Daily Archives: March 10, 2020

2020-03-10: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-10). Van Damme eat your heart out: Russian gymnast Anastasia Nazarenko amazes New Yorkers with stretching skills (PHOTOS). rt.com Russian rhythmic gymnast Anastasia Nazarenko may have retired but she remains in incredible shape — as she proudly demonstrated to the people of New York with some of her insane stretching. | The 27-year-old, who owns a stretching studio in Manhattan, promotes a healthy lifestyle which encourages her clients to get rid of harmful addictions. | Nazarenko shot to fame in 2012 after winning the…

The Canary (2020-03-10). Contaminated water at nuclear plant still an issue ahead of Tokyo Olympics. thecanary.co Work to deal with contaminated water at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant continues as the Olympic Games approach.Inside a giant decontamination facility at the destroyed plant, workers in hazmat suits monitor radioactive water pumped from three damaged reactors.The decontamination process is a key element of a contentious debate over what should be done with the nearly 1.2 million tons of still-radioactive water being closely watched by governments and organisations around the world ahead of this summer's Tokyo Olympics.The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, says it needs to free up sp…

RT (2020-03-10). Putin has no objection to possibility of running for president in 2024. rt.com The Russian president says a suggestion by MPs that would see presidential terms reset, thus allowing him to run again in 2024, would be acceptable should it be supported by citizens and approved by the Constitutional Court. | "I believe and am deeply convinced that a strong presidential power is absolutely necessary for our country," Putin stated in his address to the State Duma. However, the public should have guarantees that elections — including presidential elections — are competitive and there is also "an alternative." | Putin was referring to a suggestion by Valentina Tereshkova, a United Russ…

RT (2020-03-10). Parliament GREENLIGHTS Putin's proposed amendments to Russia's Constitution. rt.com Russian MPs have voted in favor of a bill to amend the country's Constitution. The changes include broadening the powers of parliament as well as limiting the number of lifetime presidential terms for one person. | The bill was supported by 382 deputies during the second and main reading on Tuesday. 44 MPs abstained from the vote, mostly members of the opposition Communist party. | Russians will head to the polls to vote on the proposed constitutional changes on April 22. Amendments to the country's' principal law, among other things, include redistributing some powers away from the president to the Duma, rest…

Phil Barbelé (2020-03-10). The Battle for Idlib: Did Erdogan Capitulate to Putin in Moscow? mintpressnews.com There was a celebration in Syria when Russia announced a ceasefire agreement with Turkey on March 3 following a six-hour meeting between Presidents Erdogan and Putin in Moscow. Under the agreement, Erdogan agreed to pull back Turkish forces and not to contest territory that Syria had recently reclaimed from terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo and southern Idlib provinces. In fact, Turkey agreed not to intervene against Syrian troops in any of the areas from which it pulled back, in effect allowing Syrian forces to reclaim even more of its territory from terrorists in southern Idlib. | The agreement appeared to be…

RT (2020-03-10). Idea that Hitler & Stalin share equal responsibility for WW2 'garbage' promoted by 'ignorant people' in EU Parliament — Putin. rt.com Vladimir Putin has lashed out at the European Union, which now holds Nazi Germany and the USSR equally responsible for starting World War Two. The Russian President is concerned at ongoing historical revisionism. | Putin also pointed out that, unlike the European Union, Russia has condemned the secret articles in the controversial Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, signed in 1939 by Moscow and Berlin. | He recalled the tumultuous end of the 1930s in the latest

RT (2020-03-10). 75 years after Russia & America worked TOGETHER to defeat Hitler, Trump SNUBS Putin's Moscow celebrations invite. rt.com While the 'Russiagate' hoax kept millions entertained in the fantasy world of US cable news, it also had plenty of real-world consequences. Now another can be added to the list: the White House's absence from Moscow on May 9. | US President Donald Trump has rejected Vladimir Putin's invitation to the Russian capital to mark the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. | Trump's non-attendance, which could be seen by many in Russia as an extraordinary affront to Soviet Russia's disproportionate sacrifice in annihilating fascism, marks an incre…

RT (2020-03-10). Putin rejects MPs' initiative to hold early parliamentary elections. rt.com Vladimir Putin said he saw no need to hold snap parliamentary elections after the adoption of proposed amendments to Russia's Constitution. The idea had been floated on Tuesday in the lower house of the Russian parliament. | If there's a lack of consensus on the issue among MPs and "there's no such unity as the chairman [of the Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin] told me than I don't see any need for an early election to the State Duma," Putin said in an address parliament on Tuesday. | The proposed amendments to the Constitution will transfer some of the presidential powers to the parliament, thus raising the ques…

RT (2020-03-10). 'Western ideologists will go crazy': Putin leaves door open to run for president again. rt.com Putin's speech to the Russian parliament Tuesday seemed to be one of his most sincere: he argued that stable leadership is good for a country in turbulent times but does it mean we'll really see him in power beyond 2024. | Putin said Tuesday that he will seek a new term when his current one is up "only if it's approved by the Constitutional Court and if citizens support such a proposal" when they vote for constitutional amendments on April 22. | He addressed the issue during a speech in parliament after MP and the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, called for his tenure to be reset so that he would be…

RT (2020-03-10). Russian parliament adjourns after proposal to allow Putin run again in 2024 Presidential elections. rt.com On day of high drama in Moscow, proceedings in Russia's State Duma have been temporarily suspended to allow consultations with President Vladimir Putin. It comes after a suggestion that Presidential term limits could be re-set. | The idea was floated by Valentina Tereshkova, an MP from the ruling 'United Russia' party, who is also famous for being the first woman in space. She wants to give the incumbent head of state a chance to compete in the 2024 Presidential election. | Under existing rules, Putin must stand aside after the current mandate, his fourth, ends. However, putative constitutional changes current…

RT (2020-03-10). US exploring NATO aid for Turkey in Idlib, says sanctions could be applied if Russia or Syria violate ceasefire — reports. rt.com Washington's special envoy for Syria has signaled that the US is exploring NATO involvement in Idlib, and said that any violations of the truce in the Syrian province could be punished with sanctions, according to reports. | James Jeffrey arrived in Brussels on Tuesday to meet with NATO allies and discuss "ways to support Turkey's security concerns," the State Department said in a statement. | In a conference call with reporters, Jeffrey said that Washington is "looking" at what NATO can do for Turkey in Idlib, and that "everything is on the table." | He reportedly warned that the United States could respond w…

RT (2020-03-10). GOLD may be the BIG WINNER in oil price war. rt.com Gold — regarded as the traditional safe haven — could be "one of the beneficiaries" of the global stock market panic caused by the Russian-Saudi standoff over oil and the coronavirus outbreak. | That's according to Research Director at NXTanalytic Alessandro Bruno, who told RT that "Russia could probably sustain the crisis for longer than Saudi Arabia." | He explained that this is due to Moscow's financial policies of the past few years and, in particular, Russia's accumulation of gold. | "Let's not forget, Russia and China have been accumulating a lot of gold," Bruno said, adding that "One of the…

RT (2020-03-10). Erdogan says US softening stance on Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems. rt.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Washington was softening its stance on a potential sale of US Patriot defense systems. He added that the United States had asked Ankara to guarantee it will not activate Russian S-400 defense systems, Reuters reported on Tuesday. | "We made this offer to the US on the Patriot: If you are going to give us Patriots, then do it. We can also buy Patriots from you," Erdogan told reporters on a return flight from Brussels. "They also softened significantly on this S-400 issue. They are now at the point of 'promise us you won't make the S-400s operational,'" he not…

RT (2020-03-10). Who will blink first? Russia in better position to win crude price standoff with Saudi Arabia. rt.com Riyadh's actions in the oil market could be a grave miscalculation and will definitely backfire, but they will not make Moscow dance to its tune, analysts have told RT. | Crude oil prices suffered the biggest one-day fall since 1991 on Monday after top oil producers failed to agree on new output cuts and Saudi Arabia decided to boost production and offer discounts. Such an upheaval inflicts pain not only on Russia and Saudi Arabia, but also on all the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, Riyadh is clearly going to lose this price war, says Eike Hamer, political comm…

RT (2020-03-10). Russian stock markets catch up to global equity losses after oil price crash. rt.com Russia's main index on the Moscow Exchange opened almost 10 percent lower after the long weekend holiday on Tuesday, before recovering most of its losses during the afternoon trade with losses of about four percent. | Russian stock exchanges were closed Monday for a public holiday and are now catching up with global markets, which posted their steepest falls since the 2008 financial crisis to start the week after oil prices crashed over the weekend. | The main MOEX Index was down around four percent by 2: 00pm local time, according to data of the Moscow Exchange. The RTS dollar index was down about eight percen…

RT (2020-03-10). US offered Ankara intelligence on Idlib, FM Cavusoglu claims, says S-400 won't stop Turkey from getting Patriot missiles. rt.com The US was willing to give Turkey intelligence regarding Syria's Idlib, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has claimed, adding that the purchase of Russian anti-air systems won't prevent Ankara from acquiring Patriot missiles. | The senior Turkish diplomat told state-owned Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that Washington had offered land, sea and air intelligence regarding the northwestern region, considered by Damascus and Moscow as the last terrorist stronghold in Syria. | According to Cavusoglu, Turkey and Russia will begin patrols around a critical highway in Idlib, as part of a recent ceasefire agreement brokered…

RT (2020-03-10). All-star warmonger Lindsey Graham urges NATO to 'get more involved' in Idlib, Syria to stop 'Syrian aggression'. rt.com Veteran chickenhawk Lindsey Graham once again beat his over-used war drum, this time because he wants NATO to get involved in Idlib, Syria to stop "Syrian aggression." Yes, when will Syria stop intervening in its own country? | The South Carolina senator said that he fully supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to "get NATO more involved in Syria," arguing that the defensive alliance should aid Turkey as it "defends Idlib against Russian/Syrian aggression." He further argued that the "fall" of Idlib would result in a humanitarian crisis felt around the world, which is why NATO should be more "supportive"

RT (2020-03-10). Global crude claws back losses after major price collapse. rt.com Oil prices have gained around nine percent on Tuesday following the biggest one-day rout in nearly three decades, after Saudi Arabia threatened to boost production and offer discounts. | Benchmark Brent rose nearly $3 to over $37 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was trading at around $34 a barrel. | Crude prices collapsed over the weekend after the disagreement between Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) over deeper production cuts aimed at supporting global crude prices amid falling demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. | For more stories on economy…

RT (2020-03-10). Oil prices will rebound in several months — Russian energy minister. rt.com It will take the oil market several months to recover from the current turbulence, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday, adding that plummeting oil prices were not a surprise for Russia. | "This scenario was expected and calculated," he told Rossiya-24 channel the day after a 30 percent drop in crude prices. On Tuesday, oil gained around 8 percent — a good signal that some panic sentiments have already vanished, the minister believes. | The recovery of oil prices will depend on a wide range of factors, primarily on how the governments will contain the coronavirus outbreak as the epidemi…

Andrew Korybko (2020-03-10). Russia's Rejection of OPEC+ Was the Result of Cold Geostrategic Calculations. globalresearch.ca Russia rejected its OPEC+ partners' request late last week to further curtail its oil production next month because it understood that doing so would make its American shale rivals more competitive, which would in turn empower the US to continue …

Andrew Korybko (2020-03-10). Saudi Arabia's Oil Price War Could Very Easily Backfire. globalresearch.ca Russia's rejection of its OPEC+ partners' request to further reduce oil production in response to slumping demand prompted Saudi Arabia to unwisely initiate an oil price war over the weekend as revenge, one which the Gulf country is ill-equipped to …

Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear (2020-03-10). Japanese PM Abe & Capitalist Governments Helped Escalate Coronavirus Epidemic. indybay.org The Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear Power Plant Fukushima Action has warned that the Coronavirus outbreak is a man made disaster which is being used by the reactionary Abe government to prevent mass testing of the population. It has also stopped testing the people of Fukushima.

Brandon Turbeville (2020-03-10). 1983 CIA Document Reveals Plan to Destroy Syria, Foreshadows Current Crisis. globalresearch.ca As the Syrian crisis enters its ninth year, the Donald Trump administration is looking more and more like the Obama administration every day. With the Trump regime refusing to open useful dialogue with Russia regarding Syria, it's obvious anti-Iran and …

WSWS (2020-03-10). Coronavirus destabilises Saudi Arabia. wsws.org The Saudi announcement to slash oil prices led to a sharp fall in the share prices of its national oil company Saudi Aramco and Russia's Rosneft.

teleSUR (2020-03-10). Russia: Lower House Approves 169 Constitutional Amendments. telesurenglish.net Russia's Lower House of the Federal Assembly Tuesday unanimously approved 169 amendments to the Constitution, which were proposed by RELATED: | During the debate, Alexander Karenlin, a lawmaker of the ruling party United Russia (UR), proposed advancin…

yenisafak (2020-03-10). Saudis, Russians set to stir price war via oil rise. yenisafak.com Saudi Arabia and Russia are set to stir up an oil price war as they prepare to boost their crude oil production levels at the beginning of April, after the two oil heavyweights failed to agree to curb their outputs at the OPEC meeting last week.Saudi Aramco, the world's largest crude oil exporter's national oil company, said Tuesday that it would provide its customers with 12.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil starting from April 1.That level is "an increase of 300,000 per day over the company's maximum sustained capacity of 12 million bpd," according to an announcement it made on the Saudi stock exchan…

yenisafak (2020-03-10). Experts warn of economic recession amid virus spread, oil price dive. yenisafak.com With the ever-growing impact of coronavirus on countries' economic output and the latest duel between Saudi Arabia and Russia on oil production, experts are worried about global economic recession.The world economy seems to have stepped into a very cloudy March mostly because of the rapid spread of coronavirus in Europe and the U.S., and shockwaves sent to markets by world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia.On Friday, Saudi-led Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia-spearheaded non-OPEC oil producing countries failed to reach a deal to further cut their oil production levels. Soon after, Sa…

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Germany Submits Request to Russia on Probe Into Nazi WWII Crimes in Yeysk – Prosecutor. sputniknews.com BERLIN (Sputnik) – Germany has submitted a request to Russia regarding the probe into the Nazi crimes, committed in Russia's Yeysk during WWII, including regarding proofs of Helmut Oberlander's involvement, Senior Prosecutor Thomas Will, the deputy head of Ludwigsburg's central department for investigation of National Socialist crimes said.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Radioac-Till: Rammstein Frontman Lindemann Rides Carousel in Chernobyl Ghost Town — Video. sputniknews.com The town of Pripyat, just 3 km away from the epicentre of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, has been abandoned completely, with remnants of life rusting away and falling apart.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). President Putin Speaking on Constitutional Amendments in Russia's State Duma – Video. sputniknews.com Earlier in the day, the Speaker of the Lower House Viacheslav Volodin said that the idea to abandon presidential terms limits or reset terms to zero after adopting an amendment to the Russian constitution should be discussed with President Vladimir Putin and leaders of the lower house factions.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Putin Says No Need to Lift Presidential Term Limits. sputniknews.com Putin proposed sweeping changes to Russia's Constitution in January, with Russians set to go to the polls next month to vote on the proposed amendments, which have been discussed extensively by Russian legislative organs in recent weeks.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Erdogan Says Proposed Joint Management of Oil Fields in Deir ez-Zor, Syria With Russia. sputniknews.com The United States moved to "secure" oil rich-regions of eastern Syria late last year after moving troops away from the border with Turkey, sparking international condemnation and charges that Washington's actions were a violation of international laws against pillaging.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Apple and State Hermitage Museum Present 5-Hour Film Shot on iPhone 11 Pro – Video. sputniknews.com According to the project's director Axinya Gog, the film makes an attempt to show one day of the museum's work and reveals a link between different epochs, between eternal art and modern technologies.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Postponed Until 2021 Due to Coronavirus. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The 24th edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will be held in 2021, the Roscongress Foundation, which organises the forum, said on Tuesday.

sputniknews (2020-03-10). Ankara Vows Retaliation if Syrian Gov't Violates Idlib Ceasefire. sputniknews.com The wayward province of Idlib, now the last major piece of territory outside Damascus's control in Syria's west, is subject to a ceasefire deal between Turkish and Syrian forces brokered by Russia following weeks of heavy fighting.

Juan Cole (2020-03-10). Russia Provoked Oil Price Fall to Protect its Markets from US Frackers, which could Collapse. iranian.com Last weekend, OPEC Plus, an expanded cartel of petroleum exporters, considered a plan for members to cut back on their oil production so as to support prices in the face of a slowing world economy owing to the novel coronavirus. The Russian Federation rejected the plan put forward by OPEC, insisting on continuing to export …

pip.hinman (2020-03-10). Why nuclear power must remain outlawed in Australia. greenleft.org.au

RT (2020-03-09). Chernobyl to Katrina: Pundits scramble to compare Trump's handling of coronavirus to previous catastrophes. rt.com Media are comparing US President Donald Trump's (mis)handling of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic to high-profile historical disasters, from the Chernobyl nuclear accident to Hurricane Katrina…and even the fall of Rome. | Pundits eager to see the end of Trump have rushed to compare what they view as his failure to properly deal with the coronavirus outbreak to legendary disasters from recent and ancient history, regardless of how well those disasters reflect current events. | The president himself retweeted a meme that was quickly interpreted as comparing himself to Emperor Nero, who supposedly fiddled whil…

RT (2020-03-09). Oil price war will expedite the end of petrodollar & rise of Chinese-Russian currency— RT's Max Keiser. rt.com The US shale market is to bear the brunt of the raging oil price war that has sent Dow Jones and crude prices down, and Saudi Arabia will fare no better. Meanwhile, Russia has got the best hand in the game, Max Keiser believes.

RT (2020-03-09). Trump says crashing markets good for consumers, blames Russia, Saudi Arabia and Fake News. rt.com US President Donald Trump can't seem to decide whether a sudden, massive drop in oil prices is good or bad for the country, so he's hedged his bets on Twitter, suggesting it's "Good for the consumer" but bad for markets. | Blaming the "market drop" on "Saudi Arabia and Russia…arguing over the price and flow of oil" in a Monday morning tweet, the president whipsawed around and – within the same minute! – bragged that the resulting chaos was "good for the consumer," because gas prices would go down. | Saudi Arabia and Russia are arguing over the price and flow of oil. That, and the Fake News, is the reason for…

RT (2020-03-09). Daily Beast's Russian TV watcher says RT spreads 'conspiracy theories' about Biden, fails to mention any. rt.com The Atlantic Council's Julia Davis has accused RT of promoting conspiracy theories about Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden. If only she could mention at least one… | Davis, a "Russian media monitor" for the Atlantic Council, has been giving Daily Beast readers weekly updates about what Russians think about the American election. (In short, Russians like Trump, and like Bernie because Bernie can't beat Trump, and hate Biden because Trump can't possibly beat Biden.) | Her pieces are mostly about what Russian TV tells Russians, but the latest installment had a few words reserved for RT, which, "actively promotes c…

Stephen Lendman (2020-03-09). Ceasefire in Syria: Dead on Arrival? globalresearch.ca Ceasefire in Syria's Idlib province is more illusion than reality. | At best, principles Putin and Erdogan agreed on last Thursday abated fighting short-term without halting it or preventing a flareup like all previous times when ceasefires were declared throughout years …

Eric Walberg (2020-03-09). Leaving the EU Was the Right Move for the Wrong Reasons. globalresearch.ca Let's be clear: the EU was not set up to promote a friendly big socialist community, a Soviet-lite. The EU was created by the US, originally the European Coal and Steel Community set up in 1950 with the intent of …

news.un (2020-03-09). Atomic agency cites concerns over Iran testing sites, offers COVID-19 assistance. news.un.org Iran's nuclear capabilities moved back into the international spotlight on Monday as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that it had concerns about possible "undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities" in unregistered locations there.

Robert Bohm (2020-03-09). Fire and Brimstone at the O.K. Corral, known today as the Democratic Party. dissidentvoice.org Yes, Putin's hackers would love to see Trump reelected. And it's also true that unknown to us there may be a new Giuliani-led team of huckster guerrillas sealing dirty deals behind the scenes in order to bring the Democratic Party (DP) down. But no matter how true these things are, responsibility for the party's current …

Scott Ritter (2020-03-09). New Putin-Erdogan Deal Is Sugar-coating the Turks' Surrender. globalresearch.ca This week's meeting between Presidents Putin and Erdogan in Moscow was cast as preventing a war between Russia and Turkey in Syria. War, however, was never on the horizon. Putin called Erdogan's bluff, and the Turk folded. | Russian President Vladimir …

Arabi Souri (2020-03-09). Cease Fire Rejected. Turkey Doesn't Consider Al Qaeda as a Terrorist Group. Erdogan Sends More Troops into Idlib. globalresearch.ca The latest agreement of ceasefire between the Russian President and the Turkish madman Erdogan explicitly excludes combating terrorists. Erdogan doesn't consider al-Qaeda as a terrorist group, he invested heavily in this organization especially in Syria and

Pepe Escobar (2020-03-08). Putin Saves Erdogan from Himself. globalresearch.ca At the start of their discussion marathon in Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with arguably the most extraordinary diplomatic gambit of the young 21st century. | Putin said: | "At the beginning of …

Reza Marashi (2020-03-07). Nuclear Programs, Negotiations, and Naivety — Podcast Episode 12. iranian.com Episode Description: This week, Reza breaks down why advocates of abandoning the Iran nuclear deal now own the consequences, how America can help shape a peace deal in Afghanistan while still withdrawing its troops, and why Trump's effort to push China out of regional integration in Asia won't work. Siamak Naficy, Senior Lecturer at the Naval …

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-03-07). A "win-win" over Afghanistan and Syria. iranian.com Two peace agreements within a week are a bit too much. Hot on the heels of the US-Taliban peace agreement signed in Doha on February 9, Russia and Turkey have signed a peace agreement over the Syrian conflict in Moscow on March 6. On the face of it, the two are unconnected events but they …

2020-03-10: Social Media Postees

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

Russia's Rejection of OPEC+ Was the Result of Cold Geostrategic Calculations
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-10
Russia rejected its OPEC+ partners' request late last week to further curtail its oil production next month because it understood that doing so would make its American shale rivals more competitive, which would in turn empower the US to continue …
globalresearch.ca/russia-rejection-opec-result-cold-geostrategic-calculations/5705978

Saudi Arabia's Oil Price War Could Very Easily Backfire
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-10
Russia's rejection of its OPEC+ partners' request to further reduce oil production in response to slumping demand prompted Saudi Arabia to unwisely initiate an oil price war over the weekend as revenge, one which the Gulf country is ill-equipped to …
globalresearch.ca/saudi-arabia-oil-price-war/5705941

Putin rejects MPs' initiative to hold early parliamentary elections
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Vladimir Putin said he saw no need to hold snap parliamentary elections after the adoption of proposed amendments to Russia's Constitution. The idea had been floated on Tuesday in the lower house of the Russian parliament. | If there's a lack of consensus on the issue among MPs and "there's no such unity as the chairman [of the Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin] told me than I don't see any need for an early election to the State Duma," Putin said in an address parliament on Tuesday. | The proposed amendments to the Constitution will transfer some of the presidential powers to the parliament, thus raising the ques…
rt.com/russia/482741-duma-putin-early-elections/

Russia: Lower House Approves 169 Constitutional Amendments
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-10
Russia's Lower House of the Federal Assembly Tuesday unanimously approved 169 amendments to the Constitution, which were proposed by President Vladimir Putin and give Parliament more powers. | RELATED: | Russia, Turkey Agree Ceasefire Deal for Syria's Idlib | During the debate, Alexander Karenlin, a lawmaker of the ruling party United Russia (UR), proposed advancin…
telesurenglish.net/news/Russia-Lower-House-Approves-169-Constitutional-Amendments-20200310-0002.html

Parliament GREENLIGHTS Putin's proposed amendments to Russia's Constitution
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Russian MPs have voted in favor of a bill to amend the country's Constitution. The changes include broadening the powers of parliament as well as limiting the number of lifetime presidential terms for one person. | The bill was supported by 382 deputies during the second and main reading on Tuesday. 44 MPs abstained from the vote, mostly members of the opposition Communist party. | Russians will head to the polls to vote on the proposed constitutional changes on April 22. Amendments to the country's' principal law, among other things, include redistributing some powers away from the president to the Duma, rest…
rt.com/russia/482744-parliament-putin-constitution-amendments/

Putin has no objection to possibility of running for president in 2024
rt.com | 2020-03-10
The Russian president says a suggestion by MPs that would see presidential terms reset, thus allowing him to run again in 2024, would be acceptable should it be supported by citizens and approved by the Constitutional Court. | "I believe and am deeply convinced that a strong presidential power is absolutely necessary for our country," Putin stated in his address to the State Duma. However, the public should have guarantees that elections

75 years after Russia & America worked TOGETHER to defeat Hitler, Trump SNUBS Putin's Moscow celebrations invite
rt.com | 2020-03-10
While the 'Russiagate' hoax kept millions entertained in the fantasy world of US cable news, it also had plenty of real-world consequences. Now another can be added to the list: the White House's absence from Moscow on May 9. | US President Donald Trump has rejected Vladimir Putin's invitation to the Russian capital to mark the 75th anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. | Trump's non-attendance, which could be seen by many in Russia as an extraordinary affront to Soviet Russia's disproportionate sacrifice in annihilating fascism, marks an incre…
rt.com/russia/482763-trump-rejects-putin-invitation/

Russian parliament adjourns after proposal to allow Putin run again in 2024 Presidential elections
rt.com | 2020-03-10
On day of high drama in Moscow, proceedings in Russia's State Duma have been temporarily suspended to allow consultations with President Vladimir Putin. It comes after a suggestion that Presidential term limits could be re-set. | The idea was floated by Valentina Tereshkova, an MP from the ruling 'United Russia' party, who is also famous for being the first woman in space. She wants to give the incumbent head of state a chance to compete in the 2024 Presidential election. | Under existing rules, Putin must stand aside after the current mandate, his fourth, ends. However, putative constitutional changes current…
rt.com/russia/482733-parliament-adjourns-putin-elections/

The Battle for Idlib: Did Erdogan Capitulate to Putin in Moscow?
Phil Barbelé | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-10
There was a celebration in Syria when Russia announced a ceasefire agreement with Turkey on March 3 following a six-hour meeting between Presidents Erdogan and Putin in Moscow. Under the agreement, Erdogan agreed to pull back Turkish forces and not to contest territory that Syria had recently reclaimed from terrorist groups in eastern Aleppo and southern Idlib provinces. In fact, Turkey agreed not to intervene against Syrian troops in any of the areas from which it pulled back, in effect allowing Syrian forces to reclaim even more of its territory from terrorists in southern Idlib. | The agreement appeared to be…
mintpressnews.com/265621-2/265621/

'Western ideologists will go crazy': Putin leaves door open to run for president again
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Putin's speech to the Russian parliament Tuesday seemed to be one of his most sincere: he argued that stable leadership is good for a country in turbulent times but does it mean we'll really see him in power beyond 2024. | Putin said Tuesday that he will seek a new term when his current one is up "only if it's approved by the Constitutional Court and if citizens support such a proposal" when they vote for constitutional amendments on April 22. | He addressed the issue during a speech in parliament after MP and the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, called for his tenure to be reset so that he would be…
rt.com/russia/482771-putin-2024-presidential-term-west/

Contaminated water at nuclear plant still an issue ahead of Tokyo Olympics
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-03-10
Work to deal with contaminated water at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant continues as the Olympic Games approach.Inside a giant decontamination facility at the destroyed plant, workers in hazmat suits monitor radioactive water pumped from three damaged reactors.The decontamination process is a key element of a contentious debate over what should be done with the nearly 1.2 million tons of still-radioactive water being closely watched by governments and organisations around the world ahead of this summer's Tokyo Olympics.The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, says it needs to free up sp…
thecanary.co/global/world-news/2020/03/10/contaminated-water-at-nuclear-plant-still-an-issue-ahead-of-tokyo-olympics/

Japanese PM Abe & Capitalist Governments Helped Escalate Coronavirus Epidemic
Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear | indybay.org | 2020-03-10
The Organizing Committee of March 11 Anti-Nuclear Power Plant Fukushima Action has warned that the Coronavirus outbreak is a man made disaster which is being used by the reactionary Abe government to prevent mass testing of the population. It has also stopped testing the people of Fukushima.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/08/18831360.php

Russian stock markets catch up to global equity losses after oil price crash
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Russia's main index on the Moscow Exchange opened almost 10 percent lower after the long weekend holiday on Tuesday, before recovering most of its losses during the afternoon trade with losses of about four percent. | Russian stock exchanges were closed Monday for a public holiday and are now catching up with global markets, which posted their steepest falls since the 2008 financial crisis to start the week after oil prices crashed over the weekend. | The main MOEX Index was down around four percent by 2: 00pm local time, according to data of the Moscow Exchange. The RTS dollar index was down about eight percen…
rt.com/business/482708-russian-stock-markets-crash/

1983 CIA Document Reveals Plan to Destroy Syria, Foreshadows Current Crisis
Brandon Turbeville | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-10
As the Syrian crisis enters its ninth year, the Donald Trump administration is looking more and more like the Obama administration every day. With the Trump regime refusing to open useful dialogue with Russia regarding Syria, it's obvious anti-Iran and …
globalresearch.ca/1983-cia-document-reveals-plan-destroy-syria-foreshadows-current-crisis-2/5705964

All-star warmonger Lindsey Graham urges NATO to 'get more involved' in Idlib, Syria to stop 'Syrian aggression'
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Veteran chickenhawk Lindsey Graham once again beat his over-used war drum, this time because he wants NATO to get involved in Idlib, Syria to stop "Syrian aggression." Yes, when will Syria stop intervening in its own country? | The South Carolina senator said that he fully supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to "get NATO more involved in Syria," arguing that the defensive alliance should aid Turkey as it "defends Idlib against Russian/Syrian aggression." He further argued that the "fall" of Idlib would result in a humanitarian crisis felt around the world, which is why NATO should be more "supportive"
rt.com/news/482731-graham-turkey-nato-idlib-syria/

Global crude claws back losses after major price collapse
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Oil prices have gained around nine percent on Tuesday following the biggest one-day rout in nearly three decades, after Saudi Arabia threatened to boost production and offer discounts. | Benchmark Brent rose nearly $3 to over $37 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was trading at around $34 a barrel. | Crude prices collapsed over the weekend after the disagreement between Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) over deeper production cuts aimed at supporting global crude prices amid falling demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. | For more stories on economy…
rt.com/business/482732-oil-prices-bounce-back/

US offered Ankara intelligence on Idlib, FM Cavusoglu claims, says S-400 won't stop Turkey from getting Patriot missiles
rt.com | 2020-03-10
The US was willing to give Turkey intelligence regarding Syria's Idlib, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has claimed, adding that the purchase of Russian anti-air systems won't prevent Ankara from acquiring Patriot missiles. | The senior Turkish diplomat told state-owned Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that Washington had offered land, sea and air intelligence regarding the northwestern region, considered by Damascus and Moscow as the last terrorist stronghold in Syria. | According to Cavusoglu, Turkey and Russia will begin patrols around a critical highway in Idlib, as part of a recent ceasefire agreement brokered…
rt.com/news/482727-turkey-idlib-s-400-us-syria/

GOLD may be the BIG WINNER in oil price war
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Gold

Coronavirus destabilises Saudi Arabia
wsws.org | 2020-03-10
The Saudi announcement to slash oil prices led to a sharp fall in the share prices of its national oil company Saudi Aramco and Russia's Rosneft.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/10/saud-m10.html

Erdogan says US softening stance on Turkey's purchase of Patriot systems
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Washington was softening its stance on a potential sale of US Patriot defense systems. He added that the United States had asked Ankara to guarantee it will not activate Russian S-400 defense systems, Reuters reported on Tuesday. | "We made this offer to the US on the Patriot: If you are going to give us Patriots, then do it. We can also buy Patriots from you," Erdogan told reporters on a return flight from Brussels. "They also softened significantly on this S-400 issue. They are now at the point of 'promise us you won't make the S-400s operational,'" he not…
rt.com/newsline/482735-erdogan-us-patriot-s400/

Who will blink first? Russia in better position to win crude price standoff with Saudi Arabia
rt.com | 2020-03-10
Riyadh's actions in the oil market could be a grave miscalculation and will definitely backfire, but they will not make Moscow dance to its tune, analysts have told RT. | Crude oil prices suffered the biggest one-day fall since 1991 on Monday after top oil producers failed to agree on new output cuts and Saudi Arabia decided to boost production and offer discounts. Such an upheaval inflicts pain not only on Russia and Saudi Arabia, but also on all the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). However, Riyadh is clearly going to lose this price war, says Eike Hamer, political comm…
rt.com/business/482712-saudi-arabia-russia-oil-conflict/

Nowhere Else to Go
Scott Owen | counterpunch.org | 2020-03-10
Let's get this straight, progressives want to get rid of Trump just as bad as anyone. Progressives hate Trump. Trump, the Republican Party and all that they represent is the antithesis of everything that progressives fight for and they are fighting now to get him out. The Democratic Party failed to keep him out and now they are heading right towards that same cliff. Progressives think they know why the Democrats lost to Trump, not because of Russians or third party voters but Democrats have closed their ears and minds to their allies, the progressives, and to any self-realization. Democrats are proving themselves…
counterpunch.org/2020/03/10/nowhere-else-to-go/

Coronavirus destabilises Saudi Arabia
wsws.org | 2020-03-10
The Saudi announcement to slash oil prices led to a sharp fall in the share prices of its national oil company Saudi Aramco and Russia's Rosneft.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/03/10/saud-m10.html

Saudis, Russians set to stir price war via oil rise
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-10
Saudi Arabia and Russia are set to stir up an oil price war as they prepare to boost their crude oil production levels at the beginning of April, after the two oil heavyweights failed to agree to curb their outputs at the OPEC meeting last week.Saudi Aramco, the world's largest crude oil exporter's national oil company, said Tuesday that it would provide its customers with 12.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil starting from April 1.That level is "an increase of 300,000 per day over the company's maximum sustained capacity of 12 million bpd," according to an announcement it made on the Saudi stock exchan…
yenisafak.com/en/world/saudis-russians-set-to-stir-price-war-via-oil-rise-3513691

Experts warn of economic recession amid virus spread, oil price dive
yenisafak.com | 2020-03-10
With the ever-growing impact of coronavirus on countries' economic output and the latest duel between Saudi Arabia and Russia on oil production, experts are worried about global economic recession.The world economy seems to have stepped into a very cloudy March mostly because of the rapid spread of coronavirus in Europe and the U.S., and shockwaves sent to markets by world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia.On Friday, Saudi-led Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia-spearheaded non-OPEC oil producing countries failed to reach a deal to further cut their oil production levels. Soon after, Sa…
yenisafak.com/en/economy/experts-warn-of-economic-recession-amid-virus-spread-oil-price-dive-3513682

Germany Submits Request to Russia on Probe Into Nazi WWII Crimes in Yeysk – Prosecutor
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
BERLIN (Sputnik) – Germany has submitted a request to Russia regarding the probe into the Nazi crimes, committed in Russia's Yeysk during WWII, including regarding proofs of Helmut Oberlander's involvement, Senior Prosecutor Thomas Will, the deputy head of Ludwigsburg's central department for investigation of National Socialist crimes said.
sputniknews.com/world/202003101078525490-germany-submits-request-to-russia-on-probe-into-nazi-wwii-crimes-in-yeysk—prosecutor/

President Putin Speaking on Constitutional Amendments in Russia's State Duma – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
Earlier in the day, the Speaker of the Lower House Viacheslav Volodin said that the idea to abandon presidential terms limits or reset terms to zero after adopting an amendment to the Russian constitution should be discussed with President Vladimir Putin and leaders of the lower house factions.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003101078528251-president-putin-speaking-on-constitutional-amendments-in-russias-state-duma—video/

Putin Says No Need to Lift Presidential Term Limits
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
Putin proposed sweeping changes to Russia's Constitution in January, with Russians set to go to the polls next month to vote on the proposed amendments, which have been discussed extensively by Russian legislative organs in recent weeks.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003101078528390-putin-says-no-need-to-lift-presidential-term-limits/

St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Postponed Until 2021 Due to Coronavirus
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The 24th edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will be held in 2021, the Roscongress Foundation, which organises the forum, said on Tuesday.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003101078525856-st-petersburg-international-economic-forum-postponed-until-2021-due-to-coronavirus/

Ankara Vows Retaliation if Syrian Gov't Violates Idlib Ceasefire
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
The wayward province of Idlib, now the last major piece of territory outside Damascus's control in Syria's west, is subject to a ceasefire deal between Turkish and Syrian forces brokered by Russia following weeks of heavy fighting.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/202003101078525957-ankara-vows-retaliation-if-syrian-govt-violates-idlib-ceasefire/

Erdogan Says Proposed Joint Management of Oil Fields in Deir ez-Zor, Syria With Russia
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
The United States moved to "secure" oil rich-regions of eastern Syria late last year after moving troops away from the border with Turkey, sparking international condemnation and charges that Washington's actions were a violation of international laws against pillaging.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/202003101078527816-erdogan-says-proposed-joint-management-of-oil-fields-in-deir-ez-zor-syria-with-russia/

Apple and State Hermitage Museum Present 5-Hour Film Shot on iPhone 11 Pro – Video
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-10
According to the project's director Axinya Gog, the film makes an attempt to show one day of the museum's work and reveals a link between different epochs, between eternal art and modern technologies.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003101078527967-apple-and-state-hermitage-museum-present-5-hour-film-shot-on-iphone-11-pro—video/

Why nuclear power must remain outlawed in Australia
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-03-10
Environment Jim GreenIssue 1257 Australia nuclear power uranium miningMarch 10, 2020Nuclear power is prohibited in Australia under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC…
greenleft.org.au/content/why-nuclear-power-must-remain-outlawed-australia

Russia Provoked Oil Price Fall to Protect its Markets from US Frackers, which could Collapse
Juan Cole | iranian.com | 2020-03-10
Last weekend, OPEC Plus, an expanded cartel of petroleum exporters, considered a plan for members to cut back on their oil production so as to support prices in the face of a slowing world economy owing to the novel coronavirus. The Russian Federation rejected the plan put forward by OPEC, insisting on continuing to export …
iranian.com/2020/03/10/russia-provoked-oil-price-fall-to-protect-its-markets-from-us-frackers-which-could-collapse/

Ceasefire in Syria: Dead on Arrival?
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-09
Ceasefire in Syria's Idlib province is more illusion than reality. | At best, principles Putin and Erdogan agreed on last Thursday abated fighting short-term without halting it or preventing a flareup like all previous times when ceasefires were declared throughout years …
globalresearch.ca/ceasefire-syria-dead-arrival/5705845

Leaving the EU Was the Right Move for the Wrong Reasons
Eric Walberg | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-09
Let's be clear: the EU was not set up to promote a friendly big socialist community, a Soviet-lite. The EU was created by the US, originally the European Coal and Steel Community set up in 1950 with the intent of …
globalresearch.ca/leaving-eu-right-move-wrong-reasons/5705893

New Putin-Erdogan Deal Is Sugar-coating the Turks' Surrender
Scott Ritter | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-09
This week's meeting between Presidents Putin and Erdogan in Moscow was cast as preventing a war between Russia and Turkey in Syria. War, however, was never on the horizon. Putin called Erdogan's bluff, and the Turk folded. | Russian President Vladimir | …
globalresearch.ca/new-putin-erdogan-deal-sugar-coating-turk-surrender/5705852

Fire and Brimstone at the O.K. Corral, known today as the Democratic Party
Robert Bohm | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-03-09
Yes, Putin's hackers would love to see Trump reelected. And it's also true that unknown to us there may be a new Giuliani-led team of huckster guerrillas sealing dirty deals behind the scenes in order to bring the Democratic Party (DP) down. But no matter how true these things are, responsibility for the party's current …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/03/fire-and-brimstone-at-the-o-k-corral-known-today-as-the-democratic-party/

Chernobyl to Katrina: Pundits scramble to compare Trump's handling of coronavirus to previous catastrophes
rt.com | 2020-03-09
Media are comparing US President Donald Trump's (mis)handling of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic to high-profile historical disasters, from the Chernobyl nuclear accident to Hurricane Katrina…and even the fall of Rome. | Pundits eager to see the end of Trump have rushed to compare what they view as his failure to properly deal with the coronavirus outbreak to legendary disasters from recent and ancient history, regardless of how well those disasters reflect current events. | The president himself retweeted a meme that was quickly interpreted as comparing himself to Emperor Nero, who supposedly fiddled whil…
rt.com/usa/482683-trump-katrina-chernobyl-media-coronavirus/

Atomic agency cites concerns over Iran testing sites, offers COVID-19 assistance
news.un.org | 2020-03-09
Iran's nuclear capabilities moved back into the international spotlight on Monday as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that it had concerns about possible "undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities" in unregistered locations there.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/03/1059001

Oil price war will expedite the end of petrodollar & rise of Chinese-Russian currency– RT's Max Keiser
rt.com | 2020-03-09
The US shale market is to bear the brunt of the raging oil price war that has sent Dow Jones and crude prices down, and Saudi Arabia will fare no better. Meanwhile, Russia has got the best hand in the game, Max Keiser believes. | …
rt.com/business/482691-kaiser-oil-price-petrodollar-end/

Trump says crashing markets good for consumers, blames Russia, Saudi Arabia and Fake News
rt.com | 2020-03-09
US President Donald Trump can't seem to decide whether a sudden, massive drop in oil prices is good or bad for the country, so he's hedged his bets on Twitter, suggesting it's "Good for the consumer" but bad for markets. | Blaming the "market drop" on "Saudi Arabia and Russia…arguing over the price and flow of oil" in a Monday morning tweet, the president whipsawed around and – within the same minute! – bragged that the resulting chaos was "good for the consumer," because gas prices would go down. | Saudi Arabia and Russia are arguing over the price and flow of oil. That, and the Fake News, is the reason for…
rt.com/usa/482671-trump-schizo-oil-markets-drop/

Cease Fire Rejected. Turkey Doesn't Consider Al Qaeda as a Terrorist Group. Erdogan Sends More Troops into Idlib
Arabi Souri | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-09
The latest agreement of ceasefire between the Russian President and the Turkish madman Erdogan explicitly excludes combating terrorists. Erdogan doesn't consider al-Qaeda as a terrorist group, he invested heavily in this organization especially in Syria and lately in Libya….
globalresearch.ca/turkish-hts-rejected-ceasefire-erdogan-sends-more-troops-idlib/5705864

Daily Beast's Russian TV watcher says RT spreads 'conspiracy theories' about Biden, fails to mention any
rt.com | 2020-03-09
The Atlantic Council's Julia Davis has accused RT of promoting conspiracy theories about Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden. If only she could mention at least one… | Davis, a "Russian media monitor" for the Atlantic Council, has been giving Daily Beast readers weekly updates about what Russians think about the American election. (In short, Russians like Trump, and like Bernie because Bernie can't beat Trump, and hate Biden because Trump can't possibly beat Biden.) | Her pieces are mostly about what Russian TV tells Russians, but the latest installment had a few words reserved for RT, which, "actively promotes c…
rt.com/usa/482653-rt-conspiracy-theories-biden/

Trump says crashing markets good for consumers, blames Russia, Saudi Arabia and Fake News
rt.com | 2020-03-09
US President Donald Trump can't seem to decide whether a sudden, massive drop in oil prices is good or bad for the country, so he's hedged his bets on Twitter, suggesting it's "Good for the consumer" but bad for markets. | Blaming the "market drop" on "Saudi Arabia and Russia…arguing over the price and flow of oil" in a Monday morning tweet, the president whipsawed around and – within the same minute! – bragged that the resulting chaos was "good for the consumer," because gas prices would go down. | Saudi Arabia and Russia are arguing over the price and flow of oil. That, and the Fake News, is the reason for…
rt.com/usa/482671-trump-schizo-oil-markets-drop/

Daily Beast's Russian TV watcher says RT spreads 'conspiracy theories' about Biden, fails to mention any
rt.com | 2020-03-09
The Atlantic Council's Julia Davis has accused RT of promoting conspiracy theories about Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden. If only she could mention at least one… | Davis, a "Russian media monitor" for the Atlantic Council, has been giving Daily Beast readers weekly updates about what Russians think about the American election. (In short, Russians like Trump, and like Bernie because Bernie can't beat Trump, and hate Biden because Trump can't possibly beat Biden.) | Her pieces are mostly about what Russian TV tells Russians, but the latest installment had a few words reserved for RT, which, "actively promotes c…
rt.com/usa/482653-rt-conspiracy-theories-biden/

Putin Saves Erdogan from Himself
Pepe Escobar | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-08
At the start of their discussion marathon in Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with arguably the most extraordinary diplomatic gambit of the young 21st century. | Putin said: | "At the beginning of | …
globalresearch.ca/putin-saves-erdogan/5705806

Oil Falls 30% As Saudi Arabia Slashes Prices, Sparks Price War
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-08
Oil prices plunged about 30 percent on early trading Sunday evening after Saudi Arabia slashed its selling prices and pledged to unleash stored supply onto the market. | RELATED: | OPEC Backs Biggest Oil Cut Since 2008 Crisis, Awaits Russia | Starting what many experts consider an all-out price war, the kingdom's decision caused the biggest percentage drop since Jan. 17, 1991, at the start of the first Gulf War and the lowest since Feb. 12, 2016. | Brent crude, the international b…
telesurenglish.net/news/Oil-Falls-30-As-Saudi-Arabia-Slashes-Prices-Sparks-Price-War-20200308-0011.html

A "win-win" over Afghanistan and Syria
M. K. Bhadrakumar | iranian.com | 2020-03-07
Two peace agreements within a week are a bit too much. Hot on the heels of the US-Taliban peace agreement signed in Doha on February 9, Russia and Turkey have signed a peace agreement over the Syrian conflict in Moscow on March 6. On the face of it, the two are unconnected events but they …
iranian.com/2020/03/06/a-win-win-over-afghanistan-and-syria/

The New Idlib Ceasefire Forces Turkey-Backed Extremists to Fall Back
Steven Sahiounie | mintpressnews.com | 2020-03-06
Putin and Erdogan met in Moscow in a last-ditch effort to strike a deal over the escalating violence in Idlib, Syria. Steven Sahiounie weighs in on who prevailed and what likely comes next.
mintpressnews.com/russia-turkey-ceasefire-moscow-idlib/265541/