(2020-12-25). COVID-19: A Fabricated Second "Tidal Wave" of Poverty and Injustice. globalresearch.ca Here we are at the end of a year filled with upheaval, facing yet another round of lockdowns, this time ostensibly intended to fight off a supposed "second wave of COVID-19." | In the foreground, we have the completely co-opted mainstream …
(2020-12-25). The DC Political Monopoly Just Doesn't Get It. counterpunch.org The spectacle of political "leaders" disconnected from basic social realities survived Trump's defeat. He and his GOP had shown little grasp of the two great crises of 2020: the crash of capitalism and the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump's resulting political defeat did not reconnect them. The Biden Democrats already show they learned little from Trump's loss; disconnection governs them too.
(2020-12-25). Warning: Covid Vaccines! Huge Risks, Huge Injuries — Huge Compensations? globalresearch.ca Did you know that the US Government since 1988 paid as of 1 December 2020 more than 4.4 billion dollars to vaccine-injury victims? — It's your money — Taxpayers Money. This is
(2020-12-25). Climate activists mount utility strike to urge the shutdown of New England coal plant. nationofchange.org The Strike Down Coal campaign provides a COVID-safe form of disobedience, building on more than a year of direct actions to shut down Merrimack Station.
(2020-12-25). COVID-19 Exposed the Urgency for a Right to Housing. progressive.org Without giving renters the option to buy their homes, this crisis could be even worse than the Great Recession.
(2020-12-25). Former Chief Science Officer for Pfizer Says "Second Wave" Faked on False-Positive COVID Tests, "Pandemic Is Over" globalresearch.ca First published by Global Research on September 24, 2020, this analysis of former V-P of Pfizer Michael Yeadon has been the object of censorship | In a stunning development, a former Chief Science Officer for the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says "there …
(2020-12-25). Demonstrators besiege California prison HQ: 'Mass releases now!'. workers.org 
Sacramento, Calif. Dec. 17 — Under the banner "From Balloons to Bullhorns," an angry group of protesters converged on the steps of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to demand mass releases of incarcerated people due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The vigil and rally organized by Sistas With Voices . . . |
(2020-12-25). 1,158 Strikes Since March First. popularresistance.org Back in 2019, Payday was one of the few national outlets in the country to cover the first-ever statewide teachers strike in South Carolina. Now, teachers in school districts throughout South Carolina are increasingly calling "sickout" strikes to protest unsafe COVID conditions. | A growing sickout strike in the suburbs of the state capitol Columbia is now entering its second week. Our friends at The State have the story: | "Our main thing is to go back to the hybrid model," said an Airport High School teacher, who asked to remain anonymous. Schools in the district previously operated on a rotating two-day in-per…
(2020-12-25). The virus that shut down the world: The yawning gulf between rich and poor. news.un.org Inequality between the rich and poor worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty increased, for the first time in decades. In part two of our series on how the virus has changed the world, we look at the ways the pandemic has pushed back efforts to create more equitable societies.
(2020-12-25). UK Queen's speech addresses impact of Covid-19 pandemic. laprensalatina.com London, Dec 25 (efe-epa).- The United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth II on Friday sent a message of encouragement to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic during her traditional Christmas Day speech. In a pre-recorded message broadcast at 3 pm GMT, as is tradition, the queen said: "a year that has necessarily kept people apart has in …
(2020-12-25). With Winter Comes More Stagnant Air, Intensifying COVID-19 Risks. truthout.org At around 11 AM on November 4, Germaine Patterson stepped outside of her Clairton, Pennsylvania, home to exercise in the backyard. Dirty air sent her quickly retreating back inside. | "I started having heart palpitations," she told EHN. "I know it was due to the air quality." | For seven straight days in early November, air pollution levels in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, exceeded limits set to protect public health. Unusually warm weather had triggered a hazardous temperature inversion: A low layer of…
(2020-12-25). 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.
(2020-12-25). Saudi crown prince receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi crown prince receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccine | Health Ministry says it hopes to have enough vaccine to cover 70 percent of population | Fri, 12/25/2020 – 21: 44 | MBS is one of several world leaders to have received their first dose of the vaccine (AFP) | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Friday, a week after health author…
(2020-12-25). 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 . . . |
(2020-12-25). Turkey's Erdogan indicates better ties with Israel possible. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey's Erdogan indicates better ties with Israel possible | President says talks at intelligence level continue between the two sides but Israel's policies on Palestine 'unacceptable' | Fri, 12/25/2020 – 11: 19 | The two countries have had several fallings out in recent years, despite strong commercial ties, expelling ambassadors in 2018 (AFP) | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ind…
(2020-12-25). JatiIndia Flag of the Week: Atrocities Caste, Present and Future. counterpunch.org 
Sandip, Ramu, Lavkush and Ravi. Those are the names of the upper-caste Thakurs who tortured and gang-raped a 19-year-old girl in Hathras, Utter Pradesh, JatiIndia, on September 14. Folding his palms, [Manisha's father] pleaded, 'Our daughters are no longer safe. We are helpless, I request the nation to stand with us, help us get justice
(2020-12-25). Las empresas mienten, los trabajadores contraatacan. workers.org 
Estamos en medio de una pandemia épica y creciente en los EE.UU. Hay 200.000 casos nuevos casi a diario y las muertes se están acelerando. Todos sabemos esto. Lo que falta es cómo, al menos, frenar, si no detener, las trágicas pérdidas que más golpean a las personas en situación . . . |
(2020-12-25). Is Society Collapsing? counterpunch.org 
Twenty-five years ago, when the high-tech Second Industrial Revolution had just begun, I made a bet with an editor from Wired magazine that global society led by the United States would collapse in the year 2020 from a confluence of causes created by modern technology out of control.
(2020-12-25). "I Am the Man They Call Sue Mundy": Civil War Kentucky's "Female" Confederate Guerrilla. counterpunch.org 
There was no Sue Mundy. There was an orphan boy. There was a clever, unscrupulous newspaperman. And there was a long, cruel and bitter war. It was a war between slavery and freedom, between secession and union, between North and South. Kentucky was split: Southern in culture and sympathy, a slave state (originally part of Virginia), but Northern in commerce and strategic importance.
(2020-12-25). Ma Don't Take No Mess. counterpunch.org 
The Netflix film of the late August Wilson's play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a knockout. His writing informs and moves us on many levels. One is class. That is who makes and takes black music, the subject of Gerald Horne's Jazz and Justice: Racism and the Political Economy of the Music (Monthly Review Press,
(2020-12-25). Death Row, Texas: A lonely birthday for innocent Rodney Reed. workers.org 
Bastrop, Texas Rodney Reed's family and supporters had a press conference and rallied outside the Bastrop County Courthouse, with its Confederate monuments 25 yards away on the lawn. Reed was railroaded to death row inside the courthouse in 1998 by Bastrop County's historically racist injustice system. Rodrick Reed, speaking to . . . |
(2020-12-25). Thebes of Myth and History. counterpunch.org 
Thebes was one of about 1,000 poleis (city-states) spread all over the mainland of classical Greece, the islands of the Aegean and Ionian seas, the Black Sea coast, Asia Minor, north Africa, southern France, eastern Spain and southern Italy and Sicily. There were so many Greeks and Greek city-states in Italy and Sicily the Romans
(2020-12-25). Stealing Native Children: the Revolting Legacy of Canada's Residential School System. counterpunch.org 
Tsi Wá: ton tsi Enskarihwahserón: ni — Tsi Niká: ien Rati'terón: tahkwe ne Ronnonkwehón: we Tsi Ionteweiénsta Ronwati'terontáhkhwa "… [I]f anything is to be done with the Indian, we must catch him very young. The children must be kept constantly within the circle of civilized conditions." -Nicholas Flood Davin, Report on Industrial schools for Indians and Half-Breeds, 1879. Of late,
(2020-12-25). No, no si se puede, hombres: That's how the cookie crumbles! dissidentvoice.org 
Someone said, "If you don't have something nice to say about someone, don't say anything." Oh, the idiocy of America!! Shit-dog, this country, now, and going back when I was in my teens (13 when my family moved us from Paris, France, to Arizona — of all places), well, lying, cheating, achy-breaky heart, don't you …
(2020-12-25). U.S. attempts 'soft coup' in Cuba. workers.org 
By Rosa Miriam Elizalde From Resumen English Dec. 10 ‚àí Invasions get bad press — those close-ups of foreign boots marching over a beach or a neighborhood like El Chorrillo in Panama in 1989, where they still don't know the total number of people who the U.S. troops killed. After . . . |
(2020-12-25). Al-Akhbar under cyberattack for reporting Saudi and Emirati bankrolling Israel deals. middleeasteye.net 
Al-Akhbar under cyberattack for reporting Saudi and Emirati bankrolling Israel deals | The Lebanese newspaper published a report on Riyadh and Abu Dhabi's plans to finance the new Arab normalisation agreements with Israel
| Fri, 12/25/2020 – 11: 56 | The reception space of the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper office in Beirut (Screengrab\Haitham al-Mousawi) | The website of the Le…
(2020-12-25). What Time Is It in Lockdown? dissidentvoice.org 
Here where I dwell in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has just occurred. The darkest day of the year in a dark year. A few days ago was also the Grand Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, which is interesting to those who like the musical Hair …
(2020-12-25). What's Not Being Said About the Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine. "Human Guinea Pigs"? globalresearch.ca The Pharma giant Pfizer use an experimental technology known as gene editing, specifically mRNA gene-editing, something never before used in vaccines. Before we rush to get jabbed in hopes of some immunity, we should know more about the radical experimental technology and its lack of precision.
(2020-12-25). EU bans plastic waste exports to poorer countries. nationofchange.org "This is an important milestone in fighting plastic pollution, transitioning shifting to a circular economy, and achieving the aims of the European Green Deal."
(2020-12-25). Coalition sues Trump administration over 'outrageous assault' on Tongass National Forest protections. nationofchange.org "Trump's reckless plan to clearcut old-growth trees in the Tongass will irreversibly damage our climate, kill wildlife, and devastate Southeast Alaska communities."
(2020-12-25). Tackling the Infrastructure and Unemployment Crises: The "American System" Solution. dissidentvoice.org A self-funding national infrastructure bank modeled on the "American System" of Alexander Hamilton, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt would help solve two of the country's biggest problems. Millions of Americans have joined the ranks of the unemployed, and government relief checks and savings are running out; meanwhile, the country still needs trillions of dollars …
(2020-12-25). Core Module of China's 1st Space Station to Be Launched in 2021. telesurenglish.net China's Manned Space Program chief designer Zhou Jianping on Friday informed that his nation will launch the core module of the country's first space station next spring. | RELATED: | The central module will be sent by the Long March 5B rocket, a heavy-lift launch vehicle that made its successful maiden flight in May. | "The rocket will be released from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, in Hainan Province," Jianping said, adding that…
(2020-12-25). Trump issues pardons to Blackwater mercenaries and corrupt congressmen. nationofchange.org "I'm really shocked…The American judiciary is fair and equitable. I had never imagined that Trump or any other politician would affect American justice."
(2020-12-25). Power Requires Structure, Structure Requires Discipline. counterpunch.org "Kind-hearted people might of course think there was some ingenious way to disarm or defeat an enemy without too much bloodshed and might imagine this is the true goal of the art of war. Pleasant as it sounds, it is a fallacy that must be exposed; war is such a dangerous business that the mistakes
(2020-12-25). Dr. Wodarg and Dr. Yeadon File Application for Suspension of All SARS CoV-2 Vaccine Studies and Call for Co-signing the Petition. globalresearch.ca On December 1, 2020, the ex-Pfizer head of respiratory research Dr. Michael Yeadon and the lung specialist and former head of the public health department Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg
(2020-12-25). Working for the revolution in Rojava. zcomm.org Interview on the political and military upheaval taking place in Rojava and northern Syria from the perspective of someone who not only witnessed the struggle but was an active participant…
(2020-12-25). Christmas Letter to those I Know and Don't Know. zcomm.org What can I say? Holiday season. I wish you as bright a holiday as our times permit. I wish you much joy, some sharing, much learning, some caring. I wonder if you are well. In body and in mind. I wonder if you are relating each to the rest. Not drifting. Souls alight. Souls aflame.
(2020-12-25). Chicago Teachers Pledge Collective Action as January Reopening Approaches. zcomm.org Interview on the perils of Chicago's hybrid reopening plan and why "simultaneous instruction" simply doesn't make sense…
(2020-12-25). The First Decade of the Arab Revolutionary Process. zcomm.org Ten years ago, a young street vendor in the town of Sidi Bouzid in central Tunisia sparked a political firestorm that soon engulfed the whole country, before spreading across the entire Arabic-speaking region, in what has been known since 2011 as the 'Arab Spring'
(2020-12-25). DDC Poll Results Are an Emphatic Rejection of the Scrapping of J&K's Special Status. zcomm.org The core of Kashmir's secular politics remains in place, and Kashmiriyat has yet again triumphed over sectarian majoritarianism…
(2020-12-25). Long march to peasant unity. zcomm.org The unprecedented unity among peasant organizations is not a sudden development. It has been built over several struggles, which have expanded the base of the peasant and snowballed into the massive protests against the new farm laws…
(2020-12-25). UK and EU reach trade agreement but questions remain. peoplesdispatch.org The deal will now have to be ratified not only by the British Parliament, but also by all the 27 member nations of the EU and the European Parliament, before December 31 to avoid major trade uncertainty…
(2020-12-25). New Year Vaccine. thenation.com New Year Vaccine…
(2020-12-25). Yes co-founder Jon Anderson: "I wouldn't be here but for the Beatles" salon.com On this episode of Everything Fab Four: The Hall of Famer talks his Beatles journey, from revelation to revolution…
(2020-12-25). Monday 12/28: Text Banking for Georgia/Banca de Texto SMS para Georiga w/ Poor People's Campaign. indybay.org Online webinar training…
(2020-12-25). Polish Women Resistance Video. indybay.org Polish women and men are using animation, music and art to fight against the attacks on women…
(2020-12-25). Sunday 1/3: S.F. – The Path Towards a Just Transition and Clean Economy. indybay.org Zoom meeting of the Unitarian Universalists of S.F. Forum…
(2020-12-25). Saturday 12/26: Georgia Comes Alive! Virtual Music Festival to Support Georgia Voters & Equal Voter Rights. indybay.org Virutal music festival…
(2020-12-25). Mèxico_Oaxaca_UniTierra: Repensar la pandemia. indybay.org Mèxico_Oaxaca_Universidad de la Tierra: Repensar la pandemia | Contra el miedo: La esperanza…
(2020-12-24). Incarcerated People Should Get Priority Access to the COVID-19 Vaccine. It's the Smart and Human Thing to Do. aclu.org Governor Jared Polis of Colorado — otherwise a trailblazer when it comes to criminal legal reform — recently
(2020-12-24). No to forced work amid raging pandemic! All non-essential production must be shutdown with full compensation to workers! wsws.org Factories, tea estates and government institutions are now dangerous hotbeds for COVID-19, a situation caused by the Rajapakse government's defence of corporate profits.
(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). Screen Shot 2020-12-22 at 1.29.25 PM.png. progressive.org COVID-19 has sparked a new wave of activism.
(2020-12-24). The Covid-19 Numbers Game: The "Second Wave" is Based on Fake Statistics. globalresearch.ca "Red zones", travel bans, quarantines, "red lists". A "Second Wave". Millions of people are lining up for Covid-19 testing. The "Numbers Game". How statistics and "estimates" are used by politicians to justify the closure of the national economy and the derogation of fundamental civil rights.
(2020-12-24). Germany confirms first case of mutant Covid-19 strain that rampaged across UK forcing millions into near-lockdown. rt.com 
The first case of a mutated coronavirus variant that scientists believe spreads easier has been discovered in Germany, officials said on Thursday, as countries across the world start detecting the strain in their populations. | Germany's first known case of the new strain is a woman who entered the southwestern state of Baden-Wurttemberg from the UK via Frankfurt Airport on Sunday. | She is now quarantining, according to the regional ministry of health, following the results of a mandatory Covid-19 test at the airport, which she received on Thursday. | Three close contacts of the woman have also been identifie…
(2020-12-24). All the Cannons Will Silently Rust. zcomm.org In Kerala, the government operated in a measured, swift, and deliberate way to inform the public, to use the government machinery to test the population for COVID-19, to carry out contact tracing, to isolate and treat the infected, and to take all possible measures to flatten the curve…
(2020-12-24). 'Merry… Christmas': Watch Rep. Debbie Dingell Drop House Gavel in Disgust Over GOP's Covid-19 Cruelty. commondreams.org "I feel like she wanted to insert a choice expletive in the middle of that." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-12-24_at_3.03.19_pm.jpg …
(2020-12-24). 'Trying to Kill Me': Black Doctor Who Died of Covid-19 Posted Harrowing Video Alleging Medical Racism. commondreams.org "This is how Black people get killed, when you send them home and they don't know how to fight for themselves," said Dr. Susan Moore in a video she posted on Facebook. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/moore_1.jpg …
(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). Arabic press review: UAE sends expired Covid-19 kits to Gaza. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: UAE sends expired Covid-19 kits to Gaza | Meanwhile, Kuwait detains six children recruited by Islamic State group via video games; new trial faces Algerian journalist released after serving term for threatening national unity | Thu, 12/24/2020 – 12: 37 | A Palestinian medical worker performs a Covid-19 test on a woman at a mosque in Gaza City on 20 September 2020 | UAE s…
(2020-12-24). 'The Courts Are a Sham': New Hampshire Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Rights of Nature, Healthy Climate Arguments. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(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). 'Complete Disregard for Human Life': US Agents Threaten Christmas Eve Raid Against Humanitarians Giving Aid to Refugees Near Border. commondreams.org One volunteer noted the cruel irony of such actions "on the eve of a holiday meant to celebrate hospitality towards travelers from distant lands." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/border_patrol.jpg …
(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). 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). 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). 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). Cuba: Presa Levisa de cara al futuro. peoplesworld.org 
Aunque el grueso de las obras del trasvase Este-Oeste ya ha sido ejecutado, no cesa la construcción de otras que ramifican túneles y canales desde el nororiente cubano. Sorteando pinares y terrenos rojizos aparece el área donde se erige la presa Levisa, en la que casi se mueven montañas para aprovechar al llamado Oro Azul. …
(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). The Heat: Social media's influence. america.cgtn.com 
Critics say it's addictive, manipulative and sometimes dangerous, and it's something billions of people around the world use every day.
(2020-12-24). The Heat: Climate Change Challenges for 2021. america.cgtn.com 
In 2020, the world reeled from the worst public health crisis in a century and extreme weather events brought on by climate change. So, what challenges lie ahead in 2021?>
(2020-12-24). US Airports Are Portals for Disease Spread. Venezuela Shows Another Way. zcomm.org People in the United States do have a lot to learn from Venezuelans and from people in many other countries that are handling the pandemic well…
(2020-12-24). Kids Are NOT Falling Behind. They Are Surviving a Pandemic. commondreams.org The economy is what they're really worried about. They want to keep it chugging along so they can continue siphoning profit off of the working class and into their pockets. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1214253536.jpg …
(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). 2020 Latin America and the Caribbean in Review: The Pink Tide May Rise Again. dissidentvoice.org The balance between the US drive to dominate Latin America and the Caribbean and its counterpart, the Bolivarian cause of regional independence and integration, tipped portside by year end 2020 with major popular victories, including reversal of the coup in Bolivia and the constitutional referendum in Chile. Central has been the persistence of Venezuela's Bolivarian …
(2020-12-24). Pardoning the Blackwater killers: It's a scandal, but not specific to Donald Trump. salon.com It was difficult to prosecute these 2007 war crimes, and Republicans were eager to whitewash them from the get-go…
(2020-12-24). Migrants face uncertainty after fire in camp in Bosnia. peoplesdispatch.org A large fire broke out in the Lipa refugee camp, in northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina which hosts close to 1,200 migrants on December 23. There are no injuries or casualties but most of the infrastructure has been destroyed.
(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). UN agencies not above playing politics with statistics. zcomm.org It's clear that technical departments within the UN sometimes 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. Or recall an example from further back: Hans Blix, the Swedish
(2020-12-24). California is 40% Latinx. In Alex Padilla, it will finally have its first Latinx senator. nationofchange.org "This is really a reflection of the historic importance of Latinos."
(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). UK regulators give okay to use psychedelic drug to treat depression in first clinical trial. nationofchange.org "We think this could be a treatment for a number of depressive disorders besides major depression, including PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and possibly some types of substance abuse."
(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). Let's call environmentalism what it is. nationofchange.org We should call environmentalism what it is: A problematic term that has been manipulated to fit the needs of those who are—intentionally or otherwise—hiding reality.
(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). Voters' Motives and Left Agendas. zcomm.org On the left we therefore shouldn't passively hope against hope that public officials will serve humane priorities. We should grow our organized, informed, activist power to force the outcomes we desire…
(2020-12-24). What will Israel's next government look like? It depends on us. zcomm.org I want my political party to stand for social equality with sufficient safety nets to provide for the weakened sectors of the society…
(2020-12-24). Forget "The Stand" — "Alice in Borderland" is the wild dystopian ride we've been waiting for. salon.com This Japanese action-thriller is brutal. It also asks us to think about how we want to live, not just survive…
(2020-12-24). Judiciary chief's trip to North Kohrasan. en.mehrnews.com BOJNOURD, Dec. 24 (MNA) — Iran Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Ebrahim Raeisi arrived in Bojnourd, North Khorasan , on Thursday morning for a one-trip to the province.
(2020-12-24). Shot In the Head: What Kind of Boundless Evil Is This, America? commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/goon_tease_kid_pardon_kid_ep49qf0w4aer2vp_0.jpg …
(2020-12-24). Activists and Parliamentarians Join Together to Prevent Armed Drones in Germany. commondreams.org "People are saying they cannot think of any peace movement struggle in recent years that has won such a striking victory. This brings hope to the whole peace movement." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/ban_drones_germany.jpg …
(2020-12-24). 'The Dissident' Details the Life and Death of Jamal Khashoggi. progressive.org The spine-tingling film documents the assassination—and cyber hacking—of the Saudi journalist, dissenter, and activist.
(2020-12-24). Video: NORAD Satellites Track Santa Claus' First Visit to International Space Station. sputniknews.com Santa Claus' visit to the International Space Station (ISS) will honor 20 years worth of crewed missions to the distant laboratory and mark the first known visit made by the jolly Christmas figure to the prominent station.
(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). Philippines: Death threats, red-tagging, spoil Christmas. fightbacknews.org As if the terror caused by the ongoing focused military operation in Santa Catalina and other areas of Negros Oriental's 3rd District is not enough to dissipate the celebratory mood of the affected communities for the upcoming traditional Christmas day festivity, the 11th Infantry Battalion psywar hacks are unrelenting in spawning dangerous lies against civilians. | Last week, the family of Carlos Dayot, a farmer who hailed from Sitio Salingkubong, Barangay Tayak, Siaton, expressed outrage when they found out that Master Sergeant Borja of the 11th Infantry Battalion's Alpha "Hunter" Company posted a death threat…
(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). Make a fudgier seasonal brownie by spiking it with spiced eggnog. salon.com Eggnog is rich with cream, milk, eggs and spices — all the things that make good brownies even better…
(2020-12-24). Ultra-crispy roast potatoes from a secret cooking club in Indonesia. salon.com Shreds of chewy ginger and sweet twists of green onion give more textures for your fork to chase…
(2020-12-24). Revenge never tasted so deliciously venomous in the slick and twisty "Promising Young Woman" salon.com "Killing Eve" head writer Emerald Fennell & actress Carey Mulligan create a satisfying yet surprising dark fantasy…
(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). 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.
(2020-12-24). 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). Sudan and Ethiopia fail to reach an agreement on border demarcation. peoplesdispatch.org The meeting between the authorities of the two countries to demarcate the land border came a week after the attack on a Sudanese army patrol by Ethiopian forces on December 15. The failure of talks may lead to more clashes…
(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). 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). 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). 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). The Gold Comes Off: A COVID-19 Outbreak in Sydney. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). British Government Contracts Firms to Make COVID 'Freedom Passports'. globalresearch.ca While the government is still saying …
(2020-12-23). Smoking Meat, Hoping to Survive. thenation.com Smoking Meat, Hoping to Survive…
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Redbaiting derails people's needs in Georgia Senate runoff. workers.org 
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 of "rigged elections" and threats of . . . |
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). VA workers: Short-staffing and PPE shortages impacting vets' care. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Short-staffing. Temp nurses hired off the street who are more interested in paychecks than patients. No N95 masks for months. Arbitrary management decisions with workers and their union cut out of the loop. No input on how to improve the medical care for the nation's veterans. Welcome to the latest description, courtesy of its Government …
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Remembering William Winter: Mississippi governor championed public education and civil rights. splcenter.org  …
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). The solace of Joni Mitchell's "River," a holiday song that defies merry and bright expectations. salon.com There's a reason why this moody yet festive song has been covered more then 760 times & continues to resonate…
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Congress Passes $900 Billion Mitigation 2.0 Bill (As Double Dip Recession Looms). counterpunch.org 
As the 2020 year closes, Congress is about to pass a $900B Covid Relief spending bill. But make no mistake. It's Senate leader Mitch McConnell's proposal. And it will hardly dent the rapidly slowing US economy this 4th quarter and the increasingly forecasted coming double dip recession early next year. The new spending shouldn't be confused
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Baseball's racist legacy today as MLB finally recognizes 'Negro Leagues'. 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). Efforts continue to resolve Channel crossing coronavirus crisis. thecanary.co 
Crisis talks with France will continue in an effort to resume trade flows across the Channel amid warnings that the border must be running again by Wednesday to avoid disruption to food supplies.More than 1,500 lorries are backed up in Kent, unable to make the crossing to France, with drivers having spent a second night sleeping in their cabs.Home secretary Priti Patel said the government is "speaking constantly" with France to achieve a resolution "in both our interests" to get freight moving again. And she defended the government's handling of the pandemic, insisting ministers had been "ahead of the curve" in t…
(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). Empagliflozin Cuts Cardiovascular Deaths in Advanced Heart Failure. jamanetwork.com Patients treated for advanced but stable heart failure, including those with diabetes, had a 25% lower risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure when they received empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, according to an international trial in the New England Journal of Medicine.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Freedom Denied: Minor parole violations keep Alabama man tangled in state's prison system. splcenter.org  …
(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). 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). "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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Chang'e-5 Completes Lunar Trip, More Space Missions Planned. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-22). The Dystopian Western World. globalresearch.ca As the second decade of the 21st century comes to an end, democracy and free speech no longer exist in the Western World. In all its respects, Western civilization no longer exists. | In the United States, which poses as the …
(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). If We Don't Break Up Big Tech, We'll All Be Uber Drivers Soon. zcomm.org
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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.