Daily Archives: December 8, 2020

2020-12-08: News Headlines

A Guest Author (2020-12-09). Embassy Protection Collective will help monitor Venezuelan elections. workers.org By Jose Szepara On Dec. 6, Venezuelans will turn out to vote in the country's National Assembly elections, and the world waits with bated breath as observers from all over the world wait for the final results. Election monitoring groups have made their way to Venezuela to act as impartial . . . |

Lyn Neeley (2020-12-09). Venezuelan court convicts the CITGO Six. workers.org Venezuela's Supreme Court sentenced six top CITGO oil executives to prison for corruption, embezzlement, money laundering and conspiracy on Nov. 26. The former executives went behind the back of the Venezuelan state and signed an agreement with two U.S. based-international financial companies — for which they were detained in Nov. . . . |

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 …

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-08). Three quarters of Brazilian Amazon have been infected with COVID-19 since March. imperial.ac.uk Three quarters of the population of Manaus in Brazil's Amazon have been infected with coronavirus since the city's first outbreak in March.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-12-08). 76% of Brazilian Amazon have been infected with COVID-19 since first outbreak. imperial.ac.uk Three quarters of the population of Manaus in Brazil's Amazon have been infected with coronavirus since the city's first outbreak in March.

Mike Whitney (2020-12-08). The COVID-19 Vaccine; Is the Goal Immunity or Depopulation? globalresearch.ca "There is absolutely no need for vaccines to extinguish the pandemic… You do not vaccinate people who aren't at risk from a disease. You also don't set about planning to vaccinate millions of fit and healthy people with a vaccine …

Stephen Lendman (2020-12-08). Bolivarian Social Democracy Triumphs in Venezuelan National Assembly Elections. globalresearch.ca On Sunday, Venezuelans voted to elect 277 National Assembly members for five-year terms from January 5, 2021 to January 5, 2026. | An unprecedented total of 14,400 candidates from 107 political parties ran for office. | Two Bolivarian blocs were heavy favorites …

Margaret Flowers (2020-12-08). Venezuela Votes to End Neocolonialism, Create Its Own Path. dissidentvoice.org On December 2, the Embassy Protection Collective (EPC) members, who were arrested in May 2019 when the United States illegally invaded the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, DC, completed their probation, ending the risk of the 30 days in prison that was being held over their heads. I am one of the four who were arrested. …

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

Sergio Ferrari (2020-12-08). Cuba: A sign of hope for impoverished countries. peoplesworld.org Just a few days before commercial flights with Cuba were reestablished, in the middle of November, the Swiss physician and professor Franco Cavalli traveled to that Caribbean nation. He is president of MediCuba Europe, an important network of healthcare NGOs with a presence in 13 countries. He is also one of the first European scientists …

The Canary (2020-12-08). Six reasons why the coronavirus pandemic will not be over soon. thecanary.co The coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination programme has started in the UK but the public has been warned that the pandemic is not over yet.Coronavirus restrictions could still be in place for weeks and months to come as the NHS, regulators, scientists and, manufacturers take on the challenge of rolling out vaccines for the country's population.Here are some of the reasons why life still won't be returning to normal soon: 1. Millions of vaccine doses are yet to be deliveredA phial of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine concentrate is transported from storage ready for use at Guy's Hospital in London (Victoria Jone…

Joshua Hanks (2020-12-08). China replacing U.S. as world's leading scientific power. workers.org The first day of December saw two major scientific events: the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico collapsed, and China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft landed on the moon. These two events are the latest developments in the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and China — a new Cold War being fought on . . . |

teleSUR (2020-12-08). Guaido Threatens to Use Force to Overthrow President Maduro. telesurenglish.net The U.S.-backed opposition politician Juan Guaido Tuesday assured that he does not rule out violence to overthrow Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro because "we must have all possible alternatives in mind." | RELATED: | "The only option is to keep putting pressure on Maduro because he will not leave power voluntarily," Guaido said and called on the international community to reject the elections' results. | The el…

Fight Back (2020-12-08). Venezuela: Free and fair election day confirmed by international observers. fightbacknews.org Caracas, Venezuela – A middle-aged man in Guairda waits in line to vote for the National Assembly and says, "Here voting is easy and safe. It takes 30 seconds to one minute. With all the participation from the people in the Guairda area, we will show the world that we want to live in peace, without guarimbas [street blockades], without violence, without economic sanctions, and we will show to other people that we are demanding sovereignty. This is why the majority of Venezuelans are carrying out our duty and our right to vote." | The election of the National Assembly in Venezuela was Sunday, December 6. Election…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-12-08). Chavismo wins in Venezuela parliamentary elections. peoplesdispatch.org The govt-led Gran Polo Patriotic alliance won 67.6% of the votes in the National Assembly elections held in Venezuela on December 6. The voting was monitored by 1,500 observers and 300 representatives from 34 countries worldwide who have called the process transparent and free from any discrepancies. What are the challenges ahead for the newly elected parliament?

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-08). MP hails Venezuelan's 'transparent' Assembly elections. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 08 (MNA) — Felicitating Venezuelans for their successful election, Iranian MP Amouei hailed Arreaza, the former Vice President of Venezuela for his cooperation and hospitality toward the Iranian nation.

Zoe PC (2020-12-08). Venezuelan elections: What lies ahead? peoplesdispatch.org The legislative elections in Venezuela saw the ruling Great Patriotic Pole emerge victorious. The new Assembly has a number of challenges with far right-wing sections under Juan Guaidó continuing to foment discontent, and the country facing an economic crisis…

teleSUR (2020-12-08). International Community's Double Standards Affect Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa Tuesday condemned the international opposition to Venezuela's parliamentary elections held on December 6. | RELATED: | "The attitude of many world leaders shows their double standard in issues such as human rights and electoral rights," Correa explained. | Countries such as Germany, Canada, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile are calling Venezuela's parliamentary elections illegitima…

Vahia IV, Jeste DV, Reynolds CF, III. (2020-12-08). Older Adults and the Mental Health Effects of COVID-19. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint summarizes evidence suggesting that, counter to expectation, older adults as a group may be more resilient to the anxiety, depression, and stress-related mental health disorders characteristic of younger populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

teleSUR (2020-12-08). International Observers Back up Venezuela's Elections Results. telesurenglish.net International observers reaffirmed the transparency of the parliamentary elections held in Venezuela on Sunday, while also condemning the calls by Western governments for non-recognition of the elections' results. | RELATED: | "We reject the external interference and the declarations of non-recognition of the governments of the United States, Canada, and the European Union, which, having been invited with all the g…

Abbasi J. (2020-12-08). Using Smartwatch Data to Detect COVID-19 Cases Early. jamanetwork.com Early this year, investigators at the Scripps Research Translational Institute found that resting heart rate and sleep data from wearable sensors could predict population-level trends in influenza-like illness. Now, a new study from the same team suggests that wearable sensor data combined with self-reported symptoms might aid in the early detection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

teleSUR (2020-12-08). Venezuela: Electoral Council Briefs on Second Election Report. telesurenglish.net Having counted 98.63 percent of the ballots cast in Sunday's elections, the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP) coalition secured 75 percent of the 277 seats that make up Venezuela's Parliament. | RELATED: | National Electoral Council (CNE) President Indira Alfonzo informed that valid votes tallies climbed to 6,251,018 votes, which represents a turnout of 30.6 percent. | GPP obtained 4 million 277,926 votes for a total of 68.43 perc…

_____ (2020-12-07). US Congress and corporate media deploy massive lie, claiming Venezuela's gov't threatened to starve non-voters. strategic-culture.org Max BLUMENTHAL, Anya PARAMPIL | Spun out by the US Congress and Wall Street Journal, the cynical deception is part of an assault on Venezuela's legislative election, in which even opposition politicians were sanctioned for participating. | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US corporate media Among the most blatant distortions deployed against…

teleSUR (2020-12-07). World Leaders Support Venezuela After Assembly Election Results. telesurenglish.net World presidents and political actors Monday sent their congratulations to the Venezuelan government for the parliamentary elections in which the leftist coalition Great Patriotic Pole (GPP) had a resounding victory. | RELATED: | "Chavism won the elections. This is a victory for the Bolivarian revolution and the people. The support for President Nicolas Maduro is a tribute to Commander Hugo Chavez. This sister Caribbean island send…

teleSUR (2020-12-07). President Maduro: 'Democracy Triumphs, a New Cycle Begins'. telesurenglish.net President Nicolas Maduro Monday congratulated the Great Patriotic Pole, a coalition of leftist political organizations, for its victory and the Venezuelan people for the democratic vocation expressed in the elections held on Dec. 6. | RELATED: | "Venezuela has a new Assembly. This is a great victory for democracy and the country's Constitution. Five years ago we recognized the opposition's triumph, but today it was…

_____ (2020-12-07). US Congress And Corporate Media Claim Venezuela's Government Threatened To Starve Non-Voters. popularresistance.org Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US corporate media declared Venezuela's legislative elections a "sham" before results were even announced, opening a new front in the propaganda war on the besieged country and its leftist government. | Among the most blatant distortions deployed against President Nicolas Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) was a claim first advanced by Leopoldo López, the far-right, US-backed opposition leader who recently fled to Spain. | On Twitter, López tweeted a deceptively edited clip of Constituent Assembly President Diosdado Cabello addressing an election rally, and accu…

Alan Macleod (2020-12-07). US Media, Pols Rage After Venezuelans Defy US Empire to Re-elect Socialists. mintpressnews.com Despite the fact that the election was overseen by over 4,500 international observers, US pols and media pundits alike labeled it a sham before it even took place.

teleSUR (2020-12-07). Spain's Ex-President Props Elections Held in Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Spain's former President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (2004-2011) highlighted that the parliamentary elections held in Venezuela on Sunday must be the end of "unfair and incomprehensible sanctions" against Venezuela. | RELATED: | He rejected the U.S. policy of aggression and violence promoted against the Bolivarian nation, noting that only "voting" and "dialogue" are the way to develop constructive relations. | Rodr…

teleSUR (2020-12-07). FM Arreaza Rejects US Claims of Fraud at Venezuelan Elections. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza Sunday rejected the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's statements about an alleged "fraud" at the National Assembly elections. | RELATED: | "Pompeo must accept that the policy towards the Bolivarian nation has failed. According to President Donald Trump, the fraud was committed in the U.S. elections," Arreaza tweeted, alluding to the claims of the White House leader after…

Ireland University Student (2020-12-07). Ireland and U.S. Imperialism. mronline.org When discussing Ireland's role in imperialism today it is vital to highlight the role Ireland plays in assisting the U.S. to extract profits from 'poorer nations'. That is to say nations that have abundant natural resources that the mass of the local population do not get to reap the benefits of.

MEE staff (2020-12-07). Turkey condemns seizure of vessel by Haftar's forces in Libyan waters. middleeasteye.net Turkey condemns seizure of vessel by Haftar's forces in Libyan waters | LNA spokesman says Jamaican-flagged vessel did not respond to calls for communication before it was captured | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 23: 02 | Self-proclaimed LNA forces in the eastern city of Benghazi, 1 November 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Turkey condemned on Tuesday the interception of one of its ships by eastern-based Libyan forces in the Medit…

MEE staff (2020-12-07). Haftar's forces intercept Turkish ship in Libya waters, says spokesman. middleeasteye.net Haftar's forces intercept Turkish ship in Libya waters, says spokesman | LNA spokesman says Jamaican-flagged vessel did not respond to calls for communication before it was captured | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 23: 02 | Self-proclaimed LNA forces in the eastern city of Benghazi, 1 November (AFP/File photo) | Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have intercepted a Turkish ship off the North African co…

MEE staff (2020-12-07). Haftar's forces intercept Turkish ship in Libya waters: Spokesman. middleeasteye.net Haftar's forces intercept Turkish ship in Libya waters: Spokesman | LNA spokesman says Jamaican-flagged vessel did not respond to calls for communication before it was captured | Mon, 12/07/2020 – 23: 02 | Self-proclaimed LNA forces in the eastern city of Benghazi, 1 November (AFP/File photo) | Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have intercepted a Turkish ship off the North African country…

David Edwards (2020-12-07). Stuck In A Lift With John Pilger — 'News And How To Use It' by Alan Rusbridger. zcomm.org Pilger tells the unfiltered, uncompromised truth about the foundations of power. His focus is on speaking up for the victims of power, not on serving power…

Paul Dobson (2020-12-07). Venezuela's PSUV Retakes Control of National Assembly Despite Low Turnout. venezuelanalysis.com With 99 percent of the votes counted, the PSUV has won 68 percent with a 30.5 percent participation rate.

_____ (2020-12-07). Parliamentary Elections In Venezuela: All You Need To Know. popularresistance.org This December 6, Venezuela is holding its twenty-sixth election since Chavismo took political power in 1998. This time around, the people will elect a new National Assembly with one of the most diverse ballots seen in recent years, in which five major blocks — two from the left and three on the right – are competing. | Venezuelanalysis brings you this quick guide which explains everything you need to know before the vote, while also highlighting some key contests taking place. | Who is voting? 20.7 million people are registered, including 51,398 new voters.

teleSUR (2020-12-07). UNESCO Awards Colombian Educator's Inclusive Work. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) awarded Colombian educator Eduardo Perez with the "Emir Jaber al Ahmad al Jaber al Sabah" Prize in recognition of his work in developing technology-based resources for people with visual and hearing disabilities. | RELATED: | The Prize was granted based on his pioneering technological and educational tools for sign language users in the Spanish-speaking world, whic…

teleSUR (2020-12-07). Venezuela Rejects European Double Standards on Elections. telesurenglish.net Just a day after the parliamentary elections were held in Venezuela, several European countries and their right-wing representatives have failed to recognize the triumph of the governing coalition that won most seats in the National Assembly in the country's most expected elections in several years. | RELATED: | "Some politicians of the European right are today unleashing a rampage against Venezuela, especially from…

_____ (2020-12-07). Venezuela; 6D Elections, What's At Stake And Who Will Win? popularresistance.org Venezuelans once again headed to the polls on December 6 in what seems to be the mother of all battles for the National Assembly of Venezuela. Since 2015, this institution has been taken over by anti-Chavismo in what was not an anti-Chavismo vote, but instead of a vote of discontent with the economic situation Venezuela was at the time facing. Hugo Chavez said on March 26 of 2006, that "every revolution needs the whip of the counter-revolution, so strike with the whip, we can take it! To each whiplash we will respond with more revolution!".

teleSUR (2020-12-07). 'Venezuela Has Now a Legitimate Assembly' Observers Note. telesurenglish.net The head of the delegation of Russian electoral observers Igor Ananskij highlighted that Venezuela's National Assembly gained legitimacy after the elections that took place on Sunday, December 6. | RELATED: | "The most important result of these elections is that Venezuela now has a legitimate National Assembly," Ananskij told Sputnik. | The vice president of the Russian Parliament's Lower House (Duma) also expressed…

WSWS (2020-12-07). One-quarter of Macomb County Jail inmates test positive for coronavirus. wsws.org The county as a whole has had more than 39,000 cases throughout the year, equal to nearly 4.5 percent of the entire population.

teleSUR (2020-12-07). Iran and Venezuela Continue Oil Shipments Despite US Sanctions. telesurenglish.net According to Bloomberg reports, Iran is sending a large fleet of oil tankers to Venezuela to help the Latin American nation survive a severe lack of fuel. Both countries are facing U.S. sanctions targeting their oil trade. According to the sources, some of the fleet of around ten Iranian vessels will also help export Venezuelan crude after discharging fuel. | RELATED: | The current fleet under sail is about double the size…

news.un (2020-12-07). Prioritize health workers, at-risk groups, for COVID-19 vaccines: WHO chief. news.un.org As countries plan to roll out COVID-19 vaccines in the coming days, weeks and months, health workers and other at-risk populations should be prioritized for vaccination, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.