2021-01-27: News Headlines

Editor (2021-01-28). Billionaires Gone Wild: Pandemic Profiteering By the Numbers. scheerpost.com By Chuck Collins / Inequality.org The collective wealth of all U.S. billionaires has increased over $1.1 trillion since mid-March 2020, a nearly 40% leap during the past 10 months of national emergency. This wealth windfall could pay for all the relief for working families contained in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package proposed by President Biden, while leaving the nation's richest… |

Online News Editor (2021-01-28). Biden commits to US defense of Japan in maritime dispute. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Jan 28 (efe-epa).- In a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Thursday, United States President Joe Biden reaffirmed Washington's "unwavering commitment" to defending the Asian country under their joint security treaty. This includes a group of small islands in the East China Sea, which are administered by Tokyo and claimed by …

Staff (2021-01-27). MIA: Where Have All the Vaccines Gone? CDC Says Only Half of Shots Feds Sent to States Were Used. democracynow.org January has become the deadliest month of the pandemic in the United States, with at least 80,000 deaths from COVID-19 so far, and public health experts worry new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus could make things worse. President Joe Biden has announced plans to acquire another 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, aiming to vaccinate most people in the U.S. by summer, but vaccine distribution continues to be a problem. The Daily Beast reports that of the 41 million vaccine doses handed out to states, fewer than 22 million have been administered. Meanwhile, many states report running out of vaccine…

alexander (2021-01-27). Different Models, Single Payer: Health Care for All. dsausa.org We often look to Canada as an example of how Single Payer Medicare for All (SP) could function in the United States. Like Medicare for people over 65 and people with disabilities, Canadian Medicare is federally funded. Unlike U.S. Medicare, each Canadian province or territory manages its own program. | But there is another model we look at less frequently: SP in Taiwan. There, the Ministry of Health and Welfare determines the global budget and negotiates fees for medical services and supplies and keeps administrative costs low for the National Health Insurance (NHI). Stakeholders are involved in the budget pro…

Staff (2021-01-27). Biden's Private Prison Executive Order Doesn't Undo Mass Incarceration. truthout.org On January 26, 2021, President Joe Biden signed a series of executive orders in the name of advancing racial equity.

RJ Red (2021-01-27). Defiant protesters challenge the Biden administration in Buffalo, N.Y. workers.org Buffalo, N.Y. Jan. 21 — On Biden's first full day as president of the U.S. empire, activists and community members here wasted no time in putting pressure on his administration. At a demonstration called by Workers World Party-Buffalo, people gathered at the corner of Niagara Street and Porter Avenue to . . . |

Jerry Goldberg (2021-01-27). Biden's 'Buy American' plan deceives workers, lets companies off the hook for layoffs. liberationnews.org A remarkable event occurred on Jan. 4. Chrysler, for many years one of the "Big Three" U.S. automakers along with General Motors and Ford, ceased to exist as a corporation. Chrysler, which had already become Fiat-Chrysler after its partnership with Fiat of Italy several years ago, was taken over by PSA, the French maker of …

Kenny Stancil (2021-01-27). Kerry touts climate diplomacy, EU says end dirty energy subsidies. peoplesworld.org While President Joe Biden's top climate envoy John Kerry told world leaders at a virtual climate summit that the U.S. will fulfill its commitment to provide financial support to developing countries as they grapple with the deadly consequences of a warming planet, campaigners are urging the U.S. to follow the lead of European Union officials who on …

Staff (2021-01-27). "A Step Forward": Black Lives Matter Protests Forced Biden to Push Racial Equity, But More Is Needed. democracynow.org President Joe Biden was elected with massive support from people of color, and in his second week in office he issued four executive orders to advance what the White House calls his "racial equity" agenda. The orders aim to strengthen anti-discrimination policies in housing, end Justice Department contracts with private prison companies, reaffirm sovereignty of Native American tribes and combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Biden's racial justice push comes as COVID-19 has devastated communities of color in the U.S., who are experiencing higher rates of infection, death and unemploymen…

Staff (2021-01-27). Movement for Black Lives Activists Respond to Biden's Orders on Racial Equity. truthout.org President Joe Biden was elected with massive support from people of color, and in his second week in office he issued four executive orders to advance what the White House calls his "racial equity" agenda. The orders aim to strengthen anti-discrimination policies in housing, end Justice Department contracts with private prison companies, reaffirm sovereignty of Native American tribes and combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Biden's racial justice push comes as COVID-1…

Staff (2021-01-27). For Peace With North Korea, Biden Must End the US-South Korea Military Exercises. truthout.org One of the thorniest foreign policy challenges the Biden administration will need to face is a nuclear-armed North Korea. Talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been stalled since 2019, and North Korea has continued to develop its weapons arsenal, recently As a retired U.S. Army Colonel and U.S. diplomat with 40 years…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-27). Historic farmers' parade takes center stage on India's Republic Day. peoplesdispatch.org On January 26, which is celebrated as India's Republic Day, tens of thousands of farmers rode into the capital New Delhi. Their demand: the withdrawal of three laws that were pushed through parliament in an undemocratic manner…

Sheren Khalel (2021-01-27). NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang doubles down on anti-BDS remarks. middleeasteye.net NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang doubles down on anti-BDS remarks | After accusing BDS of 'unfair economic punishment', Yang asserts his opposition is based on the movement's 'refusal to condemn violence' | Wed, 01/27/2021 – 19: 18 | Andrew Yang, a NYC mayoral candidate, has drawn criticism for his stance against the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement (AFP/File photo)…

Tina Gerhardt (2021-01-27). Stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline Is Just the First Step Toward Environmental Justice. progressive.org Indigenous groups and environmental activists are also calling on President Biden to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline and Enbridge Line 3.

Dove of Peace (2021-01-27). End of Anti-Russian Electioneering; Palestinian Funding Restored. indybay.org One week after the Inauguration, Pres. Biden called Pres. Putin to extend the START nuclear arms control treaty, due to expire 2/5/21. Pres. Biden's administration also announced restoration of relations with Palestine and aid to Palestinians.

Juan Cole (2021-01-27). Biden to have Feds buy 650K Electric Vehicles, Promising rapid Fall in EV Prices. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — President Joe Biden plans to create a million auto-worker jobs by replacing the enormous fleet of some 650,000 vehicles owned by the federal government with electric cars. He specified EVs that emit no carbon dioxide, which suggests he wants the government to buy pure EVs like General Motors' Chevy Bolt …

WSWS (2021-01-27). Global and domestic tensions fuel moves to oust Australian Labor Party leader. wsws.org Plans to dump Albanese are intensifying as the worldwide COVID-19 catastrophe worsens, fuelling working class unrest internationally, and the incoming Biden administration steps up the US confrontation with China.

Editor (2021-01-27). Reflecting the Authoritarian Climate, Washington Will Remain Militarized. scheerpost.com YouTube] By Glenn Greenwald / Substack Washington, DC has been continuously militarized beginning the week leading up to Joe Biden's inauguration, when 20,000 National Guard troops were deployed onto the streets of the nation's capital. The original justification was that this show of massive force was necessary to secure the inauguration in light of the January 6 riot at the Capitol. |

Benjamin Fearnow (2021-01-27). Sanders, Warren Warn Senate Majority Will Be Used in 'Very Aggressive Way' if GOP Blocks Stimulus. zcomm.org Both Sanders and Warren said the timely passage of another massive stimulus bill is more important than waiting on GOP lawmakers mired in gridlock…

Natalie Shure (2021-01-27). Bernie Sanders Is Right, and Joe Biden Is Wrong. We Still Need Medicare for All. zcomm.org Joe Biden and the Democratic establishment refuse to push Medicare for All even as COVID-19 continues to ravage the country…

Ted Rall (2021-01-27). Biden's Presidency Has Already Failed. counterpunch.org Donald Trump may soon look back at his defeat as the best thing that ever happened to him. The former president has been disgraced, double-impeached and faces criminal prosecution. Fortunately for him, he slipped out of D.C. just in time to avoid the blame for an economic catastrophe no one can fix. No one inside

RT (2021-01-27). Biden vows to procure vaccines for 300 million Americans by summer, but says masks 'best defense' against Covid-19 for now. rt.com US President Joe Biden said his administration will soon buy another 200 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine, set for delivery this summer, but added that masks, not inoculations, are the "best defense" in the coming months. | The president said on Tuesday that he directed his Covid-19 response coordinator, Jeff Zients, to begin working with Pfizer and Moderna for the purchases, hoping to boost the country's total vaccine supply from 400 million to 600 million shots by summertime. | "We believe we'll soon be able to confirm the purchase of an additional 100 million doses for each of the two FDA authorized…

RT (2021-01-27). Biden's climate crusade: Oil and gas drilling BANNED on federal land in new round of executive orders. rt.com President Joe Biden has signed more climate-focused executive orders. Among them are directives setting climate change as a national security priority, and imposing a controversial ban on fossil fuel drilling on federal land. | Biden's latest round of executive orders come after a record-breaking 40 presidential decrees during his first week in office. After day-one orders signing the US back up to the Paris climate agreement and cancelling the completion of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, Biden's latest round of orders, signed on Wednesday, again focus on the environment. | Pres. Biden signs a series of actions…

RT (2021-01-27). 'They just want to defend Biden,' The Scoop co-founder tells RT after Facebook ban, accusing platforms of anti-conservative bias. rt.com Steeve Strange — co-founder of the conservative news site The Scoop, whose personal page was banned on Facebook over an anti-Biden group — has told RT that he flouted no rules and was swept up in a broader anti-conservative purge. | Facebook permanently disabled Strange's account together with that of The Scoop's other co-founder, Cameron Shizznit, for violating "community standards" earlier this week. | It came shortly after the Mark Zuckerberg-owned platform yanked the duo's group, called "Patriots Against Joe Biden." In a message justifying the deletion, Facebook said that any "pages that are ha…

RT (2021-01-27). US put on 'heightened terrorist threat' alert through APRIL, DHS cites concerns over politically 'frustrated' Americans. rt.com The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is citing the Capitol unrest to declare a heightened threat of domestic terrorism through April, saying some "individuals" might be frustrated with the Biden administration. | The National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)

RT (2021-01-27). US freezes sales of missiles to Saudi Arabia and F-35s to UAE as it reviews Trump-era arms deals. rt.com The US has temporarily frozen some pending arms sales to allied states while the Biden administration reviews weapons deals agreed under President Donald Trump, according to officials at the State Department. | The move affects precision-guided missiles sold to Saudi Arabia and F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), among other deals not identified by the State Department. | American arms manufacturers Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin both have contracts with the two Arab nations. | "This is a routine administrative action typical to most any transition, and demonstrates the Administrati…

RT (2021-01-27). DOJ & EPA to get 'Climate Justice' offices under Biden's executive orders. rt.com Declaring his commitment to "environmental justice" for "disadvantaged communities," US President Joe Biden has ordered the creation of new enforcement offices in two departments and a regulatory agency. | As part of a sweeping executive order signed on Wednesday, the new or expanded "climate justice" offices will be established at the Department of Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). | "We know the communities who are being hurt, and we know we have to start enforcing the standards today in ensuring that they are part of the solution," Gina McCarthy, B…

RT (2021-01-27). US eases ban on security investments that finance Chinese military companies. rt.com The Biden administration has reversed Trump-era restrictions and reauthorized most US investments in companies owned or controlled by the Chinese military, according to a Treasury Department notice. | In mid-November, then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting American investments in Chinese companies linked to the country's military, forcing US stock exchanges to delist companies. | Reversing the previous president's action, Biden has moved to authorize most investments in companies "whose name closely matches, but does not exactly match, the name of a Communist Chinese military company…

MEE staff (2021-01-27). Biden administration freezes US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE. middleeasteye.net Biden administration freezes US arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE | The White House is reviewing recent weapons transactions approved by former President Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported | Wed, 01/27/2021 – 15: 43 | The arms sale to the UAE includes American-made F-35 jets and killer drones (AFP/File photo) | The Biden administration has issued a temporary freeze on pending arms sales to Saudi Arabia and…

Staff (2021-01-27). GOP Senators Appear Ready to Let Trump Get Away With Inciting Capitol Attack. truthout.org The ongoing civil war within the GOP had a deeply clarifying moment yesterday. If Tuesday's events are the writing on the Republican wall, Donald Trump need not fear conviction in the Senate or loss of influence within the party. Even now — after losing the House, Senate and White House and being deeply complicit in a violent attack on the Capitol itself — the disgraced disaster zone of a former president still appears to be running through the raindrops without getting wet. And,…

Staff (2021-01-27). Only Five GOP Senators Rejected Effort to Declare Impeachment Unconstitutional. truthout.org On Tuesday, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) attempted to introduce a motion to the Senate to declare the upcoming impeachment trial for Donald Trump unconstitutional. The resolution was shot down by the Senate, 55-45. Five Republicans voted to table the resolution. | The vote, ahead of the impeachment trial that's scheduled to start next month, may be viewed as a precursor of how Senate Republicans may be expected to vote on the impeachment. The 55 votes to table Paul's resolution fall far s…

Staff (2021-01-27). Ro Khanna Warns Democrats Against Restricting Eligibility for COVID Checks. truthout.org Progressive Congressman Ro Khanna on Wednesday cautioned President Joe Biden and the Democratic leadership against further restricting eligibility for any future round of direct coronavirus relief payments, warning that excluding many struggling middle-class Americans from checks would be misguided and politically disastrous. | "This is not just bad economics, but terrible politics," Khanna (D-Calif.)

Staff (2021-01-27). Dems Try to Fix "Taxation Without Representation" in DC, Renew Statehood Push. truthout.org Democrats from the Senate and House introduced legislation on Wednesday that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state. | The bill was reintroduced in the House by Eleanor Holmes Norton, a nonvoting delegate in the House who represents D.C. In the Senate, Tom Carper (D-Delaware) reintroduced the bill with the support of

John Wojcik (2021-01-27). 45 Senate Republicans join the fascist attack on America. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON — Forty-five Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), voted yesterday to dismiss the Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump for his incitement of the fascist coup at the U.S. Capitol. It didn't matter to the 45 Republican senators yesterday that Trump sent mobs to assassinate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi …

Morgan Artyukhina (2021-01-27). Biden executive orders reverse Trump's anti-LGBTQ policies. liberationnews.org By any measure, these are all substantive actions that will positively affect the lives of more than 11 million LGBTQ people in the United States during a period of economic, social, and medical catastrophe.

Staff (2021-01-27). Sunrise Movement's Varshini Prakash: Biden's Climate Agenda Must Go Beyond Undoing Trump's Damage. democracynow.org President Joe Biden is expected to issue executive orders to suspend new oil and gas leasing on federal property, reestablish a White House council of science advisers, and set a goal to protect 30% of federal land and water by 2030. He is also predicted to announce a number of initiatives prioritizing environmental justice by creating a White House interagency council on environmental justice and directing federal agencies to invest more in communities of color heavily impacted by pollution and the climate crisis. These actions, as well as executive orders to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline and put a moratorium…

A Guest Author (2021-01-27). BlackRock capital finance works with Republicans and Democrats. workers.org By Werner Ràºgemer The writer is an author and political activist living in Cologne, Germany. Translation: John Catalinotto No sooner was it clear that Joe Biden had won the U.S. presidential election, than he brought Brian Deese on board: Head of the department for global sustainable investing at the . . . |

Jesse Jackson (2021-01-27). The majority does not rule in the U.S. peoplesworld.org The majority does not rule in the United States. The foundation of any democracy — one person, one vote — is mocked by institutionalized impediments that allow the minority to win even when they lose at the ballot box. In this era, even when Democrats win, they lose. And the will of the majority of …

Sara Flounders (2021-01-27). Biden appoints warmongers. workers.org The Senate confirmation hearings for Biden's cabinet appointees — which began the week of Jan. 18 — should serve as a sharp warning of the continuation of dangerous U.S. war policies. Jan. 25, 2020, Philadelphia. The corporate media has focused on Biden's promise to overturn many of former-President Trump's policies. . . . |

Staff (2021-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2021. democracynow.org Biden Ramps Up Vaccine Rollout as World Tops 100 Million COVID Cases, U.S. Records Deadliest Month, U.K. Tops 100,000 Deaths as European Nations Move Toward Requiring Medical-Grade Masks, COVID Curfew Riots Rock Dutch Cities; Canadian Mogul Fined for Receiving Vaccine Meant for Indigenous Group, 45 Senate Republicans Back Dismissal of Trump Impeachment Trial, Biden Orders DOJ to End Contracts with Private Prisons, HUD to End Discrimination in Housing, Biden Issuing Orders Promoting Environmental Justice, Combating Climate Crisis, U.S. Judge Blocks Biden Deportation Moratorium While Texas Challenge Is Reviewed, U.

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-27). Russian-American Relations Under Biden: More of the Same Except for One Thing. globalresearch.ca Russian-American relations will remain just as bad under Biden as they were under Trump except for the 46th President's desire to extend the New START for another five years as part of an implied nuclear detente with Moscow after his …

Stephen Lendman (2021-01-27). No Likely Change in US Dirty Business as Usual. Pro-Navalny Protests in Russia. globalresearch.ca Straightaway after replacing Trump by election theft, the illegitimately installed Biden/Harris regime targeted Russia, China, and domestic freedoms — the latter by inventing a domestic terrorist threat that doesn't exist except when state-sponsored. | It's an ominous sign for what's likely …

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Extension of START 'step in right direction': Putin. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday said the extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between Russia and the US is a "step in the right direction."He told the World Economic Forum's virtual Davos Agenda 2021 that he had a phone call with newly elected US President Joe Biden, adding: "[START's extension] is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Still, disagreements continue to intensify. As we all know, the inability to resolve such disagreements triggered a catastrophic Second World War in the 20th century."The Biden administration earlier said Washington wants a five-year extensio…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Biden outlines plans to advance US racial equity. yenisafak.com President Joe Biden outlined his first steps Tuesday in his administration's push to advance racial equity in the US, issuing nearly a half-dozen executive orders to guide the federal government response.In announcing the overhaul, Biden said the US and its government "need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equity," and that while criminal justice reform is necessary it is not sufficient to mend the nation's deep racial inequities." We need to open the promise of America to every American, and that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of gov…

John W. Whitehead (2021-01-27). Enemies of the Deep State: The Government's War on "Domestic Terrorism" Is a Trap. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles including the E-Book can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | "This is an issue that all Democrats, Republicans, …

_____ (2021-01-27). Introduction To Budget 'Reconciliation'. popularresistance.org With majorities in the House and Senate, Democratic leaders may well use a special legislative process called "reconciliation" to quickly advance high-priority fiscal legislation. Created by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, reconciliation allows for expedited consideration of certain tax, spending, and debt limit legislation. In the Senate, reconciliation bills aren't subject to filibuster and the scope of amendments is limited, giving this process real advantages for enacting controversial budget and tax measures. This paper addresses some frequently asked questions about reconciliation.

_____ (2021-01-27). The Trump-Biden Transition In The Wake Of The Capitol Building Riot. popularresistance.org The Capitol building riot of January 6 marked the messiest transition in recent history of ruling class power from one chief executive of the capitalist world to the next. If that history is any guide, the change of guard neither portends better treatment of working people nor a reduction of the threat of fascism. | Trump may have been booted off the mainstage, but the next act promises to be worse. Beyond the particularities of either Mr. Trump's or Mr. Biden's personalities or even the parties they represent, fundamental institutional factors have and will likely determine the trajectory of neoliberal capitalis…

Asha Ralph (2021-01-27). If Biden Wants to End Death Penalty, He Must Also End Death by Incarceration. zcomm.org For every seven people in prison, one is serving a death-by-incarceration sentence…

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Iran amb. urges Biden to remove sanctions in short order. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations urged the new US administration to meet its JCPOA obligations and remove sanctions in short order.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-27). US to restore relations with Palestinians but will continue "steadfast support" to Israel. peoplesdispatch.org The Biden administration has also said it will support the two-state solution. However, it has already made clear it will not reverse its predecessor's shifting of the US embassy to Jerusalem in violation of international law…

Jeet Heer (2021-01-27). It's Still Trump's Party—GOP Can't Cry Even if They Want To. thenation.com It's Still Trump's Party—GOP Can't Cry Even if They Want To…

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Who is Biden's UN Pick Linda Thomas-Greenfield? sputniknews.com Linda Thomas-Greenfield faces her confirmation hearing in the Senate on Wednesday, having been nominated for the role of US envoy to the United Nations by the president-elect back in November. She was named a volunteer member to support transition efforts related to the Department of State, now headed by Antony Blinken, her former colleague.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Chipmaker Group Urges Biden Government To Reassess 'Unilateral' Trump-Era Trade Ban, Policy On China. sputniknews.com The letter from the major trade association representing industry leaders such as Intel, NXP Semiconductors, Samsung Electronics, Broadcom and Micron Technology slammed the former Trump administration's trade policy in an open letter as being imposed without public input and doing harm to the long-term competitiveness of tech firms.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Homeless VP: Mike Pence is Couch-Surfing With Officials After Leaving Washington, Report Says. sputniknews.com After the inauguration of Joe Biden, the official announced that he and his wife Karen would return to his hometown in Indiana. The former VP, however, didn't say exactly where they'd be staying.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). GOP Lawmakers Request Explanation For 5,000 National Guard Troops Still in Washington. sputniknews.com The National Guard was deployed in the Washington DC after Trump supporters stormed the Congress building on 6 January, resulting in five deaths, in an attempt to prevent the certification of the 2020 election results. The National Guard were tasked with ensuring security and safety during the Biden inauguration ceremony.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). US Issues License Allowing Investments Involving Chinese Military Companies, Treasury Dept Says. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Biden administration has issued a general license authorising transactions involving securities of certain Communist Chinese military companies, overturning a ban imposed by former President Donald Trump, the Treasury Department said in a notice on its website on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Finland Investigating Whether Biden Inauguration Soundtrack Violated Copyright Laws. sputniknews.com The striking similarities between Ryan J Nowlin's "Godspeed", played by the Marine Corps orchestra during Joe Biden's inauguration, and "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius, which many Finns hold dear, have spurred a review of copyright issues.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Russia, US Agree to Extend New START on Moscow's Conditions, Deputy Foreign Minister Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia welcomes the decision of US President Joe Biden's administration to extend the New START deal for five years, this is the right thing to do, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Biden Nominee for UN Envoy Reveals State Department Plans to Designate China's Actions as 'Genocide'. sputniknews.com Earlier, the US Congress passed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, calling on all countries to condemn Beijing's alleged human rights violations towards the Muslim population of Xinjiang.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). How Might Balance of Power Change in Syria Under the Biden Administration? sputniknews.com The return of Obama-era Middle East hawks in the new Biden administration spells danger for Syria, notes Ghassan Kadi, a political analyst of Syrian descent, adding there's not much room for manoeuvre left for Washington in the region.

_____ (2021-01-27). Can You Steal a Presidency That Doesn't Exist? strategic-culture.org The presidential inauguration of Joe Biden passed over peacefully: But then it wasn't a presidential inauguration at all. | The dark genius vision of Philip K. Dick, America's Kafka, greatest and therefore most widely feared and ignored of U.S. writers proved unerringly true again. The Reality of Things is far too difficult, far too disturbing to even attempt any more. Just hang a a handwritten tiny note on any piece of junk and 330 million Americans will happily believe that it is more real than reality. Though in reality, not even that. | The official viewing figures of the Biden inauguration on January 20 are…

_____ (2021-01-27). Newspeak in the 21st Century: How to Become a Model Citizen in the New Era of Domestic Warfare. strategic-culture.org War will continue under the Old Cold War doctrine. War will always be present, and yet will never be seen by the majority of our citizens, Cynthia Chung writes. | With President Biden's inauguration many feel that they can finally breathe a deep sigh of relief. At last sanity has been restored and we can all go back to our predictable lives knowing that the future can only get better during these next four years. | Well…not quite. | There still remains the problem that everybody may not be on board with the progressive changes that Biden's Administration plans to push through. This, of course, is wholly unaccep…

_____ (2021-01-27). Biden Admin's Coercive Iran Policy Threatens Serious New Regional Crisis. strategic-culture.org If the Biden administration refuses to relent on its coercive diplomacy and provokes a crisis, Iran can now inflict serious costs on the United States and its allies in the region. Yet Biden's foreign policy team appears so far to be oblivious to the serious risks inherent in its current path.

Dr. Rudolf Hà§nsel (2021-01-27). Internationale Kriegstreiber ràºhren die Kriegstrommeln fàºr Krieg gegen Russland. globalresearch.ca ‚ÄûLiebesgràºàüe nach Moskau: Biden droht der ‚ÄöTyrannei' Putins mit dem Ende." Dieses vergiftete ‚ÄûVersprechen" gab Biden dem russischen Prà§sidenten bereits lange vor seiner gestohlenen Wahl zum neuen US-Prà§sidenten (1). àúber das in Màºnchen anstehende private Treffen ausgewà§hlter Kriegstreiber sagt er: …

David Konisky (2021-01-27). Biden has pledged to advance environmental justice—here's how the EPA can start. nationofchange.org Achieving environmental justice is a long-term project, and the EPA is just one of many government agencies that need to change their ways before the U.S. can make progress.

Prof. Alon Ben-Meir (2021-01-27). As a Democracy, Israel Shows No Moral Tenet: El-Halabi's Outcry for Justice. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles including the E-Book can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Israel's continued treatment of Palestinian political prisoners is …

Nonviolence, Health, Environment (2021-01-27). Biden, Please Withdraw Vilsack Nomination Because of Animal Cruelty. indybay.org Whether Perdue, Vilsack, or others, the USDA has always been the errand boys and girls of animal agriculture in having destroyed trillions of animals.

Alfred W. McCoy (2021-01-27). While America was sleeping. nationofchange.org Today, in the era of a 78-year-old president, a veritable Rip Van Biden, Americans and the rest of the world are, it seems, waking up in a new age.

WSWS (2021-01-27). Farmers protesting Modi's pro-agribusiness laws clash with security forces on streets of India's capital. wsws.org Shaken by yesterday's events, the BJP government has ordered additional security forces be deployed in Delhi, and placed Haryana and the Punjab under "high alert."

Johanna Kichton (2021-01-27). People's Action: We're Living Through a Climate Emergency. Now Let's Act Like It. peoplesaction.org Contact: Johanna Kichton, 240.206.1145, press@peoplesaction.org WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action released the following statement from Climate Justice Campaign Director Kaniela Ing after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on President Biden to endorse the THRIVE Agenda and declare a climate emergency for the United States: "This echoes the demands of thousands of grassroots organizers, the declarations of 1,864 jurisdictions …

WSWS (2021-01-27). As Biden pleads for unity, Senate Republicans overwhelmingly back Trump in impeachment trial. wsws.org Biden's ceaseless appeals for "unity," which began two days after the January 6 coup attempt when he argued for maintaining a "strong Republican Party," have emboldened the fascistic forces promoted by the Republican Party and Trump.

WSWS (2021-01-27). The Biden climate plan, Part One: A drop in the ocean. wsws.org Even if Biden gets everything he asks for, his plan will be totally insufficient to meet its target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Dean Baker (2021-01-27). Quick Thoughts on the Minimum Wage. cepr.net President Biden's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 is prompting a backlash from the usual suspects. As we hear the cries about how this will be the end of the world for small businesses and lead to massive unemployment, especially for young workers, minorities, and the less-educated, there are …

teleSUR (2021-01-26). Maduro Invites International Organizations To Witness Elections. telesurenglish.net Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro invited the European Union on Monday to observe the governor's elections in 2021. | RELATED: | During a meeting with the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), the president reiterated that all international organizations are invited to witness Venezuelan democracy. Maduro foresees a victory of his party PSUV after progressive forces regained the parliament's majority from the o…

Staff (2021-01-26). COVID Windfall for Billionaires Could Fully Fund Relief for the Working Class. truthout.org The $1.1 trillion in wealth that America's billionaires have collectively gained during ten months of pandemic and economic crisis could fully pay for key relief measures that President Joe Biden proposed in his recently released

Staff (2021-01-26). The COVID Windfall for Billionaires Could Fully Fund Relief for Working Class. truthout.org The $1.1 trillion in wealth that America's billionaires have collectively gained during ten months of pandemic and economic crisis could fully pay for key relief measures that President Joe Biden proposed in his recently released

Staff (2021-01-26). Inequality Virus: Pandemic Widens Wealth Gap for Women, People of Color as Billionaire Profits Soar. democracynow.org As the wealth of U.S. billionaires soars by over a trillion dollars during the pandemic, Oxfam is warning COVID-19 could lead to the biggest increase in global inequality on record. A new Oxfam report finds it could take more than a decade for poor people to recover from the health and economic crisis, and urges governments to take immediate action. "In every country that we looked at, inequality has gotten worse during the pandemic," says Paul O'Brien, vice president of Oxfam America. "All around the world now, we are seeing folks struggling on the wrong end of inequality, while those who have been the beneficia…

Tom Clifford (2021-01-26). When Biden's "New" America Confronts the New China. counterpunch.org The lexicon has changed. Words and phrases that seemed to define our world until quite recently now belong to a bygone era. Remember BRICs? The grouping of the next economic superpowers. Well, Brazil, Russia, India and China now resemble a brash start-up promising a whole new way of doing things only to fall out among

Andrew Rosenberg (2021-01-26). Impactful Biden climate actions nobody is talking about. peoplesworld.org The first 24 hours of the administration of President Joe Biden were filled not only with ceremony, but also with real action. Executive orders and other directives were quickly signed. More actions have followed. All consequential. Many provide a basis for not just undoing actions of the previous administration, but also making real advances in public policy …

Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold (2021-01-26). Rob Malley for Iran Envoy: A Test Case for Biden's Commitment to Diplomacy. dissidentvoice.org (Photo credit: National Press Club) President Biden's commitment to re-entering the Iran nuclear deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA—is already facing backlash from a motley crew of warhawks both domestic and foreign. Right now, opponents of re-entering the deal are centering their vitriol on one of the nation's foremost experts …

RT (2021-01-26). Putin submits bill to ratify 5-year extension of New START as last-minute deal with US is expected to rescue nuclear treaty. rt.com Following talks with Washington, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent parliament a draft deal that would extend the New START arms reduction pact for five more years. The critical treaty is set to expire in just over a week. | The draft text reveals that the two countries have "agreed in principle" to preserve the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, placing no conditions on the five-year extension. | The eleventh-hour deal to revive New START was discussed during a Tuesday phone call between Putin and US President Joe Biden, a conversation the Kremlin described as "frank and businesslike." | Also on rt.c…

Staff (2021-01-26). Biden's First Climate Actions Are a Result of Years of Indigenous Activism. truthout.org Indigenous activists emerged as leaders of a climate movement that put increasing pressure on Joe Biden, who revoked a key permit for the Keystone XL pipeline shortly after becoming president. So, what happens next? Mike Ludwig speaks with Jade Begay, the Climate Justice Director of NDN Collective, an Indigenous led-organization building Indigenous power by working with front line activists. | Music by TRANSCRIPT: | Note: This a rush…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-01-26). Masking Up Under Biden: the Perils of Tribalism, Bureaucracy and Lawsuits. counterpunch.org One crackling theme streaking through the US elections of 2020 was the issue of mask wearing. Critics initially felt that facemasks were of the too important category in combating the novel coronavirus: purchasing and using them was tantamount to prizing valuable protective equipment from doctors and frontline workers. But COVID-19 continued to rage, and various

Juan Cole (2021-01-26). President Biden, We can do this too: Europe generates more electricity with Renewables than Fossil Fuels for First Time. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — A new report from Ember and Agora Energiewende finds that in 2020, the 27 countries of the European Union generated more electricity with renewables (wind, solar, hydro) than with fossil fuels (coal and natural gas). The growth in renewables has all come from wind and solar. These two increased by …

MEE staff (2021-01-26). Biden administration to restore aid to Palestinians, fix 'atrophied' relations. middleeasteye.net Biden administration to restore aid to Palestinians, fix 'atrophied' relations | Washington also plans to re-open shuttered Palestinian diplomatic missions, new US ambassador to UN tells Security Council | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 18: 14 | Palestinian children sit during a rally on 23 December to protest a reported reduction of food by UNRWA (AFP/File photo) | The Biden administration plans to re-open Palestinian dip…

Medea Benjamin, Ariel Gold (2021-01-26). Rob Malley for Iran Envoy: A Test Case for Biden's Commitment to Diplomacy. counterpunch.org President Biden's commitment to re-entering the Iran nuclear deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA—is already facing backlash from a motley crew of warhawks both domestic and foreign. Right now, opponents of re-entering the deal are centering their vitriol on one of the nation's foremost experts on both the Middle East

Staff (2021-01-26). Mitch McConnell Is Already Running Circles Around Chuck Schumer in the Senate. truthout.org In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's protagonist Scout describes a Christmas Day spent with her least favorite cousin: "Talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean." | This is how I have long felt about Sen. Chuck Schumer, and the week's antics have again validated my sense that the man is and has long been chum in Mitch McConnell's shark tank. It is barely Tuesday, and already Schumer couldn't make a breakfast order without losing contr…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-01-26). The "Insurrection" and Its Discontents: "American Exceptionalism" Revisited. dissidentvoice.org History is being written in the United States today. Even the most pessimistic about the prospects of American democracy have rarely ventured out this far while offering a bleak analysis of America's future, whether in terms of political polarization at home or global standing abroad. As shocking and, certainly, telling as the images of thousands …

Roger D. Harris (2021-01-26). In the Wake of the Riots: The Blowback from Defeating Trump was Criminalizing Dissent. mintpressnews.com As the neoliberal state's crisis of legitimacy matures, anti-terrorism laws and the institutional apparatus of fascist repression are being perfected to use against future insurgencies.

Hassina MechaàØ (2021-01-26). Macron's 'imam charter' raises fears of state control over Islam of France. middleeasteye.net Macron's 'imam charter' raises fears of state control over Islam of France | With a remit of aligning French Islam with 'republican values', the charter set out by Macron is ready, but it raises more questions than it answers | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 13: 57 | Mohammed Moussaoui (left), President of the French Council of Muslim Faith (CFCM), signing the 'charter of principles' alongside Presiden…

Eds. (2021-01-26). NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang blasted for comparing BDS to 'fascist boycotts'. mronline.org One-time presidential hopeful faces backlash over op-ed saying BDS movement 'rooted in antisemitic thought and history'.

Rep. Ron Paul (2021-01-26). When Fascism Comes, It Will be Wearing a Mask. globalresearch.ca Almost immediately after his inauguration, President Joe Biden began creating new government dictates via executive orders. Many of these executive orders concern coronavirus, fulfilling Biden's promise to make ramping up a coronavirus-inspired attack on liberty a focus of his first …

Jesse Jackson (2021-01-26). The US System Is Rigged So the Minority Can Rule Over the Majority. commondreams.org The Electoral College, Republican gerrymandering and the filibuster are all examples of how American democracy is at risk. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/electoral.jpg

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2021-01-26). 'A Big Step': Progressives Welcome Biden Executive Order Ending DOJ Private Prison Contracts, But Say This Is Just the Start. commondreams.org "There's more to be done to end the for-profit caging of people in the U.S.," stressed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Arisio Genaro Selso (2021-01-26). Video: A Conversation with Leaders of the Mayangna Nation. globalresearch.ca Tortilla con Sal: What is your perception of the seriousness of the problem of the intrusion of outsiders into indigenous lands, in your case of the Mayangna people? | Arisio Genaro Celso: We need to go back a bit to the …

Editor (2021-01-26). Corporate Media Become Deficit Hawks When It Comes to Progressive Legislation. scheerpost.com By Alan MacLeod / FAIR A Democrat has assumed office, and so, like clockwork, corporate media are here to play their favorite game of pretending to suddenly be deeply concerned with the deficit and the national debt. Debt has risen sharply after a Covid-induced economic crash and rounds of enormous Trump tax cuts (the last of which gave 82% of the benefits to the richest 43,000 Americans… |

Ramzy Baroud (2021-01-26). The 'Insurrection' and Its Discontents: 'American Exceptionalism' Revisited. counterpunch.org History is being written in the United States today. Even the most pessimistic about the prospects of American democracy have rarely ventured out this far while offering a bleak analysis of America's future, whether in terms of political polarization at home or global standing abroad. As shocking and, certainly, telling as the images of thousands

Patrick Delaney (2021-01-26). Nursing Home Fires Workers for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccination. globalresearch.ca A nursing home run by Rock County is receiving significant pushback after mandating its employees receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine regimen or face layoff. | Officials at

Stephen Lendman (2021-01-26). Israel to Decide Fate of the JCPOA Nuclear Deal? globalresearch.ca According to Biden's secretary of state-designee Anthony Blinken, the new regime in town will keep much of its predecessor's geopolitical agenda in place. | Former usurper-in-waiting/self-designated interim Venezuelan president Guaido — no longer a National Assembly member — will still …

Jon Queally, staff writer (2021-01-26). As World Demands Peace and Aid for Yemen, Biden Told to 'End Every Aspect of This War'. commondreams.org Over 385 groups from across the globe are calling for an immediate halt to the U.S.-backed Saudi coalition's relentless attack—an armed conflict that is only intensifying the world's worst humanitarian catastrophe. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/yemen_cant_wait.jpg