(2022-01-16). US official threatens Russia with 'sharp pain' inflicted 'very fast'. rt.com 
Top American diplomat promises swift response should Moscow 'invade' Ukraine in 'any form' | The US has some 18 "different scenarios" up its sleeve to react to any form of Russian attack on Ukraine, leading official Victoria Nuland has warned, promising to inflict "sharp pain" on Moscow should it make such a move. | Nuland, who currently serves as undersecretary of state for political affairs in President Joe Biden's government, made the thinly veiled threat in an interview with the Financial Times published on Saturday. | "I'm not going to preview 18 different scenarios … I would simply say that our…
(2022-01-16). Suspect dead after FBI storm Texas synagogue, freeing hostages. rt.com 
The hostage-taker reportedly demanded the release of a Pakistani woman convicted of attempting to kill US military personnel | All four people who were held hostage at a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas on Saturday are "alive" and "safe," the authorities said as media reported gunfire and sounds resembling that of an explosion at the scene. | Though one male hostage had been released unharmed earlier on Saturday, the three remaining hostages were not able to leave until an FBI rescue team which had flown in from Quantico, Virginia stormed the building following a 12-hour standoff with the suspect. | Shortly aft…
(2022-01-16). Seniors to be fined for violating vaccine mandate. rt.com 
Greeks over 60 warned about punishment for non-compliance with vaccination rules | The Greek prime minister has made a final appeal to the country's senior citizens to get inoculated before monthly punishments for violating the country's vaccination mandate kick in next week. | "Our fellow citizens who are over 60 and still unvaccinated — I encourage them today: take this step," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a visit to a health center in Megara, near Athens, on Saturday. | "Protect your life and the lives of those you love, and understand that the vaccine is safe and saves lives." | Citiz…
(2022-01-16). Russia considers kicking out rowdy foreigners. rt.com 
Non-citizens found guilty of serious violations of Russian law could be booted out if the plan goes ahead | Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs is looking into the possibility of expelling foreigners from the country if they commit gross administrative breaches, the head of the national migration department has revealed. | Speaking as part of an interview with Interfax, published on Thursday, Valentina Kazakova said that the ministry "continues to work on improving the mechanisms of control over the stay of foreign nationals in Russia." | The official said consideration is underway for revising the rules to…
(2022-01-16). Tanks in European streets explained by Russia. rt.com 
Armored vehicles were pictured rolling through the streets of a Swedish town as the military cited 'tensions' between Russia and Ukraine | Sweden has moved to ramp up security on the largest Baltic Sea island of Gotland with a view to "adapting" its security strategy to the "tense situation" on the Russian-Ukrainian border, located some 1,700km southeast. | Residents of the sleepy town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland awoke to the sound of heavy military hardware roaring through the streets on Saturday. The Swedish Army's Stridsfordon 90 infantry fighting vehicles had arrived overnight to secure the t…
(2022-01-16). Russia can't guarantee it will never deploy weapons to Ukraine — Kremlin. rt.com 
Moscow considers talks with the US and NATO "unsuccessful," but there is no talk of military action, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said | Russia has no plans attack Ukraine, but could not say it would never deploy any weapons in its large southern neighbor, the Kremlin has told CNN, adding that Moscow is willing to talk, but only if its concerns are addressed. | Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's long-time spokesman, added that Russia is deeply concerned by a recent spiraling-up of tensions in Europe, in an interview scheduled for broadcast on Sunday. | "We have too much tension on the border [wit…
(2022-01-16). Whole Foods Protest on Bezos' Birthday. indybay.org On a national day of action to Support Amazon Workers, Raging Grannies, Vigil for Democracy, and Dance of Peace protested in the street in front of Whole Foods in Palo Alto.
(2022-01-16). Massive Fire at British-Era Secunderabad Club in India's Telangana, Police Probe Started – Video. sputniknews.com The Secunderabad club was earlier known as the Secunderabad Garrison Club, the Secunderabad Gymkhana Club, and the United Services Club. Until 1947, only British residents and a few high-ranking officers were offered membership in the club.
(2022-01-16). Video of Indian Troops Dancing at Freezing Temperatures in Kashmir Goes Viral. sputniknews.com India's Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed heavy snowfall and temperatures dropping to -10 degress Celsius. Indian Army troops who are based in the region have reverted to age-old remedies to keep themselves warm in these seemingly harsh weather conditions.
(2022-01-16). Apple changes its 'monopolistic' payment policies. rt.com 
Dutch dating apps are the first to be allowed to use third-party payment services | Apple is to let Dutch developers of dating apps offer alternative payment options — the first time the tech giant is allowing outside service in its App Store. The move comes a month after its policies were ruled a monopoly. | Apple is releasing some new "entitlements" allowing developers to implement their own third-party payment services to pay for such apps in the Netherlands, the | California-based multinational
(2022-01-16). Turkey striving for rapid de-dollarization. rt.com 
The country's finance minister has pledged to accelerate ditching the greenback in the coming days | The process of de-dollarizing the Turkish economy will be accelerated in the coming weeks, according to Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati. | The government will step up the conversion of the nation's foreign currency holdings into Turkish lira, he said, adding that more than 131 billion lira ($9.69 billion) had been deposited in accounts under the plan. | The government program, unveiled last month, is intended to protect lira deposits from further forex depreciation, as well as to make citizens fee…
(2022-01-16). Democrat group hides comments accusing Nike of slave labor after praising company. rt.com 
Occupy Democrats scrubbed its page of references to slave labor and child workers after celebrating Nike's decision to threaten unvaccinated employees with dismissal | Occupy Democrats, a popular left-wing political advocacy group which supports the US Democratic Party, was caught hiding comments expressing concern about slave labor after it praised sportswear company Nike. | The group praised Nike on social media after the multi-billion-dollar company threatened to fire employees who remained unvaccinated against Covid-19. | "Nike sends a defiant letter to its remaining unvaccinated employees that they will b…
(2022-01-16). Wednesday 1/19: Care is Essential Telephone Town Hall w/ National Domestic Workers Alliance & SEIU. indybay.org
(2022-01-16). Xinjiang airports resume int'l cargo operations. ecns.cn Airports in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have resumed their international cargo operations as part of efforts to stabilize global industrial and supply chains.
(2022-01-16). Tuesday 1/25: Dollar for Dollar NOW: From Pay Equity to Paid Leave – The Push for Economic Justice. indybay.org Online webinar…
(2022-01-16). Despite challenges, opening-up in cotton will continue this year. ecns.cn Despite recent changes in international trade, which brought new challenges to the development of China's cotton industry, the country will continue to insist on opening up and expand cooperation with its foreign counterparts, the China Cotton Association said.
(2022-01-16). Lavrov commends Russia-China cooperation on bilateral, int'l issues. ecns.cn Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday spoke highly of the "unique architecture of Russia-China ties" and Russia's and China's joint efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation and solve international problems.
(2022-01-16). COVID-19 situation in China stable, controllable: official. ecns.cn The recent COVID-19 resurgence in China has been in general stabilized, as the country managed to bring the outbreaks in some areas under control in a timely manner, the National Health Commission said Saturday.
(2022-01-15). PDVSA to Resume Diluted Crude Oil Exports. orinocotribune.com Venezuelan state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) will begin exporting diluted crude oil (DCO) this week, after it being stopped for nine months. This was revealed in a document to which Reuters had access. | After the agreements reached between PDVSA and Iran, the Venezuelan state-owned company has been able to modify its production and marketing strategies, which has helped it build diluted crude inventories. | An agreement reached in 2021 with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) allowed PDVSA to receive around 2.1 million barrels per month of condensate, while supplying Iran with some 3.8…
(2022-01-15). US arrests Iranian national over alleged violation of bans. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 15 (MNA) — The US Department of Justice announced on Saturday the arrest of an Iranian-American citizen under the pretext of illegally exporting equipment and technology to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).
(2022-01-15). Ukraine says Russia not responsible for huge cyberattack. rt.com 
Officials in Kiev originally blamed Moscow for the hack | Friday's cyberattack targeting Ukrainian government agencies was carried out by a group linked to Belarusian intelligence services — and not by Russians, as originally claimed — according to a senior Kiev security official. | "Our preliminary belief is that the group UNC1151 may be involved in this attack," the deputy secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Sergey Demedyuk, said in a written comment to Reuters. | The "cyber-espionage group" in question is understood to be "affiliated with the special services of the Rep…
(2022-01-15). US seeking ways to profit should Russia-Ukraine conflict break out — reports. rt.com 
Washington is predicting a probable military assault despite firm denials by Russia | The US State Department has reportedly held talks with international energy majors on the possibility of contingency supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe if conflict between Russia and Ukraine disrupts deliveries. | Over the past several months, the White House has repeatedly expressed the concern that Russia is preparing to launch a military assault on Ukraine. Russia has made it clear it has no such plans. | The US administration has threatened Moscow with another round of "crippling" sanctions in the event of…
(2022-01-15). Putin 'would eat Zelensky for breakfast' in talks — former Ukrainian PM. rt.com 
Ukrainian leader has been warned to tread carefully in his dealings with the Russian president | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should avoid direct discussions with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Kiev's former prime minister has advised, amid flaring tensions between the two states. | Speaking as part of an appearance at the Kiev Security Forum, which was broadcast by the YouTube channel Open Ukraine on Wednesday, Arseny Yatsenyuk said that "the best way to deter Russia is to stay strong and be united, both domestically and internationally." | "I am not criticizing Zelensky, but I would advis…
(2022-01-15). Citing Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Estonia pushes all-of-government mobilization. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Interior minister: Broad-based national defense in place The focus of recent opinions has been on military national defense, and rightly so, while we must not forget other things that contribute to defense but are not of military nature. Security and security threats have landed on the top of the agenda after recent events in Kazakhstan …
(2022-01-15). Whole Foods Protest on Bezos' Birthday. indybay.org On a national day of action to Support Amazon Workers, Raging Grannies, Vigil for Democracy, and Dance of Peace protested in the street in front of Whole Foods in Palo Alto.
(2022-01-15). Before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Corona Virus "Vaccines". Nuremberg Code, Crimes against humanity, War Crimes and Crimes of Aggression" globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of Global Research readers, the full text …
(2022-01-15). In The Latest Rights Of Nature Case, A Tribe Is Suing On Behalf Of Salmon. popularresistance.org Salmon—the fish—are suing the City of Seattle in Sauk-Suiattle tribal court, seeking recognition of their legal rights to exist, flourish and regenerate. | The Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe filed the complaint earlier this month on behalf of the fish following the city's construction and operation of off-reservation hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River. The tribe, also asserting claims based on rights the tribe holds, alleges that the city constructed the dams, beginning in the first half of the 20th century, without the tribe's consultation or consent. | The case is the latest in a series of rights of…
(2022-01-15). Why Journalist Kamal Khan's Passing Feels Like a Deep Personal Loss. zcomm.org Every word Khan chose for his reporting bespoke the fineness and subtlety of his learning, and his deep concern for the preservation of India's diverse values…
(2022-01-15). Suicide, Indian Farmers, Indigenous North Americans . . . popularresistance.org By explaining to mental health professionals and the general public that the root cause of suicide among their people is a sociopolitical one and not a brain disease, Roland Chrisjohn and Sudarshan Kottai do their part to foment rebellion against the sociopolitical status quo rather than—as most professionals do—enable it. There are other things professionals can do to help. | Kottai offers Rachel Morley as one model. Morley, a clinical psychologist and a psychosocial practitioner for the British Red Cross, is the author or the 2015 article "Witnessing Injustice: Therapeutic Responsibilities" (in the…
(2022-01-15). Defence Chief Bipin Rawat's Chopper Crashed Due to Pilot Error, Indian Air Force Says. sputniknews.com Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat and 13 others were killed in an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu last month. Gen. Rawat was the country's first CDS.
(2022-01-15). Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia. wsws.org Delhi University staff strike over unpaid wages; Sri Lankan health workers strike in North Central Province; Australia: Patrick Terminals to terminate enterprise agreement…
(2022-01-15). Johnson's plan to dodge resignation uncovered by media. rt.com 
UK PM reportedly deciding which heads 'should roll' for him to survive lockdown parties scandal in a scheme dubbed 'Operation Save Big Dog' | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is working on a plan to help him survive as head of government following a probe into parties his office allegedly held in breach of Covid-19 rules, The Independent has reported. | The prime minister, who is reportedly personally involved in drawing up the plan, dubbed it "Operation Save Big Dog," the paper reported on Friday. The scheme allegedly involves a major "root and branch" government reshuffle, which was already flagged by other B…
(2022-01-15). Study reveals first recorded animal hybrids. rt.com 
Kungas were created in ancient Mesopotamia by breeding domestic donkeys with Syrian wild asses | Donkey-ass hybrids pulled Mesopotamian battle wagons more than half a millennium before horses were bred for the same task, a new scientific report has revealed. | The research published in
(2022-01-15). Country bans unvaccinated from offices. rt.com 
Singapore, one of the world's most-vaccinated countries against Covid-19, has rolled out new restrictions targeting the unjabbed | The Republic of Singapore has officially banned unvaccinated employees from working in person, removing a previous policy that allowed them to work if they provided negative Covid-19 tests. | The ban was
(2022-01-15). TV provider drops Trump's 'favorite channel'. rt.com 
The main distributor of One America News (OAN) refused to renew its contract with the conservative network, triggering celebration among liberals online | One America News (OAN), a conservative television channel which has frequently been described as one of former US President Donald Trump's favorites, is set to be dropped by its satellite TV carrier following an internal review. | DirecTV, which airs OAN on channel 347, told the network's parent company Herring Networks that it would no longer carry OAN or sister entertainment channel AWE after the current contract expires in April. | "We informed Herring Ne…
(2022-01-15). Forgetting is form of learning — study. rt.com 
Not remembering certain things may be a beneficial, functional feature of the brain | Denying us access to certain cells in the brain that store memories might be a practical feature of the human organism that helps us upgrade decision-making abilities, new research suggests. | Not being able to recall specific memories in certain environmental conditions does not indicate decay of the brain, but rather shows it's developing to promote learning and flexible behavior, according to a theory put forward by a team of international scientists. | To better interact with the changing world, the brain switches parts i…
(2022-01-15). Germany has lost its economic freedom — Russia. rt.com 
Lack of certification demonstrates that Berlin can't perform ordinary commercial activities, says Moscow | The ongoing saga with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and its long wait for approval and certification shows that Germany has no freedom to pursue its own economic interests, Russia's foreign minister has claimed. | Speaking to the Russian First Channel on Thursday, Sergey Lavrov suggested that right now Berlin doesn't have economic sovereignty and is at the mercy of third parties. | "About Nord Stream 2, it's no longer about freedom to choose alliances. It's just freedom to carry out ordinary commercial a…
(2022-01-15). Oil pushes past $86 as greenback wilts. rt.com 
WTI and Brent Futures surged by as much as 2% | Global prices for crude climbed to a nine-week high as the US dollar headed for its largest weekly fall in over a year, turning commodities into a more affordable purchase for holders of other currencies. | Brent crude futures increased by 1.93% to $86.1 per barrel — its highest level since October 25, 2021. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for February delivery rose by 2.2% to $83.95 per barrel, leading the US benchmark to post a 6.2% weekly gain — its fourth weekly rise in a row. | The US dollar index was 0.1% higher at 94.931, but finis…
(2022-01-15). Most detailed 3D map of universe released. rt.com 
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument accurately maps galaxy positions through time to help scientists better understand dark energy | The most detailed 3D map of the universe to date, showing the location of 7.5 million galaxies, has been published by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) cosmic survey project. | The map, released on Thursday by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which is leading the project, is the result of the first seven months of DESI's operations. | Each dot in the image represents an individual galaxy, consisting of between 100 billion and one trillion stars. The map s…
(2022-01-15). Wednesday 1/19: Enough Is Enough! No Public Funded Stadium In Port Of Oakland For Billionaire A's Owner. indybay.org Oakland City Hall | Oscar Grant Plaza…
(2022-01-15). Hostage situation at Texas synagogue, SWAT deployed. rt.com 
Assailant's actions and negotiations with police were partly livestreamed on Facebook | A suspected gunman has taken hostages at the Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas on Saturday. SWAT officers have been deployed to the evacuated area. | Shortly after arriving, officers entered into the negotiations with the suspect seeking the release of a rabbi and three other individuals believed to be inside the synagogue. One of the hostages – a man- was subsequently released at around 6 p.m. local time. The relased hostage was unhurt in the incident, police said. | Audio of the assailant speaking to police coul…
(2022-01-15). NFTs, play-to-earn games, and why everyone hates them. rt.com 
Some video game developers want NFTs in their games, others are swearing off putting them in theirs | Gamers are up in arms against NFTs appearing in their favorite titles, while some developers keep pushing for it. So why do people think it's a bad idea? | What are NFTs? NFT, for those who still don't get it (and can't be blamed for it), stands for Non-Fungible Token, which basically means it's a unique digital asset that can belong to only one person at a single time. Essentially, it's just a line of code, stored on a blockchain, similar to a crypto coin, saying that something belongs to you. But, unlike wit…
(2022-01-15). Russia makes vaccine passports policy change. rt.com 
Officials say the proposed legislation is not suited to the current coronavirus situation | Russian lawmakers have postponed consideration of a bill that would introduce a nationwide system of QR-code vaccine passes, saying that the law needs to be adapted to deal with the new Omicron variant of Covid-19. | Tatyana Golikova, the deputy prime minister for social policy, labor, health and pension provision, told journalists on Friday that government officials, together with leaders of ruling party United Russia, had decided the proposed legislation would need to be adjusted before it could be considered further.
(2022-01-15). Lee Camp: Cops Shoot More People Than You ThoughtÔøº. scheerpost.com Lee Camp reports on a new study that looks into the survivors of police brutality. It turns out US cops try to kill way more people than they succeed at killing.
(2022-01-15). Texas synagogue suspect linked to 'Lady Al-Qaeda'. rt.com 
There has been on ongoing public campaign in Pakistan for the release of Aafia Siddiqui from US prison | The suspected gunman who took a Texas synagogue hostage on Saturday has reportedly demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, who was convicted of attempting to kill US personnel in Afghanistan. | While the identity of the hostage taker has yet to be confirmed, ABC News and
(2022-01-15). Obama adviser pleads guilty to stealing $200,000. rt.com 
A former White House official was accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars to secure a loan on a multi-million-dollar apartment | Seth Andrew, a former adviser to 44th President Barack Obama, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges after stealing $218,000 from a charter school he founded. | The US Department of Justice
(2022-01-15). News on China | No. 82. dissidentvoice.org In this episode: China encourages peace in Africa, does business around the world, regulates care of "left-behind" children, and works toward the common prosperity goal through the construction of affordable housing.
(2022-01-15). Unknown pearl of Persian Gulf. en.mehrnews.com BANDAR ABBAS, Jan. 16 (MNA) — Consisting of a large living coral, "Lavan" and "Shidvar" islands have a beautiful environment. They are also rich in vast oil and gas resources. They are habitats for deer, snakes, seabirds and eagle-nosed turtles.
(2022-01-15). Australian Trade Unions Demand Free COVID Testing For All. popularresistance.org In a scathing condemnation of the Scott Morrison government, Australian trade unions criticized its inability to make testing for COVID-19 freely available for all. The country's largest apex trade union body, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), released a statement on Thursday, January 13, criticizing the failure to make Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) free and accessible for all. | "The ACTU condemns in the strongest possible terms the Prime Minister's failure at National Cabinet to ensure Rapid Antigen Tests be made free and accessible for all to protect worker and community safety and get the economy mo…
(2022-01-15). Strong Evidence Shows Sixth Mass Extinction Of Global Biodiversity. popularresistance.org The history of life on Earth has been marked five times by events of mass biodiversity extinction caused by extreme natural phenomena. Today, many experts warn that a Sixth Mass Extinction crisis is underway, this time entirely caused by human activities. | A comprehensive assessment of evidence of this ongoing extinction event was published recently in the journal Biological Reviews by biologists from the University of Hawai'i at MƒÅnoa and the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France. | "Drastically increased rates of species extinctions and declining abundances of many animal and plant…