(2020-01-03). Iran Quds Force commander killed in strike on convoy at Baghdad Airport. rt.com 
The head of Iran's elite Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, has been killed in a strike near the Baghdad International Airport, along with senior leaders of the Iraqi Shia militia, the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps has confirmed. | The news of the commander's demise was carried by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, citing The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. | #Baghdad #Iraq pic.twitter.com/eklxjmqTKV— Steven nabil (@thestevennabil) (2020-01-03). Assange and Manning: The Slow Execution of the Voices of Freedom. globalresearch.ca Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning have exposed corrupt officials and criminal politicians | Assange and Manning are prisoners of conscience | How to free Assange and Manning? | Be the Voice of Assange and Manning in your community by any needs necessary. | ***…
(2020-01-03). More US Fuel on the Middle East Fire: Trump Orders New Troop Deployment to the Region. globalresearch.ca Trump began 2020 with a bang by authorizing more US combat troops to the Middle East. | It's already ablaze from endless US wars of aggression on nonbelligerent states threatening no one. | The new deployment is an ominous new year's beginning, …
(2020-01-03). Old Money and New Questions in AMLO's Mexico. globalresearch.ca It's been nearly a year since the "leftist firebrand" Andrés Manuel López Obrrador (AMLO) took office as Mexican president, promising to end official corruption and state-linked violence, redistribute wealth to the poor and promote Indigenous rights. Shortly into his term, …
(2020-01-03). Video: US Sanctions and the Caesar Act, Oil and Gas, Chemical Weapons, and the Syrian Response. globalresearch.ca The Caesar Act is one of the main topics discussed by the Media and Political Advisor in the Syrian Presidency Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban in a thorough must watch and learn from interview with Kamal Khalaf of Al-Mayadeen News channel. | Dr. …
(2020-01-03). Turkish Lawmakers Authorize Sending Troops to Fight in Libya. truthdig.com The move to support current government in Tripoli is seen as a threat to regional security and is denounced by Greece, Israel and Cyprus.
(2020-01-03). Policing, Facial Recognition and Targeting Privacy. globalresearch.ca The chances for those seeking a world of solitude are rapidly run out. A good case can be made that this has already happened. Aldous Huxley's Savage, made famous in Brave New World, is out of options, having lost to …
(2020-01-02). Hypersonic Putin and Gonzo Weaponry. counterpunch.org 
Weapons of dazzling murderousness have always thrilled military industrial establishments. They make money; they add to the accounts; and they tickle the pride of States who manufacture them. From time to time, showy displays of restraint through arms limitation agreements are made. These can apply to either the offensive element of such weapons, or their More
(2020-01-02). A New Year and a New Trump Foreign Policy Blunder in Iraq. mintpressnews.com 
Trump's effort to blame Iran for this crisis is simply a ploy to divert attention from his own bungled policy. In reality, the blame for the present crisis should be placed squarely on the doorstep of the White House itself.
(2020-01-02). Residents baffled as THREE SUNS appear in skies above China (VIDEO). rt.com 
Residents in the Chinese city of Fuyu, were stunned this week when they were greeted not by the usual morning sunlight but what appeared to be three suns shining brightly. | Two large glowing orbs appeared to be flanking the Sun on either side, dwarfing our star in the process, on the last day of 2019 in the skies above the country's northeastern Jilin Province. | Three "suns" appear on the sky over northeast China‚òÄÔ∏è‚òÄÔ∏è‚òÄÔ∏è | This spectacular view is caused by a natural phenomenon called "sun do…
(2020-01-02). China-UK stock trade scheme 'suspended' over Britain's stance on Hong Kong protests. rt.com 
A financial scheme linking investors in London and Shanghai, and launched last year, has reportedly been put on pause by Beijing in response to what is perceived as British meddling in the ongoing Hong Kong protests. | The Shanghai-London Stock Connect allows certain companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange to issue depositary receipts on the other bourse. This offers international investors a backdoor access to the Chinese financial market, s…
(2020-01-02). After 18 Years of US Occupation, Poll Finds Zero Percent of Afghans Thriving, 85 Percent "Suffering" mintpressnews.com 
Since the 2001 occupation of Afghanistan began, fighting has not stopped, destroying the country and leading to the U.S. spending an estimated $2 trillion on the war.
(2020-01-02). Death Toll Rises in India as Protests Against Modi Government's Citizenship Law Intensify. democracynow.org 
In India, the death toll amid the government's crackdown on widespread protests has risen to at least 27 people, and over 1,000 more have been arrested. The protests are against a controversial new citizenship law, which provides a path to Indian citizenship for undocumented immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan — unless they are Muslim. Opponents of the law say it's a step toward the official marginalization of India's 200 million Muslims. Paramilitary and police forces were deployed in response to the demonstrations in Muslim-majority districts in Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi, and the intern…
(2020-01-02). 'Will they go to Italy?' Indian minister rallies behind citizenship law, says other nations won't take 'poor' Hindus. rt.com 
India's Home Minister G. Kishan Reddy said it was imperative that persecuted religious groups in neighboring countries be granted Indian citizenship, arguing they have nowhere else to go. | Speaking in the context of the recently passed Citizenship Amendment Act, which fast-tracks Indian citizenship for religious groups fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Reddy said India must pick up the slack for other nations unwilling to take in poor refugees, singling out Italy by name. | "It's our moral responsibility to give citizenship to the minorities [from three neighboring Muslim countries]…
(2020-01-02). "The Genocidal Regime Is Still in Power": Assad Forces Push into Idlib, Last Rebel Stronghold. democracynow.org 
The United Nations says a quarter of a million people have fled the Russian-backed Syrian government offensive in the northwestern province of Idlib. Aid groups are now warning the offensive in Idlib could become the worst humanitarian crisis in the nine-year war in Syria. Nearly 200,000 Syrian civilians have fled toward the Turkish border as Syrian government ground troops advance into Idlib, the last major rebel-held territory, where about 3 million people live. Displaced civilians have sought refuge in several camps along the border, where they struggle with harsh winter conditions, flooding and mud due to hea…
(2020-01-02). Could a "New Civil War" Erupt in Iraq as U.S. and Iran Fight for Influence in the Country? democracynow.org 
In Iraq, Iran-backed militia members withdrew from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone on Wednesday after being tear-gassed by American security forces. Their withdrawal ended a tense standoff that began Tuesday when militia members broke through the embassy's reception area chanting "Death to America" while thousands rallied outside to protest a slew of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria that killed at least 24 members of the Iranian-backed militia Kata'ib Hezbollah. The U.S. airstrikes came after an American contractor was killed in a rocket attack in Kirkuk, Iraq, Friday. The embassy withdr…
(2020-01-02). Imperial delusion: Turkey sending troops to Libya would be no solution to the chaos caused by the 2011 NATO intervention. rt.com 
With an emergency convening of Turkey's parliament, the path has been cleared for Ankara to send troops to Libya — but such a move may be less about ending the bloody civil conflict there and more about Turkey's power ambitions. | The new year barely begun, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fast-tracked a motion to approve the potential deployment of Turkish troops, which passed handily in parliament on Thursday. | Erdogan's move follows a pattern of recent muscle-flexing and is an obvious play to force Ankara into a more influential position. This is a gamble that could backfire. | Ravaged by years of conf…
(2020-01-02). Turkish parliament backs govt plan to send troops to Libya in emergency session. rt.com 
The Turkish parliament has voted to approve a plan to send troops to support the UN-recognized government in Libya as it continues to fight forces loyal to a rival government in the eastern part of the country. | Lawmakers approved the motion, which grants a one-year mandate for the troop deployment, in an emergency session on Thursday. The motion passed by 325 votes to 184. | The plan was opposed by Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican Peoples' Party (CHP), which said sending troops could aggravate the situation and embroil Ankara in another conflict. | The CHP said Monday that it didn't want to see…
(2020-01-02). Foreign interference could 'complicate' Libya, Turkey's Erdogan is told… by Trump. rt.com 
None other than US President Donald Trump has stood up against foreign intervention in Libya, warning his NATO ally Turkey that its planned military deployment could make the situation in the North African country worse. | During the phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, "President Trump pointed out that foreign interference is complicating the situation in Libya," the White House said in a statement. | No further details were given, but the call took place just after the Turkish legislature voted 325 to 184 to approve sending troops to the North African country, in order…
(2020-01-02). Cutting it close: NASA just detected two asteroids headed towards the Earth… with two more right behind. rt.com 
NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is currently monitoring a miniature swarm of four asteroids currently heading towards Earth, two of which were only detected on January 1. | CNEOS is tasked with watching the skies for any potentially hazardous asteroids, but given the vastness of space, that's a lot of sky to check which may explain why two of the four asteroids were only spotted yesterday. | 2020 AC, with a diameter of roughly 89 feet and traveling at approximately 13,000 miles per hour, will lead the charge, flying past the Earth at 1: 56 am EST. | It will be followed soon after by the 72-f…
(2020-01-02). Lebanon receives Interpol arrest warrant for disgraced Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn — reports. rt.com 
Lebanon has received an international police arrest warrant for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn, the state-run National News Agency reported on Thursday. | The 'red' notice calls on authorities in Lebanon to arrest Ghosn, who managed to jump bail in Japan, where he is charged with embezzlement, and to flee to the middle-eastern country. | Also on rt.com | | Pilots detained as Turkey opens probe on ex-Nissan chief Ghosn's Japan escape via Istanbul — reports | Interpol's request was received by Lebanon's internal security forces but it has y…
(2020-01-02). Pilots detained as Turkey opens probe on ex-Nissan chief Ghosn's Japan escape via Istanbul — reports. rt.com 
Turkish authorities are determined to find out how former Nissan and Renault chief Carlos Ghosn managed to jump bail in Japan, where he is charged with embezzlement, and flee through Istanbul airport, Turkish media said. | Seven people, including four pilots, have been detained after the Interior Ministry launched a probe into the allegations that the fugitive ex-CEO had made it from Osaka to Beirut, Lebanon, passing through Istanbul, Turkish media said on Thursday. | A former chairman and CEO of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Ghosn is charged in Japan with embezzling the company's assets and lying to sha…
(2020-01-02). Marvel will introduce trans hero 'very soon' in ongoing effort to go woke in new phase of films. rt.com 
Marvel President Kevin Feige has promised that a transgender character will be entering Disney's Marvel universe in the near future after having already promised gay and disabled characters. | Box-ticking is a number one priority for Marvel's upcoming Phase Four films. Having already confirmed gay and deaf characters in 'The Eternals,' Marvel President Kevin Feige promised that a transgender character will be introduced into the fictional world "very soon." | Asked at the New York Film Academy about transgender representation in the franchise that kicked off in 2008 with 'Iron Man,' Feige responded that a film…
(2020-01-02). Jumping into 2020? Two Siberian men use PARACHUTES to leap out of high-rise apartment (VIDEO). rt.com 
A couple of thrill-seekers in the Russian Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk apparently grew so bored at a New Year's party that they decided to leave it by literally making a parachute jump out of the apartment block. | Footage taken by alarmed onlookers in a nearby building shows two men standing on a balcony railing on the 24th floor of a high-rise overlooking the Yenisei River, before making a spectacular parachute jump. | –í –ö—Ä–∞—Å–Ω–æ—è—Ä—Å–∫–µ —ç–&in…
(2020-01-02). Russia to launch stock exchange for sanctioned companies. rt.com 
Companies targeted by Western sanctions will have an opportunity to list their bonds, as Russia plans to create a special stock exchange in 2020 to bolster its national capital markets. | The launch was initially scheduled for December but was then postponed to January, according to Russia's Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev. The official explained that the ministry needed more time to finish the platform. | Read more | | Sanctions? Russia has the best-peforming stock market in the world | At least two companies have already announced…
(2020-01-02). 'We can break America, but won't lead Iran to war' IRGC commander says after US embassy standoff. rt.com 
Iran's Revolutionary Guards are not leading the country into a war with the US, but will not hesitate to wage one if forced to, the commander of the elite force said amid a row over US embassy in Baghdad. | The US blames Tehran for orchestrating mass protests at the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, which involved a partial takeover of the massive compound. The protest was led by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, in response to US airstrikes on its forces. Speaking on Thursday, Brigadier General Hossein Salami said the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was not moving towards an open war wi…
(2020-01-02). 18 killed, including children, after An-12 military plane crashes in Sudan amid tribal violence flare-up (PHOTOS). rt.com 
An Antonov military transport plane went down shortly after take-off in Sudan's West Darfur province, killing everyone on board, including four children. Photos showing scorched wreckage have emerged online. | The Sudanese army has confirmed that nobody survived the crash, which took place just five minutes after the ill-fated plane took off from El Geneina airport in West Darfur. The region has seen heavy fighting between tribal militias in the recent days. | "An Antonov 12 military plane crashed Thursday night after takeoff from El Geneina, killing its seven-member crew, three judges and eight civilians, inc…
(2020-01-02). Social program meets goal, delivers 3 million homes. mronline.org 
The new goal of the social housing program is to deliver at least 500,000 new dwellings in 2020. | Source
(2020-01-02). India launches free Wi-Fi on Delhi Metro with help from Russian telecoms firm. rt.com 
Free high-speed Wi-Fi has been launched on the underground metro system in India's capital, Delhi, with key technology for the project provided by the Russian company that developed Wi-Fi for Moscow's subway. | The Delhi Metro is a massive urban transport system spanning 325 kilometers, and linking the Indian capital to its satellite towns. The sheer size of the transport network, used by almost three million commuters every day, sets it firmly among the largest metro systems in the world, including those in London, Shanghai, Beijing, and New York. | Now, with the help of Russian telecoms expertise, the city's…
(2020-01-02). Balloon with Austrian girl's Christmas wishes miraculously lands in Russian villager's yard & he proves Santa is real. rt.com 
A helium balloon traveled more than 2,500km by air from a tiny Austrian town to a mountainous village in Russia's North Caucasus, prompting one of this year's most amazing Christmas stories. | Amin, a farmer from the village of Krasny Kurgan in Russia's southern Karachay-Cherkess Republic, told the Mash Telegram channel about how he became a real life Santa. | Straight out of a fairy tale, the story began one day in mid-December when Amin spotted a white helium balloon falling from the sky and right into his backyard. The farmer took interest in the unusual "intruder" and discovered that it had a handwritten l…
(2020-01-02). Greta Thunberg, Eco-Warrior. thenation.com 
We have our work cut out for us.
(2020-01-02). 'Only Latino candidate' Julian Castro drops out of US presidential race. rt.com 
Former Obama housing secretary Julian Castro has dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination after failing to crack 1 percent in most polls. His platform lives on in how it pushed other candidates leftward. | Castro released a video on Thursday thanking his supporters and promising to "keep fighting for an America where everyone counts." Touting his record of "speaking up for the most vulnerable folks in this country," the former San Antonio mayor boasted of "shaping the conversation" in the 2020 race, but admitted that he had realized "it simply isn't our time," with just a month to go…
(2020-01-02). Belgium suspends extradition warrant on Catalan independence leader Puigdemont. rt.com 
A Belgian court has suspended the extradition of former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, citing his immunity as a member of the European Parliament, the pro-independence politician has confirmed on his Twitter. | The court ruled in favor of Puigdemont and another pro-independence politician, Toni Comin, who served as health minister in the exiled leader's former government. Both politicians are now residing in Belgium, and are wanted in Spain on charges of sedition over their role in organizing a banned Catalonia independence referendum in 2017. | Belgian justice recognizes our immunity and decides to susp…
(2020-01-02). Democrat Julián Castro Drops Out of 2020 Presidential Race. truthdig.com AUSTIN, Texas — Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro, the only Latino in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race, on Thursday ended his campaign that had pushed the field on immigration and swung hard at rivals on the debate stage but never found a foothold to climb from the back of the pack. | "I'm so proud of the campaign we've run together. We've shaped the conversation on so many important issues in this race, stood up for the most vulnerable people and given a voice to those who are often forgotten," Castro said in an online video. "But with only a month until the Iowa caucuses, and given…
(2020-01-02). Death Toll Rises in India as Protests Against Modi's Citizenship Law Intensify. truthout.org In India, the death toll amid the government's crackdown on widespread protests has risen to at least 27 people, and over 1,000 more have been arrested. The protests are against a controversial new citizenship law, which provides a path to Indian citizenship for undocumented immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan — unless they are Muslim. Opponents of the law say it's a step toward the official marginalization of India's 200 million Muslims. Paramilitary and police forces we…
(2020-01-02). African Migrants in Egypt Face Increasingly Violent Racism. telesurenglish.net Sub-Saharan African migrants who flee war, violence, and poverty in their homelands face huge racial harassment and discrimination in Egypt, an Associated Press investigation revealed Thursday. | RELATED: | Libya Militias Divert EU Funds for Migrants, Exploit Them: Report | In Egypt's capital Cairo, reporters have been visiting migrant communities, where at least two dozen sub-Saharan Africans, including four children, recounted the racist insults, sexual harassment, and othe…
(2020-01-02). Turkish Parliament Approves Bill to Deploy Military to Libya. telesurenglish.net The Turkish Parliament passed a bill on Thursday that approves the deployment of the country's armed forces to the North African nation of Libya in order to assist the U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord troops in Tripoli. | RELATED: | Libya Militias Divert EU Funds for Migrants, Exploit Them: Report | According to the state-owned Anadolu Agency, the Turkish Parliament passed the bill with a 325 -184 vote in favor of deploying the armed forces to Libya. | Due to the…
(2020-01-02). US Border Militia Leader Pleads Guilty to Weapons Charge. telesurenglish.net United States leader of a far-right armed militia Larry Hopkins, 70, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges, prosecutors and a defense lawyer informed. | RELATED: | FBI Arrests Leader of Militia Stopping Migrants in New Mexico | A U.S. Attorneys' spokeswoman said that during a hearing in federal court in New Mexico, Hopkins had admitted to being in possession of nine firearms and ammunition for those weapons at the time of his arrest in April. | Hopkins, who has fou…
(2020-01-02). Austria Coalition Deal Includes Anti-Migrant Policies. telesurenglish.net A coalition deal between Austria's conservative People's Party (OVP) and the Greens will include banning headscarves and preventive custody for potentially "dangerous" migrants, several Austrian media reported Thursday. | RELATED: | Austrian Conservatives and Greens Reach Coalition Deal | The deal includes raising the age until which girls are banned from wearing…
(2020-01-02). Today's Concentration Camps Go by Many Names, But They're Still Open. truthout.org "The use of concentration camps changes the world, but going forward, the most predictable outcome of their use is a world with more camps." | Today we use a lot of euphemisms: re-education camps, internment, work camps, prison camps, camps for internally displaced people. But before world war one, these prisons were known simply as concentration camps and they started in Cuba in the 1890s to control an uprising against the Spanish colonizers. Since then, concentration camps have proliferated across the globe, and have become the…
(2020-01-02). Trump Regime Torture and Abuse of Chelsea Manning. globalresearch.ca In March 2019, Manning was imprisoned for invoking her constitutional right of silence. | She courageously refused to be part of the Trump regime's effort to frame and imprison Julian Assange longterm for the "crime" of truth-telling investigative journalism the way …
(2020-01-02). Sat. Jan. 4 National Day of Action U.S. Troops Out of Iraq! globalresearch.ca On Saturday, January 4 the ANSWER Coalition, CODEPINK and others are calling on people from around the United States to organize local demonstrations to demand: NO MORE U.S. TROOPS TO IRAQ OR THE MIDDLE EAST! U.S. OUT OF IRAQ NOW! …
(2020-01-02). OPCW leaks expose 'criminal' Syria cover-up — and US media is silent. thegrayzone.com The US media continues to ignore one of 2019's top scandals: a cover-up inside the OPCW, the world's top chemical…
(2020-01-02). Top 20 The Grayzone stories of 2019: From Venezuela coup attempt to Russiagate delusions, information warfare to new cold war. thegrayzone.com 2019 was a big year for The Grayzone. We traveled the world and broke many stories, exposing the empire's schemes…
(2020-01-02). Canada, Israel and the UN Security Council. globalresearch.ca Canadian activists have compiled a study of Canada's 2019 voting record at the United Nations on resolutions [see list below] that document and censure Israeli violations of international law. | There was much fanfare made about Canada's orphan "yes" vote at …
(2020-01-02). Could a New Civil War Erupt in Iraq as the US and Iran Vie for Influence? truthout.org In Iraq, Iran-backed militia members withdrew from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone on Wednesday after being tear-gassed by American security forces. Their withdrawal ended a tense standoff that began Tuesday when militia members broke through the embassy's reception area chanting "Death to America" while thousands rallied outside to protest a slew of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria that killed at least 24 members of the Iranian-backed militia Kata'ib Hezbollah. The U.S. ai…
(2020-01-02). Headlines for January 2, 2020. democracynow.org Iranian-Backed Militia Withdraws After Standoff at U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Reports: 9 Civilians Killed in Syrian Government Strike on School in Idlib, Wildfires Rage in Australia; Floods Kill 16 in Indonesia, Tens of Thousands Protest in Hong Kong on New Year's Day, Thousands March in Santiago, Chile, Against Austerity on New Year's Day, French Rail Workers' Strike Now Longest Since 1968, Netanyahu Asks Parliament for Immunity in Corruption Cases, 16 People Killed in Prison Riot in Zacatecas, Mexico, Pope Francis Condemns Violence Against Women in New Year's Day Speech, Scores of New Laws Take Effect Across the…
(2020-01-02). Iraq: America's Other "Longest War" globalresearch.ca As the calendar prepared to flip from 2019 to 2020, protesters stormed the US embassy in Baghdad. As I write this, the action — a response to US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria which killed at least 25 and …
(2020-01-02). Shutter the Gigantic US Embassy in Iraq. globalresearch.ca This week, amid protests by people upset with United States intervention in Iraq, individuals forced their way into and damaged the US embassy compound in Baghdad. In response, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper declared on Tuesday that 750 …
(2020-01-02). Chile: Mayor of Santiago City to Face Constitutional Accusation. telesurenglish.net Chile's lawmaker of the Social Convergence party Gabriel Boric Thursday confirmed that a coalition of progressive parties will present a constitutional accusation against the Santiago Metropolitan Mayor Felipe Guevara who is one of the authorities responsible for the brutal repression that the Military Police has been performing against citizens at Dignity Square. | RELATED: | Chileans Ring In New Year With Large Protest Against Regime | "Guevara is politically responsible for som…