Monthly Archives: August 2020

2020-08-19: News Headlines

Catherine Henchek, CPS parent and member of Parents 4 Teachers (2020-08-19). In Chicago, teacher-community solidarity forces district to put safety first. liberationnews.org The school district's turnaround shows what can happen when unions and community members work together.

The Canary (2020-08-19). Hapless Hancock defends cabinet colleague Williamson over exam fiasco. thecanary.co Calls for education secretary Gavin Williamson to quit over the A-level grades fiasco are a distraction at a time when he is focused on getting children back to school next month, a Cabinet colleague has said.Health secretary Matt Hancock said all ministers are "trying to do their best" in unprecedented circumstances "and I know that is true of Gavin Williamson".Hancock also acknowledged calls to increase student places at medical schools and promised that the government is working on the problem.Williamson is under intense pressure after he was forced to abandon the algorithm-based system for awarding A-level an…

yenisafak (2020-08-19). Philippines work on use of saliva for COVID-19 testing. yenisafak.com Researchers in Philippines are working to see the possible use of saliva as a sample for coronavirus testing.Maria Rosario Vergeire, a health department official, said Wednesday Filipino researchers were working on the "method of collecting saliva samples for almost a month now," daily Phil Star reported.The archipelago nation Wednesday reported 4,650 new cases and 111 deaths due to the virus. The national death toll climbed to 2,795 after fresh fatalities, while the number of total infections hit 173,774."That is being studied by our lab experts' panel. We forwarded it to our laboratory experts' panel to study a…

Aaron Talley (2020-08-19). This Is What Dystopia Looks Like. thenation.com This Is What Dystopia Looks Like…

Ajamu Baraka (2020-08-18). Trump or Biden: Any Difference for the Global South? globalresearch.ca Congress decided to go on vacation while millions of U.S. workers are in economic limbo and while the United States continues to engage in criminal activity, such as when it seized four Iranian oil tankers that were on their way …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-18). Video: "The House Cat Flu" is Coming. The Meow Apocalypse… globalresearch.ca This article was first published on April 18, 2020 | The following episode of the Simpsons was released in 2010. | It is a satire. But at the same time it reveals the unspoken truth. The writer of the script is an …

Staff (2020-08-18). Headlines for August 18, 2020. democracynow.org Virtual DNC Kicks Off with Calls for Unity, Speeches by Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders, UNC Switches to Remote Classes After 177 Students Contract COVID-19, Indigenous Groups in Brazil Protest Gov't Inaction on Coronavirus; South Korea Outbreak Grows, Postmaster General Agrees to Testify as Fears Mount over USPS Changes That Could Threaten Election, Special Tribunal Delivers Verdict over 2005 Killing of Ex-Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri, Mapuche Protesters Demand Hunger-Striking Leader Be Released, Spanish Royal Family Confirms Exiled Former King Juan Carlos Is in UAE, Trump Admin Finalized Plan to Open Alaska's…

Mondialisation (2020-08-18). Desastre ambiental segundo Marx: faces da crise capitalista (II). globalresearch.ca Continuando a análise comeàßada na primeira parte deste artigo —

Mike Whitney (2020-08-18). CODENAME: Operation Virus Identification 2019; the Elitist Plan to Remake Society. globalresearch.ca Everything we were originally told about the Coronavirus has turned out to be wrong. | In fact, it's not a "novel" one-of-a-kind infection at all, but a member of a larger family of which there have been many iterations in the …

calvin deutschbein (2020-08-18). At North Carolina colleges, 'Safe Jobs Save Lives'. workers.org Chapel Hill, N.C. At 2: 15 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14 — as the first week of in-person classes at the University of North Carolina wound to a close — the independent student newspaper, the Daily Tarheel, made the announcement: "BREAKING: Carolina Housing reported two COVID-19 clusters today." UE 150 organized . . . |

A Guest Author (2020-08-18). Colonialism intensifies pandemic school crisis for Puerto Ricans. workers.org By Lorraine Liriano Chávez This slightly edited talk was given at the Aug. 6 Workers World Party webinar, "War on the Working Class: the Socialist Response," which featured education workers. Lorraine Liriano Chávez Puerto Rico faces the life-threatening decision of the reopening of schools in the midst of rising COVID-19 . . . |

RT (2020-08-18). Comedian posts satirical tweet claiming convicted RAPIST will speak at Republican convention and internet goes wild. rt.com Convicted Stanford University rapist Brock Turner will speak at the Republican National Convention! It's a comedy bit, not the truth, but in 2020, social media can perhaps be forgiven for losing its ability to tell the difference. | Comedian Jena Friedman announced the disgraced student athlete as RNC 'special guest' on Twitter on Tuesday, provoking a firestorm of responses as a good portion of her audience took it seriously. Would the Republicans seriously invite a registered sex offender — even one with a Stanford University pedigree — to address their convention? | BREAKING NEWS: Brock Turner, Sta…

RT (2020-08-18). Leaky bubble? Michigan college puts students on campus arrest with mandatory Covid-19 tracking app, while staff get to leave. rt.com Michigan's Albion College is requiring incoming students to install a tracking app on their phones that warns the school if they leave campus. The 'Covid bubble' plan lets teachers come and go as they please, however. | The draconian rules, which mandate that students remain within the Albion campus' 4.5-mile perimeter throughout the entire 14-week semester, are part of Albion's plans to create a 'Covid bubble' protecting its entire student body, the Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday. | While Albion claimed students are being restricted to campus in order "to reduce the risk of transmission between the…

The Canary (2020-08-18). Education Secretary resists calls to resign over GCSE and A-level grades U-turn. thecanary.co Education secretary Gavin Williamson has resisted calls to resign over his handling of A-level and GCSE grades in England, but he has apologised to thousands of students for the distress caused.The government announced a U-turn on Monday when it said students would be able to receive grades based on their teachers' estimates following anger over the downgrading of thousands of A-level grades.But Williamson has repeatedly refused to say whether he would consider resigning from his position.The minister said there had been "broad political consensus" across all parties that a standardisation model was needed for te…

Tamba Franàßois Koundouno (2020-08-18). 'Palestine Is a Red Line', Morocco-Israel Relations, Netanyahu's "Normalization" Machine? Moroccan Writers Boycott UAE, Israel. globalresearch.ca Five Moroccan authors have announced their decision to boycott an Emirati literary prize in objection to the UAE's "normalization" deal with Israel, Spanish newspaper According to the report, the Moroccan writers all expressed their dismay and disappointment …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-18). Poland and Lithuania Are Escalating Events in Belarus as They Did with Maidan. globalresearch.ca On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus with five candidates bidding to be head of state. According to the Central Election Commission, the incumbent president, Alexander Lukashenko, won in the first round with over 80% of the …

Philip Giraldi (2020-08-18). Managing the Narrative: Corporations and Government Use Internet to Control Information. globalresearch.ca Some Americans continue to believe that when they go to the internet they will get a free flow of useful information that will guide them in making decisions or coming to conclusions about the state of the world. That conceit …

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-08-18). Anthony Fauci Is Out, Sidelined by Trump. Common Sense Might be Returning. Enter Dr. Scott Atlas to the Coronavirus Task Force. globalresearch.ca It is now official: the media has confirmed that Dr. Anthony Fauci has been "sidelined" by Trump. This is nothing new. Fauci has not been fired as head of the NIASD. It is unclear whether this new appointment will trigger …

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-08-18). Anthony Fauci Is Out, "Sidelined" by Trump. Enter Dr. Scott Atlas to the Coronavirus Task Force. globalresearch.ca It is now official: Dr. Anthony Fauci has been "sidelined" by president Trump. This is nothing new. | Dr. Fauci has not been fired as head of the NIAID. Moreover, it is unclear whether this new appointment will trigger a significant …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-18). "Fake News": Iran Paid Taliban to Kill US Troops… Big Lies Take a Life of Their Own. globalresearch.ca When repeated ad nauseam, Big Lies take on a life of their own. | Before the television age arrived, famed actor/humorist Will Rogers once said: "All I know is what I read in the papers." | He might have added that mind …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-18). Trump Gives Chinese Parent Company 90 Days to Divest from TikTok. globalresearch.ca US cold war on China risks turning hot if bipartisan hardliners in Washington push things too far. | Their hostile actions are all about wanting China's development, growth, and prominence on the world stage undermined. | Since Trump took office, scores of …

teleSUR (2020-08-18). President Piñera Launches Bidding to Set up 5G Network in Chile. telesurenglish.net Chile's President Sebastian Piñera launched the first bidding process to install the 5G technology in the country, which is one of the first Latin American nations to develop this network. | RELATED: | "The 5G application will be prioritized in essential sectors such as health, education, transportation, and natural disaster control," Piñera said. | Chile will allocate between US$2.65 billion and US$3 billion to dou…

WSWS (2020-08-18). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Colombian Federation of Education Workers conducted a 48-hour strike August 12 and 13 against plans for a rotating reopening of the country's schools that teachers say is unsafe.

teleSUR (2020-08-18). Mexico: 98 Percent of Children Will Study From Home. telesurenglish.net Mexico's Education Secretary Esteban Moctezuma Monday announced that the Learn at Home II program is ready to serve 98 percent of elementary and middle school students. | RELATED: | "We developed a fair strategy for children that considers their socioeconomic conditions and the region in which they live," he said, recalling that face-to-face classes were suspended on March 23. | At that time, the Education Secretary (S…

Elijah J. Magnier (2020-08-18). USA to Iraq: We Will Withdraw but Without Being Humiliated. globalresearch.ca Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, about issues that are burdening Iraq. The country is struggling with a stifling economic crisis, the Coronavirus pandemic, the US military presence that …

Prof. Sam Ben-Meir (2020-08-18). Spontaneous Lines: The Art of Rita Blitt. A Yes to Life, A Yes to the World… Art is Life. globalresearch.ca Rita Blitt: Around and Round (Tra Publishing, 2020), looks back at the long and prolific career of this notable American artist. If Blitt's work is about anything then it is about the exuberance, the joy, the …

teleSUR (2020-08-18). Scientists Determine The Order Of COVID-19 Symptoms. telesurenglish.net Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) Monday identified the likely order in which COVID-19 symptoms appear, a finding that could help both patients and doctors to better handle the disease. | RELATED: | The study was led by doctoral candidate Joseph Larsen with faculty advisors Peter Kuhn and James Hicks from the USC Michelson Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer). | Specialists conclu…

Califf RM, Hernandez AF, Landray M. (2020-08-18). Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Proliferating Observational Treatment Assessments. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses the role of observational study designs and data in the rapid stand-up of an evidence base for managing the COVID-19 pandemic, proposing ways to position observational research as a foundation for rapid follow-on randomized evaluation without premature overinterpretation of its findings.

Richard Falk (2020-08-18). Interpreting the UAE/Israel Agreement on Suspending Annexation. globalresearch.ca Any comment on regional implications of the Agreement is, of course, highly speculative as the real reasons for such an initiative are rarely disclosed by those with the power of decision. In this case the uncertainties are magnified by some …

Jorge Arreaza (2020-08-18). Venezuela, and Trump's Irrational Electoral Policy. globalresearch.ca Elections always have an interesting effect on public policy, in particular if the person in charge of designing and implementing a certain policy is up for reelection. In politics, it is logical that an incumbent candidate decides to show successful …

Richard Silverstein (2020-08-18). Former Lebanese Interior Minister Blames Israel for Beirut Attack. globalresearch.ca A former Lebanese Interior Minister has publicly This operation in Beirut was carried out by Israel in a clear and explicit manner," Machnouk said, adding: "It is clear we are looking at a …

Yanis Iqbal (2020-08-18). The Hunger Crisis in Guatemala. globalresearch.ca A report released by Oxfam in July 2020

Robert F. Kennedy Jr (2020-08-18). Video: The Great Vaccine Debate! Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. vs Alan Dershowitz. globalresearch.ca Don't miss this historic debate between Children's Health Defense Chairman Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. | With the current COVID crisis dominating headlines at national and local levels, the topic of vaccines is now front …

Mori M, Krumholz HM, Allore HG. (2020-08-18). Using Latent Class Analysis to Identify Hidden Clinical Phenotypes. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Guide to Statistics and Methods summarizes latent class analysis, a statistical technique that estimates the probability of patients belonging to a discrete group that shares specific combinations of observed variables, and explains how the technique is used and can be interpreted in observational research.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-18). Rights groups demand justice for murdered Baloch student. peoplesdispatch.org A final year student of Karachi University, 23-year-old Hayat Baloch Hayat, was allegedly killed by Pakistan's Frontier Corps personnel after being accused of involvement in a roadside bomb explosion…

teleSUR (2020-08-18). US: Los Angeles to Test All Students and Teachers for COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner announced a COVID-19 testing plan for students and school personnel, as learning activities would resume this fall. | RELATED: | "Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary actions, and while this testing and contact tracing effort is unprecedented, it is necessary and appropriate," Beutner said. | The testing program would start on Monday, August 24, an…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-18). Effective test and trace could reduce R by up to 26%. imperial.ac.uk Test and trace could reduce the effective reproduction number, the R number, by up to 26% if carried out quickly and effectively, new research finds.

The Canary (2020-08-18). Estimates of plastic in Atlantic 'massively underestimated'. thecanary.co Estimates of how much plastic has been dumped in the Atlantic Ocean have been "massively underestimated", experts say. | The mass of so-called invisible microplastics found in the upper waters of the Atlantic is around 12-21m tonnes, new research suggests. | But the figure only represents three types of the most common types of plastic litter in a limited size range. | According to a study published in Nature Communications, it is comparable in magnitude to estimates of all plastic waste that has entered the Atlantic over the past 65 years — 17m tonnes. | This suggests the supply of plastic to the ocean has…

The Canary (2020-08-18). Students will receive final GCSE grades on Thursday despite U-turn. thecanary.co GCSE students will receive their final grades on Thursday despite the government's U-turn on grading, exam boards have pledged. | All schools and colleges will receive their pupils' GCSE grades from the exam boards ahead of results day, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has said. | Exam boards said they have been "working hard" to provide schools and colleges with students' centre assessment grades, which are based on teachers' estimates, or the moderated grades if they are higher. | The announcement comes amid confusion about how GCSE results day would run following the U-turn. | JCQ confirms exam centr…

Fight Back (2020-08-18). Philippines: Killings of rights defenders continue amid COVID-19 spike, economic recession. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Labor NGO: Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER). | Rampant harassment and terroristic acts by the state towards the people made it clear that the Duterte administration does not aim to resolve all the crises brought out by the pandemic, according to Labor NGO Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER). | EILER firmly stands with all the peasant rights defenders and demands accountability for the brutal killings of Randall "Ka Randy" Echanis, 72; Reken Remasog, 24, and Zara Alvarez, 39. | Ka Randy was a…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-08-18). Google's Open Letter: Fighting Australia's News Media Bargaining Code. globalresearch.ca Tech giants tend to cast thin veils over threats regarding government regulations. They are also particularly concerned by those more public spirited ones, the sort supposedly made for the broader interest. Google has given us an example of this in …

commondreams (2020-08-18). Researchers' Plan To Release Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees in Forests Will Set Dangerous Precedents If Approved. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Shane Quinn (2020-08-18). US Firestorming of Tokyo Rivaled the Hiroshima Bombing. globalresearch.ca Featured image: Charred remains of Japanese civilians after the firebombing of Tokyo on the night of 9—10 March 1945. (Source: Ishikawa K≈çy≈ç / Wikimedia Commons) | In the early hours of 10 March 1945, as America's heavy aircraft dropped over 1,600 …

R.C.A. Achterbergh, E. Hoornenborg, A. Boyd, L. Coyer, S.J.A. Meuzelaar, A.A. Hogewoning, U. Davidovich, M.S. van Rooijen, M.F. Schim van der Loeff, M. Prins, H.J.C. de Vries (2020-08-18). [Original Research] Changes in mental health and drug use among men who have sex with men using daily and event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis: Results from a prospective demonstration project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. thelancet.com Mental health disorders are prevalent among those initiating PrEP. We did not find increases in mental health disorders during PrEP use, but rather a decrease in sexual compulsivity and drug use disorders. The initial prevalence of mental health disorders in our study point at the continuous need to address mental health disorders within PrEP programs.

Lauren Novosat (2020-08-18). Money Becomes King: University Greed in the Midst of a Global Pandemic. counterpunch.org Students around the nation prepare to return to campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are met with empty promises of safety: social distancing in the classroom, a hybrid education system with in-person and online teaching, an overwhelming feeling that the return to campus will be just as lonely as the long trek home in early

Sasha Abramsky (2020-08-18). Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe. thenation.com Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe…

Alan MacLeod (2020-08-17). Julian Assange Court Case Delayed Again in Bizarre Circumstances. globalresearch.ca "I have never in my career faced so much difficulty attempting to trial monitor as in Julian Assange's case." — Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders. | *** | There were bizarre scenes at Westminster Magistrates' …

Eduardo Campos Lima (2020-08-17). Missionaries Gain Access to Amazon's Indigenous Peoples, Despite Pandemic. globalresearch.ca When the first COVID-19 cases hit Brazil in March, the government agency in charge of protecting the country's Indigenous peoples, the National Indigenous Foundation, ordered all civilians to leave the Indigenous reservations. Only essential workers, such as health care personnel …

Andre Vltchek (2020-08-17). Anti-Racist Uprising Infiltrated by Extreme-Right Hooligans. globalresearch.ca The city of Minneapolis is where it all began. It is where the last drop fell on the surface of a proverbial overflowing lake, causing the dam to burst, consequently starting to destroy the foundations of the empire. | A death …

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-17). Russian-Belarusian Relations: Back to Being Brothers? Crimea 2.0 Is Unlikely. globalresearch.ca Several recent developments in Russian-Belarusian relations — in particular, Belarus' return of 32 suspected Wagner mercenaries to Russia, Belarusian opposition leader Tsepkalo's departure from Russia, and the two phone calls between Presidents Putin and Lukashenko — hint that bilateral ties …

2020-08-18: News Headlines

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-18). Video: "The House Cat Flu" is Coming. The Meow Apocalypse… globalresearch.ca This article was first published on April 18, 2020 | The following episode of the Simpsons was released in 2010. | It is a satire. But at the same time it reveals the unspoken truth. The writer of the script is an …

A Guest Author (2020-08-18). Colonialism intensifies pandemic school crisis for Puerto Ricans. workers.org By Lorraine Liriano Chávez This slightly edited talk was given at the Aug. 6 Workers World Party webinar, "War on the Working Class: the Socialist Response," which featured education workers. Lorraine Liriano Chávez Puerto Rico faces the life-threatening decision of the reopening of schools in the midst of rising COVID-19 . . . |

calvin deutschbein (2020-08-18). At North Carolina colleges, 'Safe Jobs Save Lives'. workers.org Chapel Hill, N.C. At 2: 15 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14 — as the first week of in-person classes at the University of North Carolina wound to a close — the independent student newspaper, the Daily Tarheel, made the announcement: "BREAKING: Carolina Housing reported two COVID-19 clusters today." UE 150 organized . . . |

The Canary (2020-08-18). Education Secretary resists calls to resign over GCSE and A-level grades U-turn. thecanary.co Education secretary Gavin Williamson has resisted calls to resign over his handling of A-level and GCSE grades in England, but he has apologised to thousands of students for the distress caused.The government announced a U-turn on Monday when it said students would be able to receive grades based on their teachers' estimates following anger over the downgrading of thousands of A-level grades.But Williamson has repeatedly refused to say whether he would consider resigning from his position.The minister said there had been "broad political consensus" across all parties that a standardisation model was needed for te…

Shane Quinn (2020-08-18). US Firestorming of Tokyo Rivaled the Hiroshima Bombing. globalresearch.ca Featured image: Charred remains of Japanese civilians after the firebombing of Tokyo on the night of 9—10 March 1945. (Source: Ishikawa K≈çy≈ç / Wikimedia Commons) | In the early hours of 10 March 1945, as America's heavy aircraft dropped over 1,600 …

R.C.A. Achterbergh, E. Hoornenborg, A. Boyd, L. Coyer, S.J.A. Meuzelaar, A.A. Hogewoning, U. Davidovich, M.S. van Rooijen, M.F. Schim van der Loeff, M. Prins, H.J.C. de Vries (2020-08-18). [Original Research] Changes in mental health and drug use among men who have sex with men using daily and event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis: Results from a prospective demonstration project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. thelancet.com Mental health disorders are prevalent among those initiating PrEP. We did not find increases in mental health disorders during PrEP use, but rather a decrease in sexual compulsivity and drug use disorders. The initial prevalence of mental health disorders in our study point at the continuous need to address mental health disorders within PrEP programs.

Sasha Abramsky (2020-08-18). Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe. thenation.com Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe…

Alan MacLeod (2020-08-17). Julian Assange Court Case Delayed Again in Bizarre Circumstances. globalresearch.ca "I have never in my career faced so much difficulty attempting to trial monitor as in Julian Assange's case." — Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders. | *** | There were bizarre scenes at Westminster Magistrates' …

Eduardo Campos Lima (2020-08-17). Missionaries Gain Access to Amazon's Indigenous Peoples, Despite Pandemic. globalresearch.ca When the first COVID-19 cases hit Brazil in March, the government agency in charge of protecting the country's Indigenous peoples, the National Indigenous Foundation, ordered all civilians to leave the Indigenous reservations. Only essential workers, such as health care personnel …

Andre Vltchek (2020-08-17). Anti-Racist Uprising Infiltrated by Extreme-Right Hooligans. globalresearch.ca The city of Minneapolis is where it all began. It is where the last drop fell on the surface of a proverbial overflowing lake, causing the dam to burst, consequently starting to destroy the foundations of the empire. | A death …

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-17). Russian-Belarusian Relations: Back to Being Brothers? Crimea 2.0 Is Unlikely. globalresearch.ca Several recent developments in Russian-Belarusian relations — in particular, Belarus' return of 32 suspected Wagner mercenaries to Russia, Belarusian opposition leader Tsepkalo's departure from Russia, and the two phone calls between Presidents Putin and Lukashenko — hint that bilateral ties …

Thomas Scripps (2020-08-17). The Show Trial of Julian Assange: A Cruel and Pseudolegal Farce. globalresearch.ca Yesterday's hearing in London made clear, if any further proof was needed, that the prosecution of Julian Assange is a shameful and degrading show trial, intended to railroad an innocent man to prison or death for revealing the crimes of …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-17). NATO War Crimes: NATO's "Humanitarian" Bombings, the Balance Sheet of Destruction in Yugoslavia (1999). globalresearch.ca This article by Michel Chossudovsky was written in 1999 at the height of the NATO bombing campaign. It was presented to the Ad-hoc Committee to Stop Canada's Participation in the War in Yugoslavia, Press Conference, Monday, April 12, National Press …

Staff (2020-08-17). Headlines for August 17, 2020. democracynow.org Pelosi Calls House Back from Recess as Outrage Mounts over Turmoil at USPS, AZ Teachers Halt School Reopening; COVID-19 Data Shows Devastating Effect on Latinx, Black People, New Zealand Postpones Election Amid COVID-19 Spike; Virus Compounds Disaster in Lebanon, Mass Protests Continue in Belarus Amid Reports of Torture in Jails, Student Protests in Thailand Swell, Demanding Democratic Reforms, 16 People Killed After Car Bomb Blast at Hotel in Somalia, At Least 6 People Killed as Protests Intensify in Ivory Coast, Trump Vows to Reinstate U.N. Sanctions Against Iran, Lawyers Say Guards at Immigration Jail "Systema…

Jonathan Latham (2020-08-17). Engineered COVID-19-Infected Mouse Bites Researcher Amid 'Explosion' of Risky Coronavirus Research. counterpunch.org University researchers genetically engineer a human pandemic virus. They inject the new virus into a laboratory mouse. The infected mouse then bites a researcher…..It is a plot worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster about risky coronavirus research. But according to newly obtained minutes of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) of the University of North Carolina (UNC),

teleSUR Desk (2020-08-17). Russia officially produces first batch of COVID-19 vaccine. mronline.org "Russia's health workers and teachers will be the first ones to receive the vaccine in the country," Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.

RT (2020-08-17). UK government backs down on use of algorithm in exam results after public outcry over downgrading. rt.com The UK government has announced that students in England will now be awarded the grade that their teachers had predicted for them based on past performance rather than rely on an algorithm to help generate their marks. | The move was criticized as the algorithm used to assess grade predictions made by teachers saw marks lowered for almost 40 percent of students taking their main school-leaving exams. Students were not allowed to sit this year's exams due to the coronavirus pandemic. | The algorithm – devised by the exams regulator in England, Ofqual – will now be ditched, Education Minister Gavin Williamson sa…

The Canary (2020-08-17). Boris Johnson under pressure to end A-level chaos. thecanary.co Boris Johnson is facing a Tory backlash over the deepening A-levels crisis in England as pupils and teachers continued to protest about the results awarded.Senior Conservatives called for the government to resolve the "shambles" which had been "terribly unfair" to students who got lower-than-expected grades after their exams were cancelled as a result of coronavirus.Johnson is expected to go on holiday to Scotland this week, but Labour leader Keir Starmer called on him to take "personal responsibility" in dealing with the situation. | The Conservative former education secretary Kenneth Baker urged ministers to de…

The Canary (2020-08-17). Northern Ireland GCSE students to be awarded grades predicted by teachers. thecanary.co GSCE students in the north of Ireland are to be awarded the grades predicted by their teachers, Stormont's education minister has announced.Just days before the results are published on Thursday, Peter Weir has scrapped a plan that would have had grades calculated using a mathematical model that took into account the past performance of schools.The major policy shift comes amid a raging controversy in the north of Ireland about the system used to allocate A-level grades.The move affects grades issued by Northern Ireland exams body, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).CCEA accounts f…

The Canary (2020-08-17). Wearing a face mask reduces spread of coronavirus through coughing and speaking, new study reveals. thecanary.co Wearing a face covering lowers the risk of spreading coronavirus (Covid-19) to others through speaking and coughing, new research suggests.Speaking and coughing without face protection exposes people nearby to droplets carrying the virus that could otherwise be stopped by wearing a mask, according to the study."Wearing a face mask can really make a difference": Researchers found someone standing two metres from a coughing person with no mask is exposed to 10,000 times more droplets than someone half a metre from a coughing person with a mask on.Lead researcher Dr Ignazio Maria Viola, of the University of E…

Dr. Zuhair Sabbagh (2020-08-17). History of Settler Colonialism in Palestine. globalresearch.ca The following research article aims at exploring the issue of history of settler colonialism in Palestine. It will tackle three different settler colonial projects that were established in Arab Palestine: the German Templers, the Jewish and the Zionist. | In the …

Peter Koenig (2020-08-17). Agenda ID2020 of the "One World Order": The 101 to Understanding Its Implications. globalresearch.ca Agenda ID2020 — is hardly mentioned by any media, let alone the mainstream. Agenda ID2020, if carried out, is the ultimate control by a small elite — of the One World Order (OWO), also called the New World Order (NWO) …

Ralph Nader (2020-08-17). Needed: Indicators for Measuring Injustice and Societal Decay. globalresearch.ca Adequate housing, healthcare, food, public services, education, mass transit, health & safety standards, and environmental protections are the prerequisites for a humane democracy. | *** | Economic indicators — data points, trends, and micro-categories — are the widgets of the big information …

Adam Dick (2020-08-17). 'Regime Change' in Belarus Looks Like an Objective of Both the Trump Administration and the Biden Campaign. globalresearch.ca It seems that whoever wins the presidency, United States foreign policy will keep chugging away at intervening across the world, including via "regime change" efforts. Over the last couple decades, targets for US-government-supported overthrow have included Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, …

South Front (2020-08-17). Belarus Kicks Off Large-scale Military Drills Near Poland, Lithuania. globalresearch.ca On August 16, the Belarusian Armed Forces announced large-scale military drills near the country's nuclear plant and in the Grodno region bordering Poland and Lithuania. The drills will take place on August 17-20 and involve rocket and artillery units, air-defense …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-17). Lebanon Devastated by Corruption, Economic Collapse, and Beirut Explosion. globalresearch.ca A perfect storm affects Lebanon and vast majority of its near-seven million people, including: | Out-of-control rampant corruption. | Unemployment of a third or more of working-age Lebanese. | Poverty exceeding 50% of the population. | Over 80% inflation since last October, debasing the …

Jeff Bryant (2020-08-17). Charter Schools Have Failed (And We Need to Stop Funding Them). progressive.org Nearly one million students have been left stranded because of charter school closures in the past twenty years—there's clearly something wrong here.

Kira Zalan (2020-08-17). Private U.S. Contractors Part of the 'Kill Chain' in East Africa "Anti-Terrorist Operations" globalresearch.ca It was early on a Sunday morning when Al-Shabab militants attacked the small airstrip next to a military base on Kenya's north coast. Plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky as the militants destroyed six aircraft and killed three …

Jordan Henderson (2020-08-17). "The World That I See Today": Sanity, Her Son, and the Credulous. globalresearch.ca I have recently completed a large painting (oil on canvas), exploring the emotional and spiritual side of mandatory masks, and what they symbolize. Visual art can serve as a medium to express sentiments from an angle that cannot be …

Justinas Baltrusaitis (2020-08-17). Historic Collapse of US Economy: Real GDP Registers Biggest Quarterly Slump in Last 70 Years at 32.9%. globalresearch.ca The United States economy has been growing steadily over the last few years as indicated by the real Gross Domestic Product figures. However, the coronavirus health crisis has plunged the economy to the worst levels in about seven decades. | Data …

Claire Chretien (2020-08-17). Doctors Lay Out Plan to 'Punish' People Who Refuse Coronavirus Vaccine: 'There Is No Alternative'. globalresearch.ca 'Simply put, getting vaccinated is going to be our patriotic duty,' and America should consider making it difficult for the unvaccinated to participate in society, three doctors wrote. | *** | A coronavirus vaccine should be mandatory, and tax penalties, higher insurance …

WSWS (2020-08-17). South Dakota governor first to reject unemployment aid from Trump executive order. wsws.org While four states have already been approved by FEMA to begin authorizing payments, Kristie Noem cited cherry-picked statistics to justify her rejection of federal benefits.

WSWS (2020-08-17). Texas A&M faculty decry plans to reopen campuses in midst of pandemic. wsws.org Faculty, professors and students at multiple Texas A&M University campuses recently penned an open letter that has garnered roughly 900 signatures.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-17). Thousands hit the streets in anti-government demonstration in Bangkok. peoplesdispatch.org An estimated ten thousand people participated in a demonstration on Sunday, supporting the ongoing students' movement calls for political reforms. This is the latest in a series of growing protests against the establishment…

WSWS (2020-08-17). With pandemic raging, Florida governor deepens drive to reopen schools. wsws.org School districts and teachers in Florida have been forced to resume in-person learning while COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to surge throughout the state.

WSWS (2020-08-17). Teacher sickout closes Arizona school district as support grows for national strike. wsws.org Phoenix area teachers forced the closure of the first day of school today as protests against the unsafe opening of schools spread across the country.

Lois Beckett (2020-08-17). Calls For Nationwide Sickout As Arizona School District Cancels Reopening. zcomm.org Arizona public school district forced to abandon plans after more than 100 teachers and staff members called in sick…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-17). Foreign patent offices registers 110 of Iran's inventions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (MNA) — Iran Patent Center announced that as many as 110 inventions by Iranian scientists have been granted patents by authentic foreign patent offices, according to Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-17). Low-cost sensor developed by Imperial students to identify recyclable objects. imperial.ac.uk Students from Imperial have used AI-powered cameras to identify recyclable objects, enabling them to be automatically sorted at waste facilities.

_____ (2020-08-17). School Cancelled In Arizona Area After 'Sick Out' Over Reopening. popularresistance.org An Arizona school district that ignored state safety guidelines and voted to begin in-person learning on Aug. 17 has had to cancel classes after staff said it was unsafe to return and called in sick. | Greater Phoenix's J.O. Combs Unified School District canceled all instruction for Monday due to "insufficient staffing," days after its board disregarded state benchmarks on when students can safely return to classes during the pandemic. | The "sick out" underlined the difficulties in returning to in-person learning in the United States after schools in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama closed this week as students a…

sputniknews (2020-08-17). Asymptomatic US Student Attends Class After Positive COVID-19 Test, Classmates Exposed. sputniknews.com A student in Moore, Oklahoma, knowingly chose to attend school last week while positive for COVID-19, according to officials.

The Canary (2020-08-17). Calls for government to support universities after 'late' U-turn on A-levels. thecanary.co The government must "step up" and support universities now facing further challenges created by its U-turn on the way A-level results are awarded, a leading education body has said. | Universities UK chief executive Alistair Jarvis has called for "urgent clarification" from the government and advice on a number of "crucial issues" following its policy change on Monday 17 August. | He warned that while 70% of students were placed with their first-choice institution, those who aren't should "think carefully about their next steps" and seek advice from their preferred university. | "The Government will need to s…

The Canary (2020-08-17). Boris Johnson surveys the wreckage of the exam results scandal then scoots off on holiday. thecanary.co A U-turn over the controversial system for awarding A-level results in England appears imminent after Tory MPs heaped pressure on Boris Johnson and education secretary Gavin Williamson to change course. | Downing Street refused to rule out a shift to a Scottish-style system based on teachers' predicted grades rather than an algorithm aimed at standardising results. | Johnson has gone on holiday to Scotland this week despite the chaos over the A-level results but held talks with Williamson and senior officials on Monday morning. | In an indication that the grades awarded last week may not be the final results, a N…

Lisa Arrastia (2020-08-17). Schools Can No Longer Be Our Social Safety Net. commondreams.org Labels on desks designate where students can sit with respect to social distancing as Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner takes a tour of Burbank Middle School with Principal Christine Moore on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-08-17). After Organizing Mass 'Sick-Out,' Arizona Teachers and School Staff Applauded for 'Bold' Collective Action to Stop Unsafe Reopening. commondreams.org Teachers and school staff members in a Phoenix suburb were praised by progressives and public health experts on Monday for their "bold" decision to call in sick en masse, forcing their school district to reverse its plan to return to in-person classes. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

WSWS (2020-08-17). Scotland's schools reopen as COVID-19 infects students. wsws.org The Scottish National Party's school reopening exposes it as the accomplice of the Johnson government's herd immunity strategy.

Cynthia Greenlee (2020-08-17). Universities Are Playing Fast and Loose With Students' Health. thenation.com Universities Are Playing Fast and Loose With Students' Health…

Staff (2020-08-16). The AFT Has Endorsed the Green New Deal. What's Stopping the AFL-CIO? truthout.org The Amer ≠i ≠can Fed ≠er ≠a ≠tion of Teach ≠ers (AFT), the sec ≠ond largest teach ≠ers' union in the coun ≠try, passed a res ≠o ≠lu ≠tion in sup ≠port of the Green New Deal at its bien ≠ni ≠al con ≠ven ≠tion at the end of July. The Green New Deal, fed ≠er ≠al leg ≠is ≠la ≠tion intro ≠duced in ear ≠ly 2019, would cre ≠ate a liv ≠ing-wage job for any ≠one who wants one and imple ≠ment 100% clean and renew ≠able ener &n…

The Canary (2020-08-16). Teenagers taking legal action against Ofqual amid A-level results anger. thecanary.co A-level students who feel let down by a "ridiculous and insane" marking system are launching legal action against England's exam regulator Ofqual.Thousands of teenagers were left angered after almost 40% of predicted grades were downgraded by the regulator's "moderation" algorithm, leaving many missing out on their first-choice universities."The Government is playing politics with our futures": Student Curtis Parfitt-Ford has launched a legal bid against Ofqual to "force them to come up with a fairer system".Despite getting the grades he was predicted, he said he couldn't stand by and watch his friends and…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-16). Israeli-Emirati Peace Deal Is a Major Blow to Turkey's Regional Ambitions. globalresearch.ca Yesterday, one of the most unexpected geopolitical manoeuvres took place that no one was expecting. U.S. President Donald Trump went