(2021-05-25). The US and EU vs. Belarus: Pot, Kettle, Black. counterpunch.org On May 23, a fighter jet intercepted Ryanair Flight 4978 as it was about to exit Belarus's airspace en route from Athens, Greece to Vilnius, Lithuania. Citing a supposed bomb threat (apparently contrived by regime agents on board the plane), Belarus air traffic control ordered the Boeing 737 to turn around and land in Minsk.
(2021-05-25). Biden: End Your Co-Belligerent Backing of Israeli War Crimes. counterpunch.org As Senator, Vice President, and now President, your self-promoted/displayed empathy has a problem. You can't seem to connect the Israeli military powerhouse's occupation to the oppression and destruction of innocent Palestinian civilians, illegal seizure of Palestinian land/water, and daily violations of U.S. and international law. Israel's military is deliberately bombing these families, the offices of
(2021-05-25). Lessons from Vietnam: Elections that can't be bought. peoplesworld.org 
We Americans are used to the never-ending and increasingly costly cycle of U.S. electoral campaigns. Theoretically, elections are supposed to happen once every two to six years depending on the office and, one would think, campaigns for those elections would coincide with the election schedule. The reality is quite different. The 2020 election is barely …
(2021-05-25). Delegation observing Syrian elections reaches Damascus. workers.org 
Damascus, Syria May 23 — As the global conflict centered in their country enters the 11th year, Syrians are preparing for May 26 national elections. Thousands of citizens displaced by war and U.S.-imposed sanctions have already cast their ballots in Lebanon, Iran, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere round . . . |
(2021-05-25). Biden And Putin To Meet In Geneva In June. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | The summit of the presidents of Russia and the United States will take place in Geneva on June 16. This was announced on May 25 by the Kremlin an the White House press services."In accordance with the agreement reached, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will hold talks with President of the United States of America Joseph Biden on June 16 in Geneva," the statement says. | This wil…
(2021-05-25). More Than 500 of the Staffers Who Got Biden Elected Demand He Defend Palestinian Rights. thenation.com More Than 500 of the Staffers Who Got Biden Elected Demand He Defend Palestinian Rights…
(2021-05-25). The Fascism Construction Manual. indybay.org Immediately after the proclamation of this pandemic, many elements of absolute all-around totalitarianism were put into effect in most countries of the West, even in countries that had previously been robust democracies. All of this happened very quickly and comprehensively.
(2021-05-25). What is Joe Biden's Israel Policy, Exactly? indybay.org The Biden administration thought it could muddle through with the usual pro-Israel platitudes, but rising awareness of Israeli apartheid is making that impossible.
(2021-05-25). US Trying to Extradite Venezuelan Diplomat for the 'Crime' of Securing Food for the Hungry: The Case of Alex Saab v. The Empire. counterpunch.org The case of Alex Saab raises dangerous precedents in terms of extraterritorial judicial abuse, violation of diplomatic status, and even the use of torture to extract false confessions. This is according to Montréal-based international human rights lawyer John Philpot. He spoke on May 19 at a webinar sponsored by the Alliance for Global Justice and
(2021-05-25). Larry Summers Is Concerned About Inflation, Again. cepr.net Larry Summers has a column in the Washington Post warning about inflationary risks to the economy, due to what he considers an excessively large recovery package from the Biden administration. Summers notes the extraordinarily high rate of inflation in the first quarter and warns us that worse is ahead if corrective measures are not taken …
(2021-05-25). Proposed Proclamation for 2021 Africa Day – California State Capitol Celebration. indybay.org On May 25, 1963, the Organization of African Union was founded to promote the unity and solidarity of the African nation states to act as a collective voice for the people of the African continent. Today, the African Union continues that journey to secure Africa's long-term cultural, economic, and political future California, the fifth economic power on earth, has a profound role and responsibility towards expanding mutually beneficial trade and commerce.
(2021-05-25). Inner west residents to be given a say on de-amalgamation. greenleft.org.au Residents in the inner west of Sydney will finally have their say on de-amalgamation now that the Inner West Council has voted for a referendum to be held at the September 4 local government election. Pip Hinman reports.
(2021-05-25). Poor People's Campaign and House Progressives Call for a 'Third Reconstruction'. counterpunch.org Amidst partisan haggling over President Biden's infrastructure proposal, the Poor People's Campaign joined progressive House members on Capitol Hill on Thursday to lay out a comprehensive moral vision for the nation. "It's unforgiveable that 250,000 people die every year in this country from poverty and inequality," said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) during a press conference
(2021-05-24). George Floyd Week of Action Marks Anniversary of His Murder as Police Reform Bill Stalls in Congress. democracynow.org 
As the world marks the anniversary of George Floyd's murder, attorney Lee Merritt says there is still a long way to go in reforming "the deadliest police culture in the modern world." Merritt, who has represented the Floyd family and other victims of police brutality, says Republicans and Democrats should come together to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, set off a nationwide uprising and global movement calling for an end to racism and for the defense of Black lives.
(2021-05-24). Headlines for May 24, 2021. democracynow.org Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Holds as Gazans Face Grief and Destruction After Israeli Assault, India's Official COVID Death Toll Passes 300,000, Latin America Tops 1 Million Deaths, Average of Daily U.S. Coronavirus Infections Falls Below 30,000 for First Time Since June, Biden Administration to Extend Temporary Protected Status to 100,000 Haitians in U.S., Belarus Uses Fake Bomb Threat to Divert Plane and Arrest Journalist Critical of President, Deposed Burmese Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Appears in Court for First Time Since February 1 Coup, Bangladeshi Journalist Rozina Islam, Who Reported on Corruption, Granted Bail Af…
(2021-05-24). Amid Gaza Ceasefire, Israel Arrests Hundreds & Continues "Colonial Violence" in Occupied Palestine. democracynow.org 
The United Nations is appealing to the world to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza following the 11-day Israeli assault that killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and injured more than 1,700 people. The U.N. is estimating that at least 6,000 residents of Gaza were left homeless after their homes were bombed by Israel, which has maintained a blockade on Gaza for the past 14 years. Tensions also remain high in Jerusalem, where dozens of Jewish settlers backed by Israeli security forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Friday and Israeli authorities are continuing the campaign to forcibly e…
(2021-05-24). After Record Deportations, Biden Grants 100K Haitians Chance for Temporary Protected Status. democracynow.org 
The Biden administration is granting more than 100,000 Haitians in the United States the chance to gain temporary protected status, or TPS, which includes work permits and protection from deportation while Haiti suffers a political crisis. Haitian President Jovenel MoàØse continues to refuse calls to step down, even as human rights groups report he has sanctioned attacks against civilians in impoverished neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, with targeted assassinations and threats against government critics carried out with impunity. President Joe Biden deported more Haitians during his first two months than D…
(2021-05-24). "Brutal & Gratuitous": Family of Ronald Greene Demands Justice After Video Shows Deadly Traffic Stop. democracynow.org 
New bodycam footage is raising more questions about the deadly arrest of a Black man, Ronald Greene, in Louisiana during a 2019 traffic stop in the city of Monroe. Family members said police originally told them Greene died in a car accident, but the Associated Press obtained video of Louisiana state troopers electrocuting, beating and dragging Greene. Greene's family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit, and Greene's death is also being federally investigated. Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney representing the family of Ronald Greene, says the family had to fight for a year and a half before being allow…
(2021-05-24). Biden's Timid Gaza Intervention Won't Count for Much But US Reaction Against Israel has Changed Significantly. counterpunch.org During the Israeli bombardment of Beirut in August 1982, President Ronald Reagan phoned Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to express his "shock" and "outrage" at Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire on the Lebanese capital, demanding that they be stopped immediately. He said that Israeli actions were causing "needless destruction and bloodshed" and had halted US-led negotiations to bring about an end to the crisis.
(2021-05-24). Syrian Refugees and Residents Abroad Vote Massively in Presidential Elections. orinocotribune.com 
May 23 (Special for OrinocoTribune.com)—On Thursday, May 20, Syrian refugees and residents in different countries around the world voted in massive numbers at Syrian diplomatic missions that were turned into polling centers for the presidential elections. This was the first day of voting in a two-day process—within Syria, citizens will go to polls on May 26. | The generally peaceful electoral process was only marred by xenophobic attacks against Syrian voters in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed one voter, reported Syria News. | The first country to open the polling centers was Australia, where Syrians reg…
(2021-05-24). Organizing for Union Power slate wins San Francisco teachers union elections. liberationnews.org 
Public Statement On Victory of Organizing for Union Power (OUP) Slate Educators in the Organizing For Union Power (OUP) Slate express our deepest gratitude to the hundreds of members who made our victory possible in the recent UESF Executive Board elections. Over 1,400 educators voted in the largest turnout in recent UESF history. A full …
(2021-05-24). Canadian Media Launches Sinophobic Anti-China Campaign, Amid Years of Attacks on Chinese-Canadian Institutions. orinocotribune.com 
(2021-05-24). Liz Cheney, Dick Cheney and the Rule of Law. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | Written by Dr. Binoy Kampmark. | One could not accuse US Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming of having a sense of irony. For some time, she has felt her party to be the hostage of a ghoulish monster who refuses to be slayed. And she fears her party has fallen out of love for the rule of law. | In being ousted from the third spot in the leadership of the Republican Conference in the House, Cheney has found a new morality. In her
(2021-05-24). A Growing International Movement Is Calling for a "People's Vaccine" truthout.org 
On a sunny April morning in Philadelphia, Tifrah Akhtar was racing the clock to pick up a rushed-printed sign. Her sign read, in bold letters: "President Biden, Do What You Promised and #FREETHEVACCINE." | Less than 72 hours before, Akhtar had heard President Biden was coming to Philadelphia to speak at an Amtrak station. She'd seen an opportunity, and with help from her six organizer roommates and community organizations like Reclaim Philadelphia, Vietlead, and others, word spread. Approximately 70 peo…
(2021-05-24). Republicans Are Against Science, Elections, Democracy, Journalism — and You. truthout.org 
Watching the puddle of cowardice grow under Kevin McCarthy and congressional Republicans as they flee the very Capitol sack commission they demanded on January 7, one might think: Surely this is the worst, the bottom? Surely these are the telltale scorch marks in the far clearing of the woods, the remnants of some sinister art at work in the dead of night? | Nope, I realize time and again. It's just Republicans doing their eternal thing right out here for all to see. | This is Republicanism in my l…
(2021-05-24). U.S. trying to extradite Venezuelan Diplomat for the "crime" of securing food for the hungry: the case of Alex Saab v. The Empire. mronline.org 
The case of Alex Saab raises dangerous precedents in terms of extraterritorial judicial abuse, violation of diplomatic status, and even the use of torture to extract false confessions. | May 24, 2021…
(2021-05-24). So What Exactly is Biden's Israel Policy? counterpunch.org So just what is the Biden administration's policy towards Israel? Why did Biden take so long to respond to the violence as it spiraled out of control in Jerusalem and Gaza? Why do Biden's repeated "Israel has the right of self-defense" litanies so closely match the positions of his predecessor, despite the wide disparity between
(2021-05-24). Bernie Sanders says "tone down the rhetoric" on Israel's crimes. electronicintifada.net Senator fits mold of "white moderate" condemned by Martin Luther King Jr.
(2021-05-24). Let Lebanon be Lebanon: Paris should Stop Threatening Beirut with EU Sanctions. juancole.com John Hickman "Governing Lebanon is surely more daunting than governing France."[1] That pearl of wisdom in an essay defending consociational democracy by University of Pennsylvania political scientist Brendan O'Leary has never been more accurate. A delicate balance of domestic interests with institutional vetoes at the best of times, Lebanese politics has been stalemated for months …
(2021-05-24). People's Bailout Coalition Places New York Times Ad With Nearly 200 Progressive Groups Calling on Congress to Go Bigger and Bolder to Deliver Jobs and Justice. peoplesaction.org As Biden Proposes Reducing His Recovery Package, campaigns Urge Congress to Invest $10 Trillion Over Next Decade on Climate, Jobs, and Justice Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 240.206.1145 WASHINGTON, D.C.—The People's Bailout today placed an ad in The New York Times along with three other networks and nearly 200 organizations calling on Congress to go bigger …
(2021-05-24). Alex Saab v. The Empire: How the US Is Using Lawfare To Punish a Venezuelan Diplomat. mintpressnews.com That the US can engineer the arrest of a diplomat — someone who has immunity by international law even in the time of war — is a dangerous precedent.
(2021-05-24). International observers arrive in Syria ahead of elections. fightbacknews.org Damascus, Syria – On May 23, an international solidarity delegation arrived in Syria to observe elections set to take place on Wednesday, May 26, when voters will decide the next president of the Syrian Arab Republic. | Syria has been under attack since 2011 when a mix of reactionary militias and foreign mercenaries, some armed and funded by the U.S. and its regional allies, violently seized control of parts of the country with the aim of toppling the anti-imperialist government. Lacking internal unity or coherent popular legitimacy, by 2018 these groups were largely defeated by Syrian forces. Portions of the cou…
(2021-05-24). As Frustration Grows Over GOP Obstruction, Progressives Intensify Demands to Kill Filibuster. commondreams.org "This piece of legislation for an independent commission, that's a good starting place—a reminder why the filibuster needs to go," asserts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bush-filibuster-2600x1361_1.jpg …
(2021-05-24). 'Don't Abandon Climate, Care, Jobs, and Justice': Activists Decry Biden Concessions to GOP. commondreams.org "Biden needs to stand strong behind his campaign promises for climate change, jobs, and justice." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/whitehouse-rally-infrastructure-2600×1361.jpg …
(2021-05-24). 350.org on Biden Administration Doubling Funding to Address Climate Disasters. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-05-24). This week in history: May 24-30. wsws.org 25 years ago: Peres ousted in Israeli general electionOn May 29, 1996, the Likud Party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, won a narrow victory in the Israeli general election, ousting Labor's Shimon Peres. The election dealt a blow to illusions that the Jewish and Arab masses could achieve peace and social progress within the framework established by imperialism in the Middle East.
(2021-05-24). As National Guard troops withdraw from US Capitol, police reports detail ongoing threats of fascistic violence. wsws.org The warnings indicate that the threat of fascism has not lessened with the election and inauguration of Biden.
(2021-05-24). Economic Update: Rise and Fall of Labor and Capitalism. roarmag.org On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses Congress bills H.R.51 giving statehood to Washington, DC, and H.R.1 countering GOP efforts to restrict voting; and Biden's tax reforms to help pay for new and expanded government programs. | In the second half of the program, Wolff interviews Prof. Michael Hillard on the role of labor in the dramatic rise and fall of Maine's paper industry, a parable for the economic difficulties facing the US today. | You can support this show on
(2021-05-24). NPR Should Ask Where Nicaraguan Non-Profits' Money Comes From. counterpunch.org Imagine what would happen if the US media discovered that a candidate in the mid-term elections was under investigation by the FBI for receiving money from a foreign government. Then, suppose it was one that's hostile to the US, perhaps Syria or Iran, and that the same government was also covertly funding election coverage in,
(2021-05-24). A Biden Speech to Transform the Middle East. counterpunch.org President Biden has a problem. He wishes to escape from the Middle East quagmire and focus American foreign policy on the perceived China threat. However, in the wake of the recent Israeli-Palestinian carnage, there is no escape. He must do something. But what? Doing the same thing yet again while hoping for a different result