Monthly Archives: February 2022

2022-02-20: News Headlines

sputniknews (2022-02-20). Moscow Has No Plans for Aggression, Has Never Attacked Anyone In Its History, Kremlin Spokesman Says. sputniknews.com Western officials and media have spent months accusing Russia of preparing to "invade" Ukraine, recently claiming that the incursion would start on 16 February. Instead of Russian aggression, the past several days have witnessed a dramatic deterioration of the security situation in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine, which is wracked by civil war.

SF015 (2022-02-20). Another Day Of Still Local War In Eastern Europe. southfront.org In the afternoon of February 19 and on the night of February 20, the Ukrainian army continued its attacks in the direction of Donetsk and Luhansk. | The artillery cannonade does not calm down. Around 1 a.m. on February 20, the southwest of Donetsk was subjected to heavy artillery fire. As a result of the shelling, another section of the gas pipeline on the outskirts of the city in the village of Ivanovka, the Kievsky district, that located on the bypass road that connects Peace Avenue and Kievsky Avenue, was hit. In the city center, Kirovsky district, Petrovsky district, near Donetsk airport, Makeyevka, Gvardeika…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-20). Canadian DM at NATO HQ: more troops to Ukraine region affected by "commitments both at home and around the world" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Canada's Operation UNIFIER has trained over 30,000 Ukrainian military forces for the war in the Donbass, more than any other nation. Canadian PressFebruary 17, 2022 Canada considering sending military reinforcements to NATO in eastern Europe: Anand Defence Minister Anita Anand emerged from two days of meetings with NATO counterparts on Thursday with fresh assurances of …

David Swanson (2022-02-20). What Russia and Ukraine Could Do Better. warisacrime.org By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, February 19, 2022 There are a number of things that have to be said first. They have to be said because virtually no U.S. television viewer knows or is likely ever to know them. They have to be said because if I'm going to suggest any flaws in the …

TASS (2022-02-20). US Secretary of State warns about 'devastating consequences' of war in Ukraine. tass.com Antony Blinken went on to say that a military conflict would become a profound challenge…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-20). Munich: Russiagate ringleaders Pelosi, Schiff add voices to war chorus. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com NATOFebruary 19, 2022 NATO Secretary General meets world leaders at the Munich Security Conference NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the critical security situation in Europe caused by Russia's military build-up in and around Ukraine and the implications for European and international security in a series of bilateral meetings at the Munich Security Conference on …

TASS (2022-02-20). Russian diplomats surprised by lack of OSCE calls to Kiev to implement Minsk deal. tass.com The Russian Permanent Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also lamented the fact that Rau and Kinnunen once again – did not heed the serious warnings, made by Russia during their visit to Moscow on 15 February 2022…

Anonymous669 (2022-02-20). Russian Warplanes Flew Over US Al-Tanf Base In Southeastern Syria. southfront.org File image. | On February 20, two warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) flew over the southeastern Syrian area of al-Tanf where the US-led coalition maintains a large garrison. | The coalition's main proxy group in al-Tanf, the Revolutionary Commando Army (MaT), confirmed that the warplanes were spotted by its fighters. In a propaganda statement, the group claimed that the two warplanes almost collided over al-Tanf. | Around 200 US troops and some 300 MaT fighters are usually present at al…

TASS (2022-02-20). US unleashed propagandistic hysteria around Russia – Cuban foreign minister. tass.com "We firmly oppose NATO's expansion towards the Russian borders", Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said…

Peoples Dispatch (2022-02-20). Yet again, Israel refuses to cooperate with inquiry on human rights violations. peoplesdispatch.org Israel is continuing its policy of not engaging with international investigations into human rights violations in Palestine. In a letter to the head of the international commission of inquiry, Navi Pillay, Israel's representative to the UN Meirav Eilon Shahar refused to cooperate in the investigations to identify possible violations of human rights, war crimes and reasons for protraction of conflict in historic Palestine. | Accusing Pillay of bias against Israel, Meirav claimed that there is simply no reason to believe that Israel will receive reasonable, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment from the Counci…

John Pilger (2022-02-20). Western democracies have mutated into propagandists for war. asiatimes.com Marshall McLuhan's prophecy that "the successor to politics will be propaganda" has happened. Raw propaganda is now the rule in Western democracies, especially the US and Britain. On matters of war and peace, ministerial deceit is reported as news. Inconvenient facts are censored, demons are nurtured. The model is corporate spin, the currency of the …

Editor2 (2022-02-20). Venezuela Pulls Plug on Lie that Alex Saab is DEA "Informer" orinocotribune.com Venezuela has pulled the plug on a false claim which circulated Wednesday that diplomat Alex Saab is working as an "informer" or "collaborator" of the United States and specifically of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). | President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez When asked by a reporter following a press conference, Rodríguez called it strange that the United S…

Staff (2022-02-20). Venezuela Offers Brazil Assistance for Petrópolis Disaster. orinocotribune.com On Friday, February 18, the government of Venezuela expressed solidarity with Brazil for the catastrophe caused by torrential rains in the city of Petrópolis (southeast), in which 138 people have been reported dead so far. | The Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that the Venezuelan government is ready to collaborate with the Brazilian authorities in whatever way possible in order to help the people affected by the disaster. | El Presidente Nicolás Maduro Moros, en nombre del Gobierno de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela manifiesta su absoluta solidaridad con el hermano pueblo del Brasil (1/4)…

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Ukraine's NATO Membership Not on Agenda, Won't Happen in Foreseeable Future, German Chancellor Says. sputniknews.com Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has adamantly demanded membership in the Western alliance for his country, warning that Kiev may be forced to pursue nuclear weapons if its membership bid is declined. Last week, German media reported that officials in Berlin were consciously avoiding the "pain in the a**" diplomat over his "undiplomatic contact."

Chris Hedges (2022-02-19). Hedges: Democrats, the More Effective Evil. orinocotribune.com By Chris Hedges — Feb 14, 2022 | The US is a de facto one-party state where the ideology of national security is sacrosanct, unsustainable debt props up the empire and the primary business is war. | When all else fails, when you are clueless about how to halt a 7.5% inflation rate, when your Build Back Better bill is gutted, when you renege on your promise to raise the minimum wage or forgive student debt, when you can't halt the Republican suppression of voting rights, when you have no idea how to handle the pandemic which has claimed 900,000 lives — 16% of the world's total deaths although we are les…

TASS (2022-02-19). Russia to protect its citizens in Donetsk, Lugansk if they are in danger – Duma speaker. tass.com Russia doesn't want war, Vyacheslav Volodin said…

Staff (2022-02-19). Explosion reported in southern Russia. rt.com Russian media quotes a police source as saying that a shell exploded close to the shared frontier | A shell has allegedly exploded on Russian territory, close to the border with the war-torn Donbass region of Ukraine, local media has reported. | On Saturday, Russian news agency RIA Novosti wrote that a police source in the southern Rostov region had claimed authorities were responding to the detonation in a rural community in the area. "The blast occurred at 4 am, 300 meters (984 feet) away from a house in the village of Mityakinskaya," the official said. | The incident reportedly occurred one kilometer (0.6 m…

Staff (2022-02-19). 'Omens are grim' for Ukraine, UK PM warns. rt.com Boris Johnson called on Western nations to stand with Kiev and support sanctions against Moscow | Moscow could be just moments away from ordering a full-blown invasion of Ukraine, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has alleged, amid reports of heavy shelling and explosions near the contact line in the Donbass. | Speaking at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Johnson claimed that the world is at "a very dangerous moment in history" and stands "on the brink of what could be a war in Europe." | "If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Zelensky at MSC: This is Europe's war. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The new European security structure he alludes to is not so new; in fact it's thirty years old. It is "Europe, whole, free and at peace" with the NATO flag flying over it from the Atlantic Ocean to the Donbass. As to the sovereign right of a nation to affiliate with whichever multinational organizations it …

TASS (2022-02-19). CSTO says it could send peacekeepers to Donbass with Ukraine's goodwill and UN mandate. tass.com The CSTO chief noted that the domestic Ukrainian conflict could be ironed out only through diplomatic efforts, but now the developments are on a dangerous path…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Canada to arm Ukraine with lethal weapons as part of US-led war drive against Russia. wsws.org Even though recent shelling in eastern Ukraine was instigated by Ukrainian forces, Canada's foreign ministry asserted without any evidence that "Russian military activity" was "escalating" the situation in Donbas.

Staff (2022-02-19). Putin launches nuclear war drills (VIDEOS). rt.com The exercise is taking place amid tensions with the West over Ukraine | Russian President Vladimir Putin launched strategic drills on Saturday, and is following the exercises from the situation center in Moscow, along with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. | The drills involve both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons, and are being held amid the escalation in eastern Ukraine and continuing tensions with NATO. The Russian Defense Ministry said ahead of the maneuvers that they would include the "launching of ballistic and cruise missiles." The air force is set participate along with the country's Northern and…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Macron announces withdrawal of French troops from Mali. wsws.org This withdrawal, driven by mounting popular opposition to French imperialism, comes amid the closely related NATO operations to provoke a war with Russia over Ukraine.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Biden threats over Ukraine roil markets. wsws.org There have been warnings of a "perfect storm" that could hit, resulting from a combination of rising geo-political conflicts and increased interest rates.

Staff (2022-02-19). EU issues warning about Russian 'isolation'. rt.com Brussels' top official has warned of a return to the days of the Cold War | The worsening standoff between Russia and the West threatens to upend European security and ultimately could end up isolating Moscow in a way not seen since the days of the Soviet Union, the European Union has cautioned as an escalating crisis unfolds on the border with Ukraine. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "the world has been watching in disbelief we face the largest build-up of troops on European soil since the darkest days of the Cold War." | A…

Anonymous103 (2022-02-19). Even Though The Neocons And Neoliberals Are Drooling For War In Ukraine, Putin Never Intended A War. southfront.org Written by John Smith As the title states, the Washington DC Think Tank crowd have been itching, along with the…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Harris threatens Russia with unprecedented sanctions, further military buildup on its border. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Anadolu AgencyFebruary 19, 2022 US warns Russia of 'unprecedented' sanctions over Ukraine The US still seeks a diplomatic solution with Russia, but will impose severe and swift sanctions if Moscow launches a military offensive against Ukraine, US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday. "If Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States together with our …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Pentagon chief in Poland: "The most dangerous conflict since World War II" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Quotes from video of joint press conference below. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak: "The most dangerous conflict since World War II." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin: "Polish and American soldiers fought and died together in Iraq and Afghanistan." "[Poland] Fourth largest concentration of U.S. forces in Europe." === Radio PolandFebruary 18, 2022 NATO stands united with Ukraine as …

Staff (2022-02-19). Germany has no plans to allow Ukraine join NATO — Scholz. rt.com The German chancellor said the row between Russia and the West is potentially dangerous but can be resolved | NATO currently has no plans to admit Ukraine as a member despite Moscow's demands that the US-led military bloc pledge not to expand further towards its borders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said amid a worsening standoff between the two former Soviet republics. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Berlin's top politician said that "Russia has made the issue of Ukraine's possible NATO membership a casus belli," effectively making it a pretext for war if Kiev's ambitions to joi…

United Against War, Militarism (2022-02-19). Wednesday 2/23: Roundtable Discussion: Ukraine Crisis. indybay.org On Zoom! Link: rb.gy/bxhzue…

Editor (2022-02-19). Truths and lies about pledges made to Russia. mronline.org The information war surrounding tensions between NATO and Russia over Ukraine often leads to distortions of historical reality.

Global Research News (2022-02-19). Global Research Weekender: Whose Fault Is the Ukrainian Crisis? Provoking a Third World War? globalresearch.ca The botched narrative of a February 16 Russian invasion of Ukraine reveals the desperation of the Anglo-American allies in provoking a third world war. As the warmongers of the West continue building up their war propaganda while their military equipment …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Germany, France evacuating Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Deutsche WelleFebruary 19, 2022 German Foreign Ministry urges all citizens to leave Ukraine The German Foreign Ministry on Saturday stepped up its travel and security warning for Ukraine, urging all of its nationals to leave the country due to the risk of a possible military confrontation. The ministry had already asked German citizens to leave …

_____ (2022-02-19). Russia Is Pressing For More Concessions While Donbas Heats Up. popularresistance.org "For the past 15 years, ever since the Munich speech, Russian officials have been arguing against the unilateral use of force and demanding a UN-centered security system founded on international law. Were we to wake up one day and find that Russian tanks were rolling towards Kiev without any kind of excuse, it would amount to a complete abandonment of 15 years of argumentation as well as a negation of the entire legal/moral position built up by the Russian Federation in that period, a position reinforced just this month in the Putin/Xi statement." It would also be very odd. For you can hardly achieve the objectiv…

In Defense of Liberation! (2022-02-19). Morning Commute: 2-19-2022 #NoWarWithRussia #NoWarWithChina. anchor.fm In this episode I discuss the ongoing Geo political situation between the US, United Nations, European Union, NATO, Russia, China, and other nations across the world. I discuss the historical development of and my definition of imperialism as well as its connection to capitalism and its natural development from capitalism. We have to illuminate the ruling class structure and oppressive organizations which hold the working and exploited people down. We need power in the hands of the oppressed masses, long live the revolution!

WSWS (2022-02-19). The dispute over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. wsws.org As in the wars of the 20th century, control over strategic raw materials plays a significant role in the current confrontation with Russia.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Biden administration and Republicans use war crisis to push phony "national unity" wsws.org The foreign policy aim is to accomplish American imperialism's decades-long goal of subjugating Russia. The domestic aim is to protect corporate profits and suppress social opposition amid the country's political crisis.

JANET (2022-02-19). How to Respond to War Threats on Russia — the antiwar movement comes together to respond. iacenter.org How to Respond to War Threats on Russia — Understanding U.S. Objectives — The Role of NATO, a U.S. Commanded Military Alliance TUES. Feb 22 at 8: 30 pm ET / 7: 30 pm CT / 6: 30 pm MT / 5: 30 pm PT Please click here to register for the meeting. us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_10cVDLQuQR6T3WPeAkJwtw Please join us for this important meeting and discussion with leaders from the antiwar movement including: (in alphabetical order) Leela Anand — ANSWER coalition Bahman Azad — US Peace Council Ajamu Baraka — Black Alliance for Peace Madea Benjamin — CodePink Sara Flounders [mdas…

Staff (2022-02-19). British MP has Russia & China warning. rt.com The remarks come as Moscow and Beijing emphasize their deepening ties amid an impasse in eastern Europe | If the US and its partners in Europe hit Moscow with crippling embargoes, Russia could seek more economic and political cooperation with Beijing and form a pact with China against the West, a leading British lawmaker has warned. | Speaking to Sky News from Kiev on Thursday, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood set out his view on the standoff between the two eastern European nations and what impact punitive measures could have in the event of a Russian incursion. | "Any sanctions that are imposed onto Russia, th…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Germany increases military spending for war against Russia. wsws.org Germany is playing an increasingly provocative‚ÄÜrole in NATO's aggression against Russia which poses ever more clearly the threat of a third world war.

Anonymous103 (2022-02-19). Military Situation In Syria On February 19, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On February 19, Russia reported that militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 2 times: 1 — in Idlib province, 1 — in Latakia province; | On February 18, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in al-Barah village; | On February 18, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Benin village; | On February 18, YPG artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Hazwan village. | MORE ON THE TOPIC: <...

Jeremy Kuzmarov (2022-02-19). As U.S. Threatens War with Russia, Biden Administration Unveils Imperial Strategy for Indo-Pacific That Could Lead to War with China. covertactionmagazine.com Already threatening war with Russia, the White House this month has unveiled a new imperial grand strategy for the Indo-Pacific …

_____ (2022-02-19). Ottawa Convoy Exposes The Racism That First Nations Have Long Known. popularresistance.org Early in 2020 and late in 2021, the Wet'suwet'en First Nation faced down police forces as they tried to protect their homelands in northern British Columbia. The province and the federal government had no difficulty in sending in the RCMP to mete out justice. | No mercy has been given to the First Nations when they protest. Oka, Ipperwash, Gustafsen Lake, logging standoffs and oil and gas standoffs, including the Tiny House Warriors standing against the Trans Mountain pipeline, were all met with unwavering police forces. | The last confrontation in Wet'suwet'en had First Nations from other provinces joining in so…

Global Research News (2022-02-19). Video: Ottawa. Freedom Convoy. Livestream, February 19. globalresearch.ca The Trudeau government is carrying out a major and ongoing police operation directed against the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa. | The protest movement is peaceful. There is evidence of Below is …

_____ (2022-02-19). National Day Of Strikes And Protests In Puerto Rico. popularresistance.org Teachers and government workers carried out a national day of strikes and protests in Puerto Rico Friday. There were marches and rallies across the US territory. A mass demonstration took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital city. The marchers demanded just wages and pensions and an end to the privatization of schools and government services. Despite a morning attempt by San Juan police to block a section of marchers, the protests were peaceful and high-spirited. | In San Juan, in the early morning hours demonstrators began congregating in the Hiram Bithorn baseball stadium before marching toward the headquar…

Kim Petersen (2022-02-19). The Right to Protest in the Stolen Indigenous Territory Called Canada. dissidentvoice.org Canada will always stand up for the right of peaceful protest anywhere around the world and we are pleased to see moves to deescalation and dialogue. — Justin Trudeau So said Canada's prime minister Trudeau about the farmer protests in India. One assumes that "anywhere" includes Canada. Nonetheless, Trudeau has rejected dialogue with the peaceful …

Adriaan Alsema (2022-02-19). Armed conflict resurged throughout Colombia: war crimes tribunal. colombiareports.com The war crimes tribunal said that 12 regions throughout Colombia suffered a reactivation of armed conflict last year. In a press release, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) said that…

Binoy Kampmark (2022-02-19). Tapping Fortress Australia: Priti Patel's Border Force Review. dissidentvoice.org When in opposition, Alexander Downer, destined to become Australia's longest serving foreign minister in the conservative government of John Howard, was easy to savage. The Australian Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating was particularly keen to skewer an establishment individual prone to donning fishnet stockings and affecting a plummy disposition. Never, he suggested, had there been …

José Manuel Blanco Diaz (2022-02-19). Colombia Wants Only 'Wealthy and Educated' Venezuelan Migrants. orinocotribune.com The Vice President of Colombia, Marta Lucía Ramírez, has complained about the "less wealthy and unskilled" Venezuelans who stay in Colombia as migrants. That group of vulnerable Venezuelans is at the center of the smear campaign and hybrid war against Venezuela, led by the US with its regional allied governments. | The Colombian vice president made the classist comment against migrants who are in a vulnerable economic situation or who do not have a considerably "high" academic level, during the regular session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of States Americans (OAS) this week. | "Colombia has not be…

Victoria Torres (2022-02-19). Argentina's Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Send Message to President Maduro (+Statement). orinocotribune.com The Argentine human rights movement Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo issued a statement addressed to the people of Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Friday 18. The Mothers sent their message after learning about Operation Puma, former Argentine President Macri's plan to invade Venezuela. | The current head of the emblematic human rights organization, Hebe de Bonafini, on behalf of her organization, expressed solidarity towards Venezuela. She apologized for former President Mauricio Macri's undertaking of Operation Puma to militarily invade Venezuela. | This message comes after Argentine Defense Mini…

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2022-02-19: News Headlines

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Ukraine's NATO Membership Not on Agenda, Won't Happen in Foreseeable Future, German Chancellor Says. sputniknews.com Ukraine's ambassador to Germany has adamantly demanded membership in the Western alliance for his country, warning that Kiev may be forced to pursue nuclear weapons if its membership bid is declined. Last week, German media reported that officials in Berlin were consciously avoiding the "pain in the a**" diplomat over his "undiplomatic contact."

Chris Hedges (2022-02-19). Hedges: Democrats, the More Effective Evil. orinocotribune.com By Chris Hedges — Feb 14, 2022 | The US is a de facto one-party state where the ideology of national security is sacrosanct, unsustainable debt props up the empire and the primary business is war. | When all else fails, when you are clueless about how to halt a 7.5% inflation rate, when your Build Back Better bill is gutted, when you renege on your promise to raise the minimum wage or forgive student debt, when you can't halt the Republican suppression of voting rights, when you have no idea how to handle the pandemic which has claimed 900,000 lives — 16% of the world's total deaths although we are les…

TASS (2022-02-19). Russia to protect its citizens in Donetsk, Lugansk if they are in danger – Duma speaker. tass.com Russia doesn't want war, Vyacheslav Volodin said…

Staff (2022-02-19). 'Omens are grim' for Ukraine, UK PM warns. rt.com Boris Johnson called on Western nations to stand with Kiev and support sanctions against Moscow | Moscow could be just moments away from ordering a full-blown invasion of Ukraine, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has alleged, amid reports of heavy shelling and explosions near the contact line in the Donbass. | Speaking at a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Johnson claimed that the world is at "a very dangerous moment in history" and stands "on the brink of what could be a war in Europe." | "If Ukraine is invaded and if Ukraine…

Staff (2022-02-19). Explosion reported in southern Russia. rt.com Russian media quotes a police source as saying that a shell exploded close to the shared frontier | A shell has allegedly exploded on Russian territory, close to the border with the war-torn Donbass region of Ukraine, local media has reported. | On Saturday, Russian news agency RIA Novosti wrote that a police source in the southern Rostov region had claimed authorities were responding to the detonation in a rural community in the area. "The blast occurred at 4 am, 300 meters (984 feet) away from a house in the village of Mityakinskaya," the official said. | The incident reportedly occurred one kilometer (0.6 m…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Canada to arm Ukraine with lethal weapons as part of US-led war drive against Russia. wsws.org Even though recent shelling in eastern Ukraine was instigated by Ukrainian forces, Canada's foreign ministry asserted without any evidence that "Russian military activity" was "escalating" the situation in Donbas.

Staff (2022-02-19). Putin launches nuclear war drills (VIDEOS). rt.com The exercise is taking place amid tensions with the West over Ukraine | Russian President Vladimir Putin launched strategic drills on Saturday, and is following the exercises from the situation center in Moscow, along with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. | The drills involve both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons, and are being held amid the escalation in eastern Ukraine and continuing tensions with NATO. The Russian Defense Ministry said ahead of the maneuvers that they would include the "launching of ballistic and cruise missiles." The air force is set participate along with the country's Northern and…

Staff (2022-02-19). Germany has no plans to allow Ukraine join NATO — Scholz. rt.com The German chancellor said the row between Russia and the West is potentially dangerous but can be resolved | NATO currently has no plans to admit Ukraine as a member despite Moscow's demands that the US-led military bloc pledge not to expand further towards its borders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said amid a worsening standoff between the two former Soviet republics. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Berlin's top politician said that "Russia has made the issue of Ukraine's possible NATO membership a casus belli," effectively making it a pretext for war if Kiev's ambitions to joi…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Biden threats over Ukraine roil markets. wsws.org There have been warnings of a "perfect storm" that could hit, resulting from a combination of rising geo-political conflicts and increased interest rates.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Macron announces withdrawal of French troops from Mali. wsws.org This withdrawal, driven by mounting popular opposition to French imperialism, comes amid the closely related NATO operations to provoke a war with Russia over Ukraine.

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-19). Pentagon chief in Poland: "The most dangerous conflict since World War II" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Quotes from video of joint press conference below. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak: "The most dangerous conflict since World War II." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin: "Polish and American soldiers fought and died together in Iraq and Afghanistan." "[Poland] Fourth largest concentration of U.S. forces in Europe." === Radio PolandFebruary 18, 2022 NATO stands united with Ukraine as …

Staff (2022-02-19). EU issues warning about Russian 'isolation'. rt.com Brussels' top official has warned of a return to the days of the Cold War | The worsening standoff between Russia and the West threatens to upend European security and ultimately could end up isolating Moscow in a way not seen since the days of the Soviet Union, the European Union has cautioned as an escalating crisis unfolds on the border with Ukraine. | Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "the world has been watching in disbelief we face the largest build-up of troops on European soil since the darkest days of the Cold War." | A…

United Against War, Militarism (2022-02-19). Wednesday 2/23: Roundtable Discussion: Ukraine Crisis. indybay.org On Zoom! Link: rb.gy/bxhzue…

Jeremy Kuzmarov (2022-02-19). As U.S. Threatens War with Russia, Biden Administration Unveils Imperial Strategy for Indo-Pacific That Could Lead to War with China. covertactionmagazine.com Already threatening war with Russia, the White House this month has unveiled a new imperial grand strategy for the Indo-Pacific …

Staff (2022-02-19). British MP has Russia & China warning. rt.com The remarks come as Moscow and Beijing emphasize their deepening ties amid an impasse in eastern Europe | If the US and its partners in Europe hit Moscow with crippling embargoes, Russia could seek more economic and political cooperation with Beijing and form a pact with China against the West, a leading British lawmaker has warned. | Speaking to Sky News from Kiev on Thursday, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood set out his view on the standoff between the two eastern European nations and what impact punitive measures could have in the event of a Russian incursion. | "Any sanctions that are imposed onto Russia, th…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Biden administration and Republicans use war crisis to push phony "national unity" wsws.org The foreign policy aim is to accomplish American imperialism's decades-long goal of subjugating Russia. The domestic aim is to protect corporate profits and suppress social opposition amid the country's political crisis.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Germany increases military spending for war against Russia. wsws.org Germany is playing an increasingly provocative‚ÄÜrole in NATO's aggression against Russia which poses ever more clearly the threat of a third world war.

WSWS (2022-02-19). The dispute over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. wsws.org As in the wars of the 20th century, control over strategic raw materials plays a significant role in the current confrontation with Russia.

Binoy Kampmark (2022-02-19). Tapping Fortress Australia: Priti Patel's Border Force Review. dissidentvoice.org When in opposition, Alexander Downer, destined to become Australia's longest serving foreign minister in the conservative government of John Howard, was easy to savage. The Australian Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating was particularly keen to skewer an establishment individual prone to donning fishnet stockings and affecting a plummy disposition. Never, he suggested, had there been …

José Manuel Blanco Diaz (2022-02-19). Colombia Wants Only 'Wealthy and Educated' Venezuelan Migrants. orinocotribune.com The Vice President of Colombia, Marta Lucía Ramírez, has complained about the "less wealthy and unskilled" Venezuelans who stay in Colombia as migrants. That group of vulnerable Venezuelans is at the center of the smear campaign and hybrid war against Venezuela, led by the US with its regional allied governments. | The Colombian vice president made the classist comment against migrants who are in a vulnerable economic situation or who do not have a considerably "high" academic level, during the regular session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of States Americans (OAS) this week. | "Colombia has not be…

Labor Video Project (2022-02-19). Oakland ILWU. OEA, Students & Community Rally To Stop Privatization & Union Busting. indybay.org Hundreds of ILWU Longshoreman, OEA teachers, students, labor and community activists rallied against the privatization of the Port Of Oakland Howard Terminal to the GAP A's billionaire owner John Fisher for a stadium and 3,000 condos and also against the closure of public schools in Oakland.

Staff (2022-02-19). 'Naive' govt policy poses 'catastrophic' security risk — media. rt.com Interviews for 'top secret' UK jobs are being done by video call, whistleblowers warn | British military personnel, civil servants, and private contractors applying for positions with access to "top secret" information are no longer automatically vetted in person, whistleblowers have revealed to The Telegraph. The UK risks a "catastrophic security breach" due to this shift toward virtual vetting, they warned. | Officers in the UK Security Vetting Department (UKSV) have raised concerns with the Cabinet Office over retaining online interviews via phone and video conferencing as part of the selection process, the…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Hundreds gather to mourn Amir Locke, victim of Minneapolis police shooting. wsws.org Locke was shot by a SWAT team officer serving a "no knock" warrant he was not named in.

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2022-02-19). 2022 California Juneteenth – American River Parkway – Introducing the California Gold Book. indybay.org In 1844, the Honorable William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr., "African Founding Father of California," seized the opportunity and stipulated in his unique Mexican Land Grant, Rancho Rio De Los Americanos, not to interfere with the Indigenous population who remain the sacred stewards of the land.

Norse posting (2022-02-19). City Attorney Threatens Food Not Bombs; Emergency Meeting 5 PM Friday. indybay.org Today, Keith McHenry, local Food Not Bombs worker, forwarded me the following threatening letter from Deputy City Attorney Cassie Bronson. McHenry called my Free Radio-on-the-Net show to discuss the letter and announced an emergency meeting 5 PM tomorrow (5-18) at the Red Church.

Staff (2022-02-19). The West still misunderstands the man who shaped China's rise. rt.com 25 years after the death of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, his legacy remains complicated | Saturday, February 19, marks 25 years since the death of Deng Xiaoping, the leader who succeeded Mao Zedong and oversaw a fundamental transition in China's place in the world with a policy dubbed For those in the West, Deng's reign, which began in 1978, heralded a hope that China was going to become more open and more liberal, and that its transition towards market-bas…

J.T.S. (2022-02-19). PG&E Awarded Safety Certificate After Causing Years of Environmental Catastrophes. indybay.org After serving a five-year criminal probation sentence for negligent practices that led to a fatal pipeline explosion in San Bruno in 2010, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has been awarded a safety certificate from the government of California.

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2022-02-19). The path toward an Official California Juneteenth Paid Holiday. indybay.org The legacy of "Chattel Slavery of people of African Descent" in California may originate in legendary battles with Queen Califia. Spanish Military led by Hernan Cortez, with ships full of Conquistadors including reinforcements of over 300 free and enslaved men of African Descent in 1535 began a new paradigm along western coast of the Pacific Ocean.

WSWS (2022-02-19). COVID-19 disaster intensifies across the Pacific. wsws.org COVID-19 numbers are escalating as Pacific island governments adopt the "living with the virus" policies put forward by capitalist elites globally.

Lucho Ramirez (2022-02-19). Eco-Justice, People Power, Documentary Premiere- "We Still Here" indybay.org CubaCaribe announces a special community screening of We Still Here / Nos Tenemos, the latest documentary by award winning filmmaker by Eli Jacobs-Fatauzzi in collaboration with Defend Puerto Rico, FistUpTV and Clenched Fist Productions. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Bay Area filmmakers Eli and Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi along with a dynamic live music and dance performance by Aguacero.

Staff (2022-02-19). China highlights metaverse risks. rt.com The virtual space network is the primary target of scammers and fraudsters, regulator warns | The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission warned on Friday about the associated risks the emerging metaverse technology could bring as the virtual space fever sweeps the world. | The watchdog said in a statement published on its website that some companies were engaging in illegal fund-raising, fraud, and virtual real estate speculation. | "Beware of being duped, and if you find clues of suspected illegal crimes, please actively report this to the relevant local departments," it said. | The official warnin…

WSWS (2022-02-19). Victoria Nuland in Colombia: Is Washington plotting another coup? wsws.org In Bogota, Nuland warned against foreign subversion of upcoming elections, an area in which she has ample on-hand experience.

John Zarocostas (2022-02-19). [World Report] UN sanctions hamper humanitarian work. thelancet.com Aid leaders have warned that unintended consequences of UN sanctions are a growing problem for humanitarian actors and have called for more proactive action. John Zarocostas reports from Geneva.

sputniknews (2022-02-19). Australia Accuses Chinese Guided-Missile Destroyer of Aiming Laser at Its Surveillance Aircraft. sputniknews.com The incident comes amid strained ties between Australia and China over Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanding an international enquiry into the origins of COVID-19 and an ongoing trade war between the two nations. China, Australia's largest trading partner, is also unhappy about Canberra's membership of US-led alliances such as Quad and AUKUS.

WSWS (2022-02-19). Crisis-wracked Australian government ramps up war drumbeating. wsws.org This fortnight's dysfunctional parliamentary session saw Prime Minister Scott Morrison virtually accuse Labor Party leaders of being treasonous agents of China.

scorinoco (2022-02-19). Military Deserter and Partner of 'El Conejo' Admit to Receiving Training in Colombia. orinocotribune.com Two detainees Starlin Páez Mujica, a Venezuelan military deserter, and María Inés Reyes Silva, partner of the criminal Carlos Rodríguez aka El Conejo, have confessed that members of criminal organizations based in Las Tejerías, Aragua (Venezuela), were trained in Colombia. | This Thursday, February 17, two videos with testimonies of Páez and Reyes were released by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan Assembly (AN), Deputy Jorge Rodríguez. The two were recently captured during the Cacique Guaicaipuro II operation carried out by Venezuelan security agencies in Santos Michelena municipality near Las Tejerias…

WSWS (2022-02-18). Shelling in Donbass brings Europe to brink of war. wsws.org Heavy artillery shelling reported in East Ukraine's Donbass region is the most significant military escalation of the conflict between the US-funded Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists since at least last spring.

sputniknews (2022-02-18). Lavrov: Russia 'Alarmed' by Escalation of Shelling, Use of Arms Banned by Minsk Accords in Donbass. sputniknews.com The region was thrust into a civil war in the spring of 2014, in the aftermath of a US and EU-backed coup in Kiev.

Staff (2022-02-18). Putin to take part in nuclear war drills. rt.com The strategic weapons exercises are scheduled to take place on Saturday | Russian President Vladimir Putin will take direct command of scheduled ballistic missile training on Saturday, which will see the country's military test its nuclear capabilities, Moscow has confirmed. | Officials released a statement on Friday, writing, "on February 19, under the supervision of the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a planned exercise of the forces of strategic deterrence will take place, during which ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched." | The statement goes…

sputniknews (2022-02-18). Ukraine's Prospects of Joining NATO Were Never Strong, Ex-MI6 Chief Reveals. sputniknews.com Ukraine switched from a policy of bloc neutrality toward aspiring to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2014, after a US and EU-backed coup overthrew the country's democratically elected government.

_____ (2022-02-18). Civil Defence Sirens Sound In Donetsk After Mass Evacuation Announcement. popularresistance.org Loud civil defense sirens have been heard in Donetsk after the announcement of mass evacuation from the self-proclaimed republic to Russia, a Sputnik correspondent reported. | The sirens can be heard in the videos captured by the correspondent, and streets are seen to be completely deserted. Local authorities have yet to announce why the sirens sounded. The civil defence sirens go off in Donetsk regularly (once every two or three months) but, as a rule, the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) warn the population in advance. | The sirens went off shortly after Denis Pushilin, the DPR…

Anonymous349 (2022-02-18). Determined To Instigate War In Ukraine (Videos, Photos). southfront.org Click to see the full-size image | Over the past 24 hours, forces of the Kiev regime have been consistently taking efforts to deploy even more forces to the contact line with Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in the East. At the same time, particular units of the Ukrai…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Lavrov: Russia investigating Bosnian, Kosovo, Albanian mercenaries in Donbass, warns of new Raƒçak. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com TASSFebruary 18, 2022 Russia checking reports about mercenaries for Donbass from Kosovo, Albania, B&H — Lavrov (With correct spelling of William Walker's name.) Russia is double checking reports that mercenaries are being sent from Kosovo, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina to Donbass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with RT television, which …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-18). Netherlands to deliver more arms, equipment for Donbass war. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com UkrinformFebruary 18, 2022 Netherlands to supply weapons, military equipment to Ukraine According to Ukrinform's correspondent in The Hague, the Dutch government made such a decision on Friday, February 18, in response to Ukraine's request for military assistance…. In particular, the Netherlands is to provide sniper rifles, helmets, body armor, radars and metal detectors to Ukraine …

TASS (2022-02-18). DPR leader says situation in Donbass is on brink of war. tass.com The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine deteriorated on Thursday morning, when the self-proclaimed republics reported the most intense shelling attacks by Ukrainian troops…

Dana Sanchez (2022-02-18). 'We're Headed For War': Political Observers Say Expected Russian 'False Flag' Operation Has Already Started In Eastern Ukraine. moguldom.com U.S. officials are warning of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days with weapons that could include cyber warfare, ballistic missiles, fighter jets and tanks. Russian military personnel in Crimea and areas near Ukraine have increased from an estimated 100,000 on Jan. 30 to as much as 190,000, said Michael Carpenter, …

Staff (2022-02-18). Venezuela Expresses Total Support for Russia on Ukraine Tensions. orinocotribune.com "Russia has the full support of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in the fight it is putting up to dispel the threats from NATO and the Western world," said the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, this Wednesday, February 16, during his meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Yuri Borisov. | During the meeting of the High-Level Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN), where strategic agreements were signed between both nations at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, the Venezuelan head of state stated his position, expressing his belief that Russia will continue to be a peaceful nation. | "

John Wojcik (2022-02-18). War danger rises after continued U.S. fearmongering on Ukraine. peoplesworld.org After U.S. credibility was strained again Thursday by yet another declaration coming from President Joe Biden that he expects a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the U.N. to assure the Security Council that "I am here today not to start a war but to …

PAI (2022-02-18). U.S. Labor Against War opposes U.S. moves towards Ukraine combat. peoplesworld.org

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-18). Zelensky Downplays Ukraine's Chances for Potential NATO Membership. news.antiwar.com On Thursday, Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelensky downplayed the chance of Ukraine joining NATO Zelensky said that despite Ukraine's desire to join the Western military alliance, the process was not advancing. Some NATO member states would not approve Ukraine's membership, which Zelensky recognized. | "Not only Russia is against [our] membership. Some individual NATO members support Moscow's position. That is an open secret," he told Bild. Z…

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