(2021-07-16). US Targets Nicaraguan Presidential Election: Former Solidarity Activists Echo Imperial Talking Points. counterpunch.org Before Henry Kissinger became a Clinton pal, liberals condemned him for saying: "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves." The 1973 US-backed coup
(2021-07-16). 'The US Has Failed to Destroy Cuba', Diaz-Canel Says. telesurenglish.net On Friday, Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel questioned U.S. President Joe Biden's concern about the crisis on the Island and argued that Washington has failed to destroy the Revolution despite wasting billions of dollars in its attempts to do so. | RELATED: | "If Biden had sincere humanitarian concern for the Cuban people, he could eliminate the 243 crippling sanctions imposed by former President Donald Trump as a first s…
(2021-07-16). Texas Dems, AFL-CIO's Trumka link voting and workers' rights. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Citing civil rights leaders the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the late Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and a delegation of Texas state Democratic lawmakers—who left Austin for D.C. to halt a draconian Texas GOP voter repression law—inextricably linked voting rights with worker rights. In an outdoor press conference at …
(2021-07-16). Note to Joe: Try These Two Easy Tricks to Promote Freedom in Cuba. counterpunch.org "We stand with the Cuban people," US President Joe Biden says in an official White House statement, responding to protests across the Caribbean island country, "and their clarion call for freedom and relief from the tragic grip of the pandemic and from the decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected
(2021-07-16). Evo Morales Denounces A New US-led Plan Condor. popularresistance.org On June 23 of this year, 184 countries of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of an end to the US embargo on Cuba. It was the 29th consecutive year where virtually all countries, except the US and Israel made this demand. In recent years the Cuban media has denounced millions of dollars of US funding, through organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to create and fund opposition media and the organization of youth. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez on July 11 rejected the smear campaigns of the US media hegemony in the midst of the Covid pandemic with the intensificati…
(2021-07-16). Six Politicians To Compete In Chilean Presidential Primaries. telesurenglish.net On Sunday, Chile's Approve Dignity leftist coalition and the Go Chile right-wing alliance will define their presidential candidates for the November 21 elections. | RELATED: | In the rightist coalition, four politicians compete: the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) candidate Joaquin Lavin, the Political Evolution (EVO) candidate Ignacio Briones, the National Renovation (RN) candidate Mario Desbordes, and the independent politician Sebastian Sichel. | On t…
(2021-07-16). Communications Workers launch big 'Build Broadband Better' drive. peoplesworld.org 
www.buildbroadbandbetter.org. | Congress and the Democratic Biden administration are paying attention to the issue. The initial coronavirus rescue law included several billion dollars to expa…
(2021-07-16). Screen Shot 2021-07-15 at 8.49.34 AM.png. progressive.org Would you rather own the libs and die a horrible death or would you rather admit that science works and Joe Biden may be right when he suggests door-to-door vaccinations?
(2021-07-16). US banks post record second-quarter profits as millions face social disaster. wsws.org Ultra-loose monetary policies, which have remained unchanged from Trump to Biden, sent bank profits soaring while millions of workers remain unemployed.
(2021-07-16). Midwest Dispatch: As Crime Increases, Biden Pursues the Usual Non-Solutions. progressive.org The President is likely to respond to the national crime uptick with more police, more prisons, and more punishment—but what we really need are more Pell Grants for the incarcerated.
(2021-07-16). Bomber Joe Biden Strikes Iraq and Syria: Retaliation Breeds More Incidents. globalresearch.ca
(2021-07-16). 0.16 Percent of All Workers are Union Members Employed by Utilities. cepr.net That data point probably should have been mentioned in a NYT article reporting that relatively few of the jobs created in the clean energy sector are high-paying union jobs. The piece tells readers that this means that the shift to clean energy could end up increasing inequality: "While Mr. Biden has proposed higher wage floors …
(2021-07-16). Will the US Stand up to Israeli Theft of Palestinian East Jerusalem? juancole.com ( Middle East Monitor ) — Jerusalem is once again in the diplomatic crosshairs over US President Joe Biden's intention to reopen the American Consulate in Jerusalem, which was closed by the Trump Administration in 2019. According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, reopening the consulate is "an important way for our country to …
(2021-07-16). "Going Into Trump World": Bernie's Trumpenproletarian Brain Worm and Fascism-Denial. counterpunch.org "Going Into Trump World" Bernie Sanders has the Trumpenproletarian brain worm — the one that helps normalize rising Amerikaner Republican fascism by claiming that the mostly petit-bourgeois and affluent base of the white nationalist Amerikaner Party of Trump (APOT, the new name of the Republican Party) is just everyday "populist" working-class people and therefore potentially
(2021-07-16). PA higher education under attack by its own Board of Governors. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Protest against university "consolidation" outside the state capitol, Harrisburg On the afternoon of July 14th 2021 the Board of Governors (BOG) of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) unanimously voted in favor of approving Chancellor Greenstein's "consolidation" plan. The implementation of the plan will result in the elimination of 1,500 faculty and …
(2021-07-16). Schumer Plays the Pot Card…at Last. counterpunch.org The "Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act," drafted by Ron Wyden of Oregon and Cory Booker of New Jersey was introduced on July 14 in the US Senate and touted at a press conference by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The measure would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, allow banks to handle marijuana-related money, and
(2021-07-16). United Auto Workers moves to rapidly shut down Volvo Trucks strike after dubious passage of new contract. wsws.org The rapid shutdown of the strike is the culmination of a flagrantly undemocratic campaign by the UAW to override the democratic will of workers and impose a deal that it had cooked up with the company from the beginning.
(2021-07-16). Two-Thirds of US South Republicans Want To Secede from Country. telesurenglish.net Some 66 percent of Republicans in 13 Southern states including Texas and Florida would separate from the union, according to a recent poll conducted by Bright Line Watch, Newsweek reported. | Half of all independents in the South also want to secede from the union while only 20 percent of Southern Democrats said they would support secession. | RELATED: | About 47 percent Democrats in California, Oregon, Washington, Alask…
(2021-07-16). Estimating the early impact of vaccination against COVID-19 on deaths among elderly people in Brazil: Analyses of routinely-collected data on vaccine coverage and mortality. thelancet.com Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 in Brazil started in January 2021, with health workers and the elderly as the priority groups. We assessed whether there was an impact of vaccinations on the mortality of elderly individuals in a context of wide transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 gamma (P.1) variant.Methods: By May 15, 2021, 238,414 COVID-19 deaths had been reported to the Brazilian Mortality Information System. Denominators for mortality rates were calculated by correcting population estimates for all-cause deaths reported in 2020.
(2021-07-16). Friday 7/16: Speaker Pelosi: "Help Free Julian Assange!" indybay.org Federal Building/Pelosi's office, 90 7th Street, San Francisco…
(2021-07-16). Saturday 7/17: Oakland: Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy & Voting Rights. indybay.org Preservation Park at pavilion and fountain site, 1233 Preservation Park Way, Oakland 94612 | Peaceful event. Follow all current COVID guidelines.
(2021-07-16). Saturday 7/17: Sacramento: Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy and Voting Rights. indybay.org California State Capitol, 1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814 | Peaceful event. Follow all current COVID guidelines.
(2021-07-16). Saturday 7/17: Corte Madera: Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy & Voting Rights. indybay.org Corte Madera Town Park, 498 Tamalpais Dr., Corte Madera 94925…
(2021-07-16). Saturday 7/17: Good Trouble Virtual Vigil for Democracy & Voting Rights. indybay.org Online call to action event…
(2021-07-16). Saturday 7/17: Petaluma: Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy and Voting Rights. indybay.org Petaluma Fairgrounds Park & Ride, 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma 94952…
(2021-07-16). Bernie Sanders Has Bonded with President Biden. Is That Good? indybay.org Pluses and Minuses…
(2021-07-16). Nancy and Paul Pelosi Making Millions in Stock Trades in Companies She Actively Regulates. indybay.org Pelosi is in charge of regulating companies that she and her husband own…
(2021-07-16). Richard Branson's flight and the privatization of space travel. indybay.org Richard Branson's flight has no connection to the democratization of space or the progress of humanity. It is to further enrich himself and to make outer space the playground of the very rich.
(2021-07-16). Tuesday 7/20: Fighting Racist Voter Suppression Laws Webinar w/ Women's March. indybay.org Online discussion…
(2021-07-16). Russiagate: Luke Harding's Hard Sell. strategic-culture.org By Joe LAURIA | Luke Harding of The Guardian on Thursday came out with a new The headline reads, "Kremlin papers appear to show Putin's plot to put Trump in White House" with the subhead: "Exclusive: Documents suggest Russia launched secret multi-agency effort to interfere in US democracy." | Harding's report says that during a Jan. 22,…
(2021-07-16). Al pueblo de Cuba: øEstá Washington orquestando un "golpe blando"? La cooptación de los intelectuales cubanos. globalresearch.ca Nota del autor | En octubre de 2010, fui invitado a la casa de Fidel Castro en las afueras de La Habana para discutir la política exterior de Estados Unidos, los peligros de la guerra nuclear, la crisis económica global y …
(2021-07-16). SDF Uncovered Iranian-Made Rockets Prepared For Launch In Deir Ezzor (Photos). southfront.org 
Illustrative image, by: sdf-press.com | On July 14, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) uncovered Iranian-made rockets prepared for launch in the southeastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. | On Twitter, the SDF's Coordination and Military Operations Center said that the rockets were uncovered during a joint patrol with a unit from the US-led coalition between Maamel and Izbah. | Photos released by the center show two Iranian-made Fadjr-1 107 mm rockets. This type has a range of m…
(2021-07-16). Biden Admin Reverses Trump Policy to Open Alaskan Forest to Logging. truthout.org 
The United States Forest Service announced on Thursday plans to undo a Trump administration policy that would have opened up the nation's largest forest, the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, to logging and road construction. | Until 2020, the forest, which is also
(2021-07-16). Despite January 6 Pledges, Companies Begin Donating to Republicans Again. truthout.org 
Early this year, Despite these pledges, many comp…
(2021-07-16). "Landslide": Michael Wolff on Trump's Final Days in Office & Why He Still Rules the Republican Party. democracynow.org 
As a special congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection prepares to hold its first hearings later this month, we speak with author Michael Wolff, whose new book, "Landslide," provides fresh details about former President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the 2020 election, how he spurred his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol and why he still holds the reins in the party. "There's no question Donald Trump runs the Republican Party," Wolff says. "We have two realities here: the reality of Donald Trump in charge, and the other reality which is that everybody knows that there's something w…
(2021-07-16). Climate Profiteering: $13.5B Trust for California Fire Victims Funnels Funds to Lawyers & Consultants. democracynow.org 
We look at the corporate profiteering off people who lost their homes and loved ones to recent fires in California, where wildfires continue to rage amid record temperatures. A major investigation by KQED and NPR's California Newsroom found a special trust set up to distribute $13.5 billion to survivors of wildfires caused by PG&E — the state's largest utility company — instead spent lavishly on its own administration while distributing almost nothing to the 70,000 fire victims, many of whom still live in trailers. Those who profited while the fire victims waited for help included Wall Street bankers…
(2021-07-16). Floods, Fires & Heat Waves: Michael Mann on "The New Climate War" & the Fight to Take Back the Planet. democracynow.org 
We speak with leading climate scientist Michael Mann about the catastrophic impact of the climate crisis around the world. He says he and other scientists predicted the extreme weather events now wreaking havoc. "We said that if we don't stop burning fossil fuels and elevating the levels of carbon pollution in the atmosphere and we continue to warm up the planet, we will see unprecedented heat waves and wildfires and floods and droughts and superstorms," says Mann. His new book is titled ‚Ä®"The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet."
(2021-07-16). Headlines for July 16, 2021. democracynow.org COVID-19 Cases Rise in Nearly Every U.S. State as Delta Variant Becomes Dominant, Surgeon General Calls on Social Media Giants to Stop Spread of Anti-Vaccine Misinformation, Coronavirus Infections Continue Exponential Rise in Southeast Asia and Africa, German Chancellor Confronted over Blocking Patent Waiver for COVID-19 Vaccines, WHO Warns 23 Million Children Missed Vaccinations in 2020 Due to Pandemic, 110 Dead, 1,300 Missing as Once-in-a-Century Flooding Hits Germany and Belgium, Smoke Blankets Much of North America as Western Wildfires Grow in Size, Research Shows Parts of Amazon Rainforest Now Emit More Gree…
(2021-07-16). Ocasio-Cortez Slams Biden Administration for Upholding 'Absurdly Cruel' Cuba Embargo. commondreams.org "Mass infection is not an option," experts said of the Tory government's "dangerous and unethical" reopening plan.
(2021-07-16). As Biden backslides, climate movement prepares to seize this 'now or never' moment. zcomm.org Tired of waiting for progress as the world burns, climate activists are shaping the public narrative — through mass protest and targeted actions — to favor federal legislation.
(2021-07-16). Billionaire Pandemic Wealth Gain Could Pay For Biden's American Families Plan. zcomm.org U.S. billionaires have reaped $1.8 trillion in wealth gains since March 2020…
(2021-07-16). Free the vaccine: Protests greet German chancellor Angela Merkel on US visit. peoplesdispatch.org 
Demonstrations calling for Germany to stop blocking patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines were held in the US capital, Washington DC, among other places, as German chancellor Angela Merkel made an official visit to the US to meet president Joe Biden…
(2021-07-16). 'This Summit Was a Failure': Biden-Merkel Meeting Ends With No Deal on Vaccine Patent Waiver. commondreams.org "It is never acceptable for us to use cruelty as a point of leverage against every day people."
(2021-07-16). Republican Reich or GOP Clown Car? The 2024 Race Heats Up Early. counterpunch.org You knew Florida governor Ron DeSantis has presidential ambitions, right? What gave it away — his law banning vaccine passports a couple of months back? His dislike for masks to protect from covid? Or when he signed a law against alleged censorship of conservatives by Big Tech? Or maybe it was his June 25 announcement
(2021-07-16). In My Own Private Utopia, There Is No Rain—or Republicans. thenation.com In My Own Private Utopia, There Is No Rain—or Republicans…
(2021-07-16). To Crack Down on 'Rich Tax Scofflaws,' Biden Urged to Nominate Top Tax Prosecutor. commondreams.org Stuchburry's efforts to defend Kiambu forest and work "fighting for the rest of us" drew renewed praise.
(2021-07-16). Israel Approves Massive Settlement Project Frozen For 30 Years. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On July 14th, Israel's government approved construction of 3,412 apartment units in the West Bank. | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) advanced the settler E1 project ahead of meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and US President Joe Biden. | The United States, the international community and the Palestinian Authority have objected to the plan, which they argue would prevent the contiguous development of a Palestinian state and render it unviable. | Former Prime Minister B…
(2021-07-15). Biden Says Sending Troops to Haiti "Not on the Agenda" telesurenglish.net U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday the United States is only sending marines to bolster security at its embassy in Haiti but the idea of sending American troops into the Caribbean country was "not on the agenda." | RELATED: | "We're only sending American Marines to our embassy," said Biden when addressing the situation in Haiti during a joint press conference at the White House with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | "T…
(2021-07-15). Arrest Warrants Approved for Texas Democrats. sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, host Jamarl Thomas discusses a new sports segment with producer Cordell Woodland regarding the controversial words and apology of Stephen Smith, Jamarl also continued conversations around Cuba and Haiti, the current state of Afghanistan with the US removal, and the relations between Russia and Ukraine.
(2021-07-15). US Concerned About Democracy Everywhere in the World…Except the US. sputniknews.com Voting Rights in Texas; Food riots in South Africa; Confederate Statues come down in Charlottesville, VA…
(2021-07-15). Florida 'Red Scare' escalates; students now required to disclose political beliefs. peoplesworld.org 
Earlier this week, People's World reported Florida Congressman Anthony Sabatini's call for the execution of Cuban leaders. This was followed by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez calling for air strikes on Cuba. Both unhinged calls to illegal violence were in response to the Cuban government's supposed political repression of dissidents. If Florida Republicans really value diversity …
(2021-07-15). US Congress Members Request Biden "Re-Engage" with Cuba. telesurenglish.net Dear President Biden: | We write to request an in-person meeting with you to discuss U.S. relations with Cuba. We believe recent events in Cuba demand immediate attention to help avoid further human suffering. Cubans are now voicing their humanitarian distress via public protests. The United States should | immediately permit remittances, food, and vaccination assistance, including the delivery of syringes, to reach Cuba. We should seek to ensure that this humanitarian assistance is delivered without delay. | Ultimately, we believe that re-engaging with Cuba can both help blunt current suffering and be an oppo…
(2021-07-15). GOP Infighting and US Media Continue Pandering of the Biden Administration. sputniknews.com On today's episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan and co-host John Kiriakou discussed current events, including lightning striking a George Floyd mural in Ohio, and vote counts not matching in the Maricopa County 2020 election audit.
(2021-07-15). US Targets Nicaraguan Presidential Election. dissidentvoice.org Before Henry Kissinger became a Clinton pal, liberals condemned him for saying: "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves." The 1973 US-backed coup …
(2021-07-15). Inequity Starts the Day a Child is Born. aclu.org A year after the pandemic and resulting economic crisis shut down much of America, President Biden and Congress took an important step forward by passing the American Rescue Plan. The law rightly prioritizes those hit hardest by the pandemic, such as communities of color and people with low incomes, and begins to address some of the systemic inequities that COVID-19 only exacerbated — inequities that begin from the day a child is born. | The relief package includes a one-year expansion of the Child Tax Credit and an increase from $2,000 to $3,600 per child under six and $3,000 for children aged six to 17…
(2021-07-15). US & Russia Working on Cyber Warfare; Biden Drops Yemen Campaign Promise. sputniknews.com President Biden has abandoned his campaign promise to end the Yemen conflict and is doubling down on backing Saudi Arabia and arming terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula* (AQAP).
(2021-07-15). As Biden backslides, a bigger, better-organized climate movement prepares to seize this 'now or never' moment. juancole.com by Nick Engelfried | — ( Waging Nonviolence ) — Over 500 activists from the youth-led Sunrise Movement descended on Washington, D.C. last week for one of the largest U.S. climate protests since COVID-related restrictions began easing. The young people rallied in front of the White House on June 28, to hear from a range …
(2021-07-15). Top U.S. general tells us how close we came to the edge. peoplesworld.org 
We never knew how close we were to the edge. Only now is it clear how close we came under Trump to losing our democracy altogether. Inside the eye of the storm, it is tough to see the chaotic winds whipping and thrashing about there at the very edge of one's nose. Many of us …
(2021-07-15). Trumka praises inclusion of PRO Act fines in key money bill. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Hefty fines for corporate labor-law breaking, a top part of the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, have been inserted into the Senate Democrats' key money bill, a budget "reconciliation" measure which right-wing Senate Republicans can't filibuster. "Parts of the PRO Act are part of reconciliation," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told People's World at …
(2021-07-15). Republicans in state of panic as they move to regain power. peoplesworld.org 
The GOP and the electoral coalition it reflects are in a panic. They face an existential crisis. The GOP, and its wealthy backers, are squarely on the path to minority political status in a rapidly changing nation and up against a rising multi-racial democratic movement with huge social transformative potential. Two new studies of the …
(2021-07-15). Illinois: US State to Ban Police Lying To Underage Suspects. telesurenglish.net Illinois on Thursday became the first US state to ban police officers from lying when questioning minors. | Democratic Governor JB Pritzker signed the law, which will come into force in 2022, to put an end to a practice which critics say increases the risk of false confessions being extracted, and therefore of miscarriages of justice. | RELATED: | Confessions of children and adolescents obtained "by deception" — either by…
(2021-07-15). [Research Paper] Characterizing long COVID in an international cohort: 7 months of symptoms and their impact. thelancet.com Patients with Long COVID report prolonged, multisystem involvement and significant disability. By seven months, many patients have not yet recovered (mainly from systemic and neurological/cognitive symptoms), have not returned to previous levels of work, and continue to experience significant symptom burden.
(2021-07-15). 1923 Beer Hall Putsch to 1933 Nazi Germany. indybay.org The 1923 Beer Hall Putsch was Hitler's failed attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic. By 1933, he was Chancellor of Germany. That lesson of history is being repeated with Nazi Trump and his praise of the Jan 6, 2021 insurrection and Nazi Trump's current election campaign for 2024, aided by his Death Cult Nazi Republican Party. For more on the Beer Hall Putsch, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_Hall_Putsch…
(2021-07-15). Saturday 7/24: A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff – Live Screening with Q&A. indybay.org The Castro Theatre – 429 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114…
(2021-07-15). Destabilizing Cuba: Sanctions, Pandemic Hardship and Social Media Onslaught. strategic-culture.org Uncle Sam is not going to like Moscow and Beijing making inroads into his self-declared "backyard". But Uncle Sam has lost all moral authority to make serious objections. | A rash of public protests to hit Cuba was described by the White House as "spontaneous expressions of people exhausted with economic mismanagement and repression". President Joe Biden said the "United States stands with the people of Cuba as they bravely assert for their fundamental and universal rights." | The protests appear to have subsided as quickly as they erupted at the weekend. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has acknowledged there a…
(2021-07-15). SDF Fighters Killed Or Wounded Six Turkish-Backed Militants Near Manbij. southfront.org 
Illustrative image, By: sdf-press.com | On July 15, two militants of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army were killed and four others were injured when their post was attacked by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) | According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fighters of the SDF's Manbij Military Council raided…
(2021-07-15). Warnock: "Shame on Us" If We're More Committed to Filibuster Than Voting Rights. truthout.org 
Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia applauded Texas Democrats on Wednesday for leaving their state in an effort to "Voting rights is not just a political issue, this is a moral i…
(2021-07-15). Sanders Confirms Inclusion of Provisions of PRO Act in Reconciliation Bill. truthout.org 
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) The PRO Act, or the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, is a sweeping bill meant to strengthen unions and make it eas…
(2021-07-15). Michigan GOP Touts Scheme to Ram Through Voting Restrictions Over Whitmer's Veto. truthout.org 
The Republican leader of the Michigan State Senate says the party will try to push through its proposed voting restrictions, using a unique loophole in state law, despite a near-certain veto by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. | Republicans have already introduced
(2021-07-15). Selected Articles: The mRNA COVID Vaccine Is Not a Vaccine. globalresearch.ca 
By The Biden administration and allied groups, including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), are "planning to engage fac…
(2021-07-15). Headlines for July 15, 2021. democracynow.org 1 Million Acres Burn in Western U.S. and Canada as Another Heat Wave Builds, Russia Deploys Military to Battle Siberian Wildfires Amid Record Heat, Global COVID-19 Cases Rise Again, Fueled by Surges in Southeast Asia and Africa, Anti-Vaccination Protesters March in France and Greece, U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Rose by 30% in 2020 to Record High, Biden Selects Dr. Rahul Gupta, Who Oversaw West Virginia Response to Opioid Crisis, as "Drug Czar", Sen. Schumer Unveils Proposal to Decriminalize Marijuana at the Federal Level, Haitian Police Arrest More Suspects in Assassination of President Jovenel MoàØse, Cuba…
(2021-07-15). How the Pandemic Fueled Global Hunger: 2.5 Billion Lack Nutritious Food, 1 in 5 Children Are Stunted. democracynow.org 
The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a sharp increase in the number of people going hungry worldwide, along with conflict and the impacts of climate change. A new report on the state of food security and nutrition in the world found about one-tenth of the global population were undernourished last year, more than 2.5 billion people did not have access to sufficiently nutritious food, and one in five children now face stunted growth. Saskia de Pee, the World Food Programme's head of systems analysis for nutrition, describes how the impact is "going to be long-term."
(2021-07-15). Afghan Activist: George W. Bush's Claim U.S. War in Afghanistan Protected Women Is a "Shameless Lie" democracynow.org 
As the United States continues to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan after 20 years of war and occupation, the Taliban say they now control most Afghan territory, surrounding major population centers and holding more than two-thirds of Afghanistan's border with Tajikistan. Former President George W. Bush made a rare criticism of U.S. policy, saying, "I'm afraid Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm." But a leading Afghan women's rights activist says the plight of women in the country has always served as a "very good excuse" for U.S. military goals, while conditions in the country have bar…
(2021-07-15). "Perfect Storm" of Pandemic, Poverty & Jailing Ex-President Unleashes Mass Protest in South Africa. democracynow.org 
We go to South Africa, where more than 70 are dead and at least 3,000 people have been arrested since demonstrations erupted after former President Jacob Zuma began his 15-month jail sentence for refusing to testify in a corruption probe. Protesters also expressed frustration with entrenched poverty and inequity as South Africa battles a devastating wave of COVID-19. "This was really a perfect storm that has built up," says Sithembile Mbete, a senior lecturer in political sciences at the University of Pretoria in Johannesburg. "The protests and the unrest has stopped being about former President Zuma and has beco…
(2021-07-15). 'One Speech… Isn't Enough'. zcomm.org Progressives Call on Biden to Get Tough on Voting Rights…
(2021-07-15). The Party of Fear vs Party of Hope. zcomm.org Democrats do not have to mimic the scare tactics of the Republicans to win elections. However, they must energize their constituents to the same degree…
(2021-07-15). Trump started a war on journalism. Biden has yet to end it. zcomm.org Advocates for human rights and press freedom, as well as members of Congress, all need to raise their voices in this case before it is too late…
(2021-07-15). Democrats' New Version of Infrastructure Bill Claws Back Trump Tax Cuts for Rich. zcomm.org We will see if Biden's epoch in the Senate will serve him as a negotiator now that the rubber has met the road…
(2021-07-15). Congressional Progressive Caucus Urges Merkel to Support Vaccine Patent Waiver. commondreams.org Nations including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have some of the world's most abysmal human rights records—but that isn't deterring the Biden administration from seeking to work with them.
(2021-07-15). An Unapologetic 'Tax the Rich' Message Is the Key to Passing the Democratic Budget Plan. thenation.com An Unapologetic 'Tax the Rich' Message Is the Key to Passing the Democratic Budget Plan…
(2021-07-15). On the Political Marriage of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org War is a cancer on our democracy.
(2021-07-15). In 'Critical Step' for Climate, Biden to Restore Protections for Tongass National Forest. commondreams.org "As long as Germany withholds its approval of the TRIPS waiver," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, "it threatens the lives of millions of people around the world and our ability to crush the virus."
(2021-07-15). Skating Rink Boots Black Teen Misidentified by Facial Recognition System. commondreams.org Biden's inability to persuade Merkel to drop her opposition to the patent waiver "delivers a punishing blow to efforts to end the pandemic," said one critic.
(2021-07-15). Groups Demand Biden Administration End Child Detention at 'Contaminated and Unsafe' Fort Bliss. commondreams.org Any help or aid from the US always comes with conditions and ulterior motives.
(2021-07-15). Top Biden Aide Under Fire for Blaming Poor for Not Receiving Relief Checks. commondreams.org The U.S. government owes reparations to the civilians of Afghanistan for the past twenty years of war and brutal impoverishment.
(2021-07-15). 'Not a Single Dollar More to Pentagon' in Infrastructure Package, Groups Demand. commondreams.org Progressives cannot and should not be satisfied with the policies of the Biden presidency. Yet breakthrough achievements should not be denied.
(2021-07-15). Targeting Dark Money Attacking Democracy, Watchdog Files FEC Complaint Against 23 Super PACs. commondreams.org "No amount of regulation can adequately address all the problems that flow from fracked drilling operations and our continued reliance on fossil fuels."
(2021-07-15). Republicans' cynical red-baiting culture war on 'Critical Race Theory'. peoplesworld.org 
The New Yorker recently published an article about the man who single-handedly began the backlash against critical race theory, Christopher Rufo. It is enlightening. Let me call your attention to a few elements of the story. First, Rufo began with footage of workplace diversity trainings that attendees of the trainings did not like. Second, he found loose links …
(2021-07-15). Cruel US Blockade Causing Misery And Unrest In Cuba. popularresistance.org US officials and their corporate media mouthpieces were elated at the sight of protests in Cuba in recent days against deteriorating living conditions that are a direct result of the US blockade, which Trump increased and Biden has maintained during the pandemic to deliberately heighten suffering at a time when Cuba was sending doctors around the world to fight the disease. | As is often the case when an adversary country experiences protests of any kind, it was immediately weaponized to push for a regime change narrative against Cuba. There's so much to unpack, from the protest double standards, to the blatant e…
(2021-07-15). What they don't say about Cuba. peoplesdispatch.org The old-style information war that we have been experiencing for this last week against Cuba, did not start with Biden. Since 2017, the US has been incessantly and inaccurately talking about a social explosion in Cuba with its magical solution of a "humanitarian intervention." At the same time, Trump progressed in his litany of adding more sanctions to the blockade, 243 to be exact, which have been kept intact by the current administration. | In February 2020, the friends of Luis Almagro, Secretary-General of the OAS, and the Florida congressmen, in between taking selfies with the most despicable fascists of the…
(2021-07-15). The Pros and Cons of Bernie Sanders' Bond with Joe Biden. scheerpost.com YouTube] By Norman Solomon So far, most of the Biden presidency has been predictable. Its foreign policy includes bloated Pentagon spending and timeworn declarations that the United States should again "lead the world" and "sit at the head of the table." Many corporate influence peddlers have settled into jobs in upper reaches of the executive branch. The new administration has taken only baby… |
(2021-07-15). Sanders, Schumer reach deal on Biden budget. wsws.org The agreement sets a ceiling for the new social spending being proposed by the Democrats at $3.5 trillion over 10 years—a tiny proportion of the trillions being accumulated by the super-rich.
(2021-07-15). U.S.-China Near-War Status Report. counterpunch.org It's the summer of 2026, five years after the Biden administration identified the People's Republic of China as the principal threat to U.S. security and Congress passed a raft of laws mandating a society-wide mobilization to ensure permanent U.S. domination of the Asia-Pacific region. Although major armed conflict between the United States and China has
(2021-07-15). Tomgram: Andrea Mazzarino, War Is a Cancer on Our Democracy. warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Almost 20 years after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, as the Taliban takes district after district, withdrawing American troops are discarding vast piles of junk on bases they are now abandoning. In the process, the war on terror …
(2021-07-15). What Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta Means for Charities…and Our Democracy. counterpunch.org On July 1, in their ruling on Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta, the United States Supreme Court struck down a ten-year-old California law that requires nonprofits to disclose their top donors to the IRS. This ruling sets a dangerous precedent about the transparency of contributions—not only to charity, but also potentially to politicians and
(2021-07-15). China and the supply chain: a comment on the June 2021 White House review. mronline.org Contrary to rhetoric from Democrats and Republicans, the U.S. has an economic interest in trade and peace with China | July 15, 2021 | Newswire…