(2021-02-28). Housing crisis: Pittsburgh politicians' patchwork solutions fall short. liberationnews.org 
In spite of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium "pausing" evictions, Pennsylvania landlords are abusing loopholes to kick people out of their homes.
(2021-02-28). Amazon union struggle takes hold in Southern state with radical labor history. liberationnews.org 
It should be no surprise that a place like Bessemer, Alabama is exactly where Amazon's first union in the United States is likely to form–given its radical labor history.
(2021-02-28). Andre Cailloux and the Siege of Port Hudson. liberationnews.org 
Not widely known, and certainly not celebrated enough, Andre Cailloux was the first Black military hero functioning as an officer in the Union Army.
(2021-02-28). How Miracle Workers made 60% of S. Australia's Electricity Green in only 20 Years. juancole.com 
By Michael McGreevy and Fran Baum | — Less than two decades ago, South Australia generated all its electricity from fossil fuels. Last year, renewables provided a whopping 60% of the state's electricity supply. The remarkable progress came as national climate policy was gripped by paralysis — so how did it happen? Our research set …
(2021-02-28). How the CIA Helped to Crush Turkey's Post-War Left. counterpunch.org 
After the Second World War (1939-45), the U.S. became the dominant global power and fought its rival, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for international supremacy. Many countries became proxy battlegrounds between U.S. and Soviet influence. In addition to beating the Reds, U.S. war planners used secret militias, many of them allied with fascists
(2021-02-28). The Anatomy of Fascism Denial. counterpunch.org 
When I am being interviewed by a member of the old guard and point to the concrete and steel, the tiny electronic listening device concealed in the vent, the phalanx of goons peeping in at us, his barely functional plastic tape-recorder that cost him a week's labor, and point out that these are all manifestations
(2021-02-28). The Final Inch. counterpunch.org 
…
(2021-02-28). Is the American Dream Still Alive? strategic-culture.org 
 …
(2021-02-28). Israeli private arms export is too terrible even for Tel Aviv. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli private arms export is too terrible even for Tel Aviv | Israel cracks down on sales of suicide drones to China to avoid heavy diplomatic cost in relationship with US | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 11: 17 | An Israeli UCAV IAI Harop drone displayed at Bourget airport during the International Paris Air Show on 21 June 2011 (AFP) | At least 20 Israeli arms dealers have been arrested by Israel's secret police over…
(2021-02-28). Nuclear deal on brink of collapse as Iran rules out meeting with US. middleeasteye.net 
Nuclear deal on brink of collapse as Iran rules out meeting with US | Tehran has demanded Washington take the first step to revive the nuclear deal by scrapping sanctions
| Sun, 02/28/2021 – 21: 37 | Iran has suspended commitments to the 2015 deal in response to the US failure to lift its sanction (AFP) | Iran on Sunday dismissed Europe's offer for an informal meeting involving the Uni…
(2021-02-28). Turkey and Iran summon envoys, escalating Iraq row. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey and Iran summon envoys, escalating Iraq row | Moves follow Iran's representative to Baghdad criticising Ankara's involvement in Iraq after Kurdish attack on Turkish forces there | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 13: 59 | The coffin and image of Turkish Lt Ertug Guler are carried during the funeral of three Turkish military personnel killed in action in northern Iraq's Gara region, on 12 February…
(2021-02-28). Syria intercepts Israeli missiles over Damascus: state media. middleeasteye.net 
Syria intercepts Israeli missiles over Damascus: state media | A war monitor said the strikes hit an area where Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Lebanese Hezbollah are present | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 22: 11 | Israel is thought to have carried out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since civil war broke out in 2011 (AFP/File photo) | Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli missiles ov…
(2021-02-28). Israel blames Iran for explosion on Israeli-owned ship after 'initial assessment'. middleeasteye.net 
Israel blames Iran for explosion on Israeli-owned ship after 'initial assessment' | The MV Helios Ray has arrived at a port in Dubai, where an Israeli delegation is to investigate the event | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 09: 37 | Tensions have risen in the Gulf of Oman after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other major powers (AFP) | Israel has blamed Iran as being behind an…
(2021-02-28). Biden faces growing pressure to lift Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutors. middleeasteye.net 
Biden faces growing pressure to lift Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutors | International Criminal Court officials sanctioned starting probes on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, Palestine | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 13: 46 | An Israeli soldier stands on a Merkava main battle tank stationed near the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on 30 March 2019 (AFP) | US President Joe Biden face…
(2021-02-28). Covid-19: Israel to administer vaccines to Palestinian workers. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Israel to administer vaccines to Palestinian workers | Vaccination campaign could include around 130,000 Palestinians working inside Israel | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 15: 18 | Palestinian workers line up for a security check at the entrance to Israel's Mishor Adumim industrial zone near the Maale Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank on 1 July 2020 (AFP) | Israel will vaccinate Pa…
(2021-02-28). Yemen: Five civilians killed, including a child, in Hodeidah. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Five civilians killed, including a child, in Hodeidah | Warring parties accuse each other of the attack, with the Houthis threatening new attacks on Saudi Arabia | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 11: 01 | Yemen's civil war has cost the lives of thousands and displaced millions, which the UN says has led to the world's worst humanitarian crisis (AFP) | Five civilians, including a child, were kille…
(2021-02-28). Khashoggi murder: Qatar joins other Gulf states in showing support for Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Qatar joins other Gulf states in showing support for Saudi Arabia | Doha, Bahrain, UAE have stood by Riyadh after CIA report blames Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for journalist's killing | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 16: 44 | Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim Al Thani (L) has confirmed his support for Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the CIA's damning report naming Crown Prince Mohamme…
(2021-02-28). Unsurprisingly, leaked files confirm the Foreign Office coordinates multi-agency propaganda programmes. thecanary.co 
A tranche of leaked files shows that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is coordinating multi-agency propaganda programmes. These files show that the programmes mainly target the authoritarian regimes in Russia and Syria. This is not unexpected. More significantly, perhaps, documents also show that these programmes are not confined to just foreign targets. | Leaked files: | The leaked files, were released to The Canary by 'Anonymous': | OP. HMG Trojan Horse. Part 4:
(2021-02-28). Police forces are still unable to explain why they're so racist. thecanary.co 
According to a The report highlights that: Over 35 years on from the introduction of stop and search legislation, no…
(2021-02-28). Politicians and religious groups are fuelling homophobic attacks on Ghana's LGBTQI+ community. thecanary.co 
On 24 February, National Security raided the offices of Sharing the incident in a At this moment, we no longer have access to o…
(2021-02-28). WATCH: Wild scenes in Dagestan as junior judo event descends into mass brawl. rt.com 
A junior judo event in Dagestan erupted into a mass melee as competitors and dozens of fans traded blows. | The tournament at the Ali Aliyev Sport Complex in Kaspiysk witnessed ugly scenes as the brawl was captured on camera and quickly shared across social media on Saturday. | Footage of the carnage starts with one of the competitors seen leaning over the barriers, throwing punches. | By that point a broader punch-up is already underway as dozens of spectators trade blows. | –î–µ—Å—è—Ç–∫–∏ –∑—Ä–&prod…
(2021-02-28). Widow of NBA icon Kobe Bryant rages at Hollywood actress Evan Rachel Wood over 'rapist' comment. rt.com 
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, has hit out at actress Evan Rachel Wood over a tweet she posted in the aftermath of the basketball star's death in which Wood labeled Bryant "a rapist." | "What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe's family," Wood had tweeted last year in the aftermath of the helicopter crash in California which killed Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others. | "He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously." | Despite the tweet being in existence for more than a year, it has only just been seen…
(2021-02-28). Multitasking 101: California doctor appears at court hearing via Zoom DURING surgery. rt.com 
A plastic surgeon in California attended a virtual court hearing in relation to a traffic violation from an operating theater while a patient was on the table. The court was not exactly pleased with his multitasking, however. | The usually mundane traffic violation hearing at Sacramento Superior Court was spiced up this week when the defendant, Dr. Scott Green attended via Zoom from his surgery room, baffling other participants. The bizarre in-court surgery, which was livestreamed online, was first
(2021-02-28). 'I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me:' 2nd former aide to NY Gov. Cuomo accuses him of sexual harassment. rt.com 
Another ex-aide has accused New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, already facing allegations of sexual harassment, of improper advances. Charlotte Bennett, 25, said he asked about her sex life and whether she ever dated an 'older man.' | Bennett joined Cuomo's administration in early 2019 and was promoted from her entry-level position to that of a senior briefer and executive assistant to the governor within several months. She told the New York Times that she was constantly grilled about her sex life by her former boss. | The former aide said that she reported Cuomo's alleged sexual overtures to his chief of staff,…
(2021-02-28). After backlash over 'outside review' of sexual-harassment claims, Cuomo asks AG & chief judge to pick counsel to investigate. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, seeking to allay concerns that an investigation of sexual-harassment claims against him would be politically influenced, has called for state officials to choose a lawyer to handle the case. | The governor's office wants the review of allegations by two former staffers to be
(2021-02-28). WATCH: Portland protest turns chaotic with businesses trashed, fist fights on the street and bike cops slamming into 'press'. rt.com 
At least two arrests were made after a mostly peaceful protest in Portland turned violent. Banks and other businesses were trashed as beleaguered residents pleaded with protesters to "go home!" and leave them in peace. | A group of dozens of people were reportedly demonstrating against immigration policy under the Biden administration in the Pearl District in downtown Portland, but quickly began vandalizing the area. | Businesses had their windows smashed, vehicles were vandalised and graffiti was sprayed over a number of walls in the area, as video uploaded to social media purports to show. | A security vehic…
(2021-02-28). GOP NY Rep. calls on 'criminal sexual predator' Cuomo to resign after 2nd former staffer alleges sexual harassment. rt.com 
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) doubled down on her call for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down "immediately" after another of his former staffers, the second one since December, accused him of sexual harassment. | "Governor Cuomo is a criminal sexual predator and he must immediately resign," Stefanik said in a statement issued shortly after the New York Times published a detailed account of Cuomo's former aide Charlotte Bennett, accusing the governor of unwanted sexual advances, on Saturday. | Stefanik noted that she "was one of the first and one of the only elected officials to call on the Gove…
(2021-02-28). California gov. Newsom accused of breaking own lockdown rules for 2nd time amid growing cries for him to be recalled. rt.com 
Embattled California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has been accused of once again breaching his own coronavirus restrictions after he was allegedly caught dining indoors. | Newsom himself posted a video with comedian George Lopez to his TikTok aimed at promoting how citizens can check their coronavirus vaccine eligibility. The video was taken inside the Los Amigos restaurant in Fresno, which is under the state's strictest lockdown restrictions, complete with a ban on indoor dining. | California Governor
(2021-02-28). GOP NY representative calls on 'criminal sexual predator' Cuomo to resign after 2nd former staffer alleges sexual harassment. rt.com Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) doubled down on her call for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down "immediately" after another of his former staffers, the second one since December, accused him of sexual harassment. | "Governor Cuomo is a criminal sexual predator and he must immediately resign," Stefanik said in a statement issued shortly after the New York Times published a detailed account of allegations by former aide Charlotte Bennett on Saturday, accusing the governor of unwanted sexual advances. | Stefanik noted that she "was one of the first and one of the only elected officials to call on th…
(2021-02-28). 'United and strong like never before': Trump won't break with Republican party at CPAC speech, will back GOP. rt.com 
In an upcoming speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, former president Donald Trump will reportedly not announce a break from the Republican Party, and will walk "right up to the line" of announcing a 2024 run. | Trump has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the White House last month, and his public statements have been few and far between, likely owing to his deplatforming from every major social media outlet. As such, his headline appearance on Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been hotly anticipated. | According to an excerpt from the speech obtained…
(2021-02-28). Epstein jokes touched a nerve? After Trump, Golden Globes host Tina Fey says 'don't expect much politics' in this year's ceremony. rt.com 
With Donald Trump out of office and after Ricky Gervais' take-no-prisoners performance last year, the Golden Globes won't get political this year, host Tina Fey said. "I wonder why?" commenters replied. | Tina Fey and Amy Poelher were announced last January as this year's hosts, after comedian Ricky Gervais used his hosting gig to roast the elitism of the virtue-signalling celebrities in attendance. | Also on rt.com | | Gervais' Jeffrey Epst…
(2021-02-27). Boston halts advanced school program over 'equity' concerns after study finds it has too many 'white and Asian' students. rt.com 
Public schools in Boston, Massachusetts are suspending new enrollment in an advanced study program citing concerns over "inequities" that supposedly emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to be more "anti-racist." | Fourth-graders hoping to get into the Advanced Work Classes (AWC) program are out of luck, after Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius called for a one-year hiatus for the program this week. The district's
(2021-02-27). Is the world poor, or unjust? mronline.org 
Social media has been ablaze with this question recently. We know we face a crisis of mass poverty: the global economy is organized in such a way that nearly 60% of humanity is left unable to meet basic needs. But the question at stake this time is different.
(2021-02-27). Gulf War: As Biden bombs Iraqis, 30 years on the consequences of Desert Storm are still with us. juancole.com 
By Lorena De Vita and Amir Taha | — It was a short message to end a short war. On February 26 1991, Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz put his signature to a letter addressed to the United Nations Security Council: I have the honour to notify you that the Iraqi Government reaffirms its agreement …
(2021-02-27). Biden's Reckless Syria Bombing Is Not the Diplomacy He Promised. dissidentvoice.org 
Photo: CODEPINK The February 25 U.S. bombing of Syria immediately puts the policies of the newly-formed Biden administration into sharp relief. Why is this administration bombing the sovereign nation of Syria? Why is it bombing "Iranian-backed militias" who pose absolutely no threat to the United States and are actually involved in fighting ISIS? If this …
(2021-02-27). U.S. bombs Syria and ridiculously claims self defense. mronline.org 
On orders of President Biden, the United States has launched an airstrike on a facility in Syria. As of this writing the exact number of killed and injured is unknown, with early reports claiming "a handful" of people were killed.
(2021-02-27). Chicago City Council passes unanimous resolution to end the blockade on Cuba. liberationnews.org 
All 50 aldermen voted to oppose the blockade, adding that normalizing relations can benefit the economic conditions of both Cubans and Chicagoans.
(2021-02-27). Deciphering Biden's excuse to abandon the fight for $15. liberationnews.org 
President Biden received a major political gift from an obscure, unelected official called the Senate parliamentarian Feb. 25 when she ruled that the provision in the administration's stimulus plan that raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour must be removed from the bill. Unless this maneuver is defeated, millions of workers who could have …
(2021-02-27). FBI, NYPD exposed: Deathbed confession shines new light on assassination of Malcolm X. mronline.org 
Without any training, Wood's job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations and encourage leaders and members to commit felonious acts. He was also tasked with ensuring that Malcolm X's security detail was arrested days prior to the assassination, guaranteeing Malcolm X didn't have door security while at the Audubon Ballroom.
(2021-02-27). 'Rubin never lost a case' — Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021. workers.org 
Some younger Workers World Party members met Rubin Kanowitz for the first time when he was a communist elder, still confronting cops on recent demonstrations chanting, "Black Lives Matter." Older ones knew him from when he first joined the party in 1965. All grieved as they learned he died this . . . |
(2021-02-27). Sojourner Truth's Massachusetts days. liberationnews.org 
Sojourner Truth, born into slavery in New York as "Isabella Baumfree" in 1797, was one of the most important abolitionists and feminists of the nineteenth century.
(2021-02-27). Mental health effects of COVID lockdown in prison: Interview from inside SCI Albion. workers.org 
This telephone interview with Demitrius Grant, imprisoned at SCI Albion near Erie, Pa., was conducted by Joe Piette for Workers World newspaper on Feb. 16. Demetrius Grant: We're going to be covering the issue of COVID-19 today, as to how it impacts prisoners' mental health. About a week ago, a . . . |
(2021-02-27). By the End of the Year, Germany will have a Million Electric Cars on the Road out of 4.7 mn Total. juancole.com 
By Sà∂ren Amelang | — Germany will probably reach its target of having one million fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars on the road this year, government advisors have said. The head of the country's National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM), Henning Kagermann, told business daily Handelsblatt he was pleased "that it appears we will …
(2021-02-27). Exposing Israel's vaccine apartheid in West Bank & Gaza. liberationnews.org 
Five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza are excluded from vaccine rollouts while Israeli citizens, even those living in illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories, are prioritized.
(2021-02-27). Biden Can Save Lives From COVID by Supporting Intellectual Property Rules Waiver. truthout.org 
Calling it a moral imperative as well as an urgent public health and economic necessity, over 400 progressive groups on Friday
(2021-02-27). Water Protectors Say Enbridge Is Pressuring Local Governments to Silence Them. truthout.org 
Palisade, Minnesota — Even in the bitter cold, the pretty little park along the Mississippi River is inviting, a typical gathering spot for community events with its broad trees and public pavilion. | But Berglund Park stood empty recently as families and community members huddled around warming fires in an open field nearby, listening to music and eating Indian tacos as they learned about the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline cutting through their community. | A group of pipeline opponents kno…
(2021-02-27). White Journalists' Use of the N-Word Is an Intolerable Assault on Black Freedom. truthout.org 
When I read about the two Black Capitol Police officers who were called the n-word during the storming of the Capitol on January 6, I thought about my own experiences of being called that uniquely horrible word from some white readers of my public philosophical work. | The word — which is vile, ugly and violent — is part of an anti-Black vocabulary meant to defile Black people. The word has a long history and has been the subject of debate within academia (around who gets to say…
(2021-02-27). Backlash Over the Equality Act Is Fueling State-Level Attacks on Trans Youth. truthout.org 
The
(2021-02-27). Factory Workers in Burma Are Resisting the Military Coup With Strikes. truthout.org 
This article was originally published by Update: Late Friday evening, February 26 (local time), the Burma (also known as Myanmar) military On February 1, the Burma (also known…
(2021-02-27). Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package narrowly passes US House, $1,400 stimulus checks included. rt.com 
The US House of Representatives has narrowly passed the massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. The package is now headed to the Senate, where the bill is expected to be stripped of its minimum wage hike provision. | President Joe Biden's relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, was passed by the House early on Saturday in narrow 219-212 vote. No Republicans have voted for the legislation, while two Democrats broke ranks and voted against it. | The legislation includes $1,400 checks for most Americans, as well as billions for state and local governments, schools and businesses. The package wou…
(2021-02-27). China's Xiaomi wants to create global manufacturing hub in India. rt.com 
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is planning to boost its presence in India by building three new facilities there. When it meets growing local demand, the firm may use India's production capacities for exports. | Xiaomi teamed up with two local companies, BYD and DBG, to set up mobile phone manufacturing plants, the Chinese firm announced on Thursday. One of the facilities, located in the northern state of Haryana and owned by DBG, is already operational. The other plant in Tamil Nadu is set to go online within the first half of this year. | A television manufacturing plant has been set up in partnership with Radian…
(2021-02-27). World's wealthiest clash over bitcoin: Gates advises to stay away, while Musk causes cryptocraze. rt.com 
While Elon Musk has been driving a buying frenzy in the cryptomarket, anyone who has less money than the richest person on the planet should avoid investing in bitcoin, multi-billionaire Bill Gates says. | The Microsoft co-founder, who boasts the third-largest fortune in the world and calls himself a "bitcoin skeptic," took on the world's most popular cryptocurrency several times this week. In one of his recent chats on the popular Clubhouse app, he pointed out that the production of bitcoin is harmful to the environment. "Bitcoin uses more electricity per transaction than any other method known to mankind," G…
(2021-02-27). Armenian crisis: President refuses to sack military chief, says PM Pashinyan's order 'unconstitutional'. rt.com 
Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian has refused to approve an order to fire the country's armed forces chief, who is accused of staging a coup, returning the draft to PM Nikol Pashinyan. The move was applauded by protesters. | Pashinyan ordered the dismissal of the head of the General Staff, Onik Gasparyan, on Thursday, in response to what he called an attempted coup against him. The order followed a joint statement by Armenian military commanders and two former presidents, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, who called on the prime minister to swiftly resign. | Pashinyan has been under increasing pressure s…
(2021-02-27). Police charge at anti-lockdown protesters in Dublin after man launches FIREWORK at officer's face (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in Dublin to protest Ireland's restrictive lockdown policies. But the Saturday gathering soon turned violent, as police were pelted with bottles, cans, and even fireworks. | Ireland's first national lockdown in 2020 was the longest in Europe, and the nationwide restrictions currently in place have been ranked the
(2021-02-27). Murder most fowl? Fighting cock that killed owner with three-inch knife to appear in court in India. rt.com 
A rooster named Raja will appear in court in India after he killed his owner with a knife while attempting to flee an illegal cockfight. | The incident took place on February 23 in the Jagtial district in the Indian state of Telangana. | Raja was brought by his owner Thanugula Satish to a cock fight at the Yellamma temple on the outskirts of Lothunur village in Gollapalli mandal. Satish affixed a three-inch knife, known as kodi kathi, to his rooster's leg before sending it into the fighting arena. | When Raja attempted to flee the fighting ground, Satish caught him but the blade attached to the cock's leg pier…
(2021-02-27). Lockdowns are NOT 'quietly improving cities,' World Economic Forum concedes, deleting its much-ridiculed tweet. rt.com 
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has taken down its tweet that claimed lockdowns have been "quietly improving cities," and admitted that is not the case. But the backdown didn't spare the globalist titan from a new wave of mockery. | The WEF's controversial message turned out to be quite short-lived, surviving less than a day on its feed under a barrage of outraged comments. The tweet was accompanied by a video, showing deserted streets and silent factories, that noted a record drop in carbon emissions. It also linked to an article claiming that silent cities contributed to better detection of minor earthquakes.
(2021-02-27). Where's your god now? Study finds atheists no less moral than believers. rt.com 
A recent series of surveys found numerous areas of overlap in the morality of believers and the non-religious, but also distinguished key differences in terms of group identity versus individuality in guiding people's morality. | Psychologist Tomas Stahl found that both the religious and atheists share a great deal of common morality, but added that while non-believers do indeed have a moral compass, "…it is calibrated somewhat differently than that of religious believers in some respects, but not in others." | Stahl's research involved four online surveys conducted across the US, seen as a somewhat more rel…
(2021-02-27). 'Propaganda arm of the British regime?' BBC reporter hounded for misquoting former Scottish premier. rt.com 
Scots are demanding the BBC's Sarah Smith be held accountable after she claimed that former First Minister Alex Salmond said that current leader Nicola Sturgeon "should resign." The only problem: Salmond said no such thing. | Former Scottish National Party leader and First Minister Alex Salmond appeared before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday, nearly a year after he was acquitted of serious
(2021-02-27). Drama over Amnesty's Navalny move raises important point: prisoner of conscience tag shouldn't be reserved only for those we like. rt.com 
Amnesty International's statement that it doesn't consider Alexey Navalny a prisoner of conscience has his supporters up in arms. The group's efforts to defend the activist don't stack up, but the decision is wrong nonetheless. | A prisoner of conscience, simply defined, is somebody who is imprisoned because of his or her religious or political beliefs. The term is value-free. It doesn't matter what you believe, or the nature of your character; if your beliefs land you in jail, you're a prisoner of conscience. You can be quite revolting, but the label still fits. | One might say that there are limits — so…
(2021-02-27). US airstrikes 'strengthen & expand' terrorist activities in the region, Iran says. rt.com 
The recent US airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Syria has shown that Washington is seeking to "revive" terrorism in the region and support now-shattered Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), a senior Iranian official has said. | The airstrike on militias stationed on Syria's border with Iraq commissioned by US President Joe Biden earlier this week, was harshly criticized by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani on Saturday. | "America's recent action strengthens and expands the activities of the terrorist Daesh [IS] in the region," Shamkhani stated as he met visiting Iraqi F…
(2021-02-27). IDF soldier killed in training accident 'saves' Covid-stricken Israeli man with lung transplant. rt.com 
An Israel Defense Forces trooper died after an officer accidentally shot him in the head, but his family decided to donate his organs, reportedly saving a coronavirus patient with wrecked lungs and a man who needed a heart. | Yonatan Granot, 22, who was a Nahal Brigade infantry unit soldier, suffered a gunshot wound to the head during training at a firing range on Tuesday. | According to the IDF's initial probe, a Ruger rifle, which had just been used by one of the troops, accidentally discharged a bullet after being picked up by the unit's commander. | Granot was struck with a .22-caliber round, usually used…
(2021-02-27). 'No one cares if we die': Ex-Syrian rebels recount Nagorno-Karabakh nightmare as 'disposable force for Turkey'. strategic-culture.org 
Repurposed into a mercenary force by Erdogan's Turkey, the remnants of Syria's armed opposition were sent off to fight for Azerbaijan with promises of sweet paychecks. They met abuse, humiliation, and death instead. | By Lindsey SNELL | In the first week of October 2020, Ahmad Hadad* and more than 20 other fighters from the Hamza Division faction of the so-called Syrian National Army stood in the middle of a mountain range in Azerbaijan near the Iranian border. They were lost. | After the Armenian army unleashed a bout of heavy bombardment on the mountains, the Azerbaijani soldiers who had been positioned behind…
(2021-02-27). Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis. middleeasteye.net 
Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis | The protest is seen as an attempt to mobilise popular backing against President Kais Saied | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 12: 15 | Supporters of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, march during a rally in opposition to President Kais Saied in Tunis on 27 February (Reuters) | Tunisia's biggest poli…
(2021-02-27). Dozens killed as fighting intensifies in Yemen's Marib. middleeasteye.net 
Dozens killed as fighting intensifies in Yemen's Marib | The bloodshed comes amid a Houthi offensive to capture Marib city, which lies close to some of Yemen's richest oil fields | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 22: 08 | The Houthis launched a new offensive to take the strategic city in February (AFP) | Clashes between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels intensified on Saturday in the strategic…
(2021-02-27). Polisario blames UN for 'political deadlock' over Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net 
Polisario blames UN for 'political deadlock' over Western Sahara | The UN has failed to hold a referendum on Sahrawi self-determination that was part of a settlement plan it brokered in 1991 | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 22: 55 | Senior Polisario official Khatri Addouh said they had little choice but to go to war after the UN failed to find a solution to the conflict (AFP) | Pro-independence rebels…
(2021-02-27). Former Ofsted chief calls on teachers to 'sacrifice their lives', but the teachers are having none of it. thecanary.co 
During an Wilshaw told Emily Maitlis: You have to compare this with the medical emergency over the last year and the commitment on the part of medical professionals, and nurses, and doctors. They've gone the extra mile at great cost to themselves, and their families, their…
(2021-02-27). The Heat: U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi's death. america.cgtn.com 
A U.S. intelligence report concludes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation to murder a prominent journalist. And U.S. President Biden orders airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian-backed militias.
(2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia | Demand follows release of report in which CIA determines that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind murder of Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 13: 49 | Britain is the second-largest seller of weapons to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | The release of a CIA report blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering th…
(2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report | US intelligence report blames Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 10: 19 | Protesters in London demonstrate against former president Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (MEE/Kaamil Ahmed) | Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stoo…
(2021-02-27). Russian ski star Bolshunov puts 'attack' row firmly behind him to win World Championship gold (VIDEO). rt.com 
Russia's Alexander Bolshunov claimed victory in the skiathlon at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 in Germany as the 24-year-old edged out two rivals from Norway in a scintillating finish. | In a barnstorming end in the men's 15/15km C/F in Oberstdorf, Bolshunov clocked a time of üôå Alex…
(2021-02-27). LeBron vs Zlatan: Please, spare us this clash of overinflated egos. rt.com 
When two men with super-sized delusions of grandeur start trading blows, everyone else has to suffer. That's exactly what's happening with the spat between NBA icon LeBron James and football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. | If you haven't heard, Swedish egomaniac Zlatan has irked LeBron with his suggestion that the basketball saint should quit playing politics and basically shut up and dribble. | "That is the big first mistake people do when they become famous and they become in a certain status," said the 39-year-old AC Milan forward in a recent interview. | "Stay out of [politics]. Just do what you do best because…
(2021-02-27). In the pink: Floyd Mayweather feeds flamingos as he holidays in Aruba alongside 'girlfriend' Anna Monroe. rt.com 
Undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather has been photographed feeding flamingos as he shared a sunshine break in Aruba alongside his supposed new girlfriend, Anna Monroe. | The ring legend celebrated his 44th birthday on the Caribbean island where he was photographed feeding flamingos on a beach while dressed in matching pink shorts and a baseball hat. | True to form, the man nicknamed 'Money' took the opportunity to show off some of his 'bling' as he was wearing one of his expensive collection of watches – as well as TWO gold chains. | The 50-0 retired boxer had previously stated that he brings one of his di…
(2021-02-27). 'What was he trying to do to him?!' Fans mock Sevilla star as Messi gives him runaround in 2-0 win for Barca (VIDEO). rt.com 
A resurgent Barcelona side are now within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid after they cruised to a 2-0 win at Sevilla on Saturday – with one incident from the game going viral after a particularly ungainly challenge. | Messi scored one and created another for Ousmane Dembele as they narrowed the gap at the summit of the table to Diego Simeone's Atletico – who retain two games in hand over the Catalan giants. | Messi slid Dembele in to open the scoring just before the half hour after United States international Sergino Dest struck…
(2021-02-27). 'F*cking disgrace!': Fury as Premier League referee disallows goal, then allows it, before ruling it out AGAIN (VIDEO). rt.com 
Referee Lee Mason has been slammed as a "f*cking disgrace" after he flip-flopped on a decision to award a goal after Brighton's Lewis Dunk found the net with a quick free-kick in Saturday's game with West Brom. | The opportunistic Dunk was quickest to react when his side was awarded a free-kick, curling an effort into the bottom right corner of the goal as Sam Johnstone attempted to fortify his defensive wall. | Dunk's smile soon turned to a frown as referee Mason opted to disallow the goal amid Brighton celebrations – before apparently changing his mind and awarding the goal. | ùêÇ…
(2021-02-27). 'Unstoppable': Guardiola racks up remarkable personal milestones as Man City win TWENTIETH game in a row. rt.com 
Manchester City were indebted to defensive duo John Stones and Ruben Dias as they edged past West Ham 2-1 to rack up a record-extending 20th straight victory, in a game which also saw Pep Guardiola reach a personal milestone. | City were made to work hard by the high-flying Hammers at the Etihad, seeing Dias' 30th-minute opener cancelled out by an equalizer from Michail Antonio just before the break. | It was Stones who rescued the three points as he swept home a cut-back from Riyad Mahrez with just over 20 minutes to play. | 27 – Man City are unbeaten in their last 27 games in all competitions (W24 D3), the s…
(2021-02-27). Ronaldo has made Juventus WORSE and big-money transfer has been failure, claims former Italy star. rt.com 
Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Juventus has been a failure and the Portugal star is not compatible with manager Andrea Pirlo's footballing philosophy, according to former Italy forward Antonio Cassano. | Ronaldo joined Juve from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 for a reported fee of €100 million and has netted 90 goals in 117 appearances across all competitions for the Turin giants. | The 36-year-old star has helped Juve to successive Serie A titles as well as a pair of Supercoppa Italiana triumphs, but success in the Champions League has thus far eluded the Italians during Ronaldo's time at the club.
(2021-02-27). Italian researchers create world's 1st 'smart tattoo' using OLED tech. rt.com 
Scientists in the US and Italy claim to have created the world's first temporary 'smart' tattoo using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which could revolutionize multiple fields, including sports science and food technology. | Researchers at UCL and the Italian Institute of Technology used the same basic principle as a temporary tattoo, which is transferred onto the skin by soaking and pressing, but combined it with OLED tech to produce the new devices. | When combined with other wearable technologies, the smart tattoos could emit light when an athlete is dehydrated or alert sunbathers of impending sunbur…
(2021-02-27). Israel's defense minister points finger at Iran over explosion on Israeli-owned vessel in Gulf of Oman. rt.com 
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has accused Iran of likely being behind Friday's blast on an Israeli-owned transport ship in the Gulf of Oman, saying it's their "initial assessment" that the incident was an Iranian attack. | Based on the Saturday statement, it would appear that the claim by Gantz wasn't backed by any actual intelligence, but was rather based on the geography of the incident and the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East. | "Iran is looking to hit Israeli infrastructure and Israeli citizens. The location of the ship in relative close proximity to Iran raises the notion, the asse…
(2021-02-27). Virginia school district says Dr.Seuss demoted as focus of reading event due to 'RACIAL UNDERTONES', denies complete ban. rt.com 
Facing public backlash over its alleged cancellation of Dr. Seuss on concern that his stories and illustrations are racist, a Virginia school district denied it banned the author but said it deprioritized his books. | The Loudon County Public Schools system near Washington, DC, clarified on Saturday that it merely downgraded
(2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise of Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com 
New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A
(2021-02-27). As FBI touts 'unprecedented' speed of Capitol 'insurrection' probe, police still don't know what caused officer's death. rt.com 
Seven weeks on from the Capitol riot, police say a toxicology report on the officer who was allegedly killed isn't done, raising questions over whether investigators are sitting on facts that don't fit a murder-mayhem narrative. | The medical examiner's report on Officer Brian Sicknick's death following the January 6 riot hasn't been completed, as toxicology results are still pending, the Capitol Police Department said on Friday in a statement. More than 50 days after the Capitol attack — and even as other aspects of the "insurrection" investigation race move ahead — the department offered no explana…
(2021-02-27). Virginia school district says Dr. Seuss demoted as focus of reading event due to 'RACIAL UNDERTONES,' denies complete ban. rt.com Facing public backlash over its alleged cancellation of Dr. Seuss over concern that his stories and illustrations are racist, a Virginia school district denied it banned the author but said it deprioritized his books. | The Loudon County Public Schools system near Washington, DC clarified on Saturday that it had merely downgraded
(2021-02-27). 'Safely recovered': Lady Gaga's stolen bulldogs brought to LA police after pop star offers $500k reward with no strings attached. rt.com 
Two French bulldogs have been safely returned to pop star Lady Gaga after robbers stole the animals at gunpoint from her dog walker, who was shot in the struggle, according to LA police. | The pups were brought to an LAPD station north of downtown on Friday evening by a woman believed to be "uninvolved and unassociated" with the theft and shooting earlier this week, police captain Jonathan Tippett Both of Lady Gaga's dogs have been…
(2021-02-27). Biden admin to charge White House reporters $170 per Covid test amid concerns smaller outlets will be squeezed out — reports. rt.com 
The Joe Biden administration is reportedly set to charge White House correspondents $170 a pop for daily coronavirus tests, stoking anger among reporters, some noting the move could cost struggling newsrooms thousands per week. | The White House press office will begin charging for the tests next week, the Washington Post
(2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise for Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A
(2021-02-26). High Court: Covid self-employed support scheme does not unlawfully discriminate against women. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
R (The Motherhood Plan and Anor) v HM Treasury [2021] EWHC 309 (Admin) — read judgment In a judgment handed down on 17 February 2021, the High Court has ruled that the Self Employment Income Support Scheme ("the Scheme") introduced during the coronavirus pandemic does not indirectly discriminate against self-employed women who have taken a …
(2021-02-26). The Pandemic: Half a million lives lost in U.S., more than the two World Wars and Vietnam War combined. mronline.org 
Over half a million people have died of coronavirus in the U.S. Grasping the enormity—half a million people gone—is difficult to visualize.
(2021-02-26). The Heat: One scientist's fight against disease & Racism against Asian-Americans. america.cgtn.com 
As the pandemic continues to take its toll, we'll talk to one of America's leading science pioneers. Plus — what's behind the alarming rise in violence against Asian Americans?>
(2021-02-26). Big Tech Shouldn't Be the Arbiter of Our Free Speech Rights. truthout.org 
Business corporations don't need free speech rights. Nor should they have the power to deny free speech to others. But leading up to and following the 2020 election, we saw both undemocratic realities on display. | The 2020 election was largely "democratic." Due to the pandemic, more voters had more ways to cast their ballots than ever, and the elections were overall free and fair. H…
(2021-02-26). "America is Back": Make the Best of It. counterpunch.org 
America is back; Joe Biden says so. Therefore, it must be true. He seems as pleased as can be about it too. So is the entire political class, except for the miscreants wedded to Donald Trump or to rightwing views, distinguished mainly by their vileness and stupidity. There are alarmingly many Americans who hold those
(2021-02-26). Futile: Saudi's Decade-Long Attempt to Bottle Up Yemeni Youth Revolution is Failing. mintpressnews.com 
"Saudi Arabia has crushed our revolution, turned our lives into hell because our uprising was interpreted by the ruling family as a threat to [their] influence and because of their fear of the revolution spreading to the Saudi interior." — Yemeni artist Aisha Ali Saeed…
(2021-02-26). Biden sends B-1 bombers to Norway, threatens Russia. workers.org 
The U.S. Air Force announced during February that it is sending four B-1 bombers and at least 200 personnel to Orland Air Base on the central coast of Norway. Pentagon officials made no secret of the fact that the deployment is meant as a threat to Russia, which is well . . . |
(2021-02-26). Biden's economic rescue plan advances, but minimum wage hike more uncertain. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Congressional supporters of a $15 minimum wage are not backing down, despite a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian Thursday night that the hike cannot be part of a reconciliation package in the upper chamber. The reconciliation procedure—which lets tax and budget legislation proceed with a simple majority—would have allowed the wage hike to pass …
(2021-02-26). When it comes to COVID, why aren't Republicans 'pro-life' anymore? peoplesworld.org 
Read:
(2021-02-26). North Korea Steadfastly Resisting US Hegemony. dissidentvoice.org 
I learned a while back to be especially skeptical of western mass media and their governments.1 My experience of life in China is nothing like how western demonization portrays it to be. Therefore, I looked forward to the chance to experience North Korea first hand. I traveled there with a Chinese group departing China. Starting …
(2021-02-26). What Lawrence Ferlinghetti Means to Me. counterpunch.org 
The anarchist, pacifist poet, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, whom I knew for forty years was shy and introverted, even while he was a public figure who wanted to be recognized and appreciated as an artist. A decade older than me, he cared deeply about his friends in the city, in Bolinas and in Big Sur. He also valued his own privacy. At events at the San Francisco public library, where he stood out from the crowd, he often meant to be witty, but his one liners would fall flat. He took many of the changes in San Francisco—the arrival of the dot comers, the Google buses, the influx of wealth, the price of real estate…
(2021-02-26). Your privileges are not Universal. mronline.org 
Stencilled in red on the walls of Santiago, Chile is a statement of fact: 'your privileges are not universal' (tus privilegios no son universales).
(2021-02-26). Mitch Jones on Texas Freeze-Outs, Joe Torres on News for All the People. fair.org 
New York Times ( This week on CounterSpin: As Texans continue to deal with impacts of a deadly combination of frigid weather and power outages, the New York Times
(2021-02-26). George Floyd justice coalition puts officials on notice before Chauvin trial. peoplesworld.org 
MINNEAPOLIS—At a press conference held in Minneapolis on Feb. 25, a coalition of groups demanding justice for George Floyd reminded city and state officials that they will fill the streets March 8 on the opening day of the murder trial of former officer Derek Chauvin. They put the city on notice that no matter how …
(2021-02-26). Filming the police is legal, but that doesn't stop them from arresting people for it. therealnews.com 
Another Ohio resident has been arrested under the dubious charge of "misconduct during an emergency," which has been used again by Ohio police to incarcerate another person who filmed them in action.
(2021-02-26). àÅlvaro Cunhal's prison novel 'The Six-Pointed Star'—A chat with the translator. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's note: Eric Gordon is translating several fictional works written by Portuguese Communist Party leader àÅlvaro Cunhal under the pseudonym Manuel Tiago. The Six-Pointed Star is the second in what is hoped to be a series of works put out in English for the first time by International Publishers. Below is an interview between People's …
(2021-02-26). A New Cold War on a Scalding Planet: Biden, Climate Change, and China. counterpunch.org 
Slowing the pace of climate change and getting "tough" on China, especially over its human-rights abuses and unfair trade practices, are among the top priorities President Biden has announced for his new administration. Evidently, he believes that he can tame a rising China with harsh pressure tactics, while still gaining its cooperation in areas of concern
(2021-02-26). Imagining Palestine: On Barghouti, Darwish, Kanafani and the Language of Exile. counterpunch.org 
For Palestinians, exile is not simply the physical act of being removed from their homes and their inability to return. It is not a casual topic pertaining to politics and international law, either. Nor is it an ethereal notion, a sentiment, a poetic verse. It is all of this, combined. The death in Amman of
(2021-02-26). Biden's team won't end the forever wars. therealnews.com 
From Afghanistan to Niger, the "new normal" of American warfare shows no signs of changing course under President Biden and his hawkish national security team. In this episode of "The Marc Steiner Show," combat veteran and writer Danny Sjursen issues a dire warning about American military policy. Tune in for new episodes of The Marc Steiner …
(2021-02-26). Alphaeus Hunton: A life devoted to equality, liberation, and internationalism. peoplesworld.org 
In a November 1950 article in Paul Robeson's newspaper Freedom, the scholar-activist Alphaeus Hunton noted that "the most reactionary minority of the American people," the U.S. ruling class, "has advanced from its role of silent partner of the Western European imperialist powers." No longer "content with arming and financing their wars against the colonial revolutionaries," …
(2021-02-26). Denver protest: 'No war on Iran!'. workers.org 
Feb. 20, Denver.Denver Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Denver Peace Council held a demonstration Feb. 20 at the state capital, in cooperation with the national call to prevent Washington from instigating a war against Iran. Threats the U.S. warships would move into the Persian/Arabian . . . |
(2021-02-26). Biden bombs Syria: "Self-defense" or an act of war? liberationnews.org 
President Joe Biden engaged in his first high-profile military operation yesterday, launching an airstrike on Syria that left as many as 22 dead. This attack appears to have targeted facilities, equipment and fighters of Iraqi resistance organizations affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, one of the main groups responsible for liberating much of Iraq from …
(2021-02-26). 'We're not going back': N.Y. Black History event featuring Gerald Horne, Feb. 28. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK—In celebration of African-American culture and struggle, People's World will be supporting an online event broadcast from New York by the We're Not Going Back Host Committee this Sunday, Feb. 28th at 6: 30pm. This years' installment of the annual event will feature historian Gerald Horne as its keynote speaker. Dr. Horne, a prolific author …
(2021-02-26). Biden bombs Syria: 'Self-defense' or an act of war? liberationnews.org President Joe Biden engaged in his first high-profile military operation yesterday, launching an airstrike on Syria that left as many as 22 dead. This attack appears to have targeted facilities, equipment and fighters of Iraqi resistance organizations affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, one of the main groups responsible for liberating much of Iraq from …
(2021-02-26). Catastrophe and Utopia: Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Ministry for the Future'. mronline.org 
We need no longer speculate about whether we live in a climate emergency. The scientific verdict has been out for some time now, each year's report grimmer than the last.
(2021-02-26). Hundreds of law students announce boycott of Chevron law firm Seward & Kissel for "unethical" private prosecution of human rights attorney Steven Donziger. mronline.org 
Students from over 50 leading U.S. law schools—including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and New York University—have announced a recruiting boycott of a prominent Chevron law firm to protest its "unethical" private prosecution of U.S. human rights lawyer Steven Donziger after he helped win a $9.5 billion pollution judgment against Chevron.
(2021-02-26). Facebook's news blockade in Australia shows how tech giants are swallowing the web. juancole.com 
By Jennifer Grygiel | — When Facebook disabled Australians' access to news articles on its platform, and blocked sharing of articles from Australian news organizations, the company moved a step closer to killing the World Wide Web — the hyperlink-based system of freely connecting online sites created in 1989 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Though the …
(2021-02-26). Activists who forced Elijah McClain investigation facing retaliation, decades in prison. liberationnews.org 
This statement was issued by the newly formed National Committee for Justice in Denver. To support their work, you can sign the petition demanding the charges be dropped or make an urgently-needed donation. An explosive new report finds Aurora, Colorado, cops who tortured and killed Elijah McClain had no cause to detain or choke him; …
(2021-02-26). Haaland on track to make history as first Native American cabinet secretary. peoplesworld.org 
"This is all of our country, this is our mother. You've heard the Earth referred to as Mother Earth. It's difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land, and I feel that every Indigenous person in this country understands that," said Rep. Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Interior. "It's …
(2021-02-26). Massive thousand-car caravan protests unsafe reopening of Montgomery County schools in Maryland. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Car that participated in the caravan On Feb. 23, the parking lot at the Montgomery County Public Schools central office in Maryland swarmed with car horns, brightly colored signs, and shouts as thousands rallied outside a closed session meeting of the Board of Education. Among the participants were residents, parents and teachers' union members. …
(2021-02-26). Capitalism and Political Violence at Home and Abroad. counterpunch.org 
Question: why do both conservative and liberal governments in the U.S. install right-wing governments abroad if 'the U.S.' opposes right-wing political violence? While right and left politics may seem to have limited descriptive value in many current conflicts, the interests of capital, broadly considered, represent an unwavering motive for them. Why then would military conflict
(2021-02-26). El Monte taco vendors and community: 'LA County Department of Public Health, stop harassing us!'. liberationnews.org 
Community members gathered on Feb. 13 in front of the El Monte Police Department in solidarity with local street vendors. This action comes a week after a violent attack by an LA County health inspector and EMPD on the Los Palomos taco stand. Community members and organizations such as ACAB El Monte, Revolutionary Socialists for …
(2021-02-26). Their Protest Forced Investigation on Elijah McClain Police Killing; Now They Face Decades in Prison. liberationnews.org 
A damning new independent investigation into the police murder of Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado has been released, but the only people facing charges so far in this case are the activists who led the movement for justice for Elijah McClain.
(2021-02-26). Exposed: McDonald's surveillance operation spies on employees organizing for a living wage. liberationnews.org 
New reports show that McDonald's has spied on workers "for years" in their effort to combat the Fight for $15 movement that has been struggling for a living wage for nearly a decade. According to documents leaked to Motherboard, McDonald's hired a team of global intelligence analysts to identify and surveil workers and labor leaders …
(2021-02-26). Calif. essential workers and supporters call for extended COVID-related sick leave. peoplesworld.org 
Essential workers, labor advocates, and legislators are joining together to urge the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to act immediately to expand emergency paid sick days and paid family and medical leave protection for workers in the state's 2021-2022 early action budget. Both federal and California emergency paid sick leave mandates on employers expired …
(2021-02-26). Biden, Climate Change, and China: A New Cold War equals A Scalding Planet. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com ) — Slowing the pace of climate change and getting "tough" on China, especially over its human-rights abuses and unfair trade practices, are among the top priorities President Biden has announced for his new administration. Evidently, he believes that he can tame a rising China with harsh pressure tactics, while still gaining its …
(2021-02-26). US strike on several locations inside Syria draws global criticism. peoplesdispatch.org 
US president Joe Biden authorized the airstrikes as a response to the recent attacks on US military bases in Iraq. The move is being criticized by anti-war and progressive sections as a sign of continuation of Trump-era policies in the region…
(2021-02-26). Battleground Baltimore: Maryland shows solidarity with unionizing Amazon workers. therealnews.com 
Amazon workers rally in Baltimore County, the LEOBR could survive attempts to weaken it, City Councilperson Ryan Dorsey feuds with the FOP, and more.
(2021-02-26). Health Care and Colonialism: A Sickness Unto Death. counterpunch.org 
Nothing is immune from the stain of colonialism and its associated phenomena of racism. This includes the practice of medicine. Whether one is considering the inequality of medical care between the global north and south, the unevenness of medical care inside imperial nations stemming from those nations' colonial history, or the racist attitudes still endemic
(2021-02-26). Tell Biden: Stop bombing Syria! workers.org 
It has taken only 36 days in office for the Biden administration to show the world, through a bombing attack on Syria, that it is belligerent, aggressive and hell-bent on war. There was only a short respite from Trump's vile words and actions. Now we have to face Biden's vile . . . |
(2021-02-26). Joe Biden's US Foreign Policy: Return to the Old Normal? counterpunch.org 
US President Biden bellicosely proclaimed, "American is back," in his major foreign policy priorities speech at the Munich Security Conference on February 19. Repeated twice for effect, Biden signaled the end of the Trump interregnum. No more assuring words could have been uttered for George W. Bush's former Defense Secretary Colin Powell and the 70 odd Republican national security officials, who wrote an open letter endorsing Biden out of fear that Trump would upset the bipartisan foreign policy consensus of regime change, forever wars, and the NATO alliance. Republican neo-cons now shelter in the Democrat's big…
(2021-02-26). Mismatch: Biden bombs Syria while pushing progressive economic bill at home. peoplesworld.org 
An old dichotomy that's haunted many Democratic administrations—pushing ostensibly progressive economic and social policies at home in the U.S. while pursuing imperialist aims abroad—has returned. In airstrikes characterized as "retaliatory action," the U.S. military on Feb. 25 bombed buildings in Syria near the Iraq border that were reportedly being used by Islamist militia groups for …
(2021-02-26). How Real Nazis Came to the Americas: the Recruitment of Klaus Barbie. counterpunch.org 
By the time Klaus Barbie went on the payroll of an American intelligence organization in 1947, Klaus Barbie had lived several lifetimes of human vileness. Barbie sought out opponents of the Nazis in Holland, chasing them down with dogs. He had worked for the Nazi mobile death squads on the Eastern Front, massacring Slavs and Jews. He'd put in two years heading the Gestapo in Lyons, France, torturing to death Jews and French Resistance fighters (among them the head of the Resistance, Jean Moulin. ) After the liberation of France, Barbie participated in the final Nazi killing frenzy before Allies moved into Germany…
(2021-02-26). Shocking reversal: McConnell says he'd back Trump for president in 2024. peoplesworld.org 
In a shocking reversal, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he would "absolutely" back Donald Trump for president in 2024 if he is the Republican nominee. He made those remarks on the same day that he joined other Republicans in Washington and around the country in minimizing the Jan. 6 attack on …
(2021-02-26). Black rage: a new 'reconstruction' in the U.S. workers.org 
The following letter from an incarcerated worker at SCI Pine Grove was received by Workers World Feb. 24. By Wesley Massey How do we make a paradigm shift to change how Blacks are viewed with pessimism, and on a good day cautious optimism? How do we change the culture in . . . |
(2021-02-26). Selected Articles: Haiti Betrayed. globalresearch.ca 
By There's a big mystery that needs to be solved. It's how many people are getting sick and dying from the Covid vaccines. …
(2021-02-26). "We Want the Truth Uncovered": Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz Backs New Probe into Assassination. democracynow.org 
The family of Malcolm X is demanding a new investigation into his 1965 assassination in light of the deathbed confession of a former New York police officer who said police and the FBI conspired to kill the Black leader. Ilyasah Shabazz, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and one of Malcolm's six children, says the latest revelation is further evidence of how the authorities worked to infiltrate and undermine Black organizations during the Civil Rights Movement. "All he wanted was for America to live up to her promise of liberty and justice for all," she says of her father. "I'm happy…
(2021-02-26). The Assassination of Malcolm X: Ex-Undercover Officer Admits Role in FBI & Police Conspiracy. democracynow.org 
The FBI and New York Police Department are facing renewed calls to open their records into the assassination of Malcolm X, after the release of a deathbed confession of a former undercover NYPD officer who admitted to being part of a conspiracy targeting Malcolm. In the confession, Raymond Wood, who died last year, admitted he entrapped two members of Malcolm's security team in another crime — a plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty — just days before the assassination. This left the Black civil rights leader vulnerable at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, where he was fatally shot on February 21, 1965.
(2021-02-26). "The Whole System Needs to be Indicted": Attorney Benjamin Crump on Overhauling U.S. Policing. democracynow.org 
The Democratic-led House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on a sweeping police reform bill that would ban chokeholds, prohibit federal no-knock warrants, establish a National Police Misconduct Registry and other measures. The legislation, known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, is in response to a series of high-profile killings of Black people in 2020 and the nationwide racial justice uprising they sparked. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who has represented the families of Floyd, Daniel Prude, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many other victims of police and racial viol…
(2021-02-26). Vladimir Putin's Very Bad Week. counterpunch.org 
It's been a rough week for Russian Federation President, Vladimir Putin. The European Union imposed sanctions under Euro-Magnitsky; Australia is expected to pass its own Aussie-Magnitsky; and imprisoned anti-corruption crusader, Alexei Navalny, is leading a growing Russian protest movement from behind bars. Oh yeah, Pussy Riot is back! Putin is considered the richest man in
(2021-02-26). Biden's Syria Airstrike Prompts Demands for Answers From Social Media, Lawmakers. truthout.org 
Democratic lawmakers and anti-war activists have slammed the Biden administration for carrying out illegal airstrikes in Syria while abandoning progressive policy priorities. | The United States carried out an airstrike in Syria on Thursday, claiming it was targeting militias allegedly backed by Iran in what is the first known military action by President Joe Biden since he was sworn into office. | "We didn't flip Georgia Blue for Biden to air strike Syria. We flipped Georgia Blue for our $…
(2021-02-26). The $15 Minimum Wage Isn't Dead. Here's How Democrats Can Still Get It Done. truthout.org 
On Thursday, the Senate parliamentarian dealt a blow to Democratic and progressives hopes of passing a $15 federal minimum wage in the upcoming stimulus package, ruling that it did not fit under the budget reconciliation process. Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), however, a longtime champion of the $15 minimum wage, came prepared with a plan B. | Shortly after the ruling, Sanders announced a proposal to take away tax deductions from big corporations that don't pay their workers at le…
(2021-02-26). Sanders Blasts Parliamentarian's Ruling Dropping Wage Hike From COVID Bill. truthout.org 
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and several other Democratic lawmakers are lambasting a decision by the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan referee in that legislative body, who determined on Thursday that a provision to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in the COVID economic relief package does not align with the rules for the reconciliation process. | But while Democrats appear upset over the decision, the party may be disunited on what path they should take next to raise the minimum wag…
(2021-02-26). Progressives to VP Kamala Harris: "Use Your Power. Keep $15 in." truthout.org 
The attention of the Fight for $15 movement and its allies turned to Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday night after the Senate parliamentarian opined —
(2021-02-26). Ex-Undercover Officer Admits Role in FBI and NYPD Conspiracy Targeting Malcolm X. truthout.org 
The FBI and New York Police Department are facing renewed calls to open their records into the assassination of Malcolm X, after the release of a deathbed confession of a former undercover NYPD officer who admitted to being part of a conspiracy targeting Malcolm. In the confession, Raymond Wood, who died last year, admitted he entrapped two members of Malcolm's security team in another crime — a plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty — just days before the assassination. This left…
(2021-02-26). The National Security State Doesn't Protect Us. Let's Redefine Security for All. truthout.org 
After the nation watched white supremacists take over the Capitol building, the failure of the national security state to appropriately recognize and address the threat became a national scandal. But this "failure" shouldn't have surprised us. If there is one thing that the trillion-dollar national security apparatus is good at, it's under-hyping and misinterpreting threats that aren't based on threats from "outsiders," while overhyping the threats that are. | It's not just white supremacy th…
(2021-02-26). Black Families Have a Major Stake in the Postal Service's Future. truthout.org 
The United States Postal Service is under strong pressure to make deep spending cuts that would be devastating for customers and employees across the country. Black families have a particularly large stake in the debate over the future of this vital public service. USPS has long been a major source of good middle-class jobs for Black workers. Post offices are also well-positioned to address the needs of the disproportionate share of African Americans who currently lack access to affordable financial servi…
(2021-02-26). Five people killed & scores wounded as Iraqi security forces open fire on anti-govt protesters — reports. rt.com 
At least five people were killed and more than 170 wounded in clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Iraq's fourth largest city, Nasiriyah, according to local reports. | The unrest in the main city of the Dhi Qar Governorate, located some 360 km southeast of Baghdad, has continued since erupting on Sunday when demonstrators armed with rocks and Molotov cocktails tried to storm the provincial government building. | But Friday saw a major escalation, with witnesses saying that law enforcement deployed live fire against the crowds, who had taken to the streets in defiance of the coronav…
(2021-02-26). NASA warns of 2nd stadium-sized space rock headed Earth's way as it delays asteroid hunter mission to 2022. rt.com 
NASA is warning of the second 'stadium-sized' asteroid headed towards the Earth in as many weeks, shortly after announcing…
(2021-02-26). Amid Yerevan turmoil & military uprising, Azerbaijani President Aliyev says Armenian PM Pashinyan has led his country to ruin. rt.com 
Armenian leader Nikol Pashinyan is running Yerevan into "abyss and ruin" and has undermined his own country's statehood. That's according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who led Baku to war victory against Armenia in 2020. | Aliyev's comments came a day after rallies were held in Yerevan, following the Armenian General Staff's demand that Prime Minister Pashinyan resign from his post. | "These events show that Armenia is in a difficult situation. There are processes going on that undermine Armenian statehood, and the former and current leadership of Armenia is to blame," he said at a press conference fo…
(2021-02-26). Gunmen kidnap 317 schoolgirls in northwest Nigeria, police confirm, the 2nd major raid in as many weeks. rt.com 
Police in Nigeria's Zamfara State have said that 317 schoolgirls were abducted in an armed raid on Friday morning, just one week after 42 people were kidnapped from a boys' school in neighboring Niger State last week. | "The Zamfara State Police Command in collaboration with the military have commenced a joint search and rescue operation with a view to rescuing the 317 students kidnapped by the armed bandits in Government Girls Science Secondary School Jangebe," police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said in a statement on Friday. | Speaking earlier on Friday, Sulaiman Tanau Anka, information commissioner for Zamfara…
(2021-02-26). Looking into Palantir: Activists want NHS to come clean about secretive deal with data-mining company. rt.com 
Under a deal negotiated in secret with the British government, shady data firm Palantir will continue to manage NHS data for two years. Activists calling for transparency have now brought the NHS to court. | When the British government unveiled its 'Covid-19 data store' last March, controversial "spy tech" firm Palantir was given control of the data collected from the public, which included sensitive data such as patients' ages, addresses, health conditions, treatments, and whether they smoke or drink, among other private information. Awarded the contract for a nominal fee of £1 ($1.40), Palantir was onl…
(2021-02-26). 'We have a hint… it may be possible': Controversial stem cell therapy repaired injured spinal cords in 13 patients. rt.com 
Using a somewhat controversial stem cell therapy, a joint team of Japanese and US-based researchers have successfully repaired some damage in 13 patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI). | SCIs can often cause permanent loss of movement and physical sensation from resultant nerve damage. While physical rehabilitation programs can partially improve outcomes, actual treatment and recovery of lost mobility and function is nigh on impossible. Until now, perhaps. | According to new results from a phase 2 clinical trial conducted in an experimental collaboration by scientists in Japan and the US, patients treated wi…
(2021-02-26). Vaccine race: 88-year-old Frenchman caught speeding at 191 km/h says he was late for Covid-19 jab. rt.com 
An 88-year-old man in France had his license seized for exceeding the speed limit by more than 90 km/h. The veteran driver told the police that he was hitting the gas because he was late for his vaccination appointment. | The man was travelling at 191 km/h when he was pulled over by the officers in the northeastern region of Bas-Rhin on Thursday. The speed limit of the country road he was driving on is 110 km/h. | The driver "gave as a reason for his speeding that he was late for his anti-Covid vaccine," the police said in a Facebook post. | Unsurprisingly, the officers determined that this was no excuse for r…
(2021-02-26). Syria condemns 'cowardly aggression' by US as Biden says he wanted to send Iran message about 'impunity'. rt.com 
The Syrian government has denounced a US airstrike on its border with Iraq as an act of aggression contrary to international law, as President Joe Biden told reporters he ordered the strike as a warning to Iran. | "The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the US aggression against its sovereignty," the Foreign Ministry in Damascus Also on rt.c…
(2021-02-26). 'Do not wreck this now': UK govt scientist urges lockdown-weary Brits not to flout Covid rules amid 'burning' infection pockets. rt.com 
England's deputy chief medical officer has urged people to adhere to the current lockdown restrictions and warned there's been a slight uptick of Covid-19 case rates in some areas of the UK. | Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said the Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland are among the areas "burning quite hot" with the virus. | Also on rt.com | | "Look, this is all going very well, but there are some worry signs that people…
(2021-02-26). Brazilian prosecutors call on govt to suspend 20 million-dose deal with India's Covaxin jab over lack of Phase 3 trial data. rt.com 
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Brazil has asked the Federal Audit Court to suspend an order for 20 million doses of the Covaxin Covid-19 jab made by India's Bharat Biotech, ahead of a vaccine factory inspection next week. | Just one day earlier, Brazil's health ministry inked a deal with the private Indian firm worth 1.6 billion reais ($290,000), with the first 8 million vaccine doses set to arrive in March. | However, on Friday state prosecutors in the South American nation said that the two-dose vaccine should not be rolled out because it has not yet passed large-scale phase III clinical trials. | Also on…
(2021-02-26). Russian Foreign Ministry says Twitter no longer independent social media, but a tool of 'digital diktat' under control of West. rt.com 
Twitter is rapidly changing from an independent platform into a tool of Western countries to impose a dictatorship over the internet. That's according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, following a recent ban of Russian accounts. | Speaking on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova blasted the US tech giant for removing 100 accounts allegedly linked to the Kremlin. On Tuesday, the site's owners announced that 69 were deleted for "undermining faith in the NATO alliance," with a further 31 banned for "targeting the United States and European Union." | "We once again can't help but notice that Twitte…
(2021-02-26). U.S.-Backed Ecuador Government Tries Stopping Socialist Electoral Victory. strategic-culture.org 
If Arauz wins the presidency, he may appoint an important economist and ideologist of the "Citizens Revolution" to a government post, Ron Ridenour writes. | U.S.-backed Lenin Moreno government is trying to stop the new socialistic UNES political party candidate, Andres Arauz, from winning the national elections underway. | Andres Arauz, won first place, 32.7%, on the first round of national elections, February 7. Arauz is the first presidential candidate of UNES, Union of Hope. | Former president Rafael Correa led the formation of this party, Union of Hope (UNES) after he had backed Moreno for president in 2017.
(2021-02-26). Lionel Messi urged by families of prisoners to reject Saudi tourism deal. middleeasteye.net 
Lionel Messi urged by families of prisoners to reject Saudi tourism deal | Barcelona legend told to 'say no to butcherers of Khashoggi', following Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to turn down $6m deal with Riyadh | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 12: 41 | Lionel Messi receives a trophy after Argentina defeat Brazil during a friendly match in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh (AFP/File photo) | The families of several Saud…
(2021-02-26). US lawmakers question legality of Biden's air strikes in Syria. middleeasteye.net 
US lawmakers question legality of Biden's air strikes in Syria | Prominent Democratic lawmakers seek justification from Biden administration over US air strikes, with some complaining of overreach | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 16: 17 | "> | US lawmakers have asked the administration of President Joe Biden to provide legal justification for its decision to launch air strikes on military targe…
(2021-02-26). Biden launches deadly air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria. middleeasteye.net 
Biden launches deadly air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria | At least 17 pro-Iran fighters reported dead in strikes made in response to rocket attacks against US-led coalition forces in Iraq | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 02: 10 | Biden had vowed to revive the nuclear deal with Iran, but the two countries remain at a diplomatic impasse (AFP/File photo) | Deadly US air raids targeted the positions of Iran-backe…
(2021-02-26). US launches air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria. middleeasteye.net US launches air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria | Pentagon says raids were authorised by President Biden in response to rocket attacks against US-led coalition forces in Iraq | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 02: 10 | President Biden had vowed to revive the nuclear deal with Iran, but the two countries remain at a diplomatic impasse (AFP/File photo) | US air raids targeted the positions of Iran-backed armed grou…
(2021-02-26). Iran-backed Iraqi factions seeking de-escalation after US attack. middleeasteye.net 
Iran-backed Iraqi factions seeking de-escalation after US attack | Despite Kataeb Hezbollah's attempts to drum up outrage, most Shia armed groups want to move on from Syria strike as soon as possible | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 15: 57 | Iraqis attend a funeral procession in Baghdad of Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, who were killed in US air strikes on the border with Syria in 2019 (AFP) | Most Iran-backe…
(2021-02-26). Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules. middleeasteye.net 
Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules | Londoner who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State as a teenager argued she should be able to appeal stripping of citizenship in UK | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Shamima Begum, photographed in her tent at the al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria in February 2020 (Screenshot) | The UK's Supreme Court has ruled that Shamima Begum, a British wo…
(2021-02-26). Arabic press review: UN official says Libya has 20,000 mercenaries. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: UN official says Libya has 20,000 mercenaries | Meanwhile, Kuwait sends letter to Qatar as part of continued effort to end Gulf tensions, and a Kuwaiti minister says country's treasury 'lacks liquidity' | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 12: 26 | UN official Stephanie Williams speaks in Geneva on 5 February following the election of a new interim government for Libya (AFP) | Libya has…
(2021-02-26). Coptic Egyptian's killing in Minya stokes fury over police brutality and impunity. middleeasteye.net 
Coptic Egyptian's killing in Minya stokes fury over police brutality and impunity | The victim's family and friends worry the police officer will be acquitted | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 15: 29 | Lotfi's mother during Wednesday's mass at the Minya Catholic Church in Upper Egypt (supplied) | When family, friends and members of Minya's Coptic community gathered in church on Friday, tensions and g…
(2021-02-26). Covid-19: Israel freezes programme to send vaccines abroad amid legal scrutiny. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Israel freezes programme to send vaccines abroad amid legal scrutiny | Bid to garner international goodwill suspended after attorney general said to be seeking clarification about its legality | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 10: 32 | Palestinians have accused Israel of ignoring its duties as an occupying power by not including the Palestinians in its inoculation programme (AFP) | Israel has…
(2021-02-26). Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk | Termination of vaccine programme for those living in Israel without legal status may be legally challenged by rights groups
| Fri, 02/26/2021 – 13: 50 | A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on 26 February 202…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr detained. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr detained | Family lawyer tells MEE Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr is a 'prominent intellectual' who maintains a 'moderate' discourse regarding Saudi government | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Ali al-Nimr was imprisoned as a minor in 2012 and had been sentenced to death before the penalty was commuted earlier in February (Reprieve) | Saudi Arabia has de…
(2021-02-26). Iraq: Protesters killed in clashes with security forces in Nasiriyah. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Protesters killed in clashes with security forces in Nasiriyah | At least five demonstrators have been killed over the past week as activists defied a Covid-19 lockdown to take to the streets | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 16: 00 | Iraqi protesters are pictured next to burning tyres during clashes with police during anti-government demonstrations in the city of Nasiriyah in the Dhi Qar province…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr briefly detained. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr briefly detained | Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr, described by his lawyer as 'moderate' and a 'prominent intellectual', was released on Friday | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Ali al-Nimr was imprisoned as a minor in 2012 and had been sentenced to death before the penalty was commuted earlier in February (Reprieve) | Saudi Arabia on Wednesday detained…
(2021-02-26). A child poverty investigation wants to hear from you. thecanary.co 
A parliamentary committee is running an inquiry into child poverty. And it wants to hear people's voices on the issue. It may seem like the committee wants to hear from professionals, but this can also involve people who've actually lived through child poverty. | Child poverty: out of control?: | The Canary has previously
(2021-02-26). Crime and lack of punishment. thecanary.co 
Image description | This cartoon begins with the text "Crime and lack of punishment" the words "lack of" are smaller and coloured red, the rest of the text is black. Under that is text reading "A story of government accountability". The rest of the cartoon is divided into two columns, the one on the left is titled "Crime", the one on the right is titled "Punishment" and has quotation marks around it. The crime and punishment columns then read in order as follows. | Crime: Inquiry finds minister bullied staff | Punishment: PM calls for 'protective square' around minister | This is illustrated with a giant mouth…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Arabia 'categorically rejects' US claims about Khashoggi killing, as Washington stops short of sanctioning Crown Prince MBS. rt.com 
Riyadh has rejected the US intelligence report blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as "abusive and incorrect," even as the kingdom is unlikely to face serious punishment. | "The kingdom's government categorically rejects the abusive and incorrect conclusions contained in the report about the kingdom's leadership," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday, adding that the US report "cannot be accepted in any way." | Saudi Arabia rejects anything that would "prejudice its leadership, sovereignty and independence of its judiciary," they adde…
(2021-02-26). Read the US intelligence report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. middleeasteye.net 
Read the US intelligence report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi | Four-page executive summary says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the 2018 killing of Middle East Eye and Washington Post columnist | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 18: 21 | Saudi journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi government agents in Istanbul in 2018 (Reuters/File photo) | The Biden administration released a l…
(2021-02-26). Khashoggi murder: Advocates decry US failure to impose sanctions on MBS. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Advocates decry US failure to impose sanctions on MBS | Activists and lawmakers say Saudi crown prince must face consequences after US intelligence report confirmed he was responsible for Khashoggi murder | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 23: 25 | US intelligence assessment revealed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman authorised the assassination (AFP/File photo) | The virtual ink on a US intelligence report bla…
(2021-02-26). BeIN Sports takes Fenerbahce to court after months of tension. middleeasteye.net 
BeIN Sports takes Fenerbahce to court after months of tension | Qatari broadcaster launches legal action against Turkish football club for its protest campaign against the network | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 15: 00 | Mesut Ozil wears a "BeFair" training jersey on 21 February 2021, as part of Fenerbahce's campaign against the broadcaster BeIN Sports (Reuters) | Qatari broadcaster beIN Sports is taking legal ac…
(2021-02-26). 'High culture & iron fists': Welcome to 'Five Directions of the World' — the Dagestan school which raised UFC star Zabit. rt.com 
Among the rich tapestry of Dagestan's combat sports culture, there is one school nurturing young generations to think, not just fight. Welcome to 'Five Directions of the World' — a place often known as 'the Shaolin of Dagestan'. | In the latest episode of the RT Sport series 'Dagestan: Land of Warriors', we take you behind the scenes at the school founded more than two decades ago in Khalimbekaul by respected karate practitioner Gusein Magomaev and his wife, Olga. | Magomaev gives an insight into how students are provided with a rigorous grounding in martial arts, but also a full educational curriculum t…
(2021-02-26). 'Her body would inspire masterpieces': Coach defends skating star Tuktamysheva's revealing men's mag photoshoot. rt.com 
Russian figure skating coach Alexei Mishin has expressed his support for skater Elizaveta Tuktamysheva who posed for men's magazine Maxim, saying that antique artists would have been inspired by her beauty. | The 79-year-old specialist, who brought to fame figure skating legends Alexei Yagudin and Evgeni Plushenko, compared Tuktamysheva's beauty to an ancient piece of art, saying that her recent photo session would have attracted even "primitive men." | "Tuktamysheva's body would have attracted the attention even of primitive men. | "Undoubtedly, in ancient times she would have inspired artists to create ma…
(2021-02-26). After US apologizes to Ireland for soldiers breaking Covid-19 rules during flight stopover, Irish FM confirms two MORE incidents. rt.com 
Ireland's foreign minister has revealed two more breaches of Covid-19 lockdown rules by US military servicemen on stopovers at Shannon Airport, following an initial complaint two weeks ago that drew an apology from Washington. | Police had investigated two additional separate breaches by US servicemen during their overnight stopovers in addition to one that occurred on January 25 that elicited an apology from officials in Washington, Minister Simon Coveney revealed on Friday. | Earlier this month, Coveney had said 48 military and five crew from a US Navy C40 transport plane en route from Bahrain to the US had…
(2021-02-26). Rep. Mary Miller's Husband Owns Three Percenters Truck Seen at Capitol Breach. truthout.org 
A truck seen January 6 on Capitol grounds sporting a far right militia's symbol belongs to the husband of Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois), Chris Miller, the Daily Beast has confirmed. | Twitter users were the first to
(2021-02-26). FBI looking into potential POLITICAL MOTIVE behind violent dognapping of Lady Gaga's bulldogs — reports. rt.com 
The FBI is reportedly probing potential political motives behind the recent dognapping of Lady Gaga's French bulldogs. Two of her three bulldogs were snatched during an armed robbery, while her dog walker was shot. | The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has deployed a team specializing in kidnappings and ransom cases to assist the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) with the case, the Sun reported. The investigators, among other things, are looking into potential political motives behind the incident. | "Lady Gaga is high profile, of course, but she sang at President Biden's inauguration, which takes thi…
(2021-02-26). Mars trip 'can only be understood through black Americans,' NASA tweets, celebrating renaming of HQ building. rt.com 
The US space agency has renamed its DC headquarters after NASA's first black female engineer Mary Jackson, celebrating with a poem about "going to Mars" even as the agency delayed a planned return to the Moon. | Long merely called 'NASA Headquarters', the Washington, DC building was officially renamed in honor of Jackson on Friday. She became the space agency's first black female engineer in 1958, seven years after joining its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). | "The trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans." — Poet and educator Nikki Giovanni reads a…
(2021-02-26). 'Stunning and brave?' Oreo Cookie called out for marketing ploy after tweeting 'Trans people EXIST'. rt.com 
Oreo Cookie may have been trying to signal a boldly virtuous statement for social justice by proclaiming that "Trans people exist," but while the message struck a chord with some, it fell flat with many denouncing it as a PR move.
(2021-02-26). TikTok agrees to $92mn settlement in class-action over alleged privacy breach of US users. rt.com 
Chinese multinational ByteDance agreed to a $92 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit after over a year of litigation. The suit alleged its short video app TikTok tracked and harvested private data of some US users. | The proposed settlement came to light in court documents filed in the US District Court in Illinois on Thursday. The settlement still needs court approval. | The settlement, the result of 21 consolidated federal cases filed primarily on behalf of minors — some as young as six — applies to 89 million TikTok users in the US who allegedly had their privacy breached. While the compan…
(2021-02-26). Amazon-owned Twitch removes anti-union ads pushed by parent company after media and users complain. rt.com 
Ads urging workers in Alabama not to unionize "shouldn't have been allowed," the streaming platform Twitch said, bucking its parent company Amazon after a pro-union outlet published a story complaining about the videos. | "Twitch does not allow political advertising, and these ads should never have been allowed to run on our service," the company said in a statement on Wednesday, thanking the "community" for bringing them to attention. | new: Twitch says they have removed these ads from the platform "Twitch does not allow political advertising, and these ads should never have been allowed to run on our service…
(2021-02-26). Mars trip 'can only be understood through Black Americans', NASA tweets, celebrating renaming of HQ building. rt.com The US space agency has renamed its DC headquarters after NASA's first black female engineer Mary Jackson, celebrating with a poem about "going to Mars" even as the agency delayed the planned return to the moon. | Long merely called "NASA Headquarters," the Washington, DC building was officially renamed in honor of Jackson on Friday. She became the space agency's first black female engineer in 1958, seven years after joining its predecessor the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). | "The trip to Mars can only be understood through Black Americans." — Poet and educator Nikki Giovanni reads…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Crown Prince APPROVED plan to 'capture or kill' Khashoggi, newly-declassified US intelligence report says. rt.com 
A report by the US intelligence community states that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. The brief report restates what activists have long claimed. | "We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," reads the report, which was released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday. | The report cites Prince Mohammed's "control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom," as well as the involvement of some of his security det…
(2021-02-26). 'A real American samurai': Bizarre video featuring Japanese 'futurologist' shown at CPAC hails Trump as communist-fighting hero. rt.com 
Attendees at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference were treated to a bizarre video featuring a Japanese "samurai futurologist" praising Donald Trump's communist-fighting prowess, two days before Trump's own speech. | A one-stop-shop for all things Republican, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) serves as a barometer of sorts for the direction of the GOP. From the list of pro-Trump speakers to a Sunday night appearance from the former president himself, this year's conference is all about Donald Trump. | Aside from the usual cast of Trump-friendly lawmakers and conservative…
(2021-02-26). Bill demanding $15 minimum wage from corporate giants surprisingly comes from pro-Trump Senator Hawley. rt.com 
US Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) has announced a bill requiring large employers to pay a $15 minimum wage, seemingly aligning him more with left-wing Democrats than his conservative colleagues on the issue. | Hawley, who was demonized by Democrats for challenging the validity of President Joe Biden's election victory, said Friday that his new legislation would require companies with annual revenue of $1 billion or more to pay their employees at least $15 an hour. Smaller companies would be spared the mandate, but Hawley's plan also would provide tax credits to US citizens who make less than $15 an hour, bas…
(2021-02-26). McConnell says he'd 'absolutely' back Trump as 2024 GOP nominee, as poll shows 46% of Republicans would ditch party for ex-POTUS. rt.com Senator Mitch McConnell said he would "absolutely" support Donald Trump as his party's next presidential pick, taking a more friendly tone after a recent poll found nearly half of the GOP would dump the party for the former POTUS. | Asked whether he would support Trump as the Republican presidential nominee in 2024 during a Thursday interview, the Kentucky senator answered readily in the affirmative. | "The nominee of the party? Absolutely," McConnell
(2021-02-25). Dr. Osterholm's Warning: COVID Hurricane on the Horizon. counterpunch.org 
Twelve months ago, Dr. Michael Osterholm was interviewed on the Joe Rogan Program. At the time, he warned that anywhere from 400,000 to 1.5 million Americans would die of COVID and that the pandemic would last for many years and significantly impact our lives. So far, his predictions have been eerily accurate. Today, Dr. Osterholm is warning that a "Category 5 COVID-hurricane" is on the horizon, with the B117/UK Variant posing the greatest threat.
(2021-02-25). To 'Build Back Better,' listen to those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. peoplesworld.org 
Though often ignored, communities know best what ails them. I am reminded of this often because I hear it in my classroom. I heard it before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I hear it louder now as the pandemic rages on. At the end of last term, amidst the surge in cases after Thanksgiving, I asked …
(2021-02-25). 'Completely defiant' minority have no regard for Covid-19 rules, police say, as almost 70,000 fines issued in England and Wales. rt.com 
A total of 68,952 fixed penalty notices have been handed out by police officers in England and Wales since Covid-19 laws came into effect last year, with more than 10,000 given in London alone. | Data compiled by the National Police Chief's Council (NPCC) on penalties from March 27, 2020, when the Covid-19 laws took effect, through to February 14, 2021 was released on Thursday. | In the week beginning January 27, police handed out their highest weekly total of the pandemic to date, issuing 6,218 tickets. | "Eleven months on and back into a national lockdown, the rules are really clear and so it is frustrating…
(2021-02-25). It's time to shorten the workday—and the workweek. peoplesworld.org 
It's been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced people in our society to "shelter in place," social distance, and wear masks. Most social activities, such as sporting events, concerts, and parades were canceled. Schools and businesses closed, forcing nearly 50 million people onto the unemployment rolls. And while in recent months the numbers …
(2021-02-25). Step on it! Russian diplomats forced to push trolley to depart from North Korea (VIDEO). rt.com 
With borders shut tight due to the coronavirus pandemic, the diplomats from the Russian mission in Pyongyang had to saddle a handcar and push it all by themselves to make it home from North Korea. | The DPRK has always been a closed state, but getting in and out of it became even harder after the coronavirus hit. Eight diplomats and their family members, who returned to Russia from the country on Thursday, swapped several means of transportation during their lengthy journey. | Its most important leg ran across a railroad bridge over the Tumen River on the border between North Korea and Russia. In order to make…
(2021-02-25). Nomadland: The Impact of Gender-Bias in Wages. counterpunch.org 
If you grew up agitated that "women earn 59 cents on the dollar," for the same work as men, there's a movie for you. At the beginning of the new film, Nomadland, one of the characters tells Fern, the lead character played beautifully by Frances McDormand: "My social security check is $550. How am I
(2021-02-25). Harlem's 1930s housing struggle has lessons for today. liberationnews.org 
The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.
(2021-02-25). Fired up! Harlem's fight for housing in the 1930s. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.
(2021-02-25). Mayim Bialik: 'S*** got deep with me and Cornel West'. therealnews.com 
Mayim Bialik delves into the long history of solidarity amongst the Jewish people and Black Americans, and details her dismay at the state of racism in America, her upbringing as a staunch advocate for social justice, and her perspective on the apparent contradictions between her faith and her political ideologies.
(2021-02-25). Chicago Teachers Union's commitment to democracy pays off. liberationnews.org 
The battle over school reopening in Chicago was a hard fought one.
(2021-02-25). How Rational Can the US Be in Dealing with Yemen and Iran? dissidentvoice.org 
We're also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen — a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and restore long-dormant peace talks…. And to underscore our commitment, …
(2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden's and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org 
The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20% of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The United States continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …
(2021-02-25). Texas blackouts show why energy should be a universal right. juancole.com 
By Gordon Walker | — An unprecedented cold wave in the US state of Texas recently left several million households without power for days on end, as temperatures dropped well below freezing. Dozens of people died from hypothermia, car crashes, house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning from running cars or generators simply to keep warm. …
(2021-02-25). Neoliberalism is Killing US. realprogressives.org 
Following the idea of the Big Other defense falling apart when a truth is seen to be publicly accepted, what would be another similar public acceptance of failure for capitalism? Especially now, I think the US healthcare industry is a great place to look. The more timely issue is one of 'who gets coverage at all?' Barack Obama is the first mainstream, high-profile politician to say the words 'single payer,' descriptors that don't describe the Republican-influenced Obamacare that came to pass. | Bernie Sanders again was a part of the elevation of this idea in the mainstream. As I suggested before, he's not a…
(2021-02-25). "Islamo-Leftism": Macron's Witch Hunt Against Critical Academics. counterpunch.org 
Speaking recently on CNews, France's equivalent of Fox News, the higher education minister launched an unprecedented attack on the whole French academic community. Frédérique Vidal argued that French academia is "gangrened by Islamo-gauchisme" or "Islamo-leftism". The "Islamo-leftism" tag is today used uncritically by members of the government, large sections of the media and conservative academics. It is reminiscent
(2021-02-25). Capitalism in Crisis: End Capitalist Control Over Heat & Light. liberationnews.org 
Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the terrible storm in Texas and elsewhere in the south that has caused death, destruction and a near total breakdown in infrastructure. What does this say about the capitalist system?>
(2021-02-25). Elections Are Not Democracy: Call To Boycott Upcoming Israeli and Palestinian Votes that Don't Matter. mintpressnews.com 
Elections will matter in Palestine when they are called to include all people who live between the River and the Sea — one person, one vote for a single legislature and executive in a Palestine that is liberated.
(2021-02-25). The Doll House the CIA Built. dissidentvoice.org 
American news these past few decades has been an almost constant non-stop spectacle of shock and awe. Breaking news is emotionally gripping, often disorienting, a 24/7 drama without rest. Key talking points are relentlessly asserted. And with each passing year news commentators grow ever more certain of their talking points, with no sense that dissenting points …
(2021-02-25). HR 1's Campaign Finance Program: A Reform that Doesn't Reform. counterpunch.org 
HR 1, the For the People Act, is an omnibus voting reform bill that has many progressive measures concerning voter registration, voter roll purges, voter-verified paper ballots, early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, presidential candidate tax returns, gerrymandering, and more. According to reports, the Democratic leadership will whip their members hard to pass the bill through
(2021-02-25). The Heat: U.S.-Iran Nuclear Stalemate. america.cgtn.com 
The United States and Iran remain at an impasse over which country will make the first move in returning to the 2015 nuclear deal.
(2021-02-25). Petitions to oust Trump USPS board and postmaster DeJoy top 1.1M signatures. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Petitions to Democratic President Joe Biden and Congress' Democratic leaders to replace the Trump-named U.S. Postal Service board with a new one that would in turn fire Trumpite Postmaster General Louis DeJoy have passed 1.12 million signatures combined. And that figure may be low. The American Postal Workers Union reported their petition is just …
(2021-02-25). Bessemer Amazon workers: 'They are showing the way'. workers.org 
Joan Hwang The following remarks were given by Joan Hwang (she/they), an organizer with the Workers Assembly Against Racism, at a Feb. 20 rally in Manhattan, N.Y., in solidarity with Amazon workers organizing a union drive in Bessemer, Ala. Hwang is also an urban farmer. We are out here today . . . |
(2021-02-25). On Feb. 20: U.S. cities in solidarity to #BAmazon workers. workers.org 
Outside union-busting law firm Morgan Lewis, Philadelphia, Feb. 20. (WW Photo: Joe Piette) As Amazon workers in Bessemer, Ala., vote to unionize, they are gaining support. On Feb. 20, demonstrations took place in solidarity with BAmazon workers in 50+ U.S. cities in 30 states, including several in the South. The . . . |
(2021-02-25). "Decades in the Making": How Mainstream Conservatives & Right-Wing Money Fueled the Capitol Attack. democracynow.org 
As more details emerge about those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, it's becoming clearer that the insurrection was not the work of a "fringe" group, but rather the result of a decades-long conservative effort to undermine democracy, according to author Brendan O'Connor. "The events of January 6 were not just months, but years, decades, in the making," says O'Connor, who notes that major Republican donors and prominent conservative groups were connected to the Trump rally that immediately preceded the Capitol riot.
(2021-02-25). Republicans Unite Against Stimulus Bill That Has 76 Percent Voter Support. truthout.org 
A new poll of 2,013 registered voters has found that 76 percent of voters are supportive of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package. This is an increase from The stimulus package enjoys wide and decisive support. Nearly 90 percent of Democratic voters are in favor of the bill, called…
(2021-02-25). Marjorie Taylor Greene Targets Dem Lawmaker's Trans Daughter With Cruel Sign. truthout.org 
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), a member of Congress who was removed from committee assignments earlier this year for pushing conspiracy theories and issuing bigoted statements in her past, placed a sign next to her congressional office on Wednesday meant to mock transgender individuals. |
(2021-02-25). Dems Introduce Bill to Eliminate Pensions for Presidents With Felony Convictions. truthout.org 
Two Democratic lawmakers will introduce a bill that would strip former presidents of pension and other benefits if they were convicted of a felony — legislation that seems to be aimed directly at former President Donald Trump, who is presently the subject of numerous investigations. | Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) have authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act, which would change portions of the Form…
(2021-02-25). Two-Thirds of GOP Voters Still Buy Into False Claims of Election Fraud. truthout.org 
A new poll focusing on Republican voters' attitudes on the 2020 election shows that more than two-thirds of respondents do not accept the result of the presidential race as legitimate. | R Street Institute, a policy organization which promotes "free markets and limited, effective government," found that
(2021-02-25). No, Biden's Climate Plans Don't Cut It. truthout.org 
Long before the Texas energy crisis renewed calls for dramatic action, President Biden was getting high marks right now from a climate movement that was far from enthusiastic about him during the 2020 primaries. A wide range of activists, academics and policy wonks who spent four years planning for a post-Trump reality are almost unified in their enthusiasm about Biden's early moves. | But while everyone agrees there's considerable work ahead, is the celebration of Biden's climate agenda premature? | The White House's release of a s…
(2021-02-25). Offices of senior German lawmaker in Merkel's party raided over allegations he claimed huge fee in Covid mask deal — reports. rt.com 
Police in Germany raided the offices of a senior politician in Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Georg Nuesslein, who is accused of pocketing hundreds of thousands of euros for securing a face-mask contract, according to reports. | A total of 13 properties were raided in Germany and Liechtenstein as part of a probe into alleged corruption and the bribery of officials, the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office told
(2021-02-25). EU declares head of Venezuela's diplomatic mission 'persona non grata' in tit-for-tat after expulsion of European envoy. rt.com 
The European Union has declared Venezuela's chief diplomat at the bloc "persona non grata," calling the move retaliation after Caracas expelled the EU's ambassador in protest over a new round of sanctions from Brussels. | "The Council today agreed that the head of the Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the European Union be declared persona non grata," the European Council said in a
(2021-02-25). Deputy mayor wants Paris back under 3-week lockdown, despite opposition. rt.com 
Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire has said that his administration will likely place the French capital under a harsh three-week lockdown to curb Covid-19, and he doesn't care what President Emmanuel Macron thinks. | A curfew is currently in place in Paris to slow the spread of Covid-19, but Grégoire said it's "not enough to settle the curve." Speaking to France Info on Thursday, Grégoire said that his administration will propose a total lockdown of the capital next week. Mayor Anne Hidalgo will issue the proposal. | "We must now make courageous decisions," he said, adding that a lockdown "is…
(2021-02-25). 'You don't have to worry': Amnesty reveals it snubs inconvenient media and rights issues in prank call with 'Navalny ally'. rt.com 
Running damage control on the 'prisoner of conscience' row, Amnesty officials assured a prankster impersonating Alexey Navalny's ally that they fully supported the jailed blogger and didn't actually care about media freedom. | During a zoom call, Amnesty International's Secretary General Julie Verhaar, Eastern Europe and Central Asia director Marie Struthers and her deputy Denis Krivosheev bent over backwards to assure 'Leonid Volkov' that the organization was still backing Navalny, even though it revoked his "prisoner of conscience" status over previous remarks that qualified as hate speech. | Treating the ro…
(2021-02-25). After shuttering TV stations, Kiev now bans Telegram channels despite internet providers saying they can't actually censor them. rt.com 
A Ukrainian judge has ordered four major news channels on the Telegram messaging service to be blocked across the country, just weeks after the government banned a series of opposition-owned broadcasters and online news sites. | On Wednesday, the local Strana outlet reported it had received confirmation from a source in the SBU security agency, Kiev's successor to the Soviet-era KGB, that a district court in Kharkov had ordered the ban on the popular news feeds. Among them are Legitimnyy, Gossip Girl, Resident and Kartel, all operating in the Russian-language, which is reportedly spoken at home by at least one…
(2021-02-25). Democracy Now Amplifies State Department Propaganda Campaign Against China Behind Progressive Cover. strategic-culture.org 
By Danny HAIPHONG | While Democracy Now hosts US gov't-funded pundits to spread humanitarian interventionist propaganda about Xinjiang, an analysis by The Grayzone found most of the outlets's China coverage is sharply negative | The U.S. has claimed a humanitarian "Responsibility to Protect" to justify military operations in the name of saving civilian lives from evil dictators. Most notable have been the brutal U.S.-led wars in Libya and Syria which destabilized entire regions in the name of "civilian protection" and "promoting democracy." These operations relied heavily on self-described human rights NGO's and…
(2021-02-25). Biden's New Mideast: In Nadir of US-Saudi Relations, release planned of CIA report Accusing Crown prince of Murder. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Biden administration will release a Central Intelligence Agency report concluding that crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, 35, of Saudi Arabia, masterminded the assassination on October 2, 2018, of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. I'm not sure even an old foreign policy hand like President Biden understands how explosive this …
(2021-02-25). Iranian press review: MP's tweet supporting Princess Latifa sparks online backlash. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: MP's tweet supporting Princess Latifa sparks online backlash | Meanwhile, conservatives squeeze Rouhani to prevent breakthrough in talks with UN nuclear watchdog and timber traffickers use cars to avoid police detection | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 09: 56 | Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (L) having a meal with Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland,…
(2021-02-25). Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp. middleeasteye.net 
Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp | Construction at site near Dimona comes as Israel continues its scathing criticism of Iran's nuclear programme | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 10: 15 | Israel began secretly building the nuclear site with French assistance in the late 1950s in empty desert near Dimona, a city around 90km south of Jerusalem (Planet Labs) | A secretive nuclear…
(2021-02-25). US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants. middleeasteye.net 
US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants | Idlib-based reporter cannot appear on social media for six months following release by HTS, according to his own news network | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 12: 02 | Bilal Abdul Kareem stands in front of a mural in Idlib showing George Floyd, an American man killed by police, in 2020 (Twitter) | An American journalist based in Syria's o…
(2021-02-25). CIA secretly arranged call between Trump and Libya's Haftar: Report. middleeasteye.net 
CIA secretly arranged call between Trump and Libya's Haftar: Report | Intelligence agency arranged call where former US president praised Libyan general during failed Tripoli offensive, Washington Post reports | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 23: 02 | Former US President Donald Trump spoke with Khalifa Haftar in April 2019 (AFP) | The CIA secretly arranged a call between former US President Donald Trump and Libya's Khalifa…
(2021-02-25). UAE: Princess Latifa asks UK police to reopen case into sister Shamsa's kidnapping. middleeasteye.net 
UAE: Princess Latifa asks UK police to reopen case into sister Shamsa's kidnapping | In a handwritten letter given to British authorities on Wednesday, Latifa says a new investigation could help her secure her sister's release | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 14: 12 | Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum attends the Global Women's Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 16 February 2020. (REUTERS/Christopher…
(2021-02-25). Israel approves bill allowing names of unvaccinated to be shared with authorities. middleeasteye.net 
Israel approves bill allowing names of unvaccinated to be shared with authorities | Legislation allows government to share identities of people not vaccinated against Covid-19 with other authorities, raising privacy concerns for those opting out of inoculation | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 54 | A plenary session at the Israeli parliament in 2019 (AFP) | Israel's parliament approved a law on Wedn…
(2021-02-25). Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report | White House statement on call did not mention Jamal Khashoggi, but the impending release of US report on the murder is expected to shake US-Saudi ties | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 22: 46 | The Biden administration has said it will release the US intelligence community's findings on the murder (AFP/File photo) | President Joe Biden held his first phone ca…
(2021-02-25). Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics. middleeasteye.net 
Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics | Hundreds sign letter asking Alison Bashford to turn down Dan David prize over Israel's 'undermining of Palestine's health systems' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 13: 25 | A Palestinian man demonstrates in support of BDS near Ramallah (AFP) | An Australian historian is being urged to turn down a highly lucrative Israeli award in an open letter si…
(2021-02-25). Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine | Mark Lowcock made the appeal ahead of a virtual pledging conference, highlighting a big drop off in aid support in 2020 | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 08: 36 | The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80 percent of the people in need (AFP) | UN aid chief Mark Lowcock urged Gulf sta…
(2021-02-25). Morocco set to legalise cannabis growth and export for medical use. middleeasteye.net 
Morocco set to legalise cannabis growth and export for medical use | Kingdom to allow farming, export and domestic use of drug to help struggling Rif mountain farmers | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 00 | A villager stands in a field of cannabis near the town of Ketama in Morocco's northern Rif region (AFP) | Morocco is set to allow the production and sale of cannabis in the kingdom in an attempt t…
(2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net 
Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any cha…
(2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any ch…
(2021-02-25). Here's how you can support the campaign to stop the deportation of Osime Brown. thecanary.co 
(2021-02-25). British Gas engineers to launch new wave of strikes over fire and rehire plans. thecanary.co 
British Gas engineers will launch a fresh wave of strikes on 26 February in a deadlocked dispute over pay and conditions. | Strike: | Members of the GMB union will walk out for four days following weeks of action since the start of the year. Parent company Centrica announced on 25 February that its underlying earnings had fallen by almost a third as it lost more customers. The group reported a 31% drop in underlying operating profits to £447m for 2020. | Talks have been held between the two sides at the conciliation service Acas, but the union has accused the company of refusing to withdraw fire and…
(2021-02-25). 'Get the f*ck over it': UFC's Kevin Holland questions Covid-hit Khamzat Chimaev for 'not having heart'. rt.com 
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland has insinuated that Khamzat Chimaev's battle with the lingering effects of Covid stem from the Russian-born star not having "heart" — citing his own comparatively light brush with the illness. | Chimaev was forced to pull out of his headline welterweight match-up with Leon Edwards on March 13 as he continues to struggle with health issues brought on by a coronavirus infection. | It was the third time the bout had fallen through and Edwards will now face Belal Muhammad — while Chimaev has been flown to the US so that he can receive medical care at the UFC's provision.
(2021-02-25). Russian 11yo figure skating prodigy nails QUINTUPLE lutz at training session (VIDEO). rt.com 
Talented 11-year-old Russian figure skater Maria Simonova has stunned fans and pundits with her incredible attempt to land a quintuple lutz on a pole harness during a training session. | The youngster, who has been training in Svetlana Sokolovskaya's group at CSKA school, managed to do five rotations in the air while being held by a pole harness which prevents potential injuries and falls. | In a video…
(2021-02-25). UFC 259: Sterling cites 'Khabib-style pressure' as he outlines masterplan to dethrone Russian bantamweight king Yan. rt.com 
UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling has referenced "Khabib-style type of pressure" as part of an approach which he believes will lead to victory when he faces Russian reigning 135lbs champion Petr Yan at UFC 259. | Sterling and Yan collide in a rearranged title match-up in Las Vegas on March 6 with both men on hot streaks. | Yan captured UFC gold with a fifth-round TKO victory over Brazilian icon Jose Aldo at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi in July, the latest in a 10-fight winning run for the Siberian. | Sterling, meanwhile, heads into his meeting with 'No Mercy' on a five-fight winning streak, and in his last Octagon ap…
(2021-02-25). India's Farm Protests: "If We Don't Stand By Them, Who Will?" counterpunch.org 
"The company people are certainly irritated with the protest happening here. It has badly affected transportation and the business is running poorly," says 22-year-old Nizamuddin Ali, a security supervisor at a home appliances factory in the Kundli industrial area. He lives about six kilometres from the farmers' protest site at Singhu, on the Haryana-Delhi border.
(2021-02-25). 'Compulsory vaccination': Moscow Communist MP takes aim at mayor for ending pensioners' free transport until they get Covid-19 jab. rt.com 
Controversial Russian Communist MP Valery Rashkin has asked the country's General Prosecutor's Office to investigate if Moscow is legally allowed to refuse free travel to pensioners who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19. | Last year, the city's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, from the pro-Vladimir Putin United Russia party, decided to block the social cards of the elderly, forcing them to pay for travel until they get inoculated. According to Rashkin, the Communist leader in the capital, this is tantamount to compulsory vaccination. | "The mayor's decree violates the rights of citizens of the city of Moscow ove…
(2021-02-25). No more Mr. Potato Head? Hasbro bombarded with mockery after announcement that famous toy brand is gender neutral now. rt.com 
Hasbro has announced that their famous Mr. Potato Head toy will soon be rebranded as simply Potato Head to break away from the traditional two genders once offered. | "Culture has evolved," Kimberly Boyd, an SVP and GM at Hasbro, told Fast Company about the change. "Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists — with the 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.'— is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure." | Since the Mr. and Mrs. Potato head toys have appealed to mainly young children for decades now, this new change will be a way to break down the…
(2021-02-25). Student shamed as 'disrespectful' for choosing 'racist' Candace Owens as 'black trailblazer' for project, now leaving school. rt.com 
A Virginia student is leaving her high school after staff failed to do anything about a mass email blasting her for choosing to highlight conservative pundit Candace Owens as a "black trailblazer." | Students at St. Margaret's High School in Tappahannock, Virginia were assigned this month by the Black Student Union to present projects on "black trailblazers" in honor of Black History Month. Julia Saville, a junior, chose Owens. | Saville, a chapter leader for Turning Point USA for which Owens used to work, told Daily Wire she joined the Black Student Union to get a different perspective on race issues in light…
(2021-02-25). Asian-American civil rights group blasts critical race theory as 'hateful, divisive fraud' in fiery letter. rt.com 
The New York chapter of the oldest US Asian-American civil rights group has denounced critical race theory as actual racism and urged its members to resist, as the Biden administration seeks to mandate CRT-based 'equity'. | CRT "is a hateful, divisive, manipulative fraud," the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) of Greater New York said in a
(2021-02-25). 'Not consistent with our objectives': Harvard plans event featuring expert on cancel culture… then cancels it. rt.com 
Author and cancel culture critic James Lindsay was set to appear at an event for the Harvard Business School Club of New York, but in an ironic twist, organizers got cold feet and cancelled the entire event. | The event, which was set for March 11, would have featured Lindsay speaking about a book he co-authored, 'Cynical Theories', which turns a critical eye toward things like cancel culture and cultural appropriation. Lindsay is also the founder of New Discourses, a site that also takes a critical approach to social justice issues being politicized in the culture and in education. | While one would think som…
(2021-02-25). Georgia State House approves bill limiting police budget cuts to NO MORE than 5% as Democrats slam law as unconstitutional. rt.com 
Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would prohibit large cuts to city and county police budgets, handing off the law to the GOP-led Senate as Democrats insist it would violate local autonomy and the state constitution. | The
(2021-02-25). #MeWho? Former Cuomo aide's tell-all of strip poker & unwanted kisses met with crickets, proving movement killed by partisanship. rt.com 
Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, has finally come forward with the details of her alleged harassment — only to be confronted by cricket chirps, as the #MeToo crusaders seem to have vanished. | Months after going public with the claim that she was harassed by Cuomo during her three-year stint working for the governor's office, Boylan delivered the details of the governor's alleged misconduct — from unwanted advances including a kiss and comments about her body, to an invitation to play strip poker on a private flight, to a claustrophobic interlude at the governor's off…
(2021-02-25). Wanted: Ad seeks well-paid PR strategist for New York governor amid nursing home deaths and harassment scandals. rt.com (2021-02-25). Trump hands over 'MILLIONS of pages' of tax returns to Manhattan DA — reports. rt.com (2021-02-25). As troop withdrawal nears, police say militias aim to blow up Capitol, 'kill as many members as possible' during Biden's SOTU. rt.com 
Andrew Cuomo's office has reportedly posted an ad seeking a communications director to handle "messaging" for the state's many scandals, from nursing home death coverups to sexual harassment allegations to endless corruption. | "The State of New York's Executive Chamber has an immediate opening for a top level executive to lead messaging for the Office of the Governor. The position reports to the Communications Director," the listing, reposted on Wednesday, revealed. | pic.twitter.com/KlGs18th0E— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) (2021-02-25). 700+ children remain in detention at US border, 200 for over 48 hours, amid spike in unaccompanied crossings — media. rt.com 
Hundreds of unaccompanied minors have been held at the US border waiting to be processed, Axios reported. Almost a third of them have been lingering in detention for more than two days, as the backlog piles up. | Around 700 minors who crossed into the US on their own were kept in Border Patrol Custody as of Sunday, Axios By that time, around 200 children had already been held up for over 48 hours, a…
Former president Donald Trump has reportedly handed over his tax returns to prosecutors in New York. With Trump describing the investigation as a "fishing expedition," sifting through the "millions of pages" may take time. | The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump's lawyers may no longer shield the ex-president's tax returns from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who is investigating whether Trump and the Trump Organization committed any financial crimes, including his alleged inflating of property values to secure loans. | Trump's lawyers immediately handed over the returns, CNN reported on Thu…
Police have apparently found a new pretext to keep a militarized security shield around the US Capitol, warning that pro-Trump militias are plotting to bomb Congress during President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech. | "We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desire that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union," acting Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman said Thursday in testimony to a House subcommittee. | Such an attack would carry out unfinished business that the electio…