Daily Archives: February 8, 2020

2020-02-08: News Headlines

Helena Cobban (2020-02-08). Did Washington use a false pretext for its bloody escalation in Iraq? thegrayzone.com Iraqi officials indicate that ISIS — not Ketaib Hizbullah — attacked a US military base in Iraq, setting off the…

Ajamu Baraka and Bahman Azad (2020-02-08). Embassy Protectors Will Not Be Able to Tell Jury Guaido Is Not President, or Mention International Law. dissidentvoice.org 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 requests to prevent the jury from hearing important facts about the case, leaving the protectors …

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Staff (2020-02-08). Sanders Calls Out Buttigieg for Raking in Billionaire Donations. truthout.org With just four days to go before the New Hampshire Democratic primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday sought to contrast his At a breakfast event at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire hours a…

Jonathan Cook (2020-02-08). Israel's Palestinian Minority has Good Reason to Fear Trump's Plan. dissidentvoice.org The Trump administration's decision to green-light Israel's annexation of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank grabbed headlines last week. But US support for a related proposal — one equally cherished by Israel's extreme right — was far less noticed. Under the terms of the "Peace to Prosperity" document, the US could allow Israel to …

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-02-08). U.S. uneasy as Iraq gets new prime minister. mronline.org The protest movement in Iraq, which is now entering its fourth month, has come to be the principal instrument for Washington to surreptitiously advance the broader geopolitical confrontation with Iran that is being played out within the country. |

Staff (2020-02-08). Multiple U.S. Casualties Reported in Afghanistan Firefight. truthdig.com KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — American and Afghan military personnel were fired on while conducting an operation in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, the U.S. military said Saturday. | There were multiple American casualties, but the number and the extent of the injuries were not immediately known, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not been officially released. | U.S. military spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett said in a statement that both Afghan and U.S. personnel were 'engaged by direct firing." | "We are assessing the situation," Leggett said,…

Alexander Rubinstein (2020-02-08). Media darling Pete Buttigieg was in unit that worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. thegrayzone.com While Pete Buttigieg's campaign denies online allegations that he was a CIA asset, military records reveal that Buttigieg was in…

Rick Sterling (2020-02-08). Three Extraordinary Australian Journalists: Burchett, Pilger, Assange. dissidentvoice.org Australia has produced extraordinary journalists across three generations: Wilfred Burchett (deceased in 1983), John Pilger (80 years old but still active) and Julian Assange (48 years old, currently in London's Belmarsh prison). Each of these journalists made unique contributions to our understanding of the world. Although Australia is part of the western world, each of …

WSWS (2020-02-08). Montreal SEP Canada meeting demands freedom for Assange and Manning. wsws.org Assange and Manning are the targets of a legal vendetta meant to intimidate and silence all those who would seek to expose the crimes of US imperialism and its allies.

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Chile: Harsh Protests Against the Return of the Santiago Mayor. telesurenglish.net Thousands gathered Friday at the Dignity Square to reject a recent decision of the Chilean Senate, which did not dismiss Santiago Metropolitan Mayor Felipe Guevara, a right-wing politician who had been provisionally removed from office as a result of legal charges against him. | RELATED: | Dozens of military police entered the iconic square at 6 pm (local time) to try to disperse thousands of citizens who were pr…

Monica Stanton (2020-02-08). In the face of big environmental challenges, our everyday actions are part of the solution. nationofchange.org David Wallace-Wells's new book on climate change offers a powerful warning, but misses the mark on the importance of small, individual efforts.

The Canary (2020-02-08). Activist challenges climate crisis deniers at Irish polling station. thecanary.co An activist dressed up as a giant stick of celery targeted two Irish politicians at a polling station as they prepared to cast their votes. | She brandished a sign outside Kilgarvan Central School in Co Kerry saying: "Climate change is real, it's an emergency, and we can all fight it by going vegan." | Danny and Michael Healy-Rae were targeted over their views around the issue of climate breakdown. | Michael previously said that he feels farmers are unfairly blamed for the climate crisis, while his brother Danny stated that he does not "subscribe to the idea that man can influence climate". | Peta has called on t…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Colombia: Paramilitary Black Eagles Threaten Social Activists. telesurenglish.net In the last few hours, in the capital of the country, a threatening pamphlet by the self-styled 'Black Eagles' began to circulate threatening the promoters and defenders of the marches supporting the national strike. | RELATED: | The person in charge of denouncing the situation was Senator Antonio Sanguino, who said he was threatened along with other political leaders and journalists for their positions in favor of th…

WSWS (2020-02-08). Australian coronavirus travel ban blocks thousands of Chinese students. wsws.org The blanket ban by the Morrison government affects any foreign national trying to enter Australia from mainland China.

WSWS (2020-02-08). Coronavirus to have deep impact on global economy. wsws.org The US Federal Reserve warned that "possible spillovers from the effects of the coronavirus in China have presented a new risk to the outlook."

teleSUR (2020-02-08). UN Chief Praises China's Coronavirus Response As Remarkable. telesurenglish.net United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Saturday that China's response to curb the novel coronavirus outbreak is "remarkable" while warning stigmatization against China. | RELATED: | "It is clear that there is a massive effort that is made by China in order to contain the disease and avoid its propagation. I think that that effort is remarkable," Guterres told reporters on the sidelines of the African Union summit in…

Max Parry (2020-02-08). Democrats impeach Trump for Withholding Arms to Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. dissidentvoice.org 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 seeking reelection later this year. As many nonpartisan analysts predicted, the charges appear to have …

Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-08). Failed Prosecutions: Donald Trump Survives the Senate. dissidentvoice.org 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 votes necessary to affirm vote of impeachment in the House. The GOP remains very much in …

Staff (2020-02-08). Payback: Trump Ousts Officials Who Testified in Impeachment Inquiry. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Exacting swift punishment against those who crossed him, an emboldened President Donald Trump on Friday ousted two government officials who had delivered damaging testimony against him during his impeachment hearings. The president took retribution just two days after his acquittal by the Senate. | First came news that Trump had ousted Lt. Col Alexander Vindman, the decorated soldier and national security aide who played a central role in the Democrats' impeachment case. He was escorted out of the White House complex Friday, according to his lawyer, who said he was asked to leave in retaliation…

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

teleSUR (2020-02-08). El Salvador President Threatens Parliament to Obtain $109m Loan. telesurenglish.net El Salvador might face a constitutional crisis under President Nayib Bukele, as the head of state has threatened Parliament if lawmakers don't gather Sunday for an extraordinary session in order to approve a US$109 million loan. | RELATED: | "They are constitutionally required to attend the extraordinary session," Bukele tweeted Friday citing article 167 of the Constitution, which can be used by the executive to call for a…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Ontario Teachers Are Strongly United to Defend Public Education. telesurenglish.net Over the last week, Canadian elementary school teachers have intensified their protest against Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford's policies, which seek to cut the number of teachers and increase the number of students per classroom. | RELATED: | Instead, Canadian teachers demand more resources to serve students with special needs, the protection of the preschool education program, and fairer wages. | Despite having br…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Venezuela to Defend Conviasa Airlines From US Ilegal Sanctions. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's RELATED: | Besides offering commercial services, this airline carries out non-profi…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Brazil: Workers' Party Not to Partner With Bolsonaro's Allies. telesurenglish.net Brazil's Workers Party (PT) Saturday announced that it will participate in the October municipal elections without making alliances with the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) or the Democratic Party (DEM), which are supporting President Jair Bolsonaro's Neoliberal policies. | RELATED: | "Our party will seek to establish a 'Popular Democratic Front' with the participation of the leftist parties, social movemen…

Bill Boyarsky (2020-02-08). The Iowa Caucuses Are a Mortal Threat to Democracy. truthdig.com The The first contest in th…

Staff (2020-02-08). Government Report Finds Trump's Trade War Is Harmful to Americans' Incomes. truthout.org President Donald Trump's trade war is projected to reduce the average family's real income by $1,277, according to a new report from the The CBO, a nonpartisan congressional research arm, projected that the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and retaliatory tariffs imposed by countries like China will reduce economic growth while increasing prices to consumers. | "Tariffs are expected to reduce the l…

Staff (2020-02-08). House Passes Bill to Dramatically Strengthen the Power of Unions. truthout.org House Democrats just passed an important blueprint for strengthening unions and building worker power. If signed into law, the labor law reforms within the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would amount to the biggest change to the rules governing employers and workers in generations. Among other major features, it would bolster workers' ability to unionize, expand organizing rights to more workers and strengthen the right to strike. | Although flawed, the legislation would go a long way toward…

WSWS (2020-02-08). Thuringia, Germany: Minister president elected with votes of far-right AfD announces resignation. wsws.org Twenty-four hours after being elected with the support of the far-right AfD, CDU and FDP as minister president of the state of Thuringia, Free Democrat politician Thomas Kemmerich announced his resignation.

Extinction Rebellion (2020-02-08). Unexpected Elephants and Supermarket Crime Scenes. zcomm.org As we build momentum for another round of conscientious protection, there's no shortage of opportunities for warming up this February…

WSWS (2020-02-08). German ruling class commemorates liberation of Auschwitz by planning new wars and new crimes. wsws.org Just one week after official ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, federal parliament President Wolfgang Schà§uble has called for Germany to once again take up the "burden" of fighting wars abroad.

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Brazil: 80% Killed by Police in Rio de Janeiro, 2019 Were Black. telesurenglish.net In Brazil, 80 percent of those killed by police in Rio de Janeiro were Black, a figure that only in the first half of 2019 is similar to that of the country as a whole in 2018, according to data published by the Institute of Public Security (ISP). | RELATED: | On Feb. 8, 2019, during a police operation in the Fallet favela, it was the day with the most deaths due to legal intervention in the first half of 2019, 18 in tota…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). CFK Presents Her Book At Cuba's International Book Fair. telesurenglish.net Argentinian Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner presented Saturday her book "Sincerely" for the first time outside her country, in Havana as part of the XXIX International Book Fair held in Cuba. | RELATED: | With the presence of the island's President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the event revolved around the presentation of her best-selling memoir, which the former president said is a compilation of everything before and a…

teleSUR (2020-02-08). Close Tie Between 3 Main Parties in Irish Election: Exit Poll. telesurenglish.net An Irish national election exit poll Saturday showed that the three main parties are at a virtual tie with around 22 percent of the votes. | RELATED: | The Ipsos MRBI exit poll, commissioned by national broadcaster RTE, The Irish Times, TGA and UCD; showed that ruling center-right Fine Gael of Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on with 22.4 percent, followed by left-wing nationalists Sinn Fein with 22.3 and center-right Fianna F…

IMEMC News (2020-02-08). Soldiers Injure Many Palestinians During Funeral Procession Of Slain Officer In Qalqilia. imemc.org Israeli soldiers attacked, Friday, dozens of Palestinians at the northern entrance of Azzoun town, east of the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia, during the funeral procession of a Palestinian Lieutenant, identified as Tareq Badwan, 24, who was shot dead by Israeli army fire at a police headquarters in Jenin, …

IMEMC News (2020-02-08). Israeli Soldiers Injure Five Palestinians Near Jenin. imemc.org Israeli soldiers shot, Friday, five young Palestinian men and caused many to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation, in the al-'Arqa village, southwest of Jenin, in northern West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Jenin said the soldiers shot five young men with rubber-coated steel bullets, in their …

news.un (2020-02-08). African Union Summit: Guterres hails 'shared values, mutual respect and common interests' of UN partnership. news.un.org The UN chief on Saturday called on the international community to recognize the need for African counter-terrorism operations, backed by the UN Security Council, to tackle the growing threat of extremist violence across the continent, and "predictable funding, guaranteed by compulsory contributions".

RT (2020-02-08). 'Unhinged': MSNBC host Chris Matthews goes on bizarre rant about mass executions & 'the Reds' while discussing Bernie Sanders. rt.com MSNBC host Chris Matthews is facing backlash on social media after he launched into a heated rant about socialism and appeared to suggest a Bernie Sanders presidency could somehow lead to mass executions in the streets. | During a post-debate special Friday evening, Matthews said his personal views on socialism go back "to the early 1950s" before drawing comparisons between Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and former leader of Cuba Fidel Castro. | "I believe if Castro and the Reds had won the Cold War there would have been executions in Central Park and I might have been one of the ones getting…

RT (2020-02-08). Roger Waters ads banned by Major League Baseball after outcry from Jewish group. rt.com Major League Baseball (MLB) has stopped running promotions of Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters on its platforms, after caving in to pressure from a Jewish group that accused him of anti-Semitism. | In January, Jewish advocacy organization B'nai B'rith International began a campaign to protest ads for Waters' new tour, 'This is Not a Drill', which appeared on MLB platforms. The group claimed that the musician is an "avowed anti-Semite" whose views on Israel "far exceed the boundaries of civil discourse." | Our letter to MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred protesting the promotion of known anti-Semite Roger Waters…

RT (2020-02-08). China coronavirus death toll soars to 813 with 37,000+ cases worldwide. rt.com China's Hubei province, the epicenter of a lethal viral outbreak, has reported 81 news deaths and a further 2,147 new cases of infection on Sunday morning, bringing the worldwide disease toll to over 37,000, with at least 813 fatalities. | The virus has spread worldwide to almost 30 countries. Governments have been scrambling to contain the epidemic, with multiple states banning direct flights from China. Strict quarantine regimes were implemented for citizens returning from the country. | As Beijing takes firm quarantine measures across dozens of cities, encompassing tens of millions of citizens, US President…

RT (2020-02-08). 'Friday night massacre': Sondland follows Vindmans as Trump cleans house of 'traitors/heroes' following failed impeachment. rt.com The recall of US ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland seems to indicate that President Donald Trump is dismissing from service the officials who testified against him in the abortive impeachment proceedings. | "I was advised that the president intends to recall me effective immediately," Sondland said in a statement on Friday evening, adding he was grateful to Trump for the opportunity to head the US mission in Brussels. | Wow — EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland recalled. His attorney sends me this statement on his behalf

RT (2020-02-08). 'We turned their pressure into opportunity': Supreme Leader hails Iranian Air Force built up despite US sanctions. rt.com The US's "criminal" sanctions didn't stop Iran from strengthening its own air power and even "building planes," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said, as the nation marks the anniversary of 1979's Islamic Revolution. | The Iranian military industry, Khamenei proclaimed in front of Air Force commanders and other military officials, has become so viable because it didn't rely on foreign support, instead developing domestic capabilities. This approach could be extended into other industries as well, he said, according to local media. … Despite sanctions being a criminal act, such an approach can create a lot of opp…

RT (2020-02-08). NATO's 'hysteria' over Russia stalking their satellites is only to get more money — MPs. rt.com Claims that Russia is using its spacecraft to spy on NATO satellites have no real backing and are used to justify funding requests as the US and its allies are militarizing space, Russian MPs said. | Earlier this week, French General Andre Lanata, who is NATO's supreme allied commander transformation, sounded the alarm over a recently-launched Russian satellite synchronizing its orbit with an American surveillance spacecraft. | "It is a threat to our allies," Lanata told the Washington Examiner. "It's a key question. We need to be sure that we give to our forces this space asset support." | The commander went…

RT (2020-02-08). Ancient carvings of scores of animals unearthed in Spanish cave (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com In a discovery that local media have dubbed the 'Catalan Altamira', an extraordinary trove of 15,000-year-old carvings, depicting dozens of animals, has been found in a cave in northeast Spain's Tarragona region. | Around 100 carvings of animals including horses, oxen and deer, as well as mysterious abstract symbols, were found in a cave in the village of L'Espluga de Francolí. | | © Generalitat de Catalunya | The ancient artworks were revealed on Friday after being discovered in the wake of floods last October. The engravings are extremely delicate, with archaeologists warning that even the slig…

RT (2020-02-08). Massive brawl involving hundreds of locals kills 8, turns southern Kazakhstan village into warzone (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Dozens of homes were set ablaze and at least 8 people were killed as almost 400 villagers clashed with police and each other in southern Kazakhstan, prompting authorities to send in reinforcements and install roadblocks. | A massive brawl broke out on Friday in the outskirts of Masanchi, a settlement close to the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border. The initial call to local police reported 70 people taking part in skirmishes, and several patrols were dispatched to the location. Some "provocateurs" were filming the brawl as it unfolded, spreading the videos via messaging apps, Kazakhstan's Interior Minister Yerlan Tu…

RT (2020-02-08). 'Senseless act of violence': High school basketball players brutally beat up coach after game (VIDEO). rt.com Four high school students from Malcom X. Shabazz High School in Newark have been suspended and face criminal charges on suspicion of beating up their assistant coach after an away game. | The reason for the conflict remains unclear, but footage shared on social media shows the coach getting kicked and punched by the players for more than 25 seconds. | The four members of JV basketball team are seen…

RT (2020-02-08). WATCH people leaving Thai shopping mall in panic as shooter takes hostages, kills 20. rt.com The death toll has risen to at least 20 after a soldier went on a shooting rampage and took hostages inside a shopping mall in Thailand, health authorities said. Police said 31 others had been injured. | Local media reported that the shooter, wearing a helmet and mask, took selfies and streamed the attack online. | It's not clear whether the attacker began shooting at people before he entered the building or not, but one video posted on Twitter appears to show a man sheltering behind a car door which looks like it has been covered in blood. | Warning: This video contains disturbing images | ‡∏&a…

RT (2020-02-08). WATCH: Brazil legend Kaka suffers NUTMEG HUMILIATION as he turns up for amateur game in London. rt.com Brazil legend Kaka graced such stages as the San Siro and Bernabeu during his illustrious playing career, but was spotted in slightly less salubrious surroundings on Saturday as he turned out for a 6-a-side in Hoxton, London. | The former Real Madrid and AC Milan ace made an appearance for a kickaround in a local league as part of a promotional event — and promptly sent Twitter into meltdown. | One clip showed the 37-year-old receiving the ball on the halfway line before beating his man and advancing to goal. | Ignoring the calls from a teammate to cut the ball back, Kaka then spanks it into the top corne…

commondreams (2020-02-08). 350 Action Responds to Presidential Debate in New Hampshire. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Ryan Cooper (2020-02-08). American Democracy Is Dying. commondreams.org This past week was a litany of democratic disasters. First, on Monday, the Iowa Democratic Party catastrophically botched its caucus.

Extinction Rebellion South Bay (2020-02-08). Meditation & Prayer for Climate. indybay.org Intersection of S. Market and W. San Carlos streets, San Jose, California…

Labor Video Project (2020-02-08). The 2019 China Wuhan Coronavirus & (BSL-4) Biotech Warfare Labs with Dr. Francis Boyle. indybay.org Dr. Frances Boyle talks about the Wuhan Coronavirus and how in his view it is a genetically engineered bioweapon that was accidentally released from the Wuhan Biosafety (BSL-4) laboratory.

R.R. (2020-02-08). Oakland Protesters Insist Senate Trial Was a Cover-Up, Not an Exoneration. indybay.org After the Senate voted to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, protesters took to the streets in Oakland, CA.

Qassim Abdul-Zahra (2020-02-08). At least eight shot dead in southern Iraq. indybay.org At least eight anti-government protesters were shot dead and 52 were wounded in clashes with followers of a radical Shiite cleric in southern Iraq on Wednesday, Iraqi medical officials and activists said.

Dan Bacher (2020-02-08). Western States Petroleum Association Tops CA Lobbying Expenses with $8.8 Million in 2019. indybay.org The Western States Petroleum Association and Chevron together spent a total of $14.7 million on lobbying in California in 2019.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). First Man to Catch Coronavirus in Japan Discharged From Hospital – Reports. sputniknews.com TOKYO (Sputnik) – A Japanese man, who was the first to be infected with novel coronavirus inside the country without visiting China, was discharged from hospital on Saturday, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-02-08). The 'Deal of the Century' Challenge for Palestinians. telesurenglish.net After several postponements, United States President Donald Trump has finally revealed the details of his Middle East plan, dubbed 'Deal of the Century', in a press conference in Washington on Jan. 28. | RELATED: | Standing triumphantly beside Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must have surely understood that the timing of the announcement, only a few weeks before Israel's third general elections in one year, was tai…

WSWS (2020-02-08). Sri Lankan union leader Saman Ratnapriya paid off with a parliamentary position. wsws.org The United National Party has rewarded Ratnapriya for his treacherous service to the previous Wickremesinghe government, and his more than 20-year defence of capitalist rule in Sri Lanka.

John Nichols (2020-02-08). In New Hampshire, Bernie Battles Buttigieg, Billionaires, and Big Money. thenation.com In New Hampshire, Bernie Battles Buttigieg, Billionaires, and Big Money…

yenisafak (2020-02-08). Thailand reports 7 new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Thailand's public health ministry reported seven new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, including three Thais and four Chinese.The new cases brought the total reported in the country to 32, among the world's highest number of infections outside of China."The seven new cases are all in hospital," said Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Disease Control Department.One of the Thai cases was part of the group of 138 evacuated from China's coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan on Tuesday, Suwannachai told reporters.The other two Thais had exposure to tourists, he said.Among the four Chinese, three…

yenisafak (2020-02-08). Japan confirms 3 more coronavirus cases on cruise liner; total now 64. yenisafak.com Another 3 people on a cruise liner off Japan have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases from the ship to 64, Japan's health ministry said on Saturday.Japan's health minister on Friday said 41 people aboard the Diamond Princess had tested positive for coronavirus in addition to 20 previously identified cases, with those infected being moved to hospitals on land.The liner was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Feb. 3.Amid an epidemic that has already killed more than 700 in mainland China, Japan's health ministry said on Saturday that some 279 of the 3…

yenisafak (2020-02-08). A mother's fight for toddler stranded in China's coronavirus epicentre. yenisafak.com Amelia Pan is at home in Canada while her 2-year-old daughter Cerena is stranded far away in China's Hubei province, epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, being cared for by a distant relative after the girl's father and grand-parents fell ill."I am just hanging in there," Pan, a Canadian citizen originally from China, said in a Skype interview. "I need to stay strong so I can fight for my family."For days now, Pan has been scrambling to get her daughter onto an evacuation flight back to Canada, but it has been complicated.Cerena's father has contracted the virus so cannot accompany her home on the flight, and C…

yenisafak (2020-02-08). OneWeb launches 34 satellites from Kazakh cosmodrome in global internet push. yenisafak.com The UK firm OneWeb launched 34 satellites from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early on Friday as part of its effort to provide global high-speed internet access using satellite communications by 2021.The Russian Soyuz rocket left Baikonur at 0242 local time (2142 GMT on Thursday), the second OneWeb launch out of 21 planned. OneWeb launched six satellites from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, in February 2019.Several companies are competing in the race to provide internet access using satellites, with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos among the business leaders posing challenges to the British start-up.

yenisafak (2020-02-08). Five YPG/PKK terrorists surrender to Turkish forces. yenisafak.com Five YPG/PKK terrorists surrendered to Turkish security forces in southeastern Turkey, the country's National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.In a statement, the ministry said that the terrorists fleeing the terror group's shelters in northern Syria came to border posts in Suruc, in the frontier province of Sanliurfa, as well as Nusaybin in Mardin.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK

yenisafak (2020-02-08). Singapore says second evacuation flight from Wuhan to return on Sunday. yenisafak.com A second evacuation flight bringing back Singaporeans and their family members from virus-hit Wuhan in China was expected to arrive in the city-state on Sunday morning, Singapore's foreign ministry said on Saturday.The city-state evacuated 92 Singaporeans from Wuhan – the locked down Chinese city that is the epicentre of the outbreak – last Thursday, some of whom have since been confirmed as infected. Authorities said they had to leave some passengers behind who were showing symptoms.A flight carrying medical supplies and diagnostic test kits, departed this afternoon for Wuhan, the ministry said. Appropriate quar…

sputniknews (2020-02-08). 'No Chance In Hell': Former Clinton Advisor Warns Against Bernie Sanders Democratic Nomination. sputniknews.com As the United States Democratic primary elections move into full gear, party veterans begin to weigh in on the sharp rise in support for self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders and the shock victory of Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). US and Afghan Forces Come Under 'Direct Fire' in Eastern Afghanistan – USFOR-A Spokesman. sputniknews.com The incident took place Saturday in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, where US forces are carrying out a security operation.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). At Least 6 People Killed in Car Bomb Blast in Southern Afghanistan – Police. sputniknews.com KABUL (Sputnik) – At least four policemen and 2 civilians were killed in a powerful blast in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, the governor's office said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Death Toll from Coronavirus in China's Hubei Province Rises to 780, More Than 27,000 Infected. sputniknews.com An outbreak of pneumonia, caused by a new strain of coronavirus, originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province last December and has since spread to more than 25 countries.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). A Toast to Success: Russian Politician Hails Trump Over His Impeachment 'Victory'. sputniknews.com Despite being impeached on charges of obstruction of justice and abuse of power, US President Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate on both counts.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Pentagon Says New Sub-Based Low-Yield Nukes Could Help US 'Fight and Win' Wars. sputniknews.com Late last month, the Federation of American Scientists reported that a new type of nuclear warhead with a yield about one-third the size of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 had been fitted aboard at least one Ohio-Class ballistic missile submarine.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Rocket Launched From Gaza Strip Toward Southern Israel – IDF. sputniknews.com Already existing tensions between the Gaza Strip and Israel have been exacerbated by the US release of the long-awaited peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Hunter Becomes the Hunted? NATO General Complains About Russia's 'Stalking' of US Spy Satellites. sputniknews.com Last month, a Purdue University graduate student specializing in astrodynamics reported that Russia's Kosmos-2542 satellite had begun shadowing USA-245, an American reconnaissance satellite. Kosmos-2542's mystery mission quickly sparked hysteria among the US media, with some observers suggesting it could be preparing to "attack" its US counterpart.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Russia, Turkey Discussed Situation in Syria's Idlib – Turkish Foreign Ministry. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Russia and Turkey held talks in Ankara, discussing the situation in Syria's Idlib and steps to advance the political process in Syria, a spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Pompeo Calls on US State Governors to 'Adopt Cautious Mindset' When Doing Business With China. sputniknews.com In his address to the American state governors, Pompeo claimed China was aiming to gain an advantage over the United States not just at the federal level, but also at the state level and the local level.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Egypt's President Says Consensus on Libya Being Violated by 'Well-Known Regional Sides'. sputniknews.com ADDIS ABABA (Sputnik) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi on Saturday accused several unspecified countries of violating the consensus on Libya, reached this January in Berlin.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Phillipines' Duterte to Order Termination of Defence Agreement With United States – Reports. sputniknews.com Since his election in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte has reshaped the relationship between the Philippines and the United States: in late January 2019 he reportedly threatened to end a 1999 military agreement with Washington after it cancelled a tourist visa of his close political ally.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Scientist Claims that Earth Is 'Unique' to Other Planets to Host Life. sputniknews.com Peter Ward, a geologist and evolutionary biologist, said it is very unlikely that any planet will be able to hold life apart from ours because of the number of geological and biological complexities.

sputniknews (2020-02-08). Second Software Glitch in Boeing's Starliner Could Have Caused In-Space Collision. sputniknews.com Boeing's Starliner faced a number of glitches during its orbital flight test before it was used in an attempt to reach the International Space Station. One of which could have seen a disastrous collision between two of the aircraft's components.

Ajamu Baraka (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 …

Steven Sahiounie (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

Ed Sykes (2020-02-07). Bernie Sanders on the offensive as presidential contenders head into new debate. thecanary.co Ahead of the latest Democratic Party primary debate in New Hampshire today, progressive frontrunner Bernie Sanders is on the offensive. This comes after an I want to thank the people of Iowa for the very strong victory they gave us at the Iowa caucuses on Monday night. | Some 6,000 more Iowans came out to support us t…

Lee Camp (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.

Patrick Martin (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 …

Alan Macleod (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.

Dave Lindorff (2020-02-07). The Democratic Party Leadership Has Done the Impossible, Disgracing Itself! dissidentvoice.org Bernie Sanders declares victory on Thursday in chaotic (and perhaps unsuccessfully DNC-hacked) Iowa Caucus Hooray for Bernie Sanders! He waited until he had the numbers and now he's calling it. He won Iowa! Maybe the same corporate media that have been touting Pete Buttigieg as the "presumptive winner" in the messy Iowa Caucus, now that …

John Bachtell (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. …

teleSUR (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…

Roger Harris (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

Jonathan Cook (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

Aaron Maté (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…

Andrew Korybko (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+….

Johanna Ross (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

Rick Sterling (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.

Ben Norton (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…

Max Blumenthal (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. |

teleSUR (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…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (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.

Staff (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

news.un (2020-02-07). Climate crisis: Antarctic continent posts record temperature reading of 18.3 ∞C. news.un.org Fresh fears of accelerating damage to the planet's ice sheets and sea level rise have been fuelled by confirmation from the UN's weather agency that the Antarctic likely saw a new temperature record of more than 18 ∞C on Thursday.