(2021-12-04). At Democracy Summit, US Will Urge Countries to Use Sanctions. news.antiwar.com At the upcoming Summit for Democracy hosted by President Biden, the US will urge other countries to start using sanctions against government officials Washington deems to be "corrupt," Citing unnamed Biden administration officials, the report said the US will slap sanctions on foreign-government officials and other people the US accuses of corruption and human rights abuses ahead of the virtual summit that will be held on Thursday and Friday. | "Over the course of the week, Treasury will take a series…
(2021-12-04). Russian Foreign Ministry Statement on the Planned US 'Summit for Democracy'. orinocotribune.com In connection with the so called summit for democracy to be held on December 9-10 at the initiative of the US administration, we consider it necessary to make the following statement. | The organisers and enthusiasts behind this strange event claim to lead the world in advancing the cause of democracy and human rights. However, the track record and reputation of the United States, Great Britain, and the EU member states in terms of respecting democratic rights and freedoms at home, as well as in the international arena, are, to put it mildly, far from ideal. | The evidence suggests that the United States and its…
(2021-12-04). 2021: Political Turning Point in Central America and the Caribbean. orinocotribune.com 
By Mision Verdad — Dec 1, 2021 | With the background noise of migration to the United States and the recent victory of Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, Central America and the Caribbean are at a turning point that will play an important role in the years to come in Latin America and the Caribbean. | The region comes from processes of civil wars, historical colonization and systematic impoverishment; however, the facts are woven with this historical thread in which democracy and human rights are used in the interest of the hegemonic narrative to intervene and capture geostrategic resources. Three of the multiple pro…
(2021-12-04). Claims of Russian Interference in Ukraine Reek of Hypocrisy. dissidentvoice.org 
The Russians are up to no good and we must prepare to protect Ukraine. Moscow interferes in US and Canadian elections. That's what Washington, Ottawa and their media sycophants claim. But is this just another case of accusing others of doing the things you do? An age-old propaganda technique designed to deflect attention away from …
(2021-12-04). An Obscure Agency Is Threatening To Hand Medicare Over To Wall Street. popularresistance.org In the face of massive support for Medicare for All and the failure of the U.S.'s for-profit health care system, the inevitable fall of the medical-industrial complex can be predicted, if not with precision, with certainty. Everyone is aware of the impending demise, none more so than those in charge of the for-profit health care system and their supporters in Congress, as evidenced by the frenetic activity at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to transfer the traditional Medicare program to the insurance industry as fast as humanly possible. Given this urgency, physicians representing Physicians…
(2021-12-04). Presidential victory in Honduras represents another loss for U.S. imperialism. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – In the early hours of June 28, 2009, Honduran soldiers snatched President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya from his home and removed him from power in a coup d'état with tacit support from the U.S. What followed was a brutal dictatorship that murdered, disappeared and oppressed Hondurans. In close collaboration with criminal cartels, the Honduran power elite implemented neoliberal policies, while violence and drugs plagued the country. It should come as no surprise that waves of Hondurans poured out into caravans headed north to seek asylum in the U.S. only to be met by the cruel denial of President Trump and U.S…
(2021-12-04). Backed by AFRICOM, Corporations Plunder DR Congo for "Climate-Friendly" Materials and Blame China. orinocotribune.com 
By T.J. Coles — Nov 30, 2021 | Cobalt, a key metallic element used in lithium batteries and other "green" technology, is sourced from slave labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the West points the finger at China, the US Africa Command is indirectly policing mining operations that profit US corporations. | Ever since Belgium's King Leopold II (1835-1909) established the Congo Free State in 1885, international powers have exploited the region's vast resources. Leading a regime that went on to kill an
(2021-12-04). Xiomara Castro and the Rebirth of Honduras. orinocotribune.com By Ilka Oliva Corado — Nov 29, 2021 | The humiliations suffered by undocumented Central American migrants who try to cross Mexico to reach the United States, seeking to save themselves from the institutional violence of the narco-state, in the case of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, have hurt a lot. The famous northern triangle that is so much present here and there in discourses of politicians, in the discourse of transnational corporations that in exchange for a crumb that they throw from the rocking chair where they rock, placid and pompous; they take the entrails of the land that they are drying, be…
(2021-12-04). Cheap Fun Saturday: Job Growth Under Biden and Trump. cepr.net 
The November jobs report left a number of people, including me, somewhat confused. The data from the survey of households was great. The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points to 4.2 percent, with over 1.1 million more people reporting that they were employed. This was far better than the consensus forecast, which put the drop at 0.1-0.2 percentage points. (My number was 4.3 percent.) | It's worth noting that 4.2 percent is a very low rate of unemployment by historical standards. The unemployment rate did not get this low from 1970 until 1999. Then, after the recession in 2001, it didn't again fall to 4.
(2021-12-04). Trump hid positive coronavirus test prior to presidential debate with Joe Biden last year. wsws.org Eschewing public health protocols and knowingly risking the lives of those attendance, Trump and his inner circle hid the results of the test and refused to wear masks during the debate.
(2021-12-04). Biden administration resumes Trump's "Remain in Mexico" immigration policy. wsws.org The White House announced a deal with Mexico to reinstate a former Trump-era policy whereby asylum seekers will be forced to stay in that country until their US immigration court date.
(2021-12-04). At meeting with Putin, Biden to declare US desire for stable relations — Blinken. tass.com Washington expects the conversation to take place "in the very near future"
(2021-12-04). CNE Discusses Procedure to Include Venezuelan Migrants in Electoral Registry. orinocotribune.com Ahead of the 2024 presidential elections, the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela has started to discuss how to incorporate Venezuela's migrant population into the electoral registry. | At a conference held on Friday, December 3, CNE rector Roberto Picón explained that the incorporation of migrants into the registry involves a series of technical and political procedures ranging from the normalization of consular relations with some countries, and the updating of host country immigration records, to an actual voter registration. | In his opinion, the first step need to be taken within the political a…
(2021-12-04). [Comment] Offline: Is democracy good for your health? thelancet.com What is the best political system to protect and advance health? In 2019, Thomas Bollyky, who directs the Global Health Program at the US Council on Foreign Relations, and colleagues reported evidence in The Lancet suggesting that democracies are better than autocracies for delivering gains in health. Advantage America, he seemed to be saying. The argument is superficially convincing. Democracies sharpen the accountability of governments to their citizens. Free and fair elections create incentives for political leaders to pay serious attention to the wellbeing of voters.
(2021-12-04). Chile's election: Boric and pseudo-left offer no defense against threat of fascism. wsws.org International and historical experience demonstrates that once in power, the pseudo-left abandons all pretense of reform, bowing to the international financial and corporate elite.
(2021-12-04). People's Assembly at Nancy Pelosi's House. indybay.org Vegan dinner and a message to Nancy Pelosi…
(2021-12-04). Auto Workers Win Direct Democracy in Referendum. zcomm.org Tens of thousands of UAW members have just voted to upend the status quo…
(2021-12-04). Strike for Choice in Palo Alto. indybay.org Whole Foods Palo Alto called the police on peaceful pro-choice protestors the afternoon of Dec 1. The action was led by Raging Grannies Action League, who model how to interact with police. "We have no leader." "We don't talk to police." Video is 58 secs.
(2021-12-03). Documents Reveal Biden Not Fighting For A Covid Vaccine Patent Waiver. popularresistance.org On November 26, as news of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 stoked alarm around the world, the White House released a statement calling on countries to support an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines. | "I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for Covid vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally," said President Joe Biden. "I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly." | However, this public statement,…
(2021-12-03). Biden offers platitudes while Omicron coronavirus variant spreads in US. wsws.org CDC data indicates that the Omicron variant is at least partially resistant to even a triple-dose of the existing vaccine regimens.
(2021-12-03). Documents Reveal Biden Admin Not Fighting For A Covid Vaccine Patent Waiver. popularresistance.org On November 26, as news of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 stoked alarm around the world, the White House released a statement calling on countries to support an intellectual property waiver for Covid-19 vaccines. However, this public statement, which garnered numerous headlines, stands in stark contrast with what the Biden administration did‚Äâ—‚Äâor did not do‚Äâ—‚Äâbehind closed doors at the WTO on November 29.
(2021-12-03). WA Labor's electoral reforms: one step forward, two steps back. greenleft.org.au Under the cover of applying "one vote, one value" to elections for the Legislative Council, last month WA Labor also pushed through legislation that disadvantages smaller political parties, writes Sam Wainwright.
(2021-12-03). Haitian Asylum Seekers Held Under Del Rio Bridge Now Face Inhumane Conditions in New Mexico ICE Jail. democracynow.org 
The world was shocked by images of Haitians whipped by U.S. Border Patrol agents on horseback as they sought refuge. Thousands were soon deported, but dozens are now detained in an ICE jail in New Mexico where they face inhumane conditions and lack access to legal services. We speak with a lawyer who describes medical neglect, deteriorating mental and physical health, and poor treatment by the staff. "They cannot get the basic tools and have the basic human contact that they need to save their own lives," says immigration attorney Allegra Love of the El Paso Immigration Collaborative.
(2021-12-03). "Only the people can save the people!" Xiomora Castro's presidential win in Honduras. nationofchange.org "I believe firmly that the democratic socialism I propose is the solution to pull Honduras out of the abyss we have been buried in by neo-liberalism, a narco-dictator and corruption."
(2021-12-03). Biden administration refuses to ban killer robots. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden has refused to sign a binding international agreement tightly regulating the use of "killer robots." Campaigners fear such devices will launch an unstoppable arms race toward "digital dehumanization." | The US prefers a "non-binding code of conduct" regarding Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS, aka killer robots), State Department official Joshua Dorosin said at a meeting in Geneva on Thursday. | His insistence on leaving the Pentagon's hands free to produce autonomous killer robots stands in line with years of US policy, which has long opposed a global moratorium on LAWS, denouncin…
(2021-12-03). Putin and Biden Discuss Geneva Agreements on Ukraine's Conflict. telesurenglish.net The date of the meeting between Russia's President and his U.S counterpart has been approved, yet will not be made public until after it occurs. | RELATED: | "We are working on a possible contact between Putin and Biden in the videoconference format. This contact is to take place within days. We have a concrete date and time for this videoconference. But it is better to wait until all its parameters are agreed with…
(2021-12-03). 21N Elections: Scrutiny of Vote Count for Indigenous Representatives Concludes. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, December 2, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that it had concluded the tabulation of the voting minutes issued in the elections to choose Indigenous representatives for legislative councils and municipal councils. | The voting minutes were issued in each of the 74 authorized voting centers in eight states of the country. | "The Ad Hoc commission for the 2021 elections…
(2021-12-03). Libya: Protesters Gather in Sebha in Support of Saif Gaddafi, Demanding Free and Fair Elections and an Impartial Judiciary. orinocotribune.com 
The people of Ghat confirmed that there are those who want to occupy the country and restore colonialism again, and who threaten to divide the country according to the interests of the international powers. | This came during a protest organized by the people of the city of Ghat in front of the Sebha Court of First Instance to support the demonstrators against the closure of the court by force. The people added that it is the duty of all of us to unite to save the country from division and refraction, and what is happening in front of the court complex in Sebha, and to prevent them from considering the appeals su…
(2021-12-03). Progressives sweep Teamsters election ‚àí time to organize! workers.org 
In a major setback for top-down, corporate-model business unionism, Teamsters United candidate Sean O'Brien defeated Steve Vairma — the chosen successor to Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr. — by a two-to-one margin. The results were announced Nov. 18, with Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters United candidate for Secretary-Treasurer, and the entire "OZ" . . . |
(2021-12-03). Opposition Deputy José Brito Asks CNE to Repeat Elections in Pariaguán, Anzoategui State. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, December 2, José Brito, a deputy representing Justice First in Venezuela's National Assembly, asked the National Electoral Council (CNE) to repeat the regional and municipal elections in Pariaguán (Anzoátegui State) after the disqualification of the victor Tomás Bello. | In the company of the candidate for the Democratic Alliance for mayor of the Miranda municipality of Pariaguán, Tomás Bello, Brito went to the headquarters of the CNE to challenge the electoral process of that jurisdiction. He denounced that, following the disqualification of the elected candidate, a substitution of candidates was…
(2021-12-03). Opposition's Presumed Candidate for Barinas State Re-election. orinocotribune.com With the opening of the new electoral process in the state of Barinas, following the controversial decision issued by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) that confirmed the disqualification of Freddy Superlano as the opposition (MUD) candidate—even when Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) forecast his victory—it is presumed that they will nominate his wife, Aurora Silva de Superlano, to run as candidate for governor. | The CNE authorities have already announced that the period for political organizations to present their offers is underway. For their part, regional media reported on the possib…
(2021-12-03). Why Does Independent Media Matter? A Webinar on Nicaragua, Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras and the Black Liberation Struggle. towardfreedom.org Toward Freedom hosted a webinar December 2 to welcome new editor, Julie Varughese, who reported on her time covering Nicaragua's November 7 elections. Regular contributors Danny Shaw and Jacqueline Luqman discussed the Pink Tide in Latin America, Haiti and how Hollywood depicts the Black liberation struggle.
(2021-12-03). Referendum on direct election of UAW officers passes. wsws.org A little over 140,000 voted out of close to 1 million eligible active workers and retirees, a mere 14 percent turnout, reflecting the deep alienation felt by workers toward the UAW.
(2021-12-03). Gunmen Attack Four Libyan Election Centers. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, the Libyan High National Elections Commission (HNEC) said that four of its election centers have been attacked by a group of gunmen. | RELATED: | Said Al-Qasabi, head of the main operations chamber of the HNEC, said that gunmen in civilian clothes launched the attacks on Wednesday, taking away 2,312 voter cards and damaging 69 others. Interior Minister Khaled Mazen on Tuesday warned that obstructing the…
(2021-12-03). Ocasio-Cortez Introduces Bill to Help Clear Marijuana Charges at State Level. truthout.org 
A new bipartisan bill introduced in the House aims to aid local and state governments in expungement efforts for those charged with cannabis offenses at the sub-federal level. | The Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act was introduced by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Dave Joyce (R-Ohio). It would direct the Justice Department to create a new grant program with up to $20 million in funding over 10 years, starting in 2023. Grants would be issued…
(2021-12-03). "Autonomy is Everything": Interview with Indigenous Political Prisoner José Antonio Arreola of Nahuatzen. itsgoingdown.org 
La versión original de esta entrevista en español puede encontrarse aquí. The following is an interview with Indigenous political prisoner José Antonio Arreola Jiménez, one of three political prisoners from the P'urhépecha community of Nahuatzen, Michoacán, currently serving seven-year sentences based on trumped-up charges. The interview was conducted in late November by IGD contributor Scott… The English translation of this in…
(2021-12-03). Quédate en México: Ecos trumpianos. globalizacion.ca El gobierno de México aceptó la petición de Estados Unidos para reimplementar el programa Quédate en México, creado por el ex presidente Donald Trump para obligar a los migrantes que solicitan asilo a Washington a permanecer en territorio mexicano hasta…
(2021-12-03). Why We Should Oppose The Democracy Summit. popularresistance.org The exclusion of certain countries from the U.S. "democracy summit" is not a side issue. It is the very purpose of the summit. And excluded countries have not been excluded for failing to meet the standards of behavior of those that were invited or the one doing the inviting. Invitees didn't even have to be countries, as even a U.S. backed failed coup leader from Venezuela has been invited. So have representatives of Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, DRC, Zambia, Angola, Malaysia, Kenya, and — critically — pawns in the game: Taiwan and Ukraine. | What game? The weapons sales game. Which is the whole point. Look…
(2021-12-03). Supreme Court prepares to decimate abortion rights — Here's why it's not too late. liberationnews.org 
This attack could have been prevented had the Democrats taken any of its many opportunities over the decades to definitively legalize abortion through an act of Congress. There is no reason why the legality of abortion has to be left up to SCOTUS…
(2021-12-03). Social Democrats, Greens and Left Party to continue right-wing agenda in German state of Berlin. wsws.org Leaving aside the noncommittal rhetoric and empty phrases of the 152-page document, the coalition agreement clearly shows that the three parties are preparing a direct confrontation with the working class.
(2021-12-03). "The Facility": Meet the Former Prisoner Who Details Fight for His Life Inside ICE Jail During COVID. democracynow.org 
We go inside a notorious ICE jail at the height of the pandemic to see how people held there spoke out against dangerous conditions, and faced retaliation before they were ultimately released with no notice. Their story is captured in a new documentary called "The Facility." It investigates the inhumane conditions at Irwin County Detention Center using footage from video calls, where cameras installed in cell blocks to enable pay-per-minute video calls "functioned almost like a portal for a moment in and out of a place meant not to be seen in this way," says director, Seth Freed Wessler. "How can your own governm…
(2021-12-03). Sri Lankan public sector workers hold nationwide protests to demand higher wages. wsws.org The island-wide actions, held on consecutive days beginning Monday, are another indication of mounting working-class opposition to the Rajapakse government's austerity measures and its escalating anti-democratic attacks.
(2021-12-03). At Least 40 Democrats Are Now Calling for Boebert to Be Removed From Committees. truthout.org 
As Democratic leaders consider their options to punish Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) for her Islamophobic comments toward Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), the list of Democrats calling for Boebert to be removed from her committee assignments is growing. | On Thursday, 38 progressive lawmakers in the House
(2021-12-03). From Abortion Bans to Anti-Trans Laws, a Christian Legal Army is Waging War on America. democracynow.org 
As the Supreme Court looks poised to uphold Mississipi's 15-week abortion ban and possibly overturn Roe v. Wade we speak to The Nation's Amy Littlefield about her investigation into the Christian legal army behind the Mississippi law as well as anti-trans laws across the country. She also critiques the mainstream pro-choice movement's failure to center the poor and people of color. "There is a change coming within the movement because of its reckoning with these past missteps including, frankly, the failure to adequately protect Black women and to stand up for the safety of the people whose rights were eroded fir…
(2021-12-03). Middle Eastern Autocrats Sigh Relief: The US Signals Democracy Summit Will Not Change Policy. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by The United States has signalled in advance of next week's Summit for Democracy that it is unlikely to translate lip service to adherence to human rights and democratic values in the Middle East into a policy that demonstrates seriousness and commitment. | In
(2021-12-03). US House Approves Funding Bill Ahead Of Shutdown Deadline. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a short-term spending bill that would keep federal agencies running through February, averting a partial shutdown just a day before government funding is set to expire. | RELATED: | The Democrats-held lower chamber approved the bill by a vote of 221-212. The measure now heads to the Senate, where a group of Republicans have threatened to delay the passage o…
(2021-12-03). Buckhead-Backed Felicia Moore Blames TI for Scaring Voters With Threat of Closure of Strip Clubs, Crackdown on Nightlife. moguldom.com Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore recently lost her bid to become the city's next mayor in a run-off race against new Mayor-Elect Andre Dickens. Now the former candidate is blaming hip-hop artist and entrepreneur T.I. and Isaac Hayes III for her defeat. According to Moore, T.I. and Hayes told a "salacious lie" and spread …
(2021-12-03). Berkshire's Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett Partner: This Bubble is Crazier Than 2000 Dotcom Bust. moguldom.com Billionaire investor Charlie Munger is not here for the current state of global financial markets. The 97-year-old is the vice-chair of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffet's closest confidante. He emphatically stated his position during the Sohn Hearts & Minds Investment Conference in Sydney, Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. "The dotcom boom was crazier on …
(2021-12-03). Two Fake Stories about the DPRK in November 2021. journal-neo.org 
Anti-Pyongyang propaganda periodically delights the world with horror stories in the DPRK, which circulate well in the media and which now must be clarified. It happened twice in the second half of November. On November 16, Radio Free Asia, a private non-profit news service funded by the US government, told the world the heartbreaking story …