Monthly Archives: April 2021

2021-04-05: News Headlines

Philip Doe (2021-04-05). A Friday Night Massacre in Colorado. counterpunch.org Last Friday night I listened to the state of Colorado and the Suncor Corporation vote as one against independent monitoring and public health analysis of the Suncor refinery's massive air pollution. The Suncor refinery's nay vote was cast by its public relations flak, Brandy Radey. It was her opinion that since the corporation was already monitoring

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2021-04-05). Russia Making Headway In Mobilizing Domestic Resources In Fight Against Coronavirus Pandemic — OpEd. eurasiareview.com With a strong structured plan and that includes President Vladimir Putin weekly meetings with regional governors and related ministry officials, Russia is indeed making headway in mobilizing first its own domestic resources in fighting and controlling the coronavirus pandemic. | Under these time-testing conditions, the Russian government also ponders on the necessity to adopt a concerted approach to the economic sectors related to public health system, efforts to strengthen fundamental research in all health disciplines and close the pitfalls in its policy. | Arguably, Russia is really moving with innovative o…

_____ (2021-04-05). Thousands Take To The Streets Saying 'Kill The Bill'. popularresistance.org Thousands took part in a weekend of action against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The size and passion of the demos shows that people are willing to fight to stop this bill, which the Conservative government tried to sneak through under the cover of the coronavirus (Covid-19) health crisis. | 50 demonstrations were called across the UK. | The proposed Police Bill is arguably the biggest attack on our freedoms since the Public Order Acts of the '80s and '90s. The controversial bill passed its second reading in parliament during March. The bill will give the police unprecedented draconian powers to…

WSWS (2021-04-05). More reports highlight undercounting of Florida COVID-19 deaths. wsws.org Last month, an investigative report released by the American Journal of Public Health found that Florida is dramatically undercounting the number of people who are dying from COVID-19.

Michael Berkowitz (2021-04-05). "Coastal Elites": Diary of the Plague Year. peoplesworld.org Form follows function in Paul Rudnick's lively new theater piece "Coastal Elites". Rudnick ("Sister Acts", "In and Out", "Stepford Wives", "Addams Family Values"), one of our most clever and amusing writers, digs a little deeper this time with a well-crafted theater piece consisting of five monologues which forcefully break the fourth dramatic wall, speaking directly …

Michael Berkowitz (2021-04-05). 'Coastal Elites': Diary of the Plague Year. peoplesworld.org Form follows function in Paul Rudnick's lively new theater piece "Coastal Elites". Rudnick ("Sister Acts", "In and Out", "Stepford Wives", "Addams Family Values"), one of our most clever and amusing writers, digs a little deeper this time with a well-crafted theater piece consisting of five monologues which forcefully break the fourth dramatic wall, speaking directly …

Henry Giroux (2021-04-05). The Plague of Historical Amnesia in the Age of Fascist Politics. counterpunch.org As the boundaries of the unthinkable become normalized, historical consciousness is replaced by manufactured forms of historical amnesia and ignorance. As white supremacy becomes entrenched at the highest levels of power and in the public imagination, the past becomes a burden that must be shed.[1] Disparaging, suppressing or forgetting the horrors of history has become

WSWS (2021-04-05). The CDC guidelines for social distancing in schools are based on distorted science: neither three feet nor six feet distancing is safe. wsws.org The recent CDC guidelines claiming that social distancing measures can be curtailed to three feet are based on erroneous studies. Their primary aim is to provide a pseudoscientific cover for attempts to reopen schools.

WSWS (2021-04-05). St. Vincent nurses in Massachusetts in fourth week of strike for safe staffing. wsws.org The Massachusetts Nurses Association, with more than 23,000 members at 85 health care facilities, has not mobilized its membership in defense of the striking St. Vincent nurses and does not provide them guaranteed strike pay.

lombardi (2021-04-05). A Plague on For-profit "Homes" dsausa.org Much of both the revenues and the business model of the nursing home industry is attributable to private equity (PE) penetration of the industry. PE investment in nursing homes skyrocketed from $5 billion in 2000 to over $100 billion today, with PE firms acquiring four of the top ten nursing home operators. The most extensive study of the industry found that, after being acquired by a PE firm, the home's performance declined on patient care measures, but the enterprise brought in more occupants and increased revenue.

The Conversation (2021-04-05). How Solar technologies can speed up vaccine rollout in the Global South. juancole.com By Cyrus Sinai and Rob Fetter | — There's hope that some industrialised countries will achieve near-universal vaccination against COVID-19 in the coming months. Yet the effort to vaccinate even the most essential workers in developing countries has only just begun. By current estimates, achieving herd immunity (to current strains) will require at least 75% …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2021-04-05). Fauci Says Federal Government Won't Mandate Vaccine Passports. commondreams.org The administration's chief medical adviser also urged people not to "declare victory prematurely" against the coronavirus by forgoing public health measures like physical distancing. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Staff (2021-04-05). Headlines for April 5, 2021. democracynow.org India Hits 100,000 Daily COVID Cases; More Nations Enter Lockdown; Pope Calls for Vaccine Equality, U.S. Vaccinations Pick Up Speed, But Health Experts Say Country Is Still at Risk for New Wave, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Killed After Man Rams Car into Security Checkpoint, Veteran Minneapolis Police Officer Calls Chauvin Kneeling on Floyd's Neck "Totally Unnecessary", U.S. and Iran Holding Talks Via Nuclear Deal Signatories in Attempt to Revive 2015 Accord, Jordan Arrests Ex-Crown Prince, Other Top Figures Accused of Plotting Coup Against King, Demonstrations Continue Against New U.K. Bill That Would Empower Pol…

Staff (2021-04-05). World's Poorest Nations Face Setback as India Suspends Vaccine Exports Amid Fight over Patent Rights. democracynow.org We look at the urgent push to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines for all nations, rich and poor, and growing calls for Big Pharma to waive their patent rights, as COVID-19 cases soar in India and the Modi government has suspended exports of coronavirus vaccines to many of the world's poorest countries that depend on AstraZeneca vaccines it produces. "These are not India's vaccines," says Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which campaigns for equitable access to medicines. "The number of vaccine doses that have gone out to a third of humanity — 91 poor countries — is 18 millio…

teleSUR (2021-04-05). China to Donate 150,000 COVID-19 Vaccines to El Salvador. telesurenglish.net China's Ambassador to El Salvador Ou Jianhong Sunday confirmed that her country will donate 150,000 Sinovac vaccines to this Latin American nation. | RELATED: | "China seeks to support El Salvador in its fight against the pandemic as it aims to protect the people's health," Jianhong tweeted and informed that the donation will arrive on Tuesday night. | The 150,000 doses, which are in addition to the 2 million Sinovac…

Staff (2021-04-05). India Suspends Vaccine Exports as Calls Grow to Waive Big Pharma's Patent Rights. truthout.org We look at the urgent push to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines for all nations, rich and poor, and growing calls for Big Pharma to waive their patent rights, as COVID-19 cases soar in India and the Modi government has suspended exports of coronavirus vaccines to many of the world's poorest countries that depend on AstraZeneca vaccines it produces. "These are not India's vaccines," says Achal Prabhala, coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which campaigns for equitable access to medic…

Owen Dyer (2021-04-05). COVID-19: EMA Defends AstraZeneca Vaccine as Germany and Canada Halt Rollouts. globalresearch.ca The Oxford AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine is facing a further wave of …

teleSUR (2021-04-05). Baby With COVID-19 Antibodies Is Born in Spain. telesurenglish.net A boy born last week on the Ibiza island has become the first newborn in Spain with COVID-19 antibodies, after his mother received the vaccine in the third trimester of her pregnancy. | RELATED: | A sample from the baby's umbilical cord analyzed at the Hospital Son Espases in Mallorca confirmed that he had developed antibodies against COVID-19, the Spanish newspaper ABC reported. | Manuel Grandal Martin, deputy…

MEE staff (2021-04-05). Covid-19: Saudi Arabia to allow only 'immunised' pilgrims for Umrah. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Saudi Arabia to allow only 'immunised' pilgrims for Umrah | Individuals who have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine or have previously recovered from virus will be granted permit to perform pilgrimage | Mon, 04/05/2021 – 19: 45 | Nearly two million people had performed Umrah since it had reopened last October when restrictions were eased (AFP) | Saudi Arabia said on Monday that only pilgr…

Dean Baker (2021-04-05). Inside the Economic Bounce. counterpunch.org The March employment reports show the economy bouncing back sharply due to the spread of vaccines and the first effects of the Biden recovery package. The establishment survey showed the economy adding 916,000 jobs in the month. The household survey was also encouraging, with the unemployment rate dropping 0.2 percentage points to 6.0 percent, a

Dr. Mike Yeadon (2021-04-05). The PCR False Positive Pseudo-Epidemic. Dr. Mike Yeadon. globalresearch.ca This important article by Dr. Mike Yeadon was first published in November …

Staff (2021-04-05). Being "Anti-Racist" Isn't Enough. The Violence of Whiteness Must Be Exposed. truthout.org Even if the movement for reparations someday transforms the profound economic disparities that fall along racial lines in this country — addressing income disparities, the wealth gap, housing and health care inequities, and unemployment disparities — a fundamental problem of anti-Black racism still won't be solved. | What remains is a fundamentally ontological problem: the reality of the being of whiteness, and its denial of Black humanity within white racist America. | White privilege…

_____ (2021-04-04). Study: Canada Is One Big Pandemic Response Experiment. popularresistance.org An extensive French study has surveyed nations' responses to COVID-19 and concludes that those taking an aggressive "Zero COVID" approach fared better than others by both health and economic measures. | The study rests its analysis in part on the experience of Canada, where six large provinces face steeply rising infection rates tied to evolved variants of the virus, while provinces and territories that hewed closer to the Zero COVID approach do not. | Zero COVID, also called Go for Zero or elimination, employs a range of tactics designed to drive infection rates to negligible. Such tactics include one hard serio…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-04). Developed A Safe And Cheap Technology Of Disinfection Of Packed Eggs. eurasiareview.com Russian researchers have developed an inexpensive, safe, and reliable packed eggs surface disinfection technology. This technology helps to kill bacteria, including salmonella, on eggshells. Also, it allows growing broiler chickens with strong immunity to viral diseases. Packed eggs are disinfected with 50 nanoseconds (one billionth of a second) electron beam. Disinfection takes place in plastic containers. The description of the technology was published in Food and Bioproducts Processing. | "Disinfection of the packed eggs protects eggs from subsequent contamination during storage", said Sergey Sokovnin, a pr…

www.academia.edu (2021-04-04). Two letters to the editor on the pandemic lockdown. indybay.org Our collective thinking has often been manipulated and corrupted (eg Vietnam, Iraq, Nicaragua, Iran). According to GlobalResearch.ca, the WHO made a late admission on Jan 20, 2021 that "the lockdown has no scientific basis" and test results are misleading. "Release the vaccines and put an end to the lockdown," urges Jens Berger, editor of nachdenkseiten.de.

Eurasia Review (2021-04-04). Prioritizing Who Gets Vaccinated For COVID-19 Saves Lives. eurasiareview.com Waiting for your turn can be frustrating, especially when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. But prioritizing who receives the limited supply of vaccines available saves lives and reduces spread of infection, according to a study published in the journal PNAS from the University of California, Davis. | While there is mostly universal agreement that older people should be prioritized, debates are currently underway about prioritizing a variety of other groups. Still others argue against targeting at all. | "Prioritization has benefits because people differ in at least two key ways — their risk of infection and…

Staff (2021-04-04). Some Eligible People Are Being Denied COVID Vaccines. Chances Are It's Illegal. truthout.org This article was first published by ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for As the United States seeks to end its coronavirus crisis and outru…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-04). Explained: How Intellectual Property Rights are blocking vaccine production. peoplesdispatch.org Estimates suggest that the mass of the population in wealthier countries are likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid of 2022. However, in poorer economies, mass immunization will take until 2024, if it happens at all. These countries will pay the cost of this delay in the form of 2.5 million avoidable deaths. | What is standing in the way of expanding production and carrying out mass vaccination campaigns across the world?

Staff (2021-04-04). Biden Could Chart a New Path for US on Palestinian Rights. Will He? truthout.org Every day my friend in Palestine sends me the local paper as a way to keep in touch. For the past five decades, the headlines have been consistent: "Land Annexed," "Trees Uprooted," "Houses Demolished," "Curfew Inflicted," "Youth Arrested," "Village Attacked," Young Man Shot"… often all on the same front page. For the last year, they have also included a tally of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. | Israel leads the world in vaccine distribution, but it has largely refused to vaccinate Palestinians. In th…

Randall G. Holcombe (2021-04-04). Vaccine Passports: Why? How? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com There's only one reason to require COVID vaccine passports: to coerce people into getting the vaccine. While vaccination is not required, a passport requirement would say, "Whether you get the vaccine is up to you, but if you want to travel or shop or do anything outside your home, a passport is required." | For those who are concerned about getting the virus from unvaccinated people, get vaccinated! Unvaccinated people pose a very small threat to those who have been vaccinated. Sure, the threat's not zero, but any time you are around other people, you could catch a cold, or the flu, or Ebola, from them. You c…

RT (2021-04-04). 'I would be vaccinated with Sputnik V': German pharma CEO praises Russia's vaccine & 'outstanding scientists'. rt.com Russia's Sputnik V vaccine has "a lot of good scientific data" behind it, the head of Germany's Bionorica SE pharmaceutical company, Michael Popp, told RT, as he shared his company's experience working with Russian specialists. | "Russian researchers have a lot of experience and expertise in vaccine development," said the CEO of the German-based international company, which calls itself a global leader in the production of herbal medicines. Bionorica SE has production sites in almost 20 nations, including the US, Austria, Spain, Brazil, and Russia, and sells its products in more than 40 countries. | Also on rt…

teleSUR (2021-04-04). Why Africa Gets Fewer Jabs: Roots of Vaccine Apartheid. telesurenglish.net The batch of 600,000 vaccine doses landing in Ghana on February 24, 2021, was the first shipment to sub-Saharan Africa under the multilateral COVAX facility led by the United States and the European Unions. By then, tens of millions had already been vaccinated in the US and the UK, writes Howard Stein, a professor of Afroamerican and African studies at the UniversIty of Michigan, in Africa is a Country…

teleSUR (2021-04-04). Chile Neglects Ocular Trauma Victims From Police Brutality. telesurenglish.net Chile's Coordinator for Ocular Trauma Victims (COTV) Natalia Aravena denounced the "precariousness" and "negligence" in the service provided by the Comprehensive Eye Repair Program (PIRO). | RELATED: | The Health Ministry promoted the PIRO to care for hundreds of people who suffered eye injuries due to police attacks exercised to repress the social unrest in October 2019. | Aravena warned of the lack of health personn…

Amy Traverso (2021-04-04). You can level-up this zucchini gratin with some slices of fresh eggplant. salon.com As any gardener knows, a few healthy zucchini plants can outpace a family's ability to consume the harvest…

Staff (2021-04-04). Koch-Backed Donor Network Wants to Blame COVID Deaths on Public Health Measures. truthout.org DonorsTrust, the preferred donor conduit of the Koch political network, has launched a new funding stream to resist public health measures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and use the crisis to further its broader policy goals. | The $422 million donor advised fund often referred to as the Right's "dark money ATM" pins the "humanitarian crisis" created by the pandemic not on the 549,000 deaths in the U.S., but on "the actions of elected officials" who have tried to limit the virus'

Eurasia Review (2021-04-04). Kirigami-Style Fabrication May Enable New 3D Nanostructures. eurasiareview.com A new technique that mimics the ancient Japanese art of kirigami may offer an easier way to fabricate complex 3D nanostructures for use in electronics, manufacturing and health care. | Kirigami enhances the Japanese artform of origami, which involves folding paper to create 3D structural designs, by strategically incorporating cuts to the paper prior to folding. The method enables artists to create sophisticated three-dimensional structures more easily. | "We used kirigami at the nanoscale to create complex 3D nanostructures," said Daniel Lopez, Penn State Liang Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer…

Right to Health Action (2021-04-04). Sunday 4/11: Climate Justice & Planetary Health: Stopping the Next Pandemic. indybay.org Online teach-in…

Jamal Journal interviews Michael Richardson (2021-04-04). 50 Years of Injustice: Free Black Panther Political Prisoner Ed Poindexter Now! indybay.org In our interview conducted earlier this week, author Michael Richardson discusses the role of the FBI's infamous COINTELPRO in the frameup of the Omaha Two and provides an important update on Ed Poindexter's urgent health situation. Richardson also explains how you can help Ed Poindexter, an elder in poor health who is a 50-year victim of an obvious and well documented COINTELPRO frameup. We highly recommend reading Michael Richardson's book to learn more about this extreme injustice that needs to end immediately. Free Ed Poindexter now!

Updated: 2021-04-06 02:57 | 22:57 EST | 38 | 0 | 17 | 22 | 0

2021-04-02: News Headlines

Editor2 (2021-04-02). Hands Off Yemen! orinocotribune.com February 15, 2021, marks one year since the Saudi-led coalition's horrific air raid on a residential area in Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf. The bombing killed 35 people, including 25 children, and 18 children were amongst the 23 injured. According to the Yemen Data Project, "During 2020, air raids in #Yemen averaged 6 per day — double the average daily rate in 2019. Despite the pandemic, strikes hit healthcare facilities, markets, farms, schools, and vital water infrastructure, including water wells. At least one Covid-19 quarantine centre was bombed." | The brutal U.S.-backed Saudi-led war on Yemen…

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-02). Undeniable Spike: Venezuela Reports 1,254 COVID-19 Cases, 13 Deaths, and 92% Recovered on Thursday. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, April 1, Venezuela marked its 382nd day in the battle against COVID-19. In the last 24 hours, the country registered 1,254 new cases: 1,237 of community transmission and 17 imported, in addition to 13 deaths. This was reported by the Minister for Communication and Information, Freddy àëáñez. | Thus, Venezuela's totals up until day 382, in the second wave of COVID-19, include 161,751 infections and 1,615 deaths from this disease. On the other hand, 11,480 cases are reported as active. Of this sum, 11,127 are receiving free care in the national public he…

Eve Ottenberg (2021-04-02). A Feminist Revolt. counterpunch.org With right-wing hysteria about the feminization of the military landing on our laptops recently, now is a good time to focus on issues dear to the hearts of actual feminists, namely, housing, health and education. These concerns were embraced, very strikingly, by feminists in apartheid South Africa. Toward the end of apartheid, many Black people

Sonja Scherndl, Adam Parsons (2021-04-02). Let's end the insanity of colossal military spending during a global health emergency. dissidentvoice.org Imagine what could be achieved if just a portion of the money spent on military expenditures were pooled into a global fund, and redirected towards ending hunger and massively investing in public health systems. ***** If nations had a referendum, asking the public if they want their taxes to go to military weapons that are …

Dr. Mike Yeadon (2021-04-02). The PCR False Positive Pseudo-Epidemic. Dr. Mike Yeadon. globalresearch.ca How a novel virus met a partly-immune population | In Spring 2020 …

Paul Street (2021-04-02). Some Standard Cynical CIA-Style Cuba Covid Reporting at The Washington Post. counterpunch.org Never underestimate the cynicism of American corporate media. As the Scotland-based historian Helen Yaffe recently observed on Counterpunch, the socialist state of Cuba currently has five COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials "and is set to be among the first nations to vaccinate its entire population." Further: "Cuba has gone on the offensive against Covid-19, mobilizing

www.academia.edu (2021-04-02). Two letters to the editor on the pandemic lockdown. indybay.org Our collective thinking has often been manipulated and corrupted (eg Vietnam, Iraq, Nicaragua, Iran). According to GlobalResearch.ca, the WHO made a late admission on Jan 20, 2021 that "the lockdown has no scientific basis" and test results are misleading. "Release the vaccines and put an end to the lockdown," urges Jens Berger, editor of nachdenkseiten.de.

Jamal Journal interviews Michael Richardson (2021-04-02). 50 Years of Injustice: Free Black Panther Political Prisoner Ed Poindexter Now! indybay.org In our interview conducted earlier this week, author Michael Richardson discusses the role of the FBI's infamous COINTELPRO in the frameup of the Omaha Two and provides an important update on Ed Poindexter's urgent health situation. Richardson also explains how you can help Ed Poindexter, an elder in poor health who is a 50-year victim of an obvious and well documented COINTELPRO frameup. We highly recommend reading Michael Richardson's book to learn more about this extreme injustice that needs to end immediately. Free Ed Poindexter now!

Anonymous669 (2021-04-02). Problems Plague Turkey's Proxy Coalition In Syria. southfront.org Illustrative image | Several problems continue to plague the so-called Syrian National Army (SNA), Turkey's main proxy coalition in Syria. | The SNA was formed in 2017 by a number of Turkish-backed factions. Today, the coalition rules Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northeastern Syria. The coalition is also present in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib. | On April 1, the Suleyman Shah Division, one of the largest SNA factions, announced its defection from the coalition's 1st Brigade. The group…

Vijay Prashad (2021-04-02). The Vaccine Must Be a Common Good for Humanity. dissidentvoice.org Vladimir Griuntal' and G. Iablonovskii (USSR), Chto eto takoe? ('What is This?') 1932. Nearly three million people have reportedly been killed by the novel coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) and upwards of 128 million people have been infected by the virus, many with long-lasting health repercussions. Thus far, roughly 1.5% of the world's population of 7.7 billion have …

Associated Press (2021-04-02). WHO: Europe's vaccination plan is 'unacceptably slow'. peoplesworld.org LONDON (AP) — European nations' immunization campaigns against COVID-19 are "unacceptably slow" and risk prolonging the pandemic, a senior World Health Organization official said Thursday. Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, said vaccines "present our best way out of this pandemic," but noted that to date, only 10% of Europe's population has received …

Holly Ellyatt (2021-04-02). Mutations Could Render Current COVID Vaccines Ineffective in a Year or Less, Epidemiologists Warn. globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of our readers an important article by …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-02). Iraq faces second wave of COVID-19 infections amid slow vaccination rates. peoplesdispatch.org The country started vaccination only in March when it received over 50,000 doses of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. It received 336,000 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca under COVAX initiative on March 25 after much delay…

Lance Johnson (2021-04-02). Keele University Cancels All Aluminum Research after Scientist Links Aluminum in Vaccines to Human Health Problems. globalresearch.ca The UK's prestigious

Sasha Abramsky (2021-04-02). Rich Countries Are Using Vaccines as a Power Play — and Everyone Could Suffer. zcomm.org In the long run, vaccine nationalism, and the protectionism of rich countries against poor countries, helps no one…

Alvaro Colombres Garmendia (2021-04-02). More People Died from Vaccines in the Last Three Months than in the Last Decade, Official Data Shows. globalresearch.ca Official

Karen Conner (2021-04-02). Economy Adds 916,000 Jobs in March; Unemployment Falls to 6.0 Percent. cepr.net The strong productivity growth from last year seems to be continuing The March employment reports show the economy bouncing back sharply due to the spread of vaccines and the first effects of the Biden recovery package. The establishment survey showed the economy adding 916,000 jobs in the month. The household survey was also encouraging, with …

teleSUR (2021-04-01). COVID-19 Surge Forces Chile To Close Its Borders in April. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Minister Enrique Paris announced new COVID-19 restrictions due to the resurgence of the pandemic. | RELATED: | On Thursday, he reported 7,830 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of new infections since the outbreak of the pandemic. Measures to curb the spread of the virus include a border closure during April. Permits to enter and depart will only be issued for humanitarian emergencies. | The curfew will now…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Canadian Solidarity Network Sends 2 Million Syringes to Cuba. telesurenglish.net This initiative is part of the Network's campaign on January 8 to raise funds in Canada to send a donation of much-needed medical supplies to Cuba. | RELATED: | In announcing this new action in solidarity with the Cuban people, the Network recognized the relevant achievements made by Cuba in the area of health and its contributions to other nations, even at a time when Cuba is facing a double pandemic: COVID-19 an…

Mark Gruenberg (2021-04-01). Part II, PW special: Agency probe reveals OSHA hamstrung vs. virus. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—It may be no great surprise, especially to unions in the front lines of defending workers against the ravages of the coronavirus, but a comprehensive report by the Labor Department's own Inspector General reveals the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was hamstrung in the fight against the plague. And while Carolyn Hantz, the Deputy Inspector …

Megan Redshaw (2021-04-01). 'Breaking Through' — States Report Growing Number of COVID Cases Among Fully Vaccinated. globalresearch.ca The Washington State Department of Health (DOH)

RobertAlvarez (2021-04-01). Biden's Plan Invests in Quality Home Care, Not Dangerous For-Profit Nursing Homes. ips-dc.org As the nation's population ages, the need for more care workers and safer, more affordable care options is urgent. | By 2050, the number of individuals in need of long-term care services will likely To address the growing demand, President Biden has earmarked $400 billion of his

WSWS (2021-04-01). The trial of Derek Chauvin and the epidemic of police murder in America. wsws.org The testimony over the last three days has confirmed what millions of workers around the world already know: George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020 was a brutal police murder in cold blood.

Ashley Curtin (2021-04-01). LA lays out detailed paths to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2045. nationofchange.org LA100 helped LA set ambitious goals to transform it's electricity supply and electrify the buildings and transportation sectors to "combat climate change while capturing health and economic benefits."

Adam Parsons, Sonja Scherndl (2021-04-01). It's Time to End the Insanity of Colossal Military Spending and Reallocate Funds to Basic Economic and Social Needs. commondreams.org Imagine what could be achieved if just a portion of the money spent on military expenditures were pooled into a global fund, and redirected towards ending hunger and massively investing in public health systems. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

RT (2021-04-01). Delays in deliveries of Indian-made AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine could be 'catastrophic', African Union's health boss warns. rt.com India's decision to postpone major exports of locally made AstraZeneca jab could have a "catastrophic" impact on Africa, a top health official has warned, expressing hope the delays won't turn into a permanent ban. | Speaking during a press conference in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa on Thursday, the chief of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, raised concerns over the delays. | Insufficient deliveries of AstraZeneca's jab, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), are expected to disrupt the African Union's (AU) vaccination plans, the official said. While the AU has…

RT (2021-04-01). Pfizer says new trial data shows Covid vaccine 'highly effective' against South African strain. rt.com Pfizer and BioNTech stated on Thursday that their jointly developed Covid-19 vaccine is highly effective in combating the South African variant of the virus, according to the company's latest phase-three trial data. | Pfizer released a statement declaring that new data from South Africa indicated "vaccine efficacy of 100%" despite the prevalence of the fast-spreading B.1.351 variant. | The findings from the phase-three trial come as countries worry about the effectiveness of existing vaccines against new, more transmissible variants of coronavirus, with concerns about how to fully control the disease as it con…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Is 100% Effective in Kids Aged 12-15. telesurenglish.net The companies Pfizer and BioNTech announced their COVID-19 vaccine has demonstrated 100 percent efficacy and robust antibody responses in a Phase 3 trial in adolescents 12 to 15 years of age. | RELATED: | The trial enrolled 2,260 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age in the United States. In the trial, 18 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group versus none in the vaccinated group. | The vaccine, BNT162b2, elicited SARS-…

RT (2021-04-01). WHO criticizes Europe for 'unacceptably slow' rollout of Covid-19 vaccines and 'prolonging the pandemic'. rt.com The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled Europe's rollout of Covid-19 vaccines as "unacceptably slow," warning delays are "prolonging the pandemic" and described a surge in new infections in the region as "worrying." | The WHO statement from its top leadership in Europe on Thursday came after most countries reported increased coronavirus cases and deaths over the past seven days. Last week, Europe recorded 1.6 million new Covid-19 infections and close to 24,000 deaths. It is the world's second-worst affected region with nearly 1 million deaths and 45 million infections since the pandemic began. | "Vacci…

RT (2021-04-01). Optimistic health minister says France may reach Covid peak in '7 to 10 days,' as PM warns third wave is 'hitting us hard'. rt.com France's health minister has registered his optimism that the country will reach the peak of the epidemic within 10 days and that things will look a lot better in May, but the PM's assessment remains grim. | Speaking on Thursday to France Inter radio, Minister of Health Olivier Véran said he was confident that the measures announced by President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday would have "a strong impact on the epidemic dynamic," adding that there was no reason to think anything to the contrary. | It takes between seven and ten days for measures to be effective… we could have reached the epidemic peak i…

RT (2021-04-01). Facebook disinformation 'biggest challenge' to tackling Covid-19 — Papua New Guinea minister. rt.com Papua New Guinea's health minister, Jelta Wong, criticized Facebook on Thursday, claiming the spread of disinformation on the site poses the "biggest challenge" to tackling rising cases of Covid-19 in the country. | Speaking at an online event on Thursday, Wong declared that "Facebook is our biggest conspiracy theorist platform", and called for the company to "take responsibility for this and stop it." | Specifically, the health minister cited how "dangerous" posts, such as 'anti-vax' conspiracy theories, were hurting the nation's vaccine rollout and discouraging individuals from getting tested for the virus,…

RT (2021-04-01). 'Clock ticking': WHO chief urges 'enlightened world leaders' to step up and donate crucial Covid vaccine doses to poorer nations. rt.com The COVAX program to ensure that Covid-19 vaccines are distributed fairly among poorer nations is facing a serious shortfall, the World Health Organization chief has said, after he urged countries to hand over millions more doses. | "The clock is still ticking on vaccine equity," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing on Thursday, as he revealed the pressure on COVAX to meet its immunization targets. | A "serious challenge" remains for vaccine equity and availability, he said, despite some 35 billion doses having been delivered to more than 78 countries through the WHO-backed COVA…

RT (2021-04-01). German care association calls for urgent Covid-19 lockdown as country risks running out of ICU beds. rt.com The German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) has called on the government to urgently implement a two-week Covid-19 lockdown, as the country's health systems risk hitting capacity. | Speaking to the Rheinische Post, the scientific head of the DIVI, Christian Karagiannidis, warned that if the current rate of admission to intensive care units continues, Germany "will reach the regular capacity limit in less than four weeks." | We are not overexaggerating. Our warnings are driven by the figures. | Alongside the DIVI's demand for at least a two-week lockdown, Karagianni…

RT (2021-04-01). China's CanSinoBIO says its vaccine may be less effective over time, but 'booster shot' improves its efficacy to over 90%. rt.com A single-shot Covid-19 vaccine by CanSino Biologics has shown a decrease in efficacy over time, the manufacturer has said. Getting a "booster shot" six months after the first jab, however, propels its efficacy to over 90%. | The Chinese vaccine manufacturer CanSinoBIO provided an update on its vaccine during an online presentation late on Wednesday. Its chief scientific officer, Zhu Tao, said receiving a second jab of the vaccine six months after being inoculated with the single-shot solution had shown promising results during tests. | "A booster shot six months later led to a seven-times to 10-times increase…

RT (2021-04-01). Only those with Covid vaccine passport will be able to return to their 'daily lives', South Korean PM says. rt.com Seoul has announced it will issue digital certificates verifying a person's Covid-19 vaccination status, becoming the latest nation to adopt the controversial measure as a means to reopen cross-border travel. | South Korea will roll out a smartphone application this month that will be able to show whether someone has been administered the jab, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Thursday. The system will use blockchain technology to guard against potential identity theft. | "The introduction of a vaccine passport or 'Green Pass' will only allow those who have been vaccinated to experience the recovery to the…

_____ (2021-04-01). UK's Vaccine Rollout Is A Reminder That We Need Universal Healthcare. popularresistance.org London – Dr. John Lister watched in horror as the United Kingdom's Covid-19 mortality rate climbed above 1 per 1,000, one of the highest death rates in the world since the start of the pandemic. So, when the 71-year-old Briton was informed he would receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in late January, he could hardly contain himself. | "It was a great moment of excitement when I got the notification," Lister tells In These Times. | Lister, a health policy expert and associate professor at Coventry University, was one of 15 million people in the United Kingdom to receive a Covid-19 vaccine before February 15, th…

Johanna Fernandez, reposted by Jamal Journal (2021-04-01). Prof. Johanna Fernandez's account of Mumia Abu-Jamal's Health Emergency (from Verso Blog). indybay.org This article was originally published at the Verso Books blog on March 28, and is being reprinted here in full, no edits, with the permission of author Johanna Fernandez, from the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home. For the latest updates on Mumia's health, please visit the Jamal Journal: www.JamalJournal.com.

Anonymous007 (2021-04-01). Neglecting Chaos Until It Backfires Is A Poor Strategy In Mozambique. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | Mozambique's Cabo Delgado has been plagued by ISIS for years. | In recent months, and ramping up in recent weeks especially, attacks by the terrorist groups in the areas near Total's massive gas project became regular. | Uncontained ISIS now is taking on the Mozambican army and seizes entire towns. It threatens the French giant's project that is worth $20 billion; and all the projects in the region are collectively worth nearly $60 billion. | Prior to the large-scale attacks, there was littl…

Anonymous007 (2021-04-01). Even Terrorists Don't Want AstraZeneca Vaccine. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On March 30th, al-Shabaab terrorists issued a statement rejecting the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for Somalia. | They cited its 'ineffective and adverse' side effects. | A statement released by the group warned Somalis against administering the AstraZeneca vaccine saying it is "deadly and unsafe." | The statement linked the recent move by dozens of countries including European nations like Germany, Italy and France to reject the vaccine becau…

Staff (2021-04-01). Headlines for April 1, 2021. democracynow.org Witness in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Breaks Down After Viewing Footage of George Floyd's Killing, Four Killed as Gunman Opens Fire on Office Complex in Orange County, California, Biden Defends Infrastructure Plan as Progressives Push for $10 Trillion to Fight Climate Crisis, Wisconsin Supreme Court Voids Governor's Mask Mandate as COVID-19 Cases Rise Across U.S., Brazil's Cemeteries Hold Nighttime Funerals as COVID-19 Deaths Reach New Highs, Yemen Receives First COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments as Doctors Report Surge in Cases, Global Deforestation Increased by 12% in 2020 with Amazon Most Severely Affected, U.S. Cour…

Prabir Purkayastha (2021-04-01). Why the U.S. and Its Allies Are Stupid to Turn COVID-19 Vaccination Into a Geopolitical Power Play. counterpunch.org The recent joint statement by the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, comprising the U.S., India, Japan and Australia, has not foregrounded the military axis of their meeting but stressed more on the vaccine thrust against the COVID-19 pandemic. With several countries confronting the threat of a second or third wave of the virus, vaccines

Editor2 (2021-04-01). Palestine Receives 100 Thousand COVID-19 Vaccines from China. orinocotribune.com The Palestinian Authority has received 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to accelerate its inoculation drive, which has been lagging due to Israeli inhibitions. | China handed over the batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines to Palestine on Monday. | Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila described the shipment as the single largest donation of COVID-19 vaccines her country has received so far, and thanked China for its move "to provide coronavirus vaccines as a global public good and its selfless assistance to Palestine." | Speaking at a joint press conference with China's Ambassador to Palestine…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Panama Detects Nine Cases of Brazilian COVID-19 Strains. telesurenglish.net Panama's Gorgas Memorial Institute Director Juan Pascale confirmed nine patients with the SARS-CoV-2 strains originated in Brazil. | RELATED: | The P.1. and P.2. strains have been detected in community transmission cases in San Francisco, Don Bosco, Parque Lefevre, and San Miguelito. | The Health Ministry warned that the P.1. variant is the most contagious and reduces vaccines' effectiveness by 30 percent. | At least two patients with these strain…

Doctors for COVID Ethics (2021-04-01). Doctors and Scientists Accuse Medical Regulator of Downplaying COVID-19 Vaccine Dangers. globalresearch.ca A group of scientists and doctors has today issued an open …

Vasko Kohlmayer (2021-04-01). The Great Vaccine Scam: Even Establishment Experts and Scientists Admit the Jabs Are Ineffective. globalresearch.ca "New Covid vaccines needed globally within a year, say scientists," reads …

Andreína Chávez Alava (2021-04-01). Venezuela and Russia Ramp up Economic Ties with 10-Year Plan. venezuelanalysis.com The two nations signed treaties to boost the Venezuelan transportation system, oil industry security and access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Doctors for COVID Ethics (2021-04-01). Urgent Open Letter from Doctors and Scientists to the European Medicines Agency regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Concerns. globalresearch.ca Emer Cooke, Executive Director, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands…

Aniruddha Ghosal (2021-04-01). Impoverished scavengers fight our trash problem, but they're denied vaccines. peoplesworld.org NEW DELHI (AP)—The scavengers wait patiently for a dump truck to tip the trash on the summit of the landfill outside New Delhi. Armed with plastic bags, they plunge their bare hands into the garbage and start sorting it. Every day, more than 2,300 tons of garbage is dumped at the landfill at Bhalswa that …

teleSUR (2021-04-01). AstraZeneca Delays Could Be "Catastrophic" for Africa. telesurenglish.net Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Director John Nkengasong warned on Thursday that India's decision to delay the AstraZeneca vaccine delivery would be "catastrophic" for vaccination campaigns in the continent. | RELATED: | "If the delay continues, I hope it's a delay and not a ban; that would be catastrophic for meeting our vaccination schedule," the official said during a press conference from Eth…

WSWS (2021-04-01). Obscene global vaccine profiteering by pharmaceutical companies. wsws.org It was only after the governments of the European Union, UK and US and agencies offered funding, including the main cost of running the "Phase 3" trials, assuming most of the risk in the process, that the industry started work on vaccine development.

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