2020-01-21: News Headlines

RT (2020-01-21). Spanish PM Sanchez to meet head of Catalan govt Torra, independence referendum 'off the table'. rt.com Spain's prime minister has said he will meet the head of Catalonia's regional government in early February, but discussion of an independence referendum will be off the table. | The meeting will come ahead of negotiations between Quim Torra's regional government and PM Pedro Sanchez, aimed at finding a way out of the political crisis that has rocked Spain since 2017 after a disputed referendum in the northeastern region. | Catalonia's oldest and largest pro-independence party, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), demanded the talks about the region's place within Spain in exchange for its abstention in a co…

RT (2020-01-21). Iran's civil aviation authority confirms 2 missiles fired at Ukraine airliner. rt.com The civil aviation authority in Iran has confirmed two missiles were fired at a Ukrainian airliner that was brought down earlier this month. Investigators discovered that "two Tor-M1 missiles… were fired at the aircraft," the authority said in a preliminary report posted on its website late on Monday. | An investigation is ongoing to assess the bearing their impact had on the accident. The statement confirms a report in The New York Times which included video footage appearing to show two projectiles being fired at the airliner. | The Kiev-bound Ukraine International Airlines plane was shot down in error sho…

Alan MacLeod (2020-01-21). In France's longest protests since 1968, striking workers continue the fight against neoliberalism. mronline.org From bus drivers to ballet dancers, workers from across France have taken to the streets in opposition to President Emmanual Macron's attempts to reshape the country into a U.S.-style neoliberal state. |

RT (2020-01-21). China court sentences former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei to 13 years in prison for bribery. rt.com Former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei, who was detained on a visit to China in 2018, was sentenced Tuesday to more than 13 years in prison for bribery. The case shook the international police organization. | Meng — a former vice minister of public security — is among a growing group of Communist Party cadres caught in China's anti-graft campaign. He vanished during a visit to China from France, where Interpol is based, and was later accused of accepting bribes and expelled from the Communist Party. His wife was granted political asylum in France last year. | Meng was sentenced to 13 years and six months…

RT (2020-01-21). BRICS open to new member states joining the club, says Russia's deputy FM. rt.com The BRICS group of emerging economies, which is comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is open to welcoming new member countries, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. | Russia is focused on activities on the BRICS+ platform, which "makes it possible for interested countries to find ways to cooperate with the group's members," said Ryabkov, adding: "This is why it is possible to talk about the expansion of BRICS as a goal for the future." | According to Ryabkov, the Russian Sherpa in the five-nation trade bloc, "BRICS' existence is important in terms of creating new…

Staff (2020-01-21). Climate Activists Sound Alarm on Mediterranean Natural Gas Pipelines. therealnews.com Activists say the environmental risks of natural gas drilling are being ignored in the rush to challenge Russia's control of the European energy market.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). Ankara Participates in NATO Naval Drill With European Allies – Defence Ministry. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkey is participating in the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 naval exercise in the eastern Mediterranean together with Italy, Germany, and Greece, the country's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-01-21). Iran threatens to leave nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. peoplesdispatch.org The announcement comes after the UK, France and Germany proposed the invocation of the dispute settlement mechanism in the UNSC – a move that Iran alleges is based on US diktats…

WSWS (2020-01-21). Germany: New links found between Làºbcke murder, neo-fascist NSU and the secret service. wsws.org The links between the series of murders carried out by the neo-Nazi terrorist group NSU, the murder of Kassel's District President Walter Làºbcke (CDU) and the secret service are closer than previously known.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). Russian Scientists Propose Manned Base on Martian Moon to Control Robots Remotely on Red Planet. sputniknews.com Academics believe a Martian moon base would be considerably cheaper to build than a base on the planet itself, while providing for the real-time control of robots stationed on Mars' surface.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). A Challenger Appears? Angelina Jolie's Lookalike From Russia Steals the Spotlight Online. sputniknews.com While some social media users praise the Russian beauty's stunning good looks and marvel at her resemblance to the Hollywood celebrity Angelina Jolie, there are also those who claim that her appearance is merely a product of plastic surgery.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). Central Cologne Evacuated After WWII Bomb Found — Administration. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A busy area in central Cologne was evacuated and transport restricted on Monday as a bomb squad prepares to defuse a WWII explosive device, the German city's administration said.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). 'Great Havoc' as Twin Blast Hits Stockholm – Photo. sputniknews.com Around 50 people were evacuated when two major blasts hit the Kista and Husby districts of Stockholm. Given the extent of the damage, it is surprising that only one person was taken to hospital with injuries.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). Employees of German Federal Government Have Outdated Windows 7 on Computers – Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – At least 33,000 computers used by the German federal government's employees have Windows 7, an outdated operating system, installed on them, media reported on Tuesday, citing the Interior Ministry's response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Greens.

sputniknews (2020-01-21). Facebook Pledges 1,000 New London Hires to Improve Online Safety. sputniknews.com The social media giant's announcement comes amid vocal concerns from business leaders regarding the lack of certainty over the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the European Union.

yenisafak (2020-01-21). Three arrested in Turkey for alleged drone shipment to Syria. yenisafak.com Turkish police arrested three suspects on Tuesday for allegedly sending a shipment of four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to terrorist groups in Syria, security sources said.The suspects were arrested in Istanbul and the southern Adana province, while another of Syrian nationality was held in the southern Hatay province, said the sources who asked not to be named, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.Acting on a tip-off received earlier this month, Adana police detained another suspect in a cargo office, while allegedly trying to send drones to people with links to terrorist groups in Syria.Prosecutors…

yenisafak (2020-01-21). Turkey eyes over $190B in exports. yenisafak.com Turkey aims to exceed $190 billion in exports in 2020, the head of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) said on Tuesday.The country's exports, which were around $30 billion in 2000, were $180.5 billion last year, Ismail Gulle noted during the opening ceremony of the 16th International Istanbul Furniture Fair (CNR IMOB).Gulle said the furniture sector's exports amounted to $3.5 billion in 2019

yenisafak (2020-01-21). Trump says China tariffs to remain during Phase 2 talks. yenisafak.com U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday reaffirmed that tariffs on China would remain in place during negotiations for a second phase trade deal with Beijing.Delivering opening remarks at the 50th edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump called his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping "extraordinary," saying relations between the two rivals had improved following a "rough patch.""He [Xi Jinping] is for China, I am for the U.S.

yenisafak (2020-01-21). Russia lauds 'constructive' Putin, Johnson meeting. yenisafak.com The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the Berlin Conference on Libya was "brief but constructive", a Russian official said on Tuesday.The character of the contacts was different from what the U.K. premier office announced following the meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in the capital Moscow."In general, the contact was brief, but at the same time, let's say, quite constructive, with elements of a conciliatory attitude. Apparently, the spirit of the contact is clearly different from the crux of the Downing Street message…

yenisafak (2020-01-21). 50 civilians killed in Syria's Idlib since Jan. 12. yenisafak.com Dozens of civilians have lost their lives in Syria's Idlib and tens of thousands of others have been displaced since Jan. 12, as the regime forces and its allies continued to violate cease-fire.According to data obtained from the country's Response Coordination Group, the Assad regime has conducted 89 airstrikes while Russian jets hit the city for 232 times during this period.The airstrikes have claimed lives of 50 civilians, including 13 children, three women and a civil defense employee.Notably, Syrians weary of airstrikes were forced to flee their homes; some 31,500 people have migrated to zones cleared of ter…

yenisafak (2020-01-21). Syrian Regime uses evacuation as means of seizing Idlib. yenisafak.com The head of Syria's White Helmets (Civil Defense) Tuesday said the Syrian regime sought to capture opposition-controlled northwestern Idlib city of Syria through forced evacuations.In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, Raed al-Saleh commented on the Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies' aggression on the city and violation of cease-fire agreements."The cease-fire in Idlib seems to be collapsed, it was relatively better. Those who migrated would return home, but the regime and Russia did not abide by the cease-fire same as before," Saleh said."The regime attempts to seize Idlib through evacuation," he sa…

RT (2020-01-21). #VictoryPages: Young Russian designers create 'Endless Letter' using Instagram Stories. rt.com RT's historical tribute to the 75-year anniversary of victory over fascism, #VictoryPages, launches 'Endless Letter' on Instagram. Starting this January the project will run until May. | The Instagram account "Today we live, but tomorrow or in an hour, a minute you are gone," "Mom! Don't make a mistake, don't join the army, stay at home," "The city is destroyed… Sorry for Rostov" — simple and sincere words of…

RT (2020-01-20). Biden campaign warns media not to spread 'debunked' claims about his activities in Ukraine or else. rt.com Joe Biden's presidential campaign has issued a warning to the media cautioning journalists against spreading what he called "debunked" theories about his controversial role in having a Ukrainian prosecutor removed from office. | In the memo first reported by NBC News, Biden's campaign accuses President Donald Trump of "spreading a malicious and conclusively debunked conspiracy theory" that the former VP engaged in wrongdoing when he pressured Ukraine to fire former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. | Biden has previously bragged about his role in having Shokin fired, even admitting on camera that he presented…

F. William Engdahl (2020-01-20). The Mad Geopolitics of Israel's EastMed Gas Pipeline. globalresearch.ca At just a time when the world holds its collective breath over risk of a World War over the US assassination of Iran's leading general and other provocations, Israel has chosen to sign a natural gas pipeline deal with Greece …

teleSUR (2020-01-20). Iran Warns of Quitting Global Nuclear Treaty If Case Goes to UN. telesurenglish.net Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Monday that Iran could leave the global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if Britain, France, and Germany pursue their "unjustifiable behavior" and send the country's nuclear case to the United Nations Security Council. | RELATED: | "If the Europeans continue their improper behavior or send Iran's file to the Security Council, we will withdraw from the NPT," Iranian news agencies quoted Zarif sa…

IMEMC News & Agencies (2020-01-20). UN Experts Unveil Letter Condemning Germany's Targeting of BDS Movement. imemc.org Five United Nations special rapporteurs have unveiled a letter to the German government censuring a German law that targets a pro-Palestinian boycott movement while insisting that criticism of the Israeli regime "is not anti-Semitic." The UN experts made the letter public this week, after the 60-day reply period ended …

Johannes Stern (2020-01-20). The Libya Conference and "The New Scramble for Africa" globalresearch.ca A major international conference on Libya will convene in Berlin on Sunday. At the invitation of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, heads of state and top officials of the leading imperialist powers in Europe and the US will come together to …

Alan Macleod (2020-01-20). MSNBC's Joy Ann Reid Invites Quack Body Language Expert on to Trash Sanders. mintpressnews.com MSNBC's Joy Ann Reid has a history of strongly racist and homophobic remarks. She was one of the chief proponents of the RussiaGate narrative and history of anti-Muslim and homophobic comments.

WSWS (2020-01-20). Russian Duma approves new prime minister. wsws.org Putin and sections of the Russian oligarchy regard Mishustin as better equipped than former Prime Minister Medvedev to carry out major attacks on the working class and to facilitate a closing of ranks in the ruling class.

teleSUR (2020-01-20). Moscow Hopes Iran Won't Quit Global Nuclear Pact. telesurenglish.net Moscow hopes that Iran will not withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying Monday. | "We warn the Iranian side against reckless steps in terms of maintaining the obligations of the Islamic Republic under the NPT," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. | RELATED: | "We talk about this openly and consider t…

Larry Romanoff (2020-01-20). My God and My Glock — The Theology of Guns in America. globalresearch.ca The Glock is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H. | *** | According to Americans, God is a really pro-gun dude. In fact, one pastor of a New Bethel Christian Church gave a sermon where he announced that …

Jason Ditz (2020-01-20). Iran Denies Claims They Were Sending Black Boxes to Ukraine. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Iran has denied claims that began to emerge Saturday that they were going to send the black boxes from the Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 to Ukraine, saying that they are still in the process of reading them and have made no decision yet on sending them elsewhere. The previous report had said Iran had decided that …

RT (2020-01-19). SpaceX simulated failure test: Elon Musk checks if Crew Dragon astronauts are as safe as Soyuz crews (VIDEO). rt.com SpaceX has simulated a rocket failure to find out if its abort system designed to save astronauts' lives in case of an accident could match that of the Russian Soyuz spacecraft's — which saved a Russian-American ISS crew in 2018. | On Sunday, SpaceX conducted an in-flight abort test — a necessary prerequisite for it to be eventually certified to fly American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The company launched one of its Falcon 9 rockets with a Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of it from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to see if the vehicle — and its crew — would survive a poten…

Anya Parampil (2020-01-19). What's happening in Russia: Putin's proposed constitutional changes explained. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Moscow-based international affairs analyst Mark Sleboda about Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent decision…

teleSUR (2020-01-19). Libya Summit Agree to Respect Arms Embargo, Push Ceasefire. telesurenglish.net An agreement to respect the disregarded international arms embargo on Libya was the result of Sunday's Germany-led peace summit, attended by countries with interests in the conflict and the two warring sides. | RELATED: | "We agreed on a comprehensive plan forward," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, adding that they all "agree that we should respect the arms embargo and that the arms embargo should be controlled more strongly than it…

Tyler Durden (2020-01-19). Syrian Rebels Caught on Film Getting Transferred to Libya on Commercial Plane. theantimedia.com (ZH) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has continued warning that terrorist groups as well as a 'flood of refugees' will show up on Europe's shores if the Tripoli government were to fall to renegade General Khalifa Haftar, amid his continued offensive to control the Libyan capital. Erdogan's statement came a day before he heads to Berlin for a major peace conference …

teleSUR (2020-01-19). UK, France Reiterate Commitment to Maintain Iran Nuclear Deal. telesurenglish.net British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed Sunday their commitment to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and conceded a long-term framework was needed, Johnson's office said. | RELATED: | "On Iran, the leaders reiterated their commitment to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and also acknowledged the need to define a long-term framework to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapo…

teleSUR (2020-01-19). 2,000 World's Richest Hold More Wealth Than 4.6B Poorest: Oxfam. telesurenglish.net The world's billionaires, representing 2,153 people, had more money than the poorest 4.6 billion combined in 2019, a report conducted by Oxfam revealed Monday. | RELATED: | The charity noted in its study titled "Time to Care" and released ahead of the annual World Economic Forum of political and business leaders in Davos, Switzerland, that "this great divide is based on a flawed and sexist economic system that va…

Staff (2020-01-17). Interest in its Natural Resources Is Tearing Libya Apart. therealnews.com Greg Shupak discusses the failed attempt to reach a ceasefire agreement for Libya in Moscow, and the new attempt to reach an agreement in Berlin. As Turkey, the UAE, Egypt and other regional players interfere in the civil war in order to promote their natural gas interests, Libya seems as far as it ever was…

Staff (2020-01-17). Turkey Cuts Deal with Russia, Intensifying the War for Gas in Libya. therealnews.com Turkey sent Syrian fighters to Libya to back the government and keep its control of offshore natural gas reserves. Egypt, Russia, ExxonMobil, Israel, and Greece are expanding Libya's civil war in a fight over control of the natural gas that Europe needs.

Victor Grossman (2020-01-17). The bombs of the last war and preparations for the next rattle Germany. peoplesworld.org BERLIN—"ALARM! Twelve thousand residents must immediately leave their homes! All hospital clinics must be evacuated! No exceptions! Hasten!" Not in burning Australia nor a besieged town in Syria or Afghanistan were those words heard, but rather on Jan. 12, 2020 in the otherwise peaceful if no longer prosperous Dortmund, in Germany's Ruhr Valley. Once again, unexploded …

RT (2020-01-17). DOJ investigating Comey over role in classified leaks during Clinton email drama — report. rt.com The US Department of Justice has opened a probe into whether former FBI director James Comey leaked details about classified intelligence to reporters covering the Hillary Clinton email server scandal. | Led by federal prosecutors, the inquiry is focused on two 2017 news stories for which Comey is suspected to have been a source, divulging the contents of a classified intelligence document, according to a New York Times report on Thursday. | The pair of stories, published in the Times and the Washington Post in 2017, cited an alleged Russian intelligence document obtained by Dutch security services, which earl…

Robert Hunziker (2020-01-17). The Rumbling ESAS Methane Enigma. dissidentvoice.org The northern continental shelves of Russia, inclusive of the Barents Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea (ESAS) are some of the least researched yet most controversial subjects in climate science today. It's the one region that has the biggest potential to trigger runaway global warming because of sizeable subsea methane deposits, thereby …

Susan Price (2020-01-17). Iranian students call for a new revolution amid government crackdown. greenleft.org.au

Susan Price (2020-01-17). France: Protests, ports shut down against pension attacks. greenleft.org.au According to media…

Susan Price (2020-01-17). France: Macron makes more concessions to strikers but the battle continues. greenleft.org.au

RT (2020-01-16). Pelosi wants new impeachment witnesses, says Trump broke the law in withholding Ukraine aid. rt.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has accused US President Donald Trump of breaking the law by delaying military aid to Ukraine. One day after submitting articles of impeachment to the Senate, Pelosi now wants to call more witnesses. | Her calls come on foot of a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) which claims Trump broke the law by temporarily withholding military aid to Ukraine last year. According to the report, Trump held up the aid based on "his own policy priorities," in violation of the Impoundment Control Act. | Pelosi, who on Wednesday announced her team of prosecutors who will lead t…

Staff (2020-01-16). France's Strike: Another Symptom of Neoliberalism's Legitimation Crisis. therealnews.com France's public sector strike against pension reform is in its seventh week, the most serious such strike in French history. It fits very well in the context of the global revolt against neoliberalism, says Prof. Gabriel Rockhill.

Staff (2020-01-16). Putin Proposes Sweeping Changes to Russian Constitution, Possibly Prolonging His Grip on Power. democracynow.org In Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned Wednesday along with his entire Cabinet in a move that surprised many in Moscow and abroad. The move came as Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes to expand the power of the parliament and the State Council while weakening the presidency. Critics of Putin say the proposals could help him keep power after his final presidential term ends in 2024. The Russian parliament is expected to vote today to confirm Putin's pick for new prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, a bureaucrat who runs Russia's tax service. The Russian newspaper Kom…

Brendan Oswald (2020-01-16). Prospects for Peace in the Ukraine Conflict. progressive.org The war started as a land grab, with Russia taking advantage of disarray in the Ukrainian state and armed forces in the weeks following the Euromaidan revolution.