(2020-03-21). Russia delivers over 100,000 Covid-19 test kits to 13 states, including Iran, North Korea. rt.com 
The testing tools for coronavirus were delivered to 13 countries, including Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states Iran and North Korea, Russia's public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on Saturday. | The equipment manufactured in Russia can conduct over 100,000 tests for Covid-19, and has already been used to track down the first cases of the disease in Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Moscow is due to ship the equipment to Serbia, as well as to Egypt and Venezuela. | Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said earlier this week that Russia has no shortage of testing kits. A government…
(2020-03-21). Wake-up call for India? Social media split after police press charges against Covid-19-carrying Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor. rt.com 
Indian police have charged Bollywood star Kanika Kapoor, who has tested positive for coronavirus, with endangering public health by attending parties. Her case has sparked fierce debate in India as the virus continues to spread. | Kapoor has been accused of participating in malignant acts that could pose a danger to the public. The Bollywood star, who recently returned from a trip to London, attended a party last week with a guest list of parliamentarians and other VIPs. On Friday, it was revealed that she had tested positive for Covid-19, causing panic that Indian celebrities with whom she came into contact c…
(2020-03-21). Libya: Haftar's Army Suspends Fight for Tripoli Due to Covid-19. telesurenglish.net Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) Saturday suspended fighting in Tripoli for humanitarian purposes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as local media reported. | RELATED: | A few hours earlier, however, the fight for this city, which the Government of National Accord stills controls, was quite intense. | In Tripoli's Ain Zara suburb, the LNA forces attempted to infiltrate areas defended by the…
(2020-03-21). [Perspectives] Sean Wasserman: rising star in TB-HIV research and medicine. thelancet.com A year spent working in a township hospital outside Cape Town, South Africa, was a defining career moment for Sean Wasserman, winner of the 2019 Stephen Lawn TB-HIV Research Leadership Prize, which is supported by The Union. "I remember seeing the devastation caused by untreated HIV and common opportunistic infections including TB and meningitis, and was inspired by the high quality of medicine practised by my consultants in this challenging environment. I knew from that point on that I wanted to make a contribution in the emerging field of infectious diseases medicine in South Africa", he says.
(2020-03-21). [Obituary] Lionel Henry Opie. thelancet.com Leading African cardiologist. He was born in Hanover, South Africa, on May 6, 1933, and died in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb 20, 2020, aged 86 years.
(2020-03-21). Emirates suspends France, Germany, Nigeria and some US flights due to pandemic. yenisafak.com Emirates, one of the world's biggest international airlines, is suspending all flights to France, Germany, Nigeria, New York and New Jersey due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to internal emails seen by Reuters.France, Germany and Nigeria flights would be suspended from March 23 until further notice, a company email said.Flights to New York JFK and New Jersey's Newark EWR would be suspended from March 24 until further notice, another company email said.The airline did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.Emirates, which has already suspended dozens of routes, said in the emails it was…
(2020-03-21). Mauritius says reports first death from coronavirus. yenisafak.com Mauritius has confirmed its first death from the coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases have risen, a health ministry official said on Saturday."Mauritius has registered its first death linked to COVID-19. Actually some 13 patients have been tested COVID-19 positive. Their state of health is stable and they are being treated in isolation," Kavish Pultoo, adviser on information matters at the Ministry of Health said.
(2020-03-21). Moscow Blasts US Statements About Russia's Alleged 'Energy Weapons' as Insinuation. sputniknews.com The US recently reiterated its criticism of Russia's sale of energy resources, calling its actions "malign" amid the ongoing dive in oil prices caused by the collapse of the OPEC+ deal.
(2020-03-21). Alibaba Co-Founder Jack Ma Donates Medical Supplies to Ten More Asian Nations. sputniknews.com Chinese billionaire Jack Ma earlier this week promised to send 100,000 face masks, 20,000 test kits, and 1,000 medical protective suits to each of Africa's 54 nations. According to the South China Morning Post, Jack Ma also donated 500,000 coronavirus test kits and 1 million masks to the US.
(2020-03-20). Doctor: As Coronavirus Cases Spike Worldwide, We Need Global Cooperation to Halt Spread. democracynow.org 
As the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 10,000, with over 250,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, we speak with Stanford University's global health expert Dr. Michele Barry, an infectious disease doctor. Italy has surpassed China in coronavirus deaths, and cases are rising in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, as the governor of California has ordered all 40 million residents to shelter in place.
(2020-03-20). South Africa to Build 40-Km Fence at Border to Halt Migration. telesurenglish.net The South African government will erect a 40-km barrier on the border with Zimbabwe to prevent migrants from entering the country without documentation. | RELATED: | "The fence will also stop the spread of the new coronavirus in the country," Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille said, even though no Covid-19 cases have been detected in Zimbabwe. | The fence will be erected at Beitbridge, a border town in Mata…
(2020-03-20). Headlines for March 20, 2020. democracynow.org Worldwide COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 10,000 as Italian Nurses "Stop Counting the Dead", Refugee Groups Warn of COVID-19 "Carnage" in Camps Housing Millions, Coronavirus Multiplies Across Australia, Latin America, Africa and Middle East, California Gov. Gavin Newsom Issues Statewide "Stay at Home" Order for 40 Million, New York Mayor Calls on Trump to Mobilize Military to Aid Overwhelmed Hospitals, Georgia State Legislators Urged to Self-Quarantine; Spring Break Revelers Party On in Florida, Demands Grow to Empty ICE Jails as NJ Detention Center Worker Tests Positive, Trump Blasts "Corrupt" Media at Rambling Coronav…
(2020-03-20). Africa, Latin America Fragile Targets for Coronavirus Spread. telesurenglish.net The West African nation of Mali has roughly one ventilator per 1 million people — 20 in all to help the critically ill with respiratory failure. In Peru, with more than 32 million people, about 350 beds in intensive care units exist. | RELATED: | Many of their nations are slamming shut borders and banning large gatherings in the hope of avoiding the scenes in wealthier countries such as Italy and the U.S., but…
(2020-03-20). Cuba Sends 53 Doctors and Nurses to Fight Covid-19 in Italy. telesurenglish.net Cuban health authorities announced on Thursday that the country will send 53 health professionals to Lombardy, Italy, to help contain the new coronavirus pandemic. | RELATED: | The 53 doctors and nurses have experience in caring for these types of diseases. In 2014, they traveled to Sierra Leone in West Africa to fight the Ebola virus. | According to Cuban authorities, the arrival in Lombardy will take place…
(2020-03-20). As Coronavirus Cases Spike Worldwide, We Need Global Cooperation to Halt Spread. truthout.org As the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has topped 10,000, with over 250,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, we speak with Stanford University's global health expert Dr. Michele Barry, an infectious disease doctor. Italy has surpassed China in coronavirus deaths, and cases are rising in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, as the governor of California has ordered all 40 million residents to shelter in place. | TRANSCRIPT: | AMY GOODMAN: The worldwide death toll fr…
(2020-03-20). The Sudanese Ousted a Dictator Last Year—Why Is Washington Still Imposing Sanctions? thenation.com The Sudanese Ousted a Dictator Last Year—Why Is Washington Still Imposing Sanctions?
(2020-03-20). UNHCR delivers much-needed aid to Sudanese refugees in Chad. news.un.org Nearly 94 tonnes of emergency aid has been airlifted into Chad to support thousands of people who have fled ongoing violence in Sudan's West Darfur state, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Friday.
(2020-03-20). UN rights chief urges South Sudan authorities to address inter-communal violence. news.un.org Authorities in South Sudan must address intercommunal violence if the nation is to achieve lasting peace, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday, in response to a recent escalation in fighting in the east and central parts of the country.
(2020-03-19). UN, an 'ally' in Kenya in fight against COVID-19: a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org The United Nations is working closely with the Kenyan Government to help prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus or COVID-19. By Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator to Kenya.
(2020-03-19). Headlines for March 19, 2020. democracynow.org Italy Records Record 475 Coronavirus Deaths as Infections Continue Climbing, British PM Boris Johnson Closes Schools After Reversing Lax Virus Containment Plan, Millions of Brazilians Protest from Windows and Balconies Demanding President's Ouster, World Health Organization Warns Critical Lack of Testing Is Costing Lives, Egypt Arrests Protesters Calling for Release of Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19, Yemen, Already Wracked by U.S.-Supported, Saudi-Led War, Braces for Coronavirus, Trump Admin Tightens Sanctions That Have Devastated Iran's Public Health System, Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill Providing Paid Leav…
(2020-03-18). [Research Paper] A phase 1b randomized study of the safety and immunological responses to vaccination with H4:IC31, H56:IC31, and BCG revaccination in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-uninfected adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa. thelancet.com BCG revaccination administered as a single dose ID and both H4: IC31 and H56: IC31 administered as 2 doses IM had acceptable safety profiles in healthy, QFT-negative, previously BCG-vaccinated adolescents. Characterization of the assays and the immunogenicity of these vaccines may help to identify valuable markers of protection for upcoming immune correlates analyses of C-040-404 and future TB vaccine efficacy trials.
(2020-03-18). Women plough the way to peace in South Sudan resettlement project. news.un.org Women who had been displaced by fighting in South Sudan are sowing seeds of peace, with support from the UN mission in the country, UNMISS.
(2020-03-17). Spain Locks Down & Nationalizes Private Healthcare as Coronavirus Deaths Double & Cases Skyrocket. democracynow.org 
Europe is the epicenter of coronavirus, and Spain now has the second most cases in Europe, with more than 2,000 new cases in 24 hours and the number of deaths doubled. We'll go to Madrid for an update, where more than half of the country's cases have been reported. This comes as the Spanish government announced it is nationalizing hospitals and private healthcare companies to better manage the pandemic. We are joined by María Carrión, a freelance journalist and former Democracy Now! producer who is also executive director of FiSahara and co-founder of Nomads HRC, which focus on human rights in Western Sahara.
(2020-03-16). "Something Is Wrong in America": Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor & Michael Eric Dyson Debate Sanders v Biden. democracynow.org 
Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders faced off in their first one-on-one debate Sunday night in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis, with 3,600 reported COVID-19 cases, 61 deaths so far, 33 states closing schools and mass shutdowns in major cities. The rivals clashed on how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, Medicare for All, the climate crisis, Joe Biden's record and whether or not the U.S. needs a revolution. We play highlights from the debate and get responses from scholars Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Michael Eric Dyson. Taylor is assistant professor of African-America…
(2020-03-12). The Government Has a Secret Plan to Track Everyone's Faces at Airports. We're Suing. aclu.org U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration are putting us on an extraordinarily dangerous path toward the normalization of face surveillance. But because key facts about this surveillance are still secret, the public lacks the information it needs to hold these agencies to account. We're
(2020-03-04). [Commentary] We all progress through progress towards gender equality. thelancet.com Ubuntu — often translated as "I am because we are" — is an African humanist philosophy asserting that we are all interconnected and derive our humanity from each other [1]. It follows that we progress through the progress of others. Archbishop Desmond Tutu put it this way [2]: "We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity."
(2020-03-03). [Research Paper] Violence-related knife injuries in a UK city; epidemiology and impact on secondary care resources. thelancet.com Knife injuries constitute 12 ∑9% of trauma team workload. Violence recidivism and intoxication are common, and females are predominantly injured in a domestic setting, presenting opportunities for targeted violence reduction interventions. 13 ∑9% of injuries involved machetes, with implications for law enforcement strategies.
(2020-02-24). [Articles] Effects of updated demography, disability weights, and cervical cancer burden on estimates of human papillomavirus vaccination impact at the global, regional, and national levels: a PRIME modelling study. thelancet.com HPV vaccination provides greater health benefits and is more cost-effective than was previously estimated. The demography update, which incorporates population aging, has the largest effect on the health impact estimates. The WHO African region is expected to gain the greatest health benefits and should be prioritised for HPV vaccination.
(2020-02-10). [Research Paper] Outcomes of a nine-month regimen for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis up to 24 months after treatment completion in nine African countries. thelancet.com The close to 80% relapse-free success indicates the good outcome of the regimen in low-and middle-income settings. Results confirm the lesser effectiveness of the regimen in patients with initial resistance to fluoroquinolones and support the use of high-dose isoniazid, but do not support exclusion of patients for resistance to drugs other than fluoroquinolones.
(2019-12-23). [Corrections] Correction to Lancet Infect Dis 2019; 19: 143—55. thelancet.com Hemelaar J, Elangovan R, Yun J, et al; WHO—UNAIDS Network for HIV Isolation Characterisation. Global and regional molecular epidemiology of HIV-1, 1990—2015: a systematic review, global survey, and trend analysis. Lancet Infect Dis 2019; 19: 143—55—In figure 3 of this Article, one segment of the pie charts for east Africa and central Africa was mislabelled as CRF02_AG (yellow) instead of D (pink). This change does not affect the written interpretation. This correction has been made to the online version as of Dec 23, 2019.