(2019-12-13). Colombians Protest Against Tax Reform in Front of Congress. telesurenglish.net Colombia's Congress Thursday began to debate President Ivan Duque's "Economic Growth" bill, a policy package that aims at benefiting big companies, which mobilized hundreds of people to protest at the Bolivar Square in Bogota.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | RELATED: | Colombian Police to be Investigated for Excessive Use of Force | Through this economic reform, Duque seeks to establ…
(2019-12-13). William F. Buckley Never Fooled James Baldwin. truthdig.com The following is an excerpt from "The Fire Is Upon Us." | By mid-1968, James Baldwin's hope was in a precarious state. Just three months earlier, Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down by a white supremacist in Memphis, Tennessee. "Since Martin's death," Baldwin explained later, "something has altered in me, something has gone away." That "something," he confessed, was his faith that people can be better than they are. King's death "forced me," Baldwin wrote, "into a judgment concerning human life and human beings which I…
(2019-12-13). The anti-Semitism accusations against Corbyn: A witch-hunt in the service of imperialism. wsws.org The witch-hunt centres on a concerted attempt to equate opposition to Zionism and the colonial policies of the Israeli state with hatred of the Jewish people in general and the infamous and reactionary anti-Semitism of the Nazis in particular.
(2019-12-13). Climate Refugees: Climate-Fueled Drought, Sea Level Rise, Storms & Fires Displace Millions Worldwide. democracynow.org 
A new report reveals how long-term disasters, including sea level rise and desertification, and short-term disasters, such as storms and fires, are especially threatening to people living in the Global South and island nations. We speak with the co-author of a new study that finds the climate crisis is already leading to a massive increase in the number of refugees being displaced around the world. Hossein Ayazi is a policy analyst with the Global Justice Program at the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, Berkeley. We're also joined at the U.N. Climate Summit in Madrid by Saleemul Huq,…
(2019-12-13). Seeing the World Without Shadows: the Enlightenment Dream. counterpunch.org The scientific revolution of the seventeenth century (c. 1500-1700) in Europe—beginning with Copernicus (1493-1543) and ending with Isaac Newton (1642-1727)—precipitated a momentous transformative learning moment for humankind. What a revolution that was! Sixteenth century intellectuals in the grip of Aristotle still imagined that nature consisted of four qualities (earth, water, fire and air) and the More
(2019-12-13). US to impose sanctions on companies involved in European Nord Stream 2 pipeline. wsws.org The sanctions against the joint Russian-Western Europe energy project underscores just how conflict-riven the relations between the members of the world's largest military alliance are.
(2019-12-13). Brexit backlash hits labor hard. peoplesworld.org 
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(2019-12-13). Why Is the Media So Obsessed With Michael Bloomberg? thenation.com Why Is the Media So Obsessed With Michael Bloomberg?
(2019-12-13). A Plague on Both Their Houses, Plus a Dozen Poxes on Trump's. counterpunch.org Nancy Pelosi should thank Donald Trump for helping her get over a bad case of IAS, Impeachment Aversion Syndrome. We all should. Had she not come down with that malady years ago, after the 2006 midterm election made her Speaker of the House the first time, she could now be looking forward, when the time More
(2019-12-13). BBC reporter accused of breaking law by revealing postal vote and commenting negatively on Labour. wsws.org Laura Kuenssberg should have been immediately suspended pending an investigation. Instead the BBC issued a terse statement that it "does not believe it, or its political editor, has breached electoral law."
(2019-12-13). Shareholders Call for #RebootFacebook to Put Company on Path to Democracy, Decency, and Disclosure. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-12-13). Australia: Thousands attend climate change rally in Sydney. wsws.org While bushfires ravaged the state, workers and students gathered to protest government inaction on climate change.
(2019-12-13). Johnson Claims Brexit Mandate in Sweeping Conservative Victory. truthdig.com 
After three years of stalemate over the issue, voters hand the U.K. prime minister a commanding majority to take the country out of the EU.
(2019-12-13). Stand Up America Implores Lawmakers to Impeach Donald Trump. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-12-13). Kafka Down Under: the Threat to Whistleblowers and Press Freedom in Australia. counterpunch.org It was the head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre who finally admitted before an Australian Parliament committee that she had unilaterally directed and pressured CyberCon to drop myself and an academic research professor (an Australian citizen) from the University of Melbourne as speakers. I viewed the extraordinary pressure exerted by the Australian Cyber Security Centre More
(2019-12-13). OAS Final Audit Report on Bolivia Elections Raises More Questions About Its Own Work Than It Answers, CEPR Analysis Concludes. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-12-13). Trump Wants Criticism of Israel Equated with Anti-Semitism. globalresearch.ca Trump wants anti-Semitism redefined. An executive order perhaps already signed is all about stifling legitimate criticism of Israel. | It's about wanting the Jewish state absolved of occupation, colonialism, and apartheid crimes against humanity. | The International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirmed …
(2019-12-13). Johnson wins majority in UK election after collapse of Labour vote. wsws.org Johnson's return consolidates the most right-wing government in post-war British history, with devastating consequences for the working class.
(2019-12-13). Just in case, senators taking Colombia's security forces to court swear they won't commit suicide. colombiareports.com Five senators of Colombia's opposition are filed criminal charges against the security forces said Thursday they are not contemplating suicide, just in case. Opposition Senator Gustavo Bolivar recorded himself and…
(2019-12-13). Equally Determined: To Impeach/To Support. counterpunch.org "A federal appeals court on Wednesday evening stayed a lower-court ruling that former Trump White House counsel Donald McGahn must comply with a House subpoena after the administration appealed, arguing the battle poses great consequences for the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches". — Washington Post, Nov. 27, 2019 There are three obvious reasons More
(2019-12-13). Judiciary Committee Sends 2 Articles of Impeachment to Full House. truthdig.com 
The vote on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress splits along party lines, with 23 Democrats in favor and 17 Republicans opposed.
(2019-12-13). An Outrageous Proposal: Peace Boats to Iran. counterpunch.org 'Tis the season! Season of giving. I've been receiving numerous emails daily this past month from organizations that sponsored one or more of the hundred or so petitions I signed this past year. "Will you donate to save the wolves?" "Help us to save the arctic!" "Donate now to ensure our water is clean!" "Donate More
(2019-12-13). Warrant targeting Assange supporter reveals scope of US government campaign against WikiLeaks. wsws.org As part of the FBI probe into supposed Russian interference in the 2016 US election, the entire contents of a Google account belonging to Somerset Bean, a WikiLeaks supporter and graphic designer, was subpoenaed by the American government.
(2019-12-13). Algeria: Former PM Elected With the Greatest Abstention Ever. telesurenglish.net Algeria's Independent National Electoral Authority (ANIE) Friday declared former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune as the winner of the presidential election, which was held amid massive protests and with the greatest abstention in the history of the country. | RELATED: | Algeria: Presidential Elections Close With Very Low Attendance | According to the ANIE, the 74-year-old candidate won 58.15 percent of the vote, which prevented a second round. In the electoral process, howev…
(2019-12-13). The Politics of Impeachment. globalresearch.ca The decision by Democrats sitting on the House Judiciary Committee to approve Articles of Impeachment that will be affirmed in a full vote of the House of Representatives just handed Donald Trump a probable victory in the 2020 election barring …
(2019-12-13). Blind man dies by electric chair in Tennessee, Texas inmate executed amid claims of false testimony. wsws.org The final two executions of 2019 involved cases in which juries were not told about defendants' mental health struggles and violent upbringing, and trials involving false testimony and faulty jury selection.
(2019-12-13). The End of the Era: Nineteen Nineteen. counterpunch.org "To be a red in the summer of 1919 was worse than being a Hun in the summer of 1917," reckoned Dos Passos, in Nineteen Nineteen, his novel of the war years. The nation was war weary as the year began, still reeling from the deadly influenza— the "Spanish Flu." It yearned, and deserved, politicians More
(2019-12-13). Shocking VIDEO shows 14-year-old being brutally beaten on school bus for allegedly wearing MAGA hat. rt.com 
A disturbing video shows a Florida teenager being attacked by a group of students, purportedly because he had been seen wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat. The parents of the victim said that their son was hospitalized. | In the short clip, a young man is approached by a girl who suddenly strikes out at him. The teen tries to get up from his seat on the school bus, but is quickly pushed down, where he is punched and hit repeatedly. The girl then appears to thrust his head against the side of the bus several times. Two other students are also seen landing blows. High-pitched screaming is heard throughout…
(2019-12-13). Conservative Landslide: Boris Johnson's Tories Triumph Over Progressive Change in UK Elections. globalresearch.ca With ballot counting nearly completed, Boris Johnson-led Tories appear to have won a near 80-seat House of Commons majority — 364 seats to Labor's 203, Sottish National Party's 48, Liberal Dems 11, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 7, other small parties …
(2019-12-13). Temporary Ceasefire? China and US Agree on Phase One Trade Deal? globalresearch.ca According to the Wall Street Journal, China and the US agreed on "roll(ing) back existing tariffs on Chinese goods and cancel(led) new (15%) levies" on another $156 billion worth of its imports scheduled to be imposed on December 15. | The …
(2019-12-13). Three historic TV features on radical composer Marc Blitzstein now available for viewing. peoplesworld.org 
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(2019-12-13). House Judiciary Committee nears vote to approve articles of impeachment against Trump. wsws.org The debate has underscored the right-wing basis of the Democrats' impeachment drive.
(2019-12-13). Limits of the Green New Deal. mronline.org 
The Green New Deal is an exciting social program generating a great deal of interest on the left. Like its predecessor, the New Deal of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the GND holds out the promise of preventing the worst effects of anthropogenic climate change, and guaranteeing a better standard of living for its participants. | Source
(2019-12-13). Trump's Impeachment Articles Are Graver Than They Look. truthdig.com Reasonable minds can disagree whether the charges are too narrow in their scope. That doesn't make them any less worthy of public support.
(2019-12-13). Pakistan Must Face Its Past. counterpunch.org I have often wondered if Pakistan would have been a better country and South Asia a more peaceful region if the crisis that led to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 had been handled differently. As we know that did not happen when Pakistani forces went to war to prevent the secession of East Pakistan. More
(2019-12-13). Headlines for December 13, 2019. democracynow.org Conservative Party Wins Landslide Victory in U.K. Elections, House Judiciary Committee to Vote on 2 Articles of Impeachment Today, Algeria: Thousands Protest Thursday's Presidential Election, Aung San Suu Kyi Asks ICJ to Drop Genocide Case Against Burma, India: Police Kill 2 People in Assam Amid Protests over Citizenship Bill, Thousands of Iraqis Gather in Tahrir Sq. to Demand Protest Movement Remain Peaceful, France: Unions Remain on Strike and Vow to Continue During Holiday Season, Thousands Take to Streets in Hong Kong, DHS Memo Reveals How ICE's Inadequate Medical Care Contributed to 4 Deaths, Trump Attacks 1…
(2019-12-13). Winning the Green New Deal on the road toward socialism. peoplesworld.org 
This is the second part of a 2-article series. Read Part 1 here. In this second of two articles on the Green New Deal and the problem of profit, we will explore the remaining major policy areas targeted by the Green New Deal resolution put forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and …
(2019-12-13). Northeast Colombia mortar attack disrupts talks between indigenous and government. colombiareports.com A mortar attack disrupted a meeting between government officials, state-run oil company Ecopetrol and indigenous authorities in northeast Colombia on Thursday. President Ivan Duque and indigenous organization ONIC fiercely rejected…
(2019-12-13). 'A Vote for We, the People': House Judiciary Committee Approves Two Articles of Impeachment. commondreams.org "Unless he is removed from office, Trump's corruption will only become more brazen." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/nads.jpg …
(2019-12-13). COP25: Climate Talks 'Out of Touch With Reality' As Rich Countries Seek to Gut Paris Agreement, Says Friends of the Earth International. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-12-13). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Workers in Algeria carried out a four-day general strike while Palestinians in Hebron struck and doctors in Zimbabwe are continuing their months-long struggle.
(2019-12-13). Between Familial and World-Historical: The Legacy of Chantal Akerman. thenation.com Between Familial and World-Historical: The Legacy of Chantal Akerman…
(2019-12-13). Indigenous Bolivia Ready to Go to War Against Fascism. globalresearch.ca Bolivia, December 2019, three weeks after the fascist coup. It is devilishly cold. My comrade's car is carefully navigating through the deep mud tracks. Enormous snow-covered mountain peaks are clearly visible in the distance. | The Bolivian Altiplano; beloved, yet always …
(2019-12-13). Boom Bust investigates how one ad could wipe out $1 billion of Peloton stock. rt.com 
Fitness firm Peloton's holiday commercial recently caused social media fury, resulting in the loss of nearly $1 billion of market value in a single day. RT's Boom Bust finds out if the firm will ever recover from the scandal. | The online advert featured a grateful owner of a Peloton bike making a video for her husband which shows how her health and fitness has changed over the course of one year, and saying: "A year ago, I didn't realise how much this would change me." | The ad labeled by some as sexist could be a catalyst for the correction of Peloton stock price after the connected-fitness company held its…
(2019-12-13). Sharon Lerner on Plastic Recycling. fair.org 
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(2019-12-13). US announces "in principle" agreement on "phase one" US-China trade deal. wsws.org Any reduction in US tariffs, will be accompanied by a so-called "snapback" provision under which they would be immediately re-imposed if it is determined that China is not abiding by its side of the deal…
(2019-12-13). The National Defense Authorization Act Perpetuates the Destruction of Yemen. counterpunch.org The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released on December 9, signals that the US will continue to render assistance to the coalition led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which has killed 100,000 Yemenis, including 12,000 civilians. The bill gives the Pentagon $738 billion. The best reaction came from The More
(2019-12-13). Abstract Leftism Leaves Bolivia and Global South in Crosshairs of Imperialism. globalresearch.ca "Progressive leftists" in the U.S., also known as liberals who claim to oppose U.S. Empire but tolerate all of its crimes, cannot be described as anything less than nauseating. Anything short of outright U.S. military invasion or bombing of a …
(2019-12-13). Buttigieg and McKinsey. counterpunch.org Major questions have been raised about presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's work for global consulting firm McKinsey, with even the New York Times editorial board demanding that he release the information. After Buttigieg issued a sparse and vague overview on December 7, questions remain unanswered about his work for McKinsey from 2007 to 2010. My recent More
(2019-12-13). Race baiting for fun and profit? Mere reality won't stop #Resistance from blaming 'white supremacy' for Jersey City shooting. rt.com 
Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib may have been slapped down when she tried to pin responsibility for a mass shooting by a black couple on white supremacy, but while she disavowed her words, others doubled down. | "This is heartbreaking. White supremacy kills," Tlaib had tweeted on Thursday morning in response to a post memorializing Moshe Deutsch, one of the young Jewish victims of Tuesday's shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City. | Rashida Tlaib is a garbage human being, who just tried to tell a bold faced lie to the public that the hate crime that took place in New Jersey yesterday was an act…