RT (2020-02-02). Russian cruise line offers Arctic voyages along the Northern Sea Route. rt.com Cruises along the Northern Sea Route, as well as trips to Antarctica, will be available to travelers starting from 2021, Russian cruise line Vodohod has announced. | \"We have big plans for 2020. We are launching an expedition tour along the Yenisei [river — Ed.] on board the Maxim Gorky vessel, and I believe many people are aware of it already,\" Vodohod representative Igor Yasinsky said. | | © Facebook / Vodohod | He added that cruises along the Northern Sea Route and around Franz Josef Land will be served from 2021 during the summer period. \"After that, the vessel will go to Antarctica, and from 2…

RT (2020-02-02). Trump's \'deal of the century\' contradicts UN resolutions – Kremlin. rt.com Moscow doubts the viability of the new peace plan for the Middle East recently unveiled by Donald Trump, as it is incompatible with UN decisions on the matter and does not sit well with the Arab world. | \"It\'s plain enough that some of this plan\'s provisions do not fully correspond to the relevant resolutions by the UN Security Council,\" presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Rossiya-1 channel. | His remarks appear to be the Kremlin\'s first official response to the US proposal. | \"We see the reaction of the Palestinians, we see the reaction of a number of Arab states that are rejecting this plan in solidari…

RT (2020-02-02). Ecuador's Moreno showered with online anger after claiming women only report harassment by 'UGLY people'. rt.com Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno has been targeted by Twitter\'s warriors after claiming that women only accuse unattractive men of harassment. His defenders suggested that those furious apparently totally lack sense of humor. | \"That is to say, it is \'harassment\' when it comes from an ugly person,\" Moreno told a conference in Ecuador\'s second-largest city, Guayaquil, oblivious to the tweet-storm he was about to unleash upon himself. \"But if the person is good looking… they usually do not think it is harassment.\" | He also suggested that men are constantly at risk of being falsely accused of harassment by wo…

RT (2020-02-02). Ecuador's Moreno backpedals after suggesting women only report harassment by 'UGLY people'. rt.com Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno has been targeted by Twitter\'s warriors after claiming that women only accuse unattractive men of harassment. His defenders suggested that those furious apparently totally lack sense of humor. | \"That is to say, it is \'harassment\' when it comes from an ugly person,\" Moreno told a conference in Ecuador\'s second-largest city, Guayaquil, apparently oblivious to the tweet-storm he was about to unleash upon himself. \"But if the person is good looking… they usually do not think it is harassment.\" | He also suggested that men are constantly at risk of being falsely accused of haras…

The Canary (2020-02-02). Joker star Joaquin Phoenix makes plea for people to go vegan. thecanary.co Oscar and Bafta nominee Joaquin Phoenix has made a plea for people to \"go vegan\" as he led an animal equality protest in central London.The Hollywood A-lister used his pulling power to gather a group of activists for a protest where he dropped a 390-square foot banner from Tower Bridge which declared: \"Factory farming is destroying our planet. Go vegan.\"He made the call for people to break away from animal products ahead of Sunday\'s Bafta award ceremony, where he is in the running for the best lead actor prize for his starring role in Joker.Animal Equality protesters unfurl a banner on Tower Bridge (Victoria Jone…

RT (2020-02-02). Viral defense: US military in S. Korea to quarantine troops returning from epidemic-hit China. rt.com Fearing that the novel coronavirus outbreak could harm military readiness, the US Forces Korea (USFK) has encouraged members who traveled to China to isolate themselves for a period of two weeks. | \"USFK has instituted a 14-day self-quarantine for US service members returning from mainland China to South Korea on or after January 19, effective Sunday, February 2 at noon,\" it said in a statement released on Sunday. The measure is also \"highly encouraged\" for family members, DoD civilians, and contractors. | Meanwhile, the force said it\'s unaware of any American troops who traveled to the worst-affected province…

RT (2020-02-02). Time to juggle the groceries: Looming paper bag shortage shows you can't save the planet by banning plastic ones. rt.com The plastic bag has become anathema to the effort of saving Mother Nature from humans\' toxic ways. But humans are now being blindsided by a shortage of paper bags — which have proven to be an even worse alternative. | With the old-fashioned single-use plastic bags sent to an extinction rebellion fiery hell, we are being told that the only way forward is recycling, and using environmentally-friendly alternatives made of paper, cotton, polyester or other suitable materials. | Seventy-four countries have banned single-use plastic bags made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic with varying degrees of…

RT (2020-02-02). \'Speak French… my a**!\': Neymar in heated row with match officials after PSG star \'booked for showboating\' (VIDEO). rt.com Paris Saint-Germain ace Neymar clashed with officials during his team\'s 5-0 win against Montpellier on Saturday, after the Brazilian forward vented his anger at appearing to be booked for showboating against the opposition. | In a first-half incident at the Parc des Princes, Neymar attempted to pull off a \'rainbow\' flick over the heads of two Montpellier players while neat the touchline. | The ball went out of play, although referee Jérôme Brisard then called him over, appearing to reprimanding him for showing off. | As the pair argued, Brisard then brandished a yellow card at the Brazilian. | Ney…

RT (2020-02-02). China\'s central bank pumps $173bn into economy to heal damage from coronavirus outbreak. rt.com The People\'s Bank of China (PBOC) will allocate a hefty sum to stabilize the currency market and ensure there is enough liquidity in the country\'s financial institutions, which remain thwarted by the sweeping coronavirus epidemic. | PBOC has That money will arr…

RT (2020-02-02). Top official in PM Modi\'s party says \'entire world\' believes \'only\' India can mediate & resolve US-Iran conflict. rt.com The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a prominent member of Indian PM Narendra Modi\'s party, has suggested that the world is waiting for New Delhi to step into the row and reduce the tension between the US and Iran. | Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was speaking at a campaign rally in Rohini, to the northwest of New Delhi, on Saturday. He argued that the time when the US acted as a mediator in international disputes has long gone, and it\'s now time for India, which has become a major world power, to fill the void. | \"Earlier, when small nations sparred over various issues, the United States would jump in,\" Adity…

RT (2020-02-02). Two people stabbed, police shoot knifeman in London \'terrorist-related incident\'. rt.com London police have shot a man dead in the city\'s Streatham area in a \"terrorist\" incident. Two people have been stabbed, and the incident has been described as \"Islamist-related.\" | Armed police officers descended on the London suburb of Streatham on Sunday afternoon, and shot a knife-wielding criminal dead. | The Metropolitan Police said on Twitter that the perpetrator stabbed and injured two people, and that the incident has been declared \"terrorist-related.\" Police later clarified that the incident was \"part of a proactive Counter Terrorism operation,\" and that the stabbing attack was likely \"Islamist-re…

RT (2020-02-02). VIDEO footage shows London police respond to \'terrorist\' incident after shooting suspect dead. rt.com Armed police units have descended on the London suburb of Streatham, after a knife-wielding terror suspect stabbed and injured two people. Video footage shows the moments after the attack and the scale of the response. | London\'s Metropolitan Police say they shot a suspected terrorist dead on a shopping street in Streatham on Sunday afternoon, after he stabbed two people. Video footage shared on social media shows officers aiming their weapons at the man\'s lifeless body, which they later said was strapped with a \"hoax device.\" | The two victims were taken to hospital, with one described as suffering | Polic…

RT (2020-02-02). London Bridge 2.0? As police confirm London stabbing Islamist-related, report claims attacker was ALSO on police watch-list. rt.com The suspected terrorist shot dead by the law enforcement in the London suburb of Streatham was on a police watch-list when he stabbed two people, and was recently released from prison early. according to a Sky News report. | The knifeman who stabbed and injured two people — one seriously — in Streatham on Sunday was \"under active police surveillance at the time of the incident,\" Sky News\' security correspondent Sky later added that the man had been released from prison in recent days, aft…

Geri Spieler (2020-02-02). Doctors Are Failing Women With Eating Disorders. truthdig.com \"Famished: Eating Disorders and Failed Care in America\" | Rebecca Lester\'s book \"Famished: Eating Disorders and Failed Care in America,\" attempts to cover the medical communities\' Herculean efforts to cure a wide range of eating disorders. The book focuses on the complicated relationship between the attempts to treat those who suffer from eating disorders and the apparent failure of the system to heal them. And at its heart, Lester writes, \"It is critical to understand that eating…

RT (2020-02-02). US-China oil deal dictated by a market that hates it. rt.com The \'big beautiful monster\' Phase One trade deal between the United States and China may end up being truly beautiful for US exports on paper only—at least as far as energy is concerned. | Analysts have largely concurred that the Chinese promise to buy additional $52.4 billion worth of US energy products in 2020 and 2021 on top of the 2017 levels of Chinese energy imports is most likely unachievable, even if China intends to fulfill all its pledges in the deal. | Just read the fine print in the phase-one deal, which could undermine the promise of a US energy export boom to China. | \"The Parties acknowled…

RT (2020-02-02). \'Complete contentment and happiness\': Groundbreaking study finds death is a EUPHORIC experience. rt.com It may be many people\'s greatest fear, but a revolutionary new study has found that dying is actually a blissful and euphoric experience that makes people not want to come back to life. | People who momentarily depart their mortal coil before being revived are left with positive perceptions of what it\'s like to pass away, according to a groundbreaking new study. | The researchers used artificial intelligence to mine a treasure trove of 158 written testimonies from people who had near-death experiences and found that positive words like \'see\' and \'light\' are used far more frequently than negative ones like \'fea…

RT (2020-02-02). At least 4 injured in grenade attack in India-controlled Kashmir, including civilians and military personnel. rt.com Four people, including two security personnel and two civilians, have been wounded in a grenade attack in Srinagar, the largest city in India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, local police said. | Unidentified militants reportedly targeted a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrol in the city, wounding two officers as well as two bystanders. A CRPF spokesperson told local media that those injured were transported to a hospital to receive treatment. | The explosion reportedly caused panic among bystanders who were shopping at a weekly flea market. Security forces have cordoned off the area. | Also on rt.com…

RT (2020-02-02). 300+ Indians brought home on board another special-purpose Wuhan flight as New Delhi confirms 2nd coronavirus case. rt.com An Air India flight carrying 323 Indians and seven Maldivians from coronavirus-stricken Wuhan touched down in New Delhi on Sunday morning. It\'s the second time Indian citizens were airlifted from China since the outbreak. | \"The second flight from #Wuhan has just landed in #Delhi. We wish all those on board good health in the days ahead,\" tweeted Vikram Misri, Indian ambassador to China, extending gratitude to Beijing for greenlighting the evacuation. | It was the second time an Air India Boeing 747 has flown to the Chinese city at the epicenter of the deadly outbreak to rescue stranded Indians, many of whom a…

RT (2020-02-02). Huawei tops list of global 5G smartphone suppliers. rt.com Demand for 5G smartphones has been growing with shipments of 19 million units last year, the latest report by research firm Strategy Analytics shows. | \"Fierce vendor competition in China and heavy carrier subsidies across South Korea have been the main drivers of 5G demand,\" according to the Chinese telecom giant Huawei…

RT (2020-02-02). First lethal case outside China: WHO confirms death of coronavirus patient in Philippines. rt.com A man has died in the Philippines after testing positive for coronavirus, becoming the first lethal case of the outbreak outside China. The deceased recently returned from Wuhan, the center of the crisis. | The 44-year-old man died on Saturday after losing his battle with the deadly virus, which has claimed the lives of 304 people in China. The man, a resident of Wuhan, was admitted to a local hospital after displaying flu-like symptoms such as a cough and sore throat, the World Health Organization said. | Dr Rabi Abeyasinghe, WHO representative in the Philippines, confirmed at a press briefing on Saturday tha…

RT (2020-02-02). Pakistani students should NOT be evacuated from Wuhan as China has better medical facilities — envoy. rt.com Pakistani envoy to China said that local hospitals are better equipped to treat the deadly coronavirus, and therefore, unlike some other countries, Islamabad will not be evacuating its students amid the outbreak. | Pakistan\'s hospitals \"do not meet the standards required to treat a patient diagnosed with coronavirus,\" Naghmana Hashmi said on Sunday, as cited by local outlet Geo News. | China, on the other hand, has \"the best medical facilities to handle the patients suffering from the disease,\" the envoy stated. Hashmi said that Islamabad is working closely with Chinese officials to ensure that Pakistani stude…

RT (2020-02-02). France to send 600 more troops to Africa\'s Sahel as frustration on the ground grows & allies cut back participation. rt.com Paris will deploy an additional 600 soldiers to fight jihadists in Africa while also facing challenges in getting allies on board with its combat mission in the Sahel region. | With these additional troops, the number of French soldiers stationed in the region south of the Sahara Desert will increase to 5,100 by the end of February, Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a statement on Sunday. The move is set to strengthen the forces involved in the Paris-led Operation Barkhane, targeted against diverse jihadist groups, like the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS), which is linked to Islamic State (…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-02-02). Climate Groups Target JPMorgan Chase \"Money Pipeline\" indybay.org Extinction Rebellion SF Bay Area and climate activists in SF financial district demonstration…

Staff (2020-02-02). In Wake of Trump-Netanyahu Proposal, Palestinian Authority Cuts Ties With US. truthout.org The Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Bank, announced on Saturday that it would act immediately to cut ties with the U.S. after President Donald Trump unveiled a so-called peace plan that effectively allows Israel carte blanche to continue the occupation and theft of Palestinian land. | \"We\'ve informed the Israeli side … that there will be no relations at all with them and the United States including security ties,\" Authority president Mahmoud Abbas told members of the A…

Fight Back (2020-02-02). Minneapolis protests anti Palestine \"Deal of Century,\" racist travel bans. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On January 31, 40 people protested at the Minneapolis Federal Building to stand in solidarity with Palestine. The MN Anti-War Committee and Women Against Military Madness called this emergency response protest after President Trump\'s announcement of his \'peace\' plan which he wants to impose on Palestine. The protest\'s message was clear: the \"Deal of the Century\" proposed by Trump and Netanyahu is a sham and part of an expanding apartheid against the Palestinian people. There can be no deal without the Palestinian right to return, the Palestinian right to exist, and the return of Jerusalem to Pal…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! San Francisco Protest Against Sham Impeachment Trial. indybay.org Cable Car Turnaround at Powell & Market , 1 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102…

Families Belong Together and others (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! Protest of Trump Impeachment Coverup in San Jose. indybay.org Intersection of Stevens Creek Blvd and N. Winchester Blvd (by Santana Row and Valley Fair Mall), border of San Jose & Santa Clara in the South Bay…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! Protest of Trump Impeachment Coverup in Napa. indybay.org Veterans Park, 3rd St. and Main St., Napa, CA 94558…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! Impeachment Coverup Protest in Palo Alto. indybay.org Lytton Plaza, 220 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! Nationwide Protests Against the Trump Impeachment Coverup. indybay.org Around the San Francisco Bay Area, throughout California, and across the USA…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-02). Reject the Coverup! Protest of Trump Impeachment Coverup in Hollister. indybay.org Intersection of 4th & San Benito Streets, Downtown Hollister, CA 95023…

Andrew Korybko (2020-02-02). The Online Bomb Hoaxes Against Russia Are Clear Cases of Cyber Terrorism. globalresearch.ca Russians have been terrorized for the past several months by online bomb hoaxes spread throughout the country by anonymous email services based abroad, which represent a cutting-edge threat to the modern world\'s way of life and thus necessitates a concerted …

James Lamont (2020-02-02). Generals, Princes, and Black Snakes. dissidentvoice.org Damn The Man, Damn The Empire (January 16th) In 2012 Barack Obama was reelected following the disastrous US-led war on Libya that he began without approval from Congress, and two years after the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, without trial, inside a sovereign nation. In 2011 Obama also came out with this progressive chestnut: \"Unlike …

Staff (2020-02-02). Is Your Rep Invested in Fossil Fuels? truthout.org This article was produced by At least 100 members of the House of Representatives and their spouses own fossil fuel company stocks or mutual funds despite the conflicts of interest the investments pose for addressing climate change. | Use the interactive map below to see if your represen…

Staff (2020-02-02). Voting Trump Out Isn\'t Enough — We Must Organize to Build a Better Future. truthout.org If we don\'t want to see a repeat (or worse) of the 2016 elections in 2020, we must organize the South. The real way change happens is through visionary and effective social movements working outside the political party apparatus. Building social movements is a steady, slow process that requires investment, resources and a clear-eyed, historical understanding of race, the South and the power of collective action. To transform the landscape and build a better future, we have to realize that just voti…

Staff (2020-02-02). Nearly Eight Thousand Hospital Workers Strike in Seattle. truthout.org This article first appeared at After nine months of fruitless negotiations, 8,000 hospital workers in the Swedish Medical Center chain in Seattle walked out January 28 on a three-day strike. | The strikers include everyone from nurses and medical assistants to orderlies and janitors. They are represented by SEIU 1199NW. | The strike was over unfair labor practices. The union alleges that Swedish management has fired workers for union activity and has failed to…

Staff (2020-02-02). The Green New Deal Could Revolutionize Theater. truthout.org The most recent

Staff (2020-02-02). Trump\'s New Commission Looks Like a Platform for Pro-Police Propaganda. truthout.org On January 22, Attorney General William Barr swore in 18 members of a White House commission on policing. | Comprised entirely of law enforcement officials, the commission claims it will study how to \"make American law enforcement the most trusted and effective guardians of our communities.\" | Amid historic low crime rates and a protracted national struggle against the violence of everyday policing, commission members will study subjects such as how to expand and strengthen police forces, how to mod…

Staff (2020-02-02). Decolonization Is Essential to Successfully Resist Extractivism. truthout.org \"Colonialism, imperialism, and racial capitalism are impacting people across the globe, both historically and in the contemporary moment,\" write Nick Estes and Jaskiran Dhillon, editors of

teleSUR (2020-02-02). First Coronavirus Death Reported Outside of China. telesurenglish.net The first Coronavirus-related death outside of China has been reported by the Philippines Department of Health on Sunday, raising the death toll to 305 since the start of the new year. | According to the Philippines Department of Health, a 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan, the city with the largest number of Coronavirus cases, died on Saturday due to the illness. | The Chinese man was rushed to a hospital in the city of Manila, where he later succumbed to the virus, the Philippines Department of Health said in their statement. | Some 304 people have died in China, the country\'s National Health Commission s…

teleSUR (2020-02-02). High-Ranking EU Official to Visit Iran Amid Increased Tensions. telesurenglish.net Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, will visit Iran on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced on Sunday. | Borrell will visit the Iranian capital for the first time after taking office in December 2019 amid escalating disputes over Tehran\'s nuclear program. | He is scheduled to hold meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior Iranian officials during his trip. | On January 16, Borrell met with Zarif on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India. During the meeting, Zarif urged the European c…

teleSUR (2020-02-02). Israeli Army Bombs Hamas Targets in Northern Gaza. telesurenglish.net Israeli fighter planes launched attacks during the early hours on Sunday against alleged positions of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, with no reports of casualties. | RELATED: | The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the bombings occurred in response to several missiles fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli occupied territories. | \"In response to projectiles and incen…

Heather Cottin (2020-02-02). Early Industrial Capitalism in the United States: Oppression, Expansionism and Internal Contradictions. globalresearch.ca In the period from 1820 to the Civil War the great profits which the New England factory owners accrued were dependent upon the fact that the owners paid women half of men\'s wages, though they worked as hard and as …

David Hearst (2020-02-02). Palestinians Have Only One Option Left: Stay and Fight. globalresearch.ca An elephant trap has for years now laid in the path of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\'s It was the demographic fact that, in that …

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-02). Paranoid Groundings and Technocratic States: Hillary Clinton versus Mark Zuckerberg. globalresearch.ca It is another one of those contests and disagreements where the contestants should all loose, or at the very least, be subjected to a torturous stalemate. Hillary Clinton remains the nasty sprinkle on the Democratic Party in the United States, …

The Canary (2020-02-02). Johnson\'s government must get its \'house in order\' ahead of crucial climate talks. thecanary.co The eyes of the world will be on the UK — and its efforts to end its contribution to the global climate crisis — as it gears up to host crucial climate talks in Glasgow. | The meeting in November is the most important set of UN climate talks since the Paris Agreement to curb global warming was secured in 2015. | Under the Paris Agreement, this year countries are expected to deliver more ambitious domestic plans for cutting greenhouse gases by 2030 — as current proposals are not enough to prevent dangerous temperature rises. | Pressure is also on countries to set out long-term plans for cutting e…

The Canary (2020-02-02). Descendants of extinct tortoise species found in Galapagos. thecanary.co Conservationists working around the largest volcano on the Galapagos Islands say they have found 30 giant tortoises partially descended from two extinct species, including that of the famed Lonesome George. | The Galapagos National Park and Galapagos Conservancy said that a young female has a direct line of descent from the Chelonoidis abingdonii species of Pinta Island. | The last of those tortoises was Lonesome George, who died in June 2012 and was believed to be more than 100 years old. | Another 11 males and 18 females were from the Chelonoidis niger line of Floreana Island. | The 45-member expedition was wor…

Max Elbaum (2020-02-02). Senate Conducts Another U.S. Trial Where Racism Decides the Outcome. zcomm.org It\'s no accident that on the same day the Senate voted not to hear any witnesses in its sham impeachment trial the Trump administration announced it was adding six countries, including Nigeria, Africa\'s most populous nation, to its restrictive travel ban…

Barbara Ehrenreich (2020-02-02). Bernie Sanders and Why Socialism Should Be Fun. zcomm.org Interview on why Sanders is her choice for 2020, the joys of radical politics and why there\'s no time to wait on capitalism to solve the climate crisis…

Middle East Eye (2020-02-02). Palestinian Authority Cuts All Ties With the US and Israel. theantimedia.com Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced that \"that there will be no relations at all\" with Israel and the United States.

RT (2020-02-01). Pompeo vows to name US envoy to Belarus as Lukashenko praises him for RISK to visit Minsk & scrutinize country\'s democracy. rt.com Mike Pompeo has tried to de-ice relations with Belarus, a country sanctioned by the US over a decade ago, promising to appoint an ambassador to Minsk along with other perks for siding with Washington. | \"We are confident that together we can make real progress across every dimension of our relationship,\" Pompeo told President Alexander Lukashenko as he greeted him on Saturday. | Returning the charm offensive, the Belarusian leader said it was \"very good that you risked coming to Minsk after various misunderstandings between Belarus and the US.\" | Lukashenko, whom Western media notoriously labeled \"Europe\'s las…

RT (2020-02-01). Pompeo says US can cover 100% of Belarus' oil needs amid Minsk row with Moscow. rt.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has offered to cover all Belarus oil needs with American product at competitive prices. The sales pitch comes after Belarus lost access to low price crude from Russia. | The top US diplomat is visiting Minsk on Saturday to court its longtime leader, President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Belarus is currently struggling to replace Russian crude, which it had imported for years at low prices to refine and resell at a considerable premium. Pompeo seized the opportunity to offer American supplies as an alternative. | \"The United States wants to help Belarus build its own sovereign countr…

RT (2020-02-01). 'Virus control beyond standards': China warns countries against spreading havoc as more borders shut & flights canceled worldwide. rt.com Beijing has lashed out at countries fanning fears of the novel coronavirus — which so far claimed 259 lives — insisting that its response against the deadly disease goes far beyond standards accepted worldwide. | \"We have adopted the most comprehensive and strictest prevention and control measures, and many of them go far beyond the requirements of the International Health Regulations,\" Foreign Minister Wang Yi China\'s e…

RT (2020-02-01). Object-lesson in ruling class privilege? Democrats ditch donor threshold for primary debates so Bloomberg can participate. rt.com The Democratic National Committee is loosening its debate qualifying criteria, opening the door to billionaire establishment darling Michael Bloomberg and angering candidates that had been excluded from prior events. | The same DNC that has held fast to its rules while one candidate after another complained about the seemingly arbitrary means of deciding which polls would count toward a qualifying threshold has opted to discard its individual donor requirement starting with the February debate. The rule had prevented former New York Mayor and billionaire media mogul Bloomberg from joining the previous forums.

Eric Walberg (2020-02-01). Israel-Palestine: Time for Russia to Step up to the Plate. dissidentvoice.org Is Israel US property? In many ways, yes. Despite its willful ways, Israel is always pushing the envelope with the US. It has been getting away with murder since it was founded, abetted and funded by the US. But the US has failed, and Jared Kushner is the perfect envoy for this latest ultimatum, crafted …

RT (2020-02-01). \'He\'s in our anthem, why not in constitution?\' Russian Patriarch wants GOD mentioned in state charter. rt.com Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, says believers should pray for a constitutional amendment that would add a reference to God. He thinks the mention would be appreciated by all faiths alike. | \"Most Russian citizens believe in God. Not just the Orthodox Christians — I speak about Muslims and many-many others,\" the patriarch said as cited by the Church spokesman. \"If the anthem can have the words \'Our homeland protected by God\', why can\'t the constitution say the same thing?\" | Russia is currently preparing for a number of amendments to the basic law, which would somewhat redistri…

RT (2020-02-01). Breaking the ice: Hockey-loving new US ambassador visits Moscow game… and reveals his favorite player is RUSSIAN. rt.com America\'s new ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, said ice hockey could help bring the two nations closer together as he visited a game in Moscow, also singing the praises of his favorite player, Russia\'s Alexander Ovechkin. | Sullivan took up his post earlier this year, and as an avid hockey fan wasted little time in arranging a visit to a game in the Russian capital. | The American diplomat was at the local derby between Moscow clubs Spartak and Dynamo on Saturday, where, suitably dressed in a Washington Capitals NHL jersey, he dropped the ceremonial first puck alongside Russian hockey legends Vyacheslav Fe…

RT (2020-02-01). Russia stops processing Chinese work visas & scraps visa-free travel amid coronavirus epidemic. rt.com Moscow has temporarily halted issuing work visas to Chinese citizens and suspended visa-free travel for Chinese tourist groups in response to the coronavirus epidemic in the country. | The travel restriction come into force from Sunday. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who ordered them, stressed that the measures are temporary and are only meant to protect people in Russia from health risks posed by the infection — a point he asked the Foreign Ministry to make known to Beijing. | The agreement on visa-free travel for organized tourist groups works both ways, but the suspension by Russia applies only to…

RT (2020-02-01). Air Force planes to evacuate Russians from virus-hit Chinese cities — Moscow. rt.com Hundreds of Russians stranded in China will be brought home on military aircraft which have already departed from their bases, Moscow said just a day after it confirmed Russia\'s first coronavirus cases in two Siberian regions. | Russian Air Force planes will ferry Russian citizens from the cities most affected by the new coronavirus, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media. \"They will start carrying out [evacuation] flights as of today,\" he explained. | At the moment, there are 300 Russians in Wuhan — the epicenter of the virus — while the other 341 are based in the surrounding Hubei pr…

RT (2020-02-01). WATCH breathtaking fireball burst into life as it rains down on Russia\'s Urals. rt.com A meteor which put on a spectacular show as it sped across Russia\'s Urals region was caught on camera lighting up the night sky as it erupted in a blaze of glory this week. | Photographer Ilya Jankowsky captured the stunning spectacle in the town of Irbit in Sverdlovsk Oblast on Thursday night. | The amateur astronomer captured footage of the impressive natural light show as a meteor shower swept across the Urals. The meteor erupted into life as it burned up while entering Earth\'s atmosphere shortly after 3am local time. | The dazzling burst of light was so bright that it was observed around 800km away in O…

RT (2020-02-01). 1 dead after café roof collapses in Novosibirsk, Russia, trapping visitors. rt.com A roof of a café came crashing down on diners in the city of Novosibirsk in southern Siberia, killing at least one woman and trapping several people under rubble. A rescue effort has been underway amid reports of dozens evacuated. | One person was confirmed dead, and four people, including a man in critical condition, were taken to hospital after the roof of a cloak-room adjacent to a cafe collapsed on Saturday night. The café was packed with diners at the time, and some 200 people managed to evacuate on their own, local emergency services said. | While the investigation into the incident is yet in its…

RT (2020-02-01). \'If I opened the door, he would've killed us\': 15yo says she helped 20+ kids survive Indian hostage horror by hiding in basement. rt.com A teenager, who together with two dozen other children was held hostage by an Indian man during a nine-hour standoff with police, said that her quick thinking helped to dodge certain death at the hands of a convicted killer. | The 15-year-old girl was the eldest of some 25 kids who were taken captive by convicted murderer Subhash Batham in a village in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. The horrific case, which sent shock waves across India, ended with the man being shot dead by police. His wife, allegedly an accomplice in the grim enterprise, was stoned to death by an angry crowd. | The children, some of whom were as…

RT (2020-02-01). Indian court AGAIN postpones hanging for 4 men convicted in 2012 gang rape & murder case that inspired Netflix series. rt.com The execution of four Indians convicted in the heinous 2012 \'Nirbhaya\' gang-rape case has been delayed yet again at the last minute — this time indefinitely — after a court agreed to entertain another mercy plea. | Though the date of the men\'s hanging had been set for February 1 after a previous appeal, the day was pushed back once again following a fresh plea, filed on Friday by convict Vinay Sharma — just one day after the hangman arrived at the Tihar prison in Delhi in preparation for the execution. | While Sharma\'s appeal was rejected early on Saturday by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind,…

RT (2020-02-01). Oil prices see biggest January loss in 30 years. rt.com Crude oil prices slid a painful 15% in January – the biggest January slide since 1991- as the coronavirus claims the death of more than 200 souls and counting. | After a couple weeks of continued slippage, the price of the Brent and WTI benchmarks were trading down 0.98 percent and 0.73 percent on the day, respectively, at 9: 51am as the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency. | Also on rt.com | | While the WHO did not recommend any trav…

RT (2020-02-01). Airbus with 110 on board skids off runway in western Iran amid heavy snowfall (VIDEO). rt.com A packed Airbus A319, operated by Iran\'s flag carrier, failed to land safely at Kermanshah Airport, ending up in the middle of a snow-covered field off the runway. Authorities blame the incident on a faulty landing gear. | The Iran Air plane departed Tehran\'s Mehrabad Airport earlier on Saturday, carrying 102 passengers and eight crew, according to Mehr news agency, citing a Civil Aviation Organization official. It ran out of runway when landing at Kermanshah later in the day, it has emerged. | VIDEO: Un Airbus de Iran Air con 110 pasajeros a bordo se sale de la pista en el oeste de Irán | ‚û°&…

Staff (2020-02-01). Iraqi Blocs Choose New PM-Designate After Weeks of Jockeying. truthdig.com BAGHDAD — Former communications minister Mohammed Allawi was named prime minister-designate by rival Iraqi factions Saturday after weeks of political deadlock. | The choice comes as the country weathers troubled times, including ongoing anti-government protests and the constant threat of being ensnared by festering U.S.-Iran tensions. | Related Articles: …

RT (2020-02-01). \'It\'s not about Jose vs Pep\': Mourinho preaches peace ahead of latest clash with Guardiola – but rivalry has been an explosive one. rt.com Jose Mourinho has played down any notion of lingering hostilities with Pep Guardiola as the Portuguese prepares his Tottenham team to face Manchester City, but the past decade has seen some combustible clashes between the pair. | While Lionel Messi against Cristiano Ronaldo is seen as the defining individual rivalry of our time on the pitch, Mourinho versus Guardiola is arguably the managerial equivalent, given the frequency and intensity with which the two have crossed swords over more than a decade. | That rivalry enters a new phase as Mourinho faces off against Guardiola for the first time as Spurs boss on…

RT (2020-02-01). Arab League rejects Trump\'s \'deal of the century\' at Cairo summit with Abbas. rt.com The Arab League has shot down US President Donald Trump\'s Middle East peace plan, saying it would not lead to a just peace between Israel and Palestine. The deal has already been rejected by the Palestinian side. | League members met in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the deal, touted by Trump as the \"deal of the century,\" and a realistic roadmap to peace between Israel and Palestine. Speaking at the meeting, Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas announced he would cut all ties with the US and Israel over the plan, and would not go down in history as the person who \"sold out Jerusalem.\" | Many feared (or hoped) the…

Staff (2020-02-01). U.S. States Join Global Push to Ban Animal-Tested Cosmetics. truthdig.com This would further pressure China to impel its cosmetics companies to rely on non-animal tests if they want to sell their products here.

RT (2020-02-01). Germany evacuates 100 from coronavirus-gripped Wuhan. rt.com Over 100 German citizens and family members have been flown from Wuhan to Frankfurt on Saturday. | None of the passengers have manifestations of the disease, which prompted the lockdown of the Chinese city in an attempt to stop the spread of the infection. However, they will be kept in quarantine for a checkup, since the virus may be spread by people without the pneumonia-like symptoms. | Health Minister Jens Spahn bemoaned the dissemination of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus on social media, saying they only \"spread uncertainty\" about the disease.

RT (2020-02-01). US declares public health emergency over coronavirus, limits flights from China to 7 cities. rt.com The US has declared an ongoing coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency, limiting points of entry to incoming Chinese flights and banning from entry some foreign nationals who traveled to China in the last two weeks. | \"I have today declared that coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States,\" Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, announcing the measure on Friday. He stressed that the move was to \"complement the work of China and the World Health Organization\" that declared a global health crisis on Thursday. | The death toll from the novel virus, which originated in C…

RT (2020-02-01). Apple closes all stores in China over mounting coronavirus worries. rt.com The iPhone maker has temporarily shut down all its retail stores and offices across mainland China till February 10 as part of preemptive measures amid the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus. | The measure came into force on Saturday, but some stores were still open on that day, according to the company\'s website. Starting on Sunday all the shops will be closed until midnight February 9. However, online store in China remains open. | Also on rt.com | | Some st…

WSWS (2020-02-01). President Trump expands anti-Muslim travel ban to thirteen countries. wsws.org Trump\'s war on immigrants is intensifying in the aftermath of the impeachment trial and in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election in November.

WSWS (2020-02-01). Montreal meeting this Sunday to demand freedom for Julian Assange. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party (Canada) is holding a public meeting in Montreal this Sunday, to fight for the freedom of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, oppose war, and defend democratic rights.

WSWS (2020-02-01). Assange would be held in \"darkest corner of the prison system\" if extradited to the US. wsws.org If dispatched to the US, the WikiLeaks founder will be held in extreme isolation—conditions usually inflicted on individuals convicted of terrorism offences.

Aaron Maté (2020-02-01). Israel has played a key role in US aggression towards Iran. thegrayzone.com Before the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Israel played a key and overlooked role in the Trump administration\'s aggression campaign against…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-02-01). Climate Groups Target JPMorgan Chase \"Money Pipeline\" indybay.org Extinction Rebellion SF Bay Area and climate activists in SF financial district demonstration…

teleSUR (2020-02-01). Egypt Detains Doctor, Parents as Girl Dies From Genital Cutting. telesurenglish.net Egypt has detained a retired doctor after the death of a 12-year-old girl on whom he performed female genital mutilation (FGM) sparked anger among women\'s rights activists. | RELATED: | \' The victim\'s parents and aunt took her to a private clinic where she underwent the illegal procedure, also known as female circumcision, the public prosecutor\'s office said in a statement. | \"After she left, she suffered comp…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-01). Reject the Coverup! Impeachment Coverup Protest in Palo Alto. indybay.org Lytton Plaza, 220 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-01). Reject the Coverup! Protest of Trump Impeachment Coverup in Napa. indybay.org Veterans Park, 3rd St. and Main St., Napa, CA 94558…

Families Belong Together and others (2020-02-01). Reject the Coverup! Protest of Trump Impeachment Coverup in San Jose. indybay.org Intersection of Stevens Creek Blvd and N. Winchester Blvd (by Santana Row and Valley Fair Mall), border of San Jose & Santa Clara in the South Bay…

RejectTheCoverup (2020-02-01). Reject the Coverup! Nationwide Protests Against the Trump Impeachment Coverup. indybay.org Around the San Francisco Bay Area, throughout California, and across the USA…

Stephen Lendman (2020-02-01). Rising Numbers of US Troops in Iraq with Traumatic Brain Injuries. globalresearch.ca In retaliation for the Trump regime\'s assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, the IRGC struck two Pentagon bases in Iraq days later. | Iranian missiles successfully penetrated US air defenses, striking targets with pinpoint accuracy — causing significant …

WSWS (2020-02-01). US deploys \"usable\" nuclear weapon amid continuing war threats against Iran. wsws.org For all the talk of war with Iran having been averted, the reality is that the world remains on the knife\'s edge of a catastrophic military confrontation.

WSWS (2020-02-01). Canada\'s New Democrats plead for cooperation with Liberals, as Trudeau government lurches further right. wsws.org Amid a resurgence of the class struggle in Canada and internationally, the NDP and their trade union allies are seeking to collaborate still more closely with the pro-austerity, pro-war Liberal government.

City of Hayward, AAUW, and others (2020-02-01). International Women\'s Day 2020 Celebration in Hayward. indybay.org Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541…

Robert C. Koehler (2020-02-01). Maneuvering Hell for Our Advantage. globalresearch.ca When the mainstream media writes about war, even critically, the image that often comes to mind for me is an infant wrapped in plastic. That infant is naked reality, a.k.a., the present moment, suffocating and screaming for its life; the …

The Canary (2020-02-01). Australian wildfires burning out of control in new areas. thecanary.co Wildfires burned out of control near Australia\'s national capital, Canberra, and across surrounding New South Wales state on Saturday, with endangered residents warned to prepare to evacuate. | The capital region declared a state of emergency on Friday because of a fire that by Saturday covered 88,500 acres (35,800 hectares) of forest and farmland south of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory emergency services agency commissioner Georgeina Whelan said. | t.co/gkiuxXl1T0 #OrroralFire

WSWS (2020-02-01). Sharp fall on Wall Street as coronavirus hits global markets. wsws.org Financial analysts are warning that the virus has created a more uncertain environment than the US-China trade war and its impact could be greater than that of the SARS virus in 2002—2003.

WSWS (2020-02-01). South Korea deploys naval unit to Strait of Hormuz. wsws.org Behind the backs of the South Korean working class, Seoul is supporting US war plans that could lead to a wider conflict with China and Russia.

Xinhua (2020-02-01). Int\'l Community Offer Aid, Support as China Fights Virus. telesurenglish.net Countries around the world are offering recognition of China\'s efforts to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, showing confidence in the ultimate triumph over virus and pledging aid and support. | RELATED: | In his call to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered sympathies over the pain and loss inflicted on Chinese families and wished each patient a speedy recovery. | He expressed be…

savin and Friedrich Steinfeld (2020-02-01). Sanders Beats Trump and Trump Throws Dynamite in the Powder Keg. indybay.org With Sander\'s election as the Democratic Party candidate, the US would have been the only country to have had a free health insurance policy since Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s… The USA and also Turkey have in fact long since left NATO and are following their own interests without taking their previous \"partners\" into consideration.

Staff (2020-02-01). DNC Insiders Plot Return of Superdelegates to Stop Sanders at Convention. truthout.org As the first contests of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary draw near and Sen. Bernie Sanders continues to rise in polling, a small group of party insiders are considering making a bid to reverse a rule change won by progressives and allow the establishment to pick a candidate. | That\'s according to reporting from Politico Friday night which claims a cadre of Democratic National Committee (DNC) insiders are plotting to return superdelegates—unelected party officials and elites—t…

Staff (2020-02-01). In Rural Areas, a \"Quiet Jail-Building Boom\" Is Taking Place. truthout.org I live in Champaign County, the heart of the Illinois cornfields. Our somewhat liberal-minded county of 200,000 is home to the flagship campus of the University of Illinois, the \"Fighting Illini.\" But our county has another distinction: While Black people only comprise 13 percent of our population, they consistently make up 50-71 percent of those in the local jail, resulting in one of the highest racial discrepancies in the country. | For the past decade, rather than attempt to correct this gross inequity, loca…

Staff (2020-02-01). Australia\'s Marine Animals Are the Fires\' Unseen Victims. truthout.org As wildfires ravage Australia\'s land and forests, so far killing an estimated More than 17.1 million hectares of land have burned across the country, with the worst fires currently raging in New South Wales and Victoria, states in the nation\'s southeast, according to Australia\'s Department of the Environment…

Staff (2020-02-01). Forget Impeachment — All Politicians Should Be Revocable. truthout.org Weeks after it was passed in the House of Representatives, the impeachment proceedings in the Senate are well underway. While both parties bicker, Chief Justice John Roberts calls the Senate the \"world\'s greatest deliberative body.\" But it isn\'t a deliberative body at all, much less the world\'s greatest. Everyone knows that the impeachment isn\'t going to pass the Senate and that this is just a circus spectacle for the Democrats to pretend they are a real opposition to Donald Trump. | But impeachment isn\'t a new co…

Staff (2020-02-01). How the Border Patrol\'s Unchecked Powers and Carelessness Separated a Family. truthout.org Mirza had a sense of foreboding soon after she crossed into the U.S. with her two children and their father, David. A Border Patrol agent ordered the family from Honduras and the rest of their group to divide into two lines: \"Women to one side, men to the other.\" | Mirza held 19-month-old Lia and joined the women\'s line. David took their 6-year-old son Sebastian and lined up with the men. An agent told them not to worry, everyone was going to the same place. A bus took them in two trips to a c…

Tom Clifford (2020-02-01). Coronavirus Has Been Declared a Global Emergency. What\'s Happening in China. globalresearch.ca Tom Clifford reporting from Beijing | The new coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization. | \"The main reason for this declaration is not what is happening in China but what is happening in other countries,\" said …

Ann Talbot (2020-02-01). The Rise and Fall of the British Nation. The Land that Labour Built. globalresearch.ca This new edition of David Edgerton\'s book The Rise and Fall of the British Nation is timely and apposite given the unprecedented Conservative landslide in traditional Labour seats in the recent general election. Inevitably in the world of day-to-day, …

Cynthia Chung (2020-02-01). Rome Before it Became Empire: A Pax Americana or a Republic If You Can Keep It? globalresearch.ca \"Fortune thus blinds the minds of men when she does not wish them to resist her power.\" — Livy | It seems quite evident to many that the United States has been consumed by the same ambition and thus fate with …