Afghan Troops say Taliban are Brothers and War is “Not Really Our Fight.”
Nicolas J S Davies | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
The world is waiting anxiously to see whether the U.S. and Afghan governments and the Taliban will agree to a one-week truce that could set the stage for a “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire and a withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign occupation forces from Afghanistan. Could the talks be for real this time, or will they…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/afghan-troop…
Ashraf Ghani Declared Afghanistan’s President, Abdullah Rejects
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) declared Tuesday incumbent Ashraf Ghani winner of the Sept. 28 presidential election, his main rival Abdullah Abdullah rejected the result and pledged to form his own government. | RELATED: | UN Secretary-General Backs Afghan Peace Process | Ghani secured 50.64 percent of the vote, the IEC said, while Chief Executive Abdullah, came second with 39.52 percent. Yet the runner up said he won the election and would form the govern…
telesurenglish.net/news/Ashraf-Ghani-Dec…
US-Taliban agreement to cut violence will start in next 5 days, Afghan minister says
rt.com | 2020-02-18
An agreement between the Taliban and US forces to reduce violence will come into force within the next five days, Afghanistan’s acting Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi said on Tuesday. | The ‘reduction in violence’ period “will begin in the next five days, which will be based on the negotiations between the US and the Taliban,” he told a gathering of provincial police commanders in Kabul. | Last week, a senior US administration official said negotiations with Taliban representatives in Qatar had resulted in an agreement in principle for a week-long reduction of violence, but the seven-day period had not yet c…
rt.com/newsline/481106-us-taliban-violen…
The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
More than ever, Bernie Sanders is public enemy number one for power elites that thrive on economic injustice. The Bernie 2020 campaign is a direct threat to the undemocratic leverage that extremely wealthy individuals and huge corporations constantly exert on the political process. No wonder we’re now seeing so much anti-Bernie rage from leading corporate Democrats
The BJP is Not India, and Every Indian is Not a Modi-Devotee
Nyla Ali Khan | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Rational people cannot gloss over the arbitrary exercise of authority in Kashmir, nor can they legitimize the lack of accountability in the union territory. Subsequent to the revocation of the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP made several tall claims to legitimize its decision. One of those claims was that the integration of J…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/the-bjp-is-n…
‘Colonial rule ended in 1947!’ Indians lay into British MP & Kashmir policy critic who demanded instant visa for ‘private visit’
rt.com | 2020-02-18
A British MP outraged that she was denied entry to India over a revoked visa has received a harsh backlash online, with some reminding the lawmaker
Social Movements Reject Almagro’s Presence in Panama
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The presence of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, in Panama, unleashed a wave of protests in country’s social movements on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Almagro Against Venezuela Dialogue, in Favor of Use of Force | Almagro, who traveled to Panama at the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to receive an award for his “valuable contributions” to democracy in Latin America, was received by the Social Movements in Panama City…
telesurenglish.net/news/panama-social-mo…
Young man on trial for clashing with police at Moscow protests gets suspended sentence
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Meshchansky District Court in Moscow on Tuesday handed student Andrei Barshai, a participant of the July 27 unauthorized rally, a three-year suspended sentence. Barshai, 21, was convicted of using force against an officer of the Russian National Guard Troops Service. | Barshai was freed at the court room. He had denied any wrongdoing, excluding the fact of ‘a physical contact’ with the officer. During the unauthorized action, Barshai “pushed him in the back,” police said. The student apologized to the law enforcement officer. | More than 3,500 people took to the streets in July last year in support of unregist…
rt.com/newsline/481134-man-trial-moscow-…
Chile: Rise in Public Transport Fares May Boost Social Protests
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Chilean authorities warn of a possible increase in the price of public transport in the capital, four months after a similar decision triggered the social crisis in that Latin American country. | RELATED: | Fernandez Questions International Silence Over Chilean Protests | A rise in the Transantiago fare, which had been frozen since the beginning of the protests in Chile last October, could happen if the operating costs of that public transport increase, Chilean Transport Mini…
telesurenglish.net/news/chile-rise-in-pu…
Chile: 3,765 Injured,10,000 Detained Protesters Since October
teleSUR, jg | telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Four months of protests in Chile against the neoliberal policies of Sebastian Piñera’s government has resulted in more than 3,700 people injured, 951 filed complaints of torture and 195 for sexual violence, according to updated figures released Tuesday by the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH). | RELATED: | Chile: Chief of Police to Be Questioned Over 30 Lawsuits | According to the agency, from Oct. 17 to Feb. 18, some 3,765 people were injured, of whom 445 suffered eye inj…
telesurenglish.net/news/chile-indh-updat…
US-backed Saudi bombing kills at least 32 civilians in Yemen
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The airstrikes, the latest in a long list of war crimes, are believed to have been an act of revenge for the downing of a Saudi warplane.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/yeme…
The Lancet publishes letter from doctors: “End torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange”
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The world’s pre-eminent medical journal carries a letter from 117 doctors in 18 countries calling for urgent action to save the life of the WikiLeaks publisher.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/lanc…
Support grows for New Zealand rallies to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The Socialist Equality Group (NZ) is holding a rally in Wellington on Sunday February 23 as part of worldwide demonstrations in defence of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/asnz…
Courage Foundation holds public meeting in New York City in defense of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The extradition hearing for Assange is scheduled to begin in London on February 24.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/wnyc…
‘Doctors for Assange’ worry he may die in UK prison having ‘effectively been tortured to death’
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Over 100 doctors are urging the UK government to stop the “psychological torture” of Julian Assange, and send him to a hospital. It’s their fourth such letter since the journalist appeared in court. | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may die in a UK prison, having “effectively been tortured to death,” claim Doctors for Assange, a group of 117 doctors from 18 countries, in a recent letter published in The Lancet, a leading medical journal. | The letter says that Assange requires urgent med…
rt.com/news/481096-doctors-worry-assange…
Julian Assange Must Be Freed, Not Betrayed
John Pilger | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
When we speak about dictatorships, we call this brainwashing: the conquest of minds. It is a truth we rarely apply to our own societies, regardless of the trail of blood that leads back to us and which never dries…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/julian-assange-mus…
‘Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed’, says John Pilger
John Pilger | thecanary.co | 2020-02-18
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/02/18/julian-a…
While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen
Alexander Rubinstein | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenaged British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange’s extradition,…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/18/assange-us-ex…
While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen
Alexander Rubinstein | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenage British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange’s extradition,…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/18/assange-us-ex…
John Pilger: It is time for Julian Assange to be saved, not betrayed
John Pilger | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
The truth is that Australia could have rescued Julian Assange and can still rescue him. Leaders of his homeland who have…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/17/john-pilger-j…
Australian court backs police raids on journalists
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The ruling highlights the driving forces behind the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/raid…
End Torture and Medical Neglect of Julian Assange
Dr. C. Stephen Frost | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
On Nov 22, 2019, we, a group of more than 60 medical doctors, wrote to the UK Home Secretary to express our serious concerns about the physical and mental health of Julian Assange.1 In our letter,1 we documented a history …
globalresearch.ca/end-torture-medical-ne…
Turkey Will Deploy More Troops to Syria Amid Talks With Russia
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Turkey is planning to deploy more troops to Syria’s Idlib province in retaliation to attacks carried out by the Syrian government forces, Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday. | RELATED: | Aleppo Victories to ‘Prelude’ Defeat of Rebels in Syria: Assad | A Turkish delegation met Russian counterparts for a second day of talks in Moscow on Tuesday, with no apparent agreement on Idlib, where a push in recent weeks by Russian-backed Syrian government forces has…
telesurenglish.net/news/Turkey-Will-Depl…
Russia temporarily bans ALL Chinese visitors amid coronavirus epidemic
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree on Tuesday evening prohibiting Chinese citizens from entering Russia for tourism, work and for private purposes. The new rules are effective from Thursday. | The decision is the strongest measure yet taken to prevent the entry and spread of the new coronavirus in Russia. Previously, Russian Railways suspended all passenger traffic to and from China, and flights have been heavily restricted. In addition, border crossings in the Far East have been closed. | “From 00: 00 local time on February 20, 2020, the passage of citizens of the People’s Republic of Chi…
rt.com/russia/481133-russia-bans-china-v…
Russian Ministers Meet With Italian Counterparts in Rome
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will meet this Tuesday in Rome with their Italian counterparts, Luigi Di Maio and Lorenzo Guerini, to discuss a series of urgent bilateral and regional issues, such as the dangerous confrontation between the United States and Iran. | RELATED: | Russian FM to Visit Venezuela to Help Counteract Sanctions | One of the main issues the ministers will address at the meeting will be the conflict between the…
telesurenglish.net/news/russian-fm-and-d…
US ‘shamelessly & impudently’ PILLAGES Syrian oilfields but forbids supply of hydrocarbons to Damascus, says Russian defense chief
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu slammed the US for occupying Syrian oilfields, calling it a major obstacle to the reconstruction of the country after the conflict. | “The oil fields… are controlled by the US. There’s shameless, impudent pillage of the wealth that belongs to Syria and the Syrian people taking place,” Shoigu said during a visit to the Italian capital Rome. | At the same time, the sanctions imposed by Washington against Damascus ban any oil shipments to Syria, putting the country in a tight spot. | “Most of the people, who are now suffering in Syria, are in need of heat, hot water and e…
rt.com/news/481122-us-pillages-syrian-oi…
Herakles in the Age of Climate Chaos
Evaggelos Vallianatos | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
On Monday afternoon of February 10, 2020, I went to the Classics department of Pomona College for a lecture on Herakles. Chiara Sulprizio of Vanderbilt University used cartoons and animation to help us understand the lasting influence and power of classical mythology. She chose the Soviet Union and Russia to illustrate how animated Greek myths may have…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/herakles-in-…
Buying Elections: The Bloomberg Meme Campaign
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Interfering, corrupting and altering the views of electors is apparently frowned upon. But it all depends on who that manipulating source is. The Russians might be condemned for being meddlers of minds in the US electorate, but an American billionaire who hires battalions of influencing agents to get his word across on social media platforms…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/buying-elect…
Chechen exile’s Berlin park killer linked to Russia’s FSB – Bellingcat, Der Spiegel, The Insider
rt.com | 2020-02-18
When a Chechen exile was shot dead in a Berlin park last summer it strained relations between Germany and Russia. A new investigation suggests his alleged killer may have been trained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). | A joint report from Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine, the US-government funded Bellingcat website and Russian outlet The Insider claims to have obtained the phone records of “Vadim Krasikov,” which they say is the real identity of Vadim Sokolov, the man German police accuse of carrying out the murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili. | Khangoshvili was regarded as a terrorist by Moscow for his…
rt.com/russia/481129-chechen-dead-in-ber…
European court reinstates order for Russia to pay $50 billion over Yukos
rt.com | 2020-02-18
A Dutch appeals court has reinstated an international arbitration panel’s ruling that Russia should pay $50 billion in compensation to ex-shareholders of the defunct Russian oil giant, Yukos, overturning a previous court decision. | The Hague Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday that the 2016 ruling cancelling the arbitration decision “was not correct,” meaning that “the arbitration order is in force again.” | The Russian Justice Ministry said immediately after the ruling that it would appeal the court’s decision. The Ministry of Justice said the court had ignored the fact that the former Yukos shareholders were n…
rt.com/business/481089-court-russia-pay-…
Ukraine witch-hunter Mirotvorets blacklists retired NATO generals, Munich Security Conference head as ‘PRO-RUSSIA’ propagandists
rt.com | 2020-02-18
A notorious witch-hunt website says the chairman of one the most reputed pro-NATO gatherings and some top US military retirees are now enemies of Ukraine, as they dared to sign a non-binding roadmap for peace in Donbass. | The controversial ‘Mirotvorets’ (Peacekeeper) website took aim at German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, blacklisting him for what it said was “attempting to disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine” and for “taking part in Russia’s propaganda events aimed against Ukraine.” | | © Screenshot from myrotvorets.center | Ischinger chairs the Munich Security Conference (M…
rt.com/news/481100-mirotvorets-ischinger…
But will he pardon Roger Stone? Trump clemency for Blagojevich, Kerik, Milken & DeBartolo fuel speculation
rt.com | 2020-02-18
US President Donald Trump has surprised everyone with a series of pardons that
Bombs away! WATCH close-up footage of Su-35S jet performing airstrike
rt.com | 2020-02-18
The Russian Defense Ministry’s TV channel, Zvezda, has placed numerous cameras on Su-35S fighter jets, filming a spectacular video from the bomb-dropping drills of the 4++ generation warplanes | The cams were not only in the cockpits, but also on the bodies of the jets, right in front of their bomb hatches, providing some unique footage. | The video was made during the recent exercises in the air above the Voronzeh and Tver Regions in central Russia, which involved Su-35S and MiG-31 jets, as well as around 500 servicemen. | The planes took off from the airfields with a time gap of just one minute and droppe…
rt.com/russia/481112-russia-jet-su-35-bo…
Home-made bombs tested on PETS: New Columbine-style school massacre thwarted in Crimea, 2 teen suspects arrested
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Two teenage fans of Vladislav Roslyakov, who killed 20 of his classmates in a Columbine-copycat shooting in the Crimean city of Kerch two years ago, were preparing similar school attacks, the Russian security service has revealed. | The suspects, who “were disciples of extremist ideology and followers of Vladislav Roslyakov” wanted to target two schools in Kerch, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement Tuesday. | Police discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with striking elements at their homes as well as spare parts to make more IEDs, which the teens had purchased on the internet.
rt.com/russia/481126-crimea-school-attac…
Nord Stream 2: Why Ukraine and Poland Are Against It
Lucas Leiroz de Almeida | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
There is no doubt about the fundamental importance of the gas flow for the European energy balance. There is even less doubt about Russia’s role in this process. Western Europe is not self-sufficient in producing gas, depending on its import. …
globalresearch.ca/nord-stream-2-why-ukra…
Libya: Tripoli Port Hit, Govt Cancels Ceasefire Talks in Geneva
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The Libyan National Army (LNA) hit Tripoli’s port Tuesday allegedly targeting a Turkish ship bringing in arms, a LNA official said. | RELATED: | EU Members to Launch New Mission to Enforce Libyan Arms Embargo | “The Turkish ship loaded with weapons and ammunition that docked this morning at the port of Tripoli was destroyed,” reads a short statement published by an LNA Facebook account. | Brigadier Khaled Al Mahjoub of the LNA told Al-Arabiya that the vessel had arrived in vi…
telesurenglish.net/news/Libya-Tripoli-Po…
Libya’s GNA scraps peace talks after attack on ship ‘loaded with weapons’ at Tripoli port
rt.com | 2020-02-18
The Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya has suspended UN-brokered ceasefire talks with the Libyan National Army after an LNA attack on a port in the capital on Tuesday. | “Today there was a renewed violation of the truce with the targeting of civilian facilities in the capital,” the GNA said in statement, adding “we hereby suspend our participation in the military talks that are taking place in Geneva until a firm stand is taken against the aggressor and their violations.” | The attack
‘The Deal of the Century’ and Its Hidden Secrets
Hazim El-Naser | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
We oppose and reject the US-Israeli peace plan, or the so-called “deal of the century”, for many political, economic, social and religious reasons. It is rejected due to new signs that it will impede progress on the water issue between …
globalresearch.ca/deal-century-hidden-se…
Head of Wuhan hospital dies of coronavirus as global death toll rises to nearly 1,900
rt.com | 2020-02-18
The director of a hospital at the epicenter of China’s coronavirus outbreak has died, according to state media, marking the latest death as Beijing scrambles to contain the virus. | Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, died on Tuesday morning after “all-out rescue efforts failed,” state broadcaster CCTV reported. | Liu’s death was initially announced on Monday night in a social media post by the Hubei Health Commission. However, in a follow-up message the commission said that the hospital director was alive and battling the virus. | At least six other medical workers in China have died from…
rt.com/news/481067-head-of-wuhan-hospita…
China Suspends the Annual Meeting of the National Assembly
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
China’s National Popular Assembly (ANP) Tuesday announced that its annual plenary meeting, at which 3,000 representatives from across the country attend, has been suspended until further notice. | RELATED: | Coronavirus Spreads on Quarantined Cruise Ship in Japan | Considered to be the Chinese most important political meeting, the plenary of the National Assembly usually begins in early March to address the discussion on public budgets. | Nevertheless, according to the ANP spo…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-Suspends-t…
Chinese government defends its response to coronavirus
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
Beijing has come under fire from the international community, as well as its citizens, for mishandling the early stages of the outbreak.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/viru…
Caricom: ‘Only With Unity, We Can Fight Against Imperialism’
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The Community of the Caribbean (Caricom) begins Tuesday its 31st Inter-Sessional Meeting to discuss common policies on security, climate change, tourism, and trade. Its country members will also discuss a regional approach to the coronavirus virus and other noncommunicable diseases. | RELATED: | Caricom Laboratories Ready to Analyze Coronavirus | During the opening remarks, outgoing Caricom Chairman Allen Chastanet emphasized the importance of acting cooperatively to face common problem…
telesurenglish.net/news/Caricom-Only-Wit…
Australian universities slash jobs in response to coronavirus travel ban impact
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
As well as students having their lives and futures severely disrupted, thousands of casual academics are having their hours slashed.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/unis…
US Health Authority Shipped Faulty Coronavirus Test Kits Across Country: Official
Channel News Asia | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
A number of test kits sent out by United States health authorities to labs across the country to diagnose the deadly novel coronavirus are faulty, a senior official said on Wednesday (Feb 12). | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
globalresearch.ca/us-health-authority-sh…
The Most Effective Thing to Do If You’re Afraid of Coronavirus
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-18
I’ve met two people whose relatives got struck by lightning. While I take proper safety precautions when I go camping, I’m not afraid of lightning. | A high school friend was killed when she was hit by a train. While I look both ways before crossing the tracks, I’m not afraid of trains. | The week before my first trip to Yellowstone, a grizzly bear ate a guy. So I carry bear spray and make noise in grizzly country. But I’m not afraid of grizzly bears. | I don’t know anybody infected by the coronavirus, but I take the same general precautions I’ve taken my entire life to avoid getting sick. Mostly that’s just wash…
truthdig.com/articles/the-most-effective…
Only if you’re rich: Coronavirus fears spark demand for private jet travel
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Wealthy travelers stuck inside or outside of China due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak have been seeking private jet operators to arrange their flights despite the huge costs. | According to Darin Voyles of Paramount Business Jets, there was a “considerable uptick” in such requests, but the majority of these can’t be filled as they can’t get the crew or planes. | “Many simply do not want to send their aircraft and crews into mainland China. Aside from the risk of exposure for the crews, the operational and business concern is that when they return from mainland China they will essentially be unable to work…
rt.com/business/481109-coronavirus-priva…
Irish Elections and Unification
Conn Hallinan | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
The victory by Ireland’s leftwing Sinn Fein Party in the Republic’s recent election has not only overturned some 90 years of domination by the island’s two center-right parties, it suddenly puts the issue of Irish reunification on the agenda. While the campaign was fought over bread and butter issues like housing, the collapsing health care system, and homelessness, a united Ireland has long been Sinn Fein’s raison d’être. In the aftermath, Party leaders called for a border referendum on the subject.
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/irish-electi…
Sanders and AOC’s Fracking Ban Angers Centrists and Their Fossil Fuel Backers
Mike Ludwig | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
Source: Truthout Photo by J. Bicking/Shutterstock.com House Democrats have finally unveiled a flurry of climate bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but activists say only one proposal represents the “gold standard” for tackling the climate crisis: Legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that would ban fracking nationwide. While none of Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/sanders-and-aocs-f…
Bolsonaro Hails Killer of Marielle Franco As ‘Hero’
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
In a press conference in Río de Janeiro, the right-wing Brazilian President said: “I requested my son to decorate ( to Nóbrega), to clear all doubts. He was a hero, I commanded him, you can put that on me”. | RELATED: | Bolsonaro: ‘More and More the Indian Is a Human Being Like Us’ | Flavio Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro ¥s first born son, gave the Tiradentes Medal to Adriano Magalhà£es da Nóbrega back in 2005, when he was in prison and accused of the assassination. The ex-…
telesurenglish.net/news/-bolsonaro-calls…
Greek Islands Refugee Crisis: An Open Letter to Humanity Crew
Chris Jones | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
I do have better things to do with my time but after reading Humanity Crew’s report of its 5 day visit to Samos in January 2020, I am angry enough to write this open letter. | From the beginning to the …
globalresearch.ca/open-letter-humanity-c…
President of Haiti Calls off Participation in Caricom Meeting
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The President of Haiti Jovenel MoàØse called off his participation in the 31st Intersessional Meeting of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), which started Tuesday in Barbados. | RELATED: | Cuban Ophtalmologists in Haiti Resume Operacion Milagro | The president decided not to go to Barbados “due to the meetings he has on the negotiations to reach a solution to the political crisis,” Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bocchit Edmond told Le Nouvelliste newspaper. | The diplomat…
telesurenglish.net/news/President-of-Hai…
Billionaire Bloomberg Aims to “Buy the US Presidency”
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
A fantasy democracy, never the real thing, Americans get the best rule of privileged interests money can buy… | Bloomberg’s billions give him a significant edge only money can buy. Forbes ranked him 9th among the world’s richest individuals, estimating his …
globalresearch.ca/billionaire-bloomberg-…
Sanders on Geopolitical Issues
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Follow what politicians do, not what they say they’ll do. Time and again, rhetoric and actions are world’s apart. | Obama and Trump are Exhibits A and B, their pledges to voters as presidential candidates polar opposite their policies in office …
globalresearch.ca/sanders-geopolitical-i…
Afro-Venezuelan socialist youth leader’s message to the people of the U.S
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-18
In January, Fight Back! reporters participated in the World Anti-Imperialist Gathering in Caracas, Venezuela. While there, they interviewed delegates from Venezuela and from several other countries. In this interview, Ender Sabalsa, a leader of the youth sector and the Afro-descendent sector of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), gives his message to the people of the United States. | Ender Sabalsa: Revolutionary greetings to everyone reading this and to all the peoples of the world. My name is Ender Sabalsa. I’m a member of the youth sector of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). I’m also…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/17/afro-ven…
The Mass Extinction Humans Don’t Realize Matters
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-18
Humankind could be about to bid farewell to friends it never got to know, as insect extinction overtakes countless species. | Most of the millions of insects that support life on the planet have yet to be named or described. And yet perhaps 500,000 species of beetles, butterflies, bees, ants and other six-legged creatures vital to the efficient working of natural ecosystems and commercial economies could be about to disappear
Pay-to-play? Bloomberg & his deep pockets qualify for Nevada debate after DNC rule change opened door to billionaire contender
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Michael Bloomberg will be allowed to participate in the upcoming Democratic primary debate in Nevada, thanks in part to a helpful rule change
Mexico: Millions Embezzled During Peña Nieto’s Administration
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Mexico’s authorities reported that irregularities in projects worth US$30.2 billion were detected during President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration (2012-2018). | RELATED: | Mexico: Fugitive Former Pemex Executive Arrested in Spain | The Public Function Secretary Irma Sandoval said that irregularities were identified in 2019 projects, which generated…
telesurenglish.net/news/millions-embezzl…
Speeding Sea Level Rise Threatens Nuclear Plants
Paul Brown | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The latest science shows how the pace of sea level rise is speeding up, fuelling fears that not only millions of homes will be under threat, but that vulnerable installations like docks and power plants will be overwhelmed by the …
globalresearch.ca/speeding-sea-level-ris…
Explaining Syria: It’s Everyone’s Fault Except the U.S. and Israel
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The first week in February was memorable for the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump, the “re-elect me” State of the Union address and the marketing of a new line of underwear by Kim Kardashian. Given all of the …
globalresearch.ca/explaining-syria-every…
In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference
John Bachtell | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …
peoplesworld.org/article/in-politics-a-d…
Video: Turkish “Armed Groups” Don’t Help. Syrian Army Liberates Entire Western Aleppo
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Syrian government forces have cleared the entire western countryside of Aleppo city of members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other Turkish-backed armed groups. | During the past week, the Syrian Army and its allies cleared up to 300km2 delivering a devastating …
globalresearch.ca/video-turkish-armed-gr…
New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for US to Invade Iraq
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War
Extraordinary Neanderthal skeleton found at famous burial site could finally answer ancient DEATH-RITES question
rt.com | 2020-02-18
The landmark discovery in Iraq of the skeleton of a 70,000-year-old Neanderthal has reignited a debate about whether these ancient humans were sophisticated enough to have burial rituals. | The old bones were unearthed at Shanidar Cave in Iraq, where the partial remains of 10 Neanderthal men, women and children were found during excavations in the 1950s and 1960s. | | © Graeme Barker | The skeleton is the first “articulated” Neanderthal remains to be found in two decades. An articulated skeleton find is one where the bones are still arranged in their original positions. Researchers say it offers an unpa…
rt.com/news/481132-neanderthal-remains-f…
Evo Morales Calls for MAS Unity in Next Bolivian Elections
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales expressed his desire for unity amongst his political party, the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), for the upcoming general elections on May 3. | RELATED: | Evo Morales Calls for National Reconciliation in Bolivia | Morales made these statements at a meeting with MAS presidential candidate Luis Arce and the nation’s Secretary of International Relations Juanita Aniceta at the Bauen Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. | After the meeting, Morales a…
telesurenglish.net/news/evo-morales-call…
Bernie Sanders Gains Endorsement From Latinx Group as Nevada Caucus Nears
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Progressive Latinx group Mijente on Tuesday announced its first ever presidential endorsement, for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, just days before Nevadans caucus in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary on Saturday. | “Something that’s very appealing to people is his consistency and the concept of palabra,” Mijente’s director and cofounder Marisa Franco told Politico. “And what that me…
truthout.org/articles/bernie-sanders-bec…
Nevada Is a Big Test for Bernie Sanders’s Medicare for All Plan
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Medicare for All faces a big test in Nevada’s Democratic caucus, where front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are pitching competing health care plans in a last-minute effort to curry favor among voters as early voting comes to a close today. | Sanders has pledged to quickly push for a national health care system that covers everyone if elected president, while Biden wants to expand the Affordable Care Act with an option to buy government insurance that would compete with priv…
truthout.org/articles/nevada-is-a-big-te…
Factchecking NPR’s Attempted Takedown of Bernie Sanders
Robin Andersen | fair.org | 2020-02-18
by Robin Andersen | The Iowa caucuses officially began the Democratic primary, and even in this ongoing, extended battle for the White House, Iowa remains an important marker for candidates and the media. A close look at a piece by two of NPR’s leading political reporters, which aired just before the caucuses, provides a view of how journalists speak with authority on issues they seem to know very little about. The conversation between Mary Louise Kelly and her partner Mara Liasson, headlined “Where Iowa Falls in the Big Picture of the 2020 Election” (All Thing…
fair.org/home/factchecking-nprs-attempte…
Minority Abuse: A Slice of Life in Modi’s India
Arshad Khan | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
It is not uncommon for colonial governments to enact sedition laws with the purpose of stifling dissent; it is, following independence, for democratic governments to be enforcing them to quell critics. It is also exactly what the Modi government and party encourages in India. And it is what landed a 26-year old mother and her…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/minority-abu…
It’s official! India overtakes UK & France to become world’s 5th LARGEST economy
rt.com | 2020-02-18
India is developing into an open-market economy from its previous autarchic policies, US-based think tank World Population Review concludes in a report. | “India’s economy is the fifth largest in the world, with a GDP of $2.94 trillion, overtaking the UK and France in 2019 to take the fifth spot,” said the report, as quoted by the Press Trust of India. | To compare, the size of the UK economy is $2.83 trillion, while the French economy is $2.71 trillion. | Also on rt.com | | China & India to take control of one-third of global economy | According to the…
rt.com/business/481081-india-fifth-large…
Mexico: Family Says Gov’t Failed To Protect Murdered Girl
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Relatives of a seven-year-old girl murdered in Mexico said Monday the government had failed to protect her despite their pleas for help, while President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador blamed the crime on neo-liberal economics. | RELATED: | Women Glitter Mexico City to Protest Rape, Gendered Violence | Fatima Cecilia Aldrighett went missing on Feb. 11. Her body was discovered over the weekend inside a plastic garbage bag in Mexico City’s Tlahuac neighborhood, only days after another mur…
telesurenglish.net/news/Mexico-Family-Sa…
Colombia: 46 Social Leaders, 10 Ex-FARC Members Killed in 2020
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The systematic killing of social leaders and former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) continues with impunity in Colombia, as two brothers – human rights defenders and campesino leaders – were killed Sunday in the southwest department of Cauca, raising the tally to 46 murdered in 2020. | RELATED: | Colombia: Two Social Leaders Killed, Death Toll Rises to 44 | “The aggression was carried out by several armed men. After this, it was already confirmed that th…
telesurenglish.net/news/Colombia-46-Soci…
Extreme Weather Could Trigger a Recession Unlike We’ve Ever Seen
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-18
A new research paper warns that markets’ failure to assess the risks of climate change poses a significant threat to the global economy.
truthdig.com/articles/extreme-weather-co…
France to Impose More Controls on Mosques in Its Territory
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
France’s President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday announced greater control over mosques as part of his plan to fight “separatism” in neighborhoods where radical Islam is present. | RELATED: | Youth Climate Activists Occupy BlackRock in Paris, 17 Arrested | “We must have mosques transparently financed and directed by imams formed in France and respectful of our values,” Macron said in Metz where he toured some slums. | As part of that his control plan, the arrival of imams from the Ar…
telesurenglish.net/news/France-to-Impose…
5 civilians injured in explosive device blast in Bab Musalla, Damascus
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Five civilians were injured in a car bomb blast in the Bab Musalla area in Damascus, SANA said on Tuesday. One of the victims sustained serious injuries, according to the report. | A source at Damascus Police Command said that the terrorists placed an explosive device in a car. | The automobile exploded while it was passing by the departures bus stop in Bab Musalla area in the Syrian capital, injuring five civilians, one of whom is in critical condition.
rt.com/newsline/481113-explosive-device-…
Aleppo Victories to ‘Prelude’ Defeat of Rebels in Syria: Assad
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that the recent victory of the Syrian army in the Aleppo province is a prelude to the major defeat of the rebels elsewhere. | RELATED: | Syrian Military Establishes Control Over All of Aleppo City | In a televised speech following the major victory of the Syrian army in the western and northwestern countryside of Aleppo, Assad said it doesn’t mean the end of the war, nor does it mean the elimination of terrorism. | “But this victory i…
telesurenglish.net/news/Aleppo-Victories…
Harvey Weinstein’s Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who…
truthout.org/video/harvey-weinsteins-def…
Amazon offers free shipping for illegal Israeli settlements, but not Palestinian Territories
Morning Star | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
Amazon has been accused of discrimination by offering free shipment to illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank, but not for Palestinians living there. The practice was discovered by the Financial Times as it entered illegal settlement addresses into the global online retailer’s delivery portal. Amazon’s website offered free shipping for orders, saying: “If your …
peoplesworld.org/article/amazon-offers-f…
Bloomberg Defied a Flight Ban to Show Support for Israel, Defended the Country Shelling a School and Killing Sleeping Children
Michael Arria | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
In July 2014, Israel launched a series airstrikes on Gaza, kicking off a 51-day war that left thousands dead. According to the United Nations, at least 2,104 Palestinian were killed, including 1,462 civilians. 495 were children and 253 were women. …
globalresearch.ca/bloomberg-defied-fligh…
Striking LA Teachers’ Win Against Random Frisking Is Becoming District Policy
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide
Teacher Strikes Boost Fight for Racial Justice in Schools
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide
Trump’s Budget: More Warfare, Slightly Less Welfare
Rep. Ron Paul | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Listening to the howls from Democrats and the applause from Republicans, one would think President Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2021 budget is a radical assault on the welfare state. The truth is the budget contains some minor spending cuts, most …
globalresearch.ca/trumps-budget-more-war…
RNC 2020 and the symbols of history: Crowns, Hornets, and Boiler Plugs
Lorri Nandrea | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
This August, the Republican National Convention will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the only city that offered to host it. After submitting their bid, the Charlotte City Council tried to retract it, but were cowed by the threat of being sued for breach of contract. So, the Republicans have somewhere to go. Charlotte was …
peoplesworld.org/article/rnc-2020-and-th…
Among Cruel Children
James Chandler | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Among Cruel Children Law’s rule is flourishing only where The body politic’s not bruised to pleasure spite And turn all hope for justice to despair, But blossoms into beauty born of right. O horn-rimmed Barr, “fighting back” there, Are you the law, or just the arm of might? O student of kabuki, Trump’s tweedy whore,…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/among-cruel-…
We Shouldn’t Have to Beg Mark Zuckerberg to Respect Democracy
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Last month George Soros had a New York Times column arguing that Mark Zuckerberg should not be running Facebook. (Does the NYT reserve space on its opinion page for billionaires?) The gist of Soros’ piece is that Zuckerberg has made a deal with Trump. He will allow all manner of outrageous lies to be spread…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/we-shouldnt-…
Religion is a Repeating Chapter in the History of Politics
Peter Harrison | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
It is no coincidence that the story of the Garden of Eden is about the loss of ‘innocence’
A Silicon Valley Life Lesson: Money That ‘Clumps’ Crushes
Sam Pizzigati | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
If everything rich people tell us
China’s Economy: Powerful But Vulernable
Walden Bello | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
China’s economy is often presented as a powerful engine. This is, however, only one face of it. It has also been marked by vulnerabilities, and these have become more obvious over time, as the costs of high-speed growth have rebounded on the country, giving rise to social tensions that are straining the capacity of the…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/chinas-econo…
We Shouldn’t Have to Beg Mark Zuckerberg to Respect Democracy
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Last month George Soros had a New York Times column arguing that Mark Zuckerberg should not be running Facebook. (Does the NYT reserve space on its opinion page for billionaires?) The gist of Soros’ piece is that Zuckerberg has made a deal with Trump. He will allow all manner of outrageous lies to be spread…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/we-shouldnt-…
We’re All in This Together
John W. Whitehead | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
“We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” –Benjamin Franklin Listen: we don’t have to agree about everything. We don’t even have to agree about most things. We don’t have to love each other. We don’t even have to like each other. And we certainly don’t need to think alike…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/were-all-in-…
The Conscience of a Conservative
Bob Topper | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/the-conscien…
Democracy, Dictatorship and Bloomberg
Laura Flanders | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
The 2020 presidential race didn’t get decided this week, but the choice before us did: more democracy or less of it. That’s the decision we are facing, and if the Democrats manage to foul this up, they may not get another chance. The very same day that New Hampshire held its primary, the president was…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/democracy-di…
Impunity for Torturers Made Trump’s Invulnerability Possible
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
On February 5th, the Senate voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. In other words, Trump’s pre-election boast that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and not “lose any voters” proved something more than high-flown hyperbole. (To be fair, he did lose one Republican “voter” in the Senate
When Your Doctor Is Also a Lobbyist: Inside the War Over Surprise Medical Bills
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
When Carol Pak-Teng, an emergency room doctor in New Jersey, hosted a fundraiser in December for Democratic freshman Rep. Tom Malinowski, her guests, mostly doctors, were pleased when she steered the conversation to surprise medical bills. | This was a chance to send a message to Washington that any surprise billing legislation should protect doctors’ incomes in their battle over payments with insurers. Lawmakers are grappling over several approaches to curtail the practice, which can leave…
truthout.org/articles/when-your-doctor-i…
The Trump Administration Is Cutting Back Protections for Migratory Birds
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
The Trump administration has proposed a new regulation on protecting migratory birds that is a drastic pullback from policies in force for the past 100 years. The draft rule is open for public comment through March 19. | In 1916, amid the chaos of World War I, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and King George V of Gre…
truthout.org/articles/the-trump-administ…
The Slave Trade Used to Be Legal. Let’s Not Glorify the Law
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Throughout the history of Black America, progress has often required breaking the law. For this reason, it’s worth questioning why, in sanitized mainstream narratives (for example, those shared in schools and government functions during Black History Month), the story of Black struggle is often divorced from incendiary, illegal acts. Most Black people in the United States are descended from enslaved Africans, and being Black in this country has never been wholly separated from that history. In fact, it still ha…
truthout.org/articles/the-slave-trade-us…
Cuban Doctors Will Return to Assist the Poorest in Brazil
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
The Brazilian government will authorize 1,800 Cuban doctors who remained in the country after President Jair Bolsonaro ended the “Mais Medicos” (More Doctors) program to return to serve in the territory. | RELATED: | Brazil Struggles To Replace Departed Cuban Doctors, Thousands of Lives at Risk | The lack of health personnel in the poor and remote areas of the Latin American giant, which Brazilian doctors avoid, has been the main reason for this decision, local…
telesurenglish.net/news/cuban-doctors-wi…
The United States Supports the Mujahedeen-e Khalk (MEK) Terrorist Organization
Robert Fantina | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The United States continues to support the Mujahedeen-e Khalk (MEK), despite the fact that that terrorist organization is losing popularity, not that it ever had very much anyway, around the world. The group remains basically based in Albania, a nation …
globalresearch.ca/united-states-mek/5703…
Happy Presidents’ Day! Obama & Trump argue over who gets credit for saving Wall St… err, US economy
rt.com | 2020-02-18
With many Americans enjoying the day off in honor of their first president, the two most recent ones seized the moment to get into a fight over who should get the credit for the nation’s economic recovery. | “Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the worst recession in generations, I signed the Recovery Act, paving the way for more than a decade of economic growth and the longest streak of job creation in American history,” Barack Obama tweeted on Monday, along with a photo of his signature on the bill that pumped an estimated $831 billion into Wall Street. | Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the…
rt.com/usa/481062-trump-obama-us-economy…
Federal Charter Schools Program, a Lifeline for Owners of Capital, Under Threat
Shawgi Tell | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-18
Neoliberals established the Federal Charter Schools Program in 1994, three years after the nation’s first charter school law was passed in Minnesota. Since then, billions of public dollars have been handed over to privately-owned-operated non-profit and for-profit charter schools through the federal program. The money is usually used for charter school start-up costs. Putting aside …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/federal-chart…
Brilliant New $5.34 Ladder Defeats Not So Brilliant $2.5 Billion Trump Fever Dream
Abby Zimet | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Thanks to his ineffable stupidity