2019-12-22: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these ‘POSTEES’ on social media!

The Real Lesson of Afghanistan Is That Regime Change Does Not Work
Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies | commondreams.org | 2019-12-22
Any responsible government Americans elect in 2020 must learn from the well-documented failure and catastrophic human cost of U.S. regime change efforts in Afghanistan. (Photo: US Marine Corps/Sgt. Mark Fayloga) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/21/real-l…

Morales Announced Party Candidates Until End of Month
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-22
The former Bolivian president Evo Morales announced Saturday that leaders of his party, the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina on Dec. 29 to debate and call a meeting on the border with Bolivia, where they will elect their candidates for the next elections in 2020. | RELATED: | Bolivia One Month After the Coup: A Recount of Pivotal Events | Morales spoke for the first time with a Bolivian media since on Nov. 10 a coup d’état was carried out against his gover…
telesurenglish.net/news/Morales-Announce…

The Madrid Climate Disaster
Peter Koenig | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-22
Does anyone know what COP25 stands for? Probably very few. It’s unimportant. As unimportant as the whole roadshow itself. Just for the hell of it, for those who read this article, COP means Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The 25 stands for the 25th year …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/the-madrid-cl…

Colombian Gov’t Responsible for Crimes Committed by ESMAD
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-22
The Corporación Jurídica Libertad (CJL) will file a lawsuit against the Colombian State for the attacks of the Mobile Anti-Riot Squadron (Esmad) during the protests that began four-months-ago against the policies of the government of President Iván Duque. | RELATED: | Colombia’s FARC Demands Implementation of Peace Agreement | Yesid Zapata, a member of the corporation, said they currently are currently processing about 100 aggression cases, of which 75 would have occurred since Novem…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombian-Govt-R…

2019 Showed That Workers Win Big If They Bargain Big
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-22
This year proved a consequential one for labor struggles, with major new contracts in place not only for public-sector workers, including major teachers’ unions across the country, but also for private-sector unions including the United Auto Workers and the United Food and Commercial Workers. | While some unions and pro-labor organizations touted major victories this year, others returned to their workplaces from picket lines with mixed-result contracts at best. Still, the lessons gleaned from this year’s momentous…
truthout.org/articles/2019-showed-that-w…

In a Polarized World, Independent News Is Essential: Become a Member of Global Research
The Global Research Team | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-22
Dear Readers, | In an increasingly polarized and crazy world, truly independent news and analysis is a vital weapon for the non-partisan truth, and a tool for prevention from repeating the tragedies of the past. | Please, during “the season of giving”, …
globalresearch.ca/in-a-polarized-world-i…

Coming soon: articles in Chinese
Pascal | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-22
Coming soon: articles in Chinese…
globalresearch.ca/coming-soon-articles-i…

Major Missed Opportunity on Clean Energy Incentives to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Jeff Carter | commondreams.org | 2019-12-22
Runoff from melting permafrost in Alaska flows toward the sea. (Photo: NOAA) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/21/major-…

Drop in coal use pushes Germany closer to 2020 climate target
Julian Wettengel | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Merkel’s Germany dumps 20% of Its Coal Use, CO2 Falls 7%, Renewables at 40%…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/drop-in-coal-use-p…

Throughout South America, Structural Violence Is Showing Up as Street Violence
Dana Hill | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Ecuador was only the latest indicator of what’s possible when indigenous movements exercise their power. It also showed what’s at stake…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/throughout-south-a…

Using Roleplaying To Imagine Life Under a Green New Deal
Gavin Aronsen | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Instead of wizards and clerics, Iowans are envisioning roles like community planners and memory stewards, in an environmentally and economically just society.
zcomm.org/znetarticle/using-roleplaying-…

Grassroots Democracy & the Social Production of Housing
Rigel Sergent | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Venezuela’s cities have given birth to a powerful social movement aiming at urban reorganization through self-governed assembly processes…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/grassroots-democra…

The Real Shadow Policy of Trump Admin Is Racist Extremism
John Feffer | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
While Trump’s shadowy conduct toward Ukraine is without a doubt illegal, this shadow policy of white nationalism is even worse. It’s not just a crime — it’s a crime against humanity…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-real-shadow-po…

Seemingly Coordinated ISIS/al-Qaeda Attacks On Syrian Oil/Gas Fields & US’ Russia/Libya Hypocrisy
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-22
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/21/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-u…

Afghan president wins 2nd term — preliminary election results
rt.com | 2019-12-22
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has secured 50.64 percent of the vote in the long-delayed preliminary results from September’s election, the country’s election commission has announced. | Afghanistan’s chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, polled second with 39.52 percent. The results were originally set to be released in October, but were repeatedly withheld due to technical problems and amid allegations of vote tampering from various candidates. | Now, before the final results are announced, candidates have the right to file complaints. Abdullah’s office already said in a statement that he would contest the resu…
rt.com/news/476593-afghanistan-election-…

India could become fastest growing energy market by 2030
rt.com | 2019-12-22
India’s Energy Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that his country will surpass China and become the world’s fastest growing market for energy by 2030. | “We are on our way to become the world’s largest energy consumer,” the minister said, noting that India plans to use a combination of conventional fuel and sustainable fuels to create a “balanced energy mix.” | Read more | | India will reverse economic slowdown to become stronger, as it did before — Modi | India will also explore the use of other sustainable sources of energy, such as hyd…
rt.com/business/476590-india-surpass-chi…

Ripple is thriving off the failures of antique SWIFT system, market analyst tells Boom Bust
rt.com | 2019-12-22
Ripple, the company behind cryptocurrency XRP, has raised US$200 million in its latest investment round – bringing its valuation to $10 billion – as the startup aims to further grow its cross-border payments business. | However, the success of the San Francisco-based firm, with its growing base of consumers sending live payments, did not result in a huge movement in XRP, which has the third-largest cryptocurrency market capitalization behind bitcoin and Ethereum. This can be explained by the fact that the token is a “specific kind of crypto,” making it uninteresting for regular investors, according to Jeffrey…
rt.com/business/476594-ripple-swift-cros…

‘No more deaths, no more abuse!’ Peruvian protesters demand justice after teen workers die during shift at McDonald’s
rt.com | 2019-12-22
Dozens of people picketed a McDonald’s in Lima, Peru, in protest over the deaths of two young employees who died there, purportedly due to unsafe working conditions. | McDonald’s employees and relatives of the deceased held signs reading “Work yes, exploitation no. #McDonaldsNeverMore” and “Fed up with surviving, we want to live!” during a rally on Saturday. | | © Ruptly | Two teenagers, Alexandra Porras, 18, and Gabriel Campos, 19, died last week while cleaning the kitchen at the restaurant. According to Peruvian police, Porras was electrocuted while handling the soft drink machine. Campos was killed w…
rt.com/news/476587-protests-mcdonalds-li…

US has ‘no more excuses’ to avoid New START Treaty discussion as Russia is ready to renew it immediately — Russia’s FM Lavrov
rt.com | 2019-12-22
Moscow has made it clear that it is ready to extend the landmark 2010 treaty aimed at reducing US and Russian nuclear arsenals at any time, leaving Washington with no excuse to obstruct its renewal, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said. | The US claimed that Russia was hampering the prolongation of the 2010 edition of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by asking “some questions about how the Americans are fulfilling their obligations,” the foreign minister told Russia’s Channel 1. | But President Vladimir Putin recently proclaimed Moscow is ready to extend it immediately and without preconditions. | Now this…
rt.com/news/476607-lavrov-start-treaty-r…

Nord Stream 2 will be completed regardless of threats from US, as Europeans ‘feel humiliated’ — FM Lavrov
rt.com | 2019-12-22
The flagship pipeline which is set to deliver gas to Europe will be completed despite US sanctions, Russia’s foreign minister stated. EU stakeholders understand their commercial interests, he said. | The United States has slapped new sanctions on companies building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but they won’t have any impact on the $11-billion project, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a talk show on Russia’s Channel 1. | The pipeline “will come true anyway, despite all these threats,” as will the TurkStream — another project on the radar of US lawmakers — he added. | First, I am confi…
rt.com/news/476606-lavrov-nord-stream-sa…

Oh, really? US envoy to Germany says Nord Stream 2 sanctions ‘EXTREMELY PRO-EUROPEAN’ despite Berlin & EU criticism
rt.com | 2019-12-22
US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell says the new sanctions aimed at derailing the construction of the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline are beneficial to Europe, while chiding Berlin for not being “pro-Europe” enough. | Grenell, who has courted controversy in Germany with his frequent attempts to meddle in Berlin’s sovereign matters, said in an interview with Bild and AP that he was swamped with messages of gratitude from European diplomats after US President Donald Trump signed a defense spending bill envisioning biting sanctions on the companies involved in the construction of the $11 billion pipeli…
rt.com/news/476586-nordstream-germany-gr…

Huge blaze & plumes of black smoke as fire rips through petrochemical plant in Russia (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2019-12-22
A massive inferno erupted in the early hours of the morning at a petrochemical plant in Ufa, prompting the authorities to scramble dozens of firefighters, fire engines and even a special train to put the blaze out. | The incident happened when a flammable liquid caught fire at the Neftekhim plant in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan on Sunday morning. The blaze quickly spread through the three-story building before the fire alarm went off. | A local branch of the Emergencies Ministry dispatched 135 firefighters and 45 engines to deal with the blaze. Soon afterwards, a firefighting train carrying 340 tons of w…
rt.com/russia/476589-ufa-petrochemical-p…

Pure tenderness and sincerity: Russian female hockey players strip off for annual calendar (PHOTOS)
rt.com | 2019-12-22
The Russian Women’s Hockey League (WHL) has produced their annual calendar, featuring professional female players who took part in a revealing seasons-themed photo session. | The players are captured in extravagant images which correspond to the four seasons of the year, with beautiful flowers and fruits replacing clothing. | READ MORE: ‘Just a hobby’: Chinese female bodybuilder speaks on viral fame after naked snaps cause internet stir (VIDEO) | “Twelve female players representing seven WHL teams demonstr…
rt.com/sport/476608-whl-calendar-2020-fe…

LIVESTREAMING the skies: Ursids meteor shower caught on camera as celestial spectacle set to peak
rt.com | 2019-12-22
Meteors falling from the skies have been captured on a livestream, for those wishing to stargaze without leaving the comfort of their homes. But there’s still time to see the Ursids meteor shower with your own eyes. | A livestream set up by the American Meteor Society documented Saturday’s meteor activity. The footage shows the dark night sky pepped with stars — and of course, an occasional meteor. Stargazers need to be patient — typically there’s only 5-10 meteors per hour. | Named after the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Ursids are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere. The shower…
rt.com/news/476602-ursids-meteor-shower-…

‘It was incredible’: Jurgen Klopp hails his players after Liverpool win World Club Cup in Qatar (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-22
An extra-time strike from Roberto Firmino proved decisive as Liverpool defeated Brazilian Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo 1-0 to capture the World Club Cup in Qatar on Saturday night. | Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was delighted with his team’s performance after a difficult week spent juggling priorities and managing injuries. But the Anfield side came away as world champions as the captured one of the few remaining trophies not previously won by the club thanks to their extra-time victory. | “We are exhausted from a very intense game but in moments of like this, I struggle to find the right words, to expr…
rt.com/sport/476599-liverpool-1-0-flamen…

Climate Strike: SF Bay Area Youth Strike in Oakland
Youth V Apocalypse, PlantingJustice, Mycelium | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Plaza outside Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference
Citizens’ Climate Lobby | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern CA Regional Conference, Day 2
Citizens’ Climate Lobby | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

Everything You Wanted to Know about Climate Change, but Were Afraid to Ask
Citizens’ Climate Lobby San Mateo | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Half Moon Bay Library, 620 Correas Street, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

Buffy Sainte Marie Truthtelling Indigenous Genocide
Brenda Norrell | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Buffy Sainte Marie described the genocide, slavery, murder and rape of Indigenous Peoples, that the kings and queens, military, churches and banks are responsible for, speaking with AIM West’s Tony Gonzales, during the 50th Anniversary of the Occupation of Alcatraz.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

Blood Memory Rising, Book Review of Standing with Standing Rock
Brenda Norrell | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
‘Standing with Standing Rock,’ is an encyclopedia of resistance, which chronicles the Water Protector movement from the first run to Washington, and on to the camps, and the surveillance by TigerSwan, to the ultimate international divestment campaign. In its 29 chapters are poetry, essays and discussions of Indigenous rights and Treaties.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…

Muhammad Ali an activist to help MIAs/POWs in Vietnam
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
Cathy A. Lundy was only around 4 years old when she was aboard the Yacht Sequoia as a guest of former disgraced President Richard Nixon (a.k.a. Tricky Dick). Unfortunately, her father was reported killed in action in Laos during the Vietnam War during 1970. The cruise certificate hangs on the wall of my apartment. Photo by Paulo Kesete…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/19/1882903…

President Trump Authorizes Somalia Debt Relief
Kate Zeller | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
President Trump signed a year-end spending bill which authorizes the first phase of debt relief for Somalia.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/21/1882905…

Michael L. Cantor mocks the artwork of the Yacht Sequoia Cruise Certificates
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2019-12-22
In a shocking email further below, Michael L. Cantor, director of FE Partners LLC, the owner of the former Presidential Yacht Sequoia, mocks the artwork of the Yacht Sequoia Cruise Certificates with condescension and derision towards the much coveted historical Yacht Sequoia Cruise Certificates!
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/22/1882906…

Trump slams House’s impeachment delay as ‘so unfair’
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi for holding off on sending the articles of impeachment against him to the Senate.”It’s so unfair,” Trump said, days after he was impeached by the House, during a speech to conservative student group Turning Point USA, saying that Pelosi adopted the strategy because she has “no case.””They are violating the Constitution,” Trump said, calling Pelosi “crazy Nancy.”The Democratic-controlled House voted on Dec. 18 to impeach Trump, setting the stage for a trial in the Senate. Trump is very unlikely to be convicted and removed f…
yenisafak.com/en/world/trump-slams-house…

Trauma of genocide lives on in Zimbabwe
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
Zimbabwe 32 years ago ended a genocidal war that massacred thousands in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.But more than three decades later, Msitheli Ndlovhu from Nkayi districts in Matabeleland North Province still suffer trauma from the atrocities.Msitheli was only 14 years old when the war was halted in the southern African nation in 1987.Yet, he was only 9 years old when eight members of his family were rounded and locked in a thatched hut in their rural home before it was set on fire by government soldiers.”It was in 1983 and I was just coming from school when my parents, my brothers and sisters were drive…
yenisafak.com/en/world/trauma-of-genocid…

Muslim scholars urge India to reverse citizenship law
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
The International Union for Muslims Scholars (IUMS) on Sunday called on the Indian government to retreat from a controversial citizenship law, warning that the law would fuel hatred against Muslims.In a statement, the IUMS said it was closely following the situation of Muslims in India with great concern following the passage of the citizenship law.It said the legislation would expose Muslims to various forms of restrictions and oppression, going on to call on the UN and the Islamic world to stand up against the law.The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed last week, grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Ch…
yenisafak.com/en/world/muslim-scholars-u…

Facts, pen, intellect needed to help Kashmir: Experts
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
The Kashmiri community in the diaspora also needs to widen the scope of cooperation with Muslim and non-Muslim groups who believe in humanity to get support for their cause, they added.”Pen, intellect, facts, human resources and financial support are the five aspects of lobbying for Kashmir struggle in the western capitals,” Ghulam Nabi Fai told the audience at, “Kashmir: Bleeding wound of Ummah.”The conference was organized by Human and Civilizational Foundation and Pakistan Solidarity Platform.Fai, who is Secretary General of World Kashmir Awareness Forum, said those who are conscious of Kashmir’s fight for rig…
yenisafak.com/en/world/facts-pen-intelle…

Turkish protesters march in support of Uighurs after àñzil comments
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
Thousands of protesters marched in support of China’s Uighurs in Istanbul on Friday and voiced solidarity with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil after the furore caused by his criticism of China’s policies toward the Muslim minority.Last week, soccer star Ozil, a German Muslim of Turkish origin, posted messages on social media calling minority Uighurs “warriors who resist persecution” and criticised both China’s crackdown and the silence of Muslims in response.Members of Istanbul crowd held up banners reading “Stop the cruelty” and chanted “Murderer China, get out of East Turkestan” and “East Turkestan is not alone”,…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-protesters…

Turkey to stand by Libyan government until peace established: DefMin
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
Turkey will stand by the internationally recognised government of Libya until peace, stability and security is established in the country, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday, after the two countries signed a military cooperation accord last month.Turkey backs the government of Fayez al-Serraj in Libya, which has been split into rival political and military factions since 2011. Ankara has said it could send troops to Libya if the Serraj government makes such a request. The two countries also signed a maritime boundaries deal that has enraged Greece.Akar was speaking at an event in the northern province of…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-to-stand-by…

Russia’s Lavrov says Nord Stream 2 will be launched despite sanctions
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that the Nord Stream 2 and Turk Stream gas pipeline projects would be launched despite U.S. sanctions, adding that Russia planned to respond to the new measures, the Interfax news agency reported.U.S. President Donald Trump signed a bill on Friday that included legislation imposing sanctions on firms laying pipe for Nord Stream 2, which seeks to double gas capacity along the northern Nord Stream pipeline route to Germany. Trump told Putin US will continue looking for arms treaty solutionsRussia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday that U.S. Preside…
yenisafak.com/en/world/russias-lavrov-sa…

Erdogan says Turkey will increase military support to Libya if necessary
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
Turkey will increase its military support to the internationally recognised government of Libya if necessary and it will evaluate ground, air and marine options, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.Turkey backs the government of Fayez al-Serraj in Libya, which has been split into rival political and military factions since 2011. Ankara has said it could send troops to Libya if the Serraj government makes such a request. The two countries also signed a maritime boundaries deal that has enraged Greece.Speaking at an event in the northern province of Kocaeli, Erdogan said Turkey will “absolutely” not turn back f…
yenisafak.com/en/world/erdogan-says-turk…

UAE’s Brooge Petroleum to start trading on Nasdaq on Monday
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-22
UAE-based Brooge Petroleum and Gas Investment Co (BPGIC) said it will start trading on New York’s Nasdaq stock exchange on Monday, following its merger with U.S. company Twelve Seas Investment Co.Oil storage company BPGIC completed the merger on Friday, it said in a statement on Sunday, and its valuation now exceeds $1 billion.The merger and listing were aimed at establishing a global presence with access to liquid markets that could support the company’s expansion plans, BPGIC said.BPGIC, which was set up in 2013, is one of the largest holders of oil storage assets in Fujairah.In September, BPGIC awarded a contr…
yenisafak.com/en/world/uaes-brooge-petro…

Despite bloodshed, Indians continue to resist discriminatory citizenship law
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-21
For over a week, India has been gripped by massive unrest against the far-right government led by prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protests that began as a movement against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the CAA, has turned into a nation-wide uprising to protect the values of secularism, democracy and socialism. | The CAA opens pathways to citizenship for a specific set of immigrants who have lived in India from before December 31, 2014 and are from India’s three Muslim-dominated neighbors, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Critics of the Act have stated that…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/21/despite-b…

Australia: Lauded military veteran subject of second police investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The special forces were used for some of the most brutal aspects of the war, particularly hunting down and capturing or killing alleged Taliban resistance fighters.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/smit…

Assange gives evidence in Spanish case against security contractor
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
David Morales, a former Spanish military officer, is accused of spying on Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy and was charged in October with privacy violation, bribery and money laundering.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/ucgl…

Medical Opinion, Torture, and Julian Assange
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-21
On November 27 this year, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, delivered an address to the German Bundestag outlining his approach to understanding the mental health of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. These comprised two parts, the initial stage covering his diplomatic asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy, the second dealing with his formal detention in …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/medical-opini…

Gender Parity and Indigenous Presence Passed for Constituent
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-21
In a 180-degree turn that changes the landscape of the constituent process, the Chilean Chamber of Deputies approved gender parity, seats for indigenous peoples and posts for independent candidates. | RELATED: | Anti-Government Protests Reach 2nd Month in Chile | The vote occurred which occurred Thursday night was radically different from the one taken just one day before, where those issues were blocked by right-wing lawmakers | However, in the second attempt, this time introduced as a co…
telesurenglish.net/news/chile-gender-par…

Chile: TV Broadcast Live When Two Armored Cars Crushed Citizen
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-21
During the protests that took place at Dignity Square on Friday, Chile’s Military Police deliberately ran over Oscar Perez, a young citizen who was crushed between two armored vehicles. The scenes of the police attack were broadcast live on local television. | RELATED: | Anti-Government Protests Reach 2nd Month in Chile | In the video, it can be seen that while an armored car closes Oscar’s way, the other armored car takes a turn, accelerates towards the citizen, attacks him, and runs him o…
telesurenglish.net/news/Chile-TV-Broadca…

The Climate Emergency Needs No Holidays
Kristine Mattis | commondreams.org | 2019-12-21
commondreams.org/sites/default/files/sty…

‘A win for the planet!’: Dutch supreme court issues landmark ruling mandating climate action
Jessica Corbett | nationofchange.org | 2019-12-21
The nonprofit that brought the case called it “a groundbreaking decision that confirms that individual governments must do their fair share to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
nationofchange.org/2019/12/21/a-win-for-…

China detaining millions of Uyghurs? Serious problems with claims by US-backed NGO and far-right researcher ‘led by God’ against Beijing
Ajit Singh | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-21
Claims that China has detained millions of Uyghur Muslims are based largely on two studies. A closer look at these…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/21/china-detaini…

Millions of Dollars Poured Into Ads Fueling Trump Impeachment Fight
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
Political candidates and groups shelled out millions on impeachment-related TV ads before the House impeached President Donald Trump Wednesday, according to a new report from the Wesleyan Media Project. | The analysis, produced in partnership with OpenSecrets, reveals tha…
truthout.org/articles/millions-of-dollar…

House Vote Locks in Impeachment as Issue in ’20 Hill Races
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
WASHINGTON — The day after nearly every House Democrat voted to impeach President Donald Trump, the chief of the House Republican campaign committee said the political fallout was clear. | “Last night their obsession with impeachment finally came to a head, and they basically ended their majority,” Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer said Thursday. “Max Rose is done,” he continued, listing him among freshmen Democrats from districts Trump captured in 2016 who he said won’t survive next November’s elections. | The feisty Rose, a Brooklyn native and Afgha…
truthdig.com/articles/house-vote-locks-i…

Like Moses, hold back impeachment waves, Nancy
Robert S. Becker | nationofchange.org | 2019-12-21
Electoral benefits pour fourth by simply letting Trump flap in the wind.
nationofchange.org/2019/12/21/like-moses…

Democratic debate: Candidates denounce Trump, ignore party votes for Trump’s program
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The seven candidates said nothing about the fact that the impeachment of Trump was bracketed by congressional votes in which the Democratic Party endorsed Trump’s key legislative priorities.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/dems…

PBS Decides What Debate Watchers Need Is More Talk From Pundits
Julie Hollar | commondreams.org | 2019-12-21
Candidates participate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate at Loyola Marymount University on December 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/21/pbs-de…

France: Antitrust Bureau Fines Google $167 Million for Abuses
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-21
France’s Authority of Competition Friday fined Google US$167 million for abusing its power over the treatment of advertisers, for it applied opaque rules and changed them at will. | RELATED: | Google’s YouTube To Pay $170m Fine for Collecting Data on Kids | “Google has abused its dominant position in the search advertising market by adopting opaque and difficult to understand operating rules for its advertising platform Google Ads and by applying them unfairly and randomly,” the…
telesurenglish.net/news/France-Antitrust…

Buttigieg Leads 2020 Rivals in Wall Street Contributions
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
WASHINGTON — The financial sector, blamed by progressives for spawning the 2008 economic collapse, is lining up behind Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign. | The mayor of South Bend, Ind., has collected more campaign cash from donors and political action committees tied to the financial, insurance and real estate sector than any other White House hopeful, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. | The $3.06 million in contributions compares to $2.8 million directed toward former Vice President Joe Biden and $2.03 million for Sen. Cory Booker, whose home state of New Jersey has st…
truthdig.com/articles/buttigieg-leads-20…

ICC Responds to Mounting Calls for Action, Opens Official Investigation into War Crimes in Palestine
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-21
“End impunity!” 29 November protest calls for action by ICC. Photo:…
imemc.org/article/icc-responds-to-mounti…

Syria: the War, the Loss, and the Silence
Jan Oberg | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-21
On December 12, 2012, on the day, 4 years earlier, Western countries and allies — perversely calling themselves Friends of Syria — carried through a regime change by statement and set up a Syrian National Council of people never elected by anyone in Syria and told the world that it was, from now on, the …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/syria-the-war…

A magnificent account of Stalin’s opponents in the USSR
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
Stalin’s rise was neither foreordained nor a natural outgrowth of the October Revolution. The Great Russian chauvinist and bureaucrat secured power in ferocious conflict with the proletariat, peasantry and cadre of the revolutionary socialist movement.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/rogo…

Trump signs Pentagon budget imposing new sanctions on Syria
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The record $738 billion National Defense Authorization Act was passed with the overwhelming support of House and Senate Democrats.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/ndaa…

Amazon Logistics set to surpass delivery volume of FedEx, UPS by 2022
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
The advanced techniques of workplace exploitation along with low wages and breakneck conditions that have made Amazon notorious are being set as the standard for the entire logistics industry.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/amzn…

Al-Qanu: Gaza Border Rallies Will Not Stop
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-21
Hamas spokesman Abdul-Latif al-Qanu has affirmed that the March of Return and Breaking the Siege will continue and will be held using new tools as part of the ongoing Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation. “The battle with the occupation is open and the March of Return is one of …
imemc.org/article/hamas-gaza-border-rall…

Burkina Faso: Thomas Sankara Lives in the Memory of Africans
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-21
On December 21st, African peoples remember the birth of Thomas Sankara, a Marxist revolutionary who became the icon of a collective struggle against the oppression from imperialist nations. | RELATED: | Burkina Faso Re-Establishes Diplomatic Relations With China | Thomas Sankara was born in 1949 in the French colony known at that time by the name of Upper Volta, which he would later rename Burkina Faso, which means “the land of upright people.” | While his parents came from a mid…
telesurenglish.net/news/Burkina-Faso-Tho…

What Will It Take to Rid Our Store Shelves of BPA and Other Dangerous Chemicals?
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
This is part 4 of a 4-part investigation of the science surrounding the chemical BPA and the U.S. regulatory push to discredit independent evidence of harm while favoring pro-industry science despite significant shortcomings. | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — A percussion of metal-on-metal echoes through the lab as empty food cans drop one by one off a conveyor belt and into rounded poc…
truthout.org/articles/what-will-it-take-…

Trump Labor Board Escalates War on Workers’ Rights
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
Between 2017 and 2018, workers in two hotels in Stamford, Connecticut voted to join UNITE HERE Local 217. Though they won both elections by a landslide — the Hilton vote count was 110 to 5 while the Sheraton was 69 to 32 — the elections were highly contested by the employers. The bosses did everything they could in the month-long election process to dissuade workers from voting yes, from threats and intimidation to bribes, lies, and promises. Each day was another opportunity for management and their “union…
truthout.org/articles/trump-labor-board-…

We Must Address the Roots of Inequality to Keep It From Killing Us
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau confirms that the gap between the richest and poorest households in the U.S. is the largest it has been in over 50 years, and that economic power is more concentrated than ever before. Democrats and Republicans may have different interpretations of these facts, but in public health, decades of research are coming to a consensus: Inequality kills. | Over the past five years, I have worke…
truthout.org/articles/we-must-address-th…

People Power in Romania Stopped a Mining Project. Now the Corporation Is Suing
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
Recently, a colorful group gathered outside a World Bank building in downtown Washington, D.C. to defend a community 5,000 miles away in Romania. Most had never met each other but when each pointed to her or his hand-drawn sign it was smiles and nods all round. And before you knew it, they were chanting slogans together as if they had done this before, including one in the Romanian language: “Uniti Salvam Rosia Montana!” | Several Romanian citizens were joined at the demonstration by activis…
truthout.org/articles/people-power-in-ro…

Doctors Prescribe More of a Drug If They Receive Money From Company Tied to It
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
The financial interactions include payments for delivering promotional talks, consulting and receiving sponsored meals and travel. | The 50 drugs in our analysis include many popular and expensive ones. Thirty-eight of the drugs have yearly costs exceeding $1,000 per patient, and many topped the list that are most costly for the Medicare Part D drug program. | Take Linzess, a drug to treat irritable bowel syndrome and severe constipation. From 2014 to 2018, the drug’s makers, Allergan and I…
truthout.org/articles/doctors-prescribe-…

No, McConnell — Biased Jurors and No Witnesses Do Not Make for a Fair Trial
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
In my decades as a criminal defense attorney, I have never seen a trial where the jurors admit they aren’t impartial, coordinate the trial process with the defendant and then, as promised, find the defendant not guilty. And yet, that is exactly what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell aims to do. | Negating any semblance of conducting a fair trial, McConnell has brazenly declared his intention to violate the senators’ oath of impartiality and deny the right to call witnesses to testify at the…
truthout.org/articles/no-mcconnell-biase…

Trump Adviser Says Republicans Will Ramp Up Voter Suppression in 2020
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-21
Reporting on Friday shows a top adviser for President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign caught on tape in November bragging of the Republican Party’s history of voter suppression — and promising to go on the offensive in 2020. | The revelation came from the Associated Press in a report Friday on comments by Trump re-election adviser Justin Clark at an event in Madison, Wisconsin. | “Traditionally it’s always been Republicans s…
truthout.org/articles/trump-adviser-says…

McConnell Pushes Through 12 More Lifetime Trump Judges
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
This article originally appeared on Common Dreams. | The right-wing takeover of the U.S. courts continued apace Thursday as the Republican-controlled Senate, with the help of some Democrats, quietly confirmed a dozen more of President Donald Trump’s lifetime judicial nominees hours before leaving for Christmas recess. | The confirmations received little media attention amid Trump’s im…
truthdig.com/articles/mcconnell-pushes-t…

The ‘Whistleblower’ and the Politicization of Intelligence
Scott Ritter | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-21
The whistleblower complaint has opened a window into the politicization of the intelligence community, and the corresponding weaponization of the national security establishment, argues Scott Ritter. | *** | The whistleblower. A figure of great controversy, whose actions, manifested in an 11-page …
globalresearch.ca/whistleblower-politici…

“America the Shrunken”
Larry Romanoff | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-21
In May of 2014, Frank Bruni wrote an article for the NYT titled ‘America the Shrunken’, in which he detailed what he called “the downward arc of a diminished enterprise” that was the USA, quoting friends who claimed their children …
globalresearch.ca/america-shrunken/56980…

Army Forces West Bank Farmers Off Their Land
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-21
Israeli soldiers, today, forced a number of farmers to leave their land, in the southern West Bank village of Kisan, and threatened to arrest them if they did not, according to Kisan deputy head of village council, Ahmad Ghazal. Ghazal told WAFA that soldiers raided the village and prevented the …
imemc.org/article/army-forces-west-bank-…

Palestinian Officials Respond to ICC Decision: “A Positive and Encouraging Step”
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-21
Saeb Erekat, head of the National Committee responsible for following up on the International Criminal Court (ICC), today, confirmed that “the decision announced by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to request an opinion by the Pre-Trial Chamber regarding the scope of the Court’s territorial …
imemc.org/article/erekat-responds-to-icc…

Commentary: Mao’s birthday greetings to Stalin
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-21
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following article written by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong on the 60th birthday of Joseph Stalin | Stalin, Friend of the Chinese People | On the Twenty-first of December, Comrade Stalin will be sixty years old. We can be sure that his birthday will evoke warm and affectionate congratulations from the hearts of all revolutionary people throughout the world who know of the occasion. | Congratulating Stalin is not a formality. Congratulating Stalin means supporting him and his cause, supporting the victory of socialism, and the way forward for mankind which he points out…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/21/comment…

Catalog Retailers See Reason for Optimism After Declines
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-21
PORTLAND, Maine — Catalogs, those glossy paper-and-ink offerings of outdoor apparel, kitchenware and fruit baskets, are not yet headed for the recycling bin of history. | Until recently, the future appeared grim for the mailbox-stuffers. A one-two punch of postal rate increases and the Great Recession had sharply cut their numbers. Common wisdom had everything retail-related moving online. | But a catalog-industry rebound appears in the works, fueled in part by what might seem an unlikely group: younger shoppers who find it’s sometimes easier, more satisfying and even nostalgic, flipping pages rather than c…
truthdig.com/articles/catalog-retailers-…

Hungary’s government continues its assault on democratic rights
wsws.org | 2019-12-21
Last week, the Hungarian parliament, dominated by the right-wing Fidesz party, passed bills that represent a further step towards dictatorial forms of rule.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/21/hung…

Pakistani court sentences professor to death for blasphemy
rt.com | 2019-12-21
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced a university professsor to death for insulting the Prophet Muhammed. The trial has already seen his defense lawyer shot dead, under the Muslim world’s harshest blasphemy regime. | Thirty-three-year-old Junaid Hafeez was arrested in 2013 and charged with making derogatory remarks about the Islamic Prophet Muhammed on social media. Under the country’s harsh blasphemy law, he was sentenced on Saturday to death by hanging. | His lawyers claim he was framed by Islamic extremists for his liberal views, and said they plan to appeal the verdict. “There can’t be a fair…
rt.com/news/476575-palistan-blasphemy-de…

ICC To Investigate Israeli Government War Crimes & UN Again Contradicts US Claims Of Iran “Proof”
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-21
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/20/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-u…

Moscow anti-doping lab’s data accessed from outside Russia, former director gave files of unknown origin to WADA — probe
rt.com | 2019-12-21
Moscow anti-doping lab’s files were remotely altered by its former director, Grigory Rodchenkov, and his unidentified associates from US and German IP addresses, Russian investigators confirmed. | Ex-boss of Moscow lab fled to US in November 2015 becoming a star witness and main source of information for World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in its case against Moscow. | Earlier in December, WADA introduced harsh sanctions against Russia over the alleged manipulations with the data handed over to it by Russian doping watchdog, RUSADA, as part of its reinstatement process. | But the laboratory information management…
rt.com/news/476561-russia-rodchenkov-dat…

‘A snap-shot laser beam!’ Alex Ovechkin scores stunning wrist shot as Caps beat Devils 6-3 (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-21
Russian hockey superstar Alex Ovechkin celebrated his 900th game played in tandem with Nicklas Backstrom with a stunning strike as the Washington Capitals blew past the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. | Backstrom had a big night, netting twice and assisting with two more as he registered the 900th point of his career. But, not to be upstaged, Ovechkin found time to produce a moment of magic of his own. | “Ovi” broke down the right and, after receiving the puck via a smart layoff from Backstrom, fired unerringly through the legs of his teammate and high into the top corner of the net. | Through the legs, ups…
rt.com/sport/476576-alex-ovechkin-wonder…

CIA torture is ‘snow secret’: Edward Snowden roasts CIA’s feelgood holiday tweet
rt.com | 2019-12-21
Every now and again the CIA does its best to appear relatable, and every time the agency gets put back in its place. Now, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden hijacked a festive tweet to slam the CIA’s torture practices. | “It’s *snow secret* that we love winter,” the clandestine agency tweeted on Saturday, marking the first day of winter in the US. | Snowden was acerbic in his response. “It’s *snow secret* that you tortured Gul Rahman for weeks at a black site, then chained him naked to a concrete floor until he died in the near-winter cold,” he tweeted. | It’s *snow secret* you tortured Gul Rahman for weeks at a…
rt.com/usa/476580-cia-snowden-snow-secre…

CIA torture is ‘snow secret’: Edward Snowden roasts CIA’s feelgood holiday tweet
rt.com | 2019-12-21
Every now and again the CIA does its best to appear relatable, and every time the agency gets put back in its place. Now, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden hijacked a festive tweet to slam the CIA’s torture practices. | “It’s *snow secret* that we love winter,” the clandestine agency tweeted on Saturday, marking the first day of winter in the US. | Snowden was acerbic in his response. “It’s *snow secret* that you tortured Gul Rahman for weeks at a black site, then chained him naked to a concrete floor until he died in the near-winter cold,” he tweeted. | t.co/UjwEE3GXjb

Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary
John Catalinotto | workers.org | 2019-12-21
Dec. 20 — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach the president on two counts late on the evening of Dec. 18. All Republicans and one Democratic House member voted against impeachment. As of today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has not yet released the orders of impeachment . . . | Continue reading Trump impeached: What next? — a WW commentary at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/12/45036/

The Real Lesson of Afghanistan Is That Regime Change Does Not Work
Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
The trove of U.S. “Lessons Learned” documents on Afghanistan published by the Washington Post portrays, in excruciating detail, the anatomy of a failed policy, scandalously hidden from the public for 18 years. The “Lessons Learned” papers, however, are based on the premise that the U.S. and its allies will keep intervening militarily in other countries,…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/the-real-les…

Impeachment: The road to nowhere leads to . . . nowhere
Richard Becker | liberationnews.org | 2019-12-20
Capping months of mind-numbingly repetitive “debates,” the Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Dec. 17 to impeach President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
liberationnews.org/impeachment-the-road-…

The Real Lesson of Afghanistan Is that Regime Change Does Not Work
Medea Benjamin | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
The trove of U.S. “Lessons Learned” documents on Afghanistan published by the Washington Post portrays, in excruciating detail, the anatomy of a failed policy, scandalously hidden from the public for 18 years. The “Lessons Learned” papers, however, are based on …
globalresearch.ca/real-lesson-afghanista…

The Real Lesson of Afghanistan? Regime Change Does Not Work
Medea Benjamin | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-20
The debacle in Afghanistan is only one case in a fundamentally flawed U.S. policy with worldwide consequences. New quasi-governments installed by U.S. “regime change” in country after country have proven more corrupt, less legitimate and less able to control their nation’s territory than the ones the U.S. has destroyed.
mintpressnews.com/real-lesson-afghanista…

“The Shooters are Coming!” War on Terror, War on Education
Andrea Mazzarino | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
One day in October 2001, shortly after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, I stood at the front of a private high school classroom. As a new social studies teacher, I had been tasked with describing violence against women in that country. I showed the students an article from the front page of the New York Times featuring…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/the-shooters…

War is Good for Business and Organized Crime: Afghanistan’s Multibillion Dollar Opium Trade. Rising Heroin Addiction in the US
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
Despite president Trump’s announced US troop withdrawal, the Afghan opium trade continues to flourish. It is protected by US-NATO occupation forces on behalf of a nexus of powerful financial and criminal interests.
globalresearch.ca/war-is-good-for-busine…

The “Afghanistan Papers”: Deep State Narrative Management
Kit Knightly | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
The Big Reveal for the Washington Post this week is the release of the Afghanistan Papers. A series of interviews and documents “compiled in secret” and then the subject of a “legal challenge” from the US government. | The WaPo baldly …
globalresearch.ca/afghanistan-papers-dee…

The Afghanistan Fiasco and the Decline and Fall of the American Military
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
A devastating investigative report was published in the Washington Post on December 9th. Dubbed the “Afghanistan Papers” in a nod to the Vietnam War’s famous “Pentagon Papers,” the report relied on thousands of documents to similarly expose how …
globalresearch.ca/afghanistan-fiasco-dec…

The Real Lesson of Afghanistan Is That Regime Change Does Not Work
MBNJSD | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-20
The trove of U.S. “Lessons Learned” documents on Afghanistan published by the Washington Post portrays, in excruciating detail, the anatomy of a failed policy, scandalously hidden from the public for 18 years. The “Lessons Learned” papers, however, are based on the premise that the U.S. and its allies will keep intervening militarily in other countries, …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/the-real-less…

Joe Biden Criticized at Democratic Debate over Iraq, Afghanistan Wars & Failure to Close Gitmo
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-20
Former Vice President Joe Biden sparred with Senator Bernie Sanders about his support for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and faced scrutiny over his failure to close Guantánamo Bay during President Obama’s tenure in the White House at Thursday night’s Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles. We look at the candidates’ foreign policy stances with award-winning investigative reporter Azmat Khan, a New York Times Magazine contributing writer and a Future of War fellow at the New America Foundation.
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/20/joe_bide…

Medical observers blocked from attending Assange hearing
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
Dr. David Morgan and Dr. Marco Chiesa are among the more than 100 doctors from around the world who have issued three open letters to the UK and Australian governments protesting Assange’s brutal persecution.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/doct…

Judge says Assange extradition hearing will take “three to four weeks” as political opposition mounts
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
Assange appeared physically unwell, but followed the proceedings carefully via videolink from Belmarsh maximum security prison.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/assa…