Positive Universe: Data Heap

2020-02-19: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these \'POSTEES\' on social media!

\'Journalism is not a crime\': Australian MP says charges against Assange must be dropped after visiting him in UK prison
rt.com | 2020-02-20
Continued persecution of the WikiLeaks co-founder is a \"crazy situation,\" Australian lawmaker George Christiansen told RT, adding that Julian Assange did not commit any crime aside from running afoul of US elites. | Christiansen, a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, questioned the integrity of the legal process against Assange, who is now facing the possibility of extradition to the US over \"unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified documents related to the national defense.\" | The journalist was hauled out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London after his asylum was revoked in April 2019, an…
rt.com/news/481242-australian-mp-assange-journalism-crime/

Passengers Leave Ship Docked Off Japan After Quarantine Ends
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-20
The two-week action failed to stop the spread of the new virus, with the Diamond Princess the site of the most infections outside of China.
truthdig.com/articles/passengers-leave-ship-docked-off-japan-after-quarantine-ends/

Priti Patel defends PM after Dave brands him \'real racist\' in Brit Awards rap
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-19
Home secretary Priti Patel has criticised rapper Dave for branding Boris Johnson a \"real racist\" during the Brit Awards.The Tory MP said the artist\'s comments shortly before winning album of the year were \"utter nonsense\", and she defended the prime minister as \"not a racist at all\".Dave added verses to the end of his song Black criticising the government for the Windrush scandal and its handling of the Grenfell disaster. | \"The truth is our prime minister\'s a real racist,\" he rapped during the performance at London\'s O2 Arena.Patel was asked about Dave\'s criticism as she defended the government\'s immigration pla…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/02/19/priti-patel-defends-pm-after-dave-brands-him-real-racist-in-brit-awards-rap/

Organizers Work to Guide Deportees Toward Resources in Their Home Countries
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
What happens to people after they are deported from the United States? And if they no longer have family in their countries of origin, how do they make their way in an unfamiliar place? | In 2014, Christina Zaldivar found herself pondering these questions with some fellow activists after she had accompanied one of them to an immigration check-in in Centennial, Colorado. That friend had been living without legal status in the U.S. for more than 30 years and had no family left in Mexico. | \"We s…
truthout.org/articles/organizers-work-to-guide-deportees-toward-resources-in-their-home-countries/

Assange\'s Extradition Case: Critical Moment for the Anti-war Movement
Nozomi Hayase | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-19
Earlier this week, Leader of the UK opposition Jeremy Corbyn challenged Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons on the US extradition request for WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. Corbyn stated that Assange had been charged by the US \"for exposing war crimes, the murder of civilians and large-scale corruption\". Backing the Council of…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/19/assanges-extradition-case-critical-moment-for-the-anti-war-movement/

Australian MPs visit Julian Assange at Belmarsh Prison
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen said they agreed with UN official Nils Melzer\'s assessment that Assange is the victim of psychological torture.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/belm-f19.html

Julian Assange Must be Freed, Not Betrayed
John Pilger | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-must-freed-not-betrayed/5704099

Assange Was Offered U.S. Pardon if He Cleared Russia, His Lawyer Says
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-19
Wikileaks founder will claim former Rep. Rohrabacher did so at behest of Trump in 2017 visit; president denies report through spokeswoman.
truthdig.com/articles/assange-was-offered-u-s-pardon-if-he-cleared-russia-his-lawyer-says/

German politicians and cultural professionals demand release of Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
Some 130 prominent initial signatories, including nine former federal ministers, are demanding the \"immediate release of Julian Assange, on medical grounds as well on the basis of the rule of law.\"
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/germ-f19.html

Extradition of Assange Would Set a Dangerous Precedent
Marjorie Cohn | zcomm.org | 2020-02-19
The Trump administration singled out Assange to send a clear message to journalists that they publish material critical of U.S. policy at their peril…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/extradition-of-assange-would-set-a-dangerous-precedent/

Assange defence team: \"The empire calls it espionage. We call it journalism\"
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
A packed press conference was addressed by WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, lawyer Jennifer Robinson and Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/assa-f19.html

A year in jail & quarter million fine since, lawyers seek freedom for Chelsea Manning refusing to testify against WikiLeaks
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Chelsea Manning\'s attorney has filed a new motion requesting her release from jail, where she has been for nearly a year for continuously refusing to testify before a grand jury against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. | Manning\'s incarceration has \"exceeded its lawful scope\" by moving from being a coercive tactic to a criminal punishment, her lawyer Moira Meltzer-Cohen said in a motion requesting her release filed on Friday. | Manning was jailed in March of 2019 for refusing to testify before a gran…
rt.com/usa/481233-chelsea-manning-wikileaks-grand-jury/

Extradition of Assange Would Set a Dangerous Precedent
Prof. Marjorie Cohn | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
The Trump administration is seeking extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States for trial on charges carrying 175 years in prison. On February 24, a court in the U.K. will hold a hearing to determine whether to …
globalresearch.ca/extradition-assange-would-set-dangerous-precedent/5704114

Mistrial Is Another Blow To US Coup In Venezuela
Kevin Zeese | zcomm.org | 2020-02-19
Last week, we along with Adrienne Pine and David Paul were unsuccessfully prosecuted by the Trump administration for our protection of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, DC from April 10 to May 16, 2019…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/mistrial-is-another-blow-to-us-coup-in-venezuela/

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2020-02-19
Corporate Democrats and corporate media on the attack…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830739.php

While Nicaragua returns to peace, media and international NGOs conjure epidemic of violence with dubious reporting
John Perry | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-19
Media bias against Nicaragua\'s Sandinista government is unremitting, and international NGOs are feeding it by misreporting a violent land dispute…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/19/nicaragua-peace-media-international-ngos-violence-reporting/

While Nicaragua returns to peace, media and international NGO\'s conjure epidemic of violence with dubious reporting
John Perry | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-19
Media bias against Nicaragua\'s Sandinista government is unremitting, and international NGOs are feeding it by misreporting a violent land dispute…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/19/nicaragua-peace-media-international-ngos-violence-reporting/

Bloomberg Gains in Primaries, But His History With Unions May Be a Roadblock
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
We continue our conversation with Marcie Wells, activist and waitress who is a member of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Nevada, and Hamilton Nolan, labor reporter with In These Times. Nolan says 2020 had been \"the most promising election year for organized labor in a long time,\" with Democratic candidates releasing platforms with strong labor protections. But Michael Bloomberg\'s entry into the race threatens to upend the Democratic Party\'s pro-worker shift. The billionaire former mayor o…
truthout.org/video/bloomberg-gains-in-primaries-but-his-history-with-unions-may-be-a-roadblock/

Bloomberg Gains in Democratic Primaries, But Has History of Hostility to Unions Key to Voter Turnout
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-19
We continue our conversation with Marcie Wells, activist and waitress who is a member of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Nevada, and Hamilton Nolan, labor reporter with In These Times. Nolan says 2020 had been \"the most promising election year for organized labor in a long time,\" with Democratic candidates releasing platforms with strong labor protections. But Michael Bloomberg\'s entry into the race threatens to upend the Democratic Party\'s pro-worker shift. The billionaire former mayor of New York has a long track record of hostility toward organized labor, particularly teachers\' unions, whom he has comp…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/19/hamilton_nolan_michael_bloomberg_organized_labor

CNN reporter triggered by Fox interviewing InfoWars\' \'Gun Girl\' quickly reminded of own network\'s history with racists & criminals
rt.com | 2020-02-19
In a case of pot calling the kettle black, Oliver Darcy fumed at Fox News describing Kaitlin Bennet as a \"gun rights activist\" after her tumultuous visit to a college campus. Twitter was quick to remind him of CNN\'s own sins. | …
rt.com/usa/481244-cnn-fox-kaitlin-bennett-ohio/

NATO Wars Against Freedom, Justice and Humanity
Mark Taliano | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
NATO commits Supreme International War Crimes Against Peace as military doctrine. The criminality is normalized. Perceptions are inverted and Western populations are hypnotized to believe that NATO and its serial war crimes are making us safe. | . | . | Hidden from …
globalresearch.ca/nato-wars-against-freedom-justice-humanity/5703971

US Middle East \"Peace Deal\" Designed to Perpetuate Conflict
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
A deal that is entirely unacceptable to one of its principal parties isn\'t a deal at all. In the case of the US-proposed \"Middle East peace plan\"

Brazil Court Rules in Favor of Fired Petrobras Workers on Strike
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-19
Parana\'s regional labor court temporarily suspended Tuesday the lay-off of more than 1,000 workers of the fertilizer factory Fafen-PR until at least March 6, following a collective strike that lasted more than two weeks. | RELATED: | Brazil: Citizens Protest Against Collapse of Social Security | The strike against the Petrobras executive board started in pro…
telesurenglish.net/news/Brazil-Court-Rules-in-Favor-of-Fired-Petrobras-Workers-on-Strike-20200219-0001.html

Truly Remaking Social Security is the Key to Having a Livable Society in the US
Dave Lindorff | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-19
Social Security is back in the news, as both Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg, two emblematic one-percenter oligarchs, raise the issue of its future as part of their campaign strategy. Trump (a faux wannabe billionaire) has put Americans on notice that while he may have promised during his 2016 campaign \"not to touch\" the New…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/19/truly-remaking-social-security-is-the-key-to-having-a-livable-society-in-the-us/

UN List of Firms Aiding Israel\'s Settlements Was Dead on Arrival
Jonathan Cook | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
After lengthy delays, the United Nations finally published a database last week of businesses that have been profiting from Israel\'s illegal settlement activity in the West Bank. | The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, announced that 112 | …
globalresearch.ca/un-list-firms-aiding-israel-settlements-dead-arrival/5704045

Russia Needs to Prioritize Greece as Relations Rift with Turkey
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
A revealing poll released earlier last week by the highly-reliable Pew Research Center found that the majority of people in Greece and Turkey viewed NATO unfavourably

Video: Towards The Liberation of Idlib City
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
Syrian government forces did not stop their operation in Greater Idlib with the success in the western countryside of Aleppo city, and continued making gains in the province. During the past 24 hours, they took control of over 10 settlements….
globalresearch.ca/video-idlib-city-preparing-ticker-tape-parade-assad/5704026

Netanyahu \"Optimistic\" Israel Can Use Political Pressure To Shut Down ICC War Crimes Probe
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-19
Netanyahu\'s frenzied lobbying efforts to halt the ICC probe suggests that the probe greatly worries him, particularly as he has linked his current reelection bid to illegal acts like his planned annexation of the West Bank.
mintpressnews.com/netanyahu-optimistic-israel-can-use-political-pressure-shut-icc-war-crimes-probe/265021/

Russian cops bust banned radical Islamist group Tablighi Jamaat\'s \'training camp,\' detain leaders & participants
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Seven members of a hardline Islamic organization were arrested in Moscow on Wednesday, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB). They are charged with disseminating extremist propaganda and trying to recruit new supporters. | Tablighi Jamaat, which means the Outreach Society or the Society for Spreading Faith, is banned in Russia. Its philosophy is based around the idea that Muslims should revert to practicing their faith as it was done in the 7th century, when the Prophet Mohammed himself lived. It particularly focuses on styles of dress, personal behavior, and forms of ritual. | | Religious literatu…
rt.com/russia/481226-russian-cops-detained-radical-islamist/

\'We can\'t have Turkish laws on French ground\': Macron vows to fight foreign imams preaching \'Islamist separatism\'
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Paris will clamp down on imams from Muslim countries that arrive in France to push worshipers into violating the law, the country\'s President Emmanuel Macron said, warning Turkey it can\'t \"feed separatism\" on French soil. | Macron promised to \"gradually\" end the program allowing Muslim countries to send imams and teachers to France in order to teach languages and culture unsupervised by the state. Speaking at the town of Mulhouse near the German border, he said that the influence of foreign imams leads some to \"separate themselves from the Republic and therefore not respect its laws.\" | The French leader sing…
rt.com/news/481195-macron-turkish-imams-france/

\'Throat of fire\' volcano signalling imminent, devastating COLLAPSE
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Scientists are warning that the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is showing early signs of impending catastrophic collapse, after satellite data showed substantial internal damage from ongoing magma activity. | Tungurahua, has been persistently active since 1999 so wear and tear was inevitable, especially given that the \'Throat of fire,\' or \'Black giant\' as the Quechua indigenous people named it, has already collapsed twice before thousands of years ago. | | Tungurahua erupting on November 2nd, 1999. © US Geological Survey | \"Using satellite data we have observed very rapid deformation of Tungurahua\'s west…
rt.com/news/481180-ecuador-volcano-imminent-collapse-danger/

Permafrost Is Already Thawing. Will It Tip the Scales in the Climate Crisis?
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Across vast swaths of the northern hemisphere\'s higher reaches, frozen ground holds billions of tonnes of carbon. | As global temperatures rise, this \"permafrost\" land is at increasing risk of thawing out, potentially releasing its long-held carbon into the atmosphere. | Abrupt permafrost thaw is one of the most frequently discussed \"tipping points\" that could be crossed in a warming world. However, research suggests that, while this thawin…
truthout.org/articles/permafrost-is-already-thawing-will-it-tip-the-scales-in-the-climate-crisis/

Klobuchar Is in Fourth Place, and Her Policies Are Shockingly Conservative
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Following the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is in fourth place in delegates. She trails Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg but is ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden. Reporting showed that at least some voters were moved by her New Hampshire debate performance where she confronted Buttigieg for criticizing those doing the work in Washington. But Klobuchar will likely have a difficult time rallying support from voters…
truthout.org/articles/klobuchar-is-in-fourth-place-and-her-policies-are-shockingly-conservative/

Culinary Workers Union Member Would Trade Union Health Care for Medicare for All
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
The third presidential contest of the primary season takes place Saturday in Nevada. One of the state\'s most coveted endorsements is from the Culinary Workers Union, which represents some 60,000 workers in the restaurant and hospitality industries in Las Vegas and Reno. Its membership is 54% Latinx. But last week they decided not to endorse any of the candidates. Nevada is a \"right to work\" state, and the Culinary Workers Union has attracted members by offering them health care. It has said…
truthout.org/video/culinary-workers-union-member-would-trade-union-health-care-for-medicare-for-all/

Tonight\'s Debate in Nevada Is the Most Consequential Moment of the 2020 Race
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Thanks to the location of tonight\'s Democratic debate, we are all doomed to a common fate: the cringeworthy moment of hearing a pundit proclaim, \"One thing\'s for sure: What happens in Vegas won\'t stay in Vegas.\" We will inevitably hear about candidates \"putting all their chips on the table,\" and of candidates \"going all in.\" For journalists in search of an easy metaphor, this is low-hanging fruit, and it will be inescapable. You have been warned. | Now that we have that unpleasantness out of t…
truthout.org/articles/tonights-debate-in-nevada-is-the-most-consequential-moment-of-the-2020-race/

Sanders Calls Trump\'s Clemency for Corrupt Officials Proof of a Broken System
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
Sen. Bernie Sanders said late Tuesday that President Donald Trump\'s decision to grant clemency to several prominent white-collar criminals

Trump Spreads Alarm About Green New Deal: \"They Want to Kill Our Cows\"
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-19
As the campaign of Bernie Sanders continues to gain (an albeit fragile) viability, along with the equally fragile yet increasingly necessary enactment of a Green New Deal, Donald Trump is inoculating his base. | \"The Green New Deal … would crush our farms, destroy our wonderful cows,\" President Donald Trump told a gat…
truthout.org/articles/trump-spreads-alarm-about-green-new-deal-they-want-to-kill-our-cows/

US imposes travel ban on Sri Lankan army chief
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
Washington is demanding every faction of Colombo\'s political elite line up with its war preparations against China.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/slus-f19.html

\'Unreasonable & unacceptable\': Beijing slams Washington for press freedom hypocrisy after Chinese media branded \'foreign missions\'
rt.com | 2020-02-19
China has denounced Washington for advocating freedom of the press while obstructing media, after it tightened control over Beijing-run outlets operating in the US by equating them to diplomatic missions. | Washington\'s move against Chinese state media are \"unreasonable and unacceptable,\" Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters on Wednesday. | The United States has always advertised freedom of the press, but it interferes with and obstructs the normal operation of Chinese media in the United States. | Geng stated that Beijing reserves \"the right to respond further to this matter.\" | The US Dep…
rt.com/news/481189-chinese-media-foreign-missions/

China denounces US \"lies\" at the Munich Security Conference
wsws.org | 2020-02-19
Beijing\'s blunt language is an attempt to counter Washington\'s relentless propaganda offensive and also to seek support from the European powers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/19/chin-f19.html

Russia\'s tourism sector could lose $455 million if Chinese coronavirus crisis continues until summer – tour operators
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Health concerns over the new COVID-19 coronavirus have led to strong measures in Russia. The Far Eastern border with China has been closed, and most Chinese visitors face restrictions. Now financial losses are being assessed. | Experts forecast that the country\'s tourism industry may lose almost 3 billion rubles ($47 million), in just the next two months. That\'s according to ATOR, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia. China is typically the largest single source of tourists to Russia: providing 1.5 million visitors in 2019. | While the situation is bad, it could get much worse. If Chinese holidaymakers…
rt.com/russia/481201-coronavirus-russias-tourism-lose/

US attempts to hurt China & Huawei \'so badly\' will only hurt itself, Huawei USA chief tells Boom Bust
rt.com | 2020-02-19
US officials said recently they have evidence that the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has backdoor access to mobile-phone networks around the world. | RT\'s Boom Bust welcomes Andy Purdy, chief security officer of Huawei Technologies USA, to discuss the growing tension in the 5G space and the company\'s role in international trade. | \"We welcome the opportunity to see what the evidence is but we really have to look at this in a broader context of an ongoing geopolitical dynamic between the US and China,\" Purdy says. | The United States has \"major issues with China and right now it wants to hurt China so badly…
rt.com/business/481202-us-china-huawei-5g/

The Munich Security Conference: No, Pompeo, the West Isn\'t Winning
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-19
Secretary of State Pompeo boldly declared during his keynote speech at last weekend\'s Munich Security Conference that \"the West is winning\", which isn\'t true at all since it\'s actually facing unprecedented challenges from Russia and China, though that also shouldn\'t …
globalresearch.ca/pompeo-west-isnt-winning/5703995

China: Over 14 Thousand Patients Recover From Coronavirus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-19
China\'s National Health Commission(NHC) reported that 14,376 patients have recovered from the coronavirus throughout the country. | RELATED: | China Suspends the Annual Meeting of the National Assembly | In their latest report, Chinese health authorities informed that 74,279 people have been infected by the disease and 2007 persons have died so far. | Seen from a temporary perspective, however, the outbreak control is yielding the expected results. | For 15 consecutive days, the…
telesurenglish.net/news/China-Over-14-Thousand-Patients-Recover-From-Coronavirus-20200219-0004.html

2 Iranians die after testing positive for coronavirus
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Two Iranians who were that country\'s first cases of coronavirus have died, health officials in Qom announced on Wednesday. | The deaths were also confirmed by health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur in a tweet just hours after confirmation that the pair had tested positive for the respiratory illness. Earlier, the ministry had said the patients had been put into isolation. | The highly contagious novel coronavirus emerged in China in December 2019, with the death toll there exceeding 2,000 for the first time on…
rt.com/newsline/481232-iranians-die-tested-positive-coronavirus/

Overseas investors increase holdings of Chinese bonds despite coronavirus uncertainty
rt.com | 2020-02-19
Demonstrating confidence in China, international investors continued to invest in the country\'s economy. Net purchases of Chinese bonds were worth 43 billion yuan ($6.1 billion) after the Spring Festival, market data showed. | According to China Foreign Exchange Trade System, the country\'s bond market has become an important part of global asset allocation. It said, as cited by Xinhua News, that it will continue to improve overseas services and enhance financial infrastructure to facilitate bond trade. | Analysts largely expect growth to rebound after the containment on pent-up demand and production, the forei…
rt.com/business/481173-overseas-investors-chinese-bonds/

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-02-20 02:45 GMT (19:45 EST)

2020-02-18: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-18). Like the \'Titanic,\' the glory of the US won\'t prevent it from sinking… and it will sink — Iran\'s Khamenei. rt.com Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has denounced the US ahead of Iran\'s elections, likening Washington to a sinking ocean liner, and calling it out as a mass oppressor. | Pulling no punches, Khamenei tweeted that the country\'s arch rival is a clear \"manifestation of oppression\" that is \"abhorred by the world.\" | Not stopping there, he also likened the US to the \'Titanic,\' and promised its fate may be no less grim. | \"The Americans decorate a facade to deceive others and to scare some. But, just as the magnificence of the \'Titanic\' didn\'t prevent her from sinking, the glory of the US won\'t prevent it from sink…

Staff (2020-02-18). \"Worth the Price?\" New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for U.S. to Invade Iraq. democracynow.org The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War — an issue that has been raised repeatedly on the campaign trail. Biden has apologized for supporting the war, but the new film, directed by the Center for Economic and Policy Research\'s Mark Weisbrot, exposes Biden\'s central role in pushing for an Iraq invasion.

RT (2020-02-18). Pay-to-play? Bloomberg & his deep pockets qualify for Nevada debate after DNC rule change opened door to billionaire contender. rt.com Michael Bloomberg will be allowed to participate in the upcoming Democratic primary debate in Nevada, thanks in part to a helpful rule change — and hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign spending. | As of Tuesday, the former New York City mayor has polled over 10 percent in four surveys, meeting the threshold set by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). (Alternatively, Bloomberg could have qualified by receiving at least one delegate from either the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary — but the billionaire has yet to rack up a single delegate.) | His qualification for Wednesday\'s deba…

RT (2020-02-18). Happy Presidents\' Day! Obama & Trump argue over who gets credit for saving Wall St… err, US economy. rt.com With many Americans enjoying the day off in honor of their first president, the two most recent ones seized the moment to get into a fight over who should get the credit for the nation\'s economic recovery. | \"Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the worst recession in generations, I signed the Recovery Act, paving the way for more than a decade of economic growth and the longest streak of job creation in American history,\" Barack Obama tweeted on Monday, along with a photo of his signature on the bill that pumped an estimated $831 billion into Wall Street. | Eleven years ago today, near the bottom of the…

RT (2020-02-18). European court reinstates order for Russia to pay $50 billion over Yukos. rt.com A Dutch appeals court has reinstated an international arbitration panel\'s ruling that Russia should pay $50 billion in compensation to ex-shareholders of the defunct Russian oil giant, Yukos, overturning a previous court decision. | The Hague Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday that the 2016 ruling cancelling the arbitration decision \"was not correct,\" meaning that \"the arbitration order is in force again.\" | The Russian Justice Ministry said immediately after the ruling that it would appeal the court\'s decision. The Ministry of Justice said the court had ignored the fact that the former Yukos shareholders were n…

RT (2020-02-18). \'Oligarch v oligarch\' in 2020? Democrats could rob Bernie & nominate Bloomberg in Wall Street win-win — Lee Camp. rt.com Bernie Sanders is on course to triumph in the Democratic primaries, but backdoor deals could result in Michael Bloomberg being the nominee, leaving Americans to choose between two Wall Street-backed billionaires, Lee Camp warns. | In his new video, the American comedian and Redacted Tonight host argues that the Democratic establishment will do everything in its power to prevent the Vermont senator from clinching the nomination. | In one possible scenario, Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, could be handed the nomination if non-Sanders delegates throw their support behind him, resulting in a lose-lose situat…

RT (2020-02-18). Head of Wuhan hospital dies of coronavirus as global death toll rises to nearly 1,900. rt.com The director of a hospital at the epicenter of China\'s coronavirus outbreak has died, according to state media, marking the latest death as Beijing scrambles to contain the virus. | Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, died on Tuesday morning after \"all-out rescue efforts failed,\" state broadcaster CCTV reported. | Liu\'s death was initially announced on Monday night in a social media post by the Hubei Health Commission. However, in a follow-up message the commission said that the hospital director was alive and battling the virus. | At least six other medical workers in China have died from…

RT (2020-02-18). Visitor numbers to Russia jumped by 20.5% last year — major e-visa liberalization planned for 2021. rt.com It may be the world\'s largest country and bursting with visitor attractions, but Russia has long punched below its weight in the tourism sector. Now, signs suggest this is beginning to change. | In 2019, 5.1 million people came to the country as tourists — a 20.5 percent increase on the previous year, during which the FIFA World Cup was staged in 11 Russian cities. That\'s according to brand-new figures released by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia. | At the top of the leaderboard for visitors is China. In 2019, 1.5 million Chinese crossed the border for the purposes of tourism, a rise of almost…

RT (2020-02-18). Only if you're rich: Coronavirus fears spark demand for private jet travel. rt.com Wealthy travelers stuck inside or outside of China due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak have been seeking private jet operators to arrange their flights despite the huge costs. | According to Darin Voyles of Paramount Business Jets, there was a \"considerable uptick\" in such requests, but the majority of these can\'t be filled as they can\'t get the crew or planes. | \"Many simply do not want to send their aircraft and crews into mainland China. Aside from the risk of exposure for the crews, the operational and business concern is that when they return from mainland China they will essentially be unable to work…

RT (2020-02-18). Russia temporarily bans ALL Chinese visitors amid coronavirus epidemic. rt.com Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree on Tuesday evening prohibiting Chinese citizens from entering Russia for tourism, work and for private purposes. The new rules are effective from Thursday. | The decision is the strongest measure yet taken to prevent the entry and spread of the new coronavirus in Russia. Previously, Russian Railways suspended all passenger traffic to and from China, and flights have been heavily restricted. In addition, border crossings in the Far East have been closed. | \"From 00: 00 local time on February 20, 2020, the passage of citizens of the People\'s Republic of Chi…

RT (2020-02-18). China to grant tariff exemptions on additional US goods. rt.com The Chinese government announced on Tuesday it would allow importers to apply for new tariff exemptions on nearly 700 products from the United States, including agricultural and energy goods. | According to the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, applications will be accepted starting from March 2, and will need to undergo an approval process. Exemptions will only be effective for one year. | \"[The exemptions are] to support enterprises to import goods from the US based upon their business considerations,\" said the commission. | The list of exemptions contains 697 product types, ranging from soybea…

RT (2020-02-18). Sales for me, tariffs for thee? Trump says US \'OPEN FOR BUSINESS\' & blasts China trade restrictions… as tariffs remain in place. rt.com President Donald Trump has unloaded on a series of measures that would restrict the sale of US goods to China, saying national security is no \"excuse\" for disrupting business. Meanwhile, Chinese imports remain penalized. | \"The United States cannot, and will not, become such a difficult place to deal with in terms of foreign countries buying our product,\" Trump tweeted on Tuesday, \"including for the always used National Security excuse.\" | The United States cannot, & will not, become such a difficult place to deal with in terms of foreign countries buying our product, including for the always used National Sec…

RT (2020-02-18). Up and at\'em! China\'s Chang\'e-4 probe resumes work on FAR SIDE of the Moon. rt.com China\'s Yutu-2 lunar rover and Chang\'e-4 spacecraft have sprung back to life and resumed work on the far side of the Moon, after a brief slumber as the Earth\'s natural satellite was hidden from the Sun. | The lander awoke at 6: 57am Beijing time on Tuesday, while the rover had come back to life at approximately 5: 55pm Monday. Both machines are functioning normally and are ready to continue their work, the China National Space Administration said. | Also on rt.com | | And so begins the pion…

RT (2020-02-18). It\'s official! India overtakes UK & France to become world\'s 5th LARGEST economy. rt.com India is developing into an open-market economy from its previous autarchic policies, US-based think tank World Population Review concludes in a report. | \"India\'s economy is the fifth largest in the world, with a GDP of $2.94 trillion, overtaking the UK and France in 2019 to take the fifth spot,\" said the report, as quoted by the Press Trust of India. | To compare, the size of the UK economy is $2.83 trillion, while the French economy is $2.71 trillion. | Also on rt.com | | According to the…

RT (2020-02-18). Afghan President Ghani wins 2nd term — election commission. rt.com Afghanistan has declared incumbent Ashraf Ghani the winner of a disputed presidential election held almost five months ago. Ghani won 50.64 percent of the vote, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Tuesday. Abdullah Abdullah, Ghani\'s former deputy and main rival, was named runner-up with 39.52 percent. | The result could trigger new turmoil amid accusations of fraud, as hope remains for a possible peace deal with Taliban militants, Reuters said. Polls were held on September 28 to select a president for the fourth time since US-led forces overthrew the Taliban government in 2001. The election was m…

RT (2020-02-18). Ukraine witch-hunter Mirotvorets blacklists retired NATO generals, Munich Security Conference head as \'PRO-RUSSIA\' propagandists. rt.com A notorious witch-hunt website says the chairman of one the most reputed pro-NATO gatherings and some top US military retirees are now enemies of Ukraine, as they dared to sign a non-binding roadmap for peace in Donbass. | The controversial \'Mirotvorets\' (Peacekeeper) website took aim at German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, blacklisting him for what it said was \"attempting to disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine\" and for \"taking part in Russia\'s propaganda events aimed against Ukraine.\" | | © Screenshot from myrotvorets.center | Ischinger chairs the Munich Security Conference (M…

RT (2020-02-18). Russian man diagnosed with coronavirus on board cruise ship in Japan. rt.com A second Russian citizen has been hospitalized over coronavirus concerns aboard the \'Diamond Princess\' cruise ship. The Japanese government has confirmed that only one Russian national is infected with coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the Russian Embassy in Tokyo said on Tuesday. | \"According to the explanations we have been given, the spouse of the Russian woman who was suspected to have COVID-19 as of February 17 has been diagnosed with the virus,\" the embassy informed. | The man is currently held at a special medical facility in Aichi Prefecture, the embassy added. His wife, who was reported…

RT (2020-02-18). Home-made bombs tested on PETS: New Columbine-style school massacre thwarted in Crimea, 2 teen suspects arrested. rt.com Two teenage fans of Vladislav Roslyakov, who killed 20 of his classmates in a Columbine-copycat shooting in the Crimean city of Kerch two years ago, were preparing similar school attacks, the Russian security service has revealed. | The suspects, who \"were disciples of extremist ideology and followers of Vladislav Roslyakov\" wanted to target two schools in Kerch, Russia\'s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement Tuesday. | Police discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with striking elements at their homes as well as spare parts to make more IEDs, which the teens had purchased on the internet.

RT (2020-02-18). US \'shamelessly & impudently\' PILLAGES Syrian oilfields but forbids supply of hydrocarbons to Damascus, says Russian defense chief. rt.com Russia\'s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu slammed the US for occupying Syrian oilfields, calling it a major obstacle to the reconstruction of the country after the conflict. | \"The oil fields… are controlled by the US. There\'s shameless, impudent pillage of the wealth that belongs to Syria and the Syrian people taking place,\" Shoigu said during a visit to the Italian capital Rome. | At the same time, the sanctions imposed by Washington against Damascus ban any oil shipments to Syria, putting the country in a tight spot. | \"Most of the people, who are now suffering in Syria, are in need of heat, hot water and e…

RT (2020-02-18). Chechen exile's Berlin park killer linked to Russia's FSB – Bellingcat, Der Spiegel, The Insider. rt.com When a Chechen exile was shot dead in a Berlin park last summer it strained relations between Germany and Russia. A new investigation suggests his alleged killer may have been trained by Russia\'s Federal Security Service (FSB). | A joint report from Germany\'s Der Spiegel magazine, the US-government funded Bellingcat website and Russian outlet The Insider claims to have obtained the phone records of \"Vadim Krasikov,\" which they say is the real identity of Vadim Sokolov, the man German police accuse of carrying out the murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili. | Khangoshvili was regarded as a terrorist by Moscow for his…

RT (2020-02-18). Bombs away! WATCH close-up footage of Su-35S jet performing airstrike. rt.com The Russian Defense Ministry\'s TV channel, Zvezda, has placed numerous cameras on Su-35S fighter jets, filming a spectacular video from the bomb-dropping drills of the 4++ generation warplanes | The cams were not only in the cockpits, but also on the bodies of the jets, right in front of their bomb hatches, providing some unique footage. | The video was made during the recent exercises in the air above the Voronzeh and Tver Regions in central Russia, which involved Su-35S and MiG-31 jets, as well as around 500 servicemen. | The planes took off from the airfields with a time gap of just one minute and droppe…

RT (2020-02-18). Putin orders to remove Surkov from Russian presidential aide office. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order to release Vladislav Surkov from the position of his aide, the Kremlin\'s press service said on Tuesday. | \"To relieve Vladislav Surkov from the position of the aide to the Russian president,\" the order reads. The president\'s order also notes that it is effective on the day of signing. | Earlier reports this year said Surkov, the president\'s long-time influential aide and former deputy PM and the ex-deputy head of the presidential administration, had

RT (2020-02-18). Young man on trial for clashing with police at Moscow protests gets suspended sentence. rt.com Meshchansky District Court in Moscow on Tuesday handed student Andrei Barshai, a participant of the July 27 unauthorized rally, a three-year suspended sentence. Barshai, 21, was convicted of using force against an officer of the Russian National Guard Troops Service. | Barshai was freed at the court room. He had denied any wrongdoing, excluding the fact of \'a physical contact\' with the officer. During the unauthorized action, Barshai \"pushed him in the back,\" police said. The student apologized to the law enforcement officer. | More than 3,500 people took to the streets in July last year in support of unregist…

RT (2020-02-18). But will he pardon Roger Stone? Trump clemency for Blagojevich, Kerik, Milken & DeBartolo fuel speculation. rt.com US President Donald Trump has surprised everyone with a series of pardons that — so far — do not include any of his aides caught up in \'Russiagate\' investigations, although his tweets suggest this too might be coming. | First on the list was former San Francisco 49s NFL franchise owner Edward DeBartolo Jr, who pleaded guilty in 1998 to failing to report a felony, after he did not disclose that the governor of Louisiana extorted him for a bribe in exchange for a riverboat casino license. He was fined $1 million and sentenced to two years\' probation. His NFL career effectively over, he transferred th…

RT (2020-02-18). US-Taliban agreement to cut violence will start in next 5 days, Afghan minister says. rt.com An agreement between the Taliban and US forces to reduce violence will come into force within the next five days, Afghanistan\'s acting Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi said on Tuesday. | The \'reduction in violence\' period \"will begin in the next five days, which will be based on the negotiations between the US and the Taliban,\" he told a gathering of provincial police commanders in Kabul. | Last week, a senior US administration official said negotiations with Taliban representatives in Qatar had resulted in an agreement in principle for a week-long reduction of violence, but the seven-day period had not yet c…

RT (2020-02-18). \'Doctors for Assange\' worry he may die in UK prison having \'effectively been tortured to death\'. rt.com Over 100 doctors are urging the UK government to stop the \"psychological torture\" of Julian Assange, and send him to a hospital. It\'s their fourth such letter since the journalist appeared in court. | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may die in a UK prison, having \"effectively been tortured to death,\" claim Doctors for Assange, a group of 117 doctors from 18 countries, in a recent letter The letter says that Assange requires urgent med…

Lorri Nandrea (2020-02-18). RNC 2020 and the symbols of history: Crowns, Hornets, and Boiler Plugs. peoplesworld.org This August, the Republican National Convention will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the only city that offered to host it. After submitting their bid, the Charlotte City Council tried to retract it, but were cowed by the threat of being sued for breach of contract. So, the Republicans have somewhere to go. Charlotte was …

Morning Star (2020-02-18). Amazon offers free shipping for illegal Israeli settlements, but not Palestinian Territories. peoplesworld.org Amazon has been accused of discrimination by offering free shipment to illegal settlers in the occupied West Bank, but not for Palestinians living there. The practice was discovered by the Financial Times as it entered illegal settlement addresses into the global online retailer\'s delivery portal. Amazon\'s website offered free shipping for orders, saying: \"If your …

RT (2020-02-18). 5 civilians injured in explosive device blast in Bab Musalla, Damascus. rt.com Five civilians were injured in a car bomb blast in the Bab Musalla area in Damascus, SANA said on Tuesday. One of the victims sustained serious injuries, according to the report. | A source at Damascus Police Command said that the terrorists placed an explosive device in a car. | The automobile exploded while it was passing by the departures bus stop in Bab Musalla area in the Syrian capital, injuring five civilians, one of whom is in critical condition.

RT (2020-02-18). \'Colonial rule ended in 1947!\' Indians lay into British MP & Kashmir policy critic who demanded instant visa for \'private visit\'. rt.com A British MP outraged that she was denied entry to India over a revoked visa has received a harsh backlash online, with some reminding the lawmaker — a critic of Delhi\'s policies in Kashmir — that India is no longer a UK subject.

John Bachtell (2020-02-18). In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference. peoplesworld.org What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …

RT (2020-02-18). Bercow attacks Tories claiming party only accept ethnic minority \'conformists\', calls his abusers \'bigots\'. rt.com Former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has provoked anger among the Tory faithful after insisting the party only accommodate \"ethnic minorities\" who play by \"the rulebook,\" otherwise they\'re \"rubbished.\" | In an interview for a \'Guardian Live\' event on Monday night, Bercow — who has been dogged by accusations of bullying by his former parliamentary colleagues since he stepped down from his role in October — laid into the Conservative Party hierarchy\'s attitude towards ethnic minorities. | If they play by the rulebook dictated by those on high, they are accommodated, patted on the head a…

RT (2020-02-18). As Weinstein verdict comes in, what has #MeToo wrought? rt.com Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein is facing a reckoning for his \'casting couch\' habits — but the #MeToo movement he triggered has not only empowered victims, it\'s grown into a weapon for politicians and culture warriors. | Weinstein was hauled before a Manhattan court

Staff (2020-02-18). Journalist: Harvey Weinstein\'s Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement. democracynow.org A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, alleges she was raped by Weinstein in a New York hotel, for which he has been charged wit…

Staff (2020-02-18). Trump Commutes Blagojevich Sentence, Pardons Others. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has gone on a clemency blitz, commuting the 14-year prison sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and pardoning former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik, among a long list of others. | Trump also told reporters that he has pardoned financier Michael Milken, who pleaded guilty for violating U.S. securities laws and served two years in prison in the early 1990s. Trump also pardoned Edward DeBartolo Jr., the former San Francisco 49ers owner convicted in a gambling fraud scandal who built one of the most successful NFL teams in the game\'s history. | Related Article…

Staff (2020-02-18). Boy Scouts\' Future Uncertain After Bankruptcy Filing. truthdig.com Barraged with sex-abuse lawsuits, the Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday in hopes of working out a potentially mammoth victim compensation plan that will allow the 110-year-old organization to carry on. | The Chapter 11 filing in federal bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware, sets in motion what could be one of the biggest, most complex bankruptcies ever seen. Scores of lawyers are seeking settlements on behalf of several thousand men who say they were molested as scouts by scoutmasters or other leaders decades ago but are only now eligible to sue because of recent changes in their s…

Ed Rampell (2020-02-18). \'The Father\': Alfred Molina in a meditation on dementia. peoplesworld.org PASADENA, Calif.—Alfred Molina renders a devastating depiction of dementia in Florian Zeller\'s award-winning play The Father. Ably directed by Jessica Kubzansky, this one-act Alzheimer-palooza is staged in what is usually described as a \"cinematic\" way, with intercutting and perhaps even montage used to indicate André\'s (Molina) increasingly fragmented, confused perception of reality. The lighting and …

Robin Andersen (2020-02-18). Factchecking NPR\'s Attempted Takedown of Bernie Sanders. fair.org by Robin Andersen | The Iowa caucuses officially began the Democratic primary, and even in this ongoing, extended battle for the White House, Iowa remains an important marker for candidates and the media. A close look at a piece by two of NPR\'s leading political reporters, which aired just before the caucuses, provides a view of how journalists speak with authority on issues they seem to know very little about. The conversation between Mary Louise Kelly and her partner Mara Liasson, headlined \"Where Iowa Falls in the Big Picture of the 2020 Election\" (All Thing…

RT (2020-02-18). Extraordinary Neanderthal skeleton found at famous burial site could finally answer ancient DEATH-RITES question. rt.com The landmark discovery in Iraq of the skeleton of a 70,000-year-old Neanderthal has reignited a debate about whether these ancient humans were sophisticated enough to have burial rituals. | The old bones were unearthed at Shanidar Cave in Iraq, where the partial remains of 10 Neanderthal men, women and children were found during excavations in the 1950s and 1960s. | | © Graeme Barker | The skeleton is the first \"articulated\" Neanderthal remains to be found in two decades. An articulated skeleton find is one where the bones are still arranged in their original positions. Researchers say it offers an unpa…

Sasha Abramsky (2020-02-18). Trump Is Unleashing Militarized Goon Squads Against Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities. thenation.com Trump Is Unleashing Militarized Goon Squads Against Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities…

Mike Ludwig (2020-02-18). Sanders and AOC\'s Fracking Ban Angers Centrists and Their Fossil Fuel Backers. zcomm.org Source: Truthout Photo by J. Bicking/Shutterstock.com House Democrats have finally unveiled a flurry of climate bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but activists say only one proposal represents the \"gold standard\" for tackling the climate crisis: Legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that would ban fracking nationwide. While none of

WSWS (2020-02-18). Australian court backs police raids on journalists. wsws.org The ruling highlights the driving forces behind the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

John Pilger (2020-02-18). John Pilger: It is time for Julian Assange to be saved, not betrayed. thegrayzone.com The truth is that Australia could have rescued Julian Assange and can still rescue him. Leaders of his homeland who have…

John Pilger (2020-02-18). Julian Assange Must Be Freed, Not Betrayed. zcomm.org When we speak about dictatorships, we call this brainwashing: the conquest of minds. It is a truth we rarely apply to our own societies, regardless of the trail of blood that leads back to us and which never dries…

WSWS (2020-02-18). Courage Foundation holds public meeting in New York City in defense of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. wsws.org The extradition hearing for Assange is scheduled to begin in London on February 24.

Alexander Rubinstein (2020-02-18). While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen. thegrayzone.com High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenage British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange\'s extradition,…

WSWS (2020-02-18). Support grows for New Zealand rallies to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Group (NZ) is holding a rally in Wellington on Sunday February 23 as part of worldwide demonstrations in defence of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

John Pilger (2020-02-18). \'Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed\', says John Pilger. thecanary.co On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…

Dr. C. Stephen Frost (2020-02-18). End Torture and Medical Neglect of Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca On Nov 22, 2019, we, a group of more than 60 medical doctors, wrote to the UK Home Secretary to express our serious concerns about the physical and mental health of Julian Assange.1 In our letter,1 we documented a history …

WSWS (2020-02-18). The Lancet publishes letter from doctors: \"End torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange\" wsws.org The world\'s pre-eminent medical journal carries a letter from 117 doctors in 18 countries calling for urgent action to save the life of the WikiLeaks publisher.

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2020-02-18 23:26 GMT (18:29 EST)

2020-02-18: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these \'POSTEES\' on social media!

Trump Is Unleashing Militarized Goon Squads Against Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities
Sasha Abramsky | thenation.com | 2020-02-18
Trump Is Unleashing Militarized Goon Squads Against Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities…
thenation.com/article/society/trump-immigration-sanctuary-cities/

Sanders and AOC\'s Fracking Ban Angers Centrists and Their Fossil Fuel Backers
Mike Ludwig | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
Source: Truthout Photo by J. Bicking/Shutterstock.com House Democrats have finally unveiled a flurry of climate bills aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but activists say only one proposal represents the \"gold standard\" for tackling the climate crisis: Legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that would ban fracking nationwide. While none of Read…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/sanders-and-aocs-fracking-ban-angers-centrists-and-their-fossil-fuel-backers/

John Pilger: It is time for Julian Assange to be saved, not betrayed
John Pilger | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
The truth is that Australia could have rescued Julian Assange and can still rescue him. Leaders of his homeland who have…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/17/john-pilger-julian-assange-saved-betrayed/

Support grows for New Zealand rallies to free Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The Socialist Equality Group (NZ) is holding a rally in Wellington on Sunday February 23 as part of worldwide demonstrations in defence of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/asnz-f18.html

Courage Foundation holds public meeting in New York City in defense of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The extradition hearing for Assange is scheduled to begin in London on February 24.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/wnyc-f18.html

End Torture and Medical Neglect of Julian Assange
Dr. C. Stephen Frost | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
On Nov 22, 2019, we, a group of more than 60 medical doctors, wrote to the UK Home Secretary to express our serious concerns about the physical and mental health of Julian Assange.1 In our letter,1 we documented a history …
globalresearch.ca/end-torture-medical-neglect-julian-assange/5704006

\'Doctors for Assange\' worry he may die in UK prison having \'effectively been tortured to death\'
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Over 100 doctors are urging the UK government to stop the \"psychological torture\" of Julian Assange, and send him to a hospital. It\'s their fourth such letter since the journalist appeared in court. | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may die in a UK prison, having \"effectively been tortured to death,\" claim Doctors for Assange, a group of 117 doctors from 18 countries, in a recent letter published in The Lancet, a leading medical journal. | The letter says that Assange requires urgent med…
rt.com/news/481096-doctors-worry-assange-condition/

While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen
Alexander Rubinstein | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenaged British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange\'s extradition,…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/18/assange-us-extradite-cia-killed-british-teen/

Australian court backs police raids on journalists
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The ruling highlights the driving forces behind the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/raid-f18.html

While demanding Assange, US refuses to extradite CIA agent who killed British teen
Alexander Rubinstein | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-18
High-ranking CIA agent Anne Sacoolas is charged with killing a teenage British citizen. While the US demands Julian Assange\'s extradition,…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/18/assange-us-extradite-cia-killed-british-teen/

\'Julian Assange must be freed, not betrayed\', says John Pilger
John Pilger | thecanary.co | 2020-02-18
On Saturday, there will be a march from Australia House in London to Parliament Square, the centre of British democracy. People will carry pictures of the Australian publisher and journalist Julian Assange who, on 24 February, faces a court that will decide whether or not he is to be extradited to the United States and a living death. | Some Australian history: | I know Australia House well. As an Australian myself, I used to go there in my early days in London to read the newspapers from home. Opened by King George V over a century ago, its vastness of marble and stone, chandeliers and solemn portraits,…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/02/18/julian-assange-must-be-freed-not-betrayed-says-john-pilger/

The Lancet publishes letter from doctors: \"End torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange\"
wsws.org | 2020-02-18
The world\'s pre-eminent medical journal carries a letter from 117 doctors in 18 countries calling for urgent action to save the life of the WikiLeaks publisher.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/18/lanc-f18.html

Julian Assange Must Be Freed, Not Betrayed
John Pilger | zcomm.org | 2020-02-18
When we speak about dictatorships, we call this brainwashing: the conquest of minds. It is a truth we rarely apply to our own societies, regardless of the trail of blood that leads back to us and which never dries…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/julian-assange-must-be-freed-not-betrayed/

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
More than ever, Bernie Sanders is public enemy number one for power elites that thrive on economic injustice. The Bernie 2020 campaign is a direct threat to the undemocratic leverage that extremely wealthy individuals and huge corporations constantly exert on the political process. No wonder we\'re now seeing so much anti-Bernie rage from leading corporate Democrats

The Escalating Class War Against Bernie Sanders
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2020-02-18
Corporate Democrats and corporate media on the attack…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/17/18830739.php

Teacher Strikes Boost Fight for Racial Justice in Schools
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide

Striking LA Teachers\' Win Against Random Frisking Is Becoming District Policy
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
One year ago, Los Angeles teachers on strike were demanding an end to random searches where students were yanked out of class to be frisked. By the time they walked back into work, they had won a partial victory. | Now these searches are coming to an end districtwide

In politics, a day or a week makes a big difference
John Bachtell | peoplesworld.org | 2020-02-18
What a difference a day (or week) makes. During the first week of February, a sense of panic spread through the ranks of many Democrats and activists. First, there was the Iowa Caucus vote counting debacle, and then Trump was acquitted in the sham impeachment trial. Then the criminal, white supremacist, rapist, autocrat in the …
peoplesworld.org/article/in-politics-a-day-or-a-week-makes-a-big-difference/

Libya\'s GNA scraps peace talks after attack on ship \'loaded with weapons\' at Tripoli port
rt.com | 2020-02-18
The Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya has suspended UN-brokered ceasefire talks with the Libyan National Army after an LNA attack on a port in the capital on Tuesday. | \"Today there was a renewed violation of the truce with the targeting of civilian facilities in the capital,\" the GNA said in statement, adding \"we hereby suspend our participation in the military talks that are taking place in Geneva until a firm stand is taken against the aggressor and their violations.\" | The attack

Ukraine witch-hunter Mirotvorets blacklists retired NATO generals, Munich Security Conference head as \'PRO-RUSSIA\' propagandists
rt.com | 2020-02-18
A notorious witch-hunt website says the chairman of one the most reputed pro-NATO gatherings and some top US military retirees are now enemies of Ukraine, as they dared to sign a non-binding roadmap for peace in Donbass. | The controversial \'Mirotvorets\' (Peacekeeper) website took aim at German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, blacklisting him for what it said was \"attempting to disrupt the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine\" and for \"taking part in Russia\'s propaganda events aimed against Ukraine.\" | | © Screenshot from myrotvorets.center | Ischinger chairs the Munich Security Conference (M…
rt.com/news/481100-mirotvorets-ischinger-blacklist-donbass/

\'The Deal of the Century\' and Its Hidden Secrets
Hazim El-Naser | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
We oppose and reject the US-Israeli peace plan, or the so-called \"deal of the century\", for many political, economic, social and religious reasons. It is rejected due to new signs that it will impede progress on the water issue between …
globalresearch.ca/deal-century-hidden-secrets/5703905

Mexico: Family Says Gov\'t Failed To Protect Murdered Girl
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Relatives of a seven-year-old girl murdered in Mexico said Monday the government had failed to protect her despite their pleas for help, while President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador blamed the crime on neo-liberal economics. | RELATED: | Women Glitter Mexico City to Protest Rape, Gendered Violence | Fatima Cecilia Aldrighett went missing on Feb. 11. Her body was discovered over the weekend inside a plastic garbage bag in Mexico City\'s Tlahuac neighborhood, only days after another mur…
telesurenglish.net/news/Mexico-Family-Says-Govt-Failed-To-Protect-Murdered-Girl-20200217-0021.html

Young man on trial for clashing with police at Moscow protests gets suspended sentence
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Meshchansky District Court in Moscow on Tuesday handed student Andrei Barshai, a participant of the July 27 unauthorized rally, a three-year suspended sentence. Barshai, 21, was convicted of using force against an officer of the Russian National Guard Troops Service. | Barshai was freed at the court room. He had denied any wrongdoing, excluding the fact of \'a physical contact\' with the officer. During the unauthorized action, Barshai \"pushed him in the back,\" police said. The student apologized to the law enforcement officer. | More than 3,500 people took to the streets in July last year in support of unregist…
rt.com/newsline/481134-man-trial-moscow-protests/

\"Worth the Price?\" New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for U.S. to Invade Iraq
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-18
The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War

Explaining Syria: It\'s Everyone\'s Fault Except the U.S. and Israel
Philip Giraldi | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The first week in February was memorable for the failed impeachment of President Donald Trump, the \"re-elect me\" State of the Union address and the marketing of a new line of underwear by Kim Kardashian. Given all of the …
globalresearch.ca/explaining-syria-everyone-fault-except-u-s-israel/5703993

Trump\'s Budget: More Warfare, Slightly Less Welfare
Rep. Ron Paul | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Listening to the howls from Democrats and the applause from Republicans, one would think President Trump\'s proposed fiscal year 2021 budget is a radical assault on the welfare state. The truth is the budget contains some minor spending cuts, most …
globalresearch.ca/trumps-budget-more-warfare-slightly-less-welfare/5703985

Video: Turkish \"Armed Groups\" Don\'t Help. Syrian Army Liberates Entire Western Aleppo
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Syrian government forces have cleared the entire western countryside of Aleppo city of members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other Turkish-backed armed groups. | During the past week, the Syrian Army and its allies cleared up to 300km2 delivering a devastating …
globalresearch.ca/video-turkish-armed-groups-dont-help-syrian-army-liberates-entire-western-aleppo/5703963

Billionaire Bloomberg Aims to \"Buy the US Presidency\"
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
A fantasy democracy, never the real thing, Americans get the best rule of privileged interests money can buy… | Bloomberg\'s billions give him a significant edge only money can buy. Forbes ranked him 9th among the world\'s richest individuals, estimating his …
globalresearch.ca/billionaire-bloomberg-aims-buy-us-presidency/5703927

Sanders on Geopolitical Issues
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Follow what politicians do, not what they say they\'ll do. Time and again, rhetoric and actions are world\'s apart. | Obama and Trump are Exhibits A and B, their pledges to voters as presidential candidates polar opposite their policies in office …
globalresearch.ca/sanders-geopolitical-issues/5703987

Speeding Sea Level Rise Threatens Nuclear Plants
Paul Brown | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
The latest science shows how the pace of sea level rise is speeding up, fuelling fears that not only millions of homes will be under threat, but that vulnerable installations like docks and power plants will be overwhelmed by the …
globalresearch.ca/speeding-sea-level-rise-threatens-nuclear-plants/5704001

New Film Shows How Biden Played Leading Role in Push for US to Invade Iraq
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
The Democratic presidential candidates face off in Las Vegas Wednesday night ahead of the Nevada caucuses. Nevada could be a decisive state for candidates who performed poorly in Iowa and New Hampshire, including former Vice President Joe Biden. As Biden hopes for a comeback, a new short documentary sheds light on his extensive role in the Iraq War

Impunity for Torturers Made Trump\'s Invulnerability Possible
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
On February 5th, the Senate voted to acquit President Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. In other words, Trump\'s pre-election boast that he \"could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody\" and not \"lose any voters\" proved something more than high-flown hyperbole. (To be fair, he did lose one Republican \"voter\" in the Senate

Nevada Is a Big Test for Bernie Sanders\'s Medicare for All Plan
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Medicare for All faces a big test in Nevada\'s Democratic caucus, where front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are pitching competing health care plans in a last-minute effort to curry favor among voters as early voting comes to a close today. | Sanders has pledged to quickly push for a national health care system that covers everyone if elected president, while Biden wants to expand the Affordable Care Act with an option to buy government insurance that would compete with priv…
truthout.org/articles/nevada-is-a-big-test-for-bernie-sanderss-medicare-for-all-plan/

When Your Doctor Is Also a Lobbyist: Inside the War Over Surprise Medical Bills
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
When Carol Pak-Teng, an emergency room doctor in New Jersey, hosted a fundraiser in December for Democratic freshman Rep. Tom Malinowski, her guests, mostly doctors, were pleased when she steered the conversation to surprise medical bills. | This was a chance to send a message to Washington that any surprise billing legislation should protect doctors\' incomes in their battle over payments with insurers. Lawmakers are grappling over several approaches to curtail the practice, which can leave…
truthout.org/articles/when-your-doctor-is-also-a-lobbyist-inside-the-war-over-surprise-medical-bills/

The Slave Trade Used to Be Legal. Let\'s Not Glorify the Law
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Throughout the history of Black America, progress has often required breaking the law. For this reason, it\'s worth questioning why, in sanitized mainstream narratives (for example, those shared in schools and government functions during Black History Month), the story of Black struggle is often divorced from incendiary, illegal acts. Most Black people in the United States are descended from enslaved Africans, and being Black in this country has never been wholly separated from that history. In fact, it still ha…
truthout.org/articles/the-slave-trade-used-to-be-legal-lets-not-glorify-the-law/

The Trump Administration Is Cutting Back Protections for Migratory Birds
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
The Trump administration has proposed a new regulation on protecting migratory birds that is a drastic pullback from policies in force for the past 100 years. The draft rule is open for public comment through March 19. | In 1916, amid the chaos of World War I, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and King George V of Gre…
truthout.org/articles/the-trump-administration-is-cutting-back-protection-for-migratory-birds/

Harvey Weinstein\'s Defense Team Is Waging a War Against the #MeToo Movement
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
A jury of seven men and five women meet today in New York Supreme Court to begin deliberations on whether to find disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault. The case has drawn international attention amid the #MeToo movement. If the jurors find Weinstein guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 100 women but in this case faces five charges based on evidence relating to two main accusers. One woman, who…
truthout.org/video/harvey-weinsteins-defense-team-is-waging-a-war-against-the-metoo-movement/

Bernie Sanders Gains Endorsement From Latinx Group as Nevada Caucus Nears
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-18
Progressive Latinx group Mijente on Tuesday announced its first ever presidential endorsement, for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, just days before Nevadans caucus in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary on Saturday. | \"Something that\'s very appealing to people is his consistency and the concept of palabra,\" Mijente\'s director and cofounder Marisa Franco told Politico. \"And what that me…
truthout.org/articles/bernie-sanders-becomes-latinx-group-mijentes-first-presidential-endorsement/

Pay-to-play? Bloomberg & his deep pockets qualify for Nevada debate after DNC rule change opened door to billionaire contender
rt.com | 2020-02-18
Michael Bloomberg will be allowed to participate in the upcoming Democratic primary debate in Nevada, thanks in part to a helpful rule change

Democracy, Dictatorship and Bloomberg
Laura Flanders | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
The 2020 presidential race didn\'t get decided this week, but the choice before us did: more democracy or less of it. That\'s the decision we are facing, and if the Democrats manage to foul this up, they may not get another chance. The very same day that New Hampshire held its primary, the president was…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/democracy-dictatorship-and-bloomberg/

European court reinstates order for Russia to pay $50 billion over Yukos
rt.com | 2020-02-18
A Dutch appeals court has reinstated an international arbitration panel\'s ruling that Russia should pay $50 billion in compensation to ex-shareholders of the defunct Russian oil giant, Yukos, overturning a previous court decision. | The Hague Court of Appeal ruled on Tuesday that the 2016 ruling cancelling the arbitration decision \"was not correct,\" meaning that \"the arbitration order is in force again.\" | The Russian Justice Ministry said immediately after the ruling that it would appeal the court\'s decision. The Ministry of Justice said the court had ignored the fact that the former Yukos shareholders were n…
rt.com/business/481089-court-russia-pay-yukos/

Federal Charter Schools Program, a Lifeline for Owners of Capital, Under Threat
Shawgi Tell | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-18
Neoliberals established the Federal Charter Schools Program in 1994, three years after the nation\'s first charter school law was passed in Minnesota. Since then, billions of public dollars have been handed over to privately-owned-operated non-profit and for-profit charter schools through the federal program. The money is usually used for charter school start-up costs. Putting aside …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/federal-charter-schools-program-a-lifeline-for-owners-of-capital-under-threat/

Buying Elections: The Bloomberg Meme Campaign
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Interfering, corrupting and altering the views of electors is apparently frowned upon. But it all depends on who that manipulating source is. The Russians might be condemned for being meddlers of minds in the US electorate, but an American billionaire who hires battalions of influencing agents to get his word across on social media platforms…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/buying-elections-the-bloomberg-meme-campaign/

Brilliant New $5.34 Ladder Defeats Not So Brilliant $2.5 Billion Trump Fever Dream
Abby Zimet | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-18
Thanks to his ineffable stupidity

Mexico: Millions Embezzled During Peña Nieto\'s Administration
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-18
Mexico\'s authorities reported that irregularities in projects worth US$30.2 billion were detected during President Enrique Peña Nieto\'s administration (2012-2018). | RELATED: | Mexico: Fugitive Former Pemex Executive Arrested in Spain | The Public Function Secretary Irma Sandoval said that irregularities were identified in 2019 projects, which generated…
telesurenglish.net/news/millions-embezzled-in-mexico-during-pena-nieto-administration-20200217-0027.html

We Shouldn\'t Have to Beg Mark Zuckerberg to Respect Democracy
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-18
Last month George Soros had a New York Times column arguing that Mark Zuckerberg should not be running Facebook. (Does the NYT reserve space on its opinion page for billionaires?) The gist of Soros\' piece is that Zuckerberg has made a deal with Trump. He will allow all manner of outrageous lies to be spread…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/18/we-shouldnt-have-to-beg-mark-zuckerberg-to-respect-democracy/

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-02-18 23:26 GMT (18:26 EST)

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