mpenadmin – Page 95

Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-21

Voices, The Peoples News

December 21, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

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# Indigenous
St. Regis Mohawk Tribe gets money for electric vehicles, thanks to Volkswagen Indigenous communities across the country have dealt with pollution which affects their resources and their health.
https://www.newsbreak.com/new-york/akwesasne/news/2129730328971/st-regis-mohawk-tribe-gets-money-for-electric-vehicles-thanks-to-volkswagen

After decades of activism, the Navajo coal plant has been demolished.
The smokestacks at the largest coal plant in the western US have been knocked down. Now the work of cleanup begins.
https://www.vox.com/2020/12/19/22189046/navajo-coal-generating-station-smokestacks-demolished

Apache Nation Organizes Day of Action Against Proposed Copper Mine https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-oakflat-apache/apache-tribe-marches-to-protect-sacred-arizona-site-from-copper-mine-idUSKCN20M1QM

# Border / Immigration
Congress to approve $1.375 billion for border wall in 2021. The funding for the wall in this measure would continue after Trump leaves office.
https://thehill.com/policy/finance/531088-congress-to-approve-1375-billion-for-border-wall-in-2021

# Bundy Rides Again
How Ammon Bundy Helped Foment an Anti-Masker Rebellion in Idaho. The
COVID-19 pandemic has pitted establishment Republicans, who defer to public-health officials’ expertise, against hard-right libertarians.
https://news.knowledia.com/US/en/articles/how-ammon-bundy-helped-foment-an-anti-masker-rebellion-in-idaho-1dced293fd8d94dcc6a5d035742bd6e40e24bf51

# CoronaVirus
WARNING: 3,150 Injuries in First Week of Illegal Experimental COVID Vaccines Among American Healthcare Workers! Pregnant Women Included https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/warning-3150-injuries-in-first-week-of-illegal-experimental-covid-vaccines-among-american-healthcare-workers-pregnant-women-included/

FDA investigating allergic reactions to Pfizer vaccine reported in multiple states https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/530966-fda-investigating-allergic-reactions-to-pfizer-vaccine-reported-in-multiple

CDC Issues New Guidelines, Launches Probe After 1000s Negatively Affected Following COVID-19 Vaccination https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/cdc-issues-new-guidelines-launches-probe-after-1000s-negatively-affected-following-covid

‘Baffling’: Trump Admin Reportedly Slashing Vaccine Allocations to States While Millions of Doses Sit on Shelves. “We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses,” Pfizer said.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/18/baffling-trump-admin-reportedly-slashing-vaccine-allocations-states-while-millions

U.S. Scientists Checking if Mutant COVID Can Resist Vax: A recent scientific article suggested that the novel coronavirus responsible for the Covid-19 epidemic has mutated into a more “aggressive” form. Is this something we need to worry about? No, and here’s why.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/07/health/coronavirus-mutations-analysis/index.html

Cuomo Demands Feds Test Visitors From U.K. for COVID Variant. “Right now, this variant in the U.K. is getting on a plane and flying to JFK,”
he said.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/cuomo-calls-for-testing-or-ban-on-british-travelers-as-covid-mutation-spreads-in-u-k/2791753/

Newsom Sent Into Quarantine as COVID Rips Through His State. The governor’s exposure comes during an astonishingly steep surge in
COVID-19 cases in California—it averaged more than 40,000 new cases a day last week.
https://nypost.com/2020/12/21/gavin-newsom-in-quarantine-after-staffer-tests-positive-for-covid-19/

Guv Has Nation’s Worst COVID Outbreak, Refuses Mask Mandate. Bill Lee’s own wife has now tested positive for the virus, but on Sunday he said he still wouldn’t institute a mask mandate.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/20/tennessee-mask-mandate-covid-19-cases-surge-bill-lee/3977135001/

Italy Detects Case of Mutant British Coronavirus Strain. The patient traveled from the United Kingdom to Italy sometime in the past week, authorities said.
https://www.livemint.com/news/world/italy-detects-new-mutated-covid-19-strain-in-uk-returnee-11608508978880.html

What we know about the new coronavirus variant that scientists say spreads more quickly https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/fast-spreading-covid-variant-in-england-uk

Do Senate Hearings Show That COVID-19 Vaccine Use Is Illegal?
https://ecency.com/health/@activistpost/do-senate-hearings-show-that-covid-19-vaccine-use-is-illegal

The story of mRNA: How a once-dismissed idea became a leading technology in the Covid vaccine race https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/10/the-story-of-mrna-how-a-once-dismissed-idea-became-a-leading-technology-in-the-covid-vaccine-race/

‘Slap in the Face for People Suffering Across the Country’: Critics Slam Watered-Down Covid Relief Deal https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/21/slap-face-people-suffering-across-country-critics-slam-watered-down-covid-relief

# Economy / Trade
Congress clinches sweeping deal on coronavirus relief, government funding https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/531074-congress-gets-sweeping-deal-on-coronavirus-relief-government-funding

Congress Agrees on $900 Billion Second Stimulus Deal. The bill is expected to include $600 stimulus checks, as well as $300 in weekly unemployment insurance.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/cuomo-calls-for-testing-or-ban-on-british-travelers-as-covid-mutation-spreads-in-u-k/2791753/

‘$600 Is Not Enough,’ Say Progressives as Congressional Leaders Reach Covid Relief Deal. “How are the millions of people facing evictions, remaining unemployed, standing in food bank and soup kitchen lines supposed to live off of $600? We didn’t send help for eight months.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/20/600-not-enough-say-progressives-congressional-leaders-reach-covid-relief-deal

What is in the $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. Stimulus checks, jobless aid, PPP small-business loans among relief set to be passed by Congress
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-in-the-900-billion-covid-19-aid-bill-11608557531

Green Social Democracy Offers the Most Viable Path Toward a Sustainable Future A green social democracy offers a way out of economic and climate crises, says economics professor David Kotz https://truthout.org/articles/green-social-democracy-offers-the-most-viable-path-toward-a-sustainable-future/

Trump Enacts Sweeping New Sanctions on China, Iran, Venezuela. Biden Promises More To Come https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/trump-set-record-sanctions-use-that-biden-is-likely-to-maintain

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
In last rush, Trump grants mining and energy firms access to public lands. The outgoing administration is pushing through approval of corporate projects over the opposition of environmental groups and tribal communities.
https://www.deccanherald.com/international/in-last-rush-donald-trump-grants-mining-and-energy-firms-access-to-public-lands-929404.html

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining Global
Alberta opening parts of Rockies to coal mining. Debate has swirled as Alberta opens up a large swath of the Rocky Mountains’ eastern slopes to new coal mining.
https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-coal-mining-rockies-elk-valley/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Kilauea Volcano Erupts Again, Sending Ash Into Hawaii Sky. First eruption in two years sent a huge cloud of ash into the air and triggered a 4.4-magnitude earthquake.
https://apnews.com/article/331c105b355349f5aebedb5b7e934dcd

# Food Recalls / Alerts
Nestle recalls some Lean Cuisine dinners because of several consumer complaints about plastic. The public are being asked to check their freezers for a flavor of Lean Cuisine frozen dinners because consumers have been complaining about pieces of hard plastic in the product.
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2020/12/nestle-recalls-some-lean-cuisine-dinners-because-of-several-consumer-complaints-about-plastic/

# Gov / Politics
Joe Biden may have won the presidential election, but his victory masks a deeper rot within the American political system, one where both parties have become servants to increasingly powerful corporations, Wall Street, and the military-industrial complex.
https://www.mintpressnews.com/podcast-chris-hedges-collapse-of-us-empire-rise-of-fascism/273770/

Why They’re Denying You Healthcare And Financial Support During A Pandemic As long as people are being successfully propagandized by mass media, they will never rise up and make it change.
https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/why-theyre-denying-you-healthcare

‘Anti-protest’ bill passes Ohio House: The Ohio bill calls for stiffer penalties for trespass and tampering of infrastructure like pipelines.
https://www.alleghenyfront.org/anti-protest-bill-passes-ohio-house/

National Republicans are desperate to avoid a floor fight in Congress over the certification of the Electoral College vote next month, believing it would be horrible politics to continue waging what most recognize to be a hopeless battle to overturn the outcome of the election.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/530910-republicans-desperate-to-avoid-floor-fight-over-electoral-college-vote

New York bans display of Confederate flag and other hate symbols on public land New York has banned the sale or display of anything considered a “symbol of hate” on public property, including the Confederate flag.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/new-york-bans-sale-of-confederate-flags-hate-symbols

Barr refuses Trump’s bogus demands on his way out the door, but in doing so, the AG appears to try and distance himself from some of the same falsehoods he’s had a powerful hand in promoting.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/12/bill-barr-trump-special-counsels/

House Oversight Chair Says ‘Grave Concerns’ Trump Team Trashing White House Records https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/21/house-oversight-chair-says-grave-concerns-trump-team-trashing-white-house-records

# Law Enforcement
Attack on innocent truck driver shows how dangerous election fraud claims really are. A former Houston police captain rammed his SUV into a truck and held the truck driver at gunpoint, accusing him of transporting 750,000 ballots. And it gets even more unhinged from there.
https://www.upworthy.com/police-captain-attacks-truck-driver-claiming-election-fraud

Disturbing: Bodycam footage hidden by Chicago police shows why ‘defunding’ may not be enough…not hardly https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/20/disturbing-bodycam-footage-hidden-by-chicago-police-shows-why-defunding-may-not-be-enough-not-hardly/

Bodycam Footage Shows Police Did Not Immediately Assist Ahmaud Arbery as He Lay on Ground Dying
https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/ahmaud-arbery-was-breathing-moving-when-officers-arrived-but-received-no-medical-attention-for-nearly-three-minutes/77-c89b36cf-3111-44f3-8732-87b09916c3a5

Seattle Police Clear Encampment in Public Park Amid Pandemic Surge https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-seattle-db5661e534e99f28819b06a580a502dc

TX Officer Fatally Shot Black Man Running Away: Body Cam: The newly released footage shows a police officer shooting Joshua Feast, 22, in the back as he runs away.
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/crime/bodycam-footage-released-of-man-fatally-shot-by-la-marque-police-officer/285-35ddfd6e-a2ff-4e0a-90fa-bca9f40f23fd

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
Top Trump administration health officials were subpoenaed by House Democrats on Monday, after an investigation showed “extensive” political interference with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/531118-house-committee-issues-subpoena-for-azar-redfield-documents-on-political

# Media
UPS and Postal Service Workers Struggle With COVID and High Volume. The stresses of the pandemic and holiday season for these workers have thrown into relief the need to build union power.
https://truthout.org/articles/ups-and-postal-service-workers-struggle-with-covid-high-volume-and-weak-unions/

The Guardian view on Julian Assange: do not extradite him: The US should never have brought the case against the WikiLeaks founder. This attack on press freedom must be rejected https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/18/the-guardian-view-on-julian-assange-do-not-extradite-him

# Medical / Health
Unpacking The No Surprises Act: An Opportunity To Protect Millions. The No Surprises Act includes several changes from prior compromise bills.
These changes largely center on the mechanism to determine how much out-of-network providers will be paid by insurers.
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20201217.247010/full/

PA heart failure patients near fracking were more likely to be hospitalized. Researchers don’t know what part of fracking could be causing the problem. A cardiologist said that’s important to find out.
12,000 patients analyzed over 8-year period https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2020/12/21/study-pa-heart-failure-patients-near-fracking-were-more-likely-to-be-hospitalized/

# United Nations
UN talks support for JCPOA, but is powerless to do anything. The UN chief said Tehran has declared that it wants to remain in the deal and that all its nuclear countermeasures are reversible.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/20/un-talks-support-for-jcpoa-but-is-powerless-to-do-anything/

The President of the Security Council will address press following the Security Council closed consultations on the Middle East Peace Process.
This will be streamed on UN web TV: http://webtv.un.org/

The President of the Security Council will address press following the Security Council Closed Consultations on Western Sahara. This event will be streamed live on UN web TV: http://webtv.un.org/

China, Russia foreign ministers: US should rejoin Iran nuclear deal unconditionally https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/12/21/641217/china-JCPOA-Wang-Yi-US-return-Iran-foreign-ministers

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-20

Voices, The Peoples News

December 20, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

# Indigenous
Native American art hurt by construction, climate change. Along the Southwest’s drying river banks, the building blocks of traditional creations are withering.
https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona/2020/12/17/native-american-art-hurt-construction-climate-change/3211200001/

Trump’s impact on Indian Country over four years. Indigenous lawyers describe the administration’s tactics as an “onslaught” removing federal protections of land and wildlife.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-trumps-impact-on-indian-country-over-four-years

# Indigenous / Global
Four men arrested after shots fired at Indigenous fisherman, RCMP say https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-four-men-arrested-after-shots-fired-at-indigenous-fisherman-rcmp-say/

# Archaeology
Experts Discovered An Ancient Bracelet In A Cave – And It Could Change Our Understanding Of History
https://scribol.com/anthropology-and-history/buried-treasure/experts-discovered-ancient-bracelet-in-cave-could-change-understanding-history/33/?as=799&asv=1

2,000-Year-Old Realistic Green Mask Found Nestled Inside an Ancient Pyramid https://mymodernmet.com/serpentine-mask-pyramid-sun-teotihuacan/

# Children / Youth
Inside the International Flights Filled With Solo Babies. Why are so many infants quietly being sent to live without their parents?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-international-flights-filled-with-unaccompanied-babies

# CoronaVirus
Warning: COVID-19 Vaccine Scams Are Out in Full Force. Medicare would not call beneficiaries with vaccine offers.
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/safety-quality/beware-covid-19-scams-vaccine-approaches-fda-approval

Vaccine Whistleblower Brandy Vaughan Found Dead Inside Her Own Home as Police Open Investigation https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/vaccine-whistleblower-brandy-vaughan-found-dead-inside-her-own-home-as-police-open-investigation/

Coronavirus vaccine from UQ and CSL abandoned after HIV response which scientists say was ‘unexpected.’ Clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Queensland (UQ) and CSL have been abandoned. The UQ vaccine’s molecular clamp technology uses two fragments of a protein found in HIV
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-11/covid19-vaccine-csl-uq-hiv-element-what-went-wrong/12973952

Accomplished university professor thrown in psych hospital after questioning official COVID narrative. Jean-Bernard Fourtillan was taken from his home by a team of French law enforcement officers and forcibly placed in solitary confinement at the psychiatric hospital of Uzès.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/accomplished-pharma-prof-thrown-in-psych-hospital-after-questioning-official-covid-narrative

Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group held closed-door meeting on coronavirus vaccine distribution, against state law https://www.courant.com/coronavirus/hc-news-coronavirus-vaccine-advisory-group-closed-door-meeting-20201218-stpeiuaofzcl7otkf4i3so4hxy-story.html

Scientists Propose ‘Tattoos’ to Solve Vaccination Issues. Now, a group of MIT researchers funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says that invisible tattoos may be the best way to deal with this tracking issue, although there are some ethical concerns with their proposed solution.
https://nerdist.com/article/invisible-tattoos-vaccination-records-tracking/

New Study Found 80% of COVID-19 Patients Were Vitamin D Deficient. A new study that looked at 216 people with COVID-19 found that 80 percent didn’t have adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood https://www.healthline.com/health-news/new-study-found-80-percent-of-covid-19-patients-were-vitamin-d-deficient

Why does the WHO Now Admit that the PCR COVID Tests are Not Accurate? So They Can Claim the Vaccine is Working?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/12/15/fact-check-covid-19-tests-real-and-masks-do-work/3824781001/

Moderna Experimental mRNA Vaccine Issued Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA Illegally https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/moderna-experimental-mrna-vaccine-issued-emergency-use-authorization-by-the-fda-illegally/

3 more Alaska health workers have adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccine, total 5 https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/12/18/3rd-alaska-health-care-worker-experiences-adverse-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine/

Senators reach deal on Fed powers, setting stage for coronavirus relief passage https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/531026-schumer-toomey-reach-deal-on-fed-powers-setting-stage-for-coronavirus-relief

Scandal in SARS-Cov-2 Inquiry! Inside WHO Task-Force a Gates’ Partner who funded in Wuhan & US Chimera Viruses Tests https://www.gospanews.net/en/2020/12/19/wuhan-gates-27-scandal-in-sars-cov-2-inquiry-inside-who-task-force-a-gates-partner-who-funded-in-wuhan-us-chimera-viruses-tests/

Stroke and altered mental state increase risk of death for COVID-19 patients https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201218165114.htm

The inside story of how Trump’s denial, mismanagement, and magical thinking led to the pandemic’s dark winter. The virus has caused proportionately more infections and deaths in the United States than in most other developed nations https://www.chron.com/news/article/The-inside-story-of-how-Trump-s-denial-15816424.php

Brazilian President on Pfizer Vaccine: “I won’t get vaccinated.” Cites Fact that Pfizer has No Liability for Side Effects https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/brazilian-president-on-pfizer-vaccine-i-wont-get-vaccinated-cites-fact-that-pfizer-has-no-liability-for-side-effects/

# Economy / Trade
Congressional Progressive Caucus Calls for ‘Direct Payments of at Least $2,000’ for Working Families. “Congress cannot continue to ignore the hunger, pain, and economic uncertainty that millions of people are facing,” argues a grassroots coalition.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/congressional-progressive-caucus-calls-direct-payments-least-2000-working-families

# Employment
‘A Catastrophe for Millions of Workers’: McConnell Trying to Block Extension of Paid Sick and Family Leave https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/19/catastrophe-millions-workers-mcconnell-trying-block-extension-paid-sick-and-family

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
In Last Rush, Trump Grants Mining and Energy Firms Access to Public Lands https://us.newschant.com/politics/in-last-rush-trump-grants-mining-and-energy-firms-access-to-public-lands/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Overview: Transforming land and sea for a more sustainable world. These striking satellite images show how countries are beginning to respond to the global environmental crisis by restoring ecosystems https://e360.yale.edu/features/overview-transforming-land-and-sea-for-a-more-sustainable-world

Congress Passed a Bipartisan Conservation Law. Then the Trump Administration Got in its Way. Republicans and Democrats together approved the Great American Outdoors Act, but the administration has ignored planned projects and imposed rules restricting spending.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16122020/great-american-outdoors-act-congress-climate-election/

For the first time in more than 80 years, salmon spawning in the upper Columbia River https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/dec/17/for-the-first-time-in-more-than-80-years-salmon-sp/

‘Most Anti-Wildlife President in History’ Puts Out Lame Duck Rule to Gut Species Protection https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/most-anti-wildlife-president-history-puts-out-lame-duck-rule-gut-species-protection

The world’s largest iceberg is headed for South Georgia—and its wildlife. Scientists worry the iceberg could be a “taste of things to come” as Antarctica begins to warm.
https://www.livescience.com/worlds-largest-iceberg-split-a68.html

Scientists Spot Beaked Whale Believed to Be New Species https://newatlas.com/biology/unidentified-beaked-whales-new-species/

Tyson Foods Linked to Largest Toxic Dead Zone in U.S. History https://www.alternet.org/2017/10/tyson-foods-linked-largest-toxic-dead-zone-us-history/

# Environment / Climate / Interior Global Lasers reveal steep decline in ecosystem function of degraded Amazon forests https://news.mongabay.com/2020/12/lasers-reveal-steep-decline-in-ecosystem-function-of-degraded-amazon-forests/

Restaura Cerrado: Saving Brazil’s savanna by reseeding and restoring it.
An innovative collaborative group is working to restore Brazil’s savanna by sowing native plant seeds on degraded agricultural lands https://news.mongabay.com/2020/12/restaura-cerrado-saving-brazils-savanna-by-reseeding-and-restoring-it/

A Bolivian ‘cloud forest’ reveals a bonanza of new species. A Bolivian cloud forest makes its case for being a global biodiversity hotspot with the discovery of 20 new species and the re-discovery of 4 previously extinct species.
https://www.andesamazonfund.org/resources/a-bolivian-cloud-forest-reveals-a-bonanza-of-new-species/

Giant iceberg A68a prangs seabed and loses corner
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55355381

# Gov / Politics
MAGA leaders call for the troops to keep Trump in office. An 1807 law invoked only in the most violent circumstances is now a rallying cry for the MAGA-ites most committed to the fantasy that Donald Trump will never leave office. This growing call to invoke the Insurrection Act shows how hard-edged MAGA ideology has become
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/18/trump-insurrection-act-presidency-447986

Congress passed a days-long stopgap bill on Friday, hours before the government was scheduled to shut down, as negotiations over another coronavirus stimulus bill stretched into the weekend.
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2020/12/snags-on-covid-19-relief-may-force-weekend-sessions/

Mitch McConnell received donations from Dominion Voting Systems and shut down two election integrity bills in 2020. McConnell blocked the bill that would have required a physical trail, revealing his true intentions with the 2020 election.
https://federalinquirer.com/mitch-mcconnell-received-donations-from-dominion-voting-systems-and-shut-down-two-election-integrity-bills-in-2020-naturalnews-com/

Forensic audit finds that security log files were deleted from all Dominion machines to hide vote-switching
https://www.planet-today.com/2020/12/forensic-audit-finds-that-security-log.html#gsc.tab=0

Georgia Poll Workers Who Raised Election Concerns Get Terminated https://www.theepochtimes.com/georgia-poll-workers-who-raised-election-concerns-get-terminated_3624301.html

Pence Hyped ‘Strong’ Pfizer Rollout. States Say It’s a Mess. Governors’
offices across the country were fuming as Vice President Mike Pence sat for his COVID-19 vaccine shot on Friday.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-pfizer-vaccine-rollout-is-causing-confusion-among-states-and-there-is-no-end-in-sight

MyPillow CEO Is Bankrolling Pro-Trump Election Challenges. He says he’s “not just some pillow guy” to be mocked. He knows Trump is the chosen one because he’s familiar with “numbers and charts” and soon even “Trump-haters” will see.
https://www.rawstory.com/my-pillow-mike-lindell-trump/

History Will Agree That Trump Used Americans as Lab Rats. Remember the morally abominable Tuskegee experiments? They were conducted on 600 men.
But Donald Trump just Tuskegeed an entire nation.
http://www.usnews.ws/breaking/history-will-agree-that-trump-used-americans-as-lab-rats

Trump’s Final Act: Snuffing out the promise of democracy in the Middle East.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/12/18/donald-trumps-final-act-snuffing-out-the-promise-of-democracy-in-the-middle-east/

The Dangers of Trump’s Final Act, and the Challenges of the Post-Trump Era In his new book, Bradford Kane discusses Trump’s current anti-democratic conduct, and the political dynamics of the post-Trump era.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-dangers-of-trumps-final-act-and-the-challenges-of-the-post-trump-era-301189390.html

Insane White House Confab, Backed By Russia, Discussed Flynn Military Dictatorship…A Russian Puppet Government. The truth is coming out, the marriage between the GOP and Russia and the last ditch effort to rig the
2020 election to bring down America.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/19/insane-white-house-confab-backed-by-russia-discussed-flynn-military-dictatorship-a-russian-puppet-government/

‘This Is His Top Priority’: McConnell Advances Another Trump Judge as Covid Relief Bill Remains Unfinished https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/19/his-top-priority-mcconnell-advances-another-trump-judge-covid-relief-bill-remains

If You Thought 2020 Was Crazy, Get a Load of This Republican. She texts with Boogaloos. Her QAnon-linked “security” pals were busted with guns en route to a Philly vote-count. Now she’s running for governor.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/virginia-state-senator-2021-gubernatorial-candidate-amanda-chase-is-next-level-maga?via=newsletter&source=Weekend

The Transhumanist Agenda: Loss of Identity
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarwantsingh/2017/11/20/transhumanism-and-the-future-of-humanity-seven-ways-the-world-will-change-by-2030/?sh=2fcc42427d79

Trump is just itching to declare martial law. Some dangerous ideas about the role of the U.S. military in American civil society are finding an audience in President Trump.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/trump-martial-law-flynn/

Krebs: US should be ‘cautious’ about escalating cyber war with Russia.
Former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) chief Christopher Krebs in an interview on Sunday poured cold water on lawmakers’ calls for retaliation in response to a cyber intrusion at numerous government agencies believed to be carried out by Russia.
https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/531044-krebs-us-should-be-cautious-about-escalating-cyber-war-with-russia

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
They Have COVID. One Has an IQ of 69. Trump Is Killing Them. While Trump is planning pardons, the federal government will execute two sick men before Jan. 20—the culmination of a killing spree unparalleled since the 19th century.
http://www.usnews.ws/breaking/they-have-covid-one-has-an-iq-of-69-trump-is-killing-them

# Space
Space Force troops are now called Guardians. Troops serving in Space Force are now referred to as Guardians, Vice President Mike Pence announced Friday.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/18/22189637/space-force-military-branch-official-name-guardians

# Technology
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Russia for the massive cyberattack against multiple U.S. agencies and thousands of individual federal and private entities, saying the country was “pretty clearly”
behind the attack.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/530962-pompeo-russia-pretty-clearly-behind-massive-cyberattack

Pompeo Finally Admits Russia Was Behind Huge Hack. One congressman said the massive cyberattack was starting to look like the “cyber equivalent of Pearl Harbor.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/secretary-state-pompeo-says-hack-was-pretty-clearly-russian-n1251798

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-18

Voices, The Peoples News

December 18, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

# Indigenous
An Indigenous practice may be key to preventing wildfires. For thousands of years, North American tribes carefully burned forests to manage the land. The future may lie in a return to that past.
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/indigenous-fire-prevention/

To Protect Great Lakes, Michigan Tribes Oppose Enbridge Line 5 Pipelines. Whitney Gravelle, an attorney for the Bay Mills Indian Community, discusses the fight against Enbridge’s Line 5.
https://truthout.org/audio/to-protect-great-lakes-michigan-tribes-oppose-enbridge-line-5-pipelines/

# Indigenous / Global
Northern First Nations Look for Answers as Work Camps Bring the Virus https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/12/15/Work-Camps-Bring-Virus-Northern-First-Nations/

After evacuating twice over tainted water, Neskantaga residents plan their return home
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/neskantaga-plans-return-home-water-crisis-1.5840308

# Archaeology
Mass Grave of Ancient Race of Dwarfs Discovered https://www.reddit.com/r/AlternativeHistory/comments/ii560y/mass_grave_of_ancient_race_of_dwarfs_discovered/

# Border / Immigration
DHS inspectors found ICE detainees who were kept in solitary confinement for 300 days. BuzzFeed reported that in addition to 11 immigrants who had been placed in solitary confinement for more than 60 days, two others were kept isolated for more than 300 days.
https://thehill.com/latino/530742-nearly-a-dozen-immigrants-kept-in-solitary-confinement-for-more-than-two-months-report

# CoronaVirus
Against CDC Guidance, Denver Displaces Hundreds Of Homeless People Amid
COVID-19 Spike
https://theappeal.org/denver-homeless-encampment-sweep-covid-19-criminalization/

Irradiated, cheated and infected: America’s Marshall Islanders confront
COVID-19 disaster
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/17/americas-marshall-islanders-confront-covid-19-disaster-447158

Billionaire Sackler Family Refuses to Apologize for Fueling Deadly Opioid Epidemic
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/17/americas-marshall-islanders-confront-covid-19-disaster-447158

When the Elderly and Frail Die After Receiving the COVID Vaccine https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/when-the-elderly-and-frail-die-after-receiving-the-covid-vaccine/

Tennessee Nurse Manager Passes Out on Camera After Receiving Pfizer COVID Vaccine. Since these kinds of videos have a way of disappearing from the Internet rather quickly, we put a copy up on our Bitchute Channel under the Fair Use Act.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/tennessee-nurse-manager-passes-out-on-camera-after-receiving-pfizer-covid-vaccine/

Pandemic-related paid sick days and leave to expire Dec. 31 with no extension in sight https://khn.org/news/article/pandemic-related-paid-sick-days-and-leave-to-expire-dec-31-with-no-extension-in-sight/

Nearly 700 Have Contracted COVID at This CA Psych Hospital. A new court filing is begging for the release or transfer of half the patients at Patton State Hospital, described as a “tinderbox” for COVID infections.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/18/patton-state-hospital-covid-19-outbreak-lawsuit

Fake COVID-19 Vaccines are Already Being Sold Online. Several vaccines are already listed on the Dark Web but they are a scam.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fake-covid-19-vaccines-are-already-being-sold-online

An Alaska health care worker was released from the hospital on Thursday after experiencing a rare but serious allergic reaction to Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2020/12/17/alaskas-vaccinations-continue-as-planned-as-healthcare-worker-released-from-hospital-after-serious-allergic-reaction/

# Economy / Trade
Aides Talked Trump Out of $2,000 Stimulus Check Demand: The president was reportedly in the middle of drafting a statement demanding bigger stimulus checks when aides stepped in to stop him.
https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/white-house-aides-reportedly-stepped-in-to-keep-trump-from-calling-for-2000-stimulus-checks-fearing-it-could-torpedo-relief-talks/articleshow/79788951.cms

The TPP Was All but Dead, Now DC Think Tanks Are Quietly Urging Biden to Bring It Back. Former officials are practically begging Biden to revisit the controversial trade agreement, arguing that “China must be isolated.”
https://www.mintpressnews.com/behind-the-scenes-think-tanks-quietly-urge-biden-to-restart-the-tpp/273756/

# Employment
First-time unemployment claims soar to highest number since September http://www.thecourierexpress.com/news/nation/first-time-unemployment-claims-soar-to-highest-number-since-september/article_ef6512e7-4c4e-5981-9d2d-09fa56a542f2.html

Companies Took $1.8 Billion to Save Jobs and Laid Off 90,000 Workers Anyway Businesses that don’t rehire all their workers may have to pay back the loans plus 1 percent interest.
https://publicintegrity.org/inequality-poverty-opportunity/covid-divide/companies-took-covid-19-aid-they-laid-off-90000-workers-anyway/

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Yukon wetlands pushed to tipping point by placer mining, First Nation and conservationists say https://www.wellandtribune.ca/ts/news/canada/2020/12/11/yukon-wetlands-pushed-to-tipping-point-by-placer-mining-first-nation-and-conservationists-say.html

Researchers Warn of Looming Oil Spill Four Times Larger Than Exxon Valdez if Urgent Action Not Taken https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/15/researchers-warn-looming-oil-spill-four-times-larger-exxon-valdez-if-urgent-action

# Environment / Climate / Interior
9-Year-Old Girl’s Asthma Death Officially Linked to Air Pollution in Unprecedented Coroner Ruling https://www.ecowatch.com/london-girl-death-air-pollution-2649531226.html

Home Depot to pay $21 million penalty for alleged lead-safety violations. The Environmental Protection Agency found the home-improvement company sent uncertified firms to do renovations that required certified firms.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/home-depot-to-pay-21-million-penalty-for-alleged-lead-safety-violations-11608247337

Targeted wetland restoration could greatly reduce nitrogen pollution.
Wetlands remove nitrate pollution from water effectively. An analysis shows that this effect is constrained in the United States
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03515-7

A second wave is looming over Africa. A locust second wave, that is. UN warns of ‘alarming and unprecedented threat’ to food security and livelihoods in the region https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/apr/13/second-wave-of-locusts-in-east-africa-said-to-be-20-times-worse

# Environment / Climate / Interior Global Alberta Parks closures? Separating fact from fiction on the UCP plan https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-parks-closures-ucp-explainer/

Record-breaking lightning in the Arctic? Lightning typically forms with the aid of warm air, which is why it has historically been rare in the Arctic. Team detects a huge increase and says it could be due to climate change, but others can’t confirm the findings.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03561-1?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=04490224c0-briefing-dy-20201218&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-04490224c0-43812897

# Food / GMOs / Chemicals
These Restaurant Chains Are Closing The Doors In 2021. The restaurant industry has seen a lot of ups and downs in recent years. Most recently it has suffered greatly at the hand of the global crisis we have all been a part of.
https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-restaurant-chains-less-of-in-2021-2020-5

# Gov / Politics
Flynn Says Trump Can Use Military to ‘Rerun Election.’ “He could take military capabilities, and he could place those in states and basically rerun an election in each of those states.” Ex-national security adviser, recently pardoned by president, says martial law ‘not unprecedented’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/trump-michael-flynn-election-martial-law-b1776020.html

Legislative survey shows deep GOP divide on election. The Hill asked every Republican legislator in the country for their thoughts on the election, including whether they recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the winner.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/530739-legislative-survey-shows-deep-gop-divide-on-election

Threats Mount Against Public Officials: ‘Not What I Signed Up For.’
Officials at all levels of government are receiving increased threats.
They’re not getting as much support as they should from officials at the highest levels or, in some cases, from law enforcement.
https://www.governing.com/now/Threats-Mount-Against-Public-Officials-Not-What-I-Signed-Up-For.html

Biden team expresses concern over ‘abrupt halt’ in cooperation with Pentagon. President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team expressed concern Friday about what it described as an “abrupt halt” in cooperation with the Defense Department.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/530856-biden-team-expresses-concern-over-abrupt-halt-in-cooperation-with-pentagon

Trump Admin Pulls Plug on Biden’s Defense Briefings: Why it matters:
Miller’s move, which stunned officials throughout the Pentagon, was the biggest eruption yet of animus and mistrust toward the Biden team from the top level of the Trump administration.
https://www.axios.com/pentagon-biden-transition-briefings-123a9658-4af1-4632-a6e6-770117784d60.html

Kushner OK’d Campaign Shell Company That Paid Family: The shell company, which sucked almost half of the Trump campaign’s funds, had a board stacked with family members and confidantes.
https://hillreporter.com/jared-kushner-okd-shell-company-that-paid-trump-family-millions-87843

# Law Enforcement
Georgia: Arbury Murder Suspects Face Damning New Video. Bodycam footage shows William “Roddie” Bryan telling police, “I made a few moves” at Ahmaud Arbery.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/12/16/ahmaud-arbery-new-body-cam-footage-shows-moments-after-shooting/3922582001/

# Law Enforcement / Global
Rainsbrook, Britain: Children in near-solitary confinement at secure training centre
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55364754

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
Hunter Biden Email Reportedly Names Kamala Harris, Others as Key Contacts for ‘Joint Venture’ With China Energy Co.
https://nypost.com/2020/10/22/email-sent-from-bidens-brother-to-hunter-references-harris-report/

Kirschner: Trump, Alexander and Others Face Murder Prosecution Over ‘Herd Immunity.’ Where here immunity meets criminal responsibility.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/17/kirchner-trump-alexander-and-others-face-prosecution-over-herd-immunity-homicides/

A grand jury has indicted six men for conspiring to kidnap Michigan’s governor, a crime that upon conviction can bring a sentence of life in prison.
https://www.npr.org/2020/12/17/947652491/6-suspects-indicted-for-conspiracy-to-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
The Drug Enforcement Administration issued its final rule for licensing more growers of marijuana to be used in research, more than four years after it first said it would end the monopoly on approved cultivation.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-issues-final-rule-for-licensing-more-growers-of-marijuana-for-research/

New Jersey becomes the 11th state to legalize marijuana https://abc7ny.com/dianna-houenou-nj-marijuana-amendment-new-jersey-early-voting-in/8849703/

Health Effects of Marijuana and Cannabis-Derived Products Presented in New Report https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2017/01/health-effects-of-marijuana-and-cannabis-derived-products-presented-in-new-report

# Military / DOD
The Military Won’t Even Pay for Troops’ COVID-19 Tests, But Army soldiers will be drug tested after returning from their holiday vacations.
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/military-covid-testing/

# Nuclear / Radiation
Nuclear weapons agency breached amid massive cyber onslaught. Hackers accessed systems at the National Nuclear Security Administration, which maintains the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/17/nuclear-agency-hacked-officials-inform-congress-447855

# Technology
Huge Russia-Linked Hack on U.S. Agencies Gets Even Bigger. One more agency and at least three states were added to the list of government bodies infiltrated by suspected Russian hackers.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/17/us-government-cyber-attack-hack-russia

Quantum Teleportation Unlocked! Scientists Transfer ‘Qubits’ of Fibers over 13 Miles Away! No, it is not yet physical matter, but massive quantum data that can be used for computer advancements!
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/255189/20201217/quantum-teleportation-unlocked-scientists-transfer-qubits-fibers-over-13-miles.htm

Lawmakers are raising questions about whether the attack on the federal government widely attributed to Russia constitutes an act of war. The hacking may represent the biggest cyberattack in U.S history, and officials are scrambling to respond.
https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/530784-lawmakers-ask-whether-massive-hack-amounted-to-act-of-war

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-17

Voices, The Peoples News

December 17, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

# Indigenous
Trump’s impact on Indian Country over four years. From legal decisions to on-the-ground policies, Indigenous lawyers describe the administration’s tactics as an “onslaught” removing federal protections of land and wildlife.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-trumps-impact-on-indian-country-over-four-years

# Border / Immigration
Secret emails show the moment a top ICE lawyer tried — and failed — to get deported children flown back to the US https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/secret-emails-ice-deportation-flight-guatemala

# CoronaVirus
Pharmacists are finding extra doses in vials of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, but some already tossed the vials after administering the number of doses officially noted.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/16/pfizer-vaccine-extra-doses-447117

New Covid strain has ‘striking’ amount of mutations. Members of the UK’s
Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK), who have been investigating the evolved strain, say they have uncovered 17 alterations, which they described as ‘a lot’.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9058923/New-Covid-strain-17-mutations-scientist-say.html

HEROES Act to give $350 million in coronavirus aid to 50 of the richest communities nationwide, auditors reveal. “Should American taxpayers from lower-income areas be subsidizing the lifestyles of the rich and famous?”
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/12/17/heroes-act-to-give-350-million-in-coronavirus-aid-to-50-of-the-richest-communities-nationwide-auditors-reveal/

FDA panel endorses Moderna COVID-19 vaccine https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/17/moderna-vaccine-fda-panel/

Some confusion as the vaccine rolls out…Governors say the CDC is cutting vaccine allocations. At least four state governors were told by the federal government to expect fewer coronavirus vaccine doses next week than had been originally planned.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/overnights/530746-overnight-health-care-fda-panel-endorses-moderna-covid-19

# Economy / Trade
Congressional leaders add stimulus checks to $900 billion relief package as they near deal. Congressional leaders add stimulus checks to $900 billion relief package as they near deal.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/congressional-leaders-discussing-adding-a-second-round-of-stimulus-checks-11608127735

Trump Blocks $200M In Medicaid Funds For California https://khn.org/morning-breakout/trump-blocks-200m-in-medicaid-funds-for-california/

Medicaid, CHIP Enrollment Up Nearly 6% During Pandemic; Poverty Grows https://khn.org/morning-breakout/medicaid-chip-enrollment-jumped-nearly-6-in-pandemics-early-months/

The Tax Time Bomb Congress Can Defuse. Unemployed individuals owe taxes on benefits, at the federal level and in 34 states.
https://prospect.org/coronavirus/unsanitized-tax-time-bomb-unemployment-benefits-taxed/

GOP Push to Keep Stimulus Check From People on Unemployment Draws Outrage The effort comes after the GOP already reportedly succeeded in paring back the duration of unemployment benefits.
https://truthout.org/articles/gop-push-to-keep-stimulus-check-from-people-on-unemployment-draws-outrage/

‘Sick’: Most Profitable US Companies Fired Workers, Enriched Shareholders During Pandemic https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/17/sick-most-profitable-us-companies-fired-workers-enriched-shareholders-during

‘Gratuitously Cruel’: Outrage as GOP Tries to Prevent People on Unemployment From Also Receiving Stimulus Check https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/17/gratuitously-cruel-outrage-gop-tries-prevent-people-unemployment-also-receiving

# Education / Schools
A school superintendent sent out a snow day announcement that’s making everyone emotional. “It is a time of renewed wonder at all the beautiful things that each season holds. A reminder of how fleeting a childhood can be. An opportunity to make some memories with your family that you hold on to for life.”
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/snow-day-letter

# Employment
Jobless Claims Are Headed ‘in the Wrong Direction.’ Another 885,000 people filed new jobless claims in the U.S. last week.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/jobless-claims-heading-the-wrong-direction-2020-11-25

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Logging Near Yellowstone. The project will destroy nearly 66 square miles of important wildlife habitat.
https://buckrail.com/logging-project-proposed-near-yellowstone-national-park/

Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) has been selected to lead the Interior Department in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, making history as the first Native American tapped for a Cabinet position.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/529495-biden-names-haaland-as-interior-secretary

Scientists report unusual seismic activity in Antarctica: over 30,000 tremors https://www.zmescience.com/science/scientists-report-unusual-seismic-activity-in-antarctica-over-30000-tremors/

New projections warn that Greenland’s ice sheet will see 60% more melt than estimated https://www.zmescience.com/science/greenland-faster-melting-235635756/

Brain-eating amoeba infections expanding to Northern U.S. The organisms’
expanded range may be due to increased temperatures from climate change.
https://www.livescience.com/brain-eating-amoeba-expanded-range-northern-united-states.html

# Global Politics and other news
Air Force in Europe seeks defense against Chinese drones and Russian cruise missiles
https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/air-force-in-europe-seeks-defense-against-chinese-drones-and-russian-cruise-missiles-1.655492

Russian Forces Establish Presence On Syrian-Iraqi Border. Attacks on Iranian-backed forces there, have been conducted by Israel and the US-led coalition in support of the ISIS agenda.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russian-forces-establish-presence-syrian-iraqi-border

# Gov / Politics
McConnell getting much of what he wants in emerging relief deal https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/530594-mcconnell-getting-much-of-what-he-wants-in-emerging-relief-deal

Pence Plans to Admit Trump Lost Then Flee Country: The very same day that he affirms Trump’s defeat, the vice president is reportedly going to head off for a week-long trip to the Middle East and Europe.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/17/pence-trump-election-loss-447326

No, the US didn’t bomb 50,000 Chinese troops as they tried to invade Maine.
Every evolution of American politics gets the conspiracy theories it deserves https://taskandpurpose.com/news/china-invasion-conspiracy-theory/

Did Trump deliberately pursue genocide via his ‘herd immunity’ strategy?
“We want them infected,” reads an email from former Trump administration adviser Paul Alexander.
https://truthout.org/articles/did-trump-deliberately-pursue-genocide-via-his-herd-immunity-strategy/

Instead of Propping Up a Dying Empire, It’s Time to Finally End U.S.
Wars. The “war on terror” has truly become a war of generations.
https://truthout.org/articles/instead-of-propping-up-a-dying-empire-its-time-to-finally-end-us-wars/

‘Republican Party Doesn’t Give a Damn About You’: McConnell Admits Direct Checks Only Included to Help GOP Win in Georgia https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/17/republican-party-doesnt-give-damn-about-you-mcconnell-admits-direct-checks-only

Congress is barreling toward a rare weekend session as lawmakers race to wrap up a sweeping agreement to fund the government and provide badly needed coronavirus relief.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/530755-congress-set-to-blow-past-shutdown-deadline-amid-coronavirus-talks

# Law Enforcement
These Rogue Sheriffs Won’t Even Give Their Prisoners Masks. The Daily Beast contacted 35 sheriff’s offices where leaders have vocally opposed mask mandates. Of the respondents, only four have enforced mask policies at detention centers.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/these-rogue-sheriffs-wont-even-give-their-prisoners-masks

Kansas Deputy Intentionally Ran Over Black Man: Lawsuit. Lionel Womack, a former police detective, alleges in a federal lawsuit that a Kansas sheriff’s deputy purposely ran him over during an Aug. 15 traffic stop.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/12/17/lawsuit-video-shows-kansas-deputy-ran-over-black-man-intentionally/3942399001/

# LGBTQ
Delaware Senator Sarah McBride’s historic election win made her the highest ranking, openly trans government official in U.S. history.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90587103/how-sarah-mcbride-is-handling-the-double-duty-of-senator-and-trans-pioneer

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
The Senate unanimously passed a marijuana research bill—one week after the House also approved separate cannabis science legislation.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-passes-marijuana-research-bill-one-week-after-house-approves-similar-legislation/

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) sent lawmakers a budget proposal that funds steps to prepare for the legalization of marijuana as well as expungements of past cannabis records.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-governors-budget-funds-marijuana-expungements-and-preparation-for-legalization/

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) filed a new bill to triple the concentration of THC that can be in legal hemp crops, and make changes to federal rules to address the industry’s concerns.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/rand-paul-files-bill-to-increase-hemp-thc-limit-and-address-other-industry-concerns/

# Military / DOD
Air Force gets closer to ‘Skynet’ as artificial intelligence makes U-2 flight, paging John Connor.
https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/air-force-artificial-intelligence-u2/

# Social
Will a multimillion-dollar dock help a remote Alaska community get more services?
Alaska’s marine highway still faces uncertainty under severe budget cuts.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/north-latest-will-a-multimillion-dollar-dock-help-a-remote-alaska-community-get-more-services

# Technology
Russia’s massive hack demands a reckoning for U.S. cyber defenses https://wapo.st/3ahTbFL

38 States, Territories File Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google. It’s the third lawsuit against Google’s business practices in the past two months.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/12/17/google-faces-antitrust-lawsuit-38-states-over-search/3943665001/

# Veterans / VA
Biden’s pick for VA secretary vows to ‘fight like hell’ for veterans.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/12/11/bidens-va-secretary-pick-promises-to-fight-like-hell-for-veterans-and-their-families/

Congress passes sweeping end-of-year veterans bill. Congress approved a bill Wednesday that increases resources for homeless veterans, creates a Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee for Native American veterans and mandates that every VA hospital hire a dedicated women’s health provider, among dozens of other measures.
https://www.stripes.com/news/us/congress-passes-sweeping-end-of-year-bill-impacting-every-corner-of-the-veteran-community-1.655573

Veterans organizations urge Trump to fire VA chief Wilkie. Congressional aide claims that she was sexually assaulted at a VA hospital.
https://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/veterans-organizations-urge-trump-to-fire-va-chief-wilkie-1.655548

The Department of Veterans Affairs will start billing veterans again for medical debts in January https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2020/va-to-resume-debt-collections-in-the-new-year/

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-15

Voices, The Peoples News

December 15, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

# Indigenous
Jesuits to return 525 acres of South Dakota land to Rosebud Sioux Tribe https://www.ncronline.org/news/justice/jesuits-return-525-acres-south-dakota-land-rosebud-sioux

Hopi Tribe pushes for solutions for many without clean drinking water.
Some Hopi families don’t have running water. Many others have water tainted with arsenic. Steps toward fixes are finally taking shape.
https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-environment/2020/12/14/hopi-tribe-pushes-solutions-many-without-clean-drinking-water/3731341001/

Yakama Nation calls for removal of Columbia River dams. “The false religious doctrine of Christian discovery was used by the United States to perpetuate crimes of genocide and forced displacement against Native Peoples. The Columbia River dams were built on this false legal foundation, and decimated the Yakama Nation’s fisheries, traditional foods, and cultural sites.”
https://www.indianz.com/News/2019/10/14/yakama-nation-calls-for-removal-of-colum.asp

Why the U.S. is terrible at collecting Indigenous data. Abigail Echo-Hawk discusses the state of Indigenous public health.
https://spotoncolorado.com/southwest-colorado/889552/why-the-us-is-terrible-at-collecting.html

# Archaeology
Researchers Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Maya Water Filtration System
https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/maya-water-purification-0014440

‘Sistine Chapel of the ancients’ rock art discovered in remote Amazon forest https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/nov/29/sistine-chapel-of-the-ancients-rock-art-discovered-in-remote-amazon-forest

Drought Has Revealed Spain’s Long-Submerged ‘Stonehenge.’ Up close with the 7,000-year-old Dolmen of Guadalperal.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/drought-has-revealed-spain-s-long-submerged-stonehenge?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Discovered: More Skulls in Ghoulish Aztec ‘Tower of Skulls.’ This brings the tower’s total to over 600 skulls.
https://www.livescience.com/aztec-trophy-skulls-mexico.html

# CoronaVirus
How Science Beat the Virus. And what it lost in the process https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/01/science-covid-19-manhattan-project/617262/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

SARS-2: “China, US, NATO & Five Eyes Intelligences conceal Manmade Virus’ origin”. Shocking claims by Israeli officer Bio-Weapons expert https://www.gospanews.net/en/2020/12/15/sars-2-intel-of-china-us-nato-five-eyes-conceal-orgin-of-virus-manmade-shocking-claims-by-a-former-israeli-officer-bio-weapons-expert/

Key Genes Related to Severe COVID-19 Infection Identified. Differences in the expression of genes associated with antiviral immunity and lung inflammation may contribute to a more serious COVID-19 infection.
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/key-genes-related-to-severe-covid-19-infection-identified-68276

An Austrian parliamentary member exposed the defectiveness of the government’s COVID-19 tests by demonstrating in the parliament how a glass of Coca Cola tested positive for COVID-19.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/coca-cola-tests-covid-19-positive-in-austrian-parliament/

Moderna Vax Will Be Authorized Friday, 6 Million Ready: The FDA released data Tuesday morning confirming Moderna’s earlier assessment that its vaccine had an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/moderna-vaccine-will-be-authorized-friday-and-millions-of-doses-will-be-rolled-out-next-week-says-report

FDA Okays Take-Home COVID-19 Test for Over-the-Counter Sale. So-called antigen tests like these have been criticized as less accurate than slower PCR tests.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-12-fda-over-the-counter-home-covid-.html

Pediatricians Want Kids to Be Part of COVID Vaccine Trials https://khn.org/news/article/pediatricians-want-kids-to-be-part-of-covid-vaccine-trials/

Wondering What’s In The Pfizer Vaccine? Here Are The Ingredients https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/12/12/pfizer-covid-vaccine-ingredient-list-nothing-too-surprising-there/6520511002/

FDA Approves First-of-its-Kind Intentional Genomic Alteration in Line of Domestic Pigs for Both Human Food, Potential Therapeutic Uses, Alteration intended to eliminate alpha-gal sugar on surface of pigs’ cells https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-its-kind-intentional-genomic-alteration-line-domestic-pigs-both-human-food

‘It Never Had to Be Like This’: 300,000 Dead in US From Covid-19 Under Donald J. Trump “It is equal to a 9/11 attack every day for more than 100 days.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/14/it-never-had-be-300000-dead-us-covid-19-under-donald-j-trump

# Economy / Trade
Sanders, Hawley embrace odd couple status in push for stimulus checks.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are emerging as Congress’s latest odd couple as they push for a second round of stimulus checks https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/530192-sanders-hawley-embrace-odd-couple-status-in-push-for-stimulus-checks

U.S. Sanctions Turkey over Purchase of Russian-Made Missile Defense System https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2020/12/14/us-sanctions-nato-ally-turkey-over-purchase-of-russian-missile-defense-system/

What Biden Can Do to Boost the Economy Without Any Help From Congress.
It’s less than GOP cooperation would achieve, but it could still make a huge difference.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/12/what-biden-can-do-to-boost-the-economy-without-any-help-from-congress/

Inadequate COVID Stimulus Is Pushing Cities and States to Make Draconian Cuts.
As cities and states stare down a growing financial apocalypse, they have begun to slash vital public services.
https://truthout.org/articles/inadequate-covid-stimulus-is-pushing-cities-and-states-to-make-draconian-cuts/

Relief Package Gives Retroactive Immunity to Corporations From COVID Lawsuits. The draft’s provision would override labor laws and stifle OSHA enforcement.
https://truthout.org/articles/relief-package-gives-retroactive-immunity-to-corporations-from-covid-lawsuits/

# Employment
Employment is worse than the headline rate, probably close to 9.6 percent. (Calculated Risk)
https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2020/12/the-employment-situation-is-worse-than.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CalculatedRisk+(Calculated+Risk)

Thanks to GOP Stonewalling, Experts Say Congress ‘Already Too Late’ to Prevent Lapse in Unemployment Benefits https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/14/thanks-gop-stonewalling-experts-say-congress-already-too-late-prevent-lapse

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Pipelines Are Safe, Coal Is Strong, and Pigs Fly. Murray Energy, the country’s largest underground mining corporation, just became the eighth coal company to declare bankruptcy this year https://www.sierraclub.org/articles/2019/11/pipelines-coal-fossil-fuel-industry-lies

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining Global
Alberta’s oilsands tailings ponds are leaking. Now what?
https://thenarwhal.ca/tailings-ponds-leaking-alberta-oilsands/?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)

Lawsuit over proposed fossil fuel railway in Utah moves forward. The plaintiff says funding earmarked for the project was meant for communities ‘to alleviate the boom and bust cycle of energy production.’
http://utah-newspapers.com/news/lawsuit-over-proposed-fossil-fuel-railway-in-utah-moves-forward/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Some Good 2020 News: Salmon Spawning In Upper Columbia River After 80 Years | Northwest Public Broadcasting https://www.nwpb.org/2020/12/13/some-good-2020-news-salmon-spawning-in-upper-columbia-river-after-80-years/

12 Trump Attacks on the Environment Since the Election https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-attacks-environment-election-2649477513.html

# Environment / Climate / Interior Global A Bolivian ‘cloud forest’ reveals a bonanza of new species. An expedition into a steep, remote mountain area unveils discoveries of strange frogs, snakes, and plants—and the return of species thought to be extinct.
https://www.wired.com/story/a-bolivian-cloud-forest-reveals-a-bonanza-of-new-species/

# Global Politics and other news
Reputed Election Rigger that Put Trump in Office as Putin’s Puppet Dead from ‘Accident’
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/15/reputed-election-rigger-that-put-trump-in-office-as-putins-puppet-dead-from-accident/

Putin Accepts Biden’s Victory, Leaving Trump Standing Alone. The Russian president was the final major global leader who hadn’t acknowledged Trump’s defeat—excluding, of course, Trump himself.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/putin-finally-accepts-bidens-victory-leaving-trump-standing-alone

Netanyahu’s potential far-right successors. While every society has had to deal with its own right-wing fanatics, Israel has provided them with a platform, funding, and weapons of mass destruction, sending them skyrocketing to the highest echelons of power.
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-israel-election/netanyahu-makes-deal-with-far-right-party-ahead-of-israeli-election-idUSKCN1Q92GY

Sunday Times claims Russian secret agents poisoned Navalny twice. The Sunday Times has given up any pretence of critical journalism https://granthshala.com/asia/captain-breeches-the-sunday-times-claims-that-navalny-was-poisoned-twice-which-comes-down-from-western-narratives-on-conflicting-figures/

# Gov / Politics
Fauci: Biden Must Be Vaccinated ASAP for Security Reasons. The top doctor also argued that President Donald Trump should get the vaccine, even though he probably still has antibodies from his October infection.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/530269-fauci-says-biden-and-harris-must-go-to-the-head

US Hit with ‘Cyber-Pearl Harbor’ – Analyzing Russian Cyberespionage Campaign & What It Means for Breaches https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/14/us-hit-with-cyber-pearl-harbor-analyzing-russian-cyberespionage-campaign-what-it-means-for-breaches/

Ex-envoy to Syria admits US war plan against Assad and abandonment of Kurds https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ex-envoy-to-syria-admits-us-war-plan-against-assad-and-abandonment-of-kurds/

Tribal leaders respond to the idea of an Indigenous Interior secretary Representation is important, and so are policy decisions impacting tribes on the ground.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-department-of-interior-tribal-leaders-respond-to-the-idea-of-an-indigenous-interior-secretary

America’s Most Reliable Voter: New Year, New Leaders: What’s Next for the 50+ Voter? America’s most reliable voters, the 50+ community, made their voices heard and newly elected officials all across the nation will soon take their seats.
https://thehill.com/event/528126-new-year-new-leaders-whats-next-for-the-50-voter

Biden taps Buttigieg to serve as Transportation secretary. Buttigieg would be the first openly gay Cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the Senate if installed in the position.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-buttigieg/biden-taps-former-rival-pete-buttigieg-for-us-transportation-secretary-sources-idUSKBN28P2KK

Sanders Says Congress ‘Cannot Go Home for Christmas Holidays’ Without Delivering $1,200 Direct Payments. “Congress should be working 24 hours, seven days a week until we pass a bill that provides emergency assistance to the American people in their time of need.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/14/sanders-says-congress-cannot-go-home-christmas-holidays-without-delivering-1200

Steve Bannon has been outed for his involvement in running a network of misinformation pages on Facebook. Who could have possibly seen this coming.
https://gizmodo.com/steve-bannon-caught-running-a-network-of-misinformation-1845633004

# Law Enforcement
As COVID Surges Behind Bars in California, Why Is San Quentin Transferring Hundreds of Prisoners? Prisons across the U.S. are facing their greatest swell in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
https://www.democracynow.org/2020/12/15/san_quentin_prison_covid_outbreak

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
Hundreds of Black people are in prison for life even though some jurors thought they were innocent. The Supreme Court will soon weigh whether to help people still serving split-jury sentences.
https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2020/12/hundreds-of-black-people-are-in-prison-for-life-even-though-jurors-thought-they-were-innocent/

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee approved a revised bill to implement legal marijuana sales—with floor votes expected on Thursday, though equity advocates still have concerns about provisions.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-jersey-lawmakers-advance-revised-marijuana-sales-bill-with-floor-votes-expected-this-week/

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is proposing to extend the University of Mississippi’s monopoly contract to cultivate marijuana for research “without providing for full and open competition” while the Drug Enforcement Administration stalls the process of licensing additional growers.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-announce-plan-to-continue-marijuana-manufacturing-monopoly-at-least-for-now/

Several Virginia lawmakers are insisting that equity and expungements be at the center of the upcoming governor-supported marijuana legalization push in 2021.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-marijuana-legalization-bill-must-include-equity-and-expungements-lawmakers-say/

Georgia’s Senate Runoffs Could Decide Federal Marijuana Policy In 2021:
Here’s Where The Candidates Stand
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/georgias-senate-runoffs-could-decide-federal-marijuana-policy-in-2021-heres-where-the-candidates-stand/

# Medical / Health
Melania Does the Unthinkable, Removes Mask at Kid’s Hospital. The first lady made her annual visit to the Children’s National Hospital despite skyrocketing numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics/melania-trump-childrens-national-mask/index.html

# Science
The sun is awakening with ‘solar storms’ that could affect Earth https://us.newschant.com/weather/the-sun-is-awakening-with-solar-storms-that-could-affect-earth/

Physics Explains Why Time Passes Faster As You Age. Mind time cannot be measured on a watch.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/physics-explains-why-time-passes-faster-as-you-age?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Top 10 Myths About Bedbugs. The insects, making a comeback around the globe, cannot fly and are really not interested in hanging out on your body—but they do occasionally bite during the day.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/top-10-myths-about-bedbugs?utm_source=pocket-newtab

# Social
More Americans Are Shoplifting to Feed Themselves During the Pandemic, Report Says. With no government aid in sight, The Washington Post found people turning to stealing essentials just to survive.
https://www.foodandwine.com/news/shoplifting-groceries-increase-pandemic

# Space
‘Great conjunction’ of Jupiter and Saturn will form a ‘Christmas Star’, their closest encounter in almost 400 years on the solstice (Dec. 21).
https://www.space.com/great-conjunction-jupiter-saturn-explained

Hayabusa2’s ‘Treasure Box’ containing samples from asteroid Ryugu is finally opened–for scientists to determine what the space rock contains.
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/255065/20201215/scientists-finally-collect-asteroid-ryugu-samples-hayabusa2s-treasure-box.htm

Big Push for Nukes in Space: It’s not just a bad idea, it’s a deadly one.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/12/15/the-big-push-for-nukes-in-space/

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-14

Voices, The Peoples News

December 14, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

# Border / Immigration
ICE Is Targeting Women in Sanctuary With Obscure Laws and Retaliatory Fines Sanctuary activists have suffered retaliation under Trump. Now they are demanding relief from the Biden administration.
https://truthout.org/articles/ice-is-targeting-women-in-sanctuary-with-obscure-laws-and-retaliatory-fines/

# CoronaVirus
COVID-19 infections spread rapidly as officials race to distribute vaccine https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/529924-defense-bill-battle-showcases-2024-gop-hopefuls

States will receive initial COVID-19 vaccine doses beginning Monday, marking a pivotal moment in the pandemic response https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/12/shipments-of-first-authorized-covid-19-vaccine-in-the-u-s-will-begin-monday/

Unlike UK, U.S. FDA Allows Pregnant and Nursing Women to Receive Experimental Pfizer COVID Vaccine https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/unlike-uk-u-s-fda-allows-pregnant-and-lactating-women-to-receive-experimental-pfizer-covid-vaccine/

How to get a Covid vaccine: Everything we know, from cost to effectiveness From vaccine deserts to pricing and timing, there is a lot we know about forthcoming vaccines — and some crucial unknowns.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/how-get-covid-vaccine-everything-we-know-cost-effectiveness-n1250624?cid=eml_nbn_20201212

Anthony Fauci Reveals His Biggest COVID Vaccine Fear. While some have welcomed the COVID vaccine as a victory over the virus, Fauci warns there’s another test ahead—and we could be “in a little bit of trouble”
if it doesn’t go well.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/anthony-fauci-reveals-his-biggest-covid-vaccine-fear-skepticism

First They Got COVID-19. Then Came the Parkinson’s Symptoms. At the most extreme, researchers aren’t sure what is possible when it comes to permanent brain disorders like Parkinson’s and schizophrenia after COVID-19.
https://www.apdaparkinson.org/article/newly-published-studies-on-covid-and-pd/

The director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has signed off on advisory panel’s recommendation to use Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in people 16 and older, clearing the way for inoculations to begin.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/530024-cdc-director-accepts-panels-recommendations-clearing-the-way-for

WARNING! Seniors and Healthcare Workers First in Line to Get the Experimental COVID Vaccine!
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/warning-seniors-and-healthcare-workers-first-in-line-to-get-the-experimental-covid-vaccine/

The first shipments of the coronavirus vaccine are on their way to all
50 states
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tasneemnashrulla/pfizer-covid-vaccine-first-us-shipments

The United States, working in phases, expects by the end of March to have immunized 100 million people against COVID-19.
https://apnews.com/article/international-news-seoul-south-korea-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-8d21e1a2c4c3cfd6d083bbb005ef4ad1

Dave Ramsey Hosts 1,000 Guests at Maskless Christmas Bash.
Personal-finance guru who has played down risks of COVID reportedly asked party workers to not wear masks to avoid “making the guests feel uncomfortable.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/dave-ramsey-personal-financial-guru-hosts-1000-guests-at-maskless-christmas-bash-amid-nashville-covid-spike

Bipartisan group unveils two-part $908 billion coronavirus package. A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday unveiled its $908 billion coronavirus relief package as Congress faces a time crunch to pass more aid.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/530165-bipartisan-group-unveils-two-part-908-billion-coronavirus-package

And don’t let your guard down yet: Fauci warns people not to drop normal ‘public health measures’ as vaccinations begin https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/public-global-health/530100-fauci-warns-people-not-to-drop-normal-public-health

# Economy / Trade
GOP Under Fire for Blocking Necessary Funds as COVID Vaccine Distribution Begins. Mitch McConnell has made clear that he will not approve relief funds without a liability shield for corporations.
https://truthout.org/articles/gop-under-fire-for-blocking-necessary-funds-as-covid-vaccine-distribution-begins/

# Education / Schools
Rundown Schools in Low-Income Communities Face Long-Term Closures Amid COVID. The pandemic has drawn attention to the national crisis of deteriorating public schools.
https://truthout.org/articles/rundown-schools-in-low-income-communities-face-long-term-closures-amid-covid/

Report: 88 percent of universities restrict expression, nearly half restrict online speech https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/report-88-percent-of-universities-restrict-expression-nearly-half-restrict-online-speech/article_e8fbce7c-3bd9-11eb-804b-df3ae59dcd9d.html

# Employment
OSHA Is Helping Employers Get Away With Underreporting Health Care Worker Deaths. Workplace safety regulators have taken a lenient stance toward employers during the pandemic https://truthout.org/articles/osha-is-helping-employers-get-away-with-underreporting-health-care-worker-deaths/

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Every Major Bank Has Now Ruled Out Funding Arctic Drilling
https://earther.gizmodo.com/every-major-bank-has-now-ruled-out-funding-arctic-drill-1845782346

# Environment / Climate / Interior
John Kerry’s Think Tank Calls for War With Russia Over Climate Change https://www.mintpressnews.com/john-kerry-think-tank-calls-for-war-with-russia-over-climate-change/273480/

# Food / GMOs / Chemicals / Global
Danish vertical farm is a glimpse into the future https://www.fastcompany.com/90582905/this-vertical-farm-in-denmark-will-grow-1000-tons-of-local-greens-a-year

# Gov / Politics
Former Obama administration officials and outside groups say a growing list of challenges in the transition process are likely to impede President-elect Joe Biden’s entry into office.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/529868-challenges-persist-for-biden-after-delayed-transition-start

Defense bill battle showcases 2024 GOP hopefuls https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/529924-defense-bill-battle-showcases-2024-gop-hopefuls

Pro-Trump protestors, counter-protesters and police clash in DC after day of election demonstrations. Pro-Trump demonstrators, counter-protesters and police clashed in Washington, D.C., on Saturday evening after groups of the president’s supporters marched to protest the result of the 2020 election https://thehill.com/homenews/news/529978-pro-trump-protestors-counter-protesters-and-police-clash-in-dc-after-day-of

4 stabbed, 23 arrested in clashes between pro-Trump supporters, counter-protesters in Washington https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/529985-4-stabbed-23-arrested-in-clashes-between-pro-trump-supporters

Fears of violence grow amid threats to election officials, lawmakers.
Intimidation and threats to election officials and lawmakers are feeding fears about violence amid calls by President Trump’s supporters to stop the certification of election results.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/529911-fears-of-violence-grow-amid-threats-to-election-officials-lawmakers

Biden’s Pentagon pick puts Democrats in a bind. President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of a recently departed Army general to lead the Pentagon has put House Democrats in a jam.
https://apnews.com/article/6898f9911cf5bedfbe4ec4a32b06b86e

In contesting his election loss, Trump cements control of GOP. Officials from all wings of the Republican Party are bending to the president’s will as he undermines the peaceful transfer of power with baseless election challenges.
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/21/937060717/trumps-futile-fight-to-overturn-election-loss-breeds-turmoil-risk

President-elect Joe Biden will be under tremendous pressure to take action toward greater racial justice throughout the country on Day 1 of his presidency, following massive nationwide protests sparked by police killings, along with other incidents of violence against Black Americans.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/529898-biden-faces-pressure-to-take-action-on-racial-justice-issues

Will Biden’s America stop creating terrorists? If the Biden administration really wants to stop fueling chaos and terrorism in the world, it must radically transform the CIA.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/12/14/will-bidens-america-stop-creating-terrorists

The 126 GOP House Reps Who Tried to Overthrow Democracy Must Not Be Seated A whopping 126 members of Congress tried to make Trump an unelected dictator, backing his anti-democratic insurrection.
https://truthout.org/articles/the-126-gop-house-reps-who-tried-to-overthrow-democracy-must-not-be-seated/

Michigan Capitol Closes Due to Threats of Violence Before Electoral College Vote The 16 electors set to take part in the vote will receive an armed police escort to the capitol building.
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/530048-michigan-to-close-legislative-office-buildings-monday-due-to-credible

Paper Ballots Played a Key Role in Defending the Integrity of the 2020 Election With their scanned electronic images, paper ballots have provided 2020’s vital bulwark against an anti-electoral coup.
https://truthout.org/articles/paper-ballots-played-a-key-role-in-defending-the-integrity-of-the-2020-election/

Trump’s Axis of A**holes Just Completed Its GOP Takeover. He lost the election, but his true believers, denying that defeat to the bitter end and already preparing to sabotage everything the Biden administration does, are the party now.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-axis-of-assholes-just-completed-its-hostile-takeover-of-the-republican-party?ref=home

Electors across the country gathered on Monday, under a cloud of tensions and in some cases outright threats, to formally certify Joe Biden as the next U.S. president.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/530124-electors-cast-ballots-for-biden-amid-simmering-national-tensions

President-elect Joe Biden has crossed the threshold of 270 votes and officially clinched an Electoral College victory.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/530139-biden-hits-270-electoral-college-votes

# Law Enforcement
Police officer receives probation after convicted of assault and battery. “Our community and our criminal justice system rely on the integrity of police officers and we must hold accountable those who abuse their positions of power and trust.”
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/12/14/police-officer-receives-probation-after-convicted-of-assault-and-battery/

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
Attorney General William Barr will step down from his position in the coming days, leaving the Trump administration about a month before Joe Biden’s inauguration.
https://www.npr.org/2020/12/14/811276917/william-barr-to-steps-down-as-attorney-general

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
FDA warns company marketing unapproved cannabidiol products with unsubstantiated claims to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, opioid withdrawal, pain and pet anxiety Agency is expediting work to evaluate regulatory policies related to cannabis and cannabis-derived ingredients like CBD https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-warns-company-marketing-unapproved-cannabidiol-products-unsubstantiated-claims-treat-cancer

COVID-19 Vaccine Approved In Under a Year As Gov’t Keeps Cannabis Schedule 1 Drug https://thefreethoughtproject.com/cannabis-warp-speed-covid-vaccine/

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sent a terse post-election memo warning federal employees that they can still be drug tested for marijuana even as more states are voting to legalize it.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-post-election-warning-marijuana-still-banned-for-federal-workers-despite-state-legalization/

# Medical Alternatives / Herbology
FDA Shuts Down Natural Pain Options. FDA Shuts Down Natural Pain Options https://anh-usa.org/fda-shuts-down-natural-pain-options/

FDA Shuts Down Natural Pain Relief Options. FDA-approved pain medicines are dangerous, but the government is systematically attacking safer, non-addictive natural treatments.
https://anh-usa.org/fda-shuts-down-natural-pain-options/

# Technology
Cyberattack Forces U.S. Gov’t Agencies to Shut Down Systems. On Sunday, it was reported that Russian government-backed spies hacked into the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/us-government-agencies-ordered-to-shut-down-systems-to-fight-russia-linked-cyberattack

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-10

Voices, The Peoples News

December 10, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

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‘Tis madness I say, madness.’ I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range. Therefore prepare you.
I your commission will forthwith dispatch, and he to England shall along with you.
The terms of our estate may not endure hazard so dangerous as doth hourly grow out of his lunacies.
Claudius to Guildenstern. Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3
https://www.litcharts.com/shakescleare/shakespeare-translations/hamlet/act-3-scene-3
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# Indigenous
Hope and peace: Bison return to the Rosebud reservation https://news.mongabay.com/2020/12/hope-and-peace-bison-return-to-the-rosebud-reservation/

Deadline to spend COVID-19 relief funds has tribal nations on edge. In Oregon, tribal governments are left wondering how they’ll provide services next year without an extension.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/covid19-tribes-deadline-to-spend-covid-19-relief-funds-has-tribal-nations-on-edge

# Indigenous / Global
Brazilians impacted by mining assert: ‘Genocide legalized by the state.’ Residents of traditional communities in the Brazilian Amazon municipality of Barcarena, near the mouth of the Amazon River, say that their subsistence and commercial livelihoods, and their health, have been destroyed by an invasion of mining companies which began in the mid-1980’s.
https://news.mongabay.com/2020/12/brazilians-impacted-by-mining-assert-genocide-legalized-by-the-state/

# CoronaVirus
Biden Will Disinfect the White House After Trump Moves Out.
President-elect Biden has announced parts of his COVID safety plan for the country, but what does his safety plan for the White House look like?
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/09/biden-covid-safety-transition-444040

Trump Hosts Indoor Hanukkah Bash in the White House as COVID Cases Hit Records. Attendees could be heard on video coughing.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-hosts-hundreds-for-indoor-hanukkah-party-as-covid-infections-rise-faster-than-ever

Lawmaker Who Went to Dinner at Noem’s Mansion Has COVID. The South Dakota governor posed with the maskless lawmaker after her budget address this week.
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/09/s-d-lawmaker-diagnosed-covid-19-after-attending-dinner-gov-noems-mansion/3872747001/

“I Can’t Keep Watching Patients Die Needlessly!” Medical Professor Testifies to Congress that COVID Cure Already Exists with Ivermectin https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/i-cant-keep-watching-patients-die-needlessly-medical-professor-testifies-to-congress-that-covid-cure-already-exists-with-ivermectin/

A vaccine to prevent coronavirus infections is close, but concern persists that not enough Americans will be willing to be vaccinated to fully halt the virus’ spread.
President-elect Joe Biden raised this concern during a Dec. 3 interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2012/03/se.01.html

Protecting Individual Rights: Can COVID Vaccines Be Mandated?
https://theconversation.com/can-governments-mandate-a-covid-vaccination-balancing-public-health-with-human-rights-and-what-the-law-says-150733

State Bar Passes Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendation https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal/2020/11/07/state-bar-passes-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-recommendation/

Here’s How We Handle People Who Refuse to Get COVID Vaccines. The government can’t force people to get vaccinated, but businesses can bar people who are not. We just need a simple, reliable way to determine who’s had their shots.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/heres-how-we-handle-people-who-refuse-to-get-covid-vaccines

Pay people to get the vaccine, that should be part of a relief bill entirely focused on getting the vaccine to people as fast as possible
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/89512

COVID-19 Relief Delayed With Pelosi, McConnell Holding Back https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-10/covid-19-relief-deal-delayed-with-pelosi-mcconnell-holding-back

FDA panel votes in favor of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/529737-fda-panel-votes-in-favor-of-pfizer-covid-vaccine

# Economy / Trade
Splits among Republicans are complicating GOP efforts to get on the same page in talks on a coronavirus relief deal https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/529573-relief-talks-show-gop-divisions

Stimulus talks slam into another wall. Lawmakers weigh competing
COVID-19 aid proposals.
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/huddle/2020/12/10/stimulus-talks-slam-into-another-wall-491113

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Fears for safety and climate surround LNG export terminal planned on the Delaware River. The developer of the project, Delaware River Partners, a subsidiary of New Fortress Energy, wants to build the export terminal on the site of a former DuPont dynamite manufacturing plant.
https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2020/12/09/fears-for-safety-and-climate-surround-lng-export-terminal-planned-on-the-delaware/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Two Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Calves Are Spotted Off U.S. Coast https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/12/07/north-atlantic-right-whale-endangered-species-newborns/6484190002/

Is It Too Late to Save ‘America’s Amazon’ in Alabama?
https://www.ecowatch.com/alabama-save-biodiversity-2649428323.html

Human-made materials now equal weight of all life on Earth. The amount of concrete, asphalt, metal, and plastic on Earth is growing fast.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-3010-5

New Trump rule aims to limit tough clean air measures under Biden. The EPA rule, which changes the way cost-benefit analyses are used, would make it easier for fossil fuel companies to fight regulations in court.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/17112020/trump-rollbacks-biden-clean-cars-power-methane/

In the shadow of “Shingle Mountain,” southeast Dallas neighbors fight to dismantle a legacy of environmental racism https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/09/southeast-dallas-shingle-mountain-environmental-racism/

Court Rejects Trump’s Arctic Drilling Proposal in ‘Huge Victory for Polar Bears and Our Climate’
https://www.ecowatch.com/court-rejects-trump-arctic-drilling-2649416541.html

# Gov / Politics
“Safeguards Stripped in Us Elections” 18 Rep States’ Attorneys joint to Texas lawsuit at Supreme Court. “The allegations in the Bill of Complaint raise important constitutional issues under the Electors Clause of Article II, § 1. They also raise serious concerns relating to election integrity and public confidence in elections.”
https://www.gospanews.net/en/2020/12/10/safeguards-stripped-in-us-elections-17-rep-states-attorneys-general-joint-to-texas-lawsuit-at-supreme-court/

Biden to Netanyahu: Your worst nightmare is here: If Biden brings back the nuclear deal, if he takes Netanyahu to the woodshed and avoids another disaster in the Middle East, then he is doing America and much of the world a great service. He would certainly get much respect.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/09/biden-to-netanyahu-your-worst-nightmare-is-here/

Call Trump’s treasonous acts what they are, the US Constitution is clear about treason’s meaning. Article Three in Section Three of the Constitution says: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-trump-treasonous-heres-the-legal-and-historical-answer-to-that-charge-2018-07-17

State legislatures across the country are contemplating sweeping changes to the way elections are administered after a tumultuous presidential contest, one that ended with both the highest voter turnout in American history and the outgoing president baselessly calling its integrity into question.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/529570-legislatures-across-country-plan-sweeping-election-reform-push

Seeds of Hunter Biden’s Legal Woes Found on Stolen Laptop. The president-elect’s son is under investigation for “tax affairs.” But documents unearthed this fall support reports that the inquiry was once much broader.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-seeds-of-hunter-bidens-current-legal-woes-were-found-on-his-stolen-laptop

Trump Just Broke Through the Last Level of Neo-Fascism. He knows that he can’t wiggle his way out of being found a loser by our democratic system. The question now is if he’ll tear the system apart rather than acknowledge its verdict.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-just-broke-through-the-last-level-of-neo-fascism

Hunter Biden Tax Probe Examining China Business Dealings
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-business-01857e07b8c69c3edf611a5dd8e567b3

Pennsylvania’s Democratic attorney general in a Supreme Court brief Thursday called Texas’ bid to invalidate the election results of Pennsylvania and three other states a “seditious abuse of the judicial process.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/529690-pennsylvania-ag-blasts-texas-election-suit-as-seditious-abuse-of-judicial

Georgia Republicans Are Using Fake Claims of Fraud to Make It Harder to Vote GOP leaders who have rebutted Trump’s falsehoods are still using those claims for voter suppression.
https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/12/georgia-republicans-are-using-fake-claims-of-fraud-to-make-it-harder-to-vote/

Will It Really Be All Over on December 14? Will Trump’s use of bigotry to rally anxious white voters end with his term of office?
https://prospect.org/blogs/tap/will-it-really-be-all-over-on-december-14/

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
DOJ files lawsuit against Alabama for unconstitutional prison conditions. “The United States Constitution requires Alabama to make sure that its prisons are safe and humane.”
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/12/10/doj-files-lawsuit-against-alabama-for-unconstitutional-prison-conditions/

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
The House of Representatives passed a bill to expand marijuana research—including by forcing the Drug Enforcement Administration to register more growers and letting scientists study cannabis that consumers buy from state-legal dispensaries. It was approved on a voice vote.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/house-approves-marijuana-research-bill-days-after-voting-to-federally-legalize-cannabis/

Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies is asking the nation’s Supreme Court for another delay in the deadline to enact marijuana legalization legislation.
https://mjbizdaily.com/mexico-delays-cannabis-bill-debate-pushing-approval-to-2021/

A new poll shows that 66% of U.S. voters—including a majority of Republicans—support the House’s passage of a federal marijuana legalization bill last week.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/11/14/americans-support-marijuana-legalization/

# Medical Alternatives / Herbology
One-third of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine.
A stunning one-third of people with a cancer diagnosis use complementary and alternative medicines such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and supplements.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190411172529.htm

# Medical Kidnapping / Arrests
Do We Need to Abolish Child Protective Services? Inside one parent’s five-year battle with the “family destruction system.”
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/12/do-we-need-to-abolish-child-protective-services/

# Military / DOD
Naval power plant proposal tests Virginia on environmental justice https://www.bayjournal.com/news/energy/naval-power-plant-proposal-tests-virginia-on-environmental-justice/article_8b8db992-3a5a-11eb-9a48-d78ac19efa91.html

35,000 Soldiers Died from the Experimental Anthrax Vaccine – More Than Those Who Died in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq Combined https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/35000-soldiers-died-from-the-experimental-anthrax-vaccine-more-than-those-who-died-in-combat-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-combined/

# Technology
Federal and state lawsuits brought against Facebook calls for an end to BigTech’s predatory practices. “Facebook used its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users.”
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/12/10/federal-and-state-lawsuits-brought-against-facebook-calls-for-an-end-to-bigtechs-predatory-practices/

# Things that make ya go ‘Hmmmm’
Algae-farming fish domesticate shrimp to improve their farms. It’s the first example of a non-human vertebrate domesticating another animal.
https://www.zmescience.com/science/algae-farming-fish-domestication-052532/

# United Nations
African Union Silencing the Guns initiative – the role of illicit financial flows in fuelling instability in Africa. The main objective of the High-level Meeting is to focus on the impact of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) in exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in African countries
https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/events/2020/stg.shtml?utm_source=MALU&utm_campaign=c35e842512-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_12_10_02_41&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6976c53a08-c35e842512-107585729

# Water
Filthy water: A basic sanitation problem persists in rural America.
Residents of Alabama’s Lowndes County lack adequate wastewater systems and must contend with sewage backing up into their yards and homes.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/filthy-water-a-basic-sanitation-problem-persists-in-rural-america?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-12

Voices, The Peoples News

December 12, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate

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“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right and evil doesn’t become good just because it’s accepted by a majority.”
Booker T.Washington
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# Indigenous
‘Hold Their Feet To the Fire’: Getting A COVID-19 Vaccine To Hard-Hit Indian Country https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/12/11/945397090/hold-their-feet-to-the-fire-getting-a-covid-19-vaccine-to-hard-hit-indian-countr

# Animals / Pets / Food Recalls
Bees defeat ‘murder hornet’ relatives with poop. Using feces to defend their hives is a behavior that was previously unknown in bees.
https://www.livescience.com/bees-defeat-giant-hornets-with-poo.html

# Border / Immigration
Contractors Dynamite Mountains, Bulldoze Desert In Race To Build Trump’s Border Wall https://www.npr.org/2020/12/11/945194147/contractors-dynamite-mountains-bulldoze-desert-in-race-to-build-trumps-border-wa

# CoronaVirus
Window quickly closing for big coronavirus deal https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/529921-window-quickly-closing-for-big-coronavirus-deal

FDA clears nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/529908-fda-clears-nations-first-covid-vaccine

US enters brutal stretch of pandemic, even with approaching vaccines https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/529904-us-enters-brutal-stretch-of-pandemic-even-with-approaching-vaccine

Cargo carriers are poised to begin deliveries of the coronavirus vaccine https://fortune.com/2020/11/30/covid-vaccine-distribution-airlines-logistics-moderna-pfizer-astrazeneca/

Australia Scraps Billion Dollar Coronavirus Vaccine After Participants Test HIV Positive https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/australia-scraps-billion-dollar-coronavirus-vaccine-after-participants-test-hiv-positive/

Covid Vaccine producers announce plans to test combination vaccines using Russia’s ‘SputnikV’: Trial will assess whether combining the two vaccines boosts immune response and could give a vote of confidence to Russia’s fast-tracked shot. The biggest concern is that the vaccines are not producing a high antibody protection in seniors.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/combination-of-astrazeneca-russian-vaccines-to-undergo-trial-11607703278

From TMAP to Warp Speed: How Big Pharma Algorithms Fast-Track Unapproved Drugs and Vaccines https://www.naturalblaze.com/2020/12/from-tmap-to-warp-speed-how-big-pharma-algorithms-fast-track-unapproved-drugs-and-vaccines.html

World’s Largest Vaccine Maker Suing Man for Saying COVID-19 Vaccine Injured Him https://thewashingtonstandard.com/you-cant-sue-them-but-worlds-largest-vaccine-maker-is-suing-man-for-saying-covid-19-vaccine-injured-him/

People Harmed by Coronavirus Vaccines Will Have Little Recourse. Any payouts for injuries will come from a less-generous program than in years past
https://www.wsj.com/articles/people-harmed-by-coronavirus-vaccines-will-have-little-recourse-11602432000

NJ Senator Wants Mandatory COVID Vaccinations For School Children Without Exemptions https://beforeitsnews.com/health/2020/12/nj-senator-wants-mandatory-covid-vaccinations-for-school-children-without-exemptions-3036701.html

# Education / Schools
DeVos Is on Her Way Out, But Public Education Is Still Very Much Under Attack. The threat to democratically governed schools that preceded Betsy DeVos will continue during the Biden presidency.
https://truthout.org/articles/devos-is-on-her-way-out-but-public-education-is-still-very-much-under-attack/

56 Percent Of Americans Don’t Think We Should Teach Arabic Numerals In School [Guess we’ll just have to change our entire system of numbers. Any ideas?] https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/56-percent-of-americans-dont-think-we-should-teach-arabic-numerals-in-school/

# Employment
Many Workers at Largest Corporations in U.S. Depend on Federal Benefits to Survive. Walmart and McDonald’s depend on taxpayers to subsidize the income of many workers because their wages are so low.
https://truthout.org/articles/many-workers-at-largest-corporations-in-us-depend-on-federal-benefits-to-survive/

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Court Ends Attempt to Mine for Gold Near Yellowstone https://www.ecowatch.com/yellowstone-gold-mining-ban-2649452703.html

Kinder Morgan Pipeline Spills up to 42,000 Gallons of Gasoline Into California Drainage Canal https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/42-000-gallons-of-gasoline-leaks-into-Walnut-15790022.php

The American Petroleum Institute Is Working to Kill Voting on Local Measures Industry groups are being represented by the same law firm that helped Trump file the election appeal in Pennsylvania.
https://truthout.org/articles/the-american-petroleum-institute-is-working-to-kill-voting-on-local-measures/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Capitalism and the Green New Deal: The problem for a Green New Deal isn’t that it can’t be used to solve environmental problems, but that it won’t be.
https://developingeconomics.org/2019/06/07/the-green-new-deal-whither-capitalism/

# Environment / Climate / Interior Global Climate Ambition Summit 2020: Co-convened by the United Nations, the United Kingdom and France, in partnership with Chile and Italy
https://www.climateambitionsummit2020.org/?utm_source=MALU&utm_campaign=4abbde6af5-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_12_12_12_38&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6976c53a08-4abbde6af5-107585729

# Food / GMOs / Chemicals
Millions of hungry Americans turn to food banks https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-hunger-coronavirus-pandemic-4c7f1705c6d8ef5bac241e6cc8e331bb

# General News
Former Clinton aide’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein: The bombshell that Clinton’s closest confidant confirmed the former president’s many trips aboard the “lolita express” has been totally ignored by the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC News, MSNBC, CBS News, and CNN.
https://www.mintpressnews.com/media-silence-deafening-former-clinton-aide-confirms-ties-jeffrey-epstein/273456/

A coded message sent by notorious serial murderer the Zodiac Killer has been solved, 51 years after it was sent to a San Francisco newspaper.
https://www.9news.com.au/world/zodiac-killer-codebreakers-uncrackable-cipher-solved-serial-murderer/83342ef8-ca37-4215-b3fb-9274ddf3a0e6

# Global Politics and other news
Trade talks between the UK and the EU are continuing with less than 48 hours to go until the deadline imposed by both parties to reach a deal.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/12/brexit-uk-eu-continue-trade-talks-deadline-looms

Canada Bans Americans Until The Day After Joe Biden Takes Office https://www.politicususa.com/2020/12/11/trudeau-biden-canada-travel.html

# Gov / Politics
President Trump on Friday evening signed a short-term funding bill to keep the government open for another week while lawmakers negotiate a longer-term package.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/529917-trump-signs-one-week-funding-bill-to-avoid-shutdown

Cuomo under consideration to become Biden’s attorney general: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is reportedly among several candidates under consideration to become attorney general in President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.
https://www.businessinsider.com/new-yorks-andrew-cuomo-contender-for-attorney-general-under-biden-2020-12

Giuliani says Trump team ‘not finished’ after Supreme Court defeat https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/529928-giuliani-says-trump-team-not-finished-after-supreme-court-defeat

Trump supporters plan DC rally to ‘demand transparency’ before Electoral College vote https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/12/09/march-trump-dc-rally-planned-ahead-electoral-college-meeting/6394642002/

SCOTUS Throws Out Texas Lawsuit as ‘Criminal-Childish’ (the rebel South surrenders again) https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/11/texas-lawsuit-supreme-court-election-results/

There is a God! Texas says it will leave the Union…and a return to slavery. Texas and all of the other states and members of Congress who joined them already committed a seditious act, so secession seems like the next step for a group of people who truly hate democracy.
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/11/there-is-a-god-texas-says-it-will-leave-the-union-and-a-return-to-slavery/

Texplainer: If Brexit Can Happen, Can Texit? Hey, Texplainer: Britain voted to leave the European Union. Can Texas secede from the United States?
https://www.texastribune.org/2016/06/24/can-texas-legally-secede-united-states/

Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States. Approved March 1, 1845 https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/annexation/march1845.html

Sedition, alive and well and prosecutable against Trump, 106 members of congress and Sheriffs around the US https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/11/sedition-alive-and-well-and-prosecutable-against-trump-106-members-of-congress-and-sheriffs-around-the-us/

The Sedition of Donald Trump: Historian Sean Wilentz says the president and his chief accomplice Attorney General Bill Barr’s subversions of democracy have taken America to the very brink https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-sedition-william-barr-1073455/

Some call it sedition
* To conspire to overthrow or destroy by force the government of the United States or to level war against them;
* To oppose by force the authority of the United States government; to prevent, hinder, or delay by force the execution of any law of the United States; or
* To take, seize, or possess by force any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof.
https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/sedition.html

None Dare Call It Sedition: Sedition: Crime of creating a revolt, disturbance, or violence against lawful civil authority with the intent to cause its overthrow or destruction. Before we start throwing around inflammatory terms like “sedition,” it’s essential that we understand the strict definition of the word — and use it carefully and precisely, lest it lose all meaning. — Brittanica Concise Dictionary https://ourfuture.org/20100405/none-dare-call-it-sedition

House Democrat Calls To Exclude 126 Republicans From Next Congress For Supporting Texas Lawsuit
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/12/11/house-democrat-calls-to-exclude-126-republicans-from-next-congress-for-supporting-texas-lawsuit/?sh=3d684ebc1fd9

The Supreme Court Rejects Texas’s Shameful Lawsuit, But There Has to Be a Reckoning If prominent Republicans don’t renounce Trump’s campaign to overturn the election, they will do lasting harm to the country—and the early signs are not good.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-supreme-court-rejects-texass-shameful-lawsuit-but-there-has-to-be-a-reckoning

Citing 14th Amendment, Pascrell says these GOP House members shouldn’t be sworn in https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/11/citing-14th-amendment-pascrell-says-these-gop-house-members-shouldnt-even-be-sworn

‘Not $300. Not $600. $1,200 at a Minimum’: Bernie Mobilizes Progressive Forces for Direct Cash Stimulus https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/10/not-300-not-600-1200-minimum-bernie-mobilizes-progressive-forces-direct-cash

# Law Enforcement
The Trump Administration Has Gone on an Underreported Execution Spree.
Under Trump, the U.S. has restarted federal executions and reinstated the use of the electric chair and firing squads.
https://truthout.org/audio/the-trump-administration-has-gone-on-an-underreported-execution-spree/

“A blood lust”: Spree of federal executions during lame-duck period is unprecedented https://theusbreakingnews.com/a-blood-lust-spree-of-federal-executions-during-lame-duck-period-is-unprecedented/

Incarcerated Women Are Punished for Their Trauma With Solitary Confinement Vulnerable women in prison are often punished with isolation, when what they need is compassion and care.
https://truthout.org/articles/incarcerated-women-are-punished-for-their-trauma-with-solitary-confinement/

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
Judge dismisses Michael Flynn case after Trump pardon –Sullivan had previously resisted dismissing the case following a DOJ request https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2020/12/08/citing-trump-pardon-federal-judge-dismisses-case-against-michael-flynn/

# Military / DOD
Senate passes defense bill, setting up Trump veto fight. The Senate passed a mammoth defense policy bill on Friday, setting up a veto showdown with President Trump.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/11/senate-passes-defense-bill-444579

# Social
Hundreds march in Ohio capital over police shooting of Black man. The shooting is the latest in a spate of killings of African Americans by police in the United States that have triggered a wave of protests over racial injustice and brutality by law enforcement.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-race-usa-ohio/hundreds-march-in-ohio-capital-over-police-shooting-of-black-man-idUSKBN28L2RR

# Technology
Facebook sued by FTC, 48 attorneys general alleging it operates an illegal monopoly: Attorneys general included those for Guam and Washington, D.C., and every state except for Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and South Dakota. As part of its lawsuit, the FTC wants to force Facebook to break off both Instagram and WhatsApp.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-hit-with-antitrust-lawsuit-by-federal-trade-commission-state-attorneys-general-11607543139

Facebook faces most serious breakup threat yet from lawsuits. The twin lawsuits filed against Facebook this week by the government and more than 40 attorneys general are the most serious effort to break the social media giant up to date.
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/529912-facebook-faces-most-serious-breakup-threat-yet-from-lawsuits

# Veterans / VA
Paralyzed Veterans of America calls for VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to be fired and culture to change within VA https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/12/11/major-veterans-groups-call-for-va-secretarys-ouster-following-damning-report/

# Water
California water futures begin trading amid fear of scarcity. “Climate change, droughts, population growth, and pollution are likely to make water scarcity issues and pricing a hot topic for years to come https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-06/water-futures-to-start-trading-amid-growing-fears-of-scarcity

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-09

Voices, The Peoples News

December 9, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate
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Open SmartNews and read “The Northern Lights Will Be Visible Over the U.S. This Week.
Here’s How to See Them.” here: https://smartnews.link/news/2J1x
To read it on the web, tap here: https://smartnews.link/w/5Kfe
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# Indigenous / Global
Mining is ongoing inside Indigenous territories and national parks in Jacareacanga, despite Brazil’s Constitution banning all types of mining http://www.envirolink.org/2020/12/08/illegal-mining-sparks-malaria-outbreak-in-indigenous-territories-in-brazil/

# Border / Immigration
Migrant camp built on Army firing range could be giving asylum seekers lead poisoning. Human Rights Watch has warned that is very likely there is lead in the soil of the camp housing former residents of the burned down Moria camp.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy8y9x/migrant-camp-built-on-army-firing-range-could-be-giving-asylum-seekers-lead-poisoning

# CoronaVirus
Understanding COVID-19 infection and possible mutations https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208163007.htm

Face shields no match for sneeze vortex rings https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208111442.htm

Tension between awareness and fatigue shapes COVID-19 spread https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201208111438.htm

No Safety Concerns: FDA Paves Way for Pfizer Shot Approval. Latest data analyses show it starts providing strong protection against COVID-19 within about 10 days of the first dose—even sooner than Pfizer had previously announced.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fda-scientists-pave-way-for-pfizer-vaccine-approval-saying-there-are-no-safety-concerns

Red Cross President Demands Gov’t, Media Silence Those Who Question Safety of COVID Vaccine https://thefreethoughtproject.com/red-cross-silence-vaccine-safety/

Biden plans to give 50 million Americans vaccinations in his first 100 days https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nidhiprakash/coronavirus-vaccine-joe-biden-update

Scientists still have problems with AstraZeneca and Oxford’s vaccine results.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/scientists-problems-astrazeneca-oxford

Doctors Around the World Issue Dire Warning: Do Not Get The COVID Vaccine!They are trying to save as many people as possible from the carnage this vaccine is going to cause, which will include death, brain injuries, life-long autoimmune disease, infertility, and more.
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/

FDA Announces Deaths of Two Pfizer Vaccine Trial Participants as it Prepares to Issue Fast-track Authorization https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/fda-announces-deaths-of-two-pfizer-vaccine-trial-participants-as-it-prepares-to-issue-fast-track-authorization/

People With Very Bad Allergies Should Avoid Vaccine: U.K. Regulators warn two care-providers with significant allergies took the vaccine on Tuesday and suffered allergic reactions.
https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-britain-vaccine/uk-warns-people-with-serious-allergies-to-avoid-pfizer-vaccine-idUSKBN28J1DX

COVID Patient Leaves Florida Hospital—After Nine Months. The medical technician was on a ventilator and a heart-lung bypass machine and will probably lose her fingertips.
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/12/08/jackson-memorial-employee-released-after-9-months-hospitalized-with-covid-19/

FL GOP Lawyer Quits Over Raid on Fired COVID Data Scientist. “I no longer wish to serve the current government of Florida in any capacity,”
the DeSantis appointee said.
https://www.fox23.com/news/trending/florida-gop-lawyer-resigns-appointed-state-post-over-treatment-data-scientist/YLDMOH7G3FFCTP3XWJN2YK5ZJ4/

Vaccines alone are not enough to beat COVID-19
https://bloom.bg/3gqeqX7

U.S. govt to issue wallet-sized COVID-19 proof of vaccination cards –Releasing the image on the Department of Defense (DOD) website, the description says that they ‘will be sent out as part of vaccination kits from Operation Warp Speed.’
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-govt-to-issue-wallet-sized-covid-19-proof-of-vaccination-cards

WHO against making coronavirus vaccine mandatory –Such moves have backfired and caused greater opposition in the past, the UN health agency warns https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/7/millions-in-california-face-stay-at-home-order-live-news

Analysis: It’s Time to Scare People About COVID https://khn.org/news/article/its-time-to-scare-people-about-covid/

Doctors begin to unlock the mystery behind Covid-19 “long haulers,” who aren’t badly hit initially but can experience memory lapses, erratic heart rates and dizziness over time.
https://www.pharmacist.com/article/doctors-begin-crack-covids-mysterious-long-term-effects

Face masks reduce new COVID cases by 45% https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/face-mask-reduce-cases-45-percent-90532/

Less than a year to develop a COVID vaccine – here’s why you shouldn’t be alarmed. Ten years to develop a vaccine is a bad thing
https://theconversation.com/less-than-a-year-to-develop-a-covid-vaccine-heres-why-you-shouldnt-be-alarmed-150414

FDA Announces 2 Deaths of Pfizer Vaccine Trial Participants from “Serious Adverse Events” (Updated – Withdrawn)) https://www.naturalblaze.com/2020/12/fda-announces-2-deaths-of-pfizer-vaccine-trial-participants-from-serious-adverse-events.html

White House task force: Vaccine may not reduce virus spread until late spring https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/529528-white-house-task-force-vaccine-may-not-reduce-virus-spread-until-late

# Economy / Trade
Sanders Leads Senate Demand for $1,200 Stimulus Checks Over ‘Get-Out-of-Jail Free Card’ for Corporations https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/08/sanders-leads-senate-demand-1200-stimulus-checks-over-get-out-jail-free-card

‘Time Is Running Out for Millions’: Progressives Rally for People’s Bailout as McConnell Pushes Corporate Immunity https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/08/time-running-out-millions-progressives-rally-peoples-bailout-mcconnell-pushes

White House offers $916 billion stimulus proposal, cutting jobless benefits.
https://www.newsweek.com/pelosi-calls-white-house-stimulus-proposal-unacceptable-1553411

COVID Relief: The Republicans’ Poison Pill: McConnell and Mnuchin are playing an utterly cynical game on desperately needed COVID relief. The game is to offer competing proposals that are unacceptable to each other, as well as to Democrats.
https://prospect.org/blogs/tap/covid-relief-the-republicans-poison-pill/

House passes stopgap bill to avoid government shutdown https://thehill.com/homenews/house/529515-house-passes-stopgap-bill-to-avoid-government-shutdown

New Research Shows ‘Pandemic Profits’ of Billionaires Could Fully Fund
$3,000 Stimulus Checks for Every Person in US https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/09/new-research-shows-pandemic-profits-billionaires-could-fully-fund-3000-stimulus

‘Beyond Incomprehensible’: Bipartisan Covid Relief Package Would Let Paid Sick and Family Leave Expire https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/09/beyond-incomprehensible-bipartisan-covid-relief-package-would-let-paid-sick-and

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Federal appeals court strikes down the Trump administration’s approval of an Alaska offshore Arctic oil project https://www.arctictoday.com/federal-appeals-court-strikes-down-the-trump-administrations-approval-of-an-alaska-offshore-arctic-oil-project/

Fracking linked to heart failure trouble. A study in central Pennsylvania points to cardiovascular effects of unconventional natural gas extraction.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/environmentalhealth/90058

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Trump Admin Rejects Tough Standards on Deadly Pollution from Industrial Soot https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15042020/air-pollution-epa-covid-pm2-5-secret-science-rule-health-fuel-standard-climate-change/

In a Historic Vote, Colorado Officially Decided to Reintroduce Wolves to the State https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/12/colorado-vote-reintroduce-gray-wolves-proposition-114-official-results/

John Kerry’s Think Tank Calls for War With Russia Over Climate Change.
“America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is.” — John Kerry https://www.mintpressnews.com/john-kerry-think-tank-calls-for-war-with-russia-over-climate-change/273480/

# Food / GMOs / Chemicals
Once called naïve for his focus on returning land to Black farmers, Thomas Mitchell is now a MacArthur Genius. The Texas A&M law professor talks about his work to help Black families navigate a discriminatory system and retain ownership of their farmland https://civileats.com/2020/12/09/once-called-naive-for-his-focus-on-returning-land-to-black-farmers-thomas-mitchell-is-now-a-macarthur-genius/

# General News
Asbestos, a toxic mineral linked to cancer, was found in eye shadow and a children’s makeup kit
https://www.insider.com/cancer-causing-asbestos-found-in-eye-shadow-kids-makeup-products-2020-12

# Global Politics and other news
Russian Media Wants Moscow to Grant Asylum to Trump. Russian media and lawmakers are concerned about the future of the Kremlin’s favorite U.S.
president.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-media-wants-moscow-to-grant-asylum-to-trump-to-help-him-dodge-prosecutions

# Gov / Politics
Senate Readies Vote on Slimmed-Down Coronavirus Relief Bill That Shields Corporations from Liability https://www.democracynow.org/2020/12/8/headlines/senate_readies_vote_on_slimmed_down_coronavirus_relief_bill_that_shields_corporations_from_liability

AZ Republicans Ask: Are You Ready to Die to Support Trump? The state GOP made the apparent call to arms on its official Twitter account late Monday.
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/arizona-republican-party-now-calling-on-voters-to-die-for-trumps-election-fight/

‘Stop the Steal’ MAGA Fanatics Reach Their Death Cult Finale. A bizarre tweet from the Arizona Republican Party suggesting Trump supporters die for a lost cause might just be the start of a twisted new chapter.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/stop-the-steal-maga-fanatics-obsessed-with-overturning-2020-election-reach-their-death-cult-finale

As Trump rails against loss, his supporters become more threatening.
https://news.yahoo.com/trump-rails-against-loss-supporters-130752656.html

Hunter Biden says he’s under federal investigation over his taxes https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/529526-hunter-biden-says-hes-under-federal-investigation-over-his-taxes

Trump’s Backers Are Becoming More Violent. I Fear What Will Happen in January. Trump’s base has become increasingly threatening as his already negligible reelection hopes have all but collapsed.
https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-backers-are-becoming-more-violent-i-fear-what-will-happen-in-january/

Ilhan Omar Rips Congress for Approving $740.5 Billion Bill to ‘Appease Defense Contractors’ While Skimping on Covid Relief https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/09/ilhan-omar-rips-congress-approving-7405-billion-bill-appease-defense-contractors

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear case challenging HHS approval of state work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries. On December 4, the U.S.
Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving agency approval of work requirements for state Medicaid beneficiaries.
https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/national/u-s-supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-case-challenging-hhs-approval-of-state-work-requirements/article_1b755179-5495-5068-8e46-c21dd5931b85.html

# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
Xavier Becerra, who President-elect Joe Biden selected to serve as health and human services secretary, supports legalizing marijuana and voted in Congress to protect state laws from federal intervention.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/bidens-health-secretary-pick-could-help-reclassify-marijuana/

# Medical / Health
$218 MILLION Paid Out for Vaccine Injuries and Deaths in 2020 for FDA Approved Vaccines (NOT Fast-tracked) https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/218-million-paid-out-for-vaccine-injuries-and-deaths-in-2020-for-fda-approved-vaccines-not-fast-tracked/

Gene-therapy trials offer hope for sickle cell. Sickle Cell Disease is a serious and debilitating genetic disease caused by a mutation in the β-globin gene and there are currently no known permanent cure.
https://www.healtheuropa.eu/gene-therapy-trial-offers-hope-for-sickle-cell-disease/95563/

# Things that make ya go ‘Hmmmm’
The Man Who Found Forrest Fenn’s Treasure. The decade-long hunt captured the world’s attention, but when it finally ended in June, everyone still wanted to know: Who had solved the mystery? This week, as legal proceedings threaten his anonymity, a 32-year-old medical student is ready to go on the record.
https://www.outsideonline.com/2419429/forrest-fenn-treasure-jack-stuef?utm_source=pocket-newtab

# United Nations
‘Not a Criminal’: Top UN Anti-Torture Official Urges Julian Assange’s Release. 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.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/08/not-criminal-top-un-anti-torture-official-urges-julian-assanges-release

Standing up for free expression means standing up for Julian Assange. An independent press is the only safeguard we have against government deception.
Prosecuting Assange for publishing truths the U.S. government wanted to hide is an incredibly dangerous precedent https://www.salon.com/2020/12/06/standing-up-for-free-expression-means-standing-up-for-julian-assange/

International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, Day 2: The annual international media seminar on peace in the Middle East (8-9 December 2020) will bring together diplomats, journalists, think-tanks, and members of academia to discuss media-related issues and trends connected to the Israel-Palestine conflict https://www.un.org/unispal/event/2020-united-nations-international-media-seminar-on-peace-in-the-middle-east/

Seventy-second Anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime https://www.un.org/en/observances/genocide-prevention-day

# Water
Southwest US communities and Hispanics most likely to have arsenic-laden water A new survey shows arsenic levels in public water are disproportionately high in certain U.S. communities https://www.ehn.org/arsenic-water-southwest–2649419084.html

Water joined gold, oil and other commodities traded on Wall Street, highlighting worries that the life-sustaining natural resource may become scarce https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-06/water-futures-to-start-trading-amid-growing-fears-of-scarcity

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Voices, The Peoples News No. 2020-12-08

Voices, The Peoples News

December 8, 2020
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 To Inform and Educate
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“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau – (1712-1778) Political philosopher, educationist and essayist
-Source: The Social Contract
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# Indigenous
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to Hold Hearing on Tribal Self-governance & Cultural Sovereignty https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/senate-committee-on-indian-affairs-to-hold-hearing-on-tribal-self-governance-cultural-sovereignty

# Archaeology
The Skeletons at the Lake: Genetic analysis of human remains found in the Himalayas has raised baffling questions about who these people were and why they were there.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11357-9

# Border / Immigration
Lawsuit: Mexicans Smuggled Over Border to Guard Trump’s Wall. According to court documents reported by The New York Times, the contractors even built a dirt road to help armed guards make the illegal trip.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mexicans-were-illegally-smuggled-over-the-border-to-help-guard-trumps-wall-lawsuit-alleges

How ICE became the face of Trump’s immigrant crackdown, and where it goes from here after Biden is in charge. “ICE put their MAGA hat on.
They’re gonna try to take it off come January, but I don’t know how successful that will be.”
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/trump-ice-biden-future

# CoronaVirus
Pfizer, Moderna decline invitations to White House ‘vaccine summit’
https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/07/pfizer-moderna-decline-white-house-vaccine-summit/?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=35366

Which Essential Workers Should Get Vaccinated First? States Face A Painful Decision‌
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/states-essential-workers-covid-19-vaccine_n_5fce8b1bc5b6636e09278587

Trump Sabotage: US Purchase of Pfizer Vaccine Blocked, Extending Pandemic 6 More Months https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/12/07/trump-sabotage-us-purchase-of-pfizer-vaccine-blocked-extending-pandemic-6-more-months/

Pfizer Reportedly Tells Trump: No More Vaccines Until June. The news followed a New York Times report that said the Trump administration turned down the offer of extra vaccines from Pfizer.
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-administration-rejected-pfizer-offer-more-covid-19-vaccine-doses-2020-12

No Safety Concerns: FDA Paves Way for Pfizer Shot Approval. Latest data analyses show it starts providing strong protection against COVID-19 within about 10 days of the first dose—even sooner than Pfizer had previously announced.
https://www.axios.com/pfizer-vaccine-fda-review-537362af-283f-4c3c-801f-8f8deaad5bfd.html

Agents raid home of ousted Florida health scientist who accused state of manipulating data https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/529167-agents-raid-home-of-ousted-florida-health-scientist-who-accused-state-of

U.K. Begins COVID-19 Vaccinations as U.S. Faces Vaccine Logistics Hurdles https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/16/us-coronavirus-vaccine-distribution-challenges

Anti-Fertility Shot: A new experimental, genetically engineered, recombinant mRNA COVID vaccine is being released ‘at warp speed’.
https://www.natureofhealing.org/warning-anti-fertility-shot/

Red Cross President Demands Gov’t, Media Silence Those Who Question Safety of COVID Vaccine https://www.wakingtimes.com/red-cross-president-demands-govt-media-silence-those-who-question-safety-of-covid-vaccine/

# Economy / Trade
The Senate’s Latest COVID Stimulus Won’t Solve the Hunger and Housing Crisis https://truthout.org/articles/senates-latest-covid-stimulus-plan-wont-solve-the-hunger-and-housing-crisis/

# Employment
Sick Leave. Housing Aid. Unemployment. Congress Has Our Lives in Its Hands.
Capitalism will win, of course; the question is how much more we the people will lose.
https://truthout.org/articles/sick-leave-housing-aid-unemployment-congress-has-our-lives-in-its-hands/

# Energy / Pipelines / Mining
Federal regulators are rewriting environmental rules so a massive pipeline can be built https://www.propublica.org/article/federal-regulators-are-rewriting-environmental-rules-so-a-massive-pipeline-can-be-built

New Mexico is on track to have the weakest methane emissions regulations in the nation. Laguna Pueblo Gov. Wilfred Herrera, Jr., urges the state to strengthen its proposed air quality rules.
https://www.hcn.org/articles/opinion-energy-industry-new-mexico-is-on-track-to-have-the-weakest-methane-emissions-regulations-in-the-nation

Federal Regulators Rewrite Rules Again to Pave Way for Massive Pipeline.
An appeals court has blocked the Mountain Valley Pipeline twice already.
https://truthout.org/articles/federal-regulators-rewrite-rules-again-to-pave-way-for-massive-pipeline/

# Environment / Climate / Interior
Unplugged: Abandoned oil and gas wells leave the ocean floor spewing methane. The Gulf of Mexico is littered with tens of thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells, and toothless regulation leaves climate warming gas emissions unchecked.
https://www.ehn.org/oil-and-gas-wells-methane-oceans-2649126354.html

Outdated sewage treatment is suffocating fish in Puget Sound.
Inadequately treated human waste from 79 treatment plants is a growing cause of a breakdown in the Puget Sound ecosystem https://crosscut.com/environment/2020/12/outdated-sewage-treatment-suffocating-fish-puget-sound

# Global Politics and other news
Israel’s Mossad has spent years on a propaganda campaign aimed at convincing the world Iran possessed a nuclear weapons program – and legitimizing its assassinations of Iranian academics https://consortiumnews.com/2020/12/04/how-israel-deployed-an-intelligence-deception-to-justify-killing-scientist-mohsen-fakhrizadeh/

# Gov / Politics
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro repeatedly violated a federal law that prohibits some members of the federal government from engaging in political activity, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel reported Monday.
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-12-07/peter-navarro-repeatedly-violated-the-hatch-act-watchdog-agency-finds

Trump Called PA House Speaker to Ask for Help Reversing Loss. This is the third state where the president has tried to interfere in the 2020 election results.
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/trump-pennsylvania-electoral-college-vote-20201207.html

Congress dares Trump to veto defense bill. Congress is barreling toward a veto showdown with President Trump over the mammoth must-pass annual defense policy bill.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/529161-congress-dares-trump-to-veto-defense-bill

OPCW executives praised whistleblower and criticized Syria cover-up, leaks reveal https://thegrayzone.com/2020/12/07/opcw-executives-whistleblower-syria-leaks/

# Law Enforcement
Black Mom Swarmed & Beaten by Philly Riot Police with Toddler in Car Demands Officers Be Fired https://www.democracynow.org/2020/12/8/rickia_young_philadelphia_police_assault

Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Told Pals She Has COVID: A maskless Ellis attended a staff Christmas party at the White House on Friday, according to Axios.
https://www.axios.com/jenna-ellis-trump-lawyer-covid-2bab2624-0b25-4f47-a532-079fd2c392da.html

# Legal / Judicial / DOJ
A federal judge on Tuesday agreed to dismiss the case against Michael Flynn following President Trump’s pardon of his former national security adviser, but in a parting shot at the administration said that the grant of clemency does not mean that Flynn is innocent of lying to the FBI.
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/529291-judge-says-flynns-pardon-doesnt-make-him-innocent-formally-dismisses

# LGBTQ
# Marijuana / Hemp / CBD Oil
Just days after passing a federal marijuana legalization bill, the House of Representatives is set this week to vote on a cannabis research bill that would—among other things—let scientists study products from state-legal dispensaries for the first time.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/house-will-vote-on-marijuana-research-bill-allowing-scientists-to-study-dispensary-cannabis-this-week/

The Congressional Budget Office projected that the marijuana legalization bill the House passed last week would add $13.7 billion in net revenue to the federal budget over 10 years. It would also cut
73,000 years worth of prison time and save $1 billion in incarceration costs.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/house-passed-marijuana-legalization-bill-would-add-13-7b-to-federal-budget-congressional-analysts-say/

# Medical Alternatives / Herbology
This plant evolved camouflage to hide from humans. The medicinal plant from China is trying to prevent heavy harvesting.
https://www.zmescience.com/science/biology/plant-camouflage-hides-from-humans-052352/

# Military / DOD
Biden to nominate retired Gen. Lloyd Austin for defense secretary, a first for a Black American
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/07/lloyd-austin-biden-secretary-defense-frontrunner-contender-443479

Army secretary announces multiple firings, suspensions after investigation at Fort Hood https://thehill.com/policy/defense/529255-army-secretary-announces-multiple-firings-suspensions-after-investigation-at

Former Medic Whistleblower Exposes How the Military is Testing Experimental Vaccines on Soldiers Using them as “Lab Rats”
https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/former-medic-whistleblower-exposes-how-military-is-testing-experimental-vaccines-on-soldiers-using-them-as-lab-rats/

# Science
Agents raid home of fired Florida data scientist who built COVID-19 dashboard DeSantis “sent the Gestapo”: Video shows FDLE agents with guns drawn at home of woman fired over COVID-19 data. “They pointed a gun in my face.
They pointed guns at my kids,” wrote Jones on Twitter. “This is what happens to scientists who do their job honestly. This is what happens to people who speak truth to power.”
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/12/07/agents-raid-home-fired-florida-data-scientist-who-built-covid-19-dashboard-rebekah-jones/6482817002/

Universal Quantum Phenomenon Found in Strange Metals. Experiments suggest that exotic superconducting materials share a “strange metal”
state characterized by a quantum speed limit that somehow acts as a fundamental organizing principle.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/universal-quantum-phenomenon-found-in-strange-metals?utm_source=pocket-newtab

# Technology
Scientists Develop Brain Implants that Can Bring Back Vision of Blind People Using 1024 Electrodes in the Visual Cortex. A new breakthrough technology will let the blind see upon finishing it! Here’s how the scientists did it.
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/254811/20201207/scientists-develop-brain-implants-restore-vision-blind-people%E2%80%94tech-uses-1024.htm

# Veterans / VA
Veterans’ health act signed into law; a victory for military veterans and families “For many veterans, the path towards healing from service-related trauma goes through public lands. Today, that path got a little easier.”
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/12/08/veterans-health-act-signed-into-law-a-victory-for-military-veterans-and-families/

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