(2021-02-23). Notes on Black History Month, 2021: No More Black Messiahs, Please. counterpunch.org 
The sign in the window of my neighborhood food store reads, "Black Lives Matter." I have shopped there at least once a week over the past year. I have never seen a Black person in the store or a Black person working there. That is not strange or unusual. There aren't many Black people in all of northern California. Indeed, there are fewer Blacks in the Bay Area than there were in the 1940s and 1950s. They've been pushed out.
(2021-02-23). Part II — Western Capital's Long Chinese Mission: From Opium to COVID Vaccine Credentials. mintpressnews.com 
We examine the virtually unbroken history between American power-brokers and the highest echelons of power in China — a history that harkens back to the earliest days of capitalism, slavery, and the opium trade.
(2021-02-23). Trump Attacks Supreme Court for Allowing Probe Into His Tax Returns. truthout.org 
On Monday, the Supreme Court allowed a New York prosecutor to obtain Donald Trump's tax returns, marking a fatal blow for his legal effort to block an accelerating criminal investigation into his business dealings. In turn, the former president lashed out at and attacked the justices, including the three nominated to the bench by him, who rebuffed his attempt to block the probe without comment. | "This investigation is a continuation of the greatest political Witch Hunt in the history of our Country,"
(2021-02-23). Mourning Dr. Agha Saeed, Celebrating his Life. counterpunch.org 
Dr. Agha Saeed , a towering American-Muslim figure has passed away today in a nursing home at the age of 72, due to complications from Covid-19. He had also been silently suffering from Parkinson's for over eight years. The history of American Muslims will be incomplete and extremely inadequate without recognizing Dr. Saeed's life achievements
(2021-02-23). Demographic characteristics of people receiving COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States. mronline.org 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with states to provide more information on the demographic characteristics of vaccinated people.
(2021-02-23). 'The containers offer privacy!' Biden under fire for opening child detainment center, but some liberals jump to defend him. rt.com 
The first child immigration detainment facility under President Joe Biden opened this week, prompting Democrats who had attacked former President Donald Trump for maintaining similar facilities to go on the defensive. | A former oil field worker camp in Carrizo Springs, Texas, it was briefly used as a detainment facility by the Trump administration in 2019 before being closed down, but is now back in operation to hold "up to 700 children," with the Biden administration saying it was needed since capacity has been cut at other facilities due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Immigration activists were saddened to hea…
(2021-02-23). Experts urge the UK to follow a zero-Covid strategy to prevent more mutations. thecanary.co 
Stamping out coronavirus (Covid-19) means that the virus which causes the disease will have less chance to mutate, MPs have heard. | Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that he could not understand why the government had decided not to follow the path of eliminating the virus — or a zero-Covid approach — and instead accepted that it will become endemic in society. | Prof McKee said having a situation where infection rates are "yo-yoing" up and down was just creating uncertainty for the public and for the economy. | It comes afte…
(2021-02-23). Over 33 Percent of Low-Paid Workers Lost Jobs During Pandemic. truthout.org 
Economic crises shine a spotlight on a society's inequities and hierarchies, as well as its commitment to support those who are most vulnerable in such grievous moments. The calamity created by Covid-19 is no exception. The economic fallout from that pandemic has tested the nation's social safety net as never before. | Between February and May 2020, the number of unemployed workers soared more than threefold — from 6.2 million to 20.5 million. The jobless rate spiked in a similar fashion from 3.8% to…
(2021-02-23). #FireFauci trends as he tells vaccinated people to remain under lockdown, blames Trump's 'denial' for massive death count. rt.com 
Calls for White House adviser Anthony Fauci to be fired have intensified as he continues pushing lockdown restrictions and criticizing former President Donald Trump over Covid-19 deaths. | After cautioning vaccinated individuals from resuming normal activities like dining out or attending large group events, Fauci tried clarifying his stance in a Tuesday interview with CNN, saying more relaxed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be coming "soon." | The agency, Fauci said, needs to "sit down, talk about it, look at the data and then come out with a recommendation based on the…
(2021-02-23). WHO Urges Rich Countries to Stop Undermining Efforts to Vaccinate Poorer Ones. truthout.org 
The United States has passed 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, by far the highest toll in the world. The morbid milestone comes as new COVID-19 cases continue to fall across the country amid an accelerating vaccine rollout, but the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on rich countries not to undermine efforts to get vaccines to poorer nations by buying up billions of doses — in some cases ordering enough to vaccinate their populations more than once. "The inequities that we've s…
(2021-02-23). U.S. COVID Death Toll Hits 500,000 as Rich Nations Hoard Vaccines, Leaving Poorer Nations Without Any. democracynow.org 
The United States has passed 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, by far the highest toll in the world. The morbid milestone comes as new COVID-19 cases continue to fall across the country amid an accelerating vaccine rollout, but the head of the World Health Organization is calling on rich countries not to undermine efforts to get vaccines to poorer nations by buying up billions of doses — in some cases ordering enough to vaccinate their populations more than once. "The inequities that we've seen here are just absolutely stunning," says Dr. Craig Spencer, director of global health in emergency medicine at Columbia Uni…
(2021-02-23). Pfizer and Moderna pledge to Congress to ramp up Covid-19 vaccine production as US death toll tops 500,000. rt.com 
Pfizer and Moderna have prepared written testimonies to the US Congress, promising to boost vaccine production in the coming months, as the country's death toll from Covid-19 recently exceeded 500,000. | The companies' executives are scheduled to speak before the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on Tuesday. | According to Pfizer Chief Business Officer John Young's written testimony, the company will have 120 million doses of the vaccine available for shipment by the end of March and an additional 80 million doses by the end of May. Pfizer expects that all 300 million contracted dose…
(2021-02-23). The Vaccine (Dis)Information War. dissidentvoice.org 
So, good news, folks! It appears that GloboCap's Genetic Modification Division has come up with a miracle vaccine for Covid! It's an absolutely safe, non-experimental, messenger-RNA vaccine that teaches your cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response, just like your body's immune-system response, only better, because it's made by corporations! OK, technically, …
(2021-02-23). Meghan McCain calls for firing of Fauci for 'inconsistent messaging' on Covid, gets roasted for calling vaccine rollout a disaster. rt.com 
Meghan McCain was taken to the woodshed online after demanding Anthony Fauci be fired for his "inconsistent messaging" on the Covid-19 pandemic, while complaining that she — a TV host — doesn't know when she'll be vaccinated. | The pundit took aim at Fauci during a Monday segment on 'The View' over a recent appearance on CNN, where the health expert suggested those who've received an immunization may still have to practice social distancing. | "I was very frustrated when I saw this clip," she said. "The fact that Dr. Fauci is going on CNN and he can't tell me that if I get the vaccine, if I'll be a…
(2021-02-23). Covid-19: Israel donates vaccines to countries that moved embassies to Jerusalem. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Israel donates vaccines to countries that moved embassies to Jerusalem | Czech Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, and Palestinian Authority will receive symbolic amount of vaccines, local media report | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 16: 57 | Israel is facing mounting criticism for not inoculating Palestinians in occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip (AFP) | The Czech Republic, Guatemala and Honduras, which have all move…
(2021-02-23). Matt Hancock's audacity is off the scale as he refuses to apologise for breaking the law. thecanary.co 
It should no longer come as a surprise, watching Matt Hancock give himself a pat on the back for how he's handled the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. It should also come as no surprise that he accepts zero responsibility for almost But Hancock's audacity flew off the chart on 23 February when he insisted that his team should be thanked, and that there had been no national shortage of PPE. Does Hancock think that a successful roll-out of vaccines…
(2021-02-23). Covid-19 in Lebanon: World Bank threatens to stop funding vaccinations after violations. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19 in Lebanon: World Bank threatens to stop funding vaccinations after violations | Lebanon's vaccine committee said on Tuesday that a number of lawmakers had received the jab without its approval | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 14: 02 | People receive Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines at the Lebanese American University Medical Center in Beirut, Lebanon, on 16 February 2021 (Reuters) | The head…
(2021-02-23). Die Twilight Zone: Covid, das Weltwirtschaftsforum (WEF) und Eugenik. globalresearch.ca 
All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | àúbrsetzt aus dem Englischen von Global Research: | |
(2021-02-23). Capitol Riots were a Dark Day for American Journalism. counterpunch.org 
What is reported matters and particularly so when it risks exaggerating violence or deepening fear and a sense of threat. If the US government really was the target of an armed insurrection, then this will be used to justify repression, as it was after 9/11, and not just against right wing conspiracy theorists. By becoming partisan instruments for spreading fake news, the media undermines its own credibility.
(2021-02-23). The Fake Debate Over a Minimum Wage. counterpunch.org 
Capitalism's "conservative" defenders yet again oppose raising the minimum wage. They fought raising it in the past much as they tried to prevent the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) that first mandated a U.S. minimum wage. The major argument opponents have used is this: setting or raising a minimum wage threatens small employers. They may collapse or else fire employees; either way, jobs are lost. What is conveniently assumed here is a necessary contradiction between minimum wages and small business jobs. That assumption enables opponents to claim that not setting a legal minimum wage, like not raising it, saves…
(2021-02-23). 'Haven't thought about that': Biden's AG nominee Garland dodges question whether illegal immigration should remain a crime. rt.com 
Former judge Merrick Garland, who was nominated by President Joe Biden to lead the Justice Department, seemed to say "I don't know" a lot at his Senate confirmation hearing, including when asked about illegal immigration. | Also on rt.com | | Senators questioned Garland on Monday ahead of the floor vote on his nomination, which appears to be a foregone conclusion. Time and again, however, he would not commit to things such as safeg…
(2021-02-23). Amazon faces a day of reckoning for its treatment of workers. therealnews.com 
Amazon workers and their allies rallied last weekend to support the union drive at the Bessemer, Alabama, facility. Workers say the company has failed to protect worker safety or improve working conditions even while Amazon and Jeff Bezos profited from the pandemic.
(2021-02-23). Amazon mysteriously pulls book critical of transgender movements, gets accused of 'digital book burning'. rt.com 
Author Ryan T. Anderson has blasted Amazon for removing his latest book on the rise of the transgender movement without explanation, a move that has many criticizing the company for playing politics and accusing it of censorship. | "I hope you've already bought your copy, cause Amazon just removed my book 'When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment' from their cyber shelves…. my other four books are still available (for now)," Anderson 'When Harry Became Sally' had p…
(2021-02-23). 'Truth to Power: Barbara Lee Speaks for Me' at Pan African Film Festival. peoplesworld.org 
Undaunted, the pandemic can't stop the Pan African Film Festival. In that immortal show biz tradition, the show must go on! Albeit virtually, as this year, in order to stay cinematically safe, America's largest and best annual Black-themed filmfest since 1992 is moving online and starting later than usual, kicking off on the last day …
(2021-02-23). Republicans oppose the American Rescue Plan at their peril. peoplesworld.org 
With Republicans scrambling to block emergency economic assistance to millions, the Democratic-led House of Representatives is moving quickly to approve the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) this week. The measure, which links the pandemic, economic crisis, and racial justice, then goes to the Senate. The Democratic majority is expected to pass it via the …
(2021-02-23). Qatar: More than 6,500 south Asian migrant workers have died since 2011, says report. middleeasteye.net 
Qatar: More than 6,500 south Asian migrant workers have died since 2011, says report | Data compiled from government sources reveals thousands dead since Qatar awarded Fifa World Cup in December 2010 | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 08: 14 | Migrant workers are seen walking next to a construction site in the Qatari capital Doha on 6 December 2016 (AFP) | At least 6,500 migrant workers from south Asian countries have died i…
(2021-02-23). FBI, NYPD exposed: Deathbed confession shines new light on assassination of Malcolm X. liberationnews.org 
Fifty-six years after the assasination of Malcolm X, new details from a former New York Police Department officer's deathbed confession has further implicated the NYPD and FBI in the killing. Raymond Wood, the former NYPD officer, requested the letter be publicized only after his death due to fears of retaliation. Wood's cousin, Reggie Wood, read …
(2021-02-23). Corporations, lawmakers collude in new multi-state 'right to work' offensive. peoplesworld.org 
Dave Dell Isola, the son and grandson of union members, grew up grateful for the family-sustaining wages and benefits that organized labor won for working people. But he never fully grasped the might of solidarity until he and his wife, Barbara, and their two sons lost everything in an apartment fire. Dell Isola's brothers and …
(2021-02-23). India's Farm Crisis: "They Sell Our Wheat to Us at Thrice the Price" counterpunch.org 
Laxmibai Kale has been losing a portion of her harvest every year. That's not been due to excessive rainfall or drought or poor farming techniques. "Our crops are destroyed," said 60-year-old Laxmibai, "because thepanchayat allows animals to graze on the land. I've lost count of the losses we've suffered." The five-acre plot in Mohadi village
(2021-02-23). Welcoming a Return to Sanity. counterpunch.org 
In the old days, specifically during the presidency of another actor, Ronald Reagan, Republican falsehoods seemed so quaint that Americans dismissed them as such, relegating them to sloganeering. "Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem," the conservative president charged during his first inaugural address in 1981. Nonsense. Reagan's phrase was
(2021-02-23). Killer cop still not on trial almost 3 years after killing Daniel Hambrick in Tennessee. liberationnews.org 
As made clear by the video footage, when Delke was unable to catch his victim on foot, he stopped running, assumed a firing position, and shot Hambrick three times, including once in the back of the head.
(2021-02-23). Biden and the Iran nuclear deal: what to expect from the negotiations. juancole.com 
By Ali Bilgic | — As Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, speculation was rife that one of the first things his administration would do would be to seek re-entry to the Iran nuclear deal that had been quit by his predecessor in the White House. The Joint …
(2021-02-23). Rohingya: The Sufis of Arakan. counterpunch.org 
'It was absolutely shocking, how children aged five or six were hunted down and had their throats slit. I was thinking 'this is ISIS-type stuff'. I told Aung San Suu Kyi 'you have moral standing in this country. You have to stop this. Why are you hiding it?' She said [the United Nations] needed to
(2021-02-23). From the People's World archives: W.E.B. DuBois joins the Communist Party. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's Note: Dr. William E. Burghhardt DuBois was born Feb. 23, 1868. Near the end of his life, in 1961, he applied for membership in the Communist Party USA. His letter, and the response from Gus Hall, leader of the party at that time, were published for the first time in the pages of The …
(2021-02-23). Plutonium in Space: What Are the Odds of a Catastrophe? counterpunch.org 
With all the media hoopla last week about the Perseverance rover, going almost totally unreported was that its energy source is plutonium—considered the most lethal of all radioactive substances—and nowhere in media that NASA projected 1-in-960 odds of the plutonium being released in an accident on the mission. "A '1-in-960 chance' of a deadly plutonium release
(2021-02-23). Student activists in Weymouth, Mass. vs the cult of 'blue lives matter'. liberationnews.org 
The rhetoric surrounding "blue lives matter" isn't new. Similar dogwhistles have been used to defend hate symbols such as the confederate flag, the Gadsden flag, and even the swastika.
(2021-02-23). Bhima Koregaon: Varavara Rao gets bail on medical grounds for six months. mronline.org 
Just as the Bombay HC pronounced the verdict, the additional solicitor general sought a stay on the order for three weeks. However, the court rejected it.
(2021-02-23). Erdogan slammed, will open a fascist 'Grey Wolves' school in occupied Artsakh. peoplesworld.org 
Anti-fascist forces in Turkey blasted authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's links to right-wing paramilitary death squads today after reports that he will open a new Grey Wolves school in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. He will lay the foundation for the building alongside Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in the city of Shushi, which was taken by Azeri forces …
(2021-02-23). The Race to Save the Vaquita Porpoise From Extinction. counterpunch.org 
San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico. The long-running global struggle to prevent extinction of the world's most endangered marine mammal claimed its first human life here on Jan. 2, in the conflict between illegal fishing and conservation of the vaquita porpoise. Fisherman Mario Garcia Toledo, 56, died after suffering massive injuries when his skiff collided with
(2021-02-23). Conservative Democrat Joe Manchin playing a dangerous game. peoplesworld.org 
The press is talking about how a conservative Democratic senator from West Virginia is now allegedly one of the most powerful movers and shakers in the nation's capital. Sen. Joe Manchin has been an enormous headache for President Joe Biden by threatening to sink the $15 minimum wage and by promising to vote down Biden's …
(2021-02-23). Crediting Xenophobia—rather than organizing—with raising workers' wages. mronline.org 
The Economist (2/15/20) ran a brief article last year with a startling headline: "Immigration to America Is Down. Wages Are Up. Are the Two Related?" Maybe, the article's anonymous author answered, at least for the short term.
(2021-02-23). What coronavirus taught us about the ruling class. mronline.org 
If half a million people in the United States were murdered by an evil cult, the leaders of which said that they would keep killing thousands a day to satisfy their rapacious urge for power and money, what do you think the response would be?>
(2021-02-23). adrienne maree brown: Octavia Butler's Visions of the Future Have Transformed Generation of Readers. democracynow.org 
The visionary Black science-fiction writer Octavia Butler died 15 years ago on February 24, 2006, but her influence and readership has only continued to grow since then. In September, Butler's novel "Parable of the Sower" became her first to reach the New York Times best-seller list. We speak with adrienne maree brown, a writer and Octavia Butler scholar, who says Butler had a remarkable talent for universalizing Black stories. "She wrote about Black women and about Black feminism, about Black futures, but she wrote in a way that appealed to all human beings," says brown.
(2021-02-23). Remembering Octavia Butler: Black Sci-Fi Writer Shares Cautionary Tales in Unearthed 2005 Interview. democracynow.org 
As Democracy Now! marks 25 years on the air, we are revisiting some of the best and most impactful moments from the program's history, including one of the last television interviews given by the visionary Black science-fiction writer Octavia Butler. She spoke to Democracy Now! in November 2005, just three months before she died on February 24, 2006, at age 58. Butler was the first Black woman to win Hugo and Nebula awards for science-fiction writing and the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur "genius" fellowship. Her best-known books include the classics "Kindred," as well as "Parable of the Sowe…
(2021-02-23). Unions, Poor People's Campaign press wage hike ahead of Congress vote. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—With notable union backing, led by Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry, the New Poor People's Campaign turned up pressure on Congress to approve raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, ahead of key votes on Capitol Hill. The pressure came in nine live demonstrations from coast to coast, despite rain in …
(2021-02-23). 'Jeep Grand Christopher sounds good': Twitter split after Cherokee Nation chief asks carmaker to stop 'honoring' his tribe. rt.com 
Naming a vehicle after a Native American tribe is wrong even if the intentions were good, the Cherokee Nation principal chief has said, and Twitter has some ideas for what to call Jeep SUVs instead. | Jeep Cherokee SUVs have been produced since 1974, and in the early 1990s, Chrysler (now part of the Netherlands-based company Stellantis) added the luxury Jeep Grand Cherokee model line to its range. Chuck Hoskin, who heads the largest of the three federally-recognized Cherokee tribes in the US, believes his people's name should not be "plastered on the side of a car," regardless of the motives for putting it the…
(2021-02-23). America Re-canceled? Black activist Young Pharaoh booted from anti-censorship themed CPAC event for 'reprehensible views'. rt.com 
The Conservative Political Action Conference has barred activist Young Pharaoh from speaking at its 'America Uncanceled' event, citing his "reprehensible" remarks on Judaism. The rapper denounced the move as "censorship." | CPAC organizers took to Twitter on Monday to declare that the
(2021-02-23). Bill Gates admits his 'large carbon footprint' makes him a 'strange person' to pressure others — as he plugs climate-change book. rt.com 
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has admitted his private jet and billionaire lifestyle make him a "strange person" to advocate against climate change, but insists he's doing his part bankrolling obscure tech years away from adoption. | While Gates acknowledged his critics had good reason to question why a man with "the biggest carbon footprint west of the Mississippi" was "preaching" to them about climate change, the software magnate-turned climate crusader insisted he was sincere about trying to shrink even his own massive consumption levels. | In a chummy discussion with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough on Tuesday, Gate…
(2021-02-23). NJ governor finally signs law legalizing recreational marijuana after 3-year wait, but it could be MONTHS before it takes effect. rt.com 
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has finally followed through on a long-standing promise to legalize pot — or at least decriminalize it. Or did he? State residents have been promised a lot more than what they're getting. | Murphy announced on Monday he had signed legislation that would launch a recreational marijuana marketplace and finally legalize the drug's use by adults (and decriminalize its use by minors), fulfilling a promise he made three years ago. | New Jersey's broken & indefensible marijuana laws are no more. | Today, I signed historic legislation to: | ‚úÖLegalize adult-use…
(2021-02-23). How do you market sex work? therealnews.com 
We're back with Part II of our special mini-series on work and politics in the sex industry, guest-hosted by friend of the show Jessie Sage. Jessie is a writer, podcaster, phone sex operator, clip artist, and co-owner of Peepshow Media. In this rich and expansive two-part series, Jessie interviews sex worker, activist, writer, undocumented migrant, and DACA recipient from Honduras, Maya Morena. In Part II of their conversation, Maya and Jessie pick up where they left off last week and discuss the day-to-day labor that goes into being a sex worker, the images that sex workers have to maintain, and much more.
(2021-02-23). WATCH: Huge EXPLOSION in Texas after train collides with 18-wheeler truck. rt.com 
First responders in Cameron, Texas are battling a huge blaze caused by an explosion after a train and an 18-wheeler truck collided. Eyewitness footage captured the moment a huge fireball rose over the site. | Local reports indicate both the train conductor and truck driver escaped the crash, which occurred at a grade crossing. Footage from the scene shows train cars flipped and aflame. |
(2021-02-23). Ex-VP Pence snubs annual conservative conference where his former boss Trump is due to speak, prompting speculations. rt.com 
While ex-president Donald Trump will be speaking at the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he will not be joined by Mike Pence, a fact that has both sides of the political aisle talking theories as to why. | Matt Schlapp, one of the main organizers for the event, has said Pence's refusal to speak at the conference is a "mistake." | "His conservative record is well respected, and conservatives want to hear his take on the current threats posed by socialism and this radicalized Democrat party," he said. | Trump's speech will, meanwhile, be his most public event since leaving office. While…
(2021-02-23). 'Publish your emails instead': Hillary Clinton's plans to pen 'political thriller' met with groans on social media. rt.com 
An announcement that former presidential candidate and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is planning to write a "political thriller" with author Louise Penny has been met with groans and eyerolls on social media. | Axios reported on Tuesday that the book, to be titled 'State of Terror', will be published in October by Simon & Schuster and St. Martin's Press. | The story will follow a "novice Secretary of State" who "joins the administration of her rival" a president who was inaugurated "after four years of American leadership that shrank from the world stage" — perhaps a not-so-thinly-veiled reference…
(2021-02-23). Beauty queen wife of drug lord El Chapo ARRESTED in Virginia on drug trafficking charges, accused of planning TWO prison escapes. rt.com 
Emma Coronel Aispuro, a former US beauty pageant queen and wife of arguably the world's most notorious drug kingpin — Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman — has been arrested in the US on an array of drug trafficking charges. | Aispuro, 31, who is a dual US-Mexican citizen, was nabbed at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly "on charges related to her alleged involvement in international drug trafficking," the US Justice Department The woman, who marrie…
(2021-02-23). The Heat: China-U.S. relations. america.cgtn.com 
Putting relations back on the right track. China makes the case for cooperation, instead of confrontation, with the United States.
(2021-02-23). Greece-Turkey tensions: Ankara claims Greek jets harassed research vessel. middleeasteye.net 
Greece-Turkey tensions: Ankara claims Greek jets harassed research vessel | The dispute comes despite recent talks to resolve long-standing maritime hostilities between the two countries | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 12: 45 | A Turkish military ship passes a coastguard patrol boat near the island of Lesbos on 6 March 2020 (AFP) | Turkey said on Tuesday that four Greek F-16s harassed a Turkish research vessel near…
(2021-02-23). Arabic press review: Egyptian judge accused of running drug-trafficking network. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Egyptian judge accused of running drug-trafficking network | Meanwhile, Palestinians in contact with international community to pressure Israel to allow Jerusalemites to vote in elections, and Kuwait prohibits all trade in Bitcoin | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 14: 58 | An Egyptian judge, the son of a senior judge at the Court of Cassation, is accused of forming a narcotics ring (AFP)…
(2021-02-23). Reviving Iran deal is 'most urgent' priority, says EU's Josep Borrell. middleeasteye.net 
Reviving Iran deal is 'most urgent' priority, says EU's Josep Borrell | Top European official rejects push to expand nuclear deal beyond its current scope to address other issues with Iran | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 18: 46 | Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) welcomes EU's Josep Borrell in Tehran on 3 February 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Top EU foreign policy official Josep Borrell has called reviving the Iran nuclear deal "th…
(2021-02-23). Human rights 'central' to US-Egypt ties, Blinken tells Egyptian counterpart. middleeasteye.net 
Human rights 'central' to US-Egypt ties, Blinken tells Egyptian counterpart | Antony Blinken raised human rights concerns in call with Sameh Shoukry, but rights advocates are demanding concrete action from Washington | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 21: 33 | Egyptian police cadets at training session at a police academy in Cairo, 30 December 2019 (AFP/File photo) | US Secretary of State Tony Blinken told his Egyptian count…
(2021-02-23). British royal family members have met with Gulf rulers over 200 times since 2011. middleeasteye.net 
British royal family members have met with Gulf rulers over 200 times since 2011 | UK royals have held the equivalent of one meeting a fortnight with Middle Eastern monarchies over the past 10 years | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 14: 09 | Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Buckingham Palace in central London on 7 March 2018 (AFP) | Members of Britain's royal family h…
(2021-02-23). UAE-backed STC forces accused of torturing Yemeni journalist. middleeasteye.net 
UAE-backed STC forces accused of torturing Yemeni journalist | Adel al-Hasani produced a CNN report critical of the UAE's activities in Yemen, which a source says is the reason behind his detention | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 12: 04 | Hasani is an investigative journalist, producer and fixer for international journalists, based in the southern Yemeni city of Aden (Social media) | Yemen's UAE-backed Southern Transition…
(2021-02-23). Erbil attack a warning to Iraqi Kurds, not the US, say Shia commanders. middleeasteye.net 
Erbil attack a warning to Iraqi Kurds, not the US, say Shia commanders | With tensions over Sinjar sky high, Iran-backed groups say they are happy to see the Kurdish authorities under pressure but not sure who fired the rockets | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 09: 22 | A gun and bullets belonging to a Yazidi militia affiliated with the PKK in the border area near Sinjar in 2016 (Reuters) | The recent miss…
(2021-02-23). Al Jazeera to launch new platform targeting US conservatives. middleeasteye.net 
Al Jazeera to launch new platform targeting US conservatives | Journalists expressed outrage over launch of Rightly, saying digital platform deviated from network's stated mission of giving a voice to the voiceless | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 17: 43 | Al Jazeera briefly launched an American news channel and website in 2013 but it was forced to shut down (AFP) | The Al Jazeera news network is launching a new digital pl…
(2021-02-23). Syria: Russia digs up graves in refugee camp in search of dead Israeli spy Eli Cohen. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Russia digs up graves in refugee camp in search of dead Israeli spy Eli Cohen | The three-week excavation of Yarmouk cemetery is part of a search for the former Mossad agent, according to report | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 16: 01 | Damaged graves in the Yarmouk refugee camp cemetery following a bomb attack by Syrian government forces in Damascus, 11 April 2015 (Rami al-Sayed/AFP) | Russian forces in Syria have…
(2021-02-23). Saudi Arabia to allow women to join military for first time. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia to allow women to join military for first time | The move is the latest in a series of policy changes designed to change the image of the ultra-conservative kingdom | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 11: 15 | Saudi women watch golfers compete in the Saudi Ladies International golf tournament (AFP) | Saudi Arabia has announced it will allow women to apply for the military for the first time in its…
(2021-02-23). British royals met with autocratic Arab monarchs 'over 200 times' since 2011. middleeasteye.net British royals met with autocratic Arab monarchs 'over 200 times' since 2011 | UK royal family members have reportedly held the equivalent of one meeting a fortnight with 'tyrannical' Arab rulers over the past 10 years | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 14: 09 | Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Buckingham Palace in central London on 7 March 2018 (AFP) | Members of Brit…
(2021-02-23). Outcry in Kuwait over suicide of stateless Bidoon child. middleeasteye.net 
Outcry in Kuwait over suicide of stateless Bidoon child | Thousands of people are highlighting the case online and demanding an end to the community's marginalisation | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 14: 07 | An illustration of the child has been shared online with the caption 'you have returned to God, the most merciful, Ali' (Screengrab/Twitter) | Reports of a 12-year-old child's suicide from Kuwait's stateless pop…
(2021-02-23). 'Stripped NAKED and left in cell with lights on': Trans woman charged in Capitol riot alleges mistreatment in jail. rt.com 
A transgender woman charged in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol says she was held naked in a constantly lit jail cell for four days, asking the court to be placed under house arrest instead. Jail officials denied mistreatment.
(2021-02-23). UAE-owned arms company wants to help produce F-35 fighter jets. middleeasteye.net 
UAE-owned arms company wants to help produce F-35 fighter jets | Biden suspended the sale of weapons to the United Arab Emirates approved by Trump in his final days of office | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 10: 32 | EDGE CEO Faisal al-Bannai said his company was ready to produce missiles and parts for the F-35 fighter if sales of the warplane to the UAE were approved (AFP) | The United Arab Emirate's…
(2021-02-23). Campaigners call for the strengthening of Welsh language rights as people globally stand up for oppressed mother languages. thecanary.co 
Sunday 21 February The International Mother Language Day Kurdistan: | Commentators on Twitter highlighted the continued o…
(2021-02-23). American Exceptionalism: Private Wealth and Public Squalor. dissidentvoice.org 
A December 2017 statement from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights notes that, while the US manages to spend "more [money] on national defence than China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Kingdom, India, France, and Japan combined", US infant mortality rates were, as of 2013, "the highest in the developed world". …
(2021-02-23). Trump Salary Donation Was 0.1 Percent of Reported $1.6 Billion He Made in Office. truthout.org 
According to a review of Donald Trump's financial disclosures by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Trump reported at least $1,613,583,013 in revenue from outside sources during his presidency. | Trump famously touted
(2021-02-23). Progressives Vow to Fight Manchin and Sinema Holding Up Stimulus Over $15 Wage. truthout.org 
On Wednesday, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough is set to meet with Democrats and Republicans as they argue their case on whether or not to keep the $15 federal minimum wage proposal in the stimulus. MacDonough's decision, which could come soon after the meeting, on what's known as the "
(2021-02-23). Texas Companies Are Forcing Employees to Use Vacation Time for Winter Storm. truthout.org 
Dozens of employers in Texas are forcing their employees to dig into their vacation time to account for days they didn't work due to the winter storm, or else go without pay for those days, The Daily Beast reports. | Last week, millions of Texans were left without power, some for days, as a winter storm hit the state and
(2021-02-23). Unrepentant About His Cancún Trip, Ted Cruz Blames Media for Publicizing It. truthout.org 
After attempting to do significant public relations damage control over his jaunt to Mexico while Texas was in a deep crisis caused by Winter Storm Uri, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is now trying to suggest he's being victimized by the media. | Speaking during an appearance on conservative radio host Dana Loesch's program Monday, Cruz, who had left the state with his family to travel to Cancún, Mexico, as millions of residents suffered extreme temperatures without heat, electricity and running water…
(2021-02-23). "What Are We Going to Do About It?" Mariame Kaba Talks Abolition in Action. truthout.org 
In the wake of the uprisings following the highly publicized murder of George Floyd, new attention has been paid to campaigns to defund and abolish police and policing, and imagine new ways of existing in a world where safety, justice and healing can — and should — exist independently of the carceral state. In this atmosphere of heightened excitement about abolition, Mariame Kaba has delivered the timely collection We Do This 'Til We Free Us. A perennial organizer and prison industrial…
(2021-02-23). GOP Senator on Investigations Committee Blames "Fake Trump Supporters" for Jan 6. truthout.org 
During a hearing on Tuesday examining the attack on the Capitol building that took place early last month, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) read into the record a widely debunked conspiracy theory, falsely alleging that the attacks themselves were incited not by former President Donald Trump, but by members of the crowd who were there to …
(2021-02-23). Selected Articles: Afghanistan's Multibillion Dollar Heroin Trade. globalresearch.ca 
By The Vaccine Reaction is reporting that a…
(2021-02-23). What Comes After Meritocracy? thenation.com 
The long-standing focus by liberals on meritocratic advancement has isolated the working class.
(2021-02-23). Outrage as Labour North West bans candidates from Liverpool mayoral elections. thecanary.co Labour North West has Shortlisted candidates acting mayor Wendy Simon, current lord mayor Anna Rothery, and former deputy mayor Ann O'Byrne were supposed to be competing for Joe Anderson's vacated position from last week. | Instead, an email sent to Labour party members announced the application process would be reopened. According to the Liverpool Echo, no previous candidates are…
(2021-02-23). Black Families Have a Vital Stake in the Future of the Postal Service. counterpunch.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
(2021-02-22). 'Taking the knee can't change systemic racism': Ex-footballer John Barnes supports players deciding not to kneel (VIDEO). rt.com 
John Barnes admits taking the knee can't "change systemic racism" and supports players finding alternatives, believing focus should be on combatting socio-political discrimination rather than isolated incidents of racial abuse. | Barnes' career with Liverpool, where he was twice a league winner, and England inspired generations of youngsters and future footballers, and at the time of his retirement from international football he had won more England caps than any other black player with 79 appearances for the Three Lions. | The 57-year-old has been vocal on the issue of systematic racism that he believes has p…
(2021-02-22). 'Taking the knee can't change systemic racism': Ex-footballer John Barnes supports players deciding not to kneel (VIDEO). rt.com John Barnes admits taking the knee can't "change systemic racism" and supports players finding alternatives, believing focus should be on combatting socio-political discrimination rather than isolated incidents of racial abuse. | Barnes' career with Liverpool, where he was twice a league winner, and England inspired generations of youngsters and future footballers, and at the time of his retirement from international football he had won more England caps than any other black player with 79 appearances for The Three Lions. | The 57-year-old has been vocal on the issue of systematic racism that he believes has p…
(2021-02-22). 'Inviting erosion of voter confidence': Justice Thomas calls out SCOTUS for 'baffling' refusal to hear Pennsylvania election case. rt.com 
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear two lawsuits over Pennsylvania rules in the 2020 election, saying they were now moot. Justices Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas argued that, if left unaddressed, this risks damaging democracy. | Among the BREAKING: <...
(2021-02-22). Trump cries it's 'fascism, not justice' as SCOTUS allows release of tax returns to NY prosecutor, adds he 'won' 2020 election. rt.com 
Former US President Donald Trump has lashed out at the Supreme Court after his lawyers failed to block his tax returns and financial records from being released to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. | The court's ruling was in response to Trump's team filing an emergency order in October 2020, seeking to shield his financial records from prosecutors. | The
(2021-02-22). Supreme Court Rejects Trump's Last-Ditch Effort to Block Taxes From Manhattan DA. truthout.org 
The United States Supreme Court denied a request by former President Donald Trump's legal team to prevent the former president from having to provide his tax records to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. |
(2021-02-22). Prisons Prime Testing Ground for Dehumanizing Hi-Tech 'Advances'. strategic-culture.org 
A new form of exploitation, known as "stakeholder capitalism," is already being tested in many places around the world and prisons are among the main targets for its implementation, as they provide an ideal and literally captive market for its proof of concept. | By Raul DIEGO | Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is coming under fire again from Democratic lawmakers, as well as from the American Postal Workers Union, who are calling for President Joe Biden to pave the way for DeJoy's removal after the Trump-appointee
(2021-02-22). Global Solidarity Is Needed During The Pandemic To End Medical Apartheid. dissidentvoice.org 
Some of the truths the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing about the United States are its racial disparities in health and access to health care. Black and Indigenous people are more likely to be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 than white people. They are two to three times more likely to be hospitalized and …
(2021-02-22). On the picket line. workers.org 
McDonald's workers win settlement In Los Angeles, between April and August 2020, workers at a McDonald's complained about inadequate protection from COVID, including lack of social distancing and forcible exposure to customers who refused to wear masks. Following strikes to protest these unsafe working conditions, McDonald's management retaliated by firing . . . |
(2021-02-22). Crisis sin Precedentes en Ecuador: Desafío para Andrés Arauz. globalizacion.ca 
Independientemente de cualquiera sea el ganador a la presidencia en el Ecuador, Arauz o Lasso, se tendrá que enfrentar a una brutal crisis, herencia de Lenin Moreno, por ejemplo, la crisis de salud, ocasionada por la pandemia del Coronavirus, atendida…
(2021-02-22). Half a million COVID dead: Trump death cult meets shock doctrine. peoplesworld.org 
Remember just a few short months ago when President Donald Trump floated the number of 200,000 coronavirus deaths as an acceptable number before COVID-19 just vanished like a miracle? The inevitable outcome of Trump's death cult has arrived—as of this week, a staggering half a million Americans in their graves from a disease that could …
(2021-02-22). Mandatory glasses next? Spectacles-wearers TWO to THREE times less likely to get Covid-19, study suggests. rt.com 
Research from India has indicated that people wearing glasses are far less likely to become infected with Covid-19 than those without, which appears to support health advice to wear spectacles instead of contact lenses. | Covid-19 can spread in many different ways, and one of those is through germs being spread to the eyes due to touching or rubbing. According to the new study, published at medRxiv.com and not peer-reviewed, people who wear glasses touch their eyes far less and are therefore less likely to spread the virus in this way. | Researchers found that, on average, people touch their face 23 times an h…
(2021-02-22). There is 'no credible route to a zero-Covid Britain,' Boris Johnson says, as he unveils 'irreversible' lockdown-lifting plan. rt.com 
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday conceded there is "no credible route" for Britain or the world to become completely free of Covid-19, as he announced a plan to gradually lift restrictions across England. | Noting that there will be more cases, hospitalizations, and deaths whenever the UK decides to lift its lockdown — whether that's immediately or in nine months — Johnson told Parliament there is "no credible route to a zero-Covid Britain or, indeed, a zero-Covid world." | We cannot persist indefinitely with restrictions that debilitate our economy, our physical and mental well-being, and t…
(2021-02-22). Covid-19 lockdown sees people across UK spend an extra 14 hours a week sitting down than before pandemic — survey. rt.com 
Nearly half of all Britons are sitting for 14 hours a week more than they did before the Covid-19 lockdown — and more than a third say they're bored of their limited exercise options, according to a new national survey. | The poll carried out for UKActive — a not-for-profit group that represents fitness and physical-activity bodies — found that 78 percent of the 2,170 adults surveyed said they spent more time sitting around during lockdown. Over a quarter said they found themselves off their feet for three hours more per day than before lockdown, while 15 percent said it was for four hours more…
(2021-02-22). Dutch restaurant group suing state over Covid closures, warns industry is on brink of bankruptcy with no end to lockdown in sight. rt.com 
The Netherlands' largest restaurant association has said it will sue the Dutch state in a bid to get the government to drop its ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, due to their devastating impact on the hospitality sector. | Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) said on Monday it was taking legal action based on the fact that the government has not provided epidemiological evidence for the restrictions that have forced the industry to close. | KHN has also criticized a lack of state financial support for restaurateurs and the government's failure to announce an exit plan for the current shutdown. The amount the associ…
(2021-02-22). US woman died after receiving coronavirus-infected lungs during organ transplant, study reveals. rt.com 
A Michigan woman died of Covid-19 last year after getting a double-lung transplant from a donor who turned out to be infected with the virus, according to a medical study describing the first such case in the US. | The unnamed organ recipient had chronic obstructive lung disease, while her donor was another woman, who succumbed to a severe brain injury after a car crash, a The surgery took place at the University Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan in mid-2020…
(2021-02-22). German Special Forces soldiers training in Arizona mistaken for TERRORISTS after 'bizarre' visit to local hospital. rt.com 
Two members of Germany's Special Forces Command (KSK) were reported to the FBI as likely terrorists after they showed up acting "strange" at a hospital near where they had been conducting weeks of military exercises. | The pair of plainclothed Bundeswehr soldiers turned up at an Arizona medical clinic looking to find out whether Germans would be able to receive treatment there in case of injury or infection with Covid-19. But the mystery men's visit set off alarms among the hospital staff, German outlet Der Spiegel reported on Monday. | Hospital workers immediately alerted the FBI, suspecting the visitors coul…
(2021-02-22). Pubs & shops in England to reopen in April, schools start back in two weeks, as PM Johnson unveils Covid lockdown exit. rt.com 
All pupils in England will return to the classroom on March 8 and some businesses will reopen next month, UK PM Boris Johnson said on Monday as he unveiled a four-stage plan to take the country out of its Covid-19 lockdown.
(2021-02-22). Republicans' Politicization of Mask-Wearing May Have Killed Tens of Thousands. truthout.org 
As the U.S. reaches the grim milestone of 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, the National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins has said that the proliferation of the virus due to partisan resistance and politicization around wearing a face mask could be responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. | Collins said that misinformation around COVID was particularly harmful around mask-wearing. In the early months of the pandemic, evidence showed that wearing a mask helped to stop the spread o…
(2021-02-22). IP, vaccine imperialism cause death and suffering, delay recovery. mronline.org 
Vaccine developers' refusal to share publicly funded vaccine research findings is stalling broader, affordable vaccinations which would more rapidly contain COVID-19 contagion. The pandemic had infected at least 109 million people worldwide, causing over 2.4 million deaths as of mid-February.
(2021-02-22). 'Why would anyone get the jab after this?': AP criticized for saying Covid vaccination WON'T bring life back to normal. rt.com 
Mainstream US media is under fire for publishing an article telling Americans that life won't go back to normal even after they've been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 — and critics argue the message discourages vaccination. | In an AP
(2021-02-22). Antonio Guterres criticizes unequal global access to COVID-19 vaccines, calls it 'wildly unfair'. mronline.org 
The UN secretary general pointed out that 75% of all vaccinations so far have been administered in just 10 rich countries, whereas 130 mostly poor countries have not received a single dose of vaccine.
(2021-02-22). The pandemics of racism and COVID-19 are a deadly mix. therealnews.com 
A century of racist public policy laid the foundation for deep racial inequities in employment and vaccination rates in the U.S. pandemic response.
(2021-02-22). 'We didn't quite understand': Medvedev shared Djokovic confusion over Australian Open booing, says he does not want Covid vaccine. rt.com 
Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev has described the reaction to the tournament closing ceremony, when an organizer refenced politics and a Covid-19 vaccine, as "strange" — and said that he would not choose to have a jab. | ATP Tour Finals winner Medvedev missed out on his first Grand Slam before taking part in a ceremony that courted confusion as speaker Jayne Hrdlicka was greeted with occasional boos. | Jeers from the lively crowd were first audible when Tennis Australia boss Hrdlicka spoke of her optimism about the emergence of vaccines, and the boos grew louder when she praised politicians in t…
(2021-02-22). Covid-19: Former Israeli minister urges denial of vaccine to Palestinians in Gaza. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Former Israeli minister urges denial of vaccine to Palestinians in Gaza | Ayelet Shaked argued humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the besieged territory should be blocked over bodies of two Israeli soldiers held by Hamas | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 14: 57 | A Palestinian health worker holds swab samples collected to test for Covid-19 in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on 16 February 2021 (AFP) | Former Isr…
(2021-02-22). Fossil Fuel Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein on Deadly Deregulation & Why Texas Needs the Green New Deal. democracynow.org 
Millions of Texans are still suffering after severe winter weather devastated the state's energy and water systems. About 8 million Texans remain under orders to boil water, and 30,000 homes still have no power. Around 70 deaths have now been linked to the winter storms, including at least 12 people who died inside their homes after losing heat. Republican lawmakers in Texas are facing increasing criticism for their handling of the crisis, their decades-long push to deregulate the state's energy system, and their unfounded attacks on renewable energy and the Green New Deal. Naomi Klein, senior correspondent at Th…
(2021-02-22). A Green New Deal Would Solve Texas Energy Deregulation, Says Naomi Klein. truthout.org 
Millions of Texans are still suffering after severe winter weather devastated the state's energy and water systems. About 8 million Texans remain under orders to boil water, and 30,000 homes still have no power. Around 70 deaths have now been linked to the winter storms, including at least 12 people who died inside their homes after losing heat. Republican lawmakers in Texas are facing increasing criticism for their handling of the crisis, their decades-long push to deregulate the state's energy syst…
(2021-02-22). Palestine elections: Gaza voters sceptical about upcoming polls. middleeasteye.net 
Palestine elections: Gaza voters sceptical about upcoming polls | With the Israeli blockade still the prime preoccupation in Gaza, youth there hold little hope for Palestine's long-overdue vote | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 14: 27 | Palestinian members of Central Elections Commission register voters for the upcoming elections, on February 10, 2021 in Gaza City . (AFP) | The besieged Gaza Strip bears few signs o…
(2021-02-22). One Flew Over the US. counterpunch.org 
On the best route (also the route that the Metro North Railroad follows) to New York City from western Massachusetts, stands the remnants of a long-abandoned state psychiatric facility (Harlem Valley State Hospital) in upstate New York. The many buildings that housed mentally ill people, like others in many states, have the appearance of brick military-style
(2021-02-22). Red Books Day celebrated internationally to mark 173 years since the publication of 'The Communist Manifesto'. peoplesdispatch.org 
On February 21, 1948 the Manifesto of the Communist Party written by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels was first published in the UK. The book is recognized as one of the most influential in the history of humankind and it has been translated in almost all languages in the world.
(2021-02-22). Bessemer, Alabama: The whole world is watching. workers.org 
An injury to one is an injury to all. This famous labor slogan, popularized by the Industrial Workers of the World over a century ago, is more meaningful today than ever. But it has a double meaning for workers at Amazon, where the workplace injury rate is exceptionally high due . . . |
(2021-02-22). 'They destroyed our dreams': Israel's bulldozers target Palestinian women farmers. middleeasteye.net 
'They destroyed our dreams': Israel's bulldozers target Palestinian women farmers | The Palestinian women workforce faces a 'direct threat', as Israeli forces raze their agricultural lands | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 11: 05 | On 6 December 2020, Israeli bulldozers carried out one of the largest tree uprooting operations to date in the West Bank, destroying 3,400 olive trees in one day (Social media/Daoud A…
(2021-02-22). New European Union sanctions on democratic elections: 30 Venezuelan politicians to be sanctioned. mronline.org 
The European Union (EU) announced this Friday, February 19, that the body will sanction about thirty Venezuelan leaders for participating in the legislative elections last December, reported Europa Press, alluding to a "high ranked official" of the community bloc.
(2021-02-22). WHO Busts Wuhan Myths: Pandemic started with wild Animal, not Lab, and Wet Market wasn't Ground Zero. juancole.com 
By Dominic Dwyer | — As I write, I am in hotel quarantine in Sydney, after returning from Wuhan, China. There, I was the Australian representative on the international World Health Organization's (WHO) investigation into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Much has been said of the politics surrounding the mission to investigate the viral …
(2021-02-22). Damming Rivers Is Terrible for Human Rights, Ecosystems and Food Security. truthout.org 
There's some good news amid the grim global pandemic: At long last, the The
(2021-02-22). Greece to install long-range cameras and radars along border with Turkey: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Greece to install long-range cameras and radars along border with Turkey: Report | Athens continues to tighten border security in a bid to discourage undocumented migration | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 10: 48 | Migrants near the fence of the Turkey-Greece border buffer zone in Edirne, Turkey, 7 March 2020 (AFP) | Greece will position radars and cameras with a range of up to 15km along its land border with Turkey…
(2021-02-22). Why Didn't Speaker Pelosi Want Witnesses? counterpunch.org 
Democratic leaders told the House managers to huddle privately with Trump's defense lawyers to strike a deal. They did. They would place a mere statement from Rep. Beutler into the trial record and call no witnesses. The Republicans couldn't have been more delighted, knowing that the Democratic leadership wanted the trial over that day before Congress went on a week-long vacation.
(2021-02-22). NGO refugee rescue ship left waiting on European help that never came. peoplesworld.org 
An NGO refugee rescue ship in the central Mediterranean waited hours today for help from the Maltese and Italian coastguards that never came after the vessel saved the lives of 148 people, 28 more than it is legally allowed to carry. Basque charity Humanitarian Maritime Rescue (SMH) announced in the morning that the Aita Mari …
(2021-02-22). Nathan Robinson speaks about losing his Guardian column after criticizing Israel. therealnews.com 
Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan Robinson tweeted a joke satirizing U.S. support of Israel, and The Guardian newspaper cancelled his regular op-ed column. Now he speaks with TRNN about facing accusations of anti-Semitism for criticizing Israeli power on Capitol Hill.
(2021-02-22). Hungry, cold and victims of inhumanity behind Texas prison walls. workers.org 
Houston On an average day in Texas, prisons are hellholes run by racist officials and a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison board that won't request the legislature allocate money for proper maintenance. Every weather emergency in the state, from hurricanes to flooding to subfreezing weather, has proven time and . . . |
(2021-02-22). The Weekly Round-up: Free Speech: Chilling Effects or Phantom Threats? ukhumanrightsblog.com 
A number of legal developments put free speech under the spotlight this week. First, media commentators disputed the significance of the Duchess of Sussex's successful privacy claim against Associated Newspaper Limited, covered in last week's round-up. A leader in The Times issued the grave warning that 'Mr Justice Warby's judgment creates a precedent that will have a chilling effect on …
(2021-02-22). It will take more than dumping Trump to stop the neo-fascists. peoplesworld.org 
At the end of World War II, we saw a worldwide defeat of fascism. Millions in countries around the planet rejected what their fascist overlords had to offer—racism, genocide, economic austerity, and war. U.S. and Soviet soldiers marched for the same cause as they defeated fascism in one country after another. The liberating troops marching …
(2021-02-22). Protests continue in Haiti against the dictatorship and imperialism. peoplesdispatch.org 
Another round of massive protests took place on February 21 calling for an end to the dictatorship of Jovenel MoàØse whose term was supposed to end on February 7…
(2021-02-22). Partners: China and Cuba. mronline.org 
In the 1960s, the main forms of the Chinese assistance offered to Cuba were preferential trade and interest-free loans. From 1961 to 1965, China gave Cuba an interest-free loan of 60 million U.S. dollars.
(2021-02-22). India: Rail roko protest and growing state-sanctioned terror. workers.org 
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the farmer unions' umbrella body, launched a rail roko protest to halt train transit in many parts of India for four hours on Feb. 18. This action is the farmers' latest attempt to push India's national government to repeal three "farm bills" intended to appease corporate cravings. . . . |
(2021-02-22). Cuba en vicepresidencia del Comité de ONU sobre Descolonización. peoplesworld.org 
Naciones Unidas, 18 feb (Prensa Latina) Cuba fue electa hoy para la vicepresidencia del Comité Especial de Descolonización de la ONU, cargo que asume con el compromiso de seguir luchando para erradicar el colonialismo en cualquiera de sus manifestaciones. Así expresó el representante permanente del país caribeño ante Naciones Unidas, Pedro Luis Pedroso, al asumir …
(2021-02-22). GOP Offers Preview of Brutal Climate Policies in Texas. counterpunch.org 
As Texas battles a severe snowstorm and mass power outages this winter, Tim Boyd, the now-former Republican mayor of Colorado City, revealed his party's plan for the deadly extreme temperatures linked to climate change. In a lengthy Facebook post that was deleted soon after it went viral, then-Mayor Boyd told his residents that they were entirely on their own as the brutal winter weather caused mayhem and deaths across the Lone Star state.
(2021-02-22). 2011 Book Gives Voice to Palestinian Women Who Survived 1948 Nakba. mintpressnews.com 
"If you'd only seen the bodies in the streets, if you only had seen the bodies. Little children without their shoes walking about the mayhem and crying."
(2021-02-22). 'Judas and the Black Messiah,' the story of revolutionary Black Panther Fred Hampton. peoplesworld.org 
In the summer of 2020, the United States, as in much of the world, experienced an uptick in activism around the issue of racial oppression. The recent increase in police killings of Black people, exemplified by George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, was answered by the militancy of those who have simply had too much. Black …
(2021-02-22). "Apocalypse Cow:" Point Reyes National Seashore Launches a Propaganda War Targeting Independent Journalism. counterpunch.org 
Grab your popcorn: The battle over livestock destruction of natural ecosystems at Point Reyes National Seashore is heating up. For years, conservationists have pointed out the ecologically catastrophic toll that beef and dairy ranching has been having on native coastal prairies, the wildlife that depend on these places, and public health and safety. As the
(2021-02-22). Haitian Official stashes Wealth in Montréal. dissidentvoice.org 
Recent media reports of a Haitian official stashing wealth in Montréal property ignore a key element of the story: Canada's contribution to enabling Haitian corruption. As a neo-Duvalierist regime becomes ever more dictatorial it's also worth revisiting Canada's history in facilitating fraud and money laundering in the hemisphere's most impoverished nation. Recently La Presse reported …
(2021-02-22). Portland, Ore. — Police stop hungry people from retrieving food from dumpster. workers.org 
Portland, Ore. As a massive winter storm swept across the U.S. last week, knocking out power from Oregon to Texas to the East Coast, millions of people found themselves in a desperate situation: no electricity, no water, no transportation and life-threatening cold — all in the midst of a global . . . |
(2021-02-22). District Court declares South Carolina Republicans' anti-abortion bill unconstitutional. peoplesworld.org 
South Carolina's draconian Senate Bill 1, the "Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act," hit its first legal snag on Friday when U.S. District Court Judge Mary Geiger Lewis issued a two-week temporary restraining order while the case works its way through the courts. Issued just a day after Gov. Henry McMaster signed the bill …
(2021-02-22). Saving the Classics from Blindness. counterpunch.org 
Dan-el Padilla Peralta, a classics professor at Princeton, was the subject of a recent article in the New York Times Magazine entitled "He Wants to Save the Classics From Whiteness. Can the Field Survive?" Padilla, according to the article, believes classics, as an academic discipline, "has been instrumental to the invention of 'whiteness' and its continued domination." I won't argue with that. I don't know enough about classics as an academic discipline. I do know something about academic disciplines more generally, though, and I have to say that, in my experience, most are characterized by at least unconscious,…
(2021-02-22). Texas refineries used storm to hide release of tons of pollutants. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's note: This article has been reprinted from EcoWatch. Texas oil refineries released hundreds of thousands of pounds of pollutants including benzene, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur dioxide into the air as they scrambled to shut down during last week's deadly winter storm, Reuters reported Sunday. Winter storm Uri, which killed dozens of people …
(2021-02-22). Impeachment manager Raskin's last word on Trump: He's 'a traitor'. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Unveiling a key word he never uttered during Donald Trump's impeachment trial in mid-February, chief House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., has labeled former White House Republican denizen Trump a "traitor." Raskin, a longtime constitutional law professor, delivered that verdict at the opening of a short Zoom video speech to the Government Employees …
(2021-02-22). Will Biden scrap Afghanistan withdrawal? liberationnews.org 
To the extent that the administration is still considering following through on the withdrawal, it is an expression of the military failure of the United States over the long course of the war.
(2021-02-22). Who Messed with Texas? counterpunch.org 
Texans like to brag endlessly about how great their state is, its "independence," and warn, "don't mess with Texas." But as millions of Texans now huddle freezing in the dark of this self-proclaimed "energy capital of the world," it might be worth thinking about how this tragedy happened, who and what caused it, and why Republican politicians are trying to blame renewable energy for a problem caused by poorly built and maintained fossil fuel generation facilities and the predatory capitalism of its deregulated energy system.
(2021-02-22). This Is What Deregulation Looks Like: Some Texans Face $10K+ in Electric Bills, Others Still in Dark. democracynow.org 
When millions of Texans lost power during extreme winter weather, some who were fortunate enough to keep the lights on now face astronomically high energy bills, with people being charged thousands of dollars for just a few days of energy use. The skyrocketing bills are a result of the state's years-long push to deregulate its energy market, says Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program. "We are seeing in these deregulated environments unscrupulous companies preying on their assumption that households will not understand or read the fine print," says Slocum. We also speak with Texas resident Akil…
(2021-02-22). No Heat or Water, Overflowing Toilets, Disgusting Food: Texas Prisons Went "from Bad to Dire" in Storm. democracynow.org 
As winter storms overwhelmed Texas, many incarcerated people in the state went days without heat and water, making already grim conditions behind bars even more intolerable for thousands of people. Officials say 33 prisons across the state lost power and 20 had water shortages after the state's electrical grid failed. Staff shortages compounded the problems, and some incarcerated people report not being provided with blankets to keep warm in their freezing cells and being served inedible food. "Texas prison conditions have gone from bad to dire," says Marshall Project reporter Keri Blakinger. "Prisons didn't real…
(2021-02-22). 'Everything has improved': Chelsea skipper Azpilicueta backs Tuchel takeover after Blues languished under Lampard's leadership. rt.com 
Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has thrown his weight behind Roman Abramovich's decision to replace club legend Frank Lampard with German boss Thomas Tuchel, admitting that the team had underperformed under their former coach. | The Chelsea hierarchy bit the bullet last month, drawing the curtains on their 18-month Lampard experiment at the West London club after a prolonged spell of poor performances. | Abramovich moved quickly to install the highly-rated former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain manager in the Stamford Bridge dugout — and Tuchel has rewarded the Russian owner by staying unbeate…
(2021-02-22). Moscow 'disappointed' with Brussels 'pressing dysfunctional sanctions button' as EU prepares new blacklist over Navalny's jailing. rt.com 
Russia has expressed "disappointment" with the EU plan to slap new sanctions on Moscow over the imprisonment of activist blogger Alexey Navalny, with the foreign ministry calling the move political and unrelated to human rights. | The EU has "missed yet another opportunity to review its … approach to relations with Russia" that is currently based on "sanctions and pressure," Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement following a summit of the bloc's foreign ministers. | "Brussels once again instinctively presses the dysfunctional sanctions button," the statement lamented. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-02-22). Iran will enrich uranium up to 60% if it wants to, Khamenei warns amid discontent over IAEA deal. rt.com 
If Iran wanted nuclear weapons, it would have them, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared, suggesting Tehran may continue enriching uranium up to 60 percent. The statement followed outcry over President Hassan Rouhani's IAEA deal. | Tehran's position on the JCPOA nuclear deal will not change, Khamenei said on Monday, adding that Iran will not bow to international pressure — from either its European partners in the deal or the US, which is no longer party to the agreement. | While the Ayatollah stressed that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, he argued "no one" could stop the country from having them if i…
(2021-02-22). '7 minutes of terror': NASA reveals final nerve-shredding moments of rover's descent to Mars (VIDEO). rt.com 
Footage of the tense final moments of NASA landing its Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars has been released by the US space agency, with the clip capturing incredible details of the Red Planet's rugged terrain. | The rover touched safely down on February 18 after a 300-million-mile voyage from Earth to start its mission to search for signs of ancient microbial life on Mars. The clip released on Monday covers the final few minutes of that incredible journey, as NASA engineers tracked the descent of Perseverance. | "Now we finally have a front-row view to what we call 'the seven minutes of terror' while l…
(2021-02-22). Protesters rally in Algerian capital, marking rebirth of popular Hirak uprising that ousted President Bouteflika in 2019. rt.com 
Despite a heavy police presence, thousands of people have joined protests across the Algerian capital in a resurgence of the Hirak demonstrations that forced the country's then-president to resign two years ago. | Protesters defied warnings from the authorities not to turn out on Monday and took to the streets of Algiers, demanding real political change and the end of military rule across the country. Police blockades were set up in some parts of the city as the streets filled with people in the early afternoon. | In events reminiscent of those in Kherrata last week, protesters waved Algerian flags and chanted…
(2021-02-22). Fresh protests erupt in Lebanon amid public fury over Beirut port blast, legal system and financial issues. rt.com 
Fiery clashes between protesters and police have erupted in Lebanon, as public anger grows over the port explosion in Beirut and other escalating issues, including overseas students being blocked from receiving money. | Footage posted online showed protesters fighting with Lebanese security services outside a military court in the capital on Monday after judges ruled that six demonstrators in Tripoli had committed "terrorism and theft." | Jal el dib
(2021-02-22). 'Bravo, guys!': Zenit St. Petersburg players hailed after 'saving unconscious man from burning building' at football training base. rt.com 
A trio of Zenit St.Petersburg players and staff have been hailed for saving an unconscious man's life after realizing that he was trapped inside of a burning building during the team's recent training camp in Turkey. | As reported by Zenit's own press service as well as the TASS news agency, three staff members at the Russian club ran into an inferno to rescue an unnamed man who had reportedly fallen into unconsciousness after becoming trapped amid the flames. | Two players and one coach — Islam Zhilov, Nikita Simdyankin and Luis Anula respectively — became aware of a commotion inside of a burning ut…
(2021-02-22). Iranian parliament calls for President Rouhani to be prosecuted over 'illegal' agreement with IAEA. rt.com 
A majority of Iranian lawmakers voted on Monday to pass a motion condemning the country's president, Hassan Rouhani, for agreeing a deal between his government and the UN nuclear watchdog, and called for his prosecution. | The damning resolution in Iran's parliament also stated that a report by the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission on the deal made with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be sent to the nation's judiciary, who will review it to decide if it complies with an existing law. | Legislators opposed Rouhani's move as they believe it is a "clear violation" of a bill that…
(2021-02-22). 'McGregor can beat him': George Foreman says Conor McGregor's best days are behind him — but backs ex-UFC champ to beat Pacquiao. rt.com 
George Foreman wants Conor McGregor to make the full-time switch to boxing after suggesting that he has gone as far as he can in MMA, and says that he would back the notorious Irishman to defeat Manny Pacquiao in the ring.
(2021-02-22). Not-so-special one: Jose Mourinho surges to the front of the Premier League sack race amid Tottenham's terrible mid-season slump. rt.com 
Tottenham Hotspur's dismal recent form could spell the end of Jose Mourinho's tenure after a host of bookmakers installed the Portuguese boss as the favorite to be the next for the Premier League managerial scrapheap. | Spurs have come up short in five of their past six Premier League fixtures, as well as being turfed out of the FA Cup after they drew the short straw in a nine-goal thriller with Everton. | That recent run has been a far cry from the form that had Mourinho's side at the summit of the table a few months ago, prompting bookmakers to forecast that he could be the next head coach in line for the ch…
(2021-02-22). Selected Articles: The Corona Crisis: Over and Over, We Have Been Hoaxed. globalresearch.ca 
By We bring to the attention of our readers this Global Research Video…
(2021-02-22). Victims of human trafficking: can they be criminals as well? ukhumanrightsblog.com 
V.C.L. and A.N. v the United Kingdom (16 February 2021) Human trafficking is internationally recognised as threatening human rights and the fundamental values of democratic societies. States have taken action to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking and to provide support to victims of what is the third largest illicit money-making venture in the world. But …
(2021-02-22). 'Thank you,' says MyPillow's Mike Lindell as he's finally sued by Dominion after months of begging. rt.com 
Dominion Voting Systems has filed a lawsuit against MyPillow CEO and vocal Donald Trump supporter Mike Lindell over his election fraud claims, saying "the lie sells pillows." | Lindell is only the latest person to be legally targeted by Dominion over election fraud conspiracy theories. The company filed suit last month against Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, accusing him of pushing election conspiracies to "financially enrich himself." | Dominion is now suing Lindell for defamation, seeking $1.3 billion in damages. | "MyPillow's defamatory marketing campaign — with promo codes like 'FightforTrump', '45', 'P…
(2021-02-22). 'I'm not going down WITHOUT A FIGHT': Actress Gina Carano vows to overcome cancel mob & 'Disney bullies'. rt.com 
Actress Gina Carano said she was motivated to fight back against cancel culture and Hollywood bullying because she wanted to make it safe for others to freely speak their minds in a world of increasing left-wing intolerance. | The former MMA fighter, who was fired from the Disney+ TV series 'The Mandalorian' earlier this month because of her social media posts, said she couldn't back down and issue a disingenuous apology after watching other actors steamrolled for politically incorrect views. She anticipated her firing, after months of attacks from the cancel mob, and decided to "go down swinging." | "My body'
(2021-02-22). Fighting 'disinfo' or chilling attack on free speech? Democrats ask cable operators why they don't CENSOR Fox News, OAN & Newsmax. rt.com 
In a move condemned by Republicans as a "troubling" attack on free press, Democrats have asked cable and digital operators to justify carrying Fox News, OAN and Newsmax ahead of a hearing on media "disinformation and extremism." | "Are you planning to continue carrying Fox News, OANN, and Newsmax on your platform both now and beyond the renewal date?" a letter sent Monday by California Democrats Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney asked major cable and digital TV providers in the US. | If so, why? | The letter was addressed to cable and satellite providers Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, Dish, Verizon, Cox and Altice, as w…
(2021-02-22). Beyond Oil: How the UAE's HOPE Mars Mission Is Breaking the Arab World Out of the Crisis of Scarcity. strategic-culture.org 
The Emiratis understand that their economy, primarily based in oil revenue, though presently lucrative, is a short-term prosperity. A future that is Something truly remarkable happened on Feb. 9th, 2021, which I fear has not been fully comprehended by most of the Western hemisphere in terms of its massive implications as a game-changer in geopolit…
(2021-02-22). Biden's Great School Reset — Is It a Time for Change? strategic-culture.org 
The door is open to think about how we can change our 1800's education to meet up with or fight against the demands of this upcoming new industrial revolution, Tim Kirby writes. | It is hard to say exactly why, but political change of a grand sweeping nature simply does not occur without some sort of crisis to demand it. A catalyst is always needed. For years it has been obvious that many office jobs could simply be done from home without wasting employees' time and earnings on a commute and workspace. If it were not for the Coronavirus, driving over an hour to work on an inferior computer in a beige cubicle surr…
(2021-02-22). Jeffrey Epstein's Billionaire Tax Avoidance Assistance Business. counterpunch.org 
The sex-trafficking scandal surrounding the late Jeffrey Epstein already has tarnished the reputations of prominent politicians, businessmen, and the British royal family. Now it's casting a dark shadow on an estate tax-avoidance strategy popular among Wall Street CEOs and tech entrepreneurs. The strategy exploits a loophole that Congress unintentionally left open when it passed provisions
(2021-02-22). Saudi F1 race: Activists urge Lewis Hamilton to speak out on human rights. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi F1 race: Activists urge Lewis Hamilton to speak out on human rights | Dozens of rights organisations write letter urging world champion to boycott Saudi Grand Prix or use his platform to promote human rights in the kingdom | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 17: 35 | Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has been politically outspoken in the past (AFP/File photo) | Dozens of human rights organisations have called on Formula One c…
(2021-02-22). UK counter-terror chief urges rights groups to reconsider boycott of Prevent review. middleeasteye.net 
UK counter-terror chief urges rights groups to reconsider boycott of Prevent review | Neil Basu tells The Guardian that controversial Prevent programme 'is the most important pillar of our counter-terrorism strategy' | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 21: 46 | In 2019, Neil Basu said Prevent had been least successful part of UK's counterterrorism strategy (AFP/File photo) | The UK's top counter-terrorism police officer has s…
(2021-02-22). Iraq: Alarm raised over free speech in Kurdistan after jailing of journalists. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Alarm raised over free speech in Kurdistan after jailing of journalists | At his trial, Kurdish journalist Sherwan Sherwani repeatedly alleged that authorities had threatened to rape his wife if he did not sign a confession | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 16: 00 | Sherwan Sherwani was arrested in October last year following his coverage of anti-government protests in Dohuk and Erbil provinces (Soci…
(2021-02-22). Jordan's Queen Noor asks for information on missing Dubai princess Shamsa. middleeasteye.net 
Jordan's Queen Noor asks for information on missing Dubai princess Shamsa | Princess Shamsa has not been seen for more than 20 years after she was forcefully picked up in UK city of Cambridge | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 17: 03 | Queen Noor serves on board of commissioners for International Commission on Missing Persons (AFP) | Queen Noor of Jordan has asked for information on missing Dubai Princess Shamsa, following r…
(2021-02-22). Saudi Arabia arms deals: UK 'prolonging' Yemen war with weapon sales. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia arms deals: UK 'prolonging' Yemen war with weapon sales | UK issued open licences for bombs, missiles and rockets worth £1.36bn in 2020, as well as equipment to help air-to-air refuelling of Saudi jets | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 12: 34 | Workers in the Yemeni capital Sanaa search through debris at a warehouse after it was reportedly hit in an air strike by the Saudi-led coalition on 2 July 20…
(2021-02-22). Egypt's Sisi faces backlash against removal of the Quran from school textbooks. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt's Sisi faces backlash against removal of the Quran from school textbooks | Some defend the decision as a means of 'fighting extremism', while others oppose it as an act of 'secularisation' | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 16: 01 | Pupils line up in the courtyard of the Mahaba school in Ezbet al-Nakhl, a shanty town north of the Egyptian capital Cairo on 13 October, 2018 (AFP/file photo) | Egyp…
(2021-02-22). Yemen: Warring parties fail to agree prisoner swap deal, says UN. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Warring parties fail to agree prisoner swap deal, says UN | UN envoy Martin Griffiths said he was 'disappointed' there had been no success from the month-long talks | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 08: 31 | Members of the Yemeni pro-government forces who were reportedly detained by Houthi rebels gesture during a prisoners swap in Taiz on 19 December 2019 (AFP) | Warring parties in Yemen failed t…
(2021-02-22). British businesswoman helped in failed plot to aid Libya's Haftar, says UN report. middleeasteye.net 
British businesswoman helped in failed plot to aid Libya's Haftar, says UN report | Three British citizens have been listed as part of security contractor Erik Prince's ill-fated attempt to back the Libyan military commander | Mon, 02/22/2021 – 10: 45 | Libyan general Khalifa Haftar at his desk in Benghazi, Libya on 8 September 2020. (AFP) | British citizens, including a Dubai-based busine…
(2021-02-22). After one month underground anti-HS2 activist decides 'I'm coming out'. thecanary.co 
An environmental activist who spent almost a month underground in protest at the HS2 railway line has come out from a tunnel near London's Euston Station. Geography lecturer Larch Maxey, 48, had his belongings confiscated by bailiffs on Monday and said in a video he "feels fine", but that medics have persuaded him to go to hospital to "be on the safe side". | "I'm coming out": | The subterranean system was created in secret by protesters who object to the redevelopment of Euston Square Gardens as part of the high-speed railway line. | In a video posted on Monday, Dr Maxey said: I've basically met my match,…
(2021-02-22). LGBT+ History Month: 36 brilliant resources for Queer Black, Asian, Ethnic Minority and POC. thecanary.co 
We've…
(2021-02-22). Texas Blackout Reveals Deep Impact of Environmental Racism, Aid Organizers Say. truthout.org 
Austin, Texas—About 70 Austinites gathered at the Homeless Memorial and Tree of Remembrance along the south bank of Lady Bird Lake on Sunday for a vigil in honor of unhoused people who lost their lives during last week's winter storm and blackout in Texas. | It was a surreal scene, as shirtless parkgoers along the river's bank exercised, threw frisbees and soaked up the sun as temperatures reached back into the upper 60s for the first time since the state was plunged into extreme winte…
(2021-02-22). Republicans Are Keeping Trump's Big Lie About a "Stolen" Election Alive. truthout.org 
Donald Trump may be spending his post-presidency golfing at Mar-a -Lago but he remains front and center in the hearts and minds of millions of Republican voters, as evidenced by the 46% who said in a new
(2021-02-22). Elena Ferrante's Class Dramas. thenation.com 
Her latest novel, The Lying Life of Adults, mines the contradictions of class identity.
(2021-02-21). Prisons prime testing ground for dehumanizing hi-tech "advances" mronline.org 
A new form of exploitation, known as "stakeholder capitalism," is already being tested in many places around the world and prisons are among the main targets for its implementation, as they provide an ideal and literally captive market for its proof of concept.
(2021-02-21). 'Aggressive measures needed': India discovers 240 new, possibly more infectious Covid-19 strains. rt.com 
A whopping 240 mutated coronavirus strains have been discovered across India, health officials have said, warning that some of them may potentially be more infectious, and may even be capable of evading immune response altogether. | The new Covid-19 strains are likely behind the sudden spike of new cases in several Indian states, including Maharashtra — the second most populous state housing the city of Mumbai — a member of the regional Covid-19 task force, Shahshank Joshi, told NDTV. He added that a total of around 240 new virus variants have been discovered across the country. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-02-21). Biden's press secretary ripped for sidestepping questions on Cuomo nursing home scandal — says WH to 'continue' working with him. rt.com 
White House press secretary Jen Psaki has been accused by critics of blatantly dodging questions about NY Governor Andrew Cuomo's controversies, including a probe into whether nursing home deaths from Covid-19 were underreported. | On top of accusations that the New York governor underreported nursing home deaths for political purposes, he has also been accused by a state lawmaker of threatening to "destroy" him if he did not release a public statement supporting the governor. Recent months have also seen a sexual harassment allegation emerge. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing in all of these cases. | Before numerou…
(2021-02-21). Keep that mask on: Fauci says face coverings could be needed even in 2022, as he defines new 'normality'. rt.com 
White House health adviser Anthony Fauci has triggered a fresh round of rage online by saying people in the US may be required to wear face masks to protect themselves and others from Covid-19 even in 2022. | Appearing on CNN, Fauci was asked on Sunday to define the "normality" he and President Joe Biden have promised towards the end of this year as more and more people are vaccinated. Pressed specifically as to whether masks would be an everyday part of life next year, Fauci declared himself open to the possibility. | "It is possible that that's the case," he said, "and it depends on what you mean by normalit…
(2021-02-21). Covid-19: Israel begins reopening economy after vaccinating nearly half its population. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Israel begins reopening economy after vaccinating nearly half its population | Move comes as criticism of government continues over its failure to vaccinate Palestinians living under its control | Sun, 02/21/2021 – 10: 53 | Israel has administered at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine to more than 46 percent of its nine million population, the health ministry says (Reuters) | I…
(2021-02-21). Covid-19: Palestinian vaccine plan faces large funding gap, says World Bank. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Palestinian vaccine plan faces large funding gap, says World Bank | Israel could consider donating surplus doses to the Palestinians to help accelerate a vaccine roll-out in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, a new World Bank report says | Sun, 02/21/2021 – 23: 02 | Palestinian health workers unload the first shipment of Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine at the Kerem Shalom borde…
(2021-02-21). Reuters, BBC, and Bellingcat Participated in Covert UK Foreign Office-funded Programs to "Weaken Russia," leaked docs reveal. strategic-culture.org 
New leaked documents show Reuters' and the BBC's involvement in covert UK FCO programs to effect "attitudinal change" and "weaken the Russian state's influence," alongside intel contractors and Bellingcat. | By Max BLUMENTHAL | The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have sponsored Reuters and the BBC to conduct a series of covert programs aimed at promoting regime change inside Russia and undermining its government across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, according to a series of The leak…
(2021-02-21). Israel's beaches blackened by tar after offshore oil spill. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's beaches blackened by tar after offshore oil spill | Cleanup effort could take months or years, officials say, as slick hits Israel's 160km-long Mediterranean coast from Gaza to Lebanon | Sun, 02/21/2021 – 21: 20 | A sea turtle gets a clean up at a rescue centre in Mikhmoret, north of Tel Aviv, after being discovered in tar washed ashore on an Israeli beach earlier this week (AFP)…
(2021-02-21). Power Plays: The Bipartisan Origins of Energy Deregulation. counterpunch.org 
Shortly after Sen. John Kerry sewed up the delegates needed to seize the Democratic nomination for president in the spring of 2004, he huddled for two hours with James Hoffa, Jr., the boss of the Teamsters union. The topic was oil. The Teamsters wanted more of it at cheaper prices. They had suspicions about Kerry.
(2021-02-21). 'Are you here to apologize?' Gina Carano convicted of crimes against wokeness on SNL — where she can't fight back. rt.com Fresh from watching Gina Carano beat the cancel mob by landing a movie deal after being fired from 'The Mandalorian' TV series, leftists took solace in condemning a make-believe version of the actress on 'Saturday Night Live'. | The straw-man version of Carano was featured in a skit in which guests of a fictional talk show were brought on to apologize for wrongdoing. In this case, the alleged sin was one of the politically incorrect social media posts that got Carano fired from her Disney+ series — a warning likening the current demonization of Americans with conservative political views to the way German…
(2021-02-21). Amazon selling Chinese children's potty as 'traditional fruit basket' to Americans triggers flood of jibes & warnings from China. rt.com 
Millions of Chinese internet surfers were shocked to see an item used as a potty and spittoon in China being sold on Amazon as a "traditional fruit basket" to gullible foreigners — for a princely sum in dollars, too. | Advertised as a "1960s Chinese traditional fruit basket" that could be used as a fancy "table decoration" to store fresh produce, ice, or wine, the attractive pot with ducks painted on the side was being sold on Amazon for $61.96. | However, amused Chinese people who stumbled upon the product page soon pointed out that the pot was not made for the storage of fruit and was instead used in C…
(2021-02-21). India's forever wars and forever warriors. mronline.org 
Looking ahead, pre-conditions now exist for a positive turn to the India-China bilateral relationship.
(2021-02-21). Angola inmates on hunger strike against unlawful extension of solitary confinement. liberationnews.org 
"The reason [for the strike is]…EVERYONE over here is between one month to six months past their initial disciplinary detention," according to communications from the inmates carrying out the hunger strike.
(2021-02-21). Truth Telling or True Confessions? counterpunch.org 
Relating your own personal trauma to strengthen or expand existing laws dealing with sexual violence achieves little towards systemic change. As only individual perpetrators are targeted in these subjective and moralizing first person narratives of good vs evil, more pertinent factors addressing the material conditions underlying these situations are overlooked, while the causes of collectively
(2021-02-21). Cold truth: The Texas freeze is a catastrophe of the Free Market. mronline.org 
Texas's electricity market "reforms" made the current crisis inevitable.
(2021-02-21). 'The U.S. has been obstructionist in chief in Global climate talks'. mronline.org 
CounterSpin interview with Basav Sen on rejoining the Paris accords.
(2021-02-21). How Malcolm Little became Malcolm X. therealnews.com 
On the 56th anniversary of Malcolm X's assassination, we talk with Tamara Payne, co-author of "The Dead Are Arising," an award-winning biography—thirty years in the making—that offers a never-before-seen look into what molded Malcolm Little into Malcolm X.
(2021-02-21). How the Texas electricity system produced low-cost power but left residents out in the cold. juancole.com 
By Theodore J. Kury | — Americans often take electricity for granted — until the lights go out. The recent cold wave and storm in Texas have placed considerable focus on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, the nonprofit corporation that manages the flow of electricity to more than 26 million Texans. Together, …
(2021-02-21). Better News on the Climate. counterpunch.org 
The good news is the president takes the climate crisis seriously. The bad news is it's worse than ever. The climate catastrophe didn't stop because Trump ignored it. Forests didn't stop burning because he said it was a raking problem. The polar ice caps didn't stop melting because the U.S. acted as if that didn't
(2021-02-21). Neoliberalism and Imperialism: Interview with Intan Suwandi. mronline.org 
Recent cases of U.S. imperialism in Latin America, such as what happened in Bolivia, can serve as a striking example. International trade and financial institutions such as the Unholy Trinity (largely controlled by the North) also still play a major role in perpetuating imperialist relations between the South and the North.
(2021-02-21). Lawfare threatens to derail the presidential election in Ecuador. mronline.org 
On February 7, the progressive presidential candidate for the Union of Hope Alliance (UNES) party, Andrés Arauz, won first place in Ecuador's presidential election; this is uncontested.
(2021-02-21). Murdoch's Australia Censors Google, Facebook, Science and Freedom of Speech. dissidentvoice.org 
The mendacious Australian Mainstream media, Coalition Government and Labor Opposition demand via a news media Bargaining Code that Google and Facebook pay Murdoch and Nine media huge sums for quoting Links to their "information" for free. Google seems to have surrendered to this Australian blackmail and negotiated a private deal to avoid damaging its core …
(2021-02-21). Disney labels 'The Muppet Show' as 'offensive content' in baffling disclaimer. rt.com 
Five seasons of 'The Muppet Show' appeared on the Disney+ streaming service on Friday night but many viewers were shocked to discover that one of their childhood favorites is now considered "offensive content." | According to a warning from Disney, the show features "stereotypes" and "mistreatment of people or cultures." | "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now," the roughly 300 billion-dollar corporate giant declared. | "Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it an…
(2021-02-21). 'It's not going to round five': UFC champ Petr Yan vows to finish Aljamain Sterling inside the distance as both amp up trash-talk. rt.com 
Less than two weeks out from their UFC bantamweight world title matchup at UFC 259, neither champion Petr Yan nor his challenger, Aljamain Sterling, are taking a backward step in the pre-fight insults. | Russia's Yan will aim to defend his 135lbs championship on the March 6 event which will house three world title fights — but neither man appears willing to wait two weeks to fire some shots at their rival. | Yan, as fight fans will attest, has been near-perfect since entering the UFC after serving an impressive apprenticeship in the Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) promotion, where he quickly rose throu…
(2021-02-21). Ukraine condemns 'persecution of journalists' in Belarus… after shutting down outlets at home linked to largest opposition party. rt.com 
Ukraine has condemned a series of searches in Belarus targeting journalists and rights activists, but the scolding comes amid Kiev's own full-blown crackdown on opposition press and politicians at home — fully supported by the US. | Strongly denouncing the recent events in Belarus "where authorities continue (to) pressure and persecute journalists," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko lashed out at Minsk in a statement on Sunday. | "The entire democratic world recognizes mass media as the fourth estate and does not interfere with their professional activities…
(2021-02-21). Iran reaches temporary agreement with UN inspectors as nuclear deal hangs in the balance. rt.com 
The UN's nuclear watchdog has struck a temporary deal with Iran to continue monitoring its nuclear facilities, as Tehran plans to limit access to inspectors in another step away from its 2015 nuclear deal with the West. | Iran announced last week that as of Tuesday it would forbid the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from performing short-notice inspections at locations linked to its nuclear program. After a speedy round of negotiations, the agency announced on Sunday that it had reached an agreement with Iran whereby "necessary verification and monitoring" will continue for another three months. | "W…
(2021-02-21). 'We have lost the streets,' Belarusian opposition figure Tikhanovskaya says, predicting more protests in spring. rt.com 
Belarusian street protests have lost steam for the moment, the exiled opposition figurehead Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has admitted. She called on supporters to keep "pressuring" the government and plan new rallies in the spring. | "I must admit that we have lost the streets," Tikhanovskaya, who currently resides in Lithuania, told Swiss magazine Le Temps on Friday. | "We don't have the means to combat the regime's violence against the protesters. They have the weapons, they have the force, so yes, for the moment, it seems that we have lost," she admitted, adding that Belarusians are "tired" and afraid. | Tikhanov…
(2021-02-21). 'Breaking ice to move gas': As Russian tanker-icebreaker duo complete milestone Arctic voyage, climate activists side with ice. rt.com 
Following a nuclear-powered icebreaker, a Russian tanker has sailed through the frigid Northern Sea Route for the first time ever in February. "Won't somebody think of the poor ice?", climate-conscious commenters shouted. | The Christophe de Margerie, a liquefied natural gas tanker operated by Russian shipping firm Sovcomflot, made history this week when it docked at the remote Arctic terminal of Sabetta, after sailing through the normally ice-locked Northern Sea Route (NSR) from Jiangsu in China. Traveling solo through the Bering Strait, it then followed a nuclear icebreaker, the 50 Let Pobedy, along Russia's…
(2021-02-21). Israel shuts down its entire Mediterranean coast as massive oil spill raises health concerns. rt.com 
Israelis should stay away from Mediterranean beaches, authorities warned on Sunday, after volunteers helping the cleanup of the tar that has smothered 160km of coastline were hospitalized, apparently after inhaling toxic fumes. | The population should "not to go [to the beaches] to swim, or do sports or leisure activity until further notice," a warning, jointly issued by the Health, Interior and Environmental Protection ministries on Sunday, read. "Exposure to tar could harm public health." | The announcement comes after several volunteers, out of thousands who'd helped clean up the aftermath of the oil spill…