(2019-12-17). Europe Is Lost. counterpunch.org 
When the tribesmen are dead in their deserts To make room for alien structures Develop, develop And kill what you find if it threatens you —Kate Tempest, Europe Is Lost For four years, Jeremy Corbyn was smeared in a relentless and savage campaign of vilification and outrageous slander by the British press, much of it More
(2019-12-17). Around 9,000 nurses to take strike action in the north of Ireland. thecanary.co 
A last-ditch meeting is aiming to prevent around 9,000 nurses from taking the UK's first 12-hour strike action over pay on Wednesday.The unprecedented walkout in the north of Ireland will see them leave wards with the solidarity of thousands of other healthcare workers.Stormont's political parties are expected to meet the head of the civil service at Stormont in an appeal for more cash.Unison union regional secretary Patricia McKeown said: "As we enter this significant period in the industrial struggle the consequences lay firmly on the shoulders of the UK government, our elected politicians and the leadership of…
(2019-12-17). Dublin's anti-racist march for peace emphasizes 'no room for hate' in Ireland. peoplesdispatch.org The Irish government launched a public consultation earlier in October to strengthen the country's existing laws regulating hate speech and hate crimes, and the right wing forces have opposed the move.
(2019-12-17). Turkey Threatens Retaliation Against Proposed US Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Intervention by one nation in the internal affairs of others breaches the UN Charter and other international law. | Non-intervention is a core Charter principle, calling for disputes to be settled "by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace …
(2019-12-17). France: Workers Start 13th Day of Strike Against Pension Reform. telesurenglish.net Through demonstrations and the stoppage of public transport, French unions Tuesday carry out the thirteenth consecutive day of a national strike against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reform. | RELATED: | France: Unions Keep Pressure Against Macron's Pension Reform | Their protests, which happen on the eve of a Christmas holiday, will measure the…
(2019-12-17). Build independent committees of action to bring down the Macron government in France! wsws.org The strike movement in France is part of a global upsurge of the class struggle that has led to mass strikes and protests on every continent.
(2019-12-17). Video: Douma 'Chemical Attack' Narrative Collapses, Russia Trains New Militia in Hasakah. globalresearch.ca Russia has started creating a local force that will operate in northeastern Syria areas abandoned by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, several Syrian media outlets claim. | According to reports, the Russian military will train and equip a new pro-government militia …
(2019-12-17). Bulgaria's Willingness to Host NATO Naval Center Is Aimed at Containing Russia in the Black Sea. globalresearch.ca In a joint statement between NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the latter announced last Thursday that the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna is a willing new home of NATO's Naval Force Coordination …
(2019-12-17). The So-called "China Threat": NATO and America's "New Cold War" on China. globalresearch.ca The powers that be in the US are now viewing China as a deadly rival in a duel for global supremacy. Their aim at the summit was to draw their European allies into their China containment strategy. This was made …
(2019-12-17). Huge Climate Victory! Denmark Mandates Global Warming Cure…By Law! globalresearch.ca Friday, Dec 6, 2019, saw the most important victory to date in the battle against Global Warming. Denmark's "Climate Act" will entirely revamp Denmark's climate policy — by law- and thrust it onto the world's centre stage by showcasing the …
(2019-12-17). Finland-Estonia Relations: Estonian Interior Minister Was Kinda Right but Also Kinda Wrong About Finland. globalresearch.ca The Estonian Interior Minister was correct in calling out the new Finnish government's extreme Europhilia which he fears is destined to turn the country into a so-called "euro-province" at the expense of its national sovereignty, but his invocation of Lenin …
(2019-12-17). While the Northern Ireland health service is in crisis, a DUP MP wants Boris Johnson to build a bridge to Scotland. thecanary.co As the health crisis worsens in the north of Ireland, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has called on Boris Johnson to build a bridge between the north and Scotland. According to Wilson, this would help Johnson "win back the trust" of the DUP. But the response from people living in the north is clear — it's healthcare that matters, not bridges.Stormont talks: On 15 Dec…
(2019-12-17). Two Huge Suppressed News Reports Display Corrupt US and Allied Mainstream Press. globalresearch.ca On Friday, December 12th, Glenn Greenwald at The Intercept reported and documented that the mainstream U.S. press has lied through its teeth about "Russiagate," and Zero Hedge reported and documented that not only had the U.S., UK, and France, committed …
(2019-12-17). Domestic Violence Is Russia's Shame. thenation.com Domestic Violence Is Russia's Shame…
(2019-12-17). Trump Decries 'Attempted Coup' as Impeachment Highly Likely. telesurenglish.net United States President Donald Trump accused Democrats of pursuing an "illegal, partisan attempted coup" Tuesday and declaring war on "democracy" as they seek to remove him from office for pressing Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden. | RELATED: | U.S. House Committee Approves Charges For Trump Impeachment | "This is nothing more than an illegal, partisan attempted coup that will be based on recent sentiment, badly fail at the voting booth," Trump's let…
(2019-12-17). Germany's Left Party hails new SPD leadership and grand coalition. wsws.org The efforts to present Saskia Esken and Nobert Walter-Borjans as fighters for a "left-wing camp" that will introduce a new era of social democracy are patently absurd.
(2019-12-17). France's Pension Battle Heats Up. thenation.com France's Pension Battle Heats Up…
(2019-12-17). Nestlé and the Privatization of Water: A Tale of Many Cities. globalresearch.ca On November 14th the Canadian group Wellington Water Watchers organized the "All Eyes on Nestlé" conference in the city of Guelph, Ontario, bringing together indigenous' peoples and citizens' movements fighting Nestlé's water takings from Canada, the US, France and Brazil. …
(2019-12-17). Last-ditch attempt to stop Nord Stream 2: US Senate passes Pentagon budget that includes Russian pipeline sanctions. rt.com 
The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act just approved by the US Senate includes a bill sanctioning companies involved in building the almost-finished Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. | The "Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019" embedded in the 3,500 page NDAA was proposed by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), who argued the pipeline would "vastly strengthen President Vladimir Putin at the expense of the rest of the free world." | Penalizing the companies involved in installing the pipeline will "have protected Europe's energy security and…
(2019-12-17). Estonian interior minister survives confidence vote over mocking of new female Finnish PM. rt.com 
Estonia's hardline interior minister has narrowly survived a vote of confidence after his mocking of the new female Prime Minister of Finland, a close neighbor of the Baltic country, and her Social Democratic party. | Lawmakers at the 101-seat Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, voted Tuesday by 44 to 42 to remove Mart Helme from his post. However, the motion failed to pass because it did not achieve an absolute majority of 51. The move was initiated by the opposition Reform Party. | Helme, 70, in an interview with an Estonian radio talk show on Sunday, made a jibe at Sanna Marin, Finland's new 34-year-old prime…
(2019-12-17). Russia's new REMOTE-CONTROLLED self-propelled artillery unit is shown in action for the first time (VIDEO). rt.com 
The 2S38 self-propelled gun can shower all types of enemies with explosive shells while having no crew inside its turret. The weapon is currently being tested for combat in freezing cold weather. | The cutting-edge artillery unit, also known as 'Derivatsiya,' features a fully automated turret which is operated remotely by the machine's three-man crew. While the 57mm gun is essentially an anti-aircraft piece, it's also able to strike land targets with high precision. | The versatile weapon is said to be capable of destroying almost any type of enemy targets: from piercing light-armored hardware with explosive s…
(2019-12-17). World's end at their fingertips: Russian troops in charge of ground-launched ICBMs celebrate 60th anniversary. rt.com 
People tasked with keeping Russian ICBMs, some of the most potentially destructive things in the world, updated and ready to use, are marking their anniversary; the weapons have not been used in actual combat in over 60 years. | The Russian Strategic Missile Forces — also known as RVSN after their Russian abbreviation — have about two thirds of the nation's entire nuclear arsenal at their disposal. Spread around the country in silos and on truck-mountable containers are about 400 ICBMs, each with multiple nuclear warheads as their payload. It takes some 6,000 troops, constantly on combat duty, to man…
(2019-12-17). Egypt's President Sisi warns against attempts 'to control' Libya. rt.com 
Egypt's President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi has reportedly warned against attempts "to control" neighboring Libya, as tensions grow over Turkey's expanding ties with the Tripoli-based government. Sisi's remarks come after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed a readiness to send troops to Libya if requested by the country's Government of National Accord (GNA). | Erdogan, who supports the GNA, met in Istanbul on Sunday with its head Fayez al-Sarraj, after the two countries signed maritime and military deals last month. Egypt's Foreign Ministry has lambasted the agreements as "illegitimate." | On Tuesday, s…
(2019-12-17). Manafort's deputy sentenced to 45 days in jail & 3yrs' probation for lying to FBI and stashing Ukraine lobbying cash. rt.com 
Former Donald Trump deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for lying to the FBI and conspiracy against the US, his sentence reduced after cooperating in the case against his boss Paul Manafort. | Gates, 47, pleaded guilty to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's charges in February 2018. He was also sentenced to three years of probation, 300 hours of community service, and a $20,000 fine. | "I wish to express to this court that I accept complete responsibility for my actions that have led me here," Gates said before the sentencing, adding that he "greatly regrets the mistakes" he…
(2019-12-17). "One Country, Two Systems"? Britain and Northern Ireland on Brexit. globalresearch.ca One country, two systems. Britain is leaving the European Union. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is not leaving on the same terms. | In the UK election, more Irish nationalists than Unionists were elected in Northern Ireland …
(2019-12-16). Fresh bid to restore powersharing at Stormont gets under way. thecanary.co 
A fresh bid to restore Stormont's crisis-hit institutions is under way.Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith has embarked on a round of bilateral meetings with the leaders of the five main parties, in an effort to kick-start a new talks process ahead of a looming deadline in January.If a devolved executive is not resurrected by 13 January, legislation that gives the civil service extra powers to run the region's floundering public services will expire, and Smith will be under a legal duty to call a snap Assembly election.Campaigners for an Irish Language act protest outside Parliament Buildings (Niall Carson/PA…
(2019-12-16). Greenland's ice melting at rate that surpasses scientists' expectations. peoplesworld.org 
The rate that Greenland's ice sheet is melting surpassed scientists' expectations and has raised concerns that their worst-case scenario predictions are coming true, Business Insider reported. A new study published in the journal Nature from a team of scientists at NASA and the European Space Agency looked at satellite imagery from 1992 to 2018 from 26 independent data sets. The images revealed …
(2019-12-16). Democrats push the GOP for a fair Senate impeachment trial. peoplesworld.org 
(2019-12-16). IG report exposes FBI, Congressional, and media deceit in Russia probe. thegrayzone.com A new report from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirms that the FBI relied on the Steele dossier — a…
(2019-12-16). Erdogan Threatens to Close 2 US Military Bases in Turkey. telesurenglish.net Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Sunday to shut down two strategic military bases used by the United States if Washington imposes sanctions on Turkey for buying the S-400 Russian missile system. | RELATED: | Turkey Stands Its Ground Against NATO Over Syria Dispute | "If necessary, we'll close Incirlik and also Kurecik," Erdogan said in a televised…
(2019-12-16). What's scarier than racists and Russian trolls on Instagram? Why, 'Russian-influenced racist trolls,' of course! rt.com 
The mainstream media censors have hit a brick wall smearing their quarry as "racists" – the overused term no longer packs much of a punch. To really work up a good scare, they're calling the erstwhile racists "Russian-inspired." | The 2020 US election is just around the corner and social media is crawling with wrongthink, according to the Daily Beast. This time, it's not Russian trolls – it's worse. The Russian trolls' ideas have infected so-called "American neo-confederates" and created an unholy hybrid of racist Russian trolls who are unstoppable by the usual mass-deplatforming solutions used to wipe out ent…
(2019-12-16). Trump's mean words harm our agency, says former FBI Director — just don't ask about our past! rt.com 
President Donald Trump's verbal attacks on the FBI are a "dire threat" to the rule of law in America, according to former FBI Director William Webster. But the agency has a scandal-rich history and needs more, not less, scrutiny. | Trump has referred to certain FBI officials as "scum" and former agency Director James Comey as a "slimeball." He's accused Comey of launching the 2016 'Russiagate' investigation against his campaign for nakedly partisan reasons, and his Attorney General, William Barr, has accused the agency of acting in "bad faith" in its handling of the 2016 probe. | This renewed attention on the…
(2019-12-16). Johnson's Brexit deal to be brought before Commons this week. thecanary.co 
MPs will be asked to vote on the prime minister's Brexit deal this week as the government begins its push to take Britain out of the European Union next month.The Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) will be brought before the commons on Friday — and could be debated at first and second reading in one day, if the Speaker agrees to the timetable.Boris Johnson said during the general election campaign that he would kick-start the process of exiting the EU before families tuck into their turkeys on Christmas Day if he was re-elected.The prime minister's official spokesperson told a Westminster briefing: "We plan to…
(2019-12-16). NATO Summit strengthens the 'War Party'. workers.org 
This Dec. 6 article from the Italian web newspaper, Il Manifesto, shows how the Dec. 3-4 London NATO Summit reinforced the belligerent stance of that military alliance. Before 1991, NATO was a U.S.-dominated alliance of European and North American imperialist interests directed at the USSR and the East European socialist . . . | Continue reading NATO Summit strengthens the 'War Party' at Workers.org
(2019-12-16). COP25 Was a Failure, But Activists' Collective Organizing at the Talks Was Unprecedented. democracynow.org 
The COP25 United Nations climate summit ended in failure Sunday, after negotiators failed to agree to a deal that would limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — a key goal of the Paris Agreement. Scores of civil society groups condemned governments in the European Union, Australia, Canada and the U.S. for a deal that requires far less action than needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Indigenous leaders and environmentalists blasted the United Nations for marginalizing civil society groups over two weeks of negotiations at the climate summit, while welcoming polluters.
(2019-12-16). Ralph Nader on Impeachment: Democrats Should Go After Trump's Full Corruption, Not Just Ukraine. democracynow.org 
Donald Trump is set to become the third president to be impeached when the Democrat-controlled House votes Wednesday on two charges related to his attempts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. The vote will send the charges to the Republican-controlled Senate, which will then hold a trial on whether to remove Trump from office. Witnesses who could be called to testify include former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Early Monday, the House Judiciary Committee released its full report on Trump's impeachment that is nearly 700 pag…
(2019-12-16). A Hidden Majority: UK General Election 2019. counterpunch.org 
The threat posed by Jeremy Corbyn to the powerful and privileged in Britain at the 2019 general election was far more severe than the one from Clement Attlee in 1945. While his Labour Party manifesto may have just laid out plans for a return to post-war norms of a "civilized" European social democratic state, Corbyn's More
(2019-12-15). US Treasury chief applauds sanctions as ALTERNATIVE to military conflicts…but it hardly sits well with those sanctioned. rt.com 
Sanctions imposed on some stubborn countries are a better option than military conflicts, Steve Mnuchin claimed, just as the US rolled out fresh penalties against Iran and EU firms helping build a German-Russian pipeline. | "The reason why we're using sanctions is because they are an important alternative for world military conflicts. And I believe it's worked," Mnuchin told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the Doha Forum in Qatar on Saturday. He singled out North Korea and I…
(2019-12-15). 'Where's my apology, Jim?' Trump taunts Comey after former FBI chief says sorry for 'sloppy' Russia investigation. rt.com 
President Donald Trump took to Twitter to demand a personal apology from former FBI Director James Comey, after Comey apologized on TV for his (mis)handling of the 'Russiagate' probe. | "So now Comey's admitting he was wrong," Trump tweeted on Sunday. "Wow, but he's only doing so because he got caught red handed. He was actually caught a long time ago. So what are the consequences for his unlawful conduct. Could it be years in jail? Where are the apologies to me and others, Jim?" | So now Comey's admitting he was wrong. Wow, but he's only doing so because he got caught red handed. He was actually caught a long…
(2019-12-14). Millions in France strike against austerity. mronline.org 
France's mass strikes have mobilized millions, persisting into a sixth day, in an attempt to forestall severe cuts to the social gains of the working class. | Source
(2019-12-13). COP25 Was Moved to Spain to Conceal Chilean Government's Human Rights Violations. therealnews.com 
The concept of "loss and damage" and carbon markets are a sticking point at the UN's climate summit, and protests are continuing in Chile, the original site of the talks. Oxfam's Nafkote Dabi and Gary Hughes of Biofuelwatch discuss the realities of COP25.
(2019-12-13). Someone Interfered in the UK Election, and It Wasn't Russia. theantimedia.com Hardly anyone will care because this election interference has been happening right out in the open, and was perfectly legal.
(2019-12-13). UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/12/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-12-13). One killed in 'workplace violence' shooting at Dart Container plant in Conyers, Georgia. rt.com 
One employee was shot at a food service plant in Conyers, Georgia, and later died. Local schools were placed on lockdown while police hunted for a suspect, who was later caught in the neighboring state of Alabama. | A contract employee identified as Cameron Golden was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with murdering fellow employee Taurus Andrews. | Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett described the shooting as "workplace violence," but said that Golden's motives were still being investigated. | "We don't if Mr. Golden was upset with Dart Container, was he upset with any particular person there? We just don…
(2019-12-13). "Dark Day for Everyone Who Believes in Justice": U.K. Tories Defeat Labour in Landslide Election. democracynow.org 
The British Conservative Party has won a decisive majority in Thursday's general election, winning seats in Labour Party strongholds and paving the way for Britain's exit from the European Union by January 31. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is projected to have 364 seats in the House of Commons compared to Labour's 203 seats. That would give the Conservatives about a 75-seat majority, the largest since Margaret Thatcher's landslide in the 1987 election. Johnson's message throughout the campaign was focused on "getting Brexit done," reflecting public exhaustion with the issue that has paralyzed British politics ever…
(2019-12-13). COP25: Developing Countries Charge Ahead with Bold Climate Plans as Rich Countries Drag Their Feet. democracynow.org 
As this year's United Nations climate summit wraps up in Madrid, Spain, many activists, scientists, indigenous and grassroots climate leaders say that rich countries most responsible for the climate emergency have spent the talks dialing back ambition and blocking progress. This comes as deadly droughts, flooding, cyclones and wildfires rage around the world. This week, more than 70 developing countries have announced they will accelerate their climate plans, and 72 countries have signed onto goals to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But major emitters Australia, China, India, Brazil and Saudi Arabia have…
(2019-12-13). Headlines for December 13, 2019. democracynow.org Conservative Party Wins Landslide Victory in U.K. Elections, House Judiciary Committee to Vote on 2 Articles of Impeachment Today, Algeria: Thousands Protest Thursday's Presidential Election, Aung San Suu Kyi Asks ICJ to Drop Genocide Case Against Burma, India: Police Kill 2 People in Assam Amid Protests over Citizenship Bill, Thousands of Iraqis Gather in Tahrir Sq. to Demand Protest Movement Remain Peaceful, France: Unions Remain on Strike and Vow to Continue During Holiday Season, Thousands Take to Streets in Hong Kong, DHS Memo Reveals How ICE's Inadequate Medical Care Contributed to 4 Deaths, Trump Attacks 1…
(2019-12-12). Pope Francis warns on nuclear weapons; official Italy silent. workers.org 
Published in Il Manifesto on Nov. 26. Translation by John Catalinotto. Italy's politicians and corporate media, usually eloquent about any news concerning the Pope, greeted with the silence of the tomb the words pronounced by Francis on Nov. 24 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki: "The use of atomic energy for war . . . | Continue reading Pope Francis warns on nuclear weapons; official Italy silent at Workers.org
(2019-12-12). Uganda's First Fridays for Future Climate Striker, Vanessa Nakate, Joins COP25 Protests in Madrid. democracynow.org 
As we broadcast from the U.N. climate summit in Madrid, Spain, we speak with climate activist Vanessa Nakate, who was Uganda's first Fridays for Future climate striker. "I wanted to do something that would cause change to the lives of the people in my community and my country," she says. "My country heavily depends on agriculture, therefore most of the people depend on agriculture. If our farms are destroyed by floods, if the farms are destroyed by droughts and crop production is less, that means that the price of food is going to go high. So it will only be the most privileged who will be able to buy food."
(2019-12-12). Headlines for December 12, 2019. democracynow.org European Commission Proposes Sweeping European Green Deal, DOJ Inspector General Testifies to Senate Judiciary Committee, More Than 70 Troops Killed in Attack on Niger Military Camp, Demonstrations Sweep Algeria as Protesters Demand Boycott of Today's Election, Britain: Voters Head to Polls for Defining National Election Today, Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Genocide Against Muslim Rohingya at ICJ, India's Upper House Passes "Anti-Muslim" Citizenship Bill, Israel Dissolves Knesset as Country Heads Toward 3rd Election This Year, French Workers Continue Strike After PM Unveils Details of Pension Overhaul, Hundreds of Acti…