(2021-12-22). 'We have to reexamine the legality of US drone wars'. peoplesdispatch.org Newly declassified Pentagon documents revealed the scale of devastation caused by flawed US intelligence as US forces bombed across various countries in West Asia. An investigation by New York Times showed that "flawed intelligence" and "faulty targeting" resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 civilians over the last decade. Official numbers undercounted these deaths by several hundred at least.
(2021-12-22). Chris Hedges on the Persecution of Julian Assange (Video). scheerpost.com 
In July 2010, Wikileaks published Cablegate, one of the biggest leaks in the history of the US military, including evidence for war crimes and torture. Julian Assange, the founder and spokesman of Wikileaks, immediately found himself a target, accused of hacking, and later sexual assault. He spent the next seven years in asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, fearful that he would be extradited to Sweden to face the accusations of assault and then sent to US. In 2019, Assange was handed over to the British police. On the same day, the US demanded his extradition. He faces up to 175 years in prison for…
(2021-12-22). VIDEO: Join emergency online meeting today to demand Julian Assange's immediate release. wsws.org "We need an independent movement of the working class, students and youth to free Assange."
(2021-12-22). Eggnog. Shaken, Not Stirred: UK Intelligence Agency MI6 Releases Christmas Card…Featuring Spy Santa. sputniknews.com For years the country's top intelligence agency has distanced itself from one of Britain's most iconic characters, James Bond, saying the film saga has little to do with the real work done in spy agencies.
(2021-12-22). COVID-19 death of student propels teachers' walkout. workers.org 
Philadelphia The Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down a school mask mandate imposed by the Commonwealth at the beginning of the 2021 school year on Dec. 10. The court's ruling left it up to each school district to set policy. Three days later, Alayna Thach, a beloved 17-year-old student at Aspira . . . |
(2021-12-22). Chants in the Night — We Won't Give Up without a Fight! indybay.org December 1 was a day of many demos in the SF Bay Area to demand that the Supreme Court protect Roe v. Wade. In San Francisco at Market and Powell, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) hosted a rally. In this video, organizer Mei Mei with PSL speaks following enthusiastic rounds of chanting.
(2021-12-21). New York Times Reporting on Airstrikes Should Give Daniel Hale More Credit. popularresistance.org Hale used his first hand experience identifying targets for the drone program to highlight how it relies on faulty criteria, and as a result, kills civilians. Later, Hale worked for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, where he had access to documents on how the drone program operates. Hale provided those documents to the Intercept which published them as The Drone Papers in 2015. While Hale's documents were not as comprehensive as the trove recently published by the New York Times, they did provide much of the same core revelations, particularly the faulty nature of how intelligence is gathered and the h…
(2021-12-21). NYT Reporting On Airstrikes Should Give Daniel Hale More Credit. popularresistance.org The New York Times recently came through with a display of reporting that should be commended. On December 18, the paper announced its release of hundreds of the Pentagon's confidential reports of civilian casualties caused by U.S. airstrikes in the Middle East. This follows its high profile investigations into the U.S. drone murder of the Ahmadi family during the Afghanistan withdrawal, and an American strike cell in Syria that killed dozens of civilians with airstrikes. | Many journalists will, rightfully, praise the New York Times for its reporting on U.S. airstrikes and the civilian cost. Far fewer will point…
(2021-12-21). Saudis used Pegasus to spy on UN investigator looking into war crimes in Yemen. peoplesdispatch.org Saudi Arabia started spying on the chairman of the UN-mandated Group of Eminent Experts weeks before the independent panel released a bombshell report recommending criminal prosecution against members of the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen…
(2021-12-21). A Julian Assange Update Featuring Kevin Gosztola. projectcensored.org Independent journalist Kevin Gosztola of Shadowproof.com returns to the program to deliver another update about the Julian Assange extradition case in the UK, and its disturbing implications for press freedom. Then we hear a…
(2021-12-21). UK Imperialism Tightens its Grasp on Venezuela's Gold. orinocotribune.com The case of the Venezuelan gold seized by the United Kingdom continues to develop as the UK Supreme Court ruled earlier today that the case should now be referred to the Commercial Court. The UK Supreme Court stated that it could not contradict the decision of the country's Executive, which alarmingly—and in a contradictory fashion—continues to recognize former deputy Juan Guaidó as "interim president." | The UK Supreme Court explained in its ruling that the UK courts cannot contradict the government, which claims to recognize the self-proclaimed president and not the Constitutional President, Nicolás…
(2021-12-21). Venezuela Mourns Earle Herrera, Mentor for Journalists & Remarkable Chavista. orinocotribune.com 
Through his Twitter account, Venezuelan Minister for Communication and Information Freddy àëáñez announced the passing of prominent journalist and remarkable Chavista Earle Herrera. "I am very sorry for the death of Earle Herrera, an institution in journalism, a lucid man and faithful to ideas," wrote àëáñez. "His articles accompanied us with humor and intelligence on sunny and rainy days, and now with his silence he will continue to demand more from us. Until we meet again, maestro." | Born in El Tigrito, Anzoátegui state, on April 23, 1949, Herrera was an outstanding professor at the Central Universit…
(2021-12-21). Locations Of US Carrier Strike Groups — December 21, 2021. southfront.org 
This is the newest update of the 'U.S. Carrier Strike Groups Locations Map' exclusive series showing the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups. SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence tracks locations of U.S. aircraft carriers using the available open-source information. No classified information was used in production of the map. | click to see the full-size image | Carrier strike group (CSG) is an operational formation of the United States Navy. It is centered on an aircraft carrier and a carrier ai…
(2021-12-21). The Kremlin's Credibility Is At Stake. globalresearch.ca The CIA and British intelligence are feeding the public through their media assets the story that Russia's security concern is really a cloak behind which hides Moscow's plan to create a new Russian sphere of influence over eastern Europe. | Of …
(2021-12-21). UK court rules on who Venezuela's president is, in row over gold. rt.com 
The Supreme Court has overturned a ruling that put into question London's recognition of Juan Guaido as Venezuela's head of state, putting the politician closer to taking control of almost $2bn in Venezuelan gold. | The Monday ruling is part of a court war which Guaido, the self-proclaimed 'interim president' of Venezuela, is waging against the country's elected government over gold reserves put for safekeeping with the Bank of England. | An earlier ruling by an appeals court sided with the government in Caracas, stating that Guaido has no de facto power in Venezuela. Thus, his public recognition as the legiti…
(2021-12-21). Venezuela condemns British Supreme court ruling to maintain blockade on gold. peoplesdispatch.org The Central Bank of Venezuela has been engaged in a legal battle to recover 31 tons of public gold deposited at the Bank of England…
(2021-12-21). Tomgram: Andrew Bacevich, Mission Unaccomplished. warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. "There's no such thing as a free lunch" is an old American adage. Venerable, time-tested, and seemingly true, though here's an exception: retired general, disgraced former CIA chief, and leaker of classified information, David Petraeus. For years, I've …