(2020-02-25). How Are We Going to Pay for Saving Trillions of Dollars? counterpunch.org Enhanced Medicare for All — that wild scheme that Michael Bloomberg calls "untried" because it's only been tested for decades in virtually every wealthy nation on earth — would cost $450 billion a year less than the current U.S. system. In the usual propaganda terms (in which you multiply by ten and then — if asked —
(2020-02-25). Julian Assange and the Imperium's Face: Day One of the Extradition Hearings. globalresearch.ca If we are to believe it, Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, the man behind showing the ugliness of power, is the one responsible for having abused it. It is a running theme in the US case against this Australian publisher, who …
(2020-02-25). Your Man in the Public Gallery — Assange Hearing Day One. globalresearch.ca Woolwich Crown Court is designed to impose the power of the state. Normal courts in this country are public buildings, deliberately placed by our ancestors right in the centre of towns, almost always just up a few steps from a …
(2020-02-25). Assange's Extradition Hearing Begins: Truth-Telling Journalism on Trial. globalresearch.ca Imprisoned in London at the behest of the Trump regime, | Assange's extradition hearing is all about silencing truth-telling journalism. | What's going on affects all truth-telling journalists. We're all Julian Assange on trial. His fate is ours. Who's next on the …
(2020-02-25). We're Asking One Question in Assange's Case: Should Journalists be Punished for Exposing War Crimes? globalresearch.ca Tomorrow in the UK a judge will start the process of answering a very important question. It's a question that many of us knew was the heart of this debate back in 2010, ten years ago, when this all started. …
(2020-02-25). New Conflict of Interest Evidence Against UK Judge in Charge of Assange Extradition Process. globalresearch.ca Information has come to light demonstrating that the chief magistrate overseeing the extradition proceedings against Julian Assange received financial benefits from organizations with close ties to the UK Foreign Office prior to her appointment. | According to a
(2020-02-25). Trump's Betrayal of Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca One thing we've learned from the Trump Presidency is that the "deep state" is not just some crazy conspiracy theory. For the past three years we've seen that deep state launch plot after plot to overturn the election. | It all …
(2020-02-25). As Assange's trial begins, his lawyers highlight risk of extradition with CIA spying operation's 'extreme measures'. thegrayzone.com Assange's lawyers pointed to CIA surveillance by a Sheldon Adelson-backed private contractor and the Trump administration's public contempt for the…
(2020-02-25). The show trial of Julian Assange begins. wsws.org The first day of the British court hearing yesterday to determine if WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange will be extradited to the United States left no doubt that what is taking place is a legal travesty that threatens both Assange's life and fundamental democratic rights.
(2020-02-25). Gilets Jaunes travel to London in force for Julian Assange extradition hearing. thecanary.co On 23 February, 143 French activists travelled from Paris to Not deterred: | It was a cold and miserable night in Paris, and the coaches were running late. But the group of French activists — many of whom are also Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) — were not deterred. | As the rain picked up, they stayed outside with their guitars and megaphones, giving interviews to the international…
(2020-02-25). Assange extradition trial opens in London. wsws.org Amid growing popular outrage over the railroading of Assange to a US prison, lawyers for the Department of Justice sought to reframe the charges against him.
(2020-02-25). Rally and march in Melbourne, Australia demands freedom for Julian Assange. wsws.org Many people in the city centre expressed support for the march as it passed, with some joining the demonstration.
(2020-02-25). Hundreds protest outside Woolwich Crown Court to demand Assange's freedom. wsws.org Protesters were not allowed anywhere near the building, kept behind barricades and an imposing steel fence by security and police.
(2020-02-25). Overt Trump Regime Support for Al-Qaeda Offshoots in Syria, ISIS-Daesh Et Al are Pentagon/CIA Proxies. globalresearch.ca Both right wings of the US war party support ISIS, Al-Qaeda, its offshoots, and likeminded terrorist groups in Syria and other countries where their fighters are deployed as Pentagon/CIA proxy troops. | Instead of explaining reality on the ground in US …
(2020-02-25). Trump's Attack on Ginsburg and Sotomayor Alarm Legal Community. truthdig.com President Donald Trump on Monday night called on Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg recuse themselves from any cases involving the president, a demand critics denounced as an "outrageous" attack on the nation's highest legal body. | Trump's demand came in response to Sotomayor's scathing dissent in the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to allow the president's so-called "wealth test" for immigrants—also known as the public charge rule—to take effect in Illinois. Sotomayor accused the court's five conservative justices of favoring one litigant over all others—the Trump admi…
(2020-02-25). No Russian 2020 Election Meddling Says US Intelligence Community Official. globalresearch.ca In January 2017, days before Trump's inauguration, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) concluded with "high confidence (that) Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election (sic)." | Weeks before the US 2016 …
(2020-02-25). Intelligence Officials Sow Discord by Stoking Fear of Russian Election Meddling. globalresearch.ca Another presidential election year is upon us, and the intelligence agencies are hard at work stoking fears of Russian meddling. This time it looks like the Russians do not only like the incumbent president but also favor who appears to …
(2020-02-25). Three Major News Stories That Need To Be Exposed. counterpunch.org The news is filled with stories about President Trump and his predecessors imposing sanctions on other countries, their officials, and other prominent persons. But the media rarely spells out exactly what these sanctions are, the intermediaries who enforce them, the impacts they have on innocent civilians — women, men and children — how they are
(2020-02-25). Sanctions and Corruption: Three Major News Stories that Need to be Exposed. globalresearch.ca The news is filled with stories about President Trump and his predecessors imposing sanctions on other countries, their officials, and other prominent persons. But the media rarely spells out exactly what these sanctions are, the intermediaries who enforce them, the …
(2020-02-25). The Non-Intervention Principle. counterpunch.org Anyone old enough to think about "America's" role in the world ought to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. For example, one ought to be able to argue firmly against U.S. intervention in other countries without feeling obliged to downplay or deny the real crimes that the tyrant du jour has committed. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.
(2020-02-25). Iran's Deputy Minister of Health Is Infected With Covid-19. telesurenglish.net Iran's Deputy Minister of Health Iraj Harirchi, who is in charge of containing the new coronavirus outbreak, Tuesday announced that he is infected with Covid-19. | RELATED: | "Since yesterday I had a fever. My first test last night came out positive and since then I am isolated. A few minutes ago I was confirmed that the final test has also tested positive," Harirchi explained in a video. | The Deputy Minister indicated…
(2020-02-25). The New Coronavirus Outbreak, COVID-19, Sounds Menacing and Is. globalresearch.ca Tom Clifford Reporting from Beijing | There is no room for complacency or outright fear. The new coronavirus outbreak, COVID-19, sounds menacing and is. But there's another viral epidemic hitting countries around the world: the flu. | COVID-19 has, since December, led …
(2020-02-25). Fears grow of pandemic as coronavirus takes hold internationally. wsws.org The 2019-nCoV virus, or COVID-19, has proven to be a much more complex pathogen than virologists have experienced in the past.
(2020-02-25). Viral Losses: Australian Universities, Coronavirus and Greed. counterpunch.org There are few things more richly deserved than the punishment of a profligate ruler who finds himself fending off a hungry citizenry. But such matters lie in the realm of government, elections, holding representative office. Universities, notably in Australia, are oblivious to accountability and have, over several decades, become a booming corporatocracy. Institutionally, they constitute
(2020-02-25). How We Stay Blind to the Story of Power. globalresearch.ca If one thing drives me to write, especially these blog posts, it is the urgent need for us to start understanding power. Power is the force that shapes almost everything about our lives and our deaths. There is no more …
(2020-02-25). The Russiagate Racket targets the Bernie Sanders surge. thegrayzone.com With a familiar playbook of evidence-free, anonymously sourced red-baiting, the forces behind Russiagate try to stop Bernie Sanders' primary success….
(2020-02-25). Libya's US Base Request Reveals How Desperate the Turkish-Backed Government Has Become. globalresearch.ca Libya's recent request for the US to open up a base in the North African country under the pretext of supposedly fighting terrorism, countering organized crime, and "containing" Russia reveals just how desperate the Turkish-backed government has become since it …
(2020-02-25). The "Liberal" Media's Propaganda War on Bernie Sanders. counterpunch.org Last week, three days before the Nevada Caucus, MSDNC's Stephanie Ruhle had on an old friend, former Diamond Resorts CEO Stephen Cloobeck, a major Democratic Party funder, to speak from Las Vegas. Asked about one of Ruhle's favorite topics, the menace of "socialist Bernie Sanders," Cloobeck called Sanders "an anarchist" who "would love to burn down the United States" " (When asked if he would support Trump if Sanders is the nominee, Cloobeck growled "anyone but Bernie, anyone but Bernie."). She later gleamed while one or her many Republican guests, Jeb Bush's former campaign manager, called for Michael Bloomberg…
(2020-02-25). Organizing in Black and Latinx Communities Has Been Key to Sanders's Success. truthout.org Senator Bernie Sanders's campaign continues to ride the wave of its decisive victory Saturday in the Democratic presidential caucuses in Nevada. Sanders's win came with support from young voters, union members and Latinx voters, who strengthened his status as Democratic presidential front-runner. He won 73% of the Latino vote in Nevada, a remarkable victory that supporters hope will bode well heading into Super Tuesday and beyond. Through March 17, the Democratic primary calendar will run thro…
(2020-02-25). Will the Democratic Party Deny Sanders the Nomination Even If He Wins? truthout.org Nearly every Bernie Sanders supporter I speak to these days exists on the same strange plane of existence. They are optimistically terrified, warily thrilled, uneasily cheerful. Why? Their candidate is the clear front-runner to secure the presidential nomination for a Democratic Party whose core establishment wants nothing more than to stop him in his tracks. | Fueling the Sanders camp's fears, and dampening their pleasure, is the very real concern that the party might thwart his nomination at the c…
(2020-02-25). Seth Meyers Ridicules Cable News for 'Unhinged' Sanders Coverage. truthdig.com 
As Bernie Sanders cemented his status as the Democratic frontrunner, cables news media has descended into mass hysteria about the possibility of a Sanders win. Even the host of "Late Night with Seth Meyers" has noticed the absurd "meltdown" taking place across corporate media. | Meyers began his segment "A Closer Look" on Monday by noting pundits' states of utter denial after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire. Showing several media clips in which commentators fell over themselves to declare anyone but the democratic socialist the winner of these first two contests, they then turned to "pundit math," as Meyers c…
(2020-02-25). Bolivia's Electoral Body Disqualifies Evo Morales' Candidacy. globalresearch.ca 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. | During a press …
(2020-02-25). What If Buttigieg Said That He Doesn't Accept the "Fashionable" View That Climate Change is a Problem? counterpunch.org To my knowledge, he hasn't said anything like that, but Buttigieg did say that he doesn't accept the "fashionable" view that current deficits are not a problem. When he made this comment, many progressives denounced him for supporting deficit reducing policies that will slow growth and raise unemployment. Since most plans for deficit reduction also
(2020-02-25). For the climate: protecting the Commons and fixing Democracy. mronline.org 
Climate change, unchecked, promises planetary disaster. All forms of life are threatened. Scientific evidence strongly suggests capitalistforms of production and consumption gave rise to climate change in the first place and have allowed the process to advance. |
(2020-02-25). JP Morgan economists warn of 'catastrophic outcomes' of human-caused climate crisis. mronline.org 
"Don't want to hear Greta Thunberg or Extinction Rebellion? Try J.P. Morgan instead." |
(2020-02-25). Australian Government Is Burning Our Children's Future. zcomm.org Despite devastating fires, the Australian government is actively opposing any moves to limit climate damage…
(2020-02-25). A Green New Deal for South African workers? zcomm.org "Both environmental and economic denialism are dangerous and should not be entertained. We think we can and must tackle climate change and unemployment simultaneously. All it requires is creativity, political will, planning and resources."
(2020-02-25). Costa Rica: Jehry Rivera Dies While Defending Indigenous Lands. telesurenglish.net Costa Rica's Indigenous leader Jehry Rivera was shot dead on Monday night while the Mano de Tigre community inhabitants tried to defend themselves from hitmen in San Antonio de Terraba, in the Puntarenas province. | RELATED: | The events happened inside an area in which the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ((IACHR) issued protective measures in favor of the Indigenous population, for they have been cons…
(2020-02-25). Huawei in the Crosshairs: "Great Power Confrontation", The Geopolitical Battle for 5-G Technology. globalresearch.ca Huawei is China's behemoth technology company that has recently come under fire by the Trump administration for violating sanctions against Iran and for providing network equipment that (allegedly) poses security risks for its customers. Both charges are baseless, but they're …
(2020-02-25). Gun-Toting Cops Endanger Students and Turn Schools into Prisons. counterpunch.org "Every day in communities across the United States, children and adolescents spend the majority of their waking hours in schools that have increasingly come to resemble places of detention more than places of learning." —Investigative journalist Annette Fuentes Just when you thought the government couldn't get any more tone-deaf about civil liberties and the growing
(2020-02-25). Israeli Prime Minister — Now Facing Corruption Trial — Still Has Powerful Friends in Both Our Houses of Parliament. globalresearch.ca It is noted with concern that UK licences worth millions of pounds are still being granted for the export to Israel of categories of British arms and arms components including sniper and assault rifles, pistols, weapon sights, targeting equipment, ammunition …
(2020-02-25). The Powerful Are Going After Jane Fonda Again. counterpunch.org The more things change, well readers get the drift here. Jane Fonda, the accomplished actor and protester, who protests right outside of the idiot-in-chief's door these days on the pressing issue of environmental ruin, is being tormented once again for an act of protest during the Vietnam War era. Ohio's secretary of state, Frank La
(2020-02-25). Trump's Nuclear Brinkmanship Is an Emergency. truthdig.com 
If the current state of global affairs reminds you of an over-the-top plot by a white-cat-stroking James Bond villain, you're not far off. When it comes to nuclear policy, we are closer than ever to a real-life movie disaster. | During his February 4 State of the Union
(2020-02-25). Russia seeks to ease tensions with Belarus over energy dispute. wsws.org Russia will compensate Belarus $300 million to offset energy price hikes, as Moscow works to preserve its alliance with Minsk.
(2020-02-25). "Victories are not won through political cowardice, but in struggle" wsws.org This speech was delivered by Socialist Equality Party National Secretary Chris Marsden to a public rally held in London on Sunday.
(2020-02-25). 'Unprecedented Brutality': Family of Palestinian Mangled by Bulldozer Condemn Israel. globalresearch.ca Belal al-Naem was appalled when he saw the footage: an Israeli bulldozer dragging, mutilating and dangling a Palestinian's corpse in the besieged Gaza Strip. Then he found out it was his brother's body. | "I lived the shock twice, first before …
(2020-02-25). With Grenell Appointment, the Israel Lobby's Foothold on US Intelligence Grows Even Stronger. mintpressnews.com 
With Richard Grenell now overseeing all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies, Israel's influence over the U.S. intelligence community has reached new and troubling heights.
(2020-02-25). Viral Video Exposes Israeli Practice of Holding and Desecrating Palestinian Bodies. mintpressnews.com 
The Israeli PR machine is making attempts to obfuscate and justify the public desecration of the body of a Palestinian man shot and killed by Israeli forces.
(2020-02-25). The Reason America's Forever Wars May Actually Never End. truthdig.com 
Even though the U.S. now lives in a state of perpetual war, overseas conflicts are literally out of sight and largely out of mind.
(2020-02-25). We Need to Treat Nuclear War Like the Emergency It Is. globalresearch.ca If the current state of global affairs reminds you of an over-the-top plot by a white-cat-stroking James Bond villain, you're not far off. When it comes to nuclear policy, we are closer than ever to a real-life movie disaster. | During …
(2020-02-25). Cuba Claims for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Tuesday asked the international community to work in favor of complete nuclear disarmament at the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | RELATED: | "The international community cannot remain silent in the…
(2020-02-25). Cleaning Up Trump's Global Mess. counterpunch.org The next presidential election will not likely hinge on foreign policy. Americans will go to the polls in November to express their fervent support, or disgust, for Donald Trump. The candidates' positions on the issues — on any issues — matter only to a dwindling number of voters who have somehow managed, over the last
(2020-02-25). The Real Meaning of Red Scare 3.0. counterpunch.org The US corporate media, who had such a long run as relative monopolizers of truth, have been discrediting themselves in serial fashion since 9/11. Their lapdoggery to the Bush regime backfired on them during the WMD lie operation and the resulting war of aggression. Then came their participation in the fraudulent business reporting leading up to the 2007-2009 Wall Street crash, and their big lies afterward that "no one could have imagined." The next big rupture arrived in 2015-2016, their million-minutes spent on preemptive coronations of Trump as one candidate and Clinton as the other, and their responsibility f…
(2020-02-25). David Brooks, Public Intellectual. counterpunch.org David Brooks, Public Intellectual I am the very model of a public intellectual, My op-eds in the New York Times are never ineffectual, I'm expert on all matters from political to sexual, I am the very model of a public intellectual.
(2020-02-25). The Democrats' Quandary: In a Struggle Between Oligarchy and Democracy, Something Must Give. counterpunch.org To hear the candidates debate, you would think that their fight was over who could best beat Trump. But when Trump's billionaire twin Mike Bloomberg throws a quarter-billion dollars into an ad campaign to bypass the candidates actually running for votes in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, it's obvious that what really is at issue
(2020-02-25). What Will You Do If the Democrats Steal It from Sanders? counterpunch.org "If Hillary gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he'd have two." —James Carville "Well, you know, James Carville is well-known for spouting off his mouth without always knowing what he's talking about. And I intend to stay focused on fighting for the American people because what they don't need is 20 more years of
(2020-02-25). The Nevada Caucus and the Desperation of Democrat Elites. counterpunch.org The events of the past week—beginning with the TV debates of the candidates on February 19 and culminating in the Nevada Democrat Party caucus in Nevada on February 22 this past Saturday—show a growing desperation in the ranks of the Democratic Party's corporate-driven leadership as the Sanders campaign has assumed a clear lead in the
(2020-02-25). The Nevada Caucus and the Desperation of Democrat Elites. globalresearch.ca The events of the past week—beginning with the TV debates of the candidates on February 19 and culminating in the Nevada Democrat Party caucus in Nevada on February 22 this past Saturday—show a growing desperation in the ranks of the …
(2020-02-25). The Issue with Tissue: How the U.S. Is Flushing Canada's Boreal Forests Away. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in 2019. | For most people, toilet paper only becomes an issue when it unexpectedly runs out. Otherwise, it's cheap and it's convenient, something we don't need to think twice about. But toilet paper's ubiquity and …
(2020-02-25). German right-wing and far-right parties suffer defeat in Hamburg state election. wsws.org Four days after the right-wing terrorist attack in Hanau, the Christian Democrats and Free Democrats, the parties that formed an alliance with the far-right Alternative for Germany to elect the minister president in Thuringia, lost large numbers of votes in Hamburg.
(2020-02-25). Biden Corporate Loyalists Unite Around Super PAC. truthout.org Joe Biden's campaign is
(2020-02-25). Women Confront Ugly Harassment at Beauty Products Plant. truthout.org At a lotion factory outside Chicago, workers endured years of sexual harassment, coercion, gender and racial discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. | Last year the women at Voyant Beauty came together to fight back. | The workers at Voyant are overwhelmingly female, and almost all long-term temps. They blend, bottle, pack, and ship beauty products for brands like Victoria's Secret, Johnson & Johnson, and Aveeno. | Black Workers Shut Out: | Before the organizing came a hiring discrimination lawsuit…
(2020-02-25). Sanders Campaign Releases Details on How He Will Pay for His Major Plans. truthout.org Confronting head-on
(2020-02-25). The Harvey Weinsteins of the World Can't Exist Without Systems of Power. truthout.org Disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of first-degree commission of a criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, but acquitted of two more serious charges. Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, says that if we overlook the larger systems in which sexual assault occurs, "then we'll just have another Harvey Weinstein. … That's why we have to upend the systems." We also speak with award-winning actress Rosanna Arquette, who was one of the first women to share details of…
(2020-02-25). Trump Budget Would Cut Temporary Assistance for Needy Families by $21 Billion. truthout.org In his new budget, President Trump proposes to cut Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by $21 billion over ten years, which would leave many families with less assistance when they fall on hard times. The cuts include a 10 percent reduction in the annual block grant funding for states and an end to the $608 million TANF Contingency Fund, which gives states additional funds at times of economic distress. | The budget also would impose new TANF spending restrictions, which together w…
(2020-02-25). Two impoverished teenagers die working in an illegal Peruvian mine. wsws.org The deaths of the 14- and 17-year-old brothers of gas poisoning in the mine are part of a nationwide toll from the exploitation of workers in illegal and unsafe mines.
(2020-02-25). Brazilian oil workers' unions shut down strike to "negotiate" with Labor Court. wsws.org The oil workers union federations ended the three-week strike at state-owned oil giant Petrobras just as it threatened to impact Brazil's economy.
(2020-02-25). Germany: 52 Injured After Car Drives Into Carnival Parade. telesurenglish.net A Mercedes Benz Monday intentionally plowed into the crowd attending Carnival in Volkmarsen town, Germany, and injured at least 52 people, 18 of whom were minors. | RELATED: | The driver, a 29-year-old German, was injured and therefore has not been questioned so far. However, it is known that he has a police record for crimes related to public order alteration. | The Police do not rule out that the incident was an i…
(2020-02-25). Germany: Tens of thousands take to the streets against right-wing terror. wsws.org Many demonstrators pointed to the complicity of the security agencies and the right-wing policies of all the establishment parties, which paved the way for the neo-Nazi terror.
(2020-02-25). Development in flood plains only if no real alternative — Environment Agency. thecanary.co Development on flood plains should only happen if "there is no real alternative", the head of the Environment Agency is warning. | James Bevan is also warning that, in a few places, the scale of coastal erosion or risk of river or sea flooding will become so great that communities may have to move. | The agency's chief executive says it would be unrealistic to ban all development on the flood plain, but, if there is no alternative, any building that goes ahead should not increase the risk of flooding for other people. | And homes built on the flood plain should be resilient to flooding; for example, with garages…
(2020-02-25). Sanders on "60 Minutes" spells out willingness to use US military power. wsws.org The Democratic presidential frontrunner said he would go to war in support of NATO and other US military allies, and to defend Taiwan against China.
(2020-02-25). Sanders' Medicare for All. zcomm.org Why the Nevada Culinary Workers revolted against their Union Bosses…
(2020-02-25). UK inexplicably bars Wikileaks editor from extradition hearing day after Assange handcuffed 11 times & STRIPPED twice. rt.com 
Wikileaks editor Kristin Hrafnsson was temporarily barred from the extradition hearing for publisher Julian Assange, who was reportedly handcuffed 11 times, stripped twice, and robbed of his legal papers after the first court day. | Hrafnsson was pulled out of the crowd as he attempted to enter the public gallery of Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday morning, he told RT, after someone shouted "Where is the Wikileaks editor?" | Explaining that he was given "no grounds" for the order and was unable to locate the head of the court to get an answer, he recorded and released a statement denouncing his exclusion fro…
(2020-02-25). Discussing truce with terrorists in Idlib, Syria is same as surrendering to them — Moscow. rt.com 
Any peace talks with militants holed up in the last pockets of resistance in Idlib have nothing to do with human rights — instead, they amount to a capitulation, the Russian foreign minister has said in a swipe at US proposals.
(2020-02-25). Israel-Gaza ceasefire takes hold after 2 days of fighting. rt.com 
A ceasefire took hold on the Israel-Gaza border on Tuesday after two days of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, Reuters reported. The frontier fell quiet early on Tuesday, after a Palestinian official said Israel and Islamic Jihad had reached a "reciprocal and simultaneous ceasefire" mediated by Egypt and the UN. | Islamic Jihad had fired 80 rockets towards Israeli communities along the Gaza border since Sunday, according to an Israeli military spokeswoman. Israel reportedly attacked sites in Gaza and Syria that killed three members of the militant group. | No casualties were repo…
(2020-02-25). Cheshire schools shut down to 'minimize risk of infection' as UK students return from Italy ski trips. rt.com 
Two schools in Cheshire have shut down after students returned from mid-term ski trips in Italy, Sky News reported on Tuesday. One school has closed and another has shut its sixth form. The decision comes as authorities in Italy struggle to control an outbreak of COVID-19 there. | Richard Pollock, the head teacher of Cransley School in Northwich, said in a message to parents the closure would remain in place for the rest of the week in order to "completely minimize" the risk of infection. The current Public Health England advice is that the school should remain open to all other pupils. | A number of students…
(2020-02-25). European borders remain open, as Italian coronavirus outbreak kills 11 & infects HUNDREDS. rt.com 
Italy's health minister has said that neighboring countries will not close their borders, amid an outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus. It comes as Rome confirmed 11 people dead in the epidemic, with hundreds infected. | "We agreed to keep borders open, closing borders would be a disproportionate and ineffective measure at this time," Health Minister Roberto Speranza told reporters in Rome on Tuesday. | Four more people infected with the deadly virus died in northern Italy on Tuesday, bringing the death toll in the Mediterranean country to 11. Three of the dead were in their eighties and came from Lomba…
(2020-02-25). 'Go back to school and look at the map!' Twitterati hammer CNN as it draws non-existent SHARED border between Germany & Italy. rt.com 
CNN has failed a basic geography test, putting Germany much closer to Italy than it actually is, during a report on how the EU is combatting the novel coronavirus. Netizens showed no mercy to the network's online team. | News that Germany isn't raising the alarm due to the 2019-nCoV outbreak in Italy prompted many established media to report on it, with CNN being no exception. The broadcaster's actual report cited a German foreign ministry spokeswoman who said Berlin wasn't issuing a travel warning for Italy at the moment, but their Twitter publication wasn't as accurate. | Now, you have to read carefully to s…
(2020-02-25). US wargames in South Korea might be scaled back over coronavirus fears — or lack of funding deal with Seoul. rt.com 
News that the US and South Korea are considering downsizing joint military drills — ostensibly due to coronavirus concerns — comes as the Pentagon is trying to twist Seoul's arm into paying billions for the upkeep of US garrisons. | US Defense Secretary Mark Esper made a comment about coronavirus figuring into considerations about the drills at the press conference following a meeting at the Pentagon with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo. | Looming over the possible downsizing, however, is the unresolved issue of funding for US troops in South Korea. Seoul currently contributes just un…
(2020-02-25). US economy a gigantic bubble & coronavirus could be the pin, Peter Schiff tells Boom Bust. rt.com 
As global markets plunged this week, mainstream media blamed the coronavirus outbreak. RT's Boom Bust tries to find out if there are deeper problems behind the stock collapse. | Peter Schiff, the CEO and chief global strategist at Euro Pacific Capital, joins the show to discuss whether the US Federal Reserve will commit to cutting rates all the way down to zero to avert pandemic fears and possibly going negative. | "Whether they commit to moving to zero or not, that's exactly what they are going to do," Schiff says. | According to Schiff, "the bond market is telegraphing right now that we are going to have sev…
(2020-02-25). Iran's deputy health minister tests positive for coronavirus — local media. rt.com 
Iran's Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for coronavirus, Iranian state media has reported. Harirchi has been at the forefront of the country's response to the outbreak. | A spokesperson for Iran's health ministry confirmed in a television interview on Tuesday that Harirchi has been infected and is under quarantine. | Also on rt.com | | ILNA reported Monday that officials from the city of Q…
(2020-02-25). Tokyo no-go: Olympic Games will be CANCELLED if killer coronavirus not brought under control within 3 months. rt.com 
Dick Pound, a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), says that they have three months to decide whether or not the 2020 Olympics should be held as scheduled amid the worsening spread of the deadly coronavirus. | The virus, which was first discovered in China in December, has since spread to several countries across the globe and in addition to a combined death toll of 2,698 (as of February 25), it has also played havoc with several sporting fixtures in recent weeks. | The summer games are scheduled to take place between July 24 and August 9 this summer but several qualifying events have al…
(2020-02-25). Iran's deputy health minister tests positive for coronavirus — local media. rt.com Iran's Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi has tested positive for coronavirus, Iranian state media has reported. Harirchi has been at the forefront of the country's response to the outbreak. | A spokesperson for Iran's health ministry confirmed in a television interview on Tuesday that Harirchi has been infected and is under quarantine. | ILNA reported Monday that officials from the city of Qom had said there had been 50 coronavirus deaths there. "We prefer not to censor what concerns the coronavirus because people's lives are in danger," the outlet said. | Harirchi rejected that report, however, saying he w…
(2020-02-25). 'Reduction in violence' working in Afghanistan, Pompeo says. rt.com 
A partial truce in Afghanistan between the Taliban, American and Afghan forces is holding, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. The statement came despite insurgent attacks and US strikes against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) targets. "So far the reduction in violence is working — imperfect, but it's working," he told reporters in Washington. | The planned week-long detente, which has lasted four days, doesn't amount to a full ceasefire but the number of Taliban attacks has fallen dramatically, according to sources. | If the "reduction in violence" holds, the US and the Taliban are expec…
(2020-02-25). Trump says Russian interference 'highly exaggerated', blames Adam Schiff for leaking report. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has called reports that Russia is interfering with the 2020 election "highly exaggerated," and blamed the rumor on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff. | The specter of 'Russian interference' raised its head again last week, when the Washington Post ran an article claiming the Kremlin is interfering in the upcoming presidential election on behalf of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with the ultimate goal of getting Trump re-elected. The story provided no specifics on what form the supposed interference took, but claimed that Sanders and Trump had both been briefed on the thr…
(2020-02-25). 'Delete his entire campaign': Bloomberg gets roasted after tweeting, then scrubbing, fake Bernie quotes praising 'despots'. rt.com 
Billionaire-turned-Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has taken a severe thrashing on social media, after his campaign posted, and then deleted, fake Bernie Sanders quotes hailing alleged "despots. " | Bloomberg's social media team took aim at the Vermont senator with a series of tweets mocking his factually accurate statement that literacy in Cuba skyrocketed under Fidel Castro. | The official 'Team Bloomberg' Twitter account shot off a series of posts in which they imagined what Sanders perhaps thinks of other "famous despots." The fake quotes included flattering remarks about Stalin ("[he]…
(2020-02-25). Trump threatens to slap 'very serious' sanctions on buyers of Venezuelan crude. rt.com 
Washington is looking to step up pressure on Venezuela and target those purchasing its oil, US President Donald Trump says, promising that the measures may come "in the not too distant future." | "There could be very serious sanctions," Trump said at a news conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, when asked whether he would allow Indian companies to purchase Venezuelan oil from third parties. | After a reporter asked Trump to elaborate on the looming restrictions, the US president said that his administration is "right in the middle of doing something" and that the results will be seen "in a little while." He also…
(2020-02-25). Wrong dimensions: Trump reportedly misses out on inspecting Taj Mahal graves due to his HEIGHT. rt.com 
On a sightseeing tour during his first trip to India, US President Donald Trump declined to see the original grave site within the historic Taj Mahal mausoleum, with security staff apparently worried that he wouldn't fit inside. | "Trump was totally amused by the beauty of Taj Mahal," Nitin Kumar Singh, the guide who accompanied the presidential couple on their tour of the monument, told IANS. | However, he didn't go to see the original graves of [Mughal ruler] Shahjahan and [his wife] Mumtaz as his security personnel felt that he might get hurt as the way to the original graves is narrow and low in height.
(2020-02-25). Nuclear war 'more likely' after US arms subs with low-yield nukes — Tehran. rt.com 
Iran has blasted Washington for deploying submarines with low-yield nuclear warheads, arguing that the move increases the likelihood of unconventional war. | "Such provocative actions must be condemned," Mohsen Baharvand, Iran's deputy foreign minister for international and legal affairs, told the Conference on Disarmament in the UN building in Geneva. He added that the decision will make nuclear war "more likely" and sets the stage for an "accelerated" nuclear arms race. | The Pentagon announced this month that the Navy had fielded a low-yield, submarine-launched ballistic missile warhead, claiming the decisi…
(2020-02-25). Regional rivals end postal freeze against Qatar. rt.com 
A suspension of postal services against Qatar has ended, with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt restoring services, the UN postal agency said on Tuesday. Mail links were severed in 2017, as part of a campaign to isolate Doha. | The three nations, along with the United Arab Emirates, cut all diplomatic, trade and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017. They accused Doha of backing radical Islamists and seeking closer links with Iran — allegations Qatar denies. | The restoration of postal services is a small step towards normalization of relations, but talks to resolve the wider rift have stalled, Qatar said…
(2020-02-25). Residents clash with police as Greek govt proceeds with construction of new migrant center in Lesbos (PHOTOS/VIDEOS). rt.com 
Greek police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of angry residents who attempted to halt the construction of a migrant detention center on the island of Lesbos. The clashes came amid growing anger over Athens' immigration policy. | Around 500 people attempted to block the unloading of heavy machinery and police reinforcements on the island, which will house a new migrant camp. Locals set fires and brawled with riot cops as police attempted to restore order, according to local media. | | Riot police reinforcements arrive on a ferry at Lesbos, Greece, February 25, 2020. | © REUTERS/Elias Marcou | Photogra…
(2020-02-25). Joker would've laughed out loud: Batmobile towed to impoundment lot in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com 
Batman had never experienced such problems in Gotham, but in Moscow driving without license plates has landed the superhero in trouble with the law and saw his ride seized. | The road police have discovered the Batmobile — it was actually was a replica of the car, which featured in 'Batman v Superman' and 'Suicide Squad' movies — parked at one of the major streets in the center of the capital. | The massive black vehicle that looks like a mix between a tank and a Formula 1 didn't violate any traffic rules, but the officers noticed that it had no license plates. | With the driver absent — he w…
(2020-02-25). Joker would've laugh out loud: Batmobile towed to impoundment lot in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com Batman had never experienced such problems in Gotham, but in Moscow driving without license plates has landed the superhero in trouble with the law and saw his ride seized. | The road police have discovered the Batmobile — it was actually was a replica of the car, which featured in 'Batman v Superman' and 'Suicide Squad' movies — parked at one of the major streets in the center of the capital. | The massive black vehicle that looks like a mix between a tank and a Formula 1 didn't violate any traffic rules, but the officers noticed that it had no license plates. | With the driver absent — he w…
(2020-02-25). Russia to build billion-dollar highway to Crimea: next part of $7.7 billion road-links project. rt.com 
When Russians go on vacation, the two most popular destinations are Crimea and the Krasnodar region. However, getting from one to the other has never been an easy task. | Despite plans existing since 1903, it took until 2018 for a road bridge linking the adjacent destinations. It's Europe's longest at almost 17km. Now, Moscow plans a $1.5 billion (100 billion rubles) highway to dramatically cut journey times. The first section will be 68km long and is slated to cost almost 60 billion rubles ($919 million), with the length of the entire route eventually reaching 119km. | The project is part of a series of inves…
(2020-02-25). This country could soon become the BIGGEST buyer of US oil. rt.com 
South Korea, the world's fifth largest crude oil importer, is set to purchase growing volumes of US oil this year to the point of overtaking Canada as the top destination for American crude in 2020. | Last year, South Korea bought 13 percent of its crude oil supply from the United States, importing on average 375,000 barrels per day (bpd) from America, according to Reuters estimates. | According to the latest
(2020-02-25). Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, who ruled until Arab Spring, dead at 91. rt.com 
Egypt's former leader, Hosni Mubarak, has died aged 91, according to media reports citing his family. The controversial president ruled Egypt for three decades before being jailed on corruption charges. | Mubarak died several weeks after undergoing surgery, Egyptian media reported. A family member told AFP that the former ruler died at Cairo's Galaa military hospital. | In a statement, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi hailed Mubarak as a "military leader and war hero" and offered his condolences to his family. Mubarak will receive a military funeral, but the time of his burial is still not clear, accord…
(2020-02-25). Netanyahu to press ahead with plan to build 3,500 homes for settlers in West Bank. rt.com 
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he was moving forward with a plan to build some 3,500 homes for Jewish settlers on the outskirts of Jerusalem. | "I have given instructions to immediately publish for deposit the plan to build 3,500 housing units in E-1," Netanyahu said. He referred to a preliminary stage of the project which had been delayed for six and a half years after international criticism. | Opponents of the construction plan for the E-1 area in the West Bank had cautioned that Israeli housing in the corridor's barren hills could bisect the West Bank, cut off Palestinians from Jerusalem and…
(2020-02-25). 'Bang-bang-bang': Bloomberg says he'd DRONE his critics & shield banks if elected president in leaked audio. rt.com 
Billionaire Democratic hopeful Michael Bloomberg vowed to "defend the banks" and jokingly suggested that he may hunt down his political rivals with Predator drones if elected, a leaked 2016 audio clip has revealed. | The Bloomberg campaign has confirmed the authenticity of the recording, which captured a speech he gave at a closed-door Goldman Sachs event at Yankee Stadium in June 2016. The clip was posted online by a self-styled disgruntled former Goldman executive several days ago and has since made the rounds. | Bloomberg's opening remarks can only help to fuel concerns within the progressive wing of his…
(2020-02-25). Selected Articles: Assange's Extradition Hearing. globalresearch.ca 
By Woolwich Crown Court, which hosts Belmarsh Magistrates Court, is built on totally the opposite principle. It is designed with no other purpose …
(2020-02-25). Time for Both Major Parties to Own the Immigration Crisis. truthdig.com The relative lack of talk on the campaign trail about immigration points to a bigger problem shared by Democrats and Republicans.