(2020-10-15). Social protection coverage in Asia and the Pacific 'riddled with gaps'. news.un.org More than half the population of the vast Asia and Pacific region lack any social protection coverage, leaving populations vulnerable to ill-health, poverty, inequality and social exclusion, a new UN report has found.
(2020-10-15). In CA, Latino farming communities hardest by COVID-19 and environmental injustice. indybay.org The California Latino community has been disproportionately infected by the coronavirus. Latinos make up 39 percent of the population in the state, but account for 56 percent of COVID-19 infections and 46 percent of deaths. That's three times the rate as Whites. State officials say, many employers have not reliably provided protective equipment to workers or implemented social distancing or mask wearing rules. This is systemic racism. Too often, they live in neighborhoods that are located near oil industry operations in California, one of America's top crude oil and gas producing states. Gov. Newsom needs to addr…
(2020-10-14). So Long, Sister Ardeth Platte, Anti-Nuclear Activist. counterpunch.org Sister Ardeth Platte, a Dominican nun and antinuclear protester, died ("Ardeth Platte, Dominican Nun and Antinuclear Activist, Dies at 84," New York Times, October 8, 2020) during the night or early morning of the first presidential debate. When Sister Ardeth broke into a nuclear missile facility in Colorado, she recited "Oh God, help us to be
(2020-10-14). Venezuela's ability to fight COVID-19 is badly hamstrung by the 31 metric tons of gold stolen from its treasury. mronline.org 
On October 5, 2020, the England and Wales Court of Appeal overturned a lower court decision from July that denied the Venezuelan government access to 31 metric tons of its gold stored in the Bank of London.
(2020-10-14). Public health state of emergency declared in France over Covid, as Macron confirms city curfews. rt.com 
France's government has declared a public health state of emergency over the growing number of Covid-19 cases as the country sees a second-wave surge of the virus. A curfew will also be imposed on several cities, including Paris. | In a statement on Wednesday, the government said that the coronavirus epidemic needed to be strictly counteracted, due to its growing scale putting the health of the population at risk. | The statement did not list any specific measures the government intends to implement, but the mere adoption of the state of emergency gives a broad range of statutory powers to the executive. | In…
(2020-10-14). Venezuela's ability to fight COVID-19 is hamstrung by 31 metric tons of gold stolen from its treasury. peoplesdispatch.org The Bank of England has refused to hand over 31 metric tons of gold that belongs to Venezuela. This gold worth $1.95 billion is planned to go toward the purchase of essential medical equipment and supplies…
(2020-10-14). Trump's "herd immunity" policy and right-wing terror. wsws.org On Tuesday, Newsweek reported that two Trump administration officials said the White House supports the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement advocating for the mass infection of the population with COVID-19 through a policy of "herd immunity."
(2020-10-14). Let People Vote: Our Fight for Your Right to Vote During 2020. aclu.org 2020 has been an unprecedented year in many ways; a pandemic during a presidential election being one of them. Not unique to 2020, however, is politicians' and states' systematic efforts to suppress voting and disenfranchise Americans. But the ACLU, along with our affiliates and partners across the country, have been hard at work defending your right to vote. This year, we have won 27 victories in 20 states and Puerto Rico that will safeguard the voting rights of millions of Americans this November. Together, these states are home to more than 154 million Americans and wield 247 votes in the Electoral College.
(2020-10-13). Blacks in LA nearly four times as likely to be cited by police. mronline.org 
The Los Angeles police department (LAPD) gave 63% of its citations for "loitering while standing" to Black residents in recent years, despite African Americans making up just 7% of the city's population, a new analysis of public records has revealed.
(2020-10-13). New Jersey projected to face disproportionate growth in food insecurity. wsws.org The Community Food Bank predicts that the number of food-insecure New Jersey residents will surpass 1.2 million—a staggering 13.5 percent of the state's population.
(2020-10-13). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Workers set up road blocks across Costa Rica over government talks with the IMF while at least two university students in Haiti have died during protests over lack of job openings for graduates.
(2020-10-13). The Correlation Between U.S. Democracy and CIA-Sponsored Terror in Cuba's Case. strategic-culture.org Fidel Castro had chartered a course for Cuba to ensure the island's complete liberation from U.S. colonial influence and interference. Participating at the UN's Sixth Committee during a debate on "Ways to Eliminate International Terrorism", Cuban Ambassador to the UN Ana Rodriguez
(2020-10-13). FAO warns over effects of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 13 (MNA) — World Food Day 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of FAO in an exceptional moment as countries around the world deal with the widespread effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
(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). President Maduro to the peoples of the world: 'Together we shall overcome!'. fightbacknews.org Fight Back! is circulating the following statement by Nicolas Maduro Moros, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) stands in solidarity with the people of Venezuela and their leadership against U.S. military threats and economic blockade. The FRSO is preparing to participate in the Global Platform of Workers Against Imperialism this October 28, 29 and 30. | To the Peoples of the World | Brothers and Sisters: | I greet you affectionately on the occasion of informing you about the recent actions undertaken by Venezuela to confront and overcome the illegal b…
(2020-10-12). Many Places Refuse to Abandon Columbus Day — But They Are Losing That Battle. truthout.org It has taken decades to reach this moment when 141 cities, 15 states, numerous universities, and the nation of Trinidad and Tobago officially recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day. | But for every city that chooses to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day, more are still on the fence or willfully choosing to ignore the Indigenous people in their community. | And some of the places that recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day also continue to acknowledge Columbus Day alongside it — for example, Arizona'
(2020-10-12). Kidnapping Dissent: The Whitmer Plot and the End of Freedom. mintpressnews.com 
In "The Grand Chessboard," Zbigniew Brzezinski warned his fellow ruling class cohorts that the onset of the information age would require disinformation strategies to mitigate any potential threat from an increasingly politically-aware population. | Five years before Brzezinski's book was published, a white separatist and former Marine named
(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). Venezuela Parliamentary Elections: Torched Machines Replaced, Covid-19 Safeguards Established. venezuelanalysis.com Over 100 political parties are due to participate, including 95 which are not backing government candidates.
(2020-10-12). French universities enforce de facto herd immunity policy on COVID-19. wsws.org Despite a nominal commitment to limited measures to contain the virus, in reality French universities are allowing the virus to rapid spread amongst students, accelerating infections and deaths in the wider population.
(2020-10-12). Venezuela Extends Offer to PDVSA and Corpoelec Bondholders. telesurenglish.net To address the economic crisis imposed by the U.S. sanctions, Venezuela's authorities Monday extended for one month the offer made to the bondholders of Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and the National Electric Corporation S.A. (Corpoelec). | RELATED: | "This decision will safeguard the investors' rights without affecting the country's economic recovery," Venezuela's Economy Ministry stated. | In 2017, Venezuela c…
(2020-10-12). Determinants of outcome in Covid-19 hospitalized patients with lymphoma: A retrospective multicentric cohort study. thelancet.com Thirty-day mortality was associated with being older and relapsed/refractory lymphoma. Survival of patients younger than 70 years without relapsed/refractory lymphoma was comparable to that of the general population.
(2020-10-11). Venezuelan vice-minister reports on new solidarity initiative and ongoing US threats. greenleft.org.au …