Daily Archives: December 20, 2019

2019-12-20: News Headlines

Staff (2019-12-20). Democrats Invoke Russiagate to Advance Bill Lobbied for by Big Oil. therealnews.com Two bills that would allow the United States to expand its fossil fuel infrastructure in the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries have advanced to the the Senate—and Democrats backing them have invoked "Russiagate" to push them through.

Carl Boggs (2019-12-20). Capitalism and the Limits of Greening. counterpunch.org The idea of a Green New Deal, including the one proposed by a group of Democrats led by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is hardly novel on the world scene, though potentially consequential for American politics. European Green parties, for example, introduced far-reaching policies in support of an ecological (sustainable) model of development as early as 1980. A few other European leftist parties later arrived at their own "greening" initiatives to mitigate climate disruption. The much-smaller U.S. Greens followed suit. Even the authoritarian Chinese government has introduced its own program to curb green…

Fight Back (2019-12-20). Two tactics in the fight against Trump and the right. fightbacknews.org On December 18 the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a 230-197 margin to impeach President Donald Trump. The day before, thousands of people turned out at hundreds of protests across the country to support the impeachment effort. | Trump was impeached by a party-line vote on two counts: first, for abuse of power after he withheld military aid from the Ukraine in an effort to get the government there to investigate Joe Biden's son for corruption; and second, for obstruction of justice because of his campaign to cover up his actions. | What was not voted on were Trump's many other crimes against the people, in…

WSWS (2019-12-20). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Doctors in Zimbabwe are continuing their walkout in the face of intensifying repression while 1,200 German Amazon workers protested low pay by staging a walkout.

Peoples Dispatch (2019-12-20). Massive protests against controversial judicial reforms rock Poland. peoplesdispatch.org On Wednesday, December 18, massive mobilizations took place in over 160 locations in Poland under the banner of "Today judges — tomorrow you", to protest the new judicial reforms proposed by the incumbent right-wing government led by the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS). Thousands of people, many carrying Polish flags, gathered in front of Poland's parliament in Warsaw. Marches were also organized in Wroclaw, Torun, Poznan, Szczecin, Katowice, Bialystok and other cities. The call for the protest was given by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD), the judiciary association "Iustitia Polska"

Madeline Woker (2019-12-20). Global Taxation Is a Mess. Here's How to Start Fixing It. thenation.com Global Taxation Is a Mess. Here's How to Start Fixing It.

WSWS (2019-12-20). From Cavaignac to Villiers: The class struggle in France and the lessons of history. wsws.org This week General Pierre de Villiers called for more "firmness" in repressing the weeks-long mass strike against President Emmanuel Macron's austerity agenda.

WSWS (2019-12-20). Right-wing campaigns in Georgia and Wisconsin purge half a million registered voters. wsws.org The continued assault on democratic rights by the ruling class has led to millions of disenfranchised voters.

Yasmine Motarjemi (2019-12-20). Whistleblowing: A Draft Law to Silence Whistleblowers. globalresearch.ca On 16th December 2019, the Swiss "Conseil des Etats" the upper house of the Swiss Parliament, approved the draft law on whistleblowing, in pipeline since 2003. The proposed law on whistleblowing and related labour laws in Switzerland are not only …

Thomas Klikauer (2019-12-20). Eastern Germans voting for the Alternative for Germany. zcomm.org On 27th October 2019, the East-German state of Thuringia held an election. Thuringia's 2.1 million people live in one of the most western states of the former East-Germany, almost right in the centre of Germany. The state borders the state of Hessen to the west and the state of Saxony to the east. Out of Read more…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2019-12-20). 'A Win for the Planet!': Dutch Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling Mandating Climate Action. commondreams.org Advocates for climate action celebrated Friday after the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld a landmark ruling that found the Dutch government is obligated under international human rights law to more ambitiously reduce greenhouse gas emissions that drive global heating. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/win_for_planet.jpg

RT (2019-12-20). All I want for Christmas is $23tn in debt: Rand Paul lays waste to reckless US spending in annual Festivus Report. rt.com Offering some relief from the impeachment spectacle grinding on in Washington, Senator Rand Paul has released his yearly Festivus Report, chronicling the outrageous — but sometimes comical — spending habits of the US government. | Whether it's funding costly studies on the mating calls of Panamanian frogs, spending millions to improve the quality of television in Moldova or bankrolling Peru's Green New Deal, Washington has found a number of creative ways to blow through tax dollars in 2019. In an epic "airing of grievances" inspired by the TV sitcom Seinfeld, Paul (R-KY) pulled no punches for the f…

RT (2019-12-20). Tight tanks! Belgian soldiers too tall to drive military's APCs after ‚Ǩ31mn upgrade. rt.com The Belgian military decided to upgrade its fleet of Pandur APCs with new bomb-proof armor and air conditioning; The only problem is, now about 85 percent of its troops can't fit in it. | Belgium is reportedly spending €31 million ($34.4mn) on a safety upgrade for its fleet of 44 Pandur Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) according to Belgian media citing Ministry of Defense documents. The vehicles are to be used as reconnaissance units or as a medevacs, and were b…

RT (2019-12-20). Russia & Ukraine sign 'protocol of agreement' for gas transit to Europe – Gazprom. rt.com After months of tense negotiations and years of legal battles, Moscow and Kiev have made an agreement on extension to the current gas transit agreement, which expires on December 31. | "Russia and Ukraine have signed a protocol on agreements on continuing gas transit as well as on settling reciprocal claims," a spokesperson of the Russian gas giant Gazprom, told journalists without providing any details of the document. | Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission have reached the "final agreement" on all the "principled positions" related to the gas transit and the settlement of reciprocal claims, the Ukrain…

RT (2019-12-20). Spate of historical employee suicides sees telecom firm Orange fined & ex-CEO sent to prison in landmark case. rt.com French telecoms company Orange has been found guilty of multiple employee suicides in a case that could open the door for other firms to be charged with "institutionalized moral harassment." | Multinational firm Orange is France's first corporation to be tried on such a charge, and the landmark court ruling could set a legal precedent. | A Paris court fined the company €75,000 (more than $83,000) on Friday over 39 cases in the 2000s. They include 19 suicides, 12 suicide attempts and eight cases of serious depression. Other employees' suicides couldn't be linked directly and solely with their jobs. | Confl…

RT (2019-12-20). Italy, France and USA: WADA names worst doping-affected countries, Russia not in top 4. rt.com The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its annual Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) report revealing the countries with the most doping violations in 2017 – with Italy, France and the USA topping the list. | The report says that a total of 1,804 doping cases were recorded in 2017, indicating 13.1% increase of violations in comparison with figures registered in 2016. | READ MORE: 'It's just a method to neutralize strong competitors from Russia' — Putin on WADA ban | "1,459 of the ADRVs came out of…

RT (2019-12-20). Tripoli urges military aid from 'friendly' states as E. Libya's forces announce 3-day deadline. rt.com Libya's UN-recognized unity government on Friday urged five "friendly countries" to implement military deals as it seeks to repel eastern forces fighting to seize the capital. | Tripoli-based GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj sent letters to the leaders of the US, Britain, Italy, Algeria and Turkey, urging them to "activate security cooperation deals," AFP reported. | The call came a day after the Government of National Accord (GNA) approved the activation of such a deal with Ankara, paving the way for a bigger Turkish role. | The self-styled Libyan National Army on Friday gave the militias defending the city a three-d…

RT (2019-12-20). Turkey vows to retaliate if US imposes sanctions on Russian gas pipeline. rt.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back against US threats to impose sanctions on the TurkStream pipeline that is set to deliver Russian gas to Turkey and further to southern and southeastern Europe starting next year. | "Now they [the US] say 'we will impose sanctions on TurkStream,'" Erdogan told reporters on Friday in Malaysia. "This is a complete violation of our rights," he said, adding that Ankara would retaliate against such a step. | The TurkStream project was created as an alternative to the South Stream pipeline. The project to deliver Russian gas to southern Europe was blocked by Bulgari…

RT (2019-12-20). Hard truth to spit out: Yang tells Dems to stop obsessing over impeachment & deal with issues that helped Trump get elected. rt.com Breaking away from his Democratic peers, Andrew Yang called on the party to get over impeachment and stop pretending like President Donald Trump or Russia — not their own policy failures — caused their 2016 election loss. | In his opening remarks at the last Democratic presidential debate of the year on Thursday, Yang attempted to give his colleagues, still gloating over Trump's impeachment in the House, a rare reality check, urging them to stop putting all their eggs in a basket that nobody cares about in the first place. | "We have to stop being obsessed over impeachment, which unfortunately stri…

RT (2019-12-20). Harassment of Sputnik reporters by police in Estonia 'beyond all existing norms': Journalist groups call to protect colleagues. rt.com The International Federation of Journalists urged Estonian authorities to stop threatening journalists working for Russian news media Sputnik Estonia with criminal prosecution over EU sanctions on Russia's media chief. | "Media professionals should be allowed to freely carry out their duties, without threats from higher authorities," IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said while commenting on the harassment of Sputnik journalists by Estonian police. At the same time, the organization's Vice President Timur Shafir stressed that the threat of criminal proceedings "goes beyond all existing norms," especially…

RT (2019-12-20). Is that you, Elon Moscow? Cybertruck 'copy' spotted in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com While Tesla's fancy Cybertruck is currently available in the US on pre-order, at least one bootleg "copy" of it has already hit the road in Russia, and it might even be more advanced. | A short video of the futuristic vehicle, driving outside Moscow, emerged online on Thursday. While smaller, the car closely resembles Elon Musk's Tesla Cybertruck, featuring similar proportions and simplistic design. | The vehicle has Kaluga region license plate, which suggests it was able to travel some 200km (124 miles) to the outskirts of Moscow without falling apart and without getting seized by traffic police. | In fact…

RT (2019-12-20). Stalinator will be back: Soviet dictator posing as iconic Schwarzenegger character winks at climate-saving plant. rt.com A leather-clad, shades-wearing Stalin promises 'I'll be back' from a large billboard in a small Russian town. It's not clear if the image is meant to terrorize the locals or inspire those who actually wish for a new dictatorship. | The billboard was spotted on a photo published by the website of Balakhna, a small city on the Volga River just northwest of Nizhny Novgorod. Rather than showcasing a local dispute about the role Stalin played in history, the report was actually about a new plant that opened near the…

RT (2019-12-20). 2nd FSB officer dies of wounds after Moscow shooting incident. rt.com A second FSB officer has died of his wounds after the shooting near the Federal Security Service headquarters in central Moscow, the Russian Investigative Committee said on Friday. | The incident on Lubyanka Street took place on Thursday evening. Two FSB officers were killed and five other people were injured. | One officer was killed at the scene, and another one was taken to the hospital in grave condition where he passed away, Svetlana Petrenko, the official representative of the committee, was quoted as saying. Five more people, i…

yenisafak (2019-12-20). Turkish defense giant ASELSAN breaks export record. yenisafak.com With a shipment of software-based radios to Ukraine, Turkish defense giant ASELSAN scored its biggest-ticket, single-shipment export to date, officials from the company told Anadolu Agency on Friday.The company completed the deliveries of four of the radios and intercom systems under a contract signed with Ukraine's state-run Spets Techno Export, said the officials.Ukraine is among the countries that use ASELSAN solutions to meet their armed forces' communication needs, and the first contract with Ukraine Spets Techno Export was signed in December 2016, followed by eight shipments under eight different contracts.

yenisafak (2019-12-20). Turkey to unveil 1st homegrown car prototype next week. yenisafak.com Turkey will unveil the prototype of its first indigenous car on Dec. 27, the nation's president said on Friday.Erdogan's remarks came in Malaysia where he attended Kuala Lumpur summit of Muslim world leaders this week.The car publicity will be held in Gebze, a district of northwestern Kocaeli province, Erdogan told reporters.Just after Erdogan's comments, Turkey's Technology Minister Mustafa Varank shared two photographs on Twitter, showing two vehicles blanketed with covers, and bearing the logo of Turkey's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG).In one photo, Varank poses in front of the vehicles alone, while in the…

yenisafak (2019-12-20). German union extends strike at Amazon's Leipzig warehouse until Dec. 24. yenisafak.com Amazon workers in the eastern German city of Leipzig will extend until Christmas Eve their strike over pay and conditions, trade union Verdi said on Friday.Since 2013, unions have staged repeated strikes at Amazon's facilities in Germany – Amazon's second-largest market after the United States – hoping to force the e-commerce company to recognise collective bargaining agreements that apply to other retail employees.Verdi said more than 400 Amazon workers in Leipzig had been on strike every day since Monday.Verdi had said on Tuesday that around 1,200 workers were taking part in a strike that started during the Sun…

yenisafak (2019-12-20). Thousands flee bombardment in NW Syria, head to Turkish border. yenisafak.com Thousands of people have fled to the Turkish border from the last big opposition stronghold in northwestern Syria because of an intensified bombardment by Russian forces and the Syrian army, residents and rescue workers said on Friday.A long line of vehicles was seen on Friday leaving the opposition-held city of Maarat al Numan which has borne the brunt of the attacks, which included air strikes, they said."The exodus is in the thousands. It's a humanitarian catastrophe, we are seeing people walking in the streets and people waiting near the homes for cars to take them out," said Osama Ibrahim, a rescue worker fr…

yenisafak (2019-12-20). Christmas tree app updates tradition in Estonia. yenisafak.com Estonians have always headed to the forests in their thousands to cut down Christmas trees, but these days they will probably have a smartphone in their hands.The state forestry company of Estonia, a country where almost all government services are available online, has launched a mobile application which allows people to search for their trees and pay for them."It is a nice feeling to bring your own tree from the forest," said Katrin Sagur, who went with her husband and kids this week to pick out a Christmas tree using the app.

teleSUR (2019-12-19). 'Assange Cannot Be Extradited to the US', Lawyer Holds at Court. telesurenglish.net During a hearing before the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Julian Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, requested Thursday that the founder of Wikileaks not be extradited to the United States arguing that the alleged crimes of his defendant have a political character. | RELATED: | Russia Shows Concern for Assange's Health | Fitzgerald mentioned that the United Ki…

The Canary (2019-12-19). Queen's Speech takes 'wrecking ball' to Scotland's foundations, SNP claims. thecanary.co The SNP has accused Boris Johnson and the UK Government of "taking a wrecking ball" to Scotland with its plans in the Queen's Speech. | SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford spoke out after a speech that did not mention Scotland by name — although the queen said the "integrity and prosperity" of the United Kingdom was of "the utmost importance" to the UK Government. | Blackford argued the Withdrawal Agreement Bill that ministers will bring forward will hurt Scotland's economy and cost thousands of jobs north of the border. | He was also critical of plans on immigration and said the UK Government was failing…

South Front (2019-12-19). Video: Military Intervention in Libya and Turkey's Grand Game in the Eastern Mediterranean. globalresearch.ca During the past week, the situation significantly escalated in Libya, with Turkey expanding its military involvement in the conflict. | In late November, Turkey signed with the Government of National Accord (GNA), which controls only a small part of northern Libya, …

WSWS (2019-12-19). Russia, Ukraine to resume talks on energy following Paris summit. wsws.org The talks have resumed just after the US announced sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany.

Andrew Korybko (2019-12-19). The Indo-'Israeli' Trans-Arabian Corridor Will Push Russia Closer to Pakistan. globalresearch.ca India's participation in "Israel's" Trans-Arabian Corridor for connecting the Eastern Mediterranean and Afro-Asian ("Indian") Ocean will render New Delhi's North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC) with Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia economically redundant, consequently pushing Russia closer to Pakistan as Moscow seeks to …

Swiss Propaganda Research (2019-12-19). Propaganda in the War on Yugoslavia. globalresearch.ca The war on Yugoslavia in the 1990s was a classic imperial war to reorder South Eastern Europe. To achieve its goals, the US even deployed the "jihadist" mercenaries with which it had previously fought the USSR in Afghanistan and which …

teleSUR (2019-12-19). ERC Won't Talk With PSOE Until It Responds to CJEU Ruling. telesurenglish.net In the statement released in front of the facade of the Parliament, ERC spokeswoman, Marta Vilalta informed that her political block will wait for the Socialists and the acting Government to decide if they want to use the ruling of the EU court to "end repression and policing" against independence and authorize the President of the Republicans, Oriol Junqueras, to become a Member of European Parliament (MEP).

WSWS (2019-12-19). UK general election result confirms protracted death of the Labour Party. wsws.org Labour haemorrhaged support across the UK and among all sections of workers, young and old, from the north and south, those in favour of leaving the European Union and those for remaining.

teleSUR, jg-MS (2019-12-19). Kuala Lumpur Summit: Five Big Problems Facing The Muslim World. telesurenglish.net Leaders from some of the world's most populous Muslim-majority countries will meet Thursday in Malaysia's capital to discuss issues such as Islamophobia and poverty. | RELATED: | Erdogan Threatens to Close 2 US Military Bases in Turkey | Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will chair the meeting with other heads of state, including President Hassan Rouh…

teleSUR (2019-12-19). Russia and Venezuela Sign Agriculture Cooperation Agreement. telesurenglish.net The authorities of the Venezuelan state of Guárico on Wednesday signed a memorandum of international understanding with Russian investors as part of a strategic agreement for the new planting cycle in 2020, as part of the strengthening of cooperation in the agricultural sector . | RELATED: | Russia Sends Humanitarian Support In Medicine to Venezuela | "The Bolivarian Revolution does not stop and continues to create new alternatives to boost national agriculture through the allied c…

Martha Grevatt (2019-12-19). After British right-wing win, workers need anti-racist unity. workers.org Elections held Dec. 12 in England, Scotland, Wales and the occupied north of Ireland were a boost to Trump protégé and Conservative party leader Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Voters elected 365 Conservative Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, giving Conservatives — the Tories — the majority needed to . . . | Continue reading After British right-wing win, workers need anti-racist unity at Workers.org

Paul Antonopoulos (2019-12-19). Brexit Could See the Return of the Falkland Islands to Argentina. globalresearch.ca The Islas Malvinas, or more commonly known as the Falkland Islands, archipelago was invaded by the United Kingdom in 1833 and its occupation has continued to date. Argentina's claim for sovereignty through diplomatic means has been a state policy since …

teleSUR (2019-12-19). UK's Johnson Presents Agenda, Promises Quick Brexit. telesurenglish.net United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed Thursday the agenda of his new government, presenting the Brexit as well as future trade deals as top priorities and pledging to transform Britain and repay the trust of voters who handed him a landslide election victory and a very large majority in Parliament. | RELATED: | 'We Don't Want Johnson, We Don't Want Brexit' Scottish Say | A week after the election, the Queen's Speech –written by the government but read out by the monarch…

Kathy Durkin (2019-12-19). Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement. workers.org Photo credit: BDS Movement President Donald Trump's executive order issued Dec.11 would deny federal funds from schools that allow "anti-Semitism" on their campuses, including some anti-Israel activities. It is intended to squelch defense of — or even discussion about — Palestinian rights, and is the result of intense reactionary efforts . . . | Continue reading Trump's order on 'anti-Semitism' aimed at pro-Palestinian movement at Workers.org

Staff (2019-12-18). "Not the End of It": If GOP Senate Saves Trump, Rep. Al Green Says He Can Face Impeachment Again. democracynow.org President Donald Trump is on the cusp of being impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, with a historic vote set today on whether to formally accuse him of abusing his power in dealing with Ukraine to help himself politically, and then obstructing Congress by blocking their investigation. Trump lashed out directly at the vote on Tuesday, calling the proceedings to remove him from office an "attempted coup." Should the House approve either of the articles of impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate will hold a trial with all 100 senators acting as jurors, with a two-thirds supermajority…

Tarek Ismail (2019-12-18). A Secret CBP Team is Targeting and Detaining Innocent Travelers. We're Suing. aclu.org U.S. Customs and Border Protection is deploying secret teams that target, detain, and interrogate innocent travelers. We're suing to expose their activities. | In November 2018, three CBP officers detained Andreas | Gal, a former chief | technology officer at Mozilla Corporation and current Apple employee, at San | Francisco International Airport after he landed from a business trip to Sweden. | Andr…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2019-12-18). The US-NATO-Israel Sponsored Al Qaeda Insurgency in Syria. Who Was Behind the 2011 "Protest Movement"? globalresearch.ca It was not a protest movement, it was an armed insurgency integrated by US-Israeli & allied supported "jihadist" death squads. From Day One, the Islamist "freedom fighters" were supported, trained & equipped by NATO & Turkey's High Command.

Staff (2019-12-18). Headlines for December 18, 2019. democracynow.org House to Hold Historic Impeachment Vote Today, Top U.S. Diplomat to Ukraine William Taylor to Step Down, Rick Gates Sentenced to 45 Days in Jail and $20,000 Fine, FISA Court Orders FBI to Change National Security Wiretaps After DOJ Report, Democratic Primary Debate to Go Forward After Labor Dispute Resolved, Senate Approves One of the Most Expensive Military Spending Bills in U.S. History, Trump Meets with Outgoing Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, Indian Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Controversial Citizenship Law, Strikes Continue Nationwide in France over Pension Overhaul, Bolivia's Evo Morales Names Two…

Staff (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.

Staff (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…

Aaron Maté (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…

Staff (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…

2019-12-20: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Capitalism and the Limits of Greening
Carl Boggs | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-20
The idea of a Green New Deal, including the one proposed by a group of Democrats led by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is hardly novel on the world scene, though potentially consequential for American politics. European Green parties, for example, introduced far-reaching policies in support of an ecological (sustainable) model of development as early as 1980. A few other European leftist parties later arrived at their own "greening" initiatives to mitigate climate disruption. The much-smaller U.S. Greens followed suit. Even the authoritarian Chinese government has introduced its own program to curb green…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/20/capitalism-and-the-limits-of-greening/

Two tactics in the fight against Trump and the right
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-12-20
On December 18 the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a 230-197 margin to impeach President Donald Trump. The day before, thousands of people turned out at hundreds of protests across the country to support the impeachment effort. | Trump was impeached by a party-line vote on two counts: first, for abuse of power after he withheld military aid from the Ukraine in an effort to get the government there to investigate Joe Biden's son for corruption; and second, for obstruction of justice because of his campaign to cover up his actions. | What was not voted on were Trump's many other crimes against the people, in…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/12/20/two-tactics-fight-against-trump-and-right

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
Doctors in Zimbabwe are continuing their walkout in the face of intensifying repression while 1,200 German Amazon workers protested low pay by staging a walkout.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/wkrs-d20.html

Massive protests against controversial judicial reforms rock Poland
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2019-12-20
On Wednesday, December 18, massive mobilizations took place in over 160 locations in Poland under the banner of "Today judges — tomorrow you", to protest the new judicial reforms proposed by the incumbent right-wing government led by the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS). Thousands of people, many carrying Polish flags, gathered in front of Poland's parliament in Warsaw. Marches were also organized in Wroclaw, Torun, Poznan, Szczecin, Katowice, Bialystok and other cities. The call for the protest was given by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD), the judiciary association "Iustitia Polska"
peoplesdispatch.org/2019/12/20/massive-protests-against-controversial-judicial-reforms-rock-poland/

Global Taxation Is a Mess. Here's How to Start Fixing It
Madeline Woker | thenation.com | 2019-12-20
Global Taxation Is a Mess. Here's How to Start Fixing It.
thenation.com/article/france-tax-wine-tariff/

From Cavaignac to Villiers: The class struggle in France and the lessons of history
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
This week General Pierre de Villiers called for more "firmness" in repressing the weeks-long mass strike against President Emmanuel Macron's austerity agenda.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/pers-d20.html

Democrats Invoke Russiagate to Advance Bill Lobbied for by Big Oil
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-20
Two bills that would allow the United States to expand its fossil fuel infrastructure in the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries have advanced to the the Senate–and Democrats backing them have invoked "Russiagate" to push them through.
therealnews.com/columns/democrats-invoke-russiagate-to-advance-bill-lobbied-for-by-big-oil

Right-wing campaigns in Georgia and Wisconsin purge half a million registered voters
wsws.org | 2019-12-20
The continued assault on democratic rights by the ruling class has led to millions of disenfranchised voters.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/20/vote-d20.html

Whistleblowing: A Draft Law to Silence Whistleblowers
Yasmine Motarjemi | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-20
On 16th December 2019, the Swiss "Conseil des Etats" the upper house of the Swiss Parliament, approved the draft law on whistleblowing, in pipeline since 2003. The proposed law on whistleblowing and related labour laws in Switzerland are not only …
globalresearch.ca/whistleblowing-draft-law-silence-whistleblowers/5698298

Eastern Germans voting for the Alternative for Germany
Thomas Klikauer | zcomm.org | 2019-12-20
On 27th October 2019, the East-German state of Thuringia held an election. Thuringia's 2.1 million people live in one of the most western states of the former East-Germany, almost right in the centre of Germany. The state borders the state of Hessen to the west and the state of Saxony to the east. Out of Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/eastern-germans-voting-for-the-alternative-for-germany/

'A Win for the Planet!': Dutch Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling Mandating Climate Action
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-12-20
Advocates for climate action celebrated Friday after the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld a landmark ruling that found the Dutch government is obligated under international human rights law to more ambitiously reduce greenhouse gas emissions that drive global heating. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/win_for_planet.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/12/20/win-planet-dutch-supreme-court-issues-landmark-ruling-mandating-climate-action?cd-origin=rss

All I want for Christmas is $23tn in debt: Rand Paul lays waste to reckless US spending in annual Festivus Report
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Offering some relief from the impeachment spectacle grinding on in Washington, Senator Rand Paul has released his yearly Festivus Report, chronicling the outrageous — but sometimes comical — spending habits of the US government. | Whether it's funding costly studies on the mating calls of Panamanian frogs, spending millions to improve the quality of television in Moldova or bankrolling Peru's Green New Deal, Washington has found a number of creative ways to blow through tax dollars in 2019. In an epic "airing of grievances" inspired by the TV sitcom Seinfeld, Paul (R-KY) pulled no punches for the f…
rt.com/usa/476451-rand-paul-2019-festivus/

Tight tanks! Belgian soldiers too tall to drive military's APCs after €31mn upgrade
rt.com | 2019-12-20
The Belgian military decided to upgrade its fleet of Pandur APCs with new bomb-proof armor and air conditioning; The only problem is, now about 85 percent of its troops can't fit in it. | Belgium is reportedly spending €31 million ($34.4mn) on a safety upgrade for its fleet of 44 Pandur Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) according to Belgian media citing Ministry of Defense documents. The vehicles are to be used as reconnaissance units or as a medevacs, and were b…
rt.com/news/476491-belgian-apcs-too-small-upgrade/

Russia & Ukraine sign 'protocol of agreement' for gas transit to Europe – Gazprom
rt.com | 2019-12-20
After months of tense negotiations and years of legal battles, Moscow and Kiev have made an agreement on extension to the current gas transit agreement, which expires on December 31. | "Russia and Ukraine have signed a protocol on agreements on continuing gas transit as well as on settling reciprocal claims," a spokesperson of the Russian gas giant Gazprom, told journalists without providing any details of the document. | Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission have reached the "final agreement" on all the "principled positions" related to the gas transit and the settlement of reciprocal claims, the Ukrain…
rt.com/business/476472-russia-ukraine-gas-transit/

Spate of historical employee suicides sees telecom firm Orange fined & ex-CEO sent to prison in landmark case
rt.com | 2019-12-20
French telecoms company Orange has been found guilty of multiple employee suicides in a case that could open the door for other firms to be charged with "institutionalized moral harassment." | Multinational firm Orange is France's first corporation to be tried on such a charge, and the landmark court ruling could set a legal precedent. | A Paris court fined the company €75,000 (more than $83,000) on Friday over 39 cases in the 2000s. They include 19 suicides, 12 suicide attempts and eight cases of serious depression. Other employees' suicides couldn't be linked directly and solely with their jobs. | Confl…
rt.com/news/476494-orange-telecom-employee-suicides/

Italy, France and USA: WADA names worst doping-affected countries, Russia not in top 4
rt.com | 2019-12-20
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its annual Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) report revealing the countries with the most doping violations in 2017 – with Italy, France and the USA topping the list. | The report says that a total of 1,804 doping cases were recorded in 2017, indicating 13.1% increase of violations in comparison with figures registered in 2016. | READ MORE: 'It's just a method to neutralize strong competitors from Russia' — Putin on WADA ban | "1,459 of the ADRVs came out of…
rt.com/sport/476514-wada-doping-list-2017/

Tripoli urges military aid from 'friendly' states as E. Libya's forces announce 3-day deadline
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Libya's UN-recognized unity government on Friday urged five "friendly countries" to implement military deals as it seeks to repel eastern forces fighting to seize the capital. | Tripoli-based GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj sent letters to the leaders of the US, Britain, Italy, Algeria and Turkey, urging them to "activate security cooperation deals," AFP reported. | The call came a day after the Government of National Accord (GNA) approved the activation of such a deal with Ankara, paving the way for a bigger Turkish role. | The self-styled Libyan National Army on Friday gave the militias defending the city a three-d…
rt.com/newsline/476459-libya-tripoli-military-aid/

Turkey vows to retaliate if US imposes sanctions on Russian gas pipeline
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back against US threats to impose sanctions on the TurkStream pipeline that is set to deliver Russian gas to Turkey and further to southern and southeastern Europe starting next year. | "Now they [the US] say 'we will impose sanctions on TurkStream,'" Erdogan told reporters on Friday in Malaysia. "This is a complete violation of our rights," he said, adding that Ankara would retaliate against such a step. | The TurkStream project was created as an alternative to the South Stream pipeline. The project to deliver Russian gas to southern Europe was blocked by Bulgari…
rt.com/business/476485-erdogan-turkstream-retaliatory-sanctions-us/

Stalinator will be back: Soviet dictator posing as iconic Schwarzenegger character winks at climate-saving plant
rt.com | 2019-12-20
A leather-clad, shades-wearing Stalin promises 'I'll be back' from a large billboard in a small Russian town. It's not clear if the image is meant to terrorize the locals or inspire those who actually wish for a new dictatorship. | The billboard was spotted on a photo published by the website of Balakhna, a small city on the Volga River just northwest of Nizhny Novgorod. Rather than showcasing a local dispute about the role Stalin played in history, the report was actually about a new plant that opened near the…
rt.com/russia/476501-stalin-terminator-crossover-banner/

Hard truth to spit out: Yang tells Dems to stop obsessing over impeachment & deal with issues that helped Trump get elected
rt.com | 2019-12-20
Breaking away from his Democratic peers, Andrew Yang called on the party to get over impeachment and stop pretending like President Donald Trump or Russia — not their own policy failures — caused their 2016 election loss. | In his opening remarks at the last Democratic presidential debate of the year on Thursday, Yang attempted to give his colleagues, still gloating over Trump's impeachment in the House, a rare reality check, urging them to stop putting all their eggs in a basket that nobody cares about in the first place. | "We have to stop being obsessed over impeachment, which unfortunately stri…
rt.com/usa/476452-yang-impeachement-obsession-trump/

Harassment of Sputnik reporters by police in Estonia 'beyond all existing norms': Journalist groups call to protect colleagues
rt.com | 2019-12-20
The International Federation of Journalists urged Estonian authorities to stop threatening journalists working for Russian news media Sputnik Estonia with criminal prosecution over EU sanctions on Russia's media chief. | "Media professionals should be allowed to freely carry out their duties, without threats from higher authorities," IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said while commenting on the harassment of Sputnik journalists by Estonian police. At the same time, the organization's Vice President Timur Shafir stressed that the threat of criminal proceedings "goes beyond all existing norms," especially…
rt.com/news/476508-sputnik-estonia-news-sanctions/

Is that you, Elon Moscow? Cybertruck 'copy' spotted in Russia (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-20
While Tesla's fancy Cybertruck is currently available in the US on pre-order, at least one bootleg "copy" of it has already hit the road in Russia, and it might even be more advanced. | A short video of the futuristic vehicle, driving outside Moscow, emerged online on Thursday. While smaller, the car closely resembles Elon Musk's Tesla Cybertruck, featuring similar proportions and simplistic design. | The vehicle has Kaluga region license plate, which suggests it was able to travel some 200km (124 miles) to the outskirts of Moscow without falling apart and without getting seized by traffic police. | In fact…
rt.com/russia/476493-moscow-russian-tesla-cybertruck/

2nd FSB officer dies of wounds after Moscow shooting incident
rt.com | 2019-12-20
A second FSB officer has died of his wounds after the shooting near the Federal Security Service headquarters in central Moscow, the Russian Investigative Committee said on Friday. | The incident on Lubyanka Street took place on Thursday evening. Two FSB officers were killed and five other people were injured. | One officer was killed at the scene, and another one was taken to the hospital in grave condition where he passed away, Svetlana Petrenko, the official representative of the committee, was quoted as saying. Five more people, i…
rt.com/newsline/476516-fsb-officer-hq-shooting/

Turkish defense giant ASELSAN breaks export record
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
With a shipment of software-based radios to Ukraine, Turkish defense giant ASELSAN scored its biggest-ticket, single-shipment export to date, officials from the company told Anadolu Agency on Friday.The company completed the deliveries of four of the radios and intercom systems under a contract signed with Ukraine's state-run Spets Techno Export, said the officials.Ukraine is among the countries that use ASELSAN solutions to meet their armed forces' communication needs, and the first contract with Ukraine Spets Techno Export was signed in December 2016, followed by eight shipments under eight different contracts.
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-defense-giant-aselsan-breaks-export-record-3507917

Turkey to unveil 1st homegrown car prototype next week
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Turkey will unveil the prototype of its first indigenous car on Dec. 27, the nation's president said on Friday.Erdogan's remarks came in Malaysia where he attended Kuala Lumpur summit of Muslim world leaders this week.The car publicity will be held in Gebze, a district of northwestern Kocaeli province, Erdogan told reporters.Just after Erdogan's comments, Turkey's Technology Minister Mustafa Varank shared two photographs on Twitter, showing two vehicles blanketed with covers, and bearing the logo of Turkey's Automobile Initiative Group (TOGG).In one photo, Varank poses in front of the vehicles alone, while in the…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-to-unveil-1st-homegrown-car-prototype-next-week-3507930

German union extends strike at Amazon's Leipzig warehouse until Dec. 24
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Amazon workers in the eastern German city of Leipzig will extend until Christmas Eve their strike over pay and conditions, trade union Verdi said on Friday.Since 2013, unions have staged repeated strikes at Amazon's facilities in Germany – Amazon's second-largest market after the United States – hoping to force the e-commerce company to recognise collective bargaining agreements that apply to other retail employees.Verdi said more than 400 Amazon workers in Leipzig had been on strike every day since Monday.Verdi had said on Tuesday that around 1,200 workers were taking part in a strike that started during the Sun…
yenisafak.com/en/world/german-union-extends-strike-at-amazons-leipzig-warehouse-until-dec-24-3507925

Thousands flee bombardment in NW Syria, head to Turkish border
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Thousands of people have fled to the Turkish border from the last big opposition stronghold in northwestern Syria because of an intensified bombardment by Russian forces and the Syrian army, residents and rescue workers said on Friday.A long line of vehicles was seen on Friday leaving the opposition-held city of Maarat al Numan which has borne the brunt of the attacks, which included air strikes, they said."The exodus is in the thousands. It's a humanitarian catastrophe, we are seeing people walking in the streets and people waiting near the homes for cars to take them out," said Osama Ibrahim, a rescue worker fr…
yenisafak.com/en/world/thousands-flee-bombardment-in-nw-syria-head-to-turkish-border-3507918

Christmas tree app updates tradition in Estonia
yenisafak.com | 2019-12-20
Estonians have always headed to the forests in their thousands to cut down Christmas trees, but these days they will probably have a smartphone in their hands.The state forestry company of Estonia, a country where almost all government services are available online, has launched a mobile application which allows people to search for their trees and pay for them."It is a nice feeling to bring your own tree from the forest," said Katrin Sagur, who went with her husband and kids this week to pick out a Christmas tree using the app.
yenisafak.com/en/world/christmas-tree-app-updates-tradition-in-estonia-3507921

'Assange Cannot Be Extradited to the US', Lawyer Holds at Court
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
During a hearing before the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Julian Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, requested Thursday that the founder of Wikileaks not be extradited to the United States arguing that the alleged crimes of his defendant have a political character. | RELATED: | Russia Shows Concern for Assange's Health | Fitzgerald mentioned that the United Ki…
telesurenglish.net/news/Assange-Cannot-Be-Extradited-to-the-US-Lawyer-Holds-at-Court-20191219-0006.html

Queen's Speech takes 'wrecking ball' to Scotland's foundations, SNP claims
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-12-19
The SNP has accused Boris Johnson and the UK Government of "taking a wrecking ball" to Scotland with its plans in the Queen's Speech. | SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford spoke out after a speech that did not mention Scotland by name — although the queen said the "integrity and prosperity" of the United Kingdom was of "the utmost importance" to the UK Government. | Blackford argued the Withdrawal Agreement Bill that ministers will bring forward will hurt Scotland's economy and cost thousands of jobs north of the border. | He was also critical of plans on immigration and said the UK Government was failing…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2019/12/19/queens-speech-takes-wrecking-ball-to-scotlands-foundations-snp-claims/

Video: Military Intervention in Libya and Turkey's Grand Game in the Eastern Mediterranean
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-19
During the past week, the situation significantly escalated in Libya, with Turkey expanding its military involvement in the conflict. | In late November, Turkey signed with the Government of National Accord (GNA), which controls only a small part of northern Libya, …
globalresearch.ca/video-military-intervention-libya-turkey-grand-game-eastern-mediterranean/5698225

Russia, Ukraine to resume talks on energy following Paris summit
wsws.org | 2019-12-19
The talks have resumed just after the US announced sanctions against Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/19/ukra-d19.html

The Indo-'Israeli' Trans-Arabian Corridor Will Push Russia Closer to Pakistan
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-19
India's participation in "Israel's" Trans-Arabian Corridor for connecting the Eastern Mediterranean and Afro-Asian ("Indian") Ocean will render New Delhi's North-South Transport Corridor (NSTC) with Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia economically redundant, consequently pushing Russia closer to Pakistan as Moscow seeks to …
globalresearch.ca/indo-israeli-trans-arabian-corridor-push-russia-closer-pakistan/5698250

UK general election result confirms protracted death of the Labour Party
wsws.org | 2019-12-19
Labour haemorrhaged support across the UK and among all sections of workers, young and old, from the north and south, those in favour of leaving the European Union and those for remaining.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/19/poll-d19.html

ERC Won't Talk With PSOE Until It Responds to CJEU Ruling
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
In the statement released in front of the facade of the Parliament, ERC spokeswoman, Marta Vilalta informed that her political block will wait for the Socialists and the acting Government to decide if they want to use the ruling of the EU court to "end repression and policing" against independence and authorize the President of the Republicans, Oriol Junqueras, to become a Member of European Parliament (MEP).
telesurenglish.net/news/erc-wont-talk-with-psoe-until-it-answers-to-jceu-ruling-20191219-0011.html

Propaganda in the War on Yugoslavia
Swiss Propaganda Research | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-19
The war on Yugoslavia in the 1990s was a classic imperial war to reorder South Eastern Europe. To achieve its goals, the US even deployed the "jihadist" mercenaries with which it had previously fought the USSR in Afghanistan and which …
globalresearch.ca/propaganda-war-yugoslavia/5698036

Kuala Lumpur Summit: Five Big Problems Facing The Muslim World
teleSUR, jg-MS | telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
Leaders from some of the world's most populous Muslim-majority countries will meet Thursday in Malaysia's capital to discuss issues such as Islamophobia and poverty. | RELATED: | Erdogan Threatens to Close 2 US Military Bases in Turkey | Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will chair the meeting with other heads of state, including President Hassan Rouh…
telesurenglish.net/news/kuala-lumpur-summit-five-big-problems-facing-the-muslim-world-20191218-0021.html

Russia and Venezuela Sign Agriculture Cooperation Agreement
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
The authorities of the Venezuelan state of Guárico on Wednesday signed a memorandum of international understanding with Russian investors as part of a strategic agreement for the new planting cycle in 2020, as part of the strengthening of cooperation in the agricultural sector . | RELATED: | Russia Sends Humanitarian Support In Medicine to Venezuela | "The Bolivarian Revolution does not stop and continues to create new alternatives to boost national agriculture through the allied c…
telesurenglish.net/news/Russia-and-Venezuela-Sign-Agriculture-Cooperation-Agreement-20191219-0002.html

After British right-wing win, workers need anti-racist unity
Martha Grevatt | workers.org | 2019-12-19
Elections held Dec. 12 in England, Scotland, Wales and the occupied north of Ireland were a boost to Trump protégé and Conservative party leader Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Voters elected 365 Conservative Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, giving Conservatives — the Tories — the majority needed to . . . | Continue reading After British right-wing win, workers need anti-racist unity at Workers.org
workers.org/2019/12/44966/

Brexit Could See the Return of the Falkland Islands to Argentina
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-19
The Islas Malvinas, or more commonly known as the Falkland Islands, archipelago was invaded by the United Kingdom in 1833 and its occupation has continued to date. Argentina's claim for sovereignty through diplomatic means has been a state policy since …
globalresearch.ca/brexit-could-see-return-falkland-islands-argentina/5698274

UK's Johnson Presents Agenda, Promises Quick Brexit
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-19
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed Thursday the agenda of his new government, presenting the Brexit as well as future trade deals as top priorities and pledging to transform Britain and repay the trust of voters who handed him a landslide election victory and a very large majority in Parliament. | RELATED: | 'We Don't Want Johnson, We Don't Want Brexit' Scottish Say | A week after the election, the Queen's Speech –written by the government but read out by the monarch…
telesurenglish.net/news/UKs-Johnson-Presents-Agenda-Promises-Quick-Brexit-20191219-0013.html

A Secret CBP Team is Targeting and Detaining Innocent Travelers. We're Suing
Tarek Ismail | aclu.org | 2019-12-18
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is deploying secret teams that target, detain, and interrogate innocent travelers. We're suing to expose their activities. | In November 2018, three CBP officers detained Andreas | Gal, a former chief | technology officer at Mozilla Corporation and current Apple employee, at San | Francisco International Airport after he landed from a business trip to Sweden. | Andr…
aclu.org/news/immigrants-rights/a-secret-cbp-team-is-targeting-and-detaining-innocent-travelers-were-suing

The US-NATO-Israel Sponsored Al Qaeda Insurgency in Syria. Who Was Behind the 2011 "Protest Movement"?
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-18
It was not a protest movement, it was an armed insurgency integrated by US-Israeli & allied supported "jihadist" death squads. From Day One, the Islamist "freedom fighters" were supported, trained & equipped by NATO & Turkey's High Command.
globalresearch.ca/syria-who-is-behind-the-protest-movement-fabricating-a-pretext-for-a-us-nato-humanitarian-intervention/24591

"Not the End of It": If GOP Senate Saves Trump, Rep. Al Green Says He Can Face Impeachment Again
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-18
President Donald Trump is on the cusp of being impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, with a historic vote set today on whether to formally accuse him of abusing his power in dealing with Ukraine to help himself politically, and then obstructing Congress by blocking their investigation. Trump lashed out directly at the vote on Tuesday, calling the proceedings to remove him from office an "attempted coup." Should the House approve either of the articles of impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate will hold a trial with all 100 senators acting as jurors, with a two-thirds supermajority…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/18/not_the_end_of_it_if

IG report exposes FBI, Congressional, and media deceit in Russia probe
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-16
A new report from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirms that the FBI relied on the Steele dossier — a…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/16/ig-report-exposes-fbi-congressional-and-media-deceit-in-russia-probe/

COP25 Was a Failure, But Activists' Collective Organizing at the Talks Was Unprecedented
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-16
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.
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/16/cop25_failure_asad_rehman_tasneem_essop

Ralph Nader on Impeachment: Democrats Should Go After Trump's Full Corruption, Not Just Ukraine
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-16
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/16/ralph_nader_trump_impeachment_trial_senate

COP25: Developing Countries Charge Ahead with Bold Climate Plans as Rich Countries Drag Their Feet
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-12-13
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…
www.democracynow.org/2019/12/13/cop25_developing_countries_charge_ahead_with

COP25 Was Moved to Spain to Conceal Chilean Government's Human Rights Violations
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-12-13
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.
therealnews.com/stories/cop25-spain-chile-human-rights-violations

UN Counters US Claims Of "Proof" Iran Attacked Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu Impunity & Turkey Sanctions
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-13
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 …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/un-counters-us-claims-of-proof-iran-attacked-saudi-arabia-netanyahu-impunity-turkey-sanctions/