2020-02-20: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-20). Making money by 'preventing apocalypse': Russian police raids cult that 'made millions' selling 'divine protection'. rt.com St. Petersburg police searched the apartment-turned-"temple" and stables of "Order of the Path," a family-run cult that claimed to be fighting against "black mages" in the gov't and sold "divine protection" for $300,000 a pop. | Earlier this week, St. Petersburg police SWAT teams raided the mysterious "Order of the Path," a cult run by psychologist-turned-"magister" Gayva Tihomirova, and arrested the leader, 78.ru reports. The raids targeted the main "temple" of the organization, which was converted from a two-bedroom apartment, their offices, and the stables outside the city where, the shady Order held their…

RT (2020-02-20). WATCH heart-clenching video from INSIDE CRASHING PLANE in Russia. rt.com Passengers of a small plane who were filming their takeoff from an airfield in Magadan were horrified when they realized their aircraft wouldn't make it. It crashed instead but, luckily, no lives were lost in the incident. | The video, purportedly shot from inside an Antonov An-2 plane, which crashed on Thursday in northern Russia, shows the aircraft trying to climb just after takeoff. Its speed seems slow and, at one moment, it virtually stops in the air, loses all lift and starts falling as a horrified groan is heard from passengers. | The plane was about 10 meters in the air when the incident happened. A…

RT (2020-02-20). 'Asking for trouble?' VIDEO shows American APC pushing Russian army jeep off road in Syria. rt.com Footage from Syria purports to show a US armored personnel carrier pushing a Russian military jeep off the road; relations between Moscow and Washington remain tense. | A video, posted on social media on Wednesday, shows what appears to be a Russian military convoy moving alongside an American one. At one point, a Russian Tigr heavy jeep tries to overtake an Oshkosh M-ATV armored vehicle with a US flag on its roof. The M-ATV responds by maneuvering to the right, pushing the Tigr further away from the road. | Narrowly evading collision and nearly hitting a pedestrian in the process, both vehicles stop, and o…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Donald Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. globalresearch.ca The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account …

stclair (2020-02-20). Pardoning Julian Assange: Trump, WikiLeaks and the DNC. counterpunch.org The central pillar to Democratic paranoia and vengefulness regarding the loss of Hillary Clinton in 2016 was the link between Russian hacking, the servers of the Democratic National Committee and the release of emails via WikiLeaks. Over time, that account has become a matter of hagiography, an article of faith, with grave conclusions: WikiLeaks and

WSWS (2020-02-20). US slaps sanctions on Russian oil company trading with Venezuela. wsws.org The unilateral sanctions are aimed at tightening the US blockade of Venezuela's crisis-ridden economy.

BLUES (2020-02-20). Russia Is A Progressive Democracy, America Is A Fascist Plutocracy. indybay.org Too bad I have to live in this hell with all the money going for defective military junk, Billionaires running for Dictator, poop and needles are all over the sidewalks, empty store shelves are coming due to covid-19 in the country that makes all our necessities, etc, and so on.

sputniknews (2020-02-20). WikiLeaks Confirms an "Offer" Was Made to Julian Assange Prior to His Indictment. sputniknews.com In 2017 The Wall Street Journal reported that California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher proposed to reach out to Julian Assange on behalf of US President Donald Trump to offer a pardon to the WikiLeaks publisher, if he could prove Russia wasn't involved in the DNC Leaks.

Susan Price (2020-02-20). United States: New weapons raise danger of nuclear war. greenleft.org.au

RT (2020-02-19). Mysterious 'PUTIN' group unleashes flock of MAGA-hatted pigeons in Las Vegas to protest Dem debate. rt.com A flock of pigeons wearing tiny red baseball caps — and one wearing a Trump wig — have been released by a self-styled "underground radical group" in Las Vegas to protest against the Democratic debate and support Trump. | The birds were unleashed on Tuesday evening in downtown Las Vegas to protest against "the arrival of the 2020 Democratic debate" the following day, the group, which calls itself Pigeons United to Interfere Now (PUTIN, what else?), said in a statement to local media. The stunt also served "as a gesture of support and loyalty to President Trump," who is holding a rally in Las Vegas o…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-19). The Priorities of General Motors: Ditching Australia's Holden Cars. globalresearch.ca It seemed to be a case of grand misrepresentation. Holden cars, those great Australian acquisitions, along with home, lawnmower and nuclear family, gave the impression of indigenous pride, the home brand. It was also resoundingly masculine. But behind that image …

Linda Pentz Gunter (2020-02-19). Hysteria Isn't Killing Nuclear Power. counterpunch.org Time was, that a woman suffering from menopause, pre-menstrual syndrome, a heightened libido or lack thereof, was labeled "hysterical." Her very real medical or psychological troubles were put down to an "emotional reaction." For a while these symptoms were even attributed to a "wandering womb." What? Yes, really. For years, if you were a woman

teleSUR (2020-02-19). Russian Minister Accuses U.S. of Openly Plundering Syrian Oil. telesurenglish.net The United States openly controls and plunders the oil fields belonging to Syria and its people, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday. | RELATED: | "The Syrian oil fields, the territories where the precious substance is produced, are controlled by the United States. There is shameless plundering of the riches that belong to Syria and the Syrian people," denounced Russia's defense minister in Rome, Italy.

teleSUR (2020-02-19). US Sanctions On Rosneft Won't Affect Relations With Venezuela. telesurenglish.net Russia reiterated Wednesday that United States' sanctions against Rosneft Trading, S.A and its President Didier Casimiro are illegal from the point of international law and will not affect relations with Venezuela, the state news agency reported. | RELATED: | Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that such restrictions in no way affect their bilateral relations with Venezuela. "On the contrary, they are…

Staff (2020-02-19). U.N.: Thousands Fleeing Syrian Offensive, Kids Dying in the Cold. truthdig.com UNITED NATIONS — Hundreds of thousands of people fleeing a Russian-backed Syrian offensive are being squeezed into ever smaller areas near Turkey's border "under horrendous conditions" in freezing temperatures that are killing babies and young children, the U.N. humanitarian chief said Wednesday. | Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council that "the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe" in northwest Idlib province, which is the last major rebel stronghold, has "overwhelmed" efforts to provide aid. | He said nearly 900,000 people have been displaced since Dec. 1 when the government offensive began, more than…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-02-19). Healthcare Providers at Iran's Top Cancer Hospital Say Crippling Trump Sanctions Are Affecting Patients. commondreams.org The economic sanctions that the Trump administration has imposed on Iran since ditching the 2015 nuclear deal are adversely affecting patients at the Middle Eastern country's top cancer hospital, healthcare providers told FRANCE 24 in a report published Wednesday. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/hospital-iran.jpg

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

Binoy Kampmark (2020-02-18). The Priorities of General Motors: Ditching Holden. dissidentvoice.org It seemed to be a case of grand misrepresentation. Holden cars, those great Australian acquisitions, along with home, lawnmower and nuclear family, gave the impression of indigenous pride, the home brand. It was also resoundingly masculine. But behind that image was a mighty American thrust, with General Motors holding the reins on investment as benevolent …

Jason Ditz (2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Alexander Rubinstein (2020-02-13). State-backed Alliance for Securing Democracy disinfo shop falsely smears The Grayzone as 'state-backed'. thegrayzone.com In painting critical reporting on the Iowa caucuses debacle as a Russian plot, a Western government-backed information warfare shop smeared…

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Lawrence Wittner (2019-12-22). Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …