(2019-11-23). Big in Japan: Russian teen Alena Kostornaia wins figure skating Grand Prix in Sapporo. rt.com 
Russian figure skater Alena Kostornaia picked up her second ISU Grand Prix win of the season as the teenager claimed top spot in Japan, while countrywoman Alina Zagitova finished third. | Sitting first after the short program, Kostornaia, 16, topped the free program rankings with a score of 154.96 — giving her a combined total of 240.00. | That was enough to finish comfortably ahead of 17-year-old local favorite Rika Kihira, who scored 151.95 for her free program and 231.84 overall. | Olympic champion Zagitova finished third in Sapporo with a total score of 217.99. | üë©‚Ä…
(2019-11-23). Yes, Ukraine interference in the 2016 presidential election. thegrayzone.com Meddling in the 2016 election by Ukrainian politicians and government agencies happened. The above is true and no amount of…
(2019-11-23). United Nations Presents a Peace-Building Agreement for Bolivia. telesurenglish.net The United Nations, the European Union (EU) and the Bolivian Episcopal Conference (CEB) on Saturday announced an agreement between the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) and the Jeanine Añez administration whereby they pledge to pacify Bolivia and ensure credible elections. | RELATED: | Democratic Lawmakers Criticize US Stance Towards Bolivia's Coup | The agreement was presented at a press conference by the UN special envoy Jean Arnault, the EU ambassador to Bolivia Leon de la To…
(2019-11-23). UK Ignores UN Deadline to End Illegal Occupation of the Chagos Islands. truthout.org The children pictured in the photograph above are from the last generation to inhabit Peros Banhos, an atoll in the Chagos Archipelago, a territory that is currently and unlawfully controlled by the United Kingdom. Today many may have passed away, but those who haven't continue to be forced to spend their final days in exile, far from the land of their childhood memories. | Like them, thousands of Chagossians were expelled from th…
(2019-11-23). Who decided the US should fight a "hot war" with Russia? wsws.org The impeachment inquiry has exposed a US conspiracy to spend billions of dollars to overthrow an elected government in Ukraine and foment a civil war that has killed thousands of people.
(2019-11-23). The Tale of the Whistleblower. commondreams.org Republican counsel Steve Castor listens to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) during a hearing with witness U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 15, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Joshua Roberts—Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/jim_jordan_0.jpg …
(2019-11-23). Ukrainegate 13,000 Times Worse Than You Think. dissidentvoice.org Did you know that Donald Trump had the State Department, USAID, NED, and the CIA fund and train Neo-Nazi, fascist militias to overthrow the government of Ukraine? These riot mobs, primarily Svoboda and Right Sector, stormed the capital, firebombed and shot the police, and destroyed democracy inside Ukraine. When the legitimately elected president was forced …
(2019-11-23). Documents: Giuliani, Pompeo Had Contacts Before Yovanovitch Ouster. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Newly released documents show Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was in contact with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the months before the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine was abruptly recalled. | The State Department released the documents Friday to the group American Oversight in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. They show that Pompeo talked with Giuliani on March 26 and March 29. | Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight, said the documents reveal "a clear paper trail from Rudy Giuliani to the Oval Office to Secretary Pompeo to facilitate Giuliani's smear…
(2019-11-23). Spanish pseudo-lefts try to block opposition to Podemos-PSOE regime. wsws.org Middle-class parties in Spain are peddling illusions in factions of Podemos even after it has agreed to govern with the Socialist Party on a program of austerity and repression.
(2019-11-23). Welfare fraud in Sweden by Iraqi MINISTER?! Reports claim foreign defense chief was getting child support & sick pay for YEARS. rt.com 
Many high-ranking officials are pelted by corruption allegations, yet few (if any) have ever got accused of welfare fraud in another country. But if Swedish media is to be believed, Iraq's serving defense minister is a suspect. | The scandalous story made the headlines in Sweden this weekend, after several news outlets reported that Iraqi Defense Minister, Najah al-Shammari, is also known as a Swedish citizen named Najah al-Adeli. | The man is said to have emigrated to Sweden in 2011, becoming…
(2019-11-23). Unleash the horde! Watch THOUSANDS of deer block Siberian road during migration. rt.com 
Indigenous deer herders in Siberia caused a rare congestion on a road when they had thousands of their animals cross it for about 20 minutes. Amused drivers seized the chance to film the unexpected procession. | The footage, obtained by RT's Ruptly was taken by a local journalist, who was returning from a fishing trip. It shows a huge herd of deer running by as the reporter sits stuck in his car. So many animals were passing by that the clip had to be sped up considerably to show them all in under three minutes. | The owners of the herd, who belong to the indigenous Nenets people, are seen riding snowmobile…
(2019-11-23). Butina to help Russians 'in difficult situations' abroad as part of new job at ombudsman's office. rt.com 
Less than a month after her return to Russia from the US, where she spent over a year behind bars, Maria Butina has joined the Russian ombudsman's office and will focus on helping compatriots who run into trouble abroad. | The Russian gun activist, whose case whipped up anti-Russian hysteria in the US and saw mainstream media telling juicy stories about her trading sex for political favors that later proved to be false, will now help those who find themselves similarly at fault outside Russia. | Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said Butina had accepted an offer to join her team. Speaking at…
(2019-11-23). Putin could have been 'FIRED' in 1998 — from top spy job that propelled him to presidency. rt.com 
Vladimir Putin could've had his career smashed months before becoming Russian president, a former Kremlin official claims. He says an influential PM made two attempts to sack Putin from his top job at the Federal Security Service. | Putin was in charge of the FSB between September 1998 and May 1999. His breakneck career progress then saw him become the first deputy Prime Minister, then PM, and finally Russia's caretaker President on December 31, 1999 — after Boris Yeltsin's surprise resignation. | But the current president's life story might have been quite different, claims the former head of Yeltsin's a…
(2019-11-23). 'Stand-alone mode': Russian-made S-400s to operate independently from NATO air defense — Turkish minister. rt.com 
The S-400 air defense missile systems, purchased from Russia, will remain separate from the NATO military network and not cause any problems with its work, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said. | Speaking to Al Jazeera, Akar said that the S-400s will not be integrated into the NATO air defense system and will not pose a threat to the alliance. | We've been saying it all along. Of course, [the S-400s] will be in 'stand-alone' mode. They will operate independently. | Turkey began receiving the S-400s this summer and is set to place the weapons on combat duty next April. Hulusi confirmed that Ankara intends…
(2019-11-23). Feeling fruity: Russian ice hockey host leaves little to the imagination as she parties topless with pineapples (VIDEO). rt.com 
Russian ice hockey hottie Yulia Ushakova made use of some strategically-placed pineapples to maintain her modesty as she posed topless on a boat trip. | Ushakova, a TV host for hockey club Spartak Moscow, has swapped the sub-zero temperatures in the Russian capital for what she describes as a 'fitness tour' in sunny Thailand. | And she showed just how much she is enjoying herself by posting a video of a boat trip with a difference, cruising the waves while dancing with a pair of pineapples in place of a bikini top. | Fitness fanatic Ushakova is a former Arnold Classic champion and bodybuilder. She made inte…
(2019-11-23). Motorist in Austria has tried FOR MONTHS to scrap his Tesla after it was reduced to ash IN SECONDS after crashing (VIDEO). rt.com 
A man in Austria saw his Tesla car totally incinerated in a road accident, in mere seconds. Now, the owner is desperately seeking to salvage it. Yet, no one seems willing to try and recycle the supposedly eco-friendly vehicle. | The electric car's fiery demise — and what followed — shows that fossil-fuel-free vehicles still have a way to go before they become renewable and eco-friendly enough to drive us into a green future. | Dominik Freymuth, a German motorist, had been an enthusiastic supporter of a shift to electric vehicles. He willingly sold his diesel-powered Mercedes and "made a fully conscio…
(2019-11-23). From Militant Elvis to Monster Raving Loonys: The weird and wonderful parties running in the UK general election. rt.com 
With the Conservatives and Labour dominating much of the coverage, passive observers would be forgiven for thinking the UK only has two political parties, but in fact dozens of different groupings are fielding election candidates. | Nine different parties held seats in the last House of Commons and, while several of these are unheralded, that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the vast array of peculiar political parties dotted across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. | A total of 70 different parties are fielding candidates in the upcoming election and many of them come with peculiar, charming and…
(2019-11-22). YouTube Is Breaking Its Own Rules About State-Sponsored Videos. truthdig.com 
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they're published. | The hourlong show — not to be confused with the venerable CBS program — airs weeknights on the state-owned Russia 1 television network, which boasts the second-largest viewership in the country. Episodes can also be watched on YouTube, where the channel has 353,000 subscribers. Under a policy YouTube instituted last year, a box sh…
(2019-11-22). Mystery Grows Over Withholding of Aid to Lebanon. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is withholding more than $100 million in U.S. military assistance to Lebanon that has been approved by Congress and is favored by his national security team, an assertion of executive control of foreign aid that is similar to the delay in support for Ukraine at the center of the impeachment inquiry. | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday congratulated Lebanon as the country marked its independence day but made no mention of the hold-up in aid that State Department and Pentagon officials have complained about for weeks. | It came up in impeachment testimony by David Ha…
(2019-11-22). Greece: 1,200 More Guards To 'Shut The Door' On Migrants. telesurenglish.net In anticipation of what could be a new wave of migrant arrivals, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday announced that his administration will upgrade its patrolling operations and deploy 1,200 additional border guards to "shut the door" to migrants not entitled to stay. | RELATED: | 94 Refugees, Migrants Rescued Off Libya's Coast | "In Greece are welcomed only those we choose. Those who are not welcomed will be returned," PM Mitsotakis said and added that doors will remain close…
(2019-11-22). Washington's Consensus on Neofascist Coups in Latin America. counterpunch.org The Obama-backed right-wing coup in Honduras helped fuel Central American migrant streams that the demented fascist oligarch Donald Trump railed against during his successful and Nativist presidential campaign. "Donito Assolini" has been mired in partisan turmoil since the beginning of his cancerous, white-nationalist presidency. The two major parties and their constituents disagree sharply over whether the tiny-fingered, tangerine-tinted, Twitter-tantruming tyrant Trump should be impeached and removed for trying to trade arms to Ukraine in exchange for political dirt on the ludicrous right-wing Democratic-presid…
(2019-11-22). The Impeachment Crisis and American Imperialism. globalresearch.ca Wednesday's public hearing on the impeachment of President Trump featured the US ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, who testified that, contrary to the White House narrative, there had been a "quid pro quo" in Trump's dealings with …
(2019-11-22). NATO riven by tensions between major powers. wsws.org The NATO foreign ministers summit in Brussels dealt with political fallout from French President Macron's statement that the US-European alliance is "brain dead."
(2019-11-22). Moscow's Russia-Pakistan Banking Proposal Hints at Big Things to Come. globalresearch.ca Yuri M. Kozlov, the Russian Trade Representative in Pakistan, suggested that Russia and Pakistan establish a "reliable and mutually acceptable banking system", which strongly hints at Moscow's desire to improve its commercial trade ties with Islamabad in order to …
(2019-11-22). Former Trump Aide Calls Ukraine Meddling Theory Fiction. telesurenglish.net At the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry session held on Thursday, President Donald Trump's former Russia Adviser Fiona Hill urged lawmakers not to promote the idea that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 presidential elections. | RELATED: | US Secretary of State and VP at the Heart of Impeachment | "This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves," said Hill, who until July served as National Security Council's…
(2019-11-22). "Are You Sure They Did That?" Even Fox Questions Trump's Ukraine Conspiracy Theory. theintercept.com The hosts of "Fox and Friends" appear to be losing patience with Donald Trump's conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.
(2019-11-22). Across the Warring Balkans: From Zurich to Zagreb. counterpunch.org An account of a journey from Croatia to Kosovo, by way of Bosnia-Hercegovina and Serbia, and with a detour into Montenegro. This is part I of a series. During a fit of madness last winter—while sitting beside the fireplace and wandering through my atlases—I came up with the idea of traveling down the spine of More
(2019-11-22). Wrapping Up Impeachment Early Is an Exceptionally Bad Idea. truthout.org Over the past two weeks of marathon testimony in the House impeachment inquiry, it can no longer be disputed that President Trump, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and members of his administration engaged in a plot to bribe or extort Ukraine into helping the president smear his domestic political opponents. Witness after witness testified to what they saw and the conclusion was inescapable: The president broke the law and abused his power. | This is not really a big surprise, though, is it? After all, we saw…
(2019-11-22). POLL: 42 Percent of Americans Want Congress to Expand the Scope of the Impeachment Inquiry Beyond Ukraine. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-11-22). The Left May Finally Govern in Spain. thenation.com The Left May Finally Govern in Spain…
(2019-11-22). Unions campaign for a jobs-rich energy transition. greenleft.org.au 
Climate workers' rights Pip HinmanIssue 1246 AustraliaNovember 22, 2019Together with the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council and the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Maritime Union…
(2019-11-22). U.N. Rapporteur: Julian Assange Has Faced Psychological Torture; He Should Not Be Extradited to U.S. democracynow.org 
This week Swedish prosecutors dropped an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, stemming from 2010. Assange, who has always denied the allegations, took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden on the charges. British authorities dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April and he has since been jailed in London's Belmarsh prison on charges related to skipping of bail in 2012, when he first entered the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over the now-dropped sexual assault charges. The United States…
(2019-11-22). "In Defense of Julian Assange": Why WikiLeaks Founder's Case Threatens Press Freedom. democracynow.org 
This week Swedish prosecutors dropped an investigation into sexual assault allegations against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, stemming from 2010. Assange, who has always denied the allegations, took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden on the charges. British authorities dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April and he has since been jailed in London's Belmarsh prison on charges related to skipping of bail in 2012, when he first entered the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over the now-dropped sexual assault charges. The United States…
(2019-11-22). Headlines for November 22, 2019. democracynow.org Ex-White House Adviser Warns Impeachment Probe of GOP's "Fictional Narrative" on Ukraine, Senate Republicans May Limit Trump's Impeachment Trial to Two Weeks, Mass Protests in Colombia Oppose Right-Wing Government, Bolivian Soldiers Tear Gas Funeral Procession for Slain Protesters, Iran Continues Internet Blackout After Violently Repressing Protests, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Indicted on Corruption Charges, Protesters Confront Joe Biden Over Obama-Era Deportations, Over 100 Lawmakers Call on President Trump to Fire Stephen Miller, Seven Arrested at UC Berkeley Protest of Ann Coulter Speech, Syracu…
(2019-11-22). Dropped Investigations: Julian Assange, Sex and Sweden. counterpunch.org Sex, the late Gore Vidal astutely observed, is politics, and not merely from the vantage point of those who wish to police it. In the case of whistleblowers, claims of aberrant, unlawful sex serves the purpose of diminishing credibility, tarring and feathering the individual and furnishing a distraction. Forget what was disclosed; focus, instead, on More
(2019-11-21). UK: "We Urge Israel to Halt its Counterproductive Settlement Expansion. imemc.org The United Kingdom urged Israel, on Thursday, to halt its "counterproductive" settlement expansion, declaring that it is illegal under international law, The Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported. | The Foreign & Commonwealth Office reiterated its position, after U.S.
(2019-11-21). Thursday's Daily Brief: Deadly Syria violence, risks of working at sea, poor health in jail, concern over ISIL suspect, and her child. news.un.org A recap of Thursday's stories in brief: Syria's violence continues to strike children; governments must do more for human rights in business; poor health in Europe's prisons; rights experts' concern over Irish ISIL bride and her child in Turkey; Fishing workers face huge risks at sea.
(2019-11-21). Portugal: Police Demand Better Working Conditions, Higher Wages. telesurenglish.net Shouting "Zero Tolerance", thousands of members of the Public Security Police (PSP) and the Republican National Guard (GNR) on Thursday gathered outside the Parliament in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, to demand higher salaries and better working conditions. | RELATED: | Portugal PM Set for Election Win Without Majority: Exit Polls | "We ask for salary increases, risk subsidies, and sanitary improvements at our facilities," t…
(2019-11-21). US, EU gave over $20 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine since 2014. wsws.org Testimony at the final impeachment hearing confirmed the massive scale of imperialist operations in Ukraine, aimed at undermining and attacking Russia.
(2019-11-21). Alex Gibney's Cinematic Notes from Underground: Russia's Dissident Oligarch. progressive.org The title refers to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an oil oligarch who burst upon…
(2019-11-21). UN experts urge Turkey to repatriate Irish woman associated with terror group. news.un.org Turkey must ensure that an Irish woman and her infant daughter who are being held in custody there are repatriated, independent UN experts said in a statement released on Thursday. The woman, Lisa Smith, has been described in press reports as a supporter of the ISIL terror group, and former member of the Irish military.
(2019-11-21). Journalist cries troll after finding 'Russian quotation marks' in story about Biden's illegitimate child. rt.com 
A journalist called out an Arkansas paper for running a story about Hunter Biden's illegitimate child, pointing to a "Russian quotation mark" the account had used in its tweet promoting the article. Also known as an arrow. | Journalist Julia Ioffe, a Russiagate true-believer who covers foreign policy and national security topics for mainstream US publications like WaPo and The Atlantic, immediately smelled a rat when the Arkansas-Democrat Gazette tweeted an article claiming that "DNA testing has established that Hunter Biden is the father of an Arkansas baby," with what she — a Russian speaker — call…
(2019-11-21). Julián Castro: Gordon Sondland's Testimony Is "Nail in the Coffin" of Trump's Defense. democracynow.org 
During Wednesday's impeachment hearing, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland told lawmakers that he was ordered by Trump to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. Sondland also acknowledged there was a quid pro quo tying U.S. military aid to investigations, and said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence were aware of the Ukraine pressure campaign. Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro joins us to discuss these latest developments in the impeachment inquiry, which he describes as "blockbuster testimony" that could serve…
(2019-11-21). 2020 Candidates' Focus on Inequality Shows "Shift in the Conversation" Within Democratic Party. democracynow.org 
Ten Democratic candidates took the stage Wednesday for the party's fifth presidential debate, held in Atlanta, Georgia, and co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. One of the most memorable moments of the night was a disagreement between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker over Warren's proposed tax on the wealthiest Americans. Her proposed wealth tax would kick in on assets of $50 million and higher. Both candidates agreed that inequality is a major issue in the U.S., but Booker said wealth taxes in other countries have not been effective and that there are better ways to raise revenue. The issue of ec…
(2019-11-21). Bernie Sanders Criticizes U.S. Relationships with Saudi Arabia and Israel at Democratic Debate. democracynow.org 
Ten Democratic candidates took the stage in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday for the party's fifth presidential debate, co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post. Toward the end of the evening, Senator Bernie Sanders criticized former Vice President Joe Biden's support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and laid out his foreign policy vision, including strong criticism of traditional U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and Israel. "It is no longer good enough for us to be pro-Israel — I am pro-Israel — but we must treat the Palestinians with the dignity they deserve," he said. We speak with Phyllis Bennis, a fellow at th…
(2019-11-21). Headlines for November 21, 2019. democracynow.org Gordon Sondland Says Trump Directed Ukraine Quid Pro Quo, Top 10 Democratic Candidates Hold Presidential Debate in Atlanta, Dozens of Guatemalan Migrants Freed from Locked Truck in Mexico, Humanitarian Volunteer Scott Warren Not Guilty of Felonies for Aiding Migrants, Ex-Border Patrol Agent Sentenced to Probation for Running Over Migrant, Syria: 22 Civilians Killed in Idlib; Israel Bombs Iranian Forces Near Damascus, Israel Headed for Another Election After Benny Gantz Fails to Form Government, U.S. Isolated at U.N. Security Council After Declaring Israeli Settlements Legal, U.N. Warns Planned Fossil Fuel Product…
(2019-11-21). 'It's Time For a Real Change', Labour Party Vows To Britain. telesurenglish.net Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on Thursday unveiled his election manifesto in Birmingham, where he announced plans to transform the United Kingdom with higher taxes on companies, more "green jobs," and nationalization of infrastructure. | RELATED: | A Left Labour Gov't Would Weaken Imperialism, Work for Peace | "Labor's manifesto is a manifesto for hop…
(2019-11-21). Sondland Pressed Ukraine to Smear Biden at Trump's Direction, Diplomat Says. theintercept.com 
Donald Trump's point man on Ukraine, Gordon Sondland, admitted during a conversation in July that the president had directed him to press Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, to open a sham investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, a State Department official testified on Thursday to the House impeachment inquiry. | The official, David Holmes, is a career foreign service officer who said in his opening statement that Sondland, the U.S.
(2019-11-20). House of Representatives Finally Recognizes Armenian Genocide. progressive.org It is shocking that it has taken this long for even one house of the U.S. Congress to recognize this historic tragedy. Somehow it is always a "bad time" to upset the government of Turkey.
(2019-11-20). Senators Press Amazon for Answers on Ring's Sloppy Security Practices. theintercept.com This past year has been chock full of uncomfortable revelations about Ring, the surveillance social network and home security hardware company acquired by Amazon for a reported $800 million, including r…