2021 - Stream

I suggest going to the Briefing page for the briefing. This will give a more comprehensive (yet fairly succinct) view of world news than JUST browsing the news stream, and the Nations page provides nation-specific news streams.

Posted 28 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Workers World (16/12/21): Ethiopia: U.S. sanctions create misery and division [us-policy-news]

Left Voice (27/12/21): Labor Unions, Environmentalists, and Indigenous People Unite to Defeat Mining Interests in Argentina - A zoning law would have opened up the southern Argentinian province of Chubut to large-scale mining by multinational corporations. But the law was defeated in just five days by an alliance of environmentalists, workers, youth, and indigenous people. Their fight points the way forward for other movements around the world. [resource-news, labor-news, indigenous-news, good-news, capitalist-farce-news, industrial-failure-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Guardian (28/12/21): Polish court revives ‘highly flawed’ hydroelectric dam plan for Vistula River - Despite warnings that it would devastate rare wildlife habitats, the controversial project is back on the table [court-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (28/12/21): Israeli air raid targets key Syrian port of Latakia: State media - Attack caused ‘significant material damage’, but no casualties were reported, SANA news agency says. [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): ‘Where’s the help?’: Malaysia PM under fire after deadly floods - Worst flooding since 2014 left at least 48 people dead, five missing as the country seeks funding develop a plan to adapt to climate change. [disaster-news, climate-change-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): At least 20 dead in flooding in Brazil’s Bahia state - ‘We’re living through the worst disaster that has ever occurred in the history of Bahia,’ said the state’s governor. [industrial-failure-news, disaster-news] [!]

New York Times (27/12/21): South Korea approves Pfizer’s coronavirus pill for emergency use. - It is the first pill approved in the nation to treat symptoms of the coronavirus. [covid-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): Activists denounce China’s secret residential surveillance system - Campaigners say China has ‘systematised arbitrary and secret detention’ by holding thousands of people under ‘Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location’. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

The Guardian (27/12/21): China anger after space station forced to move to avoid Elon Musk Starlink satellites - China said its space station deployed prevention collision avoidance control measures in July and October and called on the US to ‘bear responsibility’ [us-policy-news]

Financial Times (27/12/21): China-Taiwan geopolitical rivalry fuels tensions in Pacific Islands - Dilemma over whether to recognise Taipei or Beijing feeds into underlying domestic conflicts [china-policy-news, us-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): Pacific island nations (10 recognize China, 4 recognize Taiwan, both offering rewards for allegiance) control 28% of global sovereign ocean territory, overlapping with important trade lanes. China has given grants of $145m in 2018 to these nations, and the US fears Beijing might get deepwater prots in the region, 'with potential military utility', harrying access of Australia from the US west coast. Local politicians debate over the need for Chinese-funded ports, which come with debt (generally, it's a large market and source of aid); other political elements local to different natures is at play as well. The Western alliance is a cobble of the US, Australia, Taiwan, and France.

Wall Street Journal (27/12/21): Uganda Finds China’s Leverage Is in the Fine Print of Its Lending - A clause in an agreement with the African nation has stirred a flap over whether the country signed away financial control of Entebbe International Airport [china-policy-news, bri-news] Paywall Summary (?): opposition politicians in parliament found that all revenue+expenses 'incurred by the aiport operator would pass through accounts controlled by Export-Import Bank at a Kampala branch of South Africa's Standard Bank Group Ltd., itself partly owned by Beijing's biggest bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd.' Normally this power is reserved for the country's treasury and parliament, but now '"Ex-Im now has to approve any budget spending"'. Uganda's longtime president Museveni has gone on a $11bn 'borrowing spree', largely from China. Uganda has 4+ other loans from Ex-Im with similar terms, say opposition politicians. Escrow accounts, sometimes called DSRA, are unusual when a govt is the borrower, with the World Bank saying it doesn't use such for sovereign lending. Chinese govt lenders have been willing to extend repayment timetables, but not really open to forgiving debt.

Financial Times (27/12/21): Turkish regulator files criminal complaints over lira’s moves - Allegations of exchange rate manipulation in social media posts during market gyrations [surveillance-and-censorship-news, economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): FT warns this move, targetting 26 people including journalists and economists (and former central bank govs), could 'chill criticism of the government's unorthodox economic policies'. Last week, it appears the central bank expended $5.9bn to buy up lira and shore it up, which the finance minister denies (saying it was the people selling their dollars after Erdogan's 'promise').

PNN (27/12/21): Displacing 16 people, Israeli occupation municipality demolishes Palestinian-owned building in occupied Jerusalem [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): How Venezuela this year almost doubled its oil output - Petroleos de Venezuela, known as PDVSA, won help from small drilling firms by rolling over old debts and later obtaining steady supplies of a key diluent from Iran. [big-oil-news]

CPJ (27/12/21): Afghan TV station owner Aref Noori detained by Taliban-affiliated militia [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (27/12/21):Tensions flair at Homesh West Bank outpost, following killing of Israeli - Following the killing last week of Yehuda Dimentman, tensions are rising at the ruins of the Homesh West Bank outpost, demolished in the 2005 Gaza disengagement. [!]

Al-Monitor (27/12/21): Iran and Iraq again agree to connect their railway networks - Both countries pledged to build the Basra-Shalamcheh railway years ago but have yet to do so. [rail-news] [!]

Financial Times (27/12/21): India cracks down on operations of Mother Teresa’s charity [called 'Missionaries of Charity' (MoC)] - Refusal to renew foreign-funding licence comes as Hindu nationalists step up efforts to rein in Christian groups [far-right-news] Paywall Summary (?): Hindu nationalists claim Christians are using the charity to convert Hindus and weaken their majority. MoC can still operate, just not recieve foreign funding, on which it relies. MoC denies allegation of forced conversions - its bank accounts appear not to have been frozen, contrary to rumor (based on govt and MoC reporting). Modi has for years squeezed foreign-funded NGOs/charities, even freezing bank accounts (such as Greenpeace and Amnesty International). This amidst ongoing pressure on the small Christian community from Hindu right-wingers.

The Irrawaddy (27/12/21): China Provides Submarine to Myanmar Junta [china-policy-news]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Israel demolishes 10 Palestinian commercial properties in Jerusalem [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Israeli forces attack peaceful protesters [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): Foxconn delays reopening its India iPhone plant - The state government asked Foxconn to review services provided to workers including power backup, food, water at hostels. [labor-news] [!]

Jacobin (27/12/21): For Emmanuel Macron, Liberalism Means Letting Armed Police Do Whatever They Like - The policing of protests in France has become so nakedly repressive that even the United Nations has denounced its excesses. But a new protocol shows that Emmanuel Macron’s administration has chosen to turn violent police tactics into the norm. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

New York Times (27/12/21): Idaho Sheriff Is Accused of Pointing Gun at Woman Who Delivered a Thank-You Card - Sheriff Craig Rowland of Bingham County, Idaho, threatened to shoot a neighbor in November, according to an affidavit. Local officials are calling on him to resign. [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Protesters close Baghdad's Green Zone ahead of verdict on vote results [protest-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (27/12/21): BBC Russian Journalist Moves Abroad After ‘Foreign Agent’ Labeling [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

NewsClick (27/12/21): Bihar: Faulty Boiler, Negligent Management Behind Blast That Killed 7 Workers and Injured 10 - The factory management has been accused of neglecting the workers' complaints about the faulty boiler and also failed to obtain a no-objection certificate from the district fire department. [industrial-failure-news, labor-news] [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Somalia president suspends prime minister over alleged corruption [!]

Democracy Now (27/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Israel Plans to Double Population of Illegal Settlements in Occupied Golan Heights
Iraqi Kurds Hold Funerals for Family Members Who Drowned Crossing English Channel [immigrant-news]
Dams Burst After Torrential Rains in Brazil; U.S. Records Record High December Temperatures - In northeastern Brazil, authorities issued flash flood warnings after a pair of dams collapsed Saturday night amid heavy rainfall. Officials say the floods have driven over 35,000 people from their homes. Parts of Bahia state have received rainfall that is six times greater than the December average. [industrial-failure-news, disaster-news]
Parents of 43 Missing Mexican Students Demand Answers in 2014 Disappearances

The Guardian (27/12/21): Polish president vetoes media law criticised by US and EU - Law would have prevented companies outside the EEA from holding a controlling stake in Polish media companies [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

South China Morning Post (27/12/21): Shenzhen party boss takes over as acting governor of Guangdong province - Promotion is expected to pave the way for Wang Weizhong, 59, to become a full member of the policymaking Central Committee - As China’s top exporter, southern province will be under pressure to keep its economy on a steady course next year, observer says Important Note on SCMP [!]

The Moscow Times (27/12/21): Belarus Jails Russian National for 11 Years in Protest Crackdown – Reports [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Iraq court rejects Iran-backed parties' appeal against election vote - Iraq's Supreme Court on Monday rejected appeals lodged by Iran-backed Shia factions against the results of a parliamentary election, the chief judge said, derailing their attempt to overturn the vote in which they performed poorly, reports Reuters. [court-news, electoral-news]

South China Morning Post (27/12/21): SpaceX Starlink satellites twice came too close, China tells UN chief - All parties to Outer Space Treaty must remember pledge to act responsibly, China tells UN secretary general in diplomatic note - SpaceX says its Starlink satellites are equipped with autonomous orbit-changing features to avoid collisions [us-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Africa News (27/12/21): DRC: New death toll from the Beni attack, the government accuses the ADF [!]

PALESTINOW (27/12/21): Palestinians injured, Palestinians kidnapped, No access to health care, Attack on Burqa, Call for interrogation, Brutal repression of prisoners, School children injured, House Governor stormed [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Iran to announce new ambassador in Yemen after predecessor's death

The Guardian (27/12/21): How Australia’s far right uses cryptocurrencies to monetise hate online - As cryptocurrencies become mainstream and frictionless, extremists are finding new ways to fundraise [cryptocurrency-news, far-right-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (27/12/21): French national jailed in Iran since 2020 goes on hunger strike - Benjamin Briere, 36, is being detained over alleged spying and propaganda against Iran – charges he rejects as fabricated. [!]

Middle East Monitor (27/12/21): Israeli forces destroy Gaza strawberry fields - 5 acres of strawberry field located in the north near the Israeli border, destroyed after tanks and bulldozers entered the Gaza Strip during an Israeli incursion [!]

Africa News (27/12/21): Devastating floods after two dams break in Brazil [industrial-failure-news] [!]

Telesur (27/12/21): Peru To Compensate Victims' Relatives of 2020 Police Brutality - The Justice Ministry decree sets a compensation of US$10,000 for the families of those who died in the Agrarian Strike which took place in La Libertad and Ica regions. Note about Telesur [!]

The Guardian (27/12/21): Jesus statue smashed in spate of attacks on India’s Christian community - Amid growing intolerance to India’s Christian minority, several Christmas events were targeted by Hindu right wing groups [militant-far-right-news] [!]

Jacobin (15/12/21): Australia Has Rolled Workers’ Rights Back to the 1800s - The Australian High Court has just ruled that, if an employment contract says you are a casual worker, then you must be a casual worker — even if you work regular, ongoing hours. The decision is a massive blow to workers’ rights. [labor-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): Environmental activists ‘spat at by drivers’ at Rome protest - Protesters say they were slapped, kicked and spat at by angry drivers during roadblock in Italian capital [protest-news] [!]

Jacobin (19/12/21): Socialists and Trade Unionists Led the Fight for Electoral Reform in New Zealand - Before 1993, elections in New Zealand used a first-past-the-post system that marginalized the Left and helped unpopular governments keep a parliamentary majority. A broad campaign led by the labor movement and socialists took up the fight for democratic reform — and won. [housing-news, social-woes-news, leftist-news] [!]

The Guardian (24/12/21): Latin America urges US to reduce plastic waste exports to region - Study finds exports to region doubled in 2020 with practice predicted to grow as US invests in recycling plants [industrial-failure-news]

NewsClick (25/12/21): TMC’s Sweep in Kolkata Troubling, but Signals Political Realignment - TMC has won a scarcely believable percentage of votes, but a political realignment is in the works, with Left Front reclaiming title of main opposition player, pushing BJP down further. [politics-news]

NewsClick (25/12/21): TN This Week: MSMEs Strike Against Price Hike; Rameswaram Fishermen Protest Detention by Lankan Navy - The number of omicron variant infections in Tamil Nadu has increased to 34 with the first patient being discharged last week. [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (25/12/21): I survived imprisonment in Burundi - And what I saw on the inside has made me that much more determined to fight for human rights in my country. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Middle East Monitor (25/12/21): Insulting Prophet Muhammad violates religious freedom, Russia's President Putin says [!]

South China Morning Post (26/12/21): Indonesia’s internet law on trial after Surabaya woman’s Instagram post sparks criminal defamation battle - Stella Monica Hendrawan, 26, has spent two years trying to clear her name after she was charged with defamation under Indonesia’s ITE law - Critics say the 2008 law is flawed and open to misuse as a way to silence criticism and stifle free speech – even President Joko Widodo wants it revised [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

New York Times (26/12/21): In Congo, Bolivia and Beyond, Where the Green Future Begins - The Times’s Race to the Future series is focused on the competition for electric-car resources that will shape the 21st century. [neo-imperialism-news, resource-news]

The Guardian (26/12/21): Moroccan opposition leader Mehdi ben Barka was a spy, cold war files suggest - The activist who was murdered in Paris in 1965 was a hero of the global struggle against imperialism, but files from the Czechoslovak secret service cast doubt on his independence

The Guardian (26/12/21): China replaces Xinjiang party boss associated with Uyghur crackdown - It is not known if Chen Quanguo’s replacement by Guangdong governor Ma Xingrui signals fresh approach

South China Morning Post (25/12/21): Xinjiang Communist Party boss and US sanctions target Chen Quanguo to leave post - State news agency Xinhua reports Chen Quanguo will be moving on to another role and replaced by Guangdong governor Ma Xingrui - Chen has been accused by the West of being behind widespread human rights abuses against Uygurs, but is tipped for further promotion Important Note on SCMP

Middle East Monitor (26/12/21): Sudan says 58 policemen injured in protests [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

Middle East Monitor (26/12/21):Sudan forces fire tear gas as protesters head to presidential palace [!]

Middle East Monitor (26/12/21): 3 Israeli Mossad officers commit suicide in one year [!]

Al Jazeera (26/12/21): Saudi-led coalition hits Yemen rebel camp in capital Sanaa - Coalition says the attack was a response to ‘an attempt to transfer weapons’ by the Yemeni rebel group. [!]

Al Jazeera (26/12/21): UN ‘horrified’ by massacre of dozens of civilians in Myanmar - The United Nations calls for a ‘thorough and transparent investigation’ into the incident that killed at least 35 people. [!]

Posted 24 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: Updated Developments in Chile - Revolt Against Pinochet Legacy; Updated Ethiopia civil war

Telesur (23/12/21): Sao Paulo Admits Responsibility in Paraisopolis Favela Deaths - Two years ago, the Military Police violently stormed a 5000-people funk party, firing tear gas canisters and pellet bullets. Nine people died as a consequence of the resulting stampede. Note about Telesur [!]

Wall Street Journal (23/12/21): Russian Guns-for-Hire Fill Void in Africa and Elsewhere as Western Militaries Pull Back - A mercenary deployment in Mali is triggering alarm among U.S. allies as Moscow denies being involved [neo-imperialism-news, us-policy-news, eu-policy-news, russia-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): Russia claims to have no knowledge of the presence of Russian paramilitaries ('Wagner group') in Mali, currently at around 300. According to Western officials, Mali is being charged $10m a month to Wagner, which, along with seeking profit from local resource exploitation, provides a cheap means for Kremlin intervention (such as in CAR). Following this pattern, Wagner-linked geologists reportedly prospected gold-mining regions after emissaries from Wagner's alleged owner, Prigozhin, met with Mali officials (which followed news that Paris planned to reduce its presence in the nation). Paris believes this is part of an effort to gain leverage with France to avoid holding elections. France has carried out the Barkhane mission here so far, with US logistical and intelligence support. Interesting sidenote: One of the sources they reference here is Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, and a guy I wouldn't trust to hear from - there are other sources, but still, a little strange.

Jacobin (23/12/21): Teachers in Buenos Aires Are Striking Against Neoliberalism - Buenos Aires’s neoliberal government has used the pandemic to impose austerity on the city’s primary and secondary school teachers. Argentine teachers are fighting back with a campaign of rolling strikes. [union-news, labor-news, leftist-news] [!]

Africa News (23/12/21): Cash shortage hits Zimbabwe banks as thousands stranded for Christmas [economic-news] [!]

Telesur (23/12/21): Palestinian Young Man Killed by Israeli Soldiers in West Bank - Mohammed Abbas was shot in the back by Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of the al-Ama'ri refugee camp. Note about Telesur [!]

Wall Street Journal (23/12/21): U.N. Plans $8 Billion Fund to Restart Afghanistan’s Economy - Plan would move beyond a purely humanitarian mission to rebuilding governing systems and social services [economic-news, social-woes-news] Paywall Summary (?): The economy has shrunk at least 40% since the Taliban takeover, and the US has frozen around $9bn in Afghan centrla-bank assets. Alongside this are crippling sanctions that have frozen the banking system, and many people, especially public workers, haven't been paid in months, all amidst inflation. The World Food Program warms of "an avalanche of hunger and destitution". Already international donors have forked over around $1bn for emergency purposes, which helped provide food for nearly 7mil people in November. But the UN wants to go beyond basic aid to trying to rebuild livelihoods, sustaining schools and hospitals and paying workers there, and helping others in the economy. This isn't simply of moral obligation, but to avoid an economic implosion with a subsequent refugee crisis. The other aim is to avoid enriching the Taliban. The US Treasury lifted some sanctions, allowing more aid to flow into education and civil service, as well as humanitarian aid. The Taliban is trying to raise income with customs and other levies in an effort to pay government employees. Afghanistan is in debt around $100m+ to central Asian nations and Iran for electricity, and is at risk of being cut off and without power during the winter. And the central bank money is tied up in litigation related to the 9/11 attacks.

Salon (23/12/21): Mainstream media forgets the Afghan people, as U.S. sanctions create risk of famine - When the U.S. military finally pulled out, it was a big story. But the plight of the Afghan people definitely isn't [media-news, fail-biden-policy-news, social-woes-news]

Financial Times (23/12/21): China merges 3 rare earths miners to strengthen dominance of sector - New entity hailed as ‘aircraft carrier’ of its industry for its market power and strategic importance [resource-news] Paywall Summary (?): 'Will be the world's largest producer of the strategic resource' (and 70% of China's output), and the group will be under direct control of the central govt. This in a bid to mitigate market impact on the commodity's price, stabilizing it. Myanmar turmoil has also contributed to the shortages of the commodity.

Africa News (23/12/21): Former coup leader returns to Guinea

Financial Times (23/12/21): Covid lays bare staffing crisis in Europe’s hospitals - Chronic under-investment means workforce shortages are constraining intensive care provision [labor-news, healthcare-news, covid-news] Paywall Summary (?): In France, 7 of 13 regions have had to trigger hospital emergency plans. In Paris, 1k nursing jobs of 18k remain unfilled. Nationally, around 5% of nursing jobs were unfilled. In Germany, 'almost 90% of hospitals reported being unable to operate fully all their intensive care beds'. In Ireland, a poll found 2/3 of respondents 'had cared for patients who died of Covid-19 and 85% believed the experience had a negative psychological impact on them.' - in rural Ireland, staffing shortages are hitting the hardest. This has prompted meagre reform in France, but unlikely to be sufficient, in a system in which healthcare has been underfunded over time.

The Guardian (23/12/21): Rio Tinto puts Serbia lithium mine on hold - Chief executive seeks public dialogue, suggesting protests against Loznica project have hindered any ‘reasonable debate’ [resource-news, protest-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (24/12/21): Two more Tiananmen Massacre monuments taken down in Hong Kong - Lingnan University dismantles Tiananmen Massacre relief, while another piece, Goddess of Democracy, was removed from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

23/12/21): Park Geun-hye to receive pardon for corruption as South Korean president - Moon Jae-in, her successor, will reportedly free Park from 22-year sentence three months ahead of presidential election [!]

New York Times (23/12/21): Officers Fire at Suspect in Store and a Bullet Kills a Girl in a Dressing Room - The suspect was killed and a shot pierced a wall during the confrontation at a clothing store in Los Angeles, fatally striking a 14-year-old, the police said. [!]

South China Morning Post (24/12/21): Sri Lanka to pay off US$251 million oil debt to Iran – with Ceylon tea - The first-of-its-kind barter deal will allow sanctions-hit Tehran to avoid having to use scarce hard currency to pay for imports of the widely consumed staple - Ceylon tea made up nearly half of Iranian consumption in 2016, but the proportion has declined in recent years

Foreign Affairs (23/12/21): China’s Soft-Power Advantage in Africa - Beijing Isn’t Just Building Roads—It’s Making Friends [china-policy-news, analysis-news, bri-news]

The Irrawaddy (23/12/21): Myanmar Junta Pushing China to Restart Stalled Infrastructure Projects [bri-news, china-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (23/12/21): US Navy seizes thousands of guns bound for Yemen’s Houthis - The US military said the boat, which was carrying the AK-47 cache, came from Iran [us-policy-news] [!]

The Guardian (23/12/21): Mandatory Covid jabs in Malawi ‘violate human rights’, say civil society groups - Measure aimed at frontline workers to reduce spread of Omicron variant may increase unrest in country with low vaccine take-up, critics warn [covid-news]

NewsClick (23/12/21): How Did Uttarakhand Govt Allow Calls for Muslim Genocide in Haridwar? - A ‘Dharma Sansad’ held between December 17-19 was a platform for Hindutva 'leaders’ to spew hate speech and call for communal violence. [militant-far-right-news]

NewsClick (23/12/21): Kolkata Civic Polls: TMC Under Scanner as Victims of Violence Move HC, Seek Re-election - Candidates and leaders from all three main opposition parties, CPI(M), BJP and Congress, have moved the Calcutta HC seeking re-poll and probe into alleged poll violence and vote rigging. [voting-rights-news]

NewsClick (23/12/21): Maharashtra: Another Victory for Peasants as MVA Govt Forced to Take Back Anti-Farmer Bills - After the Modi government was forced to repeal the three farm laws, the MVA government has decided to withdraw the proposed Bills that are listed for legislative business during the ongoing Assembly session. [privatization-news, labor-news, good-news]

Jacobin (23/12/21): How Chile’s Left Won - Gabriel Boric’s victory in Chile is a vindication of the mass movement that took to the streets in 2019 — and points toward a country ready to bury Pinochet’s legacy and neoliberalism for good. [leftist-news, electoral-news, analysis-news]

The Guardian (23/12/21): Intel apologises to China over Xinjiang products and labour directive - US chipmaker responds to backlash after telling its suppliers to avoid region at centre of human rights abuse allegations [china-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): At least three killed in eastern DRC plane crash - A local official says the death toll could be as high as five as a probe is launched to determine the cause of the crash in South Kivu province. [!]

CPJ (23/12/21): Ethiopia Insight reporter Ermias Tasfaye detained since November [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (23/12/21): Argentine newspaper El Chubut offices torched, ransacked amid protests [!]

Left Voice (23/12/21): NYPD Murders Black Man Having Mental Health Crisis - Eudes Pierre, a 26-year-old Black man having a mental health crisis, was murdered by two NYPD officers early Monday morning. [!]

PALESTINOW (23/12/21): Burglary of Palestinian homes, Palestinians kidnapped, Ceasefire, Isolation of Palestinian female prisoners, Hunger strikers, 19 years incarceration, Palestinian killed, Palestinian land taken [!]

New York Times (23/12/21): Upstate Man Is Fatally Shot by State Trooper - State Police said Mark Beilby, 24, who died on Wednesday, had repeatedly refused to drop a knife and had “advanced at the trooper.” [!]

WSWS (23/12/21): Indian army deployed to break Jammu and Kashmir power workers’ strike [privatization-news, labor-news, busting-labor-news, far-right-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

The Guardian (23/12/21): China locks down 13 million people in Xi’an after detecting 127 Covid cases - Snap lockdown, which prompted panic in the city, comes little over a month before Beijing is set to host the Winter Olympics [covid-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): Ex-Tunisian President Marzouki sentenced to 4 years in absentia - Moncef Marzouki, who lives in France, rejects court ruling, says it was ‘issued by an illegitimate president who overturned the constitution’. [!]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): Hungary’s leader denounced in Bosnia for anti-Muslim rhetoric - Orban’s spokesman said it would be a ‘challenge’ to integrate a country with two million Muslims into the EU. [far-right-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (23/12/21): Senior Junta Commander Sent to Lead Offensive in Restive Southeastern Myanmar [!]

The Irrawaddy (23/12/21): Myanmar Civil Servant Murdered in Rakhine State

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): Madagascar shipwreck death toll rises to 85 - Maritime authorities say 50 people have been rescued after boat sank with 138 people on board. [!]

New York Times (23/12/21): Fury in China After an Outspoken Teacher Disappears - Supporters of Li Tiantian believe that local officials may have sent her to a psychiatric hospital, a longstanding way of stifling and discrediting dissent.[surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (23/12/21): Scandal threatens political ambitions of former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen - Revelations over an alleged liaison with a married woman could threaten whatever political ambitions former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen was harboring [!]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): Powerful blast at Indian court building kills at least two - Investigation launched after explosion hits a judicial complex in Ludhiana, a city in India’s northern Punjab state.

South China Morning Post (23/12/21): Malaysia’s ex-PM Mahathir discharged from hospital after ‘medical investigations’ - Political legend was premier twice and became the longest-serving prime minister in the country when he retired in 2003 - The 96-year-old has had many health scares, including two heart bypasses, but was active in politics after the operations Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): Saudi-led coalition says air raids hit military camp in Sanaa - Coalition says it destroyed drone and weapons stores in air raids on military camp in Yemeni capital Sanaa. [!]

The Irrawaddy (23/12/21): Myanmar Junta Police Arrest Muslim Teen After Civil Servant’s Murder [!]

Africa News (23/12/21): Remains of SA soldier killed in Mozambique handed over to family

The Irrawaddy (23/12/21): Myanmar Regime Airstrikes Break International Law: NUG [!]

South China Morning Post (23/12/21): Thailand seizes US$30 million of crystal meth hidden in punch bags bound for Australia - More than 193kg (425lbs) of the drug was hidden among Thai-made training equipment, which aroused suspicion because it is not in high demand in Australia - Australia consumes around 11 tons of methamphetamine per year, so there’s a market for it, said customs officer [drug-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Vice (23/12/21): Police Chief Told Cops Where to Get Fake Vaccine Cards - He’s been suspended and placed on probation after telling officers about a “self-vaccination clinic.” [covid-news] [!]

Africa News (23/12/21): Rockets kill four in Nigeria ahead of President Buhari's visit [!]

The Guardian (23/12/21): Typhoon Rai: more than 3m people directly affected in Philippines - Some areas still cut off a week after disaster, with power outages and shortages of food and clean water [disaster-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (23/12/21): ‘They won’t break us’: Sudanese protesters decry sexual attacks - Women take to streets to condemn sexual violence, after the UN said it had documented 13 instances of rape and gang rape during recent protests. [!]

NewsClick (23/12/21): Civilian, Policeman Killed in two Separate Attacks in Kashmir - Two attacks were carried out by militants within a span of 30 minutes in Srinagar and Anantnag. [!]

Financial Times (23/12/21): IMF says Argentina bailout programme was ‘too fragile’ to succeed - Record $57bn loan was made on over-optimistic forecasts, internal report finds [economic-news, neo-imperialism-news] Paywall Summary (?): The incoming Peronists had canceled the loan, after $44bn had been disbursed, saying it was a favor for outgoing right-winger Macri and financed capital flight. The review by the IMF said the main issue was '"a lack of [investor] confidence in fiscal and external sustainability"'. Current economy minister of Argentina, Guzmán, says "'The Fund has recognised that the [bailout] money was used to pay debt which was unsustainable to private creditors,... it was basically a rescue for creditors who had come in to make a bet in 2016 and it was alsao used to finance the formation of assets abroad'".

Democracy Now (23/12/21): Daily Headlines:

South Africa Says Omicron Coronavirus Surge Has Peaked [covid-news]
WHO Warns Blanket Booster Programs Divert Vaccine Supply, Prolonging Pandemic [covid-news]
U.N. Calls for Probe into Reports That Sudanese Security Forces Raped Anti-Coup Protesters
3 Dead, Dozens Missing After Boat Carrying Refugees Sinks in Aegean Sea [immigrant-news]

Just Security (23/12/21): Early Edition:

Two of the Treasury Department licenses create a formal exemption for U.S. officials and certain international organizations, such as the U.N., who are engaged in permitted official business with the Taliban. A third license gives non-governmental organizations protection from U.S. sanctions on the Taliban and the Haqqani Network for work on certain activities, including humanitarian projects. Daphne Psaledakis and Jonathan Landay report for Reuters. [us-policy-news]
A suicide bomber has been killed while trying to enter a passport office in Kabul, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry has said. Several people were injured in the blast, according to unconfirmed reports. “Large crowds of Afghans have been thronging outside the passport office in a bid to get travel documents in recent days after the service was restarted after weeks of suspension. Officials said that Thursdays are reserved as a special day for Taliban officials to visit the passport office to make travel documents,” Reuters reports.
Dutch prosecutors have demanded life sentences for three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with murder for their involvement in the shooting down of a passenger jet over Ukraine in 2014. Prosecutors “said the defendants, who are all at large, helped supply a missile system that Russian-backed separatists used to fire a rocket at Malaysia Airlines flight MH17,” Stephanie van den Berg reports for Reuters.
The Pillar of Shame, a famous statue at the University of Hong Kong commemorating the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, has been removed. The statue was one of the few remaining public memorials in Hong Kong commemorating the incident where pro-democracy protesters were killed by Chinese authorities. The university said in a statement today that “the decision on the aged statue was based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the university.” BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
China has defended its education exchange programs after a Harvard University professor was convicted earlier this week of lying to U.S. federal authorities and Harvard about his affiliation with China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian declined to comment specifically on Charles Lieber’s case but reiterated China’s objection to the “repression of scientists and damage to normal China-U.S. scientific and technological exchange.” Joseph Choi reports for The Hill. [china-policy-news]
The State Department is barring two former Maltese government officials and their families from entering the country because they engaged in “corrupt acts” for personal benefit. The State Department said in its statement that the two former officials were bribed to award a government contract to a company for the construction of a power plant. Brad Dress reports for The Hill. [us-policy-news]
A U.S. man allegedly working as a diplomat for the U.S. consulate in Lebanon has been arrested in Turkey on suspicion of selling a fake passport for $10,000 to a Syrian national
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance–which includes the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada–has warned that hackers are “actively exploiting” the recently uncovered vulnerability in Apache logging library log4j. “These vulnerabilities, especially Log4Shell, are severe,” the alliance warned in the joint alert, adding that the “vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited over an extended period.” Maggie Miller reports for The Hill. [cyber-security-news]
Military-grade Pegasus spyware from Israeli spyware firm NSO Group was used to hack the phone of an opposition lawyer and a prosecutor in Poland. According to the Citizen Lab Internet watchdog, the Pegasus software was used to hack the phone of Roman Giertych, a high-profile lawyer representing two Polish opposition figures, during the final weeks of a pivotal 2019 parliamentary election. Two years later, Ewa Wrzosek, a prosecutor who was challenging attempts by populist right-wing government to purge the judiciary, also had her phone hacked. “Citizen Lab could not say who ordered the hacks and NSO does not identify its clients…But both victims believe Poland’s increasingly illiberal government is responsible,” Frank Bajak and Vanessa Gera report for AP. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news]
Data from the U.K. has suggested that the risk of overnight hospitalization from the Covid-19 Omicron variant is 40% lower than the Delta variant. Researchers also found that those that test positive with Omicron are 25% less likely to attend hospital at all, though the reduction is only 11% for those who have neither been previously infected with Covid-19 nor vaccinated. However, as daily Covid-19 cases continue to increase exponentially, U.K. experts have warned that the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant means that the health service is still at risk of being overwhelmed. Ian Sample and Heather Stewart report for the Guardian. [covid-news, healthcare-news]

Posted 22 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Democracy Now (21/12/21): Gabriel Boric Win in Chile Is “Huge Victory” for Social Movements That Fought Off Far-Right Threat [leftist-news, electoral-news]

The Majority Report (21/12/21): Chile’s New Leftist President Wants To Bury Neoliberalism A nice review of US intervention there around the Allende-Pinochet pivot [us-policy-news, socialist-news, leftist-news, history-news]

Wall Street Journal (21/12/21): Iran’s Top Diplomat to Houthi-Controlled Yemen Dies of Covid-19 - Hassan Irloo was smuggled into Yemen in 2020 and named ambassador to parts of the country controlled by Houthis Paywall Summary (?): Iran blames unnamed countries for delaying Irloo's return, although clearly a jab at Saudi Arabia, who had various terms and negotiations with the Houthis to secure Irloo's ride home, due to Riyadh's air blockade of Sana'a, Yemen's capital (which the Houthis control) (see WSJ reporting on the negotiations, (18/12/21, 17/12/21). He had been announced as stable as recently as Saturday.

Wall Street Journal (18/12/21): Iran’s Top Diplomat in Yemen Leaves the Country - Hassan Irloo was smuggled into Yemen last year and named Iran’s ambassador to parts of the country controlled by the Houthis Paywall Summary (?): An Iraqi plane picked him up. The Saudis cast this as a sign of friction between the Houthis and Tehran (Tehran dismisses this); the Houthis + Tehran claim it is because he needs COVID-19 treatment (turned out the latter, at very least, was true). Irloo is a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp. It's not clear if Houthis had releases Saudi hostages, as requested by Riyadh (see 17/12/21).

Wall Street Journal (17/12/21): Yemen’s Houthis Seek Departure of Top Iranian Diplomat - Rebel group asked Saudi Arabia to allow ambassador to leave, in a move seen in Riyadh as sign of rift between Houthis and Tehran Paywall Summary (?): Last year, the ambassador was smuggled in, which Saudis 'see' to indicate strain between the two allies. WSJ reports there are local concerns that ambassador Hassan Irloo, while helpful in planning, adds to perceptions in Yemen that the Houthis are beholden to Tehran. The Saudis won't allow an Iranian plane to do the retrieval, only a Omani or Iraqi one, and require freeing some high-profile Saudi hostages in return. Irloo allegedly has COVID-19 and needs to get out, although WSJ reports local skepticisim this is true (soon to be proven true though).

Who Gets the Bird (20/12/21): Weekly Update:

The 1400 BCTGM strikers have another tentative agreement with Kellogg’s, less than two weeks after rejecting the last one, but at least the Battle Creek, MI local (the largest of the four on strike, though not determinative) sounds like they’ll be voting it down, with their local president characterizing the new TA as a “Trojan Horse” at a rally hosted by Bernie Sanders
The other BCTGM (Local 37) strike happening at Jon Donaire bakery in Santa Fe Springs, CA continues on as workers rejected the company’s latest offer; More Perfect Union is on the story.
UAW 2110 remains on the largest strike in the country, at Columbia University. The university is still actively threatening to replace the student workers, and soliciting other desperate academic workers to take their jobs in the spring.
After a whopping 284 days, the longest strike in Massachusetts history, that of the Massachusetts Nurses Association at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, MA, has a tentative agreement. For months, the final sticking point has been corporate giant Tenet’s vindictive refusal to restore strikers to their old jobs, and a deal was apparently hammered out via Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. In a totally bizarre aside, the local news reported that the scab nurses had collected enough cards to unionize, but were disavowed by whatever field organizer’s boss at AFSCME got wind of it.
Meanwhile, the 1100-strong UMWA strike at Warrior Met in Brookwood, AL, the other insanely long strike, rolls on. Kim Kelly went on the Takeaway to tell the story that she’s been covering closely the entire time. The only other news I’ve seen is a group of 15 senators have signed a letter calling on the company to settle the strike, which, like, cool, it’s been literally over eight months.
The Steelworkers Local 40 strike of 450 workers at Special Metals’s nickel alloy plant in Huntington, WV is going to last through the holidays. The company is looking to gut seniority and triple the health insurance premiums, among other attacks.
And though it’s been many months, a couple dozen members of Teamsters Local 553 in Brooklyn are still striking UMEC, the John Catsamitidis-owned energy company (here’s a story from November on the strike, which began in April).
UFCW Local 555 won what was supposed to be a 7-day ULP strike against grocery giant Kroger (in the guise of its local avatars, Fred Meyer and QFC) in the Portland, OR area in just 24 hours.
School bus drivers in Chesterfield County, SC kept the school bus driver strike wave alive this week.
Teachers in Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA have a tentative agreement, as do teachers in Brevard County, FL.
Ski patrollers in Breckenridge, CO who organized with CWA this year have their first contract with Vail Resorts
So do nurses [they have a new contract] at Warren General Hospital with PASNAP in Warren, PA.

Ars Technica / Financial Times (21/12/21): The secret Uganda deal that has brought NSO to the brink of collapse - Things changed once US diplomats in Uganda got hacked by Pegasus. [cyber-security-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, us-policy-news, pegasus-news, big-tech-news] Paywall Summary (?): Technically unecessary summary (since the AT article is open), but what the heck. NSO's chief executive Hulio liked to fly around showing people how Pegasus could crack an iPhone, including in nations like Uganda and Rwanda. Recently, in Uganda, 11 American diplomats' and employees phones were hacked with this tool. What followed was the American-lead effort against NSO, including American blacklisting of the company, and fallen out of favor with Silicon Valley giants like Meta (Facebook) and Apple.

Africa News (21/12/21): [Italian] MSC offers to buy [French] Bolloré's logistics branch in Africa [capitalist-farce-news]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Mexico’s lithium and the global race to lock in ‘white gold’ - A massive lithium deposit in Mexico’s Sonora state was exempt from AMLO’s drive to nationalise strategic minerals. [resource-news, china-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Guatemala massacre victims’ community defies state of siege - Indigenous community members block roads calling for justice after children massacred amid bloody land dispute. [indigenous-news, protest-news]

Financial Times (21/12/21): Kyrgyzstan says it seized mine over alleged environmental and safety breaches - Bishkek justifies taking control of Kumtor, the country’s most valuable asset, from Canadian owner [economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): Also they fined the company $3bn. Due both to '"systemic violations" of environmental law by Centerra Gold and its "predatory" attitudes towards natural resources'. Kumtor produces around 500k ounces of gold a year, the commodity contributing the most to the nation's GDP. Current president Jarapov, a nationalist, has been calling for this for a decade. The mine produces half of Centerra's annual revenue. To access the gold, large amounts of ice had to be removed (them glaciers!). Centerra is sueing, and saying third-party assessors aren't being allowed by the government.

IWW (17/12/21): Workers At Pacific NW's Iconic Burgerville Ratify First Union Contract

Jacobin (21/12/21): Powershop’s Sellout Shows the Free Market Won’t Stop Climate Change - The Australian green energy provider Powershop launched in 2012 with the support of a range of environmental NGOs. Last month, Shell bought the company and took over its clients. [climate-change-news, capitalist-farce-news] [!]

Law and Crime (21/12/21): Retirement and Back Pay, But No Charges, for Miami Cop Who Struck Woman for Saying He Was Acting ‘White’ [!]

The Economist (19/12/21): Afghanistan’s health-care system is crumbling - Staff have gone unpaid for months and essential supplies are running out [healthcare-news, economic-news, social-woes-news] [!]

Bellingcat (17/11/21): Inside Wagnergate: Ukraine’s Brazen Sting Operation to Snare Russian Mercenaries [analysis-news, russia-policy-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (21/12/21): Drone sales could dampen Turkey’s African venture - Turkey has made major economic and diplomatic strides in Africa since the early 2000s, but growing military sales to African countries raise the specter of a risky shift.

Popular Front (18/12/21): Battle on All Fronts in Ethiopia - In this episode we talk to journalist Sean Williams about the rapidly advancing war in Ethiopia, where several different ethnic militia groups are now advancing on the capital. [podcast-news] Interesting, in addition to basic reporting, they go over the media coverage and bias, a bit about foreign interests, and some of the history on the ground

Al-Monitor (21/12/21): Turkish telecommunications satellite launches into space - Turkey's President thanked SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who launched the rocket, for not succumbing to “pressure of the anti-Turkey lobbies" [big-tech-news]

Al-Monitor (21/12/21): Palestinian family refuses $5 million offer by settlers for Sheikh Jarrah home - A Palestinian family in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, which faces daily harassment and attacks by settlers, was offered $5 million to vacate their home, so that settlers can move in. [!]

Jacobin (21/12/21): In Berlin, Overworked Hospital Staff Went on Strike for a Month — and Won - The COVID-19 pandemic has heaped even more pressure on understaffed hospital wards. In Berlin, medics organized to do something about it, launching a monthlong strike that forced hospital management to guarantee minimum staffing levels. [healthare-news, labor-news, good-news] [!]

Africa News (21/12/21): Air strikes kill at least 28 people in Ethiopia's Tigray region

PALESTINOW (21/12/21): Palestinian Homes Attacked, Photographer Attacked, Palestinians Arrested, Palestinians Attacked, Palestinian Kidnapped, Students Arrested, Illegal Settlers [!]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Apple supplier’s factory in southern India to remain shut - Management has shut the factory for a week after workers protested over a food poisoning incident which sent 150 workers to hospital. [big-tech-news, labor-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Turkish lira rockets after Erdogan’s promise to protect deposits - Turkey’s lira makes gains after the Turkish president unveils a plan to guarantee local currency deposits against market fluctuation. [economic-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (21/12/21): Global Clothing Factory Deal Ditched in Protest at Myanmar Junta [!]

Africa News (21/12/21): Gabon's football coach arrested for sexual abuse of under-age boys [!]

NewsClick (21/12/21): J&K Power Employees Bag Midnight Victory After Strike; Electricity Restored in UT - The indefinite strike was called off at midnight on Tuesday following the administration and union representatives reaching an agreement. [labor-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Indian man fined for wanting Modi’s face cut from vaccine drive - India’s PM Narendra Modi is the focus of a huge advertising blitz touting his government’s triumphs in fighting COVID despite nearly 500,000 deaths. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (21/12/21): Myanmar Junta Seizes Around 300 Mandalay Gem Traders [!]

The Irrawaddy (21/12/21): A Dozen Junta Troops Killed in Landmine Blast in Myanmar’s Capital, Civilian Fighters Say [!]

The Guardian (21/12/21): Shipwrecked refugee crossings leave 164 dead in Mediterranean, says UN - Attempted crossing from Libya to Europe surge as authorities carry out deadly crackdown on refugees [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Libya electoral commission dissolves poll committees - The move by Imad al-Sayeh, head of the High National Elections Commission, effectively postpones December 24 vote. [!]

NewsClick (21/12/21): TMC Sweeps KMC Polls Amid Rigging Allegations; Left Vote Share Higher Than BJP - Left Front regained some of its vote share at 11% compared with Assembly polls, ending ahead of BJP, which lost 20% vote share. [voting-rights-news, electoral-news] [!]

Washington Post (21/12/21): A UAE agency put Pegasus spyware on phone of Jamal Khashoggi’s wife months before his murder, new forensics show - The new analysis challenges NSO claims that the murdered journalist’s wife, Hanan Elatr, ‘was not a target’ [surveillance-anc-ensorship-news, pegasus-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (21/12/21): Gas Prices Hit Record High on Russian Supply Squeeze, Cold Snap [russia-policy-news, energy-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (21/12/21): Two deaths, 13 rape allegations reported after Sudan protests - UN receives 13 allegations of rape by security forces during Sunday’s rally in Sudan, while medics report second death. [!]

Africa News (21/12/21): Truth Comission describes 1972 events in Burundi as genocide [!]

Law and Crime (21/12/21): Denver Cops to Pay $365,000 for Killing a Man, Wounding Another with Barrage of Bullets in Botched Manhunt for Escaped Inmate [!]

The Guardian (21/12/21): Punches thrown in Ghana parliament over electronic payments tax - Proposed levy has been challenged by opposition since it was first proposed last month [social-woes-news, tax-news]

The Moscow Times (21/12/21): Russia Allows Police to Search Homes, Cars Without Warrants [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): Luxury jewellers risk funding military abuses in Myanmar: Report - Global Witness says international jewellers must review their supply chains to ensure they are not funding conflict, corruption or state oppression in Myanmar. [capitalist-farce-news] [!]

NewsClick (21/12/21): Chennai Eviction Drive Leaves Hundreds Homeless - As part of the beautification drive, 57 families were evicted from Kolathur and another 77 at Thousand Lights. [housing-news, social-woes-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (21/12/21): Scores of Myanmar Junta Troops Die in Failed Attack on MNDAA Base, Kokang Fighters Say [!]

Democracy Now (21/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Humanitarian Aid Group Says British and French Rescue Crews Let 27 Refugees Drown [immigrant-news]

Just Security (21/12/21): Early Edition:

Russia has expelled two German diplomats in response to a German judge finding last week that the Kremlin engaged in “state terrorism” in ordering the murder of a Chechen rebel in Berlin in 2019. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that it had expelled the diplomats after Germany ordered the expulsion of two Russian diplomats last week over the incident and “as a symmetric response to the aforementioned unfriendly decision by the German government.” Max Seddon and Guy Chazan report for the Financial Times. [russia-policy-news]
Saudi-led coalition forces have carried out an airstrike on an airport in the Yemini capital of Sana’a. Rebel forces in Yemen have controlled Sana’a for more than six years. The coalition claimed that the airport’s facilities were being used to launch cross-border attacks, and that it urged U.N. aid workers who have been using the airport for humanitarian operations to evacuate the area before the strike was carried out. BBC News reports.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard staged a major military exercise across Iran’s south yesterday, amid heightened tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program and the recent pausing of negotiations in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. The Guard’s aerospace division, ground troops and naval forces joined in the five-day drill, with maritime forces set to maneuver in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state TV reported. Amir Vahdat reports for AP.
China is expanding its grip on data about the world’s cargo flows, sparking concerns in Washington and among industry officials that Beijing could exploit logistics information for commercial or strategic advantage. China’s control over the flow of goods and information, including cargo that never touches its shores, gives Beijing privileged insight into world commerce and potentially the means to influence it, say cargo-industry officials. Shipping data has become a valuable commodity in light of shortages plaguing many industries and global backlogs in ports. Daniel Michaels reports for the Wall Street Journal. [logistics-news, china-policy-news]
Tigrayan rebel troops are withdrawing from Tigray’s neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara, where fighting has displaced more than 300,000 people since July. In a two-page letter sent to U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, the leader of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Debretsion Gebremichael, said he hoped that bringing his troops back into the Tigray region would be a “decisive opening for peace.” “We decided to withdraw from these areas to Tigray. We want to open the door to humanitarian aid,” a spokesperson for the TPLF said. A spokesperson for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the TPLF’s announcement was a cover-up for military setbacks in the past weeks, adding that “there are still pockets in the Amhara region in which [the TPLF] remain as well as other fronts they are attempting to open the conflict.” Al Jazeera reports.
The French armed forces ministry has said that its forces have killed a leading member of the Islamic State in Niger, Soumana Boura. The French army said Boura was killed by an air strike by its “Operation Barkhane” unit that took place on Dec. 20. Reuters reports.
Japan has executed three death row inmates, marking the first executions Japan has carried out since 2019 and the first under Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Junko Ogura, Mayumi Maruyama and Sophie Jeong report for CNN.
A group of Haitian migrants have filed a federal class action lawsuit against the U.S. government following their experience at the border in Del Rio, Texas, including interactions with Border Patrol agents on horseback. [immigrant-news]
More than 29,000 Afghan evacuees still remain on U.S. military bases, in part, due to a shortage of affordable housing and the Covid-19 pandemic. Around 2,900 Afghans are also still overseas at a handful of U.S. military posts, waiting for a flight to the United States. Nahal Toosi reports for POLITICO. [immigrant-news]

Posted 21 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

AP News (19/12/21): Leftist millennial wins election as Chile’s next president [leftist-news, socialist-news, electoral-news]

Not Just Bikes (17/12/21): How to (Quickly) Build a Cycling City - Paris [ civil-planning-news, rail-news, leftist-news, socialist-news] He doesn't explicitly say (because he's not a political channel), but the mayor of Paris (who Not Just Bikes seems to generally review favorably, observing that rather than wasting time on pilot projects that tell us what we already know, Paris just went for it) is of the Socialist Party - neat!

Wall Street Journal (8/12/21): Beijing Reins In China’s Central Bank - The PBOC was never independent but it has tried to establish good communication with markets. Xi Jinping’s financial shake-up is changing that. [economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): WSJ reports that the PBOC under governor Zhou Xiaochuan strained to become increasingly independent, and managed to achieve some autonomy and legitimacy in the eyes of the market. However, since retiring, the PBOC has been under increasing pressure, with "discipline inspectors" visiting the bank's headquarters. Beijing is trying to address concerns over lax regulations and 'overreliance on deb-tfuled property investments' (ie the Evergrande debacle), all amidst concerns of a slower-than-expected economic growth. This breach of autonomy was indicated recently by easing of bank's reserve requirements, which allows for more cash for lending. This follows comments from Premier Li Keqiang, contradicting earlier signals that no such changes would be made - indicating the Party increasingly is calling the shots at PBOC. If I read correctly, it seems there is agreement between the PBOC and the Party over the need to crackdown on such issues as property lending.

The Guardian (15/12/21): New Zealand has adopted a radical rezoning plan to cut house prices – could it work in Australia? - Councils won’t be able to block townhouses or apartments under a sweeping reform aimed at improving affordability – but will it work? And could the idea cross the Tasman? [housing-news, social-woes-news, policy-news]

Left Voice (19/12/21): Boric’s Win in Chile’s Presidential Elections and the Fight for October’s Demands - Gabriel Boric’s wide margin of victory over José Antonio Kast in today’s Chilean presidential vote was a surprise. It was a rejection of the strengthening of the Right wing in the first round of the elections. Now that fight against the Right must move to the streets, where the demands from the October 2019 rebellion must be raised again. [elctoral-news, leftist-news, good-news, analysis-news]

Who Gets the Bird (12/12/21) (LAST WEEK'S, this week's will be soon): Weekly Bits:

Columbia University student workers with UAW Local 2110 are facing the same sort of retaliation from their employer, with the administration claiming there was “violence” on the picket line, a claim which I have not seen anyone even pretend to try to corroborate.
What started as a few dozen concrete truck drivers on strike with Teamsters Local 174 has expanded to over 300 members on strike, “stopping the flow of concrete” (as local news reports have put it) in the greater Seattle area, and stopping work on several construction sites. Leverage, baby.
Around 4,000 SEIU Local 521 members in Kern County, CA have a tentative agreement, having authorized a strike last month. Their counterparts in Santa Cruz County, CA authorized a strike just this week.
Video game workers for Fortune 500 gaming company Activision Blizzard have turned their work stoppage – in support of fired coworkers at a subsidiary – into a formal unionization drive with CWA.
Several dozen film crew members working in Oklahoma City on the upcoming movie Nefarious which is I think about a demon facing the death penalty went on a recognition strike with IATSE Local 484.
62 school bus drivers with Teamsters Local 326 held a one-day ULP strike in New Castle County, DE; they’ve apparently rejected four contract offers from First Student. The Teamsters have a national master agreement at the company, but it’s not clear to me whether every local unit is in it, and it doesn’t cover every contract issue (I think economic proposals, i.e. wages and pensions, are handled on the local level but I’m not 100% sure).
The 120 group home workers for Sunrise Group in Connecticut who’ve been on strike with 1199 New England for two months have a tentative agreement with the company.
At Kaiser, UNAC/UHCP, the largest union that was on the brink of striking before a TA was reached, held its ratification votes this week. All of their units except one – the Southern California pharmacists – voted to accept the contract; the 1600 pharmacists will go back to the bargaining table, but I doubt a strike would be back on the table for this small unit
4,600 Oregon public university staff with SEIU Local 503 have a new five-year contract.
1200 skilled trades workers across twelve unions at the Los Alamos (NM) National Laboratory have a new contract

Wall Street Journal (20/12/21): Himalayan Glaciers Are Melting at Furious Rate, New Study Shows - An analysis of almost 15,000 ice sheets in the region shows they are shrinking 10 times faster now than in previous centuries [climate-change-news, food-security-news] Paywall Summary (?): This is having knock-on effects of disasters such as flooding and avalanches throughout South Asia, leading to agricultural disruptions that could impact hundreds of millions of people. Scientists say that the Himalayan glaciers aren't just changing fast - they're changing faster than other comparable glaciers, and evidence increasingly ties the phenomena to greenhouse-gas emissions (the faster melting in Himalayas though may due to regional changes, such as shifts in the monsoon... (I must note that this itself may be a consequence of greenhouse-gas emissions)). The "faster than centuries" estimate based off of a study from Dr. Carrivick using satellite imagery of the debris trail glaciers leave behind as they slowly grind through valleys, giving an estimate of the "span of ice sheet coverage", and compared with present ice cover. Shrinking glaciers threatens agriculture, as glacial meltwater feeds major rivers in the region, and smaller glaciers leads to reduced availability for agriculture, along with heightened avalanche probability. WSJ reports from the journal The Cryosphere that between 1994 and 2017, "the Earth lost enough ice to cover the state of Michigan with a sheet 100 meters thick".

Financial Times (20/12/21): UK Supreme Court thwarts Maduro’s bid to control $1.9bn Venezuela gold - Opposition leader Juan Guaidó recognised as legitimate president with authority to appoint central bank members [court-news] Paywall Summary (?): Maduro wants to use the gold reserve money, under the aegis of the UN, to help with the COVID pandemic. Both Guaidó and Maduro have appointed bank boards to govern these assets, and the Supreme Court ruling means that so long as the UK recognizes Guaidó as the president of Venezuela (although, I should note, the term under which he is considered president will end this January), then the determinations about the assets made by Guaidó's board must be followed. The UK still has a de facto ambassador from the Maduro regime.

New York Times (20/12/21): Foreign Drones Tip the Balance in Ethiopia’s Civil War - Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pulled off a stunning reversal in the year-old conflict with the help of armed drones supplied by the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Iran.

Jacobin (20/12/21): In Switzerland, Construction Workers Are Refusing to Shoulder the Costs of the Crisis - Workers on Switzerland’s construction sites have been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic. Bosses’ efforts to use the crisis to undermine established labor rights have prompted an impressive wave of resistance. [labor-news, busting-labor-news, union-news, capitalist-farce-news] [!]

South China Morning Post (20/12/21): India: arrests made after protest over food poisoning at Apple supplier Foxconn site in Chennai - 22 men arrested, around 70 women released; all had been detained for blocking road after food poisoning at Apple supplier Foxconn dormitories - India among nations increasingly important to contract manufacturers supplying US brands trying to minimise effects of China-US trade war [labor-news, protest-news, capitalist-farce-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

The Intercept (20/12/21): U.S. Military Hid Fuel Pipeline Flaws From Public in Okinawa - A leaked report that shows the military knew for years about dangers to civilian areas follows disclosures of toxic PFAS contamination hidden from the Senate. [us-policy-news] [!]

PNN (20/12/21): Israeli settlers attack a house east of Tulkarem [!]

The Irrawaddy (20/12/21): Myanmar Junta Arrests Almost 100 Urban Resistance Fighters Over Last Six Weeks [!]

The Irrawaddy (20/12/21): Thousands Flee Into Thailand as Myanmar Junta Shells Villagers [immigrant-news] [!]

PNN (20/12/21): Palestinian house, vehicles targeted in settler attack in northern West Bank [!]

NewsClick (20/12/21): Bihar: Junior Doctors of Govt Hospitals, Medical Colleges go on Indefinite Strike - The doctors are demanding higher stipend, more recruitment among other things, as threat of another COVID wave looms. [labor-news, healthcare-news]

The Irrawaddy (20/12/21): Nine Civilians Killed by Regime Airstrikes in Upper Myanmar [!]

Africa News (20/12/21): EU cut ties with C. African Republic over links with Russian mercenaries [eu-policy-news, russia-policy-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (20/12/21): Public Procurement Kickbacks Total One-Third of Russia’s Budget Revenue – Survey [capitalist-farce-news, corruption-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (20/12/21): Iraqi air force strikes Islamic State targets - Iraq has bombed Islamic State targets in the eastern Diyala province for the second month in a row. [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): Russia expels two German diplomats in tit-for-tat move - The step comes after Germany expelled two Russian envoys over a Moscow-linked murder of a Georgian citizen in Berlin. [russia-policy-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): Ukraine accuses former president Poroshenko of treason - Ukrainian authorities accuse Petro Poroshenko of having helped pro-Russian separatists sell coal to Kyiv. [!]

The Guardian (20/12/21): Hostages held in Haiti escaped by slipping past armed guards in the night - Twelve kidnapped in October, including an infant and small child, walked hours by moonlight to safety [!]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (20/12/21): Russian with Kremlin ties charged by US with insider trading - Authorities charged Vladislav Klyushin and four others with gleaning material nonpublic information about company performance announcements and trading ahead of the news. [us-policy-news] [!]

Africa News (20/12/21): Ethiopia: TPLF rebels announce retreat to Tigray from Amhara and Afar regions

CPJ (20/12/21): Afghan journalist Jawed Yusufi beaten, stabbed in Kabul [!]

CPJ (20/12/21): Photographer Faysal Mujeeb beaten, detained by Pakistan Rangers while covering political party event [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

ZDNet (20/12/21): Belgian Defense Ministry confirms cyberattack through Log4j exploitation - The Defense Ministry said it first discovered the attack on Thursday. [cyber-security-news] [!]

Africa News (20/12/21): DRC: At least four dead in Goma protests against alleged presence of Rwandan police [protest-news] [!]

The Guardian (20/12/21): Unite launches inquiry into building costs of Birmingham project - Following leaked accounts, union’s new general secretary says possible ‘significant loss’ must be investigated [union-news]

New York Times (20/12/21): Egypt Sentences 3 Human Rights Activists to Prison - The verdicts suggest that the government has not scaled back its crackdown on dissent, despite efforts to improve its image. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

PNN (20/12/21): Israel issues eviction order against a Palestinian family in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah, seizes land [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): Haiti truck blast: Death toll rises to 90, but still ‘incomplete’ - Deputy mayor of Cap-Haitien says death count ‘still unfortunately incomplete’ as several victims remain in hospital. [!]

Payday Report (20/12/21): Daily Updates:

At Olney Charter High School in Philadelphia, owned by Aspira, teachers have walked off the job following the death of 17-year-old honor student Alayna Thach who died from COVID-19.
San Diego / Orange County, CA - This week 250 garbage truck workers are striking against Republic Services in San Diego. - The Teamsters warned in a press statement that the strike could spread to even more cities where Republic Services have contracts with the union. - Last week, over 400 Teamsters in Orange County went on strike against Republic Services, leading Huntington Beach to declare a “state of emergency” because of garbage pile-up. - After an eight-day strike, the Teamsters declared victory in Orange County when they agreed to a new tentative agreement that included wage increases and other increases in benefits.
Carrboro, NC - In Carrboro, North Carolina, Acme restaurant workers went on strike on Sunday. - The workers say that management has failed to resolve sexual misconduct and racial discrimination complaints.

Telesur (20/12/21): Death Toll Rises To 47 After Weekend Attacks in Nigeria - President Buhari said that security forces have turned the heat on terrorists "who are getting frustrated and are soft-targeting innocent citizens, looting their assets, burning their homes and killing them indiscriminately." [!]

Telesur (20/12/21): Hitmen Kill Amazon Indigenous Leader in Peru - Besides denouncing that the Police did not undertake an immediate pursuit of the murderers, villangers recalled that Antonio Yagkuag Baais had received death threats from human traffickers. [indigenous-news] [!]

Democracy Now (20/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Omicron Sends COVID Cases Surging, Prompts New Restrictions in Israel, U.K., the Netherlands [covid-news]
Death Toll from Super Typhoon Rai Rises to 375 in Philippines; Floods Kill 8 in Malaysia [disaster-news]
Hundreds of Thousands of Sudanese Protesters March Against Military Rule - They were met by heavy volleys of tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition fired by Sudanese soldiers. Protesters also took to the streets in cities across Sudan, marking the third anniversary of the uprising that toppled longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir [protest-news]
U.N. Human Rights Council to Probe War Crimes in Ethiopia
Islamic Countries Pledge Humanitarian Trust Fund for Afghanistan

Just Security (20/12/21): Early Edition:

Russia has said today that it urgently needs a response from the U.S. on its sweeping security demands and has warned of a possible Russian military response unless it sees political action addressing its concerns. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Pro-Beijing candidates have claimed a victory in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election, the first such election since China made sweeping controversial changes to the city’s electoral systems [surveillance-and-censorship-news, electoral-news]
A set of documents reviewed by the New York Times have revealed how the Chinese government, in its global online campaign to improve its image and undercut accusations of human rights abuses, manipulates Facebook and Twitter. The documents, which were part of a request for bids from contractors, reveal “in stark detail how Chinese officials tap private businesses to generate content on demand, draw followers, track critics and provide other services for information campaigns. That operation increasingly plays out on international platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which the Chinese government blocks at home,” Muyi Xiao, Paul Mozur and Gray Beltran report for the New York Times. [big-tech-news, china-policy-news]
The Myanmar military carried out a series of mass killings of civilians in July that resulted in the deaths of at least 40 men, a BBC investigation has found. The killings occurred in four separate incidents in Kani Township – an opposition stronghold in Sagaing District in Central Myanmar. It is thought that the killings were a collective punishment for attacks by militia groups demanding a return to democracy following the Feb. 1 military coup. Rebecca Henschke, Kelvin Brown and Ko Ko Aung report for BBC World Service.
The Senate will vote next month on legislation from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as part of a deal that allowed Democratic lawmakers to clear dozens of Biden’s State and Treasury nominees. Jordain Carney reports for The Hill. [politics-news, us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Posted 20 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Africa Is A Country (17/12/21): Ignorance, denial and insurgency in Mozambique - A new and different state is necessary to manage the complex problems in the region, but is it possible under the current regime that has fed the conflict? [corruption-news, neo-imperialism-news, big-oil-news]

Financial Times (16/12/21): South Korean companies met Myanmar officials despite coup censure - Samsung and LG representatives joined regime civil servants at event organised by Korean embassy [capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): This despite condemnation of the February coup from South Korean persident Jae-in, and efforts to economically isolate them (such as some US sanctions). Critics view this as these companies shaking the "junta's blood-soaked hands". The meeting was held at a hotel in Yangon, Myanmar which is controlled by Posco and leased by the junta-linked Myanmar Quartermaster General's Office (one of the South Korean companies represented).

Telesur (17/12/21): Water Scarcity Fuels Violence and Mass Displacement in Cameroon - Inter-community clashes broke out in Ouloumsa village after a dispute between herders, fishermen, and farmers over diminishing water resources. [climate-change-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Jacobin (17/12/21): Only a Democratic Overhaul Can Put an End to the Corruption of Australia’s Political Class - Every month, it seems a new corruption scandal emerges in Australian politics. These improprieties are not exceptions to the norm, they are the natural outcome of a two-party system that serves the wealthy elite. [politics-news, corruption-news]

Al Jazeera (17/12/21): Bolsonaro spread disinformation on Brazil’s voting system: Police - Brazilian president had a ‘direct’ role in spreading disinformation about the electoral process, a police report says. [voting-rights-news, far-right-news]

Telesur (17/12/21): Peru: Prosecutor Pursues Pedro Castillo over Alleged Corruption - State prosecutor (Abogado General del Estado), Daniel Soria, denounced this Friday the President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, before the Attorney General (Fiscal de la Nación) for the alleged crimes of illegal sponsorship and influence peddling. [corruption-news] Note about Telesur

WSWS (17/12/21): PSOE-Podemos government arrests Cádiz workers as strikes spread in Spain [labor-news, capitalist-farce-news] Important Note about WSWS

WSWS (17/12/21): Castillo government unleashes police against mining protest in Peru [indigenous-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news, protest-news] Important Note about WSWS

Payday Report (18/12/21): Daily Updates:

Over 5,000 Fred Meyer QFC workers are on strike this week on the West Coast. - Employees are being offered a ¢.50-cent an hour raise, which the union says is not enough.
St Vincent’s Hospital Has Spent Nearly $4 Million Over 300 Days

Wall Street Journal (18/12/21): Taiwan Voters Back Ruling Party in Referendum, Removing Obstacle to U.S. Trade Deal - The Democratic Progressive Party supports closer ties with Washington at the expense of Beijing [elctoral-news] Paywall Summary (?): Four questions were put to voters in this vote, and a big one was a proposal to ban imports of 'pork containing trace amounts of the additive ractopamine'; the ruling DPP prevailed on this question (the proposal failed), as well as the other three (although it's not clear from the article what the position of the DPP is on these positions/how the votes went, except for the one on pork, although it seems the DPP supports a controversial nuke plant (it's controversial because Taiwan is in the seismically-active "Ring of Fire", but supporters say it is necessary for a stable transition to green energy, in the context of blackouts this summer - one company, the world's most important chip maker, TSMC, consumes about 5% of Taiwan's electricity)). The pro-US perspective was concerned voters would support the proposal, which would cause issues for trading US pork, due to safety concerns about ractopamine - the issue has raised a lot of protests.

Left Voice (18/12/21): Striking Latina Cake Factory Workers in L.A. Area Reject Latest Contract Proposal - After 46 days on strike, workers at a cake factory in Los Angeles have rejected the latest contract proposal from the bosses. These cake makers are among many striking workers across the United States fighting against hyper-exploitative bosses.

South China Morning Post (19/12/21): China votes ‘no’ on Tigray abuses probe by UN team, calls it interference in Ethiopia’s affairs - UN Human Rights Council meeting requested by EU voted to set up three-member team to investigate alleged abuses in the Ethiopian civil war - Just weeks before, Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated Beijing’s support for the Ethiopian government during an unscheduled stop in Addis Ababa [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (19/12/21): Rockets fired at Baghdad’s Green Zone: Iraqi military - One rocket destroyed by air defence sysem and another landed near a national monument, damaging two cars, Iraq’s military says. [!]

Al Jazeera (19/12/21): Floods in Malaysia displace more than 21,000 after heavy rains - Malaysian PM says rainfall on Friday and Saturday was equivalent to total monthly amount in normal conditions. [disaster-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (19/12/21): 5 killed by stray bullets from soccer celebration in war-ravaged Yemen - Yemen's winning West Asian Junior Cup 2021 has brought rare joy to all Yemenis, but the joy is mixed with sorrow at civilian casualties from celebratory stray bullets. [!]

The Guardian (19/12/21): Sudan police fire teargas as anti-coup protesters stage mass rally - Thousands mark anniversary of revolt against Bashir regime with protest over military takeover [protest-news] [!]

New York Times (19/12/21): 2 Lynchings Reported at Sikh Temples in India - Enraged mobs attacked men they linked to acts of sacrilege, one at the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine for Sikhs. [!]

PALESTINOW (19/12/21): Illegal Outpost, Attack Illegal Settlers, Palestinians Arrested, Call for Lynch Attacks, Mosques Ask for Help, Palestinian Woman Shot, Palestinian Kidnapped [!]

The Guardian (19/12/21): Leftist to become Chile’s youngest ever president after beating far-right rival - Former student leader Gabriel Boric claims 55.8% of votes counted to defeat far-right opponent José Antonio Kast - With Boric failing to gain ground across much of the country in the first-round vote on 21 November, which he lost to Kast by two percentage points, Cariola [Communist party congresswoman] was instrumental in overturning the deficit as part of a series of nationwide tours which sought to visit 1m homes the length of the country. - But on a sweltering day in Chile, voting was marred by public transport difficulties across the country, although the government claimed it had done everything in its power to guarantee voters could reach polling stations.

The Guardian (19/12/21): Peng Shuai appearance fails to address concerns for tennis star’s wellbeing, says WTA - Peng retracts sexual assault claims in first foreign media interview - Women’s tennis governing body still wants ‘full and fair’ investigation' [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Guardian (19/12/21): ‘We need free speech’: protests erupt across Poland over controversial media bill - The bill, yet to be signed into law, would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media [surveillance-and-censorship-news, protest-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): ‘Complete carnage’: Hundreds dead in typhoon-hit Philippines - At least 208 dead and 52 missing after Typhoon Rai carves trail of destruction in Philippines. [disaster-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (20/12/21): Apple asks India’s antitrust watchdog to dismiss apps market case - The watchdog reviewed allegations that Apple hurts competition by forcing app developers to use its proprietary system. [big-tech-news, antitrust-news] [!]

The Guardian (20/12/21): UN-backed investigator into possible Yemen war crimes targeted by spyware - Analysis of Kamel Jendoubi’s mobile phone reveals he was targeted in August 2019 [surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news] [!]

The Guardian (20/12/21): Pro-Beijing candidates sweep Hong Kong ‘patriots’-only elections - Legislative elections marred by record low turnout following crackdown on political dissent [surveillance-and-censorship-news, electoral-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (17/12/21): Egypt builds industrial city in Tanzania - Egypt and Tanzania close ties are strengthened further by the inauguration of an Egyptian industrial city adjacent to the Tanzanian capital.

ProPublica (17/12/21): Boston Police Bought Spy Tech With a Pot of Money Hidden From the Public [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (17/12/21): Russia Sharply Hikes Rates in Desperate Battle With Inflation - The Central Bank has raised interest rates to their highest level in four years as inflation threatens fragile pandemic recovery. [economic-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): Bolsonaro threatens to identify officials who approved Covid jabs for children - Brazilian president plans to reveal identities despite health officers receiving death threats [far-right-news, covid-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (17/12/21): Ethiopia slams new probe proposal at UN rights body session - Ambassador Zembe Kebede accuses UN Human Rights Council of having been ‘hijacked’ and used as ‘instrument of political pressure’. [!]

The Irrawaddy (17/12/21): Myanmar Junta Forces See Heavy Casualties in Lay Kay Kaw Clashes [!]

Democracy Now (17/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Rohingya Genocide Survivor Testifies to Argentine Court in Universal Jurisdiction Case [court-news]

Just Security (17/12/21): Early Edition:

More than 100 House Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to lift U.S. regulations on Cuba to help address “the worse economic and humanitarian crisis in recent history.” “The lawmakers, led by Democratic Reps. Jim McGovern (MA), Barbara Lee (CA), and Bobby Rush (IL), urged Biden in a letter to do away with specific licenses that are required to send medical supplies to Cuba as well as lift restrictions on banking and related financial transactions,” Joseph Choi reports for The Hill. [politics-news, cuba-news, us-policy-news]
A former defense contractor has been arrested for an alleged attempt to send information to Russia, the Justice Department (DOJ) has said. John Murray Rowe Jr. is charged with attempting to communicate national defense information to aid a foreign government, the DOJ said. Rowe was a test engineer for nearly 40 years for multiple defense contractors. According to an affidavit, “he was terminated from employment for multiple security violations, including inquiring about obtaining a security clearance from the Russian government,” Jordan Williams reports for The Hill. [dark-security-news, russia-news]
Ukraine’s president has received a renewed commitment from NATO that Ukraine could eventually join the military alliance, despite strong objections from Russia [ukraine-news, russia-news, russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
A Ukrainian soldier has been killed in fighting with pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian army has said. “Kyiv has been battling a pro-Moscow insurgency in two breakaway regions bordering Russia since 2014, when the Kremlin annexed Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. The Ukrainian army said separatists had targeted its positions with grenade launchers and mortars,” Agence France-Presse reports. [ukraine-news, russia-news, russia-policy-news]
About 62,000 Afghan interpreters and others who have applied for visas to seek shelter in the U.S. after working alongside U.S. forces still remain in Afghanistan, a State Department official has said. [afghanistan-news, us-policy-news]
Thousands of protesters have demonstrated in the capital today against Tunisian President Kais Saied, who seized power and suspended Tunisia’s parliament five months ago. The protest had been called to mark the anniversary of the uprising that toppled autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali a decade ago. Reuters reports. [protest-news]

Al Jazeera (17/12/21): New centre-right government takes office in Czech Republic - Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala inherits several big challenges, from soaring inflation to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. [politics-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (17/12/21): Russia Claims Sputnik V ‘Robust’ Against Omicron as Independent Study Shows No Antibody Response [covid-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): German rightwinger chosen as CDU leader by members - Non-binding vote comes as the conservative party looks for new direction after end of Merkel era [!]

South China Morning Post (17/12/21): Coronavirus: Thai prisoners riot to demand better Covid-19 medical treatment - Some 400 inmates at Krabi’s main provincial prison became violent, setting fire to bedding; around 200 were later found to be infected with coronavirus - Thailand’s 300,000-strong prison population has reportedly had 86,432 cases of coronavirus, including 185 deaths [covid-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al-Monitor (17/12/21): Eight dead after flooding in Iraqi Kurdistan - A heavy rainstorm hit the regional capital of Erbil [disaster-news] [!]

CPJ (17/12/21): Central African Republic authorities hold journalist Landry Ulrich Nguéma Ngokpélé for more than 2 months [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (17/12/21): Settlers attack Palestinian villages after West Bank killing - Attacks by Jewish settlers come a day after Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli man in the occupied West Bank. [!]

Africa News (17/12/21): Court in Madagascar convicts five people for plotting a coup [!]

PALESTINOW (17/12/21): Palestinians Arrested, Hizma Entrance Closed, Houses Invaded, Settlers Violence, Refugee Camp Attacked, Racism, One-State Solution [!]

Africa News (17/12/21): South Africa rolls out vaccination pop up for undocumented migrants [covid-news, immigrant-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): Hong Kong ‘patriots’ election casts doubt over democracy as city enters new era - Critics describe Sunday’s vote as ‘illegitimate’ as Beijing tightens its crackdown on dissent and pro-democracy movement is wiped out [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (17/12/21): Starbucks waged ‘shock and awe’ campaign on workers, union claims - The union won a landmark vote at a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York in the United States last week. Now, it’s urging the National Labor Relations Board to reject results of another location’s failed union vote. [busting-labor-news] [!]

Liberation News (17/12/21): Activists speak out in Louisiana as support for ICE detainee hunger strike grows [immigrant-news, law-enforcement-news] [!]

Telesur (17/12/21): Haitian Consulate Staff Arrested In The Dominican Republic - Williamson Jean and Jackson Lorrain were arrested on their way to a farm, where they hoped to deliver 11 passports and produce IDs for the hundreds of Haitian workers. Note about Telesur [!]

South China Morning Post (18/12/21): Pleas for help in Philippines after killer Typhoon Rai leaves island province ‘levelled to the ground’; at least 33 dead - Typhoon Rai slammed into the Philippines’ southeastern coast on Thursday, leaving a path of destruction - Thousands of military, police, coastguard and fire personnel have joined search and rescue efforts [disaster-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (18/12/21): In CAR, desperation grows for mothers unable to feed children - The UN says about 42 percent of people in the Central African Republic struggle to access food daily as violence continues [social-woes-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (18/12/21): Egypt, Turkey compete for military foothold in Kenya - Egypt and Turkey are vying for presence in Kenya, with both countries seeking to consolidate their relations at all economic, technological and industrial levels with the African country.

Al-Monitor (18/12/21): Egypt ready to pump gas to Lebanon - While Syria says the Arab Gas Pipeline on its territory is set and ready, Egypt announces that it is ready to export natural gas to Lebanon in the first quarter of 2022. [big-oil-news] [!]

NewsClick (18/12/21): TN This Week: Bank Strike Successful, 3 School Students Die in Wall Collapse - 3,000 women workers of Foxconn blocked the Chennai-Bengaluru highway after the health of 8 workers affected by food poisoning was not disclosed. [labor-news, privatization-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (18/12/21): Ethiopia forces claim recapturing of towns from Tigray rebels - Gov’t says forces have retaken several towns from the TPLF including Kobo and Waldia in the north. [!]

Al Jazeera (18/12/21): Chad to deploy additional 1,000 UN peacekeepers to Mali - Deployment to reinforce numbers as France scales back its 5,000-strong regional counterterrorism mission. [!]

The Guardian (18/12/21): Boris Johnson’s zeal to return Parthenon marbles revealed in 1986 article - Unearthed Oxford Union article by prime minister made passionate case for sculptures’ repatriation to Athens [!]

Africa News (18/12/21): Hike in Omicron cases crippling small businesses in South Africa [covid-news] [!]

The Guardian (18/12/21): Pakistan: explosion at Karachi bank leaves at least 15 dead - Blast at branch in industrial area of city also leaves 16 injured as cause is investigated

PALESTINOW (18/12/21): Aid for Gaza, Palestinian women kidnapped, Children injured, Palestinian cars attacked, Harsh siege, Palestinians injured [!]

The Guardian (18/12/21): Brexit minister’s shock resignation leaves Boris Johnson reeling - Lord Frost’s frustrated exit is yet another blow for PM struggling for control of his government [politics-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (16/12/21): UK warplane shoots down 'hostile' drone near US base in Syria - The latest drone incursion comes as indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran are on thin ice. [!]

The Guardian (16/12/21): Four children killed in house fire in Sutton, south London - Firefighters faced an ‘intense blaze’ throughout the ground floor of the property, said London Fire Brigade [!]

New York Times (16/12/21): Man Dies After He Is Shot by the Police With a Stun Gun and Catches Fire - New York’s attorney general said her office would investigate the man’s death, which followed an altercation in an upstate police station. [!]

WSWS (16/12/21): Volkswagen to cut around 900 temporary jobs in Germany [labor-news, capitalist-farce-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): Osaka building fire: fears 27 people have died in Japan blaze - Footage shows firefighters at eight-storey building that housed mental health services [!]

South China Morning Post (17/12/21): China coal mine accident: 2 killed and 1 trapped in flooded pit but 20 rescued - The operation to save the men began in Shanxi province on Wednesday with hundreds working to drain the coal mine - Seven suspects have been detained and the mine owner is reported to have fled as authorities vow to crack down on illegal digging operations [industrial-failure-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): North Shropshire byelection: Liberal Democrats win former safe Tory seat in blow to Johnson - Helen Morgan wins seat held by Conservatives for almost 200 years in byelection called after Owen Paterson resigned [electoral-news] [!]

The Guardian (17/12/21): Pegasus spyware ‘found on phone of jailed critic of Narendra Modi - 'Analysis of Rona Wilson’s phone found evidence it was infected with NSO Group spyware three months before arrest [surveillance-and-censorship-news, far-right-news, pegasus-news]

Posted 15 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: Updated Horn of Africa (geopolitics) - all about the GERD (and illegal politics + human rights violations) + regional cold wars

Law and Crime (12/12/21): Chicago Police Officer Allegedly Shot His Girlfriend in the Head, Then Hid Behind a Flimsy Alibi About Meeting Informant

Jacobin (12/12/21): A Party Fighting for Socialism Has to Put Workers Front and Center - [Interview] Polling at 20 percent, the Workers’ Party of Belgium is the fastest-growing force on the European left. Newly elected leader Raoul Hedebouw tells Jacobin how his comrades built an explicitly Marxist party with mass appeal. [leftist-news, electoral-news, socialist-news] [!]

CPJ (13/12/21): Hungary’s Szabolcs Panyi on how Pegasus surveillance has hindered his reporting [surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news] [!]

Africa Is A Country (13/12/21): Not much to see here - Don’t get to excited by the local election results in South Africa. The party system is fragmenting but old apartheid divides persist. [electoral-news, analysis-news]

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): Omani military leader visits Iran - Oman, a member o[f] the GCC, maintains good relations with Iran. [!]

New York Times (14/12/21): Officer Is Charged With Protecting Prostitution Ring in Exchange for Sex - Prosecutors say Wayne Peiffer, a police officer in Brewster, N.Y., had women from sex-trafficking and prostitution rings brought to him at the police station. [!]

The Guardian (14/12/21): Paris taxi firm suspends use of Tesla Model 3 cars after fatal accident - Tesla denies any technical problem with the car as authorities investigate the accident which killed one person and injured 20 [!]

New York Times (14/12/21): Three were jailed in Greece after a principal was handcuffed over virus measures. [anti-vaxx-news, covid-news]

Telesur (14/12/21): Death Toll Rises To 10 In Brazil's Bahia State Flooding - The regional Civil Defense agency indicated that 220,297 people were affected by the rain and 51 cities declared an emergency situation [disaster-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Financial Times (13/12/21): Japan’s first female trade union head was urged by men to turn down job - Tomoko Yoshino vows to raise pressure on corporate Japan to promote women’s progress [labor-news, union-news, civil-rights-news] Paywall Summary (?): She is now president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo). She said the opposition was countered by enormous support for her from the female membership. FT reports that sexists thought she, as a woman, would be incapable of sufficiently fighting for higher wages during today's difficult times. The government apparently supports wage increases and might block investment tax credits for large companies that don't raise pay; usually the response happens around March. Japan has a terrible gender gap ranking (the worst of advanced economies, 120th out of 156 countries).

Al Jazeera (14/12/21): Myanmar shadow government approves crypto as official currency - National Unity Government says it will allow use of Tether as it tries to fund ‘revolution’ against military government. - Tether can be transferred in a similar way to other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, making it hard for governments and other authorities to track or prevent payments. - However, its value is officially pegged to the US dollar and so remains stable, unlike most other cryptocurrencies. I wouldn't say Bitcoin transactions are hard to track, but the USD pegging means this sounds less stupid than what is happening in El Salvador [cryptocurrency-news, economic-news]

The Guardian (14/12/21): Protesting voting rights activists arrested as Biden meets with Manchin - Sixty were detained as the president met with the key Democrat who has become a roadblock to his agenda [voting-rights-news, bad-democrat-news, fail-biden-policy-news, protest-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): China's support for Ethiopian government complicates ties with Egypt - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Ethiopia to show his nation’s support for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government has put China’s relationship with Egypt to the test. [china-policy-news, bri-news]

The Hill (10/12/21): Trump accuses former ally Netanyahu of disloyalty: 'F--- him' [trump-news] [!]

Financial Times (14/12/21): UK prime minister fails with plea for Conservative loyalty - Tory MPs’ defiance over Covid restrictions highlights growing anger at Johnson’s leadership [covid-news, politics-news] Paywall Summary (?): Johnson wanted to implement a COVID-19 vaccine certification to get into mass events, but 126 MPs, mostly Tories, voted against it (it did pass though). This all in the wake of scandals, such as with Owen Paterson and Christmas parties. This amidst the rise of Omicron.

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): Washington Post says Israeli air raids targeted Syrian chemical sites - The newspaper reports that June 8 airstrikes in Damascus and Homs targeted military sites linked to Syria's former chemical weapons program. [!]

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): Egypt inaugurates dams in Uganda - Seven dams and 27 underground wells were inaugurated by Egypt in Uganda alongside a large number of projects that serve to improve the quality of drinking water and provide water for agriculture. [infrastructure-news]

Africa News (14/12/21): French troops leave Mali's Timbuktu after eight years

Common Dreams (14/12/21): Climate-Fueled Drought Pushing Millions 'to the Brink' in War-Torn Somalia - "You can run away from the fighting," said one local leader in central Somalia, "but you can't escape from the drought." [climate-change-news, social-woes-news] [!]

Wall Street Journal (14/12/21): Famed Russian Rights Group That Investigated Soviet-Era Crimes Faces Closure Under Putin - The foundation Memorial began amid Mikhail Gorbachev’s glasnost-era reforms [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Paywall Summary (?): Not much else to say, pretty bleak, and using the "foreign agent" laws (ie if you get any funding from abroad, then you are subject to draconian laws (like stamping all of your content with the label "foreign agent") which usually end up getting you wiped out). Gorbachev and one of this year's Nobel Laureates, Muratov, spoke out against the case.

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): Iranian teachers demand better pay in nationwide strikes - The strikes come as the teachers accuse the government and parliament of failing them. - Last week, a senior and well-known member of the teachers union, Rasoul Bodaghi, was beaten and arrested at his home in Tehran. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, union-news, labor-news]

Al Jazeera (14/12/21): Afghan central bank moves to stabilise collapsing currency - Afghanistan’s central bank issued a statement on Tuesday saying that it had held a number of meetings with key players to halt the fall in the afghani. [social-woes-news, economic-news]

Financial Times (14/12/21): UAE suspends talks with US over purchase of F-35 fighter jets - Abu Dhabi halts $23bn deal after concerns about restrictions from Washington on use of warplanes [us-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): The sale was agreed to under the Trump administration, following accords by Abu Dhabi to normalize relations with Israel. The suspension comes as the Emirates are wary of American restrictions on use of the planes, as well as American pressure on the UAE's relationship with China (its biggest trade partner) and Chinese companies, such as Huawei. This comes a week after a €17bn+ deal with France for 80 jets and 12 helicopters. Abu Dhabi, reportedly, is uneasy about accepting American restrictions on equipment use while there is concern of a weakening American presence in the region - "is it worth the trade off?" so to speak.

The Irrawaddy (14/12/21): Myanmar Junta Forces Raid KNU-Controlled Town; Democracy Activists Feared Arrested [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (14/12/21): Myanmar Junta Claims to Have Killed 8 Resistance Fighters in Mandalay Raids [!]

The Irrawaddy (14/12/21): Around 100 Village Homes Burn in Myanmar Junta Raid [!]

Africa News (14/12/21): Kenyan court suspends government's Covid vaccine certificate plan [covid-news] [!]

Africa News (14/12/21): Bobi Wine accuses president Museveni of house arrest [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (14/12/21): DVB reporter Aung San Lin arrested in Myanmar [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Guardian (14/12/21): At least 60 people killed in Haiti fuel truck explosion - Total number of injured still not known after truck carrying gasoline overturned around midnight in the Sanmarie area [!]

PALESTINOW (14/12/21): Jamil Mohammad al-Kayyal shot dead, Palestinians arrested, Apartheid, Raed Salah released, House demolition, Palestinians attacked, Palestinians kidnapped, Palestinians injured [!]

Al Jazeera (14/12/21): Two police, attacker killed in bombings at airport in Colombia - Colombian authorities describe the attack in Cucuta, a city on the border with Venezuela, as a ‘terrorist’ act. [!]

CPJ (14/12/21): Lesotho police arrest a radio presenter, suspend one station’s license, and raid another [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (14/12/21): Taliban official and bodyguards beat, detain journalist Sayed Rashed Kashefi [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Guardian (14/12/21): Photojournalist in Myanmar dies in military custody a week after arrest - Soe Naing was arrested in Yangon while taking photos of a ‘silent strike’ protest against military rule [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

New York Times (14/12/21): Belarus Opposition Leader Is Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison - The activist Sergei Tikhanovsky planned to challenge the country’s authoritarian leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, in a presidential election last year. He was arrested before the vote and his wife stepped in. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Common Dreams (14/12/21): In 'Huge Step' Toward Equality, Top EU Court Rules Same-Sex Parents Must Be Recognized Across Bloc - "If you are a parent in one country, you are parent in every country." [civil-rights-news, lgbtq-news] [!]

The Guardian (14/12/21): US condemns suspension of prominent Romanian judge for TikTok posts - Cluj-based judge Cristi Danileţ has been suspended over two videos he posted on platform last year [us-policy-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, court-news] [!]

Just Security (14/12/21): Early Edition:

None of the military personnel involved in the botched 29 Aug. drone strike that killed 10 civilians in Kabul, Afghanistan will face any kind of punishment, the Pentagon has said [us-policy-news, dark-security-news]
The new Taliban administration in Afghanistan, devoid of international recognition and cut off by the U.S. from the global financial system, is struggling to revive a devastated economy. Combined with the worst drought in decades, and the suspension of many foreign-aid projects, a crisis in Afghanistan is looming and millions of Afghans could face starvation in coming months. “We are on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe that is preventable,” the United Nations Special Representative to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, has said. Yaroslav Trofimov reports for the Wall Street Journal. [social-woes-news, economic-news]
Documents from Huawei Technologies suggest that the Chinese tech giant played a broader role in tracking China’s populace than the company previously acknowledged. A review by the Washington Post of more than 100 Huawei PowerPoint slides, many marked “confidential” though they were at one point posted to a public-facing website, “show Huawei pitching how its technologies can help government authorities identify individuals by voice, monitor political individuals of interest, manage ideological reeducation and labor schedules for prisoners, and help retailers track shoppers using facial recognition. ‘Huawei has no knowledge of the projects mentioned in the Washington Post report,’ the company said in a statement,” Eva Dou reports for the Washington Post. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
It is unlikely that the first delivery of refueling tankers to Israel from the U.S. will be ready until late 2024, despite Israeli requests that the Biden administration speed up the delivery. The tankers could prove critical for Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities and the Israeli defense minister, Benny Gantz, made the request last week when he met with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and other senior U.S. officials in Washington. David E. Sanger, Ronen Bergman and Helene Cooper report for the New York Times.
Indian troops have killed a suspected rebel during a gun battle in Kashmir. Fighting between Indian security forces and rebels broke out in the early hours today in the Surankote area of Jammu region’s Poonch district, where a small group of armed fighters are believed to be holed up, a police official has said. Al Jazeera reports.
Turkey and Armenia will appoint special representatives to discuss steps to normalize their diplomatic ties, Turkey’s foreign minister has said. AP reports.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has withdrawn his candidacy for a Senate seat, according to a statement on Twitter from a spokesperson for the Philippine’s election commission. Al Jazeera reports.

Al Jazeera (14/12/21): The Gambia opposition asks Supreme Court to annul poll results - Opposition United Democratic Party says corruption and bribery marred the campaign. - The opposition has yet to provide any evidence of wrongdoing. [electoral-news, court-news] [!]

The Hill (14/12/21): Landlord accused of sexually harassing tenants to pay $4.5M to settle federal lawsuit [!]

Posted 14 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Jacobin (12/4/17) (OLD): The Ends of Lava Jato - Brazil's massive corruption scandals have turned the country's politics into a spectator sport. [corruption-news, far-right-news, court-news]

PALESTINOW (12/12/21): Hunger striker, Sovereign Palestine, Cut down trees, Resistance fighters, Ground grab, Torture, Ban Hamas by UK, Local elections [!]

PNN (12/12/21): Settlers attack vehicles for Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem [!]

Financial Times (13/12/21): Sinn Fein’s housing policy drives record popularity - Support for the party once associated with the Troubles soars to historic highs [electoral-news, social-woes-news, economic-news, leftist-news] Paywall Summary (?): Sinn Fein, which emerged as the political wing of the IRA, has followed those roots as a pro-unification, working-class party with a focus on what is 'huring many of the country's 5m population, especially young people: unaffordable or unavailable housing', and it's paying off with a historic high support of 35%; it's 'far ahead' of its traditional rivals, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael (center-right), both can muster 20%, even beating them amongst middle-aged/middle-class voters. The current govt is a coaltion of the traditional parties (ie Fine Gael) and the Green party, even as Sinn Féin won the popular vote in last year's election. It's not popular with the wealthy, as it wants more social spending and to tax the rich, and the Troubles (and the role of the IRA) make it hard for many to vote for them. They are expected to win elections in Northern Ireland next May. One analyst notes that 'they're not just gaining at the expense of government parties, they're gaining at the expense of other opposition parties. It points to Sinn Féin's success in communicating a very clear policy on housing'. Many are suffering, most evident in the housing market, even as the economy booms.

WSWS (14/12/21): Philippine Supreme Court upholds anti-democratic Anti-Terrorism Law [far-right-news, court-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

Al-Monitor (14/12/21): Gulf states back Egypt in Nile river dam dispute with Ethiopia - The Gulf Cooperation Council also launched a political consultation mechanism with Egypt, according to Egyptian media.

CPJ (13/12/21): Togo journalists Ferdinand Ayité and Joël Egah detained over online broadcast [surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (13/12/21): Ecuador declares force majeure on all oil contracts - The clause is invoked to remove liability from failing to uphold contracts in the event of disasters. [big-oil-news, industrial-failure-news]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Danish ex-minister jailed for separating asylum-seeking couples - Former immigration minister has been sentenced to 60 days in prison for separating underage asylum-seeking couples. [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (13/12/21): ‘A police massacre’: Colombian officers killed 11 during protests against police violence, report finds - Protesters against police brutality were met with more police brutality [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): EU slaps sanctions on Russian mercenary group Wagner - EU accuses the group of human rights abuses and carrying out clandestine operations on the Kremlin’s behalf. [europe-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Africa News (13/12/21): Mauritania welcomes back Cuban doctors after terminating their contracts [healthcare-news]

Africa News (13/12/21): Mozambique mobilizes young adults to get vaccinated against Covid-19 [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Cost of war: Myanmar rebels crowdfund resistance to military coup - National Unity Government has launched fundraising schemes to support its campaign to overthrow the military government. - The financial needs of the NUG’s revolution are considerable. The parallel government has pledged to provide “continuous support” in the form of $60 payments to some 200,000 striking civil servants, but estimated in August that about 410,000 government employees were still refusing to work. - A retired UN humanitarian worker with more than a decade of experience working in Myanmar told Al Jazeera that one diplomat he spoke to expressed concern that supplying weapons could contribute to a “situation like Syria or Afghanistan” developing. But the aid worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Myanmar was a “vastly different context” with the public almost completely united against the coup leaders. [labor-news, analysis-news]

RMTransit (29/4/21): The Fantastic Metros of Latin America [rail-news]

CPJ (13/12/21): Myanmar authorities sentence Kanbawza Tai News journalists to 3 years in prison [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (13/12/21): Turkey targets PKK-linked Yazidis inside Iraq - A local Yazidi armed group linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party and affiliated with the government-incorporated Popular Mobilization Units has been targeted as part of stepped-up Turkish cross-border operations. [!]

The Guardian (12/12/21): China’s Alibaba accused of firing female employee who alleged colleague sexually assaulted her - Woman reportedly says she has ‘not made any mistakes’ and will challenge dismissal after e-commerce firm claimed she spread false information [civil-rights-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (13/12/21): Russian Teenager 'Self-Detonates' at Historic Convent's Orthodox School

The Irrawaddy (13/12/21): Three Junta Motorboats Sunk in Upper Myanmar [!]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Palestinian killed by Israeli forces after West Bank arrest raid - Jamil al-Kayyal, 31, was killed after Israeli forces raided the Ras al-Ain area in Nablus, Palestinian sources say. [!]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): US-backed SDF forces carry out deadly operation in eastern Syria - US-backed Kurdish forces say operation in Deir Az Zor targeted ISIL fighters but SANA news agency says civilians killed in raid. [us-policy-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (13/12/21): Turkey cracks down on independent journalists once again - Hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called social media a threat to democracy, Antalya police raided local YouTubers and journalists. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Africa News (13/12/21): Police fire tear gas at protesters in Khartoum as relentless demonstrations continue [protest-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (13/12/21): Palestinians killed Lebanon, Demolish own house, Gaza fence, Arrests, Palestinians killed, Re-arrest, Palestinians kidnapped [!]

Al-Monitor (13/12/21): Islamic State attacks government, Russian forces in Syrian desert - Russia also carried out airstrikes in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, where the Islamic State has been particularly active recently. [russia-policy-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Presence of Uganda troops in DR Congo temporary: Tshisekedi - Earlier this month, Uganda and DRC launched a joint operation against the ADF, an armed group allied with ISIL. [!]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Indian police officers killed in Kashmir rebel attack - At least a dozen officers wounded in the attack in Srinagar, according to authorities, hours after two suspected rebels were killed by police. [!]

Al Jazeera (13/12/21): Tunisian president announces constitutional referendum in 2022 - President Kais Saied says Tunisia will hold a referendum on a new constitution in July 2022, before general elections in December. [!]

Telesur (13/12/21): Mexican Police Block Migrants Heading To The Guadalupe Basilica - The migrants arrived in Mexico's capital city with the intention of visiting this temple, which is a mass pilgrimage site for Catholic believers from around the world. [immigrant-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Democracy Now (13/12/21): Daily Headlines:

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Tests Positive for COVID-19 [covid-news]
Over Half a Billion People Faced Extreme Poverty Due to Healthcare Costs During Pandemic [social-woes-news, healthcare-news, covid-news]
Tigrayan Forces Retake Control of UNESCO Town Lalibela as PM Abiy Ahmed Heads Back to Frontlines - Meanwhile, a new report by Human Rights Watch found Tigrayan rebels carried out dozens of civilian executions in August and September. The U.N. has said all parties to the conflict have committed violations of international human rights, some of which could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity
New Caledonia Votes to Remain French Territory in Referendum Boycotted by Independence Groups - Turnout was just over 40%. New Caledonia’s current president, Louis Mapou, is pro-independence and said the territory would continue to pursue the “path of emancipation.” The island territory was colonized by France in 1853.

Just Security (13/12/21): Early Edition:

A single top secret U.S. strike cell sidestepped safeguards and repeatedly killed civilians, as it launched tens of thousands of attacks against the Islamic State in Syria. People working in the strike cell, which was called Talon Anvil and worked around the clock between 2014 to 2019, have said that it circumvented rules imposed to protect noncombatants, and alarmed its partners in the military and the CIA by killing people who had no role in the conflict. CIA officers reported their concerns to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Inspector General and the DoD’s leadership, but never saw evidence that these concerns were taken seriously, a former CIA officer has said. Talon Anvil also clashed with Air Force intelligence teams, pushing Air Force analysts of drone footage to say that they saw evidence such as weapons that could legally justify a strike. Dave Philipps, Eric Schmitt and Mark Mazzetti report for the New York Times. [dark-security-news, us-policy-news]
U.S. forces carried out a “large airborne operation” and “kidnapped a number of civilians” at dawn today, Syrian state news agency SANA has reported. The American forces landed in the town of Busayra, east of Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria, the news agency reported. There was no immediate confirmation of the report. Reuters reports. [dark-security-news, us-policy-news]
The U.S. has imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea, and Bangladesh, and has added Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group to an investment blacklist. Canada and the U.K. joined the U.S. in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuses in Myanmar. China’s embassy in Washington denounced the U.S. move as “serious interference in China’s internal affairs.” Daphne Psaledakis and David Brunnstrom and Simon Lewis report for Reuters. [us-policy-news]
Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Indonesia today, as he begins his Southeast Asia visit aimed at strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific. Humeyra Pamuk reports for Reuters. [us-policy-news]
Ukraine’s new defense minister Oleksii Reznikov has blamed Germany for blocking the supply of weaponry to Kyiv through NATO. Reznikov has said that Berlin in the past month has vetoed Ukraine’s purchase of anti-drone rifles and anti-sniper systems via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. Though, Germany subsequently relented on the first item, after deeming it non-lethal. “They are still building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and at the same time blocking our defensive weapons. It is very unfair,” Reznikov told the Financial Times. Roman Olearchyk in Kyiv and Ben Hall report for the Financial Times.
Donors have agreed to transfer $280 million from a frozen trust fund to the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF to support nutrition and health in Afghanistan [neo-imperialism-news, food-security-news]
Since Kabul fell to the Taliban in August, Iran has deported hundreds of thousands of Afghans and has been unwilling to consider asylum applications. Iranian authorities are deporting between 2,500 and 4,000 Afghans every day, compounding an already-tense situation at the Afghan-Iranian border. Sune Engel Rasmussen and Aresu Eqbali report for the Wall Street Journal. [immigrant-news]
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has become the first Israeli leader to make an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, after flying to Abu Dhabi to meet the de facto Emirati leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed
Clashes between Yemeni government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacking the key Yemeni city of Marib have killed a senior military commander. “Maj. Gen. Nasser al-Zubiani, who headed military operations of the government’s armed forces, was killed on the front line in the Balaq mountain range, south of the city of Marib, said two officials, speaking on condition of anonymity,” Samy Magdy reports for AP.
Libya’s election committee has delayed publishing a list of presidential candidates for the country’s upcoming Dec. 24 elections, due to needing to settle outstanding legal issues
Australia has signed a contract worth about $717 million to buy self-propelled howitzers from South Korea. The contract marks the latest step in Australia’s effort to overhaul its military and broaden its military cooperation, as it seeks to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. David Winning reports for the Wall Street Journal.
West African leaders have threatened further sanctions against Mali by the new year, unless Mali’s junta makes “concrete progress” toward holding democratic elections in February as previously promised
Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and seven other pro-democracy activists have been sentenced to up to 14 months in prison. The individuals were charged with organizing, taking part in, and inciting participation in a banned vigil last year for victims of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Reuters reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
China has donated one million Covid-19 vaccines to Nicaragua, days after Nicaragua cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing. BBC News reports. [china-policy-news, covid-news]

Posted 11 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Africa Is A Country (6/12/21): Sudan’s revolution and counterrevolution - The best support that the Sudanese revolution can get from international allies is for them to reject and fight their own governments’ efforts to force a government of killers on Sudan for the second time. [labor-news, protest-news, leftist-news]

The Irrawaddy (10/12/21): India’s Dilemma Over Ties With Myanmar Military

The Guardian (9/12/21): Dozens die and thousands flee in West Darfur tribal fighting - Deadly clashes erupt in three separate areas with poor medical facilities as wider Darfur region slides into violence

The Guardian (9/12/21): China: editorial says Communist party members must have three children - Article that says ‘no party member should use any excuse’ to have only one or two children goes viral then disappears

Liberation News (9/12/21): Hundreds facing removal in Huntsville public housing complex [social-woes-news]

CounterPunch (10/12/21): USA Loses Ethiopia; Biggest Strategic Blunder Since Loss of Iran Note: This is an interesting perspective, and worth considering... although some claims should be verified. Do note that the author is based in Eritrea however, a nation which was openly antagonistic to the TPLF and recently pillaging them.

Telesur (10/12/21): Honduras: Hernandez to Complicate Incoming President Castro - The right-wing-controlled Congress received two bills: one seeking to establish "protections" for public officials and former high-level officials and another attempting to pre-define the 2022 national budget. [corruption-news, far-right-news] Note about Telesur

South China Morning Post (10/12/21): How Equatorial Guinea became a backdrop for China-US rivalry - Reports suggest that the African nation of Equatorial Guinea could become home to a Chinese military base - ‘If China were to establish a naval supply station … it would be different from what the US has imagined,’ says state-backed Global Times [us-policy-news, china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Africa News (10/12/21): Benin's opposition figure on trial for terrorism charges

The Elephant (10/12/21): The Revolution Continues and Sudanese Women Are on the Front Lines of the Resistance - Sudanese women are well aware that their access to basic human rights and justice are conditioned upon the presence of a civil and democratic system of governance that respects women’s rights and humanity. Only under such a government can women be part of legal and political reform processes that will contribute to bringing about meaningful change.

Al-Monitor (10/12/21): BBC calls for Iran to stop 'campaign of harassment' against staff - The British broadcaster has publicly called out Iran for cross-border threats and harassment of its journalists and their family members. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (9/12/21): US to warn UAE banks, firms against sanctioned Iran dealings - The Wall Street Journal reports that US officials will warn petrochemical companies, private firms and banks of "extreme risk" for noncompliance. [us-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (9/12/21): Turkey arrests dozens of foreign Islamic State suspects - Ankara has made sweeping arrests of suspected Islamic State militants.

The Irrawaddy (10/12/21): Myanmar Unanimously Defies Junta With Silent Strike [protest-news, labor-news, economic-news]

The Guardian (9/12/21): Villagers file human rights complaint over plan for giant PNG goldmine - Frieda River mine proposed by Chinese-owned PanAust sparks appeal to government in Australia where company is registered [neo-imperialism-news, capitalist-farce-news, indigenous-news]

More Perfect Union (8/12/21): EXCLUSIVE: Starbucks Worker FIRED After Revealing Union-Busting Plans [busting-labor-news]

Al-Monitor (9/12/21): Kurdish politician's plight highlights Turkey's indifference to critically ill inmates - Aysel Tugluk, who defended PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in his trial decades ago, is now suffering from advanced dementia behind bars, despite widespread calls for her release. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (10/12/21): 3 in 4 Ukrainians Say Russia Is ‘Hostile State’ – Survey [!]

Africa News (10/12/21): Tunisia: LGBTQ+ activist attacked by police calls for justice [lgbtq-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (10/12/21): Myanmar Resistance Claims to Kill Around 80 Junta Troops [!]

Africa News (10/12/21): Thousands seek safety in Chad after Cameroon clashes [!]

South China Morning Post (10/12/21): Put US weapons in warehouses or destroy them, Cambodia tells military after arms embargo - Prime Minister Hun Sen also downplayed the quality of American weaponry, saying ‘a lot of those who use US arms lost wars’ - The move came after Washington imposed an arms embargo over Phnom Penh’s close ties with China [us-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

CPJ (10/12/21): UK ruling on extraditing Wikileaks’ Assange ‘seriously damages journalism’ - The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed deep disappointment at a British court’s decision to uphold the United States Justice Department’s appeal to extradite Julian Assange, which allows the U.S. to continue pursuing the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder, according to news reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, us-policy-news]

CPJ (10/12/21): Colombian legislature passes anti-corruption bill that threatens press freedom [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Africa News (10/12/21): Filipino protesters destroy Duterte effigy at march in Manila [!]

CPJ (10/12/21): Peruvian journalist receives threatening messages, demands to stop reporting on local officials [!]

Al-Monitor (10/12/21): Lebanon's prime minister asks Egypt for gas as power crisis drags on - Egypt previously agreed to export natural gas to Lebanon via Jordan and Syria. [energy-news] [!]

CPJ (10/12/21): Bangladeshi journalist Golam Sarwar attacked, harassed following 2020 abduction [!]

ZDNet (10/12/21): German logistics giant Hellmann reports cyberattack - The billion-dollar company operates in 173 countries and offers logistics services for rail, seafreight, airfreight, and road transportation. [cyber-security-news, logistics-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Israeli troops kill Palestinian man during West Bank protest: PA - Palestinian healthy ministry says the victim succumbed to his wounds after being shot in the head by Israeli forces in the village of Beita [!]

The Moscow Times (10/12/21): Russia Wants NATO to Ditch Plans for Ukraine and Georgia Membership [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Kenyan opposition leader Odinga announces fifth bid for president - Odinga says he is committed to building ‘democratic and progressive Kenya’ as battle for Kenyatta’s successor heats up. [politics-news] [!]

CPJ (10/12/21): Unidentified attackers beat Cuban journalist Mabel Páez at her home [!]

The Elephant (10/12/21): Safeguarding Kenya’s Electoral Democracy in the Digital Age: Regulating Hate Speech and Incitement to Violence - The government may easily find itself turning to internet shutdowns to mitigate the perceived harm of inciteful rhetoric or to silence criticism. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, far-right-news] [!]

The Guardian (10/12/21): Former Conservative MP Andrew Griffiths raped his wife, court finds - Kate Griffiths, who succeeded her husband, supported journalists’ request to remove restriction on naming them [crime-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Boosters give up to 75 percent protection from mild Omicron: UK - Initial real-world data shows that booster COVID-19 jabs protect people against mild disease from the Omicron variant. [covid-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (10/12/21): Palestinians Arrested, Sheikh Jarrah Neighborhood Attacked, Civilians Shot, Racist Graffiti, Palestinians Kidnapped [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Bulgaria: Centrist PP party seals coalition deal to form gov’t - Bulgaria’s parliament expected to vote on a new government after eight months of political deadlock. [politics-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Colombia: Ex-soldiers take responsibility for killing 227 - Twenty-one former soldiers admit to participating in so-called ‘false positive’ killings, special tribunal says. [!]

New York Times (10/12/21): Tigray Rebels Executed Dozens of Civilians, Report Says - The report from Human Rights Watch adds to the mounting violations committed by the warring parties since the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region began over a year ago. [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Turkish firms eye boon in deepening bilateral ties with Qatar - Qatar is already the second-largest foreign investor in Turkey, with major stakes in banking, shipping, retail, and the financial sector. [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Incoming Honduras gov’t to keep Taiwan ties for now: Officials - Comments come a day after Nicaragua broke off diplomatic relations with Taiwan to resume ties with China. [!]

Liberation News (10/12/21): Protesters demand Cook County Sheriff stop the evictions [!]

Telesur (10/12/21): Afghanistan: Two Blasts Rock Western Part of Kabul City - While no group has claimed responsibility for the explosions so far, they could have been carried out by ISIS-K, which has intensified its military actions against the Talkiban over the last months. Note about Telesur [!]

Al Jazeera (10/12/21): Gunmen kill 14 gov’t-backed fighters in Burkina Faso ambush - Latest attack comes as Burkina Faso and Niger’s armies say they killed dozens of fighters in joint operation [!]

Democracy Now (10/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó, Who Led Failed Coup Efforts, Speaks at White House Democracy Summit - The Biden administration continues to recognize Guaidó as Venezuela’s leader. That’s despite his involvement in a failed coup attempt in 2019 and his failed bid in 2020 to storm parliament with a group of lawmakers in order to forcefully swear himself in as Venezuela’s leader. Guaidó was also linked to a failed coup plot in 2020 led by Venezuelan dissidents and an American mercenary company.
WHO Warns Rich Countries Against Vaccine Hoarding as Omicron Variant Spreads [covid-news]
In South Africa, coronavirus infections are up by more than 250% in a week — nearly all of them Omicron cases [covid-news]
And the United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency said Thursday Omicron appears to be outcompeting Delta and is likely to become the dominant variant in Britain. [covid-news]
Truck Carrying Asylum Seekers Crashes in [Chiapas] Mexico, Killing 54 and Injuring Over 100 [immigrant-news]
New Zealand Aims to Phase Out Cigarette Use with Sweeping Anti-Tobacco Legislation

Just Security (10/12/21): Early Edition:

The U.S.-led global coalition against the Islamic State (IS) has ended its combat mission in Iraq. However, the 2,500 troops currently in the country will, at the Iraqi government’s invitation, remain to “advise, assist and enable” Iraqi security forces. BBC News reports. [us-policy-news]
The U.S. is determined to walk Bosnia “back from the cliff” amid secessionist threats from Serb nationalists and is exploring sanctions, according to senior adviser to Secretary of State Antony Blinken Derek Chollet. Julian Borger reports for the Guardian. [us-policy-news]
President Biden has promised the leaders of Ukraine and nine eastern European NATO states support if Russia attacks Ukraine and has pledged to involve them in decisions about the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Twitter that he and Biden also “discussed possible formats for resolving the conflict” in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have carved out a self-declared state. Andrew Roth reports for the Guardian. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has accused Ukraine of “provocation” over an incident involving a Ukrainian warship which headed towards the Kerch Strait, a strait which separates Russia and the annexed Crimean peninsula, the state-owned RIA news agency has reported. Ukraine dismissed the complaints as part of a Russian “information attack” on Kyiv. Reuters reports.
Nicaragua has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China. “In the world, there is only one China,” Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada said in a televised address yesterday. “Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure with the choice of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to switch recognition to Beijing in a statement, and said it would immediately cease assistance programs and clear out its embassy in Managua,” Joyu Wang reports for the Wall Street Journal.
The Uyghur Tribunal, a U.K.-based panel of lawyers, academics and activists, has concluded that China’s policies regarding the treatment of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang amount to a form of genocide. The panel’s judgment “found that the Chinese government, through policies including what it described as forced birth control and sterilizations, intends to partially destroy the predominantly Muslim Uyghur community and its way of life; and that Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials bore ‘primary responsibility for acts in Xinjiang,’” Sha Hu reports for the Wall Street Journal. [china-policy-news]

NewsClick (28/11/21): System Became Necessity Despite Extensive Healthcare Networks - The pandemic has laid bare the healthcare crisis and revealed how Nagaon would have been better off with a hospital like AIIMS there [healthcare-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (27/11/21): Call for Facebook review, Forced to demolish, Illegal settlements, Journalists injured, Right to resist, Teen gets 10 years in prison, House arrest for governor, Palestinians arrested [!]

EFF (22/11/21): Indonesian Court Allows Internet Blocking During Unrest, Tightening Law Enforcement Control Over Users’ Communications and Data [surveillance-and-censorship-news, court-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (28/11/21): Horrors on the Plateau: Inside Nigeria’s farmer-herder conflict - The violence in central Nigeria is now one of the country’s deadliest security threats after Boko Haram in the northeast and banditry in the northwest [!]

Jacobin (29/11/21): In Copenhagen, the Radical Left Just Beat the Danish Social Democrats for the First Time Ever - Recent elections in Denmark saw a sharp rise in vote share for the Red-Green Alliance, making it the biggest party in Copenhagen. The result shows that the ruling Social Democrats can’t keep letting down Danes who want action on the climate and soaring rents. [electoral-news, leftist-news] [!]

WSWS (29/11/21): The case of Nemi El-Hassan: German television channel sacks critical journalist [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

The Guardian (29/11/21): Trucks overturn and buildings collapse as extreme winds hit Turkey – video [!]

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Cambodia, ASEAN and Myanmar [!]

WSWS (30/11/21): Channel drowning survivor reveals UK, French police left them to die [immigrant-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

Law and Crime (23/11/21): ‘Please Kill Her, Babe’: Tennessee Cop on Administrative Leave After Arrest for Allegedly ‘Begging’ Mistress to Murder His ‘B****’ Wife Over ‘a Million’ Dollars [!]

Al Jazeera (29/10/21): Slavery is alive in Mali and continues to wreak havoc on lives - While slavery was abolished during colonial rule, local communities still place their descendants at society’s margins [social-woes-news]

Posted 10 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: Added Profound Horror in Mozambique - Imperialist Conflict, Regional Proxy Armies, Greedy Fossil Fuel, and IS-linked terror; Updated Burma coup, general strike, unfolding civil war

The Economist (9/12/21): The Muslim Brotherhood is tearing itself apart - Two leaders vie for control of the oldest Islamist movement

The Economist (9/12/21): Many North Korean women outearn their husbands, but still do the chores - Women trade; men do badly paid state jobs This is a pretty stunning article. The Economist writes about North Korea almost like it's a normal country, just very poor. Pretty intriguing!

The Economist (11/12/21): In word and deed, China is easing economic policy - Both the central bank’s actions and the Politburo’s words point to modest easing - So are China’s policymakers easing or not? The short answer is yes, they are indeed easing. But not without qualms and qualifications. They want to stabilise growth. But they do not want to revive speculation, especially in property. Their expansionary actions are therefore accompanied by a lot of clarificatory and cautionary chitter-chatter. [china-policy-news, economic-news]

The Economist (11/12/21): The economics of a new China-Laos train line - Why connectivity matters [bri-news]

The Economist (11/12/21): South-East Asia is awash in drugs - The coup in Myanmar has helped cartels ramp up production - In 2019 the UN reckoned that the regional market was worth $60bn. [drug-news]

South China Morning Post (9/12/21): Dangerous data: Telenor’s irresponsible exit from Myanmar may put customers’ lives at risk - Norway’s Telenor selling its Myanmar arm to Lebanese M1 Group, which has cooperated with regimes in Sudan and Syria - Data of 18 million people, including call-data records, part of sale five months after military coup; means possibility of detention, torture, murder [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Important Note on SCMP Funny enough, there is a key detail they miss here - M1 Group is run by CEO Azmi Mikati, brother to Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon, the latter who co-founded M1 with a third brother, Taha Mikati. Interestingly, in a recent Popular Front interview with a Lebanese researcher and writer (21/10/21), he reports that PM Mikati has ties to the Myanmar junta. That is, not only does M1 have a track record of human rights violations, but they have ties with the human rights violators in this case.

CPJ (8/12/21): How Myanmar became the world’s second-worst jailer of journalists [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (8/12/21): Ethiopia’s civil war dashes once-high hopes of press freedom [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Africa News (9/12/21): Burkina Faso: President Kabore accepts Prime minister's govt resignation - Burkina Faso's government resigned Wednesday night after several protests by the population denouncing its inability to fight recurrent jihadist attacks that plague the West African country every week. [protest-news]

The Irrawaddy (9/12/21): Uzbek Plane Supplies Myanmar Junta with Banknote Paper [economic-news]

Democracy Now (9/12/21): How Europe’s “Shadow Immigration System” Pays Libyan Militias to Jail Migrants in Brutal Conditions [immigrant-news, social-woes-news]

Africa News (9/12/21): Life under rebel rule in an Ethiopian holy city

Wall Street Journal (9/12/21): U.A.E. Shut Down China Facility Under U.S. Pressure, Emirates Says - Construction rattled relations between Washington and Gulf ally over concerns that Beijing was building military facility [china-policy-news, us-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): The UAE said, while carrying out the order, it didn't believe the facility was for military uses, which the Chinese Cosco shipping conglomerate "operates a commecial container terminal". The UAE is close with the US on several issues, such as the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic operation involving Arab-Israeli reconciliation and diplomacy, as well as a planned $23bn sale of 50 US F-35 5th generation fighter jets, 18 Reaper drones "and other advanced munitions".

Financial Times (9/12/21): US places visa restrictions on Isabel dos Santos for alleged corruption - Africa’s richest woman among those targeted in measures unveiled by Biden administration [corruption-news, us-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): Not much beyond the title - two other officials close with the previous Angolan administration (dos Santos was a key player in the prior Angolan administration) were also targeted, along with several other people around the world. Another notable was Tupytsky in Ukraine, the former head of the constitutional court and oversaw 2020 rulings that "threatened to neuter anti-corruption institutions and, in turn, delayed disbursement from a $bn IMF lifeline".

Al-Monitor (8/12/21): Turkey's good relations with Qatar may not be enough for Erdogan - Erdogan’s Qatar visit failed to produce agreements that could help the ailing Turkish economy, but he wants to maintain Turkey’s partnership with Qatar, including military ties, while making efforts to reconcile with Gulf rivals.

Africa News (8/12/21): Guinea: junta dismisses head of the Central Bank

The Guardian (8/12/21): UK ‘embarrassed’ into funding Mozambique gas project, court hears - Friends of the Earth cites documents suggesting UK’s reputation could suffer if it pulled $1.15bn of promised support [big-oil-news, corruption-news, capitalist-farce-news, neo-imperialism-news]

Africa News (8/12/21): Freshly re-elected president of The Gambia lays out plans for second mandate [electoral-news]

Africa News (8/12/21): South Africa: Govt will turn to alternative legislation to redistribute land- Justice Minister says [social-woes-news]

South China Morning Post (8/12/21): Isis-K escalates terror attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan in show of resistance against Taliban - Regional chapter of Islamic State becoming stronger; ‘may try to capture territory from Taliban if its numbers keep growing’, says analyst - But experts also say Isis-K unlikely to directly threaten China although it could target Chinese assets in Pakistan to fuel tension between the allies [militant-far-right-news] Important Note on SCMP

The Guardian (8/12/21): Anger as Jair Bolsonaro to allow unvaccinated visitors into Brazil - There are fears the decision will reverse the gains made by a successful vaccination campaign [far-right-news, covid-news] [!]

Pinned: Popular Front (8/12/21): Is Russia About to Invade Ukraine? - We speak to independent Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko about the tense situation right now between Ukraine and Russia. Will Putin invade? [russia-policy-news, podcast-news, capitalist-farce-news] If you see around (8/11/21), the Kyiv Post, a big newspaper in the country (and oldest English-language in Ukraine), was suspended due to the conflicting interests of the oligarch who owned it and the independence of its journalists, and on (12/11/21) said journalists announced they would form a new outlet, the Kyiv Independent. On this podcast, Jake speaks with a reporter from that outlet, Illia Ponomarenko, to get a reporter's insight into developments on the ground. He reports that the Kremlin-backed Donbas largely have low morale, and are in it because they need a paycheck, that the coup allegations from Zelensky (26/11/21) were probably made up, that protests occur almost daily in Kyiv, how scary the threat of Russian invasion is, but reasons why an invasion is unlikely right now.

South China Morning Post (9/12/21): Secret plot to invade Malaysia’s Sabah with Sulu militia hatched in southern Philippines: security source - Secret meeting of 19 mayors discussed recruiting 600 men to invade the state on Borneo island and spies to scope out coastal towns, though no one has infiltrated yet - Responding to the report, Malaysia’s police chief Acryl Sani said there is no confirmation on the intended plan and the security in Sabah was ‘under control’ Important Note on SCMP [!]

CPJ (8/12/21): For families of Al-Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt, an agonizing choice [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (8/12/21): In Benin, growing fears over law that can jail journalists for posting news online [survieillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

WSWS (9/12/21): Australia: Sydney rail workers hold 24-hour strike [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

The Irrawaddy (9/12/21): UK Group Hands ICC Evidence of Crimes Against Humanity by Myanmar Regime [!]

The Intercept (9/12/21): Israel Killed Up to 192 Palestinian Civilians in May 2021 Attacks on Gaza - More than 70 percent of the Israeli attacks that killed civilians in Gaza had no corresponding reports of militants hit alongside them. [!]

The Moscow Times (9/12/21): Russia’s Billionaires Amass Extra $145Bln in 2021 - Combined net worth jumps 30%, as wider population sees stagnant living standards. [capitalist-farce-news, corruption-news, covid-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (9/12/21): Nearly 500 Clashes Between Myanmar Junta Troops and Karen Rebels Recorded in Two Months [!]

Just Security (9/12/21): Early Edition:

Putting additional U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine is “not on the table,” Biden told reporters yesterday. The NATO obligation to provide defense support to its members “does not extend to … Ukraine,” Biden added. Biden said that it would “depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well,” but rejected the idea that the U.S. would “unilaterally use force to confront Russia” if it were to invade Ukraine. Morgan Chalfant reports for The Hill [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
The final elements of a U.S. $60 million security assistance package, including small arms and ammunition, which is designed to bolster Ukraine’s self-defense capability, is set to arrive in Ukraine this week. Biden approved the package on Sep. 1 when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House. Oren Liebermann reports for CNN. [us-policy-news]
The U.S. has threatened Russia with harsh economic sanctions if it were to launch a military offensive against Ukraine, however threats to squeeze Russia’s economy is a tactic which has had a mixed record in the past. Patricia Cohen provides analysis for the New York Times. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai and two other prominent activists have been convicted in Hong Kong for inciting and taking part in a vigil to mark the Tiananmen massacre last June. The trio had contested their charges, arguing during their trial that they had lit candles during the vigil in a personal capacity, and had not “incited” others to join the unauthorized rally. BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The Biden administration is moving to tighten enforcement of sanctions against Iran, according to senior State and Treasury Department officials. [us-policy-news]
A growing number of former Israeli security officials are publicly blaming Tel Aviv for opposing the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, while warning that economic sanctions against Iran are not slowing its nuclear progress. Shira Rubin reports for the Washington Post.
The U.S. Navy has seized 171 surface-to-air missiles, eight anti-tank missiles, and 1.1 million barrels of petroleum products worth $261 million from two Iranian ships in the Arabian Sea in three separate instances since 2019 [us-policy-news]
The U.S. Treasury has accused El Salvador’s government of secretly negotiating a truce with imprisoned leaders of the country’s top criminal gangs. The deal aimed “to ensure that incidents of gang violence and the number of confirmed homicides remained low,” the Treasury said, adding that the deal also secured the gang’s political support for El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele’s ruling party in midterm elections earlier this year. The Treasury is “imposing sanctions on Osiris Luna, El Salvador’s Deputy Justice Minister and Prisons Director, and Carlos Marroquín, head of a welfare agency, for their participation in the secret negotiations,” Santiago Pérez reports for the Wall Street Journal. [us-policy-news, crime-news, corruption-news]
Lebanese authorities have freed Nada Homsi, a freelance U.S. journalist who was detained in Beirut last month. “The release came just hours after two international human rights groups called her detention arbitrary and demanded that she be set free. Homsi…said after her release that her arrest was part of an intimidation campaign used by Lebanon’s security agencies against foreign journalists,” Bassem Mroue reports for AP. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The death toll from weekend clashes between Arabs and non-Arabs in Sudan’s western Darfur region has increased to at least 88 people, a Sudanese medical group said yesterday. “The fighting grew out of a financial dispute late Saturday between two individuals in a camp for displaced persons in the Kreinik area in West Darfur province. The following day, Arab militias known as janjaweed attacked the camp and surrounding villages,” AP reports.
A Belarusian who used to work as an air traffic controller at Minsk’s airport has defected to the E.U. and is providing detailed evidence on the Ryanair flight that was forced to land in Minsk earlier this year. The defector’s evidence supported the view that the flight was targeted for a fake bomb threat as part of an operation orchestrated by Belarus’s intelligence service to grab dissident journalist Roman Protasevich, European security officials have said. Andrew Higgins and Tomas Dapkus report for the New York Times.

CPJ (9/12/21): Jesus Malabanan, reporter who covered Duterte drug war, killed in the Philippines [!]

Al Jazeera (9/12/21): Millions of EU gig workers could be heading for employee status - The European Union unveiled draft rules on Thursday that could see millions of gig workers classified as employees entitled to benefits. [labor-news] [!]

Common Dreams (9/12/21): New Interactive Map Gives Ground-Level Look at High Civilian Toll of Israel's Gaza War - "Our latest study corroborates what we have found with other large-scale conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere: Even technologically advanced militaries kill large numbers of civilians when attacks focus on urban centers." [!]

Al Jazeera (9/12/21): Turkey hits PKK targets in Iraq after three of its troops killed - A PKK attack killed three Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq, prompting a retaliatory air attack, Turkey says. [!]

PALESTINOW (9/12/21): Students kidnapped, Palestinians arrested, Palestinians injured, Racism, Olive trees cut down [!]

Law and Crime (9/12/21): Federal Appeals Court Upholds Conviction Based on Evidence Derived from Warrantless Surveillance [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

ZDNet (9/12/21): Meta expands ban on Myanmar military after $150 billion lawsuit - Meta said it will now "remove Pages, Groups and accounts representing military-controlled businesses." It made similar comments after the coup in February. [big-tech-news] [!]

CPJ (9/12/21): News crews harassed, reporter arrested during South Africa’s municipal elections [!]

New York Times (9/12/21): Danish Leader Is Questioned Over ‘Minkgate’ Cull Driven by Covid Fears - The prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said she did not know the government lacked legal authority to order the mass slaughter of 17 million minks after infected animals passed the virus to humans. [!]

The Guardian (9/12/21): Record number of children in Britain arrested over terror offences - Home Office figures show 25 under-18s arrested in year to September, mostly in relation to far-right ideology [far-right-news] [!]

CPJ (9/12/21): Turkish President Erdoğan sues Greek and French outlets for alleged insults [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (9/12/21): Chilean President Pinera signs same-sex marriage bill into law - The law ‘puts all love relationships between two people on an equal footing’, says Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. [lgbtq-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (9/12/21): Alleged CAR rebel leader to face war crimes trial at ICC - ICC ‘partially’ confirms charges of war crimes against alleged Seleka leader Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, commits him to trial. [!]

The Guardian (9/12/21): Pakistani Taliban declare end to month-long ceasefire with government - Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan accuse state of breaching terms including a prisoner release agreement [!]

Africa News (9/12/21): Ugandan, Congolese forces continue offensive operations in eastern DRC [!]

Africa News (9/12/21): One killed, 18 injured following fire at HQ of Tunisia's Ennahdha party - One person died and 18 others were injured including two leading figures from Tunisia's Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party in a fire at its headquarters Thursday, authorities and party members said. - Ennahdha said on Facebook that one of its "activists", a former receptionist born in 1970, had died in the blaze. - Tunisian media cited judiciary sources as saying the person had "set himself ablaze on the ground floor" of the building.

Telesur (8/12/21): Colombia: Indigenous Minga Announces March from Popayan to Cali - A two-day walk is expected, which should arrive in Cali on the occasion of World Human Rights Day. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Al Jazeera (9/12/21): EU countries agree to take in 40,000 Afghan refugees - Group of 15 EU member states agree to resettle Afghans, with Germany accepting the bulk of new arrivals, commissioner says. [immigrant-news] [!]

ZDNet (9/12/21): Saudi human rights activist files lawsuit against former US intelligence operatives for hacking scandal - The Justice Department faced criticism in September for only fining the three former US intelligence operatives after they broke multiple US laws through their offensive hacking of protesters and journalists for the UAE. [us-policy-news, court-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, corruption-news] [!]

The Economist (9/12/21): World This Week:

Olaf Scholz was sworn in as chancellor of Germany, ending the 16-year tenure of Angela Merkel. Mr Scholz, a Social Democrat, leads a three-party coalition, Germany’s first since the 1950s, which includes the Greens and the pro-enterprise Free Democrats. The parties have approved a detailed plan for governing, which includes a higher minimum wage and building more homes. First, however, they must contend with a fourth wave of covid-19.
Pandemic restrictions were tightened in England as Omicron infections surged. The government advised people to work from home and ordered them to wear masks in more circumstances. Proof of vaccination or a negative covid test will be required to enter large venues. Meanwhile, the government struggled to explain why staffers held a party at 10 Downing Street in December 2020, when the rules stopped ordinary folk from meeting up. [covid-news]

Democracy Now (9/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Western Sahara Activists Accuse Moroccan Authorities of Brutality and Sexual Assault

Jacobin (8/12/21): The Indian Farmers’ Movement Has Shown Us How to Fight Narendra Modi - A heroic struggle has stopped Narendra Modi's government from ramming through regressive farm laws. Modi is still deeply entrenched in power, but the farmers have shown that mass mobilization can pose a bigger challenge to his rule than parliamentary games. [labor-news, far-right-news]

Africa News (8/12/21): DR Congo's army, Monusco agree to form joint operations in the east [!]

Posted 9 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Who Gets the Bird (8/12/21): Updates:

Lots has happened on the BCTGM Kellogg strike over the past two weeks – first, the company announced they’d be hiring permanent replacements, and, probably thinking this would strike fear into the workers’ hearts, soon thereafter offered a new tentative agreement. Not to be fucked with, the workers then “overwhelmingly” rejected the offer, and Kellogg’s doubled down on its commitment to hiring permanent replacements
In a lesser known long-haul BCTGM strike, workers at Jon Donaire (which makes ice cream cakes for Baskin Robbins, Coldstone, and other big names) have been on strike for over a month in Santa Fe Springs, CA with Local 37; you can learn more about that fight here.
150 group home workers in Connecticut with 1199 New England are also facing the threat of permanent replacement, as the strike against Sunrise Group rolls on.
An Alabama judge has once again extended the injunction against picketing anywhere near Warrior Met coal worksites, just flagrantly ignoring the basic first amendment rights of UMWA miners and supporters.
Another long strike is still going in Rhode Island where wine delivery drivers who organized with Teamsters Local 251 have been on strike against Johnson Brothers distributors for months, and are taking their fight to the customers, as Dan DiMaggio reported for Labor Notes.
The 2200 Michigan Nurses Association healthcare workers who info picketed and then authorized a strike at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, MI have reached a tentative agreement with the company
Around 300 members of Teamsters Local 174 who drive concrete trucks for several contractors in Washington State are on strike, which has shut down several construction sites in the area
The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild has a first contract with Cascade Public Media in Seattle after two years.
50 nursing home workers with 1199 SEIU struck Campbell Hall nursing home for one day in Campbell Hall, NY, which is apparently the last employer holdout on signing a master contract across 250 nursing homes in New York.
10,000 Disneyland workers in Anaheim, CA with the Teamsters, BCTGM, and SEIU USWW averted a strike after one of three contracts was voted down, then quickly renegotiated and ratified.
Around 100 IBEW Local 666 maintenance workers at a DuPont plant in Chesterfield County, VA that makes Tyvek and Kevlar and other materials have been locked out by management as negotiations stall. [busting-labor-news]
Members of Painters Local 10 in Portland, OR won a much-improved contract after a “summer of chaos,” an intermittent series of job actions; the union made a great video laying out what they won and how they did it.
Teachers in Peterborough, NH have a new three-year contract
Park Ridge, IL teachers have a new five-year agreement
The Scranton Federation of Teachers as well as the school district have officially ratified the new union contract after the 12-day strike; because of days lost, the school year is being extended to June 30th.
Civil Beat has a look at how Hawaii’s state police union uses union contract language to avoid accountability for cops. After much back and forth, including a contract that was overwhelmingly rejected by the membership, the Louisville FOP has a new union contract that includes bigger raises and no new reforms. Percentage-wise, Youngstown, OH cops have Louisville beat, winning a 27% raise (dollars-wise, it brings them up to $21 an hour).
AFSCME Council 94, representing 3,000 state workers in Rhode Island, has ratified a new contract that includes vaccination incentives [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Roadside bomb explosion kills UN peacekeepers in central Mali - Seven MINUSMA peacekeepers killed after a UN convoy hit an improvised explosive device, according to the mission. [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Finnish PM apologises for staying out clubbing despite Covid exposure - Sanna Marin says she should have checked guidance given to her after her foreign minister tested positive [!]

Al-Monitor (8/12/21): Iraq blames militias for Basra explosion that killed four - The Basra explosion caused by a booby-trapped motorcycle was aimed to assassinate an Iraqi investigative officer in charge of the militia's illegal activities in the province. [!]

South China Morning Post (9/12/21): US imposes arms embargo on Cambodia over Chinese military influence - Human rights abuses and corruption were also cited as reasons for the restrictions - Washington and Beijing are jostling for position in Southeast Asia, where Cambodia has become one of China’s most important allies [us-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

CPJ (8/12/21): New Greek criminal code amendment threatens journalists with jail for spreading ‘false’ information [far-right-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

CPJ (8/12/21): Uzbek blogger Fatima Jurayeva allegedly beaten while investigating state electricity company [!]

PALESTINOW (8/12/21): Palestinians kidnapped, Journalists travel ban, Prisoner visit ban, Stables demolished, Al-Aqsa Mosque break-in, Dutch court verdict, House looted after Facebook post [!]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Ethiopia’s PM Abiy to return to Addis Ababa from battlefront - Abiy claims first phase of the conflict against the Tigrayan forces completed, but says struggle ‘not yet finished’. [!]

Al-Monitor (8/12/21): Ankara keeps jailed Kurdish leader from seeing lawyers, family - Jailed Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan was banned from all outside contact reportedly for “chatting with his fellow inmates.” [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Met police say they will not investigate Downing Street Christmas party - Force cites policy of not investigating past alleged breaches of Covid rules and lack of evidence [!]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (8/12/21): US appeals court halts antitrust orders against Apple App Store - The ruling is a significant victory for the iPhone maker as it fights a broad challenge by Epic Games to its domination of the $142bn mobile-app distribution market. [big-tech-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): UN halts food aid in Ethiopia’s Kombolcha, Dessie after looting - Mass looting of WFP warehouses in the Amhara region prompts suspension of food distribution in two towns.It seems that Tigrayan forces, as well as some locals, the UN says, are responsible for the looting

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Saudi Arabia’s MBS on first visit to Qatar since end of blockade - Trip by Crown Prince Mohammed comes after Saudi Arabia and allies took steps to end a years-long blockade of Qatar in early 2021

Africa News (8/12/21): US and Kurdish forces hold joint military exercise in north-eastern Syria [us-policy-news] [!]

Jacobin (8/12/21): Germany’s New Government Is in Thrall to Neoliberal Hawks - Today, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz became leader of Germany’s new government. But with fiscal hawk Christian Lindner in charge of the finance ministry, there’s little hope of Germany — or Europe — breaking free of neoliberal dogmas. [economic-news] [!]

South China Morning Post (8/12/21): India’s chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat among 13 dead in helicopter crash - Bipin Rawat had a four-decade military career that included overseeing forces in Indian-administered Kashmir and along the Line of Actual Control bordering China - PM Narendra Modi described him as a ‘patriot’ who contributed to modernising India’s armed forces and security apparatus Important Note on SCMP [!]

NewsClick (8/12/21): TN: Monsoon Hits Rubber Plantation Workers, Govt Relief Remains Elusive - More than 30,000 rubber rubber plantation workers in Kanyakumari district are left jobless due to incessant rains for the past three months. No government relief has been extended so far to the workers. [labor-news, social-woes-news] [!]

ProPublica (8/12/21): China Unleashed Its Propaganda Machine on Peng Shuai’s #MeToo Accusation. Her Story Still Got Out. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Moscow Times (8/12/21): Russia Blocks TOR Anonymity Service [surveillance-and-censorship-news, open-tech-news]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Amid anger, UK’s Johnson apologises for Christmas party blunder - A leaked video appears to show prime minister’s team joking about holding celebrations last year, during lockdown. [!]

The Moscow Times (8/12/21): Belarus Charges Dissident Blogger’s Russian Girlfriend With ‘Inciting Hatred’ [surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (8/12/21): EU Stops Renting Residence From Former Myanmar Dictator’s Family

Africa News (8/12/21): US returns over 900 stolen artefacts to Mali [us-policy-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Bangladesh sentences 20 to death for student murder - Abrar Fahad, 21, was beaten to death by fellow students at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2019. [!]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Indian activist Sudha Bharadwaj gets bail in caste violence case - Court grants bail in Bhima-Koregaon case more than three years after 60-year-old activist was arrested under the ‘draconian’ UAPA. [court-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (8/12/21): Facebook Extends Ban on Myanmar Military-Linked Firms [big-tech-news] [!]

The Irrawddy (8/12/21): Myanmar Junta Sentences Ousted NLD Chief Minister to Four Years in Prison [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Man arrested in Paris over Jamal Khashoggi killing is released - Officials say Saudi national has ‘nothing to do with the case’ and arrest was a case of mistaken identity [!]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Russian rocket blasts off carrying Japanese billionaire to ISS - Fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa has set out 100 tasks to complete on board, including hosting a badminton tournament in orbit. [!]

the Moscow Times (8/12/21): Yandex Named Most Likely Search Engine to Promote Conspiracy Theories – Study - More than half of all search results for some terms resulted in pro-conspiracy theory websites — a greater share than at any other major search engine. [big-tech-news, far-right-news] [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Spanish village that dropped ‘Kill Jews’ name hit by antisemitic graffiti attack - Castrillo Mota de Judíos’ Sephardic centre was among four locations defaced in the ‘cowardly’ attack [racist-crime-news, militant-far-right-news] [!]

South China Morning Post (8/12/21): Thai tycoon jailed for poaching protected animals in case that sparked public outrage - Construction magnate Premchai Karnasuta was sentenced to nearly three and half years for shooting and cooking a black panther and other animals over a campfire - This is a rare case of a wealthy Thai serving time for wrongdoing. The public has grown weary of repeated examples of the rich flouting the law with impunity Important Note on SCMP [!]

The Moscow Times (8/12/21): Russia Jails TikToker for Damaging FSB Car During Navalny Protests [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Camels enhanced with Botox barred from Saudi beauty contest - Dozens of animals disqualified after owners manipulate their looks with hormones, fillers and facelifts [!]

The Guardian (8/12/21): Facebook posts allegedly by Queensland prison officers call for violence against ‘maggot’ inmates - Greens MP Michael Berkman demands an inquiry into comments he says are dehumanising [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

Telesur (8/12/21): Ecuadorean President Lasso Avoids 'Pandora Papers' Impeachment - Instead of pursuing an inquiry into the sending of his fortune to tax havens, legislators only decided to summon former bankcer Guillermo Lasso to appear before the plenary session to explain "a possible link with the Pandora Papers." [corruption-news, leak-news, far-right-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Telesur (8/12/21): Haiti To Suppress Fuel Subsidies Gradually From Friday - "Since 2010, the State has lost over US$1.5 billion in subsidies for oil products. This year, the situation becomes unsustainable," Economy Minister Boisvert stated. [social-woes-news, energy-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Telesur (8/12/21): Anti-Corruption Bill Caps Press Freedom in Colombia - "Such legal initiatives are typical of authoritarian regimes that sow fear in whistleblowers," the Centre for Law, Justice, and Society Studies stated. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Just Security (8/12/21): Early Edition:

President Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday in a two-hour secure video conference that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would result in heavy economic penalties for Moscow and lead NATO to reposition its troops in Europe. During the meeting, Biden reiterated that measures imposed in response to any Russian invasion would go well beyond the West’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea seven years ago and an invasion could end Russia’s hopes of completing the Nord Stream II gas pipeline to Europe. U.S. officials have said that Putin gave no indication of his ultimate intent during the call. David E. Sanger and Michael Crowley report for the New York Times. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
The Russian government said Putin warned Biden during the video conference that Western military activity in and around Ukraine was approaching a “red line” threatening Russia’s security. The Kremlin statement said Putin had stressed that Russia should not be held responsible for tensions because NATO was making “dangerous attempts to take over Ukrainian territory and increasing its military potential” on Russia’s borders. “Therefore, Russia is seriously interested in getting reliable guarantees fixed in law to rule out the eastward expansion of NATO and the location in countries neighboring Russia of offensive weapons systems,” the statement added. The White House said President Biden did not make any guarantees to limit NATO expansion. BBC News reports. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Australia has announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, following the announcement of the U.S. diplomatic boycott. New Zealand has said that it decided months ago that its diplomats would not be attending. In July, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution calling on diplomatic officials to boycott the Winter Olympics, however, an official response yesterday from the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, to a question about the boycott offered no support for the U.S. position. Steven Lee Myers and Steven Erlanger report for the New York Times.
A member of Bloomberg News’s bureau in Beijing has been detained in China since late last year, with no information forthcoming on her case. Haze Fan was last seen on Dec. 7 2020, while being escorted from her apartment building by plainclothes security officials. Chinese officials said at the time that Fan was detained by the Beijing National Security Bureau on suspicion of national security law violations. Madeleine Lim reports for Bloomberg News. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
A new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said that China is “the world’s biggest captor of journalists,” with at least 127 reporters currently detained. The report said “China was conducting an ‘unprecedented campaign of repression’ worldwide against journalism. China has justified the arrests of reporters and citizen journalists by accusing them of provoking trouble,” BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Google has announced that it is pursuing litigation to disrupt a botnet run by operators based out of Russia. “Google filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday against two Russian nationals, Dmitry Starovikov and Alexander Filippov, and more than a dozen other unnamed individuals for allegedly creating and running the ‘Glupteba’ botnet,” Maggie Miller reports for The Hill. [cyber-security-news, big-tech-news]
Germany’s former Chancellor Angela Merkel has handed over the chancellery to her successor Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Lawmakers approved Scholz’s chancellorship largely along party lines in a secret-ballot poll, with 395 voting in favor and 303 against. Scholz is a Social Democrat with ambitions to revive progressive politics across Europe, and it is the first time in 16 years that Germany will have a center-left government led by a new chancellor. Katrin Bennhold reports for the New York Times. [politics-news]
Militant groups increasingly are acquiring armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ranging from sophisticated Iranian-built models which are capable of long-distance flights to cheaper, off-the-shelf models operated by remote control and modified to carry small but powerful explosives. The proliferation of armed UAVs, particularly among paramilitary groups with close ties to Iran, has been described as a growing threat in the Middle East and beyond by officials and analysts. Joby Warrick, Souad Mekhennet and Louisa Loveluck report for the Washington Post.
Soldiers have been accused of killing 13 people from a village in central Myanmar, 11 of whose burned bodies were discovered yesterday. “The incident occurred near the city of Monywa, after local militias opposing military rule carried out at least two bomb attacks on a military convoy. Locals say soldiers then swept through nearby villages, rounding up and killing six men and five teenagers. The military junta is yet to comment on the incident,” BBC News reports.
An Indonesian court has sentenced an Islamic militant to life in prison after finding him guilty of making bombs used in a 2005 market attack that killed 22 people. Niniek Karmini reports for AP. [militant-far-right-news, court-news]
A 14-year-old Palestinian girl has stabbed an Israeli woman near a contested East Jerusalem neighborhood, in the fourth lone wolf attack to take place in Jerusalem in the past three weeks. Shira Rubin reports for the Washington Post.
Israel has announced the completion of an enhanced security barrier around the Gaza Strip designed to prevent militants from sneaking into Israel. AP reports.

Posted 8 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Financial Times (6/12/21): Brazil emerges from Covid ‘nightmare’ through vaccination blitz - Brazilians largely welcome inoculations despite scepticism of leader Jair Bolsonaro [healthcare-news, covid-news] Paywall Summary (?): This past spring, Brazil went through a brutal COVID wave, and now has the 2nd highest death toll after the US, at 615k lives. Now things have relatively stabilized, and a contribution factor is Brazil's relatively high vaccination rate, with around 64% full vaccination. Plus, a World Bank/UN survey showed only 3% Brazilians didn't intend to get the jab (compare this to the wider Latin America + Caribbean region, with an average of 8%). Contrast this with Bolsonaro, a flagrantly anti-vax person and has pedaled conspiracy theories about the COVID vaccine and hydroxychloroquine, and who had stalled vaccine deals. What's the secret to the high vaccination rates? Strong trust in science and the public health system, which dishes out "tens of millions of injections every year against diseases such as influenza, yellow fever and meningitis, across a territory the size of a continent". Other state-run biomed establishments filled in the gaps that Bolsonaro left, working with China's Sinovac, for example, to get out vaccines. While the Sinovac vaccine has arond 50% efficacy (pretty low), it still served as a "vital bridge", and has since been overtaken by Pfizer and Oxford/AstraZeneca, the latter being produced in Rio de Janeiro. Currently, the government reports, a variety totalling 600m doses have been ordered. Still, some criticize the operation (the flaws largely due to Bolsonaro), and warn that the effort is not over. Easing vaccine production has been technology transfers from AstraZeneca, and the Butantan Institute (who partnered with Sinovac) will start making Sinovac's active pharmaceutical ingrediant (API) next year. Two notes: (1) This is largely due to a strong national healthcare program, and strong government responsibility for vaccines. Public healthcare is pretty good, look, it even supresses anti-vaxx sentiment! (2) The FT reporting here lets slip a little factoid - As the tech transfers between Brazilian producers and AstraZeneca show, sharing vaccine technology helps facilitate more production! Maybe IP walls aren't helpful at slowing pandemics and saving lives.

Common Dreams (3/12/21): Does Brazil Proposal Hold Key to Ending Big Pharma's Stranglehold on Covid-19 Vaccines? - A proposal for the World Trade Organization to waive intellectual-property rights on pandemic-related pharmaceuticals is still languishing, owing to opposition from rich countries whose companies are reaping monopoly profits. Fortunately, a public-health bill in Brazil points the way to a promising bottom-up solution. [capitalist-farce-news, pharma-news, vaccine-ip-news, covid-news] It's worth pointing out that this bill was proposed by a Worker's Party (PT) Senator, former President Lula's party. Bolsanaro then mangled the bill, and sent it back to the Senate, where it appears to still be kicking around. While Brazil has a relatively high vaccination rate (FT (6/12/21) reports 64% full inoculation), the concern is that there is limited vaccine production, and if new strains emerge, the old vaccines won't hold up, and new ones will have to be produced.

Jacobin (6/12/21): Peru Minister: Our Socialist Government Is Under Attack. But We Can Still Win. - Peru’s socialist president, Pedro Castillo, came into office to fight neoliberalism, but his agenda has been derailed by the Right. One of his ministers tells Jacobin how the Castillo government can fight back and win power for ordinary Peruvians. [leftist-news, socialist-news, politics-news, analysis-news, covid-news, civil-right-news] Interesting interview, certainly worth reading. The reference that Peru is now at 70% vaccination is interesting - I couldn't find data to directly compare, but it does appear that Peru has high vaccination rates, which you can tell from here

Financial Times (5/12/21): Turkish opposition leader helps shape unlikely alliance to challenge Erdogan - Kemal Kilicdaroglu’s CHP and rival parties have set aside deep differences and joined forces in push to oust president [politics-news] Paywall Summary (?): The usually mild-mannered Kilicdaroglu is acting increasingly bold, emboldened by polls showing a united opposition could, at the moment, oust Erdogan. The opposition is an "improbable alliance of nationalists, Kurds, leftists, rightwingers, secularists and religious conservatives", and the party Kilicdaroglu leads was that founded by the Ataturk, the secularist who founded Turkey, although its nationalist vein has alienated Kurds and secularism bothers conservatives (such as those that support Erdogan and his party the AKP, with a recent survey showing 70% of AKP voters saying they were fearful of a CHP-coalition government); Kilicdaroglu, FT reports, is emerging now as the unlikely "architect" of this grouping, an alliance that started in 2017 in a united "no" vote against an Erdogan power grab to abolish the parliamentary system, giving the president (Erdogan) even more control; however, they narrowly lost. Still, the organization here has started to pay off, with success in mayoral elections in Ankara and Istanbul, "ending 25 years of dominance by Erdogan and his allies over Turkey's two biggest cities". While Erdogan tries to pry apart the alliance along its obvious faultlines, they have hung together on a shared interest in a return to parliamentism and a shared concern over the economy, which Erdogan is dangerously mishandling, leading to awful inflation over the past couple of years. The CHP also has some policies which stir unease internationally, such as reconciliation with Syrian dictator Assad, with the aim to return the 3.6m refugees from there. There are still some issues within the opposition alliance, things could go either way.

The Majority Report (7/12/21): UK PM Boris Johnson Reacts To News Of Cocaine Use In Parliament’s Bathrooms [funny-news, coruption-news]

Al Jazeera (8/12/21): Appeals court upholds former Malaysian PM Najib’s 1MDB conviction - Najib Razak had appealed sentence claiming he did not know origin of money that ended up in his personal bank accounts. [corruption-news, court-news] [!]

Common Dreams (8/12/21): Senate Dems Help Torpedo Resolution That Would Have Blocked $650 Million Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia - "My simple question is, why in the world would the United States reward a regime that has caused such pain in Yemen with more weapons," Sanders asked after the vote. "The answer is we should not." [us-policy-news] [!]

Liberation News (7/12/21): Indigenous women lead march on Otay Mesa Detention Center [indigenous-news] [!]

The Guardian (7/12/21): South Korea hospitals under intense pressure amid record 7,175 Covid cases in a day - Rise in infections attributed to young people who have yet to be fully vaccinated and older citizens who have not received boosters [covid-news, healthcare-news] [!]

WSWS (7/12/21): Australia: NSW teachers hold first strike in ten years [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

Telesur (7/12/21): Peruvian Congress Rejects Motion to Impeach President Castillo - The Peruvian Congress rejected the proposal to open an investigative process to impeach President Pedro Castillo. [leftist-news, politics-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Africa News (7/12/21): Madagascar: Trial of alleged masterminds of attempted coup begins

Telesur (7/12/21): Venezuela: Five Candidates Run For Governor In Barinas State - The Socialist candidate Jorge Arreaza will compete against four candidates who have not been part of the Bolivian government. [electoral-news] It appears that the leading candidate in the Nov 21, Freddy Superlano (opposition), has been barred from the upcoming re-election; the Barinas election was tight, but seemed to favor Superlano Note about Telesur

WSWS (6/12/21): 14,000 Airbus workers take part in “warning” strikes in Germany [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

Ars Technica (7/12/21): Report: Apple CEO Tim Cook engineered a secret $275 billion deal with China - Apple invested heavily in Chinese tech to prevent hostile regulations. [big-tech-news]

Financial Times (7/11/21): Beijing seeks to orchestrate slow-motion collapse for Evergrande - Officials face challenge untangling heavily indebted group while minimising damage to property sector [economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): Evergrande recently set up a risk management committee, and state (central and regional) representatives just took a majority of seats on it (four of seven), which the FT reports shows the government effectively taking control of events at Evergrande. The idea is to "find third parties, espcially state-owned developers, to take over its [Evergrande's] development projects" (it's a real-estate developer that's $300bn in the hole right now), and effectively end Evergrande, reports a Beijing-based consultant, saying this is how the government has managed such situations in the past three to four years (such as with HNA). Evergrande "is the second-largest developer by sales in the world's second-largest economy, where the property sector is estimated to account for about one-third of total-economic output".

Wall Street Journal (7/12/21): Volunteer Fighters Raise Stakes in Ethiopia’s Bitter Conflict - Librarians, shopkeepers and even Olympic athletes join the effort as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed fights to slow the Tigrayan advance Paywall Summary (?): Thousands are answering the call across Ethiopia, and Tigrayans, WSJ reports, have done the same in the north; the mayor of Addis Ababa (the capitol) reports that 200k youths have joined vigilante defense groups, searching in the evening for suspected rebels and weapons. Analysts say these kinds of groups are harder to control, possibly fanning ethnic strife, with a possible repeat of the 1980s turmoil. TPLF rule (which ended after the 2018 elections) was characterized by crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters. The TPLF was instrumental in ending the Marxist regime from the 80s, and ushering in an era of "rapid ... economic growth and foreign investment". Some soldiers who had fought during this earlier era, now old people in their 50s and above, are volunteering and are again on the battlefield. The TPLF chalks its recent success up to new recruits and superior training, largely due to many holding (up until recently) senior roles in the Ethiopian armed forces. WSJ describes Abhiy as a "longtime U.S. ally".

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Ethiopia accuses US and allies of ‘destructive’ approach - Prime Minister’s spokesperson says accusations of illegal detentions by the government were ‘misguided’.

Al-Monitor (7/12/21): Turkey’s health care workers go on strike - Left out of a bill that gave doctors a raise, Turkey’s nurses and other health care workers are going on strike as Turkey reports 20,000 daily cases of COVID-19. [labor-news, healthcare-news]

The Guardian (7/12/21): French police arrest man in connection with Jamal Khashoggi killing - Police say man, named as Khalid Aedh al-Otaibi, was arrested as he was about to board flight from Paris to Riyadh

Al-Monitor (6/12/21): Erdogan says Turkey seeks to clear up 'misunderstandings' with Gulf states - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the remarks ahead of a two-day visit to Qatar

Financial Times (7/12/21): ‘Too many mistakes’: Peru’s president threatened with impeachment after shaky start - Pedro Castillo’s popularity is falling as his young government lurches from crisis to crisis [leftist-news, far-right-news, politics-news] Paywall Summary (?): With approval ratings peaking at 40% in September and now down to 25%, Castillo's popularity has a lost majority even with rural and poor voters. Peru's constitution, FT reports, makes it very easy to impeach presidents, although it requires 2/3 majority in congress to remove from power. His government has been rocked with instability and accusations of graft, going through a new minister every two weeks. In addition are policy misteps - the ones that FT reports, not nationalizing natural gas reserves, and reverting on announcements to close four privately owned mines, are notably right-wing reversals. However, there is also sentiment that the ruling Lima elites are trying to undermine him, a working-class farmer and teacher. FT notes that this erratic government has had a negative impact on the economy, although a Citibank economists believes that impeachment will only make the situation worse. The article also raises the issues many leftist reformers face, and in my view one of the main issues with capitalism - capital flight. A note: Minister Durand of Women and Vulnerable Populations reports to Jacobin in an interview (6/12/21) it is difficult to enact many of the policies Castillo wanted (which is upsetting his electorate) while under the intense pressure of the right-wing.

Africa News (7/12/21): The Gambia opposition leader Ousainou Darboe calls for calm after election results [electoral-news]

Al-Monitor (6/12/21): Erdogan vows response to Cyprus mosque arson attempt - The Turkish president said an attempt to burn down the mosque on the disputed island “will not go unanswered,” while the Cypriot press said the incident was not related to religious or ethnic strife. [!]

South China Morning Post (7/12/21): Cambodia welcomes Myanmar foreign minister, day after Aung San Suu Kyi sentencing drew global condemnation - Wunna Maung Lwin held talks on Tuesday with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who earlier said junta officials should be invited to Asean meetings - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has seen divisions emerge between members over its diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar since the coup Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): India: Hindu groups continue to disrupt Muslim prayers in Gurgaon - For more than two months now, Hindu vigilantes have tried to stop the minority community from offering their prayers outside Indian capital. [far-right-news] [!]

Africa News (7/12/21): DRC court grants provisional release to former chief of staff [!]

The Irrawaddy (7/12/21): Ignoring Junta’s Request, UN Delays Myanmar Ambassador Replacement [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Indonesian court delivers victory for Indigenous rights in Papua - Judge in West Papua Province declines to reinstate permits for palm oil companies to exploit ancestral lands. [indigenous-news, capitalist-farce-news, court-news] [!]

The Guardian (7/12/21): CEO of US mortgage company fires 900 employees on a Zoom call – video [!]

The Irrawaddy (7/12/21): Five-year-old Girl Killed by Myanmar Junta Forces [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Basra explosion: Several killed as blast rocks Iraqi city - Iraqi military says a motorcycle rigged with explosives caused the blast which killed at least four people and wounded four others. [!]

The Irrawaddy (7/12/21): Three Myanmar Police Killed on Yangon-Mandalay Highway: Resistance [!]

Al-Monitor (7/12/21): Ex-ally drops bomb at Netanyahu trial - Nir Hefetz, who was a close associate of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed at his trial that the premier had endangered Israel’s security. [court-news, corruption-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Niger Delta residents protest against month-long oil spill - Locals take to the streets to demand action after the latest spill affecting fishing communities in southern Nigeria. [big-oil-news, protest-news] [!]

Africa News (7/12/21): Ethiopia: Govt says forces have retaken two more cities in the North from TPLF rebels [!]

Al-Monitor (7/12/21): Sudan's prime minister halts government appointments - Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok decides to cancel all appointments across governmental positions in the wake of the Oct. 25 incidents. [!]

South China Morning Post (7/12/21): Appeal court verdict looms for Malaysia’s Najib after failed bid to stall 1MDB-linked case - Malaysia’s Court of Appeal will decide whether to uphold a conviction against former PM Najib Razak, after dismissing an application to introduce new evidence - The eleventh-hour tactics employed by Najib’s defence team have raised eyebrows within Malaysia’s legal community, with some suggesting they were improper Important Note on SCMP [!]

NewsClick (7/12/21): Christians New Target of VHP, Bajrang Dal in Madhya Pradesh - Right-wing groups have either targeted missionary schools and churches or lodged FIRs against Christians in the last two months. [militant-far-right-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (7/12/21): Protecting Mosque, Palestinian Teen Killed, Prisoners Attacked, Tents Seized, House Stormed, Houses Demolished, Palestinians Arrested [!]

The Moscow Times (7/12/21): Gunman Kills 2 in Shooting at Moscow Government Building [!]

The Guardian (7/12/21): Dozens killed in fire at overcrowded Burundi prison - Inmate says police refused to open doors amid blaze that left 38 dead and 69 seriously hurt [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Egyptian court releases researcher Patrick Zaki - Zaki, who was arrested in Cairo in February 2020, will still have to face trial next year for ‘spreading fake news’. [court-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news] [!]

Africa News (7/12/21): Tunisia: Enahdha party protests 'defamation' campaign [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): Saudi-led coalition bombs Sanaa after Houthi attacks - The coalition conducts attacks in Yemen after Houthis launch ballistic missiles and drones into Saudi Arabia. [!]

Africa News (7/12/21): Jihadist-hit Niger urges crackdown on Libya arms traffic [!]

Telesur (7/12/21): Mexico: Firework Explosion Injures 30 Citizens In Puebla - Preliminary investigations indicate the explosion was due to an escape in a clandestine gunpowder workshop. Note about Telesur [!]

Al-Monitor (7/12/21): UAE switches to Saturday-Sunday weekend, shorter workweek - The move means the United Arab Emirates will share a weekend with the Americas, Europe, and much of Africa and Asia. Many Middle Eastern states retain the Islamic workweek. [!]

Al Jazeera (7/12/21): No sign of increased Qatari aid to Turkey after Erdogan visit - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed 15 agreements to boost economic ties. [economic-news] [!]

The Hill (7/12/21): Judge halts Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors nationwide [!]

Common Dreams (7/12/21): 'Unbreakable Solidarity': Kellogg's Workers Reject Contract That Would Leave New Employees Out of Benefits - "We're not willing to sell our souls for our future employees that are going to work side by side with us but not get the same pay or benefits." [!]

EFF (7/12/21): First Circuit Affirms School's Punishment of Students for Online Social Media Posts [!]

The Guardian (7/12/21): ‘A bit of hope’: Chile legalizes same-sex marriage - Vote seen as a blow to conservative presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, who won majority of votes in November’s first round [lgbtq-news, civil-rights-news] [!]

PNN (7/12/21): IOF demolition of Palestinian-owned structures reported in Bethlehem,Hebron & Jerusalem [!]

Left Voice (7/12/21): A TERF-Far Right Alliance Has Launched a New Transphobic Onslaught - In view of the increasing number of reactionary articles in the press and other public statements of that ilk, this article proposes a short guide to survival in transphobic territory — with a focus on Britain, the United States, and France [far-right-news, civil-rights-news, lgbtq-news] [!]

The Guardian (7/12/21): PM accused of lying after No 10 officials caught joking about Christmas party - Exchange between Ed Oldfield and Allegra Stratton took place last December days after alleged party took place [!]

Telesur (7/12/21): Peru's Left Puts Aside Differences, Shows Support for Castillo - Peru is currently living a crucial moment as the legislature of the Andean country will decide on Tuesday whether to open a debate on a motion of vacancy (impeachment) against leftist president Pedro Castillo, who took office a little more than four months ago. [politics-news, leftist-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Workers Today (7/11/21): Communist Party of Burma is getting ready for the People's War against the illegal junta government ([Propaganda Outlet] via Popular Front) [!]

France 24 (3/12/21): Five arrested in Finland over far-right terror plot [militant-far-right-news] [!]

Democracy Now (7/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Biden Meets Putin as Russian Troops Mass on Ukraine Border [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Just Security (7/12/21): Early Edition:

U.S. diplomats are to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. [us-policy-news]
Biden will make clear to Putin that there would be “very real costs” should Russia take military action against Ukraine, a senior administration official has said. “The official said that the U.S. believes Russia is putting in place the capacity to engage in military action but is unclear whether Putin has decided to carry out the plans,” Shannon Pettypiece reports for NBC News. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
Officials and experts are saying that there are several indicators fueling concerns that the Russian troops near the Ukrainian border may this time be a genuine indicator of Russian intentions to take military action against Ukraine. “Putin has deployed more than 90,000 troops along Russia’s border with Ukraine, matching the force that he sent and withdrew in the spring. But whereas those troops maneuvered in open daylight, now they have mostly been far less showy, moving under the cover of darkness. And Moscow’s rhetoric has noticeably hardened in recent months, saying it will not accept what it sees as a deepening of ties between Ukraine and the West,” Matthew Bodner, Dan De Luce and Alexander Smith report for NBC News. [russia-policy-news]
Israel carried out an airstrike on the Syrian port of Latakia today, causing a fire in a container storage area, Syrian state media has reported. “A Syrian military source told Sana news agency that warplanes flying over the Mediterranean Sea fired several missiles at the port’s container yard overnight. No casualties were reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said the target was an Iranian weapons shipment. Israel’s military has not commented,” BBC News reports.
A U.S. airstrike targeting an al-Qaida leader in northern Syria wounded a family of six, including a 10-year-old child who suffered serious head injuries. The U.S. drone targeted a man on a motorcycle who Ahmad Qassim was trying to overtake in the car he was driving with his wife and four children. The U.S. military has said that it conducted a strike from a remotely piloted MQ-9 aircraft Friday near the city of Idlib targeting “a senior al-Qaeda leader and planner.” An initial review of this strike indicated the potential for possible civilian casualties, which “was immediately self-reported to U.S. Central Command,” a spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the military is “initiating a full investigation of the allegations and will release the results when appropriate.” Bassem Mroue reports for AP. [us-policy-news]
The U.K. Foreign Office’s handling of the evacuation from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized Kabul was dysfunctional and chaotic, a whistleblower has said. “Raphael Marshall said the process of choosing who could get a flight out was arbitrary and thousands of emails with pleas for help went unread. The then Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was slow to make decisions, he added,” James Landale and Joseph Lee report for BBC News.
Republican senators have introduced legislation which aims to disrupt the Palestinian Authority’s policy of paying a salary to families of alleged Palestinian terrorists who are killed or imprisoned by Israeli forces, so-called “martyr payments.” [us-policy-news]
Three more hostages from a group of 17 Canadian and American missionaries and their children kidnapped in Haiti have been released, the American Christian charity they were with have said. The latest releases bring the total number of people freed to five. The organization did not provide the names or ages of those released, or the circumstances of their release, including whether a ransom had been paid. Oscar Lopez and Maria Abi-Habib report for the New York Times.
A Russian government-linked hacking group which was behind the SolarWinds hack has only intensified its hacking efforts in the year since, research by cybersecurity group Mandiant has found [cyber-security-news]
Microsoft has announced that a federal court has granted a request to allow Microsoft to seize websites being used by a Chinese-based hacking group that is targeting organizations in the U.S. and 28 other nations. “The hacking group, which Microsoft has dubbed ‘Nickel,’ was observed to be targeting think tanks, human rights organizations, government agencies and diplomatic organizations for intelligence gathering purposes,” Maggie Miller reports for The Hill. [cyber-security-news]
Myanmar’s deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces two years in jail after her four-year sentence on charges of incitement and breaking Covid-19 rules, issued yesterday, was halved by the country’s military, state media has reported. Helen Regan reports for CNN. The idea being to make it look like the military is being magnanimous... obviously though they are awful
Indian and Russian officials rejected U.S. pressure to downgrade their close defense ties yesterday, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in New Delhi and agreed to extend military technical cooperation for another decade. At the summit, “both sides said they were proceeding with delivery of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia to India despite the threat of U.S. sanctions on India. Agreements signed also included a contract for a joint venture in India to manufacture more than 600,000 Russian-designed AK-203 assault rifles, which will replace the INSAS model used by the Indian military for three decades,” Rajesh Roy, Jeremy Page and Ann M. Simmons report for the Wall Street Journal. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Biden Meets Putin as Russian Troops Mass on Ukraine Border [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Posted 7 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log:Updated Horn of Africa (geopolitics) - all about the GERD (and illegal politics + human rights violations) + regional cold wars:; Updated Civil War in Ethiopia; Updated Elections and Protest in America's Nearby Enemies

The Guardian (6/12/21): Rohingya sue Facebook for £150bn over Myanmar genocide - Victims in US and UK legal action accuse social media firm of failing to prevent incitement of violence [big-tech-news, social-woes-news]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): Tunisia’s UGTT union calls for early polls in absence of plan - The trade union expresses concern for the country’s democratic gains as President Kais Saied has failed to announce a political plan. [union-news, labor-news]

Financial Times (5/12/21): Elon Musk being allowed to ‘make the rules’ in space, ESA chief warns -Billionaire’s thousands of satellites risk crowding other operators out of low earth orbits [capitalist-farce-news, big-tech-news] Paywall Summary (?): Pretty much the title; Musk is currently sending about 100 satellites each month, with nearly 2,00 in low earth orbit (LEO), and monopolizing the desirable orbital planes, effectively "creating a Musk sovereignty in space". The concern is that a totally de-regulated space will lead to too many satellites in LEO, which could lead to collisions and catastrophic amounts of debris. Musk currently owns about half of satellites in the world. Starlink is currently approved for 30k satellites by US regulators, and Germany has recently applied for Starlink to be approved for another 40k satellites. Europe is concerned this will limit their capacity, and sees this as the United States trying to take up space.

The Irrawaddy (6/12/21): Female Journalist Seriously Injured After Myanmar Regime Forces Drive Truck into Protest [!]

The Irrawaddy (6/12/21): Protester Narrowly Escapes Myanmar Junta Bullets [!]

The Irrawaddy (6/12/21): Myanmar Junta Sparks Outrage by Ramming Peaceful Protesters [protest-news] [!]

The Irrawaddy (6/12/21): Resistance Groups Attack Myanmar Junta After Yangon Protest Killings [!]

Democracy Now (6/12/21): Daily Headlines:

More Protests Erupt as European Countries Tighten Vaccine Mandates [protest-news, covid-news]
In Jordan, a court sentenced five senior health officials to three years in prison Sunday, over the deaths of 10 COVID patients after a state hospital experienced an oxygen shortage in March. The deaths triggered anti-government protests across Jordan.
15 Dead, Dozens Missing as Indonesian Volcano Erupts
Funerals Held for 15 Civilians Killed by Security Forces in India’s Nagaland State
Pope Francis Voices Support for Refugees in Trip to Greek Island of Lesbos [immigrant-news]
South African Activists, Community Members Protest Shell Oil Exploration on Pristine Coastline [protest-news, big-oil-news]
1,000s Take to Streets in Serbia to Oppose Gov’t Deal For Rio Tinto Lithium Mine [protest-news, privatization-news, capitalist-farce-news] I believe there is also a Chinese mining company involved
Israeli Forces Kill West Bank Palestinian Teen, After Fatal Shooting of Palestinian in Jerusalem

Just Security (6/12/21): Early Edition:

U.S. intelligence has found that the Kremlin is planning a multi-front offensive into Ukraine, involving up to 175,000 troops, as soon as early next year, according to U.S. officials and an intelligence document obtained by The Washington Post. “The Russian plans call for a military offensive against Ukraine as soon as early 2022 with a scale of forces twice what we saw this past spring during Russia’s snap exercise near Ukraine’s borders,” said an administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Shane Harris and Paul Sonne report for the Washington Post. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Ukraine has denied accusations from Belarus that a Ukrainian military helicopter flew about 0.6 miles into its territory on Saturday.
A court in Myanmar has sentenced ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years on charges of inciting public unrest and breaching Covid-19 protocols. The sentence is the first in a series of rulings that Suu Kyi is facing that together entail a possible maximum imprisonment of 102 years on a total of 11 charges. “This ridiculous ruling is a travesty of justice,” Charles Santiago, a Malaysian legislator and chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Parliamentarians for Human Rights, said in a statement. Sui-Lee Wee reports for the New York Times.
At least three people are feared dead after an army vehicle plowed into a peaceful march by anti-government protestors in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, witnesses have said. Yesterday’s march was one of at least three held in Yangon, and similar rallies were reported in other parts of the country a day ahead of the expected verdict against Suu Kyi. Grant Peck reports for AP.
Classified U.S. intelligence reports are suggesting that China intends to establish its first permanent military presence on the Atlantic Ocean in the tiny Central African country of Equatorial Guinea, raising the prospect that Chinese warships would be able to rearm and refit opposite the U.S. East Coast. Officials at the White House and the Pentagon, including Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, have urged Equatorial Guinea to rebuff Beijing’s overtures, according to U.S. officials. Michael M. Phillips reports for the Wall Street Journal. [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]
The governing body of tennis, the International Tennis Federation, has not followed the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in suspending tournaments in China because it “does not want to punish a billion people.” The WTA has halted tournaments in China because of continued concern for Chinese player Peng Shuai, who accused a top Chinese government official of sexual assault. BBC Sport reports.
Afghanistan is on the brink of a mass starvation as the humanitarian situation worsens in the country, four months after the Taliban took control. An estimated 22.8 million people in Afghanistan — more than half the country’s population — are expected to face potentially life-threatening food insecurity this winter. Christina Goldbaum reports for the New York Times. [social-woes-news]
Russia and India are expected to reinforce their defense ties this week during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India. The summit today in Delhi between Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also “comes as the U.S. considers whether to impose sanctions on India over its purchase from Russia of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, delivery of which is now under way,” Jeremy Page and Rajesh Roy and Ann M. Simmons report for the Wall Street Journal. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
Powerful associations and relatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have developed a multibillion-dollar operation making and selling captagon, an illegal, addictive amphetamine. A New York Times investigation has found that much of the production and distribution, which has turned Syria into the world’s newest narcostate, is overseen by the Fourth Armored Division of the Syrian Army, an elite unit commanded by Maher al-Assad, the president’s younger brother. Major players also include businessmen with close ties to the government, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and other members of President al-Assad’s extended family. Ben Hubbard and Hwaida Saad report for the New York Times. [drug-news]
Violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces erupted on the weekend, after a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli border police after he stabbed an Israeli man in the Old City of Jerusalem on Saturday afternoon, according to Israeli police reports. Shira Rubin reports for the Washington Post.
The national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has made a rare trip to meet his Iranian counterpart and Iran’s hard-line president in Tehran today. The UAE has long viewed the Islamic Republic in Iran as its main regional threat, and the rare visit comes as the UAE and Saudi Arabia are both negotiating with Iran amid efforts in Vienna to save the 2015 nuclear deal. Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell report for AP.
Extremist gunmen have attacked a military camp in Niger near its southeastern border with Burkina Faso, killing at least 12 soldiers, Niger’s interior ministry said yesterday. Dalatou Maman reports for AP.
A mob killing of a Sri Lankan man accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has sparked protests in both Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Priyantha Diyawadanage, 48, a factory manager in the city of Sialkot, was beaten to death on Friday and his body set alight. More than 100 people have been arrested so far, said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who condemned the vigilante violence and described the incident as a “day of shame” for his country. BBC News reports.
Gambian President Adama Barrow has easily won re-election, Gambian authorities have said, in the first vote for decades held without long-term leader Yahya Jammeh. In Gambia’s last election, Barrow defeated Jammeh, who was forced into exile after refusing to accept the result. BBC News reports. [electoral-news]

Al-Monitor (6/12/21): Turkish opposition leader barred from data center as mistrust in data grows - Turkey’s official inflation figures have fueled tensions between the government and the opposition amid growing doubts over the credibility of the data. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, economic-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): India says deliveries of Russian S-400 defence system have begun - New Delhi says it has started receiving parts of missile defence system in a deal that prompted threats of US sanctions. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news] [!]

The Guardian (6/12/21): Spain’s former king seeks immunity over claim he used spy agency to threaten ex-lover - Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein claims Juan Carlos directed campaign of harassment after affair ended [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): US slaps sanctions on DRC national over Gertler ties - DRC national Alain Mukonda is accused by the US Treasury of opening bank accounts for Dan Gertler and making payments into proxy bank accounts for him and a close associate of his. [us-policy-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (6/12/21): Demolish own house, Hunger strikers, House raided, Activist released, Murderers praised, Palestinians kidnapped, Fishermen attacked [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Israel delays major settlement plan for occupied East Jerusalem - A Jerusalem district planning and building committee decides against the proposal, citing the need for an environmental study. [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Yemen replaces central bank governor, deputy amid currency crash - Yemen is split between an internationally recognised government in the south, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iran-aligned Houthi movement that controls most of the north. Each side has a central bank with opposing policies. [economic-news] [!]

Al-Monitor (6/12/21): Saudi Arabia intercepts ballistic missile over Riyadh - Yemen’s war is heating up again with new Saudi airstrikes in Sanaa, Marib and Hodeida. [!]

Telesur (6/12/21): Argentina Approves Russian Single-Dose Vaccine Sputnik Light - Russian authorities said that Argentina had approved Sputnik Light as a "stand-alone vaccine and booster dose" against COVID-19. [covid-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Liberation News (6/12/21): Korean workers struggle for democracy: Eyewitness report from a PSL delegate to the People’s Democracy Party [!]

Wall Street Journal (5/12/21): Venezuela’s U.S.-Backed Opposition Movement in Danger of Breaking Up - Major faction in coalition led by Juan Guaidó withdraws and calls for new leadership after failure to unseat strongman Nicolás Maduro Paywall Summary (?): Julio Borges (leader of the center-right Justice First party), in exile in Colombia, called for an end to Guaidó's leadership of a movement that "calls itself an interim government, complete with a bureaucracy and diplomats"; he is also resigning as Guaidó's chief foreign diplomat, and says the interim government has to go, arguing that it has lost legitimacy with Venezuelans, "an assertion backed by polling". The interim government is mired, he argues, in allegations it mishandled billions of dollars ($10bn+) in Venezuelan state assets in the US and Colombia after Guaidó was deemed the legitimate ruler. WSJ reports that Guaidó currently polls at around 15%, tying him with Maduro, although this is in the wake of landslide electoral victory's for Maduro's party last month. The interim govt is supposed to protect the $10bn+ assets from both Maduro and creditors trying to recoup funds from the Caracas (Maduro) govt, assets including Citgo, Mono\acutem eros Colombo Venezolanos SA (a fertilizer plant in Colombia), and $1bn+ in gold in the Bank of England. Opposition lawmakers have reported attempts by Guaidó's party to loot the fertilizer plant company for personal gain. This all comes as Guaidó's term ends on January 5th, which is what nominally legitimates him as Venezuela's president (over Maduro). The West says it will continue to recognize him as such, but these developments may alter that course.

Wall Street Journal (22/11/21): Venezuela’s Ruling Party Sweeps Local and Regional Elections - The opposition participated for the first time since 2017, but Maduro’s party won all but three of 23 state governorships Paywall Summary (?): WSJ notes that the opposition won a third of the 335 mayoral races, as well as governorship of the oil-rich Zulia state. The opposition's nominal position is that they knew they'd lose the election, but this is about taking baby-steps towards future elections that are More free and fair", based negotiations in Mexico, and with lifting US sanctions as leverage. Juan Guadó, recognized b the West as the rightful president, "acknowledged a new reality for the opposition", who said the opposition needs to unite in spite of fractures, engage in talks in Mexico with Maduro's aides, and "shoot for the next presidential elections", and acknowledged that democratic openings in the future would require progressively lifting sanctions. WSJ doesn't report any systemic fraud (although does not a notable irregularity regarding violence at one polling station, and opposition reports that polling stations stayed open too long), but instead argues that the elections were problematic due to controlled access to the press and of the National Electoral Council. They also report that polls show opposition has weak popular support. Further, Guaidó's term as head of congress expires on January 5th, which is the role which the US argues legitimizes him as president of Venezuela, highlighting the need in the opposition for new leadership (although the US says it will still recognize him into the future).

The Majority Report (5/12/21): Travel Restrictions Punishing South Africa For Doing The Right Thing [covid-news]

Africa News (6/12/21): Angolan opposition re-elect Adalberto Costa Junior as leader

Bellingcat (6/12/21): Unravelling the Killing of Colombian Protester Lucas Villa [!]

NewsClick (6/12/21): TN: Dismayed Transport Workers to Intensify Protest Seeking Wage Talks - The CITU has decided to step up the workers’ struggle seeking the commencement of the 14th wage talks, which have been pending since September 2019 [labor-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Former Colombia FARC leader killed in Venezuela: Local media - Hernan Dario Velasquez was a negotiator in 2016 peace agreement, but announced three years later he had rearmed. [!]

Al-Monitor (6/12/21): Israeli left opposes Omicron phone tracking - After being criticized by human rights groups, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz has stopped the Shin Bet's tracking of Omicron-infected Israelis. [covid-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, leftist-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Sudan police fire tear gas as thousands protest against military - Demonstrators in different locations across Khartoum and other cities voice their rejection of the military deal reached last month. [protest-news] [!]

The Guardian (6/12/21): Investigation launched into brawl at French far-right rally - Dozens detained after protesters attacked at campaign rally for presidential candidate Éric Zemmour [far-right-news, protest-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Three more hostages released in Haiti, US missionary group says - The 400 Mawozo gang still holds 12 hostages, including children, kidnapped in October and is seeking ransom payments. [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Zimbabwe court drops case against investigative journalist - A high court drops two charges against Hopewell Chin’ono, but the reporter still faces trial over a tweet. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, court-news] [!]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (6/12/21): Mine deaths in South Africa rise for second consecutive year - Worker safety continues to deteriorate in South Africa’s mines. [labor-news, industrial-failure-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (6/12/21): Ethiopian forces recapture two key towns from rebels, gov’t says - Ethiopia’s government says it has recaptured the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha from Tigrayan rebels. [!]

The Guardian (6/12/21): Two Met police officers jailed over photos of murdered sisters - Deniz Jaffer and Jamie Lewis sentenced to two years and nine months for taking and sharing photos of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] [!]

PALESTINOW (4/12/21): Palestinian shot dead, Palestinians shot at, Stables demolished, Electricity and water network destroyed, Journalist attacked, Palestinians arrested, Palestinians injured [!]

South China Morning Post (5/12/21): Thailand seizes US$88 million of crystal meth bound for Taiwan - The drug was seized by customs officials late on Friday, hidden in powder form inside 161 white silicon slabs in packages destined for Taiwan - Thai Customs Director-General Patchara Anuntasil said Thai and Taiwanese authorities were both investigating [drug-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

PNN (4/12/21): Israeli forces kill wounded Palestinian man at point-blank after stabbing incident [!]

Vox (4/12/21): Israeli spyware was used against US diplomats in Uganda - A hack targeting US officials is just the latest problem for NSO Group, the Israeli company behind Pegasus spyware. [cyber-security-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news] [!]

WSWS (5/12/21): Workers’ anger mounts at trade union sell-outs of strikes across Spain [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS [!]

South China Morning Post (5/12/21): Indian villagers protest, set fire to army vehicles after troops mistakenly kill 14 civilians - Nagaland state’s top elected official Neiphiu Rio ordered an investigation probe into the killings after Indian forces mistook a group of labourers for militants - Locals in Nagaland have frequently accused forces of wrongly targeting innocent locals in their counter-insurgency operations against rebel groups [protest-news] Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): ‘Humans are for the grave’: Karen face Myanmar military violence - After post-coup protests this year, the Tatmadaw carried out air raids in Karen State. As some rebuild their homes in the jungle, others join a wider call for resistance. [!]

The Guardian (5/12/21): UK takes part in huge French naval exercise to counter ‘emerging threats’ - France’s top naval commander cites ‘rapid rearmament’ of China and Russia as danger to maritime security [!]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): Gambian President Barrow on course for big win: Early results - Partial results from most districts show incumbent president well ahead of his main competitor Ousainou Darboe. [electoral-news] [!]

New York Times (5/12/21): Anger Spreads in Northeastern India After Security Forces Kill 14 Civilians - Eight mine workers were shot in a mistaken ambush by soldiers seeking insurgents, and six protesters died later in clashes with government forces, stoking fears of further violence in the restive region [!]

Jacobin (5/12/21): How Greece’s Brutal Anti-Migrant Policies Became a Model for Britain - From criminalizing aid workers to barbed-wire prisons and pushbacks at sea, Greece's right-wing government is waging a war on migrants — and providing a model that Britain's Tory government is keen to follow. [immigrant-news, analysis-news, social-woes-news] [!]

PNN (5/12/21): Palestinian prisoner Kayed al-Fasfous set free after 131 days of hunger strike [!]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): Nagaland: Violence after India forces ‘mistakenly’ kill civilians - A protester killed in fresh violence in Mon district a day after 13 civilians were allegedly killed by security forces in Nagaland state. [!]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): Tribal violence kills 24 in Sudan’s Darfur: Aid group - Deadly attack is the latest escalation of inter-communal violence to rock the conflict-stricken region. [!]

The Guardian (5/12/21): Far-right French presidential candidate put in headlock by protester at rally - Éric Zemmour formally declared his candidacy on Tuesday, highlighting his anti-migrant and anti-Islam views [far-right-news, protest-news] [!]

Al Jazeera (5/12/21): French far-right candidate Zemmour’s rally marred by fighting - Chairs were thrown at left-wing activists who stood up in ‘No to Racism’ t-shirts during Eric Zemmour’s campaign speech. [far-right-news, protest-news] [!]

The Guardian (5/12/21): Belgian police fire water cannon at anti-lockdown protests - Two officers and four protesters hospitalised, and 20 people arrested, after clashes in Brussels [protest-news, covid-news] [!]

Africa News (4/12/21): DRC: Pres. Tshisekedi replaces board of directors at leading mining agency [!]

Jacobin (4/12/21): The Red-Green Alliance Won Copenhagen’s Election by Fighting for Affordable Housing - The left-wing Red-Green Alliance won November’s elections in Copenhagen with a tightly focused campaign on making housing affordable again, handing the city's Social Democrats their first defeat in over a century. [interview-news, leftist-news, electoral-news] [!]

NewsClick (4/12/21): Union Fears Air India Employees Will Suffer Hardship, Loss After Disinvestment - Madras HC has issued notices to the major stakeholders in the Air India disinvestment process after Air Corporation Employees Union filed a writ petition to restrain the Centre from proceeding further. [labor-news, privatization-news] [!]

South China Morning Post (4/12/21): Pakistan arrests dozens for killing Sri Lankan factory manager accused of blasphemy - The factory manager was beaten to death and set alight by a mob of up to 900 people in Punjab province on Friday - Prime Minister Imran Khan called it a ‘day of shame for Pakistan’ while Sri Lankan officials expressed shock and called for the punishment of those involved Important Note on SCMP [!]

Al Jazeera (4/12/21): Aid cut-off may kill more Afghans than war - Urgent action is needed by the international community to prevent catastrophic hunger in Afghanistan. [!]

Al Jazeera (4/12/21): Israeli wounded in East Jerusalem stabbing, assailant killed - Surveillance video shows attacker stabbing Jewish man and then trying to knife Israeli police in the occupied city. [!]

Al-Monitor (1/12/21): How Mosul’s liberators became occupiers - Civilians in the Iraqi city of Mosul complain about the power of the militias who freed them from the clutches of the Islamic terror group IS, but turned to occupier later on [!]

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Young but Determined Female Medics in Myanmar Junta Jail [!]

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Myanmar Junta Charges Two Leading Medics With Corruption [!]

Telesur (6/12/21): 'Bolsonaro Never Again!' Thousands of Brazilians Shout Out - “We see that black women, women from poor neighborhoods, and Indigenous women are the ones who have been most affected… this government must be stopped," a gender activist stressed. [protest-news] Note about Telesur [!]

Telesur (6/12/21): Free Peru Party Won't Support Impeachment Against Castillo - "Our party has disagreements with President Castillo. However, we will not support a coup d'état attempt against him," Free Peru Secretary said. Note about Telesur

Telesur (4/12/21): Colombia: Activists Ask Reopening of Forced Disappearance Cases - A recent report exposed 8,288 victims of forced disappearance in the Meta, Guaviare, and Casanare departments between 1958 and 2016. Note about Telesur [!]

Telesur (4/12/21): Ecuador: Indigenous People Decry Lack of Response to Reforms - Deadlines for final negotiations on several social reforms have been fulfilled; however, President Guillermo Lasso has not given signs of further meetings. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

The Guardian (4/12/21): Mali: militants fire on bus, killing at least 31 people - Insurgents shoot villagers going to a market on the same day UN peacekeeping convoy attacked, killing one person [!]

The Guardian (4/12/21): Kenya: more than 20 drown as bus is swept away in flooded river - Vehicle travelling to wedding keels over and sinks in fast-flowing waters in Kitui County

Common Dreams (2/12/21): New Report Urges Biden to Stop Arms Sales Fueling Saudi 'Devastation' of Yemen - "It's time for the Biden administration to cut off this support as a way to change Saudi conduct and relieve the suffering of the Yemeni people caused by Saudi actions." [us-policy-news] [!]

Left Voice (3/12/21): French Hospital Worker Makes the Call to Nationalize Healthcare under the Control of Workers - Speaking at a November 24 campaign rally for Anasse Kazib, the revolutionary rail worker running for president of France, a hospital laundry worker and local trade union leader makes a compelling case for nationalizing healthcare under the control of the workers who provide the actual care and services in hospitals, clinics, and elsewhere. [healthcare-news, labor-news] [!]

The Guardian (4/12/21): New city, old schism: Hindu groups target Gurgaon’s Muslim prayer sites - The dwindling number of places available for the metropolis’s Muslims are becoming religious battlefields [!]

Telesur (2/12/21): Colombia: Piedad Cordoba Decries Persecution Towards Opposition - The social activist presented the grave human rights violations against Colombia's diverse array of political opponents. Note about Telesur [!]

The Intercept (1/12/21): Marco Rubio Met With Far-Right Chilean Candidate Tied to Military Dictatorship - José Antonio Kast’s father was in the Nazi army. Kast often speaks fondly of Chile’s former dictator Augusto Pinochet. [us-policy-news, far-right-news] [!]

Workers World (1/12/21): On Ethiopia: ‘I’ve lost faith in everything “American”’

Financial Times (1/12/21): Afghanistan economic meltdown one of worst in history, UN says - Humanitarian catastrophe exacerbated by cash and liquidity crisis since Taliban takeover [economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): The UN forecasts a GDP contraction of 20%, one of the worst in history. This is in the wake of COVID, droughts, and of course, the Taliban take over, which is itself hampering the economy by preventing nearly half of the population (women) from working (costing an estimated $1bn, or 5%, of GDP). The economy relies on foreign aid, and state assets have been frozen by the West following the Taliban takeover; the result is an inability to pay workers and even keep hopsitals open, with 39m rquiring food asssistance and a quarter facing emergency food situations. An analyst notes that unlike comparable meltdowns in Lebanon and Venezuela, there is no economic backstop here - the former has some funds coming in from remittances and the latter has funds from oil. "Afghanistan is almost in a class by itself". A professor argued that even if all assets were now unfrozen and humanitarian aid even tripled, it wouldn't be enough to avoid the crisis that's coming.

Posted 4 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: ADDED: COVID, Corruption, and the Far-Right in Austria; Updated Horn of Africa - all about the GERD (and illegal politics + human rights violations) + regional cold wars:; Updated Sudanese political and protest crisis; Updated GERD Tensions, Sudan-Ethiopia Tensions Over Border Farmland and GERD hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile

Financial Times (26/11/21): Turkish anger grows as Erdogan’s ‘economic war’ hits cost of living - Public patience with president’s policy wears thin as prices soar and ruling party MP suggests people should eat less [social-woes-news, economic-news, leftist-news] Paywall Summary (?): Some in the opposition believe this isn't just stupidity, but a calculated move to, as Erdogan himself put it, develop a competitive exchange rate as a way to opne up "strong investment, production, and employment", an appalling calculus given the nation's dependence on imports, which means a devalued lira leads to increased cost of living. There is speculation that the ruling AKP and MHP alliance might collapse (or if defections from the AKP itself induce collapse) before the 2023 elections. Small protests have begun to emerge, some organized by the Turkish Communist party. The opposition is concerned Erdogan may screw with, delay, or even cancel the 2023 elections.

Financial Times (29/11/21): Union accuses H&M of violating own policies in warehouse dispute - FNV says refusal to engage migrant workers breaches retailer’s supply chain commitments [labor-news, capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): Pertaining to labor violations against migrant workers (largely from Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Spain, and Lithuania) at a warehouse in Tilburg, run by the US-listed GXO Logistics. They filed a petition for their rights against GXO, and the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) said the warehouse management refused to accept this, and GXO has told H&M (which says it supports workers right to freedom of association) only on some terms will it accept it. GXO says it allows workers to voice concerns through Works Councils, although FNV says these do not meet H&M's freedom of association requirements (to associate with any trade union). My view: This is quite reminiscent to me of Amazon, for example, sub-contracting labor to different sub-companies as a way to contain and manage labor issues... terrible but not surprising

Financial Times (22/11/21): KKR makes €33bn buyout offer for Telecom Italia - Deal would be among biggest private equity purchases of a European telecoms group [media-news] Paywall Summary (?): The company (Telecom Italia) has up-til-now been subject to a "tug of war" for control between French Vivendi and the US activist fund Elliott Management; Vivendi has signalled it will not sell its 24% stake. The company is considered politically important (especially given its primary network, or its Sparkle high-density cables), and the Italian government can block takeovers or asset sales, if not in national interest. KKR has been active in European telecoms, such as in Spain (MasMovil) and the UK (Hyperoptic), and was recently rejected in the Netherlands (KPN), and is part of a trend of private equity takeovers of European telecoms, usually involving breaking up the business to separate the network and consumer aspects of such businesses/services. My take: sounds bad!

The Economist (4/12/21): China says it is more democratic than America - Western dysfunction tempts the Communist Party to make risky boasts

The Economist (4/12/21): The quest for respectability—and votes—has transformed Sinn Fein - It is on course to be the biggest party on both sides of the Irish border

The Guardian (2/12/21): El Salvador ‘responsible for death of woman jailed after miscarriage’ - Inter-American court of human rights orders Central American country to reform harsh policies on reproductive health

Telesur (3/12/21): Peruvian TV Reports Possible Audio Leaks Against Pedro Castillo - America TV announced for this Sunday a new report on Castillo, which shows images of the exterior of the president's house, taken at night with an infrared camera, and a voice asking for support for Castillo's presidency. Note about Telesur

Telesur (3/12/21): Historic China-Laos Railway Commences Operations - The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, started operation on Friday. [bri-news] Note about Telesur

Common Dreams (2/12/21): High Court Delivers 'Victory' for Rights of Nature Movement in Ecuador - "This is a good day for the species and fragile ecosystems of Ecuador." [court-news]

PALESTINOW (2/12/21): Seized land, Demolish own house, Material confiscated, Palestinians arrested, Al-Bireh raided, Harassment

CPJ (2/12/21): Iraqi police arrest Al-Ahd TV reporter Hamid Majed after luring him to police station [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Ars Technica (2/12/21): [Federal] Judge tears apart Texas social media law for violating First Amendment - Ruling blocks law that would force social networks to carry objectionable content [far-right-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, gop-shenanigans-news]

Law and Crime (2/12/21): Ex-Ohio Deputy Charged with Murdering Man in Doorway of Home Is Also Accused in Civil Suit of Finding ‘Happiness in Exercising Force’

Al-Monitor (3/12/21): Oil workers killed in Islamic State attack in Syria - Syrian state media said IS fighters ambushed buses carrying the employees in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province

Payday Report (2/12/21): Daily Highlights:

In Huntington, West Virginia, 900 SEIU members have agreed today to end a month-long strike at Cabell Huntington Hospital. SEIU lauded the tentative agreement as a victory.; SEIU did concede they accepted many concessions to settle the strike.
The strike may expand in early December to a nearby Special Metals facility where 85 steelworkers are employed. Payday has plans to head back down in mid-December to check on the strike as Christmas approaches.
For more than two years, workers at Buzzfeed have been unable to win a first union contract at Buzzfeed. Now with Buzzfeed going public on the stock market, workers are concerned there’ll be even fewer reasons for the company to settle. - Wanting to pressure the company, the workers went on strike today. - “We’ve been bargaining our contract for almost 2 years, but BuzzFeed won’t budge on critical issues like wages — all while preparing to go public and make executives even richer, So TODAY, we’re walking out to send a reminder that there’s no BuzzFeed News without us,” tweeted @bfnewsunion on Twitter.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Strike Ends After 10 Days and Return to Bargaining Table
In Seattle, 100 concrete truck drivers have been on strike for more than two weeks and are upset the company hasn’t come back to the table with a bargaining offer since they’ve gone on strike.
1,400 Kellogg’s workers, who have been on strike for two months, have reached a tentative agreement that could potentially end their strike.

CPJ (2/12/21): Sri Lanka army soldiers attack Tamil journalist covering commemoration for civil war dead [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (3/12/21): Islamic State carries out another attack on Iraqi Kurdish forces - The Islamic State has attacked the security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan in recent days.

WSWS (3/12/21): New Zealand rail union enters talks ahead of national strike [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

WSWS (3/12/21): Sri Lankan public sector workers hold nationwide protests to demand higher wages [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

The Moscow Times (3/12/21): Gazprom Gains Control of Russia’s Top Social Network - VK's CEO has also resigned as part of sweeping changes that boost Kremlin's control of VKontakte

The Elephant (3/12/21): China and Africa’s Debt Crisis - Ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Tim Zajontz looks at the immense amounts of debt African governments owe Chinese lenders. This debt is central to capitalist accumulation and financial extraction from the African continent. Zajontz argues that Chinese capital is now pivotal to the global circuit of capital and China, just like other creditors, uses debt for the conquest of Africa and its resources. [bri-news, china-policy-news]

NewsClick (3/12/21): West Bengal: Construction Workers Hold Protest Rallies Across State During 2-Day Strike - Workers demand strengthening of welfare boards, no tinkering with cess and are opposed to merger of the Act concerned with the labour codes [labor-news]

The Moscow Times (3/12/21): Russia Briefly Bans Etsy Over Knockoff Designer Goods – Kommersant [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Irrawaddy (3/12/21): Myanmar Junta Killed Around 100 Children Since Coup: NUG - At least 89 women have been killed by regime forces, the NUG’s ministry reported this week.

Africa News (3/12/21): Tunisia: President Saied changes revolution commemoration date to December 17

Al-Monitor (3/12/21): Sudan-Ethiopia border dispute deepens internal chaos for both - The Ethiopia-Sudan border conflict has hit the headlines once again, with their armed forces renewing bloody clashes at a time when the two countries are going through unprecedented internal turmoil

Al Jazeera (2/12/21): Hun Sen, Cambodian leader for 36 years, backs son to succeed him - Prime minister says he supports his 44-year-old son Hun Manet to take over leadership through an election [corruption-news]

Al Jazeera (2/12/21): Austrian Chancellor Schallenberg says he will step down - The chancellor announces resignation less than two months after taking office from his scandal-plagued predecessor, Sebastian Kurz

Al Jazeera (2/12/21): Libyan court reinstates Saif Gaddafi as presidential candidate - A court in Sebha overturns the electoral commission’s decision to nullify Saif al-Islam’s candidacy for December polls

Al Jazeera (2/12/21): Son of Panama’s ex-president pleads guilty in US corruption case - Luis Enrique Martinelli pleaded guilty to money laundering in scheme involving Brazil conglomerate Odebrecht [corruption-news]

The Guardian (2/12/21): Labour’s main union backer says it will cut political funding - Exclusive: Sharon Graham, Unite’s boss, believes money would be better spent on union campaigns [labor-news, union-news]

Al Jazeera (3/12/21): Immigration hardliner Nehammer to take over as Austrian leader - Ruling conservative People’s Party nominates interior minister to succeed Alexander Schallenberg as chancellor after two-month stint

Al-Monitor (3/12/21): Lebanon's information minister resigns amid Gulf row - George Kordahi's resignation comes a day before French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia

Africa News (3/12/21): Ethiopia shuts schools to aid harvest of fighters' crop fields - Reports

Al Jazeera (3/12/21): Taliban bans forced marriage of women in Afghanistan - Taliban chief in a decree says women should not be considered ‘property’ and must consent to marriage

PALESTINOW (3/12/21): Torture, Hunger striker, Wall demolished, Discrimination, Palestinian injured, Peace activist kidnapped, Girl like father in prison, Money laundering crimes, Houses attacked

Peoples Dispatch (1/12/21): Over 1.5 million Bolivians march in defense of democracy and President Arce’s government - President Luis Arce thanked Bolivian citizens for their overwhelming support, and promised to continue working to rebuild the country and the economy with the people [labor-news, union-news, indigenous-news]

Al-Monitor (4/12/21): UAE signs $19 billion fighter jet deal with France - The sale of Dassault Rafale jets and Caracal helicopters marks Paris' largest foreign military sale to date

Al-Monitor (4/12/21): Turkish police arrest alleged members of far-left organization - Lawyers have accused Turkish authorities of unjustly detaining people for alleged Revolutionary Peoples’ Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) links [lefist-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Telesur (2/12/21):Brazil: House Approves Creation of a Family Support Program - The Creation of a family support program (Auxilio Brasil) was approved by the Chamber of Lawmakers and already has expansion plans. This proposal offers the possibility of helping 20 million families. [legislation-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (2/12/21): Zimbabwean Businesses Bear Brunt Of West-Imposed Sanctions - The UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan also highlighted the negative effects of the U.S.-led sanctions in a preliminary report released at the end of a 12-day visit to Zimbabwe. [us-policy-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (2/12/21): Honduran President Hernandez Accepts Victory of Xiomara Castro - "The Nov. 28 elections took place in peace and order. I congratulate Castro and all our compatriots, whose civic display strengthened democracy," Hernandez stated. [electoral-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (2/12/21): Authorities Request Arrest of Bolivian Coup Leader Camacho - Former Bolivian legislator Lidia Patty said today that she would request to the Prosecutor's Office of La Paz the arrest of the governor of the department of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho, for his alleged participation in the 2019 coup d'état. [far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (3/12/21): 5 Haitians Shot Dead During Gang Clash In Martissant Town - The Grand Ravine and God Village gangs fought the Ti Bwa gang leaders, whom they accused of staying in their territory. Note about Telesur

The Guardian (3/12/21): Shell to go ahead with seismic tests in whale breeding grounds after court win - Judgment rules company can blast sound waves in search for oil along South Africa’s eastern coastline [big-oil-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Africa News (3/12/21): Amazon Africa HQ site faces indigenous backlash - A legal battle is looming over plans to build Amazon's multi-million-dollar African headquarters on land cherished by South Africa's indigenous Khoi San people. [indigenous-news, capitalist-farce-news]

The Economist (4/12/21): World This Week:

The European Commission launched what it is calling its Global Gateway scheme, an attempt to rival China's Belt and Road Initiative. The idea is to use EU investment guarantees to help raise as much as €300bn ($340bn) of public and private investment in the developing world. Critics say this is mostly a repackaging of various existing schemes.
Conservationists flew 30 white rhinos from South Africa to Rwanda. It was the largest such airlift aimed at protecting the endangered animals.
America’s air-force secretary said his country was engaged in an “arms race” with China in the development of hypersonic weapons. He said this did not necessarily involve boosting their number, but rather their quality. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has said that China tested such technology this year, calling it close to a “Sputnik moment”. This is pretty scary rhetoric [us-policy-news]

Jacobin (3/12/21): Washington Tried to Destroy Honduras’s Left. Now It’s Back in Power. - Xiomara Castro won Honduras’s presidency pledging to tax wealth, expand the welfare state, and end the country’s “failed neoliberal model.” Her win was also a defeat for the US, which backed a coup that overthrew her husband Manuel Zelaya 12 years ago. [us-policy-news, leftist-news]

The Guardian (2/12/21): Chilean environmental activist who opposed dam projects found dead - Javiera Rojas remembered as ‘an emblematic activist who was dedicated to the process of resistance’

The Guardian (3/12/21): Poland plans to set up register of pregnancies to report miscarriages - Proposed register would come into effect in January, a year after near-total ban on abortion [civil-rights-news, far-right-news]

The Guardian (3/12/21): Man tortured and killed in Pakistan over alleged blasphemy - Government accused of having emboldened extremists after lynching of Sri Lankan in Sialkot [militant-far-right-news]

New York Times (3/12/21): Congo Ousts Mining Leader in a Cloud of Corruption Claims - The country’s president removed Albert Yuma Mulimbi as chairman of the state mining firm. Cobalt in Congo is a crucial resource in the global clean energy revolution. [us-policy-news]

Telesur (3/12/21): Dominican Republic Deports 800+ Haitian Women, 1 in 5 Pregnant - More than 800 Haitian women, including 165 pregnant, were deported from the Dominican Republic during November, local press reported [immigrant-news, social-woes-news] Note about Telesur

Payday Report (1/12/21): Daily Highlights:

(Reno bus strike) Now, after more than a combined 65 days on strike over the past four months, the union has reached a tentative agreement yesterday with the company, which they will vote on Thursday.
For the second time in two months, poultry workers in Albertville, Alabama, employed by Wayne Farms, walked off the job yesterday and demanded a new union contract with their UFCW union. Workers there are demanding less forced overtime, higher pay, and better treatment by management.
At Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, WV, SEIU has reached a tentative agreement with the hospital after at least 900 hospital workers have been on strike for nearly a month. The contract proposal is going up for a vote this Wednesday evening.

Africa News (1/12/21): Lesotho's former PM accused of murder

Al Jazeera (1/12/21): Dozens, including many children, die in Nigeria boat disaster - Local officials say at least 29 people, mostly children, drowned after an overloaded river boat capsized in Kano state.

Al Jazeera (1/12/21): The hypocrisy of Emmerson Mnangagwa - We should not take the Zimbabwean president’s claim that he is working to further democracy and human rights in the country at face value.

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Five Striking Myanmar Government Staff Seized in Mandalay [busting-labor-news]

PNN (1/12/21): The occupation breaks into Khirbat al-Ras al-Ahmar

PNN (1/12/21): Occupation Arrests Palestinian Citizens and Breaks into Several Houses in Hebron

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Myanmar’s Ousted NLD Says Over 570 Members Arrested by Junta So Far

The Irrawaddy (1/12/21): Myanmar Regime Troops Kill Five Displaced Civilians: Resistance

The Guardian (1/12/21): Four injured in Munich after second world war bomb explodes - Blast near busy German train station happened during drilling work on construction site, say police

The Moscow Times (1/12/21): Russia, Southeast Asian States Kick Off First Naval Drills Off Indonesia [russia-policy-news]

Common Dreams (1/12/21): 'Surreal': Biden Invites Venezuelan Coup Leader Juan Guaidó to US 'Summit for Democracy' - Critics slammed Biden's decision to invite the leader of an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan president to an ostensibly pro-democracy gathering. [us-policy-news]

On Labor (1/12/21): Finally, on the other side of the Atlantic, the Guardian reports that staffers, lecturers, and administrators at fifty-eight universities across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, represented by the University College Union, went on strike starting today, disrupting campus activities for more than a million students in the UK. The strike, which was authorized by the union’s members in September, is the latest in a bitter dispute between university administration and staffers over falling pay, unsafe workloads, and pension cuts. A poll conducted by the National Union of Students, a confederation of student unions in the UK, found that nearly 75 percent of college students backed the strike while less than 10 percent opposed it, and union reported this morning that “huge numbers” of staff and students have joined the picket lines, demanding fair pay, decent pensions, and improved working conditions. [labor-news]

Africa News (1/12/21): Nigeria denies report of 'massacre' of #EndSARS protesters [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Vice (1/12/21): Cop Caught on Video Shooting Man in Wheelchair 9 Times From Behind - The off-duty Tucson, Arizona, cop has since been fired and may face criminal charges

Al Jazeera (1/12/21): Italy accuses Egyptian security of Giulio Regeni’s murder - Italian parliamentary panel report says Egypt’s security apparatus was responsible for the 2016 killing of the student.

Left Voice (1/12/21): Chilean Right-Wing Presidential Candidate Kast Visits the United States to Win the Backing of Imperialism - José Antonio Kast, a candidate for president of Chile in the final round of elections on December 19, is visiting the United States to convince Big Business in the belly of the imperialist beast to back his ultra-right program. - Kast, who has praised the Chilean dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973–90), will begin his tour in Washington, where he is slated to meet with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a supporter of Donald Trump [far-right-news, capitalist-farce-news]

PALESTINOW (1/12/21): Stop construction of houses, Destruction house, Palestinian mothers in prison, Gaza water crisis, Palestinian kidnapped, Palestinians injured, US aid

The Guardian (1/12/21): WTA suspends tournaments in China amid concern for Peng Shuai - Association questions whether player is allowed to speak freely - Peng made allegations against a former senior Chinese official [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (1/12/21): Gangsters use vehicles to ram into Mexico prison and free nine inmates - The armed group broke into the jail in Tula and opened fire, injuring a guard and a police office

The Guardian (1/12/21): Poverty, not climate breakdown, caused Madagascar’s food crisis, finds study - But scientists say ‘moral imperative’ remains to prepare vulnerable populations for increasingly extreme weather [social-woes-news]

South China Morning Post (2/12/21): Beijing asks Democratic Republic of Congo to help gain release of kidnapped Chinese miners - Foreign Minister Wang Yi makes the request of his DRC counterpart at a meeting on the sidelines of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation - Two Chinese citizens were killed and five kidnapped in a militia attack on a gold mine on November 21 [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

The Guardian (1/12/21): Ghislaine Maxwell accuser says she met Trump at 14 and flew with Prince Andrew - ‘Jane’, who did not accuse Trump or duke of misconduct, testifies in court she was introduced to former president by Jeffrey Epstein - This article contains depictions of sexual abuse [epstein-news, trump-news]

Telesur (1/12/21): Mexico Increases Workers’ Minimum Wage by 22 Percent - The Business Coordinating Council (CCE) declared the increment of the minimum daily wage by 22 percent for next year. [labor-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (1/12/21): Argentina: Macri Indicted and Banned from Leaving the Country - The former president of Argentina, Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), was indicted by his country's justice system in the case investigating the alleged spying on the relatives of the crew of the Navy submarine (ARA) San Juan, sunk in 2017. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, court-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (1/12/21): Argentina: 2 Intelligence Directors Prosecuted For Espionage - Diego Dalmau and Martin Coste are responsible for not controlling the intelligence activities carried out to spy on the ARA San Juan submarine crew's relatives. [surveillance-and-censorship-news] Note about Telesur

WSWS (1/12/21): FedEx locks out Australian workers fighting for improved wages and conditions [busting-labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

The Guardian (1/12/21): Average of two girls aged 10 to 14 give birth daily in Paraguay, Amnesty finds - Longstanding plague of child abuse and extreme abortion laws fuel crisis, report says

The Guardian (1/12/21): Security forces of Chechnya ‘behind attack on dissident blogger’ last year - Tumso Abdurakhmanov assault traced to Russia, says spy agency report examined by Swedish TV

The Guardian (1/12/21): Solomon Islands unrest: New Zealand to send dozens of peacekeepers - New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says she is ‘deeply concerned by the recent civil unrest and rioting in Honiara’

Al Jazeera (1/12/21): After air raids, Uganda sends troops into DRC to hunt ADF - The neighbouring countries have launched a joint operation against the armed group which they accuse of massacring civilians.

South China Morning Post (1/12/21): South China Sea: Beijing demanded Indonesia stop oil and natural gas drilling during stand-off - In a letter to Indonesia’s foreign ministry, Chinese diplomats told Jakarta to halt drilling at the Natunas rig because it was taking place in Chinese territory - An Indonesian lawmaker said Beijing also protested against the Garuda Shield military exercises with the US that took place during the stand-off [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Democracy Now (3/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Biden Administration to Reinstate and Expand Trump-Era “Remain in Mexico” Policy [us-policy-news, immigrant-news]
Amid Record COVID-19 Surge, Germany to Exclude Unvaccinated From Public Life [covid-news]
Meanwhile COVID-19 cases in South Africa have nearly tripled in just three days, amid a fourth surge linked to the Omicron coronavirus variant. On Thursday South African scientists warned people with a previous coronavirus infection appear to have little immunity to Omicron and are highly susceptible to reinfection. [covid-news]
Groups Call on U.N. to Relaunch Yemen War Crimes Probe Which Ended Amid Saudi and UAE Pressure
Shell Pulls Out of Cambo Oil Field Project in Europe’s North Sea [big-oil-news]
Biden and Putin Expected to Hold Talks Over Escalating Tension on Russia-Ukraine Border [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Democracy Now (2/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Russia Expels Some US Ambassadors as Blinken Warns Russia Against Invading Ukraine [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
Burmese Military Helicopters Attack Villagers in Region Where Resistance to Coup Remains Strong

Just Security (3/12/21): Early Edition:

Negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal hit another roadblock yesterday following a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran is continuing to expand its uranium enrichment.
Lawyers for different groups of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks are considering make claims against the $7 billion in Afghan central bank funds deposited at the New York Federal Reserve — money the Taliban now claims is theirs. Various lawsuits that groups of Sept. 11 attack victims filed against al-Qaeda and others they said provided support to the terrorists, like the Taliban, obtained default judgments against the defendants years ago, which at the time seemed merely symbolic given the inability to obtain the money awarded. However, the Taliban’s military takeover of Afghanistan has raised the possibility that the victim groups could try and seize the Afghan government funds in New York. Charlie Savage reports for the New York Times.
Three villagers and 10 Kurdish soldiers have been killed in an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants on a village in northern Iraq, officials in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region have said. Reuters reports
Ritscher also told the U.N. Security Council that evidence has shown that IS committed crimes against humanity and war crimes at a prison in the northern city of Mosul, Iraq, where at least 1,000 mostly Shia Muslim prisoners were systematically killed seven years ago. Al Jazeera reports.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which would stop the importation to the U.S. of products connected to abuses of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang region, is stuck in Congress after passing the Senate unanimously in July. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman reportedly told co-sponsor of the bill Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to slow down the approval of the bill, indicating that President Biden’s administration prefers a more targeted approach to determining which goods are the products of forced labor. Josh Rogin provides analysis for the Washington Post. [us-policy-news]
The U.S. annual defense bill (the National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA), which sets the policy agenda and authorizes funding for the Pentagon, is also stalled in the Senate in part because of a disagreement over Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)’s push to include an amendment that would place more import restrictions on Chinese goods manufactured by Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China’s Xinjiang province [us-policy-news]
Twitter has shut down thousands of state-linked accounts in China that seek to counter evidence of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The accounts were part of what experts have described as a propaganda operation, which used photos and images, shell and potentially automated accounts, and fake Uyghur profiles, to disseminate state propaganda and fake testimonials about their happy lives in Xinjiang. Helen Davidson reports for the Guardian. [big-tech-news]
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has “reconfirmed” that she is safe and well given the “difficult situation” she is in, in a second call with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organization has said. Peng publicly accused a former top Communist Party official, Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, of coercing her into sex at his home three years ago in a since-deleted social media post dated November 2. Amy Woodyatt, Ben Morse, Nectar Gan, Emmet Lyons and Alicia Lloyd report for CNN.
The U.S., the U.K., Canada and the E.U. have imposed coordinated additional sanctions on Belarus, in relation to human rights abuses and a migrant crisis on Belarus’s border with the E.U., which is attributed to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The sanctions blacklist entities and individuals that “support the regime and facilitate its repression,” Blinken said in a statement. They include targeting three aircraft as blocked property and designating 32 individuals and entities, including Belarusian state-owned enterprises and government officials. Laura Kelly reports for The Hill. [us-policy-news]
The Court of Appeals in the Philippines has allowed journalist Maria Ressa to travel to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, after the Philippines government sought to block her from attending the ceremony. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Just Security (2/12/21): Early Edition:

Russia has said that it has arrested three suspected Ukrainian intelligence agents including one accused of planning to carry out an attack using two homemade bombs which had been smuggled over the border, allegations that Kyiv has dismissed. Reuters reports.
Mexico has announced a joint plan with the U.S. to send development and agricultural aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, in an effort to stem the wave of migration. The joint plan did not contain any specific funding commitments, and the U.S. Agency for International Development called the plan “a new framework for development cooperation to address the root causes of irregular migration from northern Central America.” AP reports. [immigrant-news, us-policy-news]
The E.U. has proposed new measures that would extend the period that Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, E.U. member states bordering Belarus, would be able to detain asylum seekers while their applications are processed. Aid groups have warned that the rule changes may undermine the ability of migrants to seek refuge in the E.U., and would leave applicants in a state of limbo in increasingly unsafe conditions. Elian Peltier and Monika Pronczuk report for the New York Times. [immigrant-news]
Meta (formerly known as Facebook) has said it has linked Belarus’s main security service, the KGB, to fake accounts on its social media platforms that criticized Poland during the two countries’ recent border standoff. [big-tech-news]
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a loyalist as Turkey’s new finance minister, after the incumbent minister resigned over clashes with Erdogan’s unconventional economic policies that have intensified a currency crisis in Turkey.
The killing of at least 65 protesters in Myanmar’s biggest city on March 14 was planned and premeditated, Human Rights Watch has said in a report released today. The report accuses “security forces of deliberately encircling and using lethal force against crowds in Yangon’s working class neighborhood of Hlaing Tharyar that were demonstrating against the military’s Feb. 1 seizure of power,” AP reports.
Rights groups are saying that Israel failed to investigate shootings that killed more than 200 Palestinians and wounded thousands at violent protests along the Gaza frontier in recent years. Joseph Krauss reports for AP.
Meta (formerly Facebook) has announced that it has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups linked to a Chinese effort to spread disinformation claiming that the U.S. is pressurizing the World Health Organization to blame the Covid-19 pandemic on China. Maggie Miller reports for The Hill. [big-tech-news]

Democracy Now (1/12/21): Daily Headlines:

Omicron Detected in Europe Days Before South Africa Reported Variant; FDA Endorses Merck COVID Pill [covid-news]
U.S. Removes FARC From Terror Blacklist [us-policy-news]
France Inducts Josephine Baker into Pantheon As Far-Right, Racist Pundit Announces Presidential Bid [far-right-news]
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has said that he is ready to suspend Russian energy flows into Europe if Poland closes its border with Belarus, Russia’s RIA news agency has reported. Meanwhile, “the Polish Defense Minister said the Belarusian defense attaché had been summoned after lights set up by Polish soldiers near the town of Terespol were damaged by shots from air guns,” Reuters reports. [energy-news]
The wife of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison and four years of supervised release, along with a forfeiture of $1.5 million, in connection with drug trafficking and money laundering charges related to her husband’s narcotics empire. Emma Coronel Aispuro pleaded guilty in June to the charges. Addressing the court, Coronel expressed remorse for her involvement with Guzman and the Sinaloa Cartel, and the harm she may have caused U.S. citizens. Maria Santana reports for CNN. [crime-news, drug-news]
Tens of thousands marched in Sudan’s capital, and other cities, yesterday against a military takeover that took place last month, with security forces firing tear gas at the anti-coup protesters. Ashraf Idris reports for AP. [protest-news]
Ethiopian soldiers, supported by regional forces, have recaptured territory in the Amhara region from Tigray rebel fighters, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed‘s office has said. Reuters reports.
Turkey’s lira has plummeted to a record low after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended his policy of demanding lower interest rates despite rising inflation. Erdogan said he hoped interest rates would continue to fall until Turkey’s next national election in 2023, sparking another selloff of the lira. “The president holds the unconventional view that cutting interest rates is the best way to stop soaring inflation and spur economic growth,” Jared Malsin reports for the Wall Street Journal. [economic-news]
Saudi Arabia used “incentives and threats” to shut down a U.N. investigation of human right violations committed by all sides in the Yemen conflict, according to sources. The U.N. human rights council voted in October against extending the independent war crimes investigation. “Speaking to the Guardian, political officials and diplomatic and activist sources with inside knowledge of the lobbying push described a stealth campaign in which the Saudis appear to have influenced officials in order to guarantee defeat of the measure,” Stephanie Kirchgaessner reports for the Guardian. [corruption-news]

Posted 1 December 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: Updated Apparent Leftist Electoral Victory in Honduras; Updated Elections and Protest in America's Nearby Enemies

PALESTINOW now back up... odd

Popular Front (30/11/21): The Narco-Paramilitaries of Honduras - Today we speak to Jared Olson about the grip narco-paramilitaries have on the poor people of Honduras. [far-right-news, capitalist-farce-news, us-policy-news, podcast-news]

Democracy Now (30/11/21): “A Moment of Hope”: Xiomara Castro’s Likely Win in Honduras Ends Years of Right-Wing Rule After Coup [electoral-news, leftist-news]

Law and Crime (29/11/21): After Judge Suspends Prison Sentence, Ex-Cop Gets House Arrest for Raping Drunk Woman

Africa News (29/11/21): Lebanese block a highway with burning tires during a protest in Beirut [protest-news]

Common Dreams (29/11/21): Shell Slammed for Plan to Blast South African Coastline for Oil and Gas During Whale Season - "We cannot allow climate criminals, like Shell, to plunder in the name of greed," said Greenpeace [big-oil-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Al-Monitor (29/11/21): Israel approves $2.4 billion purchase of US CH-53 helicopters - Israel is seeking to replace its fleet of heavy-lift helicopters over the next few years. [us-policy-news]

Peoples Dispatch (27/11/21): Thousands march against right-wing maneuver to impeach President Pedro Castillo [leftist-news, protest-news]

Al Jazeera (29/11/21): More than 20 killed in attack on DR Congo displaced persons camp - At least 22 people were killed in an attack on a camp for internally displaced people in Ituri province

The Guardian (29/11/21): Leaked papers link Xinjiang crackdown with China leadership - Secret documents urge population control, mass round-ups and punishment of Uyghurs

Al Jazeera (29/11/21): Sweden’s first female PM elected for a second time in a week - Magdalena Andersson will form a one-party, minority government, with a cabinet expected to be named on Tuesday. [electoral-news]

Telesur (30/11/21): Ecuadorean President Lasso Enforces IMF-Style Tax Reform - While the Christian Social party denounced that the Lasso administration has dealt a very hard blow to the population, the Union for Hope party assures the new law is unconstitutional. [neo-imperialism-news, economic-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (30/11/21): New Elections for President of Capac in Panama Dec 15 - Engineer Carlos Allen Arosema is postulated for the presidency of the guild of the Panamanian Chamber of Construction(Capac), next Dec. 15. Note about Telesur

Telesur (30/11/21): Brazil To Remove Barriers To The Use Of Sputnik V Vaccine - Data from a recent World Bank's survey indicate that President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-vax discourse is not supported even among those who voted for him. [russia-policy-news, covid-news] Note about Telesur

Workers World (30/11/21): Massive protests in Niger, Burkina Faso demand French military get out [protest-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Hill (30/11/21): Wisconsin Supreme Court hands win to GOP in key ruling on new congressional maps

Al-Monitor (30/11/21): Egyptian liberals outraged by lawyer's blasphemy indictment - The sentencing of lawyer and Islamic thinker Ahmed Abdo Maher to five years in prison over remarks defaming Islam has sparked controversy in Egypt, accentuating the divide between liberals and ultra-conservatives [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa News (30/11/21): Sudan: Security forces fire tear gas at protesters against post-coup deal

Al-Monitor (30/11/21): Houthi forces: Saudi artillery kills civilian - The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen also said it bombed a training camp used by the Iran-backed forces

Al Jazeera (30/11/21): Hunger increased by 30 percent in Latin America since 2019: UN - Latin America and the Caribbean is facing a critical situation in terms of food security, UN official says. [social-woes-news]

Al-Monitor (30/11/21): Iran's crackdown risks blinding protesters - Amid rising alarm about protesters held incommunicado, medics and activists fear injury and even permanent blindness from birdshot fired by security forces. [protest-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (30/11/21): German court jails ISIL member for life over Yazidi genocide - Frankfurt court rules in case concerning death of a five-year-old girl bought as a slave and left to die in the sun. [court-news]

Al Jazeera (30/11/21): How Indigenous communities in Paraguay are fighting big soy - Amid pesticide contamination and land evictions, tribal leaders say their villages in Paraguay are at a crisis point. [indigenous-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Left Voice (30/11/21): Another Attack on Protesters by French Troops in Africa, This Time Killing Three - Demonstrators demanding the departure of French troops from Operation Barkhane in the African Sahel region blocked a French army convoy last Saturday, and the soldiers and Nigerian police opened fire, killing three and injuring 17, 10 of them seriously. [protest-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Scores of Villagers Flee Junta Airstrikes in Upper Myanmar

PALESTINOW (30/11/21): Resolution 181, Travel Ban, Refusal of Entry, Call Resolution, Workshop Demolished, Suppression Protest, Palestinians Injured, Palestinians Kidnapped

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Over 50 Top Officials From Myanmar’s Ousted NLD Govt Face Long Jail Terms

Africa News (30/11/21): Senegal president opposes halting financing of fossil fuel extraction [big-oil-news, china-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (30/11/21): Russia Developing AI ‘Minority Report’ Protest Detector – Kommersant [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Veteran NLD Leader Dies a Month After Release from Myanmar Junta Detention [obituary-news]

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Myanmar Junta Charges NLD Members With Terrorism

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Myanmar Regime Jails Former Election Commission Head

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Kokang Army Claims to Have Killed 198 Myanmar Junta Soldiers

Africa News (30/11/21): Chad's military-led government issues amnesty to rebels and dissidents

The Irrawaddy (30/11/21): Chronicling Four Decades of Separatist Activity by Manipur’s PLA in Myanmar

Al Jazeera (30/11/21): Duterte’s chosen successor abandons Philippines presidential race - Senator Christopher Go, who had been given little chance of success, withdraws saying it is ‘not yet my time’.

CPJ (29/11/21): Freelance journalist Andrey Kuznechyk detained in Belarus [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

CPJ (29/11/21): Lebanese journalist Radwan Mortada sentenced to 13 months in prison [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

David Pakman Show (30/10/21): Legitimate Reasons to Criticize China

David Pakman Show (21/11/21): Nationalists Shout "Death to Jews" While Burning Books About Jews [far-right-news]

The Moscow Times (26/11/21): Russian Covid Pass Protesters Try to Storm Regional Legislature [anti-vaxx-news]

Al Jazeera (21/11/21): Bulgaria president Radev set to seal re-election: Exit polls - Election comes amid widespread discontent against high-level corruption that ended the decade-long rule of former premier Boyko Borissov in April. [electoral-news]

Left Voice (26/11/21): Germany’s New Government Promises Renewed Attacks on Pensions and Working Hours - Two months after the federal elections, the SPD, the Greens, and the FDP have agreed to form a new government. It promises some reforms, but also new neoliberal measures and increased militarism. [bad-government-news, privatization-news, busting-labor-news]

The Economist (27/11/21): Congo’s government has banned songs that annoy it - President Tshisekedi is averse to adverse verse [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Economist (27/11/21): How many people have been killed in Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs? - Thousands of people have been killed during drugs raids in the Philippines [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

The Economist (27/11/21): Narendra Modi’s secret weapon: a useless opposition - A weak Congress party and disunited smaller opponents keep the BJP in power [politics-news] A bit of neoliberal propaganda in reference to the farm bills, but what do you expect? :P

Al Jazeera (22/11/21): IMF revives $6BN bailout for Pakistan’s economy - Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund reached a deal after several months of talks to relax the package’s terms and conditions [neo-imperialism-news]

Telesur (29/11/21): Mexico Contains Advance Of Several Central American Caravan - While Mexican authorities use national guards to prevent the advance of asylum seekers, new migrant caravans continue to form in Central America. [immigrant-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (29/11/21): 'March For the Homeland' to Arrive In La Paz - Led by former President Evo Morales, the "March for the Homeland" began in the Oruro department on Tuesday. Since then, its members have traveled about 180 kilometers in different blocks. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (29/11/21): Hossam Bahgat: Egyptian rights activist found guilty over tweet - Court fines Hossam Bahgat for ‘insulting’ the country’s electoral commission authority on social media [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (29/11/21): Botswana upholds ruling decriminalising same-sex relationships - Court of appeal decision hailed as victory for LGBTQ+ community that could encourage other African countries to follow suit [lgbtq-news, court-news]

Common Dreams (29/11/21): New Research Finds Climate Emergency the 'Overwhelming Factor' Behind Australian Bushfires - "It is now clear that human-induced climate change is creating ever more dangerous conditions for fires in Australia." [climate-change-news]

Africa News (29/11/21): Flood damage exposes Kinshasa's uncontrolled city planning

Al Jazeera (29/11/21): Palestine: Femicide highlights need for domestic violence law - The killing of a 30-year-old mother in occupied Ramallah by her husband has caused an uproar among Palestinians.

Africa News (29/11/21): Conakry stadium massacre: Guinea "prepares" for trial

NewsClick (29/11/21): J&K: Land Stripped Away from Farmers in Pulwama - The administration under Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha approved the transfer of state land for various purposes including over 65 acres in favour of the CRPF, on October 28

South China Morning Post (29/11/21): China’s super app WeChat allows more direct links from competitors under pressure from Beijing - Users will be able to open external links during one-to-one chats, and can open external shopping links shared in group chats - WeChat, which has 1.25 billion monthly active users, said it would develop new functions so users can manage the links they receive [big-tech-news, antitrust-news] Important Note on SCMP

The Elephant (29/11/21): Abiy Has Lost His War but Ethiopia Could Reinvent Itself - The conflict has left a weakened nation and it has confronted all Ethiopians with one inescapable truth: they must acknowledge their diversity or risk disintegration.

The Moscow Times (29/11/21): Russian Journalists Barred from Siberian Mine Disaster Survivors — Novaya Gazeta [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (29/11/21): New Egyptian-Ethiopian escalation over Nile dam - Ethiopia has announced that it will soon finish construction work on the GERD, while Egypt has warned of the consequences of not reaching an agreement in the latest escalation between the two countries.

PNN (29/11/21): Israeli president storms al-Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron

Its Going Down (29/11/21): Hundreds Take to the Streets in Montreal in Solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en [indigenous-news, big-oil-news]

The Moscow Times (29/11/21): Russian Language Added to Central African Republic University Curriculum [russia-policy-news]

PNN (29/11/21): IOF injure dozens of Palestinians in Bethlehem

WSWS (29/11/21): Over 50,000 Sri Lankan health workers strike for higher pay and allowances [labor-news, healthcare-news] Important Note about WSWS

Telesur (28/11/21): Peru: 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Affects at Least 90 People - The earthquake was also experienced in Ecuador's Guayaquil, Quevedo, Duran, Quito, and Cuenca localities, as well as, in Colombia. Note about Telesur

Common Dreams (28/11/21): EU Joins Rights Group in Condemning Israel's 'Day of Destruction' of Palestinian Homes - "Demolitions are illegal under international law and significantly undermine the prospects for peace."

Left Voice (28/11/21): Factory Workers Strike against Poverty Pay, Abuse by Management at Rich Products Plant in L.A. Area - Since November 3, the group of well over 100 strikers has been on the picket line at the Rich Products-owned Jon Donaire Desserts plant, demanding better wages, improved retirement benefits, and changes to the company’s abusive, punitive point system, which provides workers with only three days of sick leave per year

Jacobin (28/11/21): The Indian Farmers’ Movement Has Shattered Narendra Modi’s Strongman Image - After a yearlong battle, Indian farmers have forced Narendra Modi to repeal his neoliberal farm laws. The movement that took on Modi and won is a powerful blow against India’s ruling Hindu nationalists. [labor-news, far-right-news]

The Guardian (28/11/21): Czech president swears in Petr Fiala as PM behind glass screen - Milos Zeman performs inauguration ceremony from cubicle after testing positive for coronavirus

PNN (28/11/21): Occupation forces assault protesters demonstrating against Israeli president’s planned visit to Hebron

Jacobin (28/11/21): In Kyrgyzstan, Business Elites Buy Seats in Parliament - Today Kyrgyzstan voted in repeat elections after the previous results were cancelled due to protests. But new leader Sadyr Japarov’s promise to fix its corrupt politics masks his continuation of the neoliberal dogmas that made the ex-Soviet republic an oligarchs’ playground. [capitalist-farce-news, electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (28/11/21): Five Peshmerga killed in ISIL attack in Iraq’s Diyala - Armed group ISIL still poses a threat in several provinces in Iraq with hit-and-run attacks, kidnappings, and roadside bombs.

Al Jazeera (28/11/21): Kyrgyzstan holds parliamentary vote amid rising tensions - Vote expected to favour allies of President Sadyr Japarov, who has cemented his grip since coming to power last year. [electoral-news]

South China Morning Post (28/11/21): China expands African reach as Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau join belt and road ahead of key regional forum - President Xi Jinping to deliver keynote speech via video link at Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ministerial meeting starting on November 29 - Eritrea deal cements China’s foothold in Horn of Africa and Red Sea, while Guinea-Bissau access will boost its maritime interests along West African coast [bri-news, china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Democracy Now (30/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Nurses Demand COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Waiver; China Pledges 1 Billion Doses for Africa [covid-news, healthcare-news, vaccine-ip-news]
Advocates Say Haitian Refugees Face Neglect and Mistreatment at New Mexico ICE Jail [immigrant-news, us-policy-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news]
Barbados Removes British Monarch as Head of State, Becoming a Parliamentary Republic

Just Security (30/11/21: Early Edition:

Security officials in China’s Henan province, one of China’s largest provinces, have commissioned a surveillance system that they want to use to track journalists and international students among other “suspicious people.” A July 29 tender document details plans for a system that can compile files on people of interest coming to Henan using 3,000 facial recognition cameras that connect to national and regional databases. The contract was awarded in September to Chinese technology company Neusoft, which was due to complete construction of the system within two months. It is not known whether the system is currently being used. Reuters reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
A newly published cache of documents directly links top Chinese leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the crackdown on Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in China. The documents, which were passed to the independent Uyghur Tribunal in the U.K., include speeches and statements from Chinese Communist Party leaders, which analysts say prove senior government leaders called for measures that led to mass internment and forced labor in the Xinjiang province. BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The Pentagon is to focus on building bases in Guam and Australia to better prepare the U.S. military to counter China, a senior defense official has said. [us-policy-news]
Russia has carried out another successful test launch of its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile. The missile, which has been hailed by Putin as part of a new generation of unrivaled arms systems, was fired from a warship in the White Sea and hit a naval target more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Reuters reports. [russia-policy-news]
Talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal recommenced yesterday, with optimistic statements being made by E.U., Iranian and Russian diplomats, despite skepticism about the likelihood of success.
The Ugandan military has launched air and artillery raids against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in an operation agreed with Congolese forces
More than 100 former members of the Afghan security forces in four Afghan provinces have been killed or disappeared by the Taliban in the first two and a half months of the Taliban’s rule, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The deaths are part of a string of assassinations and summary executions, largely considered revenge killings, since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Sharif Hassan reports for The New York Times.
A junta court in Myanmar has postponed until Dec. 6 the verdict in the incitement trial of ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Agence France-Presse reports.

Jacobin (14/5/17): Why Is Venezuela Spiraling Out of Control? - Opposition violence and the government’s increasing authoritarianism are both to blame. [history-news, analysis-news, us-policy-news]

Jacobin (24/5/19): Venezuela Was Supposed to Be Easy - After Juan Guaidó’s fumbling coup attempt in Venezuela, it appears advocates of regime change have fallen flat on their faces. But anti-imperialist mobilization is still as necessary as ever. [analysis-news, us-policy-news, history-news]

Jacobin (30/9/19): How Bernie Sanders Should Talk About Venezuela and US Intervention in Latin America - Bernie Sanders is repeatedly asked absurd questions by mainstream reporters about Venezuela. He should use such questions as an opportunity to talk about the long, bloody history of US intervention there and throughout Latin America. [Ben Burgis, Michael Brooks] [analysis-news, history-news, us-policy-news]

Posted 30 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: ADDED Apparent Leftist Electoral Victory in Honduras, Updated Political Developments in Mali 2021, Updated Ukraine-Russia Border Escalating Tensions; Updated Elections and Protest in America's Nearby Enemies; Added Iran Water Protests and Other Developments; Added: Democracy Protests in Thailand

The PALESTINOW site is down!

A bit behind, but posting some for now to keep daily intake digestable :)

On Labor (24/11/21): Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi planned to defer implementation of controversial deregulatory labor reforms until after local elections next year. As a policy matter, the reforms would make it easier for employers to fire workers, while making it much more difficult for trade unions to be registered and to call strikes. The decision therefore likely reflects the political judgment that pre-election implementation would be electorally costly for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Modi government had already postponed implementation of these labor codes several times. The policy reversal comes less than a week after Prime Minister Modi announced that his government would repeal three agriculture laws that had been the target of sustained, widespread farmer protests. [labor-news, electoral-news, far-right-news]

On Labor (16/11/21): The Harvard Graduate Student Union (HGSU) reached an agreement with the University last night on a four-year tentative agreement that would cover student workers in research and teaching positions. The proposed agreement comes after a three-day strike last month during parents weekend. HGSU was poised to go on a second strike beginning today, in response to intimidation during the first strike that the union alleges amounted to an Unfair Labor Practice. HGSU’s bargaining committee has recommended that members not withhold labor in light of the tentative agreement, and a vote to officially call off the strike is ongoing. A ratification vote will take place from November 18 to November 27. It would be HGSU’s second contract after a one-year contract was agreed to 2020.

Popular Front (5/10/21): Is a Civil War Coming to Chiapas? - We speak to journalist Janet Basurto about the increasing violence and formation of self-defence militias in the historic Chiapas region of Mexico. [podcast-news, indigenous-news]

Popular Front (20/9/21): Corsica's FLNC Militants are Back - Today we speak to Corsican filmmaker Lionel Dumas about the reemergence of Corsica's separatist militant group, the FLNC. - The militants have stepped into the open again after local elections that garnered more than 70% of votes for Corsican nationalists, have been largely ignored by France. There are fears that renewed violence could return to the island of Corsica [podcast-news]

Popular Front (14/9/21): What the Hell is "ISIS-K"? - Today we speak to researcher Blake Vincent about "ISIS-K", a momentary mainstream media fascination as the US left Afghanistan. These are the real details about "ISIS-K" / the Islamic State in Afghanistan / the Islamic State Khorasan Province. [militant-far-right-news, podcast-news]

Popular Front (21/10/21): Looking into the Beirut Gun Battle - Today we're speaking to Lebanese researcher and writer Joey Ayoub about last weeks deadly gun battle that broke out in Beirut, Lebanon. [podcast-news]

Popular Front (27/10/21): Lina E and the Anti-Fascist Militant Case - Today we speak to journalist Conall Kearney about the ongoing case of Lina E, a 26-year-old woman accused of leading a militant leftist group that ambushed several neo-Nazis in Germany with hammers. [leftist-news, far-right-news, podcast-news]

Popular Front (3/11/21): Indigenous Resistance to Mining Corruption in Guatemala - Today we speak to anthropologist Ben Chang about recent clashes in Guatemala between indigenous resistance movements and the police, over nickel ore mining corruption. [capitalist-farce-news, indigenous-news, podcast-news]

Popular Front (8/11/21): Chile's Escalating Mapuche Conflict - Today we speak to Chilean filmmaker Pablo Sáez about the rapidly escalating armed conflict in the forests of Chile between the military and the indigenous Mapuche people. [indigenous-news, podcast-news, far-right-news]

Rose Wrist (29/11/21): FIRST WOMAN PRIME MINISTER... for 7 Hours? | Magdalena Andersson and Sweden Politics [politics-news, far-right-news, leftist-news]

Democracy Now (29/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Opposition Leader Xiomara Castro Claims Victory After Record Turnout in Honduras Election [electoral-news]
High Death Toll Reported as Ethiopian Soldiers Press Offensive in Afar Region - In Ethiopia, state media is reporting government forces gained control of the town of Chifra in the Afar region, days after broadcasting video of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, claiming victory from the frontlines of the year-long conflict with northern Tigrayan forces. Al Jazeera is reporting dead bodies covered the streets of Chifra after the latest fighting
Oil Well Rupture Leaves Niger Delta Residents Hungry and Homeless - The latest spill began in southern Bayelsa state on November 1st, after a high-pressure oil well ruptured, spewing noxious fumes into the air and sending yellow-brown clumps of waste into the nearby mangrove forests and surrounding river. Residents say the spill has killed off fish and other wildlife and forced them to evacuate their homes. [industrial-failure-news, big-oil-news]

Just Security (29/11/21): Early Edition:

Undercover Taliban agents spent years infiltrating Afghan government ministries, universities, businesses and aid organizations, to then step out of the shadows and help the Taliban seize control as the U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan. “We had agents in every organization and department,” Mawlawi Mohammad Salim Saad, a senior Taliban leader who directed suicide-bombing operations and assassinations inside Kabul, said. “The units we had already present in Kabul took control of the strategic locations,” he added. Yaroslav Trofimov and Margherita Stancati report for the Wall Street Journal.
The talks with Iran to revive the 2015 nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) will restart today, with the U.S. and allies “unsure how Tehran’s new government will approach negotiations, not optimistic about the prospects ahead and emphasizing that if diplomacy fails, the U.S. is ‘prepared to use other options,’” Nicole Gaouette, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler report for CNN.
Iran has announced further advances in its uranium enrichment, which reduces the amount of time Tehran would need to develop a nuclear weapon, if it chooses to do so. Nicole Gaouette, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler report for CNN.
Israel and Iran are now targeting ordinary civilians through large scale cyber operations. “In recent weeks, a cyberattack on Iran’s nationwide fuel distribution system paralyzed the country’s 4,300 gas stations, which took 12 days to have service fully restored. That attack was attributed to Israel by two U.S. defense officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity…It was followed days later by cyberattacks in Israel against a major medical facility and a popular LGBTQ dating site, attacks Israeli officials have attributed to Iran,” Farnaz Fassihi and Ronen Bergman report for The New York Times. [cyber-security-news]
There has been a dramatic increase in Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in recent months. Violent incidents against Palestinians are up nearly 150% in the past two years, according to data presented by the Israeli military at a defense ministry meeting this month, while a U.N. agency separately has found that 115 Palestinians have been beaten or otherwise attacked by settlers since the start of the year, resulting in four fatalities. Steve Hendrix reports for the Washington Post.
Taiwan’s air force scrambled fighter jets yesterday to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defense zone, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said. The latest Chinese mission included 18 fighters jets plus five nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, as well as, unusually, a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, the Taiwan ministry said. Reuters reports. [china-policy-news]
Five House members met with the Taiwanese president last Friday, despite objections from China [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]
The German government has urged members of Congress not to sanction the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The pipeline would circumvent Ukrainian transit infrastructure and deliver Russian gas directly to Germany. President Biden has waived sanctions in response to the pipeline but dissatisfied Senate Republicans are pushing for new sanctions as an amendment to the annual defense bill. According to documents obtained by Axios the German government has argued that imposing sanctions would “weaken” U.S. credibility and “ultimately damage transatlantic unity.” Zachary Basu reports for Axios. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news, energy-news]
At least 20 Sudanese troops have reportedly died following clashes with Ethiopian forces on the countries’ shared border. Sudanese soldiers fell into an ambush on Saturday after traveling across the Atbara river in response to shelling, Alrasheed Ali, a member of the border commission of Sudan’s southeastern Gadaref state, has said
[In Honduras,] [Xiomara] Castro [de Zelaya] ["wife of a controversial former leftist president deposed by the military"] took a commanding early lead in the initial results from the Honduras election, however the final results will most likely take days to be announced. Live reporting on the election is provided by The New York Times. [electoral-news]
Milorad Dodik, the Bosnian Serb leader accused of risking war by pursuing the breakup of Bosnia-Herzegovina, has dismissed the threat of western sanctions and has hinted that China and Russia would come to his assistance. Dodik said that he would not be deterred and that sanctions and cuts to E.U. funding would only force him to take up offers of investment from China and that he expected to see Russia’s leader “pretty soon.” Dodik also insisted his plans need not lead to the end of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Daniel Boffey reports for the Guardian.
Fiji will contribute 50 troops to an Australian-led peacekeeping force in the Solomon Islands after anti-government rioting erupted last week in parts of the capital of Honiara, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has said. Agence France-Presse and Reuters report.

PNN (22/11/21): IOF detain 13 Palestinians, assault others in West Bank

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (24/11/21): Nigeria plans $5.8bn in cash handouts to replace fuel subsidies - The government will give 5,000 naira ($12.20) each to as many as 40 million people every month starting in July. [social-woes-news]

Telesur (26/11/21): Kirchner Acquitted of Alleged Money Laundering in Argentina - According to the ruling released on Friday, Argentine Vice President Cristina Kirchner and her two children, Florencia and Máximo, were acquitted for the non-existence of a crime in a case investigating alleged money laundering. [corruption-news, court-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (26/11/21): Peruvian Neo-Fascists Attack Ex-Presidential Candidate Lescano - "As I was closing my garage to enter my house, these people beat me with sticks, blow up my cell phone, and broke into my home," Yonhy Lescano condemned. [militant-far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (26/11/21): Giant March Supporting Arce Advances Through Bolivian Highlands - "Long live our President Lucho! Fight, you are not alone!," thousands of Indigenous farmers and workers shout as they pass through the towns and cities. Note about Telesur

Telesur (26/11/21): AMLO Ends Mining Concessions in Mexico: 'They Just Speculated' - The President of Mexico reaffirmed his energy policy of not granting any more mining concessions in Mexico. Note about Telesur

WSWS (26/11/21): More protest strikes in Germany’s public sector [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

WSWS (26/11/21): Nursing staff in Germany on strike during contract negotiations for public sector workers [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Hundreds protest in Jordan against water-energy deal with Israel - Critics say the deal leaves Jordan dependent on Israel without providing a solution to the country’s water problems. [protest-news]

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): ‘Finding scapegoats’: S Africa slams ‘unjustified’ travel bans - South African health minister says move by countries imposing restrictions on it because of a newly identified coronavirus variant is draconian. [covid-news]

Left Voice (26/11/21): Government Inflexibility Provokes General Strike in French Polynesia - For more than a week, especially in the Caribbean, France’s “overseas territories” have seen a wave of mobilizations against the government. On Wednesday, it spread to French Polynesia, in the Pacific. [labor-news, neo-imperialism-news, anti-vaxx-news] While I empathize with the anti-imperialist stance, it's hard to swing an explicitly anti-vaxx stance. Broadly speaking I think this is part of an anti-colonial reaction, but that doesn't downplay how corrossive anti-vaxx positions are

Telesur (27/11/21): UN Recognizes Racism by 2019 Coup Promoters in Bolivia - De-facto authorities used discriminatory speeches in social networks against Indigenous peoples to restore the prominence of Catholicism in public life. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (28/11/21): Sudan military says several soldiers killed in Ethiopian attack - Military sources tell Reuters at least six Sudanese soldiers were killed in an attack in a disputed border region

The Guardian (27/11/21): Niger: two killed and 17 injured in clash with French military convoy - Force used against protesters who blocked vehicles amid rising anger over France’s presence in former colonies

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): French army convoy blocked by Burkinabe protesters reaches Niger - The stopping of the military convoy came amid growing anger over the inability of local and international forces to contain escalating violence

Al Jazeera (27/11/21): Serbian anti-mining activists block bridges, roads - Environmental groups are angry over a recent referendum reform and oppose a new expropriation law, which allows the acquisition of private land. [protest-news]

The Guardian (27/11/21): Australia’s spy agency predicted the climate crisis 40 years ago – and fretted about coal exports - In a taste of things to come, a secret Office of National Assessment report worried the ‘carbon dioxide problem’ would hurt the nation’s coal industry [history-news, big-oil-news, dark-security-news]

Al Jazeera (27/11/21): Reinstated Sudanese PM Hamdok dismisses police chiefs - Medics say dozens of people have been killed as security forces sought to crush weeks of anti-coup protests

Al Jazeera (27/11/21): Burkina Faso police fire tear gas at anti-government protest - Military police launch tear gas canisters to disperse about 100 protesters trying to march towards downtown Ouagadougou to protest the government’s failure to quell violence. [protest-news]

Al Jazeera (27/11/21): Turkish lira crisis hits Idlib in Syria - Turkey’s currency crisis spills over into opposition-held Syrian city that adopted the lira more than a year ago [economic-news]

Financial Times (12/6/21): Daniel Ortega tightens his grip as Nicaragua prepares for election - Veteran Latin American strongman has arrested opponents as he ensures a fourth presidential term [surveillance-and-censorship-news, immigrant-news, us-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): Ortega has arrested several candidates ahead of upcoming [now past - Ortega won (sUrPrIsE!)] elections. He gave control of election apparatus to the his own FSLN party, blocked out observers and is barring the opposition. Protests are unlikely given his brazen brutality in 2018, killing hundreds of people. The US has sanctioned officials, but has maintained trade via the Cafta-DR free-trade pact. Suspending this would, FT reports, jeopardize the "half a million whose jobs dpeend on the [export-oriented free zone. Those jobs would [cease?] to exist". A veteran US diplomat is concerned that broader and less targeted sanctions, even if they "worked" (and what does this mean exactly? Ortega stepping down or bowing to the US? That seems unlikely), it would impoverish the people of Nicaragua and exacerbate a migrant crisis, a problem which the US is struggling to handle; 100k Nicaraguans fled to Costa Rica following the 2018 crackdown. FT vaguely alludes to Ortega's control over the police and army giving him "protection", but "the situation remains volatile". The diplomat (I think it's the diplomat, referred to at this point as "the consultant") says they don't know what will happen, but "I'm sure it's not over".

Financial Times (26/10/21): Sudan’s hopes of freedom must not be snuffed out - World needs to find a way to isolate Khartoum’s military while standing by the people [protest-news, neo-imperialism-news] Paywall Summary (?): An interesting article - FT observes that it was foolish for the West to think that the military elements which overthrew Bashir in 2019 had turned a leaf for democracy; now the world is reeling, with the US, for example, withholding around $700m in aid as a a result of the coup. They were too easy with giving money to the transition government, and dis-incentivized actually transitioning. Yet at the same time, due to IMF demands, income-support programmes weren't funded to help people deal with rising cost of living. FT suggests finding ways to fund people directly, rather than disbursing money to the transition government, such as M-Pesa. Side point from me: The IMF sucks, and as a consequence, has funneled money towards the army in the interim period (via the transition government) and actually cut support for working people, by demanding an end to fuel subsidies (for example).

Financial Times (18/11/21): CVC agrees €4.5bn deal to buy Unilever’s tea business - Private equity group wins auction for division that has been hit by changing consumer tastes [capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): CVC is a private equity group, and beat out rivales Advent and Carlyle. The business which is changing hands, called Ekaterra, generates around €2bn in annual revenue, although Unilever is keeping some of its tea division which generates around €1bn in sales, including in Indian and Indonesian businesses, where consumption is reportedly rising. Ekaterra is joined in the sale by brands such as Pukka, T2 and Tazo, which come with three large tea plantations in Africa. Those involved (although FT is a little ambiguous if they mean Unilever and/or CVC) have a history of labor and human rights abuses; current conditions are apparently pretty bad, a concern for the rival private equity groups. CVC believes improving on these dimensions will allow it to sell the businesses at a profit (Me: puke). Investors have been pressuring Unilever leadership to boost growth.

Financial Times (10/11/21): Argentina and the IMF: the looming clash over its $57bn bailout - Fears are growing that Buenos Aires will not be able to meet a $2.8bn repayment in March [neo-imperialism-news] Paywall Summary (?): Under pro-investor Macri (a Trump ally), under which the bailout was agreed, nearly all of the funds were disbursed ($44bn) by the time Macri left office, who then lost in 2019 in a blowout to Peronists due to the rage against his handling of the economy. Opponents of the bailout observe this pre-election disbursement (a way of ginning up the economy, and the current minister considering it a way of "financ[ing] Macri's campaign") along with the repayment period two years later, in 2022 or 2023, past an election and thus beyond the point of certainty, as suspect. Regarding this last observation, one of the main Peronist demands during negotiations has been pushing back the repayment timeline (wanting around 10 years) (the other is reducing surcharges on interest rates). Criticisms also point out that IMF payments reduce dollar reserves, causing a problem in its balance of payments (defenders of the IMF say these arguments "are completely irrelevant", and are raised only for political points at home). Now Argentina is cut off from most sources of international finance, and has therefore had to print money to fund its deficit, which has driven inflation to nearly 50% a year, and fuelled the price of the black market dollar (as a consequence of strict capital controls). To deal with this, ministers have ordered a price freeze of 1,400+ household items. So-called "hardliners" in the wing of vice-president Kirchner suggest that they will be shellacked in the elections for not providing social assistance, which was promised, and bowing to IMF demands. The patience of the IMF shareholders, including the IMF, is reportedly growing thin.

Financial Times (22/11/21): IMF releases funds for Ukraine as Russian troop build-up continues - Financial cushion for Kyiv as US and European officials fear threat of impending invasion [neo-imperialism-news] Paywall Summary (?): This money ($700m) is the 2nd tranche of a $5bn standby arrangement negotiated last spring. This follows up $2.7bn IMF allocation of special drawing rights (SDR), and €600m from the EU last month. IMF disbursement has been slowed to Ukraine, as the required reforms (see (22/5/20)) have been impeded by constitutional court rulings initiated by pro-Russian (opposition) parties last fall which weakened the newly established (and IMF required) anti-corruption institutions. To get around this, Zelensky's ruling majority improved the independence of said anti-corruption institutions and the central bank. Large financing has been required of Western institutions to shore up Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, and the current disbursment seems to be motivated by the escalating threats on the border (see briefing).

Financial Times (22/5/20) (OLD): IMF agrees $5bn loan for Ukraine - Deal comes hours after president signs law safeguarding the clean-up of country’s banking sector [neo-imperialism-news] Paywall Summary (?): After an initial COVID battering and a deep recession, Ukraine needed some financing. To get this standby arrangement from the IMF, Zelensky's government had to first pass reforms to clean up banking (so maybe not the worst IMF deal). Basically a bunch of oligarchs (including Zelensky-backer Kolomoisky) ran some banks very poorly, so they got nationalized in 2016 when a $5.5bn hole was found. This bill will prevent them from taking control of those assets again, or obtaining compensation through the court system (which is "notoriously corrupt"). Upon agreeing with the IMF, this will, FT reports, "unlock billions of dollars of additional funding from the EU, the World Bank and other international financial institutions".

Posted 27 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Briefing Change Log: Added Ukraine-Russia Border Escalating Tensions; Added Elections and Protest in America's Nearby Enemies; Updated Polish-Belarusian Border Crisis

Financial Times (26/11/21): Petrobras doubles down on hydrocarbons as part of $68bn investment plan - State-controlled group to prioritise oil and gas exploration and production [big-oil-news, capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): Petrobras, a corporation in which the Brazilian government has partial ownership and a majority vote, is planning on expanding its fossil fuel operations, primarily in "pre-salt" investments, which it says are less carbon intensive in their extraction and refinement, and therefore part of an "energy transition" (My translation: BS). They have been under increasing pressure from the Bolsonaro govt, and the chief executive was appointed in February after his predecessor was sacked by Bolsonaro.

Financial Times (26/11/21): Ukraine has uncovered Russian-backed coup plot, says president - Volodymyr Zelensky says plans were being made to unseat him as early as next week Paywall Summary (?): In addition to what is covered in the Guardian (26/11/21) (that Ukrainians are allegedly plotting with Russians, and aim to get Ukraine's richest oligarch Rinet Akhmetov involved), FT reports some interesting context. Akhmetov supported pro-Russian former president Yanukovich (who was ousted in 2014, now in exile in Russia), and while initially a vigorous supporter of Zelensky (who, during the election campaign, was an outsider comedian), has since turned on him. FT reports this is because Zelensky has been going after oligarch control of the nation, and so Akhmetov has turned on him. [russia-policy-news]

Common Dreams (26/11/21): 'It Was Entirely Avoidable': Rich Countries Blamed as New Covid Variant Sparks Global Alarm - "Allowing new variants to emerge and spread, 13 months into the vaccine era, is a policy choice by the rich world." [vaccine-ip-news, covid-news]

WSWS (16/11/21): Arriva bus drivers in North Wales strike against pay restraint [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

PNN (22/11/21): Settlers attack with stones Palestinian vehicles near Nablus, Hebron

Modern Diplomacy (22/11/21): Worsening drought affects 2.3 million people in Somalia [social-woes-news]

Jacobin (22/11/21): Corruption and Patronage Are the Norm in the Australian Labor Party - Earlier this year, disgraced former MP Adem Somyurek joined the long list of Labor politicians to be investigated for corruption. Somyurek was no outlier — the nepotism and cronyism he practiced are just part of the day-to-day running of the Australian Labor Party. [corruption-news, politics-news]

CPJ (22/11/21): Syrian journalist Ibrahim Awad arrested, held in refugee camp in Jordan [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Elephant (19/11/21): Freedom After Speech: Angolan Police Detain, and Beat Journalists Covering Protests - Angolan police should stop arresting and assaulting journalists and allow them to do their jobs freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa Is a Country (19/11/21): Kenya is Europe’s dumpsite - On the back of a failed COP26 climate conference: how e-waste dumping by European countries in Africa contribute significantly to climate change. [neo-imperialism-news, industrial-failure-news]

PNN (20/11/21): IOF hands over body of slain Palestinian child

PALESTINOW (20/11/21): Palestinians injured, truce revised, Hamas banned by UK, Car tires punctured, Village attacked, Woman’s body released

WSWS (19/11/21): Rail and airport workers strike in France for wage increases [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

South China Morning Post (19/11/21): Philippine church leader Apollo Carreon Quiboloy charged with child sex trafficking by US prosecutors - Apollo Carreon Quiboloy is accused of running a sex-trafficking operation that threatened victims as young as 12 with ‘eternal damnation’ and physical abuse - The 71-year-old self-proclaimed ‘Appointed Son of God’ is a long-time friend and spiritual adviser of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte [crime-news] Important Note on SCMP

Jacobin (19/11/21): The Far Right Is Lurking Within Mexican Conservatism - As AMLO’s transformative social programs gather stream in Mexico, the country’s conservative opposition parties are making overtures to the far right. [far-right-news]

Telesur (25/11/21): Peru: President Castillo To Boost Small Enterprises Development - "For over two years, our entrepreneurs have bravely fought the economic recession... Now, it is our turn to help them," he stated. [economic-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (25/11/21): At Least 8 Killed In Car Bombing In Somali Capital - Somalia has lived in permanent chaos since 1991, when dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown, leaving this country without a government and in hands of Islamist militias and warlords. Note about Telesur

The Guardian (25/11/21): Police called to remove union officials from Amazon warehouse in Sydney - The Transport Workers Union said it was investigating reports that Amazon Flex workers’ cars were dangerously overloaded [union-news, busting-labor-news]

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Peru opposition moves to impeach President Pedro Castillo - Castillo, who has seen his popularity plunge in recent months, dismissed the ‘political noise’.

The Moscow Times (25/11/21): Another Ex-Navalny Coordinator Leaves Russia after Ally Jailed for ‘Extremism’ [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa News (25/11/21): Burkina Faso : Opposition, business community protest internet suspension [surveillance-and-censorship-news, protest-news]

The Guardian (26/11/21): Solomon Islands PM blames violent anti-government protests on foreign interference - Comments come as Australian police and defence force personnel begin taking control of capital Honiara

Africa News (25/11/21): Gambia govt urged to pursue crimes under ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh

Africa News (25/11/21): Ethiopia civil war: Thousands of protesters march on UK, US embassies in Addis

Workers World (25/11/21): Shell-shocked in Amhara, Ethiopia: ‘I don’t even want to hear the word “America” ’

The Guardian (25/11/21): Google to pay £183m in back taxes to Irish government - Firm’s subsidiary in Ireland agrees to backdated settlement to be paid in addition to corporation tax for 2020 [big-tech-news, tax-news]

The Guardian (25/11/21): French fishers to block Channel tunnel in Brexit licences row - Members of industry association say large number of vehicles will be used to block key artery between nations

Law and Crime (25/11/21): Former Louisiana Cop and K-9 Officer Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexually Abusing His Dog and Possession of Child Porn

Africa News (25/11/21): South Africa says NO to renewal of work permit for 250,000 Zimbabweans [labor-news, immigrant-news]

Africa News (25/11/21): Case closed: Kenya drops corruption charges against FA boss Nick Mwendwa [corruption-news]

NewsClick (25/11/21): Workers' Strike Brings Industrial Areas in Delhi NCR Almost to a Halt - Led by the 12 Central Trade Unions, the striking workers flayed both the Delhi government and the Centre for their policies purportedly shifting the labour regimes in favour of the employers. [labor-news]

The Moscow Times (25/11/21): Russian Communist Lawmaker Stripped of Immunity in Elk Poaching Probe [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (25/11/21): Apple tells Thai activists they are targets of ‘state-sponsored attackers’ - At least 17 people including protest leaders have received alerts about devices possibly being compromised [surveillance-and-censorship-news, big-tech-news]

The Moscow Times (25/11/21): Putin Sacks Russian Prisons Chief After Torture Leak Scandal

Telesur (26/11/21): Anti-Vax Rioters Attack Policemen and Journalists in Martinique - Over the last week, Guadalupe and Martinique, two French overseas territories in the Caribbean, have witnessed armed incidents during protests against vaccination, fuel price increases, and low wages. [protest-news, anti-vaxx-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (26/11/21): Attack On Feminist March Leaves 3 Deaths & 2 Injured in Mexico - Men with assault rifles and grenades opened fire against Guaymas City Mayor Karla Cordova, who had arrested members of criminal organizations last week. [civil-rights-news, crime-news] Note about Telesur

Africa News (26/11/21): Malawi: Police break protests against rising cost of living [protest-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news, social-woes-news]

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Turkish court rules to keep Osman Kavala in jail - Turkey risks further tensions with European allies after court rules to keep philanthropist in jail during trial. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Ars Technica (26/11/21): Tesla forced to turn down €1.1 billion in EU support for German battery plant - Delays to factory near Berlin left carmaker unable to meet EU state aid conditions.

The Guardian (26/11/21): French ex-minister Nicolas Hulot accused of rape and sexual assault - Former environment minister denies allegations as four women come forward in TV documentary

The Guardian (26/11/21): Ukraine has uncovered Russian-linked coup plot, says president - Volodymyr Zelenskiy says there is evidence of ‘coup d’état’ being planned for early December

PALESTINOW (26/11/21): Illegal Settlement, Palestinians Attacked, Hunger Strikers, Vigil, Roads Closed, Tractor Confiscated, Governor Interrogation, Palestinians Kidnapped, Labeling Illegal Settlement Products

The Guardian (26/11/21): Ethiopian PM on battlefront, says state-affiliated TV - Abiy Ahmed claims in the footage that the war was ‘being conducted with a high level of success’

Al-Monitor (26/11/21): Turkish police detain opposition figure - Metin Gurcan, a founding member of Turkey's Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), has been detained by the Turkish police, joining a number of political opponents and critics who have been accused of “political espionage” in recent years [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

New York Times (26/11/21): Fresh Violence in Darfur Adds to Sudan’s Crises - At least 43 people have been killed in clashes in the area, the U.N. says, while the nation’s leaders are focused elsewhere, dealing with the fallout from a coup.

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Colombia protesters faced ‘intentional’ police violence: Report - Amnesty International says over 100 people suffered eye injuries in security force crackdown on mass protests this year [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

The Guardian (26/11/21): Myanmar junta accused of forcing people to brink of starvation - Advisory group say military has destroyed supplies, killed livestock and cut off roads used to transport food since February coup [social-woes-news]

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Myanmar Junta Sacked Generals Who Served as Minsters During NLD Govt

The Elephant (26/11/21): Agricultural Productivity as Performance: A Tale of Two Mozambican Corridors - Agricultural corridors in Mozambique emerge when international funders and investors, national elites, local bureaucrats and smallholder farmers overstate the success of agricultural projects. [food-security-news, privatization-news]

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Kyrgyzstan detains 15 in ‘coup plot’ before vote - Security services say those detained were planning to make hundreds of young people protest against the vote result

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Shoppers Boycott Myanmar Plaza After Attack on Anti-Regime Protest

Africa News (26/11/21): Thousands demonstrate in Madrid to call out violence against women [civil-rights-news, protest-news]

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Chin State Town Blames Myanmar Junta for Arson Attacks

New York Times (26/11/21): After Meeting With Victim, Former Missouri Officer Is Cleared of Assault - The charge was dropped after the former police officer and the woman she shot outside a supermarket in Ladue, Mo., agreed to meet with a mediator over Zoom, prosecutors said.

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Libya gunmen attack court, stop Gaddafi son’s candidate appeal - The attack prevented Saif al-Islam Gaddafi from lodging an appeal against disqualification from next month’s presidential election

Al-Monitor (26/11/21): Iran riot police 'forcibly' sweep water protest site - During the pre-dawn raid in the city of Esfahan, baton-wielding security forces set protest tents on fire and pushed farmers out of the dried river basin, the site of more than two weeks of public demonstrations. [protest-news]

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Thousands Flee as Myanmar Regime Resumes Raiding Resistance Groups

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Heavy Fighting Reported Between Myanmar Junta and Northern Shan Armed Group

NewsClick (26/11/21): Protests Across Kerala Against Price Rise - Two-day protest meetings and demonstrations were held across Kerala on the call of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday demanding the Union government to lower fuel taxes and bring down prices of essential commodities [social-woes-news, protest-news]

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Over 20 Anti-Coup Activists Sentenced to Death by Myanmar Junta [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa News (26/11/21): French military convoy to finally gain access in Burkina Faso

NewsClick (26/11/21): Protests, Clashes Erupt in Parts of Srinagar After Killing of 3 Suspected Militants - Many eyewitnesses have accused the J&K Police of killing the suspected militants without giving them a chance to surrender.

The Guardian (26/11/21): Return to the refugee camp: Malawi orders thousands back to ‘congested’ Dzaleka - People who’ve integrated into society are expected to return to the country’s oldest refugee camp, as cost of living and anti-refugee sentiment rises [immigrant-news]

Telesur (23/11/21): Chilean Lawmakers Approve Equal Marriage Bill - On Tuesday, the Chilean Chamber of Deputies approved the bill that allows equal marriage, which passes to its final stage in the Senate. [lgbtq-news, legislation-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (23/11/21): Argentina: Clarin Newspaper HQ Attacked with Molotov Cocktails - A group of hooded men threw Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of the Argentine newspaper Clarín early Monday morning. The newspaper called for the "urgent clarification and punishment" of those responsible, who were filmed by security cameras. Note about Telesur

Al-Monitor (26/11/21): Qatar releases two Norwegian journalists after detention - Qatari security forces detained two journalists working for Norway's state broadcaster whom Doha accused of trespassing on private property. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Irrawaddy (26/11/21): Thai Forces Kill Drug Couriers, Seize 1.8 Million Meth Pills Near Myanmar Border [drug-news]

Telesur (23/11/21): We Suffer Paramilitary Violence: Colombian Indigenous Peoples - Confinement for fear of reprisals by armed groups was identified as the most common crime against Colombian Indigenous peoples this year. [indigenous-news, militant-far-right-news] Note about Telesur

The Economist (27/11/21): World This Week:

Two months after an election, a deal to form a new German government was unveiled. Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats will lead a coalition with the Greens and the Free Democrats, a pro-business party. Mr Scholz will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor in early December. The inclusion of the Greens has put climate change front and centre of the new government’s agenda. It also pledges to build 400,000 flats a year to ease a housing crisis. [politics-news]
At least 27 migrants drowned off the coast of France trying to reach Britain. It was the biggest single loss of life in the English Channel since such figures started to be recorded in 2014. The number of illegal Channel landings, orchestrated by criminal gangs, is already three times higher this year than in all of 2020. The British and French governments promised to step up their fight against people-traffickers. But it is not yet clear who will pay to patrol the waves. [immigrant-news]
Protests erupted in several European countries against fresh pandemic restrictions, as the continent battled another wave of infections. Rioting flared up in Rotterdam and The Hague after the Dutch government reintroduced lockdown measures. A big demonstration in Brussels turned ugly, causing the police to deploy water cannon. Marches also took place in Croatia, Italy and Switzerland. Austria reimposed a lockdown and made vaccinations mandatory for all its citizens from February, the first rich country to do so. [anti-vaxx-news, protest-news, covid-news]
After months of stalemate, Romania’s president asked Nicolae Ciuca, a former army general, to be prime minister, heading a coalition government comprising the Liberals and Social Democrats. With one of Europe’s lowest vaccination rates, the country is struggling to contain covid-19.
The British government sought to declare the whole of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, a terrorist organisation. Britain had already proscribed the group’s military wing.
Global tennis stars voiced concern about a Chinese peer, Peng Shuai, who had accused a former vice-premier of China of sexual abuse. The allegation was scrubbed from the Chinese internet. Chinese media released videos of Ms Peng and an email purportedly by her retracting it. But doubts persisted about her well-being. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
China downgraded its diplomatic relations with Lithuania after the Baltic state allowed a Taiwanese trade office to open there using the name Taiwan instead of Taipei, the name often used by the island’s missions abroad. [china-policy-news]
Barisan Nasional, Malaysia’s ruling coalition, triumphed in elections in Malacca, a bellwether state south of Kuala Lumpur. The result is seen as a vote of approval for Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the new prime minister, who is likely to call a general election next year. [electoral-news]

The Economist World This Week (20/11/21): Nine members of Insulate Britain, a green protest group, were jailed for three to six months for defying court injunctions not to block busy roads. The group’s zealous tactics have made life even more miserable for London’s already frustrated drivers. The judge said there was no alternative to prison for the nine, given their intention to keep flouting the injunctions. [protest-news]

Financial Times (10/11/21): Japanese PM Kishida appoints pro-China ally as foreign minister -Yoshimasa Hayashi also expected to deepen US links and adopt more assertive regional role, analysts say Paywall Summary (?): Kishida also unveiled a plan to distribute $880 in cash to people in an upcoming economic package. Despite Hayashi's reported "pro-China stance", he is expected to strike a nuanced balance between the two powers. Hayashi is part of Kishida's own political faction, who give each other their support in trade for positions, including many allies of former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Kishida hopes to boost the economy up ahead of upper house elections next summer, and the government is likely going to subsidize projects for TSMC (in partnership with Sony) to open $7bn of fabrication infrastructure in Japan.

Financial Times (15/11/21): Dutch government rushes to keep Shell in Netherlands - Last-ditch push to scrap dividend tax that has been cited by energy group as reason for planned UK move [capitalist-farce-news, tax-news] Paywall Summary (?): A motivating factor in Shell's switch was a dividend tax ("a 15% withholding tax"), and the caretaker government has scrambled to get rid of it in hopes of keeping Shell in the Netherlands. Shell plans to "shift its entire tax base to the UK". This tax limits its share buyback procedure. While they promised to scrap it in 2017 to the benefit of Unilever and Shell, but the protests of green and left parties got rid of it. Shell faces other pressures in the Netherlands, including a court ruling to make faster carbon emission cuts, and the Dutch pension fund ABP pulling out from fossil fuel investments. Shell shareholders will vote on the action on December 10.

The Moscow Times (26/11/21): More Than 50 Reported Dead in Siberia Coal Mine Accident [industrial-failure-news]

Law and Crime (25/11/21): N.J. Cop Charged with Killing Pedestrian, Stuffing Body in Car, and Taking the Dead Man Home. Prosecutors Say His Cop Father Turned Him In.

WSWS (25/11/21): Tens of thousands of transport workers enter fourth week of indefinite strike in India [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Turkish police fire tear gas at women protesters in Istanbul - March for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women confronted by riot police. [protest-news, civil-rights-news]

Al Jazeera (26/11/21): Strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake hits India-Myanmar border region - Tremors felt as far away as Kolkata, India but there were no immediate reports of damage

Telesur (25/11/21): Thousands of Women March in Chile Against Fascism - Thousands of women marched this Thursday in the Chilean capital as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, rejecting the "fascism" that, according to them, represents the far-right presidential candidate, José Antonio Kast. [civil-rights-news, protest-news, far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Posted 26 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

The Irrawaddy (23/11/21): Myanmar Civilian Govt’s Bond Sale Raises Over $6 Million in Under 12 Hours

The Guardian (23/11/21): Thai student accused of mocking king with crop top protest denied bail - Lawyers say judgment demonstrates increasingly harsh stance taken by authorities over lese-majesty law [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (25/11/21): Bangladesh begins moving Rohingya to remote island amid criticism - More than 2,000 Rohingya are set to be transferred to Bhashan Char island in the Bay of Bengal, amid claims of forced relocations [immigrant-news]

Common Dreams (25/11/21): US Legal Observers Report 'Balanced and Transparent' Election Process in Venezuela - The federal government's "consistently false narrative of elections in Venezuela is formulated to legitimize the continuation of U.S. sanctions, which are violations of international law and amount to economic warfare," said the head of the National Lawyers Guild [electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (24/11/21): Thailand refugee deportations trigger condemnation, defiance - Thailand has returned a number of Cambodian opposition activists in a move condemned by the UN refugee agency and rights groups. [immigrant-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (24/11/21): Tanzania to allow students to attend school after giving birth - Government reverses controversial 2017 policy instituted by the country’s late leader, John Magufuli

CPJ (24/11/21): Journalist Ahmad Baseer Ahmadi severely beaten in Afghanistan

PNN (24/11/21): Three Palestinians injured, one critical, in Israeli settler attacks east of Ramallah

CPJ (24/11/21): At least 5 journalists injured amid clashes over local elections in Tripura, India

Its Going Down (24/11/21): Class war in Cadiz: Armored Vehicles try to Suppress a Strike [busting-labor-news]

Africa News (24/11/21): Burkina Faso: Chaos hits burial ceremony for 36 gendarmes killed in Inata

The Intercept (24/11/21): Peru Opens Criminal Probe Into Journalist Who Exposed Illegal Collusion With Witness - Ernesto Cabral of OjoPúblico, along with The Intercept Brasil, exposed Peruvian prosecutors’ misconduct in the sprawling Car Wash probe [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (24/11/21): ‘She’s the only option’: Hondurans hope Xiomara Castro can lead the nation in a new direction - Candidate would be the country’s first female president who vows to stop the violence and corruption causing many to flee [electoral-news, leftist-news]

Telesur (23/11/21): Romanian Parliament Elects New Leaders - Both chambers of Romania's Parliament elected new leaders on Tuesday. [electoral-news] Note about Telesur

New York Times (23/11/21): In Venezuela’s Flawed Vote, Maduro Shows One Way to Retain Power - European observers said the elections were neither free nor fair. They showed how President Nicolás Maduro’s government, however unpopular, can win by excluding and splitting opponents. [electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): UN Libya envoy quits weeks before planned election - UN special envoy Jan Kubis’s resignation accepted a month before a scheduled presidential election in Libya.

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): Venezuela’s recent elections an improvement over past votes: EU - Head of EU observer mission says while ‘better conditions’ marked weekend vote, some problems persisted [electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): Ecuador pardons some inmates after deadly prison riots - Ecuador is seeking to ease overcrowding in its prisons after gang-linked riots killed more than 300 people this year

Reuters (24/11/21): Australia to deploy police, military to Solomon Islands as protests spread [protest-news]

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): Italian antitrust watchdog fines Apple, Amazon more than $225M - The watchdog has ordered Amazon and Apple to end restrictions on sales competition and give resellers access in a ‘non-discriminatory manner’. [antitrust-news, big-tech-news]

CPJ (23/11/21): Polish authorities detain, harass journalists covering refugee crossings from Belarus [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): Sri Lanka: Several killed after boat capsizes off eastern coast - Four children were among the dead, according to security and health officials

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): Nicaragua detains former OAS ambassador, critic of Ortega - Edgard Parrales was picked up by unidentified men near his home in Managua, his wife and a rights observer say. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa News (23/11/21): Ivory Coast plans to strengthen military force, to recruit 3,000 soldiers

The Moscow Times (23/11/21): Russia Acquits First Jehovah’s Witness After Top Court Bans Prosecuting Prayers

The Irrawaddy (23/11/21): Almost 200 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Administrators Killed Since Coup

Labor Notes (23/11/21): Washington Mental Health Workers Win Safety Strike

NewsClick (24/11/21): Myanmar in Indian Foreign Policy’s Blindspot - Even if normative concerns do not drive Indian foreign policy, Myanmar is key to India’s Look/Act East policy and its plans for its North-eastern states.

The Guardian (24/11/21): Sweden’s first female prime minister resigns after less than 12 hours - Magdalena Andersson quits on day one after the Green party withdraws support for her budget [politics-news]

Al Jazeera (24/11/21): Mexico’s AMLO does U-turn on central bank job - In a surprise move that rattled markets, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador proposed Victoria Rodriguez, a deputy finance minister, to replace his initial nominee for central bank governor, former finance minister Arturo Herrera. [economic-news]

Liberation News (24/11/21): Ohioans rally in Columbus to speak out against right-wing attacks on health care [healthcare-news, gop-shenanigans-news, civil-rights-news]

PNN (24/11/21): Israel approves building of new settlement neighborhood north of Jerusalem

Left Voice (24/11/21): Protests in Burkina Faso against French Troops - A French army convoy was attacked by demonstrators in Burkina Faso opposing the French military presence in the Sahel. While the French soldiers injured four protesters, the mobilization remains strong. French troops out of Africa! [neo-imperialism-news, protest-news]

Who Gets the Bird (21/11/21): Weekly:

That leaves the UAW Local 2110 strike at Columbia University as the largest ongoing strike in the country, in terms of number of workers. Grad students at Harvard with UAW Local 5118 almost joined 2110 on the Ivy League picket line, but reached a last-minute tentative agreement this week, though it might get voted down. Also in Boston, also with Local 2110, workers at the Museum of Fine Arts struck for 24 hours.
As for the largest non-open-ended strike in the country, that award goes to the tens of thousands of sympathy strikers at Kaiser with SEIU UHW, IFPTE, OPEIU, NUHW, and the California Nurses (NNU) walking off the job. The “sympathy” in question is with the 700 or so Operating Engineers Local 39 members who’ve been on strike for over two months. Though the big contracts were settled by last Saturday, the Guild of Professional Pharmacists’ 2,000 members were still ready to walk, though they got a last-minute deal as well, as did the couple thousand UNAC/UHCP therapists who are gunning for a first contract; obviously all of these have to pass ratification votes.
SEIU 1199 WV/KY/OH, representing 1,000 strikers at Cabell Hospital in Huntington, WV, says the company’s offers during bargaining this week have been getting worse, not better, as the strike nears its three-week mark
Dozens of UPMC workers in Pittsburgh held a one-day strike with SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania as they keep pushing in their years-long fight to win a union at the massive healthcare employer
the other 8-month-long strike, that of the UMWA miners in Brookwood, AL haven’t seen any movement in the past week either, though a judge did extend the ruthless, unjust injunction against picketing into December.
The striking Scranton, PA educators have a tentative agreement, ending the largest official K-12 strike since the pandemic began, with a ratification vote set for Tuesday.
Around 100 school bus drivers with Teamsters Local 572 in Long Beach, CA struck this week
School bus drivers in Berkeley County, SC held a sick-out this week
The third Teamsters Local 533 strike of 2021 in Reno, NV rolls on against transit mega-contractor Keolis. Around 200 transit workers are on an unfair labor practice strike, against the backdrop of contract negotiation breakdown.
Wheelchair attendants for subcontractor Bags, Inc. at the Orlando International Airport held a one-day strike with 32BJ SEIU Florida; these workers make less than $8 an hour
Members of UNITE HERE Local 274 are on strike at Philadelphia’s Wyndham Hotel as of Sunday morning.
Nursing home workers in Burlington, NJ with 1199 SEIU struck for 24 hours.
Teamsters Local 264 ended their 10-day strike with an agreement from Friendship Dairy in Friendship, NY.
2500 rail workers for Chicago’s Metra commuter rail have a tentative agreement after authorizing a strike. Likewise, the 365 members of SMART Local 1594 will not strike the Norristown, PA commuter rail after all, reaching a tentative agreement after authorizing a strike, just like their Philly SEPTA counterparts.
IATSE Local 114 is picketing the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, ME after the city-owned venue announced it would be looking into using non-union stagehand labor.

Democracy Now (24/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Portugal Shutters Last Coal-Fired Plant [energy-news]

Just Security (24/11/21): Early Edition:

An Israeli air strike in Syria killed two people and wounded seven others, including six soldiers, today, Syrian state media has said. The air strike is the fourth Israeli attack reported by Syria this month. Reuters reports.
The head of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) left Tehran late yesterday after failing to reach a deal to allow IAEA inspectors to gain access to a factory involved in centrifuge production for the Iranian nuclear program. The factory in Karaj has resumed production of key centrifuge components for enriching uranium without IAEA monitoring. Diplomats have said that the talks between the IAEA and Iran are ongoing. Laurence Norman reports for the Wall Street Journal.
The number of displaced people in camps in Yemen’s Marib province has risen nearly 10-fold since September, with over 45,000 people fleeing their homes, the U.N. migration agency said today. The Houthi rebels have been conducting an offensive in the oil-rich region. Reuters reports. [social-woes-news]
Recovery in war-torn Yemen is possible if the conflict between the pro-government Saudi-led coalition and Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels ends now, according to a new U.N. Development Program report. The report argues that extreme poverty in Yemen could be eradicated within a generation, or by 2047, if the fighting ceases. UN News Centre reports. [economic-news, social-woes-news]
Morocco and Israel have signed a defence memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Rabat. The MoU does not stipulate specific defence deals, but rather provides a legal and regulatory framework for such agreements in the future, a source has said. Reuters reports.
Qatar employed a former CIA officer to help spy on rival teams and key soccer officials who were responsible for picking the host of the FIFA 2022 World Cup in 2010, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Alan Suderman reports for AP. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The U.S. is to drop the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) from a list of foreign terrorist organizations in a move intended to demonstrate U.S. support for a fragile five-year old peace agreement between rebels in Colombia and then-President Juan Manuel Santos. The officials said the move would come no later than Nov. 30, coinciding with the five-year anniversary of the historic peace accord. The FARC began to demobilize shortly after the signing of the accord, and have taken steps to transform their group into a political party, now called the Common People party. Vivian Salama and Juan Forero report for the Wall Street Journal. [us-policy-news]
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has decided to take Nigeria off a list of countries accused of engaging in or tolerating religious persecution, leading to anger from Christian groups, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and former senior U.S. diplomats. Blinken’s decision was revealed last week before he visited Nigeria, where Muslim-Christian tensions have long flared. State Department officials have said that Blinken’s move followed the advice of various department sections, but critics are calling it political and designed to appease an important African partner. Nahal Toosi reports for POLITICO. [us-policy-news]
The Taliban has expanded its shadowy war against the Islamic State branch in Afghanistan, deploying more than 1,300 additional fighters to Afghanistan’s eastern Nangahar province in the past month. “Taliban night raids against suspected Islamic State-Khorasan members are also on the rise, and many of the hundreds arrested have disappeared or turned up dead, according to Jalalabad residents and Taliban fighters,” Susannah George reports for the Washington Post.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have held military drills near Kazakhstan’s border with Afghanistan, imitating a response to an incursion, the Uzbek defense ministry has said. Reuters reports.
Russia has demanded that 13 foreign tech companies, including U.S. firms, set up offices in Russia by the end of the year or face potential restrictions and bans. Google, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok are among the tech entities that must comply with the demand from the state communications regulator Roskomnadzor, which was issued Monday after a new Russian law took effect in July mandating that social media platforms with more than 500,000 daily users set up a physical presence in the country. Alexander Marrow and Gleb Stolyarov report for Reuters. [big-tech-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Apple Inc. has sued the Israeli spyware group NSO Group, alleging the company misused Apple’s products and services. “The lawsuit alleges that NSO Group engaged in ‘concerted efforts in 2021 to target and attack Apple customers, Apple products and servers and Apple through dangerous malware and spyware,’ and seeks to bar NSO Group from using Apple’s products,” Robert McMillan reports for the Wall Street Journal. [big-tech-news, court-news]
The E.U. has given visas to Belarusian migrants fleeing repression, while seeking to rebuff Middle Eastern migrants coming through Belarus. Crossing from East to West of Belarus, the two groups briefly share the same fate, “but soon their lives diverge again: most Belarusians are quickly assured of staying in Lithuania and are allowed to move freely, while the others spend months detained in cramped containers, awaiting near-certain rejection of their asylum claims,” Anton Troianovski reports for The New York Times. [immigrant-news]
Belarus’s oldest newspaper, Nasha Niva, has been banned after the government accused the publication of extremism. Yuras Karmanau reports for AP. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The trial of 25 men accused of masterminding the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka has begun. “The bombings, which targeted three hotels and three churches. killed 267 people and injured about 500. More than 23,000 charges have been filed against the suspects, and 1,215 witnesses have been called to testify,” BBC News reports.

Democracy Now (23/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Yemeni Protesters Condemn U.S. Support for Saudi-Led War and Blockade [protest-news]
Senators Move to Block Biden’s Planned $650M Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia [us-policy-news]
Israel Arrests Relatives of Palestinian Man Behind Jerusalem Attack
El Salvador President Plans “Bitcoin City” as Government Cracks Down on NGOs [cryptocurrency-news]

Just Security (23/11/21): Early Edition:

The Kremlin has rebutted growing U.S. warnings about a buildup of Russian troops and military assets at Russia’s border with Ukraine that could be used to attack Ukraine, accusing Washington of seeking to destabilize the region
President Biden’s administration is weighing sending military advisers and new equipment including weapons to Ukraine, as Russia builds up forces near the border, multiple sources have said. The proposed lethal aid package from the U.S. to Ukraine could include air defense systems, new Javelin anti-tank and anti-armor missiles as well as mortars, according to the sources. “But others in the administration are concerned that sending stingers and helicopters could be seen by Russia as a major escalation. And while they are prepared to send some military advisers into the region, it is unclear whether any would go into Ukraine itself, the people said,” Natasha Bertrand, Jim Sciutto and Katie Bo Lillis report for CNN. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Two refitted former U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats intended to bolster the Ukrainian navy have arrived at a Ukrainian port, the Ukrainian navy has said. Reuters reports. [us-policy-news]
The U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria has voiced “deep concern” over Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s comments about Crimea belonging to Russia. In a presidential debate with his center-right opponent Anastas Gerdzhikov on Thursday, Radev said that the Crimean Peninsula was “currently Russian,” adding, “what else can it be?” “The United States, G-7, European Union, and NATO have all been clear and united in our position that, despite Russia’s attempted annexation and ongoing occupation, Crimea is Ukraine,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. AP reports. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pledged yesterday to lead government soldiers from the front line in a war with advancing rebels. “Starting tomorrow, I will mobilize to the front to lead the defense forces,” Abiy said in a statement posted on Twitter. Erin Cunningham reports for the Washington Post.
The children of West and Central Africa are the most recruited by armed groups in the world and also have the highest number of victims of sexual violence, a report from the U.N. Children’s Fund has said. Over the past five years, during which the region has seen increased conflicts, more than 21,000 children have been recruited by government forces and armed groups, says the report. In addition, more than 2,200 children in the region have been victims of sexual violence since 2016, and more than 3,500 children have been abducted, said the report. Sam Mednick reports for AP.
Sudan’s reinstated Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said, in an interview that aired yesterday, that he will have the authority to form his own independent government under the agreement he signed with Sudan’s military generals who overthrew him in a coup last month
A Saudi-led coalition has launched air attacks on Iranian-backed Houthi rebel targets in Yemen’s capital city of Sana’a. Saudi state television reported that civilians were asked to avoid gathering or going near the “legitimate” Houthi targets, and residents reported explosions across the city. The Saudi-led military alliance said that it had destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile launch site in overnight strikes in the city. Reuters reports.
One of Israel’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest advisers testified against him yesterday in a long-running corruption case. Prosecutors are arguing that Netanyahu accepted expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for official favors and offered two media moguls regulatory and financial benefits in exchange for positive press coverage. Thomas Grove reports for the Wall Street Journal. [corruption-news]
The ruling Socialist government in Venezuela has claimed a landslide victory in local and state elections. The elections for the first time in four years included the participation of most of the country’s U.S.-backed opposition movement. However, “the results weren’t a surprise in a country where [President Nicolás] Maduro controls resources, access to the press and most of the members of the National Electoral Council,” Kejal Vyas and Juan Forero report for the Wall Street Journal. [electoral-news]
Tony Chung, a young activist who called for Hong Kong’s independence from China, was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison today after pleading guilty to secession under Hong Kong’s national security law. His crime involved Facebook posts and speech, however, the judge said he had played an active role as an organizer and added “fuel to the flames” of secession. Shibani Mahtani and Theodora Yu report for the Washington Post. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
India’s anti-terrorism agency has arrested Khurram Parvez, a prominent human rights activist in Indian-administered Kashmir. “The arrest of Parvez marks an escalation in the crackdown in Kashmir that has swept up activists, journalists, and even political leaders seen as critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which controversially revoked the region’s semi autonomous status in 2019, leading to protests,” Niha Masih, Gerry Shih and Shams Irfan report for the Washington Post. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The U.N. has pushed for urgent action to prop up Afghanistan’s banks, warning that a spike in people who are unable to repay loans as well as lower deposits and a cash liquidity crunch could cause the financial system to collapse within months. In a report on Afghanistan’s banking and financial system, the U.N. Development Program said that the economic cost of a banking system collapse – and consequent negative social impact – “would be colossal.” Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
Chun Doo-hwan, the military leader who seized power in South Korea in a coup and ruled with an iron fist for most of the 1980s, has died aged 90 at his home in Seoul. Choe Sang-Hun reports for the New York Times.
Fake news on social media platforms, including Facebook, aggravated the migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland. Promises of borders being opened were circulated on social media, and helped smugglers profit off of desperate people trying to reach Europe. Andrew Higgins, Adam Satariano and Jane Arraf report for the New York Times. [big-tech-news, immigrant-news]
A U.S. warship sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait today as part of what the U.S. military calls routine activity but which will likely add to Beijing’s perception that Washington is trying to stir regional tensions. The Navy said that the warship conducted a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” through international waters in accordance with international law. Reuters reports. [us-policy-news]
Large biomanufacturing companies are being targeted by hackers potentially tied to Russia, researchers from the Bioeconomy Information Sharing and Analysis Center (BIO-ISAC) disclosed yesterday. BIO-ISAC said that the effort involves a type of malware labeled “Tardigrade” that was first detected following a ransomware attack on an unnamed major biomanufacturing facility this spring. The same malware was found at a second biomanufacturing facility last month. Maggie Miller reports for The Hill. [cyber-security-news]

The Irrawaddy (22/11/21): Around 120 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Magwe Region: Resistance

Common Dreams (22/11/21): The High Stakes of the U.S.-Russia Confrontation Over Ukraine - Americans should beware of romanticizing the "old" Cold War as a time of peace, simply because we somehow managed to dodge a world-ending nuclear holocaust. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (22/11/21): Bahrain says it thwarted terror attack, seized weapons from Iran - The Bahraini Interior Ministry said the suspects were linked to terrorist groups in Iran

The Moscow Times (22/11/21): Rights Groups Decry Russian Deportations of Central Asian Activists [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (22/11/21): Water protests spread in Iran - Farmers in a second province in Iran protest the water crisis in their region [protest-news]

The Moscow Times (22/11/21): Russia’s Gazprom Threatens to Cut Off Gas to Moldova [energy-news, russia-policy-news]

Law and Crime (22/11/21): Supreme Court Denies Carmen Electra and Other Models’ Petition Against Strip Clubs Over Trademark Infringement

Al Jazeera (22/11/21): At least 12 killed in eastern DR Congo attack - Official in Ituri province says six children, two women among those killed when CODECO rebels raided Drodro village.

South China Morning Post (23/11/21): Greenland strips Chinese mining firm of licence to iron ore deposit - The move is a blow to attempts by Chinese companies to gain a foothold on the resource-rich Arctic island - General Nice, the first Chinese firm to have the right to exploit minerals in Greenland, lost its licence because of site inactivity and missing payments [bri-news, china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Africa News (22/11/21): Mpho Phalatse to lead Johannesburg, as ANC left crushed

Common Dreams (22/11/21): Five Reasons the Left Won in Venezuela - These elections should put the Biden administration on notice that continuing to support the MUD, and in particular, the fiction of Guaidó as "interim president," is a failed policy. [electoral-news]

Africa News (22/11/21): Police arrest demonstrators in Kinshasa [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (22/11/21): Bodies found in Brazil mangrove following police gun battle - At least eight bodies, some with signs of torture, found on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro following police operation. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

ZDNet (22/11/21): Data from millions of Brazilians exposed in Wi-Fi management software firm leak - The data includes full name, email address, full address, and taxpayer registration numbers [cyber-security-news]

Al Jazeera (23/11/21): After crackdown, Hong Kong’s low paid face hurdles to organising - Beijing’s clampdown on dissent in city has silenced unions and politicians that traditionally supported workers’ rights. [labor-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

South China Morning Post (23/11/21): US investigators question migrant workers from tyre-maker Goodyear Malaysia over labour practices - The move follows initial allegations by 185 workers from Nepal, India and Myanmar in 2019 and 2020, where they detailed unpaid wages, wrongful deductions and threats - Malaysian authorities say they have opened a probe into Goodyear, which is partly owned by the nation’s largest fund manager, over labour trafficking [labor-news, us-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Law and Crime (22/11/21): ‘There Is Evil in this World’: Ex-Cop Abducted and Killed Two Daughters, Killed Accomplice and Himself After Police Failed to Execute Emergency Protective Order

The Hill (22/11/21): Texas school district to investigate police use of force during student protest

Al Jazeera (22/11/21): Venezuela opposition says it must rebuild after electoral loss - About 42 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in Sunday’s vote, which saw Venezuelan opposition suffer heavy defeat. [electoral-news]

The Irrawaddy (23/11/21): Chinese-Owned Banana Plantations Fueling Exploitation in Myanmar [bri-news, neo-imperialism-news]

NewsClick (23/11/21): As Excess Rain Destroys Kharif Harvest, Debt-Ridden UP Farmers Await Loss Compensation - Climate excesses that brought havoc to the Kharif harvest have further amplified the anger and disappointment of UP farmers with the Yogi Adityanath government. [climate-change-news, food-security-news]

Telesur (22/11/21): Top US Diplomat in El Salvador Leaves the Country - The U.S. Chargé d'Affaires expressed that there are no solid relations because El Salvador has no interest. [us-policy-news] Note about Telesur

Africa Is a Country (8/11/21): Sudanese women on the front lines of the resistance - Sudanese women took part in the revolution in large numbers for the same reasons they are now part of the resistance against this treacherous coup: Their human rights are at stake.

Africa Is a Country (11/11/21): The war in Ethiopia - Will Ethiopia’s civil war blow up its dream of a single state, and in the process, blow up Western notions of statebuilding?

Jacobin (29/3/21): Tanzanian President John Magufuli Has Left a Sorry Legacy - After denying COVID existed in his country, Tanzanian president John Magufuli died earlier this month, likely from the coronavirus. It was a sorry end to a presidency that began with hopes that Magufuli would improve public services and clamp down on corruption among the political elite.

The Elephant (21/11/21): Punitive Government Policies Jeopardise Kenya’s Food Security - The government is criminalising Kenyan farmers and leaving the country’s food security at the mercy of multinational corporations [food-security-news, privatization-news, neo-imperialism-news]

Telesur (21/11/21): Dominican Republic Deport Over 1,500 Haitians - The Dominican Republic tries to stop immigration through actions such as the suspension of its visa program for Haitian students and the prohibition of public health care for undocumented citizens. [immigrant-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (21/11/21): Uganda To Deploy Region-Backed Anti-Terrorist Actions - The Museveni administration is in talks with Democratic Republic of Congo in efforts to curtail the operations of the "Allied Democratic Forces," an affiliate of the Islamic State in central Africa. Note about Telesur

Africa News (21/11/21): Burkina Faso: Four wounded in protest against French army convoy [protest-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Guardian (21/11/21): Indigenous community evicted as land clashes over agribusiness rock Paraguay - Police in riot gear tore down a community’s homes and ripped up crops, highlighting the country’s highly unequal land ownership [indigenous-news]

Africa News (21/11/21): DRC: One policeman killed, Five Chinese kidnapped in gold mine attack

The Guardian (21/11/21): EU could fund gas project linked to man charged over Maltese journalist’s murder - Melita pipeline would fuel Delimara power station, which Daphne Caruana Galizia was investigating when she was killed [big-oil-news, corruption-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Africa News (18/11/21): Burkina Faso President criticizes army 'dysfunctions' after deadly attack

Africa News (20/11/21): ECOWAS places sanctions on over 150 members of Malian government

Africa News (20/11/21): Guinea's transitional president promises smooth transition of power

Africa News (20/11/21): US ends sanctions against Burundi as activists slam decision [us-policy-news]

Africa News (20/11/21): Uganda police kill 5, including cleric, after bomb blasts [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Africa News (20/11/21): Burkina Faso: French military convoy blocked by protesters [neo-imperialism-news, protest-news]

Africa News (20/11/21): Nigeria: Railway workers suspend strike to demand better welfare [labor-news]

The Economist (20/11/21): Chile makes life harder for immigrants - Venezuelans are having a tough time. Haitians have it worse [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Georgia’s jailed ex-leader Saakashvili ends 50-day hunger strike - Former President Mikheil Saakashvili agrees to end strike after authorities offer to move him to a military hospital.

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Israel returns wrong body to killed Palestinian teenager’s family - The mix-up draws attention to Israel’s policy of withholding bodies of Palestinians who allegedly carried out attacks.

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Sudan anti-coup protest death toll rises to 40 as teenager dies - Teenager succumbs to his wounds after being shot in head by live rounds days earlier, taking protest death toll to 40.

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Iran’s IRGC seizes foreign tanker for smuggling diesel - The Revolutionary Guards say the unnamed foreign ship was carrying 150,000 litres of diesel

NewsClick (20/11/21): 'World Bank Agenda Instrumental in Poor Eviction in Cities' - The new DMK government in Tamil Nadu has released a draft policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation, which gives legitimacy and structure to an ongoing process of uprooting urban poor and relocating them to far off places. [neo-imperialism-news, social-woes-news]

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Austrian far-right Freedom Party protests against COVID measures - Freedom Party supporters among thousands protesting in Vienna against COVID lockdown and mandatory vaccinations [covid-news, far-right-news]

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Houthis say drone attacks target several Saudi cities - Saudi-led coalition later said it attacked 13 targets in Yemen during a military operation against the group

New York Times (20/11/21): How Hunter Biden’s Firm Helped Secure Cobalt for the Chinese - The president’s son was part owner of a venture involved in the $3.8 billion purchase by a Chinese conglomerate of one of the world’s largest cobalt deposits. The metal is a key ingredient in batteries for electric vehicles. [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi orders mining licences audit - Congolese leader says measure is aimed at combatting fraud within the lucrative sector

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Thousands march in France protesting violence against women - Demonstrations come amid growing outrage over women killed by their partners and as French women are increasingly speaking out about sexual harassment and abuse [protest-news, civil-rights-news]

The Moscow Times (20/11/21): U.S. Warns Russia's Wagner Group Against Mali Meddling [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Law and Crime (20/11/21): Texas Cops Tase, Pepper Spray High School Students Protesting Suspension of Student Who Reported Alleged Sexual Assault

Reuters (20/11/21): Four in hospital after police fire on Dutch COVID-19 protesters [covid-news] (via u/JFMV763 on r/Libertarian) I quite disagree with how most people on r/Libertarian view COVID restrictions, although I do agree police shouldn't be firing on protesters)

Left Voice (20/11/21): Cádiz Metalworkers Strike Continues Amid Spain’s Police Repression - A strike by 20,000-plus metalworkers in the southwestern city of Cádiz in the Spanish State is in its fifth day, as the bosses have refused to meet union demands. Meanwhile, the “progressive” government of the Spanish Socialist Party and Podemos has unleashed the police on strikers [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (20/11/21): Al-Shabab suicide bomber kills prominent journalist in Mogadishu - Abdiaziz Mohamud, known for making programmes critical of the armed group, targeted while leaving restaurant in Somali capital. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (18/11/21): US sanctions senior Houthi leader over Yemen extortion campaign - The US Treasury sanctioned the senior Houthi leader for "assets confiscated by Houthi opponents. [us-policy-news]

The Hill (18/11/21): Wisconsin governor vetoes redistricting maps, calls them 'gerrymandering 2.0'

Speak Out Now (19/11/21): Legislative Elections in Argentina: Defeat of Peronism and Breakthrough of the Far Left [electoral-news, leftist-news]

NewsClick (19/11/21): BIG VICTORY FOR FARMERS! Modi Govt Forced to Withdraw 3 Farm Laws - The move comes ahead of the UP and Punjab Assembly elections, and after a year of valiant struggles across the country, which saw over 700 farmers losing their lives [labor-news, good-news, privatization-news, far-right-news, food-security-news]

Al-Monitor (19/11/21): Egypt coordinates with Tanzania as Ethiopian dam negotiations paused - Egypt ramps up coordination efforts with Tanzania amid fading hopes of resuming GERD negotiations.

PALESTINOW (19/11/21): Medical Neglect, Denied from tilling land, Students attacked, Palestinians kidnapped, Extreme poverty, Palestinian injured, Farmers attacked

New York Times (19/11/21): China’s Influence Looms Over Blinken’s Africa Visit - On a stop in Nigeria, the secretary of state said the U.S. would no longer treat African countries as pawns in a global game. But American competition with Beijing was hard to overlook. [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]

Democracy Now (22/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok Reinstated As Teenager Killed in Ongoing Anti-Coup Protests
Chinese Tennis Star Peng Shuai Appears in Videos and Photos As Concerns Over Safety Remain [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Venezuelan Regional Elections Hand Victory to Party of President Nicolás Maduro - Venezuelans took to the polls Sunday for regional elections, where President Nicolás Maduro’s political party and its allies won by a landslide. The elections had a turnout of around 42 percent. Opposition parties participated for the first time in four years — after boycotting the elections since 2018. The process Sunday was observed by dozens of international monitors, mostly from the European Union, fulfilling a demand from the opposition. It marked the first time EU monitors traveled to Venezuela in 15 years. This comes as Venezuela continues to face a brutal economic crisis exacerbated by U.S. sanctions, and as supporters of Maduro urge international forces to stop intervening in the country. [electoral-news]
Chile Presidential Runoff Will Pit Far-Right Populist Against Progressive Student Protest Leader [electoral-news, leftist-news, far-right-news]
Greek Court Delays Trial of Humanitarians Facing “Trumped-Up” Charges for Helping Refugees [court-news, immigrant-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]
House of Representatives Approves $2 Trillion, Ten-Year Build Back Better Bill
Denver Airport Janitors Win Big Wage Increases After Strike

Just Security (22/11/21): Early Edition:

Two of the 17 American and Canadian missionaries kidnapped in Haiti last month have been released. The two hostages who were released “are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for,” Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries said in a statement. The Haitian authorities confirmed the release but provided no further details. Widlore Mérancourt, Miriam Berger and Claire Parker report for the Washington Post.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that talks with the opposition will not restart until the U.S. releases the Venezuelan government envoy Alex Saab. [us-policy-news]
Kurdish-led forces in charge of prisons in north-east Syria housing about 10,000 men with alleged links to ISIS are releasing prisoners in exchange for money under a “reconciliation” scheme. According to interviews with two freed men and official documents, Syrian men imprisoned without trial can pay an $8,000 fine to be freed. As part of the deal, the released prisoners sign a declaration promising not to rejoin any armed organizations and to leave the parts of north and east Syria under control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Bethan McKernan and Hussam Hammoud report for the Guardian.
The U.S. has shared intelligence with its European allies that shows the build up of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine. The intelligence lays out a scenario where Russian troops would enter Ukraine from Crimea, the Russian border and via Belarus, with potentially 100,000 soldiers deployed in rough terrain and freezing conditions, people familiar with the conversations have said. Alberto Nardelli and Jennifer Jacobs report for Bloomberg. [russia-policy-news, us-policy-news]
China’s hypersonic weapons test from July included technological advances that allowed it to fire a missile mid-flight over the South China Sea as it approached its target, travelling at least five times the speed of sound. No country has previously demonstrated this technology, with China’s test catching Pentagon scientists and U.S. intelligence agencies off guard. Demetri Sevastopulo reports for the Financial Times. [china-policy-news]
Peng Shuai said she was safe and well in a video call on Sunday with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, the IOC has said. “She explained that she is safe and well, living at her home in Beijing, but would like to have her privacy respected at this time,” a statement from the IOC said. “She prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now…Nevertheless, she will continue to be involved in tennis,” the statement added. BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The Taliban have banned women from appearing in television dramas in Afghanistan. Female journalists and presenters also have been ordered to wear headscarves on screen, although the guidelines do not say which type of covering to use. BBC News reports.
One of Afghanistan’s most prominent psychiatrists, who was abducted by armed men in September, has been found dead, his family has confirmed. Haroon Janjua reports for the Guardian.
A team investigating the disappearance and subsequent death of a female Somali spy agent, Ikran Tahlil, has “found no evidence” that senior officials in Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (Nisa) were culpable. Tahlil, who worked in the cyber-security department of the Nisa, went missing in June, and senior officials at Nisa were accused of being involved. The spy agency reported in September that Tahil had been killed by al-Shabab, however, the group has denied all involvement. BBC News reports.
Austria has returned to a full national lockdown in an effort to curb rising Covid-19 infections. Tens of thousands of people protested in the capital Vienna over the weekend ahead of the lockdown. BBC News reports. [protest-news, covid-news]
Belgium and the Netherlands both saw protests turn violent over the weekend in response to tougher Covid-19 restrictions. In Belgium’s capital, Brussels, demonstrators clashed with police after tens of thousands of people marched through the city center, while in the Netherlands, rioting took place for the third night in a row. DW News reports. [covid-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news, protest-news]

The Michael Brooks Show (2/12/19): The US Neocolonial Role In Africa ft. Milton Allimadi [us-policy-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Michael Brooks Show (6/6/19): First Wave Of African Liberation & Neo-Colonization ft. Milton Allimadi (TMBS 92) [history-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Michael Brooks Show (1/6/20): TMBS Doc: Thomas Sankara's Revolution [history-news, leftist-news, socialist-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Michael Brooks Show (5/8/19): Patrice Lumumba Against the Empire in the Congo ft. Milton Allimadi (Illicit History) [history-news, neo-imperialism-news]

The Michael Brooks Show (23/12/19): TMBS Doc: An Illicit History Of Robert Mugabe with Bill Fletcher Jr. [history-news]

Posted 20 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

The Irrawaddy (19/11/21): Myanmar Junta Soldiers’ Gang Rape Victim Reveals Her Ordeal

The Irrawaddy (19/11/21): Thailand’s Deputy PM Says he had Constructive Talks With Myanmar Coup Leader

The Moscow Times (19/11/21): Georgia Hunger-Striking Ex-Leader Risks Dying Without Transfer – Doctor

South China Morning Post (19/11/21): South China Sea: 300 Chinese ‘maritime militia’ vessels in Spratly Islands at any time, says US report - Chinese boats receive US$3,700 government fuel subsidy a day for operating in disputed waters, says CSIS report - Researcher disputes that the crews are militia, saying most Chinese fisherman do not have military training [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

The Irrawaddy (19/11/21): Myanmar Junta Blocks Japanese Envoy From Meeting Suu Kyi

CPJ (19/11/21): Italian police increase protection of journalist Sigfrido Ranucci after assassination plot revealed [crime-news]

Left Voice (19/11/21): Workers in Sri Lanka Strike Against the Government - On Monday and Tuesday, Sri Lankan workers mobilized to confront the aggressive authoritarianism of the country’s president and the government’s new offensive against the working class. [labor-news]

The Guardian (19/11/21): Rotterdam police open fire as Covid protest turns violent - Warning shots fired as unrest breaks out over Dutch plans to restrict access for unvaccinated people to some venues [covid-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (19/11/21): Document leak shows Kabila family, associates looted DRC funds [corruption-news, capitalist-farce-news, leak-news]

Al Jazeera (19/11/21): The Gambia’s ex-ruler Jammeh ignores president’s campaign warning - In a controversial intervention, exiled Yahya Jammeh speaks remotely at public meeting of candidate he has endorsed, accusing his successor of ‘destroy[ing] the country’.

The Guardian (19/11/21): Croatia violated rights of Afghan girl who was killed by train, court rules - Madina Hussiny, 6, died after police refused to let her family apply for asylum and made them walk back to Serbia [immigrant-news]

CPJ (19/11/21): Sudanese journalist Ali Farsab shot and detained while covering anti-coup protest [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (19/11/21): Work on ‘Chinese military base’ in UAE abandoned after US intervenes – report - Satellite images reportedly detected construction of secret facility at Khalifa port amid growing US-China rivalry [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]

The Guardian (19/11/21): Oxford University identifies 145 artefacts looted in Benin raid - Plundered items likely to be returned to Nigeria include plaques, bronze figures and musical instruments

Al-Monitor (19/11/21): Thousands of Iranians protest water scarcity in Isfahan - The demonstrations in Isfahan follow widespread protests over water shortages in the oil-rich southwestern Khuzestan province in July [protest-news, climate-change-news]

Al-Monitor (19/11/21): Bulgaria accuses Turkey of election interference - Turkey has rejected accusations that it is helping Bulgarian politicians representing the country’s Turkish minority.

Al Jazeera (19/11/21): ICC halts probe into Duterte’s ‘war on drugs’ after gov’t request - Court says it temporarily suspended investigative activities while it assesses scope and effect of Philippine government’s deferral request

The Hill (19/11/21): Georgia Republicans advance map that aims to pick up House seat in redistricting

New York Times (19/11/21): Japan approves a $490 billion economic stimulus package as the pandemic’s effects linger.

Telesur (19/11/21): President Lasso Renews 'State of Exception' in Ecuador - Ecuador has recorded the bloodiest massacres in its history. While 79 people were murdered in prisons in February, 118 inmates died in September. In both cases, Lasso vowed that the violent acts would never happen again. Note about Telesur

Telesur (19/11/21): Fujimori Dictatorship Advisor Montesinos Sentenced To 17 years - However, judges ruled that the punishment has been served given that he was imposed a 25-year sentence in 2001. [corruption-news] Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (19/11/21): Lukashenko says troops may have helped refugees reach EU - Belarusian president reiterates denials he fomented border crisis as concerns grow for people’s wellbeing amid freezing winter conditions [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (19/11/21): Omar Souleyman: singer held by Turkey over alleged militant links is freed - Syrian questioned by police after reports he has ties to banned Kurdish People’s Protection Units [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

South China Morning Post (20/11/21): Japan confirms Chinese naval ship sailed in its waters for first time in 4 years - The defence ministry said the vessel transited Japan’s waters earlier this week off its southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima - Officials said Tokyo conveyed concern about the survey ship’s action to Beijing through diplomatic channels [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Left Voice (19/11/21): In Victory for Year-Long Farmers’ Protests, Modi Announces Repeal of Agricultural Laws - In a victory for the protests that have raged for over a year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the government will repeal the three farm laws. The fight to protect farmers’ and workers’ rights needs to continue, striking at the heart of capitalist production. [labor-news, good-news, privatization-news, far-right-news, food-security-news]

Al Jazeera (19/11/21): Under fire for ‘sham’ vote, Nicaragua begins withdrawal from OAS - Organization of American States adopted resolution last week saying Nicaraguan elections lacked ‘democratic legitimacy’.

CounterPunch (17/11/21): What’s Driving Global Deforestation? Organized Crime, Beef, Soy, Palm Oil and Wood Products [capitalist-farce-news, food-security-news, climate-change-news, industrial-failure-news, crime-news]

Ars Technica (18/11/21): Nvidia acquisition of Arm now under scrutiny by FTC - FTC highlights potential objections, adding to UK and European scrutiny of the deal. [big-tech-news, antitrust-news]

The Intercept (18/11/21): The U.S.-Led Bombings That Ended the ISIS “Caliphate” Killed Scores of Civilians - The aerial campaign in eastern Syria dislodged the terrorist group from the final patch of land it controlled but cost an untold number of lives [us-policy-news, dark-security-news]

David Pakman Show (19/11/21): Outrageous Trump Election "Fraud" Lawyer Appointed to Election Advisory Board [gop-shenanigans-news]

The Moscow Times (18/11/21): Russia Fines Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Novaya Gazeta Over ‘Foreign Agent’ Tags [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

NewsClick (18/11/21): Demands Raised to Clear Rs 5000 Cr Pending Wages, Increase Allocations as NREGA Runs out of Funds - The funds running out in the middle of the financial year has come as a big blow to about five crore workers employed by the scheme nationwide. [labor-news]

South China Morning Post (18/11/21): Filipino protesters carry ‘Marcos is no hero’ and ‘never again’ banners to mark late dictator’s burial anniversary - Around 100 activists gather at entrance of cemetery for national heroes, where Ferdinand Marcos was buried in 2016 after his 1989 death in Hawaii - They ‘hope message reverberates’ because another Marcos – the former leader’s son, Marcos Jnr – is standing in next year’s presidential election [protest-news, far-right-news] Important Note on SCMP

Al-Monitor (18/11/21): US envoy asks Israel to intervene in Sudan, says local press - According to Israeli reports, visiting US envoy to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield asked Defense Minister Benny Gantz to step in in Sudan [us-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (18/11/21): Journalists covering Netanyahu trial harassed, attacked - Supporters of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harassed two journalists who came to cover his trial and struck one of them with a cane

NewsClick (18/11/21): Opposing Nagarnar Steel Plant Privatisation, Workers Ask Govt to ‘Think About the Youth of Bastar Region’ - Thursday marked the end of a two-day protest programme in the national capital that saw the participation of over 200 hundred steelworkers; the demonstration was called by AITUC-affiliated Samyukt Ispat Mazdoor Sangathan. [privatization-news, protest-news, labor-news]

The Guardian (18/11/21): Sudan pro-democracy activists call for escalation after lethal crackdown - Demonstrations against military coup expected to continue after 15 protesters reportedly killed in a day

PALESTINOW (18/11/21): EU Really Shocked?, Seize Land, Students Attacked, Demolish Houses, Palestinians Arrested, Illegal Photographing, Military Exercises

The Guardian (18/11/21): Anti-vaxxers using bribery and fake certificates to avoid vaccination, Australian government warned - Pharmacists and aged care providers tell MPs of tactics being employed to escape public health laws including ‘no jab, no job’ [corruption-news, anti-vaxx-news]

Common Dreams (18/11/21): 'Morally Repugnant': Video Shows Israeli Troops Waking, Photographing Palestinian Kids - One Israeli human rights group said the incident illustrates "how arbitrarily the routine of the lives of Palestinians living under occupation is disrupted, and how easily soldiers violate their rights."

Al Jazeera (18/11/21): Czech Republic, Slovakia tighten restrictions as COVID cases soar - Two EU members will impose restrictions on unvaccinated people as Europe faces a rise in coronavirus infections. [covid-news]

New York Times (18/11/21): Colombia Is the World’s Deadliest Place for Environmentalists [militant-far-right-news, capitalist-farce-news, protest-news, climate-change-news]

The Guardian (18/11/21): Israel defence minister’s housekeeper charged with spying - Benny Gantz’s cleaner contacted Iran-linked hackers and offered to infect minister’s computer with malware

Law and Crime (18/11/21): Judge ‘Prayed’ About It and Decided That Prison Time for Admitted Rapist of Teen Girls ‘Isn’t Appropriate’ [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (18/11/21): Greece latest EU country to slap COVID curbs on unvaccinated - From next week, unvaccinated people will be largely barred from indoor spaces even if they test negative for COVID-19 [covid-news]

Telesur (18/11/21): Guatemalan Police Burns 100 Houses Of Indigenous Farmers - The Giammattei administration alleged that the Police followed the protocols established by law for cases of illegal territories occupation. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (18/11/21): 'We Demand Justice', Victims of Fujimori's Mass Sterilizations - The Peruvian dictator sought to reduce poverty rates in his country by curbing the birth rate of low-income people. [far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (18/11/21): Haiti: Ex-Officer Implicated In Moise's Murder Dies in Hospital - His death occurred the same day the Haitian Police reported it sent three agents to Turkey to extradite Samir Handal, a businessman who is also linked to President Moise's assassination. Note about Telesur

Al-Monitor (17/11/21): UN urges Yemen's Houthis to release detained staff - The United States has also called on the Houthis to release Yemeni employees of the US government [us-policy-news]

PNN (17/11/21): Israeli occupation police shoot and kill Palestinian teenager in occupied Jerusalem

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Qatar, Egypt agree to supply fuel and building materials to Gaza - Deal was reached in Oslo on Wednesday during meeting for international donor group for Palestinians.

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Myanmar students boycott classes following school reopening - Schools reopened on November 1, but with high security risks and an unwillingness to support the leadership, few students are attending. [protest-news]

Al-Monitor (17/11/21): Suspected Israeli airstrikes hit Syria for third time this month - The missiles allegedly targeted an empty building near the capital, Damascus, according to Syrian state media

Al-Monitor (17/11/21): Oil pipeline reportedly explodes in Iran's Khuzestan region - Tasnim news agency reported the blast "caused small tremors" but no casualties. [industrial-failure-news]

Jacobin (17/11/21): Far-Right and Fascist Organizations Are Leading Australia’s Anti-Vax Movement - In Australia, a growing protest movement is challenging public health measures intended to counter COVID-19. Although its organizers claim to be defenders of freedom, it’s clear that far-right and fascist groups are at the heart of this movement. [far-right-news, covid-news, anti-vaxx-news]

CPJ (17/11/21): Egypt sentences journalists Hisham Fouad and Hossam Moanis to 4 years in prison [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Thousands detained in Ethiopia crackdown, rights body says - The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission says most of those detained since declaration of state of emergency are Tigrayans [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): ‘We will all die’: In Kenya, prolonged drought takes heavy toll - Absence of rainfall pushes pastoralists and their livestock to the brink of disaster, with 2.4 million people predicted to struggle to find food [climate-change-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Cuba dissident leader Yunior Garcia in Spain after crackdown - Founder of opposition group Archipelago was a central figure in major protests that rocked Cuba in July. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Five suspected rebels killed in Kashmir amid escalating violence - The five were killed in two separate operations in the Kulgam district on Wednesday.

The Hill (17/11/21): Nevada lawmakers approve maps giving edge to Democrats

CPJ (16/11/21): Journalist and activist Muhammad Zada Agra fatally shot in Pakistan

Workers World (16/11/21): Mali’s people mobilize against imperialism

The Moscow Times (17/11/21): Russia’s Top Court Bans Prosecuting Jehovah’s Witnesses for Group Prayer [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Moscow Times (17/11/21): Russian Music Channel Fined for 'Gay Propaganda' at Awards Show [surveillance-and-censorship-news, lgbtq-news]

NewsClick (17/11/21): Bihar: Opposition Disappointed Over no Action Plan Against Liquor Mafia - Contrary to the expectation that a concrete action plan will be announced for the crackdown against the liquor mafia by Nitish Kumar at a much-hyped review meeting on the liquor ban on November 16, the meeting ended like a usual official meet [corruption-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): Mexico allows some in migrant caravan to stay, others push to US - The caravan set off from southern Mexico in late October, with numbers dwindling amid gruelling conditions [immigrant-news]

New York Times (17/11/21): The E.U. adopts new sanctions against Belarus.

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): COVID-19 infections soar to record in Czech Republic - The surge comes amid a sluggish mass vaccination campaign and as neighbouring countries also face an uptick in cases. [covid-news]

The Moscow Times (17/11/21): Belarus Reduces Poland’s Oil Supplies for Unscheduled Maintenance [energy-news]

The Moscow Times (17/11/21): EU Border Migrant Crisis Complicates Russia-Belarus Alliance - An already carefully balanced and contradictory relationship is now even more complex. [russia-policy-news, analysis-news]

Modern Diplomacy (17/11/21): Central African children in crosshairs, UN calls for their protection

South China Morning Post (17/11/21): Vietnam police summon beef noodle seller after ‘Salt Bae’ parody video; Bui Tuan Lam was ‘just attracting customers’ - Da Nang cook’s film comes days after top Vietnamese official To Lam was caught on camera eating gold-encrusted steak at ‘Salt Bae’s’ London restaurant - It is unclear if police summons is because of the video; the cook has previously criticised his country’s authorities online Important Note on SCMP

The Guardian (17/11/21): Denmark accuses UK of breaking Brexit fishing deal over trawling ban - Exclusive: Danish minister says proposal to ban bottom trawling in Dogger Bank ‘a very big problem’

CPJ (17/11/21): Unidentified attackers shoot at car of Mexican journalist Beatriz Flores after she received threatening call

The Guardian (17/11/21): Syrian musician Omar Souleyman held on terrorism charges in Turkey - Arrest relates to alleged membership of Kurdistan Workers’ party, which is proscribed by Turkey and the west [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Moscow Times (17/11/21): U.S. Adds Russia to Religious Freedom Blacklist [us-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (17/11/21): Egypt’s treatment of refugees in question as Cairo deports Eritreans - Eight Eritreans were expelled in October after being in detention for two years without due legal process or access to the UNHCR; another 12 are thought to be at imminent risk. [immigrant-news]

The Moscow Times (16/11/21): Ukraine Border Service Says No Sign of Russian Troops

PALESTINOW (16/11/21): Human rights NGOs, Qadiri attacked, Sheep farm dismantling, Settlement terror, Palestinian kidnapped, Palestinians injured, Olive trees set on fire

Democracy Now (19/11/21): Daily Headlines:

18,000 Cut Off by Flooding in British Columbia; [2.4] Millions of Kenyans at Risk of Hunger Amid Drought [climate-change-news, social-woes-news]
Amazon Deforestation in Brazil Hits 15-Year Peak; Indigenous Groups in Ecuador Oppose Mining Plans [indigenous-news, climate-change-news]
Delhi School Shutdown Expanded As Toxic Haze Blankets Indian Capital
Chinese Tennis Star Peng Shuai Has Not Been Seen In Weeks After Posting About Assault by Politician - Concerns are mounting for Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who mysteriously disappeared from public view after she accused a top Chinese politician of sexual assault. 35-year-old Peng made the accusation against former vice premier Zhang Gaoli in a social media post on November 2 and has not been seen since. Censors deleted the post from social media platform Weibo within 30 minutes of its publication and Chinese authorities have since dodged or denied the issue. The Women’s Tennis Association threatened to cut ties with China, and say an email published by Chinese state media, purportedly written to the WTA by Peng, was a fraud. Tennis’s biggest names, including Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams, have tweeted out messages of support with the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai.
Austria has announced a full national Covid-19 lockdown starting on Monday, as Covid-19 cases surge in Europe. Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said the lockdown would last a maximum of 20 days and there would be a legal requirement to get vaccinated from Feb. 1 2022. BBC News responds. [covid-news]

Just Security (19/11/21): Early Edition:

An armed drone strike against a U.S. military base in southern Syria last month was conducted by Iran as retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in Syria, according to various U.S. and Israeli officials
The U.S. has indicted two Iranian nationals for interfering in the 2020 presidential elections, and has sanctioned six Iranian officials for their role in the alleged plot. According to the Treasury Department, state-sponsored Iranian cyber actors conducted wide-ranging disinformation operations in an attempt to influence American voters and undermine voter confidence in the electoral process. The two Iranians charged by the Department of Justice are still at large and presumed to be based in Iran. Mark Hosenball and Sarah N. Lynch report for Reuters. [cyber-security-news, us-policy-news]
Belarusian officials yesterday cleared encampments near the country’s border with Poland, temporarily reducing tension between the two countries. Thousands of migrants, who had previously been living in these camps in “frigid and increasingly squalid conditions,” are now being housed in a giant warehouse. [immigrant-news]
Poland has accused Belarus today of trucking hundreds of migrants back to its border with Poland and pushing them to attempt to cross illegally, only hours after clearing camps at the frontier. Despite Belarus clearing the main camps yesterday and hundreds of Iraqis being sent home on repatriation flights, a Polish Border Guard spokesperson said that by yesterday evening Belarusian authorities were already trucking hundreds of migrants back and forcing them to try to cross in darkness. Reuters reports. [immigrant-news]
Ukraine should set aside money to build a fence on its borders with Belarus and Russia to prevent a possible influx of illegal migrants, Ukraine’s Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy said today. Pavel Polityuk and Natalia Zinets report for Reuters. [immigrant-news, russia-policy-news]
The North American Leaders’ Summit involving President Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau focused on presenting a unified front rather than grappling with more controversial issues such as trade disputes or migrant policy. The leaders agreed to form a working group on regional supply chain issues and also agreed to limited vaccine sharing. Katie Rogers and Natalie Kitroeff report for the New York Times. [us-policy-news]
A leading Israeli politician’s campaign lobbying against the reopening of a U.S. consulate for Palestinians in East Jerusalem has been amplified on Facebook by a network of fake accounts, according to research by the Israeli disinformation research company FakeReporter. Olivia Solon reports for NBC News. [big-tech-news, far-right-news, media-news, us-policy-news]
The Biden administration added more U.S. troops to Taiwan over the past few months, according to newly published Defense Department data. There are now nearly 40 troops on the island, making the U.S. footprint on the island nearly twice as big as last year. The U.S. troops are there to train Tawainese troops and protect the de facto U.S. embassy on the island. However, the small but steadily growing U.S. footprint on Taiwan “could represent increased concern in the White House and Pentagon over the island’s fate,” Jack Detsch reports for Foreign Policy. [us-policy-news]
Taiwan has unveiled its new upgraded F-16 fighter jets that it says would be at the heart of the island’s defense in the event of an air attack from China. Eric Cheung and Will Ripley report for CNN.
Four people were killed by Indian security forces in Kashmir following a raid on a shopping complex on Monday. The Indian police described the four people as being “terrorist supporters.” The deaths have fueled outraged protests and rising tensions, with fears that violence could continue to escalate in the region. Sameer Yasir reports for the New York Times.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws after a year of protests. Farmers have been saying that the laws would allow the entry of private players in farming and that will hurt their income. Modi’s announcement marks a major change in the stance of the Indian government, who had been steadfastly insisting that the laws were good for farmers and that there was no question of reversing them. BBC News reports. [labor-news, privatization-news, far-right-news]
The Turkish lira plummeted against the dollar yesterday, reaching a record low. The currency crisis is roiling the Turkish economy and threatening the rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for nearly twenty years. Jared Malsin and Anna Hirtenstein report for the Wall Street Journal.
The U.K. is set to designate the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a terrorist organization, bringing the U.K.’s position on Hamas in line with the U.S. and E.U.. Stephen Farrell reports for Reuters.

Democracy Now (18/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Sudanese Military Continue Deadly Crackdown on Protests, Bringing Death Toll Since Coup to 39

Just Security (18/11/21): Early Edition:

E.U. foreign ministers have imposed new sanctions against the government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, specifically against “individuals and entities organizing or contributing to activities by the Lukashenko regime that facilitate illegal crossing of the E.U.’s external borders.” These sanctions follow previous sanctions against Lukashenko himself for engaging in election fraud in claiming reelection victory in August as well as harshly suppressing dissent in the aftermath of such election. Steven Erlanger reports for the New York Times. [immigrant-news, economic-news]
The number of migrants camped out on the Belarusian side of Poland’s eastern border has fallen, in a tentative sign of a de-escalation in the standoff between the E.U. and Belarus. “Officials from Poland’s Interior Ministry say Belarusian officials have sent buses to collect people from the sprawling tent city along Poland’s border. Belarusian officials confirmed that they provided buses to move some migrants away from the border and would be giving them shelter in warehouses,” Natalia Ojewska reports for the Wall Street Journal. [immigrant-news]
Hundreds of Iraqis who have camped for weeks at Belarus’s borders with the E.U. checked in for a flight back to Iraq on Thursday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry has said. Charlotte Bruneau reports for Reuters. [immigrant-news]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has imposed sanctions on 28 employees of Russia’s special services. The individuals will be banned for three years from using their assets in Ukraine, transferring capital, transiting goods or taking part in privatization auctions, according to the decree published on the presidential website. Reuters reports.
A Russian internet entrepreneur has ended a four-year legal battle against Buzzfeed that was initiated in response to Buzzfeed’s publication of the Steele dossier. A similar defamation suit made by three other Russian tycoons remains on appeal after being dismissed by a New York judge in March. Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO.
Sudanese security forces killed at least fifteen protestors and wounded many others yesterday after firing into crowds demonstrating against the Oct. 25 military coup in the capital city of Khartoum.
Sudan’s Finance Minister has said that it is “unrealistic” for the nation to return to its pre-coup transitional government, after the military seized control of the country last month.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has criticized Western efforts to end the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and claimed that unnamed enemies were engaging in a “sophisticated narrative war.” The comments appeared to be a response to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent comments on the conflict [us-policy-news]
The death toll of a weekend attack against a gendarmerie post in northern Burkina Faso has risen to at least 53, up from a previous estimate of 32. Al Jazeera reports.
The Speaker of Libya’s Parliament, Aguila Saleh, has announced his intention to run for president, joining Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s former dictator, and Khalif Haftar, a powerful military commander.
Ten people were found dead in the lower deck of a severely overcrowded wooden boat less than 30 miles off the coast of Libya, Doctors Without Borders has reported. According to survivors the deaths were due to suffocation after having spent 13 hours on the cramped lower deck, where there had been a strong smell of fuel. Lorenzo Tondo reports for the Guardian. [immigrant-news]
American, British, and Australian officials have warned that hackers linked to the government of Iran are targeting critical sectors of the U.S. economy, including transportation, healthcare and public health [cyber-security-news]
Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, a level considered highly enriched and close to the 90% required for nuclear weapon development capabilities, the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported. Kiyoko Metzler reports for AP.
The vice Foriegn Ministers of Japan and South Korea pulled out of a joint press conference yesterday with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, after a disagreement over the Takeshima/Dokdo islands, which are administered by South Korea but claimed by Japan. [us-policy-news]
China’s hypersonic missile test from the summer went “around the world,” Gen. John Hyten, outgoing vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said. The missle “went around the world, dropped off a hypersonic glide vehicle that glided all the way back to China, that impacted the target in China,” Hyten told CBS News. Hyten also said that he is “very concerned” about China’s military buildup. CBS News reports.
Taiwan has opened a de facto embassy in Lithuania, in a diplomatic breakthrough for the island and brushing aside strong opposition from China to the move. Reuters reports.
The U.N. envoy for Afghanistan has told the U.N. Security Council that the country is on the brink of a “humanitarian catastrophe.” Deborah Lyons pointed to food scarcity and Afghanistan’s collapsing economy, and warned that extremism could arise in Afghanistan due to the current conditions. Lyons said that the regional and global community must continue to help Afghanistan as it heads into the winter. Mychael Schnell reports for The Hill. [social-woes-news]
The last group of Afghan refugees housed at the Fort Lee military base in Virginia has been resettled, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced. “Overall, more 25,000 evacuees have been resettled as of Wednesday, DHS said, while a remaining 45,000 await resettlement at seven additional bases in Virginia, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin,” Jordan Williams reports for The Hill. [immigrant-news]
A Greek trial for two dozen aid workers accused of espionage for their role in assisting migrants who arrived in Greece between 2016 and 2018 begins today. The conservative government in Greece, in line with an increasingly hostile climate in Europe towards migrants, is toughening its stance on migration and has indicated that it intends to avoid any repeat of the 2015-2016 crisis in which thousands of migrants arrived in Greece daily. Niki Kitsantonis reports for the New York Times.
British police have indicated that Emas Al Swealmeen, the man who set off an explosive device in a taxi outside of a Liverpool hospital earlier this week, had been purchasing components for the device for months.
Mexico is sending at least 1,500 National Guard troops to Cancun following a rise in violence in the state of Quintana Roo, in the southeastern corner of the country. The announcement follows a rise in gang shootings in the area, including a Nov. 5 gang shooting at Puerto Morelos, south of Cancun, and a shootout in Tulum, close to Cancuun, on Oct. 20 which resulted in the deaths of an Indian woman and a German man. Reuters reports.
Pakistan has passed new anti-rape legislation under which sex offenders convicted of multiple rapes could face chemical castration [crime-news, legislation-news]
Three MS-13 gang members were convicted of murder and racketeering charges yesterday at a federal court in New Jersey. The three El Salvadoran men committed the crimes related to murder, drug trafficking, witness tampering and extortion from September 2014 to October 2015, the Department of Justice press release stated. Brad Dress reports for The Hill. [crime-news, drug-news]
China is making an example of the Chinese journalist jailed after reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic in Wuhan, her former lawyer has said. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Posted 18 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

The Guardian (16/11/21): Mexican environmental campaigner missing after attack on villagers - Irma Galindo Barrios, a member of the Mixtec people, was defending indigenous lands from illegal logging [climate-change-news, indigenous-news]

The Moscow Times (16/11/21): All Roads Lead to Belarus on Iraq 'Package Deals' [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (16/11/21): Syrian president abolishes position of Grand Mufti - Al-Assad issues decree effectively sacking Syria’s Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun, the highest Islamic authority in Syria.

The Guardian (16/11/21): Israeli firm’s spyware linked to attacks on websites in UK and Middle East - Canada-based researchers say new evidence suggests Candiru’s software used to target critics of autocratic regimes [cyber-security-news]

Al Jazeera (16/11/21): UN experts call on Iran to repeal ‘anti-abortion’ population law - New legislation puts more restrictions on already limited abortions, outlaws voluntary sterilisations and discourages contraceptives. [civil-rights-news]

PNN (16/11/21): IOF kill Palestinian during clashes in northern occupied Jordan Valley

The Hill (16/11/21): Washington redistricting commission fails, punts maps to Supreme Court

Just Security (11/11/21): US Focus on `Open Balkan’ Economic Project Risks Open Season Instead [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news, china-policy-news]

Democracy Now (12/11/21): East Timor Massacre Remembered: U.S.-Armed Indonesian Troops Killed 270 Timorese 30 Years Ago Today [history-news, us-policy-news, analysis-news]

The Guardian (17/11/21): Chinese vessels use water cannon to block Philippines vessels from disputed shoal - Philippines voices its ‘outrage and condemnation’, saying actions by coastguard in South China Sea were illegal [china-policy-news]

Democracy Now (17/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Burmese Coup Leaders Levy New Charges Against Aung San Suu Kyi; Freed U.S. Reporter Speaks Out
U.S. Bars Entry For Nicaraguan President Ortega and Other Officials Following Election [us-policy-news]
Burkina Faso: Protesters Demand President Resign Amid Instability and After Deadly Militant Attack - Protesters on Tuesday also demanded the departure of French forces that patrol Burkina Faso, as well as neighboring Mali and Niger, whose presence they say leads to more attacks by insurgent groups. [neo-imperialism-news]

Just Security (17/11/21): Early Edition:

Just one day after a meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two countries have announced an agreement easing restrictions on foreign journalists operating in the U.S. and China
Biden has said that the U.S. does not endorse Taiwan’s independence and has reiterated that the U.S. is not changing its “one China” policy. Biden clarified that the U.S. abides by the Taiwan Relations Act and its commitment to provide Taiwan with arms for its defense. “It’s independent. It makes its own decisions,” Biden added. “I said that they have to decide — ‘they’ — Taiwan. Not us. And we are not encouraging independence, we’re encouraging that they do exactly what the Taiwan Act requires,” Biden told reporters. [us-policy-news]
Russia, however, pushed back against U.S. claims that the anti-satellite missile test produced dangerous space debris.
Estonia’s government has announced a snap military exercise that will include installing razor wire along its border with Russia. As the migrant crisis at the Poland-Belarus border intensifies, the government summoned 1,700 reserve soldiers for the exercise, which will include installing a razor wire barrier along 40 km of its border with Russia. The exercise was called to test rapid response of the national chain of command, according to the Estonian government. Reuters reports.
A former U.S. Marine serving a nine-year jail sentence in Russia for allegedly assaulting police officers has ended a hunger strike after nearly a week due to health complications. Reuters reports.
The defense ministers of Ukraine and the U.K. have said that they are not trying to encircle or undermine Russia but are committed to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, amid concerns about Russian troop movements near Ukraine’s borders.
A Nigerian government panel found that the Nigerian military shot and killed at least eleven peaceful protesters and wounded dozens of others during an Oct. 20, 2020 protest against police brutality in Lagos . The protest was aimed at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a “notoriously corrupt police unit.” Ben Ezeamalu reports for the New York Times.
In light of the skirmishes, Poland’s defense minister has warned that the crisis at the Belarusian border could continue indefinitely. “We have to prepare for the fact that the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border will not be resolved quickly. We have to prepare for months. I hope not for years,” Mariusz Błaszczak told Poland’s Radio Jedynka.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings in Uganda’s capital yesterday that killed three people and injured 33. Police blamed the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist insurgency group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency
Iran has resumed production of equipment for advanced centrifuges at a site the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been unable to monitor or gain access to for months, according to diplomats
The Pentagon has accused Iran of “unsafe and unprofessional” conduct after an Iranian helicopter approached the USS Essex in the Gulf of Oman last week. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters that the Iranian helicopter flew approximately 25 yards off the port side of USS Essex and circled the ship three times.
The U.S. is moving forward with the $23 billion sale of 50 F-35 stealth fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mira Resnick has said. Resnick also told reporters that even though the U.S. intends to proceed with the deal, there has to be a clear understanding of “Emirati obligations,” without elaborating on the nature of those obligations. Reuters reports. [us-policy-news]
Bruce Bagley, a retired University of Miami professor, has been sentenced to six months in prison in a money laundering case connected to Venezuela. Bagely was the go-to academic expert on drug trafficking in Latin America, however a Manhattan federal judge yesterday sentenced Bagley “for his role in secretly laundering millions of dollars on behalf of some of the same bad guys he dedicated his life to studying,” Joshua Goodman reports for AP.
Cyber hackers thought to be behind attacks on governmental agencies in recent months have been linked to the Belarusian government. Researchers for the cybersecurity company Mandiant assessed with “high confidence” in a new report that the “Ghostwriter” information operations campaign was “aligned with Belarusian government interests.” Mandiant also linked another group of hackers – who have conducted cyber espionage against government and private sector entities in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine and Germany – to the Belarusian government. [cyber-security-news]
The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law has filed a petition to disqualify Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the former strongman of the country, from the Philippines presidential race due to his past convictions for tax evasion. Al Jazeera reports.
Former Filipino boxing champion turned senator Manny Pacquiao has said that he will seek corruption charges against some of his former political allies within President Rodrigo Duterte’s government if he wins the Philippine presidential election next year.
A number of Armenian troops were killed during a clash between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces at the border yesterday. Later in the day, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Russia. Armenia has asked Russia, an ally with historical ties to the former Soviet republic, for help in defending its territory. BBC News reports. [russia-policy-news]
The European Court of Justice has ruled that a 2018 Hungarian law violated E.U. laws by criminalizing the act of helping migrants and refugees apply for asylum. The law, which the Hungarian government calls the “Stop Soros” act, remains in effect, but the E.U.’s highest court could impose financial penalties if far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his government do not amend the law. [far-right-news, immigrant-news]
Two people linked to France’s ultra-right movement have been arrested as part of an anti-terrorism probe, a judicial source has said. Reuters reports. [far-right-news]
The Chilean Senate has voted against removing Chilean President Sebastian Pinera over allegations of corruption, falling 29 votes short of the two-thirds supermajority required.

Al-Monitor (17/11/21): Turkey's war of attrition against Syria's Kurds - Alongside shelling and drones, Turkey is weaponizing water supplies in northeast Syria, turning an already horrible situation into a nightmare

Telesur (17/11/21): Four Venezuelans Died Due To Fire In A Chilean Migrant Shelter - "Although firefighters worked very hard, the fire spread quickly because the shelter's structure was antique," Talca Province Fire Brigade Commander Iturra stated. [immigrant-news, far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Left Voice (17/11/21): Waste Imperialism and the Trash Crisis in Tunisia - Sfax, Tunisia is drowning in garbage. This is a clear example of the inequities and destructiveness of waste management under capitalism. [capitalist-farce-news, industrial-failure-news, neo-imperialism-news]

CPJ (16/11/21): Iraqi Kurdish security forces raid, close office of news website Gav News in Duhok [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Common Dreams (17/11/21): Two Climate Activists Halt Operations at World's Largest Coal Port - "It is now our duty to defend the biosphere that gives us life and to every person that Australia has forgotten and ignored," said Hannah Doole of the campaign group Blockade Australia [climate-change-news, protest-news]

Al Jazeera (17/11/21): NGOs condemn ‘rescue gap’ as 10 migrants die on boat off Libya - NGOs say the phasing out of state-run search and rescue operations has made migrants’ journeys in the Mediterranean more dangerous. [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (17/11/21): British F-35 jet crashes into Mediterranean - Defence secretary says F-35 flights will continue, after pilot of RAF jet from HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier ejects during routine activity

PALESTINOW (17/11/21): Appeal dismissed, Palestinian shot dead, Buildings demolished, Olive trees uprooted, Palestinian Students attacked, Palestinians injured, Palestinians kidnapped

Left Voice (17/11/21): Cuba: With Repression and Intimidation, the Government of Díaz-Canel Discourages the “Civic March for Change” - In response to a protest called by a broad coalition of groups and individuals opposing the Cuban regime, the government issued a series of repressive measures to stop the demonstration, including prohibiting the protest and arresting its organizers. Against both the pro-imperialist far right and the disastrous policies of the government, we call for the freedom of organization and protest for the working and poor of Cuba. [leftist-news, analysis-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Jacobin (16/11/21): The Belarus Migrant Crisis Shows the Hollowness of European Humanitarianism - European authorities accuse Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko of mounting “hybrid warfare” by letting thousands of migrants amass at the Polish border. But Poland’s nationalist government is also using the crisis to crack down on migrants — with the EU’s blessing. [immigrant-news, analysis-news, far-right-news]

The Irrawaddy (16/11/21): Myanmar Resistance Claims to Have Killed More Than 70 Junta Troops in Two Days

The Guardian (16/11/21): Scores of children killed by starvation in Tigray, says health official - Research suggests terrible suffering amid communications and aid blockade affecting Ethiopian region

Al Jazeera (16/11/21): At least 11 killed as CAR troops clash with rebels - Ouham-Pende prefect says Central African Republic forces exchanged fire with rebels who had ‘infiltrated’ a market near the town of Mann. [russia-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (16/11/21): Armenia Announces Russia-Mediated Truce With Azerbaijan [russia-policy-news]

Telesur (16/11/21): Argentina Expects To Start Servicing The IMF Debt From 2026 - According to the Fernandez administration, debt service will occur once Argentina has reached fiscal balance, increased its monetary reserves, and lower the exchange rate. [neo-imperialism-news] Note about Telesur

Al-Monitor (16/11/21): Human rights organizations call on Hamas to halt death sentences against Israeli agents, drug dealers - The military judiciary in the Gaza Strip announced this month new death sentences against collaborators with Israel and drug dealers, amid calls by human rights organizations to stop these illegal and nonhumanitarian sentences.

Payday Report (16/11/21): Daily Highlights:

In Moon Township, an elite South Hills suburb of Pittsburgh, workers have walked off the job at a GetGo convenience store.
School cafeteria workers in North Carolina’s Wake County are on strike today in over 30 school districts.
Following the death of six workers in an accident at Messer Gas last January, Messer Gas has been sanctioned for destroying evidence.

In These Times (12/11/21): How to Democratize Cuba - Will the November 15 protests in Cuba provide a democratic opening? [leftist-news, analysis-news]

Al-Monitor (15/11/21): IRGC Syria commander removed 'upon request from Assad' - The future of Iran’s presence in Syria seems to be dividing the Syrian leadership.

CPJ (15/11/21): Nigerian journalist Luka Binniyat detained over complaint by Kaduna state official [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Jacobin (15/11/21): Panama’s Elites Denounce “Corruption” — But It’s Rooted in Their Economic Model - This fall, Panama has seen large “pro-democracy” and “anti-corruption” protests, backed by mainstream media and much of the country’s business elite. But corruption isn’t owed to a few “bad apple” politicians — it’s rooted in Panama’s ultra-privatized economy. [analysis-news, capitalist-farce-news, corruption-news, history-news]

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): UN releases funds for Ethiopia aid as humanitarian crisis deepens - UN aid chief Martin Griffiths says he released $40m aimed at scaling up emergency operations in Ethiopia’s conflict-hit north, and as an early response to drought in the south.

On Labor (15/11/21): Looking outside of the United States, the American Prospect reported today on a massive wave of strikes that Scottish rail workers, sanitation workers, school employees and others had planned to coincide with the COP26 climate conference held in Glasgow over the past two weeks. The workers, members of a variety of different U.K. unions, sought wage increases, improved working conditions, and the “restoration of public services that [had] been cut due to austerity.” Although the Scottish government managed to avert some of the strikes with a contract offer on the eve of the conference, some sanitation and railway workers went forward with their planned actions throughout the conference. The Prospect’s article is worth exploring in full for its in-depth, play-by-play narration of the collective bargaining process in the U.K. context. [labor-news, protest-news, climate-change-news]

Law and Crime (15/11/21): SCOTUS Takes Up Case of More Than 500 Taco Bell Employees Who Say They Were Cheated Out of Overtime Pay [labor-news]

PALESTINOW (15/11/21): Hunger strikers, Prisoners attacked, Palestinians arrested, Land theft, Free Palestinian T-shirt banned in UK, Palestinians injured, Palestinians kidnapped

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): US slaps sanctions on Nicaragua officials, citing ‘sham’ election - US Treasury action sanctioned nine Nicaraguan officials and a public ministry over the November 7 election that saw President Daniel Ortega re-elected to a fourth term. [us-policy-news]

CPJ (15/11/21): Hong Kong refuses visa renewal for Economist correspondent Sue-Lin Wong [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Left Voice (15/11/21): A Historic Result for the Left Front in Argentina: Almost 1.3 Million Votes and Four Seats in Congress - At the midterm elections on Sunday, the center-left government of Alberto Fernández suffered a defeat. The Left Front, a coalition of working-class socialist groups, had its best result ever, with 1,270,540 votes across the country. This is an inspiration for socialists around the world. [leftist-news, socialist-news, electoral-news]

NewsClick (16/11/21): Upaid Salaries Push Hindu Rao Hospital Staff to Strike Work Amid Dengue, Malaria Surge - The employees, who will strike for three hours every day until their salaries are paid on time, have threatened to go on a complete strike from November 18. [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): Son of ex-Panama president extradited to US from Guatemala - The extradition is the latest tied to $788m in bribes Latin American construction giant Odebrecht admitted to paying.

The Guardian (15/11/21): Liverpool hospital attack declared act of terror as man killed in blast is named - National terror threat raised as counter-terrorism police ‘strongly believe’ dead attacker to be Emad al-Swealmeen [militant-far-right-news ?]

Law and Crime (15/11/21): Federal Appeals Court Denies Qualified Immunity for Police Officer Who Shot Service Dogs

The Guardian (15/11/21): Kiribati to open one of world’s largest marine protected areas to commercial fishing - The Phoenix Islands Protected Area is about the size of California and has been fully closed to commercial fishing since 2015 [privatization-news]

WSWS (15/11/21): New neo-Nazi weapons cache discovered in Austria [militant-far-right-news] Important Note about WSWS

The Guardian (15/11/21): Cuba democracy protests thwarted after rallies banned and leaders arrested - Authorities act swiftly to snuff out dissent after being caught off guard by demonstrations for change in July [protest-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Telesur (15/11/21): Costa Rica: Five Mayors Were Detained on Corruption Charges - The Prosecutor's Office is investigating a criminal organization that has been bribing local officials to secure public works construction contracts. [corruption-news] Note about Telesur

Jacobin (15/11/21): How the Exploitation of Africa Helps Fuel Global Capitalism - The political and economic crises roiling countries like Sudan and Tunisia right now cannot be separated from the global institutions of capital and the cycles of indebtedness that they impose. [analysis-news, neo-imperialism-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Jacobin (6/1/20): The Franc Zone, a Tool of French Neocolonialism in Africa - François Mitterrand warned that France would be irrelevant to twenty-first-century history unless it maintained its control of Africa. Its instrument for so doing is the CFA Franc — a colonial currency entrenching French rule more than fifty years after independence. [history-news, analysis-news, neo-imperialism-news, economic-news]

Jacobin (17/10/19): The Socialist Agronomist Who Helped End Portuguese Colonialism - Before his assassination in 1973, Amílcar Cabral was one of Africa’s leading anti-colonialists — a brilliant agronomist and socialist whose leadership of the armed struggle against Portuguese rule brought the empire to its knees. [socialist-news, history-news, analysis-news]

Jacobin (12/11/15): The Worst Company in the World - Brazil’s Vale corporation masks brutal exploitation with the language of South-South solidarity. [capitalist-farce-news, labor-news, analysis-news]

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): Tunisian labour union opposes parliament return, urges elections - General Labour Union says Tunisia’s suspended parliament should not be reinstated, calls for new legislative elections. [labor-news, union-news]

The Irrawaddy (15/11/21): Myanmar Junta Continues to Seize Homes of Those With Ties to NLD, NUG

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): Afghan FM confirms Kabul ‘mediating’ talks between Pakistan, TTP - A one-month ceasefire agreed during talks requested by both parties, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi says.

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): Philippines President Duterte to run for Senate in 2022 vote - The move ends the speculation that Duterte would run for vice president against his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.

The Irrawaddy (15/11/21): Junta-Linked Company in Bid to Take Stake in Telenor Myanmar

Al Jazeera (15/11/21): Death toll from Sudan anti-coup protests rises, medics say - More than 200 people have been wounded in Sudan’s latest anti-coup protest, including 100 by ‘live bullets’, medics say

Telesur (15/11/21): UN Human Rights Office Warns Of Political Violence in Honduras - Over the last weekend, two candidates were assassinated in public events leading up to the November 28 elections. Note about Telesur

The Intercept (6/11/21): Violent Infiltration - In Honduras Land Battles, Paramilitaries Infiltrate Local Groups — Then Kill Their Leaders [indigenous-news, labor-news, militant-far-right-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Jacobin (12/11/21): Brazil’s Far-Right Government Is Using COP26 to Greenwash Its Image - Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro is trying to tone down his well-deserved reputation as a climate change denier. But the new proposals from his government serve the same purpose of blocking the radical measures we need to address the climate crisis. [far-right-news, climate-change-news]

New York Times (9/11/21): Dutch government rejects hundreds of millions of pieces of protective gear.

The Rational National (10/11/21): Portugal's Socialist Party Passes AMAZING Pro-Worker Reforms [leftist-news, legislation-news]

Al Jazeera (14/11/21): Yemen’s Houthis re-enter Hodeidah after gov’t-allied forces leave - Pro-government forces have withdrawn from the port city, saying they were redeploying in accordance with a 2018 ceasefire deal.

Al Jazeera (14/11/21): Tunisians protest against President Saied’s power grab - Thousands of people gather near Tunisia’s suspended parliament to protest against President Saied’s power grab. [protest-news]

Al Jazeera (14/11/21): AU troops sentenced to death for civilian killings in Somalia - Two soldiers sentenced to death and three others given 39-year prison terms each for killing seven civilians.

South China Morning Post (14/11/21): Russia begins missile supplies to India despite US sanctions risk - A Russian military official said the first unit of the S-400 air defence missile system would arrive in India by the end of this year - The supplies put India at risk of sanctions from the US under a 2017 US law aimed at deterring countries from buying Russian military hardware [russia-policy-news]

Common Dreams (14/11/21): As Climate Emergency Worsens, Freak Storm Sends Snow, Scorpion Plague on Egypt's Aswan - Egyptian climate scientists have no doubt that the Aswan storm was a manifestation of human-driven climate change, and they say that the old Egypt people grew up with is being altered. [climate-change-news]

Al Jazeera (14/11/21): Two major quakes hit southern Iran one minute apart; one dead - The powerful tremors were also felt in nearby provinces, as well as in Dubai.

Common Dreams (14/11/21): 'Infuriating' Report Reveals 'Breathtaking Cover-Up' of US Airstrike That Killed Syrian Civilians - "This NYT report on the cover-up of U.S. war crimes in Syria should make your blood boil. The U.S. wantonly kills civilians, covers it up, and then tells other countries how 'democracy' works." [us-policy-news, dark-security-news]

PALESTINOW (14/11/21): Hebron Arrest Campaign, Palestinians Arrested, Hunger Strike, Mother Palestinian Dies, Trees Uprooted, Palestinian Threatens, Palestinians Injured

Modern Diplomacy (14/11/21): Chabahar Port and India-Afghanistan trade

PNN (14/11/21): Israel uses settler violence to take over West Bank land, says Israeli rights group

Telesur (14/11/21): Opposition Candidate Francisco Gaitan Shot to Death in Honduras - Gaitan's death occurs 15 days ahead of Nov. 28 elections in which 14 political parties will participate for the first time. Note about Telesur

The Hill (14/11/21): Italian authorities rescue 550 migrants amid storms [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (15/11/21): Ugandan children held in prison for months after crackdown on opposition - Victims describe systematic physical abuse, denial of basic legal rights and appalling conditions [protest-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, law-enforcement-news]

Jacobin (13/11/21): Remembering Nigeria’s Ogoni 9, Murdered for Their Organizing Against Shell - Oil giant Shell wrought devastation across Nigeria for years. In 1995, nine organizers from the Ogoni region were hanged after a campaign against the company. [big-oil-news, capitalist-farce-news]

CPJ (16/11/21): Indian journalist Avinash Jha’s body found in Bihar

The Guardian (16/11/21): At least three killed in suicide bomb attacks in Ugandan capital, Kampala - Two explosions within minutes in attack blamed on Allied Democratic Forces extremist group

Democracy Now (16/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Spanish Coast Guard Rescues More Refugees in Waters Near Canary Islands [immigrant-news]
Polish Border Guards Fire Tear Gas and Water Cannons at Asylum-Seekers - In eastern Poland, border guards fired tear gas and water cannons Tuesday at hundreds of asylum-seekers who tried to push their way through a razor wire barrier erected along the Poland-Belarus border. Some of the refugees responded by throwing sticks, stones, and bottles at soldiers in riot gear. Many of the migrants have spent weeks enduring freezing temperatures in squalid camps hoping to reach the European Union to apply for asylum. [immigrant-news]
Thai Protesters Call for Reforms to Monarchy After Court Rules Against Activists [protest-news]

Just Security (16/11/21): Early Edition:

The U.S. has condemned a Russian anti-satellite missile test yesterday which caused crew members on the International Space Station to seek shelter in their spacecraft; The test marked the first time that Russia demonstrated an ability to strike down a satellite using a missile launched from Earth [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
E.U. member states’ foreign ministers have agreed to impose sanctions on the Russian mercenary company Wagner Group. The mercenary group has been accused by the U.S. and some E.U. countries of being a proxy force for Russia’s Defense Ministry, and for seeking to profit from conflicts in Africa, Ukraine and the Middle East. The preliminary agreement to target Wagner officials and entities linked to the company with sanctions, comes after France has repeatedly said that Mali’s government appears close to inviting Wagner into the country. Laurence Norman and James Marson report for the Wall Street Journal. [russia-policy-news]
The E.U. has agreed to impose new sanctions against the authoritarian government in Belarus, in response to the migrant crisis at the Poland-Belarus border.
Sudanese authorities have released the bureau chief of Al Jazeera, El Musalmi El Kabbashi, two days after he was arrested in the midst of nationwide protests against the military coup in Sudan [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
The U.N. Security Council has condemned the supply of weapons and ammunition to al-Shabab and other groups in Somalia in violation of a U.N. arms embargo and voted yesterday to extend the ban for a year
A key Libyan military commander, Khalifa Hifter, has filed as a candidate in the country’s presidential elections next month. Sam Magdy reports for AP.
A military attachment in Burkina Faso’s Sahel’s Soum province was attacked on Sunday by an unidentified armed group, with the death toll having now risen to 28 officers and four civilians, the Burkina Faso’s government has said. The provisional death toll is the larged recorded loss on Burkina Faso’s security forces during a single attack since Jihadi violence started in the country more than five years ago. Sam Mednick reports for AP.
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held virtual talks yesterday in an attempt to reduce tensions between the two countries. Throughout the virtual meeting the two leaders engaged in “healthy debate,” but there were no breakthroughs, according to a senior administration official. Officials also dismissed the notion that the summit was intended to ease the increasingly tense relationship between China and the U.S. on issues including trade, military aggression towards Taiwan and human rights. Analysis of what was discussed at the virtual meeting is provided by Kevin Liptak reporting for CNN. [us-policy-news, china-policy-news]
The chair of a group of more than 300 former generals and top security officials in Israel has expressed his support for the U.S. reopening a consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem.
A Palestinian man was shot and killed today by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military stated that troops came under fire overnight while attempting to arrest two people in the area, and that troops shot at a passing vehicle after an explosive device was thrown at them. AP reports.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in court today for a high-profile corruption case against him. A one-time confidant of Netanyahu was meant to take the stand against Netanyahu, however the testimony was delayed until next week after a legal challenge from Netanyahu’s lawyers. Ilan Ben Zion reports for AP.
Turkish authorities have placed a man considered a suspect in the July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in prison, Turkey’s state-run news agency has reported. The suspect, businessman Samir Handal, who was wanted on an Interpol notice, was detained at Istanbul Airport early on Monday. Handal had been transiting from the U.S. to Jordan. His arrest was announced by authorities in Haiti later on Monday. No indication has been given yet as to whether Haiti will seek Handa’s extradition. AP reports.
Hindu extremists in India have attacked the home of a Muslim ex-foreign minister who recently published a book in which he compared Hindu nationalists under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to terrorist groups such as the Islamic State. Al Jazeera reports. [militant-far-right-news]
Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi is to face new electoral fraud and abuse of power charges, state media has announced. Suu Kyi, who was arrested during the February military coup, is currently facing 11 criminal cases with maximum sentences that total more than a century in jail. Reuters reports.
A knife attack on a train in Germany on Nov. 6 which left several people injured is being invesitgated as possible terrorism, German prosecutors have said. “An initial evaluation of social media accounts of the suspect, who was arrested at the time, showed that an Islamist motive for the crime could not be excluded, said the prosecutors, adding they were looking at all possibilities,” Reuters reports.
Many countries in Europe are imposing stricter restrictions for unvaccinated individuals as Covid-19 infections spike across the continent. In particular, Austria has limited the movement of all unvaccinated individuals over the age of twelve, restricting them to traveling for work and school, buying groceries, and medical care. Jason Horowitz reports for the New York Times. [covid-news]

Democracy Now (15/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Austria Enacts Lockdown for the Unvaccinated as Europe Becomes Pandemic’s Epicenter Again [covid-news]
Eight Refugees Found Dead, Dozens Others Rescued on Boat Near Canary Islands [immigrant-news]
Journalist and Minority Shia Muslims Killed in Afghanistan Blasts - In related news, Indian officials are accusing Pakistan of blocking a request to allow 50,000 tons of wheat and medicine to be transported to Afghanistan
Schools Close in New Delhi Due to Toxic Air Quality [industrial-failure-news]

Just Security (15/11/21): Early Edition:

Dany Fenster, a U.S. journalist detained in Myanmar and sentenced to 11 years in prison, has been freed and will soon return home, according to the U.S. Embassy in Burma. Fenster, who was the managing editor of the online magazine Frontier Myanmar, had been detained in Yangon’s Insein prison since his arrest in May. His release was negotiated following a trip to Myanmar by Bill Richardson, a former U.S. diplomat. [us-policy-news]
Russia is positioning troops 125 miles from the Ukrainian border, while “America is warning its European allies that it considers an invasion a genuine possibility.” [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied stoking the migrant crisis on the Poland-Belarus border after accusations from Poland that the Russian leader is orchestrating the flow of migrants
In 2018, a Chinese state-controlled company bought an Italian manufacturer of military drones and began transferring the company’s technical expertise and equipment to China. The technology had been used by the Italian military in Afghanistan, and the Italian and E.U. authorities had no knowledge of the move. Analysts have said that the takeover fits a pattern of Chinese state firms using ostensibly private shell companies as fronts to obtain companies with specific technologies that they then shift to new facilities in China. “Italian authorities are currently investigating the takeover of Alpi Aviation Srl by a Hong Kong-registered company that they say is a front for the Chinese state and was in the process of transferring the company’s technical and intellectual property to a new production site in China,” James Marson and Giovanni Legorano report for the Wall Street Journal.
An explosion yesterday morning outside Liverpool Women’s hospital in the northwest of the U.K. has been declared a terrorist incident by U.K. police.
Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, son of former Libyan dictator Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has announced that he will run for president in Libya’s coming election. Vivian Lee reports for the New York Times.
Cuban state security agents are cracking down on dissent ahead of pro-democracy protest rallies planned for today. State security agents surrounded the home of leading activists yesterday, including the organiser of the rallies Yunior García. “The ruling Communist party has banned the protests, which it says are a US-backed attempt at overthrowing the government,” BBC News reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Suspected foreign government-backed hackers infected websites belonging to a Hong Kong-based media outlet and a pro-democracy group to install malware on visitors’ Apple devices and spy on them, Google researchers have said. “Google’s Threat Analysis Group discovered the watering hole attack in August, which relied on a previously unreported backdoor, or zero-day flaw. [cyber-security-news]

Posted 15 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Jacobin (13/11/21): How the US War on Drugs Subverted Bolivian Democracy - It’s been two years since the right-wing coup against Evo Morales’s socialist government. One of his former ministers tells Jacobin about how the US war on drugs helped create a Bolivian military free from popular control. [analysis-news, us-policy-news, drug-news, leftist-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Iran frees Vietnamese tanker seized after US navy confrontation - The IRGC said it had thwarted an attempt by the US navy to ‘steal’ Iranian oil by force in October.

Financial Times (10/11/21): Zambia’s new president tackles debt mountain and empty treasury - After bond default in 2020, Hichilema must reassure investors he can stabilise the copper-rich nation [neo-imperialism-news, china-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): FT reports after a long period of corruption under president Lungu (who defaulted last year), the new president Hichelma is trying to right the ship. To do so, Hichilema is (A) pursuing a strategy of "decentralization" (giving funding to local polities, as opposed to centralized organization from Lusaka), (B) pursuing an "anti-corruption" strategy (always a classic), (C) leaning on high copper prices (but it seems, not raising taxes) and "open[ing]" up the mining sector, and (D) turning to the IMF for a bailout fund, based on the aforementioned strategies and "cutting the deficit". The government is currently in $15bn in debt, with $6bn owed to China (double what Lungu had reported), with fears of other hidden debt. In such a strapped position, Lusaka has few good choices, and has had to turn to... the IMF! Ahh, a classic.

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Myanmar military accused of blocking aid to displaced civilians - Fortify Rights says Myanmar army may have committed war crimes in arresting aid workers and destroying food stocks.

The Economist (13/11/21): The World This Week:

The British government announced that National Health Service frontline staff in England will need to be vaccinated against covid-19 by April 1st. The latest government data show that 10% of all NHS employees are not fully jabbed. This week was the deadline for care staff to meet the requirement; around a quarter of those workers have not received their full dose. [covid-news]
Chile’s Chamber of Deputies approved impeachment proceedings against Sebastián Piñera, after leaked documents raised more questions about a mining deal that the president’s family signed during his first term in 2010 (he denies wrongdoing). But the opposition will struggle to obtain the two-thirds majority needed to impeach Mr Piñera formally in the Senate.
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri-Kani, visited European capitals ahead of talks with America and European powers aimed at resurrecting the nuclear deal that Iran signed in 2015. Mr Bagheri-Kani seemed to rule out any discussion of Iran’s nuclear activity at the talks, and said that instead they should focus on lifting sanctions. America, which walked away from the deal in 2018, disagrees.
France formally handed back to Benin 26 precious artefacts, including statues and a royal throne, that it had taken when it colonised the west African country in the late 19th century. Other former colonial powers are also under pressure to return looted items. These include Britain, which holds more than 900 “Benin bronzes” that were taken from Nigeria.

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): US sanctions Eritrean army, ruling party over Ethiopia conflict - US says presence of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia ‘an impediment’ to ending conflict and increasing humanitarian access. [us-policy-news]

The Guardian (12/11/21): Team of 10 UK soldiers sent to Poland to assist on Belarus border - MoD says small team of military personnel deployed after agreement with Polish government

Financial Times (12/11/21): Jes Staley exchanged 1,200 emails with Epstein that included unexplained phrases - Regulators flagged ‘snow white’ reference in messages between former Barclays boss and sex offender [corruption-news, epstein-news] Paywall Summary (?): While at JPMorgan, Staley worked as head of a bank of which Epstein was a client, initializing their relationship in the early 2000s. The nature of their relationship has been exposed in a cache of emails (ranging from 2008 to 2012) JPMorgan turned over to US regulators, showing their close relationship, and including several peculiar terms, such as "snow white". Staley visited Epstein in 2009 while in prison for procuring a child prostitute. While Staley says their relationship tapered off after 2013, he visited Epstein's private Caribbean island on his yacht in 2015, months before joining Barclays. Barclays had initially been warned about this situation, and the emails, around Dec 2019, but declined to take them seriously, taking Staley for his word that there was nothing serious between him and Epstein, saying he had been "sufficiently transparent".

PALESTINOW (12/11/21): Palestinians Attacked, Spyware NSO, Sebastia Invaded, Palestinians Arrested, Store Destroyed, Palestinians Injured, Al-Aqsa Mosque

CPJ (12/11/21): Peru opens criminal investigation into Ojo Público’s Ernesto Cabral over corruption reporting [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

WSWS (12/11/21): Brutal repression against striking public employees in São Paulo, Brazil [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Ecuadorian court freezes ex-president’s bank account in probe - Court order freezes bank accounts of former President Rafael Correa and 19 others as part of a corruption investigation

Al-Monitor (13/11/21): Media freedom in Tunisia stirs wide debate - The closure by the Independent High Authority for Audiovisual Communication of four media institutions, under the pretext of benefiting from the influence of some parties and political figures for broadcasting without regularizing their situation, has stirred wide controversy and growing concern about the fate of media institutions in Tunisia [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Cuban opposition figure arrested ahead of banned protest - Guillermo Farinas was arrested on Friday, his family said, three days before opposition figures plan to hold a protest

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Tigray rebels killed dozens of civilians: Ethiopia rights body - Ethiopian Human Rights Commission says rebels killed at least 184 people in Amhara region in July and August.

NewsClick (13/11/21): SGPGI Lucknow Employees Start Indefinite Strike Over Salary - The employees have demanded salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission and on par with their AIIMS, New Delhi, counterparts. [labor-news]

The Guardian (13/11/21): Daughter of Philippine leader Duterte to run for vice-president - Sara Duterte will stand alongside son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 2022 elections in move that has alarmed rights activists [corruption-news, far-right-news]

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): India: Border state ambush kills five soldiers, two civilians - Suspected rebels have ambushed a convoy of India’s paramilitary soldiers in northeastern state of Manipur, officials say

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Afghanistan: Deadly explosion hits mainly Shia suburb of Kabul - Explosion goes off in a minivan in Dasht-e Barchi area in the west of Afghan capital, officials say.

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Thousands rally in DRC capital against electoral commission pick - Protesters in Kinshasa reject last month’s appointment of a new poll body head by President Felix Tshisekedi [protest-news, corruption-news]

PALESTINOW (13/11/21): Hunger striker, Palestinian woman beaten, Palestinians injured, Trees uprooted, Palestinians kidnapped

The Hill (13/11/21): Indonesia's largest oil refinery on fire, forcing evacuation of residents [industrial-failure-news]

Al Jazeera (13/11/21): Dozens of Maoist rebels killed in India gun battle - Three special commandos also wounded in the hours-long clash in the dense forests of Gadchiroli district

The Guardian (13/11/21): Sudan security forces kill at least 5 as protesters defy shutdown - Teargas and live bullets used to break up demonstration in Khartoum against the military coup

The Guardian (13/11/21): Ecuador: 68 inmates killed and 25 injured in latest prison massacre - Deaths at Litoral penitentiary part of wave of prison violence that has claimed more than 280 lives

Al-Monitor (12/11/21): Turkey, Georgia run joint drill at border - Georgia has grown closer to Turkey and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus.

The Guardian (12/11/21): Netherlands imposes lockdown measures as Covid cases hit new high - PM Mark Rutte announces first partial lockdown by a western European country since the summer [covid-news]

The Moscow Times (12/11/21): 2 Russian Paratroopers Die in Belarus Drills Jump [russia-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Haitian gang leader says he will temporarily lift fuel blockades - Blockades have caused fuel shortages across Haiti, forcing hospitals, businesses and schools to limit operations.

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Ethiopia’s Tigray is under a ‘systematic’ blockade: WHO chief - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said Tigrayans across the country were being profiled and arrested by the thousands.

The Economist (13/11/21): How trains could replace planes in Europe - It won’t be easy [rail-news, infrastructure-news, analysis-news]

New York Times (10/11/21): Bolsonaro Joins a Centrist Party in Brazil Ahead of 2022 Re-election Bid - President Jair Bolsonaro, who has not belonged to any political party for two years, is joining the centrist Liberals, they said on Wednesday. [far-right-news, politics-news]

Al Jazeera (11/11/21): China’s Evergrande repays bondholders: Source - Reports of coupon payments by troubled property giant ease fears of destabilising default [economic-news]

The Moscow Times (11/11/21): Russia Jails Former Navalny Regional Head on ‘Extremist’ Charges [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

NewsClick (11/11/21): Modi Govt Trying to Exempt Hazardous oil Rigs From Green Clearances - Policy reforms to dilute the environmental regime for hydrocarbon industries will help private players more as attempts are underway to weaken oil and natural gas PSUs. [privatization-news, energy-news, big-oil-news, industrial-failure-news]

The Moscow Times (11/11/21): Russia’s Aeroflot Denies Transporting Migrants to Belarus

The Irrawaddy (11/11/21): Myanmar Junta Loses 1,300 Soldiers Killed Over Last Month: NUG

Al Jazeera (11/11/21): Fire at Romanian COVID-19 hospital kills two elderly patients - Deadly blaze at hospital in central city of Ploiesti marks fourth such incident at healthcare facilities within a year. [healthcare-news, covid-news]

Al Jazeera (11/11/21): Hong Kong ‘Captain America’ protester sentenced for slogans - Ma Chun-man sentenced to more than five years in prison for chanting pro-independence slogans during demonstrations. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, china-policy-news]

New York Times (11/11/21): As Poland celebrates its Independence Day, far-right groups stage rallies across the country. [far-right-news]

Al Jazeera (11/11/21): Five members of family killed in air raid on Syria’s Idlib - Three children aged one, two and eight were killed in a Russian air raid on a farm in Syria’s northwest, say rescue workers [russia-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (11/11/21): Moscow Vows Military Support for Mali, Denies Wagner Links [russia-policy-news]

The Guardian (11/11/21): Orbán rival promises new constitution if he defeats Hungary PM - Opposition leader Péter Márki-Zay says he will restore rule of law if he wins next April’s elections

Left Voice (11/11/21): How to Escape the Eternal Debt Trap - The fight against the foreign debt that strangles Argentina is at the center of the electoral campaign of the Workers Left Front — Unity (FIT–U). This article explains how imperialism uses the debt to subjugate the masses, and spells out a program in opposition. [economic-news, neo-imperialism-news, analysis-news]

The Intercept (11/11/21): The Main Driver of Inflation Is a Murderous Maniac in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia is withholding oil production because Biden won’t meet with Mohammed bin Salman after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the president suggested. [big-oil-news, capitalist-farce-news, energy-news, economic-news, analysis-news, us-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (11/11/21): Iran deports thousands of Afghan refugees, UN agency says - In the last week of October, Iran sent back more than 28,000 Afghans who fled across the border. [immigrant-news]

CPJ (11/11/21): Iranian photojournalist Rahil Mousavi arrested on unspecified charges [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (12/11/21): UAE, Saudi Arabia look to strengthen trade with India - The two richest states in the Persian Gulf region find themselves locked in competition to maximize opportunities for stronger economic ties to Indian markets.

Modern Diplomacy (11/11/21): ‘Wake-up call’ to assist DR Congo battle food insecurity [social-woes-news]

Law and Crime (11/11/21): Black Ohio Officer Files Discrimination Complaint Over KKK Sign Incident, Says Ex-Police Chief Harassed Him Because of His Race

ZDNet (11/11/21): Brazil advances efforts to tackle electronic fraud - The Ministry of Justice will lead a special commission. [cyber-security-news]

The Moscow Times (12/11/21): Staff of Shuttered Kyiv Post Announce ‘Independent’ Relaunch Effort [media-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Belarusian airline stops flying Middle East citizens from Turkey - State-owned carrier Belavia bars Syrians, Yemenis and Iraqis from boarding flights at Ankara’s request as the migrant crisis grows. [immigrant-news]

The Irrawaddy (12/11/21): Tens of thousands Flee Myanmar Junta Raids in Upper Myanmar

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Rwandan YouTube star jailed for ‘humiliating’ state officials - Dieudonne Niyonsenga, whose YouTube channel has more than 15 million views was sentenced to seven years in prison [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Moscow Times (12/11/21): Russia Adds Founder of Prisoners’ Rights NGO to Wanted List [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Tunisia MP jailed for sexual harassment in landmark case - Zouhair Makhlouf’s case marks first time a high-profile figure has faced prosecution for sexual wrongdoing in Tunisia. [civil-rights-news]

The Moscow Times (12/11/21): Russian Paratroopers Land in Belarus as Tensions Simmer Over Migrant Crisis [russia-policy-news]

The Guardian (12/11/21): Turkey jails Kurdish politician’s wife over miscarriage form typo - Başak Demirtaş and her doctor sentenced over ‘falsified’ medical report on her miscarriage [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): Poland-Belarus: Humanitarian fears grow as child reportedly dies - Poland must allow big NGOs to work on the ground given the scale of the crisis, say grassroots activists. [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (12/11/21): UN rep slams Lebanon central bank chief over economic crisis - A UN expert blasted the country’s banking sector for failing to recognize its role in the country’s crippling economic crisis. [capitalist-farce-news, economic-news, analysis-news]

The Guardian (12/11/21): Macron defence staffer allegedly raped after Élysée Palace party - French prosecutors investigate alleged assault of female soldier by colleague after party in July

CPJ (12/11/21): Indian police open terror investigation into 5 journalists [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Irrawaddy (12/11/21): Resistance Groups Claim to Have Killed 90 Myanmar Junta Troops in Two Days

WSWS (11/11/21): Tens of thousands of Maharashtra state transport workers continue strike in defiance of court orders [labor-news, privatization-news, far-right-news] Important Note about WSWS

Financial Times (11/11/21): Swedish oil executives charged with complicity in Sudan war crimes - Lundin case is first prosecution of corporate bosses for such serious offences since Nuremberg trials [big-oil-news, war-crime-news, capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): In 1999 Lundin, a fossil fuel corporation, wanted access to oil in what is now South Sudan (then the southern part of Sudan); to gain access, they enlisted the aid of the Sudanese government to act as security. To do so meant ripping up a peace accord, and they knowingly went forward with it, unleashing bloody conflict laced with crimes against humanity. In addition to the charges, Lundin will have to hand over $160m in assets (they're mostly involved in Norwegian oil development today, selling out of Sudan in 2003). Sweden has universal jurisdiction, which they've used in many war crimes cases, but this one is notable as it involves Swedish nationals. Note: While unrelated, this case brings to my attention a dimension of the conflict I was not aware of (that oil investment stirred conflict here in the 90s). Important to note is Chinese complicity in the violence here too; they had major oil investments in the country at the time, and sent soldiers to defend those oil fields and weapons to the Sudanese, thereby aiding the oppressors there (see wiki note) [china-policy-news].

Democracy Now (12/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Beyond Oil and Gas: Denmark and Costa Rica Lead New Push to Phase Out Fossil Fuels [big-oil-news, climate-change-news]
Biden and Xi Jinping to Hold Virtual Summit Amid Ongoing Tensions
Sudanese Military Coup Leader Sworn In Amid Ongoing Protests
Mexican Indigenous Land Protector Irma Galindo Barrios Missing for Over 2 Weeks [indigenous-news]
Palestinian Prisoner Ends Hunger Strike, 5 Others Continue Protest Against Detention Without Charge

Just Security (12/11/21): Early Edition:

Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to cut off gas supplies to Europe if sanctions are imposed on the country. [energy-news]
The Kremlin has said that it was not consulted before Lukashenko raised the possibility of cutting natural gas flows to Europe, and that Russia is a reliable exporter that fulfils its obligations
The Kremlin has dismissed the Bloomberg report which suggested that the U.S. is worried that Russia will launch an attack on Ukraine
Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen breached the compound in Sanaa that housed the American Embassy and detained Yemeni security employees of the U.S. government, the State Department has said.
President Biden’s administration is weighing the sale of armed drones to Indonesia, amid concerns over human rights abuses in Indonesia and the country’s past purchases of Russian equipment, according to government and defense industry officials. [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the U.S., and Israel have launched joint naval exercises for the first time, U.S. and Israeli military officials have said. [us-policy-news]
U.S. journalist Danny Fester has been sentenced to 11 years in prison in Myanmar after being found guilty of incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information, contacting illegal organizations and violating visa regulations, his lawyer has said [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
A Venezuelan judge has granted a rare appeal to six U.S. oil executives who have been jailed in Venezuela for four years on corruption charges. The six men were arrested in 2017 in Venezuela and were convicted of embezzlement in 2020 in a trial marred by delays and irregularities. AP reports
Border crossings by Haitian migrants into the U.S. fell by more than 90% in October [immigrant-news]
A bomb exploded in a mosque in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province during today’s prayers, wounding at least 15 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Islamic State group militants have been waging a campaign in the province, conducting nearly daily shootings and bombings targeting Taliban fighters. However, previous attacks on mosques by the Sunni militant group since the Taliban takeover have struck Shi’ite mosques and the attack today targeted a mosque. which was frequented by Sunni Muslims. AP reports.
The FBI has warned U.S. companies that Iranian hackers have searched cybercriminal websites for sensitive data stolen from American and foreign organizations that could be used in future efforts to hack those organizations
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele had deployed military troops to patrol the streets in the capital city of San Salvador and other areas, in an effort to combat rising homicide rates in the country.
A senior Palestinian official has said that the phones of three high-ranking Palestinian diplomats were hacked by the Pegasus spyware made by the private Israeli firm NSO Group [surveillance-and-censorship-news, pegasus-news]
Chinese officials are working to get Uyghurs in foreign countries deported back to China. The officials are creating visa problems for Uyghurs and coercing them to become informants, according to documents submitted by Uyghur representatives to the International Criminal Court (ICC). This is the third attempt to have Chinese authorities investigated by the ICC. The ICC rejected previous complaints because China is outside its jurisdiction but asked for further evidence. Helen Davidson reports for the Guardian.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has appointed a new interior minister and minister for national defense, having sacked both previous ministers this week. Arsenia Felicidade Felix Massingue was appointed as the country’s first female interior minister and Cristóvão Artur Chume was appointed as the new minister for national defense.

Just Security (11/11/21): Early Edition:

E.U. officials are expressing support for Poland in the current border crisis with Belarus. Unlike in 2015, when a border crisis in the European Union divided members, this standoff has united many countries [immigrant-news]
Russia deployed strategic bombers to Belarus’s airspace yesterday, amid escalating tensions between Belarus and Poland at their border. “Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that two long-range Tu-22M3 bombers carried out patrols in the area and an inspection of the air-defense system of the Union State, an alliance that binds Russia and Belarus together in various areas ranging from the economy to defense,” Ann M. Simmons reports for the Wall Street Journal. [russia-policy-news]
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has accused the U.S. of coordinating a civil liberties protest that is set to take place on Nov. 15 in Cuba with the help of U.S.-based social media platform Facebook.
A high-level meeting of the Chinese Communist Party today has declared Chinese President Xi Jinping’s undisputed rule of “decisive significance” for China’s history, helping clear the way for Xi to obtain a near-inevitable third term that would extend his rule until at least 2027 [china-policy-news]
The U.N. Security Council also expressed “deep concern” over clashes between junta troops and fighters from a major militant group in the Rakhine state in Myanmar. The clashes, reported by a rebel spokesperson, broke a ceasefire that had kept the peace in the western region since a military coup in February. The Council also warned that “recent developments pose particular serious challenges for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons.”
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has sacked the country’s national defense minister, Jaime Augusto Neto, a day after Nyusi fired the interior minister, Amade Miquidade. “The president has not explained why he has fired the country’s top defense and security leaders. It’s believed that the decision has to do with the increased cases of kidnapping, murder, terrorism and corruption, as well as a rising number of road accidents,” Jose Tembe reports for BBC News.
Mali’s Foreign Minister has said, during a trip to Moscow, that Mali may ask Russia for “help” given Mali’s current security situation. “We are now in such a difficult situation that we may turn to our friend (Russia) for help,” minister Abdoulaye Diop told a news conference. “The very existence of the Malian state is under threat,” he added. Reuters reports. [russia-policy-news]

Democracy Now (11/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Poland Increases Troops at Border Amid Reports of Migrant Deaths, Brutality by Belarusian Soldiers [immigrant-news]
Chilean Lawmakers Advance Impeachment Effort Against President Piñera
F.W. de Klerk, South Africa’s Last Apartheid President, Dies at 85
Boeing Accepts Responsibility for Ethiopia Airlines 737 MAX Crash, Will Compensate Families

Posted 12 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Telesur (9/11/21): Lithuania Declares State of Emergency in Border With Belarus - Lithuania's parliament on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in its border region with Belarus, the first time since the country's independence. [immigrant-news] Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Tigray rebels raped women in Ethiopia’s Amhara region: Amnesty - Amnesty International found evidence of brutal acts committed by TPLF fighters during an offensive in August. [crime-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Tunisia trade union calls for strike over death of protester - The powerful General Trade Union announces a day of mourning over the death of protesters and calls for an investigation into the incident. [labor-news, union-news]

The Moscow Times (10/11/21): New Russian Prison Torture Video Surfaces From Bombshell Leak [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Nigeria: Trial of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu adjourned - Judge postpones trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra group to January 19 and 20 next year. [court-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Panama’s ex-president gets second acquittal in phone-tapping case - Ricardo Martinelli was accused of wiretapping more than 150 people, including politicians and journalists. [pegasus-news, leak-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Swedish PM resigns, paving the way for potential female leader - Stefan Lofven resigns in long-planned move with Magdalena Andersson on track to become country’s first female PM.

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Death toll in Freetown fuel tanker explosion rises to 131 - Dozens of wounded people are still being treated at hospitals, with 19 still in a critical condition, authorities say.

CPJ (10/11/21): A Nigerian journalist took photos at the scene of killings his government denies. Then the harassment started [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Reuters (10/11/21): U.S. issues Cambodia corruption advisory, sanctions officials over navy base [us-policy-news] (via u/Renxer0002 on r/Libertarian) There is a strong geopolitical dimension here, the US is kinda upset about Cambodian deals with China... ofc. The Ream Naval Base discussed here has been the site of US and Cambodian joint training and naval exercises under the CARAT program

Telesur (10/11/21): Bolivia: Indigenous Farmer Is Killed Amid Right-Wing Strike - "Once again, the racist hatred against our Indigenous brothers causes death and pain in the Bolivian people," former President Evo Morales tweeted. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (10/11/21): Lasso Does Not Allow Press In Dialogue With Indigenous Peoples - Despite President Lasso's recent conciliatory speeches, the Police prevented the entry into Quito of buses carrying Indigenous citizens who wished to participate in a peaceful mobilization. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Bangladesh sentences former chief justice to 11 years in jail - Surendra Kumar Sinha headed the Supreme Court when it ruled in 2017 that parliament could not sack judges, a move hailed by lawyers.

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): Aid group says 4,000-5,000 Afghans crossing into Iran daily - Norwegian Refugee Council says as many as 300,000 Afghans have crossed the border since the Taliban took power in August [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (10/11/21): Family of Kenyan woman allegedly murdered by UK soldier to sue MoD - Agnes Wanjiru’s family instruct law firm to demand answers over her death

The Irrawaddy (10/11/21): Over 100 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Clashes

The Guardian (10/11/21): Top UK court blocks legal action against Google over internet tracking - Campaigners sought to sue for £3bn damages on behalf of millions of iPhone users in England and Wales [big-tech-news, court-news]

The Moscow Times (10/11/21): Cargo Ship Runs Aground on Russia's Far East Coast

NewsClick (10/11/21): UP: Shahjahanpur ASHA Workers Beaten By Cops, Union Threatens to Boycott Vaccination Drive - Contrary to the police statement, ASHA workers claimed that they were detained when they were marching towards the rally where CM was addressing the gathering, and released after the CM concluded his visit. [labor-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

ZDNet (10/11/21): A stalker's wishlist: PhoneSpy malware destroys Android privacy - A new surveillance campaign has revealed widespread infection on Android devices. [cyber-security-news]

Al Jazeera (10/11/21): No longer a ‘cash cow’, Saudi squeezes Lebanon’s ruined economy - Saudi Arabia’s blanket ban on Lebanese imports is another blow to Lebanon’s crippled economy, and some fear the squeeze could get worse.

PALESTINOW (10/11/21): Relying on Resistance, Drone Downed, Provocation Palestinians, Houses Demolished, Hate Graffiti, Toxins Sprayed, Palestinians Wounded, Palestinians Kidnapped

The Guardian (10/11/21): Thai court rules calls for curbs on monarchy are ‘abuse of freedoms’ - Constitutional court’s ruling in case against three protest leaders is denounced as ‘judicial coup’

The Irrawaddy (9/11/21): Over 80 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Local Officials Resign

ProPublica (9/11/21): The High Price of Doing Journalism in El Salvador - A reporter teams up with the American journalist who first broke the story of the El Mozote massacre, tracking El Salvador’s faltering efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable, in a new documentary from Retro Report and FRONTLINE. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): Migrant caravan headed to US border amid Mexico tensions - The group has seen dwindling numbers amid harsh conditions and standoffs with Mexican authorities as it heads north. [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): Two killed as spate of targeted attacks continues in Kashmir - A local Muslim worker and a police officer killed by suspected rebels – the latest in a series of such attacks that began last month.

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): Mexico anti-money laundering chief resigns amid scandal - Authorities found $35,000 in cash on private plane carrying guests to Santiago Nieto’s wedding in Guatemala. [corruption-news]

South China Morning Post (9/11/21): China delivers new warship to Pakistan Navy in ‘important milestone’ - It’s the largest and most advanced Chinese warship to be exported so far, according to the shipbuilder - Type 054A/P frigate was commissioned in Shanghai and is the first of four being built under a 2017 deal [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

PNN (9/11/21): Israeli settlers vandalize Palestinian vehicles in al-Bireh

PNN (9/11/21): Israel demolishes three Palestinian houses west of Bethlehem

PALESTINOW (9/11/21): Hebron Outpost, Palestinians Injured, Stop Building Houses, Vehicles Attacked, Military Maneuver, Watching, Hacked, NGOs, Fishing Boats Attacked

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): Morgues, hospitals struggle with COVID-19 deaths in Romania - ‘Wave of the unvaccinated’ grips Eastern European country, as misinformation swirls and public trust in government drops. [covid-news]

Al-Monitor (9/11/21): UAE foreign minister visits Cyprus - The UAE has grown closer to Cyprus on energy and defense issues

The Moscow Times (9/11/21): A Flurry of Prosecutions for Racy Photos Reflects Russia’s Intensifying Embrace of ‘Traditional Values’

CPJ (9/11/21): Hungary’s Klubrádió owner András Arató on how the station is responding to the loss of its broadcast license [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Modern Diplomacy (9/11/21): Thousands flee DR Congo fighting for Uganda [immigrant-news]

Payday Report (8/11/21): Daily Highlights:

In the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, sanitation workers, members of the Teamsters, and employed by Republic Services went on strike last Friday over low pay and unsafe working conditions.
In Antioch, California, more than 350 healthcare workers, members of SEIU, have gone on strike today over the company’s unfair labor practices and chronic understaffing.
In rural northeast North East Carolina, workers at Bojangle in Burnsville, North Carolina, went on strike Saturday over unsafe conditions.

Al-Monitor (8/11/21): Israel to export border surveillance technology to Cyprus - Israel’s military has extensive experience with border security surveillance in the West Bank. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): French bishops agree to compensate thousands of sex abuse victims - Move comes a month after major report revealed mass abuse of children by church figures since the 1950s. [crime-news]

Al-Monitor (8/11/21): Yet another Kuwaiti government resigns - For the second time this year, a Kuwait government has submitted its resignation to the emir.

Jacobin (7/11/21): The CIA Undermined Postcolonial Africa From the Start - From undermining national liberation leaders to playing a central role in the assassination of Congolese radical Patrice Lumumba, not enough attention is paid to the CIA’s shameful role in Africa. A new book aims to correct that. [us-policy-news, dark-security-news, history-news]

Just Security (10/11/21): Early Edition:

China has criticized the use of a U.S. Navy aircraft to fly U.S. lawmakers to Taiwan for a routine trip this week, describing the visit as “sneaky.” [us-policy-news]
China’s Eastern Theater Command yesterday night launched combat readiness drills near the Taiwan Strait, as a U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Taiwan, and Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has reported that six Chinese warplanes have flown into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone [china-policy-news]
A U.S. judge is putting a lawsuit against Khalifa Hifter, a former Libyan warlord, on hold until after Libya’s election in which Hifter is expected to run for president
President Biden’s administration is looking to improve security, climate and economic cooperation with Cairo, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicking off the first set of strategic dialogue talks with Egypt since 2015 [us-policy-news]
The U.S. government has pledged to strengthen Haiti’s National Police as Haiti struggles with a spike in gang-related violence and severe fuel shortages that have deepened its looming economic crisis [us-policy-news]
A former U.S. Marine jailed in Russia for drunk driving has declared a hunger strike to protest his treatment in prison
The former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has denounced the U.S., U.K. and Australian pact to help Australia build nuclear-powered submarines. Keating described the AUKUS security pact as “like throwing a handful of toothpicks at the mountain,” declaring Australia should avoid being drawn into a war with China. [us-policy-news]
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “masterminding” the migrant crisis on Belarus’s border with the E.U. At an extraordinary session of parliament on Tuesday evening, Morawiecki, squarely pointed the blame for the crisis at Moscow and Putin, calling the Russian leader an “enabler” of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. “The remarks are the most direct accusations against Russia yet in a crisis where the Kremlin has not played an overt role,” Andrew Roth reports for the Guardian. [immigrant-news]
Russia is blaming the E.U. for the migrant crisis on the border between Belarus and Poland, and has sent bombers to overfly Belarus. [russia-policy-news]
Poland is facing fresh attempts from migrants to breach its border with Belarus and now has 15,000 troops stationed at the border to repel them, Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak has said. At least 2,000 migrants have become stranded at the border, at the center of an escalating international row.
The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus yesterday, “sending the clearest signal yet that the Arab world is willing to re-engage with strongman Bashar Assad,” Albert Aji and Bassem Mroue report for AP.
U.S. trained Afghan pilots and other personnel have taken a U.S. brokered flight from Tajikistan to the UAE. The pilots had fled to Tajikistan with their aircrafts during the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Ethiopian authorities have detained more than 70 drivers working with the U.N., in addition to the 16 U.N. staff and dependents, according to an internal U.N. email.
Hong Kong prosecutors cited comments made by former U.K. Foreign Minister Dominic Raab in their ruling to deny bail for the head of the Hong Kong Apple Daily newspaper. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Democracy Now (10/11/21): Daily Headlines:

“We Will Not Stand Idly By”: Tuvalu Minister Delivers Speech Knee-Deep in Rising Sea Water [climate-change-news]
25 Children Killed in Niger School Fire as Nation Grapples with Deadly Conflict on Southern Border
U.S. Journalist Faces Terrorism and Sedition Charges in Burma - The U.N. is urging Burma’s military to give the agency access to over 3 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian aid amid ongoing violence following the February 1 military coup, a growing economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Common Dreams (9/11/21): Corruption and Environmental Damage: Chinese Fossil Fuel Investments in Africa - African countries need investments, China needs raw materials, and African activists are fed up with the resulting corruption and environmental damage. [bri-news]

$7 billion oil pipeline in Niger,
$1.3 billion port project in Cameroon
$3.6 billion investment into the aluminum sector [in Guinea]
Big-ticket infrastructure projects include the $5.8 billion hydroelectric Mambilla Dam, a $2.8 billion gas pipeline, a $1.5 billion harbor complex, and a $200 million airport serving Abuja.
In Guinea, reports Aboubacar Diallo of the Centre du Commerce in Conakry, China is providing $20 billion in infrastructure funding in exchange for mining concessions, an agreement that will last from 2017 to 2036. China has already invested in several hydropower plants. But the focus of its interest now is access to critical ores like iron and bauxite as well as a refinery to turn that bauxite into aluminum and a port to export the metal. In exchange, China has pledged to reconstruct a major road at the cost of $2.1 billion, rebuild four universities at a cost of $300 million, rehabilitate roads and sanitation in the capital of Conakry, and set up an electricity grid for $250 million. Only the road has been started, however, and the other three major projects have been delayed.
One of the biggest proposed projects that China is spearheading on the continent is the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone in the Limpopo region of South Africa, which the government approved in 2016. Contracts have been awarded to a subsidiary of the Chinese firm Shenzhen Hoi Mor and nine other Chinese companies totally more than $10 billion in investments. This industrial development zone will center around processing minerals such as chrome, manganese, and iron as well as the manufacture of cement and steel. Providing power to the zone is a proposed 3.3-gigawatt coal-fired plant.
In some African countries, however, infrastructure is conspicuously absent from the picture. Zimbabwe, mostly smaller scale Chinese companies have been involved in the mining sector. But as Farai Maguwu of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance in Harare points out, the Chinese "don't build anything in the area. They simply dig and leave behind open pits. There's no investment in education or in road infrastructure, which they destroy using their machinery."
The experience in South Sudan, where China has been developing oil fields since the 1990s, has been similar. "The communities are supposed to benefit from the oil being produced in their area," observes Pach Ayuen Pach of the Heart of Mother Earth Foundation. "It's their right, but there are no good schools, no clean water, no roads, no hospitals, and nothing good for the community."
"Local law requires restoration of the land," Aboubacar Diallo reports, "but none of it has been rehabilitated." Guinea also has mining laws that require compensation for land taken for such operations, yet companies have seized arable land and displaced people without providing compensation. Rice is the major crop, occupying nearly one-third of the arable land, but the discharge of lubricants and waste water from bauxite mining has compromised this food production. Dust from the mining has polluted the air, and there has been sound pollution as well from blasting and the use of heavy equipment.
Reporters in Nigeria, for instance, have exposed the pollution connected to illegal logging, fishing, and mining done either by Chinese entities or by local actors who then sell to Chinese firms. The impacts include "increased flooding, erosion, the extinction of animals and plants," says Tijani Abdulkareem. "Illegal logging denies communities sources of food and livelihood."
Illegal fishing and mining are a problem as well in Madagascar, where China is a major trade partner. "The Chinese use mercury for gold exploration even though it's prohibited," reports Volahery Andriamanantenansoa of the Center for Research and Support for Alternatives to Development—Indian Ocean. "The Malagasy government doesn't have the means to do anything about it."
But the principal mining interest China now has in Madagascar is rare earth minerals. Reducing the mining of these minerals in China itself, because of adverse effects on environment and health, Beijing is eager to find other sources of these critical inputs into high-tech products. In Madagascar, China expects to extract from 300-800 tons of rare earth minerals during the pilot phase of its extraction. But the removal of only one ton of such minerals generates 1,000 tons of contaminated water and 2,000 tons of toxic waste. Over the full lifetime of the project, which could be 40-50 years, that would total an astonishing 500 million tons of poisoned water and one billion tons of toxic waste. "This is simply catastrophic," Volahery says. The mining will have a devastating impact on the rich biodiversity of the region, adversely affect the tourism sector, and undermine key agricultural products like vanilla and coffee.
"The oil industry in South Sudan has left a landscape pocked with hundreds of open waste pits along with water and soil contaminated by toxic chemicals," he concludes.
Conditions at those jobs vary. At one factory in Zimbabwe, Farai Maguwu reports, "workers allege that they are locked up during lunch hour. The Chinese say, 'if we leave you free, you will steal.' They are only released after lunch hour. We have also seen Chinese discharge firearms where workers are demanding a minimum wage." [labor-news]
The Chinese company has largely ignored the South Sudanese labor laws. So, for instance, workers labor nine hours a day, seven days a week, 30 days a month. "Employees have no option," he points out. "It is either work or a pay cut, or dismissal. People in this regard choose to work even if it is against their personal health." The food provided lacks vegetables aside from raw onions; accommodation for Sudanese workers is of lesser quality than where Chinese workers stay. Workers are entitled to a month off every three months but at half-pay, which discourages them from taking the time off [labor-news]
In South Africa, the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone will reportedly create as many as 53,000 jobs at the site plus many more in supporting industries. To get those jobs, the South African government has promised to apply special treatment such as tax-exemption and a waiver of import duties to the Chinese companies operating there, which means a considerable drop in government revenue.
In Zimbabwe, where the mining operations are smaller scale, the companies often have no physical address at all, not even a website. Still, they maintain close relations with the Zimbabwean government. In one case, the government sent out state security forces on behalf of a Chinese company to bulldoze a site in a community that clearly was opposed to coal mining. When the community continued to insist that the Chinese company leave, "the Chinese instructed the government that the community leader be put in jail and barred from visiting the community for four months," Farai Maguwu reports.
In another case, Maguwu asked the Zimbabwean parliament to investigate a Chinese company that was mining diamonds in partnership with the Zimbabwean defense industry. The Chinese were arguing that they were just in the "exploration" phase even though the same company "had mined in the country from 2011 to 2015 before the former president kicked them out," Maguwu added. "They returned in 2018. It doesn't make sense that they are now doing 'exploration.'"
In Jigawa, one of the poorest Nigerian states, Chinese businesses can with impunity seize land being farmed by community members because "local politicians who have been bribed don't care," notes Tijani Abdulkareem. "Most of the officials have been bribed. In these states where there is high state of banditry, a Chinese businessman can bribe to get whatever he wants."
The same applies to Nigerian businessmen who act on behalf of Chinese companies. One such businessman, nicknamed "Dan China," presided over illegal mines that extracted $278 billion in lead, zinc, tin, and other ores. "Protected by bribed security agents and local officials, Dan China allegedly smuggled the illegally mined ore to China via the port of Lagos," Abdulkareem recounts. In 2017, in an unusual anti-corruption effort, "the Nigerian government cracked down on one of the largest of these illegal mining operations at Kampanin Zurak, a rural area about 150 miles outside the state capital, Jos. During the raid, police arrested sixteen Chinese nationals working at the remote site."
In the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone in South Africa, for instance, "the sacred animals and trees of the Venda people will be destroyed when making way for this project," says David Tshidzumba. "They will exhume graves that are more than 60 years old, uproot trees sacred to indigenous people. Once you destroy the land, once you take away the water, we don't have a sense of belonging. It's not just heritage but also livelihood, our way of life." [indigenous-news]
Mining projects in Zimbabwe have involved the appropriation of communal land, including drilling in gravesites. "I don't think there is anywhere in the world where there has been such a blatant violation of cultural rights as is happening in Zimbabwe," says Farai Maguwu. At one granite stone mining site, the Chinese company Heijin told villagers that the operation would go forward because they didn't own the land. The Zimbabwean government, meanwhile, tried to downplay the number of villagers affected by the operation. [indigenous-news]
Recently, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo suspended a number of Chinese companies for illegal mining activities and Beijing responded by ordering the companies to leave the region and promising sanctions if the companies are found guilty of violations. This case demonstrates that the Chinese government is sensitive to public backlash.

The Guardian (9/11/21): ‘Imran Khan is crushing the poor’: anger rises as inflation grips Pakistan - Economic meltdown heaps pressure on Pakistani PM, with record inflation bringing threat of unrest [economic-news, social-woes-news]

The Hill (9/11/21): Colorado officer won't face charges in death of bystander at supermarket shooting

The Moscow Times (9/11/21): Georgia Ex-President Saakashvili Says Abused in Prison, Fears for Life

The Moscow Times (9/11/21): Shuttered Russian Underground Crematorium Found Burning Human Remains – Reports

NewsClick (9/11/21): Yet Another Eviction Drive in Assam - Authorities will begin to remove people from the reserve forest in Hojai.

The Moscow Times (9/11/21): Gazprom Starts Refilling European Gas Storage Sites [energy-news, big-oil-news, russia-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): Sudan court orders end to internet shutdown - Internet access in Sudan has largely been cut since a widely condemned military coup on October 25. [court-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Vice (9/11/21): QAnon and Trump-Flag Waving Anti-Vaxxers Tried to Storm New Zealand’s Parliament - “If we don’t have guns, shoot them up with a triple dose of Pfizer.” [far-right-news]

NewsClick (9/11/21): Bihar: Left Parties Demand Resignation of Prohibition Minister After Spurious Liquor Claims Lives in 4 Districts - Flourishing illicit and spurious liquor trade is not possible without patronage and support of a powerful liquor nexus, and as a result, illicit liquor has become a synonym for the death of the poor in Bihar, left leaders claim

Al Jazeera (9/11/21): UN says 16 local staff detained in Ethiopia’s capital - UN says ‘actively working’ with federal government to secure release of Ethiopian staff, says ‘no explanation’ given for detentions

Telesur (9/11/21): Lasso Pardons Indigenous Leader Ahead of Meeting With CONAIE - The release of Antonio Vargas and other Indigenous leaders comes two days before the Lasso administration holds negotiations with the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities. [indigenous-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (9/11/21): US Extradites Mexican Former Governor Accused of Embezzlement - The embezzlement of millions of dollars in public funds that Duarte carried out would have been impossible without President Peña Nieto's knowledge and consent. [corruption-news, us-policy-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (9/11/21): Chile: Lower House Approves Political Trial Against Piñera - The Pandora Papers uncovered that the Chilean President carried out offshore financial operations and favored the sale of a mining company to a close friend. [corruption-news, leak-news] Note about Telesur

The Guardian (9/11/21): Fresh scrutiny for Mexico after arrest of suspect in NSO spyware case - Businessman allegedly used surveillance tool to spy on journalist, raising questions about authorities’ links to Israeli company [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Left Voice (9/11/21): Repression in Sudan: 119 Arrested at Teachers Demonstration Against the Coup - On Sunday, 119 protesters were arrested by the military at a demonstration of thousands outside the Ministry of Education building in Khartoum. They were demanding the ouster of newly appointed education officials who are close to the former Sudanese dictator. [labor-news, protest-news]

The Guardian (9/11/21): Car bombing kills pregnant Yemeni journalist in Aden – reports - Gulf-based TV journalist Rasha Abdullah Al Harazi was killed and her husband injured, according to witnesses and medical sources [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Telesur (9/11/21): Peru: Defense Minister Resigns Amid Wrongdoing Allegations Note about Telesur

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): Israeli air raids hit Syria, two soldiers wounded: State media - Syria’s military says Israeli air raids on central and western provinces wound two soldiers and cause material damage, state media reports.

The Guardian (8/11/21) Ukrainian English-language newspaper Kyiv Post suspends publication - Journalists on publication release statement saying that all employees were ‘immediately’ fired [capitalist-farce-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news, media-news]

Law and Crime (8/11/21): Fired Oklahoma Police Officers Convicted of Murder for Using Taser on Man More Than 50 Times

WSWS (9/11/21): Brutal police killing of 18 year old Roma youth sparks protests [protest-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): Czech parties sign agreement to form centre-right government - Major step taken towards replacing the outgoing administration of Prime Minister Andrej Babis following October election. [politics-news]

Posted 10 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): More than a dozen killed in Niger gold mine collapse - At least 18 people killed and seven others injured in southern Niger after an artisanal mine collapsed, local mayor says. [industrial-failure-news]

The Moscow Times (9/11/21): Russia Labels Main LGBT Group 'Foreign Agent' [surveillance-and-censorship-news, lgtbq-news]

Just Security (9/11/21): Early Edition:

Co-ordinated action against the REvil has been announced by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Europol and the Romanian police, dealing a devastating blow to the cyber-crime gang. [crime-news, cyber-security-news]
The two individuals allegedly linked to REvil arrested by Romanian authorities were said by Europol to be behind more than 5,000 cyberattacks and are accused of having gained more than half a million Euros in ransomware payments made by victims. [crime-news, cyber-security-news]
CIA Director Willaims Burns held a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week, to convey “serious” U.S. concerns about Russia’s military buildup along the Ukrainian border and to attempt to determine Russian intentions, two sources have said [us-policy-news]
U.S. officials have arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an effort to defuse tension and frustration with E.U. facilitated discussions with nationalist Serb leader Milorad Dodik. [us-policy-news]
Satellite images appear to show that Beijing has built mockups of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and destroyer in a northwestern desert in China
Iran’s military warned off U.S. drones trying to approach Iranian war games near the mouth of the Gulf, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB has said. [us-policy-news]
Authorities in Ethiopia are allegedly targeting and arresting Tigrayans. Witnesses said Tigrayans were arrested in Addis Ababa, following the escalation over the last week that led to a state of emergency in the country. Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission has said that authorities were arresting people based on ethnicity under the state of emergency, which gave authorities power to detain people “suspected of collaborating with terrorist groups.”
A TPLF spokesperson has said that their forces will keep marching towards the Ethiopian capital until the government lifts its blockade on the northern region. The spokesperson said that the rebels continued march was “not so much about Addis Ababa but our intention to arm-twist [Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed] to lift the blockade on our people.” “It is for Abiy to say yes to our demands…and put an end to the conflict,” the spokesperson said
The Pentagon has said that it has not located an Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) safe house in Kabul that prompted an erroneous drone strike on Aug. 29. [us-policy-news]
The Pakistani government and the armed militant group the Pakistani Taliban, the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have agreed to a one-month ceasefire while negotiations are underway to end years of fighting.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has issued a scathing rebuke against the “undemocratic” elections in Nicaragua. [us-policy-news]

Democracy Now (9/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Climate Activists Blast COP26 Draft Statement for Failing to Phase Out Fossil Fuels
Police Raid Glasgow Squat Housing Climate Activists Protesting COP26
Coronavirus Cases Surge to Record Highs Across Some European Nations [covid-news]
As U.S. Opens Borders to Vaccinated Travelers, Asylum Seekers Remain Trapped in Mexico [immigrant-news]
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Wins Fourth Term After Arresting Opponents, Crushing Dissent - Ortega blasted the U.S. government for supporting a coup attempt in 2018 and for continuing to interfere in Nicaragua. Many have also denounced ongoing and devastating U.S. sanctions on Nicaragua

Al Jazeera (7/11/21): West Africa bloc ECOWAS imposes sanctions on Mali leaders - The move by ECOWAS comes after Mali’s transitional leaders said they would not be able hold elections on time. [economic-news]

Left Voice (7/11/21): Nicaragua: An Orchestrated Election Day for President Ortega - Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega is seeking a fourth presidential term. The elections are taking place in the middle of a major national crisis, the division of the bourgeois opposition, and threats by U.S. imperialism. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (7/11/21): Northern Ireland: bus hijacked and set alight on outskirts of Belfast - Incident near Rathcoole in Newtownabbey sparks fresh fears of Brexit-related violence in region

Law and Crime (7/11/21): Bail Denied for New York State Trooper Charged with Ramming a Family’s SUV, Killing 11-Year-Old Girl

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): Pakistan lifts ban on far-right TLP behind anti-France protests - The development follows last week’s deal between the government and the TLP that the party would halt its march to Islamabad. [far-right-news]

The Irrawaddy (8/11/21): Electricity Office in Myanmar Capital Targeted With Bomb Blast

The Guardian (8/11/21): Armed attack on Brazilian Amazon community while delegate at Cop26 - Witnesses say tents in forest in disputed area of Pará state set alight and residents beaten [far-right-news, labor-news]

The Irrawaddy (8/11/21): Around 150 Junta Troops Killed By Myanmar Resistance Over Weekend

The Guardian (8/11/21): ‘Like slave and master’: DRC miners toil for 30p an hour to fuel electric cars - Congolese workers describe a system of abuse, precarious employment and paltry wages – all to power the green vehicle revolution [capitalist-farce-news, labor-news]

Al Jazeera (8/11/21): Gunmen seize villages in DRC near Uganda, Rwanda borders - Overnight, gunmen have seized the villages of Tshanzu and Runyoni, the last redoubts of the M23 group before their defeat years ago

The Guardian (8/11/21): Palestinian activists’ mobile phones hacked using NSO spyware, says report - Investigation finds rights activists working for groups accused by Israel of being terrorist were previously targeted by NSO spyware [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (8/11/21): Belarus escorts 1,000 migrants towards Polish border - Column of people including children led by border guards in escalation of deadly crisis [immigrant-news]

Telesur (8/11/21): Chile: Carabinero Arrested For Sexual Assault On Colleague Note about Telesur

South China Morning Post (7/11/21): Beijing sends 16 fighter jets towards Taiwan - Sorties come a day after European Parliament group ends three-day visit to the island - Taiwanese air force issues radio warnings and activates monitoring systems, defence ministry says [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Al Jazeera (7/11/21): ‘You make money by finding men’: DR Congo’s gold rush sex trade - In an insecure part of eastern DRC where some of the world’s most valuable minerals are mined, impoverished women and girls sell their bodies to put food on the table.

Al Jazeera (7/11/21): Ethiopian government rallies protesters against Tigrayan rebels - Protesters at a pro-military rally in Addis Ababa pledge to defend the capital from advancing rebel groups.

PALESTINOW (7/11/21): Child Killed, Attack Repelled, Palestinians Injured, Road Collapsed, Gaza Power Plant Troubled, Torture, Cement in Well

The Guardian (7/11/21): Libya’s PM and president in dispute over foreign minister’s suspension - Row deepens as Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh dismisses president’s decision to suspend Najla El-Mangoush

South China Morning Post (8/11/21): People rescued, evacuated in India’s manufacturing hub Chennai as heavy rains flood city - Relief centres and medical camps opened, food distributed - Downpours expected to continue over next four days Important Note on SCMP

The Guardian (7/11/21): Sudan: scores of teachers arrested as strike begins against coup - Union says teargas used against members outside education ministry building for Khartoum state [labor-news, protest-news]

The Guardian (7/11/21): British man appears in court in Ireland over threat to kill Labour MP - Daniel Weavers, 41, arrested following search of residential property in Cork

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Georgian protesters rally in support of jailed Saakashvili - State security service says protests are part of a planned coup devised by former president.

Law and Crime (6/11/21): Fifth Circuit Slams the Brakes on Biden’s Workplace Vaccine Mandate Due to ‘Grave Statutory and Constitutional Issues’ [covid-news]

Financial Times (6/11/21): Humiliating cricket defeat exposes India’s Hindu-Muslim divide - Ruling party accused of fomenting religious enmity to deflect attention from sputtering economy [far-right-news] Paywall Summary (?): FT reports that while the only Muslim Indian player did just as badly against Pakistan as the other players, he is taking all of the ire. In addition, people are getting sacked from government, expelled from college, and even detained (for sedition and terrorism) jobs for celebrating Pakistan's Cricket win. FT notes that most BJP-governed states (BJP the ruling Hindu-supremacist party) have banned interfaith marriages, in fear of so-called "love jihad" (the plot being to erode Hindu numerical majority... yes, pretty far-right conspiracy), as well as restricting economic domains that Muslims thrive in, as well as using colonial-era laws to harass Muslims. With elections coming up in Uttar Pradesh, a BJP stronghold and the nation's largest state, tensions will only ramp up. Additionally, anti-Muslim actions can help curry favor in the state machinery, accelerating Muslim discrimination.

The Guardian (6/11/21): At least 19 killed as truck smashes into cars at toll booth in Mexico - The crash sparked an inferno that also injured at least three people on the highway between Mexico City and Puebla state

The Guardian (7/11/21): UK stop-and-search data ‘withheld to hide rise in discrimination’ - Figures delayed as police and borders bills pass through parliament [surveillance-and-censorship-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (7/11/21): Flash floods in Bosnia prompt evacuations, power outages - Heavy rain causes severe flash flooding, evacuations and power outages in most of Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo

Al-Monitor (6/11/21): Egypt avoids taking sides in Sudan crisis - While regional and international forces are pushing for a solution to the crisis in Sudan, Cairo is neutral between the civil and military components in an attempt to overcome the complexities of the political scene.

The Guardian (5/11/21): Women’s rights activist shot dead in northern Afghanistan - Frozan Safi, 29, is believed to be the first women’s rights defender to be killed since Taliban return to power

WSWS (5/11/21): Argentine judge indicts Spanish Franco-era minister on murder charges [court-news] Important Note about WSWS

Bloomberg (2/11/21): Peru to Deploy Troops in Lima After Rise in Disorder Nationwide ... "amid protests [against mining and oil companies] and a planned transport strike" [labor-news, indigenous-news]

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Official Myanmar records mistaken about detained US reporter - Danny Fenster is among about 100 journalists who have been detained since February, when the military ousted the democratically-elected government.

Jacobin (6/11/21): The World’s Best Mayor Is a French Communist - Philippe Rio from Grigny, south of Paris, has been voted the world’s best mayor. He told Jacobin about the local social programs that have made his Communist administration a global success story. [socialist-news, leftist-news]

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Thai protesters recount alleged torture under police custody - Human Rights Watch say new allegations are a worrying shift in the police response to the country’s pro-democracy movement. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): US court convicts Chinese intelligence agent of spying - Xu Yanjun was found guilty on two counts of conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage, and three counts relating to trade secret theft.

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Niger says 11 soldiers killed, nine missing after gun assault - Unidentified men attacked the village of Dagne in a remote part of southwest Niger near the border with Mali, the government said.

NewsClick (6/11/21): elhi Govt Extends Free Ration Till May 2022; Kejriwal Urges PM Modi to do Same - The Delhi govt’s decision came a day after Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said the Centre had no proposal to extend distribution of free ration through the PMGKAY beyond November 30.

PNN (6/11/21): Settlers attempt to destroy children’s playing ground in a village southwest of Hebron

New York Times (6/11/21): A fire in Covid intensive care ward kills 11 people in India.

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Sudan activists announce strikes, reject power-sharing with army - Protest movement promises to continue demonstrating until a full civilian government is established to lead the transition. [labor-news]

PALESTINOW (6/11/21): Hunger striker, Palestinian NGOs, Access blocked, Demolition houses, Petition rejected, Jenin storms

Al Jazeera (6/11/21): Ethiopia’s Abiy urges ‘sacrifices’ as US orders staff out - Prime minister says Ethiopians must be ready to make ‘sacrifices’ to ‘salvage’ country as conflict with Tigrayan forces deepens.

Telesur (5/11/21): Bolivian Organizations Reject Call for Strike & Destabilization [labor-news] Note about Telesur

Democracy Now (8/11/21): Daily Headlines:

100,000+ People Take to Streets to Call Out Climate Inaction, COP26 Greenwashing
U.S. Advises Citizens to Leave Ethiopia as Specter of All-Out War Increases
Sudanese Soldiers Arrest Scores of Anti-Coup Protesters
Sierra Leone Declares Three Days of Mourning After 100+ Die in Fuel Tanker Disaster
Polish Reproductive Rights Protesters Decry Death of Woman Denied Life-Saving Abortion [protest-news, civil-rights-news]

Just Security (8/11/21): Early Edition:

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has been targeted in an assassination attempt by drones at his residence. The explosive-laden drone attacked the prime minster’s residence in Baghdad early Sunday, in what Iraqi security officials said was an assassination attempt. Six of al-Kadhimi’s security detail members were injured in the attack, but “al-Kadhimi, who addressed the nation on television shortly after the attack, said he wasn’t hurt. The attack followed threats against al-Kadhimi from an Iran-backed militia leader, though the armed groups denied responsibility and no one immediately claimed the attack,” Ghassan Adnan and Jared Malsin report for the Wall Street Journal.
Rebels in Ethiopia are closing in on the country’s capital of Addis Ababa. As of Sunday morning, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) was around 200 miles from the capital with anywhere from days to weeks left to fight across hostile terrain to reach Addis Ababa
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has ordered citizens to sign up for military training and has given security forces authority to detain without a warrant anyone they suspect of cooperating with rebel forces, as the TPLF and other rebel groups advance on the capital
A newly-formed alliance of Ethiopian opposition factions set a goal on Friday of bringing down Ahmed by force or negotiation, to then form a transitional government.
The Haitian gang that kidnapped 17 American and Canadian missionaries, including five children, has shown the U.S. proof that at least some of those kidnapped are still alive, a senior Biden administration official has said.
Bill Richardson, a veteran U.S. diplomat, has visited Myanmar to meet with the leaders of February’s military coup [us-policy-news]
Paul Whelan, a jailed former U.S. Marine convicted by Russia of spying, will continue to fight for his transfer to the U.S. from Russia despite losing a court appeal today, Interfax news agency has quoted his lawyer as saying.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has sought to distance the Israeli government from NSO Group, saying that the blacklisted Israeli company “has nothing to do with the policies of the Israeli government.” [surveillance-and-censorship-news]Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega quashed dissent to ensure a victory in the country’s election on Sunday. President Ortega detained challengers, shut down campaign events, and closed voting stations. This will be Ortega’s fourth consecutive term in office and suggests that the country is entering a new era of repression.
Iran is claiming to have nearly doubled its stockpile of enriched uranium in less than a month ahead of the resumption of talks to restart the 2015 nuclear deal
Iran’s military has begun its annual war games in a coastal area of the Gulf of Oman, state TV has reported, less than a month before the upcoming nuclear talks in Vienna.
Iran’s judicial authorities have banned an Iranian daily newspaper for publishing a front-page graphic that appeared to show Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s hand drawing the poverty line in Iran, amid widespread anger over the nation’s cratering economy. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Israeli officials have said that the U.S. should open its consulate for Palestinians in the West Bank instead of in Jerusalem [us-policy-news]
A knife attack on Saturday on a high-speed train in Germany has left three people severely wounded. A 27-year-old Syrian man was arrested in Seubersdorf, where the train stopped after the attack, Bavarian state police have said.
Teachers in Sudan were sprayed with tear gas and arrested following two days of protests against the military coup. The teachers’ union said security forces used tear gas against teachers outside of the education ministry, and there were reports that some were taken into custody and transported to the military headquarters [labor-news]
Police in India are looking for “fake news” spreaders after anti-Muslim attacks.

Posted 5 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day; ... Bleeding edge news (rough)

Al-Monitor (3/11/21): Algeria accuses Morocco of fatal attack on three truck drivers - The Algerian presidency said the killing of the three Algerian truck drivers in a roadside bombing on Monday "will not go unpunished."

Law and Crime (3/11/21): Illinois Police Left ‘Person in Crisis’ in a Parking Lot Alone on Cold Winter Night Before He Was Hit by a Car: Lawsuit

PNN (3/10/21): IOF assault South Africa’s Counselor, olive harvesters near Bethlehem

WSWS (4/11/21): Sri Lankan power, port and petroleum workers protest against privatisation [labor-news, protest-news, logistics-news, energy-news, privatization-news] Important Note about WSWS

The Moscow Times (4/11/21): Russia Expels Second Foreign Reporter in 2 Months [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

PNN (4/10/21): Israeli occupation forces demolish mosque in Nablus-district town

Al-Monitor (4/11/21): Islamic State attack sparks sectarian bloodletting in Iraq’s Diyala - An Islamic State attack has triggered a crescendo of acts of violence against and displacement of Sunnis in Iraq’s Diyala province, which borders Iran and has long suffered the presence of cells operating in its dense orchards and parts of the Hamrin Mountains.

PALESTINOW (4/11/21): Gaza Farmers Under Tear Gas, Interrogation of Hunger Striker, Demolition of House, Demolition of Shops, Palestinian NGOs, Palestinians Kidnapped

The Guardian (4/11/21): Ethiopia-Turkey pact fuels speculation about drone use in Tigray war - Reports say Ethiopia wants to buy Bayraktar TB2 drones after military cooperation agreement was signed with Ankara

The Moscow Times (4/11/21): Denmark Detains Russian Research Ship in Legal Dispute

Left Voice (4/11/21): Student Workers at Columbia Are on Strike Again — What Will It Take to Win? - Yesterday, more than 3,000 student workers at Columbia walked off the job to demand a living wage and healthcare. In order to win these demands, however, the rank and file will have to unite with faculty and students, and be willing to shut down the university by taking their strike all the way to the end of the semester.

The Moscow Times (4/11/21): Putin Vows to Back Lukashenko Against 'Interference' [russia-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (4/11/21): Turkey terminates post of several honorary consuls critical of government - The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s termination of posts for nine consul generals, including those from Belgium, Austria, Sweden and the UK, are attributed to some of the consuls’ criticism of government policies and their political links with opposition parties.

Al Jazeera (4/11/21): Nearly 70 dead in village attack in southwestern Niger - Government says 69 people were killed in latest violent incident in Niger’s ‘tri-border’ zone with Burkina Faso and Mali.

Al Jazeera (4/11/21): Somalia gives African Union envoy seven days to leave country - Government accuses Simon Mulongo of engaging in activities incompatible with AU mission.

Al Jazeera (4/11/21): Sudan’s army chief orders release of 4 ministers detained in coup - The move comes as the UN is working to find a way out of a political impasse since the military seized power in late October.

The Guardian (4/11/21): Tories engulfed in sleaze crisis after U-turn and Owen Paterson resignation - Conservative MPs react with fury at ‘own goal’ after PM ditches bid to shield former minister from lobbying claims

Al-Monitor (4/11/21): Why are Turkish-allied formations collapsing in Syria? - Factions pulling out of the recently formed Syrian Liberation Front raise questions about the future of Turkish-backed rebel groups.

Al Jazeera (4/11/21): Portuguese president calls snap general election for January 30 - Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s move follows the minority government’s defeat in a key vote on the country’s budget.

Telesur (3/11/21): Chile: Indigenous Mapuche Killed in Incident With Armed Forces - Two Mapuche community members died on Wednesday in a confusing incident with the Armed Forces that has not yet been clarified, in the context of the state of emergency that is in force in the south of the country. [indigenous-news, law-enforcement-oversteps-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (3/11/21): Chile: Piñera Defends Pardon Granted to Pinochet Era Criminals - The far-right President argues that his pardon decree is lawful and does not generate impunity. [far-right-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (3/11/21): 700,000 Paraguayans At Risk Of Being Evicted By The Abdo Regime - Since the beginning of the year, 11 Indigenous communities have been forcibly evicted from lands claimed by private companies. [indigenous-news, privatization-news, capitalist-farce-news] Note about Telesur

The Economist (6/11/21): World This Week:

Rebels from Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region captured two strategic towns and were poised to march on Addis Ababa, the capital. An allied rebel force, claiming to represent the Oromos, Ethiopia’s biggest ethnic group, said it had cut roads to Addis Ababa from the south. Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister, declared a state of emergency and said Ethiopia would defeat the rebels with “the bones and blood of her children”. Tigrayans in the capital were rounded up and detained.
The African National Congress, which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, suffered its biggest-ever electoral defeat, falling below 50% in a nationwide ballot for the first time. The elections were local ones, which typically produce a lower turnout of ANC supporters. But they suggest that the party may struggle to gain a majority at a general election in 2024. [electoral-news]
America, Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates called on the leaders of a military coup in Sudan to reinstate a civilian-led transitional government. The last two were a surprise: the coup leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, was thought to have had the backing of Arab allies, including the UAE. [us-policy-news]
The Knesset in Israel narrowly approved the government’s budget for 2021, a big victory for the new prime minister, Naftali Bennett. Had it failed, yet another general election would have been called.
As world leaders debated net zero, Britain and France called a temporary truce in a furious row over the economically insignificant question of fishing rights in the English Channel. France had seized a British vessel after French fisherfolk complained that post-Brexit Britain was being slow to issue them with licences. The mackerel mêlée is certain to resume.
Opposition leaders in Nicaragua (at least, those who have not fled abroad) called on voters to boycott a presidential election on November 7th. Daniel Ortega, the autocratic president, is set to win another term after locking up plausible opponents. The EU called the election “fake”. [electoral-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]
A Chinese tennis star, Peng Shuai, posted a message on social media accusing a former deputy prime minister, Zhang Gaoli, of assaulting her sexually. Censors quickly moved to suppress online discussion of the case. [civil-rights-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Payday Report (1/11/21): Daily Highlights:

In Southern Indiana, teachers went on strike Friday in the town of Anderson (population: 50,000). Teachers are unhappy with contract talks in which the school district has refused to agree to a wage increase. Teachers wanted to show the school district how far they would go to push for better standards.
Last Friday in Las Cruces, New Mexico, school bus drivers went on a one-day strike to protest understaffing that hurt both bus drivers and families as students struggled to get to school on time.
In Philadelphia, a group of delivery drivers employed by the app platform Gopuff went on strike this past weekend to protest cuts to their pay. Some workers, many of whom worked during the pandemic, reported seeing their pay go from about $12-an-hour to $7.50-an-hour.

The Moscow Times (3/11/21): Ukraine Denies Russian Military Buildup on Border as Defense Minister Quits [russia-policy-news]

Al-Monitor (2/11/21): Houthis advance in Yemen’s embattled Marib - The Iran-backed Houthi forces have claimed responsibility for a deadly missile attack in Marib province earlier this week.

Telesur (2/11/21): Colombian Gunmen Shot Two Youngsters To Death In Santander Note about Telesur

Telesur (2/11/21): Mexican National Guard Kills A Cuban Migrant in Chiapas [immigrant-news] Note about Telesur

Left Voice (2/11/21): John Deere Workers Hold the Line and Vote Down Second Contract Offer - UAW members at John Deere rejected the latest contract offer from the bosses, holding out for the wages and benefits they’ve been demanding from the beginning of their walkout. It’s time for the entire labor movement to rally in solidarity with this strike as it continues.

Al-Monitor (3/11/21): Egypt explores water projects with Somalia - Egypt is in talks with Somalia on water management aid for the drought-stricken country as Cairo builds up its influence in the Horn of Africa.

Al Jazeera (3/11/21): India ramps up Himalayan border security after clashes with China - New Delhi deploys cruise missiles, howitzers, choppers and Israeli-made drones along the treacherous mountain ranges. [china-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (3/11/21): Deadly landslide hits western Colombia: Authorities - At least 10 people were injured and 15 to 20 people were missing following the event in Narino province.

Al Jazeera (3/11/21): Fired staff at Lebanese daily demand unpaid salaries - Employees at the English-language daily were not told when they will receive months of unpaid salaries after they were let go. [media-news, labor-news]

The Guardian (3/11/21): Meat carcasses sent to EU for butchering amid UK worker shortage - Great Britain’s beef producers export to Ireland before reimporting, while pork processors consider the Netherlands

The Irrawaddy (3/11/21): Myanmar Junta Raids Rebel Group’s Office Near Thai Border

The Irrawaddy (3/11/21): Thousands Flee Homes as Myanmar Junta Steps Up Attacks

The Moscow Times (3/11/21): At Least 5 Dead in Cargo Plane Crash Over Siberia

PALESTINOW (3/11/21): Hunger Striker, Hackers, Demolish Cemetery, Sheikh Jarrah, Aid PA, Balfour Declaration, Palestinians Kidnapped [lgbtq-news]

Left Voice (3/11/21): 1,000 West Virginia Hospital Workers Are Going on Strike Today - Hospital workers in West Virginia are set to join the more than 20,000 U.S. workers currently on strike.

Al Jazeera (3/11/21): Russia has 90,000 troops near Ukraine border, Kyiv says - Ukrainian defence ministry says Moscow has left military units along the frontier after recent training exercises. [russia-policy-news]

CPJ (3/11/21): CPJ, other groups call on Turkey to release imprisoned journalist Nedim Türfent [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

NewsClick (2/11/21): Frequent Floods and Landslides in Kerala Raise Concerns - Extreme weather events in Kerala over the last few years have raised concerns about changing rainfall patterns and highlighted the necessity of long-term solutions like the state government’s Room for Pamba project. [climate-change-news]

The Guardian (2/11/21): ‘We will be homeless’: Lahore farmers accuse ‘mafia’ of land grab for new city - The futuristic Ravi Riverfront City development, championed by Imran Khan’s government, has been met with determined opposition [capitalist-farce-news, food-security-news, corruption-news, social-woes-news]

The Moscow Times (2/11/21): Jailed Russian Ex-Journalist Safronov Faces New Treason Charges – Lawyer

Al-Monitor (2/11/21): Egyptians want preacher who justified violence against women stopped - The statements of an Egyptian preacher who justified violence against women raised the ire of social media users and prompted activists to demand that he be prevented from appearing in the media. [civil-rights-news, far-right-news]

The Black Wall Street Times (2/11/21): Alabama ethics court votes to remove judge after racism, sexism complaints [civil-rights-news, court-news]

NewsClick (2/11/21): Normalising Extrajudicial Killings in UP: How Absence of FIRs Against the Police Resulted in Destruction of Evidence - People’s Watch (PW), one of India’s leading human rights organisations, seeks to hold the State accountable for human rights violations and advance a human rights culture in society. [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

Law and Crime (2/11/21): Federal Judge Shuts Down ‘Bombastic’ Anti-Vax Filing by Oath Keepers’ Lawyers That Argues ‘SCOTUS Could Not Have Foreseen the Holocaust’ [far-right-news, anti-vaxx-news, court-news, capitol-storming-news]

Left Voice (2/11/21): Gorillas Delivery Workers Go On Strike - Gig workers at Berlin’s food delivery service Gorillas have once again gone on strike, marking the third wave of mobilizations in the last year. While the workers are more experienced and better organized than ever, they face increasing pressure from management to give up on their demands. [labor-news]

PALESTINOW (2/11/21): Professor Arrested, Gaza Raid, Clinic Removal, Palestinian Land Seized, Al-Aqsa Mosque Break-in, Water Tank Stolen, Palestinians Kidnapped

Jacobin (2/11/21): Australia’s Largest Retail Union Colludes With Bosses to Exploit Workers - The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association organizes retail workers across Australia. Under its hard-right social conservative leadership, the association cooperates with employers to enrich its top officials at workers’ expense. [labor-news, union-news, corruption-news]

Al-Monitor (2/11/21): Ankara faces new calls to release philanthropist Osman Kavala - On the fourth year of his imprisonment, Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala issued a statement from prison, expressing hope that others will face a fairer trial.

Common Dreams (2/11/21): 'Her Heart Was Beating Too!' Protests Erupt in Poland After Woman Dies as Direct Result of Abortion Ban - Vigils and demonstrations followed death of 30-year-old woman known only as Izabela who was refused an abortion by doctors. [civil-rights-news]

Liberation News (2/11/21): Michigan rally supports striking Kellogg’s workers

The Guardian (2/11/21): Four more UK energy suppliers go bust amid high gas prices - Ofgem says latest collapses will leave about 24,000 households in need of a new supplier [energy-news]

CPJ (2/11/21): Journalists shot, beaten, and detained in Afghanistan [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (2/11/21): Israel demolishes Muslim cemetery near Al Aqsa Mosque to build park - The Israeli authorities have bulldozed parts of the Yusufiya cemetery near Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to build a park.

CPJ (2/11/21): Ethiopian authorities detain two broadcast journalists [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

CPJ (2/11/21): Hamas security forces arrest journalist Alaa al-Mashrawi in Gaza [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Democracy Now (4/11/21): Daily Headlines:

Russia Records Another Record Daily COVID-19 Death Toll - Russia continues to battle a worsening coronavirus wave, setting a new daily record Thursday with nearly 1,200 deaths. Russia is in the middle of what authorities are calling a “non-working week” in an attempt to keep people home and curb infections. - Cases are also surging across much of Europe. In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has reintroduced face mask requirements for public spaces and will expand the “corona pass” program requiring proof of vaccination for museums, gyms, outdoor terraces and other public spaces. [covid-news]
WHO Approves Emergency Use of India’s 2-Shot Coronavirus Vaccine Covaxin [covid-news]
Protests in Mexico Call for Justice for Murders of Women and Transgender Community [protest-news, lgbtq-news]
World’s Most Polluting Nations Spend Twice as Much on Border Militarization Than Climate Crisis - Additionally, the world’s largest fossil fuel companies are employing the same companies that receive government contracts to militarize their borders. [dark-security-news, climate-change-news]

Just Security (4/11/21): Early Edition:

The U.S. drone strike that killed aid worker Zemari Ahmadi and nine of his family members, including seven children, did not violate the laws of war, a Pentagon internal review has concluded. [us-policy-news]
China is expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than expected, the Pentagon has said in a new report. The Pentagon’s report states that “Beijing likely intends to have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, including 700 ‘deliverable’ warheads by 2027, far outpacing the Defense Department’s previous estimates
Facebook has removed a post from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahemd for violating the company’s policies against inciting violence [big-tech-news] Using this tag because relevant, not because it's 'bad'
President Biden’s administration has placed the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, and another Israeli company, Candiru, on a U.S. blacklist after it determined that the companies acted “contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the U.S.” The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a statement saying that the action is a part of the administration’s “efforts to put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy, including by working to stem the proliferation of digital tools used for repression.” [us-policy-news]
A U.S. journalist, who has been jailed in Myanmar for the past five months, was denied bail yesterday by a Myanmar court. The court also added a new charge against Danny Fenster, who has already been charged with incitement for allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information and with violating the Unlawful Associations Act for alleged links to illegal opposition groups, his lawyer said
Iran has announced that it will resume multilateral talks in Vienna on reviving a nuclear deal on Nov. 29.
U.S. and Iranian officials have both said that Iran seized an oil tanker in the Sea of Oman last month after an encounter with the U.S. Navy, but the two sides have given “widely differing accounts of whose tanker it was and what, exactly, had happened.” Iranian officials and a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said that the United States had seized a tanker carrying Iranian oil on Oct. 24 and that an assault by Iranian commandos had taken the tanker back. “Two U.S. officials…said that Iran had seized a Vietnamese-flagged tanker, the MV Southys. A U.S. Navy destroyer, The Sullivans, arrived to monitor the seizure but took no action and was not threatened by approaching Iranian speedboats, one of the officials said. John F. Kirby, the chief Pentagon spokesperson, denied Iran’s allegations that the United States had seized the merchant vessel, whose nationality he declined to identify,” Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt report for The New York Times. [us-policy-news]
Vietnam has been in talks with Iranian authorities over the seizure last month of a Vietnamese oil tanker off the Iranian coast, in an effort to guarantee the safety of the crew, Vietnam has said today. Talks had taken place on a diplomatic level “to verify information and settle the incident to ensure safety and humane treatment for Vietnamese citizens,” a Vietnam Foreign Ministry spokesperson told a regular briefing.
A study of weapons and ammunition used in the war in Ukraine has shown a panoply of Russian-supplied arms that has helped fuel the war. A new report, one of the most comprehensive to date on the issue, funded by the E.U. and the German government has offered a fine-grained view of illicit weapons transfers in Ukraine. Earlier analyses have also concluded that Russia is sending arms to the war in Ukraine, however the new report is the first to focus on actual armaments which had been taken from captured or killed separatist fighters or positions they had occupied.
Putin has said that deliveries of Zircon hypersonic missiles to the country’s navy will begin in 2022. Putin’s televised remarks come a month after Russia’s defense ministry said it successfully tested a hypersonic missile for the first time.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation into whether crimes against humanity were committed in Venezuela during the state’s repression of anti-government protests in 2017 - The ICC’s formal probe will be investigating claims that Maduro’s security forces participated in the torture and extrajudicial killings of political opponents.
North Korea has the capacity to make more base ingredients for nuclear bombs than previously believed, new research from Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation has found.
Singapore is preparing to execute an intellectually disabled man who trafficked a small amount of heroin into the country more than a decade ago. Rights advocates have argued that the sentence is out of step with human rights norms and that Nagaenthran Dharmalingam has an IQ of 69, a level recognized as an intellectual disability.

Just Security (3/11/21): Early Edition:

Addis Ababa city officials have told the capital’s five million residents to register all firearms within two days and prepare to defend the city from Tigrayan forces.
The joint investigation is a rare partnership that has raised eyebrows among Tigrayans, human rights groups and other observers, who have flagged concerns about its independence from government influence, however the U.N. has reaffirmed its impartiality.
Ethiopia has said that it is “extremely disappointed” about U.S. plans to withdraw a deal for duty-free exports to the United States. U.S. policymakers are planning to suspend duty-free rights for Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea under the African Growth and Opportunities Act to address concerns about human rights abuses. [us-policy-news]
The U.N. human rights chief’s office is receiving ongoing reports of violations in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, including shelling and airstrikes causing civilian deaths, summary executions, large-scale displacement and a worsening humanitarian situation
[Afghanistan] At least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded from the attack in the military hospital, a Taliban security official has said. Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam reports for Reuters. - ISIS-K has claimed responsibility for the attack on the hospital.
The Taliban has banned the use of foreign currencies in Afghanistan, in a move that could further disrupt the country’s economy which is on the brink of collapse. The U.S. dollar has been used widely in Afghanistan’s markets and dollars often are used for trade in areas bordering Afghanistan’s neighbors such as Pakistan. “The economic situation and national interests in the country require that all Afghans use Afghani currency in their every trade,” the Taliban said. “Anyone violating this order will face legal action,” a statement from Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said. BBC News reports.
China has accused the U.S. of a “lack of transparency and responsibility” regarding an accident in the South China Sea involving a Navy submarine last month.
In an “unprecedented collaboration,” Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama have announced a chain of new protected marine areas that will create an “ocean highway” for species to swim more freely through waters threatened by overfishing and warming sea temperatures. [climate-change-news]
France’s ambassador to Australia has criticized the Australian government’s leaking of text messages between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Scott Morrison, saying the move is an “unprecedented new low” that raises questions over whether other countries can trust Australia
Syria’s military has said that Israel carried out an air raid that hit a military post on the outskirts of the capital of Damascus today, causing material damage. The air raid is the second Israeli attack to target areas near the capital in four days.
The Central African Republic’s presidential guard opened fire on U.N. peacekeepers in the capital, wounding 10 of them, the U.N. mission said yesterday. One person was struck and killed by a U.N. vehicle as it fled the scene. The incident occurred on Monday after a civilian officer for the U.N. mission, known as MINUSCA, entered the security perimeters of the presidential residence, according to a MINUSCA spokesperson. MINUSCA has called the shooting of the unarmed Egyptian peacekeepers near the presidential palace “deliberate and unjustifiable.” A presidential spokesperson urged calm, saying it was “an incident that we are managing,” adding that “we deplore the death of this compatriot and we offer our most saddened condolences to the family,” Jean Fernand Koena reports for AP.
Bahrain has urged all citizens to leave Lebanon immediately. The announcement follows the escalation in regional tensions after the Lebanese information minister criticized Saudi Arabia’s role in the Yemen war. A similar announcement was made by the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. Al Jazeera reports.
A Hong Kong activist who had been trying to seek asylum at the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong has been found guilty of secession by a court in Hong Kong.
Bulgaria is deploying 350 troops and 40 army vehicles along its southern border with Turkey to help border police deal with a growing migrant influx, the Defense Ministry has said. [immigrant-news]
A tunnel from a house frequented by a known extremist has been discovered in Tunisia near the French ambassador’s residence.

Just Security (2/11/21): Early Edition:

The Afghan capital of Kabul has been rocked by two explosions and gunfire at the site of a military hospital, with at least 15 people having been killed. - There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosions in Kabul, however the official Bakhtar news agency has quoted witnesses saying a number of Islamic State fighters entered the hospital and clashed with security forces.
Israel has begun authorizing plans to build more than 1,300 homes for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank; however, Palestinians and rights groups said these new homes would meet only a fraction of the need in the area under Israeli control, which covers 60% of the West Bank.
Egypt is expected to pass legislation which will expand the national security powers of the country’s president and military, just as Egypt’s authoritarian government appeared to relax its grip last week with the lifting of the longstanding state of emergency.
A 15-page confidential agreed communications timeline on the AUKUS pact and cancelled French submarine contract has been reported by The Australian newspaper. The Australian states that the timeline undermines claims from Biden that he did not know that Australia had not informed France earlier about the cancellation of the submarine contract. A text message sent from French President Emmanuel Macron to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison two days before the announcement of the AUKUS pact has also been leaked. In the message, Macron asked Morrison whether to expect good or bad news on the submarine project, and the text appears to have been shared to reinforce Australia’s position that France was not blindsided about the contract’s cancellation. However, Morrison has been accused of putting his personal political interests ahead of healing Australia’s diplomatic rift with France, and it has been suggested that the documents were leaked by the Australian government.
A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine that struck an underwater object in early October hit an uncharted underwater mountain, an investigation has found. The USS Connecticut had been operating in the contested waterway when it struck the object on Oct. 2, forcing it to head from the South China Sea to Guam for repairs
Gunmen have kidnapped six people including four lecturers from the University of Abuja in Nigeria’s capital.
The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, has warned that the country is in imminent danger of breaking apart, and there is a “very real” prospect of a return to conflict. The Bosnian Serb leader, Milorad Dodik, is threatening to pull out of state-level institutions, including the national army built up with international assistance over the past quarter century, and reconstitute a Serb force. Dodik has also said that he would force the Bosnian army to withdraw from the Republika Srpska (the Serb half of Bosnia) by surrounding its barracks and that if the West tried to intervene militarily, he had “friends” who promised to support the Serb cause, a presumed reference to Serbia and Russia.
Facebook has said that it shut down a “troll farm — a coordinated effort to manipulate public discourse using fake accounts” — run by the Nicaraguan government to spread pro-government and anti-opposition messages.
Pakistani officials have reopened a key national highway that supporters of the banned militant Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labaik (T.L.P.) have occupied for days, following a secret pact between the government and the group.
A digital campaign by resistance groups against the military junta in Myanmar has contributed to a small but steady stream of military defectors to the groups. “Since the military seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, opposition groups say more than 2,500 police and soldiers have defected. They claimed numbers have risen modestly since early September, when a rival shadow administration called the National Unity Government, formed by ousted civilian leaders in hiding, declared support for an armed struggle against the regime. Defense analysts say defections don’t appear to threaten the military’s cohesion, but signal weak morale that could frustrate part of the junta’s strategy to gain full control of the country,”
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that planned trade-related sanctions on the U.K., following a post-Brexit row over fishing rights, would be postponed so negotiators could focus on settling the argument

Democracy Now (3/11/21): Daily Headlines:

COP26: U.S. Joins 90 Nations in Pledge to Cut Methane Emissions; South Africa Coal Deal Announced
Ethiopia Declares State of Emergency as Tigrayan Forces Advance; U.N. Report Details Mass Atrocities
Sheikh Jarrah Families Reject Israeli Deal That Would Diposess Them of Their Homes

Posted 1 November 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

New York Times (29/10/21): Supreme Court Won’t Block Maine’s Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers - A state regulation that does not allow exemptions on religious grounds was challenged by workers who said taking a coronavirus vaccine was at odds with their faith. [anti-vaxx-news, covid-news]

South China Morning Post (30/10/21): Chinese city boss removed from provincial role after summer’s devastating floods - Xu Liyi, Zhengzhou’s party chief, as been removed from the top decision-making body in Henan province - The change has not been officially linked to the floods, which killed at least 292 people in the city and prompted an investigation into the disaster response Important Note on SCMP

Jacobin (30/10/21): Finland’s Public Childcare System Puts the Rest of the World to Shame - In Finland, 70 percent of preschool children attend a full day care service supported by the government. There’s absolutely no reason why countries like the United States can’t do the same. [leftist-news, analysis-news]

The Guardian (30/10/21): Sudan democracy march: three protesters killed as security forces open fire - Pro-coup forces reportedly use live ammunition and teargas in Khartoum and Omdurman

The Guardian (30/10/21): Gunmen kill at least three at Afghan wedding to stop music being played - Killers said they were Taliban but government denies responsibility and says two of them have been arrested [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Salon (30/10/21): Texas cops refused to help Biden bus after "Trump Train" incident, 911 transcripts reveal - One officer even called the Democrats a derogatory slang term for someone who is mentally disabled in a group chat

Al-Monitor (29/10/21): US unveils sanctions targeting Iran's drone program - The Treasury Department issued fresh sanctions on Friday targeting individuals and companies the United States says are supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ drone program. [us-policy-news]

Law and Crime (29/10/21): Ex-NYPD Cop Convicted of Obstructing Murder-for-Hire Investigation Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for ‘Brazen’ and ‘Violent’ Plot

Left Voice (29/10/21): Police Violently Evict Kalamazoo Houseless from Encampment - Last weekend, a rally was held in Kalamazoo, Michigan to protest a recent houseless sweep, and show support for the houseless against the repressive policies of the city. [social-woes-news]

Al Jazeera (29/10/21): Saudi Arabia bans all imports from Lebanon, expels ambassador - The moves come days after footage emerged of Lebanon’s information minister criticising the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Al-Monitor (28/10/21): Sudan coup could offer boon for Moscow - Sudan's military coup could hurry along the process of Russia's deeper military involvement in the country. [russia-policy-news]

CPJ (28/10/21): Guatemalan police harass, raid homes of journalists covering protests in El Estor [indigenous-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (29/10/21): World Bank approves loan to Egypt, praises government for growth during pandemic - The loan accompanies various reforms, including actions to increase economic participation of women. Wow

South China Morning Post (29/10/21): China urges Sudan’s warring factions to come to the table, pledges to protect Chinese interests - Beijing is closely watching developments and will ensure the safety and security of Chinese institutions and people in Sudan, the foreign ministry said - At least seven people have been killed in Sudan since Monday as people take to the streets to protest against the power grab [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Left Voice (28/10/21): Thousands in Ecuador Protest the Government’s Austerity Measures - Thousands have taken to the streets in Ecuador to protest increases in fuel prices and the government’s austerity measures. But the union and social movement leaderships are not putting forward a serious plan of struggle to defeat these plans through a real national strike. [labor-news, indigenous-news, protest-news]

South China Morning Post (29/10/21): Evergrande staves off second default in a week by paying US$45.2 million in overdue coupon before grace period runs out - Evergrande paid US$45.2 million of coupon due on its 9.5 per cent, US$951 million bond that matures on March 29, 2024, according to sources - Evergrande missed the payment on September 29, and was given 30 days to comply before bondholders are entitled to declare it in default Important Note on SCMP

WSWS (28/10/21): Strikes erupt across Portugal as government fails to adopt budget [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

The Guardian (29/10/21): Bolivia: fate of 11-year-old girl raped by family member sparks abortion debate - Religious groups seek to force girl to give birth as intervention of the Catholic church questioned

Al Jazeera (29/10/21): As US freezes funds, a harsh winter awaits cash-strapped Afghans - With $9.5bn in assets and loans frozen and limits imposed on bank withdrawals, a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Afghanistan. [energy-news, social-woes-news, us-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (29/10/21): Hunger-Striking Saakashvili a Headache for Georgian Government - Even weakened and behind bars, the former president has managed to place himself again at the center of Georgian politics.

The Moscow Times (29/10/21): Veteran Communist Party Lawmaker Detained for Illegal Hunting [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Irrawaddy (29/10/21): Another 25 Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Upcountry Clashes

NewsClick (29/10/21): 'We Stand Vindicated’, say Farm Unions as Police Starts Removing Barricades at Protest Sites - Any decision to entirely clear both carriageways of roads or march towards Delhi will be taken by SKM, said a farmer leaders, as Delhi Police removed barricades in Tikri and Ghazipur following SC orders. [labor-news]

The Moscow Times (29/10/21): Russia Sentences Blogging Couple to Prison for X-Rated Cathedral Photo Op [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (29/10/21): Macron’s fighting talk on fishing is driven by far-right election threats - Analysis: British government is not entirely innocent but Paris knows forceful rhetoric should only go so far [far-right-news, electoral-news]

Left Voice (29/10/21): Will Berlin’s New Government Sabotage the Housing Referendum? - Last month Berliners voted overwhelmingly to expropriate big landlords in their city. Now the incoming government is trying to squash that decision by subjecting it to months of "expert analysis." [leftist-news]

PALESTINOW (29/10/21): Cemetery Demolition, Destruction of village for 194th time, Settlement Units, Demolition orders, NGOs, Power cut, No prisoner visit

Left Voice (29/10/21): General Strike and Demonstrations in Sudan Point to How the Working Class Can Bring Down the Military - The coup in Sudan on October 25 is reactivating popular demonstrations. Several sectors of workers have already joined in a general strike, and a massive mobilization throughout the country is expected on Saturday. [labor-news]

The Moscow Times (29/10/21): Russian Urban Exploration Blogger Gets Prison Sentence for Sharing State Secrets [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Hill (29/10/21): Iowa House maps create competitive seats

Al Jazeera (29/10/21): Greece rescues cargo ship carrying 400 migrants and refugees - The Greek coastguard says the rescue operation was ‘one of the largest’ ever carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean. [immigrnat-news]

The Guardian (29/10/21): Facebook trained its AI to block violent live streams after Christchurch attacks - Leaked papers detail emergency exercise that followed 2019 mass murder in New Zealand

Telesur (28/10/21): Argentina: Court Hearing Against Ex-President Macri Is Suspended Note about Telesur

Telesur (28/10/21): Unions Call for General Strike in Andalusia, Spain [labor-news, union-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (29/10/21): Mexican Journalist Is Shot To Death In Chiapas Note about Telesur

Al-Monitor (27/10/21): Threat forces Egyptian passenger plane bound for Moscow to return - EgyptAir flight MS729 was flying to Moscow, but shortly reversed course. Russia recently resumed flights to Egyptian resorts.

Vice (27/10/21): It Took 7 Years to Charge Cops Who Shot Jamarion Robinson 59 Times - A U.S. Marshals task force shot Jamarion Robinson, a 26-year-old Black man with paranoid schizophrenia, 59 times during a 2016 raid.

The Guardian (28/10/21): UK-France fishing reprisals threaten full post-Brexit trade war - No 10 threatens retaliation against French measures including port ban on British fishing boats

Al Jazeera (27/10/21): Four Pakistani police killed in violence at far-right TLP protest - Clashes broke out at a rally of the banned TLP group which is demanding the release of its imprisoned leader. [far-right-news]

Al-Monitor (28/10/21): Iraq sends troops to Diyala after attack by Islamic State - The Iraqi government is seeking to prevent both further attacks by the terrorist group and outbreaks of sectarian violence.

CPJ (27/10/21): Tunisia’s media regulator shuts down Nessma TV and al-Quran al-Kareem radio station over licensing issues [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

ZDNet (27/10/21): Nvidia faces European Commission in-depth investigation on Arm purchase - Initial concerns include chip makers have less access to Arm IP and Arm being refocussed to Nvidia products. [big-tech-news, antitrust-news]

The Hill (27/10/21): Trooper charged with murdering girl during high-speed chase

Jacobin (28/10/21): Haitian Sugarcane Cutters Work as Indentured Servants in the Dominican Republic - Haitian workers, fleeing destitution, harvest 6,000 pounds of sugarcane a day for poverty wages in the Dominican Republic. Jacobin talked to some of them. [labor-news, capitalist-farce-news]

Al Jazeera (28/10/21): Moscow partially shuts down as Russia sees record COVID cases - Moscow shuts down non-essential services for 11 days to fight the surge in COVID-19 infections. [covid-news]

The Irrawaddy (28/10/21): Mandalay Office of Myanmar’s Ousted NLD Bombed

Labor Notes (28/10/21): Immigrant Textile Workers Win Long Strike Against 84-Hour Work Week in Italy [labor-news, immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (28/10/21): Laos police net meth pills, crystal meth in record drug bust - Police in Laos seize 55 million meth pills and 1.5 million tonnes of crystal meth in Asia’s biggest drug bust. [drug-news, crime-news]

PALESTINOW (28/10/21): 34 Palestinian Women in Prison, Houses Searched, Village Invaded, Attack on Fishing Boats, Palestinians Kidnapped

CPJ (28/10/21): India Today parent company sues media watchdog NewslaundryIndia Today parent company sues media watchdog Newslaundry [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Telesur (28/10/21): Israel To Cut Power To Palestinians Over Unpaid Debt Note about Telesur

Just Security (29/10/21): Early Edtion:

The Sudanese military will appoint a technocrat prime minister to rule alongside it within a week, Gen Abdel-Fattah Burhanhan, the Sudanese general who seized power in the coup, has said
Violent abductions by army officers are targeting Sudanese civilians who have opposed the coup, including politicians, journalists and activists. “In the space of barely a week, dozens of individuals selected by the army for detention, or who have spoken out against the coup, have been swept up, including ministers and journalists, as well as activists in the ‘resistance committees’ who have been involved in organising street protests,” the Guardian reports. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]
Sudan’s envoys to the U.S. and several other countries, including the E.U. and France, have been fired after condemning the military’s takeover, a military official has said.
President Biden will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in an opportunity to address France’s concerns after a dispute over the Australian submarine deal with Paris that fell through following the U.S., U.K. and Australia AUKUS pact [us-policy-news]
An envoy for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will plead not guilty to money laundering charges he is facing in the U.S., his lawyer has said. Alex Saab, a Colombian businessman, is accused of using a low-income housing project in Venezuela to gain $350 million in personal wealth.
The second most senior U.S. general, outgoing Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Hyten, has said that the pace at which China’s military is developing capabilities is “stunning,” while U.S. development suffers from “brutal” bureaucracy.
The U.S. is committed to helping Taiwan defend itself, the top U.S. representative in Taiwan, Sandra Oudkirk has said, amid heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing
The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on two Lebanese businessmen and a lawmaker, “saying they have profited from corruption while the country struggles through its worst economic crisis in modern history,” [us-policy-news]
The U.N. special envoy on unilateral coercive measures has urged the U.S. to end sanctions against Zimbabwe which she said have worsened the country’s humanitarian crisis, and she urged dialogue to end the impasse between the U.S. and Zimbabwe. [us-policy-news]
U.S. prosecutors have alleged that Vladimir Dunaev, a Russian man extradited from South Korea, was part of a transnational criminal group that stole millions of dollars using a malicious software called Trickbot [cyber-security-news]
The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed the Secure Equipment Act, which will “further crack down on the use of telecommunications products from companies deemed to be a national security threat, such as those based in China.” [us-policy-news]
An Ethiopian military airstrike yesterday on the capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray region has killed 10 people, including children, according to a doctor and a Tigray spokesperson
Philippine forces have killed one of the country’s most-wanted Muslim militant leaders and his wife. Salahuddin Hassan, the head of the militant group Daulah Islamiya, and his wife were aligned with the Islamic State group and were blamed for deadly bombings, other killings and extortion in the south for more than a decade, the military said. Army and police forces raided a hideout of the militant group, and assault rifles, ammunition and rebel documents were seized by troops, regional military commander Maj. Gen. Juvymax Uy said.
The E.U. Commission suspended funding to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following concerns over the WHO’s handling of a sexual abuse scandal
France has said that it could stop British boats from landing if the dispute with the U.K. over fishing licences is not resolved by Tuesday. The comments come after a British trawler was seized by France and another fined during checks off Le Havre yesterday. The U.K. Environment Secretary George Eustice has said that the language used by French officials is“inflammatory” and has warned that the U.K. would respond if France went ahead with threats, saying “two can play at that game.”
The African Union mission in Somalia (Amisom) has denied it supported government troops in recent clashes with the Ahlu Sunna wal Jama’a Sufi militia in the central town of Guriel.
In a phone call French President Emmanuel Macron has told Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that the scrapping of the submarine contract, following the AUKUS pact, “broke the relationship of trust” between France and Australia and said Canberra should propose “tangible actions” to heal the diplomatic rift.

Democracy Now (29/10/21): Daily Headlines:

China Won’t Commit to New Emissions Targets Ahead of COP26 Climate Summit
Protesters at Site of COP26 Climate Summit Demand Real Action to Limit Warming to 1.5°C
Ahead of G20, Protesters Demand Biden Make COVID-19 Vaccines Available to Poor Countries

Just Security (28/10/21): Early Edition:

The Sudanese military “launched a new wave of arrests of opponents.” So far, at least twelve people have been killed and 150 more have been injured as cities around the country have been rocked by protests and other forms of civil disobedience since the coup on Monday.
The African Union (AU) has suspended Sudan with immediate effect from all the AU’s activities until the civilian-led transitional authority is restored in Sudan
The World Bank halted disbursements for its operations in Sudan yesterday in response to the military coup. According to the Associated Press, the World Bank had allocated $2 billion for Sudan in May.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Loavrov has told Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to refuse to host U.S. or NATO military forces
The U.S. embassy in Moscow could stop performing most functions next year unless there is progress with Russia on increasing the number of visas for diplomats, a U.S. official has warned.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has confirmed the presence of U.S. military trainers in Taiwan. Tsai made the remarks during an interview with CNN. Tsai would not say exactly how many U.S. military personnel are on the island at present but said it was “not as many as people thought,” adding that “we have a wide range of cooperation with the U.S. aiming at increasing our defense capability.”
India has successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 5,000km (3,125 miles) from an island off its east coast

Democracy Now (28/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Iran to Rejoin Talks to Restore Nuclear Deal Abandoned by Trump
Top U.S. General Compares Chinese Hypersonic Missile Test to “Sputnik Moment”
U.S. Pushes to Extradite WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange in London Court

Financial Times (25/10/21): Isis-K insurgency jeopardises Taliban’s grip on Afghanistan - New rulers accused of betraying Islam by jihadis intent on creating ideologically pure caliphate Paywall Summary (?): The Taliban, as the governing group of Afghanistan, has been forced to negotiate with powers such as the US, Russia, and China, trying to appear more progressive than they did back in their previous tenure. This has pushed IS-K to call them out as traitors, and have committed terrorist attacks throughout the nation. This conflict undermines their claim that when they came to power, there would be peace - and the Taliban is ill-equipped, FT reports, to deal with a terrorist outfit like IS-K. There is, they note, a lot of flux between the two groups, and factionalism within the Taliban as well. FT reports analyst suggestions that the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is supporting IS-K to pressure the Taliban for help (although one questions what this "source" is... ), or that US intelligence agencies, warlords, or former Afghan army members support them. Note the latter feels quite speculative... but it is the FT reporting, so who knows

Modern Diplomacy (27/10/21): World Bank to support reconstruction plan for Cabo Delgado in Mozambique [neo-imperialism-news]

NewsClick (27/10/21): Tamil Nadu PSU Workers Protest Unilateral Bonus Announcement - The public sector workers had demanded a bonus of 25%. [labor-news]

The Irrawaddy (27/10/21): Local Official Shot Dead in Myanmar Capital

The Guardian (27/10/21): Biden’s $500m Saudi deal contradicts policy on ‘offensive’ weapons, critics say [us-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (27/10/21): Ukraine Destroys Pro-Russian Artillery in Its First Use of Turkish Drones

Al-Monitor (25/10/21): Turkey, Qatar express 'concern' over coup in Sudan - The Sudanese military has arrested civilians in the transitional government and seized power.

Jacobin (27/10/21): In Russia, Communists Are Standing Up Against Putin’s Fraud - In Russia’s general election, the Communist Party surged to a strong second place. But the party’s rise has also made it a target for Vladimir Putin’s government — including through Putin's massive interference in the electoral process. [socialist-news, electoral-news]

Al-Monitor (27/10/21): Egypt boosts medical cooperation with African Nile Basin countries - Egypt is expanding its influence in the Nile Basin region, through the establishment of medical and pharmaceutical centers, amid the stalled negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Left Voice (27/10/21): Popular Mobilization in Sudan Is the Main Bulwark Against the Coup - In Sudan this past weekend, the military took power in a coup after months of divisions within the government. It could have major consequences for the region. [protest-news]

Jacobin (2710/21): The Left Is Still Favored to Win Chile’s Presidency — But the Far Right Is Gaining Steam - With less than a month until Chile’s presidential election, hopes are high that leftist Gabriel Boric will win. But the collapse of the center right has unexpectedly allowed far-right nominee José Antonio Kast to surge. [far-right-news, electoral-news, leftist-news]

PALESTINOW (27/10/21): Farmers attacked, Gaza young man arrested, Buildings destroyed, Palestinians arrested, Red Cross team attacked, Palestinian in wheelchair kidnapped, Palestinians kidnapped

The Guardian (27/10/21): ‘Disgraceful’: Italy’s senate votes down anti-homophobic violence bill [lgbtq-news]

Breakthrough News (27/10/21): Rooting for Pakistan in a cricket match? Off to jail, says BJP in Kashmir [surveillance-and-censorship-news, far-right-news]

The Guardian (27/10/21): Portugal faces snap election as parliament rejects draft budget - Rejection of the government’s proposed budget after weeks of negotiations expected to trigger an early election

Financial Times (26/10/21): Gazprom offered Moldova new gas deal in exchange for weaker EU ties - Russian group accused of using energy crunch to punish new pro-western government [energy-news, russia-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): If you're shopping for LNG in Europe right now, you have two options - the steep liberalized 'free market' for energy, or you turn to Gazprom, a majority Russian state-owned energy corporation; An LNG contract with Gazprom just expired for Moldova, and so they (like the rest of Europe) are facing steep energy prices on the market. While Gazprom's new offer is a higher cost than their old contract, it seems it's still appealing - the problem is, as FT reports insiders say, that Russia is leveraging a Gazprom LNG deal to get Moldova to hold off on EU policy implementations. Notably, a pro-EU govt is currently in parliament, and Russia seeks to impede their turn to the West with certain concessions as a non-monetary cost to a Gazprom deal (although the Kremlin denies this); do note there is a pro-Kremlin reakaway statelet in Moldova, Transnistria, which Russia has soldiers stationed in (and through which Gazprom LNG flows). While the EU urges Moldova to turn a Gazprom deal down (and other European nations help hold Moldova's energy demands over at the moment), the price to do so is steep - Moldova can't afford market energy prices, and that means a cold winter for the 2.6m people of the nation.

Just Security (27/10/21): Early Edition:

Sudan’s security forces have detained three prominent pro-democracy figures and critics of the apparent military coup, according to their relatives and other activists.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has revoked the authorization for China Telecom’s U.S. subsidiary to operate in the U.S. [us-policy-news]
Two U.S. senators have urged Biden to waive sanctions against India over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system, saying sanctions against India would endanger growing cooperation [us-policy-news]
The U.S. support’s Taiwan’s inclusion in the U.N. system, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said, a move that is likely to anger China [us-policy-news]
An Israeli committee, the Defense Ministry’s higher planning council, is expected today to approve 2,800 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, a day after the Biden administration issued its strongest condemnation yet of Israeli settlement construction
A top Pentagon official has testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Islamic State in Afghanistan could be ready to attack the West within six months.
An attack in Iraq has killed 11 people and wounded 13 people, local security sources have said. The attack on a village in eastern Iraq has been blamed on the Islamic State group. One security source said that civilians were among those killed by small arms fire in the village, which is home to many members of the security service
The U.K. Home Secretary, Priti Patel, is under pressure to disclose whether the U.K.’s most sensitive national security secrets could be at risk after the disclosure that U.K. spy agencies have signed a cloud contract with Amazon Web Services (AWS). [cyber-security-news, privatization-news]
Unidentified gunmen have attacked a police patrol overnight in northwest Pakistan, killing four before fleeing the scene, a police official has said
The daughter of the former top Saudi intelligence official Saad Aljabri has said that representatives of the Saudi government attempted to lure her to the same consulate where the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul, as part of a series of threats against her and her family.
A Brazilian Senate committee in Brazil has voted in favor of recommending that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro face charges for how he has handled Covid-19. Seven out of eleven members voted to back a report that calls for the charges, including crimes against humanity. “The report’s recommendations must now be assessed by Brazil’s prosecutor-general, a Bolsonaro appointee who is expected to protect the president,” BBC News reports. [covid-news]

Posted 25 October 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

Democracy Now (25/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Sudanese Military Dissolves Transitional Gov’t, Detains Prime Minister in Coup
“Facebook Papers” Reveal How Co. Fueled Violence in India, Facebook’s Role in Jan. 6 Insurrection - Another trove of documents reveals internal anger and regret at Facebook over the company’s role in spreading the QAnon conspiracy theory and so-called Stop the Steal pages that helped fuel the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6
Refugees in Libya Camp Outside U.N. Office to Demand Evacuation
Barbados Elects First-Ever President to Replace British Queen as Head of State
Thousands of Asylum Seekers Form Caravan in Southern Mexico, March Toward U.S.

Foreign Policy (6/7/21): Russia’s Wagner Group Doesn’t Actually Exist - And that makes it all the more challenging to get to grips with.

Vaush Pit (22/10/21): Germany, Die Linke, War in Donbas | Part 3 German Politics Arc Ft. Adam Something Adam Something feels Three Arrows didn't provide a complete picture in the last Vaush Pit segment [leftist-news, analysis-news, electoral-news]

Financial Times (22/10/21): Russian mercenaries leave trail of destruction in the Central African Republic - Mineral-rich country is ‘perfect laboratory’ for Wagner group as Kremlin extends influence in Africa [russia-policy-news] Paywall Summary (?): The Russian mercenary Wagner group is committing war crimes and atrocities throughout Africa, most notably in the CAR, but have had presence in Sudan, Mozambique, Libya and Madagascar - and now are about to be deployed in Mali, in the wake of French drawdown (yet the French are protesting the move...). Notably, while they do terrible things in the CAR, the people there are reported to see the diminished French influence as a silver lining - they really don't like France. It seems that Russia uses Wagner as a way to establish presence without a direct connection (its not the Russian army, its Wagner!), and also it's kind of cheap - they are hired to go there, and often get "paid" by seizing local resources (ie mines in CAR). Their clientele so far seems to be strongmen looking for support in their effort to stay in power. They more-or-less act like a vigilante force, with very little oversight by the local government - no surprise, since they are typically invited in when the local military is impotent to handle their problems in the first place. While there are mixed reports, the Kremlin (Russia) reports in the CAR that the Russian presence is only there for training purposes.

Al-Monitor (22/10/21): Palestinian Islamic Jihad announces end to hunger strike - Israeli officials are disputing the militant group's claim that prison authorities have met the Palestinians' demands.

The Hill (22/10/21): Wisconsin audit finds 2020 election was secure

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): Bosnian Serb police drill seen as separatist ‘provocation’ - Bosniak, Croat leaders call drills ‘a clear provocation’, but Serb officials say it has nothing to do with Bosnia’s deep political crisis. [far-right-news]

Law and Crime (22/10/21): Minneapolis Cop Charged with Manslaughter for Killing Uncle of Teen Who Recorded George Floyd’s Murder

Modern Diplomacy (23/10/21): Will India be sanctioned over the S-400 Air Defense System? [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): Seven killed in Rohingya refugee camp attack: Bangladesh police - Police say at least seven people killed in attack on Islamic seminary in a refugee camp on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

The Guardian (22/10/21): More than 30,000 Polish women sought illegal or foreign abortions since law change last year - Tens of thousands have travelled to other European countries including England for legal terminations since near-total ban, campaigners say [civil-rights-news, far-right-news]

The Guardian (22/10/21): Aid to Haiti sent by sea to bypass rising gang violence - WFP carried out 18 voyages this month from Port-au-Prince to Miragoane, bypassing violent neighborhoods

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): Schoolchildren storm DRC parliament over striking teachers’ pay - Hundreds of students demand the government raise teachers’ pay to end a strike that has put a halt on lessons. [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): Eswatini bans protests as tensions flare amid pro-democracy calls - The ban comes as the absolute monarchy is gripped by a new round of deadly protests calling for democratic reforms. [protest-news, surveillance-and-cesorship-news, labor-news, leftist-news]

WSWS (21/10/21): Australia: Sydney rail workers strike for 24 hours [labor-news, privatization-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): ‘Worst thing in lifetime’: South Sudan floods affecting 700,000 - The United Nations blames South Sudan’s worst floods in 60 years imperilling the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people on climate change. [climate-change-news]

Jacobin (22/10/21): Paris’s Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, Is Running for President — but Her Socialist Party Is Dying - France’s Socialist Party has announced Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo as its candidate to take back the presidency. Yet far from reconnecting with working-class voters, her candidacy illustrates how France’s established parties have lost their roots. [leftist-news, electoral-news]

The Moscow Times (22/10/21): 15 Dead in Fire at Russian Explosives Factory

Al-Monitor (22/10/21): With Nile talks stalled, Ethiopia plans to fill dam, buy Turkish drones - Meanwhile, Sudan’s democratic transition faces ‘worst and most dangerous’ crisis.

Al Jazeera (22/10/21): Nigerian official says new leader of ISIL-linked group killed - Nigeria’s national security adviser says Malam Bako, leader of the Islamic State in West Africa Province, ‘taken out'.

Vice (22/10/21): This Black Cop Got Kicked Out of Her Union for Supporting BLM - Carmella Means posted a photo of herself kneeling with a fist raised and holding a “Black Lives Matter” sign. Chicago's FOP Lodge 7 suspended her.

Left Voice (22/10/21): New Photo Confirms: Peyton Ham Was Murdered by the Police - Peyton Ham, a 16-year-old-boy, was killed by police in supposed “self-defense” earlier this year. A new photo reveals that it was murder.

The Guardian (22/10/21): Ethiopian government airstrike on Tigray forces UN to abort flight in midair - UN says government was aware of plane carrying 11 aid workers as year-long conflict with TPLF escalates in Tigray and Amhara

The Guardian (22/10/21): UN fears new atrocity in Myanmar as troops gather in restive northern states - UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, says the world should be prepared for ‘even more mass atrocity crimes’

Al Jazeera (23/10/21): US kills senior al-Qaeda leader in Syria with drone strike - The strike comes two days after an American outpost in southern Syria was attacked. Note that this is based on official US reporting... I'm increasingly skeptical

The Intercept (22/10/21): Palestinian Rights Groups That Document Israeli Abuses Labeled “Terrorists” by Israel - Israel designated six leading Palestinian human rights groups “terrorist organizations,” but refused to reveal any evidence to prove the accusation. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

PNN (23/10/21): Palestinian injured, cars vandalized in an Israeli settler attack north of Ramallah

Left Voice (23/10/21): Union Leadership Accepts Paltry Wage Deal Just as South African Metalworkers’ Strike Begins to Hurt the Capitalists - On Thursday, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) called off a major strike of at least 155,000 workers just as it was starting to gain momentum and was about to strike a major blow against the capitalists’ assault on the workers. [labor-news, union-news]

Telesur (23/10/21): Olympic Athlete Alex Quiñonez Shot to Death in Ecuador Note about Telesur

Telesur (23/10/21): Jamaica to Hand Over a Suspect in Moise’s Assassination Note about Telesur

The Hill (23/10/21): Judge sides with Tennessee families in mask mandate fight [covid-news]

The Moscow Times (23/10/21): Gazprom Could Cut Gas to Moldova if Contract Not Signed [energy-news, russia-policy-news]

The Guardian (23/10/21): New Iranian regional governor slapped in face at inauguration - Attack on Brig Gen Abedin Khorram in East Azerbaijan province an unusual breach of security in Islamic Republic

The Moscow Times (23/10/21): Namibia Halts Use of Sputnik Jabs After S.African HIV Fears

The Guardian (23/10/21): Turkey threatens to eject 10 western diplomats over support for activist - President Erdoğan says ambassadors from US, Europe and elsewhere are not welcome after call for freeing of Osman Kavala

The Guardian (23/10/21): Nigeria: heavily armed men free inmates during attack on prison - Unconfirmed reports say nearly 1,000 inmates escaped from correctional facility in south-west of country

The Moscow Times (23/10/21): Russia Puts Torture Video Whistleblower on Wanted List

NewsClick (23/10/21): Tamil Nadu Fishermen Demand end to Dispute With Sri Lanka Navy - There has been a rise in incidents of Lankan naval personnel attacking Indian fishermen along the Gulf of Mannar.

NewsClick (23/10/21): In Name of ‘Survey’, [BJP-led] Karnataka Govt Uses Intelligence Wing to Surveil Churches - Karnataka’s Intelligence Department issued a ‘most confidential’ order to top police and intelligence officials to gather information on ‘authorised and unauthorised’ churches. [far-right-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

PALESTINOW (23/10/21): Garbage Truck Stolen, Farmers in Trouble, Palestinians Arrested, Settlement Plans, Roads Destroyed, Palestinians Injured, Palestinian Home Demolished, NGOs Linked to Resistance

Al Jazeera (23/10/21): More clashes as banned TLP continues protest in Pakistan - The group said five supporters died in the clashes while at least two police officials were also killed. [far-right-news]

Al Jazeera (23/10/21): Italy’s Salvini in court for blocking Open Arms from docking - The head of the right-wing Lega party could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. [far-right-news, immigrant-news, court-news]

Al-Monitor (23/10/21): Palestinian olive season begins with settler attacks, arson - Palestinians are once again having to defend their own olive trees during harvesting season from Israeli settler vigilantism while Israeli soldiers stand by.

NewsClick (23/10/21): Tripura: Right-wing Mobs vandalise Mosques in Response to the Attack on Minority Hindus in Bangladesh - Section 144 has been imposed in the state and some Muslim families have been forced to flee their homes. [far-right-news]

Financial Times (23/10/21): Conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré tightens grip on French media - Tycoon’s growing influence could shape the outcome of April’s presidential election, say analysts [media-news, far-right-news, capitalist-farce-news] Paywall Summary (?): Bolloré is has a reputation for buying out media outlets, driving out the "riff raff" (so to speak), and installing management that will cater to his tastes. This is generally mediated through his increasing control of Lagardère, a French/international media conglomerate. Falling under this wing has included media conglomerate Vivendi (and its pay-TV Canal Plus), Canal Plus's I-Télé (now rebranded as CNews, which follows in the steps of the US's Fox News, and a frequent source of Bolloré's replacement staff), along with Lagardère's Europe 1 Radio Station, Paris Match (magazine) and JDD (a weekly paper). All of these outlets have outsize political weight, for example, Paris Match is partially credited for "mainstreaming" now-President Macron when he was an outsider in 2017. It's in this context that the "news" of the article can be understood - JDD's editor Hervé Gattegno was just fired (a center-right person opposed to the far-right), and people close to him believe he was fired for publishing an editorial calling far-right Presidential candidate Eric Zemmour a "prophet of doom", enraging Bolloré. Zemmour, now the second most popular Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections, was launched as a star presenter at CNews. And while it's not an abberation that French media is largely owned by a small group of people (kinda like everywhere), what's increasingly notable is Bolloré's growing control over important media outlets and his active role in facilitating a far-right-favoring media narrative, which could have an outsize impact on the issues in the upcoming election.

Just Security (22/10/21): Early Edition:

Haiti’s national police chief Léon Charles resigned yesterday, according to local media.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is charging three Colombians and two Venezuelans for an alleged Venezuelan bribery scheme, the DOJ has announced.
President Biden has said that the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense and has a committed to defend the island China claims as its own, forcing the White House to clarify that U.S. policy on the subject has not changed.
Attackers have killed at least 16 civilians in three eastern villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
An armed gang attacked a passenger train in Nigeria on Wednesday, prompting the Nigeria Railway Corporation to indefinitely suspend train services on a major route linking the capital, Abuja, to the north-western state of Kaduna
The Taliban have placed further restrictions on female city government employees in Kabul. In a sign that the Taliban will continue to restrict women’s rights, Neamatullah Barakzai, the Taliban’s head of public awareness for the Kabul municipality, said many female city employees will not report to their jobs while officials prepare a new plan regarding women working in government offices. Barakzai said the order does not include women in the health and education sectors, and that all female government employees will continue to receive their salaries
The U.N. launched a large-scale Covid-19 vaccination effort in Afghanistan last week, after receiving approval from the Taliban
U.K. prosecutors have told a court that the man charged with stabbing and killing U.K. lawmaker Sir David Ames last week considered himself affiliated with the Islamic State and had been planning similar attacks for years. [far-right-news]
Nicaragua’s national police have arrested two leaders of the country’s top private business association, just a day after a regional body, the Organization of American States Permanent Council, called for the immediate release of political prisoners in Nicaragua and expressed serious concern about the upcoming elections.
E.U. leaders are threatening to withhold billions of Euros from Poland, following Warsaw’s rejection of the supremacy of the E.U
The U.K. doctors’ union has accused U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government of being “willfully negligent” in its handling of the latest wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, as government ministers refuse to introduce mitigation measures, despite the country’s rising infection rates

Posted 21 October 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

Financial Times (19/10/21): Credit Suisse pays $475m in fines to settle Mozambique ‘tuna bonds’ case - Swiss bank reaches deal with four regulators over 2013 scandal as it struggles to draw line under past missteps [capitalist-farce-news, corruption-news] Paywall Summary (?): First, Credit Suisse is in trouble for corporate spying. Second, they're in trouble for a shady bond ordeal in Mozambique... and are paying Western finance regulators (ie SEC) for their crimes to the tune of several packages of hundreds of millions of dollars each. In Mozambique, they set up $2bn in bonds/loans using state guarantees and no Mozambique parliamentary approval; the purpose was allegedly for a "state tuna fishing fleet and [to] develop maritime security after the country discovered offshore natural gas", and companies ended up using these loans to buy boats from a Gulf shipbuilder, and kickbacks and corruption abounded with this money. Credit Suisse pleaded guilty to handling kickbacks. These loans were kept secret, and when discovered in 2016, they sunk the economy as donors cut off aid. The govt estimates this fallout put 1.9m+ Mozambicans into poverty.

The Irrawaddy (19/10/21): New Crony Brokers Israeli Aircraft Parts for Myanmar Air Force

Al Jazeera (19/10/21): Poland nearly doubles troop numbers on Belarus border - Almost 6,000 soldiers are now guarding Poland’s frontier with neighbouring Belarus following a surge in border crossings.

South China Morning Post (19/10/21): China sends in 100 rocket launchers to fortify border with India - Both sides send more supplies to high-altitude areas as winter approaches and boundary talks falter - PLA has the edge but weather is the real enemy, analyst says [china-policy-news] Important Note on SCMP

Left Voice (19/10/21): As NYC UMEC Workers Enter 6th Month of Strike, the Time for Solidarity is Now - As the strike at UMEC reaches its six-month anniversary, it is urgent to break the workers’ isolation and for the Teamsters union to mobilize its membership in support of their struggle.

Al Jazeera (19/10/21): Greece pledges to link Egypt to European Union’s energy market - The connection would happen through an underwater cable that carries electricity across the Mediterranean sea. [energy-news]

Financial Times (19/10/21): Piraeus port deal intensifies Greece’s unease over China links - Beijing cements control of key EU infrastructure but locals say they have not seen the investment they expected [privatization-news, bri-news] Paywall Summary (?): Piraeus is Europe's 4th largest container port, and Chinese-state-backed group Cosco owns 51% of the port (due to acquisitions from 2008 to Aug 2016 to last month). Locals are upset that this transfer has continued, as such was conditioned on investing in local infrastructure, which hasn't turned up. The EU finds this all concerning, and analysts have noted this is a warning of the perils of privatization. The first stakes by Cosco were made when Greece was forced to privatize its assets in 2008 as part of neoliberal austerity measures - and it seems Europe is starting to regret being so punitive. For China, the port is important, linking Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Financial Times (19/10/21): African politics: Lourenço pledges to end Angola’s economic ‘storm’ - The oil-dependent economy is struggling despite a package of reforms from the president and a promise to fight corruption [bri-news, big-oil-news, economic-news] Paywall Summary (?): Angola, heavily dependent on oil, is in the throes of economic troubles and decline. Following the revolution against Portugal, the dos Santos family more-or-less ruled the nation through the ruling MPLA party, and it became steeped in corruption, and saddled itself with Chinese debt (total external debt at $40bn - which is hampering their credit rating). Their hand-picked successor (another MPLA man), Lourenço, has surprisingly pursued a fairly aggressive anti-corruption campaign (although this may be part genuine, part settling political feuds), alongside IMF-backed market liberalizing-and-austerity efforts, and privatization of public goods. Yet these efforts have curried more good will abroad than at home, where hunger is a rising issue, which could be debilitating in next year's election. Meanwhile, big international capital is starting to move in. Critics warn that Lourenço is centralizing constitutional power, ie vote counting, judicial appointments, etc, and that the middle class may turn from in the next elections, and it appears there is a chance the opposition might finally win.

The Majority Report (20/10/21): Unmasked NYPD Forcibly Remove Subway Rider After He Confronts Them [covid-news]

ProPublica (16/10/21): Three Children Attacked a Black Woman. A Sheriff’s Deputy Arrived — and Beat Her More. - Black residents of Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish have long accused the Sheriff’s Office of targeting them. A new video, which shows a deputy slamming a Black woman’s head into the ground, raises more questions.

The Guardian (19/10/21): FBI raids Washington mansion linked to Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska - US agents conduct search at property in capital’s north-west - Putin associate sanctioned by US treasury department in 2018

Al Jazeera (19/10/21): Violent Israeli raids in occupied East Jerusalem wound dozens - Dozens wounded and arrested in Israeli raids on Palestinians at Damascus Gate and in surrounding areas.

Jacobin (19/10/21): AMLO Is Nationalizing Mexico’s Lithium Supply - In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is attempting to transform the country’s overpriced energy industry by nationalizing lithium — a move essential to kicking out private mining and developing a robust and affordable public energy sector. [energy-news]

The Guardian (19/10/21): Colombia found responsible for 2000 kidnap and torture of journalist - Inter-American court of human rights rules Colombia was ‘internationally responsible’ for violation of Jineth Bedoya’s rights

Al-Monitor (19/10/21): Syrian Kurdish forces 'fully prepared' for possible Turkish attack - Turkey has threatened to launch a military operation against the SDF in the wake of attacks carried out by the latter in north Syria.

The Moscow Times (19/10/21): Russian Police Detain, Return Dagestani Women Fleeing Abuse

The Irrawaddy (20/10/21): Thousands of Civilians Displaced by Myanmar Military Raids Hit by Floods

Jacobin (19/10/21): The Global Far Right Is Betting the House on Bolsonaro - Far-right organizations like Project Veritas in the US and the Vox party in Spain are increasingly looking to Latin America as the key to consolidating their international network. To prevent that from happening, Jair Bolsonaro must be stopped from winning — or stealing — Brazil's 2022 election. [far-right-news, analysis-news]

The Irrawaddy (18/10/21): Anti-Regime Protesters Arrested After Attack by Myanmar Junta Troops

The Irrawaddy (18/10/21): Myanmar Capital Hit by Another Bomb Blast at Local Administration Office

Law and Crime (19/10/21): Family of Elijah McClain Settles Lawsuit Against City Over Death in Police Custody

Telesur (19/10/21): Center-Left Parties Win Elections in Major Italian Cities Note about Telesur

Telesur (18/10/21): Massacre in Antioquia, Colombia: 5 Dead, Including 3 Venezuelans Note about Telesur

Telesur (18/10/21): Ecuadorian Farmers Take Over The Roads In Guayas [protest-news] Note about Telesur

Telesur (17/10/21): INDEPAZ Reports Murder of Two Social Activists in Colombia Note about Telesur

Telesur (13/10/21): Mexico: PAN Leaders Prepare Vox-Style Far-Right Political Project [far-right-news] Note about Telesur

South China Morning Post (20/10/21): Philippines denies gas deal involving Rodrigo Duterte ally Dennis Uy was corrupt - The energy ministry said the sale of an oil and gas concession to Udenna Corp was ‘above board’ and a corruption complaint was speculative and malicious - Uy, the biggest contributor to Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016, has rapidly expanded his business interests since then [corruption-news, big-oil-news] Important Note on SCMP

CPJ (19/20/21): Venezuelan authorities issue arrest warrant for journalist Roberto Deniz, raid family home [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Labor Notes (19/10/21): After Strike, Washington Carpenters Approve New Contract by Slim Margin

Al-Monitor (20/10/21): Tunisia’s new government sworn in without parliamentary approval - The new Tunisian government, which includes 10 women, was sworn in amid controversy over its legitimacy, since it was not approved by parliament as stipulated in the constitution.

Telesur (20/10/21): Four Colombians Gunned Down in Antioquia Note about Telesur

Truthout (19/10/21): Half a Million South Korean Workers Walk Off Jobs in General Strike [labor-news, capitalist-farce-news, history-news]

The Intercept (20/10/21): Bolivian Government Says Haitian President’s Assassins Were Part of a Plot to Kill Its Own Leftist Leader - Citing a previous Intercept investigation, the Bolivian government said it has evidence of a plan to kill Luis Arce, a protégé of Evo Morales. [leftist-news, electoral-news, militant-far-right-news]

Al Jazeera (20/10/21): Floods, landslides kill more than 150 in India and Nepal - Several days of significant flooding and devastating landslides sweep away roads and houses in the two nations.

Al-Monitor (20/10/21): Ethiopia preps for third filling as Nile dam diplomacy stalls - Hope for negotiations on the crisis with Egypt and Sudan is fading as Ethiopia works toward the third-stage filling of its mega dam on the Blue Nile.

Al Jazeera (20/10/21): Sri Lanka reverses organic farming drive as tea suffers - Government backs down from ambitious plans to become the world’s first completely organic farming nation, reversing ban on fertiliser imports. [food-security-news]

WSWS (20/10/21): Tram, subway workers strike in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city Important Note about WSWS

The Guardian (20/10/21): China Evergrande shares fall sharply after $2.6bn asset sale falls through - ‘No guarantee’ Chinese property giant can meet its $305bn debts, starting with a deadline on Monday that could trigger default [economic-news]

South China Morning Post (20/10/21): Death toll rises to 3 in China building explosion - Gas leak suspected to be behind the blast in Shenyang, provincial capital of Liaoning - Fire and rescue crews are on the scene as video released online shows smoke gushing from a building Important Note on SCMP

Law and Crime (20/10/21): Indiana Cop Charged with Seduction of 16-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Told Her He Did ‘Nothing Wrong’

Al Jazeera (20/10/21): Ex-Minneapolis cop to be resentenced after reversed conviction - Former police officer Mohamed Noor is set for new sentencing hearing for shooting of unarmed 911 caller.

Al-Monitor (20/10/21): Suspected Turkish drone strike targets three people in Syrian Kurdish town - Turkey's latest strike comes on the four-year anniversary of the Kurdish fighters' capture of Raqqa from the Islamic State.

Democracy Now (20/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Over 10,000 Children Have Been Killed or Injured in Yemen Conflict; U.N. Calls for Marib Ceasefire
Thousands Protest in Streets of Chile 2 Years After Historic Uprising and 1 Month Ahead of Elections

CPJ (20/10/21): Kazakh outlet HOLA News reports website blocks after Pandora Papers coverage [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (20/10/21): Attack on security vehicle in northwest Pakistan kills 4 - No immediate claim of responsibility for the attack that happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on the Afghan border.

CPJ (20/10/21): Jammu and Kashmir authorities detain one journalist; at least two others still in custody [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Left Voice (20/10/21): Two Years After the Rebellion in Chile: Political Crisis, Constituent Assembly, and Elections - Two years ago, millions of people took to the streets of Chile. Today, the cost of living is rising, while the billionaires who own the country enrich themselves. Revolutionary socialists are campaigning in the elections to “retake the path of October” and advance toward a general strike. [leftist-news, labor-news]

Al-Monitor (20/10/21): Israel regularizes status of 4,000 West Bank Palestinians - Defense Minister Benny Gantz decided to legalize the status of some 4,000 Palestinians who live in the West Bank but are not properly registered.

Just Security (20/10/21): Early Edition:

Russia scrambled two fighter jets to escort a pair of U.S. strategic bombers over the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry has said.
Two German former soldiers have been detained on terrorism-related charges for allegedly trying to form a mercenary group of up to 150 members to fight in Yemen, the German Federal Public Prosecutor has said.
Authorities in the northeastern Chinese city of Jilin are hunting for a North Korean defector who escaped from prison Monday night
Thousands of farmers in Myanmar have fled to India after the military junta seized power in the February coup
A bomb attack on a military bus in central Damascus has killed 14 people, Syrian state media has reported. Two explosive devices attached to the vehicle blew up as it passed under Jisr al-Rais bridge during the morning rush hour, media reported. Soon after the blast, Syrian army shellfire reportedly killed at least 10 people in the opposition-held northwest of the country. No group has yet said it was behind the bombing, but suspicion will fall on Islamic State, which has attacked military vehicles in the east of the country this year.
Iraqis have protested recent parliamentary elections and demand a recount due to “fraud.” Several hundred supporters of Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi, a pro-Iranian former paramilitary force, gathered on a Baghdad street leading to the entrance of the Green Zone which is where the U.S. embassy, other diplomatic missions and government offices are located. The protesters denounced U.N. officials responsible for monitoring the elections and helping to prevent voter fraud.
Tigrayan forces have said that the capital of the Tigray region, Mekelle, has been hit by the second airstrike this week.
A panel of Brazilian senators has concluded in a draft report that Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro intentionally allowed Covid-19 to kill hundreds of thousands in a failed attempt to achieve herd immunity.; The draft report paints a devastating portrait of the neglect, incompetence, and anti-scientific denialism that many believe has defined the Bolsonaro administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic The draft report paints a devastating portrait of the neglect, incompetence, and anti-scientific denialism that many believe has defined the Bolsonaro administration’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic

Just Security (19/10/21): Early Edition:

The Haitian gang called 400 Mawozo that abducted the group is asking for $1 million each for their release, a total of $17 million, a top Haitian official said yesterday. Justice Minister Liszt Quitel said the FBI and Haitian police are in contact with the kidnappers and seeking the release of the missionaries as well as five children, one an 8-month baby and the others 3, 6, 14, and 15 years old. Quitel said negotiations could take weeks. “We are trying to get them released without paying any ransom. This is the first course of action. Let’s be honest: when we give them that money, that money is going to be used for more guns and more munitions,” he said
Local unions representing Haitian public transportation drivers, schools, and other businesses have gone on strike to protest the nation’s lack of security and the growing wave of kidnappings in the country. “This strike is our way of saying that we can’t take it anymore,” Diego Toussaint, a Haitian entrepreneur said
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has signed an agreement to continue U.S. support for Georgia’s military for six years
U.N. agencies are to launch a polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan with the Taliban’s permission. “The campaign, slated to start Nov. 8, will mark the first polio immunization drive since the Taliban took control of the country in August — and the first in more than three years to reach all children in Afghanistan, according to a news release from UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency,” Claire Parker reports for the Washington Post.
The Taliban have ordered technocrats from the former Afghan government to return to work to help run the country and address the crisis facing the economy.
North Korea has conducted its first test in two years of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
South Korea opened its largest ever defense exposition today, showing off its next-generation fighter jet, drones, and other technology in an effort to boost exports following the Covid-19 pandemic
Nigerian troops have killed 24 suspected Islamist insurgents in two attacks in the northeast of the country and recovered some weapons, the Nigerian army has said.
Iran and Venezuela have announced plans to sign a 20-year cooperation agreement when Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visits Tehran in the coming months.
Protestors have interrupted an Olympic flame lighting ceremony in Greece to challenge China’s human rights violations. The protestors carried a Tibetan flag and a banner reading, “No Genocide Games.” The protestors also called out Beijing’s genocide of the Uyghurs and other Muslim and minority populations. The protestors were arrested by police on the scene.
Iraq has detained the mastermind allegedly behind a deadly 2016 suicide car bombing in a Baghdad shopping center, which killed around 300 people and wounded 250.
Bangladesh has arrested 450 people for attacks and violence against Hindus, Bangladeshi police have said. The arrests follow some of the worst religious unrest for over a decade in the Muslim-majority nation.
Hundreds of people have protested in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, calling for an end to the religious violence that has gripped the country since last Friday
Turkish prosecutors have ordered the arrest of 158 suspects, including 33 serving soldiers, in an operation targeting people allegedly linked to the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who Turkey says was behind a 2016 failed coup
Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, declared yesterday that his militant group has 100,000 trained fighters. Nasrallah’s speech, his first since seven people were killed in gun battles on the streets of Beirut last Thursday, appeared to be meant as a deterrent to domestic foes. “It is difficult to verify the 100,000 fighters figure as Hezbollah is largely secretive. If true, it would be larger than the size of Lebanon’s armed forces, estimated at about 85,000,” Sarah El Deeb reports for AP.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has declared a state of emergency to confront drug trafficking and other crimes in Ecuador
One hundred days after nationwide demonstrations in Cuba, when dissidents and ordinary citizens turned out in mass to protest the Cuban government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, energy shortages and the economy, the extent of the government and police’s crackdown on the protest is becoming clear. According to a sweeping report released by Human Rights Watch, which provides the most detailed accounting yet of Cuba’s swift shutdown of dissent, many individuals arrested following the protests were subjected to beatings, humiliation and psychological abuse. “Massive sweeps by security forces in the hours and days after the protests saw more than 1,000 people detained. Even now, nearly 500 — the most political prisoners held in Cuba in at least two decades — remain behind bars and locked in murky legal proceedings, according to Cubalex, a nonprofit that has monitored the detentions,” Anthony Faiola and Ana Vanessa Herrero report for the Washington Post.
The attacker who killed five people last week in a town in Norway killed his victims using a “sharp object” and not a bow and arrow as had been widely reported, Norwegian police have announced.
A group of 10 naval vessels from China and Russia sailed through a strait separating Japan’s main island and its northern island of Hokkaido yesterday, the Japanese government has said. “The government is closely watching Chinese and Russian naval vessels’ activities around Japan like this one with high interest,” Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told a regular news conference

Posted 19 October 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

Democracy Now (19/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Venezuelan President Maduro Says U.S. “Kidnapped” Diplomat Alex Saab
Indigenous Amazonians Sue Ecuador to Halt Oil Drilling and Mining Plans
New York City Taxi Drivers Will Go on Hunger Strike to Demand Debt Relief

CPJ (18/10/21): Breitbart reporter Gerry Aranda found dead in Mexico

The Moscow Times (18/10/21): Russia Labels 2 More Media Outlets 'Foreign Agents'

NewsClick (18/10/21): Gujarat: Two Migrant Workers Killed as Fire Engulfs Packaging Unit in Surat - While one of the migrant workers died due to severe burn injuries trapped in the basement, another lost his life as he attempted to escape from a higher floor.

The Moscow Times (18/10/21): Russian 12-Year-Old Opens Fire at Middle School

Al-Monitor (18/10/21): Turkey’s spy bust escalates rivalry with Iran - Iran and Turkey are increasingly rivals in the Caucasus and in Iraq.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): At least 35 killed by floods, landslides in India’s Kerala state - Search and rescue operations continue on Monday as thousands remain stranded in parts of the coastal area, while many others are still missing.

Al-Monitor (18/10/21): Activists call Tunisia's first female prime minister mere distraction - Tunisia's president has appointed a female prime minister, a first in the Arab world, but he has been both cheered and accused of using her to deflect attention from his policies

NewsClick (18/10/21): Lakhimpur Killings: Thousands of Farmers Squat on Rail Tracks, Demand BJP Minister’s Ouster - ‘Rail roko’ call by SKM affects over 290 trains across states, more than 40 trains cancelled. [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Gunmen kill dozens in Nigeria’s troubled northwest - The attack took place in Nigeria’s Sokoto’s state, where bandits have been relocating to avoid security operations.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Police targeted in southwest Pakistan bombing - At least one police officer killed and 17 other people hurt in attack on truck carrying security personnel in Quetta.

The Guardian (18/10/21): Haitian prime minister forced to flee official ceremony after armed gangs appear - The incident highlights the deteriorating security conditions in Haiti’s capital

In These Times (18/10/21): He Exposed Colombia’s Vaccine Contracts with Big Pharma. Then the Right Came for Him. - What the case of Camilo Enciso reveals about the power of pharmaceutical companies. [capitalist-farce-news, far-right-news, pharma-news]

The Moscow Times (18/10/21): S.Africa Rejects Russian Sputnik Vaccine Over HIV Fears

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Judges postpone trials of three Egypt activists - Activists Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Mohamed Ibrahim, Yahia Hussein Abdel-Hadi appeared at the Emergency State Security Court in Cairo.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Czech president cannot perform duties due to ill health: Official - Senate speaker says hospitalised President Milos Zeman unable to work, seeks to shift duties to other officials.

New York Times (18/10/21): Showdown Over Northern Ireland Has a Key Offstage Player: Biden - As the U.K. and the European Union begin their wrangling over details of trade with Northern Ireland, President Biden has more than a passing interest in the final result. [us-policy-news]

New York Times (18/10/21): Video Shows Louisiana Sheriff’s Deputy Slamming Black Woman to the Ground - The A.C.L.U. said that the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office had opened an investigation into the violent encounter. The woman was treated at a hospital, and no charges were filed against her.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Turkey’s lira sinks to new low with little reprieve in sight - The lira has lost 20 percent of its value this year, and analysts see little relief in sight given expectations for an interest rate cut later this week.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Hezbollah accuses Lebanese Forces of killing its supporters - Nasrallah accuses Christian Lebanese Forces of shooting its members after several people died in clashes last week.

Al Jazeera (17/10/21): Settler attacks wreak havoc on Palestinians during olive harvest - Israeli settlers are committing violent, daily attacks against Palestinians harvesting their olive trees for the season.

Al Jazeera (17/10/21): Tunisian court jails lawmaker over corruption charges - Mehdi Ben Gharbia is the latest opposition member to come under scrutiny amid growing concerns over civil rights.

The Guardian (17/10/21): Kenosha police accused of ‘deputizing’ militia vigilantes during Jacob Blake protests - Lawsuit brought by Gaige Grosskreutz, who was wounded by Kyle Rittenhouse during anti-police brutality protests in August 2020 [militant-far-right-news]

Middle East Monitor (15/10/21): Israeli settlers hang and torture Palestinian teen with fire, human rights group reveals

Al Jazeera (17/10/21): Iranian warship fends off pirate attack in Gulf of Aden - Pirates on five boats attacked two Iranian oil tankers but were repelled by army vessels, authorities said.

Al Jazeera (17/10/21): Coalition ‘kills 160’ Yemen rebels as Marib battle intensifies - Saudi-led coalition says it has killed scores of Houthi rebels in air raids as warring sides battle near strategic city.

Al Jazeera (17/10/21): Sri Lankan fishermen launch flotilla protesting Indian poaching - Boats flying black flags and carrying opposition legislators demand that government block Indian trawlers.

Just Security (18/10/21): Early Edition:

The U.S. has extradited Alex Saab, a top ally of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, leading to swift retaliation from the Venezuelan government. Saab, a Colombian businessman, had been detained in West Africa for over a year. His extradition to the United States on Saturday prompted Venezuela to re-apprehend six oil executives on house arrest in Venezuela, including five Americans, and call off negotiations with the U.S.-backed opposition party in Venezuela. Saab is the highest-level Maduro supporter to be extradited to the United States and faces money laundering charges in the Southern District of Florida
Russia’s Defense Ministry has claimed that it prevented a U.S. Navy destroyer from entering its waters in the Sea of Japan on Friday
An American warship and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan strait last week, the U.S. military has said, a move condemned by China amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan
Biden is failing to impose any implications on Saudi Arabia for its human rights abuses, despite coming into office calling the country a “pariah,” advocates and regional experts have said
Syria has accused Israel of assassinating a high-ranking Syrian official.
The Israeli military has said that it has reprimanded an officer who was found to have used excessive force against protesters in the occupied West Bank, including pushing a 65-year-old Israeli peace activist to the ground
U.K. Government officials have confirmed that the suspect, who is being held at a London police station under the Terrorism Act 2000, is Ali Harbi Ali, a British national of Somali heritage. Early investigations also revealed “a potential motivation linked to Islamist extremism,” according to the London Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command
Myanmar is to release over 5,000 prisoners held in jail for protesting against the military’s coup in February This is just something they do every now and then to try and relieve international pressure
China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before speeding towards its target, according to people familiar with the test. “The missile missed its target by about two-dozen miles, according to three people briefed on the intelligence. But two said the test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than U.S. officials realized,” Demetri Sevastopulo and Kathrin Hille report for the Financial Times.
Militants are targeting minority civilians in Kashmir, stoking fears of a return to the violent past of the Muslim-majority enclave in India
The expulsion by the Indian state of longtime residents on government land has been heavily criticized, with videos and descriptions of the violence against resident shaving shocked much of India when they went viral last month
In El Salvador, thousands of people are protesting President Nayib Bukele’s government. The protestors took issue with Bukele’s turn to cryptocurrency and firing of Supreme Court justices. Bukele quickly dismissed the protests as a “failure” on Twitter.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said that Ethiopia needs to stop receiving food aid to avoid foreign pressure on the government, state-owned Ethiopia Television has reported.
Opposition parties in Hungary are uniting around a single candidate to try and unseat far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the country’s elections next year. Peter Marki-Zay, a conservative small-town mayor who was once considered an outsider, won the second round of the primary with 57% of the vote.
Criminal gangs in Nigeria are growing more brazen, as they gain ransom money from kidnappings, and are stealing heavy munitions and extorting the Nigerian government.
An alleged serial child killer who escaped from a Nairobi police station last week, was found by schoolchildren and then beaten to death by a mob in his hometown, following a national manhunt.

Al Jazeera (18/10/21): Air strikes target capital of Ethiopia’s Tigray; 3 civilians dead - The raids, confirmed by two humanitarian workers, came days after a new military offensive was launched against Tigray forces.

Mother Jones (17/10/21): American Missionaries and Their Families Have Been Kidnapped in Haiti - “Port-au-Prince is posting more kidnappings in absolute terms than vastly larger Bogotá, Mexico City, and São Paulo combined.”

Democracy Now (18/10/21): Daily Headlines:

U.S. to Compensate Afghan Families over August Drone Strike That Killed 10 Civilians
Death Toll in ISIS-K Mosque Attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Rises to 47
China Denies Report It Tested Nuclear-Capable Hypersonic Missile
Chinese Authorities Sentence More Hong Kong Democracy Campaigners to Prison
Two Indigenous Children in Brazil Killed in Mining Dredge Used by Illegal Gold Miners

Liberation News (15/10/21): Protesters for justice, not killer cops, taken to court after police kill Alexis Wilson in Dolton, Illinois

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Tens of thousands demonstrate in Rome against fascism - The protest comes a week after extreme right-wing supporters broke into the headquarters of Italy’s oldest labour confederation. [far-right-news, labor-news, covid-news]

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Macron decries ‘inexcusable’ Algerian protest massacre in Paris - France’s president told relatives, activists on the 60th anniversary of the 1961 protest in Paris by Algerians that ‘crimes’ were committed.

The Guardian (16/10/21): Argentinian judge indicts Franco-era Spanish minister on homicide charges - Rodolfo Martín Villa, interior minister between 1976 and 1979, ‘played a key role in the repressive structures of the dictatorship’ [history-news, far-right-news, court-news]

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Syrian government shelling of rebel-held Idlib kills 4 - Attacks come after repeated violations of a truce reached in March last year.

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Thousands protest in DR Congo to demand neutral poll body - Demonstrations were sparked by concerns over the independence of the electoral commission.

The Guardian (16/10/21): Thousands rally in Sudan’s capital to demand military rule - Protesters say they want the government of prime minister Abdalla Hamdok dismissed and replaced by the military

Jacobin (16/10/21): Portugal Is the World’s Most Vaccinated Country Because Its Population Trusts Its Free Health Care System - Portugal has the world's highest COVID-19 vaccination rate, with 85 percent of the population fully vaccinated. Its success drew on a strong public information campaign — but it couldn’t have done it without a free national health care system that has won massive popular trust. [healthcare-news, leftist-news, covid-news]

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): No invitation for Myanmar military gov’t leader at ASEAN summit - Min Aung Hlaing snubbed as concerns rise over military government’s commitment to defusing bloody crisis.

CPJ (15/10/21): Jammu and Kashmir authorities detain, question 5 journalists; hold Salman Shah, Suhail Dar [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (15/10/21): Turkey agrees to import more gas from Azerbaijan - Turkish officials have expressed a desire to increase strategic cooperation with their Caucasian ally in the past year. [energy-news]

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): CAR declares unilateral ceasefire in fight with armed groups - Armed groups control large swaths of territory, and about one-quarter of the nearly 5 million population has been displaced.

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Italian captain given jail term for returning migrants to Libya - Giuseppe Sotgiu found guilty of violating international laws that forbid the forced return of people to countries where they are at risk. [immigrant-news]

Liberation News (16/10/21): Colombian union leaders fighting Philip Morris greeted in NYC with solidarity

WSWS (16/10/21): GM workers in Brazil reject contract, continue strike in defiance of union and courts [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

WSWS (16/10/21): Regional authorities around Paris, France, demand police intervene to break Transdev bus drivers strike [labor-news] Important Note about WSWS

Al Jazeera (16/10/21): Australian police seize record $140m heroin shipment - The 450-kg (990-pound) shipment was detected in a sea freight container of ceramic tiles sent from Malaysia. [drug-news, crime-news]

The Guardian (15/10/21): Italy using anti-mafia laws to scapegoat migrant boat drivers, report finds - A decades-long policy of criminalising asylum seekers is filling prisons with innocent men, according to analysis by rights groups [immigrant-news]

Posted 10 October 2021

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

Financial Times (9/10/21): EU’s Northern Ireland concessions do not go far enough, UK to warn - Brexit minister will say free circulation of food products across the Irish Sea falls short of British demands Paywall Summary: Because Northern Ireland and Ireland can't have a hard border (due to Good Friday agreement, would stoke tensions a la "the Troubles", etc), the EU-UK border has been fuzzily placed in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, resulting in things like the prospect of chilled meat sales from Great Britain being banned in Northern Ireland. This has stoked a lot of tension itself between the EU and the UK. The EU has offered some concessions, but the UK Brexit minister has said it's not enough. The UK could (and has threatened to) suspend the protocols using Article 16, which allows either the UK or EU to suspend the rules in a situation of large scale emergency. If invoked, Article 16 would result in negotiations and possible sanctions.

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): Clashes break out in Rome amid anger over COVID ‘green pass’ - Among the protesters were members of extreme right-wing groups who extended their arm in a ‘Roman’ fascist salute. [far-right-news, covid-news, protest-news]

The Guardian (9/10/21): France calls on UK to ‘pay what it owes’ for policing Channel - Interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, says negotiations should begin for migration treaty between UK and EU [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (9/10/21): Colombian nun kidnapped by jihadists in Mali in 2017 is freed - Mali president’s office pays tribute to the courage of Gloria Cecilia Narváez as it confirms her release

New York Times (9/10/21): Populist Leader of Czech Republic Narrowly Defeated in Election - The results suggest that the populist wave in Eastern and Central Europe is receding, stalled by the growing unity of its opponents and a crisis of confidence after the defeat of the former U.S. president. [electoral-news, far-right-news, corruption-news]

South China Morning Post (10/10/21): Is there a dark side to China’s high-speed rail network? - Researchers say bullet trains could mean lower economic activity in some western parts of the country - The conclusion is based on analysis of satellite data showing changes in night light [rail-news]

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): India police arrest Ajay Mishra’s son over killing of farmers - Junior home minister’s son is accused of running over a group of protesting farmers in Uttar Pradesh. [crime-news]

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Gunmen raid Nigeria market, kill at least 20 people - Killings in Sokoto state come as armed gangs continue to wreak havoc in northwestern Nigeria.

The Moscow Times (10/10/21): Actor Killed During Performance at Bolshoi Theater

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Iran’s nuclear chief reports jump in 20 percent enriched uranium - Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says Iran has produced over 120kg of 20 percent enriched uranium.

The Guardian (10/10/21): Pakistani nuclear weapons scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan dies aged 85 - PM pays tribute to ‘national icon’ who turned country into atomic power but later admitted smuggling nuclear secrets [obituary-news]

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Several killed in Yemen blast targeting Aden governor - Governor Ahmed Lamlas and Agriculture Minister Salem al-Suqatri survive car bomb that killed at least six people.

Left Voice (10/10/21): Air India Falls Victim to Modi’s Privatization Spree - The sale of Air India to Tata Group sets the stage for the Modi government to privatize further public assets and infrastructure, and is yet another attack on the Indian working class. [privatization-news]

The Guardian (10/10/21): At least 16 dead after plane carrying skydivers crashes in central Russia - Six people in ‘very serious condition’ after being rescued from wreckage of aircraft in Tatarstan

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Thousands rally against Tunisia’s President Saied - Growing number of protesters raises possibility of Tunisia’s political divisions spiralling into street confrontations.

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Kenya’s cynical offensive against the ICJ - Undermining international institutions comes at a price. [corruption-news]

South China Morning Post (10/10/21): Five dead, thousands displaced in floods in China’s Shanxi province - Persistent downpours have brought five times the usual amount of rain to the normally arid area - Dams have collapsed, and coal mines have closed, adding fuel supply fears [energy-news]

Left Voice (10/10/21): 160,000 Metalworkers in South Africa are On Strike for Higher Wages - Union metalworkers in South Africa, organized in NUMSA, are on an unlimited strike for an 8-percent wage increase. [labor-news]

The Guardian (10/10/21): Sebastian Kurz departure is further blow to Europe’s centre-right - Resignation of Austrian chancellor follows Germany’s CDU crashing to its worst federal election result [right-news, politics-news]

Al Jazeera (10/10/21): Lebanon electricity back online after army supplies fuel - Energy Minister Walid Fayad says grid is back up and running, returning to ‘normal’ as it was before fuel ran out at two key power stations. [energy-news]

The Hill (10/10/21): Federal judge grants preliminary injunction, blocking Iowa ban on school mask mandates [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): New Ebola case confirmed in eastern DR Congo - Three-year-old boy tests positive and dies near Beni just five months after the latest epidemic in the country was declared over.

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): Ethiopian troops intensify strikes against Tigray forces: Reports - Air and ground bombardment against Tigrayan forces has intensified in Amhara region, TPLF spokesman says.

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): ‘Horrific milestone’: Brazil surpasses 600,000 COVID deaths - President Bolsonaro continues to face widespread criticism and anger over his government’s handling of the pandemic. [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): Over 50 dead, more missing after boat sinks on Congo River - Provincial authorities in DRC say 51 bodies recovered and nearly 70 believed to be missing after makeshift vessel capsizes.

Law and Crime (9/10/21): Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Allows Texas Anti-Abortion Law to Again Take Effect — At Least for Now [civil-rights-news]

Al-Monitor (9/10/21): Tunisian journalists behind bars reflect growing repression on media freedom - Tunisians have been concerned about the return of oppression and restriction on media freedoms following renewed military trials of civilians, arrests and attacks on journalists. [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

NewsClick (9/10/21): Service Professionals Protest Against Gig Firm Over Low Income, Poor Working Conditions - Hundreds of service professionals working as ‘expert beauticians’ with the Urban Company staged a protest on Friday at the Gurugram office of the firm; solidarity for them poured in from across the country. [labor-news]

NewsClick (9/10/21): Protests Across West Bengal Against Lakhimpur Kheri Violence - Left leaders have condemned the incident where an SUV belonging to a Union minister’s son mowed down four farmers in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri. [labor-news, protest-news, leftist-news]

Al Jazeera (9/10/21): Fuel shortage forces shutdown of main Lebanese power plants - Deir Ammar and Zahrani power plants stop functioning as a result of running out of diesel, prompting sporadic protests. [energy-news]

NewsClick (9/10/21): RSS-linked Accounts Promote Hate Speech, ‘Anti-Muslim Narrative’ in India: Facebook Whistleblower - One of Frances Haugen’s main claims on Facebook’s work in India is that pages associated with the RSS promoted ‘fear mongering, anti-Muslim narratives.’ [big-tech-news, media-news, far-right-news]

NewsClick (8/10/21): Bihar: Protests Intensifying Against Land Acquisitions for Patna Metro Rail Project - The first protest started last Tuesday as people opposed their forced eviction, followed by a protest against land acquisition for the metro depot on Thursday and Friday. [social-woes-news]

Common Dreams (8/10/21): Facebook Suppressed Content Highlighting Israeli Abuses of Palestinians: Report - "Instead of respecting people's right to speak out, Facebook is silencing many people arbitrarily and without explanation, replicating online some of the same power imbalances and rights abuses we see on the ground." [big-tech-news]

On Labor (8/10/21): Today, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Maria Ressa, a journalist and human rights activist in the Philippines who has helped uncover corruption in Rodrigo Duterte’s regime. Ressa was arrested and convicted by the Duterte government for “cyberlibel,” which many have seen as a pretext to stifle her oppositional campaigns. Countless Human rights activists, lawyers and labor leaders have been arrested and assassinated under the Duterte regime, including 35-year old trade union leader Dandy Miguel who was killed earlier this year after making a complaint to the Commission of Huma Rights about extrajudicial killings. [labor-news, media-news]

Vice (8/10/21): The GOP Plot to Steal Wisconsin Is Off to a Ridiculous Start - “Everything about this has been done unprofessionally and haphazardly.”

The Hill (8/10/21): Arkansas legislature splits Little Rock in move that guarantees GOP seats

The Black Wall Street Times (8/10/21): Police under investigation after dragging paraplegic from driver’s seat of vehicle

New York Times (8/10/21): The L.A. sheriff rejects the county’s vaccine mandate for his officers, saying too many would quit. [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): More than 91,000 migrants crossed perilous Darien Gap this year - Majority of those who took Panama’s dangerous jungle route in hopes of reaching North America are Haitians, IOM says. [immigrant-news]

The Guardian (8/10/21): Less than 0.1% of NSW health staff have quit due to Covid vaccination mandates - NSW health department says that 136 staff members have resigned ‘due to their position on Covid-19 vaccination’ [covid-news, healthcare-news, labor-news]

Financial Times (7/10/21): Migrant exodus sparks worries over Ho Chi Minh City labour squeeze - Workers rush to leave Vietnam trading hub after coronavirus restrictions lifted [logistics-news, labor-news] Paywall Summary: Reporting on the apparent exodus of workers from Ho Chi Minh City, usually a hub of laborers in the nation, which has encouraged manufacturers to set up shop in the city. Strict COVID laws (aimed at limiting the spread of the virus in the city of 10 million) reduced productive capacity, and now that the restrictions are easing, people appear to be leaving, which is concerning logisticians. FT doesn't really detail WHY the laborers are leaving though... why??

The Guardian (7/10/21): Greenpeace stops fish oil tanker in Channel in protest over African food insecurity - Fishmeal exports to EU from west Africa have grown sharply, depleting stocks and posing threat to livelihoods

Al Jazeera (7/10/21): Ukraine to produce Turkish armed drones: Minister - Ukraine has previously used the Turkish armed drones against pro-Russian separatists in the country’s east.

Al-Monitor (8/10/21): Istanbul’s war on street waste collectors threatens migrants - Police raids on the unregulated recycling sector are targeting some of the poorest members of Turkish society, including undocumented refugees with few other options to survive

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): South Sudan flooding affects more than 600,000: UN - Torrential rains cause rivers to flow, deluging home and farms in eight of the country’s 10 states, UN agency says.

Jacobin (8/10/21): The Czech Left Is Being Punished for Its Disastrous Record in Government - Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš is a scandal-plagued, right-wing billionaire. In this weekend’s elections, the Czech Republic’s social democratic and communist parties are set to be punished for keeping his government in power. [fail-leftist-news, electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): Nigeria forces rescue nearly 200 abducted victims in northwest - The 187 victims were freed in Zamfara state, where they had been seized in separate attacks, police say.

The Guardian (8/10/21): China orders coalmines to raise production to address power crunch - Record high prices and shortages of electricity have crippled industrial output [energy-news]

The Irrawaddy (8/10/21): Indian Arms Exporter Ships Air-Defense Weapons to Myanmar’s Junta

The Irrawaddy (8/10/21): Junta Deploys Thousands of Reinforcements to Upper Myanmar For Clearance Operations

CPJ (8/10/21): Croatian court injunction blocks news website H-alter from reporting on public childcare clinic [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

CPJ (8/10/21): Polish authorities question reporter covering Belarus border area [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

CPJ (8/10/21): Mozambique police beat and detain journalists covering demonstrations [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Hill (8/10/21): Judge turns down Oregon State Police troopers' request to stop governor's vaccine mandate [covid-news]

Law and Crime (8/10/21): Former Cop Sentenced for Using Hidden Camera to Record 14-Year-Old Girl in ‘Various States of Undress’

The Moscow Times (8/10/21): Russia Seeks to Prosecute U.S. Diplomats for Stealing Backpack

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): Nearly 140 countries reach deal on 15% corporate minimum tax - The deal is an attempt to address the ways globalisation and digitalisation have changed the world economy [economic-news, tax-news].

The Guardian (8/10/21): Shia mosque bombing kills dozens in Afghan city of Kunduz - Large number of worshippers killed or wounded during Friday prayers in blast claimed by ISKP

Just Security (8/10/21): Early Edition:

CIA Director William Burns is establishing a major organization within the CIA focused on China.
Iranian state TV has reported that speedboats belonging to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard intercepted U.S. vessels in the Persian Gulf. Footage was aired by the Iranian report showing at least one vessel with the U.S. flag and several personnel on board as at least two speedboats appear to be chasing it. A U.S. Navy spokesperson said he was not aware of any such encounter at sea over the past days.
A nuclear powered U.S. navy attack submarine has struck an object while submerged in international waters in the South China Sea, officials have said.
Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their fights to defend freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia respectively. The Nobel committee called the pair “representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal.” Ressa, who co-founded the news site Rappler, was commended for using freedom of expression to “expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines.” Muratov, the co-founder and editor of independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, has for decades defended freedom of speech in Russia under increasingly challenging conditions, the Nobel committee said.
An Argentinian court has dismissed a legal action against former Argentinian President Cristina Fernández, also the current vice president, which alleged that she sought to cover up the alleged involvement of Iranian operatives in a 1994 bombing that killed 85 people at a Jewish center in Buenos Aires.

Law and Crime (8/10/21): Teen Shot by School Safety Officer Dies after Being Taken off Life Support; Police Investigate Case as ‘Homicide’

The Guardian (8/10/21): Mexico police intercept 652 Central American migrants in three cargo trucks - Discovery is one of biggest of US-bound migrants, with 90% Guatemalans and nearly 200 unaccompanied minors [immigrant-news]

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): Mali accuses France of training ‘terrorists’ in the country - Prime minister Maiga says French troops created an enclave in northern Mali, and handed it over to ‘terrorist group’ Ansar al-Din.

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): Colombia troop deployment at Venezuela border raises questions - Move risks escalating tensions, analysts say, as two countries gradually reopen shared border after years-long closure.

Al Jazeera (8/10/21): Libyan detention centre guards kill six migrants amid crackdown - The IOM says overcrowding at a detention centre in Tripoli had led to chaos.

Posted 7 October 2021 and Before

Corresponding Daily Postings For the Day

The Guardian (6/10/21): Nato expels eight members of Russia’s mission for spying - Russia rejects claim officers were secretly working as intelligence officers and warns of retaliation [us-policy-news, russia-policy-news]

Financial Times (6/10/21): Austria’s chancellor named as suspect in corruption probe - Kurz hits back at ‘groundless accusations’ after police raids on Vienna ministries and offices Paywall Summary: Kurz, leader of the conservative People's Party, is being investigated (and not his first corruption scandal!) for fraudulently siphoning money to his media outlets. He says this is a leftist conspiracy theory... of course. It's questionable if the Green party will continue ruling in coalition with the People's party due to this. A prior ruling coalition with the right-wing Freedom party collapsed in 2019 due to a corruption scandal.

Al Jazeera (6/10/21): National media failing Kenyans on Pandora Papers - Kenyan media are doing a disservice to the public by framing the revelations as an issue of legality rather than ethics.

On Labor (6/10/21): Daily Highlights:

In Springfield, Oregon, more than 400 frontline healthcare workers at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49, began a two-day unfair labor practices strike on Tuesday. Union representatives are locked into ongoing contract negotiations with the hospital, as their previous agreement expired on August 31. Hospital workers allege that management has been “interfering with their rights as union members,” according to a press release issued by SEIU Local 49, and “has ignored their safety concerns, refused to offer competitive wages or COVID hazard bonuses…all while receiving $4.5 million in CARES act bailout funds.”
Finally, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a trucking company’s claim that California’s AB5 test for classifying workers is preempted by the Federal Aviation and Administration Authorization Act as applied to motor carriers. The trucking company, Cal Cartage Transportation Express LLC, represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, had been sued by the city of Los Angeles for illegally misclassifying its drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. The California Court of Appeal, Second District, reversed the trial court and held that California’s state law was not preempted by the federal statute and federally licensed motor carriers must comply with California’s worker classification scheme, a holding which the Ninth Circuit has, in a separate case, recently affirmed.

Al-Monitor (5/10/21): Are Brotherhood members forming terror cells in Sudan? - Sudanese security services have arrested members of an Islamic State-affiliated terrorist cell led by an Egyptian national, while Cairo wants to extradite them as part of a broader effort to extradite members of the Muslim Brotherhood who fled to Khartoum in 2013.

CPJ (6/10/21): Journalists’ profiles must be restored on LinkedIn’s China site, CPJ says

CPJ (6/10/21): Polish police search journalist’s home, seize equipment over alleged threats to legislator

Common Dreams (6/10/21): 'Historic Moment': EU Approves Call for Sweeping Ban on Facial Recognition Surveillance - "This is a huge win for all European citizens." [big-tech-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

The Guardian (6/10/21): WHO endorses use of world’s first malaria vaccine in Africa - World Health Organization’s director general hails ‘historic day’ in fight against parasitic disease

Al-Monitor (6/10/21): Kurdish party in Iran claims killing of Iranian intelligence operative - The news comes at a time of high tension between Kurdish groups and the Islamic Republic.

The Guardian (6/10/21): ‘Dystopian world’: Singapore patrol robots stoke fears of surveillance state - Trial of robots to police ‘undesirable’ behaviour such as smoking or breaching social-distancing rules [law-enforcement-oversteps-news]

The Irrawaddy (6/10/21): Five Police Hurt as Another Explosion Strikes Regime Target in Myanmar’s Capital

The Irrawaddy (6/10/21): Over 40 Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Ambush

NewsClick (6/10/21): Prominent Kashmiri Pandit Among 3 Shot Dead in J&K - The killers are suspected to be members of LeT offshoot TRF, according to the police.

The Moscow Times (6/10/21): Russian Paper’s Belarus Branch Disbands After Journalist’s Arrest [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Financial Times (6/10/21): Power crunch in China and India stokes global growth anxiety - Two big Asian economies drive worldwide GDP expansion but coal shortages are hammering output [energy-news] Paywall Summary: Both nations have the two highest economic growth rates in the world (the US trails in 3rd place), and thus their growth has a major impact on global economic health. India's dependence on coal has actually increased, and they have less than a week's worth of coal reserves! They may soon face electricity rationing as seen in China. Three factors contributing to Chinese shortages are (1) local efforts to comply with Beijing's emission targets, (2) shortage of coal supply amidst a green transition effort and (3) price caps on electricity result in demand unaffected by coal's market costs. China is trying to avoid the inflationary impact though, and is trying innovative ways of factoring in increased energy costs while avoiding a full domestic exposure to market pressures.

The Moscow Times (6/10/21): Putin Blames Europe for Gas Price Crisis [russia-policy-news, big-oil-news, energy-news]

South China Morning Post (6/10/21): Xinjiang exports rattled by coronavirus outbreaks in Central Asia as risks from US sanctions loom - The share of exports in Xinjiang’s gross domestic product is declining, from 9.2 per cent in 2019 to 6.84 per cent in the first half of 2021 - Lacklustre export data has stoked worry about the impact of US sanctions, but virus outbreaks in Central Asia pose a bigger threat [us-policy-news, mass-oppression-news]

Financial Times (6/10/21): Gas markets whipsaw after Russia offers to stabilise energy prices - UK gas contracts for November delivery soar almost 40 per cent before falling back after Putin’s comments [big-oil-news, russia-policy-news] Paywall Summary: The LNG crisis has been kicking the world's a*s (Europe in particular (see briefing) as we come out of the pandemic and demand returns to normal, gas prices have been surging - but reassuring comments from Putin have stabilized prices. Russia claims (and Germany's Merkel sheepishly corroborates) that they aren't limiting supply - just fulfilling whatever contractual amounts are required. However, it appears that Putin may be leveraging the situation to expedite approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline (Ukraine hates it, bc it bypasses Ukraine, and Ukraine makes a lot of money off of taxing gas transit. Everyone is crying "market manipulation", but uhhh... what are you gonna do about? Keep shutting those nuke plants down, Germany! That'll teach Putin a lesson. Oh yeah, there are concerns it will increase Europe's dependence on Russian energy... which isn't an ideal situation). The UK is also very vulnerable, as they don't have a lot of energy storage capacity - they basically need energy provided "just in time".

The Guardian (5/10/21): Dubai ruler hacked ex-wife using NSO Pegasus spyware, high court judge finds - Sheikh Mohammed used spyware on Princess Haya and five associates in unlawful abuse of power, judge rules [pegasus-leak-news]

Al-Monitor (5/10/21): Territorial spats reheat ahead of Turkey-Greece talks - Citing disputed territorial claims, the Turkish navy twice blocked research missions by a Greek Cypriot-contracted vessel as Turkey and Greece prepare for bilateral talks in Ankara on Oct. 6.

Just Security (6/10/21): Early Edition:

Macron said yesterday that he hoped to close a rift with Biden when the pair meet in Rome during the meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) countries at the end of the month, saying he wanted France and the U.S. to once again work together “in good faith.”
Biden “had not been fully aware” of the negative impact on France of the Aukus pact and submarine deal, even after it was announced, the special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry has said I kinda want to call BS on this... or else our (the US) govt is hilariously incompetent
The U.S. is offering a $5 million dollar reward for information that leads to the arrest of notorious Guinea Bissauan drug trafficker Antonio Indjai after an attempt to lure the drug trafficker into international waters on his yacht failed

Democracy Now (6/10/21): Daily Headlines:

China-Taiwan Tensions Mount as Biden Reaffirms U.S.-Sino Commitment to Diplomatic Agreement
U.N. Rejects Expulsion of Top Officials from Ethiopia as Millions in Urgent Need of Humanitarian Assistance - According to a CNN report, Ethiopia also used its flagship commercial airline to transport weapons during the war in Tigray.
French Trade Unions Protest Against Low Pay, Pension & Unemployment Reforms [in nationwide strike]

Behind the Bastards (21/9/21): Part One: The Slavery Loving Fascist who Built Modern Japan - A great series delineating the connection between Japan's fascist imperialist past with its current ultra-conservative one-party state

Working Class History (29/6/21): E53-56: The Gwangju uprising, 1980 [podcast-news, history-news, labor-news]

CPJ (5/10/21): Ukrainian state bank personnel seize journalists’ equipment, delete footage

Payday Report (5/10/21): Daily Headlines:

In Annapolis, Maryland, school bus drivers went on strike, saying they were underpaid despite working through the pandemic.

Law and Crime (5/10/21): ‘We’re Going to Hunt’: Bodycam Footage Shows Minneapolis Cops Describe Being ‘Out Hunting,’ Linking ‘Looting’ with Race During George Floyd Protests

The Hill (5/10/21): Judge rules against Kansas City plan to shift funds from police to community services

Left Voice (5/10/21): Kellogg Workers Strike Across the United States - Workers at Kellogg cereal plants across the United States are on strike against the company’s plans to cut wages, benefits, and jobs.

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Court jails Serb former policeman for Kosovo killings - Pristina court jails Goran Stanisic for 20 years for partaking in the murder of 13 ethnic Albanians during Kosovo war.

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Libyan legislative elections delayed until January: Parliament - Parliamentary spokesman says presidential poll in December is the priority, as legislative ballot postponed by 30 days.

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Romania’s parliament topples Citu’s minority government - No confidence motion filed after Prime Minister Florin Citu’s coalition unravelled last month over development fund dispute.

CPJ (5/10/21): Indian journalist Raman Kashyap killed amid Uttar Pradesh clashes

The Irrawaddy (5/10/21): Yangon Businessman Acts as Go-Between for Belarus Arms Sales to Myanmar Military

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Bolivian coca leaf growers storm market after week-long dispute - Bolivian coca farmers seized control of the country’s main coca market after clashes with police in the capital, La Paz.

NewsClick (5/10/21): Journalists Stage Protest in Delhi, Demand Release of Siddique Kappan - The Kerala journalist, who was on his way to cover the Hathras rape case, has been in jail for one year now. [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Indian shop workers – most of them women – win the right to sit - Tamil Nadu becomes second Indian state to enshrine the ‘right to sit’ in law, citing health risks for retail workers, who are mostly women. [labor-news]

NewsClick (5/10/21): UP: Yogi Govt 'Suppressing' Lakhimpur Violence Truth: Jayant Chaudhary - The Rashtriya Lok Dal leader called for President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh; Condemns clampdown on Opposition leaders. [surveillance-and-censorship-news, labor-news, far-right-news]

The Irrawaddy (5/10/21): Notorious Myanmar Military Commander to Lead Clearance Operations

The Guardian (5/10/21): French Catholic church expresses ‘shame’ after report finds 330,000 children were abused - Church asks for forgiveness as it accepts findings of ‘appalling’ abuse by clergy and lay members over 70 years

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): Czechs sign $630m deal for Israeli-made air defence system - Prague to aquire Spyder system made by weapons maker Rafael as part of military modernisation drive.

South China Morning Post (5/10/21): China’s missing #MeToo and labour activist pair held by police, family told - Rights campaigner and journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin disappeared in September along with labour activist Wang Jianbing - Guangzhou police confirmed they had been detained but refused to disclose on what charges and where, according to a family member [civil-rights-news, labor-news]

The Moscow Times (5/10/21): 'Unprecedented' Video Leak Shows Rampant Torture at Russian Prisons – NGO

The Guardian (5/10/21): France threatens to cut UK and Jersey energy supply in fishing row - French government pushing EU to take stronger stance in dispute over access to Channel waters

Al Jazeera (5/10/21): South African car industry fears impact as union starts strike - Largest South African metalworkers union calls an indefinite strike after salary talks with employer bodies fail. [labor-news]

Just Security (5/10/21): Early Edition:

In anticiliation of further aggression from China, Taiwan is preparing to repel any strike and has asked Australia to increase intelligence sharing and security cooperation Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has said
A Chinese ex-detective in exile has exposed the torture methods used by Chinese officials in Xinjiang to force Uyghurs and other minorities to confess
China is developing a sweeping new plan to restrain the algorithms that power tech platforms, to ensure that internet platforms’ automated processes are fair, transparent, and in line with Communist Party ideology
Malaysia has said that it has summoned China’s ambassador to protest against the “presence and activities” of Chinese vessels in Kuala Lumpur’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office has sought to justify his use of offshore companies as protecting him against pro-Russian forces. The files in the Pandora Papers claim that Zelenskyy, who was elected president of Ukraine in 2019, and his partners established a network of offshore companies back in 2012. According to the findings, “two of the offshore companies belonging to Zelenskyy’s partners were used to buy three lavish properties in central London…An adviser to Zelenskyy’s chief of staff said on Monday that the president had created the offshore companies to ‘protect’ the group’s incomes against the ‘aggressive actions’ of the ‘corrupt’ government of then pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych,” Al Jazeera reports.
The Czech national police announced on Monday that they will “act upon” the Pandora Papers and investigate any Czech national named in the documents, including current billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who is up for reelection this week
E.U. Parliament Lawmakers have acknowledged that the Pandora Papers highlight the failings of the E.U.’s tax haven list just as E.U. lawmakers plan to pare the list down
An international coalition undertook a coordinated arrest of two “prolific” hackers involved in ransomware attacks last week.
The son and namesake of the late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos has announced that he will run for president in the Philippine’s elections next year.
The Turkish Defense Ministry has said that its troops have captured a major base belonging to Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.
Burkina Faso’s government has said that at least 14 soldiers were killed and seven injured by extremists at the Yirgou military barracks in Burkina Faso’s Sanmatenga province yesterday.
A French child kidnap plot, the first time that conspiracy theorists in Europe have committed a crime linked to the QAnon-style web of false beliefs, including that government workers are running a child trafficking ring, has shown the global sway of the QAnon style beliefs
Facebook has complied with Russian demands to delete some content that Moscow deems illegal but could still face a significant fine as it was slow to do so
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has begun a second five-year term, saying that the conflict in Tigray “has made us pay a heavy price,” and describing the Tigray forces as “hateful” towards Ethiopia
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has called Roman Catholic bishops “terrorists” and has said that many countries would have arrested them
The U.K. military has started driving fuel trucks in southern England amid a gas station crisis in the country

Financial Times (23/9/21): US arrests finance chief of Russian natural gas group Novatek - Mark Gyetvay indicted on tax charges connected to $93m in offshore accounts [us-policy-news, big-oil-news] Paywall Summary: Not too much to summarize here... notably he is a US citizen (and Russian passport carrier), which Russia has stated limits their ability to intervene.

Financial Times (30/9/21): Ivory Coast’s president warns against Russian security group’s involvement in Mali - Alassane Ouattara says hiring Wagner is not the answer in fight against Islamist insurgents Paywall Summary: not much to summarize, title says most if it. The reason that Mali is looking for Russian aid is, it seems, because France is winding down their operation there (perhaps in response to a recent coup in Mali), but jihadists still pose a threat. But Wagner (the Russian security group) is known for committing war crimes and atrocities, so they aren't exactly the people you want around.

Financial Times (1/10/21): German workers strike for higher pay as eurozone inflation surges - Economists fear further spiralling increases as 13-year high of 3.4% reached in September [labor-news] Paywall Summary: driven by rising energy costs (see briefing) and supply chain bottlenecks, inflation is reaching decade highs in Germany (and Europe more broadly). As a result, labor is pushing for higher wages to compensate for declining worker purchasing power. Neoliberal economists warn this could lead to an "inflation spiral" (a common scare tactic to suppress wages). There is also a so-called "labor shortage" - such as in transport. A point: Why the hell is Germany divesting from nuclear, and going into natural gas???

Financial Times (3/10/21): Rwanda flexes muscles in fight against terror in Mozambique - A rare dispatch from the frontline shows how Kigali has turned around conflict that held up Total LNG project Paywall Summary: Rwandan forces, who are well disciplined and professional by regional standards, have been highly effective at containing the local jihadist forces, opening the way for fossil fuel interests to continue multi-billion dollar project developments. Speculation abounds that Rwanda sent troops to Mozambique in return for recent French investment (French oil company Total has eyes on the largest of projects in Mozambique, a gas project valued at $20bn). Rwanda also has forces in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. These efforts come as Rwanda also pursues critics across the continent, killing and persecuting them.

Financial Times (4/10/21): China unloads Australian coal despite import ban amid power shortage - Factories face energy rationing, threatening economic growth and global supply chain [energy-news, big-oil-news, china-policy-news] Paywall Summary: Last year, China effectively banned Australian coal imports (which had ranged from 35m-50m tonnes/year, valued at around $40bn/year). Now coal prices have spiked, and limited Australian coal imports have been let through, although sourcing from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia has been encouraged. Further, recent loosening of coal restrictions in China seems to contradict recent goals announced by president Xi Jinping to tamp down on fossil fuels; this loosening a result of the frustrating energy pressures that threaten to slow down economic growth.

Financial Times (21/9/21): BlackRock [around $400m total] and HSBC [around $31m total] funds boosted Evergrande holdings as crisis loomed - Investors added to bond holdings in Chinese property developer while prices began sliding Paywall Summary: Most of Evergrande's ~$300bn debt was traded domestically, with only limited international market exposure. Other investment specialists had hundreds of millions invested as well (such as Ashmore and UBS).

Financial Times (26/9/21): Young Japanese MPs revolt in world’s fastest ageing society - New generation sees the race to replace Suga as a chance to change how politics is conducted Paywall Summary: young people are highly under-represented in Japan's parliament (around 9% are under-40s). Notably, the candidate de facto supported by the young wing of the LDP (the ruling party - Japan is basically a one party state), Taro Kono, didn't become prime minister.

Financial Times (22/9/21): Brazil raises interest rates as it struggles to tame inflation - Central bank expects similar 100bp increase next month in battle against runaway prices Paywall Summary: driven by global commodities rally, worst-in-century drought (which drives up energy prices as hydro-energy declines), and a weakening currency (partly due to tensions between far-right president Bolsonaro and the supreme court, and concerns about the upcoming elections). FT notes parallels with Russian, Mexican, Chilean, Peruvian, and South Korean central bank rate policies. Unemployment remains elevated.

Democracy Now (5/10/21):

Commission Estimates 330,000 Children Sexually Abused in French Catholic Church
Masked Jewish Settlers Attack Palestinians in “Pogrom” as Settler Violence Surges

Just Security (4/10/21): Early Edition:

The publication of the Pandora Papers has sparked calls for the resignation of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan
Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein has secretly spent more than $100m on a property empire in the U.K. and U.S., according to the leaked Pandora Papers
The Pandora Papers also reveal how U.S. sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs hit their targets
The family of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta secretly owned a network of offshore companies for decades, according to the leaked Pandora Papers
The U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is to warn China today that it is not complying with former President Trump’s Phase One trade deal.
Following the bomb blast in Kabul, Taliban spokesperson, Mujahid, has said today that Taliban forces raided an Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP),operations center in the northern Kabul neighborhood of Khair Khana
Gunmen killed two Taliban fighters and two civilians, and injured two other civilians, on Saturday in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, a Taliban official has said.
The Taliban have also said that they raided a hideout of the Islamic State group north of Kabul on Friday, killing and arresting an unspecified number of militants.
Kabul could face an electricity blackout as the Taliban rulers haven’t paid Central Asian electricity suppliers or resumed collecting money from consumers.
In a show of force, China sent nearly 100 fighter jets and bombers into Taiwan’s air defense zone over the weekend.
Houthi rebels in Yemen fired three ballistic missiles on the government-held city of Marib on Sunday, wounding 32 people and killing two children aged 2 and 4.
Clashes among separatists in the port city of Aden in South Yemen have killed at least 10 people, including four civilians, security officials have said
Iran has asked for the U.S. to unfreeze $10 billion of its funds as a condition for the resumption of nuclear deal talks, Iran’s foreign minister has said.; Germany has rejected Iran’s demands for the U.S. to unfreeze Iranian assets as a condition for nuclear talks to resume, Germany’s Foreign Ministry has said today.
Pakistan has said that the Pakistani Taliban have killed four Pakistani soldiers and one policeman near the Afghan border.
Algeria has banned French military planes from its airspace, in the latest in the diplomatic discord between Algeria and France over visas and critical comments from French President Emmanuel Macron
Russia has said that it has successfully test launched a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile from a submarine for the first time, a weapon President Vladimir Putin has lauded as part of a new generation of unrivalled arms systems
Syria’s President Bashar Assad called Jordan’s King Abdullah II yesterday, the first conversation between the two leaders after a decade of strain over Syria’s civil war.
The Palestinian president yesterday hosted two Israeli Cabinet ministers for a meeting, in a new sign of slowly improving ties between Israel and Palestine.

PNN (4/10/21): Israeli settlers steal their crops in lands near settlements : Palestinians say

Al Jazeera (4/10/21): Libya parliament adopts law on legislative elections - The new law comes before a planned national vote set for December 24 under a UN-led peace process for Libya.

Liberation News (4/10/21): Sacramento organizers decry encampment eviction

The Guardian (4/10/21): Singapore passes foreign interference law allowing authorities to block internet content - Experts have raised alarm the bill is a tool to crush dissent, with media watchdog saying it carries ‘the seeds of the worst totalitarian leanings’ [surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al Jazeera (4/10/21): Taliban killed 13 members of Hazara ethnic group: Report - At least 13 members of the Hazara group, including 11 former government forces, were killed in Daykundi, Amnesty says.

The Guardian (4/10/21): Israel accuses Iran of attack attempt against Israelis in Cyprus - Nicosia says an armed individual was arrested after crossing from Turkish-controlled north

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (4/10/21): UK plans fossil fuel-free power grid by 2035 using nuclear energy - Fossil fuels will no longer be used to generate power by the middle of the next decade as the United Kingdom’s government tackles climate change and an energy supply crunch. [energy-news]

CPJ (4/10/21): Russian journalist Igor Kuznetsov detained, charged with inciting mass disturbances in Telegram chats

Al-Monitor (4/10/21): Turkish company again stops supplying Lebanon with electricity - Lebanon is in the midst of a debilitating electricity, fuel and economic crisis.

CounterPunch (4/10/21): Why Did a US Envoy Meet With the Head of a Fascist Militia in India? [us-policy-news, far-right-news]

The Moscow Times (4/10/21): Pro-Government Reporter Detained in Moscow, Held in Belarus – Activists

The Irrawaddy (4/10/21): Some 100 Junta Troops Killed in a Day in Clashes Across Myanmar

South China Morning Post (4/10/21): China’s plan to block export of ‘core’ data raises questions over implementation - A draft regulation by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology seeks to protect core domestic technology data from leaving China’s borders - The proposed rules, which define data according to their level of importance, lack clarity, experts said [cyber-security-news]

Al Jazeera (4/10/21): Swedish Prophet Muhammad cartoonist killed in car crash - Lars Vilks had lived under police protection since depicting Islam’s revered figure with the body of a dog in 2007.

Al Jazeera (4/10/21): Sudan warns medicine, fuel, wheat running out amid port blockade - Major disruption of crucial supplies comes as protesting Beja tribe from eastern Sudan blocks roads and forces Port Sudan to close.

New York Times (4/10/21): Military Personnel in U.K. Begin Driving Fuel Trucks to Stem Shortage - A top government official said that supplies were improving but that wider disruptions could continue as the holiday season approaches.

Al Jazeera (4/10/21): Libya’s warring sides may be guilty of war crimes: UN probe - The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya says migrants and detainees were particularly exposed to violations.

The Guardian (4/10/21): Taiwan reports record Chinese incursions into its air defence zone - Defence ministry says it detected at least 56 flights hours after US urged Beijing to cease ‘provocative’ activity [china-policy-news, us-policy-news]

The Moscow Times (4/10/21): Nord Stream 2 Operator Begins Filling Controversial Pipeline [big-oil-news, energy-news]

Democracy Now (4/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Kabul Blast Kills Five People as Afghan Humanitarian Crisis Grows
3 Million in Northern Syria Face Water Shortages After Decade of War
Qatar Holds First-Ever Legislative Election in Poll That Excludes Many from Voting

Common Dreams (3/10/21): When Will the US Acknowledge its Secret Torture Site in Poland? - Abu Zubaydah has been a prisoner at Guantánamo Bay for 15 years. He's asking the Supreme Court to allow his lawyers to depose the two men who oversaw his torture. [dark-security-news]

Common Dreams (3/10/21): 50 Years Later, Finally Justice for Brazil's Indigenous Krenak People - "Justice, however slow, is being served," said Indigenous chief Geovani Krenak. "The spirit of our assassinated warriors, like my grandfather, welcomes this decision." [indigenous-news]

PNN (3/10/21): Palestinian prisoners to begin protest measures in response to Israeli repression

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): Libyan coastguard intercepts 500 migrants in latest clampdown - Libya has intensified sea interceptions amid a surge in attempts by migrants and refugees to reach Europe.

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): UK rejects ‘uncontrolled immigration’ despite labour shortages - PM Boris Johnson defends his country’s choice to leave the EU as a lack of workers threatens to upend the Christmas season.

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): Libya says ‘very modest start’ to withdrawal of foreign fighters - Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush’s remarks come before a conference on Libyan stability later this month.

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): India farmers killed after violence erupts during protest - At least eight people, including four farmers, killed after violence erupted during a protest against farm laws. [labor-news, privatization-news]

The Guardian (3/10/21): Outcry in Brazil over photos of people scavenging through animal carcasses - Pictures of destitute Brazilians searching scraps for food lay bare scale of economic and social crisis

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): Tunisia: Thousands rally in support of President Saied - Demonstrators waved Tunisian flags and carried placards critical of Ennahdha.

The Guardian (3/10/21): 3,000 paedophiles in French Catholic church since 1950s - inquiry head - Figure from head of commission investigating sexual abuse comes days before publication of report

Al Jazeera (3/10/21): Bangladesh arrests five over the killing of Rohingya activist - Mohibullah, who was in his late 40s, was killed by unknown gunmen in a camp in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday night.

The Moscow Times (3/10/21): Montenegro Holds Azerbaijan-Born Tycoon Wanted by Russia

The Guardian (3/10/21): Eight killed after plane crashes into Milan office building - Small private plane crashed near a suburban subway station, killing all onboard

Mother Jones (3/10/21): Largest-Ever Leak of Offshore Files Reveals the Secret Finances of Hundreds of Billionaires and World Leaders - Based on 11.9 million records, the “Pandora Papers” expose hidden holdings of global elites from Putin to Shakira.

Who Gets the Bird (2/10/21):

2,000 Buffalo healthcare workers with CWA Local 1133 at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital struck Friday morning against understaffing and low wages. There are actually more than 2,000 workers whose hopes hang on this contract, but only the one hospital is permitted to strike. It’s open-ended, so this could be a long one, but let’s hope it’s not.
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters is back at the bargaining table with the contractors association, with a rank-and-file representative from the dissident Peter J. McGuire Group sitting at the table. This article has some good details on where things stand in this weeks-long strike.
450 workers at the largest nickel alloy production facility in the world, Special Metals’s Huntington, WV plant, are on strike with Steelworkers Local 40 as of Friday. Fifteen minutes down the road, 50 workers for Swiss pump manufacturer Sulzer are on strike in Barboursville, WV with Machinists Local 598, as the company apparently attempts to gut the seniority system.
Teamsters Local 553 transit workers in Reno, NV are on strike -- again. They went out just over a month ago for the first time, and are back at it as transit contractor Keolis tries to make changes to scheduling and seniority that would result in longer hours and worse working conditions for drivers.
The 420-member distillery workers strike at Heaven Hill in Bardstown, KY continues as UFCW Local 23-D fights management’s attempt to move to an “alternative” schedule which would eliminate weekend overtime, among other issues.
Several hundred members of UAW Local 509 at Senior Aerospace SSP in Burbank, CA remain on strike. There has been zero press coverage of this strike, despite being a large industrial action in a big metro area, but a curious reader of this newsletter went to the picket line and spoke to some workers, who say there has been no scabbing, and say the biggest issue is proposed healthcare cost increases. For Labor Notes, we’ve been able to make contact with a couple workers but would love to learn more.
The 72 musicians of the San Antonio Symphony are on strike (with what I think is an independent union) in response to a management proposal to cut dozens of jobs even after the musicians took an 80 percent (!) pay cut.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association strike at St Vincent in Worcester, MA is now the longest active strike in the US in the last 15 years, per the union. As far as I know, the final sticking point is a petty one: Tenet doesn’t want to give all the strikers their old jobs back, which would be trivially easy for the company to do, but is a huge hardship for the members, so they’re holding out.
350 janitors with SEIU Local 105 at Denver International Airport went on strike on Friday. The main issue is wages, with janitors currently making only $17 an hour. They were back to work Saturday morning.
Early Friday afternoon, the UAW and John Deere announced a tentative agreement. In keeping with UAW’s infamous blackout negotiations style (which has been particularly bad at Deere, and at the protracted fiasco at Volvo in Virginia earlier this year), members won’t even get a “highlighter” until next Friday (each member gets a single copy of the highlight sheet and has like a three hour window to pick it up, at least according to the rules of some locals) and won’t vote until Sunday the 10th.
Tortilleria workers at El Milagro in Chicago’s Little Village have filed NLRB charges against their employer, after the safety walkout last week.
The hundreds of dealership mechanics with Machinists Local 701 in the Chicago area have “marginally passed” an agreement from the hold-out dealerships, ending the two-month strike.
UNITE HERE Local 2 members who work at San Francisco’s Oracle Park won some big gains in a new contract after a credible strike threat. Workers will get immediate $3/hr pay raises, going up to $7/hr increases by 2024, and $1.50/hr hazard pay on top of that for games worked in 2020 and 2021.
Exxon has offered a new settlement to the 600+ refinery workers locked out in Beaumont, TX since May 1st, but Steelworkers Local 13-243 says it doesn’t actually address the seniority concerns, so it doesn’t sound like we’ve arrived at a resolution to the lock-out.
400 members with Montana Nurses Association Local 4 at Deaconess Hospital in Bozeman, MT have a contract with employer Bozeman Health after a credible strike threat and filing ULPs.
In Las Vegas, UNITE HERE Local 226 (“the Culinary”) organized a march calling for members to get their jobs back and return to work; over twenty thousand members are still out of work.

Who Gets the Bird (25/9/21):

(I think I forgot a couple, but the ones I missed are in the strike section of the main page)
At Labor Notes, Sarah Hughes has the story of 200 mental health care workers in Tukwila, WA who organized a wildcat-turned-safety-strike with SEIU 1199NW.
200-some workers with UAW Local 509 at Senior Aerospace SSP in Burbank, CA, are on strike, but as you can see from the source I am choosing to link to, I have almost no information on the strike. Let me know if you do.
Dozens of workers who make tortillas for El Milagro in Little Village, Chicago walked off the job to protest safety conditions and low wages. They’re working with workers center ARISE, though it wasn’t immediately clear if the walkout is sustained or a one-day action, though I’ve seen some reports that it’s now a lockout. At least one worker died from COVID and others were infected.
Contract settlements: After a three-day strike this summer, 650 nurses with SEIU 1199NW at Logan Health in Kalispell, MT have a contract. 14,000 nurses with the California Nurses Association (NNU) have a contract with Dignity Health. Marin County, CA public employees have settled contracts as well, after an impasse.

The Guardian (3/10/21): Chinese planes fly over Taiwan defence zone in second day of record show of force - Taipei says 39 Chinese fighter jets crossed into its defence zone in two sorties, following a 38-plane incursion on Friday

The Economist (2/10/21): Limiting access to abortions won’t solve China’s population woes - The latest government guidelines are another attempt to interfere with family planning

The Guardian (2/10/21): Mass protests in Brazil call for Jair Bolsonaro’s impeachment - Crowds parade through cities as polling shows president’s ratings sinking to new depths

Al Jazeera (2/10/21): UN peacekeeper killed in blast in Mali’s troubled north - Four other members of the UN mission are injured in the attack that took place close to the country’s border with Algeria.

The Guardian (2/10/21): Fire devastates Honduras' Caribbean resort island of Guanaja - Blaze engulfs more than 200 houses and businesses, forcing hundreds of residents to flee

Law and Crime (1/10/21): Federal Prosecutors Bring Another Tow-Truck Bribery Scheme Case Against Three Current and Former NYPD Officers

Jacobin (2/10/21): Russia Has a New Socialist Movement - The big winner in Russia's recent election was the Communist Party, which jumped to almost 20 percent support. The party is today being transformed by a new wave of democratic socialist activists opposed to Vladimir Putin’s rule. [leftist-news, socialist-news, labor-news]

CPJ (30/9/21): Gunmen forcibly enter office of Salam Watandar broadcaster in Afghanistan

The Guardian (1/10/21): Aung San Suu Kyi appears in closed court on corruption charges - Allegations are among most serious of those filed against ousted leader by Myanmar’s military junta

Al Jazeera (1/10/21): Iraqis march in Baghdad to mark protests anniversary - Iraqis commemorate the victims of a crackdown against protesters demanding an overhaul of Iraq’s ruling class, days before a new parliamentary vote.

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (1/10/21): Energy crunch: Natural gas prices in Europe hit record 100 euros - Natural gas prices in Europe hit a new record of 100 euros ($116), threatening to derail the economic recovery there. [energy-news]

CPJ (1/10/21): Mexican journalist Manuel González Reyes shot dead in Cuernavaca

CPJ (1/10/21): Russian authorities harass family of exiled journalist Roman Dobrokhotov

CPJ (1/10/21): Cambodia sentences journalist Youn Chhiv to 1 year in prison

The Irrawaddy (1/10/21): Karen Armed Group Ambushes Myanmar Junta Regional Commander

The Guardian (2/10/21): Women’s March targets US supreme court, with abortion on line - Thousands gather in Washington DC and other cities protesting against Texas’s new law which has banned most abortions [civil-rights-news]

Al Jazeera (2/10/21): Algeria recalls ambassador to France for consultations - The two countries’ relations are tense following France’s decision to cut the number of visas it issues to Algerians.

Speak Out Now (1/10/21): France: Public Transit Opening Up to Private Competition and Attacking Employees [labor-news]

The Guardian (1/10/21): Concerns grow over Poland’s treatment of migrants stuck at Belarus border - Warsaw defies critics to extend state of emergency as it seeks to portray migrants as dangerous

Al Jazeera (1/10/21): Georgia arrests ex-President Saakashvili after return from exile - The arrest comes after Saakashvili returned from eight years in exile and a day before key municipal elections in Georgia.

Al Jazeera (1/10/21): Colombia’s ELN rebels warn of ‘reprisals’ after commander killed - Experts say a rise in attacks likely after the top commander of the leftist ELN armed group died after Colombia military bombing.

Al Jazeera (1/10/21): Tunisia’s Ghannouchi says parliament in session, defying Saied - Rached Ghannouchi from the Ennahdha party urged lawmakers to resume work in defiance of the parliament freeze by President Kais Saied.

New York Times (1/10/21): Nearly 60 Reported Dead in Effort to Reach Canary Islands - As the dangerous voyage from Western Africa to the Spanish archipelago has become a more popular migrant route to Europe, the death toll has risen sharply.

Al Jazeera (2/10/21): Philippine President Duterte announces ‘retirement from politics’ - Not eligible to run again for top job, Philippine president backs out of a plan to run for vice president in next year’s elections.

Al Jazeera (2/10/21): Libya detains 4,000 people in major anti-migrant crackdown - Hundreds of women and children among those detained during raids in Gargaresh town.

Just Security (1/10/21): Early Edition:

China levelled serious allegations against a once senior Chinese law-enforcement official who was ejected from the Communist Party yesterday. Sun Lijun, as vice minister of public security, had wide-ranging connections throughout the legal system as well as connections with high-profile alleged corruption cases in Hong Kong and internationally.
China has reacted furiously to Lithuania’s government advising officials to stop using certain Chinese-made phones due to a hidden dormant censorship registry of 449 terms banned by the Chinese Communist Party in the phones.
China has marked its National Day of the People’s Republic of China with a large air inclusion near Taiwan, forcing Taiwan’s air force to scramble aircraft to warn away the 25 Chinese aircraft, including two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers.
Police in Hong Kong have halted a four-person pro-democracy protest on China’s National Day.
China has appointed a new governor for its Xinjiang region, where the ruling Communist Party is accused of carrying out mass detentions and other abuses against Uyghur Muslims and other minority groups. A former vice governor, Erkin Tuniyaz, is an ethinc Uyghur, who “gained some notoriety for delivering a vociferous defense of Chinese policies in the northwestern region, particularly the use of facilities critics call detention centers but which China says are intended for vocational training and deradicalization and turning the region’s residents away from terrorism and extremism,” Associated Press reports.
The Taliban have displaced hundreds of families belonging to Afghanistan’s Shiite Hazara community in central Afghanistan, reinforcing fears of renewed persecution against a minority that suffered under Taliban rule in the past
North Korea has test-launched a newly developed anti-aircraft missile, the latest test in a recent flurry of weapons tests, even as North Korea declared earlier this week its openness to dialogue with South Korea.
Myanmar’s military-installed government has defended its 4-month detention of a U.S. journalist.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was convicted of violating campaign finance laws on Thursday and sentenced to one year of house arrest
Mali received four helicopters, weapons and ammunition from Russia late yesterday, Malian Interim Defence Minister Sadio Camara has said.
“About 1,900 fighters belonging to Colombian rebel and crime groups are operating from Venezuela, where they plan attacks and participate in drug trafficking, the commander of Colombia’s armed forces said,” Reuters reports.
The U.N. Security Council has voted unanimously to extend the U.N. political mission in Libya until after the country’s critical presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for late December. “However, the U.N.’s most powerful body remained divided over the withdrawal of all mercenaries and foreign forces from the oil-rich North African nation and the mission’s leadership,” Edith M. Lederer reports for AP.
Trade talks between Australia and the E.U. have been postponed amid the diplomatic row between Australia and France over the Aukus security partnership between the U.S., Australia and the U.K., which led Canberra to cancel a submarine deal with France.
A law has been passed in New Zealand which makes planning a terrorist attack a crime.
The police have entered a prison in Ecuador where more than 100 inmates died in battles between criminal drug cartels within the prison.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said that hundreds of people have been detained following a shooting incident in Minsk in which an IT worker and a KGB officer died, the state news agency has reported
Belgium will help provide funding for women in Poland to access abortions abroad
It has been reported that Dutch police have increased security around Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte after suspicious movements around him by people believed to be connected to the Netherlands’ notorious drug gangs

Democracy Now (1/10/21): Daily Headlines:

Protesters Demand Accountability After Officials Suspend Probe into 2020 Beirut Port Blast
Salvadorans Protest New Cryptocurrency, Power Grab by President Bukele
Youth Activists Rally in Milan to Demand Climate Justice Ahead of November’s COP26

The Moscow Times (1/10/21): Russia Makes Covering Military Corruption News Grounds for ‘Foreign Agent’ Status [media-news]

The Moscow Times (1/10/21): Russia Urges Taliban, Tajikistan to Avoid Clashes [russia-policy-news]

The Irrawaddy (1/10/21): Thousands Flee Clashes Between Myanmar Junta and Karenni Resistance

New York Times (1/10/21): A fire kills seven people in a Romanian hospital’s Covid ward.

The Guardian (30/9/21): Long Beach school officer shoots 18-year-old, leaving her on life support - Video appears to show officer firing at fleeing car in incident fueling calls for removal of armed officers from schools

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Prince Andrew can review Epstein estate deal, accuser says - Virginia Giuffre, an American, sued the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew claiming that Jeffrey Epstein recruited her for sex with the prince when she was a teen. Andrew has denied the allegations. [epstein-news]

The Black Wall Street Times (30/9/21): Columbus police officers from narcotics unit charged with distributing fentanyl

Al-Monitor (30/9/21): Iranian military to hold drill over Azerbaijani objections - President Ilham Aliyev criticized a planned military exercise close to the Iran-Azerbaijani border.

The Guardian (30/9/21): Macron in visa cuts row as Algeria summons French envoy - President accused of chasing rightwing votes by making sudden, tough gestures on immigration

Al-Monitor (30/9/21): Iran's supreme leader issues ban on Samsung, LG appliances - Khamenei's directive came after the two South Korean giants were about to make a comeback into their lucrative Iranian market following their brief sanctions-triggered departure.

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Malawi’s ex-deputy speaker shoots himself dead in parliament - Clement Chiwaya, 50, killed himself inside the parliament building in Lilongwe.

Al-Monitor (30/9/21): Turkish students continue protests despite arrests, Erdogan’s accusations - University students in Turkey continue their protests for access to dorms and affordable rentals, despite police pressure and Erdogan’s denial of a dorm problem.

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Tear gas fired at thousands rallying for civilian rule in Sudan - Security forces fired tear gas to break up a demonstration in the capital attended by an estimated 20,000 people

The Guardian (30/9/21): UK joins calls on Mali to end alleged deal with Russian mercenaries - Mali’s military leaders under pressure to pull back from suspected agreement with Wagner Group [russia-policy-news]

South China Morning Post (30/9/21): India counters China in Sri Lanka with US$700 million port deal - A new terminal will be built next to a US$500-million Chinese-run jetty, in what local authorities call the largest investment ever in the country’s port sector - India’s Adani Group will hold a 51 per cent controlling stake in the joint venture known as the Colombo West International Terminal

The Economist (2/10/21): World This Week:

Iceland fell short of having Europe’s first parliament where women hold most of the seats, following a recount after its election. Women took almost 48% of the seats. The left-right coalition increased its governing majority.
Fighting between jihadist groups in Nigeria left dozens dead. Islamic State West Africa Province is gaining the upper hand over Boko Haram, which has spent a decade kidnapping schoolgirls and strapping bombs to children. The latest fight was over which group gets to “tax” fishermen.
Jihadists from a previously unknown group claimed that they had killed six intelligence officers in Sudan. The country’s transition to democracy is looking fragile, two years after the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir, a bloody dictator who ruled for 30 years.
A judge in Mexico refused to issue arrest warrants for 31 scientists whom the country’s attorney-general wants to prosecute for mishandling funds. The lack of evidence for the charges, and the fact that the law was not in force at the time of the alleged crime, has led to accusations that the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador is trying to politicise public life.
Manny Pacquiao, a senator in the Philippines and a world-champion boxer, announced his retirement from the sport and his intention to run for president. The Philippine constitution limits presidents to a single term but Rodrigo Duterte, the combative incumbent, will still be on the ticket; he has said he will run for vice-president.
British motorists endured petrol queues. One cause was a shortage of lorry drivers to deliver the stuff, exacerbated by Brexit, which has made it harder and less attractive for foreign drivers to work in Britain. Another cause was panic-buying. Despite government assurances that there was plenty of fuel in depots, drivers flocked to fill their tanks. Other European countries also had fuel-supply problems, but Britain’s were especially severe.

PNN (30/9/21): Israeli troops kill young Palestinian man in nighttime West Bank raids

PNN (30/9/21): Israeli police kills Palestinian woman in Jerusalem

PNN (30/9/21): Israeli forces shoots dead Palestinian bird hunter east Gaza border

The Guardian (30/9/21): China owed $385bn – including ‘hidden debt’ from poorer nations, says report - AidData finds 42 low-to-middle income countries with ‘belt and road’ exposure exceeding 10% of GDP [bri-news, china-policy-news]

The Irrawaddy (30/9/21): Around 60 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Fighting With Resistance Forces

South China Morning Post (30/9/21): Evergrande appeases high-yield onshore investors with partial cash repayment as some local governments bar property-for-debt swap - The troubled developer said it has repaid 10 per cent of the principal and interest to investors in so-called wealth management products on Thursday - The balance remains in huge uncertainty as some local governments have banned its proposal to swap debt for properties

The Moscow Times (30/9/21): Russian Editor of Investigative Outlet Charged With Illegal Border Crossing

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Ethiopia orders expulsion of 7 top UN officials for ‘meddling’ - The seven, including individuals from UNICEF and OCHA, have been declared ‘persona non grata’ and given 72 hours to leave the country, foreign ministry says.

South China Morning Post (30/9/21): China power crisis: Guangdong raising electricity prices for industrial users by 25 per cent in peak hours - Move by southern manufacturing hub could trigger other provinces to raise power prices in the coming weeks, but households and non-industrial businesses may stay exempt - Coal shortage and attempts to meet carbon emissions targets have resulted in power-rationing measures being imposed in most of China’s provincial jurisdictions [energy-news]

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Poland illegally pushed asylum seekers back into Belarus: Amnesty - Group says its investigation proves Polish border forces violated rights of dozens of migrants and refugees. [immigrant-news]

On Labor (30/9/21): Also on Tuesday, thousands of union members took to the streets of Bogotá, Colombia to protest the roughly $4 billion tax reform package passed last month by the country’s Congress.

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): Kosovo, Serbia agree deal to end border tensions - Breakthrough negotiated in Brussels ends flare-up in hostilities triggered by dispute over vehicle licence plates.

Al Jazeera (30/9/21): ‘We are under bandits’: Dozens killed and abducted in Nigeria - Armed groups attack remote communities in Niger and Sokoto states, the latest incidents in a spiralling cycle of violence plaguing the country.

Just Security (30/9/21): Early Edition:

Both McKenzie and Austin said that the Doha agreement made by former President Trump with the Taliban in February 2020 hastened Afghanistan’s collapse to the Taliban
There is a “real possibility” that al Qaeda or ISIS could reconstitute in Afghanistan as soon as in 6 months, Milley said during his testimony yesterday.
A flight carrying more than 100 U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, who had been evacuated from Afghanistan on a private charter flight, has now departed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) bound for the U.S., the UAE foreign ministry has said
The U.S. is intensifying talks to use Russian bases in neighboring countries to Afghanistan for “over the horizon” counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to restore communication lines with South Korea in early October to “promote peace,” while criticizing the U.S. for its “hostile policy” towards North Korea
The U.S. government has pulled its defense attaché out of Nicaragua following comments complimentary of Nicaragua’s military that drew the ire of the political opposition
A man shot dead by Belarusian security forces in a raid on an apartment block was an employee of EPAM Systems, a U.S.-based software firm, the company has said.
China has opposed a Philippines-led push for a review of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the U.S., Manila’s Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said
CNN announced that it will stop publishing content on Facebook in Australia. “The decision comes after the country’s highest court ruled that media companies are liable for comments people post under articles on the platform…CNN asked Facebook to offer a Page-wide setting to turn off comments in Australia, according to a CNN source. Instead, Facebook provided instructions for how the media organization could disable comments post by post.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised ties with Russia during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday. Putin and Erdogan discussed weapon deals, trade, and a nuclear reactor Russia is building in Turkey during their meeting, as Erdogan made clear that he had access to Russia as an alternative partner to the U.S. for trade and military deals.
Five Turkish generals working on Syria-related operations are seeking to resign
Two human rights groups, one media outlet, and 22 individuals, have been labeled as “foreign agents” by Moscow’s Justice Ministry, as Russia advances its crackdown on domestic opposition
U.N. diplomats have said that Russia is holding up the appointment of independent experts to monitor implementation of sanctions on four African countries
A Hong Kong public broadcaster, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), has reportedly been told by the government that it must support Hong Kong and Chinese interests, including the national security law that has been used to silence pro-democracy voices
Myanmar’s currency has lost more than 60% of its value since the beginning of September.

Democracy Now (30/9/21): Daily Headlines:

U.N. Warns Tigray Blockade Leading to Famine, Dire Medical Shortages for Millions
Pentagon Knew U.S. Drone Strike in Kabul Missed Target, Hit Civilians Weeks Before Public Admission
Ecuador Prison Riot Claims 116 Lives
Right Livelihood Award Goes to Environmental Activists, Rights Defenders Across the Globe

Democracy Now (29/9/21): Yanis Varoufakis on Angela Merkel’s Legacy, European Politics & the “Sordid Arms Race” on the Seas

Liberation News (29/9/21): NYC Chinatown workers protest exploitation and racist violence [labor-news, social-woes-news]

Jacobin (29/9/21): Indonesia Still Hasn’t Escaped Suharto’s Genocidal Legacy - The US-backed Indonesian dictator Suharto was responsible for some of the twentieth century’s worst crimes. More than two decades after Suharto’s death, his regime’s brutal legacy is still holding back democracy in Indonesia.

The Guardian (29/9/21): Prominent Rohingya leader shot dead in Bangladesh refugee camp - Mohib Ullah had been in talks with other refugee leaders in Kutupalong when he was killed by unidentified assailants

The Guardian (29/9/21): Amlo ridiculed for saying Mexico’s feminist movement began two years ago - Backlash after Mexican president bizarrely claims movement had been formed to oppose his administration

CPJ (29/9/21): São Paulo police arrest Brazilian sports blogger Paulo Cezar de Andrade Prado in defamation case

Law and Crime (29/9/21): Two Cops Being Sued Over Tasing of Elderly Man Face New Lawsuit for Arrest of Deaf Man Who Couldn’t Understand Their Commands

The Guardian (29/9/21): Witch-hunt murders surge in Democratic Republic of Congo - Eight women have been burned to death or lynched in South Kivu province this month, say officials

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): Sudan: Five security forces killed in raid targeting ISIL cell - Security forces arrested ’11 foreign terrorists from different nationalities’ in Khartoum raid, the intelligence services says.

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): Top ELN rebel commander dies after bombing, Colombia gov’t says - ELN leader Angel Padilla Romero, known by alias Fabian, died in hospital after a military bombing, defence minister says.

Law and Crime (28/9/21): Arizona Police Broke into Unarmed Schizophrenic Woman’s Home with Guns Drawn and Tased Her in Her Own Bedroom: Lawsuit

The Hill (28/9/21): Missouri judge rejects attorney general's lawsuit seeking statewide ban on school mask mandates

Law and Crime (29/9/21): Appeals Court Pauses Lawsuit over Georgia Abortion Ban Until Supreme Court Decides Mississippi Case

South China Morning Post (29/9/21): China in Africa: Zambia’s Chinese debts nearly double the official count, study says - Zambia owed Chinese financiers US$6.6 billion as of August, not US$3.4 billion as reported by outgoing administration, China Africa Research Initiative says - The lack of full disclosure and transparency seen to complicate Zambia’s bid for debt relief from G20 countries and hopes of an IMF bailout

NewsClick (29/9/21): PM Modi’s Digital Health Mission Might put Personal Data at Risk, Lead to Exclusion - Healthcare professionals and experts have raised concerns about the impact of the digital health mission’s framework on data privacy and access to health. [healthcare-news]

The Moscow Times (29/9/21): Russia Labels More Independent Media Outlets, Activists ‘Foreign Agents’

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): US issues Hezbollah-related sanctions in coordination with Qatar - Coordinated US-Qatari measures target ‘major’ Hezbollah financing network in Arabian Peninsula, US Treasury says. [us-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): Summary killings, human-rights abuses surge in eastern DRC - According to the UN’s Joint Human Rights Office, 293 civilians were killed in August, including 63 women and 24 children.

Al Jazeera / Bloomberg (29/9/21): Energy crunch: Three more UK power firms collapse - Record prices for natural gas have pushed three more United Kingdom energy firms out of business.

Its Going Down (28/9/21): Mountain Valley Pipeline Protesters Lock To Equipment, Block Construction In Lindside, WV

PNN (29/9/21): Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails go on hunger strike, boycott courts

The Irrawaddy (29/9/21): Myanmar Junta Jails NLD Lawmaker and Civilians For Anti-Regime Protests

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): Pakistani soldier killed in cross-border fire from Iran: Army - ‘Terrorists’ attacked a post from Iranian territory, killing one soldier and injuring another, Pakistan’s military said.

Al Jazeera (29/9/21): Czech vote: President plans to exploit powers to protect Babis - Milos Zeman, who backs the billionaire premier, has announced he will use his role to appoint the next PM. [electoral-news]

The Irrawaddy (29/9/21): Myanmar Junta Accused of Targeting Civilians with Landmines

NewsClick (29/9/21): 75% COVID-19 Patients Were Overcharged by Hospitals, Nearly Half of Them Died: Survey - Many of these patients or their families faced a financial crisis, were forced to sell off jewelry, and borrow from relatives or even take out loans from money lenders to settle the bills, the Jan Aarogya Abhiyan said. [healthcare-news, privatization-news]

The Moscow Times (29/9/21): Putin’s Top Candidates Won’t Take Parliament Seats

Ars Technica (29/9/21): Russia arrests cybersecurity expert on treason charge - Ilya Sachkov is founder of Group-IB, which specializes in ransomware attack prevention. [cyber-security-news]

On Labor (29/9/21): Amidst a recent wave of judicial rulings across multiple European countries classifying Uber drivers as employees, the European Commission—the executive arm of the European Union—is set to introduce a legislative initiative in December that will address the challenges created by platform work. [labor-news, big-tech-news]

Just Security (29/9/21): Early Edition:

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday denied U.S. landing rights for a charter plane carrying more than 100 Americans and U.S. green card holders evacuated from Afghanistan, organizers of the flight have said.
The United States has deported a convicted Russian hacker to Russia in a rare extradition
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne raised the case of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during Payne’s visit to Washington D.C. this month
China is currently building a new 315m aircraft carrier, which will be the same size as the latest U.S. Ford class with a matching electromagnetic catapult for launching jets.
North Korea has claimed that it successfully tested a new hypersonic missile called Hwasong-8 yesterday.
Pakistan’s military has said that Pakistani security forces have killed 10 militants, including four insurgent commanders, in a shootout in Pakistan’s northwest
Two days of fierce clashes between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels over Marib, an energy-rich central city in Yemen, have killed more than 130 fighters, mostly rebels, officials said yesterday.
France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth $301 million, an Armed Forces Ministry official said today.
Tunisian President Kais Saied has today named Najla Bouden Romdhane, a little-known university engineer with World Bank experience, as Tunisia’s prime minister,

Democracy Now (29/9/21): Daily Headlines:

Pfizer-BioNTech Submits Vaccine Data on 5-to-11-Year-Olds to FDA; Mask Mandate Bans Halted in SC and AZ
Fumio Kishida, from Ruling Party Establishment, Set to Become Next Japanese Prime Minister
Judge Blocks Key Part of Arizona Anti-Abortion Law Involving Genetic Abnormalities
Chile to Debate Expanded Abortion Access as Rallies Call for Reproductive Justice In Latin America

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): ‘The Big Delete:’ Inside Facebook’s crackdown in Germany - Tech giant’s use of new ‘social harm’ policy to remove accounts spreading COVID-19 misinformation draws mixed response. [big-tech-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Al-Monitor (28/9/21): Muslim Brotherhood blamed for failed military coup in Sudan - Khartoum witnessed an attempted coup, which highlights the urgent need to unify civil and military institutions following the fall of Omar al-Bashir’s regime. Note that a close ally of Sudan right now is... Egypt. No wonder that the MB is being blamed!

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Tunisian parties announce coalition to counter President Saied - Four parties announce coalition to oppose Saied’s move to seize governing powers.

The Hill (28/9/21): Judge orders prison guards in California to be vaccinated [covid-news]

CPJ (28/9/21): French police question journalist Thomas Dietrich over complaint by Chad official

The Guardian (28/9/21): ‘Humbled and heartbroken’: WHO finds its Ebola staff abused women and girls - Inquiry commissioned by WHO details sexual abuse, including rape allegations, during DRC outbreak

South China Morning Post (28/9/21): China power crisis: thermal coal inventory nears record low as country suffers worst outages in a decade - State media now says 20 out of 31 provincial jurisdictions have implemented electricity-rationing measures since mid-September - Total coal inventory at China’s major power-generation groups is just 11.31 million tonnes – enough to meet demand for only about two weeks

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Police suspect foul play in Swedish apartment building explosion - Up to 20 people were injured as an explosion in Gothenburg set ablaze an apartment block in a central residential area.

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Nigeria police arrest 57 in Shia procession, deny casualties - Banned Islamic Movement in Nigeria say eight members shot dead by police during Abuja procession.

CPJ (28/9/21): Bangladesh authorities order banks to disclose information on 12 journalists’ accounts

Its Going Down (27/9/21): Report on Ongoing Hunger Strike Inside Texas Prison

The Moscow Times (28/9/21): Two Killed in Ukraine Separatist East

The Moscow Times (28/9/21): Russia’s Gazprom Inks 15-Year Gas Contract with Hungary - Deal between Moscow and Budapest has angered Ukraine and comes as gas prices in Europe hit record highs.

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Haiti elections postponed indefinitely amid political crisis - Haiti’s prime minister dismisses electoral administration members, again casting the vote’s timeline into uncertainty.

The Moscow Times (28/9/21): Russia Reports New Daily Covid Death Record

The Moscow Times (28/9/21): Police Search Communist Party Offices as Online Voting Controversy Continues - The Communist Party is challenging the results of Russia’s State Duma elections.

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Pakistan’s dependence on natural gas is turning into a nightmare - A surge in global gas prices is forcing Pakistan to pay top dollar or forego spot shipments it needs to tide over winter.

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Cuba begins commercial exports of its COVID-19 vaccines - The island nation has begun sending the homegrown, three-dose Abdala vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.

The Irrawaddy (28/9/21): Myanmar Junta Troops Ambushed in Shan State

Al Jazeera (28/9/21): Bangkok on alert as deadly floods hit a third of Thailand - Barriers set up to protect Bangkok as severe flooding kills six and affects about 70,000 homes in Thailand.

Just Security (28/9/21): Early Edition:

Unidentified aircraft hit a base run by Iranian-backed militias in Syria’s eastern province of Deir al Zor near the Iraqi border, residents and military sources have said.
Security forces of Yemen’s internationally recognized government have violently dispersed thousands of protesters decrying deteriorating economic conditions in a southwestern province, wounding at least seven people, officials have said.
Europe needs to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and build its own military capacity, French President Emmanuel Macron has said, after Greece sealed a deal with France for French frigates worth about $3.51 billion

CPJ (28/9/21): Colombian journalist Marcos Efraín Montalvo shot and killed

The Moscow Times (28/9/21): Russian Investigators Open New Case Against Navalny

The Guardian (28/9/21): Greece to buy French warships in multibillion-euro defence deal - Paris and Athens hail landmark accord aimed at defending shared interests in the Mediterranean

ZDNet (27/9/21): Google commences appeal against European Commission €4.34 billion fine - The search giant is contending it has not abused its dominant market position to coerce smartphone manufacturers into installing Google Search and Chrome. [big-tech-news, antitrust-news]

ZDNet (27/9/21): FCC details $1.9 billion program to rip out Huawei and ZTE gear in the US - Carriers with under 10 million customers as well as some schools, libraries, and health care providers can apply for FCC funding to dispose of Chinese-vendor network equipment from October 29. [us-policy-news]

CaspianReport (13/8/21): Egypt flexes military muscle at Ethiopia

CaspianReport (31/8/21): How China became the world’s factory

NewsClick (27/9/21): Bharat Bandh: Highways, Rail Tracks, Toll Plazas Blocked as Protesters Take to Streets - Despite heavy security bandobast, various sections join farmers’ strike against farm laws in Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP among others. The bandh is being backed by non-BJP parties. [labor-news, protest-news]

The Moscow Times (27/9/21): Five Bodies Found at Helicopter Crash Site in Kamchatka — TASS

The Guardian (27/9/21): Paraguay on the brink as historic drought depletes river, its life-giving artery - Severe drought that began in late 2019 continues to punish the region while experts say climate change and deforestation may be intensifying the phenomenon [climate-change-news, infrastructure-news]

The Guardian (27/9/21): EU lorry drivers will not help Britain ease its fuel crisis, union says - Official from Dutch-based FNV criticises visa plan as ‘dead end’ due to poor working conditions [labor-news]

The Irrawaddy (27/9/21): Over 30 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Fierce Weekend Fighting

Al Jazeera (27/9/21): Sudan protesters agree to resumption of oil exports - Sudan’s government reaches deal with tribal demonstrators in eastern Sudan after days of protests threatened energy supplies [protest-news, labor-news, big-oil-news]

Jacobin (27/9/21): The Communist Party Just Won the Elections in Austria’s Second-Biggest City [Interview] - In Sunday’s elections in Graz, Austria, the Communist Party romped to victory for the first time in history. Jacobin spoke to one of its winning candidates about how the party built a “red fortress” in the city.

Jacobin (27/9/21): A New Working-Class Party Is on the Rise in Norway - Norway’s billionaires spent the election campaign smearing the Red Party as totalitarian extremists. But the party kept its focus on working-class Norwegians’ material interests — and secured a historic electoral breakthrough. [leftist-news, electoral-news]

South China Morning Post (27/9/21): China electricity shortage: industrial production grinds to halt and traffic lights fail amid rationing - Half of China’s provincial jurisdictions mandate rationing of electricity, but poor communication and unclear timeline leave angry public in the dark - One local government warns that entire power grid at risk of collapse if electricity is not rationed [energy-news, infrastructure-news]

Common Dreams (27/9/21): Critics Fume as ICC Excludes US From Probe Into Afghan War Crimes - "Allowing powerful states to get away with multi-year, multi-continent torture against so many feeds impunity for all."

The Irrawaddy (27/9/21): Myanmar Junta Kills Dozens in Latest Surge of Violence Against Civilians

Al-Monitor (27/9/21): Two dead after fire at Iranian military facility - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps did not say what caused the fire.

Al Jazeera (27/9/21): Dozens dead after deadly attacks in northeast Nigeria - State security commissioner says troops came under fire before forcing the assailants to withdraw.

The Moscow Times (27/9/21): Free Speech a ‘Core Value,’ YouTube CEO Says After Blocking Russian Opposition Videos [big-tech-news, surveillance-and-censorship-news]

Payday Report (27/9/21):

In the suburbs of Kansas City in Overland Park, donut workers at LaMar’s Donuts walked out in protest over poor treatment and being “strained and stretched thin.”
Strike ends with narrowly approved contract - “The membership just narrowly passed the acceptance of the offer,” Ronnie Gonzalez, a spokesman for Automobile Mechanics’ Local 701, told the Chicago Tribune. “The disappointment by those voting against the offer is as a result of being on strike for eight weeks while over 120 dealers not in the NCDC association ratified virtually the same deal without having to go out on strike.”

Left Voice (27/9/21): In Berlin, 56% Voted to Expropriate Big Landlords - On Sunday, 56% of Berliners voted in favor of expropriating housing companies that own more than 3,000 units in the city. But a militant campaign will be needed to implement the voters’ will. [electoral-news, leftist-news]

Left Voice (27/9/21): German Elections: Merkel’s Conservatives Get Their Worst Result Ever - The elections on Sunday marked the end of Angela Merkel's 16 years as German chancellor. Her Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) suffered a historic defeat. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) got the most votes. The Greens and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) will likely form a new government with one of the two parties. The Left Party DIE LINKE lost half of its voters.

Just Security (27/9/21): Early Edition:

A series of killings of religious figures associated with Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan are highlighting the ongoing power struggle between ISKP and the Taliban
The Taliban government’s Defense Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob, has issued a stern warning against Taliban foot soldiers having too much fun in Kabul and has told them to stop taking selfies
Russian fighter jets were scrambled to escort a U.S. Air Force plane that reportedly approached Russian airspace over the Pacific Ocean, Russian state news agency TASS said yesterday
Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdoğan defended his government’s decision to buy another Russian air defense system despite pressure from the United States and NATO
China has condemned the U.K. for sailing a warship down the sensitive Taiwan strait
Myanmar’s military launched air strikes over the weekend after clashes with fighters opposed to the junta in the Sagaing region in northwest Myanmar, and phone lines and the internet were also severed in some districts.
Iran has failed to fully honor two terms of the nuclear monitoring deal struck two weeks ago, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has defended the Mali government’s right to hire a private Russian military company to help fight terrorists and has accused the French troops in Mali of failing to get rid of the terrorists in the region

Democracy Now (27/9/21): Daily Headlines:

Social Democrats to Form Coalition Gov’t in Germany After Edging Out Merkel’s Long-Standing Bloc
San Marino Votes to Legalize Abortion

South China Morning Post (22/9/21): Fears in China for missing #MeToo activist and labour rights campaigner - Friends have not been able to contact Sophia Huang and Wang Jianbing since Sunday, when they were planning to leave Guangzhou for Shenzhen - Huang had been going to fly from Hong Kong to London to study [labor-news, civil-rights-news]

South China Morning Post (25/9/21): Taiwan’s Eric Chu wins KMT leadership race as party sticks with island-centric position - The 60-year-old ex-vice-premier trounced his challenger and mainland-centric ideologist Chang Ya-chung by more than 85,000 votes to win the party’s top post - Chu has vowed to return the century-old party to power in the 2024 presidential election

The Guardian (25/9/21): Judge recommends tribe be allowed to hunt gray whales off Washington state - Makah chairman welcomes ruling opposed by animal welfare groups and says: ‘We’re doing it for spiritual and cultural reasons’ [indigenous-news]

Al Jazeera (26/9/21): Hundreds of Tunisians protest President Saied’s ‘power grab’ - Protesters are calling on President Kais Saied to resign after he announced he would rule by decree.

The Moscow Times (26/9/21): Russia Raids Kill 11 Pro-Turkish Fighters in Syria – Monitor [russia-policy-news]

Al Jazeera (26/9/21): Sudan thwarts Ethiopian incursion amid protests in east - Sudan’s army said it repelled attempted incursion in the border area as angry protesters in eastern Sudan shut ports, roads.

Al Jazeera (26/9/21): Palestinian MP Khalida Jarrar released from Israeli prison - Jarrar, a left-wing figure and member of the now-defunct PLC, was released by Israeli authorities on Sunday.

The Guardian (26/9/21): Five Palestinians shot dead in gun battles with Israeli troops in West Bank - Two Israeli soldiers were also seriously wounded after violence erupted when troops tried to arrest suspected Hamas militants

Al Jazeera (27/9/21): Switzerland says resounding ‘yes’ to same-sex marriage - Swiss backed proposal, which also allows couples to adopt, by a nearly two-thirds majority in a referendum on Sunday. [lgbtq-news]

Al Jazeera (25/9/21): Witnesses accuse Tigray fighters of Kobo killings - Northern Ethiopia has been racked by more than 10 months of war that has left thousands dead.

Al Jazeera (25/9/21): Kosovo gov’t offices targeted as tensions soar with Serbia - Kosovo PM accuses Serbia of trying to ‘provoke a serious international conflict’ after vehicle registration offices near border are attacked.

The Hill (25/9/21): Rochester officer faces departmental charges in death of Daniel Prude

NewsClick (26/9/21): Ground Down by Hardship, Farmers Ready for Historic Bandh on Sept 27 - Since last year, farmers have been fighting for the withdrawal of three farm laws passed by the Modi government.

The Hill (25/9/21): Two federal judges rule local Tennessee school districts can mandate masks [covid-news]

The Guardian (25/9/21): Starmer faces wave of anger over Labour conference chaos - Labour leader bids to stem damage after defeat on rules as deputy Rayner furious over unnecessary conflict

Al-Monitor (24/9/21): UN says at least 350K killed in Syria’s war, 'certainly an undercount' - The United Nation's human rights office on Friday updated the death toll from Syria's civil war for the first time since August 2014.

Payday Report (24/9/21):

But yesterday, more than 60 workers walked out to protest their low pay and unsafe working conditions at the factory. However, when 14 workers attempted to return to work today, they discovered their employer was not allowing them to return to work.
The Seattle Carpenters Union decided to limit their picket lines to just a few sites in the city. However, rank-and-file carpenters chose to go on wildcat strikes at other sites, with the encouragement and support of socialist Seattle city councilwoman Kshama Sawant, who the union leadership has attacked.

Left Voice (24/9/21): House Votes $1 Billion for Israeli War Machine Without Opposition from AOC - Last night, with the help of DSA-endorsed Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the House of Representatives approved $1 billion in new funding for Israeli "Iron Dome" missile interceptors.

New York Times (24/9/21): China frees 2 jailed Canadians after the U.S. agrees to release a Huawei executive.

NewsClick (25/9/21): Assam Police Firing: Citizens Hold Protest in Guwahati Despite Police Pressure - The police made attempts to disrupt a protest meet that was scheduled a day after the horrific video of the police firing at lone protesters at a village during an eviction drive emerged online.

NewsClick (25/9/21): Bharat Bandh: ‘We are Sitting in Protest for 10 Months and PM is Dining in America’, Say Angry Punjab Farmers - Rural Youth, Women, Workers and even gurudwara granthis are gearing up to make SKM’s call for Bharat Bandh on Sept 27 ‘Historic’ in Punjab [labor-news]

Al Jazeera (25/9/21): Over 100 Ennahdha members resign amid Tunisia’s political crisis - Senior party members cited Ennahdha’s failure to confront what they called an ‘imminent tyrannical danger’.

The Guardian (25/9/21): Dutch protesters march through The Hague against ‘corona pass’ - Proof of vaccination or negative test made mandatory for public venues as social-distancing measures are lifted [covid-news]

Al Jazeera (25/9/21): Suicide bomber kills at least eight in Somali capital - The attack targeting a convoy going into the presidential palace is claimed by the armed group al-Shabab.

Left Voice (25/9/21): A “Lefty” Guide to the German Elections - Tomorrow is Election Day in Germany. Here are some thoughts on how a leftist should approach the vote. [electoral-news]

Al Jazeera (24/9/21): Ex-Catalonia regional chief Puigdemont released from Italian jail - Judge on Sardinia rules Carles Puigdemont can go free ahead of an October 4 hearing on Spain extradition.

CPJ (24/9/21): Congolese authorities detain AFP correspondent Pierre Sosthène Kambidi without charge

Al Jazeera (24/9/21): Chad’s military ruler Mahamat Deby names transitional parliament - The so-called National Transitional Council ‘will act as a national assembly of transition’ ahead of elections, statement says.

Law and Crim (24/9/21): D.C. Police Officer Indicted for Murder in Deadly Motor Scooter Chase That Sparked Protests in Nation’s Capital

Seattle - 'If Your House Is On Fire You Run': Workers Strike for Safety At Understaffed Mental Health Center [law-enforcement-oversteps-news] ([1] 24/9/21)

On Labor (24/9/21): Harvard dining workers with Unite Here Local 26 ratified a new five-year contract yesterday that guarantees no lay-offs or decreases in paid hours for employees over the next five years as well as 15% in raises and increases to summer stipends. The contract ratification comes just two days after five unions at Harvard came together for a historic joint-rally demonstrating the collective power of all five unions uniting together.

NewsClick (24/9/21): From Remote Villages to Metro Cities, Scheme Workers Strike Work for Regularisation of Services - Led by the Joint Platform of Scheme Workers Federations, ASHAs, along with workers engaged in anganwadis, mid-day meal scheme and National Health Mission also demanded a legislation on ‘right to universal healthcare’. [healthcare-news, labor-news]

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