(2019-11-14). Drug running! Thai police find 176kg of crystal meth hidden in treadmills headed for Japan. rt.com 
Kingpins of the illicit narcotics trade in Southeast Asia have taken 'drug running' quite literally by concealing 176kg of crystal meth in the metal framework of treadmills bound for Japan, only to be busted in Thailand. | Police Major General Yingyot Thepchamnong, head of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, did the leg work in the case after a similar incident in Australia jogged his memory and he worked out that drugs could be in the workout gear. | "Last month, the Australian police busted a similar case with the drugs hidden in exercise equipment, which they told us was packaged and exported from Thailand,"
(2019-11-14). Syria begins deploying troops in northeast along Turkish border — Damascus. rt.com 
Syrian state media is reporting that government forces have started deploying in areas close to the Turkish border in the northeast. Troops are deploying between the towns of Jawadiyeh and Malkiyeh, also known as Derik, according to SANA. | The deployment began on Thursday, and Syrian border guards will be positioned at six points near to the border, state TV reported. | The deployment is part of a deal reached between Russia and Turkey last month along much of the northeastern boundary that seeks to ensure Kurdish fighters leave the area, AP said. Russia and Turkey began joint patrols along a narrower strip d…
(2019-11-14). Trump's V-Day visit to Moscow would be 'the right thing to do' even during election season — Putin. rt.com 
As Russia prepares to celebrate the May 2020 anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis in World War II, President Vladimir Putin said that a visit from Donald Trump would be "the right thing to do," even during an election campaign.
(2019-11-14). Russia-bashers eat their own? Ukrainian ex-minister accuses Bellingcat of being infiltrated by…Kremlin agents? rt.com 
A website obsessed with blaming Russia for everything — using Google Earth to support its airtight theories — has been infiltrated by Russian agents, according to a Ukrainian MP and former minister. But does it even make sense? | Our strange saga begins with a very level-headed Facebook post penned by Ukraine's former minister of veterans affairs and current member of parliament, Iryna Friz, who expressed deep displeasure with a recent Bellingcat 'investigation' revealing that Ukraine's Ministry of Veterans Affairs had ties to far-right figures (oh no, who could have guessed?). | In her post, Friz…
(2019-11-14). 'I'd say he won, no doubt': Artem Lobov delivers verdict on Jason Knight's bathroom brawl ahead of bare-knuckle rematch. rt.com 
Artem Lobov has declared rival Jason Knight the winner of a bathroom brawl that caused a sensation on social media ahead of their much-anticipated rematch in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on Saturday. | Fans are hoping for a classic to mirror their first encounter when American Knight aims for revenge against Russian-born Lobov, who enters as strong favorite having won their initial, bloody contest on the thinnest of judging margins earlier this year. | The second contest between the pair is being hyped as the most exciting fight since the championship launched in 2018, not least because its organizer…
(2019-11-14). Getting shirty: Russia refuse to wear new Adidas kit because manufacturer 'got flag the wrong way round'. rt.com 
Getting the flag colors the right way round might seem a fundamental requirement in manufacturing a kit for a national team, but that is reportedly the sticking point between the Russian football team and sportswear giant Adidas. | The Russian national side and German kit-maker unveiled team's new red home strip for next year's European Championships at a glitzy ceremony last week. | Stanislav Cherchesov's men, who have already qualified for the European showpiece, were due to wear the kit for their final two group games, against Belgium on Saturday and San Marino on Tuesday. | –ú—ã […
(2019-11-14). White Nationalists Are Running the White House. truthdig.com 
What follows is a conversation between journalists Michael Edison Hayes, Jared Holt and Marc Steiner of The Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…
(2019-11-14). 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Indonesia. rt.com 
An earthquake of 7.1 magnitude struck in the Molucca Sea, some 134km northwest of the Indonesian island of Ternate, at 4: 18pm local time on Thursday. | A tsunami threat message was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) for all coasts within 300km of the epicenter, affecting a number of Indonesian islands within the hour. Residents were advised to remain alert and seek instructions from local authorities. | A tsunami alert was also issued by the Indonesia Meteorology, Climatology and Geophys…
(2019-11-14). Abandoning Jakarta, Moving Capital to Borneo: Cynicism, Corruption, Murder. dissidentvoice.org 
Jakarta — polluted, unloved It is wrong, totally wrong, to abandon Jakarta and try to build some Potemkin village in the middle of Borneo, an island known in Indonesia as Kalimantan. There are many reasons why, and we will be addressing at least some of them here. But before we begin, let us state the …
(2019-11-14). The tweet that shows just how cynical Rachel Riley's 'war on antisemitism' has become. thecanary.co 
Rachel Riley does the numbers on Countdown. But she's also appointed herself witchfinder general in a campaign to silence critics of Apartheid Israel with false accusations of antisemitism. (Full disclosure: she has dedicated a lot of that time smearing The Canary.) This is why we were somewhat shocked to find her promoting the views of an alleged antisemite. Why? Because…
(2019-11-14). China's vision for the future is "Give Peace a Chance" dissidentvoice.org 
China's vision for the future is "Give Peace a Chance". It is also the title of one of John Lennon's most prominent songs. It became the anthem for the anti-war movement, at the time of the US-waged war against Vietnam. John Lennon was a peace activist. No wonder he was ostracized, considered enemy number one by …
(2019-11-14). China hands Trump a victory in trade war by lifting 5-year-old poultry ban. rt.com 
China has lifted a ban on US poultry and poultry products that has been in place since the December 2014 avian flu outbreak, opening the door to a potential $1 billion worth of exports from the US to China. | Major US chicken processors like Sanderson Farms, Tyson Foods and Pilgrim's Pride saw their stock value climb to year highs on Thursday, following the announcement. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer called the development "great news for both America's farmers and China's consumers", in a celebratory public statement. The US is the second largest poultry exporter in the world, behind Brazil, with…
(2019-11-14). Catapulting Hong Kong into democracy? Media glorifies ANARCHY & 'novel, defensive' anti-police weapons of protesters. rt.com 
As anti-China protesters transform Hong Kong universities into "weapons factories" and arm themselves with petrol bombs, mainstream media is increasingly impressed by their ingenious and "novel" methods of taking on riot police. | Universities across Hong Kong are shuttering their doors and foreign students fleeing the chaos, as protesters hurl bricks, fire javelins, construct "watchtowers" and start fires on campuses, insisting that they have "no choice" but to resort to the most violent methods. | pic.twitter.com/WKPPXvO0Wl
(2019-11-14). In Our Future Climate Dystopia, This Is What the Pentagon Will Do. truthdig.com 
The Situation Room, October 2039: the president and vice president, senior generals and admirals, key cabinet members, and other top national security officers huddle around computer screens as aides speak to key officials across the country. Some screens are focused on Hurricane Monica, continuing its catastrophic path through the Carolinas and Virginia; others are following Hurricane Nicholas, now pummeling Florida and Georgia, while Hurricane Ophelia lurks behind it in the eastern Caribbean. | On another bank of screens, officials are watching horrifying scenes from Los Angeles and San Diego, where millions of…
(2019-11-14). North Korea Not Interested in December Peace Talks with US. telesurenglish.net North Korea said on Thursday it has been offered a fresh meeting with the United States, but is uninterested in more talks aimed at "appeasing us" ahead of a year-end deadline Pyongyang has set for Washington to show more flexibility in their negotiations. | RELATED: | North Korea Breaks off Nuclear Talks With US in Sweden | Kim Myong Gil, the North's nuclear negotiator, said in a report carried by state media that Stephen Biegun, his U.S. counterpart who jointly led last month's faile…
(2019-11-14). If I Had A Hammer. dissidentvoice.org Ôªø Can a hundred thousand people with sledgehammers change the world? The past few weeks have seen so many developments in the world. Such as absolutely massive, ongoing and very militant protests happening in a multitude of countries. Not just in capital cities, but throughout countries like Ecuador, Chile, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Sudan, in places …
(2019-11-14). Death Toll in Iraq Exceeds 300 Since Start of Protests. telesurenglish.net At least four protesters were killed and more than 65 wounded on Thursday in clashes with Iraqi security forces who were trying to push them back to their main camp in central Baghdad, police and medical sources said. | RELATED: | Protesters, Iraqi Police Continue Battle on Baghdad Streets | The protests erupted in early October over economic hardship and endemic graft. The government responded with some measures such as handouts for the poor but the protesters are now demanding an…
(2019-11-14). A Lesson for the Palestinian Leadership: Real Reasons Behind Israel's Arrest and Release of Labadi, Mi'ri. dissidentvoice.org The release on November 6 of two Jordanian nationals, Heba al-Labadi and Abdul Rahman Mi'ri from Israeli prisons was a bittersweet moment. The pair were finally reunited with their families after harrowing experiences in Israel. Sadly, thousands of Palestinian prisoners are still denied their freedom, still subjected to all sorts of hardships at the hands …
(2019-11-14). Foreign Correspondent: A New Arab Spring in Lebanon and Iraq. progressive.org Once again, people in the Middle East want democratic reforms and an end to corruption and foreign domination.
(2019-11-14). Bay Area Women in Black March and Vigil. indybay.org Bay Area Women in Black's annual Black Friday March and Vigil calls for a boycott of products whose sale supports the cruel and illegal occupation of Palestine. Fliers and signs offer the rationale for the boycott and urge the end of U.S. military aid to the State of Israel. This is a non-violent event.
(2019-11-14). Turkey Wont Give Up Russian Missile System: Erdogan. telesurenglish.net Turkey's president Tayyip Erdogan said Washington was not right to propose that Ankara get rid of the Russian S-400 missile defenses it purchased, calling it an infringement of sovereign rights, according to Turkish media. | RELATED: | Turkey's Erdogan Announces Capture of Al-Baghdadi's Wife | In a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Erdogan to abandon the S-400 systems that began arriving in Turkey in July despite threats of sanctions from Washin…
(2019-11-14). Democrats begin impeachment hearings with denunciations of Russia. wsws.org The first day of public, televised hearings demonstrates that in the impeachment conflict two right-wing factions of the ruling class are fighting out differences over foreign policy.
(2019-11-14). "What About the Children?" Youth Rights Before Parental Police States. counterpunch.org "What about the children?!" Some haggard disembodied voice wails from my flickering TV set, jerking me awake from the Ambien-grade slumber that any more than 15 minutes of C-Span inevitably delivers. It's happened a thousand times before. The voice almost always belongs to some sobbing middle-aged white woman, overdressed like June Cleaver for some senate More
(2019-11-14). Israel's relentless violence on Gaza met by global silence. thegrayzone.com A ceasefire has been reached in Gaza after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes that killed 34 Palestinians, including eight…
(2019-11-14). In O'odham Land. counterpunch.org In O'odham Land As Trump greenlights the unpopular border wall construction, waiving 41 laws to try to do the utmost damage the area, and as Israeli surveillance groups erect spy towers throughout O'odham land, people continue organizing to protect the land and their communities, and to inform the nation of what is happening in Native More
(2019-11-14). Dozens of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza. wsws.org The escalation against Gaza serves the political needs of Netanyahu, who is desperately seeking a "unity government" to avoid being driven from power and facing criminal prosecution.
(2019-11-14). Renewal of cross-border aid operation critical to northern Syria: UN relief chief. un.org The top UN humanitarian official was in the Security Council on Wednesday to appeal for the renewal of an operation that delivers life-saving food and other aid relief to some four million civilians in northern Syria.
(2019-11-14). Zunzi (Â∞äÂ≠ê) Political Cartoon Expo. indybay.org Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall | 836 Stockton St, San Francisco, California…
(2019-11-14). "This Is Unacceptable": Ex-Congresswoman Who Voted to Impeach Nixon Says Trump Is a Rogue President. democracynow.org 
The public phase of the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump began Wednesday, with testimonies from two witnesses: George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state, and William Taylor, a former ambassador and the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine. The hearing brought forth new details about a previously unknown phone call in July between President Trump and Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. Both Kent and Taylor expressed concern over the role President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani had in dictating U.S. policy on Ukraine. We speak with Elizabeth Holtzman, a former U.S. congressme…
(2019-11-14). Headlines for November 14, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Diplomats Testify Trump Pressured Ukraine to Dig Up Political Dirt on Bidens, Trump Claims He Was "Too Busy" to Watch Impeachment Inquiry, Trump Hosts President Erdogan at White House Amid Turkish Attacks in Syria, 34 Palestinians Killed in Two Days as Israel Bombs Gaza Strip, Exiled Bolivian President Evo Morales Calls for "National Dialogue", Protests Rage as Bolivia's Self-Proclaimed Interim President Swears In Cabinet, Lebanese Soldiers Shoot and Kill Man as Protests Enter Fifth Week, Zimbabwe: Millions at Risk of Starving Amid Climate Change-Fueled Drought, Hundreds of Elephants Die as Drought Grips Sou…
(2019-11-14). 'Evil forces never stop attempts to smear God's servants': Patriarch Kirill urges all religions to unite in combating terrorism. rt.com 
A war is being waged against traditional religions. It goes on in cities and villages, in information space and, most importantly, in the minds of the people, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, warned. | "Enormous resources are being used for information wars nowadays. We, religious figures, are accustomed to constant attacks. The forces of evil never give up on attempts to smear those, who dedicated their lives to serving God," the Patriarch said as he took the stage at the Summit of World Religious Leaders in Baku. | The most alarming thing is that the younger generation is the one being…
(2019-11-13). The Real Reasons Behind Israel's Arrest of Two Jordanian Nationals. mintpressnews.com 
The release on November 6 of two Jordanian nationals, Heba al-Labadi and Abdul Rahman Mi'ri from Israeli prisons was a bittersweet moment. The pair were finally reunited with their families after harrowing experiences in Israel. Sadly, thousands of Palestinian prisoners are still denied their freedom, still subjected to all sorts of hardships at the hands of their Israeli jailers. | Despite the jubilant return of the two prisoners, celebrated in Jordan, Palestine and throughout the Arab world, several compelling questions remain unanswered: why were they held in the first place? Why were they released and what ca…
(2019-11-13). US & Turkey working on 'resolving S-400 issue,' but Trump & Erdogan tight-lipped on details. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said their countries were working to "resolve" the issue of Ankara purchasing Russian S-400 air defense systems, without going into any specifics. | Erdogan, who arrived in Washington on Wednesday for an official state visit, spent much of the day in meetings with Trump and several US senators critical of Turkey's recent actions in northern Syria. Appearing at a joint press conference in the late afternoon, he showed no sign of backing down from Ankara's current posture, saying that political concerns ought to be separate from matters o…
(2019-11-13). ISIS Captives Offer a Convenient Pawn in Turkey's Syria Chess Game. mintpressnews.com 
ISIS is the latest bogeyman in a global terror portfolio that serves a neoconservative agenda in the Middle East, and Turkey has been its midwife and curator.
(2019-11-13). Code Pink founder raided by DC police on dubious Venezuelan embassy 'assault' charges (VIDEO). rt.com 
Police have tried to detain Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin without a warrant on belated and mysterious charges of 'assaulting' a Democratic congresswoman during this summer's siege of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington. | Benjamin was accused of assaulting Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Florida) — months after the alleged incident — when over a dozen officers surrounded her home on Wednesday in Washington, DC. | In footage she posted to Facebook, Benjamin strenuously denies the accusations, explaining that she was the one assaulted — pushed and pulled by right-wing Venezuelans ("b…
(2019-11-13). Murder Like It's 1495: U.S.-Backed Counterinsurgency in the Philippines. counterpunch.org 
Two men, soldiers probably, noticed Bai Leah Tumbalang. This was last August. She was in Valencia City, in the Philippine province of Bukidnon. The men drew near on their motorcycle, followed her, then pulled up to shoot her in the forehead. She died immediately. But her death was not random, not senseless. With it her More
(2019-11-13). How Not to End a Forever War. counterpunch.org 
I love "caper' movies. There's nothing like a gang of lovable rogues executing an elaborately planned, seemingly impossible crime. President Donald Trump, while in no way lovable, pulled off the perfect caper when he grabbed the White House three years ago. Now Trump has launched a new caper: stealing Syria's oil. Danny Ocean, eat your More
(2019-11-13). A Doubtful Proposition: a Reflection on the Trial of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7. counterpunch.org 
"Whether nuclear weapons are actually illegal under international or domestic law (a doubtful proposition) is not relevant or an appropriate issue to litigate in this case," so ruled Judge Lisa Godbey Wood of the US District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, late on Friday October 18. This last-minute order, restricting the defense of More
(2019-11-13). Iraqis paying an 'unthinkable price' to be heard, UN envoy tells politicians in Baghdad. un.org Noting that the people of Iraq were at "a critical juncture", the top UN Envoy in the country told parliamentarians there on Thursday that over the past six weeks, hundreds of thousands have been peacefully voicing their "genuine, legitimate, demands, loud and clear".
(2019-11-13). 'No justification' for attacks against civilians, UN envoy says on mounting cross-border violence in Gaza. un.org Following Israel's targeted killing of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader inside Gaza on Tuesday, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has expressed his growing concern over increasing rocket fire across the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
(2019-11-13). Wednesday's Daily Brief: UN bid to aid diabetics, Israel-Gaza attacks, climate change in Nepal, Iraq envoy appeal to MPs. un.org A recap of Wednesday's stories in brief: UN leads plan for insulin supply boosts; 'No justification' for Gaza border violence; Iraqis paying 'unthinkable price' in protests; $1.35 billion needed for Venezuela crisis; Record flooding affects 100,000 Nigerians.
(2019-11-13). Hong Kong protests defy police violence and mass arrests. wsws.org Escalated police attacks appear to have reinforced the popular support for the protests, setting the stage for an even-more bloody confrontation.
(2019-11-13). Over $39 million earmarked by UN-backed fund to combat effects of climate change in Nepal. un.org More than $39 million in funding was approved on Wednesday for a project that will build resilience and mitigate the effects of climate change, benefitting nearly one million Nepalis, according to the Board of the UN-backed Green Climate Fund (GCF).
(2019-11-13). As Trump and Erdogan Meet, the U.S. Hopes to Resume F?35 Arms Sales to Turkey. theintercept.com Despite Turkey's recent human rights abuses in Syria, the Trump administration would like Turkey to rejoin the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
(2019-11-13). Ukrainegate impeachment saga worsens US-Russia Cold War. thegrayzone.com As the House opens impeachment hearings for President Trump, Professor Stephen F. Cohen warns that the US military assistance at…
(2019-11-13). Blairite MP Margaret Hodge refuses to back Corbyn as prime minister. wsws.org The measure of Corbyn's politics is that he enters his second general election at the head of the same party fundamentally that launched the 2003 war in Iraq, the 2008 bailout of the banks, and began the drive for austerity.
(2019-11-13). Oklahomans Just Made History — and They Can Do it Again. aclu.org Last | week in Oklahoma, the largest single-day mass | commutation of prison sentences in U.S. history took place. When all is said and | done, nearly 600 people will be released from prison. This may seem like a | surprise coming from a state that's also home to the highest per-capita | incarceration rate in the nation. But these commutations follow the | will of the people: 58 percent of Oklahomans made clear at th…
(2019-11-13). As Israel Pounds The Gaza Strip, Death Toll Reaches 32. telesurenglish.net Israel has been heavily bombing the besieged Gaza Strip Wednesday for the second day in the most violent onslaught in months. The death toll from the air campaign increased to 32 Palestinians, including three minors; while at least 70 others including 30 children were wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. | RELATED: | Israeli Soldier Who Killed Palestinian Teen Gets 1-Month Sentence | In the eastern part of the enclave, Ayyad, a 54-year-old farmer, and Amir, 8,…
(2019-11-13). Former Israeli soldiers tour US to speak out against occupation of Palestinian territories. wsws.org The soldiers' own experiences have led them to rebel against the criminal policies of the Israeli government.
(2019-11-13). Israel Calls up Reserve Soldiers as Gaza Death Toll Mounts. theantimedia.com At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza that began early on Tuesday.