(2021-02-09). Andres Arauz wins the first electoral round in Ecuador. mronline.org 
According to unofficial results of an exit poll, Ecuador will have a run-off election. Andres Arauz won 36,2 percent of the valid votes and right-wing candidate Guillermo Lasso got 21,7 percent.
(2021-02-09). Immigrants Shouldn't Have to Sacrifice Themselves to COVID for Basic Rights. truthout.org 
During the election campaign that led him to the White House, Joe Biden
(2021-02-09). I analyzed all of Trump's tweets to find out what he was really saying. juancole.com 
By Michael Humphrey | — The tally was in, it was clear Donald Trump had lost — and he tweeted: "either a new election should take place or … results nullified." It sounds familiar, but it wasn't November 2020. It was February 2016. Trump was just months into his presidential campaign, and was already telling …
(2021-02-09). Will the left return to power in Ecuador? liberationnews.org 
With nearly all the votes counted, left wing candidate Andrés Arauz has come in first place with over 32 percent of the vote in the first round of Ecuador's presidential election.
(2021-02-09). Bolivia To Keep March 7 as Subnational Election Day. telesurenglish.net La Paz Constitutional Court on Monday ruled out a claim that sought to postpone the Bolivian subnational elections over fears of an increase in COVID-19 infections. | RELATED: | The appeal was filed on Jan. 27 by candidate Amilcar Barral, who is running for La Paz Mayor's office on behalf of the National Action Party (PAN-BOL). | Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) President Salvador Romero argued that electoral authorities had approved…
(2021-02-09). Egypt Reopens Rafah Crossing Indefinitely. popularresistance.org Egypt today opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip until further notice, Egyptian and Palestinian sources said, a move described as an incentive for reconciliation between the main Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo, Reuters reported. | Leaders of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, which controls the West Bank, and of Hamas, which governs the besieged Gaza Strip, began Egyptian-brokered talks yesterday to address long-standing divisions ahead of elections planned for later this year. | The 365 square kilometre (141 square mile) Gaza Strip is home to around two million Palestinian…
(2021-02-09). Biden's Civilian Climate Corps comes straight out of the New Deal. peoplesworld.org 
The article below is reprinted from The Grist. One of the most popular programs from the New Deal is making a comeback, nearly 90 years later. President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order to create a Civilian Climate Corps. The initiative, he wrote, will provide "good jobs" for young people and train them for environmentally …
(2021-02-09). Between a Heating Globe and a Nuclear Conflagration, Can Biden Meet the Urgency? truthout.org 
If you live in California, you're likely to be consumed on occasion by thoughts of fire. That's not surprising, given that, in last year alone, actual fires
(2021-02-09). From Concentration Camps to Overflow Facilities: With Biden in Charge, Media Forgets Kids in Cages. mintpressnews.com 
The lack of critical coverage of Biden's new announcement suggests that corporate media will no longer be as concerned about "kids in cages" now their preferred candidate is in the White House.
(2021-02-09). Despite Biden's Moratorium, ICE Deports Dozens to Haiti — Including a Baby. truthout.org 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported at least 72 people to Haiti, including a 2-month-old baby and 21 other children. The deportations appear to be a contradiction of the Biden administration's order to deport only people with serious charges against them. Haiti faces an increase in political violence and ongoing protests against President Jovenel MoàØse's U.S.-backed regime, and Guerline Jozef, co-founder and executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, says sending people t…
(2021-02-09). Amid Unrest in Haiti, ICE Deports Dozens — Including a 2-Month-Old Baby — into "Burning House" democracynow.org 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported at least 72 people to Haiti, including a 2-month-old baby and 21 other children. The deportations appear to be a contradiction of the Biden administration's order to deport only people with serious charges against them. Haiti faces an increase in political violence and ongoing protests against President Jovenel MoàØse's U.S.-backed regime, and Guerline Jozef, co-founder and executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, says sending people to Haiti is putting them in danger. "We should be providing protection for those people, but we are sending them in…
(2021-02-09). How Biden Can Bring Back Manufacturing Jobs. progressive.org The President's plan to reinforce the Buy American Act is the first step in reviving the U.S. industry.
(2021-02-09). Where is Biden's Foreign Policy Headed? zcomm.org Biden has appointed many old guard interventionists and new Cold Warriors, but there is some hope for a better Iran policy. Watch out for attempts by Israel to scuttle the nuclear deal…
(2021-02-09). How Rational Can The US Be In Dealing With Yemen And Iran? popularresistance.org This announcement does not augur peace in Yemen any time soon. Rather it looks a bit like political mystification that some have chosen to celebrate now, regardless of what it actually means, apparently in hope of making it a meaningful, self-fulfilling prophecy some time in the future. This does not seem likely, given what Biden actually said, but we shall see. | For the foreseeable future, Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, will remain the victim of a Saudi war of aggression and Saudi war crimes. Since March 2015, with the full support of the Obama administration, Saudi Arabia and its allies have tu…
(2021-02-09). This is Biden's Chance to End ICE's Abuses — For Good. aclu.org President Biden's 100-day deportation moratorium, announced late last month, was a monumental achievement for immigrant justice activists and immigrant communities. Less visible but potentially groundbreaking: The Department of Homeland Security's promise to conduct a top-to-bottom review of programs and policies governing the arrests and deportations of immigrants in the United States. | While a Texas court temporarily enjoined the deportation moratorium (the ACLU has
(2021-02-09). Cancer Care Under the Biden Administration. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint evaluates Biden's health care proposals to help reduce the cost burden on patients with cancer should they be enacted legislatively.
(2021-02-09). No Honeymoon for Biden — Jeff Cohen. theanalysis.news No Honeymoon for Biden is telling progressives you have to learn the lessons of history. Previous Democratic administrations have not delivered on promises made, and there should be maximum pressure put on Biden right away, says Jeff Cohen of RootsAction.org on theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay.
(2021-02-09). Your Official Souvenir Guide to the Trump Impeachment Trial. counterpunch.org 
Tickets: Congratulations! You are one of small number of Americans selected by U.S. Senators to witness in person the 2021 Impeachment Trial of former President Donald J. Trump. In keeping with Electoral College protocols, every senator has been allotted the same number of tickets, regardless of the size of their state. It is therefore expected
(2021-02-09). Trump's Twitter ban highlights need to democratise social media. greenleft.org.au Twitter's permanent suspension of Donald Trump's account on January 8 was an anti-climactic conclusion to a presidency that ultimately finished with a whimper rather than a bang, writes Leo Crnogorcevic.
(2021-02-09). Press Freedom Groups Call On DOJ To Drop Assange Charges. popularresistance.org The letter comes just days before the United States' deadline to appeal the ruling in Julian Assange's extradition hearing. On January 4, British Judge Vanessa Baraitser blocked Assange's extradition last month on medical grounds, and the U.S. announced its intent to appeal that decision. It has until February 12 to file its appeal. | The New York Times' Charlie Savage writes, "The litigation deadline may force the new administration to confront a decision: whether to press on with the Trump-era approach to Mr. Assange, or to instead drop the matter."
(2021-02-09). Whites still won't Mask up: Impeach Trump for discouraging Hygiene in a pandemic and killing hundreds of thousands. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — One of Trump's biggest crimes for which he is unlikely ever to be held responsible was just discouraging mask-wearing in the midst of a pandemic of a respiratory disease. He, of course, contracted the disease himself, as did most of his prominent staffers, mainly because they refused to socially distance …
(2021-02-09). Don't Impeach Trump. Impeach the Deep State for Its Conspiracy to Kill the Constitution. mintpressnews.com Impeaching Trump will accomplish very little, and it will not in any way improve the plight of the average American. It will only reinforce the spectacle and farce that have come to be synonymous with politics today.
(2021-02-09). To End Systemic Racism, Ensure Systemic Equality. aclu.org Over the past four years, we grew accustomed to a regular barrage of blatant, segregationist-style racism from the White House. Donald Trump
(2021-02-09). Democrats WANT To Lose The Midterms: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Republicans: Good. | Democrats: We hear you and we honor your experience. | ‚ùñ | The USA is the single worst human rights offender on our planet. The fact that most of its transgressions take place outside its own borders makes it more egregious, not less. So-called human rights watchdog groups which fail to acknowledge this fact are propaganda constructs. | ‚ùñ | By 2024 the only mainstream US political debate allowed will be about whether America should nuke Russia or China. | ‚ùñ | "Kindly let me help you or you will drown, said the monkey putting th…
(2021-02-09). Corona and psychology: Fear works against democratic coexistence. indybay.org The current "simultaneous consolidation and weakening of the state" (Nicos Poulantzas) are two sides of the same coin: the rise of the punitive state goes hand in hand with growing social insecurity and disenfranchisement, rather than an increase in rule-breaking and crime. The state authority & police strengthen themselves in pandemic…
(2021-02-09). South Florida: Capitalists worsen housing crisis during pandemic. liberationnews.org 
Florida tenants are amongst the highest at risk of eviction after years of Republican-controlled legislation stripping tenants of protections.
(2021-02-09). "Bolivar Act" to tighten U.S. sanctions against elected Venezuelan government. peoplesworld.org 
On January 28, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced into the Congress a new bill dedicated to smashing democracy in Venezuela, cumbersomely entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act." The creators of the law tendentiously established the …
(2021-02-09). 'Bolivar Act' to tighten U.S. sanctions against elected Venezuelan government. peoplesworld.org On January 28, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced into the Congress a new bill dedicated to smashing democracy in Venezuela, cumbersomely entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act." The creators of the law tendentiously established the …
(2021-02-09). 'Freedom is Never Voluntarily Given': Palestinian Boycott of Israel is Not Racist, It is Anti-Racist. counterpunch.org 
Claims made by Democratic New York City mayoral candidate, Andrew Yang, in a recent op-ed in the Jewish weekly, 'The Forward', point to the prevailing ignorance that continues to dominate the US discourse on Palestine and Israel. Yang, a former Democratic Presidential candidate, is vying for the Jewish vote in New York City. According to
(2021-02-09). Andrew Yang Got it Wrong: Palestinian Boycott of Israel is Not Racist, It is Anti-Racist. mintpressnews.com Claims made by Democratic New York City mayoral Yang, a former Democratic Presidential candidate, is vying for the Jewish vote in New York City. According to the reductionist assumption that all Jews must naturally supp…
(2021-02-09). Disabled Advocates Demand Better Vaccine Access as They Face Greater Risks of Dying from COVID-19. democracynow.org 
As the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus tops 465,000, we speak with two disability rights activists about growing calls to prioritize giving COVID vaccines to people with physical and mental disabilities. Some states, including California, are failing to prioritize vaccines for people with serious physical or developmental disabilities, even though studies show they are up to three times more likely to die from COVID-19. "I use a ventilator to breathe, and I have respiratory failure," says disabled activist Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project and host of the podcast "Disability Visibility…
(2021-02-09). Fox News moves to dismiss Smartmatic $2.7 billion defamation suit, blasts as 'meritless'. rt.com 
Fox News is pushing back against a lawsuit from voting firm Smartmatic, which goes after the network and specific hosts, including the recently canceled Lou Dobbs, for pushing election-fraud conspiracy theories. | Others cited in the lawsuit for tying Smartmatic to alleged election fraud are Jeanine Pirro and Maria Bartiromo. The company takes umbrage with everything from being tied to foreign nations to reports it was used across the country when it was only used in Los Angeles County. | Fox News has now filed a motion in New York Supreme Court, defending themselves under the First Amendment and using former…
(2021-02-09). Georgia secretary of state launches 'fact-finding probe' into Trump's demand to 'find votes' in 2020 election. rt.com 
The office of Georgia's secretary of state is investigating a series of phone calls former President Donald Trump made to state officials following the 2020 election, where he urged them to uncover fraud in the race. | A spokesperson for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed the probe on Monday, stating that his office is responding to formal complaints made by a law professor who claims the ex-president illegally pressured officials to find evidence to help overturn Joe Biden's victory in the state. | "The Secretary of State's office investigates complaints it receives," said the spokesman, Walter J…
(2021-02-09). Gateway Pundit founder questions those saying 2020 election was secure while 'cracking down' on sites like his in RT interview. rt.com 
Following his permanent ban from Twitter, Gateway Pundit founder and editor Jim Hoft spoke to RT and questioned why social media platforms are working so hard to keep sites like his from reaching readers. | The @gatewaypundit Twitter handle belonging to Hoft, which sported over 375,000 followers, was banned on Saturday night for "repeated violations" of Twitter's "civic integrity process," which focuses heavily on information or theories that "could undermine faith in the process itself, such as unverified information about election rigging, ballot tampering, vote tallying, or certification of election results…
(2021-02-09). Headlines for February 9, 2021. democracynow.org Second Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump Opens in the Senate, Georgia's Secretary of State to Probe Trump's Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election, U.S. Mulls Plan to Require Negative COVID-19 Test for Domestic Airline Passengers, Texas GOP Rep. Ron Wright Dies After 18-Day Battle with COVID-19, FEMA to Pay Low-Income Families Up to $7,000 for Funeral and Burial Costs During Pandemic, New York Nursing Home Residents Got Experimental COVID-19 Treatments Without Families' Knowledge, Senate Confirms Denis McDonough to Lead Department of Veterans Affairs, Haitian Asylum Seekers, Including Children, Deported Despite Bid…
(2021-02-09). Third round of Libya constitutional talks starts in Egypt. yenisafak.com A third round of Libya's dialogue on the constitutional track kicked off in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Hurghada on Tuesday, days after the election of a new interim authority in the war-torn country. | Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and the recently-appointed UN Special Envoy on Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL), Jan Kubis, addressed the opening session. | "The Libyan Constitutional Committee will discuss arrangements for holding a popular referendum on a new constitution," committee member Naema Elhammi told Anadolu Agency. | She said the committee meetings will continue for th…
(2021-02-09). Egypt opens Gaza crossing in both directions. yenisafak.com Egypt on Tuesday opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for the movement of travelers in both directions, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.A ministry statement said that "passenger buses began to leave the crossing, while returnees will arrive at noon".It is unclear how many days the crossing will remain open.Palestinian factions are currently holding dialogue in Cairo on preparations for elections.Last week, Egypt opened the crossing for four days in both directions.Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March, Egypt and Hamas agreed to close the crossing. The terminal was sp…
(2021-02-09). The Heat: Trump's second impeachment trial preview. america.cgtn.com 
Two impeachments in less than two years. Former United States President Donald Trump stands accused of inciting an insurrection against his own government in an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
(2021-02-09). The Disintegration of Israeli Politics. theanalysis.news As Israel gears up for its fourth general election in two years, it has become increasingly clear that Israeli politics is in the process of disintegration. It's largely due to an ever more fragmented party system based on identity politics, says Shir Hever, author of the book, The Privatization of Israeli Security.
(2021-02-09). Historic second Trump impeachment trial opens today. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial opens today and will end with the Senate deciding whether to convict him on the charge that, in a desperate attempt to hold onto office he lost in a free and fair election, he incited a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump's expected acquittal, …
(2021-02-09). Sen. Graham: If Dems call witnesses at Trump trial, we'll call VP Harris, Schumer, Booker, & others who used inflammatory language. rt.com 
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) has promised that if Democrats call witnesses during Donald Trump's impeachment trial, Republicans will in turn call prominent Democrats who they say used inflammatory language themselves. | Speaking to Fox News on Monday evening, Graham said part of the Republicans' strategy in the impeachment trial could be calling in Democrats who have used inflammatory language similar to Trump's on January 6. | Host Sean Hannity told Graham he wanted to see the GOP call in witnesses, specifically naming Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi…
(2021-02-09). Democrats Stick With $75K Threshold for Stimulus Checks After Pressure From Left. truthout.org 
On Monday night, the House Ways and Means Committee released legislation that rejected moderate Democrats' and Republicans' proposal to further target the stimulus checks. The legislation keeps the income threshold where it was in President Joe Biden's original draft of the stimulus at $75,000 for an individual to receive the full amount. | In the
(2021-02-09). Pandemic Response Inherited From Trump Was "More Dire" Than Biden Thought. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden appeared in his first network television interview with CBS News since taking office, and provided insight into the COVID-19 pandemic plan his administration inherited from the Trump administration. | In the interview with Norah O'Donnell, she asked if the Super Bowl would have a full stadium next year. | "It's my hope and expectation if we're able to put together and make up for all the lost time in fighting COVID that's occurred," Biden said, indicating that the Trump adminis…
(2021-02-09). Biden to ask resignation of Trump-era US attorneys. yenisafak.com US President Joe Biden's administration will ask resignation of nearly all attorneys appointed by former President Donald Trump as soon as Tuesday, according to a report.Citing a Justice Department official, CNN reported that the process will be done with two exceptions.David Weiss from Delaware will remain in place as he oversees the tax probe of Biden's son Hunter. John Durham also will continue as an attorney to investigate the origins of the Russia probe, but will not continue as Connecticut attorney, according to the official.When Trump assumed power in 2017, he ordered the resignation of 46 attorneys appoin…
(2021-02-09). The New Guardrails for Biden's Obama Interventionists. strategic-culture.org The devastation left by the Trump administration makes it nearly impossible for the Biden State Department to achieve a pre-Trump status quo ante. | It might have come as a shock to the old Obama administration global interventionists who have landed top foreign policy positions in the Biden administration that the world has moved on from 2016. Whether it likes it or not, the Biden foreign policy team is dealing with a world that no longer reacts to every move made in Washington, DC. In fact, the U.S. capital city is now viewed as a place where a far-right insurrection nearly toppled constitutional rule and impos…
(2021-02-09). Flow of migrants, deportees growing in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez. laprensalatina.com By Guadalupe Peñuelas Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Feb 9 (efe-epa)- The flow of migrants in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez and their attempts to illegally cross the frontier into the United States have increased in the last few weeks since the inauguration of Joe Biden and given that immediate return policies are still in …
(2021-02-09). Evaluating Biden's Yemen policy: Bait and switch. workers.org 
Feb. 7 — President Joe Biden seemed to announce an end to Washington's complete support for Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen last week, reversing Trump's and even the Obama/Biden administration's public policy. He called the war a "humanitarian and strategic catastrophe." In his first presidential foreign policy speech on Feb. . . . |
(2021-02-09). Senate splits 50-50 on hiking minimum wage. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—In its first legislative test on a pro-worker cause since the Democrats narrowly took control, the Senate split 50-50 on partisan lines on whether to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. With Vice President Kamala Harris breaking the tie, the wage hike stays in the budget blueprint being advanced by …
(2021-02-09). 'No good deed goes unpunished': Bafflement as LA Times pundit compares Trump-supporting neighbors who plowed her driveway to Nazis. rt.com 
A woman whose driveway was cleared of snow by Trump-supporting neighbors has repaid the favor by writing an op-ed in which she notes that even the Nazis were found to be occasionally polite, causing social media to implode. | In a piece in the Los Angeles Times titled, 'What can you do about the Trumpites next door?' Virginia Heffernan
(2021-02-09). Trump may face EVICTION from Mar-a-Lago as officials consider bid by ex-president's neighbors. rt.com 
Palm Beach, Florida, home to former US president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, is struggling to bar him from living there year-round, citing a regulation preventing non-employees from staying for over three weeks. | Non-employees of Mar-a-Lago are not allowed to stay at the resort for more than seven consecutive days or three weeks, according to an agreement Trump signed upon converting what was then a private residence into a members-only club in 1993. However, Palm Beach's own lawyer, John Randolph, put forth a memorandum on Tuesday arguing there is no legal code preventing Trump from living at the resor…
(2021-02-09). 'QAnon Shaman' becomes MSM's latest dubious darling after doing CNN the favor of blaming his own crimes on Donald Trump. rt.com 
The horn-wearing US Capitol rioter known as the "QAnon Shaman" has gone from dangerous insurrectionist to redeemable newsmaker in the eyes of mainstream media. All it took was blaming ex-president Donald Trump for his crimes. | "I am deeply disappointed in former President Trump," Jacob Chansley, the Arizona man who calls himself the QAnon Shaman, said Monday in a statement to CNN. "He was not honorable. He let a lot of peaceful people down." | Chansley issued his statement from jail through his lawyer, Albert Watkins, who expounded on Trump's evils in an interview Monday night with CNN host Chris Cuomo. Late…
(2021-02-09). Senate votes it is CONSTITUTIONAL to try ex-President Trump, paving way for full impeachment trial. rt.com 
A simple majority of US senators have voted to recognize the impending impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump as constitutional. Trump's legal team insisted the chamber lacks the jurisdiction to try an ex-president. | Six Republicans joined Senate Democrats on Tuesday to give the go-ahead for Trump's second impeachment trial. Mitt Romney, Bill Cassidy, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey broke with the rest of their party to guarantee the trial moves ahead. The task was not daunting, as only a simple majority was needed, with the final vote tally being 56-44. | BREAKING: U.S. Se…
(2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. zcomm.org If the Democrats do not go full throttle in this trial — this last clear chance to exercise the Constitution against Tyrant Trump — they will be remembered as profiles of infamy…
(2021-02-09). New Evidence Expected at Trump's Impeachment May Change GOP Minds, Aides Say. truthout.org 
House impeachment managers are likely to produce new evidence this week in the Senate impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, which may convince some Republicans reluctant to indict him to change their minds, aides to those managers have said. |
(2021-02-09). Disqualifying Trump From Office Is the Least He Deserves — But It Won't Happen. truthout.org 
The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is officially underway, and aside from the unique historic nature of the event itself, the whole thing feels like a sail with no wind in it. To call this "pathetic" is to be kind. Some 45 GOP senators have signaled their intent to cleave to a laughably incorrect legal theory that argues Trump can't be tried now that he's out of office. Without 17 of them voting to convict, acquittal is a certainty. | Jeff Tiedrich of the political f…
(2021-02-09). Senate Puts Trump on Trial in Historic Second Impeachment Case for Inciting Capitol Insurrection. democracynow.org 
The historic second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump marks the first time a president will face impeachment after leaving office, and many Republicans claim the trial of a former president is unconstitutional. But most legal experts disagree. "Of course the Senate can conduct this trial," says Alan Hirsch, author and chair of the Justice and Law Studies program at Williams College. He says doing otherwise would give presidents a "get-out-of-impeachment-free card" at the end of their terms. Since the U.S. was founded, the Senate has conducted just three other presidential impeachment trials: Andr…
(2021-02-09). GOP Senators Face a Reckoning Over Impeachment. thenation.com GOP Senators Face a Reckoning Over Impeachment…
(2021-02-09). Will American Sports Recover From Trumpism? thenation.com Will American Sports Recover From Trumpism?
(2021-02-09). Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal. middleeasteye.net 
Dershowitz 'tried to free paedophile George Nader' to work on Israel-UAE deal | Report suggests Trump ally lobbied US and Israel governments to commute sex offender's 10-year prison sentence | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 09: 54 | Attorney Alan Dershowitz, a member of former US President Donald Trump's legal team, and convicted paedophile George Nader (AFP/C-Span) | Lawyer Alan Dershowitz helped craft a proposal for the…
(2021-02-09). Syrian oil fields no longer priority for US forces, says Pentagon. middleeasteye.net 
Syrian oil fields no longer priority for US forces, says Pentagon | Pentagon spokesman says defeating Islamic State group is Washington's main objective in war-ravaged country | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 16: 20 | In 2019, Trump announced US troops would largely withdraw from Syria, with exception of a small force that would remain to 'protect' oil resources (AFP) | US forces in Syria are not guarding oil fields as pre…
(2021-02-09). Global semiconductor chip shortage hits car sales. yenisafak.com Honda Motor Co. had set a target of 4.6 million sales until March this year.The shortage of the chips is mainly attributed to boost in sales of smartphones, game consoles, smart TVs, and laptops triggered by global lockdown during the pandemic which forced people to stay home.Also, restrictions imposed by former US President Donald Trump's administration on China's chipmakers have fueled the demand for semiconductor chips.The global chip shortage has led many industrialized countries to reach out to Taiwan for chip supplies. The US, Germany, and Japan have recently urged Taipei to increase the chip production.Tai…
(2021-02-09). Senate agrees on schedule for Trump's impeachment trial. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 8 (efe-epa).- Top lawmakers in the US Senate on Monday arrived at agreement on the schedule and structure of the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, slated to begin on Tuesday on the charge of "inciting insurrection" and which they promised will be "fair." "All parties have agreed to a structure that …
(2021-02-09). What's to Become of the Republican Party. counterpunch.org "To be or not to be: that is the question: " — William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1 It looks as if congressional Republicans have become the party of Trump disciple Marjorie Taylor Greene, not Lincoln. And the conspiracist freshman Georgia Republican congresswoman, stripped of two committee assignments by Democrats incensed at her extremist statements,
(2021-02-09). MN-646 defendant rejects plea bargain. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On February 8, over 100 people attended the court support for Amina McCaskill. McCaskill and over 646 others are targets of political repression from the November 4, 2020 national day of action to demand a "People's Agenda" post-Trump. They were arrested as they were trying to march off of Interstate 94. | The hearing was held on Zoom. Most of McCaskill's 100-plus supporters renamed themselves as "Observer for Amina." The hearing's original intent was for McCaskill to respond to a plea bargain which would still result in serious charges. She declined the plea bargain and instead opted to go to t…
(2021-02-09). The Trump Political Show Trial. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The Senate trial for now twice-impeached former President Donald Trump is …
(2021-02-09). Reagan's Racism the Model for Trump — Matt Tyrnauer (Pt3). theanalysis.news Reagan was the master of racist "dog whistles", plausible deniability that allowed Reagan to protect himself. It has allowed the Republican Party for the last four decades to deny who Ronald Reagan was and turn him into a hero. Matt Tyrnauer, director of "The Reagans" on Showtime, joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news…
(2021-02-09). UN sends 60 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com On Tuesday, the UN sent 60 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to internal conflict in the country.The trucks carrying supplies passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed to those in need in Idlib and nearby rural areas.A civil war had ravaged Syria since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and millions more displaced.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey…
(2021-02-09). Bernie Sanders Clears Path in Congress to Raise Minimum Wage. truthout.org 
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders said on Monday that findings in a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report provide Democrats with a clear path for bypassing Republican obstruction in the Senate and raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 with a simple majority. |
(2021-02-09). My Path to Becoming A Real Progressive. realprogressives.org 
I suspect there are still many voters and registered Democrats who were like me in 2016. | I believed the Democratic Party represented me — a liberal American concerned about civil liberties, individual rights, democracy, and free enterprise. In short, I believed the party was socially progressive and promoted social welfare. | I believed these things about the party which is why I toed the party line. | From the 1990s onward, I was largely indifferent to politics. I had a passive attitude towards what happened in Washington. Only every four years did politics become sort of interesting. I didn't follow t…
(2021-02-09). Democrats Have Inherited a Broken Senate. Can They Make It Work? thenation.com Democrats Have Inherited a Broken Senate. Can They Make It Work?
(2021-02-09). India's farmers' protests: "This is history in the making" zcomm.org Amidst the months-long, farmer-led protests on the outskirts of Delhi, the foundations of a more democratic and anti-corporate India are being built…
(2021-02-09). Big Business Goes Up Against Democracy in Seattle. thenation.com Big Business Goes Up Against Democracy in Seattle…
(2021-02-09). Anti-coup protests continue despite ban in Myanmar. yenisafak.com In Myanmar, Protesters took to the streets on Tuesday for the fourth straight day, defying the military's warning of legal action on public gatherings.The State Administrative Council, headed by military chief Min Aung Hlaing after a coup last week, has imposed a nationwide all-night curfew and ban on public gatherings of more than five people.Hundreds of thousands of anti-coup protesters rallied in Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, the three largest cities, and other parts, demanding an end to military rule and the release of detained leaders.Ko Ko Htay, a 62-year-old resident in Lanmadaw, a downtown township in…
(2021-02-09). Newspaper editors raise concerns over whether the government is blacklisting journalists. thecanary.co Downing Street has insisted it welcomes press scrutiny after newspaper editors signed an open letter calling for a review into the government's use of freedom of information (FOI) requests. | Former and current Fleet Street editors have raised concerns about a "clearing house" within the Cabinet Office, which has been advising government departments on the handling of FOI requests. | The existence of the unit was revealed by an openDemocracy investigation which said the team collates lists of journalists with details about their work. | t.co/fbxyPEQb8t | — openDemocracy (@openDemocracy)
(2021-02-09). Anti-coup protesters injured as Myanmar police use force. laprensalatina.com (Update 1: Adds details of injuries, alters lead, headline, minor edits) Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- Myanmar police on Tuesday injured several anti-coup protesters with rubber bullets, water cannon and allegedly live ammunition as tens of thousands defied a ban on public assembly to demonstrate last week's military coup. Kyi Toe, a spokesman for the …
(2021-02-09). Myanmar protesters defy assembly ban to rally against military junta. laprensalatina.com Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- Protesters in Myanmar on Tuesday defied public assembly bans to rally for the fourth day against the military junta that took power last week. Restrictions were placed on townships of Yangon, Mandalay, Sagaing region and Kayah state on Monday night, including bans on protests and the assembly of more than …
(2021-02-09). Pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash violated rules, NTSB say. laprensalatina.com Los Angeles, Feb 9 (efe-epa).- Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other passengers were killed in a helicopter accident caused after the pilot became disoriented while flying in cloudy conditions, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ruled on Tuesday. Federal regulators said that pilot Ara Zobayan suffered spatial disorientation while he navigated through clouds and …
(2021-02-08). Gig Workers' Data Rights Should Be Prioritized in Labor's Next Fight. truthout.org 
In the November election, California voters delivered a blow to gig workers by
(2021-02-08). Arabic press review: Palestinians step up efforts to sue Israel at ICC. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Palestinians step up efforts to sue Israel at ICC | Meanwhile, Hamas is reportedly split on decision to participate in elections, and Egypt and the UAE feel alienated after results of UN-sponsored Libyan elections | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 14: 25 | The Bakr family in their house in the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on 7 February, with posters of four children from their exten…
(2021-02-08). Israel's Netanyahu pleads not guilty to corruption weeks before election. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's Netanyahu pleads not guilty to corruption weeks before election | The premier is the first to be indicted in office after he was charged last year over graft allegations
| Mon, 02/08/2021 – 07: 48 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to a hearing of his corruption trial at the Jerusalem district court, on 8 February 2021 (AFP) | Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin…
(2021-02-08). Andrés Arauz wins first round of Ecuadorian presidential election, heads to run-off on April 11. peoplesdispatch.org According to the quick count, Andrés Arauz of the progressive Union for Hope alliance (UNES) won 31.74% of the votes. However, its still unclear who his opponent will be as two candidates are technically tied for second place…
(2021-02-08). Myanmar: Citizens Stage General Strike Against Military Junta. telesurenglish.net Thousands of people on Monday took to the streets of Rangoon, Myanmar's largest city, to protest against the military coup d'etat staged on February 1 as the new parliament began its sessions. | RELATED: | In the country's capital Naipyido, the demonstrations were also massive and demanded respect for the parliamentary elections held in November, in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) was victorious. | Socia…
(2021-02-08). Race for 2d Place Continues in Ecuador's Presidential Elections. telesurenglish.net With 97.56 percent of the votes counted, the National Electoral Council (CNE) has not yet been able to dispel who is in second place. | RELATED: | As of Monday morning, Union for Hope (UNES) presidential candidate Andres Arauz maintains first place with 32.20 percent of votes in his favor. | However, Pachakutik candidate Yaku Perez had 19.80 percent of the votes and the CREO candidate Guillermo Lasso reached 19.60 percent. | The small difference between…
(2021-02-08). Haiti: Protesters Demand President Moise Steps Down. popularresistance.org Amid ongoing protests, the diaspora watched as journalists reported the arrest of a Supreme Court justice and a police inspector in Haiti on Feb. 7, the day opposition leaders, civil society and human rights groups say President Jovenel Moise should step down. | During the week leading up to Feb. 7, politicians and civil society groups from throughout the diaspora called for U.S. intervention, some citing the need to convene dialogue, while others called for a transitional government. The U.S. State Department has stated that Moise's term ends in February 2022 and has called for elections this year, despite wides…
(2021-02-08). André Arauz Wins First Round Of Ecuadorian Presidential Election. popularresistance.org Andrés Arauz of the progressive Union for Hope alliance (UNES) won the first round in the Ecuadorian presidential elections that were held on Sunday, February 7. He obtained 31.74% of the votes, as per the results of the quick count by the national electoral council. It is not fully clear who is in the second place as the results showed a technical tie between Guillermo Lasso of the right-wing Creating Opportunities‚Ää (CREO) party and Social Christian Party (PSC), and Yaku Pérez of the Indigenous Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement party. Lasso obtained 20.05% of the votes, while Pérez secure…
(2021-02-08). Progressive candidate Andrés Arauz has the advantage ahead of Ecuador's run-off election. peoplesdispatch.org Andrés Arauz of the progressive Union for Hope alliance (UNES) won the first round in the Ecuadorian presidential elections that were held on February 7…
(2021-02-08). Proof That the US November Election Was Stolen Exists in Abundance. thealtworld.com The official narrative that there was no election theft is likely the largest lie ever perpetrated on the world. The lie is so vast and so fragile that everyone who disagrees with the official narrative is suppressed, deplatformed, kicked off social media, ostracized, and fired from their job in order to protect the lie from examination and exposure. In Michigan the state attorney general is attempting to debar attorneys who represented cases of electoral theft. Massive effort was made—including an orchestrated "storming of the Capitol"—to insure that the evidence would not be presented and that the m…
(2021-02-08). Warren, Schumer Introduce Resolution to Cancel $50K in Student Loan Debt. zcomm.org Polls have shown that forgiving up to $50,000 in student loan debt is relatively popular among the public, though with some caveats that the forgiveness should be targeted…
(2021-02-08). National vs. Human Security. counterpunch.org "It is long past time for . . . a sea change in the United States' approach to national and human security . . ." Yes, yes, yes. These words cut to the soul. Can we create a grown-up America? This is how it begins. The quote is from a letter to President Biden, put forward
(2021-02-08). Biden's Iran Policy Is Just Trump's Iran Policy With A Rainbow Flag Emoji. thealtworld.com 
In a new interview with CBS Evening News, President Biden "Will the U.S. lift sanctions first in order to get Iran back to the negotiating table?" Biden was asked by CBS's Norah O'Donnell. | "No," the president replied. | "They have to stop enriching uranium first," asked O'Donnell. | Biden nodded…
(2021-02-08). You Owe It to Your Dog to Obey Jill Biden, Says Jill Biden. anti-empire.com 
In today's edition of pulling on heartstrings to push political agendas, First Lady DOCTOR Jill Biden says we owe it to our dogs to wear a mask, even while we're outside walking our dogs away from any other humans at all. | You never know when that sneaky Rona is gonna jump out from behind a tree!: | Here's the PSA from Biden that will run during the "Puppy Bowl" on Super Bowl Sunday."The unconditional love from a dog is one of the most beautiful things on earth and we owe it to them to keep ourselves healthy," said the esteemed doctor, apparently oblivious to the human babies again being ripped apart ove…
(2021-02-08). America, the Fickle Superpower: World Welcomes Biden, but fears more Trumps. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com ) — The nightmare is over. The vanquished beast has crawled back to Mar-a-Lago to lick his wounds. The heroes are hard at work repairing the damage. As America returns to the international stage, the world heaves a collective sigh of relief. That, at least, is the story the incoming Biden administration is …
(2021-02-08). Ilhan Omar Says Lowering Income Threshold for Stimulus Will "Poison" Relief Bill. truthout.org 
As talks of compromise and unity in Washington pose the possibility of reshaping a proposed coronavirus economic package, progressives in Congress are sounding off on President Joe Biden's apparent willingness to change income threshold requirements that would significantly curtail who receives stimulus checks. |
(2021-02-08). The Fight for Safe Schools Today. dsausa.org Join the DSA Educators and School Staff Network for a call on Saturday, February 20th at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT on demanding safe schools under a Biden administration with teacher strike leader Michelle Gunderson from the Chicago Teachers Union and others. We demand: #1 No premature opening of schools before school communities have herd immunity#2 Comprehensive…
(2021-02-08). President Biden Is Our Chance to End the Federal Death Penalty. thenation.com President Biden Is Our Chance to End the Federal Death Penalty…
(2021-02-08). Will return to obligations under nuclear deal after all Trump-era sanctions are lifted, says Iran. peoplesdispatch.org The Biden administration, however, has refused to lift sanctions first and has put pre-condition of Iran's full compliance to the Iran nuclear deal before it rejoins it…
(2021-02-08). The Black Antiwar Movement Demands Biden Take Concrete Steps To End The Wars At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org President Biden declared early in his presidency that he wants to advance racial equity. The new Secretary of Defense, General Lloyd Austin, the first Black person to serve in that role, announced his intentions to root out racism in the Pentagon. The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) recently launched two new campaigns calling for specific actions the Biden administration can take to end militarization of black and brown communities and to end the 'forever war' on Afghanistan. Clearing the FOG speaks with Ajamu Baraka, the national organizer for BAP, about these initiatives and the imperative to build the antiwar,…
(2021-02-08). Biden is Right to end US involvement in Bloody Yemen Conflict, but he Needs to end the War itself. juancole.com Glen Cove, N.Y. (Special to Informed Comment) — President Biden's about face on Saudi support for the war in Yemen, including setting aside the disastrous idea of designating the Huthis as a unique set of "terrorists", is a hopeful step, but the road to peace is a steep climb. As noted by a recent report …
(2021-02-08). The US Could Return To Full Employment in 2022. telesurenglish.net U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Sunday said that her country could return to full employment in 2022 if it enacts President Joe Biden's US$1.9-trillion COVID-19 relief package | RELATED: | "There's absolutely no reason why we should suffer through a long, slow recovery," Yellen said. "If this package is passed, that we would get back to full employment next year." | Citing a recent analysis from the Congre…
(2021-02-08). Biden says the pandemic response he inherited from Trump was "more dire" than he'd thought. salon.com Biden took office promising to ease a nationwide rollout, but the Trump administration made it hard…