(2021-02-12). On big lies and insurgencies: Comparing Capitol attacks. peoplesworld.org 
Cable TV and other media commentators keep comparing the Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol to the British attack during the War of 1812, but there is an historical event that bears a better comparison. On March 1, 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists, who had entered the building peacefully, unfurled a Puerto Rican flag and then …
(2021-02-12). The Russian Alternative: How Moscow is Capitalizing on US Retreat in Palestine, Israel. counterpunch.org 
Israeli anxiety was palpable when it was reported that Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was not contacted by the new American President, Joe Biden, for days after the latter's inauguration. While much is being read into Biden's decision, including Washington's lack of enthusiasm to return to the 'peace process', Moscow is generating much attention as
(2021-02-12). The Real Story: Blood on the Tracks — A Vietnam Veteran's Battle Against Empire. liberationnews.org 
On this episode TSP is joined by Brian Willson, a Vietnam veteran, writer, lawyer and a peace activist.
(2021-02-12). Outrage and disgust as charges dropped for Buffalo police officers who fractured skull of 75-year-old peaceful protester. nationofchange.org Despite the video evidence of the officers' misconduct, a grand jury has dismissed the charges.
(2021-02-12). As Israel decries ICC investigation, Hamas readies its defence. middleeasteye.net 
As Israel decries ICC investigation, Hamas readies its defence | International Criminal Court's prosecutor has warned that Palestinian factions will be probed for war crimes and abuses | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 11: 30 | The Iron Dome anti-missile system fires an interceptor missile as rockets are launched from Gaza towards Israel near the southern city of Sderot (Reuters) | In stark contrast to Israel, the Pal…
(2021-02-12). COVID hits Antarctica, scientists extremely concerned for its wildlife. peoplesworld.org 
In December, Antarctica lost its status as the last continent free of COVID-19 when 36 people at the Chilean Bernardo O'Higgins research station tested positive. The station's isolation from other bases and fewer researchers in the continent means the outbreak is now likely contained. However, we know all too well how unpredictable — and pervasive — …
(2021-02-12). V-Day: Poet Aja Monet & V (Eve Ensler) on the Movement to End Violence Against Women & Girls. democracynow.org 
Amid a global rise in domestic violence during the pandemic, we speak with the founder of V-Day, a day of action to fight violence against women. V, the award-winning playwright of "The Vagina Monologues," formerly known as Eve Ensler, says organizers around the globe are finding ways to fight back. "I'm so moved to see our grassroots women movements around the world finding ways to rise in spite of people being locked in and shut in and in spite of COVID," she says. We also speak with blues poet and organizer Aja Monet, V-Day's artistic creative director, who says Black women are particularly at risk. "For every…
(2021-02-12). Ending the Other War in Yemen. counterpunch.org 
On February 4, in his first major foreign policy address, President Joe Biden announced, "we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." Speaking of the Saudi-led coalition that has been at war in Yemen since 2015, creating what he called "a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe," Biden declared "This war has to end."
(2021-02-12). Ending the Forever Wars: Phyllis Bennis on Afghanistan, Hyun Lee on Korea. fair.org 
Wall Street Journal ( This week on CounterSpin: Media are soberly
(2021-02-12). Atlantic Council Braces for Opportunities of Potential Bioterror Attack. mintpressnews.com 
Bill Gates' prediction that the next threat to humanity will come from a bioterror attack is giving war hawks and corporate America a reason to get excited.
(2021-02-12). This Is Yemen After Biden Declared an End To American Support for the War. mintpressnews.com The Biden administration sparked a sense of hope around the world that the war on Yemen could finally be over. For those on the ground though, the bombs keep falling, food is scarce and hope is in short supply.
(2021-02-12). Lying Lawyers and Butt-kissing Senators: The First Days of Trump's Second Impeachment Trial. counterpunch.org 
The week began with the death of George Shultz. It reminded me of the 1980s when ol' Shultzie was the face of Reagan's murderous wars against the people of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. A friend who just finished a career in the foreign service reminded me that Shultz was a true diplomat. He's right,
(2021-02-12). The Heat: Chinese New Year. america.cgtn.com 
China celebrates its New Year and looks forward to the Year of the Ox.
(2021-02-12). Impeachment Trial: Democrats Warn That Trump Would Use Political Violence Again If Not Convicted. democracynow.org 
Democratic House impeachment managers have wrapped up their case against Donald Trump, saying the former president remains a threat and should be convicted of inciting the deadly January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. The trial now moves ahead to Trump's legal team presenting their defense. We air highlights from the third day of the impeachment trial, including lead House impeachment Manager Jamie Raskin's reiteration of Trump's long history of inciting violence prior to January 6. "Is there any political leader in this room who believes that if he is ever allowed by the Senate to get back into the Oval Office,…
(2021-02-12). Should We Kill "the Classics"? counterpunch.org 
Classical thinkers, what do they have to teach us? Their societies were brutal, marked by social and economic inequities that dwarf those that characterize even our own, increasingly unequal society. Add to that the fact that they've provided grist for the mill of white supremacist thought since at least the seventeenth century, if not even longer than that, and you've got what appears to be a legitimate reason for eliminating the classics as an academic discipline. That's the position, in any case, of Princeton classics professor, Dan-el Padilla Peralta. Padilla argues in a recent piece in The New York Times Mag…
(2021-02-12). Student injured by rubber bullet on day of mass Myanmar protests. laprensalatina.com Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 12 (efe-epa).- At least one person was shot with a rubber bullet and arrests were reported as Myanmar on Friday witnessed possibly its largest protests since the Feb. 1 military coup. On the public Union Day holiday at a peaceful demonstration at Mawlamyine University in Mon state, about 300 kilometers southeast of …
(2021-02-12). NATO's Road To Perdition With Ukraine. strategic-culture.org The US-led NATO military alliance is moving ever closer to accepting Ukraine as a new member. This is an incredibly incendiary step towards war that could escalate into a nuclear conflagration. | Despite repeated and long-standing warnings by Russia, the US-led NATO military alliance has indicated it is moving ever closer to accepting Ukraine as a new member. This is an incredibly incendiary step towards war that could escalate into a nuclear conflagration. And, risibly, this reckless initiative is being driven by an alliance which proclaims to be about upholding peace and security. | This week NATO secretary gen…
(2021-02-12). The Ethno-Territorial Separation of Bosnia Was the Key to Ending the War and Keeping Peace. strategic-culture.org The Dayton system has kept the peace for twenty-five years. Why destabilize Sarajevo now? | By Robert HAYDEN | As befits a successful peace agreement, the November 1995 Dayton accords that ended
(2021-02-12). Journalist wins award for exposing corruption in Zimbabwe. yenisafak.com Hopewell Chin'ono, a top Zimbabwean journalist, has been honored with a media award following his reporting last year which unearthed a corruption scandal concerning the government's procurement of COVID-19 material.Chin'ono's story led to the firing of the southern African country's then Health Minister Obadiah Moyo who was implicated in the scandal.Notifying Chin'ono about the good news in an email, the Greenfield People Journalism Prize for Africa, which awarded the prize, said the scribe was winning the award jointly with Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin.The prize is dubbed the People Journalist for Informe…
(2021-02-12). COVID fuelling risk of recruitment and use of children in conflict, UN and EU warn on International Day. news.un.org More children could be pushed into the joining armed forces and armed groups due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, senior United Nations and European Union (EU) officials said on International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, observed on Thursday.
(2021-02-12). People looking forward to stimulus checks 'already screwed,' financial guru Dave Ramsey tells Fox, kicking up storm online. rt.com 
Radio host and financial pundit Dave Ramsey set off a bout of controversy after arguing that those relying on stimulus checks amid the Covid-19 pandemic were "already screwed" and may suffer from mental issues. | "I don't believe in a stimulus check," Ramsey told Fox News' Bill Hemmer during a Thursday interview when asked how much the government should devote to relief payments, comparing the checks to "peeing on a forest fire." | Because if $600 or $1,400 changes your life, you were pretty much screwed already. You've got other issues going on. You have a career problem, you have a debt problem, you have a r…
(2021-02-12). It's Not That Biden Is Too Slow. It's That He's Going Too Small. counterpunch.org In the intraparty Democratic war between progressive leftists and corporate centrists, each side speaks a different language. The two factions' takes on Joe Biden's first weeks as president starkly demonstrate that inability to communicate. Biden's base is his centrist supporters, those who backed him against Bernie Sanders during the primaries on the grounds that his
(2021-02-12). Where Are the Witnesses? Ralph Nader Says Democrats' Impeachment Case Is "Prescription for Defeat" democracynow.org 
As the historic Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump continues, we speak with longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who says Democrats have set themselves up for defeat by rushing proceedings and failing to call witnesses — including Trump himself. "The narrow approach of the articles of impeachment keep the Democrats from having a full hand," says Nader. "They have like 10 arrows in their quiver and they're using one or two."
(2021-02-12). Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden's First Weeks. democracynow.org 
Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and hold Boeing fully accountable. "This is just another example of giant companies getting away with their corporate criminal…
(2021-02-12). 'Disgusted' Nikki Haley throws Trump under the bus, but conservatives & #Resistance are having none of her 'flip-flop'. rt.com 
Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has joined the growing parade of Republicans eager to publicly distance themselves from former president Donald Trump amid his second impeachment proceedings. | "We need to acknowledge he let us down," Haley told Politico in an interview published Friday, making an effort to create palpable space between herself — an upwardly-mobile young politician apparently determined to run for president in 2024 — and the former commander-in-chief whose own party couldn't wait to stick the knives in. | "He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followe…
(2021-02-12). Bon App-retreat: Magazine bows to woke mob and says sorry for 6-year-old 'disgusting' article about Jewish cookies. rt.com 
Love them or hate them, Hamantaschen are a staple of the Jewish holiday of Purim. But when a non-Jew said that these cookies left her unimpressed, a woke war of biblical scale broke out, and her magazine apologized to the mob.
(2021-02-12). Biden Plans to Rescind Trump-Era Medicaid Work Requirements. truthout.org 
The Biden administration on Friday is expected to begin the process of rescinding a Trump policy allowing states to impose punitive work requirements on Medicaid recipients, a move celebrated as a crucial step toward reversing one of the former president's most vicious attacks on the poor and vulnerable. |
(2021-02-12). Ralph Nader: Biden Must Hold Boeing Accountable for Deaths Due to Faulty Planes. truthout.org 
Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and…
(2021-02-12). Jettison the Johnson: Transwomen Athletes Crashing Female Sports Will Only Hurt the Game. strategic-culture.org 
As the Biden administration moves to make it illegal to deny the participation of birth males in female sport, a number of courageous athletes and academics are beginning to speak out on the issue, warning that the presidential orders will have disastrous consequences on their profession, and possibly their lives. | On the very same day of his locked-down inauguration, Joe Biden signed off on dozens of executive orders, including one gem entitled, 'Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation'. The controversial legislation, which has never been the subject of seri…
(2021-02-12). Dutch experts warn of mental health issues amid virus. yenisafak.com Psychologist Jean-Pierre van de Ven said the young people and couples are most affected by the pandemic, adding: "Young people feel lonely and fear that the epidemic will never end."Van De Ven said the pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in the consumption of alcohol and drugs, while some people are suffering from anxiety, depression and loneliness. He warned that this trend may continue even after the pandemic.Psychologist Sarah Craig said the pandemic has also caused an increase in domestic violence, adding the second wave of the virus has further affected the mental health of couples.She urged peop…
(2021-02-12). Turkish museum exhibits 2,600-year-old perfume bottles. yenisafak.com A collection of 2,600-year-old perfume bottles is on display in Izmir, on the Aegean coast of Turkey, through February.The Izmir Archaeology Museum showcases priceless artifacts being preserved in its warehouse every month as part of a project called You Will See What You Can't See.With a 2,800-year-old princess belt from the Urartian age exhibited in January, February hosts storage vessels known as Attic red-figure squat lekythos.The potteries which were produced by the red-figure technique in the ancient Greece and used as oil and perfume containers, were found to be processed in the Potters Bazaar in Athens 2,…
(2021-02-12). 'Russia ready for breakup with EU if sanctions imposed'. yenisafak.com Moscow is ready to break ties with the European Union if it follows through on its plan to impose sanctions, Russia's foreign minister said on Friday.In an interview on the Soloviev Live YouTube channel, Sergey Lavrov said Russia has no desire to be isolated from the world but needs to be prepared for any eventuality.To a question on whether Russia is heading towards a breakup with the bloc, Lavrov said: "We believe that we are ready; if we see once again, as we already have more than once, that sanctions are being imposed in some areas that create risks for our economy, including the most sensitive areas.""We do…
(2021-02-12). At least 12 Iran-backed terrorists killed in airstrike in Syria. yenisafak.com At least 12 Iranian-backed terrorists fighting with the Bashar al-Assad regime were killed in an airstrike conducted by US-led anti-Daesh coalition forces in eastern Syria, sources said Thursday.Warplanes targeted a convoy of terrorist groups in Deir ez-Zor province.Pipelines and trade routes from Iraq and Jordan pass through the province.The terrorists are under the command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.With the help of Russia and Iranian-backed militias, the central and the western areas of Deir ez-Zor fell to the regime after Daesh terrorists retreated from the region.The majority of Iranian-back…
(2021-02-12). Biden says China will 'eat our lunch' sans infrastructure. yenisafak.com China is poised to defeat the US amid a great power competition unless the country can come together on a plan to bolster its heavily deteriorated infrastructure, President Joe Biden warned Thursday.Biden's cautionary note comes after he held his first telephone call Wednesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a conversation the US president said lasted two hours.The US president called on Congress to forge ahead with a massive infrastructure revitalization plan, saying that without it China is "going to eat our lunch.""They have major, major new initiatives on rail, and they already have rail that goes 225 mi…
(2021-02-12). Independent UN rights expert calls for unilateral sanctions to be dropped against Venezuela. news.un.org At the end of a two-week visit to Venezuela, an independent UN human rights expert noted on Friday that unilateral sanctions imposed on the country have exacerbated pre-existing crises, calling for them to be dropped.
(2021-02-12). Yemen: 'Toxic mix' imperils lives of under-fives with acute malnutrition. news.un.org Since the escalation of conflict in 2015, severe acute malnutrition is among its highest levels in Yemen, threating the lives of half of the country's children under the age of five, four UN agencies warned on Friday.
(2021-02-12). Coles declare indefinite lock-out of warehouse workers. greenleft.org.au After locking out its warehouse workers since November, Coles has just announced it is locking out workers at the Smeaton Grange warehouse indefinitely, reports Jim McIlroy.
(2021-02-12). NATO again goes to war against Kurdistan. greenleft.org.au Turkey has opened a new front in its ongoing war of annihilation against the Kurdish liberation movement, writes Marcel Cartier.
(2021-02-12). Coles declares indefinite lock-out of warehouse workers. greenleft.org.au After locking out its warehouse workers since November, Coles has just announced it is locking out workers at the Smeaton Grange warehouse indefinitely, reports Jim McIlroy.
(2021-02-12). Biden Announces Pentagon Task Force To Review China Policy. popularresistance.org On Wednesday, President Biden announced a new Pentagon task force that will be reviewing the US military's policy towards China, another sign that the new administration is prioritizing confronting Beijing. | Pentagon officials said the task force is a "sprint effort" that will examine things like US troop presence in the region, intelligence, and the role of US allies and partners in countering China. Leading the task force is Ely Ratner, a China hawk who Biden appointed as a special advisor to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. | Before his new position at the Pentagon, Rather worked at the interventionist Cent…
(2021-02-12). Border Agents Can Search Phones Freely Under New Circuit Court Ruling. popularresistance.org A US appeals court has ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents can conduct in-depth searches of phones and laptops, overturning an earlier legal victory for civil liberties groups. First Circuit Judge Sandra Lynch declared that both basic and "advanced" searches, which include reviewing and copying data without a warrant, fall within "permissible constitutional grounds" at the American border. | Lynch ruled against a group of US citizens and residents objecting to invasive searches of their electronic devices. The group includes Sidd Bikkannavar, a NASA scientist who was detained and pressured to unlock a…
(2021-02-12). Is Hollywood Finally Breaking Free Of Toxic Gender Stereotypes? popularresistance.org "Palmer," a new film starring Justin Timberlake and directed by filmmaker and actor Fisher Stevens, challenges harmful ideas about masculinity and serves as an example of how far Hollywood and much of the U.S. has come towards creating spaces for gender nonconformity. The movie, released globally by the streaming service Apple+ on January 29, is set in small town America and centers on the story of a child, played by Ryder Allen, who defies ideas about what boys should and should not look and act like. The film ultimately becomes about the child's unlikely kinship with Palmer (Timberlake), who is struggling to re…
(2021-02-12). Navalny in court to face charges of slandering WW2 veteran. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Feb 12 (efe-epa).- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was back in court Friday to face charges of slandering a World War II veteran who appeared in a video last year in support of constitutional changes that would allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036. Navalny tweeted that those who appeared in …
(2021-02-12). Fisher Stevens: Is Hollywood Finally Breaking Free of Toxic Gender Stereotypes? scheerpost.com Click to subscribe on: Apple / Spotify / Google Play " Palmer," a new film starring Justin Timberlake and directed by filmmaker and actor Fisher Stevens, challenges harmful ideas about masculinity and serves as an example of how far Hollywood and much of the U.S. has come towards creating spaces for gender nonconformity. The movie, released globally by the streaming service Apple+ on January 29… |
(2021-02-12). Republicans Won't Convict Trump—Because They Won't Convict Themselves. thenation.com Republicans Won't Convict Trump—Because They Won't Convict Themselves…
(2021-02-12). Climate Change Isn't the Only Fire We Should Be Worried About. thenation.com Climate Change Isn't the Only Fire We Should Be Worried About…
(2021-02-12). Wisconsin judge sides with fascists and denies motion for rearrest and bail increase for killer Rittenhouse. wsws.org In a virtual hearing in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Judge Bruce Schroeder ruled against the request by prosecutors to issue a warrant for the rearrest of fascist shooter Kyle Rittenhouse after he violated the terms of his bail conditions.
(2021-02-12). The U.S. War Machine: Now Under New Management. progressive.org Electing Joe Biden is not enough to ensure a saner and less belligerent foreign policy.
(2021-02-12). 15 Of Many Things We Can Learn From the European Union. indybay.org fewer wars, no executions, free health care, lower drug costs, better animal rights and environment legislation, less censorship etc…
(2021-02-12). The Racial Justice Act & Addressing Bias in our Criminal Justice System. indybay.org Join the ACLU NorCal Club and BLSA on Feb. 23rd from 12-1pm PST (Zoom) to learn from experts about racial bias in our criminal justice system and the recently enacted California Racial Justice Act. | The CA RJA prohibits the state from seeking or obtaining a conviction or imposing a sentence "on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin." How successful should we expect the Act to be in its mission to address racial bias? Where does it fall short? What more can we do to work toward a truly equitable criminal justice system devoid of racial bias? | Register here to be entered in a raffle where you can win o…