2021-05-04: News Headlines

Ben Norton (2021-05-04). How the US gov't cultivated environmental and Indigenous groups to defeat Ecuador's leftist Correísta movement. thegrayzone.com When socialist Rafael Correa became Ecuador's president, CIA cutouts poured money into environmental and Indigenous groups, while the US embassy cultivated opportunistic leaders to undermine his constituency. These forces helped secure victory for right-wing banker Guillermo Lasso in 2021. The people of Ecuador were hit by a surprise in the April 2021 presidential election: Hard-right banker Guillermo Lasso, one of the richest and most corrupt oligarchs in the country, who had unsuccessfully run in two previous races, scored a narrow …

Roger Harris (2021-05-04). Government Report Documents US Responsibility for Venezuela's Humanitarian Dilemma. counterpunch.org In January 2019 the US and its allies ceased to recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president after then National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó, who had never run for national office, "announced he was willing to serve as interim president." Guaidó's coup attempts are euphemistically described as "high-profile but ultimately unsuccessful efforts to encourage security forces to abandon Maduro."

Medea Benjamin (2021-05-04). Squad & Co: Unite as a Block to Downsize Biden's Military Budget. globalresearch.ca A month before the vote on the federal …

Ady Barkan (2021-05-04). This Is Biden's Chance to Vaccinate the World. thenation.com This Is Biden's Chance to Vaccinate the World…

John Buell (2021-05-04). Pfizer and Big Pharma need to waive Patents on Covid-19 Vaccine. zcomm.org Biden should suspend all drug and vaccine related patents…

Staff (2021-05-04). Headlines for May 4, 2021. democracynow.org In Reversal, Biden to Raise Cap on Refugees Admitted to U.S., U.S. Allows Four Refugee Families Separated Under Trump to Reunite, India's Official COVID-19 Caseload Tops 20 Million, Nepal's COVID-19 Crisis Becomes "Unmanageable" Amid Exponential Rise in Cases, Argentina Passes 3 Million Confirmed COVID-19 Cases as Brazil Delays Second Vaccine Doses, Biden Under Pressure as World Health Organization Presses for Waiver on Vaccine Patent Rights, U.S. States Roll Back Coronavirus Restrictions as New Cases Fall Below 50,000 Per Day, Andrew Brown Jr. Laid to Rest Amid Mounting Calls to Hold Officers Who Shot Him Accoun…

Richard Falk, David Krieger (2021-05-04). Biden's Foreign Policy and Nuclear Weapons: a Dialogue. counterpunch.org Ricard Falk: The humane and competently handled responses that the Biden presidency has pursued with respect to the COVID challenge, mitigating economic burdens on the poor, empathy for abuses of persons of color, and moves toward proposing a massive infrastructure program are uplifting changes in policy and leadership of the country, especially welcomed after enduring

WSWS (2021-05-04). Indian state elections deliver blow to Modi, amid COVID-19 catastrophe. wsws.org There is mounting popular anger against Modi and his far-right BJP government due to their ruinous mishandling of the pandemic, relentless attacks on social and democratic rights, and integration of India into the US war drive against China.

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-05-04). Democrats Bankrolled by Big Pharma Are Refusing to Back Covid Vaccine Patent Waiver. commondreams.org The top Democratic recipients of Big Pharma cash in Congress are echoing industry talking points in opposition to an effort to ramp up global vaccine production. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-122776573411.jpg

Roger D. Harris (2021-05-04). Between the Lines: Congressional Report Finds US Sanctions to Blame for Venezuela Crisis. mintpressnews.com If the U.S. government's propaganda is correct that the current crisis is due to Maduro's mismanagement and corruption, then illegal and inhumane sanctions would not be needed to dislodge the "regime."

Walter Smolarek (2021-05-04). En su primer discurso importante, Biden presenta su programa para la clase trabajadora. liberationnews.org El 28 de abril, en su primer discurso frente a una sesión conjunta del congreso, Joe Biden calculadamente decidió atender de manera directa las necesidades de la clase trabajadora. "20 millones de estadounidenses perdieron su trabajo durante la pandemia — estadounidenses de clase media y trabajadora. Al mismo tiempo, el patrimonio neto de los aproximadamente …

Staff (2021-05-04). "Exterminate All the Brutes": Filmmaker Raoul Peck Explores Colonialism & Origins of White Supremacy. democracynow.org A new four-part documentary series, "Exterminate All the Brutes," delves deeply into the legacy of European colonialism from the Americas to Africa. It has been described as an unflinching narrative of genocide and exploitation, beginning with the colonizing of Indigenous land that is now called the United States. The documentary series seeks to counter "the type of lies, the type of propaganda, the type of abuse, that we have been subject to all of these years," says director and Haitian-born filmmaker Raoul Peck. "We have the means to tell the real story, and that's exactly what I decided to do," Peck says. "Ev…

Geopolitical Monitor (2021-05-04). Canadian Foreign Policy Can't Simultaneously Support Territorial Integrity And Separatism — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Taras Kuzio* | North America ganged up on fellow NATO member Turkey in April. US President Joe Biden's decision to recognize the 1915 massacres of Armenians as a 'genocide' came only two weeks after Canada banned the sale of military technology to Turkey which it had used in drones it sold to Azerbaijan. The US decision was all the more difficult to comprehend because Biden had come to power promising to rebuild Trans-Atlantic relations and re-energize US leadership of NATO. | With US-Turkish relations set to be in the doldrums for the remainder of Biden's four-year presidency, his rush to recognize the gen…

David Cavendish (2021-05-04). Time for U.S. foreign policy to abandon Cold War strategies. peoplesworld.org Passing the 100-day mark of President Joe Biden's administration, one word we hear often is "bold." From the passage of the American Rescue Plan (to fight the coronavirus), to important changes proposed in the American Jobs Plan (on infrastructure), and his American Families Plan (expand paid family and medical leave, pre-school education, free community college, …

Fidel Castro (2021-05-04). Reflections of Fidel: The Chinese Victory. liberationnews.org May 4 marks the anniversary of a seminal moment in modern Chinese history. In 1919, the "May 4 movement" broke out — a youth-led uprising against the country's domination by foreign colonial powers. In the following piece written in 2008, Fidel Castro reflects on this and other milestones in China's long struggle for independence.

Staff (2021-05-04). The right attacks democracy because the right doesn't want democracy. therealnews.com From the insurrectionary attack on the Capitol to Republican plutocrats' plots to kill the push for expanded voting rights, the right wing's constant, brazen attacks on democracy are as dastardly as they appear. Will Democrats fight back?

Lee Dlugin (2021-05-04). Republicans' Jim Crow 2.0 voter suppression laws spark fight for democracy. peoplesworld.org The country is today faced with a fundamental crisis with the proliferation of voter suppression laws, nullification of votes cast, and the determination of the Republican Party and pro-fascist forces to prevent people—particularly African Americans, Latinx, youth, and seniors—from voting. The so-called excuse for this proliferation is the myth of voter fraud, the same false …

Staff (2021-05-04). Can democracy exist in the digital era? therealnews.com From protests and labor actions organized online to Big Tech imposing its will on governmental institutions, we explore the ways our digital reality has shaped our ability to live and act democratically.

Michael Otto (2021-05-04). Ecuador election: Analysts debate why neoliberal banker won. workers.org Ibarra, Ecuador April 30 — In the wake of the April 11 second round of the presidential election won by right-wing banker Guillermo Lasso, Ecuador has been torn by cleavages and violence from organized crime, whose roots are in the extreme poverty, rampant inequalities and elimination of the social welfare . . . |

Staff (2021-05-04). Facebook Will Announce Tomorrow Whether Trump and His Fascist Posts Can Return. truthout.org Have you enjoyed the quiet? I hope so, because it might be over. According to a

Staff (2021-05-04). Progressives in Congress Should Unite to Slash Biden's Military Budget. truthout.org Imagine this scenario: A month before the vote on the federal budget, progressives in Congress declare, "We've studied President Biden's proposed $753 billion military budget, an increase of $13 billion from Trump's already inflated budget, and we can't, in good conscience, support this." | Now that would be a show-stopper, particularly if they added, "So we have decided to stand united, arm in arm, as a block of 'no' votes on any federal budget resolution that fails to reduce military spending by 1…

Staff (2021-05-04). If Biden Wants to Truly End War on Terror, He Must Release Guantánamo Prisoners. truthout.org The Guantánamo conundrum never seems to end. | Twelve years ago, I had other expectations. I envisioned a writing project that I had no doubt would be part of my future: an account of Guantánamo's last 100 days. I expected to narrate in reverse, the episodes in a book I had just published,

Staff (2021-05-04). Conspiracy Theorist Hired by GOP to Lead Arizona Recount Cost Taxpayers $150,000. truthout.org Nearly six months after voting ended in the 2020 presidential election, Republicans are leading an effort in Arizona to throw undue doubt into President Joe Biden's win in the state — and they've hired conspiracy theorists to help lead the charge. | Republican legislators in the state, who

Anonymous007 (2021-05-04). The Values Of Democracy: Latvian Gay Man Dies After Being Burned Alive. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On April 28th, a 29-year-old Latvian medical assistant died of severe burns in the small, idyllic, historical city of Tukums, Latvia. | 29-year-old Normunds Kindzulis suffered burn wounds over 85 percent of his body after he was found engulfed in flames on his front doorstep. | He was allegedly set ablaze by his neighbors for being homosexual, in the bastion of democracy and human rights that stands against the evil "Russian Empire" alongside the other Baltic states — Latvia.

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-05-04). India: How the Communists Won Kerala Again. libya360.wordpress.com The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front made history by returning to power in the Indian State of Kerala. We take a look at the factors behind this momentous victory with an analysis by Subin Dennis, researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-05-04). How the Communists won Kerala again. peoplesdispatch.org The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front made history by returning to power in the Indian State of Kerala. We take a look at the factors behind this momentous victory with an analysis by Subin Dennis, researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research.

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-05). US Visits to Middle East Fuel Speculation Over Iran Deal. news.antiwar.com Although Biden officials are downplaying the progress made by indirect negotiations with Iran aimed at reviving the nuclear deal, a wave of diplomatic activity and US visits to the Middle East is Several US officials

sputniknews (2021-05-05). Top US Senate Democrat Concerned Deadly Protests in Colombia Risk Destabilizing Region. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Bob Menendez, in a statement expressed concern over the risk the recent deadly clashes between police and protesters in the Colombian city of Cali poses to regional stability.

sputniknews (2021-05-05). Wisconsin Army National Guard Member Charged Over Deadly Capitol Riot. sputniknews.com Earlier, three other US service members were charged for their participation in the deadly Capitol riot that unfolded in early January after a bevy of Trump supporters opted to unsuccessfully cease the congressional confirmation of the US election results.

Richard C. Gross (2021-05-04). An America Neglected Coming from Behind. counterpunch.org Joseph R. Biden Jr. shows himself to be the right president "we the people" need at the right time, trying to usher in a new dawn for America as he seeks to help a long-neglected middle and working class emerging from one of the country's darkest hours. Biden, in a contrast of behavior between him

WSWS (2021-05-04). Biden steers toward confrontation with North Korea. wsws.org The Biden administration's policy is a repackaging of the thuggish "carrot and stick" strategy of his four predecessors—as time has gone on, the sticks have become larger and the carrots far smaller.

sputniknews (2021-05-04). Media Retracts Giuliani Claims; Ukrainian Nazis March; Biden Declares Loyalty Day. sputniknews.com Several major outlets are retracting claims that Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was warned that he was the target of a Russian influence campaign.

Daniel Sherrell (2021-05-04). Biden Is Flirting With a Better Economic Paradigm. Young People Need Him to Commit. commondreams.org "The neoliberal cohort will no doubt call our dreams of stable work and a sustainable future 'idealistic,' demanding fealty to the status quo. Let them wring their hands as they fade out of relevance." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/thrive_0.jpg

Arab News (2021-05-04). Managing Saudi-US Relations After Crown Prince's Interview — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg* | It was a good move by the US to send a high-level delegation to Riyadh just a few days after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman commented on his country's relationship with the Biden administration. The US envoys met with officials on Monday and sought to clarify the administration's "recalibration" of its policy with the region. What is needed now is to translate these new understandings into concrete measures to lead the way during the coming years. Time is of the essence, as any delay would create a vacuum that could be exploited by adversaries or lead to misunde…

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-05-04). Waiving nuclear-related sanctions in JCPOA nothing new. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 04 (MNA) — Executive Director of US Arms Control Association, Daryl G. Kimball, believes that it is not something new at this point that the Biden administration is prepared to waive the nuclear-related sanctions identified in the JCPOA.

Jaime Chuchuca Serrano (2021-05-04). Los primeros 100 días de Biden. globalizacion.ca A un mes de ser posesionado, Biden, al igual que lo había hecho Trump, envió misiles a Siria. Pero a comparación de su antecesor y sus excentricidades, Biden dejó de ser el centro de atención mundial. El llamado "gobierno de…

sputniknews (2021-05-04). CIA Advertises "Intersectional" Agents, Biden Celebrates "Loyalty Day" sputniknews.com Biden proclaims May 1st "Loyalty Day"; Bukele dissolves Salvadoran judiciary; Congo sends unused vaccines to neighbors as the US, EU hoard doses…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-05-04). To 'Crush the Virus,' Majority of House Dems Urge Biden to Back Vaccine Patent Waiver. commondreams.org "We need to make public policy choices, both in the U.S. and at the WTO, that put lives first." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/vaccine_patent_biden_0.jpg

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-04). US Officials in Middle East to Tamp Down Concern Over Iran Deal. news.antiwar.com With the Biden administration engaged in talks that could revive the Iran nuclear deal, US allies in the Middle East that are against the agreement are concerned. Besides Israel, Arab allies like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are also opposed to a revival of the JCPOA. | To tamp down these concerns

Elisa Gratias, Bastian Barucker (2021-05-04). Corona Enlightenment Offensive and The primal need. indybay.org At the end of 2019, the online medium Rubikon founded its own book publishing company just in time before the start of the Corona Crisis, in order to offer its content to a broad public in a sustainable way offline and to promote a more democratic formation of opinion. Today, this decision enables the Rubikon to launch a Corona education offensive.

sputniknews (2021-05-04). Virginia GOP Candidate Sues to Find Origin of 'Gay Democrat' Mass Text Attacking Him. sputniknews.com A Republican candidate for state office in Virginia has launched a lawsuit to get to the bottom of a homophobic text message sent to Republican convention delegates last week. His chief rival has denied responsibility, but it seems likely the message came from inside one of the campaigns in a hotly contested GOP race.

Staff (2021-05-04). Iran's nuclear deal is crucial for peace in Yemen. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 04 (MNA) — The US Democrat Senator Chris Murphy has said during a visit to Jordan, that Iran nuclear deal with world powers is very important for peace in Yemen.

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-05-04). 68 Nobel Laureates Demand DOJ Probe Into Chevron's Prosecution of Steven Donziger. commondreams.org "A nation that wants to lead on climate issues can't let multinational oil corporations pervert the democratic process and silence its critics," said 1997 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jody Williams. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/steven_donziger2.jpg

Kalena Thomhave (2021-05-04). How a Surprisingly Anti-Capitalist Self-Help Book Could Help Deepen Our Democracy. progressive.org Pete Davis's "Dedicated" makes the case for how prioritizing community over corporations could benefit us all.

WSWS (2021-05-04). Florida legislatures pass draconian bill restricting voting rights. wsws.org Republicans in both the Florida House and Senate passed SB 90 last week, which places restrictions on drop boxes and the ability of residents to vote by mail.

sputniknews (2021-05-04). 'She's Got Real Problems': McCarthy Reportedly Trashes Cheney on Hot Mic Amid House GOP Infighting. sputniknews.com In the wake of the deadly January 6 Capitol riot, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) was one of ten Republican lawmakers within the US House of Representatives to vote in favor of impeaching former US President Donald Trump for inciting the insurrection. Now, House GOP members are seeking to boot her out of the top leadership job she holds in the chamber.

Laura Packard (2021-05-04). Medicaid Expansion Is a Better Deal Than Ever. But Republicans Still Won't Do It. thenation.com Medicaid Expansion Is a Better Deal Than Ever. But Republicans Still Won't Do It.

MISES (2021-05-04). How Trillions In Newly Printed Money Created A Labor Shortgage — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Ryan McMaken* | If you're tired of binge-watching Netflix, there are likely a few restaurants in your neighborhood who would love to hire you. A job might help relieve the boredom. | On the other hand, why work when one can just be one of the more than

Peoples Dispatch (2021-05-04). After postponing elections, Palestinian Authority moots national unity government. peoplesdispatch.org Amid mounting criticism of its decision to postpone elections scheduled for May 22, the Palestinian Authority is trying to talk to other factions to form a national unity government…

sputniknews (2021-05-04). Caitlyn for California: Jenner Releases First Election Campaign Video. sputniknews.com Caitlyn Jenner is following a long tradition of celebrities running for public office in California, following in the footsteps of actors Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gary Coleman.

The Canary (2021-05-04). Keir Starmer set to lose Hartlepool for Labour for first time since seat contested in 1974. thecanary.co Labour leader Keir Starmer has insisted the party is "fighting for every vote" in the Hartlepool by-election as an opinion poll showed the Tories opening up a double-digit lead in the constituency. | 17 points ahead: | Ahead of the vote on 6 May, the Survation poll for ITV's Good Morning Britain put the Conservatives on 50% — 17 points ahead of Labour in a seat it has held since it was created in 1974. Starmer, who has visited the constituency three times in the course of the by-election, said he hopes Labour will not lose another seat in the party's so-called "red wall". | He told BBC Radio 4's Tod…

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-04). Establishing a Space Guard Is a Top 'Concern' For National Guard Chief. news.antiwar.com It's been about a year and a half since the Trump administrations established the Space Force, and it's clear that the branch is here to stay. Other parts of the US military are also focusing on space, especially as competition with Russia and China is now the Pentagon's priority. | While there is no formal Space Force National Guard,

Byul Ryanim (2021-05-03). The Weekly Round-Up: #KillTheBill, FPN reviews, and rights under threat in India. ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: People aged 42 and over are now able to book their Covid-19 vaccines, joining the more than 33.8 million people in the UK who have received their first dose. The news comes as the Joint Committee on Human Rights called for a review of all fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for lockdown breaches …

John Buell (2021-05-03). Big Pharma Patents on Covid-19 Vaccines Must Be Waived to Save the World. commondreams.org "President Biden should suspend all drug and vaccine related patents," writes John Buell @CommonDreams, because "in the long term we must treat public health as a common good." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12314522701.jpg

Steve Sweeney (2021-05-03). Voters reward Communists for successfully managing pandemic in India's Kerala state. peoplesworld.org The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) hailed a "historic victory" as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) won in Kerala with an increased majority in Sunday's legislative assembly elections. The LDF, a coalition of left-wing parties including the CPI-M, the Communist Party of India, and the Indian National League, stormed to victory, leading in 98 seats …

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Delhi Hit by Water Scarcity Amid Pandemic That Has Already Made Oxygen Scant. sputniknews.com On 14 April, vice chairman of the Delhi Jal (water) Board, Raghav Chadha, "beseeched intervention" of the chief of Haryana state, which neighbours Delhi, to help meet the water requirements of 22 million people in the city. The capital is dependent on Haryana to ensure the supply of clean and adequate water to meet the needs of the people.

Staff (2021-05-03). May Day 1971: Daniel Ellsberg on Joining Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn at Historic Antiwar Direct Action. democracynow.org This week marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 May Day protests, when tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated against the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C., and brought much of the capital to a standstill through acts of civil disobedience. The mass demonstrations terrified the Nixon administration, and police would arrest over 12,000 people — the largest mass arrest in U.S. history. Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, who attended the May Day protests, says it was part of a wave of popular discontent about the war that mobilized millions. "There was a movement of young people who felt that…

Medea Benjamin (2021-05-03). The Squad & Co: Unite as a Block to Downsize Biden's Military Budget. mintpressnews.com Now is the time for progressive congressional luminaries such as the Squad's AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Presley to unite with Congressional Progressive Caucus to put their feet down and stand as a block against a bloated military budget.

Paul Driessen (2021-05-03). Materials Acquisition For Global Industrial Change (MAGIC) — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Biden relies on adherence to climate crisis creed and belief in MAGIC to transform USA, world : | Via executive orders, regulatory edicts and partisan Green New Deal legislation, President Biden intends to slash US carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 50% below their 2005 peak by 2030, and eliminate them (and fossil fuel use) by 2050. But as AOC's former chief of staff noted, the GND is not just about transforming America's energy system; it's about changing the entire economy. | This radical transformation is driven by three fundamental Articles of Faith, none of them based on reality.

Fight Back (2021-05-03). Tampa workers rally on International Workers Day. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Labor and community activists in Tampa rallied May 1 to join the world in celebrating International Workers Day. The rally was called by the Tampa District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, with speakers including Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Bay Community Action Committee and local union activists. | With dozens of people in attendance, the rally demanded housing and COVID assistance, more protections for all workers and an increase in funding to local social programs. The rally also demanded a stop to the proposed construction of a new Tampa Police Department (TPD) he…

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Hillary Clinton Gives Biden 'A' for Effort, Says He Is 'Less Constrained' Than Predecessors. sputniknews.com On Friday, Biden marked his first 100 days in office, in which he has already reversed several policies of the previous president. Biden is now facing a major crisis on the southern border and a COVID-19 related economic crisis.

Staff (2021-05-03). Headlines for May 3, 2021. democracynow.org India Breaks New COVID Records Amid Vaccine Shortages; U.S. Restricts Travel from India, Mourners Remember Slain 16-Year-Old Ma'Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio, Colorado Officers Resign After They Attack 73-Year-Old with Dementia, Laugh About Arrest, Biden Administration Releases Documents on Trump's 2017 Drone Order, 4 Families Separated at U.S Border Will Be Reunited, But Thousands Remain Ripped Apart, Traumatized, Biden Admin Cancels Construction of Trump U.S.-Mexico Border Wall, Migrant Boat Capsizes in San Diego, Killing at Least 4 People, North Korea Issues Warning to U.S. After Biden Says Nuclear Program Pre…

Staff (2021-05-03). As Global Pandemic Worsens, U.S. Keeps Blocking Vaccine Patent Waivers Amid Big Pharma Lobbying. democracynow.org Big Pharma has hired an army of lobbyists to pressure U.S. lawmakers to block an effort at the World Trade Organization to loosen intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccines, which would allow countries around the world to ramp up production, vaccinate more people and bring the pandemic to an end sooner. Dozens of countries from the Global South, led by India and South Africa, are demanding a temporary waiver on vaccine patents, but rich countries, including the U.S. under both the Trump and Biden administrations, have opposed the move. Lee Fang, investigative journalist at The Intercept, says there is a "gl…

Staff (2021-05-03). US Keeps Blocking Vaccine Patent Waivers Amid Big Pharma Lobbying. truthout.org Big Pharma has hired an army of lobbyists to pressure U.S. lawmakers to block an effort at the World Trade Organization to loosen intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccines, which would allow countries around the world to ramp up production, vaccinate more people and bring the pandemic to an end sooner. Dozens of countries from the Global South, led by India and South Africa, are demanding a temporary waiver on vaccine patents, but rich countries, including the U.S. under both the Trump and Biden adm…

Don Fitz (2021-05-03). What Would a Deep Green New Deal Look Like? counterpunch.org The Green New Deal has attracted perhaps the greatest attention of any proposal for decades. It would guarantee Medicare-for-All, Housing-for-All, student loan forgiveness and propose the largest economic growth in human history to address unemployment and climate change. But the last of these hits a stumbling block.

Staff (2021-05-03). Chicago Police Need "Overhaul" After Foot Chases Led to Alvarez & Toledo Killings Within 48 Hours. democracynow.org More than 100 people marched alongside the family of Anthony Alvarez in Chicago Saturday, calling for the police officer who shot and killed him to be charged. Newly released video reveals police killed 22-year-old Alvarez while he was running away during a foot chase. Police have not said why they initially confronted and then chased Alvarez, who was killed just two days after Chicago police shot dead another young Latinx male, 13-year-old Adam Toledo. This comes four years after the Department of Justice found foot pursuits by Chicago police were leading to too many deaths. Now Chicago's mayor and police superi…

Eric A. Gordon (2021-05-03). Race heats up in California's 54th Assembly District. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES—Six candidates are on the ballot for California's 54th Assembly District in a special primary election that has already begun and ends on May 18. Governor Gavin Newsom called this election to fill the seat, which was previously held by Sydney Kamlager, who was elected to the 30th Senate District on March 2, 2021. …

Mark Gruenberg (2021-05-03). Postal Workers fight DeJoy plan to close processing centers and eliminate jobs. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (PAI)—The 10-year U.S. Postal Service "reform" plan unveiled by Trump-imposed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy includes "the good, the bad, and the ugly" among its elements American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein says. And right now, he adds, DeJoy is pushing the bad ahead of the good, as the PMG delivered a notice to …

Staff (2021-05-03). 125 Democrats Say Military Aid to Israel Shouldn't Depend on Human Rights Record. truthout.org In an apparent response to growing calls for making U.S. aid to the Netanyahu government conditional on Israeli adherence to human rights law, 330 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed The letter — which was signed by virtually all…

Staff (2021-05-03). Sanders Accuses McConnell of Hypocrisy & Corruption in Scathing Kentucky Speech. truthout.org In a rally for the progressive movement in Kentucky on Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) criticized Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) for "working overtime" for corporations and the wealthy, while working to "undermine" the lower and middle classes. | "I'm here today because Mitch McConnell is working overtime to represent the needs of the wealthy and the powerful and to undermine the needs of working families,"

Staff (2021-05-03). Sanders Accuses McConnell of Hypocrisy & Corruption in Scathing Kentucky Speech. truthout.org In a rally for the progressive movement in Kentucky on Sunday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) for "working overtime" for corporations and the wealthy, while working to "undermine" the lower and middle classes. | "I'm here today because Mitch McConnell is working overtime to represent the needs of the wealthy and the powerful and to undermine the needs of working families,"

_____ (2021-05-03). Washington's Green Branches in Europe. strategic-culture.org The German Green Party has a chance to join a ruling coalition in September's election, after turning its back on its roots, to root for Washington. | By Diana JOHNSTONE | The core of the American empire is its domination of Europe, directly through NATO and indirectly through a web of treaties, institutions and elite organizations which develop policy consensus and select upcoming leaders in European countries. Pervasive American influence has caused drastically deteriorating relation between Western European countries and Russia. | Russia is a great nation with an important place in European history and culture…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-05-03). Abbas Can't Make Opposition Disappear By Canceling Elections — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Friday's decision by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to "postpone" the upcoming elections, which would have been the first in 15 years, will deepen Palestinian division and could signal the collapse of the Fatah movement, at least in its current form. | Unlike the last Palestinian parliamentary elections of 2006, the big story this time was not the Fatah-Hamas rivalry. Many rounds of talks between representatives of Palestine's two largest political parties had already sorted out many of the details regarding the now-delayed elections, which were scheduled to begin on May 22. | Both Fatah an…

Chris Hedges (2021-05-03). Chris Hedges: Don't Be Fooled By Joe Biden. mintpressnews.com Princeton, New Jersey (

Moderator (2021-05-03). Chris Hedges: Don't Be Fooled By Joe Biden. scheerpost.com By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPost Don't be fooled by Joe Biden. He knows his infrastructure and education bills have as much chance at becoming law as the $15-dollar minimum wage or the $2,000 stimulus checks he promised us as a candidate. He knows his American Jobs Plan will never create "millions of good paying jobs — jobs Americans can raise their families on" any more than NAFTA… |

Moderator (2021-05-03). Hedges: Don't Be Fooled By Joe Biden. scheerpost.com By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPost Don't be fooled by Joe Biden. He knows his infrastructure and education bills have as much chance at becoming law as the $15-dollar minimum wage or the $2,000 stimulus checks he promised us as a candidate. He knows his American Jobs Plan will never create "millions of good paying jobs — jobs Americans can raise their families on" any more than NAFTA… |

sputniknews (2021-05-03). 'Little, But Somewhat Historic': Parties Team Up With Sweden Democrats on Joint Migration Proposal. sputniknews.com The joint proposal, the first one to include the long-time political outcasts Sweden Democrats alongside members of the centre-right alliance, envisages a tightening of language requirements, limits relatives' immigration, and makes it more difficult to obtain a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.

Medea Benjamin, Marcy Winograd (2021-05-03). The Squad and Their Allies Should Unite to Block Biden's Massive Military Budget. commondreams.org "Now is the time for progressive congressional luminaries … to put their feet down and stand as a block against a bloated military budget." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/aoc_squad_pentagon_funding.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-05-03). National Lawyers Guild Urges Biden to Align US Israel-Palestine Policy With International Law. commondreams.org The National Lawyers Guild is calling on the Biden administration to reverse Trump-era pro-Israel policies that violate Palestinians' human rights and international law. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/idf.jpg

sputniknews (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.

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-03). Report: US and Taliban in Talks Over Full Withdrawal By July. news.antiwar.com Sources told Because Biden broke the US-Taliban peace deal by pushing back the original May 1st withdrawal deadline, the Taliban has said it will not attend an upcoming Afghanistan peace summit in Istanbul. Tolo's sources said if the US agrees to pull out by early July, the Taliban will attend the Istanbul conference. | "The U…

Tafeni English, Brad Bennett (2021-05-03). Waiting to Exhale: Despite one good verdict in the murder of George Floyd, the Black community still 'can't breathe' as police killings continue. splcenter.org &nbsp…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (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

Dean Baker (2021-05-03). More Projection from the Right: CEPR Is Not Well-Funded. cepr.net I was happy to see the New York Post take note of the work of the Revolving Door Project (RDP) at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. RDP has been very aggressive in vetting potential appointees in the Biden administration. It tries to prevent people with clear conflicts of interest from getting top-level jobs. …

Dean Baker (2021-05-03). Financial Transactions Taxes: The Perfect Way to Pay for Biden's Infrastructure Package. cepr.net (This post first appeared on my Patreon page.) There has been a lot of silliness around President Biden's proposed infrastructure packages and the extent to which they are affordable for the country. First and foremost, there has been tremendous confusion about the size of the package. This is because the media have engaged in a …

Sharon Zhang (2021-05-03). Progressives Introduce Climate Bill That Rivals Biden Infrastructure Plan. zcomm.org Progressives introduced a $10 trillion climate and jobs bill that would reduce emissions, rebuild infrastructure and address environmental justice over the next decade…

Robert R. Raymond (2021-05-03). Gig Workers Are Organizing an Intersectional Movement. zcomm.org With surprisingly progressive policy proposals like the PRO Act winning the support of the Biden administration, we may be witnessing the beginning of a shift in how gig workers are treated…

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Blinken and Raab: US and UK Seek Predictability in Relations With Russia, Want Moscow to 'Behave'. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden will convey to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their upcoming meeting that the United States is not seeking to escalate the situation an seeks more stable and predictable relations with Russia, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Monday.

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Blinken Says Biden Administration to Focus on Guantanamo in 'Months Ahead'. sputniknews.com Earlier, the Biden administration announced its plans to review the policy on the future of the notorious prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and said that it plans to shutter the detention center by the end of its tenure.

sputniknews (2021-05-03). Biden Wishes Blessed Easter to Orthodox Christians. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden has extended his wishes to Orthodox Christians who observed Easter on Sunday.

VOA (2021-05-03). Trump Labels 2020 Election Defeat A 'Big Lie'. eurasiareview.com By Ken Bredemeier | Former U.S. President Donald Trump lost his reelection contest to Democrat Joe Biden six months ago Monday, but he is still claiming he was cheated out of another term in the White House, leaving some Republican officials at odds with one another and Trump over the legitimacy of Biden's victory. | "The Fraudulent Presidential Election of 2020 will be, from this day forth, known as THE BIG LIE!" Trump said in a new statement. | The former president's commentary from his Atlantic Ocean mansion in Florida appropriated the "big lie" sentiment his political opponents have used to describe his cl…

Staff (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.

Staff (2021-05-03). US not close to returning to JCPOA: Biden to Mossad chief. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) — US President Biden told the director of Israeli regime's intelligence service, Yossi Cohen, on Friday that the US has a long way to go in talks with Iran before it agrees a return to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

K. Lloyd Billingsley (2021-05-03). Biden Finally Acknowledges Armenian Genocide: Ignores Communist Mass Murder In China And Cambodia — OpEd. eurasiareview.com "Each year on this day," reads an Each year Joe Biden was vice president and senator, his statements on the Armenian genocide were hard to find…

Susan Price (2021-05-03). United States: Biden's 'bullshit' climate promises. greenleft.org.au United States President Joe Biden has no proposals for the fossil fuel industries to cut their carbon emissions or a firm timetable for a switch to renewables, writes Barry Sheppard.

Dave DeCamp (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 …

Jason Ditz (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…

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-03). Biden Says US Will 'Disrupt Any Threat' From Afghanistan After Withdrawal. news.antiwar.com President Biden As we bring to an end America's longest war and draw down the last of our troops from Afghanistan, al Qaeda is greatly degraded there," Biden said. "But the United States will remain vigilant…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-05-03). After Prosecutions Dove to 25-Year Low Under Trump, Will Biden DOJ Crack Down on Corporate Crimes? commondreams.org "President Biden's DOJ should ramp up enforcement to show that corporate criminals are not above the law." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_doj_0.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-05-03). Biden Raises Refugee Cap to 62,500—While Admitting US Will Fall Short. commondreams.org President Joe Biden on Monday announced the U.S. would raise the annual refugee cap from 15,000 to 62,500—while admitting it will fall short of the ceiling this year. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/asylum_0.jpg

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