Monthly Archives: January 2021

2021-01-08: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

Uganda: 'Deteriorating' human rights situation in run-up to elections next week
news.un.org | 2021-01-08
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, is urging authorities in Uganda to ensure elections next week are free and peaceful, noting that the arrest of opposition candidates and their supporters are among several "worrying" developments ahead of the vote.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/01/1081662

2021: Palestine's Chance of Fighting Back
Ramzy Baroud | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-08
2020 will go down in history as the year that terminated the American-sponsored 'peace process'. While 2021 will not reverse the monumental change in the US attitude and objectives in Palestine, Israel and the Middle East, the new year presents Palestinians with the opportunity to think outside the American box. The previous year began with…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/08/2021-palestines-chance-of-fighting-back/

More War by Other Means: Sanctioning the Wife of Syria's President Makes No Sense to Anyone
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2021-01-08
I am a recipient of regular, usual weekly, emails from the Department of the Treasury providing an "Update to OFAC's list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons." OFAC is the Office of Foreign Assets Control, which is tasked …
globalresearch.ca/more-war-other-means-sanctioning-wife-syria-president-makes-no-sense-anyone/5733890

"This Will Be Remembered as a Turning Point": Snowden Warns Against Trump Social Media Ban
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2021-01-08
While many breathed a collective sigh of relief when Trump's social media bans were announced, Edward Snowden and other internet freedom advocates warned that the move sets a dangerous precedent.
mintpressnews.com/edward-snowden-warns-against-trump-twitter-facebook-ban/274088/

Venezuela Reaffirms Its Sovereign Rights Over the Essequibo
telesurenglish.net | 2021-01-08
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Thursday signed a presidential decree setting the country's maritime and territorial borders in order to protect national jurisdiction rights, especially on the disputed Essequibo territory. | RELATED: | Venezuela's New Parliament Holds Its First Legislative Session | He informed that the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was notified about his government rejections over the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Reaffirms-Its-Sovereign-Rights-Over-the-Essequibo–20210108-0004.html

Roaming Charges: White Riot, I Wanna Riot of My Own
Jeffrey St. Clair | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-08
Mark my words, the legislative response to the sacking of the nation's capitol will be a bipartisanship push for more money for police and more restrictions on civil liberties, to be imposed most devastatingly on BLM and anti-war protesters, tribal activists and environmentalists.
counterpunch.org/2021/01/08/roaming-charges-white-riot-i-wanna-riot-of-my-own/

The Climate Crisis Sets Another Grim Record
Editor | scheerpost.com | 2021-01-08
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / CC BY 2.0] By Andrea Germanos / Common Dreams Highlighting global campaigners' demands for urgent and bold climate action, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service announced Friday that despite coronavirus-related lockdowns, 2020 tied with 2016 for being the warmest year on record and closed out the warmest decade on the books. "It is notable that… | Source…
scheerpost.com/2021/01/08/the-climate-crisis-sets-another-grim-record/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-climate-crisis-sets-another-grim-record

Personal use of all recreational drugs should be decriminalised, experts argue
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2021-01-08
Non-violent criminals serving time for drug use or possession should be freed and personal use of recreational drugs decriminalised, experts have said, arguing that the 'war on drugs' is fuelling racism. | "Costly and ineffective": | Personal use of all recreational drugs should be decriminalised immediately, followed by legalisation, regulation, and restrictions on age, advertising and licensing, according to more than 60 international experts. | The group — including bioethicists, drug experts, criminal justice researchers, and psychologists — say prohibition and criminalisation has been "co…
thecanary.co/uk/2021/01/08/personal-use-of-all-recreational-drugs-should-be-decriminalised-experts-argue/

Space plasma and exoplanet experts receive Royal Astronomical Society awards
imperial.ac.uk | 2021-01-08
Imperial's Dr Julia Stawarz and Dr James Owen have received honours in the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) annual awards.
imperial.ac.uk/news/212033/space-plasma-exoplanet-experts-receive-royal

Will They Ever Be Over?
Nick Turse | zcomm.org | 2021-01-08
The 20th Anniversary of the War on Terror Arrives…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/will-they-ever-be-over/

New Venezuelan Parliament: Those Responsible For Political Instability And Looting Should Be Behind Bars
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-01-08
Caracas, Venezuela – Today, the first Vice President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Iris Varela, requested the creation of a special commission so that within 48 hours an arrest warrant could be issued for those who attacked the political stability of the country over the last two years. | However, she stated that by virtue of the nature of the parliament, agreed to by the Board of Directors, within a period of one month the special parliamentary commission must present the draft exhortation to the Judiciary to issue arrest warrants against deputies and members of the previous board of directors for damages…
popularresistance.org/new-venezuelan-parliament-those-responsible-for-political-instability-and-looting-should-be-behind-bars/

Biden Appoints Chief Ukraine Coup-Plotter Victoria Nuland
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-01-08
Describing it as "one of the darkest days in American history," President-elect Joe Biden denounced Wednesday's spectacular assault on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. as a coup attempt fomented by Donald Trump. | "I wish we could say we couldn't see it coming, but that isn't true. We could see it coming," the 78-year-old Delawarean said. | The last four years we've had a president who's made his contempt for our democracy, our Constitution, the rule of law, clear in everything he has done. He unleashed an all-out assault on the institutions of our democracy from the outset, and yesterday was but a culmin…
popularresistance.org/biden-appoints-chief-ukraine-coup-plotter-victoria-nuland/

Telling War Stories
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-01-08
I don't have any personal war stories to tell. In my twenty years in the U.S. Air Force, I never saw combat. I started as a developmental engineer, working mainly on computer software, and morphed into a historian of science and technology who taught for six years at the USAF Academy. I worked on software projects that helped pilots plan their missions and helped the world to keep track of objects in Earth orbit. I taught military cadets who did see combat and served as the dean of students at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, where I saw plenty of young troops cross the graduation stage…
popularresistance.org/telling-war-stories/

Will They Ever Be Over?
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-01-08
"This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush announced a little more than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. "Some victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to all." | This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the war on terror, including America's undeclared conflict in Afghanistan. After that war's original moniker, Operation Infinite Justice, was nixed for offending Muslim sensibilities, the Pentagon rebranded it Operation End…
popularresistance.org/will-they-ever-be-over/

The Black Patch War
Terry Bisson | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-08
On a cold December night in 1907, some 300 to 500 men, armed and mounted in columns of twos, all wearing masks and white sashes, rode into the small Kentucky city of Hopkinsville. They disarmed the local police, occupied the telegraph and telephone offices, and dynamited two warehouses filled with tobacco belonging to James Duke's…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/08/the-black-patch-war/

Yemen, a Quagmire for Saudi Coalition and Imperialists
Azza Rojbi | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-08
"I was still awake. I was sitting in a chair because I was afraid of the planes flying overhead and making a very loud noise. Then they dropped a bomb near us and afterwards they hit our neighbourhood with three bombs. After that, I lost consciousness." These are the word of Yemeni child Ahmad Mansour,…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/08/yemen-a-quagmire-for-saudi-coalition-and-imperialists/

Video: "The Thick Red Line": Law Enforcement, the "Plandemic"and the Unlawful Orders of Politicians
James Corbett | globalresearch.ca | 2021-01-08
Howard Lichtman joins us today to introduce ThickRedLine.org, an effort to restore respect for law enforcement by abolishing victimless crime. | ThickRedLine seeks to upend the narrative that keeps the public afraid of breaking the unlawful orders of the politicians …
globalresearch.ca/video-solutions-thick-red-line/5733742

Chile intensifies its war against the Mapuche people
Tanya Wadhwa | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-01-08
On the day the verdict was announced regarding the assassination of Mapuche leader Camilo Catrillanca, police carried out a violent raid of 6 Mapuche communites and violently detained members of Catrillanca's family to stop them from attending court…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/01/08/chile-intensifies-its-war-against-the-mapuche-people/

South Korean court orders Japan to compensate survivors of sexual violence during World War II
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-01-08
A lower court in Seoul ordered Japan to compensate 12 Korean women, who were forced to serve as "comfort women" for its military during the Second World War. The verdict is expected to pave the way for more such judgments…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/01/08/south-korean-court-orders-japan-to-compensate-survivors-of-sexual-violence-during-world-war-ii/

Will They Ever Be Over? 20 Years of the War on Terror
Nick Turse | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-08
"This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush announced a little more than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
counterpunch.org/2021/01/08/will-they-ever-be-over-20-years-of-the-war-on-terror/

Why so many young people go vegan
Jack Lee | nationofchange.org | 2021-01-08
Millennials are driving the shift towards food that is plant-based. They are likely to check the source of food, the issues surrounding animal welfare, and the impacts on the environment that get implied when they decide to purchase the product.
nationofchange.org/2021/01/08/why-so-many-young-people-go-vegan/

Ecuador To Receive 50,000 Doses of Pfizer Vaccine
telesurenglish.net | 2021-01-07
Ecuador's authorities Wednesday announced the country bought 50,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech. | RELATED: | Ecuador: Police Crack Down On Peaceful Protest in Quito | The doses will arrive in the country on January 18. The vaccination campaign will start with health workers who assist COVID-19 patients. | The military, police, the elderly who are in public nursing homes, and their workers will also receive Pfizer doses as part of the vaccinatio…
telesurenglish.net/news/Ecuador-Set-to-Receive-50000-Doses-of-Pfizer-Vaccine-20210107-0004.html

"Americans Are Now Getting a Mild Taste of Their Own Medicine" of Disrupting Democracy Elsewhere
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-01-07
World leaders reacted in horror over the storming of the U.S. Capitol, with the U.N. secretary-general calling on political leaders to demand their followers refrain from violence. Leaders of the U.K., New Zealand, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, France, Germany, NATO and the European Council called for a peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden. Investigative journalist Allan Nairn looks at what steps Trump may take next, and says despite protestations from President-elect Joe Biden and others that the insurrection was "not who we are," the U.S. has a long track record of disrupting democratic processes elsewher…
www.democracynow.org/2021/1/7/us_foreign_election_interference_allan_nairn

Argentina Condemns UK's Military Drills on the Malvinas Islands
telesurenglish.net | 2021-01-07
Argentina's Foreign Affairs Ministry (FAM) Wednesday condemned the latest military drills carried out by the United Kingdom on the Malvinas Islands. | RELATED: | Argentina: Felisa Sotelo, A 'Mother of Plaza de Mayo', Died | The Argentine authorities described the military activities as an unjustified show of force and a deliberate detachment from the United Nations resolution that calls for a peaceful solution to the Malvinas territorial dispute. | "Our country regrets that at…
telesurenglish.net/news/Argentina-Condemns-UKs-Military-Drills-on-the-Malvinas-Islands-20210107-0013.html

Greenpeace Demands Trump Be Removed From Office
commondreams.org | 2021-01-07
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2021/01/07/greenpeace-demands-trump-be-removed-office?cd-origin=rss

Australia-US alliance: continuing dependence or strategic independence?
Pip Hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2021-01-07
A People's Inquiry to examine the United States-Australia alliance — its costs and consequences — and to canvas alternatives has been launched by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network, writes Bevan Ramsden.
greenleft.org.au/content/australia-us-alliance-continuing-dependence-or-strategic-independence

2021: Palestine's Chance of Fighting Back
Ramzy Baroud | dissidentvoice.org | 2021-01-07
2020 will go down in history as the year that terminated the American-sponsored 'peace process'. While 2021 will not reverse the monumental change in the US attitude and objectives in Palestine, Israel and the Middle East, the new year presents Palestinians with the opportunity to think outside the American box. The previous year began with …
dissidentvoice.org/2021/01/2021-palestines-chance-of-fighting-back/

Trump Admits His Term Is Over and Promises Peaceful Transition
telesurenglish.net | 2021-01-07
U.S. outgoing President Donald Trump on Thursday acknowledged that his term has ended and promised a "peaceful and orderly" transition. | RELATED: | Trump's Fraud Theory Fails to Convince Media Around the World | He made the announcement after weeks of trying to reverse the U.S. election result, held on November 3, because he believes he is a victim of widespread election fraud. | "Nothing before us proves illegality anywhere near the massive scale that would have tipped the enti…
telesurenglish.net/news/Trump-Admits-His-Term-Is-Over-and-Promises-Peaceful-Transition-20210107-0001.html

Venezuela's New Parliament Holds Its First Legislative Session
telesurenglish.net | 2021-01-07
Venezuela's new Parliament held its first legislative session on Thursday and approved the creation of three special commissions set to promote a national reconciliation dialogue, the defense of the disputed Essequibo territory, and investigations into damages caused by the previous Assembly. | RELATED: | The EU Avoids Treating Guaido as 'President' of Venezuela | Dialogue, Peace, and National Reconciliation Special Commission will be presided over by the Parliament's chairman Jorge…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelas-New-Parliament-Holds-Its-First-Legislative-Session-20210107-0016.html

World Bank report warns of extended downturn in global growth
wsws.org | 2021-01-07
Even on the World Bank's most optimistic scenario, the level of global gross domestic product in 2021 is expected to be 5.3 percent below pre-pandemic projection, equivalent to a loss of output of $4.7 trillion.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/01/07/bank-j07.html

Defund the Pentagon: Refund the People
Frank Scott | dissidentvoice.org | 2021-01-07
When profit determines every outcome of social and economic life, the minority politics of lesser evil wins again, and again, and again. — Anonymous The pandemic has heightened public awareness of the injustice of a political economic system that profits private wealth at massive loss to the public good. All talk of change that simply …
dissidentvoice.org/2021/01/defund-the-pentagon-refund-the-people/

'Irresponsible and inhumane' Home Office continuing with deportations despite lockdown
Joe Glenton | thecanary.co | 2021-01-07
The Home Office plans to press forward with the deportation of up to 60 people despite a full national lockdown and a massive spike in coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the UK. | The Independent newspaper reported on 6 January that two flights were set to leave in the next week despite current restrictions. One is bound for Romania, the other for Poland. | "Irresponsible and inhumane": | New lockdown rules say that people cannot leave their homes or travel abroad except wh…
thecanary.co/trending/2021/01/07/irresponsible-and-inhumane-home-office-continuing-with-deportations-despite-lockdown/

UK may need to 'revaccinate' every 6 MONTHS and Covid testing will still be needed next year, health secretary warns
rt.com | 2021-01-07
The UK may need to revaccinate people for immunisation to coronavirus every six months, while Covid-19 testing will still be required in 2022, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said during a select committee hearing on Thursday. | "I anticipate that we will probably need to revaccinate because we don't know the longevity of the protection from these vaccines," Hancock said in response to an MP's question. "It might need to be every six months, it might need to be every year." | Hancock added that "yes" he did think that England's current national lockdown would be the country's last, but said: "There's absolutely…
rt.com/uk/511832-uk-revaccinate-covid-tests/

WHO warns of COVID-19 'tipping point' as cases rise across Europe
news.un.org | 2021-01-07
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a "tipping point" in the fight against COVID-19, amid surging cases in Europe and the fresh challenge of a mutating virus.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/01/1081592

Satire: Alien Invasion Dwarfs COVID-19 Hysteria
John C. A. Manley | globalresearch.ca | 2021-01-07
Note to our readers. This is a satire focussing on the "mysterious monoliths" which according to NASA is "paving the way for a full scale Alien invasion." | *** | A recent CBC article, reported that another one of those mysterious monoliths …
globalresearch.ca/satire-alien-invasion-dwarfs-covid-19-hysteria/5733824

Mexico Offers Asylum to Assange: a Step Forward for Government Accountability and Press Freedom
Frederick B. Mills, Alina Duarte — Patricio Zamorano | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-07
On Monday January 4 a British court denied a U.S. request to extradite world renowned journalist and Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, to face charges in the U.S. under the Espionage Act. Shortly after this breaking news, President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), urged the U.K. to consider the possibility of freeing Assange and…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/07/mexico-offers-asylum-to-assange-a-step-forward-for-government-accountability-and-press-freedom/

The EU Avoids Treating Guaido As 'President' Of Venezuela
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-01-07
The European Union avoided referring to the opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela's "acting president" once the mandate of the National Assembly over which he presided expired on Tuesday. | "Venezuela urgently needs a political solution to end the current impasse through an inclusive process of dialogue and negotiation leading to credible, inclusive, and democratic processes," said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. | He added that the EU will maintain its engagement with all Venezuelan political and social actors, including "Juan Guaido and…
popularresistance.org/the-eu-avoids-treating-guaido-as-president-of-venezuela/

Short Cuts: the 20 Best Films of 2020
Jeffrey St. Clair | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-07
Bacurau Directors: Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonàßa Filho Beanpole Director: Kantemir Balagov Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets Directors: Bill and Turner Ross Bully. Coward. Victim: the Story of Roy Cohn Director: Ivy Meeropol Collective Director: Alexander Nanau Cordillera of Dreams Director: Patricio Guzmán Dick Johnson is Dead Director: Kirsten Johnson First Cow Director: Kelly Reichart I'm Thinking…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/07/short-cuts-the-20-best-films-of-2020/

British Judge Keeps Assange in Prison, Despite Ruling Against Extradition
Kevin Gosztola | globalresearch.ca | 2021-01-07
A British district judge denied bail for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after a hearing in which the prosecution argued he had helped NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden "flee justice" and would abscond if released from the Belmarsh high-security prison. | "As far | …
globalresearch.ca/british-judge-keeps-assange-prison-despite-ruling-against-extradition/5733811

"It's Not as Bad as Iwo Jima, I Suppose": The Julian Assange Extradition Verdict
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2021-01-07
The barrister-brewed humour of Edward Fitzgerald QC, one of the solid and stout figures defending a certain Julian Assange of WikiLeaks at the Old Bailey in London, was understandable. Time had worn and wearied the parties, none more so than his client. Fitzgerald had asked for water, but then mused that its absence could hardly…
counterpunch.org/2021/01/07/its-not-as-bad-as-iwo-jima-i-suppose-the-julian-assange-extradition-verdict/

New book: Indonesia was model for anti-communist massacres, U.S. complicity
W. T. Whitney Jr. | peoplesworld.org | 2021-01-07
U.S imperialism was on a roll in the mid-20th century as Cold War problems were emerging. These included U.S.-Soviet conflict, nuclear-war fears, the Korean and Vietnam wars, domestic anti-communism, and Indonesia. Having thrown of Dutch colonial rule, that country led by President Sukarno was in the vanguard of nations striving to steer clear of both …
peoplesworld.org/article/new-book-indonesia-was-model-for-anti-communist-massacres-u-s-complicity/

New book: Indonesia was model for anti-communist massacres, U.S. complicity
W. T. Whitney Jr. | peoplesworld.org | 2021-01-07
U.S imperialism was on a roll in the mid-20th century as Cold War problems were emerging. These included U.S.-Soviet conflict, nuclear-war fears, the Korean and Vietnam wars, domestic anti-communism, and Indonesia. Having thrown off Dutch colonial rule, that country led by President Sukarno was in the vanguard of nations striving to steer clear of both …
peoplesworld.org/article/new-book-indonesia-was-model-for-anti-communist-massacres-u-s-complicity/

Chomsky and Pollin: A Global Green New Deal Is the Only Way to Avert Disaster
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-01-07
Global warming is the biggest challenge facing humanity today. Yet, climate change has yet to become our number one priority even though, as the World Meteorological Organization warned back in March 2020, " time is fast running out" on averting an acute environmental catastrophe. | In this context, a comprehensive Green New Deal is urgently needed…
truthout.org/articles/chomsky-and-pollin-a-global-green-new-deal-is-the-only-way-to-avert-disaster/

On the 20th Anniversary of the War on Terror, Is There Any End in Sight?
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-01-07
"This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush announced a little more than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. "Some victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to…
truthout.org/articles/on-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-war-on-terror-is-there-any-end-in-sight/

On the 20th Anniversary of the "War on Terror," Is There Any End in Sight?
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-01-07
"This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush announced a little more than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. "Some victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to…
truthout.org/articles/on-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-war-on-terror-is-there-any-end-in-sight/

Saudi Arabia: UN rights expert welcomes 'positive first step' toward détente in Gulf
news.un.org | 2021-01-07
Saudi Arabia's action in lifting sanctions against Qatar is a "positive first step" towards normalized relations in the Gulf region, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday, urging the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt to follow suit.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/01/1081612

Will America's Forever Wars Ever Be Over?
Nick Turse | commondreams.org | 2021-01-07
commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/ark.jpg …

Consumers 'targets of technical bullying' by Chinese tech firms, watchdog warns
rt.com | 2021-01-07
The government-backed China Consumers Association (CCA) has accused tech firms in the country of violating consumer rights by misusing data, distorting algorithms and subjecting users to "technical bullying." | While the CCA did not single out any specific companies in its criticism, it raised concerns over firms that have developed rapidly into large-scale organizations in the consumer sector, particularly those dealing with accommodation, food delivery, online shopping, online gaming, transportation and travel. | The watchdog noted that the collection and handling of data have "aroused widespread concern in…
rt.com/news/511826-chinese-internet-companies-consumer-watchdog/

Facebook forces WhatsApp users to share their personal data… or get off the platform
rt.com | 2021-01-07
WhatsApp users must share their personal data with parent company Facebook going forward, the app's new privacy policy has declared — flying in the face of everything that attracted privacy-oriented users to the platform. | Facebook's bait and switch will see WhatsApp sharing private information that goes significantly beyond names and profile pictures with Facebook and other subsidiaries. Phone numbers, address books, status updates, and even detailed data on the type of phone they're using will be fed to the Facebook hive-mind. | And woe betide anyone who does business on WhatsApp — information ab…
rt.com/news/511840-whatsapp-surveillance-policies-facebook/

Middle East: Again on the Brink. Israel and "Intra-imperialist" Games
Dimitris Konstantakopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2021-01-07
"To understand the situation, figure out that now, in Washington, the main obstacle to war is a man called Mad Dog." | This answer was given to me three years ago by Ray McGovern, when I asked him about the situation …
globalresearch.ca/middle-east-again-brink-israel-intra-imperialist-games/5733771

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2021-01-09 03:01 GMT (22:01 EST)

2021-01-07: News Headlines

Staff (2021-01-07). "Americans Are Now Getting a Mild Taste of Their Own Medicine" of Disrupting Democracy Elsewhere. democracynow.org World leaders reacted in horror over the storming of the U.S. Capitol, with the U.N. secretary-general calling on political leaders to demand their followers refrain from violence. Leaders of the U.K., New Zealand, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, France, Germany, NATO and the European Council called for a peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden. Investigative journalist Allan Nairn looks at what steps Trump may take next, and says despite protestations from President-elect Joe Biden and others that the insurrection was "not who we are," the U.S. has a long track record of disrupting democratic processes elsewher…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-01-07). 2021: Palestine's Chance of Fighting Back. dissidentvoice.org 2020 will go down in history as the year that terminated the American-sponsored 'peace process'. While 2021 will not reverse the monumental change in the US attitude and objectives in Palestine, Israel and the Middle East, the new year presents Palestinians with the opportunity to think outside the American box. The previous year began with …

Binoy Kampmark (2021-01-07). "It's Not as Bad as Iwo Jima, I Suppose": The Julian Assange Extradition Verdict. counterpunch.org The barrister-brewed humour of Edward Fitzgerald QC, one of the solid and stout figures defending a certain Julian Assange of WikiLeaks at the Old Bailey in London, was understandable. Time had worn and wearied the parties, none more so than his client. Fitzgerald had asked for water, but then mused that its absence could hardly

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-01-07). New book: Indonesia was model for anti-communist massacres, U.S. complicity. peoplesworld.org U.S imperialism was on a roll in the mid-20th century as Cold War problems were emerging. These included U.S.-Soviet conflict, nuclear-war fears, the Korean and Vietnam wars, domestic anti-communism, and Indonesia. Having thrown off Dutch colonial rule, that country led by President Sukarno was in the vanguard of nations striving to steer clear of both …

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-01-07). New book: Indonesia was model for anti-communist massacres, U.S. complicity. peoplesworld.org U.S imperialism was on a roll in the mid-20th century as Cold War problems were emerging. These included U.S.-Soviet conflict, nuclear-war fears, the Korean and Vietnam wars, domestic anti-communism, and Indonesia. Having thrown of Dutch colonial rule, that country led by President Sukarno was in the vanguard of nations striving to steer clear of both …

Frank Scott (2021-01-07). Defund the Pentagon: Refund the People. dissidentvoice.org When profit determines every outcome of social and economic life, the minority politics of lesser evil wins again, and again, and again. — Anonymous The pandemic has heightened public awareness of the injustice of a political economic system that profits private wealth at massive loss to the public good. All talk of change that simply …

Frederick B. Mills, Alina Duarte — Patricio Zamorano (2021-01-07). Mexico Offers Asylum to Assange: a Step Forward for Government Accountability and Press Freedom. counterpunch.org On Monday January 4 a British court denied a U.S. request to extradite world renowned journalist and Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, to face charges in the U.S. under the Espionage Act. Shortly after this breaking news, President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), urged the U.K. to consider the possibility of freeing Assange and

Kevin Gosztola (2021-01-07). British Judge Keeps Assange in Prison, Despite Ruling Against Extradition. globalresearch.ca A British district judge denied bail for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after a hearing in which the prosecution argued he had helped NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden "flee justice" and would abscond if released from the Belmarsh high-security prison. | "As far …

Staff (2021-01-07). Chomsky and Pollin: A Global Green New Deal Is the Only Way to Avert Disaster. truthout.org Global warming is the biggest challenge facing humanity today. Yet, climate change has yet to become our number one priority even though, as the World Meteorological Organization warned back in March 2020, " In this context, a comprehensive Green New Deal is urgently needed…

news.un (2021-01-07). WHO warns of COVID-19 'tipping point' as cases rise across Europe. news.un.org The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a "tipping point" in the fight against COVID-19, amid surging cases in Europe and the fresh challenge of a mutating virus.

Joe Glenton (2021-01-07). 'Irresponsible and inhumane' Home Office continuing with deportations despite lockdown. thecanary.co The Home Office plans to press forward with the deportation of up to 60 people despite a full national lockdown and a massive spike in coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the UK. | The Independent newspaper "Irresponsible and inhumane": | New lockdown rules say that people cannot leave their homes or travel abroad except wh…

John C. A. Manley (2021-01-07). Satire: Alien Invasion Dwarfs COVID-19 Hysteria. globalresearch.ca Note to our readers. This is a satire focussing on the "mysterious monoliths" which according to NASA is "paving the way for a full scale Alien invasion." | *** | A recent CBC article, reported that another one of those mysterious monoliths …

_____ (2021-01-07). The EU Avoids Treating Guaido As 'President' Of Venezuela. popularresistance.org The European Union avoided referring to the opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela's "acting president" once the mandate of the National Assembly over which he presided expired on Tuesday. | "Venezuela urgently needs a political solution to end the current impasse through an inclusive process of dialogue and negotiation leading to credible, inclusive, and democratic processes," said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. | He added that the EU will maintain its engagement with all Venezuelan political and social actors, including "Juan Guaido and…

Eds. (2021-01-07). "Too late to be pessimist! Ecosocialism or collapse" mronline.org From the analysis of the struggle between the great powers for a lesser dependence on fossil fuels (which can shape their rivalries or push towards convergence between them), to the reminder of the need for every subject of oppression to develop its own ecological reflection. Daniel Tanuro gives us illuminating and pedagogical tools to confront …

Richard C. Gross (2021-01-07). Pro-Trump Insurrectionists Seize Capitol. counterpunch.org Extremist Republican congressional conservatives began debating the electoral votes that secured President-elect Joe Biden's victory as a Donald Trump-incited mob unleashed real "American carnage" by storming the Capitol building to protest his lost election. Hundreds of demonstrators swarmed past a ring of police and pushed into the Capitol, busting through doors and windows, ransacking offices.

Greta Anderson (2021-01-07). An Open Letter to the Oregon Bureau of Land Management on Hammond Ranches, Inc. Proposed Grazing Permit. counterpunch.org Dear Oregon Bureau of Land Management staffers, I am writing today to ask you to please defend the proper administration of public lands. The recent decision to award Hammond Ranches, Inc. a livestock grazing permit and grazing preference to use four allotments in the Burns Field Office appears to have been politically influenced, and we

Dianne Mathiowetz (2021-01-07). Georgia: Big voter turnout ousts wealthy Republican senators. workers.org Atlanta Jan. 6 — Georgia voters made history on Jan. 5 by voting into the U.S. Senate Rev. Raphael Warnock, the first ever Black senator from Georgia. Warnock is senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the famed church of Rev. Martin Luther King's family, esteemed for its long . . . |

Laurent Ross (2021-01-07). The D.C. terrorist attacks: September 11th and January 6th. peoplesworld.org On Sept. 11, 2001, I was a political appointee of D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams, running a $17 million scholarship program. My office was just blocks from the Capitol, and I had a great view of the dome from my 10th story window. A member of my leadership team, Ken Howard, came into my office to …

news.un (2021-01-07). Saudi Arabia: UN rights expert welcomes 'positive first step' toward détente in Gulf. news.un.org Saudi Arabia's action in lifting sanctions against Qatar is a "positive first step" towards normalized relations in the Gulf region, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday, urging the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt to follow suit.

Staff (2021-01-07). On the 20th Anniversary of the "War on Terror," Is There Any End in Sight? truthout.org "This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush

Staff (2021-01-07). On the 20th Anniversary of the War on Terror, Is There Any End in Sight? truthout.org "This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush

Elizabeth Perry (2021-01-07). Debating Maoism in Contemporary China: Reflections on Benjamin I. Schwartz, Chinese Communism and the Rise of Mao. asia-pacificresearch.com …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-07). Riot in Washington DC: This is America! peoplesdispatch.org Eugene Puryear talks about the lack of concern about the impact of fascist mobilization and possibilities of collusion between the rioters and law and order personnel. He also examines the narrative put forward by some sections that the violence does not represent the United States.

Editor (2021-01-07). Will America's 20-Year 'War on Terror' Ever End? scheerpost.com The U.S. Army / CC BY 2.0] By Nick Turse / TomDispatch "This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity," President George W. Bush announced a little more than two weeks after the 9/11 attacks. "Some victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to… |

Dimitris Konstantakopoulos (2021-01-07). Middle East: Again on the Brink. Israel and "Intra-imperialist" Games. globalresearch.ca "To understand the situation, figure out that now, in Washington, the main obstacle to war is a man called Mad Dog." | This answer was given to me three years ago by Ray McGovern, when I asked him about the situation …

Abayomi Azikiwe (2021-01-07). Africa in Review 2020: Anti-Imperialist Perspectives Essential in Understanding the Way Forward. globalresearch.ca One of the most serious attacks on the anti-colonial and national liberation legacy in Africa was the attempts by the United States and the Kingdom of Morocco to liquidate the right to self-determination among the Saharawi people in the Northwest …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-07). European Union will no longer recognize Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela. peoplesdispatch.org The EU announced the position following the swearing-in of Venezuela's new National Assembly which was the body from which Guaidó rendered his claim to interim presidency…

news.un (2021-01-06). UN chief welcomes declaration on resolving the 'Gulf rift'. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General has welcomed the al Ula declaration on "solidarity and stability", announced at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening peace and prosperity in the region.

commondreams (2021-01-06). President and CEO of the NAACP Releases Statement on Disruption of Peaceful Transition of Power and Calls for Impeachment of President Trump. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Saskia Hostetler Lippy (2021-01-06). Security Culture and a New Day in Portland. zcomm.org For there to be true peace we need an end to secrecy, to toxic security culture, to violence. Come out of the shadows and let's speak face to face, as humans do…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-01-06). Environmental Capitalism and Climate Change Wars: Australia in 2000. counterpunch.org The Australian was convinced. "Australia could have avoided two decades of climate change wars had the Howard government pushed ahead with its majority view of an emissions trading scheme (ETS), newly released documents reveal." Historian Chris Wallace is not as unequivocal in this assertion, but nonetheless observes in The Conversation that "a working consensus among

The Canary (2021-01-06). Welsh NHS chief warns Covid-19 patient numbers could double from first wave. thecanary.co The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in Welsh hospitals could soon be double that seen during the first wave of the pandemic, the country's NHS chief executive has warned.Dr Andrew Goodall said Wales's health system was under "immense pressure", with critical care units operating at 140% of normal capacity. Two health boards are dedicating almost half their beds to patients with the virus.Almost 2,800 people are in Welsh hospitals with Covid-19-related illness. That's an increase of 4% in just a week, and the highest number on record following a surge in transmissions over the last fortnight.More dif…

Helen Buyniski (2021-01-06). Civil War, Medical Discrimination, Spy Satellites and Cyborgs! How 2021 Could Make Us Yearn for 2020. globalresearch.ca People everywhere are eager to bid farewell to 2020, a year in which our lives were turned upside down by power-mad elites who seized the Covid-19 pandemic as a chance to go full police state. But be careful what you …

Alison Colette Bodine (2021-01-06). Venezuela Elections: A key victory for anti-Imperialist Movement in Latin America. mronline.org The people of Venezuela have dealt another decisive blow against U.S. domination in Latin America. The successful continuity of two decades of Venezuelan Bolivarian revolutionary process has turned Venezuela into the backbone of the Latin American anti-imperialist and revolutionary movement.

Juan Cole (2021-01-06). Raphael Warnock ran for the Senate from Ebenezer Baptist Church. zcomm.org What that means to American History…

Manuela Solé (2021-01-06). Venezuela: New National Assembly Takes Office as Guaido Loses EU Recognition. venezuelanalysis.com Washington doubled down on its support for the opposition leader.

Eds. (2021-01-06). The war on China. mronline.org The propaganda surrounding COVID-19 and China's response is only the latest escalation in a long term geopolitical strategy by U.S. imperialism to destroy it. Few people on the left or the socialist movement in the imperial core have been paying attention to the historic breakup of the U.S.-China relationship.

WSWS (2021-01-06). UAW-FCA cover-up of outbreaks continues at Toledo Jeep complex. wsws.org Production at the Jeep complex went forward full throttle over the holidays while the cover-up of COVID-19 cases and intimidation of workers at the plant continued.

Rick Baum (2021-01-06). Wealth Inequality Virus Spikes During the Last Days of 2020. counterpunch.org As of December 23, the combined wealth of the ten wealthiest was needed to reach the "magic" sum of one trillion dollars. As of December 31, the combined wealth of the nine wealthiest is now more than a trillion. This change was helped by Warren Buffet's loss for the year shrinking during the last eight days of the year from $4.62 billion to $1.62 billion, and Musk's wealth increasing another $15 billion.

Eds. (2021-01-06). 21-year-old college student elected Mayor of Kerala Capital. mronline.org Ms Rajendran had won from the Mudavanmughal ward of the city corporation, bagging 2,872 votes, 549 more than the rival Congress candidate.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-06). Democrats set to secure historic win in Georgia's senate run-offs. peoplesdispatch.org While Democratic candidates leading by a significant margins over the Republican incumbents, the two seats will tilt the balance of power in the US Senate towards the Democrats…

Azza Rojbi (2021-01-06). Yemen, a Quagmire for Saudi Coalition and Imperialists. globalresearch.ca "I was still awake. I was sitting in a chair because I was afraid of the planes flying overhead and making a very loud noise. Then they dropped a bomb near us and afterwards they hit our neighbourhood with three …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-06). Chavismo back in Venezuela's National Assembly, Guaidó further weakened. peoplesdispatch.org The 277 members of Venezuela's National Assembly were sworn in yesterday January 5. The body has vowed to take swift measures to address the deepening economic crisis in the country, fight back against the economic and financial blockade imposed on the country and work towards reconciliation. The swearing in of the legislators also officially put an end to Juan Guaidó's mandate as deputy, which prompted the European Union to withdraw their recognition of Guaidó as interim president.

Udi Ofer (2021-01-06). 50 Years Into the War on Drugs, Biden-Harris can Fix the Harm It Created. aclu.org An earlier version of this blog appeared in

news.un (2021-01-05). Central African Republic: Respect final results of the election, UN and partners urge. news.un.org Senior officials from the United Nations and regional organizations have called on all political actors in the Central African Republic (CAR) to respect the final results of the recent presidential elections, and to settle any disputes peacefully and in accordance with the country's laws.

Igor Derysh (2021-01-05). Josh Hawley claims family was terrorized by "antifa scumbags" in peaceful "vigil" at his home. salon.com Video shows about 15 protesters holding candles and signs and making speeches over a bullhorn…

teleSUR (2021-01-05). Palestine to Organize a Peace Conference at the United Nations. telesurenglish.net We are speeding up contacts and coordination before the UN Security Council's next meeting, due for January 26, confirmed the diplomat, who was quoted by AlQuds daily. | According to Mansour, the objective is to listen to suggestions and examine UN member states' stances on Abbas's proposal to convene this forum. | RELATED: | Palestine's representative at the UN commented that the recent changes in the international arena co…

teleSUR (2021-01-05). Venezuela: National Assembly Prioritizes People's Consultation. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez assured Tuesday that the recently elected parliament would hold a permanent consultation process with the people to restore peace and well being to the country. | RELATED: | Rodriguez urged parliamentarians to strengthen house-to-house sessions to tackle people's needs. The leader also remarked that the lawmakers democratically elected won't excuse themselves…

teleSUR (2021-01-05). Guaido Steals US$40 Million of Venezuelan Assets, Report Holds. telesurenglish.net Opposition politician Juan Guaido would have stolen US$40 million of Venezuela's foreign assets that were aimed at humanitarian aid, according to a report published by The Washington Post. | RELATED: | The U.S.-backed opposition needed money to implement its plan to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro's government from abroad. | According to The Washington Post, Miami-based Venezuelan businessmen Jorge Reyes and Pedro Anta…

Campo R, New E. (2021-01-05). The Art of Losing—3 Poems for the COVID-19 Pandemic. jamanetwork.com This Arts and Medicine essay features 3 poems—Elizabeth Bishop's "One Art," Marilyn Chin's "Hospital in Oregon," and Edward Hirsch's "What the Last Evening Will Be Like"—as sources of wisdom and insight in the turmoil and pain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2021-01-08 03:58 GMT (22:58 EST)