(2020-01-04). Geopolitical puzzle: What is behind Pompeo's visit to Kazakhstan? rt.com 
Kazakhstan is one of the stops on US State Secretary Mike Pompeo's whirlwind trip shortly after the New Year, with hopes that Washington can make inroads with a government in the key region between Russia, China and Afghanistan. | Washington has chosen to start 2020 by bringing its already strained relations with Iran to a whole new level of confrontation, as it ordered the killing of one of Tehran's top generals, Qassem Soleimani. The high-profile assassination is bound to make things difficult for the State Department. | And that's not to mention that it is far from being the only problem Pompeo and his staf…
(2020-01-04). Finally got the 'Witcher' song out of your head? This Russian folk chorus will make you sing it again (VIDEO). rt.com 
Netflix's new fantasy epic may have met with a mixed response from critics, but the song 'Toss a Coin to Your Witcher' proved to be a real earworm, and the Russian-language version has inspired an unusual cover. | In case you've missed the meme, the TV series 'The Witcher' stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a mutant monster hunter with weird looks, a bad attitude and all the publicity problems they bring. Coming to his rescue is Joey Batey's Jaskier, a bard ever ready to spin Geralt's misadventures with a song or two. Deviating from the reality of Geralt's deeds, Jaskier's tunes convince the common folk th…
(2020-01-04). 35 'vital US & Israeli targets' within Iran's reach for potential REVENGE for General Soleimani's death — senior IRGC commander. rt.com 
Iran reserves the right to avenge the US' killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani, with dozens of potential targets already on the list, a senior commander within the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says. | "Vital American targets in the region have been identified by Iran a long time ago," General Gholamali Abuhamzeh, who leads the IRGC in Iran's southern Kerman Province, said on Friday evening, as quoted by Tasnim News Agency. | 35 US targets in the region as well as Tel Aviv are within our reach. | The commander did not name any specific targets but mentioned that US warships have been ope…
(2020-01-04). The $20 TRILLION threat that could trigger the next financial meltdown. rt.com 
A number of recent reports suggest that the financial risk from climate change could be much greater than previously anticipated, and that entire asset classes could come under fire as temperatures continue to rise. | Trillions of dollars of market value could go up in smoke due to climate change. | The damage hits the global economy in multiple ways. The first is the most obvious. Physical damage from more powerful natural disasters is on the rise. 2017 and 2018 were the costliest back-to-back years for economic losses related to natural disasters, according to risk and reinsurance firm Aon. | Also on rt.com…
(2020-01-04). China on Soleimani killing: US should not abuse military power, we are watching. rt.com 
Washington's Iran policy is counterproductive and the killing of Qassem Soleimani is an abuse of US military force, a senior Chinese diplomat said in a call with Tehran, adding Beijing will play a "constructive" role in the Gulf. | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that his nation opposes the use of military force after hearing from his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, who condemned the US' targeted assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani on Friday. Wang stressed that the US operation was a breach of international norms and threatened to significantly increase turbulence in the region. | The Tr…
(2020-01-04). Thousands mourn top Iranian General Soleimani and Iraqi PMF militia Deputy Commander al-Muhandis in Baghdad (PHOTOS). rt.com 
Massive crowds have gathered in Baghdad for a funeral procession for Iran's elite Quds Force leader, Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi militia chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and others people killed in a US drone strike on Friday. | Mourners and supporters of Major General Soleimani and al-Muhandis, who was the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), are holding photos of both men along with Iraqi flags and flags of the Shia group Hezbollah. Many are dressed in black and are heard chanting "death to America." | | © Ahmad Al-Rubaye / AFP | Iraq's prime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi, is also attendin…
(2020-01-04). Complete U-turn: Iraqi PMF militias retract claims of medics being targeted by US airstrike. rt.com 
The Iranian-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have dropped their claims that a medical convoy was destroyed in a US air raid along Taji road, north of Baghdad. | In a new press release cited by several news agencies, the PMF leadership retracted their statement in which the group said their medics were hit by a US airstrike. | This happened after Reuters cited Iraqi Army sources who said that six people were killed in a raid near Taji. | The Iraqi Army, however, later denied that an airstrike took place there. In a statement quoted by local media, the military urged everyone to be "careful" about…
(2020-01-04). US-led coalition DENIES conducting airstrikes north of Baghdad amid reports of medics killed in US raid. rt.com 
The US-led coalition spokesman said the forces did not hit targets near Camp Taji north of Baghdad, after Iran-backed Iraqi militia reportedly claimed that medics were hit in a recent air raid on a convoy late Friday. | The US-led forces "did NOT conduct airstrikes" in the area in recent days, the spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve, Colonel Myles Caggins, tweeted. | @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days.— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) Januar…
(2020-01-04). British Navy to escort UK-flagged ships though Strait of Hormuz after Soleimani killing. rt.com 
The UK Defense Ministry has ordered its Navy vessels to provide "protection" to all British-flagged ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf following the death of Iran's top general in a US drone attack. | The ministry has ordered the Royal Navy's HMS Montrose frigate and HMS Defender destroyer to prepare for accompanying all vessels sailing under the British flag through the Hormuz Strait — the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the ocean that lies between the Iranian and UAE coasts. | "The government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time," Defens…
(2020-01-04). US-led coalition members suspend Iraq operations as region submerged in outrage over Iranian general's killing. rt.com 
Members of the international coalition gathered to fight Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) have suspended operations in Iraq after the targeted assassination of a top Iranian general by the US. | Germany's Bundeswehr will put on pause all military missions in Iraq, it announced late on Friday night. That includes both operations aimed against IS and training of Kurdish troops. There are around 130 German soldiers deployed in Iraq at the m…
(2020-01-04). Trump says US to strike 52 Iranian sites 'VERY FAST and VERY HARD' if Tehran moves to avenge general's death. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has said the US military have identified 52 sites important to Iran and its culture which its ready to rain hellfire upon if Teheran targets US citizens or assets to avenge the killing of its top general.
(2020-01-04). 'End #TrumpsWar now', US congresswoman & presidential candidate Gabbard tweets after drone strike killed Iranian general. rt.com 
US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, one of the Democratic Party contenders in the 2020 presidential race, said American armed forces must leave Iraq and Syria, instead of pushing towards war. | "End #TrumpsWar now. Remove our troops from Iraq and Syria," the politician from Hawaii tweeted on Saturday. | End #TrumpsWar now. Remove our troops from Iraq and Syria.— Tulsi Gabbard üå∫ (@TulsiGabbard) January 4, 2020
(2020-01-04). 'Supermani': CNN contributor falls for obvious Iran satire as US journos struggle to understand who Soleimani really was. rt.com 
Neoconservative mainstream media favorite Michael Weiss appears to have fallen for a satirical piece on Qassem Soleimani that claimed the man did not cast a shadow and was nicknamed "Supermani." | Daily Beast senior editor and frequent CNN guest Michael Weiss is earning plenty of mockery on social media following him appearing to fall for a clearly satirical story on the legend of Qassem Soleimani, the late Iranian general recently assassinated by the US military. | "It was a well cultivated (and mythologized) aura, which the…
(2020-01-04). McConnell and Pelosi Give No Signs of Budging on Impeachment. truthdig.com 
WASHINGTON — Congress opened the new year with the Senate deadlocked over President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, leaving the proceedings deeply in flux as Republicans refuse to bend to Democratic demands for new witnesses. | Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell showed no signs Friday of negotiating with the Democrats as he aims for Trump's swift acquittal. At the same time, the Republican leader acknowledged the Senate cannot begin the historic undertaking until House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers the articles of impeachment — which she i…
(2020-01-04). An Eyewitness to the Horrors of the US "Forever Wars" speaks out. dissidentvoice.org 
Kathy Kelly and Maya Evans walk with children at the Chamin-E-Babrak refugee camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 2014. (Abdulhai Darya) The 2003 "shock and awe" bombing of Iraq had finally stopped. From the balcony of my room in Baghdad's Al Fanar Hotel, I watched U.S. Marines moving between their jeeps, armored personnel carriers, and Humvees. …
(2020-01-04). Huge stock market bubble forming with an inevitable 60% plunge, strategist warns. rt.com 
The "everything rally" that has engulfed Wall Street is a classic asset bubble just waiting to burst sometime in 2020, CEO of AdvisorShares Noah Hamman told Yahoo Finance. | "It will continue on for a while for as long as we see we have an indication that we could have lower rates ahead, though possibly with a pause, but with an increasing Fed balance sheet," he said. | The "everything rally" refers to assets of all kinds that have been in major rally mode. Hype has risen among investors, thanks to the US Federal Reserve's rate cuts throughout 2019 and the signing of a phase one trade deal between the US and C…
(2020-01-04). Why a Shadowy Tech Firm With Ties to Israeli Intelligence Is Running Doomsday Election Simulations. mintpressnews.com 
A shadowy tech firm with deep ties to Israeli intelligence and newly inked contracts to protect Pentagon computers is partnering with Lockheed Martin to gain unprecedented access to the heart of America's democracy.
(2020-01-04). Haftar-backing Libyan parliament votes to cut ties with Turkey over military deal, accuses PM of treason. rt.com 
The parliament of Libya, which opposes the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, has rejected the ratification of a military agreement with Turkey and voted to cut diplomatic ties with Ankara instead. | The Tripoli-based government of Al-Sarraj struck a military agreement with Turkey, which prompted Ankara to send its troops to Libya. Their aim is to confront Khalifa Haftar, the powerful Libyan military commander based in the eastern port of Tobruk. | The Libyan parliament, which backs Haftar, said on Saturday it refused to ratify the Turkey deal and called for pressing high treason charges against Fayez Al-Sar…
(2020-01-04). US Immigration (ICE) Accelerates Violent Arrests of (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) DACA Holders. globalresearch.ca "You are not from the castle. You are not from the village. You are nothing." Franz Kafka, "The Castle" | "If there were right laws, if there were a pathway, we would stand in line…. Because this country has a broken, …
(2020-01-04). Mexican president calls for Julian Assange's freedom. wsws.org In response to a question from a reporter, Lopez Obrador said the WikiLeaks founder should be pardoned and his torture should be ended.
(2020-01-04). Ex-Australian foreign minister calls for release of Julian Assange to halt damage to US alliance. wsws.org Carr's statement is, first of all, a symptom of the alarm within the ruling class about the mounting popular demand for the freedom of the WikiLeaks founder.
(2020-01-04). US escalates war on Iran and Iraq — Discussion with Rania Khalek, Max Blumenthal, Ben Norton, Aaron Mate. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone held a live discussion of the US escalation of war on Iran and Iraq, with Trump's assassination of…
(2020-01-04). Thousands Take to Streets Across US to Protest Trump's March to War Against Iran. truthout.org Thousands of people in dozens of cities across the United States on Saturday took to the streets to condemn the Trump administration's " reckless acts of war" against Iran and demand that the U.S. withdraw its troops from the Middle East. | From New York City to Chicago to Arkansas and more than 70 other locations around the U.S., demonstrators rallied against the assassina…
(2020-01-04). US Out of Iraq! (San Jose). indybay.org 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113…
(2020-01-04). A Major Conventional War Against Iran Is an Impossibility. Crisis within the US Command Structure. globalresearch.ca What both the media and military analysts fail to acknowledge is that US CENTCOM's forward Middle East headquarters at the al-Udeid military base close to Doha de facto "lies in enemy territory". Since the May 2017 split of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Qatar has become a staunch ally of Iran…
(2020-01-04). Trump's march to war on Iran aided by Democrats' weakness on sanctions, nuclear deal. thegrayzone.com The US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander, is the culmination of three years of Trump administration…
(2020-01-04). No War with Iran! (San Mateo). indybay.org corner 3rd Ave and El Camino | 300 So El Camino Real | San Mateo, CA 94402…
(2020-01-04). Native People urge peace and friendship with Iran, demand U.S. get out of Iraq. indybay.org Native Americans spoke out today, urging peace and friendship with the people of Iraq and Iran, and called out Trump for assassinations and provocations to escalate war.
(2020-01-04). Monterey Protest: No War on Iran! U.S. Out of Iraq! indybay.org Window On The Bay / Monterey Waterfront Park, Del Monte Ave, Monterey, California 93940…
(2020-01-04). Peace in Darfur seems unlikely until dissolution of militias complicit in genocide. peoplesdispatch.org The latest bout of violence in Darfur, which is believed to have cost 48 lives, has halted peace negotiations. A sustainable peace process seems unlikely till the militias involved in mass killings are dissolved and those in power who supported them are overthrown…
(2020-01-04). Mexico City Goes Back to the Future With Plastic Bag Ban. telesurenglish.net Mexico City's new ban on plastic bags has inspired visions of a journey back in time even as local makers of the packaging worry they could become obsolete. | The city's government this week banned single-use plastic bags to complement worldwide efforts to protect the environment, sparking protests from companies that produce them. | RELATED: | Mexico Ratifies Asylum to Bolivian Refugees in Its Embassy | "We have to take plastic out of circulation," said Andree Lilian Guigue, the o…
(2020-01-04). Sacramento Protest: U.S. Troops Out of Iraq! No War on Iran! indybay.org Intersection of 9th Street and K Street, Downtown Sacramento…
(2020-01-04). Protest in Davis: No War on Iran! U.S. Troops Out of Iraq! indybay.org B Street and 5th Street, Davis, CA…
(2020-01-04). Trump Unites Iran and Iraq… Against the United States. commondreams.org People gather to stage a protest against the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. airstrike in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after Friday prayer in Tehran, Iran on January 3, 2020. (Photo: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/iran_2.jpg …
(2020-01-04). International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli war crimes. wsws.org Human rights groups have told the UN Human Rights Council, which is investigating Israel's use of lethal fire against protestors, that no evidence exists of a single protester killed in Gaza border protests being armed.
(2020-01-04). Urgent Call For Action Against A U.S. War On Iran. indybay.org Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) emphatically opposes a U.S. war with Iran. In light of the U.S.'s act of war against Iran, putting the two nations close to the brink of war, DSA calls on all members and chapters to mobilize against yet another U.S. war in the Middle East.
(2020-01-04). Russia, Ukraine reach last minute gas transit deal. wsws.org The EU pushed for the Ukraine and Russia to accept a deal following the US announcement of sanctions against the Russian-German pipeline Nord Stream 2.
(2020-01-04). The murder of Qassem Soleimani and assassination as state policy. wsws.org In a reckless and criminal act, the Trump administration has effectively declared war on Iran, threatening to drag the whole world into a catastrophic conflict.
(2020-01-04). the new hitler : donald trump ! indybay.org The bilderbergs now want war on Iran – and they are trying to gather western consensus for it by the usual means : lies and wanton murder.
(2020-01-04). '35 Vital US Posts Are Within Reach of Iran', Iranian Commander. telesurenglish.net Iran's Revolutionary Guard commander Gholamali Abuhamzeh Friday warned that his country will punish the United States anywhere within the reach of the Islamic Republic in retaliation for the murder of General Qassem Soleimani. | RELATED: | US Deploys 3,000 Troops to the Middle East as War Concern Grows | Abuhamzeh, who stressed that Tehran has identified vital U.S. goals in the Middle East for a long time, mentioned a series of possible targets for reprisals including the Gulf…
(2020-01-04). Brazilians Ask Bolsonaro Not to Comment on US Attack in Iraq. telesurenglish.net The U.S. attack in Baghdad, which has ended the life of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani and other Iraqi military figures, represent a new escalade of tensions between Washington and Persian Gulf nations and have caused a whole series of speculations on social networks about the consequences it will have. | RELATED: | A 1st Year to Forget: 80% Distrust Brazil's Bolsonaro | While the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Hoseiní Khameneí, promised revenge, the U.S. president, Donald T…
(2020-01-04). Venezuela requests extradition of defectors involved in attacks on military bases. peoplesdispatch.org Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced on January 2 that the government has filed a formal request to Brazil to extradite the five defectors of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) detained in Brazil, who were involved in the attack on military bases in the Gran Sabana municipality. | "We have sent our counterpart of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Augusto Aras, a communication informing him of the proceedings for the extradition of 5 former FANB officers involved in the attacks on two military bases in the municipality of Gran Sabana. In this communication we formally request that the…
(2020-01-04). Australia Deploys 3,000 Reservists to Combat Bushfire Crisis. telesurenglish.net Australia deployed three thousand reservists to fight forest fires on Saturday at the southeast of the country, where 21 people have died so far. | RELATED: | Australia: Wildfires Paint the Sky Red, Create Lightning Storms | "It is costing us a high price," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said and mentioned that at least 1,500 homes have been burned across the country since September. | The Australian PM also announced the deployment of the Adelaide ship to help evacuate people,…
(2020-01-04). Trump Paints Himself as Defender of Faith for Evangelicals. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump turned a mega-church revival gathering into a campaign rally on Friday, referring to a group of evangelical supporters on issues that include claims of Democratic Party anti-Semitism, the promise to take the prayer to public schools and even dared to mention the recent assassination of an Iranian Major-General. | RELATED: | Pentagon Confirms It Killed Iran's Soleimani on Trump's Orders | Trump spoke on the outskirts of Miami at the King Jesus Internati…
(2020-01-04). Rail Strike Becomes Longest in France's History Since May 1968. telesurenglish.net The ongoing train strike in France in opposition to pension reforms proposed by the government has become the largest continuous period of industrial action in the history of the country's state rail company. | RELATED: | 'New Strikes Against Pension Reform Are Ready', French Workers | Entering its 29th consecutive day, the current strike by SNCF workers against President Emmanuel Macron's bid to overhaul France's pensions has surpassed the previous record of 28 days, which was se…
(2020-01-04). Spain: Electoral Authority Disqualifies Catalonia's President. telesurenglish.net Spain's Electoral Board (JEC) Friday dismissed Catalonia's Autonomous Government President Quim Torra from his position as a regional lawmaker. This decision implies his cessation as president since the Statute of Catalonia obliges the head of the Catalan Executive to be a lawmaker. | RELATED: | EU Parliament President Lifts Ban on Top Catalan Politicians | Approved with…
(2020-01-04). Ruling class bereft of answers while catastrophic fires escalate across Australia. wsws.org The criminal indifference of the Australian ruling elite to the threat of climate change has its parallels around the world.
(2020-01-04). Is California's Climate Progress Going Up in Smoke? indybay.org The Commonwealth Club, 110 The Embarcadero, Taube Family Auditorium, San Francisco 94105…
(2020-01-04). CA District 13 Senate Race: Candidates Forum on Climate & Environment. indybay.org Menlo-Atherton High School Theatre, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, CA 94027…
(2020-01-04). Australia: Climate change and the bushfire crisis. wsws.org "Long-term climate change in Australia is an undeniable reality."