(2020-12-13). Russia's Forgotten Nuclear Disaster. counterpunch.org 
It was a warm fall day on September 29, 1957, not much unlike any other in the deep Russian interior. Residents in the Chelyabinsk oblast cared for their crops of wheat and potatoes, others herded cattle. Women hung out their family's clothes to dry as the winds picked up before the sun descended. In the
(2020-12-13). 4 civilians killed in bomb blast in Afghanistan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 13 (MNA) — As local sources reported, four civilians have been killed in Afghanistan's Nangarhar.
(2020-12-13). 10 Syrian Druze residents of Golan Heights injured in protest against wind turbines. peoplesdispatch.org Syrian Druze residents of the occupied Golan Heights are opposing Israeli plans to build a wind turbine to supply power to nearby illegal settlements. The Golan Heights has been under occupation since 1981…
(2020-12-13). Police drop probe into Tory MP accused of rape who's been conducting parliamentary duties from home. thecanary.co Police have reportedly dropped their investigation into a Conservative MP and ex-minister who was arrested after a woman accused him of rape, sexual assault and coercive control. rape | The Metropolitan Police had said they received allegations on 31 July of sexual offences and assault. The allegations related to four separate incidents at addresses in London, including in Westminster, between July 2019 and January 2020. | Police arrested the Conservative MP on 1 August on suspicion of rape and took him into custody at an east London police station. They later released him on bail, the force added. | But the Sund…
(2020-12-13). Philippines: Labor movement demands release of Human Rights Day 7. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating this December 11 joint statement from the Council of Global Unions Philippine affiliates. | PH affiliates of global unions demand release of HRD7, stop arrests of PH unionists | We strongly deplore the simultaneous raids of residences and the consecutive arrests of trade union organizers, Dennise Velasco of Defend Jobs Philippines, Romina Astudillo, Deputy Secretary-General of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila, Mark Ryan Cruz, Regional Executive Committee of KMU-Metro Manila, Jaymie Gregorio Jr. of KMU-Metro Manila, Joel Demate of Solidarity of Labor Rights and Welfare (SOLAR)…
(2020-12-12). Israel-Morocco deal: Palestinians and Sahrawis hope for renewed solidarity. middleeasteye.net 
Israel-Morocco deal: Palestinians and Sahrawis hope for renewed solidarity | Activists have long linked the two people's struggles, and hope the latest normalisation deal will encourage the Palestinian leadership to do the same | Sat, 12/12/2020 – 10: 26 | Supporters of the Polisario Front separatist movement hold a banner reading "All for Palestine, all for Western Sahara" during a demonstratio…
(2020-12-12). Canada's military seeks to cover its tracks following damning report on Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. wsws.org In response to the release of a report exposing Australian military atrocities in Afghanistan, the Canadian Armed Forces has doubled down on its long-running efforts to cover up its own war crimes in the region.
(2020-12-12). Go Vote Yourself a Raise, Georgia—You've Long Earned It. commondreams.org Candidates should be pushed to say if they stand with the super-rich profiteering, callous Big Business tycoons or with the people who work for pitiful wages, on the rugged frontlines, and keep our society running. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/georgia_primary.jpg …
(2020-12-12). US adopts 'new official' map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net 
US adopts 'new official' map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara | Washington's ambassador to Rabat says map 'recognises Morocco's sovereignty' over disputed territory after North African nation normalised relations with Israel | Sat, 12/12/2020 – 20: 13 | Supporters of Western Sahara's independence hold Western Saharan and Algerian flags during a demonstration in Bordeaux, France on 1…
(2020-12-12). After reports of fresh fighting, Russian peacekeepers tell Armenia & Azerbaijan to observe agreed truce in Nagorno-Karabakh. rt.com 
The Russian peacekeeping mission in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region has demanded that Baku and Yerevan stick to the November ceasefire agreement as Armenia and Azerbaijan blamed each other for weekend truce violations. | A shooting incident has been reported on the line of contact in the southern part of the contested territory, a spokesman from the Russian deployment told Moscow media. | "We immediately demanded through emergency channels the sides stick to the complete ceasefire," he said. Earlier on Saturday, Armenia's Defense Ministry accused Baku of resuming an offensive Nagorno-Karabakh targeting t…
(2020-12-12). The Heat: China Economic Strategy. america.cgtn.com 
Policy, pandemic and politics are on the agenda as Chinese leaders get set to meet to chart the way forward.
(2020-12-12). Qiao Collective on challenging U.S. aggression on China, the role of the Western left. mronline.org 
On the domestic front, the U.S. propaganda machine mostly works instead to position China as this great, menacing oriental Other. We've seen this during the COVID-19 pandemic in Trump's rhetoric about the "China virus" and in Biden's attempts at one-upmanship.
(2020-12-12). America Is Contributing to Iran's Shocking Covid-19 Death Toll. scheerpost.com Farhad Babaei/ Magnus News] By Juan Cole / Informed Comment The US financial and trade blockade of Iran, which has strangled its economy, has also taken a heavy toll on the country's coronavirus response. Nick Paton Walsh, Jo Shelley, Ramin Mostaghim and Scott McWhinnie at CNN did a great story on this heartrending travesty. They write, "Retired teacher Khalif Farahani struggles to speak… |
(2020-12-12). Now In Print And Available: 'Capitalism On A Ventilator'. popularresistance.org "Capitalism on a Ventilator: The Impact of COVID-19 in China & the U.S." is a new anthology contrasting the effective Chinese response to COVID-19 with the disastrous response here in the U.S. It pushes back against the racist anti-China campaign in the media. | Due to the growing hostility of the U.S. establishment toward China, and the accompanying surge in anti-Asian racism, it was an enormous challenge to find printers and distributors for this book. | The chapters include articles by many published authors, including: Ajamu Baraka, Monica Moorehead, Mumia Abu-Jamal…
(2020-12-12). Antisemitism claims mask a reign of political and cultural terror across Europe. zcomm.org What we see here is an illustration of a principle at the heart of Israel's state ideology of Zionism: Israel needs antisemitism. Israel would quite literally have to invent antisemitism if it did not exist…
(2020-12-12). Qatar: Between the Scylla of Coercion and the Charybdis of Accommodation: an inquiry into sub-regional geopolitics. zcomm.org Responses to Interview Questions on Sub-Regional Geopolitics in the Persian/Arab Gulf countries, Qods News Agency, 10 Dec 2020…
(2020-12-11). PDF of December 10 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. Capitalist COVID catastrophe FIGHT or DIE! Message from Peltier; Reparations now! Justice for Breonna denied again; Disability rights; Workers demand justice; DEA surveillance; Editorial: New president — same wars; Commentary: Becoming a cadre; GLOBAL: China: global vaccines, science; India: worker & farmer uprising; Cuba; France; Palestine; Venezuela. . . . |
(2020-12-11). Now in print and available:'Capitalism on a ventilator: The Impact of Covid-19 in China & the U.S.'. workers.org 
"Capitalism on a Ventilator: The Impact of COVID-19 in China & the U.S." is a new anthology contrasting the effective Chinese response to COVID-19 with the disastrous response here in the U.S. It pushes back against the racist anti-China campaign in the media. Due to the growing hostility of the . . . |
(2020-12-11). Israel-Morocco normalisation deal condemned online. middleeasteye.net 
Israel-Morocco normalisation deal condemned online | Using the hashtag 'Moroccans Against Normalisation,' many have blasted the deal as a loss for Sahrawis and Palestinians alike | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 15: 05 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Morocco's King Mohammed VI. The countries have shared nearly six decades of close cooperation on intelligence and military matters in secr…
(2020-12-11). Israeli politicians trying new Arab-Jewish partnerships in bid for success. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli politicians trying new Arab-Jewish partnerships in bid for success | On the left and right, parties are making overtures to the country's Palestinian community in anticipation of a fourth election in Israel – but can the gap be bridged? | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 12: 25 | A Palestinian citizen of Israel arrives at a polling station decorated with portraits of Israeli politicians to cast his ballot for the par…
(2020-12-11). Which Middle Eastern and North African countries have normalised relations with Israel? middleeasteye.net 
Which Middle Eastern and North African countries have normalised relations with Israel? | Morocco joins a handful of countries in the region to have made official diplomatic relations with Israel | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 14: 30 | Egypt under president Anwar Sadat (left), shaking hands with then-Israeli premier Menachem Begin in front of US president Jimmy Carter, became in 1979 the first Arab country to forma…
(2020-12-11). Delaware-sized iceberg floats toward South Georgia, puts wildlife at risk. peoplesworld.org 
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(2020-12-11). U.S. Recognizes Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara in Latest Betrayal of Sahrawi People. democracynow.org 
We continue to examine the U.S.-brokered deal between Morocco and Israel to normalize relations. As part of the deal, the U.S. will become the first country in the world to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which Morocco has occupied since 1975 in defiance of the international community. We convene a roundtable to discuss developments: Mouloud Said, a representative of the Polisario Front in Washington; Stephen Zunes, professor of politics and international studies at the University of San Francisco; and Sahrawi journalist and activist Nazha El-Khalidi.
(2020-12-11). Selected Articles: What Happens if Something Goes Wrong after You Receive a COVID Vaccine? globalresearch.ca 
By Government and media propaganda has firmly convinced most of the citizenry of the West that Russia invaded Crimea, and the truth …
(2020-12-11). Yemen: food insecurity a 'ticking timebomb', warn aid agencies. news.un.org UN humanitarians issued a fresh alert on Friday for war-torn Yemen, warning that time is running out to avoid famine in the country. Out of two million children who need treatment for acute malnutrition, 360,000 are at risk of dying if they do not receive medical care, the World Food Programme (WFP) said.
(2020-12-11). The Future of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the "Dual Circulation Era" globalresearch.ca China's new development paradigm of dual circulation is not a repudiation of its prior BRI-driven model of globalization, but is actually complementary to it. Observers shouldn't forget that many of the hundreds of billions of dollars of BRI-related loans are …
(2020-12-11). How US Sanctions Have Contributed to the 50K Dead of Coronavirus In Iran. commondreams.org Iran suffers the worst pandemic outbreak in the Middle East. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/coronavirus_3.jpg …
(2020-12-11). Video: Thailand: US Openly Backs Anti-Government Mob. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-11). Saudi Arabia Sends Joe Biden Mixed Messages. globalresearch.ca Saudi Arabia appears to be drawing lines in the sand as the kingdom prepares for a new era in relations with the United States once President-elect Joe Biden assumes office in January. | In doing so, the kingdom is seemingly signaling …
(2020-12-11). Tibetan Delek Children's Foundation: Helping Poor Kids in the Himalayan Mountains. indybay.org Delek Children's Foundation helps with healthcare & education to the poor children in the isolated villages of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and Indian in the Himalayan Mountains…
(2020-12-11). "Five Eyes Spy" Agreement Threatens New Zealand's Independence and Relationship with China? asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-11). How Australia Sabotaged Its Own Interests in Relations with China. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-11). Friday 12/18: "Riffing for the Georgia Runoffs" Live Virtual Comedy w/ Patton Oswalt & Sarah Silverman. indybay.org Live Virtual Show…
(2020-12-11). The Approaching Crunch in US Policy Towards China. globalresearch.ca The Republican and Democrat leaders of the US Senate Intelligence Committee have issued a joint statement of intense hostility towards China. This posture is a threat to Australia's national security… and the world. An attempt to tear China down will …
(2020-12-11). Pukr: Palestinians, Uighurs, Kashmiris and Rohingyas. counterpunch.org Pukr (rhymes with cutter) is a common word in several South Asian languages, including Urdu, Hindi, Sindhi, Gujrati, and Punjabi. Written as پکڑ in Urdu, pukr means to nab, capture, snatch and seize. The antonyms for pukr are to release, liberate, return. Broadly interpreted, pukr is associated with siege, humiliation, home raids, loss of liberty,
(2020-12-11). Want to Defund the Police? Then Vote for Loeffler and Perdue in Georgia Senate Run-Off Race. commondreams.org When police (and teachers and firefighters and other essential state and local government workers) are defunded and fired in the next few months, blame it on Republicans like Purdue and Loeffler. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/georgia_0.jpg …
(2020-12-11). Trump Deal to Trade Occupied Western Sahara for Morocco Normalizing Ties With Israel Denounced Worldwide. commondreams.org "Only the people of Western Sahara can decide their own future as they have an inalienable right to self-determination recognized by the U.N.," said one Sahrawi official. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/women_1.jpg …
(2020-12-11). Argentina's Lower House Approves Safe Abortion Bill. telesurenglish.net After 20 hours of discussion, the Lower House approved the bill for the voluntary termination of pregnancy with 131 votes in favor, 117 votes against, and six abstentions. Now the bill must be sent to the Senate for final approval. | RELATED: | The bill sent by President Alberto Fernandez allows the woman to have a free, safe, and legal abortion until the 14th week of pregnancy. The new rule also establishes that the health workers ma…
(2020-12-11). In Just 'Two-Ish Minutes,' AOC Details Progressive Accomplishments From First Two Years in Office. commondreams.org Often accused of being ineffective by conservatives and centrists, the congresswoman highlighted her work passing legislation, serving her constituents, and leading House investigations into corruption and fraud. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-12-11_at_3.14.50_pm.png …
(2020-12-11). AirAsia CEO: Asian Nations 'Won't Let Anyone in Without a Vaccination'. globalresearch.ca AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes "I foresee in Asia, anyway, I think they won't let anyone in without a vaccination …
(2020-12-11). Thai democracy activists defy escalating repression. greenleft.org.au Despite growing number of democracy activists facing charges under Thailand's notorious lèse majesté law, the youth-led movement keeps up its mass mobilisations, reports Peter Boyle.
(2020-12-11). 'Build an Inclusive Government': Asian Americans Urge for More Representation in Biden's Cabinet. sputniknews.com Projected US President-elect Joe Biden is currently in the process of assembling his Cabinet. Over the past week, Biden announced Denis McDonough as his pick for secretary of veterans affairs, Tom Vilsack for agriculture secretary and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) as secretary of housing and urban development.
(2020-12-11). Six Dead from Pfizer Trials: Shares Down, Pfizer CEO Makes a Killing. globalresearch.ca There is a good old Russian word "yerunda" which I've started using instead of "nonsense" and "bullshit" to describe the scaremongering COVID-19 narrative blasted at us from morning to night, not because it says anything different but because it gives …
(2020-12-10). Imperfect Releases: Andrew Hastie, War Crimes Reports and Australia in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org If one were to get into the head of Australian government MP Andrew Hastie, a security tangle of woe would no doubt await. Having been a captain with the Special Air Services and having also served in Afghanistan, he has been none too thrilled by the publicity soldiers he served with have received. The report
(2020-12-10). Over 200 million workers and farmers protest against poverty and unemployment triggered by COVID Lockdown. mronline.org 
The general strike occurred in the context of the devastation brought about by the coronavirus pandemic in India. Added to this are the millions of people who have lost income and who now face increased poverty and hunger, in a country where even before the pandemic 50 percent of all children suffered malnourishment.
(2020-12-10). La clase trabajadora se une en toda la India °Huelga de 250 millones de personas! workers.org 
Las mujeres jugaron un papel destacado en la huelga de toda la India, el 26 de noviembre. Por segunda vez este año, una movilización global en una "huelga de toda la India" sacó a 250 millones de trabajadores. Con una de cada cuatro personas en edad de trabajar en la . . . |
(2020-12-10). Libya's Haftar releases detained Turkish ship. middleeasteye.net 
Libya's Haftar releases detained Turkish ship | The cargo ship was released after paying a fine to the eastern Libya commander's forces following threats by Turkey | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 14: 50 | In this file photo taken on 19 October,2020 in Istanbul shows Turkey's third drilling ship 'Kanuni' as it enters the Bosphorus near Haydarpasa port (AFP) | Forces loyal to renegade general Khalifa Haftar have relea…
(2020-12-10). Genocidal monarchy set to receive $23 billion in U.S. weapons after Senate resolution fails. liberationnews.org 
Two resolutions in the Senate to block the sale of $23 billion in advanced fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates failed yesterday in close votes.
(2020-12-10). Why do smart people lie about alien encounters?>. salon.com An Israeli Defense Minister joins a cadre of politically respectable people with specious claims of meeting E.T.
(2020-12-10). With Senate—and Nation's Future—at Stake, Corporations Pouring Money Into Georgia for GOP. commondreams.org From Ford to Visa to Verizon, journalist Judd Legum reports corporations are spending big "to keep McConnell in charge."