2020-02-07: News Headlines

Staff (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…

RT (2020-02-07). 'Of course we are not alone': Russian scientist says we're using wrong tools to hunt for aliens. rt.com A Russian scientist believes that the only way we can finally discover extraterrestrial life is for experts and researchers from different branches to work together. | Alexander Panov, a leading researcher at Moscow State University's Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, has spent many years working on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) at the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Radio Astronomy. | In a recent

RT (2020-02-07). Macron warns that European nations 'cannot remain spectators' in the face of a potential nuclear arms race. rt.com French President Emmanuel Macron has warned of a looming arms race and called for new controls to limit the proliferation of conventional and nuclear weapons. | The French leader, speaking in Paris on Friday, argued that the European Union faces new security challenges following Britain's exit from the bloc. | "Europeans must realize collectively that in the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil," Macron said. He stressed that Europeans "cannot remain spectators" in the face of such threats and urged leaders to create…

RT (2020-02-07). 'Protect protesters,' Iraq's top cleric tells security forces. rt.com Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric has called for security forces to protect anti-government protesters. | Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani's words came two days after at least eight protesters were killed in the holy southern city of Najaf. They died when followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed a protest site and fired live rounds, AP said. | Sistani, a revered Shiite religious figure whose opinion holds sway over Iraqis, said security forces were "indispensable" and responsible for maintaining law and order. The comments came in his weekly Friday sermon delivered by a representative in Najaf. He di…

Agha Hussain (2020-02-07). Syria: With an Eye on Energy Dominance, Russia is Aligning with Israel Against Iran. mintpressnews.com In the second of a three-part series, Agha Hussein investigates Russia's financial motivation for teaming up with Israel and wealthy Gulf Arab states to curb Iran's influence in post-war Syria.

Vijay Prashad (2020-02-07). Libya is Being Torn Apart By Outsiders. counterpunch.org With the United States walking out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—more commonly known as the Iran accord—we all enter into a heightened zone of danger. Trump is threatening a war on Iran through his statements and tweets, and now by his actions, assassinating serving Iranian and Iraqi generals on Iraqi soil. Assassinations

Staff (2020-02-07). Risk of Nuclear War Rises as US Deploys New Nuke for First Time Since Cold War. truthout.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) call…

Scarlet Kim (2020-02-07). CBP Lied About Iranian-American Detentions, Leaked Memo Suggests. globalresearch.ca Last month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Andrew Korybko (2020-02-07). Expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Tehran Wants to Build "the Golden Ring" globalresearch.ca BRI-led Eurasian integration processes are one of the defining characteristics of contemporary International Relations, and the Golden Ring could eventually become the centerpiece of these efforts if Ambassador Hosseini's W-CPEC+ proposal succeeds, especially if it's done in parallel with N-CPEC+….

Simon Watkins (2020-02-07). Iraq Is on the Brink of an Energy Crisis. globalresearch.ca As the deadline for the U.S. to renew its waiver on Iraq importing gas and electricity from Iran approaches later this month, the three key players in this ongoing geopolitical saga have been preparing for all possible outcomes. As always …

Shane Quinn (2020-02-07). China, Iran and North Korea Are Almost Encircled by 500 US Military Bases. globalresearch.ca US president Donald Trump's approval ratings, at 49%, are now at their highest ever level since his assumption to office three years ago (1). Trump is a heavy favourite to be re-elected in November, a likelihood which the ever-growing …

yenisafak (2020-02-07). French president lays out nuclear strategy in address. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron Friday morning addressed the trainees of military academy outside Paris, as well as the military community, giving a speech on the strategy of defense and deterrence.In what is expected to be a milepost, Macron will address the threats posed by nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, stepping in proactively to a shifting chess game on the world stage.Macron has earlier raised his concerns on the recent actions of the U.S., as it pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Weapons Treaty last year.With the U.K. now absent from the EU, France rem…

yenisafak (2020-02-07). France ready to partner with Europe on nuclear deterrence, says Macron. yenisafak.com President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France wanted to open a strategic dialogue with its European partners about the role of French nuclear deterrence policy in European security.The overture to Europeans chimes with Macron's insistence that Europe should reinforce its strategic autonomy in the face of growing global threats and stop relying solely on the United States and the transatlantic alliance for its defence.In a much-anticipated speech on French nuclear deterrence, a ritual for every French president under the Fifth Republic, Macron said that European nations who wanted to do so, could be associa…

Fred Kaplan (2020-02-06). Interview: Trump's Nuclear Insecurities and Other Secrets from the Author of "The Bomb" globalresearch.ca In this interview, Bulletin contributing editor Dawn Stover speaks with Fred Kaplan about his just-published book, The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War (Simon & Schuster). Kaplan is a national-security columnist for Slate and the author …

Maj. Danny Sjursen (2020-02-06). America's Newest Proxy Battle Could Spark World War 3. truthdig.com The Trump administration has put the U.S. on a collision course with Russia in Central Asia. It risks nothing less than a nuclear cataclysm.

Staff (2020-02-06). Refineries Are Spewing Cancer-Causing Benzene as Trump Slashes Enforcement. truthout.org On a spring evening in 2018, the sky across the New Orleans metro area lit up with fiery light. Friends and neighbors turned to each other with raised eyebrows, anxiety and dark humor. Did a nuclear bomb go off? Is an asteroid about to fall into Lake Pontchartrain? Is this the end? | We would soon learn from the evening news that

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-02-06). Can the U.S. and Iran Avoid a Disastrous Collision? zcomm.org Source: Independent Media Institute With the United States walking out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—more commonly known as the Iran accord—we all enter into a heightened zone of danger. Trump is threatening a war on Iran through his statements and tweets, and now by his actions, assassinating serving Iranian and Iraqi generals

RT (2020-02-05). US Space Force conducts first ICBM launch after Moscow warned of threat of renewed arms race (PHOTOS). rt.com The newly-created US Space Force has test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time as Russia blasted it for "lowering the bar" on using nuclear weapons. | The unarmed land-based missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shortly after midnight on Wednesday. It was the first such development test since the facility became part of the US Space Force, which was established as an independent military branch in late December. The US previously test-fired a missile of this type in October. | The Minuteman missiles are the key component of the US' land-…

Jason Ditz (2020-02-05). Trump Says War With Iran Was "Closer Than You Thought" Last Month. theantimedia.com Trump told reporters that the U.S. came "closer than you thought" to war with Iran last month.

Staff (2020-02-04). Headlines for February 4, 2020. democracynow.org Delay in Iowa Democratic Primary Results Causes Confusion, Mixed Messages, Final Arguments Made in Impeachment Trial of President Trump Ahead of SOTU, Hong Kong Medical Workers Demand Border Closure as Coronavirus Claims Life of Hong Kong Man, Leaked Audio Shows Iran Knew It Downed Ukraine Jet Despite Early Denials, Syrian and Turkish Forces Escalate Attacks as Turkey Suffers First Losses from Direct Combat, Massachusetts Prisoners Allege Violent Retaliatory Abuse by Guards, Trial Begins For Ex-CIA Software Engineer Accused of "Vault 7" Leak, Weinstein Rape Accuser Breaks Down During Harsh Questioning, Shooting a…

Staff (2020-02-03). ACLU: Trump Is Expanding His Racist Travel Ban, This Time Targeting Africans. democracynow.org The Trump administration has expanded its contested travel ban to six additional countries — most of which are African nations. Under the new restrictions, nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan will no longer be able to obtain visas to live and work in the U.S., while Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be able to participate in the diversity visa lottery program. The ban, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban," already affects citizens from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela and North Korea. The expansion is expected to affect more than 350 million people. Democrats say they will…

Norman Solomon (2020-02-02). War with Iran Is at Stake—and Democrats' High Jumps Over Low Standards Aren't Helping. zcomm.org The huge crisis with Iran is more dangerous because so many Democrats have been talking out of both sides of their mouths…

Aaron Maté (2020-02-01). Israel has played a key role in US aggression towards Iran. thegrayzone.com Before the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, Israel played a key and overlooked role in the Trump administration's aggression campaign against…

Staff (2020-01-31). Headlines for January 31, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Poised to Acquit President Trump in Impeachment Trial, World Health Organization Declares International Public Health Emergency, U.S. Special Envoy Warns of International Crisis in Idlib, Syria, Britain Formally Withdrawing from European Union Tonight, Pentagon Deploys 1st Low-Yield Nuclear Warhead-Armed Submarine, Trump Admin Poised to Loosen Restrictions on Use of Landmines, Human Rights Groups Condemn Mexico for Crackdown on Central American Migrants, Mexican Butterfly Conservationist Found Dead, Bolivia's Movement for Socialism Candidate Luis Arce Returns to Bolivia, U.S. Pushes EU to End Ban on Chemic…

Jon Rainwater (2020-01-31). House Votes to Rein in Trump's Iran War Powers While Ending Endless Wars. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — January 30, 2020 — In response to two high-profile war powers votes on the House floor today, Peace Action released the following statement: "Our nation's endless wars are on autopilot, with Trump fitfully grabbing the steering wheel until his attention wanders somewhere else. Today's votes are a step toward Congress reclaiming its …

Fight Back (2020-01-31). East LA demands: "No war against Iran" fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – On January 25, protesters joined together at the U.S. Marine recruitment center to demand "No war against Iran!" The event was organized by the 50th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee and was part of a day of action across the U.S. against war with Iran. | The largest Chicano Moratorium happened on August 29, 1970 in which 30,000 Chicanos marched through East Los Angeles (ELA) to demand an end of the Vietnam War and against the draft. The protest was met with heavy repression from the sheriffs, and hundreds were arrested and three left dead, including Chicano journalist Ruben Salazar. | Pr…

Anya Parampil (2020-01-30). US government censorship? Social media giants disappear accounts of Iranian and Venezuelan academics, journalists. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil talks with Professor Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran. Professor Marandi's Facebook and Instagram…

Tyler Durden (2020-01-29). Pentagon Now Says 50 US Troops Suffered Brain Injuries in Iran's Missile Strike. theantimedia.com Hours after the attack, President Trump had announced that "no Americans were harmed."

CounterSpin (2020-01-10). Gregory Shupak on Iran Assassination, Brett Hartl on Biodiversity Loss. fair.org Media…

Jon Rainwater (2020-01-08). In the ongoing crisis, Congress must rein in Trump's war powers. peaceaction.org As we feared, President Trump's reckless assassination of Iran's Gen. Soleimani resulted in escalation — direct Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq. It's painful to watch more violence in a country that has already suffered far too much from endless war. All parties in the US/Iran conflict must cease military action and …

Lawrence Wittner (2019-12-22). Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

Jon Rainwater (2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Jon Rainwater (2019-06-20). Striking Iran Now Could Spark a Major War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "The United States has stumbled into a perilous situation. If, for example, the U.S. …