(2019-12-17). AOC bill: Federal contractors must obey labor law and allow unions—or lose. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Every year, the federal government hands out billions of dollars—$500 billion last year—to corporate contractors and, through them, subcontractors. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants to ensure those dollars go to union members, union shops, or firms that will let workers unionize. If they don't, the first-year Democratic Socialist U.S. representative from New York City says …
(2019-12-17). How Our Defense Budget Became So Bloated. thenation.com 
| Defense spending is higher now than it was during the Korean or Vietnam conflicts and may soon be twice the Cold War average.
(2019-12-17). Melting Greenland Could Displace 400M People; UN Climate Deal Does Little to Help. therealnews.com 
A new study says that Greenland is melting at a pace far faster than previously estimated and could displace 400 million people due to global sea-level rise.
(2019-12-17). Five Years After Obama's Cuba Opening, Cubans Are Reeling From the "Trump Effect" dissidentvoice.org 
CODEPINK Cuba Delegation in Havana December 17, 2019, Havana, Cuba: Gloria Minor had been preparing her AirBnB in Havana for years, investing every penny her sister sent her from Miami in repairing and refurbishing her apartment. With President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro re-establishing relations five years ago, Minor was sure the expected flood of …
(2019-12-17). Actions planned to 'Abolish sanctions!'. workers.org 
New York Organizers from New York-based anti-war, anti-racist and anti-imperialist organizations and defenders of human rights gathered at the Solidarity Center Dec. 14 to plan an ongoing campaign against Washington's use of economic sanctions, calling such sanctions the "equivalent of war." The planning meeting of about 40 organizers showed what . . . | Continue reading Actions planned to 'Abolish sanctions!' at Workers.org
(2019-12-17). Nationwide rallies call for Trump's ouster on the eve of impeachment. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—From Anchorage to Honolulu, from San Diego to Miami, millions of people are taking to the streets at 5: 30 p.m. local time nationwide to demand lawmakers impeach, convict, and oust President Trump from office. The "Impeach and Remove" non-violent rallies in 632 cities and towns and counting have spread so far that the farthest east …
(2019-12-17). ‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚ÄãThe issue-less impeachment: the corporate democrats stand for nothing, so they impeach for nothing. mronline.org 
The corporate Democrats are effectively exonerating themselves and their Republican brethren of the full spectrum of lawlessness that is everyday politics in the belly of the racist, imperial beast. | Source
(2019-12-17). The 15-Year-Long American War You've Never Heard Of. truthdig.com 
This piece originally appeared on TomDispatch. | For a decade and a half, the U.S. Army waged war on fierce tribal Muslims in a remote land. Sound familiar? | As it happens, that war unfolded half a world away from the Greater Middle East and more than a century ago in the southernmost islands of the Philippines. Back then, American soldiers fought not the Taliban, but the Moros, intensely independent Islamic tribesmen with a similarly storied record of resisting foreign invaders. Precious few today have ever heard of America's Moro War, fought from 1899 to 1…
(2019-12-17). Around 9,000 nurses to take strike action in the north of Ireland. thecanary.co 
A last-ditch meeting is aiming to prevent around 9,000 nurses from taking the UK's first 12-hour strike action over pay on Wednesday.The unprecedented walkout in the north of Ireland will see them leave wards with the solidarity of thousands of other healthcare workers.Stormont's political parties are expected to meet the head of the civil service at Stormont in an appeal for more cash.Unison union regional secretary Patricia McKeown said: "As we enter this significant period in the industrial struggle the consequences lay firmly on the shoulders of the UK government, our elected politicians and the leadership of…
(2019-12-17). Sturgeon urges unity on new independence referendum. thecanary.co 
Nicola Sturgeon has called for a "coming together" of political parties in the Scottish parliament to deliver a second independence referendum.The first minister said she plans to publish the "detailed democratic case" this week for powers to be transferred to the Scottish parliament to hold another vote on the issue.The SNP claims it has a mandate for another vote on the issue following last week's General Election results, when it won the majority of seats in Scotland. | It's straight-forward to me: democracy must be at the core of all we do. Recently it has become fragile and we must strengthen it again. We ca…
(2019-12-17). What Snowden Wrought. counterpunch.org 
When Edward Snowden was a tyke in North Carolina in the mid-1980s, his father, an engineer in the Coast Guard, got a Commodore 64. One night little Ed saw him playing a rudimentary game in the den and he was instantly enthralled. After the family moved to the Beltway, his father set up a Compaq More
(2019-12-17). The Free College Battle. counterpunch.org 
The prospect of free public college is shaping up as one of the major divides between the more progressive candidates (Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren) and the more centrist candidates (Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg). Buttigieg in particular has been especially vocal in his opposition to making college free for everyone. He has argued that More
(2019-12-17). Popular Theatre as Cultural Resistance: Engaging Audiences Worldwide. dissidentvoice.org 
Theatrical masks of Tragedy and Comedy. Mosaic, Roman artwork, 2nd century CE. Capitoline Museums, Rome When the play ends, what begins? Seeking conscientization: awareness leading to action. — Sarah Thornton Introduction The importance of theatre is demonstrated by the prevalence and variety of forms it takes both locally and globally in society today. Indeed, over …
(2019-12-17). The Moment the Military-Industrial Complex Became Uncontrollable. truthdig.com 
The underlying trend of the Pentagon's budget has been ever onward and upward. We need to understand why if we're ever going to rein it in.
(2019-12-17). Corbyn's Defeat has Slain the Left's Last Illusion. counterpunch.org 
This was an election of two illusions. The first helped persuade much of the British public to vote last week for the very epitome of an Eton toff, a man who not only has shown utter contempt for most of those who voted for him but has spent a lifetime barely bothering to conceal that More
(2019-12-17). Europe Is Lost. counterpunch.org 
When the tribesmen are dead in their deserts To make room for alien structures Develop, develop And kill what you find if it threatens you —Kate Tempest, Europe Is Lost For four years, Jeremy Corbyn was smeared in a relentless and savage campaign of vilification and outrageous slander by the British press, much of it More
(2019-12-17). But Mr. Trump, Is Israel Lovable? counterpunch.org 
Speaking before Sheldon Adelson's Israeli-American Council the other day, Trump took a shot at Jewish Americans who he says don't "love Israel enough." "We have to get the people of our country, of this country, to love Israel more," Trump said. "We have to get them to love Israel more because you have people that More
(2019-12-17). A People's Guide to Revolution: How Leaderless Revolts Lose the Battle Before it Even Begins. mintpressnews.com 
Reflections on how mass media and leaderless movements have affected the success of popular protests from Quebec in 2012 to Lebanon today.
(2019-12-17). Mexico's President AMLO Is Delivering the Change He Promised. mintpressnews.com 
Mexico is in a period of profound change and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his Morena Party are charting a dramatically new path for the country.
(2019-12-17). Progressives Need a United Front for Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. indybay.org Clear differences and a nonaggression pact…
(2019-12-17). Progressives need a united front for Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. nationofchange.org The need for a Sanders-Warren united front should be clear — as clear as the imperative of rolling back the monstrous right-wing power that has controlled the presidency during the last three years.
(2019-12-17). In the Midst of Trump's Attacks, Offshoots of Progress in Congress for Immigrants' Rights. aclu.org From the continued separation of families, to attacks on asylum-seekers, to the largest immigration raid ever in a state, to an unprecedented number of immigrants jailed by ICE, this year was filled with new lows for the…
(2019-12-17). Powerful response to call for stepped-up fight to free Assange and Manning at SEP (Australia) meeting. wsws.org The speakers stressed that the upsurge of support for Assange and Manning was inseparable from the growth of the class struggle internationally.
(2019-12-17). Doctors issue open letter to the Australian government: Julian Assange at risk of death in prison. wsws.org The following open letter has been issued to the Australian government by Doctors4Assange on behalf of more than 100 signatories.
(2019-12-17). Over 100 doctors demand Australian government act to save the life of Julian Assange "before it is too late" wsws.org Addressing Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, the doctors write: "Should Mr Assange die in a British prison, people will want to know what you, Minister, did to prevent his death."
(2019-12-17). US Venezuelan embassy protectors denied right to fair trial. thegrayzone.com Four US activists protecting Venezuela's embassy in Washington, DC face prison time after the Trump administration illegally arrested them. And now…
(2019-12-17). Why Are Democrats So Afraid of Medicare for All? truthdig.com We might expect that corporate billionaires and Koch-funded Republican right-wingers would be howl-at-the-moon opponents of a wealth tax, Medicare-for-All, and other big progressive ideas to help improve the circumstances of America's workaday majority. | But Democrats, too? Unfortunately, yes. Not grassroots activists, but a gaggle of don't-rock-the-corporate-boat, fraidy-cat elected Democrats. | These naysayers are the party's old-line politicians, lobbyists, and other insider elites who are now screeching that Democratic candidates must back off those big proposals. | Why? Because, they squawk, being so bold,…
(2019-12-17). COP25 was a failure, but activists' collective organizing at the talks was unprecedented. nationofchange.org Indigenous leaders and environmentalists blasted the United Nations for marginalizing civil society groups over two weeks of negotiations at the climate summit, while welcoming polluters.
(2019-12-17). We Need to Support Every Workers' Struggle, Including the Fight at Google. truthout.org The progressive movement in this country owes thanks to the new generation of workplace organizers, who are carrying our movement forward. Among them are four activists we should recognize and support: Laurence Berland, Rebecca Rivers, Paul Duke and Sophie Waldman, who were fired from Google for organizing their fellow workers. | Workers at Google have been protesting many of the company's actions over the last two years. A year ago, Google's decision to pay a reported $90 million in severance to…
(2019-12-17). Turkey Threatens Retaliation Against Proposed US Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Intervention by one nation in the internal affairs of others breaches the UN Charter and other international law. | Non-intervention is a core Charter principle, calling for disputes to be settled "by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace …
(2019-12-17). Dublin's anti-racist march for peace emphasizes 'no room for hate' in Ireland. peoplesdispatch.org The Irish government launched a public consultation earlier in October to strengthen the country's existing laws regulating hate speech and hate crimes, and the right wing forces have opposed the move.
(2019-12-17). Black Alliance for Peace: The War over Meaning. globalresearch.ca The struggle over interpretation or meaning has emerged as a critical terrain of struggle as the ruling class desperately attempts to maintain the dominance of the liberal capitalist/democratic discourse as the only legitimate interpretative framework. | The ruling elite's efforts to …
(2019-12-17). Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Burmese Genocide of Rohingya at The Hague. truthout.org Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked the U.N. International Court of Justice to drop the genocide case against Myanmar, formerly Burma. Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent over a decade fighting against the Burmese military, which she is now defending. Last week, Suu Kyi appeared in person at the court to dispute the charges and called the allegations of genocide against Rohingya Muslims "incomplete and misleading." The Burmese military killed and raped thousands of Rohingya and f…
(2019-12-17). Bolivian trade union confederation enters far-right coup regime. wsws.org Following massacres of workers and peasants and amid the continued hunting down of protest leaders and indigenous people, the COB's decision is a criminal betrayal of the working class.
(2019-12-17). Colombia and the Revolutionary Process. counterpunch.org In order to have a revolutionary process, it is necessary to go through revolutionary stages. First, what's needed is a raised consciousness that may trigger some outrage by a sector of society which may subsequently grow into sustained protests. The protests might gather a critical mass with the support of the general population and turn More
(2019-12-17). Indian students unite in solidarity against police brutality. peoplesdispatch.org On Sunday December 15, police brutally attacked two Muslim institutions (Jamia Millia Islamia University in the New Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh) where students were protesting the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). At least 125 people were injured in the police attacks and 50 were detained. In response to the barbaric violence, students from across India have taken to the streets against police brutality and the 'unconstitutional' CAA. | The university campus and the surrounding areas remain besieged by the police. Despite the imminent risk of further violent repression by t…
(2019-12-17). Chile: Piñera May Face 20 Years for Crimes Against Humanity. telesurenglish.net The 7th Court of Guarantees of Santiago Tuesday admitted a complaint about crimes against humanity presented by the Upper House's Human Rights Commission president Alejandro Navarro against Chile's President Sebastian Piñera. | RELATED: | Chilean NGO Detects Caustic Soda in Water Used by Riot Police | "He will be punished with imprisonment in any of its g…
(2019-12-17). France: Workers Start 13th Day of Strike Against Pension Reform. telesurenglish.net Through demonstrations and the stoppage of public transport, French unions Tuesday carry out the thirteenth consecutive day of a national strike against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform. | RELATED: | France: Unions Keep Pressure Against Macron's Pension Reform | Their protests, which happen on the eve of a Christmas holiday, will measure the…
(2019-12-17). Bulgaria's Willingness to Host NATO Naval Center Is Aimed at Containing Russia in the Black Sea. globalresearch.ca In a joint statement between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the latter announced last Thursday that the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna is a willing new home of NATO's Naval Force Coordination …
(2019-12-17). Video: Douma 'Chemical Attack' Narrative Collapses, Russia Trains New Militia in Hasakah. globalresearch.ca Russia has started creating a local force that will operate in northeastern Syria areas abandoned by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, several Syrian media outlets claim. | According to reports, the Russian military will train and equip a new pro-government militia …
(2019-12-17). NIAC Commends Reps. Grijalva, Omar and Lee for Calling on Trump Administration to Protect Humanitarian Trade with Iran. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-12-17). Missing Kashmiri Teenager Picked up by Army, Alleges Family. peoplesdispatch.org A testimonial from Kashmir sheds light on 19-year-old Naseer Ahmad Wani from Doompora village, Shopian district. Naseer's family alleged that he was picked up from the house by Army personnel on November 30, 2019. Even after two weeks, they have not been given any information about his whereabouts. The family is inconsolable and are fearing for his safety. Is Naseer Ahmad Wani another statistic in the history of enforced disappearances in Kashmir?
(2019-12-17). Nestlé and the Privatization of Water: A Tale of Many Cities. globalresearch.ca On November 14th the Canadian group Wellington Water Watchers organized the "All Eyes on Nestlé" conference in the city of Guelph, Ontario, bringing together indigenous' peoples and citizens' movements fighting Nestlé's water takings from Canada, the US, France and Brazil. …
(2019-12-17). Sà£o Paulo Ford plant closure exposes Brazilian union as agent of capitalist "restructuring" wsws.org The Ford plant closure follows a series of similar union-imposed defeats that have radically changed the Brazilian auto industry.
(2019-12-17). 999 Britain's billionaires and Labour's election debacle. wsws.org …
(2019-12-17). Smart Ass Cripple: Who Needs Wheelchair-Accessible Cabs? progressive.org Efforts to force the issue caused some incredibly stupid comments to issue from the New York City Billionaire.
(2019-12-17). Our Vanishing World: Birds. globalresearch.ca At the beginning of the nineteenth century, it is estimated that the total number of passenger pigeons in the United States was about three billion birds. The bird was immensely abundant, as illustrated by this passage written by the famous …
(2019-12-17). Pentagon Dismisses Afghanistan Papers: Look Forward, Not Back. theantimedia.com Analysts say they don't believe the Pentagon sees any upside to addressing the complaints, and so they are just ignoring it.
(2019-12-17). North Korea Threatens to Give the US a 'Christmas Gift'. thenation.com North Korea Threatens to Give the US a 'Christmas Gift'
(2019-12-17). Trump's North America Trade Deal Is Poised to Worsen Climate Change—But Dems Don't Seem To Mind. commondreams.org Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, Democrat of Massachusetts, speaks about the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as the USMCA, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., December 10, 2019. (Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pelosi_trade_850_567.jpg …
