Maeve @acrata@anarchism.space

US bans entry to #Philippines officials complicit in the incarceration without trial of Senator De Lima, who had the temerity to launch and investigation of extra-judicial killings in #Duterte's drug war. Charges against her seem trumped up (no pun intended). Philippines retaliates. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/two-u-s-senators-banned-from-visiting-philippines/

North Carolina, a leader in vote suppression by a #gop majority legislature, suffers defeat as a judge blocks implementation of its voter ID law, with the effect that the law will not be in force on primary voting day https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/476062-judge-halts-north-carolina-voter-id-law

The #Trump admin's proposed cuts to, and imposition of burocratic hurdles on Social Security Disability payments may endanger benefits for 10000 recipients https://eu.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/12/27/social-security-disability-benefits-program-change-questions-answers/2756301001/

#Tesco is backing out of its #Asean operations, and #Thailand retail giants Big C and Central are bidding for the company's assets. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1825269/local-giants-eye-tesco-assets

A hitherto unknown species of humans, dating to 50000 years ago, discovered in a cave in the Northern Island of Luzon in the the #Philippines https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/new-species-of-ancient-human-found-in-philippines

Potential 2020 voters seen to want change, not #centrism. Especially among younger voters, a "return to normalcy" is seen as insufficient. The Democratic Party machine is likely to try to frustrate these goals https://eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/12/26/voters-want-change-not-centrism/2752368001/

Election polling analysis: a very significant #gender gap is developing to the detriment of #Trump's re-election chances. White women in the midwest who voted for him in 2016 are abandoning him. Ofc, he still has the bigots and wealthy White men. CNN analysis, so wishful thinking is possible https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/27/politics/gender-gap-2020-election/index.html

#Japan's demographic crisis intensifies, experiencing the lowest birth rate since records began in 1899. More than 20% of the population is over 65 years. Population expected to continue to fall. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/25/asia/japan-birthrate-hnk-intl/index.html

Agents of #Russia's security forces (FSB) break into offices of #Navalny's Anti- #corruption foundation, seize laptops and other equipment. The Russian gov't has declared the foundation a "foreign agent". An ally was forcibly conscripted to serve in the Arctic. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50916198

A review of Angela Saini's book 'Superior', in which she attacks the notion of a biological basis of race. "So the notion of race depends on cultural difference – yes, it is a social construct – yet our brains intuitively insist that biology must play a role." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/26/biology-race-angela-saini-misconceptions-science

"Moderates always seem to deal in hopes rather than facts" - Ken Follett

Prominent US political pundits are desperate to assure that no progressive is nominated by the Democratic Party: they are puffing up Amy Klobuchar, but their enthusiasm for her is not shared by the public at large https://www.salon.com/2019/12/26/pundits-yearn-for-an-amy-klobuchar-surge-but-wheres-the-evidence/

In recent polling, the percentage of voters who are in favor of removing #Trump from office by conviction in the upcoming trial in the #Senate spikes to 55%, the highest level yet; those opposing his removal at all time low https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-conviction-all-time-high-msn-news-a9260336.html

Democratic Party analysts, who had earlier written off Bernie Sanders, now seeing him with a real shot at the nomination. Latinx voters are not supporting Biden, and they are thought to be a critical bloc for 2020 https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/26/can-bernie-sanders-win-2020-election-president-089636

A long lost portrait of Charles Dickens, taken while he was working on 'A Christmas Carol' in 1843, turned up in South Africa, and has now been returned to London and restored. The artist is of interest for her advocacy of liberation of women
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20191220-the-lost-portrait-of-charles-dickens

On the high cost of curtailment of #abortion rights. States that have implemented restrictive abortion laws have a disproportionately high level of maternal and infant mortality. Women of Color and other vulnerable women. 33 states have implemented 479 restrictions https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/475852-the-high-price-of-abortion-restrictions

#Thailand's economy expected to be sluggish in 2020. Consumption of consumer goods will be sluggish, driven by 'uncertainty over incomes, high household debt, and low consumer confidence'. THB is trading against the USD today at 29.6749, the lowest rate since I've been compiling the forex data https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1823679/thai-economys-rocky-road-in-2020

Electoral politics: Wyoming Senate seat held for 4 terms by Mike Enzi, is open. Liz Cheney, widow of a Dick, and characterized in the article as a 'chairman(!)' has not yet decided to run. Of course, Wyoming electing a Democrat to the seat is unthinkable https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/republican-battle-liz-cheney-undecided-wyoming-senate-race-lummis-running-n1107086

#NYC declared the rudest city in the US, followed by LA and DC. International observers have long been of the opinion that Americans are consistently rude. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7825045/New-York-rudest-city-followed-Los-Angeles-Washington-DC-survey-finds.html