2020-12-04: News Headlines

Ishmael Reed (2020-12-04). The Death and Resurrection of a "Cult" Poet. counterpunch.org A few years ago, the most powerful Black editor in New York asked me to submit outlines for two books he wanted to publish. I went one better. I submitted two manuscripts. He told me that the salespeople rejected them because "they'd only win prizes and critical acclaim." Judging by trends in Black literature, the

Tony Pecinovsky (2020-12-04). REVIEW: 'Ballad of an American'—Civil rights giant Paul Robeson's illustrated bio. peoplesworld.org This has been a tumultuous year. Millions marched in the streets against police brutality and violence after the killing of George Floyd. They were tear-gassed, shot with rubber bullets and percussion grenades, and run over, among any number of other civil liberties abuses. Their demand was "Black Lives Matter!" Their persistence has scored some gains. …

Shimbun Akahata (2020-12-04). U.S. military bases importing COVID-19 into Japan, details kept secret. peoplesworld.org OKINAWA, Japan—The Okinawa prefectural government on Nov. 30 announced that 72 coronavirus infection cases were newly confirmed among the U.S. forces stationed in the there. This is the largest number of cases in a single day, making the total number of cases among the U.S. military in Japan increase to 564. The 72 U.S. military …

Jeffrey Sommers (2020-12-04). Against the Center: the Past and Future of Donald Trump. counterpunch.org The 2020 United States presidential election is both over, and yet isn't. Donald Trump lost. Yet, on two scores the election is not done. One is that there are the tailwinds that propelled Trump forward. They continue blowing with no headwinds forecasted. The second is that Trump will not concede defeat. Though he will eventually

Mirinda Crissman (2020-12-04). Remembering Leslie Feinberg — trans warrior, communist revolutionary. workers.org Six years since hir passing on Nov. 15, 2014, Leslie Feinberg's presence is still unshakable. Leslie Feinberg with Workers World Party founding members Dorothy Ballan and Sam Marcy in 1991. The struggle against oppressions that stem from capitalism rages on. That struggle for liberation has literally been pushed forward by . . . |

Mumia Abu-Jamal (2020-12-04). Mumia Abu-Jamal on: Lessons from the first abolition movement. workers.org This article is part of Abolition for the People, a series brought to you by a partnership between Kaepernick Publishing and LEVEL, a medium publication for and about the lives of Black and Brown men. In 1981, Black Panther Party member Mumia Abu-Jamal was sentenced to death by a "hanging . . . |

Joseph Natoli (2020-12-04). Trying to Repair a Room in a House Still Burning. counterpunch.org 74 million Americans voted for Donald J. Trump in the 2020 election with a turnout of close to 67% of all eligible voters, the largest in over a century. Although Biden attracted some 80 million votes it seems clear that the driving passion to come out and vote had Trump at the center. Passionate Trump

Ron Jacobs (2020-12-04). Biographies of a Revolutionary Moment. counterpunch.org Events in the United States over the past four years have brought leftist politics back into the popular conversation. When I say Left, I am not talking about Joe Biden and the centrist Democrats because, after all, no matter how much the extreme right wants US residents to think those Democrats are socialist or communist,

Vijay Prashad (2020-12-04). We are grass. We grow on everything. mronline.org Farmers and agricultural workers from northern India marched along various national highways toward India's capital of New Delhi as part of the general strike on 26 November.

Daniel Giovanaz (2020-12-04). How 800 Families Descended From Slaves Could Be Pushed Out by a Bolsonaro-U.S. Base Deal in Brazil. counterpunch.org Antonio Marcos Diniz was only 13 years old when his family was forced to leave their home near Brazil's Atlantic coast in 1983. Along with 311 other families, they had to move 60 kilometers west to Agrovila Peru so that the government could build the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA), in Maranhà£o, in northeastern Brazil. Today, at the

Eds. (2020-12-04). Engels against reformism in Germany and France. mronline.org Friedrich Engels was born 200 years ago today. Modern reformists like to cite Engels as an authority. But until his very last day, Engels fought against reformist ideas and for revolutionary principles.

The Canary (2020-12-04). Third of families on benefits will rely on charity food this Christmas — survey. thecanary.co More than a third of families on benefits will rely on food provided by charities this Christmas, research suggests.Cut back Christmas: A survey for Save the Children found that 37% of families receiving Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit will rely on food parcels or meals handed out by charities. Almost two-thirds (65%) say they will have to cut back on essentials like food and heating to cover the cost of Christmas.Half of the 1,000 families surveyed said they are worried about being able to afford presents for their children this year.This has left them feeling ashamed, depressed and like "failures a…

The Canary (2020-12-04). Priti Patel is furious that campaigners are daring to challenge deportation flights. thecanary.co Home secretary Priti Patel has called comments from campaigners who linked the deportation of Black people to Jamaica "deeply offensive" because they linked it to the Windrush scandal. Said scandal involved the deportation of Black people to Jamaica.The government has defended the action as it claims those deported are criminals with no right to be in the UK. Campaigners argue there should be no deportations until "justice has been delivered for all Commonwealth Windrush victims".Thirteen prisoners were deported to Jamaica in a flight on 2 December, but lawyers successfully moved to have another 23 removed from t…

Meron Rapoport (2020-12-04). As Israel heads to elections, nothing is different but everything has changed. middleeasteye.net As Israel heads to elections, nothing is different but everything has changed | Netanyahu is looking strong as his latest government collapses around him. But fundamental shifts in society mean voters are more polarised than ever | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 09: 01 | Israelis from the Centres For Social Justice wearing masks of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gant…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-12-04). Roaming Charges: Let's Get Small. counterpunch.org One of the most useful things about Obama's memoir is that he reminds who some of the people now being recycled into the Biden administration really are. John Kerry, for example, who Obama describes as working assiduously to convince greens to "offer up concessions on subsidies for nuclear power and the opening of addition US coastlines to offshore oil drilled." Obama writes this with gratitude and admiration, naturally, and was probably all the recommendation Biden need to tap Kerry as his "climate czar."

A Guest Author (2020-12-04). Bolivarian soccer genius—Argentinian Diego Maradona °Presente! workers.org By Danny Shaw and William Camacaro The slightly edited article first appeared on popularresistance.org/ on Nov. 27. The fighting peoples of the world lost a humble legend on Nov. 25. Diego Armando Maradona was 60 years old. Arguably the greatest soccer player to ever grace the pitches, the spirited striker . . . |

Aakanksha (2020-12-04). "Everyone Knows What Happens Here to Girls": the Plight the Children of Mumbai's Sex Workers During the COVID Lockdown. counterpunch.org This is hell This is a swirling vortex This is an ugly agony This is pain wearing a dancer's anklets… — From Namdeo Dhasal's poem 'Kamathipura' The always bustling road had gone quiet for the first time in many years. But the women living there could not stay away from work for too long. Rents

Direnc Balik (2020-12-04). UK Labour Party suspends senior member of left-wing Jewish group. middleeasteye.net UK Labour Party suspends senior member of left-wing Jewish group | Action comes after Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi said she was 'uncomfortable' at other party members being suspended over accusations of antisemitism | Direnc Balik | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 11: 03 | A still of Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi speaking to the LBC radio station (screengrab) | The UK Labour Party has suspended a senior member of the Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) group after a meeting in which she said she was "uncomfortable" with seeing fellow members suspended over accusations of antisemitism. | Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi made the comments at a meeting of th…

Simon Hooper (2020-12-04). New head of UK equality watchdog opposed efforts to define Islamophobia. middleeasteye.net New head of UK equality watchdog opposed efforts to define Islamophobia | Baroness Falkner, named this week as chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has hosted parliamentary events for the neoconservative Henry Jackson Society | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 14: 40 | Kishwer Falkner has said that Islamophobia should not be treated as a separate form of racism (Creative Commons) | The new chair of the…

MEE and agencies (2020-12-04). French police launch crackdown on mosques suspected of 'Islamic separatism'. middleeasteye.net French police launch crackdown on mosques suspected of 'Islamic separatism' | Around 2,600 Muslim places of worship to be inspected in cities across France, according to interior minister Gerald Darmanin | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 12: 01 | Muslim protestors in India and across the world condemned Macron's defence of caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad (AFP) | Scores of mosques in France were raided…

MEE and agencies (2020-12-04). Turkey: US sanctions over S-400s to be mandatory in new defence bill. middleeasteye.net Turkey: US sanctions over S-400s to be mandatory in new defence bill | The $740bn annual US defence spending legislation will oblige the White House to select from a list of sanctions | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 09: 37 | Russia delivered the S-400 ground-to-air systems last year and Turkey has tested them as recently as October (Reuters) | Turkey's lira slipped on Friday after US lawmakers include…

Ragip Soylu (2020-12-04). Erdogan says France needs to get rid of Macron. middleeasteye.net Erdogan says France needs to get rid of Macron | Turkish President slams French counterpart over his intervention in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 13: 46 | French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at a Nato summit in Watford, near London, December 2019. (AFP) | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his personal attacks against his Fren…

MEE staff (2020-12-04). UK's Times newspaper pays £30,000 in damages to Cage over false story. middleeasteye.net UK's Times newspaper pays £30,000 in damages to Cage over false story | Advocacy organisation also receives apology following publication of article that claimed it supported Reading knife attacks suspect
| Fri, 12/04/2020 – 11: 53 | 'This will not be the last time The Times uses its pages to generate more hostility towards Muslim activists,' said Begg (Screengrab) | The Times newspaper has agreed to…

Global Research News (2020-12-04). Selected Articles: Artificial Intelligence and the Trajectory of Human Civilization. globalresearch.ca By The ruling backed the University of Sydney's February 2019 dismissal of Dr. Tim Anderson, an economics department senior lecturer, prim…

Michael Roberts (2020-12-04). COVID vaccines: calling the shots. mronline.org Before the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the world, the big pharmaceutical companies did little investment in vaccines for global diseases and viruses.

Devin C (2020-12-04). Attacks on LGBTQ2S+ youth continue in Florida. workers.org Occupied Seminole/Calusa/Taino land — South Florida On Nov. 20 the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of reactionary conversion therapists, striking down previous bans on conversion therapy in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County, Fla. Conversion therapy, aimed primarily at LGBTQ2S+ youth, is a term that . . . |

Devin C (2020-12-04). Free Alabama Movement calls 'economic blackout' on prison system. workers.org Occupied Muscogee Creek, Choctaw, Cherokee, Shawnee, Yuchi lands The Free Alabama Movement, led primarily by Black men who are incarcerated in the state of Alabama, has declared a 30-day economic blackout — a boycott of for-profit prison services and a work strike — to protest inhumane conditions at prisons across . . . |

Princess Harmony (2020-12-04). WW Commentary/Harm reduction, not jails! workers.org In addressing addiction, harm reduction comes in many forms. Some include drug decriminalization, safe injection sites, spreading of Narcan and other forms of naloxone, distribution of medicines for medication assisted treatment along with pure drugs, fentanyl test kits, distribution of clean needles, and the diversion of methadone and buprenorphine. We . . . |

Ajamu Baraka (2020-12-04). Will This Be the Radicalization of Black Lives Matter? counterpunch.org On Monday a group of local Black Lives Matter chapters issued a statement to the public calling for more transparency and accountability from the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN), the umbrella structure for the Black lives matter structures. In what appears to be an ongoing internal discussion, the chapters claimed that BLMGN not only

Tony McKenna (2020-12-04). Death of a Liberal and Black Lives Matter. counterpunch.org The criminalization of black people had been shaped as a clear strategy on the part of the state to target and cripple expressions of popular power, to coerce labour along explicitly racial and class lines, while facilitating the enrichment of an elite which — ever more parasitical — grew bloated and septic having gorged itself on such unremitting suffering. It is in this context that the horror of what had happened to George Floyd forms a link in a chain of systematic oppression and mass murder.

MEE and agencies (2020-12-04). Qatar blockade: Kuwait says progress made towards deal to end isolation. middleeasteye.net Qatar blockade: Kuwait says progress made towards deal to end isolation | Kuwait's foreign minister says discussions between opposing countries had been 'fruitful' but gives few further details | Fri, 12/04/2020 – 09: 27 | Senior Advisor to US President Jared Kushner meets with Qatar's ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the capital Doha (AFP) |

Andrea Germanos (2020-12-04). "You Alone Can Save His Life": Snowden Urges Trump to Pardon Assange. theantimedia.com He's right, you know..

Bay Action 2 Free Assange (2020-12-04). Friday 12/11: Zoe Lofgren Support US HR 1175/1162: Drop Charges Against Assange & Snowden. indybay.org Zoe Lofgren's Congressional Office | 635 North First Street | San Jose, CA 95112…

Bay Action2 Free Assange (2020-12-04). Thursday 12/10: Nancy Pelosi Support US HR 1175/1162: Drop Charges Against Assange & Snowden. indybay.org Nancy Pelosi's house – contact organizer for details or please show up if you know location…

Harry Blain (2020-12-04). America's Lame Duck Period is Palestine's Nightmare. counterpunch.org The political scientist William Adler recently argued that the main risk of our current lame duck period is inaction, rather than action. So far as the United States is concerned, it's hard to argue otherwise. Sure, President Trump will pardon his buddies, maintain the relentless grift of frivolous lawsuits, and do his best to undermine

Defense for Children International, Palestine (2020-12-04). Isolated and Alone. Palestinian Children Held in Solitary Confinement by Israeli Authorities for Interrogation. globalresearch.ca Overview | Between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019, Defense for Children International — Palestine (DCIP) documented 108 cases in which Palestinian children arrested by the Israeli military were held in isolation for two or more days during the interrogation …

Peter Koenig (2020-12-04). Alert COVID-19: RNA-Type Vaccines Which Modify the Human Genome. Crackdown on Free Speech. globalresearch.ca This first video interview may be one of the most important ones you listen to before the onslaught of the Covid-19 vaccine — distinction: Western style Covid-19 vaccine. | The Russian Sputnik V is not part of the same design. | The …

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-12-04). Jab Me if You Can: How Political Endorsements Defeat Vaccinations. globalresearch.ca Will they ever learn? When former US Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton announced that they would publicly take a vaccine against COVID-19, National Public Radio

South Front (2020-12-04). Video: Second Karabakh War Reshapes Strategic Transport Corridors in South Caucasus. globalresearch.ca The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War not only led to a shift of the military political balance of power in the South Caucasus, but the agreements reached to put an end to it would potentially greatly reshape transport links, and thus freight …

Pip Hinman (2020-12-04). War crimes in Afghanistan: Don't fall for diversions. greenleft.org.au PM Scott Morrison is using a nationalism-charged diversion to take the focus off the Brereton report's findings into Australian special forces war crimes in Afghanistan, argues Pip Hinman.

Natasha Lennard (2020-12-04). Amazon Workers Are Organizing a Global Struggle. zcomm.org Amazon is seeing record profits — but little trickles down to the ground-level workers who keep the online giant running.

Stephen Lendman (2020-12-04). US War Department Vaccination Cards. globalresearch.ca All vaccines are hazardous to human health. | It's why they should be avoided, safe alternatives chosen for protection. | Rushed development, inadequately tested, covid vaccines will be especially dangerous. | In what ways and to what extent will only be known in …

Beth Stratford (2020-12-04). Green growth vs degrowth: are we missing the point? zcomm.org It's time to stop talking past each other and unite against the real enemies of environmental justice…

ACLU Northern California (2020-12-04). Thursday 12/17: Bill of Rights Day 2020 Celebration Webinar w/ ACLU NorCal. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

Pam Martens, Russ Martens (2020-12-04). House Hearing: Wall Street Gets Bailed Out by Fed; Main Street Gets Sold Out. counterpunch.org Sparks were flying throughout yesterday's House Financial Services Committee hearing. After Fed Chair Jerome Powell and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin appeared before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, they were grilled for 2 more hours yesterday by members of the House Financial Services Committee. The atmosphere was far less cordial than the prior day,

Nicolas J S Davies (2020-12-04). Eisenhower's Ghost Haunts Biden's Foreign Policy Team. counterpunch.org In his first words as President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said, "we have to proceed with equal measures of humility and confidence." Many around the world will welcome this promise of humility from the new administration, and Americans should too. Biden's foreign policy team will also need a special kind of confidence to confront the most serious

_____ (2020-12-04). United Nations Removes Marijuana From List Of Most Dangerous Drugs. popularresistance.org A United Nations panel has voted to remove medical cannabis from a list of dangerous drugs. | In the Wednesday vote, the Commission for Narcotic Drugs voted on several World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations related to cannabis. Among them was a recommendation that the drug be stricken from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The list currently puts cannabis alongside drugs like heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. | While the vote will not have any immediate or binding effect on international cannabis laws, it will open doors for reforms that use such international agreements as guideli…

_____ (2020-12-04). Venezuela Wins Simply By Holding An Election. popularresistance.org On December 6, the Venezuelan people will vote for a new National Assembly. Ordinarily, there is nothing unusual about this, nor would this be newsworthy outside Venezuela. Ever since the election of Hugo Chávez to the presidency in 1998, the Venezuelan people have been used to more than one national election each year (this legislative election is the 25th in 21 years); these have been the presidential elections, the legislative elections, and the referendums to strengthen the 1999 Constitution. On the surface, this is just another one of these elections that has served to deepen the meaning of democracy in Vene…

Judicial Watch (2020-12-04). New Judicial Watch Study Finds 353 U.S. Counties in 29 States with Voter Registration Rates Exceeding 100%. globalresearch.ca Judicial Watch announced today that a

Global Research News (2020-12-04). This Week's Most Popular Articles. globalresearch.ca

Brett Wilkins (2020-12-04). Martyred Missionaries: The Lives and Legacies of Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, Ita Ford, and Dorothy Kazel. counterpunch.org On the night of December 2, 1980, Maura Clarke, Jean Donovan, Ita Ford, and Dorothy Kazel, Catholic missionaries from the United States, were kidnapped, beaten, raped, and murdered by a U.S.-backed death squad while working to help the poor and oppressed people of El Salvador. In their lives, work, and tragic, untimely deaths, the women

Federico Fuentes (2020-12-04). Why Venezuela's National Assembly elections matter. zcomm.org Venezuelans are set to vote in elections like no other in the country's recent history when they go to the polls to elect a new National Assembly (AN) on December 6…

Michael Sandel (2020-12-04). "We have delegated our moral judgment to the markets" indybay.org "Yes, we can" was a call to solidarity and common goals. The legend that everyone in America can rise as high as their talents can carry them goes back to Ronald Reagan. Access to education should not be a substitute for policies that directly address the roots of inequality and the dignity of work.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-04). Over 2,300 young people attend first-ever STEMM Futures event. imperial.ac.uk Imperial's Student Recruitment and Outreach team's STEMM Futures event series has launched with over 2,300 young people attending the first seminar.

WSWS (2020-12-04). ILO survey reveals COVID-19 impact on Bangladeshi women garment workers. wsws.org COVID-19 continues to rage through the country with the number of infections climbing to almost 470,000 and the death toll at 6,713.

US Prostitutes Collective (2020-12-04). Thursday 12/17: End Violence Against Sex Workers: Decriminalization, Justice & Compensation. indybay.org Zoom details sent day of Event RSVP @ bit.ly/usprosd17 get link.

James Cusick (2020-12-04). England's GPs 'Left in the Dark' over COVID Vaccine Rollout. globalresearch.ca England's GPs, who are expected to play a pivotal role in the roll out of coronavirus vaccines, say they are in the dark about how exactly they will fit into the government's plans, according to the British Medical Association (BMA)….

Labor Video Project (2020-12-04). Namibian Rà∂ssing Mine Workers Face Covid-19 & Attacks From State Owned China State Owners. indybay.org Namibian Rà∂ssing mine workers face the Covid-19 pandemic & attacks from state owned China National Uranium Corporation Limited. They have tried to intimidate and bribe union leaders and also have fired the Namibian Miner's Union Rà∂ssing Union branch.

Mohamed Elmaazi (2020-12-04). New investigation reveals terrible conditions for UK asylum seekers held in ex-military barracks. thecanary.co Over 400 UK asylum seekers are being 'accommodated' in conditions said to be unsanitary, overcrowded, and degrading, 'Worse we than anticipated': | In Napier Barracks | Asylum seekers reach boiling point, Edwards-Dashti reports from Folkestone, Kent where a former military housing block has been repurposed. Asylum seekers told the journalist, at times on condition of anonymity, that the beds are infested with bugs, residents have been self-harming, and that they are only permitted to leave the facility…

Daniel Warner (2020-12-04). Status Quo Ante and the Return to Normal. counterpunch.org People in Geneva and around the world are hoping that the presidency of Joseph R. Biden Jr. will return the United States to the way it was before the presidency of Donald Trump. According to this popular narrative, multilateralism will flourish with renewed American leadership. The four years of the Trump administration, it is said,

Pip Hinman (2020-12-04). Gamil Means No. greenleft.org.au Young Gomeroi leaders led a passionate protest in opposition to Santos' plan to drill 850 coal seam gas wells on their Country in north-west NSW, reports Zebedee Parkes.

Fair Fight (2020-12-04). Thursday 12/3: Rock the Runoff! Virtual Concert Fundraiser to #GOTV in Georgia. indybay.org Online event…

Dave DeCamp (2020-12-04). US Slaps More Sanctions on Iran, Claiming Tehran Has Secret Chemical Weapons. theantimedia.com Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran in 1980s war while receiving support from the US.

_____ (2020-12-04). Book Review: 'The Myth And Propaganda Of Black Buying Power'. popularresistance.org Dr. Jared A. Ball's new book, "The Myth and Propaganda of Black Buying Power" explains the history of the black "buying power" canard. It is a commercial and political propaganda tool for the black political class, a cudgel to blame people for their own poverty, and a means of disappearing any critique of capitalism. | Black Americans are besieged by many facetious notions which claim to bring them progress. One of the most pervasive and insidious is the myth of "buying power." We are told that we have $1 trillion that could be harnessed if only we spent money more wisely or saved more or were better educated abo…

Ellen Brown (2020-12-04). Injecting Liquidity into the Real Economy: Why the Federal Reserve Needs Public Banks. globalresearch.ca The Fed's policy tools — interest rate manipulation, quantitative easing, and "Special Purpose Vehicles" — have all failed to revive local economies suffering from government-mandated shutdowns. The Fed must rely on private banks to inject credit into Main Street, and …

Swiss Propaganda Research (2020-12-04). Facts About COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Fully referenced facts about covid-19, provided by experts in the field, to help our readers make a realistic risk assessment. (Regular updates below). | "The only means to fight the plague is honesty." (Albert Camus, 1947) | *** | Overview: | Lethality: …

Tenant and Neighborhood Councils (2020-12-04). Tenants Demand Landlords Sign 'Cancel Rent' Contracts As Evictions Loom. indybay.org Tenant union raises cancel rent calls to landlord association.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-04). More than half of Yemeni population likely to face acute food insecurity by mid-2021: UN agencies. peoplesdispatch.org UN agencies have emphasized that an end to the Saudi-led war in Yemen is the only long-term solution for ending the food insecurity in the country…

Mike Head (2020-12-04). Australian Court Upholds Sacking of Academic for Criticising US and Israeli Militarism. asia-pacificresearch.com

Pablo Vivanco (2020-12-04). US-Backed Opposition in Venezuela Is in Freefall, Have Only Themselves to Blame. globalresearch.ca Most people around the globe would agree that 2020 has been a year to forget. This is certainly, if not especially, true for Venezuela's opposition, and the upcoming parliamentary vote will only add to their misfortunes. | A revolt from within …

_____ (2020-12-04). Extinction Rebellion Brought Love, Police Brought Rage. popularresistance.org Extinction Rebellion WA (XR) hit the streets with a Festival of Love and Rage on November 28 with a message to the Western Australia Premier: act on the climate emergency like you dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. | Labor Premier Mark McGowan has ignored pressure to open WA's borders, applying a strict quarantine policy. There have been no cases of community spread in several months. | By contrast, the government's response to the climate crisis has been lacking in science. | Since lifting the state's moratorium on fracking in 2018, McGowan has given the go-ahead to several huge shale and tight gas projects throu…

Yanis Iqbal (2020-12-04). Neoliberal Nightmare in Ecuador. zcomm.org Ecuador is currently in a period characterized by immense class tensions…

_____ (2020-12-04). Wet'suwet'en Call On Province To Close Pipeline Work Camps. popularresistance.org Members of the Wet'suwet'en Nation are calling on B.C.'s public health officer to shut down work camps operating on their territory as COVID-19 numbers rise in northern B.C. | In an open letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry signed by 22 Ts'ako ze', or female chiefs, the women express "grave concern" over continued construction of the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline through the region. | Three work camps currently house close to 700 people on Wet'suwet'en territory, according to the pipeline builder's November update.

Ellen Brown (2020-12-04). Why the Fed Needs Public Banks. dissidentvoice.org The Fed's policy tools — interest rate manipulation, quantitative easing, and "Special Purpose Vehicles" — have all failed to revive local economies suffering from government-mandated shutdowns. The Fed must rely on private banks to inject credit into Main Street, and private banks are currently unable or unwilling to do it. The tools the Fed actually …

Physicians for Social Responsibility (2020-12-04). Saturday 12/5: Second Annual Medical Symposium on Health Effects of Oil & Gas Industry. indybay.org Virtual conference (FREE)…

Keith McHenry (2020-12-04). Monday 12/21: Homeless Persons Memorial. indybay.org 100 Laurel St, Santa Cruz…

Badri Raina (2020-12-04). Proof Against Sophistry, India's Farmers Demand a Simple but Truthful Commitment in Writing. zcomm.org The time has come when the theatrics of artful dissembling comes to be seen for what it is — theatrics unconnected to reality…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-04). UK and Russia announce start of COVID-19 vaccinations from next week. peoplesdispatch.org Raising hopes for an early victory against COVID-19, Russian president Vladimir Putin on December 2, Wednesday, announced mass voluntary vaccination in Russia starting next week. Russia became the second country to declare such a move after the UK announced similar measures earlier in the day. | The UK health ministry said in a statement that it has accepted the recommendations of the Independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and approved Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for use. Prime minister Boris Johnson proclaimed the same in a television address to the nation. | UK PM Boris Jo…

Branko Marcetic (2020-12-04). "Operation Condor": The CIA's Secret Global War Against Latin America's Left. globalresearch.ca Forty-five years ago, under a cloak of secrecy, Operation Condor was officially launched: a global campaign of violent repression against the Latin American left by the region's quasi-fascist military dictatorships. The US government not only knew about the program — …

Tony Cartalucci (2020-12-04). US Struggles for Relevance in Southeast Asia. asia-pacificresearch.com

UBDDSP (2020-12-04). Tuesday 12/8: COVID-19 Misinformation: Understanding & Seeking Truth During a Pandemic (UC Berkeley). indybay.org Online via livestream…

Prof. Ruel F. Pepa (2020-12-04). Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, and the Trajectory of Human Civilization. globalresearch.ca "I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted." — Alan Turing…

Pepe Escobar (2020-12-04). No Escape from Our Techno-Feudal World. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published on The political economy of the Digital Age remains virtually terra incognita. In

_____ (2020-12-04). Prison Strikers Suspend Starvation, Continue Work Strike. popularresistance.org Corcoran, CA – CDCr's negligent and careless response to the COVID-19 outbreak at CSATF has now killed at least three people. Active cases at the prison continue to hover near 1000 and now over half of the facility has contracted the disease. Guards and staff members are still failing to follow safety protocols and continue to move people around the facility creating more and more exposure. | The hunger strikers in D have decided to suspend their starvation in order to recover their health for an ongoing fight.

Tom H. Hastings (2020-12-04). Earth to Portland: Dispatch from the Nation's Problem Child. zcomm.org It's time for us to show the world that Portland is a town of peace warriors. Let's practice activism that everyone can participate in, including our children. This world is theirs to inherit–let's make our streets safe for them again.

Pip Hinman (2020-12-04). Thai activists stage creative protest. greenleft.org.au Thailand's royal excesses were mercilessly parodied in street theatre in Sydney, reports Peter Boyle.

People for the American Way (2020-12-04). Thursday 12/3: Power to the People: How to Win Back Our Democracy w/ PFAW. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

_____ (2020-12-04). Every Major Bank Has Now Ruled Out Funding Arctic Drilling. popularresistance.org We got another one. On Monday evening, Bank of America said that it will no longer finance fossil fuel exploration in the Arctic, joining Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Chase, Wells Fargo, and CitiBank, which all announced similar policies this year. That means no major U.S. bank will fund oil and gas production in the region anymore. | The news follows years of public pressure from climate organizers for companies to stop enabling Arctic drilling. The movement heated up since last fall when a coalition launched Stop the Money Pipeline, a campaign to call out Wall Street firms' role in particular.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-04). Chinese water deer introduced to UK may be valuable to restoring numbers in Asia. imperial.ac.uk Researchers have found Chinese water deer populations in the UK might be able to supplement declining populations in their native range in East Asia.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-04). Twisting light and COVID treatment: News from the College. imperial.ac.uk Here's a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-04). Ola Bini's pre-trial hearings suspended for two weeks. peoplesdispatch.org The hearings are set to resume on December 16, but without any observers. Ola Bini, a digital privacy rights activist and software developer, was arrested in April 2019…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-12-03). Venezuela, China Condemn US Sanctions Against Tech Company. venezuelanalysis.com Beijing reiterated its support for Venezuelan sovereignty.

Platypus Santa Cruz (2020-12-03). Saturday 12/5: Marxism in the Age of Trump. indybay.org Online Event | zoom.us/j/96939137271

David Ruccio (2020-12-03). Age of capital. mronline.org It was during the "age of capital," as the illustrious British historian Eric Hobsbawm aptly called it, that Marx formulated his critique of political economy.

Staff (2020-12-03). Ethnic Cleansing Feared as Ethiopia Wages War on Tigray Region Amid Communication Blackout. democracynow.org The United Nations has reached a deal with Ethiopia's government to allow humanitarian access to the northern Tigray region and start providing aid. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched military action against regional forces one month ago, setting off a bloody conflict and adding to the already alarming number of displaced people and refugees in the country and neighboring nations. Ethiopia has declared victory after announcing it took control of the capital of Tigray, but the Tigray People's Liberation Front says they are continuing to fight. CNN senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir says what…

CP Editor (2020-12-03). Welcome to the Intersectional Empire | Ash Sarkar Meets Naomi Klein. counterpunch.org

Staff (2020-12-03). 200K wrongfully purged GA voters fight to be heard in Senate runoffs. therealnews.com Civil rights groups are seeking an injunction against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to allow those voters to participate in the Jan. 5 runoff senate election, which will determine the balance of power in Congress.

Andrea Arroyo (2020-12-03). Take Care, Big Apple! thenation.com Covid cases are rising at an alarming rate in cities big and small.

Bernard Marszalek (2020-12-03). The Relevance of Utopianism. dissidentvoice.org One summer during my youth I was hired to work the assembly line at a television manufacturer. This was in the days when America had a manufacturing base and actually produced consumer goods. I found myself working next to a conveyor belt slapping stickers onto large cathode ray tubes as they left an oven from …

Kevin Salvatore (2020-12-03). Indigenous sovereignty struggle on Long Island: Shinnecock Nation, allies fight back. liberationnews.org The battle has focused on a highway advertising space on Shinnecock land which is important to the nation's economy, but which New York officials seek to block.

Ben Slowey (2020-12-03). Protesters gather in Milwaukee to demand Common Council reject COPS grant. liberationnews.org "During a pandemic the last thing we need is more funding for police, while the health department has 60 unfilled positions."

Patricia Gorky (2020-12-03). COVID-19: Deadliest day recorded. liberationnews.org The United States hit a grim record of 2,875 COVID deaths reported in a single day, making Dec. 2 the deadliest day in the country since the pandemic began.

RT (2020-12-03). New Year's Eve parties ruled out by Airbnb in bid to deter Covid-spreading gatherings. rt.com Short-stay rental giant Airbnb has toughened its booking rules ahead of New Year's Eve in a bid to crack down on people throwing parties in defiance of coronavirus restrictions, as well as to try to limit the spread of Covid-19. | From Thursday, Airbnb users lacking positive reviews will be barred from booking one-night stays in entire-home listings on December 31 in Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, Spain, the UK and US. | Customers will also need to tick a box when booking to specifically promise that they will not throw a NYE bash, the San Francisco-based firm said in a statement on Thursday. | The company…

RT (2020-12-03). Labour suspends two activists for backing Corbyn in anti-Semitism row & accusing Starmer of 'colluding with Tories'. rt.com Britain's Labour Party has suspended two leading members of a local organisation, one of whom is Jewish, after they publicly accused Keir Starmer of using an anti-Semitism probe to crack down on former party leader Jeremy Corbyn. | Those sanctioned are the chair of Chingford and Woodford Green Constituency Labour Party, Gary Lefley, and its vice-chair, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi. | The suspension came after the two staged an online meeting with fellow party members earlier this week, criticising that way the Labour leadership has handled the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) report on anti-Semitism i…

RT (2020-12-03). Israel warns its citizens they may be targeted abroad by Iran following nuclear scientist's assassination. rt.com Israel has issued a warning to its citizens abroad about potential terrorist attacks amid threats from Tehran of retaliatory action in response to the killing of a top Iranian nuclear scientist. | Iran was quick to blame Israel last week for the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, though it has not taken credit for the action. Fakhrizadeh had been accused of heading Iran's nuclear program — even being named by PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has long been critical of Tehran's nuclear ambitions. | As multiple leaders in Iran have threatened consequences for the scientist's death, Israelis abroad have been warned…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-12-03). Moving Past Apartheid: One-State is not Ideal Justice, but It is Just and Possible. counterpunch.org Once again, Europe's top diplomats expressed their 'deep concern' regarding Israel's ongoing illegal settlement expansion, again evoking the maxim that Israeli actions "threaten the viability of the two-state solution". This position was communicated by EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Josep Borrell, on November 19, during a video-conference with Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki. All Israeli

MEE staff (2020-12-03). Egypt releases three human rights advocates after international outcry. middleeasteye.net Egypt releases three human rights advocates after international outcry | Arrests of top advocates at Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights drew rebuke from rights groups and Western governments | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 20: 01 | Rights advocates Gasser Abdelrazek, Karim Ennarah and Mohamed Basheer were released on Thursday (AFP/File photo) | Egypt has released three prominent rights defenders whose detention last…

Jonathan Cook (2020-12-03). Establishment journalists are piling on to smear Robert Fisk now he cannot answer back. mronline.org Something remarkable even by the usually dismal standards of the stenographic media blue-tick brigade has been happening in the past few days.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-12-03). Equal pay for equal work? Not yet for U.S. women's soccer team. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES—Equal pay for equal work? Not yet for the medal-winning U.S. women's soccer team. But they're going to get everything else they fought for in their long-running battle with the U.S. Soccer Federation, and the pay issue remains open, awaiting a trial next year. In a settlement announced on Dec. 1, the federation, soccer's …

Paul Jay (2020-12-03). Are "net-zero" emissions a smoke screen? mronline.org Peter Carter of the Climate Emergency Institute says "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050 and targeting 2 degrees warming are a recipe for runaway climate catastrophe. On theAnalysis.news podcast with Paul Jay.

Staff (2020-12-03). Indian Farmers Lead Historic Strike & Protests Against Narendra Modi, Neoliberalism & Inequality. democracynow.org As COVID rages through India, which has the second-highest number of reported cases worldwide, hundreds of thousands of farmers are converging on the capital New Delhi to demand the government repeal new laws that deregulate agricultural markets, saying the reforms give major corporations power to set crop prices far below current rates and devastate the livelihoods of farmers. Agriculture is the leading source of income for more than half of India's 1.3 billion people. The farmer revolt comes as some 250 million workers across the country took part in the largest strike in history against the Modi government's n…

MEE staff (2020-12-03). Covid-19: Gaza closing mosques and schools as virus surges. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Gaza closing mosques and schools as virus surges | After avoiding widespread outbreak until August, when cases began to spike, death toll in Gaza has quadrupled in past month | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 21: 37 | Palestinian men walk past street art in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip on 12 November (AFP/File photo) | Schools and mosques are set to close in the besieged Gaza Strip this weekend, as the Pales…

Thomas Klikauer — Nadine Campbell (2020-12-03). How the Market Destroys the Lifeworld. counterpunch.org The Chicago School of Economics has not only furnished the unbroken success of the hegemonic ideology of neoliberalism and the three great evils of the 1980s — Ronald Reagan, Maggie Thatcher, and Augusto Pinochet — it has also supplied us with l'idée fixe of behavioural economics. The belief is that when it comes to crucial

Jonathan Cook (2020-12-03). The Smearing of Robert Fisk…Now That He Can't Defend Himself. counterpunch.org Something remarkable even by the usually dismal standards of the stenographic media blue-tick brigade has been happening in the past few days. Leading journalists in the corporate media have suddenly felt the urgent need not only to criticise the late, much-respected foreign correspondent Robert Fisk, but to pile in against him, using the most outrageous smears imaginable. He is suddenly a fraud, a fabulist, a fantasist, a liar.

RT (2020-12-03). 'Running out of time': US adds new demands as Russia makes concessions to save last remaining nuclear deterrent deal — envoy. rt.com Moscow has agreed to key US demands in a bid to preserve the New START agreement in a race against time to extend the treaty before it expires, the Russian envoy to the US said. Washington then simply made new demands.

Umar A Farooq (2020-12-03). UN, aid groups warn US against blacklisting Yemen's Houthis. middleeasteye.net UN, aid groups warn US against blacklisting Yemen's Houthis | Designating Houthis as terrorist organisation would have far-reaching consequences in Yemen, including halting aid work amid threat of famine | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 18: 11 | Aid groups are operating in Yemen amid funding shortages, working to deliver as much humanitarian assistance as possible (AFP/File photo) | The United Nations is making…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-12-03). Doctored Indignation: Australia-China Relations. counterpunch.org Clay foot diplomacy is all the rage in Canberra, and the Australian government has become a solid practitioner. Having stuck its neck out across continents and seas to proclaim the need to investigate China over the origins of the novel coronavirus, the Morrison government now finds itself in the tightest of corners. Very much one

Staff (2020-12-03). A Massacre in Lagos: Nigerian Military Forced to Admit It Fired Live Rounds at Peaceful Protesters. democracynow.org A CNN investigation has exposed the Nigerian Army's role in a deadly attack on protesters in the capital city of Lagos in October, when soldiers opened fire on protesters gathered at Lekki toll gate, a key roadway and protest site. At least 12 people were killed in the massacre, which the Army initially denied, and capped weeks of demonstrations against the notorious Nigerian police unit known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS. Senior CNN international correspondent Nima Elbagir says the massacre "had a chilling effect" on the protest movement and enraged many Nigerians. "We kept hearing from these famil…

Turner Roth (2020-12-03). New York tenants battle privatization of public housing. peoplesworld.org Housing rights groups, including supporters from the Movement School, the Young Communist League and the Communist Party of New York, stood with the tenants of the New York City Housing Authority's Fulton Houses in Chelsea as they recently recommenced protesting the de facto privatization of their homes and the nearby Chelsea-Elliott Houses. Under cover of …

RT (2020-12-03). Moscow moves to expel Soros-linked US activist as ex-president Medvedev warns foreign NGOs trying to sow discord in Russia. rt.com The Russian government is set to expel a prominent human-rights activist, with former president Dmitry Medvedev claiming there's a co-ordinated campaign by international organizations to stoke unrest in the world's largest state. | Vanessa Kogan, the director of the Stichting Justice Initiative project, told Britain's Guardian newspaper that Russian authorities had notified her of the revocation of her residency permit. She will now have two weeks to leave the country, where she has lived for more than ten years. She also has two children with a Russian national. | The Stichting Justice Initiative is an NGO wh…

MEE and agencies (2020-12-03). Saudi-Qatar deal to end blockade is close, say reports. middleeasteye.net Saudi-Qatar deal to end blockade is close, say reports | Information about a new agreement comes as US Middle East envoy Jared Kushner tours Gulf countries | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 10: 20 | Senior Advisor to US President Jared Kushner, left, meets with Qatari ruler Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the capital Doha on 2 December 2020 (AFP) | A deal between Saudi Arabia and Qatar to end th…

Nadda Osman (2020-12-03). Labour's Starmer urged to return donations from 'Islamophobic' businessman. middleeasteye.net Labour's Starmer urged to return donations from 'Islamophobic' businessman | A number of Muslim organisations have highlighted comments made by supporter and property developer David Abrahams | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 14: 01 | The businessman has since deleted the social media posts which have been called Islamophobic (Screengrab/BBC) | Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing a backlash for accepting donations fr…

Jessica Buxbaum (2020-12-03). Jerusalem municipality sparks controversy by renaming Damascus Gate steps. middleeasteye.net Jerusalem municipality sparks controversy by renaming Damascus Gate steps | Critics denounce the move to name the area after two slain Israeli soldiers as an attempt to further erase Palestinian identity of occupied East Jerusalem's Old City | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 13: 00 | A mask-clad teenager sits in front of the nearly deserted area outside the Damascus Gate in the Old City in occupied East Je…

_____ (2020-12-03). The Streetlight Effect: When People Look Within the System for Solutions to the System. strategic-culture.org The US political system is not designed to be moved to the left. It is not designed to facilitate a revolution. It is not designed to reflect the general will of the public in any way. The US political system is designed to keep the public placid and obedient while the imperialists run the empire. Nothing else is allowed. Nothing else will ever be allowed.

RT (2020-12-03). UK is 1st European country to reach grim milestone of 60,000 Covid-19 deaths. rt.com The UK's toll of deaths linked to the coronavirus pandemic has surpassed 60,000, according to new government data published on Thursday, making it the first country in Europe to reach such a high fatality count. | The British government's figures concern Covid-related deaths that occur within 28 days of a positive test. | Only the US, Brazil, India and Mexico have reported more deaths from the virus during the pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. | The UK on Thursday reported a further 14,879 new infections and 414 fatalities in the previous 24 hours, according to government figures, taki…

The Canary (2020-12-03). Lord Maginnis faces suspension for bullying and homophobic slurs towards MPs. thecanary.co Lord Maginnis should be suspended from the House of Lords for at least 18 months for bullying and harassment of three MPs and a security guard, the peers' standards watchdog has recommended.The recommendation from the Lords Conduct Committee follows an investigation into the Northern Irish peer's treatment of a parliamentary security officer and MPs Hannah Bardell, Luke Pollard and Toby Perkins.He was investigated after being "verbally abusive" to security officer Christian Bombolo when asked to show his parliamentary pass in January.The SNP's Hannah Bardell said she was treated 'rudely and aggressively' by the p…

Margaret Flowers (2020-12-03). Decolonizing Thanksgiving And Supporting Indigenous Peoples. dissidentvoice.org This week, as some people in the United States celebrated the mythical 'Thanksgiving' dinner, Indigenous Peoples held a National Day of Mourning and continued their resistance to defend the land and water. As Native American, Matt Remle, writes: Despite colonial efforts to exterminate, terminate, relocate, and assimilate Indigenous populations, Native communities continue to resist efforts …

MEE and agencies (2020-12-03). Detained Saudi prince moved to 'undisclosed' location, warns European lawmaker. middleeasteye.net Detained Saudi prince moved to 'undisclosed' location, warns European lawmaker | Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz has been detained for nearly three years | Thu, 12/03/2020 – 14: 39 | An undated picture made available on 30 May 2020 by a friend of Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz shows him signing the visitors book in the German city of Dresden (AFP) | A detained Saudi prince has been moved to…

RT (2020-12-03). 'Running out of time': US adds new demands as Russia makes concessions to save last remaining nuclear deterrent deal — envoy. rt.com Moscow has agreed to key US demands in a bid to preserve the New START arms control agreement before it expires, according to the Russian envoy to Washington. He claims the US then simply added new conditions for its renewal. | "The fate of New START is perhaps the key issue for future arms control," ambassador Anatoly Antonov said at an event hosted by the Brookings Institute, a prominent American lobby group and policy advisory, on Wednesday. | The 2011 treaty putting a limit on the number of nuclear warheads, and their delivery vehicles, the US and Russia are allowed to possess remains virtually the only ac…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). 250 million Indian workers and farmers strike, breaking world record. peoplesworld.org DELHI—On Thursday, Nov. 26, India witnessed the biggest organized strike in human history. Over 250 million workers and farmers, along with their allies among student, women's, and civil society groups, participated in the nationwide strike. Now, a week later, farmers continue to occupy the capital city, and labor leaders are vowing this is only the …

George Wuerthner (2020-12-03). East Paradise Grazing Plan Seeks to Expand Livestock Production. counterpunch.org Below are my comments concerning the expansion of grazing of the East Paradise Grazing Allotments. This is some of the most important wildlife habitat north of Yellowstone NP. Readers are encouraged to write the District Ranger supporting ALT 1 the No Livestock Grazing option. Please put East Paradise Range Allotment Management Plan in the subject

news.un (2020-12-03). Amid 'unprecedented' needs, UNICEF asks for $6.4 billion to help 190 million children. news.un.org The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, launched a $6.4 billion emergency funding appeal to reach more than 190 million children affected by humanitarian crises amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

WSWS (2020-12-03). Letter from a Bournemouth Hospital frontline nurse sparks broader discussion on conditions facing NHS workers in UK. wsws.org The letter was publicised by NHS FightBack, an initiative of the Socialist Equality Party, and then shared widely on social media, including on a number of National Health Service Facebook campaign groups.

Dr. Rudolf Hà§nsel (2020-12-03). The "Secret Agenda" of the So-called Elite. globalresearch.ca Important and timely article, first published on April 10, 2020 | "The International" is the world-renowned battle song of the socialist labor movement. The English version of the original French text reads: | "Wake up, damned of this earth, who are still …

WSWS (2020-12-03). 100 years since US socialist journalist John Reed's death. wsws.org John Reed's life became devoted to documenting the struggles of the oppressed. His greatest work was Ten Days That Shook the World, an indelible, eyewitness account of the 1917 Russian Revolution.

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Right-wing extremist jailed for targeting left, Muslims. greenleft.org.au Far-right figure Phillip Galea, who was just sentenced to jail on terrorism charges, also threatened Socialist Alliance activist and local councillor Sue Bolton after having done reconnaissance in the Resistance Bookshop.

United We Dream (2020-12-03). Friday 12/4: State & Local Advocacy Strategies During Covid-19 to Aid Immigrants, Undocumented, & DACA. indybay.org Online webniar…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-12-03). After the Lockdown: A Global Coronavirus Vaccination Program. globalresearch.ca The tendency is towards a Worldwide lockdown spearheaded by fear and media disinformation. Currently, hundreds of millions of people Worldwide are under lockdown. | What is the next step in the evolution of the COV-19 Crisis? A multibillion dollar coronavirus vaccination program to be implemented in the wake of the Lockdown.

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-12-03). 'You Alone Can Save His Life': Edward Snowden Urges Trump to Pardon Julian Assange. commondreams.org "Mr. President, if you grant only one act of clemency during your time in office, please: free Julian Assange," the NSA whistleblower tweeted. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/julian_assange_1_0.jpg

Reagan M. Sova (2020-12-03). US, UK Governments Should Free Julian Assange. commondreams.org Leaders across political divides should be pressured by the public to free Assange and defend press freedom. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/free_assange.jpg

WSWS (2020-12-03). New Zealand inquiry suppresses evidence about fascist terror attack. wsws.org The royal commission's report into the massacre of 51 people in Christchurch in March 2019 by fascist Brenton Tarrant is destined to be a whitewash, with crucial evidence being kept secret.

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). Iran welcomes return of stability to Afghanistan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh says Tehran welcomes the new agreement between Taliban and Afghanistan government.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). Palestinian student activist released from Israeli prison after 15 months. peoplesdispatch.org 23-year-old Mays Abu Ghosh, a student of Birzeit university, was arrested by the Israeli security forces on charges of being a member of the Democratic Progressive Student Pole, a student group affiliated to the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)…

sputniknews (2020-12-03). Joint Chiefs Chairman Urges "Reality Check" as US Economy in Shambles. sputniknews.com Jobless numbers show economy in crisis; Dems walk back pro-Palestine comments; Sudan to quit Israel deal if not de-listed as Terror Sponsor…

Philip Giraldi (2020-12-03). A Killing in Iran: Who Gains from Yet Another Assassination? The Role of MEK? globalresearch.ca It is not often that one can agree with the pronouncements made by former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan, but his

Peter Koenig (2020-12-03). The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020" globalresearch.ca WHO has most likely received orders from "above", from those people who also manage Trump and the "leaders" (sic) of the EU, European Union. The final decision to go ahead NOW with COVID-19 pandemic, was taken in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos – behind very much closed doors.

Peter Koenig (2020-12-03). Boycott the Vaccination Program: The FDA-approved Drug Ivermectin Inhibits the Replication of SARS-CoV-2 but Nobody Talks About It. globalresearch.ca Peruvian Doctors for the Truth have issued a short video, explaining the enormous risks of the three different types of vaccines currently on the market in Peru, two of them are genetically engineered in one way or another and will …

Margaret Kimberley (2020-12-03). Censorship in the Biden Era. globalresearch.ca The corporate media have joined the incoming administration in deciding what we can and cannot see and hear. | Ever since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 the country has been warned about the dangers of fascism. It isn't difficult …

Vijay Prashad (2020-12-03). We Are Grass. We Grow on Everything. zcomm.org Around 250 million people across India joined the general strike on 26 November, making it the largest strike in world history…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-12-03). The David McBride Case: Whistleblowing, Afghanistan and Australian War Crimes. dissidentvoice.org Much complaint can be had of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry Report. It exempts political actors of responsibility for alleged atrocities and war crimes. It suggests that those in the highest echelons of the Australian Defence Forces are ignorant in incompetent innocence. It spares the desk warriors and flays the field …

_____ (2020-12-03). A New Technology That Will Dangerously Expand Government Spying on Citizens. strategic-culture.org Jack RASMUS | If you're worried about the capability of government to conduct surveillance of citizens engaged in political assembly and protest, or even just personal activity, then you should be aware the technological capability of government surveillance is about to expand exponentially. | The US Air Force's Research Lab (yes, it has its own lab) has recently signed a contract to test new software of a company called SignalFrame, a Washington DC wireless tech company. The company's new software is able to access smartphones, and from your phone jump off to access any other wireless or bluetooth device in the…

Ahmed AbdulKareem (2020-12-03). Yemen: Trump Is Showering Saudi Arabia with Last-Minute Gifts. globalresearch.ca While the administration of Donald Trump readies its exit from the White House and the Middle East, Saudi Arabia's use of American diplomatic cover and weapons alike has taken on a fevered pace as the Kingdom deepens the tragedy it …

South Front (2020-12-03). Video: Chicken Kiev Meets Cold Turkey: Black Sea Turkey-Ukraine Axis Emerges? globalresearch.ca On the face of it, an alliance between Turkey and Ukraine seems like a rather odd creation, yet one that may surprisingly durable simply because neither country has anywhere else to turn. What practically dooms them to a partnership if …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). Protesters demand president Alejandro Giammattei's resignation in Guatemala. peoplesdispatch.org On November 30, thousands of Guatemalans once again hit the streets in rejection of corruption, austerity and police brutality, as well as to demand the resignation of right-wing president Alejandro Giammattei, his ministers and the members of the congress. | The Indigenous communities of Sololá department and members of various social organizations organized blockades on the Inter-American highway, which connects the capital to western Guatemala, at several points across the department to demand structural changes in the country. Indigenous people in María Tecún, San Juan Argueta and La Cuchilla, among other vil…

news.un (2020-12-03). Yemen: Unchecked violations 'may amount to war crimes', Security Council hears. news.un.org UN experts called on the Security Council on Thursday, along with the international community at large, to put an end to the "surreal and absurd dimension" of human rights violations engulfing war-torn Yemen, where abuses continue unchecked.

Stephen Lendman (2020-12-03). Is Trump Right? Was Election 2020 Rigged? globalresearch.ca Rigged Election 2020 wasn't the first time it happened in America. | Throughout US history, it occurred time and again at the federal, state and local levels. | "Democracy" by duopoly rule eliminates competition from independent candidates, debauching the process, assuring democracy …

George Ochenski (2020-12-03). The Damage Done. counterpunch.org Being home to the largest Superfund site in the nation, Montanans know that the cost of trying to clean up an environment damaged by resource extraction is vastly higher than the cost of preventing the damage in the first place. We also know that after spending hundreds of millions of dollars and decades of effort,

Damian Carrington (2020-12-03). World Is 'Doubling Down' on Fossil Fuels Despite Climate Crisis — UN Report. zcomm.org Production must fall by 6% a year to avoid 'severe climate disruption' but Covid-19 funding is supporting increases…

_____ (2020-12-03). 'This Strike Is A Fight For Our Lives'. popularresistance.org As a strike wave sweeps the U.S. health ≠care indus ≠try amid the Covid-19 pan ≠dem ≠ic, 700 front ≠line work ≠ers at 11 Chica ≠go-area nurs ≠ing homes have been on the pick ≠et lines since Novem ≠ber 23. | Pri ≠mar ≠i ≠ly Black and Lati ≠na women, the strik ≠ing work ≠ers are mem ≠bers of SEIU Health ≠care Illi ≠nois & Indi ≠ana and include cer ≠ti ≠fied nurs ≠ing assis ≠tants (CNAs), dietary aides, house ≠keep ≠ers and laun ≠dry work ≠ers. They are fight ≠ing for at least $15 an hour, haz ≠ard pay and ade ≠quate pe…

WSWS (2020-12-03). The science behind COVID-19 vaccines. wsws.org Both Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant, and the start-up firm Moderna have used essentially the same biochemical process, involving messenger RNA (mRNA) to develop a new vaccine against coronavirus.

WSWS (2020-12-03). Two years since the Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise, California. wsws.org While environmental conditions, such as strong winds and low humidity, factored into the severity of the disaster, the event was largely due to negligence by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), the utility company which provides electricity to northern California.

WSWS (2020-12-03). EU-Turkey tensions mount over Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. wsws.org The unilateral opening of Varosha or Maraş in northern Cyprus and Ankara's proposed two-state solution have intensified tensions between the European Union and Turkey.

Staff (2020-12-03). Under CARES Act, These Moms Should Be Home. They Remain in COVID-Filled Prisons. truthout.org When COVID entered the federal medical prison in Carswell, Texas, it ballooned within weeks — of the Shoulders has severe diabetes, respiratory problems, and, since entering prison in 2015, chronic kidney disease, leaving her at only 30 percent kidney function. All of these make her more vulnera…

George Monbiot (2020-12-03). Caught in the Crossfire. zcomm.org Brexit isn't about Europe, and isn't about the UK. It's the outcome of a civil war within capitalism…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-03). Imperial projects global coronavirus trajectory with simulation tool. imperial.ac.uk Imperial has projected the coronavirus outbreak for all countries around the world with the latest version of its scenario analysis tool.

Glen Ford (2020-12-03). Black Lives Matter (BLM) Chapters Demand "Accountability" from Trio that Cashed in on the Movement. globalresearch.ca Ten chapters of the national Black Lives Matter organization are in open revolt against the individuals that have treated the mass movement as their personal vehicle for upward political, professional and financial advancement. | In 2013 three Black women social activist …

Speak Out Now (2020-12-03). Saturday 12/5: France: Mass Protests Against a Government Crackdown (Online meeting). indybay.org Online meeting, see website for details…

The Wire Staff (2020-12-03). Labour Unions' Nationwide Strike: Near Total Shutdown in Bengal, Kerala. zcomm.org The strike, on the same day as farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest marches across north India, is also in solidarity with the farmers' cause…

news.un (2020-12-03). COVID-19 could push more than a billion into extreme poverty, new UN development report finds. news.un.org An additional 207 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030, due to the severe longterm impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number to more than a billion, a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found.

news.un (2020-12-03). Revealed: The cost of the pandemic on world's poorest countries. news.un.org More than 32 million of the world's poorest people face being pulled back into extreme poverty because of COVID-19, leading UN economists said on Thursday, highlighting data showing that the pandemic is likely to cause the worst economic crisis in decades among least developed countries (LDCs).

_____ (2020-12-03). Will This Be The Radicalization Of Black Lives Matter? popularresistance.org On Monday a group of local Black Lives Matter chapters issued a statement to the public calling for more transparency and accountability from the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN), the umbrella structure for the Black lives matter structures. | In what appears to be an ongoing internal discussion, the chapters claimed that BLMGN not only did not collaborate on political visioning and collective analysis with the chapters but shockingly, with the millions reported in the media that was raised from foundations and corporations, "most chapters have received little to no financial support since the launch in…

Quanah Brightman (2020-12-03). United Native Americans Victory over GSA to Formally Recognize Joe Biden. indybay.org United Native Americans Victory over GSA to Formally Recognize Joe Biden as the President Elect…

Eleanor Bader (2020-12-03). Right-Wing Orgs Are Enlisting Students in Their War Against Campus Progressives. zcomm.org Groups like Campus Reform work hard to create the illusion that conservatives are a beleaguered minority on campuses…

_____ (2020-12-03). Report: Aerially Sprayed Pesticide Causes Significant Environmental Issues. popularresistance.org A new study concluded that high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compounds used in pesticides aerially sprayed on millions of acres of land across the United States have contaminated the water of thousands of communities. The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility recently released the results of these "forever chemicals," which don't break down in the environment and build up in the human body. | Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are "a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals," which are "very persistent in…

Michael Sandel (2020-12-03). "We have delegated our moral judgment to the markets" indybay.org "Yes, we can" was a call to solidarity and common goals. The legend that everyone in America can rise as high as their talents can carry them goes back to Ronald Reagan. Access to education should not be a substitute for policies that directly address the roots of inequality and the dignity of work.

sputniknews (2020-12-03). Ivanka Trump Slams Inauguration Lawsuit as 'Politically Motivated', Shares Email in Her Defense. sputniknews.com President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka, testified as witness in the offices of the Washington DC Attorney General and was deposed in a lawsuit over allegations of the misuse of funds originally designated for the presidential inauguration of her father in 2016.

Dr. Rudolf Hà§nsel (2020-12-03). Zur Psychologie des Bà∂sen. Eine erste Annà§herung an das Thema Der Mensch ist gut. Das Bà∂se wird nicht siegen! globalresearch.ca Die Rà§delsfàºhrer der weltweiten Verschwà∂rung gegen uns Bàºrger haben die Realisierung ihrer diabolischen Plà§ne einer Neuen Weltordnung NWO und einer Eine-Welt-Regierung nach chinesischem Vorbild sowie eines ‚ÄûGroàüen Neustarts" und einer ‚ÄûVierten Industriellen Revolution", der Verschmelzung physischer und digitaler Identità§t (Transhumanismus), …

commondreams (2020-12-03). U.S. Congress Close to Ending Anonymous Companies Abused by Criminals and Corrupt Actors. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Staff (2020-12-03). As COVID Spikes, the GOP Pushes Bans on Suing Negligent Businesses. truthout.org Officials estimate that 1 million people in Florida are infected with COVID-19 in the wake of the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Meanwhile, state legislators are meeting with business lobbyists at a conference, which One of the sponsors of the event is Publix. The Florida-based, employe…

Dilara O'Neil (2020-12-03). Olivia Laing's Banal Avant-Garde. thenation.com Olivia Laing's Banal Avant-Garde…

WSWS (2020-12-03). Massive service cuts to public transit planned in Massachusetts. wsws.org The impacted services include local and commuter train, bus and ferry transportation, with the planned changes to be implemented in different modes of transportation at varying times in 2021.

WSWS (2020-12-03). UAW keeping workers at Ohio Ventra parts plant on the job without contract during pandemic. wsws.org Forced to continue working under a contract which expired in July, workers at the parts plant are reaching their breaking point as UAW maintains silence over negotiations.

Keith McHenry (2020-12-03). Monday 12/21: Homeless Persons Memorial. indybay.org 100 Laurel St, Santa Cruz…

sputniknews (2020-12-03). US Lawmakers Include Expanded Nord Stream-2 Sanctions in 2021 Defense Bill. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Negotiating teams from both chambers of the US Congress said in a joint statement that they had included expanded sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the final version of the 2021 US defense spending bill.

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-12-03). Google Illegally Surveilled, Interrogated, and Fired Workers Who Tried to Organize, NLRB Says. commondreams.org "For a company with the slogan 'don't be evil,' the findings are pretty damning." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/google_5.jpg

news.un (2020-12-03). COVID-19 could see over 200 million more pushed into extreme poverty, new UN development report finds. news.un.org An additional 207 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030, due to the severe longterm impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number to more than a billion, a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found.

Staff (2020-12-03). Indian Farmers Lead Historic Strike and Protests Against Narendra Modi. truthout.org As COVID rages through India, which has the second-highest number of reported cases worldwide, hundreds of thousands of farmers are converging on the capital New Delhi to demand the government repeal new laws that deregulate agricultural markets, saying the reforms give major corporations power to set crop prices far below current rates and devastate the livelihoods of farmers. Agriculture is the leading source of income for more than half of India's 1.3 billion people. The farmer revolt comes as some…

Fight Back (2020-12-03). One year after refounding the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression. fightbacknews.org Fight Back! Interview with Frank Chapman, the Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | Fight Back!: Could you say a few words about the refounding of NAARPR last year? | Frank Chapman: We convened the refounding conference of NAARPR last November 22-24, 2019. People all over the country are remembering these days because they are historic moments in the calendar of our movement. On the opening night of November 22, we packed 1200 people in the Chicago Teachers Union Hall to hear our keynote speaker Angela Davis talk about the importance of refounding the National Alli…

Robert F. Kennedy Jr (2020-12-03). Video: The Problem with the COVID Vaccine. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. globalresearch.ca "The problem with the COVID vaccine is that they recognize that it's gonna be really hard to get a vaccine so they have been reducing our standards so they can pass the vaccine no matter what." — Robert F. Kennedy …

Megan Sherman (2020-12-03). The Skripal Affair: Remembering a UK False Flag. globalresearch.ca In a case of what must be called incriminating timing — the facts established after official conclusions and reprisals were declared — the scientists and experts of Porton Down, the UK's leading chemical weapons research facility, declared their extensive investigations …

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Right-wing extremist jailed for targeting left, Muslims. greenleft.org.au Far-right activist Phillip Galea has been jailed on terrorism charges after threatening to commit violence against left-wing activists and Muslims. Sue Bolton discusses what it will take to defeat such extremists.

Norman Stockwell (2020-12-03). Facebook's "ad" ban hurts political magazines. progressive.org If Facebook truly wants to "Give people the power to build community" perhaps it should consider allowing fact-based, truth-seeking publications to share content.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-12-03). Director of National Intelligence Admits Government Used Section 215 to Track Browsing History. commondreams.org After initially denying the practice, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe admitted the government engaged in activity "that could be characterized" as tracking website visits. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/section215wheeler.jpg

sputniknews (2020-12-03). Biden Asks Fauci to Join His Administration, Lead COVID Response Team. sputniknews.com Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been one of the leading members of the White House coronavirus response team formed by Donald Trump.

WSWS (2020-12-03). "So that rifles shoot": Germany's Green Party leader Baerbock pleads for massive arms spending and new war missions. wsws.org In advance of next year's federal elections, the Greens are spearheading the campaign for the return of German militarism.

Ellen Brown (2020-12-03). Why the Fed Needs Public Banks. commondreams.org The Fed must rely on private banks to inject credit into Main Street, and private banks are currently unable or unwilling to do it. The tools the Fed actually needs are public banks, which could and would do the job. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-12-03_at_1.51.51_pm.png

_____ (2020-12-03). A New Peru, Struggling To Be Born? popularresistance.org While November saw two Peruvian presidents removed in a week and the emergence of a grassroots movement to defend democracy, there are no clear answers yet as to who will benefit in the long term. | It is not the first time that Plaza San Martín, one of the major squares in Lima's historic centre, has been surrounded by police and filled with protestors demonstrating against the country's political elite, but this time something felt different. | The week beginning 9 November saw a series of major demonstrations pop up around Lima, and across Peru, in condemnation of the removal of President Martín Vizcarra from…

Fabian Scheidler (2020-12-03). The Megamachine and the Roots of the Planetary Crisis. commondreams.org To avoid the worst to come, we must dismantle the foundations of the megamachine and replace them with other economic institutions that do not serve profit but the common good. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/collapse.jpg

christina Beach (2020-12-03). Saturday 12/5: Rally on Wheels. indybay.org Rally on Wheels: A Mobile Protest to Ban Evictions and Cancel Rent…

Dave Zirin (2020-12-03). The Baltimore Ravens' Cautionary Covid Tale. thenation.com The Baltimore Ravens' Cautionary Covid Tale…

Junaid S. Ahmad (2020-12-03). Pakistan Pressured by Saudi Arabia and UAE to Recognize and Accept the State of Israel. globalresearch.ca Putting aside the relics of past Cold War theatrics, Pakistan has been consistently struggling to advance peace and justice in the world. The struggle though has intensified. Pakistan currently experiences unprecedented pressure from the conservative Gulf monarchies of Saudi Arabia …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). Communist youth in Russia protest budget cuts in health sector. peoplesdispatch.org Even as Russia faces an acute health and social crisis due to COVID-19, the federal budget for 2021-2023 calls for cuts of 200 billion rubles (USD 2.64 billion) in the overall state allocation for the health sector…

Tenant and Neighborhood Councils (2020-12-03). Tenants Demand Landlords Sign 'Cancel Rent' Contracts As Evictions Loom. indybay.org Tenant union raises cancel rent calls to landlord association.

Robert Freeman (2020-12-03). The Economy Isn't Working. That's Exactly the Plan. zcomm.org Forty years ago, around 1980, the uber-wealthy decided they wanted to get their money out of the economy. So, they engineered a controlled demolition of the U.S. economy…

commondreams (2020-12-03). 70+ Organizations Oppose CARB Chair Mary Nichols for EPA. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Staff (2020-12-03). Graduate Student Labor Organizing Is Rising — and So Is Retaliation. truthout.org Carlos Cruz was paying $1,550 per month to live in a 750-square-foot garage-studio without insulation in Santa Cruz while earning a salary of $18,000 per year as a graduate student teaching assistant at University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). He was barely scraping by and was going into debt. Accordingly, in November, he became involved in the burgeoning Cost of Living Adjustment campaign on the UCSC campus. | Cruz, an outspoken first-generation Chicano Ph.D. student in the History Department, is n…

commondreams (2020-12-03). Trump Administration Makes an Unseemly Attempt to Jam Through Oil Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-12-03). The contradictions of capitalism emerge amid the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. wsws.org Both Pfizer, a pharmaceutical giant, and the start-up firm Moderna have used essentially the same biochemical process, involving messenger RNA (mRNA) to develop a new vaccine against coronavirus.

WSWS (2020-12-03). Illinois nursing home workers strike in second week as pandemic surges: Build rank-and-file-committees to save lives. wsws.org The strike of some 700 Chicago-area Infinity Healthcare workers entered its second week as the state records COVID-19 deaths.

Johanna Ross (2020-12-03). As Support for Independence Soars, Scottish Nationalists Must Unite. globalresearch.ca Alex Salmond is back. Scotland's former First Minister, under whom the SNP went from strength to strength, has unveiled his own 5-point plan together with MSP Alex Neil, to address the economic aftershocks of the pandemic in Scotland. | There have …

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). New Parl. bill on nuclear power to create 'big' opportunities. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the newly-ratified bill of the Iranian Parliament will create 'big opportunities'.

The Canary (2020-12-03). One in three children can't identify with the characters in books. thecanary.co One in three children do not see themselves in the books they read, a study suggests. | More young people from ethnic minority backgrounds than from white backgrounds responded in this way, at 40% compared with 30.5%, according to a National Literacy Trust (NLT) report. | The research, based on a survey of children aged nine to 18 in the UK, found two in five (39.8%) would like more books with characters similar to them. | Nearly half (45.6%) of young people from Black ethnic backgrounds said it is difficult to find books with characters who look like them, it found. | The NLT report found the issue is more prono…

Israel Shahak (2020-12-03). "Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…

Dean Baker (2020-12-03). Repeal Section 230 and Never Again Have to Worry About What Mark Zuckerberg Thinks About Anything. cepr.net Apparently Donald Trump has gotten into his head that he wants to repeal Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Apparently he is upset that Facebook and Twitter have pointed out that much of what he posts is not true. It's not clear what Trump thinks he would accomplish by repealing this provision of …

John C. A. Manley (2020-12-03). Will Face Masks Cause Facial Deformities in Children? globalresearch.ca "When wearing a mask, most of us breathe with our upper chest muscles and with our mouth open," states Children's Minnesota on While the hospital admits this can cause "increased stress and anxiety" there are other more …

Peter Boyle (2020-12-03). Conjola's New Year's Eve never to be forgotten. greenleft.org.au Ash Brennan will never forget New Year's Eve 2019 when he lost his house to a raging firestorm in Conjola Park. Peter Boyle spoke to him about his new film, We are Conjola, which will have a special online release this New Year's Eve.

news.un (2020-12-03). Recognize and protect rights of persons with disabilities, UN chief urges, marking International Day. news.un.org The United Nations is commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on Thursday, calling for greater inclusion for persons with disabilities, and recognizing and protecting their human rights.

Erin Banco (2020-12-03). Trump Tells Pompeo: Go Wild on Iran, Just Don't Risk 'World War III'. globalresearch.ca President Donald Trump may only have seven weeks According to …

WSWS (2020-12-03). Adulkt Life's Book of Curses: Indie veterans make a new beginning. wsws.org On their debut album, Adulkt Life pay tribute to their musical influences and confront a world in acute crisis.

Mnar Muhawesh Adley (2020-12-03). Podcast: The Assassination of a Nuclear Scientist and the War against Iran's COVID-19 Vaccine. mintpressnews.com After Iran's most senior nuclear scientist Mohsin Fakhrezadeh was assassinated last week the media has been abuzz about a non-existent nuclear weapons program, justifying a killing that masks a broader campaign to target Iran's COVID vaccine program led by Fakhrezadeh.

Andrew Emett (2020-12-03). Former police officers sentenced to prison for framing innocent man. nationofchange.org "These officers shattered the victims' lives and dishonored the Honolulu Police Department. This community deserved so much better from these officers."

Michael Snyder (2020-12-03). After this New Wave of Lockdowns, Most People Will Accept Any "Solution" Because They Will be So Desperate. globalresearch.ca When people become desperate enough, those in power can get most of them to do just about anything. The first wave of lockdowns knocked us into the worst economic downturn

Bradley Thomas (2020-12-03). Biden's COVID "Supply Commander" Is Bad Medicine. globalresearch.ca Included in his plans to fight the coronavirus, presumptive president-elect Joe Biden has

WSWS (2020-12-03). Letter to Boycott Return to Unsafe Schools (BRTUS)/Parents United Against Unsafe Schools. wsws.org Workers and parents must have the right to decide which political programme and perspective they wish to adopt or discuss and debate. Blocking access to this through censorship is a reactionary tool to silence opposition.

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). Iran not to re-negotiate JCPOA: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the country will not negotiate over an already-negotiated agreement.

Lynda Carson (2020-12-03). Evictions resulted in more than 10,000 covid-19 deaths. indybay.org Evictions resulted in more than 10,000 covid-19 deaths!

David Coman-Hidy (2020-12-03). Tyson exploits consumers just like its animals and the workers who raise them. nationofchange.org Vulnerable workers, abused animals and a rigged system are the foundation of an unethical, destructive business model.

Peter Boyle (2020-12-03). Conjola's New Year's Eve never to be forgotten. greenleft.org.au Ash Brennan will never forget New Year's Eve 2019 when he lost his house to a raging firestorm in Conjola Park. Peter Boyle reports that his film We are Conjola will have a special online release this new year's eve.

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Time to mobilise to defend workers' rights. greenleft.org.au The union-bosses-government working groups to discuss industrial relations reform have not delivered and the PM has signalled new IR laws before Christmas. Sarah Hathway argues union leaderships need to get prepared.

Joseph Jankowski (2020-12-03). UK Minister Warns Brits Could be "Denied Normal Life" If They Do Not Receive COVID Vaccination. globalresearch.ca Brits could be denied entry into bars, theaters, and sporting events if they can not prove they've received vaccination against COVID-19, according to the head of the United Kingdom's vaccine rollout. | Nadhim Zahawi, the newly appointed minister to oversee …

Berkeley Food Institute (2020-12-03). Tuesday 12/15: COVID's Hidden Toll: Discussion with Filmmakers and Policy Leaders. indybay.org Virtual Event…

Victoria Law (2020-12-03). The Graying of Mass Incarceration. progressive.org Prisons, ill-suited for providing health care, are facing an explosion of elderly inmates.

Global Research News (2020-12-03). Seeds of Destruction, Globalization of Poverty, Globalization of War: Three Important Books From Global Research Publishers. globalresearch.ca Global Research brings you a selection of three books that help give some context to the current state of the world and the power dynamics that got us here. Unfortunately, these books remain rather relevant, if not more so than …

news.un (2020-12-03). COVID-19 recovery, focus of UN General Assembly special session. news.un.org Nations united on Thursday for a special session of the UN General Assembly to survey the wreckage of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect on the best response, and forge a path to better days ahead.

People for the American Way (2020-12-03). Thursday 12/3: Power to the People: How to Win Back Our Democracy w/ PFAW. indybay.org Online via Zoom…

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). The Accord: a class collaboration project that weakened unions. greenleft.org.au Jon Strauss discusses the legacy of the Labor government-sponsored Prices and Incomes Accords of the 1980s and 1990s.

Commonwealth Club (2020-12-03). Tuesday 12/15: Equity in Health Care: The Awful Truth About Race, Economic Status & U.S. Health Care. indybay.org Online via livestream…

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). Bristol explosion leaves multiple causalities. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — There have been multiple casualties following a large explosion at a warehouse in Avonmouth, near Bristol.

Clay Reynolds (2020-12-03). Reach out into darkness; come together, right now. nationofchange.org Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get down to the business of working together.

WSWS (2020-12-03). Nurses union in New York state ends strikes as COVID-19 hospitalizations surpass 100,000 for first time. wsws.org The nurses who went on strike at two New York state hospitals Tuesday gave voice to the anger of millions of health care workers across the US and internationally who are battling the pandemic with inadequate staffing and protections.

sputniknews (2020-12-03). Pfizer to Only Get Half of COVID-19 Vaccines Out This Year Due to Logistics, Reports Claim. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US drug giant Pfizer expects to ship about half of the COVID-19 vaccines it originally planned for this year because of supply-chain problems, although it still expects to roll out over a billion doses in 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). Protesters in Pakistan demand release of missing activist Amar Fayaz. peoplesdispatch.org Amar Fayaz, a member of the Progressive Youth Alliance, was abducted from Sindh's Jamshoro three weeks ago in what the protesters claim was an enforced disappearance by the security forces. They have demanded his immediate release…

_____ (2020-12-03). Mass Ignorance in the Age of Information. strategic-culture.org It is beyond counter-intuitive that in the Age of Information, the masses are more ignorant of facts than at any time in the past. It matters not that smart phones provide reliable information to individuals at their fingertips. Increasingly, some of the most well-informed people on the planet are adopting the mindsets of the Luddites, the anti-technology English workers of the 19th century. | Aversion to facts is endemic among the right-wing. However, even among certain quarters of the left-wing, mostly neo-Trotskyists and affiliated anarchists, there is an increasing rejection of Covid-19 pandemic public health…

Timothy Pratt (2020-12-03). Asian American Voters Could Help Flip Georgia. thenation.com Asian American Voters Could Help Flip Georgia…

WSWS (2020-12-03). David Dinkins and the DSA: Worthy bedfellows. wsws.org The DSA's extraordinary tribute to Dinkins shows exactly why this organization is the bitterest opponent of socialism.

commondreams (2020-12-03). Judge Rejects US Department of Justice Opposition to Millions in Investments for Vulnerable Communities in Southeast Michigan. commondreams.org ______________________________…

_____ (2020-12-03). A Killing in Iran: Who Gains From Yet Another Assassination? strategic-culture.org It is not often that one can agree with the pronouncements made by former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan, but his

Nicolas J. S. Davies (2020-12-03). Eisenhower's Ghost Haunts Biden's Foreign Policy Team. globalresearch.ca In his first words as President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State,

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). All terrorist groups in region graduated from Saudi-Madrassas. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — In reaction to the baseless remarks of Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that every terrorist group in our region has graduated from Saudi-funded Madrassas.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-03). No matter who wins Dec. 7 elections, Ghana will continue on a neoliberal path. peoplesdispatch.org Kwesi Pratt Jnr. of Pan African Television analyzes the political situation in Ghana ahead of the national elections of December 7. He talks about essential continuity between the two leading parties that dominate the country's politics…

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Geelong Trades Hall Council seeks interest in sustainable green jobs campaign. greenleft.org.au Geelong Trades Hall Council has decided it will seek broader interest in a new campaign for a sustainable green jobs, reports Tim Gooden.

Ed Rampell (2020-12-03). Gimme Shelter: The Way Home Chronicles the Root Causes of Homelessness in America. progressive.org A new documentary series focuses on the growing number of people living on the streets of U.S. cities.

commondreams (2020-12-03). Major Gains for Rights of Nature Movement Met With Corporate and State Backlash. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Fight Back (2020-12-03). One year after refounding the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression. fightbacknews.org Fight Back! Interview with Frank Chapman, the Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | Fight Back!: Could you say a few words about the refounding of NAARPR last year? | Frank Chapman: We convened the refounding conference of NAARPR last November 22-24, 2019. People all over the country are remembering these days because they are historic moments in the calendar of our movement. On the opening night of November 22, we packed 1200 people in the Chicago Teachers Union Hall to hear our keynote speaker Angela Davis talk about the importance of refounding the National Alli…

Quanah Brightman (2020-12-03). The 50th Anniversary of the Mount Rushmore Takeover. indybay.org Group gathers during 50th anniversary of the Mount Rushmore occupation…

Staff (2020-12-03). Sanders Slams McConnell for Pushing Tax Deductions for CEOs in COVID Relief. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for pushing a coronavirus relief measure that contains a 100% tax deduction for business meals — a "Mitch McConnell's…

Mary Jo McConahay (2020-12-03). Four Women Martyred in Service to the Poor. progressive.org Four churchwomen killed forty years ago are being commemorated this month in prayer services and zoomed gatherings around the world. They stand for the thousands who gave themselves for faith in a better future for the poor of Central America.

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Locked-out Coles warehouse workers need your support. greenleft.org.au What started as a 24-hour strike for a fair redundancy package has become indefinite industrial action by workers at Coles' Smeaton Grange depot, reports Jim McIlroy.

Fair Fight (2020-12-03). Thursday 12/3: Rock the Runoff! Virtual Concert Fundraiser to #GOTV in Georgia. indybay.org Online event…

WSWS (2020-12-03). UK Labour leadership tells Zionist meeting that thousands of party members face expulsion. wsws.org As the leadership prepares mass expulsions, in the face of these outrages, Corbyn is again refusing to fight and allowing those who try to do so on his behalf to be persecuted.

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). 12th OPEC+ meeting kicks off. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — The 12th meeting of the oil and energy ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies began a few minutes ago via video conference.

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). The Accord: a class collaboration project that weakened unions. greenleft.org.au Tripartite discussions aimed at reaching consensus between the government of the day, unions and business are not new. Jonathan Strauss discusses the legacy of Labor government-sponsored prices and incomes accords of the 1980s and 1990s.

Francesca Mari (2020-12-03). What's Between 30 Million Americans and an Eviction Tsunami? zcomm.org Only government intervention can keep millions of Americans housed…

Pip Hinman (2020-12-03). Time to mobilise to defend workers' rights. greenleft.org.au The union-bosses-government working groups to discuss industrial relations reform have not delivered and the PM has signalled new IR laws before Christmas. Sarah Hathway argues that union leaderships need to get prepared.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (2020-12-03). Saturday 12/5: Second Annual Medical Symposium on Health Effects of Oil & Gas Industry. indybay.org Virtual conference (FREE)…

Manlio Dinucci (2020-12-03). The Nuclear Bomb Is Ready: In Italy Soon. The B61-12 has a Nuclear Warhead with 4 "Selectable Power Options" globalresearch.ca A video was released on November 23 by Sandia National Laboratories that shows a US F-35A fighter flying at supersonic speed 3000 meters above sea level, launching a B61-12 nuclear bomb (non-nuclear warhead equipped). The bomb did not fall vertically …

UBDDSP (2020-12-03). Tuesday 12/8: COVID-19 Misinformation: Understanding & Seeking Truth During a Pandemic (UC Berkeley). indybay.org Online via livestream…

Newsclick (2020-12-03). Assassination of nuclear scientist is a bid to provoke Iran into conflict. peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha talks about the recent assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. He analyzes the implications of this on the region and looks at the myths about Iran's nuclear program…

Dean Baker (2020-12-03). What to Look for in the November Jobs Report. counterpunch.org The resurgence of the pandemic is likely to be the biggest factor driving labor market performance in November, especially in a context where most of the CARES Act supports have ended. We are likely to see weak, if any, job growth for the month as the areas most affected by the spread, such as restaurants

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-03). Iran, Turkey call for increased economic coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 03 (MNA) — President's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi held a phone conversation on Thursday with Lutfi Elvan, newly-appointed treasury and finance minister of Turkey, on bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Canary (2020-12-03). Gavin Williamson says GCSE and A-level exams will 'absolutely' not be cancelled. thecanary.co Education secretary Gavin Williamson has given an "absolutely" cast-iron guarantee that exams in England will not be cancelled this academic year. | The pledge came as the Government unveiled a package of measures for students sitting their A-level and GCSE exams in the summer to compensate for disruption to their schooling during the pandemic. | Pupils in England will be given advance notice of some topics ahead of their tests and they will be allowed to take in exam aids, like formula sheets, to ensure this cohort of students is not disadvantaged. | Students will also be awarded more generous grades — in…

commondreams (2020-12-03). Statement on Biden's Selection of Brian Deese as Director of the National Economic Council. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Pres. Donald Trump (2020-12-03). Video: President Trump's Unscheduled Speech on the 2020 Election. globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of our readers, the Video as well as the complete transcript of Donald Trump's Speech. | This is for the purpose of information only, discussion and debate. | The US corporate media has sofar provided a slanted …

Mathew Foresta (2020-12-03). The Economy of Hate: How Online Retailers Profit Off of Right-Wing Extremists. progressive.org Far-right groups are selling merchandise that celebrates fascism, peddles conspiracy theories, and calls for violence. 'But because white supremacism is so accepted in the United States, they just treat it as normal and acceptable to retail.'

commondreams (2020-12-03). 350.org Releases Climate Test in Support of Cabinet Picks Who Oppose Fossil Fuels. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-12-03). UK Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee meets as Johnson ends one-month national lockdown. wsws.org "Workers overwhelmingly oppose this calculated endangering of human life, but Labour and the trade unions are working systematically to prevent this opposition gaining a political voice and leadership."

WSWS (2020-12-03). Canadian government's fiscal update intensifies criminal drive to keep "economy open" as pandemic rages. wsws.org On a day which saw over 6,100 new COVID-19 infections and 98 deaths, the Trudeau government announced no new measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Peter Boyle (2020-12-03). Conjola's New Year's Eve never to be forgotten. greenleft.org.au Ash Brennan will never forget New Year's Eve 2019 when he lost his house to a raging firestorm in Conjola Park. Peter Boyle spoke to him about his new file, We are Conjola, which will have a special online release this New Year's Eve.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-12-03). Poll: Two-Thirds of Americans Favor Raising Taxes on Incomes Over $400K. commondreams.org A majority of respondents—regardless of political affiliation—also back tuition-free college for students whose families earn less than $125,000 annually. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/basic-case-wealth-tax.jpg

_____ (2020-12-03). Eisenhower's Ghost Haunts Biden's Foreign Policy Team. popularresistance.org In his first words as President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said, "we have to proceed with equal measures of humility and confidence." Many around the world will welcome this promise of humility from the new administration, and Americans should too. | Biden's foreign policy team will also need a special kind of confidence to confront the most serious challenge they face. That will not be a threat from a hostile foreign country, but the controlling and corrupting power of the Military-Industrial Complex…

Futher Column, By Abby Zimet, Staff Writer (2020-12-03). My Cousin Vinny Gets Out-Bonkered by The Ultimate Karen and It Is…Something. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/melissa_tease_good_7ff34b06204fb8bb531542cf024cce4a6e-drunk-woman-michigan-voter-fraud.2x.rhorizontal.w700.jpg

Jacob G. Hornberger (2020-12-03). Election Fraud: Where's the Independent Press? The Mainstream Press Has Failed America. globalresearch.ca While President Trump continues to maintain that the presidential election was marred by massive fraud, the mainstream press continues to maintain that Trump's charges are "false" and "baseless" and that his allegations are damaging trust in America's democratic electoral system. …

sputniknews (2020-12-03). Serbia Receives First Batch of Russia's Sputnik V Coronavirus Vaccine for Study – Vucic. sputniknews.com BELGRADE (Sputnik) — Serbia has received the first batch of Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus that will be studied by the national health bodies, President Aleksandar Vucic said.

Tim Schwab (2020-12-03). Are Bill Gates's Billions Distorting Public Health Data? thenation.com Are Bill Gates's Billions Distorting Public Health Data?

sputniknews (2020-12-03). US Adds Four Chinese Companies to Defense Blacklist Over Alleged Military Ties. sputniknews.com Days after the US media called the election for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, US President Donald Trump revealed he'd signed an executive order that would bar Americans from investing in nearly three dozen firms that allegedly do business with the Chinese military.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-12-03). Indian Farmers Continue Historic Protests After 250 Million People Rise Up Against Modi's Neoliberal Policies. commondreams.org "The government side [was] not ready to listen to any of our demands and they have left us with no choice but to protest on the streets," said one farmer-organizer. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/india_0.jpg

Jake Johnston — Kira Paulemon (2020-12-03). Haiti: Protests, Repression Mark Police Chief's First Week. counterpunch.org On November 18, the 217th anniversary of the Battle of Vertières where Haitians delivered a fatal blow to Napoleon's troops during their struggle for independence, thousands took to the streets across the country to protest rising insecurity and government inaction. Anti-government actions took place in Cap-Haitien, GonaàØves, l'Estère, Saint-Marc, Delmas, Tabarre, Port-au-Prince,Cayes, Jérémie, Mirebalais, and

Brett Heinz (2020-12-03). As Private Cities Advance in Honduras, Hondurans Renew Their Opposition. cepr.net Guest post by Beth Geglia Efforts to develop semi-privately governed jurisdictions called Economic Development and Employment Zones (ZEDEs) in Honduras have recently emerged anew. ZEDEs, first legislated as Special Development Regions (REDs) and informally known as "charter cities," "model cities," or "startup cities," are a flexible territorial concession that can be used for city-scale real …

Dr. Peter Doshi (2020-12-03). Pfizer and Moderna's "95% Effective" Vaccines—Let's be Cautious and First See the Full Data. globalresearch.ca In the United States, all eyes are on Pfizer and Moderna. The topline efficacy results from their experimental covid-19 vaccine trials are astounding at first glance. Pfizer says it recorded 170 covid-19 cases (in 44,000 volunteers), with a remarkable split: …

Michael Albert (2020-12-03). Looking Inward: Can We Win? Or Will We Defeat Ourselves? counterpunch.org By win, I mean win it all, not win a little. Win a new world. Win new defining social institutions. Win an end to injustice, inequality, subordination, and domination. Win an end to class, gender, sex, race, and all hierarchies that position some people above and other people below. Win equity. Win solidarity. Win diversity.

Platypus Santa Cruz (2020-12-02). Saturday 12/5: Marxism in the Age of Trump. indybay.org Online Event | zoom.us/j/96939137271

Andrew Korybko (2020-12-02). "Global Policeman": Why's the US in the South China Sea? globalresearch.ca America regards itself as the "global policeman", hence its arrogant actions, but it was never deputized by the international community to fulfill such a role. Rather, it's more like a dangerously delusional role player than a legitimate law enforcement officer….

_____ (2020-12-02). Embassy Protection Collective Members Mark End Of Federal Probation. popularresistance.org Washington, DC — Today, three of the four members of the Embassy Protection Collective, Adrienne Pine, David Paul and Margaret Flowers, who stayed in the Venezuelan Embassy last year to stop its illegal handover to coup leaders, are finished with their six-month probation and 30-day suspended sentence. The fourth member of the collective, Kevin Zeese, died unexpectedly in September. | The three collective members are traveling to Venezuela to serve as official election observers for the National Assembly election to be held on December 6, 2020.

David Rosen (2020-12-02). Covid-19, Schools and the Digital Divide. counterpunch.org On November 19th, Mayor Bill de Blasio closed New York's public schools. He has been joined by other mayors and education officials throughout the country struggle over whether to keep their local schools open for in-class or offer only remote learning. The Covid-19 pandemic has entered yet another wave and, as of mid-November, over 11

RT (2020-12-02). Valery Giscard d'Estaing, ex-president of France and author of ill-fated EU constitution, dead 'due to Covid-19' at age 94. rt.com Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing, who served as president of France from 1974 to 1981, passed away from what his family said were effects of the novel coronavirus, having been hospitalized for breathing difficulties. | Also known as Giscard and VGE, d'Estaing was the third president of the French Fifth Republic, succeeding the popular Georges Pompidou as the leader of the Gaullist conservatives. He narrowly lost re-election to socialist Francois Miterrand, after a challenge from the right by future president Jacques Chirac. | VGE was hospitalized in September with a lung infection, and then again in…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-12-02). Independent report finds myriad problems with pandemic relief, jobless aid. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—The federal government's effort to help the millions of people harmed—physically, economically, or both—by the coronavirus pandemic suffers from myriad problems, a new independent report says. And the non-partisan Government Accountability Office adds that in states' own rush to get jobless aid to people, such as gig workers, who don't qualify for regular unemployment benefits, …

Al Neal (2020-12-02). 'Victims of Communism' group seeks a return to McCarthyism. peoplesworld.org It begins with a carefully worded "draft" resolution asking for public recognition of any "XYZ" event, memorial, or remembrance. From there, copies are given to friendly elected officials seated within any legislative body. And typically, the resolution is introduced, and the innocuous language is read, re-read, and approved to the fanfare of only a few. …

Sheren Khalel (2020-12-02). Saudi diplomat ridiculed for claiming Riyadh does not 'engage in assassinations'. middleeasteye.net Saudi diplomat ridiculed for claiming Riyadh does not 'engage in assassinations' | Adel al-Jubeir under fire as critics point to murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 | Wed, 12/02/2020 – 21: 18 | Adel al-Jubeir addresses panel titled 'G20 to Reconnect the World' at International Media Centre in Riyadh on 20 November (AFP/File photo) | A senior Saudi diplomat has come under fire for cl…

RT (2020-12-02). Valery Giscard d'Estaing, ex-president of France and author of ill-fated EU constitution, dies 'due to Covid-19' at age 94. rt.com Valery Marie Rene Georges Giscard d'Estaing, who served as president of France from 1974 to 1981, passed away from what his family said were effects of the novel coronavirus, having been hospitalized with breathing difficulties. | Also known as Giscard and VGE, d'Estaing was the third president of the French Fifth Republic, succeeding the popular Georges Pompidou as the leader of the Gaullist conservatives. He narrowly lost re-election to socialist Francois Miterrand, after a challenge from the right by future president Jacques Chirac. | VGE was hospitalized in September with a lung infection, and then again i…

Umar A Farooq (2020-12-02). Muslim Americans ran for office in record numbers in 2020. middleeasteye.net Muslim Americans ran for office in record numbers in 2020 | At least 170 Muslim candidates were on ballots this election cycle, running in 28 states and Washington DC | Wed, 12/02/2020 – 17: 07 | Of 170 Muslim-American candidates that ran in 2020, 62 won elections (AFP) | Muslim Americans ran for political office in record numbers this year, according to a report published on Wednesday by multiple…

RT (2020-12-02). Valery Giscard d'Estaing, ex-president of France and author of ill-fated EU constitution, dies 'due to Covid-19' at age 94. rt.com Valery Marie Rene Georges Giscard d'Estaing, who served as president of France from 1974 to 1981, passed away from what his family said were effects of the novel coronavirus, having been hospitalized with breathing difficulties. | Also known as Giscard and VGE, d'Estaing was the third president of the French Fifth Republic, succeeding the popular Georges Pompidou as the leader of the Gaullist conservatives. He narrowly lost re-election to socialist Francois Miterrand, after a challenge from the right by future president Jacques Chirac. | VGE was hospitalized in September with a lung infection, and then again i…

Umar A Farooq (2020-12-02). Muslim Americans ran for office in record numbers in 2020. middleeasteye.net Muslim Americans ran for office in record numbers in 2020 | One hundred and seventy Muslim candidates were on the ballot this election cycle, running across 28 states and Washington DC | Wed, 12/02/2020 – 17: 07 | Of the 170 Muslim American candidates that ran in 2020, at least 62 won their elections (AFP) | Muslim Americans ran for political office in record numbers this year, according to a new r…

Princess Harmony (2020-12-02). How prisons contribute to opioid crisis. workers.org Prisons, which serve the purposes of the capitalist bourgeoisie, are filled to the brim with people who suffer from addiction and other substance use disorders. Among them are opioid users. The gold-standard treatments for opioid use disorders (opioid addictions) are methadone (Diskets, Methadose) and buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade, Zubsolv, Bunavail). . . . |

David Rosen (2020-12-02). Covid-19, Schools and the Digital Divide. counterpunch.org On November 19th, Mayor Bill de Blasio closed New York's public schools. He has been joined by other mayors and education officials throughout the country struggle over whether to keep their local schools open for in-class or offer only remote learning. The Covid-19 pandemic has entered yet another wave and, as of mid-November, over 11

Martha Grevatt (2020-12-02). Working class unites across India/250-million-strong strike! workers.org For the second time this year, a class-wide mobilization in an "All-India strike" brought out 250 million workers. With one in four working-age people in India participating, this 24-hour work stoppage can again claim the status of "world's biggest strike." The first record-breaking general strike had taken place on Jan. . . . |

_____ (2020-12-02). One Assassinated Iranian Scientist — Many Questions Raised. strategic-culture.org One of the key players in Iran's nuclear program has been assassinated. This has led to a lot of posturing, finger pointing and narrative spinning about what the ramifications of this event will be down the line. It isn't every day that a scientist gets taken out by organized killers but someone at this very point in history seems desperate to create some change in the status quo in Iran. As we wait to hear the final verdict of the Electoral College the atomic heart of Persia has been ripped out very loudly. So who killed Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, why now and why did they even bother? | Well, who else could it be? | No…

RT (2020-12-02). Spain unveils festive travel ban & Covid curfews, but allows groups of 10 to gather for Christmas and New Year. rt.com Spaniards celebrating Christmas and New Year can meet in groups of 10, but will be banned from moving between regions over the festive period in order to keep a lid on coronavirus infections, the country's health minister said. | The current six-person limit for people gathering outside their household will be extended to 10 on December 24, 25, 31 and January 1, Minister Salvador Illa revealed on Wednesday. | He also announced curfews will be extended to 1: 30am on December 24 and 31, but said that it is "strongly recommended" that people do not mix together from more than two 'bubbles.' | A ban on travel betwe…

The Tricontinental (2020-12-02). Dossier 35: The Legacy of Lekra: Organising revolutionary culture in Indonesia. mronline.org Martin Aleida recalls the moment he was released from prison at the end of 1966. At twenty-two, Martin emerged from nearly a year behind bars to Jakarta, unable to find his friends and comrades.

Susie Day (2020-12-02). Clare Grady at 100 Seconds To Midnight. counterpunch.org The blood that we poured at Kings Bay Naval Base? I'm part of a community where blood is used as a symbol of atonement. It cuts through intellectual brain fog. It's also not a big deal, the blood's drawn by a nurse, and it's stored carefully. We took a little of our blood in small bottles, and we took hammers — household hammers — and spray-paint and bolt cutters and banners — we brought three to Kings Bay.

Monica Moorehead (2020-12-02). Black activists demand Biden make a down payment on reparations NOW! workers.org On Nov. 27, a People's Webinar entitled, "Post Election Fight for Reparations Now!" was organized by the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based December 12th Movement to demand that President-Elect Joe Biden issue an executive order to make a down payment of at least $500 billion on the debt owed to the descendants of . . . |

Anand Naidoo (2020-12-02). The Heat: U.S. battles COVID-19. america.cgtn.com A CDC panel meets to discuss who will be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.

Gloria La Riva (2020-12-02). Venezuela's anti-blockade law and the Dec. 6 elections. liberationnews.org Progressive forces mobilize nationwide to win back the assembly from right-wing politicians who won the majority in December 2015.

RT (2020-12-02). EU and Russia 'too interconnected' to be enemies, former Italian ambassador tells RT. rt.com For all the problems between Russia and the European Union, their economies are so interdependent and complementary that cutting ties would be cause for regret later, former Italian diplomat Cesare Maria Ragaglini told RT. | "We have to start a strategic dialogue, because our relations are too interconnected and cannot be dismissed because we have problems," Ragaglini, who served as Italy's envoy to the UN and ambassador to Moscow before he retired, told RT. | Our economies are very much interconnected, interdependent and complementary. | With the EU planning to roll out a "green deal" proposal, it would be a…

RT (2020-12-02). Britain's Pfizer vaccine announcement gives anti-vaxxers an unlikely boost blamed on Russia without any evidence. rt.com The UK's approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine was heralded by the government as a breakthrough for "humanity." However, its announcement was met with a surge of vaccine skepticism online. | Britain became the first nation in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use on Wednesday. The announcement was delivered in pompous style by the government, with business secretary Alok Sharma celebrating how "the UK led humanity's charge against this disease," and Health Secretary Matt Hancock volunteering to take the jab on live television with ITV's Piers Morgan. | Also on rt.com

RT (2020-12-02). EU must proceed with Brexit no-deal contingency plans, Irish PM Martin says, as end of UK transition looms. rt.com Irish PM Micheal Martin has said the European Union must now proceed with preparations for a no-deal outcome, while EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned Brexit talks may be thrust into crisis over the UK's legislation. | "We are in the final critical phases," Martin told parliament on Wednesday, while speaking about the stalled Brexit talks. "One month out from the end of transition, we have reached a point in time where prudence demands we must proceed with preparations for EU contingency measures in case of no deal." | The PM added that the issue may be discussed in Brussels in the coming week. | Temporary co…

Beatrice Lumpkin (2020-12-02). Communist teacher turned health minister leads pandemic fight in India. peoplesworld.org "How Communist Physics Teacher Flattens COVID-19 Curve in Southern India," a headline in the online Science News, caught my eye. That was a contrast to the tragic number of pandemic deaths in the rest of India, or for that matter, in the United States. But I wasn't surprised. I had attended a math teachers conference …

RT (2020-12-02). Aliens or just nature at play? Amazing light pillars give Russian city sci-fi movie-like feast of brightness (PHOTOS). rt.com A rare phenomenon was observed by residents of the Siberian city of Tyumen, on the first night of winter, as light pillars colored the pre-dawn skies in blue and orange hues. | Numerous vertical shiny beams remained visible in the sky right up until sunrise, with many people flocking outside and taking pictures to share on social media. | The sight might've resembled an alien invasion to an imaginative witness, with tractor beams lowered into Tyumen to deploy extraterrestrial forces from spaceships to Earth. | But there seems to have been no panic among the locals, as light pillars aren't too uncommon in no…

Staff (2020-12-02). Where Are the Progressives? Briahna Joy Gray on Neera Tanden & Other Biden Picks for Economic Team. democracynow.org President-elect Joe Biden announced his top economic advisers this week, setting the tone for his administration's recovery plan, including Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress think tank, as head of the Office of Management and Budget. While Tanden would be the first woman of color and the first South Asian woman in the role, critics oppose her organization's cozy relationship with corporate funders, her record of antagonizing and undermining progressive Democrats, and her aggressive foreign policy positions. Briahna Joy Gray, former national press secretary for the Bernie Sanders 2020 pre…

MEE staff (2020-12-02). Israeli blockade of Gaza severely hindering lives of disabled people, says report. middleeasteye.net Israeli blockade of Gaza severely hindering lives of disabled people, says report | Lack of infrastructure, electricity and understanding makes life hard for disabled people, Human Rights Watch reports | Wed, 12/02/2020 – 15: 09 | A Palestinian amputee walks on crutches with another holding a Palestinian flag as they head towards a demonstration in March 2019 in Gaza near the boundary with Israel (AFP) | The I…

Princess Harmony (2020-12-02). World AIDS Day! A day of remembrance and solidarity. workers.org December 1 is World AIDS Day, a day when we reflect on those who have died — and are, hopefully, supporting people living with HIV and AIDS. This special day was first declared by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter in 1988. They chose Dec. 1 as the date so . . . |

Staff (2020-12-02). Update: Forced-hysterectomy victims in ICE detention deported. therealnews.com Eddie Conway talks to Azadeh Shahshahani, Project South Legal and Advocacy Director and lawyer for Dawn Wooten, a nurse at Irwin County Detention Center and the whistleblower who sounded the alarm on ICE abuses, including the case of ICE detainees being forced to have hysterectomies while in custody…

RT (2020-12-02). Britain's Pfizer vaccine announcement gives anti-vaxxers unlikely boost blamed on Russia without any evidence. rt.com The UK's approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine was heralded by the government as a breakthrough for "humanity." However, its announcement was met with a surge of vaccine skepticism online. | Britain became the first nation in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use on Wednesday. The announcement was delivered in pompous style by the government, with Business Secretary Alok Sharma celebrating how "the UK led humanity's charge against this disease," and Health Secretary Matt Hancock volunteering to take the jab on live television with ITV's Piers Morgan. | Also on rt.com

RT (2020-12-02). UN removes cannabis from list of dangerous drugs, opening door for further research and legalization. rt.com A United Nations commission has finally decided that medicinal cannabis is less dangerous than risky narcotics such as heroin. The long-delayed decision paves the way for further research and strengthens legalization efforts. | The Vienna-based Commission for Narcotic Drugs voted to remove marijuana for medical use from a category that includes many of the world's most dangerous drugs, including highly addictive opioids. | The long-delayed decision reclassifies cannabis and its derivatives and it clears the way for further investigation of marijuana's medical and research capabilities. The development is a sym…

Subhankar Banerjee (2020-12-02). One of the Best Ways to Protect Biodiversity is to Preserve Indigenous Languages. counterpunch.org One million animal and plant species face extinction due to human activity, according to the United Nations. Now, think about cultural production—art and literature that we have invested to address the extinction of just a handful of species (passenger pigeon included). Quite a bit actually. The extinction of one million species feels rather abstract, beyond

Manuel García, Jr. (2020-12-02). What is War? counterpunch.org On Marc Levy's "Medic In The Green Time" What is war? Let me propose the following undoubtedly imperfect definitions. War is dehumanization by the violent crimes of mass murder and the efforts to destroy civil societies. Offensive war is the crime of making war to dominate another civil society. Defensive war is the tragedy of

Ralph Underhill (2020-12-02). Vaccine 90% effective at pushing Tory coronyism from the headlines. thecanary.co Image descriptionA scientist in a lab coat and holding a clipboard is illustrated next to a poster featuring the words "Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine" and the image of a syringe with two vaccine vials. The scientist is saying "The vaccine has been proven to be 90% effective at pushing Tory cronyism and incompetence out of the headlines! It will also be vital in fighting the virus…". | By