(2022-01-05). Sullivan, Nordic Partners Talk Readiness to Impose Costs on Russia Over Ukraine – NSC. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his counterparts from the Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden discussed by telephone each country's readiness to impose consequences on Russia should it escalate tensions with Ukraine, Nation Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said.
(2022-01-05). India concerned by Merck Covid pill side effects. rt.com 
Delhi has restricted the use of the company's coronavirus cure amid concerns about its safety | India has announced it won't be adding Merck's Covid-19 pill to its national treatment protocol due to concerns about its safety. It can cause fetal defects and cell changes, according to the country's medical research council. | On Wednesday, the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said it had become aware of "major safety concerns." | "It can cause teratogenicity and mutagenicity, and it also can cause cartilage damage and be damaging to muscles," ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava stated. "Mor…
(2022-01-05). Soldier killed by deer at presidential palace. rt.com 
A sergeant in the Paraguayan presidential guard died after being attacked by a gifted non-indigenous deer | A Paraguayan soldier has died after he was run through and gored by an axis deer from India in the gardens of the country's presidential palace. He was declared dead in a military hospital. | Speaking on Tuesday, military spokesman Colonel Victor Urdapilleta said that Sergeant Victor Isasi, 42, died as a result of piercing injuries, having been run down by a deer in the early hours of Tuesday morning. | The non-native deer, which was gifted to the presidential residence, gored the soldier with its antler…
(2022-01-05). Mob Lynches Man in India's Jharkhand, Sets His Body Alight Over Felling of a Revered Tree. sputniknews.com Religious vigilantism has been a subject of public discussion in India in recent years, especially after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led federal government came to power in 2014. The subject gained much traction after a series of lynchings in subsequent years over allegedly possessing beef or killing of cows, considered sacred in Hinduism.
(2022-01-05). Decretan confinamiento en Nueva Delhi tras repunte de contagios. telesurtv.net El Ministerio de Salud informó que en esta última jornada se reportaron más de 37.000 casos de la Covid-19.
(2022-01-05). Starbucks union drive erupts across the country. workers.org 
Buffalo, N.Y. The spark that started in this city last August, when Starbucks workers announced their intent to unionize, has turned into a wildfire of righteous working-class ambition, with new locations across the country filing for union elections. Stores in Mesa, Arizona; Boston; Seattle; Knoxville, Tennessee; Chicago; and Bloomfield, Colorado, . . . |
(2022-01-05). Selling Out Democracy for Political Influence. otherwords.org One year ago, the foundation of our democracy was jeopardized in a full-blown coup attempt by seditionists egged on by former president Donald Trump. People died. | Confederate flags were waved inside the Capitol. People with zip ties and weapons were ready to do harm or even kill members of Congress and the vice president. These were right-wing extremists who had the encouragement, and even help, from Trump allies in Congress. | When the dust settled, many corporations rightly spoke out and pledged to halt contributions to lawmakers whose rhetoric and actions played a part in the insurrection — including t…
(2022-01-05). January 6 Showed Why D.C. Deserves Statehood. otherwords.org At around noon on January 6, 2021, a friend in Virginia Beach sent me a private message: "If you need a place to stay, our living room isn't much, but at least it's not in D.C." More than two dozen similar messages poured in throughout the day from generous friends in the area. | The phone call from my mom was more direct: Were my partner and I safe, and did we have a plan in case things went south at the Capitol? | The insurrection instigated by Donald Trump has become a kind of political north star in the year that's passed since. An entire ecosystem of post-mortem analyses has grown up around the day. | Expert…
(2022-01-05). Pope Francis accuses childless pet owners of 'selfishness'. rt.com 
The Catholic leader blames them for robbing the world of 'the richness of fatherhood and motherhood' | Speaking at the Vatican, Pope Francis has criticized individuals who let pets "take the place of children" for leaving civilization "without humanity," saying they deprive society of "the richness of fatherhood and motherhood." | The Pope's address to a general audience on Wednesday risked sparking the anger of childless pet owners by once again taking aim at their decision to avoid parenthood. | The condemnation from the pontiff came despite him seemingly being a fan of animals, having been photographed stro…
(2022-01-05). Internet switched off in Kazakhstan amid unrest — reports. rt.com 
TV broadcasting has also been disrupted in the Central Asian country faced with a wave of protests over a spike in fuel prices | The internet was reportedly switched off across Kazakhstan on Wednesday, as the country remains gripped by violent protests that began in response to a hike in fuel prices after the New Year. | NetBlocks, a British organization that monitors internet freedom, has described the situation in the country as "a nation-scale internet blackout." | Access to the web was cut off completely following a day of mobile internet disruptions and partial curbs on Tuesday, it added. | "The incident…
(2022-01-05). Wall Street bank predicts end of gold era. rt.com 
Gold may soon lose its status as the universal "store of value" to Bitcoin, US bank claims | Bitcoin may overtake gold's market share in 2022, a Goldman Sachs analyst has said in a research note to clients, as cryptocurrencies and digital assets surge in price and attract increasingly more investor interest. | According to a list of 2022 predictions from the bank's analyst Zach Pandl, Bitcoin will "most likely" acquire a bigger piece of the pie in the year to come than its current 20%, which was calculated by comparing the cryptocurrency's $700 billion market capitalization to the roughly $2.6 trillion worth o…
(2022-01-05). Chicago teachers shut down in-person classes. rt.com 
Mayor's office insists she's doing 'everything in her power' to bring kids back to school – including threatening teachers' pay | The Chicago Teachers Union has voted to shut down in-person classes, insisting the surge in Covid-19 cases has made schools unsafe, while school-board officials warn the work stoppage amounts to an illegal strike. | While Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez acknowledged on Tuesday that if the union voted for remote learning and opted not to show up, there would be no classes on Wednesday, he insisted school buildings would be open and teachers and students alike were wel…
(2022-01-05). Taiwan cheers rum producer to make China feel sour. rt.com 
'A toast to that,' the island says, and buys Lithuanian liquor destined for the mainland | Taiwan's government-owned liquor and tobacco company has bought a shipment of Lithuanian rum that had been bound for, but blocked by mainland China. | In a statement on Monday, Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor (TTL), a firm wholly owned by the Finance Ministry, said it had stepped in and bought the entire Lithuanian rum shipment, which had been "drifting at sea," after it discovered that China had refused its customs clearance. | TTL said the move to buy some 20,400 bottles of dark rum made by MV Group Production had been an effo…
(2022-01-05). MMA fighter axed after discovery of shocking tattoo. rt.com 
A Czech MMA fighter has been banned from a local fight league event after neo-Nazi symbology was found among his tattoos | Radek Rousal has had his professional MMA debut canceled by Czech organization Oktagon MMA after it was discovered that he had numerous neo-Nazi tattoos, including one of Adolf Hitler on his right arm. | Rousal, who is untested as an MMA pro but has a 0-1 kickboxing record, was in line to make his first appearance in the cage as a short-notice replacement against Slovakian Nikolas Krivak. | However, officials from the fight league were forced to rethink their plans after noticing the offen…
(2022-01-05). Nationwide state of emergency declared in Kazakhstan. rt.com 
President vows 'tough' response to ongoing violent protests | Kazakhstan's authorities have imposed a state of emergency across the country in an attempt to get a grip on a deteriorating security situation, after widespread demonstrations were sparked by a gas price hike. | President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reached for the sweeping measures late on Wednesday, hours after saying he intended to act "as tough as possible" against the violence. | The state of emergency vastly expands the powers of the country's police and military, as well as allowing the handing down of heavy penalties, including lengthy prison ter…
(2022-01-05). 'Wonder Woman' addresses infamous 'Imagine' Covid video. rt.com 
The Israeli-born actress says the much-maligned video was 'premature' | Actor Gal Gadot has addressed her highly-mocked 'Imagine' cover video, featuring numerous celebrities and released at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. She says she had "pure intentions" but that the effort was in "poor taste." | The video was posted in March of 2020, just as government shutdowns and mandates were first taking effect in places like the US in response to coronavirus. The footage featured Gadot and numerous other celebrities singing lines from Beatle John Lennon's 'Imagine.' Gadot and others were heavily criticized and moc…
(2022-01-05). Kazakhstan's main airport seized by protesters — reports. rt.com 
Almaty transit hub overrun after president promised 'tough as possible' response to unrest | Flights to Kazakhstan are being canceled after Almaty International Airport, the country's busiest, was reportedly seized by protesters on Wednesday, amid mass unrest triggered by a hike in the price of liquefied gas. | While no visual evidence was immediately available from the airport due to a mass internet blackout said to be happening in Kazakhstan, locally-sourced Telegram news channel Orda cited the airport's press service as confirming they were no longer in control of the location. | It claimed the media team h…
(2022-01-05). 'MasterChef' slammed after cooking showdown features shark, alligator & capybara. rt.com 
Ecuador has warned of prison time for wild animal eaters after a controversial 'MasterChef' episode | An episode of 'MasterChef Ecuador' has triggered an almighty backlash, with the Quito government warning that wild animal eaters may end up in prison, while Colombia has launched an investigation into the ingredients used. | On Tuesday, Ecuador's government slammed the country's 'MasterChef' show after a recent episode featured ingredients including tollo (a small shark), an alligator, a type of wild deer, and a capybara — a massive rodent which can weigh as much as 80 kilograms (175 lbs). | In a statemen…
(2022-01-05). Pandemic babies may have slight development lag — study. rt.com 
Researchers found infants born into a Covid-impacted environment scored lower on skills development tests than pre-pandemic babies | Babies born in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic may have experienced delayed motor and social skills development compared to those born earlier, according to new research that suggests stress on pregnant mothers played a part. | The
(2022-01-05). Belgium complicit in killing of popular African leader, book claims. rt.com 
New evidence shows Belgium turned a blind eye as its officials plotted the assassination of Burundian PM Prince Louis Rwagasore in 1961 | Belgium has "overwhelming responsibility" for the killing of Prince Louis Rwagasore, the popular Burundian leader who sought to unite the country's ethnic groups as it gained freedom from the colonial power, new evidence shows. | Weeks after being elected prime minister in a landslide, Rwagasore, the 29-year-old son of a former king, was assassinated in October 1961. The governing Belgian elite masterminded the shooting while Brussels turned a blind eye, according to archive…
(2022-01-05). Devastating US rowhouse fire leaves seven children dead. rt.com 
The blaze ripped through two Philadelphia rowhouse apartments, killing 13 | A massive early-morning fire in Philadelphia engulfed a building with two apartments, killing at least 13 people and injuring two. All smoke detectors in the rowhouse apparently didn't work. | The fire started on the second story at around 6.30am on Wednesday and was brought under control about an hour later, Philadelphia Fire Department officials said. Some residents were able to escape on their own, and firefighters rescued several others after cutting a hole in the building's roof. | Of the 13 fatalities, at least seven were childre…
(2022-01-05). Taiwan fighter jets act out war scenario. rt.com 
Combat-readiness exercise comes amid heightened tensions with mainland China | Taiwan's air force has held combat-readiness drills that simulated a 'war scenario,' amid escalating tensions with mainland China, which sees the island as part of the People's Republic. | Military pilots rushed to their F-16 fighter jets at the sound of an alarm in Taiwan's southern city of Chiayi on Wednesday, according to media reports. The enactment came as part of a three-day exercise aimed at testing the Taiwan military's battle readiness. | Taking part in the drills were the very same aircraft that have been used to intercept…
(2022-01-05). The War on Terror Is a Success — for Terror. scheerpost.com 
[ By It began more than two decades ago. On September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush declared a "war on terror" and
(2022-01-05). Airport takeover, palace fire & promise of 'tough' response: Here's how Kazakhstan's unrest escalated. rt.com 
The Central Asian state continues its apparent descent into chaos as street protests triggered by a hike in gas prices grow increasingly violent | The situation in Kazakhstan took a sharp turn for the worse on Wednesday, as several cities saw violent unrest, with administrative buildings stormed, a presidential residence set on fire, and the main airport allegedly seized. | The protests began after a twofold hike in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at the start of the new year. The price caps that had existed in the country for years had turned LPG into an extremely popular type of fuel, widely utili…
(2022-01-05). New legal filing in Mumia's case. workers.org 
The following statement was issued Jan. 4 regarding new legal filings by attorneys for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia Abu-Jamal By Johanna Fernández Campaign to Bring Mumia Home In her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Zora Neale Hurston wrote, "There are years that ask questions, and years that answer." With continued . . . |
(2022-01-05). Disaster Victims Shouldn't Have to Run a PR Campaign to Get Federal Aid. cepr.net The Los Angeles Times | Suffering is not a competition, but the battle for attention and resources tragically is. | Children killed in a school shooting, fires raging across the West, deadly tornadoes slamming the Midwest and the South — all happening against a backdrop of more than 800,000 deaths from COVID-19. After a high-profile tragedy, sustained national news coverage can bring in sympathy, charity and pressure for government aid.
(2022-01-05). Australian epidemiologist Adrian Esterman condemns government response to Omicron. wsws.org "There's no national approach. There are different definitions for things, different ways of calculating, different contact-tracing systems that don't talk to each other, different border regulations and different testing situations."
(2022-01-05). Venezuela Receives 3.1 Million COVAX Vaccines. orinocotribune.com This Tuesday, January 4, Venezuela received 3.1 million doses of vaccines through the World Health Organization (WHO) COVAX mechanism, reported Venezuelan Deputy Minister for Health, Gerardo Briceño. The vaccines were received at Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetía. | #Entérate | | COVAX: Venezuela recibe 3.1 millones de vacunas para fortalecer Plan de Inmunización y Refuerzo contra la
(2022-01-05). Costa Rica Announces the Expansion of Cocos Island National Park and the Seamounts Marine. indybay.org Costa Rica — Costa Rica announced today the expansion of Cocos Island National Park and the Seamounts Marine Management Area, increasing the protection around this biodiversity hotspot. Cocos Island is located approximately 320 miles from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Due to its great biological diversity, the island was declared a national park in 1978.
(2022-01-05). Sri Lankan president blames COVID-19 for economic crisis. wsws.org Rajapakse was seeking to enlist the media in deflecting surging anger among workers and the poor over rising prices and shortages of essentials, and preparing the ground for more austerity measures.
(2022-01-04). Ontario Court Awards $107 Million to Families of Victims From Downed Ukrainian Flight 752. sputniknews.com NEW YORK (Sputnik) – The Ontario Supreme Court of Justice decided to award $107 million to the families of six passengers killed on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by an Iranian missile minutes after taking off from Tehran, media reported on Monday.
(2022-01-04). 'We'd be shot for this': Husband of Russian high jump queen cites Kenya & Ukraine in doping double standards. rt.com 
The husband of Olympic high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene has suggested Russia has faced double standards when it comes to doping sanctions | Russia has been hit with severe doping sanctions while countries such as Kenya and Ukraine have got off lightly, the sports journalist husband of Tokyo Olympic high jump champion Mariya Lasitskene has suggested. | Russia remains suspended by World Athletics, meaning stars such as three-time world champion Lasitskene can only compete as neutrals. | The sanctions were first imposed back in 2015 in the wake of allegations of a state-sponsored doping program run by Russia.
(2022-01-04). We dance into the New Year banging our hammers and swinging our sickles: The Fifty-Second Newsletter (2021). mronline.org 
Bittersweet is the passage of this year. There have been some immense victories and some catastrophic defeats, the most terrible being the failure of the Global North countries to adopt a democratic attitude towards confronting the COVID-19 pandemic and creating equitable access to key resources, from life-saving medical equipment to vaccines.
(2022-01-04). Right-wing hate speech runs rampant in India's elections. peoplesdispatch.org The upcoming elections in three Indian states will be a contest between the BJP's polarizing, violent, Islamaphobic messages and efforts to create a more plural, more democratic India…
(2022-01-04). Right-wing hate speech runs rampant in India's elections. peoplesdispatch.org The upcoming elections in three Indian states will be a contest between the BJP's polarizing, violent, Islamaphobic messages and efforts to create a more plural, more democratic India…
(2022-01-04). We dance into the New Year banging our hammers and swinging our sickles: The Fifty-Second Newsletter (2021). mronline.org Bittersweet is the passage of this year. There have been some immense victories and some catastrophic defeats, the most terrible being the failure of the Global North countries to adopt a democratic attitude towards confronting the COVID-19 pandemic and creating equitable access to key resources, from life-saving medical equipment to vaccines.
(2022-01-04). Powerful economy to guarantee Iran at Vienna negotiations: MP. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 04 (MNA) — The chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission stressed that nothing more than a powerful economy can guarantee Iran at the table of negotiation.
(2022-01-04). Newcastle seeks to hijack Lyon transfer for Zenit's Azmoun. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 04 (MNA) — An English media announced that Newcastle has been looking for Sardar Azmoun to make a contract with the Iranian national team striker in winter transfers.
(2022-01-04). Newcastle seeks to hijack Lyon transfer for Zenit's Azmoun. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 04 (MNA) — An English media announced that Newcastle has been looking for Sardar Azmoun to make a contract with the Iranian national team striker in winter transfers.
(2022-01-04). Canada's Head-of-State Honors a War Criminal. dissidentvoice.org 
The only place I want to hear him speak is in the dock at the Hague at the International Criminal Court facing trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. — George Galloway, former British MP and the director of The Killing$ of Tony Blair Canada's head of state, also the queen of Canada, has …
(2022-01-04). Canada's Head-of-State Honors a War Criminal. dissidentvoice.org The only place I want to hear him speak is in the dock at the Hague at the International Criminal Court facing trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. — George Galloway, former British MP and the director of The Killing$ of Tony Blair Canada's head of state, also the queen of Canada, has …
(2022-01-04). In India, more families are pushed to surviving without jobs. peoplesdispatch.org 
The latest data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy shows that share of families with two working members has fallen drastically. This means people are surviving on much less income…
(2022-01-04). "A vaccine for the world": U.S. scientists develop low-cost shot to inoculate global south. nationofchange.org As COVID cases skyrocket, we speak to Dr. Peter Hotez at Texas Children's Hospital about the Omicron surge, as well as his groundbreaking work developing an affordable patent-free coronavirus vaccine. Last week the Indian government gave emergency approval to the new low-cost, patent-free vaccine called Corbevax, which Hotez co-created. He says it could reach billions of people …
(2022-01-04). Indian Police Detain Engineering Student in 'Online Sale' of Muslim Women Case. sputniknews.com On 1 January, photos of more than a hundred Indian Muslim women went viral on an open-source app — "Bulli Bai", hosted on the web platform GitHub. The photographs were sourced without the individuals' permission, in apparent attempt to target and harass Muslim women.
(2022-01-04). In India, more families are pushed to surviving without jobs. peoplesdispatch.org The latest data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy shows that share of families with two working members has fallen drastically. This means people are surviving on much less income…
(2022-01-04). A tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a friend of Palestine — WW commentary. workers.org 
Our beloved global elder, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, became an ancestor on December 26, passing peacefully amongst his family the day after Christmas at the age of 90. A Nobel Laureate, moral giant and practitioner of radical love, Tutu was integral to the liberation of South Africa from the racist clutches . . . |
(2022-01-04). Why We Must Fight to Free Political Prisoners in 2022. scheerpost.com 
Woman holding up a sign that reads "NO POLITICAL PRISONERS" from By Ezra Brain / Newly elected Chilean president Gabriel Boric's victory speech was interrupted by a chant that went through the crowd: "We're not all here." This has become a slogan for many of the last vestiges of the 2019 Chilean uprising, a reference to the protesters who currently sit in cells,…
(2022-01-04). Tech giants alter 5G rollout plans. rt.com 
Two US cell providers say they will hold off on their 5G networks amid safety concerns from airlines and federal regulators | AT&T and Verizon, two of America's largest telecom firms, have agreed to a temporary delay for their C-band 5G networks as talks continue with government officials and airlines, who say the tech could affect aircraft instruments. | The companies confirmed the pause in separate statements on Monday, with Verizon stating it had agreed to a two-week delay, "which promises the certainty of bringing this nation our game-changing 5G network in January." | AT&T, meanwhile, said it accepted the…
(2022-01-04). Judge rules on US Navy SEALs vaccination dispute. rt.com 
US judge rules in favor of Navy SEALs refusing vaccination on religious grounds | A Texas court ruled that it would be unconstitutional for the US Navy to punish service members seeking a religious exemption from President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate. | District Judge Reed O'Connor issued a preliminary order on Monday blocking the Navy and the Department of Defense from enforcing their vaccine rules. | "The Navy service members in this case seek to vindicate the very freedoms they have sacrificed so much to protect," the judge wrote in his decision. "The Covid-19 pandemic provides the government no license to…
(2022-01-04). Trump slams 'low-life' Twitter & Facebook. rt.com 
The former US president responded to Marjorie Taylor Greene's ban by blasting Twitter and Facebook's 'radical left' slant | Donald Trump has branded Twitter a "disgrace to democracy" after it permanently suspended the personal account of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) for allegedly violating its Covid-19 misinformation rules. | In a