2020-12-31: News Headlines

Vijay Prashad (2020-12-31). The Future Will Only Contain What We Put into It Now. dissidentvoice.org Image in homage of Bolivian people's resistance by Tings Chak (China) Towards the end of November, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres addressed the German Bundestag to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). At the heart of the UN is its Charter, the treaty that binds nations together in a global project, …

Rayhan Uddin (2020-12-31). Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison. middleeasteye.net Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad sentenced to four years in prison | Charges against the Islamic scholar and academic said to include attending a book fair and visiting detainees in jail | Thu, 12/31/2020 – 13: 50 | Ahmad was detained by Saudi authorities in September 2017 as a part of a widespread crackdown on scholars and intellectuals (Screengrab/Twitter) | Saudi preacher Yousef al-Ahmad has been sen…

RT (2020-12-31). Black man tests positive for Covid-19 after being wrongfully detained by maskless Virginia police officer in viral video. rt.com A black man has tested positive for Covid-19 soon after a maskless white officer mistakenly detained him at a mall in Virginia, his fiancee has said. Police previously apologized and admitted the officer had broken Covid-19 rules. | Jamar Mackey got tested three days after the altercation with a maskless officer, and the positive result arrived on Christmas Eve, the man's fiancee, Shantel Covil, told local news channel WAVY-TV. | "I'm very angry that they put my family at risk. Me and Jamar, that's one thing. But our kids, that's what upsets me the most," Covil said. | They arrested him, of course, no gloves,…

Dr. Joseph Mercola (2020-12-31). Why Lockdowns Don't Work and Hurt the Most Vulnerable. Bankruptcies, Poverty, Despair. globalresearch.ca In a December 9, 2020, Twitter thread,1 Michael P. Senger, an attorney and author of the September 2020 article,2 "China's Global Lockdown Propaganda Campaign," reviewed the largely hidden impacts of global lockdowns. Ivor Cummins' video also reviews …

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-31). "Our region lost a real peace hero": Iran Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a tweet on Thu. wrote that the region lost a real peace hero, referring to the 1st anniversary of martyrdom of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Online News Editor (2020-12-31). Thai authorities detain 14 suspected pro-democracy protesters. laprensalatina.com Bangkok, Dec 31 (efe-epa).- Thai authorities on Thursday arrested 14 suspected members of the pro-democracy movement that in recent months has staged a wave of mass protests calling for political and royal reforms. The NGO Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Twitter that the detainees were accused of breaching the emergency law banning street …

RT (2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6mn doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, Bolivia will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, which was also attended by Bolivian President Luis Arce. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter

RT (2020-12-30). Bolivia signs contract to purchase 2.6 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Bolivia has become the third Latin American nation to strike an agreement with Russia's Direct Investment Fund for supplies of its Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19. Under the deal, La Paz will receive 2.6 million doses. | The contract between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Bolivia's Health Supply Center (CEASS) was signed during a videoconference, in which Bolivian President Luis Arce took part. | The president praised Sputnik V in a Twitter

Staff (2020-12-30). "This Is How Black People Get Killed": Dr. Susan Moore Dies of COVID After Decrying Racist Care. democracynow.org ‚Ä®As the United States reports record deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the final days of 2020, we look at how the pandemic that ravaged the country this year has shone a stark new light on racism in medical care. In a viral video recorded by Black physician Dr. Susan Moore, she describes racist treatment by medical staff at a hospital in Indianapolis and says they did not respond to her pleas for care, despite being in intense pain and being a doctor herself. In the video, Dr. Moore says she had to beg to receive pain medication and the antiviral drug remdesivir, and accuses a doctor a…

Rafael Figueroa (2020-12-30). Memphis Zoo Seeking Donations, Will Temporarily Close. laprensalatina.com MEMPHIS, TN (FOX 13) — The ongoing pandemic has hit businesses hard this year, and the Memphis Zoo is asking for donations. The Zoo is temporarily closing in accordance with the Shelby County Health Directive 16. The closure will go into effect Dec. 30. According to a Facebook post from the Zoo, the safety of …

Staff (2020-12-30). Dr. Susan Moore Died of COVID 2 Weeks After Recording Video Decrying Racist Care. truthout.org As the United States reports record deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19 in the final days of 2020, we look at how the pandemic that ravaged the country this year has shone a stark new light on racism in medical care. In a viral video recorded by Black physician Dr. Susan Moore, she describes racist treatment by medical staff at a hospital in Indianapolis and says they did not respond to her pleas for care, despite being in intense pain and being a doctor herself. In the video, Dr. Moore says she had to beg…

teleSUR (2020-12-30). Yemen: At Least 27 Killed As Explosions Target New Government. telesurenglish.net The ministers were not injured, and an Al Arabiya correspondent indicated that the explosion was accompanied by subsequent gunfire. | Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani stated through his personal Twitter account that "the cowardly terrorist attack" was carried out by "the Iranian-backed Huthian militia." | RELATED: | For its part, Sky News Arabia quotes its correspondent and reports that two explosions…

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-30). Soleimani blood united regional nations against US arrogance. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) — In a tweet on early Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry stated that the blood of Martyr General Soleimani united regional nations against the US arrogance and presence.

Online News Editor (2020-12-30). EU and China conclude negotiations on investment deal. laprensalatina.com Brussels, Dec 30 (efe-epa).- The European Union and China concluded negotiations on a long-awaited investment deal designed to lower business barriers to European companies in China and push toward leveling the playing field between the two economic powers. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: "The EU has the largest single market in the …

Ralph Nader (2020-12-29). Recidivist Criminal and Constitutional Outlaw Trump Rushes to Pardon Criminal Lawbreakers. counterpunch.org Serial lawbreaker Donald J. Trump is embarking on the most sordid presidential pardon spree in American history. He has already pardoned convicted crooks, thieves, and violent outlaws. Trump's pardon lawyers are frantically assembling more MAGA besotted individuals and groups to be pardoned wholesale. The number may climb into the hundreds. The queue is long. Trump

Thomas Knapp (2020-12-29). Why Not Take Congressional Proxy Voting All the Way? counterpunch.org The Hill reports that US House Republicans, who made a show earlier this year of opposing remote and proxy voting in Congress, are warming to the latter practice. US Representative Paul Mitchell (R-MI) gave his proxy to US Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) in early December, declaring by tweet that "I will not risk my family's

Rayhan Uddin (2020-12-28). Saudi rights activist launches hunger strike over conditions at al-Hair prison. middleeasteye.net Saudi rights activist launches hunger strike over conditions at al-Hair prison | Former economics professor Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani becomes latest political detainee to challenge conditions at notorious Saudi facility | Mon, 12/28/2020 – 13: 28 | Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani, a Saudi professor and human rights activist, has been detained since 2012 (Screengrab/Twitter) | Jailed Saudi human rights activ…

sputniknews (2020-12-28). Dominion Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter to Witness Who Accompanied Giuliani. sputniknews.com Melissa Carone, who was introduced as a former contractor for Dominion, appeared alongside Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani in front of Michigan's state legislature. Her testimony, in which she claimed voter fraud, later went viral.

Staff (2020-12-28). Rep. Ro Khanna Won't Vote to Override Trump Veto on Defense Bill. truthout.org Congress is set to override President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act, the $740 billion annual defense policy bill that funds the U.S. military. Trump vetoed the legislation last week over objections to liability protections for social media companies and because he did not want to rename military bases currently named for Confederate generals. Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna says Trump's reasons for vetoing the bill are "disingenuous," but that he will not be voting to override the…