(2021-05-03). Breakthrough in Afghan Peace Process! globalresearch.ca The "extended Troika" on the Afghan problem comprising the United States, …
(2021-05-03). World Press Freedom Day: Western-style press freedom proves to be increasingly decaying. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Global TimesMay 3, 2021 Western-style press freedom proves to be increasingly decaying Excerpts …Western media outlets have done almost nothing in stopping wrong wars on our living planet in the past years, nor have they helped educate people to effectively combat public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To a certain extent, Western-style press …
(2021-05-03). US, Taliban Reportedly Negotiating New Troop Pullout Deadline in July Instead of 9/11 Anniversary. sputniknews.com President Joe Biden earlier announced that the US wouldn't withdraw its forces by 1 May, as it was supposed to under a peace agreement with the Taliban* signed in 2020 by the Trump administration. Instead, Biden set the date of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks as the new deadline.
(2021-05-03). 'Al-Qaeda' Threatens to Continue War, But Group Barely Exists in Afghanistan Anymore. news.antiwar.com With the May 1 deadline date for pullout from Afghanistan come and gone, the media is paying less attention to the Taliban, with whom the May 1 date was negotiated, and instead on al-Qaeda, who the Afghan War hasn't been about for many, many years. | Al-Qaeda is still keen to get attention though, and allegedly, unnamed 'al-Qaeda' issued a
(2021-05-03). Over 100 Killed in Weekend Afghan Fighting, 30 Troops Missing. news.antiwar.com The May 1 pullout date passed, and saw US troops still in Afghanistan, and heavy fighting between Taliban and Afghan military forces in several parts of the country. The Afghan Defense Ministry The Taliban didn't comment on this, but the Afghan Defense Ministry reported clashes in Kandahar and several other provinces around the country. The Taliban itself wasn't just on th…
(2021-05-03). Quibbling Over Cruelties: Human Rights Watch, Israel and Apartheid. dissidentvoice.org Criticism of Israel's policies towards Palestinians has always induced a defensive rage from its defenders and advocates. A Threshold Crossed, a report by Human Rights Watch, lit several fires of rage and disapproval. Israel, according to the authors, is responsible for apartheid policies. The word, and the application of its meaning, is immemorially nasty. This …
(2021-05-03). World Celebrates Press Freedom Day, Julian Assange Remains In Belmarsh Prison. popularresistance.org As people worldwide celebrate the UN's World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, WikiLeaks publisher and journalist Julian Assange remains incarcerated. | The US continues to demand Assange's extradition for his role in obtaining and publishing national defence documents from 2009 to 2011. The leaks, provided by US Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning, are known as the Guantanamo Files, the Iraq War Logs, the Afghan War Diary, and the US diplomatic cables (aka Cablegate). | There are noteworthy parallels which can be drawn between Assange's case and that of famed US Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Ellsberg w…
(2021-05-03). Whistleblower Daniel Hale, The Drone Program And The War On Our Right To Know. popularresistance.org The United States' drone assassination program is illegal under international law, but the whistleblower who exposed it, Daniel Hale, is being prosecuted under the Espionage Act. Chip Gibbons of Defending Rights and Dissent describes who Daniel Hale is and why his act of leaking information about the program to a journalist is akin to Daniel Ellsberg leaking the Pentagon Papers. Gibbons also places Hale's action in the broader context of FBI surveillance, the war on whistleblowers and other truthtellers, such as Julian Assange, and the assault on our right to know.
(2021-05-03). This week in history: May 3-9. wsws.org 25 years ago: Bosnian war crimes trials open in The Hague On May 7, 1996, the first in a series of war crimes trials stemming from the war in Bosnia opened in the international court at The Hague, Netherlands. Dusan Tadic, a Bosnian Serb, stood accused of carrying out atrocities against Bosnian civilians, including murder, rape and torture.
(2021-05-03). COVID-19 death of 13-year-old Brampton girl underscores criminality of Canada's open economy/open schools policy. wsws.org Emily's tragic, entirely preventable death has triggered an outpouring of anger towards the political elite and solidarity with the stricken family.
(2021-05-03). Sharing Mayo Clinic: Cared for in his own workplace for 121 days. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Robert Pintor works as a scheduling supervisor at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, so he was well aware of the impact of COVID-19 on the community. What he didn't expect was its impact on him and his family. This article is written by Mayo Clinic staff. When Robert Pintor picked up his wife's cough in November, they both …
(2021-05-03). What to know about youth summer camps during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection at youth summer camp. But what do those guidelines mean for families and children who look forward to the ritual of attending overnight or day summer camp?"There not one strategy that's going to completely eliminate risk. But using multiple …
(2021-05-03). Venezuelan President Confirms Fifth Shipment of Russian Sputnik V Vaccine Against COVID-19. sputniknews.com MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says his country has received yet another delivery of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.
(2021-05-03). àöltimas Noticias Survey: Bolívar Continues to Dominate Payment Methods in Venezuela. orinocotribune.com 
It is quite common to hear that Venezuela has been "dollarized" and that the sovereign currency bolívar is "no longer economically worth anything." Many of the formal and informal trade prices are set in dollars, although products can be paid and purchased both in bolívars as well as in foreign currencies. The government, however, claims that in Venezuela there will never be a dollarization of the economy and that what actually exists is a set of "mechanisms of economic war and resistance that push to exchange products in other currencies and cryptocurrencies." | What is the real proportion of this phenomenon? So…
(2021-05-03). 'Until Victory' — the YCL London May Day address. challenge-magazine.org 
Shea Stewart, is a member of the YCL's London branch | On May Day, YCL Southern branches celebrated in London — here is a transcript of the speech | This year is an historic year, our 100th year. A year to look back on our century of struggle and the struggle of those who came before us. | When the very first London May Day demonstration was held in 1890 thousands answered the call to down tools and demonstrate for the 8-hour working day and "the class demands of the proletariat." | It was a display of class power, inspiring all those who were organising to tell the majority who were yet to be organised t…
(2021-05-03). The Criminalization of Dissent. dissidentvoice.org 
One of the hallmarks of totalitarian systems is the criminalization of dissent. Not just the stigmatization of dissent or the demonization of dissent, but the formal criminalization of dissent, and any other type of opposition to the official ideology of the totalitarian system. Global capitalism has been inching its way toward this step for quite …
(2021-05-03). Finding the Money w/ Maren Poitras. mronline.org 
Documentary filmmaker Maren Poitras joins the podcast to discuss and share a teaser from Finding the Money, the first feature-length documentary on the past, present, and future of Modern Monetary Theory. The film is currently under consideration for audience and jury awards in the DocLands film festival. Head to the festival website to watch a longer clip […] | May 3, 2021…
(2021-05-03). Daily Deluge: Billionaires Rule, The People Lose. dissidentvoice.org 
In Remembrance- Leni Riefenstahl It would take 1,000 me's and 1,000 hours in a week for a thousand me's to keep up with just some of the infamy and horror that is global capitalism. Capitalism's putrid fuel: pollution and many millions of collateral damaged souls. War profiteering, mercenary economic war, banking billions while communities retract, …
(2021-05-03). Military Situation In Iraq On May 3, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On May 2, 3 rockets were fired at Camp Victory in Baghdad. No casualties were reported | On May 2, a logistical convoy of the US military was targeted by an IED attack in the Hillah area | On May 2, a logistical convoy of the US military was targeted by an IED attack in the Samawah area | On May 3, clashes between Turkish Army and the PKK continued in the northern Iraq | At least 42 PKK militants were killed so far in Turkish operation in northern Iraq, according to the T…
(2021-05-03). Military Situation In Syria On May 3, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On May 3, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 32 times: 14 — in Idlib province, 12 — in Latakia province, 4 — in Hama province, 2 — in Hama province | On May 2, the artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions at Arab Hasan Kabir village north of Manbij | On May 2, the artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled YPG positions near Tal Rafaat | On May 2, the Turkish Army sent a new military rei…
(2021-05-03). Large Explosion Hit HTS Warehouse In Syria's Idlib Province (Photos, Videos). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 3, a large explosion took place near the city of Kafraya in Idlib province. According to photos provided from the area, the explosion occurred at the warehouse of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir Sham (HTS). | Shells and IEDs are manufactured at the warehouse that was located near al-Furousiyyah refugee camp in al-Fu'ah area in the north-east of Idlib. | According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,…
(2021-05-03). It's Aggression When 'They' Do It, but Defense When 'We' Do Worse. zcomm.org Western corporate media overwhelmingly reserve the word "aggression" for official enemy nations—whether or not it's warranted. In contrast, US behavior is almost never categorized as aggressive…
(2021-05-03). Petro Cryptocurrency-Based Social Payments: Why Does Venezuela Need Them? sputniknews.com In 2018, Caracas launched its own cryptocurrency called the Petro backed by Venezuela's oil reserves, in a move that came against the backdrop of a severe economic meltdown in the South American nation. At the time, President Maduro vowed the government would create a single exchange rate linked to the Petro.
(2021-05-03). FRSO funding drive surpasses $40K as of May Day! fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — Freedom Road Socialist Organization's Spring fundraising drive has brought in more than $40,000 as of May 1, International Workers Day. Given the rapid increase in FRSO membership, plans are being made to establish a national office with full-time staff. | FRSO Organizational Secretary Tom Burke states, "Revolutionaries are called on to make many contributions to advance the struggle. We give our time, energy, and yes – money – to do what we need to do to achieve liberation and socialism. Now is time for all of us to do what we can to help FRSO make a leap forward." | A major online fundra…
(2021-05-03). GOP Seeks to Shut Down Protests. progressive.org Mirroring voter suppression efforts throughout the country, GOP lawmakers in 34 states have introduced 81 bills to criminalize peaceful protest.
(2021-05-03). Saturday 5/8: John Lewis Voter Advancement Day: Oakland Votercade & Tailgate Rally. indybay.org Meet at Malibu Lot at Oracle Arena, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, CA 94621 | Masks and Safety Distancing Required; Peaceful event…
(2021-05-03). Public Ministry of Venezuela Submits Updated Report to International Criminal Court. orinocotribune.com On Saturday, May 1, Attorney General of the Republic Tarek William Saab disclosed some details of the updated report that has been submitted to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), given the fact that "some organizations have wanted to make it invisible or belittle it." | The updated document was sent to the ICC by the Public Ministry on Friday, April 30. This was confirmed by the Venezuelan Attorney General in a press conference broadcast via the TV channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV). This was the third document in the series, "which amplifies our response to the overall re…
(2021-05-03). Biden Won't Reverse Trump's Western Sahara Move. news.antiwar.com According to a report from Axios, the Biden administration told Morroco that it would not reverse the Trump administration's move to recognize Morrocan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was Rabat's reward for normalizing relations with Israel. Sources told Axios that Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed the message to Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in …
(2021-05-03). North Korea Warns of 'Very Grave Situation' After Biden's Comments. news.antiwar.com President Biden has made his first policy comments toward North Korea, and North Korean officials are very pessimistic, warning that Biden shows i Their big concern was Biden referring to them as a "security threat" to the US, which North Korean officials said was a blunder and leads to a "very grave situation" between the two nations. | There had been hope of diplomatic rapprochement between the US…
(2021-05-03). The Biggest Bust Ever: Direct Action Lessons From Three Days in May of 1971. counterpunch.org Fifty years ago this May, when the U.S. Capitol police were better at arresting large numbers of white trespassers, I watched 1,200 of my fellow anti-war demonstrators carted off to jail for just sitting on the back steps of the Capitol and listening to speeches from two House members. That bust was the last gasp
(2021-05-03). They have weaponized the law against my son, says mother of Thai activist on hunger strike. peoplesdispatch.org Protests are breaking out in Thailand against the continued detention of Parit Chiwarak who has been on a hunger strike for close to 50 days. He is in pre-trial detention on lese-majeste and sedition charges and has been moved to a hospital…
(2021-05-03). German election campaign: Green Party on the war path. wsws.org When the ruling class in Germany prepares an offensive for war and rearmament it can rely on the Green Party.
(2021-05-03). Iranian short film 'Breach' goes to Estonian festival. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) — Iranian short film 'Breach' has been accepted into the Onkyo Film Awards, Estonia.
(2021-05-03). German philosopher rejects Sheikh Zayed book award. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) — German philosopher Jurgen Habermas rejected a literary award by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sunday over human rights concerns in the Persian Gulf country.
(2021-05-03). Biden should have moved faster to rejoin JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) — Stating that the US was too cautious and should have simply rejoined the JCPOA on the understanding that Iran would come back into compliance, Prof. Frank von Hippel believes Netanyahu would like a war between the US and Iran.
(2021-05-03). Mark the Crook: Watch Car Owner Pouring Gasoline on Thieves Trying to Steal His Car. sputniknews.com Well, this video is sure to be a warning to all wannabe thieves to be cautious, particularly around people filling up their cars with gasoline, because it turns out the refueling pistol can prove to be as frightening as an actual gun.
(2021-05-03). The Cyber Cold War Is Here. thenation.com The Cyber Cold War Is Here…
(2021-05-03). Sri Lanka: Alton workers' action committee defends victimised colleagues. wsws.org Ongoing management provocations against Alton workers are a warning to all plantation workers and other sections of the working class resisting government and big business attacks.
(2021-05-03). At Kentucky Rally, Sanders Blasts McConnell for 'Working Overtime' to Reward the Rich and Block Progress. commondreams.org "If Senator McConnell and Republicans in the Senate continue their strategy of obstructionism, it means passing a progressive agenda through the Senate with 51 votes," said Sen. Bernie Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_mcconnell_kentucky.jpg …
(2021-05-03). In the #1 Agriculture Economy in the USA, CA could use a visit from Secretary Vilsack. indybay.org During the hearing last week focused on USDA's discriminatory history toward Black farmers, I gave Chairman David Scott "a single and solemn commitment from me and from the team at USDA, that we will over the next four years do everything we can to root out whatever systemic racism and barriers may exist at the Department of Agriculture directed at Black farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and people who live in persistently poor areas in rural America."
(2021-05-03). Sexed Semen—Why the Technology of Producing Only Female Calves Should be Opposed Firmly. globalresearch.ca There is a fast increasing trend in cattle breeding towards sex …
(2021-05-03). Protesters demand democracy for Myanmar. greenleft.org.au Jacob Andrewartha reports that Victorian Myanmar Youth and other Myanmar-based organisations protested on May 1 against the military coup in Myanmar.
(2021-05-03). Atlantic Council slanders this site. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Russia-linked alt news sources promote pro-Russian narratives about Ukraine and NATO See above for graphics. Excerpts: Anti-Bellum, a blog by Rick Rozoff, an anti-NATO blogger often republished by Kremlin-owned outlets like Sputnik International and RT, also contributed to the narrative about aggression from Ukraine and NATO toward Russia. On April 4 Rozoff wrote about Ukraine "dragging" the U.S. and NATO into …
(2021-05-02). Ground the Drones. warisacrime.org 
By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, May 2, 2021 There are a number of hurdles to clear before you can get people to support banning armed drones or surveillance drones. One is the existence of good drones. It seems silly, but it is the number one cause of failures to pass local resolutions against drones. …
(2021-05-02). Global Recovery 2021 And Dark Legacies Of Smoot-Hawley — Analysis. eurasiareview.com In 2021, China's economic momentum will drive global economic prospects. But new trade wars could derail global recovery, again. | In the 1st quarter of the ongoing year, China's GDP rose to a record 18.3% year-on-year. Despite the base effect, due to the pandemic plunge a year ago, the performance reflects strong momentum. In April, China's economy continued to boom, with strong exports and rising business confidence supporting the recovery. | U.S. economic growth accelerated in the 1st quarter, thanks to a rush of consumer spending. The GDP expanded at a 6.4% annualized rate; the second-largest since 2003. B…
(2021-05-02). Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals Will Require Extraordinary Effort By All — Analysis. eurasiareview.com The pandemic's impact on the world's poor has been especially harsh. COVID-19 may have pushed about The current crisis has derailed progress toward basic development goals, as low-income developing countries must now balance urgent spending to protect lives and livelihoods wit…
(2021-05-02). End 'Forever Wars,' Biden Told as White House Releases Document on Trump's Secret Lethal Force Rules. commondreams.org "Secretive and unaccountable use of lethal force is unacceptable in a rights-respecting democracy, and this program is a cornerstone of the 'forever wars' President Biden has pledged to end. He needs to do so," said the ACLU's Brett Max Kaufman. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden-releases-trump-era-lethal-force-rules.jpg …
(2021-05-02). The Fateful Choice: Nuclear Arms Race or Nuclear Weapons-Free World. warisacrime.org The recent announcement by the British government that it plans a 40 percent increase in the number of nuclear weapons it possesses highlights the escalation of the exceptionally dangerous and costly nuclear arms race. After decades of progress in reducing nuclear arsenals through arms control and disarmament agreements, all the nuclear powers are once again …
(2021-05-02). Government Report Documents US Responsibility For Venezuela's Humanitarian Dilemma. popularresistance.org The US government blames the crisis on the mismanagement and corruption of the Venezuelan government headed by Nicolás Maduro. The Venezuelan government faults the US and its allies for imposing sanctions, unilateral coercive measures illegal under international law. | An official US Congressional Research Service report issued April 28, Venezuela: Background and US Relations, suggests the Venezuelan government has valid arguments that it is being strangulated by US sanctions. According to the report: | It is difficult to attribute precisely the extent of Venezuela's economic collapse that is due to US sanctions…
(2021-05-02). Government Report Documents US Responsibility for Venezuela's Humanitarian Dilemma. dissidentvoice.org Venezuela was once one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. The popular classes enjoyed major advances from the Bolivarian Revolution initiated by Hugo Chávez. Today Venezuela is experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis with severe humanitarian consequences. The US government blames the crisis on the mismanagement and corruption of the Venezuelan government headed by …