Daily Archives: 2019-08-04

2019-08-04: News Headlines

teleSUR (2019-08-03). Italy: Two Pregnant Women Evacuated From 'Open Arms' Vessel. telesurenglish.net Two African women in advanced gestation, who were rescued in the Mediterranean sea, were evacuated on Saturday from the Open Arms, a ship owned by Proactiva, a Spanish humanitarian organization. | RELATED: | New Ship to Resume Migrants Rescue Efforts in Mediterranean Sea | "Complete medical evacuation. Two pregnant women… [were] evacuated two hours ago by…

Israel Shahak (2019-08-03). "Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…

RT (2019-08-02). Pentagon testing 'spy balloons' across Midwest for 'persistent' domestic surveillance. rt.com The Pentagon is testing a new surveillance technology, using American citizens as guinea pigs. Test flying dozens of high-altitude 'spy balloons' over the Midwest, the project has alarmed privacy advocates and rights groups.

United Nations (2019-08-02). Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, demands immediate end to violence hampering response. un.org The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation in the response, as "the disease could spread rapidly, including to neighbouring countries, possibly having serious humanitarian consequences and impacting regional stability."

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2019-08-02). The Retainer Solution: The European Union, Libya and Irregular Migration. globalresearch.ca There is a venom in international refugee policy that refuses to go away: officials charged with their tasks, passing on their labours to those who might see the UN Refugee Convention as empty wording, rather than strict injunction carved upon …

Binoy Kampmark (2019-08-02). The Retainer Solution: The European Union, Libya and Irregular Migration. dissidentvoice.org There is a venom in international refugee policy that refuses to go away: officials charged with their tasks, passing on their labours to those who might see the UN Refugee Convention as empty wording, rather than strict injunction carved upon stone. They have all become manifest in the policy of deferral: humanitarian problems are for …

United Nations (2019-08-02). Friday's Daily Brief: Security Council Ebola response, UNICEF chief on 'devastating week' for children in Middle East and North Africa, climate and migration links. un.org Our main stories today: Security Council concern over DRC Ebola outbreak, head of UNICEF deplores 'devastating week' for children in MENA region, climate crisis to have 'extensive' effect on human settlement…

Staff (2019-08-02). Headlines for August 2, 2019. democracynow.org Pentagon to Receive $1.48 Trillion Under Two-Year Budget Deal, Russia Declares Nuclear Arms Treaty "Formally Dead" as U.S. Withdraws, Trump Threatens to Impose Steeper Tariffs on Chinese Goods, Puerto Rico Faces Succession Crisis as Disgraced Governor Resigns, Video Shows Dallas Police Mocking Man Who Died in Their Custody, Dozens Killed as Two Attacks Rattle Yemen's Port City of Aden, Four Killed as Sudanese Soldiers Fire on Peaceful Pro-Democracy Activists, Third Case of Ebola in Congolese City Sparks Fears in Neighboring Rwanda, U.S. Prepares to Withdraw Thousands of Troops Amid Peace Talks with Taliban, July…

Vijay Prashad (2019-08-02). Homage to OSPAAAL, the organisation of solidarity for the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. mronline.org Dear Friends, Greetings from the desk of the Tricontinental: Institute of Social Research. A few days ago, the 9th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Solidarity with Cuba came to a close. At the final meeting, Prachanda—the co-chair of the Nepal Communist Party—articulated a sentiment that is shared by billions of people around the world. Cuba, he said, 'is […] | Source

susan_p (2019-08-02). South Africa: Transforming community protests into an uprising. greenleft.org.au There were protests galore in the build up to South Africa's May 8 national elections, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the people's victory against Apartheid. Protests occurred in many parts of the country but predominately in Gauteng, the nation's industrial heartland, and in the Western Cape, with its legacy of colonialism. | The correlation of protests and elections is not new in South Africa. What was new, however, was the ferocity and proliferation of the protests. The images of chaos in the country's urban working class townships during the elections implied that there was a crisis underlying S…

pip.hinman (2019-08-02). Boycott HP products to show solidarity with Palestinians. greenleft.org.au Not many people know about the role of IT giant HP in Israel's grave violations of Palestinian rights and its system of military occupation, racial segregation and oppression. | Just as many companies profited from the South African Apartheid regime, HP is today profiting from Israel's apartheid policies towards Palestinians. It supplies Israel with technology, equipment and information that is used in its ongoing violations of Palestinians' rights. | July marked a year since Israel adopted its Jewish "nation-state" law, giving constitutional status to its apartheid policies towards Palestinian citizens of Israel…

United Nations (2019-08-01). Ten years on, crisis in Nigeria 'far from over'; UN and humanitarian partners urge support for millions still affected. un.org Ten years after the start of a violent insurgency in north-east Nigeria plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis that is "still far from over", the United Nations and its aid partners have underscored the need to "collectively redouble efforts" to help the most vulnerable.

Staff (2019-08-01). Headlines for August 1, 2019. democracynow.org Presidential Hopefuls Take Aim at Joe Biden During Second Night of Debates, Protesters Confront Joe Biden over Immigration Record, Protesters Confront NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio over Eric Garner's Death, NY Medical Examiner: Layleen Polanco Died of Epilepsy in Solitary Cell, U.N. Warns 21st Century's Worst Humanitarian Crisis Unfolding in Syria, Trump Administration Sanctions Iran's Foreign Minister, Sudan Schools Closed After Soldiers Massacre Students, Greenland Ice Melts at Rapid Pace as Temperatures Climb 30 Degrees Above Normal, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Promotes Climate Justice Proposal, 66 Seek Medical Care…

Staff (2019-07-31). Headlines for July 31, 2019. democracynow.org Sens. Sanders and Warren Tout Progressive Vision for 2020 as 2nd Democratic Debate Kicks Off, Detroit Activists Call on 2020 Dems to Tackle Pollution, Implement Green New Deal, North Korea Launches 2nd Ballistic Missile Test in Under a Week, 130 Hunger-Striking Prisoners in Egypt Decry Inhumane Treatment, Senators Question DOD Nominee John Hyten over Sexual Assault Accusations, Virginia Delegate Protests Trump Speech: "You Can't Send Us Back!", House Report Says Trump Adviser Ran Campaign Speech by UAE, Saudi Officials, California Bill Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose 5 Years of Tax Returns, 2 Chicago…

United Nations (2019-07-31). UN working 'intensively' to stop Ebola in eastern DR Congo, following second case in major border town. un.org Senior UN officials tasked with controlling the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have responded to Tuesday's confirmation of a second case of Ebola in Goma, a major trading town in the vast country's restive east, near the border with neighbouring Rwanda, which resulted in the death of the patient.

United Nations (2019-07-31). Wednesday's Daily Brief: World Breastfeeding Week kickoff, Second Ebola death on DR Congo's eastern border,‚ÄØUN chief lauds climate activist Thunberg, Afghan bus attack, and outgoing UN agriculture chief hands over reigns. un.org Our main stories today cover: ‚ÄØWorld Breastfeeding Week kickoff, Ebola on DR Congo side of Rwandan border, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg to said to UN climate summit, UN chief condemns deadly Afghan bus attack and UN agriculture agency chief marks last day.

United Nations (2019-07-31). FROM THE FIELD: Turning waste into a business in the slums of Yaoundé, Cameroon. un.org The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with modern economies is posing a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tons of solid waste are collected worldwide, according to the UN Environment Programme.

Staff (2019-07-30). Headlines for July 30, 2019. democracynow.org Gilroy, CA Shooter Touted White Supremacist Text, Posted Racist Content Before Massacre, Trump Renews Attacks on Rep. Cummings, Lashes Out at Al Sharpton, Senate Fails to Override Trump Vetoes on Bills Blocking Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Air Raids Kill At Least 10 in Northern Yemen, 5 Teenage Students Killed by Security Forces in Sudan, Brazil: At Least 57 Killed in Prison Riot, 164 Environmental Activists Killed in 2018, Indigenous Activists Protest Real Estate Development in New Zealand, Greenland's Ice Sheet at Risk of Record Melting, CNN and MSNBC to Host Climate Crisis-Centered Events, Kamala Harris R…

Dean Baker (2019-07-29). The Dangerous Austerity Politics of the Washington Post. fair.org Washington Post ( 7/17/19) | The Washington Post ( 7/17/19) ran a column this month by Maya MacGuineas, the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, one of the many pro-austerity organizations that received generous funding from the…

United Nations (2019-07-29). Monday's Daily Brief: Nigeria massacre, Libya shelling condemned; recycled plastic used to build classrooms in Cà¥te d'Ivoire. un.org Our main stories today: UN chief and senior UN official condemn the 'terrible massacre' in Nigeria that left some 65 dead, and the shelling of a hospital in Libya that killed medical workers; UN Secretary-General António Guterres reacts to a deadly landslide in China; recycled plastic waste is used to build classrooms in Cà¥te d'Ivoire; and scouts are urged to become human rights defenders.

United Nations (2019-07-29). With Libyans now 'fighting the wars of others' inside their own country, UN envoy urges Security Council action to end violence. un.org Fighting in Libya "shows no signs of abating", the head of the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL), told the Security Council on Monday, painting a grim picture of worsening humanitarian conditions, and warning that the instability and influx of foreign weapons is fueling a proxy war in the north African country.

United Nations (2019-07-29). Easing 'classroom crisis' in Cà¥te d'Ivoire, brick by (plastic) brick. un.org In an innovative partnership, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a Colombian social enterprise announced on Monday that it had broken ground on a first-of-its-kind factory to convert plastic waste in Cà¥te d'Ivoire into modular, easy-to-assemble, low-cost plastic bricks for classrooms in the West African country.

Staff (2019-07-29). Baltimore Residents: Trump's Attacks on the City Are Rooted in "Racism and White Supremacy" democracynow.org President Trump is facing widespread outrage after describing Baltimore as a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess" in tweets attacking Congressmember Elijah Cummings, one of the most prominent African-American lawmakers in Washington. Trump tweeted that Cummings's district is "considered the Worst in the USA," and said "no human being would want to live there." Trump's initial tweets came after Fox News ran a story about Baltimore and after Cummings criticized the conditions of immigration jails along the Mexican border. Officials across Baltimore and Maryland denounced the president's remarks, and The Balti…

SHREKKKLITR (2019-07-12). SPLC: Holiday recognizing early Ku Klux Klan leader an insult to Tennessee residents. splcenter.org Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has proclaimed Saturday as Nathan Bedford Forrest Day in his state, honoring a Confederate general who became the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist organization that targets African Americans.

CounterSpin (2019-06-14). Sandy Cioffi on Nigerian Oil, Riki Ott Looking Back at Exxon Valdez Spill. fair.org Media…

2019-08-04: Social Media Postees

Italy: Two Pregnant Women Evacuated From 'Open Arms' Vessel
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-03
Two African women in advanced gestation, who were rescued in the Mediterranean sea, were evacuated on Saturday from the Open Arms, a ship owned by Proactiva, a Spanish humanitarian organization. | RELATED: | New Ship to Resume Migrants Rescue Efforts in Mediterranean Sea | "Complete medical evacuation. Two pregnant women… [were] evacuated two hours ago by…
telesurenglish.net/news/Italy-Two-Pregnant-Women-Evacuated-From-Open-Arms-Vessel-20190803-0006.html

"Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East
Israel Shahak | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-03
When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…
globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815

Security Council gravely concerned by Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, demands immediate end to violence hampering response
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-02
The UN Security Council on Friday expressed grave concern about the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and stressed the urgency of broad cooperation in the response, as "the disease could spread rapidly, including to neighbouring countries, possibly having serious humanitarian consequences and impacting regional stability."
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1043651

The Retainer Solution: The European Union, Libya and Irregular Migration
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-02
There is a venom in international refugee policy that refuses to go away: officials charged with their tasks, passing on their labours to those who might see the UN Refugee Convention as empty wording, rather than strict injunction carved upon stone. They have all become manifest in the policy of deferral: humanitarian problems are for …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/the-retainer-solution-the-european-union-libya-and-irregular-migration/

The Retainer Solution: The European Union, Libya and Irregular Migration
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
There is a venom in international refugee policy that refuses to go away: officials charged with their tasks, passing on their labours to those who might see the UN Refugee Convention as empty wording, rather than strict injunction carved upon …
globalresearch.ca/european-union-libya-irregular-migration/5685406

Pentagon testing 'spy balloons' across Midwest for 'persistent' domestic surveillance
rt.com | 2019-08-02
The Pentagon is testing a new surveillance technology, using American citizens as guinea pigs. Test flying dozens of high-altitude 'spy balloons' over the Midwest, the project has alarmed privacy advocates and rights groups. | …
rt.com/usa/465694-pentagon-spy-balloon-tests/

Friday's Daily Brief: Security Council Ebola response, UNICEF chief on 'devastating week' for children in Middle East and North Africa, climate and migration links
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-02
Our main stories today: Security Council concern over DRC Ebola outbreak, head of UNICEF deplores 'devastating week' for children in MENA region, climate crisis to have 'extensive' effect on human settlement…
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1043661

Homage to OSPAAAL, the organisation of solidarity for the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2019-08-02
Dear Friends, Greetings from the desk of the Tricontinental: Institute of Social Research. A few days ago, the 9th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of Solidarity with Cuba came to a close. At the final meeting, Prachanda–the co-chair of the Nepal Communist Party–articulated a sentiment that is shared by billions of people around the world. Cuba, he said, 'is […] | Source…
mronline.org/2019/08/02/homage-to-ospaaal-the-organisation-of-solidarity-for-the-peoples-of-asia-africa-and-latin-america/

South Africa: Transforming community protests into an uprising
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-02
There were protests galore in the build up to South Africa's May 8 national elections, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the people's victory against Apartheid. Protests occurred in many parts of the country but predominately in Gauteng, the nation's industrial heartland, and in the Western Cape, with its legacy of colonialism. | The correlation of protests and elections is not new in South Africa. What was new, however, was the ferocity and proliferation of the protests. The images of chaos in the country's urban working class townships during the elections implied that there was a crisis underlying S…
greenleft.org.au/content/south-africa-transforming-community-protests-uprising

Boycott HP products to show solidarity with Palestinians
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-02
Not many people know about the role of IT giant HP in Israel's grave violations of Palestinian rights and its system of military occupation, racial segregation and oppression. | Just as many companies profited from the South African Apartheid regime, HP is today profiting from Israel's apartheid policies towards Palestinians. It supplies Israel with technology, equipment and information that is used in its ongoing violations of Palestinians' rights. | July marked a year since Israel adopted its Jewish "nation-state" law, giving constitutional status to its apartheid policies towards Palestinian citizens of Israel…
greenleft.org.au/content/boycott-hp-products-show-solidarity-palestinians

Ten years on, crisis in Nigeria 'far from over'; UN and humanitarian partners urge support for millions still affected
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-01
Ten years after the start of a violent insurgency in north-east Nigeria plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis that is "still far from over", the United Nations and its aid partners have underscored the need to "collectively redouble efforts" to help the most vulnerable.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1043581

Headlines for July 31, 2019
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-31
Sens. Sanders and Warren Tout Progressive Vision for 2020 as 2nd Democratic Debate Kicks Off, Detroit Activists Call on 2020 Dems to Tackle Pollution, Implement Green New Deal, North Korea Launches 2nd Ballistic Missile Test in Under a Week, 130 Hunger-Striking Prisoners in Egypt Decry Inhumane Treatment, Senators Question DOD Nominee John Hyten over Sexual Assault Accusations, Virginia Delegate Protests Trump Speech: "You Can't Send Us Back!", House Report Says Trump Adviser Ran Campaign Speech by UAE, Saudi Officials, California Bill Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose 5 Years of Tax Returns, 2 Chicago…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/31/headlines

UN working 'intensively' to stop Ebola in eastern DR Congo, following second case in major border town
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-31
Senior UN officials tasked with controlling the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have responded to Tuesday's confirmation of a second case of Ebola in Goma, a major trading town in the vast country's restive east, near the border with neighbouring Rwanda, which resulted in the death of the patient.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043501

Wednesday's Daily Brief: World Breastfeeding Week kickoff, Second Ebola death on DR Congo's eastern border,‚ÄØUN chief lauds climate activist Thunberg, Afghan bus attack, and outgoing UN agriculture chief hands over reigns
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-31
Our main stories today cover: ‚ÄØWorld Breastfeeding Week kickoff, Ebola on DR Congo side of Rwandan border, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg to said to UN climate summit, UN chief condemns deadly Afghan bus attack and UN agriculture agency chief marks last day.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043561

FROM THE FIELD: Turning waste into a business in the slums of Yaoundé, Cameroon
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-31
The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with modern economies is posing a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tons of solid waste are collected worldwide, according to the UN Environment Programme.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043541

Headlines for July 30, 2019
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-30
Gilroy, CA Shooter Touted White Supremacist Text, Posted Racist Content Before Massacre, Trump Renews Attacks on Rep. Cummings, Lashes Out at Al Sharpton, Senate Fails to Override Trump Vetoes on Bills Blocking Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Air Raids Kill At Least 10 in Northern Yemen, 5 Teenage Students Killed by Security Forces in Sudan, Brazil: At Least 57 Killed in Prison Riot, 164 Environmental Activists Killed in 2018, Indigenous Activists Protest Real Estate Development in New Zealand, Greenland's Ice Sheet at Risk of Record Melting, CNN and MSNBC to Host Climate Crisis-Centered Events, Kamala Harris R…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/30/headlines

Monday's Daily Brief: Nigeria massacre, Libya shelling condemned; recycled plastic used to build classrooms in Cà¥te d'Ivoire
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-29
Our main stories today: UN chief and senior UN official condemn the 'terrible massacre' in Nigeria that left some 65 dead, and the shelling of a hospital in Libya that killed medical workers; UN Secretary-General António Guterres reacts to a deadly landslide in China; recycled plastic waste is used to build classrooms in Cà¥te d'Ivoire; and scouts are urged to become human rights defenders.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043371

With Libyans now 'fighting the wars of others' inside their own country, UN envoy urges Security Council action to end violence
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-29
Fighting in Libya "shows no signs of abating", the head of the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL), told the Security Council on Monday, painting a grim picture of worsening humanitarian conditions, and warning that the instability and influx of foreign weapons is fueling a proxy war in the north African country.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043381

The Dangerous Austerity Politics of the Washington Post
Dean Baker | fair.org | 2019-07-29
Washington Post ( 7/17/19) | The Washington Post ( 7/17/19) ran a column this month by Maya MacGuineas, the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, one of the many pro-austerity organizations that received generous funding from the…
fair.org/home/the-dangerous-austerity-politics-of-the-washington-post/

Easing 'classroom crisis' in Cà¥te d'Ivoire, brick by (plastic) brick
United Nations | un.org | 2019-07-29
In an innovative partnership, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a Colombian social enterprise announced on Monday that it had broken ground on a first-of-its-kind factory to convert plastic waste in Cà¥te d'Ivoire into modular, easy-to-assemble, low-cost plastic bricks for classrooms in the West African country.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/07/1043351

Baltimore Residents: Trump's Attacks on the City Are Rooted in "Racism and White Supremacy"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-07-29
President Trump is facing widespread outrage after describing Baltimore as a "disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess" in tweets attacking Congressmember Elijah Cummings, one of the most prominent African-American lawmakers in Washington. Trump tweeted that Cummings's district is "considered the Worst in the USA," and said "no human being would want to live there." Trump's initial tweets came after Fox News ran a story about Baltimore and after Cummings criticized the conditions of immigration jails along the Mexican border. Officials across Baltimore and Maryland denounced the president's remarks, and The Balti…
www.democracynow.org/2019/7/29/donald_trump_elijah_cummings_baltimore_tweets

SPLC: Holiday recognizing early Ku Klux Klan leader an insult to Tennessee residents
SHREKKKLITR | splcenter.org | 2019-07-12
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has proclaimed Saturday as Nathan Bedford Forrest Day in his state, honoring a Confederate general who became the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist organization that targets African Americans.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/12/splc-holiday-recognizing-early-ku-klux-klan-leader-insult-tennessee-residents

SPLC: Holiday recognizing early Ku Klux Klan leader an insult to Tennessee residents
SHREKKKLITR | splcenter.org | 2019-07-12
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has proclaimed Saturday as Nathan Bedford Forrest Day in his state, honoring a Confederate general who became the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, a terrorist organization that targets African Americans.
splcenter.org/news/2019/07/12/splc-holiday-recognizing-early-ku-klux-klan-leader-insult-tennessee-residents