(2020-02-02). Russian cruise line offers Arctic voyages along the Northern Sea Route. rt.com 
Cruises along the Northern Sea Route, as well as trips to Antarctica, will be available to travelers starting from 2021, Russian cruise line Vodohod has announced. | "We have big plans for 2020. We are launching an expedition tour along the Yenisei [river — Ed.] on board the Maxim Gorky vessel, and I believe many people are aware of it already," Vodohod representative Igor Yasinsky said. | | © Facebook / Vodohod | He added that cruises along the Northern Sea Route and around Franz Josef Land will be served from 2021 during the summer period. "After that, the vessel will go to Antarctica, and from 2…
(2020-02-02). France to send 600 more troops to Africa's Sahel as frustration on the ground grows & allies cut back participation. rt.com 
Paris will deploy an additional 600 soldiers to fight jihadists in Africa while also facing challenges in getting allies on board with its combat mission in the Sahel region. | With these additional troops, the number of French soldiers stationed in the region south of the Sahara Desert will increase to 5,100 by the end of February, Defense Minister Florence Parly said in a statement on Sunday. The move is set to strengthen the forces involved in the Paris-led Operation Barkhane, targeted against diverse jihadist groups, like the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS), which is linked to Islamic State (…
(2020-02-02). U.S. and European stocks fall again to end the week. fightbacknews.org San Jose, CA – U.S. and European stocks fell again on Friday, January 31. With the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) down more than 600 points, or 2%, U.S. stock markets ended up with a small loss for the whole of January. While losses in European stock markets were not as bad on Friday, they were over 3% for the month. Japanese stocks were also down in January, marking a worldwide stock market decline for the first month of the year. | While the still-spreading coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was again cited as the main reason for stocks dropping, in other days U.S. stocks rose despite the continuing spread of the vir…
(2020-02-02). High-Ranking EU Official to Visit Iran Amid Increased Tensions. telesurenglish.net Josep Borrell, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, will visit Iran on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi announced on Sunday. | Borrell will visit the Iranian capital for the first time after taking office in December 2019 amid escalating disputes over Tehran's nuclear program. | He is scheduled to hold meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other senior Iranian officials during his trip. | On January 16, Borrell met with Zarif on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, India. During the meeting, Zarif urged the European c…
(2020-02-02). The Online Bomb Hoaxes Against Russia Are Clear Cases of Cyber Terrorism. globalresearch.ca Russians have been terrorized for the past several months by online bomb hoaxes spread throughout the country by anonymous email services based abroad, which represent a cutting-edge threat to the modern world's way of life and thus necessitates a concerted …
(2020-02-02). Russia questions feasibility of US peace plan for Middle East. yenisafak.com A Middle East peace plan presented by U.S. President Donald Trump contravenes several United Nations resolutions, Russian news agencies cited a Kremlin spokesman as saying on Sunday, questioning the plan's feasibility.The Palestinian Authority has cut all ties with the United States and Israel, including those relating to security, after rejecting the Middle East peace plan put forward by Trump."We see the reaction from the Palestinians, we see the reaction of a wide range of Arab states which have sided with the Palestinians in rejecting the plan. This, obviously, makes one think about its feasibility," Dmitry P…
(2020-02-02). Restoration of Europe's most-visited monument to 'take some time'. yenisafak.com Notre Dame Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most visited monument in Europe, attracting 50 million tourists every year.The beloved cathedral that lies on the lle de la Cite in the heart of Paris experienced a catastrophe last April 15 when a massive fire engulfed the wood roof, spire, and parts of the interior.For the next 15 hours, Parisians stood on every side of the church, staring straight ahead, in disbelief and disempowerment as 400 firefighters battled the nearly inextinguishable blaze.The most heartbreaking moment came when the wooden fleche, the spire, came crashing down. Its loss struck t…
(2020-02-02). Turkey, Pakistan condole China coronavirus deaths. yenisafak.com Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Russia extended condolences to China over the loss of lives caused by the deadly coronavirus in the country, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.According to the ministry, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia and Russia talked to their Chinese counterpart on the phone and expressed condolences over the death of more than 300 people from the novel coronavirus epidemic."State Councilor Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a telephone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu expressed condolences and sympathy to those who passed away due to the novel c…
(2020-02-02). French defense ministry to send 600 more troops to Africa's Sahel. yenisafak.com France will deploy 600 more soldiers in the fight against Islamists militants in Africa's Sahel, south of the Sahara, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Sunday.The reinforcements would mostly be sent to the area between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Parly said in a statement. Another part would join the G5 Sahel forces.France has about 4,500 troops already operating in the region.
(2020-02-02). Turkey to attend OIC meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday. yenisafak.com Turkey will attend the meeting of Executive Committee Ministerial on Monday, which will be held by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia to discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the country's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will take part in "the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Emergency Open-Ended Executive Committee Ministerial Meeting to be held in Jeddah on 3 February 2020 upon the request of the State of Palestine in order to discuss the most recent developments with regard to Israeli-Palestinian conflict," the statement said.On the sideline…
(2020-02-02). Vivid Colours of Russia's Arctic Night: Mother Nature Displays Magnificent Northern Lights. sputniknews.com In ancient times, the northern lights filled people with fear, making them come up with odd legends. Later on, scientists not only found the cause of the occurrence but managed to forecast it and travel agencies have even started organising tours to show tourists nature's magical phenomenon.
(2020-02-02). France Will Send 600 Additional Troops to Africa's Sahel – Defence Ministry. sputniknews.com Paris is engaged in Operation Barkhane, fighting terrorists in the Sahara and the Sahel region, bordering the desert. According to the French Defence Ministry, approximately 4,500 troops are participating in the op, as the country is collaborating with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad, also known as G5 Sahel.
(2020-02-02). UAE Foreign Minister Slams Turkey's 'Colonial Illusions' Over Erdogan's Criticism of Gulf States. sputniknews.com Previously, the Turkish president lambasted Arab states for not criticising Donald Trump's "deal of the century" to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Erdogan argued that the plan would amount to stealing Palestinian land if it is implemented.
(2020-02-02). If Johnson can't get his own way in EU negotiations, a rebranded no-deal looms. thecanary.co 
Boris Johnson will tell the European Union he is prepared to accept border checks in a no-deal like scenario as tensions ratcheted up between the sparring sides.As the dust settles on Britain's formal EU withdrawal on 31 January, attention has turned to the impending trade talks as the Johnson prepares to lay out his post-Brexit vision in a speech on 3 February.The government is understood to be privately infuriated by what it perceives to be attempts by Brussels to change the terms of the deal struck in October as part of the Withdrawal Agreement.Reports have surfaced in recent days suggesting EU chiefs want the…
(2020-02-02). Irish PM calls on UK government to 'tone down the nationalistic rhetoric' ahead of Brexit trade talks. rt.com 
With Brexit trade talks looming, Irish leader Leo Varadkar has called on Boris Johnson's UK government to dial back its "nationalist rhetoric," and urged it to avoid laying down "rigid red lines" that imperil an agreement. | The Irish Taoiseach made the call on Sunday, after Johnson accused the European Union of trying to "change the terms" of the Brexit divorce deal between the UK and the EU. | Also on rt.com | | "One thing I'd say to ev…
(2020-02-02). Brexit-fuelled nationalism is only one step removed from fascism. It has to be confronted. Now. thecanary.co A poster, put up in a block of flats, told residents "we do not tolerate" people speaking languages other than English. A sign bearing the title "Happy Brexit Day" was found stuck to fire doors on Winchester Tower in Norwich on 31 January. The discovery came hours before the UK officially left the European Union. | But this is only one such incident in a climate of Brexit influenced: | Addressing Winchester Tower residents,…
(2020-02-02). We've left the EU but some things never change. The BBC's still giving the Brexit Party air time. thecanary.co The UK left the EU on 31st January, making all British Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) redundant. This includes Nigel Farage, head of the political party so obsessed with Brexit that they named themselves after it. | But not being an elected politician Privilege and platform: | Some people might suggest…
(2020-02-02). Tusk says an independent Scotland would be welcomed 'enthusiastically' by EU. thecanary.co 
Former European Council president Donald Tusk has said Scotland would be welcomed into Europe "enthusiastically" if it won independence from the rest of the UK — but the process of rejoining would not be automatic. | Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Tusk said he felt "very Scottish" following Brexit, adding that Scotland would be treated with "empathy" if they gain independence and look for a place at the EU table. | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has signalled an intention to rejoin the European Union as a member should Scotland leave the UK, however her opponents have said there is no guaranteed ac…
(2020-02-01). 'He's in our anthem, why not in constitution?' Russian Patriarch wants GOD mentioned in state charter. rt.com 
Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, says believers should pray for a constitutional amendment that would add a reference to God. He thinks the mention would be appreciated by all faiths alike. | "Most Russian citizens believe in God. Not just the Orthodox Christians — I speak about Muslims and many-many others," the patriarch said as cited by the Church spokesman. "If the anthem can have the words 'Our homeland protected by God', why can't the constitution say the same thing?" | Russia is currently preparing for a number of amendments to the basic law, which would somewhat redistri…
(2020-02-01). Russia stops processing Chinese work visas & scraps visa-free travel amid coronavirus epidemic. rt.com 
Moscow has temporarily halted issuing work visas to Chinese citizens and suspended visa-free travel for Chinese tourist groups in response to the coronavirus epidemic in the country. | The travel restriction come into force from Sunday. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who ordered them, stressed that the measures are temporary and are only meant to protect people in Russia from health risks posed by the infection — a point he asked the Foreign Ministry to make known to Beijing. | The agreement on visa-free travel for organized tourist groups works both ways, but the suspension by Russia applies only to…
(2020-02-01). 1 dead after cafe roof collapses & traps visitors in Novosibirsk, Russia (VIDEO). rt.com 
The roof of a cafe came crashing down on diners in the city of Novosibirsk in southern Siberia, killing one woman and trapping several other people under rubble. Some 200 people managed to flee the scene of the collapse. | One person was confirmed dead, and four others were taken to hospital after the roof of a cloakroom adjacent to the cafe collapsed on Saturday night. Two of the victims are currently in surgery, while the other two casualties have since been discharged. | The cafe was packed with diners at the time, and some 200 people managed to evacuate on their own, local emergency services said. | While…
(2020-02-01). Israel-Palestine: Time for Russia to Step up to the Plate. dissidentvoice.org 
Is Israel US property? In many ways, yes. Despite its willful ways, Israel is always pushing the envelope with the US. It has been getting away with murder since it was founded, abetted and funded by the US. But the US has failed, and Jared Kushner is the perfect envoy for this latest ultimatum, crafted …
(2020-02-01). Analysis: Palestinians Have Indeed 'Missed an Opportunity' — to Surrender to Zionism. imemc.org By Joseph Massad for Middle East Eye Western and Israeli propaganda never tire of telling the world of the age-old Israeli quest for peace, and how much Israel longs to be accepted by Palestinians and the rest of the Arab peoples as a Jewish state — an oasis of European …
(2020-02-01). France's Anti-Neoliberal Protesters Get Their Second Wind. zcomm.org The strikers protesting President Macron's pension reform are expanding their target to the whole neoliberal system…
(2020-02-01). Campaigner criticises government over failure to tackle domestic violence crisis. thecanary.co This article contains description of domestic violence and abuse that some readers and survivors may find distressing. | A young abuse campaigner has criticised the Irish government for failing to tackle the deepening domestic violence crisis in Ireland at a special conference in the UK. | Ainie Grainger, a co-founder of Stop Domestic Violence in Ireland (SDVII), accused the government of paying lip service to the problem of domestic violence. | Addressing the audience from the stage at the Cambridge Union, Grainger urged the next government to listen to survivors and to introduce legislation to make domestic vio…
(2020-02-01). South Korea deploys naval unit to Strait of Hormuz. wsws.org Behind the backs of the South Korean working class, Seoul is supporting US war plans that could lead to a wider conflict with China and Russia.
(2020-02-01). Int'l Community Offer Aid, Support as China Fights Virus. telesurenglish.net Countries around the world are offering recognition of China's efforts to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, showing confidence in the ultimate triumph over virus and pledging aid and support. | RELATED: | In his call to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered sympathies over the pain and loss inflicted on Chinese families and wished each patient a speedy recovery. | He expressed be…
(2020-02-01). Britain leaves the EU but Johnson's Brexit saga is far from over. thecanary.co 
The UK has left the European Union, but the Brexit saga still has a long way to run.A series of crucial issues need to be resolved with Brussels in the coming months.What happens now?: The UK and European Union need to reach agreements by the end of the year to prevent what is effectively another no-deal scenario. | The challenges that Europe faces, and the opportunities that it can grasp, have not changed because of
(2020-01-31). How government and media are prepping America for a failed 2020 election. mronline.org 
Russia, China and Iran are already being blamed for using tech to undermine the 2020 election. Yet, the very technologies they are allegedly using were created by a web of companies with deep ties to Israeli intelligence. |
(2020-01-31). Climate activists from Africa speak out about the marginalisation of African voices. thecanary.co 
Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate and peers from other African nations have made an urgent appeal for the world to pay more attention to the continent that stands to suffer the most from climate breakdown despite contributing to it the least.The Fridays For Future movement and activist Greta Thunberg held a news conference with the activists in Sweden to spotlight the marginalisation of African voices."African activists are doing so much": Nakate — along with Makenna Muigai of Kenya, Ayakha Melithafa of South Africa, and climate scientist Ndoni Mcunu of South Africa — pointed out the challe…
(2020-01-31). Riot Police beat up striking Firefighters as media looks the other way. mronline.org 
The media, quick to condemn violence against protesters elsewhere in the world, largely ignored the brutal crackdown on firefighters joining months-long nationwide protests in France. |
(2020-01-31). Pipeline or a Pipe Dream: Israel, Turkey Hydrocarbon Conflict is Brewing in the Mediterranean. counterpunch.org 
Massive natural gas discoveries off the coast of Israel and Palestine are slated to make Tel Aviv a regional energy hub. Whether Israel will be able to translate positive indicators of the largely untapped gas reserves into actual economic and strategic wealth is yet to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the Middle
(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…
(2020-01-31). Trump and Putin Made this the Best Week Ever for Netanyahu. globalresearch.ca Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is coasting into his country's third elections on March 2 with the success of two tremendous achievements over the past week that was interestingly made possible by both American and Russian Presidents. U.S. President …
(2020-01-31). French GDP Decreased Last Quarter 2019: Set Back for Macron. telesurenglish.net France's real GDP fell 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, for the first time under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron, according to a report published by the French National Institute of Statistics and Studies (INSEE) on Friday. | RELATED: | The French economy, one of the largest in the EU, has failed to meet expectations in a dramatic drop after expansion by 0.3 percent in July-September, which represents a full-y…
(2020-01-31). Do not confuse food charity with 'right to food', UN expert tells Italians, labelling food system exploitative. news.un.org A sophisticated Italian food system is placing a heavy burden on Italy's workers and farmers, an independent UN human rights expert said on Friday, following an 11-day visit to the country that many regard as the world's food capital.
(2020-01-31). England Came and Went, Leaving Europe in a Mess. UK Leaves EU. globalresearch.ca Whew. Finally, at last, the UK is formally leaving the European Union on January 31. Here in Paris, the champions of French withdrawal from the EU are celebrating. They see Brexit as the harbinger of a future "Frexit", a French departure from undemocratic governance, and the end of a failed project to unify Europe around the demands of neoliberal capitalism.
(2020-01-31). On Holocaust Memorial Day US Embassy Falsely Claims America Liberated Auschwitz. mintpressnews.com 
The statement was immediately met with scorn from those who felt it was another example of Soviet erasure and an insult to the enormous sacrifice the Soviet Union made to defeat fascism in Europe.
(2020-01-30). Ex-Solicitor General: Alan Dershowitz Is Wrong. Trump Is Not Above the Law & Should Be Impeached. democracynow.org 
President Trump's legal team offered an extraordinary new defense during Trump's impeachment trial on Wednesday. Attorney Alan Dershowitz said that a sitting president could take any action to boost his re-election chances if he felt his re-election was in the public interest. "If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment," Dershowitz said. Trump was impeached by the House last month for freezing military aid to Ukraine in an effort to pressure Ukraine to open an investigation of Trump's politi…
(2020-01-30). Fix is in, Trump team makes radical shift in his defense. peoplesworld.org 
Ditching months of claims by President Trump that his dealings with Ukraine were "perfect," Trump's TV lawyers and GOP lawmakers are now asserting that a quid-pro-quo of aid for political favors — even if proven beyond a shadow of a doubt — is not grounds for impeachment. They have taken the logic offered them Monday …
(2020-01-30). Hillary Clinton dodges attempt to serve her with Tulsi Gabbard's defamation lawsuit…twice. rt.com 
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has twice rebuffed efforts to serve her with Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard's "Russian asset" defamation lawsuit, even using the Secret Service to fend off the paperwork. | Secret Service agents first barred the process server from Clinton's Chappaqua, New York home on Tuesday, directing them to her lawyer, David Kendall, in Washington, DC, Gabbard's own attorney Brian Dunne told the New York Post on Wednesday. When they attempted to serve the lawsuit the following day at Kendall's firm, Williams & Connolly, however, the lawyer insisted he was unable…
(2020-01-30). Headlines for January 30, 2020. democracynow.org Rev. William Barber: Mitch McConnell Is Bringing Old Southern Justice to U.S. Senate, European Parliament Votes to Ratify Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, Coronavirus Death Toll Hits 170, Racial Justice Groups Call on Klobuchar to Suspend Campaign, French Firefighters Clash with Riot Police in Latest Protests Against Pension Overhaul, Cuban Man Dies in ICE Custody, Marking 6th Death Since October, Salvadoran General Admits U.S.-Trained Forces Carried Out 1981 Massacre, South Dakota Passes Bill Criminalizing Gender-Affirming Surgery, #DignidadLiteraria: Latino Writers Launch Campaign in Response to "American Dirt"
(2020-01-29). Mehdi Hasan: The Impeachment Trial Has Been a Farce Since Day One Filled with GOP Lies. democracynow.org 
At the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Republican senators in a private meeting Tuesday that he does not yet have enough votes to block Democrats from calling impeachment witnesses. Democrats have pushed for former national security adviser John Bolton to testify. On Sunday night, The New York Times published details about a draft of Bolton's forthcoming book, in which he claims Trump personally told him in August he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in military aid to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice Presi…
(2020-01-29). France: Riot Police Beat up Striking Firefighters as Media Looks the Other Way. mintpressnews.com The media, quick to condemn violence against protesters elsewhere in the world, largely ignored the brutal crackdown on firefighters joining months-long nationwide protests in France.
(2020-01-29). Pipeline or a Pipedream: Israel, Turkey Hydrocarbon Conflict is Brewing in the Mediterranean. dissidentvoice.org Massive natural gas discoveries off the eastern coast of Israel and Palestine is slated to make Tel Aviv a regional energy hub. Whether Israel will be able to translate positive indicators of the largely untapped gas reserves into actual economic and strategic wealth is yet to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the …
(2020-01-29). Austria's Green-right alliance sells out migrants. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-01-29). Italy: Radical mass movement needed to build on far right regional defeat. greenleft.org.au 
(2020-01-28). Trump's Expansive Claims of Executive Privilege Pose "Very Serious Constitutional Crisis" democracynow.org 
During eight hours of oral arguments at the president's impeachment trial on Monday, President Trump's legal team repeatedly said that he has done nothing wrong, and largely ignored the explosive revelations made by Trump's former national security adviser. The president's case was made on Monday by a team of lawyers including Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz and former independent counsel Kenneth Starr, whose probe led to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. In an upcoming book, former national security adviser John Bolton says Trump told him the withholding of $391 million in military aid to Ukraine…
(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."…
(2020-01-27). Explosive Bolton Book Allegations Spark New Calls for Witnesses to Testify at Impeachment Trial. democracynow.org 
Calls are growing for the Senate to call witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial, after The New York Times published details about former national security adviser John Bolton's forthcoming book. In the book, Bolton writes that President Trump personally told him in August that he wanted to maintain a freeze on $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until Ukraine turned over materials related to former Vice President Joe Biden and supporters of Hillary Clinton in Ukraine. The New York Times broke the story on Sunday, one day after President Trump's legal team began its defense of the president. D…