Monthly Archives: February 2021

2021-02-12: News Headlines

Joe Bernick (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 …

Ramzy Baroud (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

The Socialist Program (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.

Kenny Stancil (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.

Adam Khalil (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…

Michelle Power, Meagan Dewar (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 — …

Staff (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…

Brian Terrell (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."

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (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

Raul Diego (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.

Ahmed Abdulkareem (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.

Ron Jacobs (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,

Anand Naidoo (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.

Staff (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,…

M. G. Piety (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…

Online News Editor (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

yenisafak (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…

news.un (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.

RT (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…

Ted Rall (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

Staff (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."

Staff (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…

RT (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…

RT (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.

Staff (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. |

Staff (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…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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,…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

news.un (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.

news.un (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.

Pip Hinman (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.

Susan Price (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.

Pip Hinman (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…

Online News Editor (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 …

natashahz (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… |

Elie Mystal (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…

Rebecca Gordon (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…

WSWS (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.

Nicolas J S Davies (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.

Change For The Better (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…

ACLU NorCal SCU Law Club (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…

2021-02-11: News Headlines

Ramzy Baroud (2021-02-11). The Russian Alternative: How Moscow is capitalizing on US Retreat in Palestine, Israel. dissidentvoice.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 a …

Brian Terrell (2021-02-11). Ending the Other War in Yemen. zcomm.org Peace in Yemen, peace in the world, demands no less than an end to the production, trade and use of weaponized drones…

Liaquat Ali Khan (2021-02-11). Fatou Bensouda: A Daring Prosecutor Who Challenged the US, Israeli Impunity. counterpunch.org Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has dared to take on the US, Israeli impunity and opened investigations in Afghanistan and the Israeli-occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank. In March 2020, the ICC authorized the Prosecutor to investigate whether the US troops and contractors committed war crimes and crimes

Alan MacLeod (2021-02-11). Head of Strategic Command: U.S. must prepare for "very real possibility" of nuclear war with China. mronline.org In an era when international cooperation in the face of pandemics and climate change is essential, the world appears to be racing towards a new Cold War, and unfortunately, few except the military top brass are talking about it.

Fight Back (2021-02-11). Frontier workers picket at Super Bowl, demand decent contract. fightbacknews.org Tampa FL – IBEW Local 824 Frontier workers and supporters gathered near Raymond James Stadium before Super Bowl LV to hold an informational picket raising public awareness about Frontier's ongoing attempt to gut workers' retirement benefits and healthcare and its attempts to double the amount that active workers have to pay for health insurance. | The decision to demonstrate outside the Super Bowl was strategic, not just because it was a major national event that happened locally, but because Frontier has corporate partnerships with the Buccaneers and Raymond James Stadium. | In an open letter to member…

David Rosen (2021-02-11). Covid-19: a Nation at War? counterpunch.org The full impact the Covid pandemic is revealed in a recent AMA study that notes "in counties where the population was substantially non-white with a median income defined as $60,240, the COVID-19 death rate was more than nine times higher when compared to counties that are substantially white with the same median income." It adds, "the COVID-19 infection and death rates were nearly three times higher in substantially non-white counties with higher median incomes when compared to substantially white, higher income counties …."

Brian Terrell (2021-02-11). Ending the Other War in Yemen. dissidentvoice.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," …

Charles Pierson (2021-02-11). Yemen: "Mission Accomplished"… For Now? counterpunch.org Since 2015, the US has been giving crucial assistance to Saudi Arabia's military coalition in its war against Yemen's Houthi rebels. US assistance takes the form of intelligence sharing, logistics and targeting assistance, arms sales, and transfer of spare parts for coalition warplanes.

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Turkey 'neutralizes' 2 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com The terrorists attempted to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror offensive Operation Peace Spring to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).In its more than 30-year terror campaign agains…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Armenia says must normalize ties with Turkey to guarantee own security. yenisafak.com Ayvazyan, in an address to parliament, also underscored the need to reopen borders with Turkey, noting that keeping them closed "makes no sense anymore," according to TASS news."Keeping Armenia's borders with Turkey closed serves no purpose," Ayvazyan said as he called on ties with Turkey to be normalized.Ayvazyan also reportedly expressed concern over the joint Turkey-Azerbaijan military exercises as the two nations boost military cooperation.In December 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country could open its borders to Armenia, if Yerevan takes steps toward regional peace."We have no grudge…

Online News Editor (2021-02-11). 3 get prison until death for crimes during Bangladesh liberation war. laprensalatina.com Dhaka, Feb 11 (efe-epa).- Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal sentenced three people in jail until death and five more to 20 years in prison on Thursday for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 struggle for independence from Pakistan. The three-judge panel of the International Crimes Tribunal, led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, acquitted one of …

Ben Norton (2021-02-11). Biden admin smears Nicaragua as 'dictatorship' for forcing US-funded, coup-plotting NGOs to register as foreign agents. thegrayzone.com Nicaragua's elected leftist government passed a law requiring NGOs funded by outside governments to register as foreign agents. This led a CIA agent-turned-Biden State Department spokesman to smear it as "driving toward dictatorship" — despite the policy's similarity to US legislation. Since Nicaragua's socialist Sandinista Front returned to power through democratic elections in 2006, the United States government has poured millions of dollars into right-wing opposition groups in the Central American country. These US-funded NGOs have aimed to destabilize the …

Online News Editor (2021-02-11). Archbishop blesses immigration sculpture in Miami. laprensalatina.com Miami, Feb 10 (efe-epa).- Miami Archbishop Thomas Wensky on Wednesday blessed the "Angels Unawares" sculpture dedicated to immigration, which will remain in a city park until April 8 to inspire compassion and awareness about the needs of migrants and refugees. The story of humanity is the story of immigration and also of this city, said …

news.un (2021-02-11). 'If I can do it, so can you': women scientists on the power of education to reach gender equality. news.un.org Women are extremely under-represented in science, but a UN research centre in The Netherlands is trying to address the gender imbalance, by raising awareness of the leading role that women researchers play in tackling global problems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

yenisafak (2021-02-11). UN sends 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to NW Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Thursday sent 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to internal conflict.The trucks carrying supplies passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed to those in need in Idlib and nearby rural areas.A civil war has ravaged Syria since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and displaced since then.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.*Writing by A…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Turkish charity to build 1,000 houses in Syria. yenisafak.com A Turkish charity will build 1,000 houses in Idlib, northwestern Syria for those who are living in hard conditions due to the ongoing civil war.The Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) has been working to find permanent solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Syria for more than 10 years.It has started to renew and improve briquette houses built as an emergency solution, the foundation said in a statement on Wednesday.Thousands of Syrian families have found the opportunity to live in warm houses rather than makeshift tents.The IHH will build 1,000 houses in the first phase of the project. They will…

The Canary (2021-02-11). Mercury plunges to minus 22.9C on coldest UK night in more than 25 years. thecanary.co Temperatures plunged to below minus 22C overnight, the lowest in the UK in more than two decades, following an "extreme freeze". | The mercury dropped to minus 22.9C (minus 9.2F) in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, the coldest temperature recorded in the UK since 1995, the Met Office said. | Forecasters said the last time a temperature below minus 20C was recorded in the UK was December 23 2010. | (PA Graphics) | Scattered snow showers and some sunshine is forecast for large swathes of the UK over the rest of the day on Thursday. | Yellow weather warnings for areas where wintry weather could cause travel disruption have b…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Merkel warns of aggressive coronavirus mutations. yenisafak.com New mutations of coronavirus first seen in the UK, South Africa and Brazil are more aggressive and more dangerous, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Thursday.Addressing lawmakers in parliament, Merkel said it was necessary to extend the country's coronavirus lockdown until March 7, as new variants of the virus could lead to a more dangerous third wave of the pandemic."Not all the research has yet been finalized, but we'd be well advised to listen to what so many experts both in Germany and abroad tell us," she told lawmakers, referring to the UK, South Africa and Brazil variants, which were also detected…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Iran's Zarif says 'window closing' for US. yenisafak.com Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned Wednesday that the "window of opportunity" for the United States was "fast closing", calling on Washington to end its "fruitless hostility" with Tehran. | Speaking on the sidelines of the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution, Zarif expressed hope that the new US administration would take a "new approach" towards Iran. | "The existing window is closing," Zarif said, referring to the Iranian parliament's deadline of Feb. 21 for Washington to return to the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA), also known as Iran nuclear deal. | He said Tehran would be force…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Turkey, US conduct joint maritime drill in Black Sea. yenisafak.com Turkish and US naval forces conducted a joint maritime exercise in the Black Sea, Turkey's National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.Turkish frigates TCG Turgutreis and TCG Orucreis were part of the drill along with the USS Porter and USS Donald Cook destroyers of the US Navy, the ministry said in a statement. | Two Turkish Air Force F-16s and one US maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the exercise, it added."The training conducted for the fundamental types of naval warfare has further strengthened cooperation between the Naval Forces of the two countries and has contributed to their interoperability,…

T. Charles Witzel, Talen Wright, Leanne McCabe, Michelle M. Gabriel, Aedan Wolton, Mitzy Gafos, Denise Ward, Fiona C. Lampe, Andrew N. Phillips, Roy Trevelion, Yolanda Collaco-Moraes, Justin Harbottle, Andrew Speakman, Chris Bonell, David D. Dunn, Sheena McCormack, Fiona M. Burns, Peter Weatherburn, Alison J. Rodger (2021-02-11). Impact and acceptability of HIV self-testing for trans men and trans women: A mixed-methods subgroup analysis of the SELPHI randomised controlled trial and process evaluation in England and Wales. thelancet.com HIVST significantly increased testing uptake and frequency in trans men and trans people overall, although recruitment and retention of trans women was low. HIVST acceptability was high and indicates easy access to this novel technology may increase HIV testing access for this key population.

Global Research News (2021-02-11). Towards A Police State in Germany? Live Video of Police Raid into Home of Dr. Andreas Noak. globalresearch.ca First published on GR on November 24, 2020 | This is what is happening in Germany. It is a matter of concern to people Worldwide. Freedom of Expression is being brutally suppressed. | . | Police break into the home of Dr. Andreas …

Howard Lisnoff (2021-02-10). When It Seemed as If the World Took Notice. counterpunch.org An antiwar protester in Providence, Rhode Island, Jerry Elmer, noted in the middle of the decade of the 1970s that it was difficult to sustain interest in the antiwar movement as the American war in Southeast Asia came to a close. Elmer, and other peace activists, had set up a replica of the tiger cages

Eds. (2021-02-10). Through the "Bolivar Act" U.S. Congressmen intend to tighten the blockade against Venezuela. mronline.org On January 28th, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced to the U.S. Congress a new bill dedicated to Venezuela entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime Act".

teleSUR (2021-02-10). UN To Assess the Impact of US Sanctions on Venezuela. telesurenglish.net United Nations representative Alena Douhan visits Venezuela to assess the impact of U.S. economic sanctions imposed on the Bolivarian nation since 2015. | RELATED: | The visit announcement came shortly after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) acknowledged that its country's sanctions on Venezuela have killed tens of thousands of people. | The results of the analysis of the U.S. unilateral coercive measures imposed on this…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-10). Historic vote on Amazon union kicks off in Alabama. peoplesdispatch.org Over 5,800 ballots have been sent out to the employees of Amazon's Bessemer warehouse near Birmingham, Alabama. Workers will have seven weeks to mail-in their ballots, in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic…

Minnie Bruce Pratt (2021-02-10). Stop union busting! BAmazon Union now! workers.org Amazon Warehouse workers in Bessemer, Ala., are in a historic organizing drive for union representation by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. They received significant support at a Feb. 6 rally. Workers World Party comrades (pictured) joined participants ranging from nurses to miners, travelling from in-state and from Florida, . . . |

Staff (2021-02-10). Headlines for February 10, 2021. democracynow.org Senate Votes to Proceed with Impeachment as Managers Present Harrowing Video of Jan. 6 Insurrection, Gov't to Send Vaccines to Community Health Centers as U.S. Continues Ramping Up Vaccinations, WHO Team Confirms COVID-19 of Animal Origin; Ghana Shuts Parliament After Outbreak Infects Lawmakers, Protesters in Burma Defy Bans, Escalating Crackdown by Police, Journalists Decry Raid on Progressive Indian News Site NewsClick, U.S. to Pursue Extradition of Julian Assange as Press Freedom Groups Warn of Dangerous Precedent, Fossil Fuel Pollution Causes One in Five Global Deaths, Calls Growing to Shut Down DAPL as Key H…

Raji Sourani (2021-02-10). ICC's "Landmark Decision" Could Open Door to Prosecuting Israel for War Crimes. zcomm.org The International Criminal Court has ruled it has the authority to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories…

WSWS (2021-02-10). International Criminal Court ruling paves way for legal proceedings against Israel for war crimes. wsws.org This ruling has infuriated Israel and its patron in Washington, which rejects any constraints on its geostrategic interests and plans for a new imperialist carve-up of the world in which Israel plays a central role in carrying out this agenda and suppressing the working class in the region.

Alan Macleod (2021-02-10). New US Military Base in Northeast Syria Latest of Biden's Warlike Moves. mintpressnews.com Many of Biden's first moves in the Middle East, including the building of a new base in Syria, suggest his term will be more of the same rather than a break with the old.

Rachael Boothroyd (2021-02-10). US Sanctions Obstructing Humanitarian Aid in Venezuela, New Report Finds. venezuelanalysis.com A US Government and Accountability Office report found that sanctions have pushed the Venezuelan economy into crisis.

teleSUR (2021-02-10). Venezuela to Receive 100,000 Doses of Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday announced that 100,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine will arrive in his country next week. | RELATED: | Once the first lot arrives in Caracas, the national vaccination campaign will kick off, prioritizing health workers who are on the front line against COVID-19 and the people most vulnerable to the disease. | The next to be vaccinated will be the country's t…

RT (2021-02-10). UK's Boris Johnson cautions against booking summer holidays, says it's too early to predict what Covid-19 rules will allow by then. rt.com Beleaguered Brits weary of Covid-19 lockdowns shouldn't pin their hopes on being able to venture out for summer vacations, even domestically, as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is warning that it's too soon to book such trips. | "I am afraid it is just too early for people to be certain about what we'll be able to do this summer," Johnson said on Wednesday in a Downing Street press briefing. "I understand why people want to make plans now, but we're just going to have to be a little bit more patient." | Johnson and the government's chief scientific officer, Patrick Vallance, emphasized the importance of eme…

Anand Naidoo (2021-02-10). The Heat: Yemen's war. america.cgtn.com U.S. President Joe Biden charts a new course in an effort to end the war Yemen.

Conn Hallinan (2021-02-10). China's 'Sea of Conflict'. peoplesworld.org President Joseph Biden Jr's. administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy, its thorniest will be its relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). How it handles issues of trade, security, and human rights will either allow both countries to hammer out a working relationship or pull the U.S. into an …

MEE and agencies (2021-02-10). UAE's Anwar Gargash removed as foreign affairs minister. middleeasteye.net UAE's Anwar Gargash removed as foreign affairs minister | Cabinet reshuffle sees Gargash, who has held the position since 2008, become a diplomatic advisor to the president | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 13: 24 | Sheikh Mohammed said Gargash, pictured, had been 'had been able to bring about major transformations in our foreign political work' (AFP) | Anwar Gargash, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) mini…

Marie Kelly (2021-02-10). Ben Fletcher, militant labor leader. workers.org Ben Fletcher One of the greatest labor leaders of the tumultuous period of the early 20th century was a Black man from Philadelphia named Ben Fletcher. In the forward from the biography by Peter Cole, "Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly," labor historian Robin D. G. . . . |

RT (2021-02-10). Asteroid bigger than Statue of Liberty set for Earth flyby, but BIG ONE of 2021 to come in March, NASA warns. rt.com NASA is warning of a slew of asteroids headed Earth's way in the coming days and weeks, some coming between us and the moon, with others measuring roughly the same size as the Golden Gate Bridge. | On February 10 alone, at least four Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are due to buzz the Earth. | The nine-meter asteroid 2021 CX has already passed the planet at a safe distance of 1.9 million kilometers. | Space rocks including the Statue of Liberty-sized, 119-meter long 2019 YP5 and the 5-meter 2008 DB will follow shortly after at a distance of 3.1 million km and 5 million km respectively. | Bringing up the rear on Wedn…

Denise Winebrenner Edwards (2021-02-10). Anne Feeney (1951-2021): Wherever there's a fight, she'll be there. peoplesworld.org In the film, The Grapes of Wrath, there is a famous scene at the end of the film. With the rain pouring and his Dust Bowl family hiding under a bridge, Tom Joad tells his mother that he is taking up the torch dropped by Casy, the social justice preacher. As Mother Joad wonders whether …

Melvin Goodman (2021-02-10). Biden: "Boxed-In" by the Military Establishment? counterpunch.org President Barack Obama got excellent advice from his vice president, Joe Biden, regarding dealing with the Pentagon and the military establishment. Above all, Biden warned, you shouldn't get "boxed-in" by the military. We're only several weeks into the Biden administration, and the military is already lobbying for increased funding for questionable reasons. The civilian defense establishment and its collegial think tanks as well as the mainstream media can be counted to support increased spending.

yenisafak (2021-02-10). Syrian youth illustrate peace in Afrin with graffiti. yenisafak.com Young people in Afrin turn the walls of their city, which was largely cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists in 2018 through Turkey's anti-terror offensive Operation Olive Branch, into works of art.The Afrin Local Council and some non-governmental organizations support these efforts of the volunteers, who come together under the name of "The Trail of Peace".Graffiti on the walls of the busiest streets of the city is also admired by the local residents."We decorate the streets with graffiti to show peace among the local people," Beyazit Beyazit, one of the volunteers, told Anadolu Agency."As Arabs and Kurds, we make no dis…

news.un (2021-02-10). Mali: Around 20 UN peacekeepers injured in major attack on MINUSMA base. news.un.org Some 20 UN peacekeepers serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, were injured on Wednesday, after their temporary base came under attack in the restive central region of the country.

news.un (2021-02-10). COVID sparks resurgence of ISIL terrorists, threatening international peace and security, Security Council hears. news.un.org The threat to international peace and security posed by ISIL terrorist fighters is "on the rise again", the UN counter-terrorism chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-10). UN urged to question Bangladesh over Israeli tech bought for peacekeeping. middleeasteye.net UN urged to question Bangladesh over Israeli tech bought for peacekeeping | The UN has denied claims that it required Bangladesh to buy Israeli surveillance equipment for its peacekeeping operations
| Wed, 02/10/2021 – 14: 37 | Bangladesh is the largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping missions in the world (AFP) | Several rights groups have called on the United Nations to quest…

Kevin Martin (2021-02-10). Trump's trial and war powers. peaceaction.org Trump's Conviction, and Our Convictions of Democracy By Kevin Martin I don't know about you, by my Trump-induced Attention Deficit Disorder is dissipating, and wow does it feel good! As our country faces multiple crises and an overstuffed to-do list for the Biden Administration and new Congress, reasonable people might disagree on the necessity of …

The Canary (2021-02-10). Boris Johnson warned he risks leaving children 'languishing in poverty'. thecanary.co Ian Blackford MP urged the prime minister to tackle child poverty by making the £20 a week uplift to Universal Credit during the Covid-19 pandemic permanent. The Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader told Boris Johnson he risks leaving "a generation of children languishing in poverty" if he proceeds with plans to cut Universal Credit. | Raising the issue at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs), Blackford said that Johnson has the powers to address poverty in the country. | "Truly shocking": | He told the Commons: New research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the baby bank charity, Littl…

_____ (2021-02-10). GAO Report Shows Biden Should Scrap Trump's Economic Sanctions On Venezuela. popularresistance.org Washington, DC ‚Äï A new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that US economic sanctions on Venezuela are harming the Venezuelan economy, especially by depressing oil production and exports, and that they are also hindering US-backed humanitarian assistance to the country. The report, which looks at the impact of US sanctions on Venezuela's economic crisis, was requested by former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel (D-NY) and committee member Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI). | "This report from the GAO offers more evidence that these unilateral, illeg…

RT (2021-02-10). Director of Marvel's 'Avengers' and DC's 'Justice League' under fire over 'toxic work environments,' alleged misogyny & racism. rt.com A second actor has come forward accusing blockbuster filmmaker Joss Whedon of ill-treating his actors on set. Charisma Carpenter, who worked with Whedon in the 1990s, has voiced her support for Justice League's Ray Fisher. | Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, posted a lengthy Twitter denunciation on Wednesday, describing how Whedon "abused his power on numerous occasions" during the time she worked with him — fat-shaming her while she was pregnant, mocking her religious beliefs, playing actors off against one another, and even triggering a "chronic…

RT (2021-02-10). Director of Marvel's 'Avengers' and DC's 'Justice League' under fire over 'toxic work environments', alleged misogyny & racism. rt.com A second actor has come forward accusing blockbuster filmmaker Joss Whedon of ill-treating his actors on set. Charisma Carpenter, who worked with Whedon in the 1990s, has voiced her support for Justice League's Ray Fisher. | Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, posted a lengthy Twitter denunciation on Wednesday, describing how Whedon "abused his power on numerous occasions" during the time she worked with him – fat-shaming her while she was pregnant, mocking her religious beliefs, playing actors off against one another, and even triggering a "chronic phys…