(2020-01-24). The Long History of Elite Rule: What Will It Take To End It? counterpunch.org 
Elites have ruled over people and commanded the surplus produced by their labor for many millennia. It is this long history we have to contend with in today's crisis of capitalism that has produced endless wars and environmental catastrophes as corporate billionaire rulers continue to promote business as usual while preparing to fight each other with armed forces and nuclear weapons. This has all been "normalized."
(2020-01-24). Turkey sending military to train UN-backed govt's forces in Libya — Erdogan. rt.com 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he is sending military personnel to Libya to train the forces loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord. | Erdogan announced the move on Friday, days after he apparently backed off on an earlier promise to deploy ground troops to the war-torn African country. The Turkish leader told journalists on Monday that a group of military "advisers" had been sent to Libya in the troops' stead. | The Turkish personnel will train the forces of Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads the Tripoli-based and UN-backed Government of National Accord. The GNA has been engaged in…
(2020-01-24). 'You f*cking four-eyed c*nt': England cricket star Stokes risks sanction after foul-mouthed rant at fan in South Africa (VIDEO). rt.com 
England hero Ben Stokes could be in hot water with the cricket authorities after he was caught on camera appearing to call a fan a "f*cking four-eyed c*nt" after being dismissed against South Africa. | Stokes scored just two runs before being the fourth man to fall in England's first innings in Johannesburg, as the visitors ended the first day of the Test on 192-4. | Rather than head quietly back into the dressing room, Stokes appeared to get involved in an expletive-filled exchange with a fan in the crowd. | "Say it to me outside the ground you f*cking four-eyed c*nt," Stokes was apparently heard to say by a…
(2020-01-24). Isabel dos Santos and Africa's Lumpen-Bourgeoisie. counterpunch.org Thirty years ago, I was part of a Tecnica delegation that visited the African National Congress headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia. We were there to discuss the feasibility of a technical aid project for the ANC and the frontline states with Thabo Mbeki, the future president of post-apartheid South Africa. Back then, the term frontline referred
(2020-01-24). Turkish Intervention in Libya: Another Erdogan Reckless Attempt to Revive Neo-Ottoman Empire. globalresearch.ca With Turkey failing to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power in their drive to forge a regional hegemonic order under their rulership, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has set his eyes on other Eastern Mediterranean issues, primarily aggression against …
(2020-01-24). FROM THE FIELD: Niger supporting the most vulnerable, as crises mount. news.un.org The number of people requiring humanitarian assistance in Niger, a country which the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA, says is "being assaulted on all fronts", is expected to increase in 2020.
(2020-01-24). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org French hydroelectric workers joined a strike movement against pension cuts while the union for 130,000 Turkish metalworkers are currently in talks with the Turkish Employers Association of Metal Industries for a pay increase.
(2020-01-24). Soros Says Trump's 'Narcissism' Turned into 'Malignant Disease' After Presidency. sputniknews.com The Inside Philanthropy news website earlier named Hungarian-American billionaire and left-wing activist George Soros "Philanthropist of the Year" for pledging millions of dollars in support for "academic freedom" in Central Europe.
(2020-01-24). Erdogan Says 'Syrian Mistake' Should Not Be Repeated in Libya, Calls for Pressure on Haftar. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday voiced concerns over Libya repeating Syria's fate and called on the international community to increase pressure on Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan National Army (LNA) commander, who is involved in the military conflict in the country.
(2020-01-24). Germany: Left Party supports Libya conference and possible military deployment. wsws.org Although the conference was a meeting of imperialist brigands who discussed the military occupation of the resource-rich country and the redivision of the entire continent under the guise of peace, it was acclaimed by the Left Party.
(2020-01-24). Fresh Lassa fever outbreak kills 24 in Nigeria. yenisafak.com In Nigeria, at least 24 people have been killed in five states since the recent outbreak at the beginning of new year, according to officials.Over 100 patients have also been quarantined in designated treatment centers across the country after infected with the disease caused by a virus from rodent urine.On Friday, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in a statement on its website that the highest casualties were recorded in southwestern Ondo state with 16 deaths. There are also 84 cases reported.In northeast Borno State, four cases were recorded and one of them died, according to Salihu Kwaya-Bura…
(2020-01-24). Locusts threaten food security in East Africa, says UN agancy. yenisafak.com The desert locust invasion in Kenya is the worst that has been seen in the East African country in 70 years, a UN agency said Friday.The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at a news conference in Nairobi warned that the locust outbreak is threatening food security and livelihoods in East Africa and urged for international aid."We must act immediately and at scale to combat and contain this invasion. As the rains start in March there will be a new wave of locust breeding. Now is, therefore, the best time to control the swarms and safeguard people's livelihoods and food security, and avert further worsening of…
(2020-01-24). UN envoy for Syria calls situation in Idlib 'disaster'. yenisafak.com The UN special envoy for Syria on Friday called the humanitarian situation in the conflict-hit province of Idlib "a disaster".Speaking at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Geir Pedersen said the civilians in Idlib pay "too high a price" for the fight against terrorism.He asserted the normalization in Idlib as a key component for the return of refugees back to Syria."The problem is that more than 50% of the population of Syria left their homes. So what we want to achieve now is to create the situation where they start to return. Then we need the political process and to stabilize the…
(2020-01-23). "The New Colossus": In New Play, Tim Robbins Tackles Immigration & Xenophobia. democracynow.org 
President Trump said Wednesday that he would expand his highly controversial travel ban, which already bars citizens from seven countries, most of which have Muslim-majority populations — Libya, Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela — from entering the United States. Politico reports that the expanded ban could implement immigration restrictions on seven more countries: Belarus, Burma, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania, according to two sources. We speak with acclaimed actor, director and activist Tim Robbins, whose recent work has focused on immigration to the United S…
(2020-01-22). At Seattle MLK event the people say "Dump Trump" peoplesworld.org 
SEATTLE—A vast crowd, African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American, and white marched from Garfield High School to Seattle City Hall, Monday, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and upholding his struggle against racism, poverty and militarism. A rainbow of all races, religions, women and men, Gay and straight, of all ages, the crowd marched …
(2020-01-22). 'Obvious malicious intent': Tulsi Gabbard hits Clinton with defamation suit over 'Russian asset' smear. rt.com 
Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard is suing two-time White House runner-up Hillary Clinton over her claim that Gabbard was a "Russian asset," alleging that the lie hurt not just her campaign but the entire election. | Clinton "lied about her perceived rival Tulsi Gabbard… publicly, unambiguously, and with obvious malicious intent" when she claimed Gabbard was "the favorite of the Russians," the campaign alleges in the
(2020-01-21). Joint UN-Congolese strategy needed to address insecurity following deadly attacks. news.un.org Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the UN peacekeeping operation in the country, MONUSCO, are being urged to develop a comprehensive joint strategy to address insecurity in Beni territory, located in the east.
(2020-01-21). Trump's 2nd travel ban may include Belarus & Myanmar, as well as more Muslim countries. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump is considering expanding his controversial travel ban to seven more countries, five of which are majority Muslim and two that are not, according to reports citing insider sources in Washington. | Trump, who is currently in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum in Davos, told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday he was considering adding more countries to the list, but gave no further details. According to "two people familiar with the matter" who spoke with Politico, however, countries that should brace for restrictions are Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Ta…
(2020-01-20). Biden campaign warns media not to spread 'debunked' claims about his activities in Ukraine or else. rt.com 
Joe Biden's presidential campaign has issued a warning to the media cautioning journalists against spreading what he called "debunked" theories about his controversial role in having a Ukrainian prosecutor removed from office. | In the memo first reported by NBC News, Biden's campaign accuses President Donald Trump of "spreading a malicious and conclusively debunked conspiracy theory" that the former VP engaged in wrongdoing when he pressured Ukraine to fire former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. | Biden has previously bragged about his role in having Shokin fired, even admitting on camera that he presented…
(2020-01-20). East Africa locusts threaten food security across subregion, alerts UN agriculture agency. news.un.org Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are dealing with desert locust swarms of "unprecedented size and destructive potential" that could spill over into more countries in East Africa, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Monday.
(2020-01-20). Major humanitarian hub in northeast Nigeria burned in attack. news.un.org The top UN aid official in Nigeria has condemned a weekend attack against a major humanitarian facility in the north-east of the country.
(2020-01-19). Syrian Rebels Caught on Film Getting Transferred to Libya on Commercial Plane. theantimedia.com (ZH) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has continued warning that terrorist groups as well as a 'flood of refugees' will show up on Europe's shores if the Tripoli government were to fall to renegade General Khalifa Haftar, amid his continued offensive to control the Libyan capital. Erdogan's statement came a day before he heads to Berlin for a major peace conference …
(2020-01-18). Sleepless in Cairo: Egyptians Reacquaint Themselves to Life In a Dictatorship. mintpressnews.com Ahmed Tharwat returns to his home country of Egypt to find that Egyptians, once vibrant and full of optimism, have returned to the grim reality of life in a repressive dictatorship.