(2020-02-04). With Sanders Headed to Victory, Iowa Democratic Party Blocks Release of Caucus Results. globalresearch.ca The Iowa Democratic Party has refused to release results of the caucuses held throughout the state on Monday night to determine the allocation of delegates for the party's presidential nomination. Officials are now saying that they hope to have results …
(2020-02-04). Sanders Defeats Rivals in Iowa? Results Delayed. globalresearch.ca According to We Are Iowa, early results show Sanders ahead of rivals in the race for the state's 41 Dem delegates. | Addressing supporters Monday night, Sanders slammed Trump, saying "we cannot continue to have a president who is a pathological …
(2020-02-04). Bernie Sanders's Internal Data Shows He May Have Won Iowa Caucus. truthout.org The Iowa Democratic Party delayed releasing results from Monday's caucuses after uncovering inconsistencies in the reporting of data. Caucuses were held in 1,600 precincts across the state on Monday, but many precincts had trouble reporting the delegate totals to the state Democratic Party. Part of the blame was placed on a new smartphone app designed to help precinct chairs tabulate and report the vote. Early Tuesday morning, Bernie Sanders's campaign released internal caucus numbers from 40% of the precinc…
(2020-02-04). Pro-Israel Buttigieg backer Seth Klarman is top funder of group behind Iowa's disastrous voting app. thegrayzone.com Behind the app that delayed Iowa's voting results is a dark money operation funded by anti-Sanders billionaires. Its top donor,…
(2020-02-04). On the Big Issues, Bernie Sanders is the Only one who Can Save America. zcomm.org Bernie Sanders is the only candidate running whose climate action plan is at all equal to the challenge…
(2020-02-04). DNC Declares War on Sanders…Again. counterpunch.org There's already lots of evidence that the DNC old guard will sabotage Bernie's campaign. Again. For example, take a look through the sources, links and excerpts below this column. The New York Times also ran more op ed slander against Sanders this past Saturday. Among younger people especially, however, predictable dark money ads and redbaiting
(2020-02-04). Bernie Sanders Can Silence His Critics in New Hampshire. truthdig.com 
While journalists pick through the ashes of the Iowa caucuses meltdown, thousands of progressive activists are moving forward to make election history in New Hampshire. In sharp contrast to the prattle of mainstream punditry, the movements behind Bernie Sanders are propelled by people who engage with politics as a collective struggle because the future of humanity and the planet is at stake. As a result, the Granite State's primary election on Feb. 11 could be a political earthquake. | Whether or not the Democratic Party's corporate backers truly understand what progressive populism is all about, they're determin…
(2020-02-04). Iowa Fiasco Raises the Stakes for New Hampshire, Where Sanders Could Win Big. zcomm.org Only the power of people, determined and mobilized, can overcome the forces arrayed against the Bernie Sanders campaign and the movements supporting him at this pivotal historic moment…
(2020-02-04). Sanders Campaign Signals Victory Amid Iowa Fiasco. truthdig.com 
After a " "We recognize that this does not replace the full data from the Iowa Democratic Par…
(2020-02-04). Amid Iowa Results Debacle, Sanders Campaign Signals Victory. truthdig.com After a " "We recognize that this does not replace the full data from the Iowa Democratic Par…
(2020-02-04). Muddling Democrats: Chaos in the Iowa Caucus. globalresearch.ca Whatever the claims by the Democratic pollsters on the ground, the party has all the work to do ahead of selecting a candidate to make a fist of it come November. Pity for them, then, that the opening in Iowa …
(2020-02-04). The Iowa Caucus Has Choked Itself to Death at Last. truthout.org "
(2020-02-04). Tech Problem With Mobile App Causes Iowa Caucus Chaos. truthdig.com 
DES MOINES, Iowa — A new mobile app was supposed to help Democratic officials quickly gather information from some 1,700 caucus sites throughout Iowa. Instead, a "coding issue" within the app is being blamed for delays that left the results unknown the morning after the first-in-the nation presidential nominating contest. | Glitches with a new mobile app Monday caused confusion, and some caucus organizers were forced to call in results for the state party to record manually, introducing delays and the possibility of human error. Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price said the delays were not the result o…
(2020-02-04). The First Democratic Primary Should Be Illinois. truthdig.com This piece originally appeared on The custom of Iowa having the first Democratic primary (or as they are pleased to call it, caucus) goes back to 1972, because of the complexity of the process. I have often spoken in Iowa and love the state, but it should not be the first Democratic primary state. I ma…
(2020-02-04). US Election Cycle Kicks Off in Iowa With No Official Results. telesurenglish.net The formal electoral cycle that will determine the Democratic candidate who will face Donald Trump in the presidential elections in November began this Monday in Iowa. However, despite the start of the primaries, no official results have been released due to technical difficulties. | RELATED: | | A Democratic Party…
(2020-02-04). 'This Is an Apartheid Proposal and It's a Nonstarter' – CounterSpin interview with Omar Baddar on Israel/Palestine 'peace deal'. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed the Arab American Institute's Omar Baddar about the Trump/Kushner "peace deal" for Israel/Palestine for the Media…
(2020-02-04). Trump's Banal "Deal of the Century" is Impossible to Take Seriously. zcomm.org When the two old political fraudsters emerged at the White House this week with the most deranged, farcical tragi-comedy in Middle East history, it was difficult to know whether to laugh or cry…
(2020-02-04). "Hybrid War" and Its Impacts on Latin America. globalresearch.ca This is the full English-language original version of the interview that Andrew Korybko gave to Argentinian journalist Santiago Mayor, who then published a shortened form of it in the Buenos Aires newspaper "Tiempo Argentino". | 1. In your book about …
(2020-02-04). HuffPost UK editor works with gov't censorship program while smearing anti-war scholars as tools of Russia. thegrayzone.com HuffPost UK ran yet another hit piece smearing academic critics of the dirty war on Syria as Russian stooges. The…
(2020-02-04). Russian FM to Visit Venezuela to Help Counteract Sanctions. telesurenglish.net Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will make a state visit to Venezuela on Friday to boost relations between the two countries while they continue to face economic blockades from the United States and their allies. | RELATED: | According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov will travel first to Cuba, who is also under an inhuman economic blockade, before making his way to Caracas for an official visit.
(2020-02-04). Evo Morales Named Candidate for Bolivian Senate. telesurenglish.net The democratically elected President of Bolivia Evo Morales, who is seeking asylum in Argentina after a coup d'etat against him, has been named a candidate for senate. | "Our brother Evo Morales is on the official lists. He is our candidate for the department of Cochabamba to the National Assembly," coca growers' leader, Leonardo Loza, stated today to the press in La Paz, adding that social organizations supported the candidacy. | With t…
(2020-02-04). Coronavirus Pandemic: Economic Disruption. China Bashing and Hate Campaign against Chinese-Americans. globalresearch.ca The coronavirus pandemic is being used to smear China and its leadership. | The WHO has set the stage. A Global Emergency after a three hour committee meeting in Geneva was launched on January 30. | At the time this far-reaching WHO …
(2020-02-04). China Tests Russian Vaccine to Combat New Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net As the coronavirus spreads through China and other countries, and authorities report a record daily jump in deaths from 64 to 426, the Asiatic nation has begun testing the Russian drug Triazavirin, a direct-acting antiviral, in an attempt to cure the illness and stop the epidemic. | RELATED: |
(2020-02-04). Chinas neues Coronavirus: Eine Untersuchung der Fakten. globalresearch.ca Die westlichen Massenmedien haben das neue Coronavirus behandelt, das in der Stadt Wuhan in Zentralchina seinen Anfang nahm, aber abgesehen von immer wiederkehrenden kleinen Details und dem unvermeidlichen China-Bashing wurde nicht viel Licht auf die Umstà§nde geworfen. Mein erster Kommentar …
(2020-02-04). Oil prices plummet as coronavirus epidemic drastically curtails Chinese demand. wsws.org China is the world's top oil importer and uses over 10 million barrels per day.
(2020-02-04). Hong Kong Reports Virus Death as Workers Strike at Hospitals. truthdig.com 
BEIJING — Hong Kong hospitals cut services as thousands of medical workers went on strike for a second day Tuesday to demand the border with mainland China be shut completely, as a new virus caused its first death in the semi-autonomous territory and authorities feared it was spreading locally. | All but two of Hong Kong's land and sea crossings with the mainland were closed at midnight after more than 2,000 hospital workers went on strike Monday. Hong Kong health authorities reported two additional patients without any known travel to the virus epicenter, bringing the number of locally transmitted cases up…
(2020-02-04). Democrats double down on anti-Russia war-mongering in impeachment arguments. wsws.org The Democrats' final arguments only underscored the reactionary basis of their impeachment drive.
(2020-02-04). Democrats Impeach Trump for Withholding Arms to Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. globalresearch.ca On December 18th, Donald Trump became the third U.S. president in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The second to be indicted before completing a first term, the 45th commander-in-chief must now survive a Senate trial before …
(2020-02-04). Here's What Trump Won't Talk About in the SOTU (Hint: It's Everything Important). truthout.org The Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump at his impeachment trial, and to essentially greenlight any and all presidential actions as being literally above the law and outside congressional restraining powers. What would an honest third-party observer say if they were invited to give the State of the Union on February 4 in lieu of Donald Trump? | As we approach the 2020 election, it's time to give an honest accounting of Donald J. Trump's time in office. | Let's start with the bottom…
(2020-02-04). Iran Approves Death Sentence for 'CIA Spy'. telesurenglish.net Iran's Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmaili said Tuesday that the country's Supreme Court has approved the death sentence of an Iranian who was spying for the United States, semi-official Fars news agency reported. | RELATED: | "Amir Rahimpour, who was the CIA spy and received huge money to give part of the information of Iran's nuclear program to the intelligence service of America, had already been sentenced to…
(2020-02-04). America's Long War: Is the Draft Coming Back? globalresearch.ca During recent increased US-Iran confrontation, so many people viewed the Selective Service website to find out about the draft that the website crashed. People were right to be concerned about a return of the draft. | With the ongoing military conflicts …
(2020-02-04). "Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…
(2020-02-04). Venezuela Commemorates 28th Anniversary of National Dignity Day. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, told a large crowd Tuesday that on February 4, 1992, "the original dignity of the liberators broke into history, the original project of the Liberator Simón Bolívar and the giants of this country broke." | RELATED: | Maduro led the event at the Cuartel de la Montaña in honor of the civic-military rebellion of February 4, 1992, led by Commander Hugo…
(2020-02-04). Trump's Environmental Review Rollbacks Will Put Ranchers in Charge of Public Lands. counterpunch.org President Trump's proposed new rollbacks of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations will not only accelerate destructive infrastructure projects, they will also cut environmental concerns out of decision-making for livestock grazing on millions of acres of public lands. Where environmental reviews do occur, the new regulations hamstring public participation and give an outsized voice to ranchers
(2020-02-04). The Future of Palestine: Trump Attempting to Consolidate the Balfour Declaration. globalresearch.ca There are two schools of thought as to whither the fate of the newly revealed proposed settlement to the protracted Palestine problem. One espoused by Scott Ritter, former UN Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Inspector, that it is an …
(2020-02-04). Palestine — "Deal of the Century" — or Fraud of the Century? globalresearch.ca Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demolished President Trump's "Peace Plan" or, as the Donald called it, "The Deal of the Century", calling out "Jerusalem is not for sale", warning that the "conspiracy deal will not pass. The Palestinian people will reject …
(2020-02-04). Tallahassee residents demand removal of killer cop Police Chief Lawrence Revell. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – Local activists are calling new attention to the long struggle against terrorism by white supremacist law enforcement through a series of direct actions, the latest of which took place January 30 at a "Meet the Chief" meet and greet at a community center in Tallahassee. | "This action is to protest the appointment of confirmed killer cop Lawrence Revell to chief of police, and to condemn the opaque, nepotistic process employed by City Manager Reese Goad to appoint Revell to this position," said Regina Joseph, president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC). | Members of TCAC distr…
(2020-02-04). Dozens killed in growing border clashes between Turkey and Syria. wsws.org This fighting threatens to escalate into a direct confrontation between Turkey, a NATO member state, and the Syrian regime's nuclear-armed ally, Russia.
(2020-02-04). Turkey Demands Russia Restrain Syrian Forces in Idlib. telesurenglish.net Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Tuesday that Russia needs to restrain the Syrian military forces in Idlib after the recent hostilities killed some Turkish military personnel. | RELATED: | Erdogan warned that the Syrian military was causing significant issues in Idlib over their recent offensive, pointing out that Turkey will not stand idly while the government forces press forward inside this province. | Despite Turkey's…
(2020-02-04). NATO exercise Defender 2020: Germany serves as military base for build-up against Russia. wsws.org For the first time in its history, the alliance is practicing the deployment from the US to eastern Europe of an entire division of 20,000 soldiers.
(2020-02-04). Video: Human Shields: Turkish Forces Suffer Casualties in Syrian Army Attack on Idlib. globalresearch.ca Turkey and the United States are employing active diplomatic, media and even limited military measures to contain the Syrian Army offensive against terrorists in Greater Idlib. | On January 31, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened the Damascus government with a military …
(2020-02-04). The Syrian Arab Army and Allies are Fighting the "Real War on Terror" globalresearch.ca Probably the most hideous propaganda to be spewed by the establishment media cartel in the West is that which portrays the Syrian Arab Army as some kind of militia, "Assad's gang", disconnecting these defenders of homeland from the people they …
(2020-02-04). Trump's "Deal of the Century": Turning West Bank "Cantons" into Mini Gaza Extermination Zones? globalresearch.ca The Trump proposal, based on Israel's wish list, appears to be designed to slowly exterminate most of the Palestinians living under Israeli control by creating "cantons" — reservations — that will mimic Gaza's isolation and lack of access to necessities …
(2020-02-04). A Sordid New Genre of Stories Emerges in Corporate Media. truthdig.com 
Big news, everyone! Billionaires don't like socialism. | In response to a rising progressive tide in the United States, a new genre of stories has emerged in corporate media: rich guys warning against taxing them, or really changing anything about the system at all. Just as the press are keen for you to know that Medicare for All is a very bad idea (FAIR.org, R…
(2020-02-04). US deploys new weapon in its nuclear arsenal. thecanary.co 
The US military has deployed a new addition to its nuclear arsenal, a long-range missile armed with a nuclear warhead of reduced destructive power.The so-called low-yield missile joins other, more powerful weapons aboard stealthy submarines prowling the oceans.The debut deployment aboard long-range submarines, known as boomers, is a landmark in US nuclear weapons policy.It is the first major addition to the strategic nuclear arsenal in recent decades and is a departure from the Obama administration's policy of lessening dependence on nuclear weapons in pursuit of a nuclear-free world.In confirming the missile dep…
(2020-02-04). How to Not Remove a Fascist. counterpunch.org As we know from a recently released Hillary Clinton documentary, Barack Obama called Donald Trump a "fascist" in a 2016 conversation with Hillary Clinton's then-running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine. "Tim, remember," Obama said by phone, "this is no time to be a purist. You've got to keep a fascist out of the White House."
(2020-02-04). Trump Green Lights Greater Israel. globalresearch.ca Many interested parties have already weighed in on President Donald Trump's "Deal of the Century." Even though it sounds like a phrase that a used car dealer would use, the "Deal" is dead serious in that it effectively denies …
(2020-02-04). Brazilian oil workers strike against mass layoffs, privatization threat. wsws.org The strike at the state-owned giant Petrobras comes amid strikes by other sections of public sector workers against Bolsonaro's privatization program.
(2020-02-04). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Tens of thousands of teachers in Canada's largest province are continuing their fight against the right wing government of Bill Ford, while workers at Brazil's Petrobras have taken action over the privatization drive by the Bolsonaro administration.
(2020-02-04). Realizing 'Just Transitions': The Struggle for Plant Conversion at GM Oshawa. globalresearch.ca On November 26, 2018, General Motors announced a number of plant closures in North America, the largest of which is in Oshawa, Ontario. The Oshawa facility, once the largest auto complex on the continent, was to end all its assembly …
(2020-02-04). Most Popular Articles in January. globalresearch.ca …
(2020-02-04). 80 Percent of Irish Voters Want a United Ireland. globalresearch.ca A poll, carried out on behave of the Sunday Times by a UK company, has shown that 80 percent of Irish people want a united Ireland and 40 percent believe they will see this happen within a decade. | The Sunday …
(2020-02-04). New Zealand's Hidden Role at the Biggest US Bombing Base in the Middle East. globalresearch.ca A recent issue of Air Force News revealed that a senior NZDF officer served a six-month posting at the Qatar base, placing New Zealanders at the heart of the main targeting and bombing center in that region, writes Darius Shahtahmasebi…
(2020-02-04). The Shame of the Century: Kushner's Deal Is Dead on Arrival. globalresearch.ca Imagine a lawsuit being tried in a courtroom. The case is coming to a close, and one side is sure of their position of being 'in the right', and then the opposing side offers a 'deal' to settle the case …
(2020-02-04). Biden and Buttigieg Take Big Bucks From Union-Busting Lawyers. truthout.org The Iron Workers Union
(2020-02-04). More Trainings Are Not the Answer to Police Violence Against Disabled People. truthout.org The Chicago Police Department (CPD)
(2020-02-04). The US Military Has a Legacy of Wars Without Victory and Weapons Without End. truthout.org The expression " Thinking about that led me…
(2020-02-04). Home Health Care Is Suddenly Harder to Come by for Medicare Patients. truthout.org The decision came out of the blue. "Your husband isn't going to get any better, so we can't continue services," an occupational therapist told Deloise "Del" Holloway in early November. "Medicare isn't going to pay for it." | The therapist handed Del a notice explaining why the home health agency she represented was terminating care within 48 hours. "All teaching complete," it concluded. "No further hands on skilled care. Wife states she knows how to perform exercises." | That came as a shock. In May…
(2020-02-04). Do Davos Billionaires and Bankers Really Believe That There Won't Be Any More Booms and Busts? counterpunch.org Can runaway booms descend into busts absent monetary tightening by the world's central banks? I pose this question in the wake of an extraordinary exchange on January 22 at Davos between Bloomberg editor-at-large Tom Keene and Bob Prince, co-CIO of Bridgewater Associates, in which the latter posited the notion that "we've probably seen the end
(2020-02-04). Why Economics is an Impossible Science (In One Paragraph). counterpunch.org In a word, Economics is an Impossible Science because by its own definition the determining conditions of the economy are not economic: they are "exogenous." Supposedly a science of things, it is by definition without substance, being rather a mode of behavior: the application of scarce means to alternative ends so as to achieve the
(2020-02-04). Technology, Patents, and Inequality. counterpunch.org It is popular for people, especially economist-type people, to claim that technology has been a major driver of the increase in inequality over the last four decades. This view is very convenient for those on the winning side of the inequality divide, since it implies that the growth in inequality was largely an organic process
(2020-02-04). Doomsday Clocks and Apple Watches. counterpunch.org When I was a kid in the 1950s, the clichéd way for magazine cartoonists to portray a "crazy man" was to show him carrying a picket sign that proclaimed The World Is Coming To An End! Nowadays that same picket sign could signify the exact opposite—a sane person, soberly confronting our moment in history. Apocalyptic
(2020-02-04). Saugeen Ojibway Nation Has Saved Lake Huron From a Nuclear Waste Dump. counterpunch.org 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 to Lake Huron. The DGR had long been proposed by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), but
(2020-02-04). A Historic Conversation with Legendary Drummer Santa Davis. counterpunch.org On December 1, 2019, I interviewed drummer Carlton "Santa" Davis—at his house in Los Angeles—for over three hours about his legendary career. The interview focused heavily on: Santa's work playing with the Soul Syndicate, backing artists like Dennis Brown and Burning Spear, and contributing on some of Bob Marley's biggest and best hit songs; the
(2020-02-04). Sedition or Sedation?: Liberalism and Neuroses. counterpunch.org culture is the act of "replacing what is unconscious with what is conscious." A cult is unconscious. It simply does what it has always done. It follows instructions. Culture, on the other hand, is the bringing to awareness of the damage — the repression, irrationality, violence, ugliness, injustice and tragedy — imposed by the cult.
(2020-02-04). The Tribute Poems of AZ and KSM. counterpunch.org Who is this guy, Jim Mitchell? Evidently, I overslept and woke up smack dab in the middle of…
(2020-02-04). New "Low-Yield" Nuclear Warhead a Dangerous Step. zcomm.org Critics of the warhead say it accelerates a drift towards thinking of nuclear weapons as a means to fight and win wars, rather than as a deterrent of last resort…
(2020-02-04). More than half of the world's millennials fear a nuclear attack will happen in the next decade. wsws.org A recent International Committee of the Red Cross study, which surveyed 16,000 millennials in 16 different countries, found overwhelming hostility to war and militarism among youth.
(2020-02-04). Students and young people speak out against war. wsws.org The International Youth and Students for Social Equality spoke to young people throughout the US about their experience with war and its consequences.
(2020-02-04). 'You only have one job, Iowa': Delay with US Democratic Party's first caucuses results sparks anger and jokes online. rt.com 
The long-anticipated US Democratic Party's Iowa caucuses has turned into a confusing cliffhanger with officials deciding to delay reporting the results, spurring speculation and mockery online. | The announcement of the caucuses outcome was delayed on Monday night "due to quality checks," Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) Communications Director Mandy McClure said. | We found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results. In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results, we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confiden…
(2020-02-04). China tests Russian anti-viral drug which might treat coronavirus as Moscow warns of possible 'mass outbreak'. rt.com 
While health chiefs prepare for a potential pandemic, China is testing a Russian anti-viral drug in the hope that it might help control the new coronavirus. It comes as prospects of a vaccine look slim for the foreseeable future. | Triazavirin, developed at Yekaterinburg's Ural Federal University, was originally developed to combat 'Bird Flu' (H5N1), and, given that there are some similarities between the two infections, researchers feel it's worth a punt. The medicine is already known to be effective against 15 types of flu. | Russia's Deputy Health Minister Sergei Kraevoi confirmed the news on Tuesday. He al…
(2020-02-04). Coronavirus food warning: Prices DOUBLE in Russia's Far East after Chinese border closed, vegetable supplies running scarce. rt.com Events in Russia's Far East rarely register on the global radar, but right now the remote region may serve as canary in the coalmine for dangers to food security if the new Chinese coronavirus goes global. | Prices of some products have doubled since Moscow ordered the closure of a series of border checkpoints last week. At the same time, supplies of vegetables have already started to dwindle, even though there is no official blanket ban on importing Chinese produce. | Speaking to Interfax, Khabarovsk's largest retail chain Samberi confirmed that prices have risen throughout the Far East. The local Minister of…
(2020-02-04). H5N8: Saudi Arabia reports outbreak of HIGHLY pathogenic bird flu virus. rt.com 
An outbreak of a particularly contagious bird flu virus has been reported in Saudi Arabia, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) warns, as the world struggles to contain the spread of a deadly China coronavirus. | The outbreak took place in the central Sudair region, located some 150 kilometers north of the nation's capital of Riyadh. The disease already killed more than 22,000 birds, the OIE said, citing the Saudi Agriculture Ministry. More than 385,000 birds were also slaughtered out of precaution. This is the first such outbreak since July 2018. | The H5N8 strain of the bird flu, which was detected…
(2020-02-04). India's Kerala declares 'state calamity' over 3rd case of coronavirus, will treat China returnees dodging medics as 'criminals'. rt.com 
A regional health emergency has been declared in the Indian state of Kerala after a third case of a lethal virus gripping China was confirmed there, prompting officials to take harsher action against those evading screenings. | The "state calamity" was announced by Kerala's health minister KK Shailaja, who noted the designation was not meant to "trigger panic," but rather "to create more awareness" about the fast-moving contagion, which has claimed 427 lives and infected over 20,000 worldwide since December. | With three confirmed cases in the country, India has begun to take steps to contain the outbreak, but…
(2020-02-04). Chinese coronavirus quarantine now just 100 miles from Shanghai, 4 more cities with 21mn people added. rt.com 
Chinese authorities have extended the country's internal quarantine to include four additional cities comprising roughly 21 million people in a bid to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. | Travel restrictions have been placed on residents in Taizhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Wenzhou; allowing only one person per household to leave every two days to go and pick up supplies. In addition, residents in Taizhou must present ID every time they leave their homes. | City authorities also have placed rent controls on landlords, expressly forbidding them from renting their properties to people from "severely affected…
(2020-02-04). Libyan military factions ready to negotiate in Geneva — UN envoy. rt.com 
The UN envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, said on Tuesday there was a "genuine will to start negotiating" between rival military factions as they began talks in Geneva. | Forces loyal to eastern based commander Khalifa Haftar have been trying to take control of the capital Tripoli for the past 10 months. | Salame told reporters that the two sides were aiming "to bridge the gaps in their views on how the lasting, sustainable ceasefire can be organized on the ground." However, an arms embargo is being violated by both sides, and new mercenaries were still arriving to Libya, Reuters quoted Salame as saying. | Transf…
(2020-02-04). Trump could 'offer Alaska to the Russians' in exchange for 2020 support — impeachment manager Schiff. rt.com 
California Democrat Adam Schiff painted a doomsday scenario if President Donald Trump is not impeached, including an all-powerful dictator ruling from Mar-a-Lago, letting his son-in-law run America, and trading Alaska to Russia. | Schiff's high fantasy came during the closing arguments of the Senate impeachment trial on Monday, after a series of procedural votes on Friday made it clear that Trump will not actually be convicted on charges brought on by the House of Representatives. | The president's lawyers argued that Trump could not be impeached since he committed no criminal act in his talks with the preside…
(2020-02-04). Russia starts production of S-400 missile defense systems for India, 'all commitments being fulfilled' despite US pressure. rt.com 
Russia has kicked off production for a batch of S-400 missile defense systems with India's name on them, bringing a deal reached in 2018 one step closer to fruition despite fevered protests — as well as threats — from Washington. | "The Almaz-Antey concern has begun manufacturing the S-400 systems for India, and Russia will deliver the S-400s to India within the timeframe stipulated by the contract," said Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, adding that training centers had already been established in India to prepare operators of the missile system. | In general, all commitments und…
(2020-02-04). India & Bangladesh hold joint counterterrorism army drill (PHOTOS). rt.com 
A two-week joint military exercise is underway in India's eastern Meghalaya state, where the host nation's troops are welcoming guests from neighboring Bangladesh. The drill is to culminate in a field exercise. | The ninth installment of the Sampriti exercise is meant to help the militaries of the two countries learn about each other's tactical and organizational peculiarities. The joint field operation will simulate a UN-mandated counterterrorism push conducted by India and Bangladesh in tandem in a difficult mountainous and jungle terrain. | "In addition to understanding each other at tactical level, greater…
(2020-02-04). Europe 'will avoid' taking Iran nuclear dispute to UNSC — Borrell. rt.com 
The European Union will extend indefinitely the time limit to resolve disputes in the Iran 2015 nuclear deal to avoid having to go to the UN Security Council or triggering new sanctions, the EU's top diplomat said. | "We are in agreement not to go directly to a strict time limit which would oblige (us) to go to the Security Council," the EU's Josep Borrell told reporters during a visit to Tehran on Monday. | In remarks broadcast on Tuesday, he said "the willingness is not to start a process that goes to the end of JCPOA, but to keep it alive," referring to the Iran accord by its formal name, the Joint Comprehe…
(2020-02-04). Twitter cites 'Iran & Israel state actors' after suspending researcher who exposed new user-data flaw. rt.com 
Twitter, in a post so reassuring it's alarming, says it stopped possible state-backed actors in Iran and Israel from exploiting its features. But the only clear 'actor' may be a lone researcher who reported the bug six weeks ago. | "Iran, Israel and Malaysia suspected of exploiting Twitter phone number security flaw," read a headline on Sky News. "Twitter: Israel, Iran may have accessed users' phone numbers," warned the Jerusalem Post. | So what did those bad privacy-violating ayatollahs in Tehran and intrepid privacy-defying IDF hackers do this time? They exploited Twitter's "contact upload" feature to match…
(2020-02-04). Top US commander for Middle East on quiet visit to Iraq as Washington works to salvage ties. rt.com 
Top US commander for the Middle East quietly visited Iraq on Tuesday, as the Trump administration works to salvage relations with Iraqi leaders and shut down Baghdad's push for an American troop withdrawal. | Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie became the most senior US military official to visit since an American drone strike in Baghdad killed a top Iranian general, enraging the Iraqis, AP reported. McKenzie met with Iraq leaders in Baghdad and went to see American troops at al Asad Air base, which was bombed by Iran last month in retaliation for the drone attack. | His visit comes amid heightened anti-American sentim…
(2020-02-04). Twitter cites 'Iran & Israel state actors' after suspending researcher who exposed new user-data flaw. rt.com Twitter, in a post so reassuring it's alarming, says it stopped possible state-backed actors in Iran and Israel from exploiting its features. But the only clear 'actor' may be a lone researcher who reported the bug six weeks ago. | "Iran, Israel and Malaysia suspected of exploiting Twitter phone number security flaw," read a headline on Sky News. "Twitter: Israel, Iran may have accessed users' phone numbers," warned the Jerusalem Post. | So what did those bad privacy-violating ayatollahs in Tehran and intrepid privacy-defying IDF hackers do this time? They exploited Twitter's "contact upload" feature to match…
(2020-02-04). Radicalizing troops? 19yo rookie soldier named suspect in French police station knife attack, after ISIS threat phone call. rt.com 
A 19-year old serviceman was named a suspect in the attack on a gendarmerie station in France, which took place after police received a threat of a massacre in the name of Islamic State. | The suspect was "a young soldier who was completing his two months of initial training and was on probation," Defense Minister Florence Parly confirmed on Tuesday. She added that the man was not on duty during the attack. | The prosecutor in the northeastern city of Metz Christian Mercuri told reporters that the 19-year-old alleged culprit joined the army in early December. | The knifeman wounded a gendarme at the local stat…
(2020-02-04). 'No time to explain, Elysee needs your money!' French minister impersonators on trial for scamming MILLIONS. rt.com 
Conmen who duped wealthy donors into donating millions of euro to "secret missions" using Skype and a silicon mask of then-defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian are on trial in France. One of the defendants even inspired a movie. | The group allegedly targeted numerous marks since 2015, pleading for funds for off-the-books transactions like ransom payments or financing anti-terrorist operations, promising that the money would later be refunded by the French government. | The president of Gabon, French AIDS charity Sidaction, and the archbishop of Paris were among more than 150 people and entities who the group t…
(2020-02-04). White Helmets are 'preparing chemical attack false-flag' in Syria's Idlib, Russian military tipped off. rt.com 
Militants affiliated with al-Qaeda and 'White Helmets' are preparing to stage a chemical attack in Idlib province as Syrian army continues to advance, the Russian Reconciliation Center said citing a tip from local residents. | Members of the self-styled civil defense group, which operates solely in territories controlled by anti-government militants, were noticed arriving at the town of Ma'arat al-Artik, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Aleppo. According to the call that came in on the reconciliation center's hotline on Monday evening, they were preparing a "provocation with the use of poisonous agen…
(2020-02-04). VIDEO of fake chemical attack in Syria already complete, White Helmets co-produced footage — Moscow. rt.com 
The White Helmets have shot a new fake video of 'Assad's chemical attack' in Syria's Idlib, the Russian MoD has said. The movie, co-produced by the notorious White Helmets, is expected to be released shortly on social media. | Production of the new film was concluded on Tuesday in the village of Zerba, located in the militant-controlled part of Syria's Idlib province, the Russian Center for Syrian Reconciliation has said, citing several independent sources. | The video, shot by the notorious White Helmets group in cooperation with local terrorists, purports to show the aftermath of a "chemical attack" on civil…
(2020-02-04). Ankara failed to separate 'armed opposition' from terrorists in Syria's Idlib — Lavrov. rt.com 
Russia's FM Sergey Lavrov urged Turkey to stick to existing agreements and fulfill its obligations on the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria, which has seen intense fighting between government troops and militants in recent days. | The ongoing escalation in Syria's Idlib, where the Syrian Army launched a massive offensive against anti-government militants and Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists, has already resulted in sporadic clashes between the militaries of Syria and Turkey. | Early on Monday, Turkish military convoy was hit by Syrian artillery fire after Ankara moved its troops into Syria without prior notice.
(2020-02-04). Feel the 'Sun Heat': WATCH Russia's fearsome heavy thermobaric flamethrower system in action. rt.com 
Russia's Defense Ministry released a rare video of TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems fired during military drills. The fearsome weapon packs 24 thermobaric missiles, capable of obliterating everything within 40,000 square meters. | The TOS-1A systems made a rare appearance during a military exercise in Russia's Leningrad region. Footage of the drills, released by the Russian military on Tuesday, shows the systems moving towards their positions, getting loaded, and ultimately unleashing their thermobaric might on the mock targets. | The TOS-1A systems are also known under a rather grim-humored, yet very fitt…
(2020-02-04). 'I'm not proposing to extend my powers': Putin says potential changes to constitution are not about him. rt.com 
Are Putin's constitutional proposals designed so he can "rule for life" or to partially undo Boris Yeltsin's 1993 "super-presidential" reforms and make Russia's system of governance more balanced? | Well, this depends on whether you believe the Western press or the man himself. The Guardian
(2020-02-04). Clash of the champions: Knockout king Artur Beterbiev and light heavyweight No. 1 Dmitry Bivol eye stadium fight in St Petersburg. rt.com 
Representatives of feared light heavyweight compatriots Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol have begun talks over a stadium fight in Russia later this year, potentially setting up a compelling clash between two unbeaten champions. | Bob Arum, who co-promotes Beterbiev, has turned his attention to Bivol and is targeting an agreement with the WBA title holder's co-promoter, Eddie Hearn, after Canelo Alvarez opted to move down a weight division following his win over Sergey Kovalev in November. | The Boxing Federation of Russia wants to host the unification fight at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg in August, pit…
(2020-02-04). 'Moment of truth has come,' says Belarus' Lukashenko as he prepares for Putin showdown this week. rt.com 
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is no stranger to playing east against west, and recently the wily fox has upped the ante in his hunt for trade and economic concessions from Moscow. | After all, you don't keep power for 26 years by playing the shrinking violet. Now he's talking about a "moment of truth" ahead of a summit with Vladimir Putin. | Last weekend, he met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Minsk and has been openly flirting with the West — which, presumably for geopolitical reasons, no longer seems to call him "Europe's last dictator." | One problem with this, Minsk is economically re…
(2020-02-04). Hardcore jihadist resurfaces in France using… EU-paid student exchange program. rt.com 
A man who represented one of the most brutal jihadist groups in Syria has been arrested in France. Bizarrely enough, the suspected war criminal apparently freely enjoyed the benefits of the EU student exchange program. | Last week, several human rights groups celebrated the arrest of a man named Majdi Mustafa Nameh, a humble 30-something student. He is better known under his nom-de-guerre, Islam Alloush, which he used while serving as the spokesman for the jihadist group Jaysh al-Islam. He resigned in August 2016, after giving an interview to an Israeli researcher. | Following his arrest in Marsaille, the man…
(2020-02-04). Distraught Cristiano Ronaldo fans win court case for 'mental anguish' after star sparks fury by failing to play in Asia friendly. rt.com 
A court case that heard how two fans suffered "mental anguish" when Cristiano Ronaldo failed to play in a pre-season friendly for Juventus in South Korea last year has ended in both supporters being awarded financial compensation. | Two fans who were left with "mental anguish" when Cristiano Ronaldo sat out a pre-season friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium last year have been compensated in a district court case in South Korea. | Event organisers The Fasta had suggested Ronaldo was contracted to play at least 45 minutes in the glamour game against K League All Stars, leaving the sell-out crowd of 65,000 peo…
(2020-02-04). Netanyahu discusses 'normalization' with Sudan's leader after Uganda talks. rt.com 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met Sudan's leader to discuss normalizing ties, his office said. The talks are seen as a potentially landmark step that was denounced by the Palestinians, AFP reports. The PM's office said he met Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan's ruling sovereign council, in the Ugandan city of Entebbe on Monday. | Israel remains technically at war with Sudan, which for years supported hardline Islamist forces. The sovereign council is a transitional body of Sudan's military officials and civilians that is headed by Burhan, an army general. | Israel has improved ties with…
(2020-02-04). A real kick in the butt! Cigarettes continue emitting harmful chemicals for DAYS after they're stubbed out, study shows. rt.com 
Cigarette butts continue to release harmful chemicals into the air for far longer than anyone could have imagined, new research conducted for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows. | Even when a cigarette is extinguished and becomes cold, the butt will still emit harmful compounds; in just the first 24 hours, a stubbed-out butt will produce 14 percent of the nicotine that an actively burning cigarette would. | While many will be aware of the dangers of second and third-hand smoking (where residues embed themselves in fabrics and linger on walls and furniture) the invisible toxins emitted by butts lon…
(2020-02-04). 'Alienate countries around the world': Washington pushes ahead with plan to punish 'currency manipulation'. rt.com 
The US Department of Commerce has finalized new rules to impose anti-subsidy duties on products from countries that it has determined undervalue their currencies against the dollar. | The rules would target China and allow for new tariffs to be imposed on Beijing, despite the fact that the US Treasury Department last month removed China from its list of currency manipulators as part of the Phase 1 trade deal. | In addition to China, the rules could put goods from other countries at risk of higher duties. Countries which could be affected include Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea,…
(2020-02-04). 'We're going to kill Mesut Ozil and kill you': Security guards claim CHILLING threats made against Arsenal midfielder and mother. rt.com 
Two men said they would kill Mesut Ozil and his security guard and threatened to "f*** Mesut's mother" in an after-dark murder threat made as part of three repeat visits to the World Cup winner's home in August, a court has heard.
(2020-02-04). 'My Word Stands': Sanders Co-Chair Nina Turner Offends MSNBC Pundits by Calling Billionaire Bloomberg an 'Oligarch'. commondreams.org "Not sure why this is even a discussion but by any reasonable historical or comparative standard Michael Bloomberg is literally the definition of an oligarch." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-02-04). Amid Iowa Results Debacle, Sanders Campaign Signals Victory by Releasing Portion of Its Internal Caucus Data. commondreams.org "We recognize that this does not replace the full data from the Iowa Democratic Party, but we believe firmly that our supporters worked too hard for too long to have the results of that work delayed," said senior campaign advisor Jeff Weaver. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …