2021-02-08: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2021-02-08). Sudan dissolves cabinet to bring ex-rebels into lineup. middleeasteye.net Sudan dissolves cabinet to bring ex-rebels into lineup | Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is expected to include seven ministers from rebel groups in his new cabinet | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 16: 36 | Former rebel groups struck a peace deal with Khartoum in October, but violence continues in Darfur (AFP)
| Sudan's ruling body said on Monday it would announce a new cabinet to include ex-rebel ch…

Vijay Prashad (2021-02-08). ExxonMobil exploits divisions in South America to score massive oil profits. peoplesworld.org Tensions are rising between neighboring Guyana and Venezuela over a piece of land that has been disputed since at least 1835. Both Guyana's President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have exchanged sharp words about the status of the Essequibo region, which both countries claim. Since 1990, the two countries have pursued their claims through a United Nations …

_____ (2021-02-08). The Black Antiwar Movement Demands Biden Take Concrete Steps To End The Wars At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org President Biden declared early in his presidency that he wants to advance racial equity. The new Secretary of Defense, General Lloyd Austin, the first Black person to serve in that role, announced his intentions to root out racism in the Pentagon. The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) recently launched two new campaigns calling for specific actions the Biden administration can take to end militarization of black and brown communities and to end the 'forever war' on Afghanistan. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ajamu Baraka, the national organizer for BAP, about these initiatives and the imperative to build the antiwar,…

Paul Dobson (2021-02-08). National Gas Chief Arrested for Corruption at Venezuela's PDVSA. venezuelanalysis.com On the same day, local oil managers Alfredo Chirinos and Aryenis Torrealba were sentenced to five years, provoking anger from their grassroots support campaign.

_____ (2021-02-08). The Antiwar Movement Must Not Go Back To Sleep During The Biden Presidency. popularresistance.org On Saturday, members of the administrative committee of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), on which I serve, spoke on a webinar about the importance of building and strengthening the antiwar, anti-imperialist movement during Biden's presidency. UNAC was founded during the summer of 2010 as it became clear that the antiwar movement in the US was faltering under the nation's first black president. Peace groups allied with the Democrats were reluctant to criticize the president and donations declined as people wrongly assumed the new Nobel Peace Prize winner was pro-peace.

_____ (2021-02-08). Time To Negotiate For Peace In Space. popularresistance.org The U.S. mission to dominate and control the military use of space has been, historically and at present, a major obstacle to achieving nuclear disarmament and a peaceful path to preserve all life on earth. | Reagan rejected Gorbachev's offer to give up Star Wars as a condition for both countries to eliminate all their nuclear weapons when the wall came down and Gorbachev released all of Eastern Europe from Soviet occupation, miraculously, without a shot. | Bush and Obama blocked any discussion in 2008 and 2014 on Russian and Chinese proposals for a space weapons ban in the consensus-bound Committee for Disarmame…

Daniel Martin Varisco (2021-02-08). Biden is Right to end US involvement in Bloody Yemen Conflict, but he Needs to end the War itself. juancole.com Glen Cove, N.Y. (Special to Informed Comment) — President Biden's about face on Saudi support for the war in Yemen, including setting aside the disastrous idea of designating the Huthis as a unique set of "terrorists", is a hopeful step, but the road to peace is a steep climb. As noted by a recent report …

Ben Norton (2021-02-07). How Ecuador's US-backed, coup-supporting 'ecosocialist' candidate Yaku Pérez aids the right-wing. thegrayzone.com Ecuador's presidential candidate Yaku Pérez supported coups in Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. His US-backed party Pachakutik and supposedly "left-wing" environmentalist campaign is being promoted by right-wing corporate lobbyists. (Editor's note: This article was updated on February 8, following the first round of Ecuador's presidential election.) Ecuador's February 7 presidential election concluded in a surprise: The quick count published by the country's National Electoral Council appeared to show a little-known candidate named Yaku Pérez Guartambel in second place, securing a …

Ben Norton (2021-02-07). How Ecuador's US-backed, coup-supporting 'ecosocialist' candidate aids the right-wing. thegrayzone.com Ecuador's third-place presidential candidate Yaku Pérez and his US-backed party Pachakutik supported coups in Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. His supposedly "left-wing" environmentalist campaign is being promoted by right-wing corporate lobbyists. Ecuador's historic February 7 election could bring a popular revolutionary movement back from the dead and help fuel a new wave of socialist governments in Latin America. The contrast between the two main presidential candidates could hardly be more stark: On one side is a conservative banker backed by …

_____ (2021-02-07). BAP Solidarity Network Demands Biden End War In Afghanistan. popularresistance.org In response to the Biden administration suggesting it will not complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces, per the Doha Agreement of February 2020, the Black Alliance for Peace Solidarity Network demands the United States end the war in Afghanistan. | The BAP Solidarity Network, comprised of non-African/Black people and organizations who support BAP's anti-imperialist mission, released a petition today, calling on everyone committed to peace, human rights and common sense, to demand Biden re-start peace talks; immediately withdraw all U.S. forces, private contractors, and other mercenaries; close all U.S. bases; and…

RT (2021-02-07). Myanmar sees largest protest in over a decade as supporters of ousted civilian leadership demand generals reverse coup. rt.com Thousands of people in Myanmar participated in protest marches over the weekend, decrying the military coup. As tensions escalated, shots were reportedly fired in the air as police confronted one of the rallies. | The incident, which reportedly happened in the border town of Myawaddy on Sunday, shows the fragility of the situation. The mass protests — the largest Myanmar has seen since the 2007 crisis — have so far been largely peaceful, but the country remains in a volatile state since the start of the coup on Monday. | The police fire into the air to spread out the protestors in Myawaddy township n…

sputniknews (2021-02-07). Russia's Sputnik V Coronavirus Vaccine Safest in World, Maduro Says. sputniknews.com BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) – The Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is the safest vaccine against COVID-19 in the world, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said.

yenisafak (2021-02-07). Turkey 'friend and ally' to Libya: Interim PM. yenisafak.com Libya's new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh on Sunday described Turkey as a "friend and ally", saying his government will work to achieve peace in war-torn Libya.This came in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, the first by a foreign news agency with the new premier after being elected to lead an interim government.On Friday, Libya's rival political groups agreed to form an interim unity government after five days of talks in Switzerland. Mohammad Younes Menfi was elected to head the Presidency Council of an interim government and Dbeibeh as its prime minister. Mossa Al-Koni and Abdullah Hussein Al-Laf…

_____ (2021-02-07). Venezuelan Parliamentary Commission Charges Guaidó. popularresistance.org Today, February 5, the Comptroller Commission of Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) presented before the Public Ministry (MP) charges against the 2015 deputy Juan Guaidó for damage to the Republic and usurpation of functions. | In statements transmitted by Venezolana de Televisión, the president of the commission, deputy José Brito, stated that the charges presented by the Commission included criminal association, organized crime, usurpation of functions, assassination, attempted coup, homicide, and others. | "The sum of penalties would add up to more than 200 years in prison," said Brito. In this regard, he ment…

Gregory Wilpert (2021-02-07). Ending the War on Yemen? theanalysis.news The Biden administration announced an end to US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. This is in larger part thanks to the constant activism and mobilization of peace groups around the US. Guest host Greg Wilpert talked to Hassan el Tayyab, the Legislative Manager for Middle East Policy of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, shortly before the announcement was made. He outlines the background of the war, the history of US support, what an end to US support would mean, and what further steps need to be taken to put an end to the devastation in Yemen.

Donald Monaco (2021-02-07). The Biden Presidency: Political Factionalism and Continuity. globalresearch.ca Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States amidst an armed fortress in the nation's capital on January 6, 2021. Twenty-five thousand National Guard troops were deployed to ensure a peaceful transition of power for …

Rachael Boothroyd (2021-02-06). Biden Administration Rules Out Maduro Talks, Pledges Support for Guaido. venezuelanalysis.com State Department Spokesperson Ned Price indicated that the Biden White House will not change tack in its predecessor's Venezuela foreign policy.

Online News Editor (2021-02-06). Afghan government 'ready for war' as Taliban refuse to negotiate. laprensalatina.com Kabul, Feb 6 (efe-epa).- The Afghan government on Saturday said it was ready for war after successive setbacks in recent weeks to peace talks with the Taliban, who have refused to return to discussions that began in September in Doha. "Taliban left the negotiating table, making excuses, and don't want to move toward peace," Hamdullah …

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-02-06). Citing Humanitarian Impact, Biden Reverses 'Dangerous' Designation of Houthis as Terrorist Group. commondreams.org Moving forward, said one expert, "the international community needs to stop fueling the conflict, generously fund Yemen's humanitarian response, and prioritize peace." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/foodaid.jpg

Christopher Brauchli (2021-02-06). Suu Kyi and Trump Have a Lot in Common—Offices They Held and Their Treatment of People. commondreams.org However, one significant difference is Suu Kyi is the recipient of something Trump wanted more than almost anything else in the world—the Nobel Peace Prize. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2017-09-21_at_7.31.15_am.png

yenisafak (2021-02-06). Turkey's Erdogan congratulates Libya interim gov't leaders. yenisafak.com Turkey's president congratulated the leaders of Libya's interim government in a phone call on Saturday.Recep Tayyip Erdogan wished success to Mohammad Younes Menfi and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbebibeh, who have been elected as head of the Presidential Council and prime minister, respectively, according to a statement by the Turkish Presidency."Turkey will continue its efforts for political unity, territorial integrity, stability, peace, security and prosperity in Libya and further enhance its cooperation with Libya in the new period," Erdogan said.Menfi and Dbebibah, who were chosen at the UN-led Libyan Political Di…

yenisafak (2021-02-06). US woman becomes Muslim after watching Turkish series. yenisafak.com A 60-year-old American woman has become Muslim after being influenced by Resurrection: Ertugrul, a popular Turkish TV series.The Wisconsin resident chose the name of "Khadija" after her conversion to Islam and told Anadolu Agency that she came across Resurrection: Ertugrul while browsing Netflix."I looked into it, the details about it. So I started watching," said Khadija, adding she was really interested in Islam after watching a few episodes."It was talking about the history that I knew nothing about. What I heard about God, Islam, peace, justice and helping the oppressed drew my attention and connected me to t…

news.un (2021-02-06). Myanmar: Respect right to peaceful assembly, UN human rights office says. news.un.org The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Saturday called on the security forces in Myanmar to ensure that people's right to peaceful assembly is fully respected and that demonstrations are not subjected to reprisals.

Vijay Prashad (2021-02-05). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide and Rule to Get Its Way in South America. counterpunch.org Guyana's government used money from ExxonMobil "to meet the estimated cost in 2018 of presenting Guyana/Venezuela controversy at the International Court of Justice including payment of legal fees." In mid-2020, the Guyanese paper Kaieteur News' senior reporter Kiana Wilburg broke the story that the World Bank had paid $1.2 million to Hunton Andrews Kurth, a law firm long associated with ExxonMobil, to revise Guyana's petroleum laws.

Ralph Nader (2021-02-05). The Struggle Inside Senator Mitch McConnell's Brain. counterpunch.org Since 2015, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled the Senate with an iron hand, describing himself as "the Guardian of Gridlock." He was Senator "NO," except for confirming over 200 mostly corporatist federal judges. Now comes a new challenge for Mitch McConnell as he leads 49 other Republican Senators, twenty of whom are up

news.un (2021-02-05). UN welcomes US decision to 'strengthen its diplomatic engagement' towards Yemen peace deal. news.un.org The UN on Friday told journalists that it welcomed the decision by the United States "to strengthen it's diplomatic engagement" and support efforts led by the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, to ends years of conflict there.

_____ (2021-02-05). Washington's Reckless Attitude Toward Nuclear War A Threat To World Peace. popularresistance.org Fox News reported that the head of US Strategic Command Charles Richard is calling on the US military and federal leaders to reimagine methods of deterring aggressive action from rivals such as China and Russia. He wrote in the February issue of Proceedings, the US Naval Institute's monthly magazine, that, "There is a real possibility that a regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quickly to a conflict involving nuclear weapons." | It's not uncommon to hear the noise preaching so-called threats of China and Russia. Yet it's still shocking to see a US senior military official publicly urging leaders of…