(2020-02-20). Study: Medicare for All Would Save 68,000 lives, Half a Trillion Dollars Per year. mintpressnews.com Under U.S. law, the government is barred from negotiating prices with drug companies, leading to a situation where American-made HIV medication sells for $8 in Australia and up to $2,000 in the US.
(2020-02-20). Sanders Says the People — Not the Party Elites — Should Decide the Nomination. truthout.org As the primary season heads into the Nevada caucuses on Saturday, we unpack the ninth Democratic presidential debate in a roundtable on the tensions at work on the Las Vegas debate stage. Sen. Bernie Sanders, currently the front-runner in the race, said the candidate with the most delegates should become the nominee; all his rivals on stage suggested they would be open to a brokered convention, with superdelegates and other party insiders potentially deciding the nomination. | We continue our discu…
(2020-02-20). Slow Motion Murder of Julian Assange by US/UK Regimes. globalresearch.ca Assange’s crucifixion is all about waging war on dissent, truth-telling on major issues, and journalism the way it’s supposed to be. | It’s about creeping totalitarian rule in the US, UK, and West — equity, justice, and respect for the rule …
(2020-02-20). Protests Continue Against Gas Pipeline Construction in Canada. telesurenglish.net Indigenous protests continue in Edmonton, Canada, against the Coastal Gas Link, a pipeline construction project of TC Energy Corporation. The protesters, led by First Nations communities as the Wet’suwet’en people and Indigenous sympathizers who support their rights, blocked the train rails to prevent the invasion of their lands. | RELATED: | These actions left a billion dollar loss in regards to oil, grain, forest…
(2020-02-20). MSNBC’s Anti-Sanders Bias Was on Display in Nevada, But It Hasn’t Hurt Him. truthout.org After months of speculation, billionaire and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg finally appeared at a Democratic primary debate last night. In an ominous sign, the first answer he gave to a question was a dishonest attack aimed at scaring voters away from a universal health care system. | Asked to compare his chances of beating President Trump to Sen. Bernie Sanders’s chances of doing so, Bloomberg attacked Sanders and his Medicare for All Plan, falsely suggesting it would throw 160 million…
(2020-02-20). Warren and Sanders Eviscerate Bloomberg on Debate Stage. truthdig.com 
The two senators liken the billionaire businessman to Trump and question his ability to turn out voters at the Las Vegas Democratic debate.
(2020-02-20). The Most Unnerving Moment From the Nevada Democratic Debate. truthdig.com In the event of a brokered convention, only Bernie Sanders calls for the candidate with the most pledged delegates to win the nomination.
(2020-02-20). Impunity Guaranteed for Torturers (and Presidents). counterpunch.org 
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
(2020-02-20). “The Right to Do Whatever I Want as President” globalresearch.ca 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
(2020-02-20). Who Is WHO’s Tedros Adhanom? The Wuhan Lockdown is Unprecedented. globalresearch.ca On the surface it appeared that the Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has acted swiftly and seriously about the spreading coronavirus health emergency spreading across China. He has gone to meet with Chinese leaders to discuss the …
(2020-02-20). “Leave Our Bloke Alone”: A Little Mission for Julian Assange. dissidentvoice.org I think that now it is time that the government I am a part of needs to be standing up and saying to both the UK and the US: ‘enough is enough, leave our bloke alone and let him come home.’ — George Christensen, Australian conservative MP, Sydney Morning Herald, February 19, 2020 An odd …
(2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Donald Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. globalresearch.ca The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account …
(2020-02-20). Assange’s Extradition Case: Critical Moment for the Anti-War Movement. zcomm.org The US government’s extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange is a critical moment for press freedom, but also for the anti-war movement…
(2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. counterpunch.org The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account has become a matter of hagiography, an article of faith, with grave conclusions: WikiLeaks and
(2020-02-20). Eminent Monsters: A Manual for Modern Torture, directed by Stephen Bennett. wsws.org “We have a system that punished the whistle blowers like Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, not the perpetrators of torture”—Professor Nils Melzer…
(2020-02-20). Australia: Students and workers demand release of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. wsws.org “Trillions are spent on war, which creates refugees, kills children and workers, but the people who make these wars happen are roaming free whilst Assange is being murdered by the state.”
(2020-02-20). Lawyers file new motion demanding release of Chelsea Manning. wsws.org Lawyers for Manning, the courageous whistleblower who has been in prison for eleven months for refusing to testify before a secret grand jury in the case of Julian Assange, have filed a new motion in federal court demanding her release.
(2020-02-20). Motion to US District Court to Release Chelsea Manning from Punitive Incarceration. globalresearch.ca Like Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning is a victim of police state injustice. | She’s been imprisoned since last spring and fined $1,000 daily for invoking her constitutional right to remain silent — refusing to give grand jury testimony against Assange that …
(2020-02-20). John McDonnell visits Julian Assange and slams his ‘political persecution’. thecanary.co Shadow chancellor John McDonnell visited McDonnell said of Assange’s case: I think this is one of the most important and significant political trials of this generation, in fact longer. … | The way in which a person is being persecuted for political reasons, for simply exposing the truth for what went on in relation to recent wars. | And he stressed: We don’t believe that extradition should be used for political purposes. And all the evidence… demonstrates that this is a political trial, and we’re hoping…
(2020-02-20). Labor Party leads Australian attack on British government over Huawei. wsws.org The line-up behind the US confrontation with China sheds further light on the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
(2020-02-20). Growing support for Julian Assange on eve of extradition hearings. wsws.org The fight for Assange’s freedom requires the mobilisation of the working class, not moral appeals to capitalist politicians.
(2020-02-20). India 2020: ‘Superpower’ or Still ‘Super Poor’? globalresearch.ca The hopes of India’s over 1.3 billion people were shattered after their country objectively failed to become the “superpower” that many of their leading “influencers” (read: propagandists) predicted it would be by 2020, with this finally being acknowledged by the …
(2020-02-20). The CIA’s Role in Operation Condor. counterpunch.org The Washington Post reported that top secret documents confirm the role that the CIA played in Operation Condor, the international state-sponsored assassination, kidnapping, torture, and murder ring run by U.S.-supported military dictatorships in South America in the late 1970s. The documents confirm that the CIA’s role in the operation was to provide communications equipment to the
(2020-02-20). Bloomberg surrogate was PR guru for Brazil’s extreme-right leader Bolsonaro. thegrayzone.com Former Michael Bloomberg aide Arick Wierson, who is pushing the billionaire’s 2020 presidential campaign and attacking Bernie Sanders, helped elect…
(2020-02-20). The US Granted Free Tuition Before, and It Can Do It Again. truthout.org When Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Pramila Jayapal submitted joint bills for the
(2020-02-20). Cuba thanks Caricom for condemning the US blockade. telesurenglish.net Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez thanked the heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for their condemnation of the tightening of the U.S. blockade against Cuba. | “I thank the heads of Government of #CARICOM for their condemnation of the tightening of the #US blockade against #Cuba and against the enforcement of the Helms-Burton Act,” Rodriguez wrote on his Twitter account on Wednesday night. | He also acknowledged the regional bloc’s gratitude for Cuba’s medical cooperation that has for years contributed to their peoples’ wellbeing. | At the conclusion of the CARICOM meeting in Barbado…
(2020-02-20). US slaps sanctions on Russian oil company trading with Venezuela. wsws.org The unilateral sanctions are aimed at tightening the US blockade of Venezuela’s crisis-ridden economy.
(2020-02-20). Bolivia’s Electoral Body Disqualifies Evo Morales’ Candidacy. telesurenglish.net The president of the Supreme Electoral Court of Bolivia (TSE) Salvador Romero informed that the former President Evo Morales will not be able to participate in the 2020 general elections, which will be held on May 3. | RELATED: | During a press conference, Romero told reporters that Morales did not meet the permanent residency requirements to be a Senate candidate for his Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) p…
(2020-02-20). Mick Mulvaney Says GOP Won’t Act on Climate Because They Don’t Want Higher Taxes. truthout.org Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney “We take the position in my party that asking people to change their lifestyle dramatically, i…
(2020-02-20). Greta Thunberg ‘using award money to create sustainability foundation’. thecanary.co Greta Thunberg is using her prize money from an award often described as an alternative Nobel Prize to establish a sustainability foundation, according to the Swedish organisation behind the prize. | The purpose of the non-profit Greta Thunberg Foundation “is to promote ecological and social sustainability, as well as mental health”, the Right Livelihood Foundation said. | The teenage climate activist was one of four recipients of the 2019 Right Livelihood Award, which was founded in 1980 to “honour and support courageous people solving global problems”. | The one million kronor ( £80,000) that came with th…
(2020-02-20). A Trillion Trees in Rep. Westerman’s Hands Means a Trillion Stumps. counterpunch.org In an effort to springboard off President Trump’s recent pledge to join the global community in planting a trillion trees to increase the amount of carbon drawn out of the atmosphere and help us to mitigate the worst effects of the climate crisis, Rep. Bruce Westerman, a pro-logging advocate from Arkansas, along with several Republican
(2020-02-20). “And Then Nothing. Silence” dissidentvoice.org If you were mad enough to judge the state of the world by the daily outpourings of ‘mainstream’ media, you would have no real understanding of the perilous state of the human race. Or, if you had concerns on seeing the latest news on climate breakdown, you would not be fully informed about the powerful …
(2020-02-20). Colombia: Colonel Involves General in Extrajudicial Killings. telesurenglish.net Colombian Colonel Alvaro Amortegui said that General Mario Montoya ordered him to kill 17 civilians captured in an operation and make them appear as if they were guerrilla fighters killed in combat. | RELATED: | “In 2001… I captured 17 guys inside a house. [Montoya] called me on my cell phone and told me, ‘I’ve already sent you the bracelets.’ Then I replied, ‘don’t send me the bracelets… I captured these men a…
(2020-02-20). Far-Right German Gunman Calling for Genocide Kills 9 People. truthdig.com HANAU, Germany — A 43-year-old German man who posted a manifesto calling for the “complete extermination” of many “races or cultures in our midst” shot and killed nine people of foreign background, most of them Turkish, in an attack on a hookah bar and other sites in a Frankfurt suburb, authorities said Thursday. | He was later found dead at his home along with his mother, and authorities said they were treating the rampage as an act of domestic terrorism. | The gunman first attacked the hookah bar and a neighboring cafe in Hanau at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, killing several people, then traveled about 2.5 ki…
(2020-02-20). Police assault on Wet’suwet’en people. mronline.org Attack shows Hypocrisy towards Indigenous Peoples. |
(2020-02-20). The Persian Gulf Standoff. dissidentvoice.org They say we’ve been down this road before. The “last time” creakily hinged upon a hysterically hyped WMD threat from Iraq that overwhelmingly forced the W. Bush regime and its bipartisan cheerleaders to preemptively invade Iraq in order to eliminate the imminent threat that Saddam Hussein’s non-existent WMD posed to the “Freedom-loving” world. Such was …
(2020-02-20). East Timor’s coalition government collapses. wsws.org East Timor’s political and economic crisis is escalating amid the sharpened regional rivalry between China and the US and its ally Australia.
(2020-02-20). No One Knows How Many Immigrant Kids Have Disappeared in US Custody. truthout.org This story was originally published by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit news organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at On the fifth floor of the tall glass federal building in Portland, Oregon, the immigration court hums in hushed tones, an air of reverence comi…
(2020-02-20). Putin vs. Erdogan: Who’s Going to Blink First? globalresearch.ca An explosive situation is developing in Idlib province where the Syrian army is conducting a major offensive that has triggered a harsh response from Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is threatening to attack Syrian forces anywhere in the country …
(2020-02-20). Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams covers for the billionaire Bloomberg. wsws.org Abrams said Bloomberg’s spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the Democratic nomination is like a candidate “using their dog” to get support.
(2020-02-20). Freedom for $5.30…and This Time Mexico Really is Paying for It. counterpunch.org Back in 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump promised that Mexico would pay for his proposed border wall. Turns out Mexico wasn’t interested, so Trump eventually resorted to declaring fake emergencies and illegally misappropriating money from the military budget. He’s spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars per mile on a barrier that, Samuel Lovett of
(2020-02-20). Israel and Palestine Agree to End Commercial Tensions: Official. telesurenglish.net Palestine and Israel have agreed to defuse their commercial tension over mutual export and import bans, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday. | RELATED: | Palestinian Minister of Agriculture Riad Attari told the China-based Xinhua News Agency that Israel has agreed to stop all its measures of banning the shipment of Palestinian goods and products to the Israeli markets. | “Israel also agreed to lift the…
(2020-02-20). Portugal: Parliament Approves the ‘Death With Dignity’ Right. telesurenglish.net Despite protests from fundamentalist religious groups, Portugal’s Parliament Thursday took the first step in favor of the decriminalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. | RELATED: | In 2018, the “anticipation of death” bill was rejected by just five votes. On this occasion, however, the Portuguese parliament analyzed five different bills on the same subject. | Among the main proposals were those presented by the Left Bl…
(2020-02-20). France: Tenth Day of National Protests Against Pension Reform. telesurenglish.net The French unions are carrying out the tenth day of a general strike against the bill for the pension reform proposed by RELATED: | “We will not give up because we are convinced of the correctness of our analysis. This project will be a danger in the coming decades…
(2020-02-20). America’s War on Dissent Began a Century Ago. truthdig.com The roots of the our ruling class’ disdain for protest movements can be traced all the back to World War I. Part 2 of a two-part essay.
(2020-02-20). Oppose Trudeau’s Hosting of the Lima Group in Gatineau. globalresearch.ca On February 20, the Trudeau government will host another meeting of the anti-Venezuelan “Lima Group” at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, 100 Laurier St, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M8. A protest will commence at its main entrance at 1 pm. | The …
(2020-02-20). Video: Aleppo City’s Countryside Fully Secured, Syrians in Aleppo Celebrate the End of Terrorism. globalresearch.ca In December 2016, the Syrian Arab Army, Russia and allies liberated the northern Syrian city of Aleppo of the al-Qaeda and equally-heinous terrorists who had occupied and terrorized civilians in the city since 2012. | In subsequent years, Aleppo to a …
(2020-02-20). The Axis of Resistance Holds Firm as Washington Faces Retreat. globalresearch.ca The shifting sands of the Syrian conflict have left many wondering what might happen next between the Kurds, the US, and Russia inside Syria. I reached out to, Professor Tim Anderson, an Australian political economist, and author of “…
(2020-02-20). The War On Syria is Not Over: SAA Forces and Russia Confront US Sponsored “Jihadists”, Turkey’s Phony “Safe Zone”, Israel Threatens “Escalated Aggression” globalresearch.ca On Wednesday, Turkey’s Erdogan threatened escalated cross-border aggression against Syria. | He ignored his regime’s illegal occupation of northern Syrian territory, support for anti-government jihadists, and his revanchist aims, wanting Syrian territory bordering Turkey annexed. | That’s what his phony “safe zone” …
(2020-02-20). Video: Syrians Are in Desperate Race to Outrun Brutal Regime Offensive. globalresearch.ca Syrians are in a desperate race to outrun the offensive of the brutal Assad regime. The ruthless government forces are aggressively destroying helpless mines and car bombs, treacherously restoring roads, schools and residential houses, cruelly launching road patrols, and (oh, …
(2020-02-20). Turkey Accuses Syrian Gov’t of Killing 2 Soldiers in Idlib. telesurenglish.net Turkey accused the Syrian government of carrying out an airstrike on Thursday that killed two of their military personnel inside the northwestern province of Idlib. | RELATED: | In a statement shortly after the strike, Turkey accused the Syrian government of killing two soldiers and wounding five others that were providing support to the rebels in Idlib. | Turkey’s defense ministry said more than 50 Syrian forces members…
(2020-02-20). Break With Two-Party Capitalist Duopoly! counterpunch.org Glory hallelujah! If the Lord’s “terrible swift sword” had descended from the heavens to witness the Democratic Party’s congressional delegation’s standing ovation in response to Donald Trump’s State of Union introduction of his despicably appointed Venezuelan presidential pretender Juan Guaidó, the Democrats would be dead in the water. But there is no God in American politics; the only certainty lies in a clear understanding that the election game is rigged from
(2020-02-20). Canada Trapped By Its Own Folly. counterpunch.org Canada walked into a political and diplomatic trap of its own making when it took it upon itself to create a self-appointed busybody lobby called The Group of Lima. The sole purpose of this group is to harass and discredit the government of Venezuela, alleging that they are thereby “defending democracy”. They do so by
(2020-02-20). “Absolutely Unacceptable” — Leaked Boeing Memo Shows ‘Debris’ Found in 737 MAX Fuel-Tanks. globalresearch.ca With airline after airline pushing back their ‘return-to-service’ dates based on Boeing’s total lack of clarity on the path forward for the 737 MAX, the troubled aircraft maker (and the troubled aircraft) now faces more problems. | According to an internal …
(2020-02-20). Far-right terror probe after nine killed in shootings in Germany. thecanary.co 
A German man has shot and killed nine people at several locations in a Frankfurt suburb in attacks that appear to have been motivated by far-right beliefs, officials said.The gunman first attacked a hookah bar in central Hanau at about 10pm on 19 February, killing several people, before heading about 1.5 miles west and opening fire again, claiming more victims.Hookah lounges are places where people gather to smoke flavoured tobacco from Middle Eastern water pipes.Witnesses and surveillance videos of the suspect’s getaway car led authorities to his home, near the scene of the second attack, where he was found dead…
(2020-02-20). Why Have No Retired Generals Opposed US’s Forever Wars? truthout.org There once lived an odd little man — five feet nine inches tall and barely 140 pounds sopping wet — who rocked the lecture circuit and the nation itself. For all but a few activist insiders and scholars, U.S. Marine Corps Major General Smedley Darlington Butler is now lost to history. Yet more than a century ago, this strange
(2020-02-20). Oil Workers Temporarily Suspend Strike in Brazil. telesurenglish.net In Brazil, oil workers suspended their strike Thursday after 19 days, while state oil company Petrobras promised to start a round of negotiations with the unions. | RELATED: | The decision was taken after a council of the Single Federation of Oil Tankers (FUP) meeting and they warned that if negotiations with the state oil company do not meet the demands of the workers, the union will resume the strike again. | T…
(2020-02-20). Suspects in Fatima Murder Case Arrested in Mexico. telesurenglish.net The main suspects in the Fátima case were captured on Wednesday after the social pressure on the government and police authorities increased. The anti-femicide movement ¥s claims increased after the 7-year-old girl disappeared and was founded dead last Saturday. | RELATED: | The suspects presumably responsible for the minor’s murder were detained in a periphery zone of Mexico state, in the capital perimeter, a…
(2020-02-20). Alberto Fernandez: Argentina’s Economy Will Grow Again. telesurenglish.net Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez said Wednesday that the country’s economy will be able to grow after the International Monetary Fund declared that the Latin American nation’s debt is unsustainable and must be restructured. | RELATED: Argentina IMF: | “If all parties show a willingness to agree, we will be able to grow again. We will honor our commitments and we will have an Argentina back on its feet,” the presid…
(2020-02-20). Brazilian Company Accused of Helping Bolsonaro’s Campaign. telesurenglish.net Entrepreneur Lindolfo Antà¥nio Alves Neto, partner and co-owner of the internet marketing company Yacows, admitted that his company participated in Jair Bolsonaro’s campaign strategies to advertise on WhatsApp. | RELATED: | The executive made these statements at the Fake News Joint Parliamentary Inquiry Committee in the Brazilian Senate on Wednesday, after an interrogation by deputy Rui Falcà£o. Alv…
(2020-02-20). ‘Racism Is Poison’, Angela Merkel’s Statement on Hanau Shooting. telesurenglish.net Germany’s RELATED: | “Racism is poison. Hate is poison. And this poison occurs in our society and is already responsibl…
(2020-02-20). Roger Stone Sentenced Amid Trump’s Pressure to Discredit Case. telesurenglish.net On Thursday morning. Roger Stone, a close friend and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, will finally be sentenced, despite repeated attacks by the White House chief on those involved in the trial to discredit the process and prevent a harsh verdict. | RELATED: | Roger Stone, 67, the self-described “dirty trickster,” was convicted in November on seven felony counts of obstruction, witness tampering, and false s…
(2020-02-20). Suspects in Fatima Femicide Case Arrested in Mexico. telesurenglish.net The main suspects in the Fátima case were captured on Wednesday after the social pressure on the government and police authorities increased. The anti-femicide movement ¥s claims increased after the 7-year-old girl disappeared and was founded dead last Saturday. | RELATED: | The suspects presumably responsible for the minor’s murder were detained in a periphery zone of Mexico state, in the capital perimeter, a…
(2020-02-20). Roger Stone Sentenced Amid Trump ¥s Pressure to Discredit Case. telesurenglish.net On Thursday morning. Roger Stone, a close friend and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, will finally be sentenced, despite repeated attacks by the White House chief on those involved in the trial to discredit the process and prevent a harsh verdict. | RELATED: | Roger Stone, 67, the self-described “dirty trickster,” was convicted in November on seven felony counts of obstruction, witness tampering, and false s…
(2020-02-20). New Mexico Federal Judge Files Lawsuit Against Google. telesurenglish.net Once again giant tech company Google is under a legal suit, this time filed by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. The lawsuit allegates that Google acquired personal information from school children in the state violating their privacy rights. | RELATED: | The magistrate expressed that the company violated the Federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and New Mexico’s Unfair Practices Act by collecting informa…
(2020-02-20). Black Students in the Mississippi Delta Still Face Education Inequality. truthout.org Samara Rand’s new colleagues at Holmes County Central High School gave her a warning on her first day: Never turn off the air conditioning. Even if the students complained. Warm classrooms in the 60-year-old building would smell like urine, her co-workers told her. | “Get you some air freshener,” a ninth-grade biology teacher advised her. | When it rains, the roof of the decades-old facility leaks. During the worst downpours, hallways flood. Attempts to raise taxes to build a state-of-the-art high…
(2020-02-20). “Bee-Washing” Hurts Bees and Misleads Consumers. truthout.org Amid the worry over the loss of honeybees, a far quieter but just as As awareness increases about native bee death, some companies are taking advantage…
(2020-02-20). Mass Student Movement in the United States Began Six Decades Ago. globalresearch.ca On February 1, 1960, four African American students from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University sat down at a racially segregated lunch counter in the F.W. Woolworth Department store in downtown Greensboro to demand service. | This act of civil disobedience …
(2020-02-20). Trump pardoning convicted criminals highlights the rot at the heart of the US establishment. thecanary.co Donald Trump has just
(2020-02-20). SPLC Statement on the Far-Right Shooting in Hanau, Germany. splcenter.org …
(2020-02-20). Passengers Leave Ship Docked Off Japan After Quarantine Ends. truthdig.com The two-week action failed to stop the spread of the new virus, with the Diamond Princess the site of the most infections outside of China.
(2020-02-20). Jury Awards $265M in Damages in Dicamba Trial Against Monsanto, BASF. globalresearch.ca After three weeks of arguments, the jury awarded the peach-farmer plaintiff $15 million in damages and $250 million in punitive damages against the chemical companies. | *** | A federal jury determined that German agribusiness giants Bayer and BASF will have to …
(2020-02-20). The Donald Trump Phenomenon: The Drift Towards an Autocratic Presidency in the United States. globalresearch.ca “Experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go”. —Montesquieu (1689-1755), 1748. | “Where you have a concentration of power in …
(2020-02-20). Debate Night Brawl: Bloomberg, Sanders Attacked by Democratic Rivals. truthdig.com Warren stands out in Las Vegas as she goes after billionaire ex-New York mayor on policing policies and demeaning comments toward women.
(2020-02-20). Election Officials Are Already Raising Flags About Nevada’s Results. truthdig.com Thousands have been forced to wait hours to cast their early ballots, and observers fear the final vote totals may be inaccurate.
(2020-02-20). Trump pardons ruling class criminals. wsws.org The criminal in the White House expunged the lawbreaking records of two billionaires and two political hatchetmen for big business.
(2020-02-20). Reforming Expectations to Save Western Rivers. counterpunch.org Recently, former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt proposed an alternative to the highly controversial yet difficult-to-kill Gila River diversion project, which would dam and divert water from the last free-flowing river in New Mexico (“Damming the Gila a vampire proposal,” My View, Feb. 2). While the Gila proposal already is on life support because of missed
(2020-02-20). The End of Free Movement: This Is a Nation Dismantling Itself over Nonsense. globalresearch.ca So after four years, we finally get
(2020-02-20). Munich Conference Reveals East-West Divide. globalresearch.ca Few postmodern political pantomimes have been more revealing than the hundreds of so-called “international decision-makers,” mostly Western, waxing lyrical, disgusted or nostalgic over “Westlessness” at the Munich Security Conference. | “Westlessness” sounds like one of those constipated concepts issued from a …
(2020-02-20). Researchers Have Identified How Naval Sonar Is Killing and Beaching Whales. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in 2019. | We have known for a long time that naval sonar has devastating effects on marine life but just exactly how it leads to sickness and death was a mystery till now. | In new …
(2020-02-20). Coronavirus pandemic could wipe $1.1 TRILLION off global economy — Oxford Economics. rt.com 
China’s GDP growth is expected to fall from six percent last year to 5.4 percent in 2020 due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, said the latest report by Oxford Economics. | It has modeled two scenarios on the coronavirus outbreak morphing into pandemic. Under the first scenario, if it spreads more widely in Asia, world GDP would fall by $400 billion this year, or 0.5 percent. The second scenario foresees the global GDP dropping $1.1 trillion or 1.3 percent, if the virus outbreak becomes a pandemic and a disruption to manufacturing in Asia spreads worldwide. Such a decline would be the same as losing the ent…
(2020-02-20). 'The world might need us to step up': London offers to host 2020 Olympics if coronavirus forces IOC to move Games from Tokyo. rt.com 
The city of London is ready and willing to step in and play host to this summer’s Olympic Games, according to one of the major candidates for the city’s mayor. | Shaun Bailey, the governing Conservative Party’s candidate for the job of Mayor of London, has boldly stated that the English capital would be ready to step up and step in if the ongoing coronavirus outbreak proves serious enough to force the Games to be moved from Tokyo. | The flu-like virus has taken the lives of more than 2,000 people in China and infected more than 74,000 across the world, according to Reuters, and the outbreak has already forced…
(2020-02-20). 2 passengers from coronavirus-hit cruise ship in Japan die as countries rush to evacuate citizens. rt.com 
An elderly couple aboard the ‘Diamond Princess’ cruise ship in Japan, where over 620 cases of coronavirus were confirmed, has succumbed to the illness. The fatalities come as Tokyo allows hundreds of passengers to return home. | Both passengers were in their 80s, according to public broadcaster NHK, and are the first on board the ship to die of the virus, which has spread to more than 75,000 people and killed over 2,100 worldwide since last December. So far, the majority of fatalities have involved elderly patients with pre-existing conditions. | The ship was initially quarantined on February 3 with around 3,7…
(2020-02-20). Riot troops & armored vehicle sent to small Ukrainian town as residents attempt to block evacuated coronavirus patients (VIDEO). rt.com 
Ukraine had to resort to old-school police tactics to quash a protest by local residents of a small town when they closed roads after learning that a plane full of possible carriers of the new coronavirus was heading their way. | On Thursday, the Ukrainian government finally evacuated its citizens from the epidemic-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan. Four people were barred from boarding the plane by medics due to elevated body temperature, but 73 others boarded the charter flight. After a short detour to Kazakhstan to deliver two nationals to the Central Asian country, the plane flew to Ukraine. | But not everyon…
(2020-02-20). ‘Journalism is not a crime’: Australian MP says charges against Assange must be dropped after visiting him in UK prison. rt.com 
Continued persecution of the WikiLeaks co-founder is a “crazy situation,” Australian lawmaker George Christiansen told RT, adding that Julian Assange did not commit any crime aside from running afoul of US elites. | Christiansen, a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, questioned the integrity of the legal process against Assange, who is now facing the possibility of extradition to the US over “unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified documents related to the national defense.” | The journalist was hauled out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London after his asylum was revoked in April 2019, an…
(2020-02-20). WATCH harrowing footage of 2007 Baghdad killings projected onto UK parliament wall in protest against Assange's extradition. rt.com 
Campaigners have projected the footage of an American airstrike on Iraqi civilians, originally exposed by WikiLeaks, onto the parliament building in London, to protest against the proposed extradition to the US of Julian Assange. | Clips from the infamous 2007 footage were projected onto Westminster Palace, where both houses of parliament are located. The same video was projected on the wall of the Belmarsh maximum security prison in London, where the WikiLeaks co-founder is awaiting his US extradition trial. The images on the buildings’ walls included photos of the activist along with slogans like ‘Don’t extr…
(2020-02-20). Making money by 'preventing apocalypse': Russian police raids cult that 'made millions' selling 'divine protection'. rt.com 
St. Petersburg police searched the apartment-turned-“temple” and stables of “Order of the Path,” a family-run cult that claimed to be fighting against “black mages” in the gov’t and sold “divine protection” for $300,000 a pop. | Earlier this week, St. Petersburg police SWAT teams raided the mysterious “Order of the Path,” a cult run by psychologist-turned-“magister” Gayva Tihomirova, and arrested the leader, 78.ru reports. The raids targeted the main “temple” of the organization, which was converted from a two-bedroom apartment, their offices, and the stables outside the city where, the shady Order held their…
(2020-02-20). Washington slaps sanctions on 5 Iranian officials ‘for barring candidates’. rt.com 
The United States on Thursday slapped sanctions on five Iranian officials in charge of vetting candidates for this week’s parliamentary elections. Campaigning for the elections officially ended on Thursday. | The targeted officials include Ahmad Jannati, a powerful cleric accused of overseeing the disqualification of candidates as part of the Guardian Council. He also plays a key role in a body that selects the supreme leader, AFP reports. | “The Trump administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. He added that the action exposes senior…
(2020-02-20). Iraqi PM-designate Allawi says new govt ready to work, calls for confidence vote on Monday. rt.com 
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi has called for parliament to hold a confidence vote on his government early next week. Nominated as a consensus candidate among divided political parties, Allawi emphasized that his cabinet was not drawn from the political elite, a key demand of the protest movement sweeping Baghdad and the south since October 1. | In a speech broadcast on state TV on Wednesday, Allawi said he was proposing “an independent government without any party candidates for the first time in decades.” | Iraqi officials have quietly expressed skepticism that such a government would…
(2020-02-20). Algerian president honors ‘smile revolution’ protest on 1st anniversary. rt.com 
Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has declared February 22 a special holiday to honor the peaceful “smile revolution” protest movement that ousted the country’s longtime leader last year. | Tebboune made the announcement Wednesday, ahead of what are expected to be big protests this week to mark the Hirak movement’s first anniversary. Earlier this week, the communications minister called for February 22 to be declared “a national holiday of the blessed Hirak,” the Arabic name for the uprising. | Many Algerians say the authorities are ignoring their calls for deeper political change. Tebboune is seen as a…
(2020-02-20). Netanyahu revives frozen plan for 3,000 new settler homes near E. Jerusalem. rt.com 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he was reviving a plan for the construction of some 3,000 new settler homes near East Jerusalem. The project has been effectively frozen after international opposition. | Netanyahu has pledged to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and the area’s Jordan Valley as part of an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump last month, Reuters said. Palestinians have rejected Trump’s plan. | Israel’s Defense Minister called in January for Israel to establish sovereignty over nearly a third of the occupied West Bank, ac…
(2020-02-20). Brazilian senator SHOT after driving BULLDOZER into military police protest (VIDEOS). rt.com 
A Brazilian politician was hit by rubber bullets after he tried to use a construction vehicle to disperse military policemen who were protesting for better salaries. | Former governor of the Ceara State on Brazil’s northeastern coast and current Senator Cid Gomes confronted a demonstration by military police personnel in his hometown of Sobral on Wednesday. According to O Globo newspaper, the protesting officers were demanding salary increases, while Gomes tried to stop them from preventing other policemen from maintaining security on the streets. | The politician first shouted at the officers through a speake…
(2020-02-20). Russian Air Force strikes repel militant attack on Syrian government army in Idlib — Defense Ministry. rt.com 
The Russian Defense Ministry says its Air Force launched strikes to repel a militant offensive against the Syrian Army in Idlib, which had sought to breach the government forces’ defensive lines with Turkey’s backing. | The militants launched a “massive offensive” southeast of the city of Idlib, using many armored vehicles, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria said on Thursday, adding that it was Turkish artillery that helped them breach the Syrian Army’s defenses in some areas. | Aerial footage published by the Russian Defense Ministry shows a Turkish self-propelled howitzer battery shelling the Syrian…
(2020-02-20). Russian warplanes repel attack on Syrian army in Idlib as militants launch offensive aided by Turkish artillery — Moscow. rt.com The Russian Defense Ministry says its Air Force launched strikes to repel a militant offensive against the Syrian Army in Idlib, which had sought to breach the government forces’ defensive lines with Turkey’s backing. | The militants launched a “massive offensive” southeast of the city of Idlib, using many armored vehicles, the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria said on Thursday, adding that it was Turkish artillery that helped them breach the Syrian Army’s defenses in some areas. | Aerial footage published by the Russian Defense Ministry shows a Turkish self-propelled howitzer battery shelling the Syrian…
(2020-02-20). WATCH heart-clenching video from INSIDE CRASHING PLANE in Russia. rt.com 
Passengers of a small plane who were filming their takeoff from an airfield in Magadan were horrified when they realized their aircraft wouldn’t make it. It crashed instead but, luckily, no lives were lost in the incident. | The video, purportedly shot from inside an Antonov An-2 plane, which crashed on Thursday in northern Russia, shows the aircraft trying to climb just after takeoff. Its speed seems slow and, at one moment, it virtually stops in the air, loses all lift and starts falling as a horrified groan is heard from passengers. | The plane was about 10 meters in the air when the incident happened. A…
(2020-02-20). “No one mentioned Mishustin, except me” — Putin reveals new Russian PM wasn't on original shortlist. rt.com 
When Dmitry Medvedev unexpectedly stepped down as Russia’s prime minister in January, it stunned political observers. Especially when his replacement was so little known he even lacked an English-language Wikipedia entry. | Now, Vladimir Putin has revealed that he hand-selected Mikhail Mishustin, despite him not being on the first draft of contenders. During an interview with Moscow’s TASS News Agency, the Russian president spoke about his reasons for change and his current mindset. | On January 16, 2020, Putin’s state-of-the-nation speech was followed with mass resignations in the Government, including that o…
(2020-02-20). ‘Asking for trouble?’ VIDEO shows American APC pushing Russian army jeep off road in Syria. rt.com 
Footage from Syria purports to show a US armored personnel carrier pushing a Russian military jeep off the road; relations between Moscow and Washington remain tense. | A video, posted on social media on Wednesday, shows what appears to be a Russian military convoy moving alongside an American one. At one point, a Russian Tigr heavy jeep tries to overtake an Oshkosh M-ATV armored vehicle with a US flag on its roof. The M-ATV responds by maneuvering to the right, pushing the Tigr further away from the road. | Narrowly evading collision and nearly hitting a pedestrian in the process, both vehicles stop, and o…
(2020-02-20). Roger Stone sentenced to serve 40 months in prison. rt.com 
Long-time political operative and Trump confidant Roger Stone has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for perjury and obstruction of the ‘Russiagate’ probe, in a process marked by controversy and accusations of partisanship. | Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison for obstruction of justice, another 18 months for witness tampering, and 12 months for making false statements to Congress — but the sentences are to run concurrently, so the maximum time Stone would spend in prison is three and a half years. | She also assessed a $20,000 penalty, for what she argued was wasting the gov…
(2020-02-20). ‘Terrorists’ launch major attack against Syrian Army in Idlib, ‘pro-Turkish’ militants involved. rt.com 
Syrian state media say “terrorists” have launched a major offensive in the province of Idlib. Some reports suggest “pro-Turkish” militants are also taking part as tensions between Ankara and Damascus mount. | Citing its reporter on the ground, SANA news agency The ant…
(2020-02-20). Supernovae could be bombarding Earth with COSMIC ‘BULLETS’ travelling at 3,000km a second, scientists warn. rt.com 
A new study purports to solve one of the ongoing mysteries in astrophysics, about whether supernovae shoot debris out at a fraction of the speed of light, and if these cosmic ‘bullets’ hit us at those speeds. | Earth is bombarded daily by small meteors measuring between 1mm and 10cm wide, most of which hit the atmosphere at speeds faster than 17km per second. However, Harvard University physicists Amir Siraj and Prof. Abraham Loeb suspect that some meteors could hit our atmosphere while travelling at a fraction of the speed of light — somewhere in the region of 3,000km per second. | They also go one step…