(2020-02-07). Acronym group that sabotaged Iowa caucus birthed by billionaire who funded Alabama disinformation campaign. mronline.org Silicon Valley billionaire Reid Hoffman funded the creation of ACRONYM, the group that sabotaged the Iowa caucus results, after bankrolling voter manipulation campaigns including the notorious online "false flag operation" in Alabama's 2017 senate race. |
(2020-02-07). Venezuela "Embassy Protectors" Will Not be Able to Tell Jury that Coup Leader Juan Guaido Is "Not President", or Mention International Law. globalresearch.ca On February 4, Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell issued a ruling on what the jurors will be allowed to be told in the trial of the Embassy Protectors scheduled to begin on February 11. She granted most of the government's …
(2020-02-07). Iowa debacle fueled by anti-Bernie billionaires, Russiagate hucksters, failed DNC elites. thegrayzone.com Max Blumenthal breaks down the shadowy network of billionaires, Democratic elites, and Russiagate profiteers behind the Shadow app that ruined…
(2020-02-07). Syria and Turkey Face War as Syrian Arab Army Poised to Take Idlib. globalresearch.ca Tensions between Damascus and Ankara have never been higher over the past nine years. Turkey's
(2020-02-07). Who is Behind "Fake News"? Mainstream Media Use Fake Videos and Images. globalresearch.ca The mainstream corporate media is desperate. They want to suppress independent and alternative online media, which they categorize as "fake news". Readers on social media are warned not to go onto certain sites. Our analysis confirms that the mainstream media are routinely involved in distorting the facts and turning realities upside down.
(2020-02-07). A Fascist Coup Attempt in Germany. counterpunch.org While millions this week stared at Iowa and Washington with worried amazement, confusion or anger, Germany, too, had its own messy confusion — which turned into a frightening alarm signal! For the very first time, a state government — in Thuringia — was able to achieve rule with the support of the far, far right
(2020-02-07). In Thuringia, Germany, a fascist coup. peoplesworld.org BERLIN — While millions this week stared at Iowa and Washington with worried amazement, confusion or anger, Germany, too, had its own messy confusion — which turned into a frightening alarm signal! For the very first time, a state government — in Thuringia — was able to achieve rule with the support of the far, …
(2020-02-07). Media, Democratic Establishment Panics as Sanders Predicted to Sweep All 50 States. mintpressnews.com No matter how much mainstream media and establishment Democratic pols attempt to spin the results, Iowa has many of those in the establishment very worried, to say the least.
(2020-02-07). Don't Let Corporate Media or DNC Fool You — Sanders Scored a Big Win in Iowa. truthout.org Bernie Sanders's supporters remain justifiably outraged at the way the results of the Iowa caucus were reported and misreported. Yet, there is much for these supporters to celebrate. Sanders, who declared victory in the Iowa caucus yesterday, leaves Iowa as the likely front-runner in the race for the 2020 Democratic primary. The corporate media will do everything they can to avoid acknowledging this, but the data do not leave room for any other logical conclusion. | Under tremendous pressure, em…
(2020-02-07). Dems must focus on removing Trump from the White House. peoplesworld.org DES MOINES, Iowa — Confusion surrounding the Iowa Caucus results continued Feb. 6 after Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez called for a re-canvass of votes to ensure their full integrity. The chaos is likely the final nail in the coffin of the Iowa caucus, long criticized as undemocratic and unrepresentative of Democratic base voters. …
(2020-02-07). Pete Buttigieg Blasted for Declaring Himself 'Official' Victor in Iowa. truthdig.com Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and CNN came under fire late Thursday for uncritically boosting the latest batch of Iowa Democratic caucus results, which—as documented by news outlets and observers—contained a number of glaring errors that the Iowa Democratic Party has yet to fix. | After CNN anchor Chris Cuomo
(2020-02-07). Manufacturing Success: CNN's Premature Parade for Buttigieg in Iowa. fair.org by Julie Hollar | Four days after the Iowa caucuses took place, no victor has been declared and the vote remains mired in controversy and irregularities. But if you've been watching CNN for the last few days, you could be excused for imagining Pete Buttigieg had won. | Some at CNN simply took it as fact that Buttigieg had won Iowa—like David Axelrod, who declared (
(2020-02-07). Democrats Seek to Suppress Sanders Victory in Iowa. globalresearch.ca The effort by the Democratic Party establishment to conceal or suppress reports of Senator Bernie Sanders' victory in the Iowa caucuses reached a new stage Thursday with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez calling on the Iowa Democratic Party to …
(2020-02-07). Election Politics: From Chaos to an Emerging Political Consciousness? globalresearch.ca The disintegration of Iowa's Democratic caucus before the nation's disbelieving eyes could not be a better metaphor for what some are calling the Evolutionary Shift of the Ages. In a nutshell, a shift in the nature of reality is underway …
(2020-02-07). Sanders Campaign Found More Than a Dozen "Discrepancies" in Iowa Delegate Data. truthout.org Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and CNN came under fire late Thursday for uncritically boosting the latest batch of Iowa Democratic caucus results, which — as documented by news outlets and observers — contained a number of glaring errors that the Iowa Democratic Party has yet to fix. | After CNN anchor Chris Cuomo
(2020-02-07). Libya is Being Torn Apart By Outsiders. counterpunch.org With the United States walking out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—more commonly known as the Iran accord—we all enter into a heightened zone of danger. Trump is threatening a war on Iran through his statements and tweets, and now by his actions, assassinating serving Iranian and Iraqi generals on Iraqi soil. Assassinations
(2020-02-07). This is the time for solidarity, not stigma. mronline.org In December 2019, several people began to develop infections in Wuhan (People's Republic of China); early signs indicated that the virus had emerged out of the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, but there is no certainty about that verdict. |
(2020-02-07). Lee Camp: They're Going to Try to Steal California From Sanders (Again). mintpressnews.com Californians should be forewarned that if they want to vote for someone outside the centrists — say, Bernie Sanders — they need to change their party affiliation to either Democrat or No Party Preference. But it gets even worse, writes Lee Camp.
(2020-02-07). Appeals Court Rejects Democrats' Emoluments Suit Against Trump. telesurenglish.net Two days after the Senate acquitted the President of the United States in his impeachment, a federal appeals court dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Democratic Party, accusing Donald Trump of violating the anti-corruption provisions of the United States Constitution with his business. The decision ended a week of political victories by the Republican President. | RELATED: | Meanwhile, the disappointment of the Dem…
(2020-02-07). Trump, Racism, and Fascism — More than Just Personality Disorders. counterpunch.org After the supposedly post-racial presidency of Barack Obama, what passes for the liberal punditry discovered racism had arisen in the homeland. They never felt so good feeling bad about racism, denouncing what they identified as its primal cause — Mr. Trump, who was sullying that "shining example" of the United States of America. Obscured were
(2020-02-07). Duh, Jared! So who built the PA as a 'police state'? counterpunch.org Nazareth. Maybe something good will come out of the Trump plan, after all. By pushing the Middle East peace process to its logical conclusion, Donald Trump has made crystal clear something that was supposed to have been obscured: that no US administration has ever really seen peace as the objective of its "peacemaking". The current
(2020-02-07). Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Tehran Wants to Build "the Golden Ring" globalresearch.ca BRI-led Eurasian integration processes are one of the defining characteristics of contemporary International Relations, and the Golden Ring could eventually become the centerpiece of these efforts if Ambassador Hosseini's W-CPEC+ proposal succeeds, especially if it's done in parallel with N-CPEC+….
(2020-02-07). Assange's Case Represents 'Failure of Western Law' — Says UN's Nils Melzer. globalresearch.ca An interview was recently given by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, to
(2020-02-07). Interview with international model Andreja Pejic: "I think standing behind Assange and Manning is where we should all be" wsws.org The WSWS spoke with Andreja Pejic about the campaign to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning and broader political issues.
(2020-02-07). Pilger, Burchett and Assange: Three Extraordinary Australian Journalists That Spoke Truth to Power. mintpressnews.com Australia, writes Rick Sterling, should be proud of its three native sons that were willing to speak truth to power no matter the consequences.
(2020-02-07). Right-wing Nicaraguan opposition boasts of support from US and EU in campaign to oust Sandinista gov't. thegrayzone.com The US embassy and European Union are meeting with right-wing Nicaraguan opposition leaders and pressuring them to unite against elected…
(2020-02-07). Bolivia's Coup-Born Regime Arrests Socialist Lawmaker Torrico. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Special Force for the Fight Against Crime (FELCC) Thursday arrested Movement for Socialism (MAS) lawmaker Gustavo Torrico in La Paz as he was leaving home to work. | RELATED: | The coup-born regime led by Jeanine Añez accuses Torrico of sedition and terrorism. This has caused outrage among human rights defenders who have been denouncing that the Bolivian government persecutes social activists who dissent. | "This is totally illegal. I appeared…
(2020-02-07). Climate Change — The Missing Peace. zcomm.org The more we talk about the climate crisis, peace, and oppression as inextricably linked through notions of what we consider justifiable, the more likely we are to address the deep causes that lead to a militarized, polluting world racing towards the precipice…
(2020-02-07). Antarctica Temperatures Trigger Fear of Rapid Ice Melt. truthdig.com Climate scientists on Friday revealed the latest troubling new observation in Antarctica, illustrating the consequences of the rapid warming of the area brought on by the manmade climate crisis. | As The Guardian
(2020-02-07). The End of the Corbyn Era. counterpunch.org As the Labour Party chooses its next leader, the future of the Corbyn project hangs in the balance and the field of candidates has already begun to narrow. Party members have to decide who will best stand up for their interests. The frontrunner is Keir Starmer, with Rebecca Long-Bailey in second place and Lisa Nandy
(2020-02-07). Tourism Industry: Millions in Losses Due to Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net As China reports 31,000 cases of infection and 636 deaths, the outbreak of coronavirus has threatened to cause multi-million dollar losses in the travel industry, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO). | RELATED: | Before the coronavirus, the WTO predicted a 3 to 4 percent growth in global tourism this year, compared to the 1.5 billion tourists who traveled in 2019. But the current situation indicates that these statis…
(2020-02-07). Just a Little Sloppy Record-Keeping? The Pentagon's $35 Trillion 'Accounting Black Hole'. globalresearch.ca Over the past two weeks of coronavirus headlines and heightened global anxiety, along with impeachment coverage and after over the Super Bowl weekend Americans huddled in living rooms in blissful oblivion, a story which in more normal times would be …
(2020-02-07). Trump sinks to racist panic as China mobilizes against disease. peoplesworld.org Even though a tiny number of cases of coronavirus have surfaced in the U.S., widespread panic about the disease has surfaced in the form of hostility and racism toward Chinese people and even people who seem to be of Asian descent who are not Chinese. Many Americans, often self-identified as fans of Trump and living …
(2020-02-07). Official response to coronavirus heightens popular anger at Chinese government. wsws.org It is apparent that Chinese officials at all levels were aware by late December that a new strain of coronavirus had emerged.
(2020-02-07). Neoliberalism and the Coronavirus. counterpunch.org In This Changes Everything, Naomi Klein notes that the TV sets owned by Americans were manufactured in China with the energy input from coal-burning. Those carbon emissions are logged in China's ledger. The trucking to bring the TV to your town's big box outlet is logged in the U.S.'s ledger. However, the transoceanic shipping that
(2020-02-07). Chinese national describes life inside the coronavirus quarantine zone. peoplesworld.org SINGAPORE—It's been more than two weeks since authorities in the city of Wuhan quarantined 11 million people in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak spreading across China and around the world. Except for a few foreign nationals whose governments have ferried them out on charter flights, the capital of epidemic-hit Hubei province remains, essentially, …
(2020-02-07). Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shoots unarmed man in the face in New York City. wsws.org Eric Diaz-Cruz was shot as he sought to stop his mother's boyfriend from being detained by ICE early Thursday morning.
(2020-02-07). Trump gloats over impeachment, but popular opposition mounts to his administration. wsws.org While Trump has emerged victorious over his factional enemies within the state, he heads a crisis-ridden government despised by broad sections of workers and young people.
(2020-02-07). Trump May Not be a Dictator, But He Has a Despot's Sense of Impunity. counterpunch.org Now that President Trump has been "acquitted" in a sham trial by the Republican-controlled Senate and given unfettered license to act as he pleases, is there a real danger that he will become a dictator? According to Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and one of the House impeachment managers,
(2020-02-07). A Cruel Attack on the Disabled. counterpunch.org You might have missed it amid the impeachment coverage, but the Trump administration has recently rolled out plans for draconian cuts to everything from Medicaid to school lunches. Latest on the chopping block? Social Security disability payments. Cuts to the social safety net are often justified for budgetary reasons, but I find that hard to
(2020-02-07). Genetically Modified Bt Cotton: Cultivating Farmer Distress in India. globalresearch.ca Later this month, India's Supreme Court will hold a lengthy hearing on the commercialisation of genetically modified (GM) mustard, which would be the country's first GM food crop. The court has asked the chair of the Technical Expert Committee to …
(2020-02-07). Thunberg: 'Indigenous Peoples Lead the Fight Against Crisis'. telesurenglish.net The RELATED: | "We must give voice to Indigenous peoples around the world because we depend on them, even…
(2020-02-07). CBP Lied About Iranian-American Detentions, Leaked Memo Suggests. globalresearch.ca Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(2020-02-07). China, Iran and North Korea Are Almost Encircled by 500 US Military Bases. globalresearch.ca US president Donald Trump's approval ratings, at 49%, are now at their highest ever level since his assumption to office three years ago (1). Trump is a heavy favourite to be re-elected in November, a likelihood which the ever-growing …
(2020-02-07). Iraq Is on the Brink of an Energy Crisis. globalresearch.ca As the deadline for the U.S. to renew its waiver on Iraq importing gas and electricity from Iran approaches later this month, the three key players in this ongoing geopolitical saga have been preparing for all possible outcomes. As always …
(2020-02-07). Syria: With an Eye on Energy Dominance, Russia is Aligning with Israel Against Iran. mintpressnews.com In the second of a three-part series, Agha Hussein investigates Russia's financial motivation for teaming up with Israel and wealthy Gulf Arab states to curb Iran's influence in post-war Syria.
(2020-02-07). Venezuela: Sergei Lavrov Met National Dialogue Representatives. telesurenglish.net Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday met with the "National Dialogue" representatives in Caracas where he stressed that the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela are unacceptable and illegal. | RELATED: | "Unfortunately, the crisis Venezuela is going through comes from a campaign led by the United States to overthrow the legitimate government chaired by President Nicolas Maduro," L…
(2020-02-07). Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister to Meet President Maduro. telesurenglish.net Russia's RELATED: | After visiting Cuba and Mexico, Lavrov arrived in Caracas on Thursday ni…
(2020-02-07). Video: "The Deal of the Century", Palestine and International Law: UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk. globalresearch.ca Michael Welch's GRTV feature interview with UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in occupied Palestine, Prof. Michael Lynk. | The plan will take us backward. It violates international law. | It is an unilateral arrangement between Israel and the …
(2020-02-07). It's Farmer v. Monsanto in Court Fight over Dicamba Herbicide. globalresearch.ca A showdown is underway in the Midwest as the owner of a large Missouri peach farm seeks to hold the former Monsanto Co. accountable for millions of dollars in damage to his crops—losses the farmer claims resulted from a corporate …
(2020-02-07). These Drugs are in US Meat But Not on the Label. counterpunch.org Thanks to animal welfare groups, most people are now aware of "factory farms." Concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs abuse workers, animals, the environment, human consumers and even our tax dollars. (How? Price supports and government bailouts when diseases occur.) Thanks to greedy CAFOs crowding, diseases killed one-tenth of all US pigs and millions of
(2020-02-07). Canada, Palestine and the 'Deal of the Century': Four Statements. globalresearch.ca Reject Trump's Plan: Exist, Resist, Return | by Canada Palestine Association | The Trump Administration has just unveiled the details of its "Deal Of The Century." This plan includes, but is not limited to: | Giving legitimacy to illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. …
(2020-02-07). Radical radio station KPFK host Lila Garrett, 94, passes. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES—It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing on Feb. 1 of one of my best friends, KPFK host and Emmy-award winning writer Lila Garrett, always a pistol, yet married to the peace movement and forever committed to progressive values. I said my goodbyes to Lila a little over a week …
(2020-02-07). Media Urge Palestinians to Take Crumbs—Because Democracy Is Not on Offer. fair.org by Gregory Shupak The Trump administration's "Vision for Peace" | The Trump administration's "
(2020-02-07). J31 "Fare Strike" Protest at New York's Grand Central Station. globalresearch.ca Just a few hours before the J31 Fare Strike convened at Grand Central Station, I had the opportunity to speak with Mayor de Blasio as a call-in to the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I alerted the Mayor to the …
(2020-02-07). Israeli Attack Endangers Civilian Aircraft in Damascus. telesurenglish.net A civilian aircraft flying from Tehran to Damascus narrowly avoided fire from Syria's air defense systems, which were activated in response to an Israeli missile attack on Friday. | RELATED: | Due to the Israeli strike, the aircraft, an Airbus A320, was unable to land at Damascus Airport and had to divert to Russia's Khmeimim airbase, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. | The surprise attack, which was made by four Isra…
(2020-02-07). Break-up of Astana Partnership Was Inevitable. The Turkey-Russia Relation in Jeopardy? globalresearch.ca Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered his forces to strike Syrian army positions in retaliation for targeting a Turkish military convoy bound for the Saraqeb in Syria's north-western Idlib province. His forces obeyed on Monday and allegedly struck a …
(2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."
(2020-02-07). Targeting Gender Nonconforming Youth. counterpunch.org The U.S. has been a battlefield over cultural values for nearly 50 years. In states throughout the country, the religious right — together with local Republicans — have built an influential political movement to impose their moral values. Donald Trump's appointment of two conservatives to the Supreme Court has emboldened the religious right to press
(2020-02-07). The Man Who Loved Books: Interview With Umberto Eco. counterpunch.org The famed author (The Name of the Rose) and semiologist, Umberto Eco, who so loved books, must have thought it his misfortune to live in a country whose people did not share his thirst for printed books. He was in fact avid for anything in print: books, antique or new, notebooks, manuals, ledgers, logs, while
(2020-02-07). Civil Rights Movement memories: Marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. peoplesworld.org The flight to Atlanta was bumpy. I was already apprehensive. I had imagined being on the receiving end of a two-by-four swung wildly by a Southern gentleman of the White Citizens Council. And then, when the plane suddenly plunged downward in what felt like a nosedive, I feared I would soon meet my fate, denying …
(2020-02-07). Will There Be No Retribution? counterpunch.org "Rep. Adam Schiff lied to Congress and the American people with a totally made up statement about the president's phone call. Will there be no retribution?" — White House Statement from the Press Secretary, Feb. 5, 2020 If you've missed all the signals, cues and clues that Trump is on a march to clear the
(2020-02-07). The Economy Not Worth Defending: A Response to Trump's State of the Union. counterpunch.org This president's delusions of grandeur have few limits, as witnessed by the headlines across the nation following his state of the union. One New York Times headline read: "Trump Claims End of 'American Decline." CNN reported that "Trump's economic focus is a savvy one from a political perspective" when "poll after poll shows that a majority of Americans approve of how he has handled the economy."
(2020-02-07). Enemies of Democracy: Neoliberalism and Authoritarian Finance. counterpunch.org Democracy is supposed to mean rule by people. In the West, it means rule by upper classes via periodic representational charades in which candidates represent corporate interests and occasionally throw crumbs to the public to pre-empt full-scale revolution. But now even establishment institutions are worried about the implications of the lack of genuine democracy in
(2020-02-07). Far-right AfD plays role of kingmaker in German state election. wsws.org For the first time since the end of the Third Reich, a state premier was elected on Wednesday with the votes of a far-right, fascist party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
(2020-02-07). Italy and the Changing — But Not Waiting — World. globalresearch.ca Recently the French President, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, admitted that NATO should be considered cerebrally dead. Such a statement, although influenced by the search for domestic consent, certainly reflects a deep impatience with European and Atlantic limitations by French intellectuals …
(2020-02-07). How the World Ends. Personal Reflections On "The Situation Everyone is In" globalresearch.ca I'm writing this letter to myself. I need to talk to someone, even it is only myself. I need to believe that what happened to us was real. | All that I know of the past was learned by word-of-mouth histories …
(2020-02-07). Trump's Final Plan to Open Treasured Public Lands in Utah Called 'Sellout' to Big Oil. globalresearch.ca The administration's new managment plans "are the latest in a series of insults… that began when Trump illegally dismantled Bears Ears and Grand Staircase at the behest of corporate interests two years ago." | *** | Tribal and conservation groups on Thursday …
(2020-02-07). Failed Prosecutions: Donald Trump Survives the Senate. globalresearch.ca Never undertake a prosecution unless you have good grounds, and prospects, for a solid conviction. In the case against President Donald Trump, there was never a serious prospect that the Senate would cool sufficiently to give the Democrats the …
(2020-02-07). Biological Weapons: A Useful and Timely Factual Overview. globalresearch.ca A US Army operating manual from 1956 stated explicitly that biological and chemical warfare were an integral operating portion of US military strategy, were not restricted in any way, and that Congress had given the military "First Strike" authority on their use.
(2020-02-07). World Conquest: The United States' Global Military Crusade (1945- ). globalresearch.ca The first period was characterized by US military intervention in Europe, the second by a concern to confine the Communist bloc and to prevent the emergence of pro-communist regimes elsewhere in the world, and the third, focused on gaining control over the former Soviet republics and the oil-rich Middle East.
(2020-02-07). Tribes Decry Trump's Opening of National Monuments to Oil and Gas Development. truthout.org On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was opening two national monuments to development. The culturally and geologically significant Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante monuments will be available for cattle grazing, mining, and oil and gas development. | Five tribes had formed a coalition in 2015 to promote protection of the Bears Ears region; dozens more tribes have expressed support for their effort. | In a prepared statement, Shaun Chapoose, Ute, co-chair of the Bears Ea…
(2020-02-07). House Pushes Back on Postal Service Privatization With Financial Relief Bill. truthout.org The House voted on February 5 to remove a financial albatross around the neck of the U.S. Postal Service. | Approved by a vote of 309 to 106, the
(2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as US Deploys New Nuke for First Time Since Cold War. truthout.org The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) call…
(2020-02-07). In Spite of Economic Gains, Wage Growth Is Slowing. truthout.org The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the economy added 225,000 jobs in January. With modest upward revisions to the prior two months' data, this brought the three-month average to 211,000 jobs. While the unemployment rate edged higher to 3.6 percent, the employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) rose 0.2 percentage points to 61.2 percent, a new high for the recovery. The EPOP for prime-age workers (ages 25 to 54) rose by 0.2 percentage points to 80.6 percent, also a high for the recovery. | The January data a…
(2020-02-07). Warnings issued over share market surge. wsws.org In a speech this week, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia Philip Lowe pointed to the growing risks posed by the cheap money policies of the world's central banks.
(2020-02-07). Accuser Jessica Mann's testimony in the Weinstein trial: A Journey to the End of the Night. wsws.org In the course of three days of lurid testimony describing the warped, emotionally pathological and mutually destructive relationship between Weinstein and his accuser Jessica Mann, the trial degenerated into a degrading and horrifying spectacle.
(2020-02-07). Time to Rise Up: RCMP Invade Wet'suwet'en Territories. dissidentvoice.org Early in the morning on Feb 6th, the RCMP launched their long anticipated raid on Wet'suwet'en land defenders. Six supporters have been arrested, at the 39 km marker of the Morice West Forest Service Road, and a large contingent of RCMP trucks and heavy equipment have moved onwards towards the Gidimt'en Access point at the …
(2020-02-07). There's No "Great American Comeback" counterpunch.org There's an image burned into my brain from childhood: the graffitied train tracks along the intersection of Fifth and Patterson in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It's a slightly shabby landscape dotted by warehouses, churches, fast food restaurants, and — at the margins — an old arthouse theater. If you look closely, you can see the building
(2020-02-07). BorgWarner buys Delphi as mergers in global auto industry slash thousands of jobs. wsws.org The move by BorgWarner is the latest step in the vast restructuring of the industry, as carmakers and supplies scramble to dominate the emerging electrical and autonomous vehicle markets.
(2020-02-07). Warning over accuracy of vehicle checker for clean air zones. thecanary.co A government website enabling drivers to check whether they will face charges for entering clean air zones could be providing inaccurate information, an automotive services company has claimed. | The online service launched this week so motorists who enter their registration number can find out if they are affected by the schemes. | The RAC welcomed the introduction of the new service, but warned it has "concerns about how effective this beta website currently is". | Rod Dennis, a spokesperson for the firm, said the website will tell drivers of some early vehicles with the modern Euro 6 emissions standards that t…
(2020-02-07). Bad Weather Moves into Eastern States; 5 Dead in South. truthdig.com LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Extreme wind gusts, blowing snow and widespread flooding made traveling treacherous on Friday as a storm system moved into the northeastern United States, leaving rising water and at least five deaths in its wake across the South. | More than 400,000 homes and businesses were without power Friday after the National Weather Service warned of gusts up to 60 mph (97 kph) from Virginia into New England. Falling trees damaged homes and power lines in many places. North Carolina and Virginia, where hundreds of people had to be pulled from flooded homes, had the most customers without electricity…
(2020-02-07). To Quit or Not to Acquit, That Was the Question. counterpunch.org "Wherever law ends, tyranny begins" — John Locke Two Treatises of Government February 5, 2020. Think of it as "a day which will live in infamy." It is, of course, the day the Republican majority in the U.S Senate decided to quit the Constitution rather than not to acquit a tyrannical president. Is it not a
(2020-02-07). Post-Prayer Breakfast Depression. counterpunch.org Now that we've had time to digest the bitter theological hash Trump served-up at the National Prayer Breakfast, it is important to note that he is NOT an aberration. Rather, he is the logical conclusion of the rise of American Evangelical Christianity. That's why they have embraced him like a vice grip, looking past his
(2020-02-07). Israeli soldiers shoot dead Palestinian teen in West Bank clashes — officials. rt.com Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian youth during clashes in the West Bank near Tulkarm on Friday, Haaretz reported, citing officials in the Palestinian Authority. Violent incidents between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank continue to escalate in the aftermath of Washington's unveiling of its plan for Mideast peace. | The youth was killed during confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the village of Qaffin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. He was evacuated to the hospital, it added, where he died from his wounds. | Israeli police also said two border policewom…
(2020-02-07). OPCW responds to Douma leaks… by arguing whistleblowers are not credible & calling for tighter internal security measures. rt.com The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has said in a report that whistleblowers who raised concerns about the group's Douma probe are not credible, and called for new measures to prevent further leaks. | The international chemical weapons watchdog released its 'Independent Investigation into Possible Breaches of Confidentiality Report' on Thursday, in response to leaks from two former OPCW inspectors which put in question the organization's findings regarding an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria in April 2018. | The OPCW claimed that the two individuals, identified as Ins…
(2020-02-07). Climate protesters take a literal TROJAN HORSE to British Museum (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Climate activists have wheeled a real-life Trojan Horse into the courtyard outside the British Museum to protest oil and gas giant British Petroleum's (BP) sponsorship of a new exhibition about ancient Troy. | The activist theater group 'BP or Not BP' built a replica of the Trojan Horse, built from reclaimed timber and discarded rope, which can seat 10 people. |
(2020-02-07). Largest city in Russia's Far East to introduce 'mask regime' from Monday as coronavirus fears spread. rt.com Located only 20km (12.4 miles) from China and straddling the banks of the shared Amur River, Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East is especially vulnerable to the new coronavirus sweeping its southern neighbor. | So far, however, the city of over 600,000 people has not reported any infections. Nevertheless, officials are not taking any chances. From Monday, a compulsory "mask regime" will be introduced, as a precautionary measure. The move follows the closure of border crossings last week. | The rule will apply to almost every category of worker who deals with the public including teachers, doctors, retail and bank…
(2020-02-07). Xi says China 'confident & capable' of beating coronavirus outbreak in phone call with Trump. rt.com China has taken aggressive measures to combat a lethal viral outbreak sweeping the country, enacting the most comprehensive and strict efforts to contain the illness, President Xi Jingping told his American counterpart in a phone call. | Having declared a "people's war" on the fast-spreading coronavirus, Xi told President Donald Trump that China was "fully confident and capable" of overcoming the epidemic and was already seeing positive results, adding that Beijing's long term economic prospects would not change. | Trump responded by expressing confidence in Beijing's "strength and resilience" in confronting t…
(2020-02-07). Four Chinese passengers hospitalized in New Jersey after cruise ship screened for coronavirus. rt.com Four Chinese travelers on a cruise ship that docked at a port not far from New York City have been hospitalized after being screened for coronavirus. The US already has twelve confirmed coronavirus cases. | The tourists were among two dozen Chinese nationals who received a medical examination after the Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, which set sail for the Caribbean on January 27, returned to the New Jersey port. Four passengers on the cruise ship were found to have fevers and were whisked away to University Hospital in Newark, which has negative-pressure isolation rooms. At least two of the four were ta…
(2020-02-07). Trump says Xi's 'sharp' leadership will defeat coronavirus in U-turn on harsh anti-China rhetoric. rt.com Donald Trump says China will defeat the deadly coronavirus, thanks to its great discipline and Xi Jinping's strong leadership, as the US president's tone on Beijing softens following the recent signing of a new trade deal. | The two leaders discussed the outbreak of the virus, which has claimed 640 lives in China, during a phone call on Friday. | That provided the perfect grounds for an attack on Beijing, but Trump, who earlier blasted China for currency manipulation, intellectual property theft, and election meddling, was this time reluctant to take advantage of the dire health crisis in order to attack Beiji…
(2020-02-07). Chinese scientists say pangolins might be missing link in coronavirus transmission. rt.com Chinese researchers now believe that the deadly coronavirus may have spread from bats to humans through the illegal sale and trafficking of pangolins, scaly mammals widely used in Eastern medicine. | "This latest discovery will be of great significance for the prevention and control of the origin (of the virus)," South China Agricultural University, which led the new research, said in a statement on its website. | Pangolins are among Asia's most-trafficked animals, with an estimated one million of the armored creatures snatched from Asian and African forests in the past decade despite specific protections unde…
(2020-02-07). China coronavirus death toll reaches 719 with 34,000+ confirmed cases worldwide. rt.com Nearly 3,000 new cases of a deadly coronavirus gripping China have been confirmed in the country's Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, bringing the total disease toll to just short of 35,000, with over 700 fatalities. | Some 81 additional deaths were reported from Hubei on Friday in the deadliest day yet for the fast-moving contagion, which has swept all of China's provinces and been observed in at least 25 other countries. | As Beijing takes firm quarantine measures across dozens of cities, encompassing tens of millions of citizens, US President Donald Trump praised his Chinese counterpart for "sha…
(2020-02-07). Was it #Vindman or #PetesBillionaires? Twitter users report widespread outage & share conspiracies. rt.com With rumors swirling around the White House's dismissal of #Resistance hero Lt.Col. Alexander Vindman and the deep-pocketed figures behind Democratic frontrunner Pete Buttigieg, Twitter has mysteriously gone AWOL for some. | Over 11,000 users reported Twitter outages on Friday evening, according to DownDetector — just as conversations about #Resistance poster-boy and Ukrainian-American impeachment witness Vindman had shifted from "will he be fired?" to "OMG he's being escorted from the White House!" | You might be experiencing trouble sending new Tweets, but we're working on fixing this now. Sorry for the…
(2020-02-07). Trump says Democrats should 'expunge' his impeachment. rt.com Still in a celebratory mood after his acquittal in the Senate, US President Donald Trump said Democrats should 'expunge' his impeachment, as their accusations against him were false. | "That's a very good question," Trump said when asked by a journalist whether the Democrats should "expunge" his impeachment in the House. | The president expressed confidence that "they should, because it was a hoax; it was a total political hoax." | He ripped into his Democratic opponents, saying that "they've gone totally crazy" and claiming they suffer from a "bad case" of "Trump derangement syndrome." | There's a lot of evil…
(2020-02-07). 'Take Hitler & Napoleon, who failed to conquer Russia': Imran Khan invokes world history to fend off Modi's 'bite the dust' remark. rt.com Pakistani premier Imran Khan has rebuffed his Indian counterpart's claims that it would take 10 days at most to take down Pakistan, citing the past failures of French general Napoleon Bonaparte and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. | "Narendra Modi, you need to brush up on your history. It seems your degree was fake," Imran Khan Leaders who have shown such pride have always been defeated in the past … [take]…
(2020-02-07). Airport employee IN BEAR COSTUME scares loitering langurs off airfield in India (VIDEO). rt.com An Indian airport has devised a highly creative — and reportedly effective — method to keep vexatious langurs off their runway: have an employee dress up as a bear and scare them off. | An extremely busy international airport in India's western Ahmedabad city deployed the unorthodox tactic after struggling to prevent langurs from swarming the grounds of the air hub — and creating a potential safety hazard for passengers. The idea was reportedly hatched after the airport's management learned that langurs are terrified of bears. The airport already has a team dedicated to chasing off birds and w…
(2020-02-07). 'Protect protesters,' Iraq's top cleric tells security forces. rt.com Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric has called for security forces to protect anti-government protesters. | Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's words came two days after at least eight protesters were killed in the holy southern city of Najaf. They died when followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed a protest site and fired live rounds, AP said. | Sistani, a revered Shiite religious figure whose opinion holds sway over Iraqis, said security forces were "indispensable" and responsible for maintaining law and order. The comments came in his weekly Friday sermon delivered by a representative in Najaf. He di…
(2020-02-07). Well known Russian journalist Milashina & lawyer Dubrovina brutally attacked in Chechnya. rt.com Gruesome details have emerged of an assault on a Russian journalist and her lawyer colleague after they arrived in Chechnya ahead of the high-profile local trial of a local activist. | Elena Milashina claims that she was attacked on Thursday evening, along with her companion Marina Dubrovina, in the local capital Grozny. According to Milashina's Facebook page, they were beaten by a large group of people inside the Kontinent Hotel, where they were was staying. | The group, numbering at least 15 members, approached the pair and, after a short verbal confrontation, brutally beat them for about a quarter of an hou…
(2020-02-07). Latin America free to make own policy choices — Russia's FM Lavrov on US threats & 'humiliating' Monroe Doctrine. rt.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hit back at threats from Washington over Moscow's support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, insisting Caracas and its neighbors deserve the option not to be US vassal states. | "I have heard the threats from Washington about punishing all those who work with Venezuela," Lavrov confirmed during a press conference in Mexico City on Thursday. "But we are used to that. We are used to American officials saying that yes, Washington is still true to the Monroe Doctrine." | Russia was merely offering Venezuela and its neighbors in the region a second option, beyond the sta…