(2021-02-25). #Tally19 stands with Ben Grant and against HB1. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On February 23, at the Leon County Clerk of Courts, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) held an outdoor press conference to amplify demands of the #Tally19 – activists arrested last September during and in the days following a Black Lives Matter protest to condemn a grand jury decision that let three Tallahassee killer cops walk free. | A large banner behind the press conference podium read: "#Drop the charges #Tally14 19," reflecting that on September 5, militarized police arrested and charged 14 protest attendees, and in the days after, also arrested four protesters and issued a…
(2021-02-25). Breaking Down Systemic Racism Through Collective Action in the South. aclu.org This month, the ACLU launched its Systemic Equality agenda — an initiative designed to center equity and attack our country's legacy of systemic racism by addressing the imbalance of political power, challenging policies that ravage Black communities, and furthering efforts to advance our racial justice work. As a part of this ambitious effort, the ACLU is making an unprecedented investment in the people and region where vulnerable communities are most affected by local and national regressive policies: the South. | From Reconstruction to the attacks on democracy following the Black Lives Matter movement mo…
(2021-02-25). "Not Ready to Give Up": Democrats Push Senate to Keep Popular $15 Minimum Wage in Stimulus Bill. democracynow.org 
As the House of Representatives prepares to pass a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, a fight is brewing over the inclusion of an increase to the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. The measure is at risk in the Senate, where conservative Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema oppose its inclusion in the relief bill or suggest a lower amount. Congressmember Jan Schakowsky of Illinois says Congress must pass the minimum wage hike to help address inequality in the United States. "The current minimum wage, federally, is $7.25. Now, you can't live on that. You can't raise a family…
(2021-02-25). "Decades in the Making": How Mainstream Conservatives & Right-Wing Money Fueled the Capitol Attack. democracynow.org 
As more details emerge about those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, it's becoming clearer that the insurrection was not the work of a "fringe" group, but rather the result of a decades-long conservative effort to undermine democracy, according to author Brendan O'Connor. "The events of January 6 were not just months, but years, decades, in the making," says O'Connor, who notes that major Republican donors and prominent conservative groups were connected to the Trump rally that immediately preceded the Capitol riot.
(2021-02-26). Denver protest: 'No war on Iran!'. workers.org 
Feb. 20, Denver.Denver Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Denver Peace Council held a demonstration Feb. 20 at the state capital, in cooperation with the national call to prevent Washington from instigating a war against Iran. Threats the U.S. warships would move into the Persian/Arabian . . . |
(2021-02-26). Denver protest: 'No war on Iran!'. workers.org By Vivian Weinstein Denver Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Denver Peace Council held a demonstration Feb. 20 at the state capital, in cooperation with the national call to prevent Washington from instigating a war against Iran. Threats the U.S. warships would move into the . . . |
(2021-02-25). Elections Are Not Democracy: Call To Boycott Upcoming Israeli and Palestinian Votes that Don't Matter. mintpressnews.com 
Elections will matter in Palestine when they are called to include all people who live between the River and the Sea — one person, one vote for a single legislature and executive in a Palestine that is liberated.
(2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net 
Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any cha…
(2021-02-25). Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics. middleeasteye.net 
Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics | Hundreds sign letter asking Alison Bashford to turn down Dan David prize over Israel's 'undermining of Palestine's health systems' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 13: 25 | A Palestinian man demonstrates in support of BDS near Ramallah (AFP) | An Australian historian is being urged to turn down a highly lucrative Israeli award in an open letter si…
(2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any ch…
(2021-02-25). Democracy Now Amplifies State Department Propaganda Campaign Against China Behind Progressive Cover. strategic-culture.org 
By Danny HAIPHONG | While Democracy Now hosts US gov't-funded pundits to spread humanitarian interventionist propaganda about Xinjiang, an analysis by The Grayzone found most of the outlets's China coverage is sharply negative | The U.S. has claimed a humanitarian "Responsibility to Protect" to justify military operations in the name of saving civilian lives from evil dictators. Most notable have been the brutal U.S.-led wars in Libya and Syria which destabilized entire regions in the name of "civilian protection" and "promoting democracy." These operations relied heavily on self-described human rights NGO's and…
(2021-02-25). Republican Hypocrisy is No Reason to Support Neera Tanden. counterpunch.org 
Most corporate media outlets have depicted President Biden's effort to win Senate confirmation of Neera Tanden as a battle to overcome Republican hypocrisy about her "mean tweets," name-calling and nasty partisanship. But there are very important reasons to prevent Tanden from becoming the Office of Management and Budget director. They have nothing to do with
(2021-02-25). Republicans Think Commission to Investigate January 6 Needs More Republicans. truthout.org 
Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) The commission will be tasked with investigating the events of the at…
(2021-02-25). Virginia comes out to support Alabama Amazon workers. peoplesworld.org 
ARLINGTON, Va.—On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Southern Workers Assembly coordinated over 40 solidarity events around the country in support of the workers at the Bessemer, Ala., Amazon facility who are currently in the midst of a vote to unionize their workplace. The unionization campaign there, called the BAmazon Union, is organized by the Mid-South Council …
(2021-02-25). On Feb. 20: U.S. cities in solidarity to #BAmazon workers. workers.org 
Outside union-busting law firm Morgan Lewis, Philadelphia, Feb. 20. (WW Photo: Joe Piette) As Amazon workers in Bessemer, Ala., vote to unionize, they are gaining support. On Feb. 20, demonstrations took place in solidarity with BAmazon workers in 50+ U.S. cities in 30 states, including several in the South. The . . . |
(2021-02-25). On Feb. 20: U.S. cities in solidarity with #BAmazon workers. workers.org Outside union-busting law firm Morgan Lewis, Philadelphia, Feb. 20. (WW Photo: Joe Piette) As Amazon workers in Bessemer, Ala., vote to unionize, they are gaining support. On Feb. 20, demonstrations took place in solidarity with BAmazon workers in 50+ U.S. cities in 30 states, including several in the South. The . . . |
(2021-02-25). PDF of February 25 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Texas freeze: Rich get richer, workers suffer 50+ actions: Solidarity with #BAmazon workers BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Washerwomen Strike Steelworker resistance ALSO: Free Mumia! UAW in crisis Police repel hungry people U.S. life expectancy drops Vaccine patents = profits Editorial: Whole world is watching GLOBAL: Who is Navalny? . . . |
(2021-02-25). Bessemer Amazon workers: 'They are showing the way'. workers.org 
Joan Hwang The following remarks were given by Joan Hwang (she/they), an organizer with the Workers Assembly Against Racism, at a Feb. 20 rally in Manhattan, N.Y., in solidarity with Amazon workers organizing a union drive in Bessemer, Ala. Hwang is also an urban farmer. We are out here today . . . |
(2021-02-26). Facebook's news blockade in Australia shows how tech giants are swallowing the web. juancole.com 
By Jennifer Grygiel | — When Facebook disabled Australians' access to news articles on its platform, and blocked sharing of articles from Australian news organizations, the company moved a step closer to killing the World Wide Web — the hyperlink-based system of freely connecting online sites created in 1989 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Though the …
(2021-02-26). Biden sends B-1 bombers to Norway, threatens Russia. workers.org 
The U.S. Air Force announced during February that it is sending four B-1 bombers and at least 200 personnel to Orland Air Base on the central coast of Norway. Pentagon officials made no secret of the fact that the deployment is meant as a threat to Russia, which is well . . . |
(2021-02-26). Biden, Climate Change, and China: A New Cold War equals A Scalding Planet. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com ) — Slowing the pace of climate change and getting "tough" on China, especially over its human-rights abuses and unfair trade practices, are among the top priorities President Biden has announced for his new administration. Evidently, he believes that he can tame a rising China with harsh pressure tactics, while still gaining its …
(2021-02-26). Exposed: McDonald's surveillance operation spies on employees organizing for a living wage. liberationnews.org 
New reports show that McDonald's has spied on workers "for years" in their effort to combat the Fight for $15 movement that has been struggling for a living wage for nearly a decade. According to documents leaked to Motherboard, McDonald's hired a team of global intelligence analysts to identify and surveil workers and labor leaders …
(2021-02-25). India's Farm Protests: "If We Don't Stand By Them, Who Will?" counterpunch.org 
"The company people are certainly irritated with the protest happening here. It has badly affected transportation and the business is running poorly," says 22-year-old Nizamuddin Ali, a security supervisor at a home appliances factory in the Kundli industrial area. He lives about six kilometres from the farmers' protest site at Singhu, on the Haryana-Delhi border.
(2021-02-25). Fired up! Harlem's fight for housing in the 1930s. liberationnews.org 
The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.
(2021-02-25). The Doll House the CIA Built. dissidentvoice.org 
American news these past few decades has been an almost constant non-stop spectacle of shock and awe. Breaking news is emotionally gripping, often disorienting, a 24/7 drama without rest. Key talking points are relentlessly asserted. And with each passing year news commentators grow ever more certain of their talking points, with no sense that dissenting points …
(2021-02-25). Degrading Forest Ecosystems in the Name of Collaboration. counterpunch.org 
A recent article in the Blue Mountain Eagle Finding Common Ground on Active Forest Management quotes several people about restoring forest health. None of these people have expertise in forest ecology, except James Johnson from the OSU forestry school. The irony is that all these people, including Johnson, ignore the science from other scientists in
(2021-02-25). Texas blackouts show why energy should be a universal right. juancole.com 
By Gordon Walker | — An unprecedented cold wave in the US state of Texas recently left several million households without power for days on end, as temperatures dropped well below freezing. Dozens of people died from hypothermia, car crashes, house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning from running cars or generators simply to keep warm. …
(2021-02-25). To 'Build Back Better,' listen to those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. peoplesworld.org 
Though often ignored, communities know best what ails them. I am reminded of this often because I hear it in my classroom. I heard it before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I hear it louder now as the pandemic rages on. At the end of last term, amidst the surge in cases after Thanksgiving, I asked …
(2021-02-25). William Z. Foster—Pioneer fighter for Black equality in organized labor. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's Note: Feb. 25, 2021, marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of William Z. Foster. One of the most well-known figures of early 20th century labor history, Foster spearheaded the drive to organize the packinghouse industry during World War I and led the Great Steel Strike of 1919. He later joined the Communist Party …
(2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org 
The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20 percent of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …
(2021-02-25). Neoliberalism is Killing US. realprogressives.org 
Following the idea of the Big Other defense falling apart when a truth is seen to be publicly accepted, what would be another similar public acceptance of failure for capitalism? Especially now, I think the US healthcare industry is a great place to look. The more timely issue is one of 'who gets coverage at all?' Barack Obama is the first mainstream, high-profile politician to say the words 'single payer,' descriptors that don't describe the Republican-influenced Obamacare that came to pass. | Bernie Sanders again was a part of the elevation of this idea in the mainstream. As I suggested before, he's not a…
(2021-02-25). Dr. Osterholm's Warning: COVID Hurricane on the Horizon. counterpunch.org 
Twelve months ago, Dr. Michael Osterholm was interviewed on the Joe Rogan Program. At the time, he warned that anywhere from 400,000 to 1.5 million Americans would die of COVID and that the pandemic would last for many years and significantly impact our lives. So far, his predictions have been eerily accurate. Today, Dr. Osterholm is warning that a "Category 5 COVID-hurricane" is on the horizon, with the B117/UK Variant posing the greatest threat.
(2021-02-25). Developing Countries struggling to cope with COVID-19. mronline.org 
SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is adversely impacting most developing countries disproportionately, especially the United Nations' least developed countries (LDCs) and the World Bank's low-income countries (LICs).
(2021-02-25). Nomadland: The Impact of Gender-Bias in Wages. counterpunch.org 
If you grew up agitated that "women earn 59 cents on the dollar," for the same work as men, there's a movie for you. At the beginning of the new film, Nomadland, one of the characters tells Fern, the lead character played beautifully by Frances McDormand: "My social security check is $550. How am I
(2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden's and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20% of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The United States continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …
(2021-02-25). How Rational Can the US Be in Dealing with Yemen and Iran? dissidentvoice.org 
We're also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen — a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and restore long-dormant peace talks…. And to underscore our commitment, …
(2021-02-25). Harlem's 1930s housing struggle has lessons for today. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.
(2021-02-25). It's time to shorten the workday—and the workweek. peoplesworld.org 
It's been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced people in our society to "shelter in place," social distance, and wear masks. Most social activities, such as sporting events, concerts, and parades were canceled. Schools and businesses closed, forcing nearly 50 million people onto the unemployment rolls. And while in recent months the numbers …
(2021-02-25). Capitalism in Crisis: End Capitalist Control Over Heat & Light. liberationnews.org 
Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the terrible storm in Texas and elsewhere in the south that has caused death, destruction and a near total breakdown in infrastructure. What does this say about the capitalist system?>
(2021-02-25). What Planet Is NATO Living On? counterpunch.org 
The February meeting of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Defense Ministers, the first since President Biden took power, revealed an antiquated, 75-year-old alliance that, despite its military failures in Afghanistan and Libya, is now turning its military madness toward two more formidable, nuclear-armed enemies: Russia and China. This theme was emphasized by U.S. Secretary of
(2021-02-25). Cuba has assisted almost one third of the world's population in health care. mronline.org 
In the six decades of Cuban medical collaboration abroad, its health personnel have assisted 1.988 billion people in the world, almost a third of mankind, said Dr. Jorge Delgado Bustillo, director of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM).
(2021-02-25). Mayim Bialik: 'S*** got deep with me and Cornel West'. therealnews.com 
Mayim Bialik delves into the long history of solidarity amongst the Jewish people and Black Americans, and details her dismay at the state of racism in America, her upbringing as a staunch advocate for social justice, and her perspective on the apparent contradictions between her faith and her political ideologies.
(2021-02-25). How did a fateful CIA coup—executed 55 years ago this February 24—doom much of sub-Saharan Africa? mronline.org 
Fifty-five years ago on this day, the fate of Africa was irrevocably altered when the CIA sponsored a 1966 coup d'état against Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former Prime Minister of Ghana and Pan-Africanist visionary who was voted as "Africa's Man of the Millennium."
(2021-02-25). COVID crisis drags down U.S. life expectancy. workers.org 
The number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the United States is now over 500,000. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. life expectancy dropped by a full year from the first six months of 2019 to the first six months of 2020. This is the biggest drop . . . |
(2021-02-25). 'No war drills on Korean Peninsula!'. workers.org 
Philadelphia Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network activists hold signs, Feb. 21. Annual U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) combined military exercises are costly and a major obstacle to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. And it's a provocative threat against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Korea solidarity groups in the U.S. . . . |
(2021-02-25). Chicago Teachers Union's commitment to democracy pays off. liberationnews.org 
The battle over school reopening in Chicago was a hard fought one.
(2021-02-26). Eulalia Reyes Whitney. greenleft.org.au 
(2021-02-26). Black rage: a new 'reconstruction' in the U.S. workers.org 
The following letter from an incarcerated worker at SCI Pine Grove was received by Workers World Feb. 24. By Wesley Massey How do we make a paradigm shift to change how Blacks are viewed with pessimism, and on a good day cautious optimism? How do we change the culture in . . . |
(2021-02-26). US launches air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria. middleeasteye.net 
US launches air strikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria | Pentagon says raids were authorised by President Biden in response to rocket attacks against US-led coalition forces in Iraq | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 02: 10 | President Biden had vowed to revive the nuclear deal with Iran, but the two countries remain at a diplomatic impasse (AFP/File photo) | US air raids targeted the positions of Iran-backed armed grou…
(2021-02-25). 100+ Countries Push to Loosen WTO Rules on Vaccine Patents. Why Is the U.S. Still Blocking the Way? democracynow.org 
As the pandemic's death toll nears 2.5 million, stringent rules around intellectual property rights could be preventing much of the world from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. Over 45 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the United Nations, while 130 other countries have not received any vaccines at all, leading to what some describe as "vaccine apartheid." At the World Trade Organization, South Africa and India are leading a push by over 100 nations to waive intellectual property rules that give pharmaceutical companies monopolistic control over vaccines they…
(2021-02-25). "Islamo-Leftism": Macron's Witch Hunt Against Critical Academics. counterpunch.org 
Speaking recently on CNews, France's equivalent of Fox News, the higher education minister launched an unprecedented attack on the whole French academic community. Frédérique Vidal argued that French academia is "gangrened by Islamo-gauchisme" or "Islamo-leftism". The "Islamo-leftism" tag is today used uncritically by members of the government, large sections of the media and conservative academics. It is reminiscent
(2021-02-25). Human nature is no barrier to socialism. mronline.org 
Of all the reasons to be angry during the pandemic—the profit-first response of governments, the neglected state of the health system, the environmental crisis underpinning the disaster, the millions dead—it has been people buying extra toilet paper that has elicited the most outrage.
(2021-02-25). We have earned the right to look to a new, socialist future. peoplesworld.org 
The door is wide open. The opportunity for socialism is a serious option for a new political future. Let's get real: The Republicans have abdicated democratic responsibilities. They have given up on our basic democratic values and the U.S. Constitution. The Republican Party and many of its supporters are frankly pushing for a fascist, racist …
(2021-02-25). HR 1's Campaign Finance Program: A Reform that Doesn't Reform. counterpunch.org 
HR 1, the For the People Act, is an omnibus voting reform bill that has many progressive measures concerning voter registration, voter roll purges, voter-verified paper ballots, early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, presidential candidate tax returns, gerrymandering, and more. According to reports, the Democratic leadership will whip their members hard to pass the bill through
(2021-02-25). Over 800 Organizations and Individuals in the United States Demand the Biden Administration End Its Support for the Brutal MoàØse Regime in Haiti. dissidentvoice.org 
Above photo: By Professor Danny Shaw who is currently in Haiti United States — Today, February 24, 72 organizations and 700 individuals published an open letter calling for the Biden administration to end its illegal and destructive intervention in Haiti. While Joe Biden and the Democrats condemned the Trump forces for not respecting the results …
(2021-02-25). Lies and white supremacy fuel Republican voter suppression campaign. peoplesworld.org 
It is now clearer than ever that the Republican Party is carrying out a strategy of stoking the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump and that it is hanging its ability to make a comeback on supporting the white supremacy that was behind the right-wing insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. …
(2021-02-25). Biden's New Mideast: In Nadir of US-Saudi Relations, release planned of CIA report Accusing Crown prince of Murder. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Biden administration will release a Central Intelligence Agency report concluding that crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, 35, of Saudi Arabia, masterminded the assassination on October 2, 2018, of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. I'm not sure even an old foreign policy hand like President Biden understands how explosive this …
(2021-02-25). The Heat: U.S.-Iran Nuclear Stalemate. america.cgtn.com 
The United States and Iran remain at an impasse over which country will make the first move in returning to the 2015 nuclear deal.
(2021-02-25). 'Finding Sally': A filmic inquiry into the heart of Ethiopia's revolutionary upheavals. peoplesworld.org 
The Sixties cliché that "the personal is political" is strikingly true in Tamara Mariam Dawit's Finding Sally. When the Ethiopian-Canadian director/writer stumbles—at the ripe old age of 30!—upon the fact that her father and his siblings had another sister she'd never even heard of, Tamara sets out to piece together the puzzle to find out …
(2021-02-25). Here's how you can support the campaign to stop the deportation of Osime Brown. thecanary.co 
(2021-02-25). Selected Articles: The Covid Outbreak: "Biggest Health Scam of the 21st Century." globalresearch.ca 
By We are health professionals of the international collective :…
(2021-02-25). Selected Articles: What Planet Is NATO Living On? globalresearch.ca 
By These remarks were delivered at an African American History Month virtual webinar hosted by the Moratorium NOW! Coalition on Monday February 22, 2021. The …
(2021-02-25). Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bessemer, prisiones: Lucha de clases, antes y ahora. workers.org 
Los boicoteadores de autobuses, sin importar su edad o habilidad, caminaron millas hasta su trabajo en Montgomery, febrero de 1956. Por Monica Moorehead Cincuenta años después del final de la Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos, y durante el apogeo de los horribles linchamientos de personas negras en el sur . . . |
(2021-02-25). Marjorie Taylor Greene Targets Dem Lawmaker's Trans Daughter With Cruel Sign. truthout.org 
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), a member of Congress who was removed from committee assignments earlier this year for pushing conspiracy theories and issuing bigoted statements in her past, placed a sign next to her congressional office on Wednesday meant to mock transgender individuals. |
(2021-02-25). No, Biden's Climate Plans Don't Cut It. truthout.org 
Long before the Texas energy crisis renewed calls for dramatic action, President Biden was getting high marks right now from a climate movement that was far from enthusiastic about him during the 2020 primaries. A wide range of activists, academics and policy wonks who spent four years planning for a post-Trump reality are almost unified in their enthusiasm about Biden's early moves. | But while everyone agrees there's considerable work ahead, is the celebration of Biden's climate agenda premature? | The White House's release of a s…
(2021-02-25). Two-Thirds of GOP Voters Still Buy Into False Claims of Election Fraud. truthout.org 
A new poll focusing on Republican voters' attitudes on the 2020 election shows that more than two-thirds of respondents do not accept the result of the presidential race as legitimate. | R Street Institute, a policy organization which promotes "free markets and limited, effective government," found that
(2021-02-25). Dems Introduce Bill to Eliminate Pensions for Presidents With Felony Convictions. truthout.org 
Two Democratic lawmakers will introduce a bill that would strip former presidents of pension and other benefits if they were convicted of a felony — legislation that seems to be aimed directly at former President Donald Trump, who is presently the subject of numerous investigations. | Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) have authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act, which would change portions of the Form…
(2021-02-25). Republicans Unite Against Stimulus Bill That Has 76 Percent Voter Support. truthout.org 
A new poll of 2,013 registered voters has found that 76 percent of voters are supportive of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package. This is an increase from The stimulus package enjoys wide and decisive support. Nearly 90 percent of Democratic voters are in favor of the bill, called…
(2021-02-25). COVID Vaccine Websites Violate Disability Laws, Create Inequity for Blind People. truthout.org 
Many covid vaccination registration and information websites at the federal, state and local levels violate disability rights laws, hindering the ability of blind people to sign up for a potentially lifesaving vaccine, a KHN investigation has found. | Across the country, people who use special software to make the web accessible have been unable to sign up for the vaccines or obtain vital information about covid-19 because many government websites lack required accessibility features. At l…
(2021-02-25). Big Victory in Yellowstone Ecosystem as Biden Administration Pulls Massive Henry's Fork Logging and Burning Scheme. counterpunch.org 
Last December the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Native Ecosystems Council, and Yellowstone to Uintas Connection took the Trump administration's Forest Service to federal court over plans to massively log and burn over 40,000 acres in the very headwaters of the world-famous Henry's Fork of the Snake River. We are exceptionally pleased to announce that
(2021-02-25). Trump Cabinet Members Urged Staffers to "Be the Resistance" Within Biden Admin. truthout.org 
Government watchdog groups are calling on congressional committees to release the names of Trump political appointees who have "burrowed" into career civil service positions over concerns they may attempt to "sabotage" the Biden administration. | Former President Donald Trump signed an
(2021-02-25). Petitions to oust Trump USPS board and postmaster DeJoy top 1.1M signatures. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Petitions to Democratic President Joe Biden and Congress' Democratic leaders to replace the Trump-named U.S. Postal Service board with a new one that would in turn fire Trumpite Postmaster General Louis DeJoy have passed 1.12 million signatures combined. And that figure may be low. The American Postal Workers Union reported their petition is just …
(2021-02-25). Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions. middleeasteye.net 
Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions | US lawmakers say Biden must maintain sanctions until Iran 'ends its support for violence and terror around the region' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 21: 00 | The resolution led by Tom Cotton in the Senate was co-sponsored by 25 other senators (AFP) | Republican Senator Tom Cotton and more than 40 other lawmakers have introduced bicameral legislation that oppos…
(2021-02-25). Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp. middleeasteye.net 
Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp | Construction at site near Dimona comes as Israel continues its scathing criticism of Iran's nuclear programme | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 10: 15 | Israel began secretly building the nuclear site with French assistance in the late 1950s in empty desert near Dimona, a city around 90km south of Jerusalem (Planet Labs) | A secretive nuclear…
(2021-02-25). US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants. middleeasteye.net 
US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants | Idlib-based reporter cannot appear on social media for six months following release by HTS, according to his own news network | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 12: 02 | Bilal Abdul Kareem stands in front of a mural in Idlib showing George Floyd, an American man killed by police, in 2020 (Twitter) | An American journalist based in Syria's o…
(2021-02-25). Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy. middleeasteye.net 
Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy | In a letter to the president, 41 members of Congress say they support Biden's decision to end support for Saudi coalition, but ask for clarification on what that entails | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 17: 54 | The conflict has killed nearly 250,000 people, caused outbreaks of preventable diseases and brought Yemen to the verge of famine (AFP) | Dozens of Democr…
(2021-02-25). Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report | White House statement on call did not mention Jamal Khashoggi, but the impending release of US report on the murder is expected to shake US-Saudi ties | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 22: 46 | The Biden administration has said it will release the US intelligence community's findings on the murder (AFP/File photo) | President Joe Biden held his first phone ca…
(2021-02-25). Morocco set to legalise cannabis growth and export for medical use. middleeasteye.net 
Morocco set to legalise cannabis growth and export for medical use | Kingdom to allow farming, export and domestic use of drug to help struggling Rif mountain farmers | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 00 | A villager stands in a field of cannabis near the town of Ketama in Morocco's northern Rif region (AFP) | Morocco is set to allow the production and sale of cannabis in the kingdom in an attempt t…
(2021-02-25). Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine | Mark Lowcock made the appeal ahead of a virtual pledging conference, highlighting a big drop off in aid support in 2020 | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 08: 36 | The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80 percent of the people in need (AFP) | UN aid chief Mark Lowcock urged Gulf sta…
(2021-02-25). Israel approves bill allowing names of unvaccinated to be shared with authorities. middleeasteye.net 
Israel approves bill allowing names of unvaccinated to be shared with authorities | Legislation allows government to share identities of people not vaccinated against Covid-19 with other authorities, raising privacy concerns for those opting out of inoculation | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 54 | A plenary session at the Israeli parliament in 2019 (AFP) | Israel's parliament approved a law on Wedn…
(2021-02-25). Iranian press review: MP's tweet supporting Princess Latifa sparks online backlash. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: MP's tweet supporting Princess Latifa sparks online backlash | Meanwhile, conservatives squeeze Rouhani to prevent breakthrough in talks with UN nuclear watchdog and timber traffickers use cars to avoid police detection | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 09: 56 | Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (L) having a meal with Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland,…
(2021-02-25). EU declares head of Venezuela's diplomatic mission 'persona non grata' in tit-for-tat after expulsion of European envoy. rt.com 
The European Union has declared Venezuela's chief diplomat at the bloc "persona non grata," calling the move retaliation after Caracas expelled the EU's ambassador in protest over a new round of sanctions from Brussels. | "The Council today agreed that the head of the Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the European Union be declared persona non grata," the European Council said in a
(2021-02-25). US strike in Syria at Biden's orders destroys 'multiple facilities' of 'Iranian-backed militia' – Pentagon. rt.com 
The US has targeted Iran-backed militia in Syria, the Pentagon confirmed, adding that the airstrikes were approved by US President Joe Biden and intended as reprisal for rocket attacks on US bases in Iraq. | "At President Biden's direction US military forces earlier this evening conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian backed militant groups in eastern Syria," the Pentagon's spokesman John Kirby said in a
(2021-02-25). As Telegram and Parler gain traction, Twitter tries to keep users by introducing PAID Super Followers. rt.com 
Twitter has announced upcoming massive changes to their platform, including allowing users to get paid by followers and the ability to create groups based on certain subjects. | Users will soon be able to get paid by what is referred to as Super Followers access to bonus content, such as a newsletter subscription or bonus tweets. Direct paid subscription features have been successful on other social media platforms, though Twitter has not revealed what sort of fee they will be taking once the feature is finally added to their service. | There will also be a new group feature added to the service called Communi…
(2021-02-25). Asian-American civil rights group blasts critical race theory as 'hateful, divisive fraud' in fiery letter. rt.com 
The New York chapter of the oldest US Asian-American civil rights group has denounced critical race theory as actual racism and urged its members to resist, as the Biden administration seeks to mandate CRT-based 'equity'. | CRT "is a hateful, divisive, manipulative fraud," the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) of Greater New York said in a
(2021-02-25). Student shamed as 'disrespectful' for choosing 'racist' Candace Owens as 'black trailblazer' for project, now leaving school. rt.com 
A Virginia student is leaving her high school after staff failed to do anything about a mass email blasting her for choosing to highlight conservative pundit Candace Owens as a "black trailblazer." | Students at St. Margaret's High School in Tappahannock, Virginia were assigned this month by the Black Student Union to present projects on "black trailblazers" in honor of Black History Month. Julia Saville, a junior, chose Owens. | Saville, a chapter leader for Turning Point USA for which Owens used to work, told Daily Wire she joined the Black Student Union to get a different perspective on race issues in light…
(2021-02-25). Trump hands over 'MILLIONS of pages' of tax returns to Manhattan DA — reports. rt.com 
Former president Donald Trump has reportedly handed over his tax returns to prosecutors in New York. With Trump describing the investigation as a "fishing expedition," sifting through the "millions of pages" may take time. | The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump's lawyers may no longer shield the ex-president's tax returns from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who is investigating whether Trump and the Trump Organization committed any financial crimes, including his alleged inflating of property values to secure loans. | Trump's lawyers immediately handed over the returns, CNN reported on Thu…
(2021-02-25). US Olympic gymnastics coach who worked with abusive Dr. Nassar commits SUICIDE after being charged with sexual assault himself. rt.com 
John Geddert, who coached the US Gymnastics team to gold at the 2012 Olympics and worked with disgraced doctor Larry Nassar, has committed suicide after being charged with sexual assault, human trafficking and abuse. | "My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life. This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Thursday. | Earlier in the day, Nessel had announced two dozen charges against Geddert, including human trafficking, sexual assault and running a criminal enterprise at…
(2021-02-25). 'QAnon Congresswoman' Greene hangs 'There are two genders' sign in Capitol hall, amid fight with Dems over LBGTQ bill. rt.com 
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has struck back against Democrat Rep. Marie Newman, planting a sign reading "there are two genders" outside Newman's office after a trans rights flag went up outside her own. | In a speech to the House on Wednesday, Greene (R-Georgia) vocally opposed the
(2021-02-25). Wanted: Ad seeks well-paid PR strategist for New York governor amid nursing home deaths and harassment scandals. rt.com (2021-02-25). 700+ children remain in detention at US border, 200 for over 48 hours, amid spike in unaccompanied crossings — media. rt.com (2021-02-25). Georgia State House approves bill limiting police budget cuts to NO MORE than 5% as Democrats slam law as unconstitutional. rt.com (2021-02-25). #MeWho? Former Cuomo aide's tell-all of strip poker & unwanted kisses met with crickets, proving movement killed by partisanship. rt.com (2021-02-25). As troop withdrawal nears, police say militias aim to blow up Capitol, 'kill as many members as possible' during Biden's SOTU. rt.com (2021-02-25). Flu gets the cold shoulder: Influenza now virtually non-existent in US as Covid-19 spread continues. rt.com (2021-02-25). Dem operative turned Facebook comms director apologizes for 'hate speech' label on congresswoman's video with transgender flag. rt.com (2021-02-25). 'Not consistent with our objectives': Harvard plans event featuring expert on cancel culture… then cancels it. rt.com (2021-02-25). No more Mr. Potato Head? Hasbro bombarded with mockery after announcement that famous toy brand is gender neutral now. rt.com (2021-02-25). British Gas engineers to launch new wave of strikes over fire and rehire plans. thecanary.co (2021-02-25). Life and times of Claudia Jones: In her own words. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-25). UAE: Princess Latifa asks UK police to reopen case into sister Shamsa's kidnapping. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-25). Over 100 Countries Push to Loosen Rules on Vaccine Patents as US Blocks the Way. truthout.org (2021-02-25). President Biden: Stop Funding the Policing of Our Students. aclu.org Over 150,000 Black and Brown children, disproportionately children with disabilities, are handcuffed, restrained, referred to law enforcement, and arrested in schools across the nation
(2021-02-24). Biden Canceled Trump's "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Waiting in Squalid Camps. democracynow.org (2021-02-24). Biden Canceled Trump's "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Wait in Squalid Refugee Camps. democracynow.org (2021-02-24). Pro-Fossil Fuel Senators Grill Deb Haaland as She Bids to Become First Indigenous Cabinet Secretary. democracynow.org (2021-02-24). Israeli watchdog calls out Netanyahu's bid to gain Palestinian support in elections. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Ahmad Erekat: Killing of Palestinian by Israel was 'extrajudicial execution'. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Israel is worried about the Palestinian elections. It believes Abbas is too. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Israeli PM urges Biden to keep Trump's sanctions on International Criminal Court to stave off war crimes investigation — media. rt.com (2021-02-24). Twitter called out for 'double standards' after it singles out report on UK influence op in Russia with 'hacked materials' label. rt.com (2021-02-24). In the News: Capitalism Kills. liberationnews.org (2021-02-24). Ice and blood in Texas. mronline.org (2021-02-24). How Capitalism Fails US. realprogressives.org (2021-02-24). Republicans' working class hero re-branding isn't fooling anyone. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-24). The Green New Deal Threatens Republicans' Bread and Butter (It's not Just Competition in the Battle of Ideas). counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE. workers.org (2021-02-24). What Planet Is NATO Living On? dissidentvoice.org (2021-02-24). In plain sight, GOP senators show sabotage is their game. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-24). Labor and allies pressure Congress to pass American Rescue Plan. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-24). Covid-19 Demonstrated How This Country Fails Its Most Vulnerable: A Field Guide to Our Threadbare Social Safety Net. juancole.com (2021-02-24). Texas freeze — Rich get richer, workers suffer. workers.org (2021-02-24). Ecuador elections — The calm before the storm. workers.org (2021-02-24). Mensaje de Alerta sobre la COVID-19. Profesionales de la Salud Unidos. globalizacion.ca (2021-02-24). Medical racism has shaped U.S. policies for centuries. mronline.org (2021-02-24). Saving the Planet: Why a net-zero future depends on the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. juancole.com (2021-02-24). The Empire's Hidden Hand: How The US Established, Sustains and Benefits From Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara. mintpressnews.com (2021-02-24). 'Executive Order': A futuristic 'final solution' to the Brazilian 'race problem' at PAFF. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-24). Confronting the Digital Divide: New York City vs. Verizon. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). Cuomo's Cover-up Will be Most Effectively Weaponized by the Right. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). Compartmentalizing Woody Allen … or Not. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). San Francisco teachers struggle for a safe reopening. liberationnews.org (2021-02-24). Tri-Cities, WA's Katie Barton: 'She wanted to see equal rights for the community, not just herself'. liberationnews.org (2021-02-24). Rush Limbaugh and the rise of the far right. liberationnews.org (2021-02-24). The Ethics of Healthcare Marketing. dissidentvoice.org (2021-02-24). Milwaukee protesters demand real change from Biden administration. liberationnews.org (2021-02-24). Does the West repeating claims of China committing genocide in Xinjiang reify it? mronline.org (2021-02-24). GameStop Hearing Exposes a Sick Business Model Destined to Exacerbate Wealth Inequality in America. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). First English, Then American, and Now Muslim Francophobia. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). Biden immigration bill has shortcomings, but shows promise on several fronts. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-24). The Heat: Afghanistan-What's next? america.cgtn.com (2021-02-24). COVID-19 vaccine patents: Private property vs. public health. workers.org (2021-02-24). Victory for campaigners as richest Cambridge college promises to divest from fossil fuels. thecanary.co (2021-02-24). Identificación del "paquete de vacunas" implantado: El Parlamento de Alemania ha ratificado la "Agenda ID2020" digital de GAVI. globalizacion.ca (2021-02-24). COVID inside: Release prisoners! Lisa Strawn interview, part 2. workers.org (2021-02-24). Biden Cancels "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Left Waiting. truthout.org (2021-02-24). Romney Says Trump Will Be GOP Nominee If He Runs in 2024. truthout.org (2021-02-24). In What Universe Is a $15 Wage "Too High"? Joe Manchin's. truthout.org (2021-02-24). Calls Rise for Louis DeJoy's Removal and for Major Postal Reforms. truthout.org (2021-02-24). FDA May Approve Johnson & Johnson Vaccine for US Use as Early as Saturday. truthout.org (2021-02-24). Texas Power Grid Deregulation Cost Texans $28 Billion Over Two Decades. truthout.org (2021-02-24). 20 Years Of Media Lens: A Selection Of Remarkable Replies From Journalists. dissidentvoice.org (2021-02-24). Cori Bush Grills Postmaster DeJoy About USPS's Board of "Millionaire White Boys" truthout.org (2021-02-24). Fossil Fuel Shock Doctrine. counterpunch.org (2021-02-24). Khashoggi killers used planes seized by Saudi crown prince: Report. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Biden to call Saudi king ahead of 'explosive' Khashoggi findings: Report. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Syria: Government official Eyad al-Gharib sentenced in Germany in landmark torture verdict. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). German court sentences Iraqi preacher over Islamic State recruitment. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Top US lawmaker links Palestinians to antisemitism and hate crimes. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Carlos Ghosn: Turkey sentences pilots and airline executive over escape from Japan. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). UN rights experts urge Biden to address rights violations at Guantanamo Bay prison. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). US to seek place on UN Human Rights Council, chief diplomat says. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). Pope's visit to Iraq will send message of coexistence, says Iraqi president. middleeasteye.net (2021-02-24). 'She came back to win': Serena Williams' coach says tennis superstar won't retire until she wins a record-equaling Grand Slam. rt.com (2021-02-24). 'This is why punctuation matters': Boxing champ Fury accidentally advertizes 'white people's champion' merch ahead of Joshua fight. rt.com (2021-02-24). 'Now you can admire me all year': Sports host Ulyana Trigubchak launches first calendar after asking men what they wanted from her. rt.com (2021-02-24). Police pelted with stones, garbage dumpsters set alight in Catalonia's 9th night of riots over jailed rapper Pablo Hasel (VIDEOS). rt.com (2021-02-24). Violence in Kiev sees 27 cops injured as protesters come out against court decision to lock up far-right nationalist Sternenko. rt.com (2021-02-24). Dip in UK's vaccination rate tied to 'supply fluctuations' as Covid jab makers get to grips with production push, deputy CMO says. rt.com (2021-02-24). Home addresses, social security numbers & sensitive medical data on 500,000 French patients leaked online after hack — reports. rt.com (2021-02-24). France's Dunkirk area to join Nice in weekend lockdown amid 'deteriorating' Covid-19 situation – health minister. rt.com (2021-02-24). In fresh censorship, Twitter bans 'Russian' accounts it says are 'undermining confidence in NATO' amid rising tensions with Moscow. rt.com (2021-02-24). Australian defense minister hospitalized 'as precaution' amid scandal over alleged rape of young staffer. rt.com (2021-02-24). Sweden clamps down on restaurant hours, advises solo shopping in bid to curb 'worrying' Covid-19 situation. rt.com (2021-02-24). After the West refused to provide Ukraine with Covid-19 vaccines, Kiev's long wait finally over as 500k doses arrive from India. rt.com (2021-02-24). UK's Covid-19 app can be converted into vaccine certificate whether Brits want it or not — reports. rt.com (2021-02-24). 72 hours to leave: EU envoy to Venezuela told to pack her bags after Brussels brings new sanctions over elections & rights abuses. rt.com (2021-02-24). 'The war continues': Small investors up in arms after GameStop stock trades halted amid price surge & reports of Reddit outages. rt.com (2021-02-24). Conservative host posts about his investigation into voter fraud claims, gets blocked, challenges Twitter to disprove his findings. rt.com (2021-02-24). 'Cancel them before they cancel us': Gab CEO says banks have banned platform due to media smears. rt.com (2021-02-24). How do you do, fellow kids? Biden White House leaves followers baffled after tweeting out-of-touch meme with Canadian PM. rt.com (2021-02-24). Neera Tanden's quest for OMB post hits another roadblock as crucial step postponed indefinitely — reports. rt.com (2021-02-24). 1 in 6 Americans under 23 say they're LGBTQ, as more people in the US than ever identify as non-heterosexual. rt.com (2021-02-24). Oklahoma man on parole accused of taking victim's HEART to feed family that he later slayed & maimed. rt.com (2021-02-24). US seeking re-election to UN Human Rights Council after Trump withdrawal, Blinken calls for expulsion of other members. rt.com (2021-02-24). US Federal Reserve investigating disruptions to Fedwire payment system and other services. rt.com (2021-02-24). Grand jury refuses to indict officers in Daniel Prude case, whose death in police custody sparked protests & resignations. rt.com (2021-02-24). Divided Republicans in Congress awkwardly disagree on Trump's future at same press conference (VIDEO). rt.com (2021-02-24). 'Let's play strip poker': Former staffer publishes explosive essay detailing claims of sexual harassment against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. rt.com (2021-02-24). Chicago lawmaker calls to BAN Grand Theft Auto in new bill, blaming 'violent video games' for spike in carjackings. rt.com (2021-02-24). What about student loans, water or the homeless? Outrage follows report $1.7 trillion F-35 program is now considered a failure. rt.com (2021-02-24). Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell offers to renounce UK & French citizenship in exchange for bail. rt.com (2021-02-24). Poland outlaws face coverings and scarves in favor of masks, ramps up regional restrictions as British Covid-19 variant spreads. rt.com (2021-02-24). Harlem's 1946 fight against South African starvation foreshadowed anti-apartheid struggle. peoplesworld.org (2021-02-23). Remembering Octavia Butler: Black Sci-Fi Writer Shares Cautionary Tales in Unearthed 2005 Interview. democracynow.org (2021-02-23). adrienne maree brown: Octavia Butler's Visions of the Future Have Transformed Generation of Readers. democracynow.org (2021-02-23). U.S. COVID Death Toll Hits 500,000 as Rich Nations Hoard Vaccines, Leaving Poorer Nations Without Any. democracynow.org (2021-02-23). The Fake Debate Over a Minimum Wage. counterpunch.org (2021-02-23). Cornel West: Palestine is a 'taboo issue among certain circles in high places'. middleeasteye.net 
Andrew Cuomo's office has reportedly posted an ad seeking a communications director to handle "messaging" for the state's many scandals, from nursing home death coverups to sexual harassment allegations to endless corruption. | "The State of New York's Executive Chamber has an immediate opening for a top level executive to lead messaging for the Office of the Governor. The position reports to the Communications Director," the listing, reposted on Wednesday, revealed. | pic.twitter.com/KlGs18th0E— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) (2021-02-25). Biden's transgender assistant health secretary nominee REFUSES questions on child sex changes in confirmation hearing. rt.com 
Rachel Levine, President Joe Biden's nominee for assistant health secretary, evaded questioning on her past support for child sex changes during her Senate confirmation hearing, a move that left GOP Senator Rand Paul "outraged." | Dr. Richard Levine had a long and successful career as a pediatrician before undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2011 and taking the name Rachel. Since then, Rachel Levine has transitioned to politics, becoming Pennsylvania's health secretary in 2017, before being tapped by President Biden earlier this month to become the next US Assistant Secretary for Health, as well as the h…
Hundreds of unaccompanied minors have been held at the US border waiting to be processed, Axios reported. Almost a third of them have been lingering in detention for more than two days, as the backlog piles up. | Around 700 minors who crossed into the US on their own were kept in Border Patrol Custody as of Sunday, Axios By that time, around 200 children had already been held up for over 48 hours, a…
Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would prohibit large cuts to city and county police budgets, handing off the law to the GOP-led Senate as Democrats insist it would violate local autonomy and the state constitution. | The
Lindsey Boylan, a former aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, has finally come forward with the details of her alleged harassment — only to be confronted by cricket chirps, as the #MeToo crusaders seem to have vanished. | Months after going public with the claim that she was harassed by Cuomo during her three-year stint working for the governor's office, Boylan delivered the details of the governor's alleged misconduct — from unwanted advances including a kiss and comments about her body, to an invitation to play strip poker on a private flight, to a claustrophobic interlude at the governor's off…
Police have apparently found a new pretext to keep a militarized security shield around the US Capitol, warning that pro-Trump militias are plotting to bomb Congress during President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech. | "We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desire that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union," acting Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman said Thursday in testimony to a House subcommittee. | Such an attack would carry out unfinished business that the electio…
The coronavirus-battered US has enjoyed an unusually calm flu season, showing the lowest figures in decades. The lack of influenza likely stems from enduring restrictions — or Covid-19 wrestling out weaker germs, experts believe. | The ongoing pandemic has had an unexpected effect on the US healthscape, with the conventional flu being almost completely wiped out. Figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show a sharp drop in influenza cases occurred last April — and the figures remain extremely low ever since. | The 2020-21 flu season has essentially not even happened at a…
Rep. Marie Newman (D-Illinois) was outraged after Facebook briefly flagged a video of her putting a transgender flag outside the office of Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Georgia) as "hate speech." | "Facebook took down our video of me putting up the Transgender flag outside my office and labeled it as 'hate speech,'" Newman tweeted on Thursday. | She blasted the social media platform for censoring her content — typically a complaint
Author and cancel culture critic James Lindsay was set to appear at an event for the Harvard Business School Club of New York, but in an ironic twist, organizers got cold feet and cancelled the entire event. | The event, which was set for March 11, would have featured Lindsay speaking about a book he co-authored, 'Cynical Theories', which turns a critical eye toward things like cancel culture and cultural appropriation. Lindsay is also the founder of New Discourses, a site that also takes a critical approach to social justice issues being politicized in the culture and in education. | While one would think som…
Hasbro has announced that their famous Mr. Potato Head toy will soon be rebranded as simply Potato Head to break away from the traditional two genders once offered. | "Culture has evolved," Kimberly Boyd, an SVP and GM at Hasbro, told Fast Company about the change. "Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists — with the 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.'— is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure." | Since the Mr. and Mrs. Potato head toys have appealed to mainly young children for decades now, this new change will be a way to break down the…
British Gas engineers will launch a fresh wave of strikes on 26 February in a deadlocked dispute over pay and conditions. | Strike: | Members of the GMB union will walk out for four days following weeks of action since the start of the year. Parent company Centrica announced on 25 February that its underlying earnings had fallen by almost a third as it lost more customers. The group reported a 31% drop in underlying operating profits to £447m for 2020. | Talks have been held between the two sides at the conciliation service Acas, but the union has accused the company of refusing to withdraw fire and…
Claudia Jones (1915—1964), an Afro-Caribbean woman born in Port of Spain, British West Indies (Trinidad), was a Communist activist in the U.S., holding several responsible positions within the Communist Party and for its publications until her deportation in 1955 to Great Britain. There, based in London, she played a leading role in the West Indian …
UAE: Princess Latifa asks UK police to reopen case into sister Shamsa's kidnapping | In a handwritten letter given to British authorities on Wednesday, Latifa says a new investigation could help her secure her sister's release | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 14: 12 | Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum attends the Global Women's Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 16 February 2020. (REUTERS/Christopher…
As the pandemic's death toll nears 2.5 million, stringent rules around intellectual property rights could be preventing much of the world from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. Over 45 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the United Nations, while 130 other countries have not received any vaccines at all, leading to what some describe as "vaccine apartheid." At the World Trade Organization, South Africa and India are leading a push by over…
One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in, many thousands are still waiting in dangerous conditions for their chance to cross the border, including in the Matamor…
One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in, many thousands are still waiting in dangerous conditions for their chance to cross the border, including in the Matamor…
Indigenous communities across the United States are closely following the Senate confirmation hearings of Congressmember Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden's pick to lead the Interior Department, who would become the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary if she is confirmed. Haaland is a tribal citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, and the prospect of an Indigenous person leading the federal department with broad oversight of Native American affairs has galvanized support for her in Indian Country. Several Republican senators have grilled Haaland over her past comments opposing fracking, the Keystone XL oil…
Israeli watchdog calls out Netanyahu's bid to gain Palestinian support in elections | The Prime Minister's Office has been in contact with Palestinian authorities to drum up backing among Palestinian citizens of Israel | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 15: 59 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on a visit to Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, 20 February 2021 (AFP) | An Israeli watchdog on Wednesday called for a cri…
Ahmad Erekat: Killing of Palestinian by Israel was 'extrajudicial execution' | New investigation also denounces the lack of medical treatment given to the Palestinian man and the degrading treatment of his body | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 14: 35 | Ahmad Erekat was killed at an Israeli checkpoint on his sister's wedding day last year (Facebook) | The killing of Palestinian Ahmad Erekat at an Israeli checkpoint on his s…
Israel is worried about the Palestinian elections. It believes Abbas is too | The Israeli security services have no wish to rock the boat, but they have few measures to influence the upcoming polls | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 14: 17 | An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters) | From the perspective of the Israeli security establishment, it would ha…
Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly urged US President Joe Biden to maintain his predecessor's sanctions against the International Criminal Court, arguing that even if he disagrees with them, the US and Israel must stick together. | Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu personally called up Biden last week to request he keep the Trump administration's sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in place, lest the court launch its long-threatened war crimes investigation into Tel Aviv's atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, Axios reported on Wednesday. | A failure to maintain those sanctions could be inte…
Twitter has added a warning to a bombshell expose revealing a covert UK program to plant pro-government narratives in foreign media, telling users the piece may be based on "hacked material," despite letting similar stories slide. | A
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the COVID death toll in the United States topping 500,000, the winter storm that has left millions without power in zero degree temperatures in Texas, a new independent report that further exposes the police in Aurora Colorado for the brutal murder of Elijah McClain, and more.
Avoidable deaths, not avoided.
Hello internet, I'm Jackie Fox and I'd like for you to join me in a thought experiment. Imagine an ideal world. What do you see? How do you know it's ideal? If you're anything like me, you're imagining a world without homelessness or hunger, where life expectancy increases along with quality of life, everyone has access to healthcare, the world is healthy and our ecosystem isn't on the verge of collapse. Following the logic of Capitalism though, you'd really just want a strong stock market and around three percent market growth per year; everything else is just icing on the cake. | The problem is that while th…
So far, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Jim Jordan haven't taken up Chris Hayes's challenge. On his show a while back, the MSNBC host laughed out loud when Sen. Cruz—aka The Cancun Kid—Sen. Josh Hawley, and Rep. Jim Jordan claimed the GOP was the born-again blue-collar party. The host of "All in With Chris Hayes" dared the …
Naomi Klein has an interesting piece in the New York Times on the implications of the Texas disaster. I would disagree with some parts, which attack the Texas approach to energy as "free market." To my view, this is far too generous. Even Texas' deregulated energy market is still highly regulated. It is possible to
Join us Saturday, March 6, from 2-4 p.m. EST, for a Global Virtual Street Meeting for Mumia Abu-Jamal: FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE. Join organizers, artists, supporters and educators as they shine a light on the important history of this international movement to #FreeMumia along with a summary . . . |
NATO headquarters in Brussels (Photo: NATO) The February meeting of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Defense Ministers, the first since President Biden took power, revealed an antiquated, 75-year-old alliance that, despite its military failures in Afghanistan and Libya, is now turning its military madness toward two more formidable, nuclear-armed enemies: Russia and China. This theme …
Republican senators exposed their true colors at separate Senate hearings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, and those colors are not ones that would typically be shown by anyone interested in "bipartisanship." The nation was treated to the spectacle in hearings on the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol of Senate leaders of that right-wing insurrection …
LOS ANGELES—The urgency and historic significance of the American Rescue Plan are being amplified by the gamut of civic and community groups around the country, from labor to civil rights, health care, education, child, senior, unemployed, disability, homeless, and other advocacy groups. Momentum is building for mass public pressure to get the strongest measure passed …
( Tomdispatch.com) — 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 …
Houston An unprecedented winter storm hit Texas Feb. 15, bringing subfreezing temperatures. One week later, huge sections of the population are still without power, heat and/or water. Houston skyline glows, while millions suffer subfreezing temperatures without heat or water amidst preventable power outages, Feb. 15 Across major cities — such . . . |
Ibarra, Ecuador Feb. 19 — Almost 10 million voters, a record 81% of those eligible, went to the polls Feb. 7, despite the pandemic, to choose among 16 candidates in Ecuador's presidential elections. The two top vote-getters will compete in the April 11 runoff elections. No candidate received enough . . . |
Llamamos la atención de nuestros lectores, este importante comunicado internacional de profesionales de la salud, médicos y científicos, que ha sido enviado a los gobiernos de treinta países. | A continuación se muestra el texto completo que se envió a los…
The link between the 1793 yellow fever epidemic and the coronavirus.
By Anya M. Waite, Brad deYoung, Chris Milley, and Ian G. Stewart | — Most of us growing up along Canada's East Coast never worried about hurricane season. Except for those working at sea, we viewed hurricanes as extreme events in remote tropical regions, seen only through blurred footage of flailing palm trees on the …
Over the decades, the Moroccan settler population expanded while the United States and European Union have illegally exploited the Western Sahara's resources, mining phosphates, fishing in its waters, and in recent years, drilling for oil and gas.
Director/co-writer Lázaro Ramos's award-winning Executive Order (Medida Provisória) exemplifies what I love most about the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF): It gives movie buffs the opportunity to see films, often from far-flung destinations around the globe, that we might otherwise never have the chance to watch. Often these are worthy, well-made productions that PAFF is …
The United States is a divided nation, one expressed in all-too-many ways as evident by the 2020 presidential election and the failed January 6th insurrection. Unfortunately, one of its most telling expressions is the digital divide, in which more well-to-do urban and suburban locals get superior if over-priced telecom services while whole swaths of urban
On February 11, news broke that the Cuomo administration intentionally hid data on COVID-related nursing home deaths from the federal government and New York state legislators, ostensibly for fear of a Department of Justice investigation and potential federal prosecution. The revelation was fairly shocking, but hardly out of character. Cuomo's mishandling of the pandemic—coupled with
I missed the first round of talk about the New York Times' publication of a moving and forthright letter by Woody Allen's adopted daughter, Dylan, regarding his alleged sexual molestation of her over two decades ago. Woody Allen is an American icon as well as a human being capable of all things human, perhaps including
The following was a presentation at the Feb. 20, 2021, Reds in Ed webinar. Afternoon fellow educators, my name is Frank Lara and I am a public-school teacher of 10 years in San Francisco's historic Mission District. I am also on the Executive Board of our union, the United Educators of San Francisco, a 6,500-member …
This article is part of Liberation's commemoration of Black History Month, 2021. T…
Photo: Rush Limbaugh and Donald Trump speaking at a 2019 event hosted by Turning Point USA. Credit — Gage Skidmore After more than three decades assaulting airwaves and television screens with his vicious right-wing rhetoric, Rush Limbaugh, the bigoted and imperialist radio personality, died last week from a year-long battle with lung cancer. With his …
Spend an evening watching television on any network in pretty much any town in America and you'd probably think that Big Pharma had already created a pill for anything that might ail ya. And, of course, in some ways, that's not entirely wrong. Today we have a world of therapies to extend our lives and …
Around 50 protesters congregated in the cold outside Milwaukee City Hall Feb. 16 to make their demands heard, as President Joe Biden arrived for a town hall conversation with CNN.
The Jewish Virtual Library quotes Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels as having said: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
The most striking revelations in yesterday's House Financial Services Committee hearing on the wild trading action in New York Stock Exchange-listed shares of GameStop came when Congresswoman Cindy Axne of Iowa questioned Vlad Tenev, the CEO of Robinhood, the trading app being increasingly used by young people to trade stocks and options on their mobile
Francophobia has been a persistent part of French history, transmitted and modulated through several centuries. 17thcentury England constructed the first significant layer of Francophobia. The Americans may have borrowed Francophobia from England and then developed its version in the 20th century. In the 21st century, the Muslim world has begun to manufacture its variety of
The Biden administration has introduced a sweeping new immigration bill that stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump's four years of attacks on undocumented workers and their families. The new bill is being seen by many as a bold step in a better direction, but some immigrant rights activists are pointing out shortcomings in the …
The war in Afghanistan rages on as a major deadline looms for U.S. forces to leave the country.
Among the many controversies surrounding vital COVID-19 vaccines, the issue of patent bans gets far less attention than how vaccines are being distributed or who is able to receive them. Yet the patent laws protecting intellectual property (IP) in the U.S. and European Union give the world's wealthiest countries unfair . . . |
After four years of student campaigning, Cambridge's Trinity College has promised to divest fully from fossil fuels in the next 10 years. | The college has vowed to end all direct investment into fossil fuels by the end of 2021, and all indirect investment within 5-10 years. | Trinity is only the third Cambridge college to promise full divestment. The university as a whole has
Noticias alarmantes. En Alemania, el Parlamento (Bundestag) ratificó el 29 de enero de 2021 la implementación de la Agenda ID2020. | Se trata de una recopilación de datos electrónicos generalizados y centralizados de cada ciudadano a la que tendrían acceso todas…
The global pandemic has disproportionately impacted incarcerated people in the U.S. In California, during the early days of the pandemic, the transfer of prisoners into San Quentin sparked a massive outbreak of COVID that spread to over two-thirds of the prison population there, causing the death of 27 prisoners, including . . . |
One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in,…
Speaking about the future of the Republican Party on Tuesday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said it's very likely that former President Donald Trump would win the nomination for president if he decided to run again in 2024. | "I don't know if he'll run in 2024 or not, but if he does, I'm pretty sure he will win the nomination," Romney said Romney also acknowledged that "a lot can happen between now…
Economic justice organizers may soon triumph in their fight for a $15 minimum wage. Thanks to their years of effort, President Biden (and every Democratic contender during the primary debates) vowed to hike the minimum wage to $15 an hour. In keeping with that promise, Biden attached a wage bill to his $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. | Although Republicans and their political allies are firmly opposed to the measure, the Senate could approve it. But Democratic holdouts like West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin could do…
On Wednesday, February 24, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to be safe and effective in a briefing document on Wednesday morning, lending support to its emergency use authorization. | The vaccine's trial data results are "consistent with the recommendations set forth in FDA's guidance Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19,"
Republican Texas lawmakers often tout their state leadership's contempt and recalcitrance toward the federal government as a point of pride. But a new analysis by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has found that the deregulation and monopolization of the Texas energy market cost Texas residents $28 billion more than they would have paid under a traditional utility. | When Texas changed from fully regulated power generation to the largely deregulated system that's in place today, it began requiring almos…
The Insiders In a 2002 interview with the Observer, the BBC's John Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE of Kabul, to give him his full name and title, was asked to define the 'essential qualities' of a journalist. Simpson responded with typical left-field quirkiness: There's something slightly wrong with most of us, don't you feel? We're damaged goods, …
During Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) noted that, despite the fact that people of color make up a sizeable share of United States Postal Service (USPS) employees,…
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Khashoggi killers used planes seized by Saudi crown prince: Report | In recent court filings, documents reveal that two of the jets used by Saudi hit squad belonged to a company seized by MBS months earlier, CNN reports | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 22: 02 | Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 (AFP/File photo) | Two private jets used by the Saudi hit squad that killed journalist…
Biden to call Saudi king ahead of 'explosive' Khashoggi findings: Report | US intelligence report expected to support earlier CIA findings that Saudi crown prince behind murder of journalist | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 08: 36 | The call would be the first conversation between Biden, as US president, and King Salman, according to Axios (Reuters) | US President Joe Biden is set to call Saudi Arabia'
Syria: Government official Eyad al-Gharib sentenced in Germany in landmark torture verdict | Intelligence officer sentenced to four and a half years in prison over complicity in crimes against humanity | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 09: 28 | Eyad al-Gharib, accused of crimes against humanity in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives to hear the court's verdict on 24 Februar…
German court sentences Iraqi preacher over Islamic State recruitment | Court finds Abu Walaa helped radicalise young people in Europe and send them to Iraq and Syria | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 12: 00 | Abu Walaa, 37, was found guilty of belonging to a foreign terrorist organisation, helping to plan subversive violent acts and financing terrorism (AFP) | An Iraqi preacher said to be the Islamic St…
Top US lawmaker links Palestinians to antisemitism and hate crimes | Gregory Meeks, chair of House Foreign Affairs Committee, ruled out conditioning aid to Israel even if annexation proceeds | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 19: 43 | Congressman Gregory Meeks vowed to be a 'strong voice against antisemitism' when dealing with Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Congressman Gregory Meeks, a key Democrat, linked Palestinians to the…
Carlos Ghosn: Turkey sentences pilots and airline executive over escape from Japan | The three Turks were convicted of smuggling the ex-Nissan boss into Lebanon while he faced charges in Japan | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 14: 27 | The Ghosn saga has shaken the global car industry, at one point jeopardising the Renault-Nissan alliance which he masterminded (AFP) | An Istanbul court on Wednesday conv…
UN rights experts urge Biden to address rights violations at Guantanamo Bay prison | A panel of rights experts welcome administration's goal of closing prison, but say it must ensure 'crimes committed there will not remain unpunished' | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 16: 41 | There are currently 40 detainees at Guantanamo Bay prison (AFP/File photo) | A panel of UN rights experts said the Biden administration's current rev…
US to seek place on UN Human Rights Council, chief diplomat says | But Secretary of State Antony Blinken says body needs to eliminate agenda item on rights abuses in occupied Palestinian territories | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 19: 23 | Blinken said the US was seeking support for its election to the UNHRC for the 2022-2024 term (AFP) | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that the Biden administration…
Pope's visit to Iraq will send message of coexistence, says Iraqi president | Barham Salih says meeting between Pope Francis and Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani will be 'profound statement about moderation in religion' | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 21: 11 | Pope Francis is set to visit Iraq on 5 March, and travel to areas previously under the control of the Islamic State group (AFP/File photo) | Iraqi President Barham Salih ha…
Serena Williams' coach, Patrick Mouratoglou has said the evergreen star won't stop playing professional tennis until she has another Grand Slam title to her name, having narrowly missed out on winning the Australian open. | The 39-year-old, who returned to professional sport in 2018 after giving birth to her daughter, is eyeing her 24th Grand Slam title, which would equal Margaret Court's long-standing record. | The US star has taken part in four major finals since returning to action, but the coveted dream of claiming yet another Grand Slam has so far eluded her. | In 2018, Williams, who was chasing an eighth…
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has been mocked by fans after appearing to advertize a "white people's champion" sweatshirt to more than four million followers on Instagram, encouraging them to snap up the offer at his shop. | Eagle-eyed fans laughed at giant Briton Fury's howler after he attempted to flog the branded clothing via social media, producing an unfortunate faux-pas with an attempt at correct grammar that was as inaccurate as many of his opponents' attempts to end his unbeaten boxing career so far. | Fury was clearly keen to make the most of the business opportunity provided by millions of fans aro…
Photoshoot-loving sports host Ulyana Trigubchak has branched out to create her debut calendar and invited her almost entirely male audience to "admire me all year round", praising them while offering a preview of the risque snaps. | The self-described former sexiest presenter in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) announced that she "could not ignore" the views of her fanbase when she asked them what they would like from her as a "gift", adding that a whopping 93.5 percent of her huge social media following was male. | Pundit and tipster Trigubchak, who is the mastermind behind the "t*tverg" hashtag promoting…
Riots have continued in the Spanish region of Catalonia for a ninth consecutive night as demonstrators voice their anger over the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel for insulting the monarchy and glorifying terrorism on Twitter. | Protesters pelted police with bottles and stones and torched refuse containers in the town of Vilanova i La Geltrú, in the province of Barcelona, according to a police statement on Wednesday night. | Incidents a Vilanova i la Geltrú. La protesta ha anat directament a la comissaria dels mossos d'Esquadra. C…
Twenty-seven Ukrainian policemen were injured in clashes on Kiev's central Bankova Street, on Tuesday night, after a demonstration against the imprisonment of far-right Odessa activist Sergey Sternenko descended into violence. | According to media reports, more than a thousand people gathered near the Presidential Administration and were met with tear gas. | Sternenko is the former leader of the Odessa branch of the Right Sector, an association of radical anti-Russia Ukrainian nationalist organizations. Founded in 2013 as a conglomeration of groups at the Euromaidan revolt in 2013, the group has been described…
A drop-off in the UK's rate of Covid-19 vaccinations is down to "supply fluctuations" of doses, England's deputy chief medical officer has said, adding that "global supply constraints" are also hitting the inoculation rollout. | Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said it will take a few months before vaccine producers can make "a steady routine" of doses. | Earlier this week, the number of vaccinations administered across the UK fell by over a third compared to recent weeks. On Sunday, 141,719 people were vaccinated — the lowest figure since the country began compiling a daily c…
Sensitive medical records on nearly 500,000 patients in France have been stolen in a major cyber attack on dozens of healthcare labs, landing online after an alleged dispute between the hackers, according to media reports. | A file containing names and contact details on 491,840 people has made the rounds online since at least earlier this month, according to French cybersecurity journalist Damien Bancal, who runs the Zataz blog. The data includes home addresses, phone numbers, emails, social security numbers and other sensitive medical information pertaining to medications, pregnancy and diseases such as HIV.
From this Friday, the city of Dunkirk and the surrounding area will enter a weekend lockdown similar to that in Nice, France's Health Minister Olivier Veran has announced while warning of an uptick in Covid-19 cases nationwide. | "The epidemic situation is deteriorating in our country," Veran said during a televised news briefing on Wednesday from Dunkirk, where the infection rate has shot up in the last few days. | "We erased in one week the two consecutive weeks of decline that we had recorded so far," the minister added, referring to France's recent progress in halting the spread of the virus. | Dunkirk's n…
Nearly 400 Twitter accounts have been shut down in the latest Silicon Valley banning spree over allegations many are linked to Moscow and work to discredit a US-led military grouping that stages war-games on the country's border. | On Tuesday, Russian media reported that the San Francisco-based microblogging platform had confirmed at least 100 of the bans were of accounts supposedly connected with Russia. | According to a company spokesperson, "some of these accounts disseminated messages that were associated with the Russian government, while the rest of the network focused on undermining confidence in the NA…
Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds has unexpectedly taken sick leave just as she was about to answer questions about a young staffer's claims that she was raped by a male colleague inside the minister's office. | According to a statement on the Department of Defense's website, Reynolds has been The statement did not specify how long Reyn…
The Swedish government will tighten the opening hours of hospitality businesses and order shoppers to go out alone in a bid to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 infections, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced on Wednesday. | "This is no time to relax," Lofven said during a news conference as he outlined the new measures. | The PM also warned that there is a great risk of a third wave of infections if people do not adhere to the health measures. | Under the new restrictions, from March 1, all restaurants in Sweden must close from 8: 30pm, regardless of whether they serve alcohol — previous rules allowed boo…
The first shipment of Indian-made doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Ukraine, ending months of waiting after Kiev failed to obtain jabs from the West. The country's inoculation program has now begun. | According to President Volodymyr Zelensky's website, Deputy Health Minister Viktor Lyashko informed the head of state that the vaccine was registered in the country a day before half a million doses arrived at Kiev's Boryspil Airport from India, where they are being produced under license from AstraZeneca with the name "CoviShield." | The vaccination program will begin with doctors a…
The National Health Service app initially developed for users to show their Covid-19 test results can be converted into a digital vaccine certificate without further technical alterations — bad news for the privacy-conscious. | In December, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove unilaterally denied Britons would be required to show a "vaccine passport" to enter businesses, eat at restaurants, attend events, or travel, insisting "that's not the plan" and reassuring citizens' right to privacy would remain intact. | However, London appears to have changed its mind on the issue, as Downing Street considers permitting…
The head of the EU's delegation to Venezuela has been told she has just 72 hours to leave after being expelled by Caracas in response to Brussels expanding its sanctions on Venezuelan officials for "undermining democracy." | Venezuela's National Assembly voted earlier this week to expel EU envoy Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa, and asked for President Nicolas Maduro to declare her persona non grata. | "She has been given 72 hours to leave Venezuelan territory," Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told reporters on Wednesday. | Responding to the move, a spokesperson for EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell sai…
GameStop shares have again soared, surging by more than 100 percent until a trading halt slowed the rally before markets closed, stoking suspicions among small investors, some pointing to mysterious Reddit issues during the spike. | $GME was up by Observers online noted that while halts are typically short-lived and last onl…
BlazeTV host Steven Crowder had his Twitter account restricted after posting about a video investigative piece claiming numerous voter addresses in the 2020 presidential election were faked. | "DOZENS of voter names, addresses, and pictures proving they don't exist. Period. Today I'm tired of this s**t. Mass voter fraud is real and I can prove it," Crowder Twitter quickly restricted the tweet and did not allow anyone to like, retweet, or respond to it "due to a risk of violence." Twitter also temporarily locked Crowder'
Three banks have refused to do business with Gab, a Twitter competitor outspoken about free speech, in recent weeks, the company's chief executive revealed. Andrew Torba blamed the development on mainstream media hit pieces. | The third bank to sever its relationship with the company in three weeks told Torba on Monday that they were doing so because of "all the bad things the press has written about Gab," he said in an interview published by the conservative outlet National File. | Speaking to
The Biden administration has taken a popular meme and mutilated it, leaving what appears to be praise for Canada's Justin Trudeau but which was hard to understand either way. | Biden's White House Twitter account posted two images in a row captioned "How it started. How it's going" on Wednesday. The first showed Biden and Trudeau walking side by side down a hallway lined with flags, apparently from Biden's term as Vice President under Barack Obama. The second featured a large screen on which Trudeau was projected, with Biden turned towards it, seemingly in mid-speech, clearly taken during the pandemic. | How i…
The confirmation of Neera Tanden, Biden's polarizing pick for head of the Office of Management and Budget, has been further derailed after Republicans suggested they'd vote against it, insider sources told the media. | Both the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Budget Committee postponed meetings set for Wednesday in which they were scheduled to vote on Tanden's confirmation, according to sources cited in several US outlets. | White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to say whether the Biden administration was planning to withdraw Tanden, instead gushing over her "broad s…
More Americans than ever identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) according to a survey of sexuality, with one in six people under 23 saying they are something other than heterosexual. | The Gallup Poll released Wednesday, found that 5.6 percent of Americans classify themselves as LGBTQ — up from 4.5 percent in 2017. That was the last time Gallup carried out polling on the issue. | Gallup surveyed 15,000 Americans above 18 years of age and found that of those who identified themselves as LGBTQ, 54.6 percent said they were bisexual, 24.5 percent said they were gay, and 1…
Grisly details have emerged in a triple homicide case in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The suspect reportedly cut out and cooked the heart of a neighbor he had killed, before turning the knife against his own family. | The already shockingly brutal case against Lawrence Paul Anderson, 42, rose to a new level of senselessness after the chain of tragic events was further explained in court papers. As the suspect was confessing to his crimes to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), he said he had taken out the heart of his first victim and took it to his home. | I feel the need to warn people that this story…
The US wants to retake its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in a video message to the body, during which he also called for the removal of other nations. | "I'm pleased to announce the United States will seek election to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24 term," Blinken declared on Wednesday. "We humbly ask for the support of all UN member states in our bid to return to a seat in this body." | Former President Donald Trump's administration
The US Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it is investigating a disruption to services including Fedwire, which facilitates trillions of dollars in wire transfers between institutions every day. | According to updates from the Federal Reserve, the massive disruption to services was caused by an "operational error". | "We acknowledge that payment deadlines are impacted and will communicate remediation efforts to our customers when available. Thank you for your patience while we work to resolve the issue," the institution said in an update on the situation. | As of 2.30pm Eastern Time Wednesday, almost all serv…
A grand jury in Rochester, New York has decided not to indict seven police officers, including the one who placed a hood on Daniel Prude's head and contributed to his death. The black man's demise spurred protests last year. | The police officers were suspended in the wake of Prude's death on March 23 last year, which came as a result of an altercation between Prude, a black man, and a group of responding officers as they attempted to take him into custody. | Announcing the jury's verdict, New York AG Letitia James said that she was "extremely disappointed" by the outcome, arguing that Prude's race played a ro…
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) is facing a backlash after openly disagreeing with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) on Donald Trump's future with the party during an awkward press conference exchange. | Asked on Wednesday whether Trump should be speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida this week, McCarthy replied simply, "Yes, he should." | Cheney, who was standing behind McCarthy, was then asked what she thought about the matter — though her answer should surprise no one, as she's been a vocal critic of the former president. | "I don't believe he should be playing a role i…
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is being accused of sexual harassment and fostering a "toxic" work environment by former staffer Lindsey Boylan, who detailed her time with the top Democrat in a new essay. | Boylan The former aide now says she has revealed her full story in the hopes that it will "clear the path for other women to come forward." She published the exp…
A Democratic lawmaker in Chicago is pushing to ban the sale of all violent video games, claiming the graphic 'Grand Theft Auto' series — which debuted more than 20 years ago — is to blame for a wave of carjackings around the city.
A tacit admission by the US Air Force that the F-35 has failed its main mission has triggered an outpouring of outrage from Americans who think the stealth fighter's gargantuan budget could have been better spent on other things. | Frustration with Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation stealth jet flooded Twitter on Wednesday, after Forbes magazine published a story about how USAF commissioning a study into a new, cheaper and lighter fighter amounts to "a tacit admission that the F-35 has failed." | | The U.S. Air Force admitted that the F-35 s…
Jeffrey Epstein's alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell has offered to give up her British and French citizenship in order to be released on bail. She was arrested on charges of trafficking underage girls. | Maxwell "will renounce her French and British citizenship to eliminate any opportunity for her to seek refuge in those countries, if the Court so requires," her lawyers wrote in a The defendant's legal team argued that by doing so, Maxwe…
The Polish government has banned the wearing of face coverings and scarves as an acceptable means of protecting oneself against Covid-19, as the third wave of the virus gathers momentum in the east European state. | "Until now, we had the opportunity to use alternatives to masks. But now we want to stop using them. A face covering can be used in addition to the masks because they protect the upper part of the face," Minister for Health Adam Niedzielski announced on Wednesday, as he confirmed the virus was resurgent across the country. | Government adviser Iwona Paradowska-Stankiewicz reinforced Niedzielski's r…
People's World is happy to reprint below an article from the Jan. 3, 1946 issue of the Daily Worker by W. Alphaeus Hunton, then the educational director of the Council on African Affairs (CAA). Hunton, considered "one of the most neglected African-American intellectuals" in U.S. history, partly due to his membership in the Communist Party …
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…
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.
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…
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…
Cornel West: Palestine is a 'taboo issue among certain circles in high places' | Activist and scholar says he is being denied tenure at Harvard University because of his views on Israeli occupation | Tue, 02/23/2021 – 15: 00 | Cornel West speaks at the National Press Club on 21 February 2017 (AFP) | US activist and philosopher Cornel West said he is confident that it is his criticism of Israel cost him tenure…