2018

Washington, DC (Foreign Policy in Focus) – Russian money saved Trump when his projects were on the verge of collapse. Will it now be the cause of his political demise? Marty Byrde has a problem. His partner at the financial services firm has been skimming off the top of the money-laundering service they’re providing a […]

China

Trump has Launched a Trade War with China: Why he will Lose

Reese Erlich

When I first reported from China in 1980, bicycles outnumbered cars on Beijing’s major streets, and the tallest building in town was a 25-story hotel. I visited a small village that had one black and white TV, which everyone watched at night. Today China’s major cities are jammed with modern factories, skyscrapers, and large public […]

Turkey

Turkey’s Erdogan Defies Trump over Sanctions Threat, Pastor, & Warns US Losing Ally

Raziye Akkoc

Ankara (AFP) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the US in comments published Sunday that sanctions would not force Ankara to “step back” after Donald Trump threatened to punish Turkey if a US pastor was not freed. “You cannot make Turkey take a step back with sanctions,” Erdogan said in his first comments since relations […]

Arab World

Trump Disses Real NATO, now Wants Unrealistic Arab NATO

Juan Cole

The Trump White House is again hoping for a summit of Gulf Arab leaders this fall, after the last one collapsed. The idea is to establish a Middle East Strategic Alliance against Iran. It would involve supplying these countries with US-made anti-missile batteries and training their militaries for better self-defense against Iran. Trump is not […]

Immigration

Immigrant Youth Shelters: “If you’re a Predator, It’s a Gold Mine

ProPublica

We obtained police reports and call logs from more than two-thirds of the shelters housing immigrant children. Here’s what they show.

Syria

US-Backed Kurds Propose rejoining Syria if it will Decentralize

AFP

Qamishli, Syria (AFP) – A US-backed Kurdish-led alliance said on Saturday that it is seeking a roadmap for a decentralised Syria in talks with the government which opened in Damascus this week. The Syrian Democratic Forces alliance, which controls a swathe of the north and northeast, said it had agreed with the government to form […]

Government surveillance

How Exactly the Russian GRU and Troll Disinformation Campaign Worked: By an Ethical Hacker

The Conversation

By Timothy Summers | – College Park, Md (The Conversation) – The Soviet Union and now Russia under Vladimir Putin have waged a political power struggle against the West for nearly a century. Spreading false and distorted information – called “dezinformatsiya” after the Russian word for “disinformation” – is an age-old strategy for coordinated and […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israeli-Palestinian Lawmaker quits Parliament over Racist Nationality Law

AFP

Jerusalem (AFP) – An Israeli Arab lawmaker resigned on Saturday and branded the parliament “racist” after it passed a controversial new law which declares Israel the nation state of the Jewish people. The new legislation speaks of Israel as the historic homeland of the Jews and says they have a “unique” right to self-determination there. […]

Climate Change

Global Heat Wave made Twice as Likely by Humans Burning Coal, Oil & Gas