(2022-01-13). Omicron surge is pushing hospitals to the brink across the US. wsws.org The CDC says as many as 62,000 people will die over the next four weeks, with the exponential increase in cases and hospitalizations in states across the country.
(2022-01-13). John Nichols on How "Coronavirus Criminals & Pandemic Profiteers" Hurt World's Response to COVID-19. democracynow.org 
We speak with The Nation's national affairs correspondent John Nichols on the occasion of his new book, "Coronavirus Criminals and Pandemic Profiteers: Accountability for Those Who Caused the Crisis," which takes aim at the CEOs and political figures who put profits over people during the coronavirus pandemic. The chapters cover notorious figures such as former President Trump, Mike Pompeo, Jared Kushner and Jeff Bezos. "In the United States alone, hundreds of thousands of deaths occurred that did not have to occur," says Nichols. "Globally it's in the millions, and the U.S. could have played a huge role in addre…
(2022-01-13). Teachers in Chicago Are Up Against a Wall of Neoliberal Cruelty. zcomm.org The current struggle is a symptom of the larger problem of neoliberal school reform — a virus whose only vaccine is democracy…
(2022-01-13). Confessions of a "Human Guinea Pig": Professor Quits Vaccine Trial over Moderna's Corporate Greed. democracynow.org 
Jeremy Menchik, a self-described "human guinea pig" who volunteered for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine trials, dropped out to protest the company's greed in reaping profits from the ongoing pandemic while doing little to resolve global vaccine inequity. Menchik is launching a new website — mrna4all.org — where other vaccine trial participants can join the effort to pressure vaccine makers to scale up production to vaccinate the world. "That they have to be accountable to their guinea pigs and they have to advance policies for public health not just private profit … I think that must be unnerving to them…
(2022-01-13). Headlines for January 13, 2022. democracynow.org WHO: Confirmed Coronavirus Infections Surge to 15 Million in a Week, French Teachers Strike as COVID-19 Cases Overwhelm Schools, British PM Boris Johnson Faces Calls to Resign for Defying Lockdown to Attend Cocktail Party, Biden Deploys Military Teams to Hospitals Overwhelmed by COVID-19 Patients, GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthy Won't Cooperate with "Illegitimate" January 6 Committee, Confronted over Lies About 2020 Election, Donald Trump Cuts Short NPR Interview , Biden Meets with Senate Democrats as Push to Pass Voting Rights Legislation Intensifies , Ohio's Top Court Rejects GOP's Gerrymandered Voting Maps, Is…
(2022-01-13). New Zealand scientists express alarm over Omicron threat. wsws.org Amid the danger of an imminent Omicron outbreak, scientific experts are increasingly voicing concerns that contradict the "herd immunity" policies of the Labour-led government.
(2022-01-13). Students, parents and educators in Germany condemn the reckless policy of deliberate infection with coronavirus. wsws.org The decision to expose children and young people in unsafe nurseries and schools to the highly contagious and dangerous Omicron variant is being met with anger, incomprehension and growing combativeness among workers and young people.
(2022-01-13). Strikes and Student Walkouts Spread Across US as Omicron Surges and Schools Re-Open. itsgoingdown.org Across the US, Omicron infections continue to explode, as "more children are being admitted to hospitals than ever before," according to CNN. Vaccination rates among children remain low and community spread, accelerated by the holiday season and the return to in-person instruction, is rippling across the social terrain; hitting teachers, parents, and family members. In just…
(2022-01-13). From Paris to Chicago: The global fight to close schools and save lives. wsws.org Amid a record surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, a growing movement of the working class is developing internationally to stop the pandemic and save lives.
(2022-01-13). UK Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee holds meeting on threat of Omicron. wsws.org Tania Kent, a Socialist Equality Party member, special needs teacher and chairperson of the Educators Committee explained, "We are in the midst of the greatest public health disaster for over 100 years."
(2022-01-13). Young workers expose conditions amid Omicron surge in Australia. wsws.org "They say it doesn't matter if you catch COVID because they need workers back at work and children back in schools. It's absolutely criminal."
(2022-01-13). As Omicron Surges: Teachers, Students Resist Dangerous School Conditions. libya360.wordpress.com Greg Butterfield Students at Lower East Side Prep High School joined a citywide walkout for COVID safety in New York, Jan. 11. Photo: Shawn Garcia Members of the Chicago Teachers Union voted to take classes remote for several days in defiance of the city administration. Thousands of New York City students walked out of classes to protest unsafe…
(2022-01-13). The Covid-19 Pandemic Does Not Exist. globalresearch.ca At the outset of the corona crisis, the number of confirmed cases was abysmally low. 83 positive cases outside China (6.4 billion people), were used to justify a Worldwide Public Health Emergency, leading up to the official announcement of a pandemic in March 2020…
(2022-01-13). French teachers launch one-day strike against Macron's COVID-19 policy. wsws.org An international mobilization of the working class is emerging against capitalist governments' subordination of health and life to profit during the pandemic.
(2022-01-13). Covid-19 Vaccines Lead to New Infections and Mortality: The Evidence is Overwhelming. globalresearch.ca Vaccination has spread worldwide. And everywhere it has been followed by a dramatic rise in new infections and mortality. How many deaths and severe accidents will it take for governments, WHO, health agencies FDA, EMA, to look at the proven results of this experimental pseudo-vaccination?
(2022-01-13). Communist Party of the Philippines opposes mandatory vaccination, demands school re-openings. wsws.org The concern of the CPP is not public health or the mass infection of workers, but the continued profits of corporations.
(2022-01-13). Immigration Reform Is Still Possible — With a Strong Social Movement. zcomm.org Throughout U.S. history, working people have been held down by their own prejudices, including xenophobia. It has plagued the country since colonial times, and it operates in tandem with racism…
(2022-01-13). Southern educators, parents and students must act now to close schools to stop the spread of COVID-19! wsws.org The Southern Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees adopted a resolution to support Chicago teachers and fight to close schools to save lives.
(2022-01-13). Hundreds of thousands of power-loom operators in south India launch indefinite strike. wsws.org Under conditions of the surging COVID-19 pandemic, the eruption of the power-loom strike, involving hundreds of thousands of workers and toilers, underlines that workers will not passively submit to the capitalist class' assault on their social and democratic rights.
(2022-01-13). Sri Lankan educators' safety committee supports Chicago teachers fight against union sellout. wsws.org The TSPSC welcomes the courageous fight by Chicago teachers to protect school communities from COVID infection, which constitutes a major fightback against the capitalist classes around the globe who place profits above human lives.
(2022-01-13). Flint "Water Warrior" Tony Palladeno Jr. dies tragically of COVID-19. wsws.org Tony was recognized by Flint residents as one of the staunchest voices of protest, and was one of six residents who were arrested for speaking out at a sham town hall meeting in 2017.
(2022-01-13). Eastern Europe reaches over 1 million coronavirus deaths. wsws.org Although this region, which stretches from the Czech Republic to Russia and Romania, is home to only 39 percent of the European population, it accounts for 55 percent of the 1.8 million European coronavirus deaths.
(2022-01-12). Bin Laden and Trump: Two Bookends to America's Imperial Decline. fpif.org The end of 2021 and the beginning of a new year is a convenient time to take stock of the causes of America's decline. | This past year saw both Washington's inglorious exit from Afghanistan after 20 years in the country that had served as the launching pad for its direct military intervention in the Middle East and an historic insurrection at the very heart of the empire. Add to this the absolute lack of traction for President Biden's recent "Democracy Summit" in contrast to Beijing's surefooted diplomacy, the erosion of an already weak U.S. economy by COVID-19 followed by uncontrolled inflation, and the deepeni…
(2022-01-12). Headlines for January 12, 2022. democracynow.org Biden Supports Senate Bypassing Filibuster Rule to Pass Voting Rights Legislation, FDA Head Says "Most People" Will Get COVID; Students Protest School Safety Protocols, Red Cross Warns of Blood Supply Crisis Amid Pandemic, Anthony Fauci Accuses Sen. Rand Paul of Endangering His Life by Spreading Lies Around Pandemic, 19 People Reported Killed in Tigray Airstrikes on Same Day Biden Speaks with Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed, Coast Guard Rescues 176 Haitian Migrants from Boat as Biden Admin Continues Mass Deportations, DOJ Forms Domestic Terrorism Unit, NC Protesters Demand Justice for Jason Walker, a Black Man Shot Dead…
(2022-01-12). SEIU1021 Leaders "Ludwig Did Not Have To Die" STOP Privatization & Zero Covid NOW! indybay.org San Francisco SEIU 1021 local leaders reported on the death of SEIU 1021 CCSF worker Ludwig Leota who was coerced back to the job where he contacted covid and passed away. They also talk about the privatization, union busting and fight for democracy in the union.
(2022-01-12). Martin Luther King, Jr., Internationalist. fpif.org We celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day not only to commemorate King's historic role in overcoming racism and other injustice, but because his work and vision remain relevant. | Today's persistent racism in policing, health care, housing, and elsewhere, and attacks on voting rights — particularly for Black Americans — show that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is not just about the past or the South. | King got arrested in Alabama. He marched in Chicago. He spoke truth to power in Washington. He worked with countless activists and ordinary people to take action that transformed the Jim Crow South and impa…
(2022-01-12). The COVID-Omicron Crisis: The Roadmap Towards a Worldwide Financial Crash, Inflation, Digitization. globalresearch.ca First Delta, then Omicron. Neither one of the two has ever been isolated. The vast majority of people of the 193 UN member countries — swallow the lie with fear and respect, as if it were the truth…
(2022-01-12). Yes, there really were only two COVID deaths in mainland China in 2021. Here's how they did it. mronline.org As the Omicron variant causes record levels of infection in the United States, the end of the pandemic seems as far away as ever. But far from preparing a robust response to defeat the virus, the Biden administration is preparing to surrender and encourage the public to "learn to live with" COVID indefinitely.
(2022-01-12). Chinese experts urge booster shot to protect against Omicron. ecns.cn Chinese health experts have urged the public to get a booster shot for COVID-19 to protect against the Omicron variant.
(2022-01-12). WHO warns: Government policies will make half of Europeans catch COVID-19. wsws.org Health officials are warning of an unprecedented tsunami of hundreds of millions of COVID-19 cases in Europe and opposing calls to let the Omicron variant spread.
(2022-01-12). Bill Gates Believes After Omicron, COVID-19 Can Be 'Treated Like Seasonal Flu'. sputniknews.com Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates agreed to a live Q&A session on Twitter with Devi Sridhar, director of Global Health Governance, to share his opinions on diverse aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, its origins and what might happen after the Omicron variant hits peak.
(2022-01-12). Omicron is Under Control in the West Bank, But the Question is: For How Long? sputniknews.com The Palestinian territories have so far registered nearly 300 cases of COVID-19's new variant. To contain its spread, authorities plan to step up the mass vaccination campaign and keep encouraging the masses to adhere to social distancing and personal hygiene.
(2022-01-12). WHO Cautions Against Concurrent Outbreaks of COVID-19. telesurenglish.net "Let's be clear: while Omicron causes less severe disease than Delta, it remains a dangerous virus, particularly for those who are unvaccinated," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. | Maria van Kerkhove (R), technical lead for the Health Emergencies Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks at a daily briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 3, 2020.
(2022-01-12). WHO warns: Government policies will make half of Europeans catch COVID-19. wsws.org Health officials are warning of an unprecedented tsunami of hundreds of millions of COVID-19 cases in Europe and opposing calls to let the Omicron variant spread.
(2022-01-12). More US firms cut paid Covid-19 sick leave. rt.com 
Largest US pharmacies slash sick leave for workers with Covid-19, after retailers Walmart and Amazon did the same last week | Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS Health Corp pharmacy chains have reduced paid sick leave for workers who test positive for Covid-19, the companies announced on Tuesday. | Both firms said they would provide five days of paid leave for all vaccinated full- and part-time workers who test positive for the virus. Walgreens noted that unvaccinated workers with an approved medical or religious exemption would also receive the paid leave benefit. CVS added that it can offer more paid leave day…
(2022-01-12). Alicia Jrapko, Prominent Argentine Revolutionary and Friend of Cuba, Passes Away. libya360.wordpress.com Cuba en Resumen Dear comrades and friends, With deep sorrow and on behalf of her family, we communicate that our dear companion, sister and friend Alicia Jrapko, departed this January 11 in the evening hours, after fighting a cruel disease for more than two years. In spite of the hard treatment she never stopped working…
(2022-01-12). Canada's dangerous COVID delusion. canadiandimension.com 
Canada's pandemic response needs to prioritize public health over profits, uphold lived experiences, trust technical experts and remain adaptive, writes Gloria Novovic. Photo by Alberto Giuliani/ Global problems require global solutions. With COVID-19, however, we're seeing that our governance mechanisms don't drive global solutions even when our lives depend on it. | This is a problem because it will lead to diminishing trust in public institutions and a dragged-out pandemic response, as we fail to preve…
(2022-01-12). Dr. Cheryl Grills Appointed to National Reparations Commission. indybay.org On the ground, in the streets of Sacramento County, seat of the Capitol of the Great State of California, "Racism" declared a Public Health Crisis by Sacramento County Supervisors. Slavery in California cloaked, authentic California History by people of African Descent distorted, discredited and being destroyed as Dr. Carter G. Woodson suggested in his seminal work, "Mis-Education of the Negro" – oftern it is darkest before the dawn.
(2022-01-12). The way forward for high school students in the fight against the pandemic and the reopening of schools. wsws.org In fighting against the unsafe reopening of schools, youth are fighting not only for their own health and safety, but for the community as a whole.
(2022-01-12). Steep rise in US police deaths explained. rt.com 
A spike in law enforcement fatalities last year is linked to exposure to Covid in the line of duty and subsequent illness | A recent report has indicated a 55% year-on-year rise in police fatalities across the US in 2021. Infection with Covid-19 in the line of duty — and the health complications that followed — emerged as the biggest culprit. | The analysis published by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund on Tuesday said a total of 458 officers lost their lives in 2021 either while doing their job, or as a direct consequence thereof. One noteworthy finding in the report is that "som…
(2022-01-12). The way forward for high school students in the fight against the pandemic and the reopening of schools. wsws.org In fighting against the unsafe reopening of schools, youth are fighting not only for their own health and safety, but for the community as a whole.
(2022-01-12). Conservatives on Supreme Court Poised to Block Biden's Vaccine and Mask Mandates. zcomm.org The reactionary "justices" seem more inclined to shield corporate profits and red states' rights than to protect the health and safety of the people…
(2022-01-12). Low-Pay and Harsh Conditions Overwhelm Turkish Health Workers. telesurenglish.net Violence from patients, low wages, and extreme working conditions that inflict on Turkey's health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled lots of them to quit the job or seek opportunities abroad, according to their unions. | RELATED: | Tens of thousands of Turkish healthcare employees and social support personnel held a one-day nationwide strike on Dec. 15 demanding better pay, lower workload, and more safet…
(2022-01-12). Engineer Nicolas Smit exposes Canadian authorities' refusal to protect workers from COVID-laced aerosols. wsws.org In this interview, expert Nicolas Smit documents the negligent response of Canada's governments to the COVID-19 pandemic, including their longstanding refusal to admit the virus spreads primarily through aerosols, and the unions' failure to fight for the PPE workers need to protect their health and lives.
(2022-01-12). Meat and dairy gobble up farming subsidies worldwide, which is bad for your health and the planet. nationofchange.org Agricultural subsidies help prop up a food system that is neither healthy nor sustainable.
(2022-01-12). Engineer Nicolas Smit exposes Canadian authorities' refusal to protect workers from COVID-laced aerosols. wsws.org In this interview, expert Nicolas Smit documents the negligent response of Canada's governments to the COVID-19 pandemic, including their longstanding refusal to admit the virus spreads primarily through aerosols, and the unions' failure to fight for the PPE workers need to protect their health and lives.
(2022-01-12). FDA director tells Senate "Most people in the US are going to get COVID" wsws.org Hospitalizations for COVID hit pandemic highs. Yet, every measure is being implemented to keep schools and businesses open despite the catastrophic impact on health systems.
(2022-01-12). FDA director tells Senate "Most people in the US are going to get COVID" wsws.org Hospitalizations for COVID hit pandemic highs. Yet, every measure is being implemented to keep schools and businesses open despite the catastrophic impact on health systems.
(2022-01-12). UK government's PPE procurement ruled unlawful. rt.com 
The use of VIP PPE suppliers has been deemed illegal by a UK court | The UK High Court has ruled that the Department of Health and Social Care's use of politically connected suppliers to rapidly procure personal protective equipment at the beginning of the pandemic was unlawful. | On Wednesday, the High Court ruled that the government had breached its obligations by giving politically connected suppliers contracts to supply personal protective equipment (PPE). | In a ruling judge Mrs Justice O'Farrell said that the government was "in breach of the obligation of equal treatment," adding "the illegality is marke…
(2022-01-12). Wednesday 1/19: Virtual Town Hall on Black Maternal Health w/ ERA Coalition & FWE. indybay.org Online event…
