Michael Arria (2020-01-09). \'The assassination of Qasem Soleimani was an act of war\'. mronline.org On January 5, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Barbara Lee announced that they are introducing a War Powers Resolution in the House. The legislation would remove U.S. forces from any conflict with Iran that hasn\'t been granted congressional approval and is a companion to a Senate resolution that was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine […] | Source

RT (2020-01-09). \'Alien baby\': Internet shook by \'pregnancy announcement\' from Elon Musk\'s girlfriend Grimes. rt.com What appears to be a strange pregnancy announcement by Grimes, the musician girlfriend of billionaire Elon Musk, has not gone down well on Twitter, with one user jokingly speculating that the couple might produce \"the antichrist.\" | The internet was at pains to process the news after Grimes posted a picture of what seems to be her baby bump with an image of a fetus photoshopped onto it. \"Being knocked up is a very feral & war-like state of being,\" she wrote in the Instagram post. | The couple, who have been dating since 2018, are generally seen as a fairly odd pairing. The idea of Grimes, with her reputatio…

Staff (2020-01-09). Uyghurs & Other Muslim Minorities Forced into Labor Programs to Work in Chinese Factories. democracynow.org In China, a shocking new exposé has revealed that Chinese authorities are systematically forcing Muslims — mostly Uyghurs and Kazakhs — into labor programs to supply Chinese factories with a cheap and compliant workforce. The New York Times investigation, based on official documents, interviews and visits to the far-western region of Xinjiang, reveals a sweeping program to push poor farmers, villagers and small traders into sometimes months-long training courses before assigning them to low-wage factory work. The programs work in tandem with indoctrination camps where an estimated 1 million adults fro…

RT (2020-01-09). Trump confirms more sanctions against Iran, says Tehran plane crash may have been \'mistake\'. rt.com President Donald Trump has announced fresh sanctions on Iran, a day after the Islamic Republic launched a missile attack on a pair of bases used by American troops in Iraq. Trump also called for a NATO presence in the Middle East.

RT (2020-01-09). Baghdad revived deal to buy Russian S-300 following US strikes — Iraq\'s Security & Defense Committee chairman. rt.com Baghdad has reached out to Moscow again after it suffered American bombings on its soil, a high-ranked lawmaker revealed, saying the resumed deal focuses on the time-tested S-300 air defense systems. | The US attacks on Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, prompted the Iraqi government \"to resume negotiations regarding the S-300 deal,\" Mohammad Ridha, chairman of Iraqi parliament\'s Security and Defense Committee, told Sputnik on Thursday. | The US military have launched the air strikes against the PMU units in late December, blaming them for an attack that killed an American ci…

RT (2020-01-09). Libya\'s Tripoli-based govt \'welcomes\' ceasefire calls. rt.com Libya\'s UN-supported government has welcomed Russian and Turkish calls for a ceasefire amid the ongoing civil war, AP reports. The Tripoli-based government led by PM Fayez al-Sarraj released a statement late Wednesday, expressing its full support of \"any serious calls for the resumption of the political process and the elimination of the specter of war.\" | Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan released a joint statement after a meeting in Istanbul, calling for a January 12 ceasefire in the battles between forces loyal to Sarraj\'s government and Khalifa Haftar\'s easte…

RT (2020-01-09). Kinzhal hypersonic and Kalibr cruise missiles fired during massive Russian Navy drills in the Black Sea (VIDEOS). rt.com More than 30 warships and 40 aircraft got together for a major joint exercise of Russia\'s Black Sea and Northern Fleets, providing for a chance to see some of the country\'s most hyped weapons in action. | Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from two types of platforms during the drills in the Black Sea. The crews of Admiral Grigorovich frigate and Orekhovo-Zuevo small missile ship performed a surface firing, while Kolpino submarine launched a Kalibr from underwater. Those missiles were already used in actual combat, proving its efficiency during the Russian anti-terrorist operation in Syria. | A duo of MiG…

RT (2020-01-09). Denmark better keep an eye on \'unpredictable\' US as Russia only wants stability in the Arctic — study. rt.com Russian military assets in the Arctic are now mainly of defensive nature, but aggressive moves by the US and NATO may change that, and see Moscow sending more forces to the region, a top Danish think tank warned. | \"Moscow still considers stability in the region a key factor in the development of the Russian Arctic as a strategically important resource base. Therefore, Russia is interested in the Arctic remaining a \'zone of peace and cooperation,\" a fresh report by the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), which was seen by RT, read. | But with the rivalry of superpowers — the US, Russia and…

Liberation Staff (2020-01-09). Demonstrations break out across Pennsylvania to oppose U.S. war drive. liberationnews.org Anti-war organizers in Pennsylvania sprung into action following the Trump administration\'s brazen act of war against Iran to participate in the January 4 national day of action.

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-01-09). Reckless US Actions Fire Up The Antiwar Movement. dissidentvoice.org The reckless and dangerous act of war committed by Donald Trump and the Pentagon in killing Major General Qasem Soleimani of Iran and the Iraqi leader of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, has brought the conflict in the Middle East (aka West Asia) to a new level. The conflagration of war is growing with …

Staff (2020-01-09). Andrew Bacevich: Trump Sparked \"Unnecessary Crisis\" by Killing Soleimani, Barely Avoiding War. democracynow.org President Trump vowed on Wednesday to hit Iran with new sanctions but appeared to pull back from taking any new military action. Tension between the two countries soared after the U.S. assassinated Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani at the Baghdad International Airport last week. Early on Wednesday, Iran retaliated by firing 22 ballistic missiles at military bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, but no one was injured in the attack. Iran had warned the Iraqi government about the strike in advance. Two small rockets also later hit the Green Zone near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. During a televised address on Wednesda…

RT (2020-01-09). Top US general claims Iran was \'shooting to kill\'… by giving early warning to hide personnel & prepare air-defenses? rt.com Although no one died in the Iranian missile strikes on US bases in Iraq, in part due to advance warning from Tehran, the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he personally believed that Iran intended otherwise. | \"I believe, based on what I saw and what I know, that [the strikes] were intended to cause structural damage, destroy vehicles and equipment and aircraft, and to kill personnel,\" Army General Mark Milley told reporters on Wednesday. | \"That\'s my own personal assessment,\" he added. \"But the analytics is in the hands of professional intelligence analysts. So they\'re looking at that.\" | Also on rt.com…

Sarah Anderson (2020-01-09). Wall Street weapons company CEOs cash in on Iran war danger. peoplesworld.org The prospect of war with Iran is terrifying. Experts predict as many as a million people could die if the current tensions were to lead to a full-blown war. Millions more would become refugees across the Middle East, while working families across the U.S. would bear the brunt of our casualties. But there is one set of …

Norman Solomon (2020-01-09). Why Won\'t Democrats Unequivocally Oppose War With Iran? truthdig.com A crisis of this magnitude demands a forceful response, yet even such putative progressives as Sen. Chris Murphy feel the need to equivocate.

Staff (2020-01-09). Andrew Bacevich: The U.S. Needs to Abandon \"Militarized Approach\" to Middle East and Build Peace. democracynow.org We continue our conversation with Andrew Bacevich, president and co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He is a retired colonel, Vietnam War veteran and author of, most recently, of \"The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered Its Cold War Victory.\" Bacevich says the crisis with Iran, sparked by President Trump\'s assassination of top general Qassem Soleimani, is just the latest in a long series of ill-advised American actions in the Middle East. \"The only conceivable way for us to begin to extricate ourselves from this terrible mess in the region … is to abandon this militarized approac…

RT (2020-01-09). Kane KO: Spurs reveal extent of Harry Kane layoff as injury poses major headache for Mourinho. rt.com Tottenham Hotspur and England forward Harry Kane will be sidelined until at least April as he recovers from a hamstring injury, the London club have said, in what will be a major headache for boss Jose Mourinho. | Kane hobbled off during Spurs\' 1-0 defeat at Southampton on New Year\'s Day. | The Londoners have now confirmed the extent of the injury, saying the England man — who has netted 17 times in 25 club appearances this season — will be forced to undergo surgery for a ruptured tendon. | \"Following ongoing assessment by our medical staff over the past week, we can confirm that Harry Kane will unde…

Eds. (2020-01-09). Beware imperialist gaslighting—assassination is not legal. mronline.org The contradictions between imperialist actions and the legal standards they create can do much to raise mass consciousness and accelerate revolutionary momentum. But this can happen only if people know what the law is in the first place. Imperialists have been vigilant in their efforts to obscure and distort legal standards. We must be just […] | Source

Andrew Bacevich (2020-01-09). A Report Card on the American Project. counterpunch.org Thirty years ago this month, President George H.W. Bush appeared before a joint session of Congress to deliver his first State of the Union Address, the first post-Cold War observance of this annual ritual. Just weeks before, the Berlin Wall had fallen. That event, the president declared, \"marks the beginning of a new era in More

Liberation Staff (2020-01-09). Peace activists in South say \'No war on Iran\'. liberationnews.org Reports from North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida and Kentucky.

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-01-09). The current U.S. approach to nuclear weapons can only lead to armageddon—arms control provides the only path to peace. mronline.org The decade ends with two major threats to humanity: global warming leading to a climate catastrophe and the threat of a nuclear war extinguishing our civilization. | Source

Staff (2020-01-09). International Criminal Court Prepares to Try Israelis over War Crimes. therealnews.com Shawan Jabarin of the Al-Haq human rights organization discusses the International Criminal Court decision to prepare a lawsuit against the state of Israel regarding war crimes committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli authorities are already panicking.

Mark Gruenberg, John Wojcik (2020-01-09). In the streets and in Congress, Americans stand up for peace. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Insisting that the nation will not be forced into yet another war, progressive lawmakers here yesterday and today—and the American people demonstrating from coast to coast today—are bringing into the open an anti-war majority in the U.S. Declaring Congress needs to take its constitutional responsibility for war and peace back from \"an irrational administration,\" the …

Staff (2020-01-09). Bernie Sanders Nabs Key Grassroots Endorsement. truthdig.com Pointing to his decades-long commitment to fighting the climate crisis and embrace of a sweeping transformation of the American energy system and economy through a Green New Deal, the youth-led Sunrise Movement on Thursday endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president of the United States. | \"We believe a Bernie Sanders presidency would provide the best political terrain in which to engage in and ultimately win that struggle for the world we deserve,\" said Varshini Prakash, found…

Staff (2020-01-09). Australian Wildfires Prove Denying Climate Change Won\'t Save You From It. therealnews.com Climate scientist Michael Mann is in Australia, where the bushfire crisis is unfolding in real time. He says voters there need to look for \'climate hawks\' who can counteract the climate-denying policies of politicians like current prime minister Scott Morrison.

The Canary (2020-01-09). National Trust plans massive woodland expansion to offset emissions. thecanary.co The National Trust is planning to create new woodland equivalent to 42 Sherwood Forests as part of efforts to achieve \"net zero\" emissions by 2030.The organisation, which cares for countryside, coasts, castles and stately homes, is aiming to plant and establish 20m trees over 10 years to tackle the climate crisis.It made the announcement, which it says will cost around £90-100m, to mark its 125th anniversary. | We must do everything we can to fight climate change. Today our Director-General set out our plans to go carbon net zero by 2030 and to plant and establish 20 million trees over the next ten years: <...

RT (2020-01-09). Tired of media\'s Pentagon spin? Lee Camp outlines 6 things you aren\'t being told about the US assassination of Soleimani (VIDEO). rt.com Media outlets have omitted aspects about the US assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani that don\'t fit Washington\'s narrative, comedian Lee Camp has argued. He\'s debunked the Pentagon spin so you don\'t have to. | The host of Redacted Tonight has listed six things about the highly controversial killing that the media has either ignored completely or under-reported, including the not-so-convenient fact that Soleimani had come to Baghdad to hold de-escalation talks with Saudi Arabia — before being killed by a US drone. | And what about the fact that the US carried out this strike without the perm…

Sarah Anderson (2020-01-09). Meet the CEOs Cashing In on Trump\'s Aggression Against Iran. counterpunch.org CEOs of major U.S. military contractors stand to reap huge windfalls from the escalation of conflict with Iran. This was evident in the immediate aftermath of the U.S. assassination of a top Iranian military official last week. As soon as the news reached financial markets, these companies\' share prices spiked, inflating the value of their executives\' stock-based pay. More

The Canary (2020-01-09). Ukrainian plane didn\'t call for help before crash, say Iran investigators. thecanary.co The crew of a Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Iran didn\'t make a radio call for help and were trying to turn back to the airport when it went down, according to an initial Iranian report.The report suggested a sudden emergency struck the Boeing 737 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines early on 8 January when it went down moments after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing 176 people.(PA Graphics)Witnesses, including the crew of a passing flight, described seeing the plane engulfed in flames before crashing, the report said. The crash caused a massive explosion when the…

Steven Sahiounie (2020-01-09). Iraqis to the United States: What Part of \"Go Home\" Don\'t You Understand? mintpressnews.com Iranian forces launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against two military bases housing US troops in Iraq early hours of Wednesday morning. The al-Assad airbase in western Iraq was hit by 17 missiles, and 5 targeted at a base in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil. No US casualties were immediately reported. | Iran\'s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called the attack a \"slap in the face\" of the US, and observers seem to question whether the attack was designed to kill or inflict casualties, or was it carefully orchestrated to produce closure to a situation which could have escalated into a regional or…

Melvin Goodman (2020-01-09). The Incoherence of U.S. Policy in the Middle East. counterpunch.org Donald Trump\'s decision to kill Qassim Suleimani, the most influential figure in Iran other than the Ayatollah Khamenei, will increase the terrorist threat to the United States and the global community. Suleimani\'s death has already provoked widespread outrage in Iraq and Iran among the Shiia populations. Prior to the killing, Iraqi leaders were campaigning against Iran\'s military presence in their country. Now, the Iraqi Parliament has called for the removal of the U.S. military presence. More

Charles Pierson (2020-01-09). US Isolationist Forces Strike the Middle East. counterpunch.org If any good comes out of the US assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani it may be to finally put to rest the lunatic notion that President Donald Trump is an isolationist. More

Max Blumenthal (2020-01-09). Iraqi PM reveals Soleimani was on peace mission when assassinated, exploding Trump\'s lie of \'imminent attacks\'. mronline.org The Trump administration claimed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was planning \"imminent attacks\" on U.S. interests when it assassinated him. That lie was just destroyed, but not before countless corporate media outlets transmitted it to the public. | Source

RT (2020-01-09). Turkish & Pegasus airlines to resume flights to Iran, Iraq — report. rt.com Turkish and Pegasus airlines will resume flights to Iran and Iraq on Thursday night, Reuters reported, citing company sources. The airlines halted flights for some 24 hours due to tensions between Iran and the United States. | Turkish Airlines will fly to Tehran out of Istanbul\'s Sabiha Gokcen Airport at 1805 GMT on Thursday, one source said. Pegasus Airlines will fly to Tehran at 2050 GMT out of the same airport, according to a second source. | Ankara has intensified diplomatic efforts \"to alleviate the escalated tension in the aftermath of recent developments in the region.\"

RT (2020-01-09). GRAPHIC footage from France\'s Rouen shows levels of police violence that enraged protesters nationwide (VIDEOS). rt.com Demonstrators have been left bloodied and beaten after clashes with riot police in the French city of Rouen, as authorities clamp down on the pension reform protests which have swept the country. | Eyewitness footage from the scene shows riot police engaging with demonstrators in, ever-increasingly aggressive encounters, ranging from pushing and shoving, to tear gassing, before eventually the police begin swinging batons at the unarmed protesters. | Un autre angle de la charge des forces de l\'ordre à #Rouen. Coups de matraques et gaza…

Sam Pizzigati (2020-01-09). The Seven Square Inches Making Us Lots More Unequal. counterpunch.org What happens when we use our credit cards? We all think we know. We charge a purchase on our card, we incur a debt. If we pay off that debt within a month, we face no interest charge. End of story. Not quite. Something else important is happening whenever we make a credit card charge: More

Staff (2020-01-09). After 68 Days, Hunger Strikers in ICE Custody Are on the Brink of Death. truthout.org New Orleans, Louisiana — With hunger strikes sweeping immigration jails across the country, two Indian asylum seekers protesting their incarceration at a remote Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) jail in Louisiana are reportedly on the brink of death after refusing to eat or drink for 68 days, according to a volunteer who regularly visits the two men. | The hunger strikers have a clear demand: to be released so they can pursue their asylum cases outside of jail. | Medical staff at the…

Norman Solomon (2020-01-09). 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…

Norman Solomon (2020-01-09). Biden and Buttigieg Are Showing How Corporatism and \'the Madness of Militarism\' Go Together. counterpunch.org There\'s nothing like an illegal and utterly reckless U.S. act of war to illuminate the political character of presidential candidates. In the days since the assassination of Iran\'s top military official, two of the highest-polling Democratic contenders have displayed the kind of moral cowardice that got the United States into — and kept it in More

Aaron Maté (2020-01-09). US and Iran avoid war, but Trump\'s war-mongering goes on. thegrayzone.com The threat of an immediate US-Iran military conflict has been averted, but President Donald Trump has vowed to continue his…

Leonardo Flores (2020-01-09). This might be the final episode of Juan Guaidó\'s surreal Venezuela regime-change reality show. thegrayzone.com The farcical scene of Juan Guaido attempting to break into Venezuela\'s National Assembly as its members voted him out was…

Staff (2020-01-09). Will Youth Climate Activists Be the Crucial Swing Vote in Iowa? truthout.org The largest rally so far during the presidential campaign, in the first state to vote, was led by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta T…

Ajamu Baraka (2020-01-09). Sheep-dogging on Steroids: The New Democratic Party Anti-War Activists. dissidentvoice.org In the cynical spectacle that is called politics in the United States, the latest insult to the intelligence of the people is the Democrats who are posturing as Anti-war champions in reaction to the Trump Administration\'s assassination of Qassem Soleimani and the possibility of further attacks on Iran. We are supposed to buy that the …

Ajamu Baraka (2020-01-09). Sheep-Dogging on Steroids: America\'s New Democratic Party Anti-War Activists. globalresearch.ca The rhetoric of the Democratic \"progressives\" only gives cover to the ongoing criminality of the U.S. state and its commitment to permanent war — with congressional approval. | In the cynical spectacle that is called politics in the United States, the …

WSWS (2020-01-09). Trump bides his time, but the preparations for war against Iran will continue. wsws.org The media falsely claims that Trump\'s failure to order immediate strikes against Iran signals an opening for peace.

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-09). Warrior Trump Seeking Peace? Permanent War Remains Official US Policy. globalresearch.ca Throughout…

Register Peace & Freedom or Green (2020-01-09). 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…

Stephen Lendman (2020-01-09). US Regional Presence Makes Middle East Peace and Stability Unattainable. globalresearch.ca As long as tens of thousands of US combat troops, heavy weapons, and its jihadist proxies remain active in Middle East (ME) countries, a perpetual state of war will exist — peace, stability and security to be unattainable. | That\'s the …

MoveOn, Indivisible, Others (2020-01-09). No War With Iran! Protest in Livermore. indybay.org Livermore Flagpole Plaza, First Street and South Livermore Ave, Livermore, CA 94550…

MoveOn, Indivisible, Others (2020-01-09). No War With Iran! Protest in San Jose. indybay.org Intersection of of Stevens Creek and South Winchester Blvd., at the border of San Jose 95128 and Santa Clara 95050…

Ralph Nader (2020-01-09). Democrats Need to Rip Off the Mask of Timidity and Impeach Trump on All Counts. commondreams.org A child participant seen during the rally. Dozens of protesters take part in a rally called \"Swarm the Senate\" in the Hart Senate Office Building urging action to \"impeach, remove, indict and jail\" President Trump. (Photo: Michael Brochstein / Echoes Wire / Barcroft Media via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/impeach_trump_for_all_of_it.jpg …

Zoltan Grossman (2020-01-08). A War on Iran Would be Different From Iraq, and Far, Far Worse. counterpunch.org Since President Trump\'s assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, widespread alarm has centered on whether he is again dragging us into another war like Iraq, to detract from his impeachment. The bad news is that the situation is even more potentially disastrous. As a political-cultural geographer who has long studied the history of U.S. military More

Nathan Raia (2020-01-08). Democracy: when the opposition is the Media. mronline.org One more court case has been opened against the former Ecuadorian president, Rafael Correa. The elite with the help of the corporate media are trying to get him behind bars. Also, a council has been created, by the executive, to control the judiciary, proving that there is no impartial process for the victims of lawfare. | Source

RT (2020-01-08). Putin & Erdogan call on warring Libyan sides to fully cease fire on Sunday. rt.com Russia and Turkey have called for all parties in the ongoing Libyan conflict to declare a ceasefire, even as both countries seem to support opposite sides in the affray. Earlier, Turkey began moving troops toward Libya. | Following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Wednesday, Moscow and Ankara released a joint statement calling on all sides in the Libyan conflict to \"declare a sustainable ceasefire, supported by the necessary measures to be taken for stabilizing the situation on the ground and normalizing daily life in Tripoli and other…

RT (2020-01-08). Full stream ahead: Russia & Turkey launch TurkStream gas pipeline (WATCH LIVE). rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have launched the long-anticipated offshore pipeline TurkStream, that will deliver Russian gas to Turkey and further to southern European states. | The 930 km pipeline running across the bottom of the Black Sea became operational on Wednesday, with the two leaders attending a special opening ceremony. | \"We will be indispensable in international markets with natural gas pipelines coming from both the east and north,\" Turkish energy and natural resources minister Fatih Donmez said in December, when the project was in the final…

RT (2020-01-08). \'Example of cooperation for the world\': Putin & Erdogan hail new gas pipeline as Middle East tensions boil. rt.com With regional tensions flaring, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the launch of the near-1,000km TurkStream gas pipeline as an example of international cooperation. | \"We live in a difficult world, and unfortunately, in the region we\'re in now, there are tendencies for the worsening of the situation,\" Putin said at the pipeline\'s inauguration ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, referring to ongoing tensions in Iran, Iraq and Syria. | But Turkey and Russia are showing a very different feat: an example of reciprocity and cooperation of our people, of Europe\'s…

RT (2020-01-08). Full stream ahead: Russia & Turkey launch TurkStream gas pipeline. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have launched the long-anticipated offshore pipeline TurkStream, that will deliver Russian gas to Turkey and further to southern European states. | The 930 km pipeline across the bottom of the Black Sea became operational on Wednesday, with the two leaders attending a special opening ceremony. Serbia\'s President Aleksandar Vucic and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissovalso participated in the event, as the leaders symbolically launched the project from the stage. | | Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladim…

Staff (2020-01-08). The Trump Administration Is Repeating Iraq War Talking Points. therealnews.com Administration officials are repeating ideas that sound eerily similar to the justification used for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-01-08). Justice at Last? Panic in Israel as the ICC Takes Momentous Step in the Right Direction. mintpressnews.com The high level of these ICC investigations places the legal push against Israel at a whole new level. This is uncharted territory for Israel, the United States, Palestine, the ICC and the international community as a whole.

Patrick Cockburn (2020-01-08). Trump\'s Actions in Iraq Could Plunge the Country Into Crisis Once Again, Leaving Iran as Strong as Ever. counterpunch.org The assassination of Qassem Soleimani has capsized Iraqi politics in the most dangerous of ways, making it possible that the country will be plunged once again into a state of permanent crisis and war from which it has escaped in the last two years. President Trump is threatening sanctions against Iraq if it expels the More

Betsey Piette (2020-01-08). Coast to coast U.S. protests demand: \"U.S. out of Iraq! No war or sanctions on Iran!\" workers.org Just days into the new year and a new decade, on Jan. 4, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in 80 cities across 38 states to demand U.S. out of Iraq and no war or sanctions on Iran. Many activists described the massive turnout as the largest . . . | Continue reading Coast to coast U.S. protests demand: \"U.S. out of Iraq! No war or sanctions on Iran!\" at Workers.org

RT (2020-01-08). \'No lives lost\': Trump holds fire on \'big missiles,\' talks peace after Iran\'s strikes on US bases in Iraq. rt.com US President Donald Trump is delivering an eagerly-awaited address to America, as the country stands on the brink of war with Iran. Trump\'s speech comes hours after Iranian missiles struck two US bases in Iraq. | Speaking from the White House, Trump backed away from threatening further strikes against Iran, describing Tehran\'s stand-down as \"a good thing for all parties concerned.\" | Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast…The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean that we have to use it. | Trump did, however, vow to impose new economic sanctions on the…

Brian W. Major (2020-01-08). A Marxist response to the animal liberation and vegan movements. peoplesworld.org

Vijay Prashad (2020-01-08). Is This the End of U.S. Interference in West Asia? counterpunch.org Major General Hossein Salami, the chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran, said on January 4 that his country would take \"strategic revenge\" against the United States for the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani. The assassination of Soleimani, Salami said, will be later seen as a \"turning point\" in U.S. interference More

RT (2020-01-08). Iran warns \'Great Satan\' America that any new attack will result in \'painful and crushing\' response, including against Israel. rt.com If the US and its allies launch any more attacks on Iran, they will incur \"more painful and crushing responses,\" the Islamic Revolutionary Guards of Iran warned, noting that the \'Zionist regime\' of Israel would not be spared. | The IRGC issued a statement in the early hours of Wednesday local time, after launching a volley of missiles against two bases used by US forces inside Iraq, in retaliation for last week\'s drone assassination of IRGC Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani outside Baghdad. | We warn the Great Satan, the bloodthirsty and arrogant regime of the US, that any new wicked act or more moves and agg…

RT (2020-01-08). Spain pulls some of its troops from Iraq over security concerns. rt.com Spain has announced that some of its forces stationed in Iraq have left the country, describing the decision as a security precaution. | Around 500 Spanish troops were deployed to Iraq as part of a US-led coalition formed to combat Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS). The soldiers, who helped train Iraqi security forces, were stationed in Besmayah, Taji, and Baghdad. It\'s not yet clear how many Spanish military personnel were ferried out of the country. | Iraq\'s parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling for the withdrawal of all foreign following the US assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleiman…

RT (2020-01-08). Russian and Chinese chess queens battle for women\'s world title — but should chess even have a male-female divide? rt.com As Russia\'s Aleksandra Goryachkina and China\'s Ju Wenjun compete for the Women\'s World Chess Championship this week, some might question whether chess really needs a male-female divide at all. | Goryachkina, 21, is the young pretender to the crown held by defending women\'s world champion Ju, 28, as they battle it out over 12 games in Shanghai and Vladivostok. | The prize fund is a cool €500,000 (US$556,000), with the winner taking home €300,000 of that amount. | The money on offer is still only around half of that offered at the World Chess Championship — which is open to men and women — bu…

Kenn Orphan (2020-01-08). As the World Burns, the Powerful Go on Holiday. counterpunch.org Like so many these past few days, I have been stunned by the devastation across Australia. The photographs and videos of the fires sweeping through the countryside and surrounding towns and even the city of Sydney show a nation literally on fire. Terrified people clung to the bottoms of boat docks, neck deep in water More

Kenneth Surin (2020-01-08). Australia\'s Big Burn and Scotty From Marketing. counterpunch.org Under the terms of the Tokyo Agreement, Australia (the world\'s largest exporter of coal) pledged to cut carbon emissions by 26% from 2005 levels by 2030, but Morrison\'s government has already started to work-round this commitment– earlier this month at a United Nations summit in Madrid, Australia resorted to sharp practice by using its old carbon credits to count toward future emissions targets. More

Paul Buhle (2020-01-08). The Return of the Antiwar Movement: Memories and Intimations. counterpunch.org The turnout in Madison, Wisconsin, for an antiwar rally on Jan.4, was not bad, considering the students are out of town, many local Bernie devotees are busy canvassing in Iowa, and the weather was about as forbidding as usual in the Winter (it could always be worse). Somehow, the icy wind always sweeps off Lake More

Anthony DiMaggio (2020-01-08). Opposing War With Iran: Three Reasons. counterpunch.org The U.S. stands at the precipice of war. President Trump\'s rhetorical efforts to sell himself as the \"anti-war\" president have been exposed as a fraud via his assault on Iran. Most Orwellian of all is Trump\'s claim that the assassination of Iranian General Qassam Soleimani was necessary to avert war, following the New Year\'s Eve More

C.J. Atkins (2020-01-08). Trump makes it clear he will continue endless war. peoplesworld.org The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. So said George Orwell of the endless conflict that Oceania maintained with its supposed adversaries in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. With Iran\'s quick and casualty-free face-saving retaliatory strikes concluded and President Trump signaling no further U.S. attacks, it looks as though …

RT (2020-01-08). \'So far, so good!\' Trump tweets of US military might, set to address Americans on Wednesday over Iranian strike. rt.com US President Donald Trump has weighed in after a series of Iranian missile strikes on American bases in Iraq, noting that a damage and casualty assessment looks \"good\" so far. | \"All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now,\" Trump said, adding that he would make a statement to the nation on Wednesday morning. | All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in t…

RT (2020-01-08). Ukrainian president Zelensky expresses condolences to victims\' families after Ukrainian airliner crashes in Iran. rt.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended his condolences to the relatives of those killed in a plane crash in Iran. He said that the Ukrainian embassy is clarifying the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. | Zelensky cut short his trip to Oman and returned to Kiev after learning about the crash. | A Ukrainian International Airlines plane carrying 167 passengers and nine crew crashed shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. The Boeing 737 reportedly experienced technical problems after becoming airborne.There were no survivors in the crash, Zelensky said, citing…

RT (2020-01-08). Ukrainian Boeing 737 crashes on takeoff from Tehran, all passengers and crew killed. rt.com A Ukrainian Boeing 737 bound for Kiev from Tehran has crashed after takeoff due to technical problems, Iranian media reported. Much of the regional airspace had been cleared due to Iranian missile strikes on US targets in Iraq. | Flight radar information showed Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 abruptly disappearing after takeoff from the Imam Khomeini airport just after 6 am local time. | Also on rt.com | | WATCH ball of flame falling from the sky alleged to be Ukrainian plane that crashed in Iran | There were 176 passengers and nine crew memb…

RT (2020-01-08). Iran\'s overnight strikes on American bases \'a slap in the face\' for US — Khamenei. rt.com An Iranian missile attack against US military targets inside Iraq has humiliated Washington, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said, urging remaining forces to leave the region. | Khamenei said that the strikes served as a \"slap in the face\" for the United States, but were not \"sufficient\" to remove \"the corrupting presence of America in the region.\" | He stated unequivocally that Tehran views Washington as its enemy. | In a separate statement, President Hassan Rouhani said that the US may have \"cut off the arm\" of assassinated Quds Force commander General Qassem Soleimani, but Iran would respond by se…

RT (2020-01-08). Will US-Iran conflict spiral out of control with tit-for-tat 'retaliations'? rt.com Iran fired a slew of missiles at US bases in Iraq, fulfilling its promise to avenge the death of its top general. Will both sides stop where they are, or are we witnessing the calm before an all-out storm? | Two waves of Iranian missiles rained down overnight on two military installations housing US and coalition troops, one in Al-Asad and one in Erbil. The strikes were heavy on symbolism, with Iranian leadership making sure that the US gets the message right. | Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the attack — codenamed \'Martyr Soleimani\' after the slain commander of Iran\'s clandestine Quds Force…

RT (2020-01-08). Not our problem: BoJo says legality of US assassination of Soleimani is \'not for UK to determine\'. rt.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted that questions surrounding the legality of the US killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani is \"not for the UK to determine.\" | Responding to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during the first PMQs of the year in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Johnson said that \"most reasonable people\" would accept that the US is well within its rights to \"protect its bases and its personnel.\" | The strict issue of legality is not for the UK to determine since it was not our operation. | Corbyn, who described the escalation of US-Iran tensions in the middle east as…

RT (2020-01-08). Engine fire led to Ukrainian Boeing 737 crash in Iran – airport official. rt.com A Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 had suffered an engine malfunction before it went down a few minutes after taking off from Tehran\'s Imam Khomeini airport, an airport official has said. | The engine caught fire when the plane was airborne, Ali Khashani, a senior public relations official at Iran\'s major airport, was quoted by local media. The fatal engine failure is thought to have caused the jet to come down, between the cities of Sharhiar and Parand in the early hours of Wednesday. | The airliner, operated by Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), carried 176 passengers and nine crew, most of whom were Iranians, ac…

RT (2020-01-08). Shell-shocked pundits come crawling back to Hillary over Trump\'s Iran belligerence… forgetting she\'d have started war sooner. rt.com Social media sang praises of would-be US President Hillary Clinton as actual President Donald Trump seemed headed for all-out war with Iran — even though Clinton had been a much more enthusiastic participant in US wars. | After Iranian missiles struck several US bases Tuesday night, #Resistance twitter wasted no time disavowing the administration they blamed for the hostilities, running into the arms of his arch-rival with the #IVotedforHillaryClinton hashtag. | #IvotedforHillaryClinton— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan)

RT (2020-01-08). Zelensky calls on public not to speculate about plane crash in Iran, says Ukraine ready to repatriate victims\' bodies. rt.com President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the public to abstain from speculating about what may have caused a Ukrainian airliner to crash in Iran. He also said Kiev was ready to retrieve victims\' bodies. | A Ukrainian International Airlines plane carrying 167 passengers and nine crew crashed shortly after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing everyone on board. Preliminary reports say the aircraft\'s engine caught fire. However, according to Iranian media, the pilot did not issue a distress call, fueling speculation about the cause of the accident. | Urging against speculation…

RT (2020-01-08). Iran won\'t hand over black box to the US, as Boeing offers help after Ukrainian airliner crashes near Tehran. rt.com Iran will not provide Boeing with the black box of a Ukrainian 737 that crashed near Tehran, the country\'s civil aviation authority has said. An investigation into the accident is ongoing. | Ali Abedzadeh, head of the Iran Civil Aviation Organization, said that Tehran would carry out its own probe into the crash, adding that Ukrainian authorities will be allowed to be \"present during investigations.\" | He also said that it hadn\'t yet been decided where the black box would be sent for analysis.Responding to the crash, Boeing said in a statement that it was ready to \"assist in any way needed.\" | A Boeing 737 ope…

Liberation Staff (2020-01-08). Protesters across New England demand: No War on Iran! liberationnews.org Reports from Boston, New Haven, Conn, and Manchester, NH.

RT (2020-01-08). Ukrainians, Iranians, Canadians, Germans & Brits among 176 killed in Boeing 737 crash near Tehran. rt.com Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has confirmed the number and country of origin of all passengers and crew on board the Ukrainian International Airlines Boeing 737-800 which crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran. | All 176 people on board were killed after the plane\'s engine reportedly caught fire. | \"Terrible news about the plane crash in Tehran. My sincere condolences to the families of the dead,\" Prystaiko said in statements posted to Twitter, adding that \"Ukrainian authorities continue to investi…

RT (2020-01-08). WATCH ball of flame falling from the sky alleged to be Ukrainian plane that crashed in Iran. rt.com An unauthenticated video has emerged online purporting to show a Ukrainian Boeing 737 crashing soon after takeoff from the Iranian capital en route back to Kiev. | Posted online late on Tuesday night, the brief video clip shows what is said to be a Ukraine International Airlines flight as it hit the ground, giving off a bright flash. There were 176 passengers and nine crew on board; all of them were confirmed dead. | The accident comes on the heels of Iranian ballistic missile strikes on US bases in Iraq, which prompted America\'s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close the airspace over the region to…

Staff (2020-01-08). Juan Cole: U.S.-Iran Conflict Enters Unprecedented Territory with Assassinations & Military Attacks. democracynow.org Iran\'s retaliatory missile strikes on bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops, following the U.S. assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, have dramatically raised tensions in the Middle East. Iran\'s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei called the missile strike a \"slap in the face\" of the Americans and called for U.S. troops to leave the Middle East. The Iranian missile strikes come just days after the Iraqi Parliament voted to expel all foreign military forces from Iraq. We speak with Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan.

Ed Sykes (2020-01-08). Iran responds to US assassination by attacking Iraqi bases housing US troops. thecanary.co Iran has responded to the US assassination of its most powerful military commander by firing ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases that house US troops. US and Iraqi officials said there were no casualties among their forces, and it appeared that Iran had given advance warning of the strikes.The Iranian strikes marked the first time in recent years that Iran has directly attacked US positions. The country\'s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made clear that the missile strikes wer…

RT (2020-01-08). Netanyahu threatens Iran with 'crushing blow' if Israel comes under attack. rt.com Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed a deadly retaliation if Iran attacks Israel as part of its response to the US assassination of commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week. | \"We\'re standing steadfast against those who seek to kill us. We\'re standing with determination and with force. Whoever tries to attack us will suffer a most crushing blow,\" the Israeli leader declared at a conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. | Netanyahu alleged that Soleimani was personally responsible for the deaths of \"countless innocent people,\" destabilizing \"many\" countries and spreading \"fear and misery and anguish.

Staff (2020-01-08). A View from Tehran: Iranian Professor Condemns U.S. Aggression & Warns U.S.-Backed Gulf States. democracynow.org Iranian forces fired 22 ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in Iraq early Wednesday in what Iran described as \"fierce revenge\" for the U.S. assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike last week at the Baghdad airport. The Iranian missiles targeted the Al Asad Airbase in Anbar province and a base in Erbil. There were no initial reports of U.S. or Iraqi casualties. Shortly after the attacks, Iran\'s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif tweeted, \"We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.\" Earlier today, Iran\'s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali…

RT (2020-01-08). \'One of our best planes\': Ukrainian Boeing 737 that crashed in Iran was \'in excellent condition\' & manned by experienced crew. rt.com Nothing was wrong with the Ukraine International Airlines jet that came down in Iran with 176 on board, the company has said. It was one of the best planes in UIA\'s fleet and had undergone maintenance just days before the crash.

Staff (2020-01-08). Iran Strikes Back at U.S. With Missile Attack on Bases in Iraq. truthdig.com Iranian state TV said the attack was launched in revenge for the killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

RT (2020-01-08). Several rockets hit \'100 meters away\' from US embassy, cause fire in Baghdad\'s Green zone. rt.com Two blasts have reportedly been heard in Baghdad, followed by the sirens of emergency services. The apparent explosions come hours after US President Donald Trump walked back from military action against Iran. | Air raid sirens can be heard in video footage presumably captured in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday night. Multiple journalists in the city reported that two explosions rang out, apparently coming from the direction of the heavily-fortified \'Green Zone,\' home to the US embassy. | BREAKING: Rocket fire into Baghdad\'s Green Zone pic.twitter.com/HaPcDaF22Z— Trey…

Staff (2020-01-08). Blowback? U.S. Assassination of Soleimani May Weaken Growing Protest Movement in Iran. democracynow.org Protests broke out in Iran in November in response to high fuel prices, leading to demonstrations in dozens of cities around the country. The protesters have demanded economic relief and denounced corruption. More than 1,000 people have been killed since the outbreak of the protests and a violent crackdown by security forces. The rise in tensions between Iran and the United States, triggered by the U.S. assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, could weaken that protest movement, says Ali Kadivar, assistant professor of sociology and international studies at Boston College who was active in Iran\'s st…

RT (2020-01-08). Pentagon says more than a dozen missiles 'launched from Iran' against 2 US bases, vows \'necessary\' counter-measures. rt.com The Pentagon said it would take \"necessary measures\" to defend US troops and regional allies following reports of Iranian missile strikes on US facilities in Iraq, confirming that over a dozen missiles were used in the attack. | \"Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq. It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases,\" the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that it was now working on \"initial battle damage assessments.\" | As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take…

Staff (2020-01-08). Iranian-American Lawmaker Warns of Rising Xenophobia as U.S.-Iran Tension Escalates. democracynow.org In the midst of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, Border Patrol has been detaining Iranian Americans at the U.S.-Canada border. At least 100 people were delayed at ports of entry along the border over the weekend, following the U.S. assassination of Qassem Soleimani on January 3. For response, we speak with Anna Eskamani, Florida Democratic state representative of Orlando. She is the first Iranian American to be elected to any public office in Florida. \"The reality is that when we see the potential war rise in countries like Iran … we\'ll see xenophobia rise right here locally\" in the U.S., Eskamani says.

The Canary (2020-01-08). Plane crash which killed 176, including three Britons, caused by fire, Iran says. thecanary.co Three Britons have died after a Ukrainian passenger plane crashed moments after take off from Iran, officials have said.All 167 passengers and nine crew on the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 flight from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran to the Ukrainian capital Kiev were killed minutes after take-off at 6.10am local time (2.40am GMT) on 8 January.The crash comes amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf following the killing last week of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by the US.Debris is seen from an Ukrainian plane, containing three Britons, which crashed moments after take-off from Te…

The Canary (2020-01-08). Nurses warn of burn-out in new strike over pay and recruitment. thecanary.co Thousands of \"burned out\" nurses have taken to picket lines in the north of Ireland as one-day strike action brings some health services to a standstill.An escalating row over pay and conditions in the under-pressure hospital system emptied treatment waiting rooms across the country.Politicians are trying to reach an agreement which would produce a funding boost for an NHS beset by long waiting lists for treatment and rancour over employee pay levels while struggling to fill some vacant posts.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) protest follows a similar walkout last month over salary rates that lag behind colleagu…

RT (2020-01-08). 1 dead, 3 injured in 'targeted shooting' in downtown Ottawa (WATCH LIVE). rt.com Police responded to reports of \"many injuries\" in a shooting in the Centretown part of the city before 7: 30am local time, prompting the Canadian parliament\'s security team to issue an \"active shooter\" warning to its employees. | The incident unfolded on Gilmour Street, and officers tweeted that a \"coordinated response\" was underway. | One person was confirmed dead at the scene and three others were taken to hospital \"in serious condition suffering from gunshot wounds.\" Police also said one of the injured was a minor who was taken to the Children\'s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. | Shooting this morning on our…

Andrew Moss (2020-01-08). Immigration and the Prison Industrial Complex. counterpunch.org In the past year, the struggle over immigration rights continued along a broad array of fronts. There were significant setbacks, such as the implementation of the \"Remain in Mexico\" policy that made asylum nearly impossible to attain. But there were also victories, such as a federal judge\'s ruling in November that required the government to More

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-01-08). Video: Trump Calls Upon Iran: \"We Should Work Together\" globalresearch.ca On January 8, President Trump spoke from the White House following the Iran missile attack against two US military bases in Iraq in the night of January 8. | While US and Iraqi sources said \"there were no known casualties\" (CNN) …

Norman Solomon (2020-01-08). Biden and Buttigieg Are Showing How Corporatism and \'the Madness of Militarism\' Go Together. indybay.org Marketing nonstop war…