Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly calls for Assange's release, condemns threatened extradition
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
Members of the assembly undoubtedly recognised that their report on media freedom would have no credibility if it remained silent on Europe's most famous imprisoned journalist and publisher.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/assa-f03.html

Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly calls for Assange's release, condemns threatened extradition
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
Members of the assembly undoubtedly recognised that their report on media freedom would have no credibility if it remained silent on Europe's most famous imprisoned journalist and publisher.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/assa-f03.html

Warring Libya sides sit down for Geneva talks agreed in Berlin
rt.com | 2020-02-03
The two major warring parties in the Libyan civil war have for the first time sat down for commission-level talks in Geneva. The meeting was agreed at the Libya summit in Berlin, after a peace process started by Russia and Turkey. | …
rt.com/news/479976-libya-warring-sides-talks-geneva/

France: Police Beat up Striking Firefighters as Media Looks Other Way
Alan MacLeod | zcomm.org | 2020-02-03
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…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/france-police-beat-up-striking-firefighters-as-media-looks-other-way/

Romania Willingly Becomes a U.S. Drone Base Aimed Against Russia
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-03
The already existing tensions in the Black Sea region have heightened because of the Defender-Europe 2020 exercises, which include ten participating states, including the Black Sea state of Romania. Through these U.S.-led exercises, that are mostly aimed against Russia's Kaliningrad …
globalresearch.ca/romania-willingly-becomes-u-s-drone-base-aimed-against-russia/5702627

'Shame!' French govt in damage control mode after plan to grant parents 12 days leave over death of child rejected by MPs
rt.com | 2020-02-03
The Elysee is trying to avert yet another scandal after President Macron's party-dominated parliament rejected a plan to extend work leave for parents who had experienced the death of a child, prompting cries of "Shame!" online. | The proposal, put forward by the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) and Agir (the Constructive Right), asked to extend the leave from five to 12 days, but was voted down by government deputies from French President Emmanuel Macron's La République En Marche! (LREM) party. | Anticipating the eruption of another national controversy, France's Labour Minister Muriel P&eacut…
rt.com/news/479992-france-parents-leave-child-death/

Teacher's photos document virus-hit Chinese city
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-03
A teacher who was starting a new life with his wife in the Chinese industrial centre of Wuhan when a viral outbreak spread across the city has documented the coronavirus fallout in a series of photos.Poland native Arek Rataj had recently taken a position teaching visual communication at Jianghan University, but almost immediately the metropolis of 11 million people, which had been teeming with Lunar New Year holiday revelry, turned quiet.A girl wears a face mask as she plays on a swing near the Yingwuzhou Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan (Arek Rataj/AP)Arek and his wife Jenina bought face masks for protection and ke…
thecanary.co/feature/2020/02/03/teachers-photos-document-virus-hit-chinese-city/

Volkswagen works council agrees to destruction of 20,000 jobs in Germany
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
Chairman of the Volkswagen Group board, Herbert Diess, announced a "radical restructuring" and the "slaughter of sacred cows," meaning that workers' jobs, wages and working conditions will be sacrificed on the altar of profit.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/jobs-f03.html

Volkswagen works council agrees to destruction of 20,000 jobs in Germany
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
Chairman of the Volkswagen Group board, Herbert Diess, announced a "radical restructuring" and the "slaughter of holy cows," meaning that workers' jobs, wages and working conditions will be sacrificed on the altar of profit.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/jobs-f03.html

Coronavirus same class as plague & HIV: PM Mishustin says Russia will deport infected foreigners if necessary
rt.com | 2020-02-03
Russia will isolate, quarantine, and deport foreigners struck down with the new Chinese coronavirus. The step was announced on Monday by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. | The country reported its first cases on Friday, raising fears that the epidemic affecting neighboring China could prompt a similar health emergency in Russia. However, Mishustin says the situation is currently contained, and there's no need for alarm. | "In order to prevent the spread of infection in our country, all necessary measures have been taken, the operational headquarters is working and, the situation is under control," he told his…
rt.com/russia/479960-russia-all-infected-foreigners-deportation/

Russian military shoots down drone approaching Khmeimim Air Base from Med Sea
rt.com | 2020-02-03
An unidentified drone has been intercepted near Russian Khmeimim airbase in Syria. The UAV approached the compound from the Mediterranean Sea and was shot down by the base's anti-air defenses. | The flying object came close to the military facility late on Monday, Russia's Defence Ministry has said. The drone was shot down by a Pantsir-S anti-aircraft system before it reached the premises of the base and it did not inflict any materiel damage or casualties. The origin of the drone has not been established yet. | Earlier in the day, Syrian state media reported that at least two drones, launched by the anti-gove…
rt.com/news/479991-drone-shot-down-khmeimim/

This week in history: February 3-9
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
25 years ago: Russian miners strikeOn February 8, 1995, more than 600,000 coal miners staged a one-day strike across Russia, shutting down mines from Sakhalin in the east to the Don River basin, demanding payment of back wages and increased subsidies from the government of President Boris Yeltsin for the coal industry. Many of the miners had not been paid since the previous October.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/twih-f03.html

BRICS and the Digital Money Project: Alternative to US$, New Wave in International Payment System?
Yana Grigoryeva | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-03
In 2019 Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa were planning to issue their own digital money in order to reduce the share of payments in the US currency. BRICS countries are reducing the share of settlements in dollars. In …
globalresearch.ca/brics-token-new-wave-international-payment-system/5702587

General strike for jobs and pensions erupts in Spain's Basque Country
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
The central issue is to take the struggle out of the hands of the unions and appeal for broad support in the Spanish working class against the Podemos-PSOE government.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/basq-f03.html

Top banker suspended for allegedly stealing food from staff canteen
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-03
A high-flying Citigroup trader has been suspended from the bank following accusations he stole from the staff canteen. | Paras Shah, 31, had allegedly taken food from the company's European headquarters in London's Canary Wharf, according to the Financial Times. | The bank suspended him following the allegations, sources told the newspaper. | Mr Shah was earlier reported to have left the bank this month. Reuters said that he had left after a tough year. | It comes just over two years since he joined the bank from HSBC. He was promoted to head of Europe, Middle East and Africa high yield credit trading after only…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/02/03/top-banker-suspended-for-allegedly-stealing-food-from-staff-canteen/

Ten Acts of Gross British Misgovernment Since 1945
Prof. Philip Allott | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-03
As the UK leaves the European Union, Philip Allott (University of Cambridge) reflects on ten occasions when Britain has badly misjudged and mishandled challenges to its hegemony

Video: Turkey's Madman Erdogan Sends NATO Troops to Defend al-Qaeda Terrorists in Idlib
Arabi Souri | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-03
Erdogan lost his mind and sends NATO troops into the Syrian province of Idlib to establish military checkpoints in front of the advancing Syrian Arab Army from the south to protect his defeated and collapsing al-Qaeda terrorists. | Even someone like …
globalresearch.ca/turkey-madman-erdogan-sends-nato-troops-defend-al-qaeda-terrorists-idlib/5702594

Turkey says 6 troops killed in shelling in Syria's Idlib, points finger at Damascus
rt.com | 2020-02-03
Ankara has claimed that six Turkish soldiers were killed and several others injured after they came under heavy shelling in the rebel-held province of Idlib, while blaming Syrian Army forces for the attack. | In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that its forces came under "intense artillery fire" in the northwest Syrian province. It initially said four troops were killed and nine injured, including one seriously. The death toll was later updated to six. | The ministry said that the Turkish forces retaliated by destroying unspecified targets in the region. It also claimed that Ankara had…
rt.com/news/479923-turkey-idlib-shelling-syria/

Erdogan Says Turkey Bombed Syrian Troops in Idlib
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-03
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey has been retaliating against the Syrian forces' attack on its soldiers in the northern Syrian region of Idlib. | RELATED: | Turkey Demands US Deliver F-35 Fighter Jets or Money Back | "Our artillery and F-16 (warplanes) are all operating in the field," Erdogan said in a televised speech. | "We have soldiers martyred, and it is not possible for us to remain silent," he added. | Turkish forces have identified about 4…
telesurenglish.net/news/Erdogan-Says-Turkey-Bombed-Syrian-Troops-in-Idlib-20200203-0002.html

Iran stops sharing data on downed Ukrainian plane with Kiev after control tower audio leaked to local media
rt.com | 2020-02-03
An investigation team in Tehran decided not to share any further data on the downing of Ukrainian airliner with Kiev, after local media published the recording of air traffic communications which took place during the tragedy. | "The technical investigation team of the Ukrainian airline crash, in a strange move, published the secret audio file of the communications of a pilot of a plane that was flying at the same time as the Ukrainian plane," Hassan Rezaifar, who leads the investigation of the crash in Iran, told Mehr News Agency on Monday. | The audio was provided by Iran to Ukraine as part of the joint inve…
rt.com/news/479952-iran-ukraine-evidence-sharing/

Prosecutors Say Stabbing Incident in Belgium's Ghent Not Terrorist Attack – Reports
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Prosecutors in the Belgium province of East Flanders said on Monday there was no evidence that the recent incident in the city of Ghent was a terrorist attack, RTL reported.
sputniknews.com/europe/202002031078214273-prosecutors-say-stabbing-incident-in-belgiums-ghent-not-terrorist-attack—reports/

Idea of Mentioning God in Russian Constitution to Be Discussed Within Commission – Peskov
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – All discussions on possible changes to the Russian constitution are discussed within the framework of a working commission, including the idea of mentioning God in the new constitution, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
sputniknews.com/russia/202002031078215020-idea-of-mentioning-god-in-russian-constitution/

Kremlin Reminds Erdogan of Offer to Visit Crimea to Assess Situation With Crimean Tatars
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, Erdogan said that Ankara did not recognise Crimea's reunification with Russia and would continue monitoring the situation around the rights of the Crimean Tatars.
sputniknews.com/russia/202002031078215145-kremlin-reminds-erdogan-of-offer-to-visit-crimea-to-assess-situation-with-crimean-tatars/

Russia's S7 Airlines Suspends All Flights to China Until March 28 Over Coronavirus
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia's S7 Airlines has suspended all flights to China and Hong Kong from 4 February – 28 March due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the companies press service said on Monday.
sputniknews.com/russia/202002031078214791-russias-s7-airlines-suspends-all-flights-to-china-over-coronavirus/

Brexit: Boris Johnson Claims UK Isn't Undermining EU Standards Amid Looming Trade Talks
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
Following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, London is now tasked with negotiating trade deals with foreign countries, including with the EU itself, during the transition period.
sputniknews.com/uk/202002031078214325-brexit-boris-johnson-claims-uk-isnt-undermining-eu-standards-amid-looming-trade-talks/

German Chancellor Merkel Ready to Change EU Treaties As UK Withdraws From Bloc
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
After more than three years of hurdles and uncertainty, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January, paving the way for new economic relations with both the bloc and other countries. As trade talks loom on the horizon, Prime Minister Johnson said that the UK will not undermine EU standards while forging new post-Brexit deals.
sputniknews.com/europe/202002031078215442-german-chancellor-merkel-ready-to-change-eu-treaties-as-uk-withdraws-from-bloc/

Madrid's Barajas Airport to Be Closed for Two Hours Due to Presence of Drones – Transport Ministry
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
The Spanish police and the Civil Guard are investigating an incident at the Adolfo Suarez-Madrid Barajas Airport where several drones have reportedly been detected by local pilots.
sputniknews.com/europe/202002031078215162-airspace-above-madrid-barajas-airport-closed/

UK Foreign Sec Raab Hits Back at Irish PM Varadkar for Calling Britain 'Small Country'
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-03
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar earlier claimed that the UK hasn't "yet come to terms" with it now being a "small country" since its divorce from the European Union, a remark that was repeated in a recent interview. Unsurprisingly, his comments have caused some outrage among British politicians.
sputniknews.com/uk/202002031078214200-uk-foreign-sec-raab-hits-back-at-irish-pm-varadkar-for-calling-britain-small-country/

Austria's Kurz says we want a financial transaction tax but reject German proposal
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
"We are in favour of the financial transaction tax as a levy on speculators, as it was originally conceived. What we reject is the current proposal from Finance Minister Scholz," Kurz told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a visit to Berlin.Under plans drawn up by Scholz and sent to ministers from nine other European Union states, they would levy a financial transaction tax of 0.2% of the transaction value of purchases of shares in large companies.Merkel said she regretted that Austria could not agree to the financial transaction tax in its current form.
yenisafak.com/en/news/austrias-kurz-says-we-want-a-financial-transaction-tax-but-reject-german-proposal-3511136

Turkey informed Russia of developments in Syria's Idlib
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey informed Russia of developments in Syria's Idlib region, a spokesman for President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party said on Monday, denying Moscow's assertion that it was not informed of movements before six Turkish troops were killed by Syrian shelling.Russia, which supports Syrian government forces, later said the Turkish personnel came under fire because it was not warned about Turkey's operations in Idlib beforehand."The statement that Russia was not informed is not correct. Turkey is providing regular and instant information to Russia. It also informed them in this latest event. It is not true to say informa…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-informed-russia-of-developments-in-syrias-idlib-3511135

EU sets conditions for trade with UK
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
The European Commission on Monday presented its draft negotiation mandate on the EU's future partnership with the U.K.The U.K left the bloc on Friday after being a member of the European integration for 47 years. In the upcoming 11-month transition period, the U.K. and the EU are meant to agree on the terms of economic cooperation."Let's be clear and don't forget that the best relationship with the EU is to stay a member," Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator said at a news conference."The U.K. decided to leave the single market and the customs union, so it can't have anymore the bloc's advantages," he added…
yenisafak.com/en/world/eu-sets-conditions-for-trade-with-uk-3511129

Turks | living in Europe | sue Greek lawmaker for 'unacceptable' attack on Turkish flag
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turks living in Europe will file charges against Greek lawmaker Ioannis Lagos who ripped up a Turkish flag in an act that shocked and bewildered deputies during a session of the European Parliament.Led by the Union of International Democrats (UID), Turks living in Europe responded to the call of Turkey's Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gàºl for action, and immediately sought to bring the lawmaker to account for his actions."We will file a criminal complaint against the racist lawmaker due to his outrageous attack, insulting the Turkish flag and nation, and also his aggressive attitude and segregation against the…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turksliving-in-europesue-greek-lawmaker-for-unacceptable-attack-on-turkish-flag-3511126

Turkey to suspend flights from China until end of month
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey's health minister said Monday that as of Feb. 5, all flights from China will be suspended until the end of the month.Turkey will begin scanning passengers traveling from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia through thermal cameras at airports, Fahrettin Koca said.Koca added that none of 61 people tested positive for coronavirus at Zekai Tahir Burak Hospital in the Turkish capital Ankara, where, a total of 32 Turks, and 10 foreign nationals, evacuated from China, had also been quarantined on Feb. 1.The coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has so far claimed 362 lives since its outbreak last Decembe…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-to-suspend-flights-from-china-until-end-of-month-3511134

Turkish DefMin heading to Syria border amid Idlib attack
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey's defense minister is heading to the Syria border in the wake of a regime attack on Turkish troops in Idlib on Monday.Hulusi Akar had been scheduled to accompany President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his official visit to Ukraine, however, he abandoned the delegation due to an attack on Turkish troops in Idlib, northwestern Syria, which left six Turkish army personnel martyred.Akar departed Ankara to visit Turkey's Syria border.The attack by the forces of Bashar al-Assad regime also wounded at least 7 others.
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkish-defmin-heading-to-syria-border-amid-idlib-attack-3511122

Turkish, African business circles to meet in ski resort
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board's Turkey-Africa Business Council chairmen will gather in Erciyes Ski Center, located in the central province of Kayseri.Nearly 40 chairmen and 17 ambassadors from African countries will meet on Feb. 8-9, Berna Gozbasi, the coordinating chairwoman of the council, told Anadolu Agency.Reminding that Turkey announced 2020 as the Africa year, she noted the trade between Turkey and African countries was targeted to expand.Africa continent has been exploited by several countries, but Turkey's trade plan is based on mutual win, she stressed.Referring to the meeting this weekend,…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkish-african-business-circles-to-meet-in-ski-resort-3511128

Turkey's opposition leader slams Syrian regime attacks
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey's opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader reiterated that diplomatic and military responds are required to a Monday regime attack on Turkish troops in Syria."Using our political and diplomatic initiatives as well as our military deterrence to this end, we should make the life miserable for the enemies in Idlib and the surrounding area," Devlet Bahceli said in a statement.At least five Turkish soldiers, and one civil servant were martyred, while seven others injured in an intense shelling by forces of Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, northwestern Syria early Monday."The security of the observatio…
yenisafak.com/en/world/turkeys-opposition-leader-slams-syrian-regime-attacks-3511125

Turkey takes measures at ports against coronavirus
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-03
Turkey has taken measures at its ports against deadly coronavirus, an official said on Monday."We have already taken our precautions against all chemical, biological or radiological hazards. Coronavirus is an infectious disease and we have the necessary equipment [to deal with it]," said Murat Serdar Karadeniz, a medical doctor and in-charge at Ambarli Coast Health Inspection Center of Turkey's General Directorate of Health for Borders and Coasts.Karadeniz told reporters in Turkey's largest city Istanbul that no cases of coronavirus have been reported so far in the country.Last week, the World Health Organization…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-takes-measures-at-ports-against-coronavirus-3511130

Michel Barnier lays out EU terms for fishing deal with UK
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-03
The European Union will link any access to its market for British products directly to the access that EU boats will be given to UK waters, the bloc's chief negotiator has said.EU negotiator Michel Barnier underscored the difficulties of the trade negotiations with Britain ahead for the rest of the year when he highlighted the small but emblematic fisheries industry, which was a key issue in the protracted Brexit process in the United Kingdom too.Barnier told France Inter radio that "there will be no trade deal with the British if there is no reciprocal access deal for our fishermen".Barnier said "we will negotia…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/02/03/michel-barnier-lays-out-eu-terms-for-fishing-deal-with-uk/

Merkel 'prepared for Lisbon Treaty changes,' says Brexit requires EU to be more competitive
rt.com | 2020-02-03
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday she would be prepared to back changes to the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, the bloc's legal cornerstone, if need be. She added that the EU's states must become more competitive now that Britain has left. | "I could well imagine treaty changes should this be necessary," Merkel said during a news conference with visiting Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Berlin. "We are required in view of Britain's exit to strengthen our competitiveness and to act more quickly." | Kurz said that Austria did not oppose an EU financial transaction tax, but did not approve of th…
rt.com/newsline/479966-merkel-eu-treaty-changes/

Johnson's real Brexit agenda is trade war, militarism and class war
wsws.org | 2020-02-03
UK prime minister Johnson is on a collision course with Europe that threatens to end in outright trade war and economic dislocation.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/03/brex-f03.html

Boris Johnson and Brussels set out competing visions for post-Brexit trade
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-03
The UK and European Union are on collision course for a Brexit trade battle as Boris Johnson and Michel Barnier set out competing visions of the future relationship.Major stumbling blocks are already obvious, just days after the UK left the European Union, with battles over fishing and the application of a "level playing field" on issues including state subsidies, environmental standards and workers' rights.The prime minister insisted there was "no need" to abide by EU rules and said that British fishing grounds are "first and foremost" for UK boats.Boris Johnson speaks in the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/02/03/boris-johnson-and-brussels-set-out-competing-visions-for-post-brexit-trade/

France to Send 600 Additional Troops to African Sahel Region
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-02
French forces deployed to the Barkhane Operation in the West African Sahel region will be increased from 4,500 to 5,100 soldiers, by the end of February, the French government said Sunday. | RELATED: | 2010s: A Decade of Transformations in Africa | "This is a major effort for the French Armed Forces: most of the reinforcements will be deployed in the so-called "three borders" zone between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger," Defence Minister Florence Parly said in a statement. | Rebel groups have been inc…
telesurenglish.net/news/France-to-Send-600-Additional-Troops-to-the-African-Sahel-Region-20200202-0009.html

The Online Bomb Hoaxes Against Russia Are Clear Cases of Cyber Terrorism
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-02
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 …
globalresearch.ca/online-bomb-hoaxes-against-russia-clear-cases-cyber-terrorism/5702429

High-Ranking EU Official to Visit Iran Amid Increased Tensions
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-02
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…
telesurenglish.net/news/High-Ranking-EU-Official-to-Visit-Iran-Amid-Increased-Tensions-20200202-0001.html

Tusk says an independent Scotland would be welcomed 'enthusiastically' by EU
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-02
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

U.S. and European stocks fall again to end the week
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2020-02-02
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…
www.fightbacknews.org/2020/2/1/us-and-european-stocks-fall-again-end-week

Left-Wing Sinn Fein Surges in Poll Ahead of Irish Election
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-02
The latest election ‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äãpoll in Ireland showed Sunday a surge in support for left-wing party Sinn Fein, placing it for the first time in the country's history, neck and neck with the main opposition party. | RELATED: | Scots: 'Leave a Light on for Scotland Because We'll Be Back' | According to the Business Post/Red C poll, Sinn Fein holds 24 percent of the electo…
telesurenglish.net/news/Left-Wing-Sinn-Fein-Surges-in-Poll-Ahead-of-Irish-Election-20200202-0011.html

Brexit-fuelled nationalism is only one step removed from fascism. It has to be confronted. Now
Tom Coburg | thecanary.co | 2020-02-02
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 rising hate crime across the UK. | Brexit influenced: | Addressing Winchester Tower residents,…
thecanary.co/trending/2020/02/02/brexit-fuelled-nationalism-is-only-one-step-removed-from-fascism-it-has-to-be-confronted-now/

We've left the EU but some things never change. The BBC's still giving the Brexit Party air time
Afroze Fatima Zaidi | thecanary.co | 2020-02-02
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 hasn't kept Farage off the BBC before, and this looks unlikely to change. On 2 February, Farage came on the Andrew Marr Show to review the papers. | Privilege and platform: | Some people might suggest…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/02/02/weve-left-the-eu-but-some-things-never-change-the-bbcs-still-giving-the-brexit-party-air-time/

If Johnson can't get his own way in EU negotiations, a rebranded no-deal looms
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-02
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…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/02/02/if-johnson-cant-get-his-own-way-in-eu-negotiations-a-rebranded-no-deal-looms/