(2020-12-28). China Has the World's Largest Economy, Get Over It. counterpunch.org 
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. As the chart shows, China's economy first passed the U.S. in 2017. It is
(2020-12-28). 'Freedom is blossoming': After dismembering a journalist, Saudi Arabia goes on a PR spree. mronline.org 
"Freedom is blossoming." That is how, without a shred of irony, CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson describes Saudi Arabia in his recent article.
(2020-12-28). China — A Marxist Analysis. mronline.org 
Vijay on China: A Marxist Analysis…
(2020-12-28). Doomsday ex Machina: Daniel Ellsberg and the Nuclear Gang. counterpunch.org 
You hide in your mansion While the young people's blood Flows out of their bodies And is buried in the mud You've thrown the worst fear That can ever be hurled Fear to bring children Into the world — Bob Dylan, "Masters of War" (1963) October 15, 1969. That's the day the world might have
(2020-12-28). Lebanon's president compelled to say he'll take Covid vaccine as conspiracies spread. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon's president compelled to say he'll take Covid vaccine as conspiracies spread | Michel Aoun's spokesperson had told MEE 85-year-old was yet to make a decision on getting the jab, as healthcare officials urge a public awareness campaign | Mon, 12/28/2020 – 16: 44 | A supporter of Lebanese President Michel Aoun wears a face mask with a drawing of the president and the writing in Arabic t…
(2020-12-28). Covid-19: Infected Israelis to vote at drive-through polling stations. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Infected Israelis to vote at drive-through polling stations | Coronavirus-hit voters can cast ballots through their car windows in March's election | Mon, 12/28/2020 – 15: 41 | Drive-through polling stations will be installed for Israel's national election in March (Screengrab) | With politicians desperate for every vote in March's election, Israelis suffering from the coronaviru…
(2020-12-28). Biden adviser slams Saudi sentencing of rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul. middleeasteye.net 
Biden adviser slams Saudi sentencing of rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul | Jake Sullivan calls nearly six-year sentence handed down to women's rights activist 'unjust and troubling' | Mon, 12/28/2020 – 20: 04 | Jake Sullivan's criticism comes as Biden takes a harsher tone towards Saudi Arabia (AFP) | US President-elect Joe Biden's national security adviser has condemned Saudi Arabia over its sentencing of w…
(2020-12-28). "I Just Felt Like I Had No Control Over My Body": Survivors of Alleged ICE Medical Abuse Speak Out. democracynow.org 
Dozens of immigrant women detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia have joined a class-action lawsuit against ICE over allegations they were subjected to nonconsensual and invasive gynecological procedures and surgeries that were later found to be unnecessary, and in some cases left them unable to have children. The lawsuit cites sworn testimony from at least 35 women about their treatment by Mahendra Amin, a physician in Ocilla, Georgia, and describes retaliation and threats of deportation for speaking out. "We have more than 40 women who filed sworn testimo…
(2020-12-28). A More Honest Perspective of the COVID-19 Pandemic. globalresearch.ca Since the first cases of the new coronavirus strain outside of China, every aspect of the pandemic's ever-changing amoebic narrative has been carefully controlled by the World Health Organization and major government health agencies. | High officials within a syndicate of …
(2020-12-28). The year that was….India's people fight back a hostile government. peoplesdispatch.org The right-wing Narendra Modi government used the pandemic and the lockdown to foist more exploitative policies. But the sustained resistance by people has shaken its hubris…
(2020-12-28). Native Youth Provide For Community And Elders During Covid Pandemic. popularresistance.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. We have missed gatherings, ceremonies, and the everyday celebrations as part of quarantine and to keep those we love safe. Our loved ones lost during this time often died alone, while those of us left behind have had to mourn them without the touch and care of being physically together. Left to pick up the pieces as we try to move forward has left so much anxiety and depression in our young, elders, and even us adults.
(2020-12-28). Gone but not forgotten, Wuhan a year after coronavirus first emerged. laprensalatina.com By Jesús Centeno Wuhan, China, Dec 28 (efe-epa).- The preventative measures enforced to curb the spread of Covid-19 are consigned to the memories of Wuhan residents a year after the first confirmed cases of coronavirus began to emerge in the Chinese city, but many questions remain as to how it grew into a pandemic that …
(2020-12-28). Political Instability in the Central African Republic, The Role of China-Russia Cooperation. globalresearch.ca The Chinese-Russian strategic partnership could be leveraged to stabilize the CAR after this Sunday's elections and might eventually become a model for them to apply towards their other African partners too. | The Central African Republic (CAR) has once again attracted …
(2020-12-28). Conviction of Loujain al-Hathloul in Saudi Arabia Condemned as 'Blatant Attack on the Most Basic Human Rights'. commondreams.org "We stand with the al-Hathloul family and their friends who have not given up, and continue to call on the Saudi government to free Loujain," said Ariel Gold of CodePink. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/loujain.jpg …
(2020-12-28). Serbia Becomes Hub for Russia's Gas Distribution in the Balkans. globalresearch.ca With the TurkStream gas pipeline now running through Serbia, the Balkan country will enjoy numerous benefits when exports begin, such as energy stability, the opportunity to get cheaper gas, and additional tax revenue. On December 25, Serbia successfully tested the …
(2020-12-28). China Building Great Wall on Its Soft Southern Underbelly. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2020-12-28). United States and Morocco Redraw Map of North African Territory. globalresearch.ca There is a major effort underway to convince and coerce African and Asian nations to "normalize" relations with the State of Israel in exchange for promised United States financial, military and diplomatic assistance. | The Kingdom of Morocco is the latest …
(2020-12-28). One month of farmers' protest in India. peoplesdispatch.org The protesters have been occupying various locations on the border of Delhi, demanding the repeal of the recently enacted agricultural laws. Braving winter and a government that refuses to listen to them, they have stood firm…
(2020-12-28). Lebanon: Fire Forces 370 Syrian Refugees To Leave Miniyeh Camp. telesurenglish.net A feud between a Lebanese family and a Syrian family on Saturday sparked a fire that burned down the Syrian refugee camp in Miniyeh, in northern Lebanon. | RELATED | While agency ANN reported that the fire left three people injured, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Khaled Kabbara said that some 80 tents housing 370 people were burned "to the ground with all their belongings." | The informal camp was evacuated and some Syrian refu…
(2020-12-28). Russia Is Cracking Down on Political Performance Art, Again. Why It Should Listen, Not Lash Out. counterpunch.org Performances by artists and activists on political topics have been a sensitive spot for the Russian authorities for years. But as the authorities' crackdown on civil society intensifies, so does the creative non-violent response exposing and drawing attention to it. This in turn increases the pressure authorities exert on the artists and activists in efforts
(2020-12-28). When Black Movements Win, Everybody But the 1 Percent Wins. zcomm.org Movements can only answer the needs of those at the bottom by positioning them as decision-makers…
(2020-12-28). Abu Dhabi rulers reportedly seeking to replace Al-Sisi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 28 (MNA) — A Qatari newspaper revealed that UAE Crown Prince's efforts to find a replacement for Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is the main source of tensions between Cairo and Abu Dhabi.
(2020-12-27). Putin ready to take Russian-made Covid-19 vaccine as regulators approve extension of Sputnik V rollout to all age groups – Kremlin. rt.com 
The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to soon receive the country's pioneering coronavirus vaccine. The comments came as eligibility for Sputnik V was broadened to those over the age of 60. | Speaking to the Rossiya 1 news channel, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was poised to announce his intention to get the jab. "We can expect to hear from the president himself about the decision in the near future," he said, adding that "he has actually previously said he would definitely take it." | In a conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier this…
(2020-12-27). The Tragedy of Corbynism. counterpunch.org 
Corbyn's election as leader of Labour party in 2015 was seen by much of the British left as their best chance to reverse the neoliberal imperialist trajectory of the British state for at least a generation. With a solid track record of opposition to war, nuclear weapons and privatisation, he was able to capture the
(2020-12-27). Yemen: Anger as newly sworn-in cabinet excludes women for first time in 20 years. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Anger as newly sworn-in cabinet excludes women for first time in 20 years | Women activists take to the streets declaring the composition of the Saudi-backed government as illegitimate | Sun, 12/27/2020 – 11: 13 | Dozens of female activists protested in Taiz city demanding women be given positions in the cabinet (MEE) | The swearing in of a new government in Yemen on Saturday has…
(2020-12-27). Navalny poisoning: CIA, MI6, 'discredited' state-funded Bellingcat play key role in accusing Russia. thegrayzone.com Western media coverage has overlooked the key role of the CIA, MI6, and the NATO member state-funded outlet Bellingcat in generating the allegation that Russia's FSB poisoned Alexei Navalny. Russia's FSB intelligence agency has been accused of poisoning opposition activist Alexei Navalny. While the allegation may prove to be true, Western media coverage has overlooked the key role of the CIA, MI6, and the state-funded outlet Bellingcat in generating it. Western media outlets have failed to disclose that Bellingcat is …
(2020-12-27). Is Iran Contemplating Vengeance in Regards to the Murder of Its Two Prominent Leaders? globalresearch.ca Brigadier General Mohsen Fakhrizadeh of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Command (IRGC) and Iran's most important nuclear scientist was assassinated not too far from Tehran recently. Iran immediately accused Israel , an allegation confirmed by a senior Washington official soon after. …
(2020-12-27). Why are people going hungry if India has surplus foodgrain stocks? peoplesdispatch.org A country that ranks 94 among 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index can't be said to be self-sufficient in foodgrains. The surplus stocks are due to shortage of purchasing power in peoples' hands…
(2020-12-27). Multicultural Cooperation between BRICS Member States: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. globalresearch.ca In this interview, Alena Peryshkina, Co-Chair of the BRICS Civil Forum, Director of the AIDS Infoshare Foundation, Co-Chair of the BRICS and G20 CSOs Working Group, discusses some aspects of multicultural dimensions, especially the need to institutionalize cultural ties and …
(2020-12-27). In the Georgia runoffs, 'poll chaplains' continue King's legacy. zcomm.org "I want people to go to the polls knowing that they have nothing to fear — that their right to have their voice heard will be encouraged, uplifted, and defended by people of hope"
(2020-12-27). Russia Calls for De-Escalation of Tensions in Syria's Ayn Issa, Reconciliation Centre Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian officials are calling on all parties to cease shelling near the Syrian town of Ayn Issa, Rear Adm. Vyacheslav Sytnik, the deputy head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Sunday.
(2020-12-27). Young Champions of the Earth: trashing barriers to boost recycling in Kuwait. news.un.org An electrical engineer from Kuwait is being recognized by the United Nations for her success in raising the environmental importance and economic value of recycling in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
(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). Netflix's "Tiny Pretty Things" challenges the idea that bulimia is only a white woman's disease. salon.com The soapy teen ballet series is high on melodrama, but its eating disorder plot rings true to life…
(2020-12-26). Monday 12/28: Text Banking for Georgia/Banca de Texto SMS para Georiga w/ Poor People's Campaign. indybay.org Online webinar training…
(2020-12-26). Saturday 12/26: Georgia Comes Alive! Virtual Music Festival to Support Georgia Voters & Equal Voter Rights. indybay.org Virutal music festival…
(2020-12-26). 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 the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/psag.jpg …
(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.
(2020-12-25). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). "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). 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). 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). 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, …
