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Black Lung Disease on the Rise

Anna Allen, Carl Werntz The Conversation
An article published Feb. 6, 2018 in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health had identified 416 cases of advanced black lung disease among coal miners in central Appalachia. New cases of black lung had been rare until recently, but this study suggests that the incidence is rising.

Operation Pacific Eagle in the Philippines: Washington’s New Colonial War

Elliott Gabriel Mint Press
Critics contend that Operation Pacific Eagle Philippines is aimed at strengthening Washington’s grip on the long-subjugated people of the Philippines, defeating a half-century leftist insurgency, and securing the country for the interests of U.S. multinational corporations.

Kept Out

Aaron Glantz and Emmanuel Martinez Reveal
For people of color, banks are shutting the door to homeownership.

In Soil-dwelling Bacteria, Scientists Find a New Weapon to Fight Drug-resistant Superbugs

Melissa Healy Los Angeles Times
In a report published this week in the journal Nature Microbiology, researchers describe a never-before-seen antibiotic agent that vanquished several strains of multidrug-resistant bacteria. In rats, the agent — which the researchers dubbed malacidin — attacked and broke down the cell walls of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and cleared the animals' MRSA skin infections within a day.

Airbnb Finds a Union It Can Work With After Failed Efforts

Josh Eidelson Bloomberg
The United Auto Workers won a union contract covering nearly 150 cafeteria workers at four Airbnb facilities. It’s the latest development in a unionization trend among tech companies’ sub-contracted staff. Share Better, a group backed by Unite Here, the hotel industry, housing groups and elected officials, said Thursday that the new Airbnb effort doesn’t go far enough.

Chicago Police Corrupt, "Beset by Racism"

Police Accountability Task Force Police Accountability Task Force
If you are not severely and wholeheartedly dealing with racism, you are not going to get to the bottom of this issue . . . CPD's own data gives validity to the widely held belief the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color . . . at every step of the way, the police oversight system is riddled with legal and practical barriers to accountability.