UK
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Democracy – “this is another attack on our ability to stand up to power”
“New laws to curb protests which threaten democracy” is quite the phrase. We have a five-yearly democratic event which hands absolute power to the Government. In the years that follow, the right to protest is all there is of democracy. Be very afraid.” Continue reading
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Richard Medhurst: “BBC attacks journalists challenging narrative on Syria and White Helmets”
The BBC has released a new radio podcast titled Mayday: Investigating The Life And Death Of James LeMesurier. It attempts to tell the story behind former British army and intelligence officer James LeMesurier, co-founder of the “White Helmets” in Syria. While the BBC claims that its new Radio 4 series seeks to “explore the true… Continue reading
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Intervention ‘without the need to consider the human cost’: MoD thinking on UK’s new drone revealed
Overall, the presentations provide an important insight into the thinking of the British military and security establishment on Protector, and their belief that our “blood and treasure” are what primarily matters when the UK undertakes overseas interventions. Continue reading
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Covid-19: politicisation, “corruption,” and suppression of science
Politicians and governments are suppressing science. They do so in the public interest, they say, to accelerate availability of diagnostics and treatments. They do so to support innovation, to bring products to market at unprecedented speed. Both of these reasons are partly plausible; the greatest deceptions are founded in a grain of truth. But the… Continue reading
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What way forward for equality in the UK and France?
3 December 2020 — Institute of Race Relations Order our festive bundle for just £20 Following the IRR’s concern about the appointment of controversial ‘race iconoclast’ David Goodhart as commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and amid revelations about the views of other commissioners, Jenny Bourne sets the debate about the EHRC in historical context by examining the statutory bodies… Continue reading
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Questions for BBC on new White Helmets podcast series attacking OPCW whistleblowers
A new BBC podcast, “Mayday,” uses smears, gaping omissions, leaps of logic, and factual errors in a desperate attempt to repair the image of late White Helmets founder James Le Mesurier, and discredit the OPCW inspectors who challenged a cover-up of their Syria chemical weapons probe. Mayday’s producer has failed to answer the following questions. Continue reading
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Secret State 28: why are Britain’s armed forces operating in 42 countries?
A reader has drawn attention to a very detailed report by Phil Miller, a staff reporter for Declassified UK, an investigative journalism organisation that covers the UK’s role in the world. – see Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Continue reading
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UK: We’re going to court!
To bring judicial review proceedings you have to establish you have an arguable case. Courts have, in recent times, interpreted this as imposing a relatively high bar for judicial review proceedings; think of it as being shortlisted for a job. And if they think you cross that bar they give you ‘permission’. Continue reading
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Podcast Ep 26: Why Labour won’t deliver socialism
On Episode 26 of The Electronic Intifada Podcast, we have an in-depth conversation with former UK Labour MP Chris Williamson. Continue reading
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John Pilger: ‘I spoke to impoverished families in 1975 and little has changed since then’
John Pilger interviewed Irene Brunsden in Hackney, east London about only being able to feed her two-year-old a plate of cornflakes in 1975. Now he sees nervous women queueing at foodbanks with their children as it’s revealed 600,000 more kids are in poverty now than in 2012. Continue reading
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Government plans major crackdown in 2021 on the right to protest
The Conservative government is planning to introduce major changes to public order legislation to crack down on protests, under a new “Protection of the Police and Public Bill” planned for 2021. Continue reading
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UK: Renters are bearing the cost of the pandemic
Yesterday the Chancellor had the chance to give renters struggling with rent debt some comfort over Christmas – but he failed. Continue reading
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The New Norm: Government Lawbreaking
By TruePublica: Government lawbreaking in Boris Johnson’s adminstration has now reached an unprecedented scale for a British government – and we should all be concerned. Continue reading
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DOCTORS FOR ASSANGE STATEMENT (22/11/2020)
Sunday 22nd November 2020 marked 12 months since doctors from around the world wrote to the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, calling for an immediate end to the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange. Continue reading
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UK government running ‘Orwellian’ unit to block release of ‘sensitive’ information
Exclusive: Secretive Cabinet Office ‘Clearing House’ for Freedom of Information requests also accused of “blacklisting” journalists; openDemocracy launching a legal bid for transparency Continue reading
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New report: Deadly Crossings and the militarisation of Britain’s borders
This transnational collaboration between the IRR, the Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) London steering group and French group Gisti is the first English-language analysis of the nearly 300 known border-related deaths in and around the English Channel since 1999. Continue reading
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24 November 2020: What happened last week at the spycops inquiry
The public was largely shut out – only given official access to a live stream in a room in London, online it was limited to a live transcript which was a real eye strain to read for hours on end. Once again, it fell to those abused by spycops to being the truth to the… Continue reading
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Report: Government Spies Are Tracking Brits Movements To Check If They’re Complying With Lockdown
20 November, 2020 — Summit News GCHQ spooks also tasked with waging war on ‘anti-vaccination conspiracy theories’ By Steve Watson GCHQ spooks are monitoring the movement of British people minute by minute to check if they are complying with government restrictions, according to reports. Continue reading
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Coup 1953 film opens up wounds over Britain’s criminal role in Iran’s history
“Angry TV film-makers stop release of lauded Iranian documentary,” ran the headline of a recent Guardian news story. What documentary exactly is this? We learn: “Coup 53, which charts MI6’s role in the shah’s restoration, has been blocked by makers of a 1985 show, who say it sullies their names.” Continue reading
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Revealed: Boris Johnson’s controversial policy chief leading secretive NHS task force
Freedom of Information disclosures to openDemocracy show the new “No.10 Health and Social Care Taskforce” reports to a Steering Group chaired by Munira Mirza, the influential head of Boris Johnson’s policy unit, and that it “met weekly” from July to September with a further meeting in October. Continue reading
The New Dark Age 