Daily Archives: February 14, 2020

2020-02-14: News Headlines

Staff (2020-02-14). Virus Cases Rise as Experts Question China's Numbers. truthdig.com BEIJING — Infections and deaths from the new virus in China ballooned for a second straight day Friday, on paper at least, as officials near the epicenter of the outbreak struggled to keep up with a backlog of patients' lab work. | The acceleration in cases was not necessarily an indicator of a surge in the illness known as COVID-19 because the hardest-hit province of Hubei and its capital of Wuhan changed the way it counted cases. But public health experts wrestled with what exactly could be deduced from the numbers given the shift in approach. | "If you change the way you count cases, that obviously confo…

teleSUR (2020-02-14). UN's Industry Promotion Body Provides Masks and Suits to China. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will provide emergency response assistance to China to help fight the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a document signed here. | RELATED: | UNIDO will deliver 100,000 medical masks and 20,000 protective suits to China, and provide medical waste decontamination equipment with a capacity to deal with four tons per day, said the…

Alan Macleod (2020-02-14). Coronavirus: Media and Politicians Take Anti-China Fear Mongering to New Levels. mintpressnews.com Despite praise from the World Health Organization for its handling of the coronavirus, China has been derided by Western media and politicians alike over nearly every aspect of its response.

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-14). Fashion Fetishism, Surgical Masks and Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca Entering Singapore's Changi Airport gives the visitor a glimpse of a mask fetish. Security guards wear it. As do the nurses and the various personnel who man cameras like anti-aircraft batteries, noting the approaching passenger in transit with due suspicion. …

Prof. Joseph H. Chung (2020-02-14). The Political Economy of Corruption: Corruption Kills People, Ruins the Economy, Violates Human Rights. globalresearch.ca The whole world is facing the deepening and widening corruption which challenges the very survival of the free democracy and the free market economy. | Korea has been suffering for last 70 years from the corruption culture. But owing to courageous …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-02-14). Breaking with Washington: Arabs and Muslims Must Take a United Stance for Palestine. counterpunch.org A negotiated solution to the 'Palestinian-Israeli conflict', at least the way envisaged by successive US administrations, has failed. Now, Palestinians and their allies would have to explore a whole new path of liberation that does not go through Washington. It is easy to place all the blame on the current US administration, setting apart dodgy

Andre Damon (2020-02-14). Trump Pledges to Veto Senate "War Powers Resolution", Uses Pentagon Funds to Build Border Wall. globalresearch.ca Strengthened by the failure of the Democrats' impeachment drive, President Donald Trump has accelerated his efforts to expand the powers of the presidency in every sphere. | On Thursday, the Senate approved a symbolic bill instructing the White House to "terminate …

WSWS (2020-02-14). Trump pledges to veto war powers resolution, uses Pentagon funds to build border wall. wsws.org Strengthened by the failure of the Democrats' impeachment drive, President Trump has accelerated his efforts to expand the powers of the presidency in every sphere.

Fight Back (2020-02-14). Major anti-war groups join the Coalition to March on the DNC. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – As the July 13 start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) draws closer, the Coalition to March on the DNC has risen to the occasion. Since the start of the new year, the coalition has seen tremendous gains. | Between leading a 2000-person demonstration against Donald Trump when he visited Milwaukee on January 14 and butting heads with the city while trying to host a press conference to announce a lawsuit for our right to protest, traffic to the Facebook page has increased dramatically, including numerous inquiries about how people can get more involved. | Perhaps the most significant indica…

Christopher Ketcham (2020-02-14). The Medium Warps the Message Straight to Our Extinction. counterpunch.org I've been working lately on an article about Extinction Rebellion, the direct action movement that emerged out of England in 2019 and has since gone worldwide to spread the message that radical civil disobedience is the only way to alter our deranged course toward climate catastrophe. XR, as the movement is known, espouses a noble

Mark Taliano (2020-02-14). Regime Change Wars Have No Basis in International Law. globalresearch.ca We're living in times of war psychosis. Regime Change wars have no basis in international law. They are entirely illegal, and they are all based on lies. We have seen the results, which are always catastrophic for all but certain …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-02-14). North Macedonia Is Being Used by NATO to Target Serbia and Russia. globalresearch.ca The North Macedonian House of Representatives unanimously approved on Monday for their country to accept the NATO Accession Protocol, taking the former Yugoslav Republic a step closer towards accession into NATO which is expected to be completed and finalized in …

Vijay Prashad (2020-02-14). I am tired of holding other worlds in my fist. mronline.org In November 2019, the Bolivian army—with a nudge from the shadows—told its President Evo Morales Ayma to resign. Morales would eventually go to Mexico and then seek asylum in Argentina. Jeanine àÅñez, a far-right politician who was not in the line of succession, seized power; the military, the fascistic civil society groups, and sections of […] |

Medea Benjamin (2020-02-14). Can the World's "Second Superpower" (Public Opinion) Rise from the Ashes of Twenty Years of War? globalresearch.ca February 15 marks the day, 17 years ago, when global demonstrations against the pending Iraq invasion were so massive that the New York Times called world public opinion "the second superpower." But the U.S. ignored it and invaded Iraq anyway. …

Medea Benjamin (2020-02-14). Can the World's Second Superpower Rise From the Ashes of Twenty Years of War? zcomm.org The peace movement's small victories demonstrate that we have more power to challenge U.S. militarism than most Americans realize…

WSWS (2020-02-14). SEP builds support for Free Assange and Manning rallies in Australia. wsws.org Members and supporters of the SEP and its youth movement, the IYSSE, have been campaigning in working-class suburbs, at workplaces and university campuses.

Media Lens (2020-02-14). 'Burned at the Stake' — The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes the Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca On the face of it, the task seems almost hopeless. As Tolstoy wrote: | 'The power of the government is maintained by public opinion, and with this power the government, by means of its organs — its officials, law courts, schools, …

Media Lens (2020-02-14). UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Demolishes Fake Claims Targeting Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org On the face of it, the task seems almost hopeless. As Tolstoy wrote: 'The power of the government is maintained by public opinion, and with this power the government, by means of its organs — its officials, law courts, schools, churches, even the press — can always maintain the public opinion which they need.' (Leo …

Jacob G. Hornberger (2020-02-14). U. S. Lies and Deaths in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org Last December the Washington Post published secret Pentagon documents showing the official lies that have undergirded the U.S. war on Afghanistan for the past 18 years. The opening paragraph of the article puts the matter bluntly: "A confidential trove of government documents obtained by The Washington Post reveals that senior U.S. officials failed to tell

Andrew Korybko (2020-02-14). The US' "Central Asian Strategy" Isn't Sinister, but that Doesn't Mean It'll Succeed. globalresearch.ca The US' newly unveiled "Strategy For Central Asia 2019-2025" surprisingly isn't sinister like some of the countries' critics might have expected, but that doesn't mean that it'll succeed since its viability almost entirely depends on bringing "peace" to Afghanistan first …

WSWS (2020-02-14). Sanders tells New York Times he would consider a preemptive strike against Iran or North Korea. wsws.org The answers given by Sanders' campaign to a foreign policy survey published this month by the Times provides a revealing picture of the attitude of the self-styled "democratic socialist" to American imperialism and war.

David Swanson (2020-02-14). Why This Election Is Different. counterpunch.org Elections, I think most of us can agree, usually bring out the idiocy, superficiality, and illogic in everyone who can muster any. Imagine supporting, as many did, Sanders and then Trump because they were both "outsiders." On Tuesday, I heard somebody on CNN announce that Sanders and Klobuchar were both "change candidates" (because you'd have

David Rosen (2020-02-14). Sanders vs. the Establishment Democrats: McGovern All Over Again? counterpunch.org It's a perfect time to recall a famous quote from one of the nation's foremost philosophers, Yogi Berra: Its "déjà vu all over again." Is the Democratic Party replaying the lost saga of 2016 but with a very 2020 twist? Bernie Sander (D-VT) appears to have been robbed of the 2016 nomination, beaten out by Hillary Clinton (Sec. of

Special to People's World (2020-02-14). Sanders says his health plan would protect culinary workers in Nevada. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday issued a statement saying his Medicare for All plan would protect the benefits workers with good union-negotiated health plans currently have. He issued the statement after Culinary Workers Union Local 226 announced it would not endorse in the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucus: "I very much appreciate the struggle …

Staff (2020-02-14). Bernie Sanders Takes Lead in Texas Primary Poll, Doubling Support Since October. truthout.org A University of Texas/Texas Tribune The survey, conducted between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9, showed Sanders with 24% support among likely Texas Democratic primary voters. Former Vice Preside…

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Bolivian Coup Leader Visits US Again Ahead of Elections. telesurenglish.net The presidential candidate for the 'Creemos' party, Fernando Camacho, who led the coup d'etat in Bolivia last Nov., traveled to the United States with former Telecommunications Company, Entel, manager Elio Montes —accused of corruption—, the National Director of Migration reported. | RELATED: | Entel's former manager is the center of a scandal in which he is accused of embezzling millions of bolivians (natio…

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Peru: Cabinet Changes Due to Odebrecht Case Corruption Scandals. telesurenglish.net Peru's RELATED: | The new Vizcarra administration officials are as Transp…

Aaron Mate (2020-02-14). New Leaks Shatter OPCW's Attacks on Douma Whistleblowers. globalresearch.ca Facing accusations that it issued a doctored report alleging a chemical attack in Syria, the OPCW has released an inquiry attacking two whistleblowers as rogue actors. Leaked documents obtained by The Grayzone reveal serious distortions in the OPCW inquiry as …

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2020-02-14). Yemen: UN Medical Air Bridge Little More Than Saudi PR Stunt Say Desperate Patients. mintpressnews.com Many Yemenis have described the much-lauded UN medical air bridge as little more than a public relations stunt aimed at improving Saudi Arabia's image in the world.

Alan MacLeod (2020-02-14). For Media in New Hampshire, Losing Is Winning and Winning Is Losing. fair.org The results from the New Hampshire primary are in— Why losing is actually winning: Vox's Matthe…

Alan Macleod (2020-02-14). Mistrial Declared in Kafkaesque D.C. Trial of Venezuela Embassy Protectors. mintpressnews.com Judge Beryl Howell has declared a mistrial following a hung jury in the case of the four Venezuela Embassy Protectors charged with "interfering with the protective function of the State Department."

Alan Macleod (2020-02-14). Citing Hostile "Bernie Bros" Shadowy Group Launches Beat Bernie 2020 PAC. mintpressnews.com The Beat Bernie 2020 PAC is insisting on keeping its members' and donors' identities a secret, due to what they call "a credible fear of threats and backlash from ardent Bernie supporters.

WSWS (2020-02-14). The King: A film drama (insufficiently) inspired by Shakespeare's work. wsws.org The King is a Netflix historical drama broadly tracing the life of Henry V (1386—1422), with a certain anti-war coloring.

Prof. Valeria Z. Nollan (2020-02-14). On Bombing Cultural Heritage Sites, Drone Assassinations, and Spirituality. globalresearch.ca Pres. Donald Trump's threat to the Iranian government to bomb fifty-two designated cultural sites in that country was shocking and disturbing, for myriad reasons.[i] The specific number of fifty-two in his tweet of January 4, 2020 pointedly reminds us of …

Kristina Kristen (2020-02-14). Japan Leads the Way in Child Health: No Compulsory Vaccines. Banned Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) Vaccine. globalresearch.ca Important article first published by Children's Health Defense, posted on Global Research on April 28, 2019 | In the United States, many legislators and public health officials are busy trying to make vaccines de facto compulsory—either by removing parental/personal choice …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-02-14). Bolivian Elections Will be an Opportunity to Legalize the Coup. globalresearch.ca The next Bolivian presidential elections were scheduled for May 3. The scenario in the country remains troubled, marked by the unrest and tensions created by the coup that led to the overthrow of Evo Morales. On the one hand, …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-02-14). "We the People Refuse to Fight": Abandon the Battlefield! globalresearch.ca "Throughout the history of mankind there have been murderers and tyrants; and while it may seem momentarily that they have the upper hand, they have always fallen." (Mahatma Gandhi) | The United States has discarded pretensions to international legality …

Ron Jacobs (2020-02-14). The Lies of Industry and the Liars Who Sell Them. counterpunch.org Climate change isn't real. Tobacco isn't as bad as people say. Monsanto's RoundUp doesn't cause cancer. The fact that these statements are still considered valid by some people is not because they might be true or because some people are just stupid. That some deny these and other scientifically proven phenomena is testament to the

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Honduras: Policemen Killed in Shootout to Free Gang Leader. telesurenglish.net A group of gunmen dressed in military fatigues and police uniforms killed three police officers and wounded two others during an attack to free Alexander Mendoza, one of the most senior leaders of Mara Salvatrucha, in Honduras, local authorities said. | RELATED: | Mendoza, also known as "El Porky," managed to escape during the attack in the city of El Progreso, 175 kilometers (108 miles) north of the capital, Tegucigalp…

Staff (2020-02-14). Post-Impeachment, House Democrats Set Sights on Barr. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — House Democrats frustrated over Democrats have demanded more information about Barr's intervention in the case of Roger Stone, a longtime Trump confidant who was

Michael Jansen (2020-02-14). Trump's Senate "Acquittal" Will Embolden Him to Adopt Increasingly Destructive Policies in the Middle East. globalresearch.ca Donald Trump's acquittal in his Senate trial after being impeached for courting foreign intervention in the 2020 US elections and obstruction of Congress can only embolden him to adopt increasingly destructive policies in this region. First and foremost, the …

Irwin Jerome (2020-02-14). Traditional Indigenous and White Man's Conflicting Rules of Law: A Coming to Terms that Hasn't Been Resolved Since "First Contact" globalresearch.ca The controversy now erupting throughout Canada over the issue of the construction of the TransMountain Oil Pipeline is revealing a fundamental unresolved impasse that has existed since first contact in the New World between the opposing philosophies and rules of …

Eds. (2020-02-14). Over 4000 Professors and Scholars from across Canada and around the world sign "Statement of Solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en people of British Columbia" mronline.org We ask that the illegal work on Unist'ot'en territory by Coastal Gas Link be immediately stopped. We request that the federal and provincial governments respect Indigenous rights as outlined in our constitution, in countless court rulings, as well as the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous people (UNDRIP) and 'Anuc niwh'it'en (Wet'suwet'en law) |

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-14). Senate follows House in banning money for Trump war on Iran. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—By a bipartisan 55-45 vote on Feb. 13, the GOP-run Senate followed the Democratic-run House and barred saber-rattling Donald Trump from spending any military money to make war on Iran. Eight Republicans joined all 45 Democrats and both independents in voting against Trump and against war on Iran. One of the eight, Maine's Susan Collins, …

The Canary (2020-02-14). Huawei rejects new US charges against Chinese tech giant. thecanary.co The US justice department has added new criminal charges against Chinese tech giant Huawei and several subsidiaries, accusing the company of a brazen scheme to steal trade secrets from competitors in America.The new indictment also alleges the company provided surveillance equipment to Iran that enabled the monitoring of protesters during 2009 anti-government demonstrations in Tehran, and that it sought to conceal business that it was doing in North Korea despite economic sanctions there.The company disputed the allegations in a statement and said they were "without merit". | @WSJ against MBNJSD (2020-02-14). Can the "World's Second Superpower" Rise From the Ashes of Twenty Years of War? dissidentvoice.org UK protest against iraq war February 15, 2003. (Credit: Stop the War Coalition) February 15 marks the day, 17 years ago, when global demonstrations against the pending Iraq invasion were so massive that the New York Times called world public opinion "the second superpower." But the U.S. ignored it and invaded Iraq anyway. So what …

Staff (2020-02-14). Residents of Detroit Are Fighting Back After Foreclosure Crisis. truthout.org In Detroit, a showdown between progressive lawmakers and the city is taking on racist housing policies that robbed African Americans in Detroit of their homes and widened the racial wealth gap. On Thursday, the Coalition for Property Tax Justice announced a class-action lawsuit against the city of Detroit, Wayne County and the state of Michigan in response to unfair property tax foreclosures. One in four Detroit properties have been subject to property tax foreclosure, a level comparable only to tax foreclos…

Whitney Webb (2020-02-14). NYC Taxpayers Spending Millions on Cyber Center with Controversial Ties to Israeli Intelligence. mintpressnews.com New York City taxpayers are on the hook for a multi-million dollar cyber center in the heart of Manhattan with deep ties to Israel's high-tech intelligence apparatus.

The Canary (2020-02-14). Facebook now allows paid political messages that manage to exploit its ad loophole. thecanary.co Facebook has decided to allow a type of paid political message that had sidestepped many of the social network's rules governing political ads.The policy change comes days after billionaire US presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg exploited a loophole to run humorous messages promoting his campaign on the accounts of popular Instagram personalities followed by millions of younger people.The change involves what Facebook calls "branded content" — sponsored items posted by ordinary users who are typically paid by companies or organisations. Advertisers pay the influential users directly to post about their…

Staff (2020-02-14). Klobuchar Has Pushed Extreme Right-Wing Policy on Israel/Palestine. truthout.org In recent days, much of the mainstream media has been focusing on the rise of centrist Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar as a serious contender in the Democratic presidential primary. Many in the more progressive wing of the party have been criticizing her positions on

Stephen Lendman (2020-02-14). Trump Regime Hostility Toward Palestinians. globalresearch.ca Trump supports privileged interests in the US and Israel exclusively. | Dismissive toward ordinary people everywhere, he's been hostile toward long-suffering Palestinians throughout his tenure — in deference to Israel and Zionist ideologues infesting his regime. | His no-peace, no-self-determination annexation scheme, …

teleSUR (2020-02-14). 'Justice Must Prevail in This World' Venezuela's President Says. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's RELATED: | "The struggle for justice, the equality of states, and peace is very established… en…

GQ-JF (2020-02-14). Brazil: Citizens Protest Against Collapse of Social Security. telesurenglish.net Brazil's Central Labor Federation (CUT) and other workers' organizations Friday perform the "National Day against the Dismantling of Social Security" to draw attention to the policies that RELATED: |

The Bullet (2020-02-14). Solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en Against the Colonial Policies of the Canadian State. globalresearch.ca The RCMP raids over the last days on the orders of the Canadian government on Wet'suwet'en protestors blocking the construction of a $6.6-billion pipeline, by …

Louis Proyect (2020-02-14). Marx, Lincoln and Project 1619. counterpunch.org It must have enraged the historians who signed Sean Wilentz's open letter to the New York Times and their World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) allies to see Abraham Lincoln knocked off his pedestal. How insolent for Nikole Hannah-Jones to write in her introductory essay for Project 1619 that "Anti-black racism runs in the very DNA

South Front (2020-02-14). Video: Battle of Idlib and Prospects of Turkish-Syrian War. globalresearch.ca In February 2020, the Syrian Army reached the vicinity of the main stronghold of anti-government forces in Syria, the city of Idlib. This development plunged into shock supporters and the leadership of Idlib armed groups and became a visual confirmation …

South Front (2020-02-14). Video: Syrian Army Gives Turkey "Flick on Nose" in Nayrab, Secures Entire Aleppo-Damascus Highway. globalresearch.ca For the first time in about 8 years of the war, Syrian government forces have established control of the entire M5 highway, which runs from the border with Jordan through Damascus, Homs and Hama to Aleppo. | During the first half …

Stephen Lendman (2020-02-14). Venezuela to Sue Trump Regime in ICJ: Does It Matter? globalresearch.ca Is it possible for aggrieved nations to gain favorable international tribunal rulings against the US that force it to pay a price for its high crimes and other wrongdoing? | The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established to settle disputes …

Almasdar News (2020-02-14). Video: Residents of Syrian Town Open Fire on US Armed Forces Patrol. globalresearch.ca A new video from the Al-Qamishli countryside was released this afternoon following a skirmish between the U.S. Armed Forces and residents of Khirbat Amo. | According to a report from the Al-Hasakah Governorate, the residents of Khirbat Amo attempted to block …

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Cuba and Venezuela Further Strengthen Ties at Havana Book Fair. telesurenglish.net The 29th edition of the Havana International Book Fair hosted the presentation of two titles that narrate the contemporary political battle of Venezuela. | RELATED: | Venezuelan historian Pedro Calzadilla's "Nine Street" (La Calle 9) was one of the books presented at the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress, the main venue of the literary event that began on Feb. 8. | This book is "a tribute to the rebelliousness, co…

Telesur (2020-02-14). Venezuela Files Complaint at The Hague ICC: 'US Coercive Measures Are Mass Destruction Weapons'. globalresearch.ca Venezuela's During his meeting with the Court, Arreaza exposed the crimes against …

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Trial Against Venezuelan Embassy Protectors in US Called Null. telesurenglish.net U.S. judge, Beryl Howell, declared the trial against the Embassy of Venezuela in Washington Protectors Collective null, after the jury could not reach a verdict. | RELATED: | The magistrate gave the jury extra time to deliberate. However, the members could not reach a unanimous decision. In this regard, Howell asked for a new trial, but there is still no certainty that it will happen. | The four activists, Adrie…

Jonathan Kissam (2020-02-14). The distinct perspective of a "Little Leftist Union" mronline.org In 1949, the UE national convention voted to withhold per capita payments to the Congress of Industrial Organizations until the CIO, of which UE was the third-largest affiliate at the time, took steps to stop other CIO unions from raiding the UE. The CIO responded by expelling UE, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and […] |

William Kaufman (2020-02-14). Tulsi Gabbard: A Political Postmortem. counterpunch.org The all-or-nothing New Hampshire gamble of Tulsi Gabbard has come up snake eyes. As I write, with 97 percent of the vote tallied, she is in seventh place, with a meager 3.3 percent of the vote, behind Tom Steyer. It is hard to imagine any path forward for her. And, frankly, one must acknowledge that

Joseph Natoli (2020-02-14). Vichy Democrats vs. the Master Voice. counterpunch.org One reading of the present shows us a hyped economic reality but also political and cultural realities hyped so far that simulacra is quite easily digested and regurgitated as reality. In a world of simulacra, reality is not only a vacated former presence, like a former tenant, but unrecognizable in any reappearance. It's a war

Paul Street (2020-02-14). Things Said in Confidence to 4000 Close Friends This Week. counterpunch.org A medical issue on the [L] tracks (I'm guessing someone collided with a front-car) kicked me and others off the CTA Red Line. A toothless old white woman who spoke like a poor Black woman cursed out loud for one minute straight to the disgust of most. I admired her fire and creativity. I ended

Erik Molvar (2020-02-14). Trump's Gutting of NEPA Will Cut the Public Out of Public Lands Decisions. counterpunch.org The Trump administration is stampeding ahead with a rewrite of the regulationsimplementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This landmark law requires federal agencies to study—and let the public weigh in on—the environmental impacts of federal actions. Ironically, given NEPA's central purpose of including the public in environmental decision-making, the Trump administration is already cutting

Dan Bacher (2020-02-14). Western States Petroleum Association Tops CA Lobbying Expenses with $8.8 Million Spent in 2019. counterpunch.org The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the largest and most powerful corporate lobbying group in California, placed first in the annual lobbying "competition" in California in 2019 with $8.8 million spent on influencing legislators, the Governor's office and other state officials, a position it captures most years. The San Ramon-based Chevron spent the third most money on lobbying in California

Jennifer Matsui (2020-02-14). The Doomsday Cuckoo Clock. counterpunch.org Even when he's losing, Donald Trump wins (and bigly!) every time. His secret? He knows how to tap into our nihilism with the same technique he used to milk investors of his real estate schemes. If greed is the stated ideology of capitalism, then nihilism is its less overt philosophical underpinning. A system of mass

Andrew Levine (2020-02-14). Mayor Mike, Worse Than Mayor Pete. counterpunch.org Michael Bloomberg is essentially an old school Republican. He hates Trump, the worst American president ever, but he loved George W. Bush, the second worst president in modern times. He may honestly think that black and brown lives matter, but, as mayor of New York City, he showed, time and again, that, for him gentrification — and its concomitants, mass incarceration of young black and Latino men, and brutal "law and order" policing

Michael Brennan (2020-02-14). Timeline: How the DNC Manipulated 2016 Presidential Race. counterpunch.org December 16, 2014: President Obama signs into law omnibus spending bill that increases maximum possible individual political contributions from $129,600 annually to $777,600, substantially increasing the amount of money flowing through party committees. (Congressional Research Services) April 7, 2015: A Clinton campaign memo to the DNC articulates "Pied Piper" strategy to elevate the most extreme Republican candidates: "Our hope

Mike Miller (2020-02-14). Race and Class: Overcoming the Divides. counterpunch.org Preface The forthcoming 2020 election is again highlighting the country's apparently deep divides on race and class. A common formulation is that a hopelessly racist White working class is locked into the new Trump Republican Party which consciously has adopted a divide-and-conquer strategy based on race. The mainstream Democratic Party hope is that an electoral

Rolando Pérez Betancourt (2020-02-14). A view from Cuba: 'Parasite,' a political movie? peoplesworld.org In 2019, the euphorically intoned question on everyone's lips that defined the tiny world of cinematography was: Have you seen Parasite yet? In May last year, the latest film by the South Korean Bong Joon-ho not only unanimously won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, but it also got a standing ovation from …

Fréa Lockley (2020-02-14). A billion women are dancing for revolution on Valentine's Day. thecanary.co On 14 February, women around the world are taking a powerful stand against violence. "We rise": | One Billion Rising (OBR) started in

Gregory Elich (2020-02-14). Mnangagwa's Neoliberal Assault on the Zimbabwean People. counterpunch.org As Zimbabwe's economy continues its descent since a military coup installed Emmerson Mnangagwa as the nation's ruler in November 2017, his government's response has been to double down on its ruinous neoliberal reform program. How much more austerity the Zimbabwean people can endure is another question, following an economic downturn of 6.5% last year and

teleSUR (2020-02-14). China's Health Workers Are Frontline Fighters Against the Virus. telesurenglish.net China's National Health Commission deputy director Zeng Yixin informed that extensive and strenuous working days are putting pressure on health workers who are physically and psychologically stressed. | RELATED: | He called on hospitals' authorities to distribute shifts rationally while proposing to reward the staff with more vacations when the outbreak remits and offer them psychological support.‚Ä&atilde…

Charles Kennedy (2020-02-14). The Metal Trump Wants More than Gold. China's Control Over Strategic Metals. globalresearch.ca China has a monopoly on one of the most strategic metals on the planet, and Washington is anxious to change that. | Global dominance at this point in the game means control of the rare earths elements that form the backbone …

Global Research News (2020-02-14). Video: Drones in Modern Warfare. Drone Documentary (2014). globalresearch.ca The documentary is about the role that drones play in war, showing what really happens and demonstrating how cold drone warfare truly is. | Watch the trailer below. | * | Note to readers: please click the share buttons above or below. Forward …

Afroze Fatima Zaidi (2020-02-14). As another MP is accused of far right links, the Tories are still dragging their heels on Islamophobia. thecanary.co Sayeeda Warsi

WSWS (2020-02-14). US brings new charges against Chinese telecom giant Huawei. wsws.org The unveiling of new charges underscores the distinctive approach taken by the US state towards what are in essence commercial disputes.

WSWS (2020-02-14). Workers at GM's Silao, Mexico plant charge union with stuffing ballots during recognition vote. wsws.org The effort by General Motors and the Confederation of Mexican Workers to certify their contract at the Silao complex is a warning to workers across Mexico about the anti-democratic content of the government's supposed labor reforms.

Jim Miles (2020-02-14). The Age of Illusions — How America Squandered Its Cold War Victory. globalresearch.ca Another in his series of remarkable books, Andrew J.Bacevich has written an interesting, coherent, and timely work, The Age of Illusions. In a clear fashion it describes how Donald J. Trump is not the cause of current U.S. problems both …

Telesur (2020-02-14). US Rejects UN List of Firms with Ties to Israeli Settlements. globalresearch.ca United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday the U.S. government would not give any information for The list was released Wednesday by the United Nations' human rights …

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Far-Right Group Arrested for Xenophobic Plans in Germany. telesurenglish.net German authorities detained a group of 12 men for allegedly setting up a far-right organization with the goal of carrying out attacks against politicians, asylum seekers and Muslims, the Federal Prosecutor's Office (GBA) informed. | RELATED: | Prosecutors confirmed that four of the suspects took part in a plan to organize a "terrorist organization" in September last year and regularly met and contacted each other by phone, on o…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-02-14). London Attack: West's Terrorists Bite the Hand that Feeds Them (Again). globalresearch.ca The latest incident in London was so entirely preventable that it is difficult to describe it as anything less than deliberate. | In yet another headline-grabbing terror attack — an armed man in south London left several injured — some seriously …

Rev. William Alberts (2020-02-14). Trump Served Up Projection at the National Prayer Breakfast. counterpunch.org One would think that a National Prayer Breakfast would encourage transparency and truth; as prayer is a primary spiritual means of self-examination, confession, reconciliation, and moral resolve. The opposite was on display at the recent National Prayer Breakfast, attended by over 3500 guests, including dignitaries from over 140 countries, Congress persons, business officials, and faith

teleSUR (2020-02-14). Argentina: Fernandez Government to Announce New Pension Scheme. telesurenglish.net The Argentinian government is expected to announce increases of retirements and pensions, to come to effect in March, while a new formula of social security mobility is elaborating. | RELATED: | Alongside retirements, the upraise will benefice those persons who receive the Universal Child Assignment, the Familiar Assignment, not contributive services and elderly pensions. | The Work and Social Secu…

teleSUR (2020-02-14). World Leaders Meet in Munich to Discuss Global Security. telesurenglish.net Germany's President Frank Walter Steinmeier Friday opened the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC), a high-level event bringing together decision-makers mostly from developed countries. | RELATED: | Until Saturday, politicians, and academics will discuss issues related to "threats" to Western economic, cultural and religious institutions. | For this reason, there will be topics such as the situation of the Middle East conflict, the ongoing…

teleSUR (2020-02-14). CFK: Not Reducing Capital on Argentina's Debt is Illegal. telesurenglish.net Argentinean Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner confronted the International Monetary Fund on Thursday after it placed limits on face-to-face negotiations, by rejecting the possibility of a "substantial" capital reduction to the foreign debt of the Latin American nation. | RELATED: | In the scenario of the negotiations, which began Wednesday with the arrival of an IMF technical team to Buenos Aires, the…

Mark Curtis (2020-02-14). Is the UK a Rogue State? 17 British Policies Violating Domestic or International Law. globalresearch.ca UK governments routinely claim to uphold national and international law. But the reality of British policies is quite different, especially when it comes to foreign policy and so-called 'national security'. This explainer summarises 17 long-running government policies which violate UK …

Philip A Farruggio (2020-02-14). Homewreckers and Nationwreckers United. globalresearch.ca This writer just interviewed Aaron Glantz on his new bestselling book Homewreckers. This is more than a 'must read'… it is a 'Have to Immediately Read'! Glantz covers the beginnings and the rash aftermath of the 2008 Subprime Housing …

Igal Berenshtein (2020-02-14). Invisible Mega Oil Spill Beyond the Deepwater Horizon Oil Slick Satellite Footprint. globalresearch.ca Introduction | The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout was a mega oil spill, introducing ~795 million liters of live oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) with oil slicks covering an estimated area of 149,000 km2 (1). As a result, vast …

WSWS (2020-02-14). Black Democrats endorse Bloomberg after release of racist boasts on "stop-and-frisk" wsws.org The immediate response of elected African-American Democrats to the exposure of the billionaire Bloomberg's racist remarks was to boost him as the only candidate who can defeat President Donald Trump in November.

Staff (2020-02-14). Spectrum Workers Are on the US's Longest Strike. When Will the Company Listen? truthout.org The longest ongoing strike in America today is happening in the media capital of the world. It involves the people who install and repair the cables that bring the news to many of the most influential people in America. But after three long years, the Spectrum workers of New York City are beginning to feel as though everyone has forgotten about them. For those who soldier on, the fight has become much bigger than a contract dispute. It is a fight that can only be won with a wholesale reimagini…

Staff (2020-02-14). US Maternal Mortality Rate Is Increasing — and the Data Still Miss Many Deaths. truthout.org Late last month, maternal health experts from around Illinois were videoconferencing in Chicago and Springfield, poring over the files of expectant and new mothers who'd died in the state in 2017. Many of the deaths could have been prevented if only medical and other providers had understood the special risks that women face during this critically vulnerable time. | Then, someone's phone buzzed: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had just released its new, long-awaited U.S. matern…

RT (2020-02-14). Airlines' losses set to skyrocket due to Covid-19 travel ban — UN aviation agency. rt.com Extended flight cancellations to China amid the coronavirus outbreak could cut global carriers' revenues up to $5 billion in the first quarter, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) estimates. | At least 70 airlines have canceled all international flights in and out of China and 50 others have reduced their operations in the country as the epidemic continues to spread, the agency said in a recent report. Thus, instead of a planned increase in passenger capacity, the companies saw a huge drop in passenger flows, losing from 16.4 to 19.6 million passengers compared to their earlier…

RT (2020-02-14). Don't believe the hype: MSM plays on coronavirus alarm with fear-mongering stories about everyday viruses. rt.com In the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China, mainstream media outlets have pounced on fears of deadly viral outbreaks for easy clickbait headlines. But is there really anything to fear? | The Yaravirus is an up-and-coming media sensation, complete with a tropical home and an evocative name. Found lurking in an artificial lake in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, and named for a mythical mermaid that lures unsuspecting men to their death, Yaravirus has serious potential to generate headlines. The fact that it can only transfer between amoebas, and therefore presents no threat to humans, does not…

RT (2020-02-14). US 'ready to help' N. Korea combat virus — State Department. rt.com The United States expressed deep concern about North Korea's vulnerability to the outbreak of a new virus and said it was ready to support efforts by aid organizations to contain the spread of the illness in the country. | Pyongyang has moved to strengthen quarantines and other preventive measures after the illness outbreak in China, North Korea's neighbor and closest ally. | "We strongly support and encourage the work of US and international aid and health organizations to counter and contain the spread of coronavirus" in North Korea, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said. "The United States is rea…

RT (2020-02-14). The show goes on: Olympics organizers told there is 'no case' for moving or canceling 2020 Tokyo Games. rt.com The organizers of the Olympic Games in Tokyo have been told by medical experts that there is no case for the Summer Olympics to be canceled or moved due to the coronavirus outbreak. | The World Health Organization (WHO) informed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that there is no need to consider moving the Games or canceling them outright as a result of the outbreak. | The event kicks off on July 24, with Japanese organizers saying that testing and containment measures will be ramped up after the country's first confirmed coronavirus-related death. | Head of the IOC's coordination commission John Coate…

RT (2020-02-14). Anti-BDS laws are meant to censor & control speech, journalist Abby Martin tells RT after suing Georgia govt over cancelled talk. rt.com Barred from speaking at a public university over her refusal to sign a pledge of allegiance to Israel, journalist Abby Martin is now suing the state of Georgia, arguing its anti-BDS legislation sets fire to the First Amendment. | Slated to give a keynote talk at a media literacy conference at Georgia Southern University later this month, Martin was asked to sign what amounts to a loyalty oath to the State of Israel, mandated under a 2016 Georgia law barring the government from hiring contractors who boycott Israeli products or associate with the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Martin t…