Evaggelos Vallianatos (2019-08-28). The Greek Way to a Green Planet. counterpunch.org The dawn of the twenty-first century is giving us a whiff of another Dark Age. Christianity and Islam have been hovering over each other, fighting small-scale crusades. More than a billion Moslems hate America because America has been an ally of Israel and because America destroyed Iraq, eyeing the oil of the entire Middle East. More

unitedEditor (2019-08-28). G7 Summit: Critical Outcomes. uwidata.com In the French city of Biarritz, a three-day summit featuring the heads of state from 7 of the world\'s largest economies (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan) has come to a close. The hottest topics of discussion were trade relations, a nuclear deal with Iran, the protests in Hong Kong, the …

J.P. Linstroth (2019-08-28). Bolsonaro Fiddles While the Amazon Burns. counterpunch.org Of course, my title conjures up images of the Emperor Nero (37-68 A.D.) fiddling while ancient Rome burned, and for many reasons, this mythwas a historical falsehood. Fiddles did not exist in 64 A.D. when a great fire ravaged ancient Rome, but stringed instruments did nonetheless, like the citharaand lyre. Moreover, Nero himself was not More

The Canary (2019-08-28). Health concerns rise in Brazil as Amazon fires rage. thecanary.co Lingering smoke in the Amazon is causing concern among Brazilians who say that respiratory problems — particularly among children and the elderly — have increased as fires in the region rage.\"The kids are affected the most. They\'re coughing a lot,\" said Elane Diaz, a nurse in the Rondonia state capital of Porto Velho, as she waited for a doctor\'s appointment at a hospital with her five-year-old-son Eduardo.\"They have problems breathing. I\'m concerned because it affects their health.\" | The number of people treated for respiratory issues increased sharply in recent days at a local children\'s hospital.\"Th…

Madison Dapcevich (2019-08-28). Disastrous Alaskan wildfires could permanently alter forest composition. peoplesworld.org From the Amazon to the last frontier of Alaska, fire season is raging on both sides of the equator and bringing with the flames long-term effects that could permanently alter the diverse ecosystems of both regions. As of Tuesday, the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center reports that more than 200 individual wildfires are burning across the state and threatening more than a …

Ramzy Baroud (2019-08-28). Systematic Palestinian Isolation: What Is Missing from the Omar, Tlaib Story. mintpressnews.com This is the story of Palestinian isolation by Israel that we must not allow to die out, long after the news cycle covering the two Congresswomen\'s story move on beyond Omar, Tlaib and Israeli transgressions.

Vishaka George (2019-08-28). Why is the Climate Changing Like This? counterpunch.org \"By 4 p.m. we had to light a fire to stay warm here,\" says Augustine Vadakil on his struggling farm in Kerala\'s hilly Wayanad district. \"But that was 30 years ago. Wayanad is no longer the cold, misty place it once was.\" From a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius by early March, temperatures here now More

Susan Babbitt (2019-08-28). Fire and the \"Changing Narrative\" Thing. counterpunch.org Toni Morrison referred to the story beneath the story. James Baldwin called it a burning fire. In a letter to Angela Davis, awaiting trial, he wrote: \"we have been told nothing but lies, lies about ourselves and our kinsmen and our past, and about love, life, and death\". In other words, everything. More

Louisa Willcox (2019-08-28). Endangering the Ark. counterpunch.org This week the Trump administration announced new rules that effectively gut the Endangered Species Act. This move is a disastrous blow to a natural heritage that is increasingly under threat, an abdication of our moral responsibility to future generations — and another giveaway to big corporations and ideologues who will ultimately be on the wrong side of history. More

Daniel Warner (2019-08-28). Algerians Patiently Protest. counterpunch.org On February 22, thousands took to the streets in Algeria to protest the ruling regime, triggered by the infirmed President Bouteflika\'s candidacy for a fifth mandate. The April resignation of the long-time president did not stop the demonstrations. Au contraire: the demonstrations have continued. August 16, 2019, marked the twenty-six consecutive Friday of protests in More

Dan Corjescu (2019-08-28). On the Persistence of Religion. counterpunch.org We feel that even if all possible scientific questions be answered, the problems of life have still not been touched at all —Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Recently I received an angry note about the persistence of religion in the modern world as proof of the world\'s ongoing irrationality in response to some of my comments in my lately published article More

unitedEditor (2019-08-28). Will Yemen Be Divided Again? uwidata.com A BRIEF INTRODUCTORY HISTORY Yemen is located in what has historically been considered the finest part of the Arab Peninsula, which has prompted numerous attempts to take control of the area. Before oil was found elsewhere on the Peninsula, Yemen was also seen as having the largest concentration of natural wealth. At that time, Saudi …

Fidel Castro Ruz (2019-08-28). Fidel Castro\'s prescient warning on climate change. liberationnews.org Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, warned almost 30 years ago that collective and urgent action was needed to combat the destruction of the Earth\'s environment.

RT (2019-08-28). Mainstream media cries foul over conservatives turning their smear-tactic culture war against them. rt.com Conservatives are digging through reporters\' social media histories to find \"potentially embarrassing\" posts that could be used to discredit their employers, MSM has discovered to its horror — only they are allowed to do that! | \"A loose network of conservative operatives\" is sifting through journalists\' social media histories, looking for inflammatory nuggets that can be used to discredit the organizations they work for, the New York Times warned earlier this week, noting that this band of marauding internet sleuths has already exposed sensitive information about reporters from CNN, the Washington Post,…

Lornet Turnbull and Tracy Matsue Loeffelholz (2019-08-28). What abortion bans and easy gun access have in common. nationofchange.org Abortions and guns. Few issues are as polarizing or have so completely dominated the national discourse in recent years. Across the country, states have passed hundreds of measures to either curb or expand access to both. In certain states, conservative lawmakers—mostly men—are busy restricting access to abortion for women, with an eye toward eventually overturning …

Mehdi Hasan (2019-08-28). When Ilhan Omar Is Accused of Anti-Semitism, It\'s News. When a Republican Smears Muslims, There\'s Silence. theintercept.com Rep. Ilhan Omar participates in a panel discussion during the Muslim Collective For Equitable Democracy Conference and Presidential Forum at the The National Housing Center in Washington, D.C., on July 23, 2019. | tweet from my colleague Glenn Greenwald decrying \"how much time U.S. political leaders spend defending a foreign nation\" — namely, the state of Israel. Then, when a journalist followed up by asking Omar who she believed was \"paying American politicians to be pro-Israel,\" the congresswoman tweeted: \"AIPAC!\" | The freshman Democrat from Minnesota

Staff (2019-08-28). Trump Reportedly Moving to Deport Kids With Cancer and Deadly Illnesses. truthout.org | | The Trump administration has reportedly ended a program which allowed immigrants with serious illnesses to temporarily remain in the U.S., a move by the White House that rights advocates decried as \" a death sentence\" for children receiving treatment for c…

Ramzy Baroud (2019-08-28). Humanity Denied: What Is Missing from the Omar, Tlaib Story. dissidentvoice.org Israel\'s decision to bar two United States Democratic Representatives, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, from entering Israel and visiting Palestine has further exposed the belligerent, racist nature of the Israeli government. But our understanding of the Israeli decision, and the massive controversy and discussion it generated, should not stop there. Palestinians, who have been at …

Staff (2019-08-28). Migrant Death Toll Tops 900 in Mediterranean as 40 Die Near Libya. truthout.org | | At least 40 refugees and migrants are feared dead off of the coast of Libya after a boat carrying dozens of people en route to Europe capsized Tuesday morning in the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Libyan coast guard, some 65 migrants and refugees, mostly from Sudan, were rescued with the help of local fishermen. With Tuesday\'s tragedy, the number of migrants and refugees who have lost their lives this year in the Mediterranean en route to Europe is up to 900. Meanwhile, far-right European leade…

R.R. (2019-08-28). Emergency Palantir Mass Mobilization to Stop ICE Terror. indybay.org An angry group of activists mobilized on August 23 at the headquarters of Palantir Technologies in Palo Alto. Just 3 days earlier Palantir renewed its ICE Investigative Case Management contract that enables ICE to track the every move of undocumented immigrants until 2022; protesters responded quickly and loudly. | Photos by Jack Owicki, Pro Bono Photo. Please credit the photographer.

Ben Jervey (2019-08-28). On David Koch\'s passing and the Koch network\'s ongoing war on clean energy. nationofchange.org Billionaire libertarian activist and oil industry tycoon David Koch died on Friday, leaving a toxic legacy that includes helping birth the climate denial movement, fighting against regulations that protect worker and public health, and — critical to our work here on DeSmog\'s KochvsClean project — helping fund and coordinate a decades-long attack on clean energy and low carbon …

United Nations (2019-08-28). Wednesday's Daily Brief: Guterres talks technology for Africa\'s development, \'extinction crisis\' prompts stronger wildlife protection, Greta Thunberg reaches New York, funding shortfalls in Iraq, a positive step for Indigenous women. un.org A recap of Wednesday\'s stories: Secretary-General António Guterres says \'winds of hope are blowing ever stronger\' for Africa\'s development; Swedish climate youth activist Greta Thunberg reaches New York by boat; Chief of UN Mission for Iraq warns on funding shortfalls; and in Canada, a new bill recognizes the rights of indigenous women.

Fight for What\'s Right (2019-08-28). Protesters Force Palantir to Empty HQ. indybay.org Palantir, the secretive $20 billion data-analysis company whose work with ICE has even led some of its own employees to make a fuss, succumbed to the power of protesters on August 23. The main office at 100 Hamilton, Palantir\'s world headquarters, was emptied in advance of the arrival of demonstrators. | Photo credit: Cornelia Grimes, Pro Bono Photo…

Brandon Turbeville (2019-08-28). What Is Happening in Hong Kong? globalresearch.ca Over the past few months, both mainstream and alternative news outlets have been covering massive protests in Hong Kong where tens of thousands of people have taken part in demonstrations that have since devolved into violence both with police, counter-protesters, …

Stephen Lendman (2019-08-28). US/Israel Upping the Stakes for More Middle East War. globalresearch.ca No nation may legally attack another state preemptively — what US-dominated NATO and Israel do time and again unaccountably. | It\'s what aggression is all about — defined by UN General Assembly Res. 3314. | Calling it the \"most serious and dangerous …

commondreams (2019-08-28). The Green Party Denounces Business Deals and Trade Policies Through Which Multinational Corporations Profit From the Destruction of the Brazilian Rainforest. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Lucas Koerner and Ricardo Vaz (2019-08-28). US Opens Venezuela Interest Section in Colombia as Guaido Rebuffs Further Talks. venezuelanalysis.com It remains unclear whether the new Venezuela Affairs Unit will facilitate talks with Caracas.

Amy Goodman (2019-08-28). \"This ruling is huge\": Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $572 million for fueling opioid epidemic. nationofchange.org In a landmark ruling, an Oklahoma judge has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $572 million for contributing to the state\'s opioid crisis. It marks the first time a drug company has been held responsible for the opioid crisis, though it fell far short of the $17 billion judgment sought by the state. According to …

Shane Quinn (2019-08-28). The EU and NATO Remain Closely Linked on the Most Important Issues. Nuclear Weapons \"Sharing Policy\" directed against Russia. globalresearch.ca Of the European Union\'s 28 member states, it reveals much that 22 of these nations belong to NATO, the Pentagon-run military organization. | What is striking also is that, in…

Yves Engler (2019-08-28). Canada and Bolsonaro. counterpunch.org By now most environmentally conscious people understand that Jair Bolsonaro is a bad guy. Brazil\'s president has scandalously blamed environmentalists for starting fires burning in the Amazon region, after having called for more \"development\" of the huge forests. Canadians are lucky we have a prime minister who is not such an embarrassment and understands environmental More

Party for Socialism and Liberation (2019-08-28). SF Workshop — Capitalism: Arsonist of the Amazon. indybay.org 2969 Mission St., near 26th St.

Francesc Badia i Dalmases (2019-08-28). The Open Amazon and Its Enemies: A Call for Action and Optimism. commondreams.org Tree in the Brazilian rainforest. (Photo: Pablo Albarenga, all rights reserved.) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amazonr.jpeg …

Andrew Korybko (2019-08-28). The Amazon Fires and the Dawn of Environmental Interventions. globalresearch.ca So-called \"environmental interventions\" might become commonplace as global powers seek excuses to intervene in the domestic affairs of sovereign states in order to seize control of their natural resources. | The entire world has watched in horror over the past week …

Claire F.R. Wordley (2019-08-28). It\'s not just Brazil\'s Amazon rainforest that\'s ablaze — Bolivian fires are threatening people and wildlife. nationofchange.org Up to 800,000 hectares of the unique Chiquitano forest were burned to the ground in Bolivia between August 18 and August 23. That\'s more forest than is usually destroyed across the country in two years. Experts say that it will take at least two centuries to repair the ecological damage done by the fires, while at least 500 species are said …

Sarah Jaffe (2019-08-28). As the World Burns. progressive.org Catastrophes in the Amazon and elsewhere are flash points for the larger, ongoing crisis that claims lives in less spectacular fashion—one that sees life itself as expendable.

Leila Salazar-Lopez and Lindsey Allen (2019-08-28). We are facing a global emergency in the Amazon. Here\'s what we can do. nationofchange.org Called \"the lungs of the Earth\", the Amazon rainforest and its lush trees make roughly 20% of the oxygen on Earth. Yet, right now, the skies of Sao Paolo, Brazil are black and the smoke can be seen from space. Flames are ravaging the Amazon Basin. Though climate change has catalyzed many devastating blazes in recent years, …

WSWS (2019-08-28). Amazon wildfires expose fallacy of \"green\" capitalist politics. wsws.org While Bolsonaro invokes rabid dictatorship-era chauvinism, world powers are using the fires to further their own strategic aims.

Max Parry (2019-08-28). Hollywood Reboots Russophobia for the New Cold War. globalresearch.ca It is an age-old question as to the extent art reflects the world we live in. Bertolt Brecht allegedly said to the contrary that art was \"not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape …

South Front (2019-08-28). Video: Syrian Army (SAA) Works to Secure Recent Gains in Idlib. globalresearch.ca The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and the Tiger Forces are conducting active security operations in the recently liberated parts of northern Hama and southern Idlib. The goal of the effort is to remove mines and improvised explosive devices, uncover weapons …

Kavaljit Singh (2019-08-28). India\'s Shadow Banking Crisis Is Intensifying. globalresearch.ca The ongoing liquidity crisis in India\'s shadow banking sector is intensifying. The troubles that started with defaults by Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) last year are far from over as the sector continues to face a severe liquidity …

Gopal Sri Ram (2019-08-28). Malaysia: The Najib Razak 1MDB Trial. The Prosecutor\'s Opening Statement. globalresearch.ca The following is appointed prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram\'s opening statement at Najib\'s 1MDB trial, reproduced in full. | 1. This case concerns the monies of a company called 1Malaysia Development Berhad, widely known as 1MDB. It was originally …

South Front (2019-08-28). Video: \"Dawn of Idlib\": Syrian Army\'s Offensive in Northwestern Syria. globalresearch.ca August 2019 was marked by important changes on frontlines in northwestern Syria. | The month started with a declaration by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani that his group, the most powerful faction in Idlib and formerly the official branch …

Telesur (2019-08-28). US Removes Palestine Authority from List of Countries. globalresearch.ca \"Cancelling Palestine (Palestinian Authority or Palestinian Territories) from the U.S. State Department\'s list is not related to American national interests,\" PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat said. | *** | Palestinian officials slammed the United States Sunday for removing it from its list of …

Humane Society International (2019-08-28). Momentous Decision by CITES to Limit Trade in Wild Caught African Elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana for Zoos to \"Exceptional Circumstances\" with Independent Oversight. globalresearch.ca This momentous decision will save countless elephants from being snatched from their families and natural environment, says Humane Society International at CITES CoP18 in Geneva | *** | Wildlife experts from animal protection charity Humane Society International are celebrating a momentous win …

Pepe Escobar (2019-08-28). Lula Tells the World He\'s \"Back in the Game\" from Jail. \"Lula is Brazil\'s only Possible Factor of Stability\" globalresearch.ca Brazil has always been a land of superlatives. Yet nothing beats the current, perverse configuration: a world statesman lingers in jail while a clownish thug is in power, his antics now considered a threat to the whole planet. | In a …

Caroline Kirk (2019-08-28). Multiculturalism, In Morocco, Difference Is a Strength. globalresearch.ca Morocco\'s belief in the strength of pluralism has energized me and shown me that difference can serve as a strength for any country, whether it is religious or secular, large or small, developed or developing. | I was told that there …

Andrew Korybko (2019-08-28). New Delhi\'s Man in Moscow Is Right, Russia and India Are Global Partners. globalresearch.ca The Indian Ambassador to Russia was right when he said that his host nation increasingly views his homeland as a global player, an observation that\'s becoming all the more significant after Moscow has shown that it\'s willing to contradict China …

Scott Ritter (2019-08-28). The Media\'s Russian Radiation Story Implodes Upon Scrutiny. globalresearch.ca How the mainstream media reported an August 8 accident at a top-secret missile test facility in northern Russia should serve as a cautionary tale regarding the dangers of rushed judgments via institutional bias. | In the days following the initial report …

Alaeddin Saleh (2019-08-28). U.S. Africa Command Marks a Controversial Return to Libya. globalresearch.ca Mohammed Al-Ghasri confirmed in an interview to a Libyan media outlet \"Ain Libiya\" that U.S. African Command team arrived at Air Defense College airbase located in Libyan port city of Misurata on July 22….

Bryant Brown (2019-08-28). \"Shadow Statistics\": US Government\'s Fudging the Numbers on Unemployment, GDP and Inflation. globalresearch.ca John Williams has worked as a consulting economist since getting his BA and MA from Dartmouth college in New Hampshire in 1972. He now lives in California — these paragraphs are from his biography: | One of my early clients was …