(2022-01-11). President Daniel Ortega Inauguration: International Delegations Arrive in Nicaragua. orinocotribune.com 
Delegations from at least 21 countries, including heads of state and foreign ministers, attended today's inauguration of Daniel Ortega as president of Nicaragua. | President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, was the first of world leaders and high-level personalities to arrive in Managua to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Daniel Ortega as president, after he was re-elected on November 7 with more than 76% of the vote. | Upon his arrival at the Augusto C. Sandino international airport, the Cuban president affirmed that this victory has enormous significance for the forces of the left and progressive governments in La…
(2022-01-11). Closer Scrutiny Reveals how Close to State Power Sacha Baron Cohen Really Is. orinocotribune.com 
By Alan Macleod — Jan 5, 2022 | MintPress reviewed documents and spoke to a former CIA agent who worked with Sacha Baron Cohen to reveal how the famed actor worked with the national security state to sell America's wars. | MINNEAPOLIS — Sacha Baron Cohen is widely hailed as a comedic genius, using his sheer audacity to mock the absurdity of his targets. The creator of Ali G, Borat and Bràºno has become one of Hollywood's hottest commodities. Yet his outrageous stunts often belie his agenda and his own proximity to state power. | Baron Cohen is often reluctant to make direct political statements. B…
(2022-01-11). Lakota Man: Father of Five Murdered In His Sleep. indybay.org Three people murdered on Jan 5 including Michael J White Plume, Oglala Lakota man. He was shot and murdered while he slept on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Ignored by media.
(2022-01-11). Acclaimed Australian respiratory scientist Guy Marks calls for global action to end the pandemic. wsws.org Professor Marks's work centres on chronic respiratory diseases and has been dedicated to the global eradication of tuberculosis, with a particular focus on the Asia and South East Asia regions, including India, Vietnam and Myanmar.
(2022-01-11). Chile: Boric victory hailed across the globe. greenleft.org.au Former student leader Gabriel Boric, from the left-wing Approve Dignity coalition, won Chile's presidential election in December with 55.87% of the vote, reports People's Dispatch.
(2022-01-11). Russia 'spoon-fed' security proposals to US at summit — media. rt.com 
A source reports Moscow made its demands very clear to the American side to avoid any misconceptions | Russia used the talks in Geneva on Monday to carefully lay out its concerns on European security to the American negotiators, a source close to Moscow's team told local media. | On Tuesday, RIA Novosti quoted an unnamed official as saying that "during the discussions, the Russian delegation 'spoon-fed' its proposals for a stable continent, to avoid 'misunderstandings.'" | The insider also stressed that Moscow needs, first and foremost, a concrete guarantee ruling out further NATO expansion, noting that "evasi…
(2022-01-11). International travel to recover soon — forecast. rt.com 
Border reopenings may start in March, AirAsia CEO says | AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes has said worldwide travel is likely to rebound strongly despite progress being slowed by the Covid-19 Omicron variant. | "I do believe that we're at the beginning of the end," he told CNBC on Monday, adding that recovery has already begun in earnest and demand has been "very, very robust." | Fernandes said, "The good thing is, this time last year, we had no planes flying. Now, we've got a large chunk of our fleet flying domestic Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia." | The AirAsia CEO believes international travel will return to pr…
(2022-01-11). UK govt's lockdown-breaching party sparks 'WTF?' reaction. rt.com 
Around 100 people were invited to a "bring your own booze" event in Downing Street's garden during the first Covid lockdown | Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has blasted the UK government for holding a drinks event in the Downing Street garden during the first lockdown, declaring, "what tf were any of these people thinking?" | The prime minister's principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, sent an email to over 100 employees at Downing Street, inviting them to a gathering in Number 10's garden during the first lockdown, according to an email reported by ITV News. | The message to staff, m…
(2022-01-11). Country shatters records with 1.35 million daily Covid cases. rt.com 
The Omicron variant has sent US Covid cases hurtling through the roof despite the vaccination push | The US shattered all records on Monday with a whopping 1.35 million new Covid-19 cases recorded. The news comes as hospitalizations with the infection also broke records. | The troubling figures come courtesy of a fresh Reuters tally. Mondays typically yield particularly high numbers, as many states do not report cases over the weekend, leaving some figures to pile up. Last Monday also saw the setting of a grim record, with over 1.03 million infections being reported across America. | The number of Covid-relate…
(2022-01-11). Calls for Paid Leave Grow as Workers Face 'Vicious Cycle': Their Jobs or COVID Safety. scheerpost.com 
A waiter serves food to customers dining indoors at Langer's Deli in Los Angeles, California on August 7, 2021. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) | By Brett Wilkins / Common Dreams | As U.S. workers ill with Covid-19 during the Omicron surge face the stark choice of staying home without pay at the risk of losing their jobs or reporting to work and possibly infecting colleagues and customers, progressives on Monday renewed calls for the implementation of paid sick leave at the national level. | "In the midst of a horrific pandemic, two-thirds of low-wage workers still lack access to paid sick leav…
(2022-01-11). Millionaire murderer caught on hot mic dies in prison. rt.com 
Robert Durst's death, months after he was indicted for murder, was announced by the lawyer who represented him during the trial | The disgraced multimillionaire real-estate heir and convicted murderer died at 78 in a California hospital of natural causes "associated with the litany of medical issues" that had previously been reported. | Durst died at the San Joaquin General Hospital, where he was being treated in the custody of California's Department of Corrections, after suffering "difficulty breathing" and "difficulty communicating." | "We understand that his death was due to natural causes associated with…
(2022-01-11). Cuba shows an alternative to Big Pharma hegemony through global solidarity. mronline.org 
Cuba puts people before profits — showing the world an alternative to the monopolistic practices of Big Pharma. It promotes a public health system, state-funded research and shows global solidarity through tech transfer and vaccine delivery to developing countries.
(2022-01-11). Ivy League schools acting like 'price-fixing cartel,' lawsuit says. rt.com 
Lawsuit alleges that 16 major US universities are 'conspiring' to limit financial assistance packages for needy students | Sixteen top US universities, including a number of prestigious Ivy League schools, have been accused of violating antitrust laws by working together to decide how much financial help should be awarded to prospective students. | The
(2022-01-11). 20 years of Gitmo an affront to 'all humanity,' never-charged ex-prisoner tells RT. rt.com 
Yemeni man who was thrown into notorious US prison in his late teens and spent over 14 years there pleads for its belated shutdown | The abuses and injustices committed at Guantanamo Bay military prison hurt not only people locked up there, but the world in general, former prisoner Mansoor Adayfi believes. He spoke to RT as the jail turned 20. | Adayfi was one of hundreds of Muslim men sent to the infamous US offshore detention facility under the George W. Bush administration only to be held for years without trial and subjected to torture and other forms of degrading treatment. | "As prisoners, we lost years…
(2022-01-11). Mega merger in peril over EU energy fears. rt.com 
Brussels concerned that $2 billion shipbuilders' tie-up will drive up LNG prices in Europe | The European Union's antitrust regulator is getting ready to stop a $2 billion merger between two of the world's leading LNG cargo shipbuilders, citing anti-competitive behavior. | The decision on the proposed merger between Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Hyundai Heavy Industries is likely to be announced this week, people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times. The two South Korean companies dominate the market for making ships that carry super-chilled liquified natural gas. They are significa…
(2022-01-11). Cops hunted Pokemon instead of robbers. rt.com 
Two LAPD officers charged with misconduct after failing to respond to robbery call | Two Los Angeles police officers lost an appeal against their firing on Friday, after reportedly playing the 'Pokemon GO' mobile game while cruising the city's streets instead of responding to a call about a robbery. | According to in-car recordings, in April 2017 Louis Lozano and Eric Mitchell of the Los Angeles Police Department engaged in a 'Pokemon Go' hunt while on duty, cruising around the city and managing to snatch a Snorlax and a hard-to-catch Togetic. That's despite receiving a call about a robbery at a nearby departm…
(2022-01-11). Presidential hopeful says no to 'politically correct propaganda' in schools. rt.com 
French far-right figure Eric Zemmour wants to rid schools of 'feminist, LGBT ideologies' | Eric Zemmour, who is running in the 2022 French presidential election, has vowed to stop the "brainwashing" of school students and focus on academic excellence instead. | "Over the past 40 years, our children have been indoctrinated," Zemmour, an essayist and a political pundit, said on Monday. | "Schools can't be a place where feminist, LGBT and decolonial ideologies brainwash our children." | "There's no prosperous nation without a school that transmits knowledge, and without a school that makes it possible to strive f…
(2022-01-11). Antitrust Suit Alleges 16 Elite Universities Colluded to Limit Financial Aid. scheerpost.com 
By Julia Conley / Common Dreams Sixteen elite universities were sued in federal court late Sunday over an alleged price-fixing scheme in which plaintiffs say the schools formed a "cartel" to limit the amount of financial aid they would each offer to low- and middle-income prospective students—breaking antitrust laws. Five students who previously attended some of …
(2022-01-11). Crypto CEO is now one of world's richest. rt.com 
The Binance exchange chief has entered the ranks of the richest people on Earth, and the tally doesn't even count his crypto holdings | Changpeng Zhao, the man behind the major crypto exchange Binance, has a net worth of nearly $100 billion, but plans to give most of it away. | According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index calculations published on Monday, Zhao has an estimated net worth of at least $96 billion. Moreover, Bloomberg's findings do not take into account Zhao's personal crypto holdings, which means his actual fortune may be much bigger. | In any case, Zhao's estimated fortune now rivals those of F…
(2022-01-11). Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet vanishes. rt.com 
Search and rescue operation is underway | An F-16V fighter jet, the most advanced aircraft in the Taiwanese Air Force fleet, has gone missing, with witnesses claiming that they saw the aircraft crash into the sea. A search and rescue operation is ongoing. | The plane went missing from Air Force radars on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after taking off from Chiayi Air Base in the south of the island. The government's Rescue Command Centre said eyewitnesses had told them they saw the plane crash into the sea. | President Tsai Ing-wen demanded that no efforts should be spared in the search and rescue operation and re…
(2022-01-11). '–°uddle' pets for warmth, energy firm tells clients. rt.com 
SSE Energy Services emailed a list of 10 'simple and cost-effective' recommendations to 'keep warm' in the winter without central heating | One of the UK's largest energy suppliers has been forced to apologize after sending "insulting" energy-saving tips to customers that suggested they could save on heating bills by 'cuddling' their pets and "doing a few star jumps." | In a blog post emailed to customers on Monday, SSE Energy Services recommended 10 "simple and cost-effective ways to keep warm this winter." The advice included "sticking to non-alcoholic drinks," doing chores around the house, and "encouraging…
(2022-01-11). Pope weighs in on morality of Covid vaccination. rt.com 
The head of the Catholic Church reiterated his support for the Covid jab during an annual speech to ambassadors at the Vatican | The Pope has given his strongest backing yet to the Covid vaccine, siding with the Vatican's coronavirus advisory board and calling it a "moral obligation," urging people to show "respect for the health" of others. | Speaking on Monday, Pope Francis used his yearly speech to representatives from 183 countries accredited to the Holy See to address what he sees as important international issues and outline the Vatican's stance. | The 85-year-old head of the Catholic Church has previous…
(2022-01-11). U.S.-Russia talks may be the last chance. mronline.org 
It's crunch time in Russia-U.S. relations. High-level talks starting Monday will determine the shape of world security for decades to come, observes Tony Kevin.
(2022-01-11). Afghanistan: The Taliban is in Power, What Now? journal-neo.org 
The finance minister of Afghanistan in the new government of the Taliban (banned in Russia) has prepared a national budget which, for the first time in two decades, will be financed without foreign aid. This comes as the country becomes mired in an economic crisis and confronts an incipient humanitarian catastrophe, which the United Nations …
(2022-01-11). The U.S. Makes a Mockery of Treaties and International Law. towardfreedom.org The United States claims it is operating under a "rules-based order"—but the term is not the same international law recognized by the rest of the world. Rather, it is camouflage behind which American exceptionalism flourishes, writes K.J. Noh for Globetrotter.
(2022-01-11). The Continuing Phony Debate on "Free Trade" cepr.net The national debate on free trade is one where honesty has no place. The purpose of our trade agreements, which were not free trade, was to reduce the pay of manufacturing workers, and non-college educated workers more generally, to the benefit of more highly educated workers and corporations. This was the predicted (by standard economics) …
(2022-01-11). Second Starbucks Location Unionizes as Union Wave Sweeps Stores Across the US. truthout.org 
Starbucks workers successfully unionized another store on Monday, making the Genesee Street store in Buffalo, New York, the second corporate-owned Starbucks location in the U.S. to form a union. | The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) certified the results for the Genesee Street store in Buffalo after reviewing ballots that had been disputed by the union. The final count
(2022-01-10). Kazakhstan crisis attempt to copy 2014 Ukrainian 'Maidan' — Putin. rt.com 
Troops from a number of former Soviet republics have been deployed in the wake of mass protests | Violent and bloody clashes in Kazakhstan are a form of aggression leveled against the country, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, claiming the same tactics used in Ukraine in 2014 were deployed to coordinate protests. | Speaking as part of a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on Monday, Putin said that the mutual defense pact's troops were working to secure the Central Asian nation after armed groups captured a number of key facilities and effectively took control of its largest…
(2022-01-10). Putin Unlikely to Invade Ukraine Despite Overheated U.S. Rhetoric, Says Khrushchev's Great-Granddaughter. democracynow.org 
U.S. and Russian officials are meeting today in Geneva as NATO calls on Russia to remove its troops from along the Ukrainian border. The Russian military has also mobilized soldiers to suppress protests in Kazakhstan. We go to Moscow to speak with Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at The New School, who says President Vladimir Putin is expanding Russia's sphere of influence but will not invade Ukraine. "It's not that he wants to take more territory. I think he wants to get heard," says Khrushcheva.
(2022-01-10). Repercussions of Rightwing Extremism Rise in the Military on US Democracy. libya360.wordpress.com Al Mayadeen Retired US generals have warned of the possibility of a coup during the 2024 election. Experts are concerned that the emergence of right-wing extremism in the US military would endanger democracy in the US. The Department of Defense is implementing new procedures to combat extremism inside its forces; however, experts are concerned that…
(2022-01-10). As Djokovic Leaves Australian Detention Hotel, Refugees Held There Urge World Not to Forget Them. democracynow.org 
As an Australian judge allows unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic to be released from immigration detention amid controversy over his COVID vaccine exemption, we look at how his case has intensified international scrutiny over Australia's inhumane treatment of refugees jailed in the same rundown hotel. "No one is telling us when we get out of this indefinite detention," says Mehdi Ali, an Iranian refugee currently detained by the Australian government at the Park Hotel in Melbourne. We also speak with former Australian soccer player Craig Foster, who advocates for asylum seekers.
(2022-01-10). Kazakhstan crisis 'attempted coup' — President. rt.com 
Tokayev thanks Russia for assistance in dealing with worst incident "in the history of the country" | Last week's unrest throughout Kazakhstan was an attempted coup that had been planned in advance, and was not simply a spontaneous protest against rising fuel prices, the country's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev claimed on Monday. | Speaking to an online meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), made up of six former Soviet republics, Tokayev also stated that constitutional order had been restored. | "Kazakhstan has experienced the worst crisis in the history of its 30-year independence,"
(2022-01-10). 'Maidan Methods' Have Been Used in Kazakhstan, Putin Says, as Country Faced Threat to Its Statehood. sputniknews.com Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, addressing a meeting of heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), said that the main goal of the terrorists was undermining constitutional order, the seizure of power and an attempted coup, as he spoke of the wave of protests that swept across Kazakhstan earlier in January.
(2022-01-10). Kazakhstan turns into graveyard for U.S. diplomacy. mronline.org 
The Kazakh Ministry of Health issued an innocuous disclaimer today denying social media reports about the seizure of a "military biological lab near Almaty by unidentified people."
(2022-01-10). 'Terrorist' jazz musician released by Kazakhstan. rt.com 
Vikram Ruzakhunov set free after uproar in neighboring Kyrgyzstan | A Kyrgyz jazz musician has been released from custody by Kazakhstani security officials after appearing in a "confession" video, in which he admitted to taking part in violent demonstrations for payment, media reported on Monday. | Vikram Ruzakhunov was accused of terrorism by the Kazakh authorities, a charge leveled against thousands of demonstrators who took part in last week's anti-government protests, which eventually turned into rioting and looting. The jazz musician's identity was revealed on Sunday when Kazakhstani media released a vide…
(2022-01-10). Kazakhstan, Libya supply cuts push oil higher. rt.com 
Crude price rally initiated by riots and maintenance operations continued on Monday | Oil prices were up on Monday following days of supply shortfalls in Kazakhstan and Libya. | Global benchmark Brent crude gained 35 cents, or 0.4%, rising to $82.1 a barrel at 08: 00 GMT. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was also up 37 cents, or 0.5%, trading at $79.27 a barrel. | Overall, oil prices jumped 5% last week following protests in Kazakhstan, which disrupted train lines and triggered a production plunge at the country's major oilfield, Tengiz. According to a note to Reuters from Chevron, Kazakhstan's Tengizchevro…
(2022-01-10). Opposition Forming 'Grand Alliance' to Take Down BJP Ahead of V-Day Election in Goa. sputniknews.com Last week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates of the state assembly elections in Goa, the smallest state in the country. The polls will be held on 14 February in a single vote and the result will be declared on 10 March.
(2022-01-10). India to Administer 'Precautionary Dose' to Frontline Workers, Senior Citizens as COVID Cases Rise. sputniknews.com As of now, India has administered 1.51 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to people, of whom 627 million have been fully vaccinated. In his address to the nation on 25 December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the need for booster doses for healthcare and frontline workers and people aged above 60 with comorbidities.
(2022-01-10). Lakota Man: Father of Five Murdered In His Sleep. indybay.org Three people murdered on Jan 5 including Michael J White Plume, Oglala Lakota man. He was shot and murdered while he slept on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Ignored by media.
(2022-01-10). #BareShelvesBiden trends in US over supply issues. rt.com 
As supply shortages continue in the US, conservatives blame President Biden for the bare shelves | #BareShelvesBiden became one of Twitter's top political trending topics as Americans posted photos of empty supermarket shelves amid continuous supply chain issues in the US. | Angry social media users displayed photos of empty supermarket shelves from the across the US and blamed President Joe Biden for the supply issues, with one American Walmart, Spanish F…
(2022-01-10). As Job Gains Slow, the Fed and Congress Apply the Wrong Medicine. scheerpost.com 
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on By Robert Reich / Friday's jobs report from the Department of Labor was a warning sign about the US economy. It should cause widespread concern about the Fed's plans to raise interest rates to control inflation. And it should cause policymakers to rethink ending government supports such as extended unemployment insurance and the child tax credit. These will soon be needed to keep millions of families afloat.
(2022-01-10). UK govt demands housebuilders spend billions to fix dangerous cladding. rt.com 
The move could save homeowners tens of thousands on the costly alterations | UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove has given housebuilders until March to respond to a demand to pay the "full outstanding cost" of removing dangerous cladding from buildings, estimated to total £4 billion ($5.44 billion). | The government's order to housebuilders, laid out in an open letter reported by UK media on Monday, seeks to end the stalemate between developers and owners over who is responsible for making properties safe. | "It is neither fair nor decent that innocent leaseholders, many of whom have worked hard and made s…
(2022-01-10). Veteran BBC presenter quits over 'diversity drive'. rt.com 
The presenter of Radio 4 show 'Quote… Unquote' said he resigned after feeling forced to book diverse but unsuitable guests | Nigel Rees, a BBC presenter for 46 years, has revealed that he resigned because he was unhappy with the corporation's constant demand for "diversity." He claims he was often made to invite certain guests as a box-ticking exercise. | Speaking to the Sunday Times, Nigel Rees, the former presenter of Radio 4 show 'Quote… Unquote', who resigned last month, said that he felt his show was being interfered with by people above him who wanted to push their diversity agenda. | "We had prescri…
(2022-01-10). BoJo accused of 'ignoring science' on Covid. rt.com 
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has claimed the prime minister is failing to protect England | Wales' first minister has doubled down on comments in which he accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of "ignoring the science" on Covid-19 by refusing to introduce new measures to prevent the spread of Omicron. | Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, First Minister Mark Drakeford reiterated claims that England was a "global outlier" and was not protecting its people from the current wave of Covid-19. | Drakeford said he is constantly asked why Wales is not doing the same thing as England. "My answer was to point out tha…
(2022-01-10). Man's Godgle Search for Meaning. scheerpost.com 
(2022-01-10). Instead of More Support, Schools Have Upped Demands on Teachers During Pandemic. scheerpost.com 
A parent decorates her car while gathering at the Leona Canyon Trail Head before participating in a car caravan demonstration in Oakland, California, on January 7, 2022. Some Oakland Unified teachers called a sickout on that day, saying they don't feel safe teaching. They're calling for two weeks of remote learning during the latest Omicron surge. JESSICA CHRISTIAN / THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE VIA GETTY IMAGES | By Jen Roesch / In June 2020, when schools across the U.S. remain…
(2022-01-10). Australia agrees on new weapons deal. rt.com 
Australia commits to purchasing tanks & other armored vehicles from US suppliers | Australia has agreed on a AU$3.5bn (US$2.5bn) deal with the US to upgrade its army's armored vehicle fleet. The news comes months after the country signed a security pact with the US and UK amid heightened tensions with China. | Canberra agreed to buy 75 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks to replace the 59 M1A1 tanks it purchased in 2007. | "Teamed with the infantry fighting vehicles, combat engineering vehicles, and self-propelled howitzers, the new Abrams will give our soldiers the best possibility of success and protection from ha…
(2022-01-10). The U.S. is intentionally strangling Venezuela. mronline.org 
The consequences of the current U.S. sanctions regime, and collusion with the Venezuelan opposition, have been devastating for the Venezuelan people. Against a suffocating embargo and corrupt bureaucracy, the revolution will survive only if the grassroots reinvent it.
(2022-01-10). PayPal may launch own cryptocoin. rt.com 
Global online payment system mulls creating own crypto, but looks to US dollar for support | Tech giant PayPal is preparing to launch its own crypto token, the company confirmed after signs of the move were found on its iPhone app. | "We are exploring a stablecoin; if and when we seek to move forward, we will of course, work closely with relevant regulators," the head of PayPal's crypto department, Jose Fernandez da Ponte, said in a statement to Bloomberg News. | The company is looking at creating a stablecoin — a cryptocurrency backed by the value of a fiat currency or commodity. | PayPal's move to creat…
(2022-01-10). NYC Enacts Law Allowing Over 800,000 Immigrants to Vote in Local Elections. scheerpost.com 
Electoral workers wait inside a school in Manhattan during early voting in the New York City mayoral election on October 23, 2021. (Photo: Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images) | By Jessica Corbett / A New York City law granting more than 800,000 lawful permanent residents the right to vote in local elections took effect Sunday after the recently elected mayor, Democrat Eric Adams, declined to veto it. | The New York City Council had voted 33-14—with two abstentions…
