Mistrial declared in case of anti-coup activists arrested in DC police raid on Venezuelan Embassy
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Jurors who heard the case of four activists who were invited by Caracas to protect the Venezuelan Embassy in the US capital
Mistrial in Trump admin's biased case against Venezuelan embassy protectors is win for sovereignty
Leonardo Flores | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-15
The Trump administration's case against Venezuelan embassy protectors was severely biased, but ended up with a hung jury. The mistrial…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/14/mistrial-trum…
Chinese tourist dies in France, becomes first coronavirus fatality in Europe – French health minister
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Marking the first fatality on European soil, an 80-year-old Chinese tourist succumbed to the coronavirus at a Paris hospital, Health Minister Agnes Buzin reported as the death toll of the epidemic has surpassed 1,500. | The elderly Chinese man had been hospitalized in Paris, Buzin told journalists on Saturday. He was put into quarantine, but his condition "had deteriorated rapidly," the minister told local media. She said the 80-year-old arrived in France from the virus-hit province of Hubei. | The patient's daughter, also suffering from the 2019-nCoV, as the virus is officially called, was also hospitalized,…
rt.com/news/480923-first-coronavirus-dea…
Coronavirus cases continue to increase and spread internationally
wsws.org | 2020-02-15
The World Health Organization is alarmed about the implications of the virus taking hold in areas where the medical system is vastly ill-prepared.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/15/viru…
Hundreds of people contacted as coronavirus case emerges after bus summit
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-15
Health officials have contacted more than 200 people who attended a conference in central London after it emerged one delegate is suffering from coronavirus.Public Health England (PHE) sent a letter to those who were at the UK Bus Summit at the QEII Centre in Westminster on February 6, including several MPs, two of whom have now decided to stay mostly at home.The person taken ill is one of the nine people diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK.Dr Yimmy Chow, consultant in health protection at PHE, said: "One of our main priorities has been to identify any people who we think have been in close contact with confirme…
thecanary.co/uk/2020/02/15/hundreds-of-p…
US assassinated Suleimani to quash Iran's talks with Gulf monarchies
wsws.org | 2020-02-15
The murder of the top Iranian general was carried out to shore up Washington's crumbling Middle East alliances.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/15/iran…
Shifting rationales: White House memo says Soleimani strike was 'response' to past attacks instead of 'imminent' threat
rt.com | 2020-02-15
The US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general was ordered in retaliation for previous attacks, the White House said in a memo, contradicting earlier claims that an "imminent" threat justified the assassination. | Now over a month removed from the targeted killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, the White House on Friday has offered yet another rationale for the operation, the latest in a series of alternating arguments offered by the president and Pentagon officials. | "The president directed this action in response to an escalating series of attacks in preceding months by Iran and Ir…
rt.com/news/480911-white-house-memo-sole…
Climate Change Driving "Rapid and Widespread" Decline of Bumblebees
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
Shifts in temperature and rainfall are pushing bumblebees to their ecological limits across both continents, according to the analysis published in Science. This is driving "rapid and widespread declines" across 66 bumblebee species, the authors warn. | The impact of climate change on bumblebees is greatest in warmer parts of the northern hemisphere, including Mexico and Spain, the research finds. | Bumblebees have also expande…
truthout.org/articles/climate-change-dri…
Shut Down Canada Until it Solves its War, Oil, and Genocide Problem
David Swanson | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-15
Indigenous people in Canada are giving the world a demonstration of the power of nonviolent action. The justness of their cause
Emily Thornberry eliminated in Labour leadership race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-15
Emily Thornberry has been eliminated from the Labour leadership contest after narrowly failing to secure the nominations she needed to make it into the final ballot of party members. | At the midnight Friday deadline, the shadow foreign secretary had 31 nominations from local constituency parties
John Pilger's The Dirty War on the National Health Service screening on Australia's SBS this Sunday
wsws.org | 2020-02-15
The WSWS urges all our readers to watch this powerful documentary on SBS television, at 8.30 p.m. Sunday night, February 16.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/15/pilg…
'One democracy will settle it & you know which one': Indian FM tells US senator after he suggests Kashmir can be resolved amicably
rt.com | 2020-02-15
India's external affairs minister made a pointed correction to US Senator Lindsey Graham after the latter suggested the Kashmir issue should be resolved between "two democracies." The minister argued it's only up to one. | Commenting on international conflicts and whether they could be resolved by way of democracy at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Graham expressed hope that "two democracies" would bring the situation in Kashmir to a peaceful resolution, apparently referring to India and its rival neighbor Pakistan. Both lay territorial claims to the whole of the Kashmir region. | "When it comes to K…
rt.com/news/480914-india-settle-kashmir-…
Art of the deal? Trump boasts Facebook supremacy over Modi ahead of India visit to ink trade & weapons sales
rt.com | 2020-02-15
US President Donald Trump has claimed he is more popular than PM Narendra Modi on Facebook, ahead of his upcoming trip to India. A coy political maneuver or standard social media banter from the US leader? | The president announced on Twitter that it was a "great honor" to be "number one" on Facebook
Canada: The Wetsuweten Keep Resisting Amid Police Violence
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-15
Canadian Police's snipers and armored vehicles entered the territory of the Wetsuweten to suppress their protests against the construction of a pipeline harmful to the environment. | RELATED: | Canada's Via Rail Cancels Service Nationwide | The Indigenous authorities did not give their consent for a project that will have a significant impact on the environment and the way of life of their people. | Nevertheless, the Canadian Supreme Court decided that the TransCanada company pipeline must be bu…
telesurenglish.net/news/Canada-The-Wetsu…
'The West Is Winning' Pompeo Says at the Munich Conference
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-15
During the Munich Security Conference (MSC), the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Saturday said there is no crisis of the Western civilization given that the West is defeating its enemies. | RELATED: | World Leaders Meet in Munich to Discuss Global Security | "The West is winning, we are collectively winning, we are doing it together," Pompeo said and added that th…
telesurenglish.net/news/The-West-Is-Winn…
Turkey warns it will take action over Idlib flare-up if diplomacy fails
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Ankara seeks a diplomatic resolution to an uptick in fighting in Idlib, Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said, but it is prepared to take other steps if talks with Russia fall through. | A Turkish delegation will arrive in Moscow on Monday to hold talks over the crisis in Idlib, Cavusoglu told reporters during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. The senior Turkish diplomat said he will also meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. | Ankara is "working to maintain diplomacy" regarding the situation in Idlib, Cavusoglu claimed, while warning that necessary steps will be taken…
rt.com/news/480926-turkey-russia-idlib-f…
'The Bolivarian Shield' Prepares Millions to Defend Venezuela
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-15
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Saturday inaugurated the 2020 Bolivarian Shield, a defensive military exercise that is carried out amid U.S. threats and sanctions. | RELATED: | 'Justice Must Prevail in This World' Venezuela's President Says | "We start the 2020 Bolivarian Shield Exercise with the deployment of our glorious Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), which maintains a military-civic union with more than 2,300,000 mobilized combatants," Maduro said. | Defense Mi…
telesurenglish.net/news/The-Bolivarian-S…
Mexican Women Protested Femicides at National Palace
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-15
A large group of women demonstrated in front of the National Palace and other places of Mexico City to protest about femicides, such as Ingrid Escamilla's, carried out by her partner, Erick Francisco, EFE News Agency reported. | RELATED: | Trump Asks $3.8 Billion From Military for Mexico Border Wall | The protests began early on Friday morning outside the National Palace, where President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador lives, and where he daily delivers his morning conference. | "W…
telesurenglish.net/news/mexico-women-pro…
Mexican Women Protested Femicides at National Palace
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-15
A large group of women demonstrated in front of the National Palace and other places of Mexico City to protest about femicides, such as Ingrid Escamilla's, allegedly carried out by her partner, Erick Francisco, EFE News Agency reported. | RELATED: | Trump Asks $3.8 Billion From Military for Mexico Border Wall | The protests began early on Friday morning outside the National Palace, where President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador lives, and where he daily delivers his morning confere…
telesurenglish.net/news/mexico-women-pro…
Scuffles between police & protesters break out as Munich Security Conference takes place (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-02-15
German riot police used brute force to push back against a throng of protesters who gathered in Munich where the high-profile security conference is taking place. The overnight stand-off was caught on film. | Numerous protesters, among them members of the German Antifa movement, scuffled with police on Friday night. Some of them aggressively pushed the officers away, while others held firecrackers and waved flags. | Protesters say the conference is "a meeting of war strategists" where weapon manufacturers negotiate deals, local media reports. | This year's Munich Security Conference will gather more than 35…
rt.com/news/480915-munich-security-confe…
Extinction Rebellion stage flights pollution protest at Gatwick
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-15
Travellers arriving at Gatwick Airport on Saturday morning were greeted by a man in a tiger costume and other environmental activists.A handful of Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters were moving through the international hub to raise awareness of aircraft pollution.XR activists in disguise gathered by Costa Coffee in the airport's South Terminal at about 9.30am before revealing themselves.Protesters were instructed to arrive "incognito" and pretend to be waiting to meet someone amid fears they would not be allowed in to the airport.However, once assembled, the group of about 10 activists unveiled their full comp…
thecanary.co/uk/2020/02/15/extinction-re…
On the fast track: Russian speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov earns World Championship sprint gold
rt.com | 2020-02-15
The leader of the Russian speed skating team Pavel Kulizhnikov has proved again he is one of the world's fastest sprinters by winning the men's 500m gold at the World Championships in Salt Lake City in the US. | The 25-year-old clocked a time of 33.72 seconds, which was enough to claim gold on the shortest speed skating distance. | READ MORE: Shot down: Russia set to lose top spot in Sochi Olympics medals table AGAIN after biathlete Ustyugov accused of doping | Fellow Russian Ruslan Muras…
rt.com/sport/480924-pavel-kulizhnikov-wo…
Breaking 12-year curse: Alexander Loginov wins first gold for Russia at 2020 IBU World Championships
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Russian biathlete Alexander Loginov has taken the first gold for his team at the 2020 IBU World Championships in Italy, finishing first in the men's sprint on Saturday. | The 28-year-old displayed flawless shooting and completed the 10km race in 22 minutes 48.1 seconds to claim his maiden world title. France's Quentin Fillon Maillet and Martin Fourcade earned silver and bronze respectively. | READ MORE: 'Dodgy decision': Russian biathlon official questions controversial doping bans for former stars | "Clean sh…
rt.com/sport/480936-alexander-loginov-bi…
Shot down: Russia set to lose top spot in Sochi Olympics medals table AGAIN after biathlete Ustyugov accused of doping
rt.com | 2020-02-15
In a well-worn story with more ups and downs that a playground seesaw, Russia could again lose top spot in the 2014 Sochi Olympics medals table after biathlete Evgeny Ustyugov was reportedly found guilty of doping violations. | The International Biathlon Union (IBU) confirmed earlier in the week that Ustyugov, who won gold at the Sochi Games as part of the men's relay, had been charged with doping violations based on results from the period 2010 to F…
rt.com/sport/480919-ustyugov-doping-russ…
Big Money Will Dominate High Court Elections in 2020
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
Ten years ago, Justice John Paul Stevens warned that the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United had "unleashed the floodgates" of corporate and labor union spending in judicial elections. In the decade since Stevens' dissent, some supreme courts in the South have been flooded by corporate campaign cash. Super PACs that accept unlimited contributions h…
truthout.org/articles/big-money-will-dom…
But would anyone notice? CNN breaks 'report' of Syrian airstrikes… from 2018
rt.com | 2020-02-15
CNN readers anxious to get updates on the Syrian war have been treated with a fresh report on the "regime's atrocities" citing the usual suspects… or it would only seem so, as the network reran a two-year-old story instead. | Citing the UK-based and rebel-linked Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the story claims that forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad killed at least 71…
rt.com/news/480932-cnn-syria-old-news/
Germany Sees Political Fallout From Chancellor Merkel's Alliance With Far Right
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
Party politics is high on the agenda in Germany. A one-day alliance between Germany's anti-Semitic, far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) saw the sudden resignation of CDU party boss Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. While the CDU had, very temporarily, violated its very own non-alliance policy with the semi-fascistic AfD, internal party confli…
truthout.org/articles/germany-sees-polit…
'TROJAN HORSES' for Beijing intelligence: Pompeo takes aim at Huawei & other Chinese tech companies
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Tech firms that receive support from Beijing serve as instruments of Chinese intelligence, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has alleged, in the latest verbal volley aimed at Huawei and other Chinese companies. | "Huawei and other Chinese state-backed tech companies are Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence," Pompeo said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. The US secretary of state took on the Chinese tech giant while speaking about what he believes are the biggest threats to modern security. | Mirroring Pompeo's sentiments, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the conference that Wa…
rt.com/news/480920-pompeo-trojan-horses-…
'Winning' or 'weakening'? Pompeo and Macron divided over what the future holds for the West
rt.com | 2020-02-15
As the US secretary of state bragged about the successes of the West at the Munich Security Conference, the French president seemed rather skeptical, saying the Western world is no longer dominant. | "I'm happy to report that the death of the Transatlantic alliance is grossly exaggerated. The West is winning, we are collectively winning and we're doing it together," Mike Pompeo said at the Munich Security Conference this Saturday, making a veiled swipe at French President Emmanuel Macron's famous "brain death" of NATO remarks. | "Free" nations…
rt.com/news/480925-macron-pompeo-west-fu…
Chinese FM after Pompeo & Esper speeches: Replace 'China' with 'US', and maybe lies become facts?
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Beijing has issued a scathing rebuke of Mike Pompeo's claim that China is involved in covert activities as part of its desire to obtain greater power, noting that the allegation might be true
Nearly 2 in 5 Women of Reproductive Age May Be Stuck With Catholic Health Care
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
Nearly two in five women of reproductive age may face restricted access to services like abortion, contraception and sterilization, because they happen to live in a county where Catholic hospitals make up a high share of the market, according to a sweeping new report in JAMA Network Open. | In the first-ever study of its kind, researchers analyzed patient discharge data in almost every U.S. county to determin…
truthout.org/articles/nearly-2-in-5-wome…
Workers Face Retirement With Fear as GOP Refuses to Back Pension Protection Bill
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
Glen Heck spent 28 years sweating in a Campti, Louisiana, paper mill that he likes to say was "hotter than nine kinds of hell." | But now, Heck's sacrifice may have been for nothing because his multiemployer pension plan is one of about 150 nationwide set to go broke. If that happens, the 78-year-old Heck will have to find a cheaper, lower-quality health…
truthout.org/articles/workers-face-retir…
AI Algorithms Intended to Catch Welfare Fraud Are Punishing the Poor Instead
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-15
President Donald Trump recently suggested there is "tremendous fraud" in government welfare programs. | Although there's very little evidence to back up his claim, he's hardly the first politician
From SAS to Alamo: 8 times SELF-HATING West renounced its own history
rt.com | 2020-02-15
Rewriting or removing bits of history that don't align with modern PC standards is a recurring theme in the West, as these days religious leaders proclaim "shame" in their country and SJWs fight to remove monuments to the past. | Even the most glorious history has its dark spots
Sajid Javid's removed as UK chancellor as Johnson readies offensive against working class
wsws.org | 2020-02-15
Javid's ignominious exit confirms the essential agenda of the Johnson government is one of escalating the class-war offensive against workers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/15/rish…
China's Economy Is Powerful, But Deeply Vulnerable
Walden Bello | zcomm.org | 2020-02-15
China's rapid growth has reduced poverty and produced prosperity
Painting A True Christ
Edward Curtin | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-15
There's an early scene in Terrence Malik's masterful new film
Gracias Chelsea Manning & Julian Assange for Exposing Bush's War Crimes
orion the elder | indybay.org | 2020-02-15
Fruitvale and MacArthur oakland 94602…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/14/1883066…
Ceremonial Groundbreaking and Photo Opportunity for George Mark Children's House Restoration
Denise Lamott | indybay.org | 2020-02-15
George Mark Children's House (GMCH), the first freestanding pediatric palliative care center in the United States, will host a Groundbreaking Ceremony and photo opportunity with generous-hearted contractors, local politicians and civic leaders to commemorate a new Restorative Garden on Thursday, February 20.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/14/1883067…
Scooter Red Alert: The Oakland Lime Strike Is Crashing the Company
Spunky Peons | indybay.org | 2020-02-15
On the evening of February 10th, the Lime scooter company cut pay for contractors by 30% without warning. Many if not most contractors immediately responded by refusing to charge the company's electric scooters. It's likely that there are more uncharged scooters in the streets now than charged scooters. It's getting so bad that countless scooters are beginning to crash, along with prospects for the company in Oakland.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/14/1883068…
Untold – UnSold Black, Brown,Red, Broke & Disabled Voices in Black History Month Book Tour
Angel Heart | indybay.org | 2020-02-15
POOR press is the poor people-led publishing arm of the grassroots, homeless and poor people-led movement, known as POOR Magazine, which has been dedicated to publishing and producing the books, art, education and culture of very low, no-income, homeless, Indigenous, disabled and incarcerated youth, adults and elders since 1996.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/13/1883064…
U.S. Sanctions: The Weaponization of the Global Financial System
Monterey Peace and Justice Center | indybay.org | 2020-02-15
Monterey Peace and Justice Center | 1364 Fremont Boulevard | Seaside, CA 93955…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/13/1883066…
Brother/Sister Can You Spare a Warm Shelter?
Paul Haeder | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-15
On the Streets The tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to homelessness is what the average person sees on Newport's streets
Nancy Pelosi Accuses Huawei of 'Insidious Aggression', Warns Allies Not to 'Go Near' Company
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
Washington has been fighting a losing battle with the Chinese tech giant as key allies including France, Germany, and most recently the United Kingdom have allowed the company to take part in the rollout of their 5G network infrastructure despite US concerns.
sputniknews.com/business/202002151078322…
Disruption warning as Storm Dennis hits Scotland
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-15
Widespread disruption has been predicted this weekend as Scotland is hit by a second storm in under a week. | The Scottish Government and Police Scotland have issued weather warnings, with Storm Dennis expected to bring gales and heavy rain. | A Met Office amber warning for heavy rain across central southern Scotland will be in place from noon until 11pm on Saturday. | On Sunday, a yellow warning for wind and rain will remain in place for the rest of southern Scotland, the central belt, the west coast and parts of the north-west from 7am until 8pm on Saturday. | An AMBER warning for rain is in place for Dumfries…
thecanary.co/uk/2020/02/15/disruption-wa…
France confirms first coronavirus death in Europe
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
An 80-year-old Chinese man has died from the coronavirus in France, French health authorities said Saturday.The announcement of the first death due to the fatal virus in Europe was made by Health Minister Agnes Buzyn.The man, a tourist originally from Hubei Province, China, has been hospitalized at the Bichat Hospital in Paris since Jan. 25.This is the first reported coronavirus death both in Europe, as well as outside Asia.
yenisafak.com/en/world/france-confirms-f…
Pangolins still under global threat in 2020
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Although all eight species of pangolins are banned from international trade, the "scaly anteater" population is still under deadly threats as they continue to be the world's most trafficked mammals.Pangolin or its original Malay word "pengguling," which means "rolling up," as the mammal use it as a defense system against predators or other threats, has unique characteristics and is under very dangerous threats.Since every third Saturday in February is observed annually to raise awareness about these unique mammals, the pangolin population is rapidly declining in Asia and Africa.On the occasion of the World Pangol…
yenisafak.com/en/life/pangolins-still-un…
'Turkey has fulfilled responsibilities in Syria's Idlib in line with agreements'
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Turkey has fulfilled its responsibilities in the northwestern Syrian region of Idlib in line with the agreements it made with Russia and Iran, Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Saturday, after violence spiked in recent weeks.Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the conflict, and agreed in 2018 to set up a de-escalation zone in the region. A Syrian regime offensive disrupted Ankara and Moscow's fragile cooperation, after 13 Turkish soldiers were martyred in the past two weeks.Oktay told broadcaster NTV that Turkey was determined to stop the Syrian regime advances in Idlib, repeating a threat that Ankara would…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-has-fulfil…
Four killed in attacks in Iraq
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Four people were killed in two separate attacks in eastern Iraq on Saturday, according to a local police officer.Daesh/ISIS militants attacked a police checkpoint in Buhriz, south of Diyala province, killing two policemen, captain Habib al-Shimari told Anadolu Agency.He said a husband and his wife were also found dead inside their home in the same area.Iraqi authorities have launched an investigation to determine the group behind the killing.In mid-2014, Daesh/ISIS overran roughly one-third of Iraq.By late 2017, the Iraqi army
Turkey destroys 903 mines, 1,720 explosives in N.Syria
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Turkish security forces have destroyed 903 mines and 1,720 improvised explosives in areas under its latest anti-terror operation in northern Syria, the country's National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees, and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.The ministry said in a statement children were often the victims of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by PKK/YPG terrorists in the Operation Peace Sprin…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-destroys-90…
'The West is winning', US' Pompeo tells China, Russia
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday defended the United States' global role and launched a scathing attack on China and Russia, vowing that the West's ideals and values would prevail."I'm happy to report that the death of the transatlantic alliance is grossly exaggerated. The West is winning, and we're winning together," Pompeo said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference.
yenisafak.com/en/news/the-west-is-winnin…
Turkey to take steps if talks with Russia on Syria's Idlib fail
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Turkey wants to solve issues with Russia over the northwestern Syrian region of Idlib through diplomacy but will take other steps if necessary, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the conflict, but have collaborated to reach a political solution. A Syrian regime offensive disrupted Ankara and Moscow's fragile cooperation, after 13 Turkish troops were martyred in two weeks.Speaking to reporters during the Munich Security Conference, Cavusoglu also said a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow on Monday to hold talks over Idlib, adding that he would also meet…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-to-take-ste…
Turkish delegation to go to Moscow for talks on Idlib
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
A Turkish delegation will visit Russia next week to hold talks on clashes in Idlib, Syria, Turkey's foreign minister said on Saturday."The Turkish delegation on Monday will attend talks in Moscow [on Idlib, Syria]," Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters after a meeting with his German counterpart Heiko Maas on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.For his part, Maas urged Russia to use its influence on the Assad regime to "stop attacks in Idlib."In September 2018, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited.But more than 1,800 civilians…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-delegation…
Russia detains Ukrainian vessel in Sea of Azov
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said it detained a vessel with four Ukrainian nationals in the Sea of Azov on Saturday.Upon inspection, the crew was found to lack the necessary identification and licenses to fish in the area, it said in a statement."The ship's captain failed to comply with the border patrol's legal requirement to stop and attempted to escape," it said, noting that more than 290 specimens of flounder-kalkan fish were found, as well as an illegal fishing net.The vessel and its crew were delivered to the port of Kerch for further investigation, it added.
yenisafak.com/en/world/russia-detains-uk…
Civilians in NW Syria await aid amid harsh winter
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Syrian civilians fleeing airstrikes by the Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies await humanitarian aid while facing harsh winter conditions in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the country's northwest.Around 30,000 displaced people are fighting to survive amid freezing cold and snowfall in southwest Idlib.While some tents have collapsed due to piling snow, civilians are searching for warmth against the biting winter.Some families have even taken to burning some of the garments they brought with them, in the hopes of mitigating the cold for their children.- Some tents collapsedOne of the residents of a refugee cam…
yenisafak.com/en/world/civilians-in-nw-s…
Turkey, Turkish Cypriots reject deadlock on Cyprus
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
The people of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will not accept deadlock as the fate of the long-divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, said Turkey's vice president on Saturday.Fuat Oktay's remarks came during a meeting on the legal, political and economic aspects of reopening the abandoned town of Maras
Turkey says Libya's Haftar violating ceasefire, must be stopped
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar on Saturday of constantly violating a ceasefire in the country, saying he "must be stopped" so a political solution could be found.Turkey backs the internationally-recognised government of Fayez al-Serraj in Libya and has sent military personnel to the country in support of Serraj. President Tayyip Erdogan has also warned that Ankara may deploy troops there if necessary.Speaking at a news conference with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas at the Munich Security Conference, Cavusoglu said that Haftar, who is based in east Li…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-says-libyas…
NATO chief warns against EU defense ambitions
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-15
NATO's secretary general warned European members of the alliance against undermining transatlantic ties by their plans to build a European military.In a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Jens Stoltenberg welcomed EU plans to boost defense capabilities and spending, but also cautioned allies against duplicating military efforts and alienating the U.S."Some say that the answer is more Europe, and I agree. But this is only part of it because more Europe cannot mean Europe alone," he stressed."Any attempt to distance Europe from North America not only weakens the transatlantic bond and our ability…
yenisafak.com/en/news/nato-chief-warns-a…
Nevermind Coronavirus Outbreak: St Valentine's Day Celebrations in Asia
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
The new coronavirus outbreak in China showing no signs of abating (the latest figures say that the infection has claimed the lives of 1,523 people in China, one person in the Philippines and another one in France), but life does not stop, even in the worst-affected regions.
sputniknews.com/photo/202002151078322036…
First Death From Coronavirus Confirmed in Europe
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
France was the first country in Europe to confirm cases of the Novel Coronavirus in late January, with President Emmanuel Macron saying that the nation was on "extreme alert" due to the new virus, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
sputniknews.com/europe/20200215107832226…
Pentagon Chief Says Afghan President Ghani Fully Committed to Peace Deal
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
MUNICH (Sputnik) – US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was fully committed to peacefully resolving the conflict with the Taliban radical group.
sputniknews.com/world/202002151078322729…
Peek-A-Boo! Hiding in a Shoe, Snake Gives a Big SSSS-Scare to a Woman in India
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
New Delhi (Sputnik): India hosts more than 270 species of snakes due to the tropical monsoon climate and it is even known for its snake charmers. One such snake had a little peek-a-boo moment with a woman in the Maloor district of the southern Indian state of Kerala.
sputniknews.com/viral/202002151078320982…
Ilhan Omar's Ex-Husband Learned She Was Cheating on Him When He Walked In On PJ-Clad Lovers – Report
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
The families of Ilhan Omar and Ahmed Hirsi have reportedly reached a deal giving the US Congresswoman's ex-husband tens of thousands of dollars if he does not speak publicly about their split.
sputniknews.com/us/202002151078322547-il…
Indian Home Ministry Denies Claims Amit Shah is Going to Meet Anti-CAA Protesters in Delhi
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
New Delhi (Sputnik): India has been witnessing countrywide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which came into effect in December 2019. The law provides a path to Indian citizenship for illegal immigrants of six "persecuted" minorities from three neighbouring Islamic countries, while not giving the same eligibility to Muslims.
sputniknews.com/india/202002151078323122…
Science of Urine and Dung: Modi Gov't Seeks Research on Products from Waste of Indigenous Cows
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
New Delhi (Sputnik): From fighting religious conversions to beating the heat, the use of cow dung and urine has been quite popular in India, where the animal is deemed sacred. Now the Narendra Modi-led government's science and technology ministry wants researchers to work on products that can be made from the waste of indigenous cows.
sputniknews.com/india/202002151078322700…
'He Must Be Stopped': Turkish Foreign Minister Claims LNA's Haftar 'Constantly' Violating Ceasefire
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
On 19 January, an international conference on Libyan reconciliation took place in Berlin and was attended by 16 states and entities, including Russia, Turkey and the US.
sputniknews.com/africa/20200215107832222…
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Speaks on Sidelines of Munich Security Conference – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
Russia's top diplomat is expected to touch upon a wide range of issues regarding the country's current foreign policies.
sputniknews.com/world/202002151078322855…
Russian Prosecutor General: Netherlands Avoiding Comprehensive Probe in MH17 Crash
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
In December, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that the Netherlands was seeking to hide its own faults in the MH17 plane crash probe by making claims against Moscow.
sputniknews.com/world/202002151078321060…
China to Continue Promoting Strategic Partnership With Russia – Foreign Minister
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – China will keep on strengthening the strategic cooperation with Russia and promoting their comprehensive partnership, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.
sputniknews.com/world/202002151078323090…
Spokesman for Saudi-Led Coalition Confirms Military Plane Has Crashed in Yemen
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
The statement comes a day after Yemen's Houthi militia reported downing a Saudi-led coalition Tornado warplane with a surface-to-air missile.
sputniknews.com/world/202002151078322846…
'Revenge Highlights': Ivanka Trump Gets Roasted Online Over Her Hair
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
Commenting on Ivanka Trump's new hairstyle, many social media users argued that it appears somewhat outdated, arguing that it was popular a couple of decades ago but probably not today.
sputniknews.com/viral/202002151078323270…
Affaire Mila: French Elites Defend 'Right to Blasphemy' in Row Over Schoolgirl Who Criticised Islam
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
A 16-year-old French girl has earned fame and infamy after a live-stream on Instagram in which she called Islam a "religion of hatred". The teen is staying home from school and has been put under police protection.
sputniknews.com/europe/20200215107832341…
What's It Like to Drop Ice Deep Into Abyss? Sounds Like Something out of Star Wars
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
There are not many things that you can do in Antarctica, but ice is in abundance there. Literally trillions of tons of ice. What are you going to do with all of it? Throw it in deep holes. Super deep holes.
sputniknews.com/science/2020021510783221…
Are We Alone in the Universe? Astronomers to Scan Through Space in Search For Extraterrestrial Life
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-15
Outstanding physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking once warned against attempts to contact any advanced life-forms, suggesting that the outcome for humans wouldn't necessarily be good.
sputniknews.com/society/2020021510783233…
Trial Against Venezuelan Embassy Protectors in US Called Null
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-14
U.S. judge, Beryl Howell, declared the trial against the Embassy of Venezuela in Washington Protectors Collective null, after the jury could not reach a verdict. | RELATED: | Cuba and Venezuela Further Strengthen Ties at Havana Book Fair | The magistrate gave the jury extra time to deliberate. However, the members could not reach a unanimous decision. In this regard, Howell asked for a new trial, but there is still no certainty that it will happen. | The four activists, Adrie…
telesurenglish.net/news/trial-against-us…
Breaking with Washington: Arabs and Muslims Must Take a United Stance for Palestine
Ramzy Baroud | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-14
A negotiated solution to the 'Palestinian-Israeli conflict', at least the way envisaged by successive US administrations, has failed. Now, Palestinians and their allies would have to explore a whole new path of liberation that does not go through Washington. It is easy to place all the blame on the current US administration, setting apart dodgy…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/14/breaking-wit…
Caricom Laboratories Ready to Analyze Coronavirus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-14
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (Carpha) said Friday that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is ready and fully equipped to receive and analyze samples of suspected cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) with immediate effect. | RELATED: | UN's Industry Promotion Body Provides Masks and Suits to China | According to Carpha's doctor and executive director, Joy St. John, the agency has the capacity and equipment in its laboratories to investigate and manage contagious diseases, and in…
telesurenglish.net/news/caricom-laborato…
UN's Industry Promotion Body Provides Masks and Suits to China
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-14
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will provide emergency response assistance to China to help fight the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a document signed here. | RELATED: | China's Health Workers Are Frontline Fighters Against the Virus | UNIDO will deliver 100,000 medical masks and 20,000 protective suits to China, and provide medical waste decontamination equipment with a capacity to deal with four tons per day, said the…
telesurenglish.net/news/UNs-Industry-Pro…
World Health Organization: Coronavirus must generate 'solidarity not stigma'
news.un.org | 2020-02-14
Investing in preparedness is the smartest way to ensure that the coronavirus and other disease outbreaks are "identified and stopped quickly", the UN health agency said on Friday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/02/1…
Coronavirus: Media and Politicians Take Anti-China Fear Mongering to New Levels
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
Despite praise from the World Health Organization for its handling of the coronavirus, China has been derided by Western media and politicians alike over nearly every aspect of its response.
mintpressnews.com/media-politicians-anti…
The Medium Warps the Message Straight to Our Extinction
Christopher Ketcham | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-14
I've been working lately on an article about Extinction Rebellion, the direct action movement that emerged out of England in 2019 and has since gone worldwide to spread the message that radical civil disobedience is the only way to alter our deranged course toward climate catastrophe. XR, as the movement is known, espouses a noble…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/14/the-medium-w…
Anti-BDS laws are meant to censor & control speech, journalist Abby Martin tells RT after suing Georgia govt over cancelled talk
rt.com | 2020-02-14
Barred from speaking at a public university over her refusal to sign a pledge of allegiance to Israel, journalist Abby Martin is now suing the state of Georgia, arguing its anti-BDS legislation sets fire to the First Amendment. | Slated to give a keynote talk at a media literacy conference at Georgia Southern University later this month, Martin was asked to sign what amounts to a loyalty oath to the State of Israel, mandated under a 2016 Georgia law barring the government from hiring contractors who boycott Israeli products or associate with the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Martin t…
rt.com/usa/480806-abby-martin-georgia-bd…
Virus Cases Rise as Experts Question China's Numbers
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-14
BEIJING
North Macedonia Is Being Used by NATO to Target Serbia and Russia
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-14
The North Macedonian House of Representatives unanimously approved on Monday for their country to accept the NATO Accession Protocol, taking the former Yugoslav Republic a step closer towards accession into NATO which is expected to be completed and finalized in …
globalresearch.ca/north-macedonia-used-n…
Bolivia: An Election in the Midst of an Ongoing Coup
Prof. Vijay Prashad | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-14
On May 3, 2020, the Bolivian people will go to the polls once more. They return there because President Evo Morales had been overthrown in a coup in November 2019. Morales had just won a presidential election in October for …
globalresearch.ca/bolivia-election-midst…
I am tired of holding other worlds in my fist
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2020-02-14
In November 2019, the Bolivian army–with a nudge from the shadows–told its President Evo Morales Ayma to resign. Morales would eventually go to Mexico and then seek asylum in Argentina. Jeanine àÅñez, a far-right politician who was not in the line of succession, seized power; the military, the fascistic civil society groups, and sections of […] | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/14/i-am-tired-of-ho…
Can the World's Second Superpower Rise From the Ashes of Twenty Years of War?
Medea Benjamin | zcomm.org | 2020-02-14
The peace movement's small victories demonstrate that we have more power to challenge U.S. militarism than most Americans realize…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/can-the-worlds-sec…
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange
Media Lens | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-14
On the face of it, the task seems almost hopeless. As Tolstoy wrote: 'The power of the government is maintained by public opinion, and with this power the government, by means of its organs
SEP builds support for Free Assange and Manning rallies in Australia
wsws.org | 2020-02-14
Members and supporters of the SEP and its youth movement, the IYSSE, have been campaigning in working-class suburbs, at workplaces and university campuses.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/14/rall…
The US' "Central Asian Strategy" Isn't Sinister, but that Doesn't Mean It'll Succeed
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-14
The US' newly unveiled "Strategy For Central Asia 2019-2025" surprisingly isn't sinister like some of the countries' critics might have expected, but that doesn't mean that it'll succeed since its viability almost entirely depends on bringing "peace" to Afghanistan first …
globalresearch.ca/us-central-asian-strat…
U. S. Lies and Deaths in Afghanistan
Jacob G. Hornberger | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-14
Last December the Washington Post published secret Pentagon documents showing the official lies that have undergirded the U.S. war on Afghanistan for the past 18 years. The opening paragraph of the article puts the matter bluntly:…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/14/u-s-lies-and…
Ending 'endless war'? US & Taliban reach 'violence reduction agreement' that could lead to Afghanistan pullout
rt.com | 2020-02-14
Washington and Taliban militants have reportedly agreed on a seven-day "violence reduction" in Afghanistan. If upheld, it could open doors for another deal that would see US troops withdraw after 19 years of conflict. | The news came as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pentagon chief Mark Esper met Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss the situation in the war-torn country. Both earlier hinted at some developments in negotiations with the Taliban, which Pompeo described as a "pretty important breakthrough." | US President Donald Trump said on Thursday…
rt.com/news/480900-us-taliban-violence-r…
Even With Corbyn Gone, Antisemitism Threats Will Keep Destroying the UK Labour Party
Jonathan Cook | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-14
If there is one issue that denotes the terminal decline of Labour as a force for change
New Leaks Shatter OPCW's Attacks on Douma Whistleblowers
Aaron Mate | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-14
Facing accusations that it issued a doctored report alleging a chemical attack in Syria, the OPCW has released an inquiry attacking two whistleblowers as rogue actors. Leaked documents obtained by The Grayzone reveal serious distortions in the OPCW inquiry as …
globalresearch.ca/new-leaks-shatter-opcw…
Yemen: UN Medical Air Bridge Little More Than Saudi PR Stunt Say Desperate Patients
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
Many Yemenis have described the much-lauded UN medical air bridge as little more than a public relations stunt aimed at improving Saudi Arabia's image in the world.
mintpressnews.com/yemen-un-medical-air-b…
Mistrial Declared in Kafkaesque D.C. Trial of Venezuela Embassy Protectors
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
Judge Beryl Howell has declared a mistrial following a hung jury in the case of the four Venezuela Embassy Protectors charged with "interfering with the protective function of the State Department."
mintpressnews.com/mistrial-declared-kafk…
For Media in New Hampshire, Losing Is Winning and Winning Is Losing
Alan MacLeod | fair.org | 2020-02-14
The results from the New Hampshire primary are in– mercifully quickly–showing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders victorious with 26% of the vote, ahead of former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg with 24%. However, it was third place Amy Klobuchar, with 20%, who seemed to draw the greatest media buzz. The Minnesota senator has received a lot of press attention of late–almost all of it positive. | Why losing is actually winning: Vox's Matthe…
fair.org/home/for-media-in-new-hampshire…
Citing Hostile "Bernie Bros" Shadowy Group Launches Beat Bernie 2020 PAC
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-14
The Beat Bernie 2020 PAC is insisting on keeping its members' and donors' identities a secret, due to what they call "a credible fear of threats and backlash from ardent Bernie supporters.
mintpressnews.com/citing-hostile-bernie-…
Major anti-war groups join the Coalition to March on the DNC
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-14
Milwaukee, WI – As the July 13 start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) draws closer, the Coalition to March on the DNC has risen to the occasion. Since the start of the new year, the coalition has seen tremendous gains. | Between leading a 2000-person demonstration against Donald Trump when he visited Milwaukee on January 14 and butting heads with the city while trying to host a press conference to announce a lawsuit for our right to protest, traffic to the Facebook page has increased dramatically, including numerous inquiries about how people can get more involved. | Perhaps the most significant indica…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/13/major-an…
On Bombing Cultural Heritage Sites, Drone Assassinations, and Spirituality
Prof. Valeria Z. Nollan | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-14
Pres. Donald Trump's threat to the Iranian government to bomb fifty-two designated cultural sites in that country was shocking and disturbing, for myriad reasons.[i] The specific number of fifty-two in his tweet of January 4, 2020 pointedly reminds us of …
globalresearch.ca/bombing-cultural-herit…