(2022-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2022. democracynow.org NATO Defense Ministers Gather in Brussels, Dispute Russia's Claims of Troop Drawback, COVID-19 Pandemic Claimed 75,000 Lives Last Week, U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prepares to Roll Back Guidelines for COVID Restrictions, Hospitals in War-Ravaged Syria Forced to Close Amid Cuts in International Aid, U.N. Says 8 Million Yemenis Could Lose All Humanitarian Aid Next Month Due to Funding Shortages, Colombia Forced Displacement Crisis Worsened in 2021, Mexican Journalists Interrupt Congress to Demand Justice for Assassinated Colleagues, Amnesty International Condemns "Sham Trial" for Jailed Russi…
(2022-02-17). Russia likely to invade Ukraine after February 20 — media. rt.com 
Claims that February 16 was planned invasion date were unrealistic, analysts say | Failed predictions that Russia would invade Ukraine on February 16 were unrealistic, and the key date to focus on is actually February 20, American political analysts have claimed, blaming "hype" for having caused US officials to focus on the wrong date. | Earlier this month, numerous western media outlets claimed that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine in the early hours of Wednesday, citing claims by anonymous officials that US President Joe Biden had warned members of the NATO bloc that an invasion was imminent. This date…
(2022-02-17). NATO Headquarters: Norway to sell Romania 32 F-16s. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com AgerpresFebruary 16, 2022 Romanian, Norwegian DefMins meet in Brussels, discuss Romania purchasing 32 F-16 fighter jets Minister of National Defense Vasile Dincu met on Wednesday with his Norwegian counterpart Odd Roger Enoksen on the sidelines of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting taking place until Thursday in Brussels, the National Defense Ministry informs. According to the …
(2022-02-17). Russia tells NATO to 'calm down'. rt.com 
Western officials need to tone down 'hysteria' over an invasion, the Deputy Foreign Minister said | The reasons for Western panic about Russian aggression against Ukraine are entirely fictional, and the US-led NATO bloc needs to tone down its "hysteria," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said on Thursday. | Speaking in an interview with Russian publication Kommersant, Alexander Grushko was responding to a statement made by the defense ministers of NATO member states, who met on Wednesday in Brussels to discuss the current tensions on the Ukrainian border. In particular, members of the bloc had expressed conc…
(2022-02-17). Zelensky: Ukraine Should Have Held Referendum on NATO Before Adding Membership Goal to Constitution. sputniknews.com Ukrainian plans to join the alliance have been a major bone of contention in the region, with Russia offering security guarantee proposals, suggesting that NATO refrain from expanding eastwards. The bloc, however, declared that it won't abandon its "open-door" policies.
(2022-02-17). UK makes new Russia allegation. rt.com 
The two regions of Donetsk and Lugansk have been ravaged by fierce fighting since 2014 | Reports of heavy shelling and explosions in war-torn regions of eastern Ukraine are merely Russian attempts to create a pretext for ordering an offensive against its neighbor, Britain's top diplomat has claimed, as Kiev and separatists blame each other for the attack. | On Thursday, leaders from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) reported that government troops had fired at several towns and villages using mortars, hand grenades, and rifles. | The Ukrainian Armed Forces subsequently disclosed that an area…
(2022-02-17). India Lifts Flight Restrictions With Ukraine After Call for Its Citizens to Leave European Country. sputniknews.com The situation in eastern Ukraine remains tense, with the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic saying on Thursday that the Ukrainian military fired mortar shells and grenades at four localities in Donbass.
(2022-02-17). US warns of 'global fallout'. rt.com 
The world economy will pay a heavy price if the West imposes new sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury warns | If Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine, the global economy will suffer an inevitable fallout as a result of newly unleashed Western sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury secretary warned on Wednesday. | Speaking to French news agency AFP, Janet Yellen explained that the US and its European allies are preparing a "very substantial package of sanctions that will have severe consequences for the Russian economy." | However, despite Washington wanting the highest cost to fall on Moscow, she admitted that…
(2022-02-17). Ukraine keeps arguing Minsk agreements are against its interests — Russian diplomat. tass.com "if the task of building peace on the domestic soil is among Ukraine's national interests, there should be no place for such claims," Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said…
(2022-02-17). US makes new Russian troop claim. rt.com 
American officials have expressed doubt about whether Moscow is actually withdrawing soldiers | Russia has increased its troop deployment near Ukraine by several thousand in recent days, an anonymous official in Washington has claimed, despite Moscow's announcement on Tuesday that it was pulling some soldiers back to their bases following the completion of military drills in Belarus. | On Wednesday, a US official, who refused to be quoted by name, told reporters that Moscow had sent 7,000 more troops to bolster its forces on the Ukrainian border, and directly accused Russia of lying about a withdrawal, claimin…
(2022-02-17). US denies making failed Ukraine invasion prediction. rt.com 
The Russian invasion of Ukraine can still happen at any time, the State Department said | Incorrect predictions that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine on February 16 did not come from Washington, and America stands by its assessment that the Kremlin may launch an all-out offensive at any moment, the US State Department has said. | The denial follows multiple reports in Western media outlets claiming that Moscow was planning to launch an attack on Wednesday. Citing anonymous sources, American and British outlets suggested that the US intelligence community thought Russia would invade in the early hours of F…
(2022-02-17). Ukraine reveals new gun plan. rt.com 
Legal gun ownership in Ukraine would make any aggressor think twice before attacking it, Kiev's defense chief believes | Allowing people in Ukraine to legally own handguns would greatly improve national security against outside "aggressors," Ukraine's Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov told news agency RBK Ukraine on Thursday. The move would "increase citizens' personal security, help law enforcement and certainly reduce crime rates," the minister claims. | Reznikov said on Thursday he has been a "longtime gun-rights supporter", adding that "as a lawyer" he believes a gun law is long overdue in Ukraine. In late…
(2022-02-17). Moscow responds to US 'intelligence' on Russian invasion. rt.com 
The Foreign Ministry has previously claimed February 15 will be remembered as the day Western 'propaganda' failed | Attempts to work out when Russia might begin an invasion of Ukraine, despite the Kremlin's insistence that war isn't on the cards, only discredit Western intelligence agencies, Moscow has blasted as tensions continue to rise on the shared border between the two Eastern European nations. | In a series of comments issued on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova poured scorn on Washington's persistent announcements that an offensive is on the horizon. | According to her, Kiev, whic…
(2022-02-17). Selected Articles: Ukraine Invasion Scheduled for Wednesday Canceled. globalresearch.ca 
By Over recent weeks, AP's ace reporter Matthew Lee and colleagues had been repeatedly led down the White House garden path by the likes of broken-record "the-Russians-are-coming-and-it-could-be-Wednesday" national …
(2022-02-17). Kalashnikov Helps Boost Russia's Prestige on the International Stage. journal-neo.org 
Internationally, Russia has traditionally been seen as one of the leading suppliers of technology, especially in such areas as the arms and military hardware markets. Many countries, all over the world, purchase Russian-made military equipment, including anti-aircraft missile systems, fighter jets battleships, etc. But, globally, the most widely sold and well-known Russian weapon is the …
(2022-02-17). Putin sends message after Olympic figure skating result. rt.com 
The Kremlin commented after the Olympic women's figure skating event | President Vladimir Putin has hailed the exceptional performances of Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) figure skating stars in Beijing, after Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova claimed gold and silver respectively in the women's individual event on Thursday, while Kamila Valieva finished in fourth position. | "Dear Anna Stanislavovna," read a message which appeared on the Kremlin's "I congratulat…
(2022-02-17). The Western Allied Nations Bully the World While Warning of Threats From China and Russia. independentmediainstitute.org On January 21, 2022, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach attended a talk in New Delhi, India, organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. Schà∂nbach was speaking as the chief of Germany's navy during his visit to the institute. "What he really wants is respect," Schà∂nbach said, referring to Russia's President Vladimir Putin. …
(2022-02-17). Emotional Russian Olympic boss responds to Valieva drama. rt.com 
The Russian Olympic Committee president expressed empathy for Kamila Valieva and praised his team's podium one-two | Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) president Stanislav Pozdnyakov has expressed his organization's love for Winter Olympics figure skating champion Anna Shcherbakova and history-making silver medalist Alexandra Trusova, adding a note of sorrow for Kamila Valieva while noting her "talent and inner strength" at the Beijing Games. | On a dramatic final day of women's figure skating at the Games, world champion Shcherbakova secured glory in the individual competition and Trusova finished behind her, be…
(2022-02-17). IOC & WADA 'destroyed' Valieva, says skating icon. rt.com 
Alexander Zhulin accused international sports officials of ruining the 'brightest star of figure skating' | Former ice dance world champion Alexander Zhulin has said that international sporting authorities will have to live with the consequences of "ruining" Russian star Kamila Valieva's Olympic dreams after her doping case ordeal in Beijing. | What was expected to be Valieva's crowning triumph in the Chinese capital turned into a nightmare for the 15-year-old after a positive test for a doping sample taken in December was reported during the Games. | Valieva was cleared for continued competition by the Court…
(2022-02-17). Russian ice queen issues message to Valieva. rt.com 
The former world champion admitted she was lost for words after watching the drama at the Winter Olympics | Figure skating great Elizaveta Tuktamysheva has spoken of her heartbreak for Kamila Valieva after watching the pre-Winter Olympics favorite finish fourth in the individual competition, ending a campaign hindered by a high-profile doping case finish with a performance the 15-year-old was clearly unhappy with at the Beijing Games. | 2015 world champion Tuktamysheva has a strong relationship with Valieva, posing for playful photos when the pair have faced each other competitively and telling the prodigy to…
(2022-02-17). Anti-Cancer Material Extracted From Tropical Plant Created in Russia. sputniknews.com Scientists from the National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" (NUST MISIS), as part of an international group of researchers, have synthesised a new material with unique antibacterial and anti-cancer properties.
(2022-02-17). US journalist pours scorn on Russian skater's Beijing history. rt.com 
Christine Brennan was quick to question Alexandra Trusova's achievements in Beijing | American journalist Christine Brennan has continued her attacks on Russian figure skating by seemingly calling into question the historic performance given by Alexandra Trusova on her way to silver in Thursday's figure skating program in Beijing. | Trusova, 17, carved out a piece of history for herself by becoming the first woman in history to successfully to land five quads in a routine, as part of the 251.73 overall score she was given in the competition. | But Trusova barely had time to remove her skates before she found h…
(2022-02-17). Jewish MP demands apology from Canada's prime minister. rt.com 
Trudeau's remarks about the Freedom Convoy protesters prompted an MP to accuse the prime minister of 'driving division' | A Canadian MP who is Jewish has demanded a full apology from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he apparently suggested she supports "people who wave swastikas." | Commenting on the ongoing Freedom Convoy protests, Trudeau said in parliament on Wednesday that while Conservative party members were standing "with people who wave swastikas," he and his supporters prefer to stay with Canadians "who deserve to be able to get to their jobs, to be able to get their lives back." | His words angere…
(2022-02-17). Ottawa cops crack down on protesters. rt.com 
Police put up fencing and bring in reinforcements in bid to break anti-mandate Freedom Convoy protest | Police have started to erect fencing around the Freedom Convoy protest in downtown Ottawa, Canada, and have brought in extra officers in a push to clear the demonstration. The move comes after the truckers were threatened with arrest under emergency powers enacted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. | Video footage captured on Thursday showed busloads of police arriving in downtown Ottawa, and officers purportedly holding crowd control drills. Meanwhile, workers were seen putting up metal fencing near the demo…
(2022-02-17). China's Huawei Pledges Full Cooperation After India's Tax Inspectors' Visits, Reports Suggest. sputniknews.com BEIJING (Sputnik) – Chinese telecommunications titan Huawei said it is ready for full-scale cooperation with India, following searches in several Huawei branch offices in India, media reported on Thursday.
(2022-02-17). 'Wear Hijab at Home If You Feel Unsafe': BJP MP Warns Against Wearing Muslim Headscarves in Public. sputniknews.com India is witnessing protests in the state of Karnataka after Muslim girls were banned from entering classrooms in hijabs.
(2022-02-17). Protests here to stay, Canadian radio host axed for pro-trucker comments tells RT. rt.com 
Kid Carson lost his job after speaking out against mandates, but insists the public are on his side | Vancouver-based radio host Kid Carson was "politely shown the door" this week after railing against vaccine mandates and supporting the ongoing truckers' protest in Ottawa, Canada, he told RT on Thursday. Carson believes that despite the best efforts of the mainstream media, the public is sick of the "corruption and craziness" of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, and the truckers parked on Parliament Hill aren't going anywhere. | Carson was dropped last week by Vancouver's Z95.3 FM, after an…
(2022-02-17). Does the US really need to spend $800bn on its military? rt.com 
Joe Biden's likely request for a record-breaking defense budget shows America's priorities remain all wrong | President Biden is expected to ask Congress for a record-shattering military budget for the fiscal year 2023 that will exceed $770 billion and could reach $800 billion, according to a While the story has yet to be confirmed, there are many reasons to believe its veracity — and it…
(2022-02-17). 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…
(2022-02-17). Father sentenced in college admissions scandal, ordered to pay $200,000. rt.com 
A wealthy parent arrested as part of Operation Varsity Blues was convicted of bribing US schools with $1.2 million | The head of a private equity firm in Massachusetts was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 months in federal prison for his involvement in a US college admissions scandal that also saw high-profile Hollywood celebrities including Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman face time behind bars. | John Wilson was charged with using $1.2 million to bribe his three kids' way into college as Division I athletes, despite the fact that they were not athletes competing at such a high division. Wilson's arrest was par…
(2022-02-17). Tesla faces another investigation. rt.com 
US regulators are looking into complaints that some cars can unexpectedly brake at highway speeds | The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday that it's opening a formal investigation into 416,000 Tesla vehicles over reports of unexpected brake activation tied to its driver assistance system Autopilot. | The probe covers 2021-2022 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The government agency says it has received 354 complaints from owners during the past nine months about "phantom braking." | According to the NHTSA, the vehicles under review have an advanced Autopilot system th…
(2022-02-17). Students sue school over book banning. rt.com 
US students suing a St. Louis school claim books are being banned as part of an effort to "remove" ideas on race and sexuality | The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two young students against the Wentzville School Board in St. Louis, Missouri, claiming they violated civil rights by banning a handful of books from school libraries. | The students in question were not identified as they are minors, but they have been referred to as C.K.-W and D.L. | According to the class action lawsuit, the recent vote to ban certain books is part of a "targeted campaign by the St. Charles…
(2022-02-17). Why the US trade war on China has been an economic disaster for Americans. rt.com 
Trump hailed his 2020 deal with Beijing as "transformative" for the US. He was right — it's made ordinary US citizens much poorer | At the end of January, the US-China 'phase one' trade deal made under Donald Trump expired. The agreement, struck in January 2020 at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and before ties with Beijing fell off a cliff, stipulated that China would purchase (ludicrously) over $200 billion in agricultural products from the US per annum in order to end Trump's trade war. It was more like a one-sided extortion, placing huge demands on Beijing with very little compromise on t…
(2022-02-17). Danish Defense Intelligence Chief Is Jailed by Social Democratic Government—Possibly to Protect U.S. Spy Programs. covertactionmagazine.com Part 1 of a 2-part series on U.S. penetration of Denmark's National Security State [BREAKING NEWS: As we go to …
(2022-02-17). Refusing Trump's claims of 'executive privilege,' Biden orders National Archives to turn over White House visitor logs. wsws.org Former President Donald Trump had been seeking to block the release of the visitor logs, which show who entered the White House before and during his failed January 6, 2021, coup.
(2022-02-17). Bigger than bomb threats: The political violence of national oppression. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL – Throughout the months of January and February, there were over 20 bomb threats directed towards historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Black churches, most of which were in the South. These concentrated actions over the last few months are a microcosm of the extensive history of racism and national oppression that Black people have faced within the United States, particularly its southern region. | In general, all Black communities within the United States face systemic racism. The evidence is in the economically depressed ghettos of every city (big and small), riddled with de…
(2022-02-17). Vietnam To Resume Int'l Tourism From March 15. telesurenglish.net Vietnam will reopen borders for international tourism starting from March 15. Foreign travelers aged 12 and over must prove that they have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, and show a negative test result as per requirements by local health authorities. | Photo taken on April 1, 2020 shows a tourist attraction in Hoi An ancient city in Vietnam's central Quang Nam province.
(2022-02-17). Ethiopia: Amnesty Accuses Tigrayan Forces of Rape & Murder in Latest Probe of War Crimes in Conflict. democracynow.org 
Amnesty International is accusing Tigrayan forces of deliberately killing dozens of unarmed civilians and gang-raping dozens of women and girls in the northern Amhara region of Ethiopia. This comes as the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebel forces remain at war, and just last year Amnesty similarly accused the Ethiopian government of subjecting Tigrayan women and girls to rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, sexual mutilation and other forms of torture. "These are deliberate attacks which constitute war crimes and possibly may also constitute crimes against humanity," says Amnesty's Donatella Ro…
(2022-02-17). Untapped Talent Pool: Can Gaza Help Its Professional Footballers Develop Their Craft? sputniknews.com Aside from the total blockade, in place in the region since 2007, hampering their movement, football clubs lack the necessary funds to stay afloat. So, they often rely on donations from the Palestinian Authority, as well as regional and international grants.
(2022-02-17). Sri Lanka unions betray health workers' indefinite strike. wsws.org Health Minister Rambukwella told the media that the government "strategically used the law courts" and convinced union leaders to stop the strike, without him agreeing to any major demand.
(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). 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). Russia: Defense Chief Visiting Syria Warns US and NATO. telesurenglish.net According to a Lebanese expert on military strategy, General Charles Abi Nader, the U.S. and NATO were surprised by the working visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu's visit to Syria, as it was linked to the current tensions between Moscow and Washington over the Ukraine crisis. | RELATED: | "In the conditions when the United States and Western countries are deliberately escalating the international situation, exploiting…
(2022-02-16). India: students resist rise in Islamophobia, communal violence. iacenter.org By Tania Siddiqi February 15, 2022 In December 2021 a government college in India's Karnataka province denied entry to six students attempting to enter class, because they were wearing hijab, a headscarf worn by many Muslim girls and women. School administrators alleged that wearing a headscarf was against the school's dress code and stated that the students could not attend class until they removed their hijab. Students protest against hijab ban. Instead of complying with the school's discriminatory policy, the students protested outside their classroom, asserting that they had a constitutional right to wear a h…
(2022-02-16). Ukraine crisis: who fabricates a war, and how? workers.org 
By Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein The author is a Venezuelan international relations expert, who was previously Director of the International Relations of the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, his country's ambassador to Nicaragua and an advisor for international politics for TELESUR. Translation: United World International, edited by John Catalinotto. . . . |
(2022-02-16). Biden dials back belligerence toward Russia. mronline.org 
The White House readout on Biden's call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is a marked departure from the U.S. pronouncements lately.
(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). Canadian communists denounce the right-wing 'Convoy'. workers.org 
The following are edited excerpts from a Feb. 4 statement issued by the Communist Party of Canada and a Jan. 29 statement from the Communist Party of Quebec, a constituent part of the CPC with the right to set its own policies on matters relating to Quebec. Full statements are . . . |
(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…