Military in Myanmar stages a coup, detains Aung San Suu Kyi and other political activists
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-02-01
The military declared that state power has been handed to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, general Min Aung Hlaing, and a state of emergency has been imposed for one year…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/02/01/military-…

What is happening in Myanmar?
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-02-01
Myanmar’s military has staged a coup and detained state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi along with other top leaders of the state, including president U Win Myint. The UN said that the coup was totally unacceptable as it is an “attempt to undermine democracy and rule of law.”
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/02/01/what-is-h…

Biden Condemns Burma Military Coup, as Critics Question Claims of Election Fraud
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
President Joe Biden sent out a stern statement voicing consternation toward a military coup in Burma this week, threatening economic sanctions to the country if it did not return power to the duly elected government that was recently chosen by its people. | The coup in Burma (also known as Myanmar) happened early on Monday morning (Sunday evening in the United States…
truthout.org/articles/biden-condemns-bur…

As Congress Negotiates COVID Relief Bill and Budget Reconciliation Process Begins, People’s Action Announces Priorities to Protect Everyday People
Johanna Kichton | peoplesaction.org | 2021-02-01
In New Letter to Congressional Democratic Leaders, People’s Action Demands Lawmakers Fight for Cash Payments, Vaccines for All, Rent Relief, Good Jobs and Pay, Debt Cancellation, and State Funding Contact: Johanna Kichton, 240.206.1145, press@peoplesaction.org WASHINGTON, D.C.–People’s Action today sent a letter to congressional Democrat leadership demanding they protect everyday people in any new COVID relief …
peoplesaction.org/2021/02/as-congress-ne…

US-Wide Eviction Ban Could Have Prevented Thousands Of COVID-19 Deaths
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
Julie Rey has been living on the edge of eviction for much of the Covid-19 pandemic. She’s a 42-year-old mother of two, and her family has also been especially afraid of infection, as her 19-year-old daughter suffers from a comorbid condition and is at greater risk from the virus. | In 2021, what they long feared finally happened. At the beginning of the year, Rey and her 14-year-old daughter contracted the virus, and a judge ordered them out of their home by 20 January. The only mercy was that the gears of eviction did not finish turning until their illnesses had faded. They were able to quarantine away from Rey…
popularresistance.org/us-wide-eviction-b…

Blinken says partnership with Riyadh must be ‘consistent’ with US values
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2021-02-01
Blinken says partnership with Riyadh must be ‘consistent’ with US values | US secretary of state decries killing of Jamal Khashoggi as ‘abhorrent’, and says administration is reviewing blacklisting of Yemen’s Houthis | MEE staff | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 18: 32 | In interview with NBC, Blinken says Riyadh is an ‘important partner’ but Washington is reassessing ties with kingdom (AFP) | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken decri…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-saudi-part…

NYT’s China syndrome
Jim Naureckas | mronline.org | 2021-02-01
Imagine a parallel world where the U.S. brought Covid under control in two months, while China still struggled with it, a year and hundreds of thousands of deaths later.
mronline.org/2021/02/01/nyts-china-syndr…

Black Americans Are Left Behind as Vaccine Rollout Expands
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
This story also ran on NBC News. It can be republished for free. | Black Americans are still receiving covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans even as the chaotic rollout reaches more people, according to a new KHN analysis. | Almost se…
truthout.org/articles/black-americans-ar…

“Judas and the Black Messiah” Director Shaka King on Fred Hampton, the Black Panthers & COINTELPRO
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-02-01
A highly anticipated new feature film, “Judas and the Black Messiah,” tells the story of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton and William O’Neal, the FBI informant who infiltrated the Illinois Black Panther Party to collect information that ultimately led to Hampton’s killing in 1969 by law enforcement officers. The film is premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and stars Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton, LaKeith Stanfield as O’Neal and Martin Sheen as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Shaka King, the film’s director and co-writer, says focusing on Hampton and O’Neal was a way “to make ‘The Departed’ inside the world of…
www.democracynow.org/2021/2/1/judas_and_…

The Assassination of Fred Hampton: New Documents Reveal Involvement of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-02-01
Newly unearthed documents have shed new light on the FBI’s role in the murder of the 21-year-old Black Panther leader Fred Hampton on December 4, 1969, when Chicago police raided Hampton’s apartment and shot and killed him in his bed, along with fellow Black Panther leader Mark Clark. Authorities initially claimed the Panthers had opened fire on the police who were there to serve a search warrant for weapons, but evidence later emerged that told a very different story: The FBI, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Chicago police had conspired to assassinate Fred Hampton. FBI memos and reports obtaine…
www.democracynow.org/2021/2/1/fred_hampt…

Don’t Grade President Biden on a Curve
Norman Solomon | zcomm.org | 2021-02-01
To give high marks merely for excelling in comparison to right-wing Republicans is to cheer high jumps over very low standards…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/dont-grade-preside…

Prolonged Increases in Public-Payer Spending and Prices After Unapproved Drug Initiative Approval of Colchicine
McCormick N, Wallace ZS, Yokose C, et al. | jamanetwork.com | 2021-02-01
This cohort study examines national Medicaid and Medicare drug-spending data to examine colchicine prices over the period from 2008 to 2017.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmed…

Commerzbank cuts 10,000 jobs in Germany, with union support
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The trade union Verdi supports the jobs massacre at Commerzbank, which will destroy 10,000 posts and close half its branches.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/comm…

UN human rights commissioner calls for probe into Sri Lanka’s war crimes
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
Bachelet’s report comes amid US moves to present a new human rights resolution on Sri Lanka in order to pressure the Rajapakse regime in Colombo remain within Washington’s geostrategic orbit.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/slun…

UK Labour Party’s Hiring of Former Israeli Spy Completes the Post-Corbyn Transformation
Raul Diego | mintpressnews.com | 2021-02-01
UK Labour is in the throes of a makeover as the new leader of the opposition taps a notorious Israeli Unit 8200 alumnus to lead its social media in the push for a 2024 victory.
mintpressnews.com/uk-labour-former-israe…

Gamestop — And the Financial Game that Never Stops!
Dr. Jack Rasmus | globalresearch.ca | 2021-02-01
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). | *** | This past week a video game company in trouble, Gamestop, became …
globalresearch.ca/gamestop-game-never-st…

GameStop Is a Lesson in Absurdity and Uselessness of Stock Market
Doug Henwood | zcomm.org | 2021-02-01
The online pranksters behind the great GameStop bubble of 2021 are probably going to lose a lot of money. But they’ve done the world a service by reminding us of the utter uselessness of the stock market…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/gamestop-is-a-less…

Boris Johnson and the Deaths of the Hundred Thousand
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
Not exactly Thermopylae. Not even close. The hundred thousand who have now been taken by COVID-19 in Britain were not determined warriors holding up the forces of a mighty empire to save their land. They were the innocent victims of infection, mismanagement and miscalculation. Central to the policy which led to such losses was a…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/boris-johnso…

White House Briefings for Children: Jen Psaki Circles Back
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2021-02-01
The Biden administration’s first White House press secretary is keen that things will be done differently under her guidance. The jaw dropping, sniping essions between the press and government that were characteristic of the Trump administration were going to cease. “When the President asked me to serve in this role,” Jen Psaki outlined in her …
dissidentvoice.org/2021/01/white-house-b…

Capitalism vs. Socialism: The Pandemic and the Global Class Struggle
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
One year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” the response of the ruling class to the pandemic has led to the deaths of more than 2.2 million people.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/pers…

Vietnam’s Communist Party sets course for post-pandemic recovery
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-02-01
The ruling Communist Party of Vietnam has set ambitious targets for boosting growth and economic expansion in the next five years as part of its economic recovery plan in…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/02/01/vietnams-…

As EU falls behind on supplies of Covid-19 vaccines, German health minister entertains possibility of using Russia’s Sputnik V
rt.com | 2021-02-01
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has revealed that Berlin would be open to importing Covid-19 vaccines from Russia and China as the government looks to find ways to overcome the country’s shortage of doses. | “Regardless of the country in which a vaccine is manufactured, if they are safe and effective, they can help cope with the pandemic,” Spahn told Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. | The German minister’s comments came before Vladimir Chizhov, Russia’s permanent representative to the EU, revealed that Moscow is not only open to selling its Sputnik V vaccine but will also share information about how…
rt.com/russia/514265-germany-possibility…

Triple shock of US sanctions, oil price collapse and the pandemic decimates Iranian living standards
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The “hardline” faction around the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is attacking the faction around President Hassan Rouhani who negotiated the nuclear agreement with the Obama administration, amid indications that the Biden administration intends to continue enforcing the “maximum pressure” campaign of draconian sanctions and military provocations against Iran.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/iran…

Did “defund the police” lead to an increase in murder? Almost certainly not
Igor Derysh | salon.com | 2021-02-01
In fact, hardly any cities have “defunded” cops — the troubling spike in homicide is probably pandemic-related…
salon.com/2021/02/01/did-defund-the-poli…

Embrittlement in Nuclear Power Plants
Karl Grossman, Harvey Wasserman | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
Of all the daunting tasks Joe Biden faces, especially vital is the inspection of dangerously embrittled atomic reactors still operating in the United States. A meltdown at any one of them would threaten the health and safety of millions of people while causing major impact to an already struggling economy. The COVID-19 pandemic would complicate…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/embrittlemen…

Take Action To End The Economic War At Home And Abroad
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
It is the same neoliberal economic system, white supremacy and disregard for human life that underlie sanctions abroad and at home. The current recession and pandemic have exposed this in a brutal way in the United States. The populations that are harmed the most are Indigenous peoples and communities of color. The United States government could have taken the effective steps of cancelling rent and debt, providing a monthly income and nationalizing healthcare that other countries took but instead passed laws that funneled wealth to the top while providing minimal relief to the majority.
popularresistance.org/economic-war-home-…

The COVID-19 Pandemic Can’t Be Managed, It Has to Be Eradicated
Sonali Kolhatkar | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
For millions of Americans who believe that COVID-19 is real, dangerous, and requires a plan of action, Joe Biden’s election to the presidency has finally offered a path out of the seemingly never-ending pandemic. Indeed, compared to President Donald Trump’s approach–which centered on financing the development of vaccines, but did little else to mitigate the…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/the-covid-19…

We Did Not “Lose” Loved Ones and Normal Life to COVID. They Were Stolen
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
There is a great deal of talk about “loss” as we slog into the newest month of this long COVID winter. The lost lives — more than 441,000 people in the U.S. alone — are top of mind. The loss of livelihoods as businesses crumble under the weight of the pandemic. The loss of food and home security, a new truth for so many as hunger and eviction stalk millions of people everywhere. | Yet “loss” itself is a passive word; it’s what happens to your lap when you stand up — poof, it’s gone.
truthout.org/articles/we-did-not-lose-lo…

After enduring ‘complete hell’ during pandemic, food workers face obstacles getting COVID-19 vaccinations
Leah Douglas | nationofchange.org | 2021-02-01
“Vaccinating our essential farmworkers will ensure the safety of their workplaces, their homes, their families, our food supply, and the vital services that they perform.”
nationofchange.org/2021/02/01/after-endu…

Pharmacy Access to Sterile Injection Supplies for People Who Inject Drugs
Barnett BS, Morris NP. | jamanetwork.com | 2021-02-01
This Viewpoint discusses reforms to pharmacy distribution of over-the-counter sterile injection supplies to prevent infections and death among people who inject drugs, especially important during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmed…

Strikes mount in Turkey against austerity and herd immunity policies
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The Turkish government’s murderous response to the pandemic and the collapse of social conditions for millions are increasingly driving workers into struggle.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/turk…

All 10 GOP Senators Behind Skimpy COVID Proposal Gave the Military $740 Billion
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
Each of the 10 Republican senators who threw their support behind a widely criticized $600 billion coronavirus relief proposal on Sunday recently approved a whopping $740 billion military budget, a vote progressive lawmakers are highlighting as further evidence of the GOP’s warped priorities amid a devastating pandemic and economic crisis. | “Every sin…
truthout.org/articles/all-10-gop-senator…

Demand Mass Clemency On ‘National Freedom Day’
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
As supporters of the #CagingCOVID campaign, the Antistasis Project is calling for decentralized actions on February 1st across the so-called United States, and internationally, in support of mass clemency for people held in jails, prisons and detention centers. | Reports updated as of Jan. 19, show at least 355,957 prisoners have gotten the virus, and more than 2,232 died as a result of it. . The pandemic has resulted in prisons and jails abusing isolation more than ever before. Social distance is necessary but solitary confinement is torture. | Crowded quarters, a lack of PPE, inadequate medical care, an aging p…
popularresistance.org/demand-mass-clemen…

Shooting Down Deficit Hawks
J.D. ALT | realprogressives.org | 2021-02-01
Deficit hawks, like dive-bombing kamikazes, are out now again, circling the battleship of our collective efforts to save ourselves. Can we pay ourselves to produce, distribute, and administer the Covid vaccine to every American in six months? No! say the dive-bombing Kamikazes–we cannot collect enough taxes to pay for that. It would require the government to borrow hundreds of billions more, increasing our “deficit” and the national “debt.” Can we pay ourselves to design and build a low-carbon infrastructure that will help put a cap on global warming? No and No! say the circling deficit hawks–and h…
realprogressives.org/shooting-down-defic…

The right to breathe: COVID-19 and the scarcity of medicinal oxygen for the developing world
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
Medicinal oxygen is essential for the treatment of severe and critical COVID-19 infections. Yet the developing world, seeing a surge in cases, faces a dire shortage of this life-saving treatment.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/oxyg…

Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners
Umar A Farooq | middleeasteye.net | 2021-02-01
Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners | Pentagon decided to pause plan to offer coronavirus vaccines to Guantanamo detainees following criticism from Republican lawmaker | Umar A Farooq | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 20: 38 | It is not known how many people at Guantanamo have contracted Covid-19 (AFP) | Rights groups are calling on the Biden administration to publicly reveal its Covid-19…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/rights-groups…

COVID behind bars: Infected prisoners work for next to nothing
Asha Ramachandran | peoplesworld.org | 2021-02-01
EL PASO, Texas — The county jail was using incarcerated labor to move the corpses of COVID-19 patients into mobile morgues in El Paso, Texas last fall. Media coverage focused on inmates “helping” and “volunteering,” even as they were being paid only $2 per hour. Incarcerated people at Airway Heights Correction Center in Washington state …
peoplesworld.org/article/covid-behind-ba…

Cutting $2,000 Payments, and Limiting Who’s Eligible for Them, Is Bad Economics and Loser Politics
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2021-02-01
Cutting $2,000 Payments, and Limiting Who’s Eligible for Them, Is Bad Economics and Loser Politics…
thenation.com/article/economy/stimilus-c…

COVID behind bars: Infected prisoners work for next to nothing
Asha Ramachandran | peoplesworld.org | 2021-02-01
EL PASO, Texas–The county jail was using incarcerated labor to move the corpses of COVID-19 patients into mobile morgues in El Paso, Texas last fall. Media coverage focused on inmates “helping” and “volunteering,” even as they were being paid only $2 per hour. Incarcerated people at Airway Heights Correction Center in Washington state are being …
peoplesworld.org/article/covid-behind-ba…

A Nursing Researcher’s Experience in a COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
Choi KR. | jamanetwork.com | 2021-02-01
This perspective is that of a nursing researcher turned volunteer in a COVID-19 vaccine trial. She considers the experience of study participants and how clinicians will need to prepare their patients for the vaccine’s possible adverse effects.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmed…

Vaccine crime ring: Chinese police make 80 arrests & seize 3,000 saline-filled syringes
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Dozens of people have been detained after Chinese police launched a crackdown on the manufacturing and selling of fake Covid-19 vaccinations. Authorities say the illicit trade has been going on for months. | Read more | | ‘There should be no vicious competition’: China dismisses reports India engages in Covid-19 ‘vaccine diplomacy’ | Law enforcement targeted crime rings in Beijing, as well as the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong, resulting in more than 80 arrests and the seizure of some 3,000 syringes filled with saline, state news agency Xin…
rt.com/news/514259-china-fake-covid-vacc…

The Appointment of Samantha Powers is Bad News for USAID
Jonas Ecke | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
For all its faults, USAID — the US Agency for International Development — will be one of the most vitally important agencies of the Biden administration. The confluence of Covid-19, global warming, famines in the Horn of Africa, forced migration and a series of unending proxy wars in the Middle East is a perfect storm that…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/the-appointm…

‘Bring Sundiata home’: The case for freeing elderly political prisoners
Staff | therealnews.com | 2021-02-01
Sundiata Acoli has been locked up for 48 years. At 84 years old, and after contracting COVID-19 in prison, Acoli’s health is suffering–and a coalition of friends, family, and faith leaders are calling for him to be released before it’s too late.
therealnews.com/bring-sundiata-home-the-…

My Students Are Struggling. You’ll Never Guess Why
Leehi Yona | thenation.com | 2021-02-01
My Students Are Struggling. You’ll Never Guess Why.
thenation.com/article/world/covid-grief/

White House Announces $231 Million Contract to Buy Rapid At-Home COVID Tests
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
The Joe Biden administration announced on Monday a $231.8 million contract with Australian company Ellume to buy 8.5 million rapid at-home coronavirus tests. The test will be available for the public to take without a prescription and provides results within 15 minutes. | After the company announced that the tests were 96 percent accurate in December, it received…
truthout.org/articles/white-house-announ…

South Africa receives its first 1 million-dose batch of Covid-19 vaccine
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The first coronavirus vaccine shipment to South Africa has arrived in the country, as it struggles with the continent’s highest caseload alongside a more transmissible strain of the virus. | A plane carrying the vaccines touched down at OR Tambo international airport on Monday. The load of one million AstraZeneca jabs, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), were warmly welcomed, with President Cyril Ramaphosa and other high-ranking officials in attendance. | Late in January, the president blasted rich nation…
rt.com/news/514279-south-africa-first-co…

Portugal to receive planeload of German doctors, hospital beds & ventilators to counter dire Covid-19 surge
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Germany will send 26 doctors, nurses and hygiene experts to Portugal on Wednesday to help prop up the nation’s Covid-19 efforts as it battles one of the world’s worst outbreaks, the German defense minister said on Monday. | “We support our friends in Portugal who find themselves in an especially dramatic situation,” Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said. | The German military medical team will stay in Portugal for three weeks. Berlin is also sending 150 infusion machines and 50 ventilators, which are also set to arrive in Lisbon by plane on Wednesday. | Newspaper reports last week said the German armed forc…
rt.com/news/514309-portugal-germany-doct…

England’s health officials begin urgent tests amid fears South African Covid strain now spreading in communities
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Urgent testing for the highly contagious South African strain of Covid has been ordered by Public Health England (PHE) as 11 cases were reported across Britain by Monday afternoon amid growing fears of community transmission. | Authorities are to step up testing for the new variant in London, the Southeast and the Midlands. So far, PHE has ordered new tests in eight separate areas of England. | Initially, PHE reported two people who had no travel links to South Africa tested positive for the mutant strain in Surrey on Monday morning. | Just like the UK mutant strain discovered in November, the South Africa var…
rt.com/uk/514282-covid-south-africa-vari…

7 die at Spanish care home after getting Pfizer Covid-19 jab as ALL residents test positive for virus, second doses still to come
rt.com | 2021-02-01
All 78 residents at a nursing home in central Spain have tested positive for Covid-19 after being given their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and at least seven people have died, staff confirmed on Monday. | Most of those who succumbed to the virus had existing conditions, according to Spanish news agency EFE, while four residents are currently hospitalized, and 12 staff have also been infected. | The huge outbreak is at the Lagartera Residence for the Elderly in the Toledo area, southwest of the capital Madrid. | The home’s 33 staff must now present a negative PCR test before they start work, and a…
rt.com/news/514303-deaths-pfizer-vaccine…

The Appointment of Samantha Power is Bad News for USAID
Jonas Ecke | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
For all its faults, USAID — the US Agency for International Development — will be one of the most vitally important agencies of the Biden administration. The confluence of Covid-19, global warming, famines in the Horn of Africa, forced migration and a series of unending proxy wars in the Middle East is a perfect storm that…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/the-appointm…

Criminal gangs selling fake negative Covid-19 tests needed by most air travelers, Europol warns
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The EU’s policing agency has warned that criminal gangs are cashing in on the Covid crisis by selling forged negative test results at airports. The fakes fetch up to ‚Ǩ300 ($362) each, as the certs are now widely needed for travel. | …
rt.com/news/514292-fake-covid-test-resul…

Far-right protesters temporarily shut down COVID-19 vaccinations at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The Los Angeles Police Department allowed a few dozen right-wing anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown demonstrators to block traffic into Dodger Stadium, forcing a shutdown of the vaccination site for nearly an hour Saturday afternoon.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/lava…

Austria to ease Covid-19 lockdown by opening schools and shops, while tightening borders to hinder arrival of new variants
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Schools and non-essential shops in Austria will reopen next week as the country loosens its lockdown, though border measures will be tightened to stop Covid-19 variants coming in, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said. | From February 8, schoolkids will have to furnish negative coronavirus test results in order to attend their classes, while shoppers will have to wear the higher-grade FFP2 face masks, which are already mandatory on public transport and in essential shops. | Austria will also reopen museums, galleries, libraries and zoos, and will switch from its current 24-hour ban on movement to overnight curfew…
rt.com/news/514313-austria-covid-restric…

Madrid to relax restaurant Covid-19 rules to help businesses and push back against ‘political pressure’ despite high infections
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The region of Madrid will relax some of its Covid-19 restrictions this week, the region’s president announced on Monday, even though infection rates in the capital remain high and most of Spain is tightening health measures. | From Friday, the number of diners allowed per table on outdoor restaurant terraces in Madrid will be upped from four to six and the 10pm curfew on business activity will be pushed back to midnight “as soon as possible,” Isabel Diaz Ayuso said. | Ayuso also announced that the use of face masks inside hospitality establishments will be made mandatory. | Those in the Spanish capital are alr…
rt.com/news/514290-madrid-relaxes-covid-…

The Year in Hate and Extremism 2020: Hate groups became more difficult to track amid COVID and migration to online networks
splcenter.org | 2021-02-01
&nbsp…
splcenter.org/news/2021/02/01/year-hate-…

Covid-19 school closures could cost UK children £350bn in lost earnings, economy research group says
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that Covid-19 school closures could cost UK children £350 billion in lost earnings over their lives, as not enough is being done to avoid leaving a whole generation of kids behind. | The independent economy research organisation has released a report into the effects of Covid-19 lockdowns on children across the country, as school closures force pupils to learn from home. | Citing research by the World Bank, the IFS suggested that by losing half an academic year, equivalent to five percent of their overall school career, each pupil could see a lifetime los…
rt.com/uk/514260-covid-school-closures-c…

China slams Canadian Embassy after staff member ordered customized shirts featuring Wuhan and bat patterns
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Beijing has lodged an official complaint with the Canadian Embassy in China after reports emerged that a staff member ordered customized shirts featuring Wuhan and bat patterns in July 2020. | Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin urged the Canadian authorities to investigate the reports on Monday and take immediate action. Wang stressed that diplomatic and consular personnel stationed abroad in any country in the world should strictly abide by the Vienna Convention and local laws. | The Chinese side was shocked by this and has lodged solemn representations with the Canadian Embassy in China, reque…
rt.com/news/514271-china-covid19-canada-…

Hedges: Papering Over the Rot
Editor | scheerpost.com | 2021-02-01
By Chris Hedges / Original to ScheerPost The death spiral of the American Empire will not be halted with civility. It will not be halted with the 42 executive orders signed by Joe Biden, however welcome many are, especially since they can, with a new chief executive, be immediately revoked. It will not be halted by removing Donald Trump, and the crackpot conspiracy theorists… | Source…
scheerpost.com/2021/02/01/hedges-paperin…

Scientists: Earth is substantially hotter than at any time during past 12,000 Years; entire Holocene was Cool
Juan Cole | juancole.com | 2021-02-01
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Our human civilization, with agriculture, is only about 10,000 years old. It started in the Middle East in the Neolithic. An ice age began about 3 million years ago, and we are still in it inasmuch as Antarctica is covered with ice as is the North Pole, Greenland and the …
juancole.com/2021/02/scientists-substant…

Conservatives worked for Decades to build an Imperial Presidency, and it Gave them Trump and now Biden
Juan Cole | juancole.com | 2021-02-01
By Tom Engelhardt | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — Joe Biden’s got a problem — and so do I. And so, in fact, do we. At 76 years old, you’d think I’d experienced it all when it comes to this country and its presidencies. Or most of it, anyway. I’ve been around since Franklin D. Roosevelt …
juancole.com/2021/02/conservatives-imper…

Scientists: Earth is substantially hotter than at any time during past 12,000 Years; entire Holocene was Cool
Juan Cole | juancole.com | 2021-02-01
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Our human civilization, with agriculture is only about 10,000 years old. It started in the Middle East in the Neolithic. An ice age began about 3 million years ago, and we are still in it inasmuch as Antarctica is covered with ice as is the North Pole, Greenland and the …
juancole.com/2021/02/scientists-substant…

On The Green New Deal, Nationalization, & Class Politics
Jack Delaney | zcomm.org | 2021-02-01
The current mode of production and distribution — of private ownership motivated by unlimited growth and profits — is incompatible with ensuring the survival of humanity, serving the common interest, and staving off ecological collapse…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/on-the-green-new-d…

NYPD Deploys Counter Terrorism Unit To Protect Wall Street in Response To Gamestop Protests
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2021-02-01
The NYPD decision comes amid a growing online movement aimed at punishing wealthy hedge funds who have spent enormous sums betting on the demise of a number of companies.
mintpressnews.com/nypd-deploys-counter-t…

“At First I Thought it Was a Joke”: Academic Media Censorship Conference Censored by YouTube
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2021-02-01
The entire video record of the conference — estimated at around 24 hours of material — was mysteriously disappeared from YouTube say conference organizers.
mintpressnews.com/media-censorship-confe…

With Anti-IMF Candidate Surging in Polls, Ecuador’s Moreno Flies To DC Amid Talk of Suspending Election
Alan Macleod | mintpressnews.com | 2021-02-01
Adding to worries that a Bolivia-style coup might be imminent in Ecuador, Lenín Moreno will spend his final days in office in Washington, DC, where he’s been meeting with members of the Biden administration.
mintpressnews.com/anti-imf-candidate-sur…

Ilhan Omar Pushes Tax on All Stock Trades Amid GameStop Controversy
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) has renewed calls she’s made in the past to place a small tax on Wall Street investors amid concerns that were exposed last week amid the GameStop trading frenzy. | Omar proposed in a tweet last Thursday that a 0.1 percent tax on every trade conducted would act as a means to deter frequent trading on the markets, a practice hedge fund managers frequently engage in daily with little regard. | “A small ta…
truthout.org/articles/ilhan-omar-pushes-…

Endangered Indigenous Amazonians Struggle for Survival
Ed Rampell | progressive.org | 2021-02-01
Filmmaker Céline Cousteau documents the battles of Brazil’s besieged Native people in this new film.
progressive.org/dispatches/indigenous-am…

Alabama Workers Fight To Form First US Amazon Union
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
Some 5,800 workers from an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, will vote in February on whether to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The workers are upset with algorithms that track productivity as well as unfair disciplinary processes. | According to the union drive’s website, “Amazon warehouse workers face outrageous work quotas that have left many with illnesses and lifetime injuries.” | Despite the warehouse only opening in March 2020, these conditions have caused the workers to rapidly move toward unionizing. By the end of last summer, the workers met with RWDSU representatives at a h…
popularresistance.org/alabama-workers-fi…

Putin and Navalny Both Represent Big Russian Capital — Alexander Buzgalin
Scott Newman | theanalysis.news | 2021-02-01
The recent protests in Russia were more about the failed economic policies of Putin than support for Navalny, whose program may be even worse than Putin’s. The West loves Navalny because they think he will open Russia to U.S. finance capital. From Moscow, Prof. Alexander Buzgalin joins theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay.
theanalysis.news/interviews/putin-and-navalny-both-represent-big-russian-capital-alexander-buzgalin/

Afghanistan War Exposed: An Imperial Conspiracy
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
The perpetual occupation of Afghanistan has become so normalized and mostly serves as background noise to Americans -it’s even jokingly referred to as the “forever war” – accepted as just a constant reality. A soldier dies now and again. A couple dozen civilians get killed in another bombing. It’s never enough to stir the population to pressure Washington to stop it. The endless war drags on. | Abby Martin covers the whole truth about the Afghanistan War, from the CIA construct of the 80’s through today’s senseless stalemate. Two decades, three administrations, tens of thousands of lives; it’s time to #EndTheFore…
popularresistance.org/afghanistan-war-ex…

Venezuela Backs Cuban Medical Brigades for Nobel Peace Prize
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2021-02-01
Havana and Caracas strengthened bilateral relations following a visit from Cuba’s vice-prime minister.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/15109

NYC Teamsters win battle against ‘filthy rich bosses’
Cameron Orr | peoplesworld.org | 2021-02-01
HUNTS POINT, Bronx — Members of the Teamsters Local 202 in the Bronx secured a major victory January 23rd after a week-long strike for higher wages and better healthcare provisions. Workers at the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx went on strike Saturday, January 17th, after the employers refused to budge on a stingy offer. …
peoplesworld.org/article/nyc-teamsters-w…

NYC Teamsters win battle against “filthy rich bosses”
Cameron Orr | peoplesworld.org | 2021-02-01
HUNTS POINT, Bronx — Members of the Teamsters Local 202 in the Bronx secured a major victory January 23rd after a week-long strike for higher wages and better healthcare provisions. Workers at the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx went on strike Saturday, January 17th, after the employers refused to budge on a stingy offer. …
peoplesworld.org/article/nyc-teamsters-w…

Don’t Grade President Biden on a Curve
Norman Solomon | indybay.org | 2021-02-01
Being better than Trump is a high jump over abysmal standards…
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/02/01/1883970…

China: Peacefully Forward into the Great Change
Peter Koenig | dissidentvoice.org | 2021-02-01
On 25 January, during the first session of the virtual World Economic Forum (WEF), President Xi Jinping, in his address, stated clearly that China’s agenda was to move forward in the World of Great Change, with its renewed policy of multilateralism, aiming for a multi-polar world, where nations would be treated as equals. China will …
dissidentvoice.org/2021/01/china-peacefu…

For the German left, this is a moment of reckoning
Franziska Kleiner | peoplesdispatch.org | 2021-02-01
An annual socialist demonstration in Berlin was the target of police brutality. The left must unite against this unwarranted suppression and the practice of banning socialist organizations behind it…
peoplesdispatch.org/2021/02/01/for-germa…

Emmy Butlin and Maxine Walker of the UK Committee to Defend Julian Assange oppose Facebook censorship of the Socialist Equality Party/IYSSE
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The WSWS has been sent letters from Emmy Butlin and Maxine Walker, of the Committee to Defend Julian Assange (JADC) in opposition to the censorship of the World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Parties by Facebook.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/jadc…

Wednesday 2/10: The United Front: Concept, Practice, & Historical Lessons
Freedom Socialist Party Bay Area | indybay.org | 2021-02-01
Zoom (Follow link in description to register)…
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/01/31/1883969…

The Socialist Legacy of Black Feminism
mgrochowski | dsausa.org | 2021-02-01
Week 1: Tuesday, February 16th at 7 pm ET/6 pm CT/5 pm MT/4 pm PTWeek 2: Tuesday, February 23rd at 7 pm ET/6 pm CT/5 pm MT/4 pm PT The National Political Education Committee is hosting a two-week reading group, the Socialist Legacy of Black Feminism, with Lux Magazine and the DSA AfroSocialist and Socialists of Color…
dsausa.org/calendar/the-socialist-legacy…

Wednesday 2/10: Protect Sacred Water: Digital Rally to #StopLine3 w/ Indigenous Frontline Water Protectors
Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light | indybay.org | 2021-02-01
Virtual protest…
indybay.org/newsitems/2021/01/31/1883968…

‘We Should All Be Water Protectors’
Kenny Stancil | zcomm.org | 2021-02-01
“We owe it to future generations, to the Indigenous communities we’ve signed treaties with, and to every living being on this planet to stop building fossil fuel infrastructure.”
zcomm.org/znetarticle/we-should-all-be-w…

Iranian FM calls on citizens to avoid traveling Myanmar
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman urged all citizens to avoid traveling Myanmar after country’s powerful military has taken the control of the country in a coup and declared a state of emergency.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169374/Iranian-FM-c…

VIDEO: Myanmar after military coup
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — After the detention of Leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior government leaders on Monday, Myanmar’s powerful military has taken control of the country in a coup and declared a state of emergency.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169363/VIDEO-Myanma…

Myanmar’s Military Shows NDL, Local Armed Groups That It Harnesses Full Power, Scholars Say
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
On 1 February, Myanmar’s Tatmadaw declared a year-long state of emergency and arrested National League for Democracy Party (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other top government officials over alleged voter fraud. International observers have discussed potential scenarios in the wake of the military’s takeover.
sputniknews.com/asia/202102011081948715-…

India’s Support for ‘Democratic Forces’ in Myanmar Turmoil May Affect Naga Deal, Says Army Veteran
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
The Burmese Army on Monday launched a political coup in the country, as it arrested the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and seized power for a year. India says it supports the “democratic forces”, throwing its weight behind Suu Kyi. However, New Delhi taking sides in the coup could have implications for the Naga Deal.
sputniknews.com/analysis/202102011081945…

WATCH Thai police clash with opponents of military coup outside Myanmar’s embassy in Bangkok
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Thai police have broken up a protest rally staged by the opponents of a military coup in neighboring Myanmar. The activists gathered outside the country’s embassy in Bangkok. | Some 200 Myanmarese expats and local Thai activists gathered for a spontaneous protest outside Myanmar’s embassy, the Bangkok Post reported, citing police. They held flags of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy (NLD), whose leader Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the military on Monday, as well as photos of Suu Kyi. | Students were seen distributing leaflets denouncing the coup. The Myanmarese constitute the largest migrant group in…
rt.com/news/514269-thai-myanmar-embassy-…

Arrests, military control ‘a serious blow’ to democratic reforms in Myanmar: UN chief
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
The United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned the detention of Myanmar’s top political leaders and government officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, by the country’s military.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

‘An Ominous Moment’: Human Rights Groups Sound Alarm as Military Coup Unfolds in Myanmar
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
“The concurrent arrests of prominent political activists and human rights defenders sends a chilling message that the military authorities will not tolerate any dissent amid today’s unfolding events.” | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2021/02/01/ominous…

Aung San Suu Kyi, Others Arrested in Myanmar as Military Coup Underway
commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2021/02/01/aun…

City-State or Empire? The United Arab Emirates Seeks dominance in the Horn of Africa
Middle East Monitor | juancole.com | 2021-02-01
By Usman Butt | — ( Middle East Monitor) — Since the 2011 Arab Spring the United Arab Emirates has been taking an active role in a number of hotspots from Egypt, Libya to Yemen. The Gulf nation has spent $26 billion annually on its defence budget since 2016 and this is expected to increase …
juancole.com/2021/02/empire-emirates-dom…

After Enduring “Complete Hell” During Pandemic, Food Workers Face Obstacles Getting Covid-19 Vaccinations
Leah Douglas | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
There are still unanswered questions about how and whether the vaccines will actually get to a workforce that ranks among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/01/31/after-…

Biden Should Reject the Latest GOP Bipartisan Fantasy
Jeet Heer | thenation.com | 2021-02-01
Biden Should Reject the Latest GOP Bipartisan Fantasy…
thenation.com/article/politics/biden-gop…

A US HR institute calls for lifting Iran sanctions
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — A US-based Human Rights Institute named “CODEPINK” called on the new US administration to lift sanctions imposed by US against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169347/A-US-HR-inst…

Why We Must Do More To Recognize The Application Of Indigenous Law
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
In the Supreme Court of Canada’s 1996 decision in R v Van Der Peet, Justice Beverley McLachlin[1] famously made reference to a “golden thread”: | The history of the interface of Europeans and the common law with aboriginal peoples is a long one. As might be expected of such a long history, the principles by which the interface has been governed have not always been consistently applied. Yet running through this history, from its earliest beginnings to the present time is a golden thread — the recognition by the common law of the ancestral laws and customs of the aboriginal peoples who occupied the land prio…
popularresistance.org/why-we-must-do-mor…

Putin orders officials to prepare plans for creation of Russian Court of Human Rights as possible alternative to pan-European ECHR
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the country’s Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice to assess the feasibility of creating a national court of human rights. He first expressed interest in the idea last year. | As things stand, Russia is a party to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), a body that is part of the Council of Europe. Membership of the court has been costly for Moscow, and in 2019 alone, the Ministry of Justice spent more than 1.1 billion rubles ($14 million) on 1,240 judgments. | An order published on the Kremlin website gives the Supreme Court, Russia’s highest judicial bo…
rt.com/russia/514283-putin-create-human-…

Biden Asks US Supreme Court to Suspend Trump Immigration Cases
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Biden administration has asked the US Supreme Court to cancel oral arguments scheduled in the coming weeks on Trump-era cases concerning border wall funding and the so-called “Remain in Mexico” asylum program, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), court documents revealed.
sputniknews.com/us/202102011081950986-bi…

Uganda’s presidential election challenged in court
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
Recent presidential elections in Uganda, won by President Yoweri Museveni, have been challenged in the country’s top court by opposition leader Bobi Wine.Ugandan pop music star Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, Monday challenged the recent presidential elections in Supreme Court.The East African country’s Electoral Commission on Jan. 16 announced Yoweri Museveni as the winner in the elections held on Jan. 14 followed by Bobi Wine, who refused to concede defeat.His legal team comprising over 10 lawyers is led by Medard Ssegona and Anthony Wameri.Briefly addressing the media outside the court, Medard…
yenisafak.com/en/news/ugandas-presidenti…

Mexican immigration agents to be probed for potential role in massacre
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Mexico City, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Mexico’s government said Monday that immigration agents will be investigated for their alleged involvement in a massacre in a rural area of the country’s northeast. News of the probe comes 10 days after the charred remains of 19 people — among them Guatemalan citizens — were discovered in the state …
laprensalatina.com/mexican-immigration-a…

50 House Democrats Back Resolution to Remove Marjorie Taylor Greene From Office
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
Image Credit: Facebook: Marjorie Taylor Greene | Republicans face increasing pressure to strip Georgia Congressmember Marjorie Taylor Greene of her post on the House Education Committee. Greene was elected in November 2020 and is a far-right conspiracy theorist who has promoted QAnon, supported the execution of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and claimed the school shootings in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, were staged — as was the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. She al…
truthout.org/video/qanon-conspiracy-theo…

Is Far-Right QAnon Conspiracy Theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene the New Face of the GOP?
Staff | democracynow.org | 2021-02-01
Republicans face increasing pressure to strip Georgia Congressmember Marjorie Taylor Greene of her post on the House Education Committee. Greene was elected in November 2020 and is a far-right conspiracy theorist who has promoted QAnon, supported the execution of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and claimed the school shootings in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, were staged — as was the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. She also has a history of racist, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic comments. Bee Nguyen, a Democratic state representative in Georgia, recently joined other lawmakers in signing a…
www.democracynow.org/2021/2/1/marjorie_t…

Gambling Sponsorship of Football and Sport is Unhealthy — Ban it Now
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Listening to Good Morning Scotland this morning reminded me how rotten the gambling industry is and how cynical their involvement in sport is. An SNP MP, Ronnie Cowan, referred to the rise in gambling addictions and the related social problems across the UK and Scotland as another ‘pandemic’, and he is not wrong.
sputniknews.com/columnists/2021020110819…

NYT Scrutinizes Coronavirus Response in China Where Less Than 5,000 People Have Died in One Year While US Loses 3,250 People Per Day
Jim Naureckas | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
Eighty-seven times as many people have now died from Covid-19 in the U.S. as in China, but in a puzzling attempt to undermine the notion that China’s pandemic response has been better, the Times has recently highlighted that country’s “efforts to hide its missteps”—and criticized it for sending excess vaccines to other nations. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/01/31/nyt-sc…

‘I don’t really trust experts,’ says New York Gov. Cuomo, as 9 health officials resign in protest over his Covid-19 ‘leadership’
rt.com | 2021-02-01
A handful of top New York health officials have left their posts in protest over Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report that adds another layer to the Democrat’s many controversies. | Cuomo has made his position on health experts clear in recent days, even saying during a Friday press conference that he doesn’t “really trust them.” | “When I say ‘experts’ in air quotes, it sounds like I’m saying I don’t really trust the experts,” the governor said. “Because I don’t.” | The quote now looks especially bad in the context of a new report from the New York Times, deta…
rt.com/usa/514311-cuomo-covid19-new-york…

US murder rate saw historic increase during Covid-19 pandemic, making 2020 a year with ‘no modern precedent’ — report
rt.com | 2021-02-01
A new study sampling crime statistics from 34 American cities has found that 2020 saw a massive increase in the number of murders compared to previous years, as well as upticks in other violent crimes. | Homicide rates jumped by 30 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to the report from the National Commission of COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (NCCCJ). That’s more than 1,200 additional murders on top of the 2019 total. Of the 34 cities examined in the report, 29 of them saw rises in the statistics of American killing. | “Homicide rates were higher during every month of 2020 relative to rates from the previous y…
rt.com/usa/514281-murder-rates-2020-covi…

Thai schools reopen as authorities ease restrictions
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Thai schools reopened on Monday following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country. However schools will be observing government imposed guidelines such as social distancing, disinfection, and the use of face masks in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. A visual story by EFE/EPA photographer DIEGO AZUBEL.
laprensalatina.com/thai-schools-reopen-a…

Restrictions eased across Italy amid warnings against complacency
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Rome, Feb 1, (efe-epa).- Most of the Italian population on Monday had the chance to toast the easing of Covid-19 restrictions with a leisurely coffee or drink on a cafe terrace although some experts warned that pandemic could run out of control if people became complacent. As of Monday there are no regions classed as …
laprensalatina.com/restrictions-eased-ac…

India proposes to more than double health spending in new budget
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
New Delhi, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- India on Monday proposed to more than double its healthcare spending in its annual budget for 2021-22 with expectations to revive the economy that has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. In her budget speech to the country’s parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to remove caps on foreign investment …
laprensalatina.com/india-proposes-to-mor…

Portugal records half of its pandemic deaths in January alone
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Lisbon, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Half of all Covid-19 deaths in Portugal took place last month, as patients died at a rate of 180 per day on averag,e culminating with a January death toll of 5,576. Portugal, a country of 10 million, has asked Austria and Germany to help lessen the burden by taking in some …
laprensalatina.com/portugal-records-half…

Japan plans to extend COVID-19 state of emergency in several regions
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Tokyo, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- The government of Japan is planning to extend the state of emergency imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in several regions of the country where the rate of new infections is high and is overwhelming their hospitals. The minister in-charge of the official response to Covid-19, Yasutoshi Nishimura, told a parliamentary …
laprensalatina.com/japan-plans-to-extend…

Covid and Democracy, a Turning Point?
Chris Gilbert | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
The Covid pandemic and crisis may have generated a range of responses, but there is one remarkable absence: the promotion of democracy. In politics around the world, both the Right and the Left increasingly favor technocratic governance and neither feels that the situation calls for an especially democratic response. For a Left that has historically…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/covid-and-de…

Chicago educators call for a strike as district begins partial lockout
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
In defying the dictates of the Chicago Democratic Party political machine, educators are giving voice to the strivings of millions of workers across the US and globally to implement measures to contain the pandemic and save lives.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/chic…

Chicago educators call for a strike as district threatens lockout
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
In defying the dictates of the Chicago Democratic Party political machine, educators are giving voice to the strivings of millions of workers across the US and globally to implement measures to contain the pandemic and save lives.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/chic…

The Real Reason the GOP Don’t Want Biden’s Plan? They Fear It Will Work
Robert Reich | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
Biden’s success would put into sharp relief Trump and Republicans’ utter failures on COVID and jobs. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/02/01/real-r…

EU’s COVID Failures Risk the Bloc’s Future, Commentator Says
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
The European Union has confirmed that AstraZeneca has agreed to supply an extra 9 million doses of its COVID vaccine as disputes between Britain, combined with supply issues across Europe, continue to impact the bloc’s inoculation roll out.
sputniknews.com/analysis/202102011081949…

Israeli Health Official Says One in Ten People Vaxed for Coronavirus Can Still Be Infected
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Israel has become a world leader in vaccinations for SARS-Cov-2, with about 2.5 million of its nine million citizens receiving at least one of two required vaccine jabs by late January. Last week, Covid commissioner Dr. Nachman Ash complained that the protective effect of the first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech’s preparation was lower than advertised.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/2021020110819…

Argentina extends anti-coronavirus measures amid slow vaccine rollout
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Buenos Aires, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Argentina on Monday extended a raft of measures aimed at combating the novel coronavirus, including the closure of its borders to international tourism. The move comes amid the nation’s slower-than-projected Covid-19 vaccine rollout and concerns that the crisis will worsen with the onset of autumn in March. In a decision …
laprensalatina.com/argentina-extends-ant…

Elderly will not be given AstraZeneca jab in Poland, vaccine chief says as concerns persist about lack of trial data
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Poland has joined a list of countries, including Germany and France, who have questioned the efficacy of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in elderly people, citing too little research involving people over the age of 55. | “If we are talking about the decision of the [Polish] medical council, we expect it in the coming days or possibly hours, but it is clear that elderly people will not be vaccinated with this shot,” said Michal Dworczyk, the prime minister’s top aide, who has been put in charge of vaccinations. | He added that a final decision on the issue would be made after the medical council had made its…
rt.com/news/514288-astrazeneca-poland-va…

Israel rolls out vaccine with promising results
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Jerusalem, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- With more than 30 percent of its population vaccinated in just a month and a half, Israel — which has the highest ratio of Covid-19 vaccinations per capita — is the world’s testing ground for how effective coronavirus vaccines are, although experts are also urging caution because of the unprecedented speed …
laprensalatina.com/israel-rolls-out-vacc…

Macron urges swifter European vaccine response after EU spat with AstraZeneca over Covid-19 jab supplies
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Europe must act more quickly and efficiently in its Covid-19 vaccine rollout, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday after a week of turmoil in which the EU sparred with the UK and AstraZeneca over shortages. | “We are in a race against time against the virus,” the French leader said in Paris, as he met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. | We, as Europeans, need to be more efficient on this matter. I know this is also the intention of Chancellor [Angela] Merkel and [Commission] President [Ursula] Von Der Leyen. We will continue in the coming weeks and months to speed things up. | Last week ended…
rt.com/news/514272-macron-eu-covid-vacci…

Under the Current Rules, Vaccines Are Only Going To Rich Countries That Can Afford It
Simon Allison | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
Despite Bill Gates’ stated commitment to an equitable distribution of the Covid vaccine, he is refusing to back South Africa and India’s calls for a waiver on patents. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/02/01/under-…

EU to get 75M extra Pfizer/BioNTech virus vaccine doses
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech will deliver an additional 75 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the EU until summer, the head of the European Commission said on Monday.”BioNTech/ Pfizer will deliver 75 million of additional doses in the second quarter of the year – and up to 600 millions in total in 2021″, Ursula von der Leyen said in a Twitter post.‚Ä®On Sunday, the UK-based AstraZeneca also agreed to deliver 9 million more jabs to the bloc during the first three months of the year, making it 40 million doses for the period.‚Ä®This came as a sign…
yenisafak.com/en/life/eu-to-get-75m-extr…

Facebook leak: Zuckerberg admits having TOO MUCH POWER but cheers new administration, seeks to WORK WITH BIDEN on key issues
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Project Veritas has posted leaked videos exposing internal talks at Facebook lamenting the company’s admittedly excessive power but at the same time seeking to use its influence to “work with” President Joe Biden’s administration. | “These were all important and positive steps,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said of the executive orders on immigration, Covid-19 and other issues that Biden signed right after being inaugurated on January 20. “And I am looking forward to opportunities where Facebook is going to be able to work together with this new administration on some of their top priorities, starting with Cov…
rt.com/usa/514306-facebook-admits-excess…

Consecutive drop in new COVID-19 cases ‘encouraging news’: WHO
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
The number of new COVID-19 cases globally has fallen for the third week in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday, though urging countries not to let up efforts to defeat the disease.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

‘That Hurricane Is Coming’: Leading Expert Says More Contagious UK Covid-19 Variant Could Portend Deadliest US Surge Yet
Brett Wilkins, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
“We are going to see something like we have not seen yet in this country,” warned Dr. Michael Osterholm, who advised President Joe Biden’s transition team. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2021/02/01/hurrica…

All 10 GOP Senators Behind Skimpy $600 Billion Covid Relief Offer Happily Voted for $740 Billion Military Budget
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
“Every single one of these Senate Republicans voted to give the Pentagon billions more than what they’re willing to give to the American people.” | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/news/2021/02/01/all-10-…

GOP senators behind skimpy $600 billion COVID relief happily voted for $740 billion military budget
Jake Johnson | salon.com | 2021-02-01
These Senate Republicans voted to give the Pentagon billions more than what they’re willing to give to Americans…
salon.com/2021/02/01/gop-senators-behind…

Greek schools reopen despite 3rd Covid wave fears
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Athens, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Greece reopened secondary schools on Monday as fears of a third wave forced the government to tighten restrictions. The full or partial opening of high schools was announced ten days ago, after almost three months of closure. Authorities in Thessaloniki detected the first confirmed case of the South African variant of …
laprensalatina.com/greek-schools-reopen-…

Covid case numbers in Germany continue to fall thanks to restrictions
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Berlin, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Germany registered 5,608 coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours on Monday, as severe restrictions on public life that have seen all non-essential businesses closed since December bear fruit. Monday’s caseload represents a drop of more than 1,000 cases since the same time last week, when 6,729 infections were reported. Germany …
laprensalatina.com/covid-case-numbers-in…

As Congress Negotiates COVID Relief Bill and Budget Reconciliation Process Begins, People’s Action Announces Priorities to Protect Everyday People
commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2021/02/01/con…

Chris Hedges: Papering Over The Rot
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
The death spiral of the American Empire will not be halted with civility. It will not be halted with the 42 executive orders signed by Joe Biden, however welcome many are, especially since they can, with a new chief executive, be immediately revoked. It will not be halted by removing Donald Trump, and the crackpot conspiracy theorists, Christian fascists and racists who support him, from social media. It will not be halted by locking up the Proud Boys and the clueless protestors who stormed the Congress on January 6 and took selfies in Mike Pence’s Senate chair. It will not be halted by restoring the frayed allia…
popularresistance.org/chris-hedges-paper…

Chris Hedges: Papering Over the Rot
Chris Hedges | mintpressnews.com | 2021-02-01
Princeton, New Jersey ( Scheerpost) — The death spiral of the American Empire will not be halted with civility. It will not be halted with the 42 executive orders signed by Joe Biden, however, welcome many are, especially since they can, with a new chief executive, be immediately revoked. It will not be halted by removing Donald Trump, and the crackpot conspiracy theorists, Christian fascists and racists who support him, from social media. It will not be halted by locking up the Proud Boys and the clueles…
mintpressnews.com/chris-hedges-papering-…

Don’t be Fooled that Corporations’ Motives are Moral
Leonard C. Goodman | counterpunch.org | 2021-02-01
The second impeachment of President Trump, this time for inciting a riot, got a big boost when dozens of large corporations endorsed the effort. Amazon, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield, BP, BlackRock, Dow Chemical, Goldman Sachs, and other major companies announced their support for impeachment by stopping donations to Republicans who refused to certify…
counterpunch.org/2021/02/01/dont-be-fool…

US and Colombian govts supported botched invasion of Venezuela: Bombshell testimony from coup-plotter
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-02-01
A key coup-plotter in the May 2020 botched invasion of Venezuela said she met with FBI and DEA officials. She admitted Colombia’s intelligence services were aiding them and “knew everything,” adding that President Iván Duque and far-right political kingpin àÅlvaro Uribe helped. | By Ben NORTON | Awitness at the heart of the botched invasion of Venezuela in May 2020 has stated that the US and Colombian governments were involved in the regime-change operation. Coup-plotter Yacsy àÅlvarez said she met with officials from the FBI and DEA in Florida and informed them of their plans. | àÅlvarez also r…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/02/01/us…

Protest groups join forces to occupy Israeli arms company building
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2021-02-01
Demonstrators have blocked the entrance of a factory where they claim deadly arms are made. | Protesters from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion, armed with banners and red paint, said their early-morning raid on the Israeli-owned Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is because they “will not accept an economy based on devastation, occupation and war”. A press release from the two groups stated that: Activists from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion are occupying an Israeli-owned arms factory in Oldham, forcing the site to halt its production of deadly weapons. Several have blocked t…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2021/02/01/protest-…

Judging Biden by Low Standards Set by Trump Would Be an Unforgivable Catastrophe
Norman Solomon | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
We don’t have any room to grade this administration on a curve. Progressives must push with everything they’ve got. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/02/01/judgin…

Americans ‘responsible for violence in Afghanistan’: Taliban
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — A Spokesman for the Taliban negotiating delegation in Doha Suhail Shaheen said that Americans are responsible for the spread of recent violence in Afghanistan.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169373/Americans-re…

Venezuela to Consider Over 200 Investment Projects Under Anti-Sanctions Law, Maduro Says
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Since the adoption of the anti-sanctions law, the Venezuelan government has received over 200 investment applications from foreign investors, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said.
sputniknews.com/latam/202102011081950536…

Pro-Biden Propaganda. “White Washed By the Democratic Party, A Very Dangerous President”
Margaret Kimberley | globalresearch.ca | 2021-02-01
All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the “Translate Website” drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The Democratic Party and its corporate media have already white-washed Biden, …
globalresearch.ca/pro-biden-propaganda-w…

‘Russiagate’ lives on: Donald Trump was a Soviet spy recruited decades ago by KGB, according to conspiracy-loving Western media
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Donald Trump’s rise and fall as the most powerful man in the world was one of the shock stories of the century. However, explosive claims picked up by Western media now suggest there was a secret masterplan behind it all along. | …
rt.com/russia/514263-conspiracy-trump-so…

International Marxist Tendency on the storming of the US Capitol: “This was not an organized insurrectionary coup”
wsws.org | 2021-02-01
The IMT has distinguished itself throughout its existence by combining slavish subservience to the trade union bureaucracy and social democratic parties with revolutionary “Marxist” rhetoric designed to disorient and mislead workers and young people entering into struggle.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/02/01/imtc…

Nicaragua : Amidst ‘socio-political and human rights crisis’, independent expert condemns environmental defender’s death
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
An independent UN human rights expert condemned on Monday the murder of an indigenous environmental defender in Nicaragua, calling for those responsible to be “duly investigated and brought to justice”.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

Nicaragua: Amidst ‘socio-political and human rights crisis’, independent expert condemns environmental defender’s death
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
An independent UN human rights expert condemned on Monday the murder of an indigenous environmental defender in Nicaragua, calling for those responsible to be “duly investigated and brought to justice”.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

Turkish lira hits highest level against US dollar since August
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
The Turkish lira hit its highest level against the US dollar since August 2020, trading at 7.1919 on Monday.The Turkish lira, which started the week with an appreciation, is trading at the level of 7.2020 per dollar with over 1.1% increase as of 2 p.m. local time (1100 GMT), compared to the previous closing.At the same time, the euro/Turkish lira exchange rate fell by 2.1% to 8.6960, and one British pound traded for 9.8750 Turkish liras with a 1.5% decline.The analysts said downward trend continued in the US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate with the increasing credibility of the Turkish Central Bank and thanks t…
yenisafak.com/en/economy/turkish-lira-hi…

UK has offered vaccine to all nursing home residents, NHS says
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
London, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- British health authorities said Monday that seniors in more than 10,000 nursing homes have been offered the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. The National Health Service (NHS) have set a target of vaccinating 15 million people by February 15. On Saturday, 598,389 people were vaccinated across the UK, a record number for …
laprensalatina.com/uk-has-offered-vaccin…

Poirot at 100: the refugee detective who stole Britain’s heart
Christopher Pittard | salon.com | 2021-02-01
Agatha Christie managed to capture the hearts of British readers with her small, smart, mustachioed Belgian sleuth…
salon.com/2021/01/31/poirot-at-100-the-r…

Top Navalny aide asked alleged British spy for millions in funding, intelligence video released by Russia’s FSB claims to reveal
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Surveillance footage, recorded in the early 2010s, appears to show a close associate of Alexey Navalny seeking cash and intelligence from an alleged British spy and suggesting his anti-corruption work may benefit firms in London. | The tape, which was first reported by RT television on Monday, is said to have been filmed by the Federal Security Service (FSB) sometime in 2012 and allegedly shows a meeting between Vladimir Ashurkov and an employee of the British Embassy in Moscow. Ashurkov is the executive director of the FBK, Alexey Navalny’s anti-corruption organization. | The person he met at a Moscow cafe wa…
rt.com/russia/514291-navalny-aide-fundin…

Lebanese army arrests 18 ISIL terrorists in Beqaa province
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — The Lebanese army has arrested 18 ISIL terrorist elements in the eastern province of Beqaa on Monday.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169368/Lebanese-arm…

Police confiscate over 1 ton of narcotics in SE Iran
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — The Sistan and Baluchestan police commander announced the arrest of 4 smugglers and the confiscation of 1,403 kilograms of illicit drugs in an armed clash.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169350/Police-confi…

Lawmakers renew allegiance with ideals of Imam Khomeini
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Concurrent with the glorious victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Presidium members of the Iranian Parliament renewed their allegiance with the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini (RA) on Monday.
en.mehrnews.com/photo/169364/Lawmakers-r…

Iran urges Islamic centers in UK to ban a sacrilegious movie
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Iran has condemned a divisive movie that was recently produced by a UK-based production house and is deemed harmful to Muslim unity, urging the Islamic centers in the UK to condemn it and block it from media platforms.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169366/Iran-urges-I…

Iraq’s connection to PGCC’s power grid discussed
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — The Secretary-General of the PGCC and the Iraqi FM announced during a joint press conference in Baghdad that they have discussed connecting Baghdad to the Cooperation Council’s electricity.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169365/Iraq-s-conne…

Inauguration of projects at Mehrabad Airport
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — The ceremony to inaugurate a number of projects at Mehrabad Airport projects was held on Sunday morning in the presence of Iranian Road Minister Mohammad Eslami at Mehrabad Airport.
en.mehrnews.com/photo/169306/Inauguratio…

Beijing criticizes US sanctions against Syrian nation
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Chinese Foreign Minister criticized US sanctions against Damascus in a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Faisal Mekdad.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169354/Beijing-crit…

Shir Sangi, Median stone lion, in Hamedan
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Stone Lion in Hamadan is a tourist attraction in Iran. As the oldest stone lion in Iran, it is a relic of the Medes.
en.mehrnews.com/photo/169341/Shir-Sangi-…

2nd blast in Kabul killed, wounded three people
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — A second bomb blast near Afghan capital Kabul killed and wounded three people.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169371/2nd-blast-in…

Several injured in a knife attack in Brussels
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Several people were injured in a knife attack in Brussels occurred on Monday.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169375/Several-inju…

Iran launches satellite carrier with solid fuel engine
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Iran has successfully launched the Zol-Jannah combined satellite carrier which is equipped with the most powerful solid-fuel engine in the country.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169372/Iran-launche…

Imam Ali’s Shrine decorated with flowers
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 02 (MNA) — The holy shrine of Imam Ali (PBUH) in Najaf has been decorated with beautiful flowers on the occasion of the birth anniv. of his wife Hazrat Zahra (AS).
en.mehrnews.com/photo/169369/Imam-Ali-s-…

Israelis arrest a host of Palestinians in West Bank
Mehr News Agency | en.mehrnews.com | 2021-02-01
TEHRAN, Feb. 01 (MNA) — Israeli forces on Monday raided the West Bank and detained a number of Palestinian citizens without any charge.
en.mehrnews.com/news/169331/Israelis-arr…

Post Workers Suspended After Refusing To Deliver Epoch Times
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
Ramiro Sepulveda, one of the suspended postal workers, told CBC News he objects to the insinuations in some of the paper’s past coverage of the origins of the coronavirus, which the paper calls “the CCP virus.” | “I’m not for censorship. I’m not against freedom of speech,” he said. “What my thing is, is there is no disclaimer stating that this was theory.” | He says he went straight to his supervisor when he saw the free editions that were set to be delivered earlier this month. | “I said, ‘That Epoch Times, I’m not delivering it. It goes against everything I believe in.'” | The second worker, Linying Su, who was…
popularresistance.org/post-workers-suspe…

The New Water Wars
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
Weed, California is a small timber-dependent city in rural, far-northern California. In 2016, Roseburg Forest Products (RFP), using legal bullying and exploiting a lack of clarity around water rights, began an aggressive effort to deprive the City of Weed of its main source of public drinking water — all so RFP could instead sell the spring water to the Crystal Geyser Roxane bottled water company. The historic spring, originating on the flanks of nearby Mt. Shasta, has provided the community with high-quality drinking water for the entirety of its 110-year history under an agreement with RFP’s predecessor I…
popularresistance.org/the-new-water-wars…

NY Times’ Pseudo-Expert Worked For Far-Right Cult Falun Gong’s Publicity Arm
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
The New York Times published a factually challenged op-ed accusing China of committing “genocide” against its Uighur minority. The article sourced its spurious accusations to a right-wing operative who insists his research is part of a divine “mission” against Beijing that is “led by God.” | The author of the New York Times op-ed, Amelia Pang, happens to be a former employee of the Epoch Times, a far-right propaganda arm of a fanatical anti-China cult called Falun Gong. The extremist group preaches that race-mixing, homosexuality, feminism, and science are Satanic plots, and reveres Donald Trump as a God-like fig…
popularresistance.org/ny-times-pseudo-ex…

Black Alliance For Peace Demands Biden Administration Abolish 1033 Program
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2021-02-01
The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) calls U.S. President Joe Biden’s executive order to alter the Department of Defense’s 1033 program because of his supposed commitment to racial justice an affront. The gratuitous militarization of police forces across the United States through this program has helped to turn these agencies into brutal weapons of repression. Therefore, nothing short of complete abolition of this program is acceptable. | BAP has demanded abolition of the 1033 program since BAP’s 2017 founding. It now asks the public to sign a petition demanding the Biden administration and Democrats commit to abol…
popularresistance.org/black-alliance-for…

Former head of Twitter Europe warns anonymity ban won’t stop racism on social media
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Twitter’s former Europe boss, Bruce Daisley, has warned social media sites that simply removing the anonymity of users will not solve the problem of racism on their platforms, calling on companies to do more to address the issue. | Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Daisley addressed some of the proposals that have been presented to tackle the growing issue of racism and other abusive behavior on social media, with culprits often accused of hiding behind fake or anonymous profiles. | Calling on social media firms, including Twitter, to do more to address toxic content on their platforms, Daisley warned that a “sim…
rt.com/news/514273-twitter-anonymity-rac…

VIDEO: New START Extension a Step in Right Direction
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-02-01
The balance of nuclear power probably saved humanity during the Cold War. But since the end of the Cold War, the Russians feel that Washington has rarely kept their word especially regarding NATO expansion and Russia’s sovereignty. So should the Russians expect Washington to keep its end of the bargain and willingly disarm itself?>…
strategic-culture.org/video/2021/02/01/v…

On the American Dharma of Dynamics, and the Confusion of Symptom With Cause
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-02-01
The rise of the Deplorable constituency — associated with Trumpism — is not the cause of today’s crisis, but its symptom, Alastair Crooke writes. | Harold Macmillan, in response to a journalist when asked what is most likely to blow governments off course, is said to have replied simply: “Events, my dear boy, events”. That’s true, yet it is not enough. Inherent dynamics are just as an important force in politics — and economics — taking us further in a particular direction, whether originally envisaged, or not, and often with unforeseen consequence. These consequences can be so disastrous…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/02/01/on…

Other People’s Cultural Assets Are Up for Grabs
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-02-01
The rapacious conduct of the big hyenas is being replicated by their camp followers. Not to be outdone, Kosovo Albanians are laying claim to Serbian cultural monuments in Kosovo. | A controversy has recently erupted in Mexico, of the type that may quite often be seen in other similarly defrauded countries. Its focus is the magnificent quetzal-plumed headdress of the last Aztec emperor Moctezuma which, contrary to the misleading impression encouraged by the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, is not displayed there at all. It is actually located, of all places, in the Ethnological Museum in Vienna, Austria. | T…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/02/01/ot…

Xi and Putin Stand Up for Humanity at Davos: Closed vs Open System Ideologies Clash Again
_____ | strategic-culture.org | 2021-02-01
Where one system promotes the trojan horse seeds of its own annihilation, the other promotes the seeds of fruitful new epochs of continual growth and discoveries both on the surface of the earth and also beyond, Matthew Ehret writes. | Between January 25-29, 2021, world leaders were corralled into a digital conference titled ” The Davos Agenda” in order to discuss the foundations of the emerging new world economic architecture which has come to be called ” The Great Reset”. | For those who have not…
strategic-culture.org/news/2021/02/01/xi…

Biden Is Acting to Undo Trump’s Toxic Immigration Legacy. Now Congress Must Act
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
Since January 20, President Joe Biden has made it a political priority to rapidly dismantle as many of Trump’s signature anti-immigration policies as possible. He began by rolling back Trump’s Muslim travel ban and defunding further border wall construction. He ordered a 100-day halt to most deportations, while the Department of Homeland Security recalibrated its priorities…
truthout.org/articles/biden-is-acting-to…

Polls Show Support for Biden’s Executive Orders, as Progressives Push for More
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
President Joe Biden has issued dozens of executive orders in his first two weeks in the White House, and while his conservative critics have expressed anger toward the frequency of the practice, an overwhelming major…
truthout.org/articles/polls-show-support…

Reaching Beyond “Black Faces in High Places”: An Interview With Joy James
Staff | truthout.org | 2021-02-01
With the advent of the Biden administration, it’s a crucial time to examine the role anti-Blackness plays not only when it comes to overt white supremacist actions, but also the actions of the government — and other forces of power — more broadly. | What does Black suffering look like historically? What is the complex relationship between “progressive” racial politics and the subtle operations of capitalism? How is Black suffering monetized, especially within the context of celebrity ac…
truthout.org/articles/reaching-beyond-bl…

‘For what?’ Alan Dershowitz’s nomination of Jared Kushner for Nobel Peace Prize leaves critics bemused
rt.com | 2021-02-01
News that Jared Kushner — former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and ex-senior adviser — has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize provoked outrage and bemusement on social media. | Kushner was nominated for the prize on Sunday by Alan Dershowitz, who worked as a lawyer for Trump, as well as the late serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was put forward for his work setting up the controversial Abraham Accords between the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. | Some on social media compare…
rt.com/usa/514277-jared-kushner-nobel-pe…

Moscow doubles down on arrests of peaceful pro-Navalny protesters
Online News Editor | laprensalatina.com | 2021-02-01
Moscow, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- The Kremlin on Monday defended the actions of Russian police during peaceful protests a day early in over 140 cities across the country that led to the arrests of over 5,400 people. Moscow says the detentions were justified as none of the protests were legally authorized. “The police act in a …
laprensalatina.com/moscow-doubles-down-o…

Kremlin dubs some protesters ‘hooligans & provocateurs,’ says appeal for US sanctions proves Navalny’s team are ‘foreign agents’
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman has defended the police’s decision to take tough measures to detain and disperse supporters of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny at rallies across the country over the weekend. | Speaking to journalists on Monday, Dmitry Peskov said that the demonstrations attracted “quite a large number of hooligans and provocateurs,” which, he argued, explained the violent clashes with authorities. However, he added, the use of force had to be carefully monitored, even if it was necessary in the face of “illegal actions.” | The Kremlin press secretary added that there was no…
rt.com/russia/514261-kremlin-navalny-pro…

Michael West: ‘Independent media is the future’
Pip Hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2021-02-01
Independent journalism has never been more important to democracy. What is independent journalism and how can it drive social change? Suzanne James interviewed Walkley Award-winning journalist Michael West and finds him surprisingly optimistic about the future of independent media.
greenleft.org.au/content/michael-west-in…

The reality of Johnson’s ‘unfettered access’ claim will bite him hard
Peadar O’Cearnaigh | thecanary.co | 2021-02-01
In November 2019, while addressing business people in the north of Ireland before the general election, Boris Johnson swore when the UK came out of the EU customs union that: There will not be tariffs or checks on goods coming from GB to NI…and…there will not be checks… on goods going from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. | So, people seeing empty shelves in supermarkets and businesses experiencing problems importin…
thecanary.co/uk/2021/02/01/the-reality-o…

Anti-HS2 campaigners in ‘good’ spirits after fifth night holed up in tunnels
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2021-02-01
Anti-HS2 campaigners are in “good” spirits after spending their fifth night holed up in tunnels under a central London park. | Protesters have dug a network of tunnels beneath Euston Square Gardens, next to Euston station, in a bid to protect the green space which they claim will be built over with a temporary taxi rank before being sold to developers as part of plans for the high-speed railway. | One activist, Larch Maxey, speaking to the PA news agency by phone on Monday, said conditions underground were “not too bad”. | He said: “Conditions are good. They are warm. They are a bit moist, there’s a little bit of…
thecanary.co/uk/news/2021/02/01/anti-hs2…

The outrageous reason why the Home Office is housing refugees in ‘horrible’ conditions
Jasmine Norden | thecanary.co | 2021-02-01
In September 2020, the Home Office began to house refugees in former Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites. | Two military camps are being used — Penally Barracks in Pembrokeshire, and Napier Barracks in Kent. As The Canary previously reported, th…
thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2021/02/01/the-…

Jared Kushner nominated for Nobel peace prize for brokering Israeli-Arab deals
MEE and agencies | middleeasteye.net | 2021-02-01
Jared Kushner nominated for Nobel peace prize for brokering Israeli-Arab deals | Trump’s son-in-law and his deputy Berkowitz have been nominated by a friendly attorney who defended the former president in his impeachment trial | MEE and agencies | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 06: 42 | Jared Kushner played a key role in brokering Israel’s normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Moroccco (AF…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/Trump-son-in-…

The Big Chicken Bosses Are No Longer Calling All the Shots in DC
Sarah Anderson | commondreams.org | 2021-02-01
In the new political landscape, poultry workers have already managed to scuttle a Trump administration reform that would’ve made their jobs even more dangerous. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
commondreams.org/views/2021/02/01/big-ch…

‘A True Legend’: Tony Bennett Reveals His Struggle With Alzheimer’s
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
In response to the singer’s revelation, numerous social media users rushed to wish him well and to praise him for being a gentleman.
sputniknews.com/society/2021020110819491…

Video: Chinese Kid Employs ‘Drunken’ Style Kung Fu
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
He protects, he attacks but, most importantly, he does Kung Fu just like in most badass martial arts movies.
sputniknews.com/viral/202102011081947005…

‘Saved by the Bell’ Actor Dustin Diamond Dead at 44 After Cancer Battle
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
The child star was best known to a generation of fans for his portrayal of the quirky-yet-lovable high schooler Samuel “Screech” Powers, one of six main characters on the 1990s hit sitcom “Saved by the Bell.”
sputniknews.com/society/2021020110819506…

Dubai Establishes ‘Space Court’ to Settle Disputes Between Countries
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Dubai, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, is currently in the process of growing its presence in the space sector. Space law is currently dictated by international conventions and resolutions, such as the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/2021020110819…

Zarif Suggests EU High Representative Borrell ‘Choreograph’ US-Iran Joint Return to JCPOA
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed Iran would be just “a matter of weeks” away from building an atomic bomb if it further strayed from its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal. However, Tehran has dismissed the claims, saying it is sworn against producing such a weapon.
sputniknews.com/world/202102011081950844…

‘I Am Done Living in Fear’: Actress Claims Marilyn Manson Abused Her
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
During a 2018 testimony before House Judiciary Subcommittee, Wood provided a rather vivid description of the abuse she allegedly endured, but did not reveal who did it. Now she has pointed the finger.
sputniknews.com/society/2021020110819487…

Knife-Wielding Man Injures Several People in Brussels Metro, Reports Say
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
According to as yet unconfirmed reports, the attacker injured several women and was detained.
sputniknews.com/europe/20210201108194802…

Watch Giant Pandas Joyfully Slide and Roll at US National Zoo
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
A family of giant pandas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo was seen making the most of this weekend’s snowfall in Washington, DC.
sputniknews.com/videoclub/20210201108195…

Sex Out of Sight: New Red Light District May Be Built ‘Away’ From Amsterdam, Media Says
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Championed by the mayor of Amsterdam, the new proposals are reportedly aimed at improving city life, reducing crime, and “taking away the lure of sex and drugs.”
sputniknews.com/europe/20210201108194782…

‘Silversqueeze’ Becomes New GameStop as Reddit Traders Call to ‘Destroy the Biggest Banks’
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
Wealthy Wall Street hedge funds lost billions of dollars last week after amateur investors from Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets forum raised the stock price of electronics GameStop retailer and other companies with a coordinated “short squeeze” attack. Now they have apparently found a new target.
sputniknews.com/world/202102011081947671…

‘We Should Be Doing 150 Minutes Moderate Exercise a Week’, Expert Says
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
The Proclaimers recommend walking 500 miles, whilst the experts suggest walking 10,000 steps a day. Or do they? | In the lead up to the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo a Japanese company, Yamasa Clock began selling a pedometer called the “Manpo-Kei” which translates to ‘10,000 steps’. Ever since then the old adage of walking 10,000 steps a day has stuck!
sputniknews.com/analysis/202102011081948…

Second Pre-Trial Hearing on Causes of Morandi Bridge Collapse Kicks Off in Genoa
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
GENOA (Sputnik) – The second pre-trial evidentiary hearing on the collapse of the Morandi bridge, which led to the deaths of 43 persons in 2018, has kicked off in Italy’s Genoa.
sputniknews.com/europe/20210201108194776…

Erdogan Suggests Turkey Needs New Constitution
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested on Monday that the time has come for Turkey to have a new constitution.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/2021020110819…

Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Over War-Free Presidential Tenure
sputniknews.com | 2021-02-01
The Nobel Peace Prize committee is set to convene in October to vote on the laureates for the prestigious award. Among this year’s nominees, applications for which had to be submitted by 1 February, is the Black Lives Matter movement which rocked the world with protests throughout 2020.
sputniknews.com/us/202102011081947282-tr…

Germany rejects France’s call to halt construction on Nord Stream 2 pipeline over Navalny detention
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Germany said it plans to complete the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline project despite opposition from France over Moscow’s jailing of opposition figure Alexey Navalny. | The stance of the German government “has not changed” in recent days, deputy government spokeswoman Martina Fietz said on Monday in Berlin, after France’s secretary of state for Europe Clément Beaune asked Germany to halt the project. | A spokesman for Germany’s Federal Foreign Office in Berlin told Die Welt that although the project is going ahead, the German government was aware of the French position and having a “ver…
rt.com/russia/514286-germany-nord-stream…

EU urged to end vaccine dispute, focus on helping poor countries
Morning Star | peoplesworld.org | 2021-02-01
&nbsp…
peoplesworld.org/article/eu-urged-to-end…

Vaccination and the Issue of “Voluntary Consent”. The Rights of Individuals to Control their Bodies
National Vaccine Information Centre | globalresearch.ca | 2021-02-01
All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the “Translate Website” drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | “The Nuremberg Code explicitly rejects the moral argument that the creation …
globalresearch.ca/vaccination-and-the-is…

‘Turkey cannot be ignored in Karabakh’
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
Russia cannot ignore Turkey’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday.Speaking in an interview with the Russian media about Turkey’s role in the Karabakh issue, Medvedev stressed close Turkish-Azerbaijani relations and significance of Russia-Turkey partnership.He also called the Russian-Turkish cooperation in Nagorno-Karabakh “a stabilizing factor”.”Turkey is our neighbor and a very important partner. And a very close country for Azerbaijan. This factor cannot be ignored. We have a productive dialogue with…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-cannot-be-i…

Turkish teenage forward signs deal with Bundesliga club
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
German football club Eintracht Frankfurt confirmed Monday the signing of Turkish teenager Ali Akman.Club board member Fredi Bobic said in a statement: “In Ali Akman, we’ve acquired the services of one of Turkish football’s biggest talents. He’s a player we’re hoping to develop and improve over the next few years.””Ali will be given the time and support he needs here. We’re happy to have gained a young, highly sought-after player of such ability,” it added.The 18-year-old forward will move to the club from Turkish second-division side Bursaspor on July 1, 2021, after signing a four-year contract valid until 30 Jun…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-teenage-fo…

French hijab wearers must navigate politics to keep identity
yenisafak.com | 2021-02-01
Few issues trigger reactions in French politics as much as Muslim women donning the veil and headscarf, or hijab, who once again find themselves at the center of controversy as far-right leader Marine Le Pen last week proposed a nationwide ban of the garment on the streets and in public places.A day before world hijab day is marked on Feb. 1, activists from feminist group Nemesis, dressed in flowing black burqas, staged a protest in front of the Trocadero, overlooking the Eiffel tower. They held a large banner that read, “France in 50 years” in a visual assertion that this is the future of the country if “creepin…
yenisafak.com/en/world/french-hijab-wear…

Market makers didn’t force my hand to save their hides from Reddit investors, Robinhood CEO tells Elon Musk in interview
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The controversial decision by Robinhood to ban the purchasing of ‘meme stocks’ came in response to regulatory demand and not any backroom dealings, the platform’s CEO has told Tesla boss and world’s richest person Elon Musk. | Robinhood’s Vladimir Tenev has become one of the most sought-after interviewees for outlets covering stock market news, due to the role he played in the stand-off between large short-selling hedge funds and a crowd of small-dollar investors from the Reddit community WallStreetBets. But Elon Musk is arguably the most unusual person to do the interviewing. | On Clubhouse tonight at 10pm LA…
rt.com/usa/514243-musk-interview-robinho…

Navalny press secretary Yarmysh is latest associate put under house arrest, gets two months over alleged role in opposition protes
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Kira Yarmysh, a close ally of imprisoned opposition figure Alexey Navalny, will be confined to her home until late March, a court ruled on Monday, amid a wave of restrictions aimed at the organizers of nationwide protests. | Moscow’s Basmanny Court ordered the activist to remain under house arrest until March 23 while charges are prepared by prosecutors. A spokesman for the judges told RIA Novosti that investigators had requested the “preventative measure” because of allegations that Yarmysh was involved in “creating the threat of mass disease” after crowds gathered to demonstrate for Navalny’s release earlier…
rt.com/russia/514280-navalny-press-secre…

China rolls out carbon trading scheme in a bid to meet its ambitious 2060 neutrality goal
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Beijing has officially rolled out its repeatedly delayed Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), aimed at reducing its greenhouse gas output. Beijing is expecting its emissions to peak before 2030 and become “carbon neutral” by 2060. | The scheme officially entered into force on Monday, covering some 2,260 power plants across the nation. Said plants contributed to around 40 percent of all the carbon dioxide emissions China produced last year. | At later stages, the ETS will also include other enterprises that produce a minimum of 24,000 tons of carbon equivalent a year. | The ETS scheme is founded on a market-based app…
rt.com/news/514248-china-carbon-trading-…

Ground control to major lawsuit? Dubai launches ‘space court’ to settle celestial corporate disputes
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The UAE has staked its claim to the emerging market of space-based lawsuits, unveiling a global Courts of Space to get ahead of what it hopes will be a raft of new litigation as commercial activity in the celestial realm grows. | …
rt.com/news/514302-uae-space-court-dispu…

PSG star Mauro Icardi and wife Wanda Nara ‘hit by ‚Ǩ400K robbery at Paris home’ while forward was on playing duty
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The Paris home of Mauro Icardi and wife Wanda Nara was reportedly raided by burglars at the weekend while the star forward was away on duty with PSG. | According to L’Equipe, items worth €400,000 ($483,000) were taken from the property in Neuilly-sur-Seine, just west of the French capital, around the time Icardi was in action for PSG at Lorient on Saturday. | Staff working for the couple are said to have discovered the big-money raid had taken place when they e…
rt.com/sport/514255-psg-mauro-icardi-wan…

Dictator’s ‘throne’: Hitler’s toilet seat, looted from Bavarian retreat, up for grabs with starting bid of $5,000
rt.com | 2021-02-01
A toilet seat looted from the Nazi leader’s personal bathroom is being auctioned off by the family of a New Jersey soldier who took it as a humorous reminder of Hitler’s failed plans to dominate other nations. | According to the lot description, the weird memorabilia comes from the Berghof residence in Berchtesgaden. A US soldier named Ragnvald C. Borch was a liaison with the French 2nd Armored Division and became one of the first Allied troops to reach the building in…
rt.com/news/514257-hitler-toilet-seat-au…

‘I want these officers fired!’ Outrage after police pepper-spray handcuffed NINE-YEAR-OLD girl in Rochester, New York (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2021-02-01
An internal review was launched after a police officer was filmed pepper-spraying a minor who was sitting in the back of a patrol car. Police claimed the girl was suicidal and threatened to kill her mother. | A minute-long bodycam video shows a girl in handcuffs sitting in the back of a police car. She is distressed and does not appear to be following the officers’ commands. The clip was edited to blur the girl’s face. | “Come on. I’m gonna pepper spray you, and I don’t want to, so sit back. Come on, this is your last chance, otherwise pepper spray is going in your eyeballs. Come on, let’s go,” an officer says…
rt.com/usa/514226-police-girl-pepper-spr…

WATCH miraculous moment Irish jockey makes incredible return after being sent flying off horse
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Irish jockey Kevin Brouder has demonstrated his jaw-dropping acrobatic skills by making an incredible recovery after almost falling from his horse at the Naas Business Club Novice Steeplechase on Sunday. | Riding Forza Milan, the jockey was among the leaders approaching the final fence when his horse suddenly stumbled on the hurdle, vaulting the rider high into the air. | READ MORE: Italian jockey dies from injuries after horrific fall from racehorse | Many would have thought the race over for Brouder, but the jo…
rt.com/sport/514285-irish-jockey-incredi…

12 arrested in SWAT operation after activists armed with KNIVES & AXES briefly occupy hotel in Olympia, WA (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2021-02-01
A dozen people were arrested after armed protesters attempted to forcibly take over the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, Washington. A SWAT team cleared out the hotel and escorted guests and employees out of the building. | Demonstrators armed with hatchets, batons, and knives stormed the Red Lion Hotel in downtown Olympia on Sunday, reportedly assaulting an employee who tried to lock the establishment’s doors. The rest of the staff barricaded themselves in the hotel’s basement, according to a police statement.
rt.com/usa/514242-olympia-hotel-swat-occ…

Scottish National Party backs potentially illegal plan to bump disabled and minority candidates to top of lists
rt.com | 2021-02-01
The uber-woke Scottish National Party has voted to reserve spaces at the top of its list for electoral candidates who “self-identify” as disabled or minorities…even after being told that such a move is likely illegal. | The SNP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) met on Sunday to decide which candidates would run in the country’s parliamentary elections this May. The NEC voted in favour of reserving places atop the list for candidates from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) backgrounds in four of the party’s eight regional constituencies, and for disabled candidates in the other four. | Presumably, no…
rt.com/uk/514304-scotland-snp-bame-disab…

Ukrainian President Zelensky admits he’s ‘angry’ with Trump over leaked phone call, expresses hope Biden will help Kiev join NATO
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized former US President Donald Trump for his move to release the transcript of an infamous 2019 phone call between the two leaders, calling the breach of privacy “totally wrong.” | Speaking to US outlet Axios, Zelensky revealed the publication of the call made him a “little bit” angry. In his opinion, conversations between presidents should be kept secret and confidential. | “I think this is totally wrong,” the president noted in the interview, recorded last week. “This was the first serious conversation between two presidents, between strategic partners. And i…
rt.com/russia/514296-zelensky-angry-trum…

Russia ramps up natural gas supplies to China via Power of Siberia mega-pipeline
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Russian energy major Gazprom pumped more gas to China in January via the Power of Siberia pipeline than it had initially planned, boosting daily supplies by as much as 2.5 percent. | “The export of gas to China through the Power of Siberia gas pipeline continues to grow. Supplies regularly exceed Gazprom’s daily contractual obligations,” the company said in a statement, adding that the volume of gas delivery last month “was 2.9 times higher than in January 2020.” | The 3,000km (1864 mile) cross-border pipeline started official deliveries of Russian natural gas to China in 2019. The so-called eastern route’s ca…
rt.com/business/514256-russia-china-gas-…

‘Appalled’: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich sends personal message to players vowing support after racist abuse
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Roman Abramovich has vowed to direct more funds to efforts to stamp out racism in football as the billionaire Chelsea owner offered his support following racist abuse directed at Blues defender Reece James. | James, 21, recently shared the vile abuse he has been subjected to online, demanding that “something needs to change.” | Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford also spoke out over the weekend against abuse he has received, while teammates Anthony Martial and Axel Tuanzebe were targeted in recent days. | Elsewhere, a man was arrested after a racist message was sent to West Bromwich Albion midfielder…
rt.com/sport/514308-roman-abramovich-app…

It wasn’t me: Former Barcelona chief DENIES leaking Messi’s mega ‚Ǩ555mn contract — but says star DESERVES what he earns
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has denied leaking the details of Lionel Messi’s contract with the Catalan giants, after the staggering numbers behind the deal emerged at the weekend. | Spanish newspaper El Mundo published the details of Messi’s four-year deal with Barcelona on Sunday. | Penned in 2017, the agreement would see the six-time Ballon d’Or winner take home as much as €555 million ($670 million) if all the add-ons were paid out. | The mind-blowing deal — said to be the biggest ever signed by an athlete — shocked football and cast further doubts on Barcelona’s strategy…
rt.com/sport/514264-bartomeu-denies-mess…

Former Russian President Medvedev calls Twitter ‘politicized’ platform, slams ban of Trump & claims site is biased towards Navalny
rt.com | 2021-02-01
Twitter is a “politicized” website, involved with interference in foreign states. That’s according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who also attacked the platform for blocking former US President Donald Trump’s account | Medvedev’s comments come after Twitter, along with other social media networks, received blame for allowing Russian opposition figures to advertise protests. | According to the former leader, who now sits on the Russian Security Council, his acquaintance signed up to the popular social network and was immediately recommended to subscribe to Alexey Navalny. When joining Twitter, the…
rt.com/russia/514275-medvedev-twitter-po…

Kosovo formally establishes ties with Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2021-02-01
Kosovo formally establishes ties with Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem | In exchange for setting up mission in Jerusalem, Kosovo gets recognition from Israel, as it seeks to further legitimise independence from Serbia | MEE staff | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 21: 18 | In a ceremony held over Zoom, Israel’s foreign minister and his Kosovar counterpart signed a joint declaration establishing ties (AFP) | Kosovo and Israel establi…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/kosovo-diplom…

UN envoy condemns terrorist attack on hotel in Somalia
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
The United Nations envoy for Somalia has strongly condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack on a hotel near the international airport in capital Mogadishu that left at least five people dead and dozens more wounded.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

Libya vote offers renewal and reconciliation chance, says veteran UN negotiator
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
All Libyans have a chance at national reconciliation and renewal once the country’s representatives, who have begun meeting in Switzerland, vote on a new executive, UN negotiator Stephanie Williams said on Monday.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

UN independent experts call for ‘justice, accountability and reparation to victims’ in Sudan
news.un.org | 2021-02-01
Recent intercommunal violence and deadly attacks in Darfur have prompted two independent UN human rights experts on Monday to urge the Government of Sudan to urgently implement strong measures to ensure the safety of civilians, including the internally displaced.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2021/02/1…

Murder of Lebanese model Zeina Kanjo causes uproar online
Nadda Osman | middleeasteye.net | 2021-02-01
Murder of Lebanese model Zeina Kanjo causes uproar online | Many have called for greater protection of women and improved domestic violence laws | Nadda Osman | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 13: 58 | Kanjo’s death has been condemned online, with many calling for accountability (Screengrab/Twitter) | The murder of a Lebanese model, Zeina Kanjo, on Sunday evening has been condemned online, and reignited conversations about the prot…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/lebanon-model…