(2020-02-13). Evangelical Drug Gangs Attack Afro-Brazilian Religions. telesurenglish.net "They have expelled priests, broken sacred objects and people even died," Babalawo Ivanir dos Santos, a Yoruba priest, said of the current situation in Brazil where attacks on Afro-Brazilian religions doubled in 2019. | RELATED: | E In 2019, Brazil registered over 200 attacks against A…
(2020-02-13). We WILL protect you — or else: NATO members agree to expand Iraq mission, without regard for Baghdad's permission. rt.com 
NATO has vowed to expand its training operations in Iraq, paused last month after the US assassination of a top Iranian general. With growing anger in the country over foreign meddling, Baghdad is reluctant to OK the plan. | The alliance agreed "in principle" to "enhance" its training mission in Iraq after a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. When asked whether Baghdad had approved the project, the NATO head came up short, however. | "NATO is in Iraq on the invitation of the Iraqi Government, and we will only stay in Iraq as long as we are welcome. Because NATO full…
(2020-02-13). 'Worst idea ever!' Plans for Greta mural on North Dakota bakery scrapped after community outcry & boycott threats on social media. rt.com 
A planned mural featuring teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg in North Dakota has been tossed to the wind after news of the project stoked outrage among locals, who flooded social media with protests and threats to boycott. | The 7-foot mural was slated to be posted on an exterior wall of the Brick Oven Bakery in the city of Bismarck, however when local media outlet KFYR-TV brought the story to its Facebook page on Tuesday night, residents were immediately up in arms, with the
(2020-02-12). Sliding Toward Authoritarianism. counterpunch.org Now that Donald Trump has emerged from the impeachment fiasco bloody but unbowed, are Democrats justified in portraying his acquittal as an epic defeat for democracy? The short answer is yes — except that a conviction would have even been worse. In an interesting op-ed that ran in the New York Times in November, a
(2020-02-12). Scott Ritter Explains Warring in Syria WMD Lies. dissidentvoice.org Leaked documents from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) suggest that high-level officials manipulated or ignored the findings of those actually on the ground to investigate the alleged chemical attack that killed dozens of people in Douma, Syria in 2018. Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter shares his insights. He argues that …
(2020-02-12). Will Trump Ride Pentagon Spending to Reelection? counterpunch.org 
Donald Trump likes to posture as a tough guy and part of that tough-guy persona involves bragging about how much he's spent on the U.S. military. This tendency was on full display in a tweet he posted three days after an American drone killed Iranian Major General Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad: "The United States just
(2020-02-12). Sanders wins three-way contest in New Hampshire primary. wsws.org The self-styled "democratic socialist" defeated two more right-wing candidates, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar.
(2020-02-12). Rank-and-file teachers in Sydney adopt resolution defending Assange and Manning. wsws.org The resolution is the outcome of the initiative of the Committee For Public Education, acting independently of the trade union apparatus.
(2020-02-12). Australian MP to visit Julian Assange after tabling historic petition in parliament. thecanary.co Australian MP Andrew Wilkie has Visiting Assange in Belmarsh: | On 12 February, Wilkie shared a video announcing his plans to visit Assange at his own expense: | #freeassange
(2020-02-12). Afghanistan: How Many People Must Die For Trump To End The War. telesurenglish.net While U.S. President Donald Trump claims that the end of the war in Afghanistan is near, without making any real decision to do so, a recent report shows that more than 2,000 people died from combat during the U.S. 'reconstruction' of the Asian nation. | RELATED: | The reconstruction and stabilization missions carried out by the United States on Afghan territory have caused more than 2,200 deaths and more than 2,900 in…
(2020-02-12). War or Peace: Turkish backed Terrorists, Erdogan's Decision on Idlib. globalresearch.ca Turkish backed terrorists, following Radical Islam, which is a political ideology, have shot down a Syrian military
(2020-02-12). New Hampshire Primaries Paint a Picture of Modern Day Class War in America. mintpressnews.com While the primary totals for Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg were relatively close, their support came from radically different segments of the population.
(2020-02-12). Sanders Nabs New Hampshire In a Massive Boost for His Campaign. truthdig.com 
The Vermont senator is declared the winner of the presidential Democratic primary in the Granite State less than three hours after polls closes.
(2020-02-12). Evo Morales Thanked US Senator Bernie Sanders for His Support. telesurenglish.net Former President of Bolivia Evo Morales thanked Wednesday United States Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders who reiterated his rejection of the violent coup against the legitimate government of the Indigenous leader. | RELATED: | "The U.S. Democratic leader, Bernie Sanders, defends us and says: 'I do not like military coups.' We appreciate your statements and we agree: coups interrupt democracy and cause great suffering to the peopl…
(2020-02-12). Talking Points For News Anchors Against Sanders. counterpunch.org It appears the news directors of the cable channels have directed their anchors to note the following about Bernie Sanders in their objective, fair and balanced news coverage. 1. Bernie Sanders is a self-described socialist. A socialist cannot win in America. Repeat. A socialist cannot win in America. 2. Black people don't like him, and
(2020-02-12). Argentina: Pre-Trial Detention Order Against Fernandez Canceled. telesurenglish.net The Argentinian Justice resolved to cancel the pre-trial detention against the former President and current Vice President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, under a corruption accusation in a case denominated "The Notebooks". | The case, based on photocopied notes supposedly written…
(2020-02-12). Argentina: Pre-Trial Detention Order Against Fernández Canceled. telesurenglish.net The Argentinian Justice resolved to cancel the pre-trial detention against the former President and current Vice President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, under a corruption accusation in a case denominated "The Notebooks". | The case, based on photocopied notes supposedly written…
(2020-02-12). Media Presents Anger and Jeers Against Juan Guaido as Hometown Hero's Welcome. mintpressnews.com 
Upon his return to Venezuela, Juan Guaido was greeted by an enraged mob hectoring, jeering and manhandling him, kicking his car and covering him in water and other liquids.
(2020-02-12). The Russia-India Oil Deal Is an 'Unpleasant Surprise' for Iran, Not the US. globalresearch.ca Shishir Upadhyaya, a former Indian naval intelligence officer and one of RT's newest columnists, is incorrect in recently writing that the latest Russian-Indian oil deal is an "unpleasant surprise for Washington" since it's actually an "unpleasant surprise" for Tehran …
(2020-02-12). The Beasts and the Bombings: Reflecting on Dresden, February 1945. globalresearch.ca The Allied destruction of Dresden wasn't the biggest or deadliest aerial bombardment of a German city during World War II. But it is by far the most infamous, largely due to Kurt Vonnegut's anti-war masterpiece Slaughterhouse-Five. February 13 marks …
(2020-02-12). Did Venezuelan coup leader Ricardo Hausmann stage fake IDB resignation to keep cushy Harvard job? thegrayzone.com Caught in a conflict of interest with his employer at Harvard, Ricardo Hausmann publicly resigned his job as Guaido's Inter-American…
(2020-02-12). Iran: The Answer to Soleimani's Murder Is yet to Come. telesurenglish.net Iran's revenge for the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani remains to be seen and will be accompanied by the final U.S. expulsion from the region, high representatives of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force said Tuesday. | RELATED: | Iran's attack on U.S. military bases in Iraq on Jan. 8, which left more than 100 U.S. soldiers injured, "was a hard slap in the face," Commander of IRG…
(2020-02-12). Colombian Teachers Announce 2-Day Strike To Defend Right To Live. telesurenglish.net The RELATED: | Fecode President Nelson Alarcon called Colombian citizens to join this initiative in defense of life, peace, and democracy, "against the assassination, threats…
(2020-02-12). South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Slams Donald Trump's Israel Plan as Apartheid. globalresearch.ca The National Coalition for Palestine (NC4P), Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and BDS South Africa welcome the speech delivered by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa. | Addressing the AU, as the newly elected …
(2020-02-12). The blockade, a weapon that causes more death than war. mronline.org 
It deliberately affects defenseless civilians, such as children, the elderly and the sick. The US blockade against Cuba is the most severe and prolonged applied against any country, but it is estimated that one third of the world's population suffers its effects: there are more than eight thousand sanctions in 39 countries. |
(2020-02-12). Wall Street Invading Wet'suwet'en First Nation Territory. Uprising Across Canada. globalresearch.ca The uprising across Canada in support of Wet'suwet'en First Nation land defenders shows no sign of stopping. As of February 11, ports, bridges, rail lines, highways and roads have been blockaded across much of the country by solidarity protesters, who …
(2020-02-12). Wall Street Invading Wet'suwet'en Territory. counterpunch.org The uprising across Canada in support of Wet'suwet'en First Nation land defenders shows no sign of stopping. As of February 11, ports, bridges, rail lines, highways and roads have been blockaded across much of the country by solidarity protesters, who have also occupied the offices of politicians and at least one bank.
(2020-02-12). Chile: Almost 10,000 People Arrested in Four Months of Protests. telesurenglish.net Chile's National Institute of Human Rights (NHRI) released Wednesday a new report revealing the number of people arrested in the country over the popular protests is increasing. | RELATED: | Based on observations officials from the
(2020-02-12). Venezuela: From Oil Proxy to the Bolivarian Movement and Sabotage. Abysmal Poverty under US Proxy Rule (1918-1998). globalresearch.ca More than 70 percent of the population did not meet minimum calorie and protein requirements. Child malnutrition and infant mortality was exceedingly high. 23 percent of the population was illiterate. One child in four was marginalized from the educational system.
(2020-02-12). Climate emergency: Indonesia faces catastrophic floods, disappearing islands. mronline.org 
While the stark reality of the global climate emergency struck home in Australia with its worst bushfire season, its neighbour Indonesia faced catastrophic floods and islands disappearing below the rising sea. Green Left's Peter Boyle interviewed Yuyun Harmono, the climate change campaigner of Friends of the Earth Indonesia (Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia — WAHLI). |
(2020-02-12). Concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Hits Record High. truthout.org The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit a record high Monday, according to a reading from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that elicited fresh calls from climate activists and scientists for the international community to end planet-heating emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation. | According to NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory, an atmospheric baseline station in Hawaii, the
(2020-02-12). The Moroccan Atlas Mountains: Where Tradition Meets Climate Change. globalresearch.ca Two weeks ago, I set out with three of my colleagues from the High Atlas Foundation (HAF, Marrakech) to the village of Gourrama in the Moroccan Middle Atlas Mountains. Our journey, from sunrise to sunset, took us across rugged terrains …
(2020-02-12). Recession warnings fuel political instability in Australia. wsws.org The bushfire and coronavirus disasters have had an enormous economic and social impact.
(2020-02-12). World Health Organization warns of global risk from coronavirus outbreak. wsws.org Concerns have been voiced that the epidemic could spread widely, as cases among people who have never had contact with infected patients from China have now been diagnosed.
(2020-02-12). Wuhan Sends 34,000 Gov't Workers to Help Fight Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net More than 34,000 public servants, government workers and members of the Communist Party of China were mobilized to the 1,100 Wuhan communities to slow down the coronavirus burst. | The municipal committee of the Communist Party of China reported that the number of workers i…
(2020-02-12). The Battle for Los Cedros. counterpunch.org The last leg of the bus ride from Terminal La Ofelia, in the north of Quito, to the village of Chontal, located in Ecuador's northern highlands in the Intag Valley, is winding dirt road that takes you through small, cloud forest villages, sometimes overlooking precipitous drops to little silver ribbons of river far below. In spite
(2020-02-12). Sudan To Hand Ex-President Al-Bashir to ICC over Genocide. telesurenglish.net Sudan's government and rebel groups in Darfur agreed on Tuesday that all those wanted by the International Criminal Court should appear before the tribunal, a list that includes ousted president Omar al-Bashir. | RELATED: | Information Minister Faisal Saleh did not specifically name him when announcing the move but said the decision applied to all five Sudanese suspects wanted by the ICC over Darfur. Bashir is one of the five suspect…
(2020-02-12). Ilhan Omar Presents a New Proposal for US Foreign Policy. telesurenglish.net Rep. Ilhan Omar from Minnesota unveiled Wednesday an ambitious proposal for a more ethical and humane way for the United States (U.S.) to approach its foreign policies. | RELATED: | "As a child, I survived war, I have first-hand experience with how destructive war could be not only for the children but also for the country and for the future hopes and dreams of a whole nation," Omar says in a video announcing her plan. | The high p…
(2020-02-12). South Bend Residents Condemn Mayor Pete's Treatment of Black Community. truthout.org 2020 presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg has surprised many with his strong showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, two of the country's whitest states. But as the race moves on to South Carolina and Nevada, Buttigieg continues to poll extremely low with African-American voters. His own former constituents are condemning his treatment of the Black community in South Bend during his time as mayor, calling out systemic racism in the police force. During Buttigieg's…
(2020-02-12). Canada's Indigenous Community Challenges Pipeline. telesurenglish.net Canadian Indigenous communities opposing a multibillion-dollar pipeline project across their ancestral territory launched Wednesday a legal challenge over the environmental damages that such a project could have on their unceded land. | RELATED: | Hereditary chiefs of the British Columbia (BC) First Nation (the Wet' suwet' en nation) requested the federal court to declare Canada has a constitutional obligation…
(2020-02-12). The 'Yaravirus', a Mysterious Harmless Organism Found in Brazil. telesurenglish.net The scientific journal BioRxiv informed that Brazilian and French scientists discovered the "Yaravirus," a new harmless microorganism with 90 percent of its genetics unknown. | RELATED: | Named after the Brazilian Indigenous mythology's mermaid-queen Yara, this virus was found inside Pampulha, an artificial lake located in Belo Horizonte city in Minas Gerais. | Its discovery was published by the French researcher B…
(2020-02-12). CIA Used Swiss Company to Spy on Allies, Adversaries for Years. telesurenglish.net For decades, governments around the world trusted the Swiss encryption company Crypto AG to encode the communications of their spies, soldiers, and diplomats, unaware that it was secretly owned by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a highly classified partnership with West German intelligence. | RELATED: | The classified communications of the Swiss company's clients, which included Iran, military juntas i…
(2020-02-12). How The 1979 Revolution Reshaped Iran and Saudi Arabia. globalresearch.ca The Iranian revolution, which took place In November 1979, Juhayman al-Otaibi, a former corporal in the Saudi National Guard,…
(2020-02-12). Scuffle Between Syrian Civilians and US Soldiers Reflects Increasing Hostility to US Troops. mintpressnews.com Though today's incident in Qamishli is a rare occurrence, it is likely a harbinger of the region-wide push that has seen countries like Syria and Iraq take a firmer posture towards the presence of US troops in their countries.
(2020-02-12). Turkey Sends Reinforcements to Protect ISIS-Daesh in Idlib, Syria. globalresearch.ca Throughout nine years of preemptive US war in Syria, Turkey supported ISIS other jihadists, pretending otherwise. | Earlier in the war, Ankara colluded with ISIS in transporting, refining and selling stolen Syrian oil — Erdogan and other regime officials profiting hugely….
(2020-02-12). The Unspoken Crimes of World War II: Who Were the "Butchers of Dresden" globalresearch.ca This was originally published in 2018. | In World history, there are many actors who deserved a title of "Butcher" but there are only two persons whom the Western historians, journalists or political analysts pasted this label as the official mark …
(2020-02-12). Meet the Journalist Who Exposed Bloomberg's Racist Defense of "Stop-and-Frisk" truthout.org "#BloombergIsRacist." That's the hashtag that's trending on Twitter since audio of remarks made by 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg surfaced earlier this week. In the clip from the 2015 Aspen Institute, Bloomberg is heard defending the New York City Police Department's controversial "stop-and-frisk" policies, saying, "Ninety-five percent of your murders and murderers and murdered victims fit one MO. You can just take the description, xerox it a…
(2020-02-12). Der Spiegel is Citing Andy Ngo's Race-Scientist Ex-Editor to Attack Me and I'm Not Even Jewish: As the CEO of Antifa, I Must Object. counterpunch.org Europe's most widely-circulated news magazine, Der Spiegel, has a new piece up entitled "The Man Behind the Mask" that I was curious to read since it turns out to be about me. And to judge from the sub-headline, I've really let myself go: Journalist Barrett Brown supported the hacker collective Anonymous and was jailed for
(2020-02-12). Israeli Blocking of Palestinian Exports to Jordan Shows Reality of Apartheid that the Kushner Plan Would Only Cement. globalresearch.ca The
(2020-02-12). "Fake President" Juan Guaido Ends His International Tour, Returns to A Divided Venezuelan Opposition. globalresearch.ca We have to admit that the US public relations apparatus played a good stint at leaving Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó's visit with president Trump last in what seemed an afterthought. When many thought that Trump had snubbed him …
(2020-02-12). Left Media and Venezuela: An Exchange. fair.org 
Critique, Solidarity and Movement Building: A Reply to Lucas Koerner: | by Gabriel Hetland FAIR.org ( Lucas Koerner's recent piece for Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, "How Western Left Media Helped Legitimate US Regime Change in Venezuela" (
(2020-02-12). Salvini Faces Trial After Italian Senate Votes to Lift Immunity. telesurenglish.net Italy's Senate voted on Wednesday to lift the immunity for controversial far-right leader Matteo Salvini, paving the way for a potentially career-ending trial over accusations that he illegally detained migrants at sea last year. | RELATED: | Based on the preliminary results obtained by Reuters on Wednesday, the majority of the Italian Senate was in favor of removing the legal protection that had shielded Salvini as…
(2020-02-12). Cleveland-area officials announce plan to provide $14 million to industrial paint giant Sherwin-Williams. wsws.org The Fortune 500 company, which marked $1.5 billion in profits in 2019, is to be given millions in public funds in order to keep an undisclosed number of jobs in northeastern Ohio.
(2020-02-12). US: Trump Slashes Scheduled Pay Raise for Federal Workers. telesurenglish.net United States President Donald Trump slashed Monday a scheduled pay raise for millions of federal workers from 2.5 to one percent citing a "national emergency or serious economic conditions," despite on Feb. 11 tweeting that the country has the best economy in history. | RELATED: | "I have determined that for 2021 the across-the-board base pay increase will be limited to one percent," Trump said in a message to C…
(2020-02-12). Trump's First Offer was a Better Deal for Palestine…and Israel. counterpunch.org In early 2016, then-candidate Donald Trump pronounced himself "neutral" in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He also expressed pessimism that a deal between the two sides was even possible: "I have friends of mine that are tremendous businesspeople, that are really great negotiators, [and] they say it's not doable." It didn't take Trump
(2020-02-12). Does Duterte's "Military Independence" from the U.S. Create New Opportunities for China? globalresearch.ca The Philippines officially announced the ending of the National Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States. The denial of the U.S. military's presence will give China a chance to expand militarization of the South China Sea and severely weaken …
(2020-02-12). Baltic Republics' "De-Russification" Sees Increased Poverty and Depopulation. globalresearch.ca Pensioners in the Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are more exposed to the risk of poverty than pensioners in other European Union (EU) countries, according to
(2020-02-12). Thousands of Children Die Each Year Because of Air Pollution. telesurenglish.net Every year, the burning of fossil fuels claims four-million lives, including children, especially those living in low-income countries. The main victims, warns a report by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, are the impoverished people of the world. | RELATED: | It is estimated that approximately 40,000 children die annually before reaching age five due to exposure to particulate…
(2020-02-12). Trump "Peace Plan" Too Extreme Even for Former Right-Wing Israeli Prime Minister. truthout.org In an extraordinary joint press conference at the United Nations on Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert outlined their objections to Donald Trump's so-called "
(2020-02-12). US Forces Clash With Civilians in Northeast Syria. telesurenglish.net A Syrian civilian was killed on Wednesday in northeast Syria when U.S. forces opened fire on protesters blocking their path in the Al-Hasakah province, state-owned SANA reported. | RELATED: | The civilian, who was reportedly participating in the protest, was shot by the U.S. forces inside the village of Khirbat Ummo near Al-Qamishli city. | The report said the Syrian army stopped four U.S. military vehicles at the…
(2020-02-12). Argentina: Massive Marches Against International Monetary Fund. telesurenglish.net Argentina's social movements, political parties, and unions will march Wednesday to protest against the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which arrives in Buenos Aires to review the country's public accounts to renegotiate the external debt with RELATED: | "We support…
(2020-02-12). US Regime Change in Venezuela: The Documented Evidence. globalresearch.ca Washington's motivation is the fact that according to OPEC, Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves on Earth — more than Saudi Arabia and accounting for nearly a quarter of all OPEC production.
(2020-02-12). World War III's Newest Battlefield: the Arctic. counterpunch.org 
In early March, an estimated 7,500 American combat troops will travel to Norway to join thousands of soldiers from other NATO countries in a massive mock battle with imagined invading forces from Russia. In this futuristic simulated engagement — it goes by the name of Exercise Cold Response 2020 — allied forces will "conduct multinational
(2020-02-12). Trump removes restrictions on land mine use by US military. wsws.org The move is part of the preparations by the Trump administration for aggressive war and, in particular, plans for military conflict with ground forces against the primary rivals of US imperialism, Russia and China.
(2020-02-12). US Sanctions Venezuelan State Airline, Threatens Russian Oil Giant. globalresearch.ca The US government has sanctioned Venezuela's state-owned airline CONVIASA, claiming it is being used to "shuttle corrupt officials." | While already subject to previous US unilateral coercive measures, the latest sanctions add the airline and 40 of its planes to the …
(2020-02-12). Hundreds of thousands denied pensions in Russia. wsws.org The effect of Russia's 2018 pension reform is becoming clear, with 800,000 people who would have met the age requirement to receive funds no longer eligible.
(2020-02-12). Video: Turkey Fights Back Against 'Assad Aggression' in Idlib. globalresearch.ca The PR department of the Turkish Defense Ministry dealt a crushing blow to forces of the Assad regime that had once again treacherously attacked innocent Turkish personnel in the province of Idlib. At least 5 Turkish soldiers were killed and …
(2020-02-12). Deal Breaking Trump Regime to Abandon New START? globalresearch.ca Trump proved he's more a deal breaker than maker, abandoning international obligations instead of observing them — notably the landmark JCPOA and INF Treaty, based on Big Lies. | Is New START next to go? It's the only remaining arms control …
(2020-02-12). Erdogan Threatens to Strike Syrian Military by Air and Ground. telesurenglish.net Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated on Wednesday that Turkey is ready to strike the Syrian military by air and ground if another Turkish soldier is killed by the government forces. | RELATED: | Erdogan, who doubled down on his claim to strike the Syrian military, said Turkey is determined to push Syrian government forces beyond Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end this month, and he urged allied Syrian…
(2020-02-12). The Syrian Arab Army Secures Fully Control of the Damascus — Aleppo Highway. globalresearch.ca The Syrian Arab Army SAA has completed its main task within the current military operation by securing the Damascus — Aleppo Highway aka M5 after weeks of heavy clashes and fast maneuvers. | This is the first time since 2012 the …
(2020-02-12). Valuing Venezuela's Orinoco Oil Belt. globalresearch.ca Let's place 1 trillion barrels of oil in context. Global oil consumption is currently 35 billion barrels a year. Thus, the Orinoco Belt alone could satisfy 100% of global demand for almost 30 years! As for the Orinoco field's dollar value. World oil prices are currently hovering near $60 …do the math.
(2020-02-12). Guaido Is Ending His International Tour to Return to Venezuela to His Divided Opposition. globalresearch.ca We have to admit that the US public relations apparatus played a good stint at leaving Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó's visit with president Trump last in what seemed an afterthought. When many thought that Trump had snubbed him …
(2020-02-12). Pope Avoids Question of Married Priests in the Amazon. truthdig.com 
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis refused Wednesday to approve the ordination of married men to address a shortage of priests in the Amazon, sidestepping a fraught issue that has dominated debate in the Catholic Church and even involved retired Pope Benedict XVI. | Francis, in an eagerly awaited document, did not refer to the recommendations by Amazonian bishops to consider the ordination of married men as priests or women as deacons. Rather, the pope urged bishops to pray for more priestly vocations and to send missionaries to a region where faithful Catholics in remote areas can go months or even years without…
(2020-02-12). UK 'faces £16bn annual hit to economy' without urgent action to protect nature. thecanary.co 
The UK could be taking a £16bn a year hit to its economy by 2050 without urgent action to protect nature, a report has warned.The findings are part of a global study from environmental charity WWF, which warns that the worldwide impact of declining natural assets from forests to fisheries could cost £368bn a year — totalling almost £8tn by 2050.The Global Futures report looks at the services nature provides such as pollinating crops, protecting coasts from flooding, water supplies, timber production and fisheries.It examines how the natural habitats and wildlife that provide these services,…
(2020-02-12). Mice 'squabbling' on Tube station platform win wildlife photography award. thecanary.co 
An image of two mice fighting over crumbs on the London Underground has been crowned the winner of a prestigious wildlife photography award.Station Squabble, taken by Sam Rowley, was voted the best image from a 25-picture shortlist selected from 48,000 images submitted to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Lumix People's Choice award.The Londoner, who spent five nights lying on a Tube platform to capture the low-angle shot, said: "I hope it shows people the unexpected drama found in the most familiar of urban environments."The 25 images shortlisted for the prize, which is voted for by the public, will be disp…
(2020-02-12). Klobuchar Surged in New Hampshire. Can She Make It Count? truthdig.com 
CONCORD, N.H. — It took a year of campaigning, countless stump speeches and an especially strong night on the debate stage for little-known Democratic presidential hopeful Amy Klobuchar to break into the top tier of the 2020 campaign in New Hampshire. | Now she has less than two weeks to make it count. | The Minnesota senator on Tuesday immediately worked to turn her better-than-expected night into enough momentum to be competitive in next-up Nevada and beyond. For Klobuchar, that means consolidating establishment and moderate voters, picking up traction with black and Latino Democrats and introducing herse…
(2020-02-12). Guatemala: Congress Approves Law Weakening Autonomy of NGOs. telesurenglish.net Human rights defenders and social activists criticized the Guatemalan Congress for passing a law that could be used by governments to arbitrarily control non-governmental organizations (NGOs). | RELATED: | The "Law of Non-Governmental Organizations for Development" establishes that NGOs will not be able to use foreign donations or financing to carry out activities that "alter" public order. | "If an NGO uses foreign donations or financing t…
(2020-02-12). Will China Virus Trigger New Great Depression? US Economy Already Fragile. globalresearch.ca Historically the greatest economic depressions have started with unexpected events on the periphery of major financial markets. That was the case in May 1931 with the surprise collapse of the Austrian Creditanstalt Bank in Vienna which brought the entire fragile …
(2020-02-12). Gruesome Details Emerge of Israel's Torture of Palestinian Prisoners. mintpressnews.com One prisoner was hospitalized for kidney failure and 11 broken ribs. Another had his genitals bitten by a security dog while a third man was left wheelchair-bound and unrecognizable.
(2020-02-12). Life and Death in the Predatory Universe. dissidentvoice.org His broken body crushed into the soil so closely resembled a tiny green human, he gave me cause to reflect upon my dirty deed. Those dying remains matched perfectly the leaves of the newly planted Valencia Orange tree, upon which he had been happily feeding, only moments before the sole of my sandal abruptly ended his …
(2020-02-12). 2020 US Elections: The Top Issue for Democratic Voters Is … globalresearch.ca Is it health care? | Is it jobs? | Is it national security? | Is it global warming? | Or is it none of those but instead much deeper? | I shall here argue the latter. | To win is not merely to defeat "the enemy." …
(2020-02-12). Energy Company Drops Lake Huron Nuclear Waste Plan Following Saugeen Ojibway Nation Vote. globalresearch.ca After years of debate, Ontario Power Generation has dropped a plan to store nuclear waste underground near Lake Huron. | The Canadian energy firm said it would not move forward with plans to develop a permanent nuclear waste disposal site in …
(2020-02-12). Brazil: Bolsonaro Is Pushing Teachers Towards a National Strike. telesurenglish.net Brazil's National Union of Teachers of Higher Education Institutions (Andes-SN) began consultations with their grassroots organizations to call a national strike in rejection of RELATED: | "We've been tr…
(2020-02-12). William Barr Is Turning the Justice Department Into Trump's Protection Racket. truthout.org The exit polls in the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday said 81% of voters were motivated to vote because of anger at President Donald Trump. Part of the reason for that is likely because of the ongoing authoritarian power grab he was staging even as they cast their ballots. | The president had tweeted out his orders in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. | By the end of the day, the Department of Justice had rescinded that sentencing recommendation and all four of the prosecutors on…
(2020-02-12). UN Releases List of Companies With Ties to Jewish Settlements. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a RELATED: | The report identified 112 firms which it has reasonable grounds to conclude that have ties with ill…
(2020-02-12). Trump 'Doesn't Mind' If Philippines Cuts Military Pact With US. telesurenglish.net United States President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn't mind Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to end a decades-old military agreement with the U.S., a position at odds with that of his defense secretary who viewed the move with dismay. | RELATED: | Duterte on Tuesday announced the termination of the two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper called the deci…
(2020-02-12). WHO Extends Emergency Status of Ebola in DR Congo. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) extended its global emergency status for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo Wednesday but said the sharp decline in cases was "extremely positive." | RELATED: | "As long as there is a single case of Ebola in an area as insecure and unstable as eastern DRC, the potential remains for a much larger epidemic," WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Ge…
(2020-02-12). Mexico: Fugitive Former Pemex Executive Arrested in Spain. telesurenglish.net Medico Attorney General's Office of Mexico confirmed that the former director of the state-owned RELATED: | Lozoya, who had not been seen publicly since mid-2019, is wanted by Lopez Obrador's Government to be prosec…
(2020-02-12). Nicaragua Opens Special Police Station To Protect Women. telesurenglish.net Managua has a new police station specifically created to protect women from gender violence as part of the Women for Life campaign, Vice President Rosario Murillo announced Tuesday. | RELATED: | The first of several police stations of this kind will be in responsible of the protection of 68,000 women attached to the Police, Citizen Security unit of district No. 1 of Managua, "to file complaints for aggression, threat or…
(2020-02-12). Archbishop of New York Visits Medical School in Cuba. telesurenglish.net The archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, visited Wednesday the Latin American Medicine School (ELAM) in Cuba, created in 1999 in Havana as a way to give education and professional opportunities for third world students. | RELATED: | Dolan is on the island since last Friday, attending to other commitments as a tour by church associated institutions under the invitation of President Miguel Diaz-Canel and the Cuban Bishops' Conference. | According to Dolan,…
(2020-02-12). OAS: Permanent Council Recieved Secretary-General Candidacies. telesurenglish.net Luis Almagro, REL…
(2020-02-12). Washington's Policy of Strangling China. US Nuclear Threats, Militarization of the Taiwan Straits. globalresearch.ca Less than 150 miles from China's south-eastern coast lies Taiwan, a mountainous and volcanic island which is about a third the size of Cuba. Yet with 23 million people, Taiwan has twice the population of its Caribbean counterpart. From the …
(2020-02-12). Fungi that Absorbs Radiation Has Been Growing All Over Chernobyl Plant. globalresearch.ca For a long time, scientists have known that certain types of fungi are attracted to radiation, and can actually help to break down and neutralize radiation in certain environments. The radioactive site of the abandoned Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has …
(2020-02-12). Trump's 2021 Budget Proposal Slashes Over One-Quarter of the EPA's Budget. truthout.org President Donald Trump has unveiled his Of course, the annual presidential budget is more spectacle than anything else. The real budget each year comes from Congress, which may or may not take up the president's suggestions. | But whether…
(2020-02-12). Trump's Paid Leave Proposal Could Be Inaccessible to Low-Income Workers. truthout.org While President Trump As his last three budgets did, his new budget would require states to provide six weeks of paid leave to new parents through their exist…
(2020-02-12). Neo-Confederate Attorney Accused of Mishandling Clients' Money Promoted Online Trolling, Harassment. splcenter.org Harold Ray Crews, attorney and chairman of the North Carolina chapter of the neo-Confederate hate group League of the South, must attend a hearing Feb. 21 to determine whether the state bar association will suspend his law license.
(2020-02-12). Canada's military top brass joins CSIS in demanding Huawei ban. wsws.org The media and military-security establishment have been demanding for months that the Trudeau government take an even harder anti-China line.
(2020-02-12). Shakespearean Veracity in "Vera": the Working Class Cop Show from Bloody England. counterpunch.org "I'll be gone in a tic," Vera Stanhope says and means she'll soon scram and be out of the way. She uses words and expressions like "me backside," instead of "my backside" and "dodgy" rather than "sketchy," which seems to be the preferred American word to describe a lowlife character. Time and again, Vera wages
(2020-02-12). 'Intel coup of the century': CIA used Swiss encryption firm to spy on dozens of nations for decades — reports. rt.com 
The CIA and German intelligence spied on the secret communications of governments around the world for decades in a covert partnership, controlling a top encryption company and installing backdoor vulnerabilities in its products. | Founded during the Second World War, the Swiss cryptography firm, Crypto AG, has provided top-of-the-line devices for encoding communications to some 120 countries. Starting in 1970, however, the CIA and then-West Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, secretly bought and controlled the company, using its devices to eavesdrop on enemies and allies alike, according to a joi…
(2020-02-12). Erdogan vows to strike Syrian army 'everywhere' if Turkish soldiers attacked, while also talking Idlib de-escalation with Putin. rt.com 
Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that if Turkish soldiers are hit by Damascus forces again, the retaliation will not be limited to the Idlib area. He also discussed Syrian peace process in a phone call with Vladimir Putin. | The Turkish leader made his comments during a speech in the nation's parliament on Wednesday. | I announce that we will strike the [Syrian] regime forces everywhere starting from today, without being bound to Idlib and by the Sochi Memorandum, if our soldiers at the lookout posts or elsewhere suffer any harm. | The 2018 Sochi Memorandum established the de-escalation zone set up around Idlib by…