(2020-01-29). Russian military blasts Pompeo's 'hypocritical concern' over 'attack on Idlib's innocent civilians'. rt.com 
The Russian Defense Ministry says it is not surprised by the 'hypocrisy' of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who voiced 'concern' over what he said was a "large-scale offensive against Idlib's innocent civilians" by Moscow and Damascus. | The US Department of State has never publicly supported Russia's active fight against international terrorism in Syria, the official representative of the Russian ministry Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday. The State Department "preaches and voices its concern about the alleged suffering of civilians only when terrorists suffer a crushing defeat and Syrian citizens are fina…
(2020-01-29). Putin pardons drug-trafficking Israeli woman ahead of Netanyahu's visit to Moscow. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned Naama Issachar, an Israeli woman convicted on drug trafficking charges in Russia, citing "humanitarian reasons." Issachar is expected to return to Israel shortly. | The decision to pardon Issachar came ahead of a visit by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to meet Putin in Moscow on Thursday. According to media reports, Netanyahu is expected to bring the woman back home on his plane after his visit to Russia concludes. | Issachar, a 26-year-old Israeli-American citizen, was nabbed by Russian law enforcement in April 2019 in the transit zone of Moscow's Shere…
(2020-01-29). Former Moscow Police officers arrested over framing of Russian journalist Ivan Golunov. rt.com 
Last summer, his detention on bogus drug charges rocked the world of Russian media, leading to an unprecedented show of journalistic unity. | Now, investigators have detained five ex-police officers who are accused of fabricating the case against Ivan Golunov, a reporter for Riga-based online publication Meduza. | The former members of the Moscow Police's drug trafficking control department are currently being interrogated, according to Svetlana Petrenko, the official representative of Russia's Investigative Committee. The detainees were removed from their posts last July in the immediate fallout from the cont…
(2020-01-29). How to Survive this Election. counterpunch.org 
Having closely followed the 2016 Election, from the clear signs of manipulation and potential fraud in the earliest Primaries to the finger-pointing and hysteria over alleged Russian "election hacking" after one of the most unpopular US Presidential candidates in History beat another of the most unpopular of the US Presidential candidates in History, I resolved
(2020-01-29). Syrian Troops Capture Key Town in Rebel-Held Idlib Province. truthdig.com 
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian government forces captured one of the largest and most strategic rebel-held towns in the country's northwest, the Syrian military and opposition activists said Wednesday, part of a Russian-backed military assault that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people fleeing to safer areas. | The town of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, which had been in rebel hands since 2012, sits on the highway linking Damascus with Aleppo and is considered critical to President Bashar Assad's forces. The town is now largely empty as a result of intense bombardment in recent weeks. | Its capture is…
(2020-01-29). Weakest Link: Impeachment and National Security. counterpunch.org 
In the summer of 2016 President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump didn't agree about much, except for one obscure issue of U.S. foreign policy: lethal military aid to Ukraine. As commander in chief, Obama objected to such assistance, even in the face of a Russian proxy war. So did candidate Trump. On
(2020-01-29). Putin tells Russia's government to 'be prepared' as new coronavirus goes global. rt.com 
As infections spread worldwide, Vladimir Putin has called on Russian officials to do all they can to prevent the spread of the new Chinese coronavirus in Russia. | The Russian president emphasized the goal must be to minimize human losses. So far, the number of confirmed cases in Russia remains at zero, but given the length of the country's border with China and the extent of bilateral trade, it's considered only a matter of time before the virus appears. | Following a meeting of officials, Putin said "regarding the new coronavirus… the question is how ready we are for this challenge," while emphasizing that…
(2020-01-29). Trump's 'deal of the century' is about ignoring Palestinian rights & legitimizing Israel's occupation — Turkish President Erdogan. rt.com 
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blasted a plan for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict presented by Donald Trump, saying the proposal is a blatant attempt to 'legitimize Israel's occupation' of Palestinian territories. | Erdogan, a long-time critic of Israeli policies, lashed out at the US-proposed roadmap in a Wednesday interview with journalists who were accompanying him on his return from a three-country visit to Africa. | "This is the plan to ignore the Palestinians' rights and legitimize Israel's occupation," Erdogan said, as quoted by Anadolu Agency. | The remark is in line with criticisms vo…
(2020-01-29). Kazakhstan suspends all passenger transportation links with China over virus outbreak. rt.com 
Kazakhstan is suspending all forms of passenger travel to and from neighboring China, the Central Asian nation's government said on Wednesday. The statement came as an outbreak of a new coronavirus continued to widen. | The government has also suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens, Reuters reported. | Bus routes to and from China have already been halted, while passenger train movement will stop on February 1 and all flights will be suspended from February 3, according to the government. | Kazakhstan has registered no cases of the new virus. However, authorities have isolated dozens of people wit…
(2020-01-29). Catalan pro-independence leader Torra promises snap election, refuses to give up seat over disobedience charges. rt.com 
Catalan leader Quim Torra, who has kept his seat as the region's president despite a court decision to bar him from public office, has called for a snap election. | Torra was found guilty of disobeying electoral rules over his pro-independence actions. | "Once the budgets have been approved in [Catalan] Parliament, I will announce the date of elections," Torra said on Wednesday in a speech in Barcelona, the capital of Spain's northeastern region. The announcement came as a surprise as Torra had kept firm to his political duties in spite of the charges he's facing. | In December, the Catalan High Court sentence…
(2020-01-29). 'We would be in World War Six by now' if Bolton were still in the WH, says Trump in scathing tweets. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has hit back at John Bolton, his former national security advisor, accusing him of writing a "nasty & untrue" book and saying the warmongering Republican could have led us into "World War Six." | While Bolton has become something of a hero to Trump's critics thanks to leaks from his upcoming book 'The Room Where it Happened', which seemingly confirm accusations that the president withheld foreign aid to Ukraine in the hopes they would investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, conservatives have begun to turn on the man, chief among them the president himself. | "For a guy who could…
(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). Ex-president Poroshenko investigated in Ukraine over embezzlement, allegedly stealing US aid. rt.com 
Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau has opened a probe against former president, Petro Poroshenko, who is suspected of abuse of power, embezzlement "on a grand scale" and allegedly stealing US aid funds. | The case against the ex-president was opened following a complaint by a group of Ukrainian MPs and the nation's High Anti-Corruption Court demanding the authorities investigate embezzlement and misappropriation of the foreign financial aid at the time of Poroshenko's term in office, a Ukrainian MP Renat Kuzmin said in a Facebook post. | Kuzmin, a member of the Opposition Platform — For Live par…
(2020-01-29). 1973 v 2020: How life has changed since the UK entered the EEC. thecanary.co 
The UK joined the then European Economic Community (EEC) in January 1973, with Conservative prime minister Edward Heath at the helm.The UK's entry brought EEC membership to nine.In 2020, there were 28 countries in the EU prior to the UK's departure.
(2020-01-29). RT — THE FIRST TV NEWS NETWORK IN THE WORLD TO HIT 10 BLN VIEWS ON YOUTUBE. rt.com MOSCOW, JANUARY 29 — RT is the #1 most-watched TV news network on YouTube, with a record-setting 10 billion views as well as more than 16 million subscribers. The total number of views from across RT's channels on YouTube has put the network ahead of all the news channels of the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Fox News and others. | Some of the most viral RT video content over the last year has been the network's coverage of the Gilets Jaunes protests in France. RT journalists have
(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). Video: Maarat Al-numan Is About to Fall to Syrian Army. globalresearch.ca On January 24, the Syrian military resumed its offensive against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) and its Turkish-backed allies. | Warplanes of the Syrian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out over 3 dozens of …
(2020-01-29). Don't be Surprised if Russia Tacitly Supports the Trump-Netanyahu "Deal of the Century" globalresearch.ca Russia's relations with "Israel" in recent years are much deeper and more strategic than its historic ones with Palestine so it's unthinkable that Moscow won't tacitly support the so-called "deal of the century" despite expectedly voicing mild reservations about it …
(2020-01-29). Putin Pardons US-Israeli Woman Jailed in Russia on Drug Charges. telesurenglish.net Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned the U.S.-Israeli woman that was jailed in Russia for drug-related charges, the Kremlin announced on Wednesday. | RELATED: | According to the Kremlin, Putin signed the presidential decree to pardon the woman, Naama Issachar of New Jersey, a move that received acknowledgement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the eve of their bilateral meeting. | The U…
(2020-01-29). 5,604 Russians Are Expected to Leave China Over the Next Week. telesurenglish.net The Russian Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm) Wednesday announced that additional charter flights will be available for 5,604 Russian tourists to leave China before Tuesday, February 4. | RELATED: | "We decided that Russian tourists, who mostly rest on the Hainan island, can return both on schedule and in advance. To do so, tour operators have planned additional charter flights," the Rosturizm president Zarina…
(2020-01-29). The Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX): Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and the Russians. globalresearch.ca A funny thing happened on the way to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMX)…or rather, several funny things. And they all have to do with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's fear of "foreign meddling" in Canada's pipeline politics. | You …
(2020-01-29). "Debt Against the People": Analysis and History of the Global Debt Crisis. globalresearch.ca Introduction | Over the last ten years Greece has been a prime example of how a country and a people can be deprived of their liberty through clearly illegitimate debt. Since the 19th century, from Latin America to China, Haiti, …
(2020-01-29). Leftist Lawmakers to Present Censure Motion Against Macron. telesurenglish.net The Unsubmissive France (LFI) president Jean- Luc Melenchon Wednesday informed that the three leftist groups in the National Assembly reached an agreement to present a motion of censure against the French government. | RELATED: | Socialist, Communist, and Unsubmissive lawmakers agreed to draw up a censure motion to try to avoid the approval of President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform, which has awakene…
(2020-01-29). 75 Years Ago: Hitler Plans Operation Spring Awakening as Auschwitz Is Liberated. globalresearch.ca It is often thought that the Third Reich's final major offensive of World War II comprised the Battle of the Bulge, which was launched in mid-December 1944 against the western Allies through Belgium, France and Luxembourg, with much of the …
(2020-01-29). Spain: Catalonia Gets Set for Snap Regional Election. telesurenglish.net Catalonia's Regional Government president Quim Torra Wednesday said he planned to call a snap regional election, although he did not indicate the date, pending approval of the regional budgets for this year. | RELATED: | "Once the budgets are approved in Parliament, I will announce the date of the regional elections," he said in an official announcement. | The Regional executive is currently formed by a coalition of tw…
(2020-01-29). Dershowitz Is Wrong — Abuse of Power Is Grounds for Impeachment. truthout.org Alan Dershowitz, the Harvard emeritus law professor who is serving as a hired gun for Team Trump, is arguing that even if John Bolton testifies that Trump admitted the quid pro quo with Ukraine to him, the Senate could not remove the president from office. Dershowitz has gone so far as to say that even if Trump told Bolton he was withholding the congressionally authorized military aid to Ukraine until it helped him with an investigation of the Bidens, that is still not impeachable conduct. | Contrary to the…
(2020-01-29). President Erdogan slams Trump's so-called deal on Mideast. yenisafak.com U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called Middle East peace plan ignores Palestinians' rights and attempts to legitimize Israel's occupation, said Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.Answering the questions of reporters on a return flight from his Africa tour, Erdogan said the plan will not serve peace and solution in the region. It ignores Palestinians' rights and attempts to legitimize Israel's occupation, he stressed."Jerusalem is sacred for Muslims and Trump's so-called peace plan proposing to leave Jerusalem to Israel is never acceptable," Erdogan added.On Tuesday, Trump released his oft-delay…
(2020-01-29). Turkey says Trump's plan tries to legitimize Israeli occupation. yenisafak.com Turkey's communications director on Wednesday criticized the U.S.' so-called Middle East peace plan, saying it "tries to give Jerusalem to Israel.""This so-called 'peace plan' is simply a declaration attempting to legitimize the Israeli occupation and settlements," Fahrettin Altun wrote on Twitter."It is neither an implementable plan nor a fair assessment of the situation on the ground. It seeks to satisfy Israel while squashing Palestinian aspirations."On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump released his much-hyped plan to end the Israel-Palestine dispute at the White House with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu b…
(2020-01-29). Trump plan is moment to re-launch Middle East talks for 'viable solution,' EU says. yenisafak.com U.S. President Donald Trump's proposals to create a Palestinian state for Middle East peace are a chance to re-launch talks towards "a viable solution" for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the European Union said in a statement.The initiative "provides an occasion to re-launch the urgently needed efforts towards a negotiated and viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on behalf of the bloc, adding that the EU would need to study and assess Trump's proposals.However, the EU cautioned that Israel and the Palestinians needed to show "a genuine commitment to the…
(2020-01-29). Kremlin 'analyzing' Trump's so-called 'Deal of Century'. yenisafak.com The Kremlin continues analyzing U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called plan on Palestine-Israel settlement, known as "deal of the century", Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday.The Russian leadership expects to get more details from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will visit Moscow on Thursday, said Peskov."We continue analyzing this information and study the plan that was prepared in the White House. There will also be a meeting with Netanyahu tomorrow, and more firsthand information will be received," he said. So far, the only thing that can be said…
(2020-01-29). Erdogan says patience with Russia 'running out' over Syria bombardment. yenisafak.com Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia was not abiding by the Sochi or Astana agreements regarding Syria's northwestern Idlib province, broadcaster NTV reported on Wednesday.Renewed bombardments by Russia-backed Syrian regime forces on Idlib have raised concern of a new refugee wave from the area, where some 3 million people live.Erdogan made the comments to reporters on his flight back from Senegal. He was also quoted as saying Turkey had told Russia that Ankara is running out of patience with the bombardments, adding that it would do what is necessary.
(2020-01-29). Little US-Turkish progress solving defenses row, Erdogan says. yenisafak.com Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday Washington and Ankara had done little to solve a row over Turkey's purchase of Russian defences and its procurement of U.S. fighter jets despite a November agreement, according to broadcaster NTV.Ties between the NATO allies were badly strained last year when Turkey bought Russian S-400 defence systems, prompting Washington to threaten sanctions and to suspend Turkish involvement in its F-35 jet programme, where Ankara was a buyer and manufacturer.Washington says the S-400s are not compatible with NATO systems and threaten the stealth capabilities of its Lockheed…
(2020-01-29). Turkey's natural gas imports down 17% in November 2019. yenisafak.com Turkey's natural gas imports decreased by around 17% in November 2019 compared to the same month of 2018, according to Turkish energy watchdog's data on Wednesday.Natural gas imports decreased to 3.9 billion cubic meters (bcm) in November last year, from 4.69 bcm for the same month of 2018, Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) said in its monthly natural gas market report.The country imported 2.81 bcm of natural gas via pipeline, while 1.87 bcm was purchased as LNG in November 2019, EMRA's data showed.Turkey's total gas consumption decreased by 15.8% to approximately 3.44 bcm in November 2019, from…
(2020-01-29). Turkey's 4th polar expedition to start in February. yenisafak.com Turkish research team is set to depart for 4th National Antarctic Science Expedition from Istanbul on Feb. 9, the industry and technology minister said on Wednesday."Scientists who will carry out 15 projects in various fields such as earth and marine sciences, biology, chemistry, aerospace, and social sciences, are joining the journey," Mustafa Varank said.The expedition will be carried out with Turkey's recently launched Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK) Polar Research Institute, he stated.Antarctica, the coldest continent on earth, has served as a scientific research zone since the signing…
(2020-01-29). Huawei determined on more investments in Turkey. yenisafak.com Chinese technology giant Huawei will pursue further investments in Turkey and it will not be deterred by global circumstances, according to a senior official of Huawei Turkey."Huawei has been active in Turkey for 17 years and has been making important efforts across the country," Liang Dongbo, the deputy corporate affairs manager of Huawei Turkey said on Wednesday."Turkey is a critical hub for developing the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) ecosystem, which carries great importance for the company," he added.Liang said Huawei has raised its investments to $1 billion to encourage developers to publish their apps throu…
(2020-01-29). Parisians Continue Strikes Against Pension Reforms – Video. sputniknews.com Strikes against the widely unpopular pension reform in France have swept the country since early December. Protesters object to the replacement of 42 different pension schemes with a universal, points-based system.
(2020-01-29). Brexit Party Leader Says Denmark, Poland, Italy Could Be Next to Leave EU After UK. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said on Wednesday that the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union marks the beginning of the total reconfiguration of the European map, while Denmark, Poland and Italy could possibly be the next to leave the bloc.
(2020-01-29). Russian Defence Ministry Says Pompeo's Concern over Russian "Attack" in Syria Hypocritical. sputniknews.com On Tuesday, Mike Pompeo accused Russia, the Assad government, Iran and Hezbollah of violating a ceasefire in northern Syria through 'ruthless actions' and 'barbaric attacks'.
(2020-01-29). Russia's Ex-Policemen to Face Charges for Faking Evidence in Journalist Golunov Case – Investigators. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia's five former police officers who were detained over their role in the case of journalist Ivan Golunov will face charges as they are accused of faking up the evidence of Golunov's guilt, the Russian Investigative Committee's spokeswoman, Svetlana Petrenko, said on Wednesday.
(2020-01-29). Germany Gifts Ukraine $154,000 Worth of Border Control Tech. sputniknews.com KIEV (Sputnik) – Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said on Wednesday that it had received from Germany $154,000 worth of technology used to detect forged documents as part of an international assistance program.
(2020-01-29). EU Stops Short of Banning Huawei, Recommends Granting Firm Limited Role in 5G Networks. sputniknews.com There is no consensus in the European Union on whether to allow Huawei to build national 5G infrastructure. The United Kingdom on Tuesday became the latest country to give the Chinese tech giant a limited role in its 5G infrastructure.
(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 
(2020-01-29). France could sign Brexit deal quickly if UK commits to 'no dumping' — minister. rt.com 
France said on Wednesday it could approve a Brexit trade deal quickly if Britain commits to maintaining regulations in line with those in Europe. | French European Affairs Minister Amelie de Montchalin added that Paris would not rush into a deal before the end of the year if its red lines on "dumping" were not met. | "On trade issues, we must ensure conditions for fair competition are maintained," Reuters quoted the minister as saying. | Britain will formally exit the European Union on January 31. British and European negotiators will use an 11-month transition period to seal a trade deal for a post-Brexit rel…
(2020-01-29). European parliament expected to sign off Brexit deal. thecanary.co 
The European parliament is to set the seal on Britain's departure from the EU in a final vote on prime minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.MEPs meeting in Brussels are expected overwhelmingly to back ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, paving the way for the UK to leave with a deal in place on Friday.Foreign secretary Dominic Raab signed the official document ratifying the deal for the UK side, which was then taken to Brussels by Britain's ambassador to the EU, Tim Barrow. | @EUCouncil. This step ensures that the UK has fulfilled its legal obligations regarding our exit from the EU. (2020-01-29). 'Goodbye!' Farage trolls EU Parliament with Brexit one last time, waving Union Jack flag before mic is cut off for 'hate'. rt.com 
Brexit Party leader and MEP Nigel Farage gave his final speech in the European Parliament, denouncing the EU as an anti-democratic experiment. He waved the Union Jack flag to cheers from his UK colleagues as he said goodbye. | As the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to approve the agreement that would let Britain leave on January 31, Farage rose one last time to cap his 20-year term in the forum with a speech declaring victory and wishing the EU good riddance. | Once we've left, we are never coming back. | After 25 years of fighting for independence, this is my final contribution in the European Parlia…
(2020-01-29). EU MEPs Set to Approve Brexit Deal in Symbolic Session. telesurenglish.net The 751 members of the European Parliament will debate the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and set to approve the terms of the UK's departure from the European Union (EU) in a historic vote on Wednesday, in Brussels. | RELATED: | This vote is the final hurdle to be cleared for Brexit to go ahead and will mark the final stage of the ratification process, ahead of the UK's exit on January 31st. | The EU's negotiators have kept t…
(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.
(2020-01-28). How Government and Media Are Prepping America for a Failed 2020 Election. mintpressnews.com 
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.
(2020-01-28). Where Was Rudy Giuliani When Democrats Needed Him? counterpunch.org 
Help me get this straight. Rudolph Giuliani is the President's private attorney, or at least he still seems to be. According to CNN on 10/11/19: "Rudy Giuliani is still President Trump's personal attorney but will not be dealing with matters involving Ukraine, a source close to Trump's legal team told CNN. Earlier today, Trump wouldn't