Daily Archives: August 31, 2019

2019-08-31: News Headlines

Eds. (2019-08-31). Corinna Lotz — Finding Ilyenkov: How a Soviet Philosopher Who Stood Up for Dialectics Continues to Inspire. mronline.org Corinna Lotz' Finding Ilyenkov can be read in a few hours, but for those readers taken with its ideas and appeal to the relevance of Ilyenkov's life and theory, this book provides a salient and fecund starting point for any variety of in-depth engagements relating to Ilyenkov, dialectical materialism and creative Soviet Marxism. | Source

Aaron Maté (2019-08-31). MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell hits Russiagate Rock Bottom. thegrayzone.com Aaron Maté slams MSNBC's latest Russiagate dud, exposing how Lawrence O'Donnell's embarrassing retraction is part of a pattern of bogus…

Justin Mikulka (2019-08-31). Bernie Sanders' plan to phase out nuclear power draws attacks — here's why they're wrong. nationofchange.org Attacks on the Sanders' climate plan appear to have less to do with the ongoing viability of nuclear power as a legitimate climate solution and more to do with an ongoing effort to convince the public to subsidize another unsuccessful sector of the energy industry.

Shane Quinn (2019-08-31). Reckless Path to Nuclear Weapons Leaves Us Looking Over the Edge. globalresearch.ca After two years of analysis and inquiries, Roosevelt formally established America's nuclear program on 19 January 1942, called the Manhattan Project — with a final $2 billion budget supporting it ($36 billion today) and employing over 130,000 people.

Afroze Fatima Zaidi (2019-08-31). The Pakistani PM needs to realise that nuclear warfare is never the answer. thecanary.co In an op-ed in the NY Times, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has addressed the situation in Kashmir. With India's military crackdown in Kashmir still ongoing, Khan has made an appeal to world leaders, and India in particular, to open dialogue on the issue. | The bulk of the a…

Sarah Abed (2019-08-31). Putin Balances Turkish Fighter Jet Interest with Syria's Fight Against Terrorism. globalresearch.ca On Tuesday, the biennial MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Show kicked off in Russia's Zhukovsky International Airport. This important event has drawn spectators, journalists, and photographers from around the world every odd year since 1992. What began as an entertaining …

teleSUR (2019-08-30). 'SpaceCom' is Trump's Response to Threats From China and Russia. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the creation of the "Space Command" (Spacecom), a new institution whose mission will be to protect the interests of his country in space, which is considered as a realm that the United States, China and Russia are disputing. | RELATED: | Trump Cancels Trip, Florida on Alert as Hurricane Strengthens

Michael T. Klare (2019-08-30). The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer. thenation.com The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer…

Aaron Maté (2019-08-30). Does scathing Comey report preview a Russiagate reckoning? thegrayzone.com A scathing DOJ report rebukes former FBI director Jim Comey for leaks about the Trump-Russia investigation. Scholar and author Stephen…

Press TV (2019-08-30). Is a Rouhani-Trump Meeting Imminent? dissidentvoice.org PressTV Interview Transcript www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qsp1UcXqEo&feature=youtu.be Peter Koenig 29 August 2019 Background Tehran and Washington have been locked in a dispute since last year when the US unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear agreement and re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani within …

Louis Proyect — Pawe≈Ç Szelegieniec (2019-08-30). The Hitler-Stalin Pact, Reconsidered. counterpunch.org On August 26th, an article titled "The Hitler-Stalin Pact of August 23, 1939: Myth and Reality" appeared on CounterPunch. It made many useful points about the right of the USSR to conclude a non-aggression pact with any capitalist nation in light of the invasion that nearly destroyed it in the early 1920s. While Cold War More

Max Parry (2019-08-30). Hollywood reboots Russophobia for the New Cold War. dissidentvoice.org ‚ÄãIt is an age-old question as to the extent art reflects the world we live in. Bertolt Brecht allegedly said to the contrary that art was "not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it." The Marxist German playwright devised theatrical methods designed to distance the audience from the …

Eric Walberg (2019-08-29). Putin and Russia, the World's "Heartland" dissidentvoice.org Russia has always fascinated me—the mystical orthodox faith brought to Kievan Rus in the ninth century, the stern heroes who defended Muscovy against the Golden Horde in the 13—15th centuries, the vast spaces, the remarkable literature of Pushkin and Tolstoy, the Bolshevik Revolution against imperialism … The West has always been a bit jealous of …

RT (2019-08-29). Do ratings trump accountability in journalism? Latest retracted MSNBC 'bombshell' suggests 'yes'. rt.com Lawrence O'Donnell's walkback of a supposed "bombshell" story involving a claim that Donald Trump received loans co-signed by Russian billionaires is the latest sign that journalism has become accountability-free. | Indicating that MSNBC deliberately chose to prioritize hype over facts, O'Donnell admitted on air that the claim needed "a lot more verification before [it] can be a confirmable fact" — but he reported it anyway. | Typically, when a journalist does not have enough information to verify a claim, they wait until such time that they do. When that basic tenet of journalism is lost, the news becom…

unitedEditor (2019-08-29). A safe zone in Syria: a renewed military crisis or a diplomatic solution? uwidata.com The establishment of safe zones in war-torn countries is supposed to entail a reduction in violence. However, in the present situation in Syria, US involvement in the establishment of a safe zone will lead to the direct military entrenchment of Washington, Turkey, Russia, and Syria, and will only cause the situation to deteriorate further. WHY …

RT (2019-08-29). Trump reviews Ukraine aid to ensure it's being used in US' interests — report. rt.com US President Donald Trump is reviewing military aid to Ukraine to ensure American interests are being "prioritized," according to a senior administration official, putting the funding on hold and enraging Russiagate truthers. | Around $250 million in funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, earmarked for weapons, training, equipment and intelligence support, has been frozen while administration officials review whether the money is being used "in the best interest of the United States," the official told Politico on Wednesday. Trump reportedly wants to ensure that other nations are "paying their…

RT (2019-08-29). 'Apologies are not enough': Eric Trump threatens to sue MSNBC & host over Russian loan 'smear'. rt.com Eric Trump says he's taking legal action against MSNBC and its host Lawrence O'Donnell for slandering and smearing the Trump family and company, while President Donald Trump took to Twitter to slam the host. | Trump responded to O'Donnell's tweet apologizing for "en error in judgement" on his Last Word show on Tuesday night in which he claimed that the president took out bank loans with the help of Russian billionaires. The MSNBC host walked back his report after the president's attorney complained to the network. | "Apologies are not enough," Eric Trump later tweeted, claiming O'Donnell's "true intent" was to…

United Nations (2019-08-29). Thursday's Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen. un.org A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.

United Nations (2019-08-29). Bringing nuclear test ban treaty into force a 'central pillar' of global disarmament push, says UN chief. un.org The legacy of nuclear testing is "nothing but destruction," and in a world of rising tensions, "our collective security depends" on bringing a global treaty into force that bans nuclear explosions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said.

United Nations (2019-08-29). 'Ground Zero': Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. un.org Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.

Staff (2019-08-29). Remembering Legendary Peace Activist Frances Crowe, Who Died at 100 After Decades of Resisting War. democracynow.org The legendary peace activist Frances Crowe died this week at the age of 100 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Over the past seven decades, Frances had been arrested countless times while protesting war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the construction of new pipelines. She is survived by her two sons, a daughter and an international community of peace activists. We revisit a 2005 interview of Frances Crowe by Amy Goodman and recognize her lifetime of advocacy.

unitedEditor (2019-08-28). G7 Summit: Critical Outcomes. uwidata.com In the French city of Biarritz, a three-day summit featuring the heads of state from 7 of the world's largest economies (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan) has come to a close. The hottest topics of discussion were trade relations, a nuclear deal with Iran, the protests in Hong Kong, the …

Aaron Maté (2019-08-28). Russiagate skeptics are vindicated, but conspiracy theorists are rewarded (w/ Glenn Greenwald). thegrayzone.com Glenn Greenwald on Robert Mueller's disappearance; how Andrew McCabe has become the latest former U.S. intelligence official to join either…

United Nations (2019-08-27). Tuesday's Daily Brief: UN envoy on Middle East peace process, child labour in Nepal, latest deadly Mediterranean shipwreck, DRC's Goma 21-days free of Ebola transmission, UN chief urges ban on nuclear testing. un.org A recap of Tuesday's stories: UN envoy says tangible steps 'can, and must be taken' to reverse the 'negative trajectory' of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; child labour case in Nepal highlights 'widespread and systematic' abuse; some 40 people drowned off the coast of Libya in Mediterranean shipwreck; DR Congo's Goma passes key 21-day period free of Ebola transmission; and UN chief calls for global support in putting an end to nuclear weapons testing.

Staff (2019-08-26). Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux" democracynow.org Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…

Staff (2019-08-26). Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl. democracynow.org Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…

Staff (2019-08-23). Sen. Merkley on the Dangers of a New Nuclear Arms Race & Why He Backs the Green New Deal. democracynow.org Fallout from the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is mounting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to prepare for what he called a "symmetrical response" after the U.S. tested what it said was a nonnuclear cruise missile earlier this week. The U.S. launch was the first test of its kind since the Trump administration withdrew from the INF. We speak to Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon about U.S. nuclear policy, as well as the Green New Deal, President Trump's wish to buy Greenland and more.

Staff (2019-08-23). "Our House Is On Fire": Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest. democracynow.org The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. Indigenous people in Brazil have accused far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction. Bols…

Eoin Higgins (2019-08-01). Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard. theantimedia.com The Kamala Harris' campaign jumped to tie Gabbard and her campaign to a nebulously defined and unclear Russian conspiracy.

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-17). Peace Action Endorses Ayanna Pressley for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 17, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, and its affiliate Massachusetts Peace Action, endorsed Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and …

2019-08-31: Social Media Postees

Corinna Lotz — Finding Ilyenkov: How a Soviet Philosopher Who Stood Up for Dialectics Continues to Inspire
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-08-31
Corinna Lotz' Finding Ilyenkov can be read in a few hours, but for those readers taken with its ideas and appeal to the relevance of Ilyenkov's life and theory, this book provides a salient and fecund starting point for any variety of in-depth engagements relating to Ilyenkov, dialectical materialism and creative Soviet Marxism. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/08/31/corinna-lotz-finding-ilyenkov-how-a-soviet-philosopher-who-stood-up-for-dialectics-continues-to-inspire/

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell hits Russiagate Rock Bottom
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-31
Aaron Maté slams MSNBC's latest Russiagate dud, exposing how Lawrence O'Donnell's embarrassing retraction is part of a pattern of bogus…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/31/aaron-mate-demolishes-lawrence-odonnells-embarrassing-russiagate-retraction/

Bernie Sanders' plan to phase out nuclear power draws attacks — here's why they're wrong
Justin Mikulka | nationofchange.org | 2019-08-31
Attacks on the Sanders' climate plan appear to have less to do with the ongoing viability of nuclear power as a legitimate climate solution and more to do with an ongoing effort to convince the public to subsidize another unsuccessful sector of the energy industry.
nationofchange.org/2019/08/31/bernie-sanders-plan-to-phase-out-nuclear-power-draws-attacks-heres-why-theyre-wrong/

Reckless Path to Nuclear Weapons Leaves Us Looking Over the Edge
Shane Quinn | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-31
After two years of analysis and inquiries, Roosevelt formally established America's nuclear program on 19 January 1942, called the Manhattan Project — with a final $2 billion budget supporting it ($36 billion today) and employing over 130,000 people.
globalresearch.ca/reckless-path-nuclear-weapons-leaves-looking-edge/5665290

The Pakistani PM needs to realise that nuclear warfare is never the answer
Afroze Fatima Zaidi | thecanary.co | 2019-08-31
In an op-ed in the NY Times, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has addressed the situation in Kashmir. With India's military crackdown in Kashmir still ongoing, Khan has made an appeal to world leaders, and India in particular, to open dialogue on the issue. | The bulk of the a…
thecanary.co/opinion/2019/08/31/the-pakistani-pm-needs-to-realise-that-nuclear-warfare-is-never-the-answer/

Putin Balances Turkish Fighter Jet Interest with Syria's Fight Against Terrorism
Sarah Abed | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-31
On Tuesday, the biennial MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Show kicked off in Russia's Zhukovsky International Airport. This important event has drawn spectators, journalists, and photographers from around the world every odd year since 1992. What began as an entertaining …
globalresearch.ca/putin-balances-turkish-fighter-jet-interest-syria-fight-against-terrorism/5687663

'SpaceCom' is Trump's Response to Threats From China and Russia
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-30
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the creation of the "Space Command" (Spacecom), a new institution whose mission will be to protect the interests of his country in space, which is considered as a realm that the United States, China and Russia are disputing. | RELATED: | Trump Cancels Trip, Florida on Alert as Hurricane Strengthens…
telesurenglish.net/news/SpaceCom-is-Trumps-Response-to-Threats-From-China-and-Russia-20190830-0003.html

Does scathing Comey report preview a Russiagate reckoning?
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-30
A scathing DOJ report rebukes former FBI director Jim Comey for leaks about the Trump-Russia investigation. Scholar and author Stephen…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/30/scathing-comey-report-russiagate-reckoning/

The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer
Michael T. Klare | thenation.com | 2019-08-30
The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer…
thenation.com/article/inf-treaty-pentagon-nuclear-weapons-russia-china/

Is a Rouhani-Trump Meeting Imminent?
Press TV | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-30
PressTV Interview Transcript www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qsp1UcXqEo&feature=youtu.be Peter Koenig 29 August 2019 Background Tehran and Washington have been locked in a dispute since last year when the US unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear agreement and re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani within …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/is-a-rouhani-trump-meeting-imminent/

The Hitler-Stalin Pact, Reconsidered
Louis Proyect — Pawe≈Ç Szelegieniec | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-30
On August 26th, an article titled "The Hitler-Stalin Pact of August 23, 1939: Myth and Reality" appeared on CounterPunch. It made many useful points about the right of the USSR to conclude a non-aggression pact with any capitalist nation in light of the invasion that nearly destroyed it in the early 1920s. While Cold War…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/30/the-hitler-stalin-pact-reconsidered/

Hollywood reboots Russophobia for the New Cold War
Max Parry | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-30
‚ÄãIt is an age-old question as to the extent art reflects the world we live in. Bertolt Brecht allegedly said to the contrary that art was "not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it." The Marxist German playwright devised theatrical methods designed to distance the audience from the …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/hollywood-reboots-russophobia-for-the-new-cold-war/

Thursday's Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045261

Putin and Russia, the World's "Heartland"
Eric Walberg | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-29
Russia has always fascinated me–the mystical orthodox faith brought to Kievan Rus in the ninth century, the stern heroes who defended Muscovy against the Golden Horde in the 13–15th centuries, the vast spaces, the remarkable literature of Pushkin and Tolstoy, the Bolshevik Revolution against imperialism … The West has always been a bit jealous of …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/putin-and-russia-the-worlds-heartland/

Do ratings trump accountability in journalism? Latest retracted MSNBC 'bombshell' suggests 'yes'
rt.com | 2019-08-29
Lawrence O'Donnell's walkback of a supposed "bombshell" story involving a claim that Donald Trump received loans co-signed by Russian billionaires is the latest sign that journalism has become accountability-free. | Indicating that MSNBC deliberately chose to prioritize hype over facts, O'Donnell admitted on air that the claim needed "a lot more verification before [it] can be a confirmable fact" — but he reported it anyway. | Typically, when a journalist does not have enough information to verify a claim, they wait until such time that they do. When that basic tenet of journalism is lost, the news becom…
rt.com/usa/467566-msnbc-odonnell-media-accountability/

'Apologies are not enough': Eric Trump threatens to sue MSNBC & host over Russian loan 'smear'
rt.com | 2019-08-29
Eric Trump says he's taking legal action against MSNBC and its host Lawrence O'Donnell for slandering and smearing the Trump family and company, while President Donald Trump took to Twitter to slam the host. | Trump responded to O'Donnell's tweet apologizing for "en error in judgement" on his Last Word show on Tuesday night in which he claimed that the president took out bank loans with the help of Russian billionaires. The MSNBC host walked back his report after the president's attorney complained to the network. | "Apologies are not enough," Eric Trump later tweeted, claiming O'Donnell's "true intent" was to…
rt.com/usa/467561-eric-trump-sue-msnbc-odonnell/

Trump reviews Ukraine aid to ensure it's being used in US' interests — report
rt.com | 2019-08-29
US President Donald Trump is reviewing military aid to Ukraine to ensure American interests are being "prioritized," according to a senior administration official, putting the funding on hold and enraging Russiagate truthers. | Around $250 million in funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, earmarked for weapons, training, equipment and intelligence support, has been frozen while administration officials review whether the money is being used "in the best interest of the United States," the official told Politico on Wednesday. Trump reportedly wants to ensure that other nations are "paying their…
rt.com/usa/467512-trump-freezes-ukraine-aid-review/

A safe zone in Syria: a renewed military crisis or a diplomatic solution?
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-29
The establishment of safe zones in war-torn countries is supposed to entail a reduction in violence. However, in the present situation in Syria, US involvement in the establishment of a safe zone will lead to the direct military entrenchment of Washington, Turkey, Russia, and Syria, and will only cause the situation to deteriorate further. WHY …
uwidata.com/5160-a-safe-zone-in-syria-a-renewed-military-crisis-or-a-diplomatic-solution/

Do ratings trump accountability in journalism? Latest retracted MSNBC 'bombshell' suggests 'yes'
rt.com | 2019-08-29
Lawrence O'Donnell's walkback of a supposed "bombshell" story involving a claim that Donald Trump received loans co-signed by Russian billionaires is the latest sign that journalism has become accountability-free. | Indicating that MSNBC deliberately chose to prioritize hype over facts, O'Donnell admitted on air that the claim needed "a lot more verification before [it] can be a confirmable fact" — but he reported it anyway. | Typically, when a journalist does not have enough information to verify a claim, they wait until such time that they do. When that basic tenet of journalism is lost, the news becom…
rt.com/usa/467566-msnbc-odonnell-media-accountability/

'Apologies are not enough': Eric Trump threatens to sue MSNBC & host over Russian loan 'smear'
rt.com | 2019-08-29
Eric Trump says he's taking legal action against MSNBC and its host Lawrence O'Donnell for slandering and smearing the Trump family and company, while President Donald Trump took to Twitter to slam the host. | Trump responded to O'Donnell's tweet apologizing for "en error in judgement" on his Last Word show on Tuesday night in which he claimed that the president took out bank loans with the help of Russian billionaires. The MSNBC host walked back his report after the president's attorney complained to the network. | "Apologies are not enough," Eric Trump later tweeted, claiming O'Donnell's "true intent" was to…
rt.com/usa/467561-eric-trump-sue-msnbc-odonnell/

Bringing nuclear test ban treaty into force a 'central pillar' of global disarmament push, says UN chief
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
The legacy of nuclear testing is "nothing but destruction," and in a world of rising tensions, "our collective security depends" on bringing a global treaty into force that bans nuclear explosions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045141

'Ground Zero': Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045221

Remembering Legendary Peace Activist Frances Crowe, Who Died at 100 After Decades of Resisting War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-29
The legendary peace activist Frances Crowe died this week at the age of 100 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Over the past seven decades, Frances had been arrested countless times while protesting war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the construction of new pipelines. She is survived by her two sons, a daughter and an international community of peace activists. We revisit a 2005 interview of Frances Crowe by Amy Goodman and recognize her lifetime of advocacy.
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/29/remembering_legendary_peace_activist_frances_crowe

G7 Summit: Critical Outcomes
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-28
In the French city of Biarritz, a three-day summit featuring the heads of state from 7 of the world's largest economies (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan) has come to a close. The hottest topics of discussion were trade relations, a nuclear deal with Iran, the protests in Hong Kong, the …
uwidata.com/5103-g7-summit-critical-outcomes/

Russiagate skeptics are vindicated, but conspiracy theorists are rewarded (w/ Glenn Greenwald)
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-28
Glenn Greenwald on Robert Mueller's disappearance; how Andrew McCabe has become the latest former U.S. intelligence official to join either…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/28/russiagate-skeptics-are-vindicated-but-conspiracy-theorists-are-rewarded-w-glenn-greenwald/

Tuesday's Daily Brief: UN envoy on Middle East peace process, child labour in Nepal, latest deadly Mediterranean shipwreck, DRC's Goma 21-days free of Ebola transmission, UN chief urges ban on nuclear testing
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-27
A recap of Tuesday's stories: UN envoy says tangible steps 'can, and must be taken' to reverse the 'negative trajectory' of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; child labour case in Nepal highlights 'widespread and systematic' abuse; some 40 people drowned off the coast of Libya in Mediterranean shipwreck; DR Congo's Goma passes key 21-day period free of Ebola transmission; and UN chief calls for global support in putting an end to nuclear weapons testing.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045031

Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/aug_8_russia_nuclear_accident

Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/kate_brown_chernobyl_manual_for_survival

Sen. Merkley on the Dangers of a New Nuclear Arms Race & Why He Backs the Green New Deal
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-23
Fallout from the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is mounting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to prepare for what he called a "symmetrical response" after the U.S. tested what it said was a nonnuclear cruise missile earlier this week. The U.S. launch was the first test of its kind since the Trump administration withdrew from the INF. We speak to Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon about U.S. nuclear policy, as well as the Green New Deal, President Trump's wish to buy Greenland and…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/23/amazon_fires_brazil_andrew_miller

"Our House Is On Fire": Brazil Faces Global Outrage as Massive Fires Spread in Amazon Rainforest
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-23
The United Nations is calling for the protection of the Amazon amid fears that thousands of fires raging across Brazil and some parts of Bolivia are rapidly destroying the world's largest rainforest and paving the way for a climate catastrophe. The fires have spread a vast plume of smoke across South America and the Atlantic Ocean that's visible from space. They're unprecedented in recorded history, and environmentalists say most of the fires were deliberately set by illegal miners and cattle ranchers. Indigenous people in Brazil have accused far-right President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction. Bols…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/23/jeff_merkley_us_nuclear_policy_green

Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard
Eoin Higgins | theantimedia.com | 2019-08-01
The Kamala Harris' campaign jumped to tie Gabbard and her campaign to a nebulously defined and unclear Russian conspiracy.

Kamala Harris Team Accused of "Inventing Conspiracies" About Tulsi Gabbard