(2018-07-26). More than 20 killed and hundreds missing from dam disaster in Laos. wsws.org An earth-filled dam collapsed on July 24, sending around 5 billion cubic metres of water into the valley below.
(2018-07-25). Trump Expected to Roll Back California's Clean Air Plan. therealnews.com 
The Environmental Protection Agency will revoke California's exception to the Clean Air Act that had allowed it to set higher clean air standards than the rest of the nation. This means auto manufacturers will be allowed to follow lower fuel efficiency standards and do not need to sell as many electric vehicles. We talk to…
(2018-07-25). 'Law and order' Trump soft on corporate crime. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (AP)—While Donald Trump has positioned himself as a tough, "law and order" president, he has mostly excluded one group of offenders from his sights: those of the corporate class, according to a report released Wednesday by Washington-based watchdog Public Citizen. | The report found that in 11 of the 12 federal agencies led by a Trump-appointed official during the president's first year, penalties imposed on corporate violators dropped, in the majority of cases by more than 50 percent. | Penalties dropped at the Justice Department by 90 percent, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission by 80 percent, and the Securities and Exchange Commission by 68 percent. The largest drop was at the Environmental Protection Agency, formerly led by Scott Pruitt, where overall penalties dropped by 94 percent, from nearly $24 billion in President Barack Obama's last year in office to $1.5 billion.
(2018-07-25). Trump's War on the Environment, from Attacking California Fuel Standards to Destroying Public Lands. democracynow.org 
While climate change denier Scott Pruitt has been ousted as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency over a slew of corruption scandals and his close ties to industry lobbyists, the Trump administration's war on the environment and environmental regulations continues unabated. For more on the government's attacks on public land protections and key regulations like California's fuel emissions standards, we speak with Kierán Suckling, executive director and a founder of the Center for Biological Diversity.
(2018-07-25). Climate Change Could Prompt Tens of Thousands of Suicides in the US and Mexico by 2050. mintpressnews.com 
"A main hypothesis is that hotter temperatures have a direct effect on human emotion and impulsivity."
(2018-07-25). As Heat Wave Sweeps the Globe, New Study Warns of Deadly Link Between Rising Temps and Suicide. democracynow.org 
As deadly fires and heat waves kill scores across the globe, a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change reports that when there are abnormally hot temperatures, there also tend to be higher suicide rates. The study warns up to 26,000 more people could die by suicide in the United States by 2050 if humans don't reduce emissions of greenhouse gas pollution. We speak to Dr. Sanjay Basu, co-author of the new study and assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University.
(2018-07-25). Methane Deathtrap Threatens Democracy. counterpunch.org 
Photo by NASA's Earth Observatory | CC BY 2.0 | A methane deathtrap — continuing Arctic Ocean eruption of ever-increasing levels of methane brings forth speculation of a "Black Swan Event," meaning society is caught flat-footed oblivious to impending danger until it's way too late. | Along those lines, The Economist newspaper only recently highlighted the methane issue for its mainstream readership. "The Methane Mystery: Scientists Struggle to Explain a Worrying Rise in Atmospheric Methane," The Economist, April 28th 2018: "Keeping methane in check is therefore critical if a rise in temperature this century is to remain 'well below' 2 ∞C relative to pre-industrial times, a goal set out in the Paris climate agreement of 2015… The explanations put forward by scientists range from the troubling to the truly hair-raising." (Ed.-"Hair-raising" 100% correct.) | Climate scientists have long sighted methane (CH4) bubbles…
(2018-07-25). Thoughts on Overcoming Despair. counterpunch.org 
As a leftist, I'm used to despair. How many hours have I, like so many others with an ounce of humanity in them, sat alone in my room miserably reading about global warming, horror-struck at the scorching hellscape we're leaving our descendants? How many times have I sat frozen in rage and disgust as I More
(2018-07-25). Profit Over Grizzlies: Trump Admin Tries to Gut Endangered Species Act for Oil & Mining Interests. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration has announced plans to gut the Endangered Species Act, ordering federal agencies to consider economic impacts before listing animals to be protected under the law. The newly proposed guidelines by the Interior Department would allow corporations involved in mining, drilling or other forms of extraction to proceed with projects that would otherwise be prohibited. The Trump administration's proposed rules are among several recent attacks endangering the Endangered Species Act. Earlier this month, the Congressional Western Caucus introduced a package of nine bills to "modernize" the ESA. In…
(2018-07-25). Profit Over Grizzlies: Trump Admin Tries to Gut Endangered Species Act for Oil & Mining Interests. counterpunch.org 
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(2018-07-25). Nuclear watchdog warns of radioactive leak at South Carolina fuel factory. rt.com 
Radioactive uranium has leaked through a three-inch hole in the floor at a nuclear fuel factory in South Carolina, contaminating the soil below the plant, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission says.
(2018-07-25). Man's Facebook rant about ex pops up on her feed, court rules it violated restraining order. rt.com 
Unintended communication through social media may amount to a violation of a restraining order and does not get First Amendment protection, Maine's Supreme Court has ruled, in an appeal case.
(2018-07-25). Prosecutors want to classify evidence in case against accused 'Russian agent' Maria Butina. rt.com 
US federal prosecutors want to seal evidence in their case against Maria Butina, the Russian national who has been charged with conspiracy against the United States and failure to register as a foreign agent. |
(2018-07-24). Helsinki and the Ghost of Roy Cohn. counterpunch.org "Many are saying this is a day that will live in infamy," CNN anchor Chris Cuomo said last week. "That's true. They say it will be remembered as the day the presidency as the symbol of America's protection died." Donald Trump's "decision to choose to believe Vladimir Putin over his own government on a matter More
(2018-07-24). Mainstream Media Obscure Most Important Issues From Public Eyes. globalresearch.ca Note to readers: please click the share buttons above | As the summer moves on, the world is literally burning under intense heat due to ever worsening climate change, mainly as a result of government impotence under corporate sway. Areas near …
(2018-07-24). Climate change events linked to higher rates of suicide — study. rt.com 
A new study has drawn a link between hotter-than-average weather and a rise in suicide rates. Experts believe the findings are particularly alarming, as climate change threatens even more extreme weather events in the future.
(2018-07-24). Iraq: Security Forces Fire on Protesters. hrw.org 
An Iraqi security officer grabs a protester during a demonstration at al-Burjisiya oil field near Basra City, Iraq, July 17, 2018. | © 2018 Essam al-Sudani/Reuters | (Beirut) —
(2018-07-23). The Flight 93 Doctrine. iranian.com As presidencies approach their midpoints, pundits begin the inevitable search for that elusive creature: the doctrine. It's often a quixotic quest, since presidents rarely boil down their foreign-policy visions — if they even have them — to some pithy essence. Then there's Donald Trump. Conjuring up the current president's foreign-policy doctrine is like arguing that […]
(2018-07-22). Russophobia digest: 5 top Russia scares launched by MSM this week. rt.com 
Russia has lately been accused of numerous deadly sins, as politicians and media throw around scary-sounding but unverified stories and opinions. To help you plot a course in the roiling sea of Russophobia, RT has compiled a list.
(2018-07-20). Trump Admin Closes Venezuela Sanctions Loophole in Favour of US Bondholders. venezuelanalysis.com The measure opens the way for seizures of Venezuela's US-based oil assets should the Maduro government default on PDVSA bond payments.
(2018-07-20). Glimmers of Economic Recovery amid Mixed Reports about Venezuelan Oil Production. venezuelanalysis.com Lower levels of oil production have been reportedly offset by rising prices and reduced domestic consumption.
(2018-07-20). Russia 'helpful' in enforcing sanctions on North Korea — Pompeo. rt.com 
Moscow has been actively contributing to the process of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, particularly by enforcing sanctions on Pyongyang, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told journalists. |
(2018-07-19). Trump Nominee for CFPB Admits in Hearing She Has No Background in Consumer Protection or Financial Regulation. theintercept.com Kathy Kraninger, an Office of Management and Budget official, skirted around her qualifications and past work at her confirmation hearing Thursday.
(2018-07-17). Headlines for July 17, 2018. democracynow.org Standing Next to Putin, Trump Lashes Out at Intelligence Agencies, Judge Orders 1-Week Halt to Deportation of Reunified Migrant Families, Israel Tightens Blockade of Gaza, Passes Bill to Ban Critical Groups in Schools, Protests Continue in Oil-Rich Region of Southern Iraq, Egypt Passes Law to Give Military Officers Immunity for 2013 Killing of Protesters, Organization of American States: Death Toll in Nicaragua Rises to 273, Amazon Workers in Germany, Poland & Spain Strike to Protest Working Conditions, Uber Under Federal Investigation for Gender Discrimination, NYC Tenants Say Kushner Co. Harassed Them into Leav…
(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.
(2018-07-10). Trump Head Fakes to Center, Emails Base to Say Kavanaugh is Hard Right. progressive.org Ah yes, heading back to the good ol' days when the Constitution's "equal protection" language somehow co-existed with Jim Crow and women not being able to vote or hold office.
(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.