(2020-12-31). Under the cover of the pandemic, states cracked down even harder. peoplesdispatch.org Despite promises to focus all efforts towards combating the pandemic, many states used the pretext of the lockdown to intensify repression of people's movements and dissenting voices…
(2020-12-31). Good Riddance to 2020 and Mad King Trump. counterpunch.org You won't find much disagreement that 2020 was one of the worst years in memory for hundreds of millions of Americans. The red flags of a virulent and lethal pandemic went up early and the country shut down by March in an attempt to "flatten the curve" of infections. But actions by a hare-brained president
(2020-12-31). Best films and television of the year and the devastation of cultural life. wsws.org It is not possible to discuss any aspect of artistic life, or life in general, in 2020 without central reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, which the various ruling elites have permitted to ravage the world's population.
(2020-12-31). Officials from Bolivia's Coup Regime Will Be Put on Trial. telesurenglish.net Bolivian authorities will investigate members of Jeanine àÅñez's executive, involved in these acts of corruption in the middle of the quarantine against the pandemic, Minister of Justice Iván Lima assured. | RELATED: | The official pointed out there is no documentation to withstand such acquisitions, about which some processes remain open, such as one referring to the purchase of some 300 defective respirators.
(2020-12-31). The year the unions kept us strong. peoplesdispatch.org 
Amid the devastation and misery brought by the pandemic, the working class across the world was the core of the resistance, calling to account governments and standing in solidarity with the most oppressed…
(2020-12-31). Spain to cut pensions as billions go to super-rich in EU pandemic bailout. wsws.org While handing out €140 billion in COVID-19 bailouts to the banks, the "left populist" Podemos party is moving to slash workers' pensions.
(2020-12-31). Federal Judge Blocks Strike By Union Pacific Railroad Workers. popularresistance.org A federal judge in Nebraska issued a temporary restraining order last week to block a December 28 strike by thousands of Union Pacific Railroad (UP) workers over unsafe conditions, the lack of protective gear and the failure to pay workers who are quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | A strike by 8,000 members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWED)—a division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters—would have quickly disrupted the operations of the second largest railroad in the US, which employs a total of 32,000 workers. The judge's restriction lasts until January 8 a…
(2020-12-31). The Year of COVID, Elections and Police Brutality Also Saw LGBTQ Activism. truthout.org For the past five years, Truthout has looked back at the queer and trans news you might've missed because corporate news outlets decided not to cover it. This year, almost all of us were tangled up with the biggest news stories — queer and trans people felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; the feuds between the rich and powerful in Washington; the anti-racist uprisings; and the global warming-fueled hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires. | This year has reaffirmed what many of us have kn…
(2020-12-31). Covid-19 vaccination still weeks away in hard-hit Brazil. laprensalatina.com By Alba Santandreu Sao Paulo, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Brazil, which is second only to the United States in deaths from Covid-19, is entering 2021 without a firm date for the arrival of vaccines amid numbers indicating that the dreaded second wave of the pandemic has arrived. Mass vaccination is already underway in several Latin American …
(2020-12-31). #ForceTheVote Pressure Growing from Inside. dissidentvoice.org Force The Vote! We demand that every progressive in Congress refuse to vote for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House until she publicly pledges to bring Medicare for all to the floor of the House for a vote in January: forcethevote.org/…
(2020-12-31). 2020 Was a Record Year for Far Right Violence in the US. truthout.org This year was quite active for the far right in the United States, especially after its relative downturn in 2019 as an active street movement compared to the recent past. Although the far right may not have committed as many high-profile massacres as previous years, 2020 saw more murders and car attacks at demonstrations than any year in recent memory. | While the openly fascist wing of the "alt-right" continued to implode over the past year, some on the far right picked up steam: the Boogaloo movement — a…
(2020-12-31). 2020: Unprecedented struggles, renewed hope for victories. peoplesdispatch.org 2020 brought unexpected and unforeseen challenges. It tore away the fantasies of the capitalist regimes who amid the worst global healthcare crisis in history, still put profits over people. People's movements and socialist governments showed that a different world is possible, and that we must fight for it.
(2020-12-31). You don't want to imagine an ocean without coral reefs—but you might have to. nationofchange.org Scientists call the coral reefs the "rainforests of the sea," because coral reefs—like rainforests—are highly diverse ecosystems; their destruction would lead to the extinction of a large number of species.
(2020-12-31). The Future Will Only Contain What We Put into It Now. dissidentvoice.org 
Image in homage of Bolivian people's resistance by Tings Chak (China) Towards the end of November, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres addressed the German Bundestag to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). At the heart of the UN is its Charter, the treaty that binds nations together in a global project, …
(2020-12-31). A New War in the New Year? Trump Again Takes Aim at Iran. globalresearch.ca One of the most perplexing narratives presented during the waning days of the administration of President Donald J. Trump is his apparent disengagement from dealing seriously or providing leadership regarding the surging Coronavirus while at the same time continuing an …
(2020-12-31). Rights group says Philippine forces shot dead 9 indigenous community leaders. laprensalatina.com Bangkok, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Philippines security forces have killed nine suspected members of a leftist guerrilla group on Panay Island, sparking an allegation that the deceased were civilians and indigenous community leaders. Another 17 people were arrested during a joint police and military operation on Wednesday. According to Karapatan, a network of human rights organizations, …
(2020-12-31). Greta Thunberg dismisses 'empty words' in new climate crisis appeal — video. zcomm.org There is hope … we are the hope — we, the people'.
(2020-12-31). The 2020s Bring The Crises We Face Into Clear Focus. dissidentvoice.org 
The year 2020 is coming to an end, and that is cause for celebration, in COVID-19-safe ways, of course. The 2020s is the beginning of an era in which the roots of the crises we face are coming into clear focus. The Trump administration openly exposed these crises through its candid disdain for the well-being …
(2020-12-31). China approves commercial use of indigenous Covid-19 vaccine. laprensalatina.com Shanghai, China, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- China on Thursday greenlighted the commercial use of a homegrown coronavirus vaccine after an interim analysis of clinical trial results showed it is more than 79 percent effective against Covid-19. State-run Xinhua news agency reported that the government granted "conditional marketing authorization for a self-developed Covid-19 vaccine." A unit of …
(2020-12-31). National Park Ranger Condemned for Attacking Unarmed Indigenous Man on Sacred Native Land. commondreams.org "Public lands are stolen lands," asserted Red Nation. "Indigenous people have the right to practice their culture and spiritual ways on Indigenous land without fear of repression, discrimination, or violence." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/house_3.jpg …
(2020-12-31). President Arce Encourages Use of Traditional Indigenous Medicine. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's government is encouraging the use of traditional medicine, in addition to more orthodox approaches, as a means to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the country prepares for the arrival of the Sputnik V vaccine acquired from Russia. | RELATED: | President Luis Arce noted the benefits reported by Bolivians in rural areas, many of which experienced no major COVID-19 outbreak, in contrast with the city of Santa…
(2020-12-31). Same Procedure as Every Year: The Story of Dinner for One. dissidentvoice.org Memories are thick of this: the respectful, even reverential German introduction of a comedy sketch; the scratchy string orchestral music that adds a layering of anticipation. Black-and-white film. Dining room, white tablecloth, silver chandeliers. The names Freddy Frinton and May Warden. An English show broadcast on German public TV networks without subtitles. Family members, perched, …
(2020-12-31). The Great 2020 Seasonal Flu/Influenza Disappearing Act. globalresearch.ca According to the WHO, seasonal flu/influenza practically disappeared this year in the southern hemisphere. | "In tropical South America, there were no influenza detections…" | "Globally… influenza activity remained at lower levels than expected for this time of the year." | Lower …
(2020-12-31). Victories For Palestine Continued On US Campuses In 2020. popularresistance.org Despite the challenges of online/remote learning, campus activism has not stopped over the past year. National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) is currently planning their 2021 conference, celebrating 10 years of this annual reunion of SJP chapters from around the nation. And many student chapters have passed significant resolutions around some major issues, from censorship, to the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, to divestment and, most recently, the training of campus police by the Israeli military. As we wrap up 2020, here is a representative sample of…
(2020-12-31). "Say Her Name: Dr. Susan Moore" zcomm.org Black Female Doctors Condemn Racial Disparities in Healthcare…
(2020-12-31). New Year's Eve Celebrations Tamped Down as Officials Caution Large Gatherings Could Be 'Catastrophic' for Healthcare Systems. commondreams.org With the number of new Covid-19 cases growing faster than ever around the world, and more than a dozen countries reporting cases of the new, highly contagious coronavirus variant that was first detected in the U.K., major New Year's events have been canceled in large cities. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1293887676_1.jpg …
(2020-12-31). US Has Entered Uncharted Territory in Uprising Against Racism. truthout.org Scholars Cornel West and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor respond to the global uprising against racism and police violence following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "We're seeing the convergence of a class rebellion with racism and racial terrorism at the center of it," said Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "And in many ways, we are in uncharted territory in the United States." | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy…
(2020-12-31). "America's Moment of Reckoning": Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor & Cornel West on Uprising Against Racism. democracynow.org 
Scholars Cornel West and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor respond to the global uprising against racism and police violence following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "We're seeing the convergence of a class rebellion with racism and racial terrorism at the center of it," said Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "And in many ways, we are in uncharted territory in the United States."
(2020-12-31). Released Taliban militants behind journalist's killing, Kabul says. laprensalatina.com Kabul, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Two of the 5,000 Taliban fighters who were released earlier this year after an agreement with the United States — as a precondition for intra-Afghan peace negotiations — were behind the recent assassination of Afghan journalist Rahmatullah Nikzad, Afghanistan's principal intelligence agency claimed on Thursday. The alleged perpetrators of the killing …
(2020-12-31). United Nations, African Union reiterate commitment to Sudan, as joint mission ends operations. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission have reiterated their commitment to continue to support Sudan consolidate peace as the AU-UN hybrid peacekeeping mission in the country's Darfur region ends its operations on Thursday.
(2020-12-31). Top 10 Questions for Neera Tanden. counterpunch.org Before Neera Tanden can become Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Senators must approve. And before that, they must ask questions. Here are some suggestions for what they should ask. 1. You supported an attack on Libya that proved fraudulently marketed, illegal, and catastrophic in results, after which you argued in an email to your colleagues
(2020-12-31). Top 10 Questions for Antony Blinken. dissidentvoice.org 
Before Antony Blinken can become Secretary of State, Senators must approve. And before that, they must ask questions. Here are some suggestions for what they should ask. 1. Second to the war on Iraq, which of the disasters you've helped facilitate do you most regret, Libya, Syria, Ukraine, or something else? And what have you …
(2020-12-31). Horror as Hedge Fund Alden, Accused of 'Bloodless Strip-Mining of American Newspapers,' Moves to Buy Tribune Publishing. commondreams.org "If you're a shareholder and you have any concern for the future of this institution or the common good, please don't sell to Alden Global Capital." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/chicago-tribune-building_0.jpg …
(2020-12-31). Iran expresses concerns over US military activities in the Persian Gulf. peoplesdispatch.org 
After increasing its military presence in the region in the last few weeks the US flew two of its B-52 bombers above the Persian Gulf on Tuesday…
(2020-12-31). Yes, Americans are Fat. The US Military is Fatter. counterpunch.org 
"Military leaders are worried about the shrinking pool of young people who qualify for military service," Gina Harkins reports at Military.com. "More than 70% of young Americans remain unable to join the military due to obesity, education problems, or crime and drug records." Mission: Readiness, a group of retired military officers, wants the US Department of
(2020-12-31). When Bolivians defeated U.S. imperialism with democracy. mronline.org 
The resounding victory of the MAS presidential ticket in the elections held on October 18 came after a year of struggle against the U.S.-backed coup regime.
(2020-12-31). Palestinian rights have always been secondary to the 'national interest' of Arab regimes. mronline.org 
Normalisation with Israel is just the latest example of Arab rulers advancing their own interests at the expense of Palestinians.
(2020-12-31). Black man tests positive for Covid-19 after being wrongfully detained by maskless Virginia police officer in viral video. rt.com 
A black man has tested positive for Covid-19 soon after a maskless white officer mistakenly detained him at a mall in Virginia, his fiancee has said. Police previously apologized and admitted the officer had broken Covid-19 rules. | Jamar Mackey got tested three days after the altercation with a maskless officer, and the positive result arrived on Christmas Eve, the man's fiancee, Shantel Covil, told local news channel WAVY-TV. | "I'm very angry that they put my family at risk. Me and Jamar, that's one thing. But our kids, that's what upsets me the most," Covil said. | They arrested him, of course, no gloves,…
(2020-12-31). British diplomats probed Kissinger on possible use of force against Saudis. middleeasteye.net 
British diplomats probed Kissinger on possible use of force against Saudis | UK government believed Washington had drawn up plans including 'deposing existing regimes' in response to 1973 oil crisis, documents show | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 00: 01 | US secretary of state Henry Kissinger with Saudi Arabia's King Faisal in Riyadh in 1973 (Library of C…
(2020-12-31). Booked Up: the 25 Best Books of 2020. counterpunch.org 
Baseless: My Search for Secrets in the Ruins of the Freedom of Information Act Nicholson Baker (Penguin Press) The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World Vincent Bevins (Public Affairs Books) Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed It to the World Lesley M.M. Blume (Simon
(2020-12-31). Buffalo, N.Y., press conference demands COVID relief. workers.org 
By Hadley Willow WW PHOTO: Lydian Deford Buffalo, N.Y. While the U.S. government has comfortably resigned itself to a criminally negligent stasis regarding any effective long-term COVID-19 response, Workers World Party, Queen City Workers Center, and the Green Party hosted a live-streamed press conference in downtown Buffalo on Dec. 28, . . . |
(2020-12-31). Aden's terrified residents fear more attacks after return of Yemeni government. middleeasteye.net 
Aden's terrified residents fear more attacks after return of Yemeni government | Many express pessimism about future following deadly attacks that killed 25 and wounded more than 100 | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 18: 11 | Many Aden residents say they cannot promises made by government (AFP) | Many residents of Aden city woke up to a sense of dread on Thursday morning. | Military checkpoints had…
(2020-12-31). Israelis protesting settler's death in police chase arrested in West Bank. middleeasteye.net 
Israelis protesting settler's death in police chase arrested in West Bank | Tensions between extremist settlers and the police have risen sharply following the death of 16-year-old Ahuvia Sandak | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 13: 58 | Israeli protesters stand next to an image of Ahuvia Sandak, who died during a police chase when his car rolled over and crashed near a junction in the West Bank (Screengrab) | Hundreds of I…
(2020-12-31). Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison | Charges against the Islamic scholar and academic said to include attending a book fair and visiting detainees in jail | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 13: 50 | Ahmad was detained by Saudi authorities in September 2017 as a part of a widespread crackdown on scholars and intellectuals (Screengrab/Twitter) | Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad has been sen…
(2020-12-31). Nearly 10.4 million children at risk of famine in 2021: Unicef. middleeasteye.net 
Nearly 10.4 million children at risk of famine in 2021: Unicef | Millions of parents in Yemen in particular 'are being left to make the gut-wrenching choice between food and medical care for their children', UN body warns | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 17: 22 | A man and children seek refuge in a cave due to poverty and lack of housing near Taiz on 2 December (AFP/File photo) | Nearly 1o.4 million children will suffer fr…
(2020-12-31). 'Unacceptable': Italy slams Egypt decision to clear police of Giulio Regeni's murder. middleeasteye.net 
'Unacceptable': Italy slams Egypt decision to clear police of Giulio Regeni's murder | Rome says it will work at all levels to find truth after Egyptian prosecutor clears five officers and criticises Italian accusations | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 17: 41 | Italian authorities say they plan to charge four senior Egyptian security officials in murder of Regeni (AFP) | Italy called Egypt's decision to clear five police o…
(2020-12-31). More than 10 million children at risk of famine in 2021: Unicef. middleeasteye.net More than 10 million children at risk of famine in 2021: Unicef | Millions of parents in Yemen in particular 'are being left to make the gut-wrenching choice between food and medical care for their children', UN body warns | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 17: 22 | Man and children seek refuge in cave amid poverty and lack of housing near Taiz, Yemen, on 2 December (AFP/File photo) | Almost 1o.4 million children will suffer…
(2020-12-31). The Freedom Struggle in 2020: Angela Davis on Protests, Defunding Police & Toppling Racist Statues. democracynow.org 
In a Democracy Now! special, we revisit our June 2020 interview with the legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis about the uprising against police brutality and racism launched in May after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The protests have helped dramatically shift public opinion on policing and systemic racism, as "defund the police" became a rallying cry of the movement. Davis is professor emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz. For half a century, she has been one of the most influential activists and intellectuals in the United States and an icon of the Black liberation mov…
(2020-12-31). Venezuela: Top Court Supports New Parliament's Inauguration. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Supreme Court (TSJ) Wednesday ruled to void a legislative reform submitted by opposition lawmakers of the outgoing Parliament, which sought to prevent the inauguration of a new legislative period set to begin on January 5. | RELATED: | The TSJ ruling responds to an appeal requesting a mandate extension of the 2015 Parliament which is currently in contempt and is set to end with the installation in…
(2020-12-31). The Death Of Democracy In Brazil. popularresistance.org The dismantling of Brazil's democracy, which culminated in the jailing of former president Lula Da Silva as he looked certain to be reelected, is the subject of a new English-language investigative podcast. | Cícero Ezequiel Filho lay beneath the sweltering sun of Brazil's capital, Brasilia. He wore khaki shorts, John Lennon glasses and a long white beard, which stretched far below his chin and over a red long-sleeved shirt with the face of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the front. | When I met him in August 2018, Cícero had been outside Brazil's Supreme Court for two weeks. He refused to eat until…
(2020-12-31). Refugee agencies call for provision of shelter to 900 migrants in Bosnia. laprensalatina.com Sarajevo, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- International refugee agencies have called on authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide shelter to 900 migrants forced to survive in freezing temperatures without proper accommodation for over a week after their camp burned to the ground. The International Organization for Migration and the UN's refugee office ACNUR said in a …
(2020-12-31). Australian youth speak on their experiences during COVID-19. wsws.org One health agency reported a 72 percent increase in serious self-harm and suicidal-ideation cases in youth under 18 years during last weeks of Melbourne's lockdown.
(2020-12-31). Mexico Is Set to Receive Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine in March. telesurenglish.net Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) Wednesday informed that his country will receive the first doses of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine made by the United Kingdom-based AstraZeneca company and the Oxford University. | RELATED: | On Tuesday, the U.K. approved Mexico and Argentina to use the vaccine to immunize their people. Four months ago, British authorities also allowed both countries to produce the drug and distribute it in…
(2020-12-31). New COVID-19 variant growing rapidly in England. imperial.ac.uk The new SARS-CoV-2 variant is growing rapidly, is more transmissible than other variants, and affecting a greater proportion of under 20s.
(2020-12-31). Overshadowed by COVID: the deadly extreme weather of 2020. zcomm.org 2020 was alarming, unforgettable and traumatic — and not only because of COVID-19. Lethal natural hazards are increasing in frequency under our changing climate, and 2020 is a testament to that…
(2020-12-31). The virus that shut down the world: the path to a vaccine. news.un.org Vaccines that protect against COVID-19 have been developed in record time over the year but, amid fears that people from poorer countries may miss out, the UN has consistently insisted on global solidarity, to ensure that all are protected. In the final part of our series on the ways that the virus has changed the world, we trace the evolution of the COVID-19 vaccines, and how protected we are likely to be in 2021.
(2020-12-31). Indian capital imposes night curfew to restrict New Year mass celebrations. laprensalatina.com New Delhi, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- The government on Thursday imposed a night curfew in the Indian capital to restrict mass New Year celebrations after detecting an increasing number of cases of a more contagious strain of the coronavirus in the second-worst country affected by Covid-19. "Night curfew will be in force (not more than five …
(2020-12-31). Tokyo registers over 1,000 daily Covid cases for the first time. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, dec 31 (efe-epa).- The number of daily Covid-19 infections in the Tokyo region has crossed the 1,000 mark for the first time, authorities announced on Thursday even as they contemplate fresh measures to check the spread of the disease. Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike told reporters that cases registered within the past 24 hours had …
(2020-12-31). Brazil suffers 1,194 Covid deaths, largest one-day toll in 4 months. laprensalatina.com Rio de Janeiro, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Over the past 24 hours, Brazil has registered 1,194 deaths from Covid-19, the highest one-day death toll from the coronavirus since Sept. 1, when 1,215 people died. The total number of Covid-19 deaths in the South American giant is now approaching 194,000, according to figures released Wednesday by the …
(2020-12-31). Australia tightens Covid-19 restrictions on New Year's Eve. laprensalatina.com Sydney, Australia, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- The Australian authorities tightened social distancing measures on Thursday ahead of the New Year holidays after eight local infections in Melbourne. The city, which is the capital of Victoria state, had been without local infections for 61 days after being the epicenter of the second wave of Covid-19 in Australia. …
(2020-12-31). Why Lockdowns Don't Work and Hurt the Most Vulnerable. Bankruptcies, Poverty, Despair. globalresearch.ca In a December 9, 2020, Twitter thread,1 Michael P. Senger, an attorney and author of the September 2020 article,2 "China's Global Lockdown Propaganda Campaign," reviewed the largely hidden impacts of global lockdowns. Ivor Cummins' video also reviews …
(2020-12-31). The Potential (and Peril) of Legalizing Psychedelics. progressive.org Allowing use for research and treatment is a step forward, but it leaves out some of those it might help.
(2020-12-31). Eco-advocacy group urges Biden to reverse Trump environmental rollbacks. nationofchange.org "By undoing the Trump administration's rollbacks of environmental protections, the Biden administration will be able to protect our natural landscapes and give Americans cleaner air, cleaner water and a more livable climate."
(2020-12-31). Ecuador: 799 Observers to Monitor the 2021 Elections. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) approved 799 people who will participate as national observers to the elections set to take place on Feb. 7. | RELATED: | CNE officials noted that 789 citizens, two foreigners residing in the country, and eight Ecuadorians residing abroad, were selected as observers, while 139 media were qualified as electoral promotion providers. | A plan was also approved for the "out-of-country voting…
(2020-12-31). Dominican Congress Passes Law Banning Child Marriage. telesurenglish.net Dominican Republic's Congress Wednesday passed a bill to prohibit child marriage in the Caribbean nation. | RELATED: | The document catalogs early marriage as "a harmful practice that limits children's s opportunities for development and access to education." | The Executive Branch will discuss the norm that states that "a man or woman may not marry before reaching the age of 18." President Luis Abinader will be in ch…
(2020-12-31). The Machine Age: Is It Progress, or is It an Anomaly? dissidentvoice.org When one questions current trends, especially for those beyond their twenties, it is quite common to be thought of as 'out of touch', 'outdated', 'reactionary' or various other negative descriptions for those who might be resistant to the inevitable process of change. Change is perhaps the only constant in known existence, on both a micro …
(2020-12-31). Homemade End Times and Our Charismatic Trance. counterpunch.org There's a mystery buried inside an analysis. We might start this exploration by saying the Left doesn't have a Rush Limbaugh or a Sean Hannity on its propaganda squad. (And propaganda may be less about taking over one's thought process—slogans endlessly repeated can achieve that end—than it is the fine tuning of emotional tensions.) Or,
(2020-12-31). NRC considers extending nuclear power plant operating licenses to 100 years. nationofchange.org The nuclear industry and nuclear power advocates in government are "desperately trying to hold on."
(2020-12-31). President Duque Authorizes First Fracking Project in Colombia. telesurenglish.net The Association Against Fracking in Colombia rejected a US$ 76 million contract signed between the National Hydrocarbons Agency (NHA) and the Colombian oil company Ecopetrol to start fracking practices in the country. | RELATED: | Once the environmental licenses are obtained, Ecopetrol will launch the Kale project which will use the hydraulic fracking technique in Puerto Wilches, in the Santander department. | Drilling wil…
(2020-12-31). Mayor Lightfoot refused to join public forum on justice for Anjanette Young. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL — On December 28, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined to participate in a public forum organized by Anjanette Young and her attorney, Keenan Saulter, to discuss transparency, accountability and justice for Young in the wake of the botched police raid and coverup perpetrated against her. | Previously, Mayor Lightfoot told press that she'd asked for a direct meeting with Young, saying, "I'd like to have that conversation with her in person, and I will see whether or not my request is granted." | According to attorney Saulter, Young sought a private meeting and public forum with Lightfoot, Police…
(2020-12-31). The United Kingdom Detaches From the European Union Today. telesurenglish.net On the night of December 31, the UK will end the regulatory ties that have bound it to the European Union (EU) for nearly half a century. | RELATED: | While the last-minute agreement with the EU avoided immediate commercial and financial chaos, the deal reached will not prevent the full consequences of Brexit from being discovered in the coming months. | In addition to the fact that companies have made their calculations to avoid possible collap…
(2020-12-31). Boris Johnson's father applying for French citzenship. laprensalatina.com Paris, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- The father of United Kingdom Prime Minister and Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson said he is applying for French citizenship. Stanley Johnson told French broadcaster RTL that he "will always be European." "It's not a question of becoming French. If I understand correctly, I already am. My mother was born in France, …
(2020-12-31). Spain, UK reach draft deal on Gibraltar after Brexit. laprensalatina.com Madrid, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Spain and the United Kingdom on Thursday came to a draft agreement to avoid a hard border in Gibraltar after Brexit. Arancha González Laya, the Spanish foreign minister, announced the draft deal just hours before the UK is due to begin life outside the European Union. "We are knocking down barriers …
(2020-12-31). A View On Health Care From 2028. popularresistance.org I just had my third heart attack. | Let me tell you about my previous two. | The first was 16 years ago in 2012. After wasting 15-20 minutes with an ER admitting clerk demanding my "insurance information" before I was allowed access to care, a triage nurse hustled me 'backstage'. I was diagnosed with a "minor" MI stopped by doses of nitroglycerin. | The following day the artery that had closed up was stented. The day after that I was kicked loose to the street. The 'retail' cost for my two day stay in the hospital and the procedure was around $250,000. My insurance "negotiated" that down to $22,000, co-pay was $2…
(2020-12-31). In A Crisis, A Compromise Solution Is Worse Than No Solution At All. popularresistance.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 insisted that "half a loaf is better than no bread." While that might seem intuitively obvious, La Follette had a ready reply. "Half a loaf, as a rule, dulls the appetite, and destroys the keenness of interest in attaining the full loaf." That can be d…
(2020-12-31). Activist Groups Earn One-Week Stay On Evictions. popularresistance.org Santa Cruz, CA – Local advocacy groups turned to the federal court system this week in the latest effort to prevent dispersal of a homeless encampment that swelled to an estimated 150 people this month. | In response, U.S. District Court of Northern California Judge Susan van Keulen granted an emergency temporary restraining order against the City of Santa Cruz, through Jan. 6, preventing it from shuttering San Lorenzo Park. | "The Court finds that Plaintiffs have shown that immediate and irreparable injury, loss, and/or damage will result to the movant before the adverse party can be heard in opposition," van Ke…
(2020-12-31). The Art Of The Legal Hack. popularresistance.org In our legal system — designed to protect private property, individual rights, and market exchange — it can actually be very difficult to share things legally. Attorney Janelle Orsi found this out the hard way as she worked with co-housing groups, worker cooperatives, and community gardens. "Our clients kept running up against legal barriers that make no sense: employment laws for co-ops in which people are both employer and employee. Landlord-tenant law for cohousing projects in which people are both landlords and tenants." | Such frustrations led Orsi to co-found (with Jenny Kassan) the Sustainable Econo…
(2020-12-31). US Blockade Prevents Venezuela From Funding COVAX. popularresistance.org Venezuela's Health Minister Carlos Alvarado on Sunday said that the economic blockade imposed by the United States is preventing his country from funding the COVAX initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO). | He recalled that his country offered to place US$18 million into the COVAX fund, but as a result of the U.S. blockade, Venezuela has not "been able to free those resources to pay the fund." | Alvarado added that the U.S. sanctions have affected other vaccination programs previously conducted through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) revolving fund. | "We have not been able to pay the re…
(2020-12-31). Economist Carol Propper made a Dame in New Year's Honours. imperial.ac.uk Professor Carol Propper has been made a Dame in the New Year's Honours for her contribution to economics and public health.
(2020-12-31). Israel needs to form a Jewish-Arab party to change the game. zcomm.org It is indeed clear that what is left of the Left is not only small, it is very fragmented…
(2020-12-31). Jeremy Corbyn: Why I'm Launching a Project for Peace and Justice. zcomm.org Interview on his hopes for the initiative — and why he refuses to be cowed by the attacks he has endured…
(2020-12-31). "We're Part of the Reproduction of the Working Class" zcomm.org Interview on what the district is doing to try and get teachers back in the classroom, how his union and others around California are responding, and why capitalism wants and needs the schools open…
(2020-12-31). Yemen sets condition for freeing Saudi pilots. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Head of the National Committee for Prisoners Affairs Abdulqadir Al-Murtadha in the Salvation Government said that Saudi pilots will not be released from prison except in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners.
(2020-12-31). Defense min. inaugurates electronics, telecom production line. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Production line of strategic electronic and telecommunication products was inaugurated at Electronic Industries of the Ministry of Defense on Thursday.
(2020-12-31). 6,390 new COIVD cases detected in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — The country's Health Ministry has announced the detection of 6,390 new infections in the past 24 hours.
(2020-12-31). Ceremony to honor winners of 1st memorial of Soleimani Order. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — The ceremony of honoring winners of the First Memorial of Martyr Soleimani Order was held at the Garden Museum of Sacred Defense on Thu. in presence of Brigadier General Bahman Kargar and Ali Bakhshizadeh.
(2020-12-31). Iran's trade value with Eurasia hits $1.4bn in eight months. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — According to the statistics, Islamic Republic of Iran's trade value with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) hit $1.4 billion in the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (from March 21 to Nov. 22).
(2020-12-31). Assassins of Soleimani should await 'harder slaps'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — A former Iranian foreign minister says Tehran will continue measures to take Lt. Gen. Soleimani's revenge.
(2020-12-31). Zarif hopes for ending era of contempt for multilateralism. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — On the eve of New Christian Year, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wishes the ending insane era of contempt for law and multilateralism.
(2020-12-31). Assassination of Gen. Soleimani cannot be ignored: Rezaei. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Secretary of Expediency Council said that US assassination of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani cannot be ignored.
(2020-12-31). Militias settling scores through Aden airport attack. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — The attack that targeted Aden airport on Wednesday came as part of a series of settling of scores between Saudi-sponsored and UAE-backed militants, causing chaos and destruction in the southern provinces, Aden governor says.
(2020-12-31). US failed miserably in reviving sanctions: Iran UN envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iran's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that the United States sustained heavy defeat miserably in the revival of international sanctions against Tehran.
(2020-12-31). Tehran's first reaction to Aden Airport attack. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned violent attacks on civilians, calling on all Yemeni sides to return to the negotiating table.
(2020-12-31). Armed Forces to continue 'Resistance' School with high spirit. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri said that Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue the School of "Resistance" with high motivation inspired by Martyr Soleimani.
(2020-12-31). One ISIL terrorist arrested in Beirut. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — The Lebanese security forces managed to arrest an ISIL terrorist in Beirut while he was monitoring one of the military posts in the area.
(2020-12-31). 'Fear of revenge not leaving US alone'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Army's first-in-command says the revenge for the US's assassination of General Soleimani is not over yet.
(2020-12-31). "Our region lost a real peace hero": Iran Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a tweet on Thu. wrote that the region lost a real peace hero, referring to the 1st anniversary of martyrdom of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
(2020-12-31). Rouhani congratulates Cuba on Liberation Day. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani felicitates Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on the country's Liberation Day, hoping for further expansion of relations between the two nations.
(2020-12-31). Defense industry telecom products at cutting-edge technology. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri said that telecommunications products of defense industry of the country are in tandem with world's cutting-edge technology.
(2020-12-31). Trump admin. suffers another defeat at end of 2020: Envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to UK Hamid Baeedinejad said that the Trump administration sustained another setback at the end of the year 2020.
(2020-12-31). Another US convoy attacked near Kuwait-Iraq border. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — A US coalition logistics convoy was reportedly targeted by a roadside bomb near Kuwait-Iraq border.
(2020-12-31). Nations of region not to forget sacrifice of martyr Soleimani. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Embassy to Croatia said that regional countries will not forget the bravery and sacrifices of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Martyr Lt. Gen. Soleimani who played a key role in the fight against terrorism.
(2020-12-31). History-making events that have happened in 2020. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — 2020 was a year of great and influential events and developments in the political, social, economic and sports scene of the world.
(2020-12-31). 'Plots underway to fabricate pretext for war'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned the US that Iran is fully prepared to defend its people and security.
(2020-12-31). New anti-US motion to be discussed in Parl. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — A member of Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission elaborated on the details of a plan entitled "Reciprocal Action against US, as Main Culprit of Assassination of Martyr Soleimani".
(2020-12-31). Nasrallah to deliver speech on Soleimani's anniv. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — On the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the martyrdom of Lt. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Secretary-General of Lebanon's Hezbollah Resistance Movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah will deliver a speech on Sunday, Jan. 3.
(2020-12-31). WorkWeek Exposes Racist & Corrupt SF City Health Service System Boss Mitch Griggs. indybay.org WorkWeek on Thursday 12/31/20 at 12 noon on San Francisco's KPOO 94.1 FM www.kpoo.com will have guests who expose the systemic racism and corruption at the San Francisco City Health Service System run by Mitch Griggs and also at the Department of Public Health. Joining the show will be the new editor of the SF Bay View Malik Washington who broke the story of the racist terrorism against SF City Health Service worker Malika Alima. Also joining the show will be SFCC Department of Public Health nurse and whistleblower W.D. Flient.
(2020-12-31). Critics Warn Repeal of Section 230 'Would Be Devastating for Human Rights, Social Movements, and Marginalized People'. commondreams.org Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to tie the repeal to proposed $2,000 coronavirus relief checks. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12935079211.jpg …
(2020-12-31). 2020 Turned Our Worlds Inside Out. Here's What We Learned. truthout.org 2020 was a year of catastrophe and collective struggle. Now, we have a new era of organizing and action to gear up for. In this special New Year's episode of Movement Memos, Kelly Hayes revisits some of the lessons we learned this year from guests like Mariame Kaba, Shane Burley, Brant Rosen and L.A. Kauffman. | TRANSCRIPT: | Note: This a rush transcript and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. | Kelly Hayes: Welcome to "Movement Memos," a Truthout podcast about things you…
(2020-12-31). Months of Chaos and Systemic Failure Are Wearing Down Health Care Workers. truthout.org Nurse Kristen Cline was working a 12-hour shift in October at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when a code blue rang through the halls. A patient in an isolation room was dying of a coronavirus that had raged for eight months across the country before it made the state the brightest red dot in a nation of hot spots. | In her post-death report, Cline described how the patient fell victim to a hospital in chaos. The crash cart and breathing bag that sho…
(2020-12-31). What an Ex-Cop Learned in Prison About Police Culture. thenation.com What an Ex-Cop Learned in Prison About Police Culture…
(2020-12-31). Give the Students a Round of Applause. thenation.com Give the Students a Round of Applause…
(2020-12-31). General Assembly approves $3.2 billion UN budget for 2021. news.un.org United Nations Member States, on Thursday, approved $3.231 billion to fund the global Organization's regular budget for 2021.
(2020-12-31). Iran execution of child offender breaks international law: UN rights office. news.un.org The execution of an Iranian man for a crime allegedly committed when he was 16 years old has been condemned by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and raised concerns over violations of his right to a fair trial.
(2020-12-31). Argentina: 'Ground-breaking' new abortion law crucial to ending gender discrimination — UN experts. news.un.org The year drew to a close in Argentina with "a ground-breaking law" that legalizes abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, in a move that independent UN rights experts called on Thursday, "a crucial step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls".
(2020-12-31). Guinea-Bissau: UN chief commits to continued support as peacebuilding office closes. news.un.org United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the Organization's commitment to the people of Guinea-Bissau on Thursday, the final day of operations for the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the West African country (UNIOGBIS).
(2020-12-31). Sociedad emerge from slump with win over Athletic. laprensalatina.com Sports Desk, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Portu's goal on the counter just five minutes after kickoff was enough Thursday for Real Sociedad to prevail 1-0 over Athletic and solidify their hold on third place in LaLiga. Sociedad were winless in their last nine matches — six of them in LaLiga — coming into the Basque derby …
(2020-12-31). Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy back in jail again. laprensalatina.com Hong Kong, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Hong Kong's top court on Thursday remanded pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai in custody again after allowing prosecutors to appeal against his bail in a national security law case. The Court of Final Appeal granted an interim order to detain the 73-year-old founder of Apple Daily until a hearing on …
(2020-12-31). Argentinian government expects rapid implementation of abortion law. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Argentina will rapidly implement the newly approved law to legalize abortion to ensure greater reproductive rights reach women in the Latin American country, a top government official has said. Vilma Ibarra, the legal and technical secretary of the Argentinian government, said the preparatory stage for the amendment of the law …
(2020-12-31). US imposes new tariffs on German, French wines amid trade dispute with EU. laprensalatina.com Washington, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The US government Wednesday announced increased tariffs on some European Union (EU) products, including French and German wines amid a long-running dispute over subsidies involving civil aircraft manufacturers. The products on which additional tariffs were imposed also include aircraft manufacturing parts, non-sparking wines and cognac and other grape brandies from France …
(2020-12-31). Atletico Madrid extend lead in LaLiga. laprensalatina.com Sports Desk, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Atletico Madrid maintained their grip on the top spot in LaLiga with a 1-0 victory Wednesday against Getafe. Atleti won for the 10th time in 11 matches thanks to Luis Suarez, who now has eight goals in 11 appearances since coming over from Barcelona just before the start of the …
(2020-12-31). Democrats relying on Latino vote in key Georgia Senate elections. laprensalatina.com By Marcelo G. Wheelock Atlanta, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Democrats want to repeat the formula that led them to victory in the Nov. 3 presidential election in Georgia and they are relying on the local Hispanic vote in the crucial runoffs for the state's two US Senate seats in early January, races that will decide which …
(2020-12-31). China's manufacturing continues growth but at slower pace. laprensalatina.com Shanghai, China, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- The manufacturing sector in China has expanded in December, albeit at a slower pace than the last month. The official manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) slid to 51.9 in December from 52.1 recorded in November, according to the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published on Thursday. A …
(2020-12-31). China approves first homegrown coronavirus vaccine for general public. laprensalatina.com Shanghai, China, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- China has approved for general public distribution a homegrown coronavirus vaccine developed by state-owned pharma giant Sinopharm, moving a step closer towards a massive inoculation campaign, officials said on Thursday. The approval came after the developer on Wednesday said it had filed for conditional marketing authorization from the National Medical …
(2020-12-31). Wuhan bids farewell to 2020 without looking back. laprensalatina.com By Jesús Centeno Wuhan, China, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Life has returned to normal in Wuhan one year after the Chinese government informed the World Health Organization of mysterious cases of pneumonia in the city, whose residents now want to turn the page on one of their darkest periods. In the final hours of 2020, a …
(2020-12-31). Lopez Obrador proposes consultation on abortion to avoid taking position. laprensalatina.com Mexico City, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Thursday proposed holding a popular consultation on whether or not to legalize abortion to avoid personally taking a stance on the matter after the Argentine legislature approved legalizing it in that country. "It's a decision for women. My posture is that on these …
(2020-12-31). Thai authorities detain 14 suspected pro-democracy protesters. laprensalatina.com Bangkok, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Thai authorities on Thursday arrested 14 suspected members of the pro-democracy movement that in recent months has staged a wave of mass protests calling for political and royal reforms. The NGO Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Twitter that the detainees were accused of breaching the emergency law banning street …
(2020-12-31). 2020: The Year the Tree of Liberty Was Torched. dissidentvoice.org The people are unaware. They're not educated to realize that they have power. The system is so geared that everyone believes the government will fix everything. We are the government. — John Lennon No doubt about it: 2020—a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year for freedom—was the culmination of a terrible, horrible, no good, …
(2020-12-31). The Final Hours of Ethiopia's TPLF Regime. counterpunch.org With their army destroyed and their last, best troops wiped out in one morning on the outskirts of their capital Mekele the last remnants of the leadership of Ethiopia's TPLF regime were forced to retreat to the secret Hagarasalam underground bunkers near the capital. Built by the notoriously paranoid and cowardly TPLF godfather Meles Zenawi,
(2020-12-31). Vaccine distribution fiasco continues in the United States. wsws.org Less than one-fifth of the vaccine doses distributed in the United States have been administered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(2020-12-31). Why Americans Should Demand Better Us Middle East Policy. commondreams.org Americans need to support policies that help mitigate the disastrous effects of American armed invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1228370281.jpg …
(2020-12-31). Republican Voters Don't Know Anything About Their Party. That's Very Bad for American Democracy. commondreams.org For politics to rebalance at a healthier outcome where voters are actually able to assign the correct positions to the parties, we will need a new kind of reporting, one that doesn't flinch from assigning policy views to the parties or drawing out the implications of these ideas in clear and materially-grounded terms. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/fight_for_15_3.jpg …
(2020-12-31). Corona Measures: When children are the ones who suffer (I and II). indybay.org The government seems to be abdicating its responsibility by 1) not supplying the population with masks, 2) not compensating people so they can stay away from workplaces, 3) eliminating school meals for hundreds of millions of children and 5) not including children in decision-making.
(2020-12-31). Superior Brain Function In Fruitarians, Vegans, And Vegetarians. indybay.org Diets without animal or fish flesh, eggs or dairy are free of many neurotoxins…
(2020-12-31). Yazidi survivors of ISIS want to go back to school. indybay.org Young people who survived Islamic State (ISIS) captivity say they have not been able to resume their formal education for years while living at camps for the internally displaced in the Kurdistan Region.
(2020-12-31). 2020 California State Capitol – Racism in the Farm to Fork Capitol. indybay.org Our 22nd Annual, 2020 California State Capitol Kwanzaa continues a special tradition in the seat of authority of our Great State of California, Farm to Fork Capitol of America, where "Racism" is officially a Public Health Crisis throughout the Capitol Region.
(2020-12-31). Working on a History of Protest Power Around Shelter and Sweeps in Santa Cruz. indybay.org In light of the current community support for the San Lorenzo Survival Campers, I thought it might be helpful to post a partial history of the changes and services created by protest and direct action in the past. I distributed this flyer at the Park today. If Chief Mills word is to be believed, the protests Monday have already extended the Final Sweep "Solution" deadline to late January.
(2020-12-31). Tuesday 1/12: Together Against Factory Farming – January Day of Action. indybay.org Capitol Mall & 9th St Sacramento, CA 95814…
(2020-12-31). Stop The Sweeps in Santa Cruz: Activists Resist Closing San Lorenzo Park. indybay.org Interviews with human rights activist Abbi Samuels and unhoused activist Hannah, who lives in a homeless encampment in San Lorenzo Park in downtown Santa Cruz.
(2020-12-30). Gunshots, Motorcycle Deaths Count as COVID Casualties. globalresearch.ca Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, families have been separated, businesses have been shuttered and schools have been closed down. Many people are living their lives shrouded in fear of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — a direct response …
(2020-12-30). Worker opposition grows as US manufacturers ramp up production amid pandemic upsurge. wsws.org With COVID-19 deaths nearing 350,000, US manufacturing companies, led by the auto companies, have achieved near pre-pandemic output levels with the help of the unions.
(2020-12-30). Federal judge blocks strike by Union Pacific railroad workers over lack of pandemic protections. wsws.org Workers at the country's second largest railroad are threatening to strike after hundreds of railway workers across the industry have contracted COVID-19 and at least 10 have died.
(2020-12-30). California hospitals overwhelmed as COVID-19 cases hit 2 million. wsws.org The state is now the epicenter of the pandemic in the US, with zero percent ICU capacity at many of its regions' hospitals.
(2020-12-30). Detroit schools chief Vitti gets pay raise, as unions initial unsafe reopenings and poverty pay for staff. wsws.org Detroit schools are presently set to reopen for face-to-face instruction in the coming weeks, threatening countless lives as the pandemic continues to deepen in the region.
(2020-12-30). Native Youth provide for community and elders during COVID pandemic. mronline.org 
2020 has been a year of many trials across Indian Country. Across our many Nations, rural, city and everywhere in between, we are all coping with the catastrophic effects of the COVID-19 virus.
(2020-12-30). Cancel the Rents builds people power to stop evictions in Boston. liberationnews.org 
The following is a guest statement by Cancel the Rents Boston, a collective of activists and residents organizing to fight against housing displacement exacerbated by COVID-19, anchored in the heart of Roxbury. An estimated 337,900 jobs have been lost in Massachusetts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city of Boston has 38,872 confirmed COVID cases …
(2020-12-30). COVID-19, Prison and Another Pandemic Clare Grady Made Me Remember. counterpunch.org 
Clare Grady is going to prison. On February 10, this nice Irish Catholic lady of 62, who lives with her family in Ithaca, New York will enter Alderson Prison, West Virginia, to begin a one-year-and-one-day sentence. That's because, on April 4, 2018, Clare and six cohorts, also white and Catholic, broke into the world's largest
(2020-12-30). 2020 Was Year Like Few in History. Social Isolation, Unemployment, Poverty. globalresearch.ca 2020 is coming to an end and entering history as one of the most troubled years in recent decades, having caused structural changes in the global geopolitical balance. The "pandemic" of the new coronavirus brought a series of changes in …
(2020-12-30). Quebec government documents expose its disastrous mishandling of initial pandemic response. wsws.org More than 2,000 pages of communications, directives and emails from Quebec authorities at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic reveal a staggering, even criminal, level of indifference and inaction.
(2020-12-30). Nine months after devastating flooding, Central Michigan residents are left abandoned. wsws.org After flooding caused by dam failures in May inundated large sections of Midland County, residents face economic and ecological disaster at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-12-30). Economic Matters in Ukraine Are at Standstill. globalresearch.ca It was a quiet year for Ukraine and its many issues compared to previous years, or at least in the eyes of most Westerners. Other global issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and elections in Belarus, took greater precedence and …
(2020-12-30). Detroit schools chief Vitti gets boondoogle, as unions initial unsafe reopenings and poverty pay for staff. wsws.org Detroit schools are presently set to reopen for face-to-face instruction in the coming weeks, threatening countless lives as the pandemic continues to deepen in the region.
(2020-12-30). Killer Cops: Police Killed Over 1,000 Americans In 2020. popularresistance.org American law enforcement officers have killed well over 1,000 people in 2020. Between January 1 and December 15 of this year, the Mapping Police Violence project has recorded 1,066 people nationwide killed at the hands of the police, an average of around three killings per day. Despite the fact that 2020 has brought with it a pandemic forcing Americans to stay off the streets (and, presumably, out of trouble) as much as possible, there have only been 17 days recorded this year where the police did not kill someone. | The project also compiled statistics on the racial backgrounds of the victims. Black people are t…
(2020-12-30). Harvard Workers Left Out In The Cold. popularresistance.org Harvard University's campus has been dormant since last spring, and as COVID-19 cases rise through the winter, it's unclear when normal classes will resume. The administration recently announced that the majority of the university's staff would continue to work remotely through June 2021. For the janitorial staff, however, work never ended. Roughly 700 janitorial workers have held onto their jobs through the pandemic, maintaining their full union wages, even though in some cases they are working on a reduced schedule. But for hundreds of subcontracted frontline workers, next year may bring a round of layoffs at t…
(2020-12-30). 'We Demand Tomorrow': Marxist Documentary On The Climate Crisis. popularresistance.org Kudos to Patreon for this brilliant production, well worth seeing, with its deep analysis of capitalism though I have some reservations to be noted below. I particularly applaud the presentation of Cuba's socialist solutions in this current pandemic, in contrast to capitalist Britain, with Cuba being on the cutting edge of global ecosocialism. "We Demand Tomorrow" should trigger a lot of debate, and be a useful resource for wide-ranging discussion. I agree with the video's support for a two-stage path out of capitalism. I have long argued that socialism in our epoch must confront the climate/ecological crisis wit…
(2020-12-30). Here are the kitchen tools and appliances that made our year of pandemic cooking better. salon.com From dutch ovens to dough hooks, these were the items that made being in our 2020 kitchens feel more tolerable…
(2020-12-30). "It's Now or Never": A Call for Organizing Against Managerial Class. zcomm.org Left Voice speaks with a caseworker* who works in an inpatient psychiatry unit about the situation that healthcare and essential workers are facing amidst a peak in the pandemic in Florida, now with over half a million cases…
(2020-12-30). The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020" globalresearch.ca WHO has most likely received orders from "above", from those people who also manage Trump and the "leaders" (sic) of the EU, European Union. The final decision to go ahead NOW with COVID-19 pandemic, was taken in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos – behind very much closed doors.
(2020-12-30). McConnell's Sham Election Commission Addition to Pandemic Relief Is Disgraceful. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-30). Ecosystem Destruction Fueled the Pandemic. Pollution Has Made It Worse. truthout.org On December 30, 2019, an
(2020-12-30). Dr. Susan Moore Died of COVID 2 Weeks After Recording Video Decrying Racist Care. truthout.org As the United States reports record deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the final days of 2020, we look at how the pandemic that ravaged the country this year has shone a stark new light on racism in medical care. In a viral video recorded by Black physician Dr. Susan Moore, she describes racist treatment by medical staff at a hospital in Indianapolis and says they did not respond to her pleas for care, despite being in intense pain and being a doctor herself. In the video, Dr. Moore says she had to beg…
(2020-12-30). Patriarchy and the pandemic: Disentangling the web of oppression. peoplesdispatch.org We discuss Coronashock and Patriarchy, a study done by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, with Renata Porto Bugni to understand the impact of the pandemic on women and the LGBTQIA+ community.
(2020-12-30). We all have a role to play for a better tomorrow, UN Assembly President says in New Year message. news.un.org The President of the United Nations General Assembly has urged everyone around the world "to continue to work together" to end the coronavirus pandemic, and to build an inclusive and sustainable future.
(2020-12-30). Looking back at 2020, In Case You Missed It. news.un.org At UN News, 2020 started with a hope that the year would be one of peace for Syria's children. However, in the weeks that followed, the news cycle was upended by the coronavirus pandemic, that not only changed what we covered, but also how we covered UN-related news around the world.
(2020-12-30). Hands off COVID-19 whistleblower Rebekah Jones! wsws.org Sri Lankan health workers denounce the persecution of data scientist Rebekah Jones and hail her determination to protect lives by exposing the real extent of the coronavirus pandemic in the US.
(2020-12-30). Memphis Zoo Seeking Donations, Will Temporarily Close. laprensalatina.com MEMPHIS, TN (FOX 13) — The ongoing pandemic has hit businesses hard this year, and the Memphis Zoo is asking for donations. The Zoo is temporarily closing in accordance with the Shelby County Health Directive 16. The closure will go into effect Dec. 30. According to a Facebook post from the Zoo, the safety of …
(2020-12-30). Invitation to New Thinking. indybay.org One virus changed everything. Covid-19 has managed to do what all the discussions about climate change and justice in recent years have failed to do. Phenomena that threaten humanity are no longer a theory. The pandemic has made the risk of our extensive lifestyle tangible. For this global crisis is not an exogenous shock. Rather, crass, profit-oriented globalization has fueled its spread.
(2020-12-30). "This Is How Black People Get Killed": Dr. Susan Moore Dies of COVID After Decrying Racist Care. democracynow.org 
‚Ä®As the United States reports record deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the final days of 2020, we look at how the pandemic that ravaged the country this year has shone a stark new light on racism in medical care. In a viral video recorded by Black physician Dr. Susan Moore, she describes racist treatment by medical staff at a hospital in Indianapolis and says they did not respond to her pleas for care, despite being in intense pain and being a doctor herself. In the video, Dr. Moore says she had to beg to receive pain medication and the antiviral drug remdesivir, and accuses a doctor a…
(2020-12-30). Meet the pseudo-left imperialists fighting against universal healthcare. mronline.org 
Since comedian Jimmy Dore called on progressive members of Congress to pressure Nancy Pelosi to hold a floor vote on Medicare For All, a collection of media personalities have launched vicious attacks against him while deflecting from his overwhelmingly popular argument.
(2020-12-30). Fingers Point to US-Backed Gov't in Colombia's Ninetieth Massacre of the Year. mintpressnews.com 
"The Trump administration waged a full scale campaign to undermine Colombia's peace accords. We must not waste our time hoping the Biden administration might reverse course, we must demand it." — James Jordan, Alliance for Global Justice…
(2020-12-30). Stephen F. Cohen on Russia's democratization and how US meddling undermines it. thegrayzone.com Pushback rounds out 2020 by airing an unpublished interview with Stephen F. Cohen, the eminent Russia historian and scholar who passed away in September at the age of 81. In an interview recorded one year before his death, Stephen F. Cohen discusses local elections and protests in Russia; opposition leader Alexei Navalny; as well as the state of Russia's post-Soviet democratization and how US meddling undermines it. Guest: Stephen F. Cohen. Professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University …
(2020-12-30). The Congress of Tours and the birth of the organized communist movement in France. peoplesdispatch.org This December 30th marks the centenary of the foundation of the organized communist movement in France at the historic 18th national congress of the Socialist Party – French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO), held in Tours in 1920…
(2020-12-30). Another Indigenous Environmental Defender Killed in Honduras. telesurenglish.net Honduras' authorities Tuesday reported the killing of Tolupan Indigenous leader Adan Mejia, who was attacked in Candelaria community, Yoro Department. | RELATED: | Mejia was shot down to death by hooded individuals while he was working in the municipality of Morazan. | The violent incident took place three days after the murder of Lenca farmer leader and pre-candidate for Congress, Felix Vazquez. | After the shooting, the…
(2020-12-30). The Julian Assange Pardon Drive. dissidentvoice.org The odds are stacked against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks publisher who faces the grimmest of prospects come January 4. On that day, the unsympathetic judicial head of District Judge Vanessa Baraitser will reveal her decision on the Old Bailey proceedings that took place between September and October this year. Despite Assange's team being able to …
(2020-12-30). Never Belonging: George Blake's Spy Exploits. counterpunch.org Filling the espionage ranks with legions of the non-belonging comes with its share of risk. The process is counter-intuitive, putting stock in skill and aptitude above the potential compromise of loyalty and divergence. Eventually, such a recruit might find a set of closely guarded principles. The son of a Sephardic Jew and Dutch Protestant might
(2020-12-30). Mass-Vaxxing of US Military Forces for COVID. globalresearch.ca On December 9, the US war department announced its "distribution plan" for covid mass-vaxxing. | Service members to be vaxxed include active duty personnel — including National Guard troops — their family members, war department civilian personnel and their families. | "Distribution …
(2020-12-30). The US Money Tree: The Untold Story of American Aid to Israel. dissidentvoice.org 
On December 21, the United States Congress passed the COVID-19 Relief Package, as part of a larger $2.3 trillion bill meant to cover spending for the rest of the fiscal year. As usual, US representatives allocated a massive sum of money for Israel. While unemployment, thus poverty, in the US is skyrocketing as a result …
(2020-12-30). The American Money Tree: The Untold Story of US Aid to Israel. mintpressnews.com Congress quietly wedged billions of dollars of aid to Israel even as it debated for months over a measly $600 to help Americans endure the COVID downturn.
(2020-12-30). Spain Plans a "Registry" for Those Who Refuse COVID Vaccine. globalresearch.ca As Europe begins vaccinating the first wave of high-priority patients, A similar phenomenon has played out in the …
(2020-12-30). Civil Rights Groups Fight Back Against Georgia's Voter Purges. zcomm.org The importance of the January 5 Senate runoff elections in Georgia cannot be overestimated…
(2020-12-30). A rave, a DJ and a debate. Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site. middleeasteye.net 
A rave, a DJ and a debate. Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site | Despite issuing an event permit, the Palestinian government arrests renowned Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi and extend her detention for 15 days | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 12: 26 | Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi poses outside her Parisian flat during a photo session on 7 December 2017 (AFP) | A dance party on Saturday has c…
(2020-12-30). A rave, a DJ and a debate: Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site. middleeasteye.net A rave, a DJ and a debate: Palestinians outraged over techno party at holy site | Despite issuing an event permit, the Palestinian government arrests renowned DJ Sama Abdulhadi and extend her detention for 15 days | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 12: 26 | Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi poses outside her Parisian flat during a photo session on 7 December 2017 (AFP) | A dance party on Saturday has caused contro…
(2020-12-30). UK approves Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine. laprensalatina.com London, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The United Kingdom's government on Wednesday accepted the medicines and health regulatory body's recommendation to authorize the use of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, the health ministry said. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the green light for the vaccine to be used on people 18 years and …
(2020-12-30). "Say Her Name: Dr. Susan Moore." Black Female Doctors Condemn Racial Disparities in Healthcare. democracynow.org 
When Black doctor Susan Moore died from COVID-19 after posting a video from her hospital bed describing racist treatment by medical staff, her chilling message was compared to the video of George Floyd begging for his life as he was killed by Minneapolis police. We speak to two leading Black women doctors fighting racial disparities in healthcare who wrote The Washington Post opinion piece, "Say her name: Dr. Susan Moore." "It is a typical and ongoing devaluation of our lives and distrust of our word," says Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, a family physician and former president of the American Public Health Association…
(2020-12-30). First Person: family tragedy and the UN as 'saviour' in Darfur. news.un.org The people of the restive region of Darfur in Sudan have seen the joint United Nations and African Union peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) as a "saviour" according to a writer for UN News who grew up in Darfur.
(2020-12-30). UN confirms closure of Darfur peacekeeping mission. news.un.org The joint United Nations-African Union mission in the Darfur region of Sudan (UNAMID) will officially end operations on Thursday, when the Government of Sudan will take over responsibility for the protection of civilians in the area.
(2020-12-30). An exclusive look inside Iran's supermarket in Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil visits Megasis, an Iranian supermarket which recently opened in Caracas, Venezuela, and explores cooperation between Tehran and Caracas against the US economic blockade. The Grayzone's Anya Parampil provides an exclusive look inside a superstore which the US government and corporate media have condemned and attempted to link to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. She also speaks with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza about how increased cooperation between Tehran and Caracas is improving the material …
(2020-12-30). To reflect, to breathe, to hope and to stay human: Review of Hybrid War poster exhibition. peoplesdispatch.org 
The Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and International Week of Anti-Imperialist Struggle organized four poster exhibitions over the last year on different themes related to imperialism…
(2020-12-30). Remington workers terminated without severance, billionaire owners not held accountable. liberationnews.org 
Bankruptcy laws favor the bosses, leave workers in the cold.
(2020-12-30). A matter of survival of the peasantry. mronline.org 
The kisans gathered around the Delhi border have unerringly put their fingers on the real issue confronting them, namely their very survival as peasants.
(2020-12-30). Black Women, mothers, workers: The frontlines of the MTST. mronline.org 
The reason the MTST is overwhelmingly made up of Black women is precisely because of their role in society. Women are primarily responsible for home life.
(2020-12-30). Inviting Nuclear Disaster. counterpunch.org 
Nuclear power plants when they began being constructed were not seen as running for more than 40 years because of radioactivity embrittling metal parts and otherwise causing safety problems. But in recent decades, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the operating licenses of nuclear power plants from 40 years to 60 years and then 80 years, and is now considering 100 years.
(2020-12-30). Remington workers terminated without severance, billionaire owners not accountable. liberationnews.org Bankruptcy laws favor the bosses, leave workers in the cold.
(2020-12-30). Republican Sen. Hawley to tie up Jan. 6 Electoral College certification. peoplesworld.org 
In yet another attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri announced Wednesday he will object on Jan. 6 to the certification of the Electoral College vote. Both houses of Congress meet that day to carry out their constitutional duty of certifying the Electoral College results …
(2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, La Paz will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, in which Bolivian President Luis Arce took part. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter
(2020-12-30). Argentina 2nd to approve Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab, as EU expected to soon follow suit. rt.com 
The coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was approved by Argentina on Wednesday, the second nation to greenlight the jab after the UK. | The vaccine has been awarded emergency use authorization for one year, It added that access to the jab will only be permitted by prescri…
(2020-12-30). Three-quarters of English population being placed under Tier 4 restrictions as UK health secretary extends Covid-19 curbs. rt.com 
Britain's health secretary has announced that an additional 20 million people in England will be subjected to Tier 4 restrictions as a new and highly contagious virus strain spreads throughout the UK. | Speaking to Parliament on Wednesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the rising Covid-19 cases numbers and hospitalisations "demonstrate the need to act where the virus is spreading." | Hancock announced that it had become necessary to expand the Tier 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the South East of England, as well as large parts of the Midlands, north-east and south-west of t…
(2020-12-30). British MPs approve Brexit trade deal with EU in landslide Commons vote. rt.com 
The UK parliament approved the trade deal with the European Union on Wednesday, with PM Boris Johnson describing Brexit as the beginning rather than an end of the country's relationship with Brussels. | British lawmakers approved the legislation to enact…
(2020-12-30). 'Great difficulties': Pfizer vaccine delivery to Berlin CANCELLED for 1st week of January due to logistical problems. rt.com 
The German capital will not receive its batch of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in the first week of January, the city's health chief has said, blaming it on federal government mishaps. | "We have just received a message from the Federal Ministry of Health that the [vaccine] delivery will be cancelled in the first calendar week [of 2021]," Berlin Health Minister Dilek Kalayci told dpa news agency, adding that the news will be "causing great difficulties" for the city. | The unfortunate development risks jeopardizing Berlin's vaccination plan, since the city was scheduled to receive 29,250 additional Pfizer vaccin…
(2020-12-30). International Red Cross worker killed in Yemen airport attack, 2 missing. rt.com 
At least one staff member with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was killed in an attack at Aden airport in Yemen on Wednesday, the agency has confirmed. Two other ICRC workers are unaccounted for. | Explosions and gunfire broke out at the airport shortly after a plane carrying the newly formed cabinet for the government-controlled parts of the country touched down. More than 20 casualties have been reported. | A second explosion was reportedly heard close to the presidential palace, where members of the cabinet were taken to safety after fleeing the airport assault. The attacks took place af…
(2020-12-30). England school holiday closures extended by 14 days to allow army-led mass Covid testing of pupils & teachers. rt.com 
Some schools in England will delay their reopening in the new year so that mass testing can be rolled out for all pupils and staff in an attempt to reduce the spread of Covid-19, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said. | Some 1,500 soldiers will be brought in to provide assistance to schools, including remotely training teachers, advising staff on setting up facilities, and standing by in case they are needed in person. | Williamson said that all pupils in exam years would go back to school on January 11, with all secondary and college students returning a week later on January 18. | The "overwhelming m…
(2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6mn doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, Bolivia will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, which was also attended by Bolivian President Luis Arce. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter
(2020-12-30). Siberian Instagram model who performed cosmetic procedures without qualifications banned from leaving city after botching lip job. rt.com 
A Russian Instagram model, who moonlighted as a cosmetologist, has been banned from leaving her city for two and a half years after she was found to be performing lip jobs without a license, leaving one of her clients disfigured. | Anastasia Fokina, known to her followers as Anastasia Boyarskaya, ran a beauty clinic in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, 3,000km east of Moscow. The fake beautician turned her apartment into a medical practice, performing lip injections on her clients — all without medical education and without a license. | Following a lip procedure gone wrong, in which a woman had to visit h…
(2020-12-30). 'Eliminate contact with others now': Irish PM confirms toughest Level 5 Covid restrictions after infections surge. rt.com 
The Republic of Ireland will be placed under its most severe Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions until January 31 amid rising numbers of coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said on Wednesday. | The tougher measures will force the closure of pubs, gyms and non-essential retail, as well as imposing a ban on all household visits and a 5km limit on travel. | The Irish government has also pushed back the return of primary and secondary school pupils by five days, to January 11. | "We must protect the lives of those we love; the actions we are taking are saving lives… right now, this is what we must do…
(2020-12-30). The UK's Brexit Shoddy Deal Surrenders More Than It Receives. counterpunch.org 
Faced with the grim reality of leaving the EU without a deal, Boris Johnson was always going to hail any "least-worst" deal as a "victory". And so he did. A jubilant BoJo, ever the lying blusterer, claims his deal is everything the electorate voted for in the 2016 referendum and in last year's general election. It certainly isn't, if one scrutinizes the details.
(2020-12-30). 'Sold out': Uighurs fear deportation as China ratifies extradition treaty with Turkey. middleeasteye.net 
'Sold out': Uighurs fear deportation as China ratifies extradition treaty with Turkey | Uighur activists urge Turkish government not to abide by agreement that could put tens of thousands at risk of being detained in internment camps
| Wed, 12/30/2020 – 10: 17 | Supporters of China's Muslim Uighur minority protest in Istanbul against B…
(2020-12-30). Sound Grammar: the 25 Best Recordings of 2020. counterpunch.org 
Pedernal Susan Alcorn Quintet (Relative Pitch) Fetch the Bolt Cutters Fiona Apple (Epic) Pursuance: the Coltranes Lakecia Benjamin (Bandcamp) Quarantine Tapes Dean & Britta (Bandcamp) The Unraveling Drive-By Truckers (ATO) Ghosts of West Virginia Steve Earle & The Dukes (New West) The Lost Berlin Tapes Ella Fitzgerald (Verve) America at War Joel Harrison (Sunnyside) Budapest
(2020-12-30). Kushner family business plans $100m bond sale in Israel: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Kushner family business plans $100m bond sale in Israel: Report | Kushner Companies filed paperwork with Israeli Securities Authorities earlier this month, with sale to take place in 2021, Wall Street Journal says | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 15: 30 | Jared Kushner resigned from his family's real estate business in 2016 after joining White House (AFP) | The family business of senior White House adviser Jared Kushner ha…
(2020-12-30). Prominent Moroccan historian and human rights activist arrested in Rabat. middleeasteye.net 
Prominent Moroccan historian and human rights activist arrested in Rabat | Maati Monjib, who has been targeted by authorities using Israeli spyware, is accused of money laundering | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 11: 36 | Maati Monjib, a Moroccan historian, political analyst and human rights activist, speaks in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, 20 February 2014 (AFP) | Moroccan historian and human rights activist Maati Monjib w…
(2020-12-30). Pompeo and State Department face legal action over $23bn UAE arms sale. middleeasteye.net 
Pompeo and State Department face legal action over $23bn UAE arms sale | New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs claims in lawsuit that massive weapons sale violates US Arms Export Control Act | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 17: 05 | The $23bn arms sale to UAE includes killer drones and American-made F-35 jets (AFP/File photo) | An American NGO has filed a lawsuit against the State Department and its head,…
(2020-12-30). Giulio Regeni murder: Egypt clears officers and slams Italian accusations. middleeasteye.net 
Giulio Regeni murder: Egypt clears officers and slams Italian accusations | Prosecutor says Italian accusations against Egyptian security officers are based on 'false assumptions rejected by logic' | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 22: 40 | Giulio Regeni, 28-year-old doctoral researcher at Cambridge University, disappeared in Cairo in January 2016. His body was discovered nine days later and showed extensive marks of tortur…
(2020-12-30). US sends dozens of armoured vehicles to Iraq ahead of Soleimani death anniversary. middleeasteye.net 
US sends dozens of armoured vehicles to Iraq ahead of Soleimani death anniversary | Provision comes amid frequent rocket attacks targeting Baghdad's Green Zone, which is home to US embassy and other foreign diplomatic missions | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 17: 18 | Rockets have been fired at Baghdad's Green Zone in weeks leading up to anniversary of Qassem Soleimani's assassination (AFP/File photo) | The United States a…
(2020-12-30). Uproar in Kuwait as minority Bidoon man attempts self-immolation in protest. middleeasteye.net 
Uproar in Kuwait as minority Bidoon man attempts self-immolation in protest | The 27-year-old had recently been dismissed from his job for not renewing his security card, without which Bidoon are not allowed to work | Wed, 12/30/2020 – 14: 44 | In 2012, Bidoon protested against their living conditions, insisting that the only solution to their plight was to gain Kuwaiti citizenship (AFP) | A Kuwaiti man att…
(2020-12-30). "The Truth in Black and White": The Kansas City Star Apologizes for History of Racist Coverage. democracynow.org 
In a historic step, The Kansas City Star, one of the most influential newspapers in the Midwest, has apologized for the paper's racist history. The paper's top editor, Mike Fannin, admitted the Star and a sister paper had reinforced segregation, Jim Crow laws and redlining, and "robbed an entire community of opportunity, dignity, justice and recognition" with its biased coverage over many decades. We speak with Fannin and Mará Rose Williams, a longtime education writer at the paper who led the effort to examine the newspaper's coverage of the Black community following the police killing of George Floyd and the na…
(2020-12-30). Legislator Nicolas Maduro Guerra Receives Second Sputnik V Dose. telesurenglish.net Deputy-elect to the National Assembly, and legislator of the National Constituent Assembly Nicolas Ernesto Maduro Guerra, received his second dose of the Russian vaccine against COVID-19, Sputnik V on Wednesday. | RELATED: | The son of the Venezuelan President was one of the first citizens in his country to be administered the initial doses of Sputnik V as part of the third phase of the clinical trial, which has hundreds of vol…
(2020-12-30). Video: Russia Suffers Casualties in Greater Idlib. Israeli Air Force Strikes Damascus Countryside. globalresearch.ca On the morning of December 30th, warplanes of the Israeli Air Force once again carried out strikes on alleged Iranian targets in the countryside of Damascus. According to reports one person was killed and 3 others injured in the attack….
(2020-12-30). The Numbers Add Up for "Child-Side" Tax Policies. dissidentvoice.org A weary America is suffering through the worst public health crisis in more than a century. Covid-19 has taken over 300,000 lives. Parts of the economy have effectively shut down, throwing millions out of work and bankrupting businesses large and small. In the richest country in the world, Thanksgiving dinner for tens of thousands came …
(2020-12-30). AMLO government falsified COVID-19 data to avoid shutdowns in Mexico City. wsws.org With hospitals in the Mexican capital expected to collapse in January, the López Obrador administration is determined to keep the economy open and safeguard profits.
(2020-12-30). The Answer to Covid is Caricom: Incoming Chairman Dr. Keith Rowley. telesurenglish.net The incoming chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, is channeling the regional integration movement towards stronger outcomes in the year ahead. | RELATED: | In his message to mark the start of 2021, Rowley pointed to the Caribbean Community's relatively successful management of the health aspects of COVID-19 in 2020 and says the light of the end of the t…
(2020-12-30). French testing system missed 9 of 10 COVID-19 cases after first lock-down. wsws.org A recent study exposes the inadequacy of the testing system the Macron government introduced after the first lock-down, leading to thousands of preventable deaths.
(2020-12-30). Excess deaths in Russia spike. wsws.org While Russia's official death toll from coronavirus stands at just over 55,000, the real number of COVID-19 victims is likely at least double or triple those officially reported.
(2020-12-30). CDC Says New COVID-19 Strain First Detected in UK Has Likely Been Circulating Person-to-Person in US. sputniknews.com On Tuesday, authorities in the US state of Colorado detected the US's first known case of infection by the new variant of COVID-19, originally discovered in the UK earlier this month. Colorado health officials described the patient as a man in his 20s with no travel history and said a possible second case is currently under investigation.
(2020-12-30). US: Colorado Confirms First Case of British COVID-19 Strain. telesurenglish.net Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Tuesday announced that the British COVID-19 variant was identified in a young man who has no travel history. | RELATED: | He will remain in isolation until cleared by health officials. No close contacts of the man have been identified yet, but authorities are working on contact tracing. | The Colorado state lab was the first in the country to quickly identify the variant through sophisti…
(2020-12-30). Chile Confirms Its First Case of the UK COVID-19 Strain. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Under-Secretary Paula Daza Tuesday confirmed one case of British COVID-19 variant. | RELATED: | The new strain (SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01) was detected in a Chilean woman who arrived in the country on December 22 from Spain. She had previously traveled to London and Dubai. | The woman, who is asymptomatic, was quarantined in the city of Panguipulli located in the Los Rios region, along with her closest contacts. | Daza al…
(2020-12-30). Tehran, Doha to make joint documatry on Covid-19. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Iran's Documentary & Experimental Film Center and the Qatari Al-Jazeera are to make a joint documentary on Covid-19.
(2020-12-30). 1st deadly UK Covid-19 variant detected in Colorado. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — According to a report released by Colorado officials a 20-year-old young man is the first case infected with the highly infectious UK coronavirus variant in the state.
(2020-12-30). The New Strain of COVID May Have Already Coursed Through the US. truthout.org The There are…
(2020-12-30). Sniffing Our Way Back Home. thenation.com Sniffing Our Way Back Home…
(2020-12-30). Bias, racism and lies: facing up to the unwanted consequences of AI. news.un.org Powerful digital tools using artificial intelligence (AI) software are helping in the fight against COVID-19, and have the potential to improve the world in many other ways. However, as AI seeps into more areas of daily life, it's becoming clear that its misuse can lead to serious harm, leading the UN to call for strong, international regulation of the technology.
(2020-12-30). The virus that shut down the world: Economic meltdown. news.un.org With millions forced to work from home this year, offices and shops closing as part of containment measures, and travel severely curtailed everywhere, it was inevitable that the economy would suffer. In part five of our look back at 2020, we focus on the seismic effect that COVID-19 has had on the global economy.
(2020-12-30). US records 1st case of new Covid strain amid delays in vaccination campaign. laprensalatina.com Washington, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The United States has detected the first case of the new Covid-19 strain in Colorado even as alarms have begun to sound about the difficulty of vaccinating 20 million people before the end of the year as promised by outgoing President Donald Trump. The first case of the mutant variant of …
(2020-12-30). Beale Street feeling blue after COVID cancels New Year's Eve plans. laprensalatina.com MEMPHIS, TN (WREG) — The biggest New Year's Eve celebration in Memphis was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Any other year, Beale Street would be packed with people preparing for the annual guitar drop, the street filled with life and energy. But this year, there's a cloud hanging over Beale. "I think it's just where …
(2020-12-30). Coronavirus vaccination gets under way in Argentina. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- Health care workers were at the head of the line Tuesday as Argentina began Covid-19 vaccination using Sputnik V, developed by Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute, amid concerns about a second wave of infections in the South American country that has already lost nearly 43,000 lives to Covid-19. "It is a …
(2020-12-30). New Strain of COVID-19 'Likely to Make it Here,' Memphis Health Official Says. laprensalatina.com MEMPHIS, TN (WREG) — A new variant, or strain, of COVID-19 has been identified in the United States and linked to a Colorado man in his twenties with no travel history. The fact that Colorado has detected this variant, the first in the nation, has many wondering if has or will make its way to …
(2020-12-30). Biden blasts Trump for delays on vaccine distribution. laprensalatina.com Washington, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday lambasted President Donald Trump for delays in the distribution of the vaccine against Covid-19 and promised that, when he takes office on Jan. 20, 2021, he will use a law dating back to the Cold War to force the private sector to accelerate the process. "The …
(2020-12-30). China's Sinopharm says its vaccine is over 79% effective against Covid-19. laprensalatina.com Shanghai, China, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- A vaccine developed by China's state-run Sinopharm is 79.34 percent effective in protection against the Covid-19, the company said on Wednesday, seeking approval from the government for its general public use in the country. The vaccine, developed by a unit of the China National Biotec Group (CNBG), an affiliate of …
(2020-12-30). Faced With Concurrent Crises, UNICEF Warns Millions of Children Threatened by 'Looming Famine'. commondreams.org "For countries reeling from the consequences of conflicts, disasters, and climate change, Covid-19 has turned a nutrition crisis into an imminent catastrophe." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/un0270028-21.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Catastrophe worsens as UK records nearly 100,000 new COVID-19 cases in 48 hours. wsws.org Hospitals are being overwhelmed with a number having to declare emergencies. Moreover, the surge in infections threatens to overwhelm a vaccine rollout taking place at a snail's pace.
(2020-12-30). Puebla Group's Plea to US & EU: Release Venezuela's Funds. telesurenglish.net The Puebla Group (Grupo de Puebla) has penned a statement demanding the release of Venezuela's financial resources by the U.S., EU and European countries to ensure that citizens have access to the vaccine against COVID-19. | RELATED: | The statement signed by 32 progressive political leaders of Latin America and Spain notes the retention of billions of dollars in assets belonging to the Venezuelan people. While th…
(2020-12-30). "Mass Sterilization": Kenyan Doctors Find Anti-fertility Agent in UN Tetanus Vaccine? globalresearch.ca Global Research Editor's Note | This article first published by Global Research on May 24, 2019 is of utmost relevance to the ongoing debate on the Covid Vaccine. | *** | In October 2014, the conference of Catholic bishops in Kenya released a …
(2020-12-30). Should You Be Worried About the New COVID Strains? commondreams.org These new strains should make you very worried indeed: they're much more infectious. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-89622874_0.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Unreported COVID-19 Outbreak at Santa Rita Jail: 200+ Cases. indybay.org COVID-19 Outbreak happening Right Now in Santa Rita – Unreported, 200+ cases & Jail refuses to uphold safety policies…
(2020-12-30). The Peace Discourse that Disappeared: Go on with Passion and Detachment. globalresearch.ca Look at and listen in to three spheres of contemporary Western society — politics, research and media: The word" peace" and related words, such as the UN Charter norm of" making peace by peaceful means", nonviolence, negotiations — have disappeared. …
(2020-12-30). US Backs Guaido's Farce Extending Protection on CITGO. telesurenglish.net New York Court Tuesday accepted a request from the Venezuelan opposition to protect Citgo Petroleum Corporation, a decision that shows Washington's support for Juan Guaido. | RELATED: | Citgo is a subsidiary of the state-owned Oil of Venezuela (PDVSA) and the leading supplier of gasoline, lubricants, and petrochemicals in the U.S. | U.S. Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled in favor of the measure that bars Bono PDVSA…
(2020-12-30). Abortion legalization marks historic win for feminist movements in Argentina. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands who had gathered in front of the Argentine Congress erupted in mass celebrations as the Senate voted in favor of the Bill approving the voluntary termination of pregnancy…
(2020-12-30). Thousands of Rohingya refugees relocated. peoplesdispatch.org The Bangladeshi government dispatched 1,800 Rohingya refugees on Tuesday, December 29, to the island of Bhasan Char. The island is said to have emerged from the sea just 20 years ago and is prone to flooding.
(2020-12-30). The New Film "Seven". Scientific Study of WTC Building 7. globalresearch.ca The new film
(2020-12-30). The class dynamic of the massive Wall Street speculation. wsws.org The year is ending amid the greatest economic contraction since the Great Depression of the 1930s, but Wall Street is finishing the year at a record high.
(2020-12-30). Brazil: Bolsonaro's Remarks Targeting Rousseff Spark Critics. telesurenglish.net Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016) on Tuesday condemned spiteful comments made by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who discarded acts of torture committed against her during the dictatorship's rule (1964-1985). | RELATED: | Previously, through a video posted on social networks, Bolsonaro cast doubts on acts of torture committed against Rousseff during her years of imprisonment and requested an X-ray sho…
(2020-12-30). Boeing's deadly 737 Max resumes US commercial flights. wsws.org Nearly two years after the 737 Max was grounded, not a single corporate executive or federal regulator has gone to jail for his role in the deaths of 346 people.
(2020-12-30). Bolivia: President Arce Appoints New Top Military Command. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's President Luis Arce on Tuesday appointed a new Military Command and called on the top officials to rebuild the people's confidence after the violent post-electoral events that took place in November 2019. | RELATED: | He appointed Cesar Vallejos as the new Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief and Augusto Garcia as General Staff Chief.
(2020-12-30). UN human rights expert calls for withdrawal of US sanctions on Syria. peoplesdispatch.org Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur about the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on human rights, said the US sanctions violated the human rights of the Syrian people…
(2020-12-30). Argentina's Senate Passes Safe Abortion Law. telesurenglish.net Argentina's Senate Wednesday passed the Safe Abortion Law after a 12-hour session, in a victory for the women's movement that has been fighting for this right for over five decades. | RELATED: | "We are living in a historical moment. Our struggle has become law," members of the Campaign for Free, Legal and Safe Abortion Rights said. | This morning, the green color that identifies the battle for safe abortion rights in the c…
(2020-12-30). Australia: Victorian Hotel Quarantine Inquiry finds "failure of governance" wsws.org Predictably, the report is a whitewash with the recommendations calling for little more than further investigation "as to the lines of accountability and responsibility between Departmental heads and Ministers."
(2020-12-30). Selling Weapons — The Most Corrupt Industry in the World. globalresearch.ca "In his [1996] arms-to-Iraq enquiry, Lord Richard Scott heard evidence that an entire tier of the Thatcher government, from senior civil servants to ministers, had lied and broken the law in selling weapons to Saddam Hussein…Thumb through old copies of …
(2020-12-30). Taking a Stand Against Extremism. progressive.org In this time of great darkness, there must also be an opposing force of light. That force must come from us.
(2020-12-30). Most Popular Articles in December 2020. globalresearch.ca …
(2020-12-30). Washington state judge blocks release of public records in the police killing of Michael Reinoehl. wsws.org Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy ruled in favor of a motion by the sheriff's office to stop the release of police records about the execution of Portland protester Michael Reinoehl on September 3.
(2020-12-30). Yemen: At Least 27 Killed As Explosions Target New Government. telesurenglish.net The ministers were not injured, and an Al Arabiya correspondent indicated that the explosion was accompanied by subsequent gunfire. | Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani stated through his personal Twitter account that "the cowardly terrorist attack" was carried out by "the Iranian-backed Huthian militia." | RELATED: | For its part, Sky News Arabia quotes its correspondent and reports that two explosions…
(2020-12-30). Mexico Was the Most Dangerous Country for Journalists in 2020. telesurenglish.net Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday published its annual report on journalists who have been killed while carrying out their work, noting that Mexico ranks first among the most dangerous countries for journalists. | RELATED: | Mexico recorded 8 journalists killed in 2020, thus consolidating an average of 9 journalists murdered each year over the past five years. | The RSF report noted the "savage" deaths of Juli…
(2020-12-30). US Government Role in Thailand's "Student Protests" asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-30). Amid repression and setbacks, people's movements in north Africa continue struggles. peoplesdispatch.org North Africa in 2020 was both a site of armed conflict and repression, and yet, also an example of the determined resistance of the people to the forces of repression…
(2020-12-30). Smart Ass Cripple: Madison Cawthorn Is Not My Wheelchair Brother. progressive.org If Cawthorn carries his campaign image and agenda to Congress, it would be better for disabled folks if he wasn't there at all.
(2020-12-30). How youth turned the tide in the 2020 election. nationofchange.org It wasn't just new voters that made this election the biggest ever: Youth turned out in droves to work on campaigns behind the scenes, too.
(2020-12-30). Puerto Rico: Governor-Elect Pierluisi Appoints New Officials. telesurenglish.net Puerto Rico's Governor-elect Pedro Pierluisi Tuesday presented his latest cabinet appointments ahead of his inauguration in…
(2020-12-30). Syrian Refugees Flee as Their Tents Are Torched in Lebanon. globalresearch.ca On December 26, hundreds of Syrian refugees fled their refugee camp in the Miniyeh region near the coastal city of Tripoli in north Lebanon after
(2020-12-30). It's legal! Argentine Senate approves abortion bill. peoplesdispatch.org The Argentine senate passed the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy bill with 38 votes in favor and 29 against. This is a major victory for feminist movements who have been organizing for over a decade for the right to abortion…
(2020-12-30). California legislature introduces bill for cops to hold bachelor's degrees to join police force. nationofchange.org "This could be the beginning of changing the entire way that policing is done on the front end. Then we can let the bad cops retire on the back end."
(2020-12-30). Coronavirus cluster continues to grow in Sydney, Australia. wsws.org The government is prioritising the demands of big business over public health and safety.
(2020-12-30). Russia-China Civilian Aviation Production Challenges Boeing-Airbus Dominance. globalresearch.ca For decades US-based Boeing and European aerospace giant, Airbus, have dominated global civilian aviation in what many in the industry describe as a duopoly. But as is the case in so many other industries as of late, China's economic and …
(2020-12-30). The Crown Season 4: And outside the palace? wsws.org Morgan's attempt to portray the monarchy's inner life in human terms successfully captures something of its corrosive impact on all concerned. He shows portions of the ugly reality.
(2020-12-30). Who Will Guard the Space Guardians? counterpunch.org We have decided to call to call the entire field of control and communication theory whether in the machine or in the animal, by the name of "Cybernetics", which we form from the Greek [for] steersman. — Norbert Wiener, Cybernetics It was a joyous occasion and it was only too bad that the trump was unable
(2020-12-30). Peruvian Workers Are Dissatisfied With the New Agrarian Law. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of Peruvians Wednesday blocked the Pan-American highway in the Viru province to reject the new agricultural law. | RELATED: | They deployed vehicles, rocks, and torches on the highway to demand the law to establish a wage increase for the agricultural sector. | The new law, which was passed by Congress on Tuesday, "does not consider our needs. Protests and roadblocks will continue until our demands are con…
(2020-12-30). Here we go: Another IRS problem (and a Bank of America problem). nationofchange.org "I don't know if you have IRS problems; I do."
(2020-12-30). North Carolina ICU nurse: "There is a general expectation that though things have been bad so far, the worst is still on the horizon" wsws.org Compounding the health crisis, millions of North Carolinians are out of work and cannot afford basic necessities, while the wealth of North Carolina's billionaires has soared to new heights.
(2020-12-30). St. Vincent: Orange Alert After Magma Expulsion From Volcano. telesurenglish.net Authorities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines set an "orange alert" after La Soufriere volcano began releasing magma on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves warned the inhabitants of the north of the Caribbean island to prepare for an eventual evacuation in areas ranging from Georgetown to Fancy. | The Seismic Research Unit (SRU) of the University of the East Indies (UWI) requested to avoid tourist…
(2020-12-30). US Deploys Bombers in Middle East to Reportedly 'Caution' Iran. sputniknews.com Fears have been rising in Washington of a possible escalation of tensions with Tehran, as the anniversary of the US drone attack that killed top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani looms, with many raising concerns about possible retaliation by the Islamic Republic.
(2020-12-30). US Lawmaker Seeks Police Body Cam Video of Indian Tasered at National Park. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Congressman Raul Grijalva is seeking the police body cam footage of a Marine veteran and registered member of two American Indian nations who was tasered by police while visiting a site featuring Native American relics, according to a press release.
(2020-12-30). Algerian MP Proposes Bill to Ban Promotion of Israel Normalization Talks in Mass Media. sputniknews.com After Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel, other Maghrebi nations came out against the deal and promised not to follow suit. However, several former Tunisian officials in particular have accused Algiers of "playing with fire," and thus forcing Rabat into the deal.
(2020-12-30). Iran to Pay $150,000 to Each Family of Victims Killed in Downed Ukrainian Flight. sputniknews.com Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was downed on January 8, 2020, by a pair of missiles deployed by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) moments after the airliner took off from the Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport. All 176 passengers and crew were killed. Iranian officials have blamed the downing on human error.
(2020-12-30). Three Moderna Vaccine Shipments to Texas Held Back From Distribution Due to Temperature Issues. sputniknews.com Earlier this month, American biotechnology company Moderna announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had authorized its vaccine in the US. Under this emergency use authorization, the messenger RNA (mNA) vaccine can now be distributed to people aged 18 years or older in the US.
(2020-12-30). UK lawmakers pass Brexit deal with ample majority. laprensalatina.com London, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Members of the United Kingdom's Parliament on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of the government's post-Brexit deal with the European Union. Following a fast-tracked debate, a total of 521 lawmakers in the House of Commons, the majority of whom took part remotely, voted to write the EU (Future Relationship) into UK …
(2020-12-30). Climate Activists Mount Utility Strike. popularresistance.org Santa is not the only one giving out coal this year. Climate activists like Johnny Sanchez and Sonja Birthisel in Portland, Maine, recently sent their utility company an envelope of coal instead of payment towards their electric bill. This symbolic act of defiance, organized by the No Coal No Gas coalition, is part of a broad New England consumer strike against utility payments to protest the continued burning of coal. | The Strike Down Coal campaign launched on Sept. 1 and aims to continue until ISO New England — the system operator responsible for running New England's energy grid and power system —…
(2020-12-30). Iraq: 'British Company G4S Implicated In Assassination Of Soleimani'. popularresistance.org An Iraqi politician accused the UK private security company G4S of being involved in the assassination of Iranian Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani. | The commander of the Quds Force of the Corps of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (IRGC) of Iran, Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani, and the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Units of Iraq (Al-Hashad Al-Shabi in Arabic), Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, were martyred on January 3 in a drone strike perpetrated by the US in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. | This Monday the leader of the Iraqi political party Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Qais Al-Jazali, accused the British co…
(2020-12-30). The Activist Roots Of Black Feminist Theory. popularresistance.org The idea that race, class and gender are interrelated dynamics of power and oppression has gained sufficient currency in the academic world to go by the shorthand "intersectionality," or "intersection theory." But the origins of contemporary Black feminist theory are not sufficiently known or acknowledged, and, given the invaluable work of university-based theorists, too many assume that the core concepts of Black feminism were born in the academy. In fact, much can be traced to activists in groups including the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Third World Women's Alliance, and the Combahee…
(2020-12-30). EU Leaders Sign Post-Brexit Trade Deal With UK. telesurenglish.net European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain on Wednesday on behalf of the European Union (EU). | RELATED: | The signed documents will be transferred to Britain to be signed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson later on Wednesday, one day before the 11-month Brexit transition period expires. | "The agreement that we signed t…
(2020-12-30). Southern California's ICU capacity is at zero. Here's what that means. salon.com Patients are still being admitted to hospitals — but there's a catch…
(2020-12-30). What does a vaccine factory actually look like?>. salon.com How do you mass-produce something microscopic? Here's what happens inside a vaccine production facility…
(2020-12-30). Best of 2020: I tried to call my mother to say goodbye. salon.com Our 2020 retrospective continues with this meditation on one last chance to connect as the world falls apart…
(2020-12-30). Trump is a historic loser: No other one-term president has refused to leave office. salon.com 10 other sitting presidents have been spurned by the American people, but none have behaved as badly as Trump…
(2020-12-30). Biographer Michael D'Antonio on the most "subversive and traitorous federal official" in history. salon.com Author of "The Truth About Trump" on his last-ditch coup — and his future as cult leader and theme-park impresario…
(2020-12-30). Pray, What Is This 'Reform' That the Rightwing Peddles? zcomm.org How is it that 'reform' only means throwing the food-grower open to the cut-throat vagaries of a so-called 'free-market' always in the clutches of the corporate?>
(2020-12-30). British Company Was Involved in Soleimani Killing, Iran Holds. telesurenglish.net Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasi Mehr on Wednesday stated that the British security company G4S was involved in the assassination of the Revolutionary Guard Commander Qasem Soleimani. | RELATED: | This company, which handled the security of the flight in which the Persian general was traveling, informed the attackers about the arrival of his plane in Baghdad. | From Germany, the U.S. Ramstein Air Base also provided data…
(2020-12-30). Sudan-Ethiopia border conflict escalates. peoplesdispatch.org On Tuesday, December 29, the Ethiopian foreign ministry warned of a "counter-offensive" after the Sudanese army announced that it had recaptured an area in the contested Al-Fashaga region near the border between the two countries. | The Al-Fashaga region falls on the Sudanese side of the border delineated by the British in 1902, who had colonized Sudan at the time. The Ethiopian delegation refused to recognize this border in the recently held talks in Sudanese capital Khartoum, which ended on December 23 without an agreement on the demarcation of land. | Ethiopian farmers have been settled in Al-Fashaga, which is…
(2020-12-30). Britain Prepares for Increased Isolation in Wake of Brexit Deal. truthout.org The grim realities of the Brexit deal announced on Christmas Eve are beginning to sink in as British voters face the impending implementation of an arrangement that leaves Britain poorer and more isolated — both economically and culturally — than it would have been had voters in 2016 opted to stay in the European Union (EU). Provided that both the U.K. and the European Parliaments ratify the deal as expected, the new arrangement will take effect in the new year. | The new U.K.-EU relationship…
(2020-12-30). Martyr Soleimani defended resistance under any circumstance. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — The Head of Iraq's Fatah (Conquest) Alliance Hadi al-Ameri said Martyr Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was responsible for defending 'resistance movement' everywhere.
(2020-12-30). 25 Killed, 13 injured in terrorist attack on bus in Syria. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — At least 25 civilians have been killed and 13 others injured after a bus was attacked on the M20 highway in the Deir ez-Zor province of Syria.
(2020-12-30). US has a lot to do to remedy its reputation of foreign policy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna says the US has a lot to do to remedy to a certain extent the reputation of US foreign policy.
(2020-12-30). Araghchi holds talks with Qatari Foreign Minister. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs held talks with the Foreign Minister of Qatar on Wednesday.
(2020-12-30). Iran has promoted combat capability proportionate to threats. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — The Second-in-Command of the Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base said that the base has upgraded its combat capability proportionate to the existing threats.
(2020-12-30). Iranian company exports 1st cargo of MEG to Istnbul by train. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — The first export consignment of mono ethylene glycol (MEG) produced by Shazand Petrochemical Co. was exported from Iran's Arak to Istanbul by train on Wednesday.
(2020-12-30). Culprits of Gen. Soleimani's terror to be held accountable. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Iran's Judiciary Chief said that the perpetrators of the Martyrdom of Lt. General Soleimani will be punished and no one is allowed to obstruct the relevant investigations.
(2020-12-30). Basiji ladies donate blood in Tabriz. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — A group of Basiji ladies donated blood in Tabriz, the capital city of East Azerbaijan Province, in northwestern Iran.
(2020-12-30). US police kill a black man in LA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — US police once again killed a black man in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
(2020-12-30). VIDEO: Symbolic funeral of Gen. Soleimani, Cmdr. al-Muhandis. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — On the eve of the first anniversary of the martyrdom of Lt. General Soleimani and Commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Karbala witnessed the symbolic funeral of these two martyrs and other Iraqi martyrs of Resistance.
(2020-12-30). Afghanistan urges connecting Khaf-Herat Railway to Chabahar. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan called for connection of Khaf-Herat Railway to Chabahar Port and termed it as a great achievement for the people of Afghanistan and business community of the country.
(2020-12-30). World has refused to be held hostage to US bullying. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman pointed to four years of "Maximum Failure" of Trump administration and said that people are not naàØve and the world has refused to be held hostage to your bullying.
(2020-12-30). Soleimani blood united regional nations against US arrogance. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — In a tweet on early Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry stated that the blood of Martyr General Soleimani united regional nations against the US arrogance and presence.
(2020-12-30). McConnell Continues to Hold Aid Hostage. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-30). Blame Mitch for the Lack of Federal Relief. thenation.com Blame Mitch for the Lack of Federal Relief…
(2020-12-30). Women Ran, Won and Donated in Record Numbers in 2020. truthout.org Women broke barriers in the 2020 elections, both at the ballot box and as political donors. Unprecedented numbers of women ran for office and won their races. Come January, Congress and many state legislatures will become more representative of the nation as a whole, with women holding more seats than ever before. And in both state and federal races, women raised more money than in any prior cycle. | That's according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in Politics.
(2020-12-30). Women Ran for Office, Won and Donated in Record Numbers in 2020. truthout.org Women broke barriers in the 2020 elections, both at the ballot box and as political donors. Unprecedented numbers of women ran for office and won their races. Come January, Congress and many state legislatures will become more representative of the nation as a whole, with women holding more seats than ever before. And in both state and federal races, women raised more money than in any prior cycle. | That's according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and the National Institute on Money in Politics.
(2020-12-30). Argentina Passes Bill to Legalize Abortion. truthout.org Thousands of women gathered in Buenos Aires erupted with joy early Wednesday after Argentina's Senate voted to approve legislation that would legalize abortion, the culmination of a The bill permitting elective abortions up to the 14th week of a pregnancy passed by a vote of 38 to 29, and President Alb…
(2020-12-30). Increasing Pentagon Spending When People Are Going Hungry Is Madness. thenation.com Increasing Pentagon Spending When People Are Going Hungry Is Madness…
(2020-12-30). Can We Finally Stop Marching to Disaster? thenation.com Can We Finally Stop Marching to Disaster?
(2020-12-30). Look Beyond the Media Frenzy and Focus on the Fundamentals. thenation.com Look Beyond the Media Frenzy and Focus on the Fundamentals…
(2020-12-30). Open Mike Eagle's Songs of Redemption. thenation.com Open Mike Eagle's Songs of Redemption…
(2020-12-30). Questions and answers about the UN mission to the SAFER oil tanker in Yemen. news.un.org 1. What is the SAFER oil tanker? | SAFER is a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) oil vessel moored off Yemen's west coast, approximately 8 kilometers (4.8 nautical miles) South West of the Ras Isa peninsula on the West coast of Yemen, permanently anchored at the same location for more than 30 years without any dry-docking or shipyard repairs.
(2020-12-30). UN chief and Yemen Envoy condemn deadly Aden airport attack. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, have strongly condemned Wednesday's deadly attack on Aden airport, which is reported to have resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people, and injured more than 50.
(2020-12-30). UN Yemen envoy condemns deadly Aden airport attack. news.un.org The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, has strongly condemned Wednesday's deadly attack on Aden airport, which is reported to have resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people, and injured more than 50.
(2020-12-30). Brazilian graffiti phenom Thales Pomb inspired by Goya, the color blue. laprensalatina.com By Antonio Torres del Cerro Sao Paulo, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- He paints a 35-meter (115-foot) mural with the same care he gives to an oil portrait. The color blue inspires him, and the work of Spain's Francisco Goya is in the forefront of his artistic references. His name is Thales Fernando "Pomb," he's 31 and …
(2020-12-30). Croatians remain on edge as aftershocks follow major quake. laprensalatina.com Zagreb, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Three minor earthquakes Wednesday rattled the nerves of inhabitants of central Croatia a day after the region was struck by a magnitude-6.2 temblor that left seven people dead and 26 others injured. The strongest of the aftershocks was a magnitude-4.8. In Petrinja, the town nearest the epicenter of Tuesday's quake, rescue …
(2020-12-30). EU and China conclude negotiations on investment deal. laprensalatina.com Brussels, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The European Union and China concluded negotiations on a long-awaited investment deal designed to lower business barriers to European companies in China and push toward leveling the playing field between the two economic powers. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: "The EU has the largest single market in the …
(2020-12-30). Magnitude-5.1 earthquake shakes parts of Japan. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Ritcher scale shook eastern Japan on Wednesday but there was no tsunami alert and the authorities did not report any human or material losses. The earthquake shook the capital Tokyo at 9.35 am local time (0.35 GMT) with its epicenter in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of …
(2020-12-30). Outrage in India-administered Kashmir over alleged extra-judicial killings. laprensalatina.com Srinagar, India, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Security forces in India-administered Kashmir on Wednesday gunned down three alleged militants, sparking outrage and allegations that the troops had staged a gunfight to hide civilian killings. "Three militants have been killed in an overnight operation in the Lawaypora area of Srinagar," an officer at the police control room told …
(2020-12-30). Over 20 killed in attack on new Yemeni government in Aden. laprensalatina.com By Khaled Abdullah Sana'a, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- At least 22 people were killed and 50 others injured on Wednesday when three explosions rocked the airport of the southern Yemeni city of Aden upon the arrival of members of the new government. The internationally-recognized government blamed the attack on the Houthi rebels, with whom it has …
(2020-12-30). Biden complains of roadblocks to transition placed by Trump administration. laprensalatina.com Washington, Dec 28 (efe-epa).- President-elect Joe Biden on Monday complained of "roadblocks" to the transition of power process he said are being placed by the outgoing Donald Trump administration, and specifically in the way of his picks for top Pentagon and Office of Management and Budget posts. "We've encountered roadblocks with the political leadership at …
(2020-12-30). Argentina waiting tensely to learn if Senate approves abortion law. laprensalatina.com By Rodrigo Garcia Buenos Aires, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- Argentines are waiting with bated breath in the coming hours to find out whether the Senate approves a bill legalizing abortion up until the 14th week of pregnancy, which although it is being supported by the government is sparking differences between government backers and the political opposition, …
(2020-12-30). Kidney On Sale: Economic fallout of back-to-back lockdowns in Indian Kashmir. laprensalatina.com By Sarwar Kashani Qazigund, India, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- Nearly two years ago, Sabzar Khan, a 26-year-old businessman, expanded his construction business that was already growing rapidly in Qazigund, the gateway to the idyllic Kashmir Valley, nestled in the Indian Himalayas. But soon after he raised funds by securing loans from a bank and local lenders, …
(2020-12-30). Islamist mob razes Hindu temple in Pakistan. laprensalatina.com Islamabad, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- A mob of around 2,000 people on Wednesday destroyed a Hindu temple in northwestern Pakistan, reacting in rage to the religious premises being expanded, in the latest act of violence against a religious minority in the Muslim-dominated country. The act of vandalism took place around noon in the Karak district of …
(2020-12-30). Sydney tightens coronavirus restrictions on New Year's Eve. laprensalatina.com Sydney, Australia, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The New South Wales government tightened social distancing restrictions on New Year's Eve after health authorities on Wednesday reported 18 new local cases of coronavirus and a possible cluster around Sydney, the most populated city in the country. Half of the new infections are linked to the Northern Beaches, a …
(2020-12-30). One Person Dead After Vehicle Goes in Shelby Farms Lake. laprensalatina.com SHELBY COUNTY, TN (WREG) — One person was killed after a vehicle plunged into a lake out at Shelby Farms. According to authorities, first responders received a call that a vehicle had gone into Patriot Lake around 7 a.m. Wednesday. The person was dead when emergency crews arrived. Español: CONDADO DE SHELBY, TN …
(2020-12-30). North Korea's ruling party to hold 8th congress in early January. laprensalatina.com Seoul, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The eighth congress of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, which is expected to decide the regime's economic and foreign policy goals, will be held in early January, state media KCNA reported Wednesday. The agency did not specify an exact date for the event. The decision to hold the party congress early …
(2020-12-30). Proud and patriotic, Wuhan boasts of virus defeat. laprensalatina.com By Jesús Centeno Wuhan, China, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- At 85-years-old, Korean war veteran Chen Jixian cannot hold back his emotions when he recalls the calamities that struck Wuhan when the new coronavirus first emerged a year ago and led to the deaths of 3,869 people, according to official figures. Chen was visiting People First, Lives …
(2020-12-30). Bangladesh urges UN to participate in Rohingya relocation process. laprensalatina.com Dhaka, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The government of Bangladesh said on Wednesday that it was ready to involve the United Nations in the process of relocating Rohingya refugees to a remote island, after a barrage of criticism by rights groups over the lack of transparency in the transfers. The government urged the UN to join the …
(2020-12-30). UN mission leaves Darfur amid security concerns. laprensalatina.com By al-Nur al-Zaki Khartoum, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The United Nations peace mission to Darfur's (UNAMID) mandate ends on Thursday, 13 years after its launch, despite several persistant challenges. A rebel group is still active in the Sudanese region, 1.8 million people are displaced and tribal violence is not rare although the civil war that hit …
(2020-12-30). Argentine Senate passes landmark bill to legalize abortion. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The Argentinean Senate on Wednesday passed a landmark bill allowing voluntary termination of pregnancy up to the 14th week. The legislation, which sailed through the house after a marathon session running until the early hours, was backed by the government of President Alberto Fernandez to fulfill the long-pending demand of …
(2020-12-30). WHO Chief Says 'We Must Ensure That All People at Risk Everywhere—Not Just in Countries Who Can Afford Vaccines—Are Immunized'. commondreams.org His comments came one year into the public health crisis and as the U.K. became the first country to approve a vaccine from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford that is cheaper and easier to distribute.
(2020-12-30). Lame-Duck Trump's "Middle East Arms Bonanza" Continues With Approval of $290 Million Weapons Sale to Saudi Regime. commondreams.org Additional arms deals this week include $4 billion in helicopters to Kuwait, $169 million in military equipment to Egypt, and $65 million in drones and fighter jets to UAE. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/saudi_arms.jpg …
(2020-12-30). 'Hypocrisy and Horror': Outrage After Trump DOJ Clears Cleveland Cop Who Killed 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice. commondreams.org "The Rice family has been cheated of a fair process yet again," said family attorney Subodh Chandra. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/tamirrice_2.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Attempting to Cement 'Mythology' of Stolen Election, Hawley Announces He Will Contest Electoral College Results. commondreams.org Republican Sen. Josh Hawley was accused of attempting to "overthrow democracy" and catering to his own political ambitions on Wednesday after he announced he plans to contest the Electoral College vote on January 6, when the U.S. Congress convenes to certify the election results. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1230067433_1.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Biden to Take Aim at Trump's Midnight Regulations on Day One of New Administration. commondreams.org A transition spokesperson said the freeze will apply to regulations as well as guidance documents that "can have enormous consequences on the lives of the American people." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_7_0.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Lethal Levels of Radiation Found in Damaged Fukushima Reactor Will Have 'Huge Impact' on Shutdown, Regulators Warn. commondreams.org The radiation levels reported around shield plugs at two reactors are high enough to kill a worker exposed for even an hour. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/fukushima_7.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Two Detroit children dead in Christmas morning house fire. wsws.org With no central heating and no smoke detectors, a Detroit family suffered an unspeakable disaster on the holiday.
(2020-12-30). Is Vaccine Distribution Trump's Biggest Screw Up Yet? counterpunch.org The Washington Post tells us that 7.7 million first doses of vaccines have been shipped to date (two million shots have been given), with a target of 16 million by the end of the year. This is warp speed? By comparison, we manage to get over 170 million flu shots in people's arms every year,
(2020-12-30). Bolivia Will Acquire 5.2 Million Doses of the Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Bolivia becomes the third country in the region to acquire the Russian vaccine Sputnik V for free in its population. | The Government of Bolivia signed this Wednesday an agreement with Russia to acquire 5.2 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus. | RELATED: | During the signing ceremony of the agreement, carried out via videoconference, President Luis Arce stated that the acquisition of the…
(2020-12-30). Bright Spots on Climate to End a Dark Year. commondreams.org In a year in which virtually every trendline was in the wrong direction, this change in direction was a welcomed gift. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/wind-turbines-snow-winter-sun.jpg …
(2020-12-30). 'Lord of the Flies,' Revisited. commondreams.org Dutch historian Rutger Bregman documents that Golding had no knowledge of behavioral science and was hardly an impartial judge of children's propensities. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/lord_600.jpg …
(2020-12-30). We Can Take Our Democracy Back. Here's How. commondreams.org First, we need to stop pretending that voters don't support abortion rights. They do. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1230251604.jpg …
(2020-12-30). Looking Ahead: Environment America's 2021 Federal and State Priorities. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-30). For the First Time, the Progressive Caucus Will Have Real Power. commondreams.org New rules will help Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) turn the caucus into a force to be reckoned with. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/jayapal_01c8ac7cc3b849e525e370bc51344120.jpg …
(2020-12-30). How Past Economic Policies Influenced Racism of Today. commondreams.org Though the 2020 murder of George Floyd inspired a global racial reckoning, the injustices he faced date back to his childhood in the 1980s. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/floyd.jpeg …
(2020-12-30). Saturday 1/2: Meetup: Start the Year Strong – Creative Actions You Can Take for Animals. indybay.org Online Zoom | dxe.io/meetupzoom…
(2020-12-30). Wednesday 2/3: We Want to Do More than Just Survive. indybay.org Online Event: | csumb.edu/osu/we-want-do-more-just-survive…
(2020-12-29). Masking the COVID-19 Virus in this 'Pandemic'. globalresearch.ca There is no logic, nor reason based in medical science, for the wearing of paper or cloth masks in the context of the epidemic of this virus — Covid_19 (C19) . The virus, though likely altered in laboratories, is part …
(2020-12-29). A young Berlin teacher dies from coronavirus: An indictment of the city's pandemic policy. wsws.org The death of a young teacher in Berlin following a coronavirus infection confirms the criminal nature of the official policy of keeping open businesses and schools.
(2020-12-29). Sweden records deadliest November since 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. wsws.org Around 100 people are dying on a daily basis, the equivalent of over 3,000 in the US population.
(2020-12-29). California educators, healthcare and logistics workers: Unite to stop COVID-19 and save lives now! wsws.org Urgent and far-reaching action is needed to prevent the reopening of schools and stop the spread of the pandemic across California this winter. Join our committee now!
(2020-12-29). The Wealth Inequality Virus is Surging. counterpunch.org 
If money is the source of happiness, and having more money means more happiness, some of our multi-billionaire friends have reached unprecedented levels of happiness in recent years especially during the pandemic when their level of wealth has skyrocketed. These conditions are revealed in the latest figures on the distribution of wealth from the Federal Reserve Board that cover through the third quarter of 2020, and the daily figures put out by Bloomberg.
(2020-12-29). Coronavirus accelerates as new strain detected across Europe. wsws.org The spread of the new strain of the virus intersects with the European governments' criminal refusal of measures to stop the pandemic that would cut corporate profits.
(2020-12-29). COVID-19 cases skyrocket in South Korea and Japan. wsws.org As in countries around the world, the inadequate responses of Tokyo and Seoul to the pandemic have been driven by concerns for big business.
(2020-12-29). Indigenous movements and the struggle in defense of land in 2020. peoplesdispatch.org On top of the existing violence and institutional impediments, this year was particularly taxing for the defenders of land and environment as they had to face double whammy of COVID-19 pandemic and the intensification of neoliberalism under it…
(2020-12-29). One year into the pandemic, 65,000 deaths in the US in one month. wsws.org One year after the first cases of COVID-19 were identified in China, December was the deadliest month of the pandemic both in the United States and the world.
(2020-12-29). Wuhan's COVID-19 Case Count May Have Been 10 Times Higher Than Reported, Study Finds. sputniknews.com The COVID-19 pandemic first broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak of the novel coronavirus was first reported there on December 31, 2019. Since then, the virus has spread to more than 200 countries and territories across the globe, infecting more than 81 million people.
(2020-12-29). New Covid cases in UK skyrockets to over 53,000. laprensalatina.com London, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- The United Kingdom on Tuesday registered its highest daily number of newly confirmed coronavirus infections — 53,135 — and added another 414 Covid-19 deaths to its dire pandemic tally, the British government reported. The number of new cases exceeds by almost 12,000 the previous single-day record, which had been set on …
(2020-12-29). Activists, Health Care Workers Are Fighting To Keep Mercy Hospital Open. popularresistance.org Chicago – A coalition of activists are demanding elected officials maintain pressure on Mercy's ownership to keep the hospital open or sell to someone who will. | The activists held a vigil Monday, a week after a state board unanimously rejected Mercy Hospital's request to close. Board members agreed closing the Near South Side institution would negatively impact South Siders, especially in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. | Mercy Hospital leadership announced in July the city's first chartered hospital would shut down, citing monthly operating losses of $4 million and shifting trends in the field of healt…
(2020-12-29). 'Extreme concern': UK reports record 53,000 Covid-19 cases as experts warn of 'dangerous new phase' in pandemic. rt.com 
The UK reported 53,135 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, its highest daily total of the entire pandemic, as the country braces for the tightening of health measures in a renewed effort to stem the rising tide of infections. | There were also a further 414 deaths reported within 28 days of a positive test for the virus, compared to 357 on Monday, according to official government data. | On Monday, the UK reported 41,385 new infections, the country's previous 24-hour high of the pandemic. | "We are continuing to see unprecedented levels of Covid-19 infection across the UK, which is of extreme concern – particularly…
(2020-12-29). What Can We Learn From the 1918 Pandemic? thenation.com 
A recent history of the pandemic illuminates not just parallels with our moment but how a public health crisis can become a political one as well.
(2020-12-29). FROM THE FIELD: India's pandemic of violence against women. news.un.org An increase in violence against women in India during the global COVID-19 outbreak has been described by the United Nations as a "shadow pandemic".
(2020-12-29). COVID-19 threatening development gains in Cape Verde: a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org Progress made towards sustainable development by the Atlantic Ocean nation, Cape Verde, is under serious threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic according to the United Nations' most senior official in the country. In this blog, UN Resident Coordinator Ana Patricia Graàßa, explains how the UN is supporting the small island country to rebound from the impact of the virus.
(2020-12-29). Selected Articles: Masking the COVID-19 Virus in this 'Pandemic'. globalresearch.ca 
By There is no logic, nor reason based in medical science, for the wearing of paper or cloth masks in the context of the epidemic of …
(2020-12-29). Wuhan's seafood market, presumed Covid ground zero, tries to turn the page. laprensalatina.com By Jesús Centeno Wuhan, China, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- Wuhan's Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, the presumed ground-zero for the Covid-19 pandemic, remains sealed off, disinfected and tightly guarded by security a year on from the first reports of the outbreak but on the second floor of the establishment, some are trying to rebuild their livelihoods. The …
(2020-12-29). Thailand warns of significant increase in coronavirus cases in January. laprensalatina.com Bangkok, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- The Thai authorities on Tuesday predicted that the number of Covid-19 infections in the country would increase significantly in January. Thailand had kept the pandemic under control until an outbreak in mid-December. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the spokesperson for the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), told reporters that the most likely scenario …
(2020-12-29). Dr Fauci: The Pandemic Is 'Out of Control' in the US. telesurenglish.net White House epidemiologist Anthony Fauci on Tuesday acknowledged that the pandemic is "out of control" in the United States. | RELATED: | "We very well might see a post-seasonal – in the sense of Christmas, New Year's – surge, and, as I have described it, as a surge upon a surge," the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID ) Director said in an interview on CNN in which he explained that the U.S. is en…
(2020-12-29). Pandemic profiteers: Forbes adds 50 health care moguls to its list of global billionaires. wsws.org In a new survey released just before Christmas, Forbes magazine reported that at least 50 health care capitalists had entered the ranks of the world's billionaires in 2020.
(2020-12-29). Argentina Kicks off COVID-19 National Vaccination Campaign. telesurenglish.net Argentina's COVID-19 vaccination campaign began on Monday, following a national operation to distribute 300,000 doses of the Russian vaccine across the country. | RELATED: | Subnational governments offered details on the vaccination plan in each district. In Buenos Aires, the Sputnik V vaccine will be applied to health personnel at 110 hospitals in 89 municipalities. | "After so many months of the pandemic, we…
(2020-12-29). The Imperative To Achieve National Improved Medicare For All. zcomm.org This time around, the "Yes we can" slogan so common under Obama must mean that, yes, the people can overcome the plutocrats and put people over profits…
(2020-12-29). 9-Year-Old Ali Kinani Was Among Victims of Killers Pardoned by Trump. truthout.org Note: This interview contains graphic descriptions of violent deaths. | Image Credit: Blackwater's Youngest Victim | President Trump's pardon of four former Blackwater contractors convicted for their role in a massacre in Baghdad has sparked outrage in Iraq. The Blackwater guards include Nicholas Slatten, who was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder for his role in the 2007 Nisoor Square massacre, when he and other Blackwater mercenaries opened fire with machine guns…
(2020-12-29). On Wounded Knee: We Fight To Mend the Hoop. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/massacre_tease_.jpg …
(2020-12-29). UN Human Rights Expert Urges US to Lift Sanctions That 'May Exacerbate the Already Dire Humanitarian Situation in Syria'. commondreams.org After nearly a decade of war, the special rapporteur noted, Syrians are living with "extensively damaged houses, medical units, schools, and other facilities." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-04-25_at_8.39.42_am_0.png …
(2020-12-29). Fiat Chrysler forced to abandon plans for 84-hour workweeks for skilled trades at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant. wsws.org The company was forced to shelve plans for a longer working week after workers took to the World Socialist Web Site to express their opposition.
(2020-12-29). For the Ruthless Abolition of the Caste System. mronline.org 
The Communist movement in India celebrated its centenary on October 17, 2020. The party was founded in Tashkent (USSR) in 1920. A decade later, most of the leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) were arrested by the British colonial state and imprisoned in Meerut.
(2020-12-29). For the Ruthless Abolition of the Caste System. An Interview with Brinda Karat, Politburo Member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). mronline.org The Communist movement in India celebrated its centenary on October 17, 2020. The party was founded in Tashkent (USSR) in 1920. A decade later, most of the leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI) were arrested by the British colonial state and imprisoned in Meerut.
(2020-12-29). The Fate Of Press Freedom To Be Decided On January 4. popularresistance.org Judge Vanessa Baraitser will announce her decision on the United States' request to extradite Julian Assange on January 4. Assange faces 18 charges, 17 of them under the Espionage Act, which has been weaponized to go after journalists who expose war crimes and other truths the United States wants to keep secret. If he is extradited, it will end press freedom as we know it. Any journalist anywhere in the world will know they could face similar consequences if they expose the US government. I speak with Kevin Gosztola of Shadowproof, who has been following the extradition process closely, about what is likely to ha…
(2020-12-29). A Pardoning Time of Year. Julian Assange and Edward Snowden? globalresearch.ca The resistance to the apparent election of Joe Biden as President of the United States is continuing to play out. Current President Donald Trump is continuing to fight against the presumed results of the November national election with his final …
(2020-12-29). Honduran Social Organizations Reject Murder of Indigenous Leader. telesurenglish.net Honduras' social organizations Tuesday rejected the murder of Felix Vasquez, a Lenca Indigenous leader and pre-candidate for Congress. | RELATED: | Representatives of the movements Coalition Against Impunity (CCI), Lenca Indigenous People Coordinator, and La Paz Farmers urged authorities to find those responsible. | "There must be justice for Vasquez. Authorities must hold a prompt and effective investigation, so p…
(2020-12-29). The NDAA, Trump and the Military Industrial Complex. globalresearch.ca For decades, the National Defense Authorization Act has been the lifeblood of the US imperium, guaranteeing a flow of money across the military. A better term for such a bill would use the word offence in it, but lawmakers and …
(2020-12-29). Endings for Beginnings: Reaching a Brexit Deal. counterpunch.org 
It was a hurried dash and came just before the end of the transition period. The UK and the European Union have reached an agreement on the torturously long road of Brexit. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson can take the deal back to his constituents and Parliament, claiming he achieved something less horrendous than a
(2020-12-29). Nashville Detonation: Lone Bomber or False Flag? globalresearch.ca On Christmas day, a recreational vehicle exploded in downtown Nashville, TN outside an AT&T transmission building — one block from the company's office building. | What happened knocked out communications and 911 emergency call centers over a wide area, including parts …
(2020-12-29). Recidivist Criminal and Constitutional Outlaw Trump Rushes to Pardon Criminal Lawbreakers. counterpunch.org 
Serial lawbreaker Donald J. Trump is embarking on the most sordid presidential pardon spree in American history. He has already pardoned convicted crooks, thieves, and violent outlaws. Trump's pardon lawyers are frantically assembling more MAGA besotted individuals and groups to be pardoned wholesale. The number may climb into the hundreds. The queue is long. Trump
(2020-12-29). Biden's Victory Does Not Guarantee a Progressive Agenda. We Must Fight for It. zcomm.org Progressives must hold Biden's feet to the fire and demand that he govern for the 99 percent and not the 1 percent…
(2020-12-29). "The working conditions are hell"—Ontario allows COVID-19 to run rampant through workplaces. wsws.org Hundreds have been infected with COVID-19 in recent weeks in a series of major outbreaks at a Cargill meatpacking plant and four Amazon distribution facilities.
(2020-12-29). Western Sahara Remains a Crucial Legitimizing Crutch for the Moroccan Monarchy. counterpunch.org On Monday, December 14th, a small group of demonstrators attempted to convene a protest outside Morocco's pretend parliament in the polished French colonial era centre ville of Rabat. The demonstrators, representing a handful of Moroccan Palestine solidarity organizations, hoped to display public opposition to the Moroccan monarchy's normalization of political relations with Israel, which had
(2020-12-29). Israeli settlers enter Al-Aqsa compound despite Covid-19 lockdown. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli settlers enter Al-Aqsa compound despite Covid-19 lockdown | Provocative move taken when most Palestinians in Israel and East Jerusalem are restricted from travelling to holy site | Tue, 12/29/2020 – 12: 01 | Israeli far-right activists have repeatedly pushed for an increased Jewish presence at Al-Aqsa mosque compound (Screengrab) | Dozens of Israeli settlers entered Al-Aqsa compound on Tuesday in occup…
(2020-12-29). COVID-19 Learns From Experience, Unlike Boris Johnson and His Crew. counterpunch.org 
Fear is at a high point in Britain at the moment and with very good reason. There is much to be frightened of as it turns out that Covid-19 has been quicker to learn from experience than bumbling Boris Johnson and his third-eleven team during a calamitous year in which they have zig-zagged between panic and complacency.
(2020-12-29). A Nasty Shot in the Arm — RT-PCR Kits and Vaccines Unlicensed by Britain's MHRA. globalresearch.ca Aware of the forthcoming vaccine roll-out aimed, it is said, to protect against a disease (COVID-19) that reached its apex almost nine months ago, I emailed the MHRA (Medical and Healthcare Regulatory Authority) on 20 November 2020. | My main concern …
(2020-12-29). Book Review: 'Out of Mesopotamia' Is a Great War Novel. scheerpost.com Introducing a new Book Review section on ScheerPost, edited by Eunice Wong. By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPost Salar Abdoh's novel, " Out of Mesopotamia," is one of a handful of great modern war novels. It tells the story of Saleh, a jaded, middle-aged Iranian reporter — one suspects a bit like Abdoh himself — who accompanies Shia militias, as Abdoh did, in Iraq and Syria during the heavy… |
(2020-12-29). Taliban behind 99 percent attacks this year, Afghan intelligence says. laprensalatina.com Kabul, Dec 29 (efe-epa).- The Taliban are behind 99 percent of the terror attacks carried out within the past year in Afghanistan, including a recent wave of almost daily targeted killings that have rocked the country, the principal intelligence agency of the country said on Tuesday. In 2020 "out of 18,200 attacks, 99 percent were …
(2020-12-29). Neera Tanden and Antony Blinken Personify 'Moderate' Rot. indybay.org Neoliberal corporatists move in…
(2020-12-29). When Bolivians defeated US imperialism with democracy. peoplesdispatch.org 
[Peoples Dispatch brings you a series of articles and videos on 2020, a momentous year that saw humanity face unprecedented challenges. The beacon of hope remained the historic resistance mounted by people's movements, and the care and solidarity they epitomized, proving yet again that our collective struggles alone can dismantle and end oppression] | As 2019 ended, Bolivia faced the grim reality of life under a US-backed coup d'état, the advances of over a decade under threat. However, within a year, with their firm conviction and tireless resistance, millions of Bolivians defeated imperialism with democracy in…