(2020-12-08). Action for Change Starts in Congress. counterpunch.org 
We know their names! We've given immense power to Five Hundred and Thirty-Five People to do good or bad. One Hundred Senators and Four Hundred and Thirty-Five Representatives. Unfortunately, some 1500 corporations control most Members of Congress. Think about all the dreams for a better world that could come to be realized if our elected officials
(2020-12-08). OPCW Executives Praised Whistleblower and Criticized Syria Cover-up, Leaks Reveal. globalresearch.ca Exclusive: Documents obtained by The Grayzone show that OPCW executives privately criticized the manipulation of a Syria chemical weapons probe, and supported a dissenting veteran inspector. One official, however, feared helping the "Russian narrative." These private admissions further expose the …
(2020-12-08). Stuck in a Lift with John Pilger: News and How to Use It by Alan Rusbridger. dissidentvoice.org 
Noticing the way journalists seemed unable to resist commenting on our work, even if it was just to slag us off, Glenn Greenwald tweeted us in 2012: 'You are really deeper in the heads of the British establishment-serving commentariat than anyone else — congrats.' ((Greenwald, Twitter, 12 September 2012.)) If that was true then, our relationship …
(2020-12-08). Spanish ex-military discuss shooting millions whilst praising Franco. thecanary.co Former Spanish military officers who previously defended Franco have This comes just days after a leaked WhatsApp chat showed retired officers praising Franco and discussing the shooting of millions of supporters of Catalan independence. | As the country marked 42 years of a constitution that freed it from dictatorship, "271 former military personnel" signed a manifesto in opposition to Spain's socialist coalition government.
(2020-12-08). US companies sold more than 60% of all arms in the international market in 2019. peoplesdispatch.org 
US sanctions against Russia and China have helped maintain its hegemony in the global arms trade with 12 of its companies featuring in the world's top 25 arms producing and military service providers…
(2020-12-08). Cuba: A sign of hope for impoverished countries. peoplesworld.org 
Just a few days before commercial flights with Cuba were reestablished, in the middle of November, the Swiss physician and professor Franco Cavalli traveled to that Caribbean nation. He is president of MediCuba Europe, an important network of healthcare NGOs with a presence in 13 countries. He is also one of the first European scientists …
(2020-12-08). Lithuania deploys ARMED MILITIA to guard CHRISTMAS TREE and enforce tough new Covid-19 measures. rt.com 
Grinches beware! Paramilitaries have been deployed to protect a Christmas tree in the center of Vilnius. But, as they're also there to enforce social distancing measures, it might be coronavirus that ends up stealing Christmas. | According to local news site Delfi, the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union, a state-backed voluntary militia, has been
(2020-12-08). Swiss curfews and Dutch gathering ban come in as Europe battles second coronavirus wave. rt.com 
Public gatherings will continue to be outlawed in the Netherlands, while Switzerland is to enforce a similar ban, as the two nations battle worsening Covid-19 infections amid Europe's second wave of the virus. | "It's really not going well — not with the infection rate and not at the hospitals," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday, adding that more measures may be imposed in the coming weeks if the spread of the virus doesn't slow. | It comes as the Dutch government voted to prolong the state's "partial lockdown" until January 15, meaning restaurants will stay closed and households will be all…
(2020-12-08). Russian health watchdog chief calls for two month Covid-19 vaccine booze ban, but top doctor says champagne is fine. rt.com 
Russian fizz aficionados held their breath today as a row broke out between public health officials over whether it is safe to drink alcohol before or after having the Covid-19 vaccine. | On Tuesday, the head of Russia's health protection agency, Anna Popova,
(2020-12-08). Turkey threatens 'grave consequences' after east Libyan forces seize its ship over alleged arms smuggling. rt.com 
Ankara has condemned the seizure of a Turkish vessel in the Mediterranean by forces from east Libya, promising a robust response to the interception and calling for the ship to be allowed to continue its journey. | "Targeting Turkish interests in Libya will have grave consequences, and these elements (who target Turkish interests) will be viewed as legitimate targets," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. | The ministry "strongly condemned" the move, stressing that the vessel should be allowed resume its planned voyage "immediately," and adding that the ship had been fined and the crew…
(2020-12-08). Freedom of Expression: Good for the Western Goose, Forbidden for the Muslim Gander. dissidentvoice.org 
When French president Emmanuel Macron was pilloried in some quarters for defending freedom of expression as a French value, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison backed his European counterpart: "We share values. We stand for the same things." This professed French/Australian value for freedom of expression has now come back to bite the backside of the …
(2020-12-08). France will build nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace Charles de Gaulle flagship, says Macron. rt.com 
President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled plans for France's new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which will replace the navy's current flagship, the Charles de Gaulle, by 2038. | "Nuclear power will remain the cornerstone of our strategic autonomy," Macron said on Tuesday, as he visited the Framatome nuclear reactor construction plant in the eastern town of Le Creusot. | France's new carrier — its 11th in total — will boast speeds of up to 27 knots (50 km/h), weigh in at around 75,000 tons, and run some 300 meters long — about 1.5 times the size of the Charles de Gaulle. | Quelles sont ses caract…
(2020-12-08). France will build nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace Charles de Gaulle flagship, says Macron. rt.com President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled plans for France's new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which will replace the navy's current flagship, the Charles de Gaulle, by 2038. | "Nuclear power will remain the cornerstone of our strategic autonomy," Macron said on Tuesday, as he visited the Framatome nuclear reactor construction plant in the eastern town of Le Creusot. | France's new carrier — its 11th in total — will boast speeds of up to 27 knots (50 km/h), weigh in at around 75,000 tons, and run some 300 meters long — about 1.5 times the size of the Charles de Gaulle. | pic.twitter.com/Js9uQfD…
(2020-12-08). Israel, not Iran, is problem in West Asia: Russian envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 08 (MNA) — Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said on Tue. that Israel is the source of problem in West Asian region, stating that arms sales to Iran are not prohibited.
(2020-12-08). EU's interference in Iran's internal affairs surprising. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 08 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker said that Europe's demand for not implementing Iran's Strategic Action Plan was surprising.
(2020-12-08). Ukraine, Hungary clash as NATO discusses Ukrainian membership. wsws.org The conflict between Ukraine and Hungary demonstrates the deep crises that is confronting the right-wing capitalist states of NATO as they seek to further encircle Russia.
(2020-12-08). NATO Is Determined to Find Threats and Challenges to Justify Its Existence. strategic-culture.org Government and media propaganda has firmly convinced most of the citizenry of the West that Russia invaded Crimea, and the truth has dissolved in the swirling miasma that the anti-Russia movement has dubbed as history. | In March 2014 the ethnically Russian province of Crimea declared itself to be separate from Ukraine. There was a
(2020-12-08). All JCPOA participants must show restraint, responsibility. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 08 (MNA) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister called on all JCPOA participants to show restraint and responsibility.
(2020-12-08). Pulmonary Fungal Infections Affect Patients With COVID-19. jamanetwork.com Investigators in Spain and the United States have added 20 new case reports to mounting evidence that patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are vulnerable to developing pulmonary aspergillosis. Authors of the case series noted that increased physician awareness in recent years of an association between severe influenza and the fungal infection may have led to more rapid recognition of coronavirus disease—associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA).
(2020-12-08). Poverty in Germany reaches a new record high. wsws.org More than 13 million people in Germany were afflicted by poverty in 2019, pushing the poverty rate to 15.9 percent, the highest since reunification thirty years ago.
(2020-12-08). International Observers Back up Venezuela's Elections Results. telesurenglish.net International observers reaffirmed the transparency of the parliamentary elections held in Venezuela on Sunday, while also condemning the calls by Western governments for non-recognition of the elections' results. | RELATED: | "We reject the external interference and the declarations of non-recognition of the governments of the United States, Canada, and the European Union, which, having been invited with all the g…
(2020-12-08). Mélenchon calls for military conscription, arms buildup in France. wsws.org Mélenchon used the interview as a presidential candidate in 2022 to advance his credentials to France's ruling elite as an aggressive promoter of the interests of French imperialism at home and around the world.
(2020-12-08). Dragging region to new conflict, Zionist regime's goal: Envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Belarus said that dragging the region to a new war and conflict is the main objective of the Zionist regime.
(2020-12-08). Police repress protesters in France. peoplesdispatch.org Protests against the Global Security bill on Saturday were met with heavy police repression across France. The bill which illegalizes the dissemination of images where police officers can be identified has been widely condemned by progressive sections.
(2020-12-08). Braving police restrictions, Greeks honor Alexandros Grigoropoulos. peoplesdispatch.org On Sunday, December 6, progressive sections in Greece paid tribute to Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a 15-year-old student who was killed by two special guards of the Greek police in Exarcheia in 2008. The Greek police obstructed the mobilizations and other commemorative events across Greece under the garb of COVID-19 restrictions. Braving police repression, student groups and activists of the Communist Youth of Greece (KNE) paid tributes to Alexandros Grigoropoulos, while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. | 12 years ago in the Exarcheia neighborhood of Athens, 15-year-old school student Alexandros Grigoropoulos…
(2020-12-08). International Community's Double Standards Affect Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa Tuesday condemned the international opposition to Venezuela's parliamentary elections held on December 6. | RELATED: | "The attitude of many world leaders shows their double standard in issues such as human rights and electoral rights," Correa explained. | Countries such as Germany, Canada, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile are calling Venezuela's parliamentary elections illegitima…
(2020-12-07). OPCW executives praised whistleblower and criticized Syria cover-up, leaks reveal. thegrayzone.com Exclusive: Documents obtained by The Grayzone show that OPCW executives privately criticized the manipulation of a Syria chemical weapons probe, and supported a dissenting veteran inspector. One official, however, feared helping the "Russian narrative." These private admissions further expose the public whitewash of the Douma cover-up, and undermine the ongoing attacks on the whistleblowers who challenged it. Since the explosive revelation that an investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Syria was manipulated, a smear …
(2020-12-07). US Congress And Corporate Media Claim Venezuela's Government Threatened To Starve Non-Voters. popularresistance.org Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US corporate media declared Venezuela's legislative elections a "sham" before results were even announced, opening a new front in the propaganda war on the besieged country and its leftist government. | Among the most blatant distortions deployed against President Nicolas Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) was a claim first advanced by Leopoldo López, the far-right, US-backed opposition leader who recently fled to Spain. | On Twitter, López tweeted a deceptively edited clip of Constituent Assembly President Diosdado Cabello addressing an election rally, and accu…
(2020-12-07). Spain's Ex-President Props Elections Held in Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Spain's former President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (2004-2011) highlighted that the parliamentary elections held in Venezuela on Sunday must be the end of "unfair and incomprehensible sanctions" against Venezuela. | RELATED: | He rejected the U.S. policy of aggression and violence promoted against the Bolivarian nation, noting that only "voting" and "dialogue" are the way to develop constructive relations. | Rodr…
(2020-12-07). Turkey condemns seizure of vessel by Haftar's forces in Libyan waters. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey condemns seizure of vessel by Haftar's forces in Libyan waters | LNA spokesman says Jamaican-flagged vessel did not respond to calls for communication before it was captured | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 23: 02 | Self-proclaimed LNA forces in the eastern city of Benghazi, 1 November 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Turkey condemned on Tuesday the interception of one of its ships by eastern-based Libyan forces in the Medit…
(2020-12-07). Georgia Runoffs: Democrats Aim to Take Senate as Republicans Back Trump Attack on Election Integrity. democracynow.org 
Two Georgia Senate runoff elections on January 5 will decide who controls the upper chamber and whether the Biden administration will be able to pass its ambitious policy agenda. If Democrats succeed in unseating Georgia's two senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, the Senate will be split 50-50, with incoming Vice President Kamala Harris able to cast tie-breaking votes. In two debates Sunday night, Perdue skipped his debate with challenger Jon Ossoff, who took the stage opposite an empty podium, and Loeffler faced off against Reverend Raphael Warnock. We play excerpts and host a discussion with author and Em…
(2020-12-07). Black Voters Matter: Group Sues Georgia for Purging 200,000 Voters Ahead of 2020 Election. democracynow.org 
On the voter registration deadline for Georgians who want to vote in two Senate runoff elections on January 5, we speak with Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, about why the state is "ground zero" for Republican voter suppression efforts. Black Voters Matter has filed a federal lawsuit alleging Georgia's current secretary of state improperly removed nearly 200,000 voters from the rolls. Those voters "were purged illegally" ahead of the 2020 election and almost certainly affected the results, says Albright. "At the end of the day, this election … should not have even been c…
(2020-12-07). Threat of More Illegal US Sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. globalresearch.ca The US under both right wings of the one-party state is waging a long war on Russia by other means — and all other nations unwilling to bow and scape to its imperial demands. | US aggression includes endless smashing of …
(2020-12-07). Dutch socialists demand greater expenditure on municipal health services. peoplesdispatch.org Last week, the Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands demanded adequate funding for the Municipal Health Services (GGD) in the country to bolster preventive measures against any health crisis…
(2020-12-07). Stuck In A Lift With John Pilger — 'News And How To Use It' by Alan Rusbridger. zcomm.org Pilger tells the unfiltered, uncompromised truth about the foundations of power. His focus is on speaking up for the victims of power, not on serving power…
(2020-12-07). Russian man wanted by Moscow, Paris & Washington handed five year sentence by French court for laundering bitcoin on behalf of mob. rt.com 
A Russian cryptocurrency entrepreneur has been sentenced by a French court to five years in prison and handed a hefty fine after it found him guilty of money laundering. Alexander Vinnik is also wanted by Washington and Moscow. | The Russian citizen was arrested in Greece in 2017 on a request from the US, which sought his extradition over money laundering and fraud charges. While in custody, Russia and France filed their own requests to have him handed over on different charges, but Paris' bid to try him carried more weight with its fellow EU member. | On Monday, a French court sentenced Vinnik to a five-year…
(2020-12-07). France's weapons sales to Egypt won't be conditioned on human rights: Macron. middleeasteye.net 
France's weapons sales to Egypt won't be conditioned on human rights: Macron | Despite criticism from rights groups for hosting Sisi, the French leader said the two countries were 'united' in building 'a space of civilisation' | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 13: 30 | French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 7 December 2020 (Reut…
(2020-12-07). Macron and Sisi at odds over free speech & Prophet Mohammed cartoons during Egyptian leader's French trip. rt.com 
Egypt's president has spoken of his belief in the "sacred" nature of religion during a discussion about free speech and the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed at a media event with France's Emmanuel Macron. | The French leader and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace during a state visit by the Egyptian president on Monday. | While the two praised one another for their efforts in challenging Islamic extremism, they also expressed opposing views on the role of religion and free speech, stemming from the circulating of controversial cartoons depict…
(2020-12-07). OPCW director worried truth about Syria 'chemical attack' report would feed 'Russian narrative'. rt.com 
While praising the OPCW whistleblower's integrity and professionalism, one director worried that seeking truth about the altered report on a "chemical attack" in Syria might help Russia, which he denounced as the enemy. | "I fear there is little one can do, since the report is final and out — unless one wants to feed in the Russian narrative and that I would never do, as they really are not bona fide friends of this organization, that's for sure," was the message of a director to Dr. Brendan Whelan, one of the whistleblowers who challenged the 'interim' report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Ch…
(2020-12-07). Ireland and U.S. Imperialism. mronline.org 
When discussing Ireland's role in imperialism today it is vital to highlight the role Ireland plays in assisting the U.S. to extract profits from 'poorer nations'. That is to say nations that have abundant natural resources that the mass of the local population do not get to reap the benefits of.
(2020-12-07). French workers take to the barricades against Security Bill that would criminalize filming police violence. liberationnews.org 
A "Global Security Bill" that is on its way to becoming law in France has incited a new wave of militant protests across the country.
(2020-12-07). Turkey's cities face drought as lack of rain hits water levels in dams. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey's cities face drought as lack of rain hits water levels in dams | Concerns running high as rainfall drops to five-year lows in western and central parts of the country | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 11: 35 | Cracked soil after a drought at the Dikilitas Pond in the Golbasi district of Ankara, 23 July 2020 (AFP) | Mayors of the largest cities in Turkey are concerned by the lack of rainfall since the summer, w…
(2020-12-07). UK to cull 25,000 turkeys after NINTH bird flu outbreak this year. rt.com 
The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has announced a cull of around 25,000 turkeys after officials confirmed an outbreak of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza at a farm in Norfolk, England. | In response to the new outbreak, authorities have
(2020-12-07). Arabic press review: Family of Egypt's Mubarak to sue EU over 'illegal sanctions'. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Family of Egypt's Mubarak to sue EU over 'illegal sanctions' | Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia prepares for reconciliation with Qatar, Bashir's health deteriorates in jail, and video of Egyptian man throwing cash from balcony goes viral | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 16: 38 | Gamal Mubarak (seen to right of his late father Hosni) said he will sue the Council of the European Union after winning…
(2020-12-07). As Sisi meets Macron, Egypt renews detention of human rights activist. middleeasteye.net 
As Sisi meets Macron, Egypt renews detention of human rights activist | A number of detained members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights were released last week, but Zaki remains in custody pending similar charges | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 10: 39 | Patrick George Zaki has been in custody since 7 February upon his return from Italy, where he had been living and studying (Twitter) | A l…
(2020-12-07). France's weapons sales to Egypt won't be conditioned on human rights, says Macron. middleeasteye.net France's weapons sales to Egypt won't be conditioned on human rights, says Macron | Despite criticism from rights groups for hosting Sisi, the French leader said the two countries were 'united' in building 'a space of civilisation' | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 13: 30 | French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 7 December 2020…
(2020-12-07). Venezuela Rejects European Double Standards on Elections. telesurenglish.net Just a day after the parliamentary elections were held in Venezuela, several European countries and their right-wing representatives have failed to recognize the triumph of the governing coalition that won most seats in the National Assembly in the country's most expected elections in several years. | RELATED: | "Some politicians of the European right are today unleashing a rampage against Venezuela, especially from…
(2020-12-07). Iran-Romania ties not harmed under pressures: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 07 (MNA) — The Romanian envoy to Tehran likened the Iran-Romania relation to a tree whose root will not be hurt under the sanctions imposed by the arrogant powers of the world.
(2020-12-07). More Scandals on Dutch Government's Involvement in Supporting Terrorism in Syria. globalresearch.ca A new chapter in the scandals of the Netherlands's involvement in supporting terrorist organizations in Syria is unfolding in front of the world public opinion after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has recently admitted that he personally intervened to obstruct …
(2020-12-07). Tens of Thousands Rally in France Against Security Law as Police and Protesters Clash Again. globalresearch.ca French protesters clashed with police in Paris and other cities including Marseille, Lyon, Rennes and Nantes yesterday as tens of thousands took to the streets in further mass demonstrations against an authoritarian new security law. | The weekly rallies each Saturday …