Ferguson is planning to raise more revenue by increasing fines.

Other information confirms that this includes fines for traffic offenses. That will fall heavily on the poor, increasing the oppression they already suffer. Some will be jailed because they can't pay these fines, which will be an excuse for other fines.

Homeless squatters joined activists who sought to feed them, to occupy a disused bank in London. The government sent thugs to kick them out, true to its policy of screw the poor to help the rich; but two of the activists climbed on a balcony rather than leave.

This shows that the UK state regards the idea of feeding homeless people on Christmas as a danger so urgent that it warrants an eviction on Christmas eve to prevent it. (For me, as an Atheist, I don't particularly care that it was Christmas; I'd disapprove of the eviction equally much on any day of the year.)

The court ordered the activists be allowed to return temporarily to feed the homeless today. I guess someone decided to try to smooth over resentment over the eviction. I hope it does not succeed in that aim.

New Jersey is trying to clear away the democratic procedures that allow the residents of a city to block water privatization.

Governor Christie has a chance to block this by vetoing the bill. If he does not, it may hurt his presidential chances.

Israel's parliament is considering a law to bar the most outspoken Palestinian legislator from parliament.

I disagree with Ms Zoabi on her controversial statement: I think kidnaping children is wrong even in fighting a colonizing occupying power. Nonetheless, barring her from election to Parliament attacks the democratic rights of hundreds of thousands of people, and that is also wrong.

The low price of oil may be Saudi Arabia's plan to hurt Russia and Iran.

The article speculates that it may cause a big decrease in oil production a few years from now. I hope that leads to more renewables installation then, but it would be better to have a high oil price now to incentivize renewables now.