(2020-02-05). Hong Kong imposes 14-day quarantine on travelers arriving from mainland China. rt.com 
Hong Kong will close two cruise terminals and put anyone coming from mainland China into compulsory quarantine for 14 days, its leader Carrie Lam said on Wednesday. The move is part of a fresh clampdown on contagion. | Lam said the measures were aimed at curbing the cross-border flow of people to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus, which originated on mainland China. Some medical staff have been on strike for the past three days, demanding a full border closure. There have been 21 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, according to Lam. | Passengers and crew on a cruise liner that docked in Hong Kong on Wednesday…
(2020-02-05). Overstaying his welcome? Trump spotlights Venezuela's Guaido in cringeworthy reminder of year-long 'interim presidency'. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump shone an awkward spotlight on self-styled Venezuelan 'interim president' Juan Guaido sitting in his SOTU audience over a year of daydreaming about replacing Nicolas Maduro as the only 'legitimate leader.' | Trump introduced an embarrassed-looking Guaido to the SOTU audience as "a very brave man who carries with him the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all Venezuelans." Declaring him the "true and legitimate president of Venezuela," Trump contrasted the fidgety self-appointed statesman to "socialist dictator" President Nicolas Maduro — currently in Caracas running his US sanction…
(2020-02-05). Withdraw behind observation points, or Turkey will do what is necessary — Erdogan to Syrian troops. rt.com 
Damascus must withdraw its troops from Turkey's positions in Idlib or face retaliation, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, following a deadly clash between the two nations' forces in the jihadist-riddled area. | Things can't continue to go the way they did on Monday, the Turkish president told a party session, referring to clashes between Turkish and Syrian troops in the northwestern Syrian governorate earlier in the week. | The Syrian government will have to pull its troops away from Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end of the month, Erdogan demanded. He said Turkish troops will force Damascus to r…
(2020-02-05). 'The best is yet to come'? Defiant Trump doubles down in campaign rally-style State of the Union speech. rt.com 
Teased as "low key," US President Donald Trump's annual address to Congress was anything but, with several unprecedented symbolic gestures and a powerful assertion of American triumphalism that put his critics on the back foot. | Trump did not mention impeachment once in the 90-minute speech on Tuesday evening. Instead, he turned his persuasion skills up to eleven, painting a picture of America with a booming economy and infinite opportunities brought about by his administration, and contrasting that with Democrat proposals such as socialized healthcare and sanctuaries for illegal immigrants. | Amid the standa…
(2020-02-05). In State of the Union, Trump Celebrates Hate & Xenophobia While Touting "Great American Comeback" democracynow.org 
President Trump delivered his third State of the Union address Tuesday night, just a day before the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to vote to acquit him in the third presidential impeachment trial in U.S. history. Trump's speech, which focused heavily on the economy and immigration, sounded at times like a campaign rally, with Republican lawmakers chanting "Four more years!" He never once mentioned his impeachment trial. Prior to the speech, Trump refused to shake House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's hand, and once the speech was over, Pelosi was seen on television ripping up her copy of Trump's remarks. She la…
(2020-02-05). Sanders & Buttigieg Lead in Early Iowa Results After Faulty App Leads to Catastrophe at Caucus. democracynow.org 
The final results of Monday's Democratic Iowa caucuses remain unknown, with 71% of precincts reporting the final tallies of the first 2020 presidential contest. Senator Bernie Sanders is leading in the popular vote, while former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a narrow lead of 26.8% of precincts — the state delegate equivalent traditionally used to determine the winner — followed by Sanders with 25.2%. Sanders won the popular vote in both the first and second rounds of voting, followed by Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Former Vice President Joe Biden placed fourth, followed by Senator Amy…
(2020-02-05). Disappearing act: Suspected coronavirus patient ESCAPED from quarantine in Salzburg. rt.com 
A 31-year-old female patient with a suspected coronavirus infection fled the isolation ward at Salzburg University Hospital overnight. A police manhunt was immediately launched to find the woman and return her to quarantine. | A nurse raised the alarm at approximately 3am on Wednesday morning when she discovered the patient's bed was empty. After a large-scale police operation in the city, the woman was eventually found back in her apartment at 10: 30am local time and returned to quarantine. | "The woman was admitted to the isolation ward of the university hospital for security reasons," a Salzburg city spokesp…
(2020-02-05). Libya is being torn apart by outsiders. mronline.org 
Ghassan Salamé is the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. He took over this job in 2017, six years after the catastrophic NATO war on Libya. What Salamé inherited was a country torn into shreds, two governments in place—one in Tripoli and one in Tobruk—and one civil war that had too many […] |
(2020-02-05). Pluto's beating 'frozen heart' is in charge of its weather — study. rt.com 
New research shows that not only does Pluto's unique "frozen heart" actually control the dwarf planet's weather systems, it does so with a "beat." | When NASA's New Horizons mission captured footage of the dwarf planet in 2015, scientists found that, contrary to popular opinion at the time, Pluto did in fact have some physical features on its landscape and was not just a barren, flat and frozen wasteland. | Instead, the dwarf planet boasted a vast heart-shaped structure, named Tombaugh Regio (after the astronomer who discovered Pluto), which new research shows actually controls Pluto's atmospheric circulation…
(2020-02-05). US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS). rt.com 
The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…
(2020-02-05). Mayweather protege Gervonta Davis charged with domestic BATTERY over courtside manhandling of ex-girlfriend (VIDEO). rt.com 
Floyd Mayweather Jr protege and world champion boxer Gervonta Davis has been arrested and charged with domestic battery over viral footage of him manhandling his ex-girlfriend at a celebrity basketball game in Florida. | Davis has seemingly taken after his mentor a little too much; the Baltimore, Maryland, fighter is seen in the footage, taken on February 1, yanking the woman – also the mother of his child – up from her chair by her jacket and bustling her towards an exit by her throat. | Current WBA lightweight title holder Davis is now subject to one count of "simple battery domestic violence" after surrende…
(2020-02-05). 'Pete Buttigieg is the Juan Guaido of America': Lee Camp calls out conspiracy of 'intentional chaos' by Dem establishment. rt.com 
Democratic Party insiders bankrolled the defective vote-counting app that has delayed the reporting of Iowa caucus totals so as to deny likely winner Bernie Sanders a 'bump' and let Pete Buttigieg claim victory, Lee Camp told RT. | The party's establishment wing and its mainstream media stenographers are colluding to memory-hole the disastrous Iowa caucus vote and prop up their preferred candidates, muscling Sanders out of the way to position Buttigieg as the front-runner, Camp said on his Moment of Clarity podcast on Tuesday. | Describing the exhaustive establishment links to the faulty vote-reporting app…
(2020-02-05). Greenpeace protesters block BP headquarters on new boss's first day. thecanary.co 
Greenpeace members have blocked BP's headquarters with solar panels and oil barrels to mark the first day of the oil giant's new chief executive.Around 100 environmental activists took 500 solar panels to the central London building at 3am on Wednesday as Bernard Looney prepared to take up his new role.Some protesters sat underneath the solar panels after they were prevented from installing them on the pavements and roads near the office.Others locked themselves to oil barrels bearing the BP logo in front of the six doors around the building to stop staff from entering.Protesters blocked six entrances to BP's HQ…
(2020-02-05). 'Deal of the Century' will die before Trump does, Iran's Khamenei tweets, dubbing the arrangement an 'American plot'. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump's much-touted peace plan for Israel and Palestine will not outlive him, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said, after the deal was widely rejected throughout the Muslim world. | "The American plot of the 'Deal of the Century' will die before Trump dies," Khamenei wrote on his official Twitter account on Wednesday. | The American plot of the 'Deal of the Century' will die before Trump dies.— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) Khamenei vowed that Iran will continue "standing…
(2020-02-05). David Cameron explains why he turned down climate change role. thecanary.co 
Former prime minister David Cameron has rejected an offer from Boris Johnson to return to international politics in a role leading the UK's preparations for this year's UN climate summit.The current PM asked Cameron to be the president of the COP26 summit being held in Glasgow later this year.But Cameron said the position should be filled by a government minister and also said he was focused on other commitments, including a major charity role.According to the Times, former Tory leader William Hague was also sounded out for the presidency but turned it down.Cameron said: "It was an honour to be asked to do that j…
(2020-02-05). Publisher Agrees to Boost Latinx Representation After Backlash to Whitewashed Novel "American Dirt" democracynow.org 
We look at the massive backlash and criticism against the novel "American Dirt" as a movement led by Latinx writers declares victory, demanding more representation in the publishing industry. Dignidad Literaria, or literary dignity, formed in response to the controversial immigration novel "American Dirt." The author, Jeanine Cummins, who is not Mexican, received a seven-figure advance for the book, and it was chosen for Oprah's Book Club. But its critics say "American Dirt" exploits and misrepresents Mexico and the experience of Mexican migrants. Critics also say the novel completely erases the voices of Central…
(2020-02-05). Roberto Lovato: Dems & GOP Share Same Playbook on Immigration, Foreign Policy & Corporate Domination. democracynow.org 
President Trump delivered his 2020 State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. The speech reprised many of the themes of Trump's 2016 campaign, including demonization of immigrants. We continue our discussion with Lee Fang, investigative journalist at The Intercept, and Roberto Lovato, author of the forthcoming book "Unforgetting: A Memoir of Revolution and Redemption." About 10 Democrats skipped the speech and a few more walked out while it was in progress, but Lovato says the Democratic establishment doesn't differ with Trump on many key issues. "Nancy Pelosi may have ripped the speech…
(2020-02-05). Russian armor turret STARS at Indian arms expo, watch it IN ACTION during field test. rt.com 
Among the advanced weapon systems on display at DefExpo India 2020 is the Russian 57-mm gun turret. Action video of the shell-spewing death machine, which can target low-flying drones, was published by the producer. | The turret, or Automatic Artillery Weapon System AU-220M as the manufacturer prefers to call it, is a remotely controlled module armed with a 57mm main gun and a 7.62mm machine gun, full of sensors, stabilizer devices and other equipment. | The developer, a research subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod, says its product will be put on Russia's future infantry fighting vehicles and other light armor to…
(2020-02-05). Good news for the gilded: Study shows Moscow is among world's cheapest cities for luxury. rt.com 
Are you filthy rich but still looking for bang for your buck? Well then, Moscow might just be the place for you. A new study shows the Russian capital is one of the most affordable cities for the world's wealthiest consumers.
(2020-02-05). Rosneft inks deal with India's top refiner on up to 2 MILLION tons of crude supplies. rt.com 
Russia's energy giant Rosneft and state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have agreed deliveries of 40,000 barrels of crude per day to India via the port of Novorossiysk by the end of this year. | The signing took place during Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin's visit to New Delhi‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã. | "This is just the beginning," said India's Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after meeting with Sechin. | Under the contract with Rosneft, Indian Oil will exercise its option to buy Russian grade Urals oil, an IOC source told Reuters. Indian state refiners typically buy Russian o…
(2020-02-05). FIFA have 'no update' on Russia 'notification' reports on BAN from 2022 World Cup – spokesperson to RT. rt.com 
Unverified reports that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had notified Russia of a ban on competing at the Qatar 2022 World Cup have not been confirmed by FIFA, a spokesperson has informed RT. | On Tuesday,
(2020-02-05). Afghan media outlets accuse authorities of curtailing access to information. rt.com 
Afghanistan's media watchdog urged the government on Wednesday to heed a demand for more media freedoms after 30 local media outlets said that authorities were increasingly curtailing their access to information. | Sayed Ikram Afzali, the head of Integrity Watch Afghanistan, said there is a good law in place guaranteeing the media's ability to work and access information. However, the government has failed to provide enough funding and institutional support to implement the law, the official added. | Authorities concur that access to information remains a pervasive challenge for Afghanistan and justify existin…
(2020-02-05). Guaidó, Soleimani and the Middle East: Trump State of the Union. telesurenglish.net From immigration policies to the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan… U.S. President Donald Trump's main talking points on international policy during his third annual presidential report, known as "The State of the Union," were part of his narcissistic speech to kick off his reelection campaign. | Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address on Tuesday in front of Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of t…
(2020-02-05). UN rapporteur Nils Melzer exposes British government attempts to obstruct his defence of Assange. wsws.org That the British government is simultaneously stonewalling Melzer's inquiries, and apparently conducting a behind-the-scenes campaign against him, underscores the flagrant illegality of the entire US-led vendetta against Assange.
(2020-02-05). Iowa Fiasco Raises the Stakes for New Hampshire, Where Sanders Could Win Big. indybay.org Corporate Democrats are ready to escalate…
(2020-02-05). The Dramatic Fall of Chile as Latin America's Neoliberal Role Model. counterpunch.org After the outbreak of the most intense and massive social protests ever recorded in the history of Chile, on November 16 the government and most political parties signed an agreement to restore peace and public order and initiate a process to draft a new constitution. The protests, triggered by the rise in subway fares on
(2020-02-05). The Trump Plan is Just a Cover for Israel's Final Land Grab. dissidentvoice.org The Trump "Vision for Peace" will never be implemented — and not because the Palestinians reject it. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's enthusiastic public embrace of the plan belies the fact that the Israeli right detest it too. The headlines are that, with US blessing, Israel's dream is about to be realised: it will be able …
(2020-02-05). Duh, Jared! So Who Built the PA as a 'Police State'? globalresearch.ca Maybe something good will come out of the Trump plan, after all. By pushing the Middle East peace process to its logical conclusion, Donald Trump has made crystal clear something that was supposed to have been obscured: that no US …
(2020-02-05). Unist'ot'en Day 31: We're Not Leaving. dissidentvoice.org We're not leaving. As Canada prepares to violently invade our lands, we have no fear. We are peacefully living on our lands and upholding our laws, as we always have. 31 days after Coastal Gaslink was evicted from Wet'suwet'en territory, RCMP helicopters circle the Unist'ot'en healing center several times a day. Busloads of police have …
(2020-02-05). EU Rejects Trump Middle East Peace Plan, Annexation. globalresearch.ca The European Union rejected Tuesday some of the proposals outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Middle East, prompting an angry response from Israel, which has actively supported the U.S. plan. | Following deliberations of the 27 members, the European …
(2020-02-05). Iran's Supreme Leader Says Trump's Peace Plan Will 'Die Soon'. telesurenglish.net Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan for Middle East will "die soon." | RELATED: | Using his official Twitter account, the Iranian Supreme Leader tweeted on Tuesday, "Trump's 'Deal of the Century' will die earlier than Trump himself." | Trump recently unveiled his plan promising to keep Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital, and proposes an indepen…
(2020-02-05). Duh, Jared! Who built the PA as a Police State? dissidentvoice.org Maybe something good will come out of the Trump plan, after all. By pushing the Middle East peace process to its logical conclusion, Donald Trump has made crystal clear something that was supposed to have been obscured: that no US administration has ever really seen peace as the objective of its "peacemaking". The current White …
(2020-02-05). Oakland: Reject the Cover-up! Protest Against Sham Impeachment Trial. indybay.org Grand Lake Theater intersection, 3200 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610…
(2020-02-05). Trump's 'Deal of the Century': Old Israeli Demands in a New Package. mintpressnews.com Consisting of 80 pages, 50 of which are entirely dedicated to the plan's economic component, Trump's Deal of the Century is little more than a rehash of previous Israeli proposals that have already been rejected by Palestinians, writes Ramzy Baroud.
(2020-02-05). Democrats' Wimpy Impeachment Has Made Trump Stronger Than Ever. counterpunch.org "Many Democrats fear that Trump may be laying an impeachment trap," Stephen Collins wrote for CNN last May. "It's possible that the wider political divides get, the more Trump benefits. The spectacle would help him charge up the political base he needs to turn out in droves in 2020 with claims their 2016 votes were
(2020-02-05). Preserve the Sacred Lands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. counterpunch.org Wilderness designation preserves many values. Designated wilderness is a storehouse for carbon and insurance against climate change. Wilderness preserves critical wildlife habitat and wildlife corridors. Wilderness provides for clean water and clean air. And, of course, designated wilderness protects the scenery and ecosystem integrity that supports Montana's economy. However, there is yet another value preserved
(2020-02-05). After Iowa, Does Bernie Have What It Takes? counterpunch.org In his most famous work, The Prince, Machiavelli compared the behavior of a successful new prince to a fox and a lion: "The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves." Cersei Lannister, whom
(2020-02-05). Teflon Lies and Mowing Lawns: The Afghanistan Papers. counterpunch.org Afghanistan is a famous desert for empires, a burial ground which has consumed those in power who thought that extra fortification and trading most might benefit them. It remains a great, and somewhat savage reminder about those who suffer hubris, overconfidence and eagerness in pursuing their agendas. But the country has also served another purpose:
(2020-02-05). How the World Ends: a Story. counterpunch.org I'm writing this letter to myself. I need to talk to someone, even it is only my own self. I need to believe that what happened was real. All that I know of the past was learned by word-of-mouth histories from those who came before me and those few historians who remain now. Some matters
(2020-02-05). The Shame of Child Poverty in the Age of Trump. counterpunch.org The plight of impoverished children anywhere should evoke sympathy, exemplifying as it does the suffering of the innocent and defenseless. Poverty among children in a wealthy country like the United States, however, should summon shame and outrage as well. Unlike poor countries (sometimes run by leaders more interested in lining their pockets than anything else),
(2020-02-05). In a Time of Increasing Polarization in Kashmir, Evoke Those Scholars and Saints Who Symbolized Pluralism. counterpunch.org On the annual Urs (birth anniversary) of Ameer-e-Kabir Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, I am reminded of those whose unshakable faith in providence provides them with an anchor in challenging times. I sincerely hope that I imbibe the faith with which my father reveres Ameer-e-Kabir, who is an integral part of the Kashmiri culture that I
(2020-02-05). The Holocaust, the BBC and Antisemitism Smears. counterpunch.org Senior BBC news reporter Orla Guerin has found herself in hot water of an increasingly familiar kind. During a report on preparations for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, she made a brief reference to Israel and an even briefer reference to the Palestinians. Her reporting coincided with Israel hosting world leaders last week at Yad Vashem, its Holocaust remembrance centre in Jerusalem.
(2020-02-05). Bolton's Battle With Government Censorship. counterpunch.org Former national security adviser John Bolton is about to learn that the government's pre-publication review process is little more than a violation of the First Amendment's free speech rights. Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happened," which exposes the perfidy of the Trump administration's orchestrated extortion of the Ukrainian government, is scheduled for release in
(2020-02-05). Who Exactly are Biden and Buttigieg's Campaign Money Bundlers? counterpunch.org Beginning in the fall, the Revolving Door Project was one of a handful of voices drawing attention to Democratic primary candidates' failure to release the names of their most important fundraisers. In op-eds, newsletters, and across other forums throughout the fall we repeatedly made the case that this consequential information could not stay hidden. Why
(2020-02-05). Left Election Strategy: Lesser Evil or Independent Left? counterpunch.org A Response to Michael Albert's "Battle Strategically Everywhere" Michael Albert's safe states strategy says the Green presidential candidate should go into the battleground states to campaign for the Green program but then say vote for the Democratic ticket. Most people who hear that will wonder why the Greens are even bothering to campaign if they
(2020-02-05). Coronavirus outbreak disrupts global auto industry as carmakers shut down production in China. wsws.org The shutdown of the auto industry in China due to the coronavirus outbreak is expected to have a major impact on the world economy, with no real timeline in sight for the resumption of production.
(2020-02-05). Coronavirus: China Fights Determinately While Others Smear. dissidentvoice.org China has been hit by coronavirus as if by a brick over the head; heavily and mercilessly. Instead of help, Beijing has received criticism, even verbal attacks. In spite of doing tremendous job fighting the epidemy, China is getting almost no tributes for its performance. Now Bangkok, Jakarta and other regional capital are in panic. …
(2020-02-05). Lavrov tours Latin America as Pentagon brands Russia, China as "malign actors" wsws.org Lavrov's three-nation visit to Latin America comes on the heels of a tour of former Soviet republics by US Secretary of State Pompeo dedicated to denouncing Russia and China.
(2020-02-05). WATCH: Bernie Sanders Responds to Trump's Third State of the Union Address. commondreams.org The Democratic presidential candidate spoke from an event in New Hampshire, just a day after the Iowa caucuses. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie_sanders_student_loan_debt_1.jpg …
(2020-02-05). Exxon's Exploitative Oil Deal in Guyana Will Deprive the Country of Up to $55 Billion. globalresearch.ca Exxon's exploitative oil deal with Guyana will cause the country to lose up to US$55 billion, according to a new Global Witness investigation based on an OpenOil analysis. | The new report, …