Russia's Forgotten Nuclear Disaster
Joshua Frank | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-13
It was a warm fall day on September 29, 1957, not much unlike any other in the deep Russian interior. Residents in the Chelyabinsk oblast cared for their crops of wheat and potatoes, others herded cattle. Women hung out their family's clothes to dry as the winds picked up before the sun descended. In the…
counterpunch.org/2020/12/13/russias-forgotten-nuclear-accident/

Armenia, Azerbaijan accuse each other of ceasefire violation
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2020-12-13
TEHRAN, Dec. 13 (MNA) — The Armenian Foreign Ministry condemned the violation of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, calling it contrary to the ceasefire agreement and against the presence of Russian peacekeepers.
en.mehrnews.com/news/167120/Armenia-Azerbaijan-accuse-each-other-of-ceasefire-violation

Labour says Boris Johnson is 'playing Russian roulette' with people's livelihoods over Brexit
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-12-13
Boris Johnson is playing Russian roulette with people's jobs and livelihoods by threatening a no-deal Brexit, a Labour minister has said. | Disaster looming: | Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband warned that leaving the EU without a free trade agreement would be "a disastrous outcome". And he accused the prime minister of being "cavalier" with the country's national interests. | Labour's communities secretary Steve Reed said the British people "cannot tolerate" a no-deal outcome. He urged Johnson to "get Brexit done" as the trade talks deadline loomed. | It came as Miliband confirmed that his party woul…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/12/13/labour-says-boris-johnson-is-playing-russian-roulette-with-peoples-livelihoods-over-brexit/

After reports of fresh fighting, Russian peacekeepers tell Armenia & Azerbaijan to observe agreed truce in Nagorno-Karabakh
rt.com | 2020-12-12
The Russian peacekeeping mission in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region has demanded that Baku and Yerevan stick to the November ceasefire agreement as Armenia and Azerbaijan blamed each other for weekend truce violations. | A shooting incident has been reported on the line of contact in the southern part of the contested territory, a spokesman from the Russian deployment told Moscow media. | "We immediately demanded through emergency channels the sides stick to the complete ceasefire," he said. Earlier on Saturday, Armenia's Defense Ministry accused Baku of resuming an offensive Nagorno-Karabakh targeting t…
rt.com/russia/509511-nagorno-karabakh-truce-violation-peacekeepers/

Go Vote Yourself a Raise, Georgia—You've Long Earned It
Ralph Nader | commondreams.org | 2020-12-12
Candidates should be pushed to say if they stand with the super-rich profiteering, callous Big Business tycoons or with the people who work for pitiful wages, on the rugged frontlines, and keep our society running. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/georgia_primary.jpg …
commondreams.org/views/2020/12/12/go-vote-yourself-raise-georgia-youve-long-earned-it?cd-origin=rss

Croatian government and EU intensify violence against refugees
wsws.org | 2020-12-12
Croatia's border with Bosnia and Herzegovina has for years been notorious for violence against migrants and asylum seekers as part of the EU's "Fortress Europe" policy.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/12/12/croa-d12.html

Johnson and Macron governments step up collaboration in persecution of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
wsws.org | 2020-12-12
These extremely vulnerable people are fleeing from the wars, fratricidal conflicts, and economic and ecological destruction created and exacerbated by the world's imperialist powers, foremost in Europe by Britain and France.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/12/12/ukre-d12.html

Russian health watchdog says Covid-19 triggers process of 'natural selection' as deaths among elderly and infirm peak
rt.com | 2020-12-12
An official in charge of protecting the rights of Russian hospital patients has bemoaned that Russia, like the rest of Europe, has chosen "miserable quarantine" as a solution to the coronavirus pandemic. | Maxim Starodubtsev, head of the 'Health Care' public protection watchdog, told journalists on Saturday that the healthcare system was struggling to deal with the rise in cases. "In such a situation, natural selection is turned on. That is, patients die – the elderly, those who, in principle, are susceptible to the most severe course of Covid, and chronic patients [with other conditions] who cannot receive ef…
rt.com/russia/509486-health-watchdog-covid-deaths/

Mass protests for reproductive rights erupt in Poland: Why Americans should learn from them
Julie Burkhart | salon.com | 2020-12-12
Poland is a reminder that when authoritarians take power, attacks on reproductive rights often follow…
salon.com/2020/12/12/mass-protests-for-reproductive-rights-erupt-in-poland-why-americans-should-learn-from-them/

'Clumsy PR stunt': Russian Foreign Ministry ridicules 'baseless' US sanctions against Chechen SPORTS & charity entities
rt.com | 2020-12-12
Moscow has brushed off, as an "unsubstantiated" PR move, Washington's targeting of several Chechen sports organizations, and a charity, in yet another sanctions package aimed against the republic's governor, Ramzan Kadyrov. | The US authorities have found "no other way" to mark international Human Rights Day than to slap some Russians with another batch of penalties, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted in a Friday statement, referring to a US Treasury announcement the day before.
rt.com/russia/509498-us-sanctions-chechen-sports/

Russia urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to uphold Karabakh ceasefire
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2020-12-12
TEHRAN, Dec. 12 (MNA) — Russian peacekeepers called on Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic to uphold Karabakh ceasefire after violation claims.
en.mehrnews.com/news/167085/Russia-urges-Armenia-Azerbaijan-to-uphold-Karabakh-ceasefire

US adopts 'new official' map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara
MEE and agencies | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-12
US adopts 'new official' map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara | Washington's ambassador to Rabat says map 'recognises Morocco's sovereignty' over disputed territory after North African nation normalised relations with Israel | MEE and agencies | Sat, 12/12/2020 – 20: 13 | Supporters of Western Sahara's independence hold Western Saharan and Algerian flags during a demonstration in Bordeaux, France on 1…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/united-states-morocco-western-sahara-adopts-official-map

Climate Ambition Summit: What is it and can it achieve where other summits have failed?
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-12-12