(2022-02-16). NATO Defence Ministers Arrive in Brussels for International Summit. sputniknews.com The ministerial meeting is being held after the US and the bloc delivered their answers to the Russian security guarantee proposals. The draft agreements offered by Moscow stipulate restrictions on troop and missile deployments as well as a halt to NATO's eastward expansion to de-escalate tensions.
(2022-02-16). Researcher Warns Nordic Countries of Refugee Flow From 'Migrant Nation' Ukraine. sputniknews.com Over the past several months, the West and Kiev have accused Russia of a troop buildup near the Ukrainian border in preparation for an alleged "invasion" and "war". Moscow has swatted these allegations as baseless, while expressing strong concerns over NATO's military activity near Russia's borders, which it calls a threat to its national security.
(2022-02-16). USADA comments on new Valieva claims. rt.com 
The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency has responded to unsubstantiated reports of documents showing that Kamila Valieva listed two legal substances on an anti-doping control form | The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has said unsubstantiated reports of Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva listing two legal heart drugs on a pre-Winter Olympics anti-doping form suggest "something more serious is going on" in the Beijing Games sensation's high-profile case. | A document filed in Valieva's arbitration hearing over a provisional suspension, which she successfully argued against at a Court of Arbitra…
(2022-02-16). Russian ski queens savor more Beijing success. rt.com 
Yulia Stupak and Natalia Nepryaeva added to their Beijing medal tally | Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) duo Yulia Stupak and Natalia Nepryaeva collected another Beijing medal with a third-place finish in Wednesday's women's classic team sprint. | Following gold medal success in the women's 4 x 5km cross-country relay, Stupak and Nepryaeva combined again, this time winning bronze behind their German and Swedish rivals Victoria Carl and Jonna Sundling's of Sweden. | Germany's Victoria Carl, who had replaced Katherine Sauerbrey before the event, produced a brilliant burst on the home stretch to celebrate a stunni…
(2022-02-16). NZ protests swell, defying police ultimatum. rt.com 
Anti-vaccine mandate demonstrators have ignored a warning from the authorities to leave voluntarily | Hundreds of protesters defied a police ultimatum to leave the area around Wellington's 'Beehive' parliament on Wednesday, with the crowd continuing to swell. The authorities have described the ongoing demonstration as "orderly." | Inspired by the 'Freedom Convoy' in Canada, activists have blocked several roads in the capital with trucks, vans and motorcycles for nine days. Protesters have also been camping on the grounds outside the distinctive parliament building. | Had a bird's eye view of the protest in Wel…
(2022-02-16). Unite our class to fight COVID-19. workers.org 
Private industries in the imperialist countries of North America and Europe have superexploited the COVID-19 crisis. And the governments have managed it so poorly that the disaster created an opening for ultraright groups to mobilize. The so-called truckers' revolt in Canada illustrates the danger. In the U.S., the pro-Trump gang . . . |
(2022-02-16). 'Attica' nominated for Oscar. workers.org 
In early September 1971, over 1,000 prisoners, mainly Black and Latinx, rebelled against racism, brutal treatment and horrific conditions at Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. Their uprising lasted for five days, until the repressive forces of the state, initiated by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, unleashed a reign of terror . . . |
(2022-02-16). US housing bubble about to burst, leading economist warns. rt.com 
Higher interest rates could trigger collapse | The US real estate market could crash this year, leading economist Desmond Lachman predicted in an interview with Nikkei Asia on Tuesday. Adjusted for inflation, house prices in America are now higher than they were 15 years ago, before the last housing bust, he added. | Lachman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former deputy director at the International Monetary Fund, explained that last year the US government was buying large quantities of bonds, which created an equity price bubble, and led to "equity valuations at levels only seen once…
(2022-02-16). Woman beats HIV using novel treatment. rt.com 
The American became the fourth person ever to be cured of the virus | A New York woman who had undergone a risky treatment for HIV appears to have been cured of the disease. She finished her medication a year ago, and now doctors say they are unable to find any trace of the virus in her system. | The woman, known only as the "New York patient," was diagnosed with HIV in 2013, and developed leukemia in 2017. Her situation seemed hopeless, but it also made her a perfect candidate for a rare and extremely risky stem-cell treatment. | Due to its high fatality rate, the procedure is only being offered to HIV patien…
(2022-02-16). Buildings collapse as country hit by major earthquake. rt.com 
Guatemala has experienced a major tremor and two aftershocks | A major earthquake of 6.2 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Guatemala overnight on Wednesday. Footage shared on social media showed collapsed buildings in the Central American nation, with falling debris having damaged vehicles and landslides hitting many routes, forcing emergency workers to be deployed to clear roads. | The first tremor was felt at 1: 12 am local time (7: 12 am GMT). Two aftershocks were reported around forty minutes later, with a respective magnitude of 5 and 4.8. | The epicenter of the earthquake was reported at a depth of 96 kil…
(2022-02-16). EU announces multibillion-euro satellite project. rt.com 
The bloc's ambitious plan aims to deliver safe communications and bolster cyber security | The European Union announced on Tuesday its proposal for a new space-based secure communication system to serve as a "strategic asset" for member states as the bloc leverages new opportunities in digital technology. | The bloc said the satellite program will help it "ensure the long-term availability of worldwide uninterrupted access to secure and cost-effective satellite communication services" as it seeks to meet its targets under the 2030 Digital Decade strategy. | The project, set to cost an estimated €6 billion…
(2022-02-16). EU nations lose legal battle in bloc's top court. rt.com 
The European Court of Justice has ruled that the EU may cut funding to member states that violate its 'rule of law' standards | The EU's top court has dismissed a complaint filed by Poland and Hungary against a mechanism allowing Brussels to punish member states it deems 'rule-of-law violators.' The so-called "conditionality mechanism" gives the bloc the right and power to withhold aid funding from a member that is found to be failing to adhere to the union's democratic principles. | "The court dismisses the actions brought by Hungary and Poland in their entirety," the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said in a…
(2022-02-16). Thursday 2/17: Stop Privatization & Union Busting! DUMP A's Fisher Stadium Scam & OUSD School Closures. indybay.org Oakland City Hall/Oscar Grant Plaza | Oakland…
(2022-02-16). Covid vaccines during pregnancy impact newborns — study. rt.com 
Immunity can be passed from jabbed mothers to babies, according to new research | Babies born to mothers who took the Covid-19 vaccine during their pregnancy are likely to have some form of immunity against the virus, according to the latest research from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published on Tuesday. | Researchers analyzed data from 379 hospitalized infants — 176 suffered from Covid-19 and 203 were admitted for other reasons. The children were all under six months old between July 2021 and January 2022. | Their study found that hospitalization risks were reduced by 61% in…
(2022-02-16). JPMorgan leaps into metaverse. rt.com 
The Wall Street bank has opened a lounge in blockchain-based Decentraland | JPMorgan Chase announced on Tuesday the opening of a lounge in the Decentraland virtual world, becoming the first bank to arrive in the metaverse. According to the Wall Street bank, the metaverse has a market opportunity of $1 trillion in yearly revenue, as creators tap Web3 to monetize their work in new ways. | The Onyx Lounge, named after JPMorgan's in-house blockchain payments system, was unveiled alongside a report from the bank detailing metaverse-related growth opportunities for businesses and the causes of its "explosive interes…
(2022-02-16). Defying management reprisals and state repression, Maharashtra public transport workers' strike surpasses 100th day. wsws.org To foil the attempts of management, aided by the corrupt unions, to starve them into submission, the MSRTC workers must make their strike the spearhead of a working-class counter-offensive against privatization and precarious contract labour jobs.
(2022-02-16). Will Third Countries Stop Using Syria as an Area of Contention? journal-neo.org 
In recent years, Syria, unfortunately, has increasingly become an arena of confrontation between many countries, primarily through the fault of the US, Israel and Turkey. As a result of Washington's blatant neo-colonial approach to Syria, US military personnel, that has been illegally deployed to the country in violation of all international norms (as has been …
(2022-02-16). Valentines Day Vigil To Promote Aid To Afghanistan. popularresistance.org With the UN reporting that hunger in Afghanistan could kill more civilians than the 20-year Afghanistan war, an international debate is raging over the policy by the U.S. and other governments about getting aid to that country. The president just announced a plan to confiscate $7 Billion in Afghan funds and set aside half of it for families of 9/11 victims and to create a "third-party trust fund" to pay for humanitarian aid with the other half. Critics of the decision, including those who worked for the former U.S.-backed Afghan government, lambasted Biden's decision saying that the currency reserves belong to th…
(2022-02-16). Pandemic and vaccine inequality have exacerbated global inequality. wsws.org While it does not say so explicitly, an International Labour Organisation report makes clear that the refusal to implement an elimination strategy, using both vaccines and stringent public health measures on the basis that it would cost too much, has worsened economic prospects.
(2022-02-16). Texas Marathon worker describes intolerable conditions behind growing demands for national strike. wsws.org A worker at Marathon's Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, recounted the exhausting and dangerous work schedules and other problems confronting 30,000 oil refinery and petrochemical workers around the country.
(2022-02-15). Israel is an Apartheid State, says Amnesty International. journal-neo.org 
The human rights organization, Amnesty International, published a report detailing the "true extent of Israel's apartheid regime" and strongly called for an arms embargo on Israel and for Israel "to recognize the right of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to return to homes where they or their families once lived." In this landmark report, the …
(2022-02-15). Groups unite to oppose new U.S. war. workers.org 
The antiwar rally opposing the U.S./NATO war drive against Russia brought together a broad spectrum of participants, even before the official rally started at Love Park in Center City Philadelphia Feb. 12. Protesters gather at Love Park in Philadelphia, Feb. 12. Credit: Joe Piette As Indigenous performers Kalpulli Kamaxtle Xiuhcóatl . . . |
(2022-02-15). U.S. needs Ukraine crisis to harm European economy, and legitimize its military presence. mronline.org 
The Chinese embassy in Ukraine released a notice on its WeChat public account Friday to urge Chinese nationals in Ukraine to "pay close attention to" changes in the local situation, as the U.S. and several other Western countries asked their nationals "to evacuate immediately" amid so-called warnings of an imminent invasion by Russia.
(2022-02-15). Observations on the Russia China Statement. strategic-culture.org By Patrick ARMSTRONG | "Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on International Relations Entering a New Era and lobal Sustainable Development" 4 February 2022. (This document is the grand strategic manifesto of a new world order and there is much more to be said about it than what follows. I believe that 4 February 2022 will be remembered as the proclamation of a new dis…
(2022-02-15). Will Trudeau's Act of Desperation Succeed? libya360.wordpress.com Kim Petersen Canada's Charter of Rights I want to address the prime minister: No matter what you do, we will hold the line. There are no threats which will frighten us. We will hold the line. — Tamara Lich, convoy organizer, 14 February 2022 Justin Trudeau had cornered himself by grotesquely smearing the trucker convoy…
(2022-02-15). Sri Lankan action committee to hold a public meeting in defence of Julian Assange. wsws.org The ACDAE meeting aims to mobilise workers and the oppressed in Sri Lanka and India to fight for the release of the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder.
(2022-02-15). Dexamethasone and Number of Days Alive Without Life Support in Adults With COVID-19 and Severe Hypoxemia—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Drs Zhao and Ma express concern that the emergence of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 during the enrollment period of our study may have changed the effect of dexamethasone because this variant may be more resistant to interventions. To our knowledge, there are no data supporting this hypothesis. Importantly, dexamethasone has anti-inflammatory effects and is unlikely to have antiviral effects. Regarding the concern expressed by Zhao and Ma about the different treatment locations of patients enrolled, we assessed the interaction of intervention effect between patients enrolled in India and in Europe in a…
(2022-02-15). Dana Fort Wayne workers speak on death of their coworker. wsws.org John Saraceno passed away under unknown circumstances on January 31 while working at the auto parts maker's Fort Wayne, Indiana, plant.
(2022-02-15). Black History and the ongoing struggle for liberation. workers.org 
February, as we all know, is Black History month: a time to celebrate Black Americans and their accomplishments. Corporations and the bourgeois establishments will no doubt pay lip service to the African American experience by hawking items with Black historical figures on them, likely as another way to profit off . . . |
(2022-02-15). The Nazis among us: Heidegger and the Hideous. mronline.org 
Martin Heidegger isn't a philosopher that progressives are likely to consider worthwhile reading. After all, he was an anti-Semite, a follower of Hitler, and most hideous of all, someone who likened the mass extermination of human beings to the excesses of factory farming.
(2022-02-15). The best offense is more clinic defense. mronline.org 
An abortion provider discusses the tactic of clinic defense, and why it's necessary to defend abortion rights.
(2022-02-15). Free Alex Saab Demonstration Wed., Feb 16: NYC: 5:30pm — Miami: 8 AM — Wash. DC: Noon. iacenter.org Free Alex Saab! Wed. Feb 16, 5: 30pm 42nd St & Park Ave Inside Grand Central at the Clock Day of National Actions to Free Alex Saab — Venezuelan Diplomat kidnapped by US, for buying medicine for the Venezuelan people under sanctions. Alex Saab, on a mission to buy essential supplies for Venezuela, was kidnapped by the U.S. off a flight in June 2020. He was tortured and held in solitary for a year. It is a violation of international law to arrest or imprison an internationally recognized diplomat for any reason. In October 2021 Alex Saab was brought hooded and in chains to Miami for trial. Defend Venezuela! En…
(2022-02-15). 'The Mexican American Experience in Texas' takes a deep look at our sordid State history. mronline.org 
Martha Menchaca's new book examines events that have shaped the lives of so many in the Lone Star State.
(2022-02-15). China holds first-ever carbon-neutral Olympics. iacenter.org By Lyn Neeley February 14, 2022 This year's Beijing Winter Olympics is the first in history to be carbon-neutral. This includes renewable energy in all game venues, introducing new low-carbon technologies and using transportation fueled by hydrogen, natural gas and electricity. China completed the Zhangbei power grid station in time for the Olympics. That's the world's first renewable energy-based, flexible direct current (DC) power transmission system. This means, according to "China Daily," the system has "strong controllability, fast power adjustment speed and a flexible operation mode, compared with AC and co…
(2022-02-15). ASEAN nations using Laos-China Railway for 'green', low-carbon freight. mronline.org 
In early December 2021, Laos inaugurated the Boten-Vientiane railway, a 414-kilometer (km) electrified high-speed railway that runs between the capital Vientiane and the town of Boten on the Laos-China border.
(2022-02-15). The U.S. Government Truly Believes the Entire Planet Is Its Property. strategic-culture.org 
By Caitlin JOHNSTONE | U.S. Aims to Thwart China's Plan for Atlantic Base in Africa", subtitled "An American delegation wants to convince Equatorial Guinea against giving Beijing a launchpad in waters the U.S. considers its backyard." | The article quotes the former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy saying "We'd really, really not like to see a Chinese facility" on the Atlantic, and discusses "American concern about China's global expansionism and its pursuit of a permanent military presence on waters the U.S. considers home turf." | The Quincy Institute's Trita Parsi (2022-02-15). Controversies About Advance Care Planning. jamanetwork.com To the Editor We have grave concerns about the advance care planning (ACP) evidence review and policy implications presented in the recent Viewpoint, which concluded that ACP is not essential because it does not support goal-concordant end-of-life (EOL) care. First, the authors misrepresented the conclusions of the 2 major review articles that formed the foundation of their argument. Indeed, the 2018 review concluded that ACP provides several benefits, including "improved end-of-life communication, documentation of care preferences, dying in preferred place, and health care savings," and the 2020 review concluded…
(2022-02-15). Puerto Rico: March Of Indignation Against 'Shakedown Plan' Of More Austerity. popularresistance.org Tens of thousands of teachers and other public workers have taken to the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a March of Indignation to protest a debt restructuring plan given the green light by Judge Taylor Swain of New York. Puerto Ricans call it the "Shakedown Plan" because it will enforce more austerity on a land where disinvestment in education and health care and privatization of the energy system have already caused great hardship. A National Strike has been called for February 18. Clearing the FOG speaks with Monisha Rios, a Puerto Rican social worker and psychologist, about who and what are behind the pro…
(2022-02-15). Marcelino Ruíz Gómez Denounces Prison Conditions in CERSS No. 10 in Chiapas. itsgoingdown.org Statement from Indigenous Tzotzil prisoner in struggle Marcelino Ruíz Gómez denouncing the deplorable prison conditions in CERSS No. 10 in Comitán, Chiapas To the Zapatista Army of National Liberation To the Human Rights Defenders To the National and International Sixth To the National Indigenous Congress To the Indigenous Governing Council To the Media To the…
(2022-02-15). Peru Fines Repsol $122,000 After Crude Oil Spill. orinocotribune.com 
The Peruvian government considers that the company Repsol is trying to avoid responsibility for this recent ecological disaster. | Peru has fined the transnational Repsol almost $122,000 after the company failed to identify the zones which had been affected by the spillage of thousands of barrels crude oil into the waters of the pacific ocean, which has already killed more than 200 birds. | According to the statement issued by Peru's Organization of Environmental Evaluation and Prosecution (OEFA) via Twitter, in addition to the fine Peru could also add on other measures until the energy company complies with…
(2022-02-15). The Gains of Nicaraguan Women During the Second Sandinista Government. libya360.wordpress.com Stansfield Smith Women, particularly those in the Third World, often find themselves with limited ability to participate in community organizations and political life because of the bondage poverty and their traditional sex role imposes on them. On them falls sole responsibility to care for their children and other family members, especially when sick; they maintain…
(2022-02-15). Sexual violence in the workplace: we need action not words. greenleft.org.au Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins were widely praised for using their National Press Club addresses to highlight politicians' hypocrisy. Sue Bull argues we need action not words.
(2022-02-15). Report: Argentine Army Planned for an Invasion of Venezuela in 2019. venezuelanalysis.com Argentine blog "El Cohete a la Luna" disclosed documents of military drills for an eventual Argentinian role in a multinational military operation against Venezuela.
(2022-02-15). Time for UK Government to Come Clean on Ties to U.S. Torture Program. covertactionmagazine.com UK government shamefully cooperated with U.S. in torture of al-Qaeda suspects We Americans have had a painful and difficult national …
(2022-02-15). 6th Night of 37th Fajr Music Festival in Tehran. en.mehrnews.com The concert of Iran National Orchestra was performed on the 6th night of 37th edition of Fajr Music Festival at Vahdat Hall in Tehran on Tuesday as conducted by Bardia Kiaras and Ali Khodaei as vocalist.
(2022-02-15). 5 Million French Citizens Become 'Unvaccinated' Overnight. libya360.wordpress.com The unboosted are now excluded from bars, cinemas and other public venues The French government rescinded the vaccine passports of up to five million of its people today, effectively banning them from much of French society. From 15 February, French citizens must have received a booster jab within four months of their second dose in order…
(2022-02-15). Super Bowl 2022—A spectacle of money-making and nationalism in the midst of mass death. wsws.org The NFL championship is a superspreader event which should have been cancelled in the interests of public health.
(2022-02-15). The US Requests Extradition Of Honduran Ex-President Hernandez. telesurenglish.net On Monday, the U.S. Foreign Affairs Ministry requested the Honduran Supreme Court the extradition of former President Juan Orlando Hernandez (2014-2022), who accepted US$3-million bribes from drug traffickers to finance his political campaign. | RELATED: | The National Police and soldiers surrounded Hernandez's home, and the Supreme Court called an emergency session to be held on Tuesday to appoint a judge who analyzes the request. | H…
(2022-02-15). Walden Bello: Why democratic socialism is the answer. greenleft.org.au National elections are due in the Philippines on May 9. The Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses, PLM) and Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses) are jointly fielding a slate of candidates. Vice presidential candidate and Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses) chairperson Walden Bello spoke at the PLM/LNM election platform launch on February 8.
(2022-02-15). Backed by AOC & Bernie, House Candidate Greg Casar Says "Big Progressive Change" Is Possible in Texas. democracynow.org 
Two competitive congressional races are heating up in Texas. Former labor organizer Greg Casar and immigrant human rights lawyer Jessica Cisneros have both gained national endorsements from progressive lawmakers like New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who traveled to the state to campaign for them this past weekend. "We have a real opportunity for big progressive change here in the heart of the state where we've seen so many oppressive laws be pushed through the pandemic," says Casar, who is running in Texas's 35th Congressional District, which covers eastern Austin and east…