(2019-11-20). GOP-Requested Witness Rejects Trump 'Conspiracy Theories'. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON — Sought by Republicans to testify, the former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine spoke up instead for Democrat Joe Biden in Tuesday's impeachment hearings, rejecting "conspiracy theories" embraced by President Donald Trump and some of his allies. | Kurt Volker said he has known Biden as an honorable man for more than two decades, rebuffing debunked corruption allegations that Trump is said to have wanted the Ukrainians to investigate in exchange for military aid to hold off Russian aggression. | "The allegations against Vice President Biden are self-serving and non-credible," Volker declared. | R…
(2019-11-20). Police storm universities in Hong Kong. greenleft.org.au 
protest Wlam*Issue 1246 Hong Kong 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movementNovember 20, 2019Hong Kong riot police stormed the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), one of the prestigious universities in Hong Kong, on November 12, despite making several promises…
(2019-11-19). Diego's off again! Maradona quits as boss of Argentine club Gimnasia after just 2 months in charge. rt.com 
Diego Maradona has quit as manager of Argentine top-flight team Gimnasia after just two months in charge, the club's president has confirmed. | The footballing icon decided not to take training on Tuesday amid rumors he was due to leave his post with the club lying 22nd in the Superliga table and four points off the bottom. | Club president Gabriel Pellegrino confirmed Maradona's departure on Tuesday, which is said to be tied in with Pellegrino's decision not to stand for reelection. | Maradona, 59, oversaw just eight games in charge of the club, winning three and losing five. | Diego Maradona's spell in charg…
(2019-11-19). Israeli warplanes strike Damascus, air defenses destroy 'most' of hostile missiles (VIDEO). rt.com 
Syrian air defenses have repelled an Israeli raid, intercepting several "hostile missiles" over southern Damascus, and destroying majority of them before the projectiles hit the ground, state news agency SANA reported. | Also on rt.com | | Several blasts heard near Syria's Damascus airport — state media | Citing a Syrian military source, SANA reported on Tuesday night that Syrian missile defenses came under "a heavy attack" by Israeli warplanes that targeted the Damascus area from the Israeli-controlled part of the occupied Golan Heights a…
(2019-11-19). Pentagon & war-hawks agree: US troops should stay in Syria – 'because ISIS'. rt.com 
The withdrawal of American troops from Syria has set the stage for a return of Islamic State, claims a new Pentagon report. The report aligns the Pentagon with war-hungry lawmakers who opposed the withdrawal from the outset. | In a report released on Tuesday, the Defense Department's Inspector General warns that without a US presence in northeastern Syria, the terror group will "likely be able to rebuild and carry out more sophisticated operations." | The withdrawal from Syria –…
(2019-11-19). Erdogan's Ethnic Cleansing of the Kurds is Still Happening. counterpunch.org 
Mass expulsion or the physical extermination of an entire ethnic or religious community — ethnic cleansing — is usually treated by the media in one of two different ways: either it receives maximum publicity as a horror story about which the world should care and do something about, or it is ignored and never reaches More
(2019-11-19). Resistance against Turkish-Russian patrols grows in northeast Syria as more protesters are injured. thecanary.co 
The people of northeast Syria [aka Rojava] are fiercely resisting against the patrols by Turkish and Russian occupation forces.They're facing the guns and armoured vehicles of two of the world's strongest militaries. Here in the UK we can stand in solidarity by demanding the UK stops its arms exports to Turkey.Fierce resistance: This video from Monday 18 November shows women and men throwing molotov cocktails at…
(2019-11-19). A Deadly Game of Chicken in Iraq and Lebanon. thenation.com 
Popular revolts in the Middle East are pitting people against regimes.
(2019-11-19). Yemen's Houthi rebels seize one Saudi, two S. Korean vessels. rt.com 
Yemen's Houthi rebels seized a Saudi-flagged tug and two South Korean vessels at the weekend, the insurgents and officials in Seoul said on Tuesday. The incident follows a lull in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia as one Riyadh official said the kingdom had established an "open channel" with the rebels in a bid to end the four-year conflict, AFP reported. | The Houthis acknowledged they had seized three ships, including a Saudi one, in the Red Sea a few miles off Uqban island, west of the rebel-held capital Sanaa. The three ships were seized after they entered "territorial waters without prior notice," the rebels…
(2019-11-19). Is China an "Imperial Power" in the Image of the West? counterpunch.org 
Owing to geography and geopolitics, my country the Philippines finds itself in the middle of an escalating conflict between the United States and China. Like the trench lines that stretched from the North Sea through France to Switzerland during the First World War, the front lines of this conflict stretch across both land and sea More
(2019-11-19). Occupied Palestine: From BDS To ODS. dissidentvoice.org 
We spent the last week in Occupied Palestinian Territory, commonly referred to as Israel, where we traveled around the country to visit communities in Jerusalem, Jaffa, Bethlehem, the West Bank, the Nagab, and more. We call Israel Occupied Palestine because it is not just the West Bank and Gaza that are occupied, but all of …
(2019-11-19). The Guardian's journalists are Kremlin and Qatari agents: Russian oligarch trolls newspaper after 'ex-KGB' smear job. rt.com 
After a sensational headline in The Guardian dished the dirt on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's meeting with an "ex-KGB agent" in Italy, the Russian businessman involved has hit back, with some trolling accusations of his own. | "Boris Johnson met an ex-KGB agent during a highly controversial trip to attend a party two days after attending a high-level Nato summit that focused on Russia," The Guardian reported on Sunday. No details of the meeting are rev…
(2019-11-19). Student Protesters are Walking a Tightrope in Hong Kong. counterpunch.org 
It's hard to know what to think about the student protests in Hong Kong. | On the one hand, they are incredibly inspiring. The courage, determination, brilliant organizing in the face of corporate blocking of the social media platforms that have been so critical early on to coordinating actions and rallying support, and the links that these masses of students have been able to build with the broader Hong Kong community, have been amazing to witness. So too is the massive support that the city's residents — even its staid usually conservative business-minded bankers and shop owners — have given and con…
(2019-11-19). UN decries 'extreme violence' by Hong Kong protesters amid fears of further escalation. rt.com 
The UN Human Rights Office said it was gravely concerned by increased violence on the part of some 'very angry' protesters in Hong Kong, urging accountability for both the wrongdoers and police using excessive force in response. | "The resort to extreme violence, including against the police force, by some engaged in the protests… cannot be condoned," spokesman Rupert Colville told a journalist in Geneva. | The statement came after the anti-government protesters, holed up in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, used Molotov cocktails, arrows and bricks to repel the attempts by police to remove them from the…
(2019-11-19). Police Surround Last Holdouts at Hong Kong Campus Protest. truthdig.com 
Even as the latest violence winds down, a fundamental divide suggests the protests in the former British colony are far from over.
(2019-11-19). Ukraine interfering in US elections is not a 'Russian narrative' but a US media one. rt.com 
Mainstream US media outlets and impeachment witness Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman have called stories of Ukrainian influence in the 2016 US election a conspiracy theory pushed by Russian president. Evidence shows otherwise. | Testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, Vindman — a National Security Council staffer — argued that any Ukrainian meddling in the 2016 election is "a Russian narrative promoted by [President Vladimir] Putin," rejected by the entire US intelligence community. | Not only is narrative of Ukranian interference in 2016 election false, and rejected by all intell…
(2019-11-19). Moscow condemns US plans to end sanctions waiver over Iran's Fordow nuclear site. rt.com 
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday resolutely condemned the statement of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the previous day that the US is terminating the sanctions waiver related to Iran's Fordow nuclear plant. "There is no legitimate reason for Iran to resume enrichment at this previously clandestine site," Pompeo said. | Washington's intentions are a blatant violation of international obligations, the Russian ministry said. Taking into account the US statements, a substantial reaction from the Commission on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will be required, according to the statement. | Mosc…
(2019-11-19). Russian bear-wrestling murder convict Maxim 'Mad Max' Novoselov confirmed for fight return. rt.com 
He was recently seen wrestling a bear in Siberia but Russian MMA fighter Maxim 'Mad Max' Novoselov will return to action against human opposition in Moscow at the end of November, it has been confirmed. | Novoselov, 46, will face fellow sambo specialist Alexey Goncharov on the undercard of an event organized by Russia's RenTV, and which will be headlined by a boxing contest between Alexander Emelianenko — brother of MMA legend Fedor — and powerlifter Mikhail Koklyaev. | The full details of Novoselov's bout are still under wraps, although it will be his first serious action since he defeated Aleksanda…
(2019-11-19). Armata is coming: Russian military to get pilot batch of 'revolutionary' T-14 tanks. rt.com 
The Russian armored corps are about to step into the future, with the first trial batch of the fearsome T-14 Armata tanks to be supplied to the military in late 2019 or early 2020, the head of Rostec defense conglomerate said.
(2019-11-19). 'Shameful' US withholds food & medicine from Iranians while claiming to support them, FM Zarif says. rt.com 
Washington's self-professed solidarity with Iranians protesting against rising fuel costs cannot be taken seriously since US sanctions have caused so much suffering in the Islamic Republic, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said. | "The regime that imposes coercive economic actions and bars delivery of food and drugs to the elderly and patients, can never claim that it's supporting the Iranian nation," Zarif noted on Tuesday, according to Iran's semi-official IRNA news agency. | He added that European nations that fail to challenge Washington's regime change posturing against Tehran will be "responsible for their d…
(2019-11-19). Iran erupts in protest; over 100 killed in security crackdown. peoplesworld.org 
The recent order by Iranian "Supreme Leader" Ali Khamenei directing the security forces "to implement their tasks" sent out a stark and ominous signal to the people of Iran. Protests erupted in cities across Iran on Friday following the government's announcement of a hike in the cost of gasoline by at least 50%, signaling further …
(2019-11-19). Amnesty Says at Least 106 Killed in Iran Protests. truthdig.com 
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Days of protests in Iran over rising fuel prices and a subsequent government crackdown have killed at least 106 people across the Islamic Republic, Amnesty International said Tuesday, citing "credible reports." | Iran's government, which has not made nationwide numbers available for the toll of the unrest that began Friday, did not immediately respond to the report. A request for comment to its mission at the United Nations was not immediately acknowledged. | The Amnesty report comes after a U.N. agency earlier said it feared the unrest may have killed "a significant number of…
(2019-11-19). How Western Media Bias Allows Israel to Getaway with Murder in Gaza. counterpunch.org 
An Israeli attack on Gaza was imminent, and not because of any provocations by Palestinian groups in the besieged, impoverished Gaza Strip. The Israeli military escalation was foreseeable because it factors neatly in Israel's contentious political scene. The war was not a question of "if", but "when". The answer came on November 12, when the Israeli military launched a major strike against Gaza, killing an Islamic Jihad Commander, Bahaa Abu al-Ata, along with his wife Asma. More
(2019-11-19). 'P*ssy African!' Paulo Costa steps up ugly war of words with UFC middleweight champ Adesanya. rt.com 
UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa has reignited his war of words with world champion Israel Adesanya by calling the Nigerian-born New Zealander a "p*ssy African." | Adesanya won his UFC middleweight world title in October with an outstanding second-round knockout of Robert Whittaker. The fight took place in Melbourne, Australia and broke the company's previous attendance record with 57,127. | As soon as Adesanya produced the knockout, he got up on the side of the Octagon fence and gestured towards Costa, who was in the crowd, eager to get onto the canvas to exchange words with his 185 pound rival. | It wa…
(2019-11-19). Occupied Palestine: From BDS to ODS. The Project of a One Democratic State (ODS). globalresearch.ca We spent the last week in Occupied Palestinian Territory, commonly referred to as Israel, where we traveled around the country to visit communities in Jerusalem, Jaffa, Bethlehem, the West Bank, the Nagab, and more. | We call Israel Occupied Palestine because …
(2019-11-19). There Are Riots In Iran And The Usual Suspect Are On It. thelastamericanvagabond.com There are a few riots in Iran and Amnesty International is on it: Amnesty International @amnesty — 15: 50 UTC ∑ Nov 19, 2019At least 106 protesters in 21 cities have been killed in #Iran, according to reports we have received. Verified video footage, eyewitness testimony & information gathered from activists outside Iran reveal a harrowing pattern …
(2019-11-19). Release of Western Hostages and Prospects of Peace in Afghanistan. globalresearch.ca Three Taliban commanders have been released today, on Tuesday, by the Afghan government as part of a prisoner swap involving two Western hostages. Reportedly, the militant leaders, including senior Taliban leader Anas Haqqani, had landed in Qatar, which hosts the …
(2019-11-19). France to host "peace summit" with Germany, Ukraine and Russia. wsws.org The summit is part of the effort of French and German imperialism to play a bigger role in Eastern Europe as tensions with the US are rising.
(2019-11-19). Hong Kong police lay siege to university occupied by demonstrators. wsws.org The ramping up of police violence is a precursor to even more violent methods of suppressing the months-long protest movement.
(2019-11-19). Protest at SF Chinese Consulate for Hong Kong Rights. indybay.org Chinese Consulate San Francisco | 1450 Laguna St, San Francisco, California 94115…
(2019-11-19). Misogynist VP Pence Says he Wants to See a Woman on the Moon. indybay.org U.S. Vice-President Pence gave a speech at NASA Ames Research facility in Mountain View, California on November 14 to a hand picked group of NASA employees. Protesters outside had a lot to say in response.
(2019-11-19). Iran's Protests Are Grassroots, Not Foreign-Driven, and that's the Real Problem. globalresearch.ca Iran's problem isn't that foreign forces are politically encouraging the latest unrest and possibly even directly supporting some of the most violent provocateurs to an uncertain extent, but that the vast majority of the participants in these nationwide protests are …
(2019-11-19). Iranian regime shuts down internet following protests over gas price hikes. wsws.org The Islamic Republic has been shaken by mass protests against a steep hike in gasoline prices precipitated by the US sanctions war on Iran.
(2019-11-19). Iran protests: Live ammunition reportedly used, says UN human rights office. un.org Reports indicating that dozens of people have been killed in continuing protests across Iran — some by live ammunition – are of deep concern, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said on Tuesday.
(2019-11-19). Trump Regime Calls Illegal Israel Settlements Legal. globalresearch.ca There's no ambiguity about the illegality of Israeli settlements. International law on the issue is clear and unequivocal. | It's automatically US constitutional law under its Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Clause 2). | Fourth Geneva's Article 49 states: | "Individual or mass forcible …
(2019-11-19). 2 million Americans lack clean water access, especially Native Americans. nationofchange.org "It's hard to imagine that in America today, people are living without basics like safe and reliable water service."
(2019-11-19). Video: Complex and Unstable Geopolitics in Syria. Further Escalation in Southern Idlib. globalresearch.ca Over the past days, southern Idlib, southern Raqqah, northwestern al-Hasakah remained the main points of tensions in Syria. | On November 16, the Syrian Army repelled an attack by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies on the hill of Khaznah in …
(2019-11-19). ISIS Secrets Spilled in Rare On-Camera Interviews: "We Just Walked Into Syria" theantimedia.com Those interviewed confessed that their arrival in Syria years prior without a doubt had the cooperation of Turkish authorities.
(2019-11-19). UK Government Accused of Covering Up War Crimes in Iraq. globalresearch.ca The UK is very keen at reminding certain countries — Syria, Russia, China — of their human rights abuses and yet, when it comes to looking closer to home, this current government quite frankly prefers not to, and in some …
(2019-11-19). Europe's Shameful Treatment of Refugees: Fire in Greece's Samos Island Refugee Camp. globalresearch.ca Last month a fire roared through the refugee camp on the Greek island of Samos, a few miles from the coast of Turkey. The immediate cause of the fire is unclear, but there were clashes between Afghan and Syrian refugees …
(2019-11-19). The bloodbath in Baghdad. wsws.org The US media has remained largely silent as more than 330 unarmed demonstrators have been killed in the streets of the Iraqi capital.
(2019-11-19). Half of American Men Still Can't Handle the Prospect of a Woman in the White House. truthdig.com In 2019, just 49% of American men say they are comfortable with a woman president, according to a new poll on attitudes toward gender and power by consulting firm Kantar Public and Women Political Leaders, an Iceland-based nonprofit coalition of female politicians. | The poll surveyed 22,000 people ages 18 to 64 across eleven countries (Brazil, Canada, China, France…
(2019-11-19). Hong Kong Was Never Built to Stand Up to China. thenation.com Hong Kong Was Never Built to Stand Up to China…
(2019-11-19). China, USA and the Geopolitics of Lithium. globalresearch.ca The Battle for Lithium: Washington wants to counter China influence in controlling key strategic lithium reserves. Some geological estimates rank Bolivia's lithium reserves as the world's largest.
(2019-11-19). Australian establishment up-in-arms after Beijing bans visit by two MPs. wsws.org The hypocrisy of the latest anti-China outburst is underscored by the Australian government refusal to allow Chelsea Manning, the American whistleblower and defender of democratic rights, to travel to the country.
(2019-11-19). New Zealand Even Hand against Palestine: Jacinda Adern, that Tweet, and Gaza. globalresearch.ca The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFAT) tweet on 12 November condemning rocket fire from Gaza while failing to condemn the Israeli extrajudicial assassinations and civilian killings that generated Islamic Jihad's rocket-fire in defensive response, reveals the hypocrisy at …
(2019-11-19). Russia Denounces US Decision on Israel Settlements in West Bank. telesurenglish.net The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the U.S. authorities no longer treat Israeli settlements in the West Bank as inconsistent with international law. | RELATED: | US Says Israel Settlements Not Illegal Under International Law | "We regard this decision of Washington as another step aimed at scrapping the international legal base of the Middle East settlement,…
(2019-11-19). India Makes Advance Payment For Russian Missile Defense System. telesurenglish.net India has made an advanced payment of US$800 million for Russia's S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, the Russian conglomerate Rostec said this week. | RELATED: | One Dead, 45 Injured in Grenade Attack in Kashmir's Srinagar | Sergey Chemezov, owner of the Russian company, told reporters Monday that negotiations were continuing at a good pace and that the…
(2019-11-19). Pelosi doubles down on anti-Russia politics of impeachment inquiry. wsws.org Pelosi once again defined as the sole issue in the Democrats' case for impeachment the charge that Trump endangered US "national security" and strengthened Russia.
(2019-11-19). Bolivia Proves that Latin America Cannot Exit the American Empire. globalresearch.ca UPDATE: Racist statements come out of the mouth of Bolivia's self-declared president | Jeanine Anez, one of the Bolivian Spanish elite, has declared herself the President of Bolivia. She is one of the elite allied with Washington who accused Evo …