RT (2020-01-13). \'I wish I was inside that plane\': Iran\'s IRGC chief expresses sorrow over downing of Ukrainian jet. rt.com The top commander of Iran\'s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Major General Hossein Salami, has expressed his deepest condolences, saying he had never felt more ashamed in his life than after the Ukrainian passenger jet tragedy. | Debriefing the session of Iran\'s parliament on Sunday, Salami stated that IRGC has no other purpose or wish \"but to be torn into pieces for the sake of the security, welfare and peace of [Iranian] people.\" | I swear on the life of my children… I wish I were inside that plane and fell down and burned along w…

Ben Norton (2020-01-13). Under US pressure, social media companies censor critical content and suspend Venezuelan, Iranian, and Syrian accounts. thegrayzone.com As the US escalates its hybrid wars, Twitter and Facebook are suspending accounts and censoring content that conflicts with Washington\'s…

RT (2020-01-12). China\'s smart supercities powered by 5G to become new growth engine. rt.com The next phase of growth in China could come from developing smart supercities through 5G connectivity, smart grids, renewable energy and modern transportation, according to a report by Morgan Stanley. | It expects the country\'s urbanization ratio to grow from the current 60 percent to 75 percent by 2030, bringing in 220 million new city residents. | Morgan Stanley defines smart tech supercities as regional clusters of giant hubs surrounded by large satellite cities. | \"In our view, China is poised to be a global leader in smart city and city cluster development,\" said Morgan Stanley\'s Chief China Economist Ro…

RT (2020-01-12). Putin & Macron call for Iranian nuclear deal to be saved, urge US & Tehran to show restraint. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to take further efforts to keep the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPCOA), in place. On Saturday German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed the same idea on her visit to Moscow. | Putin and Macron also called on all parties involved in the latest escalation of tensions between Iran and the US to show restraint. The two nations found themselves on the brink of military conflict after the US assassinated a top Iranian general, but have still avoided starting a war.

RT (2020-01-12). US wants to discuss steps for Iran to become \'normal country\' without precondition — Esper says amid \'warnings\' from Washington. rt.com Despite soaring tensions, the US is open to talk with Tehran, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said. But there\'s a catch: such discussion should revolve around \"a series of steps\" that would make Iran \"a more normal country.\" | \"We\'re willing to sit down and discuss without precondition a new way forward, a series of steps by which Iran becomes a more normal country,\" Esper said on Sunday, speaking on CBS\'s \'Face the Nation\'. | On negotiations between U.S. and Iran, @EsperDoD acknowledged that Iran, once deemed \"corrupt\" is \"still the legitimate go…

RT (2020-01-12). Facebook \'thought police\' censors pro-Iran posts \'to comply with US sanctions\'… as Trump warns Tehran against censorship. rt.com Facebook has admitted to selectively censoring pro-Iranian government Instagram posts about the murdered General Soleimani, as US President Donald Trump hypocritically championed free speech and warned Tehran against censorship. | Instagram has confirmed that they have been removing posts that voice support for Qassem Soleimani, with a Facebook spokesperson claiming that censorship is fully justified in order to comply with US sanctions. Instagram is one of the few social media platforms that is not blocked in Iran, and it is where many within the country went to fuel outrage over the US assassination strike i…

RT (2020-01-12). Trump\'s defense secretary admits he \'didn\'t see\' evidence about Soleimani planning attacks against US embassies. rt.com President Donald Trump warned that Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani was planning \"imminent\" attacks against Americans, but his own defense secretary seems to be unable to back this claim. | Secretary of Defense Mark Esper revealed in a Sunday interview with \'Face the Nation\' on CBS that he \"didn\'t see\" specific evidence that supported the president\'s claim that Soleimani was planning attacks on four US embassies, which Trump touted in a Friday interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. | \"The president said that he believed that there probably could have been attacks against additional embassies,\" Espe…

RT (2020-01-12). Iran made 'important decision' to admit fault for Ukrainian plane crash, now all sides must decrease tensions — Kazakh president. rt.com Kazakhstan\'s leader has said that all sides must avoid further civilian deaths and work towards de-escalation, after Iran acknowledged that it mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane amid fears of war with the US. | Qasym-Jomart Toqayev wrote on Twitter that Iran\'s decision to admit responsibility for the downing of the plane was \"an important\" one. | Under the current circumstances, all parties must show restraint in order to lower tensions, which also lead to civilian casualties. | Kazakhstani Foreig…

RT (2020-01-12). Knesset to go forward debating & rejecting Bibi\'s immunity request as his allies cry it will be a \'jungle\'. rt.com In a blow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Knesset was given the green light to debate his immunity from prosecution. The legislative body is likely to deny it, paving the way for his corruption trial to start. | Netanyahu requested immunity after he was indicted in November on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust saying he needs \"to continue to lead Israel to great achievements.\" | On Sunday Eyal Yinon, the Knesset\'s legal adviser, issued a ruling that Speaker Yuli Edelstein should allow the formation of a Knesset House Committee that will look into the matter and is expected…

RT (2020-01-12). Oops! Canadian nuclear power plant \'incident\' alert turns out to be \'error\' after \'Chernobyl\' Twitter panic. rt.com It was 7: 24am Sunday when Ontario residents received a chilling alert about an \"incident\" at one of the world\'s oldest nuclear power stations located a few kilometers away from Canada\'s most populous city of Toronto. | Pickering power plant, located on the shore of Lake Ontario, sent out an alert stating that emergency staff are responding to an incident at the facility, although \"there has been no abnormal release of radioactivity from the station.\" It also said that locals do not need to evacuate or take any other protective measures. | I was just awoken by my phone blaring an emergency alarm. There\'s been a…

RT (2020-01-12). US sanctions will delay Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline but WON\'T END IT, Polish PM admits. rt.com The Polish prime minister has admitted that US sanctions will fail to torpedo the major Baltic Sea pipeline intended to supply Germany with Russian natural gas, and says he wishes the project had \"never begun in the first place.\" | \"I believe the US sanctions will delay the project but will not end it,\" Mateusz Morawiecki told German newspaper Die Welt in an interview. | Swiss-Dutch pipe-laying company Allseas stopped its work on the pipeline in December through fear of getting hit by the sanctions, which were adopted by the US earlier that month. | Morawiecki, whose government argues that the project will mak…

RT (2020-01-12). Four Iraqi Air Force servicemen injured as 8 rockets hit base housing US troops — Iraqi PM's office. rt.com At least four Iraqi soldiers have been injured in mortar shelling targeting Al-Balad airbase housing American troops. The facility has become a frequent target of attacks in the wake of the US killing of a top Iranian commander. | At least eight \'Katyusha\' rockets hit the base located some 80 kilometers north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the prime minister\'s office has confirmed. The rockets allegedly struck a runaway located inside the facility, military sources earlier told Reuters. | There have been no reports of any casualties among the US military personnel. | US bases in Iraq were also hit by a balli…

RT (2020-01-12). 4 Iraqi Air Force servicemen injured as 8 rockets hit base housing US troops. rt.com At least four Iraqi soldiers have been injured in mortar shelling targeting Al-Balad airbase housing American troops. The facility has become a frequent target of attacks in the wake of the US killing of a top Iranian commander. | At least eight \'Katyusha\' rockets hit the base located some 80 kilometers north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the prime minister\'s office has confirmed. The rockets allegedly struck a runaway located inside the facility, military sources earlier told Reuters. | There have been no reports of any casualties among the US military personnel. No groups has so far claimed responsibility…

RT (2020-01-12). 'Regime change is in the air': US establishment seeks to capitalize on Iranian protests… again. rt.com The protests in Iran that followed Tehran\'s admission of its role in the downing of the Ukrainian passenger jet were met with an outpouring of support from Washington. But is it about Iranians, or regime change? | US officials and establishment figures certainly spared no effort as they went out of their way to show how much they supposedly admire the \'courage\' of Iranians who took to the streets to vent their anger at the fact that a Ukrainian passenger jet, with many Iranians on board, was mistakenly shot down by Iran\'s military — something Tehran admitted of its own volition before the results of the c…

Staff (2020-01-12). Defying Police, Iranians Protest Over Plane Shootdown. truthdig.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iranian demonstrators defied a heavy police presence Sunday night to protest their country\'s days of denials that it shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane carrying 176 people, the latest unrest to roil the capital amid soaring tensions with the United States. | Videos posted online showed protesters shouting anti-government slogans and moving through subway stations and sidewalks, many near Azadi, or Freedom, Square after an earlier call for people to demonstrate there. Other videos suggested similar protests were taking place in other Iranian cities. | Related Articles

RT (2020-01-12). \'The vulnerable spot\': Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would be greatest \'black swan\' event in years for oil markets — S&P. rt.com The growing hostilities between the United States and Iran have raised concerns about the possibility of disruption to a key shipping route in the Gulf region, and about the consequences for global oil markets. | According to analyst Dave Ernsberger of S&P Global, any disruption to what is probably the most vital chokepoint in the Middle East could become the largest \'black swan\' occasion within the oil market. | Ernsberger who is the firm\'s global head of commodities pricing, told CNBC that \"the market is extremely exposed to any disruption to vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.\" | Also on rt.com | | <...

RT (2020-01-12). \'Turbulent\' situation in Middle East is result of US \'corruptive presence\' — Iran\'s supreme leader. rt.com The tense situation in the Middle East requires close cooperation between all nations in the region, Iran\'s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said during his meeting with the emir of Qatar, adding that the region should be free from foreign influence. | \"The region\'s unfavorable situation is due to the corruptive presence of the United States and its cohorts; and the only solution for countering that is to rely on cooperation among the countries of the region.\" | T…

RT (2020-01-12). Iran summons UK ambassador over his participation in \'illegal rally\' following his arrest at anti-govt protest. rt.com The UK envoy\'s detention during an anti-government rally in Tehran has sparked a diplomatic scandal. The envoy, summoned on Sunday by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, says he was at a \"vigil\" for victims of the Ukrainian plane crash. | \"Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behavior of attending an illegal rally on Saturday,\" the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It also demanded that the British government provide clarification on the matter. | The diplomat was briefly detained late on Saturday outside of Amirkabir University in Tehran, as part of a group of people attending a…

RT (2020-01-12). Iran\'s Foreign Ministry to provide consular assistance to relatives of Ukrainian jet downing victims. rt.com The Iranian Foreign Ministry has created a special taskforce that will provide consular support to the relatives of those who perished in the Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 downing, spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Sunday. | The jet, which primarily carried Iranian and Canadian nationals, went down outside Tehran on Wednesday, killing all 176 on board. Tehran acknowledged that it was shot down by the county\'s armed forces, which erroneously identified the passenger plane as an incoming cruise missile.

RT (2020-01-12). Russian figure skating duo Apollinariia Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov claim gold at 2020 Youth Olympics (VIDEO). rt.com Russian junior skaters Apollinariia Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov delivered a win for the national team at the 2020 Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, claiming gold in the pairs event. | Panfilova and Rylov put on a flawless performance on Sunday, perfectly dealing with the technical elements, including two impeccably landed triple throws. | READ MORE: New rival for Zagitova and Medvedeva? Russian gymnast Alexandra Soldatova tries out figure skating elements | The duet received 127.47 points for thei…

RT (2020-01-12). Water polo drubbing: Russian women\'s team scores WHOPPING 31 GOALS against Slovakia at European Championship (VIDEO). rt.com Russia\'s women\'s water polo team started their campaign for an Olympic berth in style, destroying their Slovakian rivals 31-2 in the opening game of the 2020 European Championship in Budapest, Hungary. | The Russians netted a total of 14 unanswered goals during the first two quarters to ensure a dominant victory long before the match ended. | READ MORE: WATCH: South Korean water polo players shed tears of joy after scoring in 30-1 demolition by Russia | The Slovakian squad managed to score two consolation…

RT (2020-01-12). Russian figure skating duet Apollinariia Panfilova & Dmitry Rylov claim gold at 2020 Youth Olympics. rt.com Russian junior skaters Apollinariia Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov delivered a win for the national team at the 2020 Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, claiming gold in the pairs event. | Panfilova and Rylov put on a flawless performance on Sunday, perfectly dealing with the technical elements, including two impeccably landed triple throws. | READ MORE: New rival for Zagitova and Medvedeva? Russian gymnast Alexandra Soldatova tries out figure skating elements | The duet received 127.47 points for thei…

Staff (2020-01-12). As Trial Nears, Trump Keeps Discredited Ukraine Theory Alive. truthdig.com The theory took root in vague form well before Donald Trump laid claim to the White House in 2016. The candidate\'s close confidant tweeted about it. His campaign chairman apparently spoke about it with people close to him. | What if, the idea went, it was actually Ukraine — and not Russia — that was interfering in the 2016 election? | Never mind that the notion has since been amplified by the president of Russia, the country that U.S. intelligence agencies unequivocally blame for interfering in that year\'s presidential race. Or that Trump\'s hand-picked FBI director and other American officials have sa…

RT (2020-01-12). \'Impeached for life\': Pelosi sets off Twitter fireworks, falsely claims Dems pursuing subpoena-defying witnesses. rt.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made numerous odd claims about Trump impeachment in a new interview, including that Dems are pursuing subpoena-defying witness from the Ukraine investigation. | While speaking on ABC\'s \'This Week\' Pelosi told host George Stephanopoulos that \"this president is impeached for life, regardless of any gamesmanship on the part of Mitch McConnell.\" | While Congress passed articles of impeachment against the president, he still technically needs to go through a trial in the Senate to determine his guilt. One is not \"impeached\" until a decision is made through a trial. Congress merely conduct…

Staff (2020-01-12). The Deadly Myth of the Border. truthdig.com \"The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America\" | Purchase in the Truthdig Bazaar | In my memories, the U.S.-Mexico border is always seen at night. I\'m crossing home — how many times in my life? — through San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Mexicali. I\'m bored, impatient, sometimes drunk in a rowdy car with more people than seats, other times sleepy after a vacation with my parents, still carrying Ensenada beach sand in my shoes. And suddenly ther…

RT (2020-01-12). Dakar Rally tragedy: Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves dies after crash in Saudi Arabia. rt.com Portuguese motorbike rider Paulo Goncalves has tragically died after a crash during Sunday\'s seventh stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. | The tragedy took place after 276 kilometers (171 miles) of the day\'s Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasir test, which is mostly comprised of sand planes and dunes. | READ MORE: Italian cyclist tragically dies after sustaining head injury right before finish | Race organizers immediately summoned a medical helicopter to the scene after the 40-year-old rider was found unconsci…

Andrew Butler (2020-01-12). Lowkey talks about Julian Assange, the media and internet manipulation. thecanary.co At times when the drums of war beat loudest, we need to remember, recognise, and protect the important role played by whistleblowers. In the first of two exclusive interviews (above) Lowkey talks about Julian Assange and the need for media to question and hold power to account. | In part two (below), Lowkey explains how our online data is used by the state and corporations to monitor and manipulate us. He also discusses the importance of supporting whistleblowers who work to expose this. | By Andrew Butler

Free Julian Assange (2020-01-12). London Public rally with speakers on issue of Press freedom and the case of Julia. indybay.org University College London, Logan Hall…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-01-12). Twenty-six Things About the Islamic State (ISIS-ISIL-Daesh) that Obama and Trump Do Not Want You to Know About. globalresearch.ca The US led war against the Islamic State is a big lie. Going after \"Islamic terrorists\" is used to justify a military agenda. The Islamic State is a creation of US intelligence. Washington\'s \"Counter-terrorism Agenda\" in Iraq & Syria consists in Supporting the Terrorists.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-01-12). The Engineered Destruction and Political Fragmentation of Iraq. globalresearch.ca The objective is to engineer a civil war in Iraq, in which both sides are controlled indirectly by US-NATO. The scenario is to arm and equip them, on both sides, finance them with advanced weapons systems and then \"let them fight\".

Aaron Maté (2020-01-12). Ex-US intel officer: Pompeo \'lying through his teeth\' on Iran. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration is imposing new sanctions on Iran and defying Iraq\'s call for a US troop withdrawal. This comes…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Star War Actor Rejects Advertising Depicting Pinochet as Jedi. telesurenglish.net The U.S. actor Mark Hamill, who is best known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Saturday rejected an image in which far-right activists portrait Chile\'s dictator Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) as a Jedi. | RELATED: | Chile: College Admissions Test Suspended Due To Student Protest | The story began when Natire Bolledo wrote to Hamill telling him that…

Staff (2020-01-12). Activists Demand U.S. Close Guantánamo and End 18 Years of Torture. truthdig.com Human rights advocates marked the 18th anniversary of the opening of the U.S. military prison at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba with a rally outside the White House on Saturday to \"demand an end to years of torture and human rights violations\" and call for the detention camp\'s immediate closure. | In January 2018, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep the prison open. The move, which revoked an order from Trump\'s predecessor that called for the pri…

Peter Maiden (2020-01-12). Fresno Peace in Iran Vigil Coordinates with Nationwide Protests. indybay.org Over 100 people attended a vigil for peace with Iran in Fresno at 5 p.m. on January 9, in one of around three hundred demonstrations around the United States. The protest was coordinated with others by being held at the same time on the same day with the same message: no war with Iran.

Toby Blomé (2020-01-12). No Iran War — Golden Gate Bridge Peace Walk. indybay.org Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco | 11: 45 am: Gather on the SF side of the eastern walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge. Parking available on southeast and southwest corners, just remember to take the last exit on hwy 101, northbound, as you approach the bridge, or, southbound, take the first exit after you leave the bridge. Arrive very early for best parking, or carpool. Public transportation below. | Noon: Walk begins on the eastern walkway from the southeast/S.F. side. Short, silent vigil in the middle with signs. Then return to the SF side bridge plaza for our rally. All welcome to speak. | 1: 00 pm: Rally on SF…

Dimitri Lascaris (2020-01-12). Invoking the United Nations\' Historic \"Uniting for Peace\" Resolution 377 Before Trump Embroils Us in War with Iran. globalresearch.ca In the early hours of January 3, 2020, the United States military assassinated Iran\'s most powerful military commander, General Qasem Soleimani. | Soleimani\'s killing, accomplished by means of a drone strike in Baghdad, was done without the authorization of the Iraqi …

Register Peace & Freedom or Green (2020-01-12). S.F. Rep Pelosi Postponed Vote on War Powers Act. indybay.org San Francisco Representative Nancy Pelosi postponed the urgently needed vote on a War Powers Resolution to prevent a US war against Iran. And Top House Democrats want to abandon any vote on a War Powers Resolution. See | www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/08/kicking-can-next-week-irresponsible-progressives-rebuke-pelosi-delaying-iran-war…

Juan Cole (2020-01-12). All the Times the US allied with Gen. Soleimani against Common Enemies. zcomm.org The prime minister of Iraq says he invited Soleimani to Baghdad for peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia and then Trump just suddenly blew his guest away. Soleimani came openly on a commercial flight and went through passport control with his diplomatic passport…

Jim Mitulski (2020-01-12). Sunset Peace Vigil in Foster City. indybay.org In front of Foster City City Hall (610 Foster City Blvd)…

MoveOn, Indivisible, Others (2020-01-12). No War With Iran! Redwood City Protest. indybay.org Intersection of Jefferson Avenue and El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-01-12). No New War on Iran! Emergency Protest. indybay.org Photos: Leon Kunstenaar | People rush to demonstrate against Trump war on Iran…

teleSUR (2020-01-12). Iran Summons UK Ambassador Over Role in Anti-Gov\'t Protest. telesurenglish.net The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that the U.K.\'s Ambassador to Tehran was summoned over his participation in the anti-government protests this weekend. | RELATED: | Iran Rejects New Sanctions Imposed by the US | \"Today, Rob Macaire was summoned because of his unconventional behaviour of attending an illegal rally on Saturday\", the Foreign Ministry\'s website said. | Prior to his summoning, Macaire was reportedly detained by the Iranian authorities for breaking diplomatic protocol…

sputniknews (2020-01-12). Iran Reportedly Summons UK Envoy Over His Attendance at Anti-Government Rally. sputniknews.com Earlier on Sunday, UK Ambassador to Iran Rob Macaire denied his taking part in Tehran protests that allegedly called for the prosecution of those responsible for the fatal mistake that led to the recent downing of the Ukrainian Airlines plane in the Iranian capital.

Emily Apple (2020-01-12). We should be outraged that the police listed Extinction Rebellion as extremists. But we shouldn\'t be surprised. thecanary.co Environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion (XR) hit the headlines on 10 January after the police included it as an extremist ideology in its guide to \"Safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism\". | But while it\'s outrageous that a nonviolent group focussed on saving the planet from the climate crisis is listed as an extremist threat, we shouldn\'t be surprised. Because this is exactly how the police treat pro…

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-12). Polls Show Americans Believe Killing Iranian General Made the US Less Safe. globalresearch.ca The Trump regime\'s assassination of widely respected Iranian General Qassem Soleimani made things less safe in the region and beyond. | Killing him was an act of war, the highest of high crimes under international law — turning millions of Iranians, …

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-12). US Plans Permanent Occupation of Iraq. globalresearch.ca The US plans permanent occupation of numerous nations worldwide, including Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and other countries it attacked preemptively. | It\'s up to officials of these countries and mass public opposition to end US occupation through the power of resistance. | Pentagon …

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-12). O Secretário Geral da ONU, António Guterres, nà£o condena os assassínios dos EUA no Iraque. globalresearch.ca A relatora especial da ONU sobre execuàßàµes extra judiciais, sumárias ou arbitrárias, Agnès Callamard, criticou o assassínio perpetrado pelo regime Trump, do General iraniano Soleimani, do Vice Presidente iraquiano da PMU, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis e de outros que …

Shane Quinn (2020-01-12). The US-China Power Struggle, Two Decades of CIA Interference in Tibet. globalresearch.ca America\'s position as the world\'s strongest country faces its greatest challenge today from China, as is widely acknowledged. Yet the United States-China power struggle is not merely a phenomenon of this century, but has been ongoing for at least 70 …

Middle East Eye (2020-01-12). Iranian Opposition Group Went From US Terror List to Halls of Congress. theantimedia.com Meet the terrorist organization now lauded by top U.S. officials as an alternative to Iran\'s government.

Jason Ditz (2020-01-12). Pentagon Chief Saw No Evidence US Embassies Were Under Threat. theantimedia.com Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CBS that he\'d seen no evidence at all to support the idea that US embassies were under threat.

RT (2020-01-11). ISIS praises US murder of Iranian general Soleimani as \'divine intervention\' that will help them rise again. rt.com Islamic State terrorists rejoiced at the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani at the hands of his American \'allies,\' according to a weekly newspaper affiliated with the group that once controlled much of Syria and Iraq. | Soleimani was killed by a US drone strike on January 3, as he drove by the Baghdad international airport in Iraq. In reprisal, Iran launched a limited strike on US bases in Iraq with ballistic missiles on Tuesday, causing no casualties but demonstrating capability to hit US assets at will. | The weekly Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) newspaper Al-Naba portrayed Soleimani\'s death a…

RT (2020-01-11). Sultan of Oman Qaboos dies after 50 years in power, leaving key Gulf mediator between US & Iran without heir. rt.com Oman\'s monarch, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said, has passed away at the age of 79 after a lengthy battle with illness, according to Omani state media. | Located along the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz, which it shares with Iran, Oman under Qaboos maintained better relations with the Islamic Republic than any other Gulf nation. | Throughout his tenure on the throne, the sultan also played a role in mediating dialogue between American and Iranian leaders, often serving as a go-between for the two sides. Just last December, Omani delegations met with top diplomats in both Tehran and Washington in the space of…

RT (2020-01-11). 'Queen of Battle': Indian aircraft carrier deployed to closely watch over Pakistan-China 'Sea Guardian 2020' naval drill. rt.com The Indian Navy has deployed its sole aircraft carrier to the Arabian Sea to keep an eye on a joint military drill between China and regional rival Pakistan. | The INS Vikramaditya, with a fleet of MiG-29K fighter jets on board, has arrived to monitor large nine-day naval exercise \'Sea Guardians 2020,\' which was kicked off by Beijing and Islamabad in the northern part of the Arabian Sea on Monday. | The Navy spokesperson praised the \"high levels of motivation & #willtowin, that were evident onboard the \'Queen of the Battle,\'\" as the flagship carrier is often called in India. | DCNS was extremely pleased to wit…

RT (2020-01-11). \'I wish I was dead\': Senior IRGC commander accepts responsibility for downing Ukrainian jet, says it was mistaken for missile. rt.com A top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officer has revealed that the Ukrainian jet was mistaken for an incoming cruise missile and that the commander of the anti-aircraft unit had only 10 seconds to make the decision. | \"After hearing about the crash of the Ukrainian plane, I wished to die\", Hajizadeh said during a press conference on Saturday. | I wish I had died and not witnessed such an accident | The commander explained that the incident had occurred as the country was bracing for potential US strikes and that the \"likelihood of conflict\" between the two nations has been \"unprecedented\" since the I…

RT (2020-01-11). Iran's Khamenei orders immediate and full probe after Tehran admits downing Ukrainian plane. rt.com Iran\'s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has offered condolences and called for an investigation after Tehran\'s armed forces acknowledged that they accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane. | \"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake,\" he wrote on Twitter, promising that those behind the incident would be prosecuted. | Khamenei also said that all the information should be made public. | Later in the day, his Twitter account was temporarily blocked. | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

RT (2020-01-11). Merkel in Moscow: As Trump pushes his weight around, Russia-Germany relations defrost. rt.com Angela Merkel\'s visit to Moscow is far from a courtesy call. Germany and Russia\'s political relations are thawing. It\'s good news for all Europeans. | As Iran and the United States seemingly limbered up for war, Russia and Germany, as the continent\'s two most powerful countries, have a special responsibility to protect it from any fallout. | Merkel\'s decision to travel to the Russian capital may be conceived as a signal to Washington that: | a) Berlin remains capable of mounting an independent foreign policy, if pushed, | b) the Germans won\'t be cowed by sanctions the US has placed on the Nord Stream 2 pipelin…

RT (2020-01-11). Lethal SARS-linked coronavirus claims first life as China\'s pneumonia outbreak infects dozens. rt.com A novel virus sweeping across China has inflicted its first casualty, suggesting the brand new bug could potentially rival its microbial cousin — SARS — in lethality. Health officials are now scrambling to combat the outbreak. | The bug\'s first fatality was reported in the city of Wuhan early on Saturday, by Chinese state media, which offered few details beyond the death itself. Unknown to science when it first emerged on the scene, the coronavirus has hit Wuhan hardest, where it rapidly spread to at least confirmed 59 patients, seven of whom are now in critical condition. | While the World Health…

RT (2020-01-11). Iran admits shooting down Ukrainian flight over Tehran in 'unintentional' missile launch. rt.com The Ukrainian passenger jet that crashed after takeoff from Tehran was downed due to \"human error\" after it flew too close to a military site and triggered a missile launch amid a standoff with the US, the Iranian Army said. | The Army General Staff stressed that the tragic mistake was made amid the flare-up of tensions with Washington. The nation\'s air defenses were placed on alert and ready to \"respond to possible threats of the highest level,\" after US President Donald Trump warned that the Pentagon would strike targets on Iranian soil if US citizens or assets were attacked by Iran. | On Wednesday, the Iran…

RT (2020-01-11). Iran will send black box of downed Ukrainian airliner to be decoded in France. rt.com The black box of the Ukrainian passenger jet that was downed by the Iranian military will be examined in France, after Paris, the US and Canada refused to send software needed for its analysis, the Iran\'s chief investigator said. | Hassan Rezaeifar, the chief of Iran\'s probe into the crash, told IRNA on Saturday that the country lacks the technology needed to decode and extract the information in the black box, an onboard device that records flight data. | Tehran had originally asked Canada, France and the US to send over the required equipment and software, but they refused, Rezaeifar said. Iran then proposed…

RT (2020-01-11). \'Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster\': FM Zarif on Iran\'s downing of Flight 752. rt.com Iran\'s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has offered \"profound regrets, apologies and condolences\" for the unintentional downing of a Ukrainian aircraft over Tehran, saying \"human error\" during a \"crisis\" led to the accident. | \"A sad day,\" the FM wrote on Twitter, adding: \"Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: | Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster. Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations. | A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed…

RT (2020-01-11). Iran\'s Rouhani vows to \'identify & prosecute\' all responsible for \'disastrous mistake\' that led to Ukrainian jet downing. rt.com Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has pledged to find and punish all those involved in the unintentional shooting down of a Ukrainian aircraft over Tehran, calling it a \"disastrous mistake.\" | An internal investigation has \"concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane and death of 176 innocent people,\" Rouhani said in a tweet. | Investigations continue to identify and prosecute this great tragedy and unforgivable mistake. | \"My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families,\" the president said in another post, offering \"sincerest condolence…

Camden Goetz (2020-01-11). \'No war on Iran!\' say activist picketing recruitment center in Times Square. liberationnews.org Washington\'s imperialist aggression on Iran has sparked a new wave of anti-war activism, with actions in over 90 cities saying no to war on Iran.

RT (2020-01-11). CCTV footage purports to show launch of Iranian missile that downed Ukrainian passenger jet (VIDEO). rt.com A video has surfaced online, allegedly showing the actual launch of the anti-aircraft missile that downed a Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 outside Tehran, killing all 176 on board. | The short video was captured by a surveillance camera at a parking lot, presumably located on the outskirts of the Iranian capital. Footage shows the launch of a projectile which goes vertically upwards and apparently explodes off-screen, causing a bright flash of light. | #BREAKING New footage shows the moment which the missile fired in the direction of the Ukrainian plane in

RT (2020-01-11). Zelensky demands full investigation into plane crash by Iran with access for Ukrainian experts. rt.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Iran to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the deadly Ukrainian airliner crash, after Tehran admitted accidentally shooting down the jet. | Zelensky made his statement after Iran officially admitted that its army had downed Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by mistake, killing all 176 people on board, including 11 Ukrainians. | We expect from Iran assurances of their readiness for a full and open investigation, bringing those responsible to justice, the return of the bodies of the dead, the payment of compensation, official ap…

The Canary (2020-01-11). Jeremy Corbyn to address anti-war rally in Trafalgar Square. thecanary.co Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to address protesters at a \"no war on Iran\" rally in London.Despite the apparent ratcheting down of tensions between the US and Iran, demonstrators are set to march on Trafalgar Square demanding there should be no new conflict in the Gulf.The protest follows the killing of the senior Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike on 3 January.Tehran responded with a series of limited missile strikes on US bases &#150…

RT (2020-01-11). Novak Djokovic gives Daniil Medvedev the runaround as Serbia beat Russia to reach ATP Cup final (VIDEO). rt.com World No. 2 Novak Djokovic showed his class as he ran the legs off Russia\'s top player Daniil Medvedev to send Serbia through to the final of the inaugural ATP Cup in Australia. | Djokovic defeated Medvedev 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 using a clear and effective tactic in their semi-final matchup — make Medvedev run. | Djokovic\'s well-chosen shots forced the six-foot-five Medvedev to cover an incredible amount of ground as he was forced to chase down shots throughout their three-set encounter. | And, eventually, the Russian was simply unable to keep pace with Djokovic\'s powerful, precise attack as the Serbian star clai…

Eds. (2020-01-11). Climate scientist: I witnessed Australia on fire. Climate change is already here. mronline.org Prior to beginning my sabbatical stay in Sydney, I took the opportunity this holiday season to vacation in Australia with my family. We went to see the Great Barrier Reef—one of the great wonders of this planet—while we still can. Subject to the twin assaults of warming-caused bleaching and ocean acidification, it will be gone in a […] | Source

RT (2020-01-11). Nukes before bromance: Trump-Kim 'personal feelings' are not enough for restarting talks with US — N. Korea. rt.com North Korea won\'t engage in negotiations with the US unless the latter makes real concessions, the country\'s foreign ministry said, adding that Washington \"deceived\" it and they were \"caught in dialogue\" that was a waste of time. | The statement, spelling doom for prospects of the already stalled US-N. Korea negotiations, was released by the country\'s state media on Saturday. While N. Korea\'s leader and US President Donald Trump might have good personal relations, it won\'t get the two countries anywhere. | \"Although Chairman Kim Jong Un has good personal feelings about President Trump, they are, in the true se…

Norman Solomon (2020-01-11). War with Iran Is at Stake — and Democrats\' High Jumps Over Low Standards Aren\'t Helping. indybay.org Bowing down to the military-industrial complex…

Register Peace & Freedom or Green (2020-01-11). S.F. Rep Pelosi Postponed Vote on War Powers Act. indybay.org San Francisco Representative Nancy Pelosi postponed the urgently needed vote on a War Powers Resolution to prevent a US war against Iran. And Top House Democrats want to abandon any vote on a War Powers Resolution. See | www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/08/kicking-can-next-week-irresponsible-progressives-rebuke-pelosi-delaying-iran-war…

Toby Blomé (2020-01-11). No Iran War — Golden Gate Bridge Peace Walk. indybay.org Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco | 11: 45 am: Gather on the SF side of the eastern walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge. Parking available on southeast and southwest corners, just remember to take the last exit on hwy 101, northbound, as you approach the bridge, or, southbound, take the first exit after you leave the bridge. Arrive very early for best parking, or carpool. Public transportation below. | Noon: Walk begins on the eastern walkway from the southeast/S.F. side. Short, silent vigil in the middle with signs. Then return to the SF side bridge plaza for our rally. All welcome to speak. | 1: 00 pm: Rally on SF…

sputniknews (2020-01-11). India Begins Deployment of Advanced Weapons System Along China Border – Army Chief. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): China had expressed concern in 2018 over the planned deployment of advanced weapons systems along the 4,057-kilometre border that it shares with India. The Chinese defence ministry has said India should avoid steps that contradict an agreement reached between the two leaderships to maintain peace and tranquility.

Peter Maiden (2020-01-11). Fresno Peace in Iran Vigil Coordinates with Nationwide Protests. indybay.org Over 100 people attended a vigil for peace with Iran in Fresno at 5 p.m. on January 9, in one of around three hundred demonstrations around the United States. The protest was coordinated with others by being held at the same time on the same day with the same message: no war with Iran.

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Anti-War Protest Held in London, UK Amid Iran Tensions — Live Video. sputniknews.com The situation in the Mideast sharply escalated in early January when the US killed a key figure in the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, General Qasem Soleimani, in an airstrike near Baghdad Airport, prompting retaliation from Tehran, who targeted US bases in Iraq.

WSWS (2020-01-11). Royal Canadian Mounted Police advocated use of live fire against indigenous pipeline protesters. wsws.org The incident underscores that Canada\'s ruling elite will stop at nothing to enforce its insatiable drive for profit, and that opposition will be ruthlessly suppressed.

MoveOn, Indivisible, Others (2020-01-11). No War With Iran! Redwood City Protest. indybay.org Intersection of Jefferson Avenue and El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063…

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-01-11). No New War on Iran! Emergency Protest. indybay.org Photos: Leon Kunstenaar | People rush to demonstrate against Trump war on Iran…

MoveOn, Indivisible, Others (2020-01-11). No War With Iran! Protest Santa Rosa. indybay.org Old Court House Square, 3rd St. & Mendocino Ave and 4th St. & Santa Rosa Ave, Downtown Santa Rosa, CA 95405…

Sonoma Valley Resistance (2020-01-11). No War With Iran! Protest in Sonoma. indybay.org Sonoma Plaza, 453 1st Street East, Sonoma, CA 95476…

Moveon (2020-01-11). No War with Iran! Castro Valley Protest. indybay.org Intersection of Castro Valley Blvd. and Redwood Road, Castro Valley 94546…

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Extremist Ideology Has Taken Over Nuclear-Armed India, May Lead to Bloodshed – Imran Khan. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Since the passing of the controversial citizenship law in December, the Pakistani government has been urging world leaders to intervene and stop Indian authorities from \"instigating violence against protesting Muslims\".

WSWS (2020-01-11). Mass climate change rallies held amid Australian bushfire emergency. wsws.org One protester, whose family has been hit by the fires, said: \"The rich and those in power have their own houses, their own air conditioners. They can fly away to Hawaii. They\'re not impacted.\"

Jason Ditz (2020-01-11). US Airstrike Failed to Kill an Iranian General in Yemen Last Week. theantimedia.com The US kept the failed assassination under wraps for more than a week.

Fight Back (2020-01-11). Salt Lake denounces war on the homeless and war with Iran at four energetic rallies. fightbacknews.org Salt Lake City, UT – The Trump administration rang in the New Year by putting millions of lives at risk with the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and threatening a war with Iran. Similarly, Salt Lake City police began 2020 with a violent raid on the homeless community and the organizers fighting to protect them. | Salt Lake residents responded fiercely with no less than three anti-war rallies in the last week, as well as a rally in support of unsheltered folks and tenants\' rights. | On January 4, 200 gathered at an event organized by supporters of Bernie Sanders, and on January 8, hundreds more…

WSWS (2020-01-11). US and Israel escalate Middle East tensions in wake of Suleimani assassination. wsws.org A report that Washington attempted to assassinate a second Iranian official in Yemen has given the lie to the claim that Suleimani was killed to prevent an \"imminent\" attack.

WSWS (2020-01-11). Erdogan and Putin open TurkStream pipeline after Iran strikes US bases in Iraq. wsws.org The opening of this strategic pipeline comes amid escalating conflicts over energy in the region and an esclalating conflict between the United States and Iran.

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Iraq Wants US Out As Factions Battle for Control of Libya. sputniknews.com Taiwan election; Libya reeling from destabilization; Iraq asks US for withdrawal mechanism; Housing protections endangered…

Ellen Brown (2020-01-11). The Fed Protects Gamblers at the Expense of the Economy. dissidentvoice.org Although the repo market is little known to most people, it is a $1-trillion-a-day credit machine, in which not just banks but hedge funds and other \"shadow banks\" borrow to finance their trades. Under the Federal Reserve Act, the central bank\'s lending window is open only to licensed depository banks; but the Fed is now …

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Army Will Act to Get Back Pakistani Side of Kashmir if Ordered – Chief M.M. Naravane. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since 1947, when the two countries gained freedom from British colonial rule. Both govern part of the region, but claim it in full.

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Instagram Deletes Soleimani-Related Posts, Some Iranian Media Accounts Citing US Sanctions. sputniknews.com Following Washington\'s designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, Instagram and its parent company Facebook started deleting accounts belonging to prominent members of the IRGC last April under the pretext of American sanctions.

Tracy Keeling (2020-01-11). South Australia\'s response to the death of over a billion of its animals is beyond disturbing. thecanary.co The price non-human animals pay for homo sapiens\' recklessness is incredibly apparent in Australia right now. | Wildfires have ravaged the country since September 2019, due in no small part to the human-induced climate crisis. At least 26 people have died in the avoidable tragedy. But compare…

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Is Pompeo Trying to Convince Zelensky? sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Garland Nixon and Lee Stranahan weigh the possible scenarios regarding the Ukrainian plane that exploded. Pompeo spoke to Zelensky this morning to ensure him the US is investigating the cause of the crash.

sputniknews (2020-01-11). Pompeo: Washington Focused on Developing \'Constructive and Productive\' Ties With Russia. sputniknews.com Mike Pompeo\'s comments come as former deputy to the US Secretary of State John J. Sullivan is set to assume office as the head of the US diplomatic mission in Russia, succeeding Jon Huntsman Jr.

Ryan Cristián (2020-01-11). Pompeo Admits No \"Imminent Threat,\" Boeing Emails Reveal 737 Issues & 60 Afghans Killed By US Drone. 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 (1/10/19). 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 …

WSWS (2020-01-11). General election in Taiwan marked by anti-China atmosphere. wsws.org The Taiwanese ruling elite has covered up the real issues in the region during this election, including its alignment with Washington\'s war drive against China.

WSWS (2020-01-11). US and Australia ready another \"regime-change\" operation in Solomon Islands. wsws.org American and Australian officials had exerted considerable efforts to dissuade Sogavare from aligning with China, and reacted with fury to his diplomatic switch away from Taiwan.

WSWS (2020-01-11). UK: Corbyn offers no fight against war with Iran. wsws.org Corbyn articulates the concerns within ruling circles, including Johnson\'s Tories and the armed forces, that Trump\'s recklessness can endanger the UK\'s world position.

WSWS (2020-01-11). Bernie Sanders says \"some wars are necessary\" wsws.org Sanders\' stated opposition to Trump\'s threatened war in Iran is a political trap being set for workers and youth.

WSWS (2020-01-11). Trump boasts of \"executing\" Iranian General Suleimani in Ohio campaign speech. wsws.org Trump\'s biggest asset is his nominal political opposition, the Democratic Party.

teleSUR (2020-01-11). Iran Admits Fault in Downing of Ukranian Airliner. telesurenglish.net Iran announced on Saturday that a preliminary investigation into the crash of the Ukrainian airliner that was flying to Kiev from Tehran earlier this week was caused by human error. | RELATED: ‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | Palestinian Militants Not Yet Ready to Avenge Iran | Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on Twitter that \"human error at time of crisis caused by U.S. adventurism l…