(2018-07-15). Clean Energy Is Vital but Still Not Enough. truthdig.com The journey to a world of clean energy without fossil fuels — essential if humankind is to contain global warming to no more than 1.5 ∞C by 2100 — won't be easy. | One new study outlines the problems for people who want to provide the cement for tomorrow's cities, the steel for new structures, and the long-distance transport of heavy goods. | Freight shipping and air travel alone account for 6% of all carbon dioxide emissions that fuel global warming, and cement and steel industries release up to 1.7 bn tons of the greenhouse gas a year. | Electric cars may be on the road in increasing numbers, but trucks may have to carry heavy goods for 1,000 miles. For some deliveries, there is still no substitute for liquid fuel. | A second new study confirms that humans already have…
(2018-07-15). With Anti-China Protectionism, the Left Is Aiding Trump's Xenophobic Agenda. truthout.org Because China is increasingly seen as a threat to U.S. global hegemony, anti-China nationalism is on the rise in American politics. Late last summer, Steve Bannon spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations and discovered— much to his surprise—that his hawkish approach to China had gone mainstream. Early this year, Defense Secretary James Mattis, who is in what passes as the moderate faction in the Donald Trump White House, released the 2018 National Defense Strategy, stating that "Inter-state strategic competition, not terrorism, is now the primary concern in U.S. national security." China leads the list of "strategic competitors" cited by the Department of Defense. In May, Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei warned at Axios that "China is the greatest, growing threat to America" and suggested that "a smart politician could turn China into a unifying villain on virtually every topic."
(2018-07-15). Wealth Can't Protect Environmentally-Ravaged Silicon Valley From Climate Change. truthout.org Much has been written about how the tech boom has contributed to exorbitant housing costs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Less reported has been the environmental impact of this boom, which includes suburban sprawl, severe traffic congestion and other impending menaces. This is not surprising. PM Press, located in Oakland, California, has called its neighbor Silicon Valley the "crown jewel" of hypercapitalism, and one thing capitalism does is pollute. | The question here is whether the tech empire's power, money, governance and green solutions can match the environmental challenge of Silicon Valley's smoggy sprawl. The challenge includes the need for an end to low-density development (fewer McMansions surrounded by acres of cosmetically sculpted land, more apartment buildings), pollution controls, cleaner cars, inland parks and dealing with water shortages and climate change in one of its most drastic forms — wildfires, according to…
(2018-07-15). Are We Alone? The Question is Worthy of Serious Scientific Study. alternet.org 
If there are indeed extraterrestrial craft visiting Earth, it would greatly benefit us to know about them, their nature and their intent. | Are we alone? Unfortunately, neither of the answers feel satisfactory. To be alone in this vast universe is a lonely prospect. On the other hand, if we are not alone and there is someone or something more powerful out there, that too is terrifying. As a NASA research scientist and now a professor of physics, I attended the 2002 NASA Contact Conference, which focused on serious speculation about extraterrestrials. During the meeting a concerned participant said loudly in a sinister tone, "You have absolutely no idea what is out there! " The silence was palpable as the truth of this statement sunk in. Humans are fearful of extraterrestrials visiting Earth. Perhaps fortunately, the distances between the stars are prohibitively. . .
(2018-07-14). Eritrea: Peace with Ethiopia must be catalyst for human rights change. amnesty.org Eritrea's improved relationship with neighbouring Ethiopia presents a good opportunity to advance the protection of the vast array of human rights that the Eritrean people have long been denied including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, movement, and fair trial, Amnesty International said ahead of President Isaias Afwerki's historic visit to Addis Ababa this weekend. | Amnesty International calls on the Eritrean authorities to immediately end human rights violations and abuses, including persecution of religious minorities and forced military conscription. | | "The end of hostilities with Ethiopia is a joyous…
(2018-07-14). Indictment of Russian Intelligence Operatives Should Quell Harebrained Conspiracy Theories on DNC Hack. theintercept.com 
With his latest indictments on Friday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller drove a particularly sharp nail into the coffin of the conspiracy theories surrounding the cyber-attack on the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign during the 2016 election. | Spoiler alert: The Russians really did do it. | It wasn't Seth Rich, the murdered young Democratic staffer whose name has been dragged through the mud by countless fringe theorists, and whose parents are now suing Fox News for propagating such lies. | It wasn't an inside job by the Democrats themselves, as a group of out-of-touch former intelligence officials tried to convince themselves and the world. The Mueller investigation isn't a "witch hunt," as Donald Trump and his loyalists have repeatedly claimed. | Instead, Mueller's prosecutors charged 12 Russian intelligence officials, listed by name, rank, and job title, with engineering…
(2018-07-14). Trump Dreams About a New Energy Boom. truthdig.com 
Ten thousand feet up, it's possible to see the whole North Fork Valley from Dan Stucker's plane. As the aircraft glides over sloping mesas with snow-dusted mountains, the land below resembles a vintage pioneer landscape. | If President Donald Trump has his way, a new feature could arrive on this vista: oil and gas pumps. His administration is opening vast stretches of public land to energy companies, and among the forests and fields under Stucker's plane, up to 95 percent of the valley could be available to drillers. | The administration's new policies would bring sweeping changes to this Rocky Mountain landscape, facilitated by a growing bond between federal officials and the oil and gas industry. Emails and other communications between government employees obtained by E&E News reveal directives and orders by Trump officials to shelve environmental policies to speed energy development.
(2018-07-14). The Pros And Cons Of Iran's Oil Threat. iranian.com As the Iranian economy begins to feel the growing pain of American-led sanctions, the question of a proper counterstrategy to minimize the damage and to ensure the sustainability of Iran's economic well-being looms large. There is no denying the existential threat to the Iranian economy posed by these sanctions that have already resulted in significant […]
(2018-07-13). Trump Is Seeding War Clouds Over Iran. globalresearch.ca Note to readers: please click the share buttons above | Trump and Pompeo are squeezing Iran where it hurts. They are trying to prevent Iran from selling oil internationally. They are applying maximum pressure upon Iran. This is overt. It is …
(2018-07-13). On Heat Waves and Climate Resistance. counterpunch.org Every "extreme weather event" that occurs without a powerful, on-the-ground climate activist response is a lost opportunity. In particular, it is a failure to seize the event as a moment to drive home the insanity of our representatives' inadequate response, or lack thereof, to climate change. In "Hurricane Mobilizations and 'the Fierce Urgency' of Climate More
(2018-07-13). Standing Rock Activist Accused of Firing Gun Registered to FBI Informant Is Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison. theintercept.com Red Fawn Fallis was sentenced to 57 months in prison on charges stemming from her arrest while opposing the Dakota Access pipeline.
(2018-07-13). Live: Dispatches From the U.K. as Trump Stokes Turmoil. theintercept.com Updated: Donald Trump was greeted at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland by a Greenpeace activist who paraglided directly over his head trailing a banner that read: "Trump: Well Below Par."
(2018-07-13). What's Behind the Trade War? Lashing Out At Allies, Confronting China. globalresearch.ca Note to readers: please click the share buttons above | President Trump slaps tariffs on imports from many of the US's traditional allies, condemning their leaders for unfair treatment. The mainstream media warns of the erosion of the global order. |
(2018-07-13). Imperial Gangster Nations: Peddling "Democracy" and Other Goodies to the Untutored. counterpunch.org Gangsters are adept at convincing you of your binding need for their protection, to guard against impending perils — largely of their own creation. The fee for this unsolicited service is that it must be reimbursed in recurrent fashion. This mobster tactic has become the preferred model of economic relationships between imperial financial institutions and the More
(2018-07-13). The World Cup runs on migrant workers. peoplesworld.org 
While the Trump 'baby blimp' floats in the London sky, casting a "bigly" shadow over this latest disastrous overseas diplomatic venture—do we expect anything else?—by Donald Trump, it comes as no surprise that as soon as Air Force One's wheels touched U.K soil, his foul mouth began spewing hate. It isn't enough that Trump's administration […]…
(2018-07-13). Mueller indictment 'aims to spoil' Trump-Putin summit – Russian Foreign Ministry. rt.com 
The indictment of 12 Russians for allegedly hacking the Democratic Party in 2016 appear to be politically motivated, with the goal of spoiling the upcoming Helsinki summit, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. |
(2018-07-13). Trump uses UK visit to heighten political turmoil over Brexit. wsws.org Trump's performance at the NATO Summit confirmed that the failure of May's compromise over Brexit is rooted in the growing antagonisms between the imperialist powers.
(2018-07-12). India Invites Bids to Create Sex Offenders Registry. hrw.org 
The Indian government's plan to develop a national registry of sexual offenders is raising a slew of concerns, from data breaches to violations of privacy protections, including for individuals who were never convicted of a sexual offense. Schoolgirls participate in a protest rally against the rape of two teenage girls in Chatra and Pakur districts of Jharkhand state, in Ranchi, India May 8, 2018. | © 2018 Reuters | The proposed national database — the government issued a call for bids in May — will store the name, photo, fingerprints, and personal details of all arrested, charged, and convicted of sexual offenses, including children. The information on convicted offenders will be public while law enforcement agencies will have access to the rest. It will categorize the…
(2018-07-12). Venezuela's Defunct National Assembly Attempts to Privatise Oil Industry. venezuelanalysis.com Grassroots movements have frequently denounced de facto back-door privatisation in PDVSA.
(2018-07-12). Musk looks at Flint water crisis after being berated for 'impractical' help in Thai cave rescue op. rt.com 
After his offer of a 'kid-size' submarine to Thai cave rescuers was berated as "impractical," Elon Musk is taking on the Flint water crisis, saying there's "no kidding" in his promise to fix the lead contamination problem there.
(2018-07-12). Trump tells NATO allies to spend more… like thrifty Pentagon buying $1.2k mugs & $10k toilet seats? rt.com 
Toilet seat covers that cost $10,000? Coffee mugs for $1,200 apiece? No wonder NATO countries aren't too keen to follow US military spending benchmarks. Even the Pentagon is looking for better deals and 3D printing for savings.
(2018-07-12). Thai Court Acquits Migrant Workers of Defamation. hrw.org 
A worker tends to chickens at a farm in Thailand. | © 2007 Sukree Sukplang / Reuters | In an important verdict for the protection of labor rights and freedom of expression in Thailand, a magistrates court in Bangkok on Wednesday acquitted 14 Burmese migrant workers of criminal defamation charges for filing a complaint against their employer with the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT). | The court found the workers had filed their complaint in good faith in order to protect their rights, as guaranteed by the Thai constitution and international conventions. | In their complaint to the NHRCT in July 2016, the workers alleged that the Thammakaset chicken farm in Lopburi province had subjected them to grueling work conditions, including forced labor. Three months later Thammakaset responded with a…
(2018-07-11). Russia and Saudi Arabia to Form an Alternative to OPEC? therealnews.com 
The world is in a slow energy transition to renewables, which has made it difficult for OPEC to maintain price stability. This transition lies at the heart of Saudi Arabia and Russia's efforts to find new ways for stabilizing oil prices, says Prof. Timothy Mitchell
(2018-07-11). Water Is a Human Right — in Flint, in Michigan, and the US. hrw.org 
The top of a water tower is seen at the Flint Water Plant in Flint, Michigan January 13, 2016. | © 2016 Reuters | Choices by Flint and Michigan's government officials led to massive contamination of drinking water — some tests showed water had more than 100 times the legal level of lead. The poisoning of Flint's water was an unmitigated disaster. | Now, as government attorneys argue in court to dismiss the massive lawsuit leveled against these officials, the state of Michigan and city of Flint want to argue that clean water is not a constitutional right. This would mean they would not be liable for the lead-poisoned water, when they decided in 2014 to draw the city's water supply from the Flint River without having the water propertly treated. It would also…
(2018-07-11). Ex-UCLA basketball star Knight found dead days after posting heartbreaking video online. rt.com 
The body of former UCLA basketball player William 'Billy' Knight has been found on a roadway in Phoenix, Arizona just days after he posted a video online saying "this is probably my last message on Earth."
(2018-07-10). Trump Trade War: China Refiner Dumps US Crude, Seeks Iranian Oil. iranian.com Irina Slav at Oilprice.com notes that China's Dongming Petrochemical Group is dropping imports of US crude for its refineries and replacing them with oil from Iran, according to Iran's IRNA news service and Japan Today. Moreover, China is said to be preparing to slap 25% tariffs on imports of American crude, which will likely halt such imports […]
(2018-07-10). How Serious Is Iran About Closing The Strait Of Hormuz? iranian.com As Iran and the United States move toward a confrontation that is looking increasingly inevitable, Iranian political and military leaders have once again raised the prospect of closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil "artery" through which 30 per cent of the world's oil supply passes. Therefore, its closure, even for a brief period, […]
(2018-07-10). Trump Trade War: China Refiner Dumps US Crude, Seeks Iranian Oil. iranian.com Irina Slav at Oilprice.com notes that China's Dongming Petrochemical Group is dropping imports of US crude for its refineries and replacing them with oil from Iran, according to Iran's IRNA news service and Japan Today. Moreover, China is said to be preparing to slap 25% tariffs on imports of American crude, which will likely halt such imports […]
(2018-07-10). How Serious Is Iran About Closing The Strait Of Hormuz? iranian.com As Iran and the United States move toward a confrontation that is looking increasingly inevitable, Iranian political and military leaders have once again raised the prospect of closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most important oil "artery" through which 30 per cent of the world's oil supply passes. Therefore, its closure, even for a brief period, […]
(2018-07-10). Trump's Energy Offensive Against Iran: An Expert Analysis. iranian.com The Trump administration has "gone nuclear" in reportedly demanding that all of Iran's current oil consumers completely eliminate imports of Iranian imports by November 4. This comes in the wake of the OPEC meeting in which, apparently under pressure from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, in particular, its members agreed […]
(2018-07-10). What a Foiled Plot to Execute Muslims Reveals About Islamophobia in France. thenation.com What a Foiled Plot to Execute Muslims Reveals About Islamophobia in France appeared first on The Nation.
(2018-07-10). Former Navy sailor pardoned by Trump files lawsuit against Obama administration. rt.com 
A former US Navy submariner has filed a lawsuit alleging that Obama administration officials denied him equal protection under the law, and went easy on Hillary Clinton for the same offenses. |
(2018-07-09). CIA-Linked Military Contractor Used Arizona "Black Site" to Secretly Jail Dozens of Migrant Children. democracynow.org 
A major U.S. military and CIA contractor has been detaining dozens of migrant children inside a vacant Phoenix office building with dark windows, no kitchen and only a few toilets, according to a new investigation by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting. Reveal learned about what some are calling the "black site" for migrant children after one local resident filmed children in sweatsuits being led into the building. The building was leased in March by MVM, a defense contractor that Reveal reports has received nearly $250 million in contracts to transport immigrant children since 2014. We speak with the lead reporter on this story, Aura Bogado, in Oakland, California. She is the immigration reporter for Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
(2018-07-08). Report reveals outdated NASA policy poses contamination risk for Earth, universe. rt.com 
As humans boldly go where no one has been before, the guidelines on how to prevent contamination of these destinations with earthly microbes and vice versa do not meet the reality, according to a new report.
(2018-07-06). As Scott Pruitt Resigns, Former EPA Officials Warn His Radical, Anti-Science Agenda Harmed Nation. democracynow.org 
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has resigned, amid an onslaught of financial and ethics scandals and widespread opposition to his campaign to roll back key environmental protections. President Trump announced Pruitt's resignation via Twitter. Trump later told reporters, "Scott Pruitt did an outstanding job inside of the EPA. We've gotten rid of record-breaking regulations, and it's been really good." At the time of his resignation, Pruitt was facing more than a dozen federal investigations into ethical misconduct, ranging from lavish spending to asking subordinates to help his wife find a job. Just earlier this week, CNN reported Pruitt kept a secret calendar and schedule in an attempt to hide his meetings with many industry executives.
(2018-07-06). New EPA Chief Andrew Wheeler, Former Coal Lobbyist, Aims to Continue to Dismantle EPA from Inside. democracynow.org 
Following Scott Pruitt's resignation, EPA Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler will become the agency's acting administrator. Wheeler is a former lobbyist for Murray Energy, the nation's largest underground coal mining company. He's also the former chief of staff for Oklahoma Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, who is known as the most notorious climate-denying lawmaker in Washington. In one of his most famous stunts, Inhofe brought a snowball onto the Senate floor in 2015 in order to prove that global warming was a hoax.
(2018-07-06). Headlines for July 6, 2018. democracynow.org EPA Head Scott Pruitt Resigns Amid Mounting Corruption Scandals, Former Coal Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler Named Acting EPA Administrator, HHS Administrator Says "Under 3,000" Separated Children in U.S. Custody, Guatemalan Immigrant Mother Reunites with Daughter After 55 Days, U.S. Army Discharges Immigrants Promised a Path to Citizenship, Statue of Liberty Climber on Protest: "I Went as High as I Could", Bill Shine Named WH Comms Director Despite Fox News Sex Harassment Record, Trump Mocks Sen. Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas," Attacks #MeToo, China Retaliates as U.S. Imposes $34 Billion in Tariffs on Chinese Goods, South Korean Peace Activists Call for Removal of THAAD Missiles, U.N. Envoy to Yemen Hopeful over Peace Talks, Trump Administration Extends TPS for Yemenis But Won't End Travel Ban, Thai Diver Dies Amid Effort to Rescue Boys Trapped in Cave, Fourth Ohio State Wrestler Says Rep. Jim Jordan Failed to Stop Sexual Abuse, Ed Schultz, Longtime Liberal TV News Host, Dies at 64, British Columbia: Greenpeace Ends 35-Hour Blockade of Oil Tanker, London Mayor Approves "Trump Baby" Blimp at July 13 Protest…
(2018-07-05). China Approves US$5Bn Loan for Venezuelan Oil Development. venezuelanalysis.com Venezuelan officials said Chinese cooperation opens up alternative networks outside the sanctions of the United States.
(2018-07-03). Headlines for July 3, 2018. democracynow.org Pompeo to Head to North Korea for Third Time, U.N. Urges Jordan to Open Border as 270,000 Syrians Flee Fighting in Daraa, Federal Judge: U.S. Can't Arbitrarily Detain Asylum Seekers, HHS Refuses to Say How Many Separated Children Remain in Custody, 18 Arrested in Los Angeles at ICE Protest, 3-Year-Old Ethiopian Refugee Dies After Stabbing at Birthday Party in Idaho, Trump Refuses to Lower Flags for Victims of Capital Gazette Shooting, Rhode Island Files Landmark Lawsuit Against 21 Oil Companies, EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Keeps Secret Calendar to Hide Meetings with Industry Figures, "I Urge You to Resign": A Mother Confronts Pruitt at Restaurant, Trump Meets with Four Possible Supreme Court Nominees, Michael Cohen Indicates He Will Work with Prosecutors, Trump Urges NATO Allies to Increase Military Spending, New Charges Against Harvey Weinstein Could Result in Life Sentence, Thailand Races to Rescue Youth Soccer Team Trapped in Cave, Report: Melania Trump Made Over $100K in Royalties from Photos Licensed to Media…