Daily Archives: December 10, 2020

2020-12-10: News Headlines

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-10). Anti-imperialists around the world extend solidarity for Assange. peoplesdispatch.org Anti-imperialist movements from around the world have extended their solidarity to the Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange. The call for action was made in a joint statement, released on December 10, by a global coalition part of the International Week of Anti-Imperialist Struggle. In the call for action, scheduled to fall on International Human Rights Day, movements have demanded an end to the "inhuman conditions" that Assange has been subjected to in Belmarsh prison in the United Kingdom. | Activists are encouraged to sign an

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-12-10). Julian Assange: COVID Risks and Campaigns for Pardon. globalresearch.ca Before the January 4 ruling of District Judge Vanessa Baraitser in the extradition case of Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks publisher will continue to endure the ordeal of cold prison facilities while being menaced by a COVID-19 outbreak. From November …

Areeb Ullah (2020-12-10). Six times the ICC says British forces committed war crimes in Iraq. middleeasteye.net Six times the ICC says British forces committed war crimes in Iraq | Despite not pursuing its own investigation, court says there is 'reasonable basis' to believe British forces committed murder, rape and torture | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 16: 00 | An Iraqi youth looks at a British soldier pointing his machinegun while conducting a security operation in the Iraqi southern city of Basra, 16 February 2006 (AFP)…

_____ (2020-12-10). OPCW executives praised whistleblower and criticized Syria cover-up, leaks reveal. strategic-culture.org Documents obtained by The Grayzone show that OPCW executives privately criticized the manipulation of a Syria chemical weapons probe, and supported a dissenting veteran inspector. One official, however, feared helping the "Russian narrative." These private admissions further expose the public whitewash of the Douma cover-up, and undermine the ongoing attacks on the whistleblowers who challenged it.

Patricia Gorky (2020-12-10). Genocidal monarchy set to receive $23 billion in U.S. weapons after Senate resolution fails. liberationnews.org Two resolutions in the Senate to block the sale of $23 billion in advanced fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates failed yesterday in close votes.

MEE and agencies (2020-12-10). Italy to indict Egyptian security officers in Giulio Regeni murder case. middleeasteye.net Italy to indict Egyptian security officers in Giulio Regeni murder case | Italian prosecutors give four men 20 days to respond to charges before asking judge to begin trial | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 16: 18 | Activist in Cairo holds poster calling for justice in case of murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni in 2016 (Reuters) | Italian prosecutors in Rome announced on Thursday that they plan to s…

Sarah Lazare (2020-12-10). Biden's Defense Secretary Pick Shows the Revolving Door for Military Contractors Remains. globalresearch.ca Pres ≠i ≠dent-elect Joe Biden has tapped retired Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III for the pow ≠er ≠ful role of defense sec ≠re ≠tary, news out ≠lets revealed Decem ≠ber 7. Spec ≠u ≠la ≠tion over who Biden would pick had been brew ≠ing for weeks. All three top con ≠tenders for …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-12-09). 'Severe Blow to Iraqi Torture Survivors': Despite Evidence of UK War Crimes, ICC Drops War Crimes Probe. commondreams.org The decision "will doubtless fuel perceptions of an ugly double standard in justice: one approach to powerful states and quite another for those with less clout." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/icc-no-probe-uk-war-crimes.jpg

Sameena Rahman (2020-12-09). Florida state agents raid home of COVID-19 whistleblower. liberationnews.org This raid comes at a time when the most recent CDC data indicates that Florida surpassed 19,000 deaths due to the coronavirus, and last week, Florida became the third state in the United States to exceed 1 million cases.

Children's Health Defense (2020-12-09). Whistleblower: FDA Failed to Address 'Biohazard Nightmare' at Merck Vaccine Plant. globalresearch.ca A former FDA employee-turned-whistleblower says the agency downgraded his report on safety violations at a Merck vaccine plant. The allegation raises questions about how the FDA will monitor safety of COVID vaccine manufacturers. | *** | A former employee of the U.S. …

news.un (2020-12-08). Independent UN expert calls for Julian Assange's release, cites prison's COVID outbreak. news.un.org Amid a COVID-19 outbreak at London's Belmarsh prison, an independent UN expert appealed to British authorities on Tuesday to release Julian Assange or to place him under guarded house arrest during extradition proceedings to the United States.

teleSUR (2020-12-08). Assange Is Exposed To a High COVID-19 Risk in Belmarsh Prison. telesurenglish.net The UN rapporteur against torture Nils Melzer on Tuesday called on the British authorities for the immediate release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, following a serious COVID-19 outbreak in the prison where he is located. | RELATED: | The rapporteur noted that 65 of the 160 inmates at London's Belmarsh Prison, where Assange has been held since May 2019, have tested positive for COVID-19. | "Assange is not convicted or threatens anyone. Therefore, his pro…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-12-08). 'Not a Criminal': Top UN Anti-Torture Official Urges Julian Assange's Release. commondreams.org The WikiLeaks founder's "prolonged solitary confinement in a high security prison is neither necessary nor proportionate," said United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/getty-assange_protestors_1.jpg

Media Lens (2020-12-08). Stuck in a Lift with John Pilger: News and How to Use It by Alan Rusbridger. dissidentvoice.org Noticing the way journalists seemed unable to resist commenting on our work, even if it was just to slag us off, Glenn Greenwald tweeted us in 2012: 'You are really deeper in the heads of the British establishment-serving commentariat than anyone else — congrats.' ((Greenwald, Twitter, 12 September 2012.)) If that was true then, our relationship …

Ralph Nader (2020-12-08). Action for Change Starts in Congress. counterpunch.org We know their names! We've given immense power to Five Hundred and Thirty-Five People to do good or bad. One Hundred Senators and Four Hundred and Thirty-Five Representatives. Unfortunately, some 1500 corporations control most Members of Congress. Think about all the dreams for a better world that could come to be realized if our elected officials

MBNJSD (2020-12-08). Why Jeh Johnson Would Be a Better Defense Secretary Than Michèle Flournoy. dissidentvoice.org CODEPINK protests killer drones at DC home of Jeh Johnson (Credit: CODEPINK) President-elect Biden's choice for Secretary of Defense has turned out to be one of the most controversial and difficult of his Cabinet appointments. The early front-runner, Michèle Flournoy, was originally seen as a shoo-in and was touted as a great breakthrough for women, …

WSWS (2020-12-08). Florida COVID-19 data scientist whistleblower raided by state police at gunpoint. wsws.org Rebekah Jones' home was stormed Monday by police who terrorized her and her family and confiscated her phone, computers and other equipment.

2020-12-10: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

OPCW executives praised whistleblower and criticized Syria cover-up, leaks reveal
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2020-12-10
Documents obtained by The Grayzone show that OPCW executives privately criticized the manipulation of a Syria chemical weapons probe, and supported a dissenting veteran inspector. One official, however, feared helping the "Russian narrative." These private admissions further expose the public whitewash of the Douma cover-up, and undermine the ongoing attacks on the whistleblowers who challenged it.
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/12/10/opcw-executives-praised-whistleblower-and-criticized-syria-cover-up-leaks-reveal/

Six times the ICC says British forces committed war crimes in Iraq
Areeb Ullah | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-10
Six times the ICC says British forces committed war crimes in Iraq | Despite not pursuing its own investigation, court says there is 'reasonable basis' to believe British forces committed murder, rape and torture | Areeb Ullah | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 16: 00 | An Iraqi youth looks at a British soldier pointing his machinegun while conducting a security operation in the Iraqi southern city of Basra, 16 February 2006 (AFP)…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/six-times-icc-british-forces-committed-war-crimes-iraq

On Human Rights Day, a global call to #FreeAssange
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-12-10
Organizations and militants across the world are writing to the UK government with the demand to free Julian Assange who has been lodged in Belmarsh prison for months…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/12/10/on-human-rights-day-a-global-call-to-freeassange/

Anti-imperialists around the world extend solidarity for Assange
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-12-10
Anti-imperialist movements from around the world have extended their solidarity to the Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange. The call for action was made in a joint statement, released on December 10, by a global coalition part of the International Week of Anti-Imperialist Struggle. In the call for action, scheduled to fall on International Human Rights Day, movements have demanded an end to the "inhuman conditions" that Assange has been subjected to in Belmarsh prison in the United Kingdom. | Activists are encouraged to sign an open letter to the Britis…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/12/10/anti-imperialists-around-the-world-extend-solidarity-for-assange/

Julian Assange: COVID Risks and Campaigns for Pardon
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2020-12-10
Before the January 4 ruling of District Judge Vanessa Baraitser in the extradition case of Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks publisher will continue to endure the ordeal of cold prison facilities while being menaced by a COVID-19 outbreak. From November …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-covid-risks-campaigns-pardon/5731762

Biden's Defense Secretary Pick Shows the Revolving Door for Military Contractors Remains
Sarah Lazare | globalresearch.ca | 2020-12-10
Pres ≠i ≠dent-elect Joe Biden has tapped retired Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III for the pow ≠er ≠ful role of defense sec ≠re ≠tary, news out ≠lets revealed Decem ≠ber 7. Spec ≠u ≠la ≠tion over who Biden would pick had been brew ≠ing for weeks. All three top con ≠tenders for …
globalresearch.ca/biden-defense-secretary-pick-shows-military-contractors-remains/5731810

Italy to indict Egyptian security officers in Giulio Regeni murder case
MEE and agencies | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-10
Italy to indict Egyptian security officers in Giulio Regeni murder case | Italian prosecutors give four men 20 days to respond to charges before asking judge to begin trial | MEE and agencies | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 16: 18 | Activist in Cairo holds poster calling for justice in case of murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni in 2016 (Reuters) | Italian prosecutors in Rome announced on Thursday that they plan to s…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/italy-indict-egypt-security-officers-torture-and-death-regeni

Genocidal monarchy set to receive $23 billion in U.S. weapons after Senate resolution fails
Patricia Gorky | liberationnews.org | 2020-12-10
Two resolutions in the Senate to block the sale of $23 billion in advanced fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates failed yesterday in close votes.
liberationnews.org/genocidal-monarchy-set-to-receive-23-billion-in-u-s-weapons-after-senate-resolution-fails/

Stop Government Attack On COVID-19 Whistleblower
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-12-10
Florida state police barged into Jones' home Monday with guns aimed at her and her family. They seized her phone, computer and several hard drives, preventing her from continuing to publish data on COVID-19 outbreaks. After the raid Jones tweeted: "They pointed a gun in my face. They pointed guns at my kids… This was DeSantis. He sent the gestapo." | Jones tweeted Friday that she has learned that Circuit Judge Joshua Hawkes was appointed by Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in September, and one of his first acts as a judge was to sign the search warrant that led to the seizure of her technology.
popularresistance.org/stop-government-attack-on-covid-19-whistleblower/

US Senate fails to block arms sales to UAE despite concerns of misuse and regional arms race
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-12-10
Two resolutions presented to block the sale of F-35 jets and Reaper Drones to UAE were defeated by a simple majority of 49 to 47 and 50 to 46 in the 100-member Senate…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/12/10/us-senate-fails-to-block-arms-sales-to-uae-despite-concerns-of-misuse-and-regional-arms-race/

'Severe Blow to Iraqi Torture Survivors': Despite Evidence of UK War Crimes, ICC Drops War Crimes Probe
Andrea Germanos, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-12-09
The decision "will doubtless fuel perceptions of an ugly double standard in justice: one approach to powerful states and quite another for those with less clout." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/icc-no-probe-uk-war-crimes.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/12/09/severe-blow-iraqi-torture-survivors-despite-evidence-uk-war-crimes-icc-drops-war?cd-origin=rss

Florida state agents raid home of COVID-19 whistleblower
Sameena Rahman | liberationnews.org | 2020-12-09
This raid comes at a time when the most recent CDC data indicates that Florida surpassed 19,000 deaths due to the coronavirus, and last week, Florida became the third state in the United States to exceed 1 million cases.
liberationnews.org/florida-state-agents-raid-home-of-covid-19-whistleblower/

Action for Change Starts in Congress
Ralph Nader | counterpunch.org | 2020-12-08