David Villamar interviewed about Ecuador’s violent crime disaster

Despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Ecuador’s violent crime problem is such an incredible disaster that it manages to attract international attention. Criminals have recently taken over live newscasts. Supporters of the rightwing governments that created the disaster (for example, The Economist) have declared Ecuador to be the deadliest country in the Americas. It’s difficult for Ecuador to get international news coverage. In recent years, it generally has to be something very bad (or sports-related).

David Villamar interviewed about Ecuador’s violent crime disaster

Related:

How Did Ecuador Spiral into This Nightmare? It Was the Neoliberal Dismantling of the State

The “Human Rights Industry” and Nicaragua

Why do United Nations human rights bodies focus on some countries, but not others? Why do organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International appear to ignore important evidence presented to them? And why do the media repeat stories of human rights abuses without questioning their veracity?

The “Human Rights Industry” and Nicaragua

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Propaganda: Houthis could cut undersea global internet cables, minister warns

Yemen’s UN-recognized government has warned of the possibility that Houthi rebels could cut undersea internet cables off the country’s Red Sea coast, calling it “a serious threat to one of the most important digital infrastructures in the world.”

Houthis could cut undersea global internet cables, minister warns

1. Why would Ansar Allah jeopardize Palestinians’ lines of communication with the outside world? That’s a rhetorical question, by the way. 2. It originates from the Israeli propaganda outlet, MEMRI. 3. The Gulf International Forum is indirectly funded by the Qatari government. 4. Emily Milliken is a junior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, which has been funded by the front organizations Scaife Foundations, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the William H. Donner Foundation.

Diplomatic Process Between US and Venezuela Breaks Down + María Corina Machado’s Lengthy Criminal Record

The first steps of a path aimed at improving ties between the US and Venezuela have been abandoned. Washington has reimposed sanctions on Caracas and threatened more. Venezuelan officials say the country will block deportation flights from the US.

Diplomatic Process Between US and Venezuela Breaks Down

Related:

María Corina Machado’s Lengthy Criminal Record

China dealing with terrorism in line with law + More

URUMQI (China): China has been dealing with the issue of terrorism in the autonomous region of Xinjiang in accordance with law and the untoward incidents here have witnessed a decline since 2016.

China dealing with terrorism in line with law

Related:

[01-24] World community urged to take ‘decisive’ action to stop Chinese genocide against Uyghurs

Washington: As China’s human rights record came up for Universal Period Review (UPR) at the UN, the Government-in-Exile of East Turkistan, also known as Xinjiang Province in China, has said the international community must move beyond the diplomatic means and urgently take “decisive” and “tangible” actions to stop genocide against Uyghur Muslims.

[01-24] The Islamic State’s South Asian Branches are Spearheading an Anti-China Campaign

[11-23] “All Static and Noise” anti-China propaganda film about Uyghurs

*Xinjiang*

Facing Coup Plots, President Maduro Issues Instructions For Venezuela’s Military

Full video

Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, issued new orders to the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) in response to five plots to overthrow the government that were recently revealed.

Facing Coup Plots, President Maduro Issues Instructions For Venezuela’s Military

Related:

Venezuela’s Defense Ministry: US DEA & CIA Linked to 5 Terrorist Plots (+Statement)

In a confession presented this Tuesday by Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab, one of the leaders of the recent coup plots, Army Captain Anyelo Heredia, revealed that at the beginning of January, the far-right politician María Corina Machado was named as part of the coup plot along with far-right “influencers” based abroad, including Tamara Sujú, Wender Villalobos, Norbey Marin, María Barraez [Sebastiana Barráez*], Mario Carratú Molina, and José Antonio Colina.

*Coalition For Women In Journalism is supported by PEN International (front organization), etc.

Wait, did Florida ban the dictionary? Why one county is pulling Merriam-Webster from shelves

Wait, did Florida ban the dictionary? Why one county is pulling Merriam-Webster from shelves

Escambia County school officials told the Pensacola News Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the more than 1,600 books are not banned and are being pulled from shelves temporarily while under review.

The books “have not been banned or removed from the school district; rather, they have simply been pulled for further review to ensure compliance with the new legislation,” Escambia County Public Schools spokesperson Cody Strother told the News Journal.

In an effort to comply with the law, the school district removed eight encyclopedias and five dictionaries from library shelves, according to PEN America, which is suing the school district for removing 10 books on race and LGBTQ issues last year. The group argues those book bans violate the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech.

Related (See notes on PEN America):

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