(2021-08-12). Hunger Is the Story of Our Time. libya360.wordpress.com Vijay Prashad, Prasanth R., Zoe Alexandra Hunger continues to take lives across the world, every day. This global failure stems from the very nature of capitalism itself. In May 1998, Cuba's President Fidel Castro attended the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. This is an annual meeting held by the World Health Organization (WHO). Castro…
(2021-08-12). Biden Must Call Off the B-52s Bombing Afghan Cities. dissidentvoice.org 
American flag is lowered as U.S. soldiers leave Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, May 2, 2021. Photo: Afghan Ministry of Defense Press Office. Nine provincial capitals in Afghanistan have fallen to the Taliban in six days — Zaranj, Sheberghan, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Taloqan, Aybak, Farah, Pul-e-Khumri and Faizabad — while fighting continues in four more — Lashkargah, …
(2021-08-12). Biden Must Call Off B52 Bombing of Afghan Cities. zcomm.org The U.S. attacks will not stop the Taliban or end the war…
(2021-08-12). Asesinato de Jovenel MoàØse: Premeditación, participación de los EEUU y complicidad del personal de seguridad. cubadebate.cu El informe preliminar elaborado por las autoridades haitianas deja asentadas sus presunciones sobre el magnicidio: la premeditación de los mercenarios colombianos en el plan de asesinato, la participación de dos empresas con sede en EE.UU. y la complicidad del personal de seguridad del mandatario en los hechos porque, cuando se ejecutó el asalto a la residencia de MoàØse, "la puerta principal estaba abierta".
(2021-08-12). Nicaragua: Encuesta confirma al FSLN como favorito a elecciones. cubadebate.cu Una encuesta publicada la víspera en Managua confirmó al gobernante Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) como favorito de cara a las elecciones generales del 7 de noviembre próximo.El estudio realizado solo en Managua reveló que el índice de predisposición política favorece al partido rojinegro, con el 62,7 por ciento.
(2021-08-12). Nearly 1.4 billion covered by health insurance in China. ecns.cn China's healthcare plans had covered 1.36 billion residents by the end of last year after the country worked for decades to create a sturdier insurance safety net in the world's most populous nation, a white paper said on Thursday.
(2021-08-12). The Eviction Crisis Is A Race And Gender Wage Gap Issue. popularresistance.org For Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO), sleeping away from the comfort of a bed is an unfortunately familiar feeling. Years ago, Bush had to live out of her car for a time with her two young children, all while working a full-time job. Her experience as an unhoused person drove her to take bold action on July 30, as the federal eviction moratorium was about to expire. "Many of my Democratic colleagues chose to go on vacation early today rather than staying to vote to keep people in their homes," Bush tweeted. "I'll be sleeping outside the Capitol tonight. We've still got work to do."
(2021-08-12). Your Vote Needed to Stop Sept 14 Governor Recall. indybay.org The County Voter Handbooks are arriving this week describing the fascist Trump Republican recall election set for September 14, 2021, and how we can vote by mail within 30 days of that election. Every registered voter will receive a vote by mail ballot. Since there is no Electoral College for this, we need every single vote against this recall to avoid the horror of a Trump Republican governor.
(2021-08-12). Headlines for August 12, 2021. democracynow.org WHO Warns World Could Log 100 Million More COVID-19 Cases by 2022 , 200+ Scientists Ask Biden to Adopt "Wartime Footing" to Scale Up Vaccine Production, CDC Urges Pregnant People to Get Vaccinated; FDA to Approve Third Dose for Immunocompromised, Florida Asks U.S. Government for Hundreds of Ventilators Amid Its Worst COVID-19 Surge, California to Require K-12 Teachers and Staff to Get Vaccinated or Face Weekly Tests, Sen. Joe Manchin Has "Serious Concerns" About Democrats' $3.5T Spending Bill, Sen. Ted Cruz Filibusters Senate Bills on Gerrymandering, Campaign Finance & Voting, Sicily Sets Europe-Wide Temperature…
(2021-08-12). US Civil Rights Groups Escalate Pressure on Biden to Keep Prisoners at Home Amid Pandemic. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Barrington M. Salmon – A coalition of criminal justice activists is upping its campaign to prevent the Biden administration from forcing thousands of inmates to return to prison as COVID-19 infections continue to surge, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) President Kevin Ring said.
(2021-08-12). Facebook stonewalls Biden on stopping vaccine disinformation. zcomm.org Because right-wing lies are enriching…
(2021-08-12). Awkward Moment: Biden –°onfuses Gov. Gretchen Whitmer With Energy Sec Jennifer Granholm – Video. sputniknews.com US President Joe Biden is no stranger to blunders and awkward behaviour: just earlier this week he seemingly took a cue from a Secret Service agent to follow the sidewalk path into the White House and followed the security officer across the lawn, prompting social media users to mock him for "getting lost in the bushes".
(2021-08-12). UNHCR objects to renewed U.S. expulsion flights of migrants under public health restrictions. ecns.cn The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed concern on Wednesday over the resumption of the U.S. practice of flying non-Mexican asylum seekers and migrants to southern Mexico after expelling them under a U.S. health law regulation implemented last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2021-08-12). Facts reveal U.S. failing in COVID-19 response: report. ecns.cn Furthermore, the "virus origin-tracing terrorism" that emerged in the country should be investigated as this is an attempt to manipulate "global public opinion," the authors said.
(2021-08-12). Senator Rand Paul accused of 'insider trading' after he belatedly reveals wife invested in pharma firm in early days of Covid-19. rt.com 
Senator Rand Paul was accused of "insider trading" after he revealed that his wife bought stock in the firm that makes antiviral drug remdesivir in early 2020, disclosing the purchase more than a year after the reporting deadline. | The Kentucky Republican acknowledged the stock buy on Wednesday in a Senate filing, the Washington Post According to the filing, the senator's wife invested b…
(2021-08-12). As Delta Variant Drives Surge in New Cases, History Shows It Could Get Worse Before It Gets Better. democracynow.org 
More than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, over 3.5 million people have died around the world, including nearly 500,000 in the United States. Historian and writer John Barry says the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus was a predictable development based on how previous pandemics have developed. "This is not unusual, what we're going through," he says. "The question is whether the next variant is going to be even more transmissible and possibly more virulent, or whether it's going to be toned down." He says it's likely that people will continue to need booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines in t…
(2021-08-12). The Way to Defeat the Globalist Reset: Local Production for Local Consumption… dissidentvoice.org 
The Globalists have semi-clandestinely introduced some kind of "covid-Martial Law" that overrules everything that is an otherwise Constitutional Right. We are in most of the western world a direct dictatorship. In most countries the Constitutional Amendment from "Democracy" to Dictatorship has happened clandestinely or at least semi-clandestinely. That's what dictators do. Most of the people …
(2021-08-12). "First World White Privilege": Indian Journalist Slams U.S. Anti-Vaxxers as World's Poor Lack Access. democracynow.org 
The official COVID-19 death toll in India is reported to be around 429,000, but many researchers believe it is at least five times higher. India experienced a devastating wave of infections in April and May, and less than 10% of the population has been fully vaccinated. "When we watch what's happening in the U.S. … it is astounding that people who have access to vaccines are choosing not to get jabbed," says Barkha Dutt, an award-winning Indian television journalist and author. "It's anti-science. It's self-indulgent. It's a very First World white privilege."
(2021-08-12). "There Just Isn't Enough Supply": Vaccine Gap Between Rich & Poor Countries Fuels Indonesia's COVID Crisis. democracynow.org 
As the World Health Organization warns over 100 million more people will be infected with COVID-19 by early next year as the Delta variant continues to rapidly spread, we look at Indonesia, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic in Asia. Over the past 28 days, Indonesia has recorded 43,000 deaths, more than anywhere else in the world. More than half of the deaths have occurred in the past two months as the Delta variant overwhelmed hospitals across the country. Sana Jaffrey, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta, says the public debate is largely focused on whether to protec…
(2021-08-12). Generations of Struggle: Lessons on Defending Democracy. juancole.com 
By Liz Theoharis | — ( Tomdispatch.com ) — My father, Athan G. Theoharis, passed away on July 3rd. A leading expert on the FBI, he was responsible for exposing the bureau's widespread abuses of power. He was a loyal husband, dedicated father, scholar, civil libertarian, and voting-rights advocate with an indefatigable commitment to defending …
(2021-08-12). Texas governor says anyone who defies state ban on mask mandates will be taken to court. rt.com 
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has asked an appeals court to strike down a masking requirement imposed by a country judge and promised more lawsuits against officials who rebel against his ban on mask mandates. | Abbot and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that they had filed a petition asking the 5th Court of Appeals to strike down an order by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who instructed businesses, public schools, child daycare centers and government offices to require indoor mask-wearing. | The governor banned Texas officials from imposing any form of a mask mandate in May, under the threat of a f…
(2021-08-12). Military Situation In Donetsk People's Republic On August 12, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | 1. UAF in Novgorodskoe shelled the Gagarin mine in Gorlovka with grenade launchers | 2. UAF in Pivdenne shelled Ozeryanovka with 82-mm artillery | 3. UAF in Avdeevka shelled Yasinovataya with 120-mm artillery | 4. UAF in Novoselovka shelled Yasinovataya with an ATGM | 5. UAF in Nevelskoe shelled Staromikhailovka with grenade launchers | 6. UAF in Novomikhailovka shelled Luganskoe with 122-mm artillery | 7. UAF in Vodyanoe shelled Leninskoe with 120-mm artillery…
(2021-08-12). Dear CIA Director Burns: Don't Listen to the Israelis on Iran— They just want you to fight a war for them. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Jonathan Lis at Haaretz reports that the Israeli government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is lobbying the US to get on a war footing with Iran. The Israelis will try to convince CIA director William Burns of their position on Iran in his meetings there on Wednesday. Lis makes 3 …
(2021-08-12). Texas House speaker issues arrest warrants for missing Democrats in bid to pass anti-voting rights bill. wsws.org The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a restraining order that protected Democratic lawmakers from being forced into the Texas House chamber.
(2021-08-12). Neoliberalism: America Has Arrived at One of History's Great Crossroads. counterpunch.org The Democratic Party is having an internal battle over the "small" and the "large" infrastructure bills, but what's really at stake is the future of neoliberalism within the party. The smaller "bipartisan" bill represents the neoliberal worldview, including public-private partnerships and huge subsidies to for-profit companies, whereas the larger "reconciliation" Democratic Party-only bill hearkens back
(2021-08-12). Myanmar: 5 Youths Jumped From Building To Escape Repression. telesurenglish.net On Wednesday, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that two pro-democracy activists died and three others were seriously injured when they jumped from a building in Yangon to avoid capture by the Myanmar police. | RELATED: | "The fleeing activists apparently got trapped on the rooftops of the old buildings… There was a five-store building blocking their path on one side and an eight-store building on the other, and they must have r…
(2021-08-12). Minneapolis Public Schools and teachers union pursue agreement to prioritize race in hiring and firing. wsws.org The measure's aim, in line with the Democratic Party's program of identity politics, is to undermine legislation passed during the Civil Rights movement which outlawed racial discrimination, render seniority rights moot, and stoke divisions among educators, parents and students.
(2021-08-12). Unilateral sanctions against Venezuela "crime against humanity": FM. ecns.cn Imposing unilateral sanctions against Venezuela and other countries is "a crime against humanity" that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court must investigate, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza said Wednesday.
(2021-08-12). Average life expectancy in China rises to 77.3 yrs: white paper. ecns.cn
(2021-08-12). China has over 1 mln medical, health institutions: white paper. ecns.cn The number of medical and health institutions in China skyrocketed from 170,000 in 1978 to over 1 million in 2020, according to a white paper.
(2021-08-12). China lifts nearly 99 mln rural poor out of poverty in 8 yrs: white paper. ecns.cn By the end of 2020, China had lifted all the 98.99 million rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty after eight years of efforts, according to a white paper.
(2021-08-12). Moscow to boost relations with Tehran based on mutual respect. en.mehrnews.com Iran is Russia's friend and neighbor, and the country will continue to strengthen relations based on mutual respect, the RussianEmbassy said.
(2021-08-12). Reportan el asesinato de firmante de la paz en Nariño, Colombia. telesurtv.net Con José Harleyo Popayán serían 34 los firmantes de acuerdo de paz asesinados en 2021.
(2021-08-12). Denuncian asesinato de líder social en el Meta, Colombia. telesurtv.net Indepaz señala que en lo corrido del 2021 se han asesinado 107 líderes sociales y 1.223 desde la firma de los Acuerdos de Paz en 2016.
(2021-08-12). Gobierno espía: El peligro de una inteligencia sin control democrático. globalizacion.ca El siglo XXI, nacido bajo la sombra del terrorismo y la expansión y sofisticación del crimen organizado, ha estado caracterizado por la frecuente apelación a un discurso que, en nombre de la seguridad nacional, justifica las intromisiones a la privacidad…
(2021-08-11). US Senate passes infrastructure bill, moves on to budget. wsws.org The Senate bill is being used to promote the notion that the nation can be united on the basis of bipartisanship—even as the Republican Party continues to back Trump and oppose any investigation of the storming of the US Capitol on January 6.
(2021-08-11). Taliban seizes 8th provincial capital amid massive offensive as Biden calls on Afghans to 'fight for themselves'. rt.com 
The Taliban has seized two more provincial capitals in Afghanistan, taking control of eight major cities in just four days amid a relentless wave of attacks as US President Joe Biden urges Afghans to fight for their country. | After a series of attacks on Tuesday, the militant group captured Farah city in the southwest — capital of the province of the same name — as well as the capital of Baghlan province, Pul-e-Khumri, located just 125 miles (200km) from the national capital of Kabul. Local officials confirmed that both cities had fallen to reporters with Al Jazeera and AFP. | "The Taliban are now i…
(2021-08-11). Taliban's Sweeping Offensive in Afghanistan Was "Inevitable" and Stems from Brutal U.S. War. ips-dc.org Phyllis Bennis joins Democracy Now! to discuss the latest from Afghanistan, including the Taliban's recent capture of three more provincial capitals.
(2021-08-11). Afghanistan: a Tale of never ending Tragedy. globalresearch.ca This incisive and carefully research article was first published by Global Research on July 19, 2006 | It's now approaching five years since the Taliban government in Afghanistan was deposed by American bombing and the reoccupation of the country with the …
(2021-08-11). Headlines for August 11, 2021. democracynow.org Senate Dems Approve $3.5 Trillion Budget Hours After Passage of Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo Resigns, Continues to Faces Ongoing Probes and Possible Impeachment, Cases Spike in Tacoma ICE Jail; TX Counties Can Bypass Mask Mandate Ban as Delta COVID Cases Surge, COVID-19 Surges in Mexico; Bangladesh Launches Rohingya Refugee Vaccination Drive, Taliban Claim More Territory, Seizing Three More Afghan Cities, Ethiopian PM Calls for Citizens to Join Fight Against Tigray Forces as Humanitarian Disaster Grows, U.S. Appeals Ruling That Blocked Julian Assange's Extradition, Algerian Wildfires Kill 42…
(2021-08-11). Arrests of Palestinian rights defenders part of 'wider crackdown'. news.un.org Israel must safeguard human rights activists in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and within its borders, a UN-appointed expert said on Wednesday.
(2021-08-11). OCLAE Celebrates 55th Anniversary Paying Homage to Fidel Castro. telesurenglish.net At the organization's anniversary ceremony -which took place at the José Martí Memorial- its president since 2020, Leonel Pérez Freeman, stated that the Oclae "was born at a special juncture in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a significant effervescence of the armed struggle and with the latent example of the Cuban Revolution." | With the emergence of Oclae, an "organization of organizations," "one of the greatest aspirations of the Latin American student movement became a reality: the foundation of a platform for the joint work and action of students in the region," commented Pérez Freeman. | RELATED:…
(2021-08-11). Russian Orlan-10 Drone Crashed In Northeastern Syria, Fourth This Year. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image. Source: the internet. | On August 11, a Russian Orlan-10 drone crash landed in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah in northeastern Syria. | The drone crashed in the vicinity of the town of al-Matmurah. At the time, fighters the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were clashing with Turkish forces in nearby areas. At least two Turkish-backed militants were killed in the clashes. The drone may have been shot down by mistake. | The Orlan-10 has a f…
(2021-08-11). The Nature of Prosecutors. popularresistance.org Above Photo: Statue of Blind Justice statue outside the Albert V. Bryan U.S. courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. (Tim Evanson, Flickr) Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg went after Daniel Hale and leads the extradition case against Julian Assange. People should know what he and other prosecutors can really be like. For the past two weeks I've …
(2021-08-11). Democrats Propose Medicare for a Few More Instead of Demanding Medicare for All. zcomm.org Passing H.R.1976, the Medicare for All Act of 2021, is the kind of history-making this country needs from Democrats right now. The pandemic is still here, and we cannot delay any longer…
(2021-08-11). 'Coercive Measures' Against Venezuela Will Continue, Reaffirms the US. orinocotribune.com New plots against Venezuela are being hatched in the US, as indicated by Juan González, National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere in the Joe Biden administration. Ratifying the ongoing interventionist White House stance, González claimed that the US, together with its allies, would continue to exert pressure on Venezuela until "free and fair elections" are held in the country. | These statements come after Mexican President López Obrador's recent announcement that his government will host a negotiation between diverse political sectors of Venezuela, to aid in achieving a possible peacef…
(2021-08-11). Texas House Speaker Signs Arrest Warrants for 52 Democrats Who Fled to DC Over Voting Bill. sputniknews.com Last month, 52 Texas Democrats fled the state in an attempt to block a vote on an election bill that envisaged tougher voting requirements – a measure Democrats view as harming minorities and abusing voting rights.
(2021-08-11). TX Voting Rights Fight Takes Ugly Turn as House GOP Vote to Arrest Dem Lawmakers. truthout.org 
Texas lawmakers in the state's House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to order state law enforcement to forcibly return Democrats to the legislative chamber, including potentially arresting them, in order to force a vote on implementing restrictive voting provisions in future elections in the state. |
(2021-08-11). Intelligence probe of COVID-19 origins unlikely to end with high-confidence result: officials. ecns.cn A 90-day intelligence review into the origins of COVID-19 ordered by U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to end largely where it began, without high confidence in how the coronavirus first emerged.
(2021-08-11). Mexico: AMLO Invites Biden To Visit the Country in September. telesurenglish.net Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, invited his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, to visit his country by the end of September during a meeting held this Tuesday at the National Palace with the U.S. National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan. | "There is that possibility. We made the invitation for him to visit Mexico," said López Obrador on Wednesday in his usual morning press conference. | RELATED: | Likewise, he detailed that they talked about…
(2021-08-11). Fiscal Tyranny: Biden Threatens to Withhold Federal Funding from Universities, Nursing Homes and Other Federally-funded Institutions if They Don't Hit Mandatory COVID Vaccination Quotas. globalresearch.ca
(2021-08-11). Tara Reade: Cuomo's resignation a 'good first step.' 'Now, let's do Biden'. therealnews.com 
At the very moment
(2021-08-11). More Cheap Fun: Job Growth, Trump v. Biden. counterpunch.org Another jobs report, another cheap shot at the former guy. As I always say, this sort of comparison is silly because so many things beyond the president's control affect job growth and the economy. But, you know that if the situation were reversed, we would be hearing this comparison endlessly. Donald Trump Jr. would probably
(2021-08-11). 200+ Scientists, Groups Implore Biden to Ramp Up mRNA Vaccine Production for the World. commondreams.org The United Nation's latest climate report says capping global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C target is imperative—and still within reach through immediate, aggressive action.
(2021-08-11). Biden speaks to Pacific Islands Forum to counter China. wsws.org Biden's address to the forum—a first for a sitting US president—featured the declaration that the US was a "proud Pacific power" and signalled Washington's determination to maintain its dominant position in the region.
(2021-08-11). Biden Has Abandoned His Covid Worker Safety Pledge. zcomm.org Biden's much-anticipated workplace safety rule excludes most workers—and some in the labor movement are not happy…
(2021-08-11). Iraq Needs an Independent Government, Not 'Training'. strategic-culture.org By Eric MARGOLIS | Will US occupation troops really leave Iraq? That's the question that Washington is so far unable to answer. The White House says the official date of the long goodbye is this month, August 2021. | Donald Trump announced a pullout of US troops while still in office but his deadline was simply ignored by the new Biden administration which has also been under mounting pressure to end the two-decade US occupation of Mesopotamia. Left wing Democrats wanted a full end to the war the US has waged since 2003. Right-wing Republicans, blissfully unaware of Mideast realities, urged more troops be sent to…
(2021-08-11). As DeSantis Bans Mask Mandates, Florida Asks Feds for Help With Covid Surge. commondreams.org "The Biden administration promised a wartime response to the global vaccine effort. It's time to deliver."
(2021-08-11). UN Official Decries Biden's 'Troubling' Deportations Under Pretext of Pandemic. commondreams.org A Golden State union leader called the governor's move "an appropriate next step to ensure the safety of our school communities and to protect our youngest learners."
(2021-08-11). Pandemic Shows Why We Need a Global Green New Deal. commondreams.org "Biden and Senate Democrats need to tell us what their plan to pass S. 1 is—before it's too late."
(2021-08-11). America has arrived at one of history's great crossroads. zcomm.org If the neoliberals win and Biden and the Democrats back down, it's unlikely America will simply slide back into a "friendly neoliberalism" like we had before the Trump presidency…
(2021-08-11). 'Utter Lack of Credibility as a Climate Leader': Biden Pressures OPEC to Pump More Oil. commondreams.org "You can't even keep these files because there's potential for abuse," said the ACLU of Tennessee.
(2021-08-11). Biden Made Big Compromises on Climate. zcomm.org And Movements That Backed Him Are Livid…
(2021-08-11). Wealthiest Netted Billions From Trump Tax Cut They Helped Write: Report. commondreams.org "This disingenuous appeal should be dismissed by the court and President Biden should take the opportunity to drop these politically motivated charges."
(2021-08-11). Poll: Majority of US Voters Want Biden to 'Fight' for Key Voting Rights Bill. commondreams.org "Maybe instead of boosting oil production, President Biden should have pushed for more electric vehicle and transit spending in the infrastructure bill?"
(2021-08-11). FYI: There Was No Coup, No Reichstag Fire. strategic-culture.org By Peter VAN BUREN | We need to clear some things up before they get any further out of hand, as the Dems insist on making this stuff every day's front page. For starters, please stop saying "Reichstag moment." Also there was nothing even close to a coup on January 6, and those who fan the flames claiming we were "close" to a coup, overthrow, losing our democracy, etc., have evil designs on freedom and we should not listen to them. Done. | If the aliens flying around Navy ships were to stop long enough to listen to a couple of hours of "news," they could easily believe Trump is still president, or at least still…
(2021-08-11). Corporate Liberalism Is No Match for Trumpism. indybay.org Our entire democracy is now at risk…
(2021-08-11). ALL California teachers face Covid vaccine mandate or regular testing, Newsom announces. rt.com 
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a Covid-19 vaccine mandate or weekly testing for teachers and school staff, saying it is "the right thing to do" and making his state the first to pass such a requirement. | The mandate will apply to teachers, as well as "custodial staff, the bus drivers, folks that are critical to supporting the entire school ecosystem," Newsom said at a Wednesday press conference at Carl B. Munck Elementary School in Oakland. | "We think this is the right thing to do," the governor continued, "and we think this is a sustainable way to keeping our schools open and to address the…
(2021-08-11). UNHCR alarmed over US 'expulsion flights' to southern Mexico. news.un.org The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) raised concern on Wednesday over a new policy by the United States, using public health orders linked to COVID-19, to expel some asylum-seekers and migrants by flying them to southern Mexico.
(2021-08-11). President Maduro Optimistic About Dialogue With Opposition. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed optimism about ongoing contacts between his government and the opposition, saying that the talks are going well. He added that the exact date and venue of negotiations would be decided in the coming days. | RELATED: | "As of this year, we have resumed the dialogue with the G4 [political parties Popular Will, Justice First, Democratic Action and A New Era aka Unitary Platform o…
(2021-08-11). Assange is 'an innocent man accused of practising journalism'. thecanary.co Julian Assange's partner has described him as "an innocent man accused of practising journalism" as she arrived at a legal hearing which will see the US government challenge a judge's decision not to extradite him to the US on espionage charges. | Stella Moris, who has two children by Assange, stood in front of the steps of the High Court and told his supporters: "The US government is exploiting the inherently unfair arrangement between the US and the UK. | "They are exploiting the inherently unfair extradition arrangements with this country in order to arbitrarily prolong his imprisonment. The imprisonment of an…
(2021-08-11). "The End of Neoliberalism": Rep. Ro Khanna Hails "Historic" $3.5 Trillion Budget Plan. democracynow.org 
Senate Democrats passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution early Wednesday morning that would vastly expand the social safety net, increase taxes on the rich and corporations, improve worker rights and include measures to combat the climate crisis. The budget blueprint passed 50-49, less than 24 hours after a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill was approved 69-30 in the Senate. Both spending packages now go to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated she will not bring the bipartisan bill to the House floor unless the reconciliation bill is considered at the same time. Califo…
(2021-08-11). International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples toward 2021 California Admission Day. indybay.org The living legacy of Indigenous people throughout the Great State of California legacy will no longer be discounted and/or discredited. Generational Genocide, Slavery and Disparaging treatment cannot be ignored any longer. Together, we can and must form a more perfect union by facing "what really happened" and Build Back Better in 2021.
(2021-08-11). Medicare Won't Cover Most Vision, Dental and Hearing. Dems Want to Change That. truthout.org 
Sorry, Joe Namath. Despite what you keep saying in those TV ads, under Medicare, seniors are not "entitled to eliminate copays and get dental care, dentures, eyeglasses, prescription drug coverage, in-home aides, unlimited transportation and home-delivered meals, all at no additional cost." But if Democratic lawmakers in Congress have their say, seniors could soon be entitled to some of those services. | Namath's commercial is hawking private Medicare Advantage plans, which frequently do offer…
(2021-08-11). Will it be the Kaiser's ghost or a peace policy that prevails in Germany? peoplesworld.org 
The annual heyday for German journalists is here again; another round anniversary reminds us, days in advance, how terrible life was for us poor souls in that awful old East German Democratic Republic. This year it's the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Wall. For me such previews were handy reminders to buy flowers or chocolates; …
(2021-08-11). In final speech, Trumka said labor's fighting for democracy under siege. peoplesworld.org 
LAS VEGAS (PAI)—In what turned out to be his final address to a union crowd, the late AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka declared organized labor is fighting not just for itself, but for "democracy, which has been under siege." "Give us back our power, and we'll pull our country back from the brink," he declared. Trumka …
(2021-08-11). Senate plows through budget, rejecting most GOP 'social issue' schemes. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—By a 50-49 party-line vote, senators approved a skeleton budget blueprint, called a "reconciliation" bill, that, when lawmakers flesh out the details after returning from their recess in early September, could produce massive pro-worker changes—if everybody is on the same page. But when Congress trickles back into town after Rosh Hashanah, the Democrats may not …
(2021-08-11). Sen. Booker's enthusiastic 'embrace' of anti-defund the police measure riles activists & BLM (VIDEO). rt.com 
Senator Cory Booker (D-New York), a vocal proponent of criminal justice reform in the US, has rubbed some people the wrong way with a sarcasm-dripping endorsement of a measure against defunding the police. | Booker delivered an impassioned short speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday as the chamber worked through a grueling 13-hour vote-a-rama on hundreds of proposed amendments to the bipartisan infrastructure bill. He offered a full-throated backing to a "gift" of a proposal to "establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to decreasing federal funding for local jurisdictions that defund the police." | pi…
(2021-08-11). Texan House speaker signs arrest warrant for 52 runaway Democrats after lawmakers fled state to block passage of Republican bill. rt.com 
A senior Texan lawmaker has signed an arrest warrant for 52 Democrats who fled the state to avoid voting on a controversial Republican bill which cannot be passed into law without the presence of five more lawmakers. | Late on Tuesday evening, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan signed the arrest warrants, understood to be civil not criminal, for 52 Democrat legislators who have avoided their duties in the assembly, according to US news agencies. | The move came after the Texas Supreme Court gave lawmakers permission to use law enforcement to compel the runaway Democrats to return to the House. According to The Da…
(2021-08-11). NYPD spent $159mn on facial recognition, 'stingray' cellphone trackers & X-ray van spy tools using secretive fund, documents show. rt.com 
For years, the NYPD used a "surveillance slush fund" for a range of policing tech with no public oversight — under a shadowy deal with city officials that kept equipment used in "confidential operations" secret. | Newly released documents reveal the New York Police Department (NYPD) has spent at least $159 million in public money since 2007, through a "Special Expenses" fund, on potentially invasive surveillance tools like facial-recognition software, predictive policing programs, "stingray" cellphone trackers — and even vans fitted with X-ray machines to spot weapons. | That year, the force entered…
(2021-08-11). California Gubernatorial Recall Could See Newsom Replaced by a Republican. truthout.org 
California stands on the cusp of an absurdity. | In
(2021-08-11). "A Petty Tyrant with Too Much Power": Former Cuomo Rival Zephyr Teachout Responds to Resignation. democracynow.org 
Law professor Zephyr Teachout, who challenged Cuomo for the New York Democratic nomination for governor in 2014, describes Cuomo as "extraordinarily vengeful" and applauds the bravery of the women who spoke up about his behavior. "He never hesitated to use the power of the state, state resources, to serve his own ends," says Teachout.
(2021-08-11). Gov. Cuomo Resigns After Sexual Harassment Probe; Critic Says He Is "Still Gaslighting New Yorkers" democracynow.org 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation, effective August 24, after a week of intense pressure from fellow Democrats for him to step down. Cuomo, who has been in office since 2011, had few allies left after an investigation by New York's attorney general found he had sexually harassed at least 11 women — allegations he continues to deny. "Governor Cuomo is still gaslighting New Yorkers," says Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the New York State Assembly representing Manhattan, who says Cuomo must still be impeached. "Impeachment means that New York will not be paying Andrew Cuomo's pension for…
(2021-08-11). New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Resigns After Sexual Harassment Probe. truthout.org 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced his resignation, effective August 24, after a week of intense pressure from fellow Democrats for him to step down. Cuomo, who has been in office since 2011, had few allies left after an investigation by New York's attorney general found he had sexually harassed at least 11 women — allegations he continues to deny. "Governor Cuomo is still gaslighting New Yorkers," says Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the New York State Assembly representing Manhattan, who says Cu…
(2021-08-11). Brazil: Tanks on the Streets — Attacks on the International Left. libya360.wordpress.com Who Will Laugh Last? Brian MierBrazilians woke up yesterday to visions of a nightmare they thought would never return: military tanks and armored vehicles rolling down the national mall in Brasilia, past the Congress and Supreme Court Buildings in an attempt, admitted by top aides of far right President Jair Bolsonaro, to scare Brazil's democratic…
(2021-08-11). When States Take Over School Districts, the Community Loses. progressive.org While the impacts of state takeovers on academics are uncertain, the negative effects on local democratic governance are clear.
(2021-08-11). An Austin Church Helped Wipe Out Student Debt For 200 HBCU Grads At Huston-Tillotson. moguldom.com About 200 HBCU grads from Huston-Tillotson University received more than their degrees on Aug. 7. Many also graduated debt-free thanks to a $450,000 gift to the school from the First United Methodist Church of Austin to help eliminate student debt. It was a welcome relief for the classes of 2020 and 2021, whose students worked …
(2021-08-11). Comment: The End of School 'Reform'. progressive.org Whatever leadership imperatives become the new driving force behind the next education policy directives, they are doomed to irrelevance if they ignore the needs and interests of teachers.
(2021-08-11). North Korea eyes stronger cooperation with Russia to resist US — envoy. tass.com According to North Korean Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol, Pyongyang cannot ignore the threats it faces at the backdrop of the hostile policy that the US pursues against North Korea…
(2021-08-11). WHO supports Guinea after detection of first-ever case of Marburg disease. news.un.org The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting Guinea following a confirmed death from Marburg virus disease, the first known case in the country and West Africa, the UN agency reported on Wednesday.
(2021-08-11). Ten years after the London riots: More cuts and state repression. wsws.org The riots blew the lid off a society wracked by poverty and inequality and the collapse of any concern for democracy in the ruling class. A decade later, both of Britain's main parties are led by politicians who cut their teeth in the mass repression of working-class youth which followed.
(2021-08-11). Thwarting the Republican Backlash Against Democracy. thenation.com Thwarting the Republican Backlash Against Democracy…
(2021-08-11). Punishment of 'innocent civilians' through government sanctions must end: UN experts. news.un.org Unilateral coercive measures by some governments are denying many people around the world the right to personal development, as well as holding back sustainable national development, four independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday.
(2021-08-11). Brasil: escena de república bananera. globalizacion.ca Una escena patética: cuando por la tarde el Congreso brasileño iba a derrotar la propuesta del presidente Jair Bolsonaro de cambiar la urna eletrónica por el voto en papel, 150 vehiculos militares, gran parte de ellos tanques, cruzaron la Esplanada…
(2021-08-11). Democracy's Money Problem. thenation.com Democracy's Money Problem…
(2021-08-11). Koch Network Infiltration of Public Schools 'Harms Students, Teachers, and Our Democracy': Report. commondreams.org Federal legislation is clearly needed to help stop partisan gerrymandering, and time is of the essence.
(2021-08-11). Good Fire / Bad Fire: a False Paradigm. counterpunch.org There has been a spate of pronouncements from politicians as different politically as Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines to California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom arguing that we need more "active forest management" to reduce "fuel" as a means of precluding large blazes. The assumption is that fuels are the problem is widespread and repeated over and over by the media and agency folks so this mantra is nearly internalized in the public mind.
(2021-08-11). Without Single GOP Vote, Senate Approves $3.5 Trillion Budget Blueprint. commondreams.org The state health department's request for 300 ventilators came as the Republican governor continued to fight to prevent school districts from requiring masks.
(2021-08-11). Gerrymandering: The Upcoming Redistricting Battle. commondreams.org "As other state legislatures continue to work tirelessly to pass anti-voter laws, the federal government must work even harder to stop these nefarious efforts in their tracks."