(2020-12-26). Veteran diplomat: US confronts China to protect supremacy, not security. thegrayzone.com Veteran US diplomat Chas Freeman says that despite talk of a New Cold War between the US and China, the US in reality is reacting aggressively to a rising Chinese power whose economic gains threaten US global supremacy. "We've become accustomed over the past 75 years to be the overlord in East Asia," Freeman says. Chas Freeman, who served in top State Department positions and as Richard Nixon's chief interpreter on his historic 1972 visit to China, discusses the state …
(2020-12-26). China Has the World's Largest Economy: Get Over It. cepr.net 
It is more than a bit annoying to hear reporters endlessly refer to China as the world's second largest economy. It isn't. It's the world's largest economy and has been since 2017. Here are the data from the International Monetary Fund. Source: International Monetary Fund. As the chart shows, China's economy first passed the U.S. …
(2020-12-26). Four ISIL terrorists arrested in Republic of Dagestan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 26 (MNA) — Federal security Service (FSB) of Russian Federation revealed the arrest of four ISIL terrorists in the Republic of Dagestan before carrying out a terrorist operation.
(2020-12-26). Palestinians, Advocates Blast New U.S. Rule Requiring 'Made in Israel' Label on Settlement Goods. commondreams.org "Such a decision attempts to legitimize settlement-manufactured goods as well as the theft of Palestinian land and products," said Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/psag.jpg …
(2020-12-26). A Country in Turmoil. zcomm.org Why Netanyahu is a Symptom, Not Cause of Israel's Political Crisis…
(2020-12-26). Tokyo reports 949 new Covid-19 cases. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Dec 26 (efe-epa).- Authorities in Tokyo on Saturday reported a record 949 Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours a day after Japan's health ministry confirmed the first cases of a United Kingdom-linked variant of the coronavirus in the country. Nationwide there were 3,831 new Covid-19 infections in the Asian country, bringing the overall …
(2020-12-26). 'Freedom Is Blossoming': After Dismembering a Journalist, Saudi Arabia Goes on a PR Spree. commondreams.org Behind the media and money blitz, the kingdom remains one of the world's worst human rights violators—both at home and abroad. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/khashoggi_1.jpg …
(2020-12-26). Turkish opposition TV station shuts after 26 days. middleeasteye.net 
Turkish opposition TV station shuts after 26 days | Closure of private broadcaster that aired pro-Kurdish opposition views raises press freedom concerns | Sat, 12/26/2020 – 11: 56 | Olay's executive editor said on air that the network had aimed to maintain equal distance from every segment in Turkey's polarised society (Screengrab) | A private Turkish TV station that aired pro-Kurdish oppo…
(2020-12-26). Iraq's Central Bank under investigation for alleged money laundering. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq's Central Bank under investigation for alleged money laundering | Country's Supreme Judicial Council also probing allegations of involvement in terrorist financing by Central Bank of Iraq, along with 13 private banks | Sat, 12/26/2020 – 16: 11 | Police guard the Central Bank of Iraq HQ in Baghdad on 22 December 2020 after a currency devaluation caused panic and anger among Iraqis (AFP)…
(2020-12-26). Publishing giants sue those trying to make knowledge accessible for all. peoplesdispatch.org Three of the world's most profitable publishing houses have filed a case in Delhi High Court against Sci-Hub and Libgen. These two websites provide an essential service to students, researchers, teachers, and the public in general, across the world, by bypassing the prohibitively high paywalls put in the way of accessing knowledge. Prabir Purkayastha talks about the implications of this case for the Indian research community.
(2020-12-26). Tuesday 12/29: Jump-Off for the Run-Off: Zoom Rally Supporting Georgia Voters w/ Poor People's Campaign. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2020-12-26). Saturday 12/26: Georgia Comes Alive! Virtual Music Festival to Support Georgia Voters & Equal Voter Rights. indybay.org Virutal music festival…
(2020-12-25). 14 Female Migrants Sue US Immigration Services for Abuses. telesurenglish.net A class-action lawsuit was filed by 14 women against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE), and Georgia's Irwin Immigration Detention Center (ICDC) for "non-consensual and invasive gynecological abuse". | RELATED: | A complaint was also submitted to Georgia's Medical Council in order to request the license revocation of gynecologist Mahendra Amin who is accused of performing surger…
(2020-12-25). PDF of December 24 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. Georgia Senate runoff Redbaiting derails people's needs Youth in vanguard; Russell Maroon Shoatz; The real 2020 heroes; Amazon union drive in Ala.; Five hottest years; Vaccine chaos; Editorial: Too little, too late GLOBAL: Amauta in Peru; 'Soft coup' attempt in Cuba; BLM in France. TEAR DOWN . . . |
(2020-12-25). "The United States of America Has Gone Mad": John le Carré on Iraq War, Israel & U.S. Militarism. democracynow.org 
The legendary British author John le Carré has died at the age of 89. In the lead-up to the Iraq invasion, John le Carré was a fierce critic of President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In January 2003, he published a widely read essay called "The United States of America Has Gone Mad." John le Carré read the essay during an appearance on Democracy Now! in 2010.
(2020-12-25). Turkey wants better ties with Israel, but has 'issues with people at the top level' — Erdogan. rt.com 
Ankara is seeking to have better relations with Tel Aviv, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip has said, while also criticizing Israel's top leadership and condemning its "merciless acts" towards Palestinians. | 'We would like to bring our ties to a better point," Erdogan said, but yet again criticized Israel's policies towards Palestine. | "The Palestine policy is our red line. It is impossible for us to accept Israel's Palestine policies. Their merciless acts there are unacceptable," Erdogan said. Ankara has been vocally opposing Israel's occupation of the West Bank and its annexation plans and illegal settlement…
(2020-12-25). Indian Farm Suicide Widow: "There's No One to Depend On" counterpunch.org 
"Kondra Sammaiah…consumed pesticide poison due to mental agony regarding financial debts…" said the FIR. The FIR (first information report) was filed on September 17, 2017, at the Tharigopulla police station, three kilometres from Narasapur, the village where Sammaiah and his wife Kondra Sagarika cultivated Bt-cotton on six acres of rain-fed land. Their debt had reached
(2020-12-25). Thebes of Myth and History. counterpunch.org 
Thebes was one of about 1,000 poleis (city-states) spread all over the mainland of classical Greece, the islands of the Aegean and Ionian seas, the Black Sea coast, Asia Minor, north Africa, southern France, eastern Spain and southern Italy and Sicily. There were so many Greeks and Greek city-states in Italy and Sicily the Romans
(2020-12-25). JatiIndia Flag of the Week: Atrocities Caste, Present and Future. counterpunch.org 
Sandip, Ramu, Lavkush and Ravi. Those are the names of the upper-caste Thakurs who tortured and gang-raped a 19-year-old girl in Hathras, Utter Pradesh, JatiIndia, on September 14. Folding his palms, [Manisha's father] pleaded, 'Our daughters are no longer safe. We are helpless, I request the nation to stand with us, help us get justice
(2020-12-25). Stealing Native Children: the Revolting Legacy of Canada's Residential School System. counterpunch.org 
Tsi Wá: ton tsi Enskarihwahserón: ni — Tsi Niká: ien Rati'terón: tahkwe ne Ronnonkwehón: we Tsi Ionteweiénsta Ronwati'terontáhkhwa "… [I]f anything is to be done with the Indian, we must catch him very young. The children must be kept constantly within the circle of civilized conditions." -Nicholas Flood Davin, Report on Industrial schools for Indians and Half-Breeds, 1879. Of late,
(2020-12-25). Netanyahu invites Morocco's King Mohammed VI to visit Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Netanyahu invites Morocco's King Mohammed VI to visit Israel | Morocco is the fourth Arab nation to normalise ties with Israel in exchange for various incentives | Fri, 12/25/2020 – 22: 45 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Morocco's King Mohammed VI congratulated each other over the renewal of ties between the countries (AFP) | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Morocco's King Mohammed…
(2020-12-25). Al-Akhbar under cyberattack for reporting Saudi and Emirati bankrolling Israel deals. middleeasteye.net 
Al-Akhbar under cyberattack for reporting Saudi and Emirati bankrolling Israel deals | The Lebanese newspaper published a report on Riyadh and Abu Dhabi's plans to finance the new Arab normalisation agreements with Israel
| Fri, 12/25/2020 – 11: 56 | The reception space of the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper office in Beirut (Screengrab\Haitham al-Mousawi) | The website of the Le…
(2020-12-25). COVID-19, The Climate Crisis, And Mutual Aid. popularresistance.org After COVID-19 struck in spring 2020, the absence of a concerted federal response prompted people across the country to begin self-organizing everything from food distribution to sewing squads to shelter. That work continues today, drawing on a long tradition. | "Mutual aid," a concept coined by the Russian naturalist and anarchist Peter Kropotkin in his 1902 Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, refers to the principles of cooperation, and of people joining together to help each other. It ran counter to the then-hegemonic Darwinian theories emphasizing competition and survival of the fittest. Kropotkin did not deny…
(2020-12-25). IDF Says Intercepted 2 Rockets Fired From Gaza Strip – Videos. sputniknews.com TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — The Israeli Iron Dome aerial defense system has intercepted two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
(2020-12-25). Dickens, refrigeration and New World turkey: Behind the decline of the traditional Christmas goose. salon.com The bird that used to dominate holiday tables became a ghost of Christmas past, but some say that is changing…
(2020-12-25). "Bridgerton" is Netflix's randy costume confection that you'll want to put in your face straightaway. salon.com As with all things made to be mindlessly inhaled over the holidays, gorge now and think about its flaws later…
(2020-12-25). "Wonder Woman 1984" is "chaotic" and "delightfully cheesy": Reviews of this year's superhero sequel. salon.com Patty Jenkins' follow-up to her 2017 blockbuster is a totally '80s adventure with two villains and fanny packs…
(2020-12-25). Working for the revolution in Rojava. zcomm.org Interview on the political and military upheaval taking place in Rojava and northern Syria from the perspective of someone who not only witnessed the struggle but was an active participant…
(2020-12-24). The White Helmets fraud in Syria. mronline.org 
The most recent denunciation from Syria confirms the support of Western powers to the alleged humanitarian organization of the White Helmets which is also a fraud of crude media manipulation.
(2020-12-24). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
(2020-12-24). All the Cannons Will Silently Rust. dissidentvoice.org 
Chittaprosad (India), Peace, undated. Our year has been eclipsed by the pandemic, the rush of a virus paralysing societies across the world. Some governments offered smarter, more scientific, and humane approaches to the pandemic; many (but not all) of these have been governments with a socialist orientation. Amongst them is the Indian state of Kerala, …
(2020-12-24). Propaganda pandemic: The craziest COVID claims of the year. mronline.org 
No matter how many Americans die, corporate media is desperate to shore up support at home and attempt to discredit foreign countries for handling the pandemic properly. Behind The Headlines' Dan Cohen reviews the most absurd COVID propaganda of the year..
(2020-12-24). Arabic press review: UAE sends expired Covid-19 kits to Gaza. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: UAE sends expired Covid-19 kits to Gaza | Meanwhile, Kuwait detains six children recruited by Islamic State group via video games; new trial faces Algerian journalist released after serving term for threatening national unity | Thu, 12/24/2020 – 12: 37 | A Palestinian medical worker performs a Covid-19 test on a woman at a mosque in Gaza City on 20 September 2020 | UAE s…
(2020-12-24). UN agencies not above playing politics with statistics. zcomm.org It's clear that technical departments within the UN sometimes have their work corrupted by the US government and its allies. Consider recent reporting by the Grayzone on OPCW whistleblowers who exposed manipulation of an investigation into alleged chemical weapons use in Syria in 2018. Going further back, Hans Blix, the Swedish diplomat who was in
(2020-12-24). Trump's pardon of Blackwater guards invites global condemnation. peoplesdispatch.org The four guards belonging to private militia company Blackwater, which was hired by the US army during its invasion of Iraq, were originally convicted in 2014 for the murder of 14 innocent Iraqi civilians in 2007…
(2020-12-24). Revenge never tasted so deliciously venomous in the slick and twisty "Promising Young Woman" salon.com "Killing Eve" head writer Emerald Fennell & actress Carey Mulligan create a satisfying yet surprising dark fantasy…
(2020-12-24). Ultra-crispy roast potatoes from a secret cooking club in Indonesia. salon.com Shreds of chewy ginger and sweet twists of green onion give more textures for your fork to chase…
(2020-12-24). Civil Rights Groups Denounce Georgia Officials For Closing Early Voting Sites Ahead of Senate Runoffs. commondreams.org Voting rights groups on Wednesday accused officials in at least two Georgia counties of voter suppression, pointing to the closures of several early voting locations in majority-Black and Latino communities ahead of two key runoff Senate elections. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1230129827_1.jpg …
(2020-12-24). What will Israel's next government look like? It depends on us. zcomm.org I want my political party to stand for social equality with sufficient safety nets to provide for the weakened sectors of the society…
(2020-12-24). Philippines: Death threats, red-tagging, spoil Christmas. fightbacknews.org As if the terror caused by the ongoing focused military operation in Santa Catalina and other areas of Negros Oriental's 3rd District is not enough to dissipate the celebratory mood of the affected communities for the upcoming traditional Christmas day festivity, the 11th Infantry Battalion psywar hacks are unrelenting in spawning dangerous lies against civilians. | Last week, the family of Carlos Dayot, a farmer who hailed from Sitio Salingkubong, Barangay Tayak, Siaton, expressed outrage when they found out that Master Sergeant Borja of the 11th Infantry Battalion's Alpha "Hunter" Company posted a death threat…
(2020-12-23). Imperial Intent: Destroying India's Farm Sector. dissidentvoice.org Agriculture in India is at a crossroads. Indeed, given that over 60 per cent of the country's 1.3-billion-plus population still make a living from agriculture (directly or indirectly), what is at stake is the future of India. Unscrupulous interests are intent on destroying India's indigenous agri-food sector and recasting it in their own image. Farmers …
(2020-12-23). Against the witch-hunt. mronline.org 
Veteran of the fight against Apartheid RONNIE KASRILS warns that the IHRA is being used to suppress left-wing supporters of Palestine, just as anti-communist hysteria was used against the national-liberation movement in South Africa…
(2020-12-23). Las vacunas mundiales de China: un cambio revolucionario. workers.org 
En Estados Unidos, con menos del 5% de la población mundial, existe poca preocupación por el destino del otro 95% del mundo que se enfrenta a la pandemia. Cuándo, cómo y bajo qué condiciones se distribuirá una vacuna en los EE. UU. es la mayor preocupación de los EE.UU. Las . . . |
(2020-12-23). The Gold Comes Off: A COVID-19 Outbreak in Sydney. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-23). Video: US Navy Deploys Nuclear Submarine to Persian Gulf Amid Heightened Tensions with Iran. globalresearch.ca The Ohio-class nuclear submarine USS Georgia along with the guided-missile cruisers USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf, the US Navy announced on December 21. | The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia …
(2020-12-23). With racism, red-baiting/Georgia run-off elections fail to focus on people's needs. workers.org 
By Arielle Robinson and Dianne Mathiowetz Atlanta, Georgia So what's it like living in the political circus of the Jan. 5, 2021, run-off in Georgia for U.S. Senate—while the deadly scourge of the pandemic rages, fear of mass evictions and the rise of poverty and unemployment grow, and incessant charges . . . |
(2020-12-23). Trump's Carnage: Testing America's "Democracy" counterpunch.org 
Benjamin Franklin, the most democratic of the Founding Fathers, was walking out of Independence Hall after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when a woman shouted, "Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?" Franklin replied, "A republic if you can keep it." Alexander Hamilton, one of the least democratic members among the Founding
(2020-12-23). Gideon Saar: The right-winger who could unseat Netanyahu and remake Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Gideon Saar: The right-winger who could unseat Netanyahu and remake Israel | He's pro-settler, against a Palestinian state and targets asylum seekers. But centrists and left-wingers are flocking to the man likely to become Israel's next prime minister | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 13: 58 | Gideon Saar, Israeli Member of Knesset for Likud, speaks during a rally as he launches his campaign for Likud party l…
(2020-12-23). 'Good luck ladies': Kuwait exclusively appoints men to its Women's Committee. middleeasteye.net 
'Good luck ladies': Kuwait exclusively appoints men to its Women's Committee | The committee has been widely criticised online, forcing Kuwait's precarious position on gender equality back into the spotlight | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 13: 21 | Members of Kuwait's Parliamentary Women's Committee (Screengrab/ twitter) | The newly appointed, all-male parliamentary Women's Committee of Kuwait has been met with ridicul…
(2020-12-23). Selected Articles: Staff at Hospitals in DC, Texas Turn Down COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca 
By A long and cruel siege, constant Israeli attacks resulting in the killing of countless civilians, destruction …