Matt Spetalnick and Patricia Zengerle – Record new U.S. military aid deal for Israel to be signed in days: sources

The United States and Israel have reached final agreement on a record new package of at least $38 billion in U.S. military aid and the 10-year pact is expected to be signed this week, sources close to the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The deal will represent the biggest pledge of U.S. military assistance made to any country but also involves …

Are Claims the US is Sabotaging Venezuela’s Economy Far Fetched?

As US-backed opposition groups take to the streets of Venezuela, following previously failed US-backed uprisings to effect regime change in the South American nation, Western analysts are particularly optimistic about the chances of success now considering the teetering state of Venezuela’s economy. The UK Independent in an article titled, “Venezuela accuses US of plotting coup as Washington warns of ‘imminent …

Daniel Lazare – US Hawks Advance a War Agenda in Syria

War, like politics, is filled with surprises. While the focus in Syria has been on a U.S.-backed rebel offensive in Aleppo that has succeeded in turning tables on Bashar al-Assad’s government, a new and unexpected flashpoint has developed 200-plus miles to the east where U.S. jets are engaged in a dangerous showdown with Syrian warplanes near the city of Hasakah. The …

Deirdre Fulton – US Support for Saudi Coalition Remains Steadfast, Despite Growing Outcry

The U.S. remains defiant in its support for the Saudi campaign in Yemen, even as its backing for the ongoing and indiscriminate assault comes under increasing scrutiny. Following a week that saw the Saudi-led coalition kill significant numbers of Yemeni civilians, including in an attack on a school and the bombing of a Doctors Without Borders facility—which led the charity to announce it was pulling its staff from the northern …

Willy Blackmore – Toxic Weed Killer Showing Up in Some of the Most Commonly Eaten Foods in America

From beer to wine to breakfast food, the pesticide glyphosate is showing up in a lot of places that consumers don’t expect to find it. The chemical, a key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, was declared a “probable carcinogen” by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer last year. Since then, a number of food and …

Claire Bernish – Thousands Have Cancer, Hundreds Are Dead From A Massive Chemical Attack On Americans

Asbestos. Though you’re likely familiar with the insidious minerals used in fireproofing and a number of other applications, first responders to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and residents in the area know intimately the dangers it can pose. Once you’ve breathed in even a single fiber of asbestos — a “known human carcinogen” — you’re theoretically …

Progressive Commentary Hour – 04.26.16

Today on the “Progressive Commentary Hour” Gary continues his great series, Conversations With Remarkable Minds.

Tonight from Australia we have John Pilger discussing “The rise of the world’s new ruling elite and the misery left in the wake of their climb to the top.”

First we played this You Tube clip of John from 2009 and then spoke to John for about 30 minutes: Here is John’s bio and a link to the video. Enjoy.

VIDEO: John Pilger – Obama & Empire

BIO:

John Pilger is one of the world’s most renowned investigative journalists and documentary filmmakers. Originally from Australia, John started his career with Reuters and the London Daily Mail, becoming its chief foreign correspondent and reporting from all over the world, notably Vietnam. He is the youngest journalist to receive the UK’s highest Journalist of the Year Award. He has reported on the civil rights movement in the US, marched to Washington following the assassination of Martin Luther King, reported from many war zones including Indonesia, Cambodia and the Middle East and conducted a 4 year investigation into the damage caused by the drug Thalidomide. John’s documentary films include coverage about the catastrophe in Cambodia, the genocide in East Timor, and several about the history of Australia and human rights abuses against Australia’s original Aboriginal population. His books have covered Iraq, Kosovo, and critiques of liberal media. Recently, one of John’s most important books — “The New Rulers of the World” — that exposes the underpinnings and motives of modern imperialism and the global economy has been updated and released. It is regarded by many as one of the most important investigations about postmodern power. John’s website is JohnPilger.com

Could bread mold build a better rechargeable battery?

You probably don’t think much of fungi, and especially those that turn bread moldy, but researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on March 17, 2016 have evidence that might just change your mind. Their findings suggest that a red bread mold could be the key to producing more sustainable electrochemical materials for use in rechargeable batteries. The researchers show …