(2020-02-03). As Bernie Sanders Surges, DNC Launches “Troll Army” Ahead of Iowa Caucus. mintpressnews.com Nell Thomas, the only member of the cyber task force willing to make their participation public, was previously employed with the online arm of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.
(2020-02-03). The Old Puppets Return: Meet Bolivia’s Corrupt Washington-Backed Candidates. mintpressnews.com 
Elections are looming in Bolivia. Despite closing ranks to force out Evo Morales’ left-indigenous government, the different factions of Bolivia’s pro-coup right have fallen out with each other less than three months into their rule. The crisis boiled over on January 26, when Jeanine Anez, the self-declared ‘interim’ president, declared that she would stand as a candidate, However, the problem facing the Bolivian right is much larg…
(2020-02-03). The “Repo” Fiasco; the Fed’s Cash Injections Send Stocks Soaring. globalresearch.ca A five-alarm fire has broken out in a little known, but critically important area of the financial system where high-quality bonds are swapped for cash. The “repo” market, which is short for repurchase agreements, is part of the nondeposit, shadow …
(2020-02-03). BRICS and the Digital Money Project: Alternative to US$, New Wave in International Payment System? globalresearch.ca In 2019 Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa were planning to issue their own digital money in order to reduce the share of payments in the US currency. BRICS countries are reducing the share of settlements in dollars. In …
(2020-02-03). Imperialism and Liberation Strategies in the Middle East. globalresearch.ca When millions of Iraqis took to the streets recently, their main slogan was “THE UNITED STATES OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST!” | How should one analyze this? | Obviously, there are a lot of social tensions in the Middle East — …
(2020-02-03). Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans. truthout.org The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries — most of which are African nations. Under the new restrictions, nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan will no longer be able to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S., while Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be able to participate in the diversity visa lottery program. The ban, commonly referred to as the “Muslim ban,” already affects citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia,…
(2020-02-03). Video: Syrian Army Offensive in Greater Idlib. globalresearch.ca The last week of January turned badly for Idlib militants. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda), the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation and their allies appeared to be unable to contain the offensive of the Syrian Army, …
(2020-02-03). How Iran Decided to Bomb US Bases and How Trump Avoided All Out War. globalresearch.ca On the third of January, after midnight, news about the assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, Brigadier General Hussein pour Jaafari, Colonel Shahroud Muzaffari Nia, Major Hadi Tameri and Captain Wahid Zamaniam reached the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad. Officers …
(2020-02-03). FARC Leader Sends Letter to Duque About Persecution of Members. telesurenglish.net The President of the Common Revolutionary Alternative Force (FARC) party, Rodrigo Londoño, sent an open letter to the President of Colombia, Iván Duque, in which he denounced the persecution of the former signatories of the peace agreement. | RELATED: | “In my opinion, the death of our partner César Darío Herrera, in the immediate vicinity of the territorial area of ‚Äã‚Äãreinstate…
(2020-02-03). Trump’s Medicaid Block Grant Plan May Impact Millions of Low-Income People. truthout.org The Trump administration Medicaid, a federal-state health program that covers 1 in 5 Americans, has been an open-ended entitlem…
(2020-02-03). Massive Rejection of Trump’s Plan in Palestine, Jordan, Yemen. globalresearch.ca Thousands of Palestinians held numerous demonstrations on the first Friday following the announcement of From Gaza to the West Bank, people protested energetically against what they …
(2020-02-03). Maneuvering Hell for Our Advantage. counterpunch.org When the mainstream media writes about war, even critically, the image that often comes to mind for me is an infant wrapped in plastic. That infant is naked reality, a.k.a., the present moment, suffocating and screaming for its life; the plastic smothering it are the journalistic euphemisms by which murder and terrorism turn into abstract
(2020-02-03). Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly calls for Assange’s release, condemns threatened extradition. wsws.org Members of the assembly undoubtedly recognised that their report on media freedom would have no credibility if it remained silent on Europe’s most famous imprisoned journalist and publisher.
(2020-02-03). This week in history: February 3-9. wsws.org 25 years ago: Russian miners strikeOn February 8, 1995, more than 600,000 coal miners staged a one-day strike across Russia, shutting down mines from Sakhalin in the east to the Don River basin, demanding payment of back wages and increased subsidies from the government of President Boris Yeltsin for the coal industry. Many of the miners had not been paid since the previous October.
(2020-02-03). Romania Willingly Becomes a U.S. Drone Base Aimed Against Russia. globalresearch.ca The already existing tensions in the Black Sea region have heightened because of the Defender-Europe 2020 exercises, which include ten participating states, including the Black Sea state of Romania. Through these U.S.-led exercises, that are mostly
(2020-02-03). The Creation Myth of the Buttigieg Campaign. counterpunch.org This weekend, Pete Buttigieg told supporters that he became a viable candidate for president “on the strength of our vision” and “the urgency of our convictions.” Such rhetoric fits snugly into a creation myth about his campaign that Buttigieg has been promoting since early 2019. Summing up the gist of that myth, Buttigieg began this
(2020-02-03). I will hold you in my arms a day after the war. mronline.org 
On Monday, 27 January, the South African photographer Santu Mofokeng slipped away. His camera had been a familiar presence in the anti-apartheid struggle; after years of photographing police violence and popular resistance, he tired of making ‘images bespeaking gloom, monotony, anguish, struggle, [and] oppression’, he wrote in 1993. |
(2020-02-03). Guaido’s Failed Foreign Tour Ends With A Flop. dissidentvoice.org 
President Maduro speaks to a massive crowd at Miraflores Palace on the anniversary of a failed Guaido coup (From Orinoco Tribune) Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself the president of Venezuela a year ago but despite multiple coup attempts, he never took power and his support there rapidly disappeared. Now, with his foreign tour concluding, Guaidó’s support is shrinking around …
(2020-02-03). Video: Turkey’s Madman Erdogan Sends NATO Troops to Defend al-Qaeda Terrorists in Idlib. globalresearch.ca Erdogan lost his mind and sends NATO troops into the Syrian province of Idlib to establish military checkpoints in front of the advancing Syrian Arab Army from the south to protect his defeated and collapsing al-Qaeda terrorists. | Even someone like …
(2020-02-03). Erdogan Says Turkey Bombed Syrian Troops in Idlib. telesurenglish.net Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey has been retaliating against the Syrian forces’ attack on its soldiers in the northern Syrian region of Idlib. | RELATED: | “Our artillery and F-16 (warplanes) are all operating in the field,” Erdogan said in a televised speech. | “We have soldiers martyred, and it is not possible for us to remain silent,” he added. | Turkish forces have identified about 4…
(2020-02-03). Even After the Afghanistan Papers, the Washington ‘Blob’ Still Embraces Staying Forever. globalresearch.ca James Clad, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia, remembers the exact moment, back in 2001, when he learned that the U.S. had invaded Afghanistan. As chance would have it, he was in a meeting with a …
(2020-02-03). The Afghanistan Papers. “Teflon Lies” and Mowing Lawns… globalresearch.ca Afghanistan is a famous desert for empires, a burial ground which has consumed those in power who thought that extra fortification and trading most might benefit them. It remains a great, and somewhat savage reminder about those who suffer hubris, …
(2020-02-03). China Accuses US of Creating Panic Over Coronavius. telesurenglish.net China has accused the United States of creating panic across the world over the fast-spreading coronavirus, which has caused over 360 deaths since early January. | RELATED: | According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the U.S. has caused fears over the spread of the virus by imposing travel restrictions and evacuations from China. | In particular, China accused the United States of spreading fear by pulling it…
(2020-02-03). La batalla de China contra el brote del nuevo coronavirus. peoplesworld.org 
BEIJING — Construido en solo diez días, pronto estará operativo un nuevo hospital en la ciudad china más afectada por el brote del nuevo coronavirus. Con la aprobación del presidente de la Comisión Militar Central, Xi Jinping, 1.400 trabajadores médicos de las fuerzas armadas se encargarán a partir de tratar pacientes en el Hospital Huoshenshan …
(2020-02-03). Nervousness grows over global impact of coronavirus outbreak in China. wsws.org The response to the 2019-nCoV coronavirus pandemic that began in Wuhan, China, is assuming evermore panicked and nationalist dimensions as the scale of the economic and social dislocation becomes clearer.
(2020-02-03). UK funding to boost vaccine search as coronavirus death toll rises. thecanary.co 
Infectious disease experts will use £20 million of UK government funding to embark on an ambitious six-month plan to produce a coronavirus vaccine.Health secretary Matt Hancock on Monday said the government would plough fresh money into developing a vaccine to combat the deadly global disease.The news came as the death toll in China from the disease rose to 361, with one more fatality having been recorded in the Philippines.A further 2,829 new cases were confirmed by Chinese health authorities in the 24 hours to Monday morning, taking the total number of cases in the country to 17,205.Most cases have been r…
(2020-02-03). Xenophobia and Racism Spreads As Coronavirus Outbreak Continues. telesurenglish.net As the novel virus grabs headlines and countries set up preventive measures, Chinese migrants and of Asian descent have denounced a rapid increase in racist and xenophobic attacks against them across Europe, America and even certain countries in Asia. | RELATED: | “I had a group of mindless teenagers shout ‘coronavirus’ at me on the bus. If you don’t think that’s racist, you are part of the problem,” Michele Li, a young Asian social medi…
(2020-02-03). Misleading Categories and Trump’s Swamps. counterpunch.org 
It is remarkable how the Democratic Presidential candidates allow themselves to be pigeon-holed by the media as “moderate,” “centrist,” “extreme,” “left-wing,” and other abstract fact-deprived nomenclature. It is also astonishing that the Democratic operatives have made something called “electability” a yardstick for deciding who to vote for in the primaries. This is particularly ironic considering
(2020-02-03). The right-wing record of Jacinda Ardern’s government in New Zealand. wsws.org Labour’s decision to give the anti-immigrant NZ First Party a central role in government signalled a further shift towards nationalism and war preparations.
(2020-02-03). The Public Charge Rule for Immigrants Evokes the Antebellum Slave Codes. counterpunch.org In a 5-4 decision this week, the Supreme Court temporarily lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction that had kept the Trump administration from implementing its rule that vastly expands the reach of the public charge provision in federal immigration law. Immigration officials will now be able to deny lawful permanent resident status (“green cards”) to immigrant
(2020-02-03). An examination of the anti-immigrant campaign in early 20th century America. wsws.org A century after the imposition of racist immigration quotas in the US, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and racism are once again on the rise in the US and around the world.
(2020-02-03). Youth Climate Activists Have Endorsed Bernie Sanders. Can It Tip the Scales? truthout.org A recent wave of endorsements reflects the Vermont Senator’s appeal for younger voters who are concerned with climate. | As sparring continues within the ranks of the Democratic Party, a certain voting bloc — one that didn’t yet exist during the 2016 presidential election because its members were in middle school and had not yet learned about climate breakdown — remains unified and outspoken as to who will get its vote in this election cycle. | “We’re in a climate emergency, so the…
(2020-02-03). Noam Chomsky: Sanders Threatens the Establishment by Inspiring Popular Movements. truthout.org The impeachment trial of Donald Trump for power abuses is winding down, with his acquittal all but ensured when the Senate reconvenes on Wednesday to vote on the articles of impeachment. Yet, his real crimes continue to receive scant attention, and it is Sen. Bernie Sanders who is regarded by the political establishment as the most dangerous politician because of his commitment to a just and equitable social order and a sustainable future. Meanwhile, the conclusion of the Davos meeting in…
(2020-02-03). Financial Transactions Taxes Are No Longer a “Fringe” Idea. truthout.org I have been a proponent of financial transactions taxes (FTT) since I first came to Washington more than a quarter-century ago. Back then, the idea of taxing Wall Street was considered pretty ridiculous. Among elected members of Congress, only then-Rep. Bernie Sanders and a few other progressive types were willing to publicly get behind the idea. | Things have changed. Most of the candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination, including all three of the leading contenders, have made FTT part of their agen…
(2020-02-03). ‘The US Has Become a Force of Evil’: Oliver Stone. globalresearch.ca The United States has become a “force of evil” against the people who want to reform things, renowned director Oliver Stone told former Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa during an interview Wednesday in his RT show ‘Conversando con Correa’ (Speaking With …
(2020-02-03). The U.S. War on Iran and Venezuela: Interview with Ajamu Baraka. globalresearch.ca The
(2020-02-03). Palestine: Legally Overriding a UN Security Council Veto. In Response to Trump’s Annexation Scheme. globalresearch.ca In response to the Trump regime’s annexation scheme of the century, Palestinians have binding recourse — in the General Assembly, not the Security Council. | US veto power prevents adoption of a SC resolution that upholds their rights under international law….
(2020-02-03). Trump’s “peace deal” for Israel, and it is breathtaking. globalresearch.ca I have read through the
(2020-02-03). US Deploys “Usable” Nuclear Weapon Amid Continuing War Threats Against Iran. globalresearch.ca The Pentagon deployed a new, smaller nuclear warhead aboard the ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee as it sailed into the Atlantic last month in the midst of the spiraling crisis with Iran. The weapon, known as the W76-2 warhead, has …
(2020-02-03). Iran to Launch new Satellite Despite US Missile Accusations. telesurenglish.net “We are not afraid of failure and we will not lose hope. With your prayers and trust in God, the Zafar satellite by the end of this week … will be heading toward an orbit of 530 km from Earth,” Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi tweeted.
(2020-02-03). Chile: 5 Dead in a Week as Violent Repression Continues. telesurenglish.net Chile has faced one of its most violent weeks after five people have died due to the increase of violence and repression in the hands of the militarized police (Carabineros). | RELATED: | The deaths took place in different locations of Santiago. So far, 31 deaths have been registered since Oct. 18 when demonstrations began against the measures promoted by the current neoliberal government. | The first death was…
(2020-02-03). Towards a World Without War? Global Research Needs Your Support. globalresearch.ca Dear Readers, | Global Research is a small team that believes in the power of information and analysis to bring about far-reaching societal change including a world without war. We are as committed as ever to the struggle for Peace, but …
(2020-02-03). A World Without War: Global Research Needs Your Support. globalresearch.ca Dear Readers, | Global Research is a small team that believes in the power of information and analysis to bring about far-reaching societal change including a world without war. We are as committed as ever to the struggle for Peace, but …
(2020-02-03). Nuclear Treaty Busting Trump Regime. Doomsday Clock Closer than Ever to Midnight. globalresearch.ca Largely in response to reckless Trump regime treaty busting, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved its Doomsday Clock closer than ever to midnight. | It now stands at 100 seconds from potential catastrophe to humanity. | In June 2017, the Trump …
(2020-02-03). UN Rejects Trump’s Annexation Scheme? globalresearch.ca Pronouncements are one thing, policies another. Ignore what politicians say. Follow only what they do. | The same goes for UN officials, notably the secretary general, installed by the US to serve its interests. | Most often, current incumbent Antonio Guterres and …
(2020-02-03). Bolivia: Evo Morales’ Legal Representative Arrested. telesurenglish.net The legal representative of former Bolivian President Evo Morales has been sentenced to six months in prison in a new attack on the reputation of the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) ahead of the upcoming elections. | Judge Armando Zeballos ordered the pre-trial detention…
(2020-02-03). Stumbling into Catastrophe. globalresearch.ca There is a real danger for foreign policy advisors and analysts — and especially those they serve — when they are in a bubble, an echo chamber, and all of their conclusions are based on faulty inputs. Needless to say …
(2020-02-03). Democrats Slam Republican Stonewalling in Senate Impeachment Trial. truthout.org The Republican-controlled Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump in just the third impeachment trial in U.S. history, with a final vote on the two articles of impeachment scheduled for Wednesday. On Friday, the Senate voted 51 to 49 against calling witnesses to the Senate trial. Just two Republican senators supported calling for witnesses and collecting new evidence: Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine. Without new witnesses, Republicans have cleared the biggest hurdle in their drive t…
(2020-02-03). Rush Limbaugh Tells Listeners He Has Lung Cancer. truthdig.com LOS ANGELES — Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said he’s been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. | Addressing listeners on his program Monday, Limbaugh said will take some days off for further medical tests and to determine treatment. | Limbaugh called himself the “mayor of Realville” in announcing his illness. He’d been experiencing shortness of breath that he initially thought might be heart-related but turned out to be a pulmonary malignancy. | Limbaugh’s announcement come at a tumultuous political time, as the conclusion of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial nears. | He started his nation…
(2020-02-03). VIDEO: Watch the Impeachment Trial Live. Trump Acquittal “All But Certain” globalresearch.ca A majority of Republican Senators are firmly behind Donald Trump. Trump’s acquittal is imminent. | . | “Led by intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff the managers pleaded with Republicans to find Trump guilty of the charges in the two articles of impeachment: …
(2020-02-03). America: Land of Make-Believe. truthdig.com 
If what happens in courtrooms across the country to poor people of color is justice, what is happening in the Senate is a trial. If the blood-drenched debacles and endless quagmires in the Middle East are victories in the war on terror, our military is the greatest on earth. If the wholesale government surveillance of the public, the revoking of due process and having the world’s largest prison population are liberty, we are the land of the free. If the president, an inept, vulgar and corrupt con artist, is the leader of the free world, we are a beacon for democracy and our enemies hate us for our values. If Jesu…
(2020-02-03). Iowans initiate the beginning of the end for Donald Trump. peoplesworld.org 
DES MOINES, Iowa—Either force of habit, or the need to self-medicate after months and months of political ad inundations, and door knocks at all hours, led Mr. and Mrs. Ingersoll to find comfort and warmth inside the Royal Mile pub. They strolled in hand in hand, a bit before 8: 00 p.m., and were almost matching …
(2020-02-03). The Politics of Online Friendship. counterpunch.org 
It happens to everyone. You’re scrolling through your Facebook feed and encounter a name you either dislike or admire. You head over to their page to check out the latest news or analysis, or to laugh at their latest bad take, but something’s off. The page seems incomplete. And then you realize why. You immediately
(2020-02-03). These Chains Will be Broken — Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons. globalresearch.ca These Chains Will be Broken, there is a series of references from five distinguished activists praising, in different ways, the short anecdotes from those who have been or are imprisoned within the …
(2020-02-03). Bossing Grown Folks Around: the Open Letter to the Greens. counterpunch.org Before a single primary vote has been tallied a number of big-shot progressive Democrats are already calling for the Green Party to stand down in an “open letter.” Of all the issues we face, why focus so narrowly on marginal election maneuvers? Of all the movements we need to organize, why try to demobilize a
(2020-02-03). Last Poll Before Iowa Caucus Shows Sanders With 7-Point Lead. truthout.org An Emerson/7 News According to the
(2020-02-03). Lamar Alexander Is Retiring, But He’ll Live in Infamy Forever for Saving Trump. truthout.org Good old Lamar! That would be Sen. Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee — known for that exclamation point after his name, his plaid shirts and his quixotic presidential campaigns. Well, Lamar! threw his reputation and legacy into the fetid compost heap of Donald Trump’s presidency last Friday. Alexander is retiring after this term, so I guess Republicans figured he was the most expendable human sacrifice to step into the breach and betray his oath by casting the deciding vote refus…
(2020-02-03). North Carolina Officials Aren’t Rushing to Return Pro-Confederate PAC Donations. truthout.org Facing South recently
(2020-02-03). With Medicare for All on the Table, Iowans Are Caucusing for Their Lives. truthout.org Democrats in Iowa are voting for their lives as they gather for the presidential caucuses today. Besides beating President Trump,
(2020-02-03). Echoes of Occupy Wall Street Are Reverberating Through the Iowa Caucus. truthout.org In the immediate run-up to the Iowa Caucus, CBS This Morning aired a
(2020-02-03). Victory for Canada’s First Nations: Saugeen Ojibway Nation Has Saved Lake Huron from a Nuclear Waste Dump. globalresearch.ca A major victory for Canada’s First Nations has just been won in Ontario. On January 31, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) overwhelmingly voted down the proposed deep geological repository (DGR) for storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive nuclear waste next …
(2020-02-03). The Shame of Child Poverty in the Age of Trump. zcomm.org Billionaires Are Soaring, Poor Kids Are Losing More…
(2020-02-03). Private Equity Firm to Purchase the Assets of the .ORG Domain Registry for $1 Billion. globalresearch.ca A public demonstration took place on Friday morning in front of the offices of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in Los Angeles to demand a halt to the sale of the .ORG domain registry to the …
(2020-02-03). Renowned Harvard chemistry professor charged with lying about ties to China. wsws.org There can be no question that the arrest of Dr. Charles Lieber is meant to intimidate American scientists from engaging in any way with their Chinese colleagues on scientific projects.
(2020-02-03). 14 Kenyan Children Killed in Stampede After School. telesurenglish.net Fourteen children were killed in a stampede as they rushed down a staircase at the end of classes at a primary school in western Kenya Monday, officials said. | RELATED: | At least 39 more were badly hurt in the incident at the Kakamega Primary School, the Daily Nation newspaper said, citing Western Region Police Commander Peris Kimani. | “We lost 14 of them,” Education Minister George Magoha told Citizen TV. “One…
(2020-02-03). Libyan Joint Military Commission Meets to Look for a Ceasefire. telesurenglish.net Libya’s warring sides met Monday to continue to look for a permanent ceasefire during the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission organized by the United Nations. | RELATED: | Five senior officers appointed by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and five senior officers appointed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) participated in the talks, which are moderated by the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General and…
(2020-02-03). UK Grenfell Fire Witnesses Want Guarantees in Order to Testify. telesurenglish.net Bereaved families and survivors of RELATED: | The inquiry has established that a flammable claddin…
(2020-02-03). Read Mao Zedong’s article on battle of Stalingrad. fightbacknews.org To mark the victory of the Soviet Union at Stalingrad, Fight Back News Service is reprinting the following article by Mao Zedong, that was first published October 12, 1942, in Liberation Daily. | The Turning point in World War 2 | The Battle of Stalingrad has been compared by the British and American press to the Battle of Verdun, and the “Red Verdun” is now famous all over the world. This comparison is not altogether appropriate. The Battle of Stalingrad is different in nature from the Battle of Verdun in World War I. But they have this in common– now, as then, many people are misled by the German offensive int…
(2020-02-03). The U.S.’ Monroe Doctrine Against South America Is Still Alive in the 21st Century. globalresearch.ca The attitude of the US towards Latin peoples has been one of domination, imposition and imperialism. The core of this policy is in the American ideology itself, based on the Monroe Doctrine of the 19th Century, which, enunciating an “America …
(2020-02-03). Government Organizations Shouldn’t Enjoy Trademark Protection. counterpunch.org According to its web site, Shields of Strength “provides fashionable, functional, and durable Christian fitness jewelry and accessories.” Those items include military “dog tags” engraved with quotes from scripture and sometimes the logo of the armed forces branch the customer belongs to. When the Military Religious Freedom Foundation complained, the Marine Corps Trademark Licensing Office
(2020-02-03). Iowa Media Back to the Future. counterpunch.org In the first week of February, every four years, coastal correspondents decamp to Iowa to cover the first-in-the nation nominating contest. Face-to-face, caucus by caucus, what the state lacks in demographics, it makes up for in down-home democracy, we’re told. And down-home democracy rests on down-the-street media. That’s why when the Des Moines Register endorses
(2020-02-03). Mourning in America: Kobe and Me. counterpunch.org When a sports legend dies, the emotional and political aftermath can speak volumes. For some like me, the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant along with his daughter and seven other souls in an LA-area helicopter crash on January 26 feels a bit like losing a close friend. That sounds confused and confusing. Bear with
(2020-02-03). How to Help Someone With a Disability: Listen to Them. counterpunch.org I’m 39. I have lived most of my life with a disability. I’m not sure when it truly started — probably early childhood, but it got severe when I started high school. I began having migraines every day, and the root cause of my migraines was a mental health issue. One of the hardest parts
(2020-02-03). Libya and the Modern Colonial Legacy of the Berlin Conference. globalresearch.ca Once a leading force in the Pan-African Movement on the continent, Libya today, provides a profound illustration of the detrimental and destructive character of neo-colonialism in the present epoch. | During February and March of 2011, the United States and its …
(2020-02-03). The Health Impacts of Cell Phone Radiation in America. globalresearch.ca NTP scientists have decided to follow the science. | In a recent revision to the
(2020-02-03). Ten Acts of Gross British Misgovernment Since 1945. globalresearch.ca As the UK leaves the European Union, Philip Allott (University of Cambridge) reflects on ten occasions when Britain has badly misjudged and mishandled challenges to its hegemony — both internal and external — and traces the cause to the dominance …
(2020-02-03). Earth Is Heating at a Rate Equivalent to Five Atomic Bombs Per Second. Or Two Hurricane Sandys. globalresearch.ca The heat absorbed in Earth’s oceans reached a new record in 2019, found
(2020-02-03). Deepening Cruelties and Delusions on the Greek Frontier Islands. globalresearch.ca “Seventy-five years after the liberation of this place by the Red Army, we should all make this sacred commitment to never forget what happened here. And let us never forget that hatred, discrimination, intolerance have no place in our democracy” …
(2020-02-03). ‘Needs fine-tuning, but no glitches’: India’s FIRST EVER trial of facial recognition software at polls reported success. rt.com 
Officials in the Indian state of Telangana, the first in the country to use facial recognition to verify voters, have said the software still needs to be honed but has proven fairly accurate with up to an 86 percent success rate.
(2020-02-03). Indian govt says there ‘cannot be any delay’ to execution of 4 convicts in 2012 gang rape & murder after 2nd postponement. rt.com 
India’s solicitor general has said the convicts in the ‘Nirbhaya’ rape and murder that inspired a Netflix series are “testing the patience of the nation” by filing appeals one after another after their hanging was delayed again. | India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is the second law officer in the country, has said that there should be no more delays in carrying out the death sentence in the case of the four men, found guilty of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young student on a bus, who later became known as Nirbhaya (“fearless” in Hindi). | “In the interest of the society and victim, there should…
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus same class as plague & HIV: PM Mishustin says Russia will deport infected foreigners if necessary. rt.com 
Russia will isolate, quarantine, and deport foreigners struck down with the new Chinese coronavirus. The step was announced on Monday by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. | The country reported its first cases on Friday, raising fears that the epidemic affecting neighboring China could prompt a similar health emergency in Russia. However, Mishustin says the situation is currently contained, and there’s no need for alarm. | “In order to prevent the spread of infection in our country, all necessary measures have been taken, the operational headquarters is working and, the situation is under control,” he told his…
(2020-02-03). EU top diplomat Borrell visits Iran ‘to de-escalate tensions’ over nuclear program. rt.com 
Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell held talks on Monday in the Iranian capital on a mission aimed at lowering tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. | Borrell’s trip, his first to Iran since taking office, follows a spike in tensions between Washington and Tehran following the January 3 assassination in Baghdad of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike. | The two-day visit opened with a meeting with FM Mohammad Javad Zarif, ahead of talks with President Hassan Rouhani and parliament speaker Ali Larijani. | The trip will allow Borrell “to convey the EU’s strong commitment to preserve” the 2015 nuclear deal, cal…
(2020-02-03). Swiss humanitarian channel for Iran is ‘not sign of US goodwill,’ FM Zarif says. rt.com 
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that the Swiss humanitarian channel is not a sign of the United States’ goodwill. “This is a small step and we thank the Swiss government for its efforts… but this channel is not a sign of America’s goodwill at all,” ISNA quoted Zarif as saying. | The Swiss and US governments on Thursday said a humanitarian channel to bring food and medicine to Iran has started trial operations to help supply Swiss goods to the population without tripping over US sanctions, Reuters reported. | Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that Teh…
(2020-02-03). Protesters in Iraq splinter over backing of new PM-designate. rt.com 
Protests camps in Baghdad and the south began to fracture on Monday, split over whether to back Iraq’s PM-designate Mohammed Allawi, AFP reported, citing activists. | Allawi’s nomination has so far failed to quell the months-long rallies sweeping Baghdad and the mainly-Shiite south, where young demonstrators have demanded nothing short of a total government overhaul. | Most young protesters have rejected Allawi as too close to the ruling elite but powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has backed the rallies, welcomed his appointment on Saturday. Sadr urged his followers to stay in the streets, creating a rift w…
(2020-02-03). Hong Kong shuts down more border crossings with mainland China amid coronavirus fear, medics strike. rt.com 
The government of Hong Kong has further restricted travel from mainland China amid public fears about the coronavirus epidemic. City leader Carrie Lam denies caving in to pressure from medics, who started a strike on Monday. | Hong Kong health workers started a five-day strike on Monday, demanding a full closure of the border to prevent infected people from reaching the city. Lam stopped short of meeting their demands in full, and denies that the measures she announced on Monday were due to the pressure. | “If anyone thinks that by resorting to such extreme measures the government will be made to do something…
(2020-02-03). Soaring bitcoin could ‘explode in value’ as investors panic over coronavirus. rt.com 
Flagship cryptocurrency bitcoin spiked on Monday after the Chinese stock market crashed on its reopening following an extended Lunar New Year break. | Bitcoin surged to $9,608, the highest since October, shortly after markets opened in Hong Kong. The digital currency has entered a bull rally on January 3, adding nearly 40 percent since then. It’s the best start to the year for bitcoin since 2012. | Worries about the spiraling coronavirus outbreak have been boosting bitcoin which usually goes up when investors are nervous. Chinese stocks which had been closed since January 24 plummeted the most since 2015 as th…
(2020-02-03). Turkey failed to notify of convoy movements in Syria’s Idlib before getting shelled by Damascus troops — Russian military. rt.com 
A shelling incident in Syria in which Ankara said six of its soldiers were killed may have been caused by the failure of the Turkish side to warn about the movement of their convoy, the Russian military said. | “Units of the Turkish military conducted movement within the Idlib de-escalation zone during the nighttime from February 2 to February 3 without informing the Russian side and came under fire by the Syrian government troops, which were targeting terrorists west of Saraqib,” the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said on Monday. | The statement stressed that there are established lines of communica…
(2020-02-03). Putin & Saudi king Salman agree to ‘coordinate efforts’ to stabilize oil markets as Brent hits new low. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz expressed their readiness to coordinate efforts within OPEC+ format to stabilize the situation on the international oil markets, which saw crude prices plummeting amid a deadly coronavirus outbreak in China. | The two leaders “extensively discussed” the present situation and agreed to “maintain contacts” on various levels, Kremlin said in a statement. OPEC+ is a format that involves the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major oil producers, including Russia, which earlier already coordinated reduced oi…
(2020-02-03). Warring Libya sides sit down for Geneva talks agreed in Berlin. rt.com 
The two major warring parties in the Libyan civil war have for the first time sat down for commission-level talks in Geneva. The meeting was agreed at the Libya summit in Berlin, after a peace process started by Russia and Turkey.
(2020-02-03). Russian military shoots down drone approaching Khmeimim Air Base from Med Sea. rt.com 
An unidentified drone has been intercepted near Russian Khmeimim airbase in Syria. The UAV approached the compound from the Mediterranean Sea and was shot down by the base’s anti-air defenses. | The flying object came close to the military facility late on Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry has said. The drone was shot down by a Pantsir-S anti-aircraft system before it reached the premises of the base and it did not inflict any materiel damage or casualties. The origin of the drone has not been established yet. | Earlier in the day, Syrian state media reported that at least two drones, launched by the anti-gove…
(2020-02-03). Climate change in Russia: Moscow temperatures exceeded norms by 9.2 degrees Celsius in January. rt.com 
When you’re the world’s biggest country, you are pretty much a sitting duck for the effects of climate change. So it’s hardly a surprise that in Russia weather records continue to be broken nationwide. | After a summer of wildfires, with reports of melting permafrost, plus an abnormally warm winter in western regions, this year has started with more norm-defying weather. On Monday, it was reported that over 70 Russian cities experienced their hottest January since records began. | Now, you can also throw out the stereotype of a snowy winter Moscow. According to Roman Vilfand, the scientific director of the Hyd…
(2020-02-03). France is neither pro-Russian nor anti-Russian but pro-European — Macron. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France “is neither pro-Russian nor anti-Russian, it is pro-European.” | He was speaking with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during his first visit to Poland since he became president. | Macron also said at a news conference in Warsaw that “we need to be demanding in our political dialogue with Russia.” The French president sought to reset relations at a time when Britain’s departure and an upsurge of nationalism are reshaping alliances and undermining confidence in the EU, Reuters said. | Duda said he hoped Macron’s visit…
(2020-02-03). Turkey says 6 troops killed in shelling in Syria's Idlib, points finger at Damascus. rt.com 
Ankara has claimed that six Turkish soldiers were killed and several others injured after they came under heavy shelling in the rebel-held province of Idlib, while blaming Syrian Army forces for the attack. | In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that its forces came under “intense artillery fire” in the northwest Syrian province. It initially said four troops were killed and nine injured, including one seriously. The death toll was later updated to six. | The ministry said that the Turkish forces retaliated by destroying unspecified targets in the region. It also claimed that Ankara had…
(2020-02-03). 'They will understand their mistake': Erdogan vows to continue military ops in Idlib after 6 Turkish soldiers killed. rt.com 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to continue retaliating heavily to any attacks against Turkish forces in Syria’s Idlib Province, after six Turkish soldiers were killed. | “We have responded in kind to these attacks and will continue to do so, whether it is with our artillery or mortars,” Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul on Monday, adding that a military operation in Syria’s northwestern Idlib Province is ongoing. | He said that the Turkish heavy howitzers and F-16 jets hit around 40 targets, “neutralizing” between 30 and 35 Syrian government soldiers. Sources told the Daily Sabah that Ankara…
(2020-02-03). OPEC may deepen production cuts as global oil demand at risk. rt.com 
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies could reportedly cut their oil output by a further 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) due to the impact on oil demand from the deadly coronavirus. | Sources told CNBC that the cartel considers holding a ministerial meeting on February 14-15, almost a month earlier than scheduled. | “I think it is a ‘go big or go home’ moment for the organization,” said Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. | “If you are going the route of an extraordinary meeting, you will have to come up with a substantial reduction in ord…
(2020-02-03). Worst day in years as Chinese markets plunge 8% amid coronavirus outbreak. rt.com 
China’s stock markets tanked on Monday, their first day of trading after an extended Lunar New Year holiday, with nearly 3,500 stocks dropping by the daily 10 percent limit. | The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed 7.7 percent lower, the biggest drop in nearly five years. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks the performance of 500 major stocks listed on the exchange, dived 8.4 percent. Shenzhen hasn’t recorded a single-day percentage drop this bad since 2007. | The losses on each index were the biggest since the 2015 ‘Black Monday,’ wiping out a combined $445 billion off the market. | The Chinese…
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus-infected woman gives birth to perfectly healthy baby in China. rt.com 
A Chinese woman infected with the coronavirus has given birth to a healthy baby girl thanks to the quick and decisive intervention of hospital staff. | The Harbin Municipal Health Commission made the announcement on Monday, after the woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing 3.05kgs (6.7 lbs) on January 30. The mother and daughter were kept in quarantine for observation at the hospital in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, and both are said to be in stable condition. | The woman presented herself to the hospital at 38 weeks pregnant with a high fever. Following an examination by medical staff, the…
(2020-02-03). Watch WHO chief cough & crack a ‘VIRAL’ joke… as watchdog tackles coronavirus (VIDEO). rt.com 
World Health Organization (WHO) head has managed to produce a truly horrible joke, worth of the darkest corners of the internet, as he coughed amid a WHO meeting on coronavirus — and assured his colleagues he was not infected. | The executive board of the WHO convened on Monday, discussing the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus — and how to battle misinformation hysteria around it. So far, over 17,200 cases of the virus, including 361 deaths, have been registered in China, as well as over 150 cases world-wide. | Speaking at the meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus coughed and in…
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus + PORN?! Game dev hopes to cash in on adult game promotion with viral twist. rt.com 
Game developer Kagami Works is luring in Chinese customers with 90,000 free copies of its “adult” match game Mirror – to keep players inside and safe from the rampaging coronavirus while “keeping them company.” | The developer has made free copies of the racy game available to anyone with a mainland China phone number in a promotion called “Wuhan, We’re With You!” on popular gaming platform Steam. Offering Mirror’s well-endowed anime girls to gamers “to keep them company” as they hide from the virus indoors appears to have been a good business move – while the promotion is scheduled to run through Monday, it i…
(2020-02-03). China's first 'instant' coronavirus hospital accepting patients, second facility days from opening. rt.com 
Huoshenshan Hospital, a makeshift 1,000-bed facility in China’s Wuhan that was built in just 10 days, received its first coronavirus patients on Monday. A 1,500-bed facility in Leishenshan is due to open later this week. | The construction of the two hospitals in Wuhan, the city in central China worst affected by the ongoing viral epidemic, was ordered to keep the disease contained and prevent the risk of spreading the virus. It is consistent with Beijing’s way of dealing with the 2013 SARS outbreak, when a temporary hospital was erected north of the capital in just one week. | Huoshenshan was built near Zhiyi…