31 May 2021 — Moon of Alabama
There is still a bit more to learn about the Ryanair flight 4978 from Greece to Lithuania which on May 23 diverted to Minsk after a bomb thread against the plane had been received by several regional airports.
Month: May 2021
‘Like An Amoral Infant’ – How ProtonMail Contributes To False Media Claims About Belarus
30 May 2021 — Moon of Alabama
ProtonMail, an encrypted end-to-end email provider in Switzerland which promises ‘Swiss Privacy Data Security and Neutrality’, has been busted for making false claims about bomb threat emails which were sent through its service to Minsk airport in Belarus as well as to airport authorities in other countries.
Gaza/Palestine News Links 29-30 May 2021
30 May 2021 — The New Dark Age
US to Israel: We can’t support you forever
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday told Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi that America cannot continue to publicly support its bombing campaign in Gaza, Axios reported.
The battle for Jerusalem has humiliated Israel and its Arab Zionist supporters
Israel blasts Bella Hadid for joining pro-Palestinian protest in New York
The productivity crisis
30 May 2021 — Michael Roberts Blog
It has been the historic mission of the capitalist mode of production to develop the “productive forces” (namely the technology and labour necessary to increase the output of things and services that human society needs or wants). Indeed, it is the main claim of supporters of capitalism that it is the best (even only) system of social organisation able to develop scientific knowledge, technology and human ‘capital’, all through ‘the market’.
Rapid Response: Re: Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy
28 May 2021 — BMJ
BMJ 2021; 373 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1138 (Published 20 May 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n1138
Noel Thomas
Bronygarn, Maesteg, Wales
Dear Editor,
The introduction to this paper finishes with the authors’ hope that it’s overview will “ help people make informed decisions about covid -19 vaccination.”
A laudable intention which reflects UK law on informed consent ? (1)
The many things that UK law expects of doctors when obtaining informed consent, include discussion of all material risks that a reasonable person might be expected to wish to know about.
Israel-Palestine conflict at inflection point
29 May 2021 — Indian Punchline
Palestinians sit in a makeshift tent amid the rubble of their houses which were destroyed by Israeli air strikes, Gaza, May 23, 2021
The well-known French philosopher, writer and political activist, late Paul-Michel Foucault has written about a conversation he had with an Iranian during his visit to Tehran in November 1978 on the eve of the Islamic Revolution. The stranger remarked, “They will never let go of us of their own will. No more than they did in Vietnam.”
FAKE! Italy Facing CIVIL WAR as Prime Minister ORDERS Vaccines to be Mandatory for all
29 May 2021 — AGR Daily News
Update 4 June 2021: As I suspected this story is FAKE! The Bridle Webpage is FAKE! I have confirmation here:
[I’m not sure of the veracity of this story (I’ve tried to find further confirmation) but if true, it means the country that invented Fascism, is once more travelling on the same road that Mussolini trod on, a century ago. WB]
In violation of every term of the Italian Constitution, the Charter of Human Rights of the European Nations, of the UN Charter for Human Rights, and every medical, scientific and religious moral norm, the Sanitary Dictatorship has approved the conversion into law of the Administrative Decree of Mario Draghi’s Government.
The Paris Commune: Marx, Mao, Tomorrow
30 May 2021 — Monthly Review
By Alain Badiou
Illustration of the Paris Commune adapted from the century edition of Cassell’s History of England, (ca. 1900)
Alain Badiouis a French philosopher, formerly chair of philosophy at the École normale supérieure and founder of the faculty of philosophy of the Université de Paris VIII. He is the author of numerous books and essays.
This essay is adapted and updated from Polemics, translated by Steve Corcoran (London: Verso, 2006). The new sections have been translated by James Membrez.
Watch: Lowkey on the UK’s Complicity in Israeli Apartheid & Settler Colonialism
How Severe are the Side Effects of the Pseudo-anticovid Vaccines?
29 May 2021 — Global Research
This incisive analysis by Dr. Nicole Delépine was first published in French.
The text below is an AI translation of the text published in Global Research French language website Mondialisation.ca.
Minor edits by Global Research.
Don’t Be Stupid – Inform Your Decisions
28 May 2021 — Off Guardian
Gillian Dymond
Nothing is more important that educating yourself and doing your own research.
Are you tired of having to watch everything you say, in case you’re accused of “hate speech”? Do you frequently have to bite back innocently-spoken words, when someone claims to be “offended” by them? Have you become used to avoiding lively debate or expressing frank opinions on social media, for fear of finding police officers on your doorstep?
The Chernyaev Centennial
25 May 2021 — National Security Archive
100th Birthday of Anatoly Sergeyevich marked with latest translated excerpt of his “irreplaceable” diary — the year 1981
Architect of “New Thinking,” champion of glasnost, prolific historian, hero of the end of the Cold War, key source for scholars
Even as Polish Solidarity crisis peaked, Brezhnev “apparently never seriously considered” sending in troops
If Sovietologists got to be a “fly on the wall at the Politburo,” nobody would ever believe this fly
Birds of a Fascist Feather: Why Israel Is Aiding Colombia’s Crackdown on Protesters
28 May 2021 — Mint Press News
Imperial Outposts
Photos circulating on social media show Colombian government forces using Israeli weapons against protestors and Israeli-made Sand Cat armored vehicles patrolling the streets of Colombian cities. Alan Macleod investigates the growing ties between the unlikely allies.
by Alan Macleod
Gaza/Palestine News Links 29 May 2021
29 May 2021 • 20:00 — The New Dark Age
Rockets Fired From Gaza During Last Battle Were Palestinian-Made: Iran’s Quds Force Commander
Israel Post Ceasefire: When the Dreams of Israelis Collide with the Hopes of Palestinians
Palestinians Vow To Fight Jerusalem Evictions
https://popularresistance.org/palestinians-vow-to-fight-jerusalem-evictions/
London Renters Union: This is how we build the powerful movement we need
29 May 2021 — London Renters Union
What: LRU outreach training
When: 7th June 6-8pm
Via Zoom. Register here.
Over the past year, renters like you have taken action together and won crucial government protections from eviction during the pandemic and forced landlords to pay out thousands of pounds in repairs and compensation.
How ProtonMail Lost The Public Trust It Needs To Do Business
29 May 2021 — Moon of Alabama
ProtonMail is a Swiss provider of an end-to-end encrypted email application. The service is free to use for consumers but sold to businesses and other organizations.
ProtonMail claims to have “Swiss Privacy Data Security and Neutrality“.
But how far can one trust ProtonMail’s claims of a secure service when it is openly breaking, as we show below, its pledge of neutrality?
Watch: “VIVA LOISADA” 1978
[Many years ago, in another life, I lived in ‘Loisada’, the Lower East Side of Manhattan for about 3 years. I lived in what they call a railroad apartment on the top floor of a five-floor ‘walk-up’ tenement building on East 5th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenue at exactly the same time as this video was made, so watching it all these years later, brings back a flood of memories. WB]
Finally, after many hits on the short 10 min. version, here’s the full complete video of “Viva Loisada”, by Marlis Momber, that depicts the “before gentrification occurrences” in Lower East Side in the Fall of October, 1978 with Chino Garcia & Bimbo Rivas.
By 1978, Loisada had many murals depicting problems in housing, joblessnesses, budget cuts, worker’s rights, women’s rights, greedy landlords, slumlords, povery, education system and the need for self reliance with gardens, shelters. These neighborhood murals began with a grassroot artists’ collective, CityArts where through visual arts, a cultural history of protest & resistances can occur. Birth of Nuyorican Poetry Club featuring poets and musicians as well as the squatter’s movement are depicted in this video.
Ryanair Incident – Email Warning Received Before Plane Entered Belorussian Airspace
28 May 2021 — Moon of Alabama
This is an update to yesterday’s post By The Book – What Really Happened With The Ryanair Flight In Belarus. That piece analyzed the timeline of the Ryanair bomb threat incident in Belarus and the response from Belorussian officials.
UK Crony Capitalism: This is shocking
28 May 2021 — Good Law Project
Government gets a bona fide PPE offer from a would be supplier. The company has sourced the PPE, submitted a bid and passed through the technical checks. They’re close to signing on the dotted line. But at the eleventh hour they get dropped. Instead, Government buys the same thing from someone else. Someone who came in later but with close connections to Cabinet Ministers – and at an eye watering price.
iNews – Government accused of introducing ID Card via vaccine passport trojan horse
28 May 2021 — Big Brother Watch
Big Brother Watch Team / May 28, 2021
The Government has been accused of bringing in an ID card “by stealth” after it was revealed that ministers signed a vaccine passport contract that could last for years.
The New Dark Age 
that website was put up under Dr. Brindle’s [sic] name within hours of his first public claim, it’s not his, it’s a hitpiece smear website,
looks like it was funded by the Canadian Gov since it redirects to scienceupfirst.
“JC on a bike” YouTube channel covers Dr Brindles [sic] claims on his latest stream.
https://off-guardian.org/2021/06/03/3-tips-for-checking-whether-a-medical-study-is-legit-or-bullsht/#comment-379871