(2020-12-17). When the People Rose: How the Intifada Changed the Political Discourse around Palestine. counterpunch.org 
December 8 came and went as if it was an ordinary day. For Palestinian political groups, it was another anniversary to be commemorated, however hastily. It was on this day, thirty-three years ago, that the First Palestinian Intifada (uprising) broke out, and there was nothing ordinary about this historic event. Today, the uprising is merely
(2020-12-17). PDF of December 17 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. 'Red House on Mississippi Ave.' Portland activists block eviction Fight for Mumia's freedom; NYC cops & landlords, hand in hand; Boston solidarity with workers, farmers in India; Buffalo anti-racists face down fascists; Michigan: Confronting white supremacy; Justice for Casey Goodson! Attack on anti-ICE marchers; Indigenous land . . . |
(2020-12-17). Two corporate coverups: Amazon on coronavirus data, Uber on sexual assault. peoplesworld.org 
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—California officials aren't pulling punches when it comes to going after big corporate capitalists who harm workers, even though it's the holiday season. The state's latest moves: Taking on Amazon for not providing coronavirus pandemic data, and fining notorious "gig economy" employer Uber $59 million for not dealing with sexual assault and sexual harassment …
(2020-12-17). Hoarding the Jabs: The Inequalities of Vaccine Distribution. globalresearch.ca Public health is no excuse to keep business and patriotism at bay. Not a very humanitarian sentiment, but then again, healing the sick and preserving the healthy can become parochial, nationalist objectives. The least convincing language of the pandemic has …
(2020-12-17). Push Blue No Matter Who. realprogressives.org This sole focus on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is ridiculous. She's not the only "progressive" in Congress. She can't do anything on her own even if one operates under the woefully absurd assumption that all change must come from within the capital. "The squad" is up to, what, seven members now? I think we can start including other names in our critique. Having said that… | Everyone who defends AOC is guilty of a variety of sins. We don't have any time left for a cult of personality. These people are not heroes. They're not rock stars. We are not supposed to be fans. | We are suffering. | We are dying.
(2020-12-17). US Embassy Caught Scrubbing Tweets Urging Venezuelans Not to Vote. globalresearch.ca The United States embassy for Venezuela has been caught deleting tweets undermining the integrity of the "Tomorrow in Venezuela there will be …
(2020-12-17). The revolutionaries, when they rise, care for nothing but love. peoplesdispatch.org 
A decade has now slipped by since a man named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid on 17 December 2010. Bouazizi, a street vendor, took this extreme step after policemen harassed him for trying to survive. Not long after, thousands of people in this small Tunisian town gathered in the street to express their anger. Their outburst spread to the capital city, Tunis, where trade unions, social organisations, political parties, and civic groups marched into the avenues to overthrow the government of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Demonstrations in Tunisia inspired similar outbreaks aroun…
(2020-12-17). Who's afraid of Glenn Greenwald? mronline.org 
Today, swarms of Corporate Media "self-limiting mosquitoes" are rejoicing—in their small buzzing ways—over the self-banishment of that notorious gadfly Glenn Greenwald from the Kingdom of Left-Liberal-"Woke!" orthodoxical rectitude.
(2020-12-17). Insurgency Matters: Progressive DAs May Change Policing. counterpunch.org 
The fateful year of 2020 is coming to an end. It was a year that saw the worse pandemic in the nation's history devastate the country and an ongoing recession ruin many people's lives. It was a year that saw, if only during the three-month period of May 26th (the day George Floyd was killed)
(2020-12-17). Baseball rewrites history, says Negro Leagues now a major league. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball has reclassified the Negro Leagues as a major league and will count the statistics and records of its 3,400 players as part of its history. The league said Dec. 16 it was "correcting a longtime oversight in the game's history" by elevating the Negro Leagues on the centennial …
(2020-12-17). France : Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité & LaàØcité….But Not for Muslims? counterpunch.org 
"…Our country is one that has no problems with any of the world's religions whatsoever, because they are all practised freely in our country. And to all French people of the Muslim faith, and indeed to citizens from anywhere else in the world whose religion is Islam, I should like to say to them that
(2020-12-17). China's Economy of Peace. dissidentvoice.org 
In the context of China's webinar on 14 December 2020, on the topic of "China's New Development Paradigm and High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation", organized by the China Center for Contemporary World Studies, International Department of CPC Central Committee and the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, my presentation was on China's …
(2020-12-17). Unemployment Skyrocketing? An Evolved Society Would Celebrate. counterpunch.org 
Leaf blowers are everything wrong with capitalism. . . . I'll explain that in a minute. We all know times are irredeemably grim, and they're only getting worse. The unemployment level in America seems to be setting the record books aflame, and for some bizarre reason those numbers correlate nicely with the number of Americans under 40
(2020-12-17). Bezos' Earth Fund Is An Unnatural Disaster. popularresistance.org Now is the time for undeniably powerful grassroots leadership. If we've learned anything this year from the brilliant, brave, bold, and beautiful Black, Brown, Indigenous and other frontline communities and workers fighting inequitable impacts of pandemics, pollution, poverty, climate disaster and emboldened racism, it's that real change happens at the grassroots. | Yet, in a year when frontline leadership is clearly critical, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (through his newly launched Earth Fund) has doubled down on philanthropy's inequitable modus operandi by funneling hundreds of millions into outdated, ineffective, top…
(2020-12-17). Israel's Benny Gantz gives interview to Saudi newspaper. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's Benny Gantz gives interview to Saudi newspaper | The minister of defence told Asharq al-Awsat that Jerusalem should remain fully under Israeli control and pushed for annexation of parts of the West Bank | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 15: 14 | Benny Gantz speaks to the media near Kibbutz Ravid in the northern part of Israel, on 27 October 2020 (AFP) | Israeli Defence Minister Benny G…
(2020-12-17). 'Intentional lethal force': UN experts slam Israel for killing Palestinian child. middleeasteye.net 
'Intentional lethal force': UN experts slam Israel for killing Palestinian child | The fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ali Abu Aliya a 'grave violation of international law', says UN Human Rights Office | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 36 | The experts called for a transparent investigation into the killing of Ali Abu Aliya (Photo supplied) | United Nations experts have condemned the Israeli military for killing a Palest…
(2020-12-17). Video: Russian Forces Establish Presence on Syrian-Iraqi Border. globalresearch.ca Over the past weeks, the Syrian Army and its allies have intensified their operations against ISIS cells hiding in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert. | According to pro-government sources, during the past few days, Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias carried out …
(2020-12-17). "No Reason to Let Up" on Masks as U.S. COVID-19 Deaths & Infections Skyrocket During Vaccine Rollout. democracynow.org 
As the "very exciting" rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution gets underway in the United States, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, says the country is still experiencing "astronomical" numbers of new infections and deaths. "We've just had a federal government that has given up on any efforts to try and control the pandemic," he says. "What we have to do is get through the next few months with basic public health measures until vaccines become widely available and widely adopted. Until that time, there is no reason to let up whatsoever."
(2020-12-17). Video shows Chicago cops terrorizing Black social worker in her home. peoplesworld.org 
CHICAGO—Video finally released after almost two years shows police in Chicago terrorizing an innocent Black woman social worker who had just undressed in her home after a long day on her job of two years. Brandishing a completely baseless search warrant which was itself issued under highly questionable circumstances, they burst into her home as …
(2020-12-17). Confronting and Ending the US Blockade Against Cuba. counterpunch.org 
U.S. news reports rarely touch upon the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. The blockade destroys people's lives and threatens the island's economy and Cuba's economic development. Damning evidence appears in the Cuba's Foreign Ministry's most recent report on adverse effects. Its authors refer to "the longest-lasting trade embargo in modern history."
(2020-12-17). The New Derivatives Market in California Water: Disaster Natural Resources Capitalism at Work. counterpunch.org 
I attended a rain dance 40 years ago in the Southwest. At the end of the 6-hour ceremony, it rained. My final memory of the event was a small, elderly lady chasing an immense clown, who had ritually molested her in the ceremony, beating him about the head and shoulders with an umbrella. The next
(2020-12-17). Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's treatment of Uighurs. middleeasteye.net 
Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's treatment of Uighurs | One hundred and forty rights and advocacy groups are calling on Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to demand accountability and transparency from Beijing | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 55 | Despite protests from Uighurs outside of China, many Muslim-majority countries have remained silent on China's rights violations…
(2020-12-17). Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the Geopolitics of Caspian Gas. counterpunch.org 
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(2020-12-17). Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on. middleeasteye.net 
Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 57 | While some believe the uprisings of 2010-11 were a failure – the ferocity of the counter-revolution suggests otherwise | A decade ago, a young Tunisian,
(2020-12-17). Beirut explosion: Judge suspends blast probe amid political pressure. middleeasteye.net 
Beirut explosion: Judge suspends blast probe amid political pressure | Two ministers charged in the explosion investigation have requested Judge Fadi Sawwan be removed from proceedings | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 18: 17 | A helicopter puts out a fire at scene of explosion at port of Lebanon's capital Beirut on 4 August (AFP/File photo) | The judge overseeing an investigation into the massive explo…
(2020-12-17). Putin says outrage over 'anti-Islam' cartoons & French street beheading is evidence that 'multiculturalism has failed' in West. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has weighed in on the debate around freedom of speech and the rights of religious believers, saying the clash of cultures is an existential problem in the West. | In response to a question from RT correspondent Igor Zhdanov as part of his annual end-of-year press conference on Thursday, Putin said there was a fine balance between expressing yourself and insulting the feelings of entire groups of people. | "Where is the boundary between one freedom and another freedom," the president asked. "It is well known that where one man's freedom begins, another's must end." He added that…
(2020-12-17). The Heat: Chang'e-5 returns to Earth. america.cgtn.com 
Mission accomplished! A Chinese capsule carrying soil and rock samples collected from the moon returns to earth.
(2020-12-17). Selected Articles: Vaccine Passports and Health Passes: Is Showing Your "Papers" the "New Normal?" globalresearch.ca 
By In case you have been living under a rock for the past several weeks, here are several instances where the "public …
(2020-12-17). Economic Consequences of a 2nd Economic 'Mitigation' Bill. counterpunch.org As of mid-December 2020 the US economy has begun showing increasing signs of an exceptionally weak 4th quarter, October-December, growth. After having collapsed -10.5% in the March-June 2020 period, followed by a partial 'rebound' (not sustained recovery) in the 3rd quarter, July-September 2020, the economy is now slowing rapidly once again. Dismal reports of consumer and especially
(2020-12-17). Communist-led coalition sweeps local body elections in the southern Indian State of Kerala. peoplesdispatch.org The alliance led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has won more seats in local government bodies than the opposition groups combined…
(2020-12-17). "The Planet's Problem from Hell": Will Joe Biden Appoint Samantha Power to Head USAID? globalresearch.ca Just when it seemed that Joe Biden's coming administration couldn't be more of ahorror show,
(2020-12-17). First Glitches Emerge in COVID-Vax Rollout; Alaska Health Worker Suffers 'Serious Allergic Reaction'. globalresearch.ca A healthcare worker in Alaska was hospitalized on Tuesday with a 'serious allergic reaction' after receiving Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, according to the The person, who had no known drug allergies, was still in the hospital on …
(2020-12-17). FDR Knew Exactly How to Solve Today's Unemployment Crisis. scheerpost.com Eli Christman / CC BY 2.0] By Ellen Brown / Original to ScheerPost 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 in infrastructure. Putting the unemployed to work on those infrastructure projects seems an obvious solution, especially given that the $600 or $700… |
(2020-12-17). Do You Need A Vaccine? Efficacy and Safety of Ivermectin for Treatment and Prophylaxis of COVID-19 Pandemic. globalresearch.ca Abstract | Background: Up-to-date, there is no recognized effective treatment or vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19 that emphasize urgency around distinctive effective therapies. This study aims to evaluate the anti-parasitic medication efficacy "Ivermectin" plus standard care (azithromycin, vitamin C, Zinc, …
(2020-12-17). China's Growth To Boost Global Economic Recovery. telesurenglish.net In the latest World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected China's economy to grow by 1.9 percent in 2020, 0.9 percentage points above its June forecast, making China the only major economy that will see positive growth this year. | RELATED: | "With the right mix of supportive macroeconomic policies focused on strengthening social safety nets and further key reforms, China will secure the r…
(2020-12-17). The China Shock May Provide a Much-Needed Catalyst for Change. dissidentvoice.org In an opinion poll published in the Guardian online an astonishing 2/3 of voters either approved or strongly approved of the Prime Minister's conduct of the nation's affairs. While this may in part be a reflection of the abysmal performance of the official Labor "opposition" there must be a deeper reason for the Prime Minister's …
(2020-12-17). "Planned Surveillance and Control by Global Technocrats: A Big-Picture Look at the Current Pandemic Beneficiaries," globalresearch.ca An article by Children's Health Defense on how the pandemic facilitated a financial, tech, biopharmaceutical and military-intelligence push for centralized, technocratic control has been accepted by the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice and Research. | *** | "Planned Surveillance and Control …
(2020-12-17). Why Kaepernick's Flavor Is Dairy-Free. progressive.org In the past 150 years or so we have made some progress in the field of basic human rights. That is barely the case for animal rights.
(2020-12-17). Study of 50 years of tax cuts for rich confirms 'trickle down' theory is an absolute sham. nationofchange.org "Major tax cuts for the rich since the 1980s have increased income inequality, with all the problems that brings, without any offsetting gains in economic performance."
(2020-12-17). Vaccine Passports and Health Passes: Is Showing Your "Papers" the "New Normal?" globalresearch.ca Life cannot return to normal until there is a vaccine for COVID 19. | At least, that is what governments, corporations, and their mainstream propaganda media outlets have been incessantly arguing. Interestingly, the development of that vaccine was "warp speed," allegedly …
(2020-12-17). History of World War I: German Colonialism in Central and Eastern Europe and the Fall of Tsarist Russia. globalresearch.ca When in February 1918, the German politician Prince Max of Baden asked his country's military dictator, Erich Ludendorff, what would happen if the latter's spring offensive failed, he replied, "Then Germany will just have to suffer annihilation". | General Ludendorff's …
(2020-12-17). Working mothers, children to hold car caravan for COVID childcare leave at full pay. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Hennepin County AFSCME is calling on county commissioners to approve fully-paid COVID child care leave for county employees and to extend emergency COVID protections before provisions expire December 31. | As no action was taken at their final scheduled meeting of 2020 on December 15, Hennepin County AFSCME calls on Board Chair Marion Greene to schedule an emergency board meeting before the December 31 deadline. | Hennepin County AFSCME is also planning a car caravan, Saturday December 19, 1 p.m., starting at Painter Park Parking Lot, 620 W 34th Street, in Minneapolis, to press their demands.
(2020-12-17). HEROES Act to give $350 million in coronavirus aid to 50 of the richest communities nationwide, auditors reveal. nationofchange.org "Should American taxpayers from lower-income areas be subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich and famous?"
(2020-12-17). Almost 1,000 daily COVID-19 deaths in Germany: The criminal outcome of keeping businesses and schools open. wsws.org Despite the horrific number of deaths, all parties in the German parliament continue to put profit before lives and health.
(2020-12-17). Fourth Industrial Revolution Blocks the New. dissidentvoice.org While technology has been encroaching on more spheres of life over the past 25 years, the ruling elite and their representatives are now zealously promoting a new and dramatic digital-technological upheaval—the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution—that will supposedly transform everything under the sun, open amazing vistas, increase government and business transparency and accountability, and put humanity …
(2020-12-17). Nasrin Sotoudeh, Iran's Courtroom Gladiator, for the Defense. progressive.org A stirring new documentary captures the fight for women's rights in the Islamic Republic.
(2020-12-17). Hunger in America: Covid-19 and the Nightmare of Food Insecurity. counterpunch.org As autumn fades and winter looms, the dire predictions public-health experts made about Covid-19 have, unfortunately, proven all-too-accurate. On October 27th, 74,379 people were infected in the United States; less than a month and a half later, on December 9th, that number had soared to 218,677, while the 2020 total has just surpassed 15 million,
(2020-12-17). The Great Unraveling: The Corona 2020 Financial Crash. Devastating Consequences. globalresearch.ca The 2008 Crash was caused by collapse of mortgage-backed securities. Loans were given to non-credit worthy borrowers until the system collapsed. | What is happening today that may cause a greater multi-level crash? | Several trends are coming together that may create …
(2020-12-17). Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Limiting Habitat Protections for Endangered Species. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration Today's rule myopically defines "habitat" for the …
(2020-12-17). Vaccines: Did Big Pharma Purchase California's Legislative Machinery? globalresearch.ca California has some of the most stringent vaccine mandate laws in the United States. Why is that? At first, it seemed that draconian vaccination laws were introduced in response to a measles outbreak that began in Disneyland in 2014. But …
(2020-12-17). USPS releases calendar records for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy—but it's almost entirely redacted. nationofchange.org "Shrouding his calendar in secrecy likely violates the letter of the law, and certainly violates its spirit."
(2020-12-17). Accomplished Pharma Prof Thrown in Psych Hospital after Questioning Official COVID Narrative. globalresearch.ca Early on December 10, Jean-Bernard Fourtillan was taken from his home by a team of French law enforcement officers and forcibly placed in solitary confinement at the psychiatric hospital of Uzès. | *** | Early on December 10, Jean-Bernard Fourtillan, a …
(2020-12-17). California police officer agrees to plead guilty to bribery charge. nationofchange.org "Mr. Lopez's decision to plead guilty was a first step in making amends for the harm that he knows he caused to law enforcement."
(2020-12-17). Twitter Says It Will Remove All Posts Claiming Vaccines Can Harm People. globalresearch.ca Twitter has declared that it will remove all posts that suggest there are any "adverse impacts or effects of receiving vaccinations," despite reports already emerging of health workers getting sick from taking Pfizer's coronavirus shot. | Twitter
(2020-12-17). NSW government under scrutiny for strip searches, 'war on drugs'. greenleft.org.au The push back against NSW Police's "war on drugs" is growing, Rachel Evans reports.
(2020-12-17). Jacob Rees-Mogg sinks to a new low in six appalling words. thecanary.co It might not seem possible, but commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg just sunk to a new low in six words. Speaking in parliament about Unicef feeding hungry children in the UK for the first time in its 70-year history, Rees-Mogg stated: Unicef should be ashamed of itself. | "A political stunt": | He told MPs it was "a scandal" that the charity had said it would help feed 1,800 hungry children over Christmas, calling the move "a political stunt of the lowest order". | The attack followed the announcement by Unicef on Wednesday that it would pledge a grant of £25,000 to the charity School Food Matters which…
(2020-12-17). China, Christmas, and the Coronavirus. cepr.net As we hunker down this holiday season, waiting for our vaccines, or at least until the diffusion of the vaccines has slowed the spread of the pandemic, it's worth thinking for a moment about an opportunity lost. Specifically, we lost an opportunity to have worldwide cooperation in the development of vaccines, bringing in not only …
(2020-12-17). The Christmas gift. nationofchange.org His son would have a better Christmas than expected… and he felt absolutely no guilt about it at all.
(2020-12-17). AOC: Nancy Pelosi Needs to Go, but There's Nobody to Replace Her Yet. zcomm.org "We are currently negotiating to get and work towards real material concessions for the left that can move things into place, to help build power for the next two years"
(2020-12-17). The coronavirus has closed more than 60 local newsrooms across America. zcomm.org At first, the pandemic cost newsrooms jobs and communities critical work. Now it's starting to end entire newsrooms…
(2020-12-17). It's Almost Twenty Years Since 9/11. zcomm.org Can We Finally Stop Marching to Disaster?
(2020-12-17). Led by Black Women, Organizers in Georgia Work to Replicate Election Success in Senate Runoff. zcomm.org After turning out Georgia voters in record numbers in the general election, organizers work to mobilize the youth vote in the pivotal Senate runoff election…
(2020-12-17). Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution. zcomm.org Review of Cuban Health Care: The Ongoing Revolution, by Don Fitz (Monthly Review Press)…
(2020-12-17). Mitch McConnell Wants to Let Corporations Kill You. zcomm.org The Senate GOP leader's refusal to pass COVID-19 aid without corporate immunity should be the scandal of the year…
(2020-12-17). Saturday 1/9: Root Division Presents: Trueque Pt. I. indybay.org Root Division: Online Reception | rootdivisiontalk.wpcomstaging.com/…
(2020-12-17). War Commentary #3. indybay.org Our latest issue for print and distribution.
(2020-12-17). From AIDS HIV To Covid-19: Lessons Today With UCSF Epidemiologist Dr.George Rutherford. indybay.org Dr. George Rutherford a UCSF professor and world expert on HIV AIDS is interviewed about the lessons of HIV AIDS and fighting Covid-19.
(2020-12-17). Climate change and social transformation in times of corona. indybay.org Companies go bankrupt, workers are laid off, and because the sources of income dry up, millions of people can no longer even buy the most basic necessities… What counts is whether the things produced can be sold on the market and make a profit.
(2020-12-17). Sunday 12/20: Jail Support Simulation Training. indybay.org Online Zoom…
(2020-12-17). Friday 12/18: Online Socialism Forum "Looking back at 2020" featuring Dr. Monica Gandhi. indybay.org Register here: bit.ly/the-struggle-continues…
(2020-12-17). Monday 12/21: The People's Agenda Town Hall: A Progressive Roadmap for Congress in 2021. indybay.org Online town hall…
(2020-12-17). Thursday 12/17: Poor People's Campaign Press Conference: 14 Priorities for the First 100 Days. indybay.org Online via livestream…
(2020-12-17). Racism a long legacy in Sacramento County Public Health Crisis. indybay.org Sacramento County, seat of the Capitol Region of the 5th largest economy on earth, continues to refuse acknowledgement of complicity in the enslavement of people of Pan African Ancestry.
(2020-12-17). Ecuador: Popular Progressive Alliance Wins Election Certification. indybay.org "#ThePresidentialTicketOfHope will be on the ballot on #7thFebruary. Thanks to everyone who was vigilant and mobilized! Thanks for international solidarity! The Ecuadorian people have enforced their right to choose in democracy," tweeted Andrés Arauz, candidate for President for UNES in response to his ticket being given firm certification by the election authorities. | Photo credit: Wikipedia…
(2020-12-17). Holidays Bring Heightened Good Will Despite Coronavirus. indybay.org Holiday lights are an act of good will and cheerful peace, and are especially effective in the time of Coronavirus.
(2020-12-17). History: Israeli Propaganda on the 'Expulsion' of Arab Jews. globalresearch.ca Israeli propaganda about the "expulsion" of Arab Jews from Arab countries in the late 1940s and early 1950s continues without respite. Earlier this month, Israel's UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan,
(2020-12-17). The Blinding Clarity of John Le Carré. thenation.com The Blinding Clarity of John Le Carré…
(2020-12-17). Jesse Kreuzer Murals. thenation.com Murals…
(2020-12-17). The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice. thenation.com The Votes of Black Americans Should Count Twice…
(2020-12-17). How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu. thenation.com How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu…
(2020-12-17). Shakespeare's Contentious Conversation With America. thenation.com Shakespeare's Contentious Conversation With America…
(2020-12-17). How Homeland Security Blurs Jurisdictions. thenation.com How Homeland Security Blurs Jurisdictions…
(2020-12-17). Women in Mexico Reckon With the High Cost of Migration. thenation.com Women in Mexico Reckon With the High Cost of Migration…
(2020-12-17). UN releases emergency funding for civilians in Ethiopia's Tigray, as Africa's battle against COVID-19 intensifies. news.un.org The UN has released $36.6 million for civilians caught up in the conflict that has roiled Ethiopia's Tigray region since early last month, in order to secure water, sanitation and lifesaving medical supplies.
(2020-12-17). Coronavirus spread during dental procedures could be reduced with slower drills. imperial.ac.uk Research from Imperial and King's College London has found that careful operation of dental drills can minimise the aerosol spread of COVID-19.
(2020-12-17). Office for Veterans' Affairs doesn't collect data on ex-forces suicides or homelessness. thecanary.co The Office for Veterans' Affairs doesn't collect data on homelessness or suicides among the ex-military population, The revelations call into question exactly what the department is doing to address two of the most high-profile issues affecting ex-forces personnel in the UK. | Responding to the FOI, which asked that data and reports on the issues be shared, th…
(2020-12-17). FrontLine episode 1: Jeremy Corbyn. thecanary.co Premieres at 7pm Thursday 17 December | I've spent the past six months having incredible conversations with inspirational people. Every two weeks, you'll get to listen to one of those conversations. I've been speaking with people on the front line of the biggest battles of our time, to get their answer to a basic question: "What makes someone move beyond words, into action? What makes someone place themselves on the front line?" | These are vulnerable, intimate, informal conversations that get right to the core of each person's value systems. Who is kicking off this new and fascinating podcast series? Our first gu…
(2020-12-17). J.Crew president-turned-"Stylish" star Jenna Lyons offers advice on reinventing yourself: "Be open" salon.com The fashion designer appeared on "Salon Talks" to discuss her new series and nurturing creativity after J. Crew…
(2020-12-17). No Flu this Year? Or Is Flu the Second Wave of Covid? globalresearch.ca Is there no flu this year or is flu "the second wave of Covid?" | Don't expect any honest answer from health authorities. They have the fear running strong, so strong that people are submitting to needless lockdowns that are causing …
(2020-12-17). The US Plan to Dominate Space. globalresearch.ca Cape Canaveral (Florida), from where the Apollo mission rocket was launched by NASA in 1969, became the headquarters of the U.S. Space Force Station together with Patrick Base, also in Florida. At the inaugural ceremony on December 9, Vice President …
(2020-12-16). Pardon Julian Assange, under Article II, Section 2 of US Constitution. globalresearch.ca The US Constitution gave presidents "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment (Article II, Section 2)." | Throughout US history, sitting presidents used this power thousands of times. | Jack Kennedy pardoned, …
(2020-12-16). Rafael Correa on Venezuela, Assange, and 'preventing the total destruction of our homeland'. mronline.org 
Max Blumenthal interviews former Ecuador President Rafael Correa, who was in Venezuela to observe its legislative elections and show support to a government under sustained economic and political attack by the U.S.
(2020-12-16). Behind Morocco's recognition of Israel. workers.org 
A February demonstration was held in Rabat, Morocco's capital, in support of Palestine. It was a deal, pure — but not so simple. The U.S. recognized the Western Sahara — the last remaining colony in Africa according to the United Nations — as part of Morocco, while Morocco upgraded its . . . |
(2020-12-16). VIDEO: SA holding migrants in inhuman conditions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 16 (MNA) — Human Rights Watch has released footage of a detention center for foreigners in Riyadh, proving that Saudi officials have detained and tortured hundreds of foreign workers. As reported, three have lost lives by the present.
(2020-12-16). Civil Rights Groups Urge Biden to Nominate Attorney General Dedicated to 'Bedrock Principle of Equal Justice'. commondreams.org "We need an attorney general… committed to ending discrimination; addressing white supremacy and hate violence; and advancing racial, gender, disability, ethnic, religious, immigrant, and LGBTQ justice." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/black_lives_matter_solidarity.png …
(2020-12-16). Immigrant Rights Attorneys Sue DHS and ICE for Information on Terror Tactics Used in Arrests. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-16). Iran's Rouhani to Biden: We Will Fulfill Our Nuclear Obligations on Day One if You Return to 2015 Deal. globalresearch.ca
(2020-12-16). US Wants to Increase Special Agents in Latin America Under Anti-drug Speech. globalresearch.ca Washington's "war on drugs" is advancing in Latin America. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently asked the US Congress for a new budget, valued at more than 3 billion dollars, to improve its operations abroad and help to prevent narcotics …
(2020-12-16). Venezuela's Maduro Proposes Joint ALBA Covid-19 Vaccination. venezuelanalysis.com The Venezuelan president announced a strict quarantine for January.
(2020-12-16). 'Red House on Mississippi Ave.'Portland activists block eviction. workers.org 
Dec. 14 — The Kinney family — owners of the now internationally famous "Red House on Mississippi" — is the last Black-Indigenous family in their neighborhood. They have been fighting foreclosure, and now eviction, since 2018. The house, purchased in 1955, is in the Albina district — a collection of . . . |
(2020-12-16). Las brigadas médicas de Cuba luchan contra la pandemia. workers.org 
La Cuba socialista encarna el espíritu de solidaridad internacional mediante su constante ayuda médica a países de todo el mundo, especialmente a los afectados por el imperialismo. Esta no es solo una frase vacía. El verdadero significado de la solidaridad lo demuestran todos los días equipos de trabajadores de la . . . |
(2020-12-16). Fulfillment centers so hazardous, Washington state boosts Amazon's workers' comp rates 15 percent. liberationnews.org 
Workers at Amazon fulfillment centers rush to keep up with robotic systems to meet shipment deadlines of one or two days.
(2020-12-16). "Education" culminates Amazon's "Small Axe" film series, finding beauty in the necessary struggle. salon.com The latest film, about a boy fascinated with astronomy, is the most autobiographical to filmmaker Steve McQueen…
(2020-12-16). Trump Is Prolonging the Civil War in Syria. progressive.org Under the Obama and Trump administrations, the unending war has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. But will Biden be any different?
(2020-12-16). Jimmy Trending because AOC against Fighting for Medicare for All. dissidentvoice.org  …
(2020-12-16). After George Floyd, Carbon Capture Tech Tiptoes into Racial Justice. zcomm.org How national police protests and the Green New Deal pressured carbon capture leaders on equity…
(2020-12-16). JatiIndia: Atrocities Caste, Present and Future. counterpunch.org 
The jingoist nation and nationalism have got weaponized by the political class to destroy dissent and polarize people. The mass frenzy has accomplished complete derationalization and inversion of meanings where destroyers of the nation become deshbhakts (patriots) and selfless servers of people become deshdrohis (traitors). As I see my India being ruined, it is with
(2020-12-16). The real 'People of the Year' — workers & oppressed people of the world! A WW commentary. workers.org 
NEW YORK, NY — APRIL 17 2020: Public health workers, doctors and nurses protest over lack of sick pay and personal protective equipment (PPE) outside a hospital in the borough of the Bronx on April 17, 2020 in New York, NY. In what can only be described as a big . . . |
(2020-12-16). The Absence of Universal Social Protections in the United States Harms Black Men. cepr.net 
In a recent post, researchers at the Brookings Institute noted that "[o]n many social and economic measures, Black men fare worse not only than white men, but white and Black women." They argue that what is needed is "a battery of specifically tailored policy interventions: a New Deal for Black Men, no less," and explain …
(2020-12-16). Pandemic Lessons for the Rest of Us. counterpunch.org 
Martin Luther King, Jr., offered this all-too-relevant comment on his moment in his 1967 speech "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?": "The contemporary tendency in our society is to base our distribution on scarcity, which has vanished, and to compress our abundance into the overfed mouths of the upper classes until they
(2020-12-16). Defend incarcerated workers! workers.org 
These comments were given at a Dec. 10 webinar of the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. The theme of tonight's webinar is "Build class solidarity with incarcerated workers: No walls in the workers' struggle." The PSC wanted to sponsor this webinar on International Human Rights Day — the . . . |
(2020-12-16). From Cult to Culture. counterpunch.org 
From Cult to Culture Yes, there are many to choose from Few, though, have the answer To the question (for one) of those two things In the center of the garden Life and knowledge — or dogma Indeed, which means the two trees Are Physis and Nomos Nature and convention, or law Nature as growth and change Or rigid
(2020-12-16). Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck Endured a Nearly a Century of Struggle for His Beliefs. mintpressnews.com 
Having dodged Nazi soldiers at 10 years old and later beatings by Israeli police, Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck is not the type to let a bit of adversity stand in the way of fighting for his beliefs.
(2020-12-16). A Critique of Popper's The Open Society and its Enemies (Vol. 1). dissidentvoice.org 
I admittedly approached this work with some skepticism about Karl Popper's well-known "open" vs. "closed" dichotomy (which indeed is only distinguished, and quite vaguely, in Chapter 10). Written in the early 1940s, the book is clearly a period-piece, with some useful things to say about totalitarian "utopianism" (and the ethnic-racialistic "cleansing" which sometimes accompanied it). …
(2020-12-16). Conservation Groups Challenge Blackfoot River Timber Sale That Threatens Elk, Grizzly Bear, Bull Trout, and Lynx Habitat. counterpunch.org 
Two conservation groups, Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Native Ecosystems Council filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Missoula on December 11th challenging the 1,112 acre Stonewall Logging Project in the Blackfoot River valley in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest about four miles northwest of Lincoln, MT. The proposed changes to the
(2020-12-16). Coming undone: 'The Undoing,' 'Big Sky,' 'The Deceived' and the limits of MeToo. peoplesworld.org 
"The rich are different," said Fitzgerald, in a languishing dreamy tone. "Yes," replied Hemingway brusquely, "they have more money." It is difficult not to recall this exchange when watching HBO and Sky Atlantic's David E. Kelly mini-series The Undoing, which in this year of an ever more rapid COVID-induced transfer of wealth from the lowest …
(2020-12-16). 'Solidarity with the people, not the state'. workers.org 
Skehan delivered the Workers World Party solidarity message at the Dec. 12 action called by the Boston South Asian Coalition in support of farmers and workers in India who are leading historic strikes. As we come together on a rainy Saturday, there is much cause for revolutionary optimism as we . . . |
(2020-12-16). The Solutions Are Obvious, But It Will Take A Revolution To Win Them. dissidentvoice.org 
The United States has reached a severe crisis point and the next few months will determine how we address it. The COVID-19 pandemic is raging across the country and some areas are struggling to provide enough hospital beds and staff to care for people. The recession is deepening as unemployment benefits and the moratorium on …
(2020-12-16). Resistance in the face of repression: India's striking farmers share their stories. peoplesworld.org 
DELHI—Across the rows of concrete barricades at the Tikri border blocking the entrance into New Delhi from the neighboring state of Haryana, a stretch of more than ten kilometers of Rohtak Road remains occupied by caravans of tens of thousands of farmers. They have journeyed hundreds of kilometers from different parts of Punjab and Haryana. …
(2020-12-16). The Brexit Blame Game. counterpunch.org 
Both the UK and the EU are engaged in a game of brinkmanship, amounting to a kind of shadow theatre— neither wants to shoulder the blame for the UK's exit from the EU without a trade deal between the two. The stakes are higher for the UK.
(2020-12-16). Fish Wars and Brexit. counterpunch.org 
Warring over fish in the twenty-first century might seem an unlikely proposition. But the deployment of four Royal Navy ships to deter European fishing vessels from encroaching on British waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit has tongues wagging. The prospects of a trade pact between the EU and UK by the end of
(2020-12-16). Antisemitism Claims Mask a Reign of Political and Cultural Terror Across Europe. counterpunch.org 
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has run a fascinating long report this week offering a disturbing snapshot of the political climate rapidly emerging across Europe on the issue of antisemitism. The article documents a kind of cultural, political and intellectual reign of terror in Germany since the parliament passed a resolution last year equating support for non-violent boycotts
(2020-12-16). Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Chicken run: Lebanese boy risks life and limb to rescue runaway fowl from Israel | Hussein Shartoony becomes an unexpected hero after Israeli soldiers fire bullets into the air as he attempts to rescue his friend | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 11: 59 | The reaction of the Israeli soldiers to Hussein and his chicken garnered ridicule online (Screengrab/Twitter) | Hezbollah may be Israel's most pressing threat on the Le…
(2020-12-16). Five-thousand-year-old Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland. middleeasteye.net 
Five-thousand-year-old Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland | One of only three objects ever recovered from inside Egypt's Great Pyramid, wooden artefact may shed new light on ancient structure, says University of Aberdeen | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 17: 16 | Ancient cedar wood, now fragmented into pieces, is one of only three relics ever recovered from inside Great Pyramid (Uni…
(2020-12-16). Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home. middleeasteye.net 
Dissident former Saudi jockey alleges poison threat and attempt to 'lure' her home | Alya Al-Howeiti, once a celebrated sports star in the kingdom, reveals backlash and death threats since speaking out against Riyadh's policies | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 14: 22 | Alya al-Howeiti was a celebrated Saudi jockey, before becoming a London-based human rights activist (Screengrab/Twitter) | A Saudi dissident and fo…
(2020-12-16). Family of Australian professor detained in Qatar say they fear for his life. middleeasteye.net 
Family of Australian professor detained in Qatar say they fear for his life | Professor Lukman Thalib told relatives that his blood pressure and heart rate had become dangerously low | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 14: 36 | Professor Lukman Thalib (right) received a teaching award at Qatar University in 2018. He is a public health expert and helped Qatar with its covid-19 response (Supplied) | The family of an Austr…
(2020-12-16). Arab Spring: Ten years on, has Tunisia's uprising delivered on its promises? middleeasteye.net 
Arab Spring: Ten years on, has Tunisia's uprising delivered on its promises? | Tunisians had high hopes when they took to the streets in protests that took down Ben Ali and inspired a regional movement. But many feel not enough has changed | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 18: 19 | A picture of Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor who set himself alight 10 yea…
(2020-12-16). Covid-19: Scholars say having vaccine is religious duty for Egyptians. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Scholars say having vaccine is religious duty for Egyptians | Arrival of first shipment of vaccine from China has raised religious, political and public debate in the country | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 12: 41 | Worshippers attend Friday prayers inside Cairo's historic al-Azhar mosque (AFP) | Egypt's religious establishment has stepped into the heated debate over Covid-19 vaccines, ur…
(2020-12-16). Tunisia and Algeria try to cool tensions over Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net 
Tunisia and Algeria try to cool tensions over Western Sahara | Tunisia's former foreign minister provoked anger after blaming Algiers for pushing Morocco to normalise with Israel | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 15: 07 | Tunisia's foreign minister Othman Jerandi has reiterated "Tunisia's pride in brotherly relations with Algeria" (Photo/Screengrab) | Tunisian and Algerian officials are attempting to pu…
(2020-12-16). Kempis Ghani Songster: 'The struggle of working people in the prison system'. workers.org 
Kempis Ghani Songster co-produces the podcast "Move It Forward" which can be listened to at: transom.org/2020/move-it-forward/ These slightly edited comments are from a Dec. 10 webinar organized by the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. Co-moderator Monica Moorehead: We're very excited to welcome to the panel Kempis Ghani Songster. . . . |
(2020-12-16). How Portland Radicalized Me. counterpunch.org 
Today I find myself in an untenable position. I run an online encrypted mental health service to serve the Portland protest movement. This is the story of how I came to use a code name, an encrypted email and apps, and risk myself to help frontline activists. But the movement I am serving is no
(2020-12-16). US Unemployed Rising, Evictions, Mortgages Crisis Brewing, Small Business Collapsing: Economic Consequences of a 2nd 'Mitigation' Bill. globalresearch.ca As of mid-December 2020 the US economy has begun showing increasing signs of an exceptionally weak 4th quarter, October-December, growth. After having collapsed -10.5% in the March-June 2020 period, followed by a partial 'rebound' (not sustained recovery) in the 3rd …
(2020-12-16). Health Impacts of "Social Distancing" and Isolation: Scientists Show a Sort of Signature in the Brains of Lonely People. globalresearch.ca This holiday season will be a lonely one for many people as social distancing due to COVID-19 continues, and it is important to understand how isolation affects our health. A new study shows a sort of signature in the brains …
(2020-12-16). Unlike UK, U.S. FDA Allows Pregnant and Nursing Women to Receive Experimental Pfizer COVID Vaccine. globalresearch.ca The U.S. FDA has given emergency use authorization (EUA) to the experimental Pfizer COVID mRNA vaccine, a type of vaccine that has never before been authorized for use in humans. | The FDA's EUA for the Pfizer COVID vaccine follows an …
(2020-12-16). Proud Boys Destroy Churches' Black Lives Matter Signs During Protest in Washington, D.C. splcenter.org Proud Boys attended a pro-Trump rally in Washington, D.C., on Saturday that ended with members of the group tearing down and destroying Black Lives Matter banners from two historic Black churches.
(2020-12-16). Why Make the Dogs Bark: a Tale from Communist Bulgaria. counterpunch.org Recently, I came across an article in the New York Times about an assassination attempt on a Bulgarian arms manufacturer in Sofia, Emilian Gebrev. They smeared poison on his car door handles. The Times points the finger at the same Russians they say were behind the attack on double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
(2020-12-16). Massive Fracked-Gas Export Terminal Coming to Southern New Jersey. dissidentvoice.org On December 9 a regional planning body, the Delaware River Basin Commission, gave a green light to a mammoth fracked-gas export terminal in Gibbstown, New Jersey. It would export fracked-gas from the Marcellus Shale gas fields to Angola, among other countries. The Governors of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey voted yay. Governor Andrew Cuomo of …
(2020-12-16). The Four F's. dissidentvoice.org In 1940, eighty years ago, a New Yorker deemed by many in the Establishment a "dictator" who had to be removed — and went so far as to conspire except that General Smedley Butler denounced the plot — was elected to a third term as the President of the corporate United States. He was an …
(2020-12-16). Maeve in America: How We Can Do Better. progressive.org The racial oppression codified into the formation of the United States has been tinkered with, modified, lessened, but still rules the land.
(2020-12-16). The Roots of Our Planetary Crisis. progressive.org To save humankind, we must transform what we think of as civilization.
(2020-12-16). With more than 300,000 infected in a week, Brazil goes back to peak levels of COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org The pandemic has been advancing at increased rates for more than a month; number of deaths has accelerated for four weeks…
(2020-12-16). RT-PCR Test to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Reveals 10 Major Scientific Flaws at the Molecular and Methodological Level: Consequences for False Positive Results. globalresearch.ca Abstract | In the publication entitled "Detection of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by real-time RT-PCR" (Eurosurveillance 25(8) 2020) the authors present a diagnostic workflow and RT-qPCR protocol for detection and diagnostics of 2019-nCoV (now known as SARS-CoV-2), which they claim to …
(2020-12-16). What the US Constitution Specifies about Choosing the New President. dissidentvoice.org Regardless of the traditional bluster about the Founding Fathers and the world historic nature of the US Constitution, the electoral system it set up to choose a new president is far from democratic. We now find Trump attempting to use the Constitution as written to be "re-elected." Those who laud "our great democracy," claiming Trump …
(2020-12-16). Local Sheriffs Are Pushing Back on Some of the Lockdown's Harsher Measures. globalresearch.ca The limits of the government's power to follow through with some of its public-health orders are being tested as states impose new restrictions on private gatherings because of COVID-19. | "You have due process," said Sheriff Richard Giardino, of Fulton …
(2020-12-16). 'The fossil fuel industry is terrified': Gas company sues to destroy small town's rights of nature law. nationofchange.org "The fossil fuel industry is terrified the tactics taken in Grant Township are spreading."
(2020-12-16). Will Israel Deploy Missile Defense Systems to Persian Gulf Amid Growing Tension with Iran? globalresearch.ca On Tuesday, a senior Israeli official expressed his country's readiness to cooperate in the future in the field of missile defense with Gulf states that share their concerns about Iran. | Moshe Patil, head of the Israeli Defense Ministry's Missile Defense …
(2020-12-16). 500+ Groups Call on President-Elect Biden To Order Fossil Fuel Lease Ban. counterpunch.org WASHINGTON Hundreds of conservation, Native American, religious, and business groups today sent President-elect Joe Biden text for a proposed executive order to ban new fossil fuel leasing and permitting on federal public lands and waters. "For our health and prosperity, President-elect Biden needs to make transitioning from fossil fuels a number one priority," said Jeremy Nichols, Climate
(2020-12-16). Video: "Crimes Against Humanity": The German Corona Investigation. "The PCR Pandemic" globalresearch.ca The German Corona Investigative Committee has taken testimony from a large number of international scientists and experts since July 10, 2020. | Scroll down for the Video and Full Transcript of Dr. Reiner Fuellmich's presentation. | . | Their …
(2020-12-16). Netanyahu to Become First Israeli to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine. sputniknews.com MOSCOW, (Sputnik) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to be the first person in Israel to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
(2020-12-16). Ethical accreditation schemes: good or ill? zcomm.org As unethical companies continue to generate hefty profits, Josie Wexler examines various schemes for upholding ethical standards, and how much faith we should put in them…
(2020-12-16). An ER Nurse, Fired for Demanding Protective Equipment, Fights for his Job. zcomm.org Cliff Willmeng, a registered nurse in Minneapolis, was fired from his job at United Hospital, Allina Health Corporation for standing up for his and his coworkers' safety…
(2020-12-16). Post-Election Reflections on Sinophobia in U.S. Politics. zcomm.org The last 12 months have seen a sharp rise in anti-China sentiment and, consequently, anti-Asian racism…
(2020-12-16). In 'Landmark' Moment, London Coroner Lists Air Pollution as a Cause of Young Girl's Death. commondreams.org London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the coroner's report must mark "a turning point so that other families do not have to suffer the same heartbreak." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1229867831_1.jpg …
(2020-12-16). Tuesday 12/15: Families Belong Together: Year in Review and Looking into 2021. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-12-16). Sunday 12/20: Solstice eve Pole DANCING & candlelight CARAVAN to STOP 5G. indybay.org Berkeley – Dance/rally at 2020 BONAR // CARAVAN to MARIN TRAFFIC CIRCLE for 2nd rally/dance // Then to GRANT/UNIVERSITY AVE for 3rd rally/dance…
(2020-12-16). Lost Voices, Muffled Histories, Piano Notes: The Poetry of Thulani Davis. thenation.com Lost Voices, Muffled Histories, Piano Notes: The Poetry of Thulani Davis…
(2020-12-16). Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia. thenation.com Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia…
(2020-12-16). Mutual Aid Can't Do It Alone. thenation.com Mutual Aid Can't Do It Alone…
(2020-12-16). Dean Spade on the Promise of Mutual Aid. thenation.com Dean Spade on the Promise of Mutual Aid…
(2020-12-16). Giada De Laurentiis' easy one-pot pasta is our new favorite weeknight recipe. salon.com The prep time is just five minutes, which is basically the time it takes to listen to one good Adele song…
(2020-12-16). Here are 6 great film performances you missed in 2020 — and how to watch them. salon.com Orion Lee in "First Cow" to Carrie Coon in "The Nest" were standouts in a year with fewer theatrical releases…
(2020-12-16). . salon.com A novel network of manifolds has been discovered that could provide relatively short travel times for long distance…
(2020-12-16). Pompeo goes into quarantine after hosting State Department holiday party in the middle of a pandemic. salon.com The secretary of state has hosted indoor holiday parties despite warnings from public health officials and workers…
(2020-12-16). A Notable Death in 2020: American Democracy. commondreams.org America has two political parties. When one no longer believes in counting the votes, it's not a democracy. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/steal.jpg …
(2020-12-16). A Public Option Won't Save Us. The Sick and Disabled Need Medicare-for-All. commondreams.org Medicare and Medicaid are rife with complicated formulas for exclusions, exceptions, and limitations. The cruelty that is imposed by the constraints of these programs cannot be overstated. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/expanded.jpg …
(2020-12-15). Biden Can End the Mass Detention of Immigrants. aclu.org This piece was originally published in
(2020-12-15). As Johnson threatens UK's neighbours with gunboats, we revisit the lies underpinning the entire Brexit project. thecanary.co 
Prime minister Boris Johnson has reverted to 19th century
(2020-12-15). For U.S.-Mexico Relations, The Real Hope Lies with Energized Social Movements. zcomm.org The real hope doesn't lie with the governments but in recognizing the power and vision of progressive grassroots organizing…
(2020-12-15). Defend Chich'il Bildagoteel! workers.org 
Apache clans and over 300 Indigenous nations are organizing to protect Chich'il Bildagoteel, the Oak Flat site in southeastern Arizona, from devastating copper mining extraction. Apache clan members and supporters rally to defend Chich'il Bildagoteel (Oak Flat) in December 2019.Credit: Sandra Rambler/Censored News The mining was given a federal go-ahead . . . |
(2020-12-15). Socialist election win masks deeper problems. mronline.org 
With a majority of the opposition boycotting and an abstention rate of almost 70%, the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) obtained 69% of the vote in the country's December 6 National Assembly (AN) elections.
(2020-12-15). Aleppo's Liberation Three Years Ago Today: Anybody Ashamed? globalresearch.ca December 12, 2017, marks the anniversary of the liberation — the West called it fall — of Aleppo in Syria. What happened is conveniently forgotten today by the West. | Some of us can't and won't forget what was both world, …
(2020-12-15). World Is "Speeding in the Wrong Direction" on Climate. zcomm.org "The gap between what we need to do and what is actually being done is widening by the minute"
(2020-12-15). Brexit Bluster Exposes the Waning of English Power. counterpunch.org 
I met pleased and gloomy people in the first half of last year when I travelled around the UK writing about the potential impact of Brexit. But by far the happiest of those I interviewed were veteran Irish republicans in Belfast, mostly present or past members of Sinn Fein, who had devoted their lives to
(2020-12-15). After One Hundred 9/11's, Here Are 9 Life-Saving Actions Progressives Must Demand Now. commondreams.org Why aren't more of us demanding action to save lives now? | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/death_toll_eskow.jpg …
(2020-12-15). Is It Arson? Seven Suspicious Fires in Seven Days Rock Toronto's Homeless Encampments. counterpunch.org 
On Saturday, December 5, Jimmie Tierney woke up just after 10: 30 p.m. on Toronto's Harbourfront to "the flames, the heat, and [my friend] screaming at me to get out. It burned the back of my igloo." "Igloos" in this case are Styrofoam and Fabrene wrap structures designed by North Bay's John MacIsaac and paid for
(2020-12-15). Elections and building socialism under hybrid war: A Venezuelan perspective. peoplesdispatch.org 
Hernán Vargas of the Movimiento de Pobladores y Pobladoras discusses the legislative elections in Venezuela held on December 6 and what they mean for politics in the country…
(2020-12-15). Houstonians gather to stop highway expansion. liberationnews.org 
Historically, highway projects in Houston have been used to reinforce racial and class segregation. In the Third Ward's working-class Black neighborhoods, highways divide and dismember the community.
(2020-12-15). Frederick Wiseman's 'City Hall': Let us now praise democracy. peoplesworld.org 
Director Frederick Wiseman has gifted us with a movie for our times. City Hall is all about democracy—how it works, who does it, and why it is so vital. In a time of authoritarian challenges, it could not be more important. Wiseman's documentary is a brilliant mosaic. He pieces together the work of civil servants …
(2020-12-15). New documents reveal a 'high-level, coordinated and sustained' plot by British forces to 'deceive parliament'. thecanary.co 
In August 2020, The Canary
(2020-12-15). How US sanctions will affect Turkey's defence industry. middleeasteye.net 
How US sanctions will affect Turkey's defence industry | Penalties over Ankara's S-400 purchase could hinder crucial projects for up to a year until Turkey finds replacements | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 14: 19 | Turkey's Hurjet light combat aircraft, which is produced by the Presidency for Defence Industries, will be affected by US sanctions (Turkish Aerospace) | US sanctions imposed on Turkey on Monday over the…
(2020-12-15). Beirut explosion: Lebanon's investigation on edge following political backlash. middleeasteye.net 
Beirut explosion: Lebanon's investigation on edge following political backlash | Political figures have denounced the indictment of caretaker premier Hassan Diab and three former ministers in the legal inquiry into the August blast | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 16: 27 | A woman amid the rubble in her damaged house in Beirut on 6 August 2020, two days after a massive explosion shook the Lebanese capital…
(2020-12-15). Iraqi activist shot dead in Baghdad. middleeasteye.net 
Iraqi activist shot dead in Baghdad | Local media reports that Salah al-Iraqi was shot five times in suburb of Baghdad al-Jadeed | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 17: 02 | A social media picture of Salah al-Iraqi (Facebook) | A well-known Iraqi activist was shot dead in Baghdad on Tuesday evening, the latest in a long line of assassinations in the country. | According to local media, Salah al-Iraqi was shot f…
(2020-12-15). The Heat: U.S. politics and COVID-19. america.cgtn.com 
The Electoral College votes to confirm the next president of the United States. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 deaths passes 300,000 in the U.S. as the first vaccinations begin. Nearly six weeks after Americans cast their ballots to elect Joe Biden as the next president, …
(2020-12-15). Why We Need to Adopt Friedrich Engels' Thinking on Science in These Times. counterpunch.org Reflecting on the contributions of Friedrich Engels on his bicentenary brings three issues to mind. The first issue is, how do we read his writings today? A lot of his writings were polemics against defenders of the existing order, or those proposing theories that ran counter to Marx and Engels' views on the struggles of
(2020-12-15). Exome Sequencing as Part of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis. jamanetwork.com To the Editor The Viewpoint by Dr Friedman and colleagues on whole-exome sequencing claimed that the diagnosis of many genetic diseases cannot be based solely on molecular results but requires a multidisciplinary approach for a final diagnosis. The authors stated "Genomic variants classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic may be seen in healthy people." This phenomenon has been described for genetically related kidney diseases in particular. We agree with the authors about using a multidisciplinary approach in the field of adult genetically related kidney diseases, in which the pretest probability of a geneti…
(2020-12-15). 2020: I'm So Sick of Superlatives. counterpunch.org "2020: The Worst Year Ever," reads the cover of Time magazine's December 14 issue. "There have been worse years in U.S. history," admits author Stephanie Zacharek, but not, to her way of thinking, since World War Two. Between a heavy hurricane and fire season, police violence and the accompanying protests, a circus of a presidential
(2020-12-15). How Vilsack Should Use His Second Chance. progressive.org The problems he struggled with during his first stint as agriculture secretary, from corporate concentration to racism, have not gone away.
(2020-12-15). Transparency as a Trust-Building Practice in Physician Relationships With Patients. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes transparency practices that could help physicians build trust with patients and model professionalism for students and trainees: clear and consistent disclosure of financial relationships, conflicts of interest, credentials, disciplinary actions, performance metrics, and personal information or experiences oriented toward improving patient outcomes.
(2020-12-15). W.E.B. Du Bois Is as Relevant as Ever. progressive.org Elvira Basevich's new book takes a look at the scholar's work through the lens of the Black Lives Matter movement.
(2020-12-15). Trijardy XR—A New 3-Drug Combination for Type 2 Diabetes. jamanetwork.com This Medical Letter compares a newly approved fixed-dose combination pill comprising the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin, the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor linagliptin, and extended-release metformin, with available formulations of each of the pill's individual components for oral treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.
(2020-12-15). Rebuilding Trust and Relationships in Medical Centers. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses efforts that medical centers can take in rebuilding affordability-related trust and relationships with patients.
(2020-12-15). Conversational Agents in Health Care. jamanetwork.com To the Editor The Viewpoint by Dr McGreevey and colleagues drew attention to the increasing use of conversational agents (CAs) in health care. However, they suggested a less mature field than we find in practice, and their call for CA-specific regulations risks creating confusion.
(2020-12-15). Top grocery chain eliminates 20 million individual pieces of holiday single-use plastic. nationofchange.org "It is an absolute priority of ours to remove and reduce the amount of plastic in our stores."
(2020-12-15). Creating More Climate-Proof Health Care Facilities. jamanetwork.com Building more resilient and environmentally sustainable health care systems is essential to ensuring access to care as the world's climate continues to change, according to new guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO).
(2020-12-15). JAMA Network Articles of the Year 2020. jamanetwork.com This Medical News article discusses the top-viewed research articles published across the JAMA Network in the past year.
(2020-12-15). Addressing Medical Misinformation in the Patient-Clinician Relationship. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint describes why health misinformation spreads, characterizes a broader set of misinformation types, and discusses solutions to this problem.
(2020-12-15). The 2020 Worldwide Corona Crisis: Destroying Civil Society, Engineered Economic Depression, Global Coup d'État and the "Great Reset" globalresearch.ca We are at the crossroads of one of the most serious crises in modern history. We are living history, yet our understanding of the flow of events since January 2020 has been blurred. Worldwide, people have been misled both by their governments and the media as to the causes and devastating consequences of the Covid-19 "pandemic".
(2020-12-15). Patient Consumerism, Healing Relationships, and Rebuilding Trust in Health Care. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses barriers to building trust between physicians and patients and offers recommendations to increase that trust, including minimizing emphasis on patient consumerism, promoting authentic partnerships, and accelerating select payment and delivery system reforms.
(2020-12-15). A Song for Gram—The Music of Grief. jamanetwork.com In this narrative medicine essay, a critical care fellow returning to the ICU after burying her grandmother learns that grief does not conform to clinical schedules and efficiencies, having instead its own pace and melody, like the songs on violin she loved to performed for her beloved Gram.
(2020-12-15). Home From the Hospital. jamanetwork.com Last night I dreamed my father came Home from the hospital Standing there in the kitchen with the usual Slab of butter laid out on homemade bread As if it was cheese…
(2020-12-15). Changes in Outpatient Buprenorphine Dispensing During the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com This study examined outpatient buprenorphine dispensing patterns in Texas before vs after the Drug Enforcement Administration temporarily relaxed outpatient buprenorphine prescribing regulations in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-12-15). Behind the Curve. realprogressives.org Please explain to me how and why this perverted version of economic reality persists. | This trickle down, supply side economic policy based on a curve sketched on a bar room napkin The efficacy never determined to be self-evident, never to be re-evaluated, and never to be rescinded. | If the basis of the nation's economic performance can be attributed to an imaginary trickle of investment from on high […
(2020-12-15). Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Incident Cardiovascular Diseases. jamanetwork.com This international study pooled individual-participant data from several long-term prospective studies to evaluate the relationship between depressive symptoms and incident cardiovascular disease.
(2020-12-15). Midwest Dispatch: Beware of Proud Boys and Liability Shields. progressive.org We know racist violence runs rampant on the far right, but it's also familiar in Congress.
(2020-12-15). "Students are being treated as a source of profit by university managements" peoplesdispatch.org Peoples Dispatch spoke to Jude Percival, press officer for the 9K4WHAT? campaign group in the UK which is campaigning against higher tuition fees being charged by universities across the UK during the COVID-19 crisis…
(2020-12-15). Regardless of Who Occupies the White House, The Decadent Trajectory of Neoliberalism Continues. globalresearch.ca November 3rd has passed and slightly more than a third of the eligible electorate chose the Democrat, slightly less than a third the Republican, and the remaining third chose none of the above by either not voting or casting …
(2020-12-15). Exome Sequencing as Part of a Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Dr Doreille and colleagues share our opinion that a genetic disease diagnosis cannot be made on the basis of an exome-sequencing result alone but requires consideration of all of a patient's clinical features and consistency with the spectrum of clinical manifestations that occur in the disease being considered.
(2020-12-15). Conversational Agents in Health Care—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Dr Darcy and colleagues from Woebot Health cite 2 references when suggesting that the CA field is more developed than our Viewpoint suggested. However, we find the use of these references as being off target for 2 reasons. First, both articles address symptom checkers. Symptom checkers typically ask patients preset questions and permit structured or limited free-text replies. Thus, we would not consider symptom checkers to be CAs. Our Viewpoint focused on technologies that accept and interpret a broad range of typed or spoken words, phrases, and sentences and that offer natural-sounding language response…
(2020-12-15). The Enduring Importance of Trust in Leadership of Health Care Organizations. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses the declining trust in the US health care system, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance that maintaining public trust should hold in the culture of health care organizations.
(2020-12-15). Human-Centered Design and Trust in Medicine. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses how human-centered design (HCD) that involves all stakeholders can improve patient trust in physicians and health care systems, describes its methods, and provides examples of its successful application.
(2020-12-15). 'Buy It or Else': Inside Monsanto and BASF's Moves to Force Dicamba on Farmers. globalresearch.ca Get poisoned or get on board. | That's the choice soybean farmers such as Will Glazik face. The past few summers, farmers near Glazik's central Illinois farm have sprayed so much of the weed killer dicamba at the same time that …
(2020-12-15). Iraq to Sue US over Use of Depleted Uranium Weapons: Official. globalresearch.ca An adviser to the Iraqi parliament's foreign affairs committee said the Baghdad government is planning to lodge an international lawsuit against the US for using internationally-banned munitions in civilian areas. | Hatif al-Rikabi told Arabic-language al-Maalomah news agency in an interview …
(2020-12-15). Stop weaponising antisemitism: 'Never again ever, for anyone!'. thecanary.co Dan Glass is the grandson of four Nazi Holocaust survivors, two from Germany and two from Poland. He says "the last thing I'm ever going to let happen is that my grandparents' story and what they went through, be weaponised to oppress other people". | You can watch the full Redfish documentary featured in this video Alongside the launch of this video, the following Q&A with Dan Glass and The Canary's
(2020-12-15). IMF austerity is strangling Ecuador — again. zcomm.org Members of the Progressive International's Debt Justice working group call on IMF President Georgieva to deliver on the promise of a just recovery…
(2020-12-15). Warehouse Workers Are on the Front Lines of the Covid Crisis. zcomm.org They're Worried They'll Be Passed Over for the Vaccine…
(2020-12-15). Did You Think the New Laws Were Only About the Farmers? zcomm.org The laws contain among the most sweeping exclusions of a citizen's right to legal recourse in any law outside of the Emergency of 1975-77…
(2020-12-15). An Embarrassing Situation. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/loser_tease_new_paintings_epo9deqw8aa95yt.jpg …
(2020-12-15). Stop Destruction of San Francisco Restaurants. indybay.org We are now witnessing a second shut down of a major part of San Francisco's economy, its famous restaurants, and the reasons given do not hold up to scrutiny.
(2020-12-15). The discussion about Corona. indybay.org Corona can only become a kairos if we gain the theoretical capacity of recovery and create the conditions for a transformation. Taking the healthcare system away from the markets and obliging large companies to be oriented in the common good would be steps to infrastructure socialism.
(2020-12-15). Wednesday 12/16: The Legacy of Police Violence Against the Black Panthers to the Attica Uprising. indybay.org Online event…
(2020-12-15). Climate Change Can be Addressed in Coronavirus Relief, Study Says Development Group Urges. indybay.org As countries address their debt crises, policy responses can reduce climate change, asserts a new study. "Linking Debt Relief and Sustainable Development: Lessons from Experience," examines previous debt relief processes to learn how debt and climate responses can work in tandem.
(2020-12-15). Tuesday 12/15: S.F. Gray Panthers December 15 mtg: a look back; ahead; and at loneliness! indybay.org Zoom in: us02web.zoom.us/j/87088353876 | Phone in: 1 669 900 9128 (Meeting ID: 870 8835 3876)…
(2020-12-15). That Wall Street Journal op-ed about Dr. Jill Biden isn't just sexist — it's classist, too. salon.com There's nothing "unpromising" about caring for community college students. Prestige-chasing is drowning us in debt…
(2020-12-15). Serenade Behind a Floating Stage. thenation.com Serenade Behind a Floating Stage…
(2020-12-15). Why the Cleveland Indians Will Change Their Name. thenation.com Why the Cleveland Indians Will Change Their Name…
(2020-12-15). Letters From the December 28, 2020/January 4, 2021, Issue. thenation.com Letters From the December 28, 2020/January 4, 2021, Issue…
(2020-12-15). Justice for the Innocent. thenation.com Justice for the Innocent…
(2020-12-15). Yes, Trump will leave office — but his seditious secession movement isn't going away. salon.com Trump is doomed, and ultimately so is his movement. But they may be willing to destroy America on their way down…
(2020-12-15). Ready for Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago shadow presidency? That's where all this is heading. salon.com Slates of fake electors are only the beginning. Trump and Stephen Miller may try to run an entire fake presidency…
(2020-12-15). HBO's unflinching "Baby God" corrects pop culture's tendency to treat fertility fraud lightly. salon.com HBO's documentary tells the story of Dr. Quincy Fortier who secretly impregnated patients with his own sperm…
(2020-12-15). How did a Proud Boys leader with a felony record get into the White House?>. salon.com Enrique Tarrio claims he visited the White House on Saturday, hours before a major pro-Trump rally…
(2020-12-15). Martha Stewart's 30-minute chicken puttanesca is the easy comfort food we need right now. salon.com In less time than it takes to listen to an episode of your favorite podcast, you'll have a restaurant-worthy meal…
(2020-12-14). Imperialism 2.0: Notes from the Edge of the Narrative Matrix. globalresearch.ca The new imperialism doesn't look like old-school ground invasions, it looks like multi-front cold wars, economic warfare, blockades and starvation sanctions, drone strikes, arming proxy militias, CIA-backed coups, sprawling tech surveillance networks, mass psyops of unprecedented sophistication and narrative management …
(2020-12-14). 7 books every activist needs to read. nationofchange.org Activism can be a long and exhausting road but there are so many sources of inspiration out there. From indigenous protesters to LGBTQ heroes, recharge your activism with these essential stories of standing up to power.
(2020-12-14). Journalist Chris Hedges. projectcensored.org In an online speech delivered one week after the election, journalist Chris Hedges spoke about the much deeper forces of political and economic decay afflicting the US. This week's Project Censored Show contains Hedges' complete speech, titled "The Culture of Despair." This event was sponsored by KPFA, Pacifica Radio and Project Censored. Mickey Huff of Project Censored hosted the event. | Notes: | Chris Hedges is a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist with a long career as a foreign correspondent around the world. He hosts the program "On Contact" for RT America, and writes online at www.scheerpost.com His books in…
(2020-12-14). How to Cure America's Vaccine Paranoia. counterpunch.org 
The end is in sight, we are told. The cavalry has arrived in the form of safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 on the verge of approval and being manufactured for widespread distribution. The stock market has surged in response to every pharmaceutical company's press release of its latest successful clinical trial. Americans are expecting
(2020-12-14). "Myopia:" Moroccan Director/Actor Sanaa Akroud's Latest Screen Gem. counterpunch.org 
This film story by Sanaa Akroud is, like its title "Myopia", just too simple to carry the power of a deeply moving universal message. Fatem a hardy woman from a remote Moroccan mountain village is sent on a frivolous mission to the city where she is innocently swept up in a street protest. She finds
(2020-12-14). California legislators bring back more bills on police conduct. peoplesworld.org 
As California lawmakers gathered in Sacramento Dec. 7 to take their oaths of office in socially distanced settings and prepare for the 2021-22 legislative session, members of the state Senate and Assembly also took the opportunity to introduce new legislation on many topics, and to reintroduce bills which hadn't gotten all the way through the …
(2020-12-14). A Middle Finger Cost Me My Livelihood as a Woman Athlete. aclu.org 
It took a split second for my whole world to come crashing down. , , My teammates on the University of Connecticut's women's soccer team were jumping and screaming and hugging each other. We had just won a championship game. It was one of the happiest moments of my life — my first championship win at the collegiate level. Without thinking, I flashed a middle finger in celebration as I embraced teammates on camera. I couldn't have known that split-second, mindless gesture of celebration would cause UConn to suspend me from the NCAA tournament, revoke my scholarship, and completely upend my life as I…
(2020-12-14). Venezuelan Gold Seized by the Bank of England: British Court Accepts Guaidó's Appeal. globalresearch.ca Thursday December 10 the British Supreme Court accepted the appeal issued by the lawyers of the opposition for exiting deputy Juan Guaidó, and ruled in favor of hearing his appeal regarding control of Venezuela's gold reserves, valued at $1.3 …
(2020-12-14). Cambridge Academics Have Just Won an Important Battle for Free Speech. globalresearch.ca Academics at Cambridge won a cheering victory for free speech today when they voted by an overwhelming majority to reject plans from the vice-chancellor to change the rules governing debate at the university. | They rejected the university's proposals to insist …
(2020-12-14). Syria: Weapons Found, Including Israeli Made Ones, and a Drone Left Behind by Terrorists in Syria's Southern Region. globalresearch.ca Syrian authorities on Sunday found a quantity of weapons and ammunition, including Israeli-made weapons as well as a drone left behind by terrorists in Syria's southern region, SANA reporter said on Sunday, citing a source from authorities. | The source told …
(2020-12-14). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Warned FDA About Ingredient in Pfizer COVID Vaccine that Likely Caused Life-Threatening Reaction in Two UK Healthcare Workers. globalresearch.ca An investigation this week identified polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the likely reason two people in the UK suffered anaphylaxis after receiving Pfizer's COVID vaccine. In September, CHD Chairman RFK, Jr. warned the FDA that PEG in COVID vaccines could lead …
(2020-12-14). Americans Are Drowning in Debt. Let's Forgive All of It. zcomm.org In the age of Covid-19, it's time to end our debt epidemic once and for all…