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This year is almost ending. Wow, I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings!

International Politics

Overall

– Lawrence Wilkerson explains to The Real News the blunders the U.S. took in terms of Syria and how they are currently limited as a result of Israel when facing the Islamic State

– William Blum: “American Exceptionalism and American Torture”

– The United Nations Security Council rejected a resolution denouncing Israeli occupation of Palestine

Middle East

– In Israel, authorities found two burnt bodies of Palestinians, who were brothers, and believe it to be a murder

– In Jerusalem, Arab bus drivers experience discrimination from reactionary Israelis with vile comments

– A former Hamas official blamed the Palestinian government for failing to protect Gaza

– Nine mass graves of Yazidis were found in northern Iraq and ISIS were blamed as the ones who killed them

– Speaking of ISIS, a magazine of theirs includes an interview with the captured Jordanian pilot who believes he will be killed

Africa

– Egypt is struggling as a result of a decline in economic aid from countries in the Gulf

– The Somalian government said a U.S. airstrike killed an intelligence official of al-Shabaab

Europe 

– After defying a house arrest to go to a protest, Russian critic Alexei Navalny was arrested by authorities. He was not specifically chosen, just arrested along with others at the protest.

– The U.S. next year will be placing more armored vehicles in eastern European countries for training

Latin America, Caribbean and Canada

– Part two with Sujatha Fernandes, a professor, and James Early, a director at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, about the Cuban Five along with the USAID program in Cuba

– Assata Shakur: “I Am A 20th Century Escaped Slave”

– Venezuela admitted it experienced a recession in the first half of the year, but blamed its enemies

Surveillance Planet

– Documents by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals some methods to best avoid the NSA’s snooping capabilities

– Lizard Squad, the group who originally took down the servers of the Playstation Network and Xbox Live, is offering their services for a price

Financial Matters

– With privatization of oil guaranteed by the Mexican state, it will only bring disaster for the citizens of the country

– Due to the decline in oil prices, a plan to create a terminal for liquefied natural gas in the U.S. is on hold

– Oil, by the way, fell to $57-per-barrel, which is a five and half year low

– New Jersey bailed out its failing tobacco bonds to save face with investors, which led to one hedge fund to make a lot of money

– Creative Associates International Inc., which failed to ruin hip-hop in Cuba through a USAID scheme, is quite the popular contractor among government agencies

Labor’s a-Brewing

– A good sum-up of nine major victories this year for labor in the U.S.; Of course, there are many more

– In definite agreement the Howie Hawkins campaign provided a boost for labor in New York State

Politics US

Washington USA

– Pew: For the first time in history, more undocumented immigrants caught passing the U.S. border were from the countries in Central America than from Mexico

– Jeb Lund: “If you’re a politician and your chummy past with neo-Nazis resurfaces, don’t worry. Ask Ron Paul”

– Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) changed his mind and will be stepping down from his position

Anytown USA

– Part two of five with Norman Finkelstein on his upbringing and how he began defending the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s

– Max Blumenthal: “Emails and Racist Chats Show How Cops and GOP Are Teaming Up to Undermine de Blasio”

– Meanwhile the NYPD is currently slowing down work, which means less arrests and ticketing

– Talk of community-orientated policing as a solution to our problems is just another problem in disguise

– Very disturbing to see the rape threats and calls of violence directed at journalist Rania Khalek for her criticism of Chris Kyle

– Ezell Ford, an unarmed black man, was shot three times by LAPD, including once in the back

We Don’t Need No Education

– Henry A. Giroux: “Barbarians at the Gates: Authoritarianism and the Assault on Public Education”

– A fraternity at Quinnipiac University was shut down after the college investigated it for hazing

The Second Sex

– A transgender teenage girl committed suicide after feeling frustrated her parents did not accept she was transgender; A very sad story

– Rebecca Solnit: “Listen up, women are telling their story now”

– A government investigation found Harvard Law School failed to help students suffering from sexual assault and harassment

Mixed Bag

– Kind of news, but there’s a fundraising campaign now for more than 60 Greeks living in the U.S. to vote in the upcoming Greek elections

– Quite a long read, yet informative about burgers made by a company that is environmentally-friendly and provides a lot of health benefits

– Good news! The ex-girlfriend of Ismaaiyl Brinsley was released from the hospital after being shot by Brinsley

Break Time

– Nightbirds [Labelle]