(2022-02-02). Why Ukraine Needs the Kellogg-Briand Pact. davidswanson.org By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, February 2, 2022 In 1929, Russia and China proposed to go to war. Governments around the world pointed out that they'd just signed and ratified the Kellogg-Briand Pact banning all war. Russia withdrew. Peace was made. In 2022, the United States and Russia proposed to go to war. Governments …
(2022-02-02). Central Asia becomes a Platform for Cooperation between Russia, India and China. journal-neo.org 
Central Asia (CA), due to its geostrategic location at the junction of Europe and Asia, its proximity to the leading international actors such as Russia and China, its wealth of natural resources and its yet-to-be fully exploited trade and economic opportunities, has recently attracted increasing interest from international actors. In order to create a stable …
(2022-02-02). Ski starlet who swapped USA for China puts gold medals before politics. rt.com 
The teenage sensation switched allegiances to China in 2019 | At a Winter Olympics where Instagram is giving fans the chance to gain the inside track from athletes, Chinese-American sensation Eileen Gu's first post from the Beijing Games was telling. | Mildly sending up her usual glossy, high-fashion posts on a platform where the 18-year-old already has more than 245,000 followers, Gu haphazardly opened a box of "Olympic gear", goofishly modeling clothing provided by organizers before leaving it strewn across her sparse-looking room. | Gu might have been on a catwalk rather than dorm-style accommodation this w…
(2022-02-02). Biden continues to pressure China. indybay.org Joe Biden approved a further anti-China bill and, by amazing coincidence, did it on the eve of binational summit. That's a great attack on China, it has to be said.
(2022-02-02). US 'rules-based order' is a myth and China knows it. asiatimes.com 
A new bill in the United States will only add extra weight in Beijing to fears that the "rules-based" international order American politicians like to talk about is really about keeping the world's most populous country down. The America Competes Act of 2022, passed by the US House of Representatives last week, comes in at …
(2022-02-02). Stalinist Makabayan Coalition endorses right-wing Robredo campaign in the Philippines. wsws.org The most fundamental shared principle cited by Makabayan was Robredo's commitment to defend Philippine sovereignty against China's presence in the South China Sea. Makabayan, like Robredo, is lining up with Washington.
(2022-02-02). US won't divide China and Russia, Chinese scholar assures. tass.com Up until now, the US has been gathering allies and client states in order to "pounce" on China and Russia, Wan Chengcai said…
(2022-02-02). Unwise to politicize Beijing Winter Olympics. asiatimes.com 
From February 4 to 20, the 24th Winter Olympic Games will be held in Beijing. These are the first Winter Olympics held by China, and Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This is a grand and happy event for both the sporting world and China, but it has …
(2022-02-02). VIDEO: Ukraine Crisis Webinar: Peace Activists and Experts Gather. davidswanson.org Here's the video: Speakers include: Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director of The Nation magazine, columnist for the Washington Post. Ann Wright, retired U.S. Army colonel, retired diplomat, author, activist. Vladimir Kozin, member of Russian Academy of Military Sciences, speaking from Moscow. Norman Solomon, co-founder and national director of RootsAction.org, author, activist. Moderator: David Swanson, campaign …
(2022-02-02). Headlines for February 2, 2022. democracynow.org Putin Accuses U.S. of Using Ukraine as "Tool" to Contain Russia, Pacific Nations, Incl. Tonga, Report First COVID Cases; South Africa, EU Nations Ease Restrictions, Guinea-Bissau's President Says He Survived Coup Attempt, Security Forces Killed in Attack, Two Babies Die in Freezing Syrian Camps for Displaced People, Major Coalition of States, Cities and Advocacy Groups Backs Mexican Effort to Sue U.S. Gunmakers, Native American Tribes Reach Tentative Settlement with J&J, Drug Distributors over Opioid Epidemic, ABC Suspends Whoopi Goldberg from "The View" After Saying Holocaust Was "Not About Race", Ex-NFL Coach F…
(2022-02-02). Ukraine: Another Biden Débâcle? strategic-culture.org Are we past 'peak frenzy'? Quite possibly, but it will subside only slowly. It is too good a diversion from other difficulties. | The sheer size and scope of the western information operations — insisting repeatedly on the imminence of a Russian invasion of Ukraine — has almost dwarfed the western effort mounted in the lead up to the second invasion of Iraq. This latest info-war has been qualitatively different from that earlier episode however, in the way in which supposed intelligence titbits were constantly fed to the press in order to stiffen the narrative spine with a direct sense of being at the…
(2022-02-02). US, Allies Wondering If They Can Count on Germany Against Russia. news.antiwar.com Germany's refusal to arm Ukraine and its trade relationship with Russia continues to irk the US and other NATO allies. Germany's new coalition government has adopted a policy of not sending weapons to potential conflict zones. Berlin has also cited history as a reason not to participate in the military buildup in the region, referring to Nazi war crimes in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union. | Germany's reasoning is…
(2022-02-02). NATO absorbing Ukraine, all of Europe, into cyber warfare network. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com All of Europe excepting Belarus and Russia. See final sentence. (Odd that Ireland isn't included, as it's a member of the Partnership for Peace along with the four nations listed.) === Ukraine seeks closer ties with NATO on cyber defense Ukrainian government officials want closer collaboration with NATO's cyber center of excellence…. Ukraine has found …
(2022-02-02). Boris Johnson pushes anti-Russia war rhetoric in Ukraine amid UK government crisis. wsws.org Demanding Russia "steps back and chooses the path of diplomacy," Johnson made clear that this meant recognising Ukraine's right to decide "which organisations they aspire to join", i.e., NATO.
(2022-02-02). Russia & US commit to further talks on security guarantees. rt.com 
Continued engagement from both sides will allow room for serious discussion, but situation appears to be a stalemate | Washington is willing to continue diplomatic discussions with Russia over mutual security concerns, the US State Department revealed on Tuesday, following a phone call between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. | The discussion comes as tensions between Russia and the West continue to remain high, with Moscow accused of placing over 100,000 troops on the border with Ukraine. The buildup has triggered a response from multiple NATO members, with many se…
(2022-02-02). At Russia-Ukraine border NO U.S.-NATO WAR! workers.org 
An ad-hoc coalition of anti-imperialist organizations located in the United States has published the following call for protests in the following week of U.S. and NATO's aggressive actions directed at Russia, building up to demonstrations and a webinar on Feb. 5: We must act now to stop the war with . . . |
(2022-02-02). America Is Reaping What It Sowed In Ukraine. popularresistance.org So what are Americans to believe about the rising tensions over Ukraine? The United States and Russia both claim their escalations are defensive, responding to threats and escalations by the other side, but the resulting spiral of escalation can only make war more likely. Ukrainian President Zelensky is warning that "panic" by U.S. and Western leaders is already causing economic destabilization in Ukraine. | U.S. allies do not all support the current U.S. policy. Germany is wisely refusing to funnel more weapons into Ukraine, in keeping with its long-standing policy of not sending weapons into conflict zones. Ral…
(2022-02-02). Leaked US & NATO replies to Russia: Here's what you need to know. rt.com 
It seems the West has rejected Moscow's core demands, but proposed steps to ease tensions | In December, Russia requested that the US and NATO produce definitive written responses to its proposals on assurances addressing security concerns. The letters were sent to Moscow last week. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters at the time that the correspondence should stay confidential. However, the two letters were allegedly Wh…
(2022-02-02). NATO proposes to Russia to refrain from conducting anti-satellite tests — El Pais. tass.com In November 2021, the Russian Defense Ministry informed about a test, during which a defunct Russian space satellite had been successfully destroyed…
(2022-02-02). US, NATO urge Russia to return to observance of CFE Treaty — El Pais. tass.com Among other things, it implies providing detailed CFE Treaty-required annual data and information…
(2022-02-02). Putin warns US seeks to "drag" Russia "into an armed conflict" wsws.org The statements by Putin underscore the immense dangers of the situation that has been created by the aggressive moves of NATO and above all, US imperialism.
(2022-02-02). Coalition to Prevent War with Russia. indybay.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — TUESDAY, FEB. 1, 2022…
(2022-02-02). International Viewpoint supports war propaganda against Russia. wsws.org Under the misleading title "Time for International Anti-War Solidarity," unnamed "Ukrainian socialists" called on the "international left" to "condemn the imperialist policies of the Russian government."
(2022-02-02). U.S. to Russia: Do as We Say, Not as We Do. indybay.org Meanwhile, progressives in Congress haven't really spoken up…
(2022-02-02). Greenwald: The Pressure Campaign on Spotify to Remove Joe Rogan Reveals the Religion of Liberals: Censorship. scheerpost.com 
Joe Rogan interviews Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Aug. 6, 2019, roughly six months before he endorsed the Vermont independent for president. | By Glenn Greenwald / American liberals are obsessed with finding ways to silence and censor their adversaries. Every week, if not every day, they have new targets they want de-platformed, banned, silenced, and otherwise prevented from speaking or being heard (by "liberals," I mean the term of self-description used by th…
(2022-02-02). Israel's smears against Amnesty fail to hide apartheid. electronicintifada.net It's getting harder for Israeli politicians and the Israel lobby to cover up reality with verbal intimidation.
(2022-02-02). Palestine in Pictures: January 2022. electronicintifada.net A monthly roundup of photographs documenting Palestine, Palestinian life, politics and culture, and international solidarity with Palestine.
(2022-02-02). The Global Fashion Brands: More than the Little Black Dress. dissidentvoice.org 
Following the announcement of Leena Nair's (no relation) appointment as CEO of Chanel last month, media and fans were quick to laud the announcement as a step forward in diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts by global brands given she would be one of the industry's only women of colour in the exclusive ranks of leadership. …
(2022-02-02). Why Wouldn't Biden Grant Clemency to Leonard Peltier? dissidentvoice.org 
Last Friday, it became known that the 77-year-old native American political prisoner Leonard Peltier was sick with COVID-19. Peltier has been in prison for over 46 years, which makes him the oldest political prisoner in the United States. This fact has brought attention to his case, but the truth is that his freedom has been …
(2022-02-02). Annihilating the Virus Enemy in Japan. dissidentvoice.org 
According to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 18,515 people had lost their lives to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by 24 January 2022. Of those deaths, four were minors, i.e., 19 years of age or younger. At this point, nobody can say exactly why the Archipelago of Japan has emerged …
(2022-02-02). Special Privileges: Charlotte Bellis, Fortress New Zealand and the Taliban. dissidentvoice.org Not wishing to be left out from the brutal closed border system that has characterised COVID-19 policy in Australia, New Zealand has also been every bit as extreme in limiting the return of its nationals. Pandemic policy, if not logic, has taken issue with the nature of citizenship, which, truth be told, is simply not …
(2022-02-02). The Historic Opportunities for Racial Equity in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. cepr.net The IIJA has provided a historic opportunity for advancing racial equity in infrastructure investments. Only if state and local activists force their elected officials to take advantage of it will its full potential be realized.
(2022-02-02). Marketplace Radio Gives Us the Latest Bad News on the Economy: A Glut of Retail Goods. cepr.net In the old days, we might have thought that too many goods, with too few buyers, might have meant lower prices.
(2022-02-02). Another US-Japan 2+2 Meeting. journal-neo.org 
The regular US-Japan meeting (2+2) (officially called the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee) in January this year, involving the foreign and defense ministers of both countries, is noteworthy for a number of reasons. First of all, it should once again be emphasized that the very existence of the 2+2 format in a pair of states is …
(2022-02-02). Steps individuals can take to combat climate—change. nationofchange.org What once was considered a trend or an ideological point of view is now a global issue. Climate change is real and taking action to mitigate its effects is necessary. Environmentalists and activists aren't trying to create the perfect world with unrealistic ideologies; they are trying to ensure that the world simply continues to exist. …
(2022-02-02). Minneapolis/St. Paul teachers prepare to strike. liberationnews.org 
Teachers and support staff in Minneapolis and St. Paul could be headed for a strike if their respective school boards continue to stall on key issues such as pay and benefits, smaller class sizes and COVID-19 safety.
(2022-02-02). Sabbagh: Western Coercive Measures Escalate Suffering of Millions of Syrians. orinocotribune.com Syria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations stressed that the US and EU illegitimate unilateral coercive measures escalated the suffering of millions of Syrians. | Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh made his remarks in a session of the Security Council on Friday on the humanitarian situation in Syria. | "The economic terrorism and the collective punishment policies represented by the illegitimate unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US and the EU have escalated the suffering of millions of Syrians who bear big burden to obtain their basic needs, in flagrant violation of all international legal standards…
(2022-02-02). What's at stake with SCOTUS nomination — an editorial. workers.org 
On the eve of Black History Month — February — President Joe Biden announced his intentions of nominating an African American woman to replace the soon-to-be-retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Sitting on the court now are six men and three women. All justices have life tenure, until either . . . |
(2022-02-02). Europop musical 'Singing Revolution' treats leadup to Estonian independence from Soviets. peoplesworld.org 
LOS ANGELES — "Lift it up, lift it up: we can sing our country free!" A cast of 20 all-singing, all-dancing performers and a five-piece band brought Singing Revolution: The Musical to the stage here for its world premiere on Sunday, January 30. It's intended as "an inspirational new musical based on historical events" involving …
(2022-02-02). Springfield, Mo., activists fight to stop city from using public money for private gas station. liberationnews.org 
The campaign, "Dam Up Buc-ee's," began in response to the City Council announcing at their Jan. 10 meeting that the City had put forward a proposal for $9.2 million in tax incentives to bring the famous Texas-sized gas station chain to southwest Missouri.
(2022-02-02). Protests erupt in Argentina over plan for offshore oil drilling. nationofchange.org Thousands of people took to the streets of Mar del Plata to protest the plans by Norwegian oil company Equinor to begin offshore oil exploration later this year.
(2022-02-02). How to get teenagers to read important books? Ban them. nationofchange.org There's no better way to get a teenager to read a book than to ban it.
(2022-02-02). Bakery Workers Local 37 strike in L.A. enters third month with growing solidarity. peoplesworld.org 
LOS ANGELES—The three-month strike of predominantly female Latina workers at the Jon Donaire ice cream cake production plant in Santa Fe Springs, an industrial area of greater Los Angeles County, has generated an impressive amount of labor, community, and political solidarity. The strikers demand better pay, respect, and improvement of injurious job conditions that have …
(2022-02-02). Peru Orders Repsol to Suspend Offshore Operations After Massive Oil Spill. orinocotribune.com 
February 1, 2022 ( In addition, a judge barred four Repsol executives from leaving the country as the administration moves to investigate the details of the oil spill. The executives include Repsol's Director in Peru, Jaime Fernandez-Cuesta. | Ramirez ordered a "halt to all of Repsol's operations loading a…
(2022-02-02). The Onus on Those Who Accuse Others of Mis/Disinformation. dissidentvoice.org 
Musician Neil Young finds himself in the 2022 limelight. It may well generate more on-air play and music sales for the Canadian. Young wrote a letter on his website (since removed) that garnered much attention. It read: Please immediately inform Spotify that I am actively canceling all my music availability on Spotify as soon as …
(2022-02-02). New year, new Student Accommodation Office. imperial.ac.uk Now independent of the Student Hub, the Student Accommodation Office operates as a singular, distinct entity.
(2022-02-02). Al menos 24 muertos tras aluvión de escombros y lodo en Ecuador (+ Video). cubadebate.cu La casa empezó a moverse como en un terremoto mientras afuera caía un fuerte aguacero acompañado de un inusual y ensordecedor estruendo. De repente agua y piedras obtuvieron a ingresar por las puertas y ventanas del primer piso y sólo atinó a correr hacia la terraza, relató el martes Imelda Pacheco al frente de la que fuera su vivienda.
(2022-02-02). Apartheid 2.0: Amnesty International Joins Chorus condemning Israeli rule over stateless Palestinians. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Israeli state has won the trifecta of condemnation by major human rights organizations, as, on Tuesday, Amnesty International joined with Human Rights Watch and B'Tselem in calling Israeli rule over the 5 million Palestinians of the Occupied Palestinian Territories a form of Apartheid. Amnesty carried out its investigation and …
(2022-02-02). COVID-19 human challenge study reveals detailed insights into infection. imperial.ac.uk Findings from the UK's world-leading human challenge study provide new insights into mild infections with SARS-CoV-2 in healthy young adults.
(2022-02-02). Eight people killed, wounded in Turkish attacks on N Iraq. en.mehrnews.com Iraqi media on Wednesday reported that at least eight people were killed and wounded in a Turkish fighter jets' attack on Sinjar in northern Iraq.