2021-12-01: News Headlines

Suresh V Kuchipudi (2021-12-01). Will Omicron be more contagious than Delta? asiatimes.com A new variant named Omicron (B.1.1.529) was reported by researchers in South Africa on November 24, 2021, and designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization two days later. Omicron is very unusual in that it is by far the most heavily mutated variant yet of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The …

WSWS (2021-12-01). As winter wave of COVID-19 infections looms, Canada's political elite plans to let Omicron variant rip through population. wsws.org The travel history of the five Omicron cases in Canada, four of which are in Ontario and one in Quebec, suggests that the variant has been spreading widely throughout Africa for some time. All five, none of whom are related, returned from Nigeria via Montreal.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-12-01). Prominent Egyptian activist Hossam Bahgat found guilty of insulting election authorities. peoplesdispatch.org Bahgat is the founder-director of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). He has previously been targeted by successive governments for his work towards the advancement of civil liberties and human rights in Egypt…

Editor2 (2021-12-01). Tunisia's Popular Movement: Moroccan Normalization with "Israel" Betrayal. orinocotribune.com Tunisia's Popular Movement reiterates its anti-normalization stance and calls the alliance between the Moroccan government and the Zionist enemy a multifaceted crime. | Tunisia's Popular Movement said that "the alliance between the Moroccan government and the Zionist enemy is a multifaceted crime, which has affected the Moroccan people, its history, and its martyrs." | The Movement said that after Morocco and "Israel" signed a security cooperation pact, Morocco "will turn into an advanced base for the enemy run by the [Moroccan] King." | In a statement addressed yesterday evening under the title "Normalization is…

Staff (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…

Florence CGTN (2021-11-30). Renewed focus on international supply of vaccines. america.cgtn.com There's a renewed focus on the international supply of vaccines, especially since the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was first identified in South Africa. The WHO has been in prolonged discussions with Moderna over licensing its vaccine globally. And there's an ongoing dispute between the …

_____ (2021-11-30). Interview: Wife Of Venezuelan Diplomat 'Kidnapped' By The US. popularresistance.org On Wednesday, November 24, MintPress News Editor in Chief Mnar Adley sat down to speak with Camila Saab, the wife of imprisoned Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. | Saab was on a diplomatic mission to Iran in June 2020, where he was tasked with securing deals for food, medicine and personal protective equipment. His plane stopped off in Cabo Verde — a group of islands off the west coast of Africa — for a routine refueling. | He would never finish his journey, as, on orders from the United States government, local authorities stormed the vehicle, forcing him off the plane — an event that would begin…

Ann Brown (2021-11-30). Jussie Smollett Trial Begins, He Still Claims He Didn't Stage Fake Racial Attack with Nigerian Brothers. moguldom.com The criminal trial against actor Jussie Smollett has finally made it to the courthouse after years of delay. The former "Empire" TV star faces charges that he filed false reports of a racist and homophobic attack. He is being tried for six counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false reports to law enforcement. Smollett …

Michael Arney (2021-11-30). Working Families Party director, Sochie Nnaemaka, says her party gives voters a real choice. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK — Sochie Nnaemeka, the daughter of Nigerian immigrant parents, has been State Director of the New York Working Families Party since late 2019. With a resume full of both union and grassroots democratic organizing history, she has always labored for progressive electoral politics at city, state, and federal levels. Prior to her position …

TJ Coles (2021-11-30). Backed by AFRICOM, corporations plunder DR Congo for "climate-friendly" materials and blame China. thegrayzone.com Cobalt, a key metallic element used in lithium batteries and other "green" technology, is sourced from slave labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the West points the finger at China, the US Africa Command is indirectly policing mining operations that profit US corporations. Ever since Belgium's King Leopold II (1835-1909) established the Congo Free State in 1885, international powers have exploited the region's vast resources. Leading a regime that went on to kill an estimated eight million people …

Ann Brown (2021-11-30). Large Study: Landlords Are Less Likely To Reply To Black, Latino Names. moguldom.com Potential renters with Black-sounding names have a more challenging time getting landlords to approve them for housing than people with so-called white-sounding names, according to a new study. Landlords are less likely to respond to rental applicants with African American and Latino-sounding names when renting properties, according to a new working paper published by the National Bureau …

G. Dunkel (2021-11-30). Massive protests in Niger, Burkina Faso demand French military get out. workers.org Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are former French colonies, where the struggle against France's presence in the Sahel region of Africa has been most intense, with mass actions marking the last two weeks of November. Resistance in these countries takes many shapes and forms. Black line shows route taken by . . . |

Marlee Kokotovic (2021-11-30). Shell oil plans to blast South African coastline in search for oil and gas. nationofchange.org Shell's oil and gas exploration on South Africa's Wild Coast will be destructive for people and nature. The best way to mitigate the effects of seismic blasting is NOT TO DO IT!!

Peoples Dispatch (2021-11-30). Strike action in Clover South Africa enters second week, unions contemplate occupation. peoplesdispatch.org Demanding an end to retrenchments that could see over 2,000 job losses, unions have called on the South African government to take over Clover SA, the largest employer in the country's dairy industry…

Jake Johnson (2021-11-30). Number of Covid boosters given in US exceeds single shots in 8 African nations combined. nationofchange.org "Our leaders' failure to help bring the vaccines to everyone, everywhere will keep us on a cruel and never-ending cycle of illness, death, and economic suffering."

Prasad S Kulkarni, Chandrasekaran Padmapriyadarsini, Johan Vekemans, Ashish Bavdekar, Madhu Gupta, Praveen Kulkarni, B S Garg, Nithya J Gogtay, Muralidhar Tambe, Sanjay Lalwani, Kiranjit Singh, Renuka Munshi, Sushant Meshram, T S Selvavinayagam, Krishna Pandey, Devi Madhavi Bhimarasetty, S R Ramakrishnan, Chetanraj Bhamare, Abhijeet Dharmadhikari, Rajeev Vadakkedath, Cyrille J Bonhomme, Madhuri Thakar, Swarali N Kurle, Elizabeth J Kelly, Manish Gautam, Nivedita Gupta, Samiran Panda, Balram Bhargava, Umesh Shaligram, Dhananjay Kapse, Bhagwat Gunale, COVISHIELD Study Group (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.

2021-12-01 18:01 | 14:01 EST | jz | 18 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 0 

2021-11-30: News Headlines

Florence CGTN (2021-11-30). Renewed focus on international supply of vaccines. america.cgtn.com There's a renewed focus on the international supply of vaccines, especially since the Omicron variant of the coronavirus was first identified in South Africa. The WHO has been in prolonged discussions with Moderna over licensing its vaccine globally. And there's an ongoing dispute between the …

Staff (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…

TJ Coles (2021-11-30). Backed by AFRICOM, corporations plunder DR Congo for "climate-friendly" materials and blame China. thegrayzone.com Cobalt, a key metallic element used in lithium batteries and other "green" technology, is sourced from slave labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the West points the finger at China, the US Africa Command is indirectly policing mining operations that profit US corporations. Ever since Belgium's King Leopold II (1835-1909) established the Congo Free State in 1885, international powers have exploited the region's vast resources. Leading a regime that went on to kill an estimated eight million people …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-11-30). Strike action in Clover South Africa enters second week, unions contemplate occupation. peoplesdispatch.org Demanding an end to retrenchments that could see over 2,000 job losses, unions have called on the South African government to take over Clover SA, the largest employer in the country's dairy industry…

Prasad S Kulkarni, Chandrasekaran Padmapriyadarsini, Johan Vekemans, Ashish Bavdekar, Madhu Gupta, Praveen Kulkarni, B S Garg, Nithya J Gogtay, Muralidhar Tambe, Sanjay Lalwani, Kiranjit Singh, Renuka Munshi, Sushant Meshram, T S Selvavinayagam, Krishna Pandey, Devi Madhavi Bhimarasetty, S R Ramakrishnan, Chetanraj Bhamare, Abhijeet Dharmadhikari, Rajeev Vadakkedath, Cyrille J Bonhomme, Madhuri Thakar, Swarali N Kurle, Elizabeth J Kelly, Manish Gautam, Nivedita Gupta, Samiran Panda, Balram Bhargava, Umesh Shaligram, Dhananjay Kapse, Bhagwat Gunale, COVISHIELD Study Group (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.

Staff (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…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-11-29). Honduras: 12 Years Later, Defeat of the Coup d'état Regime. libya360.wordpress.com Ollantay Itzamná Colors of the National party (blue) and Libre party (red). Drawing. Internet According to the preliminary computation of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on the results of the 2021 general elections, after 40% of the vote tallies, Xiomara Castro, candidate of the Libre party, obtained more than 53% of the votes, followed by Nasry…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-11-29). Honduras: Xiomara Castro de Zelaya Proclaimed President-Elect. libya360.wordpress.com Xiomara Castro, proclaimed president-elect of Honduras and first woman to govern the country, celebrated her triumph at the polls this Sunday and announced that she will form a government of "reconciliation", of "peace and justice". Although the scrutiny continues, the candidate of the Liberty and Refoundation Party (Libre) is imposed with a wide advantage to…

Isheka N. Harrison (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 …

Staff (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…

teleSUR (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…

teleSUR (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…

Chris Walker (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. |

Staff (2021-11-29). Countries close borders to foreigners amid Omicron fears. rt.com Japan will close its border to foreign nationals, including business travelers and students from Tuesday, marking one of the most severe responses to the emergence of Omicron. Israel shut its borders from midnight on Sunday. | Speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the imminent closure of the border to non-Japanese nationals from Tuesday. "This is a preventive, emergency measure to avoid a worst-case scenario," Kishida told reporters at the Prime Minister's office. | The measures apply to all foreign nationals with the exception of those who are residents of Japan. "These are temporary, exc…

Staff (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). Who Gains From Ethiopia Tigray War? journal-neo.org If you want to know who is likely to be at war, just look at who is given the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian (NATO) Parliament. Obama got it just days into office before he escalated the war in Afghanistan. Henry Kissinger got it in the 1970'S. And two years ago the Prime Minister …

Graham Peebles (2021-11-29). Ethiopia Conflict by US Design. dissidentvoice.org Supported by America and other foreign forces, including elements within United Nations (UN) agencies, The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) is attempting to overthrow the democratically elected Government of Ethiopia and regain power. This would be disastrous for the country and the region. The impact of the year-long conflict is devastating. Perhaps as many as …

_____ (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…

ecns.cn (2021-11-29). Xi says China will work with African countries on poverty alleviation, agriculture. ecns.cn Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday pledged to carry out 10 projects on poverty alleviation and agriculture, and send 500 agricultural experts to aid Africa."ÄÄ"ÄÄ…

Yves Engler (2021-11-29). South Africa Puts Canada to Shame Regarding Palestine. dissidentvoice.org Like Canada, South Africa is a former British colony and settler state. But the divide between these two countries regarding the world's most aggressive ongoing European colonialism is stark. While Pretoria assists Palestinians by advocating the boycott of a cultural event, Canadians subsidize huge private donations to a wealthy apartheid state. On November 13 the …

_____ (2021-11-29). Erdogan's Expansion into Africa intensifies. journal-neo.org After the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in Turkey in 2002, became one of the main priorities of Erdogan's foreign policy. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not spend a year without touring Africa: since coming to power in 2002, he has visited 31 African countries, some more than once, notably Algeria, Senegal, …

_____ (2021-11-29). The US Puts A Democratic Veneer On The Military Coup In Sudan. popularresistance.org Since achieving independence in 1956, Sudan has had a number of military coup governments and popular revolutions that overthrew them. Most recently, the Sudanese people ousted the thirty year long dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir at the end of 2018 only to replace him with another military-led government and a civilian figure head. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ahmed Kaballo, a British-Sudanese journalist and producer who just released his two-part documentary called "Sudan's Unfinished Revolution," which you can find here and here. Kaballo describes the history of the struggle in Sudan, the dire situation facing S…

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