Daily Archives: February 25, 2021

2021-02-25: News Headlines

John Wojcik (2021-02-25). Lies and white supremacy fuel Republican voter suppression campaign. peoplesworld.org It is now clearer than ever that the Republican Party is carrying out a strategy of stoking the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump and that it is hanging its ability to make a comeback on supporting the white supremacy that was behind the right-wing insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. …

Staff (2021-02-25). Two-Thirds of GOP Voters Still Buy Into False Claims of Election Fraud. truthout.org A new poll focusing on Republican voters' attitudes on the 2020 election shows that more than two-thirds of respondents do not accept the result of the presidential race as legitimate. | R Street Institute, a policy organization which promotes "free markets and limited, effective government," found that

Roger Bybee (2021-02-25). GOP Strategy: Embrace the Crazies, Suppress the Vote. progressive.org The Republican Party focuses its efforts not on building its base but keeping the "wrong people" from the polls.

Ted Kelly (2021-02-26). Biden sends B-1 bombers to Norway, threatens Russia. workers.org The U.S. Air Force announced during February that it is sending four B-1 bombers and at least 200 personnel to Orland Air Base on the central coast of Norway. Pentagon officials made no secret of the fact that the deployment is meant as a threat to Russia, which is well . . . |

Chris Banks (2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20 percent of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …

Norman Solomon (2021-02-25). Republican Hypocrisy is No Reason to Support Neera Tanden. counterpunch.org Most corporate media outlets have depicted President Biden's effort to win Senate confirmation of Neera Tanden as a battle to overcome Republican hypocrisy about her "mean tweets," name-calling and nasty partisanship. But there are very important reasons to prevent Tanden from becoming the Office of Management and Budget director. They have nothing to do with

Chris Banks (2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden's and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20% of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The United States continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2021-02-25). What Planet Is NATO Living On? counterpunch.org The February meeting of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Defense Ministers, the first since President Biden took power, revealed an antiquated, 75-year-old alliance that, despite its military failures in Afghanistan and Libya, is now turning its military madness toward two more formidable, nuclear-armed enemies: Russia and China. This theme was emphasized by U.S. Secretary of

WSWS (2021-02-25). The $15 minimum wage scam. wsws.org Despite the dire conditions facing workers, President Joe Biden has already given numerous indications that the meager minimum wage increase proposal will likely be stripped from the bill.

Laura Flanders (2021-02-25). In Indian Country, It's Not the Weather, It's the Racism That's Leaving Thousands in the Dark. counterpunch.org Around 30,000 homes in Texas still have no power, and millions of Texans remain under a boil-water mandate days after a deadly winter storm wiped out that state's weak water and energy systems. In Texas, president Biden has officially declared this scenario a disaster, and the state's failed leadership stands squarely under attack. Media coverage

Johanna Kichton (2021-02-25). Leading Progressive Drug Policy Orgs Cheer Reintroduction of Bipartisan MAT Act. peoplesaction.org In Letter Last Month, 192 Orgs Called on Biden to Save Lives by Removing Barriers to Life-Saving Treatment and Passing MAT Act Contact: Johanna Kichton, 240.206.1145, press@peoplesaction.org WASHINGTON, D.C.—Leading harm reduction, drug policy, and health care organizations People's Action, VOCAL-NY, the Drug Policy Alliance, and National Harm Reduction Coalition today released the following statement in response to …

Sarah Lahm (2021-02-25). Midwest Dispatch: Biden Is Upholding Standardized Testing. progressive.org The new administration is renewing Betsy DeVos's decision to resume school testing requirements, despite disruptions from the ongoing pandemic.

Ajamu Baraka and Margaret Flowers (2021-02-25). Nearly 800 organizations and individuals in the United States demand the Biden administration end its support for the brutal MoàØse regime in Haiti. nationofchange.org "President Biden claims to care about racial equity but his actions in Haiti show the emptiness of that rhetoric."

Amanda Mills (2021-02-25). US voters want government funding to go to healthcare, education, and fighting poverty. nationofchange.org These poll results come as President Joe Biden's American Rescue Package will be voted on tomorrow in the House.

West Resendes (2021-02-25). President Biden: Stop Funding the Policing of Our Students. aclu.org Over 150,000 Black and Brown children, disproportionately children with disabilities, are handcuffed, restrained, referred to law enforcement, and arrested in schools across the nation

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-25). Outrage in US over Biden's bid to reopen immigrant child detention facilities. peoplesdispatch.org Two detention facilities for undocumented immigrant minors were reopened by the Biden administration. They had been shut down during the Trump administration in the face of protests…

US (2021-02-25). Over 800 Organizations and Individuals in the United States Demand the Biden Administration End Its Support for the Brutal MoàØse Regime in Haiti. dissidentvoice.org Above photo: By Professor Danny Shaw who is currently in Haiti United States — Today, February 24, 72 organizations and 700 individuals published an open letter calling for the Biden administration to end its illegal and destructive intervention in Haiti. While Joe Biden and the Democrats condemned the Trump forces for not respecting the results …

àÅngel Guerra Cabrera (2021-02-25). Un enemigo muy rencoroso de Biden. globalizacion.ca Robert Bob Menéndez es un prominente senador cubanoestadounidense por el Partido Demócrata, pero sus lealtades están con Donald Trump en lugar de con el presidente Joe Biden. En Nueva Jersey, estado que representa en el Senado, los enterados veían con…

Jake Johnson (2021-02-25). Harvard newspaper to Biden: Cancel more than $10k in student debt and don't use Ivy League as excuse not to. nationofchange.org "It's not our student debt—but we still want Biden to forgive it."

sputniknews (2021-02-25). COVID is 'Best Thing That Ever Happened' to Biden, Campaign Aide Reportedly Says in Book. sputniknews.com During his presidential campaign, Joe Biden bombarded the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic in the US with heavy criticism, reiterating that the latter had "no plan" on combating COVID-19. After taking office, Biden continued to blast Trump's coronavirus response.

sputniknews (2021-02-25). Trump at CPAC Address Will Reportedly Slam Biden's First Steps in Office. sputniknews.com The former US president, Donald Trump, has not spoken publicly since departing the White House, and all of his accounts on major social media platforms have remained suspended following the deadly 6 January Capitol uprising. Nevertheless, Trump is considered by many in the GOP as a likely Republican candidate in the next presidential race.

sputniknews (2021-02-25). Rights Groups Blast Biden's 'Smart' Border Wall Idea as 'Trump's Wall by Another Name'. sputniknews.com The Biden administration speedily rescinded the national emergency order used to fund Donald Trump's brick-and-mortar border wall but has proposed its own border barrier based on surveillance technologies, DNA samples, and drones.

sputniknews (2021-02-25). US General Calls Moscow 'Existential Threat', Claims Russia, China Engaged In 'Nefarious Activities'. sputniknews.com In its first month in office, the Biden administration has taken a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde approach to Russia, renewing a key treaty limiting the size of US and Russian strategic arsenals, while simultaneously accusing Moscow of trying to "undermine" America and to "weaken the European project and our NATO alliance".

sputniknews (2021-02-25). Biden, King Salman Discuss Ending War in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's Defense in Thursday Phone Call. sputniknews.com Reports saying that US President Joe Biden would call the Saudi king emerged on Wednesday, suggesting that the conversation was expected to take place on the same day, but no call between the leaders occurred at that time.

sputniknews (2021-02-25). Former US Diplomat Urges 'Serious Repairs' at Home Before Biden Tries to 'Trip Up China'. sputniknews.com A retired diplomat and academic has urged that the US cannot outcompete China militarily, it can only spark an arms race that will give Beijing a powerful military-industrial complex that will ultimately make both nations poorer in the end.

sputniknews (2021-02-25). US Carries Out Airstrikes Ordered by Biden Against 'Iranian-Backed' Groups in Eastern Syria. sputniknews.com The United States has troops deployed in Syria, describing the goal of its military presence in the country as fighting the remnants of the notorious Daesh terrorist group.

_____ (2021-02-25). Biden's Journey: Change Is Imperceptible. strategic-culture.org Biden has been a major disappointment for those who hoped that he'd change course regarding America's pathological involvement in overseas conflicts. | The new White House Team has been in place for more than a month and it is perhaps time to consider where it is going with America's fractured foreign policy. To be sure, when a new administration brings in a bunch of "old hands" who made their bones by attacking Syria and Libya while also assassinating American citizens by drone one might hope that those mistakes might have served as valuable "lessons learned." Or maybe not, since no one in the Democratic Party e…

_____ (2021-02-25). Tim Kirby, Joaquin Flores — The Strategy Session, Episode 7. strategic-culture.org The legacy from events a decade ago still reverberate to this day. Several members of the current Biden administration bear responsibility for the destruction, including the present Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Finian Cunningham writes. Tim and Joaquin discuss his article.

Online News Editor (2021-02-25). Biden repeals Trump measure banning migrants over 'occupational hazards'. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 24 (efe-epa).- US President Joe Biden revoked a measure Wednesday by his predecessor Donald Trump, banning the entry of some immigrants deemed a "risk to the labor market," among them the beneficiaries of the visa lottery and relatives of permanent US residents or citizens. In a countermeasure released Wednesday by the White House, …

PAI (2021-02-25). Petitions to oust Trump USPS board and postmaster DeJoy top 1.1M signatures. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (PAI)—Petitions to Democratic President Joe Biden and Congress' Democratic leaders to replace the Trump-named U.S. Postal Service board with a new one that would in turn fire Trumpite Postmaster General Louis DeJoy have passed 1.12 million signatures combined. And that figure may be low. The American Postal Workers Union reported their petition is just …

Mike Garrity (2021-02-25). Big Victory in Yellowstone Ecosystem as Biden Administration Pulls Massive Henry's Fork Logging and Burning Scheme. counterpunch.org Last December the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Native Ecosystems Council, and Yellowstone to Uintas Connection took the Trump administration's Forest Service to federal court over plans to massively log and burn over 40,000 acres in the very headwaters of the world-famous Henry's Fork of the Snake River. We are exceptionally pleased to announce that

_____ (2021-02-25). 'Muscular' Foreign Policy: Media Codeword For Violence Abroad. popularresistance.org Writing in the Washington Post , pro-war columnist Josh Rogin appeared relieved that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate for November—as opposed to a progressive like Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, who would have called for cutting military budgets, fewer US interventions and the withdrawal of troops stationed abroad. Biden and Harris, he explained, will together pursue a "robust" foreign policy agenda. | Harris is described approvingly by one source as "pragmatic" (another media codeword—FAIR.org, 8/21/19), and together, Rogin notes, she and Biden can prove that "muscular liberali…

Dave DeCamp (2021-02-25). Biden's CIA Nominee Identifies China as Top 'Adversary'. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | William Burns, Biden's pick for CIA chief,

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2021-02-25). Tensions Between US and Saudi Arabia on the Rise. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Joe Biden's ideological commitment to Western liberal values promised to recover …

Margaret Flowers (2021-02-25). Nearly 800 Organizations and Individuals in the U.S. Demand the Biden Administration End Its Support for the Brutal MoàØse Regime in Haiti. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Today, February 24, 72 organizations and 700 individuals published an open …

Jordan Lancaster (2021-02-25). Democrats Ask Biden to Surrender Keys on Nuclear Weapons Launches. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | House Democrats have asked President Joe Biden to give other officials …

Staff (2021-02-25). Republicans Unite Against Stimulus Bill That Has 76 Percent Voter Support. truthout.org A new poll of 2,013 registered voters has found that 76 percent of voters are supportive of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus package. This is an increase from The stimulus package enjoys wide and decisive support. Nearly 90 percent of Democratic voters are in favor of the bill, called…

Staff (2021-02-25). No, Biden's Climate Plans Don't Cut It. truthout.org Long before the Texas energy crisis renewed calls for dramatic action, President Biden was getting high marks right now from a climate movement that was far from enthusiastic about him during the 2020 primaries. A wide range of activists, academics and policy wonks who spent four years planning for a post-Trump reality are almost unified in their enthusiasm about Biden's early moves. | But while everyone agrees there's considerable work ahead, is the celebration of Biden's climate agenda premature? | The White House's release of a s…

Staff (2021-02-25). Trump Cabinet Members Urged Staffers to "Be the Resistance" Within Biden Admin. truthout.org Government watchdog groups are calling on congressional committees to release the names of Trump political appointees who have "burrowed" into career civil service positions over concerns they may attempt to "sabotage" the Biden administration. | Former President Donald Trump signed an

RT (2021-02-25). Biden's transgender assistant health secretary nominee REFUSES questions on child sex changes in confirmation hearing. rt.com Rachel Levine, President Joe Biden's nominee for assistant health secretary, evaded questioning on her past support for child sex changes during her Senate confirmation hearing, a move that left GOP Senator Rand Paul "outraged." | Dr. Richard Levine had a long and successful career as a pediatrician before undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2011 and taking the name Rachel. Since then, Rachel Levine has transitioned to politics, becoming Pennsylvania's health secretary in 2017, before being tapped by President Biden earlier this month to become the next US Assistant Secretary for Health, as well as the h…

RT (2021-02-25). As troop withdrawal nears, police say militias aim to blow up Capitol, 'kill as many members as possible' during Biden's SOTU. rt.com Police have apparently found a new pretext to keep a militarized security shield around the US Capitol, warning that pro-Trump militias are plotting to bomb Congress during President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech. | "We know that members of the militia groups that were present on January 6 have stated their desire that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union," acting Capitol Police chief Yogananda Pittman said Thursday in testimony to a House subcommittee. | Such an attack would carry out unfinished business that the electio…

RT (2021-02-25). Asian-American civil rights group blasts critical race theory as 'hateful, divisive fraud' in fiery letter. rt.com The New York chapter of the oldest US Asian-American civil rights group has denounced critical race theory as actual racism and urged its members to resist, as the Biden administration seeks to mandate CRT-based 'equity'. | CRT "is a hateful, divisive, manipulative fraud," the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) of Greater New York said in a

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy. middleeasteye.net Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy | In a letter to the president, 41 members of Congress say they support Biden's decision to end support for Saudi coalition, but ask for clarification on what that entails | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 17: 54 | The conflict has killed nearly 250,000 people, caused outbreaks of preventable diseases and brought Yemen to the verge of famine (AFP) | Dozens of Democr…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions. middleeasteye.net Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions | US lawmakers say Biden must maintain sanctions until Iran 'ends its support for violence and terror around the region' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 21: 00 | The resolution led by Tom Cotton in the Senate was co-sponsored by 25 other senators (AFP) | Republican Senator Tom Cotton and more than 40 other lawmakers have introduced bicameral legislation that oppos…

Online News Editor (2021-02-26). Biden: US has administered 50 mn anti-Covid vaccine doses. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 25 (efe-epa).- President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed the fact that the US has now administered 50 million doses of the vaccines against Covid-19, an achievement he said was an enormous milestone in defeating the virus. "In five weeks, America's administered the most shots of any country in the world, with among the …

Fight Back (2021-02-26). Black prisoners don't matter to Leon County jails. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – You are just a worthless Black prisoner, and we don't care about you. | That is the message that the white power structure in Leon County is sending to the prisoners in the Leon County jail. Your lives simply don't matter. | If you die from COVID-19, good riddance. It will save the public the expense involved in taking care of you. | Neither Tallahassee Mayor John Daily, County Commission Chair Rick Minor, County Administrator Vince Long, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) CEO Mark O'Bryant, the Leon County Health Department Director Claudia Blackburn, nor any lobbyist or membe…

Viviana Weinstein (2021-02-26). Denver protest: 'No war on Iran!'. workers.org Feb. 20, Denver.Denver Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Denver Peace Council held a demonstration Feb. 20 at the state capital, in cooperation with the national call to prevent Washington from instigating a war against Iran. Threats the U.S. warships would move into the Persian/Arabian . . . |

A Guest Author (2021-02-26). Denver protest: 'No war on Iran!'. workers.org By Vivian Weinstein Denver Students for a Democratic Society, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Denver Peace Council held a demonstration Feb. 20 at the state capital, in cooperation with the national call to prevent Washington from instigating a war against Iran. Threats the U.S. warships would move into the . . . |

A Guest Author (2021-02-26). Black rage: a new 'reconstruction' in the U.S. workers.org The following letter from an incarcerated worker at SCI Pine Grove was received by Workers World Feb. 24. By Wesley Massey How do we make a paradigm shift to change how Blacks are viewed with pessimism, and on a good day cautious optimism? How do we change the culture in . . . |

Staff (2021-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2021. democracynow.org Biden and VP Harris to Mark 50 Million Vaccine Shots Since Start of Admin, FDA Moves Closer to Approval of Single-Dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine, Manchin Will Vote to Confirm Rep. Haaland for Interior Sec. as Neera Tanden's Bid for OMB in Peril, Biden Admin to Release Intel Report on Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 Murder, 6,500 Migrant Workers Have Died in Qatar Since It Was Named Host of 2022 World Cup, At Least 41 Migrants Drown in Mediterranean After Boat Capsizes, Amnesty Revokes Alexei Navalny's "Prisoner of Conscience" Status over Hateful Remarks, 79 Prisoners Killed in Ecuador in Gang-Related Violence, An…

Staff (2021-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2021. democracynow.org Biden and VP Harris to Mark 50 Million Shots Since Start of Admin, FDA Moves Closer to Approval of Single-Dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine, Manchin Will Vote to Confirm Rep. Haaland for Interior Sec. as Neera Tanden's Bid for OMB in Peril, Biden Admin to Release Intel Report on Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 Murder, 6,500 Migrant Workers Have Died in Qatar Since It Was Named Host of 2022 World Cup, At Least 41 Migrants Drown in Mediterranean After Boat Capsizes, Amnesty Revokes Alexei Navalny's "Prisoner of Conscience" Status over Hateful Remarks, 79 Prisoners Killed in Ecuador in Gang-Related Violence, Angola, Lo…

Ali Harb (2021-02-25). Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report. middleeasteye.net Biden calls Saudi King Salman ahead of release of Khashoggi report | White House statement on call did not mention Jamal Khashoggi, but the impending release of US report on the murder is expected to shake US-Saudi ties | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 22: 46 | The Biden administration has said it will release the US intelligence community's findings on the murder (AFP/File photo) | President Joe Biden held his first phone ca…

Juan Cole (2021-02-25). Biden's New Mideast: In Nadir of US-Saudi Relations, release planned of CIA report Accusing Crown prince of Murder. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Biden administration will release a Central Intelligence Agency report concluding that crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, 35, of Saudi Arabia, masterminded the assassination on October 2, 2018, of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. I'm not sure even an old foreign policy hand like President Biden understands how explosive this …

Noam Chomsky (2021-02-25). Progressives Must Revitalize the Labor Movement. zcomm.org Trump didn't win the working class, the Democrats lost it; it's urgent that progressive organizing focus on the working class and unions — human civilization depends on it…

sputniknews (2021-02-25). 'It Just Never Ends': Trump's Tax Returns Handed Over to Manhattan Prosecutor After Lengthy Battle. sputniknews.com On Monday, in response to a Supreme Court ruling greenlighting the disclosure of his financial records, Donald Trump lashed out at the Democrats and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, accusing them of trying to continue "the greatest political witch hunt in the history of our Country."

sputniknews (2021-02-25). Were Ex-State Secretary Kerry's Iran Meetings 'Treason' or Last-Ditch Effort to Save Nuclear Deal? sputniknews.com Former Obama administration cabinet members continued to maintain ties with the Iranian government during Donald Trump's tenure, The Washington Times reported on Monday, arguing that this amounted to a "flagrant violation of the Logan Act", something which the Democrats tried to use against Trump's National Security Adviser Gen. Mike Flynn.

Staff (2021-02-25). Dems Introduce Bill to Eliminate Pensions for Presidents With Felony Convictions. truthout.org Two Democratic lawmakers will introduce a bill that would strip former presidents of pension and other benefits if they were convicted of a felony — legislation that seems to be aimed directly at former President Donald Trump, who is presently the subject of numerous investigations. | Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-New York) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) have authored the Restoring and Enforcing Accountability of Presidents (REAP) Act, which would change portions of the Form…

Staff (2021-02-25). "Decades in the Making": How Mainstream Conservatives & Right-Wing Money Fueled the Capitol Attack. democracynow.org As more details emerge about those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, it's becoming clearer that the insurrection was not the work of a "fringe" group, but rather the result of a decades-long conservative effort to undermine democracy, according to author Brendan O'Connor. "The events of January 6 were not just months, but years, decades, in the making," says O'Connor, who notes that major Republican donors and prominent conservative groups were connected to the Trump rally that immediately preceded the Capitol riot.

RT (2021-02-25). Trump hands over 'MILLIONS of pages' of tax returns to Manhattan DA — reports. rt.com Former president Donald Trump has reportedly handed over his tax returns to prosecutors in New York. With Trump describing the investigation as a "fishing expedition," sifting through the "millions of pages" may take time. | The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump's lawyers may no longer shield the ex-president's tax returns from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, who is investigating whether Trump and the Trump Organization committed any financial crimes, including his alleged inflating of property values to secure loans. | Trump's lawyers immediately handed over the returns, CNN reported on Thu…

Staff (2021-02-25). Republicans Think Commission to Investigate January 6 Needs More Republicans. truthout.org Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) The commission will be tasked with investigating the events of the at…

Jackie Fox (2021-02-25). Neoliberalism is Killing US. realprogressives.org Following the idea of the Big Other defense falling apart when a truth is seen to be publicly accepted, what would be another similar public acceptance of failure for capitalism? Especially now, I think the US healthcare industry is a great place to look. The more timely issue is one of 'who gets coverage at all?' Barack Obama is the first mainstream, high-profile politician to say the words 'single payer,' descriptors that don't describe the Republican-influenced Obamacare that came to pass. | Bernie Sanders again was a part of the elevation of this idea in the mainstream. As I suggested before, he's not a…

RT (2021-02-25). 700+ children remain in detention at US border, 200 for over 48 hours, amid spike in unaccompanied crossings — media. rt.com Hundreds of unaccompanied minors have been held at the US border waiting to be processed, Axios reported. Almost a third of them have been lingering in detention for more than two days, as the backlog piles up. | Around 700 minors who crossed into the US on their own were kept in Border Patrol Custody as of Sunday, Axios By that time, around 200 children had already been held up for over 48 hours, a…

Vincent Emanuele (2021-02-25). Dr. Osterholm's Warning: COVID Hurricane on the Horizon. counterpunch.org Twelve months ago, Dr. Michael Osterholm was interviewed on the Joe Rogan Program. At the time, he warned that anywhere from 400,000 to 1.5 million Americans would die of COVID and that the pandemic would last for many years and significantly impact our lives. So far, his predictions have been eerily accurate. Today, Dr. Osterholm is warning that a "Category 5 COVID-hurricane" is on the horizon, with the B117/UK Variant posing the greatest threat.

Eds. (2021-02-25). Human nature is no barrier to socialism. mronline.org Of all the reasons to be angry during the pandemic—the profit-first response of governments, the neglected state of the health system, the environmental crisis underpinning the disaster, the millions dead—it has been people buying extra toilet paper that has elicited the most outrage.

David Cavendish (2021-02-25). It's time to shorten the workday—and the workweek. peoplesworld.org It's been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced people in our society to "shelter in place," social distance, and wear masks. Most social activities, such as sporting events, concerts, and parades were canceled. Schools and businesses closed, forcing nearly 50 million people onto the unemployment rolls. And while in recent months the numbers …

Chris Hartmann (2021-02-25). To 'Build Back Better,' listen to those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. peoplesworld.org Though often ignored, communities know best what ails them. I am reminded of this often because I hear it in my classroom. I heard it before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I hear it louder now as the pandemic rages on. At the end of last term, amidst the surge in cases after Thanksgiving, I asked …

Jomo Kwame Sundaram (2021-02-25). Developing Countries struggling to cope with COVID-19. mronline.org SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is adversely impacting most developing countries disproportionately, especially the United Nations' least developed countries (LDCs) and the World Bank's low-income countries (LICs).

UFCFLP (2021-02-25). The Pandemic, Newsom, The Recall & The Working Class. indybay.org The bankrupt and corrupt policies of California Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party are fueling the Republican funded efforts to have another recall in California. The last recall of Gray Davis was because of his support of deregulation of energy and putting Enron and other crooks in charge of the energy grid similar to what is happening in Texas…

RT (2021-02-25). Flu gets the cold shoulder: Influenza now virtually non-existent in US as Covid-19 spread continues. rt.com The coronavirus-battered US has enjoyed an unusually calm flu season, showing the lowest figures in decades. The lack of influenza likely stems from enduring restrictions — or Covid-19 wrestling out weaker germs, experts believe. | The ongoing pandemic has had an unexpected effect on the US healthscape, with the conventional flu being almost completely wiped out. Figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show a sharp drop in influenza cases occurred last April — and the figures remain extremely low ever since. | The 2020-21 flu season has essentially not even happened at a…

Staff (2021-02-25). 100+ Countries Push to Loosen WTO Rules on Vaccine Patents. Why Is the U.S. Still Blocking the Way? democracynow.org As the pandemic's death toll nears 2.5 million, stringent rules around intellectual property rights could be preventing much of the world from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. Over 45 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the United Nations, while 130 other countries have not received any vaccines at all, leading to what some describe as "vaccine apartheid." At the World Trade Organization, South Africa and India are leading a push by over 100 nations to waive intellectual property rules that give pharmaceutical companies monopolistic control over vaccines they…

Staff (2021-02-25). Over 100 Countries Push to Loosen Rules on Vaccine Patents as US Blocks the Way. truthout.org As the pandemic's death toll nears 2.5 million, stringent rules around intellectual property rights could be preventing much of the world from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. Over 45 million people in the United States have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the United Nations, while 130 other countries have not received any vaccines at all, leading to what some describe as "vaccine apartheid." At the World Trade Organization, South Africa and India are leading a push by over…

The Socialist Program (2021-02-25). Capitalism in Crisis: End Capitalist Control Over Heat & Light. liberationnews.org Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the terrible storm in Texas and elsewhere in the south that has caused death, destruction and a near total breakdown in infrastructure. What does this say about the capitalist system?>

David Trujillo (2021-02-25). We have earned the right to look to a new, socialist future. peoplesworld.org The door is wide open. The opportunity for socialism is a serious option for a new political future. Let's get real: The Republicans have abdicated democratic responsibilities. They have given up on our basic democratic values and the U.S. Constitution. The Republican Party and many of its supporters are frankly pushing for a fascist, racist …

_____ (2021-02-25). Build New Infrastructure For A Broader Movement. popularresistance.org The huge upswing in worker organizing in 2020 often had union support, but with an experimental twist. | Over the first few months of the COVID-19 epidemic, workers from bridal shops to pizza places to supermarkets were organizing to get Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and winning. They used tools like the coworker.org site, which helps anyone start up a petition in their workplace and make demands. Groups like the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC), a project of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the United Electrical Workers Union (UE) supported those workers taking independent act…

_____ (2021-02-25). Democracy Now Amplifies State Department Propaganda Campaign Against China Behind Progressive Cover. strategic-culture.org By Danny HAIPHONG | While Democracy Now hosts US gov't-funded pundits to spread humanitarian interventionist propaganda about Xinjiang, an analysis by The Grayzone found most of the outlets's China coverage is sharply negative | The U.S. has claimed a humanitarian "Responsibility to Protect" to justify military operations in the name of saving civilian lives from evil dictators. Most notable have been the brutal U.S.-led wars in Libya and Syria which destabilized entire regions in the name of "civilian protection" and "promoting democracy." These operations relied heavily on self-described human rights NGO's and…

William Boardman (2021-02-25). How Rational Can the US Be in Dealing with Yemen and Iran? dissidentvoice.org We're also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen — a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and restore long-dormant peace talks…. And to underscore our commitment, …

MEE and agencies (2021-02-25). Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine. middleeasteye.net Yemen: UN aid chief urges Gulf states to step up to avert 'man-made' famine | Mark Lowcock made the appeal ahead of a virtual pledging conference, highlighting a big drop off in aid support in 2020 | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 08: 36 | The United Nations describes Yemen as the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with 80 percent of the people in need (AFP) | UN aid chief Mark Lowcock urged Gulf sta…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics. middleeasteye.net Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics | Hundreds sign letter asking Alison Bashford to turn down Dan David prize over Israel's 'undermining of Palestine's health systems' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 13: 25 | A Palestinian man demonstrates in support of BDS near Ramallah (AFP) | An Australian historian is being urged to turn down a highly lucrative Israeli award in an open letter si…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any cha…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any ch…

Ray McGinnis (2021-02-25). The Doll House the CIA Built. dissidentvoice.org American news these past few decades has been an almost constant non-stop spectacle of shock and awe. Breaking news is emotionally gripping, often disorienting, a 24/7 drama without rest. Key talking points are relentlessly asserted. And with each passing year news commentators grow ever more certain of their talking points, with no sense that dissenting points …

Nicholas Stender (2021-02-25). Chicago Teachers Union's commitment to democracy pays off. liberationnews.org The battle over school reopening in Chicago was a hard fought one.

Chuck Collins (2021-02-25). Nomadland: The Impact of Gender-Bias in Wages. counterpunch.org If you grew up agitated that "women earn 59 cents on the dollar," for the same work as men, there's a movie for you. At the beginning of the new film, Nomadland, one of the characters tells Fern, the lead character played beautifully by Frances McDormand: "My social security check is $550. How am I

Eds. (2021-02-25). Cuba has assisted almost one third of the world's population in health care. mronline.org In the six decades of Cuban medical collaboration abroad, its health personnel have assisted 1.988 billion people in the world, almost a third of mankind, said Dr. Jorge Delgado Bustillo, director of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM).

The Conversation (2021-02-25). Texas blackouts show why energy should be a universal right. juancole.com By Gordon Walker | — An unprecedented cold wave in the US state of Texas recently left several million households without power for days on end, as temperatures dropped well below freezing. Dozens of people died from hypothermia, car crashes, house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning from running cars or generators simply to keep warm. …

Eds. (2021-02-25). How did a fateful CIA coup—executed 55 years ago this February 24—doom much of sub-Saharan Africa? mronline.org Fifty-five years ago on this day, the fate of Africa was irrevocably altered when the CIA sponsored a 1966 coup d'état against Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former Prime Minister of Ghana and Pan-Africanist visionary who was voted as "Africa's Man of the Millennium."

TN Long (2021-02-25). Virginia comes out to support Alabama Amazon workers. peoplesworld.org ARLINGTON, Va.—On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Southern Workers Assembly coordinated over 40 solidarity events around the country in support of the workers at the Bessemer, Ala., Amazon facility who are currently in the midst of a vote to unionize their workplace. The unionization campaign there, called the BAmazon Union, is organized by the Mid-South Council …

Sasha Harrison (2021-02-25). Harlem's 1930s housing struggle has lessons for today. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.

Joe Piette (2021-02-25). 'No war drills on Korean Peninsula!'. workers.org Philadelphia Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network activists hold signs, Feb. 21. Annual U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) combined military exercises are costly and a major obstacle to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. And it's a provocative threat against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Korea solidarity groups in the U.S. . . . |

Staff (2021-02-25). Mayim Bialik: 'S*** got deep with me and Cornel West'. therealnews.com Mayim Bialik delves into the long history of solidarity amongst the Jewish people and Black Americans, and details her dismay at the state of racism in America, her upbringing as a staunch advocate for social justice, and her perspective on the apparent contradictions between her faith and her political ideologies.

Philippe Marlière (2021-02-25). "Islamo-Leftism": Macron's Witch Hunt Against Critical Academics. counterpunch.org Speaking recently on CNews, France's equivalent of Fox News, the higher education minister launched an unprecedented attack on the whole French academic community. Frédérique Vidal argued that French academia is "gangrened by Islamo-gauchisme" or "Islamo-leftism". The "Islamo-leftism" tag is today used uncritically by members of the government, large sections of the media and conservative academics. It is reminiscent

G. Dunkel (2021-02-25). COVID crisis drags down U.S. life expectancy. workers.org The number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the United States is now over 500,000. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. life expectancy dropped by a full year from the first six months of 2019 to the first six months of 2020. This is the biggest drop . . . |

Arthur Zipser (2021-02-25). William Z. Foster—Pioneer fighter for Black equality in organized labor. peoplesworld.org Editor's Note: Feb. 25, 2021, marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of William Z. Foster. One of the most well-known figures of early 20th century labor history, Foster spearheaded the drive to organize the packinghouse industry during World War I and led the Great Steel Strike of 1919. He later joined the Communist Party …

Anustup Roy (2021-02-25). India's Farm Protests: "If We Don't Stand By Them, Who Will?" counterpunch.org "The company people are certainly irritated with the protest happening here. It has badly affected transportation and the business is running poorly," says 22-year-old Nizamuddin Ali, a security supervisor at a home appliances factory in the Kundli industrial area. He lives about six kilometres from the farmers' protest site at Singhu, on the Haryana-Delhi border.

Sasha Harrison (2021-02-25). Fired up! Harlem's fight for housing in the 1930s. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.

George Wuerthner (2021-02-25). Degrading Forest Ecosystems in the Name of Collaboration. counterpunch.org A recent article in the Blue Mountain Eagle Finding Common Ground on Active Forest Management quotes several people about restoring forest health. None of these people have expertise in forest ecology, except James Johnson from the OSU forestry school. The irony is that all these people, including Johnson, ignore the science from other scientists in

Howie Hawkins (2021-02-25). HR 1's Campaign Finance Program: A Reform that Doesn't Reform. counterpunch.org HR 1, the For the People Act, is an omnibus voting reform bill that has many progressive measures concerning voter registration, voter roll purges, voter-verified paper ballots, early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, presidential candidate tax returns, gerrymandering, and more. According to reports, the Democratic leadership will whip their members hard to pass the bill through

a guest author (2021-02-25). Bessemer Amazon workers: 'They are showing the way'. workers.org Joan Hwang The following remarks were given by Joan Hwang (she/they), an organizer with the Workers Assembly Against Racism, at a Feb. 20 rally in Manhattan, N.Y., in solidarity with Amazon workers organizing a union drive in Bessemer, Ala. Hwang is also an urban farmer. We are out here today . . . |

a guest author (2021-02-25). Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bessemer, prisiones: Lucha de clases, antes y ahora. workers.org Los boicoteadores de autobuses, sin importar su edad o habilidad, caminaron millas hasta su trabajo en Montgomery, febrero de 1956. Por Monica Moorehead Cincuenta años después del final de la Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos, y durante el apogeo de los horribles linchamientos de personas negras en el sur . . . |

Claudia Jones (2021-02-25). Life and times of Claudia Jones: In her own words. peoplesworld.org Claudia Jones (1915—1964), an Afro-Caribbean woman born in Port of Spain, British West Indies (Trinidad), was a Communist activist in the U.S., holding several responsible positions within the Communist Party and for its publications until her deportation in 1955 to Great Britain. There, based in London, she played a leading role in the West Indian …