Daily Archives: May 8, 2021

2021-05-08: News Headlines

_____ (2021-05-08). How Biden Funded Colombia's Deadly Police Regime. popularresistance.org In the last week, Colombia has exploded in nationwide protests and work stoppages against the government of President Ivan Duque. With over 19 people killed by state forces in the last week, and with image after image of brutal police repression going viral across the world, the protests have sparked international outrage and concerns about human rights abuses. Joining this chorus of voices is a growing number of organizations and politicians urging Joe Biden's government to take direct action to curb police violence in Colombia and stop its continued funding of the country's brutal riot cops, commonly referred t…

Owen Schalk (2021-05-08). Gustavo Petro Represents a Progressive Alternative in Colombia. dissidentvoice.org Gustavo Petro is a force to be reckoned with in Colombian politics. The senator — once a member of the M-19 guerilla group, later elected to the House of Representations in the 1990s and then the mayorship of Bogotá (2012-2016) — has become the candidate to beat in next year's presidential election. He is such …

WSWS (2021-05-08). Weak US jobs reports sparks calls for elimination of pandemic aid. wsws.org The Labor Department reported just 266,000 new jobs in April, far below predictions of 1 million or more, evoking loud calls from Republicans for an end to pandemic relief measures.

Sameena Rahman (2021-05-08). Why did the Biden administration reverse course on COVID vaccine patent waivers? liberationnews.org The Biden administration announced May 5 its support for waiving intellectual property (IP) rights for Coronavirus vaccines as the pandemic ravages countries around the world. This is a reversal of the administration's earlier position, as well as the stance that the U.S. government adopted under Trump. Western countries with high vaccination rates like the United …

WSWS (2021-05-08). New York tri-state area to lift most COVID-19 restrictions May 19. wsws.org There is little distinguishing the Democratic governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from their Republican counterparts like Florida's Ron DeSantis.

Jeff Abbott (2021-05-08). The Other Americans: U.S. Policies Put Migrants at Risk. progressive.org Biden's militarized response to migrants seeking refuge in the United States is putting their lives in danger.

Fra Hughes (2021-05-08). Bobby Sands and the 1981 Hunger Strike — 40th Anniversary. orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes, Belfast — May 6, 2021 | "They will not criminalise us, rob us of our true identity, steal our individualism, depoliticise us, churn us out as systemised, institutionalised, decent law-abiding robots. Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal." | Bobby Sands | The 1980 Hunger strike led by Brendan Hughes comprised of seven Republican male prisoners at Her Majesty's Cellular Prison The Maze, also known as Long Kesh Prison Camp, and three female Republican prisoners at Armagh Women's Prison ended on December 1980 after 53 days. | An agreement was reached between the protesting pri…

Zack Linly (2021-05-08). Mitch McConnell's Own Alma Mater Knows He Doesn't Know WTF He's Talking About When it Comes to The 1619 Project. theroot.com By now, you must be aware of what I call the Republican war on blackness in education. GOPropagandists with GOPoor critical thinking skills have been GO

The Canary (2021-05-08). Welsh Labour vows to be 'radical and ambitious' following surprising result. thecanary.co Mark Drakeford has vowed to be "radical" and "ambitious" in government as his party looks set to remain in power in Wales. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has been accused of having no "vision". | Welsh Labour: | Labour has equalled its best ever Senedd election result by winning 30 seats — just one short of a majority — though it is not expected to take any of the remaining four regional seats left to be declared on 8 May. | If it does not pick up any of the remaining seats, Drakeford can choose to form a minority government. Or, he may also invite members of other parties into a Labour-led administr…

WSWS (2021-05-08). Tory victory in Hartlepool by-election signals death throes of UK Labour Party. wsws.org The results confirm the Socialist Equality Party's analysis of the protracted death of the Labour Party, of Brexit, and the significance of the collapse of Corbynism.

_____ (2021-05-08). Scheer Intelligence: The Ruling Class' Revenge Against Julian Assange. popularresistance.org The mistreatment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over the past decade has been defined as "psychological torture" by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer. Yet, there is still no real end in sight to Assange's promethean plight. Several months after a British judge blocked his extradition to the U.S.—citing that conditions in America's inhumane prison system would be detrimental to his health—the WikiLeaks founder continues to be held in a maximum security prison in the U.K. The U.S. government, first under Donald Trump's rule and now under Joe Biden's, is appealing the extradition rul…

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Is Pelosi Ready to Raise the White Flag? Why Dems are Likely to Surrender the House to GOP in 2023. sputniknews.com The Republican Party is set to get up to eight seats in the House of Representatives due to decennial redistricting. This would potentially be enough to tip the balance in the GOP's favour, given that it currently needs to pick up just five seats to win back the lower chamber.

Chris Walker (2021-05-08). Biden Admin Supports Ending Vaccine Patents. zcomm.org AOC Says "Let's Do Insulin Next."

East Asia Forum (2021-05-08). Why China Will Not Rebuild Syria — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Samy Akil* | A The European Union, the United States and other Western powers have ruled out investing in Syria while the Assad regime remains in power. The Biden admi…

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Hunter Biden's Secretary Reportedly Sent Him Flirty Emails. sputniknews.com The assistant also reportedly sent Hunter Biden research on Donald Trump to help Joe Biden's 2020 election bid during the campaign.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Blast Near School in Kabul Reportedly Leaves At Least 40 Dead, Dozens Injured. sputniknews.com This comes after US and NATO ground forces started withdrawing from Afghanistan on 1 May in accordance with an announcement made by President Biden last month.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). New York City Restaurants See Drop in Employment Rates After Unemployment Benefits Increase. sputniknews.com When US President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act in March, it offered a $1,400 stimulus check to Americans who earn less than $75,000 a year. The package also granted an extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits through September 6.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Biden Administration Resumes White House Visitor Log Releases Stopped During Trump Term. sputniknews.com US President Joe Biden's team stressed earlier that all official White House visitor logs would be published, in contrast with the previous administration of Donald Trump, which opted not to do so. It is believed that information in the logs is incomplete, as there are ways to correct or avoid recording.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). US Africa Command Top General Says China Wants Naval Base in Region. sputniknews.com The US' relationship with China did not get any better when the Biden administration took office, with officials from the two countries openly bickering before the media at a meeting in Alaska hosted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this year.

KQED (2021-05-08). Tuesday 5/11: Where Do Latinx Policies Stand After 100 Days of Biden-Harris? indybay.org Virtual…

Paul Goble (2021-05-08). EU-Russian Trans-Border Cooperation Continues But Increasingly Reflects Civilizational Divide — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Many cooperation programs between the European Union and Russia have been discontinued. Trans-border cooperation, however, continues, although largely by inertia and increasingly reflecting the civilizational divide between the EU with its participatory democracy and Russia with its "unworthy government," Gleb Yarovoy says. | Yarovoy, a former instructor at Petrozavodsk State University and now a researcher at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu, is the author of Regionalism and Trans-Border Cooperation in Europe (in Russian, St. Petersburg, 2007). He assesses the current situation in an essay for the…

Observer Research Foundation (2021-05-08). US Backs Plan To Waive Vaccine Patents, Ball In EU Court — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Seema Sirohi | After months of indecision, the United States has finally It's a significant move in all its manifestations. Credit must go to strong and persistent advocacy by Democratic Party progressives and advocates of patient rights and to Indian and South African diplomats for…

Edward Corcoran* (2021-05-08). Re-Engaging Russia — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Russian realignment offers the biggest opportunity to dramatically transform the international situation in the immediate future. A cooperative relationship between Russia and the Industrialized World could be a highly visible example of democratic development, strongly undercutting Chinese promotion of autocracy and minimizing cyber intrusions. It would also significantly reduce requirements for military forces, including a potential for major reductions in nuclear weapons. Diplomatically, collaboration with Russia could help resolve confrontations in Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ukraine, Belarus, Syria and Myanma…

Staff (2021-05-08). Mexico Issues Diplomatic Note in Complaint Against US Financing of Opposition NGOs. orinocotribune.com The Mexican government issued a complaint to the United States in regard to US financing of the Mexican NGOs Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) and Article 19. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, president of Mexico, called these NGOs "opponents and coup plotters." | President Obrador confirmed this Friday, May 7, in his daily morning 7am press conference, just a few hours before his virtual meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent the diplomatic note on Thursday through the United States Embassy in Mexico. | Obrador de…

sputniknews (2021-05-08). 'Warmongering Fool' vs 'Cheeto Jesus': What's Behind Republicans' Push to Purge Liz Cheney? sputniknews.com Liz Cheney, the Wyoming congresswoman and daughter of once powerful GOP grandee and Iraq War architect Dick Cheney, is again facing expulsion from the leadership of her own party over her stance on Donald Trump — a representative of the more assertively anti-globalist, less aggressively interventionist wing of the Republican Party.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Liz Cheney Reportedly 'Generated' WaPo Op-Ed From Def Secs as She 'Worried What Trump Might Do'. sputniknews.com House Republican Conference chair Liz Cheney found herself in the crosshairs of her fellow GOP members recently for refusing to support claims that the former US president, Donald Trump, won the 2020 election. Next week, House Republicans are expected to vote on her possible ouster.

WSWS (2021-05-08). The far-right election victory in Madrid: A warning to the working class. wsws.org Eighty-five years since a fascist coup began the Spanish Civil War in 1936, defenders of that coup are now taking office in the Madrid regional government.

teleSUR (2021-05-08). Historical Pro-Independence Vote in Scotland's Election. telesurenglish.net Results released Saturday confirm that Scottish pro-independence forces won this week the highest majority ever in Scotland's Parliament, thus paving the way for another referendum on recovering its sovereignty after over 300 years of English dominance. | RELATED: | The ruling Scottish National Party secured 63 of the 73 constituency seats contested, while its allies of the Green Party won five, allowing for an outright majority for independence-or…

Staff (2021-05-08). Iran 2021 Presidential Election's candidate holds presser. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA) — Saeed Mohammad, a presidential hopeful in Iran 2021 Presidential Election held a press conference at the venue of Young Journalists' Club (YJC) on Saturday to respond a series of relevant questions to correspondents.

Staff (2021-05-08). Presidential election candidates registration to begin May 11. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA) — Deputy Secretary of Iran's Guardian Council Siamak Rah Peik said that the registration of volunteers to contest Iran's 13th presidential election will begin on May 11, 2021.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Scottish Pro-Independence Parties Win Majority in Parliamentary Elections. sputniknews.com Earlier in the day, the Scottish National Party said it was heading for its fourth consecutive victory in the region's legislative elections with 61 seats in the 129-strong parliament.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). Pro-Independence SNP Party Heading for Win in Scottish Parliament Elections. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Scottish National Party is heading for its fourth consecutive victory in the region's legislative elections with 61 seats in the 129-strong parliament, though the counting is still ongoing.

sputniknews (2021-05-08). BoJo Rejects Idea of Indyref2 as 'Irresponsible and Reckless', Warns Against 'Ripping Country Apart'. sputniknews.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said he will not grant a second referendum on Scotland's independence. However, ahead of the elections to the devolved parliament in Edinburgh, the Scottish National Party and its leader Nicola Sturgeon have vowed to demand another indyref2 if they secure a majority of seats.

Sangeeta Gopal Saxena, Thomas Godfrey (2021-05-08). [Correspondence] Catalysing needed change for health systems in the USA. thelancet.com Powerful voices calling for change to address the health-care crisis in the USA are gaining momentum.1—3 These voices are in response to the Lancet Commission on public policy and health in the Trump era: a deep analysis of the causes of long-standing systemic failure of health-care delivery in the country. The proposed change is crucial but daunting, and can be catalysed by deepening the collaboration between clinical medicine and public health. Both efforts share the common goal of maintaining good health; yet they operate on parallel tracks in the USA.

Carlos Arellán (2021-05-07). 'Super Mustache' Strikes Back: Right Wing Could Not Resist Temptation to Blame Venezuela for Colombia's Uprising (+ 'Dissipated Molecular Revolution'). orinocotribune.com Although Colombia is ablaze with massive protests everywhere and brutal police repression, its politicians and media could not resist the temptation to blame Venezuela for the social unrest. Of course, this also made it much easier to avoid addressing Colombia's system—the disastrous management of the COVID-19 pandemic, horrific police brutality, and neoliberalism—as the cause of the uprising. | On social media networks, the defenders of Colombia's "imperfect democracy" justified the repression as the way to prevent their country from "ending up like Venezuela." | A week into the strike and demonstrat…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2021-05-07). Ocasio-Cortez Expresses Solidarity With Colombia's Working Class Facing Off Against Right-Wing Government. commondreams.org "All people should have a fundamental right to demonstrate against their elected leaders," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a statement of solidarity with working class Colombian protesters. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_colombia.jpg

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2021-05-07). Venezuela's Popular Democracy Under Siege: A Conversation with Elías Jaua. libya360.wordpress.com Cira Pascual Marquina Politician and intellectual Elías Jaua served under Chávez as agriculture minister and vice president. Under Nicolás Maduro's presidency, he has been minister of foreign affairs, of communes, and of education. Now Jaua belongs to the PSUV direction, and he frequently writes about Venezuela, defending the country from imperialist attacks and speaking up…

Editor2 (2021-05-07). National Lawyers Guild Urges Biden to Align US Israel-Palestine Policy with International Law. orinocotribune.com "The United States cannot turn its back on the atrocities, including war crimes, enabled by U.S. policies, particularly its decadeslong policy of shielding Israel from accountability." | Less than a week after Human Rights Watch

Ramzy Baroud (2021-05-07). Palestine's Moment of Reckoning: On Abbas' Dangerous Decision to 'Postpone' Elections. counterpunch.org The decision on April 30 by Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, to 'postpone' Palestinian elections, which would have been the first in 15 years, will deepen Palestinian division and could, potentially, signal the collapse of the Fatah Movement, at least in its current form. Unlike the last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, the big story,

Dean Baker (2021-05-07). Biden's Big Steps On TRIPS: Getting The World Vaccinated — Analysis. eurasiareview.com President Biden made a huge step yesterday when his trade representative, Katherine Tai, announced that the United States would be supporting a resolution at the World Trade Organization (WTO), to suspend intellectual property rules on vaccines for the duration of the pandemic. This resolution had been introduced by India and South Africa back in October. | The United States had previously been leading wealthy countries in opposition to the resolution. With Biden now reversing the position of the Trump administration, the resolution is likely to be approved. | However, the approval is not necessarily a foregon…

Michael Hiltzik (2021-05-07). Biden's Plan to Waive Vaccine Patents Is Good News, but Not Enough to Beat the Pandemic Within a Privatized Pharmaceutical System. commondreams.org "The best thing that may come out of the patent waiver debate could be a fresh look at how pharmaceutical research and development is funded, and how its benefits should be distributed." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/rich-nations-snatching-up-covid-vaccines_0.png

Dean Baker (2021-05-07). Biden's Big Steps on TRIPS: Getting the World Vaccinated. counterpunch.org President Biden made a huge step yesterday when his trade representative, Katherine Tai, announced that the United States would be supporting a resolution at the World Trade Organization (WTO), to suspend intellectual property rules on vaccines for the duration of the pandemic. This resolution had been introduced by India and South Africa back in October.

Jayati Ghosh (2021-05-07). Crucial Next Steps for a Successful People's Vaccine. commondreams.org "The Biden administration's decision to stop opposing a proposed Covid-19 waiver of certain intellectual-property rights under World Trade Organization rules is a welcome move. But ending the pandemic also requires scaling up knowledge and technology transfer, as well as public production of vaccine supplies." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/india_2.jpg

_____ (2021-05-07). Activist Confronts Defense Industry CEO For Company's Role In War Crimes. popularresistance.org An anti-war activist confronted General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic on Wednesday during the company's shareholders' meeting, accusing the defense industry giant of profiting off war crimes and arming repressive, undemocratic regimes without "moral reflection." | "I appreciate the care you've taken to keep us safe during COVID," CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin told General Dynamics' board, which included Novakovic and former Defense Secretary James Mattis. "But," she added, "I wonder about the care that this company takes to keep people safe from the bombs and the other weapons that you produce that kill innoc…

_____ (2021-05-07). A Temporary TRIPS Waiver Is Not Enough. popularresistance.org A new poll finds that 59% percent of US voters support waiving all patent protections to produce generic versions of life-saving medicines for critical diseases, from Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS, to heart disease and diabetes. Only 28% disagreed. | The survey carried out by Data for Progress and the Progressive International, shows a super majority of 71% registered Democrats support the removal of all patent barriers to allow for the cheaper production of life-saving medicines. Even registered Republicans support the action with 47% in favor compared to 39% opposed.

Stephen A. Crockett Jr. (2021-05-07). How the Coronavirus Has Impacted Vice President Kamala Harris' Family in India. theroot.com On Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver remarks at the State Department in which she will declare the United States' solidarity with the people of India and the struggle they face battling COVID-19. |

Robert R. Raymond (2021-05-07). Mutual Aid Efforts Working to Fill Gaps of Biden's COVID Response. zcomm.org "Community building is really necessary in order to fight capital, and you can't go up against a state if you don't have relationships that are already formed."

Walden Bello (2021-05-07). Fascism's Global Spread is Real — As Real as the Spread of COVID-19. zcomm.org In the world's largest democracies, far-right movements that embrace violence, reject democracy, and target the vulnerable are on the rise…

Staff (2021-05-07). Headlines for May 7, 2021. democracynow.org Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Voter Suppression Bill, Texas and Ohio Republicans Advance Bills to Make It Harder to Vote, India Sets Yet Another World Record for Daily COVID-19 Infections, Study Finds COVID-19 Has Killed 6.9 Million Worldwide, More Than Double Official Count, German Chancellor Angela Merkel Rejects Patent Waiver for COVID-19 Vaccines, Police Raid on Rio de Janeiro Favela Leaves 25 Dead, with Reports of Execution-Style Killings, U.S. Sends Warplanes to Afghanistan Amid Withdrawal as HRW Warns Aid Cuts Jeopardize Women's Health, CodePink Co-Founder Calls Out General Dynamics CEO over Arms Sales t…

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Delhi Protest Against Bill Gates for Refusing to Share Vaccine Tech With Developing Nations. sputniknews.com Just days before Joe Biden's administration supported India's proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, Bill Gates spoke out against sharing such patents with developing countries. His remarks have provoked much anger in India, which is battling the second coronavirus wave.

Lori Wallach (2021-05-07). Pressure Grows on Biden to Back WTO Waiver on Vaccine Technology. zcomm.org More than 100 countries have supported the waiver, which they say is critical to ramp up production of vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests in the Global South…

Ben Norton (2021-05-07). How the US Gov't Cultivated Environmental and Indigenous Groups to Defeat Ecuador's Leftist Correísta Movement. orinocotribune.com By Ben Norton — May 4, 2021 | 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 victory over leftist Andrés Arauz. | Arauz,…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-05-07). 'It Is Inhumane': Ocasio-Cortez Slams Israeli Eviction Effort in Sheikh Jarrah. commondreams.org Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is joining other Democratic U.S. lawmakers in condemning an attempt by Israeli settlers and security forces to drive Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sheikh_jarrah.jpg

Staff (2021-05-07). Richard Wright's Novel About Racist Police Violence Was Rejected in 1941; It Has Just Been Published. democracynow.org Nearly 80 years ago, Richard Wright became one of the most famous Black writers in the United States with the publication of "Native Son," a novel whose searing critique of systemic racism made it a best-seller and inspired a generation of Black writers. In 1941, Wright wrote a new novel titled "The Man Who Lived Underground," but publishers refused to release it, in part because the book was filled with graphic descriptions of police brutality by white officers against a Black man. His manuscript was largely forgotten until his daughter Julia Wright unearthed it at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at…

Staff (2021-05-07). "They Were Tortured": 4 Families Torn Apart by Trump Are Reunited. 1,000+ Still Separated, Missing. democracynow.org This week, four parents from Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico were reunited with their children in the United States after being separated under former President Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy. They were the first families to be reunited on U.S. soil since the Biden administration began its reunification process. "Although we love to see the reunifications and they're very moving, we have to keep in mind what led to that and that it should never have happened in the first place," says Carol Anne Donohoe, managing attorney for the Family Reunification Project at Al Otro Lado. We also speak with Lee Gele…

Whitney Webb (2021-05-07). This Biden "Health Security" Proposal Could Make the US a "Digital Dictatorship" globalresearch.ca Visit and follow us on Instagram at @crg_globalresearch. A "new" proposal …

Vijay Prashad (2021-05-07). In Kerala, the Present Is Dominated by the Future. zcomm.org Kerala, a state in the Indian union with a population of 35 million, has re-elected the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to lead the government for another five years…

Vijay Prashad (2021-05-07). In Kerala, the present is dominated by the future. mronline.org Kerala, a state in the Indian union with a population of 35 million, has re-elected the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to lead the government for another five years. Since 1980, the people of Kerala have voted out the incumbent, seeking to alternate between the Left and the Right. | May 7, 2021…

Mark Fiore (2021-05-07). The First 100 Days of Never-Mindism. progressive.org The worst attack on our democracy and our electoral process in generations seems to be slipping by the wayside.

_____ (2021-05-07). In Kerala, The Present Is Dominated By The Future. popularresistance.org Kerala, a state in the Indian union with a population of 35 million, has re-elected the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to lead the government for another five years. Since 1980, the people of Kerala have voted out the incumbent, seeking to alternate between the Left and the Right. This year, the people decided to stay with the Left and give the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Pinarayi Vijayan, a second term in office as the Chief Minister. Health Minister K. K. Shailaja, popularly known as Shailaja Teacher, won her re-election with a record-breaking tally of over 60,000 votes, far exceeding her closest co…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-05-07). 'We Cannot Go Backwards': Sanders, Omar Lead Push for Free School Meals Bill. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Gwen Moore introduced a bill that would make school meals free for all students. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/school_meals.jpg

Paul Street (2021-05-07). Would Anyone Care to Defend American Radicals? counterpunch.org I am told that a leading senior and radical American historian quipped last year that a second Trump administration might have given the American Left a chance to gather together — under armed guard "in Yankee Stadium." A bit of excessively paranoid dark humor? Maybe. But maybe not entirely. Consider. As President of the United

William Boardman (2021-05-07). What Does a "Racist Country" Look Like Anyway? dissidentvoice.org "America is not a racist country," Republican senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said in his party's official response to President Biden's address to the nation on April 28. There are reasons that should have been a laugh line: Biden did not say America was a "racist country," the Black senator was rebutting the president's …

Staff (2021-05-07). Controversy on Social Media After Lenín Moreno Says 'I Wish I had a Better People'. orinocotribune.com This Wednesday, April 5, during his participation in the Defense of Democracy in the Americas forum, Lenín Moreno, outgoing president of Ecuador, criticized his fellow Ecuadorians while recounting an anecdote. | "At some point a person told me in an upfront manner as people are do: 'I wish we had a better president.' I said to him: 'I wish I had better people too.'" The outgoing president of Ecuador made the comment at the forum that brings together right-wing presidents and former presidents in Miami, USA. | Alguien que humilla al pueblo ecuatoriano con sus expresiones, merece todo nuestro desprecio y rechazo.

John Wojcik (2021-05-07). Big biz answer to low April job numbers: End unemployment benefits! peoplesworld.org The Chamber of Commerce and the Republicans are seizing on what they say is a poor April jobs report to call for ending unemployment benefits they say are too generous. Their idea is that by heaping more pain and suffering on U.S. workers they will be forced to go back to work even if only …

Stephen A. Crockett Jr. (2021-05-07). Wildly Popular Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Won't Seek Reelection and Something Doesn't Seem Right [Updated]. theroot.com Thursday was ending the way that Thursdays usually do, with Thursday being all annoyed that no matter what it does, it will never be Friday. Then, literally out of nowhere, news that the rockstar mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, won't be seeking reelection shocked the airwaves. |

Staff (2021-05-07). #FreePalestinianStudents campaign update: Join a letter-writing action online; Israeli attacks on students continue. samidoun.net There are hundreds of Palestinian high school and university students among the approximately 4,500 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails, in many cases specifically targeted for Israeli colonial imprisonment and repression for their student activism, organizing student events and participation in student elections and other political and social activities on campus. As Israeli settlers rampage through Jerusalem and Palestinians resist the threatened impending forced transfer and ethnic cleansing in Sheikh Jarrah, occupied Jerusalem, the attacks on Palestinian students — and their organizing and…

Dean Baker (2021-05-07). More Cheap Fun: Job Growth Under Biden and Trump. cepr.net To repeat my standard disclaimer, I know this sort of comparison is silly, but I also know that Trump and the Republicans would be touting this to the sky if the shoe were on the other foot. So, here's the latest, the economy has created approximately 1.6 million in three months under Biden. It lost …

Global Research News (2021-05-07). Selected Articles: As NATO Summit Approaches: Will Biden Keep U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Turkey? globalresearch.ca By It has been estimated that the Pentagon maintains 50 B61 tactical nuclear weapons at the ƒ∞ncirlik Air Base in the country …

Jim McMahan (2021-05-07). Tell Biden and Bill Gates: End vaccine apartheid! workers.org Seattle Nearly 100 demonstrators rallied here April 30 in front of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — the world's richest "philanthropic" foundation — to demand "End vaccine apartheid!" Protests to free vaccines from being corporate 'intellectual property' are spreading, here at Moderna headquarters in Cambridge, Mass., April 28. Gates, . . . |

Paul Haeder (2021-05-07). The Good, Bad and the Ugly of Roughshod Chemistry. dissidentvoice.org "When we look at what is truly sustainable, the only real model that has worked over long periods of time is the natural world."— Biomimicry Institute founder, Janine Benyus [Photo: A selection of the thousands of native potato varieties that grow in Peru. Photograph: The International Potato Centre] It's paramount to talk about all the …

Staff (2021-05-07). GOP Lawmakers Are Trying to Overrule Voters on Everything From Medicaid to Weed. truthout.org Amid growing concerns that Republicans will try to Missouri voters last year passed a ballo…

Staff (2021-05-07). Texas Democrats Fought GOP Voter Suppression Bill Through the Night. truthout.org Texas House Republicans passed a voter suppression bill early Friday morning despite a tough fight put up by Democrats, who offered over 130 amendments from late Thursday into the night. | Democrats

Staff (2021-05-07). US-Made Border Crisis Persists Despite Biden's About-Face on Refugee Cap. truthout.org This week's news of the Biden-Harris administration's about-face on U.S. refugee policy was a win for all the progressive forces that have been pressuring Biden to discontinue Trump's egregiously low cap on the number of refugees accepted each year. But the victory did nothing to change the other massive structural ways in which the Biden-Harris administration is continuing to perpetuate the humanitarian crisis at the border through its embrace of Trump's other asylum policies. | For example, even…

Staff (2021-05-07). Trump Loyalist Who Attacked the Capitol Blames Fox News. truthout.org A man who took part in the Capitol breach on January 6 said this week that his actions weren't 100 percent his fault. Rather, he said, was influenced into being a part of the violence that day by something his lawyer called "Foxmania," which resulted in him believing false claims about election fraud in the 2020 election. | Anthony Antonio

Margaret Kimberley (2021-05-07). Freedom Rider: Progressives capitulate to Biden. mronline.org There can be no more excuses made for Democratic "progressives," who steadfastly refuse to fight for what they know to be right. | May 7, 2021 | Newswire…

Joe Glenton (2021-05-07). Greens gain and NIP struggle, but Labour decay is the election theme. thecanary.co The big battle in this round of elections was always going to be between the Conservatives and Labour in the Hartlepool by-election, a battle in which the Tories achieved a landslide win. | However, smaller parties had mixed results. The Greens made some gains, as did the Liberal Democrats. The Northern Independence Party had a rough outing in its first electoral test. | Lib Dems: | The Lib Dems, who have never looked the same since their stint in coalition with the Tories, won control of Stockport Council and took

The Canary (2021-05-07). Labour falls to 'shattering' defeat in Hartlepool by-election. thecanary.co Keir Starmer's hopes of leading a Labour revival have been dealt a crushing blow after the Tories romped to victory in the Hartlepool by-election. | In a stunning result, the Conservatives took the seat — which had been Labour-held since it was formed in 1974 — with a majority of 6,940. | Reaction pours in: | Shadow communities secretary Steve Reed admitted it was an "absolutely shattering" result as another brick in the party's once impregnable "red wall" crumbled. | (PA Graphics) | Heavy defeat: | In a major boost for Boris Johnson, Conservative candidate Jill Mortimer gained 15,529…

Joshua Kluever (2021-05-07). In the United States, Democratic Socialism Can Win. commondreams.org "The DSA's legislative proposals—rent control, free college and reproductive rights—are classic socialist issues, updated for the 21st century." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/aoc_sanders_gnd.jpg

Margaret Kimberley (2021-05-07). Progressives Capitulate To Biden — OpEd. eurasiareview.com There can be no more excuses made for Democratic "progressives," who steadfastly refuse to fight for what they know to be right. | No one is holding Joe Biden's "feet to the fire" or pushing him left or taking any of the other make believe actions which were meant to silence the Democratic Party's left wing. There is no longer any need to say that The Justice Democrats, Progressive Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus all sing Biden's praises despite the…

teleSUR (2021-05-07). 'The US Has Undermined World Order' Blinken Acknowledges. telesurenglish.net U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken admitted before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that several of his country's actions over the past few years have undermined the international order, but promised that President Joe Biden's administration will act to repair it. | RELATED: | "I know that some of our actions in recent years have undermined the rules-based order and led others to question whether we a…

_____ (2021-05-07). On Education, Biden Is Making Sure 'Nothing Will Fundamentally Change'. popularresistance.org When it comes to education policy, Joe Biden is following through on his promise that nothing will fundamentally change. | While he expressed support for some progressive measures on the campaign trail, like ending the high-stakes testing mandate for K-12 and giving relief to higher education students and borrowers, his actions so far have led some to surmise that corporatists and reformers are running the show at the Department of Education. Secretary Miguel Cardona has taken a prolonged "Help is Here" tour, but urgent demands from students, parents, and teachers are going unmet. | Here's a breakdown of the admi…

_____ (2021-05-07). More States Enter The Race To Criminalize Protest. popularresistance.org It was April 1, and Jestin Dupree had driven more than 400 miles from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeastern Montana to the state's capital, Helena, to testify against legislation that could be used to jail environmental protesters. For years, his tribe had been protesting the Keystone XL pipeline, which was to cross the Missouri River, their main source of water. Their efforts seemed to be vindicated when the project was cancelled by President Joe Biden during his first day in office. | Montana's new legislation, however, would allow environmental protesters to be jailed for up to 18 months if they obs…

William I. Robinson (2021-05-07). Crisis capitalista y control social. globalizacion.ca La decisión del presidente Joe Biden, el pasado 15 de abril, de expulsar a 10 diplomáticos del Kremlin y de imponer nuevas sanciones contra Rusia por su alegada injerencia en las elecciones presidenciales estadunidenses de 2020 —a lo cual ya…

Arab News (2021-05-07). Biden Takes Advantage Of His Grand Opportunity — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By John C. Hulsman* | It is no accident that US President Joe Biden — who last week completed his first, momentous 100 days in office — chose to select a portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 20th century's greatest chief executive, to hang in the Oval Office. FDR, the political master of high principle and low cunning, understood better than anyone that (as he put it): "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way." Biden's first 100 days have, more than anything, confirmed the truth of Roosevelt's wise adage. | But wasn't the aging Biden, 78, m…

MISES (2021-05-07). Three Reasons Why The Biden Tax Increase Makes No Sense — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Daniel Lacalle* | Anyone who believes the "rich" and large corporations will pay for $28 trillion in debt or the $2 trillion in new deficit has a real problem with math. | Biden's announcement of a massive tax increase on businesses and wealthier segments of the population simply makes no sense. The tax hikes will have a significant impact on economic growth, investment, and job creation and do not even scratch the surface of the structural deficit. Even if we believe the gross domestic product growth and revenue estimates announced by the Biden administration, the impact on debt and deficit is negligible.

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Psaki Plans to Leave Her Post of US President Press Secretary 'In About a Year From Now'. sputniknews.com Jennifer Psaki gained fame as Department of State press secretary under Democratic US President Barack Obama. In 2015 she worked as Director of Communications and returned to the scene this year as Joe Biden's press secretary.

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Conservatives Up in Arms After Biden Fails to Mention 'God' in National Prayer Day Proclamation. sputniknews.com Although America's founding fathers were proponents of religious rationalism and generally sought to keep religion out of politics, no president in the nation's 244 year history has been openly atheist. In recent decades, a self-serving display of one's religious identity has even been employed by many candidates to try to get votes.

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Pentagon Adds 'Package' of F-18 Jets to Assist With US Troop Withdrawal in Afghanistan. sputniknews.com US President Joe Biden announced in April that the withdrawal of American troops in Afghanistan would not be completed by the previously agreed upon May 1 deadline, declaring instead that the forces would be out of the war-torn country by September 11, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the US.

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Biden Still Wants Summit With Putin Despite Tensions Over Ukraine. sputniknews.com Last month, the two presidents held a phone conversation during which they agreed to hold a meeting in the near future.

sputniknews (2021-05-07). Biden Administration Says Iran Sanctions Could Be Lifted Only If Tehran Returns To JCPOA Status. sputniknews.com &nbsp…

Rick Rozoff (2021-05-07). As NATO Summit Approaches: Will Biden Keep U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Turkey? globalresearch.ca Visit and follow us on Instagram at @crg_globalresearch. A

Rick Rozoff (2021-05-07). Ukraine confirms boost in U.S. military aid, invitation to Biden, Harris during Blinken visit. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukraine confirms boost in U.S. military aid, invitation to Biden, Harris during Blinken visitRick Rozoff Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference after a meeting with the two, Ukraine's prime minister and foreign minister and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland earlier in the …

Rick Rozoff (2021-05-07). Ukraine Confirms Boost in U.S. Military Aid, Invitation to Biden, Harris During Blinken Visit. news.antiwar.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference after a meeting with the two, Ukraine's prime minister and foreign minister and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland earlier in the day. While acknowledging that it was too early to discuss the matter in detail, Zelensky …

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-07). Blinken: West Must Be 'Very Careful' About Chinese Investments. news.antiwar.com Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the US and its allies have to be "very careful" when it comes to Chinese investments in Western economies. | "I think we have to be very careful about exactly what the nature is of that investment," Blinken made the comments when explaining the Biden administration's China policy. He claims th…

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-07). US Accuses Iran of Making 'Unrealistic Demands' for Sanctions Relief. news.antiwar.com Indirect negotiations between the US and Iran that have been ongoing in Vienna to revive the nuclear deal are dragging out due to the fact that the Biden administration refuses to lift all Trump-era sanctions. On Thursday, The unnamed official told reporters that a deal could be reached quickly if Iran has the political will.

commondreams (2021-05-07). Sunrise Statement on April Jobs Report: Biden Must Expand American Jobs Plan. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Jessica Corbett (2021-05-07). 'America the beautiful': Biden administration aims to protect 30% of US lands and waters by 2030. nationofchange.org "This is a critical opportunity for Americans to come together to build a new, more inclusive model of conservation to save nature, and ultimately ourselves," said one advocate.

Dave DeCamp (2021-05-07). US Blames Houthis for Lack of Progress Towards Ceasefire in Yemen. news.antiwar.com The State Department "The Houthis passed up a major opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peace and to make progress on this proposal by refusing to meet with UN Special Envoy Griffiths in Muscat," the statement said that was released upon the return of the President Biden's envoy to Yemen, Timothy Len…

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-05-07). As Hiring Undershoots Expectations, Biden Urged to Go Big With $10 Trillion Jobs Plan. commondreams.org "Millions of people are out of work, and the unemployment rate is rising. The real risk isn't doing too much—it's doing too little." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/jobs_report_biden_0.jpg

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