(2018-06-22). My Friend Margot Kidder: Sharing a Love of Dogs, the Wild, and Speaking Truth to Power. counterpunch.org She could not be dead, I thought, she had survived so much — blizzards at the Standing Rock pipeline protest, her public breakdown, and even flying in the stratosphere as Lois Lane in the movie Superman. Yes, she was a celebrity — but I saw Margie simply as my friend. I had seen her just More
(2018-06-22). Big Oil's Man in Foreign Policy. counterpunch.org The Koch brothers' extremist political agenda of empowering multinational corporations to reign as sovereigns has always been inextricably entwined with the profiteering agenda of their wholly-owned, $100-billion-a-year industrial conglomerate. The brothers' plutocratic view of business-as-government even has a name: Pompeo. As in Mike Pompeo, the Trump regime's latest secretary of state. Years ago, while living More
(2018-06-22). Australian Senate votes for huge tax cuts for wealthy. wsws.org The tax plans are designed to boost corporate profits and investors' incomes under conditions of global turmoil and trade war.
(2018-06-22). Hungary Tries to Stop Asylum Seekers With New Law. hrw.org 
A bill passed by the Hungarian Parliament would criminalize efforts to help migrants and asylum seekers and curb their access to protection. | Hungary's Parliament passed a law that not only makes it almost impossible to seek asylum in Hungary, but also makes it a crime to help migrants and refugees. | If signed into law by Hungarian President Janos Ader, starting July 1, human rights workers and community volunteers could be prosecuted and jailed for up to a year for providing services, advice, or support to migrants and asylum seekers. | Ader should veto the bill and stop Hungary's flouting of European Union and international refugee law. Otherwise, a wide range of legitimate activities, including border monitoring as well as producing and disseminating information, could lead to criminal prosecutions. |
(2018-06-22). Trade war and the eruption of economic nationalism. wsws.org As in the 1930s, the re-emergence of trade war and protectionism are accompanied by the most grotesque forms of right-wing xenophobia and authoritarianism.
(2018-06-21). Chris Hedges and Norman Finkelstein on the Future of Gaza (Video). truthdig.com In a detailed discussion about the current state of affairs in Gaza as well as what the future could hold, author and scholar Norman Finkelstein tells Chris Hedges that nonviolent mass resistance in Gaza "can't succeed without our support." | The "On Contact" episode begins with a list of statistics about Gaza, including frightening rates of youth unemployment, suicide and prostitution, as well as water contamination and other conditions created by Israeli attacks on the region, all of which paint a tragic picture of "the world's largest concentration camp." | The two then talk about Finkelstein's recent book, " Gaza: An Inquest Into Its Martyrdom," which Hedges says is "the most important book I've read on Gaza, [and which] implodes Israeli propaganda and Israeli lies." | Watch the full conversation between the two Middle East experts in the video player above.
(2018-06-21). French Beekeepers Sue Bayer/Monsanto on Glyphosate in Honey; U.S. Court Allows Glyphosate Contamination of Honey Labeled "100% Pure" globalresearch.ca Some 200 members of a French beekeeping cooperative in the northern Aisne region have sued Bayer — on the same day the giant chemical company's acquisition of Monsanto was finalized — after discovering that their honey was contaminated with toxic …
(2018-06-21). Extremist Settlers Continue to Storm Al-Aqsa Courtyards. imemc.org 
Dozens of extremist Jewish settlers, early Thursday, stormed the compounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in military occupied Jerusalem, Palestinian sources reported. | The General Director of the Islamic Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Affairs, Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib said that dozens of Jewish settlers stormed the mosque through al-Magharebah Gate, under heavy protection […]…
(2018-06-21). Here's How Citizenship Checkpoints Are Terrifying Drivers Under the Trump Administration. alternet.org 
These stops become even more frightening in the age of separating families. | As family separations and infant detention centers dominate national news coverage, even the supposedly "routine" elements of U. S. Customs and Border Protection's work is becoming more frightening — and that, it seems, may be the point. An example of this comes from a report from Maine's Bangor Daily NewsThursday about a highway checkpoint along a route to the Canadian border, where drivers are stopped and asked for information about their citizenship status. Such stops, the report notes, are "routine" and have been going on for years. But under President Donald Trump's administration, they become even more terrifying than usual in two distinct ways. First, it's clear that Trump has empowered the border patrol to be more aggressive, which gives even ordinary citizens reason to be fearful of these interactions. The psychological. . .
(2018-06-21). Militarizing Space, Transforming It into a Battleground. globalresearch.ca The Outer Space Treaty (1967) bans America, Britain, and other signatories from placing WMDs (not conventional weapons) in earth orbit or otherwise in outer space. | It restricts use of celestial bodies to peaceful purposes, bans space bases and outer space …
(2018-06-21). Trump's North Korea Play: a Ploy to Secure Vast Deposits of Rare Earth Elements? mintpressnews.com This may not be about condos on North Korean beaches after all. Arguably, the heart of the matter in the Trump administration's embrace of Kim Jong-un has everything to do with one of the largest deposits of rare earth elements (REEs) in the world, located only 150 km northwest of Pyongyang and potentially worth billions of US dollars. | All the implements of 21st century technology-driven everyday life rely on the chemical and physical properties of 17 precious elements on the periodic chart also known as REEs. | Currently, China is believed to control over 95% of global production of rare earth metals, with an estimated 55 million tons in deposits. North Korea for its part holds at least 20 million tons. | Rare earth elements are not the only highly strategic minerals and metals in this power play. The same deposits…
(2018-06-21). From New Orleans to the DNC, Pressure Builds to Cut Ties to Fossil Fuel Industry. truthout.org On Saturday, June 16, the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution to ban contributions from all corporate PACs that advocate for the fossil fuel industry. The resolution was introduced by party activist Christine Pelosi, who urged her Democratic colleagues to pass the measure in an open letter, citing both "the alarming rates of environmental illness from asthma to cancer" and the "existential threat to our planet" posed by burning fossil fuels. | All across the country and the globe, members of religious, educational and governmental institutions are voting to cut their financial ties to the fossil fuel industry. Even in the state of Louisiana, which is responsible for a fifth of the nation's oil and gas refining capacity, activists are beginning to push back against the omnipresent influence of the industry—which not only dominates the physical landscape…
(2018-06-21). Civilians Flee As Saudi Coalition Targets Residential Districts in Yemen's Hodeida. mintpressnews.com 
HODEIDA, YEMEN — Lying in torn, blood-stained clothing on a bed in Hodeida Hospital's emergency room, 25-year-old Mabkhout, who refused to provide his last name for fear of retaliation, recounted the events which led him there: I got up early this morning for this chance to work, we were transporting tires and oil from a shop to a tanker and suddenly a warplane bombed us. There were 20 of us workers, three of my friends were killed." | Mabkhout, a father to two, lost one of his limbs in the attack. A man, who wished not to be identified, is treated in a Hodeida Hospital following an airstrike on workers in central Hodeida, Yemen. June 20, 2018. Photo | Ahmed Abdulkareem | At least 17 civilians were killed or injured by UAE airstrikes targeting workers near the neighborhood of Yemen Mobile Round in…
(2018-06-21). The Intercept Welcomes Tech Whistleblowers as Part of a Global Partnership. theintercept.com The Intercept and European media partners are joining with The Signals Network, a whistleblower support organization, to solicit information from those who want to speak out against data-related malpractice in the technology sector. | Through this collaboration, The Intercept will work with German newspaper Die Zeit, French news website Mediapart, British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, and the global news platform WikiTribune to obtain and investigate information regarding the abuse of personal data — whether by a social network, health care company, government, marketing firm, or any other of the myriad entities that collect and process such data on an enormous scale. The Signals Network, a nonprofit founded by French media executive Gilles Raymond, said on its website that it can, in "selected … appropriate cases," offer support to whistleblowers, including legal aid, psychological counseling, and safe shelter in case of physical threats.
(2018-06-21). Headlines for June 21, 2018. democracynow.org Trump Signs Executive Order to Jail Immigrant Families Together, Without Limit, House to Debate Anti-Immigrant Bills Providing $25B to Militarize Border, Migrant Children Secretly Transported to NYC Foster Care in Dead of Night, Reveal: Migrant Youths Sent to Detention Centers With Abuse Histories, Airlines Refuse to Transport Separated Migrant Children, Portland ICE Office Closes Amid 24/7 Protest Over Family Separations, Scathing New Report Gives U.S. "F" Grade over Refugee Treatment, Hungary Approves Law Criminalizing Those Who Help Migrants, U.N. Investigators: Syrian Gov't Committed War Crimes in Eastern Ghouta, EPA Releases Long-Suppressed "Nightmare" Study on Water Contamination, Nearly 100 U.S. Meteorologists to Stage On-Air Climate Change Protest, Climate Change Fuels Floods in Texas, Ivory Coast, India, Bangladesh, Former Archbishop of D.C. Removed Over Sexual Abuse Accusations, Disney Raises 21st Century Fox Takeover Bid to $71 Billion, UNC Student Faces Possible Expulsion Over Confederate Statue Protest…
(2018-06-21). Hopes of Decriminalizing Sex Work in South Africa. hrw.org 
Sex workers wearing masks lead a march to mark International Sex Workers Rights Day in Johannesburg March 3, 2011 | © 2011 Reuters | Sex work, illegal in South Africa, has been a political hot potato here for decades. South Africa's Law Review Commission late last year recommended that sex work remain fully criminalized, i.e. a criminal offense to both sell and purchase sex. Now, eyes are on the justice ministry to see whether it will follow this recommendation or whether a radically new approach and law are needed. | On June 21, a panel discussion on sex work — "Is it work, and is it a choice?" — convened by the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office and the Hanns Seidel Foundation, will take place in Cape Town. The lineup is to include South Africa's…
(2018-06-21). American Medical Association Passes New LGBT Policies. hrw.org 
An activist waves a rainbow flag in Manhattan, New York, US, February 26, 2017. | © 2017 Reuters | The American Medical Association (AMA) adopted new policies last week that will position the organization as an advocate for better protections for transgender people in detention, and LGBT-inclusive family leave policies. | My colleagues have investigated paid leave issues in the US. The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid annual leave to allow workers to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, or to care for newly born or adopted children. | Among many other harrowing findings, our 2011 report included interviews with parents whose same-sex spouses were denied even unpaid FMLA leave because employers did not consider the…
(2018-06-21). Trump's Order Changes One Harmful Approach for Another. hrw.org 
A view of inside U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention facility shows children at Rio Grande Valley Centralized Processing Center in Rio Grande City, Texas, U.S., June 17, 2018. | © 2018 Reuters | In a McAllen immigration detention center last week, I talked to a cheerful 5-year-old boy and his mother. They'd crossed into the United States seeking safety after fleeing violence and threats at home. Later that day, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents took him away from his mother. The next day he told me: "I don't know where she is." | Today he turns 6. He'll spend the day surrounded by people he doesn't know, likely without any idea of what's happening to him or when, if ever, he'll see his mother again. | President Donald Trump's new…
(2018-06-20). New York cab driver suicides linked to Uber's "shared economy" peoplesworld.org 
After sharing a Facebook post about the financial turmoil in which he was embroiled Doug Schifter killed himself last February with a shotgun in front of City Hall. A month later Nicanor Ochisor, described by his son as someone who was "irritated," "depressed," and "angry" over his finances hung himself until he died in his […]…
(2018-06-20). Indonesia: New Counterterrorism Law Imperils Rights. hrw.org 
A counterterrorism police officer stands guard during a security sweep in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 16, 2018. | © 2018 Reuters | (New York) — The Indonesian government should seek to amend provisions in the newly enacted counterterrorism law ("CT Law") that threaten human rights protections, Human Rights Watch said in a letter sent on June 11, 2018, to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and other officials. | Related Content: | Letter on Indonesia's New Counterterrorism Law | After suicide bombings by attackers aligned with the Islamic State in the city of Surabaya in May, Indonesia's parliament on May 25 approved long-pending revisions to the CT Law. While the new law contains some improvements, it risks undermining human rights and could weaken efforts to counter extremist threats. | "The Indonesian government's counterterrorism…
(2018-06-20). Time for the Big One? Research suggests risk of California earthquake higher than previously thought. rt.com 
Geophysicists are hypothesizing that the San Andreas fault line in California could be the central point of a massive earthquake after new research suggested that the fault may be at higher risk than previously thought.
RT.com
(2018-06-19). "Trump Creates Crises & Preys on Fear": Rep. Jayapal on Policy of Separating Kids from Parents. democracynow.org 
Outrage is growing over the Trump administration's separation of children from their parents along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Monday, ProPublica released audio from inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, in which children estimated to be between the ages of 4 and 10 years old are heard crying "Mama" and "Papi" after being separated from their parents. In another part of the audio, a Border Patrol agent is heard joking, in Spanish, "Well, we have an orchestra here. What's missing is a conductor." Video footage released by the U.S. Border Patrol Monday shows migrant children in concrete-floored chain link cages in an old warehouse in McAllen, Texas. A new Quinnipiac poll shows roughly two-thirds of U.S. voters oppose separating children from their parents at the border. About 7 percent of Democratic voters support the Trump policy, while 55 percent of Republicans support…
(2018-06-17). MSM talk coup in Venezuela because it sits on oil US empire wants — Abby Martin. rt.com 
The American empire and its media openly talk coup in Venezuela because it sits on vast — and nationalized — oil resources, and this is US expansionism at its finest, The Empire Files host Abby Martin told Lee Camp.
RT.com
(2018-06-15). Lawyer: Jeff Sessions' Attacks on Migrant Domestic Violence Survivors Drags U.S. Back to "Dark Ages" democracynow.org 
On Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that domestic and gang-related violence will generally no longer be grounds for asylum, a far-reaching shift that could affect thousands of people, particularly women from Central America fleeing gender-based violence. This decision reverses the Board of Immigration Appeals' grant of asylum to a Salvadoran domestic violence survivor known as A.B., who fled to the U.S. for her life after surviving 15 years of beatings, rape and death threats from her husband. In ruling against A.B., Sessions also overturned a groundbreaking precedent from 2014 in which the immigration appeals court affirmed that domestic violence survivors are deserving of protection. We speak with Karen Musalo, professor of law and the director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She is of the attorneys representing Ms. A.B.
(2018-06-14). Pundits Worry Threat of Nuclear War Is Being Reduced. fair.org 
Media outlets don't want America to negotiate with North Korea; they want the US to hold North Korea for ransom. MSNBC's Rachel Maddow (6/12/18) appears dismayed by the manifestation of a US president meeting with an Official Enemy. | On MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, the host was aghast (6/12/18) that the US says it will halt the annual war games it conducts with South Korea on North Korea's doorstep, because doing so is "an absolute jackpot for the North Korean dictator," "one of the things he wants most on earth," and now Washington "has just given them that for free, for nothing." | Maddow implied that Trump has taken this step out of fealty to Russia, and complained that pausing war games that threaten North Korea benefits Russia and China. She twice called the Kim/Trump summit a "wedding," twice said that the…
(2018-06-14). Trauma at the Texas-Mexico Border: Families Separated, Children Detained & Residents Fighting Back. democracynow.org 
We look at growing outrage over the Trump administration's policy of separating immigrant families who cross the U.S.-Mexico border, many fleeing dangerous conditions and seeking asylum. At least 600 immigrant children were removed from their parents last month, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the new rule. On Wednesday, 10 members of Congress protested by blocking the entrance to the headquarters of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency tasked with carrying out the forced removal of children from their parents. More protests in at least 60 cities are planned today by the group Families Belong Together, which formed in response to the new policy. We go to the epicenter of this "zero tolerance" crackdown, the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, where more than half of all migrant families and children have been apprehended by Border Patrol agents since mid-May, for a special report by Democracy Now! correspondent Renée Feltz, who spoke with residents taking action in response to the widely condemned practice of separating families.
(2018-06-11). Headlines for June 11, 2018. democracynow.org Trump and Kim Arrive in Singapore Ahead of Historic Summit, Trump Slams Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau After G7 Summit, Israeli Troops Kill 4 Palestinians & Wound 600 More in Crackdown on Nonviolent Protest, Pentagon: U.S. Special Operations Soldier Alexander Conrad Killed in Somalia, Reports: Dozens Killed in Russian and Syrian Gov't Bombing in Idlib Province, Red Cross Evacuates 71 Staff Members from Yemen, Honduran Asylum Seeker, Separated from His Wife & Child, Dies by Suicide in Texas Jail, Rep. Pramila Jayapal: Separating Immigrant Mothers and Children Is Horrific, Judge Halts Deportation of NYC Delivery Worker Pablo Villavicencio, Pope Francis Warns Oil Company Executives Climate Change Threatens Humanity, India Moves to Ban Single-Use Plastics by 2022, Women March Across United Kingdom to Celebrate 100 Years of Female Suffrage, Philippines: Journalist Dennis Denora Killed in Mindanao, Robert De Niro Slams President at Tony Awards…
(2018-06-07). Maduro & Workers Push to Stimulate Venezuela's Oil Industry amid Collapsing Production. venezuelanalysis.com It is alleged that PDVSA does not possess sufficient stocks to fulfill its June export orders.
(2018-05-22). Venezuela Slams New US Sanctions as Washington Hints at Oil Embargo. venezuelanalysis.com The latest measures fly in the face of international concern about the living conditions of Venezuelans.