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U.S. Meddled in Venezuela’s Elections, Says Venezuelan Foreign Minister

Archives for May 2018

The European Union Just Proposed a Ban on 10 Common Single-Use Plastics

“Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem, because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans, and in our food.”

Jessica Corbett
By Jessica Corbett
Baled plastic bottles waiting to be recycled at a UK recycling facility.

In a move welcomed by conservationists, the executive arm of the European Union (EU) on Monday proposed a ban on 10 common single-use plastics that, together with fishing gear, account for about 70 percent of marine litter across Europe. https://twitter.com/EU_Commission/status/1001043213866725376 The European Commission's ban would apply to

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DOJ Report: Purdue Pharma Knew of Opioid Abuse After Releasing OxyContin

Almost immediately after releasing OxyContin in 1996, Purdue Pharma received reports that patients were crushing and snorting the drug and stealing it from pharmacies.

Julia Conley
By Julia Conley
Pills persciption pharma OpioidPills prescription pharma Opioid

As lawsuits mount against the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma over its knowledge that one of its best-selling drugs was addictive and dangerous, a newly- uncovered Justice Department report shows that the multi-billion dollar corporation also knew that patients were abusing OxyContin shortly after the drug's release. Almost immediately

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Keith Ellison Slams Trump Scheme to Resurrect Child Labor

Keith Ellison is calling into question a Trump-led Department of Labor scheme to loosen rules around child labor laws.

Mark Gruenberg
By Mark Gruenberg
A 16-year-old worker harvests tobacco on a farm in Kentucky. Marcus Beasdale | Human Rights Watch

Teenagers in coal mines. Kids driving forklifts. 17-year-olds operating heavy and dangerous machinery with little training. All of that could be possible under a Trump Labor Department plan to consider relaxing the rules governing child labor. And Rep. Keith Ellison, DFL-Minn., is asking questions – lots of questions. He doesn’t like

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Gaza Flotilla Carrying Wounded Breaks Israel’s Unbearable Blockade

A boat carrying 25 Palestinians has set off from Gaza’s port with intention of reaching Cyprus, defying a 12-year siege.

Maram Humaid & Farah Najjar
By Maram Humaid & Farah Najjar

Gaza, Palestine - A flotilla carrying at least 25 patients, students and activists have broken Israel's imposed boundary off the coast of the Gaza Strip, the first time in more than a decade. The group set sail on Tuesday morning from the besieged Gaza Strip, hoping to break Israel's debilitating siege on the enclave that has trapped more than two

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Iranians Are Bracing Themselves for an All-Out Economic War

While the dogs of war bark, the Ancient – and New – Silk Road goes on forever and a civilization with a long and proud history gets on with life

Pepe Escobar
By Pepe Escobar
An Iranian talks on his cellphone in a carpet shop at the old bazaar in Tehran, Iran. Vahid Salemi | AP

The minute you set foot in the streets of Mashhad, the air smelling of saffron, a fine breeze oozing from the mountains, it hits you; you’re in the heart of the Ancient Silk Road and the New Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). To the east, the Afghan border is only three hours away on an excellent highway. To the north, the Turkmenistan border is

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How America’s Fifth Column Will Destroy Russia

John Bolton and the neocons should just relax. Neoliberal economics, which has the Russian financial interests, the Russian government and apparently Putin himself in its grip, will destroy Russia without war.

Paul Craig Roberts
By Paul Craig Roberts
russia sanctions

From the standpoint of Russia’s dilemma, this is an important column.  Putin’s partial impotence via-a-vis Washington is due to the grip that neoliberal economics exercises over the Russian government. Putin cannot break with the West, because he believes that Russian economic development is dependent on Russia’s integration within the Western

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