2020-01-25: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-25). Medvedev marches on: Russian ace cruises into Australian Open fourth round as he remains in hunt for first Grand Slam title. rt.com Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev eased past home favorite Alexei Popyrin in straight sets to seal his spot in the Australian Open fourth round. | Medvedev, 23, outclassed the unseeded Popyrin 6-4 6-3 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena as he booked a match-up with Swiss 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka in the last 16. | Wawrinka, seeded 15th, had the luxury of an early finish in his third-round match as big-serving American opponent John Isner retired while 6-4 4-1 down. | Medvedev faced minimal resistance in his encounter with Popyrin as the 20-year-old Australian showed little sign of springing an upset in front of his hom…

RT (2020-01-25). US Space Force logo may look like a Star Trek rip-off, but only if you miss the obvious 'RUSSIAN connection'. rt.com With the launch of a new logo for the US Space Force, cadets might think they've signed up to serve the Federation of Planets of Star Trek lore, but internet sleuths have uncovered another hidden connection — to Moscow, of course.

RT (2020-01-25). Disaster for Europe: Iran blasts EU for buckling to Trump & acting like 'strong man' against Tehran. rt.com Acquiescing to Washington's hardline stance on Tehran spells catastrophe for Europe, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has argued, warning that there will be consequences for their u-turn on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. | The decision by European signatories of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to trigger a mechanism that could lead to UN sanctions against Iran is a "disaster" for Europe, Zarif said during an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel magazine. He claimed that, behind closed doors, European leaders have admitted that they dare not defy US President Donald Trump's unilateral de…

RT (2020-01-25). Ancient 'Vampire' star spied sucking the life out of celestial giant by NASA's planet-hunting probe. rt.com NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has witnessed the remains of an ancient star thirstily draining material from its giant celestial companion, in a remarkable interaction known as a super-outburst. | This star system consists of a 'White Dwarf' star with a 'Brown Dwarf' companion that's roughly 10 percent the size of its rapacious neighbour. White Dwarfs are what stars become when they have exhausted their nuclear fuel, while Brown Dwarfs are huge celestial bodies that are larger than the largest planets but smaller than the smallest stars. | The extraordinary event was identified by researchers mining d…

RT (2020-01-25). 38 infected coronavirus patients CURED in China as epidemic rages on. rt.com Saturday has brought some good news from China, where the nationwide battle against coronavirus is underway — dozens of patients have been cured of the disease, which has also claimed a comparable number of lives. | Some 38 people are recovering from coronavirus, Chinese media reported on Saturday. The promising news comes as the death toll from the epidemic has risen to 41, with the number of confirmed coronavirus cases nearing 1,300. | In Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, hundreds of doctors and medical staff have to work around-the-clock shifts, quickly running out of crucial supplies such as hazm…

RT (2020-01-25). Hong Kong declares emergency & cancels New Year celebrations as coronavirus spreads. rt.com Hong Kong has shuttered schools and done away with planned New Year festivities as the city scrambles to stop the spread of a deadly coronavirus. | Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam declared a state of emergency in the city, and said she would halt all official visits to mainland China, where the virus originated. | New Year celebrations have also been cancelled, and schools will remain closed until February 17. The Hong Kong Marathon has been nixed as part of the emergency measures. | At least three local residents have been infected by the virus after returning from Wuhan, the Chinese city where the outbreak began…

RT (2020-01-25). Starbucks shutters shops in China's Hubei Province amid coronavirus outbreak. rt.com Starbucks has shut down all shops and halted delivery services in China's Hubei Province, as health officials scramble to contain a deadly coronavirus that originated from the provincial capital, Wuhan. | The coffee chain's decision to suspend operations for the duration of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday was prompted by "health concerns" for its customers and employees, the company said in a social media post. | The move comes shortly after McDonald's announced that it will halt operations in five cities in the province. The fast-food giant said the temporary closures were for "for employee and customer…

The Canary (2020-01-25). Chinese New Year celebrations subdued amid a national lockdown to contain coronavirus. thecanary.co China's most festive holiday has got underway in the shadow of the outbreak of coronavirus, as the death toll surpassed 40.An unprecedented national lockdown that has kept people from travelling was expanded to more than 50 million residents, and authorities cancelled a host of Lunar New Year events.The National Health Commission reported a jump in the number of infected people to 1,287, with 41 deaths.The latest tally comes from 29 provinces and cities across China and includes 237 patients in serious condition.People wearing face masks walk under a canopy decorated for the Lunar New Year (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)A…

RT (2020-01-25). Why the coronavirus is a real threat to China's economy. rt.com The deadly new coronavirus has started spreading across China and beyond and has infected hundreds of people. The outbreak has already started to take a toll on the nation's economy right ahead of the Chinese New Year. | As the death toll and the number of confirmed cases is rapidly rising, China has put on lockdown cities in Hubei province, including Wuhan, from where the outbreak is believed to have originated. | Also on rt.com | | The virus is set to disrup…

RT (2020-01-25). India and Brazil sign over a DOZEN trade treaties as Bolsonaro makes first visit to New Delhi. rt.com Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's first meeting with India's Narendra Modi appears to have boosted economic ties between the two emerging powers, which signed a trove of trade and investment agreements on Saturday. | President Bolsonaro, who became the first Brazilian head of state to visit India, had a seemingly productive one-on-one with Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day. The two leaders exchanged pleasantries and warm words before proceeding with talks — the most closely watched part of the meeting. | "Your visit to India has opened a new chapter in bilateral ties between India and Brazil," Mod…

RT (2020-01-25). Indian women's college bans burqas as part of dress code crackdown. rt.com A women's college in northeast India has prohibited students from wearing burqas in the classroom, arguing that the full-body garment violates the institution's dress code. The rule will be enforced with fines. | JD Women's College of Patna issued a notice to its student body stating that the face- and body-covering garb, worn by women in some Islamic traditions, would no longer be tolerated on campus. | "All students have to come to college in the prescribed dress code… Students are prohibited from wearing 'burqa' in college," the statement read, according to local media. | Those who violate the rule…

RT (2020-01-25). US officer who shot down Iranian plane received a medal, while the man guilty for downing Ukraine's jet is IN JAIL — FM Zarif. rt.com Iran has imprisoned the army officer who fired a missile that killed 176 on board a Ukrainian jet, Mohammad Javad Zarif has said, comparing Tehran's actions to that of the US when it downed an Iranian airliner 32 years ago. | The downing of a Ukraine International Airlines' Boeing 737 in early January was "a complicated situation in a complicated time," Zarif revealed in an interview with Germany's

The Canary (2020-01-25). Death toll rising after earthquake in eastern Turkey. thecanary.co The death toll from a strong earthquake that rocked eastern Turkey has climbed to 21 — with more than 1,000 people injured, emergency officials said.Rescue workers were continuing to search for some 30 people buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Elazig province and neighbouring Malatya, said Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.He warned that the death toll could rise.Emergency workers and security forces distributed tents, beds and blankets as overnight temperatures dropped below freezing in the affected areas.A collapsed building in the eastern Turkey (DHA via AP)Mosques, schools, sports halls and s…

RT (2020-01-25). Art of the deal? US reportedly pressures India to buy $6bn more American farm produce in exchange for some tariff cuts. rt.com Washington has reportedly warned New Delhi to get ready to shell out an additional $6 billion for US agricultural products if it wants to finalize a broader trade deal, putting pressure on India ahead of an upcoming state visit. | The multi-billion-dollar purchase would see New Delhi boost imports of American farm products such as poultry, despite India already having offered relief on price caps impacting US pharmaceutical firms, four sources familiar with the trade talks told Reuters — dubbing the purchase a "sweetener." | The forthcoming deal could be unveiled when US President Donald Trump visits New…

Alan MacLeod (2020-01-25). World's super rich meet in Davos to discuss the climate change problem they created. mronline.org Research has shown that the people most responsible for a warming planet were disproportionately the same people attending the summit and an increasing number of observers see climate change, inequality and capitalism as bound together. |

Robert Hunziker (2020-01-25). A Climate Time Bomb With Trump's Name Inscribed. dissidentvoice.org Thwaites, in West Antarctica, is the world's most dangerous glacier. As of January 15th, scientists have labeled it: "A Climate Time Bomb." Thwaites is crumbling apart on the underneath side where warm ocean currents circulate, which is clear evidence that global warming is really, truly hitting its stride even as America, obeying President Trump's orders, …

WSWS (2020-01-25). Iranian student deported from Boston by Customs and Border Protection despite court order. wsws.org At the time of his deportation, Abadi held a valid F1 student visa recently issued by the United States Customs and Immigration Services to continue pursuing a bachelor's degree at Northeastern University in Boston.

WSWS (2020-01-25). Trump steps up attacks on immigrants, democratic rights in midst of impeachment trial. wsws.org Trump railed against the "far left" in the first speech by a president at the annual anti-abortion March for Life rally in Washington DC.

WSWS (2020-01-25). Trump administration to deny visas to pregnant women. wsws.org The Trump administration has launched yet another salvo in its ongoing war against immigrants.

WSWS (2020-01-25). French "yellow vests" protest for Assange outside Belmarsh prison in London. wsws.org The protests point to the deeply-rooted opposition among workers internationally to US and European governments' relentless campaign to destroy Assange.

Orion the Elder (2020-01-25). Basta Thanks Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange for Revealing Bush's War Crimes. indybay.org MacArthur&Fruitvale…

WSWS (2020-01-25). 999 Canada and the persecution of Assange. wsws.org

Ben Norton (2020-01-25). Mientras Trump reduce los cupones de alimentos, USAID financia un cambio de régimen de Venezuela con 500 millones de dólares en dinero de impuestos. thegrayzone.com La administración Trump ha gastado 654 millones de dólares en "ayuda" para tratar de derrocar al gobierno de Venezuela, incluidos…

Max Blumenthal (2020-01-25). US citizen detained and interrogated by DHS agents about anti-war movement solidarity with Venezuela. thegrayzone.com A US citizen who participated in the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective was detained, searched and interrogated for the second time…

Richard Moser (2020-01-25). Ten Best Messages for Waging Peace. zcomm.org We need stories that help reveal to millions of people the true nature of empire. We need stories that can help us organize actual constraints on the war machine. We need stories that help us to find the beginnings of freedom in the end of empire…

WSWS (2020-01-25). The mass protests in Iraq and the US drive to recolonize the Middle East. wsws.org Among the hundreds of thousands who filled the streets of Baghdad were workers and youth whose entire lives have been shaped by the crimes of US imperialism.

Curt Wechsler (2020-01-25). Trump/Pence #OutNOW: No War on Iran! No War on Women! indybay.org Bring #OUTNOW into mass protests against U.S. war on Iran — join up with the Refuse Fascism contingent for Saturday's Global Day of Protest. | We will STAY in the streets into the afternoon, to protest this year's Christian fundamentalist "Walk for Life" attack on women's abortion rights.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Russian 'Striptease' Skater Tuktamysheva Opens up About Potential Citizenship Change. sputniknews.com The 2015 world and European champion, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, made headlines in 2018 after stripping down to lingerie during her gala performance at the Skate Canada Grand Prix. For some time now, there has been speculation that the 23-year-old figure skater may soon change to represent another country.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Moscow Regards Bulgaria's Move to Expel Diplomats as Unfriendly Step, Reserves Right to Respond. sputniknews.com The day before, Russia's ambassador to Bulgaria received a letter which said that two Russian diplomats had been declared "persona non grata".

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Russia's Venice: Breathtaking Views of St. Petersburg. sputniknews.com St. Petersburg, a Russian city located on the Neva River which flows out to the Baltic Sea, was previously known as Petrograd and then Leningrad. The city has been called St. Petersburg since 1991.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Two Russian Universities Developing Vaccine Against Coronavirus – Watchdog. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Two Russian universities are working on the development of a vaccine against a new type of the coronavirus infection, Anna Popova, head of the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Playing Defensive? Pentagon Splashes $13 Million to Intercept Russian, Chinese Hypersonic Weapons. sputniknews.com Right now Russia is the leading developer and producer of hypersonic weapons, having already deployed its first hypersonic gliders, Avangard. At the same time, China, another country deemed a "near-peer adversary" by the US, has also been heavily investing in the development of such missiles.

David Giesen (2020-01-25). Sun Yet-sen's Happy New Year proposal for China: the walking tour. indybay.org American Youth Hostel | 312 Mason St. | San Francisco | (meet in the lobby)…

Oakland Asian Cultural Center (2020-01-25). Reflections on Home Opening Reception. indybay.org OACC is located on the 2nd floor of Pacific Renaissance Plaza building in Oakland Chinatown.

Michael Wong (2020-01-25). The New Cold War on China. indybay.org Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue (at Fulton), room 210, San Francisco, CA…

WSWS (2020-01-25). Second case of coronavirus confirmed in the US. wsws.org Since the virus was first identified, more than 1,000 people have now been infected worldwide, and in the latest report the death toll has climbed to 41, all having died in mainland China.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). One of China's Most Popular Holiday Destinations Shuts Down Tourist Sites Amid Spread of Coronavirus. sputniknews.com Following the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in China, a number of the country's cities have been put on lockdown, while other towns are closing popular tourist destinations to prevent the spread of the virus.

Larry Romanoff (2020-01-25). China's New Coronavirus: An Examination of the Facts. globalresearch.ca The Western mass media have discussed the new corona virus that began in the city of Wuhan in Central China but, apart from repetitive small details and the inevitable China-bashing, not much light has been shed on the circumstances. My …

sputniknews (2020-01-25). China's Virus-Hit City of Wuhan to Get Goods Supplies Via 24/7 'Green Corridors' – Reports. sputniknews.com BEIJING (Sputnik) – China's Commerce Ministry has created a special mechanism of "green corridors" to ensure direct supplies of basic goods to the central city of Wuhan, which has been on lockdown over a deadly coronavirus outbreak, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

Telesur (2020-01-25). Over 4 Million People Join March Against US Presence in Iraq. 24 January 2020. globalresearch.ca At least four million people Thursday demanded the departure of U.S. troops from Iraq with a march in Baghdad, which was convened by cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr three weeks after the murder of Iran's General Qasem Soleimani. | . | At the country's …

teleSUR (2020-01-25). Colombia: Bus Accident Leaves Eight Fatal Victims. telesurenglish.net Eight people died and many more were injured on Friday in a bus accident in southwestern Colombia, when traveling on the Pan-American Highway on the Popayan-La Cruz route collided with some rocks near the town of Rosas in the Cauca department and then overturned. | RELATED: | According to preliminary data, the vehicle suffered mechanical failure, lost its brakes and overturned, announced Victor Valencia, deputy commander of…

WSWS (2020-01-25). Fascistic New Zealand soldier charged with disclosing military information. wsws.org The soldier was a leading member of the Dominion Movement, which espoused the same fascist ideology as the Christchurch terrorist who killed 51 people in March 2019.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Brazil, India Sign Multiple Memorandums of Understanding During Bolsonaro's Visit. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Brazil and India have exchanged a number of memorandums of understanding to reinforce mutual cooperation, laying a foundation for the establishment of investment opportunities and the development of bioenergy, medicine, information technology (IT), as well as tourism among others, the Indian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Mobile Internet Access Fully Restored in Jammu and Kashmir After State Blackout – Reports. sputniknews.com NEW DELHI (Sputnik) – Broadband and mobile internet services have been restored in the entire Northern Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, but with certain website restrictions, the Indian NDTV news broadcaster reported on 25 January.

Robert Koehler (2020-01-25). FBI, King and the tremors of history. zcomm.org That the FBI — the agency that saw King and the civil rights movement as a communist plot, subjected him to merciless surveillance and may have tried to get him to commit suicide — should, 50-plus years after his murder, purport to honor him was simply too much…

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Adam Schiff Roasted for 'Senators' Heads on the Pike' Reference Over Trump Impeachment Trial. sputniknews.com House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, proceeded to ponder about alleged pressure on Republicans to stay with POTUS throughout the impeachment trial, turning a blind eye to more than audible blowback from the trial attending Republicans and even potential Dem swing votes.

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-01-25). Climate Strike: SF Bay Area Youth Strike in Oakland. indybay.org Young people show the way to avoid the apocalypse…

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Zarif Says Iran Jailed Person Who Downed Ukrainian Passenger Plane Over Tehran. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Iranian man who shot down the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 passenger plane near Tehran's airport is in prison, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Germany's Der Spiegel magazine.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). It's a Dog-Eat-Dog Universe: Scientists Have Spotted a Vampire Star Feeding Off Another. sputniknews.com Ryan Ridden-Harper, a postdoctoral fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Australia, who led the research, said the discovery was completely unexpected as it was not what researchers were looking for.

sputniknews (2020-01-25). Turkish Village Totally Destroyed After Quake in Elazig Province – Video. sputniknews.com A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey's Elazig Province at 8: 55 p.m. local time (17: 55 GMT) on 24 January. The disaster also affected the neighbouring province of Malatya.