Daily Archives: August 29, 2020

2020-08-29: News Headlines

Binoy Kampmark (2020-08-29). Waiting for the Old Bailey: Julian Assange and Britain's Judicial Establishment. dissidentvoice.org On September 7, Julian Assange will be facing another round of gruelling extradition proceedings, in the Old Bailey, part of a process that has become a form of gradual state-sanctioned torture. The US Department of Justice hungers for their man. The UK prison authorities are doing little to protect his health. The end result, should …

_____ (2020-08-29). U.S. Sanctions Russian Research Institute That Developed Covid-19 Vaccine. strategic-culture.org The US Commerce Department blacklisted a Russian research institute that helped create the world's first Covid-19 vaccine. | Ben NORTON | Russia won the race to develop the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The United States has responded by slapping sanctions on a Russian research facility involved in creating it. | The US government has blacklisted several Russian scientific institutes, including the Russian Defense Ministry's 48th Central Research Institute, which has worked with other non-military medical centers to develop and test the world's first Covid-19 vaccine. | In the midst of the global c…

news.un (2020-08-29). The key to Viet Nam's successful COVID-19 response : a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org Whilst no country can claim to have beaten COVID-19, some countries have been noticeably more effective in curbing the spread of the disease. Kamal Malhotra, the UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, explains why the country's response to the pandemic has been so successful.

Bradley Allen (2020-08-29). Clean Air and Fire Safety Concerns at Calpella Wood Pellet Plant. indybay.org Activists are demanding transparency from the Air Quality Management District and an investigation by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and Public Health Department regarding the health and environmental hazards attributable to pollution from the Calpella Wood Pellet Plant.

Heinz Bontrup (2020-08-29). Working Hours: A four-day week. indybay.org Reducing working hours is a socio-economic investment that often brings better long-term health and more time sovereignty. A three-day or four-day workweek is the only way to ensure meaningful work to the rising generation. State or public employment is necessary to supplement private employment. Part-time workers should work more while 38-hour workers should work less.

Bjà∏rn Bendz, Lars Aaberge (2020-08-29). [Comment] Acute coronary syndromes in older patients: does older age matter? thelancet.com Ischaemic heart disease is common in people aged 80 years or older, and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this age group worldwide. As this patient group grows, with an increase in life expectancy of up to 10 years or more, the absolute prevalence of cardiovascular disease is expected to increase.1 According to present guidelines, medical optimisation followed by an invasive strategy—including coronary angiography and subsequent revascularisation with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft—is recommended for eligible patients with acute coronary syndromes witho…

The Lancet (2020-08-29). [Editorial] Research and higher education in the time of COVID-19. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the research and higher education sectors to the forefront of public attention. Laboratory capacity has been crucial for diagnostic testing; experts in infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, mathematical modelling, and economics are central to national policy making and media coverage; clinical research has been vital to improving COVID-19 management; and our collective global future relies heavily on the development of an effective vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Sima Barmania (2020-08-29). [World Report] Questions over health response to Mauritius oil spill. thelancet.com The government has denied that symptoms are a direct result of oil exposure and experts have criticised the response. Sima Barmania reports.

J Nwando Olayiwola, Esther Choo (2020-08-29). [Perspectives] Seven more things organisations should be doing to combat racism. thelancet.com The previous The Penumbra column outlined seven steps that organisations can take to address racism. In this month's column, we offer additional actions likely to be helpful in creating an anti-racist climate. With these suggestions, we highlight actions that fill obvious gaps in thinking and practice in our health-care environments.

Charlotte Hanlon, Atalay Alem (2020-08-29). [Comment] A leap of faith for more effective mental health care. thelancet.com Traditional and faith healers (TFHs) play an important, but contested, part in the response to mental health problems around the globe. Particularly for severe mental health conditions, such as psychosis, TFHs are often the first contact when help is sought by individuals and families in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa.1 In part, TFHs inhabit this privileged position due to a scarcity of accessible alternatives, but their approach might also be more acceptable to communities because of shared world views about causes of mental ill-health and processes of healing.

Oye Gureje, John Appiah-Poku, Toyin Bello, Lola Kola, Ricardo Araya, Dan Chisholm, Oluyomi Esan, Benjamin Harris, Victor Makanjuola, Caleb Othieno, LeShawndra Price, Soraya Seedat (2020-08-29). [Articles] Effect of collaborative care between traditional and faith healers and primary health-care workers on psychosis outcomes in Nigeria and Ghana (COSIMPO): a cluster randomised controlled trial. thelancet.com A collaborative shared care delivered by TFH and conventional health-care providers for people with psychosis was effective and cost-effective. The model of care offers the prospect of scaling up improved care to this vulnerable population in settings with low resources.

Amy K McLennan, Anne Katrine Kleberg Hansen, Stanley J Ulijaszek (2020-08-29). [Correspondence] Health and medicine cannot solve COVID-19. thelancet.com Richard Horton argues that combination prevention and global health collaboration are required to address the COVID-19 pandemic.1 We agree and suggest this should incorporate further measures. Thinking closely in terms of medical solutions could create false public expectations of a return to normal, and risks closing out non-health interventions that could lead to substantial improvements.

sputniknews (2020-08-29). US President Trump Says Feels Badly About Resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Abe. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US President Donald Trump has expressed regret over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to leave his post due to deteriorating health condition.

Ali Abunimah (2020-08-28). Sadistic Facebook shuts down Gaza health ministry page. zcomm.org Things are difficult enough for Palestinians in Gaza. Facebook must stop contributing to their misery by censoring vital health information.

WSWS (2020-08-28). Julian Assange receives first visitors in six months: "He is in a lot of pain" wsws.org The visit has underscored the brutal conditions in which Assange is imprisoned and has sparked renewed fears that his health is continuing to deteriorate.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-28). Reporters Without Borders petition against Assange's extradition, raise concern over his health. peoplesdispatch.org Reporters Without Borders has called on the British government to respect press freedom and human rights in Assange's trial and not comply with the US extradition request…

Staff (2020-08-28). Headlines for August 28, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Assails Biden's "Socialist Agenda" in RNC Acceptance Speech Riddled With Lies, CDC Projects Official U.S. Death Toll Will Top 200,000 in September, Two Navajo Sisters Who Worked as Frontline Health Workers Die of COVID-19, Alabama Professors Ordered Not to Warn Students of Exposure to Infected Classmates, Hurricane Laura Leaves Path of Devastation in Louisiana, Triggers Chemical Plant Fire, Hurricane Topples Confederate Monument that Lake Charles Officials Refused to Remove, Jacob Blake, Left Paralyzed by Officer's Bullets, Reportedly Handcuffed to Hospital Bed, Teenage Militia Member Charged Over Shooting…

_____ (2020-08-28). Better To Launch Balloons Than Die In Silence. popularresistance.org In recent weeks, the tension between Palestinians in Gaza and Israel's forces of occupation has increased. Israel has used the launching of incendiary balloons by Palestinian youths as a pretext to bomb Gaza once again. | The release of the balloons is a gesture of protest against how the Israeli occupation has procrastinated in abiding by its previous agreements with the Palestinian resistance. Under those agreements, Israel had committed to easing the siege on Gaza. | This procrastination has caused the continued deterioration of Gaza's health and public services and its economy.

Eve Ottenberg (2020-08-28). The COVID Heroism of Cuban Doctors. counterpunch.org With Covid-19 roaring through the U.S., now is a good time to discuss Cuban health care. It's about as different from the American variety as possible. It is not for profit. It is socialized. It does not first resort to expensive medical technology. Its doctors live among the people, like in Haiti after the earthquake,

Eds. (2020-08-28). 'What stage of capitalism is this?' Hedge fund $3 billion richer thanks to wager on wildfire insurance claims. mronline.org With over 100,000 people displaced by wildfires raging across California, Baupost Group collected more than $3 billion in July after betting on insurance claims against embattled utility company PG&E.

RT (2020-08-28). German court reverses ban on Berlin anti-lockdown demo, as 'far-right' smears against protesters continue. rt.com A massive planned demonstration against coronavirus lockdowns and social control measures planned for Saturday in Berlin is back on, after a German court overturned an earlier ban, arguing it lacked valid legal grounds. | The Berlin Administrative Court has ruled Saturday's Assembly for Freedom protest, expected to draw upwards of 30,000 participants, can go forward as planned, arguing that the government's stated rationale for the ban — an imminent threat to public health and safety — was baseless. The decision, handed down on Friday, is being appealed by Berlin police. | March organizer Michael Bal…

Global Research News (2020-08-28). Selected Articles: The Imposition of Compulsory Vaccination with a Biometric Health Passport? globalresearch.ca By [The government's anti-COVID19 measures] are grotesque, absurd and very dangerous […] The consequences on medical care are profound. Already services to patients in need are reduced, operations cancelled, …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-28). Mandating Mass Compulsory Covid Vaccine Violates the Nuremberg Code? Hazardous Health Toxins. globalresearch.ca If ordered by federal, state, or local authorities, businesses or other entities in the US or elsewhere, mandating mass-vaxxing against COVID-19 will violate the Nuremberg Code. | All vaccines contain hazardous to human health toxins and are unsafe to use — …

WSWS (2020-08-28). Trump administration sabotages COVID-19 testing. wsws.org The change in CDC testing guidelines pushed through by the White House will fuel the further spread of the pandemic throughout workplaces, homes and communities, killing untold numbers.

Anita McKone (2020-08-28). Questioning COVID19: Why I Will Never Trust the Medical Establishment About Respiratory Disease. A Case History. globalresearch.ca If you are interested in finding out the truth about the Covid19 scare, you can look for information in many areas. Understanding the corporate (profit-driven) and petrochemical-based history of the medical establishment helps. Being aware of the lack of scientific …

news.un (2020-08-28). UNICEF: Time is of the essence, as water shortages compound desperate situation in Beirut. news.un.org Risk of water-borne diseases is rising in Beirut, in the aftermath of the devastating explosion in early August, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned, calling for urgent action to ensure families and responders have access to safe water and sanitation.

Chuck Collins (2020-08-28). It Is Time for a One-Time Pandemic Wealth Tax on Billionaires' Windfall Gains. zcomm.org The 500 or so U.S. billionaires should make an extra contribution to the public health and economic needs of a country in crisis…

WSWS (2020-08-28). Full transparency on COVID-19! Hands off Florida educators! Close schools now! wsws.org The Florida Department of Health issued a mandate Tuesday censoring COVID-19 data within Duval public schools while state officials threatened the jobs of educators who oppose the deadly school openings.

Various Contributors (2020-08-28). We cannot be silent in the face of Trump's dangerous lies. zcomm.org Rev. Barber, clergy of various faiths called out the lies of the Trump administration on issues including the economy, voting, health care and race during a news conference in Charlotte on Thursday, the last day of the Republican National Convention…

Dr. T. P. Wilkinson (2020-08-28). Confess to COVID: Just Short of Witch Burning. There Was a Covid "Vaccine" Before the Pathogen… globalresearch.ca Despite the lamentations and orders from Geneva or the local capitals of Capital, I refuse to believe that COVID-19 or the putative pathogens are a principal challenge to humanity— except for those using these viruses for policing and/ or culling …

Concerned Citizen (2020-08-28). CHP and Golden Gate Bridge Police Violate Mask Use Ordinance at Protest. indybay.org On August 21, employees of the California Highway Patrol and Golden Gate Bridge were observed to be in violation of the San Francisco ordinance for mask use. They were confronting younger and healthier protesters who took precautions and were all masked up. A registered nurse who was present addressed the issue in a letter to the CHP and GGBP.

_____ (2020-08-28). Racialized Austerity: The Case Of CUNY. popularresistance.org In the aftermath of the covid outbreak and in a moment of Black Lives Matter national organizing in response to police brutality the issue of racial justice has lit up cities and towns across the country. Racist policing practices have had a huge impact on public opinion, with polling data showing that even more white suburban voters favor policy reforms. The shift has been public, sudden, and potentially electorally-decisive during this political season. | What remains less visible are racialized and racist choices to deepen state disinvestment in institutions critical to the health and welfare of Black and brow…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-28). Japan PM Abe officially announced resignation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 28 (MNA) — Citing health issues, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has officially announced his resignation in a press conference on Friday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-28). Holding mourning ceremonies near martyrs' tomb. en.mehrnews.com QOM, Aug. 28 (MNA) — Since the beginning of the Muharram, martyrs' graveyard in the city of Qom hosts mourners of Imam Hossein (PBUH) who carry out ceremonies by observing required health protocols.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-28). Cholesterol drug combinations could cut health risk for European patients. imperial.ac.uk More patients could benefit from combinations of cholesterol-lowering drugs to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attacks.

sputniknews (2020-08-28). UK Study Shows Only Six Children Have Died Of Covid-19 — And All Had Serious Health Problems Already. sputniknews.com The new research may reassure worried parents but also anger education unions who have raised concerns over all pupils returning to school.

sputniknews (2020-08-28). Russian FM: US Sanctions on Institute Working on COVID Vaccine Aimed at Promoting Their Own Pharma. sputniknews.com On Wednesday, the US slapped sanctions on five Russian institutes, accusing them of developing chemical and biological weapons. The restrictions were specifically imposed on a research institute of the Russian Defence Ministry that developed the first COVID-19 vaccine together with the Gamaleya Institute.

Staff (2020-08-28). White House Official Spurns COVID Prevention: "Everybody Is Going to Catch This" truthout.org Around 1,500 of the president's supporters gathered on the South Lawn of the White House Thursday evening to hear Donald Trump formally accept the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention (RNC). | Before and during the speech, one thing was quite noticeable: In spite of guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Staff (2020-08-28). Trump Touts Stock Market Gains That Benefit the Wealthy as Americans Suffer. truthout.org It is always curious when the health of the economy is equated with the stock market, as President Trump did when

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Saudi Arabia reports over 1,000 more virus cases. yenisafak.com Saudi Arabia reported over 1,000 more coronavirus cases on Friday.According to the Health Ministry, 1,069 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the overall count to 312,924.At least 28 more fatalities move the death toll up to 3,813, while the number of recoveries stands at 287,403.The pandemic has claimed more than 832,400 lives in 188 countries and regions since last December.Almost 24.5 million cases have been reported globally, with recoveries exceeding 16 million, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins University.* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Indonesia sees highest single-day spike COVID-19 cases. yenisafak.com Indonesia on Friday confirmed 3,003 new cases of the novel coronavirus, the highest daily rise so far, raising the nationwide tally to 165,887.The Ministry of Health reported that the number of recoveries rose by 2,325 for a total of 120,900.A further 105 fatalities were recorded in the archipelago country, bringing the death toll to 7,169.The ministry also announced that more than 33,000 tests for the virus had been administered in the last 24 hours.Health professionals have conducted at least 2.1 million tests since the first case was reported in early March.The capital Jakarta reported the highest daily surge…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Spanish police arrest pandemic-denier for inciting hatred. yenisafak.com Spanish police said on Friday they had arrested a man near the northeastern city of Zaragoza, who believed the coronavirus pandemic to be a hoax, for inciting hatred and violence across several anonymous social-media profiles.The 38-year-old, who claimed that health professionals and the media were behind what he called the "COVID farce", urged his followers to attack politicians and journalists, police said."All this would be solved with a shot to the back of (Spanish Prime Minister) Pedro Sanchez's head," he wrote on one of his accounts.In other posts he said the headquarters of Spain's doctors' union should be…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Top Turkish diplomat regrets Japan PM's resignation. yenisafak.com The Turkish foreign minister on Friday expressed sorrow at the resignation of the Japanese prime minister due to health issues.In a Twitter post, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Shinzo Abe made a great contribution in the sense of improving diplomatic ties between Turkey and Japan.Cavusoglu thanked Abe for his efforts in this regard and wished him recovery.Earlier, the 65-year-old Japanese premier announced his resignation due to health concerns, saying: "I have decided to step down as prime minister as poor health should not lead to wrong political decision."The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold a poll of se…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Japan's Shinzo Abe: 'Tired not retired'. yenisafak.com The motto "politics demands producing results" has been the hallmark of top Japanese politician Shinzo Abe until he announced his resignation from the office of prime minister on Friday. "I have decided to step down as prime minister as poor health should not lead to wrong political decisions," said Abe, who has led the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as the country's longest-serving premier, besting the previous record of 2,798 days held by his great uncle, Eisaku Sato (1901-1975).He added: "I will continue [my political work] and will run [for parliament] in the next elections."Abe, also Japan's youngest prime m…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Turkish aid agency sends medical aid to Afghanistan. yenisafak.com A Turkish aid agency Friday sent medical aid to Afghanistan to help the country fight COVID-19.The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency's (TIKA) Afghanistan office in Kabul facilitated the process.The two countries have strong historical, cultural and religious ties, and Turkey has always stood with Afghanistan, said Afghanistan's Deputy Health Minister Abdul Kadir in a statement. Kadir thanked Turkey for its contributions to Afghanistan's development.As part of the fight against COVID-19, the agency delivered to Afghanistan's Health Ministry the second batch of aid as well, said Zuhtu Cal, TIKA's coordina…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Foreign missions condemn rights abuses in Zimbabwe. yenisafak.com In a joint statement issued Friday, the envoys urged Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to walk the talk, after pledging two years ago to work with all citizens."It is in this spirit that the Heads of Mission express their deep concern with the current political, economic, social, and health crisis that most Zimbabweans are facing today."The Heads of Mission stand by the people of Zimbabwe in their desire for a peaceful and prosperous democracy," the joint statement read.The mission heads noted that the government was criticizing almost everyone including the Catholic Bishops for raising their voices against h…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-27). COVID-19 Coronavirus: The Crisis. "You Simulate and Then You Go Live" globalresearch.ca On January 30th 2020, the WHO Director General declared a Public Health Emergency (PHEIC) in relation to China's novel coronavirus. This far-reaching decision was taken without the support of expert opinion. There were 150 confirmed cases outside China, when the decision was taken. 6 in the US, 3 in Canada, 2 in the UK, etc.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-27). Global Capitalism, "World Government" and the Corona Crisis. globalresearch.ca The COVID-19 crisis is marked by a public health "emergency" under WHO auspices which is being used as a pretext and a justification to triggering a Worldwide process of economic, social and political restructuring.

Staff (2020-08-27). Headlines for August 27, 2020. democracynow.org Hurricane Laura Hits Louisiana with 150 MPH Winds, "Unsurvivable" 20-Foot Storm Surge, Mike Pence Tells Republican National Convention, "We Will Have Law and Order", Kenosha Police Officer Who Shot Jacob Blake ID'd as Rusten Sheskey, 17-Year-Old Trump-Supporting Militia Member Charged with Murdering 2 Protesters, NBA, WNBA, MLS and MLB Games Postponed as Players Protest Police Shootings, Trump Administration Officials Pressured CDC to Weaken Coronavirus Guidelines , Coronavirus Cases Hit Record High in Burma; Doctors Strike in South Korea Amid Outbreaks, Just Two States Are Distributing Trump's Promised Unemploym…

news.un (2020-08-27). 'Widespread' COVID-19 transmission, limited testing, deepen Syria's humanitarian woes. news.un.org COVID-19 is having a dramatic impact on health services in Syria, where limited testing is obscuring the real extent of the pandemic, the UN's Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Thursday.