(2019-11-24). Donald Trump and His Insane Clown Posse. commondreams.org The GOP thinks its Ukraine fantasies are one more rung up the fool's gold ladder of chaos.
(2019-11-24). America Supports Fascism: Repulsive Display of Hypocrisy on Ukraine, Concealing the U.S. Coup in Bolivia! globalresearch.ca Political Background | The House Impeachment Inquiry Hearing has dominated the news in the U.S. for the past few weeks as if the whole world is on the edge of its seat following this saga. However, these TV shows are nothing …
(2019-11-24). 'Better Red Than Dead', literally: Lavrov remembers the Soviet diplomat who turned Cold-War slogan into UN meme. rt.com 
Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Oleg Troyanovsky, a sharp-witted diplomat who famously was painted red by Chinese protesters, only to snidely remark in response that it was better to be 'red than dead.' | Troyanovsky, the son of the Soviet Union's first ambassador to the US, picked his father's profession and represented his home country in several senior diplomatic positions. He served as the Soviet ambassador to Japan and China, as well as the envoy to the UN, a role that he held for a decade, starting in 1976. | The current Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took the same role eight y…
(2019-11-24). 'Any doctors here?' Crew calls for help as co-pilot falls ill MID-FLIGHT in Russia and DIES just after emergency landing. rt.com 
The crew of a Russian passenger plane desperately appealed for medical help after a pilot suffered from an acute health problem mid-flight. He died shortly after the jet made an emergency landing. | An Aeroflot Airbus 320 took off from Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday morning, bound for Anapa, a Black Sea resort. The aircraft had to make an emergency landing in Rostov-on-Don, however, after its first officer was suddenly struck by a health issue. | The cause of death is unclear but it is believed to have been a heart attack or blood clot. A source told RIA Novosti that the co-pilot had earlier complaine…
(2019-11-24). 'Window is closing': US Senate makes last-ditch effort to ax Nord Stream 2 pipeline. rt.com 
After failing to persuade allies in Europe to scrap the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is set to transport natural gas from Europe to Russia, US lawmakers are planning to roll a new batch of sanctions into a defense spending bill.
(2019-11-24). WATCH and enjoy: Russian TANK pulls passenger bus from ditch on icy country road. rt.com 
A commuter bus looked helpless while stuck in a snowy ditch in the middle of a country road in Russia — until an army tank came to the rescue. | The bus effectively blocked access to a small village in the Amur Region of Russia's Far East, and regular tow trucks were no good on the slippery road. | The local military academy came to help. They supplied a heavy army tow truck. It wasn't enough either, so a T-80BV main battle tank rolled up as well, finally pulling the bus out. | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
(2019-11-24). Anti-Russian sanctions based on fraudster's tales? Spiegel finds Magnitsky narrative fed to West by Browder is riddled with lies. rt.com 
British investor Bill Browder has made a name for himself in the West through blaming Moscow for the death of his auditor, Sergey Magnitsky. Der Spiegel has picked apart his story and uncovers it has major credibility problems. | For years Browder — Russian President Vladimir Putin's self-proclaimed "enemy number one" and head of the Hermitage Capital Management fund — has been waging what can only be described as his personal anti-Russian campaign. | The passionate Kremlin critic relentlessly lobbied for sanctions against Russian officials everywhere from the US to Europe — all under the premis…
(2019-11-24). WATCH and enjoy: Russian TANK pulls passenger bus from ditch on icy country road. rt.com A commuter bus looked helpless while stuck in a snowy ditch in the middle of a country road in Russia — until an army tank came to the rescue. | The bus effectively blocked access to a small village in the Amur Region of Russia's Far East, and regular tow trucks were no good on the slippery road. | The local military academy came to help. They supplied a heavy army tow truck. It wasn't enough either, so a T-72 main battle tank rolled up as well, finally pulling the bus out. | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
(2019-11-24). Global economy will remain fragile next year, Moody's says. rt.com 
The world economy has witnessed the lowest global growth this year since the 2009 recession, according to international rating agency Moody's. It expects the economy to stay fragile as risks to credit conditions rise. | Although Moody's does not forecast recession in 2020, it has warned that such risks are building amid a worldwide backdrop of trade policy uncertainty. | "Recession risks will remain elevated in Europe and the US, while in China domestic rebalancing will continue to create challenges in maintaining the country's rapid growth," it said.The agency noted the risks will be centered around the US-Ch…
(2019-11-24). Asylum seeker accused of attempted arson after smashing alcohol bottles in German store & trying to IGNITE them (VIDEO). rt.com 
An asylum seeker who ransacked the alcohol aisle of a German supermarket, causing ‚Ǩ1,000 ($1,100) worth of damage, is being investigated for attempted arson after allegedly trying to set the flammable spillage alight. | The 24-year-old Afghan "rioted" in a supermarket in Nordhausen, central Germany on Thursday, local police said, sweeping scores of wine and spirit bottles off a shelf. According to Nordhauser Kriminalpolizei investigators, he then tried to ignite the alcohol. | Footage from the store's CCTV system shows the man walking up and down the aisle, apparently perusing the wares, bef…
(2019-11-24). OPCW report on Douma chemical incident omitted & misrepresented key facts, leaked email by dissenting inspector shows. rt.com 
An internal OPCW email indicates that the chemical weapons watchdog's leadership doctored a report on the 2018 Douma incident to bring it in line with West-favored claim that it was an attack by the Syrian government. | A newly published internal email seriously undermines the justification for the show of force conducted by the US, Britain and France in response to the alleged attack. The three NATO allies unleashed barrages of cruise missiles at targets in Syria, which they claimed…
(2019-11-24). New Trove of Ukraine Documents Exposes 'Clear Paper Trail From Rudy Giuliani to the Oval Office to Secretary Pompeo'. commondreams.org "We can see why Mike Pompeo has refused to release this information to Congress. The evidence is only going to get worse." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mike_pompeo_3.jpg …
(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). Yes, Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential election. thegrayzone.com Meddling in the 2016 US presidential election by Ukrainian politicians and government agencies did indeed happen. No amount of denial…
(2019-11-23). UN Security Council Rebukes US Reversal on Settlements. imemc.org Failing to issue a statement denouncing the US stance regarding the legality of settlements, all members of the United Nations Security Council — except the US — rejected Washington's decision to no longer consider settlements a violation of international law. Four European nations said the move hindered peace efforts. The …
(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). 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). U.K. Labor Party Vows to Suspend Arms to Israel. imemc.org Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Kingdom, hailed the U.K. Labor Party, the main opposition in the U.
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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…
(2019-11-23). 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). 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…
(2019-11-22). 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). 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). 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). 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). The Left May Finally Govern in Spain. thenation.com The Left May Finally Govern in Spain…
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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…