Daily Archives: February 17, 2021

2021-02-17: News Headlines

Staff (2021-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2021. democracynow.org Severe Winter Storm Kills 23 People, Cuts Power to Millions as Texas Energy System Fails, Storm Creates Havoc for COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout as Biden Seeks Support from Public for Stimulus, NAACP Files Lawsuit Against Trump, Giuliani over Jan. 6 Insurrection, French Assembly Approves Bill Accused of Targeting Muslim Communities, Chad Sending Troops to Sahel, France Will Maintain Military Presence, as Conflict Claims More Lives, Protests Erupt over Spanish Rapper Arrested for Anti-Monarchy Lyrics and Tweets, Biden Directs DHS to Stop Using Word "Alien" to Refer to Immigrants and Asylum Seekers, Biden Received $5 Mil…

Staff (2021-02-17). 'We're not a charity case, we're under occupation'. therealnews.com Telling Israel to be a kinder occupying force does nothing to address the structural violence of Israeli occupation, which has been laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RT (2021-02-17). Texas disaster is what happens when you DON'T pursue a Green New Deal — AOC. rt.com Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) has blasted Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state's infrastructure planning, claiming her Green New Deal would better prepare areas for extreme weather conditions. | "The infrastructure failures in Texas are quite literally what happens when you *don't* pursue a Green New Deal," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Wednesday. | The message appeared to be in response to Abbott criticizing a potential Green New Deal due to many renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines failing in the state's historically cold weather. In an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday ev…

RT (2021-02-17). Playing politics while Texans freeze? Gov. Abbott grilled after blaming Green New Deal for his state's power woes. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott has singled out renewable energy as the culprit behind his state's devastating power outages, sparking accusations that he is trying to skirt responsibility for the crisis. | Frigid temperatures have shut down some of Texas' wind turbines and solar panels, as well as natural gas infrastructure in the Lone Star state. As a result, millions of residents have been left in freezing conditions without power, resulting in numerous deaths. | Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday, Abbott suggested that the failure of so-called "sustainable" energy sources such as wind and solar…

Eds. (2021-02-17). Leading from the front: The role of women in Farmers' movement. mronline.org As lakhs of farmers continue their protest against the new farm legislations introduced by the Modi government, a remarkable number of women are not only braving the rough weather by participating in these demonstrations but are also leading from the front.

James K. Galbraith (2021-02-17). Congressional Budget Office Not Competent to Assess Economics of Minimum Wage. counterpunch.org A Congressional Budget Office Report on the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 underpins a February 11 Washington Post editorial headlined, "Democrats Must Listen to the Data."

Richard Fidler (2021-02-17). Remembering Leo Panitch. mronline.org I first met Leo personally in 1984. Articling with a progressive law firm in Toronto, I found that Leo was my contact for arranging the visit of Ralph Miliband as guest speaker at the annual Law Union conference. Miliband's presentation was well received, and following the meeting Leo suggested the three of us should repair …

Michael Berkowitz (2021-02-17). 'Faith in the Masses': Communist Party history gives something to believe in. peoplesworld.org Faith in the Masses: Essays Celebrating 100 Years of the Communist Party, USA, edited by Tony Pecinovsky, is an ambitious undertaking—almost as ambitious as the work the book describes. These essays cast a wide net aiming to capture the breadth of the Party's efforts to change society over the last century. The celebration is heartfelt, …

Monica Moorehead (2021-02-17). Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bessemer, prisons — Class struggle then and now. workers.org Fifty years after the end of the U.S. Civil War — and during the height of horrific lynchings of Black people in the Deep South by KKK terror — the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was founded in 1915 by Dr. Carter Woodson and Rev. Jesse . . . |

W. T. Whitney (2021-02-17). To Normalize US-Cuban Relations, Restore Working Embassies. counterpunch.org The new Biden administration may soon ease regulations enforcing the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. However, if Oregon Senator Ron Wyden's new bill, the U.S.-Cuba Trade Act of 2021, becomes law, the blockade itself will disappear. Meanwhile, the two countries' embassies in Havana and Washington are dysfunctional. No normal relations will obtain until they are

Aboulfotouh Kandil (2021-02-17). Trump's right-wing Egyptian allies attack Biden administration and Dems. peoplesworld.org Egypt's miserable record on human rights has resulted in two Democrats launching a congressional group to deal with the situation. On Jan. 25, Democratic Reps. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey and Don Beyer of Virginia announced the formation of the "Egypt Human Rights Caucus." Egyptian human rights organizations and activists in the U.S. have responded …

Patrick Cockburn (2021-02-17). The Arab Spring Failed But the Rage Against Misery and Injustice Continues. counterpunch.org Ten years ago, people across the Middle East and North Africa rose up in protest against their rulers, demanding freedom and democracy. Despotic rulers were toppled or feared that power was being torn from their grasp in countries across the region, as millions of demonstrators surged through the streets, chanting that "the people demand the fall of the regime".

Emma-Louise Fenelon (2021-02-17). Essential Inquest Law Updates with Rachel Marcus and Jim Duffy on Law Pod UK. ukhumanrightsblog.com The last 12 months have provided fertile ground for many significant judgments concerning inquest law. In Episode 136, Emma-Louise Fenelon speaks to Rachel Marcus and Jim Duffy about the developments practitioners will need to know about. The episode mentions: Rushbrooke v HM Coroner for West London [2020] EWHC 1612 (Admin) R (Maughan) v Senior Coroner …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-17). Fight for 15: Workers across the US strike for dignified wages. peoplesdispatch.org Pickets and demonstrations, led by workers from major fast food chains and home care workers, were reported in major cities across the US. The strike comes at a time when Democrats are trying to hike the federal minimum wage that has remained unchanged since 2009.

Raouf Halaby (2021-02-17). Israelis, In God's Name, Why? counterpunch.org "The International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust is a time to mourn those who disappeared and to reflect upon the choice of the individuals and governments that allowed this genocide to unfold. It is also a call for vigilance and for action, to address the root causes of hatred

The Conversation (2021-02-17). 'Indian Country' is excited about the first Native American secretary of the interior — and the promise she has for addressing issues of importance to all Americans. juancole.com By Traci Morris | — President Biden's nomination of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico to lead the Department of the Interior is historic on many levels. Haaland, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Laguna, was one of the first Native American women elected to Congress, along with U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of …

Dan Bacher (2021-02-17). Big Oil Spent $10 million Lobbying California Officials in 2020. counterpunch.org The powerful oil industry lobby in California in 2020 spent less on lobbying in California than it did in 2019, but still managed to defeat legislation it opposed and getting CalGEM, the state's gas and oil regulatory agency, to double the number of new oil production well permits approved in the state. The top four oil industry lobbyist employers — the Western

Eds. (2021-02-17). Vulture Funds plan to use the Pandemic to pillage the Global Economy. mronline.org Before the pandemic, private equity had amassed $2.5 trillion—more than the GDP of Italy—in 'dry powder,' waiting for distressed assets to plunder. Covid-19 provided them with the perfect opportunity.

Juan Cruz Guido (2021-02-17). 120 millones de personas cayeron en la pobreza por la pandemia. globalizacion.ca Los datos se desprenden de un informe del Banco Mundial, que estima que la cifra crecerá en 2021. El lado B de la pandemia que quiebra una tendencia global de reducción de la pobreza de más de 20 años. La…

Michael Tarm (2021-02-17). Execution cruelty hidden by Trump officials to speed up death sentences. peoplesworld.org CHICAGO (AP)—Executioners who put 13 inmates to death in the last months of the Trump administration likened the process of dying by lethal injection to falling asleep and called gurneys "beds" and final breaths "snores." But those tranquil accounts are at odds with reports by The Associated Press and other media witnesses of how prisoners' stomachs rolled, …

Scott Williams (2021-02-17). Solidarity accelerates with Amazon workers' union drive in Alabama. workers.org Solidarity with the struggle of 5,800+ Amazon workers in Bessemer, Ala., to unionize continues to grow, following the heroic lead of this majority-Black workforce fighting for justice on the job. Walking the Powder Plant Road approach to the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala.,where a union drive is underway by the . . . |

Binoy Kampmark (2021-02-17). The "Return" of America: Biden's Maiden Foreign Policy Speech. counterpunch.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

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-02-17). Unsubstantiated 'sonic attack' allegations still hobble U.S.-Cuba relations. peoplesworld.org The new Biden administration may soon ease regulations enforcing the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. However, if Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden's new bill, the U.S.-Cuba Trade Act of 2021, becomes law, the blockade itself will disappear. The two countries' embassies in Havana and Washington are dysfunctional. No normal relations will be obtained until they are …

Ben Imbus (2021-02-17). Albuquerque teachers say, 'Until cases decline, keep school online!'. liberationnews.org Photo credit: Liberation screenshot of KOAT coverage. On Feb. 3, teachers and students held a protest outside of Albuquerque Public Schools administrative headquarters against the rushed re-opening of schools. They chanted "Save lives, keep the schools closed!" and "Until cases decline, stay online!" Later that day, the APS Board of Education met to vote on …

Joelle Fishman (2021-02-17). 'Georgia On My Mind: The Third Reconstruction': Connecticut Black history event planned. peoplesworld.org "Georgia on My Mind: The Third Reconstruction," is the theme of a series of scheduled events including a Black History Month Youth March / car caravan, a virtual event, and an arts and writing competition highlighting the 47th People's World African American History Celebration in Connecticut. Register here. NEW HAVEN, Conn.—Co-sponsored with the Young Communist …

Michele de Mello (2021-02-17). Agro-ecology project links peasant production to urban communes in Venezuela. peoplesdispatch.org "Only the people can save the people." With this idea in mind, the Pueblo a Pueblo Foundation (People to people, in Spanish) seeks to apply in real life, union and solidarity between the countryside and the city. The project is based on bringing food produced by rural Venezuelan communities to urban communes. The goal is to shut out intermediaries, and ensure the societal division of agricultural production: ensuring that the farmer does not lose his harvest, and that the consumer can have access to a diversified basic food basket at a fair price. | "The Pueblo a Pueblo plan has working on this dimension of agroe…

Emily Denny (2021-02-17). Texans freeze as fossil-fuel power grid fails, but conservatives blame wind turbines. peoplesworld.org While Texans suffer from freezing temperatures and extensive power outages, frozen wind turbines are being used as a ploy to spread skepticism on the reliability of renewable energy. This week, a relentless winter storm pummeled through parts of the southern and central U.S., causing people to crank their electric heating systems. In Texas, the energy demand became too high for …

Gary Leupp (2021-02-17). The Iran Deal: Biden and Blinken, Wynken and Blynken. counterpunch.org Trump's attack on the Iran Deal was based on his ego, but done in tandem with apartheid-Israel and rogue state Saudi Arabia, whose vile leaders advised him to bomb Iran; he was reportedly on the verge of starting a war (in June 2019 and November 2020) when his more level-headed advisors checked him. (We must always recall that however sickening the Trump years they did not produce another criminal war.) Meantime Trump deeply annoyed the Europeans, such as the Deal's co-signers Germany, Britain and France, by thwarting major investment projects in the Islamic Republic. These included a factory to produce much need…

Audrey Huff (2021-02-17). 22-year old climate change organizer arrested in India. liberationnews.org Disha Ravi is accused of "sedition" for allegedly helping to create a digital "toolkit" to support the farmers' struggle.

Liz Theoharis (2021-02-17). Whose Rights Matter in Pandemic America? Not Those of Poor Americans, That's For Sure. juancole.com By Liz Theoharis | — ( Tomdispatch.com ) — In June 1990, future South African President Nelson Mandela addressed a joint session of Congress only months after being released from 27 years in a South African apartheid prison. He reminded the political leadership of the United States that "to deny people their human rights is …

alexander (2021-02-17). Twitch.tv: A new frontier for the Left. dsausa.org Will Twitch hold an active role in the next campaign cycle? Will the Left be able to utilize this platform not only for electoral politics, but for direct action too?

Gary Leupp (2021-02-17). The Iran Deal: Biden and Blinken, Wykan and Blynkin. counterpunch.org Trump's attack on the Iran Deal was based on his ego, but done in tandem with apartheid-Israel and rogue state Saudi Arabia, whose vile leaders advised him to bomb Iran; he was reportedly on the verge of starting a war (in June 2019 and November 2020) when his more level-headed advisors checked him. (We must always recall that however sickening the Trump years they did not produce another criminal war.) Meantime Trump deeply annoyed the Europeans, such as the Deal's co-signers Germany, Britain and France, by thwarting major investment projects in the Islamic Republic. These included a factory to produce much need…

Martha Grevatt (2021-02-17). From electric vehicles to corruption — UAW faces huge challenges. workers.org General Motors CEO Mary Barra raised more than a few eyebrows Jan. 28, when she announced GM would have an all-electric product line by 2035. This planned phaseout of fossil fuel-burning vehicles represents a serious departure from four years ago, when GM joined the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in calling . . . |

Liberation Staff, Texas (2021-02-17). Texas infrastructure nears collapse, millions without power, water. liberationnews.org Four million or more Texans are without power. Outages that were initially called "rolling outages" are now lasting several days. The private non-profit corporation that oversees the electric grid is now admitting that they are "unable to predict" when conditions will stabilize.

Real Progressives (2021-02-17). COVID-19 Has Made Americans Lonelier Than Ever — Here's how AI can Help. realprogressives.org "How does that make you feel?" | In the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are missing a sympathetic ear. Would a response like that make you feel heard, less alone, even if it were a machine writing back to you? | The pandemic has contributed to

Staff (2021-02-17). THIS is why 'deregulation' is deadly. therealnews.com Millions of Texans are struggling to keep warm and survive Winter Storm Uri. Meanwhile, Republicans like Texas Gov. Greg Abbot are rushing to save their own asses, pushing the blame for power grid failures onto anyone but themselves; but they, and years of market-serving conservative governance, caused this mess.

Eds. (2021-02-17). GameStop and Share Markets: Between the bad and the ugly, there is no G. mronline.org The recent GameStop story coming out of the U.S. pushed arcane financial dealings into a prominence they rarely enjoy. The public was introduced to weird concepts such as "short selling and short squeezes" and, for a while, they are likely to be part of many Zoom conversations.

Leif Autzen (2021-02-17). Columbus OH activists fight closure of park, site of a homeless encampment. liberationnews.org The city's decision to close the park without offering alternative plans to house the people who live there exposes the city's failure to care for its most vulnerable residents.

Liberation Staff, Texas (2021-02-17). Texas infrastructure nears complete collapse as capitalist neglect meets climate change-driven winter storms. liberationnews.org Four million or more Texans are without power. Outages that were initially called "rolling outages" are now lasting several days. The private non-profit corporation that oversees the electric grid is now admitting that they are "unable to predict" when conditions will stabilize.

_____ (2021-02-17). Tyranny by Propaganda Is Tyranny by Force. strategic-culture.org By Caitlin JOHNSTONE | As people became more educated and more aware of what's going on in their world, they began to decide that they didn't much like being attacked by the ruler's goon squad whenever they stepped out of line. Because there are a lot more ordinary people than rulers, this forced an end to the practice of rule by overt brute force tyranny in some parts of the world. | So a few things changed. First, we began to see rulers shipping their violent goon squad enforcers overseas. While it is now taboo to openly butcher members of your citizenry who oppose you, it is considered perfectly acceptable to…

John Bachtell (2021-02-17). For the sake of democracy, kill off the Senate filibuster. peoplesworld.org The nation's economic outlook is worsening, and new, more contagious COVID-19 variants worry public health officials. In response, the Democratic-led House and Senate are moving quickly to pass President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan (ARP) through the process of budget reconciliation. This process requires a simple majority vote in the U.S. Senate. Budget reconciliation is …

MEE correspondent (2021-02-17). Covid-19: Mass medic migration leaves Iran in pandemic panic. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Mass medic migration leaves Iran in pandemic panic | The pandemic has driven Iran's doctors and nurses to foreign countries that offer better financial and workplace incentives, as well as respect for the healthcare profession | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 14: 42 | As Iran struggles with the coronavirus outbreak, many Iranian doctors and nurses have chosen to emigrate for better pay and…

MEE staff (2021-02-17). BBC criticised over 'hostile' interview with MCB's first female leader. middleeasteye.net BBC criticised over 'hostile' interview with MCB's first female leader | More than 100 public figures sign letter calling for public broadcaster to diversify and better engage with Britain's Muslims | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 19: 10 | Zara Mohammed became both the youngest and first female leader of Muslim Council of Britain last month (Twitter) | More than 100 public figures have signed an open letter to the BBC cri…

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-17). Islamic State: New Zealand lashes at Australia for stripping woman's citizenship. middleeasteye.net Islamic State: New Zealand lashes at Australia for stripping woman's citizenship | A dual Australian-New Zealand national was arrested in Turkey over suspected affiliation to IS. Now the two countries are rejecting responsibility for her | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 13: 46 | New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has slammed Australia for 'unilaterally' stripping the suspected IS member's Australian citizenshi…

MEE staff (2021-02-17). 'Path to diplomacy' between Iran and US is open, Blinken says. middleeasteye.net 'Path to diplomacy' between Iran and US is open, Blinken says | But Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said Washington's 'nice words and promises' were not enough to revive the nuclear deal | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 18: 54 | 'We know that that agreement was working,' US Secretary of State Tony Blinken told NPR (AFP/File photo) | Washington and Tehran have an open "path to diplomacy" to revive the nuclear deal a…

A Guest Author (2021-02-17). Incarcerated workers say: 'Solidarity with Amazon workers!'. workers.org The following letters from incarcerated workers in the Pennsylvania prison system were sent by email on Feb. 13 and 15 to Joe Piette, a member of the Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. From SCI Frackville As I've advised you before, anything that I can do for the people, . . . |

A Guest Author (2021-02-17). Incarcerated workers say: 'Solidarity with Amazon workers!'. workers.org The following letters from incarcerated workers in the Pennsylvania prison system were sent by email on Feb. 13 and 15 to Joe Piette, a member of the Prisoner Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party. From SCI Frackville As I've advised you before, anything that I can do . . . |

MEE staff (2021-02-17). Biden makes long-awaited call to Israel's Netanyahu. middleeasteye.net Biden makes long-awaited call to Israel's Netanyahu | US President Joe Biden spoke to the Israeli PM for around an hour, following much speculation over a month of silence between the two leaders | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 21: 18 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on the phone with US President Joe Biden on 17 February (Twitter/@IsraeliPM)
| US President Joe Biden made a much-anticipated call to I…

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-17). Syria: US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem released by HTS after six months. middleeasteye.net Syria: US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem released by HTS after six months | Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham detained reporter after he highlighted allegations of torture inside group's prisons | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 12: 29 | Bilal Abdul Kareem (second from right) was freed after HTS held him for six months following his reports on the treatment of Tauqir Sharif (right), a British aid worker (Supplied) | Syrian militan…

Jordan Woll (2021-02-17). Fight for $15: Is Biden trying to sabotage key provision of his own stimulus bill? liberationnews.org One of the biggest unanswered questions regarding the stimulus package is whether or not it will include a provision to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Manlio Dinucci (2021-02-17). ‚Äé"Diálogo estratégico" entre Italia y ‚ÄéArabia Saudita. globalizacion.ca Por ser el principal comprador de armamento del mundo entero, Arabia Saudita ‚Äédespierta grandes ambiciones y los países y empresas que venden armas cierran los ojos para no ver la realidad de la terrible dictadura oscurantista que reina sobre esa…

MEE and agencies (2021-02-17). Syria and Israel to swap prisoners in Russia-mediated deal. middleeasteye.net Syria and Israel to swap prisoners in Russia-mediated deal | Nihal al-Maqt and Diab Kahamuz, Syrians from the occupied Golan Heights, to be exchanged for an Israeli woman who crossed the border | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 14: 15 | The fence between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the Syrian governorate of Quneitra (AFP) | Two Syrian prisoners from the occupied Golan Heights will be released…

MEE staff (2021-02-17). UAE: Boris Johnson 'concerned' about Dubai's Princess Latifa. middleeasteye.net UAE: Boris Johnson 'concerned' about Dubai's Princess Latifa | Britain has asked the UAE for proof that Latifa is 'alive and well', but has no plans to raise her case with the Emiratis | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 08: 41 | Princess Latifa shared secret recordings filmed inside a Dubai villa, where she says she is being held hostage (Supplied) | British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that he was "concern…

Betsey Piette (2021-02-17). Morgan Lewis lawyers — high-paid union-busting thugs. workers.org In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, bosses hired Pinkerton Agency goon squads to infiltrate unions, break strikes and intimidate workers who were trying to organize. Graphic: supportamazonworkers.org Today's hired union-busting thugs are more likely to be high-paid lawyers tasked with turning labor laws — intended to protect workers . . . |

Global Research News (2021-02-17). Selected Articles: Science and Power as Fellow Henchmen. globalresearch.ca By Today's science is in a relation…

Staff (2021-02-17). Teacher Unions: We Want to Reopen Schools as Well, But We Need Vaccines & Resources to Do It Safely. democracynow.org As school districts across the U.S. debate how to safely bring children into the classroom, we speak with two leaders of the teachers' union movement on what's at stake as schools reopen. Stacy Davis Gates, executive vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, says years of underfunding and privatization have left many school districts ill-equipped to meet the needs of students, as well as educators. "It's not just the context of opening schools. It's reopening schools safely with the resources that are necessary to keep people safe," she tells Democracy Now! We also speak with Randi Weingarten, president of th…

Staff (2021-02-17). "Work Won't Love You Back": Sarah Jaffe on Toxic U.S. Work Culture & the Fight Against Inequality. democracynow.org Amid the economic crisis and precarious working conditions for millions of people during the pandemic, we look at a new book by Sarah Jaffe, an independent journalist and author who covers labor and economic justice. "Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone" looks at the unsustainable expectations of fulfillment around work and how the "labor of love" myth has contributed to the rise of toxic workplaces. Jaffe says the pandemic has shown that work can always get worse, and that more and more people are pushing back. "It's not just that it's a bad, grinding, slow…

Staff (2021-02-17). "David vs. Goliath": Warehouse Workers in Alabama Fight Amazon for the Right to Unionize. democracynow.org Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, are continuing to vote on whether to become the first unionized Amazon warehouse in the United States. Their demands include stronger COVID-19 safety measures and relief from impossibly high productivity standards that leave many unable to take bathroom breaks. "We want to be heard. We want to be treated like people and not ignored when we have issues," says Jennifer Bates, a worker at Amazon's BHM1 facility who has been part of the union drive from the beginning. We also speak with Michael Foster, a poultry plant worker, union member and member-organizer with RWDSU. "Amazon h…

RT (2021-02-17). 'Breathing is optional': Internet groans after NYC requires double-masking inside federal court buildings. rt.com Two masks will now be required for those who want to enter a federal court building in Manhattan — but the new Covid-19 guidance has provoked more mockery than applause on social media. | The Southern District of New York

RT (2021-02-17). Biden administration approves $200 million arms sale to Egypt despite concerns over human rights abuses. rt.com The US has signed off on a $197 million arms sale, containing 168 tactical missiles, to the Egyptian government, despite the Biden administration raising concerns over potential human rights abuses in the country. | The US State Department announced that the government has approved the deal after the Egyptian Navy requested the Rolling Airframe Missiles to bolster its defense capabilities around the Red Sea, as the nation is seen as "an important strategic partner in the Middle East." | Congress will now review the deal and the State Department's approval before it is formally confirmed. | The Biden administra…

RT (2021-02-17). 'A love as real as climate change': Tucker Carlson sparks outrage after saying Joe & Jill Biden's marriage a 'slick PR campaign'. rt.com Fox News host Tucker Carlson has outraged Democrats once again after he appeared to suggest President Joe Biden's relationship with his wife is a carefully-devised PR campaign, mockingly saying it is "as real as climate change." | Reacting to the glowing coverage celebrating Biden's public displays of affection with his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, and glee over a supposed return to 'normalcy' following chilly public interactions between former President Donald Trump and his wife Melania, Carlson put his own spin on the situation. | "Not since Antony dined with Cleopatra at downtown Antioch, before they killed…

RT (2021-02-17). Small businesses saved? Biden helped struggling firms 'first & foremost' with female nominee, press sec Psaki says. rt.com White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki kicked off a wave of criticism after suggesting the Joe Biden administration was helping out struggling companies "first and foremost" by tapping a woman to lead the Small Business Administration. | Psaki was asked what the president intended to do to assist small business during a virtual Q&A on Tuesday, as many independent companies continue to languish under a raft of state-level shutdown policies and other restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic. | "First and foremost, he nominated a woman to lead the Small Business Administration, who formerly worked there," Psaki said…

RT (2021-02-17). Parler's new acting CEO invites Trump AND Biden to join 'civil discourse' after platform goes back online. rt.com The interim CEO of the conservative-friendly social media site Parler has invited both President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump to create accounts, encouraging "civil discourse" after announcing the platform's return. | Parler's new acting chief executive, longtime Tea Party activist Mark Meckler, extended the offer to the current and former president during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, saying both are welcome on the site. | "What Parler's really about is being a public square, and a public square is where anybody can come, they can say what they want as long as it's legal. And Dona…

RT (2021-02-17). SEVEN people shot outside Philadelphia transit station, one suspect in custody. rt.com A total of seven people have been shot outside a SEPTA transit station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, police have confirmed. One person was arrested and two guns were found at the scene. | The shooting happened on Wednesday afternoon near the Olney Transportation Center in north Philadelphia, located between two schools and a hospital. Initial reports from the scene spoke of one person killed, but police have since said they are still working to confirm the condition of all the victims. | UPDATE:

RT (2021-02-17). Shopkeeper who stopped robbery in California by shooting into the air ARRESTED for discharging his gun. rt.com An Oakland liquor store owner in violence-besieged Chinatown shot into the air to stop the robbery of a woman in front of his shop, only to be arrested as police signaled that armed resistance to a crime wave won't be tolerated.

RT (2021-02-17). Biden promises vaccines available to all Americans by end of July, 'significantly' less social distancing & masks a year from now. rt.com President Biden has predicted a "very different circumstance" for the US' Covid-19 outbreak by Christmas, saying some 600 million vaccine doses will be ready by July while noting that he's been advised against 'over-promising.' | Biden waxed optimistic about the ongoing viral outbreak during a CNN town hall event on Tuesday, declaring that "by next Christmas, I think we'll be in a very different circumstance, God willing, than we are today." He said the improvement would be further helped along if an inoculation developed by Johnson & Johnson receives FDA approval, as it is expected to sometime this month. | "

RT (2021-02-17). Former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino DEMOLISHED to cheers in Atlantic City (VIDEO). rt.com Donald Trump's former hotel and casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey was taken down in a controlled demolition on Wednesday, with spectators actually paying to view the event and cheering as it came down. | While the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino had once been one of the big attractions on the Boardwalk, it had fallen into disrepair since closing in 2014, with debris beginning to peel and fall off the building. | It was destroyed in a controlled demolition on Wednesday morning, leaving in its wake nothing but rubble. | The former events manager for the casino, Bernie Dillon, said the hotel had on…

RT (2021-02-17). Biden signals green light for reparations study as Congress press bill to examine slavery & discrimination from 1619 to present. rt.com The White House has confirmed President Joe Biden's support for studying reparations, boosting a push in Congress to seek "appropriate remedies" for slavery and discrimination against black Americans dating from 1619 to today. | Biden "certainly would support a study of reparations" and the "continuing impacts of slavery," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday. "He continues to demonstrate his commitment to taking comprehensive action to address the systemic racism that persists today," and the reparations study is one part of that "across-government" approach, she add…

RT (2021-02-17). 'Verbal stumble' or blatant lie? Biden says US had no vaccine when he took office as new admin criticizes Trump's jab rollout. rt.com Joe Biden, who was fully vaccinated before his inauguration, has been accused of playing loose with the facts after stating that there was no Covid-19 shot when he entered office. But some insist it was a harmless verbal slip. | Read more | | Speaking with CNN's Anderson Cooper at a town hall event on Tuesday, the US president explained in a rather disjointed way that the United States lacked both vaccines and health workers capable of administering…

RT (2021-02-17). Liberals show their true colors by dancing on Rush Limbaugh's grave within minutes of learning about his death. rt.com Many have mourned the death of conservative icon and talk-radio pioneer Rush Limbaugh, but his critics have also been quick to exploit his demise for cheap political points that benefit no one. | It took minutes for liberals to politicize the death of Limbaugh, which was announced Wednesday on his radio program by his wife Kathryn. Limbaugh was 70. | While Limbaugh was a window into the world of politics and a thought-provoking radio personality to many, to others it appears he was the devil himself. One would think he was a full-blown terrorist or murderer based on some of the reactions to his passing away.

RT (2021-02-17). Israeli PM Netanyahu says he had 'friendly and warm' call with US president Biden. rt.com After almost a month in office, US President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House confirmed. Netanyahu described the hour-long conversation as friendly and warm. | Tweeting in Hebrew, Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that he had spoken with Biden, saying they discussed the "strong alliance between Israel and the United States," the "Iranian threat," and challenges in the Middle East, among other things. | ◊®◊ê◊© ◊î◊û◊û◊©◊ú◊î ◊ë◊ ◊ô◊û◊&oc…

RT (2021-02-17). US charges 3 North Koreans with hack on Seth Rogen/James Franco movie and stealing $1.3 billion. rt.com The US has charged three North Korean computer programmers over the theft of $1.3 billion and the well-publicized attack on a Hollywood film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco which depicts Kim Jong-un being assassinated. | The indictment names Jon Chang Hyok, 31, Kim Il, 27, and Park Jin Hyok, 36, as "military hackers" behind the cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2014, allegedly in response to the film 'The Interview'. | The 'hack-and-dump' operation on Sony saw swathes of its data deleted and other information published online, in what was seen to be the North Korean intelligence services retal…

Umar A Farooq (2021-02-17). Rights groups slam US arms sale to Egypt as activist's relatives arrested. middleeasteye.net Rights groups slam US arms sale to Egypt as activist's relatives arrested | Groups call for end to weapons sales to Cairo and for Biden administration to live up to its promise of 'no more blank checks' for President Sisi | Wed, 02/17/2021 – 17: 20 | The State Department announced it had approved a $197m arms sale to Cairo, which consisted of 168 Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles (AFP/File ph…

Anand Naidoo (2021-02-17). The Heat: Farmers protest in India. america.cgtn.com India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi facing the largest demonstrations since he came to power. We will take a look at the protests by thousands of farmers in the country.

Stephen Lendman (2021-02-17). Biden Administration Iran Bashing. Multiple Rockets Struck Pentagon Airbase in Northern Iraq. globalresearch.ca Like his predecessor, Biden and hardliners surrounding him invent reasons to bash Iran unjustifiably. | On Monday, multiple rockets struck a Pentagon airbase in Erbil, Iraq, killing a US contractor and wounding nine others, at least one individual in critical condition….

_____ (2021-02-17). NATO-Linked Think Tank Proposes Biden Adopt Venezuela-Style 'Regime Change' Policies Towards Belarus. popularresistance.org The Biden administration should be massively boosting its funding to opposition groups in Belarus while increasing sanctions on the country in order to force out the current government, according to a discussion hosted by the highly influential Atlantic Council. | Kayla Popuchet is minoring in Slavic studies as part of her education in Latin American and Eastern European politics at City University of New York. Popuchet, who is also a regular contributor to Anticonquista and a New York City Housing Court Specialist, recently attended an online meeting about Belarus organised by the Atlantic Council, widely regard…

Milo Inglehart (2021-02-17). The Expiration of the CARES Act Could Force Thousands Back into Federal Prisons. aclu.org The Trump Department of Justice spent its final days putting thousands of people at greater risk of catching COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic. On Jan. 15, the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo arguing the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will be legally obligated to return thousands of people released on home confinement back to federal prisons while the pandemic still ravages correctional facilities. With the memo's March return date growing closer — and public health officials indicating that we will not be out of the pandemic woods by then — the Biden administration must take swift actio…

_____ (2021-02-17). If It Were A Narco Lab, It Would Be Working. popularresistance.org On the day he was inaugurated, Joe Biden halted the construction of Trump's Mexican border wall. A few days earlier, 1500 miles to the south, a new 'caravan' of at least eight thousand Honduran migrants had set off northwards, partly in the hope that by the time they tried to cross into Texas, Biden's promised softening of immigration policy might have taken effect. | Obstacles left by Trump still stand in their way. Agreements he made with Honduras and Guatemala led to police attacking and dispersing the refugees. Scattered groups are still heading towards the Mexican frontier at Chiapas — according to one…

Juan Cole (2021-02-17). From Covid to Power outages in Ice Storms, the Texas Republican Party has created a Failed State. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Republican Party has had a lock on Texas politics for over two decades, and has reduced it to a failed state. Even Texans like Beto O'Rourke are making this observation. Millions are without electricity in the midst of one of the state's worse winter storms ever. This massive failure …

Amanda Marcotte (2021-02-17). GOP response to the Texas winter storms steals directly from Trump's sadistic COVID-19 playbook. salon.com Texas Republicans try to troll their way through a disaster…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-17). US to remove terrorist tag for Houthis. peoplesdispatch.org The Biden administration reversed the decision of its predecessor to declare the Yemeni group Ansar Allah as part of its list of foreign terrorist organizations and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist…

Zach Conti (2021-02-17). 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…

Kate Ruane (2021-02-17). Biden Must Halt Face Recognition Technology to Advance Racial Equity. aclu.org Face recognition and other forms of biometric identification technologies are a threat to core constitutional rights and have a disturbing record of racial bias and inaccuracy that endangers people of color and other marginalized groups. In keeping with President Biden's commitment to racial equity and civil liberties for all, he must take immediate action to halt the use and funding of these dangerous technologies by the federal government. | Today, we are calling on Biden to impose a federal moratorium on face recognition technology and prevent state and local governments from using federal funds to purchase i…

Brian Whitaker (2021-02-17). Biden seeks peace in Yemen, but will the warring factions come on board? juancole.com ( Al-Bab.com) — The US State Department confirmed on Friday that it is revoking a last-minute decision by the Trump administration to designate Yemen's Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation. The issue is not whether the Houthis deserve to be designated — their atrocities are well known — but Trump's action, just days before leaving …

Richard C. Gross (2021-02-17). Republicans Hide Behind Constitution. counterpunch.org "WAR IS PEACE "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" George Orwell, 1984 The failure of Republican senators to convict a twice impeached pathological liar of "incitement of insurrection" despite chilling videos showing he encouraged an army of thugs to unleash a maelstrom against the crucible of American democracy will forever stain our proud history of freedom.

Dean Baker (2021-02-17). The Failure of the Media in Responding to the Lying Right. cepr.net I posted this Twitter thread this morning. It should be self-explanatory, but it is more than a little infuriating to see the media (not just Thomas Edsall) act like they are innocent bystanders in the rise of an anti-democratic right-wing movement that constantly lies to advance its agenda. The media have agency, but have thus …

Robert Reich (2021-02-17). No compromising with the GOP cult. nationofchange.org Today's Republican Party is a cult.

_____ (2021-02-17). How Britain and U.S. Killed the Bahrain Revolution. strategic-culture.org Britain and the United States worked together to kill the Bahrain revolution of 2011 and its people's long-held aspirations for democratic governance. | Ten years ago this week, the Bahraini people launched a daring, peaceful uprising against a despised and despotic monarchial regime. During the next four weeks, the Al Khalifa regime was rocked to its shaky foundations as hundreds of thousands of Bahrainis took to the streets of the Persian Gulf island state. | What followed, however, was a crucial — if despicable — intervention by Britain and the United States which unleashed a wave of brutal repress…

_____ (2021-02-17). Trump Acquitted (Again), but Trump Hatred Continues. strategic-culture.org By Ron PAUL | Last week's second impeachment trial of former President Trump should serve as a warning that something is very wrong in US politics. Far from a measured, well-investigated, rock-solid case against the former president, America was again abused with day after day of character assassination, innuendo, false claims, and even falsified "evidence." | The trial wasn't intended to win a conviction of Trump for "incitement" because the Democrats already knew that the votes were not there. So, just as with the last impeachment trial, the goal was to fling as much dirt at Donald Trump as they could while the…

Megan Ming Francis, Deepak Bhargava (2021-02-17). We Need a Racial Reckoning to Save Democracy. thenation.com We Need a Racial Reckoning to Save Democracy…

Online News Editor (2021-02-17). Mass protests in Myanmar amid crackdown fears. laprensalatina.com Yangon, Myanmar, Feb 17 (efe-epa).- Mass protests were taking place across Myanmar on Wednesday, a day after elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was slapped with another charge and amid fears of a crackdown by security forces. While overnight internet blackouts and a military presence in Yangon reduced protester numbers earlier this week, activists involved …

Online News Editor (2021-02-17). Trump launches personal attack on fellow Republican McConnell. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 16 (efe-epa).- Former United States president Donald Trump on Tuesday launched a biting personal attack on fellow Republican Mitch McConnell. It came days after the Senate minority leader held Trump "practically and morally responsible" for the Capitol riot, despite voting against his impeachment. "McConnell's dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together …

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…

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.

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

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…

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. …

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…