(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). Why is the Guardian promoting more Pentagon propaganda? mronline.org 
Recent reporting reinforces the false impression that the United States is threatened by Chinese and Russian expansionism.
(2020-12-24). 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 . . . |
(2020-12-24). Morocco and the Grand Bargain with US and Israel. peoplesdispatch.org A deal to normalize diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel was signed at the Rabat's Royal Palace, on December 22 in Morocco. The deal has been criticized by prominent Palestinian organizations, as well as by Iran and Hezbollah.
(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). Tokyo reports record-high 888 new Covid-19 cases. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Dec 24 (efe-epa).- The Japanese capital on Thursday reported a record 888 cases of daily coronavirus infection as the country battles the third wave of Covid-19 since November. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the previous record of daily coronavirus numbers was 821, marked a week ago. With this, the total number of patients …
(2020-12-24). A Country in Turmoil: Why Netanyahu is a Symptom, Not Cause of Israel's Political Crisis. dissidentvoice.org 
It is convenient to surmise that Israel's current political crisis is consistent with the country's unfailing trajectory of short-lived governments and fractious ruling coalitions. While this view is somewhat defensible, it is also hasty. Israel is currently at the cusp of a fourth general election in less than two years. Even by Israel's political standards, …
(2020-12-23). Israel's High Court avoids calls to nullify or amend nation-state law. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's High Court avoids calls to nullify or amend nation-state law | Court hints that law could be interpreted but avoided discussing it during hearing, following 15 legal petitions | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 14: 03 | Israeli protesters carry national flags as they watch Supreme Court deliberations broadcast live in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem, on 3 May 2020 (AFP) | The Israeli High Court on Tuesday avoided…
(2020-12-23). Senior UN Human Rights Official 'Deeply Concerned' by Trump's Pardons for Mercenaries Who Massacred 17 Iraqi Civilians. commondreams.org "Pardoning them contributes to impunity and has the effect of emboldening others to commit such crimes in the future." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sq_0.jpg …
(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). "Worse Than Being in Iraq": Veteran & ER Doctor Says Pandemic Is Pushing Hospitals to Breaking Point. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. averages more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, we speak with Dr. Cleavon Gilman, an emergency physician who has been treating patients since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak, first in New York City and now in Yuma, Arizona. Dr. Gilman is also an Iraq War veteran who served as a Marine combat medic, and has kept a public diary of his experiences treating COVID-19 patients. He was fired after tweeting that Arizona's ICU beds were full, and then got his job back after public outcry. "This pandemic is worse than being in Iraq," says Dr. Gilman. "This virus is a Trojan horse, and it just hides in…
(2020-12-23). Helping the NYT Understand Its Own Reporting: China Was not the Cause of the Worldwide Spread of Coronavirus. counterpunch.org The New York Times had a very interesting piece on efforts by China's government to conceal and downplay the threat posed by the coronavirus. The piece reports on a number of Chinese government documents and directives that sought to minimize the threat posed by the pandemic. However the paper seriously misrepresents the meaning of its
(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). Iran thanks filmmakers for online screening in Cinema Verite. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (MNA) — Head of Cinema Organization of Iran Hossein Entezami appreciated on Wednesday all filmmakers, who attended the 14th edition of Iran's Cinema Verite, for having confidence in online screening due to the pandemic.
(2020-12-23). The Gaza Strip is "Uninhabitable": Israel's Genocide in Gaza Goes Uninterrupted, but Is Europe Finally Taking Notice? globalresearch.ca A long and cruel siege, constant Israeli attacks resulting in the killing of countless civilians, destruction of homes and infrastructure, extreme poverty, and trauma remain the daily bread of Palestinians in Gaza. | *** | A
(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 …
(2020-12-23). Israel's Genocide In Gaza Goes Uninterrupted. popularresistance.org A report published by the United Nations in 2018 stated that by the year 2020 the Gaza Strip would be uninhabitable. It said specifically that, "the United Nations has stated that Gaza may well be unlivable by 2020." The report emphasized also that "Michael Lynk, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied Since 1967, drew attention to Israel's persistent non-cooperation with the Special Rapporteur's mandate. As with his two predecessors, Israel has not granted him entry to visit the country, nor the Occupied Palestinian territory." Anyone who thinks that the Gaza S…
(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). How dangerous is the new COVID-19 strain? peoplesdispatch.org News of a new strain of the COVID-19 disease has stoked fears in the UK and the rest of the world. A number of countries, including India, have banned or restricted travel to the country. Immunologist Dr. Satyajit Rath and Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha discuss the new strain and its implications.
(2020-12-23). The Gold Comes Off: A COVID-19 Outbreak in Sydney. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-23). Israel detects new Covid-19 strain, health ministry says. middleeasteye.net 
Israel detects new Covid-19 strain, health ministry says | Four people diagnosed with coronavirus variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom | Wed, 12/23/2020 – 16: 04 | An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man gets vaccinated against Covid-19 at Clalit Health Services Center in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, on 21 December 2020 (AFP) | Israel has detected four cases of a new Covid-19 strain, a highl…
(2020-12-23). Joint Statement: Ensure Iranians Equitable Access to Covid-19 Vaccines. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(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). 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). Turkey hopes to 'turn new page' with US & EU next year — President Erdogan. rt.com 
Ankara plans to mend ties with the West next year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday, as he complained about double standards his country faces in its relations with Washington and Brussels. | President Erdogan told lawmakers from his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Wednesday that he will try to improve ties with Western states despite "artificial agendas" they may pursue now. "Turkey is facing double standards both over the eastern Mediterranean and the S-400s. We want to turn a new page with the EU and United States in the new year," Erdogan said. | The president made it clear Tu…
(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). 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). Don't Blame the Soviets for the War in Nagorno-Karabakh. dissidentvoice.org In the final week of September, an Azerbaijani offensive renewed hostilities in the perennial armed conflict and territorial dispute in the South Caucasus between Armenia and its neighbor over the Nagorno-Karabakh ("Mountainous Karabakh") region. By October, the clashes had escalated past the state border between Azerbaijan and the internationally-unrecognized Republic of Artsakh which suffered heavy …
(2020-12-23). Russia Expels Two Colombian Diplomats in Mirror Response. telesurenglish.net Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry Wednesday declared two Colombian diplomats 'persona non grata' after the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the South American country. | RELATED: | On Tuesday, President Ivan Duque's administration announced that two Russian diplomats were expelled from the country for allegedly being spies of the Russian government. | "This move is not in line with the friendly relations and…
(2020-12-23). VIPS MEMO: To Biden: Don't be Suckered on Russia. globalresearch.ca MEMORANDUM FOR: The President-elect | FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) | SUBJECT: Attempts to Sucker You Into Russia-Bashing | Dear President-elect Biden, | "Fool Me Once …" You may recall that President George W. Bush could not remember the last …
(2020-12-23). Hunger in the Philippines reaches all-time highs. wsws.org Combining this year's quarterly hunger surveys, which hit a staggering 30.7 percent in September, the average hunger rate for Filipino families reached an historic high of 21.1 percent in 2020.
(2020-12-23). US Sanctions London-based Family of Assad's Wife Under Caesar Act. globalresearch.ca The US issued fresh sanctions on Tuesday against the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of her London-based family, in the latest designation on Syria's ruling family under the Caesar Act. | In addition to designating Asma al-Assad for …
(2020-12-23). Morocco Urges Biden to 'Preserve' Trump's Recognition of Its Western Sahara Sovereignty Claims. sputniknews.com While all of the recent peace deals between Israel and Muslim nations have come under fire for one reason or another, the most recent accord with Morocco has attracted a bevy of naysayers from the highest echelons of US political circles as well.
(2020-12-23). Reflections on Vietnam and Iraq. zcomm.org The Lessons of Two Failed Wars…
(2020-12-23). A Campaign Under Quarantine. thenation.com A Campaign Under Quarantine…
(2020-12-23). Iraq: Trump pardons for Baghdad Blackwater guards 'contributes to impunity' says UN rights office. news.un.org The UN human rights office OHCHR, has voiced deep concern over the decision by United States President Donald Trump to grant pardons to four security guards who were tried and convicted for the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, in 2007.
(2020-12-22). Cleveland baseball team finally retires racist name, mascot. workers.org 
Cleveland It's official. And it's about time. After months of discussions and rumors, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team announced Dec. 14 that 2021 would be the last season for the racist, offensive name "Indians." With it will go the team's demeaning mascot, which was being phased out after it was . . . |
(2020-12-22). Chang'e-5 Completes Lunar Trip, More Space Missions Planned. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-22). US spending bill: Five gifts to Israel. middleeasteye.net 
US spending bill: Five gifts to Israel | An enormous US spending bill that accompanied the Covid-19 relief package contains many financial and political perks for Israeli government | Tue, 12/22/2020 – 22: 27 | Israel did not receive coronavirus relief funds, but the aid to its military at a time when Americans are struggling drew criticism (AFP/File photo) | The US Congress has passed an enormous $2.3 trillion s…
(2020-12-22). Millions of India's Farmers Are in a Fight for Their Economic Lives. counterpunch.org 
India's farmers are revolting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in a mass movement that has drawn international attention. The world's largest democracy is witnessing a collective groundswell of protest as hundreds of thousands of farmers, largely from the states of Punjab and Haryana, have laid siege to the outskirts of the capital of New
(2020-12-22). US Treasury Accuses Vietnam of Currency Manipulation, but this Will Not Lead to Sanctions. globalresearch.ca The U.S. Treasury Department accused Vietnam of currency manipulation in its
(2020-12-22). "Walk the Streets of Damascus, and Listen to the People Concerning US Sanctions and Aggression Against Syria" globalresearch.ca The Syrian crisis which began in 2011 has left many wondering what it was really about. Most western news observers may be confused, disinterested, or have bought-in to the lies they were told by the media. However, there is an …
(2020-12-22). Pakistan Returns $1bn to Saudi Arabia and Turns to China for Loan Assistance. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-22). Solidarity with the trade unionists in the Philippines, Human Rights Day 7. fightbacknews.org We strongly condemn the repression that has been unleashed against leading trade unionists in the Philippines and stand in solidarity with the militant labor federation Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) / May First Movement. | On Human Rights Day, December 10, the Philippine National Police raided the homes and jailed 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); Rodrigo Esparago o…
(2020-12-22). U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act: US Congress Votes $4 Billion to Israel for 2021. globalresearch.ca Congress just voted billions of dollars of U.S. tax money to Israel, No mainstream US media appear to have told Americans that both houses of Congress just voted massive aid to Israel, a tiny country with a long record …
(2020-12-22). Cruz and Graham Working to Block Biden From Rejoining Paris Climate and Iran Nuclear Deals. commondreams.org The president-elect has vowed to return to both international agreements, which were finalized during the Obama administration. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1229089532.png …
(2020-12-22). What If Jesus Had Been Born in the American Police State? mintpressnews.com The Christmas story of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one. The Roman Empire, a police state in its own right, had ordered that a census be conducted. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary traveled to the little town of Bethlehem so that they could be counted. There being no room for the couple at any of the inns, they stayed in a stable (a barn), where Mary gave birth to a baby boy, Jesus. Warned that the government planned to kill the baby, Jesus' family fled with him to Egypt until it was safe to return to their native land | Yet what if Jesus had been born 2,000 years later? | What if, instead of being born…
(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.