Daily Archives: February 16, 2022

2022-02-16: News Headlines

Fight Back (2022-02-16). No U.S. war with Russia, end U.S. intervention in Ukraine. fightbacknews.org Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is opposed to the Biden administration's war preparations against Russia and U.S. intervention in the Ukraine. We urge all progressives and revolutionaries to help organize, promote and participate in anti-war protests. We are against imperialist wars. | In recent years the Pentagon has ranked Russia as a "strategic competitor," making it one of the main targets of U.S. war plans. Currently the U.S. is sending mountains of weapons to the reactionary Ukrainian government, deploying more troops in Eastern Europe, and is making threat upon threat. The constant barrage of a…

VINS (2022-02-16). At Least 128 Members of Congress Invested in Fossil Fuel Industry. projectcensored.org A series of article written by David Moore and published by Sludge in November and December of 2021 reported that at least 100 Representatives and 28 Senators have financial interests…

WSWS (2022-02-16). Defend the Coventry bin workers from Labour's strike-breaking! wsws.org Starmer even took time out from his warmongering visit to NATO to endorse the clampdown by Coventry's Labour council, demonstrating that the wardrive against Russia will be accompanied by class war at home.

Staff (2022-02-16). China hits out at US over Ukraine. rt.com Intelligence reports claiming a Russian invasion could be imminent have hit the Ukrainian economy hard | Claims from Western politicians and spy agencies that Russian bombs could start falling on Ukraine at any moment as part of an all-out invasion have dealt a heavy social and economic blow to Kiev, Beijing has claimed. | Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin weighed in on the standoff on the border between the two Eastern European nations, arguing that Washington has contributed to rapidly rising tensions. | "Over the last few days, the US has been fannin…

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-16). Russia's Duma Asks Putin to Recognize Eastern Ukraine's Breakaway Republics. news.antiwar.com Russia's State Duma on Tuesday approved a resolution to ask President Vladimir Putin The resolution was put forward by the opposition Communist Party,

sputniknews (2022-02-16). Finland Says It Won't Send Weapons to Ukraine, Yet Raises Internal Security Level. sputniknews.com Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto rejected the notion that Helsinki was shying away from military help for Ukraine over fears of Russian reprisal and emphasised the country's rule of not exporting arms to conflict zones. Instead underscoring Finland's financial help to Ukraine, adding that another package is under consideration.

Dave DeCamp (2022-02-16). Anonymous US Intelligence Officials Claim News Site Zero Hedge Is 'Amplifying' Russian Propaganda. news.antiwar.com In comments to The Associated Press, In response, Zero Hedge strongly denied the accusation and said the site tries "to publish a wide spectrum of views that cover both sides of a given story." Zero Hedge said it "has never worked, collaborated or cooperated with Russia, nor are there any links to spy agencies." | Ultimately, th…

WSWS (2022-02-16). Donor list leak exposes business and far-right forces sponsoring Canada's "Freedom Convoy" wsws.org According to the leaked data, $8.4 million had been raised from 92,844 donors, with the majority of funds being raised in Canada and the United States, including large donations from business owners and financial backers of the Republican Party.

_____ (2022-02-16). The Persecution Of Alex Saab. popularresistance.org "It's not a crime to fulfill a diplomatic mission. It's not a crime to evade sanctions that are harming an entire country. It can't be illegal to help a people." Camilla Fabri Saab made these impassioned remarks when explaining the situation behind the illegal arrest and extradition – the kidnapping, in essence – of her husband, Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab. | Alex Saab is virtually unknown in the United States, where he is currently languishing in a Miami prison, but he has been vital to Venezuela's ability to survive the brutal economic war being waged by the U.S. He is a political prisoner whose case has para…

_____ (2022-02-16). Unions And Worker Co-Ops: Economic Justice Requires Collaboration. popularresistance.org Unions and worker cooperatives have a lot in common when it comes to passions and principles for democratic workplaces. Where they differ is in strategy and tactics. At this moment in history, it is clear to many that much needs to be torn down and much needs to be built up. To face this challenge and change our economic system to achieve genuine workplace democracy requires new ways of doing business and a multi-pronged approach. | To explore these issues in greater depth, the Community and Worker Ownership Project at the City University of New York (CUNY) published a report titled A Union Toolkit for Cooperativ…

Staff (2022-02-16). Colombian President Duque in Desperation Mode, Begs EU to Pay for 'Venezuelan Migrants'. orinocotribune.com The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, asked the European Union (EU) to speed up the payment of donations to Colombia, supposedly destined to assisting Venezuelan migrants, although the majority of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia wonder where all these donations end up. This renewed plea occurred despite the fact that there are an increasing amount of Venezuelan migrants returning to Venezuela due to the terrible economic situation in Colombia, xenophobia, and concerns about their personal safety. This trend is also encouraged by the economic recovery in Venezuela. | "It is necessary to accelerate the disbursemen…

WSWS (2022-02-16). Pandemic and vaccine inequality have exacerbated global inequality. wsws.org While it does not say so explicitly, an International Labour Organisation report makes clear that the refusal to implement an elimination strategy, using both vaccines and stringent public health measures on the basis that it would cost too much, has worsened economic prospects.

WSWS (2022-02-16). Spain's PSOE-Podemos government approve anti-working class labor law. wsws.org In exchange for EU bailouts showering the banks with billions, the PSOE-Podemos government passed an anti-working class labour reform backed by the trade unions.

WSWS (2022-02-16). Defying management reprisals and state repression, Maharashtra public transport workers' strike surpasses 100th day. wsws.org To foil the attempts of management, aided by the corrupt unions, to starve them into submission, the MSRTC workers must make their strike the spearhead of a working-class counter-offensive against privatization and precarious contract labour jobs.

WSWS (2022-02-16). Spain's PSOE-Podemos government approve anti-working class labor law. wsws.org In exchange for EU bailouts showering the banks with billions, the PSOE-Podemos government passed an anti-working class labour reform backed by the trade unions.

_____ (2022-02-16). An Inside Look At The The Day Without Immigrants Demonstration In DC. popularresistance.org Washington D.C. — Carlos Eduardo Espina walked to the White House on Monday morning a TikTok star with over 2.5 million followers. By day's end, the 23-year-old Texan from College Station had become an icon of immigrant rights organizing. | "It's cold," said Espina as he strolled through downtown Washington, D.C., at 6: 30 a.m. "I'm not used to this kind of weather." It was 27 degrees outside and windy. | Weeks earlier, Espina came up with the idea to spearhead "A Day Without Immigrants" on Valentine's Day. The rationale was simple: the holiday relies on immigrant labor, so what if immigrants simply didn't s…

_____ (2022-02-16). Democrats, The More Effective Evil. popularresistance.org When all else fails, when you are clueless about how to halt a 7.5% inflation rate, when your Build Back Better bill is gutted, when you renege on your promise to raise the minimum wage or forgive student debt, when you can't halt the Republican suppression of voting rights, when you have no idea how to handle the pandemic which has claimed 900,000 lives — 16% of the world's total deaths although we are less than 5% of the world's population — when the stock market fluctuates on wild rollercoaster rides of highs and lows, when what little help the government offered to the labor force — half of…

Rachel Evans (2022-02-16). Religious bigotry bill defeated, no thanks to Labor. greenleft.org.au Rachel Evans and Alex Bainbridge argue Labor's claim that its tactics defeated the Religious Discrimination Bill do not stack up.

United Front For A Labor Party (2022-02-16). Thursday 2/17: Stop Privatization & Union Busting! DUMP A's Fisher Stadium Scam & OUSD School Closures. indybay.org Oakland City Hall/Oscar Grant Plaza | Oakland…

Staff (2022-02-16). Medio siglo del Centro de Estudios Demográficos: La población como objeto y sujeto del desarrollo. cubadebate.cu Si hay un centro que ha realizado múltiples investigaciones sobre la población cubana de temas vitales para la sociedad como lo son la fecundidad, la mortalidad, el envejecimiento, las migraciones, la familia, los recursos laborales, el medio ambiente, el desarrollo local y las políticas de población y desarrollo, es el Cedem.

Labor Video Project (2022-02-16). Golden Gate Bridge Workers Demand A Contract After Two Years Of Negotiations. indybay.org Dozens of Golden Gate bridge district workers rallied at the bridge to protest a failure to win a contract for over two years and a refusal to increase wages with the growing inflation.

Staff (2022-02-16). US housing bubble about to burst, leading economist warns. rt.com Higher interest rates could trigger collapse | The US real estate market could crash this year, leading economist Desmond Lachman predicted in an interview with Nikkei Asia on Tuesday. Adjusted for inflation, house prices in America are now higher than they were 15 years ago, before the last housing bust, he added. | Lachman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former deputy director at the International Monetary Fund, explained that last year the US government was buying large quantities of bonds, which created an equity price bubble, and led to "equity valuations at levels only seen once…

WSWS (2022-02-16). Congress holds hearings with Washington D.C. transit leaders over failure to resolve ongoing mechanical failures. wsws.org Congressional leaders denounced Metro's failure to resolve its continued rail service problems as a major financial crisis in the system continues to mount.

WSWS (2022-02-16). UK High Court bans pickets at Great Ormond Street Hospital: A frontal assault on the right to strike. wsws.org The High Court's injunction against GOSH workers takes place amid a wave of strikes and pay disputes sparked by rising inflation and fuelled by the bitter experience of workers during the pandemic.

VINS (2022-02-16). Employees of America's Largest Grocery Chain Can't Afford Groceries. projectcensored.org More than twenty percent of workers employed by Kroger, America's largest grocery chain, which employs some 460,000 workers and recorded profits of $4.1 billion in 2021, were receiving government assistance,…

WSWS (2022-02-16). Australian teacher speaks out against reckless reopening of schools. wsws.org "We have to rid the world of the virus permanently, but the media never raises this because the measures required would impact on profits."

Fight Back (2022-02-16). FRSO members meeting set for Feb. 17. fightbacknews.org Grand Rapids, MI – The Freedom Road Socialist Organization is hosting another online meeting for the growing numbers of members on Thursday, February 17 at 8 p.m. Eastern time. We will use Zoom to welcome our new members who joined since the last meeting on capitalism destroying the environment. | Tom Burke, the organizational secretary of the FRSO, will speak about the growth of the FRSO, the importance of union solidarity with the George Floyd rebellion, the recent uptick in strikes, and how we can lead the American working class toward revolution. | Emily Butt, a union steward, will speak on the victories of t…

William J. Astore (2022-02-16). America's Disastrous 60-Year War: Three Generations of Conspicuous Destruction by the Military-Industrial Complex. juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com ) — In my lifetime of nearly 60 years, America has waged five major wars, winning one decisively, then throwing that victory away, while losing the other four disastrously. Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as the Global War on Terror, were the losses, of course; the Cold War being the solitary win …

Yanis Iqbal (2022-02-16). The Workings of Commodified Education. orinocotribune.com By Yanis Iqbal — Feb 11, 2022 | Under the neoliberal accumulation

Isaac Nellist (2022-02-16). Video: Socialist Alliance candidate Paula Sanchez applauds NSW Nurses and Midwives' strike. greenleft.org.au Socialist Alliance NSW Senate candidate Paula Sanchez explains why she is passionate about the nurses and midwives' campaign for safe ratios and better pay.

Alex Bainbridge (2022-02-16). Pat O'Shane inspires supporters at election launch. greenleft.org.au Kuku Yalanji woman Pat O'Shane's campaign for the seat of Leichhardt for Socialist Alliance in Far North Queensland was launched on February 13. Alex Bainbridge reports.

WSWS (2022-02-16). UK lecturers and students speak on conditions they face as strikes continue. wsws.org World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke with strikers and students as lecturers struck at 44 universities for a second day.

C.J. Atkins (2022-02-15). Pipeline ploy: How U.S. natural gas interests are fueling the Ukraine crisis. peoplesworld.org Along with trying to militarily absorb Ukraine into NATO, another major factor that's becoming more apparent in the Biden administration's unceasing talk of war with Russia is the desire of U.S. energy producers to invade European markets with fracked natural gas. Though the mainstream press is saturated with talk of a forever-imminent Russian assault on …

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-15). Digest of TASS articles on the Donbass. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com TASSFebruary 22, 2022 State Duma to send appeal to Russian president on recognizing Donetsk, Lugansk republics The State Duma approved a resolution at its session on Tuesday to forward to the Russian president a draft appeal by the lower house of Russia's parliament as proposed by the Communist faction on recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk …

Editor (2022-02-15). U.S. needs Ukraine crisis to harm European economy, and legitimize its military presence. mronline.org The Chinese embassy in Ukraine released a notice on its WeChat public account Friday to urge Chinese nationals in Ukraine to "pay close attention to" changes in the local situation, as the U.S. and several other Western countries asked their nationals "to evacuate immediately" amid so-called warnings of an imminent invasion by Russia.

Brittani Banks (2022-02-15). How Young Workers Are Being Exploited in the COVID-19 Economy. independentmediainstitute.org The newcomer to Bob Garrou's high school wrestling program had won his first match, and was growing in confidence, when he abruptly quit the team. It sickened Garrou to learn why. A local store summarily fired the teen when he balked at working more than the 16 hours he already put in each week, leading …

jamanetwork (2022-02-15). The Medical Aspects of the Modern "Sky Scraper." jamanetwork.com The semi-revolution in urban architecture of the past few years, to which we owe the lofty structures that make a distant view of even the flattest of our cities picturesque, has a side that perhaps calls for some attention to be given it by the medical profession. The guardians of the public health have a right to investigate and, if needs be, pass judgment on any novelty that may directly or indirectly affect it, and it is quite possible that there exist in these sky-scraping structures, with all their advantages in economy of ground surface, some serious disadvantages that call for our professional considerati…

Leonardo Flores (2022-02-15). "It Can't Be Illegal to Help a People": The Persecution of Alex Saab. mintpressnews.com Saab is virtually unknown in the United States, where he is currently languishing in a Miami prison, but he has been vital to Venezuela's ability to survive the brutal economic war being waged by the U.S.

Staff (2022-02-15). "Adding Insult to Injury": Afghan Activist & 9/11 Mother Condemn Biden's Seizure of Afghan Funds. democracynow.org President Biden is facing mounting criticism for seizing $7 billion of Afghanistan's federal reserves frozen in the United States. Biden is giving half of the money to families of September 11 victims while Afghanistan faces a humanitarian catastrophe. We speak to two of the founders of a new campaign called Unfreeze Afghanistan, a women-led initiative to lift sanctions and other economic restrictions on Afghanistan, and a woman who lost her son in the World Trade Center attack, who says the money should stay in Afghanistan. "The suffering of the Afghan people at the hands of the United States and its…

Internationalist 360 ∞ (2022-02-15). The Gains of Nicaraguan Women During the Second Sandinista Government. libya360.wordpress.com Stansfield Smith Women, particularly those in the Third World, often find themselves with limited ability to participate in community organizations and political life because of the bondage poverty and their traditional sex role imposes on them. On them falls sole responsibility to care for their children and other family members, especially when sick; they maintain…

WSWS (2022-02-15). UK university staff strike in defence of pensions. wsws.org Under the employers' proposal, the average higher education staff member would lose 35 percent of their retirement income.

Walden Bello (2022-02-15). Walden Bello: Why democratic socialism is the answer. greenleft.org.au National elections are due in the Philippines on May 9. The Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses, PLM) and Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses) are jointly fielding a slate of candidates. Vice presidential candidate and Laban ng Masa (Fight of the Masses) chairperson Walden Bello spoke at the PLM/LNM election platform launch on February 8.

WSWS (2022-02-15). The political dead end of Britain's Stop the War Coalition: For a socialist anti-war movement, not opportunist manoeuvres. wsws.org What determines the STWC's stance is the political imperative of the petty-bourgeois stratum orbiting around the Labour and trade union bureaucracy to defend the interests of British imperialism.

Rubin R. (2022-02-15). COVID-19 and Blood Donation. jamanetwork.com Using laboratory tests to screen routine blood donors for COVID-19 isn't recommended, according to recently updated information from the FDA.

Staff (2022-02-15). Backed by AOC & Bernie, House Candidate Greg Casar Says "Big Progressive Change" Is Possible in Texas. democracynow.org Two competitive congressional races are heating up in Texas. Former labor organizer Greg Casar and immigrant human rights lawyer Jessica Cisneros have both gained national endorsements from progressive lawmakers like New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who traveled to the state to campaign for them this past weekend. "We have a real opportunity for big progressive change here in the heart of the state where we've seen so many oppressive laws be pushed through the pandemic," says Casar, who is running in Texas's 35th Congressional District, which covers eastern Austin and east…

Dana Sanchez (2022-02-15). Technologist Kelsey Hightower: They Are Pushing Crypto 'Like Penny Stocks And Lottery Tickets, Not Revolutionary New Monetary System'. moguldom.com The development of Bitcoin and thousands of other cryptocurrencies in less than 15 years has changed the way we think about money and generated a blizzard of alternative financial products and services, allowing crypto businesses to move into territory once considered the exclusive domain of traditional banks. The term crypto is now an umbrella for DeFi, NFTs, tokens such …

Kevin Mwanza (2022-02-15). 7 Things To Know About The Dramatic Fall Of Meta's (Facebook) Stock. moguldom.com Facebook, recently renamed Meta, saw its market capitalization slump on Feb. 2 after the tech giant announced its first-ever decline of average daily and monthly active users in the fourth quarter, which was underscored with "very disappointing" metrics and a grim outlook. Meta shares crashed 26 percent after the company released fourth-quarter financial report showing …

Mark Gruenberg (2022-02-15). New York AG James discloses more Trump frauds. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK—When Donald Trump's accountants disavowed 10 years' worth of financial statements from the mogul's company—saying in essence their client lied—it turned out to be only the tip of the legal iceberg the former GOP White House occupant faces. The reason? Trump's accountants were replying to a detailed 113-page record of facts of fraud committed …

_____ (2022-02-15). Puerto Rico: March Of Indignation Against 'Shakedown Plan' Of More Austerity. popularresistance.org Tens of thousands of teachers and other public workers have taken to the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a March of Indignation to protest a debt restructuring plan given the green light by Judge Taylor Swain of New York. Puerto Ricans call it the "Shakedown Plan" because it will enforce more austerity on a land where disinvestment in education and health care and privatization of the energy system have already caused great hardship. A National Strike has been called for February 18. Clearing the FOG speaks with Monisha Rios, a Puerto Rican social worker and psychologist, about who and what are behind the pro…

Olujimi Alade (2022-02-15). Black History and the ongoing struggle for liberation. workers.org February, as we all know, is Black History month: a time to celebrate Black Americans and their accomplishments. Corporations and the bourgeois establishments will no doubt pay lip service to the African American experience by hawking items with Black historical figures on them, likely as another way to profit off . . . |

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