(2021-02-05). Should People Who Want to Save the World from the Pandemic Be Demanding We Pay China to Produce Billions of Vaccine Doses? cepr.net I have written repeatedly on how we should have been looking for a collective solution to the pandemic, where countries open-source their research and allow anyone with manufacturing capacity to produce any treatment, test, or vaccine. (We pay upfront, like with Moderna, for those wondering why anyone would do the work.) Anyhow, we obviously did …
(2021-02-05). A police chief tried to stop the drug war—then they came for him. therealnews.com 
An in-depth look at the obstacles to police reform. PAR examines the story of a police chief who tried to limit arrests and end the war on drugs by helping people get treatment and jobs. His efforts made the public safer, but cost him dearly.
(2021-02-05). Fascism is Capitalism That Really Means It. counterpunch.org 
Broad characterizations of political acts are themselves political in the sense that they emerge from views of the world that give them meaning. They can be descriptive, in which case why not let political actors speak for themselves? The contemporary fear of giving a 'platform' to disagreeable views begs the question, how do you know they are disagreeable unless you've heard people out?
(2021-02-05). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide and Rule to Get Its Way in South America. counterpunch.org 
Guyana's government used money from ExxonMobil "to meet the estimated cost in 2018 of presenting Guyana/Venezuela controversy at the International Court of Justice including payment of legal fees." In mid-2020, the Guyanese paper Kaieteur News' senior reporter Kiana Wilburg broke the story that the World Bank had paid $1.2 million to Hunton Andrews Kurth, a law firm long associated with ExxonMobil, to revise Guyana's petroleum laws.
(2021-02-05). China's Sea of Conflict. counterpunch.org 
Biden 's administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thornist will be its relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). How it handles issues of trade, security and human rights will either allow both countries to hammer out a working relationship or pull the US into an expensive–and unwinnable–cold war that will shelve existential threats like climate change and nuclear war.
(2021-02-05). About Those Executive Orders… counterpunch.org 
A strange stasis now characterizes U.S. foreign affairs, while on the domestic front, Biden roars ahead. As of January 29, he had signed 42 executive orders. Not one addresses what the U.S. does abroad. True, Biden made the superb move of resuming negotiations over the START nuclear treaty with Russia, and he rejoined the Paris Accords and the World Health Organization. But otherwise, quiet blankets the foreign policy landscape.
(2021-02-05). Back to Cold War 2.0. counterpunch.org 
A fawning liberal media and a passel of well-endowed 'peace' organizations like Plowshares and Council for a Livable World and self-described "progressive" organizations like MoveOn have been hailing Biden's cabinet picks, many of them veterans of the Obama administration, claiming they will steer the US in a new direction under which diplomacy, not bluster and
(2021-02-05). The Decline and Fall of the American Empire. counterpunch.org 
In 2004, journalist Ron Susskind quoted a Bush White House advisor, reportedly Karl Rove, as boasting, "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality." He dismissed Susskind's assumption that public policy must be rooted in "the reality-based community." "We're history's actors," the advisor told him, "…and you, all of you,
(2021-02-05). The Year of the Aurochs. counterpunch.org 
On the 12th of February, the Year of the Ox begins. Let's call it the Year of the Aurochs (Bos primigenius): primordial oxen, the ancestors of cows. They carved paths through the woodlands and steppes of Europe, North Africa and Asia for hundreds of thousands of years, until 1627, when the last living aurochs was
(2021-02-05). Ain't No Time to Wait. counterpunch.org 
The earth is in crisis. So are all those who inhabit it. The nature of the crisis and the rapidity with which it is engulfing the planet is caused in large part by the self-defined success of capitalist economics. Although many of the wealthy who profit from an economic system designed to help them believe
(2021-02-05). Greta Thunberg effect: people familiar with young climate activist may be more likely to act. juancole.com 
By Anandita Sabherwal and Sander van der Linden | — She was declared Time magazine's person of the year in the same month that Donald Trump told her to "work on her anger management issues". Greta Thunberg has attracted international attention since her lone demonstration outside the Swedish Parliament in August 2018. Her "school strike …
(2021-02-05). Our Mutual Fight: The Case against Pakistani Normalization with Israel. dissidentvoice.org 
The Pakistani government should never, under any circumstances and no matter the pressure, normalize with Israel. Doing so is not only dangerous — as it will embolden an already vile, racist, violent apartheid Israel — but it would also be considered a betrayal of a historic legacy of mutual solidarity, collective affinity and brotherhood that …
(2021-02-05). Racism in Food Systems and the Vegan Community. dissidentvoice.org 
Racism is one of the major social justice issues of the modern era. It can be seen in all corners of the globe, and in virtually every industry, negatively impacting minority communities and overall public health. The global food system is no exception. As a niche dietary movement, veganism is particularly problematic, with various news …
(2021-02-05). Are We Not All in Search of Tomorrow. dissidentvoice.org 
Oswaldo Terreros (Ecuador), Mural para la Universidad Superior de las Artes ('Mural for the University of the Arts'), 2012. In 2019, 613 million Indians voted to appoint their representatives to the Indian parliament (Lok Sabha). During the election campaign, the political parties spent Rs. 60,000 crores (around US $8 billion), 45% of which was spent …
(2021-02-05). Dallas plans to sweep Camp Rhonda, a symbol of houseless organizing. liberationnews.org 
Over the last few months, Camp Rhonda has become a vital distribution point for resources and donations to dozens of people in desperate need of support.
(2021-02-05). Malians demonstrate against French military presence. workers.org 
By Carlos Lopes Pereira The author writes regularly on African events for the Portuguese Communist Party. This article was published in the PCP newspaper Avante on Jan. 28. Translation: John Catalinotto. There have been further protests in Mali against the presence of French troops in the Sahel. On Jan. 20, . . . |
(2021-02-05). Our Mutual Fight: The Case Against Pakistani Normalization with Israel. counterpunch.org The Pakistani government should never, under any circumstances and no matter the pressure, normalize with Israel. Doing so is not only dangerous — as it will embolden an already vile, racist, violent apartheid Israel — but it would also be considered a betrayal of a historic legacy of mutual solidarity, collective affinity and brotherhood that
(2021-02-05). Republicans in Congress engage in hateful Islamophobia to defend their Islamophobe, Greene. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — In attempting to defend Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican Far Right (a.k.a. the Republican Party) has actually just taken her own as a role. They are performing Greene. Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) introduced a bill to strip Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) of her seat on the Foreign Affairs committee. Omar, …
(2021-02-05). It's Not Too Early to Criticize Joe Biden. counterpunch.org Censorship in mainstream corporate American media outlets is subtle. It's not so much that they spin the truth. It's that they omit pertinent facts and exclude relevant points of view. So it is with politics. Among the tools available to messaging and framing experts is "flooding the field" — dominating the news with a blizzard
(2021-02-05). It's Now or Never — We Stare Into the Abyss. counterpunch.org This column is hopeful. I promise. The northern white rhinoceros is now functionally extinct. Sudan — the last male of his kind — passed away recently. There are two females remaining but obviously they can produce no more of their species without a male — and mating with nearby giraffes is not something in which they seem
(2021-02-05). U.S. Should Pay Iran Reparations. counterpunch.org Why would I say such an outrageous, treasonous, delusional, OBVIOUSLY-funded-by-Putin thing? Am I hoping to enrage war-crazed sadists who've seen too much television "news"? Not at all. I want them to still be around when I say that it would actually be preferable for the United States to pay reparations to the entire rest of
(2021-02-05). You're Not A Radical, You're Just Sane. thealtworld.com In response to rumors that Bernie Sanders foreign policy advisor Matt Duss may be playing some role in the Joe Biden State Department, bloodthirsty psychopath Nikki Haley Which is of course ridiculous. Taken as a whole Biden's im…
(2021-02-05). Exposure to misinformation could make people refuse a COVID-19 vaccine. imperial.ac.uk Exposure to online misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines could reduce vaccine uptake, threatening the goal of herd immunity.
(2021-02-05). The Economist: Democracy Index ranking for Britain rises!! truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica: The 2020 Democracy Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit found that democracy had deteriorated in all seven regions of the world for the first time since 2010, driven by government measures to address the Covid-19 emergency. And while the biggest regressions were in authoritarian regions, the report said that — "the removal of …
(2021-02-05). The Struggle Inside Senator Mitch McConnell's Brain. counterpunch.org Since 2015, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled the Senate with an iron hand, describing himself as "the Guardian of Gridlock." He was Senator "NO," except for confirming over 200 mostly corporatist federal judges. Now comes a new challenge for Mitch McConnell as he leads 49 other Republican Senators, twenty of whom are up
(2021-02-05). Wisconsin governor reimposes Covid-19 mask mandate after Republican-led legislature votes to repeal it. rt.com 
Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin, a Democrat, issued a new statewide mask order an hour after the Republican-majority legislature voted to repeal his previous one saying he lacked the authority. | "If the legislature keeps playing politics and we don't keep wearing masks, we're going to see more preventable deaths, and it's going to take even longer to get our state and our economy back on track," Evers said on Thursday, announcing the order. | Since the beginning of this pandemic, I promised I would: | 1Ô∏è‚É£never play politics with your health | 2Ô∏è&sb…
(2021-02-05). 'America is back!' Biden talks 'tough' on Russia and China, vows to reclaim 'moral leadership & defend democracy'. rt.com 
In his first major foreign policy address, President Joe Biden vowed to confront the enemies of 'democracy' globally, while seeking to reclaim America's 'moral credibility' and leadership in LGBT and climate change issues. | Speaking at the State Department headquarters in the nation's capital on Thursday, Biden outlined his foreign policy vision in a 20-minute address, laying out a sprawling list of priorities for his administration, among them countering supposed US "adversaries." | "American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival…
(2021-02-05). Vaccine heist? Florida man steals car with $10,000 worth of anti-Covid jabs, triggering nationwide alert. rt.com 
Police in Florida are on the lookout for a thief who made off with a car filled with dozens of vials of coronavirus vaccine worth some $10,000, posting a nationwide alert in their hunt for the suspect. | A vehicle stolen from the Strawberry Festival Grounds in Plant City, Florida — roughly 25 miles east of Tampa — on Wednesday contained 30 vials of the immunization, a local NBC affiliate The Plant City Police Department issued a statement on the incid…
(2021-02-05). 'We gotta have them speaking about reparations': Rapper Ice Cube set to meet with Biden as US president vows 'racial equity'. rt.com 
As Joe Biden promises to make racial justice a top priority for his administration, rapper Ice Cube has revealed that he could soon be meeting with the US president to discuss reparations for black Americans. | In a radio interview, the iconic musical artist and actor revealed that Biden's team had reached out to him and that plans are in motion for a White House visit later this month. He said that while he recognizes that the new administration is "really into helping all minorities," Biden needed to back up his words by enacting "specialty programs." | "You know me, I'm all about reparations. It seems like…
(2021-02-05). Roaming Charges: Xenophobia With a Human Face. counterpunch.org 
+ As the Biden administration announced its intention to leave in place Trump's border rules "for now," it might be worth recalling when Biden's campaign manager derisively quipped that they didn't see Hispanics as part of their "path to victory." + 5500 children were separated at the border in the last four years, at least 628 of them
(2021-02-05). COVID lockdown fuels prison suicide. workers.org 
By Miley Selena Fletcher The following letter is from a transgender incarcerated worker at SCI Forest in Pennsylvania. On Jan. 6, an inmate nicknamed Brother Bernie (Bernie Shank), who was in his 60s and doing a life sentence, came out of his cell at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Forest on . . . |
(2021-02-05). The Super Bowl Ends the Most Toxic Season Ever. counterpunch.org 
Overwhelmed by the intertwined plagues of Covid-19 and Trumpism, sports didn't stand a chance in 2020. No wonder I'm weirded out by the strange, metaphorical moments of that last disastrous year and the first days of this one. To mention just three among so many: Dr. Anthony Fauci's errant pitch on opening day of the
(2021-02-05). A short history of US imperialism and resistance. greenleft.org.au Graham Drew reviews Vijay Prashad's new book outlining the hegemonic actions of the United States in the modern era.
(2021-02-05). UNICEF ??warns of an increase in female genital mutilation due to COVID-19. laprensalatina.com New York, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- The closure of schools as a result of COVID-19 and the interruption of aid programs for girls in countries where the practice of female genital mutilation is common could cause an increase in this practice in the next decade, the United Nations said Friday. "It is possible that there will …
(2021-02-05). Dispatch of millions of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa expected to start in February: WHO. news.un.org The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday the joint UN-led COVAX initiative aims to start shipping about 90 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa in February, in what will be the continent's largest ever mass vaccination campaign.
(2021-02-05). Imperial College Business School launches new Centre for Digital Transformation. imperial.ac.uk The Business School has launched a new research centre which is designed to help grow the digital economy.
(2021-02-05). Indonesia's economy posts first year-on-year contraction in over 20 years. laprensalatina.com Jakarta, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 2.07 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, its first contraction in more than two decades. Transport, export manufacturing and services were some of the sectors most impacted by the year-on-year decline, the country's statistics bureau, Statistics Indonesia, locally known as BPS, said …
(2021-02-05). Athletic beat Betis on penalties to reach Copa del Rey last 4. laprensalatina.com Seville, Spain, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Goalkeeper Unai Simon was the hero here Thursday for Athletic Club in their Copa del Rey quarterfinal tie with Real Betis, making two stops in the penalty shootout to put the Bilbao club in the final four. It was the 11th time the two clubs have met in the Copa …
(2021-02-05). India's central bank projects 10.5% growth, leaves lending rates unchanged. laprensalatina.com Srinagar, India, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- India's economy is expected to grow at 10.5 percent in the next financial year, its central bank said on Friday, as signs of recovery have strengthened after a record-breaking slump caused by the coronavirus. Reserve Bank of India Governor Shantikanta Das also announced that they had left policy lending rates …
(2021-02-05). Brewer Kirin to cut ties with Myanmar military in wake of coup. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- Japanese brewer Kirin Holdings announced Friday that it will end its two operations in Myanmar as a result of this week's military coup in the Southeast Asian country. Kirin said the military's actions were "against our standards and Human Rights Policy." The Japanese multinational owns 51 percent of two Myanmar operations, …
(2021-02-05). Myanmar arrests prominent political leader, close aide of Suu Kyi. laprensalatina.com Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 5 (efe-epa).- Police in Myanmar arrested one of the main leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party and close aide of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, five days after a military coup. Win Htein was arrested after midnight at his daughter's house in Yangon, the country's former capital and …
(2021-02-05). Colombian artists honor civil violence victims with urban memory museum. laprensalatina.com Bogota, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- They were killed by police or for defending a cause they believed in, and now their faces, painted in vivid colors on the columns of a bridge in Bogota, occupy a place in Colombia's first open-air memory museum. Cars whiz on by on Boyaca Avenue as several street artists, perched on …
(2021-02-05). Coronavirus / Tokyo Olympics: The Japanese government's clever way of deceiving its people. indybay.org Please comment to the Japanese government about the Coronavirus Tokyo Olympics. There is no e-mail address, and it is not necessary to include a name. This stupid government plans to trick the world into hosting the Olympics.
(2021-02-05). High Court decision helps Acland farmers against coal giant. greenleft.org.au The Oakey Coal Action Alliance has claimed victory after the High Court allows its appeal to the expansion of the New Acland coal mine to be reheard in the Queensland Land Court. Margaret Gleeson reports.
(2021-02-05). 'Wild Things': Frontline activism to save the planet. greenleft.org.au Jim McIlroy and Laurie MacSween review a new documentary on Australia's frontline environmental activists.
(2021-02-05). Climate targets require plans, which is why Morrison doesn't want them. greenleft.org.au Pressure from the Biden administration's pledges on swift climate change action seems to have pushed Scott Morrison to mention he indeed has a plan to reduce emissions, writes Pip Hinman.
(2021-02-05). Behind the coup in Myanmar. greenleft.org.au A military coup took place in Burma/Myanmar, reversing the country's ostensible shift toward civilian government. Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma's Debbie Stothard discusses its significance with Green Left.
(2021-02-05). Erdogan says Turkey now has 8.4M university students. yenisafak.com The number of university students in Turkey increased from 1.6 million to 8.4 million over an 18-year period, the country's president said on Thursday.Turkey's higher education has reached a capacity that goes beyond our borders, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a project presentation meeting of the Council of Higher Education in the capital Ankara.He said the number of universities in Turkey has gone up from 76 to 207 and the number of staff members at these institutes increased from 70,000 to 180,000."Our female students have an important place in this rise. The ratio of female students has increased from…
(2021-02-05). Oil prices up over output cuts, positive economic data. yenisafak.com Oil prices jumped on Friday with resolve from oil majors to adhere to production cuts and with positive US economic data that helped boost market confidence.International benchmark Brent crude was trading at $59.12 per barrel at 0646 GMT with a 0.20% increase after closing Thursday at $59 a barrel.American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $56.56 per barrel at the same time for a 0.59% increase after it ended the previous session at $56.23 a barrel.The timely and massive production cuts by OPEC members and its allies, known as OPEC , propped up prices at a time of uncertainty over when the oil mar…
(2021-02-05). UN Security Council urges democratic return in Myanmar. yenisafak.com The UN Security Council voiced "deep concern" Thursday at the situation in Myanmar after the military overthrew the civilian government and jailed political and civil society leaders.The council decided what it said was the "arbitrary" detentions of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, as well as the military's unilateral imposition of a state of emergency. It called for the "immediate release" of all those swept up in military raids and urged a return to democratic norms."The members of the Security Council emphasized the need for the continued support of the democratic transition in Myanma…
(2021-02-05). Israeli army gunfire kills Palestinian man in West Bank. yenisafak.com A Palestinian man was fatally shot Friday by Israeli forces in the central West Bank, according to a Palestinian official.Radhi Abu Fakhida, head of the village council of Ras Karkar, west of Ramallah, told Anadolu Agency that the Palestinian Civil Liaison Authority, a Palestinian body for communication with Israeli authorities, informed the family of a young man named Khaled Nofal that he had been martyred.He said the body of the martyr was in the Israeli occupation authorities' custody.Since morning, the Israeli army has barred entry into Ras Karkar, also preventing those inside from leaving.Eyewitnesses told A…
(2021-02-05). 'Turkey won't let FETàñ poison relations with Albania'. yenisafak.com By Fatjon Cuka, Furkan Abdula, and Talha OzturkBELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – Turkey will do whatever needed to prevent the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ) from harming its relations with Albania, the visiting Turkish parliament speaker said on Thursday."The Fetullah Terrorist Organization has some presence in Albania as well, like as in several Balkan countries… The terrorist group carries out its covered goals [worldwide] under the guise of education and health institutions, associations, and media," Mustafa Sentop said, warning against the FETàñ threat in countries where it operates."I want to…
(2021-02-05). Perpetrator of French apartment fire sentenced to 25 years. yenisafak.com A French court on Thursday sentenced the perpetrator of the 2017 fire in Mulhouse to 25 years in prison.Six people, four of them Turkish, died in the fire in an apartment building. Two Algerian nationals also died.The Colmar High Criminal Court found French defendant Aurelien Roellinger guilty of arson.A lawyer of the Turkish families, Gulcan Yasin, told Anadolu Agency that Roellinger is a dangerous and criminal person."Those who lost their lives will not come back, but justice has been served," she said, adding the families welcomed the decision.Ertun and Aksu families' house in Mulhouse's Bourtzwiller District…
(2021-02-05). Istanbul to host 1 of Turkey's biggest rivalries. yenisafak.com ISTANBUL (AA) – Fans in Turkey are excited to witness one of the biggest derbies of Turkish football this weekend as the winning side will gain the edge in the title race.In the most anticipated game of matchday 24, league leaders Fenerbahce will host runners-up Galatasaray at Ulker Stadium Saturday, with the whistle to blow at 1600GMT.Having won eight out of the last nine league matches, Fenerbahce had an impressive form in recent weeks, collecting 48 points in 22 matches to top the Turkish Super Lig.The Yellow Canaries actively sought to bolster their squad during the winter transfer window in a bid to end thei…
(2021-02-05). Bipartisanship: Not All That It's Cracked Up to Be. counterpunch.org Let's stipulate, as lawyers would say, that, in politics, the best can be and often is the enemy of the good; that those who aim too high, can and often do end up worse off than need be. Let's stipulate too that in our duopolistic electoral system, the good can be and often is the
(2021-02-05). Farmer protest: It seems India is at war with itself. nationofchange.org The demonstrators are requesting that Mr. Modi repeal farming laws that would limit the public authority's job in horticulture and open more space for private financial specialists.
(2021-02-05). Washington and Tehran: Who will make the first move? juancole.com ( Middle East Monitor) — From the outside, the heated debate between Tehran and Washington seems as though it could be summarised by the question: Which side will make the first move? Tehran wants Washington, which was responsible for violating its obligations and inflicting heavy losses on Iran, to start by lifting all additional sanctions …
(2021-02-05). Saturday 2/6: Solidarity Rally in Celebration of the Bookshop Workers Union. indybay.org Locust St and Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz…
(2021-02-05). Earthworks report reveals CA fails to safely manage radioactive and toxic oil wells. indybay.org Estela Garcia, impacted resident and member of the Committee for a Better Arvin," said, "In my community, there are many people who are sick – with asthma, with allergies, and many many people suffering from cancer. Here in Arvin, there are wells near schools and near apartments. There are wells that supposedly aren't operating, but a terrible smell comes to you if you get close to these sites." | "This pollution affects everyone in the community. So if you ask me, 'what would you change in your community', I'd say 'get the wells out of our communities as much as possible," concluded Garcia.
(2021-02-05). Looking into the sun: American author Charles Baxter's novel The Sun Collective. wsws.org This is Baxter's sixth novel. His previous novels include First Light (1987), a beautiful and technically brilliant narrative told in reverse chronological order, and the magnificent The Feast of Love (2000), which was a National Book Award finalist.
(2021-02-05). Thursday 2/11: Regenerative Agriculture: Reversing Over Farming to Grow Climate & Food Supply Resiliency. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-05). The Origins of Trump's Attempted Coup. counterpunch.org A Conversation with Buzzflash founder Mark Karlin As the DC drama heats up over the level of Trump's involvement in the January 6 insurrection, it is imperative to pay attention to the Investigative journalists who have been tracking and revealing Republican skullduggery long before the Age of Trump, going as far back to the Clinton
(2021-02-05). Riots Don't Change Systems: There's No Shortcut to Organizing. counterpunch.org You say you want a revolution? There are no "lessons" for anyone on the Left to draw from the January 6 insurrection on the Capitol building in Washington. If we were to set aside for a moment the fascistic nature of the mob, egged by on former President Donald Trump and his minions (which I am
(2021-02-05). Warriors Dreaming: Can Thacker Pass Lithium Mine Be Stopped? counterpunch.org Flowering sage covers the desert. Layers of rolling hills and a few rocky cliffs shape the horizon. I wander up a dry creek bed lined with trees on Thacker Pass in Humboldt County, Nevada. The dry air is thick with the fragrance of sage, mixed with juniper and pinion. I imagine the artery of long-awaited
(2021-02-05). Insurrection or Menacing Mashup of Misrecognition? counterpunch.org The mob that swarmed the capitol on January 6th was ill-prepared to mount an insurrection and seize power, performing a coup de gras to civility but coming well shy of delivering a revolutionary punch. A few of its factions are surely "counting coup" in anticipation of another performance, to lift a scoring ruse from native
(2021-02-05). Biden's Top Foreign Policy Challenge: Avoiding a Cold War with China. juancole.com Taiwan and the South China Sea are the likeliest points of conflict — but conflict is not an option. ( Foreign Policy in Focus) — President Joe Biden's administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thorniest will be its relations with the People's Republic of China. How the new administration …
(2021-02-05). Can Former President Trump Really Save The GOP?>. oneworld.press Even if all goes according to plan, then the only way that Trump can convince the MAGA members to remain loyal to the GOP is to focus almost exclusively on their hatred for the Democrats since he can no longer appeal to them from his earlier anti-establishment angle after allying with the RINOs.
(2021-02-05). California's Bulldozer 'Restoration': From the Ballona Wetlands to the Delta. indybay.org "Our Governor's cabinet members just announced a series of initiatives that support 'Nature Based Solutions' to counter climate change. So, how does Governor Newsom justify a project to bulldoze and excavate more than 2.5 million cubic yards of soil, paving the way for a new fossil fuel infrastructure for the aging gas storage field under this ecological reserve?" asked attorney Bryan Pease.
(2021-02-05). Thursday 2/18: The History and Future of Affirmative Action in California. indybay.org Online Event…
(2021-02-05). Trump Was On Controversial Baldness Drug. counterpunch.org In 2018, President Trump's doctor disclosed that the president takes finasteride, a drug marketed as Propecia to treat male pattern baldness. While it is tempting to make jokes about Trump's hair and even the sexual side effects that accompany the drug, it also has many disturbing adverse effects and probably no other men should risk
(2021-02-05). Isolatoes: From Natty Bumppo to the Proud Boys. counterpunch.org They were nearly all Isolatoes, not acknowledging the common continent of men, but each Isolato living on a separate continent of his own. Yet now, federated along one keel, what a set these Isolatoes were! — Melville, on the crew of the Pequod in Moby-Dick At various times in my life, I have lived alone and
(2021-02-05). USW calls on University of Pittsburgh to drop anti-union attack on faculty, grads. fightbacknews.org Pittsburgh, PA – The United Steelworkers (USW) union is calling on the University of Pittsburgh administration to end its anti-union campaign against the university's graduate students and faculty in light of reports showing that the university has paid more than $2 million on union-busting attorneys in recent years. | The university paid Philadelphia 'union avoidance' firm Ballard Spahr nearly $900,000 during the fiscal year that ended June 30 to help the university wage campaigns to stop Pitt graduate student workers and faculty members in their simultaneous efforts to join the USW. That amount brought the tota…
(2021-02-05). Reviewing Anti-Black Terror: Works on Afro-pessimism, Multiracialism and Perpetual Slavery. counterpunch.org Introduction This essay analyzes the questions, issues, frameworks and events that define the concept of Afro-pessimism advanced by Frank B. Wilderson III. I contextualize the works of Saidiya Hartman and Jared Sexton as antecedents to Afro-pessimism in order to explain the themes of racial violence found in terror, slavery, and antiblackness. The authors and titles
(2021-02-04). 'Right-Wing Media Attack Arauz to Halt His Victory' Expert Say. telesurenglish.net Argentine political scientist Atilio Boron on Wednesday denounced that the Latin American mainstream media is harassing Andres Arauz in an attempt to prevent his victory in the Ecuadorian presidential elections on February 7. | RELATED: | On Monday, for instance, the Buenos Aires outlet Clarin reported that the leftist candidate got the Sputnik V vaccine in Argentina last month. | "The information is based on uni…
(2021-02-04). What They Said About Lockdowns Before 2020. anti-empire.com 
In 2020, beliefs about how to handle a new virus shifted massively. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, mainstream epidemiology and public health entities doubted — or even rejected — the efficacy of lockdowns and mass quarantines because they were considered ineffective. This all changed in March 2020, when sentiment flipped in support of lockdown measures. Still, there is a vast body of evidence explaining their original stance and why these mandates do not work. |
(2021-02-04). The So-Called Moderna Vaccine Is a Publicly Funded Miracle. counterpunch.org 
The so-called "Moderna" vaccine is a miracle of science. It is nearly 100 percent effective at preventing serious illness and death. By vaccinating the world, we can end the COVID-19 pandemic and save millions of lives. The only problem? We don't have nearly enough doses. But there's a solution: If the Biden administration allowed generic manufacturers, not
(2021-02-04). NACOSH unveils comprehensive job safety/health strengthening plan. peoplesworld.org 
HOUSTON—One year after the coronavirus pandemic hit the country, Marcos Vasquez, a 20-year day labor construction worker in Houston, still toils for employers who won't provide him an anti-viral mask. Or gloves. Or other personal protective equipment. "There's not enough social distancing," he adds. "The bathrooms" on worksites "are dirty and they lack water and …
(2021-02-04). How the Covid-19 pandemic impacted migration through the Mediterranean. middleeasteye.net 
How the Covid-19 pandemic impacted migration through the Mediterranean | While the European Union boasts of low numbers attempting the treacherous journey in 2020, migrants and rescue organisations paint a different picture | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 11: 21 | People rescued at sea sit on the deck of the Ocean Viking rescue ship, operated by French NGO, SOS Mediterranee, in the Mediterranean Sea o…
(2021-02-04). The Resilience Doctrine: Mutual Aid in the Pandemic and Beyond. counterpunch.org 
Part 4 of a 4-part Primer on Disaster Collectivism in the Climate and Pandemic Crises At The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, our winter-quarter class on "Catastrophe: Community Resilience in the Face of Disaster" began in early January 2020, so our students had early warning of coronavirus as it began to spread around the
(2021-02-04). Spanish Morenoite Izquierda Diario denounces social distancing for COVID-19. wsws.org Despite the mounting toll from the coronavirus pandemic, the Morenoites are bitterly hostile to lock-down measures needed to halt the pandemic.
(2021-02-04). Quebec teachers' union rules "out of order" motion condemning government's reopening of schools amid pandemic. wsws.org After refusing to call a single membership meeting on the COVID-19 crisis since schools reopened in August, one of Quebec's largest local teacher unions ruled "out of order" a motion calling for an emergency meeting to discuss what actions teachers should take to fight the pandemic.
(2021-02-04). Mutual Aid in the Pandemic and Beyond. zcomm.org Communities that are proactive and plan ahead will be the communities that survive the disaster, rather than those that respond wildly and ineffectively as the crisis shatters familiar norms…
(2021-02-04). 'What I Want For Me, I Want For You'. popularresistance.org The 1,400 workers at Hunts Point Market, the largest produce distribution market in the country, went on strike the night of Sunday, January 17. They walked out of the warehouse to win a better contract after risking their lives as essential workers since the beginning of the pandemic. | Management offered them a minimal $0.32 per hour raise. Their demands? Bring members who are making $18.75 an hour up to $20 an hour, give everyone else a $1 an hour raise, and maintain their healthcare coverage at no additional costs to the workers. This was the first time the union, Teamsters Local 202, went on strike since at…
(2021-02-04). New York's COVID-19 nursing home deaths severely undercounted while Cuomo forced out public health officials. wsws.org Nursing home deaths in the state due to the pandemic have been drastically undercounted by nearly 50 percent.
(2021-02-04). Food Not Bombs Aims To Bring More Than Just Food. popularresistance.org New Paltz, NY – Every Wednesday, a mix of New Paltz college students and locals congregate in a small workspace just outside of town. It may look like they're just cooking and packing food to deliver to needy families, but it's really more than that. | "Like when people say, 'serving the community,' well, we want to build a community," said Katari Sisa, a volunteer for Food Not Bombs New Paltz. | Sisa, a recent graduate of SUNY New Paltz, has been involved at the organization for the last four years now. Sisa says that giving back is necessary right now, with a pandemic raging and, according to data collected by…
(2021-02-04). Keeping Chicago schools closed during the pandemic is not negotiable! wsws.org We are fighting to mobilize opposition to any agreement reached by CPS and the CTU to reopen schools, and to prepare for general strike action with the broader working class.
(2021-02-04). A Museum Dedicated to Stalin: An Example of How to Deal With Historical Memory. counterpunch.org Before the pandemic started, I was invited to give a series of talks at the University of Tbilisi, in the Republic of Georgia. Taking advantage of my day off, I went to visit the Stalin Museum in Gori. The road runs parallel to the Caucasus with its imposing, snow-covered peaks. And it runs close past
(2021-02-04). Worker ownership can save businesses and protect employees. therealnews.com 
Worker-owned businesses in Baltimore, like Joe Squared pizza, are opting to remain closed to indoor dining to prioritize their worker/owners' safety, even as others reopen.
(2021-02-04). DeRay Mckesson — Policing is the laziest response. therealnews.com 
This week, civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson highlights some alarming statistics about police violence, which continued unabated in 2020 despite nationwide protests, and recounts his years as a teacher, connecting his pedagogical practice to his calling as an activist.
(2021-02-04). Selected Articles: Towards 2030, NATO Is Shaping Our Future. globalresearch.ca 
By According to what we hear from officials and the mainstream media, the new variants are the most dangerous and unpredictable beings since …
(2021-02-04). Globalization of War, Seeds of Destruction, Globalization of Poverty: Three Important Titles Available from Global Research Publishers. globalresearch.ca 
All of these titles from Global Research Publishers are available in PDF (e-book) format delivered directly to your inbox, as well as in print format. | . | . | The Globalization of War: America's "Long War" against Humanity | by Michel Chossudovsky |
(2021-02-04). "Judas and the Black Messiah" Director Shaka King on Fred Hampton, the Black Panthers & COINTELPRO. counterpunch.org 
…
(2021-02-04). China readies Asia's largest reflector antenna to receive data from its first Mars mission. rt.com 
China's 70-meter-wide steerable reflector antenna has completed its operational checks and is ready to receive signals from the country's Tianwen-1 mission, which is expected to enter the orbit of Mars next week. | The construction of the massive radio telescope to service the maiden voyage of China's mission to Mars began in 2018 in the country's northern region of Tianjin. It was finished just in time for the spacecraft's approach to the Red Planet. | The new dish antenna, which was put in service on Thursday, is composed of 1,328 high-precision panels covering an area equal to ten basketball courts, accordi…
(2021-02-04). Islamic State regrouping in northern Iraq and relying on women operatives. middleeasteye.net 
Islamic State regrouping in northern Iraq and relying on women operatives | Militant group capitalising on breakdown in relations between Baghdad and Erbil to carry out attacks from its base in the Hamrin Basin | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 13: 17 | A policeman stands guard at the Sadriya market in the centre of Iraq's capital Baghdad (AFP) | Islamic State group (IS) militants have been regrouping in n…
(2021-02-04). I Was Shackled to My Bed After Giving Birth. Then They Took My Baby Away. truthout.org 
I'm R87914. Even though I'm no longer in prison, that number, just like my social security number and name, will never change. I'm also a proud mom and a new one at that. There were no balloons or cards, no flowers or family allowed in the delivery room at the time of my daughter Aniela's birth. | The prison where I was incarcerated wouldn't allow mothers-to-be to go into labor naturally. Too inconvenient. Each birth was scheduled ahead of time. Mothers were not told until the morning of their sch…
(2021-02-04). Warren, Schumer Introduce Resolution to Cancel $50K in Student Loan Debt. truthout.org 
On Thursday, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) announced that they would be reintroducing a proposal to call on President Joe Biden to cancel $50,000 in student loan debt. | The lawmakers said that Biden, who signed an executive order to
(2021-02-04). Israel razes Palestinian Bedouin village for second time. middleeasteye.net 
Israel razes Palestinian Bedouin village for second time | Rights group denounces attempt to displace entire Palestinian community from Khirbet Humsa in Jordan Valley | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 08: 20 | On Wednesday, Israeli troops accompanied by bulldozers also knocked down several steel and wooden structures in the village (Reuters) | Israel has begun demolishing a Bedouin village in the occupi…
(2021-02-04). The struggle continues: Indian protesters resist state terror. workers.org 
In September 2020, India's Parliament passed three "farm bills" intended to crush India's workers. To serve capitalist interests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the fascist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), lent his support to the bills depriving farms of current protections. He allowed corporate greed to further encroach on India's . . . |
(2021-02-04). Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize. truthout.org 
Truthout is proud to launch the Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize. | This prize will go to a formerly incarcerated person for an essay of 1,500 words or less on the topic of prisons, policing or a related subject. It may be written as a first-person narrative (although that is not a requirement). Two winners will be chosen and awarded a prize of $3,000 each. The essays will be published on Truthout. | This prize is in honor of Keeley Schenwar, who was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, friend, writer and advocate for incarcerat…
(2021-02-04). PCHR: Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. imemc.org 
Summary for 28 January — 03 February 2021 Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes and multi-layered violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians that are mostly conducted after midnight and in the early morning …
(2021-02-04). "Viruses Know No Borders": In Push for Global Vaccine Equity, U.S. AIDS Program Offers Blueprint. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. COVID death toll tops 450,000, the Biden administration is attempting to ramp up its vaccination campaign to slow the spread of new coronavirus variants. Meanwhile, health experts warn any vaccination progress in the United States will be threatened without global vaccine equity. "We need to, as quickly as possible, expand access to the vaccines, both in this country, in the United States, as well as around the world," says Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of the ICAP at Columbia University and professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. She argues that the U.S.
(2021-02-04). The Real Story: Biden Targets China. liberationnews.org 
Will the U.S. continue under Biden to push towards confrontation with China?>
(2021-02-04). Romney's Child Allowance Improves on Biden Proposal. peoplespolicyproject.org 
Mitt Romney released a The maximum benefit for any given family would be $15,000 per year, which effectively means that benefits are capped at 3.5 to 5 children depending on their ages. The benefit…
(2021-02-04). The Decline and Fall of the American Empire. dissidentvoice.org 
Image: Calvin Shen In 2004, journalist Ron Susskind quoted a Bush White House advisor, reportedly Karl Rove, as boasting, "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality." He dismissed Susskind's assumption that public policy must be rooted in "the reality-based community." "We're history's actors," the advisor told him, "…and you, …
(2021-02-04). Bay Area movement: 'Mass releases, not mass deaths!'. workers.org 
Oakland, Calif. Courtney Morris of No Justice Under Capitalism speaks at Port of Oakland rally. Jan. 31 — Today as a plane pulled a banner, "Newsom: Free prisoners 2 stop Covid deaths," through the sky over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, protesters held signs against "State execution by COVID 19" . . . |
(2021-02-04). What does the GameStop stock frenzy tell us about capitalism? liberationnews.org 
The closing days of January shook Wall Street with a struggle between powerful stock market players and amateur investors that left investment firms reeling with billions in losses.
(2021-02-04). Biden urged to hold Israel accountable over home demolitions. middleeasteye.net 
Biden urged to hold Israel accountable over home demolitions | Progressive Jewish group J Street says if US president is serious about backing two-state solution he must investigate Israel's use of US aid, equipment and weapons contracts | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 20: 40 | Israeli excavators demolish Palestinian house in southern outskirts of Hebron in occupied West Bank on 3 February (AFP/File photo) | A left-leanin…
(2021-02-04). Brutal Alabama prison attack on incarcerated workers. workers.org 
Occupied Muscogee Creek Land Events in this report happened on the next to last day of a month-long strike and "economic black-out" of Alabama state prisons, led by incarcerated workers and called by the Free Alabama Movement. For more on the strike, see Workers World, Dec. 4, 2020. On the . . . |
(2021-02-04). Unions, Just Transition and the Struggle for Radical Social Transformation. socialistproject.ca 
For more than a decade, trade union responses to the unfolding climate and ecological crisis have mainly focused on the idea of "just transition." This idea has brought much-needed attention to the serious disruptions facing many workers, and the need to minimize those disruptions where possible, or provide alternatives where necessary. Unions have generally affirmed …
(2021-02-04). Ukraine appeals to Belarus for emergency electricity, as Lithuania admits it still imports energy from embargoed nuclear reactor. rt.com 
A Belarusian power station, once dubbed 'Chernobyl II' due to reported safety concerns, is set to do a roaring trade on the European energy market as neighboring countries increasingly find themselves in need of cheap energy. | Lithuania's minister for energy, Dainius Kreivys, told local media on Thursday that, despite efforts to cut the controversial plant out of its grid, the country was still importing significant amounts of its energy. | According to the politician, around 77 million kWh of electricity has been flowing into the Baltic nation at a cost of €4 million ($4.8 million) since the plant began…
(2021-02-04). Pelosi Calls McCarthy a Member of the "Q" Party After Failure to Act on Greene. truthout.org 
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) referred to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) as a member of the "Q" political party after House Republicans failed to take any action against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). | Pelosi released the statement following news that the Republican caucus would not remove Greene, a supporter of QAnon, from the House Budget and Education panels. Greene has been criticized for espousing anti-Semitism and conspiracies, includin…
(2021-02-04). Tehran slams Iranian diplomat's 20-year jail term for bomb plot as 'violation of international law'. rt.com 
The 20-year jail term handed down to an Iranian diplomat by a Belgian court for his role in a foiled bomb plot is illegal and a clear violation of international law, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. | Assadolah Assadi, 49, who served as Iran's envoy in Vienna, was given the maximum sentence on Thursday in Europe's first trial of an Iranian official on terrorism charges since the Iranian revolution of 1979. | "As we have stated many times before, Assadolah Assadi's detention, the judicial process and the recent sentencing are illegal and a clear violation of international law, especially t…
(2021-02-04). Biden will end US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. middleeasteye.net 
Biden will end US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen | Top aide to US president confirms he will formally announce ending American assistance for 'offensive operations in Yemen' later on Thursday | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 01 | US President Joe Biden will announce the end of US support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in a major policy reversal from the previous administration that may alter the course of th…
(2021-02-04). First week of Black History Month: Stacey Abrams, BLM nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. peoplesworld.org 
It seems more than fitting that in the first week of Black History Month Stacey Abrams has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Abrams, whose on-the-ground work is credited with boosting voter turnout during the 2020 elections, helping then-presidential candidate Joe Biden secure an historic win in Georgia, was nominated by Lars Haltbrekken, …
(2021-02-04). Billionaire Family Bankrolled Election Lies, Far Right and the Capitol Siege. truthout.org 
Four years before Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., pumped his fist to a supportive mob that would soon overrun the Capitol Police and hunt lawmakers through the halls of Congress, the former Missouri attorney general needed a deep-pocketed patron. Naturally, he
(2021-02-04). The Heat: Russia politics. america.cgtn.com 
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny sentenced to jail in a move criticized by western nations. How will his arrest impact U.S.-Russia relations?>
(2021-02-04). Biden's COVID Guy Says Doubling Face Diapers Could Increase Virus Spread. anti-empire.com 
An infectious disease expert says wearing two face masks may increase the chances of getting infected by COVID-19. | Michael Osterholm, who was a member of the Biden Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, gave a second opinion after Dr. "When we talk about double masking, remember what we're really talking about is just trying to prevent th…
(2021-02-04). Exports from Turkey to Saudi Arabia plummet by 92 percent amid unofficial boycott. middleeasteye.net 
Exports from Turkey to Saudi Arabia plummet by 92 percent amid unofficial boycott | Drop comes after Riyadh targeted Turkey's economy last year over Turkish indictments related to Jamal Khashoggi murder | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 12: 01 | A woman holds a packet of Turkish labneh (strained yogurt) while shopping at a supermarket in Riyadh (AFP) | An unofficial Saudi boycott against Turkish goods reduced Turkey's…
(2021-02-04). OCHA: Protection of Civilians Report | 19 January — 1 February 2021. imemc.org 
The United Nations Office for the Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA-OP): Latest development (outside the reporting period) On 3 February, the Israeli authorities demolished or confiscated 21 structures in Humsa al Bqai'a, two days after the previous operation took place, as described below. The two military operations displaced 60 people, …
(2021-02-04). How does Washington rob the entire world? mronline.org 
Against the backdrop of the recent change in the White House administration, and the absence of clear harbingers of the United States' desire to reduce the number of armed conflicts around the world, it is worth noting that in many respects the present conflicts owe their existence to how they are pumped with American weaponry.
(2021-02-04). Covering Up Workplace Covid-19. counterpunch.org 
The San Francisco Chronicle ran an excellent article on Sunday, January 31 about the failure of the California Public Health Department (CDPH) to abide by state law requiring the agency to disclose information about COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace, and about the failure of county public health departments, including San Francisco, to disclose information about
(2021-02-04). Russia's Zircon Missile Relegates Carriers to Bombing Small Poor Countries. anti-empire.com 
Judging by the stream of the news re: latest launch by Admiral Gorshkov of 3M22 Zircon, tests are very successful
(2021-02-04). NATO Supreme Allied Commander Says West Is Concerned With China-Russia Ties. anti-empire.com 
On Wednesday, the top general of NATO Gen. Tod Wolters, who currently serves as the head of US European Command and as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, told reporters that the increased ties between Beijing and Moscow "really does suggest an emergence of a partnership of convenience." | Welters said the partnership seeks to advance the mutual…
(2021-02-04). Church of England launches investigation after clergyman calls fans of WWII hero Captain Tom a 'CULT OF WHITE BRITISH NATIONALISM'. rt.com 
The Church of England is investigating one of its clergymen after he posted a Twitter message smearing fans of WWII veteran Captain Tom Moore, who died this week of Covid-19, as being part of a "cult of white British nationalism." | The Rev. Jarel Robinson-Brown tweeted on Wednesday that he wouldn't be taking part in a national clap to honor Moore, who died at the age of 100 after raising nearly 33 million pounds for the National Health Service in a funds-raising walk. "The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of white British nationalism," Robinson-Brown said. "I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and gen…
(2021-02-04). Lebanon: Prominent Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim found murdered. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon: Prominent Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim found murdered | Publisher and activist shot five times and discovered between the southern Lebanese villages of Tufahta and Adoussiyeh | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 09: 10 | Lokman Slim, who was found dead in his car in south Lebanon (AFP) | Lebanese activist and publisher Lokman Slim, a fierce critic of Hezbollah, was found shot dead in his car on Th…
(2021-02-04). Top Three Ways Solar Power can Help Low-Income Families. juancole.com 
By Galen Barbose, Eric O'Shaughnessy, and Ryan Wiser | — Until recently, rooftop solar panels were a clean energy technology that only wealthy Americans could afford. But prices have dropped, thanks mostly to falling costs for hardware, as well as price declines for installation and other "soft" costs. Today hundreds of thousands of middle-class households …
(2021-02-04). Europe still wary of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as Dutch scientific advisers recommend limiting jab to under-65s. rt.com 
The Dutch Health Council has followed other medical regulators in limiting its approval of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to those aged under 65, as it issued a warning about the jab's efficacy due to limited data. | The regulator recommended on Thursday that the first available doses of the vaccine be given to people aged 60 to 65, as well as those with medical conditions which put them at greater risk of serious illness and death from the virus. | However, the council said the efficacy of the vaccine in people over 55 cannot be calculated due to the limited number of volunteers from that age group in phase…
(2021-02-04). The Imperial Capital Is Now Occupying Itself. anti-empire.com 
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a national terrorism bulletin yesterday, warning that extremists 'may be emboldened' by the Just consider how extraordinary these measures are. This is the first-ever DHS terrorism bulletin that targets domestic American citizens. The Biden administra…
(2021-02-04). Anita Torrez, Southwestern labor leader and Communist activist, dies at 94. peoplesworld.org 
The American working class suffered a great loss on Jan. 31 with the passing of Anita Torrez. Torrez, who celebrated her 94th birthday last fall, spent almost her entire adult life in the struggles for economic justice and against racist and sexist discrimination. Born and raised by farmworkers in the small farming village of Gila, in Southwestern New …
(2021-02-04). Some 1.16 million more people sought jobless aid last week. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Some 1.165 million more people sought state or federal jobless benefits in the last week of January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. But that wasn't the biggest jobless news during the first full week of February. That shocker came from another non-partisan source, the Congressional Budget Office. In so many words, it said high …
(2021-02-04). Covid, climate, and 'dual metabolic rupture'. mronline.org 
We thought climate catastrophe the main danger. Now we know there is another. A double-whammy ecological crisis threatens collapse into dystopian chaos.
(2021-02-04). A Multipoint Plan to End War as We Know It. counterpunch.org 
When it comes to war, if personnel is policy, America is yet again in deep trouble. As retired Army Major Danny Sjursen recently pointed out, when it comes to foreign policy, President Joe Biden's new cabinet and advisers are well stocked with retired generals, reconstituted neocons, unapologetic hawks, and similar war enthusiasts. Biden himself has
(2021-02-04). Immigrant/refugee rights: It's now or never, Joe. workers.org 
Since the beginning of the most recent war on immigrants — which took shape starting in 2006 with the hypercriminalization of undocumented workers — the U.S. Congress has repeatedly talked of passing legislation labeled "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" to right some of those wrongs. We are long past "reforms," however. Conditions . . . |
(2021-02-04). Israeli Military Detains One Palestinian, Attacks Fishermen, Farmers in Gaza. imemc.org 
The Israeli occupation army opened fire at Palestinian farmers, and fishermen, on Wednesday morning, in different areas of the besieged Gaza Strip, The Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported. The army opened fire with live ammunition and smoke bombs at farmlands, while farmers were present, south of Khan Younis in the southern coastal enclave, …
(2021-02-04). Battle over legality of cannabis grow clubs hits high court as cops clamp down on dagga lab. mronline.org 
A battle by a business that 'privately' grew and prepared cannabis for clients, to have this service declared lawful, landed in the Western Cape high court this week—this as police clamped down on another dagga laboratory.
(2021-02-04). Biden ending US 'support for offensive operations' in Yemen doesn't mean actual end to war, skeptics caution as activists rejoice. rt.com 
While peace activists cheered the news that the US will be ending its support for Saudi-led "offensive operations" in Yemen, that's a far cry from actually ending the six-year war that began with Barack Obama's tacit blessing. | National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previewed the Yemen announcement ahead of President Joe Biden's major foreign policy speech on Thursday, telling reporters the decision "extends to the types of offensive operations that have perpetuated a civil war in Yemen that has led to a humanitarian crisis," and that it does not apply to US operations against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsu…
(2021-02-04). Cuba develops COVID-19 vaccines, takes socialist approach. peoplesworld.org 
Cuba's socialist approach to developing vaccines against Covid-19 differs strikingly from that of capitalist nations of the world developing vaccines. Socialist Cuba's production of four vaccines is grounded in science, in a dedication to saving the lives of all Cubans, and in international solidarity. Cuba is the only vaccine manufacturer in Latin America; there are …
(2021-02-04). Biden ends US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. middleeasteye.net 
Biden ends US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen | War in Yemen 'has to end', Joe Biden says in first foreign policy-focused address as president | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 01 | Conflict in Yemen is world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to UN (Reuters/File photo) | US President Joe Biden announced the end of US support for a Saudi-led coalition that is waging war in Yemen, in a major policy reversal from…
(2021-02-04). WAFA: "Attorney, three minors among 25 Palestinians detained from West Bank" imemc.org 
RAMALLAH, Wednesday, February 03, 2021 (WAFA) — Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained 25 Palestinians, including an attorney and three minors, from various parts of the occupied West Bank, according to local and security sources. They confirmed that Israeli forces detained five Palestinians, including two minors, aged 16 and 17, after ransacking their families' houses in …
(2021-02-04). Manifestantes apoyan a los huelguistas en Batavia, N.Y. workers.org 
Manifestantes se reúnen frente a la valla de alambre de púas de la detención del ICE en Batavia, Nueva York, el 19 de enero. En noviembre de 2020, los inmigrantes encarcelados en la cárcel del condado de Bergen, en Nueva Jersey, iniciaron una huelga de hambre para protestar por las . . . |
(2021-02-04). Presidential Approval Is the Highest It's Been Since 2009, Poll Shows. truthout.org 
A new poll of 1,055 adults by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found that President Joe Biden is enjoying his "
(2021-02-04). In Push for Global Vaccine Equity, US AIDS Program PEPFAR Offers Blueprint. truthout.org 
As the U.S. COVID death toll tops 450,000, the Biden administration is attempting to ramp up its vaccination campaign to slow the spread of new coronavirus variants. Meanwhile, health experts warn any vaccination progress in the United States will be threatened without global vaccine equity. "We need to, as quickly as possible, expand access to the vaccines, both in this country, in the United States, as well as around the world," says Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of the ICAP at Columbia University…
(2021-02-04). After Smeaton Grange workers reject union sell-out: The way forward for Coles and Woolworths workers. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party is holding a public meeting this Saturday, February 6 at 5 p.m. (AEDT) to discuss the critical dispute at the Coles distribution centre in Smeaton Grange, Sydney.
(2021-02-04). February Dispatch — Crisis Creates Opportunities to Win. dsausa.org Enjoy your February Dispatch! This month, Amazon's wage theft; labor, cultural, ecosocialist, and political education events; and opportunities to get involved with DSA organizing in your workplace and around the country. Read on for more! From Maria: Crisis Creates Opportunities to Win Tonight, Thursday 2/4 — On The Front Lines of the Philippine Labor Movement…
(2021-02-04). The Palestinian boycott of Israel is not racist, it is anti-racist. zcomm.org The boycott movement aims to hold the oppressor colonial state of Israel accountable as it places a price tag on its military occupation and apartheid…
(2021-02-04). American Healthcare System Failed Black Americans. popularresistance.org There are certain policy positions that are such a slam dunk that if someone does not support them, I can't take anything they say seriously, nor can I trust their judgement. Medicare for All is one of those polices. It is the most pro-black legislation in mainstream political discourse right now. Our black leaders, such as Jim Clyburn, teaming up with health insurance companies and Big Pharma, are why the state of healthcare in the African American community is so bleak, as I laid out in my previous article | Liberals, for good reason, hold social wedge issues as their primary litmus test. Can you imagine a stan…
(2021-02-04). After COVID, Davos Moves to The "Great Reset" globalresearch.ca The WEF is about to unveil what will transform the way we all live in. This all fits into an agenda that has been planned for decades by old wealth families such as Rockefeller and Rothschild. Brzezinski called it the end of the sovereign nation state. David Rockefeller called it "one world government."
(2021-02-04). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide And Rule To Get Its Way. popularresistance.org Tensions rise between neighboring Guyana and Venezuela over a piece of land that has been disputed since at least 1835. Both Guyana's President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have exchanged sharp words about the status of the Essequibo region, which both countries claim. Since 1990, the two countries have pursued their claims through a United Nations "good offices" process; as recently as 2013, President Maduro and Guyana's then-President Donald Ramotar said that the discussions over Essequibo were "going well" under this UN framework. | Everything changed in 2015, and since then the tensions…
(2021-02-04). Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal: The Political Economy of Saving the Planet (Book). nationofchange.org The issues inherent in the climate crisis as well as the solutions are complex, but Noam Chomsky and Robert Pollin do an excellent job of presenting a clear and actionable analysis of both. If you are looking for a solution based, well thought out approach to the biggest existential threat to humanity today, this book …
(2021-02-04). 111 NGOs Call On Biden To Close Guantánamo. popularresistance.org On February 2, more than a hundred non-governmental organizations joined a letter led by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture, urging President Joe Biden to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba and end indefinite military detention. The letter is signed by organizations ranging from those working to end anti-Muslim discrimination and torture to immigrant rights organizations and organizations working broadly on civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice at the national and local level. It emphasizes the devastating and ongoing consequences of the prison, including…
(2021-02-04). Migrant Deportations Continue Despite Biden's Policies. popularresistance.org The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to deport migrants despite president Joe Biden's 100-day moratorium on deporting most people in the U.S. without authorization. This decision was barred by a federal judge in Texas last week. | During the first days of Biden's administration, ICE has deported hundreds of immigrants, including 269 people, to Guatemala and Honduras last Friday. The agency has been accused of violating human rights as a coalition of immigrant groups denounced that Cameroonian asylum seekers were tortured to be forced to approve their deportations.
(2021-02-04). Police Officers Rescue 49 Migrants Near the US-Mexico Border. telesurenglish.net Mexico's police agents Wednesday rescued 49 migrants who were begging for help from an abandoned lot in the Reynosa city in the Tamaulipas state, near the U.S. border. | RELATED: | "Local police came to the rescue after a neighbor alerted about people screaming from a field turned into a camp by human traffickers," the Prosecutor's Office stated. | Fourteen of the migrants were from El Salvador, five from Guatemala, 22 from…
(2021-02-04). Thursday 2/11: Islam, Immigration & Women's Rights: Ending Marginalization and Assault of Immigrant Women. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-04). Cowardly History: Australia Day and Invasion. counterpunch.org It's the sort of stuff that should have been sorted years ago in Australia: a murderous, frontier society ill disposed to the indigenous populace; the creation of a convict colony that was itself an act of invasion rather than settlement; the theft of land and its rapacious plunder. Even some of the rough colonists were
(2021-02-04). US Cuts Support to Saudis, Freezes Arms Sales Over Yemen Crisis. telesurenglish.net The United States has announced an end to the Saudi-led offensive operations in Yemen, citing how the bombing campaign has led to the world's worst humanitarian crisis. | The announcement came during a visit of Joe Biden to the State Department on Thursday, one of the multiple drastic foreign policy shifts made since his January 20th inauguration. | RELATED: | "This war has to end," Biden said. "And to underscor…
(2021-02-04). There's No Secret Chinese Hand In Myanmar's State Of Emergency. thealtworld.com The People's Republic isn't involved in the Tatmadaw's state of emergency, but falsely claiming otherwise is yet another attempt by self-interested forces to pressure Biden into continuing Trump's anti-Chinese policies. | American media has gone wild speculating about a secret Chinese hand in Myanmar's recent decision to announce a year-long state of emergency. The country's military, known as the Tatmadaw, detained members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) on Monday in response to what it claimed was their refusal to seriously consider its concerns about November's contested elections. The Tatmadaw lega…
(2021-02-04). Why Always Israel? Only One Country Matters to Congress and the Media. thealtworld.com Pandering to Israel as part of the political process in the United States has become part of the DNA of both major parties. | The job of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations must have some kind of curse on it as it seems to attract a type of woman who seeks to prove her suitability by running up a tally of how many wars she can start and how many people she can kill. One recalls fondly Bill Clinton's monstrous Madeleine Albright, who famously declared the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children as "worth it" due to the sanctions that Washington had imposed and enforced. And then there was Barack Obama's darling Samanth…
(2021-02-04). Indigenous People and Justice in Nicaragua's North Caribbean Coast. telesurenglish.net Nicaragua's Revista Tortilla con Sal spoke with Loyda Martinez, Sole Local Judicial Authority of the Municipality of Waspam, Rio Coco, to learn how the Indigenous community of the Autonomous Region of the Northern Caribbean Coast (RACCN) is defending itself against the usurpation of its lands. TeleSUR shares the full interview. | RELATED: | – We would like you to explain the Indigenous people's property remediation process and about the cases you have…
(2021-02-04). Indigenous peoples reclaim the National Bison Range. nationofchange.org "We are such a place-based people. To have this land back, to be in control of it, is a fresh, new hope."
(2021-02-04). The Digital Police State Is Being Institutionalized Throughout the Western World. thealtworld.com This report sounds like science fiction, but it comes from a credentialed source and is posted on a respected website. If correct, the only possible conclusion is that a police state is being institutionalized throughout the Western world and perhaps all of the world. If correct, the report certainly validates my conclusion that the digital revolution is the worst disaster ever to befall humanity, and it validates my conclusion that no Western government represents the people. PCR | Implanted "Vaccine Package" ID: Germany's Parliament Has Ratified GAVI's Digital "Agenda ID2020" | By Peter Koenig, Global Research…
(2021-02-04). Great.com Interviews CEPR about Climate Change, Social Security, and a Global Response to COVID. cepr.net Spirit Rosenberg from Great.com interviewed CEPR Co-Director Mark Weisbrot as part of their "Great.com Talks With…" podcast. This series seeks to provide an antidote to negative news stories and aims to shed light on organizations and experts whose work is making a positive impact on the world. The interview examines the question of how research …
(2021-02-04). The PCR Test does not Identify the Virus: Covid "False Positives" Used to Justify the Lockdown and Closure of the National Economy. globalresearch.ca We are led to believe that the corona epidemic has entered into a Second Wave, and that the virus is spreading relentlessly. That's a lie. | The PCR test used to estimate covid positive cases is flawed. There is no second …
(2021-02-04). The COVID-19 RT-PCR Test: How to Mislead All Humanity. Using a "Test" To Lock Down Society. globalresearch.ca The misuse of the RT-PCR technique is used as an intentional strategy by some governments, supported by scientific safety councils and by the dominant media, to justify the violation of a large number of constitutional rights, the destruction of the economy with the bankruptcy of entire active sectors of society,…
(2021-02-04). Imperial staff reflect on a challenging year — and their hopes for the future. imperial.ac.uk In a new video, Imperial staff at the heart of the COVID-19 response share their thoughts on the challenges of 2020 — and hopes for the future.
(2021-02-04). Minnesota: AFSCME members at Hennepin County score major win. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – At the Hennepin County Commissioner meeting, February 2, the vote passed unanimously to enact a Board Action Request (BAR) that will allow extension of COVID Child Care Leave for an additional 160 hours. Although it does not extend at full pay as the union requested, the passage of this BAR represents a major step forward for parents and caregivers who work for Hennepin County. The union members in AFSCME locals representing Hennepin County workers had been campaigning actively for full pay. | Ronisha Buckner, who is a mother of one, works as human services representative and is sergeant of arms…
(2021-02-04). COVID tester at Amazon facility in Virginia dies suddenly of unexplained causes. wsws.org While Amazon is one of the richest companies in the world, her family has been unable to afford an autopsy to determine the cause of her death, which was quoted at $7,600.
(2021-02-04). UK: Captain Sir Tom Moore's death used to boost politics of "national unity" wsws.org It is a feature of a decaying social order that it turns the good and the sincere into the grotesque and sordid. Those supposedly honouring Moore's life are the same people who carried out and oversaw policies which have led to over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths in the last year—the majority of them elderly people.
(2021-02-04). Uruguay Detects the Brazilian COVID-19 Strain in Its Territory. telesurenglish.net Uruguay's Pasteur Institute biologist Lucia Spangenberg on Thursday confirmed the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 strain "P.2". | RELATED: | The researchers analyzed samples from eleven COVID-19 positive patients, five of whom were identified with the P.2 variant. | The strain has more presence in Brazil's State Rio Grande do Sul that borders the Artigas, Rivera, and Rocha departments where the survey was conducted. | Uruguayan…
(2021-02-04). COVAX Will Supply the First Batch of Vaccines for Africa. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti announced that this continent will receive 90 million doses of COVID-19's vaccines this month. | RELATED: | The first batch will be delivered through the United Nations COVID-19 Vaccines mechanism (COVAX), which notified African countries that most of the doses were produced by AstraZeneca. | Moeti affirmed Africa has been marginaliz…
(2021-02-04). Portugal records worst rate of Covid-19 cases in the world. wsws.org In a de facto warning to the working class throughout Europe, experts estimate the British variant accounts for up to 40 percent of all new cases.
(2021-02-04). Anne Feeney, Folk Singer And Political Activist, Dies At 69. popularresistance.org Anne Feeney, the legendary Pittsburgh folk singer-songwriter and self-described rabble-rouser, has died of COVID at age 69. | Her daughter, Amy Sue Berlin, shared the news in a Facebook post on Wednesday night, writing, in part, "It is with a very heavy heart that we must announce the passing of our courageous, brilliant, beautiful mother, Anne Feeney. We were very lucky that she fought hard enough to open up her eyes, and give us a couple days to be with her before she finally decided it was time to let go." | "It is with a very heavy heart that we must announce the passing of our courageous, brilliant, beautifu…
(2021-02-04). EU Open To Use of Approved COVID-19 Vaccines. telesurenglish.net European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said that COVID-19 vaccines from Russia and China could be approved for use in the European Union (EU) if their full information is submitted. | RELATED: | If Chinese producers "show all the data… then they could get… a conditional market authorization like the other ones," von der Leyen said. | One of the criteria for the EU contracts for vaccines…
(2021-02-04). We Did Not "Lose" Loved Ones and Normal Life to COVID. They Were Stolen. zcomm.org Please Help ZNet Source: Truthout Photo by Steve Sanchez Photos/Shutterstock.com There is a great deal of talk about "loss" as we slog into the newest month of this long COVID winter. The lost lives — more than 441,000 people in the U.S. alone — are top of mind. The loss of
(2021-02-04). Western Australia: COVID-19, fires and the fossil fuel premier. greenleft.org.au The Western Australian election is shaping up as a referendum on the Labor government's handling of COVID-19, with pundits expecting it to be returned with an increased majority, reports Sam Wainwright.
(2021-02-04). The Never Ending COVID Crisis. popularresistance.org It was in early 2020 that the word COVID-19 entered the lexicon. In the past year more than 440,000 people in the United States have died from this disease. The impact of shutdowns meant to end the spread of disease have cost millions of people their jobs, and businesses large and small no longer exist at all. COVID-19 has proven that the political system is devoted to the interests of the billionaire class and is therefore incapable of acting in the interests of the people. | The vaccines which hold some promise are distributed by the same for-profit entities that run what passes for a health care system in this…
(2021-02-04). Wednesday 2/3: Dicussion on Science of COVID Vaccines & Inequities Contributing to Vaccine Hesitancy. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-04). A better future after COVID-19. indybay.org The costs of the crisis must be paid out of large private fortunes and through the taxation of speculative capital on the financial markets. The billions of euros in dividends that companies will have to pay to their shareholders on the basis of profits generated in 2019 must not be distributed. Instead, these funds must be used to tackle the crisis.
(2021-02-04). Chile Launches Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign. telesurenglish.net Chile's Health Minister Enrique Paris Wednesday reported that over 140,000 people received the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the mass vaccination campaign. | RELATED: | Among those who received the first dose, there were 23,942 people over 90 years old, 66 percent of whom were women. | National Service for Minors' officials, health workers, and students in practice were also vaccinated. | From Feb. 8 to 1…
(2021-02-04). Amazon Is Using AI-Equipped Cameras In Delivery Vans. popularresistance.org Amazon drivers at some U.S. facilities will soon have an extra set of eyes watching them when they hit the road to make their daily deliveries. | The company recently began testing AI-equipped cameras in vehicles to monitor contracted delivery drivers while they're on the job, with the aim of improving safety. | Amazon has deployed the cameras in Amazon-branded cargo vans used by a handful of companies that are part of its delivery service partner program, which are largely responsible for last-mile deliveries. The cameras could be rolled out to additional DSPs over time, and Amazon has already distributed an ins…
(2021-02-04). The Failings Of Unemployment Insurance Are By Design. popularresistance.org Our unemployment insurance system has failed the country at a moment of great need. With tens of millions of workers struggling just to pay rent and buy food, Congress was forced to pass two emergency spending bills, providing one-time stimulus payments, special weekly unemployment insurance payments, and temporary unemployment benefits to those not covered by the system. And, because of their limited short-term nature, President Biden must now advocate for a third. | The system's shortcomings have been obvious for some time, but little effort has been made to improve it. In fact, those shortcomings were baked in…
(2021-02-04). New York restaurants eagerly await arrival of Covid-19 vaccines. laprensalatina.com New York, USA, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- New York's bars and restaurants — once the beating heart of the Big Apple but which have been shut because of the pandemic — are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines after mayor Bill de Blasio announced that their workers are now eligible to be vaccinated. On a …
(2021-02-04). Salma Hayek: 'It saddens me to think about what might happen to cinema'. laprensalatina.com Los Angeles, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Salma Hayek is enjoying working with streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon, but the Mexican film star says she is worried about the uncertainty affecting the movie industry due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen theaters across the world close. "Romantically, it makes me very sad …
(2021-02-04). Pandemic capitalism and resistance. greenleft.org.au Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the rise of authoritarian regimes as a brutal expression of neoliberalism's death throws, writes Susan Price.
(2021-02-04). Wall Street Journal demands Biden crack down on Chicago teachers. wsws.org In a statement by its editorial board Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal angrily criticized President Biden for being too soft on Chicago teachers, who are defying Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot's order to resume in-person classes as the pandemic continues to spread in the city.
(2021-02-04). [Commentary] Is ivermectin ready to be part of a public health policy for COVID-19 prophylaxis? thelancet.com The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a worldwide time trial in search for therapeutic alternatives that would be effective, safe, and accessible. The despair of front-line physicians in the face of the increment in mortality led to the empirical use of various therapies in a sort of "war medicine." Most of the studies evaluating the efficacy of multiple therapeutic options have been carried out mainly in hospitalized patients with severe or critical illness. Most treatments have proved to be ineffective or partially effective at these stages.
(2021-02-04). Democrats Announce It Is Safe to Reopen Now That Federal Government Has Tested Negative for Trump. anti-empire.com 
U.S.—Democrat leaders around the country are declaring it is now safe to reopen since the federal government's tests have come back negative for Trump. | "The key indicator we were looking for before we could begin the reopening process was that Trump wasn't president," said Governor Gavin Newsom. "While we are at the worst point yet in this pandemic, it now makes sense to open– even though the science said the exact opposite last year when it was comparably mild. Because now, all the tests are indicating we have tested negative for Trump." | Governor Cuomo agreed, saying that all his key science experts -…
(2021-02-04). Turkish health minister pens editorial for UN body. yenisafak.com Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and James Campbell, director of the health workforce for the World Health Organization, penned an editorial on the challenges frontline workers face amid the pandemic.According to the editorial, Financing and Protection for the Health and Care Workforce, across the world there was a shortage of 18 million employees in the health sector, mostly in low and lower-middle income countries.Although health care employees were quick to respond to the outbreak, they faced many difficulties such as "accelerated rates of infection and deaths, lack of adequate personal protective equipm…
(2021-02-04). US initial jobless claims beat expectation. yenisafak.com Analysts expected 830,000 for the week ending Jan. 30, while the previous week's number was revised down by 35,000 from 847,000 to 812,000.Despite the fall in claims, there are still more than 10 million jobless Americans since the coronavirus pandemic-hit US economy shed 22 million jobs in March and April.Private American companies, on the other hand, added 174,000 jobs in January, as private payrolls recovered from a 123,000 fall in December when they marked the first monthly decline since April.Services sectors added 156,000 jobs last month, with health care leading the way with 48,000, according to ADP Resear…
(2021-02-04). Two S. Africa, one Brazil variant detected in Turkey. yenisafak.com Two Turkish citizens have contracted the South African variant of the coronavirus while one has contracted the Brazilian variant, the country's health minister said Wednesday.Moreover, 196 cases of the UK virus strain have been detected in the country, Fahrettin Koca said.The patients have been isolated, he added.In the wake of rising cases once again, the measures against the pandemic will continue full throttle, he said.The vaccination of citizens over 65 and the second group will commence after safety tests are completed, Koca said.So far, 2.4 million people in the country have been vaccinated with vaccination…
(2021-02-04). Putin's approval rating drops slightly to 64%, while Navalny overtakes Communist Party leader in new opinion poll. rt.com 
Despite recent street protests and the Covid-19 pandemic, almost two in three Russians say they approve of Vladimir Putin's record as president, according to a new poll, representing a slight drop since late last year. | New research, conducted by the Levada Center — a registered foreign polling company that has received Western funding in the past —
(2021-02-04). Thousands take to the streets as nationwide strike over pay & working conditions kicks off in France (VIDEOS). rt.com 
A nationwide strike has kicked off in France, with public sector workers demanding better pay and working conditions and condemning sloppy government support amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. | The strike began across France on Thursday after being called by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT), one of the nation's largest unions. Other trade unions joined in — including the Federation Syndicale Unitaire and Solidaires — as well as student groups and youth organizations. | Thousands of workers took to the streets of Paris and marched through the city center. Protesters carried a large banne…
(2021-02-04). Dealing with a Pandemic as If Human Lives Mattered. counterpunch.org 
It's fair to say that the U.S. performance in dealing with the pandemic has been disastrous. With the effort led by Donald Trump, this is not surprising. His main, if not only, concern was keeping up appearances. Preventing the spread of the pandemic, and needless death, was obviously not part of his agenda. Unfortunately, many
(2021-02-04). 'I am become meme, destroyer of shorts': Musk fires off market-wrecking omens & random thoughts, ending brief Twitter absence. rt.com 
The temptations of Twitter were apparently too great for Elon Musk, who ended his short-lived hiatus on the platform with a series of characteristically zany messages. | The world's richest man returned to his virtual soap box around 48 hours after he announced on Tuesday that he would be practicing Twitter abstinence. | Read more | | The social media relapse began innocently enough, with Musk retweeting a video of a SpaceX satellite…
(2021-02-04). House tells Trump he'll 'PROVE' own guilt by not testifying at impeachment trial — but Trump still REFUSES. rt.com 
Democrats seeking to impeach the former US president Donald Trump have asked him to testify at his Senate trial and threatened him if he refuses, after his lawyers challenged the charges and the trial itself as illegitimate. | In a letter emailed Thursday to Trump's attorneys Bruce Castor and David Schoen, the lead House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) noted that they denied "factual allegations" and "attempted to put critical facts at issue notwithstanding the clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional offense." | üö®HOUSE MANAGERS ASK TRUMP TO TESTIFY …
(2021-02-04). McKinsey consulting firm to shell out $573mn to settle probes into its role in 'turbocharging' opioid crisis — reports. rt.com 
The prestigious corporate consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to pay up $573 million to settle investigations into its work with Big Pharma, namely its role in boosting sales of the powerful opioid narcotic oxycodone. | The company struck a multi-million-dollar settlement with officials across 47 states, Washington, DC and five US territories, the New York Times The company will be required to pay ou…
(2021-02-04). Progressive journalist Jordan Chariton regrets calling for social media bans after 'seeing Silicon Valley's censorship onslaught'. rt.com 
After some of his own videos were pulled by YouTube, progressive reporter Jordan Chariton has had a change of heart about Big Tech's crackdown on extremist content, arguing that it's a pretext to purge all alternative views. | In a series of tweets, the popular pundit and co-founder of Status Coup News revealed that footage of the January 6 Capitol riots had been yanked from his YouTube channel, apparently for violating the platform's policies against "spam and deceptive practices." The video's deletion followed a similar incident in which a livestream of a right-wing rally held several days before Joe Biden's…
(2021-02-04). 'Let 'em die!' Doctor gets flamed over 'evil and twisted' tweet about maskless shoppers in Florida. rt.com 
A video showing unmasked shoppers in a Florida supermarket has gone viral due to an NBC reporter's complaining. Among the more extreme reactions was one now-deleted tweet by a doctor who seemingly thought they deserved to die. | In a video shared on Wednesday, NBC correspondent Sam Brock showed a crowd of customers in a supermarket in Naples, Florida. Few people were wearing a face mask or practicing social distancing, and everyone was going about their business as usual. Complaining about the spread of Covid-19 on a "massive scale," Brock claimed that the store allowed "medical exemptions" to mask wearing, an…
(2021-02-04). Biden ends US backing for Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, but America will continue to 'help Riyadh against Iranian-supplied forces'. rt.com 
The US military will stop supporting attacks carried out by the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Joe Biden has confirmed, though America will continue to support Riyadh in "defending its sovereignty." | Speaking in a televised address from the State Department on Thursday, Biden said Washington's focus was on finding a diplomatic solution to the war in Yemen and lend its support to restoring the "long-dormant peace talks." | However, it remains to be seen what practical effect the shift will have on the dynamic of the years-long conflict and America's role there. While the decision…
(2021-02-04). AOC compared to Jussie Smollett after her 'near-death' riot experience revealed as hiding from POLICE in office OUTSIDE Capitol. rt.com 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being compared to the actor who staged an attack on himself, after her account of fearing for her life during the January 6 riot was fact-checked, exposing that she wasn't in the Capitol building. | The hashtags #AlexandriaOcasioSmollett, along with #AOCLied, trended on Wednesday, following a fact-check of AOC's (D-New York) Instagram livestream two days prior by OAN journalist Jack Posobiec. During her emotional one-and-a-half-hour-long talk, Ocasio-Cortez admitted that she was not in the Capitol building during the riot to begin with, but continued to claim that she experienced a…
(2021-02-04). Biden ends US backing for Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, but America will continue to 'help Riyadh against Iranian-supplied forces'. rt.com The US military will stop supporting attacks carried out by the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Joe Biden has confirmed, though America will continue to support Riyadh in "defending its sovereignty". | Speaking in a televised address from the State Department on Thursday, Biden said Washington's focus was on finding a diplomatic solution to the war in Yemen and lend its support to restoring the "long-dormant peace talks." | However, it remains to be seen what practical effect the shift will have on the dynamic of the years-long conflict and America's role there. While the decision…
(2021-02-04). Smut giant Pornhub to fight abuse & revenge porn with MANDATORY ID of users & other snoopware. Be careful what you w*nk for… rt.com 
Adult entertainment behemoth Pornhub has rebranded itself as a quasi-responsible business, beefing up content filters, employing a "live content audit team," and continuing its ban on downloads while opening up non-member uploads. | After being raked over the coals by the New York Times in December for allegedly hosting a sprawling cesspool of child sexual exploitation, Pornhub took emergency measures to remove most of its content, lock the site down except for verified users, and open up its payment system to cryptocurrency users. | On Thursday the site announced a raft of changes, offering new users the chan…
(2021-02-04). Voting software firm Smartmatic files $2.7 billion suit against Fox, Giuliani & Sidney Powell over election-fraud claims. rt.com 
Fox News is facing a rise of the machines, voting machines that is, as election software firm Smartmatic is suing the network, three of its anchors and lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell for allegedly false claims of fraud. | The defamation
(2021-02-04). 'PUT ALL THE CHICKEN IN THE BAG': Restaurant customer turned away for not wearing mask returns with gun… and demands (VIDEO). rt.com 
A maskless gunman held up a restaurant in Pasadena, California but rather than emptying the cash register, the suspect demanded chicken that he had been refused because he wasn't wearing a face covering. Enjoy the rest of 2021. | According to staff at Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles, the chicken heist occurred after a man was told to leave the establishment because he refused to wear a mask in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines. The enraged customer reportedly stormed out, before later returning with a gun… and his food order. | Robert Gonzalez, who works at the restaurant as a cook, told local media th…
(2021-02-04). CNN chief Zucker announces plan to leave at year's end after 'change of heart' decision to see out contract. rt.com 
CNN President Jeff Zucker has confirmed he will stay on at the network's helm until the end of 2021, when his contract runs out, having u-turned on his decision late last year to leave the mainstream media outlet. | "I cannot imagine not being here right now," Jeff Zucker told colleagues on Thursday morning, according to those present on the call. "I'm going to stay and finish my current contract, which, as I said, will keep me here until the end of this year. At that point, I do expect to move on." | The truth is, back in November and December I had basically decided that it was time to move on now… But si…
(2021-02-04). Mass Rapes. Sweeping Surveillance. Forced Labor. Exposing China's Crackdown on Uyghur Muslims. democracynow.org 
China faces widespread condemnation following a BBC report about the mass rape and sexual torture of Uyghur women and other Muslims detained in the province of Xinjiang. Women who spoke with the BBC described gang rapes, routine sexual torture using electrocution tools, forced sterilizations and men outside the prison camps paying for access to the detainees. China has rejected the report as "wholly without factual basis" and claims its mass detention of Muslim minorities is part of a "vocational training" program to counter extremism. Meanwhile, The Intercept has obtained a massive police surveillance database u…
(2021-02-04). 'As fake as her tweets'? Police open conspiracy PROBE into Greta Thunberg's 'protest toolkit,' accuse creators of 'WAR ON INDIA'. rt.com 
Police in New Delhi have opened a conspiracy investigation into the creators of a "toolkit" with instructions on how to amplify the farmers' protests in India — a document that has been shared by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. | Thunberg took to Twitter on Wednesday to share a lengthy document outlining ways for activists to contribute to India's ongoing pro-farmer protests, including stock messages and hashtags to disseminate on social media, as well as advice on organizing rallies. Within hours, the "toolkit" was taken offline by its creators and replaced with a much shorter version, with Thunberg no…
(2021-02-04). Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine | Meanwhile, Tehran hosts Taliban to talk about US-brokered Afghan peace deal, and the Islamic Republic is said to be eying the Caucasus to bypass US sanctions | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 11: 22 | A woman receives an injection during the first trial phase of a locally-made vaccine for Covid-19 in Iran's capital Tehran on 29…
(2021-02-04). Have Democrats Finally Realized That Power Is Only Real If You Use It? truthout.org 
A funny thing happened this week. President Biden and the Democratic Party realized they have actual power. Wait, there's more: They don't appear to be afraid of using it. Wait, it gets even better: They don't seem to care if Republicans say mean things about them — they're gonna do their thing and look out below. After decades of watching Democrats cower before the slashing rhetoric of Republicans, it is an amazing thing to see. | In this instance, "their thing" is to seek the passage via rec…
(2021-02-04). Sanders Slams GOP for $1.9 Trillion Gift to Rich in First Speech as Budget Chair. truthout.org 
In his first speech on the Senate floor since officially becoming chairman of the chamber's budget committee on Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders reminded Republican senators complaining about the Democratic majority's effort to pass coronavirus relief
(2021-02-04). AOC Blasts GOP Lawmaker for Her "Deeply Cynical" About Face on Events of Jan. 6. truthout.org 
On Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) recounted the events of January 6, when Donald Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building demanding that Congress overturn the votes of the presidential election and declare Trump president. | Ocasio-Cortez, in
(2021-02-04). Belgium court sentences Iranian envoy to 20 years in jail over Paris bomb plot. middleeasteye.net 
Belgium court sentences Iranian envoy to 20 years in jail over Paris bomb plot | Antwerp trial was the first of an Iranian official for suspected terrorism in Europe since Iran's 1979 revolution | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 14: 08 | A heavily armed policeman stands outside the courthouse in Antwerp (AFP) | An Iranian diplomat accused of planning to bomb a meeting of an exiled opposition group was s…
(2021-02-04). Saudi Arabia and Iran among leaders of 'transnational repression', says watchdog. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia and Iran among leaders of 'transnational repression', says watchdog | Freedom House accuses both countries of threatening the lives of their citizens living abroad | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 26 | Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 (AFP) | International watchdog Freedom House has accused Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey of interfering in the…
(2021-02-04). UN Security Council 'deeply concerned' at Myanmar military coup, calls for release of leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi. rt.com 
The United Nations Security Council has expressed its "deep concern" at the military coup in Myanmar and has called for the release of all detainees, including State Counsellor Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who was detained on Monday. | "The members of the Security Council emphasized the need for the continued support of the democratic transition in Myanmar," the 15-member council said in a joint statement. | "They stressed the need to fully uphold democratic institutions and processes, refrain from violence, and fully respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law." | Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi is…
(2021-02-04). Sterile, fun-free Tokyo Olympic Games are starting to look distinctly unlike 'a victory over Covid'. rt.com 
They were supposed to be 'the Games that conquered Covid' but this year's Tokyo Olympics look increasingly like being a pale imitation of a great sporting event which will play out in the shadow of the virus. | This week, Games organizers released a 'Playbook' aimed at various officials and dignitaries planning to be in Tokyo for when the show gets going on July 23, one year later than planned. | The information did not make for chirpy reading, no matter how many colorful, cheery graphics the designers had applied. | The Playbooks are the basis of the collective effort between the IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020, and the…
(2021-02-04). 'I hope it's not in vain': Umar Nurmagomedov stokes hopes of quick UFC turnaround as he plots course to Las Vegas. rt.com 
The latest undefeated fighter from the Nurmagomedov assembly line, Khabib's cousin Umar, has signaled he is flying to Las Vegas amid talk that the Russian standout could be set to make his sophomore UFC appearance next month. | Umar improved his career record to an impressive 13-0 when he emerged from his UFC debut on "Fight Island" last month with second-round submission win against the gritty Kazakh Sergey Morozov. | Also on rt.com | | Umar's entry…
(2021-02-04). Moscow officials deny conditions at post-protest detention centers are overcrowded as journalist live-blogs time behind bars. rt.com 
A row has broken out over conditions in Russian jails as facilities struggle to accommodate the large number of arrests made at protests earlier this week in support of imprisoned opposition figure Alexey Navalny. | A series of photographs published on Thursday, purportedly taken by detainees at the Sakharovo immigration detention center in the Moscow Region, which has been co-opted to house arrested demonstrators, show them sleeping two to a bunkbed, or resting at picnic tables. One cell, equipped with four metal beds without mattresses, reportedly housed 28 people. The scenes sparked concern for the wellbein…
(2021-02-04). Brazilian footballer slapped with 8-game ban for stripping and waving genitals at rivals while celebrating goal. rt.com 
Brazilian winger Emerson Carioca has been handed an eight-game ban for violating disciplinary protocol after his bizarre naked goal celebrations sparked an on-pitch riot in December. | The 25-year-old, who until recently played for Sampaio Correa, netted a winner against Marica, sending his team into the the Carioca Championship. | But Carioca's wild celebrations took…
(2021-02-04). Power Games All Over the Place. counterpunch.org 
"Stop Mitch McConnell!" screams yet another message to my inbox. Wait a minute. I understood that the power Mitch McConnell wielded over the Senate (and the nation), thwarting all attempts at progressive reform and adequate Covid relief, ended two weeks ago. Where are Georgia's Democratic victories that leveled the playing field? That 50-50 party share
(2021-02-04). Pillow Fight: Mike Lindell's Battle to Save Donald Trump and You. counterpunch.org 
In the final desperate days of his presidency, a visit by even Mr. Pillow might not seem very important to Trump, but Trump was more isolated than he had been at any time since 2016 and, as we know, he can never get enough attention, enough flattery. And Lindell—whatever he had in mind—was in many respects a flattering replica of Trump.
(2021-02-04). Ottawa Should Apologize for Role in Agent Orange Use in Vietnam. dissidentvoice.org 
A French legal battle offers an opportunity to revisit Canada's role in chemical weapons use and whether Ottawa owes something to its Vietnamese victims. On the weekend activists gathered in Paris to support a court case launched by a woman exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. The group Collectif Vietnam Dioxine is supporting French-Vietnamese woman, …
(2021-02-04). With new bill, Sanders and AOC press Biden to declare a 'climate emergency'. peoplesworld.org 
In his first 15 days in office, President Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, pledged to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies from the federal government, and started the process of unwinding Trump's disastrous environmental legacy. And now a trio of Democratic lawmakers wants President Biden to declare a "climate emergency" as soon as possible. Representative Earl Blumenauer of …
(2021-02-04). Is CNN jumping on the red-baiting bandwagon? peoplesworld.org 
A recent CNN article outrageously tried to put communists who were victims of U.S. government attacks in 1948 in the same boat with the criminal Trumpites who staged the attempted coup at the Capitol on Jan. 6. The headline on the Feb. 3 article by Eliott C. McLaughlin read: "With coup label, Capitol rioters join …
(2021-02-04). Regional left parties condemn military coup in Burma/Myanmar. greenleft.org.au Socialist parties in the Asia-Pacific have condemned the military coup in Burma/Myanmar, writes Susan Price.
(2021-02-04). Tallahassee demands affordable housing from City Commission. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On January 13, activists with the Tallahassee Community Action Committee attended the Tallahassee City Commission's annual retreat. While much of the retreat featured city leaders applauding each other for their great work, there were some moments that touched on the people's concerns regarding affordable housing and redevelopment initiatives on the majority-Black Southside. | After a discussion of the city's efforts to invest in Southside, the newly-elected Democratic Socialists of America-backed commissioner Jack Porter asked for clarification as to why the Southside of Tallahassee has been so…
(2021-02-04). Tallahassee demands affordable housing from City Commission. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On January 13, activists with the Tallahassee Community Action Committee attended the Tallahassee City Commission's annual retreat. While much of the retreat featured city leaders applauding each other for their great work, there were some moments that touched on the people's concerns regarding affordable housing and redevelopment initiatives on the majority-Black Southside. | After a discussion of the city's efforts to invest in Southside, the newly-elected Democratic Socialists of America-backed commissioner Jack Porter asked for clarification as to why the Southside of Tallahassee has been so…
(2021-02-04). Codepink Applauds Biden's Decision to End U.S. Support for the War on Yemen. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). Headlines for February 4, 2021. democracynow.org CDC Director Warns Coronavirus Variants Could Reverse Drop in Caseload, Education Secretary Nominee Favors Return to In-Person Classes, Supports Trans Athletes, Senate Agrees to Power-Sharing Deal That Leaves Democrats in Control of Committees, Republican Leader Won't Punish Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over Racist and Violent Rhetoric, 100s of Congressional Aides Call on Senate to Convict Trump and Bar Him from Holding Office, Canada Designates Proud Boys as a Terrorist Group, Prosecutors Seek Rearrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, Wisconsin Teen Charged with Killing 2 Protesters, Tigray Opposition Say 52,000+ Killed in C…
(2021-02-04). Bernie Sanders Says Biden Decision on Yemen a Tribute to 'So Many Activists Over the Years'. commondreams.org "Yemen needs food, medicine, and healthcare—not bombs and blockades," said Sanders. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bernie-yemen.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Warlord found guilty of crimes against humanity in northern Uganda – ICC. news.un.org A former Ugandan warlord whose forces attacked camps for the internally displaced across the country, has been found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, judges ruled on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). After Years of Outrage Politics, RepubliQans Have Surrendered to the Neo-Nazi Conspiracy Theorists. commondreams.org The House Republicans have experienced an embarrassing loss of spine, which has reduced them to floundering slugs, because Trump is still the leader of their party and he supports Greene. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/mtg.jpg …
(2021-02-04). We can't give up on a world free from nuclear weapons. greenleft.org.au The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons became international law on January 22 for the 122 states who signed the agreement in July 2017, writes Vijay Prashad.
(2021-02-04). At least 24 irregular migrants held in Turkey. yenisafak.com At least 24 irregular migrants were held in different parts of Turkey on Thursday, sources said.Nine Iranian nationals were held in the Beyazkoy district of the northwestern Tekirdag province, close to the border with Greece.They were found on a bus stopped for a check by gendarmerie personnel, said the sources, asking not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.The vehicle's driver, a Turkish national identified by the initials I.O., was arrested.In the central Nigde province, 15 Syrian nationals were held after police teams stopped and searched a bus on a highway connecting southeast Turkey to…
(2021-02-04). Hundreds already deported from the US under Biden despite executive orders. wsws.org Deportations of immigrants and refugees have continued under the new Democratic administration despite cosmetic changes to Trump era policies.
(2021-02-04). President Biden Softens Trump's Immigration Policy. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday issued orders to reverse the anti-immigrant agenda of Donald Trump's administration (2017-2021). | RELATED: | The new rules aim to achieve a "fair, safe, and orderly immigration system that keeps families together," said a White House official, as reported by EFE. | One of the orders stops children's separation from their parents and creates a task force whose mission will be to…
(2021-02-04). Biden-Harris End Support of Yemen War; NGOs Demand End to All Arms Sales and Increased Humanitarian Aid. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). Powerful explosion hits Haifa in occupied Palestine. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 5 (MNA) — An explosion was reported near a Chemicals factory in the occupied Palestinian city of Haifa.
(2021-02-04). Police accused of 'harassment' after Palestine Action co-founder arrested for blackmail. thecanary.co Palestine Action co-founder Richard Goddard was The arrest, which was
(2021-02-04). 'It Was That Bad. It's Actually Worse': Ocasio-Cortez Hits Back After Republicans Challenge Her Capitol Attack Story. commondreams.org "You previously told reporters yourself that you barricaded in your office, afraid you'd be hurt," the New York congresswoman told one of her Republican colleagues. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_14.jpg …
(2021-02-04). New Bill From Blumenauer, Ocasio-Cortez, and Sanders Demands Biden Declare a National Climate Emergency. commondreams.org The Sunrise Movement's executive director called it "a good sign that our leaders are finally understanding what young people and climate activists have been shouting from the rooftops for years." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1228419561_0.png …
(2021-02-04). Impeachment Managers Call On Trump to Testify Under Oath for Senate Trial. commondreams.org "You have… attempted to put critical facts at issue notwithstanding the clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional offense," the letter to Trump says. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/raskin-letter-trump-testify.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Covid rapid test center set up at Vienna's historic Schoenbrunn Palace. laprensalatina.com Vienna, Feb 4 (EFE).- The area around the historic Schoenbrunn Palace has been converted into Vienna's sixth Covid-19 rapid testing center, with a capacity of 200,000 coronavirus tests per day. The tests at Schoenbrunn, which are free of charge, can be performed in two ways: on foot in a pavilion attached to the complex, or …
(2021-02-04). New Poll Finds More Vaccine Skeptics in France Than in Other Nations. sputniknews.com LONDON (Sputnik) – France has the largest share of people opposed to COVID-19 vaccination, followed by the United States and Germany, a fresh poll by global social research company Kantar Public has found.
(2021-02-04). COVID-19 cuts global air passenger traffic 66% in 2020. yenisafak.com As fear over the coronavirus mounted and infections climbed worldwide, the global air passenger traffic slipped by 65.9% in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to a leading trade group.This is the sharpest traffic decline in aviation history, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in a statement on Wednesday.The international passenger demand decreased 75.6% year-on-year in 2020. The capacity measured in available seat kilometers on international routes declined 68.1% and load factor fell 19.2 percentage points to 62.8%.Domestic demand fell at a slower pace last year, down 48.8% compare…
(2021-02-04). 'So utterly disingenuous': Republicans file slew of unrelated amendments as Dems push ahead with Covid relief. nationofchange.org "If the GOP actually wanted to provide Covid relief, they'd introduce amendments to do so. Instead they're going to introduce what they believe are gotcha amendments to try to trip up Dems."
(2021-02-04). Warnings of Growing 'Surveillance Empire' as AI Van Cameras Give Amazon 'Roaming Eyes in Every Neighborhood'. commondreams.org "Amazon will have the perfect panopticon in place to sweep up unprecedented amounts of data en masse," says Fight for the Future. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/amazon_9.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Towards 2030, NATO Is Shaping Our Future. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | NATO is looking to the future. For this reason, Secretary-General Jens …
(2021-02-04). Cancer leading cause of death among people with diabetes. imperial.ac.uk Cancer is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes in England.
(2021-02-04). Ditching the car for walking or biking just one day a week cuts carbon footprint. imperial.ac.uk Swapping the car for walking, cycling and e-biking even just one day a week makes a significant impact on personal carbon emissions in cities.
(2021-02-04). Personalised immersive audio could help virtual socialising feel more real. imperial.ac.uk Imperial College London researchers have won a €5.7million EU Horizon 2020 grant to develop AI-informed immersive audio techniques.
(2021-02-04). Why Always Israel? Only One Country Matters to Congress and the Media. strategic-culture.org Pandering to Israel as part of the political process in the United States has become part of the DNA of both major parties. | The job of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations must have some kind of curse on it as it seems to attract a type of woman who seeks to prove her suitability by running up a tally of how many wars she can start and how many people she can kill. One recalls fondly Bill Clinton's monstrous Madeleine Albright, who famously declared the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children as "worth it" due to the sanctions that Washington had imposed and enforced. And then there was Barack Obama's darling Samanth…
(2021-02-04). Borsa Istanbul up at Thursday open. yenisafak.com Turkey's benchmark stock index opened at 1,537.6 points on Thursday, up 0.27% or 4.10 points from the previous close.Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index closed Wednesday at 1,533.55 points, up 1.46%, with a daily trading volume of 30.1 billion Turkish liras (nearly $4.20 billion).The US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate rose to 7.1700 as of 9: 30 a.m. local time (0630GMT), from 7.1600 at the previous close.The euro/Turkish lira exchange rate rose to 8.6200 from 8.6100, while one British pound traded for 9.7700 Turkish liras, down from 9.7800.One barrel of Brent crude oil sold for around $58.89 as of 10 a.m. local time…
(2021-02-04). US,E3 foreign ministers expected to discuss Iran soon: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 05 (MNA) — The US, British, French and German foreign ministers are expected to have a conversation soon to discuss how to revive the Iran nuclear deal, four sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). Ethiopia plans to vaccinate 20% population in 2021. yenisafak.com Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Muluken Yohannes, a senior adviser to the Health Ministry, said a national coordinating committee and a task force have been set up for the purpose to ensure vaccination.Further, the country is actively engaged in a unique global alliance representing more than two-thirds of the world, to ensure that developing nations get vaccines equitably in terms both of access and cost.The alliance includes the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the Gates Foundation, and 191 countries to…
(2021-02-04). US to end support for Saudi offensive operations in Yemen. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- President Joe Biden plans to end US support for offensive operations in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition that has been waging war on the impoverished nation for nearly six years, the White House national security adviser said Thursday. The president will announce the change later Thursday in his first major speech …
(2021-02-04). More than 100 Chilean women pregnant due to negligence, abortion impediments. laprensalatina.com By Patricia Nieto Santiago, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Estefany Cavieres, 28, is quite familiar with the signs of pregnancy. Your abdomen and your breasts hurt, you feel nauseous and tired. So, when she felt those feelings, she was sure: she was one of the 111 Chilean women who had gotten pregnant because of defective birth control …
(2021-02-04). Strong winds fan forest fires in southwestern Australia. laprensalatina.com Sydney, Australia, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Strong winds fanned a 126-kilometer (78-mile) long forest fire that is burning unchecked near the city of Perth in southwestern Australia threatening the homes of residents in adjoining areas, regional authorities warned Thursday. The fire in Perth Hills, about 100 kilometers northeast of Perth, started on Monday and has burned …
(2021-02-04). Myanmar military government cuts Facebook access. laprensalatina.com Yangon, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Facebook access in Myanmar was limited Thursday after the military junta ordered telecommunications providers to block the social network. The move comes after the military seized power on Monday in a bloodless coup. "All mobile operators, international gateways and internet service providers in Myanmar received a directive on 3 February 2021 …
(2021-02-04). Iraq holds funeral for over 100 Yezidi victims of IS. laprensalatina.com Baghdad, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Iraqi authorities held a funeral in Baghdad on Thursday for 104 members of the country's Yezidi minority who were killed by Islamic State militants. After the funeral, their bodies will be transferred to their home village in the country's north for burial on February 6. Iraqi President Barham Salih said in …
(2021-02-04). Myanmar military cuts Facebook access as public opposition to coup grows. laprensalatina.com (Update 1: Adds Egeland comments.) Yangon, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Facebook access in Myanmar was restricted Thursday after the military junta ordered telecommunications providers to block the social network, and as public opposition to the coup grew. The move to block Facebook came after the military seized power from the elected government on Monday. "All mobile …
(2021-02-04). 50 Bangladesh opposition leaders jailed for attack on Hasina 2 decades ago. laprensalatina.com Dhaka, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- A Bangladesh court on Thursday sent 50 opposition members up to 10 years in jail after finding them guilty in an attack on a motorcade of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina nearly two decades ago. The motorcade of the incumbent prime minister came under attack in August 2002, when she was …
(2021-02-04). New Zealand creates national holiday to mark start of Maori new year. laprensalatina.com Sydney, Australia, Jan 4 (efe-epa).- The beginning of the Maori new year, called Matariki, will now be recognized as an annual national holiday, New Zealand's prime minister announced Thursday. It will be officially celebrated for the first time on July 24, 2022, and will change annually depending on the appearance of the constellation and the …
(2021-02-04). Over 100 arrested in Nepal as vandalism marks anti-government protests. laprensalatina.com Kathmandu, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Nepal police on Thursday arrested at least 100 protesters after vandalism marked a country-wide general strike against the government of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The call to strike was given by the ruling Nepal Communist Party's splinter faction led by former guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and former communist …
(2021-02-04). Turkey's paralympic swimmers with hopes set on Tokyo. laprensalatina.com Istanbul, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- An Olympic pool on the outskirts of Istanbul provides a training hub for Turkish swimmers whose sights are firmly set on competing at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games this year. Three of the six competitors set to travel to Japan train at the pool alongside around 20 other swimmers with different …
(2021-02-04). Tokyo 2020 president faces backlash for sexist remarks. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- The president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee is facing public backlash in Japan after saying that women make meetings "drag on" because they all want to talk. Yoshiro Mori made the statements at a meeting on Wednesday, and were reported by Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun. After they came to light, …
(2021-02-04). Outgoing PM Conte urges Draghi not to form technocrat government. laprensalatina.com Rome, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- The outgoing prime minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, said Thursday that he hopes Mario Draghi forms a political government instead of one composed of technocrats. The former president of the European Central Bank, who has been tasked by Italian President Sergio Mattarella to form an "emergency" government, began discussions with the …
(2021-02-04). Artcurial to host vintage motocar sale. laprensalatina.com The Artcurial auction house in Paris will host the Parisienne 2021 vintage collectors' motorcar sale on Friday. The collection includes exceptionally rare vehicles. A visual story by EFE/EPA photographer IAN LANGSDON…
(2021-02-04). Top Democrats in Congress Call On Biden—'With the Stroke of a Pen'—to Cancel Up to $50,000 in Student Debt. commondreams.org Sens. Warren and Schumer, along with Rep. Pressley, are leading the push for the president to "lift this impossible burden" on borrowers. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12309704591.jpg …
(2021-02-04). 'A Day Peace Activists… Have Been Waiting For': Biden Vows to Curb US Support for Saudi-Led War on Yemen. commondreams.org "This decision is the result of years of activism from Yemeni Americans and grassroots activists all over the world. Congrats to lovers of peace everywhere who know #YemenCantWait." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/yemen_shrapnel.jpg …
(2021-02-04). 'Politically It's Suicidal': Frustration Grows as Biden Entertains Narrower Eligibility for $1,400 Checks. commondreams.org "Let's be really, really clear. Doing this will cost Democrats control of the Congress in 2022 and the White House in 2024… It is a colossally bad idea." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-13001530661.jpg …
(2021-02-04). United States of Amnesia: Despite Unconscionable GOP Gaslighting, The Costs of The Riot Are Steep. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/further/capitol_tease_aoc_fox_etwlfnsuyaey0dc.jpg …
(2021-02-04). 'The Q Party Is Born!': Progressives Slam GOP for Giving Marjorie Taylor Greene Standing Ovation Instead of Discipline. commondreams.org "The Republican Party backed Greene's run for Congress. Party bigwigs campaigned for her. The party faithful apparently would be happy to make Greene president in the future. They are now the RepubliQan Party." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mtg_2.jpg …
(2021-02-04). If Senators Won't Kill the Filibuster, They Should at Least Sweat for It. thenation.com If Senators Won't Kill the Filibuster, They Should at Least Sweat for It…
(2021-02-04). St. Louis Considers Spy Planes to Survey the City 18 Hours a Day. thenation.com St. Louis Considers Spy Planes to Survey the City 18 Hours a Day…
(2021-02-04). I Wish We Could Be Dancing to Sophie. thenation.com I Wish We Could Be Dancing to Sophie…
(2021-02-04). In India, Farmers Are Resisting Narendra Modi's Propaganda Machine. thenation.com In India, Farmers Are Resisting Narendra Modi's Propaganda Machine…
(2021-02-04). I'm for Abolition. And Yet I Want the Capitol Rioters in Prison. thenation.com I'm for Abolition. And Yet I Want the Capitol Rioters in Prison.
(2021-02-04). The Unbearable Emptiness of Tom Brady. thenation.com The Unbearable Emptiness of Tom Brady…
(2021-02-04). Can a Novel Really Capture the Spirit of the Internet? thenation.com Can a Novel Really Capture the Spirit of the Internet?
(2021-02-04). 'The Longer Telegram' Is a Recipe for Costly Failure. strategic-culture.org By Daniel LARISON | An anonymous former government official has written a conventionally hawkish
(2021-02-04). The West Is Losing Its Soft Power. strategic-culture.org
(2021-02-04). How to make a sbagliato, the friendly cousin of the Negroni that's a perfect match for a watch party. salon.com Ask the Oracle Pour: What should I drink today? All signs point to the sbagliato, an honored mistake…
(2021-02-04). How one billionaire family bankrolled election lies, white nationalism — and the Capitol riot. salon.com Rebekah Mercer is "one of the chief financiers of the fascist movement," says longtime GOP insider Steve Schmidt…
(2021-02-04). "Who cares!": Trump writes bizarre open letter to resign from SAG-AFTRA before the union boots him. salon.com The former president made sure to cite his seminal work in films like "Zoolander" and "Home Alone 2"
(2021-02-04). Don't blame a lack of education — QAnon proves privileged white people are losing their minds too. salon.com QAnon should be the death knell of the idea that wealth and education can insulate people from conspiracy theories…
(2021-02-04). Why you should be eating biscuit pizza, an endlessly versatile and crowd pleasing food with soul. salon.com Karter Louis wants us to remember where American food came from, and he feels the route there is on a biscuit…
(2021-02-04). HBO doc shows how it's easy to make "Fake Famous" influencers, whose job is to "make you feel bad" salon.com Filmmaker Nick Bilton appeared on "Salon Talks" to discuss the harmful effects of the false social media presence…
(2021-02-04). While Trump pressured Mike Pence, his brother Greg was spending money at Trump's hotel — again. salon.com Rep. Greg Pence objected to election results hours after Capitol rioters tried to assassinate his younger brother…
(2021-02-04). A warning — Emergency Henry VIII powers are being abused. truepublica.org.uk The Good Law Project is a not-for-profit campaign organisation that uses the law to protect the interests of the public. It fights cases that defend, define or change the law. It also challenges abuses of power, exploitation, inequality, and injustice. The government under Boris Johnson doesn't like being legally challenged and is using taxpayer funds …
(2021-02-04). Children in crisis don't need a celebrity ambassador, they need a fully funded mental health service. thecanary.co In response to Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, Boris Johnson
(2021-02-04). Climate expert warns prime minister over 'contemptuous' coal mine plans. thecanary.co Boris Johnson risks "humiliation" over approved plans to open a new coal mine in Cumbria, a leading climate scientist has warned. | "Contemptuous disregard": | James Hansen said that failure to stop the mine from going ahead at Whitehaven would be in "contemptuous disregard" for the future of young people and nature. The new facility, which will be used to extract coking coal for steel production, has been granted planning permission by Cumbria County Council. | Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Stefan Rousseau/PA) | The government said in January that it would not call in the plans for an inquiry, despite th…
(2021-02-04). Why Israel Is Joining the Pentagon's 'Arab NATO'. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | With none of the usual fanfare associated with such a momentous …
(2021-02-04). Georgia to allow in Turkish nationals without vaccines. yenisafak.com Georgia on Wednesday added Turkey to its list of countries whose unvaccinated nationals would be allowed into the country with just a negative novel coronavirus test result.Natia Turnava, the country's minister of economy and sustainable development, said that Turkish nationals with a negative PCR test result would not need a vaccine report to be allowed to travel to Georgia.Turnava said that with the decision, international flights would increase and bring more tourists to the country, adding that this would have positive effects on the markets.The Georgian government decided on Jan. 29 that only citizens of EU…
(2021-02-04). Vaccination of Palestinians To Begin with Russia's Sputnik V. telesurenglish.net This batch consists of 10,000 doses of the prophylactic preparation and should arrive this Thursday, said the expert, who said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) also purchased two million doses of other formulations, which will be enough to vaccinate one million citizens. | The vaccines will arrive here between February 14 and 20, said Alkaila, quoted by the Wafa news agency. | RELATED: | The health minister said that the P…
(2021-02-04). Sturgeon: over-simplistic to argue Brexit benefit for coronavirus vaccines. thecanary.co Nicola Sturgeon has labelled arguments that Brexit has brought a benefit to the UK procuring more coronavirus vaccines as "over-simplistic". | Brexit: | During an interview on Good Morning Britain, Scotland's first minister was asked about comments made by SNP MP Dr Philippa Whitford last July when she said the UK Government should be working with EU partners to find a vaccine. Interviewer Susanna Reid suggested the UK now managing to get vaccines because it is not part of the EU vaccination programme "must be one of the most powerful arguments for Brexit". | The SNP leader replied: I think there's a bigge…
(2021-02-04). Entry of Russian Sputnik V into Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The first batch of the Russian V vaccine to immunize against the coronavirus arrived at Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). Ecuador: Presidential Elections Could Bring Back The Citizens' Revolution. popularresistance.org On February 7, Ecuador will hold elections for President and for its legislative body, with 137 positions to be decided for the National Assembly. Though 16 presidential candidates participated in the debates, there are three major candidates. Andrés Arauz and his vice presidential candidate, Carlos Rabascall, represent La Unión por la Esperanza (The Union of Hope, UNES), what was Alianza País led by former president Rafael Correa before the party split in 2017. Guayaquil banker Guillermo Lasso and Alfredo Borrero are the candidates for the conservative alliance Creando Oportunidades (Creating Opportunities, CREO…
(2021-02-04). UK: Government report describes appalling official treatment of seriously disabled Philippa Day who took her own life. wsws.org Analysis carried out by the Disability News Service suggests that there could have been as many as 750 benefit claimants of working age who took their lives in 2018.
(2021-02-04). Adani apologises to activist for public defamation. greenleft.org.au Frontline Action on Coal activist Scott Daines has won a defamation dispute with Adani, reports Kerry Smith.
(2021-02-04). Inventing reality: Venezuela's parliamentary election. greenleft.org.au The bare minimum the Western mainstream media could do is report accurately on Venezuela's recent parliamentary election, writes Rodrigo Acuna. Once again they have failed.
(2021-02-04). Surveillance, encryption, security and Huawei. greenleft.org.au Whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed back in 2013 the breadth and scale of the United States government's internet surveillance program. Ernst Merkenich argues that it is only increasing.
(2021-02-04). How climate sceptics ran Australia's climate policy. greenleft.org.au Alex Salmon reviews a new book on how Australia's climate policy has been held hostage to sceptics and fossil fuel interests for decades.
(2021-02-04). President vows to cling to power as Haiti 'on the verge of explosion'. greenleft.org.au The usually clogged and bustling streets were empty in Port-au-Prince, writes Kim Ives, as a general strike called by Haiti's unions and supported by the opposition brought the nation to a standstill on February 1-2.
(2021-02-04). The B'tselem Report On Israeli Apartheid. zcomm.org It is only Palestinian resistance from within and global solidarity from without that can have any prospect of achieving Palestinian rights and a peaceful future for both peoples…
(2021-02-04). A California Cooperative Tackles Inequality by Reimagining the Future of Housing. zcomm.org By working towards creating 'land without landlords,' this East Bay cooperative is helping communities build pathways to collective property ownership and community wealth…
(2021-02-04). We Need a Democratic Approach to Reimagining Schools. zcomm.org Asking People, Not Billionaires and Ideologues, What They Want…
(2021-02-04). Parents, Backed by a Right-Wing Law Firm, Ready to Sue Striking Teachers. zcomm.org The conservative movement is capitalizing on school closures to weaken public education…
(2021-02-04). The Capitol Rioters Aren't Like Other Extremists. zcomm.org What's clear is that the Capitol riot revealed a new force in American politics—a broader mass political movement that has violence at its core and draws strength even from places where Trump supporters are in the minority…
(2021-02-04). Putin Explains Why We Need New Economic Policies. popularresistance.org The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has given a great speech to the Davos 2021 online forum organized by the World Economic Forum. As usual it created little echo in the 'western' media. | Putin sees a new danger of large international conflicts. Economic imbalances have caused socio-political problems in many countries which, when externalized, can lead to international conflicts. | To solve this one has to reject the laissez faire doctrines that caused the economic imbalances. The nation states must intervene more in their economies. The people must be seen as the ends, not the means of such economic policy.
(2021-02-04). In A Six-Day Strike, Bronx Produce Workers Inspired New York. popularresistance.org New York City – Drivers and warehouse workers who feed New York City have won their strike. After six days off the job, the strikers at Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx ratified a contract that doubled management's wage offer and defeated a health care cost increase. | The 1,400 workers at the world's largest wholesale produce market, members of Teamsters Local 202, are responsible for packing and delivering 60 percent of the fruits and vegetables that go to restaurants and grocery stores in New York City. | The unit is comprised of 14 different companies that bargain a contract together. Before the strike…
(2021-02-04). Groups In The South Are Working To Fix A Broken Farm Labor System. popularresistance.org For years, legal organizations and farmworker advocacy groups have sounded the alarm about the H-2A visa program — the most common legal route to hiring foreign agricultural workers. Faced with massive worker shortages, farmers in the South have increasingly turned to foreign laborers, who come to work on temporary employer-sponsored visas. | The program, which ties employees and their visas to the employer, is rife with abuse. Wage theft is rampant, forced labor is common, and the contracts employers sign, which guarantee certain hours and living conditions, are rarely honored. On top of that the U.S. Depa…
(2021-02-04). It's Now Or Never — We Stare Into The Abyss. popularresistance.org This column is hopeful. I promise. | The northern white rhinoceros is now functionally extinct. Sudan — the last male of his kind — passed away recently. There are two females remaining but obviously they can produce no more of their species without a male — and mating with nearby giraffes is not something in which they seem interested. | This is not the end but the beginning. | This is still the beginning of a great extinction, the sixth great extinction in earth's history and the first one caused by humans. The others were caused by things like massive asteroid impacts creating damage equivale…
(2021-02-04). Opposition To Line 3 Mounts. popularresistance.org Saint Paul, MN — Around 600 people gathered in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 29, calling on President Biden to revoke permits for the Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline project. The protest billed as 'Protect the Water, Revoke the Permits' started at Kellogg Park and marched into downtown to the local Army Corps of Engineers' office to demand federal water crossing permits be rescinded. Direct actions halting construction of the new pipeline continue to take place as opposition Line 3 grows. Friday morning in Northern Minnesota, two water protectors locked down to each other between three concrete barrels bloc…
(2021-02-04). Tehran condemns Belgian court ruling against Iranian diplomat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that the Islamic Republic strongly condemns Belgian court ruling against Iranian diplomat.
(2021-02-04). Black Labour members are set to boycott campaigning for the party. thecanary.co A Labour Party grassroots group is warning that it will call on its supporters to boycott campaigning in the upcoming local elections. This is because of Keir Starmer and the party's inaction over Black representation. But the rot surrounding this goes much further than just systems and structures. | Grassroots Black Left: | Grassroots Black Left (GBL) is a Labour-supporting campaign group. It
(2021-02-04). Colour of ink on forms among 'catalogue of problems' hitting post-Brexit exports. thecanary.co Squabbling over whether to use red or blue ink on post-Brexit customs forms is among the problems plaguing exporters who are facing a "whack-a-mole" situation, a Scottish trade body has warned. | Brexit means Brexit: | Scotland Food and Drink chief executive James Withers told MSPs the sector has faced approximately £1m in lost sales every day during "an absolutely dreadful first few weeks of trading in this post-Brexit world". | Among the "catalogue of problems that have just been racking up day by day" since the implementation of the Brexit trade deal, Withers revealed there was an "ongoing debate…
(2021-02-04). How Quickly We Welcome New Neighbors Will Decide How Bright our Future Can Be. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). As Biden Ends Support to Conflict in Yemen, Arms Flows Must Also be Stopped. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). The Bombing of Civilians in Yemen's Civil War Involves Many Actors, Including Defense Contractors at Raytheon. commondreams.org It's time to confront the powerful interests of the arms industry, stop arms sales to those who are indiscriminately bombing civilians, and end U.S. complicity in the war in Yemen for good. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/displaced.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Statement on Announced End of US Support for Saudi Military Offensive in Yemen. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). How "National Security" Disregards Humanity. commondreams.org As long as there are divisions in humanity, and thus in understanding, no one can possibly be secure. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/border_2_0.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Congressional Bill Urges Biden to Declare Climate Emergency. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). More Partisanship, Not Less: Democrats Shouldn't Compromise Their Solutions to Pander to a GOP That Is Part of the Problem. commondreams.org There can be no reasonable compromise between those determined to confront the crises America faces and those who deny that the problems exist—and have indeed aggravated them. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/shutterstock_1779006512-980×865.jpg …
(2021-02-04). New Report Outlines How Ocean Protections Help Marine Life Bounce Back. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). Smithfield's Deceptive Sustainability Claims Slammed in FTC Complaint. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). Take Me Out to the Capitol…Whoops, I Mean the Ballpark. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/coup_1.jpg …
(2021-02-04). It's a New Day in the Climate Battle, Now We Must Act With Agency. commondreams.org We must push forward aggressively now that the wind is finally at our backs, to rescue our planet while there is still time. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/planetb.jpg …
(2021-02-04). Sanders Applauds White House Announcement to End U.S. Support for Yemen War. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-02-04). Security Council calls for release of Aung San Suu Kyi, pledging 'continued support' for Myanmar's democratic transition. news.un.org The UN Security Council issued a press statement on Thursday expressing "deep concern" over the military takeover in Myanmar, calling for the immediate release of the country's elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and President Win Myint.
(2021-02-04). Iran: Human rights experts condemn execution of Baloch minority prisoner. news.un.org United Nations independent human rights experts on Thursday, condemned the hanging of a prisoner from the Baloch minority in Iran, voicing fear that a "disturbing" recent increase in executions of community members "will continue".
(2021-02-04). 'Voices of resistance, resilience and courage' — UN News podcast bears witness to lives beyond the Holocaust. news.un.org Before Vered Kater‚ÄØbecame a dedicated health worker, traveling to developing countries to administer aid to the needy,‚ÄØshe spent her early years in hiding — from the Nazis.
(2021-02-04). End impunity for use of chemical weapons in Syria, UN disarmament chief urges Security Council. news.un.org The United Nations top disarmament official, on Wednesday, stressed the urgent need to not only identify those who have used chemical weapons in Syria, but also hold them accountable for their deeds.
(2021-02-04). First-ever International Day of Human Fraternity focuses on tolerance. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General has called for more commitment towards promoting cultural and religious tolerance, in a message to mark the first celebration of the International Day of Human Fraternity, observed on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). Elections vital to building democratic Palestinian State: UN chief. news.un.org Elections this year in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be "a crucial step" towards Palestinian unity, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). [Research Paper] Outcome trends in people with heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease in the UK over twenty years. thelancet.com In a cohort of people with new onset HF, hospitalisations and deaths are high in patients with T2D or CKD, and worst in those with both comorbidities. Whilst outcomes have improved over time for patients with HF and comorbid T2D, similar trends were not seen in those with comorbid CKD. Strategies to prevent and manage CKD in people with HF are urgently needed.
(2021-02-04). US sending signals of readiness to return to JCPOA: Russia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the United States new administration is sending signals of principled readiness to return to the JCPOA.
(2021-02-04). Croatian pres. felicitates Rouhani on Revolution anniversary. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 05 (MNA) — Zoran Milanoviƒá, the president of Croatia has sent a message to the President of Iran congratulating the Iranian counterpart and nation on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
(2021-02-04). Borrell calls for using "maximum diplomacy" towards Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borrell has called for intensifying efforts to save the Iran nuclear deal, calling for moving from the US maximum Pressure towards "maximum diplomacy."
(2021-02-04). 'New constitution debates in Turkey are exciting'. yenisafak.com Turkey's parliament speaker has said new constitution debates in the country are exciting for him."It will be correct to involve all political parties represented in the parliament while debating a new constitution," Mustafa Sentop told Turkish news channel CNN Turk on Wednesday.Sentop noted that a new constitution should not be made based on the seat numbers of the parties in the Turkish parliament.The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the parliament holds 289 seats, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) 48 seats.MHP cooperates with the ruling AK Party under their People's Alliance, formed ahead…
(2021-02-04). EU's retail trade volume up in December. yenisafak.com The EU retail trade volume rose 1.4% in December on a monthly basis, the EU's statistical authority said on Thursday.The retail trade volume also improved 2% in the euro zone in December versus November, Eurostat noted.The eurozone/euro area or EA19 represents member states that use the single currency — euro — while the EU27 includes all member countries of the bloc.The volume of retail trade was up 4% for automotive fuels, 1.7% for food, drinks and tobacco, and 0.7% for non-food products in December.In the euro zone side, the volume of retail trade expanded 5.1% for automotive fuels, 1.9% for food, drinks and…
(2021-02-04). One more sit-in family to embrace abducted child in Turkey. yenisafak.com A family protesting the YPG/PKK terrorist group for abducting their child in southeastern Turkey received news Thursday that they would soon be reunited.Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that one of five terrorists who surrendered to Turkish authorities Wednesday was the child of a family taking part in a months-long sit-in outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.The protest began on Sept. 3, 2019, in Diyarbakir province when three mothers said their children had been forcibly recruited by YPG/PKK terrorists.Saade…
(2021-02-04). Turkey 'neutralizes' 5 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces "neutralized" five YPG/PKK terrorists in a protected area across Turkey's southern border with Syria, the National Defense Ministry announced Thursday.The terrorists were trying to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror operations — Peace Spring and Euphrates Shield — to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter, adding that they had also opened harassing fire.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-ter…
(2021-02-04). Turkey's population tops 83.6M in 2020. yenisafak.com Turkey's population exceeded 83.6 million as of 2020-end, with a 0.55% rise on an annual basis, the Turkish statistical authority said on Thursday.The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data showed that the population residing in Turkey last year increased by 459,365 people compared to the previous year."Male population was 41,915,985 people and female population was 41,698,377 people," the institute said.The share of men in the total population was 50.1%, while women made up 49.9%, according to TurkStat.Official data said annual population growth rate was 0.55% in 2020, down from 1.39% in 2019.
(2021-02-04). "Power Games All Over the Place" globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | "Stop Mitch McConnell!" screams yet another message to my inbox. | Wait …
(2021-02-04). Big Tech's Playing Monopoly. It's Going to Lose. counterpunch.org Over the years, I've written many columns concerning the war on Internet freedom. My usual targets are the politicians and government agencies who serve as shock troops for the Dark Side across fronts ranging from encryption to sex worker advertisements to darknet marketplaces. On the "private sector" side of things, I've generally just noted that
(2021-02-04). 'We're Challenging Power': YouTube's Indie Media Crackdown Aims to 'Prop Up' Mainstream Channels. sputniknews.com In a widespread crackdown on Wednesday, YouTube demonetized several independent media and analysis channels, providing only the vaguest of explanations as to why. One of the affected analysts told Sputnik the move has come amid a decline in corporate news ratings and rising interest in independent reporting.
(2021-02-04). US Priest Under Fire for Performing 'Exorcism' on Capitol During Riots. sputniknews.com Former US president Donald Trump loyalists on January 6 breached the Capitol building in Washington, DC, to protest against the certification of the Electoral College and to challenge the confirmation of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
(2021-02-04). Iran May Reverse Religious Ruling Banning Nukes if Israel, US Act Aggressively – Ex-Diplomat. sputniknews.com In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the US would reciprocate Iran's resumed compliance with the nuclear deal but would seek a broader agreement that also covers the country's missile program.
(2021-02-04). First US Navy Warship Passes Taiwan Strait Since Biden Assumed Office. sputniknews.com While officially adhering to the "One China" policy, the US has provided up to $13 billion in arms to the island state in the past four years, including missiles capable of hitting targets around the Taiwan Strait, and frequently conducts what it calls "freedom of navigation" operations in the region.
(2021-02-04). Trump Resigns From Screen Actors Guild, Beats Likely Expulsion. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Former President Donald Trump quit the Screen Actors Guild on Thursday in response to a vote by the organization's Disciplinary Committee to expel him over accusations he instigated the January 6 Capitol riot by a group of his supporters.
(2021-02-04). Poultry Bosses Aren't Calling All the Shots in the US Any More. counterpunch.org Over Super Bowl weekend, Americans are expected to devour 1.42 billion chicken wings — enough to "circle the circumference of the Earth three times," the National Chicken Council crowed. But even a trillion wings might not be enough to put poultry industry CEOs in a party mood after a couple of tough first weeks under
(2021-02-04). Ecuador: European Observer Expects Smooth Election Day. telesurenglish.net European Left Party Vice-President Maite Mola believes that the problems between the National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Electoral Disputes Tribunal (TCE) will not affect the transparency of the presidential elections to be held in Ecuador on February 7. | RELATED: | She considers that the quality of the democratic process should be guaranteed by both the boards where citizens cast their vote and 24 provincial b…
(2021-02-04). New report shows persistent racial and ethnic disparities in youth incarcerations. nationofchange.org While youth incarceration has dropped by almost half over the last decade, Back and American Indian youth are more likely to be incarcerated than white youth.
(2021-02-04). Bundesakademie fàºr Sicherheit (BAKS) empfiehlt deutscher Regierung: ‚ÄûMilità§rschlag der USA und/oder Israels gegen Iran unterstàºtzen!" globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Was steht der Welt bevor? US-Auàüenminister Antony Blinken behauptete am 1.02.2021, …
(2021-02-04). Black Lives Matter Deserves Nobel Prize. progressive.org The organization touched a chord in this land and overseas by making us acknowledge that racism is a scourge on human progress.
(2021-02-04). Reviving the Iran nuclear deal. thealtworld.com Tehran doesn't trust US commitments any longer, it wants to see concrete steps | Direct talks may not have officially started between Iran and the Biden administration about reviving the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. But negotiations are well underway through the media and statements from both sides intended to convey coded messages to the other. Their substance is not hard for seasoned observers to decipher. | The big question being addressed at present is which side will flinch first in the escalating diplomatic standoff. Will Iran make the opening move by submitting to US demands to resume compliance with the JCPOA…
(2021-02-04). Why the Biden Administration Has Set Itself Up for Failure on the Iran Nuclear Deal. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | By laying out unrealistic demands to Iran and engaging in fearmongering …
(2021-02-04). 'Nobody Is Safe Until 'Everybody Is Vaccinated': Klaus Schwab's "Global Reset" globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus …
(2021-02-04). European educators support the struggle of Chicago teachers against the unsafe opening of schools. wsws.org The rank-and-file education safety committees in Germany and the UK have adopted the following statement of solidarity with the protesting teachers in Chicago.
(2021-02-04). Winning Votes Through Identity Politics. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | According to official estimates, Donald J. Trump obtained a little more …
(2021-02-04). Monday 2/8: Open Rescue Training Part 1: The Basics, Videography and On Camera Person. indybay.org Online Zoom…
(2021-02-04). Is the US prepared to come down from the tree and return to the Iranian Nuclear Deal? thealtworld.com The US administration intensified its contacts with its allies in the Middle East to de-escalate the tension Donald Trump created in his last weeks in office. Indirect messages have reached Iran from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and most recently from Iraq saying that the US has the intention of honouring its commitment and wishes to return to the 2015 deal that was revoked by Trump in 2018 (- it had already responded "positively" last year by rejecting Trump's attempt to strike a deal in his final days of office). Iran did receive the messages and Tehran also responded by sending positive signals to US President Biden vi…
(2021-02-04). New York City educators call for unity with Chicago educators in fight to close schools. wsws.org We urge Chicago teachers to build rank-and-file committees as the center of opposition to whatever miserable deal the CTU attempts to sell to reopen schools.
(2021-02-04). What is In Store for The World. BAKS Recommendation to German Government: "Support Military Strike by the USA and/or Israel Against Iran!" globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | What is in store for the world? US Secretary of State …
(2021-02-04). Getting Lazy in Discussing Winning in the Stock Market. cepr.net Neil Irwin had an interesting piece reporting on returns to investors who just held stock index funds over long periods of time. The point of the piece is that people who just held an index, rather than trying to speculate on individual stocks, have seen very healthy returns over the last three decades. While the …
(2021-02-04). Work Should Pay: A $15 an Hour Minimum Wage Is a Start. cepr.net Lancaster Online (PA), February 4, 2021 InsideSources, February 4, 2021 See original article online President Biden has proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. This has led to the predictable cries of economic disaster from business organizations and right-wingers more generally. The standard argument against raising the minimum wage is not …
(2021-02-04). Canada declares pro-Trump white supremacist group Proud Boys a terrorist organization. peoplesdispatch.org Proud Boys, which was founded by a Canadian Gavin McInnes, in 2016 describes itself as "western chauvinist" and has openly supported many of Donald Trump's racist policies…
(2021-02-04). A Tale of an Economics Lesson. peoplesparty.org Once upon a time Mr. Capital took his son out for a walk… | ‚Ä¢ Look son, poor people, there. | ‚Ä¢ They look just like you and me, dad. | ‚Ä¢ Well, son, no, they are not like us, they don't own stock, but they are still very useful for the economy. | ‚Ä¢ In what way are they useful, dad? | ‚Ä¢ Well, son, because they are poor, we can hire them for miserly wages, and they will produce for companies in which we own stock! | ‚Ä¢ Dad, but if they are not paid enough, won't they go hungry? | ‚Ä¢ Well, son…
(2021-02-04). Cuba Appoints Ambassador To the Eurasian Economic Union. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on Thursday appointed a permanent Ambassador to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). | RELATED: | The appointment was preceded by the acceptance of Cuba as an observer member on last Dec. 11, which proved that the country's application was positively received by the EEU countries. | Russian President Vladimir Putin considered Cuba's designation a very positive develop…
(2021-02-04). Les USA se préparent à descendre de l'arbre et à revenir à l'accord sur le nucléaire iranien? thealtworld.com L'administration américaine a intensifié ses contacts avec ses alliés au Moyen-Orient afin d'apaiser la tension suscitée par Donald Trump au cours de ses dernières semaines à la présidence. Des messages indirects sont parvenus à l'Iran en provenance du KoweàØt, d'Oman, du Qatar et plus récemment d'Irak, qui indiquent que les USA ont l'intention de respecter leur engagement et souhaitent revenir à l'accord de 2015 que Trump a révoqué en 2018 (ils avaient déjà répondu ´ positivement ª l'an dernier en rejetant la tentative de Trump de conclure un accord dans les derniers jours de son mandat). L'Ira…
(2021-02-04). Brazil: Vale Pays $7 Billion Fine Over Brumadinho Dam Collapse. telesurenglish.net Brazilian mining company Vale will pay the equivalent of about $7 billion for "social and environmental" damages caused by the rupture, in January 2019, of a mining waste dam in Brumadinho, Minas Gerais, which left 270 dead. | The agreement between the parties contemplates the value "in socio-economic and socio-environmental reparation projects." According to the government of Minas Gerais, the "largest reparation agreement signed so far in Latin America." | The clauses stipulate, among other points, that Vale, one of the largest iron ore producers in the world, must disburse these amounts in direct aid to tho…
(2021-02-04). Students Demand Abolition Coursework from Colleges and Universities. progressive.org Sociology departments across the nation are being called out for the role they've played in policing.
(2021-02-04). Craig Murray case exposes factional warfare in Scottish National Party between Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond. wsws.org Craig Murray has submitted further evidence of the political conspiracy against Alex Salmond, by his former protégé and successor as Scottish National Party leader and First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, her aides and allies.
(2021-02-04). Dehumanization Through the Dynamics of Racial Discrimination. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | "It is race, is it not, that puts the hundred millions …
(2021-02-04). US Dismisses Iran's Offer to Coordinate Return to Nuclear Deal. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The US State Department dismissed an idea floated by Iranian Foreign …
(2021-02-04). US House Democrats Ask Trump To Testify for Senate Trial. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, U.S. House Democrats asked former President Donald Trump to testify under oath for the Senate impeachment trial set to start next week. | House impeachment managers have sent a letter to the Trump team, requesting Trump testify as early as next Monday and no later than next Thursday, according to local media reports. | RELATED: | Democratic House lawmaker Jamie Raskin, a former constitutional law professor, wrote in the lette…
(2021-02-04). Wednesday 2/10: Changing Climate: The Role of Environmental Justice. indybay.org Free online event. Register here: | ucsc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o7ezK23iR3q0E80jgIrhvg…
(2021-02-04). Dirty campaign intensifies against progressive candidate Andrés Arauz. peoplesdispatch.org Several members of the progressive Union for Hope (UNES) alliance, including its presidential candidate Andrés Arauz, former president Rafael Correa, among others, are denouncing that plans to suspend the February 7 general elections are underway in Ecuador…
(2021-02-04). Students speak out in support of Chicago teachers struggle against in-person learning. wsws.org The International Youth and Students for Social Equality spoke to students throughout the United States on the struggle of the Chicago teachers and found widespread support.
(2021-02-04). The Legacy of Cicely Tyson: Pioneer for Representation in Film, Fashion and Television. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | In the January and February issue of Essence magazine excerpts from …
(2021-02-04). There's No Secret Chinese Hand In Myanmar's State Of Emergency. oneworld.press The People's Republic isn't involved in the Tatmadaw's state of emergency, but falsely claiming otherwise is yet another attempt by self-interested forces to pressure Biden into continuing Trump's anti-Chinese policies.
(2021-02-04). Bangladesh government begins to forcibly remove Rohingya refugees. wsws.org The government is moving some 100,000 Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char, a cyclone-prone island, while planning to send others back to Myanmar, from where they fled.
(2021-02-04). Former FMLN Councilman Jose Berrios Murdered in El Salvador. telesurenglish.net El Salvador's Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) on Thursday condemned the murder of its former councilman Jose Berrios in his home in Chirilagua municipality, San Miguel Department. | RELATED: | "It is the second attack to take place against the movement in less than 72 hours amid the campaign ahead of the Feb. 28 local elections," FMLN denounced while informing that Berrios was shot to death by over two gunmen.
(2021-02-04). Trump and January 6: The evidence of a planned political coup. wsws.org The impeachment brief from the House of Representatives lays out a devastating case against Trump, but the Democrats deliberately conceal the role of leading Republicans as Trump's accomplices.
(2021-02-04). As educators continue to resist, Chicago Teachers Union and district move closer to deal to reopen schools. wsws.org Among rank-and-file Chicago educators, there is enormous opposition to the campaign to reopen schools and a wide recognition that this is solely in the interests of the financial elite.
(2021-02-04). Campaign in US demands govt. intervention in housing crisis. peoplesdispatch.org A three-day campaign by the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the US saw rallies, protests and demonstrations where participants emphasized one message — housing is a human right…
(2021-02-04). El Salvador: 3 People Accused Over Attack Against FMLN Members. telesurenglish.net The Salvadoran Attorney General's Office (FGR) Wednesday charged three people involved in the attack against Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) supporters on January 31. | RELATED: | The accused are VIP Protection Division (PPI) member Diego Alvarado, Health Ministry's private security guard Roberto Coto, and motorist Hector Castaneda. | They allegedly fired with a 9-millimeter weapon against an FMLN caravan. Two…
(2021-02-04). Charter Schools Distort the Modern Socialized Economy. dissidentvoice.org Every year billions of public dollars and assets flow into the hands of private businesses like charter schools, leaving public schools, the economy, the public interest, and the nation worse off. This is due to the fact that competing owners of capital are using deregulated charter schools to atomize the socialized economy for private gain. …
(2021-02-04). A grab for KPFA & Pacifica. indybay.org You have perhaps heard about the attempt — not the one in DC — this one is about some KPFA board members who asked a judge to just basically give them the Pacifica radio network. The request was denied, but it did leave a sense of shock and outrage. Here is a letter from a group of KPFA board members who are condemning the adventure.
(2021-02-04). Mario Draghi to head Italy's new government. wsws.org As the former president of the European Central Bank, a man who embodies European finance capital like no other is taking the reins of Italian politics.
(2021-02-04). Behind Donald Trump's grant of clemency for corrupt former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. wsws.org The alignment of the interests of the felon Kilpatrick with the fascistic Trump says much about the decay of American capitalism and the descent of both the Democrats and Republicans into political reaction and open criminality.
(2021-02-04). Pentagon purges advisory boards packed by Trump. wsws.org The forced resignations of members of all 42 Pentagon advisory boards is aimed at blocking last-minute appointments made by Trump as he prepared a coup to overturn the election.
(2021-02-04). San Francisco Empty and Abandoned Buildings (4th Quarter, 2020). indybay.org SF Food Not Bombs has updated the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection's list of empty and abandoned buildings through December, 2020 on this webpage: sffnb.org/list-of-san-francisco-empty-and-abandoned-buildings/.
(2021-02-04). Friday 2/5: Oakland Ladybug Hike! indybay.org Ridge Top Trail, Oakland (see event page description for Google Map link)…
(2021-02-04). Philippines congressional committee approves amendment to open up key sectors to foreign capital. peoplesdispatch.org Left-wing opposition groups have criticized the measure which will allow the government to dilute protected rights of Philippines' citizens in key economic sectors…
(2021-02-04). Wednesday 2/10: Plant-Based Meals: Good for Climate, Health & Your Budget. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-04). Federal Court Rejects Montana Coal Mine Expansion on Climate, Clean Air Grounds. counterpunch.org Billings, Montana A federal court late yesterday ruled against a massive Montana coal mine expansion, finding the federal government inappropriately ignored the climate, environmental, and health consequences of more mining. In a rebuke of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, Judge Susan Watters found the agency illegally failed to disclose and account for the full impacts of
(2021-02-04). China's National Carbon Market has Just Launched: How it Could be a Climate Game Changer. juancole.com By Huw Slater, Wang Shu and Dimitri De Boer | — ( China Dialogue) — With the new market having opened on 1 February, experts offer a take on how it may impact China's industries and emissions trajectory China's national carbon market started operating on 1 February, as mandated by a key regulatory document. Although …
(2021-02-04). Australian central bank expands quantitative easing program. wsws.org Forecasts by the RBA make clear that any "recovery" in the Australian economy will be appropriated as profit while the wages share of national income continues to decline.
(2021-02-04). Even After the Cabinet Selections, Personnel Is Policy. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site Recent nominations and appointments by President Biden have given progressives enough reason to feel cautiously hopeful about the shape of the administration. Some high-profile losses aside (We meet again, Tom Vilsack), most of Biden's early picks for senior cabinet jobs and top advisers are to the left …
(2021-02-04). Radium Girls: In the 1920s as now, companies choose profits over workers' lives. wsws.org Set in New Jersey, Radium Girls is a historical docudrama dealing with female workers who suffered multiple life-threatening or lethal illnesses from hand-painting watch faces with radium.