(2020-02-03). Guaido's Failed Foreign Tour Ends With A Flop. dissidentvoice.org 
President Maduro speaks to a massive crowd at Miraflores Palace on the anniversary of a failed Guaido coup (From Orinoco Tribune) Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself the president of Venezuela a year ago but despite multiple coup attempts, he never took power and his support there rapidly disappeared. Now, with his foreign tour concluding, Guaidó's support is shrinking around …
(2020-02-03). Indian govt says there 'cannot be any delay' to execution of 4 convicts in 2012 gang rape & murder after 2nd postponement. rt.com 
India's solicitor general has said the convicts in the 'Nirbhaya' rape and murder that inspired a Netflix series are "testing the patience of the nation" by filing appeals one after another after their hanging was delayed again. | India's Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is the second law officer in the country, has said that there should be no more delays in carrying out the death sentence in the case of the four men, found guilty of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a young student on a bus, who later became known as Nirbhaya ("fearless" in Hindi). | "In the interest of the society and victim, there should…
(2020-02-03). ACLU: Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans. democracynow.org 
The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries — most of which are African nations. Under the new restrictions, nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan will no longer be able to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S., while Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be able to participate in the diversity visa lottery program. The ban, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban," already affects citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela and North Korea. The expansion is expected to affect more than 350 million people. Democrats say they will…
(2020-02-03). EU top diplomat Borrell visits Iran 'to de-escalate tensions' over nuclear program. rt.com 
Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell held talks on Monday in the Iranian capital on a mission aimed at lowering tensions over Tehran's nuclear program. | Borrell's trip, his first to Iran since taking office, follows a spike in tensions between Washington and Tehran following the January 3 assassination in Baghdad of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike. | The two-day visit opened with a meeting with FM Mohammad Javad Zarif, ahead of talks with President Hassan Rouhani and parliament speaker Ali Larijani. | The trip will allow Borrell "to convey the EU's strong commitment to preserve" the 2015 nuclear deal, cal…
(2020-02-03). Warring Libya sides sit down for Geneva talks agreed in Berlin. rt.com 
The two major warring parties in the Libyan civil war have for the first time sat down for commission-level talks in Geneva. The meeting was agreed at the Libya summit in Berlin, after a peace process started by Russia and Turkey.
(2020-02-03). Russian military shoots down drone approaching Khmeimim Air Base from Med Sea. rt.com 
An unidentified drone has been intercepted near Russian Khmeimim airbase in Syria. The UAV approached the compound from the Mediterranean Sea and was shot down by the base's anti-air defenses. | The flying object came close to the military facility late on Monday, Russia's Defence Ministry has said. The drone was shot down by a Pantsir-S anti-aircraft system before it reached the premises of the base and it did not inflict any materiel damage or casualties. The origin of the drone has not been established yet. | Earlier in the day, Syrian state media reported that at least two drones, launched by the anti-gove…
(2020-02-03). Turkey failed to notify of convoy movements in Syria's Idlib before getting shelled by Damascus troops — Russian military. rt.com 
A shelling incident in Syria in which Ankara said six of its soldiers were killed may have been caused by the failure of the Turkish side to warn about the movement of their convoy, the Russian military said. | "Units of the Turkish military conducted movement within the Idlib de-escalation zone during the nighttime from February 2 to February 3 without informing the Russian side and came under fire by the Syrian government troops, which were targeting terrorists west of Saraqib," the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation said on Monday. | The statement stressed that there are established lines of communica…
(2020-02-03). Turkey says 6 troops killed in shelling in Syria's Idlib, points finger at Damascus. rt.com 
Ankara has claimed that six Turkish soldiers were killed and several others injured after they came under heavy shelling in the rebel-held province of Idlib, while blaming Syrian Army forces for the attack. | In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that its forces came under "intense artillery fire" in the northwest Syrian province. It initially said four troops were killed and nine injured, including one seriously. The death toll was later updated to six. | The ministry said that the Turkish forces retaliated by destroying unspecified targets in the region. It also claimed that Ankara had…
(2020-02-03). 'They will understand their mistake': Erdogan vows to continue military ops in Idlib after 6 Turkish soldiers killed. rt.com 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to continue retaliating heavily to any attacks against Turkish forces in Syria's Idlib Province, after six Turkish soldiers were killed. | "We have responded in kind to these attacks and will continue to do so, whether it is with our artillery or mortars," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul on Monday, adding that a military operation in Syria's northwestern Idlib Province is ongoing. | He said that the Turkish heavy howitzers and F-16 jets hit around 40 targets, "neutralizing" between 30 and 35 Syrian government soldiers. Sources told the Daily Sabah that Ankara…
(2020-02-03). The Old Puppets Return: Meet Bolivia's Corrupt Washington-Backed Candidates. mintpressnews.com 
Elections are looming in Bolivia. Despite closing ranks to force out Evo Morales' left-indigenous government, the different factions of Bolivia's pro-coup right have fallen out with each other less than three months into their rule. The crisis boiled over on January 26, when Jeanine Anez, the self-declared 'interim' president, declared that she would stand as a candidate, However, the problem facing the Bolivian right is much larg…
(2020-02-03). Organization of Islamic Cooperation rejects Trump's 'deal of the century' peace plan for Middle East. rt.com 
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which consists of more than 50 Muslim-majority countries, has asked member states not to cooperate in any way with US President Donald Trump's peace plan for Israel and Palestine. | During a special session in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Monday, the OIC's executive committee called on all member states "not to engage with [Trump's] plan or to cooperate with the US administration in implementing it in any form." The body also asked members to refrain from any actions that "do not adhere to the inalienable rights of Palestinians." | OIC Secretary General Yousef Al-Othai…
(2020-02-03). 'They want to pay Khabib $100m': Ali Abdelaziz reveals HUGE Saudi offer and says Mayweather is ahead of McGregor for shot (VIDEO). rt.com 
Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, says Saudi suitors have offered $100m to host a fight featuring the lightweight champion – but believes Conor McGregor's comeback win over Donald Cerrone has not earned him co-billing. | Floyd Mayweather would be a more worthy current opponent than Conor McGregor for a $100m fight that has been offered to Khabib Nurmagomedov in Saudi Arabia, manager Ali Abdelaziz has argued. | Abdelaziz says he has spoken to Saudi authorities who are willing and wealthy enough to more than double the reported figure of around $40m they paid to take Anthony Joshua's rematch with And…
(2020-02-03). Trump trial closing arguments focus on voters, history. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (AP) — Closing arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial unfolded Monday more for history than to sway votes, one final chance to influence public opinion and set the record ahead of his expected acquittal in the Republican-led Senate. The House Democratic prosecutors drew on history, the Founding Fathers and common sense to urge …
(2020-02-03). "A Grand Tragedy": Democrats Slam Republican Stonewalling in Senate Impeachment Trial. democracynow.org 
The Republican-controlled Senate appears poised to acquit President Trump in just the third impeachment trial in U.S. history, with a final vote on the two articles of impeachment scheduled for Wednesday. On Friday, the Senate voted 51 to 49 against calling witnesses to the Senate trial. Just two Republican senators supported calling for witnesses and collecting new evidence: Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine. Without new witnesses, Republicans have cleared the biggest hurdle in their drive to acquit President Trump on the two impeachment charges, which relate to his withholding of military aid to Uk…
(2020-02-03). Hong Kong shuts down more border crossings with mainland China amid coronavirus fear, medics strike. rt.com 
The government of Hong Kong has further restricted travel from mainland China amid public fears about the coronavirus epidemic. City leader Carrie Lam denies caving in to pressure from medics, who started a strike on Monday. | Hong Kong health workers started a five-day strike on Monday, demanding a full closure of the border to prevent infected people from reaching the city. Lam stopped short of meeting their demands in full, and denies that the measures she announced on Monday were due to the pressure. | "If anyone thinks that by resorting to such extreme measures the government will be made to do something…
(2020-02-03). Soaring bitcoin could 'explode in value' as investors panic over coronavirus. rt.com 
Flagship cryptocurrency bitcoin spiked on Monday after the Chinese stock market crashed on its reopening following an extended Lunar New Year break. | Bitcoin surged to $9,608, the highest since October, shortly after markets opened in Hong Kong. The digital currency has entered a bull rally on January 3, adding nearly 40 percent since then. It's the best start to the year for bitcoin since 2012. | Worries about the spiraling coronavirus outbreak have been boosting bitcoin which usually goes up when investors are nervous. Chinese stocks which had been closed since January 24 plummeted the most since 2015 as th…
(2020-02-03). Misleading Categories and Trump's Swamps. counterpunch.org 
It is remarkable how the Democratic Presidential candidates allow themselves to be pigeon-holed by the media as "moderate," "centrist," "extreme," "left-wing," and other abstract fact-deprived nomenclature. It is also astonishing that the Democratic operatives have made something called "electability" a yardstick for deciding who to vote for in the primaries. This is particularly ironic considering
(2020-02-03). The Politics of Online Friendship. counterpunch.org 
It happens to everyone. You're scrolling through your Facebook feed and encounter a name you either dislike or admire. You head over to their page to check out the latest news or analysis, or to laugh at their latest bad take, but something's off. The page seems incomplete. And then you realize why. You immediately
(2020-02-03). ISIS claims Sunday's attack on gas pipeline between Egypt & Israel. rt.com 
The Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) has reportedly claimed that it attacked a gas pipeline between Egypt and Israel on Sunday night. The gas flow between the two states remained undisrupted. Local sources told AFP that the gas IS in the Sinai took responsibility for the attack on Monday afternoon, saying that it had detonated a number of explosives next to a pipeline and causin…
(2020-02-03). Iran stops sharing data on downed Ukrainian plane with Kiev after control tower audio leaked to local media. rt.com 
An investigation team in Tehran decided not to share any further data on the downing of Ukrainian airliner with Kiev, after local media published the recording of air traffic communications which took place during the tragedy. | "The technical investigation team of the Ukrainian airline crash, in a strange move, published the secret audio file of the communications of a pilot of a plane that was flying at the same time as the Ukrainian plane," Hassan Rezaifar, who leads the investigation of the crash in Iran, told Mehr News Agency on Monday. | The audio was provided by Iran to Ukraine as part of the joint inve…
(2020-02-03). Swiss humanitarian channel for Iran is 'not sign of US goodwill,' FM Zarif says. rt.com 
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that the Swiss humanitarian channel is not a sign of the United States' goodwill. "This is a small step and we thank the Swiss government for its efforts… but this channel is not a sign of America's goodwill at all," ISNA quoted Zarif as saying. | The Swiss and US governments on Thursday said a humanitarian channel to bring food and medicine to Iran has started trial operations to help supply Swiss goods to the population without tripping over US sanctions, Reuters reported. | Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that Teh…
(2020-02-03). Protesters in Iraq splinter over backing of new PM-designate. rt.com 
Protests camps in Baghdad and the south began to fracture on Monday, split over whether to back Iraq's PM-designate Mohammed Allawi, AFP reported, citing activists. | Allawi's nomination has so far failed to quell the months-long rallies sweeping Baghdad and the mainly-Shiite south, where young demonstrators have demanded nothing short of a total government overhaul. | Most young protesters have rejected Allawi as too close to the ruling elite but powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has backed the rallies, welcomed his appointment on Saturday. Sadr urged his followers to stay in the streets, creating a rift w…
(2020-02-03). As Bernie Sanders Surges Ahead of Iowa Caucus, DNC Under Fire For Changing Rules to Help Bloomberg. democracynow.org 
The Iowa caucuses take place today, kicking off the official start of the 2020 presidential election season. Democratic presidential candidates spent the weekend making last-minute pitches to voters at rallies across Iowa. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee is facing criticism for overhauling its rules, opening the door for billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is running a self-funded campaign, to take part in the next debate. This comes as fear is growing among some Democrats that Bernie Sanders might win the nomination. Politico reports a small group of DNC members have begun discussi…
(2020-02-03). Worst day in years as Chinese markets plunge 8% amid coronavirus outbreak. rt.com 
China's stock markets tanked on Monday, their first day of trading after an extended Lunar New Year holiday, with nearly 3,500 stocks dropping by the daily 10 percent limit. | The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed 7.7 percent lower, the biggest drop in nearly five years. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks the performance of 500 major stocks listed on the exchange, dived 8.4 percent. Shenzhen hasn't recorded a single-day percentage drop this bad since 2007. | The losses on each index were the biggest since the 2015 'Black Monday,' wiping out a combined $445 billion off the market. | The Chinese…
(2020-02-03). Piers Morgan blasts Boris Johnson for his 'boycott' of media after Streatham terror attack. rt.com 
Good Morning Britain (GMB) host Piers Morgan has hit out at Boris Johnson for his response to the Streatham terrorist attack, claiming the PM even refused to come on TV to talk about the tragedy. | On Monday's episode of GMB, Morgan asked his audience why the UK's justice system is releasing "them," apparently referring to people charged with terrorism offences. He drew a direct comparison between Streatham terrorist Sudesh Amman's previous sentence for distributing terrorist propaganda, and Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale who killed UK soldier Lee Rigby in 2013. They are currently serving a life sente…
(2020-02-03). Priti Patel branded 'moron' online after referring to 'counter-terrorist offenders', blaming old Labour govt for early release law. rt.com 
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has been roasted on Twitter after bizarrely labeling terrorists such as the Streatham attacker as a 'counter-terrorist offenders' and blaming the old Labour government for his early release from jail. | In the aftermath of the stabbing attack carried out by 20-year-old Sudesh Amman in Streatham, South London on Sunday, Patel gave her response in an interview with Sky News. In somewhat odd remarks, she insisted that government measures announced just two weeks ago were aimed at dealing with "counter-terrorist offenders." | She also took aim at the last Labour government — whic…
(2020-02-03). America: Land of Make-Believe. truthdig.com 
If what happens in courtrooms across the country to poor people of color is justice, what is happening in the Senate is a trial. If the blood-drenched debacles and endless quagmires in the Middle East are victories in the war on terror, our military is the greatest on earth. If the wholesale government surveillance of the public, the revoking of due process and having the world's largest prison population are liberty, we are the land of the free. If the president, an inept, vulgar and corrupt con artist, is the leader of the free world, we are a beacon for democracy and our enemies hate us for our values. If Jesu…
(2020-02-03). Life in Ukraine worse than during USSR, country may split into FIVE states — Georgia's controversial ex-leader Saakashvili. rt.com 
Just when you thought he'd finally gone away, Mikhail Saakashvili has popped up on Ukrainian TV to predict that his adopted nation will collapse. He also told viewers they lived better under the Soviet regime. | The former Odessa governor and Georgian president didn't hold back during an appearance on the 112 Ukraine TV channel. | "Ukraine's cities have never been in such bad condition, and every year it's getting worse and worse," he said, adding that while the "whole world" is moving forward and developing, the country has been left behind. | "Kiev, Ukraine is now much worse than Kiev and Ukraine during the…
(2020-02-03). Iowans initiate the beginning of the end for Donald Trump. peoplesworld.org 
DES MOINES, Iowa—Either force of habit, or the need to self-medicate after months and months of political ad inundations, and door knocks at all hours, led Mr. and Mrs. Ingersoll to find comfort and warmth inside the Royal Mile pub. They strolled in hand in hand, a bit before 8: 00 p.m., and were almost matching …
(2020-02-03). 'I'm part of the problem': Joker star rants about 'systemic racism' at BAFTAS. rt.com 
While most eyeballs were on the Super Bowl Sunday night, celebrities continued the trend of virtue signaling at Hollywood award shows, this time at the BAFTAS. | Racism was on the minds of a handful of celebrities at the award show, including 'Joker' star Joaquin Phoenix. The ceremony aired just days before the final Oscar voting ballots are due. | "We have to do the hard work to truly understand systemic racism," Phoenix said while accepting his award for his work in last year's hit 'Joker,' for which he is also up for a Best Actor Academy Award. "It is the obligation of the people that have created and perpe…
(2020-02-03). 'Needs fine-tuning, but no glitches': India's FIRST EVER trial of facial recognition software at polls reported success. rt.com 
Officials in the Indian state of Telangana, the first in the country to use facial recognition to verify voters, have said the software still needs to be honed but has proven fairly accurate with up to an 86 percent success rate.
(2020-02-03). 'Shame!' French govt in damage control mode after plan to grant parents 12 days leave over death of child rejected by MPs. rt.com 
The Elysee is trying to avert yet another scandal after President Macron's party-dominated parliament rejected a plan to extend work leave for parents who had experienced the death of a child, prompting cries of "Shame!" online. | The proposal, put forward by the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) and Agir (the Constructive Right), asked to extend the leave from five to 12 days, but was voted down by government deputies from French President Emmanuel Macron's La République En Marche! (LREM) party. | Anticipating the eruption of another national controversy, France's Labour Minister Muriel P&eacut…
(2020-02-03). France is neither pro-Russian nor anti-Russian but pro-European — Macron. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that France "is neither pro-Russian nor anti-Russian, it is pro-European." | He was speaking with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during his first visit to Poland since he became president. | Macron also said at a news conference in Warsaw that "we need to be demanding in our political dialogue with Russia." The French president sought to reset relations at a time when Britain's departure and an upsurge of nationalism are reshaping alliances and undermining confidence in the EU, Reuters said. | Duda said he hoped Macron's visit…
(2020-02-03). 'Yo! He just bit him!' College basketball player DeJon Jarreau admits BITING opponent's leg in violent moment of madness (VIDEO). rt.com 
Basketball player DeJon Jarreau has been forced to apologize after his coach admitted the guard had bitten an opponent on the leg in a bizarre incident towards the end of a fiercely-contested NCAA game in Cincinnati on Saturday. | Houston Cougars' Jarreau can be seen falling to the floor before chomping at Cincinnati Bearcats forward Mamoudou Diarra's knee area with just over six minutes of play remaining as his side lost by the skin of their teeth at the sold-out Fifth Third Arena. | The violent incident in the scrum was reviewed for several minutes by officials, who awarded what is thought to be the competit…
(2020-02-03). Poland wants to take part in 'European tank project' — President Duda. rt.com 
Poland wants to take part in a project to create a European tank, Presient Andrzej Duda said on Monday. The president made the statement at a news conference with France's President Emmanuel Macron, during the French leader's Monday visit to Warsaw. | "We are going to talk about our participation in the project to build a European tank," Reuters quoted Duda as saying. Poland and France discussed cooperation in the fields of defense and energy during the visit. | Macron began a two-day visit to Poland on Monday that both sides hope can improve strained relations. The visit is a "crucial" part of France's effort…
(2020-02-03). I will hold you in my arms a day after the war. mronline.org 
On Monday, 27 January, the South African photographer Santu Mofokeng slipped away. His camera had been a familiar presence in the anti-apartheid struggle; after years of photographing police violence and popular resistance, he tired of making 'images bespeaking gloom, monotony, anguish, struggle, [and] oppression', he wrote in 1993. |
(2020-02-03). Warren introduces repeal of federal OK of RTW laws. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—As the Democratic-run U.S. House plans to vote on the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act, the most-comprehensive pro-worker labor law reform in decades, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., split out a key anti-worker provision and introduced her own legislation to deal with it: Repeal of federal approval of states' infamous so-called "right to work" …
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus same class as plague & HIV: PM Mishustin says Russia will deport infected foreigners if necessary. rt.com 
Russia will isolate, quarantine, and deport foreigners struck down with the new Chinese coronavirus. The step was announced on Monday by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. | The country reported its first cases on Friday, raising fears that the epidemic affecting neighboring China could prompt a similar health emergency in Russia. However, Mishustin says the situation is currently contained, and there's no need for alarm. | "In order to prevent the spread of infection in our country, all necessary measures have been taken, the operational headquarters is working and, the situation is under control," he told his…
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus-infected woman gives birth to perfectly healthy baby in China. rt.com 
A Chinese woman infected with the coronavirus has given birth to a healthy baby girl thanks to the quick and decisive intervention of hospital staff. | The Harbin Municipal Health Commission made the announcement on Monday, after the woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl weighing 3.05kgs (6.7 lbs) on January 30. The mother and daughter were kept in quarantine for observation at the hospital in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, and both are said to be in stable condition. | The woman presented herself to the hospital at 38 weeks pregnant with a high fever. Following an examination by medical staff, the…
(2020-02-03). La batalla de China contra el brote del nuevo coronavirus. peoplesworld.org 
BEIJING — Construido en solo diez días, pronto estará operativo un nuevo hospital en la ciudad china más afectada por el brote del nuevo coronavirus. Con la aprobación del presidente de la Comisión Militar Central, Xi Jinping, 1.400 trabajadores médicos de las fuerzas armadas se encargarán a partir de tratar pacientes en el Hospital Huoshenshan …
(2020-02-03). 'All US has done could only spread fear': China slams Washington for 'stoking panic' against Beijing over coronavirus. rt.com 
China's Foreign Ministry has slammed Washington over the coronavirus outbreak, saying the US has been using it to fuel mass hysteria against Beijing, introducing measures that hurt civil rights more than they fight the virus. | Speaking at a press briefing on February 3, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that contrary to advice from World Health Organization (WHO), the American government has inappropriately "overreacted," especially by banning travelers who have been to China in the past two weeks. | "The US government hasn't provided any substantial assistance to us, but it was the first…
(2020-02-03). UK funding to boost vaccine search as coronavirus death toll rises. thecanary.co 
Infectious disease experts will use £20 million of UK government funding to embark on an ambitious six-month plan to produce a coronavirus vaccine.Health secretary Matt Hancock on Monday said the government would plough fresh money into developing a vaccine to combat the deadly global disease.The news came as the death toll in China from the disease rose to 361, with one more fatality having been recorded in the Philippines.A further 2,829 new cases were confirmed by Chinese health authorities in the 24 hours to Monday morning, taking the total number of cases in the country to 17,205.Most cases have been r…
(2020-02-03). Coronavirus may cripple fuel demand in all of Asia. rt.com 
The coronavirus hasn't just led to a slowdown in fuel demand in China, it's also starting to impact the demand for transportation fuels in wider Asia. | Demand for jet fuel, gasoline, and diesel is likely to be suppressed in the coming weeks, potentially prompting Chinese and other Asian refiners to cut refinery rates, analysts say. | The slowdown in China's fuel consumption is also aggravated by an extended period of public holidays for office workers and multinational corporations—including Google, Apple, McDonalds, and IKEA, to name a few—suspending operations or shutting down offices, stores, a…
(2020-02-03). China's first 'instant' coronavirus hospital accepting patients, second facility days from opening. rt.com 
Huoshenshan Hospital, a makeshift 1,000-bed facility in China's Wuhan that was built in just 10 days, received its first coronavirus patients on Monday. A 1,500-bed facility in Leishenshan is due to open later this week. | The construction of the two hospitals in Wuhan, the city in central China worst affected by the ongoing viral epidemic, was ordered to keep the disease contained and prevent the risk of spreading the virus. It is consistent with Beijing's way of dealing with the 2013 SARS outbreak, when a temporary hospital was erected north of the capital in just one week. | Huoshenshan was built near Zhiyi…
(2020-02-03). Laurie Garrett on How Trump Has Sabotaged America's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, the United States has declared a public health emergency and is barring foreign nationals who have recently traveled to China from entering the country. So far, there are 11 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S. The virus has claimed at least 361 lives in China. A 44-year-old man in the Philippines became the first casualty of the disease outside of China Saturday, and over the weekend the number of confirmed cases worldwide rose to at least 17,205 across more than two dozen countries, with most of those cases occurring in China. U.S. citizens who have visited H…
(2020-02-03). Watch WHO chief cough & crack a 'VIRAL' joke… as watchdog tackles coronavirus (VIDEO). rt.com 
World Health Organization (WHO) head has managed to produce a truly horrible joke, worth of the darkest corners of the internet, as he coughed amid a WHO meeting on coronavirus — and assured his colleagues he was not infected. | The executive board of the WHO convened on Monday, discussing the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus — and how to battle misinformation hysteria around it. So far, over 17,200 cases of the virus, including 361 deaths, have been registered in China, as well as over 150 cases world-wide. | Speaking at the meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus coughed and in…
(2020-02-03). OPEC may deepen production cuts as global oil demand at risk. rt.com 
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies could reportedly cut their oil output by a further 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) due to the impact on oil demand from the deadly coronavirus. | Sources told CNBC that the cartel considers holding a ministerial meeting on February 14-15, almost a month earlier than scheduled. | "I think it is a 'go big or go home' moment for the organization," said Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. | "If you are going the route of an extraordinary meeting, you will have to come up with a substantial reduction in ord…
(2020-02-03). Plastic Meets the Road and Capitalism's Role in Climate Change. dissidentvoice.org 
Earth Day & Capitalism Like Vinegar and Oil? Continuously, discussions focusing on degraded ecosystems and tipping points forcing climate change to ramp up to chaos many times center around the "C" word. Not "c" as in "cancer." "Capitalism is destroying the planet," said Pat DeLaquil, an energy policy expert working with various governments, NGO's and …
(2020-02-03). The Public Charge Rule for Immigrants Evokes the Antebellum Slave Codes. counterpunch.org In a 5-4 decision this week, the Supreme Court temporarily lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction that had kept the Trump administration from implementing its rule that vastly expands the reach of the public charge provision in federal immigration law. Immigration officials will now be able to deny lawful permanent resident status ("green cards") to immigrant
(2020-02-03). An examination of the anti-immigrant campaign in early 20th century America. wsws.org A century after the imposition of racist immigration quotas in the US, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and racism are once again on the rise in the US and around the world.