(2020-07-07). Private: Why the High Dudgeon over Alleged Russian Bounties for Taliban Slaying of US Troops. counterpunch.org Democratic politicians like presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and liberal media pundits are all screaming for "action" against Russia based on an article in the New York Times that relies on anonymous sources in the "military" and "US intelligence." The article, picked up by most major media unquestioningly, asserts base on
(2020-07-07). Democrats' denunciation of America's revolutionary heritage provides an opening for Trump. wsws.org The campaign waged by the Democratic Party to discredit Jefferson, Lincoln and other leaders of America's two revolutions allows Trump to package his extreme right-wing policies as a defense of democratic traditions.
(2020-07-07). Socialist Strategy and the Biden Debate. zcomm.org Should anti-capitalists urge a vote for Joe Biden to defeat Donald Trump in November 2020 or not?>
(2020-07-07). WHO to travellers: keep an eye on 'anywhere and everywhere' COVID-19. yenisafak.com The World Health Organization on Tuesday urged travellers to wear masks on planes and keep themselves informed as COVID-19 cases surge again in some countries, prompting new restrictions in places like Australia.Spokeswoman Margaret Harris urged people not to be caught off-guard by resurgent local epidemics and quarantine measures, saying: "If it's anywhere, it's everywhere and people travelling have to understand that.""This virus is widespread and people have to take that very, very seriously."The WHO said last month that it would update its travel guidelines ahead of the northern hemisphere summer holidays but…
(2020-07-07). US Senate poised to pass National Juneteenth Holiday Bill S.4019. indybay.org Since that final summer military campaign in Texas beginning June 18, 1865, people of Pan African Ancestry throughout the Diaspora have always celebrated Juneteenth in a big way.
(2020-07-06). Are the Democrats a Political Party or a CIA-Backed Fifth Column? globalresearch.ca How do the Democrats benefit from the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests? | While the protests are being used to paint Trump as a race-bating white supremacist, that is not their primary objective. The main goal is to suppress and demonize …
(2020-07-06). Will Real-Life "Fighting Dems" Prove Irresistible? zcomm.org Jon Stewart's new Hollywood film, Irresistible, is well worth watching just because of the timeliness and relevance of its other subject matter—the Democratic Party's frantic recruitment of veterans to run for public office…
(2020-07-06). Foreign Election Interference: Who is to Blame? counterpunch.org 
he New York Times has always taken the view that U.S. election interventions have "generally been aimed at helping non-authoritarian candidates" whereas Russia has "more often intervened to disrupt democracy or promote authoritarian rule." Too bad the Times could not interview Iran's Mohammed Mossadegh, Chile's Salvador Allende, or the Congo's Patrice Lumumba, who were targeted by the Central Intelligence Agency and replaced by brutal regimes that ruled for decades.
(2020-07-06). Can This Montana Governor Deliver the Senate to the Democrats? thenation.com Can This Montana Governor Deliver the Senate to the Democrats?
(2020-07-06). Tampa students demand increase in Black enrollment, Black faculty. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On July 2, students gathered at the gates of the on-campus residence for the president of the University of South Florida (USF) to demand that the university take measures to increase Black enrollment. Over the past 10 years, the percentage of Black students at the university has been on a steady decline, from a high of 12% a decade ago to the most recent report of 10%. But even the highest percentage is much lower than the demographics of the Tampa Bay area, in which Black people comprise nearly a quarter of the population. | Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) led the crowd in chants c…
(2020-07-06). Nicaragua — Virtual Reality and Human Rights. globalresearch.ca Ever since January 2007, the Western human rights industry has attacked Nicaragua's Sandinista government for being undemocratic and repressive. For over a decade, Nicaragua's social and economic development and successive democratic elections repeatedly contradicted that mendacious narrative. Frustrated by Nicaragua's …
(2020-07-06). Greek communists denounce government bill prohibiting demonstrations. peoplesdispatch.org A bill introduced by the New Democracy goverment permits the authorities to impose restrictions on the use of roads and spaces for demonstrations. It also enables authorities to ban demonstrations and penalize the organizers…
(2020-07-06). Russia, Afghanistan And The Big Lie. popularresistance.org There is no end to the Russiagate fraud. All major charges have been disproved. No one was convicted of the dreaded "collusion" that was reported endlessly for the last four years. Damning information is now declassified and casts doubt on the veracity of the whole story. CrowdStrike, the Democratic National Committee cybersecurity firm, admitted under oath they had no proof of hacking by Russia or anyone else. Robert Mueller ended his two-year-long, multi-million-dollar investigation with nothing except convictions for process crimes. | Why then did the New York Times print a story with an unnamed intelligence a…
(2020-07-06). Egyptian Activist Laila Soueif on the Jailing of Her Children & the Fight Against Authoritarianism. democracynow.org 
Egyptian authorities have arrested scores of people, including doctors, medical workers, journalists, lawyers and activists, as the country grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. "Unlike nearly every other country in the Middle East, Egypt has not released thousands of prisoners as a precaution against the coronavirus. Instead, it's arrested more people and cut off communication," says Democracy Now! correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous. One of the most high-profile arrests is that of Sanaa Seif, a film editor and the youngest member of one of Egypt's most prominent activist families. Sanaa's brother, Alaa Abd El…
(2020-07-06). Headlines for July 6, 2020. democracynow.org As Coronavirus Surges, States Blame Hasty Reopenings, and Trump Falsely Claims 99% of Cases "Harmless", COVID-19 Spikes Around the World Force Countries to Reimpose Lockdowns, Indigenous Land Defenders Arrested as They Blocked Highway to Mt. Rushmore Ahead of Trump Speech, Antiracist Activist Summer Taylor Killed by Driver Who Targeted Crowd of Protesters, Protesters Topple Columbus Statue in Baltimore, BLM Uprising Continues Over July 4 Weekend, 3 Colorado Officers Fired for Photo Reenacting Killing of Elijah McClain, Pressure Mounting to Change Racist Names of Washington and Cleveland Sports Teams, 160+ People…
(2020-07-06). "He Wasn't Invited": How Trump's Racist Mt. Rushmore Celebration Violated Indigenous Sovereignty. democracynow.org 
Amid ongoing protests against systemic racism and state violence, Trump attacked protesters, vowed to defend statues of colonizers and white supremacists, and ignored Indigenous sovereignty over the area, when he held an Independence Day rally at Mount Rushmore, sparking even more protests that led to 15 arrests. "The Black Hills, or what we know as He Sápa, is the cultural center of our universe as Lakota people," says Indigenous scholar and activist Nick Estes, a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and assistant professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico. "More than 50 different Indigenous…
(2020-07-06). Wuhan raises flood alert level as rains batter China. yenisafak.com The central Chinese city of Wuhan, epicentre of the new coronavirus pandemic, raised its flood alert level on Monday as torrential rain and thunderstorms battered swathes of the country, including the Yangtze river on which it sits.Wuhan upgraded its emergency flood response to Level II from Level III, the second highest on its four-tier scale, after days of heavy downpours submerged many of its roads.Authorities warned in March that Wuhan and other flood-prone cities on the Yangtze's middle reaches faced higher than usual levels of rainfall this year.Mayor Zhou Xianwang promised that crucial flood defence work w…
(2020-07-06). North Korea Says Does Not Intend to Hold Talks With US – State Media. sputniknews.com North Korea earlier rejected the possibility of restarting negotiations with the United States and accused Washington of embracing a "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang and disregarding agreements made at past summits.
(2020-07-06). Fears of Going 'Through Hell Again' as US Covid Infection Rate Hits Record High for 27th Straight Day. commondreams.org "With American lives on the line, the question now is whether members of the Republican Party will continue to stand by in silence as the President peddles fiction about a deadly virus." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mask.jpg …
(2020-07-06). 'Get a noose': Alleged attempted lynching investigated in Indiana (VIDEO). rt.com 
Officers with Indiana's Department of Natural Resources are investigating an alleged lynching attempt directed at a black man over the weekend, after multiple videos of the incident surfaced online. | Vauhxx Booker from Bloomington claims that on July 4 he was attacked by five white men while walking in a wooded area near Lake Monroe, simply because he's black and they were "looking to provoke a conflict." | "Get a noose," Booker alleges he heard one of them say after the men set upon him. | www.facebook.com/vauhxx/posts/10222147157086001 | At least three eyewitness videos have surfaced of the inciden…
(2020-07-05). House Democrats Restrict Trump's Planned Withdrawal of Troops. zcomm.org It should come as absolutely no surprise that House Democrats are finding common cause with Liz Cheney and other GOP warmongers to block any efforts to reduce even moderately the footprint of the U.S. military in the world or its decades-long posture of endless war…
(2020-07-05). Florida State students protest to take down statue of slave-owner. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On July 4, over 70 students protested in front of the Westcott administration building at Florida State University to demand the removal of the statue of Francis Eppes, a large Leon County slave-owner who had funded the Confederacy. The protest was called by Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), who also issued demands for the removal of Eppes from the criminology building and segregationist Doak Campbell from the stadium. | Students, holding signs reading, "No slave-owners on campus" and "Eppes must fall," marched to the new location of the Eppes statue. An American flag was drap…
(2020-07-05). Facebook: A real and present danger to democracy. thealtworld.com Guardian: In every political debate since Facebook began to dominate democracy, the company has placed itself on the wrong side of history. The social media firm cannot be
(2020-07-05). Trump Regime Wants Legitimate Iranian Fuel Shipments to Venezuela Seized. globalresearch.ca No nation in world history more strongly professes support for democratic values and the rule of law while more egregiously breaching its proclaimed principles than the US. | It's been this way throughout the country's history, fleeting moments alone when positive …
(2020-07-05). The Democrats' New Climate Plan: Improved But Weirdly Isolationist. zcomm.org Shaped by mass demand, Congressional Democrats' June 30th report on the climate crisis is a welcome improvement. But, in addition to its weak response to fossil fuel expansion, the report adopts an America First strategy to solve a global problem.
(2020-07-05). The Democrats' Disastrous, Militarist Climate Plan. popularresistance.org Don't believe for a minute that the Democrats climate plan even means what it says. Its solutions include disastrous scams like "biofuels" and nuclear energy. It proposes no fundamental change in lifestyle, no reduction in personal consumption, and no halt or reduction in eating meat (but renewable energy production on land used for livestock, so that the same land can mitigate the unacknowledged damage it is doing). It offers no proposed federal budget with any major moving of the money to where it's needed, and no plan to extract any resources from billionaires and corporate giants. | This plan has been critici…
(2020-07-05). White Supremacy And Segregation Under FDR's New Deal. popularresistance.org Key New Deal programs failed Black Americans. The WPA and CCC could have been part of a segregation-busting project, but instead segregation was bolstered, as Blacks were relegated to separate work camps across the country, bringing Jim Crow to the North. The best jobs went to whites and out of the 10,000 WPA supervisors hired in the south, only 11 were Black. | This was one of the many concessions FDR made to the racist southern Democrats in his coalition, which bled over to the war mobilization where whites and Blacks served in segregated units. The backwardness of the South was forced upon the rest of the coun…
(2020-07-05). Acting Lib Dem leader calls for Farage to be investigated over trip to the US and breach of quarantine rules. thecanary.co Acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called on police to investigate whether Nigel Farage has broken quarantine rules. The former cabinet minister has written to the chief constable of the Kent constabulary questioning whether the Brexit Party leader had contravened coronavirus (Covid-19) guidelines. | The move followed the reopening of pubs across England on 4 July and a tweet from Farage from a bar. Farage insisted he had been back from a trip to the US for two weeks and had tested negative for coronavirus. | Letter to chief constable: | Davey wrote to chief constable Alan Pughsley, stating: I wri…
(2020-07-05). Dem Sen & Biden's possible VP says she's open to removing George Washington statues, but backpedals after backlash. rt.com 
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) appeared to confirm conservatives"slippery slope' concerns about the tearing down of historical monuments, when she told CNN she is open to memorials to George Washington being removed. | Duckworth, who has been floated as a possible pick for Joe Biden's vice presidential nominee, took no umbrage with the idea of protesters targeting Washington statues when she was confronted with the idea in a Sunday interview with CNN. | "I think we should listen to everybody. I think we should listen to the argument there," she said, then quickly moving into the safer zone of criticizing P…
(2020-07-05). Tampa protesters march to get charges dropped, community control of the police. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On the evening of July 3, 50 members of the community marched through downtown Tampa to demand that local State Attorney Andrew Warren drop charges on protesters arrested during the Justice for George Floyd movement. Many protesters from events over the past several weeks in Tampa face charges like unlawful assembly and inciting a riot, both of which have been commonly used by police across the country to repress activists. The organizers of the march and protest, Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), previously had a similar event after which 67 protesters had their cases dismissed. They say…
(2020-07-05). Moore's Planet of the Humans: More Misanthropic than Malthus. dissidentvoice.org In reverential tones with ominous background music, director of Planet of the Humans Jeff Gibbs intones about "the most terrifying realization I ever had." Gibbs instructs us, "Every expert I talked to wanted to bring my attention to the same underlying problem." It is "not the elephant but the herd of elephants in the room," …
(2020-07-04). Zimbabwe nurses strike as economic crisis brings threat of second coup and military dictatorship. wsws.org Emmerson Mnangagwa's government is preparing to confront mounting opposition in the working class through dictatorial forms of rule and the abrogation of democratic rights—even as it is threatened by the possibility of a coup.
(2020-07-04). Danny Sjursen: Fourth Of July Musings. popularresistance.org Once again, this Fourth of July, Americans will celebrate — to the unwitting militarist racist tune that is the "Star Spangled Banner" — more than just the nation's Independence Day. Though most folks will, if at a reasonable social distance, focus more on the backyard beer and brats, U.S. jingoism and exceptionalism will invariably be on the menu. | That last sentiment, particularly amidst the COVID- and mass protest-exposing era of forever war at home and abroad, deserves a closer and critical look. For exceptionalism is truly a national disease that ravages American bodies and democratic institutio…
(2020-07-04). Egypt's opposition still seeking footing 7 years after coup. yenisafak.com The opposition in Egypt and abroad is in a forced absence due to the regime's extensive restrictions on opinion expression as well as extensive political arrests.The regime of the former President Hosni Mubarak suppressed freedom of expression that led to revolution in 2011 that called for equality, freedom and social justice.Mubarak, who ruled for three decades, was forced to step down by a popular uprising in early 2011.Mohamed Morsi won the first post-revolution presidential election in 2012, becoming the country's first democratically elected civilian president and fifth president of the republic. | Several t…
(2020-07-04). Cal Democrats Not Paying Unemployment Claims; Pro-War Feinstein. indybay.org From the home front, with the California Supermajority Democratic Legislature & Governor contracting out to process millions of unemployment claims, many unpaid for months, to California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein voting to continue the blood for oil illegal occupation and war in Afghanistan, the Democratic Party insists with every move it is the same as the Republican Party.
(2020-07-04). Beware of Anti-Trump Republicans Who Endorse Joe Biden. zcomm.org I am forced to wonder, however, what the real intent is behind this sudden solidarity after three long years of near-silence from the deeply compromised "Never Trump" crew…
(2020-07-04). [Comment] The Wakley—Wu Lien Teh Prize Essay 2020: Chinese health workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. thelancet.com "I feel deeply the burden of the honour placed upon me in being chairman of this Medical Conference, which is unique in our history, powerful in its representation, and which gives China a strong position amongst nations seeking the welfare of the people", wrote Wu Lien Teh in his first publication in The Lancet,1 on his inaugural address delivered at the International Plague Conference in Shenyang, China, in 1911. Wu was elected as the chair of the conference for his work in controlling the pneumonic plague epidemic outbreak in 1910—11 in northeastern China, which ultimately claimed about 60‚Ä&a…
(2020-07-04). National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression to join "We Can't Breathe" protest at RNC. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL -The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) will be joining the massive demonstration that is set for August 27 at the Republican National Convention (RNC), in Jacksonville, Florida. The "We Can't Breathe" protest, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC, will focus on stopping police crimes and advancing the demand for community control of the police. | Speaking about the need to march on the RNC, Frank Chapman, Executive Director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression states, "The Trump administration has been green-lighting police crimes…
(2020-07-04). [Articles] Ambulatory management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: an open-label, randomised controlled trial. thelancet.com Ambulatory management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax significantly reduced the duration of hospitalisation including re-admissions in the first 30 days, but at the expense of increased adverse events. This data suggests that primary spontaneous pneumothorax can be managed for outpatients, using ambulatory devices in those who require intervention.
(2020-07-04). We Must Understand the Sordid History of Voter Suppression to End Its Use. truthout.org Below is an exclusive excerpt of the upcoming graphic novel
(2020-07-03). Primaries show deepening political polarization in US. wsws.org While both the corporate-controlled parties, the Democrats and Republicans, are moving to the right, the bulk of the population is moving to the left.
(2020-07-03). The Democrat's Hawkish, Dead-End Foreign Policy Is Also Very Bad Politics. commondreams.org Among some of the most powerful Democrats in the House, Rep. Eliot Engel (NY-16) (far left) was just defeated in a primary; Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-5) (center), the House Majority Leader; and Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-28) (right), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, all have received massive support from the weapons industry and pro-war lobbyists. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gty-hoyer-engel-schiff-rc-170215_16x9_992_0.jpg …
(2020-07-03). The Corruption of the Democratic Party: Talking to Ted Rall about his new book. counterpunch.org 
Seven Stories Press just released Ted Rall's new book, "Political Suicide: The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party." Rall is a graphic novelist, a syndicated columnist and the author of many books of art and prose, including biographies of Edward Snowden, Bernie Sanders and Pope Francis. You've probably seen his political cartoons, which are often
(2020-07-03). Meat processing plants spread the coronavirus in North Carolina. wsws.org Both Democrats and Republicans are complicit in concealing the magnitude of the coronavirus crisis in and around North Carolina's rural meat and poultry packing facilities.
(2020-07-03). House Democrats Set to Give 850,000 Acres of Nevada Wildlife Refuge to Military. globalresearch.ca In a stunning development in the ongoing controversy over proposed military bombing range expansion in Nevada, the Democrat-led House Armed Services Committee today approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would give the U.S. Air Force jurisdiction …
(2020-07-03). Countries Ranked on "Democracy" in 2020. dissidentvoice.org 
NATO and its supporters and member-nations are hiding the fact that the predominant belief in many of these nations is that they're dictatorships that merely pontificate 'democracy' to other nations. NATO, which is America's propagandistically 'pro-democracy' military alliance against Russia and against China, polled the people in 53 countries — some of which are in …
(2020-07-03). Why are Certain Christians Democratic and Others Authoritarian? counterpunch.org 
Why are certain Christians democratic and other Christians authoritarian, yet both profess belief in the same Bible and God? Why do some Christians emphasize personal authenticity and others biblical authority? Why do certain Christians want to empower people, and other Christians want to gain power over people? Why do some Christians believe that the goal
(2020-07-03). Don't Let the Corruption of the Powerless Bring Down the Democrats. commondreams.org Former National security adviser John Bolton, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence before the start of a joint news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House June 7, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bolton_venezuela_0.jpg …
(2020-07-03). Copenhagen's Little Mermaid labelled 'racist fish'. yenisafak.com Denmark woke up on Friday to the words "racist fish" scrawled across the base of the "Little Mermaid", the bronze statue honouring Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale that perches on a rock in the sea off a pier in Copenhagen.Police said it had not yet identified the perpetrators. The 107-year-old sculpture, which is visited by one million tourists each year, has been vandalised before, including by anti-whaling campaigners and pro-democracy activists, twice suffering decapitation."We consider it vandalism and have started an investigation," a spokesman for the Copenhagen police said.Protesters of the Bla…
(2020-07-03). "America's Moment of Reckoning": Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor & Cornel West on Uprising Against Racism. democracynow.org 
Scholars Cornel West and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor respond to the global uprising against racism and police violence following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "We're seeing the convergence of a class rebellion with racism and racial terrorism at the center of it," said Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "And in many ways, we are in uncharted territory in the United States."
(2020-07-03). "What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech. democracynow.org 
In a Fourth of July holiday special, we hear the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn's acclaimed book, "Voices of a People's History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.
(2020-07-03). Angela Davis on Abolition, Calls to Defund Police, Toppled Racist Statues & Voting in 2020 Election. democracynow.org 
Amid a worldwide uprising against police brutality and racism, we discuss the historic moment with legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis. She also responds to the destruction and removal of racist monuments in cities across the United States, and the 2020 election.
(2020-07-03). PODCAST: Congress Wants Forever Wars. anti-empire.com 
On FPF #513, I discuss the efforts in Congress to prevent Trump from bringing US troops home. After 19 years, there is a chance the US could end our longest war and bring troops home. | However, members of Congress are working to pass provisions to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to prevent Trump from withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. | House Dems have teamed up with the most hawkish Republicans, like Liz Chaney, to accomplish this goal. This unholy alliance will surely get more American soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
(2020-07-03). Trump and Pence — Step Aside for Professional Pandemic Scientists and Managers. counterpunch.org Major changes in society can be accomplished by a fast-emerging, broad-based civic jolt so obvious and persuasive that it overwhelms the entrenched powers. The most urgent job is for people to organize to get Trump and Pence to step aside from their bungling, making-matters-worse mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic. The White House should let a
(2020-07-03). Saturday 7/4: 4th of July: "Defund Police, Defund Pentagon, Fund Community & Life!" indybay.org 1: 00 – SF City Hall | 1: 30 – 762 Fulton, Black Lives Matter street mural | 2: 00 – Divisadero & Broadway, Nancy Pelosi's House | 3: 00 – Bayview Hunters Point, 11 Innes Court, Lennar office…