(2020-12-21). Trump Enacts Sweeping New Sanctions on China, Iran, Venezuela. Biden Promises More To Come. mintpressnews.com The new sanctions come even as an estimated 100,000 people have been killed by American sanctions in Venezuela alone as vital medical equipment and lifesaving drugs have been blocked from entering the country.
(2020-12-21). Empire, socialism and November /w Leo Panitch. mronline.org 
First, whether the pandemic has fundamentally altered the geopolitical balance between the U.S. and other great powers, specifically China. And second, how socialists in the U.S. should approach the November elections. For Panitch, the two issues are intimately connected.
(2020-12-21). Today is Stalin's birthday. fightbacknews.org December 21 marks the birthday of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. | Though reviled in the West, Stalin oversaw the period of socialist construction in the USSR. Under his leadership the country abolished illiteracy, unemployment, homelessness, and put an end to Russia's centuries-long history of famines. Under the leadership of Stalin, the USSR played a key role in turning back the tide of fascism and the defeat of Nazi Germany. This victory was not just a victory for the Soviet Union and socialism, but a victory for the peoples of the world…
(2020-12-21). Imperial Intent: Destroying India's Farm Sector. counterpunch.org 
Agriculture in India is at a crossroads. Indeed, given that over 60 per cent of the country's 1.3-billion-plus population still make a living from agriculture (directly or indirectly), what is at stake is the future of India. Unscrupulous interests are intent on destroying India's indigenous agri-food sector and recasting it in their own image. Farmers are rising up in protest.
(2020-12-21). COVID outbreak and China tensions expose Australian government bid to claim "recovery" wsws.org The government's own statistics show that more than three million workers remain dependent on poverty-line JobKeeper wage subsidies or JobSeeker dole payments, both of which are being slashed.
(2020-12-21). US-Taliban agreement not in interest of Afghanistan, Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (MNA) —Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran wants a lawful and calculated withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan that should be based on the demands of the Afghan people…
(2020-12-21). Covid-19: Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait close borders to tackle new strain. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait close borders to tackle new strain | Freight operations not affected by new measures, which are to be reviewed after a week | Mon, 12/21/2020 – 14: 23 | The first Saudi citizen prepares to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in the capital Riyadh, 17 December 2020 (AFP) | Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman have announced that they are suspendi…
(2020-12-21). A Covid Christmas in Palestine. thenation.com A Covid Christmas in Palestine…
(2020-12-21). Iran Is Nearing Collapse Under the Strain of Covid-19. thenation.com Iran Is Nearing Collapse Under the Strain of Covid-19…
(2020-12-21). Thailand records 382 fresh Covid-19 cases, mostly among immigrants. laprensalatina.com Bangkok, Dec 21 (efe-epa).- The authorities in Thailand on Monday announced 382 fresh cases of Covid-19, most of them among immigrants working in a seafood market near Bangkok, making it the largest hotspot in the country since the start of the pandemic. Of the 382 cases, 360 are from the seafood market in Samut Sakhon …
(2020-12-21). AOC Slams Democrats for Shutting Progressives Out of Policy Negotiations. truthout.org Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday voiced frustration with what she characterized as Democratic leaders' efforts to shut progressives out of key policy negotiations, a message that came as the details of a roughly $900 billion coronavirus relief package began to slowly trickle out just ahead of an expected vote. | "One major difference between GOP and Dems is that [Republicans] leverage their right flank to gain policy concessions and generate enthusiasm, while Dems lock their left…
(2020-12-21). China, Christmas and the Coronavirus. counterpunch.org As we hunker down this holiday season, waiting for our vaccines, or at least until the diffusion of the vaccines has slowed the spread of the pandemic, it's worth thinking for a moment about an opportunity lost. Specifically, we lost an opportunity to have worldwide cooperation in the development of vaccines, bringing in not only
(2020-12-21). Dozens of Al-Jazeera journalists allegedly hacked using Israeli spyware. peoplesdispatch.org 
On Monday, December 21, Monday, the Citizen's Lab of Toronto University in Canada claimed that the UAE and Saudi Arabia have used the Israel-made Pegasus malware to hack the personal phones of at least 36 journalists, producers and anchors working with Qatar-based Al-Jazeera in July. This was weeks before the UAE announced a " The hacking was allegedly part of an espionage campaign launched by these countries against Al…
(2020-12-21). Bilateral swaps in China's global presence. mronline.org 
China's use of yuan-denominated central bank swaps, while enhancing its influence, is a source of support for developing countries in an unequal international order.
(2020-12-21). Arabic press review: Saudi Arabia and UAE bankrolling Arab states' Israel deals. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Saudi Arabia and UAE bankrolling Arab states' Israel deals | Meanwhile, Jordanian prisoner numbers soar and Egypt revokes citizenship of 17 people under nationality law | Mon, 12/21/2020 – 16: 12 | A Moroccan diplomat said that the UAE and Saudi Arabia were sponsoring normalisation agreements on behalf of the US (AFP) | Saudi Arabia, UAE bankrolling normalisation agreeme…
(2020-12-21). US army opens probe into black market sale of pork in Kuwait. middleeasteye.net 
US army opens probe into black market sale of pork in Kuwait | Army Criminal Investigation Command investigates resale of pork products to residents in Kuwait where pork is prohibited | Mon, 12/21/2020 – 18: 20 | More than 13,000 American soldiers are stationed in numerous bases across Kuwait (AFP/File photo) | US soldiers stationed in Kuwait are being investigated for their alleged role in setting up an illeg…
(2020-12-21). Beer in Palestine. counterpunch.org 
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(2020-12-21). Video allegedly showing Russian opposition figure Navalny 'talking to FSB officer' is fake, Russia's Security Service says. rt.com 
Footage published by the Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny that purportedly demonstrates him talking to an 'FSB agent' about his alleged August poisoning is a fake, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has said. | A conversation between Navalny and a man described as one of the FSB agents supposedly involved in an alleged operation by the security service to poison and kill the opposition figure is nothing but a ruse, the FSB press service said in a statement. | The authors of the footage resorted to the phone number spoofing to conceal the real people involved in the conversation, FSB said, callin…
(2020-12-21). Prosecution of Alleged War Crimes: Need for Afghan Voices in Australian Judicial Process. globalresearch.ca The release of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force's report on the Afghanistan Inquiry (the Brereton Report) into alleged war crimes committed by Australian SAS soldiers has prompted outrage and shock. Questions are being asked in Australia and around …
(2020-12-21). Ex-UK Ambassador On Syria And Propaganda. popularresistance.org Former UK ambassador to Syria Peter Ford on how the US and its allies continue to wage war on Syria via sadistic sanctions, an illegal US military occupation, the OPCW cover-up, and media propaganda that masks the brutality. | Syria and its allies prevented regime change, but the US and its allies are continuing to squeeze Syria's population with crippling sanctions on all aspects of civilian life and a US military occupation in Syria's northeast breadbasket. Peter Ford, the former UK Ambassador to Syria, analyzes the state of the Syria proxy war and the ongoing propaganda campaign to whitewash it.
(2020-12-21). Will the Biden Administration Seek to Disrupt China's Presence in Latin America? globalresearch.ca While Donald Trump's policies towards Latin America sought to disrupt China's investments in the region, the ever-increasing presence of the Asian giant in the continent will be something with which the new Biden administration will have to contend. | China has …
(2020-12-21). The US-China Power Struggle, Two Decades of CIA Interference in Tibet. globalresearch.ca Of relevance to the crisis in US-China relations, we bring to the attention of our readers this incisive historical analysis of CIA interference in Tibet by Shawn Quinn, first published in January 2020 | *** | America's position as the world's …
(2020-12-21). Joe Biden and the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty: A Timeline of Inaction and Disingenuous Proposals. globalresearch.ca Upon entering office on January 20, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will have 16 days before the last remaining treaty limiting US and Russian nuclear arsenals, the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty ( The treaty limits …
(2020-12-21). Today's China Espionage Scandals Revive the Gouzenko Hoax That Unleashed the Cold War. globalresearch.ca Today, a new coordinated psychological operation has been sprung to convince every living patriot across the Five Eyes sphere of influence that the enemy of the free world who lurks behind every conspiracy to overthrow governments, and western values is…China….
(2020-12-21). Conservative Christians Remain Silent About Suffering Bethlehem. commondreams.org "To most in the West, Palestinian Christians are simply invisible. To conservative Christians, they are at best a nuisance who stand in the way of their unquestioning ideological attachment to Israel." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/palx_0.jpg …
(2020-12-21). Return to 'path of meaningful negotiations', UN envoy urges Israelis, Palestinians. news.un.org Addressing the UN Security Council on Monday, the UN envoy for the Middle East Peace Process urged Israelis, Palestinians, regional States and the broader international community to "take practical steps to enable the parties to re-engage" in the peace process.
(2020-12-20). Everyday War Crimes: Israeli PM Netanyahu Gets Covid Vaccine, Squatters Get Vaccine, But Not Occupied Palestinians. commondreams.org Vaccines will be supplied to the hundreds of thousands of government-backed illegal Israeli squatters on Palestinian land in the West Bank, but not to the indigenous Palestinian population. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/netanyahu_7.jpg …
(2020-12-20). Ex-UK Ambassador: war on Syria continues with US occupation, sanctions, propaganda. thegrayzone.com Peter Ford, the former UK Ambassador to Syria, on how the US and its allies continue to wage war on Syria via sadistic sanctions, an illegal US military occupation, the OPCW cover-up, and media propaganda that masks the brutality. Syria and its allies prevented regime change, but the US and its allies are continuing to squeeze Syria's population with crippling sanctions on all aspects of civilian life and a US military occupation in Syria's northeast breadbasket. Peter Ford, the former …
(2020-12-20). Elderly 110 lb. woman shot and killed by jail guard in Spokane, Wa. liberationnews.org 
"We demand justice for Nancy King, which begins with a thorough and independent investigation and by jailing killer cops."
(2020-12-20). Video: Is Israel Searching for A Pretext to Invade Southern Syria? globalresearch.ca The Russian military and Russian-backed Syrian forces have been increasing their presence on the border with Iraq. | Less than a week ago, the Russian Military Police established a local HQ in al-Bukamal. Recently, the 5th Corps of the Syrian Army, …
(2020-12-20). Now China achieves quantum supremacy — What does this mean? peoplesdispatch.org Chinese quantum computer Jiuzhang achieved quantum supremacy. It is only the second quantum computer to ever do so, after Google's Sycamore. How does this computer work and what does quantum supremacy mean for us?
(2020-12-20). It's Time for Africa: Assessing Russia's Relations with the Continent. globalresearch.ca A Moscow-based public policy advisor specializing in Russia, the Eurasian Union and Africa explains some of the aspects of current Russia-Africa relations, problems and challenges, as well as its future perspectives. While over the past two decades, Russia's efforts to …
(2020-12-20). "This Is the Time to Unite": Trade Unions, Labourers Support the Farmers' Protest. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-20). Russia's Hypersonic 'Zircon' Missile Takes Flight. "Can't Be Seen on Radar". Strategic Implications. globalresearch.ca Russian state media reported a successful test flight of its new hypersonic missile, the Zircon. Flying at Mach 8 (8 times the speed of sound or around 10,000 kph), the missile poses a new and credible threat to the air …
(2020-12-20). Nepal to Vote in April After President Dissolved Parliament Amid Tensions Within Ruling Party. sputniknews.com The move follows months of tensions between two opposing camps within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Party co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, leader of the former Maoists rebels, reportedly accuses Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of violating their power-sharing agreement and avoiding cross-consultation.
(2020-12-20). Why so many moms can't have great sex. salon.com Cultural stereotypes around mothering have a detrimental effect on many moms' sex lives. Time to rewrite the script…
(2020-12-20). Millions of India's Farmers Are in a Fight for Their Economic Lives. zcomm.org India's Hindu fundamentalist government has pushed through a deregulatory agenda for years. Now it has taken on farmers who have nothing left to lose and who are refusing to back down.
(2020-12-20). 'Deep Canvassing' Targets Rural Georgia. zcomm.org "I think the one thing that we've learned is that it's important to connect with people's most immediate conditions"
(2020-12-20). Vigil for Muhammad — Malaysian student dies in detention. greenleft.org.au Activists organised a vigil for a young Malaysian student who died in the Villawood detention centre, reports Stephen Langford.
(2020-12-20). UK 'Campaign for Free Speech' 12/12 – How & Why Free Speech Is Coming Under Attack. indybay.org An international panel in London was held to discuss the attack on free speech and how the Zionists are seeking to codify laws and rules that criticism of Israel is anti-semitism.
(2020-12-20). Saturday 1/9: Online Assembly: What Industrialization Means for Dairy Cows in China (and for us). indybay.org Online Zoom…
(2020-12-19). Challenging patriarchal practices makes "House of Ho" more than just a Vietnamese Kardashians clone. salon.com Judy Ho spoke to Salon about abiding by her immigrant parents' expectations until a reality show let her break free…
(2020-12-19). On some peremptory 'critiques' of India's Maoist movement. mronline.org 
Revolutions are very costly in terms of human lives and suffering, and so "we" are shocked that "you" radicals even consider them as options. And so "we" have to express "our" rejection and condemnation.
(2020-12-19). The Heat: China's economic goals. america.cgtn.com 
Senior Chinese policymakers meet to map out the nation's economic blueprint for 2021.
(2020-12-19). How long will Peru last? History weighs on today's events. workers.org 
By Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein The writer was the director of international relations in Venezuela's presidential office and the country's ambassador to Nicaragua. Currently, he is a guest professor at Shanghai University in China. This article was posted at sergioro07.blogspot.com on Nov. 13. Translation: Michael Otto. Mariategui's magazine, Amauta. Credit: Juan . . . |
(2020-12-19). How Georgia voters are transforming America's future. nationofchange.org They want to help the new administration put America on the path to health and shared prosperity.
(2020-12-19). The Iraq War Logs, The War on Whistleblowers, and Lessons Learned From a Decade of WikiLeaks Revelations. zcomm.org What did we learn from the Iraq War Logs?>
(2020-12-18). PDF of December 17 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. 'Red House on Mississippi Ave.' Portland activists block eviction Fight for Mumia's freedom; NYC cops & landlords, hand in hand; Boston solidarity with workers, farmers in India; Buffalo anti-racists face down fascists; Michigan: Confronting white supremacy; Justice for Casey Goodson! Attack on anti-ICE marchers; Indigenous land . . . |
(2020-12-18). Under Guise of Green Energy, Israel Entrenches Itself in Syria's Golan Heights. mintpressnews.com 
If Israeli energy firm Energix is successful, a sprawling complex of wind turbines will soon cover up to a quarter of the agricultural land still under the control of Syria's indigenous Golan residents.
(2020-12-18). Capitalism on a Ventilator. counterpunch.org 
Asian countries have been far more successful than the US in responding to the COVID pandemic, but you'd never know that from the US media. Even most alternative media has been largely US- & Euro-centric. While our domestic issues here are important, we have been missing out on important lessons from other places. A partial