(2018-12-24). Charles Dickens Could Teach Trump a Thing or Two About how to 'Keep Christmas Well'. thenation.com Charles Dickens Could Teach Trump a Thing or Two About how to 'Keep Christmas Well'
(2018-12-24). 2019 recession looms on the economic horizon. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Casting a shadow on the stock market are the growing number of economic statistics that point to a recession in 2019. Almost all mainstream economic forecasters expect economic growth to slow down in 2019 as the impact of the 2018 tax cuts wear off; the forecast is for 2.4% growth, about the same as in 2017. But few predict a recession. | The most commonly looked at economic statistic is the official unemployment rate. Today the nationwide official unemployment rate stands at 3.7%, the lowest rate in a generation. But while the official definition of when a recession starts depends heavily on a mea…
(2018-12-24). How Activists Are Moving the Dial on Student Loan Debt. commondreams.org The national conversation has come a long way in the years since activists started pushing the issue of student debt during the 2008 recession.
(2018-12-24). Global Economy Teeters on the Brink of a Recession That Will Transform Geo-Politics. globalresearch.ca As we approach 2019 the global economy teeters on the brink of yet another recession which will plunge geo-political relations into a period of great upheaval and rapid change. In 2019 global stock markets will continue to face unprecedented volatility and gigantic losses
(2018-12-24). Hands Off Syria: We Can End The US War On Syria. globalresearch.ca The US war against Syria was one that people almost stopped. President Obama was unable to get Congress to authorize the war in 2013, but the Pentagon and foreign policy establishment, who have long wanted to control Syria, pushed forward …
(2018-12-24). The US is Planning a Major War with Russia and China. Reports. globalresearch.ca Two recent reports from the United States strongly suggest the United States is planning a major war with Russia and China, but are far from certain that they could in fact succeed in such a war. The reports also provide …
(2018-12-24). FREXIT? The "Gilets Jaunes" will Not Let Go. globalresearch.ca The "Gilets Jaunes" will not let go. Not even — or especially not — after Macron's half-hearted, rather cynical and grandstanding concessions — of "too little and too late" — which when analyzed constitute a new lie, especially regarding the increase of the minimum wage.
(2018-12-24). France Plans to Replace the US in Syria, Alongside Proxy Forces from Saudi Arabia and UAE. globalresearch.ca Syrian government and pro-Iranian sources have increased their activity in the eastern part of Syria in response to the announced decision of the US administration to withdraw troops from the country. | On December 22, a spokesperson for Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah, …
(2018-12-24). The Misuses of History: The Christmas First World War 1914 Truce. globalresearch.ca All memorialised events, when passing into mythology, must be seen critically. In some cases, there should be more than a hint of suspicion. The Christmas Truce of 1914 remains one sentimentalised occasion, remembered less to scold the mad mechanised forces …
(2018-12-24). Meeting on Oakland school closure expresses hostility to attacks on public education. wsws.org Numerous attendees condemned the school district for its cuts to public education in Oakland and their drive to convert public schools to private charter schools.
(2018-12-24). January 10 strike date set for 33,000 Los Angeles teachers. wsws.org Despite union efforts to block a strike, teachers in the second largest school district in America are demanding higher wages, smaller class sizes and the hiring of more nurses and support staff.
(2018-12-24). Virginia teachers plan statewide protest to demand school funding. wsws.org Thousands of Virginia teachers are expected to march on the state capitol in Richmond on January 28, as the fight in defense of public education continues to spread across the US.
(2018-12-23). Pakistan, the Inevitable Lynchpin. globalresearch.ca Pakistan is the virtual fulcrum around which much of the geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic future of the Afghanistan Pakistan Region, (APR), the South-Central Asian Region (SCAR) and largely the Greater Middle East Region (GMER) is now evolving. No power …
(2018-12-23). Cyprus — UK Air Force Bases against Middle East, Propaganda and Tourism. globalresearch.ca Believe it or not, but not long ago, Cyprus used to be the only country in the European Union that was governed by a Communist Party. And it was not really too long ago — between 2008 and 2013. | Also, …
(2018-12-23). New U.S. Government Financial Accounting Loopholes. Concealing Where Money is Actually Spent. globalresearch.ca I. Introduction | Financial accountability for the government is a cornerstone of a functioning representative democracy. The ability for the people to know where taxpayer money goes to is crucial to having an informed opinion regarding the actions of your …
(2018-12-23). Petrified Pompeian Horse Provide Glimpse Into Pre-Vesuvian Past. telesurenglish.net Archaeological excavations in Pompeii have unearthed a new discovery after researchers exhumed the petrified remains horses and their riding accessories, the Italian newspaper Ansa reported Sunday. | RELATED: | Culture Ministry: Remains of Ancient Lost Greek City Found | Inside the ancient villa of a high-ranking military officer, the remains of two or three horses were found, Pompeii archaeological park head Massimo Osanna told Ansa. Volcanic ash and scalding vapors serging from the…
(2018-12-23). Washington's Russiagate Conspiracy Theory on Life Support. globalresearch.ca The latest bid to keep Washington's desperate Russiagate conspiracy theory alive has energized distilled segments of the public still convinced of Moscow's global omniscience and its role in manipulating and undermining virtually every aspect of their daily lives. | But recent …
(2018-12-23). Hungary's Victor Orbán's "Latest Dance" globalresearch.ca Viktor Orbán of Hungary is not to be hectored to. Arching with fury at the EU's September motion to sanction Hungary for bad behaviour under the Article 7 process, he was resolved to ratchet things up. The motion, while getting …
(2018-12-23). Trump's Retreat from Syria: Why Is the US Withdrawing Its Forces? globalresearch.ca There is a military rule that says: if you are facing defeat and want to cut your losses, the shortest way out is to declare victory and promptly retreat. | US President Donald Trump may not be familiar with this dictum, …
(2018-12-23). The Real Reason Behind Canada's Arrest of China's Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou. globalresearch.ca "Canadians should be angry that these traitors are isolating Canada from China, from Russia, from Iran and their great cultures, and condemning Canada to be nothing more than an outpost of the American empire. For traitors they are as they …
(2018-12-23). UN "Country-Specific" Human Rights Reports: North Korea, A Grotesque Travesty of Reality. globalresearch.ca On December 17, 2018, the UN General Assembly Plenary adopted a series of resolutions, many denounced for their double standards, with fierce official statements of protest against the "country-specific" resolutions, the most nefarious and hypocritical of all. | The voting on …
(2018-12-23). Why the U.S. Threatens China — as a New Superpower. globalresearch.ca China's growth into the world's second-largest economy is being evaluated by all the corporate media, reflecting debates in U.S. ruling circles and the U.S. top military command. | They are forced to admit that most of their hopes and dreams that …
(2018-12-23). Remembering the Christmas Truce of 1914, The Desire for Real Peace. globalresearch.ca "…and the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame; And on each end of the rifle we're the same" — John McCutcheon | 104 years ago this Christmas something happened near the beginning of the "War …
(2018-12-23). Afghanistan: Where Can the Anger Go? commondreams.org A boy standing in front of the JRS school in a refugee camp holds a rubber hose like the type used by some teachers to strike children who fail to learn their lessons. Other children hold the raw cauliflower florets they are munching on. The permaculture lessons during the APV-led life skills classes encouraged students to grow vegetables in small containers beside their homes. Greenery beautifies, has a calming effect, and is a small step toward combating air pollution. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files……
(2018-12-23). Emmanuel Macron and the Air France Experience. globalresearch.ca On an Air France flight from Paris to Latin America, the plane is full, mostly with working class Latinos, going home for Christmas to spend a few festive days with their families and friends. They have worked hard to save …
(2018-12-23). L'Italia delle Tre Scimmie di fronte al rischio di guerra nucleare. globalresearch.ca Quale reazione ha suscitato in Italia l'avvertimento del presidente russo Putin che il mondo sottovaluta il pericolo di guerra nucleare e che tale tendenza si sta accentuando? Significativo il commento de La Repubblica che parla di ´toni molto allarmistici ª. Eloquente …
(2018-12-23). The Fusion Doctrine, For a Totalitarian Take Over. Militarization and "Privatization of the State" globalresearch.ca It has become increasingly apparent throughout the past decade that the nation state, and the traditional notion that it represents a culturally cohesive citizen's platform, is no longer a valid supposition. | In Europe, countries have been stripped of their status …
(2018-12-23). Facebook suspends 'researcher' who faked Russian interference in Alabama election. rt.com 
Facebook has suspended the account of Jonathon Morgan, the researcher behind a disinformation campaign against an Alabama Republican candidate who ended up losing the race for a Senate seat. Morgan claimed it was "research."
(2018-12-23). Leading Brexiteers' Funded by US Business Interests Meet to Weaken UK Food Standards. globalresearch.ca A recent visit to Washington DC by former Brexit secretary, David Davis, was funded by US business interests that want the UK to weaken its food and environment standards after it leaves the EU, according to Unearthed. | Davis visited the …
(2018-12-21). Twitterstorm as bombshell Russiagate report suggests SEX TOYS penetrate US democracy. rt.com 
How deep does Russiagate go? According to an NSA-linked research firm, Russian trolls penetrated American democracy by promoting dildos on Instagram. The Pearl Harbor-like attack on the US homeland has left Twitter shaking.
(2018-12-21). Skin Color and Gender Determine Privilege and Income, Regardless of Educational Level. therealnews.com 
A new PERI study finds that women of color benefit less from college education, while white men benefit the most. Since the 1970s, people of color's social mobility has stagnated. Noé Wiener discusses the results of his research
(2018-12-21). Taiwan: Open Letter on legal recognition of same-sex unions. amnesty.org Dear Premier Lai, | We write concerning the results of the recent referendums in Taiwan in which same-sex marriage rights and LGBT-inclusive education in schools were rejected by voters on 24 November. We urge the Taiwanese authorities not to implement the outcomes of the referendums as this would violate human rights law, bolster discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and undermine comprehensive and inclusive education on gender and sexuality. | We would like to recall that despite the referendum results, the Taiwanese government still is under court order to enact legislation for recognizing same-se…
(2018-12-21). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Possible Verdict For Human Rights Defender: Ahmed Mansoor. amnesty.org On 24 December 2018 the Federal Supreme Court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to hear the appeal of prominent human rights defender and prisoner of conscience, Ahmed Mansoor. The court may issue a final verdict. On 29 May 2018, Ahmed Mansoor was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges including "insulting the UAE and its symbols".
(2018-12-21). Sudan: Shooting of protestors must be immediately investigated. amnesty.org In response to security officers opening fire on protestors in Sudan leaving at least nine people dead, five of whom were students, and dozens more injured over the past two days, Seif Magango, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, said: | | "These killings must stop. Opening fire on unarmed protesters cannot be justified and…
(2018-12-20). LA teachers announce strike plans. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – This morning, December 19, United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) joined by parents, student and supporters, announced they will strike on Thursday, January 10, 2019. Centro CSO urges parents and students to join the picket line at their local school to stand united with our teachers. | "I am so angry, and ready to strike," says Lupe Torres a public school teacher at Marvin Elementary and East LA resident. "It's time to show the public the bureaucracy of LAUSD." | More than 50,000 teachers and supporters marched on December 14 to show the support in numbers. The march and rally occurred as L…
(2018-12-20). Trump Pledges to Withdraw U.S. Ground Troops from Syria—But Global Powers & Deadly Air Forces Remain. democracynow.org 
President Trump has ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, shocking many in Washington and around the world. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted, "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." He ordered the withdrawal despite opposition from within the White House. We speak with Yazan al-Saadi, a Syrian-Canadian writer and researcher, who warns that U.S. military presence in the region will continue. "You might have a large chunk of the boots on the ground leaving, but it seems very clear that the American air power is going to remain," al-Saadi says.
(2018-12-20). The Lives We Changed in 2018. aclu.org 
Because of the generosity of ACLU members, these people are free to live their lives again. | This year hasn't been easy: Thousands of families are still suffering the effects of family separation; the Muslim ban continues to keep loved ones apart; and whole generations of family trees are being decimated by an unfair, out-of-control mass incarceration machine. But beneath the headlines, the news alerts, and the legal battles are a few glimmers of hope that ACLU supporters made possible., , Here are some of our favorite moments from 2018. | Ansly Breathes Free Again : | Ethics teacher Ansly Damus fled…
(2018-12-20). Democrats Want More Police Funding But Punt On Educational Equity. therealnews.com 
In a sweeping series of public policy moves, Maryland Democrats announced support for bolstering policing in the state's poorest city while signaling delays in initiatives advocates hoped would boost the state's most neglected public school systems.
(2018-12-20). UAE: Fears grow for health of unjustly imprisoned academic. amnesty.org The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must immediately and unconditionally release Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, a prisoner of conscience whose health has deteriorated sharply in recent days, said Amnesty International today. | Dr Nasser bin Ghaith is serving a 10-year sentence for criticizing the UAE in comments posted on Twitter after a grossly unfair politically motivated trial. | "News that Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has deteriorated sharply…
(2018-12-20). United Arab Emirates: Further Information: Hunger-Striking Academic In Critical Condition: Dr Nasser bin Ghaith. amnesty.org Dr Nasser bin Ghaith's health has severely deteriorated. The prominent Emirati economist and academic has been on hunger strike for over 70 days in al-Razeen prison in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to protest the detention conditions and the denial of access to medical care. He is a prisoner of conscience.
(2018-12-19). Trump Administration Recommends Slashing Civil Rights Protections for Students of Color. aclu.org A federal commission's post-Parkland recommendations include reversing an Obama-era guidance on racial disparities in school discipline. | On Tuesday, the Federal Commission on School Safety issued recommendations that it claims will help makes schools safer following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. But at the center of the report is a proposal that will endanger millions of public school students, especially students of color and students with disabilities, by reversing federal guidance intended to address racial disparities in school discipline. Doing away with the guidance will weaken federal civil rig…
(2018-12-19). Mental Health Experts & Rights Groups Call for Unceasing Media Coverage of Separated Migrant Children. democracynow.org 
It's been more than four months since a judge ordered the Trump administration to reunite all families that were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, but 140 children are still separated from their parents in U.S. custody. It is believed that 30 children will never be reunited. Despite this, family separation is no longer in the daily headlines. We speak with a Harvard psychologist who is trying to change this by calling on U.S. media outlets to highlight the growing number of days that migrant children have been forcibly separated from their parents. Dr. Paula J. Caplan is a clinical and research psychologist an…
(2018-12-19). When Best Practice Isn't Good Enough: Large Campaigns of Phishing Attacks in Middle East and North Africa Target Privacy-Conscious Users. amnesty.org We have identified several campaigns of credentials phishing, likely operated by the same attackers, targeting hundreds of individuals spread across the Middle East and North Africa. | In one campaign, the attackers were particularly going after accounts on popular self-described "secure email" services, such as Tutanota and ProtonMail. | In another campaign, the attackers have been targeting hundreds of Google and Yahoo accounts, successfully bypassing common forms of two-factor authentication.
(2018-12-18). Marc Lamont Hill Speaks Out After CNN Fires Him for Pro-Palestine Speech at U.N. democracynow.org 
Less than a month after CNN fired Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill for giving a speech at the United Nations supporting Palestinian rights, we speak with him about the international attention his comments have received, academic freedom and why he feels it's more important than ever to speak out about Israeli human rights abuses. Marc Lamont Hill is a professor of media studies and urban education at Temple University. He is the author of several books, including "Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond." We also speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journa…
(2018-12-18). SPLC: Trump's school safety commission recommendations would make schools less safe. splcenter.org The Federal Commission on School Safety—established by President Trump following the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and led by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos—released a report today that recommends withdrawing the 2014 Department of Justice and Department of Education legal guidance on discriminatory discipline.
(2018-12-13). The #RedforEd Wave Is Likely to Build, Not Subside, in 2019. progressive.org Teachers unions are poised to strike across the country.
(2018-12-13). Push for profit: Births, babies and the bottom dollar. greenleft.org.au 
Reliable research into safe and healthy childbirth is being ignored by maternal hospitals in Australia. | Women are not told of the adverse effects of current interventions and practices in childbirth, or that not a single long-term study exists of the almost 50 childbirth drugs currently being used. | The majority of birthing mothers are drugged in some way and one in three women describes their birthing experience as "deeply horrifying". | Viable alternatives, such as homebirth or birth centres, are systematically defunded, demonised by the media and discredited by the medical establishment. | If mothers an…
(2018-12-12). Grinnell College 'Invites Trump onto Campus,' Aiming to Limit Student Collective Bargaining. progressive.org Student unionization efforts are underway at twenty-four U.S. universities—while the first independent undergraduate union in the country fights for survival.
(2018-12-11). Oppose nuclear weapons? Stop backing the companies that produce them. greenleft.org.au 
Research published by Don't Bank on the Bomb Scotland in September revealed the extent of Scotland's investments in nuclear weapons companies, including shares worth nearly £300 million held by the Scottish local government pension funds. | This week, new analysis by The Ferret showed that the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme (SPPS) holds shares worth £2 million in fossil fuels, arms and tobacco companies. This includes £175,495 in Rolls Royce, one of four key contractors involved in Britain's Trident nuclear…
(2018-12-10). Climate movement attracts new generation of activists. greenleft.org.au 
The latter part of 2018 will be remembered for the re-emergence of climate action on the national agenda. | Independent Kerryn Phelps' win in the Wentworth byelection promising "meaningful environmental action" and Labor's subsequent adoption of a 50% renewable energy policy by 2030 has come in the midst of researcher Rebecca Huntley's findings that "climate and environmental concerns" have increasingly become "a test of leadership" for voters. | These centrist platforms, however, have been rightly superseded by the newest base of the climate movement: high school students. | Tired of the "dinosaurs in parliament…