(2019-10-08). Get your popcorn? Trump & Comey to face off…in TV drama series. rt.com 
Russiagate may have fizzled out, but efforts to cash in on the ensuing hysteria have only just begun. CBS Studios will make a TV show based on the debunked conspiracy theory, with some already joking it will surely not be biased.
(2019-10-08). Swedish teen climate activist rallies crowd in South Dakota. peoplesworld.org 
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A 16-year-old environmental activist from Sweden urged politicians Monday at a South Dakota appearance to listen to indigenous people on climate change. Greta Thunberg spoke at a rally in Rapid City that attracted hundreds of people. She spoke out against the proposed path of the Keystone XL pipeline through South …
(2019-10-08). Longest UK parliamentary session comes to an end — for good. thecanary.co 
The longest parliamentary session in the history of the United Kingdom ends on Tuesday night — and this time for good.The session initially came to an end in the early hours of 10 September, when parliament was thought to have been prorogued — or suspended — until 14 October.But the supreme court then ruled the prorogation was unlawful, meaning the session had not technically ended at all.Instead, MPs returned to the house of commons on 25 September to resume parliamentary business.The current session formally began on 21 June 2017 with the State Opening of Parliament, including the Queen's Speech.
(2019-10-08). 'Gift to Putin!' Meltdown as House Democrat claims Trump plans to ditch Open Skies treaty. rt.com 
The House Foreign Affairs Committee chair has sent a letter to the White House expressing concern over "reports" that President Donald Trump wants to abandon the Open Skies Treaty. Yet the only such report is his own. | Congressman Eliot Engel (D-New York) denounced on Monday "potential plans" to withdraw from the treaty, saying it would be "a blow to United States national security interests, endangering Ukraine and other key European allies."
(2019-10-08). When Ukraine's Prosecutor came after his son's sponsor Joe Biden sprang into action. mronline.org 
There are some serious questions around the Biden family involvement in the Ukraine that the media have not picked up on. | Source
(2019-10-08). US arming of Ukraine is a scandal on its own. thegrayzone.com There is growing evidence that President Donald Trump briefly froze U.S. military assistance to Ukraine for political goals. Max Blumenthal…
(2019-10-08). Winners and Losers From Trump Throwing Syrian Kurds Under the Bus. commondreams.org It is difficult to see in what way Russia is benefited by Turkey's incursion into northeast Syria. (Photo: @LevHavryliv/Twitter) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/assad.jpeg …
(2019-10-08). As Turkey Readies for Invasion of Northern Syria, Russia and Iran Object. theantimedia.com Turkey has readied its forces for an offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, prompting negative reactions from Iran and Russia.
(2019-10-08). Video: Idlib Militants Retreating to Turkish Border. globalresearch.ca On October 5, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out airstrikes on positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham near the town of Ballisa and Agr Hilltop in southern Idlib. The strikes eliminated at least 9 militants and became a logical continuation of …
(2019-10-08). "Defender 2020": NATO powers threaten war against Russia. wsws.org In the coming year, armed forces from 17 NATO states, including the US and Germany, will carry out the "Defender 2020" manoeuvres.
(2019-10-08). UN chief urges 'maximum restraint' following policy shift over northeastern Syria. un.org The UN chief on Tuesday expressed "great concern" over recent policy statements made regarding northeastern Syria, following the announcement from the United States at the start of the week, that it would withdraw troops from the area close to the border with Turkey.
(2019-10-08). Corbyn congratulates Portugal's Socialist-led government for increasing its anti-austerity mandate in election. thecanary.co Portugal's centre-left government has increased its votes in Portugal's general election, and is poised to continue in government for another four years. | UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn congratulated the Socialist Party-led government on its victory, saying: | @antoniocostapm and the Portuguese Socialist Party on today's election success. | Your government, supported by the wider left, shows there is an alternative to austerity in Europe. #Portugal2019
(2019-10-08). State Department Blocks EU Ambassador's Deposition in Impeachment Inquiry. truthout.org | | The State Department directed U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland not to appear Tuesday morning for a scheduled hearing about President Donald Trump's communications with Ukraine. | Sondland, a key figure in the burgeoning scandal at the heart of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, had previously agreed to appear voluntarily before the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees behind closed-doors. | The decision to block the top diplomat from speaki…
(2019-10-08). France Not To Sign Mercosur Agreement Due to Amazon Destruction. telesurenglish.net France will not sign the EU-Mercosur farming deal struck between the European Union and the Mercosur countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay under current conditions, France's environment minister said on Tuesday. | RELATED: | France, First Country in EU With Facial Recognition ID System | "We can't sign a trade treaty with a country that doesn't respect the Amazon forest, that doesn't respect the Paris (climate) treaty. France will not sign the Mercosur deal under t…
(2019-10-08). Overreach, the Achilles Heel of Autocrats. counterpunch.org It Has Happened Here and Everywhere It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating the democratic wave sweeping Europe in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse. It seems like yesterday that we hailed the Arab Spring and its potential for democratization across the Middle East. It seems like yesterday that we scoffed at More
(2019-10-08). Delayed electoral reform left some unable to vote in EU elections, report claims. thecanary.co Some EU citizens living in the UK were left unable to vote during the European elections because of government delays in implementing recommended electoral changes, a new report has claimed. | The Electoral Commission's report found some British expats and citizens of other EU member states living in the UK faced "difficulties" when trying to vote in the European parliamentary elections on 23 May 2019. | In its report, published on Tuesday, the commission said the problems were caused by the government's delay in implementing electoral changes it had first recommended in 2014. | Bob Posner, the commission's chief…
(2019-10-08). Boris Johnson out in the cold with no Brexit deal in sight. thecanary.co 
Boris Johnson's attempts to secure a deal with Brussels continue to be met with frostiness by EU leaders whose objections are beginning to become clearer.The prime minister has said that his blueprint to resolve the issue of the backstop represents a "fair and reasonable compromise".However, EU leaders have so far refused to enter into detailed discussions on the plan, saying it does not represent the basis for a new Brexit settlement.The EU's main concern is an aspect of the Ireland protocol which commits both sides to never introducing checks on the border, according to the BBC.Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Brian Law…
(2019-10-08). U.K. and EU tempers flare as hopes of a Brexit deal disappear. peoplesworld.org 
A sense of brevity is absent behind the iconic, six-paneled, Georgian style, front door of Number 10 Downing Street: The prime minister's office. With only 23 days left before the U.K. is—once again—scheduled to depart from the European Union, the future of Brexit remains unclear. Voters are divided, political parties seem incapable of setting aside …
(2019-10-08). Johnson accuses EU of making it impossible to leave with a deal. thecanary.co 
Downing Street has accused Brussels of making it "impossible" for Britain to leave the European Union with a deal.Following a call between Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel, a Number 10 source said the German chancellor had made it clear that the EU had taken a "new position" following the tabling of the latest UK plan last week."She made clear a deal is overwhelmingly unlikely and she thinks the EU has a veto on us leaving the customs union," the source, quoted by Sky News, said.German Chancellor Angela Merkel is said to have made clear that a Brexit deal is 'overwhelmingly unlikely'(Michael Sohn/AP)Merkel is said…
(2019-10-08). European Union set to reject Johnson's Brexit proposal. wsws.org The government is set on a massive escalation of the constitutional crisis opened up by Brexit.
(2019-10-08). In European First, Proposed Constitutional Amendment in Sweden Would Enshrine Rights of Nature. commondreams.org "When we're in the beginning of an ecological and climate collapse," said the lawmaker who introduced the measure, "I hope we can re-think our relationship with Nature." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/rights_of_nature_sweden.jpg …
(2019-10-08). After US Withdrawal, Turkey Announces Troops Are In Place for Planned Offensive Against Kurds in Syria. commondreams.org A day after President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw U.S. troops from northeastern Syria, Turkey announced its plans to move ahead with military operations in the country targeting Kurdish forces. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11746274351.jpg …
(2019-10-08). As Democrats Threaten Subpoena for Sondland, Calls Grow for Contempt Order If He Refuses to Comply. commondreams.org Three House committees on Tuesday announced their intention to subpoena Gordon Sondland, President Donald Trump's ambassador to the European Union, hours after the White House blocked Sondland from testifying. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11798006421.jpg …
(2019-10-08). 'What Is the Trump Administration Trying to Hide?' Asks Sanders After President Blocks Amb. Gordon Sondland Testimony. commondreams.org The Trump administration blocked Gordon Sondland, his ambassador to the European Union, from giving a highly-anticipated testimony to three House committees on Tuesday as part of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump—intensifying speculation that the president is hiding information about his request for foreign intervention in the 2020 presidential election. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1166060401.png …
(2019-10-07). Ardent Trump defender Graham calls decision to withdraw from Syria 'DISASTER in the making'. rt.com 
Senator Lindsey Graham, who is usually one of President Donald Trump's most vocal supporters, has lashed out at his decision to withdraw US troops from northeastern Syria ahead of an imminent incursion by Turkey. | The move, Graham said, will result in a return of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), make the Kurds ally with the Syrian government, destroy Turkey's relationship with the US Congress, and leave a stain on US honor, the senator argued. He said he would file a motion in the Senate seeking a reversal of the decision. | * Ensures ISIS comeback. | * Forces Kurds to align with Assad a…
(2019-10-07). Climate protesters block roads in London and across Europe to demand urgent action. thecanary.co 
Extinction Rebellion activists have blocked major roads in London and other cities across Europe at the beginning of what was billed as a wide-ranging series of protests demanding urgent action to deal with the world's climate crisis.Demonstrators marched through central London as they kicked off two weeks of activities designed to disrupt the city. London police said some 135 climate activists had been arrested.Extinction Rebellion said protesters from the XR Peace group were arrested as they blocked Victoria Embankment, outside the Ministry of Defence.Among those arrested was 81-year-old Sarah Lasenby, a retire…
(2019-10-07). Ukrainegate goes to Pentagon: House Democrats subpoena DoD & OMB as part of Trump impeachment probe. rt.com 
Seeking to impeach President Donald Trump over allegedly using military aid to pressure Ukraine, House Democrats are demanding documents from the Pentagon and the Office of Management and Budget. | Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees of the US House of Representatives have sent out subpoenas, giving the Pentagon and the OMB a week to produce documents related to Trump's decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine. The deadline for compliance is October 15. | Trump "jeopardized national security by pressing Ukraine to interfere with our 2020 election and by withholding military assistance prov…
(2019-10-07). Profit, Not Politics: Trump Allies Sought Ukraine Gas Deal. truthdig.com 
KYIV, Ukraine — As Rudy Giuliani was pushing Ukrainian officials last spring to investigate one of Donald Trump's main political rivals, a group of individuals with ties to the president and his personal lawyer were also active in the former Soviet republic. | Their aims were profit, not politics. This circle of businessmen and Republican donors touted connections to Giuliani and Trump while trying to install new management at the top of Ukraine's massive state gas company. Their plan was to then steer lucrative contracts to companies controlled by Trump allies, according to two people with knowledge of the…
(2019-10-07). Trump meddled in Ukraine, and he's not alone. thegrayzone.com As Donald Trump appears caught attempting a quid pro quo, Max Blumenthal argues that the Ukrainegate scandal also highlights a…
(2019-10-07). Venezuela Arrests Oil Exec for Corruption, Receives $4bn in Russian Investment. venezuelanalysis.com Moscow and Caracas are reportedly working on a long-term cooperation agreement set to last at least until 2030.
(2019-10-07). Pompeo signs US-Greek military alliance and threatens Iran, Russia, China. wsws.org Aggressive US and European foreign policy is intensifying the risk that great-power conflict over the Balkans and the Middle East can trigger a global war.
(2019-10-07). Fox News in Disarray as Hosts Struggle to Digest Trump's Betrayal of the Syrian Kurds. theintercept.com Donald Trump's late-night decision to abandon the Syrian Kurds who helped the United States destroy the Islamic State caliphate in Syria prompted a rare outburst of dissent on Monday on the president's favorite television program, "Fox and Friends." | The news of Trump's complete reversal of his pledge in June to defend the Kurds from a threatened Turkish invasion of their enclave in northern Syria outraged one of the president's most die-hard boosters, Fox h…
(2019-10-07). US Troops Will Withdraw From Northeast Syria to Avoid Imminent Turkish Invasion. theantimedia.com U.S.-backed forces in Syria said they would "not hesitate to turn any unprovoked attack by Turkey into an all-out war."
(2019-10-07). Turkish Military Operation in Syria Begins: Jets Filmed Bombing Kurdish Targets. theantimedia.com This despite the Pentagon claiming to have effectively shut down Northern Syria airspace to Turkey.
(2019-10-07). The U.S. Is Now Betraying the Kurds for the Eighth Time. theintercept.com The White House announced Sunday night that the United States is giving Turkey a green light to invade northern Syria, with the U.S. troops there now apparently pulling back to another area of the country. This is the scenario that Syrian Kurds have long feared. It will almost inevitably lead to a Turkish attack on Kurdish militias in Syria — fighters who loyally helped the U.S. destroy the Islamic State, but whom Turkey bogusly claims to be terrorists. | On Monday morning, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman asked why Do…
(2019-10-07). Turkey's Erdogan to Meet Trump in Washington DC to Discuss Syria. theantimedia.com There had been expectations in Turkey of Trump-Erdogan meeting on Syria last month on sidelines of UN General Assembly, but it did not happen.
(2019-10-07). Kosovo Opposition Triumphs in Legislative Elections. telesurenglish.net Kosovo opposition parties Self-determination (Vetevendosje) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) triumphed in Sunday's legislative elections in the small East European country, according to figures from the Central Electoral Commission with more than 80 percent of the ballots counted. | RELATED: | 2nd Whistleblower in Trump-Ukraine Scandal Comes Forward | The Democratic Party of Kosovo, the largest political force in the outgoing government, came in in third place in the voting…
(2019-10-07). The political giving history of Trump's Ukraine diplomats. nationofchange.org A series of text messages between U.S. diplomats released Thursday night reveals an apparent effort to pressure Ukraine into performing an investigation that could prove harmful to President Donald Trump's potential 2020 opponent. | One of the diplomats involved has a lengthy history as a Republican donor, while another performed lobbying work for foreign clients and a major defense company. | In the exchanges, acting ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor asked Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, if U.S. secur…
(2019-10-07). U.S. Police are Being Trained by Israel—And Communities of Color Are Paying the Price. progressive.org In recent years, Georgia has experienced troubling trends in fatal police shootings. As this has unfolded, the state continues to pursue a "police exchange" program with the state of Israel.
(2019-10-07). Trump Is Still Riding Herd Over the GOP. thenation.com Trump Is Still Riding Herd Over the GOP…
(2019-10-07). "A Shakespearean Act of Betrayal": Trump Agrees to Let Turkey Invade Kurdish-Controlled Syrian Area. democracynow.org 
U.S. troops have begun withdrawing from northeast Syria as Turkey prepares to invade Kurdish-controlled areas of the country. For years, the Kurds have been close allies to the United States in the fight against ISIS. On Sunday, however, the White House released a statement that surprised many in the region, announcing that Turkey would be "moving forward with its long-planned operation in Northern Syria," following a phone call between President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in that operation, and the United States forces, having…
(2019-10-07). Headlines for October 7, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Orders U.S. Troops to Step Aside for Turkish Assault on Kurdish Forces, 109 Killed and 6,000 Wounded as Anti-Government Protests Rage in Iraq, Second Whistleblower Has Firsthand Knowledge of Trump-Ukraine Scandal, Secretary of State Pompeo Calls Impeachment Inquiry "Silly Gotcha Game", Trump Calls GOP Senator Mitt Romney "Pompous" over Ukraine Rebuke, North Korea Calls Off Denuclearization Talks with the U.S., U.S. Meets with Taliban for First Time Since Trump Canceled Afghan Peace Talks, Israeli Forces Fire on Gaza Protesters, Killing One and Injuring Dozens, Protesters Call for Kavanaugh's Removal One Yea…
(2019-10-07). Just Hours After Trump Bends to Erdoƒüan, Reports Indicate Turkey's Bombing of Kurdish Forces Has Begun. commondreams.org "The Turkish threats mean that the situation in this region will return to point zero," warned the SDF on Monday. "There will be chaos once again." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-10-07_at_5.37.15_pm.png …
(2019-10-06). Why is the Army Still Honoring Confederate Generals? theintercept.com 
Photo illustration: Soohee Cho/The Intercept; Photos: National Archives, University of Georgia School of Law, Wikimedia Commons, Library of Congress, Getty Images | In the South in the years before the Civil War, it would have been difficult to find a more zealous advocate for slavery than Henry Lewis Benning. He was a firebrand from Georgia and an early advocate of Southern secession. As his public stature rose, Benning became an increasingly ardent voice for the creation of a pro-slavery Southern republic. He helped draft Georgia's ordinance of secession, which took the state out of the Union just before th…
(2019-10-06). 2nd whistleblower 'comes forward' with more Ukrainegate 'proof' in Trump impeachment saga — report. rt.com 
The lawyer representing a whistleblower, whose complaint fueled the Democrats' attempt to impeach Trump for "pressuring" Ukraine, said that a second intelligence officer with "first-hand knowledge" of allegations has spoken up. | Attorney Mark Zaid told ABC News that he is now representing the second whistleblower, who had already been interviewed by Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Michael Atkinson. | Earlier, the New York Times reported that a second person may come forward and testify about the case, but it was not immediately clear whether Zaid's new client is the same person. | Zaid told me…
(2019-10-06). 'Biden family was PAID OFF, pure and simple!' Trump in latest rant over Ukrainegate. rt.com 
Attacking the Bidens, the Democrats and the "fake news" media in one powerful swipe, President Donald Trump has fired a volley of trademark Sunday tweets, calling Joe and Hunter Biden's involvement in Ukraine "inexcusable." | "It is INCREDIBLE to watch and read the Fake News and how they pull out all stops to protect Sleepy Joe Biden and his thrown out of the Military son, Hunter," Trump started out, before launching into a Twitterstorm of seemingly damning facts about the Bidens, Ukraine and China. | He brought up Hunter's "$100,000 a month (Plus,Plus)" income from the Ukrainian gas company Burisma "even thou…
(2019-10-06). Internal Dissolution: Brexit and the Disunited Kingdom. dissidentvoice.org While the European family seems to be having its internal spats — populist sparks within threatening to light the powder keg — the marshals and deputies, for the most part, are attempting to contain the British contagion. Britain is still scheduled to leave on October 31 without a deal with the European Union. The divorce …
(2019-10-06). Support grows for Jock Palfreeman inside Bulgaria. greenleft.org.au 
rule of law Pip HinmanIssue 1240 Australia parole justice injusticeOctober 7, 2019On October 7, in an unprecedented departure from the rule of law, three j…
(2019-10-06). 'I feel like never before': Russian-born LA 'Subway Soprano' gives tearful INTERVIEW after her 1st big stage performance (VIDEO). rt.com 
'Subway Soprano' Emily Zamourka, a homeless singer who became a viral sensation overnight, couldn't hold back tears when talking to Ruptly after her first big stage performance. She said she's starting a full-time music career. | Speaking to RT's video agency Ruptly after her performance at the opening of the New Little Italy district in Los Angeles, the Russian-born Zamourka said she felt "like never before in her entire life." She sang an aria from Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini. | I feel this is… my chance of teaching people the real me, who I was the whole time. | It all started with a tweet o…
(2019-10-05). Dems fishing for State Dept leakers? Pompeo warns Congress against 'HARASSING' his employees over Trump impeachment probe. rt.com 
Mike Pompeo says the State Department will cooperate with a congressional probe seeking the impeachment of Donald Trump — but he will not allow his employees to be coerced into leaking documents as part of a "silly gotcha game." | Read more | | The Ukraine affair is damning, all right — just not in the way you're being told to think | Pompeo said on Saturday that his department had responded in writing to a congressional request for documents linked to the probe into whether US President Donald Trump tried to pressure Ukraine to investi…