Daily Archives: December 31, 2019

2019-12-31: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-01). US sending 750 troops to Middle East after Baghdad embassy siege — Pentagon. rt.com Some 750 paratroopers from the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division are already on their way to Kuwait, and more may soon follow, after the US embassy in Baghdad was stormed and nearly taken by angry Iraqi militiamen. | The 82nd's alert brigade has been ordered to deploy on Tuesday evening, Fox News reported citing multiple Pentagon officials, shortly before Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed it. | "The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world," Esper said, announcing the deployment. …and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today. The United State…

Lee Hall (2019-12-31). A Message From the New Year's Day AKC Dog Show. counterpunch.org More than five thousand dogs from 21 countries are appearing in the American Kennel Club New Year's Day 2020 dog show. Discovery Channel's Animal Planet touts it as the largest in the country. But it's just another trivial show on Animal Planet. Unrelated to the big environmental or economic issues of our time. Not worth More

Vijay Prashad (2019-12-31). India's Democracy is Facing an Existential Threat. counterpunch.org Peaceful protests have been taking place across India. Every public event seems to be transformed into a demonstration against not only these laws, but the government itself. In Kolkata — from where I write these words — the annual Rainbow Pride Walk combined Gay Pride with opposition to these laws. Signs at the march read, 'No CAA' and 'No to Fascism.' The Indian flag — not often seen at these events — was everywhere, a symbol of the fight over how 'India' should be understood. More

Joseph Essertier (2019-12-31). To Distinguish Fact From Fiction in Korea, First Follow the Money. counterpunch.org The "masters" of the Empire of Japan, who invaded and dominated Korea for half a century, followed the "vile maxim" that is typical of the "masters of mankind," i.e., "all for ourselves, and nothing for other people" (Adam Smith). And while a "budding elite" of talented Koreans in fields such as "commerce, industry, publishing, academia, More

Ellen Brown (2019-12-31). The Key to the Environmental Crisis is Beneath Our Feet. counterpunch.org The Green New Deal resolution that was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives in February hit a wall in the Senate, where it was called unrealistic and unaffordable. In a Washington Post article titled "The Green New Deal Sets Us Up for Failure. We Need a Better Approach," former Colorado governor and Democratic presidential candidate John More

Laura Carlsen (2019-12-31). As Honduras Collapses, Its People are Forced to Flee. counterpunch.org Honduras is collapsing. The thousands of migrants who flee every day are direct testimony to a political, economic and social crisis that the world ignores and the U. S. government seems bent on perpetuating. Instead of examining the crisis behind the exodus, the Trump administration has set an intercontinental human trapline that captures thousands of the world's poorest and most persecuted men, women and children, and then converts their suffering into campaign fodder. More

Andre Vltchek (2019-12-31). Police in Hong Kong Brutalized by Rioters While Attacked by the Western Press. dissidentvoice.org It is much more than what you are allowed to see. The Hong Kong police force are heroically fighting both the rioters and a complex and extremely dangerous international network which is aiming at destabilizing the People's Republic of China. Uighur, Taiwan, USA, EU — united against socialism and China I never saw such cynicism …

Staff (2019-12-31). Final Goodbye: Recalling Influential People Who Died in 2019. truthdig.com A lauded writer who brought to light stories overshadowed by prejudice. An actress and singer who helped embody the manufactured innocence of the 1950s. A self-made billionaire who rose from a childhood of Depression-era poverty and twice ran for president. | This year saw the deaths of people who shifted culture through prose, pragmatism and persistence. It also witnessed tragedy, in talent struck down in its prime. | In 2019, the political world lost a giant in U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings. He was born the son of a sharecropper, became a lawyer,…

Staff (2019-12-31). Militiamen Breach U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; Trump Blames Iran. truthdig.com BAGHDAD — Dozens of Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday, smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area, angered over deadly U.S. airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed militia. U.S. guards fired tear gas and palls of smoke rose over the grounds. | An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three U.S. soldiers on the roof of the main embassy building. There was a fire at the reception area near the compound's parking lot but it was unclear what had caused it. A man on a loudspe…

Staff (2019-12-31). Fossil Fuel Industry Shifts from Climate Denial to "Youthwashing" therealnews.com For decades, the fossil fuel industry funded climate change denial campaigns aimed toward young people to sow seeds of doubt on climate science. As the climate crisis has worsened, it has made a subtle shift to what critics call "youthwashing.".

Staff (2019-12-31). Raging Wildfires Trap 4,000 at Australian Town's Waterfront. truthdig.com PERTH, Australia — Wildfires burning across Australia's two most populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions and killed at least two people while more property along the country's east coast fell victim to a devastating fire season. | About 4,000 residents in the southeastern town of Mallacoota in Victoria state fled toward the water Tuesday morning as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire toward their homes. The smoke-filled sky shrouded the town in darkness before turning an unnerving shade of bright red. | Australia's annual wildfire season, which peaks during…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Syd Mead, Conceptual Artist Behind 'Blade Runner,' Dies at 86. telesurenglish.net Syd Mead, the influential conceptual artist who created images of the future for films such as "Blade Runner" (1982) and "Aliens" (1986), died on Monday morning in Pasadena, California, at the age of 86. | RELATED: | 'US Running Concentration Camps at the Border': Expert | Mead died after three years battling lymphoma cancer, his husband Roger Servick told specialist publication The Hollywood Reporter. | Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1933, the visionary illustrator and conceptual art…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Top 10 Events That Shaped North America in the 2010s. telesurenglish.net Over the course of the past decade, North America has experienced the rise of several social movements, such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, which have helped give voice to the voiceless and empower the oppressed. | While these movements helped bring necessary social change, the 2010s also witnessed the rise of the far-right under U.S. President Donald Trump, which has further divided people across the continent and world. | But as we look back at the 2010s, there are several events that have helped shape the present and the future of the continent. | 1) Whistleblowers (2010-Present) | Julian Assange and…

WSWS (2019-12-31). Australian teachers' defence of Julian Assange welcomed by WikiLeaks supporters. wsws.org US comedian Jimmy Dore discussed the initiative on the December 19 edition of his "Jimmy Dore Show Podcast."

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2019-12-31). We are the majority; we must turn that into power. nationofchange.org We are building toward being a movement that can make transformational changes over the next decade.

Medea Benjamin (2019-12-31). 10 Good Things About 2019. counterpunch.org Impeachment, Trump, impeachment, Trump. It's hard to think of this year without obsessing about the occupant of the White House. But yes, there were lots of other events going on in the world this year. Some of them were tragic, like the coup in Bolivia, but some are hopeful and move us in a positive More

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Colombia: Over 10,000 Homicides, 230 Activists Killed in 2019. telesurenglish.net A total of 10,468 homicides have been officially recorded in Colombia between January and November 2019 according to the Foundation Peace and Reconciliation, corresponding to a rise of 2.34 percent compared with the previous year. | RELATED: | Colombian Attorney Asks to Stop Murder of Social Leaders | The Foundation's Director Ariel Avila highlighted the failure of the conservative government's "tough" approach against crime in the country in an interview with EFE. | The violence an…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Latin America: A Decade in Review. telesurenglish.net The period between 2010 and 2019 seems to be "the bittersweet decade" for the Latin American peoples. In its first part, the winds of economic development with social justice and equity were fueled by progressive governments that arose all over the continent as a result of the tenacity of workers, farmers, students, human rights defenders, gender activists, and environmental activists. | RELATED: | Venezuela's Maduro Gives Message of Peace in Address To Nation | In the middle of…

Peoples Dispatch (2019-12-31). Darfur peace process suffers a jolt following violent clash. peoplesdispatch.org Peace negotiations between Sudan's government and armed groups was halted after a clash in West Darfur that saw the death of eight people and left several others injured. Many have gone missing…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Venezuela's Maduro Gives Message of Peace in Address To Nation. telesurenglish.net In a speech to the nation given on national TV on Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gave a message of "peace, solidarity, and Christian spirit." | RELATED: | Putin Sends Congratulations to Maduro and Venezuela on New Year | "The media has tried to show an image of a country drowned in anarchy but we will come out victorious," he added, insisting that "the Christian spirit and solidarity" will help overcome any obstacle. | "We have overcome all the myths surrounding…

Staff (2019-12-31). Headlines for December 31, 2019. democracynow.org Protests Rage Outside U.S. Embassy in Iraq After U.S. Airstrikes Kill 24, Hate Crime Charges Filed Against Suspect in Hanukkah Stabbing in NY, Texas Church Shooter Had Long Criminal History, NYT: Top Officials Failed to Convince Trump to Release Withheld Ukraine Aid, Death Toll from Crackdown on Protests in India Rises to 27, Five Kashmiri Political Leaders Released from Detention, Sudanese Court Sentences 29 to Death for Killing Teacher in Anti-Protest Crackdown, Thousands Flee to the Ocean to Escape Australia Wildfires, Former Nissan Head Flees Japan to Lebanon to Escape Trial on Financial Crimes, New York Sett…

Viva Evo (2019-12-31). Bolivia a military coup. Coup leader Fernando Camacho boasting. indybay.org It was a military coup. Coup leader Fernando Camacho boasting about how his father coordinated with military so they wouldn't be mobilised against the anti-Evo protests before the coup.

Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear (2019-12-31). No Nuclear Weapons and Power Plants! All Out March 11, 2020. indybay.org On January 11, 2020 there will be an action in Koriyama near Fukushima to protest the Olympics in Japan and against nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

Middle East Eye (2019-12-31). Iraq Protesters Attack US Embassy over Air Strikes. globalresearch.ca Thousands of protesters attacked the US embassy in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday in anger at American air strikes in Iraq and Syria that killed more than two dozen Iran-backed militia fighters at the weekend. | The demonstrators marched through checkpoints …

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Iraq: Protesters Break Into the US Embassy in Baghdad. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of protesters sympathetic to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) stormed Tuesday at the United States Embassy in Baghdad following deadly U.S. attacks against positions of that armed group on Sunday night. Neither the U.S. ambassador nor officials are inside the building. | RELATED: | Iraq Warns US Of Strained Relations After Overnight Strikes | The protesters managed to penetrate the diplomatic headquarters and burned part of the surrounding wall, as well as some secur…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Smoke and Tears: A Decade of War in Middle East, North Africa. telesurenglish.net The 2010s can be described as a decade that began with hope with popular uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa, but that quickly turned to despair as political turmoil, foreign interventions, and war pushed the region into crisis. | RELATED: | 10 Trends and Events that Marked the Decade in Europe | As the decade ends, teleSUR looks back to the ten most important events that have shaped the lives of millions across the region: | 1. The Arab Spring: Tunisia and Egypt: | The 2010s began with what became known as the Arab Spring when a wave of protests rocked several Arab countries. In Decem…

WSWS (2019-12-31). Australia: Legal report documents "unlawful" police response to Melbourne climate protest. wsws.org The 45-page report exposes the increasingly repressive measures being employed by police around Australia against political dissent.

Patrick Cockburn (2019-12-31). How Nationalism is Transforming the Politics of the British Isles. counterpunch.org National identities and the relationship between England, Scotland and Ireland are changing more radically than at any time over the last century. It is worth looking at the British archipelago as a whole on this issue because of the closely-meshed political relationship of its constituent nations. More

Ralph Nader (2019-12-31). "Then, I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President." — "King" Donald Trump. counterpunch.org Against Donald J. Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wanted narrow impeachment charges, despite key House Committee Chairs' arguments for broadening the impeachment charges. These veteran lawmakers, led by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler, urged Speaker Pelosi to include the ten obstructions of justice documented in the Mueller Report. These House Committee Chairs also wanted More

South Front (2019-12-31). Video: Syrian Army Prepares for Operation in Aleppo, Turkish Proxies Move to Libya. globalresearch.ca The Syrian Army is preparing for a ground operation against radical militants in western Aleppo, sources close to the Damascus government claim. According to reports, the Syrian military was preparing for this operation during the past two months. | The operation …

South Front (2019-12-31). Video: Turkish Military Shelled Syrian Army Positions. globalresearch.ca The Turkish Army has shelled Syrian Army positions near the town of Bir Issa in northern Raqqa. Local Kurdish sources claimed that several Syrian soldiers were injured and three vehicles were destroyed in the incident that took place on December …

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-31). US Middle East Forever Wars. globalresearch.ca Iraqis suffered from direct and indirect US aggression since Jimmy Carter's orchestrated Iran/Iraq war in the 1980s. | Eight years of bloody fighting produced stalemate. Then came GHW Bush's 1991 Gulf War on Iraq, followed by years of genocidal sanctions, Bush …

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-31). What May Follow US Terror-Bombing Strikes on Iraqi Sites? globalresearch.ca What's most likely is more of the same, how the US operates under both right wings of its war party — at war on humanity at home and abroad, its killing machine making everyone unsafe everywhere. | Continued US aggression in …

Stephen Lendman (2019-12-31). The Great GOP Tax Cut Heist Two Years Later. globalresearch.ca The scam was and remains all about more greatly enriching corporate America and high-net worth households. | It's also part of bipartisan policy to destroy social justice, essential programs eroded to fund tax cuts for the rich and pay for endless …

Zoà´ Carpenter (2019-12-31). This Was the Decade of Feminist Uprisings in Latin America. thenation.com This Was the Decade of Feminist Uprisings in Latin America…

Patrick Martin (2019-12-31). Donald Trump and America's Criminal Wars. globalresearch.ca On Friday, the New York Times published leaked videos and photos documenting US war crimes in Iraq. The material included a photo of a dozen US Special Operations soldiers posing with the corpse of a teenager they had just murdered….

Stansfield Smith (2019-12-31). The Coup in Bolivia: Lessons for our Movement. dissidentvoice.org The US engineered another coup, this time Bolivia, and again our movement could not effectively counter pro-coup propaganda the US was selling to the public, let alone taking any action to stop it. There is an imperative need for much greater long-term cooperative work to combat US interventions. Needed is a qualitatively higher level of …

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Evo Morales Condemns Expulsion of Diplomats from Bolivia. telesurenglish.net The expulsion of diplomats from Mexico and Spain by the de facto Bolivian regime is an act of contempt for international law, the democratically elected President Evo Morales said on Tuesday. Morales condemned the move by "the coup plotters," highlighting the fact that they have been hurting the Andean nation's diplomatic ties. | RELATED: | Spain Expels 3 Bolivian Diplomats in Tit-For-Tat Move | "The coup plotters seek legitimacy, but only exert violence against sister countries," Mora…

Prof. Ociel Alí López (2019-12-31). Crisis and Critique: Venezuela, a Paradox of Stability? globalresearch.ca For Venezuelans, the start of 2019 was perhaps the tensest moment in the past seventeen years. Unlike the political violence of 2017 and the electoral abstention drama of 2018, we faced a real scenario of foreign military intervention in Venezuela. …

Humanist Community in Silicon Valley (2019-12-31). U.S. Sanctions: The Weaponization of the Global Financial System. indybay.org Mountain View Community Center | 201 South Rengstorff Avenue | Mountain View CA 94040…

WSWS (2019-12-31). The US sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the danger of World War III. wsws.org The decision by the US Congress to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline underscores the danger of world war.

Dean Baker (2019-12-31). William Greider and Secular Stagnation. counterpunch.org My friend, Bill Greider, died on Christmas day. Greider, who was 83, was an old-time journalist who believed that the job meant exposing the corruption of the rich and powerful, rather than becoming their friends in order to get inside stories. This meant that he was never very popular with elite types, as perhaps best More

Joshua Frank (2019-12-31). My Favorite Albums of 2019. counterpunch.org Another year with more unlistenable, corporate crap. Fortunately, there's still plenty of good music out there. Here are the albums that were on heavy rotation in my home this year. Purple Mountains, Purple Mountains, Drag City, 2019 David Berman's Purple Mountains is my favorite album of the year. Shortly after its release, Berman, who long More

Binoy Kampmark (2019-12-31). Scapegoats for Jamal Khashoggi. counterpunch.org The hit squad that went about its deadly business with varying degrees of competence in Istanbul last year is set to be thinned. Five members of the group tasked with strangling and carving up the Saudi journalist and out-of-favour Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate on October 2, 2018 are now facing the generous justice More

Belén Fernández (2019-12-31). How the US Made the So-Called 'Safe Third Countries' Unsafe. commondreams.org While the US arms industry is presumably feeling pretty secure right about now, it is safe to say many people in "safe third countries" are not. (Photo: Edgard Garrido/Reuters) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/clashes-honduras.jpg

Liberty Vittert (2019-12-31). Statistic of the Decade: The Massive Deforestation of the Amazon. commondreams.org The deforested land mainly contributes to cattle raising for slaughter and sale. (Photo: Matt Zimmerman/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amazon_4.jpg

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Australia: Wildfires Paint the Sky Red, Create Lightning Storms. telesurenglish.net The 2020 New Year's Eve celebrations were overshadowed by deadly wildfires along Australia's eastern seaboard, where thousands of people sought refuge from the bushfires on beaches. | RELATED: | US, Australia, and More Snub Calls for Climate Action at COP25 | "The Australia bushfires are so big that they are generating 'pyrocumulonimbus' clouds, which create their own thunderstorms that can start more fires," reported the Insider, based on data provided by the Bureau of Meteorolo…

Andre Vltchek (2019-12-31). Police in Hong Kong Brutalized by Rioters, While Attacked by the Western Press. globalresearch.ca It is much more than what you are allowed to see. The Hong Kong police force are heroically fighting both the rioters and a complex and extremely dangerous international network which is aiming at destabilizing the People's Republic of China….

teleSUR (2019-12-31). 'China's GDP to Reach $14.37 Trillion in 2019', President Xi. telesurenglish.net During the New Year speech delivered on Tuesday, China's President Xi Jinping reviewed the economic, social, political, and scientific achievements of his country and announced that over 10 million people were lifted out of poverty in 2019. | RELATED: | China, Russia, Iran Hold Drills at The 'Maritime Safety Belt' | "Thanks to our steady pursuit of high-qualit…

teleSUR (2019-12-31). Phase One of US-China Trade Deal To Be Signed on Jan. 15. telesurenglish.net United States President Donald Trump said Tuesday that phase one of the trade agreement with China would be signed at the White House on Jan. 15, although there are still considerable details to be clarified regarding the document. | RELATED: | China to Lower Import Tariffs on Over 850 Products by Jan. 1 | Trump announced that he would sign the agreement with "senior representatives of China" and that he would later travel to Beijing to begin the negotiations for the next phase.

2019-12-31: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Trump says he 'does not see war with Iran happening' hours after issuing a 'threat' against Tehran
rt.com | 2020-01-01
US President Donald Trump has said that the US is not gearing up for war with Iran, adding that he prefers peace to war. It comes just hours after the US leader upped the ante, making a pointed threat against Tehran on Twitter. | …
rt.com/news/477243-iran-war-trump-not-happening/

US sending 750 troops to Middle East after Baghdad embassy siege — Pentagon
rt.com | 2020-01-01
Some 750 paratroopers from the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division are already on their way to Kuwait, and more may soon follow, after the US embassy in Baghdad was stormed and nearly taken by angry Iraqi militiamen. | The 82nd's alert brigade has been ordered to deploy on Tuesday evening, Fox News reported citing multiple Pentagon officials, shortly before Defense Secretary Mark Esper confirmed it. | "The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world," Esper said, announcing the deployment. | …and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today. The United State…
rt.com/usa/477240-iraq-troops-kuwait-embassy/

As Honduras Collapses, Its People are Forced to Flee
Laura Carlsen | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Honduras is collapsing. The thousands of migrants who flee every day are direct testimony to a political, economic and social crisis that the world ignores and the U. S. government seems bent on perpetuating. Instead of examining the crisis behind the exodus, the Trump administration has set an intercontinental human trapline that captures thousands of the world's poorest and most persecuted men, women and children, and then converts their suffering into campaign fodder.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/as-honduras-collapses-its-people-are-forced-to-flee/

Syd Mead, Conceptual Artist Behind 'Blade Runner,' Dies at 86
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
Syd Mead, the influential conceptual artist who created images of the future for films such as "Blade Runner" (1982) and "Aliens" (1986), died on Monday morning in Pasadena, California, at the age of 86. | RELATED: | 'US Running Concentration Camps at the Border': Expert | Mead died after three years battling lymphoma cancer, his husband Roger Servick told specialist publication The Hollywood Reporter. | Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1933, the visionary illustrator and conceptual art…
telesurenglish.net/news/Syd-Mead-Conceptual-Artist-Behind-Blade-Runner-Dies-at-86-20191231-0013.html

Top 10 Events That Shaped North America in the 2010s
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
Over the course of the past decade, North America has experienced the rise of several social movements, such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, which have helped give voice to the voiceless and empower the oppressed. | While these movements helped bring necessary social change, the 2010s also witnessed the rise of the far-right under U.S. President Donald Trump, which has further divided people across the continent and world. | But as we look back at the 2010s, there are several events that have helped shape the present and the future of the continent. | 1) Whistleblowers (2010-Present) | Julian Assange and…
telesurenglish.net/news/Top-10-Events-That-Shaped-North-America-in-the-2010s-20191231-0001.html

Australian teachers' defence of Julian Assange welcomed by WikiLeaks supporters
wsws.org | 2019-12-31
US comedian Jimmy Dore discussed the initiative on the December 19 edition of his "Jimmy Dore Show Podcast."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/31/dore-d31.html

We are the majority; we must turn that into power
Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers | nationofchange.org | 2019-12-31
We are building toward being a movement that can make transformational changes over the next decade.
nationofchange.org/2019/12/31/we-are-the-majority-we-must-turn-that-into-power/

10 Good Things About 2019
Medea Benjamin | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Impeachment, Trump, impeachment, Trump. It's hard to think of this year without obsessing about the occupant of the White House. But yes, there were lots of other events going on in the world this year. Some of them were tragic, like the coup in Bolivia, but some are hopeful and move us in a positive…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/10-good-things-about-2019/

10 good things about 2019
Medea Benjamin | nationofchange.org | 2019-12-31
Remembering some of the gains in the difficult year of 2019 can help inspire us for the critical struggles ahead.
nationofchange.org/2019/12/31/10-good-things-about-2019/

India's Democracy is Facing an Existential Threat
Vijay Prashad | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Peaceful protests have been taking place across India. Every public event seems to be transformed into a demonstration against not only these laws, but the government itself. In Kolkata — from where I write these words — the annual Rainbow Pride Walk combined Gay Pride with opposition to these laws. Signs at the march read, 'No CAA' and 'No to Fascism.' The Indian flag — not often seen at these events — was everywhere, a symbol of the fight over how 'India' should be understood.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/indias-democracy-is-facing-an-existential-threat/

Colombia: Over 10,000 Homicides, 230 Activists Killed in 2019
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
A total of 10,468 homicides have been officially recorded in Colombia between January and November 2019 according to the Foundation Peace and Reconciliation, corresponding to a rise of 2.34 percent compared with the previous year. | RELATED: | Colombian Attorney Asks to Stop Murder of Social Leaders | The Foundation's Director Ariel Avila highlighted the failure of the conservative government's "tough" approach against crime in the country in an interview with EFE. | The violence an…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-Over-10000-Homicides-230-Activists-Killed-in-2019-20191230-0015.html

Latin America: A Decade in Review
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
The period between 2010 and 2019 seems to be "the bittersweet decade" for the Latin American peoples. In its first part, the winds of economic development with social justice and equity were fueled by progressive governments that arose all over the continent as a result of the tenacity of workers, farmers, students, human rights defenders, gender activists, and environmental activists. | RELATED: | Venezuela's Maduro Gives Message of Peace in Address To Nation | In the middle of…
telesurenglish.net/news/Latin-America-A-Decade-in-Review-20191231-0009.html

Darfur peace process suffers a jolt following violent clash
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-31
Peace negotiations between Sudan's government and armed groups was halted after a clash in West Darfur that saw the death of eight people and left several others injured. Many have gone missing…
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/31/darfur-peace-process-sudanese-government-signs-deal-with-armed-groups/

Venezuela's Maduro Gives Message of Peace in Address To Nation
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
In a speech to the nation given on national TV on Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gave a message of "peace, solidarity, and Christian spirit." | RELATED: | Putin Sends Congratulations to Maduro and Venezuela on New Year | "The media has tried to show an image of a country drowned in anarchy but we will come out victorious," he added, insisting that "the Christian spirit and solidarity" will help overcome any obstacle. | "We have overcome all the myths surrounding…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuelas-Maduro-Gives-Message-of-Peace-in-Address-To-Nation-20191230-0014.html

Bolivia a military coup. Coup leader Fernando Camacho boasting
Viva Evo | indybay.org | 2019-12-31
It was a military coup. Coup leader Fernando Camacho boasting about how his father coordinated with military so they wouldn't be mobilised against the anti-Evo protests before the coup.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/28/18829289.php

No Nuclear Weapons and Power Plants! All Out March 11, 2020
Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear | indybay.org | 2019-12-31
On January 11, 2020 there will be an action in Koriyama near Fukushima to protest the Olympics in Japan and against nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/31/18829367.php

Iraq Protesters Attack US Embassy over Air Strikes
Middle East Eye | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
Thousands of protesters attacked the US embassy in the Iraqi capital on Tuesday in anger at American air strikes in Iraq and Syria that killed more than two dozen Iran-backed militia fighters at the weekend. | The demonstrators marched through checkpoints …
globalresearch.ca/iraq-protesters-attack-us-embassy-air-strikes/5699183

Smoke and Tears: A Decade of War in Middle East, North Africa
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
The 2010s can be described as a decade that began with hope with popular uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa, but that quickly turned to despair as political turmoil, foreign interventions, and war pushed the region into crisis. | RELATED: | 10 Trends and Events that Marked the Decade in Europe | As the decade ends, teleSUR looks back to the ten most important events that have shaped the lives of millions across the region: | 1. The Arab Spring: Tunisia and Egypt: | The 2010s began with what became known as the Arab Spring when a wave of protests rocked several Arab countries. In Decem…
telesurenglish.net/news/Smoke-and-Tears-A-Decade-of-War-in-Middle-East-North-Africa-20191230-0013.html

Iraq: Protesters Break Into the US Embassy in Baghdad
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
Hundreds of protesters sympathetic to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) stormed Tuesday at the United States Embassy in Baghdad following deadly U.S. attacks against positions of that armed group on Sunday night. Neither the U.S. ambassador nor officials are inside the building. | RELATED: | Iraq Warns US Of Strained Relations After Overnight Strikes | The protesters managed to penetrate the diplomatic headquarters and burned part of the surrounding wall, as well as some secur…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iraq-Protesters-Break-Into-the-US-Embassy-in-Baghdad-20191231-0003.html

Australia: Legal report documents "unlawful" police response to Melbourne climate protest
wsws.org | 2019-12-31
The 45-page report exposes the increasingly repressive measures being employed by police around Australia against political dissent.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/31/mals-d31.html

How Nationalism is Transforming the Politics of the British Isles
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
National identities and the relationship between England, Scotland and Ireland are changing more radically than at any time over the last century. It is worth looking at the British archipelago as a whole on this issue because of the closely-meshed political relationship of its constituent nations.
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/how-nationalism-is-transforming-the-politics-of-the-british-isles/

"Then, I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President." — "King" Donald Trump
Ralph Nader | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Against Donald J. Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wanted narrow impeachment charges, despite key House Committee Chairs' arguments for broadening the impeachment charges. These veteran lawmakers, led by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler, urged Speaker Pelosi to include the ten obstructions of justice documented in the Mueller Report. These House Committee Chairs also wanted…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/then-i-have-an-article-ii-where-i-have-the-right-to-do-whatever-i-want-as-president-king-donald-trump/

Video: Syrian Army Prepares for Operation in Aleppo, Turkish Proxies Move to Libya
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
The Syrian Army is preparing for a ground operation against radical militants in western Aleppo, sources close to the Damascus government claim. According to reports, the Syrian military was preparing for this operation during the past two months. | The operation …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-army-prepares-operation-aleppo-turkish-proxies-move-libya/5699151

Video: Turkish Military Shelled Syrian Army Positions
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
The Turkish Army has shelled Syrian Army positions near the town of Bir Issa in northern Raqqa. Local Kurdish sources claimed that several Syrian soldiers were injured and three vehicles were destroyed in the incident that took place on December …
globalresearch.ca/video-turkish-military-shelled-syrian-army-positions/5699178

US Middle East Forever Wars
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
Iraqis suffered from direct and indirect US aggression since Jimmy Carter's orchestrated Iran/Iraq war in the 1980s. | Eight years of bloody fighting produced stalemate. Then came GHW Bush's 1991 Gulf War on Iraq, followed by years of genocidal sanctions, Bush …
globalresearch.ca/us-middle-east-forever-wars/5699149

What May Follow US Terror-Bombing Strikes on Iraqi Sites?
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
What's most likely is more of the same, how the US operates under both right wings of its war party — at war on humanity at home and abroad, its killing machine making everyone unsafe everywhere. | Continued US aggression in …
globalresearch.ca/what-may-follow-us-terror-bombing-strikes-iraqi-sites/5699217

The Great GOP Tax Cut Heist Two Years Later
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
The scam was and remains all about more greatly enriching corporate America and high-net worth households. | It's also part of bipartisan policy to destroy social justice, essential programs eroded to fund tax cuts for the rich and pay for endless …
globalresearch.ca/great-gop-tax-cut-heist-two-years-later/5699146

This Was the Decade of Feminist Uprisings in Latin America
Zoà´ Carpenter | thenation.com | 2019-12-31
This Was the Decade of Feminist Uprisings in Latin America…
thenation.com/article/ecuador-abortion-green-wave/

Donald Trump and America's Criminal Wars
Patrick Martin | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
On Friday, the New York Times published leaked videos and photos documenting US war crimes in Iraq. The material included a photo of a dozen US Special Operations soldiers posing with the corpse of a teenager they had just murdered….
globalresearch.ca/edward-gallagher-donald-trump-america-criminal-wars/5699191

The Coup in Bolivia: Lessons for our Movement
Stansfield Smith | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-31
The US engineered another coup, this time Bolivia, and again our movement could not effectively counter pro-coup propaganda the US was selling to the public, let alone taking any action to stop it. There is an imperative need for much greater long-term cooperative work to combat US interventions. Needed is a qualitatively higher level of …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/the-coup-in-bolivia-lessons-for-our-movement/

Evo Morales Condemns Expulsion of Diplomats from Bolivia
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
The expulsion of diplomats from Mexico and Spain by the de facto Bolivian regime is an act of contempt for international law, the democratically elected President Evo Morales said on Tuesday. Morales condemned the move by "the coup plotters," highlighting the fact that they have been hurting the Andean nation's diplomatic ties. | RELATED: | Spain Expels 3 Bolivian Diplomats in Tit-For-Tat Move | "The coup plotters seek legitimacy, but only exert violence against sister countries," Mora…
telesurenglish.net/news/Evo-Morales-Condemns-Expulsion-of-Diplomats-from-Bolivia-20191231-0007.html

Crisis and Critique: Venezuela, a Paradox of Stability?
Prof. Ociel Alí López | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
For Venezuelans, the start of 2019 was perhaps the tensest moment in the past seventeen years. Unlike the political violence of 2017 and the electoral abstention drama of 2018, we faced a real scenario of foreign military intervention in Venezuela. …
globalresearch.ca/venezuela-paradox-stability/5699199

U.S. Sanctions: The Weaponization of the Global Financial System
Humanist Community in Silicon Valley | indybay.org | 2019-12-31
Mountain View Community Center | 201 South Rengstorff Avenue | Mountain View CA 94040…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/12/31/18829374.php

The US sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the danger of World War III
wsws.org | 2019-12-31
The decision by the US Congress to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline underscores the danger of world war.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/31/nord-d31.html

After the Inferno
Elliot Sperber | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
After the Inferno Back in the 20th century When I was young There were shoe shops And there were shoe stores; And they were utterly different The stores were where the shoes, Both old and new, were stored — Like a library More than a warehouse, as they were free For all to take out…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/after-the-inferno/

To Distinguish Fact From Fiction in Korea, First Follow the Money
Joseph Essertier | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
The "masters" of the Empire of Japan, who invaded and dominated Korea for half a century, followed the "vile maxim" that is typical of the "masters of mankind," i.e., "all for ourselves, and nothing for other people" (Adam Smith). And while a "budding elite" of talented Koreans in fields such as…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/to-distinguish-fact-from-fiction-in-korea-first-follow-the-money/

My Favorite Albums of 2019
Joshua Frank | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Another year with more unlistenable, corporate crap. Fortunately, there's still plenty of good music out there. Here are the albums that were on heavy rotation in my home this year. Purple Mountains, Purple Mountains, Drag City, 2019 David Berman's Purple Mountains is my favorite album of the year. Shortly after its release, Berman, who long…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/my-favorite-albums-of-2019/

Scapegoats for Jamal Khashoggi
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
The hit squad that went about its deadly business with varying degrees of competence in Istanbul last year is set to be thinned. Five members of the group tasked with strangling and carving up the Saudi journalist and out-of-favour Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate on October 2, 2018 are now facing the generous justice…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/scapegoats-for-jamal-khashoggi/

A Message From the New Year's Day AKC Dog Show
Lee Hall | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
More than five thousand dogs from 21 countries are appearing in the American Kennel Club New Year's Day 2020 dog show. Discovery Channel's Animal Planet touts it as the largest in the country. But it's just another trivial show on Animal Planet. Unrelated to the big environmental or economic issues of our time. Not worth…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/a-message-from-the-new-years-day-akc-dog-show-2/

William Greider and Secular Stagnation
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
My friend, Bill Greider, died on Christmas day. Greider, who was 83, was an old-time journalist who believed that the job meant exposing the corruption of the rich and powerful, rather than becoming their friends in order to get inside stories. This meant that he was never very popular with elite types, as perhaps best…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/william-grieder-and-secular-stagnation/

My Favorite Albums of 2019
Joshua Frank | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
Another year with more unlistenable, corporate crap. Fortunately, there's still plenty of good music out there. Here are the albums that were on heavy rotation in my home this year. Purple Mountains, Purple Mountains, Drag City, 2019 David Berman's Purple Mountains is my favorite album of the year. Shortly after its release, Berman, who long…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/my-favorite-albums-of-2019/

Scapegoats for Jamal Khashoggi
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
The hit squad that went about its deadly business with varying degrees of competence in Istanbul last year is set to be thinned. Five members of the group tasked with strangling and carving up the Saudi journalist and out-of-favour Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate on October 2, 2018 are now facing the generous justice…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/scapegoats-for-jamal-khashoggi/

The Key to the Environmental Crisis is Beneath Our Feet
Ellen Brown | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
The Green New Deal resolution that was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives in February hit a wall in the Senate, where it was called unrealistic and unaffordable. In a Washington Post article titled "The Green New Deal Sets Us Up for Failure. We Need a Better Approach," former Colorado governor and Democratic presidential candidate John…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/the-key-to-the-environmental-crisis-is-beneath-our-feet/

A Message From the New Year's Day AKC Dog Show
Lee Hall | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-31
More than five thousand dogs from 21 countries are appearing in the American Kennel Club New Year's Day 2020 dog show. Discovery Channel's Animal Planet touts it as the largest in the country. But it's just another trivial show on Animal Planet. Unrelated to the big environmental or economic issues of our time. Not worth…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/31/a-message-from-the-new-years-day-akc-dog-show-2/

How the US Made the So-Called 'Safe Third Countries' Unsafe
Belén Fernández | commondreams.org | 2019-12-31
While the US arms industry is presumably feeling pretty secure right about now, it is safe to say many people in "safe third countries" are not. (Photo: Edgard Garrido/Reuters) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/clashes-honduras.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/31/how-us-made-so-called-safe-third-countries-unsafe?cd-origin=rss

Statistic of the Decade: The Massive Deforestation of the Amazon
Liberty Vittert | commondreams.org | 2019-12-31
The deforested land mainly contributes to cattle raising for slaughter and sale. (Photo: Matt Zimmerman/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amazon_4.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/12/31/statistic-decade-massive-deforestation-amazon?cd-origin=rss

Australia: Wildfires Paint the Sky Red, Create Lightning Storms
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-31
The 2020 New Year's Eve celebrations were overshadowed by deadly wildfires along Australia's eastern seaboard, where thousands of people sought refuge from the bushfires on beaches. | RELATED: | US, Australia, and More Snub Calls for Climate Action at COP25 | "The Australia bushfires are so big that they are generating 'pyrocumulonimbus' clouds, which create their own thunderstorms that can start more fires," reported the Insider, based on data provided by the Bureau of Meteorolo…
telesurenglish.net/news/Australia-Wildfires-Paint-the-Sky-Red-Create-Lightning-Storms-20191231-0006.html

Police in Hong Kong Brutalized by Rioters While Attacked by the Western Press
Andre Vltchek | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-12-31
It is much more than what you are allowed to see. The Hong Kong police force are heroically fighting both the rioters and a complex and extremely dangerous international network which is aiming at destabilizing the People's Republic of China. Uighur, Taiwan, USA, EU — united against socialism and China I never saw such cynicism …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/12/police-in-hong-kong-brutalized-by-rioters-while-attacked-by-the-western-press/

Binary People in an Analogue World. What is an "Authoritarian Environment"? China versus The West
Larry Romanoff | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
One day in Rome, I asked the policeman, "Is it okay if I park my car here, partially blocking the emergency entrance to the hospital? I just want to go across the street for a coffee for a few minutes." …
globalresearch.ca/binary-people-analogue-world/5699211

Police in Hong Kong Brutalized by Rioters, While Attacked by the Western Press
Andre Vltchek | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-31
It is much more than what you are allowed to see. The Hong Kong police force are heroically fighting both the rioters and a complex and extremely dangerous international network which is aiming at destabilizing the People's Republic of China….
globalresearch.ca/police-hong-kong-brutalized-rioters-attacked-western-press/5699209