The Canary (2019-12-07). Corbyn dismisses controversy surrounding leaked NHS documents as \'nonsense\'. thecanary.co Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed as \"nonsense\" the controversy surrounding the source of leaked documents used by Labour as proof the Tories are planning to sell the NHS.The Labour leader insisted the dossier was real after social media platform Reddit claimed the documents were disclosed as \"part of a campaign that has been reported as originating from Russia\".Corbyn used the leaked papers as evidence that the government was at an advanced stage of negotiations with the US to open up the health service to American pharmaceutical companies. Asked about the claims during a campaign visit to Barry, South Wales Corbyn to…

The Canary (2019-12-07). Nobel science laureates stress urgency of addressing the climate crisis. thecanary.co Three of this year\'s Nobel Prize laureates have said addressing the climate crisis is of great importance.Winners of the prizes in physics, chemistry and economics issued the warning at a news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm ahead of next week\'s presentation of the awards.Their remarks came as a global summit on climate chaos was taking place in Madrid.Nobel physics laureate Didier Queloz (Jonas Ekstromer/TT News Agency/AP)Didier Queloz, who shared the physics prize for discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star, took issue with people who shrug off climate breakdown on the…

Staff (2019-12-07). Uber Reports Over 3,000 Sexual Assaults on 2018 Rides. truthdig.com SAN FRANCISCO—Uber, as part of a long anticipated safety report, revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018. | That figure includes 235 rapes across the company\'s 1.3 billion rides last year. The ride-hailing company noted that drivers and riders were both attacked and that some assaults occurred between riders. | The Thursday report, which the company hailed as the first of its kind, provides a rare look into the traffic deaths, murders and reported sexual assaults that took place during…

Staff (2019-12-07). Bankrupt PG&E Makes $13.5 Billion Deal With California Wildfire Victims. truthdig.com LOS ANGELES—Pacific Gas and Electric announced Friday it has reached a tentative $13.5 billion settlement resolving all major claims related to the deadly, devastating Northern California wildfires of 2017-2018 that were blamed on its outdated equipment and negligence. | The utility says the deal, which still requires court approval, represents a key step in leading it out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. | The deal is expected to resolve all claims arising from a series of deadly 2017 Northern California wi…

The Canary (2019-12-07). White House to shun hearing suggesting Trump knows he\'s likely to be impeached. thecanary.co The White House has said it will not participate in the House Judiciary Committee\'s next impeachment hearing, in another sign Donald Trump has accepted he is likely to be impeached by the House.The decision came in a letter from White House counsel Pat Cipollone ahead of a deadline set by the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York.The two-paragraph letter did not expressly state the White House\'s refusal to participate. But a senior administration official told the Associated Press after the two-paragraph letter was released that that was the point it was intende…

Staff (2019-12-07). Terror Links Probed in Florida Naval Base Shooting; 10 Saudi Students Held. truthdig.com The student who killed 3 people in Pensacola had watched videos of mass shootings with three others earlier in the week, U.S. official says.

Vijay Prashad (2019-12-07). The oppressive state is a macho rapist. mronline.org On 25 November 1960, three of four of the Mirabal sisters — María Teresa, Minerva, and Patria — of the Dominican Republic were assassinated for their resistance against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The youngest of the three — María Teresa — said before her death, \'Perhaps what we have most near is death, but […] | Source

Vijay Prashad (2019-12-07). The Oppressive State Is a Macho Rapist. dissidentvoice.org On 25 November 1960, three of four of the Mirabal sisters — María Teresa, Minerva, and Patria — of the Dominican Republic were assassinated for their resistance against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The youngest of the three — María Teresa — said before her death, \'Perhaps what we have most near is death, but …

Alexander Zaitchik (2019-12-07). Under Left and Right-Wing Leaders, the Amazon Has Burned. Can Latin America Reject Oil, Ranching, and Mining? theintercept.com The social gains of the pink tide were real, and striking. But they were ephemeral, and the cost to the environment was high.

Mehdi Hasan (2019-12-07). Dear Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Is an Engine of Anti-Muslim Hate the World Over. Don\'t You Care? theintercept.com What happened to the guy who told his Muslim employees in 2015 that he would \"fight to protect your rights and create a peaceful and safe environment\"?

Norman Solomon (2019-12-07). Kerry\'s Endorsement of Biden Fits: Two Deceptive Supporters of the Iraq War. indybay.org Character and Experience… in Mass Slaughter…

WSWS (2019-12-07). WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson speaks at Melbourne forum in defence of Assange. wsws.org In an indication of growing support for Assange, the forum was attended by over 100 people and addressed by two prominent lawyers and an academic.

Brenda Norrell (2019-12-07). \'No Spiritual Surrender: A Dedication to the Standing Rock Movement\' Photos of Resilience. indybay.org Photojournalist Ryan Vizzions photos of Standing Rock Water Protectors in the camps and on the frontlines have appeared around the world. Vizzions\' new book chronicles the resilience and resistance of Water Protectors and the militarized police they faced, with forwards by Joye Braun, Cheyenne River Lakota, and Pte San Wastewin, Hunkpapa Lakota.

Ayanna Pressley, Monique W. Morris (2019-12-07). A Just Society Doesn\'t Criminalize Girls. commondreams.org First-grader Khatona Miller, right, investigates a circled location on a world globe with other classmates August 22, 2000 at Chicago's Stewart Elementary School. (Photo: Tim Boyle/Newsmakers) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/girls-education-justice.jpg …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2019-12-07). Towards \"NATO-Exit\"? Shift in the Structure of Military Coalitions. Turkey\'s Alliance with Russia, China and Iran? globalresearch.ca Contemporary developments point to a historical shift in the structure of military alliances which indelibly contributes to weakening US hegemony as well as creating conditions which could result in the breakup of NATO.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2019-12-07). NATO Spending Pushes Europe from Welfare to Warfare. globalresearch.ca First published in April 2019 | After a recent anti-NATO conference in Florence, we spoke with Michel Chossudovsky about the alliance\'s problems. \'NATO\'s unspoken aim has been to implement a de facto \"military occupation\" of Western Europe, in all but name.\'…

IMEMC & Agencies (2019-12-07). Belgian Trade Delegation to Israel Cancelled. imemc.org The trade mission would have taken place from the 8th to the 11th of December, will not go forward, due to criticism from the political opposition and several activist organizations, leading to its discontinuation, the Palestine News Network (PNN) reported. The delegation would have consisted of representatives from the Walloon …

Staff (2019-12-07). New Orleans Activists Clash With Sheriff Over Jail Expansion. truthout.org New Orleans — Back in 2010, New Orleans Sheriff Marlin Gusman asked the city government for a 6,000-bed jail to replace buildings damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The proposal faced backlash in a city notorious for the conditions in its jail and the brutality of its criminal legal system. In 2015, a new jail opened with only 1,438 beds. | Gusman continues to push for a bigger jail, and the backlash continues. After receiving a proposal from Gusman earlier this year that would have significantly increased…

DARIN (2019-12-07). Chuck Herrick Peace and Freedom Memorial Park. indybay.org Clearly Indybay media should also topic Anarcho-Geography* as well as Anarcho-Urban Studies**. Berkeley, California. Consider this to be under the topical influence of Urban Direct Action within a their-storical contemplative premise. [*For more on this topic see Prof. Simon Springer.] [**On this topic I would personally field any inquiry.]…

Leon Kunstenaar (2019-12-07). SF Climate Strike at BlackRock and March to Senator Feinstein\'s Office. indybay.org Photos: Leon Kunstenaar, Pro Bono Photo | Message of climate urgency delivered where most needed in day of world wide protests…

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-07). France Shut Down by Nationwide Strike Action for Social Justice. globalresearch.ca On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of French workers, youths and others protested over former Rothschild banker/French President Macron\'s pension reform scheme that\'s all about further eroding social justice by slashing vital benefits. | Most rail, other public transportation, and many flights …

Ralph Nader (2019-12-07). Why Not Also Go With \"The Kitchen Table\" Impeachable Offenses for Removal? commondreams.org President Donald Trump arrives to pose for a family photo with participants of the G7 summit during the Summit of the Heads of State and of Government of the G7 on May 27, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily. (Photo: Stephane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/kitchen-table-nader.jpg …

Edward J. Martin (2019-12-07). The Origins of Democratic Socialism: Robert Owen and Worker Cooperatives. dissidentvoice.org Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — and its two predecessor organizations, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM) — emerged in the early 1970s, during a long-term rightist movement in the United States. The DSA\'s contribution to the American Left was its new founded identity as a radical organization born …

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-07). House Judiciary Committee Sham Ukrainegate Hearings. globalresearch.ca Following House Intelligence Committee sham hearings, Judiciary Committee Dems began their own on Wednesday, the witch-hunt to continue days longer in the run-up to the yearend holiday break. | Wednesday\'s hearing featured four law professors — three supporting the Ukrainegate scam, …

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-07). How the US Tortures. Report. globalresearch.ca Torture is a longstanding US policy, notably by the CIA and its henchmen. | The policy continues at secret global black sites under its new director Gina Haspel — earlier involved in running an offshore black site, notorious for torture during …

Paul Antonopoulos (2019-12-07). 70th NATO Anniversary Shows Alliance Is More Divided than Ever. globalresearch.ca When U.S. President Donald Trump cancels a NATO press conference because the other NATO leaders are mocking him, you know that something is wrong. At the historic NATO Summit to commemorate 70 years of NATO earlier this week, the …

Dan Gettinger (2019-12-07). Turkey\'s Military Drones: An Export Product that\'s Disrupting NATO. globalresearch.ca Just over a decade ago, the prototype of an unmanned aircraft that would become the Bayraktar TB2 took off for its maiden flight at Sinop Airport on the Black Sea. There were few signs then that the mid-sized, twin-boom aircraft …

Bryan Bowman (2019-12-07). Grace Blakeley: The World Must be Saved from Financialization. indybay.org Even when times are good, the many have been largely excluded from the success enjoyed by the few. Where many see a strong economy today, Grace Blakeley sees not only the early indicators of an inevitable recession, but the \"death throes\" of an entire economic model that is crumbling before our eyes. She warns of a bleak future but also offers a hopeful alternative vision.

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2019-12-07). 2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa: A Special Karamu Celebration. indybay.org The notion of \"potluck\" Kwanzaa in the 21st Century is a challenging local tradition that should not be a salient notion or limiting factor toward embracing Umoja year round and throughout the Kwanzaa season, Matunda ya Kwanza.

WSWS (2019-12-07). The way forward for the mass strike in France. wsws.org The working class faces a fight to bring down the Macron government, drawing into struggle ever broader layers of workers and youth in France and internationally.

Yves Engler (2019-12-07). The Sun Never Sets on the Canadian Military. dissidentvoice.org Most Canadians would be surprised to learn that the sun never sets on the military their taxes pay for. This country is not formally at war yet more than 2,100 Canadian troops are sprinkled across the globe. According to the Armed Forces, these soldiers are involved in 28 international missions. There are 850 Canadian troops …

Peter Koenig (2019-12-07). NATO is \"Brain Dead\". Institutionalized Killing as the \"New Normal\" globalresearch.ca NATO has institutionalized killing as the new normal. And in order to maintain this \'eternal war on terror\' that sustains the US economy, we need ever-so-often a \'fake\' terror attack — to keep the fear alive, to keep the arms flowing, …

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2019-12-07). Matunda Ya Kwanza: Our \"California Grown\" Pan African Celebration of Life. indybay.org In Dr. Maulana Karenga\'s own words he says, \"The origin of Kwanzaa on the African continent are in the agricultural celebrations called the \'first fruits\' celebrations and to a lesser degree the full or general harvest celebration. 2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa and California State Capitol Kwanzaa continues our journey toward expanding California Pan African Global Trade and Investment.

WSWS (2019-12-07). US farmer suicides on the rise as Trump\'s trade war, extreme weather hit hard. wsws.org Farm debt in the US stands at a combined $416 billion, which is an all-time high, and more than half of all farmers have lost money every year since 2013.

Party for Socialism and Liberation (2019-12-07). Eyewitness Iran: Uncovering the Media Lies. indybay.org 2969 Mission St., near 26th St.

Ryan Cristián (2019-12-07). US Claims \"Fresh Intelligence\" Of Iran Attacks Yet Provides Zero Evidence — MSM Blindly Regurgitates. thelastamericanvagabond.com Here we go again with \"fresh intelligence\" to justify the continued sanctions and destabilization of Iran. It\'s a plan that has been well documented even by their own writings (See Which Path to Persia? — 2009). Of course, complicating U.S. foreign policy is the involvement of Israel. The Last American Vagabond covers the latest political posturing, distortion, and general …

Jeffrey C. Isaac (2019-12-07). Who Is the Audience for the Judiciary Committee Hearing? commondreams.org House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler (D-NY) speaking with the press Wednesday after the committee\'s hearing on the impeachment inquiry of President Trump. (Screengrab: C-Span) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/nadler-wed-impeachment.jpg …

Eric Zuesse (2019-12-07). Some False Statements Made in the Trump-Impeachment Hearings. dissidentvoice.org In the December 4th statement that was made by Stanford University law professor Pamela Karlan was this: We have become the shining city on a hill. We have become the nation that leads the world in understanding what democracy is. One of the things we understand most profoundly is it\'s not a real democracy, it\'s …

IMEMC & Agencies (2019-12-07). Palestinian President Commends US Congress for Support. imemc.org The Palestinian Presidency applauded the US Congress, on Friday, for supporting the two-state solution and rejecting the annexation of occupied Palestinian land, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported. President Abbas praised congress for their solidarity against Israel\'s settlement policy, the fait accompli, and for recognizing the aspirations of the …

IMEMC & Agencies (2019-12-07). Islamic Organization Criticizes Israel\'s Settlement Plans in Hebron. imemc.org The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned a controversial plan by Israel to build a new settlement in the heart of the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron, the Palestine News Network reported. Naftali Bennett, right-wing Israeli minister of military affairs, said on Sunday, that the new settlement, to …

IMEMC & Agencies (2019-12-07). Body of Palestinian Teen \'Arrested\' by Israel Returned Home After 355 Days. imemc.org Tareq Hajjaj for Middle East Eye Mystery surrounds the death of Emad Khalil Ibrahim Shahin, 17, who was arrested on November 4, 2018, for breaching the Israeli fence between Gaza and Israel. Having slipped through Israel\'s security fence, Emad Khalil Ibrahim Shahin and his friends sneaked into an abandoned barracks …

WSWS (2019-12-07). Saudi airman kills four at US Naval Base in Florida. wsws.org The mass shooting at the base in Pensacola was the second such incident at a US Navy facility in the space of barely 48 hours.

Josue De Luna Navarro (2019-12-07). The Centuries-Long History of Extractive Greed. commondreams.org Any \"climate action that doesn't connect the historic links between the carbon economy, colonialism, capitalism and ecological destruction would be oppressive to Indigenous communities,\" the author writes. (Photo: Joe Brusky/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/indigenous-liberation-extraction.jpg …

WSWS (2019-12-07). Australian governments reject calls for removal of armed police from Aboriginal settlements. wsws.org With about 30 percent of its population being indigenous, the Northern Territory is Australia\'s most heavily-policed state or territory.

Andrew Korybko (2019-12-07). CPEC and Pakistan\'s \"Pivot To Africa\" globalresearch.ca Last week\'s Africa Envoys\' Conference in Islamabad saw Pakistani diplomats brainstorming the best ways for their country to pivot to the eponymous continent, with the key takeaways being to prioritize military diplomacy and entrepreneurial engagement along what could prospectively be …

WSWS (2019-12-07). SEP (UK) candidate Chris Marsden speaks on Kashmir and Palestine at Sheffield mosque hustings. wsws.org Marsden told the attentive audience, \"Kashmir has been a terrible victim of the partition of India on religious and communal lines.\"

Staff (2019-12-07). Fastest-Growing Washington Lobbying Firms Benefit From Trump Ties. truthout.org For many well-connected Washington lobbying firms, business is booming after President Donald Trump\'s 2016 election. | At least 22 lobbying firms saw revenue more than double in the Trump era compared to the previous three years, with many signing high-dollar contracts with big-name clients, an OpenSecrets analysis found. | The reasons for the revenue spikes vary. Some lobbying firms simply received a bigger check fr…

Staff (2019-12-07). Federally Funded Health Researchers Report Millions in Conflicts of Interest. truthout.org The database of disclosures reported to the National Institutes of Health, which has not been made public before, details the financial relationships of researchers at universities, hospitals and nonprofit organizations. These outside interests range from stock holdings in companies that may benefit from the outcome of research to payments for royalties, consulting work and speaking engagements. The total value of the conflicts is likely much higher than $188 million, in part because 44% of…

Staff (2019-12-07). House Passes \"Historic\" Bill to Restore and Expand Voting Rights. truthout.org Just one Republican—Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania—joined a united House Democratic caucus on Friday to pass what rights groups hailed as \" historic\" legislation to restore and expand voter protections that were gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013. | L…

Staff (2019-12-07). Appalachia Has a Rich History of Women-Led Social Movements. truthout.org After the 2016 presidential election, many people in the United States sought to understand the rise of Trump through stories of rural America. Books like \"Hillbilly Elegy\" and \"Strangers in Their Own Land\" examined conservative communities as a way to explain the rise in right-wing politics. | But for historian Jessie Wilkerson, who grew up in eastern Tennessee, there is something important missing from the stories that gained a spotlight after Donald Trump\'s election. Wilkerson studies women\'s history, part…

Staff (2019-12-07). Uber Reports Over 3,000 Sexual Assaults on 2018 Rides. truthdig.com SAN FRANCISCO—Uber, as part of a long anticipated safety report, revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018. | That figure includes 235 rapes across the company\'s 1.3 billion rides last year. The ride-hailing company noted that drivers and riders were both attacked and that some assaults occurred between riders. | The Thursday report, which the company hailed as the first of its kind, provides a rare look into the traffic deaths, murders and reported sexual assaults that took place during…

Robert Scheer (2019-12-06). The Plot to Discredit and Destroy Julian Assange. truthdig.com A day after dozens of doctors around the world released a statement about their mounting concerns regarding Julian Assange\'s health as he\'s detained in a British prison, Truthdig Editor in Chief Robert Scheer spoke with Tariq Ali, a renowned British journalist and co-editor of a recent collection of essays titled \" In Defense of Julian Assange.\" To Scheer, Ali and the book\'s many contributors, the case agains…

Michael Steven Smith and Heidi Boghosian (2019-12-06). Inside the Organized Crime Syndicate Known as the CIA. dissidentvoice.org Douglas Valentine is an investigator and author with a rare and tenacious approach toward research. His writing results in uniquely incisive and revealing books on the dark side of U.S. intelligence activities and the National Security State. His latest book, The CIA as Organized Crime: How Illegal Operations Corrupt America and the World, draws parallels between CIA operations …

Alan Macleod (2019-12-06). Study Reveals How UK Intelligence Works with Media to Smear Jeremy Corbyn. mintpressnews.com The United Kingdom goes to the polls December 12 in a pivotal vote that will decide the future of the country. Like in 2017, the Labour Party, under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, is surging towards the ruling Conservative Party in the last weeks of campaigning. But he will not become Prime Minister if the UK\'s security services have anything to do with it. Corbyn, frequently compared to Bernie Sanders in terms of ideology, spent decades in the political wilderness, a lonely leftist voice among a party embracing neol…

Norman Solomon (2019-12-06). Of Course John Kerry Endorsed Joe Biden. truthdig.com Both have repeatedly lied about their support for the war in Iraq. Is it any surprise that the one is now backing the other for president?

Ed Rampell (2019-12-06). The new Belorussian film \'Debut\': Crime and punishment and art therapy. peoplesworld.org Anastasiya Miroshnichenko\'s well-made, touching documentary Debut provides viewers with a rare glimpse behind the \"Iron Curtain.\" By this I\'m not merely referring to the fact that this 80-minute film was shot in Belarus, formerly known as Byelorussia or Belorussia and, like Ukraine, an erstwhile Soviet republic. Rather, more to the point, Debut was largely filmed …

Alan Macleod (2019-12-06). The Faux Generosity of the Super-Wealthy: Why Bill Gates is a Menace to Society. mintpressnews.com If Gates represents a net negative force in world politics, why does he receive such good press? For starters, he makes sizeable donations to a host of mainstream corporate media outlets.

Brenda Norrell (2019-12-06). \'No Spiritual Surrender: A Dedication to the Standing Rock Movement\' Photos of Resilience. indybay.org Photojournalist Ryan Vizzions photos of Standing Rock Water Protectors in the camps and on the frontlines have appeared around the world. Vizzions\' new book chronicles the resilience and resistance of Water Protectors and the militarized police they faced, with forwards by Joye Braun, Cheyenne River Lakota, and Pte San Wastewin, Hunkpapa Lakota.

Walden Bello (2019-12-06). How the Battle of Seattle Made the Truth About Globalization True. counterpunch.org The Battle of Seattle in late November 1999 is, for me, memorable in many ways. For one, I still remember being given a good beating by a policewoman when I tried to prevent her buddies from hauling off the irrepressible Medea Benjamin, then the director of Global Exchange, from a sit-in at the entrance to More

Ben Norton (2019-12-06). Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Flock to the Hong Kong Protest Movement. globalresearch.ca Ukrainian fascists who previously fought in a US-backed neo-Nazi militia joined the anti-China protests in Hong Kong, sharing their tactics and showing off their tattoos. | *** | Neo-Nazis from Ukraine have flown to Hong Kong to participate in the anti-Chinese insurgency, …

M. G. Piety (2019-12-06). A Lesson From the Danes on Immigration. counterpunch.org Denmark is in the news now because of its purported hostility to immigrants. Brooke Harrington, a sociology professor at Dartmouth, published an op ed in the New York Times on Tuesday about how she was nearly carted off to a Danish prison for giving invited guest lectures to the Danish parliament. Danes had tightened up More

WSWS (2019-12-06). Meeting of Australian teachers passes resolutions in defence of Julian Assange. wsws.org The teachers have taken an important stand which points the way forward for other educators, and for all sections of the working class, in the fight for democratic rights and against the persecution of Assange.

WSWS (2019-12-06). French public sector strikers call to free Julian Assange. wsws.org Strikers denounced the imprisonment of the Australian journalist under appalling conditions in Britain, for having revealed imperialist war crimes in Iraq.

Norman Solomon (2019-12-06). Kerry\'s Endorsement of Biden Fits: Two Deceptive Supporters of the Iraq War. counterpunch.org On Thursday afternoon, the Washington Post sent out a news alert headlined \"John Kerry Endorses Biden in 2020 Race, Saying He Has the Character and Experience to Beat Trump, Confront the Nation\'s Challenges.\" Meanwhile, in Iowa, Joe Biden was also touting his experience. \"Look,\" Biden said as he angrily lectured an 83-year-old farmer at a campaign stop, \"the reason More

Staff (2019-12-06). Alternative Climate Summit Honors Victims of Corporate Crimes. truthout.org We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, began Monday and will continue through next week, as environmental leaders from around the world gather to negotiate global solutions to the climate crisis. Activists have converged on Madrid for the conference and are hosting an alternative summit of their own: Cumbre Social por el Clima — the Social Summit for the Climate. The alternative summit has been organized by social justice and environmental gro…

Staff (2019-12-06). Why Are Some of the World\'s Biggest Polluters Sponsoring UN Climate Summit? truthout.org A group of climate activists walked out of a panel at the U.N. climate summit in Madrid on Thursday to protest the presence of Shell, BP and Chevron. Representatives from the oil companies were taking part in an event organized by the International Emissions Trading Association. This comes as the Spanish government is facing criticism for reaching out to Endesa, Spain\'s biggest corporate greenhouse gas polluter, to sponsor the U.N. climate talks. We speak with Pascoe Sabido, a researcher and campai…

Forrest Hylton (2019-12-06). Bolivia\'s Coup Government: a Far-Right Horror Show. counterpunch.org Since coming to power on November 12, Bolivia\'s right-wing coup government, led by interim president Jeanine Añez, has quickly consolidated power and achieved international legitimacy. So far, the Añez government has succeeded in calling elections for 2020; persecuting journalists, political opponents, and human rights activists; and, following two massacres of unarmed, mainly indigenous protesters that More

Linda Pentz Gunter (2019-12-06). Why Do We Punish the Peacemakers? counterpunch.org You\'re liable to run into trouble if you try to suggest there is a greater threat to planetary survival than climate change. But there is. It\'s called nuclear war. Granted — and thank goodness — climate change is finally all the rage now. Rage has taken over, and rightly so, especially among the young whose More

news.un (2019-12-06). UN evaluates progress in improving peacekeeping performance. news.un.org The international community on Friday took stock of action to improve UN peacekeeping in line with a Security Council resolution aimed at enhancing performance at all levels, both at Headquarters in New York and in the field.

DARIN (2019-12-06). Chuck Herrick Peace and Freedom Memorial Park. indybay.org Clearly Indybay media should also topic Anarcho-Geography* as well as Anarcho-Urban Studies**. Berkeley, California. Consider this to be under the topical influence of Urban Direct Action within a their-storical contemplative premise. [*For more on this topic see Prof. Simon Springer.] [**On this topic I would personally field any inquiry.]…

IMEMC News (2019-12-06). Soldiers Seriously Injure A Palestinian Teen Near Hebron. imemc.org Israeli soldiers shot and seriously injured, Friday, a Palestinian teen in Beit Ummar town, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, after the army invaded the town, and attacked Palestinians protesting the invasion. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its medics provided the essential treatment to the …

news.un (2019-12-06). UN rights chief \'extremely concerned\' over deadly crackdown on protesters in Iran. news.un.org In the wake of recent protests in Iran, the top United Nations human rights official expressed alarm on Friday over multiple human rights violations which have reportedly taken place across the country.

teleSUR (2019-12-06). Algeria: Thousands Hold Last Rally Before Presidential Election. telesurenglish.net Thousands marched in different cities of Algeria to demand the presidential election scheduled for Dec. 12 to be canceled. They took to the streets on the 42nd consecutive Friday of protests against the \"shadowy\" ruling elite, which has been controlling Algeria since its independence in 1962. | RELATED: | Tens of Thousands of Algerians March To Cancel Election | \"Down with the military regime!\", \"We want a civil state and a true transition!\" and \"No to the elections as long as the maf…

teleSUR (2019-12-06). Live Updates: Dominica: Citizens Head to Polling Stations. telesurenglish.net Dominica\'s polling centers Friday opened their doors to over 70,000 people who will cast their vote in the general elections to decide the new government that will rule over the next five years. | The Dominica Labor Party (DLP) candidate Roosevelt Skerrit and the United Workers\' Party (UWP) candidate Lennox Linton appear as top political figures in elections in wh…

teleSUR (2019-12-06). Chilean Mothers Perform Feminist Dance Act to Protest \"Historic Abuse\" telesurenglish.net About ten thousands of Chilean senior women took part Wednesday in the \"Un violador en tu camino\" campaign (\"A rapist in your way\"), a made-in-Chile dance routine that has spread worldwide as a powerful tool of protest against \"historic abuse suffered by women in a patriarchal system.\" | RELATED: | Chile: Municipalities Call Citizens to Independent Consultation | Organized by the women\'s group \"Las Tesis Senior\" at the gates of the National Stadium — located in Santiago\'s…

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-06). Presidential Pardon for Netanyahu? globalresearch.ca Is a deal in the works for Netanyahu to step down as prime minister in return for a presidential pardon — with the aim of avoiding a third election next year? More on this below. | *** | Netanyahu faces prosecution for …

Dave Lindorff (2019-12-06). Conviction and Removal Aren\'t the Issue; It\'s Impeachment of Trump That is Essential. counterpunch.org A lot of pundit verbiage and Democratic Party internal debate as well is being wasted on the question of whether Trump could be convicted successfully in a Senate currently run by a lickspittle Republican majority afraid of their shadows and devoid of any concern for the fate of Constitutional government. Let\'s accept that the 20-plus More

news.un (2019-12-06). UN agency hails Brazil \'milestone\' decision over Venezuelan refugees. news.un.org Brazil\'s move to recognize thousands of refugees from crisis-wracked Venezuela through a new accelerated procedure, has been welcomed by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Alan Macleod (2019-12-06). Bolivia\'s New Right-Wing Gov\'t Targets Foreigners With \"Anti-Terror\" Death Squads. mintpressnews.com The new move creating an unaccountable armed security force directly aimed at foreign terror will do little to quash fears that Bolivia is heading down the road to a totalitarian dictatorship.

Staff (2019-12-06). Despite Strong Job Growth, Wage Growth Isn\'t Accelerating. truthout.org The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 266,000 jobs in November. While this figure is inflated by the return of roughly 50,000 striking GM autoworkers, upward revisions to the prior two months\' data brought the three-month average to a solid 205,000. The unemployment rate edged down to 3.5 percent, returning to a 50-year low. | The job growth was widely spread across industries. Manufacturing added 54,000 jobs, somewhat more than the number of returning strikers. It appears that the sector…

Staff (2019-12-06). Trump-Appointed Judges Will Imperil Progressive Change \"for as Long as We Live\" truthout.org Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rammed through eight of President Donald Trump\'s lifetime judicial picks in just three days this week, accelerating the far-right court takeover that one commentator warned is \"absolutely going to hamstring efforts to make the U.S. into a responsible, civilized country, for as lo…

Staff (2019-12-06). Fastest-Growing DC Lobbying Firms Benefit From Trump Ties. truthout.org For many well-connected Washington lobbying firms, business is booming after President Donald Trump\'s 2016 election. | At least 22 lobbying firms saw revenue more than double in the Trump era compared to the previous three years, with many signing high-dollar contracts with big-name clients, an OpenSecrets analysis found. | The reasons for the revenue spikes vary. Some lobbying firms simply received a bigger check from exist…

Staff (2019-12-06). Harvard Grad Workers Are Striking Over Medical Debt and Sexual Harassment. truthout.org Graduate students at the wealthiest university in the world said they are foregoing dental care, facing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket medical costs and struggling to get by on salaries as low as $18,000 in Boston, one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. | The unionized graduate workers at Harvard University went on strike Tuesday after more than a year of trying to negotiate a contract. On the picket line at Harvard\'s medical campus on Wednesday, Tessa Green, a biophysics Ph.D. stud…

Staff (2019-12-06). We Must Overcome Our Atomization to Beat Back Neoliberal Fascism. truthout.org This week in the United States, the impeachment hearings made clear that President Trump abused his office and committed a crime against the Constitution. Not only did he attempt to pressure the Ukrainian government into investigating his presidential political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in exchange for military aid, Trump also used the power of his administration to pressure loyal followers, such as Rudy Giuliani (his personal lawyer) to claim that Ukraine, not Russia, had intervened in th…

Nick Aspinwall (2019-12-06). Why Taiwan Won\'t Welcome China\'s Dissidents. thenation.com Why Taiwan Won\'t Welcome China\'s Dissidents…

teleSUR (2019-12-06). Iran Denounced Letters to UN as \'Desperate Falsehood\'. telesurenglish.net Iran has said it is determined to proceed with its ballistic missile program, as it rejected as a \"desperate falsehood\" the letter from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France to the United Nations Security Council, accusing Tehran of developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. | RELATED: | US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria | The three Europeans ambassadors called on UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres to inform in his next report that Iran\'s missi…

Juan Cole (2019-12-06). Trump Fails Again to Bring Our Troops Home From Mideast: Mulling Escalation of 14,000 US Troops to the Middle East to Counter Iran. commondreams.org A new contingent of 14,000 troops would double the extra total sent in 2019 alone and bring the over-all number to 74,000. (Photo: Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/syria_us_troops.jpeg …

Jefferson Morley (2019-12-06). Why the Douma Chemical Attack Wasn\'t a \'Managed Massacre\'. counterpunch.org In the long-running nightmare of the Syrian civil war, the attack at Douma was a déjà vu atrocity with big consequences in Washington. On April 7, 2018, a working-class neighborhood in greater Damascus suffered a chemical attack that killed at least 43 people. Six days later, President Trump ordered a cruise missile attack on a More

Robert Fantina (2019-12-06). Is Kashmir India\'s Palestine? counterpunch.org In August of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India suspended Article 370 of the constitution, the provision that granted some level of autonomy to Kashmir. Already heavily policed by Indian soldiers, nearly 40,000 additional troops were deployed to \'calm\' (read: further oppress) the population following Modi\'s repressive and illegal decision. Travel in and More

Media Lens (2019-12-06). Reopening Auschwitz — The Conspiracy to Stop Corbyn. globalresearch.ca Thoreau got it right: \'Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.\' (Thoreau, \'Walden\', Penguin, 1983, p.68) | The same is certainly true of propaganda. We can laugh now at McCarthyite paranoia warning of Soviet tentacles threatening …

Jon Schwarz (2019-12-06). The Supreme Court Case That Made Michael Bloomberg\'s Campaign Possible — and Doomed Kamala Harris. theintercept.com Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California suspended her presidential campaign on Tuesday. Why? Because, she said, she did not \"have the financial resources we need to continue. I\'m not a billionaire. I can\'t fund my own campaign.\" | Meanwhile, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who definitely is a billionaire, has spent at least $57 million of his own money since he jumped into the race on Novem…

Andy Rowell (2019-12-06). Despite Warmest Decade on Record, We Still Act Like \"Addicts Blowing Our Carbon Budget\" commondreams.org \"Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a record level of 407.8 parts per million in 2018 and continued to rise in 2019. CO2 lasts in the atmosphere for centuries and the ocean for even longer, thus locking in climate change.\" (Photo: Andrew Hart/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/fossilfuels_1.jpeg …

Matthew Stevenson (2019-12-06). Across the Balkans: From Banja Luka to Sarajevo. counterpunch.org An account of a journey from Croatia to Kosovo, by way of Bosnia-Hercegovina and Serbia, and with a detour into Montenegro. This is part III of a series. Serb war memorial outside the Banja Luka train station. To catch the train from Banja Luka to Sarajevo, I had to ride a bus to the edge More

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2019-12-06). 2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa: A Special Karamu Celebration. indybay.org The notion of \"potluck\" Kwanzaa in the 21st Century is a challenging local tradition that should not be a salient notion or limiting factor toward embracing Umoja year round and throughout the Kwanzaa season, Matunda ya Kwanza.

Bryan Bowman (2019-12-06). Grace Blakeley: The World Must be Saved from Financialization. indybay.org Even when times are good, the many have been largely excluded from the success enjoyed by the few. Where many see a strong economy today, Grace Blakeley sees not only the early indicators of an inevitable recession, but the \"death throes\" of an entire economic model that is crumbling before our eyes. She warns of a bleak future but also offers a hopeful alternative vision.

Dr. Jacques R. Pauwels (2019-12-06). Fall 1941: Pearl Harbor and The Wars of Corporate America. globalresearch.ca Washington knew a Japanese fleet was on its way to Pearl Harbor, but welcomed the attack since a Japanese aggression would make it possible to \"sell\" the war to an anti-war American public.

Al-Shabaka (2019-12-06). The Systematic Torture of Palestinians in Israeli Detention. imemc.org by Yara Hawari, for Al Shabaka Palestinian Policy Network Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Israeli Security Agency has been torturing Palestinians. Al-Shabaka Senior Palestine Policy Fellow Yara Hawari argues that the use of torture in Israeli detention is systematic and legitimized through domestic law, and outlines steps for the …

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2019-12-06). Matunda Ya Kwanza: Our \"California Grown\" Pan African Celebration of Life. indybay.org In Dr. Maulana Karenga\'s own words he says, \"The origin of Kwanzaa on the African continent are in the agricultural celebrations called the \'first fruits\' celebrations and to a lesser degree the full or general harvest celebration. 2019 Sacramento Kwanzaa and California State Capitol Kwanzaa continues our journey toward expanding California Pan African Global Trade and Investment.

Joseph Natoli (2019-12-06). What We Must Do. counterpunch.org The Warming Planet \"The United Nations released an exceptionally bleak report today, which warns that, at the current pace of greenhouse gas emissions, global temperatures will rise by as much as 3.9 degrees Celsius (almost 7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100.\" — The United Nations Environment Programme report, Nov. 2019 \"Somehow, against all logic, we have adopted a More

Matthew Hoh (2019-12-06). Authorizations for Madness; The Effects and Consequences of Congress\' Endless Permissions for War. counterpunch.org I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can…Its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. — Dwight Eisenhower. For the first time in decades, passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has been delayed due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans. The disagreements at the center of the delay in Congress are, as usual, partisan in nature: funding for the President\'s border wall More