(2020-12-24). In a Crisis, a Compromise Solution Is Worse Than No Solution at All. counterpunch.org The raging argument on the left between progressives who argue for radical change and centrists who advocate incrementalism is hardly new. Nearly a century ago, progressive titan and Wisconsin governor Robert La Follette and FDR were often at loggerheads over the same question. Roosevelt, La Follette complained, was too quick to compromise with reactionaries. FDR
(2020-12-24). Hugo Chávez and Maoism: A Conversation with Chris Gilbert. counterpunch.org Professor of political science at Venezuela's Bolivarian University, Chris Gilbert is creator and co-host of Escuela de Cuadros, a Marxist educational program broadcast in Venezuelan public television and a participant in the Barcelona-based project Seminari Taifa. Gilbert's articles have appeared in Rebelión, LaHaine, Monthly Review, and CounterPunch, and he has coauthored the recently-published book Venezuela,
(2020-12-24). PDF of December 24 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. Georgia Senate runoff Redbaiting derails people's needs Youth in vanguard; Russell Maroon Shoatz; The real 2020 heroes; Amazon union drive in Ala.; Five hottest years; Vaccine chaos; Editorial: Too little, too late GLOBAL: Amauta in Peru; 'Soft coup' attempt in Cuba; BLM in France. TEAR DOWN . . . |
(2020-12-24). Nostalgia, Protest and a 9/11 Everyday. counterpunch.org 
In 1971, an important year for antiwar protest in the US, Abbie Hoffman (Soon To Be A Major Motion Picture, 1980) encountered a group of young people dressed in hippie garb. He greeted them and asked where they were headed to from Greenwich Village in Manhattan. They responded that they were going to a celebration in
(2020-12-24). The White Helmets fraud in Syria. mronline.org 
The most recent denunciation from Syria confirms the support of Western powers to the alleged humanitarian organization of the White Helmets which is also a fraud of crude media manipulation.
(2020-12-24). All the Cannons Will Silently Rust. dissidentvoice.org 
Chittaprosad (India), Peace, undated. Our year has been eclipsed by the pandemic, the rush of a virus paralysing societies across the world. Some governments offered smarter, more scientific, and humane approaches to the pandemic; many (but not all) of these have been governments with a socialist orientation. Amongst them is the Indian state of Kerala, …
(2020-12-24). Propaganda pandemic: The craziest COVID claims of the year. mronline.org 
No matter how many Americans die, corporate media is desperate to shore up support at home and attempt to discredit foreign countries for handling the pandemic properly. Behind The Headlines' Dan Cohen reviews the most absurd COVID propaganda of the year..
(2020-12-24). Australian COVID-19 outbreak underscores danger of corporate drive to lift safety restrictions. wsws.org Limited safety restrictions have been relaxed in Sydney, despite warnings from infectious diseases experts.
(2020-12-24). Political Crisis Stricken Peru Tops One Million COVID-19 Cases. telesurenglish.net Peruvian health officials reported 1,000,153 cases as of Tuesday evening, making it the fifth nation in South America to exceed one million cases and the 17th worldwide. With over 37,000 deaths from COVID-19, the Andean nation exhibits the world's second-highest per capita death toll from the pandemic, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University. | RELATED: | With a population of 32 million, the Andean nation estab…
(2020-12-24). The UN is not above playing politics with its mortality (and other) statistics. zcomm.org It's clear that technical departments within the UN have their work corrupted by the US government and its allies. Consider recent reporting by the Grayzone on OPCW whistleblowers who exposed manipulation of an investigation into alleged chemical weapons use in Syria in 2018. Going further back, Hans Blix, the Swedish diplomat who was in charge
(2020-12-24). No Co-Sponsor of 'Medicare for All' Has Lost Reelection in the Past Decade. zcomm.org Every single Congressional co-sponsor of these bills in the House and Senate who were up for reelection beat their Republican opponents in 2020. And in 2018. And in 2016…
(2020-12-24). The virus that shut down the world: 2020, a year like no other. news.un.org COVID-19 is everywhere, literally, and during 2020 its spread and resulting impact has led to a global crisis of unprecedented reach and proportion. In a six-part series closing out this tumultuous year, UN News looks at the impact on people in every part of the world and some of the solutions that the United Nations has proposed to deal with the fall-out of the pandemic. In this first feature, we lay out some of the key events of the past 12 months.
(2020-12-24). Ecuador's indigenous people turn to ancestral remedies against Covid-19. laprensalatina.com By Domenica Enriquez Miwaguno, Ecuador, Dec 23 (efe-epa).- Residents of some indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon are choosing to rely on the natural remedies used by their ancestors as they battle the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 3,200 indigenous people have contracted the coronavirus and 49 have perished, according to figures from Ecuador's Health Ministry, …
(2020-12-24). COVID-19 Relief Bill Includes $500 Million to Buy American Dairy. indybay.org The proposed Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020 set to be signed into law includes $500 million in government funding allocated towards the "Dairy Donation Program" which provides payments from the government to dairy producers.
(2020-12-24). Why Can't CEO's Pay for Their Own Lunch? counterpunch.org While the world is reeling from the pandemic, corporate lobbyists have been focused on making taxpayers subsidize lavish lunches for wealthy executives. And their work has paid off in the new Covid relief deal. Buried in the details of this modest aid plan is a provision to give executives unlimited tax deductions for their business
(2020-12-24). A Country in Turmoil: Why Netanyahu is a Symptom, Not Cause of Israel's Political Crisis. dissidentvoice.org 
It is convenient to surmise that Israel's current political crisis is consistent with the country's unfailing trajectory of short-lived governments and fractious ruling coalitions. While this view is somewhat defensible, it is also hasty. Israel is currently at the cusp of a fourth general election in less than two years. Even by Israel's political standards, …
(2020-12-24). Yuletide Lockdowns and Cancelling Christmas. counterpunch.org The mind changer in Downing Street has struck again. With UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the helm, changes of direction are compulsive, natural and sudden. The U-Turn has become the prosaic expectation. "Too often it looks like this government licks its finger and sticks it in the air to see which way the wind
(2020-12-24). Rent: Why We Say Don't Pay. dissidentvoice.org 
As 2020 draws to a close, an open letter to Portland with particular regards to the renters, and the peculiar beauty of the notion of a rent strike during an eviction moratorium. Dear Portland, And dear anyone else, particularly in other localities that have passed similar laws to the eviction moratorium that was just renewed …
(2020-12-24). Mexican Wolf Killings Expose the Dark Underbelly of Western Culture. counterpunch.org 
For over a year, my colleague at Western Watersheds Project and I have been paging through gory reports of dead livestock, most of them (questionably) attributed to Mexican wolf predation. I've gotten somewhat inured to seeing the bloody corpses of cattle, decapitated calves, and dissection necropsies. It's unpleasant work, but it's turned up some very
(2020-12-24). 'Utterly baffling, without merit:' University of Mississippi fires anti-racist professor. liberationnews.org 
The termination of Garrett Felber shocked the department's faculty and graduate students.
(2020-12-24). Morocco and the Grand Bargain with US and Israel. peoplesdispatch.org A deal to normalize diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel was signed at the Rabat's Royal Palace, on December 22 in Morocco. The deal has been criticized by prominent Palestinian organizations, as well as by Iran and Hezbollah.
(2020-12-24). Wearing a Cross But Violating Basic Christian Values. counterpunch.org Everything that comes out of the White House today — the lies, the false claims of election fraud, the absurd lawsuits — makes me retreat and recoil. But I feel a particular sense of dread whenever I am watching the TV news and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany steps up to the podium in the White
(2020-12-24). Instead of Prosecuting Trump, Give Him the OJ Treatment. counterpunch.org Since well before Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election, there's been talk of how outgoing president Donald Trump might be criminally prosecuted at the state or federal level for any of dozens of alleged crimes once he leaves office. Prosecutors in New York seem intent on bringing The Donald down one way or
(2020-12-24). Time to End Patent Monopolies. counterpunch.org For several years the opioid crisis has been recognized as a major national catastrophe. Millions of people have become addicted to the new generation of opioid drugs. In many cases, this addiction has led to the destruction of families, job loss, crime, and suicide. At the peak of the crisis in West Virginia, the hardest
(2020-12-24). 'I Ain't Marching Anymore'. zcomm.org From the American Revolution through the Global War on Terror, author Chris Lombardi tells the inspiring stories of people who refused to kill…
(2020-12-24). Racist practices at the SF Health Service System will no longer be tolerated: Remove Mitch. indybay.org SF Bay View Editor Malik Washington reports on systemic racism in the SF Health Service System…
(2020-12-24). World War I: The 1914 Christmas Truce. globalresearch.ca An excerpt from Jacques Pauwels' book The Great Class War, 1914-1918 | The situation in the fall 1914, after the "war of movement" has given way to the infamous stationary "trench warfare": | The ordinary soldiers developed more and more antipathy and …
(2020-12-24). Sunday 12/27: Putting Christ Back into Christmas: Compassion for the Poor & Homeless (NUH & Kairos Cntr). indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-12-24). The Spirit of Christmas: War Criminals George W. Bush and Tony Blair banned from the Birthplace of Jesus Christ. globalresearch.ca "Bush and his supporters have marred the teachings of Christ. Their entry into the church will tarnish it as [Bush's] hands are covered in the blood of the innocent,"
(2020-12-24). John Locke and America's Cult of Private Property. thenation.com John Locke and America's Cult of Private Property…
(2020-12-24). Modern Hollywood Discovers Its Jazz 'Soul'. thenation.com Modern Hollywood Discovers Its Jazz 'Soul'
(2020-12-24). Discover the Hawaiian Seamen who built Sutter's Fort and settled the Sacramento Region. indybay.org Eight experienced Hawaiian seamen, whom King Kamehameha selected escorted Johan Sutter from the Sandwich Islands to establish a colony inland Northern California. The agreement to pay them ten dollars a month and return them back to the Hawaiian Islands after three years if they wished to leave. The "hidden figures of authentic Sacramento History comes alive for 2020 Sacramento County Kwanzaa…
(2020-12-24). Wednesday 12/23: Honoring South African & U.S. Homelessness Activists w/ National Union of the Homeless. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-12-24). Missing Documentation on San Lorenzo Camp Extermination to Remain Missing. indybay.org I sent the following Public Records demand to the City Administrator/Clerk on 12-17 regarding the abrupt and toxic shutdown of the San Lorenzo Campground displacing 150-200 people. I received a reply that City offices would be "closed for the holidays" until January 4th -but City Mangler Bernal has set January 6th as the date for completion of the destruction of the shelter-in-place camp.
(2020-12-23). Why Progressives Must Not Give Biden a Political Honeymoon. counterpunch.org The third time would not be a charm. People on the left did very little to challenge Bill Clinton after he won the presidency in 1992. Two years later, a big Republican wave took control of Congress. People on the left did very little to challenge Barack Obama after he won the presidency in 2008.
(2020-12-23). 'Tie normalization with Tel Aviv a stab in back of Palestine'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (MNA) — Head of political Bureau of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said that tie normalization with the Zionist regime is a stab in the back of Palestine and Islamic Ummah.
(2020-12-23). It Is Time For The One State Solution To Go Mainstream. popularresistance.org The "Palestinian-Israeli conflict" has often been presented as one of the most intractable in modern world history. | But one reason for this is precisely that it has been wrongly analyzed as a conflict and thus the "solutions" offered and the "peace processes" for getting there fail. | This is not a conflict. There are not two sides fighting over some issue that can be resolved through technical negotiations and compromise. Rather, Zionism was — and is — a settler-colonial project. | Jewish settlers arrived in Palestine from Europe with the intention of taking over the country and making it their own…
(2020-12-23). Against the witch-hunt. mronline.org 
Veteran of the fight against Apartheid RONNIE KASRILS warns that the IHRA is being used to suppress left-wing supporters of Palestine, just as anti-communist hysteria was used against the national-liberation movement in South Africa…
(2020-12-23). Alabama warehouse workers take on Amazon. workers.org 
Amazon workers at a Bessemer, Ala., warehouse took a big step toward organizing the first union ever in that behemoth company, when the National Labor Relations Board green-lighted their request for a unionization vote. Bessemer is a former steel-producing city adjoining Birmingham. On Dec. 18 the NLRB affirmed it was . . . |
(2020-12-23). New Amazonian Atlas reveals that a third of the rainforest is threatened. peoplesworld.org 
A third of the Amazonian rainforest is threatened by extreme pressure. For the last few years, the deterioration has intensified. The following is a special interview with Julia Jacomini from a publication of the Amazonian Network of Socioenvironmental Information (RAISG), which puts the latest data about the rainforest into perspective, in the first additions to …
(2020-12-23). Thomas Sowell vs. Noam Chomsky. zcomm.org Thomas Sowell criticizes the political work of Noam Chomsky on grounds that make clear he does not distinguish Chomsky's libertarian socialism from the technocratic and highly militarized state capitalism favored by liberal elites…
(2020-12-23). Since Paris Agreement — the five hottest years ever. workers.org 
By Mayana Ashley-Carner On Dec. 12, 2015, politicians and world leaders signed the Paris Agreement, an international pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to decrease the effects of climate change. But as climate activist Greta Thunberg reported in a recent video, data shows that the past five years have . . . |
(2020-12-23). "Worse Than Being in Iraq": Veteran & ER Doctor Says Pandemic Is Pushing Hospitals to Breaking Point. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. averages more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, we speak with Dr. Cleavon Gilman, an emergency physician who has been treating patients since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, first in New York City and now in Yuma, Arizona. Dr. Gilman is also an Iraq War veteran who served as a Marine combat medic, and has kept a public diary of his experiences treating COVID-19 patients. He was fired after tweeting that Arizona's ICU beds were full, and then got his job back after public outcry. "This pandemic is worse than being in Iraq," says Dr. Gilman. "This virus is a Trojan horse, and it just hides in…
(2020-12-23). Senior UN Human Rights Official 'Deeply Concerned' by Trump's Pardons for Mercenaries Who Massacred 17 Iraqi Civilians. commondreams.org "Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sq_0.jpg …
(2020-12-23). The Gaza Strip is "Uninhabitable": Israel's Genocide in Gaza Goes Uninterrupted, but Is Europe Finally Taking Notice? globalresearch.ca A long and cruel siege, constant Israeli attacks resulting in the killing of countless civilians, destruction of homes and infrastructure, extreme poverty, and trauma remain the daily bread of Palestinians in Gaza. | *** | A
(2020-12-23). Selected Articles: Staff at Hospitals in DC, Texas Turn Down COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca 
By A long and cruel siege, constant Israeli attacks resulting in the killing of countless civilians, destruction …
(2020-12-23). Is the U.S. facing a revolutionary situation? workers.org 
The inescapable duty of a socialist revolutionary is to perceive the changes taking place in society which sharpen the class struggle and act on those changes without hesitation. Any socialist or socialist organization which fails to do so cannot be considered a defender of the proletariat (the working class), much . . . |
(2020-12-23). Medicare for All Would Save Hundreds of Billions of Dollars Annually. zcomm.org The most exhaustive study on Medicare for All just came out. Its conclusion: a single-payer system would guarantee health insurance to all people while reducing overall health spending by hundreds of billions of dollars every year…
(2020-12-23). Staff at Hospitals in DC, Texas Turn Down COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca Many employees at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., have reservations about taking the COVID-19 vaccine, and CEO Anita Jenkins is trying to get workers to follow her lead by getting vaccinated, according to The hospital, a major …
(2020-12-23). How dangerous is the new COVID-19 strain? peoplesdispatch.org News of a new strain of the COVID-19 disease has stoked fears in the UK and the rest of the world. A number of countries, including India, have banned or restricted travel to the country. Immunologist Dr. Satyajit Rath and Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha discuss the new strain and its implications.
(2020-12-23). Labor creates all value, including vaccine value. peoplesworld.org 
As I watched the rollout of the first COVID-19 vaccines on television recently, I thought of that old line, "Labor creates all value." Above all, it is labor power—mental labor and muscle labor—that is producing safe, effective vaccines in quantities sufficient to vaccinate the 340 million people of the United States. People mistakenly credit Karl …
(2020-12-23). COVID-19 Lockdowns Are in Lockstep with the 'Great Reset'. globalresearch.ca Who benefits from lockdowns that are destabilizing all facets of our society? Look no further than the emerging global oligarchy. | In October 2019, a pandemic simulation exercise called …
(2020-12-23). Worthless PCR Tests for COVID. "Almost all" PCR Tests Produce False Positives. globalresearch.ca PCR tests are a scam. They don't work as claimed. | Yet their widespread use provides a foundation for manipulating people to be vaxxed with experimental, hazardous to human health vaccines. | PCR tests produce false positive results up to 90% of …
(2020-12-23). The Gold Comes Off: A COVID-19 Outbreak in Sydney. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-23). COVID and prisons: No walls, no borders in the workers' struggle. workers.org 
Texas "It's a nonviolent protest going on right now because the officers [in an unnamed Texas prison], in the middle of the coronavirus, have refused us electricity for several hours, no showers or anything." The voice is that of an incarcerated human being on video taken inside a Texas prison. . . . |
(2020-12-23). Are There Any Good Cops? dissidentvoice.org 
Yes, there is a pandemic. And, yes, the COVID-19 numbers and deaths are rising in certain locales. In the Canadian province of Alberta, lockdown measures were put into effect that include shutting all casinos, gyms, dine-in restaurants, and bars. Mask wearing, despite what science says, has been mandated. As well, all outdoor and indoor social …
(2020-12-23). Best of 2020: I'm a public defender. My elderly client might die in prison from COVID-19. salon.com Our 2020 retrospective continues with this essay on why releasing some from prison won't fix a broken system…
(2020-12-23). Statement from the REMAP-CAP trial on blood thinners in COVID-19 patients. imperial.ac.uk International trials of blood thinners have paused enrolment of critically ill COVID-19 patients.
(2020-12-23). 'Our Kids Deserve Better': Despite Pandemic, Trump EPA Refuses to Strengthen Smog Standards. commondreams.org "In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans are more keenly aware than ever of the need to take care of our health." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1037385826_1.jpg …
(2020-12-23). UK govt plunges millions more into most draconian Covid-19 measures amid record infections surge & new mutation. rt.com 
Millions more people will be plunged into England's toughest Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions from December 26 in a bid to stem the rising number of infections, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday. | The new measures will apply to Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, some areas of Essex and the borough of Waverley in Surrey. | At least 18 million people in England are now living under the Tier 4 rules, which ban people from leaving their homes without a "reasonable excuse" and mean they cannot meet other people indoors, including over the Christmas and New Year period. | Tier 4 mea…
(2020-12-23). Top Tory repeatedly clusterf*cks live on air over cancelling Christmas. thecanary.co A senior government minister made an absolute shambles of his breakfast media appearances on Wednesday 23 December. He also showed the Tories still don't appear to know what they're doing over the coronavirus (Covid-19) " Mutants everywhere: | Secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Robert Jenrick appeared on various breakfast…
(2020-12-23). Israel detects new Covid-19 strain, health ministry says. middleeasteye.net 
Israel detects new Covid-19 strain, health ministry says | Four people diagnosed with coronavirus variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 16: 04 | An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man gets vaccinated against Covid-19 at Clalit Health Services Center in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, on 21 December 2020 (AFP) | Israel has detected four cases of a new Covid-19 strain, a highl…
(2020-12-23). Joint Statement: Ensure Iranians Equitable Access to Covid-19 Vaccines. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-23). Smoking Meat, Hoping to Survive. thenation.com Smoking Meat, Hoping to Survive…
(2020-12-23). The Heat: Technology trends. america.cgtn.com 
COVID-19 changed the way we work, live and play. Technology made it possible to work from home, stream entertainment and connect with family and friends.
(2020-12-23). UK's NHS Frontline Doctors Express Concern Over Pace of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution. sputniknews.com Medical staff members in the US and the UK are currently receiving the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, which is based on messenger RNA technology, a new type of treatment that works by providing instructions to healthy cells to generate antibodies for a certain antigen.
(2020-12-23). British Government Contracts Firms to Make COVID 'Freedom Passports'. globalresearch.ca While the government is still saying …
(2020-12-23). A Tale of Two Elections: U.S. and Bolivia. counterpunch.org 
In recent weeks, Donald Trump has been ridiculed, slathered with contempt, and repeatedly branded a "liar," as well as an existential threat to democracy in the United States, by the biggest media outlets in the country. This is in response to his attempts to reverse the results of the U.S. presidential election, and claiming—without evidence—that
(2020-12-23). Las vacunas mundiales de China: un cambio revolucionario. workers.org 
En Estados Unidos, con menos del 5% de la población mundial, existe poca preocupación por el destino del otro 95% del mundo que se enfrenta a la pandemia. Cuándo, cómo y bajo qué condiciones se distribuirá una vacuna en los EE. UU. es la mayor preocupación de los EE.UU. Las . . . |
(2020-12-23). Black Lives Matter and France's Global Security Law. workers.org 
It is sometimes hard to realize the worldwide impact of the Black Lives Matter movement. Language, culture and media indifference can all get in the way. Some countries just don't have the type of events — protests, marches, rallies — for a variety of reasons, where the influence of BLM . . . |
(2020-12-23). A worker dies every 99 minutes from being injured on the job. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—A worker died every 99 minutes from fatal occupational injuries in 2019, the Labor Department revealed Dec. 16 in its annual report on the prior year's data. And that wasn't the only dubious job safety record set last year. The report, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, said 5,333 workers died from on-the-job injuries, …
(2020-12-23). Ukraine's fascist-backed government erasing Red Army from history. peoplesworld.org 
Ukraine's Communists are condemning what they call "state vandalism" as authorities in the city of Lviv announced their decision to dismantle the city's Monument of Glory, a memorial to Red Army soldiers who died fighting the Nazi invasion. Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko denounced the act as "moral terrorism" and called it "a crime against …
(2020-12-23). Interview with Amaurie Johnson: 'There's a lot of things that I want changed'. liberationnews.org 
In cell phone videos that went viral, Amaurie Johnson was assaulted by now former officer Matt Dages on May 27 in La Mesa, Ca.
(2020-12-23). Black Panther in struggle: The continued imprisonment of Russell Maroon Shoatz. workers.org 
Since 1972 — nearly half a century ago — Russell Maroon Shoatz has languished in a prison cell built on stolen land, poisoned and irradiated by the fossil fuel industry. A Black Panther Party member and soldier in the Black Liberation Army, Shoatz was falsely accused of killing a cop . . . |
(2020-12-23). Trump's Carnage: Testing America's "Democracy" counterpunch.org 
Benjamin Franklin, the most democratic of the Founding Fathers, was walking out of Independence Hall after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when a woman shouted, "Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?" Franklin replied, "A republic if you can keep it." Alexander Hamilton, one of the least democratic members among the Founding
(2020-12-23). The Myth of a Golden Age of American Liberalism. counterpunch.org 
In The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America, authors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge spend considerable time rehashing the conventional wisdom that says the United States was, from roughly 1900 to 1980, the world's Great Progressive Hope, a woke nation led by men of liberal values. Micklethwait and Woodridge write: "Fifty years ago, America lacked
(2020-12-23). FBI's Newest Prerogative: Shooting Subway Passengers. counterpunch.org 
Was the torrent of media editorials and exposes denouncing police violence earlier this year all a sham? Thirty-six years ago, Bernie Goetz pulled a pistol and shot four youths who were shaking him down on the New York subway. This was front-page news for weeks and spurred a deluge of anti-gun denunciations as well as
(2020-12-23). With racism, red-baiting/Georgia run-off elections fail to focus on people's needs. workers.org 
By Arielle Robinson and Dianne Mathiowetz Atlanta, Georgia So what's it like living in the political circus of the Jan. 5, 2021, run-off in Georgia for U.S. Senate—while the deadly scourge of the pandemic rages, fear of mass evictions and the rise of poverty and unemployment grow, and incessant charges . . . |
(2020-12-23). Peruvian agricultural workers' strike met with violent repression. peoplesdispatch.org 
Agricultural workers are mobilizing to demand that the Peruvian government and Congress follow through on their promise to pass a law granting labor rights and ensuring better working conditions for workers in this sector…
(2020-12-23). The Youth Are the Vanguard. workers.org 
A talk given at a "Young Communists Speak: Why Join a Revolutionary Party?" webinar sponsored by Workers World Party on Dec. 10. We are gathered here today to talk about the crisis facing young workers and the intense radicalization of younger generations here in the heart of the empire. It . . . |
(2020-12-23). Hollywood 'wouldn't touch' Khashoggi documentary, director says. middleeasteye.net 
Hollywood 'wouldn't touch' Khashoggi documentary, director says | Award-winning director Bryan Fogel says film distributors 'look the other way' when it comes to human rights abuses in kingdom | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 21: 51 | Fogel also slams media companies for making deals with Saudi companies or taking Saudi investment (AFP/File image) | The director of an upcoming documentary about slain Saudi journalist Jamal…
(2020-12-23). My wish for 2021? We all start fighting back, now. thecanary.co 
Boom. Bam. You know who it is. Yung Drilly, aka Drillminister — writing for The Canary. I'm running for London Mayor in 2021. And with the mess that our politicians have made in the past 12 months, we need radical change and quickly. So, here's my message as we head to towards the New Year.Black Lives Matter. But do they really?: This year has laid bare the open corruption and political violence in our society. It held a magnifying glass to the hate. And even though it's obvious for all to see — nothing has changed.The UK saw the reverberations of George Floyd's murder echo across the streets of…
(2020-12-23). Boris Johnson's Brexit Deal (Or No?) Undermined By Incompetence. counterpunch.org 
In 2016, BoJo Johnson travelled into the future and arrived at a post-Brexit Britain. The vista he faced pleased BoJo immensely. Writing in The Telegraph, the charlatan fantasist and future prime minister said of the panorama in front of him: "The markets were calm. The pound did not collapse. The British government immediately launched a
(2020-12-23). There may be a sleigh delay. thecanary.co 
Image descriptionA long and winding road leading to Dover filled is with bumper-to-bumper trucks. Halfway along the road, stuck in the traffic, is Santa sitting on a sleigh pulled by 4 reindeer. Santa and the reindeer are all wearing masks, looking at their phones and reading books. One reindeer has taken their mask off and is smoking. | By
(2020-12-23). Gideon Saar: The right-winger who could unseat Netanyahu and remake Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Gideon Saar: The right-winger who could unseat Netanyahu and remake Israel | He's pro-settler, against a Palestinian state and targets asylum seekers. But centrists and left-wingers are flocking to the man likely to become Israel's next prime minister | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 13: 58 | Gideon Saar, Israeli Member of Knesset for Likud, speaks during a rally as he launches his campaign for Likud party l…
(2020-12-23). 'Right Vibration' by Farmer Dave & The Wizards Of The West. counterpunch.org 
…
(2020-12-23). 'Good luck ladies': Kuwait exclusively appoints men to its Women's Committee. middleeasteye.net 
'Good luck ladies': Kuwait exclusively appoints men to its Women's Committee | The committee has been widely criticised online, forcing Kuwait's precarious position on gender equality back into the spotlight | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 13: 21 | Members of Kuwait's Parliamentary Women's Committee (Screengrab/ twitter) | The newly appointed, all-male parliamentary Women's Committee of Kuwait has been met with ridicul…
(2020-12-23). Imperial Intent: Destroying India's Farm Sector. dissidentvoice.org Agriculture in India is at a crossroads. Indeed, given that over 60 per cent of the country's 1.3-billion-plus population still make a living from agriculture (directly or indirectly), what is at stake is the future of India. Unscrupulous interests are intent on destroying India's indigenous agri-food sector and recasting it in their own image. Farmers …
(2020-12-23). Sharyl Attkisson and Rachael Jolley. projectcensored.org In the first half of the show, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Sharyl Attkisson shares ideas from her new book "Slanted. " She contends that in recent years corporate and government forces have dramatically expanded their intervention into the conduct of journalism, to the extent that some types of investigative stories can no longer be reported. | Then Rachael Jolley, former editor-in-chief for the Index on Censorship, joins the program from the UK to explain how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the work of reporters — in Europe and elsewhere. She notes that even while the pandemic has…
(2020-12-23). Did the pandemic stave off climate change? Here's what the science says. salon.com Humans drove less, flew less, and commuted less in 2020. But greenhouse gas accounting is notoriously tricky…
(2020-12-23). Paul Farmer on How We Tell the Story of a Pandemic. thenation.com Paul Farmer on How We Tell the Story of a Pandemic…
(2020-12-23). Video: US Navy Deploys Nuclear Submarine to Persian Gulf Amid Heightened Tensions with Iran. globalresearch.ca The Ohio-class nuclear submarine USS Georgia along with the guided-missile cruisers USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf, the US Navy announced on December 21. | The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia …
(2020-12-23). Don't Blame the Soviets for the War in Nagorno-Karabakh. dissidentvoice.org In the final week of September, an Azerbaijani offensive renewed hostilities in the perennial armed conflict and territorial dispute in the South Caucasus between Armenia and its neighbor over the Nagorno-Karabakh ("Mountainous Karabakh") region. By October, the clashes had escalated past the state border between Azerbaijan and the internationally-unrecognized Republic of Artsakh which suffered heavy …
(2020-12-23). US Attack: Treasury Department Imposes New Sanctions on Cuba and Nicaragua. globalresearch.ca The US imposed sanctions on three Cuban entities and three Nicaraguan citizens, the US Treasury Department reported today. | The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury Department sanctioned the Cuban companies Grupo de Administración Empresarial, Financiera Cimex and Kave …
(2020-12-23). VIPS MEMO: To Biden: Don't be Suckered on Russia. globalresearch.ca MEMORANDUM FOR: The President-elect | FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) | SUBJECT: Attempts to Sucker You Into Russia-Bashing | Dear President-elect Biden, | "Fool Me Once …" You may recall that President George W. Bush could not remember the last …
(2020-12-23). Remembering William Winter: Mississippi governor championed public education and civil rights. splcenter.org  …
(2020-12-23). A People's Agenda for a Better Nation. progressive.org The Poor People's Campaign and Congressional Progressive Caucus team up to chart a course for the future.
(2020-12-23). A Tale of Two Body Camera Videos. aclu.org Over the past month, two high-profile incidents reaffirmed why police body cameras cannot serve as a police transparency and accountability tool as long as state law empowers the police to determine what footage the public gets to see. As we have said
(2020-12-23). How the fracking revolution is killing the US oil and gas industry. nationofchange.org "Does investing in oil and gas companies still make sense?"
(2020-12-23). Arkansas Politicians' Relentless Push to End Abortion Access, and Humiliate and Shame Abortion Patients. aclu.org This week, the ACLU is back in court working to protect the constitutional right to abortion in Arkansas. In 2017, the state legislature passed four anti-abortion laws to severely restrict access to abortion. If allowed to take effect, these laws would ban the only method of abortion provided in Arkansas after approximately 14 weeks in pregnancy; require that patients' partners or others be notified of their abortion; force the health care center to report teenage patients' abortion to local police where there is no reason to suspect a crime; and force physicians to request a vast number of medical records for…
(2020-12-23). Adam Smith's invisible hand is at our throats. nationofchange.org Today our greed-based, war addicted, and growth-obsessed economic system poses even greater threats than it did during the early phases of the Industrial Revolution.
(2020-12-23). US Sanctions London-based Family of Assad's Wife Under Caesar Act. globalresearch.ca The US issued fresh sanctions on Tuesday against the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of her London-based family, in the latest designation on Syria's ruling family under the Caesar Act. | In addition to designating Asma al-Assad for …
(2020-12-23). Colombian social organizations hail release of peasant leaders, condemn 'frame-up'. peoplesdispatch.org Following mobilizations calling for their release, the judge overseeing the case ruled that the three leaders – Teófilo Acuña, Adelso Gallo and Robert Daza – will not be held in preventative detention while they await trial…
(2020-12-23). The Cuban Medical Brigade Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. dissidentvoice.org Lawrence B. Wilkerson, retired US Army Colonel and former chief of staff to US Secretary of State Colin Powell, has nominated the Cuban Medical Brigade Henry Reeve for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Wilkerson is also a Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Government and Public Policy at William and Mary College. Wilkerson's interest in Cuba's medical …
(2020-12-23). Holiday paper schedule. workers.org NOTE FROM THE EDITORS Dear readers, Due to the upcoming holidays, the issue of Workers World dated Dec. 24 will be the last in 2020. There will be none dated Dec. 31. The next issue will be dated Jan. 7, 2021. Please monitor workers.org for new online articles during the . . . |
(2020-12-23). Charter Schools Spend Millions On Advertising and Marketing. dissidentvoice.org Unlike public schools, private businesses like charter schools spend millions of public dollars a year on advertising and marketing. Putting aside widespread fraud and corruption in the segregated charter school sector, this is an enormous waste and abuse of public funds, especially at a time when public schools are being starved of much-needed public funds …
(2020-12-23). Beyond the "Fear and Greed Index" dissidentvoice.org Investors are driven by two emotions: fear and greed. — CNN-Money These days, for the 5% of Americans who have substantial cash to invest, it has become increasingly easy to acquire large capital-gains in stock-market equities, even over the short-term. Super-wealthy investors, with periodic bolstering from the Fed, nowadays produce the frequent bubbles of absurdly inflated …
(2020-12-23). Former sheriff's lieutenant pleads guilty to stealing $30K. nationofchange.org "The appalling criminal actions of former Lt. Scott Pillow revealed his lack of integrity and greed."
(2020-12-23). Podcast: Politics in Brazil today — Eyewitness discussion with journalist Michael Fox. greenleft.org.au Green Left host Jacob Andrewartha sits down with long-time multimedia journalist and radio reporter Michael Fox to discuss politics in Brazil.
(2020-12-23). Nothing to see here: Why media keeps downplaying Trump's coup attempt. salon.com Trump's cabal of desperate conspirators is more dangerous than ever, but mainstream media tells us to move on…
(2020-12-23). With "Midnight Sky," George Clooney directs a visually arresting post-apocalyptic yawnfest. salon.com Based on the book "Good Morning, Midnight," the Netflix film offers an intriguing premise but wastes its cast…
(2020-12-23). NY Attorney General subpoenas pro-Trump troll Jacob Wohl for voter suppression scheme. salon.com Wohl and Jack Burkman have been criminally indicted in Ohio and Michigan in connection with the robocall scheme…
(2020-12-23). 'Long Awaited and Long Overdue Victory for Democracy' as New York Approves Automatic Voter Registration. commondreams.org "At a time in our country when voting rights are under assault, New York is living up to our potential as a progressive leader." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12294357871.jpg …
(2020-12-23). The Winter's Tale: Solstice on the Streets of Paris. zcomm.org Ahmad Soheil Ahmadi interviews Obaidullah Alam Babakarkhil, the chairman of the French Refugee Council, about the privations suffered by homeless refugees as the winter solstice approaches…
(2020-12-23). Leo Panitch (1945—2020). zcomm.org The global left has suffered an irreparable loss with the passing of Leo Panitch this weekend. He was incredibly warm, inviting, and generous to others. And he remained committed to the end to the cause of socialism and human emancipation…
(2020-12-23). Monarch Butterflies Put on Waiting List for Endangered Species Act Protection. indybay.org WASHINGTON, December 15, 2020 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that protection for monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act is warranted but precluded. This puts the imperiled butterfly on a waiting list for listing but confers no protection in the meantime.
(2020-12-23). Much-Needed Federal Protection for America's Beloved Monarch Butterfly Warranted, but Precluded. indybay.org U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agrees that monarchs are threatened with extinction, but does not yet provide the protection that monarchs need to recover.
(2020-12-23). The CASE Act Is Just the Beginning of the Next Copyright Battle. commondreams.org Internet users and innovators, as well as the basic legal norms that have supported online expression for decades, are under attack. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1220525148.jpg …
(2020-12-23). A Campaign Under Quarantine. thenation.com A Campaign Under Quarantine…
(2020-12-23). The USOPC Defends Olympic Athletes' Right To Protest. thenation.com The USOPC Defends Olympic Athletes' Right To Protest…
(2020-12-23). Black Lives Matter. thenation.com Black Lives Matter…
(2020-12-23). Community Asks Oakland's Reimagining Public Safety Taskforce Members to Defund Police. indybay.org Community Asks Oakland's Reimagining Public Safety Taskforce Members to Stand with City Residents and Defund Police…
(2020-12-23). Outrage After Sacramento Police Illegally Detain and Terrorize 14-Year-Old African-American. indybay.org An African-American mother has expressed outrage at the ongoing practice of illegal detention by the Sacramento Police Department after the City's police officers detained and harassed her under aged son without provocation for the second time in fifteen months.
(2020-12-23). Friday 12/25: No Justice, No Cheer. indybay.org Meet at La Playa Safeway (850 La Playa St.) at 9: 30am, roll out at 10am. We'll be driving through some of the richest neighborhoods in SF.
(2020-12-23). Homeless Dead in Santa Cruz County 2020. indybay.org This is the list given out at the on-line 2020 Homeless Memorial on December 17, 2017, sponsored by Housing Matters, the Santa Cruz County Homeless Persons Health Project, Wings and the Salvation Army. It was updated for the in-person Memorial held today at the Food Not Bombs meal location at Front and Laurel Sts.
(2020-12-23). Joy Is Possible Despite 2020 Mutating Coronavirus. indybay.org Peace starts with you. Peace starts with me. Share the peace and joy of the season despite Coronavirus. (Please be safe while doing so.)…
(2020-12-23). Saturday 1/9: Strike Debt Bay Area Book Group: The Complexity Blog Symposium. indybay.org Online via Zoom. Email strike.debt.bay.area@gmail.com for the invite.
(2020-12-23). The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project (GERD) and the Quest for African Unity. globalresearch.ca Since November 4, the focus of the international community in their observations of the internal conflict in Ethiopia has largely been centered on the central government's suppression of a rebellion against its authority in the northern region of Tigray. | Within …
(2020-12-22). Could the Next Standing Rock Be Brewing in Northern Minnesota? mintpressnews.com 
The tension is palpable in northern Minnesota where a Native-led protest movement is getting ready to square off with Enbridge over the massive Line 3 oil pipeline being built to carry crude from Canada to the Great Lakes.
(2020-12-22). Chang'e-5 Completes Lunar Trip, More Space Missions Planned. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-22). Lee Camp: Ads All Tell Us To Kill Our Future. Worth Discussing? scheerpost.com By Lee Camp / Original to ScheerPost Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I am a hypocrite. (Although I'm not sure why I'm talking to my dad about it. He doesn't read my columns because he's too busy watching survival reality shows set in Alaska. . . . Maybe I'll factor something about eating a squirrel into the coming paragraphs to attract his attention.) It's the holidays. It's the buying… |
(2020-12-22). Congress Passes $900B Mitigation 2.0 Bill (As Double Dip Recession Looms). zcomm.org This McConnell $900B proposal is even less a mitigation measure. It's more a temporary palliative at best, buying 60 days of a partial offset to a coming contraction…
(2020-12-22). The Revenge Agenda. The Deep State Has Won a Major Victory. globalresearch.ca The upcoming year should be interesting. The Establishment "Deep State" has won a major victory in the United States with the election of Joe Biden as president. What remains to be seen is whether or not there will be significant …
(2020-12-22). The Socialists vs. Andrew Cuomo. thenation.com The Socialists vs. Andrew Cuomo…
(2020-12-22). Marx predicted the rise of Tommy Robinson and his rabble of far-right thugs. thecanary.co Notorious far-right figure Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (better known by his pseudonym 'Tommy Robinson') has just been given another
(2020-12-22). This Is How We Fight for Our Human Rights. dissidentvoice.org 
Person arrested protesting for Medicare for All. New York City. 2009 (HealthcareNow.org.) It was ten years ago last week that the Arab Spring began. I recall it well as the day before Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia and ignited a revolutionary movement, I stood in the snow for hours protesting outside the …
(2020-12-22). US Treasury Accuses Vietnam of Currency Manipulation, but this Will Not Lead to Sanctions. globalresearch.ca The U.S. Treasury Department accused Vietnam of currency manipulation in its
(2020-12-22). Bernie Sanders: Covid relief package is "totally inadequate" for "unprecedented" economic crisis. nationofchange.org "This country faces the worst set of public health and economic crises that we have faced in over a hundred years."
(2020-12-22). FDA Investigates Allergic Reactions to Pfizer COVID Vaccine After More Healthcare Workers Hospitalized. globalresearch.ca The FDA is investigating allergic reactions in "multiple states." The agency acknowledged the reactions may have been caused by PEG, a compound in the Pfizer vaccine that CHD previously told the FDA could put millions of people at risk. | ***…
(2020-12-22). The COVID-19 RT-PCR Test: How to Mislead All Humanity. Using a "Test" To Lock Down Society. globalresearch.ca The misuse of the RT-PCR technique is used as an intentional strategy by some governments, supported by scientific safety councils and by the dominant media, to justify the violation of a large number of constitutional rights, the destruction of the economy with the bankruptcy of entire active sectors of society,…
(2020-12-22). US Congress comes up with new COVID relief plan, but leaves much to be desired. peoplesdispatch.org The relief package will be the second-largest of its kind since the passing of the CARES Act in March, but is too little and too late for millions who have been pushed closer to poverty and instability by the pandemic…
(2020-12-22). Uptake and Accuracy of the ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code for COVID-19 Among US Hospitalizations. jamanetwork.com This study uses administrative claims data to describe trends in use of ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for novel coronavirus patients in January-May 2020, before and afer the April 1 release of the U07.1 code to facilitate billing for and case monitoring of COVID-19.
(2020-12-22). A pandemic 'Nurse T' tells her COVID-19 story in new published diary. peoplesworld.org 
Reading A Pandemic Nurse's Diary, particularly against prevalent media representations of healthcare workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought to mind for me the opening words of the sketch by the U.S. radical writer Jesús Colón, "Something to Read," from his collection A Puerto Rican in New York, in which he describes "a piece of …
(2020-12-22). Pfizer COVID Jab Warning: No Breastfeeding, Avoid Pregnancy for 2 Months, Unknown Fertility Impacts. globalresearch.ca Government produced safety instructions for a new coronavirus vaccine indicate that it should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding mothers and children. In addition, they state that it is unknown what effect the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine will have on …
(2020-12-22). Assessing Progress in Health Care Quality Through the Lens of COVID-19. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes US health system performance during the COVID-19 pandemic using the National Academy of Medicine's 2001 Quality Chasm framework, focusing on system cohesion, organizational capabilities, and environment of care.
(2020-12-22). Hospital Readmission Is Common Among COVID-19 Survivors. jamanetwork.com Nearly 1 in 10 patients who were discharged after receiving inpatient care for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) earlier this year were readmitted within 2 months, according to a recent study.
(2020-12-22). Trump's COVID task force coordinator Deborah Birx to retire after violating WH travel guidance. salon.com Birx said the backlash to her family trip after repeated anti-travel warnings has been a "bit overwhelming"
(2020-12-22). Take it one day at a time to tackle lonely Covid Christmas, charities say. thecanary.co Charities are urging people anticipating a lonely festive period to "take it one day at a time", in an effort to protect their mental health. Last-minute restrictions on social freedoms mean many of us will be facing the Christmas period without loved ones. | London and parts of southern and eastern England were rushed into the new Tier 4 lockdown regime at the weekend. This effectively cancelled most Christmas plans, and imposed measures similar to the previous national lockdowns amid the rise of a new coronavirus mutant strain. | Scotland and Northern Ireland have already announced new lockdowns from Boxing Day…
(2020-12-22). 'No More Caving' to Austerity Warns Sanders After Biden Lauds Paltry Covid-19 Relief Deal as 'Model' Legislation. commondreams.org "If we allow Republicans to set the parameters of the debate going forward, like they did in this current Covid relief bill, the next two to four years are going to be a disaster." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_gunnels.jpg …
(2020-12-22). COVID Relief Package Is "Totally Inadequate" for "Unprecedented" Economic Crisis. zcomm.org Sanders took to the floor of the Senate Friday to call for $1,200 emergency checks for every working-class adult and $500 per child…
(2020-12-22). Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ): The Suppression of a Proven COVID Remedy. globalresearch.ca Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been an FDA approved drug for over 65 years. It has been on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines since the list began in 1977. People have been safely treated with HCQ billions of times …
(2020-12-22). US spending bill: Five gifts to Israel. middleeasteye.net 
US spending bill: Five gifts to Israel | An enormous US spending bill that accompanied the Covid-19 relief package contains many financial and political perks for Israeli government | Tue, 12/22/2020 – 22: 27 | Israel did not receive coronavirus relief funds, but the aid to its military at a time when Americans are struggling drew criticism (AFP/File photo) | The US Congress has passed an enormous $2.3 trillion s…
(2020-12-22). In a pandemic, why are cities still making it hard for people to get utilities? mronline.org 
With the continuing pandemic—and expiring housing and unemployment benefits across the country—millions of people may have their utilities cut off soon.
(2020-12-22). Baseball's racist legacy today as MLB finally recognizes 'Negro Leagues' — a WW commentary. workers.org 
Major League Baseball first announced on Dec. 9 that it would finally incorporate all of the players, statistics and records from the "Negro Leagues" (NL) into its present-day records. Many said it was about time and that this recognition is long overdue. Both sentiments are justified. Pennsylvania's Homestead Grays, founded . . . |
(2020-12-22). IMF approves disbursement of 2 billion USD for Ecuador. peoplesdispatch.org 
Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno says the funds will be used for "social protection and economic reactivation", however, the deal calls for a lower minimum wage, higher sales taxes, labor reform, and limited public investment…
(2020-12-22). The Winter's Tale: Solstice on the Streets of Paris. counterpunch.org 
Acts of kindness When you give assistance in any form to a homeless asylum seeker shivering in the freezing European winter, he or she may not be able to repay you there and then. One day though, if you're lucky enough, you might see the fruit of the smile you created. Asylum seekers come to
(2020-12-22). Arizona State University workers go union, found United Campus Workers chapter. peoplesworld.org 
PHOENIX—In a historic move for organized labor in Arizona, workers at Arizona State University have joined with staff at the University of Arizona to unionize with United Campus Workers. On Dec. 17, the newly-formed ASU-UCW chapter took to Twitter and Facebook to officially go public with the "wall-to-wall" union, meaning it's intended to represent every …
(2020-12-22). Millions of India's Farmers Are in a Fight for Their Economic Lives. counterpunch.org 
India's farmers are revolting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in a mass movement that has drawn international attention. The world's largest democracy is witnessing a collective groundswell of protest as hundreds of thousands of farmers, largely from the states of Punjab and Haryana, have laid siege to the outskirts of the capital of New
(2020-12-22). No right to read: Profiteering corporations creep into prison libraries. peoplesworld.org 
When thinking about what incarcerated people need, perhaps a library is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, the population within prison walls is typically one that reads more than those on the outside. As a public librarian, I've long been keenly aware of the positive role prison libraries play in the lives …
(2020-12-22). Sustainability is Morality. counterpunch.org 
For me, the sustainability crisis — of which global warming climate change is a very prominent symptom — is a moral issue. The locus of immorality driving that crisis is the nature of our civilization. Undoing that immorality would require destroying all our politics and economics, and abandoning all our ideologies and religions — which
(2020-12-22). 'Ban the Bomb' becomes international law, but U.S. doesn't sign on. peoplesworld.org 
Arguably the first step in half a century to eliminate nuclear weapons, the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) makes it internationally illegal to "develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess, or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." At the United Nations in 2017, 122 countries, none of them possessing nuclear …
(2020-12-22). Boris Johnson is as Incompetent as General Haig at the Somme: the Price is 50,000 Unnecessary Deaths This Year. counterpunch.org 
On 1 July 1916, the British Army attacked the German front line on the Somme in an ill-planned and over-ambitious offensive. Advancing soldiers were slaughtered by machine guns and artillery fire as they tried to struggle through unbroken barbed wire. The battle was to go on for 141 days, but on the first day alone the British suffered 57,470 casualties, including 19,240 dead.
(2020-12-22). The True Meaning of Christmas in the Age of Pandemic and Austerity. commondreams.org With the pandemic raging and millions unemployed, this Christmas will witness tears among the smiles. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1074721308.jpg …
(2020-12-22). An Essential Worker's List of Pandemic Chores for the Kids. jamanetwork.com Sorry I had to leave before you woke up. You're right, it isn't fair.
(2020-12-22). The Painter as Hooligan: Adrian Ghenie at New York's Pace Gallery. globalresearch.ca Adrian Ghenie's work was nearly four years ago, and yet it seems much longer than that. I suspect that the reason for this is, at least in part, because the world appears so very …
(2020-12-22). "Walk the Streets of Damascus, and Listen to the People Concerning US Sanctions and Aggression Against Syria" globalresearch.ca The Syrian crisis which began in 2011 has left many wondering what it was really about. Most western news observers may be confused, disinterested, or have bought-in to the lies they were told by the media. However, there is an …
(2020-12-22). USW strikes Constellium at Alabama aluminum plant. fightbacknews.org Muscle Shoals, AL – More than 400 members of United Steel Workers Local 200 are on strike against Constellium over unfair labor practices at its Second Street production facility, formerly owned by Wise Alloys and Reynolds. | The strike began on December 15 after months of negotiations with management failing to bargain to a fair, acceptable agreement, despite extending the previous contract with Constellium for more than a month past its November 1 expiration. | "Constellium insists on a contract that would erase decades of collective bargaining progress on issues like seniority and occupational health and safet…
(2020-12-22). Early Physical Therapy Relieves Sciatica Disability and Pain. jamanetwork.com A primary care clinician's referral to physical therapy within 90 days of sciatica symptom onset improved pain and functional capabilities compared with usual care, a trial in the Annals of Internal Medicine found.
(2020-12-22). On Capitalism and the Machine. globalresearch.ca In 1935, reflecting on the creed of productivity which prevailed in modern technological societies, Bertrand Russell, philosopher, pacifist and devout humanist wrote that: | "I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm …
(2020-12-22). New Boss, Same Story. realprogressives.org Guess what? Joe Biden won the Electoral College vote, and now is officially the President-Elect! And it's about time too. What has it been, 3 years since his electors won the November election so they could put his name on their ballot? And still Donald Trump has not yet conceded to Joe's superior campaigning skills. Of course not, the Donald cannot imagine that anyone could do better at fooling the American electorate than himself. But when it comes to fooling the American electorate all we need to do is look at the biggest fool who served as President and his wise, but foolish words. "Fool me once, shame on…
(2020-12-22). Accelerating Global Improvements in Health Care Quality. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint proposes a policy framework for thinking about health care quality in low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing the importance of infrastructure, enforceable quality standards, safety practices, guideline-directed clinical care, and patient and family involvement.
(2020-12-22). Cross-Training in Neurology and Psychiatry—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Mr Butchart agrees that the interface between the brain and the mind has been neglected by the fields of both neurology and psychiatry. However, he also suggests that our proposal of increased neuroscience training for all trainees in neurology and psychiatry goes too far. We would like to emphasize some key aspects of our Viewpoint that may place this issue in a clearer context.
(2020-12-22). President-elect Joe Biden appoints his environmental team. nationofchange.org "Folks, we're in a crisis. We literally have no time to waste…"
(2020-12-22). The FBI is Secretly Breaking Into Encrypted Devices. We're Suing. aclu.org The FBI is secretly breaking the encryption that secures our cell phones and laptops from identity thieves, hackers, and abusive governments, and it refuses to even acknowledge that it has information about these efforts — even though some details have been filed publicly in federal court. We're suing to get some answers., , Between our emails, text messages, location information, social media activity, and more, our cell phones hold almost our entire lives. In recent years, governments have stepped up efforts to gain access to the information on our cell phones and personal computers. The federal govern…
(2020-12-22). U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act: US Congress Votes $4 Billion to Israel for 2021. globalresearch.ca Congress just voted billions of dollars of U.S. tax money to Israel, No mainstream US media appear to have told Americans that both houses of Congress just voted massive aid to Israel, a tiny country with a long record …
(2020-12-22). Hold On to Your Hats, Tt Seems Good Government is Possible. counterpunch.org A hen's teeth event occurred in Colorado this month. Boulder County Commissioners Elise Jones, Deb Gardner and Matt Jones voted unanimously to adopt rules on implementation of Senate Bill 181. The Commission and its staff demonstrate what is possible when government is sincere about protecting its people rather than trying to draw a dodgy line
(2020-12-22). The Light Princess —Pregnancy Loss. jamanetwork.com In this narrative medicine essay a family physician recalls her bereavement after a pregnancy loss and her slow process of healing through mentoring and lasting relationships with premed students, following their lives and careers with the same pride as a parent.
(2020-12-22). Cross-Training in Neurology and Psychiatry. jamanetwork.com To the Editor In their Viewpoint on training in neurology and psychiatry, Dr Keshavan and colleagues, argued that the interface between the mind and the brain is neglected in training; the addition of residency training in clinical neuroscience may allow physicians to better address those diseases that cause neurological and psychiatric symptoms. However, by suggesting that all trainees in neurology and psychiatry focus more heavily on the neurosciences, I believe that they went too far.
(2020-12-22). One-third of Ontario Businesses Report They Will Not Survive the Second Lockdown. globalresearch.ca The Ontario government's decision to extend and expand lockdowns across the province is another big hit in a long line of crushing blows to small business owners. | "Today's announcement guarantees the demise of thousands upon thousands of Ontario's small businesses," …
(2020-12-22). How U.S. Government Paid-Off Its Super-Rich in Order to Pass Its Coronavirus-Relief Laws. globalresearch.ca On December 14th, two excellent news-reports were belatedly published about some of the massive corruption that was behind the initial U.S. federal coronavirus-relief law, the CARES Act, and about U.S. Senators of both Parties now intending to include such corruption …
(2020-12-22). The Red House: A cautionary tale. nationofchange.org Let's be clear. Red House is about armed conflict and the violation of human rights in the name of opposing the violation of human rights, which is nakedly oxymoronic.
(2020-12-22). Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. jamanetwork.com This narrative review summarizes recent advances in the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including updates on pharmacologic options and surgical approaches.
(2020-12-22). Patient Information: Peyronie Disease. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Patient Page describes Peyronie disease, a scarring of tissue in the penis that may affect sexual function, and available procedural treatment options.
(2020-12-22). A Social Medicine Team for Emergency Department Patients With High Psychosocial Burden. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Performance Improvement article describes experience at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital with an emergency department social medicine (EDSM) team to facilitate care of ED patients with low-acuity medical illnesses and complex psychosocial comorbidities (homelessness, mental illness, substance use, poverty).
(2020-12-22). Association of First Primary Cancer With Risk of Subsequent Primary Cancer in US Adults. jamanetwork.com This cohort study uses SEER registry data to estimate overall and cancer-specific risk for secondary primary cancers among US adults with first primary cancers who lived at least 5 years past their initial diagnosis.
(2020-12-22). Their Right to Take Your Life: A History of the U.S. Death Penalty. progressive.org Capital punishment is more unpopular than ever, but that isn't stopping Trump from rushing an unprecedented number of executions during his final days in office.
(2020-12-22). Progress in Patient Safety in Anesthesia. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes the history of patient safety improvements in the practice of anesthesiology, with a shift in focus from reducing procedural mortality to improving systems, including optimization of teamwork, communication, interdisciplinary care, and standards for new technologies.
(2020-12-22). Freedom Denied: Minor parole violations keep Alabama man tangled in state's prison system. splcenter.org  …
(2020-12-22). Pakistan Returns $1bn to Saudi Arabia and Turns to China for Loan Assistance. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-22). Best of 2020: How I stole my bike back. salon.com Our 2020 retrospective continues with this story about an impossible mission — to recover a stolen bike in Portland…
(2020-12-22). Yes, older people like my mom should get the vaccine first: Here's why. salon.com My mother has dementia and a slew of health problems. Giving her the shot first could save your life…
(2020-12-22). The ceramic Christmas tree is back! Why the retro holiday decoration is everywhere this year. salon.com As many people are celebrating the holiday alone, they're decorating with a small dose of nostalgia…
(2020-12-22). A British Tribute to the American Physician. jamanetwork.com In the London Lancet for October 20, page 507, an anonymous writer ventures a few reminiscent thoughts relative to the association of the British physicians with their American colleagues during the period of the war. It is a charming statement in which every medical reader should take pleasure. The statement follows:…
(2020-12-22). If We Don't Break Up Big Tech, We'll All Be Uber Drivers Soon. zcomm.org
(2020-12-22). "The People's Agenda: A Progressive Roadmap for 2021" zcomm.org "The People's Agenda is the culmination of months of works to identify our shared progressive priorities for the start of the new Congress"
(2020-12-22). The US's "Best" University Fuels the Climate Crisis. Princeton Must Divest. zcomm.org As young people, we will have to live with the effects of inaction from institutions like Princeton for the rest of our lives. And so, we organize…
(2020-12-22). 2020 Saw Resurgence of Strikes as a Key Tactic for Labor Around the World. zcomm.org Trumka and others are sending a message that they're more willing to gain from short-term benefit of police unionists' membership in the federation than to address their harmful legacy…
(2020-12-22). Is a Fascist Movement Developing Here? counterpunch.org Since the media declared that former Vice President Joe Biden won the presidential election, the nation has witnessed a proliferation of right-wing Trump rallies. Their message: the election was a fraud and Trump's win was stolen from him. Is this the beginning of a domestic fascist movement to discredit our democratic institutions? Historian Timothy Snyder
(2020-12-22). The Christmas Truce of 1914 and Other Unlearned Lessons from World War I. globalresearch.ca "…the ones who call the shots (in war) won't be among the dead and lame And on each end of the rifle we're the same" — John McCutcheon | In World War I, as happens to be true in most American …
(2020-12-22). Dreamers Deserve a Path To Citizenship. commondreams.org DACA changed my life. But after four years of fear, it's clear that undocumented young people need more protection. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/dreamers_0.jpg …
(2020-12-22). Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education. commondreams.org Leslie Fenwick knows that public schools are an essential element of American democracy. They are community institutions that belong to the public, not to entrepreneurs or corporate chains. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1133872091.jpg …
(2020-12-22). The Latinx Future Will Not Look Like the Latinx Past. thenation.com The Latinx Future Will Not Look Like the Latinx Past…
(2020-12-22). How Should We Remember Ellis Island? thenation.com How Should We Remember Ellis Island?
(2020-12-22). Pacific Grove Police Officer's Parler Account. indybay.org Pacific Grove Police Officer Michael Gonzalez's Parler account. Officer Gonzalez previously got in trouble in May for stickers he had on his truck which was parked in a City owned parking lot. The City has spent $23,000 defending him so far.
(2020-12-22). Self-reference in capital and in ourselves. indybay.org "Lateral thinkers" defend their freedom. Capital serves no other purpose than the irrational end in itself of the multiplication of itself.
(2020-12-22). Friday 12/25: Holiday Meal and Festival. indybay.org Laurel and Front Streets, Lot 27, Santa Cruz…
(2020-12-22). "Health is not a Super basic right" indybay.org What has to change with regard to the handling of our fundamental rights from a legal, but also from a political point of view? The federal government's Corona policy is not without alternatives, and it has by no means always been successful, as the unsuccessful "partial lockdown" has shown. Nor is there "science" that agrees on necessary measures; there are also many critical voices among medical experts.
(2020-12-22). Monday 12/21: Call to Action: Virtual Rally for Sacred Site of Oak Flat w/ Apache Stronghold. indybay.org Virtual rally via Zoom…
(2020-12-21). Building Its Own Delivery Network, Amazon Puts the Squeeze On Drivers. zcomm.org Amazon's logistics infrastructure relies upon the exploitation and hyper-surveillance of both warehouse workers and contracted delivery drivers. In global labor organizing, joining these two groups together will be critical to worker power…
(2020-12-21). Empire, socialism and November /w Leo Panitch. mronline.org 
First, whether the pandemic has fundamentally altered the geopolitical balance between the U.S. and other great powers, specifically China. And second, how socialists in the U.S. should approach the November elections. For Panitch, the two issues are intimately connected.
(2020-12-21). Thousands of Americans "Negatively Affected" Following COVID-19 Vaccination. globalresearch.ca Thousands of people have been unable to work or perform daily activities, or required care from a healthcare professional, after getting the new As of …
(2020-12-21). COVID-19, the Climate Crisis, and Mutual Aid. commondreams.org Mutual aid is not only about addressing the crisis at hand but also about undoing the injustices of colonialism and imperialism. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/disasterrelief.jpeg …
(2020-12-21). What Lurks Beneath the Contrarian Perspective? counterpunch.org 
In Plato's legendary tome, Republic, Thrasymachus, responding to Socrates' question as to whether or not he feels justice is a vice, emphatically asserts: "No, just very high minded simplicity." Republic was written way back in 375 BC, but unfortunately "high minded simplicity" is alive and well in the intellectually ignominious year of 2020.
(2020-12-21). Militarized Pandemic Science: Why is the Pentagon Funding the EcoHealth Alliance? counterpunch.org 
"Pandemics are like terrorist attacks: We know roughly where they originate and what's responsible for them, but we don't know exactly when the next one will happen. They need to be handled the same way — by identifying all possible sources and dismantling those before the next pandemic strikes." This statement was written in the
(2020-12-21). Bilateral swaps in China's global presence. mronline.org 
China's use of yuan-denominated central bank swaps, while enhancing its influence, is a source of support for developing countries in an unequal international order.
(2020-12-21). Political Science and the Fate of the Wolverine. counterpunch.org 
On December 14, 2020, 24 organizations and one individual (me) filed two different lawsuits to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision not to list the wolverine as a threatened Distinct Population Segment (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The plaintiffs are arguing the FWS decision was capricious and arbitrary. The wolverine,
(2020-12-21). Arabic press review: Saudi Arabia and UAE bankrolling Arab states' Israel deals. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Saudi Arabia and UAE bankrolling Arab states' Israel deals | Meanwhile, Jordanian prisoner numbers soar and Egypt revokes citizenship of 17 people under nationality law | Mon, 12/21/2020 – 16: 12 | A Moroccan diplomat said that the UAE and Saudi Arabia were sponsoring normalisation agreements on behalf of the US (AFP) | Saudi Arabia, UAE bankrolling normalisation agreeme…
(2020-12-21). No, Joe, Don't Roll out the Red Carpet for Torture Enablers. commondreams.org We need political leaders and intelligence community officials who acknowledge that torture is illegal under international law, inhumane, and ineffective. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/torture.png …
(2020-12-21). Best of 2020: Watching Andrew Cuomo's pandemic briefings finally let me grieve my father. salon.com Our 2020 retrospective continues with this tribute to a father's uncanny similarities to a governor in crisis mode…
(2020-12-21). Behold the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius. globalresearch.ca We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. — Oscar Wilde | Today all radio stations on Planet Earth should be playing
(2020-12-21). The US-China Power Struggle, Two Decades of CIA Interference in Tibet. globalresearch.ca Of relevance to the crisis in US-China relations, we bring to the attention of our readers this incisive historical analysis of CIA interference in Tibet by Shawn Quinn, first published in January 2020 | *** | America's position as the world's …
(2020-12-21). Global Research: Analysis of a World in Crisis. globalresearch.ca Dear Readers, | As the year slowly draws to a close, we remain committed to providing a diverse and wide range of opinion and analysis of a World in crisis. Our sincere hope is that truth will ultimately prevail and will …
(2020-12-21). Fracking The Okavango: Big Oil Comes For Africa's Greatest Park. globalresearch.ca Canadian oil and gas company Recon Africa said in an August 2020 The …
(2020-12-21). Enlaces Red Latina sin fronteras 20Dic. indybay.org ENLACES de Red Latina sin fronteras 20.12.2020 | comunicaciones e información para la liberación…
(2020-12-21). Monday 12/21: Dream Farm Commons Art Shop: Sustenance for the long winter. indybay.org Dream Farm Commons | 349 15th Street | Oakland, CA 94612…