Daily Archives: February 7, 2020

2020-02-07: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-07). Russia to drop dual citizenship restriction, make acquiring passport easier with 'revolutionary' new bill — Kommersant. rt.com Have you always fancied a Russian passport, but had doubts about relinquishing your current citizenship? Well, you may be in luck under new proposals apparently being drafted in Moscow. | Newspaper Kommersant, citing sources in a working group to reform state migration, says the Kremlin is poised to ditch its long-standing restrictions on dual citizenship. | The primary target is people from what Moscow considers "fraternal states," such as Belarus, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics — many of which are mired in poverty. Russia, facing its own demographic issues, sees them as a convenient source o…

RT (2020-02-07). Largest city in Russia's Far East to introduce 'mask regime' from Monday as coronavirus fears spread. rt.com Located only 20km (12.4 miles) from China and straddling the banks of the shared Amur River, Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East is especially vulnerable to the new coronavirus sweeping its southern neighbor. | So far, however, the city of over 600,000 people has not reported any infections. Nevertheless, officials are not taking any chances. From Monday, a compulsory "mask regime" will be introduced, as a precautionary measure. The move follows the closure of border crossings last week. | The rule will apply to almost every category of worker who deals with the public including teachers, doctors, retail and bank…

Staff (2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War. democracynow.org The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…

RT (2020-02-07). Russia's largest oil company's shares fall after reports of new US sanctions. rt.com Rosneft stock slumped nearly five percent during Friday trading on the Moscow Stock Exchange after reports claimed that the US wants to slap the Russian oil giant with new sanctions over its cooperation with Venezuela. | As of 2: 49pm Moscow time (11: 49am GMT) Rosneft shares were trading at 453.5 rubles (US$7.1) per share, down 4.65 percent from the previous session. | Read more | | The drop came less than two days after the Trump administration announced that it w…

RT (2020-02-07). 'Of course we are not alone': Russian scientist says we're using wrong tools to hunt for aliens. rt.com A Russian scientist believes that the only way we can finally discover extraterrestrial life is for experts and researchers from different branches to work together. | Alexander Panov, a leading researcher at Moscow State University's Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, has spent many years working on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) at the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Radio Astronomy. | In a recent

RT (2020-02-07). 'Unplanned meetings on Syria convene when UN-recognized terrorists are under attack' — Russia's envoy to Security Council. rt.com As Damascus forces repel attacks in terrorist-held Idlib, emergency Security Council sessions are called along a familiar pattern, Russia's UN envoy said. | As "violence only to terrorize and subdue" broke out in Idlib, the US, France and Britain convened an impromptu UN Security Council meeting on Thursday. The American representative slammed what she called an "unjustified military offensive" launched by Syrian government forces to defeat armed radicals led by Syria's main al-Qaeda faction HTS — still better known as the al-Nusra Front despite multiple rebrandings. | Moscow's envoy to the international…

Agha Hussain (2020-02-07). Syria: With an Eye on Energy Dominance, Russia is Aligning with Israel Against Iran. mintpressnews.com In the second of a three-part series, Agha Hussein investigates Russia's financial motivation for teaming up with Israel and wealthy Gulf Arab states to curb Iran's influence in post-war Syria.

RT (2020-02-07). Latin America free to make own policy choices — Russia's FM Lavrov on US threats & 'humiliating' Monroe Doctrine. rt.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hit back at threats from Washington over Moscow's support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, insisting Caracas and its neighbors deserve the option not to be US vassal states. | "I have heard the threats from Washington about punishing all those who work with Venezuela," Lavrov confirmed during a press conference in Mexico City on Thursday. "But we are used to that. We are used to American officials saying that yes, Washington is still true to the Monroe Doctrine." | Russia was merely offering Venezuela and its neighbors in the region a second option, beyond the sta…

RT (2020-02-07). Well known Russian journalist Milashina & lawyer Dubrovina brutally attacked in Chechnya. rt.com Gruesome details have emerged of an assault on a Russian journalist and her lawyer colleague after they arrived in Chechnya ahead of the high-profile local trial of a local activist. | Elena Milashina claims that she was attacked on Thursday evening, along with her companion Marina Dubrovina, in the local capital Grozny. According to Milashina's Facebook page, they were beaten by a large group of people inside the Kontinent Hotel, where they were was staying. | The group, numbering at least 15 members, approached the pair and, after a short verbal confrontation, brutally beat them for about a quarter of an hou…

Staff (2020-02-07). Syrian Advance Sends Hundreds of Thousands Fleeing in Idlib. truthdig.com BEIRUT — Turkey on Friday sent more troops and tanks to bolster its military presence in northwestern Syria, where President Bashar Assad's forces have been advancing in a devastating, Russian-backed offensive that has sparked a massive wave of people fleeing in wet and blustery winter weather. | Syria's Idlib region near the border with Turkey is the last rebel-held bastion in the war-ravaged country. The push by Assad's forces into towns and villages in the province over the past months has uprooted more than a half-million people who fled the advancing troops. Many of them already have been displaced sev…

RT (2020-02-07). Israeli airstrikes on Damascus suburbs put at risk civilian flight with 172 passengers on board — Russian MoD. rt.com Israeli strikes on Damascus suburbs put a civilian aircraft in serious danger and forced it to divert to Russia's Khmeimim airbase as the Syrian air defense was activated to repel the attack, the Russian military said. | An Airbus A320 flying from Tehran to the Syrian capital was forced to make an emergency landing following an Israeli missile attack, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It added that using civilian aircraft as a "shield" is "commonplace" for Israeli Air Force pilots. | The aircraft was about to land at Damascus International Airport, but was unable do so as the Syrian air defense systems engage…

RT (2020-02-07). 'Take Hitler & Napoleon, who failed to conquer Russia': Imran Khan invokes world history to fend off Modi's 'bite the dust' remark. rt.com Pakistani premier Imran Khan has rebuffed his Indian counterpart's claims that it would take 10 days at most to take down Pakistan, citing the past failures of French general Napoleon Bonaparte and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. | "Narendra Modi, you need to brush up on your history. It seems your degree was fake," Imran Khan Leaders who have shown such pride have always been defeated in the past … [take]…

RT (2020-02-07). Macron warns that European nations 'cannot remain spectators' in the face of a potential nuclear arms race. rt.com French President Emmanuel Macron has warned of a looming arms race and called for new controls to limit the proliferation of conventional and nuclear weapons. | The French leader, speaking in Paris on Friday, argued that the European Union faces new security challenges following Britain's exit from the bloc. | "Europeans must realize collectively that in the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil," Macron said. He stressed that Europeans "cannot remain spectators" in the face of such threats and urged leaders to create…

Aaron Maté (2020-02-07). Iowa debacle fueled by anti-Bernie billionaires, Russiagate hucksters, failed DNC elites. thegrayzone.com Max Blumenthal breaks down the shadowy network of billionaires, Democratic elites, and Russiagate profiteers behind the Shadow app that ruined…

Staff (2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as US Deploys New Nuke for First Time Since Cold War. truthout.org The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) call…

Eric Waddell (2020-02-07). World Conquest: The United States' Global Military Crusade (1945- ). globalresearch.ca The first period was characterized by US military intervention in Europe, the second by a concern to confine the Communist bloc and to prevent the emergence of pro-communist regimes elsewhere in the world, and the third, focused on gaining control over the former Soviet republics and the oil-rich Middle East.

teleSUR (2020-02-07). Venezuela: Sergei Lavrov Met National Dialogue Representatives. telesurenglish.net Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday met with the "National Dialogue" representatives in Caracas where he stressed that the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela are unacceptable and illegal. | RELATED: | "Unfortunately, the crisis Venezuela is going through comes from a campaign led by the United States to overthrow the legitimate government chaired by President Nicolas Maduro," L…

teleSUR (2020-02-07). Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister to Meet President Maduro. telesurenglish.net Russia's RELATED: | After visiting Cuba and Mexico, Lavrov arrived in Caracas on Thursday ni…

teleSUR (2020-02-07). Israeli Attack Endangers Civilian Aircraft in Damascus. telesurenglish.net A civilian aircraft flying from Tehran to Damascus narrowly avoided fire from Syria's air defense systems, which were activated in response to an Israeli missile attack on Friday. | RELATED: | Due to the Israeli strike, the aircraft, an Airbus A320, was unable to land at Damascus Airport and had to divert to Russia's Khmeimim airbase, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. | The surprise attack, which was made by four Isra…

Michael Jansen (2020-02-07). Break-up of Astana Partnership Was Inevitable. The Turkey-Russia Relation in Jeopardy? globalresearch.ca Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered his forces to strike Syrian army positions in retaliation for targeting a Turkish military convoy bound for the Saraqeb in Syria's north-western Idlib province. His forces obeyed on Monday and allegedly struck a …

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."

sputniknews (2020-02-07). Turkey on S-400 Row: US Blackmail 'Unacceptable'. sputniknews.com Last year, Pentagon chief Mark Esper said that if Turkey gets rid of the S-400 missile systems, which it has bought from Russia, Ankara can count on returning to Washington's F-35 programme and acquire the jets it ordered.

sputniknews (2020-02-07). India, Russia Agree to Develop Advanced Ignition Systems to Propel Futuristic Rockets, Missiles. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The DRDO is seeking to boost the power of all of its systems and the deal is expected to provide much needed support to the Indian missile industry.

yenisafak (2020-02-07). Russian delegation to arrive in Ankara on Saturday to discuss Idlib: FM. yenisafak.com In the wake of the regime's attack on Turkish troops in Idlib, Syria, a Russian delegation is expected to arrive in Ankara on Saturday to discuss the escalating situation, Turkey's foreign minister said on Friday.The announcement by Mevlut Cavusoglu came at a joint news conference in the capital city with his Slovakian counterpart Miroslav Lajcak.Earlier this week, Syrian regime forces attacks killed seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian. In retaliation, the Turkish military targeted more than 50 positions and neutralized over 70 regime troops, according to Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.Cavusoglu said Turkey, wh…

yenisafak (2020-02-07). French president lays out nuclear strategy in address. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron Friday morning addressed the trainees of military academy outside Paris, as well as the military community, giving a speech on the strategy of defense and deterrence.In what is expected to be a milepost, Macron will address the threats posed by nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, stepping in proactively to a shifting chess game on the world stage.Macron has earlier raised his concerns on the recent actions of the U.S., as it pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Weapons Treaty last year.With the U.K. now absent from the EU, France rem…

yenisafak (2020-02-07). France ready to partner with Europe on nuclear deterrence, says Macron. yenisafak.com President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France wanted to open a strategic dialogue with its European partners about the role of French nuclear deterrence policy in European security.The overture to Europeans chimes with Macron's insistence that Europe should reinforce its strategic autonomy in the face of growing global threats and stop relying solely on the United States and the transatlantic alliance for its defence.In a much-anticipated speech on French nuclear deterrence, a ritual for every French president under the Fifth Republic, Macron said that European nations who wanted to do so, could be associa…

RT (2020-02-07). UK wants to ease trade restrictions on some Russian imports. rt.com The British government is looking to lift anti-dumping measures on Russian goods, imposed by the EU back in 2015. The restrictions could be removed in 2021 when the 11-month Brexit transition period ends. | The UK's Department for International Trade said in a statement published Thursday that it is going to review all anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and safeguard measures currently in place, including the import duties on products originating from Russia. | "Transition reviews will assess whether the current measure is appropriate for the UK market and whether it should be varied, changed or terminated," it said.

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-02-06). Syrian Army's Offensive in Idlib Deepens Rift Between Russia and Turkey. globalresearch.ca Major strains are appearing in Russian-Turkish relations, particularly over the Syrian Army's latest offensive against Turkish-backed jihadists in Idlib and Russia's non-agreeance with Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood government based in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Last week Turkish…

South Front (2020-02-06). Video: Syrian Army Advance in Idlib Province. Netanyahu and Erdogan to the Rescue of Al Qaeda. globalresearch.ca In Greater Idlib the defences of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other favorites of the foreign powers supporting 'Syrian democracy' are collapsing. | On February 5, the Syrian Army, supported by Russian airpower, took control of a number of villages in southeastern …

Staff (2020-02-06). Women Fight for Dignity and Survival in the Trump-Putin Era. truthout.org Last month, as hundreds of thousands of people showed up for the

Andrea Mazzarino (2020-02-06). Women and Trauma in the Trump-Putin Era. commondreams.org One in five of us will be raped in our lifetimes (compared with one in 72 men). (Photo: Mikasi/cc/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/stop_war_on_women_0.jpg

Staff (2020-02-06). NASA's Record-Setting Koch, Crewmates Safely Back From Space. truthdig.com MOSCOW — NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who spent nearly 11 months in orbit to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely Thursday in Kazakhstan along with two International Space Station crewmates. | The Soyuz capsule carrying Koch, station Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, touched down southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 3: 12 p.m. (0912 GMT). | Koch wrapped up a 328-day mission after her first flight into space, providing researchers the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on a woman. Th…

Maj. Danny Sjursen (2020-02-06). America's Newest Proxy Battle Could Spark World War 3. truthdig.com The Trump administration has put the U.S. on a collision course with Russia in Central Asia. It risks nothing less than a nuclear cataclysm.

Andrew Korybko (2020-02-06). Russia-Belarus Relations: 'The Moment of Truth' Has Arrived. Belarus Drifting Westward? globalresearch.ca Belarusian President Lukashenko's dramatic declaration that "the moment of truth has come" for bilateral relations ahead of his meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday raises all sorts of questions about the future of their ties, though nobody should be …

Fred Kaplan (2020-02-06). Interview: Trump's Nuclear Insecurities and Other Secrets from the Author of "The Bomb" globalresearch.ca In this interview, Bulletin contributing editor Dawn Stover speaks with Fred Kaplan about his just-published book, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster). Kaplan is a national-security columnist for Slate and the author …

Staff (2020-02-06). Refineries Are Spewing Cancer-Causing Benzene as Trump Slashes Enforcement. truthout.org On a spring evening in 2018, the sky across the New Orleans metro area lit up with fiery light. Friends and neighbors turned to each other with raised eyebrows, anxiety and dark humor. Did a nuclear bomb go off? Is an asteroid about to fall into Lake Pontchartrain? Is this the end? | We would soon learn from the evening news that

RT (2020-02-05). US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS). rt.com The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…

teleSUR (2020-02-05). Russian FM Lavrov Starts Latin America Tour in Cuba. telesurenglish.net Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Cuba as part of a Feb. 5 to 8 tour of Latin America that will include visits to Mexico and Venezuela. | RELATED: | Lavrov's meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez will take place in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zajarova said. | The spokeswoman also said that among the issues to be discussed between…

teleSUR (2020-02-05). Argentinean Minister Defends Demand for Sovereignty over Malvinas. telesurenglish.net Argentinean Defense Minister Agustin Rossi defended his country's demand for sovereignty over the RELATED: | In a lengthy interview with the Russian news agency Sputnik, Rossi n…

RT (2020-02-04). 'Why are you voting for Putin?' Tulsi Gabbard supporters harassed at Iowa caucuses. rt.com A Tulsi Gabbard supporter was physically attacked with a Sharpie marker and called a Russian terrorist after voicing support for the candidate at an Iowa caucus, one of several reports of Gabbard supporters being "abused." | Caucusing for the Hawaii congresswoman can be hazardous to one's health, if reports from Monday's botched vote in Iowa are any indication. Journalist Dack Rouleau accidentally triggered a supporter of billionaire candidate Tom Steyer into a full-on Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation culminating in physical attack when he casually mentioned that he would be voting for Gabbard. | The man on the…

Ben Norton (2020-02-04). HuffPost UK editor works with gov't censorship program while smearing anti-war scholars as tools of Russia. thegrayzone.com HuffPost UK ran yet another hit piece smearing academic critics of the dirty war on Syria as Russian stooges. The…

Fight Back (2020-02-03). Read Mao Zedong's article on battle of Stalingrad. fightbacknews.org To mark the victory of the Soviet Union at Stalingrad, Fight Back News Service is reprinting the following article by Mao Zedong, that was first published October 12, 1942, in Liberation Daily. | The Turning point in World War 2 | The Battle of Stalingrad has been compared by the British and American press to the Battle of Verdun, and the "Red Verdun" is now famous all over the world. This comparison is not altogether appropriate. The Battle of Stalingrad is different in nature from the Battle of Verdun in World War I. But they have this in common– now, as then, many people are misled by the German offensive int…

Staff (2020-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…

Aaron Maté (2020-01-28). Adam Schiff's Russia-bashing is unhinged and dangerous. thegrayzone.com Scholar and author Stephen F. Cohen says that Adam Schiff's Russia-bashing during the Trump impeachment trial is "ignorant and debased."…

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 …

2020-02-07: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Iowa debacle fueled by anti-Bernie billionaires, Russiagate hucksters, failed DNC elites
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-07
Max Blumenthal breaks down the shadowy network of billionaires, Democratic elites, and Russiagate profiteers behind the Shadow app that ruined…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/07/iowa-debacle-fueled-by-anti-bernie-billionaires-russiagate-hucksters-failed-dnc-elites/

Well known Russian journalist Milashina & lawyer Dubrovina brutally attacked in Chechnya
rt.com | 2020-02-07
Gruesome details have emerged of an assault on a Russian journalist and her lawyer colleague after they arrived in Chechnya ahead of the high-profile local trial of a local activist. | Elena Milashina claims that she was attacked on Thursday evening, along with her companion Marina Dubrovina, in the local capital Grozny. According to Milashina's Facebook page, they were beaten by a large group of people inside the Kontinent Hotel, where they were was staying. | The group, numbering at least 15 members, approached the pair and, after a short verbal confrontation, brutally beat them for about a quarter of an hou…
rt.com/russia/480362-russian-lawyer-journalist-attacked-chechnya/

"We've Been Attacked!"
Andrea Mazzarino | zcomm.org | 2020-02-07
Women and Trauma in the Trump-Putin Era…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/weve-been-attacked/

Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-07
The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/7/us_new_low_yield_nuclear_weapons

Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-07
The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/7/us_new_low_yield_nuclear_weapons

Risk of Nuclear War Rises as US Deploys New Nuke for First Time Since Cold War
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-07
The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) call…
truthout.org/video/risk-of-nuclear-war-rises-as-u-s-deploys-new-nuke-for-first-time-since-cold-war/

World Conquest: The United States' Global Military Crusade (1945- )
Eric Waddell | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-07
The first period was characterized by US military intervention in Europe, the second by a concern to confine the Communist bloc and to prevent the emergence of pro-communist regimes elsewhere in the world, and the third, focused on gaining control over the former Soviet republics and the oil-rich Middle East.
globalresearch.ca/the-united-states-global-military-crusade-1945/4610

Israeli Attack Endangers Civilian Aircraft in Damascus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-07
A civilian aircraft flying from Tehran to Damascus narrowly avoided fire from Syria's air defense systems, which were activated in response to an Israeli missile attack on Friday. | RELATED: | Palestinian Killed, Two Wounded in Israel Strikes on Gaza | Due to the Israeli strike, the aircraft, an Airbus A320, was unable to land at Damascus Airport and had to divert to Russia's Khmeimim airbase, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. | The surprise attack, which was made by four Isra…
telesurenglish.net/news/misinformation-or-negligence-israeli-attack-endangered-civilian-flight-20200207-0004.html

Venezuela: Sergei Lavrov Met National Dialogue Representatives
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-07
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday met with the "National Dialogue" representatives in Caracas where he stressed that the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela are unacceptable and illegal. | RELATED: | Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister to Meet President Maduro | "Unfortunately, the crisis Venezuela is going through comes from a campaign led by the United States to overthrow the legitimate government chaired by President Nicolas Maduro," L…
telesurenglish.net/news/Venezuela-Sergei-Lavrov-Met-National-Dialogue-Representatives-20200207-0006.html

Break-up of Astana Partnership Was Inevitable. The Turkey-Russia Relation in Jeopardy?
Michael Jansen | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-07
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered his forces to strike Syrian army positions in retaliation for targeting a Turkish military convoy bound for the Saraqeb in Syria's north-western Idlib province. His forces obeyed on Monday and allegedly struck a …
globalresearch.ca/break-up-astana-partnership-inevitable/5703037

'Of course we are not alone': Russian scientist says we're using wrong tools to hunt for aliens
rt.com | 2020-02-07
A Russian scientist believes that the only way we can finally discover extraterrestrial life is for experts and researchers from different branches to work together. | Alexander Panov, a leading researcher at Moscow State University's Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, has spent many years working on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) at the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Radio Astronomy. | In a recent interview, he laments the lack of interaction between researchers involved in both t…
rt.com/news/480323-humans-not-alone-russian-scientist/

Syria: With an Eye on Energy Dominance, Russia is Aligning with Israel Against Iran
Agha Hussain | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-07
In the second of a three-part series, Agha Hussein investigates Russia's financial motivation for teaming up with Israel and wealthy Gulf Arab states to curb Iran's influence in post-war Syria.
mintpressnews.com/syria-energy-dominance-russia-aligning-with-israel-against-iran/264661/

Largest city in Russia's Far East to introduce 'mask regime' from Monday as coronavirus fears spread
rt.com | 2020-02-07
Located only 20km (12.4 miles) from China and straddling the banks of the shared Amur River, Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East is especially vulnerable to the new coronavirus sweeping its southern neighbor. | So far, however, the city of over 600,000 people has not reported any infections. Nevertheless, officials are not taking any chances. From Monday, a compulsory "mask regime" will be introduced, as a precautionary measure. The move follows the closure of border crossings last week. | The rule will apply to almost every category of worker who deals with the public including teachers, doctors, retail and bank…
rt.com/russia/480332-russia-far-east-coronavirus-mask-regime/

Syrian Advance Sends Hundreds of Thousands Fleeing in Idlib
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-07
BEIRUT

Largest city in Russia's Far East to introduce 'mask regime' from Monday as coronavirus fears spread
rt.com | 2020-02-07
Located only 20km (12.4 miles) from China and straddling the banks of the shared Amur River, Khabarovsk in Russia's Far East is especially vulnerable to the new coronavirus sweeping its southern neighbor. | So far, however, the city of over 600,000 people has not reported any infections. Nevertheless, officials are not taking any chances. From Monday, a compulsory "mask regime" will be introduced, as a precautionary measure. The move follows the closure of border crossings last week. | The rule will apply to almost every category of worker who deals with the public including teachers, doctors, retail and bank…
rt.com/russia/480332-russia-far-east-coronavirus-mask-regime/

Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister to Meet President Maduro
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-07
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday will meet with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at a time when the U.S. government threatens to tighten its sanctions against the Bolivian revolution. | RELATED: | Russian Foreign Minister Bolsters Diplomatic Ties With Mexico | After visiting Cuba and Mexico, Lavrov arrived in Caracas on Thursday ni…
telesurenglish.net/news/russian-foreign-minister-sergey-lavrov-arrives-in-venezuela-as-part-of-his-latin-american-tour-20200207-0002.html

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

Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes

'Take Hitler & Napoleon, who failed to conquer Russia': Imran Khan invokes world history to fend off Modi's 'bite the dust' remark
rt.com | 2020-02-07
Pakistani premier Imran Khan has rebuffed his Indian counterpart's claims that it would take 10 days at most to take down Pakistan, citing the past failures of French general Napoleon Bonaparte and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. | "Narendra Modi, you need to brush up on your history. It seems your degree was fake," Imran Khan said on Thursday, before showing off his own knowledge on the subject. | Leaders who have shown such pride have always been defeated in the past … [take]…
rt.com/news/480289-khan-modi-hitler-napoleon/

Russia's largest oil company's shares fall after reports of new US sanctions
rt.com | 2020-02-07
Rosneft stock slumped nearly five percent during Friday trading on the Moscow Stock Exchange after reports claimed that the US wants to slap the Russian oil giant with new sanctions over its cooperation with Venezuela. | As of 2: 49pm Moscow time (11: 49am GMT) Rosneft shares were trading at 453.5 rubles (US$7.1) per share, down 4.65 percent from the previous session. | Read more | | Rosneft inks deal with India's top refiner on up to 2 MILLION tons of crude supplies | The drop came less than two days after the Trump administration announced that it w…
rt.com/business/480320-rosneft-shares-fall-sanctions/

Macron warns that European nations 'cannot remain spectators' in the face of a potential nuclear arms race
rt.com | 2020-02-07
French President Emmanuel Macron has warned of a looming arms race and called for new controls to limit the proliferation of conventional and nuclear weapons. | The French leader, speaking in Paris on Friday, argued that the European Union faces new security challenges following Britain's exit from the bloc. | "Europeans must realize collectively that in the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil," Macron said. He stressed that Europeans "cannot remain spectators" in the face of such threats and urged leaders to create…
rt.com/news/480321-macron-arms-race-europe/

India, Russia Agree to Develop Advanced Ignition Systems to Propel Futuristic Rockets, Missiles
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-07
New Delhi (Sputnik): The DRDO is seeking to boost the power of all of its systems and the deal is expected to provide much needed support to the Indian missile industry.
sputniknews.com/india/202002071078253530-india-russia-agree-to-develop-advanced-ignition-systems-to-propel-futuristic-rockets-missiles/

Turkey on S-400 Row: US Blackmail 'Unacceptable'
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-07
Last year, Pentagon chief Mark Esper said that if Turkey gets rid of the S-400 missile systems, which it has bought from Russia, Ankara can count on returning to Washington's F-35 programme and acquire the jets it ordered.
sputniknews.com/military/202002071078254378-turkey-on-s-400-row-us-blackmail-unacceptable/

Russian delegation to arrive in Ankara on Saturday to discuss Idlib: FM
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-07
In the wake of the regime's attack on Turkish troops in Idlib, Syria, a Russian delegation is expected to arrive in Ankara on Saturday to discuss the escalating situation, Turkey's foreign minister said on Friday.The announcement by Mevlut Cavusoglu came at a joint news conference in the capital city with his Slovakian counterpart Miroslav Lajcak.Earlier this week, Syrian regime forces attacks killed seven Turkish soldiers and one civilian. In retaliation, the Turkish military targeted more than 50 positions and neutralized over 70 regime troops, according to Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.Cavusoglu said Turkey, wh…
yenisafak.com/en/world/russian-delegation-to-arrive-in-ankara-on-saturday-to-discuss-idlib-fm-3511504

French president lays out nuclear strategy in address
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-07
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday morning addressed the trainees of military academy outside Paris, as well as the military community, giving a speech on the strategy of defense and deterrence.In what is expected to be a milepost, Macron will address the threats posed by nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, stepping in proactively to a shifting chess game on the world stage.Macron has earlier raised his concerns on the recent actions of the U.S., as it pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Weapons Treaty last year.With the U.K. now absent from the EU, France rem…
yenisafak.com/en/world/french-president-lays-out-nuclear-strategy-in-address-3511498

France ready to partner with Europe on nuclear deterrence, says Macron
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-07
President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France wanted to open a strategic dialogue with its European partners about the role of French nuclear deterrence policy in European security.The overture to Europeans chimes with Macron's insistence that Europe should reinforce its strategic autonomy in the face of growing global threats and stop relying solely on the United States and the transatlantic alliance for its defence.In a much-anticipated speech on French nuclear deterrence, a ritual for every French president under the Fifth Republic, Macron said that European nations who wanted to do so, could be associa…
yenisafak.com/en/world/france-ready-to-partner-with-europe-on-nuclear-deterrence-says-macron-3511500

UK wants to ease trade restrictions on some Russian imports
rt.com | 2020-02-07
The British government is looking to lift anti-dumping measures on Russian goods, imposed by the EU back in 2015. The restrictions could be removed in 2021 when the 11-month Brexit transition period ends. | The UK's Department for International Trade said in a statement published Thursday that it is going to review all anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and safeguard measures currently in place, including the import duties on products originating from Russia. | "Transition reviews will assess whether the current measure is appropriate for the UK market and whether it should be varied, changed or terminated," it said.
rt.com/business/480249-uk-trade-restrictions-russia/

Syrian Army's Offensive in Idlib Deepens Rift Between Russia and Turkey
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-06
Major strains are appearing in Russian-Turkish relations, particularly over the Syrian Army's latest offensive against Turkish-backed jihadists in Idlib and Russia's non-agreeance with Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood government based in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Last week Turkish…
globalresearch.ca/syrian-army-offensive-idlib-deepens-rift-between-russia-turkey/5702948

Video: Syrian Army Advance in Idlib Province. Netanyahu and Erdogan to the Rescue of Al Qaeda
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-06
In Greater Idlib the defences of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other favorites of the foreign powers supporting 'Syrian democracy' are collapsing. | On February 5, the Syrian Army, supported by Russian airpower, took control of a number of villages in southeastern …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-army-captured-saraqib-netanyahu-n-erdogan-rescue/5702958

Women Fight for Dignity and Survival in the Trump-Putin Era
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-06
Last month, as hundreds of thousands of people showed up for the Women's March in Washington, D.C., a few miles from my home, I was at a karate dojo testing for my first belt. My fellow practitioners, ranging in age from five into their seventies, looked on as I hammered my fist through a two-inch piece of wood. The words of one of the black belts there ec…
truthout.org/articles/women-fight-for-dignity-and-survival-in-the-trump-putin-era/

Women and Trauma in the Trump-Putin Era
Andrea Mazzarino | commondreams.org | 2020-02-06
One in five of us will be raped in our lifetimes (compared with one in 72 men). (Photo: Mikasi/cc/flickr) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/stop_war_on_women_0.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/06/women-and-trauma-trump-putin-era?cd-origin=rss

Russia-Belarus Relations: 'The Moment of Truth' Has Arrived. Belarus Drifting Westward?
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-06
Belarusian President Lukashenko's dramatic declaration that "the moment of truth has come" for bilateral relations ahead of his meeting with his Russian counterpart on Friday raises all sorts of questions about the future of their ties, though nobody should be …
globalresearch.ca/russian-belarusian-relations-moment-truth-arrived/5702957

America's Newest Proxy Battle Could Spark World War 3
Maj. Danny Sjursen | truthdig.com | 2020-02-06
The Trump administration has put the U.S. on a collision course with Russia in Central Asia. It risks nothing less than a nuclear cataclysm.
truthdig.com/articles/americas-newest-proxy-battle-could-spark-world-war-3/

Chinese Doctors Are Using Cuban Antivirals Against Coronavirus
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-06
The Recombinant Interferon Alpha 2B (IFNrec), an antiviral produced by the Cuban biotech industry, is being used by Chinese doctors to treat patients infected by the 2019-nCoV coronavirus, which has affected more than 28,000 people and has killed 564 patients worldwide. | RELATED: | China Tests Russian Vaccine to Combat New Coronavirus | Since Jan. 25, the ChangHeber Company located in Changchun city has been producing the famous Cuban antiviral, which is one of 30 medicines chosen by…
telesurenglish.net/news/cuban-antiviral-used-against-coronavirus-in-china-20200206-0005.html

NASA's Record-Setting Koch, Crewmates Safely Back From Space
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-06
MOSCOW

Interview: Trump's Nuclear Insecurities and Other Secrets from the Author of "The Bomb"
Fred Kaplan | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-06
In this interview, Bulletin contributing editor Dawn Stover speaks with Fred Kaplan about his just-published book, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster). Kaplan is a national-security columnist for Slate and the author …
globalresearch.ca/interview-trump-nuclear-insecurities-other-secrets/5702938

Refineries Are Spewing Cancer-Causing Benzene as Trump Slashes Enforcement
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-06
On a spring evening in 2018, the sky across the New Orleans metro area lit up with fiery light. Friends and neighbors turned to each other with raised eyebrows, anxiety and dark humor. Did a nuclear bomb go off? Is an asteroid about to fall into Lake Pontchartrain? Is this the end? | We would soon learn from the evening news that a massive fireball had erupted from the aging oil refinery in Chalmette, a community on the Mississippi Rive…
truthout.org/articles/refineries-are-spewing-cancer-causing-benzene-as-trump-slashes-enforcement/

US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS)
rt.com | 2020-02-05
The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…
rt.com/usa/480132-us-minuteman-icbm-test/

Russians did it! Democratic congresswoman finally says what Russiagaters have all been thinking about Iowa caucus fail
rt.com | 2020-02-05
A Texas congresswoman has suggested that Russians were responsible for the problems with the Democratic Party's Iowa caucus app and suggested the party call in the FBI to investigate. How did this take so long? | Rep. Sheila Jackson (D) called on Iowa Democrats to bring the FBI in to investigate Russian involvement in the malfunctioning of the vote-reporting app that threw the first vote of the 2020 election season into disarray. She made the comment during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on FBI oversight on Wednesday, but shrewd observers of Democratic behavior had predicted it almost immediately after th…
rt.com/usa/480176-democratic-congresswoman-blames-russia-iowa/

Russian FM Lavrov Starts Latin America Tour in Cuba
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-05
Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Cuba as part of a Feb. 5 to 8 tour of Latin America that will include visits to Mexico and Venezuela. | RELATED: | Russia and Venezuela Sign Agriculture Cooperation Agreement | Lavrov's meeting with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez will take place in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zajarova said. | The spokeswoman also said that among the issues to be discussed between…
telesurenglish.net/news/Russian-FM-Starts-a-Tour-of-Latin-America-in-Cuba-20200205-0022.html

Argentinean Minister Defends Demand for Sovereignty over Malvinas
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-05
Argentinean Defense Minister Agustin Rossi defended his country's demand for sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, a territory seized by the United Kingdom, and described that occupation as inadmissible colonialism. | RELATED: | Argentina's Senate Approves Government Debt Renegotiation | In a lengthy interview with the Russian news agency Sputnik, Rossi n…
telesurenglish.net/news/Argentinean-Minister-Defends-Demand-for-Sovereignty-over-Malvinas-20200205-0023.html

HuffPost UK editor works with gov't censorship program while smearing anti-war scholars as tools of Russia
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-04
HuffPost UK ran yet another hit piece smearing academic critics of the dirty war on Syria as Russian stooges. The…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/03/huffpost-uk-editor-censorship-dsma-russia-jess-brammar/

'Why are you voting for Putin?' Tulsi Gabbard supporters harassed at Iowa caucuses
rt.com | 2020-02-04
A Tulsi Gabbard supporter was physically attacked with a Sharpie marker and called a Russian terrorist after voicing support for the candidate at an Iowa caucus, one of several reports of Gabbard supporters being "abused." | Caucusing for the Hawaii congresswoman can be hazardous to one's health, if reports from Monday's botched vote in Iowa are any indication. Journalist Dack Rouleau accidentally triggered a supporter of billionaire candidate Tom Steyer into a full-on Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation culminating in physical attack when he casually mentioned that he would be voting for Gabbard. | The man on the…
rt.com/usa/480080-tulsi-gabbard-caucus-abused-iowa/

Read Mao Zedong's article on battle of Stalingrad
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-03
To mark the victory of the Soviet Union at Stalingrad, Fight Back News Service is reprinting the following article by Mao Zedong, that was first published October 12, 1942, in Liberation Daily. | The Turning point in World War 2 | The Battle of Stalingrad has been compared by the British and American press to the Battle of Verdun, and the "Red Verdun" is now famous all over the world. This comparison is not altogether appropriate. The Battle of Stalingrad is different in nature from the Battle of Verdun in World War I. But they have this in common– now, as then, many people are misled by the German offensive int…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/2/read-mao-zedong-s-article-battle-stalingrad

Headlines for January 31, 2020
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-31
Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/31/headlines

Adam Schiff's Russia-bashing is unhinged and dangerous
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-01-28
Scholar and author Stephen F. Cohen says that Adam Schiff's Russia-bashing during the Trump impeachment trial is "ignorant and debased."…
thegrayzone.com/2020/01/27/adam-schiffs-russia-bashing-is-unhinged-and-dangerous/