(2020-01-24). China Confirms 830 Cases of New Coronavirus Pneumonia. telesurenglish.net Chinese health authorities announced that 830 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, and these had been reported in 29 provincial-level regions in the country by the end of Thursday. | RELATED: | According to the
(2020-01-24). More chaos on campus? Soros pumps $1bn into 'global education network' to fight 'climate change & dictators' like Trump, Xi & Modi. rt.com 
Billionaire George Soros has unveiled a new ambitious project: creating a global university network that would save the world from climate change and rescue democracy itself from 'dictators' like US President Donald Trump. | The 89-year-old grey eminence of liberal globalism announced "the most important project of my life" on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Describing the current state of the world as dire, with the strongest powers "in the hands of would-be or actual dictators," Soros said he would put forth $1 billion towards the creation of the Open Society University Network, r…
(2020-01-24). China coronavirus infections soar to 830, with 25 deaths as WHO says it's too early to declare global emergency. rt.com 
The World Health Organization (WHO) held off designating a new fast-spreading coronavirus as an international health threat, but did deem it a crisis within China, where the pathogen has infected some 830 people and killed 25. | After two days of meetings, WHO determined it was a "bit too early" to label the outbreak an international health emergency on Thursday at a conference in Geneva, despite the rapidly rising disease toll. | "Make no mistake, though, this is an emergency in China," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding "It has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one."
(2020-01-24). 'Spygate' update: At least two FISA warrants to spy on Carter Page were 'not valid' DOJ says. rt.com 
The top US spy court has revealed that at least two of the four warrants for spying on a Trump campaign adviser are now considered to have been improperly obtained, and all information gained from them is being restricted. | FBI applications under the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) described Carter Page as a foreign agent in order to spy on his communications during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. Thanks to the "two hop" rule for these warrants, the spying could have extended to the entire campaign as well as President Donald Trump himself. | In a January 7 ruling declassified on Thursd…
(2020-01-23). The prosecution of Glenn Greenwald and the global war on free speech. wsws.org The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has opened the floodgates for a global war on independent and critical journalism and the imposition of sweeping censorship.
(2020-01-23). Glenn Greenwald: Intimidation of the Press Won't Stop Me. telesurenglish.net U.S. journalist and editor of The Intercept Glenn Greenwald said Thursday that the complaint made to him by the Brazilian Prosecutor's Office for divulging conversations that compromise authorities is just an attempt to intimidate the press, and he will continue to publish the reports with which he has put Brazilian politics in check. | RELATED: | During an interview with the international news agency EFE in Rio de Jan…
(2020-01-23). Extradition Hearing for Julian Assange Will be Split in Two. telesurenglish.net The extradition hearings for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been split in two, with the second taking place in May, according to a ruling made by a judge on Thursday, January 23rd. | RELATED: | The judge ruled that the first extradition hearing for Assange will be scheduled for the week of February 23rd, while the remaining three weeks will be held on May 18. | This move comes after Assange's defense team ar…
(2020-01-23). Next Generation 5G and the US-China "Cellphone War": The Arrest and Trial of Meng Wanzhou. globalresearch.ca The unspoken US policy objective behind the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on trumped up charges, consists in breaking China's technological lead in wireless telecommunications. What is at stake is a coordinated US intelligence initiative to ban China from playing a strategic role in the 5G global mobile phone network.
(2020-01-23). Three Years of Monroe Doctrine by Trump: What Has Happened in Latin America? globalresearch.ca Against all mainstream media expectations, Donald Trump had defeated Hillary Clinton to the presidency of the United States in 2016, and it was expected that the new president would take on a more isolationist policy and withdraw his country from …
(2020-01-23). Do Republicans Have More to Lose Than Democrats in the Impeachment Trial? counterpunch.org Now that President Donald Trump's Senate Trial has begun there are some critical points to keep in mind in evaluating both the process and the likely outcome. All analysis, up to now, is based on the very low probability that 14 Republicans would break party ranks to convict Trump on the two articles of impeachment
(2020-01-23). Bolivia: As Elections Near, US-Backed Interim Government Mobilizes Military, Arrests Opposition Leaders. globalresearch.ca Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Añez has ordered troops to the streets and forced opposition candidates to organize abroad for fear of arrest ahead of the country's first elections since a US-backed coup last November. | *** | Wednesday, January 22 marks …
(2020-01-23). Ten Best Messages for Waging Peace. counterpunch.org 
The rapid response to US war moves against Iran has been an exciting start toward rebuilding the anti-war movement we so desperately need. Thousands took to the streets in more than 80 cities. It's a great beginning. But, if we want a movement of millions we are going to have to reach everyday people outside of the existing movement, outside of partisan politics and outside of strictly moral appeals.
(2020-01-23). Impacts of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC). Ease or Exacerbate China-India Rivalry? globalresearch.ca The eventual completion of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) will either ease or exacerbate the Sino-Indo economic rivalry of the past few years depending on how New Delhi responds to Beijing's latest trans-regional integration initiative, but whatever it decides to …
(2020-01-23). 'This Is Already a Hot War the US Is Prosecuting Against Iran' – CounterSpin interview with Gregory Shupak about. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed media scholar Gregory Shupak about the Soleimani assassination for the Media…
(2020-01-23). US Envoy Threatens to Assassinate New Quds Force Commander. telesurenglish.net The U.S. envoy to Iran Brian Hook has threatened Iran's Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani with the same fate as his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, if he followed the latter's path. | RELATED: | AccordIng to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Hook and the rest of the Trump administration will not tolerate Soleimani's approach any further. The U.S. representative said the Trump administration will take similar action aga…
(2020-01-23). The United States: A Record-Holder in Political Assassinations. globalresearch.ca The crowing by Donald Trump that he "terminated" the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, Major General Qaseem Soleimani, simply because Trump believed, mobster-style, that he had it coming, should remind the world that the United …
(2020-01-23). The Grayzone's Anya Parampil slams mainstream media's anti-Sanders bias on Tucker Carlson Tonight. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone's Anya Parampil joined Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News to discuss the media and democratic establishment's attack on…
(2020-01-23). GOP senators look down in embarrassment as prosecutors make their case. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON — It was lucky for GOP senators at the impeachment trial yesterday that press cameras had been banned from the chamber and that only the stationary Senate cameras were running. Otherwise images of them fidgeting, squirming and looking down in embarrassment as House prosecutors spoke would have been beamed into the homes of American …
(2020-01-23). Video: Russia's "Dead Hand" Command Missiles, Deterrent In The Event of a Crippling Nuclear Attack. globalresearch.ca The existing system of international relations and arms control treaties is slowly, but steadily crumbling. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is dead, with both Washington and Moscow publicly developing previously banned short-to-medium range missiles. The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction …
(2020-01-23). Clinton Says Sanders Achieved "Nothing." My Community Clinic Shows She's Wrong. truthout.org Hillary Clinton has touched a nerve with her attacks on Bernie Sanders in a new docuseries premiering on Hulu and a
(2020-01-23). Germany to Ask Bolivia's Next President to Revive Lithium Deal. telesurenglish.net German authorities and companies will seek talks with the next government of Bolivia to revive an agreement to jointly exploit the Andean country's huge lithium reserves. | RELATED: | The state-owned enterprise Bolivian Lithium Deposits (YLB) and the German company ACI Systems Germany (ACISA) agreed to create a joint venture in 2018. | On November 3, 2019, however, seven days before leaving the country due to the…
(2020-01-23). Why action on climate change gets stuck and what to do about it. zcomm.org Why Incremental Change won't solve the Climate Crisis…
(2020-01-23). US Treasury secretary has a tantrum over Greta Thunberg urging divestment from fossil fuels. thecanary.co US Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin has said Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is in no position to give economic advice until she goes to college and comes out with an economics degree. | At a press briefing at the World Economic Forum, Mr Mnuchin took a swipe at the 17-year-old environmental campaigner for her recommendation that the public and private sectors should divest from fossil fuels. | When asked how that would affect the US economic model, Mr Mnuchin threw a tantrum about Thunberg, asking if she was an economist and saying it "was a joke". | This week I'm attending the World Economic Forum in D…
(2020-01-23). New Zealand Greens support military build-up. wsws.org The Green Party, part of the Labour-led government, is backing $20 billion in military upgrades and increased army recruitment, purportedly because it will help address the impact of climate change.
(2020-01-23). A Trump official just tried to outwit Greta Thunberg. It ended very badly for him. thecanary.co A Trump official tried to tear Greta Thunberg down a peg or two on 23 January. Responding to a question about the climate activist's call for divestment from fossil fuels, Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin Mnuchin's message was effectively 'shut up and listen to the grown-ups, Greta, until you are one yourself'. He should ha…
(2020-01-23). Diminishing Returns: Calculated Misery in Air Travel. counterpunch.org If there comes a point when people will decide not to fly, the issue may well be less to do with any moral or ethical issue with climate change than the fact that commercial flights have become atrocious. They are naked money-making concerns with diminishing returns on quality. The key factor that plays out here
(2020-01-23). Only a radical Green New Deal can save humanity as Trump's axis of climate catastrophe advances. thecanary.co 2020 is a pivotal year for humanity. It's the year where the outcome of the US presidential election could either accelerate the world towards climate catastrophe with
(2020-01-23). Colombia's Indigenous Demand Justice After 20 Leaders Killed. telesurenglish.net Colombia's Indigenous people are outraged at the death of more than 20 social leaders inside South American country, the counselor of the Indigenous Youth of Colombia , Eliel Castillo, said this week. | RELATED: | Castillo, who participates in the World Encounter Against Imperialism, remarked that there is a systematic massacre occurring in his country. A massacre which has largely been ignored by the Colombian gover…
(2020-01-23). World Leaders Meet in Jerusalem to Denounce Anti-Semitism. truthdig.com 
JERUSALEM — Dozens of world leaders gathered Thursday in Jerusalem for the largest-ever gathering focused on commemorating the Holocaust and combating rising modern-day anti-Semitism — a politically charged event that has been clouded by rival national interpretations of the genocide. | Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prince Charles, Vice President Mike Pence and the presidents of Germany, Italy and Austria were among the more than 40 dignitaries attending the World Holocaust Forum, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwi…
(2020-01-23). Deadly Distractions: Laying the Groundwork for the Next Civil War. "Deep State's Plot to Take Over America" globalresearch.ca " —Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet | And so it continues. | This impeachment fiasco is merely the latest in a never-ending series …
(2020-01-23). A Cesspool of Constitutional Nonsense-Impeachment in the Senate. counterpunch.org The process moves to the Senate. Will the mockery continue after the procedurals and pomp are put to rest and the hearing begins? Or will there be a genuine attempt to find some truth no matter how shallow? Since the House of Representatives closed up its hearings in December 2019, the most interesting event to
(2020-01-23). Trump's Rosy Economic Outlook Is a Big Lie. truthdig.com President Donald Trump this week addressed the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, exaggerating the successes of the U.S. economy to such a great extent that it was as though he hoped to match reality to his fantastical claims by sheer force of will. The WEF — a yearly meeting that he chose to skip last year — is a gathering of global elites that this year convened at the same time his Senate impeachment trial began in earnest. Trump's attendance was perhaps a deliberate attempt to distract from the proceedings that could lay bare his corrupt dealings. He seemed to be saying, "Ignore the…
(2020-01-23). Democrats Focus Day 2 of Trial on Trump's 'Dangerous' Abuse. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON — Pressing through a second day of impeachment arguments, House Democrats scoffed at President Donald Trump's claims that he had good reasons for pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political foes. | It was Trump who engaged in a shocking abuse of power, not former Vice President Joe Biden or other Trump foes, said Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Texas. There is "no evidence, nothing, nada"' to suggest that Biden did anything improper in dealings with Ukraine, said the former judge. | The Democratic prosecutors argued in the
(2020-01-23). Trump Brags About Withholding Evidence as Impeachment Trial Proceeds in Senate. truthout.org During the opening day of oral arguments in the impeachment trial, President Trump was accused of abusing his office to "cheat an election." House impeachment managers spent about eight hours on Wednesday laying out their case for why President Trump should be removed from office. The Senate trial comes a month after the House impeached Trump for withholding congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine as part of an effort to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Trump's politica…
(2020-01-23). Trump impeachment trial starts as several unions speak out. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON —The Republican-run Senate's impeachment trial of GOP President Donald Trump opened Jan. 21 with heated verbal jousting from lawyers — as several unions have spoken out. National Nurses United, Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry — strongly supported the impeachment process, but haven't taken a position on actual …
(2020-01-23). Video: Globalize Hope: New Film on the History of La Via Campesina. globalresearch.ca La Via Campesina is an international movement that brings together millions of peasants, landless workers, indigenous peoples and migrants — comprising women, men, youth and diverse identities — from all over the world. The movement brings them together under its …
(2020-01-23). The Middle East in Chaos: US, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Libya Conflict Analysis. globalresearch.ca Recently, the Middle East region has erupted into chaos, which at one point threatened a world war between the US and Iran. To gain unparalleled insight into the complex global political systems, I decided to reach out to
(2020-01-23). U.S. General Says Troop Surge in Middle East May Not End Soon. truthdig.com 
America has sent more than 20,000 additional troops into the region over the past eight months to counter the escalating threat from Iran.
(2020-01-23). Iraqi President Denounced for Meeting with Trump in Davos. globalresearch.ca On Wednesday, former Iraqi Kurdistan region prime minister/current Iraqi president Barham Salih met with Trump in Davos on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. | He ignored warnings from internal Shia militia groups that he'd be unwelcome back home if …
(2020-01-23). Trump's Katyusha Conundrum: Unguided Artillery Deployed by Iraqi Insurgents against US Occupation Forces. globalresearch.ca Katyushas are short-range, unguided artillery rockets typically fired in salvos from truck-mounted launch-tubes. Iraq's insurgents deploy three types. | The smallest is 107 millimetres in diameter and 1 metre long. Its 19 kilogram weight includes an 8 kg high-explosive, shrapnel-bearing warhead. …
(2020-01-23). Immediate US Withdrawal Due to Its Violation of the Agreement. globalresearch.ca The Iraqi Parliament has
(2020-01-23). The Myth of China's Population Crisis. counterpunch.org I ridiculed the NYT and Washington Post last week for telling us that China, the world's most populous country, is in danger of running out of people. Using a tool that seems relatively scarce in Washington policy discussions, arithmetic, I showed that China's gains in productivity will dwarf the effects of a falling ratio of
(2020-01-23). The Catalan Crisis Threatens to Reopen a Debate That the EU's Power Brokers Thought They Had Long Ago Quashed. counterpunch.org 
Though it is largely forgotten today, there was during the late 80s and early 90s a vigorous debate in numerous sectors of European life about whether the EU would be best structured as a Union of Regions or as a Union of States. Adherents of the first posture hoped and believed that the goal the
(2020-01-23). Comes Now the Winter of Our Discontent. counterpunch.org "THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with
(2020-01-23). New Debt Crisis in the South. globalresearch.ca Public external debt in countries of the South [1] is a source of concern, notably because of its dramatic increase within the last two decades and because of parallels with the pre-crisis debt situation of Third World countries in the …
(2020-01-23). Migrant Caravan Arrives in Mexico by Crossing Suchiate River. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of Central American migrants Thursday managed to enter Mexican territory after crossing the Suchiate River, which is the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala. | RELATED: | A week ago,
(2020-01-23). New Migrant Group Sneaks Into Mexico by Crossing Suchiate River. telesurenglish.net Hundreds of Central American migrants Thursday managed to enter Mexican territory after crossing the Suchiate River, which is the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala. | RELATED: | A week ago,
(2020-01-23). China: Lockdown of Two Cities Near Wuhan to Contain Coronavirus. telesurenglish.net In order to curb the spread of coronavirus 2019-nCoV, Chinese authorities have suspended public transport out of the city of Huanggang (6 million inhabitants) and the city of Ezhou (1million inhabitants). Citizens have been asked not to leave these places without "special reasons." | RELATED: | Both locations are near Wuhan, the center of the viral pneumonia outbreak that has left at least 17 people dead. In this city,…
(2020-01-23). The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Monopoly Power and Disasters by the Rich 1%. globalresearch.ca The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has diverted over $100 million from safety and maintenance programs to executive compensation at the same time it has caused an average of more than one fire a day for the past six …
(2020-01-23). China Locks Down 3 Cities With 18 Million to Stop Virus. truthdig.com 
Seventeen people have died in the outbreak, all of them in and around Wuhan; close to 600 have been infected.
(2020-01-23). How the Military-Industrial Complex Gets Away With Murder in Contract After Contract. counterpunch.org Call it a colossal victory for a Pentagon that hasn't won a war in this century, but not for the rest of us. Congress only recently passed and the president approved one of the largest Pentagon budgets ever. It will surpass spending at the peaks of both the Korean and Vietnam wars. As last year ended,
(2020-01-23). Maduro: Venezuelan Opposition Has Only Created Threats to Peace. telesurenglish.net The president of Venezuela, RELATED: | During the anti-imperialist march to commemorate 62 years of the Popular Rebellion against the military dictatorship of Marcos…
(2020-01-23). An Epic Act of Resistance and Trial of Our Times. "The Venezuela Embassy Protectors Collective" globalresearch.ca On February 11th, four American peace activists, known as the
(2020-01-23). 'NewsHour' Host and Debate Moderator Jim Lehrer Dies at 85. truthdig.com NEW YORK — Jim Lehrer, longtime host of the nightly PBS "NewsHour" whose serious, sober demeanor made him the choice to moderate 11 presidential debates between 1988 and 2012, has died, PBS said Thursday. He was 85. | Lehrer died "peacefully in his sleep," according to PBS. He had suffered a heart attack in 1983 and more recently, had undergone heart valve surgery in April 2008. | For Lehrer, and for his friend and longtime partner Robert MacNeil, broadcast journalism was a service, with public understanding of events and issues its primary goal. | "We both believed the American people were not as stupid as…
(2020-01-23). US troops confront Russian convoy near Syrian oil fields. wsws.org Washington is occupying Syrian oil fields to deny resources to Damascus and continue its drive for regime change.
(2020-01-23). Putin Proposes, Trump Disposes. zcomm.org Since the Cold War, the U.S. and Russia have experienced unexpected reversals in fortune. Are we next in line for post-imperial decline?>
(2020-01-23). US Troops Blocking Russians From Syrian Oilfields in Series of Dangerous Standoffs. theantimedia.com (ZH) — Yet another dangerous incident has played out between American and Russian forces operating in Syria in what appears a series of standoffs near key oil installations since Saturday. "This is the third incident that occurred within a week," one local reporter told VOA in an alarming report. Days ago we reported on the first incident involving a US convoy blocking a Russian …
(2020-01-23). Democrats begin Senate trial of Trump with anti-Russia diatribe. wsws.org A casual viewer might have concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin, not Trump, was on trial.
(2020-01-23). Trump Parties in Davos While Ordinary Americans Struggle to Make Ends Meet. globalresearch.ca The annual Davos billionaire's ball — aka World Economic Forum — continues until Friday. | Once a year, prominent movers and shakers gather together in Switzerland to plot their next moves for greater self-enrichment at the expense of exploited masses. | They've …
(2020-01-23). Guaido Has Links With Money Launderer Defended by Rudy Giuliani. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Communication Minister Jorge Rodriguez Thursday informed that international media have disclosed data on the links between RELATED: | In August 2019, Reut…
(2020-01-23). Venezuela Must Remain Vigilant and On Guard Against US Hybrid Warfare. globalresearch.ca A meme circulating on social media shows the distraught gaze of Venezuela's opposition member Juan Guaidó with a caption that says in part, "he is not a head of State, he has no army, he has no ministers, he never …
(2020-01-23). As If Bombing Is Not Enough … Poison Is the New Israeli Weapon in Gaza. globalresearch.ca We have now entered 2020, the year in which experts at the United Nations (UN) once predicted Gaza would become unlivable. But the sad reality is not only that those same experts said that Gaza was already unlivable in 2017, …
(2020-01-23). What the Constitution means to everyone living in America. peoplesworld.org 
LOS ANGELES—New Yorkers went wild over Heidi Schreck's highly "the personal is the political" memoir play What the Constitution Means to Me. The show was extended several times, picked up two Tony Award nominations, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Schreck has moved on from the show, where she played herself, but the show lives …
(2020-01-23). One Hundred Years: the Proletariat in Search of a Class. counterpunch.org 
Apparently, the super-indoctrinated, Trump-voting American working class, dulled by the mass media and the "American dream", has changed very little since the crushing of the great textile strikes that swept The United States in the 1920s. Not an iota of class-consciousness has it absorbed. (Nor has it been explained and offered to all wage earners
(2020-01-23). SARS-Like Disease Could Become a Pandemic. counterpunch.org 
Do you remember SARS? Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was so contagious; a SARS-afflicted man on an Air China flight in 2003 infected 20 passengers sitting at a distance away from him and two crew members. The simple act of flushing the toilet spread the deadly lung disease and health care workers had to wear HazMat suits to treat patients. Eight hundred people died including Pekka Aro, a senior official with the United Nations.
(2020-01-23). Experts to decide whether or not to declare coronavirus an international emergency. thecanary.co 
Experts will meet again on 23 January to decide whether to declare an international public health emergency over China's coronavirus, which has killed more than a dozen people in the country and closed down the city where it is thought to have originated.The World Health Organisation (WHO) was expected to make the decision on 22 January but said it needed more information, describing the emergence of the disease as an "evolving and complex situation".Officials say at least 444 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in China's Hubei province, where at least 17 people have died.Hubei's capital city Wuhan, which h…
(2020-01-23). Despite Lawsuit, Activists Find Evidence Plant in Texas Still Polluting Water. truthout.org On the afternoon of January 15, activist Diane Wilson kicked off a
(2020-01-23). An Army for Hire: Trump Wants to Make Money by Renting Out American Soldiers. globalresearch.ca To say that there has been some strange stuff coming out of the White House lately would be an understatement. If President Donald Trump knew a bit more about history, he would understand that countries that rent out their national …
(2020-01-23). Trump puts Europe in his sights for trade war. wsws.org The stepped-up offensive was foreshadowed in Trump's keynote address to the Davos annual meeting in which he said the US had pioneered "a new model for trade in the 21st century."
(2020-01-23). Action Research: Acquiescing to the Awful. counterpunch.org In a research course during a graduate program in counseling, students were given a choice between completing a traditional research project, with rigorous statistical standards, or completing what was then called "action research." I chose the latter being delinquent in mathematics. The program that a team of students designed involved visiting food pantries and soup
(2020-01-23). Putin Calls for a New System Guided by the UN Charter… But Is It Possible? dissidentvoice.org Anyone looking with sober eyes upon today's world and the feeble economic and geopolitical underpinnings holding the system together must accept the fact that a new system WILL be created. This is not an opinion, but a fact. We are moving towards eight billion lives on this globe and the means of productive powers to …
(2020-01-23). The Myth of the Free Market. counterpunch.org Muscular regulation is often required to ensure genuine competition — but all too often, the political right has a knee-jerk reaction against regulation, and the political left has a knee-jerk reaction against competition. — Richard V. Reeves, Brookings Brief, 10/2/2019 Midway through President Barack Obama's first term, as numbing news of multibillion dollar boondoggles, scandals
(2020-01-23). Overdose Deaths Among People Over 55 Increased 17-Fold Between 1999 and 2017. truthout.org My brother William struggled with drugs and alcohol addiction much of his life. So, I was shocked but not surprised when he was found dead in his apartment, just a few months before he was about to turn 70. The only boy among six sisters, William died alone in a hoard of wadded up papers, tons of cigarette butts, and calcified Thanksgiving turkey sitting atop his rusted and mildewed stove. Pieces of his beloved computer equipment were scattered among traces of crystal meth and marijuana. | A…
(2020-01-23). The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever before, amid worsening global factors. thecanary.co The Doomsday Clock, an indicator of how close the world is to total destruction, is now just The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) highlights three worsening factors in its Doomsday Clock statement. These are: | 1) Nuclear weapons: | The BAS says that national leaders have "ended or undermined" several major arms control treaties and negotiations in the last year. | They argue this has created an environment conducive to a renewed nuclear arms race, the proliferati…
(2020-01-23). WHO: "Too Early" to Declare Novel Coronavirus Global Emergency. telesurenglish.net The Related: | "I am not declaring a public health emergency of international concern today. As it was yesterday, the Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak of novel cor…
(2020-01-23). Spanish PM Calls Emergency Meeting After Storm Gloria Pass. telesurenglish.net The Spanish government will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to deal with the impact of Storm Gloria that has caused heavy rains, powerful winds and huge waves, and killed at least 13 people in their Mediterranean coasts. | RELATED: | Catalan authorities confirmed the two latest deaths on Thursday evening: a man swept out to sea while fishing in the coastal town of Ametlla de Mar and another, found dead in his car inland in Cabaces,…
(2020-01-23). Sanders Calls on Global Movement to Tackle 'Billionaires' Greed'. telesurenglish.net In a response to a RELATED: | "We live in a world where a tiny handful of billionaires have extraordinary control over the economic and political life of t…
(2020-01-23). Peru: Gas Truck Explosion Leaves Two Dead and 50 Injured. telesurenglish.net A truck carrying natural gas exploded on Thursday in Lima, Peru's capital, killing at least two people and injuring another 50 in an accident that President Martin Vizcarra labeled a "tragedy." | RELATED: | The accident occurred when the vehicle burst into flames after it hurtled off a ramp, breaking a valve, leaking gas and igniting several nearby homes, in the district of Villa El Salvador, in…
(2020-01-23). Greece: Katerina Sakellaropoulou First Female President. telesurenglish.net The Greek parliament elected top judge Katerina Sakellaropoulou the13th president of the Hellenic Republic, the country's first female head of state and the first presidential candidate supported by three parliamentary parties. | RELATED: | The former top judge, the only person proposed for the position, won with the votes of 261 members of parliament in a 300-member assembly. The session was attended by 294 represen…
(2020-01-23). Making America's Waters Burn Again. Trump's "Dirty Water Rule" globalresearch.ca The Trump administration's new
(2020-01-23). Tusayan, Developers Begin New Push for Massive Grand Canyon Project. globalresearch.ca An Italian company has tinkered with its years-old plan to build a sprawling development on the doorstep of Grand Canyon National Park. But the mega-project would be just as dangerous to water resources, wildlife and visitors. It would also flood …
(2020-01-23). Thailand: The Lingering Spectre of US Colour Revolutions. globalresearch.ca Thailand's opposition is openly backed by powerful foreign interests, particularly those in Washington. As the opposition attempts to secure power and help serve as a vector for Western special interests, the spectre of a Western-sponsored "colour revolution" increasingly looms over …
(2020-01-23). Banks to give $10 billion bailout to Boeing, nothing to the families of the dead. wsws.org A pittance has been provided to the 346 families who lost loved ones in the two Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes, even as major financial institutions are moving to provide billions of dollars to prop up the aerospace giant.
(2020-01-23). Humanity risking 'global disaster' as material consumption passes 100 billion tons annually. nationofchange.org "Governments must urgently adopt circular economy solutions if we want to achieve a high quality of life for close to 10 billion people by mid-century without destabilizing critical planetary processes."
(2020-01-23). Following Earthquake, Puerto Rico's Largest Bank Hinders a Just Recovery. truthout.org The earth still shakes. People, especially those who live near the epicenters, have anxiety and fear. The electrical system is weak and blackouts are reported. More than two years after the destruction brought by Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico faces another challenge brought by nature. | On January 7th, an earthquake of 6.
(2020-01-23). Workers Shut Down the Louvre. The French Labor Strike Is Here to Stay. truthout.org French railway workers remain on strike for These talks came to a head on January…
(2020-01-23). Trump's Latest Attack on the Environment May Be His Most Alarming Yet. truthout.org Early this month, the Trump administration released planned major changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the oldest environmental law in the U.S. The debate over NEPA is, like most other environmental debates in the U.S., a debate between people representing industry interests and people interested in protecting communities and the environment. And recently, the fossil fuel industry has helped push through another potential win against the law — and this one could have major c…
(2020-01-23). Meet the Lawyer Whose 20-Year Fight Against DuPont Inspired "Dark Waters" truthout.org The new film "Dark Waters" tells the story of attorney Rob Bilott's 20-year battle with DuPont over contaminated drinking water in West Virginia from toxic chemicals used to make Teflon. The Environmental Working Group credited Billot with "uncovering the most heinous corporate environmental conspiracy in history," and the issue of contaminated water from the plastics industry continues to devastate areas across the country. On Wednesday, the Environmental Working Group released a shocking report abo…
(2020-01-23). Ancient Viruses Trapped in Glaciers for Thousands of Years Could Be Released By Climate Crisis: Study. commondreams.org "We've opened up a Pandora's box with climate change." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-01-23). 'The Most Dangerous Situation That Humanity Has Ever Faced': Doomsday Clock Now 100 Seconds to Midnight. commondreams.org Citing the worsening nuclear threat and inaction on the climate crisis, scientists issue a historic warning about the risk of global catastrophe. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-01-23). Selected Articles: The Davos World Economic Forum (2017-2020). globalresearch.ca Lying is a money making activity and lies are commodities. There is a profitable global market for media and public figures committed to spreading disinformation. | Needless to say, "Telling the Truth", on the other hand, Is Not a Money-Making Proposition. …
(2020-01-23). White House Broadcasts Blatantly Homophobic Sermon Attended by Mike Pence. truthout.org The White House streamed a homophobic church service attended by Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday, during which a preacher claimed that a "demonic spirit" is behind homosexuality. | The video, which is still available on the official Moments after Pence's remarks, Bishop Jerry Wayne…
(2020-01-23). Russian Lawmakers OK Putin's Constitutional Proposals. truthdig.com 
MOSCOW — Russian lawmakers on Thursday quickly gave preliminary approval to a slew of constitutional changes widely seen as an attempt by President Vladimir Putin to remain in charge after his current term ends in 2024. | Kremlin critics have described the amendments as an attempt by Putin to secure his rule over Russia for life, but still it remains unclear how exactly the changes allow him to do that. | Putin also didn't explain why he hastily moved to amend the constitution now, four years before the end of his term. That drew suggestions it could herald a plan to call an early parliamentary or president…
(2020-01-23). BoJo's 'Parliamentarian of the Year' acceptance speech upstaged by his dog, prompting laughter and anger on Twitter (VIDEO). rt.com 
Boris Johnson's dog became the star of the show in a hilarious video that saw the UK prime minister win a 'Parliamentarian of the Year' award, triggering both his supporters and detractors on social media. | The Spectator awards event in London on Wednesday night saw Johnson accepting the award via his dog, Dilyn, in a pre-recorded video, much to the amusement of assembled guests. Johnson apologized for not being able to accept his 'Parliamentarian of the Year' accolade, and said he had "found someone that could accept it on his behalf." | The PM's canine friend was then seen barking enthusiastically before te…
(2020-01-23). Weathering With You: Climate change and fatalism. wsws.org Makoto Shinkai's latest anime film is the Japanese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.
(2020-01-23). Australian Open: Daniil Medvedev suffers bleed, Rafael Nadal hails ballgirl bravery, Serena Williams talks boxing. rt.com 
Nick Kyrgios and Gilles Simon both mocked Rafael Nadal and earned sanctions from umpire Fergus Murphy on an eventful day at the Australian Open when top seed Nadal dealt with an incident of his own and questions about his legacy. | After both players were given time violations, Kyrgios made umpire Murphy smile by appearing to impersonate Rafael Nadal's trait of tucking his hair behind his ears and checking his shorts before serving. | Simon then left Kyrgios twirling his racket with laughter after performing his own impression of the world number one, although Kyrgios could afford a joke at that stage, serving…
(2020-01-23). US imposes Iran-related sanctions on two people and six companies, mostly Chinese. rt.com 
The United States applied new economic sanctions to two Iranian individuals and six companies, including four firms tied to Iran's national oil company, as tensions between the country peaked after the killing of Gen. Soleimani. | The United States has applied fresh economic sanctions to two Iranian individuals and six companies, including four firms tied to Iran's national oil company. The move comes following a military standoff between both countries. | The US Department of the Treasury accuses the four international petroleum and petrochemical firms of helping Tehran export "hundreds of millions of dollars…
(2020-01-23). 'Targeted and governmental terrorism': Iran slams US for threat against Soleimani successor. rt.com 
Iran's Foreign Ministry slammed the US' policy of "targeted and governmental terrorism" after an American diplomat threatened Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani with the same fate as his assassinated predecessor, Qassem Soleimani. | "These words are an official announcement and a clear unveiling of America's targeted and governmental terrorism," ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told Iranian state media on Thursday in response to threats made against Ghaani by US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook. Mousavi called on the international community to join him in condemning the thuggish statement from the Am…
(2020-01-23). ICYMI: Living Greta Thunberg's zero emissions dream in real life. rt.com 
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has upped the ante, telling the elite at Davos that they must urgently drop carbon emissions to "real zero." But living a carbon-free life is exhausting, as ICYMI's Butchy found out. | "We must forget about net zero," Thunberg told the billionaires and politicians gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. "We need real zero." | ICYMI's Butchy embraced Thunberg's gauntlet and set out to live his best, zero-carbon life. After a cold cup of coffee and a leisurely two-hour stroll through London rain to the office, our intrepid hero then faced a fresh challeng…
(2020-01-23). UN's top court orders Myanmar to prevent alleged Rohingya genocide. rt.com 
The UN's top court told Myanmar on Thursday to take urgent steps to prevent the alleged genocide of the Buddhist nation's minority Rohingya Muslims. The order was the first time that Myanmar has faced justice over a 2017 military crackdown that sent around 740,000 Rohingya fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh. | The International Court of Justice in The Hague granted a series of emergency steps requested by the mainly Muslim African state of The Gambia under the 1948 Genocide Convention, AFP reported. | The ruling comes days after a Myanmar commission concluded that some soldiers likely committed war crimes aga…