2020-02-28: Social Media Postees

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

Media Stoop to 'Russian Assistance' to Explain Sanders' Rise
Alan MacLeod | fair.org | 2020-02-29
For over three years, Russia has been an issue of great concern, if not panic, in our media. Back in 2018, FAIR ( 7/27/18) warned that if Bernie Sanders or another progressive movement picked up steam, corporate media would claim that "any challenge to the establishment is likely a Kremlin-funded astroturf effort." For establishment Democrats, we wrote: Russiagate allows them to ignore calls for change and not scrutinize why they lost to the most unpopular presidential candidate in…
fair.org/home/media-stoop-to-russian-assistance-to-explain-sanders-rise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=media-stoop-to-russian-assistance-to-explain-sanders-rise

Secretive military base outside Paris hit by coronavirus, French defense minister confirms
rt.com | 2020-02-29
Several people stationed at the 110 Creil air base outside Paris have fallen ill with coronavirus, the French military confirmed, with the base effectively being placed on lockdown. So far, 57 cases have been detected in France. | Defense Minister Florence Parly confirmed on Friday that a number of coronavirus cases have been registered at the military facility, located to the north of the French capital. While Parly did not provide the exact tally, earlier reports by local media suggested that at least four p…
rt.com/news/481965-french-air-base-coronavirus/

'We've seen no evidence': Social networks blow up 'US officials' claim of 'Russian coronavirus disinformation campaign'
rt.com | 2020-02-29
Social media titans Twitter and Facebook have poured cold water on the State Department's latest conspiracy theory, insisting they'd seen no sign "Russian operatives" were spreading falsehoods about COVID-19 on their platforms. | Weighing in after a number of senior State Department officials told AFP that thousands of "Russian malign actors" were hawking "disinformation about coronavirus" on social media, two of the largest networks have cast serious doubt on the assertion. | "In general, our investigation hasn't substantiated th…
rt.com/news/481983-twitter-facebook-russia-coronavirus/

Syrian Refugees Rush Greece Border as Russia and Turkey Tangle
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-02-28
REYHANLI, Turkey

Greece tightens sea, land borders after Ankara's response to strike in Syria's Idlib
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Athens has tightened sea and land borders with Turkey after developments overnight in the Syrian region of Idlib, Reuters reported on Friday, citing government sources. A senior Turkish official said his country would no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe, as Ankara responded on Friday to the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in a reported airstrike by Syrian government forces in Idlib. | The Greek sources said Athens was also in contact with the European Union and NATO on the matter. Greece was the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of refugees streaming out of Turkey in a mass exodus in 2015 a…
rt.com/newsline/481883-greece-borders-turkey-migrants/

WATCH asylum-seekers march towards Europe after Turkey declares it will no longer hold them back
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Turkey has announced it will no longer hold back people who wish to go to Europe and seek asylum there amid an escalation in Syria. Some have been quick to rush towards coasts and borders before Ankara changes its mind. | Would-be irregular immigrants have started trickling closer to Europe after top Turkish officials said Ankara would deliver on its threat and open the floodgates of migrants on Europe. The hopefuls are gathering in the Edirne province, which borders Greece and Bulgaria, as well as on Turkey's Aegean coast close to the Greek island of Lesbos, AFP reported. | Anadolu Agency posted drone foot…
rt.com/news/481905-turkey-refugees-move-europe/

Judge Orders Assange Held in Glass Box During Extradition Trial
Kevin Gosztola | mintpressnews.com | 2020-02-28
In the United Kingdom, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces extradition to the U.S., a magistrate court judge decided he must remain isolated in a glass box at the back of the courtroom.
mintpressnews.com/judge-orders-julian-assange-glass-box-extradition-trial/265315/

Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis in Idlib as Syrian Troops Advance & Children Freeze to Death
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-28
In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out offensive by the Syrian government is the single largest displacement in a nine-year war that has forced 13 million t…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/28/idlib_syria_assad_turkey_russia

Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa
wsws.org | 2020-02-28
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/28/work-f28.html

A World no longer shaped by Atlantic powers
M.K. Bhadrakumar | mronline.org | 2020-02-28
The annual Munich Security Conference that took place February 14-16 this year turned out to be an iconic event, drawing comparison with the one held in the same Bavarian city on February 10, 2007, where in a prophetic speech Russian President Vladimir Putin had criticized the world order characterized by the United States' global hegemony […] | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/28/a-world-no-longer-shaped-by-atlantic-powers/

Washington Ponders Imposing Sanctions on Serbia for Russian Weapon Purchases
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
With Russia delivering another round of the Pantsir S1 anti-missile defense system to Serbia on Tuesday, EU and U.S. officials have reacted. Both Brussels and Washington have sent their warnings to Serbia, with Washington even threatening sanctions against the Balkans …
globalresearch.ca/washington-ponders-imposing-sanctions-serbia-russian-weapon-purchases/5704976

Election 2020: Those Meddling Kids
Thomas Knapp | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-28
According to selected members of the "US intelligence community" ("selected" for their loyalty to, and willingness to promote the line of, the Democratic Party establishment) Vladimir Putin and the Russian government just love them some Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Can't get enough of 'em. If November is a Trump/Sanders shoot-out, the Kremlin wins either…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/28/election-2020-those-meddling-kids/

Turkey Mobilizes for War With Syria and Russia as Nearly 3 Dozen Turkish Troops Killed in Airstrike
Juan Cole | commondreams.org | 2020-02-28
More refugees from Syria are expected to enter Turkey as a result of the air strike in Syria yesterday that killed nearly 3 dozen Turkish soldiers. (Photo: Getty) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-02-28_at_12.00.02_pm.png …
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/28/turkey-mobilizes-war-syria-and-russia-nearly-3-dozen-turkish-troops-killed-0?cd-origin=rss

French Authorities to Increase Measures to Prevent Covid-19
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-28
Due to a quick increase in confirmed cases of coronavirus, now at 57, French authorities have asked people to refrain from shaking hands to prevent infection. | RELATED: | Switzerland Suspends Public Events to Contain Covid-19 Outbreak | Two days ago, France reported the second death of a patient because of respiratory infection. Jerome Salomon, the country's director-general of health, told Al Jazeera that the diseased had tra…
telesurenglish.net/news/french-authorities-to-extreme-measures-to-prevent-coronavirus-20200228-0009.html

Switzerland Suspends Public Events to Contain Covid-19 Outbreak
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-28
Switzerland's Federal Council Thursday declared that the country is in a "special situation" and announced measures to contain the progress of COVID-19, a disease that has affected 15 people in this European country. | RELATED: | WHO Warns Against Danger of Complacency in Global Coronavirus Fight | "The Federal Council is aware that its decision has important consequences for the population but it will allow its effective protection," the Swiss authorities said and added t…
telesurenglish.net/news/Switzerland-Suspends-Public-Events-to-Contain-Covid-19-Outbreak-20200228-0001.html

Breakthroughs Against the Rightwing Menace in Germany
Victor Grossman | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-28
In Germany, much as in the USA, political poles are getting more sharply defined than ever. Will the results be good or bad? There and here, certain people are nervously wringing their well-manicured hands. While in the USA it's the Bernie backers who have them worried, in Germany it's the changing scene in the off-the-mainline…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/28/breakthroughs-against-the-right-wing-menace-in-germany/

The leadership debate in Germany's Christian Democrats and the steady political march to the right
wsws.org | 2020-02-28
There is fundamental agreement on the party's right-wing policies. The dispute is over how they can best be imposed in the face of widespread popular opposition.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/28/cdug-f28.html

Russia on red alert: almost SURROUNDED by Coronavirus cases – braces for epidemic
rt.com | 2020-02-28
As the world's biggest country, bordering 16 states, Russia is something of a sitting duck for COVID-19. With eight of those now reporting infections, its reappearance inside Russian borders is perhaps only a matter of time. | Already, two Chinese citizens were diagnosed with the new coronavirus in Siberia's Tyumen and Transbaikalia but they recovered and have been discharged. There has so far been no recorded infection of a Russian national on home soil. | As of Friday, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Lithuania and Norway all have live cases. Other neighboring countries, such as Ukraine…
rt.com/russia/481952-russia-coronavirus-red-alert/

'Not good news' for flooded communities as Storm Jorge looms
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-02-28
"It's not good news" for flood-hit communities, forecasters say, as Storm Jorge will bring further heavy rain and strong winds across the UK over the weekend. | You may be wondering why #StormJorge wasn't called #StormEllen… | Here's @alexdeakin to explain. | As well as windy conditions in northwestern Spain, the UK will also experience very strong winds this weekend. | Read more here:…
thecanary.co/discovery/news-discovery/2020/02/28/not-good-news-for-flooded-communities-as-storm-jorge-looms/

Whither Turkey? Struggles, Setbacks, Possibilities A Forum
UCB Sociology Dep. | indybay.org | 2020-02-28
102 Wurster Hall | UC Berkeley…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/27/18831106.php

'No longer in position to hold them': Turkey says it can't contain Europe-bound Syrian refugees amid Idlib flare-up
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Turkey is no longer able to contain millions of displaced Syrians and has reached "full capacity," Ankara's ruling AK party said in a fresh threat to open the floodgates into Europe as tensions over Idlib reach boiling point. | With Ankara vowing to go "all in" to halt a Syrian Army offensive to retake Idlib province from rebel militias, AKP spokesman Omer Celik suggested Turkey would soon allow hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees to pour into Europe, a threat repeatedly made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the past. | "Turkey can not bear the pressure of the new refugees, we now say that Turkey is a…
rt.com/news/481868-turkey-refugee-europe-idlib/

UCB Forum Whither Turkey? Struggles, Setbacks, Possibilities
UCB Dep. Of Sociology | indybay.org | 2020-02-28
102 Wurster Hall | UC Berkeley…
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/02/28/18831122.php

Turkey & Syria on brink of WAR in Idlib: How did it come to this?
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Alarming developments in Syria's Idlib saw dozens of Turkish soldiers killed in a Syrian airstrike and Ankara responding with own fire and fury. But anyone following the conflict would know the escalation didn't start overnight. | The Idlib governorate, located in the northwestern part of Syria on the border with Turkey, is the last major stronghold of armed groups that have been fighting to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad for the past several years. The region was spared a Syrian Army offensive in 2018 on a request from Turkey, which said it didn't want to face a new influx of refugees…
rt.com/news/481941-turkey-syria-brink-war-idlib/

NATO offers Turkey condolences & solidarity, but no additional military aid amid Idlib crisis
rt.com | 2020-02-28
On a request from Ankara, NATO members held consultations on the situation in Idlib, Syria, where 33 Turkish soldiers have been killed. But the alliance failed to pledge additional military aid to its member. | The Allies offered "their deepest condolences" to Turkey and expressed solidarity, but stopped short from taking any more practical measures after the Friday emergency meeting. Other members of the bloc are already supporting Turkey, "including by augmenting its air defenses, which helps Turkey against the threat of missile attacks from Syria" and conducting patrols of AWACS air reconnaissance planes, S…
rt.com/news/481918-nato-turkey-no-aid/

Turkish VP says Damascus to pay 'heavy price' for 'treacherous' attack after at least 33 Turkish troops killed in Idlib airstrike
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Turkey's vice president has vowed revenge on Syrian forces after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike in the rebel-held Idlib province. Ankara previously said it had launched air and artillery strikes in retaliation. | Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay unleashed a scathing verbal attack on Syrian President Bashar Assad and the forces loyal to Damascus shortly after a 6-hour marathon emergency security meeting chaired by Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded in Ankara in the early hours of Friday. | Oktay minced no words, referring to the Syrian leader as "the head of a terror state" who "would go down in h…
rt.com/news/481870-turkey-idlib-airstrike-syria-response/

'Stakes higher' in Idlib but NATO 'won't run to Erdogan's aid' despite efforts to have allies intervene in Syria
rt.com | 2020-02-28
NATO will not offer anything more than words of support to its member Turkey despite Ankara's efforts to rally its allies after Turkish soldiers came under fire from the Syrian Army in the Idlib 'de-escalation' zone, RT was told. | NATO's collective defense pledge is "not applicable in the case of Turkey because we have an armed conflict on Syrian soil," Sergey Balmasov, an expert with the Russian International Affairs Council and the Moscow-based Institute for the Near East, told RT. Ankara requested an urgent NATO meeting on Friday, shortly after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by the Russian…
rt.com/news/481928-nato-turkey-syria-idlib/

Article 5 or 'Oh my gosh'? What will US do after Turkish troops die in Syrian strike
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Turkey has reached out to NATO and the US following the deaths of its troops in Syria's Idlib province, fueling speculation that it might invoke Article 5 and get the alliance involved in a shooting war with Damascus

'We fought Russia 16 times and will fight it again,' warns Erdogan's adviser amid Idlib escalation
rt.com | 2020-02-28
A member of an expert body advising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted that Ankara is prepared to go to war with Russia after tensions over Syria's Idlib province escalated over the past 24 hours. | Mesut Hakki Casin, who is a member of Turkey's Security and Foreign Policy Board advising Erdogan, made his comments shortly after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russian-backed Syrian government forces in Idlib province. | We have fought Russia 16 times in the past, and we will fight it again. | The official pointed to Russia's sizeable Muslim population and claimed that the country "
rt.com/news/481908-erdogan-adviser-war-russia/

President Tayyip Erdogan Now Claims Syria's Idlib Province Belongs to Turkey
Eric Zuesse | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
On February 26th, Turkey's President, told his Islamist political party that Idlib, which is the most heavily jihadist of all of Syria's provinces and the province where Syria had been sending jihadists who had been defeated but not killed by | …
globalresearch.ca/turkey-now-claims-syria-idlib-province-turkish-territory/5705033

Turkey bombs Syria after losing dozens of troops to Syrian-Russian airstrike
wsws.org | 2020-02-28
The danger is growing that all-out war could erupt between the NATO alliance and the Syrian government's major international backers, Iran and Russia.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/28/turk-f28.html

Children Are Freezing to Death in Syria as Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-28
In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out…
truthout.org/video/children-are-freezing-to-death-in-idlib-as-humanitarian-crisis-intensifies/

Russian missile frigates passing through Turkish straits amid Idlib escalation
rt.com | 2020-02-28
A pair of advanced Russian missiles frigates is passing through the Turkey-controlled straits while en-route to the Mediterranean. It comes as dilomatic tensions between Moscow and Ankara over Syria's Idlib are not letting down. | The 'Admiral Grigorovich' and its sister ship 'Admiral Makarov' are among the more modern assets of the Russian Navy, capable of firing the advanced Kalibr-NK cruise missiles. Part of the Russian Black Sea fleet, they are currently moving to join Russia's naval forces in the Mediterranean as part of a scheduled rotation. | "The third frigate of the class, the 'Admiral Essen' has been…
rt.com/news/481911-russian-frigates-turkish-straits/

Turkey's Losing Bet in Syria
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
Turkey has allegedly lost another 33 troops in Syria this week amid its refusal to withdraw from Syrian territory amid Syrian government gains in the northern governorate of Idlib. | The BBC in its article, " Syria war: 33 Turkish troops …
globalresearch.ca/turkey-losing-bet-syria/5704993

I Was Meant to Talk About Palestinian Kids at the UN. Israel Forced Me Out
Brad Parker | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
Belgium caved into Israeli pressure to disinvite me from the Security Council. In doing so, they helped undermine human rights work for Palestinian children. | *** | Last week, the government of Belgium caved in to intense Israeli government pressure and effectively …
globalresearch.ca/i-was-meant-talk-about-palestinian-kids-un-israel-forced-me-out/5704980

'Taken out of context': Russian senator slams WaPo for drastically cutting his constitutional reform intw in 'provocative' piece
rt.com | 2020-02-28
A Washington Post story about Russia's constitutional reform has drawn the ire of Senator Andrey Klishas, who gave the outlet a lengthy interview but found only few of his lines in the text, which he believes is "provocative." | Klishas, who is a co-chair of the constitutional reform working group, met the Washington Post journalists to discuss the aspects of the impeding reform in every detail. "I gave a big, all-out interview, expecting it to be used in full," Klishas told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. | The senator also added that he hoped "western journalists would get best possible clarifications a…
rt.com/news/481968-russia-constitutional-reform-wapo-provocative/

Career of designer behind Russia's iconic Su-34 jet remembered following death at 84 (PHOTOS)
rt.com | 2020-02-28
The lead designer of Russia's Su-34 modern fighter-bomber jet, Rollan Martirosov, has died aged 84. He is set to live on through the state-of-the-art aircraft and many other projects to which he contributed. | Martirosov had worked with the Sukhoi construction bureau since 1959, and was involved in the creation of the majority of jet aircraft produced by the renowned plane maker. His work began with the very first jet developed by the construction bureau

Turkey, Russia tiptoe toward 'unnecessary war'
M. K. Bhadrakumar | iranian.com | 2020-02-28
A military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has erupted in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. Latest reports say that at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday in a Syrian air attack. A Turkish retaliation commenced last night itself. The Syrian airstrike in Idlib took place in an area between the towns Baluon and …
iranian.com/2020/02/28/turkey-russia-tiptoe-toward-unnecessary-war/

The Fear Virus Pandemic. "Fake News"? "Look at the Numbers. It's not a Pandemic"
Manlio Dinucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
While they raise the greatest alarm for the coronavirus, they hide the fact that seasonal flu, a much more deadly epidemic, has caused in Italy during the 6th week of 2020

EU won't accept 'artificial deadlines' in talks with UK, France's Europe minister says
rt.com | 2020-02-28
French European Affairs Minister Amelie de Montchalin said on Friday the European Union would not accept "artificial deadlines" in talks on a future relationship with Britain. | On Thursday, the British government said it would walk away from talks on a future relationship with the EU if there has not been "good progress" in the negotiations by June. | "We do not accept time pressure," Montchalin told an audience at Chatham House in London, according to Reuters. | The EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Thursday noted Britain's negotiating mandate but said ahead of talks starting next week that the bloc wou…
rt.com/newsline/481915-eu-artificial-deadlines-uk/

Greek islanders strike for 2nd day over new migrant camps as govt sees 'no alternative'
rt.com | 2020-02-27
Residents of Greek islands went on strike for a second day on Thursday, stepping up protests against government plans for new migrant camps on five islands after violent clashes with police, Reuters said. | The Eastern Aegean Islands served as the gateway to the EU for more than one million people fleeing war in 2015-2016. Despite a sharp drop in arrivals since then, five islands are still struggling with overcrowded migrant centers. | Protesters planned rallies at central points on Lesbos, Chios and Samos, before a meeting between the government and local mayors. | PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis was expected to meet…
rt.com/newsline/481850-greece-strike-migrant-camps/

PLO Official Slams Israel's Settlement Plans, Calls on EU to Intervene
IMEMC & Agencies | imemc.org | 2020-02-27
Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), on Wednesday, urged the European Union (EU) to intervene to prevent Israel from building a settlement in E1 area, east of occupied Jerusalem, as announced by Israeli Premier, Benjamin Netanyahu. During a meeting at his office, …
imemc.org/article/plo-official-slams-israels-settlement-plans-calls-on-eu-to-intervene/

'Princess Diana would've been alive in America': Conservative speaker manages to offend both Brits & French in anti-medicare rant
rt.com | 2020-02-27
A speaker at CPAC claimed the late Princess Diana died not because of her tragic car accident, but because France's socialized medicine prevented her from getting proper medical care. | Conservative fears of socialized medicine

MSM's insatiable anti-Sanders venom forces them to dig through archives & smear veteran American reporter (because Russia!)
rt.com | 2020-02-27
Mainstream outlets are so determined to derail Bernie Sanders' campaign, they've dug up a 2016 interview of his wife with RT's late host Ed Schultz

Don't Equate Russia's Purely Speculative Preference for US President with "Election Meddling"
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-27
Democrats and Republicans alike are weaponizing purely speculative reports about Russia's supposed preference for President by deceptively equating them with imagined so-called "meddling" in support of their opponent, which amounts to nothing more than the American elite waging a sophisticated …
globalresearch.ca/dont-equate-russia-purely-speculative-preference-president-meddling/5704898

African Union Plans to Deploy 3,000 Troops to Sahel Region
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-27
The African Union (AU) announced Thursday at a press conference that it is planning to send 3,000 temporary troops to the restive West African Sahel region, where local forces are struggling to contain a nearly eight-year-old insurgency by Islamist groups. | RELATED: | France to Send 600 Additional Troops to African Sahel Region | "On the decision of the summit to work on deploying a force of 3,000 troops to help the Sahel countries degrade terrorist groups, I think this is…
telesurenglish.net/news/African-Union-Plans-to-Deploy-3000-Troops-to-Sahel-Region-20200227-0022.html

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-02-29 05:14 GMT (00:14 EST)

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