Daily Archives: February 16, 2021

2021-02-16: News Headlines

ProPublica (2021-02-16). "I Don't Trust the People Above Me": Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection. juancole.com By Joaquin Sapien and Joshua Kaplan | — The Insurrection ( ProPublica) — The Effort to Overturn the Election The riot squad defending the embattled entrance to the west side of the U.S. Capitol was surrounded by violence. Rioters had clambered up the scaffolding by the stage erected for the inauguration of President Joseph Biden. …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-16). Andrés Arauz and the progressive bloc are a threat to Ecuador's right wing. peoplesdispatch.org David Adler of the Progressive International who was observing the Ecuadorian elections discusses the recent fraud accusations as well as the right-wing's dirty campaign against Andrés Arauz…

_____ (2021-02-16). Lawfare Threatens To Derail Presidential Election In Ecuador. popularresistance.org On February 7, the progressive presidential candidate for the Union of Hope Alliance (UNES) party, Andrés Arauz, won first place in Ecuador's presidential election; this is uncontested. Arauz garnered 32.71% of the vote; right-wing former banker Guillermo Lasso 19.74%; and the "Indigenous" candidate, Yaku Pérez 19.38%. Since Arauz's margin of victory was less than the required 40% plus at least ten points more than the closest competitor, a runoff is scheduled for April 11th. With the UN calling for transparency and Pérez contesting the outcome, Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) has agreed to conduct a p…

_____ (2021-02-16). US, OAS, Colombia Try To Steal Ecuador's election. popularresistance.org Guayaquil, Ecuador – A popular socialist candidate, Andrés Arauz, won the first round of Ecuador's historic presidential election by a landslide on February 7. The leftist's overwhelming victory prompted the US State Department, the right-wing government of neighboring Colombia, and the Organization of American States (OAS) to mobilize to prevent him from entering office. | Arauz won the first round of the election with 33 percent of the vote, a full 13 percent greater than the second-place candidate, conservative banker Guillermo Lasso. His opponents are now seeking to force a vote recount under the supervision…

Wen Stephenson (2021-02-16). How a Climate-Justice Champion Won Office in Rural, Working-Class Maine. thenation.com How a Climate-Justice Champion Won Office in Rural, Working-Class Maine…

_____ (2021-02-16). Married Americans Are Different. strategic-culture.org Polling shows a strong relationship between marriage status and political outlook. | By Samuel J. ABRAMS | As political scientists, pundits, and historians try to make sense of the November 2020 election, a marriage divide in the electorate has emerged. Married Americans were appreciably more likely to vote for Trump than those who were either unmarried and cohabiting or single. As reported last week in TAC,

Staff (2021-02-16). Andrés Arauz: Ecuador's Presidential Front-Runner on COVID, Austerity & Ending U.S. Interference. democracynow.org Ecuador's presidential front-runner says the country is facing a "double crisis" of COVID-19 and austerity. "We need a renewal in our politics," Andrés Arauz tells Democracy Now! The left-wing economist secured nearly 33% of the vote in the first round of Ecuador's presidential election on February 7 but fell short of the 40% needed to win outright. He will face right-wing banker Guillermo Lasso or Indigenous candidate Yaku Pérez in a runoff election on April 11, depending on the results of a recount after both candidates secured just over 19% of the vote. Arauz has pledged to end austerity measures imposed by Ec…

Mark Engler, Paul Engler (2021-02-16). It's a Myth that Presidents Welcome Movement Pressure — and Biden is No Different. counterpunch.org In early 2009, as Barack Obama prepared to move into the White House, a particular historical anecdote rapidly gained in popularity, repeated in dozens of talks and articles as a parable for how supporters should respond to the new president taking office. The story related a New Deal-era encounter between Franklin Delano Roosevelt and a group of activists, usually said to have been led by A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. In the meeting, the advocates laid out a vision of bold action for change that the president could advance with his bully pulpit and his executive power. FDR listen…

Eds. (2021-02-16). Biden's first directive to the war machine. mronline.org In his first presidential visit to the Pentagon yesterday, Joe Biden announced the creation of an anti-China task force.

Ramzy Baroud (2021-02-16). Europe Will Redefine Itself Despite Political Shift in the US. dissidentvoice.org Despite the long-awaited political change in Washington as Democratic President, Joe Biden, has officially become the 46th President of the United States, Europe is unlikely to resume its previously unhindered reliance on its trans-Atlantic partner. The four years of Donald Trump were rife with tension and strife between the US and Europe — in fact, …

Will Weissert, Alexandra Jaffe (2021-02-16). Workers press Biden to fight for $15 minimum wage. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (AP)—Union activist Terrence Wise recalls being laughed at when he began pushing for a national $15 per hour minimum wage almost a decade ago. Nearly a year into the pandemic, the idea isn't so funny. The coronavirus has renewed focus on challenges facing hourly employees who have continued working in grocery stores, gas stations, …

Ariel Dorfman (2021-02-16). How Spanish Can Help Us Survive Viral Times. counterpunch.org "Una nación bajo Diós, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos." When Jennifer López shouted out that last line of the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish during Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, like so many Spanish-speaking Latinos in the United States I felt a sense of pride, a sense of arrival. It was a joy to hear my

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2021-02-16). Is Biden Committing Diplomatic Suicide Over the Iran Nuclear Agreement? counterpunch.org As Congress still struggles to pass a COVID relief bill, the rest of the world is nervously reserving judgment on America's new president and his foreign policy, after successive U.S. administrations have delivered unexpected and damaging shocks to the world and the international system. Cautious international optimism toward Biden is very much based on his

Edward Hunt (2021-02-16). Will the War in Afghanistan Ever End? progressive.org President Biden, who pledged to end the war, is being pressured to maintain a U.S. troop presence.

Venkataramani AS, O'Brien R, Tsai AC. (2021-02-16). Declining Life Expectancy in the United States—The Need for Social Policy as Health Policy. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint reviews the social and economic drivers of declines in longevity in the US, especially among lower socioeconomic status groups, and proposes policy options for the Biden-Harris administration to mitigate the trend, including an increase in the federally mandated minimum wage.

Medea Benjamin and Nicholas J.S. Davies (2021-02-16). Is Biden risking new conflict with Iran by yielding to Dem Hawks and Neoconservatives? juancole.com ( Code Pink) — As Congress still struggles to pass a COVID relief bill, the rest of the world is nervously reserving judgment on America's new president and his foreign policy, after successive U.S. administrations have delivered unexpected and damaging shocks to the world and the international system. Cautious international optimism toward Biden is very …

Binoy Kampmark (2021-02-16). The "Return" of America: Biden's Maiden Foreign Policy Speech. dissidentvoice.org Few could have been slack-jawed at the first significant foreign policy speech of US President Joe Biden. It can easily be filed under the "America is back" label. Back as well, as if the previous administration had been incapable of it, was a promise for that practice unflatteringly called jaw-jaw. "Diplomacy," the President states from …

Rebecca Long (2021-02-16). Giving Power to the People Most Affected by Climate Change. progressive.org In her new book, Shalanda Baker, President Biden's choice for Deputy Director of Energy Justice, emphasizes the need for an urgent and equitable response.

John Buell (2021-02-16). Yes we need the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus: Real Unemployment is 3 times what they're telling us. juancole.com Southwest Harbor, Maine (Special to Informed Comment) — As Congress gets set to debate the Biden Pandemic relief package, one of the favorite Republican lines is the contention that an economic recovery is already well underway. Pouring more money into an accelerating economy is likely to induce seventies style inflation. It is time, they argue, …

Zach Conti (2021-02-16). Puerto Rico and US Religious Leaders Urge Biden on Jobs, Disaster Aid and SSI. indybay.org Administration Legal Move Could Release $2.3 Billion for Vulnerable Puerto Ricans, Say Faith Leaders…

_____ (2021-02-16). Scientists Demand Stop To Tree Burning As A Climate Solution. popularresistance.org A group of over 500 international scientists on Thursday urged world leaders to end policies that prop up the burning of trees for energy because it poses "a double climate problem" that threatens forests' biodiversity and efforts to stem the planet's ecological emergency. | The demand came in a letter addressed to European Commission President Urusla Von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The signatories—including renowned botanist Dr. Peter Raven, president emeritus of the Missouri…

_____ (2021-02-16). Firsthand Report On The Crisis In Haiti: 'The People Are Screaming For Help'. popularresistance.org Jovenel MoàØse's term as president in Haiti ended on Sunday, February 7, but he is refusing to leave office with the support of the Biden administration, the United Nations and other western imperialist countries and institutions. MoàØse was placed in power by the United States and is ruling unilaterally by decree. He is violently repressing anyone who challenges his power. Clearing the FOG speaks with Wilkenson Bruna, a filmmaker and political activist in Haiti, about the dire situation, the events surrounding MoàØse's refusal to step down and what people in the United States can do to suppo…

_____ (2021-02-16). For Peace With North Korea, End The US-South Korea Military Exercises. popularresistance.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 unveiling what appears to be its largest intercontinental ballistic missile. | As a retired U.S. Army Colonel and U.S. diplomat with 40 years of experience, I know all too well how actions by the U.S. military can exacerbate tensions that lead to war. That's why the organization I am a member of, Veterans for Peace, is one of several hundred civil society…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-16). Netanyahu confesses disagreement between Washington, Tel Aviv. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 16 (MNA) — Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that he disagrees with US President Joe Biden over Iran and the Palestinian issues.

yenisafak (2021-02-16). Iranians expect Biden to lift sanctions on Tehran. yenisafak.com Suffering for years under tough economic conditions, the Iranian people hope to see the US sanctions against their country lifted by the Joe Biden administration, while appealing to the Tehran government to take a step for the resolution of the problem. | The dispute between Washington and Tehran about the sanctions, Iran's missile program, the 2015 nuclear agreement and regional issues have not subsided. | Biden ruled out on Feb.7 the prospects of lifting sanctions on Iran until Tehran stops enriching uranium. | In his first interview since taking office last month, Biden said his administration would not ease s…

RT (2021-02-16). Kamala Harris, not Joe Biden, makes some of the latest calls to world leaders, White House readouts reveal. rt.com While US President Joe Biden was taking a break at Camp David to play video games with his grandchildren, his VP Kamala Harris phoned the president of France to discuss bilateral relations, in a somewhat unusual turn of events. | According to the White House

RT (2021-02-16). Biden supports 9/11-style commission to 'investigate' US Capitol riot, as suggested by Pelosi, Graham, & others. rt.com White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said President Joe Biden "would support" Congress creating a 9/11-style commission panel to investigate the January 6 US Capitol riot, as numerous lawmakers have suggested. | A commission has been recommended by both Democrats and Republicans in the wake of the Senate acquitting Donald Trump on the article of impeachment that accused him of "inciting an insurrection" and directly inspiring the storming of the Capitol. | "We need a 9/11 commission to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again, and I want to make sure that the Capitol footprint can be be…

Staff (2021-02-16). Headlines for February 16, 2021. democracynow.org Speaker Pelosi Authorizes Independent Commission to Investigate Jan. 6 Insurrection, Deadly U.S. Cold Snap Leaves Millions Without Power, New Orleans Cancels Mardi Gras Parade One Year After It Became Coronavirus Superspreader Event, Gov. Cuomo Acknowledges Not Reporting Nursing Home Deaths But Stops Short of Apology, New World Trade Organization Chief Warns Against Vaccine Nationalism, One Killed, 9 Injured in Missile Attack on U.S. Military Base in Northern Iraq, As Taliban Fighters Surround Afghan Cities, Biden Weighs U.S. Withdrawal Plans, U.S. Removes Houthis from Terror List as Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis W…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Israel threatens to forge own path on Iran if US revives nuclear deal. middleeasteye.net Israel threatens to forge own path on Iran if US revives nuclear deal | Ambassador Gilad Erdan says if US were to lift 'crippling' sanctions, Iran will have 'no real incentive to negotiate' | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 15: 23 | Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan (R) stressed that without sanctions and a 'credible military threat', Iran will have no motive to negotiate over its nuclear programme (AFP/File photo) | The Israe…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Biden to communicate with Saudi Arabia via King Salman, bypassing MBS. middleeasteye.net Biden to communicate with Saudi Arabia via King Salman, bypassing MBS | White House press secretary says move represents return to 'counterpart to counterpart' diplomacy, regarding King Salman as rightful Saudi leader | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 20: 49 | Since taking office, the Biden administration has been pressuring Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record (AFP/File photo) | President Joe Biden plans to shif…

Eric Hansen (2021-02-16). A Message to Joe Biden: Stop Line 3. commondreams.org Isn't it time to stop creating dangerous crude oil infrastructure? | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/stoptheline3.jpg

Katrina vanden Heuvel, Robert L. Borosage (2021-02-16). The Head of Every Table: Joe Biden's Impossible Foreign Policy Aspirations. thenation.com Katrina vanden Heuvel, Robert L. Borosage The Head of Every Table: Joe Biden's Impossible Foreign Policy Aspirations…

_____ (2021-02-16). Washington's Energetic Generals and the Emphasis on Preparation for Nuclear War. strategic-culture.org The Pentagon's energetic generals are beating their war drums and the President has as yet done nothing to rein them in, Brian Cloughley writes. | Some senior generals and admirals in and around Washington have been very busy recently, and their activities, while aggressive, have not been associated with directing current combat operations. Rather, they have been directed at attempting to influence the Administration of newly-elected President Joe Biden to restructure military forces, expand the nuclear arsenal and magnify specific warfighting capabilities. All of this is what might be expected of those whose bu…

_____ (2021-02-16). Biden's Betrayal of the Western Hemisphere. strategic-culture.org Biden, showing exactly the same legendary independence of mind and intellect that has characterized him since he first became a United States Senator 48 years ago, is boldly going exactly where Bolton insisted on treading. | At my age, I should have known better: Expecting the worst from idealistic American liberal Democrats will always prove you prescient and wise. But giving them the benefit of the doubt or expecting any decision from them that is decent, humane or simple common sense will blow up in your face every time. | On December 10, I suggested in these columns that President-elect Joe Biden might at lea…

Brian Gilmore (2021-02-16). First-Person Singular: Biden's Challenge on Race. progressive.org With Joe Biden in office and Kamala Harris, the nation's first Black woman Vice President, at his side, there is reason to hope—and reason to doubt—that they are up for the challenge.

Gary Leupp (2021-02-16). The Trump Cult and Its Future. counterpunch.org I am quite sure the majority of Trump supporters do not embrace the "theory" that the Democratic leaders are pedophile cannibal satanists whom Trump sought to destroy, to protect the children. An amazing minority do, constituting a robust and vital idiot stratum within the Trump coalition. (It is not clear however what QAnon will play

Walter Smolarek (2021-02-16). Impeachment fiasco: Trumpism gets new lease on life. liberationnews.org Because of the approach adopted by the Democratic Party in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, Trump's acquittal was essentially a forgone conclusion.

Anya Parampil (2021-02-16). Rania Khalek slams phony impeachment "soap opera" thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Rania Khalek of Soapbox about the drama surrounding the Trump impeachment trial. They reflect on the arguments made by democrats and republicans, the trial's impact on the reputation of US empire abroad, and its implications for free speech.

John Nichols (2021-02-16). The 43 Senators of the Republican Sedition Caucus Are Every Bit As Guilty as Donald Trump. thenation.com The 43 Senators of the Republican Sedition Caucus Are Every Bit As Guilty as Donald Trump…

sputniknews (2021-02-16). US Will Look at Other Ways to Advance Strategic Stability With Russia, State Department Says. sputniknews.com Moscow's deputy foreign minister for non-proliferation and arms control, Sergei Ryabkov, recently said Russia may be able to return to some of the many treaties shredded by the Trump administration – but not all of them.

sputniknews (2021-02-16). Blinken Says US Will Look at Other Ways to Advance Strategic Stability With Russia. sputniknews.com Moscow's deputy foreign minister for non-proliferation and arms control, Sergei Ryabkov, recently said Russia may be able to return to some of the many treaties shredded by the Trump administration – but not all of them.

sputniknews (2021-02-16). Giuliani Does Not Represent Trump in Legal Matters, Trump Aide Says. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Donald Trump's long-time lawyer Rudy Giuliani does not represent the former US President anymore, Trump's adviser Jason Miller said.

RT (2021-02-16). Trump remains unchallenged frontrunner among potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates – poll. rt.com Despite the former US president's tumultuous exit from the Oval Office as the first to be impeached – and acquitted – twice, Donald Trump remains the top pick of the majority of Republican voters for president in 2024. | Trump would be a clear favorite to win the Republican primary were it held today, according to a Politico-Morning Consult poll published on Tuesday. Nearly three fifths — 59 percent — of Republican voters want Trump to play a major role in the party going forward, and 54 percent would vote for the ex-president in the primary, the survey revealed. | The former president was acquitted…

RT (2021-02-16). E-mail reveals ex-FBI chief Comey signed FISA warrant despite KNOWING he couldn't verify Steele Dossier on Trump/Russia. rt.com Former FBI Director James Comey is under scrutiny after a newly released email showed he may have signed a warrant based on the Steele Dossier while being unable to verify any of the information in it. | Comey signed a FISA surveillance warrant in January 2017 based on the Steele Dossier, which contained allegations of cooperation and misconduct between Donald Trump and the Russian government, on the same day he reportedly sent an email to then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper saying he could not verify the information in the document. | "We are not able to sufficiently corroborate the reporting…

RT (2021-02-16). Trump declares war on Senate GOP leader McConnell, calls him 'dour, unsmiling hack' & vows to back 'America First' primary rivals. rt.com Former US President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, calling him a "third rate" leader and pledging to support those challenging establishment candidates in GOP primaries. | "The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political 'leaders' like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm," the lengthy statement begins. "McConnell's dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Gideon Saar suspends Lincoln Project advisors amid sexual harassment scandal. middleeasteye.net Gideon Saar suspends Lincoln Project advisors amid sexual harassment scandal | Netanyahu rival's polling has flagged since anti-Trump campaigners came on board | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 15: 42 | Israeli politician Gideon Saar talks to reporters during a visit to an outdoor shopping centre in city of Raanana near Tel Aviv, 8 February 2021 (AFP) | Gideon Saar, one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief r…

Jesse Jackson (2021-02-16). 43 Republican Senators Chose To Stand With the Seditionists Rather Than Defend the Republic. commondreams.org What we saw Saturday was a profile in cowardice. Had there been a secret ballot, the Senate vote to convict Donald Trump likely would have been overwhelming. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/mitch_mcconnell_donald_trump_1.jpg

R. Sikoryak (2021-02-16). The Impeachable Trump. thenation.com The Impeachable Trump…

Tom Tomorrow (2021-02-16). Excuses for Acquittal: The Sequel. thenation.com Excuses for Acquittal: The Sequel…

Staff (2021-02-16). The Case for Prosecuting Trump: Elie Mystal on Why Criminal Charges Are Still Possible — and Needed. democracynow.org Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she has authorized a 9/11-style commission to further investigate the January 6 insurrection and the actions that led up to it, as calls grow for the criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump after his acquittal in his second Senate impeachment trial. The Nation's justice correspondent Elie Mystal says House impeachment managers presented "a fairly compelling case for criminal liability" for Donald Trump over the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. "I think there's a case for indictment. I think we should at least try," he says.

Anand Naidoo (2021-02-16). The Heat: U.S. Congress acquits Donald Trump. america.cgtn.com The U.S. Senate acquits Donald Trump of inciting the mob that stormed the U. S. Capitol last month. What does it mean for his political future and beyond?

Mark Gruenberg (2021-02-16). Overcoming company hurdles, 6,000 Amazon workers start union recognition vote. peoplesworld.org BESSEMER, Ala. (PAI)—Overcoming one final company-crafted hurdle, almost 6,000 workers—most of them Black in a 70% Black city—at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., are now voting by mail on whether to unionize. Final results of the balloting, on whether the workers will join the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU), a sector of …

Eds. (2021-02-16). States have no inherent 'right to exist'—but it's a media fixation on Israel/Palestine. mronline.org No state has an intrinsic "right to exist." As international relations scholar Scott Burchill points out, there is no abstract "right to exist" in international law, or in "any serious theory of international relations."

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Israel court rules to expel six Palestinian families from East Jerusalem homes. middleeasteye.net Israel court rules to expel six Palestinian families from East Jerusalem homes | The eviction affects 27 people, in a decision NGO Peace Now says is aimed at dispossessing the Palestinian community of Sheikh Jarrah in favour of settlers | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 14: 04 | Protesters near the house of a Palestinian family, which an Israeli court had ordered to be evicted while declaring Israeli settlers to be the lega…

Norman Solomon (2021-02-16). Cuomo and Newsom symbolize the rot of corporate democrats — and the dire need for progressive populism. nationofchange.org Progressive activism and shifts in public opinion have strengthened movements that are recruiting, supporting and sometimes electing candidates who offer far better alternatives.

Norman Solomon (2021-02-16). Cuomo and Newsom Symbolize the Rot of Corporate Democrats — and the Dire Need for Progressive Populism. zcomm.org Progressive activism and shifts in public opinion have strengthened movements that are recruiting, supporting and sometimes electing candidates who offer far better alternatives…

Marc Norton (2021-02-16). Super Bowl for Sports Team Billionaires: SF Giants owner rakes in $815 million during the pandemic. dissidentvoice.org Oracle Park The assets of Charles Johnson, the controversial chief owner of the San Francisco Giants, increased by $815 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, his net worth was a mere $4.2 billion dollars. By January 2021 he commanded a fortune of $5.015 billion, an increase just short of 20%. Workers at Oracle …

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Israeli cabinet holds urgent, unscheduled meeting on Syria: Reports. middleeasteye.net Israeli cabinet holds urgent, unscheduled meeting on Syria: Reports | Details of meeting were banned from publication at request of Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 19: 02 | An Israeli flag is seen placed on Mount Bental in the occupied Golan Heights on 10 May 2018 (AFP/File photo) | Israel's cabinet convened for an unscheduled meeting on Tuesday for urgent discussions regarding a human…

Kim Petersen (2021-02-16). Why are Effective and Inexpensive Chinese and Russian Vaccines Unavailable in Much of the West? dissidentvoice.org In 2016, I attended an information session about First Nations in Lax Kxeen (colonial designation Prince Rupert),1 "BC." During a break, I conversed with some fellow attendees. They expressed skepticism to colonial provincial authorities being behind the intentional spreading of smallpox among First Nations people2 and that a vaccine was withheld from infected Indigenous individuals. …

Joe Piette (2021-02-16). Philadelphians demand COVID safety. workers.org Several dozen teachers, parents and community activists protested outside Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenny's home on Feb 12. They were demanding city officials not reopen schools for in-person teaching — until all teachers are vaccinated and all schools are properly ventilated. Educators continue to teach virtually until an arbitrator rules on . . . |

John Bachtell (2021-02-16). Bill Davis—beloved labor and peace activist, Communist leader—lost to COVID. peoplesworld.org Bill Davis, a long-time trade union and peace activist and Communist Party USA leader, died Jan. 23 in New York while in hospice with COVID-19. He was 78 years old. Davis was a caseworker for the New York City Department of Welfare (later Social Services) and a fixture in the trade union movement. As an …

Alethea Redfern (2021-02-16). The Weekly Round-up: Phase 2 of the Grenfell Inquiry. ukhumanrightsblog.com In the News: Having been temporarily suspended in early January as a result of an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry hearings resumed on 8 February 2021. The fire killed 72 people. The hearings are being conducted remotely using a Zoom-based video platform, which the Inquiry describes as "a temporary measure to be …

MEE and agencies (2021-02-16). Protesters in Algeria defy Covid-19 ban to mark second anniversary of uprising. middleeasteye.net Protesters in Algeria defy Covid-19 ban to mark second anniversary of uprising | Demonstrators marched in the town of Kherrata, which activists view as the birthplace of the Hirak movement | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 13: 28 | Protestors chanted anti-government slogans and held Algerian and Berber flags as they marked the second anniversary of the Hirak movement (AFP) | Hundreds of Algerians defied…

RT (2021-02-16). Russian-made Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona vaccines are effective against UK variant of coronavirus — watchdog. rt.com Russia's Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona vaccines have been proven to be effective against the UK variant of the coronavirus, a government agency has said. | Serum obtained from people who took the Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona vaccines and had antibodies to the novel coronavirus, demonstrated a "protective effect" against the UK variant, Russia's consumer protection agency, Rospotrebnadzor, said in a statement to the media. | It added that the vaccines have shown to be just as good against the British strain as they are against the ordinary SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19. | The research was carried out by th…

Global Research News (2021-02-16). Selected Articles: The Reshaping of Global Agriculture. globalresearch.ca By Western countries, including Canada, are using experimental mRNA injections in nursing homes, on the most vulnerable of people. …

Nadda Osman (2021-02-16). Egypt: Student anger over in-person exams despite Covid-19. middleeasteye.net Egypt: Student anger over in-person exams despite Covid-19 | Calls for Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghaffar to be dismissed over his comments | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 12: 41 | Many have used the minister's comments to highlight the crowded nature of university education and the threat it could pose to the health of students (Screengrab/Social media) | Egypt's Minister of Higher Education Khaled A…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-02-16). Trouble in Vaccine Land: The Wiliness of South Africa's Coronavirus Variant. counterpunch.org It began as a shudder through the scientific and public health establishments. A new variant of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 had been found, mutating in South African climes, potentially outwitting human responses to it. Vaccines such as Oxford-AstraZeneca's would have to be brushed up. Rollouts would have to be reconsidered. The South African variant has been

Jill Marlowe (2021-02-16). Gulf Coast faces high eviction rates, despite CDC moratorium. liberationnews.org Eviction rates in the Southeast region are exceeding national levels.

Moira Casados Cassidy (2021-02-16). Karen Lewis and the class-conscious union. liberationnews.org In a moment of crisis, Karen Lewis and the CORE caucus reinvigorated class consciousness in teachers' unions.

Olivia Rosane (2021-02-16). Child slavery lawsuit targets Hershey, Nestlé, Mars and other chocolate giants. peoplesworld.org Many people give chocolates as a symbol of love on Valentine's Day, but for some, the popular candy is more bitter than sweet. A human rights group filed a lawsuit Friday on behalf of eight Malian men who say they were trafficked across the border to the Cote D'Ivoire and forced to harvest cocoa for …

Otis Grotewohl (2021-02-16). Karen Lewis, 1953-2021: Lessons from a teacher, leader and courageous fighter. workers.org The global working-class, Black liberation and labor movements lost a courageous fighter when Karen Lewis — former president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), who famously led a militant, seven-day strike in 2012 — passed away Feb. 7 after a long battle with cancer. Karen Lewis. Credit: John W. Iwanski . . . |

G. Dunkel (2021-02-16). Haiti: The masses are still in the streets. workers.org A twitter post showed hundreds of students taking to the streets of Delmas, near Port-au-Prince, on the morning of Feb. 13, some carrying pictures of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. They were demanding President Jovenel MoàØse, a U.S. puppet, leave office, especially since his term was over Feb. 7. A much . . . |

Jeremiah Smith (2021-02-16). Mississippi laws threaten protesters with jail. liberationnews.org In Mississippi, the first of these anti-protest laws was passed in June. The law threatens individuals who protest oil and gas pipelines or other "critical infrastructure" projects with up to 7 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Bernard Nicolas (2021-02-16). We Need to Talk About Judas. counterpunch.org The new film, Judas and the Black Messiah, is worth seeing, talking about and analyzing with a variety of historical lenses. The historical lenses include the history of Black Cinema, revolutionary cinema, African American history and the history of political repression in the US in general. Every once in a while, an important political film

Steve Sweeney (2021-02-16). Scientists on WHO mission to Wuhan accuse media of biased reportage. mronline.org The U.S. government and many media outlets have queried WHO findings that do not corroborate theories promoted by Washington, such as the virus escaping from a Chinese laboratory.

Lyn Neeley (2021-02-16). Oregon care workers dare to strike. workers.org In Springfield, Ore., essential health workers at The Rawlin at Riverbend Memory Care facility have set a Feb. 16 strike deadline to demand union recognition in order to improve staffing, training and turnover — and save residents' lives. They are leading the way for workers throughout their community and the . . . |

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-16). Police arrest Spanish rapper Pablo Hasel. peoplesdispatch.org The Spanish national court served a notice to rapper Pablo Hasel in January asking him to surrender within ten days to face imprisonment. Hasel was convicted on charges of "glorifying terrorism, insulting the crown and state institutions" and faces a two-year prison term.

Phelan Acheson (2021-02-16). Catastrophe Capitalism in America. realprogressives.org What is the meaning of "catastrophic" anyways? The sheer amount of death, suffering and misery caused by the neoliberal world order serving the whims of transnational capital is unending. It's so normalized that most people don't even consider the depravity; most people can't, since it's too much to handle. But is It catastrophic? | We're told, "communism killed 100,000,000 in a century" whenever the conversation about making things remotely better or changing our system comes up. Even if that claim, which comes from thinkers and historians diametrically opposed to communism, were true, capitalism kills 20,000…

Karl Grossman (2021-02-16). Nuclear Rockets to Mars? counterpunch.org A report advocating rocket propulsion by nuclear power for U.S. missions to Mars, written by a committee packed with individuals deeply involved in nuclear power, was issued last week by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. | The 104-page report also lays out "synergies" in space nuclear activities between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. military, something not advanced explicitly since the founding of NASA as a civilian agency supposedly in 1958.

Eds. (2021-02-16). Immigration enforcement and the afterlife of the slave ship. mronline.org Coast Guard techniques for blocking Haitian asylum seekers have their roots in the slave trade. Understanding these connections can help us disentangle immigration policy from white nationalism.

Len Yannielli (2021-02-16). Naugatuck, Conn. students keep Black Lives Matter fight going. peoplesworld.org NAUGATUCK, Conn.—What do the police killing of George Floyd and Naugatuck, Conn., have in common? Plenty. In June 2020, there was a March of 1,100 people in Naugatuck in solidarity with the many George Floyd protests and Black Lives Matter (BLM) marches across the country. It gave birth to the peace and solidarity group Naugatuck …

CP Editor (2021-02-16). Is Solitary Confinement a Form of Torture? Q&A with journalist James Ridgeway. counterpunch.org

Staff (2021-02-16). Sex workers are held to an impossible standard. therealnews.com Do we talk about any other job the way we talk about sex work? Do you ask cashiers or dishwashers if their work is "empowering"?

RT (2021-02-16). 'New language': School asks parents to rate their 'whiteness' & become 'white traitors' or 'abolitionists'. rt.com A New York City public school has sent a graphic to parents, encouraging them to become "white traitors" or "abolitionists," detailing the eight supposed stages of "whiteness." | The graphic was sent out by the principal of East Side Community School in New York City, according to a report from City Journal's Christopher Rufo, but its author is Northwestern University associate professor Barnor Hesse. | According to Hesse's theory, there are eight "white identities." In the graphic, they are color-coded from green to red in terms of whether they are good or bad. The most green or best version of a white person…

RT (2021-02-16). After being cancelled, Gina Carano's 'Mandalorian' figure sells for big bucks as thousands demand she be rehired by Disney. rt.com Following her firing from Disney's 'The Mandalorian' over conservative social media posts, Gina Carano's support appears to only be growing as her character's action figure is going for hundreds now that it has been discontinued. | Hasbro has announced it will no longer produce figures for Carano's Cara Dune character from the popular Disney Plus series and even revealed this week plans for another production run were scrapped in the wake of her firing. | "Due to recent events, Hasbro was no longer approved to produce any more of this figure," a rep for retailer BigBadToyStore told The Hollywood Reporter. Hasb…

RT (2021-02-16). Robinhood CEO claims to be hiding in 'undisclosed location,' supposedly facing DEATH THREATS over restricting 'meme stock' trading. rt.com Vlad Tenev, CEO of now-infamous stock-trading app Robinhood, is supposedly hiding out in an "undisclosed location" avoiding what he claims are threats to his life as he prepares to testify at Congress. | Tenev is awaiting a Thursday hearing on the GameStop upset, apparently hiding out in a hotel out of fear of going home due to what he insisted to Bloomberg are "angry client mobs" making death threats against him. | The Robinhood co-founder incurred massive loathing from the internet after his trading platform began imposing seemingly arbitrary one-stock purchase limits on GameStop ($GME) and nearly 50 other s…

RT (2021-02-16). Lincoln Project leadership knew about harassment accusations against co-founder since March — media. rt.com Despite denying knowledge of allegations that colleague John Weaver was sexually harassing young men, a new report suggests Lincoln Project co-founders Steve Schmidt and Reed Galen were aware for nearly a year. | Schmidt, who stepped away from the group on Monday, said he was not aware of any wrongdoings by Weaver until the first public reports began surfacing in January. | According to a report from The 19th, however, multiple sources have now revealed that Schmidt is among the leadership in the organization to have known about allegations against Weaver for months. In Schmidt and Galen's case, they could hav…

RT (2021-02-16). Charges dropped against Amy Cooper, aka 'Central Park Karen', after she was made to attend 'racial equality psychoeducation'. rt.com Amy Cooper, the New Yorker branded 'Central Park Karen' by the media following a dispute with a black birdwatcher, has had misdemeanor charges against her dropped after being made to attend "psychoeducation" for "racial equality." | Cooper had been charged with making a false police report after she dramatically called 911 on birdwatcher Christian Cooper and claimed he was "threatening" her "life" during a heated dispute, after he had told her to leash her dog in Central Park's Ramble area — where dogs are required to be leashed — on May 25 last year. | A judge on Tuesday "granted Manhattan prosecuto…

Eric A. Gordon (2021-02-16). 'Agent Sonya,' a biography of intrepid antifa spy Ursula Kuczynski. peoplesworld.org Ben MacIntyre, a British writer for The London Times, is known to spy thriller fans as the author of meticulously researched biographies of famous 20th-century spies. The latest in his series is a comprehensive biography of Jewish German-born Ursula Kuczynski, later also known as Ursula Hamburger, Ursula Beurton, and Ruth Werner. Born in 1907, Ursula …

Dana Taib Menmy (2021-02-16). Iraq: US forces hit in rocket attack that kills contractor. middleeasteye.net Iraq: US forces hit in rocket attack that kills contractor | US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he was outraged by the deadly raid | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 08: 59 | A man lies in a hospital bed after being injured during Monday's rocket attack on US-led forces at Erbil international airport (Reuters) | A rocket attack in northern Iraq killed a contractor and wounded several others, includi…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-02-16). Arabic press review: Bahrain formed anti-revolution lobby in Washington in 2011. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Bahrain formed anti-revolution lobby in Washington in 2011 | Meanwhile, UK holds talks with Yemen's Houthis, Sudan plans handing over Bashir to ICC and a cash-strapped Jordanian writer sells personal library | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 11: 52 | Bahrain registered its anti-revolution lobby on 15 March 2011, a day after the GCC agreed to deploy troops to counter mass protests (Reuters…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). UAE: Secret recordings emerge of 'hostage' Princess Latifa. middleeasteye.net UAE: Secret recordings emerge of 'hostage' Princess Latifa | The BBC has obtained new videos of the princess, who claims she is being held captive by her father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 16: 36 | Dubai's Princess Latifa al-Maktoum said in a video published in March 2018 that she had run away (Screengrab) | Footage made public by the BBC on Tuesday showed Dubai's Princess Latifa…

Simon Hooper (2021-02-16). UK rights groups to boycott Prevent review over Shawcross appointment. middleeasteye.net UK rights groups to boycott Prevent review over Shawcross appointment | Organisations including Amnesty, Liberty and Cage say government has 'no interest in conducting an objective and impartial review' | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 15: 59 | William Shawcross is a former director of the Henry Jackson Society (UK government) | Leading human rights and civil liberties organisations in the UK are to boycott a long…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Saudi Arabia issues ultimatum to foreign companies to move regional HQs to kingdom. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia issues ultimatum to foreign companies to move regional HQs to kingdom | The announcement, which comes amid an economic slump in the kingdom, could create friction with UAE | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 12: 56 | Cars drive past the King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital Riyadh on 18 December 2018 (Reuters) | Saudi Arabia is to stop signing contracts with companies whose regional headquarters a…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). US urges Yemen's Houthis to join peace talks, stop assault on government stronghold. middleeasteye.net US urges Yemen's Houthis to join peace talks, stop assault on government stronghold | State Department strongly urges Houthi movement to stop its attacks on oil-rich Marib, where deadly offensive threatens lives of millions of civilians | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 16: 31 | Forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed government get into position during clashes with Houthi rebel fighters, northwest of Marib in central Yemen on…

MEE staff (2021-02-16). Egypt arrests relatives of US-based rights advocate Mohamed Soltan. middleeasteye.net Egypt arrests relatives of US-based rights advocate Mohamed Soltan | Egyptian authorities are arresting Soltan's relatives to 'intimidate him into silence', his lawyer says | Tue, 02/16/2021 – 16: 58 | This is not the first time Egyptian security forces have targeted Soltan's family members (MEE/File photo) | Egyptian security forces arrested several members of Egyptian-American activist Mohamed Soltan's famil…

RT (2021-02-16). Spanish police fire rubber bullets after Barcelona protest demanding rapper's release descends into riots (VIDEOS). rt.com Clashes erupted between protesters and riot police during demonstrations in Catalonia against the arrest of rapper Pablo Hasel, convicted for calling the former Spanish king a thief, with cops in Barcelona firing rubber bullets. | Hasel, whose real name is Pablo Rivadulla Duro, was

RT (2021-02-16). 'I am going to be MMA's biggest star': Bellator brawler Valerie Loureda shares snap with 50 Cent as she promises to dominate sport. rt.com Bellator newcomer Valerie Loureda, whose reputation for scantily-clad snaps and regular updates has seen her amass more than 754,000 followers on Instagram, has said she will be "the most respected and honored woman of all time". | Describing her debut win over Colby Fletcher on a Bellator card in the US in 2019 as "the moment my life changed", the hugely popular flyweight shared photos of her locker room, walking into the octagon with her name and face in lights and posing with superstar rapper and celebrity 50 Cent having "quickly transformed back to myself" by donning a dress afterwards. | Demonstrating the…

RT (2021-02-16). Iran informs UN nuclear watchdog of end to surprise nuclear site inspections this month to enforce act of parliament. rt.com Tehran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its parliamentary-approved plan to limit inspections of its nuclear sites from February 23, despite some vocal government opposition to the move. | "Iran informed the IAEA on 15 February that the country will stop implementing voluntary transparency measures under the JCPOA as of 23 February, including the Additional Protocol," the IAEA said in a statement on Tuesday. | At the time the legislation was passed, the government said they did not support the parliamentary decision to terminate surprise inspections and boost enrichment, and called…

RT (2021-02-16). Sicily's Mount Etna ejects lava & massive ash column in another stunning eruption (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Mount Etna in Sicily, Europe's tallest volcano and one of its most active, has erupted for the second time in as many days, with a stream of molten rock and a massive ash cloud tinged red by the sun captured in remarkable footage.