(2020-12-15). Brexit Bluster Exposes the Waning of English Power. counterpunch.org 
I met pleased and gloomy people in the first half of last year when I travelled around the UK writing about the potential impact of Brexit. But by far the happiest of those I interviewed were veteran Irish republicans in Belfast, mostly present or past members of Sinn Fein, who had devoted their lives to
(2020-12-15). Rouhani Tells Biden How to Get the Iran Deal Back on Track. scheerpost.com Asia Society / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] By Juan Cole / Informed Comment Iranian president Hassan Rouhani was asked Tuesday in an interview with a state-owned news outlet under what conditions Iran would return to the 2015 nuclear deal with the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5), including the U.S., plus Germany (+1) He replied, "A thing we are saying today is that if tomorrow morning the… |
(2020-12-15). The Most Lethal Virus Is Not COVID. It Is War. globalresearch.ca John Pilger describes the invisible weapon of past and current wars, and the threat of nuclear war, under cover of the Covid pandemic. This is propaganda, aided by censorship by omission. | Watch Pilger's 2010 film The War You Don't See…
(2020-12-15). Bernie Sanders and progressives in our winter of discontent. nationofchange.org Bernie Sanders was the catalyst for galvanizing the grassroots progressive power that propelled his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. As this century enters its third decade, the torch needs to be grasped by others to lead the way.
(2020-12-15). Biden Can End the Mass Detention of Immigrants. aclu.org This piece was originally published in
(2020-12-15). Frederick Wiseman's 'City Hall': Let us now praise democracy. peoplesworld.org 
Director Frederick Wiseman has gifted us with a movie for our times. City Hall is all about democracy—how it works, who does it, and why it is so vital. In a time of authoritarian challenges, it could not be more important. Wiseman's documentary is a brilliant mosaic. He pieces together the work of civil servants …
(2020-12-15). The Heat: U.S. politics and COVID-19. america.cgtn.com 
The Electoral College votes to confirm the next president of the United States. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 deaths passes 300,000 in the U.S. as the first vaccinations begin. Nearly six weeks after Americans cast their ballots to elect Joe Biden as the next president, …
(2020-12-15). As COVID Surges Behind Bars in California, Why Is San Quentin Transferring Hundreds of Prisoners? democracynow.org 
Prisons across the U.S. are facing their greatest swell in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly a quarter-million incarcerated people in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19, according to the Marshall Project, and advocates are pushing for incarcerated people to be prioritized in the country's vaccine rollout. All of California's state prisons have active coronavirus cases, but the California Department of Corrections is continuing to transfer incarcerated people between institutions. San Quentin State Prison has begun the transfer of nearly 300 incarcerated people to other institutions…
(2020-12-15). Trump Still Contesting Stolen Election 2020. globalresearch.ca "We wuz robbed" applies to US Election 2020 — decided by brazen fraud for losers Biden/Harris over winner Trump. | An illegitimate process prevailed over an open, free and fair one — the latter prohibited in all US federal elections for …
(2020-12-15). Biden and the JCPOA: Lessons from Arab and Iranian Public Opinion. globalresearch.ca With Joe Biden as President-elect and Donald Trump soon leaving the White House, analysts are engaging in endless speculation about what this change in administrations will mean for the future of the JCPOA, the "nuclear deal" negotiated between the P5+1 …
(2020-12-15). Regardless of Who Occupies the White House, The Decadent Trajectory of Neoliberalism Continues. globalresearch.ca November 3rd has passed and slightly more than a third of the eligible electorate chose the Democrat, slightly less than a third the Republican, and the remaining third chose none of the above by either not voting or casting …
(2020-12-15). Biden Urges To 'Turn the Page' After Electoral College Victory. telesurenglish.net U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Monday night urged the nation to "turn the page" to unite and heal after the Electoral College vote made his victory official. | RELATED: | The electors cast 306 votes for Biden and 232 for Donald Trump based on the 2020 election results in their respective states. To clinch the White House, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes of the 538 in total. | "I will be a president…
(2020-12-15). Serenade Behind a Floating Stage. thenation.com Serenade Behind a Floating Stage…
(2020-12-14). 'The Actual Scandalous Headline Is Medics Need Two Jobs to Survive': AOC Defends Paramedic Outed by NY Post. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday night was among those who came to the defense of a New York City paramedic who the New York Post outed and attempted to shame in a recent article about her decision to earn extra money via nude modeling. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1213863341.png …
(2020-12-14). Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Asks City to Detail COVID-19 Safety Measures at Rikers Island. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-12-14). Actions in SF, Oakland & San Jose To Demand Dropping Of Charges Against Assange/Snowden. indybay.org Speak-outs were held at the Congressional offices of Congresswomen Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren and the home of Nancy Pelosi on December 10 /11 to call for support for Congressional Resolutions 1175 and 1162 which called for dropping the charges against Julian Assange and Edward Snowden. A statement was already read by fomer OSHA WPP Investigator and lawyer Darrell Whitman representing Whistleblowers United.
(2020-12-14). Dean Spade: 'Mutual Aid Always Pops Up Where Disasters Are'. progressive.org The author, activist, and teacher discusses his new book, the differences between mutual aid and charity, and his expectations for the Biden presidency.
(2020-12-14). Red Scare and Love Scare: Two-Pronged McCarthyism Afflicts Indian Democracy. zcomm.org All protesters are being branded 'Maoists', and those who dare to love beyond the boundaries of their faith 'jihadists'
(2020-12-14). Borrel says EU should find ways to return US to JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 14 (MNA) — The European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, says the bloc should find a way with the Biden administration to return the US to its commitments under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
(2020-12-14). 'The Will of the American People': Official Electoral College Vote Finalizes That Biden Won and Trump Lost. commondreams.org Despite a "cacophony of lies and disinformation" from the outgoing president, said one campaigner, the results are clear. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/electors.jpg …
(2020-12-14). Trump, the Proud Boys and the Kraken: Is the #EndofDemocracy just a meme — or the real thing?>. salon.com Did Trump and his flunkeys "really" try to stage a coup? Is it really over? Those aren't even the right questions…
(2020-12-14). NJ Lawmaker Wants Mandatory Corona Shot for All Kids Without Exemption. globalresearch.ca A State Senator in New Jersey wants the coronavirus vaccine made mandatory for all school age children, despite them being the least at risk group. | Middlesex Democrat Senator Joseph Vitale also wants to eliminate exemptions that have been used in …
(2020-12-14). COVID-19 Exposes Need For Radical Policies To Tackle Inequality. popularresistance.org In the run-up to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris taking office on January 20, a key debate raging now is about what kind of change they will usher in. Some say it is clear from those two leaders' biographies that they herald the bold transformations needed to tackle the inequalities that scar society. Others say it is clear from their biographies that they will not. History suggests, however, that neither of those arguments gets it quite right. That key to what happens is what we do, together. | For my new book, How to Fight Inequality, I looked at what we could learn from how inequality had been tackled in the past.
(2020-12-14). It's Time We Called It What It Is: Fascism. commondreams.org The epic thrash we're witnessing is because the forces of capitalism, seeing a terminal economic crash approaching, are attempting to preemptively replace democracy with authoritarianism—fascism—so that they can control the outcome. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/foodbanks.jpg …
(2020-12-14). New York City May Face Full Lockdown as COVID-19 Surge Outpaces Vaccine Rollout, Mayor Says. sputniknews.com NEW YORK (Sputnik) – New York City could see another full lockdown because it might be overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, despite the start of vaccinations for the virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Monday.
(2020-12-14). Mumia for Pacifica Democracy; Court Attack on Pacifica Fails. indybay.org Mumia has come out against the centralized corporate bylaws being pushed in large part by a faction that controls KPFA. They recently tried to get a court to take-over Pacifica so they can break up the foundation and sell and shutdown other stations in the network. | They have secret millionaire backers who have hired a law firm that changes more than $300 an hour and submitted an 800 page document to the Court in Los Angeles for the court to seize Pacifica. This same group has been suing Pacifica for years and also pushed for voluntary bankruptcy.
(2020-12-13). "In Case There Was Any Doubt Regarding 'Stand By'": Four People Stabbed After Pro-Trump DC Rally. commondreams.org "This is all on you, Republicans. You have enabled all of this." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12909295181.jpg …
(2020-12-13). Philippines: Labor movement demands release of Human Rights Day 7. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating this December 11 joint statement from the Council of Global Unions Philippine affiliates. | PH affiliates of global unions demand release of HRD7, stop arrests of PH unionists | We strongly deplore the simultaneous raids of residences and the consecutive arrests of trade union organizers, Dennise Velasco of Defend Jobs Philippines, Romina Astudillo, Deputy Secretary-General of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Metro Manila, Mark Ryan Cruz, Regional Executive Committee of KMU-Metro Manila, Jaymie Gregorio Jr. of KMU-Metro Manila, Joel Demate of Solidarity of Labor Rights and Welfare (SOLAR)…
(2020-12-13). "Corona Procurements": Tory Corruption Is Eroding UK Democracy. globalresearch.ca The UK's governing Tory party is dishonestly flouting the rules of free and fair competition for Coronavirus related procurements, by unfairly selecting commissions, awarding contracts to class allies instead of the best or cheapest service provider. | The party frequently uses …
(2020-12-13). A Roadmap for the Biden-Harris Administration: Redesigning Farm Systems for the Climate Crisis. commondreams.org A just transition for farming must not only consider reforms to farm policy, but also aligned reforms in financial, trade, environmental, and competition policy. | www.flickr.com/photos/suziesfarm/11438035863…
(2020-12-12). [Comment] Offline: The coming technocracy. thelancet.com As 2020 draws to a close, one trend among nations most severely hit by COVID-19 bears some discussion. It is that democracies are evolving into technocracies, by which I mean a form of governance where those with political power are appointed on the basis of their scientific expertise. It would be hard to deny that scientists have assumed a role in political decision making unparalleled in recent memory. The French public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy was the first to raise the issue of medical power.
(2020-12-09). Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Hold Hearing on Haiti. cepr.net The follow is a guest post from the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. On Thursday, December 10, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will hold a hearing on pervasive impunity and a lack of judicial independence in Haiti. The event will be broadcast live here. The Commission, a quasi‚Äêjudicial body of the …