(2019-12-06). Workers shut down France over Macron pensions and retirement attacks. peoplesworld.org 
France was shut down by strikes across the public and private sectors yesterday as workers took action against President Emmanuel Macron's attacks on pensions and the retirement age. The Eiffel Tower was closed, trains did not run, and aircraft were grounded as rallies took place in all the country's major cities. Schools and businesses did …
(2019-12-06). Study Reveals How UK Intelligence Works with Media to Smear Jeremy Corbyn. mintpressnews.com 
The United Kingdom goes to the polls December 12 in a pivotal vote that will decide the future of the country. Like in 2017, the Labour Party, under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, is surging towards the ruling Conservative Party in the last weeks of campaigning. But he will not become Prime Minister if the UK's security services have anything to do with it. Corbyn, frequently compared to Bernie Sanders in terms of ideology, spent decades in the political wilderness, a lonely leftist voice among a party embracing neol…
(2019-12-06). The new Belorussian film 'Debut': Crime and punishment and art therapy. peoplesworld.org 
Anastasiya Miroshnichenko's well-made, touching documentary Debut provides viewers with a rare glimpse behind the "Iron Curtain." By this I'm not merely referring to the fact that this 80-minute film was shot in Belarus, formerly known as Byelorussia or Belorussia and, like Ukraine, an erstwhile Soviet republic. Rather, more to the point, Debut was largely filmed …
(2019-12-06). Over 800,000 strikers in France show that 'business as usual' is not an option. thecanary.co 
The Eiffel Tower shut down, France's vaunted high-speed trains stood still and "at least 800,000 people" protested across France as unions launched nationwide strikes on 5 December over the government's plan to change the retirement system.US economist Richard D Wolff responded to the strike by saying people in France are uniting to oppose a worsening in their retirement conditions. And he said: The mass of the French people are letting the government know they won't take it.Paris authorities barricaded the presidential palace and deployed 6,000 police a…
(2019-12-06). A Lesson From the Danes on Immigration. counterpunch.org Denmark is in the news now because of its purported hostility to immigrants. Brooke Harrington, a sociology professor at Dartmouth, published an op ed in the New York Times on Tuesday about how she was nearly carted off to a Danish prison for giving invited guest lectures to the Danish parliament. Danes had tightened up More
(2019-12-06). Ukrainian Neo-Nazis Flock to the Hong Kong Protest Movement. globalresearch.ca Ukrainian fascists who previously fought in a US-backed neo-Nazi militia joined the anti-China protests in Hong Kong, sharing their tactics and showing off their tattoos. | *** | Neo-Nazis from Ukraine have flown to Hong Kong to participate in the anti-Chinese insurgency, …
(2019-12-06). Alternative Climate Summit Honors Victims of Corporate Crimes. truthout.org We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, began Monday and will continue through next week, as environmental leaders from around the world gather to negotiate global solutions to the climate crisis. Activists have converged on Madrid for the conference and are hosting an alternative summit of their own: Cumbre Social por el Clima — the Social Summit for the Climate. The alternative summit has been organized by social justice and environmental gro…
(2019-12-06). Why Are Some of the World's Biggest Polluters Sponsoring UN Climate Summit? truthout.org A group of climate activists walked out of a panel at the U.N. climate summit in Madrid on Thursday to protest the presence of Shell, BP and Chevron. Representatives from the oil companies were taking part in an event organized by the International Emissions Trading Association. This comes as the Spanish government is facing criticism for reaching out to Endesa, Spain's biggest corporate greenhouse gas polluter, to sponsor the U.N. climate talks. We speak with Pascoe Sabido, a researcher and campai…
(2019-12-06). French Unions and Yellow Vests Converge: December 5 General Strike. dissidentvoice.org MONTPELLIER, France — On the eve of an "unlimited" (open-ended) General Strike called for today, more and more unions and protest groups are pledging join in. Two things are unusual about this strike. The first is that it is open-ended, rather than the usual one-day ritualistic protest marches, and it may be prolonged from day …
(2019-12-06). Iran Denounced Letters to UN as 'Desperate Falsehood'. telesurenglish.net Iran has said it is determined to proceed with its ballistic missile program, as it rejected as a "desperate falsehood" the letter from the United Kingdom, Germany, and France to the United Nations Security Council, accusing Tehran of developing missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. | RELATED: | US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria | The three Europeans ambassadors called on UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres to inform in his next report that Iran's missi…
(2019-12-06). Across the Balkans: From Banja Luka to Sarajevo. 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 III of a series. Serb war memorial outside the Banja Luka train station. To catch the train from Banja Luka to Sarajevo, I had to ride a bus to the edge More
(2019-12-06). We Must Overcome Our Atomization to Beat Back Neoliberal Fascism. truthout.org This week in the United States, the impeachment hearings made clear that President Trump abused his office and committed a crime against the Constitution. Not only did he attempt to pressure the Ukrainian government into investigating his presidential political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in exchange for military aid, Trump also used the power of his administration to pressure loyal followers, such as Rudy Giuliani (his personal lawyer) to claim that Ukraine, not Russia, had intervened in th…
(2019-12-06). SPD youth leader defends Germany's grand coalition government. wsws.org In a long interview with the Rheinische Post, Kàºhnert warned "of the consequences of a hasty exit" from the ruling grand coalition.
(2019-12-06). The Pentagon's 36 Military Bases in Africa. America's Growing Military Presence. globalresearch.ca Africa now contains 1.3 billion inhabitants, almost twice that of Europe's population, and the number of African people continues expanding rapidly in what comprises the world's second biggest continent. | Following five centuries of pillage and exploitation by Western imperial powers, …
(2019-12-06). Chernobyl, Lies and Messianism in Russia. counterpunch.org "How much are these lies going to cost?" asks the nuclear physicist Legasov, as played by Jared Harris in the American series Chernobyl. This HBO series, broadcast a few months ago and based partly on Svetlana Alexievich's book Voices from Chernobyl, reveals how the Soviet state tried to cover up the lethal explosion of the More
(2019-12-06). Hillary Casually Drops 'Russian Asset' Smear on Bernie Sanders in New Interview. theantimedia.com Are we just going to ignore that Hillary Clinton, today, just implied that Bernie Sanders is also a Russian asset?>
(2019-12-06). The International Criminal Court (ICC) Holds Hearing on Afghanistan War Crimes, Including US Torture. globalresearch.ca The current hearing will examine allegations that US troops and intelligence operatives tortured, raped and abused Afghan prisoners between 2003 and 2004. | *** | The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a three-day hearing in the The Hague, Netherlands on Wednesday at …
(2019-12-06). Sweden provides free higher education, universal healthcare, free daycare — why can't the U.S.? nationofchange.org In Sweden, healthcare costs are largely subsided by the state. Daycare and preschool programs are mostly free. College and university are free. Public transportation is subsidized for many users.
(2019-12-06). BNP Before a French Court. counterpunch.org A court case is currently running in France that is of relevance to more than the French. During two weeks to 29 November, Banque Nationale de Paris Paribas is being sued in the Tribunal correctionnel of Paris (a mid-level criminal court) by lawyers representing borrowers of loans denominated in foreign currency. The issue is of More
(2019-12-06). 1.5 million march amid mass strike in France against austerity and inequality. wsws.org Tens of thousands of rail, government, and education workers went on strike against plans by French President Emanuel Macron to slash pensions.
(2019-12-06). NATO is a Brain Dead, Obsolete, Rabid Dog. Euthanize It. counterpunch.org In early November, French president Emmanuel Macron complained that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is experiencing "brain death" as its member states go their own ways, with "no coordination whatsoever of strategic decision-making." US president Donald Trump's reply: "Nobody needs NATO more than France." The two continued their duel over NATO's future at an More
(2019-12-06). Turkey opted for Russia's S-400 as NATO allies weren't selling similar systems — FM Cavusoglu. rt.com 
Turkey turned to the Russian-made S-400s as it didn't succeed in getting air-defense systems from its closest NATO allies including the US, France and Italy, its foreign minister explained. | Procuring the S-400s from Moscow has been more of an urgent necessity than a political choice, Turkey's chief diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday at a security conference in Italy. | "Does Turkey need air defense systems?" he asked, receiving an affirmative answer from the panel meeting. "Do we have our own? No. Thank God we've been producing more than 70 percent of [what the military] needs in Turkey and we will con…
(2019-12-06). That's a bit rich: Biden says paycheck doesn't matter, jobs are 'about dignity'. rt.com 
Democrat hopeful Joe Biden says jobs aren't about the money, but his words rang hollow for critics who shot back with reminders about low wages and the former vice president's son getting a cushy gig at a Ukrainian oil company. | Biden's latest pitch to voters is that he will bring "dignity" back to the working middle class. | "A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about dignity. It's about being able to look your kid in the eye and say everything is going to be okay—and mean it. Too many people today can't do that," Biden tweeted on Friday. | A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's abo…
(2019-12-06). The Vatican invested over $1 million in steamy gay Elton John biopic, 'Men in Black' — report. rt.com 
The Vatican reportedly made some questionable and head-scratching investments, including in real estate, lifestyle products, and R-rated and franchise film ventures, through a fund in which they hold a majority stake in. | The Italian daily Corriere della Sera released an investigative report this week detailing some of the more head-scratching investments the Vatican has recently made through the Malta-based Centurion Global Fund, including $1.1 million — or about three percent of the total production budget — put into 'Rocketman', a film containing explicit gay sex scenes. | Sera reports that Cen…
(2019-12-06). Russia will respond to any new deployment of missiles by US — Lavrov. rt.com 
Russia will not hesitate to respond to any new deployment of missiles by the United States, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. | "If practical steps are taken to create and deploy [missiles], we will have a mirror reaction, but we will not be the first," Lavrov said in Rome. He made the statement at a news conference with his Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio on the sidelines of an international conference, the Mediterranean Dialogues. | Russia has proposed a moratorium on the deployment of short and intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe after the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (…
(2019-12-06). China's envoy says European parties to Iran nuclear deal didn't trigger dispute resolution mechanism. rt.com 
European parties to the Iran nuclear deal did not trigger a mechanism that could lead to the renewal of UN sanctions at talks in Vienna on Friday, according to China's envoy. | "All countries need to refrain from taking actions that further complicate the situation," Fu Cong, director general of the Department of Arms Control of the Chinese Foreign Ministry told reporters after the talks. | "In our view there is an element of automaticity into this and we can't be sure that countries can keep this process under control. It could aggravate tensions," Reuters quoted the envoy as saying. | He said the European po…
(2019-12-06). Where's the 'Russia room'? Moscow's UN envoy jokes with Trump during White House visit. rt.com 
Moscow's envoy to the UN joked to Donald Trump about the White House's interior after touring the US president's residence. The two also discussed the ongoing visa dispute. | Vasily Nebenzya was given a tour of the White House on Thursday as part of a reception hosted by the president to mark the start of the US' rotating tenure as chair of the UN Security Council. The Russian diplomat thanked Trump for his hospitality, but had one cheeky criticism of the White House. | "We saw the China Room, but we didn't see the Russia Room yet," Nebenzya told the US leader, adding that perhaps it was a "top secret" area…
(2019-12-06). 'Another propaganda attack': Russian Foreign Ministry hits back over US 'Evil Corp' claims. rt.com 
Moscow has condemned the 'obviously politicized' US sanctions on Russian nationals allegedly behind the 'Evil Corp' malware operation, with the Foreign Ministry calling the accusations unfounded and promising to retaliate. | Eleven Russian individuals and six companies were sanctioned by the US on Tuesday for "links" to the so-called 'Evil Corp,' an alleged cyber crime syndicate that the US Department of Justice accused of stealing more than $100 million from Western institutions over the past decade. | Though the DOJ said it had received assistance from the Russian Federation authorities, the Russian Foreign…
(2019-12-06). France's pension reform will be gradual & 'not brutal,' PM Philippe says after protests. rt.com 
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Friday he was sticking with plans to reform France's pension system but insisted change would be gradual and "not brutal," Reuters reports. | "I believe in social dialogue… I will never be in a logic of confrontation," Edouard Philippe said. The statement came after unions called for a new day of strikes and demonstrations against the government's pension reform plans on Tuesday. | France is grappling with a second day of travel chaos and understaffed schools and hospitals after street protests on Thursday drew at least 800,000 people. | Railways company SNCF said on F…
(2019-12-06). A 'No-Brainer': Anti-Nuclear Movement Urges Trump to Accept Putin Offer to Renew START Treaty. commondreams.org "Losing New START would set the United States and Russia on a path to nuclear anarchy: a state of affairs where legal constraints of nuclear arsenals has ended and norms of voluntary restraint are weak or nonexistent. We'd all be flying blind into a nuclear arms race." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump_vlad_0_0.jpg …
(2019-12-06). Why Are Some of Spain's Biggest Polluters Sponsoring U.N. Climate Summit? democracynow.org 
A group of climate activists walked out of a panel at the U.N. climate summit in Madrid on Thursday to protest the presence of Shell, BP and Chevron. Representatives from the oil companies were taking part in an event organized by the International Emissions Trading Association. This comes as the Spanish government is facing criticism for reaching out to Endesa, Spain's biggest corporate greenhouse gas polluter, to sponsor the U.N. climate talks. We speak with Pascoe Sabido, a researcher and campaigner for the Corporate Europe Observatory, who has been organizing toxic tours of Madrid to expose the corporations a…
(2019-12-06). "It's Our Future": Meet the Youth Activists Behind Fridays for Future Movements in Uganda and Chile. democracynow.org 
In Spain, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived in Madrid to take part in today's strike as well as a major march set for 6 p.m. local time. Greta began the climate strike movement last year when she started skipping school every Friday to stand in front of the Swedish parliament, demanding action to prevent catastrophic climate change. Her protest spread, quickly going global. We speak with two youth climate strikers: Hilda Flavia Nakabuye is the founder of Fridays for Future Uganda and Angela Valenzuela is a coordinator with Fridays for Future in Chile, where this year's U.N. clima…
(2019-12-06). COP25: Alternative Climate Summit Honors Those "Suffering the Crimes of Transnational Corporations" democracynow.org 
We broadcast from Madrid, Spain, where the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, began Monday and will continue through next week, as environmental leaders from around the world gather to negotiate global solutions to the climate crisis. Activists have converged on Madrid for the conference and are hosting an alternative summit of their own: Cumbre Social por el Clima — the Social Summit for the Climate. The alternative summit has been organized by social justice and environmental groups to draw attention to the ongoing political repression in Chile, corporate influence on the climate su…
(2019-12-06). Headlines for December 6, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Calls On Democrats to Proceed With Drafting Articles of Impeachment, Joe Biden Lashes Out at Iowa Town Hall over His Son Hunter's Work in Ukraine, Pentagon Weighs Sending Up to 14,000 More U.S. Troops to Middle East, Saudi Aramco Raises $25.6 Billion in Historic IPO, 140,000 Died Globally from Measles in 2018, 62 Refugees Died after Boat Capsized off Coast of Mauritania, Shocking Video Shows How Border Patrol Let Teenage Asylum Seeker Die in Custody, French Workers Continue National Strike into Second Day, Uber Says It Received 3,000 Reports of Sexual Assault in U.S. in 2018, The Guardian: Ilhan Omar and R…
(2019-12-06). With People in the Streets Worldwide, Media Focus Uniquely on Hong Kong. fair.org 
Unlike protests against US client states, the Hong Kong demonstrations were frequently given the approving "pro-democracy" label (CNN, 8/30/19). | 2019 may be remembered as the year of the protest, as demonstrations are engulfing the world. From the Yellow Vests in France to demonstrations in Lebanon, Gaza, Chile, Ecuador and Haiti, sustained movements all over the planet have taken to the street demanding change. Yet US corporate media have been disproportionately interested in only one: the Hong Kong protests.
(2019-12-05). Ukraine scandal involves a trifecta of unconstitutional Trump abuses. peoplesworld.org 
The impeachment of a U.S. president for the fourth time in history is more serious than any of the three that have gone before it. This time there is before the American people proof that Donald Trump is guilty of a trifecta of "high crimes and misdemeanors" stipulated in the Constitution as impeachable offenses. He …
(2019-12-05). Trump Seeks Another $250 Million in Lethal Aid for Ukraine. theantimedia.com With other nations trying to help Ukraine negotiate a deal to end that situation peacefully, the US keeps pouring weapons into the country.
(2019-12-05). French Police Fire Tear Gas at Workers Protesting Macron Reform. telesurenglish.net Police fired tear gas at protesters in the center of Paris on Thursday and public transport ground to a near halt in one of the biggest strikes in France for decades, aimed at forcing President Emmanuel Macron to ditch a planned reform of pensions. | RELATED: | Spain, UK, France to 'Advise' Chile's Police on Public Order | Video captured by Reuters showed tear gas canisters and firecrackers also being thrown back towards police as a crowd of protesters passed along the street, ch…
(2019-12-05). US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria. telesurenglish.net The United States has completed its military pullback in northeastern Syria, settling into a more stable posture of about 600 troops in the rest of the country after repositioning and reducing forces, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said during an interview with Reuters. | RELATED: | Turkey Stands Its Ground Against NATO Over Syria Dispute | Esper explained that this could signal the end of a period of turbulence and uncertainty surrounding the U.S. military presence in Syria after Pres…
(2019-12-05). Bolivia's Russiagate scandal is a provocation to renege on agreed-upon deals. mronline.org The fake news allegations that Russia "meddled" in Bolivia's recent election in order to help ("former") President Morales win and the more recent claims late last month that its soldiers are supposedly "waiting for his return" in order to presumably help restore him to power are nothing more than provocations designed to manufacture the "plausible […] | Source
(2019-12-05). Russia Is Willing to Extend START III Without Preconditions. telesurenglish.net The Russian Federation is willing to extend the term of the Strategic Weapons Reduction Treaty (START III) with the U.S. without preconditions, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at a Defense meeting, in Moscow. | RELATED: | Russia, China Launch Gas Pipeline Connecting Both Countries | "Russia is ready immediately, as soon as possible, even before the end of this year, without any prior condition, to extend the START II…
(2019-12-05). Impeachment hearing opens with Democratic Party blast against Russia. wsws.org The opening statement by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler set the tone for a hearing that repeatedly returned to the bogus allegations of massive Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
(2019-12-05). Increased Incidence of Brain Cancer. Caused by Exposure to Pesticides and Electromagnetic Fields? globalresearch.ca In July 2019 (updated in September 2019), the French Public Health Agency " Santé Publique France", together with the Francim cancer registries, the Hospices Civils de Lyon and the Institut National du Cancer, published national estimates of cancer incidence …
(2019-12-05). 'All roads lead to Putin!' Pelosi tells Americans impeachment not really about Ukraine but all about… Russia. rt.com 
For Americans still confused why exactly Democrats want to impeach President Donald Trump — something about Ukraine, maybe? — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has helpfully clarified that it's all about Russia and always has been. | Briefing reporters on the impeachment inquiry on Thursday, Pelosi (D-California) made sure to point out that "this isn't about Ukraine, this is about Russia." | Russia. It's about Russia. Russia invading eastern Ukraine …all roads lead to Putin. Understand that. | That may come as a surprise given the Democrats' recent line of argument that Trump must be impeached because h…
(2019-12-05). A Queer Love Story That Does Away With the Male Gaze. thenation.com 
| Set in 18th-century France, Céline Sciamma's new film Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds a new way to chronicle a queer romance.
(2019-12-05). Sweden Provides Free Higher Education, Universal Healthcare, Free Daycare — Why Can't the U.S.? democracynow.org 
Medicare for All and tuition-free universities have been at the core of the 2020 Democratic presidential campaigns, creating a stark division between progressive candidates and their centrist counterparts. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have proposed to make Medicare for All and public universities cost-free by taxing massive corporations and the super wealthy, and earlier this year, Sanders introduced legislation that would cancel student loan debt. His plan would be paid for with a new tax on Wall Street, he says. It would also make public universities and community colleges free — a key pil…
(2019-12-05). Edward Snowden: If I Came Back to the U.S., I Would Likely Die in Prison for Telling the Truth. democracynow.org 
The Right Livelihood Awards celebrated their 40th anniversary Wednesday at the historic Cirkus Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, where more than a thousand people gathered to celebrate this year's four laureates: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg; Chinese women's rights lawyer Guo Jianmei, Brazilian indigenous leader Davi Kopenawa and the organization he co-founded, the Yanomami Hutukara Association; and Sahrawi human rights leader Aminatou Haidar, who has challenged the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara for decades. The Right Livelihood Award is known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." Over the past four deca…
(2019-12-05). Headlines for December 5, 2019. democracynow.org Constitutional Experts Debate Impeachment at House Judiciary Committee Hearing, GOP Rep. Devin Nunes Sues CNN over Story about Nunes' Ukraine Meeting, Trump Departs NATO Early after Video of Other World Leaders Mocking Him, Report: Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions to Hit Record High in 2019, Colombia Holds Third National Strike in Two Weeks, Workers Strike Across France Today over Macron's Pensions Plan, Hand Grenade Thrown over Wall of Migrant Shelter in Madrid, India: Rape Survivor Attacked on Her Way to Court in Latest Assault on Women, Head of Japanese Aid Agency Killed in Afghanistan, AG Barr Threatens Commun…
(2019-12-04). Failed Action on the Climate Crisis Makes Resistance Imperative. dissidentvoice.org 
On December 2, the 25th two-week long United Nations climate conference begins in Madrid, Spain. The stated task of the conference, referred to as COP 25 (Conference Of Parties), is to make sure there are plans to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. The goals of that agreement, which are nonbinding, are: Reduce …
(2019-12-04). NATO Names China as New Enemy, Alongside Russia. theantimedia.com China's sheer size makes its an attractive target to justify NATO's continued existence.