(2020-03-04). A World No Longer Shaped by Atlantic Powers. counterpunch.org 
The annual Munich Security Conference that took place February 14-16 this year turned out to be an iconic event, drawing comparison with the one held in the same Bavarian city on February 10, 2007, where in a prophetic speech Russian President Vladimir Putin had criticized the world order characterized by the United States' global hegemony
(2020-03-04). Russia hopes Putin, Erdogan can agree joint measures at Syria talks, Kremlin says. rt.com 
The Kremlin has said it hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be able to agree on a set of joint measures for the Syrian province of Idlib when they meet for talks in Moscow on Thursday. | "We plan to discuss the Idlib crisis," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "We expect to reach a common understanding on the crisis, the cause of the crisis, the harmful effects of the crisis and arrive at a set of necessary joint measures." | Erdogan reiterated on Wednesday that he expects his talks with Putin this week to result in the rapid achievement of a ceasefire in n…
(2020-03-04). Protect Putin from Covid-19: Kremlin's new mission as epidemic spreads worldwide. rt.com 
He's known for his tough-guy image and 'action man' stunts, like facing down a tiger and flying a motorized hang glider, but even Russia's President Vladimir Putin isn't immune to coronavirus fears. | His spokesman has revealed that the Kremlin is taking extra steps to protect the President from Covid-19, lest the nation's first citizen be struck down by the ailment. | "Everything that is necessary to prevent the coronavirus from entering the president's proximity is being done." Dmitry Peskov said, "In fact, the [measures we are taking] are ordinary preventive hygiene measures that can be taken by all citizen…
(2020-03-04). As coronavirus fears mount, Russia BANS export of masks & other vital equipment. rt.com 
Entrepreneurial Russians looking to make a quick buck out of coronavirus fears are out of luck. Following concerns about stocks of medical supplies, the government has stepped in to thwart those trying to profit from the panic. | As the worldwide death toll now stands above 3,000, the Russian Ministry of Trade has temporarily prohibited the export of certain items, such as masks and protective suits, as the country seeks to keep the infection contained. | The ban, detailed on the website of the cabinet of ministers, covers a wide range of medical equipment ranging from bandages, to shoe covers, to disinfectant…
(2020-03-04). India & Pakistan officially becoming nuclear powers would spell 'disaster' for non-proliferation treaty — Moscow. rt.com 
Extending the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on the entire world is generally a good idea, but an official recognition of India and Pakistan as nuclear powers is not — their accession to the pact would ruin it, Moscow warned. | "The fact that Pakistan, India and Israel — according to some estimates — possess nuclear weapons does not indeed help strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT]," Vladimir Yermakov, head of the Russian foreign ministry's arms control and non-proliferation department, told media on Wednesday. | At any rate, pushing India and Pakistan — two nuclear-armed…
(2020-03-04). 'Turks are our brotherly people,' no reason for them to die in Syria — President Assad. rt.com 
Turks and Syrians are culturally intertwined and have no reason to be hostile towards each other, Bashar Assad said as violence escalates in Idlib. He said there is no reason for Turkish people to die in Syria. | "We talk about Turks as our brotherly people," the Syrian president said in an interview with a Russian news channel. "I am asking the Turkish people: what is your problem with Syria? What is the problem over which Turkish citizens need to die?" | He added that the two nations were bound through culture; there are many ethnic Turks living in Syria and vice versa, as well as cross-ethnic marriages. | T…
(2020-03-04). On the eve of Putin-Erdogan meeting in Moscow, where is the Idlib crisis at? rt.com 
This is what the situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone looks like right before the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, scheduled for March 5. | There are currently five Turkish battalion task force teams operating in Idlib, consisting of 4,700 troops, 129 artillery guns and mortars, and 15 multiple rocket launchers (MRLs). The Turkish force's combat capabilities are bolstered by artillery reconnaissance, electronic warfare units, along with multiple reconnaissance and much-feared combat drones. | Significant losses : | These combat drones caused…
(2020-03-04). Bernie surrogate locks horns with Maddow over alleged report that Democrats are plotting against Vermont senator. rt.com 
Activist and Bernie Sanders supporter Shaun King has sparred with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, after claiming she reported that the DNC is angling to prevent the socialist senator from winning the Democratic nomination. | King tweeted out to his more than 1 million followers that Maddow had disclosed that "senior officials" within the Democratic Party were pressuring billionaire-turned-presidential-candidate Michael Bloomberg to drop out so that "Biden would have an easier time against Bernie." He made the provocative accusations that the Democrats were in fact "interfering with the primaries to stop" Sanders.
(2020-03-04). Bloomberg Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Biden. truthdig.com 
NEW YORK — Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and pumped more than $500 million of his own fortune into the campaign. | Bloomberg announced his departure from the race after
(2020-03-04). Warren & Bloomberg lost big on Democrats' Super Tuesday — or did they? rt.com 
President Donald Trump mocked Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg as the biggest losers of the Super Tuesday Democrat primaries, as it increasingly seemed he would face either Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders come November. | Trump first turned his Twitter guns on Bloomberg, whom he has dubbed "Mini Mike," declaring that political consultants took his fellow New York billionaire for a ride and wasted some $700 million with nothing to show for it — aside from the derogatory nickname and a "complete destruction of his reputation," anyway. | The biggest loser tonight, by far, is Mini Mike Bloomberg. His "polit…
(2020-03-04). 'Unsanitary & dangerous!' Trump concern-trolls 'Mini Mike' over awkward finger-licking amid coronavirus epidemic. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump cautioned his billionaire Democratic rival Mike Bloomberg about the gross-out unhygienic behavior on display in a TikTok video apparently posted by his campaign. Score one for the mega-troll. | "Don't lick your dirty fingers," Trump tweeted at his adversary "Mini Mike" on Tuesday evening as voting results for Super Tuesday primaries began to surface. "Both unsanitary and dangerous to others and yourself!" | Mini Mike, don't lick your dirty fingers. Both unsanitary and dangerous to others and yourself!
(2020-03-04). American what?! Bloomberg beats Tulsi Gabbard in her birthplace Samoa & bags first delegates… at roughly $100mn per head. rt.com 
After dumping a cool $500 million into the race, billionaire media mogul Michael Bloomberg has scored his first primary win in American Samoa, beating native Tulsi Gabbard and driving many netizens to dig out a map to find it. | With all results in, Bloomberg finished with 49 percent in the territory on Tuesday night, while Gabbard took second at 29 percent. Having passed the 15-point threshold, both candidates qualified for delegates — the only ones to do so in American Samoa — with Bloomberg earning four and Gabbard one. A final delegate there has yet to be awarded. | American Samoa Results (100% R…
(2020-03-04). 'You met Al-Qaeda's medical staff': US envoy to UN takes heat after proudly greeting notorious White Helmets. rt.com 
Colorful images of Ambassador Kelly Craft enthusiastically shaking hands with 'White Helmets' members made rounds online, with users reminding the diplomat of their connections to a jihadi group the US once fought against. | Craft, who serves as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, showed up at the Turkey-Syrian border, posing with members of the self-described "civil defense group." She didn't come empty-handed, though, promising a hefty $108-million "humanitarian support package" intended for the people of northern Syria. | "Grateful to shake the hands of the brave men and women of the #whitehelmets," Ke…
(2020-03-04). WATCH: Fistfight breaks out in Turkish parliament after lawmaker lashes out at Erdogan over Idlib soldier deaths. rt.com 
Turkey's parliament descended into a chaotic fistfight after an opposition lawmaker accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of disrespecting Turkish soldiers killed recently in Idlib, Syria. | During a closed session about the country's operations in Idlib, opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) member Engin Ozkoc said Erdogan disrespected the dead troops and had also acted irresponsibly by sending them into conflict without air cover. | The accusations quickly escalated into a huge brawl inside the chamber between government and opposition politicians, with punches thrown and lawmakers slapping and kicking…
(2020-03-04). Relationships are Not the Monopoly of the State and Its Appendages. counterpunch.org 
Human for those who labor under the delusion that the curtailment of civil liberties in Kashmir and persecution of minorities in Delhi are "internal" matters: India chose democracy, secularism, and socialism as its goals in 1947. The first milestone on this road is democracy. Democracy entails a lot more than merely conducting elections every five years.
(2020-03-04). 'Their blood is on your hands': Veteran confronts Biden for 'enabling' Iraq war & killing 'millions' (VIDEO). rt.com 
Joe Biden may have scored big wins on Super Tuesday, but the Democratic presidential candidate failed to woo a military veteran who grilled him over his support for the disastrous invasion of Iraq. | In a video posted by Veterans Against the War, a man who identified himself as a former member of the Air Force approached the former vice president and quizzed him about his dicey foreign policy record. | "We are just wondering why we should vote for someone who voted for a war, who enabled a war that killed thousands of our brothers and sisters, countless Iraqi citizens," the veteran said to a surprised-looking…
(2020-03-04). The Case Against Joe Biden: Former VP's Long Career Shows a Recurring Theme of "Appeasing the Right" democracynow.org 
Following his Super Tuesday wins, we look closely at the record of former Vice President Joe Biden, from his central role in supporting the Iraq War to expanding the so-called war on drugs. We speak with Branko Marcetic, the author of "Yesterday's Man: The Case Against Joe Biden." Biden's approach to politics is based on "appeasing the right" and "taking the platform of his Republican opponent and trying to make it his own," Marcetic says.
(2020-03-04). Super Tuesday round-up: Biden surges, Sanders takes the top prize & Bloomberg quits as complaints of 'voter suppression' mount. rt.com 
The stage looks set for a drawn-out Democratic contest between an establishment centrist and a socialist agitator, after Super Tuesday voting saw Joe Biden sweep the south while Bernie Sanders claimed the top prize in California. | The biggest voting day in the Democrats' primary calendar, Super Tuesday brings in vote tallies from 14 states, as well as from American Samoa, and has a major impact on shaping the race to nab the party nomination. | So, what happened and what does it all mean? | Biden's (finally) in the game: | After a poor showing in early states like Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, forme…
(2020-03-04). The Real Losers on Super Tuesday. truthdig.com 
This piece originally appeared on Primaries can be long drawn-out affairs. The Obama-Clinton struggle of spring-summer 2008 went down to the wire, still being contested in June. As I write Tuesday evening, the delegate count for Super Tuesday is still not known, and the actual count for California could take a long time to nail down. Joe Biden pulled off a surprise upset, virtually running the tables east of the Mississippi, and doing much better than expected in the big state of Texas. The final delegate tally of the two front-r…
(2020-03-04). Establishment Joe-mentum: Biden racks up Super Tuesday wins as party lines up behind him. rt.com 
Former vice president Joe Biden has carried the south in the Super Tuesday primaries for the Democrat presidential nomination, riding the wave of endorsements and support from the party establishment. | Exit polls and projections showed Biden poised to get the most delegates from Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee, as well as scoring surprise victories in Minnesota — where Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropped out and endorsed him on the eve of the primaries — and Massachusetts, the home state of another contender, Sen. Elizabeth Warren. | Biden is set to claim the ninth Super Tuesday vic…
(2020-03-04). Sanders leads & sues to keep LA polls open later as California turns into Super Tuesday's biggest prize. rt.com 
Voters in California who found their path to the ballot box obstructed by long delays were given an additional two hours to cast their votes. The Sanders campaign had filed an emergency injunction to ensure this would happen. | People reported long lines throughout LA County on Super Tuesday, where the rollout of a new voting system has — unsurprisingly, perhaps — gone
(2020-03-04). Democratic voters hand Biden Super Tuesday win; Sanders faces uphill fight. peoplesworld.org 
On Friday afternoon last week, Bernie Sanders was forecast to have a 60% chance of going to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee this summer with a plurality of pledged delegates; Joe Biden had around a 30% chance. After Super Tuesday, those odds have flipped. The one constant: No one is on track to win …
(2020-03-04). After Biden's Super Tuesday Surge, Sanders Campaign Faces Questions About African-American Support. democracynow.org 
On Super Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden swept the South and Midwest, winning Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas, propelled by a huge majority of African-American votes in several states. We host a roundtable discussion on the results with Barbara Ransby, historian, author and activist adviser to the Movement for Black Lives; Rev. Dr. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign and president of Repairers of the Breach; and Elie Mystal, the justice correspondent for The Nation.
(2020-03-04). Super Tuesday Leaves Sanders and Biden Battling for America's Future. truthdig.com 
While Sen. Sanders lays claim to the big-delegate prize in California, the former Vice President is now corporate Democrats' only hope.
(2020-03-04). Democrat Super Tuesday: Polls close in Texas, Colorado and Minnesota. rt.com 
Polls are now closed in Colorado, Minnesota and all of Texas in Super Tuesday primaries for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Joe Biden is hoping to get enough traction to overtake Bernie Sanders. | The Associated Press called Colorado for Sanders when polls closed. With 19 percent of precincts reporting, the Vermont senator has 36.3 percent of the vote, giving him a comfortable lead over second-placed Bloomberg. | Exit polls and media projections suggest Sanders will get the largest share of Colorado's 67 delegates, while Biden is expected to do the same in Minnesota (75 delegates), thanks to an…
(2020-03-04). Applause & groans after Biden adviser 'tackles' Super Tuesday protester (VIDEO). rt.com 
A senior adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has received accolades — as well as eye-rolls — after pouncing on a protester who charged the stage during a Super Tuesday rally. | Biden was reveling in his Super Tuesday performance when two protesters rushed onto the platform where he was speaking. The first demonstrator was swiftly removed by a man who appears to have been part of the former vice president's security detail. But a second protester managed to scramble onto the stage — prompting Symone Sanders to charge at the sign-wielding disrupter and grab her by the waist.
(2020-03-04). First Super Tuesday results: Biden takes Virginia & North Carolina; Vermont called for Sanders. rt.com 
Joe Biden has won the Virginia primary in a landslide, and mainstream media outlets are predicting he will win the most delegates in North Carolina as well. Bernie Sanders is leading in his home state of Vermont. | At stake in the first contests on Tuesday are Virginia's 99 delegates and Vermont's 16. Polls in the two states closed at 7pm Eastern time (midnight GMT). North Carolina has 110 delegates, and was widely expected to be a Biden pick-up. | Biden has officially won the state of Virginia, easily coming out on top with 53 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting. Sanders scored just 23 percent, w…
(2020-03-04). Democrat centrist darling Joe Biden sweeps southern states as polls close in AL, AR, ME, MA & OK. rt.com 
The second round of Super Tuesday polls for the Democrat presidential nominations have closed, with mainstream outlets calling most states for establishment favorite Joe Biden. | At stake are 52 delegates in Alabama, 31 in Arkansas, 24 in Maine, 91 in Massachusetts and 37 in Oklahoma. Voting was extended in some Tennessee counties (64 delegates) due to disruptions from Monday night's tornadoes. | Alabama was called for Biden within minutes of the polls closing, and with 25 percent of precincts reporting he leads the field with 63.4 percent of the vote. The AP called Arkansas for Biden, leading with 32.9 percen…
(2020-03-04). Biden Wins 8 Super Tuesday States; Sanders Takes California. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON — A resurgent Joe Biden scored sweeping victories across the country with the backing of a diverse coalition and progressive rival Bernie Sanders seized Super Tuesday's biggest prize with a win in California as the Democratic Party's once-crowded presidential field suddenly transformed into a two-man contest. | The two Democrats, lifelong politicians with starkly different visions for America's future, were battling for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. territory held a series of high-stakes elections that marked the most significant day of voting in the party's 2020 presidential nomination fig…
(2020-03-04). Mixed Returns for the Huawei Bashing Tour. counterpunch.org 
The US imperium is rattled, so much so it's letting everyone else know about it. Move over the trade war with its bitchy insistence on redressing imbalances, surpluses and deficits; the next phase of conflict with China is being waged in matters of technology, with Huawei's 5G prowess featuring prominently. As the veteran Australian journalist
(2020-03-04). 'They came with MASK of compassion': Rouhani blasts Trump's offer to battle Covid-19, tells US to lift sanctions first. rt.com 
If Trump was genuine in offering help to virus-hit Iran, he should at the very least have lifted the sanctions on imports of drugs and food, Iran's president has said, bashing US officials for wearing a "mask of compassion." | "Those who even imposed drugs and food sanctions on people have done the most vicious act against the Iranian people in these two years," President Hassan Rouhani He said that relief from economic sanctions would be more useful under the circumstances. | They came up with a mask of compassion…
(2020-03-04). The worst possible person to put in charge of coronavirus response: Mike Pence. peoplesworld.org 
A year after Trump took office, Saturday Night Live did a sketch called "What Even Matters Anymore?" Game show host Jessica Chastain read a list of outrageous things Trump has done and asked, "Does it even matter anymore?" Each time, the contestants thought it should, but they were wrong. For instance, the president had an …
(2020-03-04). Companies Trim Outlooks, Travel and Staff as Virus Spreads. truthdig.com 
GROUNDED AIRPLANES: United Airlines will cut international and U.S. flying, freeze hiring and ask employees to volunteer for unpaid leave as it struggles with weak demand for travel because of the new virus outbreak. United said Wednesday it will reduce passenger-carrying capacity 20% on international routes and 10% to 12% in the U.S. United executives expect the reductions will carry into May. Beyond that, it depends what happens to bookings over the next few weeks. United's CEO and president say they hope the moves are enough, but the nature of the outbreak requires the airline to be flexible in how it responds…
(2020-03-04). Man's sick friend: First reported case of human-to-animal transmission suggests people may infect dogs with Covid-19. rt.com 
You've heard of animal-to-human coronavirus transmission, but how about the other way around? In a world first, a case has been reported of a dog possibly infected with coronavirus — who seems to have contracted it from its owner. | Initial reports of a possible canine case of coronavirus began to emerge from Hong Kong last week, and at that point it was announced that the dog in question would be quarantined for a fortnight. Swab tests from the pet's oral and nasal cavities were tested and turned up a "weak positive" for coronavirus. Thankfully, almost a week after first testing positive, the dog is rep…
(2020-03-04). Italy confirms plan to shut schools as death toll passes 100 & number of infected jumps to over 3,000. rt.com 
The Italian government has raised the country's death toll from Covid-19 passed 100 and confirmed that it is shutting all schools, universities and academic institutions to help prevent the spread of the illness. | Minister for Education Lucia Azzolina confirmed that schools across Italy will remain closed from Thursday March 5 until March 15, at the earliest, as a precautionary measure to help stem the tide of infection. |
(2020-03-04). 15 Italian tourists diagnosed with Covid-19 in India. rt.com 
A group of tourists from Italy, who were screened on arrival in India, have tested positive for coronavirus, the country's media reported citing health authorities. The news comes as India struggles to avoid the outbreak. | Some 15 Italians have been kept in preventive quarantine since Tuesday, New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences confirmed to the media. Another Italian tourist and his wife had previously shown initial symptoms of Covid-19 in the city of Jaipur. | India has introduced some pre-emptive measures in an effort to keep the epidemic at bay. It suspended visas issued to nationals from…
(2020-03-04). Coronavirus: a disaster of capitalism's making. mronline.org 
What to do if confronted with an extremely contagious virus that medical experts say they have not seen before and don't understand, and which is fast spreading and killing hundreds of people? a) Take precautionary measures to stop the virus spreading and prepare the health system for a potential shock? Or b) Ignore it, blithely […] |
(2020-03-04). No, the coronavirus is not responsible for the fall of stock prices. mronline.org 
We are witnessing a big crisis in the stock markets of the Wall Street, Europe, Japan and Shanghai, and many blame the coronavirus for it. In the last week of February 2020, the worst week since October 2008, the Dow Jones fell 12.4%, the S&P 500 fell 11.5% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 10.5%. |
(2020-03-04). Coronavirus: Bracing for the economic shockwave. mronline.org 
The information-aware and many in the medical industry are nervously watching the news about coronavirus spread and mortality rates. What we know so far isn't pretty. |
(2020-03-04). Confirmed coronavirus cases in Britain rise to 85 — ministry. rt.com 
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Britain rose to 85 on Wednesday in the biggest daily jump since it was first detected in the country, Health Ministry figures show. The number of confirmed cases was 51 on Tuesday. | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would cut the number of days workers must wait before they qualify for the state minimum sick pay if they are isolating themselves because they may have coronavirus. | Johnson told parliament that emergency coronavirus legislation would include measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the first day of absence instead of four d…
(2020-03-04). California reports 1st coronavirus death, putting US total at 11. rt.com 
The first death from the COVID-19 coronavirus has been reported in California, upping the death toll in the US to 11. The victim was an elderly person who got exposed to the virus on a cruise ship. | Health officials in Placer County, northeast of the state capital of Sacramento, said the victim was the second person in the county to test positive for the virus, and had other health problems that contributed to the death. | "While most cases of COVID-19 exhibit mild or moderate symptoms, this tragic death underscores the urgent need for us to take extra steps to protect residents who are particularly vulnerabl…
(2020-03-04). Coronavirus has affected almost all Iranian provinces, President Rouhani says. rt.com 
An outbreak of novel coronavirus has affected almost all of Iran's provinces, President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday. His statement was published on the official presidency website. | "This disease is a widespread disease," he said. "It has reached almost all our provinces and in one sense it's a global disease." | Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi was quoted on Tuesday as saying that 2,336 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in Iran. | On Wednesday, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said that 92 people have died in Iran from the novel coronavirus, while 2,922 have been infected.
(2020-03-04). European Defence Agency CANCELS all meetings as first EU official tests positive for coronavirus in Brussels — reports. rt.com 
The first EU official working at the bloc's Brussels administrative headquarters has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a spokesperson has confirmed. | "We have confirmation of the case," spokesperson Dana Spinant said, adding that reports about a male official working at the European Defence Agency contracting the virus were true, and that he had recently returned from a trip to Italy. | The European Defence Agency (EDA) has reportedly canceled all meetings to be held at its premises until March 13 as a precaution. The agency has also called off external meetings until mid-March. | Also on rt.com…
(2020-03-04). Big Tech companies cancel conventions over coronavirus fears, but small businesses hurt the most. rt.com 
Small businesses catering for conventions and trade shows are feeling the pinch as major technology companies are canceling or postponing their event plans due to fears of the rapidly spreading coronavirus. | Over a dozen Big Tech organizations have either postponed, canceled, or changed their conventions to web-based events, Facebook canceled its F8 developers conference that was scheduled to take place in May in San Jose, California. Google is turn…
(2020-03-04). The prospect of peace in Afghanistan is real—and Pakistan is the key player. mronline.org 
The U.S.-Taliban peace agreement signed in Doha on February 29 must be put in proper perspective. Indeed, there can't be two opinions that the curtain is coming down on what U.S. President Donald Trump called the "endless war" in which America squandered away over a trillion dollars and lost thousands of lives with no victory […] |
(2020-03-04). US strikes Taliban as Trump's Afghanistan peace deal risks collapse. rt.com 
The US military has conducted an airstrike against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's Helmand province, jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire and Donald Trump's much-touted peace roadmap for Afghanistan. | A spokesman for US forces said that an airstrike had targeted Taliban fighters in Nahr-e Saraj, Helmand, who were "actively attacking" an Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) checkpoint. The Pentagon insisted the strike was defensive and aimed at "disrupting" the Taliban assault, claiming that it was the first US attack on the Taliban in eleven days. | The spokesman also called on the Taliban to stop "needless a…
(2020-03-04). They Have the Watches, We Have the Time; US and Iran Hardliners Still Want War. counterpunch.org 
When I was in Afghanistan, I often heard a Pashtun saying attributed to the Afghan Taliban strategy for war with the United States: "They have the watches, but we have the time". I do not know the provenance of this saying and I do not know if the saying exists in other Muslim or Asian
(2020-03-04). The Call for an Extinction Rebellion. counterpunch.org 
In the age of coming climate apocalypse, the narcissistic self-regard of humans in their exploitive relationship with the natural world is so disgusting, so utterly reprehensible, so vain and vacuous and unworthy of intelligent beings that it makes me want to repudiate humanism altogether and call for humans to be wiped off the goddamn planet.
(2020-03-04). 'Greta Thunberg is a nice girl, but she's spewing unjustified panic' — 'anti-Greta' Naomi Seibt to RT. rt.com 
The media have invented the 'anti-Greta' label to portray her as an "evil Right antichrist," but it only attracted more people to her ideas, Naomi Seibt, who says the human effect on climate change is vastly exaggerated, told RT. | Seibt calls herself a "climate realist" and bluntly rejects the term "climate change denier," which is another label, used to describe her and her supporters by the opposing side. It implies that "we're just selfish and ignorant," but it's not the case, she pointed out. | "We're about being scientific sceptics and looking into more sensible ways to improve the environment to be more…
(2020-03-04). EU Commission adopts law proposal for climate neutrality by 2050. rt.com 
The EU Commission has adopted a proposal for a European "climate law" to make the bloc's 2050 net zero emissions target legally binding. The regulation, which requires approval from parliament and member states, would commit the EU to reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. | The draft law enshrines the EU plan to achieve "climate neutrality by 2050," Elisa Ferreira, the commissioner in charge of supporting poorer regions of the bloc, tweeted on Wednesday. | Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and NGOs said more urgent action was needed. Thunberg, 17, said the law fails to address the next 10 ye…