(2022-01-22). Colleyville Hostages: Blowback for US Torture, War Crimes. dissidentvoice.org 
The official version of the 11-hours hostage-taking in Colleyville, Texas, on January 15, makes it seem pretty straightforward and limited. Early that Saturday morning, Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker allowed a stranger into the synagogue to get warm, later identified as Malik Faisal Akram, 44, a British national of Pakistani descent who had come to the US …
(2022-01-22). Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia. wsws.org India: Telangana teachers oppose forced transfers; Pakistani police attack health workers in Balochistan; South Korean parcel delivery workers strike; Sunbus drivers hold three-day strike in Queensland…
(2022-01-22). [World Report] "I am disabled, it doesn't mean I have no dignity" thelancet.com In India, women with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health care. Priti Salian reports from Bangalore.
(2022-01-22). Western Australian government keeps border shut, fearing mass opposition to COVID disaster. wsws.org The decision indicates the rising working-class opposition and deepening political crisis being produced by the "live with the virus" offensive by Australia's governments, both Labor and Liberal-National.
(2022-01-22). [Correspondence] Recognising Italy's mistakes in the public health response to COVID-19. thelancet.com The Day of the Dead in Italy this year was not only a time for remembrance but also for demanding justice for lives lost to COVID-19. On Nov 2, 2021, members of the #Sereni (also known as Serene and Always United) Association demonstrated in Rome against institutional omerta (ie, law of silence) and for the restoration of a parliamentary commission to examine the management of the epidemic. This event followed 520 complaints that were filed by the association 4 months earlier against the national government, the Ministry of Health, and Lombardy region administrators.
(2022-01-22). Escalating COVID-19 cases and deaths as Omicron enters Fiji. wsws.org The current wave has coincided with the reckless decision by the government to open the country's borders to international travel on December 1.
(2022-01-21). US sanctions anti-NATO Ukrainian politicians. rt.com 
The Biden administration accused the two opposition politicians of working for Moscow to undermine Ukraine's Western-backed government | The US Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned two Ukrainian MPs — Taras Kozak and Oleg Voloshyn — and two former officials — Volodymyr Oliynyk and Vladimir Sivkovich, accusing them of participating in a Moscow-backed conspiracy to destabilize the pro-Western government of Volodymyr Zelensky. | "Russia has directed its intelligence services to recruit current and former Ukrainian government officials to prepare to take over the government of Ukraine and to c…
(2022-01-21). Africa-China Relations: South-South Cooperation or a New Imperialism? libya360.wordpress.com Kristin Plys, Amenophis Lॠand Abdulhamid Mohamed Author and activist, Vijay Prashad elucidates in The Darker Nations, the 'Third World' is not a place, but a political project. In the mid-twentieth century, at the height of US hegemony, the Global South imagined political, economic, and social emancipation. One important incarnation of this was the Bandung Conference…
(2022-01-21). Are Western Countries Determined to Starve the People of Afghanistan? orinocotribune.com By Vijay Prashad — Jan 17, 2022 | The UN has issued an urgent appeal to countries across the world to raise billions of dollars in aid for Afghanistan amid an impending humanitarian catastrophe. | On January 11, 2022, the United Nations (UN) Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths appealed to the international community to help raise $4.4 billion for Afghanistan in humanitarian aid,
(2022-01-21). Morocco Drives a War in Western Sahara for Its Phosphates. libya360.wordpress.com Vijay Prashad View of Western Sahara taken during ISS Expedition 56. Bou Craa is the site of a phosphate deposit of over 1.7 billion tons. (Image by Public Domain) In November 2020, the Moroccan government sent its military to the Guerguerat area, a buffer zone between the territory claimed by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahrawi…
(2022-01-21). We are human, but in the dark we wish for light: The Third Newsletter (2022). mronline.org 
For over a decade, Alaa Abd el-Fattah has been in and out of Egypt's prisons, never free of the harassment of the military state apparatus.
(2022-01-21). Destabilization of Ukraine: "Washington Needs a War and is Trying to Drag Russia into One" libya360.wordpress.com Alexander Lemoine The International Center for Strategic Intelligence (ICSI) decreed in mid-January in Ukraine the red risk level (penultimate), which means an extreme probability of a crisis and serious conflict, travel to this country is not recommended. ICSI raised the risk level after the failure of diplomatic negotiations between Nato and Russia. According to the…
(2022-01-21). A Silent Turkish-Russian Standoff in Kazakhstan. libya360.wordpress.com Yeghia Tashjian Recent turmoil in Kazakhstan highlighted another Russian-Turkish fault line in Central Asia Photo Credit: The Cradle Turkey's dream of a common army for Turkic countries may have been dashed by the quick Russian-led CSTO operation to subdue violent unrest in Kazakhstan early this year. Long seen as the pole of stability in Central Asia,…
(2022-01-21). West Bengal adopts mass infection policy amid India's COVID-19 surge. wsws.org The disaster unleashed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reckless policies in the current surge of the pandemic implicates the entire ruling establishment.
(2022-01-21). Indian PM Modi is the Most Popular Global Leader as BoJo Considered the Most Unpopular, Shows Survey. sputniknews.com Morning Consult has been tracking the weekly approval ratings of leaders in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States since March 2020. The latest approval ratings are based on responses collected between 13 and 19 January 2022.
(2022-01-21). Food Not Bombs Faces New Eviction Threat. indybay.org Food Not Bombs volunteers and those eating with them could be arrested and our equipment stolen by the property speculators on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 5 PM.from their new location next to University Copy at Cathcart & Pacific. | Their storage area near India Joze is also under threat of seizure.
(2022-01-21). Iran, Russia, China drill in Indian Ocean kicks off. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 21 (MNA) — A trilateral Combined Naval Drill, dubbed as "Maritime Security Belt 2022," kicked off on Friday in North Indian Ocean with the participation of military units from Iran, China and Russia.
(2022-01-21). 17 dead as rural community flattened. rt.com 
A lorry carrying explosives collided with a motorcycle, triggering the blast | On Thursday, a motorcycle collided with a truck carrying explosives to a gold mine in the rural settlement of Apiate, in western Ghana, the government said on Friday. The collision set off a blast which flattened a rural town. | Police stated that the motorcycle had fallen under a truck which was on route to the Chirano gold mine, run by Toronto-based Kinross Gold Corporation (K.TO). Kinross said it was monitoring the rescue effort. | In footage shared online, piles of timber can be seen where buildings used to stand. There also app…
(2022-01-21). January 6 riot at the Capitol to be turned into a movie. rt.com 
'J6' is set to depict the events in a "harrowing and terrifying" feature film | The January 6 Capitol Hill riot that shook the US in 2021 is to be adapted into a Hollywood film called 'J6', and will retell the story from a ground-level perspective. According to entertainment-news outlet Deadline, it will be scripted and directed by Billy Ray, who worked on 'The Hunger Games', 'Terminator: Dark Fate' and anti-Trump miniseries 'The Comey Rule', and produced by 'Don't Look Up' and 'The Big Short' director Adam McKay. | Ray said he'd been inspired to tell the story of the police officers who responded to the riot…
(2022-01-21). Lenin's Socialism — From the Perspective of the Future: Some considerations. mronline.org 
Lenin's theory of socialism directly derives from the views of Marx and Engels, and it is manifest in his famous work, 'The State and Revolution.'
(2022-01-21). 'Death Star' moon could be another place hosting life. rt.com 
Saturn's moon of Mimas is likely hiding an ocean under its surface where alien life could be found, scientists said | The number of places to search for life in our solar system could be expanded as scientists said they've discovered "compelling evidence" of a "stealth ocean world" on Saturn's icy moon of Mimas. | So far, Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa have been considered the prime candidates to host alien life. Both of those icy moons show signs of geologic activity, which suggest that they have an internal heat source that allows the existence of liquid water under the surface. And water is known a…
(2022-01-21). Least popular world leader revealed. rt.com 
A survey shows the British PM's support is waning | A poll by Morning Consult, a US-based data intelligence firm, has The results of the survey, which were published on Thursday, ranked Johnson last in a list of 13. His net approval rating now stands at -43, with only 26% of people supporting the embattled PM. | Among other leaders at the bottom of the table were French President Emmanuel Macron, on -25, and Brazil's Ja…
(2022-01-21). New 'Mission: Impossible' invokes decades-old CIA-Hollywood link. rt.com 
The upcoming 'Mission: Impossible 8' has the curious working title 'Scorpio' — the same as the first movie allowed access to film at the CIA headquarters | Recent editions of
(2022-01-21). Human eyes hold key to predicting imminent death — study. rt.com 
Researchers have linked increased mortality risks to the condition of a person's retina | A new, "reliable indicator" of a person's health problems, ones that may cause early death, has been found by a team of international scientists. Using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, researchers studied the eyes of nearly 47,000 people and concluded that the state of our retina may signal a heightened risk of death. | The study,
(2022-01-21). Lavrov & Blinken meet for crunch Russia-US talks in Geneva. rt.com 
Washington's top diplomat has played down the chances of making a breakthrough | Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his American counterpart, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, are sitting down to discuss Moscow's security proposals and determine whether a deal can be done to de-escalate tensions with NATO. | The two top diplomats are holding talks in the Swiss city of Geneva, with the pair expected to publicly announce the results of their discussions later on the same day. The head-to-head is the latest in a series of diplomatic meetings held after Russia unveiled two draft treaties, one addressed…
(2022-01-21). Lee Camp: Pentagon Fails Audit AGAIN! scheerpost.com 
The Pentagon has a long history of budgetary waste and fraud. They've failed every financial audit they've ever had by mind-blowingly large margins. Fortunately for the war hawks the corporate media has helped the Pentagon cover up their actions. Lee Camp hates to repeat himself but this story requires it because the Pentagon keeps on pouring trillions into military violence so he shines his spotlight back onto the military industrial complex to open this episode. | Lee CampLee Camp is the host of the hit comedy news show "
(2022-01-21). 'Milestone' surgery sees pig kidneys transplanted into human. rt.com 
Doctors said the gene-edited organs functioned normally in the host body, potentially clearing the way for wider clinical trials with living patients | Surgeons in the US have announced the successful transplantation of kidneys from a genetically modified pig into a brain-dead man's body. The organs created urine for three days and showed no signs of being rejected by the host's immune system before the study concluded. | The procedure, which was described in an American Journal of Transplantation
(2022-01-21). Schools defy Johnson's Covid relaxations. rt.com 
Over 100 UK headteachers have insisted masks must still be worn | Hundreds of British schools are set to defy Prime Minister Boris Johnson after he announced on Wednesday that masks will no longer be needed in schools, when Plan B rules elapse next week, according to reports in British media. | More than 100 headteachers have already written to parents to inform them that their children will still be required to wear facemasks in the classrooms. | Several schools said the policy would be in place "until further notice," citing high regional levels of Covid-19; coronavirus prevalence remains high in England's n…
(2022-01-21). Stranded dog saved with sausage drone. rt.com 
English rescuers coaxed a three-year-old pooch away from the rising tide by dangling the food from a drone | Jack Russell-whippet cross Millie went missing on January 13 in Hampshire, southern England. After a few hours, she was spotted near some dangerous mudflats, but rescuers struggled to catch Millie as they followed her for 100 meters along the coastline. | After losing sight of the small dog and having to abandon the search overnight, a drone company came up with a food-based approach to lure the pooch back towards a rescue team. | Dangling two ounces of sausage from a drone and flying it above Millie, D…
(2022-01-21). The 700,000 Club: Joe Biden's Deportation Frenzy. mronline.org 
In under a year, the Biden regime has detained and deported more asylum seekers than his predecessor, demonstrating that there is an alignment among the U.S. political elites—of both parties—when it comes to creating and enforcing racist, inhumane laws.
(2022-01-21). A place of hope in a time of spiralling crisis. mronline.org 
South Africa has many moments in its long history of struggle that are recognised internationally as turning points. These include the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, the Soweto uprising in 1976 and Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990.
(2022-01-21). UK state pension in 'shameful shambles' — report. rt.com 
A report from MPs has blamed the UK government for failing to be "transparent" about problems with the state pension payment system | The UK House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) released a scathing Problems with the state pension payment system have resulted in an estimated 134,000 pensioners being underpaid by over £1 billion ($1.36 billion). Of the pensioners imp…
(2022-01-21). US ready to respond to Russia's NATO proposals — Lavrov. rt.com 
Talks in Geneva saw diplomats discuss Moscow's demands to limit the expansion of NATO | Washington has pledged to respond in writing to Moscow's proposed security guarantees, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced following talks with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. | Speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on Friday, Lavrov said the US side had set out its initial view on the two draft treaties developed by the Kremlin. "Blinken told me he was satisfied with the exchange we had and that it will help him, he assured us, to issue a…
(2022-01-21). Former Xinjiang shepherd races toward Olympic skiing dream. ecns.cn Shepherd, marathoner, cyclist and skier, Torsongan Bullik has many identities and his new goal is to become a Winter Olympic athlete.There, he ran into some young fans, who reminded him of when he himself had stood beside the racing track to cheer for athletes as a child.
(2022-01-21). Bolsonaro Declared Persona Non Grata in Guyana. libya360.wordpress.com January 21st, 2022 We, the undersigned organizations and individuals wish to register our strong opposition to the official visit of Brazil's President, Jair Bolsonaro to Guyana, and the Government's plan to strengthen ties with Bolsonaro's regime. Well known for his racist and neo-fascist views and policies, Jair Bolsonaro has created a nightmare scenario for Indigenous…
(2022-01-21). US blockade frustrates Cuba's vaccine internationalism. greenleft.org.au ING Group, the Dutch multinational banking institution, has bowed to pressure from the United States and is blocking donations to support Cuba's vaccine solidarity, reports Ian Ellis-Jones.
(2022-01-21). New Mexico governor calls in National Guard to substitute teach as educators and child care workers fall ill from COVID. wsws.org With outbreaks of the Omicron variant resulting in staff shortages at schools, the Democratic governor is mobilizing military forces to act as replacements to keep schools running and parents working to produce profits during the pandemic.
(2022-01-21). Carrying on the Chronicles of the Taiwan Issue. journal-neo.org 
The last article on the Taiwan issue in NEO focused on the referendum held on December 18 2021, on four questions. Of those four questions, only one has any real foreign policy implications, touching as it does on the relations between Taiwan's current leadership and Washington, its main supporter in the international community. The referendum …
(2022-01-21). The Economics of the Sandinista Revolution in 2022. libya360.wordpress.com Kawsachun News Minister of Economy and Finance of Nicaragua, Ivan Acosta, in interview with Kawsachun News in Managua. January 14, 2022. Nicaragua ended 2021 with extraordinary results in the economy, highly positive results in production and is leading economic growth in the region after three difficult years during which it faced a coup attempt, two…
(2022-01-21). Virginia state officials ignored National Weather Service warnings about catastrophic snowstorm that left thousands stranded on interstate. wsws.org State authorities ignored weather forecasters' warnings about the dangers of a snowstorm which resulted in the shutdown of I-95, stranding thousands of motorists and killing five people.
(2022-01-21). China Launches Global South Economic Alliance to Challenge US 'Unilateralism' and 'Cold-War Mentality'. libya360.wordpress.com Benjamin Norton China is leading an international effort to develop alliances to counter US hegemony. In March 2021, 17 nations — many led by anti-imperialist and progressive governments, including Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Bolivia among others — formed a diplomatic alliance called the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations,…
(2022-01-21). Imperial researchers help inform the development of the National AI White Paper. imperial.ac.uk The Forum organised a roundtable with Imperial researchers and the government Office for AI to discuss the government's upcoming AI White Paper…
(2022-01-21). Volcano Turrialba Eruption Forces Park Closure in Costa Rica. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, Costa Rica's National System of Conservation Areas (SNAC) reinforced vigilance over the Turrialba volcano and closed the Turrialba National Park to avoid risky situations due to the increase in eruptions that began on Monday. | RELATED: | The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) catalogued the event as the most active of the last two years and observed several eruptive p…
(2022-01-21). Revolutionaries Killed in Sudan. libya360.wordpress.com Sara Abbas Following the murder of revolutionaries this week, Sudan's resistance committees called for civil disobedience and a general strike. Sara Abbas writes about the massacre of revolutionaries on 17 January. We also include the joint statement of the Khartoum State Resistance Committees Coordination. This week has been incredibly painful for Sudan. On Monday seven…
(2022-01-21). Clover & The Class War In South Africa With GIWUSA President Mametlwe Sebei. indybay.org Five thousand workers at the Clover Dairy company in South Africa are fighting an Israeli billionaire family the Wertheim's who have taken over the company and have cut wages and threatened thousands of layoffs. South African unions are calling for an international day of solidarity at all Israeli consulates and embassies, South African embassies and consulates and all franchises of Coca-Cola…
(2022-01-21). NATO's Tentacles from Europe to Latin America. libya360.wordpress.com Geraldina Colotti Colombian President Duque welcomes NATO International analysts are often, and understandably, asked whether there will be a change in U.S. foreign policy depending on whether a Republican or Democratic president rules the White House. Since, for a Marxist, it is always a good idea to flee from Manichaeism and look at the concrete…
(2022-01-21). Turkish doctors strike as government policies spread Omicron variant. wsws.org Determination to struggle is growing among health and other workers as the Omicron variant spreads uncontrollably in Turkey and internationally.
(2022-01-21). Lung cancer: It is about more than smoking. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org World Cancer Day is February 4 ROCHESTER, Minn.— World Cancer Day is February 4 and that makes this the ideal time to talk about lung cancer and smoking. Internationally, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths and the World Health Organization estimates that 90% of cases could be prevented by eliminating tobacco use. People who smoke are at the greatest risk. Smokeless tobacco is also associated with lung cancer. And lung cancer…
(2022-01-21). Nicaragua: A Renewed Partnership with China Defangs US Regime Change Tactics. libya360.wordpress.com Ben Gutman In a bold and consequential decision with rippling geopolitical implications, Nicaragua recognized the "One-China Principle" and resumed diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the first time since the beginning of the neoliberal period in 1990.[1] This was announced December 9, 2021 shortly after a meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in…
(2022-01-21). Biden's Dangerous Refusal to Reverse Trump's Western Sahara Policy. fpif.org In his final weeks in office, President Donald Trump stunned the international community in formally recognizing Western Sahara as part of Morocco. Morocco has occupied much of its southern neighbor since 1975, when it invaded and annexed the former Spanish colony in defiance of the United Nations Security Council and a landmark ruling of the International Court of Justice. | Most observers believed that, as with some of Trump's other impetuous foreign policy decisions, President Joe Biden would reverse it soon after coming to office. However, much to the disappointment of bipartisan congressional leaders, career…