Daily Archives: May 13, 2019

2019-05-13: News Headlines

Daniel Kovalik (2019-05-13). US Press Reaches All-Time Low on Venezuela Coverage. counterpunch.org As famed Latin American author Eduardo Galeano once wrote, "every time the US 'saves' a country, it converts it into either an insane asylum or a cemetery." Of course, as we look over the wreckage left by the US in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, we see More

Jason Ditz (2019-05-13). Venezuela's Guaido Wants Direct Line to Pentagon. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido confirmed this weekend that his diplomats are seeking to open a direct line of communication with the US military, and would use them for "coordination" of possible military action to impose regime change. Guaido said having direct lines of communication between him and the Pentagon would put more pressure on President Maduro …

plenglish (2019-05-13). Venezuelan Gov't Moves Forward in Rectification Process, Maduro Said. plenglish.com 13 de mayo de 2019, 16: 47Caracas, May 13 (Prensa Latina) The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, has assured on Monday that the Bolivarian Revolution advances in the process of rectification of errors in the methods of government, taking into consideration proposals made by the people.

Morning Star (2019-05-13). Guaidó requests U.S. military assistance to overthrow Venezuelan government. peoplesworld.org Self-declared Venezuelan "president" Juan Guaidó ordered his political envoy in Washington this weekend to open "direct communications" with the U.S. military on removing elected President Nicolás Maduro. Guaidó, the unelected chief of the defunct National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January but has failed to unseat the government, with rallies in support of the …

teleSUR (2019-05-13). Defected Venezuelan General's Call for New Coup Gets No Support. telesurenglish.net The defected air force general, Ramon Rangel, issued a video Monday attempting to convince the Venezuelan Armed Forces to rise up against legitimate President Nicolas Maduro and support the illegally self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido. | RELATED: | The Bolivarian Revolution Metes Out Poetic Justice | The defector's call was met with dead silence from the Venezuelan Armed Forces, prompting him to blame the "communist dictatorship" in Cuba. | "We have to find a way to get r…

plenglish (2019-05-13). US Sanctions Against Venezuela Limits Access to World Market. plenglish.com Caracas, May 13 (Prensa Latina) US government's hostile measures against Venezuela has reached on Monday their maximum expression in the international financial market to hinder Caracas" access to the importation of basic goods for social programs.

Democracy Now! (2019-05-13). Headlines for May 13, 2019. democracynow.org Sweden Reopens Julian Assange Sexual Assault Case, Seeks His Extradition, Pompeo to Discuss Iranian "Threats" in Europe as U.S. Ramps Up Military Presence, Saudi Oil Tankers Damaged in "Sabotage Attack" off UAE Coast, 187 Countries, Not Including the U.S., Agree to Landmark Deal Curbing Plastic Waste, U.S.-China Trade Talks End Without Deal, Increased Sanctions, Pentagon Redirects $1.5 Billion To Fund Border Wall, Afghanistan: Gunmen Kill Ex-Broadcast Journalist and Gov't Adviser Mina Mangal, Pakistan: Attack on Hotel Kills at Least 5, Burkina Faso: Gunmen Kill 6 People, Incl. Priest and Burn Down Church, At Leas…

Jason Ditz (2019-05-13). Guaido 'Open' to Accepting a US Offer to Invade Venezuela. globalresearch.ca After last week's US-backed coup failed to install Juan Guaido in power in Venezuela, Guaido remains keen to be supported by the US, and told Italian newspaper La Stampa that he would "probably accept" a US offer to invade….

teleSUR (2019-05-13). Guaido Hits Hard Times, Begs US Military For Help. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaido is hitting hard times now after failing to gain the support of the people and military of the Bolivarian Republic. Guaido has gone as far as instructing his agents in the U.S. to beg for military support to help seize power in Venezuela. | RELATED: | Defected Venezuelan General Colossally Fails to Rally Support for Another Coup | According to the Associated Press, Guaido asked Carlos Vecchio in Washington to immediately open u…

RT (2019-05-13). Guaido asks US military for meeting to plan 'restoring democracy' in Venezuela. rt.com Officials loyal to the US-backed self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido have requested a meeting with US Southern Command to begin planning a military intervention in Venezuela, after multiple failed attempts to take power.

William Blum (2019-05-13). "US-Gate"? Overthrowing Other People's Governments: The Master List of U.S. "Regime Changes" globalresearch.ca GR Editor's Note | This incisive list countries by the late William Blum was first published in 2013, posted on Global Research in 2014. | In relation to recent developments in Latin America and the Middle East, it is worth recalling the …

Douglas Valentine (2019-05-13). The CIA: Keepers of the Hit Lists. War Crimes as Policy. globalresearch.ca This article was first crossposted in May 2013. | In February the Guardian and BBC Arabic unveiled a documentary exploring the role of retired Colonel James Steele in the recruitment, training and initial deployments of the CIA advised and funded Special …

Andrew Korybko (2019-05-13). Battle for India: Russia's S-400 vs. America's THAAD. globalresearch.ca There's no doubt that India is one of the most geostrategically positioned countries in the world today and that its tilt one way or the other in the New Cold War could have major hemispheric reverberations for this global competition. …

Eric Zuesse (2019-05-13). 'Humanitarian' Concerns Increase Wars, Benefit Only Arms-Producers. globalresearch.ca Unlike a regular corporation, the corporations that manufacture and sell weapons to their government are virtually 100% dependent upon their government and its military allies, for their own success; their markets are only those governments, not individuals (such as is …

Gerrard Bonello (2019-05-13). Viewing Venezuela through a Fairy Tale Lens. globalresearch.ca On May 1 the Washington Post published an article entitled " Venezuela's opposition put together a serious plan. For now it appears to have failed."[1] By doing so it has presented its readers with a gripping fairy tale. …

The New Arab (2019-05-13). 'Conditions for Surrender': Palestinian FM Slams Trump Peace Plan. globalresearch.ca Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Thursday voiced opposition to US President Donald Trump's so-called ' Deal of the Century', saying the terms amount to "surrender" for Palestinians. | "This is not a peace plan but rather conditions for …

Andrew Korybko (2019-05-13). The U.S.' Welcome of China on Afghan Peace Process Headed for Win-win Results. globalresearch.ca "We welcome the positive role of Russia, China, and any other country in the Afghan peace process", a U.S. State Department official said on Friday, an unexpected announcement considering the increased trade tensions between the U.S. and China after Washington's …

Gregory Elich (2019-05-13). How Madeleine Albright Got the War the U.S. Wanted. globalresearch.ca Twenty years have passed since the U.S.-orchestrated NATO attack on Yugoslavia. As the United States readied its forces for war in 1999, it organized a peace conference that was ostensibly intended to resolve differences between the Yugoslav government and secessionist …

Raúl Capote (2019-05-13). Does the U.S. Have the Right to Impunity? globalresearch.ca The United States Army has established a long history of war crimes, beginning with the genocide of native peoples in the North America, through those committed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, more recently. | Usually, the U.S. government, the armed forces, …

(2019-05-13). Trump EPA Seeks to Slash Pesticide Protections for Imperiled Wildlife. globalresearch.ca The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released a set of proposed changes that would dramatically reduce protections for the nation's most endangered plants and animals from pesticides known to harm them. The proposals ignore the real-world, science-based assessments of pesticides' …

Scott Ritter (2019-05-13). Is America Ready for John Bolton's War with Iran? globalresearch.ca National Security Advisor John Bolton's announcement this week that the U.S. is deploying a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region seemed perfectly framed to put America on a war footing with …

Gareth Porter (2019-05-13). Bolton Is Spinning Israeli 'Intelligence' to Push for War Against Iran. globalresearch.ca John Bolton has gotten away with a dangerous deception. The national security adviser's announcement Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed air and naval forces to the Middle East, which he combined with a threat to Iran, points to a new …

Philip A Farruggio (2019-05-13). The Taking of America 123. The Deep State Thrives on Money and Power. globalresearch.ca The above title was influenced from Joseph Sargent's 1974 classic The Taking of the Pelham 123. In the film (remade again in 2009, and not bad actually) gunmen hijack a NYC subway train and hold the passengers of one car …

Justice for Assange (2019-05-13). The "Swedish Allegations" Concerning Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca The Facts | There is widespread media misreporting about allegations made against Julian Assange in Sweden in 2010. Here are the facts: | First, Assange was always willing to answer any questions from the Swedish authorities and repeatedly offered to do …

Telesur (2019-05-13). Venezuelan Embassy: Water Shut Off, Police Block Entry of Food. globalresearch.ca After the water was suddenly shut off in the Venezuelan embassy in the United States located in Washington, D.C. Saturday morning, CODEPINK activists are being stopped by local police from bringing in food to those inside. | Electricity inside the building …

Matt Franklin (2019-05-13). UN Decides to Control Global Plastic Waste Dumping. globalresearch.ca Today, 187 countries took a major step forward in curbing the plastic waste crisis by adding plastic to the Basel Convention, a treaty that controls the movement of hazardous waste from one country to another. The amendmentsrequire exporters to …

Sufyan bin Uzayr (2019-05-13). Tashkent, Uzbekistan: The City with 2200+ Years of Written History. globalresearch.ca Visiting Central Asia had been on my bucket list for quite a while. So when I finally got the chance to head to Kazakhstan, I decided to take a pit-stop on my way there. This is how I got to …

Norwegian Refugee Council (2019-05-13). More People Displaced Inside Their Own Countries than Ever Before. globalresearch.ca A record 41.3 million people are displaced inside their own countries because of conflict and violence, according to a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). | The number of people living in …

WSWS (2019-05-13). "Act now" on trade or it will get worse, Trump threatens China. wsws.org The increasingly belligerent US rhetoric is being matched by action expected to target another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods with tariffs of 25 percent.

teleSUR (2019-05-13). China Snubs Trump, Hikes Tariffs on US Goods. telesurenglish.net China said on Monday it would impose higher tariffs on most U.S. imports on a revised US$60 billion target list, hitting back at a tariff hike by Washington on US$200 billion of Chinese goods in a further escalation of a bitter trade war. | The retaliation comes as U.S. President Donald Trump signals his intent to slap tariffs on all Chinese imports if Beijing does not give in, suggesting a prolonged standoff between the world's two largest economies that could roil global markets for weeks or months to come. | A total of 5,140 U.S. products will be subject to additional tariffs of 5 percent, 10 percent, 20 p…

Negin Owliaei (2019-05-13). Uber Drivers Strike As Execs Make Millions Off IPO. commondreams.org A small group of independent drivers and supporters protest against Uber and other app-based ride-hailing companies near the Wall Street Charging Bull, May 8, 2019 in New York City. The protests in more than a dozen cities come ahead of Uber's anticipated Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) which could put the ride-hailing firm's calculation as high as $91.5 billion. Drivers are seeking higher wages and better rights as employees. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/uber_

DLI (2019-05-13). Mafia Don Twits another tantrum ahead of crucial trade talks. indybay.org 2 days before the crucial trade talks between China and the USA(the 2 largest economies in the world), "Mafia Don"(ald) T-rump threw another Twitter tantrum, by threatening to charge 10% – 25% tariffs on $200 Billions' worth of imports from China. This additional gouging would be on top of last year's unilateral tariff on $50 Billions' worth of Chinese goods coming into this country. But really, what kind of lunatic would poison the mood of these delicate negotiations–practically at the eleventh hour–by publicly humiliating the incoming Chinese delegation? The world has rarely seen such a blustering buffoon, at…

UPWA (2019-05-13). "Free Lunch" Billionaire A's Owner Fisher Offering Free Food For New Stadium. indybay.org Broadway & Waters St. | Oakland…

RT (2019-05-13). Washington requested Trump-Putin meeting — report. rt.com Washington has reportedly requested a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant. If confirmed, a meeting could take place on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit. |

plenglish (2019-05-13). Russia Confirms Lavrov-Pompeo Meeting in Sochi. plenglish.com Moscow, May 13 (Latin Press) Despite the suspension of an initially scheduled stop in Moscow from the visit of US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to this country, the Russian Foreign Ministry has clarified on Monday that all the meetings in Sochi remain full time.

Thomas Knapp (2019-05-13). Let's End the War on Unapproved States of Consciousness. counterpunch.org On May 7, voters in Denver, Colorado narrowly approved a measure de-criminalizing "magic mushrooms" — mushrooms containing the consciousness-altering compound psilocybin. The measure, National Public Radio reports, "effectively bars the city from prosecuting or arresting adults 21 or older who possess them. In the ballot language, adults can even grow the fungus for personal use More

John W. Whitehead (2019-05-13). D is for a Dictatorship Disguised as a Democracy. counterpunch.org "When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; a culture-death is a clear possibility." More

Wim Laven (2019-05-13). Tired of the Smack Talk. counterpunch.org I'm angry, our system is supposed to work for us, but it doesn't! I'm tired of being told that elected officials are supposed to represent their constituents, and watching their persistent inaction and failure. One of the interesting features of English language is the labels that are provided for groups of animals; perhaps the pride More

David Swanson (2019-05-13). Why Are These Facts So Stubbornly Forbidden? counterpunch.org Like you, I've had countless experiences of pointing out a new fact to someone, and seeing them acknowledge it and incorporate it into their thinking and their talking from that point forward. I've even had this experience with public petitions pushed on powerful people. But, I've also had a different experience. There are some facts More

Yoav Litvin (2019-05-13). Uncle Ben Shapiro, and Me. counterpunch.org Ben Shapiro is trending on Twitter after thoroughly embarrassing himself in an interview with BBC right-wing journalist Andrew Neil. The highlight of the interview came when Shapiro ignorantly pleaded with Neil to admit he is "on the left". In response, the Brit chuckled in characteristic fashion and said: "Mr. Shapiro, if you only knew how ridiculous that statement is, you wouldn't have said it."It went downhill from there. And fast.In essence, Shapiro was not "destroyed" by Neil. He literally destroyed himself. More

Elliot Sperber (2019-05-13). In Defense of the Satanic. counterpunch.org In Defense of the Satanic Satan, the name, stems From "one who opposes" Opposes belief And submission to dogma For Satan the serpent Distributed knowledge Transgressing the order. Evicted from Eden Avoiding those doomed to attack him And fear him He sailed off to Crete Where the serpent was lauded By all the Minoans Who More

Binoy Kampmark (2019-05-13). The Shaman of Football: Jàºrgen Klopp and Liverpool FC. counterpunch.org You cannot bottle him, export him or use him as a precedent for anything. His calm, even tempered disposition is the stuff of bafflement and bemusement, and yet, after his tenure at one of Europe's most known football clubs, Jàºrgen Klopp, football's everyman (the "normal one", he insists) will be the model to emulate. Klopp More

Richard M. Lerner (2019-05-13). Are the Democrats Channeling Neville Chamberlain…or George Santayana? counterpunch.org Accommodating a pathological narcissist does not lead to peace in our time. Ignoring the lies, hateful speech, and antidemocratic actions of an amoral psychopath will not preserve a republic. Such acts enable fascism to flourish. These statements are not opinions about what will occur if the Democrats in the House of Representatives of 2019 fail More

Dean Baker (2019-05-13). Getting to Medicare-for-All. counterpunch.org I had the opportunity to testify last week before the House Rules committee on Medicare for All. Incredibly, this was apparently the first time the topic had been explicitly addressed in a congressional hearing. In my testimony, I argued that a Medicare for All program would be affordable, but the key factor was reducing the More

Edward J. Martin (2019-05-13). Robert Owen, Worker Cooperatives, and Democratic Socialism. counterpunch.org Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — and its two predecessor organizations, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM) — had their origins in the early 1970s, at the beginning of a long-term rightward shift of United States and global politics. This shift to the right — from the 1980s of More

Yves Engler (2019-05-13). Canada's Minister of Defence is an Arms Pusher. counterpunch.org Would it surprise you to learn that Canada's minister of defence is an arms pusher? Last Friday members of Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix interrupted a $135-a-plate luncheon to confront defence minister Harjit Sajjan. At an event sponsored by SNC Lavalin, Bombardier, Rio Tinto, etc., we called for cutting military spending, for Canada to withdraw from NATO and an end to weapons More

B. Blake Levitt (2019-05-13). Fiber Broadband and Small Cells: An Unholy Municipal Alliance. counterpunch.org In the rural northwest corner of Connecticut where I live in the gracious foothills to the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, our 27-town Council of Governments (NWCOG), urged on by the well-intentioned local group "Northwest ConneCT," is encouraging towns to embrace "fiber broadband" in their new plans of conservation and development and build out municipally owned More

Ted Rall (2019-05-13). Long-Form Journalism is the Future of Print. counterpunch.org Journalism is in trouble. Writers of articles pointing this out typically argue that this is really bad for democracy or America or whatever. Anyone who disagrees is too stupid to read this so I won't bother to repeat this obviousness. Such writers also point out contemporaneous evidence of the media apocalypse; here are the three More

Lou Martin (2019-05-13). Documentary 'Moundsville' digs deeper into Appalachian 'Trump country'. peoplesworld.org The 2018 documentary Moundsville drops viewers into the West Virginia town with no introduction. Instead, the film takes us directly into conversations with local residents, the mayor, a former mayor, retirees, a couple of historians, young entrepreneurs—a dozen or so people from all walks of life. They talk about the town's history, the prehistoric burial mound for …

Consortiumnews (2019-05-13). PATRICK LAWRENCE: A Week of Dangerous Developments from Iran to North Korea. consortiumnews.com The increasingly aggressive moves by Trump's hawkish advisers give the impression of a palace coup, writes Patrick Lawrence. By Patrick Lawrence Special to Consortium News Neoconservative hawks in the Trump administration, led by National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary… Read more →

2019-05-13: Social Media Postees

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

Venezuela's Guaido Wants Direct Line to Pentagon
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-13
(ANTIWAR.COM) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido confirmed this weekend that his diplomats are seeking to open a direct line of communication with the US military, and would use them for "coordination" of possible military action to impose regime change. Guaido said having direct lines of communication between him and the Pentagon would put more pressure on President Maduro …

Venezuela's Guaido Wants Direct Line to Pentagon

Guaidó requests U.S. military assistance to overthrow Venezuelan government
Morning Star | peoplesworld.org | 2019-05-13
Self-declared Venezuelan "president" Juan Guaidó ordered his political envoy in Washington this weekend to open "direct communications" with the U.S. military on removing elected President Nicolás Maduro. Guaidó, the unelected chief of the defunct National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January but has failed to unseat the government, with rallies in support of the …
peoplesworld.org/article/guaido-requests-u-s-military-assistance-to-overthrow-venezuelan-government/

Venezuelan Gov't Moves Forward in Rectification Process, Maduro Said
plenglish.com | 2019-05-13
13 de mayo de 2019, 16: 47Caracas, May 13 (Prensa Latina) The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, has assured on Monday that the Bolivarian Revolution advances in the process of rectification of errors in the methods of government, taking into consideration proposals made by the people.
www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=41928&SEO=venezuelan-govt-moves-forward-in-rectification-process-maduro-said

Defected Venezuelan General's Call for New Coup Gets No Support
telesurenglish.net | 2019-05-13
The defected air force general, Ramon Rangel, issued a video Monday attempting to convince the Venezuelan Armed Forces to rise up against legitimate President Nicolas Maduro and support the illegally self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido. | RELATED: | The Bolivarian Revolution Metes Out Poetic Justice | The defector's call was met with dead silence from the Venezuelan Armed Forces, prompting him to blame the "communist dictatorship" in Cuba. | "We have to find a way to get r…
telesurenglish.net/news/Defected-Venezuelan-Generals-Call-for-New-Coup-Gets-No-Support-20190513-0004.html

US Sanctions Against Venezuela Limits Access to World Market
plenglish.com | 2019-05-13
Caracas, May 13 (Prensa Latina) US government's hostile measures against Venezuela has reached on Monday their maximum expression in the international financial market to hinder Caracas" access to the importation of basic goods for social programs.
www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=41911&SEO=us-sanctions-against-venezuela-limits-access-to-world-market

Guaido Hits Hard Times, Begs US Military For Help
telesurenglish.net | 2019-05-13
Venezuelan coup leader Juan Guaido is hitting hard times now after failing to gain the support of the people and military of the Bolivarian Republic. Guaido has gone as far as instructing his agents in the U.S. to beg for military support to help seize power in Venezuela. | RELATED: | Defected Venezuelan General Colossally Fails to Rally Support for Another Coup | According to the Associated Press, Guaido asked Carlos Vecchio in Washington to immediately open u…
telesurenglish.net/news/Guaido-Hits-Hard-Times-Begs-US-Military-For-Help-20190513-0008.html

Guaido 'Open' to Accepting a US Offer to Invade Venezuela
Jason Ditz | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
After last week's US-backed coup failed to install Juan Guaido in power in Venezuela, Guaido remains keen to be supported by the US, and told Italian newspaper La Stampa that he would "probably accept" a US offer to invade….
globalresearch.ca/guaido-open-accepting-us-offer-invade-venezuela/5677359

Guaido asks US military for meeting to plan 'restoring democracy' in Venezuela
rt.com | 2019-05-13
Officials loyal to the US-backed self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido have requested a meeting with US Southern Command to begin planning a military intervention in Venezuela, after multiple failed attempts to take power. | …
rt.com/usa/459248-venezuela-southcom-meeting-intervention/

More People Displaced Inside Their Own Countries than Ever Before
Norwegian Refugee Council | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
A record 41.3 million people are displaced inside their own countries because of conflict and violence, according to a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). | The number of people living in | …
globalresearch.ca/more-people-displaced-inside-own-countries/5677342

Viewing Venezuela through a Fairy Tale Lens
Gerrard Bonello | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
On May 1 the Washington Post published an article entitled " Venezuela's opposition put together a serious plan. For now it appears to have failed."[1] By doing so it has presented its readers with a gripping fairy tale. …
globalresearch.ca/venezuela-fairy-tale-lens/5677215

How Madeleine Albright Got the War the U.S. Wanted
Gregory Elich | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
Twenty years have passed since the U.S.-orchestrated NATO attack on Yugoslavia. As the United States readied its forces for war in 1999, it organized a peace conference that was ostensibly intended to resolve differences between the Yugoslav government and secessionist …
globalresearch.ca/how-madeleine-albright-got-war-u-s-wanted/5677347

'Humanitarian' Concerns Increase Wars, Benefit Only Arms-Producers
Eric Zuesse | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
Unlike a regular corporation, the corporations that manufacture and sell weapons to their government are virtually 100% dependent upon their government and its military allies, for their own success; their markets are only those governments, not individuals (such as is …
globalresearch.ca/humanitarian-concerns-increase-wars-benefit-only-arms-producers/5677232

Is America Ready for John Bolton's War with Iran?
Scott Ritter | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
National Security Advisor John Bolton's announcement this week that the U.S. is deploying a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region seemed perfectly framed to put America on a war footing with …
globalresearch.ca/america-ready-john-boltons-war-iran/5677284

The Taking of America 123. The Deep State Thrives on Money and Power
Philip A Farruggio | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
The above title was influenced from Joseph Sargent's 1974 classic The Taking of the Pelham 123. In the film (remade again in 2009, and not bad actually) gunmen hijack a NYC subway train and hold the passengers of one car …
globalresearch.ca/the-taking-of-america-123-the-deep-state-thrives-on-money-and-power/5677213

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: The City with 2200+ Years of Written History
Sufyan bin Uzayr | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
Visiting Central Asia had been on my bucket list for quite a while. So when I finally got the chance to head to Kazakhstan, I decided to take a pit-stop on my way there. This is how I got to …
globalresearch.ca/tashkent-uzbekistan-city-2200-years-written-history/5677308

Venezuelan Embassy: Water Shut Off, Police Block Entry of Food
Telesur | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
After the water was suddenly shut off in the Venezuelan embassy in the United States located in Washington, D.C. Saturday morning, CODEPINK activists are being stopped by local police from bringing in food to those inside. | Electricity inside the building …
globalresearch.ca/venezuelan-embassy-water-shut-off-police-block-entry-food/5677290

The U.S.' Welcome of China on Afghan Peace Process Headed for Win-win Results
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
"We welcome the positive role of Russia, China, and any other country in the Afghan peace process", a U.S. State Department official said on Friday, an unexpected announcement considering the increased trade tensions between the U.S. and China after Washington's …
globalresearch.ca/u-s-welcome-china-afghan-peace-process-headed-win-win-results/5677339

The CIA: Keepers of the Hit Lists. War Crimes as Policy
Douglas Valentine | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
This article was first crossposted in May 2013. | In February the Guardian and BBC Arabic unveiled a documentary exploring the role of retired Colonel James Steele in the recruitment, training and initial deployments of the CIA advised and funded Special …
globalresearch.ca/the-cia-keepers-of-the-hit-lists-war-crimes-as-policy/5337367

Does the U.S. Have the Right to Impunity?
Raúl Capote | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
The United States Army has established a long history of war crimes, beginning with the genocide of native peoples in the North America, through those committed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, more recently. | Usually, the U.S. government, the armed forces, …
globalresearch.ca/does-u-s-have-right-impunity/5677294

"US-Gate"? Overthrowing Other People's Governments: The Master List of U.S. "Regime Changes"
William Blum | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
GR Editor's Note | This incisive list countries by the late William Blum was first published in 2013, posted on Global Research in 2014. | In relation to recent developments in Latin America and the Middle East, it is worth recalling the …
globalresearch.ca/overthrowing-other-peoples-governments-the-master-list-of-u-s-regime-changes/5400829

Battle for India: Russia's S-400 vs. America's THAAD
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
There's no doubt that India is one of the most geostrategically positioned countries in the world today and that its tilt one way or the other in the New Cold War could have major hemispheric reverberations for this global competition. …
globalresearch.ca/battle-india-russias-s-400-americas-thaad/5677333

UN Decides to Control Global Plastic Waste Dumping
Matt Franklin | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
Today, 187 countries took a major step forward in curbing the plastic waste crisis by adding plastic to the Basel Convention, a treaty that controls the movement of hazardous waste from one country to another. The amendmentsrequire exporters to …
globalresearch.ca/un-decides-control-global-plastic-waste-dumping/5677317

'Conditions for Surrender': Palestinian FM Slams Trump Peace Plan
The New Arab | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Thursday voiced opposition to US President Donald Trump's so-called ' Deal of the Century', saying the terms amount to "surrender" for Palestinians. | "This is not a peace plan but rather conditions for …
globalresearch.ca/conditions-for-surrender-palestinian-fm-slams-trump-peace-plan/5677319

Bolton Is Spinning Israeli 'Intelligence' to Push for War Against Iran
Gareth Porter | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
John Bolton has gotten away with a dangerous deception. The national security adviser's announcement Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed air and naval forces to the Middle East, which he combined with a threat to Iran, points to a new …
globalresearch.ca/bolton-israeli-intelligence-push-war-iran/5677335

Trump EPA Seeks to Slash Pesticide Protections for Imperiled Wildlife

| globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released a set of proposed changes that would dramatically reduce protections for the nation's most endangered plants and animals from pesticides known to harm them. The proposals ignore the real-world, science-based assessments of pesticides' …
globalresearch.ca/trump-epa-seeks-slash-pesticide-protections-imperiled-wildlife/5677280

The "Swedish Allegations" Concerning Julian Assange
Justice for Assange | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-13
The Facts | There is widespread media misreporting about allegations made against Julian Assange in Sweden in 2010. Here are the facts: | First, Assange was always willing to answer any questions from the Swedish authorities and repeatedly offered to do …
globalresearch.ca/swedish-allegations-julian-assange/5677355

US Press Reaches All-Time Low on Venezuela Coverage
Daniel Kovalik | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
As famed Latin American author Eduardo Galeano once wrote, "every time the US 'saves' a country, it converts it into either an insane asylum or a cemetery." Of course, as we look over the wreckage left by the US in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, we see…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/us-press-reaches-all-time-low-on-venezuela-coverage/

China Snubs Trump, Hikes Tariffs on US Goods
telesurenglish.net | 2019-05-13
China said on Monday it would impose higher tariffs on most U.S. imports on a revised US$60 billion target list, hitting back at a tariff hike by Washington on US$200 billion of Chinese goods in a further escalation of a bitter trade war. | The retaliation comes as U.S. President Donald Trump signals his intent to slap tariffs on all Chinese imports if Beijing does not give in, suggesting a prolonged standoff between the world's two largest economies that could roil global markets for weeks or months to come. | A total of 5,140 U.S. products will be subject to additional tariffs of 5 percent, 10 percent, 20 p…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-Snubs-Trump-Hikes-Tariffs-on-US-Goods-20190513-0012.html

"Free Lunch" Billionaire A's Owner Fisher Offering Free Food For New Stadium
UPWA | indybay.org | 2019-05-13
Broadway & Waters St. | Oakland…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/05/10/18823380.php

Uber Drivers Strike As Execs Make Millions Off IPO
Negin Owliaei | commondreams.org | 2019-05-13
A small group of independent drivers and supporters protest against Uber and other app-based ride-hailing companies near the Wall Street Charging Bull, May 8, 2019 in New York City. The protests in more than a dozen cities come ahead of Uber's anticipated Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) which could put the ride-hailing firm's calculation as high as $91.5 billion. Drivers are seeking higher wages and better rights as employees. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/uber_
commondreams.org/views/2019/05/13/uber-drivers-strike-execs-make-millions-ipo?cd-origin=rss

"Act now" on trade or it will get worse, Trump threatens China
wsws.org | 2019-05-13
The increasingly belligerent US rhetoric is being matched by action expected to target another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods with tariffs of 25 percent.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/13/usch-m13.html

Mafia Don Twits another tantrum ahead of crucial trade talks
DLI | indybay.org | 2019-05-13
2 days before the crucial trade talks between China and the USA(the 2 largest economies in the world), "Mafia Don"(ald) T-rump threw another Twitter tantrum, by threatening to charge 10% – 25% tariffs on $200 Billions' worth of imports from China. This additional gouging would be on top of last year's unilateral tariff on $50 Billions' worth of Chinese goods coming into this country. But really, what kind of lunatic would poison the mood of these delicate negotiations–practically at the eleventh hour–by publicly humiliating the incoming Chinese delegation? The world has rarely seen such a blustering buffoon, at…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/05/08/18823361.php

Washington requested Trump-Putin meeting — report
rt.com | 2019-05-13
Washington has reportedly requested a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant. If confirmed, a meeting could take place on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit. | …
rt.com/usa/459216-trump-putin-meeting-report/

Trump says he will meet with Xi and Putin at G20
rt.com | 2019-05-13
President Donald Trump has said he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at next month's G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. | …
rt.com/usa/459249-trump-meet-putin-g20-xi/

Russia Confirms Lavrov-Pompeo Meeting in Sochi
plenglish.com | 2019-05-13
Moscow, May 13 (Latin Press) Despite the suspension of an initially scheduled stop in Moscow from the visit of US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to this country, the Russian Foreign Ministry has clarified on Monday that all the meetings in Sochi remain full time.
www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=41903&SEO=russia-confirms-lavrov-pompeo-meeting-in-sochi

Uncle Ben Shapiro, and Me
Yoav Litvin | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Ben Shapiro is trending on Twitter after thoroughly embarrassing himself in an interview with BBC right-wing journalist Andrew Neil. The highlight of the interview came when Shapiro ignorantly pleaded with Neil to admit he is "on the left". In response, the Brit chuckled in characteristic fashion and said: "Mr. Shapiro, if you only knew how ridiculous that statement is, you wouldn't have said it."It went downhill from there. And fast.In essence, Shapiro was not "destroyed" by Neil. He literally destroyed himself.
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/uncle-ben-shapiro-and-me/

BB King \ Eric Clapton — The Thrill Is Gone
CP Editor | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/bb-king-eric-clapton-the-thrill-is-gone/

Are the Democrats Channeling Neville Chamberlain…or George Santayana?
Richard M. Lerner | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Accommodating a pathological narcissist does not lead to peace in our time. Ignoring the lies, hateful speech, and antidemocratic actions of an amoral psychopath will not preserve a republic. Such acts enable fascism to flourish. These statements are not opinions about what will occur if the Democrats in the House of Representatives of 2019 fail…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/are-the-democrats-channeling-neville-chamberlainor-george-santayana/

Long-Form Journalism is the Future of Print
Ted Rall | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Journalism is in trouble. Writers of articles pointing this out typically argue that this is really bad for democracy or America or whatever. Anyone who disagrees is too stupid to read this so I won't bother to repeat this obviousness. Such writers also point out contemporaneous evidence of the media apocalypse; here are the three…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/long-form-journalism-is-the-future-of-print/

Robert Owen, Worker Cooperatives, and Democratic Socialism
Edward J. Martin | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — and its two predecessor organizations, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM) — had their origins in the early 1970s, at the beginning of a long-term rightward shift of United States and global politics. This shift to the right — from the 1980s of…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/robert-owen-worker-cooperatives-and-democratic-socialism/

Tired of the Smack Talk
Wim Laven | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
I'm angry, our system is supposed to work for us, but it doesn't! I'm tired of being told that elected officials are supposed to represent their constituents, and watching their persistent inaction and failure. One of the interesting features of English language is the labels that are provided for groups of animals; perhaps the pride…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/tired-of-the-smack-talk/

Canada's Minister of Defence is an Arms Pusher
Yves Engler | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Would it surprise you to learn that Canada's minister of defence is an arms pusher? Last Friday members of Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix interrupted a $135-a-plate luncheon to confront defence minister Harjit Sajjan. At an event sponsored by SNC Lavalin, Bombardier, Rio Tinto, etc., we called for cutting military spending, for Canada to withdraw from NATO and an end to weapons…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/canadas-minister-of-defence-is-an-arms-pusher/

Getting to Medicare-for-All
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
I had the opportunity to testify last week before the House Rules committee on Medicare for All. Incredibly, this was apparently the first time the topic had been explicitly addressed in a congressional hearing. In my testimony, I argued that a Medicare for All program would be affordable, but the key factor was reducing the…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/getting-to-medicare-for-all/

Let's End the War on Unapproved States of Consciousness
Thomas Knapp | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
On May 7, voters in Denver, Colorado narrowly approved a measure de-criminalizing "magic mushrooms" — mushrooms containing the consciousness-altering compound psilocybin. The measure, National Public Radio reports,…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/lets-end-the-war-on-unapproved-states-of-consciousness/

The Shaman of Football: Jàºrgen Klopp and Liverpool FC
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
You cannot bottle him, export him or use him as a precedent for anything. His calm, even tempered disposition is the stuff of bafflement and bemusement, and yet, after his tenure at one of Europe's most known football clubs, Jàºrgen Klopp, football's everyman (the "normal one", he insists) will be the model to emulate. Klopp…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/the-shaman-of-football-jurgen-klopp-and-liverpool-fc/

Why Are These Facts So Stubbornly Forbidden?
David Swanson | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
Like you, I've had countless experiences of pointing out a new fact to someone, and seeing them acknowledge it and incorporate it into their thinking and their talking from that point forward. I've even had this experience with public petitions pushed on powerful people. But, I've also had a different experience. There are some facts…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/why-are-these-facts-so-stubbornly-forbidden/

D is for a Dictatorship Disguised as a Democracy
John W. Whitehead | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
"When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; a culture-death is a clear possibility."
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/d-is-for-a-dictatorship-disguised-as-a-democracy/

In Defense of the Satanic
Elliot Sperber | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
In Defense of the Satanic Satan, the name, stems From "one who opposes" Opposes belief And submission to dogma For Satan the serpent Distributed knowledge Transgressing the order. Evicted from Eden Avoiding those doomed to attack him And fear him He sailed off to Crete Where the serpent was lauded By all the Minoans Who…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/in-defense-of-the-satanic/

Fiber Broadband and Small Cells: An Unholy Municipal Alliance
B. Blake Levitt | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-13
In the rural northwest corner of Connecticut where I live in the gracious foothills to the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, our 27-town Council of Governments (NWCOG), urged on by the well-intentioned local group "Northwest ConneCT," is encouraging towns to embrace "fiber broadband" in their new plans of conservation and development and build out municipally owned…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/13/fiber-broadband-and-small-cells-an-unholy-municipal-alliance/

Welcome to coup university: A Pentagon scholar's guide to overthrowing governments
rt.com | 2019-05-13
With the Venezuela crisis making regime change once again the talk of the town in Washington, the US Special Operations Command has published a paper chronicling the highs and lows of seven decades of foreign interference. | …
rt.com/usa/459238-special-forces-coup-guide/