(2020-10-14). 55 Million People Face Famine as COVID-Ravaged Economies Fail To Meet Funding Goals. mintpressnews.com Nations the world over have scrambled to take emergency action in the wake of COVID-19, as businesses have been disrupted, supply lines cut and economies stunted, leaving foreign aid programs underfunded and millions without food.
(2020-10-14). Can Trump Delay Election or Reject Peaceful Transition of Power? Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Say. democracynow.org 
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced 11 hours of questioning in the Senate Tuesday but refused to provide clarity about her views on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, voting rights and even if President Trump could delay the election. Republicans are racing to confirm the 48-year-old federal judge before Election Day, which would give conservatives a commanding 6-3 majority on the high court. We air highlights from the marathon session.
(2020-10-14). Thousands displaced by fighting in southern Afghanistan. news.un.org Thousands of people have been displaced and critical health services interrupted, after fighting erupted last weekend between security forces and Taliban fighters in the southern Afghan province of Helmand, the UN humanitarian office has reported.
(2020-10-14). This is what the sixth mass extinction looks like. And here's why you should care. therealnews.com 
Unhealthy ecosystems jeopardize our ability to meet our most basic needs: Water, food, medicine, clean air. There is no one on the planet this doesn't impact. And loss of biodiversity hurts the poorest the most.
(2020-10-14). The Heat: China's response to COVID-19. america.cgtn.com 
China has made extraordinary progress in battling COVID-19 since the first major outbreak in Wuhan earlier this year. While the disease is largely contained in China, the country is now responding to a minor outbreak in the city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province. …
(2020-10-14). Idaho university threatens expulsion for students who DELIBERATELY contract coronavirus to sell plasma with antibodies. rt.com 
Idaho's Brigham Young University has urged students to refrain from purposely infecting themselves with the coronavirus in hopes of cashing in on payments for plasma donations, threatening expulsion for those caught doing so. | "BYU-Idaho is deeply troubled by accounts of individuals who have intentionally exposed themselves for others to Covid-19, with the hope of getting the disease and being paid for plasma that contains Covid-19 antibodies," the school said in a recent The university condemns this behavior and is active…
(2020-10-14). Facebook Bans Ads Questioning Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines. globalresearch.ca Mark Zuckerberg has clearly had enough of being hauled in front of Congress and hectored by a gang of senior citizens and listening to the head of the ACLU slam his company as a vessel for violent hate speech. Because …
(2020-10-14). Face Masks Pose Serious Risks to the Healthy. globalresearch.ca First published by GR on May 26, 2020 | "By wearing a mask, the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the brain." — Russell Blaylock, …
(2020-10-14). Open Letter from Medical Doctors and Health Professionals to All Belgian Authorities and All Belgian Media. globalresearch.ca We, Belgian doctors and health professionals, wish to express our serious concern about the evolution of the situation in the recent months surrounding the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We call on politicians to be independently and critically informed in …
(2020-10-14). COVID-19 Vaccine Partnership with AstraZeneca: A Threat to Public Health. globalresearch.ca A Reuters This is despite the vaccine not only not having passed clinical trials or having …
(2020-10-14). Healthcare Workers Endorse Brown, Hill and Kumar for Santa Cruz City Council. indybay.org The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) has endorsed Sandy Brown, Kelsey Hill, and Kayla Kumar for Santa Cruz City Council in the November 2020 election. Additionally, NUHW has endorsed John Leopold for Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, District 1.
(2020-10-14). Green Infrastructure Bringing Nature Education, Stormwater Management to Church and School. indybay.org San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and Greenprint Partners recently announced the approval of two green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) grants for Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and St. Thomas More School. The $2.69 investment will manage 2.2 million gallons of stormwater annually. Nature-based GSI will enhance the local community by delivering environmental, health, and economic benefits while also contributing to SFPUC's goal of managing one billion gallons of stormwater by 2050.
(2020-10-14). Iran COVID-19 update: 279 deaths, 4,830 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 14 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 4,830 COVID-19 infections and 279 deaths due to the disease in the past 24 hours.
(2020-10-14). Young Women Are Voting for Universal Health Care This Election. thenation.com Young Women Are Voting for Universal Health Care This Election…
(2020-10-13). Headlines for October 13, 2020. democracynow.org Dems Warn of Threat to ACA, Roe v. Wade, as Hearing Begins for Trump SCOTUS Nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Trump Returns to Campaigning as COVID Status Remains Unclear, COVID-19 Cases Soaring in Europe, Russia, as India Becomes Second Country to Hit 7 Million Cases, Johnson & Johnson Halts Vaccine Trials; More Evidence of Reinfection Revealed, GA Early Voters Face Long Lines; CA Officials Warn GOP over Illegal Drop Sites, Pascua Yaqui Tribe Sues in Arizona over Voter Suppression Efforts, WH Moves Forward with Taiwan Weapons Sales as U.S. Officials Tell Taiwan to Ramp Up Defense, Bangladeshi Government Approves Death…
(2020-10-13). "Let the People Decide!" Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Decry GOP Power Grab, Attack on ACA. democracynow.org 
Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Trump and the Republicans are trying to execute a power grab," says Ana María Archila, co-executive director of…
(2020-10-13). Senate Dems raise threat to health care as Barrett hearings open. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—-The latest Republican dog-and-pony show, officially called Senate committee hearings on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, opened Oct. 12 with the panel's Democrats stating should she join the other justices, health care for at least 130 million people would be changed for the worse or killed. That threat to the 10-year-old …
(2020-10-13). Viral capitalism: Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs. workers.org 
Another 1.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits during the week of Sept. 28, adding to the ranks of the 12 million workers still jobless due to the pandemic. They and their families have lost health insurance, not provided by this ruthless capitalist government. Evictions and homelessness are on the . . . |
(2020-10-13). Waiting for a Vaccine: Killing for Inequality. counterpunch.org 
I have been harping on the fact that it is very likely China will be mass producing and distributing a vaccine at least a month, and quite possibly several months, before the United States. This should make people very angry. Even a month's delay is likely to mean tens of thousands of avoidable deaths and
(2020-10-13). Johnson & Johnson pauses coronavirus vaccine study, citing 'unexplained illness' in volunteer. rt.com 
Johnson & Johnson has temporarily halted its coronavirus vaccine trial after a trial participant contracted an "unexplained illness," the company said, though offered few additional details about the setback. | The pharma firm's 60,000-patient vaccine study was paused due to an adverse reaction in a volunteer, J&J "We must respect this par…
(2020-10-13). Anti-vaxx ads BANNED on Facebook as social media platform pledges to promote vaccines. rt.com 
Facebook will encourage users to get the flu jab and ban ads that "discourage people from getting a vaccine." The ban is the latest effort by the firm to restrict fringe content, after banning Holocaust denial and QAnon posts. | The social media giant announced its new policy in a
(2020-10-13). Dutch PM closes pubs, restaurants and cafes as coronavirus cases rise. rt.com 
Bars, restaurants and cafes in the Netherlands will close their doors as the Dutch government tries to control the spread of Covid-19. Unlike many of its European neighbors, the Netherlands has thus far avoided harsh lockdowns. | Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the "partial lockdown" on Tuesday evening, after health officials in the Netherlands reported a record 7,393 new cases of Covid-19 that day. A total of 43,903 new infections were recorded in the preceding week, along with 150 deaths. | The new measures, which come into effect on Wednesday, will see all bars, restaurants and cafes close, and the sale…
(2020-10-13). Head of Russia's national health watchdog says shutting down economy to prevent spread of Covid-19 is pointless & makes no sense. rt.com 
The top official at Russia's state health watchdog believes that there is no point in suspending the economy to fight coronavirus. Anna Popova's comments came after the Kremlin said a second lockdown isn't even being considered. | Speaking at a coronavirus event at well-known university RANEPA, on Tuesday, Rospotrebnadzor boss Anna Popova explained that Russia has quite a low rate of Covid-19 per capita, and therefore there is no sense in taking drastic measures. Currently, there are few restrictions in the world's largest country with bars, restaurants, and shops open as usual. | "Despite the fact that we see…
(2020-10-13). 'Current approach to Covid-19 is leading to pain, suffering & death': Tory MP resigns from UK govt over coronavirus lockdowns. rt.com 
Conservative MP and ministerial aide Chris Green has resigned from Boris Johnson's government, claiming that the PM's "extreme" lockdown measures are causing "pain, suffering and death." | Green, an MP for the Greater Manchester town of Bolton and parliamentary private secretary for education, sent his resignation letter to Johnson on Tuesday evening, a day after the PM announced a new, three-tiered system of local lockdowns throughout England. | The Bolton lockdown has clearly not worked, and I believe that the cure is worse than the disease, so I have stepped down from my role as Parliamentary Private Secret…
(2020-10-13). Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Rail Against GOP Power Grab. truthout.org Image Credit: Twitter: @CPDAction | Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the l…
(2020-10-13). Association Between Change in Geography and Change in Likelihood of Uncontrolled CVD Risk Factors in US Veterans. jamanetwork.com This cohort study uses Veterans Health Administration data to estimate the change in prevalence of chronic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among veterans whose residential zip code changed vs remained the same between 2008 and 2018 to better understand the contribution of geography vs individual patient characteristics to poor risk factor control.
(2020-10-13). Combining Rapid PCR and Antibody Tests Improved COVID-19 Diagnosis. jamanetwork.com Nose and throat swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing can miss up to 50% of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, in part because the virus may have already cleared the upper respiratory tract. But by then, patients may have developed antibodies against the virus. An approach that combines rapid PCR and antibody testing could help physicians quickly diagnose more cases, a recent small study of hospitalized patients with suspected COVID-19 suggested.
(2020-10-13). Palliative Care and Health Care Use and Patient-Centered Outcomes in Adults With Noncancer Illness. jamanetwork.com This meta-analysis estimates the association between palliative care and health care use, disease-generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life, and symptom burden among adults with noncancer illness.
(2020-10-13). Trump vs Biden on Health Care. jamanetwork.com There was always an expectation that health care would be one of the biggest issues in this year's presidential campaign, as was the case in the 2018 mid-term elections.
(2020-10-13). Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine trial paused due to mystery illness. nationofchange.org "This is completely expected, and it's just a reminder how ridiculous it is to try and meet a political timeline of having a vaccine before Nov. 3."
(2020-10-13). Chaos in UK Health Care. NHS Staff Are Being Silenced Over COVID-19. "Lose Their Jobs if They Speak Out" globalresearch.ca First published on July 16, 2020 | This report was brought to our attention by Off-Guardian with the following cautionary note: | "First published on
(2020-10-13). Cuts to healthcare system responsible for Victoria's coronavirus resurgence. wsws.org Mass health worker infections are the direct outcome of the gutting of the sector by successive state and federal governments, Labor and Liberal alike.
(2020-10-13). Video: Is There a Second Wave? The Lockdown, Ireland, Statement of WHO COVID-19 Expert. globalresearch.ca In this Spectator report, the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) states the need to combat the virus while restoring economic activity. | The Irish government dismissed the recommendations of the medical experts who are calling for restoring the lockdown. …
(2020-10-13). Belgian Health Experts Demand Full Investigation into WHO for Faking COVID-19 Pandemic. globalresearch.ca A coalition of doctors and other health professionals in Belgium has issued an
(2020-10-13). 'Time for global solidarity' to overcome COVID's health, social and economic challenges. news.un.org The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to a "dramatic loss" of human life but also constitutes an "unprecedented challenge" to public health, food systems and employment, a group of leading UN agencies said on Tuesday.
(2020-10-13). Apologies Don't Raise the Dead. zcomm.org Lessons from The Plague about the Difficulty of Decency and the Evil Caused by Ignorance…
(2020-10-13). Health Justice And Black Liberation: Shay-Akil McLean. popularresistance.org The way that people treat each other has biological consequences, meaning that our relationships to one another, institutions, and resources are directly linked to quality of life, life expectancy, and quality of death. State violence is a public health issue because what it does is differentially distribute morbidity and mortality to those that are deemed enemies of the state. All of forms of state violence entail the denial of basic needs and the self-determination of the people in one dimension and/or additional others.
(2020-10-13). Health Ministry confirms 4,108 new COVID-19 cases across Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 13 (MNA) — The daily count of coronavirus infections in Iran reached 4,108 on Tuesday, bringing the total cases to 598,389, according to the Health Ministry.
(2020-10-13). Urgent response needed to tackle COVID-19 health disparities. imperial.ac.uk An Imperial expert has called for rapid action to tackle the causes of severe COVID-19 illness and death in ethnic minority groups.
(2020-10-13). World Bank Approves $12Bln to Help Developing Countries Get COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The World Bank approved $12 billion to help developing countries purchase novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines and treatments, the organisation said in a statement.
(2020-10-13). Barrett Could Well Be the Decider in a 2020 Replay of "Bush v. Gore" truthout.org If Americans want transparency — as they should — they've got it. Judge Amy Coney Barrett's record of attacks on civil rights, workers' rights, anti-discrimination measures and consumer protections is crystal clear. Though she's just 48 years old, she has a phenomenally large legal footprint. And, as Democratic senators repeatedly pointed out Monday, on day one of the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings, her record does not bode well for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and many of the rights w…
(2020-10-13). Life Within The Matrix Is Our Future. thealtworld.com The question each of us needs to ask ourselves, and one another, is why do we get so much misinformation about Covid from public health authorities, political authorities, and press prostitutes? We get a lot of misinformation from health practioners, because they get the bogus information from health authorities and from researchers associated with Big Pharma. But why do health authorities themselves lie to us? | Take the issue of masks. The masks being worn by the vast majority of the world population, including health care providers, cannot prevent the inhalation and exhalation of bacteria and viruses. If a per…
(2020-10-12). Ai-jen Poo: Trump Flouts COVID-19 Safety Rules with "Utter Disregard" for White House Domestic Staff. democracynow.org 
President Trump's return to the White House and defiant mask removal despite still being treated for COVID-19 has threatened the health of the mostly older, Black and Brown household staff, says domestic worker advocate Ai-jen Poo, senior adviser to Care in Action. "These are essential workers who have been keeping him and his family safe and caring for them, and he showed a complete and utter disregard for their health and safety," she says. At least three White House housekeepers and one other member of the residence staff were recently infected, according to The New York Times. Meanwhile, thousands of domestic…
(2020-10-12). Headlines for October 12, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Resumes Rallies, Declares He Is "Immune" as WH Doctors Refuse to Say If He Tested Negative, Fauci Says His Words Taken Out of Context in New Trump Ad, WH Blocks CDC Order on Face Masks on Public Transportation as U.S. COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise, Stimulus Talks Still at Impasse After Dems and GOP Reject Latest WH Offer, SCOTUS Hearings Kick Off in Senate as Amy Coney Barrett's Anti-Abortion Beliefs in Spotlight, Trump-Biden Debate Canceled After Trump Refuses to Participate in Virtual Format, SC Senate Debate Turns into Candidate Forum After Lindsey Graham Refuses Coronavirus Test, Judge Rejects Trump E…
(2020-10-12). Iran records its highest daily death toll from coronavirus. middleeasteye.net 
Iran records its highest daily death toll from coronavirus | At least 272 deaths and more than 4,200 new cases were reported on Monday, as country grapples with its third wave of infections, health ministry says | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 19: 59 | Masks are now mandated even in outdoor areas of Tehran as the country struggles to contain the virus (AFP/File photo) | For the second day in a row, Iran shattered its sing…
(2020-10-12). COVID-19: How 3 Prior Pandemics Triggered Massive Societal Shifts. strategic-culture.org 
Andrew Latham begins with the Antonine and Cyprian twin plagues, which ravaged the Roman Empire and gave rise to Christianity. | Andrew LATHAM | Before March of this year, few probably thought disease could be a significant driver of human history. | Not so anymore. People are beginning to understand that
(2020-10-12). Pfizer expands coronavirus vaccine trial to include children as young as 12. rt.com 
Pfizer has become the first western pharma firm to begin pediatric testing of its coronavirus vaccine, getting the nod from the FDA to expand its phase III trials to some 48,400 participants, among them kids as young as 12. | The multinational drug giant said it received federal approval to launch pediatric trials in an
(2020-10-12). Letting coronavirus spread freely for 'herd immunity' is unethical, says WHO. rt.com 
The World Health Organization has warned against the idea of allowing Covid-19 to simply spread through society, calling this "herd immunity" approach to fighting the pandemic "unethical." | "Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak, let alone a pandemic," WHO chief Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said during a virtual briefing on Monday, calling the idea "unethical." | Tedros added that herd immunity to a virus is usually achieved when the vast majority of the population — 80 percent, in the case of polio — is vaccinated, rather than delibe…
(2020-10-12). Netizens Clash Online as Senate Confirmation Hearings for Barrett Go On. sputniknews.com As netizens proceeded to express their opinions on Barrett's nomination, issues like the fate of the Affordable Care Act and even the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court ended up being brought into the equation.
(2020-10-12). Trump Appoints Big Pharma Exec Connected to Bill Gates to Head Vaccine Developments. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in May 2020. | On Friday, Donald Trump announced his appointment of Moncef Slaoui, a former executive with vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, to lead "Operation Warp Speed", Trump's plan to fast track the development of vaccines for …