(2020-12-17). The revolutionaries, when they rise, care for nothing but love. peoplesdispatch.org 
A decade has now slipped by since a man named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid on 17 December 2010. Bouazizi, a street vendor, took this extreme step after policemen harassed him for trying to survive. Not long after, thousands of people in this small Tunisian town gathered in the street to express their anger. Their outburst spread to the capital city, Tunis, where trade unions, social organisations, political parties, and civic groups marched into the avenues to overthrow the government of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Demonstrations in Tunisia inspired similar outbreaks aroun…
(2020-12-17). Video: Russian Forces Establish Presence on Syrian-Iraqi Border. globalresearch.ca Over the past weeks, the Syrian Army and its allies have intensified their operations against ISIS cells hiding in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert. | According to pro-government sources, during the past few days, Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias carried out …
(2020-12-17). France : Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité & LaàØcité….But Not for Muslims? counterpunch.org 
"…Our country is one that has no problems with any of the world's religions whatsoever, because they are all practised freely in our country. And to all French people of the Muslim faith, and indeed to citizens from anywhere else in the world whose religion is Islam, I should like to say to them that
(2020-12-17). Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's treatment of Uighurs. middleeasteye.net 
Coalition of groups criticise OIC for failing to condemn China's treatment of Uighurs | One hundred and forty rights and advocacy groups are calling on Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to demand accountability and transparency from Beijing | Thu, 12/17/2020 – 19: 55 | Despite protests from Uighurs outside of China, many Muslim-majority countries have remained silent on China's rights violations…
(2020-12-17). Couple found dead after man takes his wife hostage in Paris suburbs — reports. rt.com 
Two people have been killed and two injured after a hostage situation in Domont, a town in the department of Val-d'Oise, north of the French capital. The hostage-taker reportedly killed himself and his wife. | An armed man, identified by French media as the 58-year-old manager of a local company, took his wife hostage and barricaded himself inside their jointly-run business on Thursday evening. | At least two people were wounded by gunfire, according to eyewitnesses, and police later found the bodies of the suspect and his wife. | Several people were on the premises of the business at the beginning of the inci…
(2020-12-17). Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the Geopolitics of Caspian Gas. counterpunch.org 
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(2020-12-17). History of World War I: German Colonialism in Central and Eastern Europe and the Fall of Tsarist Russia. globalresearch.ca When in February 1918, the German politician Prince Max of Baden asked his country's military dictator, Erich Ludendorff, what would happen if the latter's spring offensive failed, he replied, "Then Germany will just have to suffer annihilation". | General Ludendorff's …
(2020-12-17). Almost 1,000 daily COVID-19 deaths in Germany: The criminal outcome of keeping businesses and schools open. wsws.org Despite the horrific number of deaths, all parties in the German parliament continue to put profit before lives and health.
(2020-12-17). France: President Macron Tests Positive for COVID-19. telesurenglish.net France's President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and will isolate himself for seven days. As a result, his to Lebanon scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday is canceled. | RELATED: | First Lady Brigitte Macron, who tested negative for COVID-19 on Tuesday and does not present any symptoms, is also placed in self-isolation. | Prime Minister Jean Castex, who is considered "a contact case" of M…
(2020-12-17). UNICEF supporting emergency food aid for UK children over holidays. news.un.org Thousands of families in the United Kingdom impacted by COVID-19 are to receive "one-off…emergency" food assistance from UN Children's Fund UNICEF over the upcoming holiday period and beyond, it has announced.
(2020-12-17). Led by Black Women, Organizers in Georgia Work to Replicate Election Success in Senate Runoff. zcomm.org After turning out Georgia voters in record numbers in the general election, organizers work to mobilize the youth vote in the pivotal Senate runoff election…
(2020-12-17). How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu. thenation.com How the Workers of Spain Battled the Spanish Flu…
(2020-12-16). Goldman Sachs Analysts: Biggest Risks to COVID Vaccination Targets in US, Europe Are Confidence-Related. globalresearch.ca Goldman Sachs analysts have updated and expanded
(2020-12-16). Fish Wars and Brexit. counterpunch.org 
Warring over fish in the twenty-first century might seem an unlikely proposition. But the deployment of four Royal Navy ships to deter European fishing vessels from encroaching on British waters in the event of a no-deal Brexit has tongues wagging. The prospects of a trade pact between the EU and UK by the end of
(2020-12-16). 'What kind of an alliance is this?': Turkey's Erdogan slams US over sanctions. middleeasteye.net 
'What kind of an alliance is this?': Turkey's Erdogan slams US over sanctions | Turkey's president responds to sanctions levied on Monday, calling them unjust and 'open attack' on its sovereignty | Wed, 12/16/2020 – 18: 53 | Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after chairing cabinet meeting in Ankara on 14 December (AFP/File photo) | Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan respo…
(2020-12-16). Antisemitism Claims Mask a Reign of Political and Cultural Terror Across Europe. counterpunch.org 
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has run a fascinating long report this week offering a disturbing snapshot of the political climate rapidly emerging across Europe on the issue of antisemitism. The article documents a kind of cultural, political and intellectual reign of terror in Germany since the parliament passed a resolution last year equating support for non-violent boycotts
(2020-12-16). The Heat: UK-EU Brexit Talks. america.cgtn.com 
Can the United Kingdom and the European Union agree on a trade deal before a crucial Brexit deadline?>
(2020-12-16). Bulgarian taxi drivers seek higher fares, closure of apps. peoplesdispatch.org Taxi drivers across Bulgaria observed a day of protest on December 15 demanding an increase in fares as well as the closure of ride-sharing apps which are detrimental to their business.
(2020-12-16). Why Make the Dogs Bark: a Tale from Communist Bulgaria. counterpunch.org Recently, I came across an article in the New York Times about an assassination attempt on a Bulgarian arms manufacturer in Sofia, Emilian Gebrev. They smeared poison on his car door handles. The Times points the finger at the same Russians they say were behind the attack on double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
(2020-12-16). Top US House Foreign Affairs Lawmakers Accuse Turkey of Undermining NATO. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) – The chairman and ranking Republican on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee urged other NATO nations to join the US in demanding in a press release that Ankara halt actions that damage the Western alliance.
(2020-12-16). Georgia's Senate Runoffs Set New Record for In-Person Voting on First Day. truthout.org As in-person voting begins for two Georgia senatorial runoff races, a surprising statistic has emerged: more people voted on the first day of in-person voting this week than on the first day of in-person voting for the general election earlier this year. |
(2020-12-16). Iranian wrestler reaches semi-finals at Individual World Cup. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 16 (MNA) — Iranian freestyle wrestler Rahman Amouzad Khalili advanced to the semi-finals of the 2020 Individual World Cup, which is underway in Belgrade, Serbia.
(2020-12-16). A small-town voter drive reveals how decades of inequality shadow voter turnout in rural Georgia. zcomm.org Looking toward January 5, there is an election where its long-suppressed voices—like others across Georgia—could ring from coast to coas…
(2020-12-16). Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia. thenation.com Casting a Historic Vote in Georgia…
(2020-12-15). The Most Lethal Virus is Not COVID. It is War. counterpunch.org 
In the midst of the greatest health emergency in modern times, with more than 4 million surgical procedures delayed by the National Health Service, Boris Johnson has announced a record increase of £16.5 billion in so-called defence spending — a figure that would restore the under-resourced NHS many times over.
(2020-12-15). US Sanctions Directed against Turkey For Its Acquisition of Russia's S-400 Air Defense System. globalresearch.ca The recently imposed targeted sanctions against Turkey and the impending National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2021 ones mandating similar measures against it for its acquisition of Russia's S-400 air defense systems, while illegal in terms of international law and a …
(2020-12-15). Rouhani Tells Biden How to Get the Iran Deal Back on Track. scheerpost.com Asia Society / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] By Juan Cole / Informed Comment Iranian president Hassan Rouhani was asked Tuesday in an interview with a state-owned news outlet under what conditions Iran would return to the 2015 nuclear deal with the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5), including the U.S., plus Germany (+1) He replied, "A thing we are saying today is that if tomorrow morning the… |
(2020-12-15). Norway blocked Saudi request to give diplomatic immunity to suspicious 'security team'. middleeasteye.net 
Norway blocked Saudi request to give diplomatic immunity to suspicious 'security team' | Norwegian authorities alerted activist Iyad al-Baghdadi to incident, which came weeks before Khashoggi's murder, local media reports | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 12: 17 | Activist Iyad el-Baghdadi believes the request for diplomatic immunity was linked to his relationship with slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi (AFP) | Norway refused…
(2020-12-15). How US sanctions will affect Turkey's defence industry. middleeasteye.net 
How US sanctions will affect Turkey's defence industry | Penalties over Ankara's S-400 purchase could hinder crucial projects for up to a year until Turkey finds replacements | Tue, 12/15/2020 – 14: 19 | Turkey's Hurjet light combat aircraft, which is produced by the Presidency for Defence Industries, will be affected by US sanctions (Turkish Aerospace) | US sanctions imposed on Turkey on Monday over the…
(2020-12-15). PM says no-deal Brexit remains 'most likely outcome' as talks continue. thecanary.co 
Boris Johnson has said that leaving the European Union without a free trade agreement still remains the "most likely outcome" as talks continue in Brussels.Wheeler no-dealer: The prime minister told his cabinet that he was committed to continuing negotiations on the remaining areas of disagreement and re-emphasised the desire to strike a deal. But he said leaving without an agreement "remained the most likely outcome", according to Downing Street.A spokesperson insisted that there remained enough time to pass legislation if a deal is reached to come into force at the end of the transition period. Asked whe…
(2020-12-15). Outgoing Syria Envoy James Jeffrey Reflects on "What Everyone Got Wrong" globalresearch.ca In a long-ranging interview with Al-Monitor, James Jeffrey looks back on his efforts to incorporate fragments of Obama-era initiatives into a cohesive Middle East policy. | *** | In August 2016, former US Ambassador to Iraq and Turkey James Jeffrey
(2020-12-15). 'On the Verge of Global Vaccine Apartheid': Rich Countries Hoard Supplies as Poorest Left Out. commondreams.org Global public health officials fear that the push for international solidarity "has mostly been lost" as the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe has claimed a vast majority of the available vaccines. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1229080092_1.jpg …
(2020-12-15). 'Raking in Cash From Major Financial Interests': Wall Street Gives Millions to Georgia Lawmakers in Bid to Maintain GOP-Controlled Senate. commondreams.org "Conservative outside groups are also raking in cash from major financial interests for the Georgia Senate runoffs in an attempt to keep these seats—and the Senate—for the GOP." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/loeffler_perdue.jpg …
(2020-12-15). Stop weaponising antisemitism: 'Never again ever, for anyone!'. thecanary.co Dan Glass is the grandson of four Nazi Holocaust survivors, two from Germany and two from Poland. He says "the last thing I'm ever going to let happen is that my grandparents' story and what they went through, be weaponised to oppress other people". | You can watch the full Redfish documentary featured in this video Alongside the launch of this video, the following Q&A with Dan Glass and The Canary's
(2020-12-14). Maradona, worldwide soccer icon and outspoken anti-imperialist, dies at age 60. fightbacknews.org Diego Armando Maradona died November 25. One of the most universally known people in the world, Maradona passed away at age 60 while recovering from surgery. | Maradona, who wore number 10 on the Argentinian national soccer team, is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. At his peak he led Argentina to a 3-2 World Cup victory in 1986 over West Germany. And he nearly accomplished an incredibly rare back-to-back World Cup victory in the 1990 World Cup, leading Argentina back to the finals in a rematch between Argentina and West Germany. In that game Argentina lost to West Germany 1-0 on…