(2020-02-03). "A Grand Tragedy": Democrats Slam Republican Stonewalling in Senate Impeachment Trial. democracynow.org 
The Republican-controlled Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump in just the third impeachment trial in U.S. history, with a final vote on the two articles of impeachment scheduled for Wednesday. On Friday, the Senate voted 51 to 49 against calling witnesses to the Senate trial. Just two Republican senators supported calling for witnesses and collecting new evidence: Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine. Without new witnesses, Republicans have cleared the biggest hurdle in their drive to acquit President Trump on the two impeachment charges, which relate to his withholding of military aid to Uk…
(2020-02-03). Trump trial closing arguments focus on voters, history. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (AP) — Closing arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial unfolded Monday more for history than to sway votes, one final chance to influence public opinion and set the record ahead of his expected acquittal in the Republican-led Senate. The House Democratic prosecutors drew on history, the Founding Fathers and common sense to urge …
(2020-02-03). Warren introduces repeal of federal OK of RTW laws. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—As the Democratic-run U.S. House plans to vote on the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act, the most-comprehensive pro-worker labor law reform in decades, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., split out a key anti-worker provision and introduced her own legislation to deal with it: Repeal of federal approval of states' infamous so-called "right to work" …
(2020-02-03). Teacher's photos document virus-hit Chinese city. thecanary.co 
A teacher who was starting a new life with his wife in the Chinese industrial centre of Wuhan when a viral outbreak spread across the city has documented the coronavirus fallout in a series of photos.Poland native Arek Rataj had recently taken a position teaching visual communication at Jianghan University, but almost immediately the metropolis of 11 million people, which had been teeming with Lunar New Year holiday revelry, turned quiet.A girl wears a face mask as she plays on a swing near the Yingwuzhou Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan (Arek Rataj/AP)Arek and his wife Jenina bought face masks for protection and ke…
(2020-02-03). 'Shame!' French govt in damage control mode after plan to grant parents 12 days leave over death of child rejected by MPs. rt.com 
The Elysee is trying to avert yet another scandal after President Macron's party-dominated parliament rejected a plan to extend work leave for parents who had experienced the death of a child, prompting cries of "Shame!" online. | The proposal, put forward by the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) and Agir (the Constructive Right), asked to extend the leave from five to 12 days, but was voted down by government deputies from French President Emmanuel Macron's La République En Marche! (LREM) party. | Anticipating the eruption of another national controversy, France's Labour Minister Muriel P&eacut…
(2020-02-03). ACLU: Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries — most of which are African nations. Under the new restrictions, nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan will no longer be able to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S., while Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be able to participate in the diversity visa lottery program. The ban, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban," already affects citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela and North Korea. The expansion is expected to affect more than 350 million people. Democrats say they will…
(2020-02-03). Laurie Garrett on How Trump Has Sabotaged America's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, the United States has declared a public health emergency and is barring foreign nationals who have recently traveled to China from entering the country. So far, there are 11 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S. The virus has claimed at least 361 lives in China. A 44-year-old man in the Philippines became the first casualty of the disease outside of China Saturday, and over the weekend the number of confirmed cases worldwide rose to at least 17,205 across more than two dozen countries, with most of those cases occurring in China. U.S. citizens who have visited H…
(2020-02-03). Democrats seek unity against Trump as Iowa caucuses launch nominating process. peoplesworld.org 
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(2020-02-03). Proof the Democratic Establishment Is Melting Down Over Sanders' Surge. truthdig.com 
NBC News reports that John Kerry has considered throwing his hat in the ring as part of a last-ditch effort to stop the Vermont senator.
(2020-02-03). America: Land of Make-Believe. truthdig.com 
If what happens in courtrooms across the country to poor people of color is justice, what is happening in the Senate is a trial. If the blood-drenched debacles and endless quagmires in the Middle East are victories in the war on terror, our military is the greatest on earth. If the wholesale government surveillance of the public, the revoking of due process and having the world's largest prison population are liberty, we are the land of the free. If the president, an inept, vulgar and corrupt con artist, is the leader of the free world, we are a beacon for democracy and our enemies hate us for our values. If Jesu…
(2020-02-03). Misleading Categories and Trump's Swamps. counterpunch.org 
It is remarkable how the Democratic Presidential candidates allow themselves to be pigeon-holed by the media as "moderate," "centrist," "extreme," "left-wing," and other abstract fact-deprived nomenclature. It is also astonishing that the Democratic operatives have made something called "electability" a yardstick for deciding who to vote for in the primaries. This is particularly ironic considering
(2020-02-03). As Bernie Sanders Surges Ahead of Iowa Caucus, DNC Under Fire For Changing Rules to Help Bloomberg. democracynow.org 
The Iowa caucuses take place today, kicking off the official start of the 2020 presidential election season. Democratic presidential candidates spent the weekend making last-minute pitches to voters at rallies across Iowa. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee is facing criticism for overhauling its rules, opening the door for billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is running a self-funded campaign, to take part in the next debate. This comes as fear is growing among some Democrats that Bernie Sanders might win the nomination. Politico reports a small group of DNC members have begun discussi…
(2020-02-03). Bernie Sanders Is the Only Candidate Who Can Save America. truthdig.com 
This piece originally appeared on Generations of orators have told the story that if you put a frog in a pan of steaming water it will immediately jump out, but if you put it in a pan of cold water and gradually heat it, it will be lulled and end up boiled to death. The story is not true of healthy frogs, who will in fact jump out of the pan as the water heats. But it appears to be true of human beings. | Human beings are being gradually being boiled, and they aren't bothering to jump out of the pan. | Related Arti…
(2020-02-03). Bernie Sanders Is Panicking All the Right Media Outlets. truthdig.com 
The New York Times. The Atlantic. The Washington Post. Name the major publication, it's running multiple hit pieces on the Vermont senator.
(2020-02-03). Youth Climate Activists Have Endorsed Bernie Sanders. Can It Tip the Scales? truthout.org A recent wave of endorsements reflects the Vermont Senator's appeal for younger voters who are concerned with climate. | As sparring continues within the ranks of the Democratic Party, a certain voting bloc — one that didn't yet exist during the 2016 presidential election because its members were in middle school and had not yet learned about climate breakdown — remains unified and outspoken as to who will get its vote in this election cycle. | "We're in a climate emergency, so the…
(2020-02-03). Financial Transactions Taxes Are No Longer a "Fringe" Idea. truthout.org I have been a proponent of financial transactions taxes (FTT) since I first came to Washington more than a quarter-century ago. Back then, the idea of taxing Wall Street was considered pretty ridiculous. Among elected members of Congress, only then-Rep. Bernie Sanders and a few other progressive types were willing to publicly get behind the idea. | Things have changed. Most of the candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination, including all three of the leading contenders, have made FTT part of their agen…
(2020-02-03). As Bernie Sanders Surges, DNC Launches "Troll Army" Ahead of Iowa Caucus. mintpressnews.com Nell Thomas, the only member of the cyber task force willing to make their participation public, was previously employed with the online arm of Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.
(2020-02-03). The Creation Myth of the Buttigieg Campaign. indybay.org Silence about truth is powerful propaganda…
(2020-02-03). Bossing Grown Folks Around: the Open Letter to the Greens. counterpunch.org Before a single primary vote has been tallied a number of big-shot progressive Democrats are already calling for the Green Party to stand down in an "open letter." Of all the issues we face, why focus so narrowly on marginal election maneuvers? Of all the movements we need to organize, why try to demobilize a
(2020-02-03). Democrats Slam Republican Stonewalling in Senate Impeachment Trial. truthout.org The Republican-controlled Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump in just the third impeachment trial in U.S. history, with a final vote on the two articles of impeachment scheduled for Wednesday. On Friday, the Senate voted 51 to 49 against calling witnesses to the Senate trial. Just two Republican senators supported calling for witnesses and collecting new evidence: Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine. Without new witnesses, Republicans have cleared the biggest hurdle in their drive t…
(2020-02-03). Lamar Alexander Is Retiring, But He'll Live in Infamy Forever for Saving Trump. truthout.org Good old Lamar! That would be Sen. Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee — known for that exclamation point after his name, his plaid shirts and his quixotic presidential campaigns. Well, Lamar! threw his reputation and legacy into the fetid compost heap of Donald Trump's presidency last Friday. Alexander is retiring after this term, so I guess Republicans figured he was the most expendable human sacrifice to step into the breach and betray his oath by casting the deciding vote refus…
(2020-02-03). Amy Klobuchar, endorsed by New York Times, denounced for railroading black teenager to prison for life. wsws.org Like Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, Klobuchar personifies the use of gender and racial politics to provide a phony "progressive" veneer to the grasping ambitions of middle class reactionaries of all stripes.
(2020-02-03). The Issue Dividing Democratic Candidates Is Hidden in Plain Sight. counterpunch.org Takes came in hot and heavy last weekend after the New York Times editorial board endorsed both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar for the Democratic presidential nomination, mercifully ending the paper's self-aggrandizing pseudo-event widely compared to … that's right … "The Apprentice." The Times split its endorsement due to the intra-Democratic cleave between what it
(2020-02-03). Corporate media and Democratic establishment target Sanders. wsws.org Sanders' response to the barrage of smears was to reiterate his support for whoever wins the Democratic nomination.
(2020-02-03). Iowa Media Back to the Future. counterpunch.org In the first week of February, every four years, coastal correspondents decamp to Iowa to cover the first-in-the nation nominating contest. Face-to-face, caucus by caucus, what the state lacks in demographics, it makes up for in down-home democracy, we're told. And down-home democracy rests on down-the-street media. That's why when the Des Moines Register endorses
(2020-02-03). Reject the Coverup! Protest to Rise Up for Our Democracy in Davis. indybay.org Central Park, 5th and B Street, Davis, CA 95616…
(2020-02-03). Headlines for February 3, 2020. democracynow.org GOP Refuses to Call Witnesses in Impeachment Trial, Paving Way for Trump's Acquittal, Iowa Caucuses Kick Off 2020 Elections as DNC Loosens Rules to Let Bloomberg into Debates, Trump Expands Racist, Anti-Muslim Travel Ban, Coronavirus Claims First Victim Outside of China as Death Toll Tops 360, Hospitals in Syria Targeted as 100,000s of Civilians Forced to Flee, Palestinian Authority Cuts Ties with U.S. and Israel over Trump Middle East Plan, Iraqi Protesters Slam Appointment of Establishment Prime Minister-Designate, Dept. of Defense: U.S. Dropped 7,500 Bombs on Afghanistan in 2019, 6 Indigenous Leaders Killed in…
(2020-02-03). Deepening Cruelties and Delusions on the Greek Frontier Islands. globalresearch.ca "Seventy-five years after the liberation of this place by the Red Army, we should all make this sacred commitment to never forget what happened here. And let us never forget that hatred, discrimination, intolerance have no place in our democracy" …
(2020-02-03). Democracy Is Fragile. Civil Rights Activists Already Know That. zcomm.org Mitch McConnell's conduct of Trump's Senate trial recalls the baleful history of southern racial injustice in the civil rights era…
(2020-02-03). 2019 Cal Tax Table and Most Tax Forms Not Online. indybay.org For 2019, unlike all previous years, we have to Email the Franchise Tax Board for the California Tax Table and most tax forms, except the 540, because they are not online. We cannot complete the 540 without this crucial table. The Email cannot be read or downloaded on many computers so one must then look to the email on your cell phone and get the magnifier to highlight the line you need for your tax due. This insanity and inefficiency is brought to us by Democratic Gov Newsom and his supermajority Democratic legislature.
(2020-02-03). Anxiety, Unpredictability in Iowa on Eve of Caucuses. truthdig.com Democratic presidential candidates hustle across the state trying to fire up voters and make one last appeal to those still on the fence.
(2020-02-03). With Medicare for All on the Table, Iowans Are Caucusing for Their Lives. truthout.org Democrats in Iowa are voting for their lives as they gather for the presidential caucuses today. Besides beating President Trump,
(2020-02-03). These Blue-Collar Trump Supporters Think the Economy Is Great. zcomm.org At Trump's Milwaukee rally, supporters boasted that he's ushered in an economic miracle. Democrats face the challenge of convincing them otherwise…
(2020-02-03). Mourning in America: Kobe and Me. counterpunch.org When a sports legend dies, the emotional and political aftermath can speak volumes. For some like me, the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant along with his daughter and seven other souls in an LA-area helicopter crash on January 26 feels a bit like losing a close friend. That sounds confused and confusing. Bear with
(2020-02-03). Can Democrats Win Back Trump Voters—Without Compromising Their Soul? thenation.com Can Democrats Win Back Trump Voters—Without Compromising Their Soul?
(2020-02-03). Michael Bloomberg Is the Rich Man's Donald Trump. thenation.com Michael Bloomberg Is the Rich Man's Donald Trump…
(2020-02-03). 'Not a God': Disney Heiress Under Fire After Blasting Late Kobe Bryant Over Rape Allegations. sputniknews.com A helicopter crash on 26 January that killed American NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna provoked genuine mourning around the globe. However, some public figures also rushed to recall some of the basketball player's previous wrongdoings.
(2020-02-03). Turks | living in Europe | sue Greek lawmaker for 'unacceptable' attack on Turkish flag. yenisafak.com Turks living in Europe will file charges against Greek lawmaker Ioannis Lagos who ripped up a Turkish flag in an act that shocked and bewildered deputies during a session of the European Parliament.Led by the Union of International Democrats (UID), Turks living in Europe responded to the call of Turkey's Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gàºl for action, and immediately sought to bring the lawmaker to account for his actions."We will file a criminal complaint against the racist lawmaker due to his outrageous attack, insulting the Turkish flag and nation, and also his aggressive attitude and segregation against the…
(2020-02-03). In the Name of Medicare for All, This Family Doctor Will Vote for Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks while introducing healthcare legislation titled the "Medicare for All Act of 2019" with Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) during a news conference on Capitol Hill, on April 9, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/sanders_medicare_for_all_0.png …
(2020-02-02). Twitter bombarded with conspiracy theories after release of final Iowa poll AXED ahead of Democratic caucuses. rt.com 
The decision to cancel publication of the final Iowa poll before the Democratic caucuses has led to incendiary accusations that organizers had no legitimate reason to pull the survey and simply wanted to suppress its results. | A methodological error has been cited as the reason why the highly-anticipated final poll, originally scheduled to be released on the eve of Iowa's Democratic caucuses, would not be made public. | The CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom survey, conducted by respected polling agency Selzer & Co, is viewed as one of the most accurate — and important — polls during the presidentia…
(2020-02-02). A Look Back at Seven Centrist Defeats. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at a roundtable discussion on January 29, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_sanders_45.jpg …
(2020-02-02). Des Moines Register Cancels Gold-Standard Iowa Poll, Angering Bernie Supporters. theantimedia.com Bernie Sanders was expected to place first in the "gold standard" Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll, but the poll was shelved.
(2020-02-02). War with Iran Is at Stake—and Democrats' High Jumps Over Low Standards Aren't Helping. zcomm.org The huge crisis with Iran is more dangerous because so many Democrats have been talking out of both sides of their mouths…
(2020-02-02). This is the Way it Ends, Not with a Bang but a Whimper. commondreams.org Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) walk through the U.S. Capitol on February 8, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/republicans_senate.jpg …
(2020-02-02). Paranoid Groundings and Technocratic States: Hillary Clinton versus Mark Zuckerberg. globalresearch.ca It is another one of those contests and disagreements where the contestants should all loose, or at the very least, be subjected to a torturous stalemate. Hillary Clinton remains the nasty sprinkle on the Democratic Party in the United States, …
(2020-02-02). Anything Could Happen at the Iowa Caucuses. thenation.com Anything Could Happen at the Iowa Caucuses…
(2020-02-02). It's the Day Before the Iowa Caucuses, and No One Knows What's Going to Happen. thenation.com It's the Day Before the Iowa Caucuses, and No One Knows What's Going to Happen…
(2020-02-02). Because Bernie Showed 'There is a New Way Now,' Younger Democrats Backing Sanders, Says Michael Moore. commondreams.org "There have been approximately 15 million 17-year-olds in the past four years that have turned 18. And they are massively behind change." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/moore_0.jpg …
(2020-02-01). Object-lesson in ruling class privilege? Democrats ditch donor threshold for primary debates so Bloomberg can participate. rt.com 
The Democratic National Committee is loosening its debate qualifying criteria, opening the door to billionaire establishment darling Michael Bloomberg and angering candidates that had been excluded from prior events. | The same DNC that has held fast to its rules while one candidate after another complained about the seemingly arbitrary means of deciding which polls would count toward a qualifying threshold has opted to discard its individual donor requirement starting with the February debate. The rule had prevented former New York Mayor and billionaire media mogul Bloomberg from joining the previous forums.
(2020-02-01). It Should Be Easy to Defeat Trump, But Corporate Democrats Look Ready and Willing to Blow It. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) embrace after the Democratic Presidential Debate at the Fox Theatre July 30, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/warren_sanders_medicare_for_all_0.jpg …
(2020-02-01). DNC Insiders Plot Return of Superdelegates to Stop Sanders at Convention. truthout.org As the first contests of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary draw near and Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to rise in polling, a small group of party insiders are considering making a bid to reverse a rule change won by progressives and allow the establishment to pick a candidate. | That's according to reporting from Politico Friday night which claims a cadre of Democratic National Committee (DNC) insiders are plotting to return superdelegates—unelected party officials and elites—t…
(2020-02-01). The Times They Are a-Changin: Bernie Sanders. zcomm.org Sometimes it feels like our world is falling apart, but real change is all around us…
(2020-02-01). Senate rejects witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, setting the stage for acquittal. wsws.org The Democrats, refusing to oppose Trump on the basis of his real crimes, sought to use impeachment to settle differences over foreign policy.
(2020-02-01). DNC Showing Its True Colors (Again). commondreams.org Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during an event to open a campaign office at Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan, on December 21, 2019. (Photo: Jeff Kowalski/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/michael_bloomberg_1.jpg …
(2020-02-01). Tlaib forced to apologize for booing Hillary Clinton mention as Dems pressure Bernie to disown the 'squad'. rt.com 
Supporters of Hillary Clinton have rounded on Sen. Bernie Sanders, calling on the Democratic front-runner to disavow his campaign surrogates, after Rep. Rashida Tlaib booed Clinton at a campaign rally. The knives are out. | The race for the democratic nomination has become something of a rerun of 2016, with Hillary Clinton returning to the public eye to bash Sanders, the primary rival she narrowly edged out four years ago with the help of the Democratic National Committee. In recent weeks, Clinton has publicly claimed that "nobody likes" Sanders, and accused the Vermont Senator of failing to properly support h…
(2020-01-31). Does Pete Buttigeig represent the religious left? peoplesworld.org 
Of all the candidates for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, one in particular has used religion as a center stage for his political campaign. That individual is none other than the now former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete—Pete Buttigieg. Pete Buttigieg has brought up his religious background and used his religious views as one of …
(2020-01-31). Inappropriate, Not Impeachable: Key GOP Senator's "Astonishing" Statement Clears Way for Acquittal. democracynow.org 
The Republican-led Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump as early as today in his historic impeachment trial. On Thursday night, Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee announced he would vote against calling witnesses. Alexander said it was "inappropriate" for Trump to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival, but he went on to say "there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense." Democrats need four Republican senators to support calling for witnesses, bu…
(2020-01-31). Senate votes down Democrats' witness demand in Trump impeachment trial. rt.com 
The Republican-majority Senate has rejected Democrats' demand for additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump, paving the way for the likely acquittal verdict expected sometime next week. | Senators voted 51-49 not to call on more witnesses beyond the 18 that testified in the proceedings led by the House Democrats last year. | Two Republicans, Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), joined the Democrats in calling for additional witnesses — such as former national security adviser John Bolton. The rest of the GOP sided with the president's lawyers, who argued that…
(2020-01-31). The Myth of the "Electable" Democrat: Neoliberal Bankruptcy, 2020 Edition. counterpunch.org 
As the Democratic primaries near, the usual chorus of Democratic-establishment pundits have emerged to remind Americans that their party needs to remain "moderate" and appeal to "the center" if it wants to win the presidency. The calls for moderation are pervasive in commentary from the New York Times, the Hill, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.
(2020-01-31). Do Not Light That Fuse DNC. counterpunch.org 
Recent leaked audio indicates that Donald Trump feared Hillary Clinton opting for Bernie Sanders as her VP choice in the last election cycle. This alone should create a situation that would cause the DNC to realize the viability of a Sanders candidacy this time around, but obviously a win for their "team" is not the
(2020-01-31). Primary Colors: Live From the Iowa Caucuses, Biden, Pence and Trump. counterpunch.org 
by Matthew Stevenson This is the first part of periodic reports from the primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, and perhaps beyond, should the republic last until South Carolina and Nevada. To get to Iowa, I took an indirect all-American excursion, and arrived in Council Bluffs on the banks of the Missouri River by way
(2020-01-31). The Party's Over: Bernie's Last Dance With the Dems. counterpunch.org 
The Good I wrote six articles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) about the Bernie Sanders campaign during the 2016 primary. As everyone keeps saying, Bernie is a paragon of consistency, so my understanding of him stands unchanged. The political situation in 2020 is, however, significantly different, and has opened up new possibilities for the
(2020-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…
(2020-01-31). Minnesotans tell Klobuchar to drop White House run. Reports say she sent innocent Black teen to prison for life. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – "A young African American man by the name of Myon Burrell has spent more than half of his life incarcerated in Minnesota prisons under the leadership of Amy Klobuchar. She was the Hennepin County Attorney and she played a role in Myon Burrell being prosecuted for a crime that he did not commit," said Nekima Levy Pounds of Racial Justice Network, as she opened a press conference on January 29. "We want to lift up family of Tyesha Edwards, who was the victim in this case, an 11-year-old innocent child who was shot and killed. The incident that happened to Tyesha is extremely devastating. It sent s…
(2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …
(2020-01-31). Our Courts Are a Growing Threat to Democracy. thenation.com Our Courts Are a Growing Threat to Democracy…
(2020-01-31). Democrats Need to Break Their Cold War—Addled Impeachment Fever. thenation.com Democrats Need to Break Their Cold War—Addled Impeachment Fever…
(2020-01-30). Bush-era Iraq war authorization voted out by US House. rt.com 
The House of Representatives has voted to repeal a 2002 resolution authorizing the US to wage war on Iraq. The law was used by the Trump administration to justify the recent drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. | The House voted 236 to 166 to kill the 2002 Authorization for Military Force (AUMF) on Iraq, with eleven Republicans joining the Democrats to vote in favor, and two Democrats bucking their party to oppose it. | The 2002 AUMF was drafted during the presidency of George W. Bush to authorize the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and has been used by subsequent administrations to continue military acti…
(2020-01-30). Republicans are 'actual demons,' 'zombies,' says New York Times Nobel Prize-winning columnist. rt.com 
New York Times columnist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman has doubled down on denouncing the Republican Party as "bad people," insisting that there's nothing wrong with "demonizing" opponents who "actually are demons." | Krugman refused to budge from his declaration that "Republicans are bad people" during an interview with PBS' Firing Line on Thursday. When interviewer Margaret Hoover pressed the Nobel Prize-winning economist on the risks inherent in "demonizing" political opponents, he only doubled down, taking his ad hominems into the mythical realm. | Is it demonizing if they already actually are demons?
(2020-01-30). Hillary Clinton dodges attempt to serve her with Tulsi Gabbard's defamation lawsuit…twice. rt.com 
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has twice rebuffed efforts to serve her with Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard's "Russian asset" defamation lawsuit, even using the Secret Service to fend off the paperwork. | Secret Service agents first barred the process server from Clinton's Chappaqua, New York home on Tuesday, directing them to her lawyer, David Kendall, in Washington, DC, Gabbard's own attorney Brian Dunne told the New York Post on Wednesday. When they attempted to serve the lawsuit the following day at Kendall's firm, Williams & Connolly, however, the lawyer insisted he was unable…
(2020-01-30). "Coded Bias": New Film Looks at Fight Against Racial Bias in Facial Recognition & AI Technology. democracynow.org 
A new documentary looks at the dangers of artificial intelligence and its increasing omnipresence in daily life, as new research shows that it often reflects racist biases. Earlier this month, Cambridge, Massachusetts, became the latest major city to ban facial recognition technology, joining a growing number of cities, including San Francisco, to ban the artificial intelligence, citing flawed technology and racial and gender bias. A recent study also found that facial recognition identified African-American and Asian faces incorrectly 10 to 100 times more than white faces. The film "Coded Bias" begins with Joy B…
(2020-01-30). Ex-Solicitor General: Alan Dershowitz Is Wrong. Trump Is Not Above the Law & Should Be Impeached. democracynow.org 
President Trump's legal team offered an extraordinary new defense during Trump's impeachment trial on Wednesday. Attorney Alan Dershowitz said that a sitting president could take any action to boost his re-election chances if he felt his re-election was in the public interest. "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment," Dershowitz said. Trump was impeached by the House last month for freezing military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Ukraine to open an investigation of Trump's politi…
(2020-01-30). Why was Rand banned? Sen. Paul reveals his CENSORED question at Trump impeachment trial. rt.com 
As Senators gathered for the last day of questioning in President Trump's impeachment trial, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul found his question censored in a way that may have revealed the identity of the mysterious whistleblower. | With the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump nearing its final stages, senators gathered on Capitol Hill on Thursday to question the Democratic prosecution team, and Trump's defense attorneys. However, Paul (R-Kentucky) found his question shot down by presiding Chief Justice John Roberts, who declined "to read the question as submitted." | Paul left the chamber after Roberts' de…
(2020-01-30). How is Washington "Liberating" Free Countries. dissidentvoice.org There are obviously some serious linguistic issues and disagreements between the West and the rest of the world. Essential terms like "freedom", "democracy", "liberation", even "terrorism", are all mixed up and confused; they mean something absolutely different in New York, London, Berlin, and in the rest of the world. Before we begin analyzing, let us …
(2020-01-30). The Republicans Have Now Begun the Trolling Phase of the Impeachment Trial. thenation.com The Republicans Have Now Begun the Trolling Phase of the Impeachment Trial…
(2020-01-30). Headlines for January 30, 2020. democracynow.org Rev. William Barber: Mitch McConnell Is Bringing Old Southern Justice to U.S. Senate, European Parliament Votes to Ratify Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 170, Racial Justice Groups Call on Klobuchar to Suspend Campaign, French Firefighters Clash with Riot Police in Latest Protests Against Pension Overhaul, Cuban Man Dies in ICE Custody, Marking 6th Death Since October, Salvadoran General Admits U.S.-Trained Forces Carried Out 1981 Massacre, South Dakota Passes Bill Criminalizing Gender-Affirming Surgery, #DignidadLiteraria: Latino Writers Launch Campaign in Response to "American Dirt"
(2020-01-29). Mehdi Hasan: The Impeachment Trial Has Been a Farce Since Day One Filled with GOP Lies. democracynow.org 
At the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Republican senators in a private meeting Tuesday that he does not yet have enough votes to block Democrats from calling impeachment witnesses. Democrats have pushed for former national security adviser John Bolton to testify. On Sunday night, The New York Times published details about a draft of Bolton's forthcoming book, in which he claims Trump personally told him in August he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in military aid to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice Presi…
(2020-01-29). The Liberal Establishment is Already Warning Third Parties Not to Ruin the 2020 Election. mintpressnews.com 
Prominent liberal personalities, including Noam Chomsky, issued an open letter imploring third parties to "remove themselves as a factor" in the 2020 presidential election to "benefit all humanity and a good part of the biosphere."
(2020-01-29). "Yet Another Declaration of War on Palestinians": Rashid Khalidi on Trump's Middle East "Peace" Plan. democracynow.org 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to annex about 30% of the occupied West Bank, after Israel was given the green light to do so by the United States. On Tuesday, President Trump — with Netanyahu by his side — unveiled a so-called Middle East peace plan that was drafted by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner without any input from Palestinians. Under the plan, Israel will gain sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem would be under total Israeli control, and all Jewish settlers in the occupied territory will be allowed to remain in their homes. The plan…
(2020-01-29). Mehdi Hasan: Trump's Middle East Plan Is a Policy of Apartheid & Settler Colonialism. democracynow.org 
We continue our discussion of President Trump's long-awaited Middle East plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which he has described as the "deal of the century." The plan was drafted by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner without any input from Palestinians and would give Israel sovereignty over large areas of the occupied West Bank, control over all of Jerusalem, and keep all illegal settlements built in the occupied West Bank. We speak with Mehdi Hasan, senior columnist at The Intercept, and Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University. Khalidi's latest book is…
(2020-01-29). The Imminent Threat of Trump and the Value of Progressive Third Parties. dissidentvoice.org As predictable as death and taxes is the quadrennial injunction from liberals for progressive third parties to cease and desist. Equally predictable is the admonition that this will be the most decisive presidential election in US history. Given the prospect of four more years of Trump, do they have a valid thesis or are they …
(2020-01-29). Headlines for January 29, 2020. democracynow.org McConnell Tries to Secure Votes to Block Impeachment Witnesses, "Our Rights Are Not for Sale": Palestinians Reject Trump's Middle East Plan, Trump Praises Pompeo for Shouting and Cursing at NPR Reporter, WaPo Reinstates Reporter Suspended for Tweeting About Kobe Rape Case, Death Toll from Coronavirus Virus Hits 132, with 6,000 Infected, Over 100,000 Syrian Civilians Flee Regime Offensive in Idlib, Floods Kill 30, Displace 16,000 in Madagascar, Mississippi to Shut Down Unit of Parchman Prison After Deaths of 9 Prisoners, Maryland Cop Charged with Murder for Killing Handcuffed Man in Police Car…
(2020-01-28). Murder of Mexican Artist Isabel Cabanillas Highlights Endemic Issue of Femicide in Ciudad Juárez. democracynow.org 
Isabel Cabanillas, a 26-year-old beloved feminist activist and artist, was recently assassinated in Ciudad Juárez, resurfacing the border city's painful legacy of femicides and violence against women. Cabanillas was reported missing on social media by her friends on Saturday, January 18, after she never returned home. On that same day, she was found shot to death on a sidewalk next to her bicycle in downtown Juárez. We speak with Nana Rebell, a feminist activist in Ciudad Juárez and a member of the Juárez feminist collective Hijas de su Maquilera Madre, about Cabanillas's life and the endemic issue of femicide in…
(2020-01-28). Chinese Artist & Filmmaker Ai Weiwei on State Violence from Mexico to Hong Kong to Xinjiang. democracynow.org 
In 2014, 43 students from Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College disappeared after they were abducted in Iguala, Mexico. More than five years after their disappearance, the families of the students are still fighting for justice. The story is the subject of a stunning new documentary by the world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. The film, "Vivos," follows the families of the disappeared students in their daily lives as they grapple with the absence of their loved ones and attempt to hold the Mexican government accountable for their disappearance. We sat down with Ai Weiwei earlier this week at the Sund…
(2020-01-28). Trump's Expansive Claims of Executive Privilege Pose "Very Serious Constitutional Crisis" democracynow.org 
During eight hours of oral arguments at the president's impeachment trial on Monday, President Trump's legal team repeatedly said that he has done nothing wrong, and largely ignored the explosive revelations made by Trump's former national security adviser. The president's case was made on Monday by a team of lawyers including Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz and former independent counsel Kenneth Starr, whose probe led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. In an upcoming book, former national security adviser John Bolton says Trump told him the withholding of $391 million in military aid to Ukraine…
(2020-01-28). It's Media—Not Bernie Sanders—That Have an Antisemitism Problem. fair.org 
Have you heard the news? Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders is antisemitic. Yes, yes, he's Jewish, and has a So goes the story in several prominent media outlets, who accuse him of leading "the most antisemitic [campaign] in decades" (Washington Examiner,
(2020-01-28). Headlines for January 28, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Lawyers Says He Did No Wrong as Calls Mount for Bolton and Other Witnesses to Testify | , Trump to Unveil Middle East "Peace Plan" as Netanyahu Indicted over Corruption, SCOTUS Allows Trump's "Public Charge" Rule Targeting Low-Income Immigrants to Take Effect, State Dept. Bars NPR Reporter from Upcoming Pompeo Trip, Washington Post Suspends Reporter for Tweet About Kobe Bryant Rape Allegation, Mixed Accounts After U.S. Military Plane Crashes in Afghanistan, Torrential Rains and Landslides Kill At Least 46 People in Brazil, Nigerian Journalist Maxwell Nashan Killed, 2nd Accuser Testifies in Weinstein Trial a…
(2020-01-27). Explosive Bolton Book Allegations Spark New Calls for Witnesses to Testify at Impeachment Trial. democracynow.org 
Calls are growing for the Senate to call witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial, after The New York Times published details about former national security adviser John Bolton's forthcoming book. In the book, Bolton writes that President Trump personally told him in August that he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice President Joe Biden and supporters of Hillary Clinton in Ukraine. The New York Times broke the story on Sunday, one day after President Trump's legal team began its defense of the president. D…
(2020-01-27). Kobe Bryant Dead at 41: Remembering Basketball Star's Legacy On and Off the Court. democracynow.org 
Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant died Sunday in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles at the age of 41. The crash killed all nine people on board, including Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna and beloved college baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their 13-year-old daughter Alyssa. They were heading to a youth basketball game. Bryant won five NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals and was crowned an All-Star 18 times. He played for the L.A. Lakers for 20 years before retiring in 2016. Gianna Bryant reportedly hoped to one day play for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team. Tribute…
(2020-01-27). Under Pressure in Impeachment Trial, Trump Steps Up Attacks on Reproductive Rights. democracynow.org 
Donald Trump on Friday became the first sitting president in U.S. history to attend the so-called March for Life, the annual anti-abortion rally held in Washington, D.C., that draws thousands of participants. President Trump — who once described himself as "pro-choice in every respect" — accused Democrats of infanticide and falsely stated that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam supports an abortion bill that would "execute a baby after birth." The March for Life began in 1974 in response to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. Past…
(2020-01-27). To rig primary against Bernie, DNC chair Tom Perez nominates regime-change agents, Israel lobbyists, and Wall Street consultants. thegrayzone.com With Senator Bernie Sanders surging in the polls, DNC chair Tom Perez has put forward a cartoonishly neoliberal cast of…
(2020-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2020. democracynow.org Impeachment Trial Resumes as Leaked Bolton Manuscript Bolsters Democrats' Case, Coronavirus Death Toll Reaches 81 in China as Disease Spreads Around the World, Pentagon: 34 U.S. Troops Have Brain Injuries After Iranian Attack on Iraqi Airbase, Deadly Crackdown on Iraqi Protests Continue as 100,000s March Against U.S. Military Presence, Turkey Earthquake Kills 38; At Least 1,600 Hospitalized, Ugandan Activist Vanessa Nakate Slams Racist Media After Being Cropped from Photo with White Activists, Trump Attends Anti-Abortion "March for Life" as Admin Continues Assault on Reproductive Rights, High-Ranking Pharma Exec…
(2020-01-27). "Ours to Tell": New Film Highlights Personal Stories About the Importance of Abortion Access. democracynow.org 
As Roe v. Wade faces unprecedented attacks, the new short film "Ours to Tell" puts a human face to the fight for reproductive justice and highlights those whose stories are often sidelined by the media: LGBTQ communities and communities of color. The film focuses on Ylonda, Nick, Hannah and Brittany, four people who discuss how having access to abortion shaped their lives. The film was directed by Rayka Zehtabchi and was created by Planned Parenthood and We Testify. For more on the film, as well as the state of reproductive rights in the United States, we speak with Renee Bracey Sherman, founder and executive dir…
(2020-01-27). United States: As Iowa caucuses approach, Democratic battle lines emerge. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-01-25). Suing Hillary Clinton, Tulsi Gabbard stands up to the Russiagate smear machine. thegrayzone.com As Bernie Sanders ignores Hillary Clinton's attacks, Tulsi Gabbard is fighting back. Gabbard has filed a $50 million defamation suit…
(2020-01-24). Law Professor: Trump Could Also Have Been Impeached for War Crimes, Assassinations & Corruption. democracynow.org 
Democratic lawmakers are continuing to lay out their case for removing the president from office in the final day of opening arguments by Democrats in the historic impeachment trial of President Trump. Republicans will begin their opening arguments on Saturday. The Senate trial comes a month after the House impeached Trump for withholding congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump's political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. On Thursday, House impeachment manager Jerrold Nadler made the case that a president can…
(2020-01-24). International Court of Justice Orders Burmese Authorities to Protect Rohingya Muslims from Genocide. democracynow.org 
In a major ruling, the U.N. International Court of Justice at The Hague has ordered Burma to "take all measures within its power" to protect Rohingya Muslims from genocide. The court issued the ruling Thursday, calling the 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Burma, also known as Myanmar, "extremely vulnerable" to military violence. The court ordered Burma to report regularly to the tribunal about its progress. The ruling is a sharp rebuke of Burma's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who last month asked the court to drop the genocide case against Burma. Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent over a decade figh…
(2020-01-24). Headlines for January 24, 2020. democracynow.org Impeachment Managers Continue Opening Arguments in Trump's Senate Trial, 33 Million on Lockdown in Chinese Cities as Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads, Hundreds of Thousands of Iraqis March to Demand U.S. Troop Withdrawal, Trump Invites Israeli Leaders to White House for "Peace Plan" Unveiling, Mexican Soldiers Attack Central American Migrant Caravan, Arresting 800, U.S. to Send Ambassador to Bolivia After Coup That Ousted Evo Morales, Puerto Rican Protesters Demand Ouster of Gov. Wanda Vázquez, SC Official Switches Presidential Endorsement from Biden to Sanders, National Archives Replaces Doctored Women's March Photo…
(2020-01-23). "Dark Waters": Meet the Lawyer Whose 20-Year Fight Against DuPont Inspired the New Film. democracynow.org 
The new film "Dark Waters" tells the story of attorney Rob Bilott's 20-year battle with DuPont over contaminated drinking water in West Virginia from toxic chemicals used to make Teflon. The Environmental Working Group credited Billot with "uncovering the most heinous corporate environmental conspiracy in history," and the issue of contaminated water from the plastics industry continues to devastate areas across the country. On Wednesday, the Environmental Working Group released a shocking report about how toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS have been found in the drinking water of dozens of U.S. cities, in…
(2020-01-13). Miller Dismisses DACA in Emails, Mirroring Anti-Immigrant Extremists' Views. splcenter.org White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller went against many Republicans when siding with white nationalists and other extremists on the issue of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA, emails show.
