and fully democratize it, and decriminalize psychedelics. Stop interfering in people's ability to clearly see what's going on in their world, in their nation and in themselves, and a healthy system will naturally arise. | ~ | The amount of power you have over other people should have an exactly inverse relationship to your right to privacy. The more power you have, the less secrecy you should be entitled to. Once your power reaches governmental level or its corporate/financial/political/media equivalent, that secrecy should be zero. | How…

Claire Edwards (2020-07-20). Electromagnetic Radiation: What Is the Real 5G Agenda and Why the Frantic Hurry to Deploy It? globalresearch.ca This interview of an ex United Nations Editor brings much needed clarity to cut through the propaganda, and the deceit, especially in relation to the increasing health problems and their effects on living organisms — people. | *** | There has always …

news.un (2020-07-20). WHO concerned about COVID-19 impact on indigenous people in the Americas. news.un.org With the Americas still the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on the region's indigenous people is of deep concern, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

Lindsay Koshgarian (2020-07-20). Americans Overwhelmingly Support Cutting the Pentagon to Support Our Real Needs. commondreams.org The Pentagon budget is more than 100 times the budget of the Centers for Disease Control. (Photo by NurPhoto/Corbis via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

WSWS (2020-07-20). Workers disproportionately affected by coronavirus pandemic in Germany. wsws.org The disease particularly affects workers who do not have the opportunity to remain at home and maintain social distancing.

_____ (2020-07-20). With US Support, Taiwan Planted Deception About Warning WHO Of COVID19. popularresistance.org The Taiwanese government has claimed that it provided early warning to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the end of December about the novel coronavirus and the risk of human-to-human transmission but was ignored due to pressure from China. This claim has been paraded by Taiwanese authorities and the Donald Trump administration in order to slam the WHO as beholden to Chinese interests and advance the cause of Taiwanese separatism, pushing for Taiwan to be granted membership to the WHO independent of China. | However, there is no evidence any such warning was ever issued by Taiwan to the WHO. The confidential…

teleSUR, ce (2020-07-20). President Daniel Ortega: Savage Capitalism is the Worst Epidemic. telesurenglish.net Commander of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and Vice President Rosario Murillo addressed the nation in a special act at Managua's Plaza de la Revolución, this Sunday, on the 41st anniversary of the Triumph of the Sandinista Popular Revolution. | RELATED: | Much of the President's discourse was focused on Nicaragua's achievements in the area of public hea…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Malaysia considers making face masks compulsory in public. yenisafak.com Malaysia is considering making face masks compulsory in public following the emergence of 13 new coronavirus clusters since the government relaxed broad curbs on movement and businesses last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday.Malaysian health authorities recorded 21 new coronavirus cases on Monday, lifting the total since the outbreak began to 8,800 cases and 123 deaths.Monday's was the second straight daily double-digit rise in infections, after Malaysia managed to broadly hold daily growth to single digits since the lockdown was eased on June 10. The number of positive cases climbed by 15 on…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Rwanda: '200,000 received welfare aid during lockdown'. yenisafak.com About 200,000 Rwandans in the capital Kigali received government welfare support during the coronavirus lockdown, an official said Monday. | "The beneficiaries consisted of about 2,000 vulnerable families. The welfare support included basic necessities such as assorted foodstuffs and sanitary items," local government minister Anastase Shyaka told a news conference. | The virus broke out in Rwanda in March, and to date the number of infections registered is 1,582, including five deaths and 834 recoveries, according to its Health Ministry. | Shyaka attributed the progress in fighting COVID-19 to good governance and…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Saudi stock falls by 2.08% as king hospitalized. yenisafak.com Early on Monday, the Saudi Royal Court announced that King Salman will undergo medical examinations, but without giving further details about the monarch's health conditions.Monday's trading was affected negatively, amid a collective decline of most sectors, including energy, transport and banking.Aramco dropped by 0.9%, SABIC, the region's largest petrochemical company, fell by 1.7%, while Al-Ahly, the kingdom's largest bank dropped by 0.8% and Al-Rajhi Bank by 1.2%.

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Saudi Arabia records more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases. yenisafak.com Over 2,400 people were diagnosed Monday with the novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, according to the Health Ministry.Officials said 2,429 more infections were registered in the last 24 hours and that the total number of cases climbed to 253,349.The death toll from the virus reached 2,523, with 37 additional fatalities, while a total of 203,259 patients have recovered so far.COVID-19 has claimed nearly 607,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since it originated in China last December.Over 14.5 million COVID-19 cases have been reported globally, with recoveries exceeding 8.1 million, according to figures compile…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). I woke up to world with no smell, says COVID-19 patient. yenisafak.com A Turkish doctor, who has recovered from the novel coronavirus, said he woke up to a world with no smell one day, recalling his days of fighting the disease caused by the virus."I woke up one morning and said, 'The world has no smell'. It has been around two months since I recovered from the infection, however, almost all details of the world still have no smell for me," Ugur Duman, a doctor at Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital in northwestern Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.Duman, 44, said there is just small recovery in his sense of smell which is not up to the desired level.He said that the sympt…

sputniknews (2020-07-20). Twitter Eviscerates Trump's Hypocrisy After 'Patriotic' Pro-Mask Tweet. sputniknews.com Twitter users chewed out US President Donald Trump on Monday for a post claiming wearing a face mask is "patriotic" after months of slamming the sanitary precaution, which health officials say can stem the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Trump's poll numbers are falling, and COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Home-made 'Remdesivir' to enter market next week: Minister. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said that the home-made 'Remdesivir' will enter the Iranian pharmaceutical market next week.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Iran records 2,414 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,414 people and claimed 217 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Inside COVID-19 ward for children in Tehran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — Mofid Children's Hospital, northern Tehran, has converted part of its wards into a treatment unit for kids with COVID-19 disease.

The Canary (2020-07-20). UK government admits Test and Trace programme 'breaks data protection law'. thecanary.co The government has admitted that England's coronavirus (Covid-19) Test and Trace programme has broken a data protection law, according to a letter sent to privacy campaigners. | The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) acknowledged it had failed to carry out a risk assessment on how the system would affect privacy. | It follows the threat of legal action from the Open Rights Group (ORG), which claims that the programme to trace contacts of those infected with Covid-19 has been operating unlawfully since its launch on 28 May. | Government admits Test and Trace unlawful after ORG legal challenge | YOUR donat…

The Canary (2020-07-20). Trial suggests coronavirus drug prevents 79% of cases from progressing. thecanary.co Trials of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment found hospital patients who took the drug had a 79% lower risk of developing severe disease. | Pharmaceutical company Synairgen has developed the drug, currently called SNG001. It is a special formulation of the anti-viral protein interferon beta. Patients inhale the drug directly into the lungs. | Previous studies involving asthmatic patients have shown they generally tolerate the drug well. It enhances the lungs' anti-viral defences and improves lung function during cold or flu infection. | More than twice as likely to recover: | In the current trial, eac…

yenisafak (2020-07-19). YPG/PKK terror group detains dozens of civilians in Syria. yenisafak.com Through raiding populated areas, the terrorist group YPG/PKK has taken dozens of civilians in eastern Syria, locals told Anadolu Agency.In the Deir Ez-Zor province, after locals protested the terrorist YPG/PKK's oppression, the group barricaded some settlements so no one could enter or leave.It then took dozens of civilians to the Omar oil field, claiming these people were "terrorists."Through three successful anti-terror operations since 2016 in northern Syria, Turkey has liberated areas near its border from YPG/PKK terrorists, but in other areas of Syria, terrorists continue to plague locals.Deir ez-Zor, east o…

RT (2020-07-19). Florida officials admit counting MOTORCYCLE death as Covid-19 fatality, remove it from list after media scrutiny. rt.com Officials in Orange County, Florida have confirmed that a motor accident death was initially included into the coronavirus death toll. It was later struck off the list, but not until authorities were challenged by the media. | Florida Department of Health in Orange County announced on Saturday that it no longer counts the death of a man aged in his 20s in a motorcycle accident as a coronavirus fatality. | The case "was reviewed and he was taken off the list for Covid fatalities," Kent Donahue, spokesman for Orange County Health Officer Dr Raul Pino, told Fox35, which initially broke the story after perusing li…

RT (2020-07-19). Britain's charges of hacking & meddling 'make no sense' but Russia is ready to turn the page & work with UK — ambassador. rt.com Russia has a deal to produce the British vaccine against Covid-19 and is eager to work with any party in power in the country, Andrey Kelin, Russian Ambassador to the UK, told the BBC, rebuffing fresh accusations by London. | "I don't believe in this story at all. There's no sense in it," Kelin said, in an

Robert Reich (2020-07-19). Trump Rush to Reopen America Is Causing a Covid Resurgence. commondreams.org "In the biggest public health emergency in US history, in which nearly 136,000 have already lost their lives, still no one is in charge," writes Robert Reich. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-07-19). Trump's withdrawal from WHO is a cover-up for his abject failure on COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org The WHO, warts and all, still stands for global cooperation and fostering public health policies, and is the only instrument we have for global coordination. It is hated by the right-wing precisely for these reasons.

teleSUR (2020-07-19). COVID-19 Cases Top 14 Million Worldwide. telesurenglish.net For a second day in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with 259,848 new infections in the last 24 hours. | RELATED: | The WHO confirmed Sunday a total of 14,007,791 COVID-19 cases, and 597,105 deaths worldwide. The biggest increase in cases came from countries like the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa. | The United States reported the larg…

2020-07-20: News Headlines

Loretta Graceffo (2020-07-20). Community peacemakers in Chicago offer a proven alternative to policing. zcomm.org As calls to defund police grow, peacemakers on the frontlines of Chicago's gun violence epidemic have dramatically reduced homicides and shootings…

_____ (2020-07-20). The UK and U.S. Are Starting a New Cold War With Russia and China, So What Are These Governments Trying to Hide? strategic-culture.org Patrick COCKBURN | The new Cold War launched by the West against China and Russia is escalating by the day. In a single week, the Kremlin has been unmasked trying to discover the secrets of Britain's pursuit of a vaccine against coronavirus and revelations are promised about covert Russian interference in British politics. Boris Johnson made a U-turn on Huawei, announcing that it is to be kicked out of participation in the 5G network because it poses a threat to British security, though a curiously slow-burning one since they will only be evicted over seven years. | The US may put the widely-used Chinese video ap…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-07-20). Teachers Sue Florida Governor for Order to Reopen Schools in Defiance of 'Basic Human Needs for Health and Safety'. commondreams.org The state's "push to physically reopen schools full time without any precautions or new resources, and, most importantly, amid a skyrocketing Covid-19 surge, ignores science, safety, and basic humanity." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

David Swanson (2020-07-20). Be Kind to Those Offended By It. counterpunch.org "Good Morning! Would you mind staying a safe distance away?" "Hi! Nice mask! Could you please wear it on your face instead of your chin?" Helping people reduce the risk of spreading a deadly disease requires being willing to offend them. And as they long for a return to normalcy, you should be preparing to

Ajit Singh (2020-07-20). With U.S. support, Taiwan planted deception about warning World Health Org of COVID. mronline.org Taiwan's claim that it provided early warning to the WHO about COVID and "human-to human-transmission" has been exploited by the Trump administration to attack the multi-lateral body and turn up the heat on China. There's just one problem: it's totally false.

The Canary (2020-07-20). Chief nurse confirms she was 'dropped' from briefing during Cummings lockdown travel scandal. thecanary.co Chief nursing officer Ruth May has confirmed she was dropped from a Number 10 press briefing during the lockdown travel storm surrounding Dominic Cummings.She had been due to appear alongside health secretary Matt Hancock on 1 June, but was cut when she felt unable to defend the prime minister's chief adviser, according to the Independent.Ministers had previously denied that May was blocked from taking questions because she refused to defend Cummings after he moved his family 260 miles from London to Durham to stay on his parents' farm while strict travel restrictions were in place during the lockdown. | But spea…

The Canary (2020-07-20). UK Government signs deal for 90 million doses of potential Covid-19 vaccines. thecanary.co The government has signed deals for 90 million doses of promising coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines, with more in the pipeline.The latest deal is for vaccines being developed by an alliance between the pharmaceutical giants BioNtech and Pfizer as well as the firm Valneva.This is in addition to 100 million doses of a vaccine being developed by Oxford University with AstraZeneca, whose early results are due to be published in the Lancet medical journal on Monday. | @BioNTech_Group, @pfizer and

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-20). Cancel Government Secrecy: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com ~ | Want a healthy world? End secrecy for the powerful, break up all media and fully democratize it, and decriminalize psychedelics. Stop interfering in people's ability to clearly see what's going on in their world, in their nation and in themselves, and a healthy system will naturally arise. | ~ | The amount of power you have over other people should have an exactly inverse relationship to your right to privacy. The more power you have, the less secrecy you should be entitled to. Once your power reaches governmental level or its corporate/financial/political/media equivalent, that secrecy should be zero. | How…

Claire Edwards (2020-07-20). Electromagnetic Radiation: What Is the Real 5G Agenda and Why the Frantic Hurry to Deploy It? globalresearch.ca This interview of an ex United Nations Editor brings much needed clarity to cut through the propaganda, and the deceit, especially in relation to the increasing health problems and their effects on living organisms — people. | *** | There has always …

commondreams (2020-07-20). 92 Groups Urge Senate to Protect Health, Rights, and Democracy in COVID-19 Response. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-07-20). Workers disproportionately affected by coronavirus pandemic in Germany. wsws.org The disease particularly affects workers who do not have the opportunity to remain at home and maintain social distancing.

Lindsay Koshgarian (2020-07-20). Americans Overwhelmingly Support Cutting the Pentagon to Support Our Real Needs. commondreams.org The Pentagon budget is more than 100 times the budget of the Centers for Disease Control. (Photo by NurPhoto/Corbis via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

_____ (2020-07-20). With US Support, Taiwan Planted Deception About Warning WHO Of COVID19. popularresistance.org The Taiwanese government has claimed that it provided early warning to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the end of December about the novel coronavirus and the risk of human-to-human transmission but was ignored due to pressure from China. This claim has been paraded by Taiwanese authorities and the Donald Trump administration in order to slam the WHO as beholden to Chinese interests and advance the cause of Taiwanese separatism, pushing for Taiwan to be granted membership to the WHO independent of China. | However, there is no evidence any such warning was ever issued by Taiwan to the WHO. The confidential…

teleSUR, ce (2020-07-20). President Daniel Ortega: Savage Capitalism is the Worst Epidemic. telesurenglish.net Commander of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and Vice President Rosario Murillo addressed the nation in a special act at Managua's Plaza de la Revolución, this Sunday, on the 41st anniversary of the Triumph of the Sandinista Popular Revolution. | RELATED: | Much of the President's discourse was focused on Nicaragua's achievements in the area of public hea…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Malaysia considers making face masks compulsory in public. yenisafak.com Malaysia is considering making face masks compulsory in public following the emergence of 13 new coronavirus clusters since the government relaxed broad curbs on movement and businesses last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday.Malaysian health authorities recorded 21 new coronavirus cases on Monday, lifting the total since the outbreak began to 8,800 cases and 123 deaths.Monday's was the second straight daily double-digit rise in infections, after Malaysia managed to broadly hold daily growth to single digits since the lockdown was eased on June 10. The number of positive cases climbed by 15 on…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Saudi stock falls by 2.08% as king hospitalized. yenisafak.com Early on Monday, the Saudi Royal Court announced that King Salman will undergo medical examinations, but without giving further details about the monarch's health conditions.Monday's trading was affected negatively, amid a collective decline of most sectors, including energy, transport and banking.Aramco dropped by 0.9%, SABIC, the region's largest petrochemical company, fell by 1.7%, while Al-Ahly, the kingdom's largest bank dropped by 0.8% and Al-Rajhi Bank by 1.2%.

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Rwanda: '200,000 received welfare aid during lockdown'. yenisafak.com About 200,000 Rwandans in the capital Kigali received government welfare support during the coronavirus lockdown, an official said Monday. | "The beneficiaries consisted of about 2,000 vulnerable families. The welfare support included basic necessities such as assorted foodstuffs and sanitary items," local government minister Anastase Shyaka told a news conference. | The virus broke out in Rwanda in March, and to date the number of infections registered is 1,582, including five deaths and 834 recoveries, according to its Health Ministry. | Shyaka attributed the progress in fighting COVID-19 to good governance and…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Saudi Arabia records more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases. yenisafak.com Over 2,400 people were diagnosed Monday with the novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, according to the Health Ministry.Officials said 2,429 more infections were registered in the last 24 hours and that the total number of cases climbed to 253,349.The death toll from the virus reached 2,523, with 37 additional fatalities, while a total of 203,259 patients have recovered so far.COVID-19 has claimed nearly 607,000 lives in 188 countries and regions since it originated in China last December.Over 14.5 million COVID-19 cases have been reported globally, with recoveries exceeding 8.1 million, according to figures compile…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). I woke up to world with no smell, says COVID-19 patient. yenisafak.com A Turkish doctor, who has recovered from the novel coronavirus, said he woke up to a world with no smell one day, recalling his days of fighting the disease caused by the virus."I woke up one morning and said, 'The world has no smell'. It has been around two months since I recovered from the infection, however, almost all details of the world still have no smell for me," Ugur Duman, a doctor at Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital in northwestern Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.Duman, 44, said there is just small recovery in his sense of smell which is not up to the desired level.He said that the sympt…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Iran records 2,414 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,414 people and claimed 217 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Home-made 'Remdesivir' to enter market next week: Minister. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — Iranian Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki said that the home-made 'Remdesivir' will enter the Iranian pharmaceutical market next week.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-20). Inside COVID-19 ward for children in Tehran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 20 (MNA) — Mofid Children's Hospital, northern Tehran, has converted part of its wards into a treatment unit for kids with COVID-19 disease.

The Canary (2020-07-20). UK government admits Test and Trace programme 'breaks data protection law'. thecanary.co The government has admitted that England's coronavirus (Covid-19) Test and Trace programme has broken a data protection law, according to a letter sent to privacy campaigners. | The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) acknowledged it had failed to carry out a risk assessment on how the system would affect privacy. | It follows the threat of legal action from the Open Rights Group (ORG), which claims that the programme to trace contacts of those infected with Covid-19 has been operating unlawfully since its launch on 28 May. | t.co/TZOO4zGHwj | — Open Rights Group (@OpenRightsGroup)

The Canary (2020-07-20). Trial suggests coronavirus drug prevents 79% of cases from progressing. thecanary.co Trials of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment found hospital patients who took the drug had a 79% lower risk of developing severe disease. | Pharmaceutical company Synairgen has developed the drug, currently called SNG001. It is a special formulation of the anti-viral protein interferon beta. Patients inhale the drug directly into the lungs. | Previous studies involving asthmatic patients have shown they generally tolerate the drug well. It enhances the lungs' anti-viral defences and improves lung function during cold or flu infection. | More than twice as likely to recover: | In the current trial, eac…

Laborfest (2020-07-20). Saturday 7/25: LaborFest 2020 presents: Chile & US Healthcare Workers Under COVID-19 & Capitalist Control. indybay.org This is a free LIVE Zoom based event. You can be anywhere to view and participant. Please visit the LaborFest 2020 website URL to register and to receive a Zoom invitation to the event.

yenisafak (2020-07-19). YPG/PKK terror group detains dozens of civilians in Syria. yenisafak.com Through raiding populated areas, the terrorist group YPG/PKK has taken dozens of civilians in eastern Syria, locals told Anadolu Agency.In the Deir Ez-Zor province, after locals protested the terrorist YPG/PKK's oppression, the group barricaded some settlements so no one could enter or leave.It then took dozens of civilians to the Omar oil field, claiming these people were "terrorists."Through three successful anti-terror operations since 2016 in northern Syria, Turkey has liberated areas near its border from YPG/PKK terrorists, but in other areas of Syria, terrorists continue to plague locals.Deir ez-Zor, east o…

RT (2020-07-19). Florida officials admit counting MOTORCYCLE death as Covid-19 fatality, remove it from list after media scrutiny. rt.com Officials in Orange County, Florida have confirmed that a motor accident death was initially included into the coronavirus death toll. It was later struck off the list, but not until authorities were challenged by the media. | Florida Department of Health in Orange County announced on Saturday that it no longer counts the death of a man aged in his 20s in a motorcycle accident as a coronavirus fatality. | The case "was reviewed and he was taken off the list for Covid fatalities," Kent Donahue, spokesman for Orange County Health Officer Dr Raul Pino, told Fox35, which initially broke the story after perusing li…

RT (2020-07-19). Britain's charges of hacking & meddling 'make no sense' but Russia is ready to turn the page & work with UK — ambassador. rt.com Russia has a deal to produce the British vaccine against Covid-19 and is eager to work with any party in power in the country, Andrey Kelin, Russian Ambassador to the UK, told the BBC, rebuffing fresh accusations by London. | "I don't believe in this story at all. There's no sense in it," Kelin said, in an

Robert Reich (2020-07-19). Trump Rush to Reopen America Is Causing a Covid Resurgence. commondreams.org "In the biggest public health emergency in US history, in which nearly 136,000 have already lost their lives, still no one is in charge," writes Robert Reich. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

teleSUR (2020-07-19). COVID-19 Cases Top 14 Million Worldwide. telesurenglish.net For a second day in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with 259,848 new infections in the last 24 hours. | RELATED: | The WHO confirmed Sunday a total of 14,007,791 COVID-19 cases, and 597,105 deaths worldwide. The biggest increase in cases came from countries like the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa. | The United States reported the larg…

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-07-19). Trump's withdrawal from WHO is a cover-up for his abject failure on COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org The WHO, warts and all, still stands for global cooperation and fostering public health policies, and is the only instrument we have for global coordination. It is hated by the right-wing precisely for these reasons.

Dean Baker (2020-07-19). Prescription drugs & American exceptionalism. zcomm.org It would be a great thing for humanity if a low-priced coronavirus vaccine became the first example of a new prescription drug policy in America.

Dr. Carrie Madej (2020-07-19). "COVID Vaccines" and "Genetically Modified Humans" globalresearch.ca In the following video, Dr. Carrie Madaj questions what "it is to be human". Why? Because the so-called "COVID" vaccines deploy recombinant DNA/RNA technology that "rewrites" the genetic code much as Monsanto, for example, rewrites the genetic code of numerous …

Irwin Redlener (2020-07-19). America Is on Track for $1M Covid Cases a Day and 800K Deaths. zcomm.org Until we have effective and safe medications, a proven vaccine and better testing, our best shot at getting control would be to again close many businesses and activities…

Raul Diego (2020-07-19). Africa to Become Testing Ground for "Trust Stamp" Vaccine Record and Biometric Digital Payment System. globalresearch.ca A new biometric identity platform partnered with the Gates-funded GAVI vaccine alliance and Mastercard will launch in West Africa and combine COVID-19 vaccinations, cashless payments, and potential law enforcement applications. | *** | A biometric digital identity platform that "evolves just as …

teleSUR (2020-07-19). Russia: Coronavirus Vaccine Could Be Distributed Next Month. telesurenglish.net Russia's Direct Investment Fund assured that the second group of 20 volunteers who were part of the clinical trials of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine feel "fine" and the drug could be rolled out to the public as soon as September. | RELATED: | Moscow's Sechenov University Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology director Vadim Tarasov confirmed that all the volunteers are save and are expected to be discharged…

yenisafak (2020-07-19). Pakistan's COVID-19 daily tally continues to drop. yenisafak.com Pakistan's daily coronavirus tally continued to fall, as the country recorded only 1,579 new cases over the past 24 hours, the lowest single-day sum since May, Health Ministry data said Sunday.With the new cases, the total number of infections reached 263,496, with 1,763 of them in critical condition, the data showed.Another 46 patients lost their battle against the disease across the country in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 5,568. Nearly 70% of patients, or 204,276, have recovered so far.Health experts, however, cautioned that a sharp fall in the number of COVID-19 cases could be the result of fe…

yenisafak (2020-07-19). Kuwait says emir, 91, had successful surgery. yenisafak.com Kuwait's emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 91, underwent successful surgery on Sunday, according to the official KUNA news agency.KUNA cited a statement by the country's royal court calling the surgery a "success," but gave no further details.The royal court said Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah "temporarily assumed some of the emir's constitutional duties for the duration of the operation and till the [emir's] health event was over".Last October, Sheikh Sabah, who ruled Kuwait since 2006, conducted "medical checkups" in the US.*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-19). Covid-19 claims 209 lives in past 24 hours in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 19 (MNA) — Iran's Health Ministry spokesperson announced on Sunday that in the past 24 hours the lethal coronavirus has claimed 209 lives in Iran.

Zach Conti (2020-07-19). G20 Finance Ministers Kick COVID Crisis Decisions to Fall. indybay.org Washington DC – Chaired by Saudi Arabia, G20 Finance Ministers met virtually and focused on the global health and economic impacts of the coronavirus. A communiqué issued by the Ministers suggested most decisions on the crisis will be made later in the year.

Alameda Health System SEIU & others (2020-07-19). Monday 7/20: Alameda County Strike for Black Health and Vitality. indybay.org ALAMEDA COUNTY: | Highland Hospital, 1411 E 31st St, Oakland, CA 94602 | Fairmont Hospital, 15400 Foothill Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94578…

RT (2020-07-18). As violent protests grip Portland for weeks, Dems call for an investigation of 'horrific' tactics by federal law enforcement. rt.com With Portland plagued by weeks of violent protests, including attacks on police, Oregon's leaders are demanding an investigation into federal officers who they branded an "occupying" force assaulting "peaceful protesters." | Four Democratic lawmakers from the state — US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as US House members Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici — called for the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to probe the "violent actions of federal forces in Portland" on Friday. | Like Mayor Ted Wheeler, who said on Tuesday that his biggest wo…

_____ (2020-07-18). Bolivians Take To The Streets Against The Añez Government. popularresistance.org Bolivia's Workers Central (COB) Tuesday called for tens of thousands of people to hold a mass protest in several cities against the coup-born regime led by Jeanine Añez. | "The Bolivian people, the Indigenous groups, and educational organizations raised their voice of protest today," the COB Secretary-General Juan Carlos Huarachi said in La Paz. | One of the demonstrators' main calls is the definitive confirmation of the general elections for September 6. | "We ask for a democratically elected government that resolves the country's economic and health crisis caused by COVID-19," Huarachi added, adding that citize…

Richard Horton (2020-07-18). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19 and the dangers of Sinophobia. thelancet.com One of the most productive experiences editors at The Lancet have had during the past 6 months has been the intense collaborations with medical and public health scientists in mainland China and Hong Kong. Cooperation began early in the pandemic. During the last week of January, The Lancet published five research papers from mainland China and Hong Kong describing the clinical presentation of patients with COVID-19, human-to-human transmission, genomic relatedness to the SARS coronavirus, and the risks of a global pandemic.

Harry Rutter, Richard Horton, Theresa M Marteau (2020-07-18). [Comment] The Lancet—Chatham House Commission on improving population health post COVID-19. thelancet.com The health of populations across the planet is in a perilous state during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 550‚Äà000 deaths worldwide as of July 10, 2020.1 The disease burden is falling mainly on the most disadvantaged groups worldwide and there are major impacts on health systems across high, middle, and low-income countries. In parallel with these direct health impacts, the economic effects of lockdowns are leading to an unprecedented global recession which will have ramifications well into the future.

Robbie Goldstein (2020-07-18). We Need Healthcare Professionals in Washington to Fight Back Against a Reckless President. commondreams.org Members of National Nurses United, the largest nurses union in the United States, protest in front of the White House April 21, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Yoshiko Iwai, Zahra H Khan, Sayantani DasGupta (2020-07-18). [Perspectives] Abolition medicine. thelancet.com Who do you serve, who do you protect? Doctors and nurses are not soldiers. Antibiotics are not bombs, hospitals are not the front lines, hard-working medical trainees are not "gunners", and neither disease nor patients are "the enemy". Militarised language valorises aggression and violence in medical training and the clinical encounter while obfuscating the loyalties of health workers who serve and protect individuals and communities in need.

Ann Danaiya Usher (2020-07-18). [World Report] New funds proposed to prevent pandemics. thelancet.com A new fund to prevent future pandemics has been proposed by the US Senate, and another by the World Bank. But some global health leaders have criticised the plans. Ann Danaiya Usher reports.

Antoine Dugast, Nathan Judais, Faith Nganyi, Huangjin Zhang (2020-07-18). [Correspondence] Tackling corruption in global health. thelancet.com The fight against corruption, which is defined by the global anti-corruption body, Transparency International, as "an abuse of entrusted power for private gain", is a transversal theme of the Sustainable Development Goals that the UN member states aim to achieve by 2030. The health sector is highly affected by corruption, for reasons including the increasing demand for health services, the amount of public money spent on these services, and the consider ≠able scale and complexity of this sector, which has led to information asymmetry and entry barriers to accessing health care.

Lyudmila Nepomnyashchiy, Bernice Dahn, Rachel Saykpah, Mallika Raghavan (2020-07-18). [Comment] COVID-19: Africa needs unprecedented attention to strengthen community health systems. thelancet.com As the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Liberia, in March, 2020, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,1 among others,2 highlighted the need to adopt lessons learned from the response to the 2014—16 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in west Africa. Ebola claimed about 11‚Äà300 lives in 21 months across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.3 Comparisons to Ebola benefit from remembering the key differences between the two viruses. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a respiratory virus and is infectious among asymptomatic carriers.