(2022-01-14). Headlines for January 14, 2022. democracynow.org Voting Rights Bills Appear Doomed in Senate as Sinema & Manchin Oppose Filibuster Change, Supreme Court Strikes Down Vaccination-or-Test Mandate for 84 Million U.S. Workers, White House Orders Another Half-Billion Coronavirus Tests for U.S. Residents, New York Mayor Considering Virtual Learning Option as COVID-19 Cases Surge in Classrooms, Head of Oath Keepers Among 11 Charged with Seditious Conspiracy over Jan. 6 Insurrection, RNC May Try to Block Future Candidates from Presidential Debates, U.N. Calls for Urgent Funding to Avert Millions of Deaths in Afghanistan, Specter of War Remains After Talks Fail to Resol…
(2022-01-14). "Who We Are": New Film Chronicles History of Racism in America Amid Growing Attack on Voting Rights. democracynow.org 
As the United States heads into the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend, attempts by Democrats to pass major new voting rights legislation appear to have stalled. We examine the new award-winning documentary "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America," which follows civil rights attorney Jeffery Robinson as he confronts the enduring legacy of anti-Black racism in the United States, weaving together examples from the U.S. Constitution, education system and policing. "The entire purpose of this film is to ask people to take a long hard look at our actual history of white supremacy and anti-Black racism," says…
(2022-01-14). Congressional Democrats maintain pretense as Biden concedes defeat on voting rights bill. wsws.org In response to the right-wing onslaught against democratic rights, President Biden has combined inflated rhetoric with empty gestures.
(2022-01-14). Inflation inequality: Poorest Americans are hit hardest by soaring prices on necessities. nationofchange.org The fastest rate of inflation in 40 years is hurting families across the U.S. who are seeing ever-higher prices for everything from meat and potatoes to housing and gasoline. But behind the headline number that's been widely reported is something that often gets overlooked: Inflation affects different households in different ways — and sometimes hurts …
(2022-01-14). 20 years of U.S. crimes against humanity in Guantánamo. liberationnews.org 
The U.S. government runs Guantánamo prison on Cuban soil, territory illegally held since 1898.
(2022-01-14). The Rule of Law Must Finally Evolve Into the Rule of Justice. libya360.wordpress.com Alfred de Zayas Democracy in the twenty-first century requires that the rule of law cease being the rule of power, of might makes right, geopolitics and economics. The rule of law must incorporate human dignity into the equation and enable people power, self-determination and referenda. The rule of law must evolve into the rule of…
(2022-01-14). "Occupied territories" in the way: Azerbaijan, Ukraine push Eurasian corridor through GUAM format. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Based on a news article of today from which excerpts are posted below. The GUAM acronym is formed from the first letters of the countries that it includes: Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Background information: GUAM: U.S., NATO Applaud Eastern Partnership Drive Into Former Soviet Space. GUAM (in 2007 formally named the Organization for Democracy and …
(2022-01-14). Afghanistan in Freefall: Deadly U.S. Sanctions Blamed for Shocking Humanitarian Crisis. democracynow.org 
As Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian crisis, we look at how more Afghans may die from U.S. sanctions than at the hands of the Taliban. The U.S.'s attempts to block support for the new de facto government have prevented vital funding from flowing to the nation's civil servants, particularly in education and the health sector. Dr. Paul Spiegel says conditions in the hospitals he visited in Kabul as part of a World Health Organization emergency team are rapidly deteriorating, and he describes the lack of heat and basic amenities as winter descended. "There's been a drought. There's food insecurity. And all of th…
(2022-01-14). Kazakhstan Chaos: An Opportunity, But for Who? journal-neo.org 
Kazakhstan has suffered severe nationwide violence allegedly prompted by fuel price concerns. However, it quickly became clear that it was instead actually foreign-sponsored destabilization which was, at best, using legitimate public concerns as cover for attempted regime change. A Russian-led deployment of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) forces has helped stabilize the Central Asia nation, …
(2022-01-14). CSTO is a True Defender of the Interests that Regional Players Share. journal-neo.org 
The recent developments in Kazakhstan and the role of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in assisting that country's authorities in establishing order and security have particularly brought into sharp focus the importance of this regional interstate organization. The CSTO was established in 2002 on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty of May 15, …
(2022-01-14). Minsk: West, including special services, behind unrest in Belarus and Kazakhstan. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Lukashenko: West behind events in Belarus and Kazakhstan Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko compared the events in Belarus in 2020 and the recent ones in Kazakhstan and named the main reason for what happened as he spoke at a reception to mark the Old New Year in Minsk on 14 January… "Behind all these events are …
(2022-01-14). Head of Russia-led bloc reveals details of Kazakhstan mission. rt.com 
The arrival of the allied peacekeeping force had a "sobering effect" in Kazakhstan, the official believes | As the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) wraps up its peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan, the top official of the Russia-led military bloc talked about the course of the deployment and its results with RT. | Kazakhstan faced a rocky start to the new year, as a wave of violent unrest broke out on the back of protests triggered by a sharp hike in fuel prices. As the initially peaceful protest devolved into violence and rioting in a matter of days, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reached…
(2022-01-14). ALBA-TCP Rejects New Illegal Sanctions Imposed on Nicaragua by US & EU. orinocotribune.com The member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Our America-Peoples Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) strongly condemned the new aggression of the United States government and its European allies against the people and institutions of Nicaragua. | Through an official statement, the nations of the ALBA-TCP regional bloc responded to the recent announcement of fresh unilateral coercive measures by the US and the EU council. Like other acts of economic warfare waged against Nicaragua by the US, EU, and other allies, including Canada, these aggressive measures are not corroborated by United Nations decisions,…
(2022-01-14). Turkey Draws Closer to the US and Europe. libya360.wordpress.com M. K. Bhadrakumar A US Navy destroyer crosses the Bosphorus to enter the Black Sea, as tensions simmer around Ukraine. (File photo) Being a "swing state" may have tactical advantages but when life gets tough and the tough gets going, there could be consequences. Turkey once faced such a moment of truth a hundred years ago. It faces…
(2022-01-14). Russia responds to US 'false flag' claims. rt.com 
The Kremlin says there is no evidence for 'hearsay' accusations of Russian 'operatives' set to frame Ukraine | After Western media carried reports, on Friday, citing unnamed US officials, claiming that Russia is preparing a "false flag" incident in order to invade Ukraine, the Kremlin has dismissed them as baseless and unfounded rumors. | "So far, all these statements have been unsubstantiated and not backed up by anything," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS news agency, when asked about the stories making the rounds. | Earlier in the day, anonymous US officials echoed claims from Kiev that Russia had sent "op…
(2022-01-14). NATO touts Ukraine deal after massive cyberattack. rt.com 
The bloc is offering additional backing to Kiev after the government reportedly took a major hit in cyberspace | NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has condemned a hacking attempt on Ukraine that was said to have disrupted several government websites. He announced that the alliance would sign a cyber-security deal with Kiev within days. | The overnight cyberattack on Ukrainian government agency portals was condemned by Stoltenberg in a brief statement on Friday. | "I strongly condemn the cyberattacks on the Ukrainian government," he said, adding that the alliance had "worked closely with Ukraine for years…
(2022-01-14). NATO chief demands ouster of Russian troops from Abkhazia, Crimea, South Ossetia, Transnistria. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com From Ukrinform Stoltenberg: Russian troops in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova uninvited, not welcomed Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations is one of the key principles of European security, therefore NATO calls on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, where they are uninvited and not welcomed. This was stated …
(2022-01-14). Headlines from the Russian press. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com RT: Russia orders snap inspection of troops' readiness for rapid deployment Patience with West has come to an end — Moscow US claims Russia preparing 'false flag' in Ukraine Is Russia really preparing an offensive against Ukraine? Russia reveals when it expects Western response to security proposals TASS: Russia able to ensure its security, not …
(2022-01-14). Russia discovers yet another red line: U.S., UK instructors in Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com British military personnel have already trained over 20,000 Ukrainian troops under Operation ORBITAL and Canada has trained over 30,000 under Operation UNIFIER. That information is open source and available on the Internet as the links establish. Is it possible the Russian Foreign Ministry doesn't have access to computers? This time it's a real red line; …
(2022-01-14). Stoltenberg: NATO's Already Decided to Make Ukraine, Georgia Members, Didn't Say When It'll Occur. sputniknews.com During the NATO-Russia summit earlier this week the alliance strongly rejected the key proposals by Moscow on European security — to limit NATO's eastward expansion and the deployment of its armaments close to Russia's borders. The Kremlin sees both trends within the alliance as a national security threat.
(2022-01-14). NATO uses alleged Russian cyber attack to openly intervene in Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The following is from the Ukrainian National News Agency (Ukrinform) Cyberattack on Ukraine's government websites came from Russia — experts A massive cyberattack on Ukraine's government websites was carried out from Russian territory, according to a study conducted by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. "On the night of January 13-14, a cyberattack …
(2022-01-14). Nagorno-Karabakh model for Crimea, Donbass: Azerbaijan, Ukraine deepen strategic partnership. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukraine, Azerbaijan sign joint declaration on deepening strategic partnership A joint declaration on deepening strategic partnership and a number of other bilateral documents were signed following talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Kyiv as the President's Office reported. The leaders signed a declaration that records the main agreements reached …
(2022-01-14). Russia 'fabricating a pretext for invasion' of Ukraine — White House. rt.com 
Washington believes Moscow could stage a fake incident to justify military action | The Kremlin is laying the groundwork to fabricate a reason for invading Ukraine, including possible sabotage activities and information operations, a senior White House official claimed on Thursday. | Speaking to the press, United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the American intelligence community believes Moscow is planning a scenario where it can justify a military incursion into Ukraine, noting that more information will be published "over the course of the next 24 hours." | "Russia is laying the g…
(2022-01-14). US claims Russia preparing 'false flag' in Ukraine. rt.com 
Anonymous official told CNN that Russia sent 'operatives' to eastern Ukraine | Russian operatives have been deployed to two breakaway regions in the east of Ukraine to create a false-flag operation as pretext for an invasion, several US news outlets have reported, citing an anonymous American official. | A "group of operatives" trained in urban warfare and use of explosives has been sent to "carry out acts of sabotage against Russia's own proxy forces," CNN
(2022-01-14). Headlines from the Ukrainian press. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukranews: NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg Condemns Cyber-Attacks On Ukraine, Promises Enhanced Cyber Cooperation Russian Special Services Preparing Provocations Against Military Of Russian Federation In Order To Blame Ukraine For This — Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate Defense Ministry Will Form Personnel Reserve According To New Standards For First Time Ukrinform: Cyberattack on Ukraine's government websites came …
(2022-01-14). Oops Moment: India's BJP Politician Reaches Out to Voter Taking Bath in Viral Video. sputniknews.com Ahead of state assembly polls, the Election Commission of India has banned physical rallies, prompting politicians to do door-to-door campaigning. In India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, it looks like some politicians can't afford to waste any chance to personally woo voters.
(2022-01-14). Colombia: "In Arauca We Have Suffered Every Form of War" libya360.wordpress.com Colombia Informa Colombia's Arauca department is one of the most heavily militarized in the country, in addition to being home to several transnational oil extraction projects. Photo: Colombia Informa Amid an escalation in the armed conflict in the border region of Arauca, social leader and human rights defender Sonia López discusses the broader context of…
(2022-01-14). The Missing Chapter in Malcolm X's Biography They Hid From You. libya360.wordpress.com Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza When Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, the revolutionary flames of Black nationalism he had ignited could not be dimmed. If anything, the name 'Malcolm X' is indelibly engraved in the hearts of millions of not only in the United States but in the rest of the world. But here was a…
(2022-01-14). The Venceremos Brigade Continues US Solidarity with Cuba. libya360.wordpress.com Siempre Con Cuba Members of the National Coordinating Committee of the Venceremos Brigade with a representative from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Members of the national coordinating committee of the Venceremos Brigade, made up of US citizens in solidarity with Cuba, affirmed the continuity of the project begun in 1969 and confirmed…
(2022-01-14). The Jakarta Method: The Project to Preserve Capitalism Through Terror. libya360.wordpress.com Rainer Shea Late-stage capitalism began when capitalism ceased to be a revolutionary force, and started being a reactionary one. By the middle of the 19th century, when the bourgeoisie had overthrown feudalism throughout most of the globe, their new system became a force for regression, something that still existed not because of progress but despite…
(2022-01-14). How Capital Weaponizes the Social Ills it Creates. libya360.wordpress.com Rainer Shea In The Peasant War in Germany, Friedrich Engels wrote: The lumpenproletariat, this scum of the decaying elements of all classes, which establishes headquarters in all the big cities, is the worst of all possible allies. It is an absolutely venal, an absolutely brazen crew. If the French workers, in the course of the Revolution,…
(2022-01-14). Why is the US Stirring Up Tibet as an 'Issue'? journal-neo.org 
More than a mere territorial and ethnic question, Tibet, for the US, is a geo-political opportunity to up the ante against China in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. The US decision to appoint a 'special envoy' for Tibetan 'issue' comes at a time when the US' anti-China rhetoric has persistently failed to drive a wave …
(2022-01-14). What is Behind the "Persecution of K-pop" in China? journal-neo.org 
According to South Korean media reports of January 6, the Chinese Hunan TV and Mango TV streaming platforms began airing a South Korean drama Saimdang, Memoir of Colors, on January 4, 2022. The National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) approved the series six years ago. On the other hand, Beijing was displeased with South Korea's …
(2022-01-14). Call in Support of Indigenous Prisoner Rights at USP Victorville. itsgoingdown.org Call-in campaign to support Indigenous prisoners at USP Victoriville. Originally posted to Free Oso Blanco. Artwork: Scalp Warrior, by OB with Bear & White Eyes, 2016 Stand with Indigenous prisoners at USP Victorville! Tell BOP prison officials and staff to respect Native religious rights and practices! On behalf of all Native and Indigenous prisoners held…
(2022-01-14). Signal Warning?: Why Moxie's Departure is Not the End of Signal. itsgoingdown.org Technical discourse almost always generates an odd sort of distortion when it collides with life outside of disciplinary separations. This is very much the case when it comes to radicals and information security. Communications, computer science and cryptography are highly complex, to the point that even people working in the security industry full time have…
(2022-01-14). "Smoking Gun" Analysis Finds US Sanctions Produce "War Time" Economy in Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Francisco R. Rodríguez, the Executive of Oil for Venezuela, about a study he recently published which analyzed the impact of US sanctions on Venezuela's economy. Rodríguez shares data which prove sanctions have directly contributed to a major economic contraction in Venezuela, driven mainly by a significant drop in the country's oil production as a result of the measures. Rodríguez also addresses common arguments made by individuals who seek to obscure the impact …
(2022-01-14). Pardiss Kebriaei on Guantánamo Prisoners. fair.org 
Prisoners of Guantánamo (photo: Shane T. McCoy/US Navy) | This week on CounterSpin: As we pass the grim milestone of 20 years of the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, even Michael Lehnert, the Marine general who set the camp up, The number of Muslim men and boys in Guantánamo has shrunk from som…
(2022-01-14). US Congressman Meeks asks Biden to Recognize Venezuelan Electoral Authority. orinocotribune.com US Congressperson Gregory Meeks called on the Biden administration to recognize Venezuela's new National Electoral Council (CNE), noting that such a statement by the US would open doors for new opportunities. | Meeks, who is also president of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, urged US President Biden to recognize the CNE and commit to the government of Nicolás Maduro. | The statement…
(2022-01-14). Is Europe's Inflation Joe Biden's Fault? cepr.net 
We would probably think it is, if we relied on CNN and other such sources, but in good old reality land, that's a hard story to tell. Anyhow, as some of us tried to explain, inflation is a worldwide phenomenon associated with reopening from after a worldwide pandemic, which is not yet over. We got …
(2022-01-14). How the populist right twists leftwing ideas to appeal to voters. nationofchange.org One of the more interesting aspects of rightwing populism, especially in the form it's taken in the United States, is its use of traditionally leftist talking points for reactionary political ends. This is a smart strategy as leftist ideas are broadly popular, especially when directed at the unaccountable power of big business and its servants …
(2022-01-14). Jason E Smith: 'Smart Machines and Service Work: Automation in an Age of Stagnation'. mronline.org 
Smith begins with Friedrich Pollock's definition of automation as a 'technique of industrial production [in which] the machines are "controlled" by machines', and shows that this trend of automation, while increasing labor productivity in the industrial and manufacturing sector, is also the reason for a lack of automation in the service sector.
(2022-01-14). Starbucks union push comes to Ohio. workers.org 
Cleveland Early in the morning of Jan. 10, another group of Starbucks workers — called "partners" — filed for a union representation election with the National Labor Relations Board. A solid majority of the 20 employees at the West 6th store in downtown Cleveland signed cards to be represented by . . . |
(2022-01-14). NATO Expansion: Blinken and Stoltenberg Lie Intentionally and the Media Let Them. dissidentvoice.org 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO's chief Jens Stoltenberg To deceive, telling half-truths, or a complete lie is nothing new in politics, particularly security politics. But until some 20-30 years ago, I would — perhaps naively — see it as an exception. Tragically — and perhaps to many readers' surprise — it is now …
(2022-01-14). More than 8,000 Kroger grocery workers strike in Colorado. nationofchange.org On the heels of a new report showing significant financial insecurity, including homelessness, among workers at Kroger grocery stores, more than 8,000 of the chain's employees in Colorado went on strike Wednesday to demand fair wages and better healthcare benefits. Amid a recent wave of successful strikes at companies including John Deere and Kellogg's, the …
(2022-01-14). Mothers, teachers demand sex education & counselors for Boston Public Schools. liberationnews.org 
Andira Ture asked for sex education at the Timilty Middle School, and her son faced retaliation. After her concerns were dismissed by administrators, Ture began a campaign to demand better from Boston Public Schools, and she wants parents and teachers to join her. Some already have.
(2022-01-14). Book Review: 'On the Ho Chi Minh Trail' Leaves U.S. War Propaganda Intact. towardfreedom.org Sherry Buchanan's "On the Ho Chi Minh Trail" criticizes a few isolated events that took place during the U.S. war on Vietnam. This speaks more to the depressing ignorance of so-called progressives in the West than to the experiences of Vietnamese women, writes Nick Flores.
(2022-01-14). 15-minute tumble dry can release hundreds of thousands of microfibers into the air. nationofchange.org Every time you stick a load of clothes into a tumble dryer, you may be releasing hundreds of thousands of microfibers into the air. That's the conclusion of a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters Wednesday, which measured the fibers that escape from a household vented tumble dryer into the surrounding air. …
(2022-01-14). PSL solidarity statement with the people of Sudan and Sudanese Communist Party. liberationnews.org 
The Party for Socialism and Liberation offers its heartfelt solidarity to the millions taking to the streets to oppose Sudan's coup regime in the face of beatings, arrests and bullets…
(2022-01-14). Colectivo workers deliver petition to owners: Stop delaying certification of union victory. liberationnews.org 
"I think management, the bosses are always going to oppose it but literally everybody else is on our side."
(2022-01-14). Enslavement, prisons — and the vote. workers.org 
Martin Luther King Day statement Prisoners Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party What does voting mean to an incarcerated person? As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday in 2022, we consider this question within the context of the struggle for the right to self-determination for the most oppressed . . . |