(2020-02-09). 'Warsaw is closer to Moscow than to Washington': Ex-president Walesa vows to break ice in Poland-Russia ties. rt.com 
It is imperative to improve Russia-Poland relations, outlive the troubled past and move forward, ex-president Lech Walesa has said, adding that only a "third party" benefits from the discord. | While the relationship between Poland and Russia wasn't particularly warm throughout recent decades, it can be unfrozen if both sides do their part, Walesa told Russia's
(2020-02-09). Inside Iowa's Irregularities. dissidentvoice.org 
There are few things in life more surreal than being on the ground when election fraud is taking place, feeling that knot in the stomach growing as tales of intrigue trickle in like slow-drip coffee on a particularly rough morning. I was in Georgia in 2018, when the gubernatorial race between Republican Brian Kemp and …
(2020-02-09). Unpleasant surprise for Washington? US oil sanctions on Iran force India to look to Russia. rt.com 
Escalating US pressure on Iran, including sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, may have had an unexpected consequence — pushing India to diversify its energy supplies by shifting from Tehran to Moscow as a major oil supplier. | State-owned oil refiner Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has just signed a contract with Russia's Rosneft for the supply of up to 2 million tons of oil by the end of 2020. The meeting took place on the sidelines of India's largest weapons fair, DefExpo, currently going on in Lucknow. | "This is just the beginning," Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters after meetin…
(2020-02-09). Russian banks may grant loans to diamond buyers in India — media. rt.com 
Indian diamond traders purchasing rough precious stones from major Russian miner Alrosa could be eligible for loans from Russian banks, as domestic lenders have reduced financing for the gem and jewelry sectors. | Russian banks have already started granting money to Alrosa's foreign clients, according to the Economic Times. The measure could boost India's diamond industry, which has been lacking a source of financing since notorious jeweler Nirav Modi was accused of being involved in a $2.5+ billion fraud case in India. The billionaire was arrested in London in 2019 after managing to enjoy a lavish lifestyle i…
(2020-02-09). The 2019 China Wuhan Coronavirus & (BSL-4) Biotech Warfare Labs with Dr. Francis Boyle. indybay.org Dr. Frances Boyle talks about the Wuhan Coronavirus and how in his view it is a genetically engineered bioweapon that was accidentally released from the Wuhan Biosafety (BSL-4) laboratory.
(2020-02-09). Spain confirms its second coronavirus case. yenisafak.com Spain's National Centre for Microbiology confirmed on Sunday the country's second case of new coronavirus, after tests on one of four people suspected of having the virus in Mallorca came back positive. The other three were negative.The patient is one of four people taken into observation in Mallorca on Friday after coming into contact with someone in France who was subsequently diagnosed with the virus.
(2020-02-09). Azerbaijan: 132 int'l media outlets to cover election. yenisafak.com A total of 132 international media outlets will cover the snap parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, the chairman of Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Saturday.Mazahir Panahov told a news conference in the capital Baku that some 199 representatives of 132 international media outlets from 47 countries will closely monitor the election scheduled for Sunday.He said the latest number of the candidates for the deputy post is at 1,314.Some 305 candidates are related to the political parties, while the rest are independent.He said that almost 92% of candidates have a higher education degree, while almost half of…
(2020-02-09). One week into virus quarantine, Turkish evacuees bullish. yenisafak.com A week since Turkey flew out dozens of its citizens from Wuhan, China, morale is high, as none of the evacuees has shown any symptoms of the deadly coronavirus.On Feb. 1 Turkey sent a cargo plane to evacuate 42 people, including 32 Turks, six Azerbaijanis, three Georgians, and one Albanian, as the virus spread both in and outside China's borders.Right after the plane landed in the Turkish capital Ankara, the evacuees, along with medical staff, military personnel, and media who accompanied them, were taken to a hospital to be held in a two-week precautionary quarantine in separate rooms to allow healthcare officia…
(2020-02-09). Turkey's nationalist party urges TRNC leader to resign. yenisafak.com Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader on Saturday urged the current president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to resign over his "shameless" remarks in an interview he made with a British daily.Devlet Bahceli's statement came after Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci talked to The Guardian about the long-standing reunification efforts in Cyprus island."If this failed to happen, he [Akinci] said, the north [TRNC] would grow increasingly dependent on Ankara and could end up being swallowed up, as a de facto Turkish province," the daily cited Akinci as saying.Referring to Tayfur Sokmen…
(2020-02-09). Pope calls for respect of humanitarian law in Syria's Idlib amid escalation. yenisafak.com Pope Francis called on Sunday for respect of humanitarian law in Syria's Idlib province, amid an escalation of a Syrian government offensive that has displaced more than half a million in two months.He told tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's square that the reports from Idlib were "painful … particularly regarding the conditions of women and children, of people forced to flee from a military escalation."Turkey has reinforced its military presence in the area, saying the advances by Russian-backed Syrian troops and their allies threaten a fresh humanitarian disaster.The crisis risks driving another wave…
(2020-02-09). Quit smoking while there's still time: Doctor. yenisafak.com National No Smoking Day in Turkey is celebrated Feb. 9, to draw attention to the dangers of tobacco.Tobacco use is an important risk factor for developing cancer, the disease that kills eight million people worldwide each year.To mark the occasion, Anadolu Agency spoke with doctors about what happens to the body of smokers and how it recovers when one stops the habit."Smoking is the most important cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fourth most common disease of death in the world," said Dr. Ece Yigit of Pendik Medipol University Hospital in Istanbul.COPD is a disease that can be controlle…
(2020-02-09). Turkey ready to act after reinforcing Syria's Idlib. yenisafak.com Turkey has sent major reinforcements to Syria's northwestern Idlib region and "all options are on the table", a senior official said on Sunday, as Ankara tries to stem rapid advances by Syrian regime forces.The regime offensive in Idlib, the last major enclave of opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, has driven more than half a million people from their homes towards the closed Turkish border, threatening a new humanitarian crisis in Syria.Turkey, which already hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, says it cannot absorb any more and has demanded Damascus pull back in Idlib by the end of the month or face Turkish…
(2020-02-09). Storm Ciara disrupts more than 100 flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol. yenisafak.com Around 120 flights to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, one of Europe's largest, were cancelled or delayed on Sunday as a powerful storm blew in off the Atlantic Ocean with gusts of more than 100 kilometres per hour (62 miles per hour).The Netherlands Meteorological Institute issued an amber alert for Sunday afternoon as storm Ciara began to batter the Dutch coast after crossing Britain overnight.All professional Dutch soccer matches were cancelled, along with most outdoor sporting events.Winds of 100 kilometres per hour were registered just after midday in the Netherlands and gusts were expected to pick yup…
(2020-02-09). US, Finnish mountaineers rescued in Pakistan's Siachen. yenisafak.com Pakistan's Army has rescued two foreign climbers trapped in the country's eastern Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas, the army announced Sunday."Pakistan Army Aviation pilots rescued two foreign mountain climbers, Mr. Donald Allen Bowie (USA) and Ms. Lotta Henriikka Nakyva (Finland) from Broad Peak, Baltoro Glacier … part of an International Winter Expedition attempting to summit Broad Peak but stranded en route due to sickness," said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army's media wing.Broad Peak, also known as K-3 — the world's 12th-highest peak, towering 8,051 meters (26,414 feet) ≠[…
(2020-02-09). Taliban Ready to Enter Direct Talks With Kabul Only After Signing Deal With US – Moscow. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Taliban* express readiness to enter direct talks with Kabul only after signing a peace deal with the US, the possibility of a temporary truce for the period of such negotiations is being discussed, the Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan and the head of the Foreign Ministry's Second Asian Department said.
(2020-02-09). Spain Confirms Second Coronavirus Case in Country – Health Ministry. sputniknews.com MADRID (Sputnik) – The Spanish Health Ministry said on 9 February that the second coronavirus case was confirmed in the country after a tourist from the United Kingdom, who was living in Spain's Majorca island, got infected.
(2020-02-09). Debates Around Burqa and Niqab Ban Flare Up in Germany. sputniknews.com Several neighbouring countries, namely Austria, Denmark, France, and the Netherlands, have already barred women from wearing full-face covers in public places. Although in Germany with its about 5 million-strong Muslim community officials, there is no broad federal burqa ban.
(2020-02-09). UK Health Authorities Say Fourth Coronavirus Case Confirmed in Country. sputniknews.com LONDON (Sputnik) – The UK's Department of Health and Social Care on Sunday confirmed the fourth case of coronavirus, adding that the patient was infected in France.
(2020-02-09). Pentagon's "Pivot" to Russia, China Faces Trouble as Its Troops 'Stuck in Sand', Need Money. sputniknews.com The two countries were named the biggest potential challenges and possible "near-peer adversaries" in the Trump administration's defence documents in a contrast to years of focusing on countering the terrorist threat by previous administrations.
(2020-02-09). Junior Swimming Champion Belonogoff Switching From British to Russian Sport Nationality. sputniknews.com British swimmer Tatiana Belonogoff, gold medal winner in the women's 50m breaststroke at the 2018 European Junior Championships, has been living and training in Saint Petersburg for some time now and is currently on track to only compete under the Russian flag from now on.
(2020-02-09). Utair Flight Crash Lands in Usinsk in Northern Russia – Photos. sputniknews.com According to emergency services, the plane en route from Moscow hit the runway with its tail, the 94 people on board were unharmed. In the meantime, the Usinsk Airport is continuing to operate under its regular schedule.
(2020-02-09). Watch Boeing-737 With 94 People on Board Dramatically Crash Land in Russia's Usinsk. sputniknews.com According to preliminary reports, all people on board the Utair Boeing-737 are safe, however, it is not clear how heavily the aircraft has been damaged. Firefighters arrived at the scene as fuel started leaking from the plane.
(2020-02-09). Watch Airbus-320 With 172 Passengers Land at Hmeymim Airbase Trying to Avoid Israeli Strike on Syria. sputniknews.com The Russian Defence Ministry stated on 7 February that a civilian Airbus-320 with 172 passengers on board was nearly destroyed amid Israeli airstrikes near Damascus in the early hours of 6 February.
(2020-02-09). Fellowship of Siberia's Baikal Rings: Cause of Puzzling Ice Circles in World's Biggest Lake Revealed. sputniknews.com There have been diverse theories attempting to crack open the mystery of the so-called "ice rings" in Russia's Lake Baikal, some of which may even reach 7 kilometres in diameter. The most popular concept, focusing on methane outbursts, was eventually disproven due to objective geological reasons.
(2020-02-08). Irish election too close to call as 'historic' surge by left-wing nationalist Sinn Fein stuns establishment. rt.com 
Polls have closed in Ireland's general election and, with no party securing a strong lead, confusion abounds as voters wait to see which parties will agree to do business with each other to form a coalition. | An Ipsos MRBI exit poll published by Ireland's state broadcaster RTE at 10pm shows FG, SF and FF tied with a statistically insignificant (given a margin of error of 1.3 percent) difference of 22.4, 22.3 and 22.2 percent of the vote respectively. | A Sinn Fein surge in the run up to election day looks to have translated into votes at the ballot box, allowing party leader Mary Lou McDonald to head into pos…
(2020-02-08). NATO's 'hysteria' over Russia stalking their satellites is only to get more money — MPs. rt.com 
Claims that Russia is using its spacecraft to spy on NATO satellites have no real backing and are used to justify funding requests as the US and its allies are militarizing space, Russian MPs said. | Earlier this week, French General Andre Lanata, who is NATO's supreme allied commander transformation, sounded the alarm over a recently-launched Russian satellite synchronizing its orbit with an American surveillance spacecraft. | "It is a threat to our allies," Lanata told the Washington Examiner. "It's a key question. We need to be sure that we give to our forces this space asset support." | The commander went…
(2020-02-08). Democrats impeach Trump for Withholding Arms to Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. dissidentvoice.org On December 18th, Donald Trump became the third U.S. president in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The second to be indicted before completing a first term, the 45th commander-in-chief must now survive a Senate trial before seeking reelection later this year. As many nonpartisan analysts predicted, the charges appear to have …
(2020-02-08). Finland to significantly increase parental leave. nationofchange.org "The model guarantees the child a place at the center of family benefits and promotes well-being and gender equality."
(2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.
(2020-02-08). Thuringia, Germany: Minister president elected with votes of far-right AfD announces resignation. wsws.org Twenty-four hours after being elected with the support of the far-right AfD, CDU and FDP as minister president of the state of Thuringia, Free Democrat politician Thomas Kemmerich announced his resignation.
(2020-02-08). German ruling class commemorates liberation of Auschwitz by planning new wars and new crimes. wsws.org Just one week after official ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, federal parliament President Wolfgang Schà§uble has called for Germany to once again take up the "burden" of fighting wars abroad.
(2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as U.S. Deploys a New Nuclear Weapon for the First Time Since the Cold War. democracynow.org 
The Federation of American Scientists revealed in late January that the U.S. Navy had deployed for the first time a submarine armed with a low-yield Trident nuclear warhead. The USS Tennessee deployed from Kings Bay Submarine Base in Georgia in late 2019. The W76-2 warhead, which is facing criticism at home and abroad, is estimated to have about a third of the explosive power of the atomic bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) called the news "an alarming development that heightens the risk of nuclear war." We're joined by William Arkin, longtime reporter…
(2020-02-07). Long-Bailey pledges right to switch off work phones out of hours. thecanary.co 
Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey will pledge to help end the 24/7 work culture by giving employees the right not to be contacted outside working hours.The shadow business secretary will commit on Friday to giving workers the freedom to switch off phones so they do not have to be anxious about receiving emails and calls during leisure time.While her campaign team gave few details, a "right to disconnect" in France obliges organisations with more than 50 workers to define employees' rights to ignore their mobiles.Long-Bailey is among the favourites to replace Corbyn (Stefan Rousseau/PA)Long-Bailey wa…
(2020-02-07). Russia and Iran's Clashing Visions for Syria's future. mintpressnews.com 
Rivals of the West in their own right, Iran and Russia today are major power players in the Syrian imbroglio. Their convergence of interests in helping eradicate extremist terrorist proxies utilized by an array of rival states against their mutual Syrian ally has allowed them both a significant degree of say in Syrian affairs and how that country's future will pan out | However, their cooperation against the terrorist threat has often been the pivot of inaccurate portrayals of Russia-Iran ties and the extent of their shared interests versus their many highly divergent objectives in Syria, many of which are rooted…
(2020-02-07). In Thuringia, Germany, a fascist coup. peoplesworld.org 
BERLIN — While millions this week stared at Iowa and Washington with worried amazement, confusion or anger, Germany, too, had its own messy confusion — which turned into a frightening alarm signal! For the very first time, a state government — in Thuringia — was able to achieve rule with the support of the far, …
(2020-02-07). Right-wing Nicaraguan opposition boasts of support from US and EU in campaign to oust Sandinista gov't. thegrayzone.com The US embassy and European Union are meeting with right-wing Nicaraguan opposition leaders and pressuring them to unite against elected…
(2020-02-07). Iowa debacle fueled by anti-Bernie billionaires, Russiagate hucksters, failed DNC elites. thegrayzone.com Max Blumenthal breaks down the shadowy network of billionaires, Democratic elites, and Russiagate profiteers behind the Shadow app that ruined…
(2020-02-07). Italy and the Changing — But Not Waiting — World. globalresearch.ca Recently the French President, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, admitted that NATO should be considered cerebrally dead. Such a statement, although influenced by the search for domestic consent, certainly reflects a deep impatience with European and Atlantic limitations by French intellectuals …
(2020-02-07). Ireland's Sinn Fein has offered citizens a truly just and constructive Manifesto for Ireland's 8th February 2020 Election. zcomm.org On the 14th of January last month Ireland's Taoiseach (Leader) announced a snap election for 8th February 2020. On that day I wrote this Z.Net blog on how I thought about that. Now this new blog hopes you may have first read that, instead of me repeating it to much in this one. (I'm not
(2020-02-07). Syria and Turkey Face War as Syrian Arab Army Poised to Take Idlib. globalresearch.ca Tensions between Damascus and Ankara have never been higher over the past nine years. Turkey's
(2020-02-07). Break-up of Astana Partnership Was Inevitable. The Turkey-Russia Relation in Jeopardy? globalresearch.ca Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ordered his forces to strike Syrian army positions in retaliation for targeting a Turkish military convoy bound for the Saraqeb in Syria's north-western Idlib province. His forces obeyed on Monday and allegedly struck a …
(2020-02-07). Venezuela: Sergei Lavrov Met National Dialogue Representatives. telesurenglish.net Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday met with the "National Dialogue" representatives in Caracas where he stressed that the U.S. sanctions against Venezuela are unacceptable and illegal. | RELATED: | "Unfortunately, the crisis Venezuela is going through comes from a campaign led by the United States to overthrow the legitimate government chaired by President Nicolas Maduro," L…
(2020-02-07). Israeli Attack Endangers Civilian Aircraft in Damascus. telesurenglish.net A civilian aircraft flying from Tehran to Damascus narrowly avoided fire from Syria's air defense systems, which were activated in response to an Israeli missile attack on Friday. | RELATED: | Due to the Israeli strike, the aircraft, an Airbus A320, was unable to land at Damascus Airport and had to divert to Russia's Khmeimim airbase, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. | The surprise attack, which was made by four Isra…
(2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."
(2020-02-07). Neocolonialism and Geopolitical Rivalry in Sri Lanka. globalresearch.ca Sri Lanka's historical narrative has been defined by geopolitical rivalry, external aggression and internal resistance to that aggression. The early historical era experienced successive waves of invasion from South Indian kingdoms. These were followed by European conquest and consecutive rule …
(2020-02-07). World Conquest: The United States' Global Military Crusade (1945- ). globalresearch.ca The first period was characterized by US military intervention in Europe, the second by a concern to confine the Communist bloc and to prevent the emergence of pro-communist regimes elsewhere in the world, and the third, focused on gaining control over the former Soviet republics and the oil-rich Middle East.
(2020-02-07). Far-right AfD plays role of kingmaker in German state election. wsws.org For the first time since the end of the Third Reich, a state premier was elected on Wednesday with the votes of a far-right, fascist party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
(2020-02-07). A Fascist Coup Attempt in Germany. counterpunch.org While millions this week stared at Iowa and Washington with worried amazement, confusion or anger, Germany, too, had its own messy confusion — which turned into a frightening alarm signal! For the very first time, a state government — in Thuringia — was able to achieve rule with the support of the far, far right
(2020-02-07). Record-Breaking Temperature of Nearly 65 ∫F Logged in Antarctica as Scientists Sound Alarm Over Rapid Ice Melt . commondreams.org The Antarctic peninsula was warmer than the United Kingdom when the the temperature was recorded Friday. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/24708106127_9d36958c4c_o_1_1.jpg …
(2020-02-07). Call to safeguard movement of patient records during Brexit negotiations. thecanary.co 
The movement of patient health records across the border in Ireland should be safeguarded as part of Brexit negotiations, a policy expert has said.The City of London wants the EU to urgently agree that the UK meets its requirements for data security, to preserve the ease with which people from one side of the border use health services on the other.Catherine McGuinness is policy chair at the UK's main financial district and is visiting Derry and Donegal this weekend.Catherine McGuinness (City of London/PA)She said: "One issue is particularly concerning me and is particularly acute in Northern Ireland, and that is…