(2018-04-21). Ecuador's Drastic Pro-US Rightward Swing Continues with Disavowal of ELN-Colombia Peace Talks. MintPress News The suspension of Ecuador's role as mediator in Colombia comes amid its broader shift to the right and realignment with the United States by Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno. | The post Ecuador's Drastic Pro-US Rightward Swing Continues with Disavowal of ELN-Colombia Peace Talks appeared first on MintPress News.
(2018-04-21). Colin Kaepernick honored by Amnesty International. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists AMSTERDAM—Human rights organization Amnesty International has honored former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick with its Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2018, lauding his peaceful protests against racial inequality. | The former San Francisco 49ers star was handed the award at a ceremony Saturday in the Dutch capital by onetime teammate Eric Reid. | Kaepernick first took a knee during the pre-game playing of the American national anthem when he was with the 49ers in 2016 to protest police brutality. | Other players joined him, drawing the ire of President Donald Trump, who called for team owners to fire such players. | In response to the player demonstrations, the NFL agreed to commit $90 million over the next seven years to social justice causes in a plan. | Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty called Kaepernick, "an athlete who is now widely recognized for his…
(2018-04-21). Going Native: To Move Forward, Indians Must Reclaim Values of the Past. The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good Prior to colonization, American Indians had their own values of tolerance and acceptance. Forgetting those values not only threatens our tradition, but our right to tribal sovereignty.
(2018-04-21). BDS Applauds Portman Rejection of "Jewish Nobel" Prize in Protest of Netanyahu Policies. MintPress News "After decades of egregious human rights violations against Palestinians, Israel's recent massacre of peaceful protesters in Gaza has made its brand so toxic that even well-known Israeli-American cultural figures, like Natalie Portman, now refuse to blatantly whitewash, or art-wash, Israeli crimes and apartheid policies." — BDS statement | The post BDS Applauds Portman Rejection of "Jewish Nobel" Prize in Protest of Netanyahu Policies appeared first on MintPress News.
(2018-04-21). Gina Haspel, Who Tortured and Destroyed Torture Tapes, Has Been "Cleared" by CIA of Wrongdoing. Truthout Stories Gina Haspel, who was in charge of a black site in Thailand where torture occurred and ordered the destruction of CIA tapes of the human rights violations, has been nominated to become director of the spy agency. (Photo: Central Intelligence Agency) | In what critics are calling a bald attempt to help Trump's controversial pick to lead the CIA get through a very difficult confirmation process, the CIA on Friday released a previously classified memo in which Gina Haspel was "cleared" of any wrongdoing when she destroyed more than 90 videotapes of agency operatives torturing human beings. | According to the Associated Press, which first reported the story, the CIA on Friday "gave lawmakers a declassified memo Friday showing [Haspel] was cleared years ago of wrongdoing in the destruction of videotapes showing terror suspects being waterboarded after 9/11." | Written by then-acting…
(2018-04-21). Enoch Powell And the Concerning Popularity of His Racist Speech. AlterNet.org It's been 50 years since British shadow defense secretary Enoch Powell gave his "rivers of blood" speech on April 20, 1968. | It has been 50 years since British shadow defence secretary Enoch Powell gave his "rivers of blood" speech on April 20, 1968. To mark the half-centenary, the BBC broadcast his speech for the first . . .
(2018-04-21). Blue Heart — Trailer (2018). counterpunch.org
(2018-04-21). Here Are the 10 Greatest Hoaxes of All Time. AlterNet.org There really is a sucker born every minute. | The year 2014 featured one of the banner scientific hoaxes of recent history, the delightful triple-breasted lady. Tampa, Florida's Alisha Jasmine Hessler thrilled the breast lovers among us with tales (and accompanying photos) of her enhanced silhouette. According to Hessler, 21, who renamed herself Jasmine Tridevil, she searched far and wide and finally found a plastic surgeon willing to add a third breast to her already ample duet. The truth came to light when, in order to recover a stolen bag from the airport, Hessler was forced to declare the contents, which included a three-breasted prosthesis. The website Smoking Gun blew the whole scam wide open, and we were left to carry on in our now less magical world. Unicorns and tridevils aren't what they seem. But hers was not the first, and will. . .
(2018-04-21). Americans Warned Not to Eat Romaine Lettuce. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells consumers to throw away their store-bought romaine and warns restaurants not to serve it amid an E. coli outbreak in several states. | The post Americans Warned Not to Eat Romaine Lettuce appeared first on Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists.
(2018-04-21). Tortoise and the Hair. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists The post Tortoise and the Hair appeared first on Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists.
(2018-04-21). Major Win for BDS as Heavily Jewish US Women's College Votes for Divestment. Global Research In a major win for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, BDS movement, students at the Barnard College, an elite women's liberal arts college in New York City with a high percentage of Jewish students, have voted to divest from …
(2018-04-21). If Cohen Flips on Trump, Let the Wild Rumpus Start. Truthout Stories President Donald Trump's long-time personal attorney Michael Cohen arrives at a New York court on April 16, 2018, in New York City. (Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images) | Speculation has begun to grow that Michael Cohen, Trump's long-time personal attorney whose office and home were raided by the FBI, may agree to cooperate with Robert Mueller's investigation. If so, he could go down in history with Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, the mobster whose testimony ultimately destroyed the Gotti crime family.President Donald Trump's long-time personal attorney Michael Cohen arrives at a New York court on April 16, 2018, in New York City. (Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images) | Exposing the wrongdoing of those in power has never been more important. Support Truthout's independent, investigative journalism by making a donation! | The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it…
(2018-04-21). Wanted: The 'Butcher of Damascus' to Return Normalcy to Syria. Consortiumnews Bashar al-Assad is just the latest in a long line of Middle East leaders demonized by colonial Britain and the U.S. for their independence, says Eric Margolis in this commentary. By Eric S. Margolis Butcher of Damascus. Gasser of children. Baby Killer… Read more →
(2018-04-21). Turkey Joins Other Nations Flocking from US Dollar Hegemony. MintPress News "With the Dollar, the world is always under exchange rate pressure. We should save states and nations from this exchange rate pressure. Gold has never been a tool of oppression throughout history." | The post Turkey Joins Other Nations Flocking from US Dollar Hegemony appeared first on MintPress News.
(2018-04-21). Mexico in the Time of the Caravan. Truthout Stories Honest, fearless media is needed more than ever, and nonprofit newsrooms like Truthout need all the help we can get. Can you take a few seconds to support this important work? | Puebla, Mexico, 8 April 2018: An annual Easter march to shine a light on the plight of Central Americans living in a region with the highest murder rate in the world drew the attention of international aid groups, the United Nations … and the President of the United States. While the U.N. admonished the government of Mexico to provide safe conduct to the approximately 1,200 persons who crossed the southern border of their country, Donald Trump reacted with incommensurate fear, threatening to deploy National Guard troops to his own border, 1,200 miles (2,000 km) away. | The march, or caravan, is also known as the Via Crucis del Migrante (Migrant…
(2018-04-21). Another Dodgy British Dossier: the Skripal Case. Consortiumnews In this second part of a series, Gareth Porter compares the same faulty logic employed in two purposely misleading, so-called British intelligence dossiers. By Gareth Porter Special to Consortium News The British government shared what was supposedly a dossier containing… Read more →
(2018-04-21). Yemen, The Most Horrific Genocide. A Country without Food, Water, Medicine and Fuel. Global Research As the U.S.-Saudi-led war against Yemen enters its third year, the people of this coffin-shaped nation on the Arabian peninsula find themselves struggling not only to survive but to be seen and heard by a mainstream media that is preoccupied …
(2018-04-21). Dear Liberal America: The FBI Is Not Your Friend — And It Never Has Been. AlterNet.org The love and kisses tour of J. Edgar Comey has put a smiling face on an agency known for hardball and duplicity | Have you been watching the roundelay of appearances former FBI Director James Comey has made this week on his tour to promote his book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership"? On Tuesday, he was on the "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on CBS, the same day his book was released. Colbert did everything but ruffle his hair, sharing a paper cup of red wine with him, seeming to commemorate the beverage Comey poured for himself aboard a private government jet returning to Washington on the day he was fired on May 9, 2017. Colbert teased him. Comey demurred. Hilarity ensued. Thursday night he was on the "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC, an appearance that. . .
(2018-04-21). EPA Recommends Transitioning Away From Animal Testing. Truthout Stories Thirty seconds: That's how long it takes to support the independent journalism at Truthout. We're counting on you. Click here to chip in! | Good news from federal agencies can feel like a rarity these days, but this dispatch from the Environmental Protection Agency is an excellent reminder that staffers deep in the government are hard at work to build a better world. In draft guidance on skin allergy testing for pesticides and industrial chemicals, the EPA is encouraging researchers to move away from the use of animal models. | Such testing is legally required to determine the level of hazard that various industrial products pose. Scientists aim to determine if chemicals cause skin irritation and, if so, the severity of their effects. This allows agencies to determine whether a product is safe enough to be sold to consumers, or…
(2018-04-21). Natalie Portman Addresses Her Snub of Israeli Prize. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists "I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu" by accepting the prestigious Genesis Prize, the actress says. "Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation." | The post Natalie Portman Addresses Her Snub of Israeli Prize appeared first on Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists.
(2018-04-21). US, Fearing Unfavorable OPCW Results, Blames Russia for "Hacking" Douma Evidence. MintPress News Though Western governments have influenced the outcome of OPCW investigations in the past, this time they appear to be discrediting the results of the investigation before it even begins. | The post US, Fearing Unfavorable OPCW Results, Blames Russia for "Hacking" Douma Evidence appeared first on MintPress News.
(2018-04-21). Why Black Stories Matter: They Build Empathy and Heal Trauma. Truthout Stories Truthout can only survive through reader support. Click here to make a tax-deductible donation toward journalism with real integrity and independence! | When she was growing up, Rachel Bailey was taught that only rich, self-indulgent White people suffered from mental health issues. Black people were supposed to be tougher. Although she remembers struggling with what was later diagnosed as bipolar disorder since she was 4 years old, it wasn't until age 34 that she began to seek treatment, checking herself into a psychiatric ward after a severe mental breakdown. | "People of other races, especially White people, they get to be crazy and have their reasons and their subtle shades of insanity," Bailey says. "It's unfair that you get to be insane in colorful ways and I just get to be nuts and go to jail and rot there." | Bailey was…
(2018-04-21). Russian Journalists Find Boy In White Helmets Chemical Attack Video. MintPress News A group of Russian correspondents led by Evgeny Poddubny have found one of the children filmed by the White Helmets in their video showing people "affected" by the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria on April 7. | According to Poddubny: | 11-year-old Hassan Diab is fine; | He suffered no injures from the "chemical attack" because there was no attack (at least then and there); | The boy participated in the video for food (rice, dates and cookies). | Poddubny also contacted Diab's father — who also claimed that there was no chemical attack in the town. Hassan Diab during the "chemical attack" and after. | A full video by Poddubny: | BOMBSHELL | 11 year old #Douma "victim" blows "chemical attack" narrative wide open. | Full video from @epoddubny here: t.co/fqHWzUnZSK #CasusBelli #FalseFlag pic.twitter.com/3Ps0IxeyMh
(2018-04-21). French students, workers march in April 19 protests against Macron. World Socialist Web Site The first protest of strikers from multiple professions since November 2017 took place amid spreading blockades of universities by students opposed to Macron.
(2018-04-21). North Korea suspends nuclear tests in latest concession to Trump. World Socialist Web Site Despite the announcement, there is no guarantee that a Trump-Kim summit will go ahead.
(2018-04-21). Social inequality and oligarchy in the US and Europe. World Socialist Web Site A report by Thomas Piketty shows that the Democratic Party in the US, the Labour Party in Britain and the Socialist Party in France have become the preferred parties of dominant sections of the ruling elite.
(2018-04-21). Build the International Youth and Students for Social Equality! World Socialist Web Site The Fourth National Congress of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) was held in Sydney from March 30 to April 2, 2018.
(2018-04-21). Alabama executes 83-year-old Walter Leroy Moody. World Socialist Web Site The US Supreme Court cleared the way for the lethal injection, first issuing a temporary stay 15 minutes before the scheduled execution and then lifting it later without explanation.
(2018-04-21). Chappaquiddick examines 1969 tragedy and political cover-up. World Socialist Web Site The subject matter is the death in July 1969 of Mary Jo Kopechne, who was riding late at night in a car driven by Senator Edward Kennedy that went off an open wooden bridge and plunged into the water.
(2018-04-21). Israeli army kills four more Gaza protesters. World Socialist Web Site The latest bloodletting brings to 39 the number killed for marching in support of Palestinian refugees' right of return.
(2018-04-21). Turkish government calls snap election for June 24. World Socialist Web Site Amid a deepening economic crisis, the Erdogan government has decided to hold parliamentary and presidential elections 17 months ahead of schedule.
(2018-04-21). Democrats escalate anti-Russia witch hunt with lawsuit linking Trump and Assange as Russian agents. World Socialist Web Site The legal filing and the accompanying statements by DNC Chairman Tom Perez have the stench of a McCarthyite-style witch hunt.
(2018-04-21). Britain's Stop the War Coalition: Tying the working class to the pro-war Labour Party. World Socialist Web Site The building of a genuine anti-war movement can only proceed through a ruthless exposure of Labour's apologists.
(2018-04-21). Italy continues without a government. World Socialist Web Site Six weeks after the March 4 parliamentary election there is still no new Italian government in sight.
(2018-04-21). Disregard for passenger safety exposed in wake of fatal Southwest Airlines engine explosion. World Socialist Web Site Southwest Airlines has pushed back against inspection directives even as mechanics have reportedly raised numerous safety concerns which have been dismissed by the airline.
(2018-04-21). US-led strike on Syria inflames tensions over Korea. World Socialist Web Site If his summit with the North Korean leader goes ahead, Trump will undoubtedly use every means at his disposal, including military threats, to try to bludgeon Pyongyang into accepting US demands.
(2018-04-21). Support the International Coalition of Socialist, Antiwar and Progressive Websites Against Internet Censorship. World Socialist Web Site The Fourth National Congress of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) was held in Sydney from March 30 to April 2, 2018.
(2018-04-21). Tragic killings of teenagers in London used to urge greater police powers. World Socialist Web Site A major reason for the ramped-up law-and-order campaign is next month's local elections, with the Conservatives so hated—particularly after the Grenfell Tower tragedy—that they face a wipe-out.
(2018-04-21). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. World Socialist Web Site The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
(2018-04-21). UK meetings against war, lies and censorship: For the building of a socialist anti-war movement! World Socialist Web Site The Socialist Equality Party (UK) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality are holding a series of meetings titled: War, lies and censorship—For the building of a socialist anti-war movement!
(2018-04-21). White House considers "national emergency" powers against Chinese investment. World Socialist Web Site Under a 1977 law, president Trump could declare a national emergency in response to an "unusual and extraordinary threat" which would allow him to block transactions and even to seize assets.
(2018-04-21). Melenchon keeps silent on Syria strikes at Marseille protest. World Socialist Web Site The rally underscored the gulf separating the determination of workers and youth to fight against Macron and the growing danger of war, and the pro-war petty bourgeois parties that called the rally.
(2018-04-21). Japanese PM weakened by Trump summit. World Socialist Web Site Abe's failure to secure any significant concessions from Trump is a significant political blow as he seeks to cling to office.
(2018-04-21). US students hold national walkout against school violence. World Socialist Web Site While Democrats are attempting to direct the anger of youth into the midterm elections and calls for gun control, the demonstrations have revealed broad hostility to the entire political establishment.
(2018-04-21). Oklahoma teachers warn: Don't trust the unions. World Socialist Web Site Oklahoma educators are calling on teachers to take the struggle into their own hands and unify across state lines to prevent the unions from betraying the strike.
(2018-04-21). North Korea's 'nuclear freeze' is a call for reciprocal US 'commitment & guarantees'. RT US News By freezing the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Kim Jong-un has cleared the main obstacles for signing an inter-Korean peace treaty and paved the way for a potential détente with Washington, experts told RT.
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(2018-04-21). Threat assessment: NASA's asteroid hunter reveals scariest, Earth-bound objects (VIDEO). RT US News Hundreds of cosmic objects swarming unnervingly close to Earth come to life in an intimidating new NASA visualization, based on the latest data from its asteroid-hunting mission.
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(2018-04-21). US bank offers free identity protection… while admitting potential data breach of 1.5mn clients. RT US News While announcing details of free identity protection for clients, a US bank revealed that data belonging to up to 1.5 million customers may have been exposed and passed on to a criminal third party.
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(2018-04-21). DNC lawsuit against Russia & Trump promises 'tantalizingly fascinating' blowback. RT US News The Democratic National Committee's lawsuit against Russia, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign is spurious and might spectacularly backfire, provided it doesn't get thrown out of court, legal and media analyst Lionel has told RT.
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(2018-04-21). Subterranean fires & gold rushes: Meet America's ghosts towns (PHOTOS). RT US News Swallowed by lakes, abandoned beside tapped out mines and collapsed due to subterranean fires, the US is pockmarked with thousands of ghost towns.
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(2018-04-21). Are we done with Russiagate? TIME leaves Putin off '100 most influential' list. RT US News With levels of anti-Russian hysteria in the West reaching fever pitch, one would think the media tends to see Vladimir Putin under every bed these days. As it turns out, Russia's president isn't even on their radar any more.
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(2018-04-21). US Deporting More Long-Term Residents. Human Rights Watch News A man, who was deported from the U.S. seven months ago, touches the fingertips of his nephew across a fence separating Mexico and US, as photographed from Tijuana, Mexico, March 4, 2017. © 2017 Reuters | Since Donald Trump became president of the United States, immigrants who have lived longer in the United States and established deep roots have increasingly become targets for deportation. | Over the month of March, four in ten deportation cases filed in immigration court involved people who had been in the US for two years or more, and fully two in ten involved people who had been in the US for five years or more, according to new data released by the research center TRAC. By contrast, only one deportation case filed in ten involved new arrivals. Most people…
(2018-04-21). Nicaragua: State must stop repressing demonstrators after 10 are killed. Amnesty International Authorities in Nicaragua must immediately stop repressing demonstrators and protect their right to protest, said Amnesty International after at least 10 people were killed and several others were injured or remain unaccounted for following a terrifying clampdown on dissent on Friday. | "The authorities' crude and violent response to these demonstrations has deeply troubling implications for human rights in Nicaragua. The slaughter of protesters, including several young students, who went out to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly will be remembered as one of the darkest chapters in the nation's recent history," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, director of Amnesty International in the Americas. | "Instead of sowing terror and demonizing demonstrators, the government must engage in dialogue with all sectors of society, including the victims of state repression, to find a peaceful solution to this grave situation. President Ortega cannot…
(2018-04-21. Colin Kaepernick: Ambassador of Conscience. Amnesty International …
(2018-04-21. CUBA 2018: TRANSFORM CONFRONTATION INTO DIALOGUE. Amnesty International …
(2018-04-21. The Condemned. Amnesty International …
(2018-04-21). The DNC'S Lawsuit Against WikiLeaks Poses a Serious Threat to Press Freedom. The Intercept The DNC's theory – that it is illegal to publish internal campaign documents – is a far more serious menace to press freedom than any of Donald Trump's insulting tweets about Chuck Todd. | The post The DNC'S Lawsuit Against WikiLeaks Poses a Serious Threat to Press Freedom appeared first on The Intercept.
(2018-04-21). The FBI's Race Problems Are Getting Worse. The Prosecution of Terry Albury Is Proof. The Intercept It's no secret that the FBI has a problem with race. Former Director James Comey even called the FBI's lack of racial diversity a "crisis." | The post The FBI's Race Problems Are Getting Worse. The Prosecution of Terry Albury Is Proof. appeared first on The Intercept.
(2018-04-21). Cure Worse Than Disease: Bill to Restrict Trump's War Powers Would Actually "Endorse a Worldwide War on Terror" The Intercept The proposed new AUMF from Sens. Bob Corker and Tim Kaine would be "a monumental shift that will amp up war everywhere." | The post Cure Worse Than Disease: Bill to Restrict Trump's War Powers Would Actually "Endorse a Worldwide War on Terror" appeared first on The Intercept.
(2018-04-20). Democratic Space in Adverse Times: Milestone at Haiti's University of the Aristide Foundation. counterpunch.org March 18, 2018, marked exactly seven years since Haiti's former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Mrs. Aristide returned to Haiti from forced exile in South Africa, where they lived following the 2004 coup d'etatthat overthrew Haiti's democratic government. On their return, they began to rebuild the University of the Aristide Foundation[UniFA] whose land and buildings had More
(2018-04-20). Teaching Peace in a Time of Hate. counterpunch.org I teach at Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta Georgia. In recent years we've made lots of news (in 2015 police were called on a black student waiting for an academic advisor(it's not just Starbucks), our cheerleaders joined the kneeling-during-the-anthem-protest, students protested the investiture of the new (now ex) university President, there have been protests More
(2018-04-20). Cruz-O'Rourke Senate Race 'Too Close to Call'. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows a close race between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke for Cruz's Senate seat. The poll indicates that 47 percent of Texas voters favor Cruz, while 44 percent favor his challenger, O'Rourke. | CNN continues: The election is a crucial midterm race, with Republicans attempting to hold on to, if not grow, a razor-thin 51-49 seat advantage in the Senate. Texas is a historically red state, where Democrats haven't won a state election since 1994 and a US Senate race since 1988. | The poll indicates gaps by registered voters' gender, age and race. Voters who are white, male and older than 65 favored Cruz, while black, Hispanic, female, and 18- to 34-year-old voters favored O'Rourke. Men backed Cruz by an 11-point margin (51 percent to 40 percent), and women favored O'Rourke…
(2018-04-20). Trump's Trade War is About Trump Not China. counterpunch.org By slapping tariffs on Chinese imports, Donald Trump has once again proven to be the Disrupter-in-Chief. This week alone, he's brought John Bolton in as national security advisor over the objections of every sane person in the universe, threatened to go after Bashar al-Assad over the Syrian leader's alleged use of chemical weapons, and revived disgusting characterizations of Mexicans as rapists. More
(2018-04-20). Israel Supports Syria "Opposition" Terrorists out of the Occupied Golan Heights. Sabotage of the Peace Process. Global Research It is well known that Israel has been supporting the so-called opposition operating in Syria in order to overthrow the legitimate government of Bashar al-Assad since the very beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2011. Another goal of Tel Aviv …
(2018-04-20). Global Weirding. counterpunch.org Oh, what fun it truly was to experience the "bomb cyclone" in January in New England: the snowfall gave a sense of peace and calm, the winds were less strong than predicted, and the snow, while heavy, was not dense enough to take down trees and power lines in most areas. The following period of More
(2018-04-20). Earth Day 2018. The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good This is what April 22 is all about. Treasures from our archives including Denis Hayes, Barry Commoner, Ralph Nader, and Gaylord Nelson.
(2018-04-20). North Korea Says it Has Halted Nuclear, Missile Tests. Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News, Provocative Columnists SEOUL, South Korea—North Korea said Saturday it has suspended nuclear and long-range missile tests and plans to close its nuclear test site. | The North's official Korean Central News Agency said the country is making the move to shift its national focus and improve its economy. | The North also vowed to actively engage with regional neighbors and the international community to secure peace in the Korean Peninsula and create an "optimal international environment" to build its economy. | The announcements came days before North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a border truce village for a rare summit aimed at resolving the nuclear standoff with Pyongyang. | A separate meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated in May or June. | The North's decisions were made in a meeting of…
(2018-04-20). "The CIA Is Back and I Like It"! Let's Create a Global Union for Peace. Global Research Yesterday (4-18-2018) on Fox News, a loyal Democrat, Governor Bill Richardson (in regard to the secret meeting of CIA Director Mike Pompeo with Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea) said: "The CIA IS BACK and I like it"! | For …
(2018-04-20). The End of Policing. The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good As author Alex Vitale puts it, "when political leaders tell the police to wage a war on crime, a war on drugs, a war on terror, a war on gangs, a war on disorder, police are going to get the message that they are at war with the public."
(2018-04-20). There Won't be Peace in Afghanistan Until There's Peace in Kashmir. counterpunch.org U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is futile. To the extent that a goal can be ascertained—which may now be to militarily weaken the Taliban enough to exercise suitable leverage over it for eventual diplomatic talks—the preceding 17 years proves that it cannot be achieved through prevailing strategies of counter-insurgency and drone warfare. As is a typical More
(2018-04-20). Michael Cohen Is Starting to Feel Like Michael Clayton. The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good The fixer always fixes things for himself, first. Might that spell trouble for Donald Trump?
(2018-04-20). Cohen & Cohn, Fixers-At-Law. The Progressive — A voice for peace, social justice, and the common good Here's your Roy Cohn, Mr. Trump.
(2018-04-20). Democracy Now's "Alt Media" Platform for Humanitarian Imperialism in Syria. MintPress News The "war and peace report," as progressive as it may often sound, has long ceased to be a purely listener-supported project, and this lack of economic independence has spilled into its politics. | The post Democracy Now's "Alt Media" Platform for Humanitarian Imperialism in Syria appeared first on MintPress News.
(2018-04-20). Is It Time to Admit the 'Grotesque Caricature' of White Evangelicals Is the Reality? AlterNet.org There's no doubt that evangelicalism seems to have an image problem, especially since its overwhelming alliance with Trump. | This week dozens of prominent evangelical leaders gathered at conservative Wheaton College, in Wheaton, IL, to address the "grotesque caricature" of their faith in the Trump era. The organizer of the gathering, Doug Birdsall, told the Washington Post that under Trump's leadership, the term "evangelical" has taken on too many negative associations, especially when it comes to racism and nationalism. The goal of the gathering, then, was to address these concerns while returning the word "evangelical" to its core meaning. Rather than a political pariah, an "evangelical" is simply "a person who believes in the authority of the Bible, salvation through Jesus' work on the cross, personal conversion and the need for evangelism. "This article is reprinted with permission from
(2018-04-20). Rural Trump Voters Have Second Thoughts About Opposing Immigration After Recent ICE Raids Violate Their Christian Beliefs. AlterNet.org 'You cannot be a true Christian if you ignore your neighbor in need. ' | Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently conducted a large-scale workplace raid in Bean Station, Tennessee, a rural community that overwhelmingly voted for President Donald Trump in 2016. However, many community members who backed Trump nonetheless found themselves disturbed at the way that ICE had gone about rounding up immigrant families — and now they're rethinking their past hard-line stance on immigration. In a lengthy report published by The New Yorker, some local residents say that raids such as the one in their community go against their deeply held Christian values. "I'm a Christian; God loves everybody equally," 50-year-old Hank Smith told the publication. "And I never had a problem with anyone being here. . . immigration didn't really affect me before. But then this raid happened. "Pastor David Williams, who leads the. . .
(2018-04-20). Earth Day Is a Reminder That Humans Have the Power to Change Our Planet. AlterNet.org We're entering a new epoch. | For nearly 50 years, Earth Day has provided an opportunity for people across the globe to come together and rally in support of the natural world. While the specific challenges have varied, the goal has remained more or less the same: to protect the rich, biological world that the current generation has inherited from being overwhelmed by the influences of humanity. While there have been many notable successes since this day of celebration began in 1970, the overall trajectory has not been uplifting. Today you can travel to the furthest part of the Arctic Ocean, to the highest point of the Caucasus Mountains, to the remotest spot in the Australian outback and find the unmistakable signs of human activity. Chemical and industrial traces are now present in every pinch of soil and every drop of water.
(2018-04-20). These Are the 7 Most Ridiculous Excuses Republicans Are Giving for Trump's Affair with Stormy Daniels. AlterNet.org Conservative supporters of the president have a wide array of unconvincing talking points. | Donald Trump still denies having sex with Stormy Daniels. Almost everyone in the country has accepted that the " baby Christian" president had an affair with a porn star while his new wife was home caring for their infant son—but not the president. This has put the president's defenders in a difficult position. They have to begin any discussion of the situation by stipulating that President Trump is lying about immoral behavior and a potentially illegal effort to cover it up lest they be dismissed as fools, and yet they then have to defend his continual lying about it. This cognitive dissonance has been hard on them. And, as a result, they've been forced to say some very, very stupid things. Here are seven of the dumbest things we've heard. . .
(2018-04-20). Options for Denuclearising the Korean Peninsula. Global Research A critically important part of assembling the Korean peninsula-wide denuclearization jigsaw puzzle is the institutional and legal form of North Korean commitments on the one hand, and the nuclear negative security assurances by the NPT-Nuclear Weapons States (NWSs), especially the …
(2018-04-20). After Syria Strikes, Drumbeat Grows for Wider US War. Global Research In the wake of last weekend's US-British-French missile strikes on Syria, a campaign is growing in the American political and military/intelligence establishment for a wider war that would threaten a nuclear conflict with Russia. | On Tuesday, Democratic and Republican lawmakers …
(2018-04-20). Say No to War. The World Cannot Afford More Victims of War. Global Research Known and documented, the US and its allies have been financing, training and arming rebel factions in Syria, including ISIS, with a view to toppling the government of Bashar Al-Assad. That strategy did not work. | The goal of the "War …
(2018-04-20). "First Joust" and The Strike on Syria. Global Research With slight disappointment the public regarded the field. Just a minute ago, two knights were converging in fearsome joust, their spears pointing forth, plumage blowing, horses galloping, ladies out waving their handkerchiefs to their champions, — and now we see …
(2018-04-20). France Is America's New "Special Partner" in Europe, Washington's Chief Ally on the Continent. Global Research The geopolitical dynamics of the New Cold War have made it so that France — and not the UK or Germany — is the US' "special partner" in Europe given Paris' much broader pan-hemispheric influence and its pivotal place in …
(2018-04-20). Embattled Palestinian Knesset Member Fights for Her People's Rights. Consortiumnews In this interview with Haneen Zoabi, a Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset, Dennis J. Bernstein discusses Zoabi's feminism, the struggle in Gaza and life in the Israeli parliament. By Dennis J Bernstein Haneen Zoabi is a member of… Read more →
(2018-04-20). Media Support US Violence Against Syria, but Long for More. FAIR And by "reckoning," the Atlantic ( 4/14/18) appeared to mean "a war with Russia and its allies." | Corporate media outlets were glad that the US, France and Britain bombed Syria in violation of international law (FAIR.org, 4/18/18), but lamented what they see as a dearth of US violence in the country. | In The Atlantic ( 4/14/18), Thanassis Cambanis described the war crime as "undoubtedly a good thing," and called for "sustained attention and investment, of diplomatic, economic and military resources"—though the latter rubbed up against his assessment in the same paragraph that "a major regional war will only make things worse." Moreover, he described "the most realistic possibility" for the US and its partners in Syria as "an incomplete and possibly destabilizing policy of confrontation [and] containment. But a reckoning can't be deferred forever." | This…
(2018-04-20). 'We Need to Change the Rules for When Police Can Shoot'. FAIR Janine Jackson interviewed Peter Bibring about excessive force law for the April 13, 2018, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2018-04-20). Do black lives matter in Israel? Article — People's World While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be the most pervasive divide within Israeli society, there are other problems—racial ones—splitting people. Being dark-skinned in Israel is a challenge. Blacks in Israel are regularly the victims of racism and are viewed as a threat by authorities and politicians. Racist comments made by Israel's top political and religious […]…
(2018-04-20). Of Animals and Monsters and Missiles over Damascus. Consortiumnews It seems to be very difficult to be the leader of a state, particularly a strong and/or ideologically driven leader, and not end up a "monster," muses Lawrence Davidson. By Lawrence Davidson President Donald Trump ordered the bombing of selective… Read more →
(2018-04-20). Theresa May's Husband's Capital Group Is Largest Shareholder in BAE, Shares Soar Since Syrian Airstrikes. Global Research Philip May, husband of the UK prime minister, works for a company that is the largest shareholder in arms manufacturer, BAE Systems, whose share price has soared since the recent airstrikes in Syria. | The company, Capital Group, is also …
(2018-04-20). Finance 202 Meets Economics 101. counterpunch.org The Washington Post decided to give us "Finance 202" to tell us that tax cuts at this point in the business cycle are a bad idea. The gist of the argument is that the economy is approaching full employment, so there is little room left for further stimulus. The piece also tells us that because More
(2018-04-20). Video: Interview with Boy from White Helmets Douma Video Raises More Doubts Over 'Chemical Attack'. Global Research …
(2018-04-20). Exclusive Emails Show How the White Helmets Tried to Recruit Roger Waters with Saudi Money. Global Research During a Barcelona concert on April 13, Roger Waters denounced the Syrian White Helmets as "a fake organization that exists only to create propaganda for jihadists and terrorists." Warning that the groups' unverified claims about chemical weapons attacks across insurgent-held …
(2018-04-20). Brexit and the Windrush Britons. counterpunch.org The inhuman treatment of the "Windrush" immigrants contrasts starkly with the position of EU nationals under the Brexit transition agreement — and shines a light on how so-called "free movement" has operated to discriminate against British people (whether of Commonwealth origin or not). Ever since Britain accepted the EU concept of free movement, EU nationals More
(2018-04-20). Roaming Charges: Mother of War. counterpunch.org Understandably, George HW Bush spent much of his time far away from Barbara Bush's icy boudoir, indulging in a discreet fling or two while earning his stripes as a master of the empire, leaving juvenile George to cower under the unstinting commands of his cruel mother, who his younger brother Jeb dubbed "the Enforcer." This woman's veins pulse with glacial melt. According to Neil Bush, his mother was devoted to corporal punishment and would "slap around" the Bush children. She was known in the family as "the one who instills fear." She still does…with a global reach. More
(2018-04-20). New York Times Still Can't Admit It Botched a Major Trump Story Before the Election. AlterNet.org The article said the FBI saw no clear link between Trump and Russia. We now know there were several. | Eight days before the 2016 presidential election, the New York Times ran a story throwing cold waters on burgeoning conspiracy theorists. Its headline read: "Investigating Donald Trump, F. B. I Sees No Clear Link to Russia. "As we now know, that story was deeply misleading and inaccurate. But the Timeshas still not addressed how it got things so wrong. The story notes that the FBI had started an investigation into potential collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the summer of 2016, but it says there was no "conclusive or direct link between Mr. Trump and the Russian government. " But we now know the probe began with a pretty definitive link: Trump campaign staffer George Papadopoulos made contact with a man claiming to be. . .
(2018-04-20). Five Tax Myths Debunked. counterpunch.org Tax Day has come and gone. Maybe you have a big bill from Uncle Sam or maybe you got a fat refund. Either way, it's easy to get lost in the noise from pundits and politicians who thrive on the tax code's complexity. This is made even harder by the right-wing groups who are spending More
(2018-04-20). Homebound: Hardship Awaits Internally Displaced Iraqis. Global Research Featured image: Civilians leaving old Mosul. This boy is going to fall of exhaustion just after this picture is taken. (Credit: Herve Jakubowicz) | With upcoming elections in May, the Iraqi government is urging Internally Displaced People (IDPs) to return home. …
(2018-04-20). Google's Delisting and Censorship of Information. counterpunch.org In early January, numerous websites discovered that they were suddenly removed from the directory of Google News, a process known as "delisting," with no feedback from Google. Some hypothesized that the removal of smaller news sites could be ascribed to the latest SEO changes. Then on 8 January, Google reported that it was ready More
(2018-04-20). The March for Science Is Being Transformed by Indigenous Knowledge. AlterNet.org This year's march may be smaller, but the movement of scientists who are advocating for scientific integrity is growing. | The March for Science this year is set for April 14. Last year's march drew tens of thousands who marched to protest the Trump administration's war on science. Since then, a corresponding March for Indigenous Science has grown into a burgeoning movement of its own, one aimed at increasing the visibility of indigenous science and traditional ecological knowledge as valid and valuable forms of scientific knowledge. "Indigenous science holds a wealth of knowledge and is a powerful paradigm by which we understand our place in the living world. It is essential to the problems we face today and yet has been historically marginalized by the scientific community," plant ecologist Robin Kimmerer (Potawatomi) said in a statement about last year's march. Following the. . .
(2018-04-20). Janus v. AFSCME: What's It All About? counterpunch.org The Supreme Court is now deliberating Janus v. AFSCME, the most recent manifestation of Right-to-Work (RTW). The Supreme Court will decide whether to strike down or uphold the decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, a 1977 Supreme Court case that mandated all public sector employees, regardless of their union membership, to cover the More
(2018-04-20). The Emerging Russia-Turkey-Iran Alliance Challenging NATO in the Middle East. MintPress News An unusual triple alliance is emerging from the Syrian war — one that could alter the balance of power in the Middle East, unhinge the NATO alliance, and complicate the Trump administration's designs on Iran. | It might also lead to yet another double cross of one of the region's largest ethnic groups, the Kurds. | However, the "troika alliance" — Turkey, Russia, and Iran — consists of three countries that don't much like one another, have different goals, and whose policies are driven by a combination of geo-global goals and internal politics. | In short, "fragile and complicated" doesn't even begin to describe it. | How the triad might be affected by the joint U.S., French, and British attack on Syria is unclear, but in the long run the alliance will likely survive the uptick of hostilities. | Consolidating Erdogan's Grip:…