(2020-12-18). Under Guise of Green Energy, Israel Entrenches Itself in Syria's Golan Heights. mintpressnews.com 
If Israeli energy firm Energix is successful, a sprawling complex of wind turbines will soon cover up to a quarter of the agricultural land still under the control of Syria's indigenous Golan residents.
(2020-12-18). PDF of December 17 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. 'Red House on Mississippi Ave.' Portland activists block eviction Fight for Mumia's freedom; NYC cops & landlords, hand in hand; Boston solidarity with workers, farmers in India; Buffalo anti-racists face down fascists; Michigan: Confronting white supremacy; Justice for Casey Goodson! Attack on anti-ICE marchers; Indigenous land . . . |
(2020-12-18). The revolutionaries, when they rise, care for nothing but love. mronline.org 
A decade has now slipped by since a man named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid on 17 December 2010. Bouazizi, a street vendor, took this extreme step after policemen harassed him for trying to survive.
(2020-12-18). Mass Starvation Looms as Yemen's Currency Nears Historic Freefall. mintpressnews.com 
TAIZ, YEMEN- — Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates seem to be doing everything in their power to prevent an end to the suffering in Yemen. Even those living in areas under the total control of the wealthy Gulf monarchies are facing levels of devastation that harken back to the total destruction of European cities during World War II. | With no functioning government to provide residents with even basic assistance and facing a collapsed economy amid a famine that could soon beset all of Yemen according to the United Nations, the collapse of Yemen's rial, particularly in Saudi-coalition-controlled a…
(2020-12-18). The ICC refuses to prosecute UK war crimes in Iraq despite "reasonable" evidence. wsws.org The imperialist powers that orchestrated criminal wars are determined that they should never be brought to account for their war crimes.
(2020-12-18). Podcast: Chris Hedges on the Collapse of US Empire, Liberal Suicide and the Rise of Fascism. mintpressnews.com Chris Hedges joins MintCast to discuss the decline of US empire, the breakdown of society, the rise of militarized Christian fascism, and the discredited liberal class among other hard-hitting topics.
(2020-12-18). Major league baseball integrated in 1947, now it'll integrate its record book. peoplesworld.org 
Jackie Robinson integrated—or, to be more precise, reintegrated—major league baseball in 1947, 60 years after it became segregated. Now, more than 73 years after Robinson's debut, MLB is integrating its record book. On Dec. 16, the majors said they will recognize the 1920-48 records of the Negro Leagues as major league records, on a par …
(2020-12-18). The Sophist and The Magician. currentaffairs.org 
Understanding how we can be manipulated helps us pull back the curtain on charlatans and can even protect democracy.
(2020-12-18). Ways of Escape: a Short Guide for Americans Seeking Political Asylum. counterpunch.org 
A Dream about Hitler When I was I child, I used to dream of killing Hitler: I'm standing on a street in the middle of a big crowd. Everyone is waving the Swastika and shouting "Sieg Heil" at a passing motorcade. Suddenly, it stops, and Hitler steps out of a big, black car to accept
(2020-12-18). Video: Israel Will Take Care of Gulf Monarchies. US Alliance against Iran. globalresearch.ca Finally, democracy is coming to the Persian Gulf. | Israel announced plans to deploy a joint missile defense system in the Persian Gulf as a part of a joint effort with US- and Israeli-allied monarchies to deter Iran. | The idea was …
(2020-12-18). Mayor Pete, Transported to Candor. indybay.org Gravy train department…
(2020-12-18). Good riddance to the "PAT-riot" Act? indybay.org Moments ago, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard introduced a bill to retire the odious and repressive "PAT-riot" Act–a serious repression tool for the U.S. government to massively spy on ordinary citizens who aren't suspected of any illegal act. Rushed by Congress in the days after Sept. 11, 2001(it was said to contain more than 800 pages, and most Congressional members hadn't even read thru all the provisions, before passing it unanimously), it represented the greatest threat to civil liberties, and had long been overdue for retirement, except for the cowardice of a bi-partisan Congress, fearful of alienating the nation…
(2020-12-18). The Pandemic Pipeline: Land & Water Defenders Continue Resistance to Enbridge Line 3 in Minnesota. democracynow.org 
Indigenous and environmental activists have been holding daily protests against the construction of the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline, which would carry tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada, to a terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, cutting through Indigenous territory and running under more than 200 streams. Winona LaDuke, director of the group Honor the Earth, says the project's approval amid a historic slump in oil prices and accelerating climate crisis make it unsound on economic and environmental grounds. "This is the end of the fossil fuel era," LaDuke says. "The industry is ending, and there's certainly no reason to…
(2020-12-18). UK Parliamentarians, the British Press and Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org The number of figures extolling the merits of Britain's Westminster system and how it supposedly embodies a glorious model of democracy are too numerous to mention. This is despite exploits by the government of Boris Johnson, marked by the appointment of unelected advisers with enviable, unaccountable powers and a record of assault on Parliament's scrutineering …
(2020-12-18). UK Parliamentarians, the British Press and Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca The number of figures extolling the merits of Britain's Westminster system and how it supposedly embodies a glorious model of democracy are too numerous to mention. This is despite exploits by the government of Boris Johnson, marked by the appointment …
(2020-12-18). Conflict, floods and COVID-19 push South Sudanese into extreme hunger. news.un.org Driven by insecurity, the effects of COVID-19, an on-going economic crisis, and the impact of flooding on livelihoods, three UN agencies called on Friday for immediate humanitarian access to eastern South Sudan's Pibor county, where people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
(2020-12-18). How The Intifada Changed The Political Discourse Around Palestine. popularresistance.org December 8 came and went as if it was an ordinary day. For Palestinian political groups, it was another anniversary to be commemorated, however hastily. It was on this day, thirty-three years ago, that the First Palestinian Intifada (uprising) broke out, and there was nothing ordinary about this historic event. | Today, the uprising is merely viewed from a historic point of view, another opportunity to reflect and, perhaps, learn from a seemingly distant past. Whatever political context to the Intifada, it has evaporated over time. | The simple explanation of the Intifada goes as follows: Ordinary Palestinians at…
(2020-12-18). Humanitarian Aid in the Time of the Virus. counterpunch.org The holiday season around Christmas and New Year is a time for family get-togethers, the sharing of gifts and sending cards. It is a particular moment of friendship and solidarity. Traditionally, it has also been a propitious time for fundraising by charitable organizations. How will this appeal resonate at a time of pandemic and general
(2020-12-18). When History Happens. currentaffairs.org 
Editor Lyta Gold reflects on the writings of Connie Willis and the heroes of history.
(2020-12-18). U.S. empire & decolonization. mronline.org 
Mexie live streams with Dr. Nick Estes…
(2020-12-18). Capitalism on a Ventilator. counterpunch.org 
Asian countries have been far more successful than the US in responding to the COVID pandemic, but you'd never know that from the US media. Even most alternative media has been largely US- & Euro-centric. While our domestic issues here are important, we have been missing out on important lessons from other places. A partial
(2020-12-18). Venezuela's Maduro proposes joint ALBA COVID-19 vaccination. mronline.org 
The Venezuelan president announced a strict quarantine for January.
(2020-12-18). European History Quiz for Proud Defenders of Western Civilization. currentaffairs.org 
No trick questions or your money back guaranteed.*…
(2020-12-18). The Long, Long Road Home: the Afghan Refugee Crisis Enters Its Fifth Decade. counterpunch.org 
Fog. War. Afghanistan's refugees are, to repurpose the notorious phrase, a known unknown. The fog of war has filled the country's beautiful, fertile valleys for 40 years and counting. No census has been taken in Afghanistan since 1971 and no one really knows how many people reside in the country. Somewhere north of 35,000,000, people
(2020-12-18). Jessica Martinez on Gutting Worker Protections, Mitch Stoltz on Breaking Up Big Tech. fair.org 
(photo: Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images) | This week on CounterSpin: More than 308,000 US women, men and children have died of Covid-19. That devastating toll has been borne disproportionately by Black and brown people in dangerous occupations and at the short end of an unequal healthcare system. Workers in fields, factories and hospitals, endangered by the pandemic, are now held up as pawns, as some lawmakers look to make workers' health and safety a "tradeoff" for Covid relief. We talk about efforts to gut worker protections under the guise of economic support with Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of…
(2020-12-18). The High Price of the New High Ground. counterpunch.org 
When President-elect Joe Biden takes office Jan 21 he will be faced with some very expensive problems, from bailing out the Covid-19 economy to getting a handle on climate change. Vaccinating over 300 million people will not be cheap, and wrestling the US hydrocarbon-based economy in the direction of renewable energies will come with a
(2020-12-18). US Votes Against UN Resolution Condemning Nazis, Labels It "Russian Disinformation" mintpressnews.com 
This is far from the first time the US has voted against similar resolutions; it has done so every year since 2014, dismissing them as Russian attempts to delegitimize the Ukrainian government.
(2020-12-18). Can We Finally Stop Marching to Disaster? counterpunch.org 
It was the end of October 2001. Two friends, Max Elbaum and Bob Wing, had just dropped by. (Yes, children, believe it or not, people used to drop in on each other, maskless, once upon a time.) They had come to hang out with my partner Jan Adams and me. Among other things, Max wanted
(2020-12-18). Arizona's GOP governor committed to inaction as COVID spirals out of control. peoplesworld.org 
PHOENIX—Arizona is on the brink of crisis as the coronavirus pandemic spirals further out of control with no additional mitigation strategies being put in place or planned. In the month of December so far, there have been over 100,000 new cases, accounting for a quarter of the state's total number since the start of the pandemic. As …
(2020-12-18). How SEO Is Gentrifying the Internet. currentaffairs.org 
Discover the one weird trick that's ruining everything you love about being online.
(2020-12-18). Byhalia Pipeline protest: "We do not want this pipeline" liberationnews.org 
Cutting across some of the most marginalized neighborhoods in the city, the Byhalia Connection Pipeline threatens the health and safety of thousands of Memphians, mostly Black.
(2020-12-18). Remembering protest singer Phil Ochs on his 80th birthday. peoplesworld.org 
For those not fortunate enough to recall, Phil Ochs was one of our nation's most profound singer/songwriters in the period that bridged the Civil Rights, antiwar, and feminist movements. He was born on December 19, 1940: This week, he would have been 80 years old. His topical songs called for peace and an equitable society. They called for …
(2020-12-18). The Great Awokening and the Stillborn Revolution. counterpunch.org 
"Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new?' Already it has existed for ages which were before us. There is no remembrance of earlier things; and also, of the later things which will occur, there will be for them no remembrance among those who come later still." Ecclesiastes 1: 10-11
(2020-12-18). Killing of 15-year-old by Israel is a "grave violation of international law", says UN human rights office. peoplesdispatch.org 
On December 4, Israeli occupation forces killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy, Ali Abu Alia, during a protest in the occupied West Bank against the building of an illegal Israeli settlement…
(2020-12-18). Seagulls Without a Sea: Days at Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Iraq. counterpunch.org 
As we were leaving the camp, I wondered whether refugee camps are a sign of compassion towards displaced people, or are they signs of how far humans have gone in causing harm to each other? This question is as complicated and slippery as the lives of those forced to live in these hard and unforgiving spaces.
(2020-12-18). Barrier to Mumia's appeal dismissed: Case can move forward. workers.org 
Philadelphia A significant roadblock to Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeal of his unjust 1982 murder conviction was removed on Dec. 16, when Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices dismissed an attempt by the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police to obtain a change of venue in the case. With this new ruling, all of Abu-Jamal's . . . |
(2020-12-18). Labour antisemitism: Why it has become impossible to criticise Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Labour antisemitism: Why it has become impossible to criticise Israel | Fri, 12/18/2020 – 21: 07 | Like Jeremy Corbyn, any British politician who condemns Israel's treatment of Palestinians risks being sucked into the vast, toxic sludge surrounding the issue of antisemitism | The day after Labour leader Keir Starmer
(2020-12-18). Selected Articles: Scary 'R' Us: The Exaggerated Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction. globalresearch.ca 
By We know that the PCR tests being used are not "fit for purpose", that they are for Research Use Only. They are not meant …
(2020-12-18). The Case for Forcing a Floor Vote on Medicare for All. currentaffairs.org 
Briahna Joy Gray on why forcing Pelosi into a floor vote is one important part of a broader strategy for building progressive power.
(2020-12-18). Ministerial aide sacked for leaking letter warning against leaking to right-wing blog. thecanary.co 
Downing Street has sacked a ministerial aide after an investigation into the leaking of a letter warning Conservative MPs not to leak.Andrew Lewer was dismissed as a parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office after a "canary trap" probe led by chief whip Mark Spencer, multiple Whitehall sources confirmed on Friday.In an effort to identify suspected leakers within the government, the letter was understood to have contained distinct but minor differences in versions sent to each recipient.An image of one ended up on the Guido Fawkes blog on Thursday afternoon and Lewer was dismissed as an aide to policing m…
(2020-12-18). Manchester police chief resigns as force placed under watchdog monitoring for letting 80,000 crimes go unrecorded. rt.com 
The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has resigned and the force was placed under 'special measures,' after a scathing report found it failed to record 80,000 crimes in a year, including domestic abuse cases. | Ian Hopkins, who spent 13 years in the top job, announced his resignation in a statement on Friday, saying the "challenging" issues faced by GMP should be addressed by a new chief constable. | "Considering what is best for GMP and the communities we serve, and given my current ill health, I have decided to stand down from…
(2020-12-18). 'Every day it's getting worse' — a refugee calls for 'massive protests' over conditions at Home Office camp. thecanary.co 
In September, the Home Office
(2020-12-18). Workers suffer as US pandemic relief bill goes nowhere in Congress. peoplesdispatch.org As the COVID-19 pandemic spirals out of control in the United States, inaction and deadlock in the government have left workers to fend for themselves amid mounting unemployment.
(2020-12-18). A Return to Normalcy? Joe Biden's Vision of Normal Raises Concerns. globalresearch.ca It has already been observed that Joe Biden's incoming cabinet looks a bit like old wine in new bottles, drawing as it does on veterans from the Barack Obama and even the Bill Clinton administrations. That's the bad news as …
(2020-12-18). Foreign Correspondent: Are Cuban Protesters Freedom Fighters or U.S. Pawns? progressive.org Painters, musicians, and other artists are responding to what they call the 'lack of freedom of speech.' The government calls them agents of the U.S.
(2020-12-18). The Killing Just Keeps Going On. counterpunch.org It is a Monday in late November, 2020, and I catch Amy Goodman ("Democracy Now") looking back on the weekend. A couple of months have passed since the massive demonstrations against police brutality, people shaking governments by the collar demanding that the pointless wanton arbitrary killing of black people stop. Organizations had formed and the
(2020-12-18). Nurses strike at India's top government hospital restrained by High Court. peoplesdispatch.org The nurses' union at India's iconic institution, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, insists that arrears have been pending from as far back as 2006, while the hospital administration and government say this this claim is based on a misinterpretation…
(2020-12-18). The Covid Scare Campaign Relentlessly Continues. globalresearch.ca This headline on a leading online news site stares me in the face: Coronavirus infection is on the rise in Spain. Here's another "scare campaign" news in the time when people are catching the flu. Besides, there are those who …
(2020-12-18). When the Elderly and Frail Die after Receiving the COVID Vaccine. globalresearch.ca CNN has the story. And it's quite a story: "Why vaccinate our most frail? Odd vote out shows the dilemma", December 4. [1] | "The vote to recommend long-term care residents be among the first to receive Covid-19 vaccinations was not …
(2020-12-18). The minute Trump leaves office, investigators must pounce. nationofchange.org This highly dangerous, very emotionally unstable man, who has committed various crimes, must not be allowed to walk away from them and continue to be a threat to this country and its democracy.
(2020-12-18). Matt Tyrnauer: How Reagan Paved the Way for Trump. scheerpost.com Click to subscribe on: Apple / Spotify / Google Play Those who compare Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan, two Republican presidents with some of the most fiercely loyal followings in recent U.S. history, often bring up the most obvious parallel: they both showed up on our screens as a reality TV star and an actor long before they got into politics. Many, however, are quick to argue that the… |
(2020-12-18). Homes Guarantee Campaign Demands Housing for All. progressive.org With the pandemic making shelter more crucial than ever, activists are fighting for everyone's right to a place to live—regardless of income or background.
(2020-12-18). Scary 'R' Us: The Exaggerated Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). globalresearch.ca "The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." (H. L. Mencken 1880-1956) | The mainstream media …
(2020-12-18). El Salvador: Parliament Orders Dismissal of Police Chief Arriaza. telesurenglish.net El Salvador's Parliament on Thursday requested the resignation of Defense Minister Francis Merino and approved the dismissal of the National Police Director Mauricio Arriaza for his implication in the military takeover of the Parliament's facilities in February. | RELATED: | Arriaza was accused of human rights violations committed by the Police, which pressured Salvadoran lawmakers to approve a US$109 million loan fr…
(2020-12-18). More Brave New Food: FDA Approves An "Innovative Animal Biotechnology Product" counterpunch.org This month the FDA approved the first "intentional genomic alteration" (IGA) in pigs. The "animal biotechnology product" is called a "GalSafe" pig. It is designed to eliminate a substance called "alpha-gal sugar" found on the surface of pigs' cells that could cause people with Alpha-gal (AGS), syndrome to have allergic reactions to red meat. The
(2020-12-18). Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urges career staffers to block Biden's agenda when he steps into office. nationofchange.org One of Biden's promises, when he becomes president, is to forgive some of the student loan debt by providing $10,000 of student debt relief.
(2020-12-18). More than just talk: How American progressives are working for change. nationofchange.org History teaches that progress takes time, those standing on the sidelines making unrealistic demands and criticizing those doing the work are only slowing it down.
(2020-12-18). Google faces major antitrust lawsuits for alleged search monopoly. nationofchange.org "As the gateway to the internet, Google has systematically degraded the ability of other companies to access consumers."
(2020-12-18). Getting Serious About Repealing Section 230. cepr.net Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act has been getting considerable attention lately for almost all the wrong reasons. Donald Trump has been yelling that he wants the provision repealed, and even threatened to veto the main military spending bill for next year if it does not include the repeal of Section 230. (It …
(2020-12-18). China's Rise in the Context of Global Capitalism. dissidentvoice.org The world-system is slowly changing. For the first time in capitalism's history, the global economy's centre of gravity is shifting away from the west — a process which is a result of Uneven and Combined Development (UCD). On the one hand, dominant states utilize imperialism to preserve existing uneven configurations of capitalist development which favour …
(2020-12-18). Health and Wealth in India — Farmers' Lives Matter. globalresearch.ca To appreciate what is happening to agriculture and farmers in India, we must first understand how the development paradigm has been subverted. Development used to be about breaking with colonial exploitation and radically redefining power structures. Today, neoliberal dogma masquerades …
(2020-12-18). A crise do Corona à escala mundial: A destruir a sociedade civil, engendrar depressà£o económica, golpe de Estado global e a "Grande Reinicializaàßà£o" globalresearch.ca Prefácio | A campanha de medo tem servido como instrumento de desinformaàßà£o. | No decorrer dos últimos onze meses, desde o princípio de Janeiro, tenho analisado quase diariamente a evoluàßà£o da crise do Covid. Desde o próprio anúncio em Janeiro de 2020, …
(2020-12-18). Why the Trump Administration's Extradition Request Against Meng Wanzhou Is a Farce. globalresearch.ca The National Post is apoplectic again. | This time, the target of…
(2020-12-18). Hey, Hey, FDA! How Many Americans Have You Killed Since May? counterpunch.org As I write this on December 17, the US Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is meeting to review a COVID-19 vaccine developed by biotech company Moderna. Likely outcome: The panel will recommend approval of the vaccine to FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn. My question: What took so long,
(2020-12-18). Americans are Broke and Hungry, as Politicians Have Sat on Their Hands. counterpunch.org Covid-19 not only killed over 300,000 Americans, it also bankrupted millions. When it first attacked, congress and the white house rushed billions to rich corporations, while the Fed turned on the money spigot to keep the stock market afloat. But this largesse also reached ordinary people. It saved millions from destitution. That one effort, however,
(2020-12-18). America's Ongoing Imperial Scam. globalresearch.ca President-elect Joe Biden …
(2020-12-18). The Winner of the 2020 Election: Drug Legalization. aclu.org The 2020 election was notable for many reasons, but one winner really stood out: drug legalization. Five states legalized either medicinal or adult use of marijuana. Oregon and went even further, becoming the first state to decriminalize the personal use and possession of small amounts of illegal drugs, including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. The momentum garnered from these cross-country wins helped push the
(2020-12-18). Learning the Lessons of the Latino Vote. counterpunch.org Among the many lessons learned in this year's election, one standout is that Latino voter turnout showed the power of extensive, culturally competent voter education and outreach. And in Georgia, we will soon discover whether progressive candidates have learned these lessons well enough to prevail again. Two critical U.S. Senate runoffs present an opportunity for
(2020-12-18). Friday 12/25: Solidarity Speaker: Supporting the Community & Fighting on the Frontlines with F12. indybay.org Online Zoom…
(2020-12-18). War Commentary #3. indybay.org Our latest issue for print and distribution.
(2020-12-18). Saturday 12/19: MAGA Conversion Therapy. indybay.org zoom.us/j/93256617332?pwd=cVFVd1NZUVN5SUtVN09lNVdnUmpudz09…
(2020-12-18). Californian Mayor, Standford student warn about fast fashion buying for holidays. indybay.org Consumers buy 43 percent more clothing items this time of year. This holiday season, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) a group on non-partisan lawmakers from around the country, is encouraging the public to source the clothing they purchase, highlighting the environmental dangers and the unfair labor practices supported by fast fashion. EOPA hopes to discourage the purchase of fast fashion manufactured, all too often, in sweatshops, made of fabrics that shed microplastics when washed, polluting our land and waterways.
(2020-12-18). Monday 12/21: The People's Agenda Town Hall: A Progressive Roadmap for Congress in 2021. indybay.org Online town hall…
(2020-12-18). Thursday 12/17: Poor People's Campaign Press Conference: 14 Priorities for the First 100 Days. indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-12-18). From AIDS HIV To Covid-19: Lessons Today With UCSF Epidemiologist Dr.George Rutherford. indybay.org Dr. George Rutherford a UCSF professor and world expert on HIV AIDS is interviewed about the lessons of HIV AIDS and fighting Covid-19.
(2020-12-18). Saturday 1/23: 2021 Medicare for All Strategy Conference (Day 1). indybay.org Online conference…
(2020-12-18). Free Speech Protest in Downtown Santa Cruz. indybay.org Watch the free speech protest held on Church Street on December 11th in downtown Santa Cruz, challenging for city of 1st and 14th Amendment rights violations. Also, recently published survey results of Santa Cruz County residents on political issues ranging from their media to Black Lives Matter. Eye-opening.
(2020-12-18). New E-Book: Exploring the Coronavirus Crisis. Socio-economic Consequences of the Lockdowns. globalresearch.ca The International Movement for a JUST World (JUST) has published an ebook. "Exploring the Coronavirus Crisis", a collection of articles contributed by the President, the Vice President, some members of the Executive Committee, some individuals within the general membership and …
(2020-12-18). Getting festive with science. imperial.ac.uk Festive science activities round off a year of local engagement in White City.
(2020-12-18). The Red House: A Cautionary Tale. zcomm.org We hope we can show the nation what works and what doesn't, that strong nonviolent defiance of historical injustice builds loving support and needed change, and that degeneration into violence will give us just the opposite…
(2020-12-18). That's advertainment: reality TV and product placement. zcomm.org The insidious role of unethical advertising in reality TV — and in the offscreen careers of its stars…
(2020-12-18). Why You Really Can't Fight City Hall, At Least Over the Police. zcomm.org The Monell Rule is the most important racial justice issue you've never heard of…
(2020-12-18). We Are Not Done With Abolition. zcomm.org The framers of the 13th Amendment did not intend to establish an empire of prison labor…
(2020-12-18). AOC: Nancy Pelosi Needs to Go, but There's Nobody to Replace Her Yet. zcomm.org "We are currently negotiating to get and work towards real material concessions for the left that can move things into place, to help build power for the next two years"
(2020-12-18). Wresting Our Country Back. thenation.com Wresting Our Country Back…
(2020-12-18). The Military Will Test Soldiers for Drugs—but Not Covid-19. thenation.com The Military Will Test Soldiers for Drugs—but Not Covid-19…
(2020-12-18). When will leaders lead and stop Black deaths in custody? greenleft.org.au Caroline Andersen writes about the pain of the death in custody of her son Wayne 'Fella' Morrison and why she has little confidence in the justice system.
(2020-12-18). Get to Fouc: the real reason Tories like Liz Truss obsess over lefty philosophy. thecanary.co In her latest speech, minister for women and equalities Liz Truss took the opportunity to have a crack at the late French philosopher Michel Foucault. | Truss complained: While we were taught about racism and sexism, there was too little time spent making sure everyone could read and write. | She blamed this on the French postmodernist thinker: These ideas have their roots in post-modernist philosophy — pioneered by Foucault — that put societal power structures and labels ahead of individuals and their endeavours. | In this school of thought, there is no space for evidence, as there is no objective view…
(2020-12-17). When the People Rose: How the Intifada Changed the Political Discourse around Palestine. counterpunch.org 
December 8 came and went as if it was an ordinary day. For Palestinian political groups, it was another anniversary to be commemorated, however hastily. It was on this day, thirty-three years ago, that the First Palestinian Intifada (uprising) broke out, and there was nothing ordinary about this historic event. Today, the uprising is merely
(2020-12-17). Israel's Benny Gantz gives interview to Saudi newspaper. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's Benny Gantz gives interview to Saudi newspaper | The minister of defence told Asharq al-Awsat that Jerusalem should remain fully under Israeli control and pushed for annexation of parts of the West Bank | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 15: 14 | Benny Gantz speaks to the media near Kibbutz Ravid in the northern part of Israel, on 27 October 2020 (AFP) | Israeli Defence Minister Benny G…
(2020-12-17). 'Intentional lethal force': UN experts slam Israel for killing Palestinian child. middleeasteye.net 
'Intentional lethal force': UN experts slam Israel for killing Palestinian child | The fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ali Abu Aliya a 'grave violation of international law', says UN Human Rights Office | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 36 | The experts called for a transparent investigation into the killing of Ali Abu Aliya (Photo supplied) | United Nations experts have condemned the Israeli military for killing a Palest…
(2020-12-17). The Indigenous Environmental Network Responds to Historic Nomination of Rep. Haaland to Dept. of Interior. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-17). Push Blue No Matter Who. realprogressives.org This sole focus on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is ridiculous. She's not the only "progressive" in Congress. She can't do anything on her own even if one operates under the woefully absurd assumption that all change must come from within the capital. "The squad" is up to, what, seven members now? I think we can start including other names in our critique. Having said that… | Everyone who defends AOC is guilty of a variety of sins. We don't have any time left for a cult of personality. These people are not heroes. They're not rock stars. We are not supposed to be fans. | We are suffering. | We are dying.
(2020-12-17). China's Economy of Peace. dissidentvoice.org 
In the context of China's webinar on 14 December 2020, on the topic of "China's New Development Paradigm and High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation", organized by the China Center for Contemporary World Studies, International Department of CPC Central Committee and the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, my presentation was on China's …
(2020-12-17). "The Planet's Problem from Hell": Will Joe Biden Appoint Samantha Power to Head USAID? globalresearch.ca Just when it seemed that Joe Biden's coming administration couldn't be more of ahorror show,
(2020-12-17). Failure to Prosecute UK War Crimes in Iraq Exposes ICC's Own Failings. commondreams.org The court could have set a powerful precedent in holding Britain to account. Instead, it has become a laughing stock and few will be able to take it seriously again. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/brit.jpg …
(2020-12-17). France : Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité & LaàØcité….But Not for Muslims? counterpunch.org 
"…Our country is one that has no problems with any of the world's religions whatsoever, because they are all practised freely in our country. And to all French people of the Muslim faith, and indeed to citizens from anywhere else in the world whose religion is Islam, I should like to say to them that
(2020-12-17). Incarcerated rise up against COVID deaths, raging infections. workers.org 
Coffin of a Stafford Creek incarcerated person. On Dec. 9 an incarcerated person at Stafford Creek "men's" prison, near Aberdeen, Wash., died of COVID-19. The same week, coronavirus infections tripled from 85 to 237 among the imprisoned there. In response to this person's death and the alarming increase in infections, . . . |
(2020-12-17). The New Derivatives Market in California Water: Disaster Natural Resources Capitalism at Work. counterpunch.org 
I attended a rain dance 40 years ago in the Southwest. At the end of the 6-hour ceremony, it rained. My final memory of the event was a small, elderly lady chasing an immense clown, who had ritually molested her in the ceremony, beating him about the head and shoulders with an umbrella. The next
(2020-12-17). Baseball rewrites history, says Negro Leagues now a major league. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has reclassified the Negro Leagues as a major league and will count the statistics and records of its 3,400 players as part of its history. The league said Dec. 16 it was "correcting a longtime oversight in the game's history" by elevating the Negro Leagues on the centennial …
(2020-12-17). Unemployment Skyrocketing? An Evolved Society Would Celebrate. counterpunch.org 
Leaf blowers are everything wrong with capitalism. . . . I'll explain that in a minute. We all know times are irredeemably grim, and they're only getting worse. The unemployment level in America seems to be setting the record books aflame, and for some bizarre reason those numbers correlate nicely with the number of Americans under 40
(2020-12-17). Car hits anti-ICE march in New York Cit. workers.org 
New York Since the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2014, there have been at least 100 car attacks on protesters in the U.S. Most recently, in Manhattan near 39th St. and Third Ave., a car plowed at high speed through a group of protesters on Dec. 12. . . . |
(2020-12-17). Confronting and Ending the US Blockade Against Cuba. counterpunch.org 
U.S. news reports rarely touch upon the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. The blockade destroys people's lives and threatens the island's economy and Cuba's economic development. Damning evidence appears in the Cuba's Foreign Ministry's most recent report on adverse effects. Its authors refer to "the longest-lasting trade embargo in modern history."
(2020-12-17). Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's persecution of Uighurs. middleeasteye.net 
Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's persecution of Uighurs | Rights and advocacy groups call on Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to demand accountability and transparency from Beijing | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 55 | Despite protests from Uighurs outside China, many Muslim-majority countries have remained silent on China's rights violations (AFP/File photo) | A coalition…
(2020-12-17). Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on. middleeasteye.net 
Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 57 | While some believe the uprisings of 2010-11 were a failure – the ferocity of the counter-revolution suggests otherwise | A decade ago, a young Tunisian,
(2020-12-17). Arabic press review: Egypt, UAE say improvement in Saudi-Qatari relations 'not welcome'. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Egypt, UAE say improvement in Saudi-Qatari relations 'not welcome' | Meanwhile, British diplomat says UK 'very concerned about continuing tensions in the Gulf', and number of people held in Algerian prisons without legal basis now 'exceeds 20,000', says human rights group | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 16: 20 | Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (L) and Egyptian President Abdel…
(2020-12-17). Turkey will not 'turn back on' S-400 missile system after US sanctions. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey will not 'turn back on' S-400 missile system after US sanctions | Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that Ankara would not turn back on the controversial missile system | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 07: 16 | Washington sanctioned the Presidency for Defence Industries (SSB), Turkey's military procurement agency for activating the S-400 missile system (AFP) | Turkey said it would not turn bac…
(2020-12-17). Beirut explosion: Judge suspends blast probe amid political pressure. middleeasteye.net 
Beirut explosion: Judge suspends blast probe amid political pressure | Two ministers charged in explosion investigation have requested that Judge Fadi Sawwan be removed from proceedings | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 18: 17 | Helicopter battles fire at scene of explosion at port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on 4 August (AFP/File photo) | The judge overseeing an investigation into the massive explosion…
(2020-12-17). Meet the man Netanyahu has picked to lead Israel's Mossad. middleeasteye.net 
Meet the man Netanyahu has picked to lead Israel's Mossad | The man for now only identified as 'D' is heralded by the spy agency's establishment, and is likely to be more cautious than his predecessor | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 11: 36 | Image from a job advertisement put out by Mossad that appeared in Israeli newspapers in 2000 (AFP) | Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to appoint a man for now only known as "D"
(2020-12-17). The Heat: Chang'e-5 returns to Earth. america.cgtn.com 
Mission accomplished! A Chinese capsule carrying soil and rock samples collected from the moon returns to earth.
(2020-12-17). Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the Geopolitics of Caspian Gas. counterpunch.org 
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(2020-12-17). Economic Consequences of a 2nd Economic 'Mitigation' Bill. counterpunch.org As of mid-December 2020 the US economy has begun showing increasing signs of an exceptionally weak 4th quarter, October-December, growth. After having collapsed -10.5% in the March-June 2020 period, followed by a partial 'rebound' (not sustained recovery) in the 3rd quarter, July-September 2020, the economy is now slowing rapidly once again. Dismal reports of consumer and especially
(2020-12-17). First Glitches Emerge in COVID-Vax Rollout; Alaska Health Worker Suffers 'Serious Allergic Reaction'. globalresearch.ca A healthcare worker in Alaska was hospitalized on Tuesday with a 'serious allergic reaction' after receiving Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, according to the The person, who had no known drug allergies, was still in the hospital on …
(2020-12-17). Green Bay, WI: Body cams for cops now required, struggle for justice for Jonathon Tubby continues. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On the evening of December 15, the Green Bay City Council voted unanimously to require the Green Bay Police Department to wear body cameras while on duty, part of a $2.5 million overhaul to the department over five years. This comes over two years after Jonathon Tubby of the Oneida Nation was shot five times in the sally port of the GBPD building, murdered by Officer Erik O'Brien while he laid on the ground, handcuffed, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog. The implementation of a body camera policy for officers of the GBPD is a win for the family of Jonathon as it was one of the primary…
(2020-12-17). Hunger in America: Covid-19 and the Nightmare of Food Insecurity. counterpunch.org As autumn fades and winter looms, the dire predictions public-health experts made about Covid-19 have, unfortunately, proven all-too-accurate. On October 27th, 74,379 people were infected in the United States; less than a month and a half later, on December 9th, that number had soared to 218,677, while the 2020 total has just surpassed 15 million,
(2020-12-17). Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Limiting Habitat Protections for Endangered Species. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration Today's rule myopically defines "habitat" for the …
(2020-12-17). Study of 50 years of tax cuts for rich confirms 'trickle down' theory is an absolute sham. nationofchange.org "Major tax cuts for the rich since the 1980s have increased income inequality, with all the problems that brings, without any offsetting gains in economic performance."
(2020-12-17). California police officer agrees to plead guilty to bribery charge. nationofchange.org "Mr. Lopez's decision to plead guilty was a first step in making amends for the harm that he knows he caused to law enforcement."
(2020-12-17). The Great Unraveling: The Corona 2020 Financial Crash. Devastating Consequences. globalresearch.ca The 2008 Crash was caused by collapse of mortgage-backed securities. Loans were given to non-credit worthy borrowers until the system collapsed. | What is happening today that may cause a greater multi-level crash? | Several trends are coming together that may create …
(2020-12-17). The China Shock May Provide a Much-Needed Catalyst for Change. dissidentvoice.org In an opinion poll published in the Guardian online an astonishing 2/3 of voters either approved or strongly approved of the Prime Minister's conduct of the nation's affairs. While this may in part be a reflection of the abysmal performance of the official Labor "opposition" there must be a deeper reason for the Prime Minister's …
(2020-12-17). "Planned Surveillance and Control by Global Technocrats: A Big-Picture Look at the Current Pandemic Beneficiaries," globalresearch.ca An article by Children's Health Defense on how the pandemic facilitated a financial, tech, biopharmaceutical and military-intelligence push for centralized, technocratic control has been accepted by the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice and Research. | *** | "Planned Surveillance and Control …
(2020-12-17). Vaccines: Did Big Pharma Purchase California's Legislative Machinery? globalresearch.ca California has some of the most stringent vaccine mandate laws in the United States. Why is that? At first, it seemed that draconian vaccination laws were introduced in response to a measles outbreak that began in Disneyland in 2014. But …
(2020-12-17). Vaccine Passports and Health Passes: Is Showing Your "Papers" the "New Normal?" globalresearch.ca Life cannot return to normal until there is a vaccine for COVID 19. | At least, that is what governments, corporations, and their mainstream propaganda media outlets have been incessantly arguing. Interestingly, the development of that vaccine was "warp speed," allegedly …
(2020-12-17). History of World War I: German Colonialism in Central and Eastern Europe and the Fall of Tsarist Russia. globalresearch.ca When in February 1918, the German politician Prince Max of Baden asked his country's military dictator, Erich Ludendorff, what would happen if the latter's spring offensive failed, he replied, "Then Germany will just have to suffer annihilation". | General Ludendorff's …
(2020-12-17). Fourth Industrial Revolution Blocks the New. dissidentvoice.org While technology has been encroaching on more spheres of life over the past 25 years, the ruling elite and their representatives are now zealously promoting a new and dramatic digital-technological upheaval—the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution—that will supposedly transform everything under the sun, open amazing vistas, increase government and business transparency and accountability, and put humanity …
(2020-12-17). Nasrin Sotoudeh, Iran's Courtroom Gladiator, for the Defense. progressive.org A stirring new documentary captures the fight for women's rights in the Islamic Republic.
(2020-12-17). Accomplished Pharma Prof Thrown in Psych Hospital after Questioning Official COVID Narrative. globalresearch.ca Early on December 10, Jean-Bernard Fourtillan was taken from his home by a team of French law enforcement officers and forcibly placed in solitary confinement at the psychiatric hospital of Uzès. | *** | Early on December 10, Jean-Bernard Fourtillan, a …
(2020-12-17). History: Israeli Propaganda on the 'Expulsion' of Arab Jews. globalresearch.ca Israeli propaganda about the "expulsion" of Arab Jews from Arab countries in the late 1940s and early 1950s continues without respite. Earlier this month, Israel's UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan,
(2020-12-17). Ecuador: Popular Progressive Alliance Wins Election Certification. indybay.org "#ThePresidentialTicketOfHope will be on the ballot on #7thFebruary. Thanks to everyone who was vigilant and mobilized! Thanks for international solidarity! The Ecuadorian people have enforced their right to choose in democracy," tweeted Andrés Arauz, candidate for President for UNES in response to his ticket being given firm certification by the election authorities. | Photo credit: Wikipedia…
(2020-12-17). Friday 12/18: Online Socialism Forum "Looking back at 2020" featuring Dr. Monica Gandhi. indybay.org Register here: bit.ly/the-struggle-continues…
(2020-12-17). Racism a long legacy in Sacramento County Public Health Crisis. indybay.org Sacramento County, seat of the Capitol Region of the 5th largest economy on earth, continues to refuse acknowledgement of complicity in the enslavement of people of Pan African Ancestry.
(2020-12-17). Climate change and social transformation in times of corona. indybay.org Companies go bankrupt, workers are laid off, and because the sources of income dry up, millions of people can no longer even buy the most basic necessities… What counts is whether the things produced can be sold on the market and make a profit.
(2020-12-17). Saturday 1/9: Root Division Presents: Trueque Pt. I. indybay.org Root Division: Online Reception | rootdivisiontalk.wpcomstaging.com/…
(2020-12-17). US own restrictions sanctioned its firms out of Iran's market. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 17 (MNA) — In reaction to the recent remarks of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif said that the US own restrictions sanctioned US companies out of Iran's market.
(2020-12-17). J.Crew president-turned-"Stylish" star Jenna Lyons offers advice on reinventing yourself: "Be open" salon.com The fashion designer appeared on "Salon Talks" to discuss her new series and nurturing creativity after J. Crew…
(2020-12-17). Should your kidney doctor have a financial stake in dialysis?>. salon.com Joint ventures between nephrologists and dialysis centers have expanded treatment. Critics ask: At what cost?>
(2020-12-17). How to make a perfect Hot Toddy, the whiskey cocktail to keep you warm this winter. salon.com "It's like whiskey chicken soup"
(2020-12-17). "I was wrong to remove my mask at the White House": Chris Christie films moving PSA after ICU stint. salon.com Christie split with Trump on the issue following his hospitalization, repeatedly urging Americans to mask up…
(2020-12-17). Jamie Oliver's apple crumble and custard is the perfect comfort food dessert. salon.com If there's one thing we know about Oliver, he always delivers incredibly delicious and easy-to-follow recipes…
(2020-12-17). . salon.com "It's a huge morale booster," a frontline worker told Salon…
(2020-12-17). Cookbook author Alison Roman won't return to New York Times after flap with Chrissy Teigen. salon.com The announcement comes seven months after Roman's controversial comments about Teigen and Netflix star Marie Kondo…
(2020-12-17). The US Plan to Dominate Space. globalresearch.ca Cape Canaveral (Florida), from where the Apollo mission rocket was launched by NASA in 1969, became the headquarters of the U.S. Space Force Station together with Patrick Base, also in Florida. At the inaugural ceremony on December 9, Vice President …
(2020-12-17). Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution. zcomm.org Review of Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution, by Don Fitz (Monthly Review Press)…
(2020-12-17). Led by Black Women, Organizers in Georgia Work to Replicate Election Success in Senate Runoff. zcomm.org After turning out Georgia voters in record numbers in the general election, organizers work to mobilize the youth vote in the pivotal Senate runoff election…
(2020-12-17). Mitch McConnell Wants to Let Corporations Kill You. zcomm.org The Senate GOP leader's refusal to pass COVID-19 aid without corporate immunity should be the scandal of the year…
(2020-12-17). The coronavirus has closed more than 60 local newsrooms across America. zcomm.org At first, the pandemic cost newsrooms jobs and communities critical work. Now it's starting to end entire newsrooms…
(2020-12-17). People's Action Calls On Biden to Transform Labor Dept Into Agency That Protects Workers—Not Corporations. commondreams.org "While we at People's Action believe that Senator Bernie Sanders is an example of the type of person ready to transform the landscape for working people in solidarity with the movement, we're ready to welcome any labor secretary ready to do the same." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1280323794_1.jpg …
(2020-12-17). Guant√°namo Defense Attorney Implores Biden to Stop Cycle of Impunity by Holding Trump Accountable for His Crimes. commondreams.org "The only way to demonstrate that America believes in the rule of law, and to achieve eventual unity, is to hold people accountable," argues Alka Pradhan. "Otherwise, a 'more perfect union' will forever be out of reach." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gitmo_5.jpg …
(2020-12-17). Young People in Georgia Fight for Climate Ahead of Runoff Elections. commondreams.org "I think if people realized that a lot of the social justice issues in Georgia are tied to environmental issues, they would be more interested in fighting for the environment." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/youth_climate_0_0.jpg …
(2020-12-17). The Blinding Clarity of John Le Carré. thenation.com The Blinding Clarity of John Le Carré…
(2020-12-17). Women in Mexico Reckon With the High Cost of Migration. thenation.com Women in Mexico Reckon With the High Cost of Migration…
(2020-12-17). How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu. thenation.com How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu…
(2020-12-17). Shakespeare's Contentious Conversation With America. thenation.com Shakespeare's Contentious Conversation With America…
(2020-12-17). The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice. thenation.com The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice…
(2020-12-17). Jesse Kreuzer Murals. thenation.com Murals…
(2020-12-17). Watch as Chinese Helicopter Zips Through Highway Traffic Just Inches Above Road. sputniknews.com China's Z-8 helicopter, derived from the French Super Frelon, has long been a staple of the Chinese armed forces, which is still finding new uses for the powerful heavy-lifter. However, using such a large aircraft for stunts was probably previously unknown.
(2020-12-17). No Flu this Year? Or Is Flu the Second Wave of Covid? globalresearch.ca Is there no flu this year or is flu "the second wave of Covid?" | Don't expect any honest answer from health authorities. They have the fear running strong, so strong that people are submitting to needless lockdowns that are causing …
(2020-12-17). FrontLine episode 1: Jeremy Corbyn. thecanary.co Premieres at 7pm Thursday 17 December | I've spent the past six months having incredible conversations with inspirational people. Every two weeks, you'll get to listen to one of those conversations. I've been speaking with people on the front line of the biggest battles of our time, to get their answer to a basic question: "What makes someone move beyond words, into action? What makes someone place themselves on the front line?" | These are vulnerable, intimate, informal conversations that get right to the core of each person's value systems. Who is kicking off this new and fascinating podcast series? Our first gu…
(2020-12-16). Trump Is Prolonging the Civil War in Syria. progressive.org Under the Obama and Trump administrations, the unending war has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. But will Biden be any different?
(2020-12-16). Las brigadas médicas de Cuba luchan contra la pandemia. workers.org 
La Cuba socialista encarna el espíritu de solidaridad internacional mediante su constante ayuda médica a países de todo el mundo, especialmente a los afectados por el imperialismo. Esta no es solo una frase vacía. El verdadero significado de la solidaridad lo demuestran todos los días equipos de trabajadores de la . . . |
(2020-12-16). Jimmy Trending because AOC against Fighting for Medicare for All. dissidentvoice.org  …
(2020-12-16). US Wants to Increase Special Agents in Latin America Under Anti-drug Speech. globalresearch.ca Washington's "war on drugs" is advancing in Latin America. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently asked the US Congress for a new budget, valued at more than 3 billion dollars, to improve its operations abroad and help to prevent narcotics …
(2020-12-16). Rafael Correa on Venezuela, Assange, and 'preventing the total destruction of our homeland'. mronline.org 
Max Blumenthal interviews former Ecuador President Rafael Correa, who was in Venezuela to observe its legislative elections and show support to a government under sustained economic and political attack by the U.S.
(2020-12-16). After George Floyd, Carbon Capture Tech Tiptoes into Racial Justice. zcomm.org How national police protests and the Green New Deal pressured carbon capture leaders on equity…
(2020-12-16). Fulfillment centers so hazardous, Washington state boosts Amazon's workers' comp rates 15 percent. liberationnews.org 
Workers at Amazon fulfillment centers rush to keep up with robotic systems to meet shipment deadlines of one or two days.
(2020-12-16). Coming undone: 'The Undoing,' 'Big Sky,' 'The Deceived' and the limits of MeToo. peoplesworld.org 
"The rich are different," said Fitzgerald, in a languishing dreamy tone. "Yes," replied Hemingway brusquely, "they have more money." It is difficult not to recall this exchange when watching HBO and Sky Atlantic's David E. Kelly mini-series The Undoing, which in this year of an ever more rapid COVID-induced transfer of wealth from the lowest …
(2020-12-16). Defend incarcerated workers! workers.org 
These comments were given at a Dec. 10 webinar of the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. The theme of tonight's webinar is "Build class solidarity with incarcerated workers: No walls in the workers' struggle." The PSC wanted to sponsor this webinar on International Human Rights Day — the . . . |
(2020-12-16). JatiIndia: Atrocities Caste, Present and Future. counterpunch.org 
The jingoist nation and nationalism have got weaponized by the political class to destroy dissent and polarize people. The mass frenzy has accomplished complete derationalization and inversion of meanings where destroyers of the nation become deshbhakts (patriots) and selfless servers of people become deshdrohis (traitors). As I see my India being ruined, it is with
(2020-12-16). Pandemic Lessons for the Rest of Us. counterpunch.org 
Martin Luther King, Jr., offered this all-too-relevant comment on his moment in his 1967 speech "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?": "The contemporary tendency in our society is to base our distribution on scarcity, which has vanished, and to compress our abundance into the overfed mouths of the upper classes until they
(2020-12-16). The real 'People of the Year' — workers & oppressed people of the world! workers.org 
NEW YORK, NY — APRIL 17 2020: Public health workers, doctors and nurses protest over lack of sick pay and personal protective equipment (PPE) outside a hospital in the borough of the Bronx on April 17, 2020 in New York, NY. In what can only be described as a big . . . |
(2020-12-16). The Solutions Are Obvious, But It Will Take A Revolution To Win Them. dissidentvoice.org 
The United States has reached a severe crisis point and the next few months will determine how we address it. The COVID-19 pandemic is raging across the country and some areas are struggling to provide enough hospital beds and staff to care for people. The recession is deepening as unemployment benefits and the moratorium on …
(2020-12-16). Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck Endured a Nearly a Century of Struggle for His Beliefs. mintpressnews.com 
Having dodged Nazi soldiers at 10 years old and later beatings by Israeli police, Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck is not the type to let a bit of adversity stand in the way of fighting for his beliefs.
(2020-12-16). From Cult to Culture. counterpunch.org 
From Cult to Culture Yes, there are many to choose from Few, though, have the answer To the question (for one) of those two things In the center of the garden Life and knowledge — or dogma Indeed, which means the two trees Are Physis and Nomos Nature and convention, or law Nature as growth and change Or rigid
(2020-12-16). Conservation Groups Challenge Blackfoot River Timber Sale That Threatens Elk, Grizzly Bear, Bull Trout, and Lynx Habitat. counterpunch.org 
Two conservation groups, Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystems Council filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Missoula on December 11th challenging the 1,112 acre Stonewall Logging Project in the Blackfoot River valley in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest about four miles northwest of Lincoln, MT. The proposed changes to the
(2020-12-16). A Critique of Popper's The Open Society and its Enemies (Vol. 1). dissidentvoice.org 
I admittedly approached this work with some skepticism about Karl Popper's well-known "open" vs. "closed" dichotomy (which indeed is only distinguished, and quite vaguely, in Chapter 10). Written in the early 1940s, the book is clearly a period-piece, with some useful things to say about totalitarian "utopianism" (and the ethnic-racialistic "cleansing" which sometimes accompanied it). …
(2020-12-16). The Absence of Universal Social Protections in the United States Harms Black Men. cepr.net 
In a recent post, researchers at the Brookings Institute noted that "[o]n many social and economic measures, Black men fare worse not only than white men, but white and Black women." They argue that what is needed is "a battery of specifically tailored policy interventions: a New Deal for Black Men, no less," and explain …
(2020-12-16). 'Solidarity with the people, not the state'. workers.org 
Skehan delivered the Workers World Party solidarity message at the Dec. 12 action called by the Boston South Asian Coalition in support of farmers and workers in India who are leading historic strikes. As we come together on a rainy Saturday, there is much cause for revolutionary optimism as we . . . |
(2020-12-16). Antisemitism Claims Mask a Reign of Political and Cultural Terror Across Europe. counterpunch.org 
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has run a fascinating long report this week offering a disturbing snapshot of the political climate rapidly emerging across Europe on the issue of antisemitism. The article documents a kind of cultural, political and intellectual reign of terror in Germany since the parliament passed a resolution last year equating support for non-violent boycotts
(2020-12-16). Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home. middleeasteye.net 
Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home | Alya Al-Howeiti, once a celebrated sports star in the kingdom, reveals backlash and death threats since speaking out against Riyadh's policies | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 14: 22 | Alya al-Howeiti was a celebrated Saudi jockey, before becoming a London-based human rights activist (Screengrab/Twitter) | A Saudi dissident and fo…
(2020-12-16). Five-thousand-year-old Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland. middleeasteye.net 
Five-thousand-year-old Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland | One of only three objects ever recovered from inside Egypt's Great Pyramid, wooden artefact may shed new light on ancient structure, says University of Aberdeen | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 17: 16 | Ancient cedar wood, now fragmented into pieces, is one of only three relics ever recovered from inside Great Pyramid (Uni…
(2020-12-16). Arab Spring: Ten years on, has Tunisia's uprising delivered on its promises? middleeasteye.net 
Arab Spring: Ten years on, has Tunisia's uprising delivered on its promises? | Tunisians had high hopes when they took to the streets in protests that took down Ben Ali and inspired a regional movement. But many feel not enough has changed | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 18: 19 | A picture of Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor who set himself alight 10 yea…
(2020-12-16). Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel | Hussein Shartoony becomes an unexpected hero after Israeli soldiers fire bullets into the air as he attempts to rescue his friend | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 11: 59 | The reaction of the Israeli soldiers to Hussein and his chicken garnered ridicule online (Screengrab/Twitter) | Hezbollah may be Israel's most pressing threat on the Le…
(2020-12-16). Covid-19: Scholars say having vaccine is religious duty for Egyptians. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Scholars say having vaccine is religious duty for Egyptians | Arrival of first shipment of vaccine from China has raised religious, political and public debate in the country | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 12: 41 | Worshippers attend Friday prayers inside Cairo's historic al-Azhar mosque (AFP) | Egypt's religious establishment has stepped into the heated debate over Covid-19 vaccines, ur…
(2020-12-16). Family of Australian professor detained in Qatar say they fear for his life. middleeasteye.net 
Family of Australian professor detained in Qatar say they fear for his life | Professor Lukman Thalib told relatives that his blood pressure and heart rate had become dangerously low | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 14: 36 | Professor Lukman Thalib (right) received a teaching award at Qatar University in 2018. He is a public health expert and helped Qatar with its covid-19 response (Supplied) | The family of an Austr…
(2020-12-16). Tunisia and Algeria try to cool tensions over Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net 
Tunisia and Algeria try to cool tensions over Western Sahara | Tunisia's former foreign minister provoked anger after blaming Algiers for pushing Morocco to normalise with Israel | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 15: 07 | Tunisia's foreign minister Othman Jerandi has reiterated "Tunisia's pride in brotherly relations with Algeria" (Photo/Screengrab) | Tunisian and Algerian officials are attempting to pu…
(2020-12-16). Kempis Ghani Songster: 'The struggle of working people in the prison system'. workers.org 
Kempis Ghani Songster co-produces the podcast "Move It Forward" which can be listened to at: transom.org/2020/move-it-forward/ These slightly edited comments are from a Dec. 10 webinar organized by the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. Co-moderator Monica Moorehead: We're very excited to welcome to the panel Kempis Ghani Songster. . . . |
(2020-12-16). The Brexit Blame Game. counterpunch.org 
Both the UK and the EU are engaged in a game of brinkmanship, amounting to a kind of shadow theatre— neither wants to shoulder the blame for the UK's exit from the EU without a trade deal between the two. The stakes are higher for the UK.
(2020-12-16). US Unemployed Rising, Evictions, Mortgages Crisis Brewing, Small Business Collapsing: Economic Consequences of a 2nd 'Mitigation' Bill. globalresearch.ca As of mid-December 2020 the US economy has begun showing increasing signs of an exceptionally weak 4th quarter, October-December, growth. After having collapsed -10.5% in the March-June 2020 period, followed by a partial 'rebound' (not sustained recovery) in the 3rd …
(2020-12-16). "Education" culminates Amazon's "Small Axe" film series, finding beauty in the necessary struggle. salon.com The latest film, about a boy fascinated with astronomy, is the most autobiographical to filmmaker Steve McQueen…
(2020-12-16). Venezuela's Maduro Proposes Joint ALBA Covid-19 Vaccination. venezuelanalysis.com The Venezuelan president announced a strict quarantine for January.
(2020-12-16). Massive Fracked-Gas Export Terminal Coming to Southern New Jersey. dissidentvoice.org On December 9 a regional planning body, the Delaware River Basin Commission, gave a green light to a mammoth fracked-gas export terminal in Gibbstown, New Jersey. It would export fracked-gas from the Marcellus Shale gas fields to Angola, among other countries. The Governors of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey voted yay. Governor Andrew Cuomo of …
(2020-12-16). RT-PCR Test to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Reveals 10 Major Scientific Flaws at the Molecular and Methodological Level: Consequences for False Positive Results. globalresearch.ca Abstract | In the publication entitled "Detection of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by real-time RT-PCR" (Eurosurveillance 25(8) 2020) the authors present a diagnostic workflow and RT-qPCR protocol for detection and diagnostics of 2019-nCoV (now known as SARS-CoV-2), which they claim to …
(2020-12-16). Health Impacts of "Social Distancing" and Isolation: Scientists Show a Sort of Signature in the Brains of Lonely People. globalresearch.ca This holiday season will be a lonely one for many people as social distancing due to COVID-19 continues, and it is important to understand how isolation affects our health. A new study shows a sort of signature in the brains …
(2020-12-16). The Four F's. dissidentvoice.org In 1940, eighty years ago, a New Yorker deemed by many in the Establishment a "dictator" who had to be removed — and went so far as to conspire except that General Smedley Butler denounced the plot — was elected to a third term as the President of the corporate United States. He was an …
(2020-12-16). Proud Boys Destroy Churches' Black Lives Matter Signs During Protest in Washington, D.C. splcenter.org Proud Boys attended a pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., on Saturday that ended with members of the group tearing down and destroying Black Lives Matter banners from two historic Black churches.
(2020-12-16). Video: "Crimes Against Humanity": The German Corona Investigation. "The PCR Pandemic" globalresearch.ca The German Corona Investigative Committee has taken testimony from a large number of international scientists and experts since July 10, 2020. | Scroll down for the Video and Full Transcript of Dr. Reiner Fuellmich's presentation. | . | Their …
(2020-12-16). Maeve in America: How We Can Do Better. progressive.org The racial oppression codified into the formation of the United States has been tinkered with, modified, lessened, but still rules the land.
(2020-12-16). 500+ Groups Call on President-Elect Biden To Order Fossil Fuel Lease Ban. counterpunch.org WASHINGTON Hundreds of conservation, Native American, religious, and business groups today sent President-elect Joe Biden text for a proposed executive order to ban new fossil fuel leasing and permitting on federal public lands and waters. "For our health and prosperity, President-elect Biden needs to make transitioning from fossil fuels a number one priority," said Jeremy Nichols, Climate
(2020-12-16). Why Make the Dogs Bark: a Tale from Communist Bulgaria. counterpunch.org Recently, I came across an article in the New York Times about an assassination attempt on a Bulgarian arms manufacturer in Sofia, Emilian Gebrev. They smeared poison on his car door handles. The Times points the finger at the same Russians they say were behind the attack on double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
(2020-12-16). Local Sheriffs Are Pushing Back on Some of the Lockdown's Harsher Measures. globalresearch.ca The limits of the government's power to follow through with some of its public-health orders are being tested as states impose new restrictions on private gatherings because of COVID-19. | "You have due process," said Sheriff Richard Giardino, of Fulton …
(2020-12-16). Will Israel Deploy Missile Defense Systems to Persian Gulf Amid Growing Tension with Iran? globalresearch.ca On Tuesday, a senior Israeli official expressed his country's readiness to cooperate in the future in the field of missile defense with Gulf states that share their concerns about Iran. | Moshe Patil, head of the Israeli Defense Ministry's Missile Defense …
(2020-12-16). The Roots of Our Planetary Crisis. progressive.org To save humankind, we must transform what we think of as civilization.
(2020-12-16). What the US Constitution Specifies about Choosing the New President. dissidentvoice.org Regardless of the traditional bluster about the Founding Fathers and the world historic nature of the US Constitution, the electoral system it set up to choose a new president is far from democratic. We now find Trump attempting to use the Constitution as written to be "re-elected." Those who laud "our great democracy," claiming Trump …
(2020-12-16). With more than 300,000 infected in a week, Brazil goes back to peak levels of COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org The pandemic has been advancing at increased rates for more than a month; number of deaths has accelerated for four weeks…
(2020-12-16). Unlike UK, U.S. FDA Allows Pregnant and Nursing Women to Receive Experimental Pfizer COVID Vaccine. globalresearch.ca The U.S. FDA has given emergency use authorization (EUA) to the experimental Pfizer COVID mRNA vaccine, a type of vaccine that has never before been authorized for use in humans. | The FDA's EUA for the Pfizer COVID vaccine follows an …
(2020-12-16). Tuesday 12/15: Families Belong Together: Year in Review and Looking into 2021. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-12-16). Sunday 12/20: Solstice eve Pole DANCING & candlelight CARAVAN to STOP 5G. indybay.org Berkeley – Dance/rally at 2020 BONAR // CARAVAN to MARIN TRAFFIC CIRCLE for 2nd rally/dance // Then to GRANT/UNIVERSITY AVE for 3rd rally/dance…
(2020-12-16). Pompeo goes into quarantine after hosting State Department holiday party in the middle of a pandemic. salon.com The secretary of state has hosted indoor holiday parties despite warnings from public health officials and workers…
(2020-12-16). Here are 6 great film performances you missed in 2020 — and how to watch them. salon.com Orion Lee in "First Cow" to Carrie Coon in "The Nest" were standouts in a year with fewer theatrical releases…
(2020-12-16). Post-Election Reflections on Sinophobia in U.S. Politics. zcomm.org The last 12 months have seen a sharp rise in anti-China sentiment and, consequently, anti-Asian racism…
(2020-12-16). An ER Nurse, Fired for Demanding Protective Equipment, Fights for his Job. zcomm.org Cliff Willmeng, a registered nurse in Minneapolis, was fired from his job at United Hospital, Allina Health Corporation for standing up for his and his coworkers' safety…
(2020-12-16). Ethical accreditation schemes: good or ill? zcomm.org As unethical companies continue to generate hefty profits, Josie Wexler examines various schemes for upholding ethical standards, and how much faith we should put in them…
(2020-12-16). A Notable Death in 2020: American Democracy. commondreams.org America has two political parties. When one no longer believes in counting the votes, it's not a democracy. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/steal.jpg …
(2020-12-16). A Public Option Won't Save Us. The Sick and Disabled Need Medicare-for-All. commondreams.org Medicare and Medicaid are rife with complicated formulas for exclusions, exceptions, and limitations. The cruelty that is imposed by the constraints of these programs cannot be overstated. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/expanded.jpg …
(2020-12-16). Lost Voices, Muffled Histories, Piano Notes: The Poetry of Thulani Davis. thenation.com Lost Voices, Muffled Histories, Piano Notes: The Poetry of Thulani Davis…
(2020-12-16). Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia. thenation.com Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia…
(2020-12-16). Mutual Aid Can't Do It Alone. thenation.com Mutual Aid Can't Do It Alone…
(2020-12-15). Aleppo's Liberation Three Years Ago Today: Anybody Ashamed? globalresearch.ca December 12, 2017, marks the anniversary of the liberation — the West called it fall — of Aleppo in Syria. What happened is conveniently forgotten today by the West. | Some of us can't and won't forget what was both world, …
(2020-12-15). Brexit Bluster Exposes the Waning of English Power. counterpunch.org 
I met pleased and gloomy people in the first half of last year when I travelled around the UK writing about the potential impact of Brexit. But by far the happiest of those I interviewed were veteran Irish republicans in Belfast, mostly present or past members of Sinn Fein, who had devoted their lives to
(2020-12-15). Rebuilding Trust and Relationships in Medical Centers. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses efforts that medical centers can take in rebuilding affordability-related trust and relationships with patients.
(2020-12-15). JAMA Network Articles of the Year 2020. jamanetwork.com This Medical News article discusses the top-viewed research articles published across the JAMA Network in the past year.
(2020-12-15). Conversational Agents in Health Care. jamanetwork.com To the Editor The Viewpoint by Dr McGreevey and colleagues drew attention to the increasing use of conversational agents (CAs) in health care. However, they suggested a less mature field than we find in practice, and their call for CA-specific regulations risks creating confusion.
(2020-12-15). Human-Centered Design and Trust in Medicine. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses how human-centered design (HCD) that involves all stakeholders can improve patient trust in physicians and health care systems, describes its methods, and provides examples of its successful application.
(2020-12-15). Home From the Hospital. jamanetwork.com Last night I dreamed my father came Home from the hospital Standing there in the kitchen with the usual Slab of butter laid out on homemade bread As if it was cheese…
(2020-12-15). Conversational Agents in Health Care—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Dr Darcy and colleagues from Woebot Health cite 2 references when suggesting that the CA field is more developed than our Viewpoint suggested. However, we find the use of these references as being off target for 2 reasons. First, both articles address symptom checkers. Symptom checkers typically ask patients preset questions and permit structured or limited free-text replies. Thus, we would not consider symptom checkers to be CAs. Our Viewpoint focused on technologies that accept and interpret a broad range of typed or spoken words, phrases, and sentences and that offer natural-sounding language response…
(2020-12-15). Trijardy XR—A New 3-Drug Combination for Type 2 Diabetes. jamanetwork.com This Medical Letter compares a newly approved fixed-dose combination pill comprising the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin, the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin, and extended-release metformin, with available formulations of each of the pill's individual components for oral treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.
(2020-12-15). A Song for Gram—The Music of Grief. jamanetwork.com In this narrative medicine essay, a critical care fellow returning to the ICU after burying her grandmother learns that grief does not conform to clinical schedules and efficiencies, having instead its own pace and melody, like the songs on violin she loved to performed for her beloved Gram.
(2020-12-15). Transparency as a Trust-Building Practice in Physician Relationships With Patients. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes transparency practices that could help physicians build trust with patients and model professionalism for students and trainees: clear and consistent disclosure of financial relationships, conflicts of interest, credentials, disciplinary actions, performance metrics, and personal information or experiences oriented toward improving patient outcomes.
(2020-12-15). Addressing Medical Misinformation in the Patient-Clinician Relationship. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes why health misinformation spreads, characterizes a broader set of misinformation types, and discusses solutions to this problem.
(2020-12-15). The Enduring Importance of Trust in Leadership of Health Care Organizations. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses the declining trust in the US health care system, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance that maintaining public trust should hold in the culture of health care organizations.
(2020-12-15). Exome Sequencing as Part of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis. jamanetwork.com To the Editor The Viewpoint by Dr Friedman and colleagues on whole-exome sequencing claimed that the diagnosis of many genetic diseases cannot be based solely on molecular results but requires a multidisciplinary approach for a final diagnosis. The authors stated "Genomic variants classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic may be seen in healthy people." This phenomenon has been described for genetically related kidney diseases in particular. We agree with the authors about using a multidisciplinary approach in the field of adult genetically related kidney diseases, in which the pretest probability of a geneti…
(2020-12-15). Urgent Action Needed to Prevent Measles, Polio Resurgence. jamanetwork.com Leaders from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued an urgent call to prevent a worldwide resurgence of measles and polio as pandemic-related disruptions caused vaccination rates to fall to 50% in some areas.
(2020-12-15). Ready for Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago shadow presidency? That's where all this is heading. salon.com Slates of fake electors are only the beginning. Trump and Stephen Miller may try to run an entire fake presidency…
(2020-12-15). An Embarrassing Situation. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/loser_tease_new_paintings_epo9deqw8aa95yt.jpg …
(2020-12-15). Stop weaponising antisemitism: 'Never again ever, for anyone!'. thecanary.co Dan Glass is the grandson of four Nazi Holocaust survivors, two from Germany and two from Poland. He says "the last thing I'm ever going to let happen is that my grandparents' story and what they went through, be weaponised to oppress other people". | You can watch the full Redfish documentary featured in this video Alongside the launch of this video, the following Q&A with Dan Glass and The Canary's