(2021-12-28). Headlines for December 28, 2021. democracynow.org World Coronavirus Cases Hit Record High as Omicron Surges, Israel Tests Fourth Vaccine Doses as COVID Surges in Largely Unvaccinated African Nations, Biden Warns Governors of Looming Shortages of Hospital Beds as COVID-19 Cases Near Pandemic Highs, CDC Recommends Shorter Isolation for People with Asymptomatic Coronavirus Infections, Afghan Taliban Bans Women from Road Trips Without Male Escort, Talks on Reviving Iran Nuclear Deal Resume in Vienna, Iraq's Top Court Ratifies Results of October's Contested Election, Russia to Hold Talks with U.S. and NATO Allies over Ukraine Border Tensions, New German Government Mo…
(2021-12-28). The Pentagon Just Got $778 Billion, But USAID Is Running Out of Money for COVID-19 Vaccines? scheerpost.com By Brett Wilkins / Common Dreams Sharply contrasting with the $778 billion in new military spending authorized Monday by President Joe Biden, the U.S. Agency for International Development reportedly can't find the funds to pay for the Biden administration's effort to help vaccinate the world's population against COVID-19, according to two agency officials interviewed by Politico. In an article published Monday …
(2021-12-28). Angela Davis on Imagining New Worlds, the Campaign to Free Mumia and the Biden Presidency. democracynow.org 
World-renowned author, activist and professor Angela Davis talks about navigating the pandemic and an inadequate two-party political system during a time of racial uprising in the United States. She also talks about imprisoned journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, the Biden presidential campaign and the protests that erupted from the police killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
(2021-12-28). Biden Pivots And Shirks Accountability: No US Government Solution For Covid, Take It Up With States. moguldom.com Critics have slammed President Joe Biden, accusing him of pivoting and shirking accountability after he said on Monday that he is letting states lead the way on testing for the omicron variant of covid-19 spreading like wildfire across the U.S. Biden was in a conference call with some U.S. governors when Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson …
(2021-12-28). PM Mia Mottley Calls Snap Elections in Barbados. telesurenglish.net On Monday, Prime Minister Mia Mottley called for early elections for next January 19, in what will be the first elections of Barbados as a republic after cutting ties with the British monarchy. | RELATED: | In a speech given to the nation, Mottley shared that she had met earlier in the day with President Sandra Mason and had advised that Parliament be dissolved with immediate effect. The Prime Minister added that Mason had also been advised to issue writs for t…
(2021-12-28). Yes, There Were 10 Good Things About 2021. dissidentvoice.org 
Photo credit: peace-justice.org This year, 2021, began with a huge sense of relief as Trump left office. We hoped to emerge from the ravages of COVID, pass a hefty Build Back Better (BBB) bill, and make significant cuts to the Pentagon budget. But, alas, we faced a January 6 white nationalist insurrection, two new COVID …
(2021-12-28). In 2020, Elites Bailed on Trump, Not on Republican Party. zcomm.org By Jan 6th events, the majority of corporate America wanted Trump gone, but money continued to flow to GOP…
(2021-12-28). "People Have the Power": Poet & Singer Patti Smith Awarded Key to New York City. democracynow.org 
Legendary poet, singer, author and activist Patti Smith has been awarded a key to New York City. Smith's music has inspired countless bands and helped earn her the title of the queen of punk. Her song "People Have the Power" has become an anthem at protests across the globe. Patti Smith has also been a longtime activist, performing regularly at antiwar rallies and political benefits. She gave an emotional acceptance speech during a ceremony Monday with outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. We also air a clip of her live performance with singer Michael Stipe at Democracy Now!'s 20th anniversary celebration…
(2021-12-28). A Referendum that was Held in Taiwan. journal-neo.org 
On December 18, a referendum was held in Taiwan, to which four questions were submitted. Since both leading parties of the country, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the Chinese National Party (Kuomintang), in increasingly tough opposition to each other in almost all aspects of domestic and foreign policy, called for directly opposite answers to …
(2021-12-28). "His Spirit Reflected a Giant": Mumia Abu-Jamal Remembers Archbishop Desmond Tutu's Visit on Death Row. democracynow.org 
Mumia Abu-Jamal remembers South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died on Sunday at the age of 90. Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting to end apartheid in South Africa. In 2007, Tutu visited Mumia when he was still on death row. "His spirit reflected a giant," says Abu-Jamal. "He struggled for change with his prophetic voice, his sweet humor, his deep love and his boundless sense of compassion."
(2021-12-28). PEN America and the Betrayal of Julian Assange. zcomm.org Careerists and Democratic Party apparatchiks successfully leverage corporate money and backing to seize and deform historic rights organizations into appendages of the ruling class…
(2021-12-28). Scholar Angela Davis on Prison Abolition, Justice for Palestine, Critical Race Theory & More. democracynow.org 
World-renowned author, activist and professor Angela Davis talks about the prison abolition movement from her time as a Black Panther leader to today. In her tireless efforts as an abolitionist and a teacher, Davis continues to be a fierce advocate of education and the interconnected struggles of oppressed peoples. Davis talks about Indigenous genocide, Palestine, critical race theory and the role of independent media. "Democracy Now! helps us to place our own domestic issues and struggles within the context of global battles against fascism," says Davis.
(2021-12-28). Black America Questions CDC Guidelines Change To Only 5 Days Of Quarantine. moguldom.com The U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shortened the quarantine time it recommends after a positive covid-19 test from 10 days to five. The agency made the announcement about the new CDC guidelines on Monday, Dec. 27 in a news release and Black America is weighing in with their thoughts. "Given what …
(2021-12-28). Howard University Plans To Delay Spring Semester Amid Area Covid Case Surge. moguldom.com Howard University has delayed the start of its Spring 2022 semester due to a surge of covid-19 cases in the region. The university made the announcement on Monday, Dec. 28 that it will push the start of classes to Jan. 18 in a news release. In the release, Howard notes its public health teal is …
(2021-12-27). Can Trumpist fascism commandeer America, today's richest, 'exceptional,' freedom-loving empire? nationofchange.org How can an unteachable blunderer—failing every presidential crisis, many self-created, pull off the most improbable, fascist lurch since the 19th century?
(2021-12-27). Houthis continue to advance amid fresh airstrikes and other stories. peoplesdispatch.org In today's episode of the Daily Round-up we take a look at the latest from Yemen where the Houthis seem to have won another victory even as the Saudi-led coalition continues bombing raids. We also look at a proposal by Israel to double the settler population in the occupied Golan Heights, and the impact of the setback to US president Joe Biden's Build Back Better Plan.
(2021-12-27). Biden-Kamala Supporter Threatens To Feed Pro-Reparations Congressional Candidate To Alligators. moguldom.com Gregg Marcel Dixon, a Lowcountry teacher and activist running for Congress to represent South Carolina's 6th Congressional District seat in 2022, will be vying against longtime majority whip Rep. James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. Dixon is pro-reparations, and this is not sitting well with some supporters of the DNC establishment. …
(2021-12-27). We Are Not Returning to "Normal." 2022 Must Be a Year of Change. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden cast his successful election as a signal of a return to some semblance of normalcy after the chaos that defined the reign of Donald Trump, as if "normal" could describe Instead, 2021 was a year of pandemic uncertainty and harsh, right-wing backlash to any small amount of progress made by the social movem…
(2021-12-27). A plant that sterilizes medical equipment spews cancer-causing pollution on tens of thousands of schoolchildren. nationofchange.org Beal, of the EPA, said that the Biden administration has "reinvigorated its commitment to protect public health from toxic air emissions from industrial facilities." And she said ethylene oxide in particular is a major priority.
(2021-12-27). The Geopolitics Surrounding Nord Stream 2. journal-neo.org 
Multiple US interests continue to hinder the completion of Nord Stream 2 project and its uninterrupted supply of gas to Germany/Europe. For the US, Nord Stream project is, to a great extent, a tool to privatise European gas-markets for US gas supplies. While the Joe Biden administration was quick to waive sanctions on the project …
(2021-12-27). America's Climate Emergency. zcomm.org It does not look likely the Biden administration will act in time to forestall the predicted punishing rage of climate change…
(2021-12-27). North Shropshire — Not the End of Boris, the End of Everybody! journal-neo.org 
On December 16th a parliamentary by-election was held in the United Kingdom, to fill the vacancy created by the forced resignation of Conservative MP Owen Paterson, who was found guilty of breaking lobbying rules and then thrown under the proverbial bus when Boris Johnson tried to change the rules to stop him being censured for …
(2021-12-27). Honest Government Ad | Hung Parliament. zcomm.org The Australien Government has made an ad about Hung Parliaments ahead of the coming election, and its surprisingly honest and informative…
(2021-12-27). Why the Media Silence About Trudeau's Worst Foreign Policy Failure. orinocotribune.com By Yves Engler — Dec 23, 2021 | Imagine if Nicolás Maduro's vice president quit and called for his government to be disbanded. Or if Venezuela's opposition won a landslide in regional elections or if 90% of member states voted against the government's UN credentials. The Canadian media would have splashed this news on front pages, but the shoe was on "our guy's" foot so they've been silent. | The dominant media has all but ignored the collapse of Canada's unprecedented bid to create an international coalition to support a parallel Venezuelan government. It's quite a turnaround from when the media published <...
(2021-12-27). A Crime Covered In Color: Freedman's Savings And Trust Bank Plunder In The 21st Century. moguldom.com Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen announced at the Freedman's Bank Forum a plan to loan $9 billion of the previously secured $12 billion to underserved communities and those whose small businesses have been disproportionately damaged during the covid pandemic. Harris started the panel discussion by honoring Viola Fletcher and …
(2021-12-27). New Research Shows Protests Reduce Police Killings. moguldom.com When thousands of protests against racism and police brutality were triggered by the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 by Minneapolis police, President Donald Trump called the protesters thugs and some media outlets focused on looting. An adverse hue was placed on Black Lives Matter, which organized or participated in many protests that grew …
(2021-12-27). Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) on Apartheid, War, Palestine, Guantánamo, Climate Crisis & More. dissidentvoice.org Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African anti-apartheid icon, has died at the age of 90. In 1984 Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work fighting to end white minority rule in South Africa. After the fall of apartheid, Archbishop Tutu chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where he pushed for …
(2021-12-27). Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) on Apartheid, War, Palestine, Guantánamo, Climate Crisis & More. democracynow.org 
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African anti-apartheid icon, has died at the age of 90. In 1984 Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work fighting to end white minority rule in South Africa. After the fall of apartheid, Archbishop Tutu chaired the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where he pushed for restorative justice. He was a leading voice for human rights and peace around the world. He opposed the Iraq War and condemned the Israeli occupation in Palestine, comparing it to apartheid South Africa. We reair two interviews Archbishop Tutu did on Democracy Now!, as well as two speech…
(2021-12-27). Headlines for December 27, 2021. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Cases Skyrocket as Omicron Spreads at Unprecedented Pace, China Orders Lockdown for 13 Million in Xi'an; Pope Francis Calls for Universal Access to Vaccines, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Who Battled Apartheid and Championed Human Rights, Dies at 90, Israel Plans to Double Population of Illegal Settlements in Occupied Golan Heights, Burmese Military Accused of Massacring Dozens of Civilians , Iraqi Kurds Hold Funerals for Family Members Who Drowned Crossing English Channel , Dams Burst After Torrential Rains in Brazil; U.S. Records Record High December Temperatures, Sarah Weddington, Who Successfully…
(2021-12-27). Radical Democracy Is Resurgent in Latin America. How Will the US Respond? truthout.org 
Chile has become the global capital of resurgent opposition to neoliberalism and resistance to fascism, electing the world's youngest president,
(2021-12-27). Black Girls Code Founder Kimberly Bryant Pushed Out As Nonprofit Head By Board. moguldom.com Kimberly Bryant, the founder of Black Girls Code, has been pushed out as the organization's executive director, according to tweets she sent last week. A former engineer, Bryant started Black Girls Code in 2011 after she realized that her daughter was the only Black girl in a summer coding class at Stanford University. Since then, …
(2021-12-27). Black America Praises New 'Magic' Album Release From Nas. moguldom.com Iconic hip-hop artist and investor Nas gave the world an early Christmas present when he dropped "Magic" — his 15th studio album — on Christmas Eve. Nas announced the unexpected drop on Dec. 23 on Twitter. "#MAGIC is in the air. Midnight et brand new music to vibe to," Nas tweeted, along with cover art …
(2021-12-27). The Weekly Round-Up: New COVID-19 rules for three nations and no investigation into Met on Downing Street Christmas party. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: From 26 December new Covid rules came into effect in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. All three nations have limited the size of public events and face coverings are compulsory in most indoor public spaces. Covid passports or proof of a negative test result is required at many venues. Nightclubs will close in Wales and Scotland from 27 December and in …