(2022-01-27). Ralph Nader: Eight Things NPR Should Do Right Now. scheerpost.com 
[ By Ralph Nader | The reasons Congress created NPR (National Public Radio) under the Nixon Administration was to fill the yawning gaps of commercial radio in local, national, and international news coverage and to give voice to the people, without ads. It was to be publicly funded by taxpayers. Almost 51 years later, NPR is now funded heavily by national corporations, with its local affiliates soliciting local business advertisements. | Resolution One: Apart from excellent features around the country and the world, NPR should give v…
(2022-01-27). Tariq Ali: 'Democracy is largely a set of rituals now'. canadiandimension.com 
Tariq Ali speaking at the 2013 Subversive Festival in Zagreb. Photo from Tariq Ali is an internationally known public intellectual, columnist and political activist. Born in pre-partition India in 1943, Ali studied at Oxford University and was elected as students' union president there. He has been involved in political activism since then. He was one of the most prominent figures of the civil society coalition against the United States' war in Vietnam. He was also there at the forefront of agitation against the war…
(2022-01-27). Victimized Indian auto worker speaks in support of Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic. wsws.org "The corporations and the governments," explains Balakrishnan, "are only concerned about accumulating profit, not the well-being and safety of people."
(2022-01-27). Victimized Indian autoworker speaks in support of Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic. wsws.org "The corporations and the governments," explains Balakrishnan, "are only concerned about accumulating profit, not the well-being and safety of people."
(2022-01-27). Santa Rita prisoners conduct hunger strike. workers.org 
Protesters outside Alameda County Sheriff's Office call for release of Santa Rita Jail inmates during COVID-19 pandemic. Oakland In what has been a continuing struggle by Alameda county prisoners for decent food and sanitary conditions at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California, two dozen prisoners went on hunger strike Jan. . . . |
(2022-01-27). Un año después del ataque fascista: El capital y el Capitolio. workers.org 
Los United Auto Workers hacen una huelga en Ford para que se reconozca el sindicato, 1941. Henry Ford se alió abiertamente con Hitler. Hoy, Ford financia a candidatos ultraderechistas para cargos políticos. 6 de enero de 2021. Esta fecha está grabada en nuestra psique colectiva como el día en que . . . |
(2022-01-27). France told to rein in its 'colonial reflexes'. rt.com 
France was asked to show 'restraint and respect the basic principle' of non-interference | A spokesperson for Mali's transitional junta government has reiterated the demand for Danish troops to leave the country and taken a swipe at the country's former colonial overlords. | Speaking late Wednesday to news broadcaster ORTM1, Abdoulaye Maiga warned the Danes about France's "colonial reflexes." Denmark had previously sent 105 military personnel to the West African nation as part of a French-run counterterrorism unit. | "We invite them [the Danes] to be careful about some partners who sadly have problems getting…
(2022-01-27). Germany threatens to sanction Russian gas pipeline. rt.com 
The controversial pipeline could be doomed if Russia invades Ukraine | The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, built to deliver gas to Germany from Siberia, could be hit with harsh sanctions from Berlin if Russia decides to attack Ukraine, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. | Speaking at a session of the Bundestag, the German parliament, on Wednesday, Baerbock confirmed that the underwater energy link was on the table as a possible target for restrictive measures. "We have a whole spectrum of responses, including Nord Stream 2," she stated. "Yes, we are always attempting dialogue, but in the light of today's situati…
(2022-01-27). Russia & Ukraine find common ground. rt.com 
Representatives from the two nations met as part of the Normandy Format talks | Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed that a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine's war-torn Donbass region must be observed "unconditionally," following talks held as part of the Normandy Format, which also includes France and Germany. | The group met in Paris on Wednesday to discuss de-escalation in the region amid an ongoing standoff between Russia and Western nations, who have accused Moscow of planning an imminent invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin denies. The meeting lasted for over eight hours. | After discussions conc…
(2022-01-27). Biden's approval rating plunges in key swing state. rt.com 
Support for President Biden has crumbled in Georgia, a state that could wrest control of the Senate from Democrats in this year's elections | A new poll out of Georgia shows troubling signs for Democrats heading into this year's midterm elections, as voters have soured on President Joe Biden and see America heading in the wrong direction under his party's leadership. | The
(2022-01-27). Congresswoman's car hit by gunfire. rt.com 
Cori Bush (D-Missouri) was not in the car when it was struck by bullets in St. Louis | Congresswoman Cori Bush of St. Louis has confirmed that a vehicle belonging to her was hit by gunfire. She was not inside the car at the time and was not injured, her office told local media. | "Like far too many of us in St. Louis, experiencing gun violence is all too familiar," Bush said in a statement to
(2022-01-27). Former Soviet Republics exchange fire on the border. rt.com 
Several people were reportedly injured as the militaries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan engaged in cross-border skirmishes | Violence broke out at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border late on Thursday, with the clashes occurred at a poorly-demarcated part of the frontier, where the territories of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet, at a point where each country has multiple enclaves in the territory of its neighboring states. | The trouble reportedly began when a Tajik vehicle was pelted with stones from the Kyrgyz side of the border. The incident triggered a response from the border guard of both nations, with serv…
(2022-01-27). Olympic bosses to meet Chinese tennis star Peng in Beijing. rt.com 
The International Olympic Committee also said it spoke to the Chinese tennis star last week | The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed that it plans to meet Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai in Beijing next month and says it spoke to her last week. | The 36-year-old disappeared from the public eye in late 2021 after appearing to accuse former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her. | And amid a still-ongoing "Where is Peng Shuai?" campaign which stole headlines at the Australian Open when T-shirts with the slogan were confiscated before a policy reversal, the IOC has claimed it…
(2022-01-27). Russia warns of NATO nuclear threat. rt.com 
The military bloc is training its members to unleash atomic hellfire, the Foreign Ministry claimed | NATO is developing the capacity for devastating nuclear strikes against Russia — which includes involving members of the alliance who don't have such weapons in training operations — Moscow's top arms control official has claimed. | In an interview with TASS on Thursday, Vladimir Yermakov, Director of the Department of Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the US was in the process of modernizing its atomic capabilities in Europe and had deployed missiles in the…
(2022-01-27). FIFA boss responds to backlash over African migrant remarks. rt.com 
Gianni Infantino says he was 'misrepresented' through his controversial remarks | FIFA president Gianni Infantino has attempted to clear up controversial comments he made that appeared to suggest a biennial World Cup could help reduce 'death in the sea' among African migrants. | Releasing a statement on Twitter, the Italian denied that his intention had been to directly link more frequent editions of the FIFA showpiece event with preventing loss of life among refugees. | "Given that certain remarks made by me before the Council of Europe appear to have been misinterpreted and taken out of context, I wish to cl…
(2022-01-27). We make the railroad; the railroad makes us. mronline.org 
In 1947, thousands of youth brigade volunteers from around the world joined their Yugoslav comrades in the hills of Bosnia to build a railroad. As the most popular song from the construction sites put it, not only were these activists making a railroad, but the railroad made them.
(2022-01-27). China warns US over standoff with Russia. rt.com 
Regional security cannot be ensured by expanding military blocs, according to Beijing's top diplomat | Russia's concerns about safety on the European continent cannot be pushed aside by the US and warrant genuine consideration, China has warned, amid a tense stand-off between Washington and Moscow. | In a telephone call on Thursday, Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi offered US Secretary of State Antony Blinken advice on how to calm growing tensions in the region. | "Today, in the 21st century, all parties must completely abandon the Cold War mentality and form a balanced, effective and sustainable negotiated…
(2022-01-27). Exposing the massive hypocrisy of international insurance companies. nationofchange.org Despite the pro-climate rhetoric of the insurance industry—and warnings by the world's climate scientists calling for an end to fossil fuel exploration—leading global insurers are backing the Brazilian government's massive offshore oil expansion, according to a new report titled, "Fueling Climate Change: The Insurers Behind Brazil's Offshore Oil Expansion." Released on January 20 by Insure …
(2022-01-27). Wednesday 2/9: "One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America" w/ Author & Activist, Saru Jayaraman. indybay.org Online event…
(2022-01-27). Relations between Palestine and Israel — Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel? journal-neo.org 
In the final days of 2021 Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority visited Benny Gantz, Israel's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense at his home in Rosh Ha'ayin. The previous meeting between the two men had taken place in August, in Ramallah, following which Israel announced a series of "confidence-building measures". The …
(2022-01-27). Romania ready to host more U.S., NATO troops, serve as southern spearhead against Russia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com As it did in 1941. Transnistria should be very apprehensive, boxed in as it is by Moldova/Romania and Ukraine. Decision to send US troops to Romania exists, it is not conditioned by possible intervention of Russia in Ukraine The Minister of National Defence, Vasile Dincu, declared on Wednesday evening that the decision regarding the deployment …
(2022-01-27). Australian Labor leader offers to use pandemic crisis to restructure economy. wsws.org Albanese, who as opposition leader has backed the profit-driven "live with the virus" drive, made no mention in his National Press Club speech to the huge wave of infections that it has unleashed.
(2022-01-27). Research Reveals Best Ways to Obtain 'Super Immunity' Against COVID-19 Variants. sputniknews.com The international scientific community and the WHO still recommend vaccination with available and officially approved coronavirus vaccines as the best way to curb the spread of the virus, especially in light of the emergence of increasingly infectious and even more lethal strains.
(2022-01-27). Pseudo-left National Educators United "understands" Biden's diktat that schools stay open. wsws.org Amid skyrocketing COVID-19 cases, a collapsing health care system and a horrifying death toll, the NEU has organized a petition to beg Biden and the Democrats for a bit more PPE.
(2022-01-27). Sri Lankan president maintains criminal silence as Omicron cases surge. wsws.org The Omicron outbreak in Sri Lanka has exploded Rajapakse's lie that his regime has brought the pandemic under control and created the conditions "to resume normal community life."
(2022-01-26). Watch Indian Troops Celebrating Republic Day by Performing Unique Ski March in -20 C Weather. sputniknews.com The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, created on 24 October 1962 in the wake of the Sino-India War of 1962, is India's primary border patrol organisation for its border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of India.
(2022-01-26). India's Role in Washington's Myanmar Meddling. newatlas.report January 26, 2022 (Brian Berletic — NEO) — The Southeast Asian country of Myanmar continues to suffer from ongoing political violence which began in February 2021 after the nation's military ousted the government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Remnants of the ousted government are now reorganized as …
(2022-01-26). India Displays Military Might, Cultural Diversity in Delhi Parade on Republic Day — Photos, Videos. sputniknews.com Republic Day in India is celebrated every year on 26 January to mark the day on which the Constitution of the country came into effect. The Indian Constitution replaced the Government of India Act as the governing document of the country, and thus made the nation a republic.
(2022-01-26). Iranian President Raeisi felicitates India on National Day. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 26 (MNA) — In separate messages to the President and Prime Minister of India, the Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi congratulated the Indian Government and people on the National Day of the Republic of India.
(2022-01-26). In Virginia, workers honor Dr. King, rally for collective bargaining. workers.org 
On Jan. 18, the newly formed Virginia Beach City Workers Union, UE Local 111, and faith community supporters rallied before the city council demanding a real voice for safety, dignity, living wages and an end to institutional racism on the job. City workers from the Public Works, Public Utilities and . . . |
(2022-01-26). Solution to global inequality is socialism! workers.org 
Around the globe, billions of people are suffering incredible losses resulting from capitalism's inability and refusal to seriously address the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions have lost lives or loved ones. Families are houseless. Workers have been forced to choose between risking their health at minimum wage jobs and feeding their families, . . . |
(2022-01-26). Why Are We Torching Our Best Tool to End Child Poverty? otherwords.org Ada Mae's beautiful blonde curls are wild on this sunny, mild winter afternoon. | I've just picked her up from the homeschool co-op that supplements the first-grade lessons we've been doing at home, and we're hanging out at the park. This is my favorite time of the week, watching her play with other kids. | But I'm also remembering my own childhood — cold Missouri winters without boots, hats, or mittens. The grind of poverty was tough on my family, and that trauma pursued me into adulthood. | I would do anything to keep my child from that fate, but we've had our close calls. | We were nearly homeless when t…
(2022-01-26). An Uncharitable View of Charity. otherwords.org Our society has coined expressions like "philanthropist" to encourage and hail people's charitable spirit. Look on the flip side of that shiny coin of generosity, however, and you'll find that its base substance is societal selfishness. | After all, the need for charity only exists because we're tolerating intentional injustices and widespread inequality created by power elites. A society as supremely wealthy as ours ought not be relegating needy families and essential components of the common good to the whims of a few rich philanthropists. | Yes, corporate and individual donations can help at the margins, but t…
(2022-01-26). To Protect Women's Health, Pass the Equal Rights Amendment. otherwords.org Late January marked the 49th anniversary of Roe. V. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It could very well be the last. | In 1973, Roe codified the right to terminate a pregnancy up until viability — around 23-26 weeks. Anti-abortion forces have fought to negate the decision ever since, and now they appear to be winning. | Two cases are now pending before the right-wing Supreme Court, and either or both could mark the end of safe and legal abortion in the United States. | Texas has outlawed abortion after six weeks, before many women know they're pregnant, and turned to vigi…
(2022-01-26). In OtherWords: January 26, 2022. otherwords.org For millions of American families, this January meant financial strain. | Why? Because Republicans, together with Democrat Joe Manchin, have stalled the renewal of the expanded Child Tax Credit. That credit reduced child poverty by 30 percent in December alone, but in January — the first month without payments — the rate is expected to climb to its highest point in a year. | This week in OtherWords, Clara Moore explains how those monthly payments changed her life — and her child's life — for the better. Don't miss it! | Meanwhile, Martha Burk marks another sober January milestone: Roe v. W…
(2022-01-26). The Filibuster Is Busted. Time to Scrap it. otherwords.org If you're under the impression that the filibuster is an important tool in the toolbox of American democracy, you've been misled. | The filibuster is a made-up Senate convention that lets a minority of senators block votes on bills that have majority support. Under current rules, just 41 senators can sink legislation this way. | In the past, filibusters were used only rarely. But with Republicans filibustering virtually everything these days, it now takes 60 Senate votes to pass anything at all. That's a tall hurdle in our polarized age. | The main argument for the filibuster is that it promotes bipartisanship an…
(2022-01-26). No NATO member prepared for large-scale deployment to Ukraine, UK PM admits. rt.com 
Boris Johnson's comments come as tensions run high on the Russian-Ukrainian border | Not a single member of NATO is ready to send a large fighting force to Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told MPs. | Addressing parliament on Tuesday, Johnson said that "the British Army leads the NATO battle group in Estonia, and if Russia invades Ukraine, we would look to contribute to any new NATO deployments to protect our allies in Europe." | However, the Prime Minister stated that while "many people would yearn to send active, physical support in the form of NATO troops…
(2022-01-26). Hymen repair surgery to be outlawed in UK. rt.com 
The UK government is criminalizing hymen reconstruction procedures to protect vulnerable women and girls | UK Minister for Care and Mental Health Gillian Keegan has confirmed the government will ban the "indefensible" cosmetic surgeries that are linked to conservative cultures. | Hymen repair surgery, known as hymenoplasty, is currently available in UK clinics for up to £3,000 ($4,055.79) and is catering to groups that value virginity before marriage. | The procedure is closely linked with virginity testing.The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that virginity testing is currently practiced in at…
(2022-01-26). UK politics labeled a 'presidential system'. rt.com 
Jacob Rees-Mogg says if Boris Johnson is toppled as Tory leader, his successor should call a general election | As Boris Johnson loyalists circle their wagons around the embattled prime minister, the leader of the party's parliamentary faction has argued the UK's political system is not what it seems on paper. The nation is actually closer to having a US-style arrangement, Jacob Rees-Mogg says, so if Johnson is removed as the leader of the Conservative Party, his successor should seek a new mandate to govern from the public through a general election. | The top MP made his case during an interview with BBC Two…
(2022-01-26). Matt Taibbi: Let's Not Have a War. scheerpost.com 
Bad idea. | By Matt Taibbi / Joe Biden last week said the American response in Ukraine would be proportional to Vladimir Putin's actions. "It depends," the president posited, thoughts drifting like blobs in a lava lamp. "It's one thing if it's a minor incursion…" | Alarms sounded all over Washington. The rip in the national political illusion was…
(2022-01-26). Russian warships chart course for major drills in Black Sea (VIDEO). rt.com 
The move comes as Moscow awaits a response to talks held with the US in an effort to reduce the risk of military conflict | A fleet of more than 20 Russian warships and support vessels has set sail for exercises in the Black Sea amid rising tensions with NATO in Eastern Europe. | The Ministry of Defense in Moscow confirmed on Wednesday that the taskforce, which includes frigates, missile boats, minesweepers and amphibious assault vessels, had left the ports of Sevastopol and Novorossiysk on the country's southern coast. | The ships will to practice maneuvering and repelling aerial attacks, among other combat s…
(2022-01-26). The Neocons' Primary War Tactic: Branding Opponents of U.S. Intervention as Traitors. scheerpost.com 
Former Bush White House speechwriter David Frum speaks to MSNBC's Joe Scarborough about Russia, Nov. 30, 2021 | By Glenn Greenwald / One of the most bizarre but important dynamics of Trump-era U.S. politics is that the most fanatical war-hungry neocons, who shaped Bush/Cheney militarism, have become the most popular pundits and thought leaders in American liberalism. They have not changed in the slightest — they are employing the same tactics they have always invoked, and for the same causes — but they…
(2022-01-26). Biden Urged to Nominate Black Woman to Supreme Court as Breyer Says He'll Retire. scheerpost.com 
By Brett Wilkins / Common Dreams Reports that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer plans to retire prompted progressives Wednesday to urge President Joe Biden to fulfill a campaign promise and nominate a progressive Black woman who will counter the high court's right-wing supermajority and protect democracy, human rights, and the climate. CNN reports a "well-placed" unnamed source said …
(2022-01-26). Robert Reich: Understanding Why Manchin and Sinema Voted Against Voting Rights. scheerpost.com 
Austin, TX, USA — June 20, 2021: Demonstrators gather outside the Capitol to protest Texas SB 7, a bill that would place new restrictions on access to the polls. | Robert Reich / What can possibly explain Manchin's and Sinema's votes against voting rights last Wednesday? Why did they create a false narrative that the legislation had to be "bipartisan" when everyone — themselves included — knew bipartisanship was impossible? | Why did they say they couldn't support changing the filibuster rules when only last month…
(2022-01-26). Johnson 'ambushed with cake' excuse prompts jibes & memes. rt.com 
Conservative MP Conor Burns, a long-time ally of Boris Johnson, says the PM's birthday party was a surprise one | Speaking to Channel 4 News on Tuesday evening, Conservative MP Conor Burns defended Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the recent allegation that he broke his own Covid-19 restrictions when receiving a birthday cake in 2020. | The revelation that Johnson was presented with a cake by colleagues in June 2020 is the latest in a series of alleged incidents, dubbed 'Partygate', in which the PM supposedly broke the rules. | On Tuesday, Burns reiterated the government's insistence that the cake-giving wasn…
(2022-01-26). NFL fiancee shocked by backlash for dousing freezing fans in champagne (VIDEO). rt.com 
The lover of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes could not believe fans were angry at being sprayed with champagne in the cold from a VIP box | The outspoken fiancee of NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes has claimed she has been attacked following accusations that she is out of touch after she was shown on camera spraying fans with champagne from a private box following an epic game. | Glamorous Brittany Matthews could not contain her joy as the Kansas City Chiefs secured a last-gasp 42-36 win over the Buffalo Bills at their home Arrowhead Stadium, with Mahomes providing a 64-yard touchdown with little more than a min…
(2022-01-26). Calls to boycott Starbucks brew as it scraps vaccine mandate. rt.com 
Coffee giant's decision to reverse vaccine requirement for employees sparks backlash from some patrons and workers | The world-famous coffee giant Starbucks has come under fire for scrapping the Covid-19 vaccine mandate, with calls to 'boycott Starbucks' flooding social media. | Both customers and Starbucks baristas say they refuse to support a place, no matter how iconic, which does not require employee vaccinations. | "Who wants unvaccinated people handling your food and drinks?"
(2022-01-26). Will fears of 'Russian invasion' of Ukraine obliterate world financial markets? rt.com 
Global financial markets are pricing in geopolitical risk amid US claims of rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine | NATO announced this week it was putting forces on standby and reinforcing Eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets, as the US continues to accuse Russia of gearing up to invade Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied planning to attack its neighbor, with the Kremlin insisting Russian forces are not preparing for war. | How are global markets reacting to the crisis? | Volatility has gripped the global equity markets, which saw a widespread sell-off this week, as fears of conflict rattled…
(2022-01-26). U.N. Officials Warn of 'Record-Shattering Month' for Civilian Deaths in Yemen. scheerpost.com 
By Jessica Corbett / Common Dreams As United Nations officials projected Tuesday that the civilian death toll from the Saudi-led coalition's strikes on Yemen will break records this month, Oxfam shared the group's difficulties providing aid in the war-torn country and urged action from the U.N. Security Council. "People are really struggling. Last night we had more airstrikes. …
(2022-01-26). Climate inaction, injustice worsened by finance fiasco. mronline.org 
KUALA LUMPUR: Many factors frustrate the international cooperation needed to address the looming global warming catastrophe. As most rich nations have largely abdicated responsibility, developing countries need to think and act innovatively and cooperatively to better advance the South.