Bolivia's free territory of Chapare has ousted the coup regime and is bracing for a bloody re-invasion
Ollie Vargas | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-25
Spending time with the union members of Chapare, who run society in a collective fashion, offers special insights into the…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/24/bolivia-free-…
Another Christmas on Death Row
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-25
Editor's note: This story originally ran on Dec. 21, 2018. We are reposting it as a Christmas 2019 feature. The original text begins below: | On Dec. 17, 2018, after this interview was recorded, outgoing California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered new DNA testing on four key pieces of evidence in the murder conviction of Kevin Cooper. Brown issued the order after intense efforts by his legal team and journalists helped bring attention and urgency to Cooper's story. Cooper himself is a Truthdig contributor who has…
truthdig.com/articles/another-christmas-…
Remembering the Message of Christmas
Jesse Jackson | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
On Wednesday, Christmas will be celebrated by millions of people across this country and across the world. Joy surrounds the holiday, with music in the air, lights on homes and lampposts, families gathering, presents exchanged and blessings shared. For some, Christmas is a difficult time — for the poor, for separated families, for the lonely,…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/remembering-…
Christmas' Carbon Footprint and Its Irreversible Consequences
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Christmas has arrived and, as expected, it is the time of year that brings together millions of families, Christmas trees, lights and gifts under it, food, trips and more are part of the festivities but in the midst of all this, it is easy to forget how our actions have irreversible environmental consequences. | RELATED: | 20 Million People a Year Displaced by Climate Change: Oxfam | For some environmentalists Christmas is one of the biggest annual environmental disasters in the wor…
telesurenglish.net/news/Christmas-Carbon…
All I Want for Christmas Is the Truth
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
Winter Solstice has passed. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are upon us, and in the giving spirit of the season, Donald Trump has bestowed upon us a dollop of gibberish so elemental in its purity that birds tumbled from the trees for miles around. | "I never understood wind," said the president of t…
truthout.org/articles/all-i-want-for-chr…
Time For a New Christmas Truce
Maj. Danny Sjursen | truthdig.com | 2019-12-25
During World War I, men on both sides defied their leaders and respective nations, if only for a moment. Let it be a lesson in 2019.
truthdig.com/articles/christmas-time-for…
UN chief sends wishes for 'peace and a blessed New Year' to all
news.un.org | 2019-12-25
While visiting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres extended wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a blessed New Year.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1…
Evo Morales: Christmas, Struggle and Resistance From Argentina
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
The former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales celebrated Christmas early Wednesday with a group of children from the Bolivian community in Argentina and called for "peace, solidarity and reconciliation" for his country. | RELATED: | Mexico Accuses Bolivia of Intimidating Its Diplomats in La Paz | The Bolivian leader, who was forced to resign after a coup d'état against his government on Nov.10, shared a Christmas breakfast with the children of the Bolivian community that was sha…
telesurenglish.net/news/Evo-Morales-Chri…
In Defense of Nostalgia: a Christmas
Paul Tritschler | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
School and childhood were complicated, and I got out of both as fast as I could. Aged fifteen — that seems quite young to me now — I found a labouring job in a boat shed along the Clyde. The days of good apprenticeships in the Glasgow shipyards, or anywhere else for that matter, were fading fast, and I settled for poor pay and prospects in a badly ventilated box buffing fibreglass boats.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/in-defense-o…
In Defense of Nostalgia: a Christmas Story
Paul Tritschler | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
School and childhood were complicated, and I got out of both as fast as I could. Aged fifteen — that seems quite young to me now — I found a labouring job in a boat shed along the Clyde. The days of good apprenticeships in the Glasgow shipyards, or anywhere else for that matter, were fading fast, and I settled for poor pay and prospects in a badly ventilated box buffing fibreglass boats.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/in-defense-o…
Pope Offers Christmas Message of Hope to a Suffering World
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-25
The pontiff calls for easing of tensions in conflict zones from Syria to Venezuela and spotlights the plight of migrants fleeing injustice.
truthdig.com/articles/pope-offers-christ…
Notre Dame: 50 Percent Chance Structure May Not Be Saved
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
There is "a 50% chance" that the structure of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, cannot be completely saved because the scaffolding that was installed before the fire that brought down a large part of the building last April 15th could now fall on the vaults. | RELATED: | French Workers Stand Firm: No 'Christmas Truce' for Macron | Monsignor Patrick Chauvet, head of the centenary church, told News Agency AP that "the building is still very fragile" and expressed his "pain" because, for th…
telesurenglish.net/news/notre-dame-fifty…
Democrats Cave in Secret Budget Deal with Trump
Ralph Nader | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
While attention was focused on the House of Representatives' impeachment of Donald J. Trump, legislators from both parties were secretly huddling with White House aides to seal a $1.4 trillion budget deal to fund the government until next September. They were rushing to do this to avoid a partial government shutdown starting December 21, 2019.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/democrats-ca…
Bethlehem is Scarred by Brutal Israeli Occupation, While the World Acquieses
Raouf Halaby | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
O little town of Bethlehem, How miserable we see thee lie! Above thy 28 ft. concrete separation wall of hatred, Palestinians cower in fear and sleepless nights. The silent stars are witness to thy dark and somber streets Where the light shineth not, And the everlasting darkness of occupation Hangs heavy on the oppressed and…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/bethlehem-is…
Colombia: Death of Student Remains in Impunity After One Month
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Despite the existence of videos that could be used to detect the culprits, the murder of Dilan Cruz continues in total impunity as Colombia's President Ivan Duque praises the Riot Squadron (ESMAD). | RELATED: | Colombia Holds National Strike, Concert & Marches in Medellin | The assassination of the 18-year-old citizen was remembered by Colombians who too…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Death-o…
Violence in Colombia Continues As Social Leader Assassinated
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Social leader Lucy Villarreal was assassinated in the Llorente Commuity, Tumaco municipality (southwest), reported the Social Process of Warranties for the work of human rights on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Colombia: Death of Student Remains in Impunity After One Month | Villarreal, a mother of two who worked for the promotion of culture in her territory and the defense of human rights, was assassinated after finishing a workshop with children, reported the local Contagio Radio.
telesurenglish.net/news/Violence-in-Colo…
Bernie Sanders Has All the Right Enemies
Norman Solomon | truthdig.com | 2019-12-25
For the United States, oligarchy is the elephant–and donkey–in the room. Only one candidate for president is willing to name it. | Out of nearly 25,000 words spoken during the Democratic debate last Thursday night, the word "oligarchy" was heard once. "We are living in a nation increasingly becoming an oligarchy," Bernie Sanders said, "where you have a handful of billionaires who spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying elections and politicians." | Sanders gets so much flak from corporate media because his campaign is upsetting the dominant apple cart. He relentlessly exposes a basic contradictio…
truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-has…
Michael Moore: Sanders Can Beat Trump in 2020
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
The American documentary filmmaker and activist Michael Moore, a frequent critic of President Trump, said Tuesday that he believes Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders could defeat the president in the 2020 election. | RELATED: | US: AOC Endorses Sanders at 'Bernie's Back' Rally in Queens, NY | During an interview with the MSNBC television network, the renowned documentary filmmaker said this could happen because of t…
telesurenglish.net/news/Michael-Moore-Sa…
Mexico Under Alert for Popocatépetl Volcano Eruption
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Mexican authorities declared a state of alert after emissions of ash and volcanic gases were recorded in the Popocatépetl volcano, in central Mexico, in the territorial limits of the states of Morelos, Puebla and the state of Mexico, as reported by the Coordinating National Civil Protection. | RELATED: | Bolivian Police Asks Mexican Embassy to Hand Over Refugees | The volcano, with a height of 5,426 meters, has erupted by a crater located about 70 kilometers from the capital, about…
telesurenglish.net/news/mexico-in-alert-…
Victims of Eye Trauma in Chile Demand Reparations
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
The Eye Trauma Victims rights group demanded Wednesday that the government of Chile guarantee effective reparations for the injured people and bring to justice those responsible for abuses of human rights. | RELATED: | Chile Human Rights Abuses Worst Since Dictatorship: NHRI Warns | Marta Valdes, the spokeswoman of the organization, declared that in spite of the government's promise – made on Nov. 11 – of implementing an eye reparation program for the victims of State violence, th…
telesurenglish.net/news/Victims-of-Eye-T…
The 2010 — 2020 UN News Decade in Review, part two
news.un.org | 2019-12-25
With the 2020s now in full view, welcome to the second in our three-part series looking back at some of the major UN-related stories of the past decade. In part two, we take in the years 2014 to 2016, which saw the worst outbreak of Ebola ever recorded; new hope that the climate crisis could be tackled by world leaders, through the historic Paris climate agreement; and the launch of the UN's 2030 Agenda, a plan of action for people, the planet and prosperity.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1…
This Turkish Chef Is Fighting Climate Change With the Help of Syrian Refugees
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
From her office window in Mardin, a city in southeastern Turkey, chef Ebru Baybara Demir gazes out over the arid plains of upper Mesopotamia, a flat gold-and-green expanse stretching beyond the horizon to the Syrian border just 20 miles (32 kilometers) away. | "This is where agriculture — and gastronomy — was born," says Demir, who grew up in Mardin and owns Cercis Murat Konaƒüƒ±, a well-known restaurant specializing in traditional local dishes. | Wheat, len…
truthout.org/articles/this-turkish-chef-…
Judiciary Committee Says New Testimony Could Lead to Second Impeachment of Trump
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
Days after voting to impeach President Trump, lawyers for the House Judiciary Committee told a federal court that lawmakers are open to impeaching the president again. | House counsel Douglas Letter said in a court filing that a second impeachment may be necessary if the committee discovers new evidence that Trump tried to obstruct investigations. The filing came after the Justice D…
truthout.org/articles/judiciary-committe…
Iraq: The October Revolution of 2019 and the Iran-US Conflict
Dirk Adriaensens | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-25
The revolts that have swept over Iraq since 1 October 2019 come at a critical moment of increasing tensions between Iran and the United States, both allies of the Iraqi government. | Rivalry between the US and Iran increases | On August …
globalresearch.ca/iraq-october-revolutio…
The Valley of Death: the Saudi Coalition is Creating a Living Nightmare for African Migrants in Yemen
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-25
Ahmed AbdulKareem recounts the story of Heramala and thousands of African migrants like him who make the harrowing journey across wartorn Yemen in hopes of a better life in Saudi Arabia.
mintpressnews.com/saudi-arabia-creating-…
The Freedom Flotilla Will Make its 35th Attempt to Sail to Gaza in 2020
Ramzy Baroud | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-25
The solidarity mission is scheduled for the summer of 2020, and, like most of the 35 previous attempts, the Flotilla is likely to be intercepted by the Israeli navy.
mintpressnews.com/road-gaza-freedom-flot…
Behind the Scenes of One Middle East Investigation I'll Never Forget
Robert Fisk | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
Film directors are not the only ones who have to cut stories from their work. When The Independent still existed in paper form, I would lose track of the number of times a foreign editor would call me with the familiar plea: "Bob, can we keep this to 500 words?" Or:…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/behind-the-s…
The Green Party Is Not the Democrats' Problem
Howie Hawkins | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
Although it is a constant refrain from Democratic leaders and commentators, the Green Party is not why the Democrats lost to Bush and Trump. In trying to excuse her loss to Trump, Hillary Clinton recently made the baseless smears that Jill Stein, the Greens' 2016 presidential candidate, is a "Russian asset," and that Russians and…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/the-green-pa…
The Christian Right and Left Share the Same Faith But Couldn't Be More Different
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
I didn't know Christians could be Democrats until I got to college. Though affiliated with the relatively conservative Christian Reformed Church, my school had a small but vocal minority of leftist professors and students. | Growing up, I went to church with my family every Sunday. We attended predominantly White non-denominational or Assemblies of God churches. What I heard from the pulpit ranged from apocalyptic altar calls–scary enough that I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal l…
truthout.org/articles/the-christian-righ…
Social Media and Social Control: How Silicon Valley Serves the US State Department
Morgan Artyukhina | mintpressnews.com | 2019-12-25
Facebook isn't the only Silicon Valley firm with partisan oversight of what we see: the bipartisan billionaire class and their security state have partnered with tech firms since the dawn of the internet to control the parameters of users' thinking.
mintpressnews.com/social-media-control-h…
US-China Trade Deal and OPEC Cuts Make Oil Prices Rise
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Oil prices rose pushed by a potential breakthrough in the trade war between the world`s largest economies and OPEC-led efforts to constrain supply, although trading was quiet as many markets were in holiday mode. | RELATED: | China to Lower Import Tariffs on Over 850 Products by Jan. 1 | The rent crude LCOc1 was up 16 cents, or 0.2%, at $67.36 a barrel by 0155 GMT. Stephen Innes chief Asia market strategist at AxiTrader, confirmed to Reuters that "oil prices continue to show year…
telesurenglish.net/news/us-china-trade-d…
White Nationalist Media Is Shaping US Immigration Policy
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
Janine Jackson: That White House senior policy advisor and speechwriter Stephen Miller believes in white nationalism is evident: By their policy, ye shall know them. But we now have, as it were, the receipts. | The Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch reviewed hundreds of emails betwee…
truthout.org/audio/white-nationalist-med…
In 2020, It's Time to Make Universal Health Care a Human Right
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-25
I don't know about you, but everyone I know these days is struggling with something: with their health or the health of a loved one, with their finances or their career, with an addiction or a relationship — even with the nature of existence itself. That's life, right? True, but something more is fueling these struggles, something harder to define, something that makes already difficult problems feel impossible to bear. Most of us put on a brave face each morning and attempt to be cheerful, but an unde…
truthout.org/articles/in-2020-its-time-t…
The Right to Healthy Food: Poisoned with Pesticides
Colin Todhunter | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
Environmentalist Dr Rosemary Mason has just written an open letter addressed to three senior officials in Britain: John Gardiner, Under Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the British government; Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer for England; and Chris Wormald, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/the-right-to…
The Soul Will Find a Way
Kevin Alexander Gray | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
James Brown was a constant presence in our store. He was the low country homeboy who made it big. The state of Georgia and the city of Augusta claim him as their hometown hero, and he, too, claimed the state and city. Yet he never moved more than 40 miles from his family's roots in Barnwell County, South Carolina, along the Savannah River, establishing a home on Beech Island in Aiken County, South Carolina, adjacent to Strom Thurmond's Edgefield County home.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/the-soul-wil…
Argentina Limits Police Use of Electroshock Weapons
teleSUR, jg, JF | telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Argentina's Security Minister Sabina Frederic Tuesday announced a change in the Security doctrine and repealed the protocol that authorized the use of electroshock weapons (tasers). | RELATED: | Court Denies Pre-Trial Detention Request of Cristina Fernandez | "Tasers will be used by federal special forces only in cases of extreme gravity such as k…
telesurenglish.net/news/argentina-abolis…
Pope Francis Urges for Change in the Hearts of Individuals
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-25
Pope Francis delivered his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) Christmas Day message, before tens of thousands that gathered in in St. Peter's Square and millions watching or listening around the world. | RELATED: | Pope Ends 'Pontifical Secrecy' Over Sex Abuse Investigations | The common thread of his address was that change starts in the hearts of individuals, and urged to let the light of Christmas pierce the "darkness in human hearts" that leads to religious persecution,…
telesurenglish.net/news/pope-francis-urg…
Israel says won't allow Iran to entrench in Iraq
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Israel will not allow Iran to entrench in Iraq, Israeli army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi said on Wednesday.Speaking at a conference in Herzliya, Kochavi accused Iran's Quds Force of moving weapons into Iraq on a monthly basis, according to Yedioth Aharonoth newspaper."Advanced weapons are being smuggled by the Quds Force in Iraq on a daily basis and we can't allow that," he said."Iraq is undergoing a civil war, where the Quds Force is operating on a daily basis, where the country itself has turned into an ungoverned area."Kochavi's remarks are the first implied admission by an Israeli official of carryi…
yenisafak.com/en/news/israel-says-wont-a…
Gendarmerie forces seize PKK bomb-making materials SE Turkey
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Turkish forces destroyed 19 caves and three winter bunkers used by PKK terrorists in southeast Turkey, local authorities announced Wednesday. Security forces seized weapons and ammunition as well as bomb-making materials including 200 kilograms (442 pounds) of ammonium nitrate during the operation in Diyarbakir province, according to a statement by the provincial governor's office.Gendarmerie forces launched a narco-terror operation on Dec. 23 as part of Operation Kiran-11 Narco-Terror to hinder the PKK's winter preparations, neutralize its terrorists based in the region, arrest drug dealers and eliminate its fin…
yenisafak.com/en/news/gendarmerie-forces…
Syrian regime captures five villages in northwestern Syria
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime backed by Russia and Iran has captured 40 residential areas over the past five days in the northwestern Idlib province, despite the region being designated a de-escalation zone.Since the offensive began on Dec. 20, the regime and its allies have launched a military campaign mainly in the cities of Maarat Al-Numan and Saraqib as well as the surrounding rural areas.Despite the area being part of a de-escalation zone, the regime and its allies on Tuesday night took control of five more villages in Maarat Al-Numan, bringing the number of seized villages to 40.In September 2018, Turkey…
yenisafak.com/en/world/syrian-regime-cap…
Turkey expects suspect in 2002 killing to be extradited
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Turkey expects Ukraine to extradite a fugitive wanted for allegedly murdering a Turkish scholar who was researching the terror group FETàñ, Turkey's justice minister said on Wednesday.Speaking to reporters in the Turkish capital Ankara, Abdulhamit Gul said Turkish officials are working for the extradition of the suspect Nuri Gokhan B. from Ukraine, where he was arrested last week."Our expectation is the extradition of this person in line with international agreements."Necip Hablemitoglu, known for his research and books on the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ), was killed in 2002 in front of h…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-expects-sus…
Eritrea's president in Ethiopia to strengthen ties
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa early Wednesday on an official visit.The two leaders, according to local broadcaster FANA, will discuss ways of further normalization of bilateral relations.In 2018, upon a palm branch by Ethiopia's prime minister, the relations between the two countries made a turnaround from one of a no-war-no-peace situation to the opening up of a new era of cooperation.Ever since, the two leaders exchanged numerous visits and signed what has been termed as the Asmara Declaration — a cooperative framework that also saw the commencement of air trav…
yenisafak.com/en/world/eritreas-presiden…
YPG/PKK bomb attack injures 14 civilians, children in Syria's Jarabulus
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
At least 14 civilians were injured in northern Syria when the terrorist YPG/PKK carried out a bomb attack in the district of Jarabulus, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.The YPG/PKK terrorists targeted civilians in the district center using two motorcycles armed with remote-controlled explosives, the ministry said on Twitter.Among the injured were children, the ministry said, adding that four people sustained serious injuries in the attack.The YPG/PKK terror group is targeting settlement areas under control of the Syrian National Army (SNA), which fought alongside the Turkish forces in Turkish-led anti-…
yenisafak.com/en/world/ypg-pkk-bomb-atta…
'Malaysia to maintain pioneer role in Islamic banking'
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Malaysia is recognized as the "global leader in Islamic banking" sector which is enlarging rapidly worldwide, according to local media."We are seen as a pioneer in Islamic banking and we want to maintain that position," said Malaysian Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah."This sector is able to offer the best career opportunities and many of our graduates are in Islamic banking," Hamzah was quoted by Bernama news agency as saying.Underlining that Malaysia has the capacity to strengthen Islamic banking sector and create huge employment opportunities, Hamzah said: "This 'takaful' [Islamic insurance] is not only…
yenisafak.com/en/news/malaysia-to-mainta…
Militants kill dozens in Burkina Faso, country mourns
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
The president of Burkina Faso has declared 48 hours of national mourning after militants killed at least 35 civilians and seven soldiers in one of the deadliest attacks in the West African country."In memory of the civilian and military victims of Tuesday's terrorist attack in Arbinda [town of northern Burkina Faso], I have decided to declare a national mourning of 48 hours over the whole extent of the national territory from Wednesday December 25 at midnight," President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said in a statement.Seven soldiers were killed during a raid by militants on an army base in the northern part of the…
yenisafak.com/en/world/militants-kill-do…
Thai court to decide on dissolution of opposition party in January
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Thailand's Constitutional Court said on Wednesday that it would rule on the dissolution of the opposition Future Forward Party on Jan. 21 following a complaint that its actions were seditious and that it plans to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.The complaint alleges the party's triangle logo resembles a symbol of the Illuminati, a secret society that conspiracy theorists believe seeks world domination.The court gave the Future Forward Party 15 days to respond to separate allegations that it had violated laws governing political parties and accepting loans from its party leader.The Future Forward Party, whic…
yenisafak.com/en/world/thai-court-to-dec…
Turkey says Erdogan in Tunisia for surprise talks with president
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Tunis on Wednesday in an unannounced visit for talks with Tunisian Presiden…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-says-erdog…
Turkish president arrives in Tunis to meet his counterpart
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday arrived in Tunis to meet his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied.Erdogan's visit came amid strengthening of Turkey-Libya ties.Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Head of Turkish National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin are accompanying Erdogan during his visit.Turkey on Nov. 27 signed maritime boundary and security cooperation pacts with Libya's Tripoli-based, internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), spurning moves by o…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-president-…
Turkish | 'Robin Hood' steals heart of old woman wanting to throw her son a | wedding
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-25
A Turkish Good Samaritan, named "Robin Hood" by Istanbulites, in an altruistic act gave five gold coins, 1000 dollars and a box of chocolates to an impoverished woman who wanted to help her son with wedding expenses.The Secret Santa has been distributing envelopes containing 1000 Turkish liras to low-income families who generally live in shanty towns, paying their debts in neighborhood grocery stores and handing out pocket money to children since March 2019. Turkish citizen Vecihe Algàºl, one of his charges who lives in the àúskàºdar district of Turkey's Istanbul, said: "I really need this aid. I…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkishrobin-hood-…
Criminal War Monger Pelosi & Demos Appropriate Millions For War On Venezuela
repost | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
Criminal war monger Demo leader Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats joined Trump in supporting tens of millions of dollars to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/24/1882916…
2020 Citizens' Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference
Citizens' Climate Lobby | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
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 | 2019-12-25
Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/20/1882904…
In Mountain View, Seasonal and Humorous Signs at Eve of Impeachment Demo on Four Corners
Text: RR Photos: Jack Owicki, Pro Bono Photo | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
Demonstrators leaned in toward passing traffic to show off their creative signs on Impeachment Eve at a major intersection in the heart of Silicon Valley.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/23/1882909…
In SF, Music Punctuates Enthusiastic Chanting at Rally and March on Eve of Historic Impeachment Vote
Text: RR Photos: Terry Scussel, Pro Bono Photo | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
In San Francisco, lyrics were rewritten to rock classics calling for impeachment and a crowd of thousands chanted for "Trump Pence Out Now!"
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/22/1882906…
Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf orders mass arrest of Housing Justice protesters
Dave Id | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
An inspirational day of solidarity with unhoused Oaklanders turned into a traumatic night after mayor Libby Schaaf directed a small army of police and DPW workers to smash a housing rights protest held on the doorstep of City Hall. For daring to challenge the Oakland's never ending war against the homeless — the city's encampment demolitions and evictions, the towing of residential vehicles, and a lack of earnestness and urgency in addressing the housing crisis — twenty-two people were arrested and sent to Santa Rita jail, some for over two days.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/23/1882911…
President Trump Authorizes Somalia Debt Relief
Kate Zeller | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
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…
Kwanzaa our "California Grown" Global Celebration, "Matunda ya Kwanza"
2019 Dr. Maulana Karenga Message | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
Imani (Faith) reminds us of the indispensable foundation of confident, righteous and rewarding belief, calling on us "to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our leaders, our teachers and the righteousness and victory of our struggle." In remembrance of Khalid Al Mansour…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/24/1882915…
Michael L. Cantor mocks the artwork of the Yacht Sequoia Cruise Certificates
Lynda Carson | indybay.org | 2019-12-25
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…
Medical Opinion, Torture and Julian Assange
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-25
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…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/25/medical-opin…
Let 2020 Be the Year of a Truly Free Press
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-12-25
Jamal Khashoggi's murder reminds us just how dangerous journalism can be, especially when elected leaders choose to look the other way.
truthdig.com/articles/let-2020-be-the-ye…
Unlearned Lessons from World War I: The Christmas Truce of 1914
Dr. Gary G. Kohls | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
When Christian frontline soldiers on both sides of No Man's Land saw the obvious futility of war and just stopped the killing, thus disobeying orders from the out-of-touch Christian Generals and Christian Bishops to whom they had pledged obedience. | ***…
globalresearch.ca/tragically-unlearned-l…
War Is Over if You Want It: Pointers for Spreading Some Christmas Cheer
John W. Whitehead | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
"And so this is Christmas | And what have we done | Another year over | A new one just begun. | And so happy Christmas | We hope you have fun | The near and the dear one | The old and the young. | A very …
globalresearch.ca/war-over-you-want-it-p…
Disconnected at Christmas… Bah Humbug!
Philip A Farruggio | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
John and Yoko Lennon's 1971 'Happy Christmas …' song begins with "So this is Christmas and what have you done?….". Well, this holiday season, replete with the usual suspects of mass consumer spending, massive traffic jams and accidents, mass pleas …
globalresearch.ca/disconnected-christmas…
Film: Christmas Truce of World War I. Joyeux Noà´l (2005)
Global Research News | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
Joyeux Noà´l is a 2005 epic war drama film based on the Christmas truce of December 1914, depicted through the eyes of French, Scottish, and German soldiers. It was written and directed by Christian Carion, and screened at the 2005 …
globalresearch.ca/film-christmas-truce-o…
Jane Fonda Arrested: We Are in a Climate Emergency. I Have No Choice But to Put My Body on the Line
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-24
A new round of protests, Fire Drill Fridays, led by actress Jane Fonda are calling for action to address the climate crisis, as bushfires fueled by a historic heat wave threaten Australia, high tides threaten to flood Venice, and the Philippines prepares for a Christmas typhoon. Last Friday, a day before Jane Fonda's 82nd birthday, the longtime political activist, feminist and two-time Academy Award winner was arrested for the fifth time, as she has been nearly every Friday in Washington since she started Fire Drill Fridays, inspired in part by the Swedish youth climate activist Greta Thunberg. She was arrested a…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/24/jane_fon…
Christmas Celebrates the Birth of a Refugee Who Was Killed by the State
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-24
I will never forget the moment she came up to me. Tears were rolling down her face. We had just had our worship services in the street that day, in front of our local gun shop because we wanted to connect the suffering of Jesus on the cross to the suffering of our neighborhood on the North side of Philadelphia, which carries a bulk of the trauma of poverty and violence in our city. It was just before Easter. We had just read the Gospel passage describing Jesus's violent death, leaving his mother a…
truthout.org/articles/christmas-celebrat…
The Christmas Truce of 1914: Proof that Peace is Possible
Thomas Knapp | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-24
As 1914 drew to a close, Europe had been at war for months. On the Western Front, opposing armies faced each other across a stalemated front line running from the North Sea to the Swiss border. On December 24, 100,000 soldiers from both sides of that line decided to create some peace on Earth. They…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/24/the-christma…
Thousands Gather in Bethlehem for Christmas Celebrations
IMEMC News & Agencies | imemc.org | 2019-12-24
Thousands of Palestinians and tourists gathered on Tuesday, at Manger Square, in Bethlehem, marking the start of Christmas eve. Local faithful and pilgrims gathered at the square, outside the Church of the Nativity, where a 15-meter Christmas tree had been erected, and along the narrow cobble-stoned route, known as Star …
imemc.org/article/thousands-gather-in-be…
Workers in Georgia Risk Their Lives for Christmas Trees
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
In their search of the fir cones seeds that produce the most liked Christmas trees in Europe, Georgian workers climb daunting heights and risk their lives for an extremely low income while foreign importers fill their pockets, a report by the Guardian found Monday. | RELATED: | A Homeless Christmas for About 150m Children Across the World in 2019 | "I try to not think of anything up there, just focus. The problem is, if you lose concentration, then you might fall," Rama…
telesurenglish.net/news/Underpaid-Worker…
A Homeless Christmas for 150m Children Across the World in 2019
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
As people across the world celebrate the holidays gathering at home for celebratory dinners with family and friends, while putting together their toy and goodies wish lists; for about 150 million children, according to the United Nations, this will not be such a merry Christmas as they will spend the season in the streets. | RELATED: | Over 7M Children Worldwide are Deprived of Their Liberty: UN | Although homelessness oftentimes conjures up the idea of a single adult living in t…
telesurenglish.net/news/A-Homeless-Chris…
French Workers Stand Firm: No 'Christmas Truce' for Macron
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
France's public transport workers Tuesday continue their strike against the pension system reform proposed by President Emmanuel Macron, who did not receive a "truce" on Christmas as he had requested on Saturday but without giving anything in return. | RELATED: | French Union Workers Agree to Halt Production at Key Oil Facility | "The strike contin…
telesurenglish.net/news/French-Workers-S…
Banksy's Nativity Scene Decries Plight of Palestinians
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
British street artist Banksy has brought a somber Christmas spirit to a hotel he founded in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, with a nativity scene evoking the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. | RELATED: | Israeli Minister Calls for Elimination of Palestinian Authority | Dubbed "Scar of Bethlehem", the display (pictured here) features a miniature Jesus, Mary and Joseph under a rendition of Israel's concrete West Bank barrier punctured by bullet holes, the largest of which resemble…
telesurenglish.net/news/Banksys-Nativity…
Christmas in Latam, Caribbean: Meaningful Mosaic of Traditions
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
Latin America and the Caribbean are rich in cultures. From one country to another, and even from one city to the next, traditions can vary significantly because each people incorporates its local history and preferences into them. In this diversity, however, some common themes generate shared identities. | The Nativity Scene (El Pesebre): | Since the arrival of the Spanish in 1492, Catholicism has been the predominant religion in Latin America. Therefore, it is not surprising that the most widespread Christmas tradition is the construction of the Nativity scene, a tradition that Francis of Assisi promo…
telesurenglish.net/news/Christmas-in-Lat…
Israel Issues Few Christmas Travel Permits for Gaza Christians
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
Members of Gaza's Christian community and Palestinian officials said Tuesday that fewer than half of Christians, who are waiting for Israeli permits to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, have so far received their permits. | RELATED: | Israeli Minister Calls for Elimination of Palestinian Authority | Palestinian border officials said that 316 permits had been issued, while church leaders had requested 800. | On Sunday, Israel's Coordinator of Gov…
telesurenglish.net/news/Israel-Issue-Few…
India's Discriminatory New Citizenship Law
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
India's 2019 Citizenship Act expedites the process for persecuted minorities of Pakistani, Afghan and Bangladesh nationality who resided in India since 2014. | It applies only for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Jains, and Parsis, Muslims excluded. | According to the UN Human …
globalresearch.ca/india-discriminatory-n…
Is Afghanistan headed for a run-off election?
Abdul Rahman | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-24
As per electoral law, Afghanistan's election commission has to address the large number of complaints that have emerged following the declaration of preliminary results that declared Ashraf Ghani as the winner…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/24/is-afghan…
The Afghan War: A Failure Made in the USA
Ahsan I Butt | commondreams.org | 2019-12-24
Such a cavalier approach to the use of deadly force permeates American behaviour among citizens, between citizens and the police, as well as between the military and other states, raising questions about US society beyond the ambit of foreign policy. (Photo: Veronique de Viguerie/Edit by Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/24/afghan…
Assange Gives Evidence in Spanish Court-Room Case. Security Contractor Accused of Spying on Assange
Thomas Scripps | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was brought from Belmarsh Prison yesterday to appear in person at Westminster Magistrates Court and provide video-link witness testimony in the Spanish prosecution of David Morales, the founder of security firm UC Global. Morales, a …
globalresearch.ca/assange-gives-evidence…
Sanders and Omar Call on OSHA to Release Amazon's Injury Records
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-24
This story was originally published by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit news organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at revealnews.org and subscribe to the Reveal podcast, produced with PRX, at revealnews.org/podcast. | Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota are calling on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide…
truthout.org/articles/sanders-and-omar-c…
US-EU Interventionism in Latin America and the Klaus Barbie Affair
Stephen Sefton | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
In a comprehensive way, Bolivia's coup leaders reincarnate the most sinister ghosts of Latin America and the Caribbean's imperialist torturers and mass murderers. The religious fanaticism of coup figureheads like Camacho and Añez, abject servants of their US owners, invokes …
globalresearch.ca/us-eu-klaus-barbie/569…
Bolivian De Facto Gov't has No Authority to Leave CELAC: Evo
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
The de facto government of Bolivia, headed by the self-proclaimed President Jeanine àÅñez, issued a statement announcing that she is evaluating the suspension of her country from the Community of American and Caribbean States (Celac). | RELATED: | Mexico Accuses Bolivia of Intimidating Its Diplomats in La Paz | The democratically elected President, Evo Morales, said through his Twitter account, that this coup board that governs Bolivia has no authority to remove the count…
telesurenglish.net/news/Bolivian-De-Fact…
Lopez Obrador Ratifies Mexico's Environmental Commitments
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador today ratified his government's commitment to caring for the environment with prohibitions on the use of techniques that damage it and negative concessions. | RELATED: | Mexico Accuses Bolivia of Intimidating Its Diplomats in La Paz | In his morning press conference, the president specifically referred to avoiding the use of transgenic corn seed, banning hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the…
telesurenglish.net/news/Lopez-Obrador-Ra…
Piñera Enacts Constitutional Reform For Plebiscite In 2020
teleSUR, jg-la | telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
Chilean President, Sebastián Piñera, enacted this Monday the constitutional reform that enables the plebiscite of April 26th, 2020 to carry out a new constitution in the country. | RELATED: | Chile Human Rights Abuses Worst Since Dictatorship: NHRI Warns | At the "Palacio de la Moneda", Piñera said that the reform "defines" the path to achieve a constit…
telesurenglish.net/news/pinera-enacts-co…
Haitian Women Raped by UN Chilean Peacekeepers Seek Justice
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
The Chilean Human Rights Commission (CCHDH) and about a dozen Haitian, women's rights and pro-immigrant organizations said on Monday that they were seeking justice for the women who were sexually abused by Chilean soldiers participating in UN peacekeeping operations in the Caribbean nation. | RELATED: | Hundreds of Haitian Children Fathered, Abandoned by UN Staff | A recent report published on the academic website The Conversation and cited by The New York Times said that Ha…
telesurenglish.net/news/Haitian-Women-Ra…
Two Strong Quakes Shake Central Colombia, No Damage Reported
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
Two strong earthquakes, of magnitude 6.2 and magnitude 5.7, struck central Colombia on Tuesday, the Colombian Geological Service said, but there were no immediate reports of any injuries or major damage. | RELATED: | Colombia Holds National Strike, Concert & Marches in Medellin | The quakes were very close to each other and only minutes apart. The epicenters were located about 150 km (93 miles) south of the capital Bogota in the central province of Meta, and were very shallow, which…
telesurenglish.net/news/Two-Strong-Quake…
After the Argentina Debacle, the IMF Endorses Weakening Capital Controls in Ecuador
Lara Merling | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-24
Over the past year, a rebranded International Monetary Fund (IMF) returned to Latin America with promises of loan agreements that would be different than the dreaded "structural adjustment programs" of the past. Behind statements about inclusive growth and protecting the most vulnerable, are policies similarto the structural adjustments of the Washington Consensus era. While the…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/24/after-the-ar…
Spending the Holidays at the Heart of the Hong Kong Protests
Michael Nigro | truthdig.com | 2019-12-24
As the holidays roll in, actions and open defiance against mainland China continue to take place daily across Hong Kong.
truthdig.com/articles/spending-the-holid…
Immigration detention centers "rife with abuse," investigation reveals
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-24
An investigation into the detention centers maintained under the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), by USA Today, revealed rampant physical and sexual abuse of migrant detainees. The investigation, published on December 23, analyzed inspection reports since 2015, and identified more than 16,000 reports of violence, apart from hundreds of documents and records of inspections, lawsuits, finance reports and contracts. The investigation also documented 35 first hand accounts from current and former detainees, about the conditions inside the centers. | This is the largest and the most extensive i…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/24/immigrati…
Commentary: 'Ukrainegate' and impeachment
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-24
Milwaukee, WI – Near the end of August, a whistleblower released a document uncovering a private conversation between U.S. president Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The fact that the two of them were talking is not newsworthy; what was revealed and is of some import, however, was the specific content of their exchange. | The whistleblower's report lays out how Trump attempted to strongarm Zelensky and the Ukrainian government into reopening an investigation into Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. The younger Biden was involved in a number of questionable…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/24/comment…
India Approves Funds for Controversial Population Survey
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
India's federal cabinet approved funds Tuesday for a controversial census and population survey to be conducted in April 2020, amid fears from the minority Muslim population that the database could be used to build a citizens register. | RELATED: | Thousands Renew Protests in India Against Citizenship Law | The government approved 87.54 billion rupees (US$1.2 billion) for conducting the census and 39.41 billion rupees (US$553 million) for updating the National Population Register (…
telesurenglish.net/news/India-Approves-F…
Huge protests in India call for unity vs. government's effort to expel Muslims
Satya Vatti | liberationnews.org | 2019-12-24
Some of the largest protests in recent decades are taking place across many states in India as mass outrage and opposition mounts against the passage of anti-Muslim legislation. India is home to about 200 million Muslims, but the government is led by a far-right, Hindu fundamentalist party called the BJP. At least 25 people have …
liberationnews.org/huge-protests-in-indi…
India's divisive citizenship law sparks global protests
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-24
Recently, the far-right Indian government passed a controversial citizenship law, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Progressive sections in India have called this law as divisive and fascist. More than 20 people have been killed in past in police violence in past one week, as protests against CAA intensifies across India. Protests against CAA and police brutality were also held in many countries across the world. We take a look at these global protests in solidarity with the struggle in India against attempts by the government to "divide the country on the basis of religion".
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/24/indias-di…
Venezuela's Indigenous Leaders Denounce Attack Against Army
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
The Venezuelan indigenous leaders grouped in the Council of General Caciques denounced the attack that took place last Sunday on the southern military headquarters in the South American country. | RELATED: | Venezuela Urges Brazil to Arrest Attackers of Military Base | Through a statement published on Monday, the organization rejected "the intention of the Venezuelan right to use actors outside the struggles of the Indigenous movement" to make public opinion believe that the Venez…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelas-Indig…
Police were ready to shoot indigenous pipeline protesters in Canada, documents reveal
Olivia Rosane | nationofchange.org | 2019-12-24
The protesters' lawyer Martin Peters said the police had acted as "security guards" for the company.
nationofchange.org/2019/12/24/police-wer…
A Feminist Alternative to Trump's Chest Beating on Iran
Kristin Henderson | commondreams.org | 2019-12-24
If there's ever to be genuine and just peace between the two nations, diplomacy must be the priority, and Iranian civil society must be acknowledged and respected. (Photo: opeth91 / Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/24/femini…
Iraqi Parliament Approves New Electoral Law, Deadlock Persists
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-24
The Iraqi parliament has passed a new election law, a key demand of protesters for fairer elections, but the political deadlock continues to delay the selection of an interim prime minister. | RELATED: | Iraq: Shia Leader Calls for Early Elections Amid Protests | Since October, mass protests have taken place in Iraq and the protesters are demanding an overhau…
telesurenglish.net/news/iraqi-parliament…
US, Britain, France Oppose Humanitarian Aid for Syrians. Western Aid Channelled to Jihadists
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
Syria is Washington's war, launched by the Obama regime in March 2011, escalated by Trump. | There's nothing remotely "civil" about waging war on a nonbelligerent state threatening no one — using ISIS and likeminded jihadists as imperial foot soldiers, supported …
globalresearch.ca/us-led-west-against-hu…
Video: Israel Strikes Damascus as Syrian Army Crushes ISIS-Al Qaeda Terrorists in Idlib
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-24
Early on December 23, the Syrian Air Defense intercepted several missiles launched by Israeli warplanes from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the Lebanese area of Mount Hermon. | SANA claimed that the Israeli missiles reportedly fell in the area of Aqraba …
globalresearch.ca/video-israel-strikes-d…
Despised Private Prison Companies Rebrand as Prison Real Estate Companies
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-12-24
Many people believe that the United States government is constantly battling corporations, with the government enforcing regulations and corporations skirting them. While this is true in isolated cases, the reality is much more complex. The prison-industrial complex, for example, encompasses a state-run apparatus that is symbiotically intertwined with various private entities. | A growing public relations crisis threatens all entities in this complex. Widespread grassroots movements calling for…
truthout.org/articles/despised-private-p…
Journalist Peter Hartcher and the anti-China campaign in Australia
wsws.org | 2019-12-24
Hartcher's essay in the Quarterly Essay is textbook propaganda for war. It seeks to cultivate nationalist fear and even paranoia about the intended enemy–China.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/24/hart…