May 26/27, 2017

Trump’s Art of the Deal: Selling Wars and Terrorism
By Finian Cunningham
Donald “the peace-maker” is sowing decades of further violence in the war-torn region.  - Continue

=====

UK Government Harbored Terrorists Linked to Manchester Blast for Decades
By Tony Cartalucci
The British government is directly responsible for the recent Manchester blast.  - Continue

=====

False Flag in Manchester?
By Peter Koenig
As always, the question to ask is Cui Bono?  - Continue

=====

The May-Trump Guide to War and Terror
By Sequoyah De Souza Vigneswaren
Don't let the ruling class cynically use the lives of the victims as political capital.  - Continue

=====

The British Establishment is Putting Our Lives at Risk
By Mark Curtis
Our State’s Key Ally Is a Major Public Threat  - Continue

=====

A Question for Every Parent: Is U.S. Foreign Interventionism Worth It?
By Jacob G. Hornberger
Is continued interventionism worth the deaths of children who are killed as a result of terrorist retaliation?  - Continue

=====

Civilians Killed by US Largely Ignored as Endless Global War Continues
By Jon Queally
Not all victims receive equal attention.  - Continue

=====

Truth Has Become Un-American
By Paul Craig Roberts
Washington and Israel are the threats to peace.  - Continue

=====

Down the Memory Hole
Living in Trump’s United States of Amnesia

By Rebecca Gordon
A political regime that seeks to destroy its people’s memory is an existential threat.  - Continue

=====

The 15 Most Heartless Proposals in Trump's Budget
By Steven Rosenfeld
Budget Director Mick Mulvaney’s remarks show they aren’t operating in the real world. Not even close.  - Continue

=====

‘Getting Trump’ with the New McCarthyism
By Robert Parry
Democrats and progressives are embracing a New McCarthyism in their drive to remove President Trump from office, but is that right?  - Continue

=====

Syria: U.S. Kills 'Kills 16 Civilians' Near Raqqa: At least 16 civilians have been killed in a US-led coalition air strike near so-called Islamic State's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, activists say.

Syrian Army says ISIL’s ‘minister of war’ killed: The Syrian Army said on Wednesday it had killed the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group’s military commander in Syria during operations in the north of the country

Syrian army advances south toward rebel-held area; The Syrian army said it had retaken a swathe of territory from Islamic State in southern Syria on Thursday in a rapid advance near areas held by U.S.-backed Syrian rebels at the border with Jordan and Iraq.

Norwegian Army enters southern Syria to aid endangered rebels at border crossing; The Norwegian unit invaded Syria, home to US-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) that have become the target of an ongoing offensive by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) along the Damascus-Baghdad highway.

ISIS seizes tons of Syrian Army weapons in hit-and-run attack on Aleppo supply line; Although the overnight raid was largely repelled, ISIS fighters managed to retrieve dozens of anti-tank missiles, light weapons and ammunition from the SAA outposts:

Watch: Undercover in Idlib : What is really happening in Idlib

Manchester bomber reportedly ‘wanted revenge’ for Muslims killed in Syria: The Manchester suicide bomber was motivated to kill by the deaths of Muslim children in Syria — which he believed came at the hands of US-led military forces, a sibling says.

RAF gunners scrawl 'Love from Manchester' on side of Syria-bound hellfire missile: The defiant message, confirmed by RAF bosses today, was designed to honour the 22 people killed by suicide bomber Salman Abedi at Manchester Arena on Monday

Iraq; Islamic State infighting leaves senior leader dead in Kirkuk: official: The “mayor of Diyala”, who was temporarily appointed by supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed with two other companions when members engaged in an infighting near the group’s stronghold town of Hawija

Islamic State controls 80% of Anbar’s desert; “The region hosts enormous training camps for fighters coming from abroad,” said the officer, adding that militants, disguised as Iraqi army and police members, erect barricades and armed checkpoints there.

U.S. Troops Are Getting Close Enough to ISIS to Fire Mortars: New video highlights how conventional American forces have been moving closer to the actual fighting against ISIS.

U.S. Army Lost Track of $1 Billion Worth of Weapons and Equipment: The U.S. Army failed to properly monitor more than $1 billion worth of arms transfers in Iraq and Kuwait, according to a declassified government audit obtained by Amnesty International released Wednesday.

US kills five Yemen civilians, says rights group; The Seals opened fire on a 70-year-old partially blind man. On hearing al-Adhal being shot, other men then emerged from their homes, and four of them were shot dead by the Seals.

Marillyn Hewson: Makes $20 Million A Year; Forbes named Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, “the 20th most powerful woman in the world”. Her company is selling weapons to the Saudi regime, weapons that are killing and maiming women and children day after day.

Bahrain, Egypt block some news websites; : Egypt and Bahrain have blocked news websites, including those run by Qatari-based state funded Al Jazeera. Cairo has blocked 21 websites, claiming they support “terrorism” and published “lies.”

War on Afghanistan Is Killing Children in Record Numbers in 2017 : UNAMA documented 11,418 civilian casualties, an increase over previous years. Children accounted for at least 30 percent of these casualties.

IS behead police and kill 20 in Philippines; Around 100 heavily armed gunmen linked to Islamic State swept into Marawi City, on the island of Mindanao, burning buildings, seizing a Catholic priest and his worshippers and raising the black flag of IS.

Commandos sent in to end Philippine siege; The Philippines has deployed attack helicopters and special forces to drive out Islamic State-linked rebels holed up in a besieged southern city on Thursday, as efforts to take back control met heavy resistance.

China protests U.S. warship entering South China Sea; Guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey sailed into the waters close to China's Nansha Islands without permission from China, and Chinese missile frigates Liuzhou and Luzhou "warned and expelled" the U.S. ship after identifying it.

NATO will formally join anti-'Islamic State' coalition; Members of the military alliance have agreed to formally join the coalition against the "Islamic State" extremist group. France and Germany were said to have greenlighted the "purely symbolic" plan.

Trump gets a “chilly reception” at NATO: 23 of the 28 member nations are still not paying what they should be paying, and what they’re supposed to be paying for their defense,” Trump said

Watch: Trump shoved the Montenegro prime minister at NATO: During his first joint meeting with North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders, President Trump on Thursday appeared to push aside the prime minister of Montenegro.

Theresa May Knew of Manchester Bomber’s Terrorist Family: Col. Gadaffi had expelled the Manchester bomber’s father from Libya!

'Sorted' by MI5: How UK government sent British-Libyans to fight Gaddafi; Fighters say government operated 'open door' policy allowing them to join rebels, as authorities investigate background of Manchester bomber

'Forgive me': Manchester bomber final words to his nuclear scientist mother: Tabbal told interrogators her son left Libya for England only four days before the bombing and called her on the same day of the attack.

‘Furious’ UK reportedly stops sharing intelligence with US following Manchester attack leak: Photos of debris from the attack were leaked and published in the New York Times, the BBC said. The images vividly show part of the explosive device and jacket worn by the suicide bomber.

Fears over 'second bomb' after police find huge chemical explosive cache in Salman Abedi raid : The Manchester suicide bomber may have built a second device which is now in the hands of fellow jihadists, police fear.

Blowback? Manchester bomber linked to terrorist group which UK allegedly backed; Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi and his father, had links to a violent jihadist group which may have had British backing for the 2011 Libyan war and a 1996 attempt to kill then-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In case you missed it; Colonel Gaddafi warned Tony Blair of Islamist attacks on Europe: Colonel Muammar Gaddafi issued a 'prophetic' warning to Tony Blair that jihadists would attack Europe if his regime was allowed to collapse

Manchester bomber Salman Albedi's pal was killed by drone strike in Syria: Raphael Hostey was an ISIS recruiter and also lived in Manchester before being killed in Syria.

Jeremy Corbyn blames terrorist attacks on UK's foreign wars; Mr Corbyn will stress that his assessment is shared by the intelligence and security services and “in no way reduces the guilt of those who attack our children”.

Soldiers on UK streets as threat raised to critical after Manchester bombing; Armed police officers guarding events will be replaced by soldiers in an operation codenamed Temperer. It is the first time that the operation, which was first revealed in 2015, has been put into effect.

Manchester Terror Attack Proves that the War On Terror Is Failing: There are 10 basic principles that serious, mature people need to discuss if we want to stop terrorism

Net migration to Britain falls in 2016 as EU citizens leave: Net migration to Britain fell to its lowest level in more than two-and-a-half-years in 2016, official data showed on Thursday, driven in part by an increase in the number of European Union citizens leaving the country.

'Not Welcome Here': Thousands March Against Trump in Belgium; Thousands of protesters took to the streets Wednesday to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's arrival in the city he previously likened to a "hellhole."

Why Race and Inequality Are at the Heart of America's Water Problems; Millions in the U.S., particularly poor people and communities of color, have inadequate access to water.

Reporter slammed to ground by Montana politician; “Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses," Jacobs tweeted, as he reported the incident — witnessed by three Fox News journalists — to police.

Trump’s scorched-earth budget: $1.7 trillion in cuts to vital social programs

Trump's travel ban upheld by federal appeals court; The travel ban 'drips of religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination'

Jeff Sessions didn't disclose meetings with Russian ambassador; Sessions "I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Is More Dangerous Than Trump; His record thus far shows a determined effort to dismantle the Justice Department’s protections of civil rights and civil liberties.

Jared Kushner: White House senior adviser, alleged slumlord: A new report depicts Jared Kushner as a ruthless landlord who sues his low-income tenants until their deaths

Jared Kushner’s Other Real Estate Empire: Baltimore-area renters complain about a property owner they say is neglectful and litigious. Few know their landlord is the president’s son-in-law.

 

May 23/24, 2017

Manchester Attacks: What Price Hypocrisy?
By John Wight
There are times when the truth is not enough, when only the unvarnished truth will do,  - Continue

=====

5 Reasons For Thinking ISIS’s Leadership Ordered Manchester Attack
By Alexander Mercouris
ISIS has now intruded itself into the British political process.  - Continue

=====

In Case You Missed It
Truth Struggling
By John Pilger
Blair brought home to this country his and Bush's illegal, unprovoked and blood-soaked adventure in the Middle East.  - Continue

=====

Trump Is About To Really Mess Up In The Middle East
By Robert Fisk
Israel has been bombing the Iranians and the Syrians and their militias, but has not once – ever – bombed Isis.  -Continue

=====

Trump Press Conference with Palestinian President Abbas
Video and Transcript
Peace is a choice we must make each day - and the United States is here to help make that dream possible.  - Continue

=====

Rosenstein and Mueller: the Regime Change Tag-Team
By Mike Whitney
The FBI uses its funds to “manufacture” terrorists out of marginalized, desperate, mentally ill or immature men.  - Continue

=====

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble for Trump
By Eric Margolis
One increasingly hears in Washington ‘what Trump needs is a little war.’  - Continue

=====

US Journalism’s New ‘Golden Age’?
By Robert Parry
Mocking Trump and thus further insulting his supporters only extends the losing Clinton strategy.  - Continue

=====

The Republic Has Fallen
By John W. Whitehead
The Deep State’s Plot to Take Over America Has Succeeded.  - Continue

=====

In Case You Missed It
The Lie We Live
By Spencer Cathcart
We have mastered the act of killing. Now let’s master the joy of living..  - Continue

=====

34 Islamic State militants killed in offensive in Anbar desert'; “34 terrorists, most of whom were wearing suicide belts, were killed, while three booby-trapped vehicles were destroyed in addition to other vehicles with guns installed on them,” the troops media service said

31 civilians reportedly killed by IS members, airstrikes in central Mosul; Residents said IS members shot thirteen civilians dead in al-Sarjkhana region, central Mosul, over attempting to flee their houses in IS-held regions and head toward Iraqi troops.

Hawija almost becoming Islamic State’s new headquarter in Iraq: The Islamic State’s stronghold town of Hawija, Kirkuk, is almost becoming the group’s central haven as new headquarters open replacing others conquered by Iraqi forces in other provinces, said a local source.

Five killed in IS attacks on Syrian minority neighbourhoods: Five people were killed on Tuesday when two explosives-packed vehicles blew up near minority neighbourhoods in Syria, in incidents claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

US strikes in Syria kill more civilians than Assad's air forces: US-led coalition killed at least 225 civilians in past month, surpassing 146 civilian deaths caused by Syrian government strikes

Watchdog steps up demand for legal basis of Trump Syria strikes; The involvement of lawyers in preparing domestic and international law justification for Trump's Syria strikes in advance of them being carried out appears to have been minimal or non-existent.

US kills 7 alledged militants in Yemen: Seven Al-Qaeda militants have been killed in Yemen, according to US Central Command. The operation used small arms fire and precision airstrikes to target one of the group’s compounds.

Arms Deal Stories Omit War Crimes Arms Will Be Used For; The famine and brutal two-year-long war in Yemen being waged by the Saudis that has killed over 10,000 civilians wasn’t mentioned once in reports of the $300 billion deal to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: Women beheaded in street, corpses dangling from cranes; A SHOCKING new documentary will reveal the horrors of daily life inside Saudi Arabia. The ITV film aims to expose the brutal punishments dished out to those deemed to have broken the country’s strict Islamic laws.

Trump Lets Saudis Off on 9/11 Evidence; Like his predecessors, President Trump made nice with the rich royals of Saudi Arabia, despite damning evidence that they have supported Islamic terrorists, including the 9/11 attackers, notes 9/11 widow Kristen Breitweiser.

Palestinian basic rights 'not on the agenda' for Trump: As US President Donald Trump arrives in Israel, analysts say efforts to revive peace talks are a 'charade'.

Palestinian 'Day of Rage' Protests Trump, Imprisonment and Imperial 'Peace' Calls: Palestinians rallied outside chanting slogans such as “Trump, listen! The prisoners will not kneel!” and “We have a message to the Americans: Prisoners are our priority!”

Palestinians greet Trump with West Bank general strike: Protesters blocked roads in the West Bank as a hunger strike in Israeli prisons entered its 36th day. Government offices closed, public transport halted, and thoroughfares in Palestinian cities sat empty.

British PM Theresa May increasing terror threat level, believes another attack imminent: British PM Theresa May: UK increasing terror threat level from severe to critical, believes another attack imminent.

22 killed in Manchester bomb blast; UK police say they have arrested a 23-year old man in connection with a suicide bomb attack in Manchester which killed 23 people, including the attacker, and wounded dozens at a concert by US pop singer Ariana Grande.

Manchester bomb victim named as eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos: Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was at the concert with her mother, Lisa, and sister Ashlee Bromwich. It is understood they are being treated in hospital.

'People's skin and blood were everywhere: I'm still finding bits of God knows what in my hair': Manchester Arena terror attack survivors tell of their horror

Salman Abedi named as the Manchester suicide bomber - what we know about him ; Born in Manchester in 1994, the second youngest of four children his parents were Libyan refugees. On Tuesday, it was reported that the Islamic State group had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Manchester bomb attack: ‘We caused bloody chaos, not surprising there’s blowback’ ; Terrorist attacks have become “a new norm” for European countries because of “what they do” as part of their foreign policies.

Armed Services chair weighs permanent troop presence in Eastern Europe: opponents say that's not an aggressive enough approach to confront Russia and that a permanent stationing would send a stronger message.

Euro zone ministers, Greece, fail to reach bailout deal: Without more emergency cash, Athens risks default in July when it faces big debt repayments.

Libya - Massacre At Brak al-Shatti May Trigger Larger Civil War: Egypt, the UN and Arab governments try to mediated between the two governments in Libya. A massacre at an air base interrupted the process and threatens to intensify the civil war.

South Sudan's Kiir declares unilateral ceasefire, prisoner release: The president of war-ravaged South Sudan declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday and promised to release political prisoners, but with no sign of a political deal with rebels it was not clear whether a truce would take hold.

Ten Afghan soldiers killed in Kandahar army base attack: Deadly attack, which left at least nine troops wounded, marks another setback for NATO-backed Afghan forces.

Martial law declared in Mindanao;; President Duterte put the whole island of Mindanao under martial law as of 10 p.m. of May 23, following violent clashes between government troops and members of the Maute group in Marawi.

Violent Opposition Protest Burns Hugo Chavez's Childhood Home: A day of heated protests in the western Venezuelan city of Barinas took aim at symbols of the socialist Bolivarian Revolution.

Trump makes low budget request for Mexico border wall: Trump is asking Congress for $1.6 billion to begin building a wall along the border with Mexico, far short of the amount needed for a project sharply criticized by Democrats and even some conservative Republicans.

Stop Trump's Anti-Immigrant Agenda: The U.S. already spends more on immigration enforcement laws than it does on the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secret Service. Trump wants more money for enforcement policies against people who are seeking safety.

Our Embarrassment-in-Chief’s International Trip Is No Laughing Matter: Three days into the trip, and Trump’s already showed the world that the United States is being governed by a brittle man-child.

What Really Matters in Trump’s $110B Saudi Arms Package: It’s not clear, for example, when or whether any of the individual deals that make up the eye-popping total will translate into actual revenue for the U.S. manufacturers.

Profit from killing! Defense Stocks Hit All-Time Highs After Trump Sells $110 Billion in Weapons to Saudi Arabia: Virtually every major publicly traded American defense company hit record highs today immediately after the stock market opened.

President Trump sends Congress $4.1T spending plan: Trump is seeking sharp cuts in a variety of programs for the poor from Medicaid to food stamps and disability payments.

Trump calls for $1.7 trillion in social cuts: The plan aimed at eviscerating what remains of programs to fight poverty and hunger and provide health care for millions of workers.

Chelsea Clinton trolls Trump over Middle East fail (VIDEO); “Where does Trump think Israel is?” Clinton said on Twitter.

Trump asked intelligence chiefs to push back against FBI collusion: Senior intelligence officials also saw the March requests as a threat to the independence of U.S. spy agencies, which are supposed to remain insulated from partisan issues.

Intel chief quiet on whether Trump asked him to deny Russia evidence: Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats is refusing to comment publicly on a report that President Trump asked him to push back on the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference, saying doing so would be inappropriate.

Democrats say documents prove Flynn LIED: House Oversight Committee Democrats released documentation that they say shows fired Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn falsely claimed 'U.S. companies' paid for his 2015 Moscow trip funded by a Kremlin-backed firm.

May 22, 2017

‘Terrorist Incident’: 19 Killed, 50 Injured in UK Arena Explosion
Video
Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist incident.  - Continue

=====

Wahhabis And Zionists Urge Trump To Regime-Change Syria To Fight Iran
By Moon Of Alabama
Trump prostitutes the U.S. and himself to the Saudi Wahhabi to sell them more weapons.  - Continue

=====

US 'Deep State' Sold Out Counter-terrorism to Keep Itself in Business
By Gareth Porter
The whole war on terrorism has been, in effect, a bait-and-switch operation from the beginning.  - Continue

=====

U.S. Takes Syria’s Al-Qaeda Off Terror Watchlists
By Whitney Webb
Foreign governments will be free to fund and arm al-Qaeda as they see fit.  - Continue

=====

Trump Puts U.S. on Sunni Muslim Side of Sectarian War With Shias
By Patrick Cockburn
This is not a war that is going to be won by either side.  - Continue

=====

Why Were the Saudi Streets So Quiet?
By Medea Benjamin
Oh yeah, silly me. I forgot. Protest is illegal in the kingdom.  - Continue

=====

Not Remembering the USS Liberty
By Ray McGovern
Trump won’t remind Netanyahu about the USS Liberty, which Israel nearly sank a half century ago killing 34 sailors.  - Continue

=====

‘US, EU Kill People Under Guise of Human Rights Concerns’ – President Duterte
Video and Transcript
“There’s not even a whimper” when powerful nations bomb civilians or “invent” WMDs to invade other countries".  - Continue

=====

The Death of the Republic
By Chris Hedges
The executive branch of government has empowered itself to assassinate U.S. citizens.  - Continue

=====

Trump to Pitch Deep Cuts to Anti-Poverty Programs, Medicaid
By Erik Wasson and Steven T. Dennis
White House to call for cutting food stamps by a quarter.  - Continue

=====

Greece is Committing “Financial Suicide”
By Peter Koenig
Why do you betray your people, Mr. Tsipras?  

=====

Bomb attack on Syrian Islamist rebel group kills 20: A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed more than 20 Syrian insurgents at a headquarters for the powerful Islamist Ahrar al-Sham group on Sunday

Syria: Government regains full control of Homs: The Syrian government says its forces have regained total control of the central city of Homs after rebels left the last district under their control.

This is a sad joke: Trump and 55 Muslim-majority states sign pact pledging 34,000 troops to fight ISIS in Iraq & Syria; The US and Middle Eastern countries have promised to provide extra troops for defeating Islamic State, singles out Iran for destabilizing the region, and says that Riyadh is to become the heart of the region’s counter-terrorism operations.

Iraq: Airstrike leaves eleven Islamic State militants killed in Baaj, western Mosul; Eleven Islamic State militants were killed in an airstrike on Baaj town, in western Mosul, the jets “destroyed the so-called hisbah (vigilantism) office and killed nine other militants

Islamic State executes nine civilians over collaboration with security in Kirkuk: “IS members shot five men dead and executed four others, who were arrested two days ago over spying for security services and the paramilitary troops,”

Iraqi forces retake western Mosul’s al-Najjar district, move closer to last IS haven; Al-Najjar was one of a handful of remaining districts Iraqi forces are battling IS in to pave the way towards the ancient Old City, where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed an “Islamic Caliphate”

Islamic State brings down flags, evacuates members from Qaim, near Syrian borders: “IS militants evacuated its local, Arab and foreign members and leaders from all of the group’s headquarters in Qaim town,” Sputnik quoted a local source from Anbar as saying.

Yemen: Dozens of mercenaries killed in Midi: Dozens of Saudi-paid mercenaries, as well as Sudanese soldiers, were killed and others injured when the army and popular forces repelled an attempt to infiltrate toward northern Midi desert, a military official told Saba on Monday.

Trump and Saudi Arabia: Have we reached peak hypocrisy yet?; Is there a single person out there who isn’t repulsed at the sight of Donald Trump signing off on a $110-billion dollar arms deal with Riyadh – as Saudi rockets continue to pound Yemenis into the brink of destruction and starvation

Medea Benjamin: Congress Should Halt Trump's $110B Arms Deal over Saudi Atrocities in Yemen : It’s just appalling to see Trump in Saudi Arabia, touting this $110 billion arms deal, when you look at the history of how those arms have been used.

Jordan has 'hit limit' hosting Syrian refugees: Amman says it hosts some 1.3 million Syrians at a cost of some $6.6 billion

Russia, China congratulate Rouhani on re-election as Iran’s president: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who has secured a second term, praised the people’s massive presence in the 12th presidential election held on Friday and said they are the true victor of the polls.

Rouhani says Iran's ballistic missile program will continue: TV "American officials should know that whenever we need to technically test a missile, we will do so and will not wait for their permission," Rouhani said in a news conference, broadcast live on state TV.

Analysis ; Landslide Win for Iran’s Reformists Doesn’t Fit Trump’s Script, So He Ignores It; The hypocrisy of America’s support for unelected despots in the oil-rich Gulf states is not new

US stirring up ‘Iranophobia’ to boost arms sales to Arab nations – Tehran: US President Donald Trump has deliberately accused Tehran of sponsoring extremist groups in the Middle East in order to stir up “Iranophobia” and boost American arms sales in the region, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said

16-year-old Palestinian shot dead after alleged stabbing attempt : No Israeli forces were injured in the alleged attack.

Palestinians on strike in solidarity with prisoners: Israeli forces shoot and wound 11 Palestinians in West Bank, as prisoners' mass hunger strike enters sixth week.

Apartheid Israel Makes: Goodwill gestures to Palestinians came at Trump’s request, says PMO: Security cabinet approves raft of economic concessions as confidence-building measures towards US president’s peace push

"World’s first operational Robocop" hits the streets as Dubai builds robot police force: The "world's first operational Robocop" has been unveiled in Dubai as part of the emirate's planned robot police force.

5 security forces killed in Afghanistan ambush; Insurgents in northern Afghanistan ambushed a security convoy on Monday, killing five members of the local police, an official said.

N.K. says its leader OKs deployment of new missile for action: "This type of missile should be rapidly mass-produced in a serial way" to arm the strategic force of the Korean People's Army, Kim was quoted as saying. He set forth the strategic tasks for bolstering the country's nuclear force.

Informant implicates French state in Charlie Hebdo attacks: Claude Hermant, a police informant who allegedly sold weapons used to commit the attacks, is reportedly charging that three gendarme military policemen and two customs officials, were involved.

Theresa May struggles to defend 'dementia tax' U-turn : What May’s social care U-turn means for the election -

Jeremy Corbyn has defied his critics to become Labour’s best hope of survival: His anti-austerity manifesto has been therapeutic, renewing his party’s identity and sense of moral purpose

Brazil President Insists: 'I Won't Resign, Oust Me If You Want': The comments came after a recording disclosed last week caught Temer on tape giving his blessing to bribes to keep a key witness, jailed former lawmaker Eduardo Cunha

Maduro Warns of ‘Nazi-Fascist’ Current in Ranks of Opposition: The Bolivarian leader also blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for instigating recent violent events in the country, saying, "(Trump) wants to take political control of Venezuela

More than 600K foreigners overstayed visas in 2016: They make up an estimated 40% of the 11 million undocumented immigrants who live in the U.S., even though they are largely overshadowed by undocumented immigrants who cross the southwest border with Mexico.

Watch: Deported to El Salvador, Trapped Between the Gangs and Trump: Escobar, 31, is desperate to leave El Salvador but feels trapped. He was deported from the United States on March 2.

Flynn to invoke Fifth Amendment in Russia probe: Trump's former National Security Adviser will reportedly decline subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Flynn attorneys cite ‘public frenzy against him’: Attorneys for Michael Flynn say that a daily “escalating public frenzy against him” and the Justice Department’s appointment of a special counsel have created a legally dangerous environment for him to cooperate with a Senate investigation.

Trump to starve 10 million people: Trump to propose big cuts to Medicaid and opening door to other limits: The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this could cut off Medicaid benefits for about 10 million people over the next decade.

Harvard Study Reveals Huge Extent of Anti-Trump Media Bias: A major new study out of Harvard University has revealed the true extent of the mainstream media’s bias against Donald Trump. They found that the tone of some outlets was negative in as many as 98% of reports

Panic’ at Highest Levels of DNC Over Kim DotCom’s Seth Rich Announcement: This comes after internet entrepreneur and hacker, Kim DotCom, admitted on Saturday that he was part of an operation along with Seth Rich to get stolen DNC emails to Wikileaks.

Greenwald: Empowering the "Deep State" to Undermine Trump is Prescription for Destroying Democracy : Bill Kristol, wrote on Twitter, "Obviously strongly prefer normal democratic and constitutional politics. But if it comes to it, prefer the deep state to the Trump state.

John Podesta Unloads on Trump: The former chairman of Hillary Clinton’s campaign says the president is 'absolutely crazy' and Republicans are stuck to him like 'Velcro.'

May 21, 2017
President Donald Trump's Full Speech to Muslim World Leaders
Video and Transcript
Trump lashes out at Iran, says that ISIS, Al-Qaida, Hezbollah and Hamas are responsible for generations of vanished dreams .  - Continue

=====

Trump Speech Marked A New Era of US-Iran Confrontation
By Trita Parsi
Combining isolation with a call for regime change - is how the groundwork for the Iraq war was laid.  - Continue

=====

The Real Danger from Trump Is Ignored
By Sheldon Richman
Israel will tolerate no Middle East power that is not sufficiently obeisant to the American-Israeli agenda.  - Continue

=====

Preparing for War on Hizbullah
By Abdel Bari Atwan
The US and its Arab allies are drawing up plans to suffocate the movement financially as a prelude to eventual militarily action.  - Continue

=====

Trump Trades Advanced Weapons for a $200 Billion Investment
By Max Blumenthal
The U.S. and its Gulf allies have provided a critical shot in the arm to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.  - Continue

=====

Chomsky: U.S. Poses a Unique Threat to World Safety
By Alexandra Rosenmann
Time and again, the U.S. has abandoned diplomacy for violence.  - Continue

=====

Getting Julian Assange: The Untold Story
By John Pilger
For almost seven years, this epic miscarriage of justice has been drowned in a vituperative campaign against the WikiLeaks founder.  - Continue

=====

Trump: ‘We Will do Whatever is Necessary’ to ‘Fix’ Venezuela
By Ryan Mallett-Outtrim
President Nicolas Maduro accused the US of “leading” the “destabilisation of Venezuela”.  - Continue

=====

Only Michel Temer’s Removal and New Elections Can Save Brazil’s Democracy
By Glenn Greenwald
What Brazilian elites fear and hate most is democracy.  - Continue

=====

Daesh terrorists kill 19 Syrian civilians, abduct 3 SDF militants; Daesh Takfiri terrorist group have killed nearly 20 people, including two children, in a village in Syria’s eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr

Bomb attack on powerful Syrian rebel group kills 14: Two blasts including at least one suicide attacker hit the base in a village east of Saraqeb in Idlib province

Syria's third largest city Homs clear of opposition: Syria's government announced Sunday the country's third largest city Homs- once named the capital of the revolt against President Bashar Assad- had been cleared of armed opposition for the first time in more than five years.

Coalition jets destroy IS convoy coming from Syria to Iraq, kill dozens; Fighter jets from the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State have killed dozens of the group’s members and destroyed their combat vehicles in a raid in western Anbar,

Twenty Islamic State members killed sneaking into Mosul bridge; The twenty militants killed included senior leaders of Arab nationalities as well as Western nationals. They were bound to a security deployment near the Old Bridge, said the officer.

Iraqi forces control 97% of western Mosul: “Federal Police and Rapid Response forces are heading towards the liberation of al-Shifa, al-Zanjili and al-Sihha neighborhoods, once done with clearing this axis, they will all unite to attack the Old City from all directions,”

Why Saudi Arabia would rather pay a ransom to Trump than support its own people: “How in God’s name can you shower so much money on the Americans when you are so reluctant to do so on your own people?”

The Iranian regime represents the tip of the spear of global terrorism," the Saudi king claimed: Saudi Arabia is also furious about recent gains made by Syrian government troops against Takfiri terrorists supported by Riyadh.

ANALYSIS: Rouhani landslide redraws Iranian political map; Bigger than expected win paves way for centrist-reformist ascendancy, provoking soul searching amongst conservatives and principlists

US administration 'mentally impeded': Top Hezbollah official: A high-ranking figure of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has branded US President Donald Trump's administration as "mentally impeded and crazy,"

Why is Trump rewarding Saudi war crimes with more weapons?; “The scene was catastrophic,” one survivor told me. “Beyond what I can explain to you or describe ... There were burned bodies and dead bodies all over the hall.”

Parents watch children take their last breaths, as cholera explodes in Yemen; With 20 cholera deaths and 3,460 suspected cases reported in a single day, a state-of-emergency has been declared in the war-torn country

Fuming Netanyahu Orders Ministers to Attend Trump's Reception After Most Refuse to Show Up; Netanyahu dismisses cabinet meeting in a rage

Abbas to offer large-scale land swap with Israel in Trump talks: Palestinian Authority ready to exchange three times as much territory as previously, official tells MEE ahead of Trump visit to West Bank

Israel to bag over $600mn in military deal with India; The Israeli regime has inked an arms deal worth $630 million with India to provide the Indian Navy with an advanced long-range surface-to-air missile system..

President Erdogan reelected head of ruling AK Party: Winning the votes of 1,414 party delegates at extraordinary congress, Recep Tayyip Erdogan retakes ruling party helm

141 Killed In Libya: Ahmed al-Mismari, a spokesman for the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), said 103 of those killed in the attack at Brak Al-Shati air base were LNA troops stationed in the area.

East Libyan forces launch strikes after air base attack; Human Rights Watch cited a local hospital official as saying that five corpses had arrived at a local hospital with bound arms, and that six more were disfigured in a way that suggested their heads had been run over by a vehicle.

Fourth person in probable Ebola death in Congo: WHO; Of the 37 cases of hemorrhagic fever discovered since early May, two have been confirmed as Ebola, three, including the latest death, are considered probable and 32 are suspected, WHO's Congo spokesman told Reuters.

25 Afghan policemen killed as Taliban storms outposts: Twenty-five national and local Afghan policemen were killed Sunday in coordinated Taliban attacks on their outposts in the southern Zabul province, officials confirmed.

Gunmen kill 6 policemen in attacks in Pakistan: Gunmen shot and killed four policemen in one attack on a patrol in northwest Pakistan and in another attack in the south two policemen were killed and two others wounded, police said Sunday.

North Korea fires off 'unspecified missile' ; The South Korean military added that the missile flew "about 500 kilometers (310 miles)" and was believed to have landed in waters off its east coast.

North Korea says U.S. has to roll back 'hostile policy' before talks: ""But what is important is not words, but actions." U.N. ambassador, Kim In Ryong, told reporters on Friday.

China Crippled U.S. Spying Operations By Killing 18 C.I.A. spys; Current and former American officials described the intelligence breach as one of the worst in decades. Some were convinced that a mole within the C.I.A. had betrayed the United States.

Russian FM Lavrov Refutes Claims That He Discussed Comey's Dismissal With Trump; According to the mainstream media, while speaking with Lavrov, Trump reportedly said: "I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off… I'm not under investigation."

Mass rallies seen as Corbyn Labour campaign takes off: With only a few weeks to go until election day, Labour’s campaign to boot out the Tories is gathering momentum and the gap in the polls is narrowing.

Scientists Propose New Theory for How Life on Earth Began: Scientists generally agree that all life must have evolved from single-celled organisms that first emerged around 3.8 billion years ago. But how this first form of life emerged is subject of much debate.

Brazil President to Ask Court to Suspend Corruption Probe Linked to Him: Michel Temer in a TV address said a recording that tied him to a bribery scandal was doctored

The Peace Movement Stands in Solidarity with Venezuela: The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) and the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) have issued a strong statement calling for the U.S. government to stop its attempts to destabilize the Venezuelan government

Report: Forced to Flee Central America's Northern Triangle: A Neglected Humanitarian Crisis; An estimated 500,000 people cross into Mexico every year. The majority making up this massive forced migration flow originate from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.

Jailed for a Facebook Post: How U.S. Police Target Critics With Arrest and Prosecution

Obamas arrive in Tuscany on a private plane and a 13-car motorcade for five days in a $15k-a-night private villa; Visitors are cared for by a staff of 19, including a concierge, executive chef, wait staff, bartender and housekeepers.

A Quarter Of American Adults Can't Pay All Their Monthly Bills; Nearly eight years into an economic recovery, nearly half of Americans didn’t have enough cash available to cover a $400 emergency.

Trump Told Russians That Firing ‘Nut Job’ Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation: “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job,” Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official.

FBI’s Russia investigation now includes at least one current White House official: report; A senior White House adviser—described by the Post as someone “close to the president”—is reportedly one of the subjects of the investigation

Trump’s Education Budget Feeds School Privatization At The Expense of Students; The vision of “education reform” coming from the Trump administration entails cutting direct aid to students, especially those from low-income families, in order to expand the private sector

CA Dem Chair: ‘All Together Now: F*ck Donald Trump!’ (VIDEO): Democrats gathered in Sacramento for a state convention on Saturday. They had some harsh words for the President as they chanted, ‘F*** Donald Trump!’.

May 19/20, 2017

====

U.S. Attacks Syrian Government Forces - It Now Has To Make Its Choice
By Moon Of Alabama
The U.S. has the military and economic power to destroy the Syrian military .  - Continue

=====

Why The U.S. Really Attacked Syrian Militia Convoy
By Robert Fisk
For the Pentagon to suggest that this was a sideshow to Washington’s battle against Isis was to stretch the truth beyond credibility .  - Continue

=====

Seth Rich, Craig Murray and the Sinister Stewards of the National Security State
By Mike Whitney
The Russia hacking fiasco is a regime change operation.  - Continue

=====

The Assault on Trump
By Paul Craig Roberts
This is why Trump will be broken and/or removed as President of the United States.  - Continue

=====

Trumped-up Claims Against Trump
By Ray McGovern and William Binney
President Trump has entered into a high-stakes gamble in confronting the Deep State and its media allies  - Continue

=====

Special Counsel Investigating Trump Campaign Has Deep Ties to the Deep State
By Coleen Rowley and Real News
Robert Mueller, participated in covering up the pre 9/11 role of the U.S. intelligence agencies, helped create the post 9/11 national security/surveillance state.  - Continue

=====

Fast and Furious: Now They’re Really Gunning for Trump
By Jim Kavanagh
Trump has been accused of betraying Israel. Impeachment is possible.  - Continue

=====

No Tears for the FBI
By Margaret Kimberley
James Comey has his own history of eroding civil liberties and maintaining the police state .  - Continue

=====

Donald Trump Said Saudi Arabia Was Behind 9/11
By Mehdi Hasan
Does Donald Trump have even an ounce of shame?  - Continue

=====

Trump Visits Bethlehem Bearing Gifts to Child Killers
By Finian Cunningham
So desperate is Trump to pimp billions of dollars that he is willing to fuel war with Iran and perhaps Syria's other ally, Russia, in the pursuit of lucre.  - Continue

=====

Satire
Text of Trump’s Peaceful Islam Speech, Translated
By David Swanson
Former FBI director Robert Mueller will be appointed as special counsel to take over the Russia investigation.  - Continue

=====

U.S. Reign of Terror: A Nation Reaps What It Sows
By John W. Whitehead
The U.S. government isn’t protecting us from terrorism. - It is, in fact, the source of the terror.  - Continue

=====

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Declares Victory After Sweden Drops Rape Probe
By F. Brinley Bruton , Mo Abbas and Corky Siemaszko
London's Metropolitan Police said Assange remains a wanted man.  - Continue

=====

Syria: ISIS kills 52 village locals in a new massacre in Hama countryside: A number of terrorists were killed and others were injured in the clashes, while the rest fled towards al-Badia (desert).

Int’l coalition’s attack on Syrian military site exposes its fake claims of fighting terrorism; The attack, which took place at 16:30 pm on Thursday, left a number of people dead, in addition to causing material damage, the source said.

Syria's Jaafari calls US-led strike in Al Tanf an act of 'state terrorism'; Bashar Jaafari announced that he had discussed the US-led coalition attack on a pro-government military position near Al Tanf during his final session with the UN's Staffan de Mistura

Syria and Russia condemn US strikes in Tanf: Both Syria and its ally Russia have condemned US-led air strikes on Syrian government forces near the border with Jordan.

Polls In The Gutter, Trump Tries Bombing Syria Again ; Trump appears to be trying to bomb his way out of a horrible news cycle. Cenk Uygur, host of The Young Turks, breaks it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

"US has supplied us w/ equipment incl. TOWs for battle of Deir Ezzor; Jihadist group Jaish Maghaweer al Thawra are being trained and armed by US in Tanf Syria.

VIDEO: White Helmets clean up following rebel execution in southern Syria (+18 graphic): Revolting amateur footage emerged on Wednesday showing rebel militants conducting a summary execution in the town of Jasim in Daraa.

Syria, Iraq Discuss Direct Cooperation Against Islamic State: SANA; An Iraqi envoy met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Thursday to explore direct military cooperation against Islamic State (IS) militants, Syrian state media said.

Iraq; killed in western Mosul in 24 hours: Five Iraqi soldiers and 12 Islamic State suicide bombers died in 24 hours of fighting in western Mosul as operations near a total recapture of the city, according to police officers.

Nine civilians killed, 11 wounded in IED blast in Salahuddin: “A suicide attack took place as a bomber wearing an explosive belt targeted a popular market in Tuz Khurmatu, leaving nine civilians killed and eleven others injured,” the source told Sky Press on Thursday.

Trump Trades Advanced Weapons for a $200 Billion Re-Election Fund; Trump’s public relations bonanza will feature a speech on Islam composed by his most Islamophobic aide.

Deadly rhetoric: Saudi Arabia opens war of words with Iran: For years the Saudis have waged proxy battles against Iran, with little success. Now, despite this history of losses, Riyadh appears to be mobilizing for an ill-conceived confrontation with the Islamic Republic.

Saudi-led coalition allegedly kills 23 Yemen civilians: A military source with loyalist forces confirmed the raid, saying 20 civilians had died and said it appeared to have been the result of a “mistake”.

Yemen: U.S. Killed Men Who Had Nothing to Do With Al Qaeda: Yemen as a whole is caught in the grip of a massive humanitarian crisis.

Intel Trump allegedly gave Russians came from Jordan, not Israel – report; Al-Jazeera cites Jordanian officials doubting Israeli spies have the kind of high-level access to IS that their own agents do

Palestinians drop settlement freeze as precondition for talks: The United States has not asked for a settlement freeze and the Palestinians have dropped that demand as a precondition for talks with Israel, America’s new Ambassador David Friedman told the daily Yisrael HaYom.

Libya clashes 'kill 60' at Brak El-Shati airbase: At least 60 people have reportedly been killed after an attack on a military base in southern Libya following clashes between rival factions. Most of those killed are linked to a faction allied to self-styled general Khalifa Haftar.

Tribal elder, five others killed by car bomb south of Libya's Benghazi: official; A car bomb killed a prominent tribal elder allied to eastern security forces and five other people outside a mosque in a town south of Benghazi as they were leaving afternoon prayers on Friday,

The war you’ve never heard of: Today, according to U.S. military documents obtained by VICE News, special operators are carrying out nearly 100 missions at any given time — in Africa alone.

Roadside bomb kills 11; attacks kill 10 Afghan policeman: A roadside bombing killed 11 people in eastern Afghanistan on Friday. Five Afghan policemen were killed in fighting with the Taliban in eastern Kapisa province. A policeman turned his rifle on his colleagues, killing five.

Trump Has to Decide: 50,000 Troops to Afghanistan?: A new Afghanistan war strategy approved last month by President Donald Trump's top military and national security advisers would require at least 50,000 U.S. forces to stop the advance of the Taliban and save the government in Kabul

The Strategy Behind Washington’s Destabilization Of Venezuela: Venezuela represents everything that the U.S. opposes in the region: socialism, anti-imperialism, economic independence via energy exports and a viable ally for China, Russia and Iran

Inter-American Commission Takes up U.S. Border Patrol Killing; In the first case of its kind, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has given the United States three months to respond to charges of abuse of human rights, from the family of a man killed by Border Patrol agents in 2010.

Erdogan Goons Were Told To ‘Attack’ Protesters [VIDEO]: The battle cries came just after Erdogan appeared to relay orders to his personal bodyguard while sitting in the back of a black Mercedes Benz outside of the embassy.

Senate Democrats reject Lieberman for FBI director: There's no love lost for the former Democratic senator among his onetime colleagues.

Senators Say Deputy AG Knew Comey Would Be Fired Before Memo; Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told senators in a closed-door briefing on Thursday that he knew former FBI Director James Comey was going to be fired before he wrote a memo that justified the firing

Washington Elite Opts to Destroy Trump at All Costs by Publius Tacitu; The destroy Trump cadre includes most members of the press (written and electronic), the Democrats, the Socialists and the traditional Republican so-called moderates.

Comey Is Trying To Take Down Trump, Former DOJ Spokesman Says: Former FBI Director James Comey may have been building a legal case against President Donald Trump well before the president fired him on May 9, according to a former Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson.

It Goes Deeper Than Trump: FBI Told House Republican Russian Spies Were Recruiting Him: This new report takes aim at the "just joking" defense made by Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in regards to the explosive report that in June of 2016 they were discussing Putin paying Donald Trump.

Young People Are Leaving the Republican Party in Droves, New Study Finds; Research suggests the future of the GOP may be more precarious than it appears.

Watch; Elizabeth Warren GRILLS Steve Mnuchin On Glass-Steagall Reversal: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin insisted the Trump administration never intended to break up big banks, despite its prior messaging.

May 17/18, 2017

Justice Department to Appoint Special Counsel to Take Over Russia Probe
By Pete Williams and Ken Dilanian
Former FBI director Robert Mueller will be appointed as special counsel to take over the Russia investigation.  - Continue

=====

Gulf States 'Offer Deal To Israel'
By MEE
Gulf states have offered normalised relations in exchange for renewed push for peace with Palestinians, report says.  - Continue

=====

10 Reasons Trump Should Not Strengthen U.S.-Saudi Ties
By Medea Benjamin
Saudi regime is fueling the very extremism, intolerance and violence that the US government purports to eradicate.  - Continue

=========

How U.S. Military Bases Back Dictators, Autocrats, and Military Regimes
By David Vine
At least 45 less-than-democratic nations and territories host scores of U.S. military bases.  - Continue

=========

CIA Documents Expose Failed U.S. Torture
By Ken Klippenstein, Joseph Hickman
The documents expose in clear detail the savage reality of what torture means.  - Continue

=========

Putin Offers Washington Red Pill. Washington Takes The Blue One
By Finian Cunningham
The US political establishment – and their media surrogates – have never accepted the will of the American people in electing Donald Trump.  - Continue

=========

Professor Cohen Says Assault on Trump is 'National Security Threat', 'Beyond Belief'
By Steven Cohen
Let's be clear what he's being accused of is treason.  - Continue

=====

The Exponential Growth of Insecurity
By Paul Craig Roberts
The enemies of truth have a powerful weapon in the digital revolution and can use it to herd humanity into a tyrannical distopia.  - Continue

=====

Russian Money Laundering Case Abruptly Settled, Raising Eyebrows
By Heavy Mettle
This is the case that the Manhattan US Attorney was working on when he was abruptly fired by Donald Trump  - Continue

=========

Chelsea Manning Is a Free Woman
By Glenn Greenwald
Her Heroism Has Expanded Beyond Her Initial Whistleblowing.  - Continue

=========

'Truth Or Delusion?'
By Robert J. Burrowes
The typical human being lives in a delusional state and this state is held in place by enormous, but unconscious, terror.  - Continue

=====

20 Daesh Terrorists Killed in Syria’s Deir Ez-Zor; Syrian warplanes targeted the positions of Daesh terrorists in Deir ez-Zor, leaving at least 20 militants dead in the eastern province.

Iraq; 20 Islamic State militants killed in western Mosul; “Fierce clashes erupted between Iraqi forces and IS militants in regions of Bab al-Toub, al-Mekkawi and Bab al-Jadid, which left 20 militants killed and others injured,” Lt. Gen. Odai Samir told BasNews on Wednesday.

Iraq: Seven militants, killed in military operation, western Anbar; “Seven militants, including an Egyptian and Saudi nationals, were killed, while a mobile telecommunications facility, which was used for internet connection between Raqqa and Anbar towns of Qaim, Rawa and Annah, was destroyed.”

Islamic State execute 4 in Anbar ; Islamic State members have executed for civilians in western Anbar over accusations of collaboration with security forces, a security source was quoted saying.

Saudi Arabia kills 23 Yemeni civilians including 6 children; A military source with loyalist forces confirmed the strike, saying 20 civilians had died in what appeared to have been the result of a “mistake”.

Yemen cholera death toll mounts to 209: UNICEF; The agency’s Yemen spokesman, Mohammed Al-Asaadi, told AFP that 3,000 new suspected cholera cases were being reported in a day.

Trump to unveil plans for an ‘Arab NATO’ in Saudi Arabia: When President Trump arrives in Riyadh this week, he will lay out his vision for a new regional security architecture White House officials call an “Arab NATO,” to guide the fight against terrorism and push back against Iran.

UN: As many as 100 killed in CAR fighting; Militia fighting spreads in rural areas of Central African Republic, with UN official calling it 'highly worrying'.

Afghanistan: Six dead in ISIL attack on Jalalabad TV station; Four employees of state broadcaster and four attackers among the dead in siege in eastern city of Jalalabad.

Beijing and Moscow to pour roughly $15 bln into developing Far East: China and Russia are planning to set up a joint regional development and cooperation investment fund with a total amount of 100 bln renminbi (around $14.5 bln) to bolster the development of Russia’s Far East and Northeast China.

China Installs Anti-Frogman Guns in South China Sea: China has reportedly further militarized a disputed reef in the South China Sea, just days after agreeing to minimize tensions with Vietnam.

French auto parts workers at GM&S threaten to blow up plant to block closure: The workers aim to pressure GM&S’ main clients, automakers Renault and PSA, who they assert are blocking talks on a resale of the plant to other buyers

Thousands strike in Greece over proposed austerity cuts; Almost 18,000 people take to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki against new round of cuts in pension and tax break.

UK: £64bn NHS privatisation plan revealed; A secret plan to privatise an entire tier of the NHS in England was revealed prematurely yesterday when the Department of Health asked multinational firms to manage services worth up to £64bn.

Oscar Lopez Vows to Continue Fight for Puerto Rico Independence; In his first hours of freedom after 36 years behind bars in U.S. prison, Puerto Rican independence leader Oscar Lopez Rivera vowed Wednesday to continue to fight for the freedom and independence of Puerto Rico

U.S. patriot, Chelsea Manning released from prison: "Im already enjoying my first hot, greasy pizza"

Any Half-Decent Hacker Could Break Into Mar-a-Lago; We tested internet security at four Trump properties. It’s not good.

Hacker group that leaked NSA spy tools likely includes a U.S. insider, experts say; Perhaps a disgruntled insider in the U.S. intelligence community.

'Erdogan's bodyguards' in violent clash with protesters in Washington DC: Nine people hurt and two arrests made during the altercation at the Turkish ambassador’s residence in the US capital

Watch; Erdogan's body guards fight with protesters in Washington DC : Video - Nine people were injured, including one seriously, in a brutal fight between supporters and opponents of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence

Trump Considering Joe Lieberman For FBI Director: Will we never be rid of this guy, this blight on the political landscape?

Takes one to know one: Obama says, Donald Trump? “He’s nothing but a bullsh–ter,” : Obama told two friends, describing an election night phone call with Trump, in which the businessman suddenly professed his “respect” and “admiration” for Obama—after years of hectoring.

Senate leaders just sent 2 explosive letters asking Comey to testify and demanding his memos: The senators have requested that Comey - appear before the committee "in both open and closed sessions," according to a statement.

Trump: No politician has been treated worse by media than me; "You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve and that are not always warranted," he said. "But you have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight. Never, ever, ever give up."

Putin offers transcript to prove Trump did not pass Russia secrets: Putin said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had not divulged any secrets during a meeting in Washington with Russian officials and offered to prove it by supplying Congress with a transcript.

First Republican raises impeachment for Trump; Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on Wednesday said reports that President Trump pressed ousted FBI Director James Comey to end an investigation would merit impeachment if true.

Worried about fallout, Dems poised to poll-test impeachment; Democratic strategists are racing to figure out whether it’s politically wise to call for President Donald Trump’s impeachment. So far, only a handful of Democratic lawmakers have outright called for impeachment.

For the First Time, a Majority of Americans Polled Want Trump Impeached: A survey from Public Policy Polling released Tuesday finds 48 percent of those questioned support impeaching the president, while just 41 percent would oppose the move.

Dow drops 250 points, S&P and Nasdaq fall 1% as Trump worries send shivers down Wall Street: "If special prosecutors are hired, one can kiss the tax plan, health care plan, and fiscal stimulus plan goodbye for 2017,"

Watch: Bernie Sanders, Kasich weigh in on Trump's competency : "This is not a typical president," Sanders insisted. "I don't think this is just a learning curve. I think he's a smart guy, but something else is going on [especially given his] affection for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin."

May 16, 2017

It Is Fakenews Day
By Moon Of Alabama
These three stories are false or widely exaggerated. North Korea, Syria and the U.S. President are the targets.  - Continue

=========

Russian Hacker Claims U.S. Offer of Cash, Citizenship for Confession
By Tom O'Connor
U.S. officials offered to cut him a deal if he admitted to interfering in the 2016 presidential election..  - Continue

=========

A Murderous History of Korea
By Bruce Cumings
No one is willing to accept that North Koreans may have valid reasons for not accepting the American definition of reality.  - Continue

=========

Truth Commission Reveals History of Korean War
By Eric Struch
No one is willing to accept that North Koreans may have valid reasons for not accepting the American definition of reality.  - Continue

=========

Gorbachev Warns of Growing Danger
By Rick Sterling
Americans visiting Russia heard dire warnings from ex-Soviet President Gorbachev.  - Continue

=========

Germany and NATO: Preparing for a “Fascist Repression” in Europe?
By Peter Koenig
Europeans – on the barricades now, before it’s too late!  - Continue

=========

Putin Tells Beijing Forum: The Future Belongs to Eurasia
By RI Staff
This partnership must shift the political and economic landscape of the continent and bring peace, stability, prosperity and a new quality of life to Eurasia.  - Continue

=========

Al Jazeera’s Fall From Grace
By Whitney Webb
How A News Outlet Became A Tool Of The State.  - Continue

=========

How Israeli Schools Help Sabotage Peace Prospects
By Jonathan Cook
If a society’s future lies with its children, the outlook for Israelis and Palestinians is bleak indeed.
.
 - Continue

=========

Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation
By Michael Schmidt
President Trump asked the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, to shut down the federal investigation into Michael T. Flynn, in an Oval Office meeting.  - Continue

=========

Trump Is the Symptom, Not the Disease
By Chris Hedges
The crisis we face is the result of a four-decade-long, corporate coup that has rendered the citizen impotent,.  - Continue

=========

Trump Is Fighting For His Life
By Philip Giraldi
Until Donald Trump has unambiguously broken a law the critics should take a valium and relax.  - Continue

=========

U.S. "coalition" kills 62 killed in Syria: Monday's attack on the town of Al-Bukamal was perpetrated by international coalition warplanes, said at least 42 civilians were among the dead, including 14 Iraqi displaced persons, 11 children and six women.

 

Car bombs kill at least six in Syrian camp near Jordan border: Two car bombs killed at least six people and wounded several others in Syria’s sprawling Rukban refugee camp near the border with Jordan late on Monday, a rebel official and a resident said,

US Revives Discredited Syria "Slaughterhouse" Story; News analysis - The US State Department, now claims the prison includes a crematorium facility - an oblique attempt to link the current Syrian government with historical arch-villains like Germany's Nazis.

Apartheid Israeli minister: ‘The time has come’ to kill Bashar Assad: Galant likened the assassination of Assad to cutting off the “tail of the snake.” After that, he said, “we can focus on the head, which is in Tehran.”

Syria's 'moderate rebels' to form a new alliance; US funding for rebel groups in northern Syria has been partially restored

Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate escapes from Canada's terror list: It illustrates the pitfalls of Canada following the lead of the U.S. in designating terror groups.

Iraq: Seven IS militants killed in western Mosul airstrike: Seven Islamic State members were killed Tuesday when unidentified fighter jets bombarded a house in western Mosul, a security source was quoted saying as operations reach the group’s last few entrenchments.

Iraqi forces storm last IS-held district northwest of Mosul’s Old City: officer; Iraqi government forces began Tuesday invading the last district leading to the Islamic State-held Old City from the northwest as commanders reassure of near victory.

Death Toll Reaches 180 Due to Cholera in Yemen; Only a few medical facilities are still functioning and two-third of the population are without access to safe drinking water, the United Nations has said.

Aid agencies blame Saudi war, blockade for deadly cholera outbreak in Yemen; Dominik Stillhart, the ICRC’s director of operations, said 160 hospitals and other medical facilities had been demolished, mostly in Saudi military attacks, “seriously weakening the health system.”

Saudi soldier killed, military groups shelled in Asir, Jizan; – The army and popular forces killed a Saudi soldier and shelled groups of soldiers in a military sites in Jizan, Asir and provinces, a military official told Saba on Tuesday.

Huge blow to pro-Saudi forces as Houthis recapture a district in south Yemen: Forces loyal to the Saudi-led Arab coalition lost their last strongholds in Juban district of Dhala province in southern Yemen, as Houthi insurgents and allied Yemeni Army units imposed full control over the district.

Thousands of Yemenis attend anti-American rally in Sana’a ahead of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia (Photos); “Today we launch the campaign against American terrorist aggression in Yemen and our biggest rally will take place on the same day when Trump will be in Riyadh.”

Trump and Saudi Prince are the most dangerous men in the world : News analysis - Trump has already ordered greater US support for the Saudi war effort in Yemen, but the deputy crown prince will be primarily bidding for US backing for his confrontation with Iran

U.S. signs new defense accord with Gulf ally UAE: The United States has signed a new, updated defense accord with the United Arab Emirates that could allow Washington to send more troops and equipment there, the Pentagon said on Tuesday

SA ministers complete symbolic hunger strike to support Palestinian prisoners; South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, completed a 24 hour symbolic hunger strike in support of the Palestinian political prisoners who are now on Day 30 of a hunger strike in Israeli jails. Many of the Palestinian prisoners are now facing emaciation and some even death.

Apartheid Israel Said to Be Source of "Secret Intelligence" Trump Disclosed to Russians: Mr. Trump disclosed intelligence about an Islamic State terrorist plot. At least some of the details that the United States has about the plot came from the Israelis, the officials said.

Apartheid Israeli officials are "boiling mad" about Trump alleged disclosure; An Israeli official told BuzzFeed News that Trump sharing their intel with Russia is the country's "worst fears confirmed,"

Apartheid Israel wants White House to explain U.S. official's Western Wall comment; U.S. diplomat preparing President Donald Trump's visit to Jerusalem said Judaism's Holy Western Wall in its Old City is part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, an Israeli official said on Monday.

US Security Advisor McMaster declines to call Western Wall part of Israel; Asked twice to comment on whether the Western Wall – is within Israeli territory, Donald Trump's national security adviser demurred on Tuesday, dismissing the matter as a "policy decision."

'Al-Shabaab kills government official' in Kenya; Suspected Al-Shabaab militants killed a government administrative official in Omar Jillo town in northern Mandera county on Tuesday, according to police.

Ivory Coast soldiers accept deal to end mutiny; Soldiers reach deal on pay and agree to return to barracks, ending a revolt that paralysed country for four days.

32 "militants" killed in northern Afghanistan: Up to 32 armed insurgents have been killed as government forces launched counter-offensive to foil Taliban attacks in Burka district of northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province, provincial police chief Ekramudin Sarih said Tuesday.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte survives impeachment bid: An impeachment complaint against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte accusing him of crimes again humanity has been rejected by lawmakers. The committee reviewing the complaint called it "frivolous."

China hosts international launch of One Belt, One Road initiative: While it received little attention in the media, the fact that the US was little more than a bit player at an economic gathering, dubbed by some as advancing the 21st century equivalent of the post-war Marshall Plan

German militarism on display at NATO summit; Last weekend’s NATO summit in Warsaw revealed the aggressiveness with which the German government has been pursuing this goal in the subsequent two years.

Britain's Labour launches 'radical, responsible' election manifesto: Unveiling what leader Jeremy Corbyn called "a blueprint of what Britain could be", Labour said it was the only party that would make leaving the European Union "work for ordinary people"

Denmark may extend border controls beyond six months, defying EU: Denmark said on Tuesday it would disregard a European Union directive to lift temporary border restrictions within six months unless the bloc better secured its external frontiers against undocumented migrants.

WikiLeaks Launches 'Welcome Home' Fund for Chelsea Manning; "Manning release in less than 24 hours. We've set up a Welcome Home Manning (and to bitcoin!) fund," WikiLeaks wrote on its Twitter account. "Surprise her!"

Michael Hudson : Why are British Columbians Voting Liberal, Against Their Own Interest?: British Columbia is giving away lumber at .50 cents an acre and the Green Party holds the balance of power at a tipping point on energy policy

Undercover FBI Agent Ended Up in Jail After Pretending to Be a Journalist: The more than 100 hours of video and audio recordings that Johnson and his team produced while posing as journalists are being used as evidence in criminal trials against Bundy and his supporters.

Missouri lawmakers just took raises away from minimum wage workers: Republicans in the state senate pushed through a bill in the last few hours of the session that blocks the St. Louis minimum wage increase.

In case you missed it; Ray McGovern: A Disgruntled Bernie Supporter Probably Leaked DNC Emails: McGovern said that when President Obama wanted an investigation into the possible hacking, he was doing so at the behest of the director of the CIA, John Brennan.

Watch : Trump meets with Turkish President Erdogan: Watch their joint statement

McMaster Defends Trump Sharing ISIS Info with Russia; "What the president discussed with the foreign minister was wholly appropriate and is consistent with the routine sharing of information between the president and -- and any leaders with whom he's engaged," McMaster said.

Propaganda alert: Impeach Trump? Transcript Will Tell Whether President Blabbed Secrets To Russians: The president has put the nation at risk, not for the first time, and his apparent disdain for normal security and intelligence protocols represents an ongoing national emergency.

12 times Dems, Repubs said no evidence of Trump-Russia collusion; 10 times people claimed there was; To date, scandalous accusations of treason against Trump haven’t borne out

Should Donald Trump’s Hotel Host a Banquet for 800 Friends of Mike Pence?: THE PRESIDENT’S intermingling of his family’s business interests and his official duties now appears to involve a prominent religious group that hosted the vice president as a speaker.

'Pay Trump bribes here' sign projected onto Trump's DC hotel: Visitors to the Trump International Hotel in Washington were greeted with a provocative message Monday night: "Pay Trump bribes here."

New Study Finds Money Plays Major Role in Influencing the DNC; ...the voice of the people is really often the sound of money talking.” Such were the findings of researchers who recently analyzed the impact of political financing on decisions made by legislators

May 16, 2017

It Is Fakenews Day
By Moon Of Alabama
These three stories are false or widely exaggerated. North Korea, Syria and the U.S. President are the targets.  - Continue

=========

Russian Hacker Claims U.S. Offer of Cash, Citizenship for Confession
By Tom O'Connor
U.S. officials offered to cut him a deal if he admitted to interfering in the 2016 presidential election..  - Continue

=========

A Murderous History of Korea
By Bruce Cumings
No one is willing to accept that North Koreans may have valid reasons for not accepting the American definition of reality.  - Continue

=========

Truth Commission Reveals History of Korean War
By Eric Struch
No one is willing to accept that North Koreans may have valid reasons for not accepting the American definition of reality.  - Continue

=========

Gorbachev Warns of Growing Danger
By Rick Sterling
Americans visiting Russia heard dire warnings from ex-Soviet President Gorbachev.  - Continue

=========

Germany and NATO: Preparing for a “Fascist Repression” in Europe?
By Peter Koenig
Europeans – on the barricades now, before it’s too late!  - Continue

=========

Putin Tells Beijing Forum: The Future Belongs to Eurasia
By RI Staff
This partnership must shift the political and economic landscape of the continent and bring peace, stability, prosperity and a new quality of life to Eurasia.  - Continue

=========

Al Jazeera’s Fall From Grace
By Whitney Webb
How A News Outlet Became A Tool Of The State.  - Continue

=========

How Israeli Schools Help Sabotage Peace Prospects
By Jonathan Cook
If a society’s future lies with its children, the outlook for Israelis and Palestinians is bleak indeed.
.
 - Continue

=========

Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation
By Michael Schmidt
President Trump asked the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, to shut down the federal investigation into Michael T. Flynn, in an Oval Office meeting.  - Continue

=========

Trump Is the Symptom, Not the Disease
By Chris Hedges
The crisis we face is the result of a four-decade-long, corporate coup that has rendered the citizen impotent,.  - Continue

=========

Trump Is Fighting For His Life
By Philip Giraldi
Until Donald Trump has unambiguously broken a law the critics should take a valium and relax.  - Continue

=========

U.S. "coalition" kills 62 killed in Syria: Monday's attack on the town of Al-Bukamal was perpetrated by international coalition warplanes, said at least 42 civilians were among the dead, including 14 Iraqi displaced persons, 11 children and six women.

Car bombs kill at least six in Syrian camp near Jordan border: Two car bombs killed at least six people and wounded several others in Syria’s sprawling Rukban refugee camp near the border with Jordan late on Monday, a rebel official and a resident said,

US Revives Discredited Syria "Slaughterhouse" Story; News analysis - The US State Department, now claims the prison includes a crematorium facility - an oblique attempt to link the current Syrian government with historical arch-villains like Germany's Nazis.

Apartheid Israeli minister: ‘The time has come’ to kill Bashar Assad: Galant likened the assassination of Assad to cutting off the “tail of the snake.” After that, he said, “we can focus on the head, which is in Tehran.”

Syria's 'moderate rebels' to form a new alliance; US funding for rebel groups in northern Syria has been partially restored

Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate escapes from Canada's terror list: It illustrates the pitfalls of Canada following the lead of the U.S. in designating terror groups.

Iraq: Seven IS militants killed in western Mosul airstrike: Seven Islamic State members were killed Tuesday when unidentified fighter jets bombarded a house in western Mosul, a security source was quoted saying as operations reach the group’s last few entrenchments.

Iraqi forces storm last IS-held district northwest of Mosul’s Old City: officer; Iraqi government forces began Tuesday invading the last district leading to the Islamic State-held Old City from the northwest as commanders reassure of near victory.

Death Toll Reaches 180 Due to Cholera in Yemen; Only a few medical facilities are still functioning and two-third of the population are without access to safe drinking water, the United Nations has said.

Aid agencies blame Saudi war, blockade for deadly cholera outbreak in Yemen; Dominik Stillhart, the ICRC’s director of operations, said 160 hospitals and other medical facilities had been demolished, mostly in Saudi military attacks, “seriously weakening the health system.”

Saudi soldier killed, military groups shelled in Asir, Jizan; – The army and popular forces killed a Saudi soldier and shelled groups of soldiers in a military sites in Jizan, Asir and provinces, a military official told Saba on Tuesday.

Huge blow to pro-Saudi forces as Houthis recapture a district in south Yemen: Forces loyal to the Saudi-led Arab coalition lost their last strongholds in Juban district of Dhala province in southern Yemen, as Houthi insurgents and allied Yemeni Army units imposed full control over the district.

Thousands of Yemenis attend anti-American rally in Sana’a ahead of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia (Photos); “Today we launch the campaign against American terrorist aggression in Yemen and our biggest rally will take place on the same day when Trump will be in Riyadh.”

Trump and Saudi Prince are the most dangerous men in the world : News analysis - Trump has already ordered greater US support for the Saudi war effort in Yemen, but the deputy crown prince will be primarily bidding for US backing for his confrontation with Iran

U.S. signs new defense accord with Gulf ally UAE: The United States has signed a new, updated defense accord with the United Arab Emirates that could allow Washington to send more troops and equipment there, the Pentagon said on Tuesday

SA ministers complete symbolic hunger strike to support Palestinian prisoners; South Africa’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, completed a 24 hour symbolic hunger strike in support of the Palestinian political prisoners who are now on Day 30 of a hunger strike in Israeli jails. Many of the Palestinian prisoners are now facing emaciation and some even death.

Apartheid Israel Said to Be Source of "Secret Intelligence" Trump Disclosed to Russians: Mr. Trump disclosed intelligence about an Islamic State terrorist plot. At least some of the details that the United States has about the plot came from the Israelis, the officials said.

Apartheid Israeli officials are "boiling mad" about Trump alleged disclosure; An Israeli official told BuzzFeed News that Trump sharing their intel with Russia is the country's "worst fears confirmed,"

Apartheid Israel wants White House to explain U.S. official's Western Wall comment; U.S. diplomat preparing President Donald Trump's visit to Jerusalem said Judaism's Holy Western Wall in its Old City is part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, an Israeli official said on Monday.

US Security Advisor McMaster declines to call Western Wall part of Israel; Asked twice to comment on whether the Western Wall – is within Israeli territory, Donald Trump's national security adviser demurred on Tuesday, dismissing the matter as a "policy decision."

'Al-Shabaab kills government official' in Kenya; Suspected Al-Shabaab militants killed a government administrative official in Omar Jillo town in northern Mandera county on Tuesday, according to police.

Ivory Coast soldiers accept deal to end mutiny; Soldiers reach deal on pay and agree to return to barracks, ending a revolt that paralysed country for four days.

32 "militants" killed in northern Afghanistan: Up to 32 armed insurgents have been killed as government forces launched counter-offensive to foil Taliban attacks in Burka district of northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province, provincial police chief Ekramudin Sarih said Tuesday.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte survives impeachment bid: An impeachment complaint against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte accusing him of crimes again humanity has been rejected by lawmakers. The committee reviewing the complaint called it "frivolous."

China hosts international launch of One Belt, One Road initiative: While it received little attention in the media, the fact that the US was little more than a bit player at an economic gathering, dubbed by some as advancing the 21st century equivalent of the post-war Marshall Plan

German militarism on display at NATO summit; Last weekend’s NATO summit in Warsaw revealed the aggressiveness with which the German government has been pursuing this goal in the subsequent two years.

Britain's Labour launches 'radical, responsible' election manifesto: Unveiling what leader Jeremy Corbyn called "a blueprint of what Britain could be", Labour said it was the only party that would make leaving the European Union "work for ordinary people"

Denmark may extend border controls beyond six months, defying EU: Denmark said on Tuesday it would disregard a European Union directive to lift temporary border restrictions within six months unless the bloc better secured its external frontiers against undocumented migrants.

WikiLeaks Launches 'Welcome Home' Fund for Chelsea Manning; "Manning release in less than 24 hours. We've set up a Welcome Home Manning (and to bitcoin!) fund," WikiLeaks wrote on its Twitter account. "Surprise her!"

Michael Hudson : Why are British Columbians Voting Liberal, Against Their Own Interest?: British Columbia is giving away lumber at .50 cents an acre and the Green Party holds the balance of power at a tipping point on energy policy

Undercover FBI Agent Ended Up in Jail After Pretending to Be a Journalist: The more than 100 hours of video and audio recordings that Johnson and his team produced while posing as journalists are being used as evidence in criminal trials against Bundy and his supporters.

Missouri lawmakers just took raises away from minimum wage workers: Republicans in the state senate pushed through a bill in the last few hours of the session that blocks the St. Louis minimum wage increase.

In case you missed it; Ray McGovern: A Disgruntled Bernie Supporter Probably Leaked DNC Emails: McGovern said that when President Obama wanted an investigation into the possible hacking, he was doing so at the behest of the director of the CIA, John Brennan.

Watch : Trump meets with Turkish President Erdogan: Watch their joint statement

McMaster Defends Trump Sharing ISIS Info with Russia; "What the president discussed with the foreign minister was wholly appropriate and is consistent with the routine sharing of information between the president and -- and any leaders with whom he's engaged," McMaster said.

Propaganda alert: Impeach Trump? Transcript Will Tell Whether President Blabbed Secrets To Russians: The president has put the nation at risk, not for the first time, and his apparent disdain for normal security and intelligence protocols represents an ongoing national emergency.

12 times Dems, Repubs said no evidence of Trump-Russia collusion; 10 times people claimed there was; To date, scandalous accusations of treason against Trump haven’t borne out

Should Donald Trump’s Hotel Host a Banquet for 800 Friends of Mike Pence?: THE PRESIDENT’S intermingling of his family’s business interests and his official duties now appears to involve a prominent religious group that hosted the vice president as a speaker.

'Pay Trump bribes here' sign projected onto Trump's DC hotel: Visitors to the Trump International Hotel in Washington were greeted with a provocative message Monday night: "Pay Trump bribes here."

New Study Finds Money Plays Major Role in Influencing the DNC; ...the voice of the people is really often the sound of money talking.” Such were the findings of researchers who recently analyzed the impact of political financing on decisions made by legislators

 

 

 

 

 

May 15, 2017

Why Is North Korea the United States’ Problem?
By Doug Bandow
Washington should disengage militarily from the peninsula.  - Continue

=========

China Widens its Silk Road to the World
By Pepe Escobar
Spanning 65 nations, 60% of the world’s population and a third of global economic output.  - Continue

=========

President Trump: Toss Your Generals’ War Escalation Plans In the Trash
By Ron Paul
There is no way another “surge” in Afghanistan and Iraq (plus a new one in Syria) puts America first.  - Continue

=========

Trump is a Danger to the World, says Jeremy Corbyn
Video
‘The US is the strongest military power on the planet by a very long way. It has a special responsibility to use its power with care".  - Continue

=========

Graham: We Can't Go Forward As A Nation 'Until We Punish Russia'
By Rebecca Savransky
Graham on Sunday said the Russians need to be punished for their meddling in the 2016 presidential election.  - Continue

=========

How Did Russiagate Start?
By Matt Taibbi
James Clapper appeared on This Week Sunday, and said some head-scratching things.  - Continue

=========

A Russian Journalist’s Perspective
By David Swanson
If Russian news is propaganda, Babich asks, why are people so afraid of it?  - Continue

=========

The Globalization of Misery
By Tom Engelhardt
You want a shrinking planet? You want terror? You want globalization?  - Continue

=========

Will Trump and Netanyahu Continue to Misread Iran?
By Trita Parsi
Netanyahu committed three cardinal sins that ultimately worked in favor of the proponents of the nuclear agreement.  - Continue

=========

Knesset's Bill 'Portrays Racism as Entirely Normal'
By Jonathan Cook
The definition of Israel as a state belonging exclusively to Jews around the world is a "declaration of war" on Palestinian citizens of Israel.  - Continue

=========

Justice Department More Willing to Prosecute Laughter Than Murder
By Ebony Slaughter-Johnson
Heard any good jokes lately? Desiree Fairooz did. But laughing at it got her thrown in jail.  - Continue

=========

Iraq: Islamic State kill 64 civilians, including children, fleeing western Mosul: the civilians were trying to cross the Tigris River, which bisects the city, on Thursday morning to the eastern side which Iraqi forces took over in January, but were shot dead by IS snipers.

Mass Islamic State fighters grave found in western Mosul: A mass grave of Islamic State members was found Monday at a district retaken by Iraqi security forces in western Mosul as operations to clear the region from militants reach their final stages.

IS control 9% of western Mosul, chemical weapons factory seized: Only a few number of militants are remaining in the city, suffering scarcity of food and combat supplies.

US 'kills 23 civilians' in ISIL-held town: Deadly air raid on Albu Kamal reported just hours after deaths of 12 women blamed on coalition strike in nearby Raqqa.

Syrian Arab Army destroys more ISIS positions in Deir Ezzor: Syrian army units engaged in clashes with terrorist groups affiliated to ISIS on the southern axis of Deir Ezzor city, resulting in the death of a number of terrorists,

Syria rebels leave Damascus suburb as army advances; Rebels and families moved from Qaboun neighbourhood to Idlib province in latest deal with government forces.

Propaganda alert: US accuses Syria of mass executions and burning the bodies: U.S. said Syrian government “has sunk to a new level of depravity” with the support of Russia and Iran

Obama’s men influencing Trump on Syria: Erdogan: “Saying that Turkey has not fought Daesh is a betrayal to Turkey, a slander by the Obama administration,” the president said

Germany will look for alternatives to Turkey's Incirlik Airbase - Merkel; Germany will consider relocation of its troops from Turkey's airbase Incirlik following a recent refusal by Ankara to allow German MPs to visit soldiers stationed there, says Chancellor Angela Merkel.

'Over 100' killed in cholera outbreak in Yemen capital Sanaa; Health authorities in the country declared a state of emergency and called for international help to avoid an “unprecedented disaster”.

10 killedd as Houthi rebels take district in S. Yemen: Commander: Houthi rebels and allied forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have captured a district of southern Yemen following clashes with pro-government forces, according to a pro-government commander.

Labour Party Promises to End UK Funding of US-Backed, Saudi-Led War Crimes in Yemen; Under the leadership of long-time anti-war activist Jeremy Corbyn, the UK Labour Party, promised Friday to suspend all arms sales to Saudi Arabia should they be elected

Apartheid: Israeli forces shoot Palestinian fishermen off Gaza, fatally injure one; A young Palestinian man has been shot dead after Israeli naval forces opened fire on several Palestinian fishing boats off the northern coast of the besieged Gaza Strip.

Palestinians mark 69 years since the nakba; About 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from, or fled, their land during the "nakba" or catastrophe that accompanied Israel’s creation.

Anti-Palestinian Jewish attorney arrives in Israel as new US envoy; David Friedman, a strong proponent of Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian land, has arrived in Israel as the new US ambassador to the Tel Aviv regime.

Palestinians expect nothing good from Trump: Trump's bias towards Israel's far-right regime of occupation and apartheid does not bode well for bringing about respect for international law and human rights principles.

Casino mogul to be questioned in probe of Israel PM: American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson will reportedly give Israeli police testimony in an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In unexpected move, Trudeau commits Canada to defending Zionism: “Today, while we celebrate Israel’s independence, we also reaffirm our commitment to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.”

Christian militias kill up to 30 civilians as hundreds seek refuge inside mosque: Many of the fighters are child soldiers who appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Child Soldiers Reloaded: The Privatisation of War: How private companies recruit former child soldiers for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Ivory Coast mutiny: Shooting in Abidjan, Bouaké and Daloa; Mutinous soldiers have opened fire in three big cities in Ivory Coast, defying a government order to lay down their weapons. Gunfire has been heard near the presidential palace in the main city, Abidjan

South Sudan Is Once Again the World’s Most Fragile State; Human rights groups have documented civilian killings, rapes and looting carried out by South Sudanese forces. While most victims are locals, international aid workers have also been killed and gang raped.

UN accuses Ukraine of supplying S. Sudan with arms; A report by the UN panel of experts monitoring compliance with the embargo, showed that Ukraine was supplying weapons blamed for perpetuating conflict in the famine-ravaged country.

South Sudan opposition groups join forces against government; Seven South Sudanese opposition groups, including that of rebel leader Riek Machar, said on Saturday they had agreed to work closely in their bid to oust President Salva Kiir’s government

Trump coverage detracting from Africa & Middle East famines, UN agency warns: The media's constant focus on US President Donald Trump means the risk of famine in Africa and the Middle East is being overshadowed, the head of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said

North Korea says new ballistic missile can carry nuclear warhead: Outsiders also saw a significant technological jump, with the test-fire apparently flying higher and for a longer time period than any other such previous missile.

North Korea Releases Video of Latest Successful Missile Test:: What would change the strategic balance is an ICBM capable of reaching the US mainland. This is not that missile but it might be a testbed, demonstrating technologies and systems to be used in future

Putin warns against 'intimidating' North Korea : President Vladimir Putin said Monday that North Korea's latest missile test was "dangerous", but warned that Pyongyang was being intimidated and called for a peaceful solution to regional tensions.

China pledges $124 billion for new Silk Road as champion of globalization: China pledged $124 billion on Sunday for his new Silk Road plan to forge a path of peace, inclusiveness and free trade, and called for the abandonment of old models based on rivalry and diplomatic power games.

Twenty Migrants Died in Mediterranean on Saturday: Survivors to U.N: Seven men were found dead during Saturday's rescues, but survivors brought to Trapani in Sicily indicated a further 13 had been lost at sea, UNHCR spokeswoman Carlotta Sami said.

Putin blames US intelligence services for WannaCry cyber attacks; Genies let out of bottles like these, especially if they’ve been created by the secret services, can then harm even their own authors and creators.”

Microsoft Claims Stolen U.S. Government Computer Code Fuels Cyberattack: Microsoft Corp. said that the attack should serve as a wake-up call for governments over the risks of hoarding such digital weapons for use against their enemies.

Meet France’s new PM, Edouard Philippe: Philippe represents three ideas that are key to Emmanuel Macron’s presidency: his youth is in keeping with the concept of renewal; he has a good political pedigree; and he comes from the moderate right, which Macron has yet to win over.

Nothing is real: How German scientists control Putin's/Trump's face; A research team has created software that allows them to control the face of anyone in any video on YouTube.

EU calls for elections in Venezuela; European Union foreign ministers urged Venezuelan authorities to hold elections and release political prisoners to help end six weeks of demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro that have killed dozens of people.

U.S. Military Is World's Largest Polluter - Hundreds Of Bases Gravely Contaminated; The U.S. Department of Defense has left its toxic legacy throughout the world in the form of depleted uranium, oil, jet fuel, pesticides, defoliants like Agent Orange and lead, among other pollutants.

Immigration Agent Came To Queens School Looking For 4th Grader, Was Turned Away; It was the first time such a thing happened since the city put a policy in place to turn away federal agents without warrants

Sinclair Buys Tribune in $3.9 Billion Deal, Creating U.S. TV Goliath: The marriage of Sinclair and Tribune, two of the largest local TV station owners in the U.S., creates a U.S. broadcasting behemoth

Bernie Sanders: Loyal Democrat, Stalwart for Empire: Op-Ed: “Sanders would not be able to remain in the Democratic Party if he posed a viable challenge to Empire.”

Jeff Sessions Re-Escalates the Drug War By Ordering Prosecutors to Seek Maximum Sentences: In 2013, former Attorney General Eric Holder ordered federal prosecutors to avoid charging certain low-level offenders with drug charges that triggered long mandatory sentences.

Texas Senate Votes to License ‘Baby Jails’ as Child Care Facilities: The bill was written by GEO Group, Inc., the nation’s second-largest for-profit prison corporation. It advanced on a 20-11 party-line vote, with all Senate Republicans in favor.

The Town That Turned Poverty Into a Prison Sentence: Most states shut down their debtors’ prisons more than 100 years ago; in 2005, Harpersville, Alabama, opened one back up.

Louisiana's Public Defender Crisis Is Leaving Thousands Stuck in Jail With No Legal Help; As of April, 33 out of 42 of its public defender offices are either refusing cases or maintaining a wait list in order to manage budget shortfalls, staff cuts, and impossibly high caseloads.

 

 

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media

Get Our Free Daily Newsletter
You can't buy your way onto these pages