(2022-02-18). Breakaway Ukrainian region orders evacuation. rt.com 
(2022-02-18). Ukraine's security council chief sees no threat of Russian attack. tass.com Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Alexey Danilov said Kiev is registering "provocations by Russia in Donbass"
(2022-02-18). Lavrov labels Western 'Russia invasion' claims 'propaganda, fakes and fiction'. rt.com 
"If they enjoy it, let them," the foreign minister told RT regarding claims from officials and media | Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has lashed out at Western officials who have been peddling the purported threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Apparently, they do it for the sheer pleasure of accusing Moscow, he told RT in an exclusive interview on Friday. | "I am certain that even casual observers of foreign policy have long confirmed to themselves that all of it is propaganda, fake news, fiction," Lavrov said of the accusations. | He suggested that Western officials making such claims simply like…
(2022-02-18). Putin to take part in nuclear war drills. rt.com 
The strategic weapons exercises are scheduled to take place on Saturday | Russian President Vladimir Putin will take direct command of scheduled ballistic missile training on Saturday, which will see the country's military test its nuclear capabilities, Moscow has confirmed. | Officials released a statement on Friday, writing, "on February 19, under the supervision of the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a planned exercise of the forces of strategic deterrence will take place, during which ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched." | The statement goes…
(2022-02-18). West bullies world while citing threats from China, Russia. asiatimes.com 
On January 21, Vice-Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach attended a talk in New Delhi 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 Russian President Vladimir Putin. "And my god, giving someone respect is low-cost, even …
(2022-02-18). Not Another U.S. War! Demo TOMORROW @3PM: Grand Central Terminal, NYC. iacenter.org DANGER! Not Another U.S. War! SATURDAY, February 19, 2022, at 3 PM Inside GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL, At the Clock, Park Avenue & East 42nd Street, NYC Stop the war with Russia Every U.S. war in our life time is based on lies, provocations and false flag operations. We need healthcare and education, not endless US wars. Stop the NATO expansion! Stop sending U.S. weapons to Ukraine, Poland, Romania and throughout the European Union. Fight Racism! Not Russia With participation from: Antiwar, social justice, anti-racist, environmental, human rights and veterans groups. An Emergency Action with activists from groups incl…
(2022-02-18). Documents Reveal US Gov't Spent $22M Promoting Anti-Russia Narrative in Ukraine and Abroad. mintpressnews.com 
The National Endowment for Democracy can claim it is in the business of democracy promotion. In reality, it does anything but that, unless "democracy" is entirely synonymous with elite U.S. interests.
(2022-02-18). Ukraine crisis: who fabricates a war, and how? iacenter.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. Feb. 2 — It is almost natural that countries (especially the powers that have more capability of doing so) would like to resolve their internal problems by unleashing conflicts abroad. For that, they invent attacks on their national security,…
(2022-02-18). Second Ukrainian tests positive for banned drug at Olympics. rt.com 
The bobsledder's Winter Olympics sample contained a steroid, doping chiefs announced in the wake of a Ukrainian skier testing positive for three banned substances | Strongwoman-turned-bobsledder Lidiia Hunko has become the second Ukrainian to fail a drugs test at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games this week, the International Testing Agency (ITA) has announced. | The 28-year-old, who is a former world champion deadlifter, was tested by the ITA during an in-competition anti-doping control check on Monday, when she finished 20th in the women's monobob. | A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited (WADA) laboratory in B…
(2022-02-18). Who is the coach at the center of Kamila Valieva's Olympic storm? rt.com 
Kamila Valieva's ordeal at the Beijing Olympics has brought added attention to a prominent Russian figure skating coach | Teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva has faced intense scrutiny at the Beijing Olympics, but the media has also been drawn to coach Eteri Tutberidze — someone who would otherwise have been a much less prominent presence. | Tutberidze is a renowned trainer of Olympic champions, a coach whose conveyor belt of talent has functioned relentlessly in recent years. | But as Tutberidze now faces questions over her methods in light of Valieva's unfortunate situation, we look at some of the key…
(2022-02-18). Olympic chief is 'weaving fiction' — Russian official. rt.com 
Russia's deputy prime minister attacked the comments made by IOC president Thomas Bach | International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach should stop "weaving his own fictional narrative" after he criticized figure skater Kamila Valieva's coaching team, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has said. | Speaking to journalists in Beijing on Friday, Bach claimed he had been "disturbed" by the reaction from Valieva's trainers — including coach Eteri Tutberidize — after the teenager struggled badly in her free skate routine, finishing outside the medals. | Bach claimed Tutberidize…
(2022-02-18). Video: SGP chairman condemns NATO's war preparations against Russia. wsws.org In this video Christoph Vandreier, the chairman of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP—Socialist Equality Party), condemns NATO's preparations for war against Russia and explains the need for an international anti-war movement.
(2022-02-18). NATO's campaign made European region 'a hotbed of crime' — Lavrov to RT. rt.com 
Russia's foreign minister says the bloc's bombing campaign has not brought prosperity to Kosovo | Russia finds it hard to believe that NATO is a purely defensive bloc, giving its bombing campaign in Yugoslavia in 1999, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RT on Friday. | The minister made his comments while speaking about the talks between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. | "Scholz and others NATO officials say that NATO is a defensive alliance. Putin reminded Scholz at a joint press conference about the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999," Lavrov remar…
(2022-02-18). What Red Book Will You Read This Year on Red Books Day (21 February)? dissidentvoice.org 
On 16 February 2015, Govind and Uma Pansare went for a morning walk near their home in Kolhapur, in the western state of Maharashtra, India. Two men on a motorcycle stopped them and asked for directions, but the Pansares could not help them. One of the men laughed, pulled out a gun, and shot the …
(2022-02-18). Dozens sentenced to death for major terrorist attack. rt.com 
An Indian court has handed down punishments for a series of bombings in Ahmedabad in 2008 | A special court in India sentenced 38 defendants to death and 11 others to life imprisonment on Friday for their role in a series of deadly bombings in 2008. | Each convict was also fined and ordered to pay compensation to the victims and their families, the court in India's western Gujarat region ruled. | The court acquitted 28 people due to either insufficient or no evidence against them. One of the 28 was previously released on bail because he was suffering from a mental illness, while the rest have spent nearly 13 y…
(2022-02-18). Workers Power Day in solidarity with Starbucks, Amazon, all workers organizing! iacenter.org ‚áí Solidarity with Starbucks, Amazon, and all workers who are organizing and fighting back ‚áí Fight against racism and all forms of oppression and exploitation — these struggles are part and parcel of the workers movement. Black Lives Matter! ‚áí Unite our many struggles into one powerful force! Organize an action in your area in solidarity with this growing movement! Starbucks workers are leading an electrifying drive to organize the major coffee chain, often with several stores announcing they're joining this growing movement every day. From co…
(2022-02-18). Unite for Feb. 26 — Workers Power Day! iacenter.org February 17, 2022 Solidarity with Starbucks, Amazon and all workers who are organizing and fighting back Fight against racism and all forms of oppression and exploitation — these struggles are part and parcel of the workers movement. Black Lives Matter! Unite our many struggles into one powerful force! Starbucks workers are leading an electrifying drive to organize the major coffee chain, often with several stores announcing they're joining this growing movement every day. From coast to coast and globally, Amazon workers are organizing to build workers' power at one of the world's largest and most oppressiv…
(2022-02-18). Rodney Reed ‚àí overturn his conviction and death sentence! workers.org 
Rodney Reed's birthday was Dec. 22. This was the 24th birthday and holiday season he has spent away from his children, his five brothers, his mother and his large loving family — while entombed in solitary confinement on death row in Texas. Rodney Reed in court, 2015. WW PHOTO: Gloria . . . |
(2022-02-18). Rally against union busting at Starbucks headquarters. workers.org 
Seattle Rally calling for rehiring of Memphis 7 outside Starbucks' headquarters in Seattle, Feb. 15. Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant called for holding actions across the country on Feb. 15 to protest Starbucks' firing of the Memphis 7. In front of Starbucks' national/world headquarters, 100 unionists, Starbucks workers and solidarity . . . |
(2022-02-18). Workers World message to 'The International' Marxist magazine. workers.org 
Workers World newspaper congratulates Progressive Thinkers for its first year of consistent monthly publication of "The International" (Internationalmagz.com) as an openly "not unbiased" communist magazine and blog. We salute the initiators of this endeavour, Debojit Banerjee, Shuvam Banerjee, Sourav Chakraborty and Gourab Ghosh, for creating a venue for members of . . . |
(2022-02-18). Tesla sued after another fatal crash. rt.com 
Automaker faces litigation over alleged suspension failure in a crash that killed two people | A Florida family is suing Tesla over an alleged defect that caused a car crash that killed a driver and passenger last year. | According to the
(2022-02-18). Zuckerberg's Facebook empire collapsing. rt.com 
Meta has lost nearly half its value in the last six months | Once the world's sixth largest firm with a valuation of over $1 trillion, Facebook's parent company Meta finished Thursday's trading with a value of $565 billion. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the social media giant has tumbled out of the world's 10 largest companies by market value, hammered by its worst monthly stock decline ever. | The stock rout has placed Mark Zuckerberg's company in 11th place behind Chinese Tencent Holdings. Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) holds the ninth spot. The list of the world's mo…
(2022-02-18). Ski superstar Gu hails being a 'biracial young woman' after making Olympic history. rt.com 
The Chinese-American triple medalist says she has helped to lessen male dominance in extreme sports | Former Team USA star Eileen Gu won her third medal for China at the Winter Olympics — and the Chinese-American sensation said her history-making triumph at the Beijing Games is a triumph for "representation and sporting equity" that she hopes will inspire future generations. | California-born Gu, who has an American father, a grandfather from Shanghai and a grandmother from Nanjing and switched teams as a 15-year-old in 2019, added halfpipe gold to her big air triumph and slopestyle silver, capping an exc…
(2022-02-18). Consumers get canful of allergens in packaging mix-up. rt.com 
Thousands of cans labeled as chili were recalled after it was found they contained chicken soup | More than 2,200 pounds (around one ton) of a product labeled as Skyline Chili, a popular Cincinnati-style chili, are being recalled in the US due to a mix-up. The cans impacted — and there could be thousands of them on the market and already in people's kitchen cupboards — were discovered to actually contain cream of chicken soup, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Wednesday. | They had been shipped to retail locations nationwide, it warn…
(2022-02-18). Oakland Protest to Stop Port Privatization, A's Fisher Stadium Scam & OUSD School Closure. indybay.org IlWUpart of protest at Oakland City Hall…
(2022-02-18). Labor Solidarity, and Worker Victories, Across Borders. cepr.net NACLA See article on original site Book Review: International Solidarity in Action: The Relationship Between the United Electrical Workers (UE) and Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, by Robin Alexander On February 3, workers at a General Motors plant in Silao, Mexico, secured an important victory for organized labor when a huge majority voted to join the …
(2022-02-18). Jorge Rodríguez: Colombia Seeks to Destabilize Venezuela with Terrorist Gangs. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, February 17, the president of Venezuela's National Assembly (AN), Jorge Rodríguez, held a press conference at which he denounced the financing by the Colombian government and the Venezuelan extreme right of criminal gangs intending to destabilize the country. | He reiterated that Venezuela has denounced, on 24 occasions, attacks carried out from Colombia in Venezuela. He pointed out that evidence was delivered between 2018 and 2022 to international bodies such as the United Nations, demonstrating that Colombia's intelligence agencies, Armed Forces, and police forces were used to attack Venezuela.
(2022-02-18). All-out in the fight for democratic rights! cpusa.org 
The following report was presented by Joelle Fishman, Chair of the Political Action Commission, to the National Committee meeting on Feb. 13, 2022. Joe Sims has laid before us the urgency, dangers, and possibilities of the current political situation and the 2022 elections. We have the responsibility and opportunity to be in the thick …
(2022-02-18). Tuesday 3/8: Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights on International Women's Day! indybay.org Rally starts at noon in Sproul Plaza on UC Berkeley Campus (public welcome) | Entrance near Telegraph and Bancroft | One hour rally to be followed by march through the city of Berkeley.
(2022-02-18). Health experts declare Sri Lanka is being hit by a tsunami of Omicron infections. wsws.org President Rajapakse has made clear that his government will take no action to stem the rising number of Omicron infections.
(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). Ukraine: The Tip Of The Spear For The Imperialist Project. popularresistance.org We have serious concerns that the accelerated drive to militarization and war by the United States and its allies dramatically unfolding with the crisis in Ukraine might very easily escalate to the point that it could threaten global humanity. | In their mad drive to advance their geostrategic interests to the detriment of everyone else—the Democratic Party version of "America First"—the Biden administration willfully violates all of the core principles of international relations and law. The respect for national sovereignty, the prohibition against threatening other members of the United Nations with…
(2022-02-17). U.S. ramps up war talk as it points more missiles at Russia. peoplesworld.org 
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken went on national television Thursday morning to declare, again, that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could start at any moment. His dire prediction was yet another in the endless string of declarations by the U.S. that war could start at any moment. It followed by only a day the …
(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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Venezuela and Russia Reinforce Military Ties. orinocotribune.com This Wednesday, February 16, Venezuela and Russia confirmed their commitment to a powerful military partnership to provide security and defend national borders. The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, met with the Russian Federation's Deputy Prime Minister, Yuri Borisov, during an official visit to Caracas by the Russian diplomat, within the framework of the Venezuela—Russia High Level Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN) . | "We have ratified the path of a powerful military cooperation between Russia and Venezuela, for the defense of peace, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," said the Venezuelan he…
(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). 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). 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). 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…