(2021-11-30). Headlines for November 30, 2021. democracynow.org World Health Organization Warns of "Very High" Risk Posed by Omicron Variant, Nurses Demand COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Waiver; China Pledges 1 Billion Doses for Africa, Centers for Disease Control Strengthens Vaccine Booster Recommendation for Adults, Federal Judge Blocks Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers in 10 States, Pentagon to Investigate U.S. Airstrike That Killed Dozens of Civilians in Syria, Iran Demands Sanctions Relief as Talks on Revived Nuclear Deal Resume in Vienna, Majority of Australian Parliament Workers Face Bullying, Sexual Harassment or Assault, Ghislaine Maxwell Sex Trafficking Trial Gets Und…
(2021-11-30). Omicron COVID-19 Variant Poses Downside Risks To US Economy. telesurenglish.net On Monday afternoon, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant pose downside risks to U.S. employment and economic activity and increased uncertainty for inflation. | RELATED: | "Greater concerns about the virus could reduce people's willingness to work in person, which would slow progress in the labor market and intensify supply-chain disrup…
(2021-11-30). G7 health ministers agree to do nothing over Omicron variant threat. wsws.org The Omicron variant has been detected in at least 17 countries, including five of the G7 nations. The US is one of the exceptions, likely due to its poor testing system.
(2021-11-30). WHO Assembly Seeks 'Pandemic Treaty' Amid Omicron Concerns. telesurenglish.net On Monday, a special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) kicked off amid growing concerns over the latest Omicron coronavirus variant, where the participants aim to negotiate a new "pandemic treaty." | RELATED: | The WHA May session this year decided to set up a working group to consider the findings and recommendations of a number of panels and committees on global preparedness for and response to COVID-19 before starting t…
(2021-11-30). German government rejects lockdown despite spread of Omicron variant. wsws.org Last weekend alone, 80 people from Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia were flown out to the north and west of the country by air force troop carriers for treatment.
(2021-11-30). Markets bounce back after Omicron shock as governments decide to let it rip. wsws.org Notwithstanding the rebound, Friday's sharp fall again underscored the fragility of the entire financial system and its dependence on the flow of cheap money from the world's central banks.
(2021-11-30). Britain: Health and Care Bill — integration or imperialism? greenleft.org.au Britain's Health and Care Bill, which will undermine the country's National Health System, was effectively designed and fast-tracked by US insurer UnitedHealth, write Stewart Player and Bob Gill.
(2021-11-30). A phase 2/3, participant-blind, observer-blind, randomised, controlled study to assess the safety and immunogenicity of SII-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (COVID-19 vaccine) in adults in India. thelancet.com SII-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has a non-inferior immune response compared to AZD1222 and an acceptable safety/reactogenicity profile. Pharmacovigilance should be maintained to detect any safety signals.
(2021-11-30). SEP electoral members oppose Australian governments' dangerous COVID-19 reopening drive. wsws.org "This disease is not to be taken lightly. We need to find a way to eradicate it."
(2021-11-30). Why Do Walmart, Amazon, Target And IKEA Have Such High Emissions? popularresistance.org As a congestion crisis continues to stall polluting container ships in ports around the world, there is a growing awareness of the role that international shipping plays in both the climate crisis and the public-health impacts of air pollution. | Released on Cyber Monday, a new report from Ship It Zero coalition members Stand.earth and Pacific Environment details the relationship between four major retailers that ship goods to the U.S. — Walmart, Amazon, Target and IKEA — and the fossil-fueled carrier companies that make that shipping possible. | "Major retail companies and cargo carriers are flush wi…
(2021-11-30). Chinese study warns ending zero-COVID policy would be "a great disaster" wsws.org The report conservatively estimates that if China followed the US "herd immunity" policy the number of daily cases would exceed 637,000, and the daily tally of serious cases would be more than 22,000, quickly overloading the country's health system.
(2021-11-30). Chinese study warns ending zero-COVID policy could lead to over 600,000 daily infections. wsws.org The report conservatively estimates that if China followed the US "herd immunity" policy the number of daily cases would exceed 637,000, and the daily tally of serious cases would be more than 22,000, quickly overloading the country's health system.
(2021-11-30). How Gen Z Is Fighting Back Against Big Tech. zcomm.org Many in this generation are aware of what they have lost by having grown up on social media, so they're logging off and working to create a safer, healthier future…
(2021-11-30). Quebec government left seniors' homes unprotected at start of COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org "It's not just science that decides," said Quebec's director of public health, Horacio Arruda, in defense of the government's policy of putting profits before human lives.
(2021-11-30). Brazil To Remove Barriers To The Use Of Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, Brazil's Foreign Affairs Ministry Carlos Franca indicated that his country will use the Sputnik V vaccine as soon as the World Health Organization (WHO) approves it. | RELATED: | "We must bring positions between our regulatory agencies to withdraw the current demand," he said after a meeting with the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Sergey Lavrov, with whom he signed a diplomatic consultation agreement that…
(2021-11-30). Selected Articles: 13 Year-old Canadian Girl Took the COVID-19 Vaccine. "Try Not to Cry, Her Heart Stopped and Now She Is in Critical Condition" globalresearch.ca 
By In an exclusive interview w…
(2021-11-30). Protests Demanding Affordable Housing Surge In The Netherlands. popularresistance.org On Sunday, November 28, housing rights groups and other progressive sections in the Dutch city of Groningen marched under the banner #Woonstrijd to protest the acute housing crisis in the city. Various groups including Shelter Our Students (SOS), International Socialists Groningen, New Communist Party of the Netherlands (NCPN), Communist Youth Movement (CJB), RED Groningen, Young Socialists Groningen, Democratic Academy Groningen, Groningen Feminist Network, and others, participated in the march while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. The protesters demanded a radical housing policy from the authorities whic…
(2021-11-30). These Tortilla Workers Walked Out And Won A Day Off Work. popularresistance.org Chicago —‚ÄâFood production workers at El Milagro, one of Chicago's most popular tortilla companies, join with community allies for a Day of the Dead vigil Nov. 2, 2021, in honor of five coworkers who died after contracting Covid-19 on the job. With candles and sugar skulls outside the company's flagship taqueria in the Little Village neighborhood on the city's Southwest Side, workers and supporters spoke about their ongoing standoff with management‚Äâ—‚Äâand their demands for justice on the job. | "We're here to remember our coworkers, friends and lo…
(2021-11-30). Global nurses coalition demands investigation against COVID-19 criminals. peoplesdispatch.org Nurses from 28 countries have filed a complaint in the UN alleging human rights violations by EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Singapore for 'the loss of countless lives' in the pandemic.
(2021-11-30). Belgian organizations protest spike in violence against women. peoplesdispatch.org According to a recent report by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), partner violence in families has shot up during the COVID-19 pandemic. 18 femicides have been recorded in Belgium since the beginning of 2021…
(2021-11-30). Tennessee governor enacts reactionary legislation aimed at forcing the population to "live with the virus" wsws.org Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a bill earlier this month which bans mask mandates and provides unemployment benefits to those refusing employer-mandated vaccination against COVID-19.
(2021-11-30). Michigan COVID-19 hospitalizations hit new pandemic record. wsws.org Hospitalizations of those infected with coronavirus reached a record high of 4,185 people across the state of Michigan on Monday.
(2021-11-30). Partial lockdown in Slovakia and Czech Republic following record COVID-19 infections. wsws.org After a partial lockdown had already been imposed in Austria, stricter measures and contact restrictions were also imposed in Slovakia and the Czech Republic last week.
(2021-11-30). Pregnant women endangered by "herd immunity" policy and conflicting official advice on COVID-19. wsws.org Saiqa Parveen and Samantha Willis are two of the 13 pregnant or postpartum women killed by COVID-19 just since July in Britain.
(2021-11-30). COVID-19 infects Sri Lankan schools: Stop sacrificing the lives of students and teachers! wsws.org The Rajapakse government rushed to reopen schools not out of concern for the education of children but to defend capitalist profits.
(2021-11-29). Headlines for November 29, 2021. democracynow.org South Africa Blasts Travel Bans As Countries Race to Curb Spread of Omicron Variant, Federal Govt Sends Health Workers to Michigan, Which Leads U.S. COVID Surge, Jury Finds Ahmaud Arbery's Three White Killers Guilty of Murder, Shipwreck Kills 27 Refugees in Largest Recorded Tragedy in English Channel, Opposition Leader Xiomara Castro Claims Victory After Record Turnout in Honduras Election, Ukraine's Zelensky Says He is Target of Imminent Coup as Allies Warn of Possible Russian Invasion, High Death Toll Reported as Ethiopian Soldiers Press Offensive in Afar Region, Oil Well Rupture Leaves Niger Delta Residents Hu…
(2021-11-29). Epidemiologist: New Variant Omicron Can Be Milder Than Delta But More Dangerous Due To Transmissibility And Immune Escape. moguldom.com The new omicron variant of covid-19 has governments, medical experts and researchers scrambling to learn more so they can try and contain it. Many countries have implemented travel bans at record pace and are ramping up vaccination efforts. Some say omicron is a milder variant of the coronavirus, but one epidemiologist says now is not …
(2021-11-29). New Variant Case In Belgium Has No Links To Countries In Southern Africa. moguldom.com Belgium became the first European country to detect a confirmed case of the new variant of covid-19, which has been labeled Omicron, on Friday, Nov. 26. However, the country's case has no links to Southern African countries according to a report. "The patient infected with B.1.1.529 [the scientific name for omicron] is a young adult …
(2021-11-29). Military police raid plane to arrest couple trying to flee quarantine. rt.com 
A married couple who fled a quarantine hotel for suspected Omicron strain carriers in the Netherlands have been removed from a flight by the Dutch military police just as their plane was about to take off. | The dramatic incident unfolded at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on board a flight that was set to depart for Spain at around 6pm on Sunday, the Netherlands armed forces confirmed in a statement. | The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee at Schiphol has arrested a couple this evening who had fled from a quarantine hotel… The arrests took place on a plane that was about to take off. | The identities of the detai…
(2021-11-29). Omicron strain reaches North America. rt.com 
Two cases of the Omicron strain have been confirmed in Canada, while President Biden is considering the US response to the heavily mutated Covid-19 variant, even as it remains unclear if it is more dangerous than other variants. | "Today, the province of Ontario has confirmed two cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Ottawa, both of which were reported in individuals with recent travel from Nigeria," the Ontario province government said in a statement on Sunday. | Read more | | Canada alread…
(2021-11-29). Omicron variant poses 'very high' global risk — WHO. rt.com 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned countries to brace for the new Omicron Covid variant, urging them to boost vaccination for vulnerable groups. | The WHO released a technical brief on Omicron, which was classified as a variant of concern (VOC) on Friday. "The overall global risk related to the new VOC Omicron is assessed as very high," the brief said. | The agency described Omicron as a variant with a high number of mutations, some of which "may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility." At the same time, the WHO noted that there are "still considerable uncertainties"
(2021-11-29). Omicron, la variante de la COVID-19 que pone a temblar al mundo… y a los mercados. globalizacion.ca La confirmación de una nueva variante del coronavirus, bautizada como Omicron y detectada en Sudáfrica prendió todas las luces de alarma en el mundo, estremeció los mercados bursátiles y derrumbó los precios de las materias primas industriales, entre ellas el…
(2021-11-29). UK Summons G7 Health Ministers Over COVID-19 Variant Omicron. telesurenglish.net The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that "an urgent meeting of G7 health ministers will be convened" later on Monday "to discuss the developments on Omicron," a new variant of the coronavirus. | RELATED: | The gathering comes after a third Omicron case was recently confirmed in Britain, when an individual tested positive after traveling to London. | The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA…
(2021-11-29). Biden administration to America: Prepare to die from COVID-19. wsws.org Amid the deepening surge of the Delta variant in the US and the growing spread of the Omicron variant globally, White House Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci explicitly opposed a strategy aimed at eliminating and eradicating COVID-19.
(2021-11-29). Russia Starts Developing a Vaccine for the New Omicron Variant. telesurenglish.net Russia is currently working on a vaccine against the new variant of Covid-19, which has alarmed governments worldwide. | RELATED: | Russia's Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology announced that the "Sputnik V" vaccine against the Omicron variant would probably be ready for massive production in no more than eight weeks. | The center declared it had started work in the new version of his vacc…
(2021-11-29). Capitalism Must Not Dictate Our Response to Omicron Variant. truthout.org 
If you did yourself a weary solid and set the news aside for the long holiday weekend, like as not you've spent a portion of today doomscrolling through reports on the newest COVID-19 variant to rear its ugly head. | Omicron. The World Health Organization (WHO) just had to pick the scariest sounding name, didn't they. It seems like they tried to name this thing after one of the
(2021-11-29). Omicron detected in Australia as governments reject safety measures. wsws.org Australian governments, like their counterparts internationally, are insisting that the new variant must not disrupt the profit-driven drive to lift all safety restrictions.
(2021-11-29). Medical Experts Decry Omicron Travel Bans That Unfairly Target African Countries. truthout.org 
As wealthy nations around the globe impose travel restrictions on southern African countries due to the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant, several health officials and government leaders have warned that such moves will do more harm than good. |
(2021-11-29). Scientists call for urgent action to save lives as Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads globally. wsws.org The rapid spread of the new variant has been greeted with passivity by governments around the world, which have rejected the closures of schools and nonessential businesses even as the current surge of the Delta variant has led to record COVID-19 cases.
(2021-11-29). What Is An Escape Variant? What Scientists Are Saying About Whether Current Vaccines Will Work Against New Variant. moguldom.com Just as we seem to get closer to achieving a new normal in dealing with the coronavirus, another challenge pops up. Scientists and the medical industry are scrambling to deal with delta, omicron and the looming escape variant. Drugmakers are looking to see if current vaccines will combat the new variants. Escape variants are different …
(2021-11-29). Travel Bans Due To Omicron To Affect South African Economy. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Premier of Western Cape Alain Winde said that travel bans on South Africa due to the new Omicron coronavirus variant will be "devastating" for the provincial economy as the local government is seeking for a recovery on its key tourism sector from COVID-19 impact. | RELATED: | The economy of Western Cape, South Africa's popular tourism destination that hosts the legislative capital Cape Town, relies on in…
(2021-11-29). On Omicron and Cuban Vaccines: What Big Pharma Doesn't Want You to Know. libya360.wordpress.com Mision Verdad All for profit, there is news that Big Pharma probably doesn't want you to know (Photo: Andrea Velázquez / El Ceo) Omicron (the Greek letter O) is the latest buzzword, and one that sounds both like an obituary and an apocalypse, which means more global panic in the midst of a pandemic that…
(2021-11-29). Health Justice Advocates Say Vaccine Equity, Not "Racist" Travel Bans, Will Stop the Omicron Variant. democracynow.org 
We go to Cape Town, South Africa, to speak with a leading health justice advocate about how scientists in the country have identified a new Omicron coronavirus variant, and the World Health Organization warns it could be more transmissible than previous variants. Against the advice of the WHO, several countries have closed their borders to foreign travelers. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa criticized the travel bans and called on wealthy nations to help poorer nations gain greater access to COVID vaccines. The bans are "actually quite racist," says Fatima Hassan, founder and director of Health Justice Ini…
(2021-11-29). Autoworkers speak on COVID-19 dangers as case numbers surge across Michigan and US Midwest. wsws.org Autoworkers spoke to the WSWS about the threat posed by the rise in cases, even as the discovery of the Omicron variant underscores the impossibility of "living with the virus."
(2021-11-29). Herd immunity policy creates explosion of COVID-19 infections in German nurseries and schools. wsws.org Although the number of official coronavirus deaths in Germany has exceeded 100,000, the infection figures are escalating and a new, dangerous variant (Omicron) of the virus is spreading, all the bourgeois parties refuse to take the necessary protective measures.
(2021-11-29). US Scrambles To Take Actions Over Omicron's Chilling Effect. telesurenglish.net The newly-discovered Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa has raised fears about the global trajectory of the pandemic, while some countries including the United States have raced to impose travel restrictions on southern African countries. | RELATED: | On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that his country will impose travel restrictions on eight African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe…
(2021-11-29). Carers Of The World Vs. Covid-19 Criminals. popularresistance.org As we enter the third year of the Covid-19 crisis, two battles are underway. One is led by the carers of the world in overcrowded hospitals, fighting to end the pandemic. Another is by corporate executives in closed boardrooms, fighting to prolong it. | The question at the very center of both is this — who will control medical recipes worth billions of dollars, and millions of lives? | As some countries roll out booster programs, less than 6% of Africa's more than a billion people have been fully inoculated. Big pharmaceutical companies are letting the pandemic go on — and why not, according to a rece…
(2021-11-29). Fact Check: The U.S. Government Conducted Or Paid For Medical Experiments On U.S. Prisoners. moguldom.com The Tuskegee Study should have taught us that the U.S. government has few qualms about performing medical experiments on unsuspecting subjects. That experiment involved an estimated 600 Black men in Alabama who had syphilis and was conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the U.S. Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
(2021-11-29). In Fighting COVID-19, Intellectual Property, Not Antitrust, is the Real Problem. cepr.net It might be late in the game in terms of combatting this pandemic, but some new thinking would be tremendously valuable in preparing for the next pandemic, as well as our ongoing struggles with cancer, heart disease, and other longstanding health issues.
(2021-11-29). A Plan To Save The Planet. popularresistance.org Four and a half million people died infected by COVID-19. This global tragedy is the prism through which we must analyse how and in whose interest the ruling system on the planet works. | In the span of a few months, the pandemic compacted political, economic, and social phenomena, the consequences of which would take years to manifest in other circumstances. | Some of the issues that were clearly magnified through the lens of the pandemic are job insecurity, deficits in health systems, inequality, North-South relations, the United Nations' failure to coordinate a collective effort, the use of unilateral coercive…