Daily Archives: December 14, 2021

2021-12-14: News Headlines

Newsroom (2021-12-14). More than half a billion people pushed into extreme poverty due to health care costs. moderndiplomacy.eu New evidence compiled by the World Health Organization and the World Bank shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage. The organizations also reveal that more than half a billion people are being pushed or pushed further into extreme poverty because they have to pay …

_____ (2021-12-14). The United States Is Using Nazis In Ukraine To Provoke War With Russia. popularresistance.org If you listen to the corporate media in the United States, you may believe the lies that say Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. In reality, it is the United States, led by then vice president Joe Biden, that conducted a coup to replace the elected president of Ukraine in 2014 and has been training and arming Nazis to attack the ethnically Russian Donbass Region in eastern Ukraine ever since. There is daily violence against civilians and basic infrastructure. The Biden administration is escalating this aggression and trying to blame Russia with the support of the same corporate media that defended US attacks o…

Alexander Rubinstein (2021-12-14). US Shouldn't Be Invited to Summit for Democracy, Let Alone Be its Host. orinocotribune.com By Alexander Rubinstein — Dec 8, 2021 | In every one of the countries the United States has intervened in over the past decades, anti-democratic means are almost always used towards anti-democratic ends, all in the name of promoting democracy. | This week, the United States is convening a virtual "Summit for Democracy," the first of its kind in what the State Department hopes to make an annual event. | "The summit will focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and will provide a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms, and initiatives to defend demo…

_____ (2021-12-14). Who is Responsible for the Deteriorating Situation in Lebanon? journal-neo.org For many years, Lebanon was considered the safe haven of the Middle East plagued by wars, instability, and colored revolutions. Many have referred to the country as the Middle East's Switzerland, including investments in Lebanon's economy from countries of the region where the political crises were raging. The country's banks were especially valued, prosperous and …

Albert Bender (2021-12-14). Decolonizing the holiday: A way forward on Thanksgiving? peoplesworld.org EDITOR'S NOTE: Though Thanksgiving is now passed, People's World thinks it important to bring the following commentary article to our readers from Albert Bender, a regular PW correspondent. After speaking at a Native event this year on the "holiday," he penned the following reflections. The Thanksgiving holiday, or as it also called by many "Thanks-taking" …

WSWS (2021-12-14). Over 100 feared dead as recovery efforts continue following massive tornado outbreak across the US Midwest and South. wsws.org Workers at the candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky which was destroyed by a tornado Friday night were told they would be fired if they left the facility in response to warnings made hours before the storm hit.

WSWS (2021-12-14). Philippine Supreme Court upholds anti-democratic Anti-Terrorism Law. wsws.org The ruling greenlights the full implementation of the draconian law, which targets social unrest and authorizes surveillance, wire-tapping, and arrests without warrant.

WSWS (2021-12-14). Soaring social inequality under New Zealand Labour government. wsws.org Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger warned recently that society is increasingly divided between the poor and the "obscenely rich," and that historically inequality was "the root cause of revolution."

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (2021-12-14). A new transport agenda to carry Asia and the Pacific towards sustainable development. moderndiplomacy.eu Transport ministers from across Asia and the Pacific are meeting this week to consider a potentially transformational agenda for how people and goods are moved around the region and across the globe. Pre-COVID-19 transport connectivity weaknesses in the Asia-Pacific region became even more apparent during the pandemic: landlocked developing countries, least developed countries and small …

Canadian Tire Fire (2021-12-14). Canadian Tire Fire #23: Gidimt'en Calls for Week of Action, Defund the Ottawa Police, Encampment Solidarity Updates. itsgoingdown.org photo: @RisingTideTor As CGL attempts to move forward with their work on the Yintah, inching ever closer to drilling under Wedzin Kwa, Gidimt'en Checkpoint has called for a week of actions starting December 20th. They're calling for specific attention to be paid to investors such as RBC, which has already been the target of a…

David Swanson (2021-12-14). Elizabeth Samet Thinks She Already Found the Good War. warisacrime.org If you were to read reviews of Elizabeth Samet's book, Looking for the Good War — such as the one in the New York Times or the other one in the New York Times — a little too quickly, you might find yourself reading her book and hoping for a reasoned argument against the supposed …

imperial.ac.uk (2021-12-14). Blondel Medal and IEEE Fellowship for Imperial signal processing expert. imperial.ac.uk Imperial College London's Professor Bruno Clerckx has been awarded the Blondel Medal 2021 and elevated to Fellow of the IEEE.

Raymond Wolfe (2021-12-14). Vaccines Pose 7 Times Higher Death Risk than COVID for Young People, Japanese Experts Warn. globalresearch.ca To receive Global Research's Daily Newsletter (selected articles), Visit …

Staff (2021-12-14). Netherlands Blocks Venezuelan Delegation's Meeting with ICC. orinocotribune.com This Monday, December 13, the Netherlands prevented the arrival of a Venezuelan delegation that was to meet with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan. The meeting had been agreed to in the memorandum of understanding signed between Venezuela and the ICC at the beginning of November. | The news was reported by Venezuela's Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, who indicated that she planned to head the delegation. "The government of the Netherlands has obstructed and prevented the delegation that would go to The Hague to fulfill the special mission in accordance with international treatie…

New Atlas (2021-12-13). The US is Getting the Public Accustomed to the "Idea" of War with China. newatlas.report December 13, 2021 (The New Atlas) — It is becoming increasingly obvious that US propaganda aimed at demonizing China and poisoning the world against serves to set up a long-discussed limited, conventional conflict waged along China's shores to cripple its economy and prevent it from surpassing the West irreversibly. Western propaganda is even openly discussing this …

Bruce Schreiner, Dylan Lovan (2021-12-13). Thousands without infrastructure after tornadoes kill dozens. peoplesworld.org MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Residents of a Kentucky town devastated by a tornado could be without heat, water and electricity in chilly temperatures for a long time, the mayor warned Monday, as officials struggled to restore services after a swarm of twisters leveled neighborhoods and killed dozens of people in five states. Authorities are still tallying the …

Staff (2021-12-13). Eight Palestinian students from Al-Najah University seized by Israeli occupation forces. samidoun.net On Thursday, 9 December, Israeli occupation forces seized eight Palestinian students at An-Najah National University after raiding their homes in pre-dawn invasions. Following the arrests, occupation forces then sent threatening text messages to fellow students at the university, warning them that they too would be arrested if they participated in the activities of the Islamic […] | The article

WSWS (2021-12-13). Julian Assange suffered stroke during High Court appeal for extradition. wsws.org Assange's fiancée Stella Moris warned, "Look at animals trapped in cages in a zoo. It cuts their life short. That's what's happening to Julian."

WSWS (2021-12-13). Australian government, Labor opposition greenlight US rendition of Julian Assange. wsws.org There is outraged opposition to Assange's persecution in Australia, but it will find no way forward within the parliamentary set-up.

Stuart Rees (2021-12-13). No justice for Julian Assange, but plenty of cruelty. greenleft.org.au Cruelty has caught fire in Australian politics; cowardice has become the currency affecting exchange with Washington and London, argues Stuart Rees.

Morning Star (2021-12-13). NATO and Lithuania talking tough as EU-Russia tensions loom over Ukraine. peoplesworld.org

Sonali Kolhatkar (2021-12-13). Amazon preparing its next offensive, but it can't bust unions forever. peoplesworld.org The National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, just ruled that a historic union vote among Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Ala., was not valid. The highly publicized vote resulted in a resounding defeat for the union in March 2021, with more than 70% of those voting choosing against union membership. The union accused Amazon of engaging in "efforts to gaslight its …

WSWS (2021-12-13). Germany's new chancellor and foreign minister visit Paris and Warsaw: Promoting European Great Power policy. wsws.org The new German government regards a strong European Union as a precondition for an aggressive military foreign policy. This calls for close collaboration with its largest neighbours, France and Poland.

Black Alliance for Peace (2021-12-13). Black Alliance for Peace Condemns the U.S. National Guard Deployment to Horn of Africa. globalresearch.ca To receive Global Research's Daily Newsletter (selected articles), Visit …

Dr. Andrey KORTUNOV (2021-12-13). The Russians Love Their Children Too. moderndiplomacy.eu Recently, there have been all the more articles with headlines screaming "What does Vladimir Putin really think about Donbass?" or "When will the war between Russia and Ukraine break out?" To be honest, I really envy the authors of such publications. All these contributors must have supernatural telepathic channels of communication with the Russian leadership, …

WSWS (2021-12-13). G7 foreign ministers summit in Liverpool threatens Russia, China. wsws.org The summit communiqué accused Russia of planning war with Ukraine and threatened Moscow with "massive consequences" if it did not bow to US demands.

Natalia Marques (2021-12-13). Unions, NYC community back strikers at Columbia U. liberationnews.org The escalation in tactics from a picket line in the middle of campus to a picket line peacefully blocking entrances is a response to illegal threats by Columbia.

_____ (2021-12-13). South Korea Declares Multilateral Agreement To End Korean War. popularresistance.org In a major development in the Korean peace process, South Korea, North Korea, China and the United States have agreed to declare an end to the Korean War. The announcement was made by South Korean president Moon Jae-in on Monday, December 13, who said the four parties to the Korean War agreed "in-principle" to formally declare its end, 71 years after it broke out in 1950. | Speaking from Canberra, Australia, during his four-day visit to the country, president Moon Jae-in also pointed out that US hostility towards North Korea was among the reasons why peace talks were held back. North Korea has demanded an end to…

teleSUR (2021-12-13). Bolivia & Venezuela Urge To Strengthen LATAM Integration. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Vice Presidents David Choquehuanca (Bolivia) and Delcy Rodriguez (Venezuela) met in Caracas, where they ratified their countries' commitment to strengthen regional integration and fight social injustices. | RELATED: | "On behalf of our people, we received Choquehuanca and sent a message of peace and brotherhood to Bolivia," Rodriguez tweeted, stressing that her government defends Simon Bolivar'

teleSUR (2021-12-13). Colombia: Commons Party Presents 21 Candidates For Senators. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Colombia's Commons Party (PC) presented 21 candidates for senators to contest in the 2022 elections. Whatever the results of the vote, the 2016 Peace agreement signed between the Colombian State and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) secures this party 10 seats in the Senate. | RELATED: | "Our list of candidates has gender parity and is representative since it comprises politicians from 20…

teleSUR (2021-12-13). The ALBA-TCP Summit To Foster Latin American Sovereignty. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Affairs Vice Minister Josefina Vidal said that 19th Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples' Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) to be held in Havana on Tuesday will strengthen Latin American sovereignty. | RELATED: | "The Summit will be a good opportunity to assess the regional scenario, actions to guarantee peace and stability, and political agreements to prevent interfere…

Mark Gruenberg (2021-12-13). Was the Kentucky tornado outbreak rooted in climate change? peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Is there a connection between global warming and the devastating tornadoes that killed dozens of people and flattened at least one entire Kentucky town, plus an Amazon warehouse in downstate Illinois, on Dec. 10-11? The scientists' answer, going all the way back to 2019, if not before: Yes, but it's indirect. The reason for the …

Patrick McWilliams (2021-12-13). Six dead in Edwardsville, Illinois, after Amazon warehouse collapse. liberationnews.org At Amazon warehouses, speed is prioritized above all else, and this disregard for safety means that their facilities are some of the most dangerous places to work.

Toward Freedom Editor (2021-12-13). Danny Shaw on Honduras & Venezuela Elections + Movements in Haiti. towardfreedom.org Danny Shaw reported back on the Venezuela elections and his latest journey to meet with the movements in Haiti during Toward Freedom's December 2, 2021 webinar.

_____ (2021-12-13). Workers At Activision Blizzard Lead Week-Long Work Stoppage. popularresistance.org On Friday, workers at video gaming company Activision Blizzard entered their fifth day of a work stoppage in response to layoffs at one of the company's subsidiaries. The stoppage comes on the heels of revelations of sexual harassment and discrimination at Activision Blizzard and amid fierce resistance to staff unionization efforts. | The work stoppage began on Monday when quality assurance (QA) workers at Raven Software, one of the main developers behind the hit Call of Duty video game series, began being laid off. Employees are demanding that these contractors be reinstated and given full-time contracts. The ex…

WSWS (2021-12-13). Australia joins the few countries backing the US-led Olympic boycott. wsws.org The decision to join the US-led boycott, as well as purchase military helicopters from the US, highlights the preparations underway for a catastrophic US-led war against China.

WSWS (2021-12-13). "Amazon should absolutely be held liable": Growing outrage over deaths of workers kept on the job during massive tornado outbreak in US. wsws.org Workers at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, and at a candle manufacturing plant in Mayfield, Kentucky, were working late into the night and early morning as a series of devastating tornadoes ripped through six states.

Monica Cruz (2021-12-13). Six workers killed in Amazon warehouse collapse. peoplesdispatch.org At least six people have been killed and countless others injured during a partial collapse of its Edwardsville, Illinois warehouse on the night of December 10. A category EF3 tornado hit the warehouse around 8: 35 pm. The "search and rescue" mission through the remaining rubble has changed to a "search and recover" mission, suggesting that officials believe there are no survivors. | At least 100 workers were in the warehouse at the time of the collapse and an unknown number are still missing. Management does not have an exact number of how many workers were in the warehouse at the time the tornado hit because a s…

Newsroom (2021-12-13). Sudan: Mistrust deepens following military takeover. moderndiplomacy.eu In the wake of the 25 October military takeover in Sudan, discussions on the way forward are underway but restoring trust will be a challenge, the top UN official in the country, Volker Perthes, told the Security Council on Friday. The UN Special Representative briefed ambassadors on a deal last month under which civilian Prime …

Newsroom (2021-12-13). Rights abuses in Myanmar 'deepening on an unprecedented scale'‚ÄØ. moderndiplomacy.eu More than 10 months since Myanmar's military seized power, the country's human rights situation is deepening on an unprecedented scale, the UN rights office, OHCHR, has warned. In a strongly worded statement on Friday, OHCHR said that it was "appalled by the alarming escalation of grave human rights abuses" in the country. "In the last week alone, …

Editor (2021-12-13). 'Inexcusable': Amazon Under Fire After Warehouse Collapse Kills at Least Six. scheerpost.com Workers remove debris from an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edwardsville, Illinois, on December 11, 2021, after it was hit by a tornado. The event caused at least six deaths at the facility that suffered "catastrophic damage," while the western Kentucky town of Mayfield was "ground zero" of the storm—a scene of "massive devastation," one official said. (Photo: Tim Vizer/AFP via Getty Images) | By Andrea Germanos / Amazon was accused Saturday of putting corporat…

David Swanson (2021-12-13). Talk World Radio: Helen Caldicott: U.S. Warmongering Will Kill Us All. warisacrime.org AUDIO: Talk World Radio is recorded as audio and video on Riverside.fm. Here is this week's video and all the videos on Youtube. We're using only the guest video and not the host this week, because Riverside is getting them out of synch when combining. VIDEO: This week on Talk World Radio: We're all going …

David Martin, Hugh Turley (2021-12-13). Was America's Outspoken Catholic Priest and Best-Selling Author, Thomas Merton, "Eliminated" Because of His Outspoken Opposition to the Vietnam War? covertactionmagazine.com [This article continues CAM's series into suspicious deaths and political assassinations. Today marks the 80th anniversary of Thomas Merton's entry …

Staff (2021-12-13). "This Isn't a Natural Disaster": Climate Scientist Michael Mann on Deadly Tornadoes in 8 States. democracynow.org At least 100 people are feared dead after 30 deadly tornadoes devastated towns in eight states, from Kentucky to Arkansas, in a supercell thunderstorm that raged more than 200 miles, leaving behind scenes some compared to a war zone. President Biden has declared a major federal disaster and called for an investigation into the role climate change played in the storms. We speak to climate scientist Michael Mann about the role of climate change in the storms and climate denialism among Republican leaders. "Make no mistake, we have been seeing an increase in these massive tornado outbreaks that can be attributed to…

Tom Engelhardt (2021-12-13). Tomgram: William Astore, Going Nuclear on Pentagon Spending. warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Yes, four-star General Lloyd Austin commanded American forces in Iraq back in 2010 and 2011. In 2013, he took over from General James Mattis (remember him?) as the head of United States Central Command, or CENTCOM, overseeing America's …

Jesús Rodríguez-Espinoza (2021-12-13). Venezuelan Central Bank Latest Figures: Hyperinflation Might be Officially Gone Next Month. orinocotribune.com Caracas, December 12, 2021 ( According to the most accepted definition of hyperinflation, a country gets out of this phenomenon aft…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-12-13). Highland Resistance: How the Che Guevara Commune Confronts the Crisis. libya360.wordpress.com Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert First-hand accounts of the impact of the US sanctions on a coffee and cocoa growing commune in the Venezuelan Andes. The Che Guevara Commune lies on the fertile hillsides that rise up from the shores of Lake Maracaibo in western Venezuela. Historically this has been a cocoa-growing region but…

Carlos Fazio (2021-12-13). Biden vs. Maduro: øCambio de ruta? globalizacion.ca El reconocimiento del gobierno de Nicolás Maduro como representante legítimo de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela por la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas y las contradicciones emergentes dentro de los sectores más extremistas del antichavismo, exhiben el fracaso de…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-12-13). Venezuela: Why Chavismo Must Win in Barinas. libya360.wordpress.com Eder Peña Santo Domingo river canyon, in Barinitas, Barinas state (Photo: Archive). From the valley of the Santo Domingo river comes a strong wind called "Barinés" that descends from the Andean mountain range in a west-east direction during the rainy season, against the prevailing trade winds in most of the country. Contrary to what a…

teleSUR (2021-12-13). Over 80 Percent Of The Venezuelan Population Is Already Vaccinated. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Venezuela's Territorial Minister Mervin Maldonado reported that 81 percent of the population has already been vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | Following the Vaccination Plan promoted by President Nicolas Maduro, the authorities hope to reach 90 percent of the immunized population by the end of December. | "We invite all those people who have not yet been vaccinated to get vaccinate…

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