Kenn Orphan (2020-01-15). Missiles, Lies and Assassinations. counterpunch.org \"In war, truth is the first casualty.\" — Aeschylus \"Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state.\" — Noam Chomsky, Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda \"We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.\" — Edward More

RT (2020-01-15). US govt wants to invest $1 billion to end China\'s dominance in 5G. rt.com A group of US lawmakers have introduced a bill to subsidize companies developing 5G technology to counter China\'s Huawei. It comes as Washington mounts pressure on its allies to turn away from Chinese technology. | The legislation titled \'Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecommunications Act\' would allocate at least $750 million or up to five percent of annual auction proceeds for companies developing the next generation technology for the US mobile broadband market. Additionally, it stipulates the creation of a separate $500 million fund (Multilateral Telecommunications Security Fund) for developers of \"trusted a…

RT (2020-01-15). G20 emerged because G7 fails to decide \'issues of any significance\' — Lavrov. rt.com Developing nations, absent from the UN Security Council, enjoy greater representation in the G20 — and its emergence shows that the elitist Group of Seven is steadily losing significance, the Russian Foreign Minister suggested. | The Group of 20 — which includes the G7 countries as well as the five-member bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) — proved workable, especially when developing countries \"have grievances regarding the lack of progress in reforming the Security Council,\" Sergey Lavrov told an audience during his trip to New Delhi. | The creation of G20 was recog…

RT (2020-01-15). Five nuclear-armed states must work together to neutralize threat of \'global war\' — Putin. rt.com The nuclear-armed countries, permanent UN Security Council members, must work on a common approach aimed at preventing a global war, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. | Putin made the comments during his annual state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday. | The president said the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, China, Russia, Britain and France — carry a \"special responsibility for securing the sustainable development of humanity.\" | These five nations must begin to devise measures aimed at neutralizing any conditions for a global war, and develop new approaches towa…

Staff (2020-01-15). Another Trump Official Has Been Caught Red-Handed. truthdig.com In 2017, Dow Chemical scored a long-sought-after victory: After a push from the U.S. government, China approved the import of the company\'s genetically modified herbicide-resistant corn seeds. | A grateful Dow lobbyist emailed a senior Agriculture Department official whose support had been critical: \"Thank you for your efforts in support of U.S. agriculture.\" | That official, Rebeckah Adcock, was no stranger to Dow. Before joining the Trump administration, Adcock was the chief lobbyist for the herbicide industry\'s trade group, of wh…

RT (2020-01-15). Turkey & Russia discussing \'secure zone\' in Idlib, Syria — Ankara. rt.com Turkey and Russia are discussing the establishment of a \'secure zone\' within Syria\'s northwestern Idlib region where Syrians displaced by fighting can shelter during the winter, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said. | \"Our Idlib friends who have become refugees don\'t want to go to a government-controlled area,\" he added. | Ankara is reinforcing an observation post which has been \"surrounded by Syrian forces,\" Akar told reporters on Wednesday. | His comments came after Turkish and Syrian intelligence chiefs met in Moscow on Monday — their first publicly acknowledged meeting for years — and di…

RT (2020-01-15). Putin suggests launching new investment cycle in Russia to achieve growth rates above global average. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a structural change to the economy and its efficiency during his annual address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday. | \"In 2021, Russia\' GDP growth rates should be above the global average,\" he said, adding: \"To get such a dynamic, it is necessary to launch a new investment cycle, to boost investments in creation of jobs, infrastructure, development of industry, agriculture and services sector.\" | Starting from 2020, annual growth investments should be at least 5 percent, and their share in the GDP should be increased from the current 21 percent to 25 percent in 202…

RT (2020-01-15). Constitution & citizens\' rights to define the use of international law on Russian soil — Putin. rt.com Vladimir Putin has proposed a major amendment ensuring that provisions of international law can only be applied in Russia if they don\'t come into conflict with the constitution or abuse rights and liberties of Russian citizens. | \"I believe that the time has come to make some changes to the basic law of the country, which directly guarantees the priority of the Russian constitution in our legal environment,\" President Putin said as he delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday. | In some cases, Russia\'s governing document may be placed above international legislation, he explained. | This li…

RT (2020-01-15). Trump\'s ex-adviser Flynn moves to withdraw guilty plea in Mueller investigation — court papers. rt.com The former national security advisor to the US president, General Michael Flynn, has asked the court to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming Russiagate prosecutors forced him to lie and make statements they knew were untrue. | In a court filing on Tuesday, lawyers for Flynn argued that the prosecutors \"concocted the alleged \'false statements\'\" the general was accused of making in relation to his company\'s violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). | \"The prosecutors concocted the alleged \'false statements\' by their own misrepresentations, deceit, and omissions.\" | The newly-released court papers st…

RT (2020-01-15). \'More powers, more responsibilities\': Putin proposes granting parliament power to choose PM & form government. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed granting parliament more powers to nominate key government officials, adding that the president will not be able to reject their picks. | Under the current law, the president nominates the candidate for prime minister, who then must be approved by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. | In his annual state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday, Putin proposed to change this by \"allowing the State Duma not only to approve but to choose\" the PM. Under his plan, the prime minister would then present parliament with the candidacies of the deputy prime ministers and g…

RT (2020-01-15). Putin proposes major amendments to Russia\'s constitution incl. about his own post, says people should vote on changes. rt.com The constitution should take priority over international law if the latter violates the rights of Russian citizens or violates Russia\'s constitutional principles, President Vladimir Putin has proposed. | Amendments to the constitution could be put to a popular vote to ensure \"the development of Russia as a welfare and rule-of-law state,\" the Russian leader said in his annual state of the nation address. | Adopting a brand new constitution is not necessary because the current one will remain relevant for many years to come, Putin explained. But he did suggest some changes he\'d like to see. | Domestic v inte…

RT (2020-01-15). Moscow calls for collective security \'like OSCE for Europe\' to be implemented in Persian Gulf region — Lavrov. rt.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has urged Persian Gulf nations to work toward the creation of a joint security mechanism, noting that Moscow was concerned about the tense standoff in the region. | Lavrov said Russia was troubled by tensions in the Persian Gulf, and encouraged regional states to cooperate to ensure regional stability. | \"We have been suggesting to the Gulf countries to think about collective security mechanisms, something like OSCE for Europe\", Lavrov told the international Raisina Dialogue conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. | \"It´s not just \'let´s not fight with each othe…

RT (2020-01-15). Russian government resigns, after President Putin's State-of-the-Nation Address proposes changes to the constitution. rt.com Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that the government is resigning. The statement came shortly after President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address. | Accepting the resignation, Putin asked the ministers to function as a caretaker government until a new one is formed. | Before announcing the resignation of the cabinet, Medvedev met with Putin to discuss his state-of-the-nation address, which took place earlier on Wednesday, the Kremlin\'s press office said. | Putin also said that he plans to create a position of the deputy secretary of Russia\'s security council, and…

RT (2020-01-15). \'Even Hillary and Trump shook hands\': Warren snubs Sanders handshake after tense Democratic debate (VIDEO). rt.com Tuesday night\'s Democratic debate was marked by an ever-widening schism between long-time \'friends\' turned rivals, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, which culminated in a spurned handshake which has become the talk of Twitter. | The talking match was punctuated by several increasingly tense and bitter exchanges between the pair as the night wore on. Roughly 45 minutes into the discussion, CNN moderator Abby Phillip asked Sanders to respond to reports he told Warren that a woman couldn\'t win the 2020 election. | pic.twitter.com/LUA49Z0JCc— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog)

Staff (2020-01-15). People Want a Wealth Tax, but Many Politicians Oppose It. therealnews.com Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are practically the only major politicians supporting a wealth tax to reduce inequality and fund government programs, even though polling shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support it.

Sara Flounders (2020-01-15). Iran-Iraq solidarity grows amid U.S. threats. workers.org United States policy toward both Iran and Iraq is based not on \"bad advice\" or howling blunders by President Donald Trump, as Democratic Party pundits claim. It is not just a \"mismanaged\" foreign policy. Times Square protest, Jan. 8, New York City. Washington\'s miscalculations of the past two weeks have . . . | Continue reading Iran-Iraq solidarity grows amid U.S. threats at Workers.org

RT (2020-01-15). Pigs will fly: Animal carcass hurled into millionaire\'s pool from chopper in apparent prank (GRAPHIC VIDEO). rt.com Argentinian fashion tycoon Federico àÅlvarez Castillo has fallen victim to a disgraceful prank after shocking footage showing a pig carcass being dropped from a helicopter into the swimming pool of his holiday home went viral. | Footage of the extraordinary incident has been widely shared on social media, prompting the fashion tycoon behind the Etiqueta Negra brand, who also dabbles in property development, to denounce the cruel prank on Instagram. | Castillo and his circle of friends were subjected to an avalanche of criticism after the galling video first emerged. | WARNING: This footage may disturb so…

RT (2020-01-15). Want a free trade deal with the US? Then align with Washington not Brussels on foreign policy, former Trump aide tells BoJo. rt.com A former aide to US President Donald Trump, Richard Goldberg, has warned British PM Boris Johnson that if the UK wants a free trade agreement with the US, then he\'ll need to follow Washington and not Brussels on foreign policy. | In an interview with BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday, Iran hawk Richard Goldberg — who recently stepped down from his role on the National Security Council following his part in ramping up US tensions with Tehran — ostensibly issued Johnson a veiled threat. | | Goldberg suggeste…

RT (2020-01-15). Cooperation between North and South Korea not dependent on US-N. Korea talks — Seoul. rt.com Inter-Korean cooperation doesn\'t necessarily have to wait for Washington\'s denuclearization talks with Pyongyang to progress, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Tuesday. | She made the statement after meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other diplomats in Palo Alto, California. \"Our basic stance is that North Korea-US talks and inter-Korean dialogue complement each other in a virtuous cycle,\" the minister said. | Kang added that, with US-North Korea talks in stalemate, it is essential to revive \"North Korea\'s engagement momentum\" through inter-Korean talks. | The meeting came a…

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2020-01-15). Australia on the Chasm of Climate Catastrophe. counterpunch.org Australia has had a series of bad governments beholden to the coal industry and to the Rupert Murdoch propaganda machine. The media empire of Murdoch controls about 60 percent of the newspapers and television stations. The Murdoch message, just like the message of Fox TV in America, is in defense of the oligarchs and against environmental protection of any kind. This propaganda is in accord with the continued use of fossil fuels and the ceaseless destruction of the natural world. More

RT (2020-01-15). Trump deal instead of Iran nuclear deal? I agree! US president gives Twitter nod to BoJo. rt.com Boris Johnson\'s suggestion that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal be replaced with a new one — named after Donald Trump — received an enthusiastic response from the US president. | \"Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, stated, \'We should replace the Iran deal with the Trump deal.\' I agree!\" Trump proclaimed in a tweet released Wednesday. | Earlier, Johnson said he understands American concerns over the \"flawed\" 2015 pact with Iran, which saw the Islamic Republic dramatically reducing its nuclear program in exchange for lifting crippling economic sanctions. | Prime Minister of the United Ki…

RT (2020-01-15). Tehran calls on Washington to apologize for \'previous crimes\' against Iran, claims regional \'crisis\' led to shootdown of airliner. rt.com The United States should acknowledge its past crimes against Iran, Tehran has said, adding that Washington has fueled instability in the Middle East. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani lashed out at the US during a televised speech on Wednesday, calling on Washington to make amends for its actions in the region. | His comments came as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a security conference in New Delhi that the Islamic Republic is not interested in negotiating with the US. | US President Donald Trump has proposed a \"Trump deal\" to replace the largely defunct 2015 nuclear accord, but Zarif argu…

Staff (2020-01-15). EU Nations Push Iran in Last-Ditch Bid to Save Nuclear Deal. truthdig.com Britain, France and Germany trigger pact\'s dispute mechanism, starting the clock on a process that could result in more sanctions on Iran.

RT (2020-01-15). \'Why do you allow the United States to bully you?\' — Iranian FM to Europe over nuclear deal tensions. rt.com Iranian FM Zarif criticized the European decision to trigger an investigation into Tehran\'s alleged non-compliance with the nuclear deal — asking why it allows \"bullying\" from the United States, who derailed the agreement. | During an international conference in New Delhi, Iranian FM Mohammad Javad Zarif was asked about the fate of the 2015 nuclear deal. The agreement went downhill in May 2018 when the US dropped out, then re-imposing sweeping sanctions and vowing to pile \"maximum pressure\" on Iran. | On Tuesday, the European trio triggered an investigation after Iran announced that it will move beyond u…

RT (2020-01-15). \'Step up to the plate!\' Trump says Apple won\'t unlock devices used by \'criminals & drug dealers\' in Pensacola shooter phone row. rt.com US President Donald Trump has demanded that Apple help federal agencies break into a pair of devices linked to the Pensacola shooter, accusing the company of not doing enough to assist investigators. | In a tweet on Tuesday, Trump implied that the tech giant has been ungrateful to his administration, which he said is \"helping [it] all of the time on TRADE,\" calling on Apple to unlock two devices that belonged to the Saudi trainee who killed four at a US naval base in Florida in December. | \"We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by kill…

Gala Pin (2020-01-15). City Problems: A Fairly True Barcalona Story. counterpunch.org We won the elections. We won by an absolute minority and there\'s some merit in that. When you win you have to do a lot of incomprehensible things and no one explains them to you, among them negotiating who\'ll end up being mayor at the investiture. Since you\'re the winning force (sic) you\'ve got to More

Michael Kramer (2020-01-15). Hundreds rally in Jersey City, N.J., to defend public park. workers.org Jersey City, N.J. Jan. 11 — Over 700 people rallied in Liberty State Park today to oppose the transfer of 22 acres of parkland to the adjacent private Liberty National Golf Course. Liberty National, owned by billionaire tycoon Paul Fireman, has an initiation fee of $500,000. Jan. 11 rally in . . . | Continue reading Hundreds rally in Jersey City, N.J., to defend public park at Workers.org

WSWS (2020-01-15). New Zealand\'s Daily Blog demands anti-immigrant measures against \"Australians fleeing climate change\" wsws.org The trade union-funded blog, which supports the Labour-led government, calls for a major increase in military spending to turn New Zealand into a \"fortress\" against immigrants.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Anti-Citizenship Protests Have No Bearing on India as Investment Destination, Top Industrialist Says. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): India witnessed protests after the government enacted a law to grant citizenship to illegal immigrants from several religious minorities, who faced persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, excluding Muslim.

WSWS (2020-01-15). An Open Letter to fellow Educators: Take a stand with Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. wsws.org A long-time educator has submitted the following statement to the WSWS.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-15). Assange\'s 12-minute hearing presents a grim picture of judicial indifference. peoplesdispatch.org Assange\'s legal team has complained of not being given enough time, by both the court and prison authorities, to discuss the evidence in the case with the defendant. A hearing on January 13 was wound up in under 12 minutes…

WSWS (2020-01-15). The prosecution of Julian Assange, the destruction of legality and the rise of the national security state. wsws.org The political and legal attack on Assange represents a qualitative intensification of the destruction of core rights and, indeed, on legality itself as the mode of bourgeois rule.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Telling Stories Important to Promoting Peace Globally – Colleen Bell of California Film Commission. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Colleen Bell, the executive director of California Film Commission (CFC), is on her maiden India visit as part of Visit California\'s India Sales Mission. She will meet the Film Producers Guild of India on Wednesday night and discuss increasing entertainment industry production in both the countries through various offers.

teleSUR (2020-01-15). IACHR Denounces Ecuadorian Govt. Repression In October Protests. telesurenglish.net The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) presented on Tuesday a report on its visit to Ecuador last October, when massive protests took place against the neoliberal measures promoted by President Lenin Moreno. | RELATED: | Ecuador Buys $4m Worth of Non-Lethal Weapons for Armed Forces | The IACHR report states that \"the acts of protest, in…

No War on Iran (2020-01-15). J9 Protest in San Francisco. indybay.org Hundreds gathered at One Post St. above Montgomery BART on a day of national action.

ANSWER Coalition (2020-01-15). Global Day of Protest: No War on Iran! indybay.org Old Courthouse Sq, Santa Rosa, CA 95404…

Patrick Cockburn (2020-01-15). Who Wins and Who Loses in the Iran Crisis? counterpunch.org In the latest phase of the US-Iran confrontation, who came out on top is not clear-cut; both countries made gains and losses from the crisis and some of its the results are still to come. By ordering the assassination on 3 January of general Qassem Soleimani, the head of Quds Force, the external arm of Iran\'s Revolutionary Guards, President Trump claims to More

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Global Debt Climbs to All-Time High of Nearly $253 Trillion Amid Forecast of Further Rise – Report. sputniknews.com China\'s economic slowdown between 2017 and 2018 reportedly added significantly to a sustained increase in global debt last year, a figure that will most likely grow in the months to come.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Germany Suspects Ex-EU Diplomat, Two Lobbyists of Spying for China – Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – German Public Prosecutor General Peter Frank is investigating a former EU official from Germany and two employees of a major lobbying firm on suspicion of spying for China, the Spiegel newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing information at its disposal.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). US Treasury Secretary Says There Will Be Additional Tariff Rollbacks in Phase 2 of China Trade Deal. sputniknews.com US Donald Trump and Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He are set to sign the so called \"Phase One\" trade deal on 15 January, which may mark a truce in the ongoing economic confrontation between the United States and China.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Libya\'s GNA Head Sarraj to Take Part in Berlin Conference – Adviser. sputniknews.com CAIRO (Sputnik) – The head of Libya\'s Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Sarraj, will take part in the upcoming Berlin conference on Libyan crisis settlement, his media adviser said on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Moscow Says Berlin Conference Will Urge All States to Fulfil Arms Embargo on Libya. sputniknews.com The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya in February 2011 which relates to the supply of arms and military equipment to and from Libya.

Ryan Cristián (2020-01-15). Video Shows TWO Missiles Bringing Down Iran 737, Second Plane Reported & Iraq And Syria Under Attack. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (1/14/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Lavrov: Russia to Continue De-Dollarisation Drive Amid \'Increasingly Aggressive\' US Sanctions Policy. sputniknews.com Once one of the largest national investors in US Treasury obligations and the US dollar, Russia has been shrinking its holdings substantially in recent years as relations with Washington continue to sour.

WSWS (2020-01-15). Kremlin maintains muted response to Suleimani assassination, insists on Iran nuclear deal. wsws.org An open war against Iran is likely to spread directly to the border of Russia, enflaming not only the entire Middle East but also the South Caucasus.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). PM Medvedev Announces Resignation of Russian Gov\'t Following Putin\'s Address to Parliament. sputniknews.com The Russian president addressed lawmakers, ministers and other high-ranking officials on Wednesday, with this year\'s address focusing mostly on domestic politics including social policy and the economy, but also proposals to amend the country\'s basic law.

Ilona Gazarova (2020-01-15). Coordinated Stalking by Multiple Persons. indybay.org Advocacy for Humankind is an organization that seeks to eradicate crimes of coordinated stalking through public awareness, education and advocacy for victims.

sputniknews (2020-01-15). Afghanistan Successful in Obliterating Daesh Threat from its Soil – Security Adviser. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Afghan authorities have said they are determined to create opportunity from uncertainty, and move forward with progress, no matter how cluttered the path is with violence, threats and risks. Kabul maintained it has the ability to tap its economic potential and thrive as a nation.

Ed Sykes (2020-01-15). Union issues powerful ultimatum to Labour leadership candidates. thecanary.co The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has given a strong, direct assessment of what went wrong in the 2019 election. And now, it\'s holding Labour leadership candidates\' feet to the fire with a powerful ultimatum. | Lessons are \"very clear\": | In a December statement, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that: a prolonged assault from the media has assassinated the character of a man who has devoted his whole life to helping others | He added: what nobody can face away from is that we…

WSWS (2020-01-15). US workers denounce war threats against Iran. wsws.org Three decades of disastrous wars have produced popular skepticism to the official propaganda machine and opposition to the launching of new wars.

RT (2020-01-14). Doomsday arrives for Windows 7 tech support, leaving users to fend for themselves. rt.com PC users still running 2009\'s Windows 7 operating system are despairing online and paying their respects as Microsoft finally ends its technical support for the software. | The 10-year-old operating system is still one of the most popular in use, making up an estimated 33 percent of the global share, second only to Windows 10. Roughly a quarter of all Windows users are still using the out-of-date OS according to StatCounter. As of Tuesday, though, there will be no more updates or patches to shor…

Lucas Koerner (2020-01-14). For Western Press, the only Coup in Venezuela is against Guaidó. mronline.org The international corporate media have entered crisis mode following the replacement of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as head of the country\'s National Assembly. | Source

The Canary (2020-01-14). Johnson calls for \'Trump deal\' to resolve Iran tensions. thecanary.co Donald Trump should produce a replacement for the Iran nuclear deal, Boris Johnson said as he called for tensions in the Gulf to be \"dialled down\".The UK, along with European allies, has remained part of the troubled nuclear deal despite the US president\'s opposition.The prime minister said one of the problems the American leader had with the agreement was that it was negotiated by his predecessor, Barack Obama, so putting in a replacement \"Trump deal\" would be a way out of the current crisis. | The US has pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which eased sanctions in return for Iran agree…

Staff (2020-01-14). Iran Announces Arrests in Downing of Ukrainian Jet. truthdig.com TEHRAN, Iran—Iran said Tuesday that authorities have made arrests for the accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger plane, which killed all 176 people on board and set off protests in the country demanding accountability after officials initially concealed the cause of the crash. | Iran\'s Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said \"some individuals\" were arrested after \"extensive investigations.\" His statement on the judiciary\'s website did not say how many people had been detained or name those arrested. | Iran at first dismissed allegations that a missile had brought down the plane, but in the fac…

RT (2020-01-14). Non-commitment probe into Iran by France, Germany & UK \'groundless,\' only increases tensions around nuclear deal — Russia. rt.com The European trio\'s accusation that Iran violates the key restrictions of the nuclear deal are unjustified, the Russian Foreign Ministry said urging the countries not to increase tensions that could endanger the pact. | Paris, Berlin and London officially reported Iran\'s non-compliance with the 2015 agreement to the Joint Commission under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism. This step could potentially lead to the UN Security Council being forced to decide on whether or not to bring back sanctions against Tehran. | \"We can\'t rule out that the ill-considered actions of the European trio will lead to a new escalati…

Matt Trinder (2020-01-14). Refuting Pompeo claim, Iraq sticks to demand that U.S. troops get out. peoplesworld.org The Iraqi government announced yesterday that it will not sign an agreement to keep U.S. forces in the country. On Jan. 5, the Iraqi parliament voted unanimously to demand an end to the presence of foreign forces in the country. The vote came two days after Iranian Major General Qasam Soleimani was killed by a …

Staff (2020-01-14). US Commits Acts of War, But No One Is Asking the Hard Questions. therealnews.com Gen. Soleimani was an ally in the fight against ISIS, just as Saddam was an ally against Iran. Why did the U.S. turn against them?

RT (2020-01-14). Russia hopes triggering dispute resolution mechanism in Iran deal won\'t complicate situation. rt.com Russia\'s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, commented on Tuesday on the decision by the UK, Germany and France to launch a dispute resolution mechanism within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear deal. | \"They stated that they did it \'in good faith\' to preserve the deal and that it has nothing to do with maximum pressure policy,\" the Russian diplomat tweeted. \"Let\'s hope that this step will not complicate the situation further.\" | The three European states said they have been left with \"no choice, given Iran\'s actions, but to register to…

RT (2020-01-14). Iran warns against \'destructive measures,\' promises firm response as EU trio starts nuclear deal \'non-compliance\' investigation. rt.com Iran will firmly respond to anyone acting to damage the 2015 nuclear deal, but welcomes \"good faith\" measures to save it, the foreign ministry said as three EU signatories triggered a non-compliance investigation against Tehran. | \"It is necessary to explain that the action taken by the three European countries is a passive and weak position,\" Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for the foreign ministry, warned in a statement. | He spoke shortly after Germany, France and the UK initiated a special dispute resolution procedure under the 2015 deal citing Iran\'s alleged non-compliance with the pact. | Now, the Islamic Repub…

John Bellamy Foster (2020-01-14). Misrepresenting Marx\'s Ecology: A response to Daniel Tanuro\'s \"was Marx an ecosocialist? mronline.org Daniel Tanuro is an agricultural engineer and leading socialist activist who has made numerous contributions to ecosocialist thought and practice, most notably, in his book Green Capitalism: Why It Can\'t Work. Yet, this has been coupled with persistent claims that there are \"fundamental flaws\" in Karl Marx\'s ecological critique of capitalism. | Source

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-01-14). Mexico takes action on coup in Bolivia and bolsters CELAC. peoplesworld.org Mexico\'s government intervened recently in two difficult situations beyond its borders. One is turmoil in Bolivia following a U.S.-assisted coup. The other concerns renewing the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). At issue there is regional integration and independence. Bolivian President Evo Morales was forced out of office on Nov. 10. Two days …

RT (2020-01-14). Germany to host Libya conference on Sunday, invites Sarraj & Haftar. rt.com Germany confirmed on Tuesday it will host a conference on Sunday in Berlin to support the UN\'s efforts to achieve reconciliation in Libya after months of violence. | Representatives from the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, Turkey, Italy and the UN will be among the participants, the German government said in a statement. | Germany has also invited Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, and General Khalifa Haftar, who leads the eastern-based Libyan National Army, Reuters reported. | Turkey and Russia failed to convince Haftar on Monday to sign a binding t…

RT (2020-01-14). Chilling VIDEOS show inferno at Spanish chemical plant. rt.com Video footage has emerged showing the aftermath of a deadly chemical plant explosion in Tarragona, Spain. As a pillar of fire and smoke looked over the historic streets of the city, panicked residents fled in terror. | The plant, located just outside the port city of Tarragona, caught fire and exploded on Tuesday evening. Local authorities dispatched firefighting teams to the scene and urged nearby residents to stay inside and close their doors and windows as a precaution against a chemical leak. On…

Staff (2020-01-14). \"Floaters\": Martín Espada Pays Tribute to Salvadoran Father & Daughter Who Drowned at U.S. Border. democracynow.org Acclaimed poet Martín Espada pays tribute to àìscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his 23-month old daughter Angie Valeria, who drowned in the Rio Grande river in June 2019 trying to cross into the United States. A photo of the drowned Salvadoran father and daughter caused widespread outrage at the humanitarian crisis at the U.S. southern border and also raised questions about the ethics of exploiting such images in the press. Espada\'s poem \"Floaters\" meditates on their passing and its aftermath.

RT (2020-01-14). UK failed to pass on details of over 75,000 criminals to EU nations, feared \'reputational impact\'. rt.com UK authorities failed to send EU countries updates on more than 75,000 criminals — potentially including murderers and rapists — for fear of damaging Britain\'s reputation, according to newly revealed documents. | One in three alerts on offenders were not sent to EU states, the documents say, due to a UK police national computer error that went undetected for five years. The failure to pass on notifications dates back to 2012, with other EU countries not receiving vital information on crimes committed, sentences given to their citizens, and the risk convicted criminals posed to the public. | There i…

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-01-14). The World Must End The US\' Illegal Economic War. dissidentvoice.org The United States is relying more heavily on illegal unilateral coercive measures (also known as economic sanctions) in place of war or as part of its build-up to war. In fact, economic sanctions are an act of war that kills tens of thousands of people each year through financial strangulation. An economic blockade places a …

RT (2020-01-14). \'I don\'t like disposable champions\': Figure skating coach compares new generation skaters to single-use plastic cups. rt.com Prominent figure skating coach Rafael Arutyunyan, who has spoken in favour of raising the age limit in ladies single skating, has compared the success of young champions to single-use plastic cups. | The renowned coach underlined that young female skaters should only enter senior events after going through puberty, when they have \"well-trained and healthy\" bodies. | READ MORE: Anna Shcherbakova performs INSANE quad-jumping routine to win Russian figure skating championship (VIDEO) | Current rules w…

RT (2020-01-14). Libya\'s Haftar positive about outcome of Moscow talks, but needs 2 days for discussions with tribal leaders — Russian MoD. rt.com The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier said that Haftar left for Benghazi without signing the agreement and wanted two days to discuss it. The Government of National Accord (GNA) delegation, headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, signed the agreement before leaving Moscow for Istanbul. | The Russian MoD said Haftar\'s assessment of the final statement after negotiations with the rival GNA was \"positive.\" | But before signing, he took two days to discuss the paper with the leader of the tribes that support the LNA. | Libya remains divided since 2011 following NATO\'s bombing campaign which led to the overthrow o…

Whitney Webb (2020-01-14). How an Israeli Spy-Linked Tech Firm Gained Access to the US Gov\'t\'s Most Classified Networks. mintpressnews.com Through its main investors, SoftBank and Lockheed Martin, Cybereason not only has ties to the Trump administration but has its software running on some of the U.S. government\'s most classified and secretive networks.

RT (2020-01-14). 'Saddest moment of my life': Doubles world no.1 blames contaminated meat for failed doping test as he misses Australian Open. rt.com Men\'s doubles world number one Robert Farah of Colombia has been tested positive for banned drug Boldenon, claiming that the anabolic entered his body through contaminated meat. | On Tuesday the winner of the Wimbledon and US Open doubles announced he would not participate in the season-opening Grand Slam, citing personal reasons for his abrupt withdrawal. | READ MORE: \'Never experienced anything like it\': Australian Open chiefs slammed as Slovenian star COLLAPSES on court amid bushfire smoke | Hours…

Staff (2020-01-14). Trump Has No Idea What \'Deep State\' Really Means. truthdig.com This seems like a strange moment to be writing about \"the deep state\" with the country entering a new phase of open and obvious aboveground chaos and instability. Just as we had gotten used to the fact that the president is, in effect, under congressional indictment, just as we had settled into a more or less stable stalemate over when (and if) the…

Staff (2020-01-14). GOP Debate on Impeachment Witnesses Intensifies as Pelosi Prepares to Send Articles to Senate. democracynow.org The impeachment trial of President Trump is anticipated to proceed this week, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to send the two articles of impeachment to the Senate as early as Wednesday. The House impeached Trump in December for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to Trump\'s effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. A growing number of Republican senators are pushing for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a vote on whether to allow witnesses to speak at the Senate trial. The timing of the Senate impeachment trial could impact the 2020 presidentia…

Staff (2020-01-14). Warren Refuses to Elaborate After Accusing Sanders of Sexism. truthdig.com She claims that in a 2018 conversation, Sanders disagreed with her that a woman could beat Donald Trump in the 2020 general election.

Staff (2020-01-14). Central American Caravan for the Disappeared Seeks to Reunite Families. therealnews.com A caravan of Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans, heads north towards Mexico looking for lost and disappeared loved ones.

Staff (2020-01-14). \"Morir Soñando\": Martín Espada Reads Poem About Luis Garden Acosta, Young Lord & Community Activist. democracynow.org Last week marked the first anniversary of the passing of Luis Garden Acosta, the founder and longtime president of the nationally known El Puente youth and community leadership program in Brooklyn. Long regarded as one of New York City\'s foremost human rights and Latino community activists, Garden Acosta died last January at the age of 72. A former seminarian who had been active in the Catholic antiwar movement, Garden Acosta joined the Young Lords Party in 1970 and later founded that group\'s Massachusetts chapter while he was still a student at Harvard Medical School. He went on to pioneer successful nonviolent…

The Canary (2020-01-14). Weather warnings remain in force after Storm Brendan batters UK. thecanary.co Weather warnings remain in force across the country after Storm Brendan brought winds of nearly 90mph to parts of the UK.The high winds forced airlines to divert flights scheduled to land at Gatwick Airport, while also causing disruption to ferries and railways.The strongest gust recorded during Storm Brendan was 87mph in South Uist in the Western Isles of Scotland, with winds of more than 70mph also recorded in Wales and the Isle Of Scilly. | The strongest winds on Monday were across the west, and in northeast Scotland. | On Tuesday, the rest of England and Wales will see the strong winds too. | Take care if you…

RT (2020-01-14). Insurers warn of volcano apocalypse, as investors make bank on \'catastrophe bonds\'. rt.com Lloyd\'s of London, one of the world\'s largest insurance markets, warned that volcanic eruptions could bury 15 major cities in lava and ash in the coming two centuries. As always though, there\'s money to be made in catastrophe. | The Philippines\' Taal Volcano belched into life on Sunday, spewing a cloud of ash half a kilometer into the sky and shutting down Manila\'s international airport less than 80km (50 miles) away. As lava shot out of the volcano and earthquakes rumbled nearby, scientists warned of an \"imminent\" eruption. | The Taal Volcano last erupted in 1977, but a previous eruption in 1911 killed more t…

Staff (2020-01-14). Sanders Surges Ahead of Warren and Biden in California. truthdig.com New polling data from the Public Policy Institute of California finds the Vermont senator in the lead after climbing 10% since November.

RT (2020-01-14). Boeing\'s troubles could drag down US dollar, Peter Schiff tells RT\'s Boom Bust. rt.com As American aerospace giant Boeing is still dealing with the 737 Max crisis, the company\'s poor performance could have consequences for the entire US economy, slowing growth and affecting the greenback. | Last week, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that the situation with the company could cut the country\'s GDP this year by half a percentage point, as it is one of the largest US exporters. | Moreover, the company\'s troubles may also weaken the dollar, the chief global strategist at Euro Pacific Capital, Peter Schiff, believes. | \"Over the long term there\'ll be a recovery, but in the short run cer…

RT (2020-01-14). Rockets reported fired at Taji military base in Iraq that hosts US-led coalition troops. rt.com Rockets have been fired in the direction of Camp Taji, a US-coalition base north of Baghdad in Iraq, local media report. At least one member of Iraqi security forces has reportedly been wounded. | A rocket has landed near the gates of the base, which houses soldiers from the US, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and other countries whose personnel remain in Iraq after Parliament ordered foreign soldiers to leave earlier this month. At least two rockets are believed to have hit near the base, which is 17km north of Baghdad. | A series of small-scale rocket strikes targeted bases in Iraq that hosted foreign troops ove…

Staff (2020-01-14). CLEAN Future Act Is \'Shameful\' and \'Greenwashing,\' say Climate Justice Groups. therealnews.com Democrats\' CLEAN Future Act calls for \"net zero\" carbon emissions by 2050 but doesn\'t require a fossil fuel industry phaseout. Critics say the bill lacks ambition and ignores the short timeline for radical action dictated by climate science.

Staff (2020-01-14). The US Is Waging a Stealth War at the Mexico Border. truthout.org In recent decades, U.S. immigration policies have aggressively targeted families fleeing violence and poverty in Mexico and Central and South America, spawning a network of detention centers that now exist indefinitely along our southern border. The U.S.\'s approach to tackling undocumented immigration has come under fire for its use of brutal tactics such as deliberately separating families, placing them in confinement under harsh conditions, and denying them adequate medical and legal counsel. | On today\'s program, Joh…

Eunice Cho (2020-01-14). The Trump Administration Weakens Standards for ICE Detention Facilities. aclu.org Last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officially released a new version of its National Detention Standards (NDS), which govern the treatment of immigrant detainees held in almost 140 facilities in 44 states. These facilities include local and state jails and prisons — some operated by private prison companies — under contract with ICE. Despite being considered \"civil detention,\" almost 20 percent of ICE detainees are held in these jails and prisons, many of which are located in remote, rural locations. | ICE describes its…

Staff (2020-01-14). Headlines for January 14, 2020. democracynow.org \"It Doesn\'t Really Matter\": Trump Changes Story on Soleimani Killing, Six Democratic Candidates Will Take Stage for Debate in Iowa Tonight, Warren: Sanders Said Woman Couldn\'t Win in 2020, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Launching New PAC to Support Progressive Democrats, Trump Plans to Divert Additional $7.2 Billion from Military Budget to Border Wall, Turkey and Russia Broker Ceasefire for Idlib, Syria, France to Send More Troops to West Africa Amid Rising Violence in Sahel, 55 Die in Avalanches in Pakistan, Study: 2019 Was Hottest Year for World\'s Oceans on Record, AG Barr and Apple Face Off over Phone of Alleged Pen…

David Goodner (2020-01-14). In Iowa, Rashida Tlaib and the Sunrise Movement Push the Green New Deal—and Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org Sanders and Tlaib turned out 900 people to a Sunday rally in Iowa City centered on combating climate change. (Photo: Sunrise Movement Cedar Rapids) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/sanders_0.jpeg …

WSWS (2020-01-14). The international witch-hunt of Julian Assange. wsws.org The prosecution of Assange is a travesty of justice that will forever stain the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden and Ecuador.

WSWS (2020-01-14). Julian Assange attends procedural hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court. wsws.org Since his last hearing on December 19, the WikiLeaks founder has had just two hours total to review evidence relating to the US extradition request with his legal team.

WSWS (2020-01-14). Carlos Ghosn, Julian Assange and the class justice of the New York Times. wsws.org The Times, which welcomed the arrest of journalist Julian Assange last year, has effectively endorsed the decision by Carlos Ghosn to flee charges of tax evasion and money laundering.

Kevin Zeese (2020-01-14). The World Must End the US\' Illegal Economic War. Sanctions Imposed on 39 Countries. globalresearch.ca The United States is relying more heavily on illegal unilateral coercive measures (also known as economic sanctions) in place of war or as part of its build-up to war. In fact, economic sanctions are an act of war that kills …

Nicolas J S Davies, Medea Benjamin (2020-01-14). 10 Ways Trump\'s Actions Against Iran Hurt Americans and the Region. counterpunch.org The U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani has not yet plunged us into a full-scale war with Iran thanks to the Iranian government\'s measured response, which demonstrated its capabilities without actually harming U.S. troops or escalating the conflict. But the danger of a full-blown war still exists, and Donald Trump\'s actions are already wreaking havoc. More

Norman Solomon (2020-01-14). Biden, Buttigieg and corporate media are eager for Sanders and Warren to clash. nationofchange.org Keeping eyes on the prize this year will require a united front that can strengthen progressive forces, prevent any corporate Democrat from winning the party\'s presidential nomination, and then go on to defeat Donald Trump.

Ralph Nader (2020-01-14). Making America Dread Again! Trump Is an Unparalleled Threat to Safety and Security. commondreams.org Activists of the group Remove Trump stand in-line during a \"Swarm the Senate\" protest at Senate Russell Office Building January 13, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The group held the event to call on the removal of U.S. President Donald Trump from office. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/make_america_dread_again.jpg …

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-14). 164 \"Peace-Keeping\" Military Bases Worldwide: US Bases in Iraq Advance Its Regional Imperium. globalresearch.ca According to the Pentagon, US forces are in 164 (of the world\'s 193) countries. | They\'re on over 1,000 US bases of varying sizes and on others of host countries. Much information about their numbers, troop strength, and location is secret….

Scott Ritter (2020-01-14). Putin\'s Orthodox Christmas Visit to Damascus Plays Up Assad\'s Syria as Enclave of Peace — While Rest of Middle East Burns. globalresearch.ca Russian leader Vladimir Putin made a surprise Christmas visit to Syria, where he met with the country\'s president, Bashar Assad. The tranquility of their meeting was in sharp contrast to the hell breaking out in neighboring Iraq. | The unannounced …

Andrew Korybko (2020-01-14). Russia\'s Unsuccessful Libyan Peace Summit Was a Good Start. globalresearch.ca Russia\'s Libyan peace summit in Moscow didn\'t succeed with its stated objective of getting the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire agreement after they failed to find any common ground with one another, but it was nevertheless a good …

ANSWER Coalition (2020-01-14). Global Day of Protest: No War on Iran! indybay.org Old Courthouse Sq, Santa Rosa, CA 95404…

Staff (2020-01-14). Riot Police Evict Oakland Moms Who Reclaimed Vacant Home to Fight Homelessness. truthout.org Update: Riot police evicted four mothers experiencing homeless Tuesday morning from the investor-owned home in Oakland they were occupying in protest of the city\'s housing crisis. Two of the mothers were arrested. | In Oakland, California, a group of mothers fighting homelessness is waging a battle against real estate speculators and demanding permanent solutions to the Bay Area h…

Johanna Ross (2020-01-14). Macron Forced to Back Down over Pension Reform Amidst Raging Protests. globalresearch.ca Once again the French have shown the world now to protest, and that protesting works. President Emmanuel Macron was forced to roll back his plans for pensions reform over the weekend as demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday in …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-14). Kenyan university staff set to strike unless revised wages implemented. peoplesdispatch.org The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) issued a strike notice on January 9, in protest against the Kenyan government\'s failure to honor the wage hike agreement signed with unions representing university staff last year. They have warned that teachers will be downing tools from January 20. | With the new academic year set to start, at least 35 universities in the country will be affected by the impending strike unless the government averts it by releasing the money promised in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed on October 28, 2019. The deadline for the implementation of the CBA was November 30, 2…

David Swanson (2020-01-14). Charlottesville City Council Passes Resolution Against War on Iran. zcomm.org The normalization of murder bestowed on us by the Obama years will not end well and must urgently be reversed…