(2022-02-17). Putin tells Kishida about Russia's talks with US, NATO on security guarantees. tass.com The Russian president and the Japanese prime minister also discussed some current issues of bilateral relations and reaffirmed mutual interest in their constructive development based on existing agreements, including in trade and economic areas…
(2022-02-17). Conflict with Russia is Raising your Gasoline Bill; an Electric Car is the Answer. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Reporters pressed White House spokesperson Jen Psaki on Wednesday about the likelihood that any Russian military engagement in Ukraine will raise petroleum prices further. Ensuing US sanctions on Russia would keep some of its petroleum off the market, as has already happened to Iran, at a time when demand is …
(2022-02-17). US warns of 'global fallout'. rt.com 
The world economy will pay a heavy price if the West imposes new sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury warns | If Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine, the global economy will suffer an inevitable fallout as a result of newly unleashed Western sanctions on Moscow, the US Treasury secretary warned on Wednesday. | Speaking to French news agency AFP, Janet Yellen explained that the US and its European allies are preparing a "very substantial package of sanctions that will have severe consequences for the Russian economy." | However, despite Washington wanting the highest cost to fall on Moscow, she admitted that…
(2022-02-17). Kalashnikov Helps Boost Russia's Prestige on the International Stage. journal-neo.org 
Internationally, Russia has traditionally been seen as one of the leading suppliers of technology, especially in such areas as the arms and military hardware markets. Many countries, all over the world, purchase Russian-made military equipment, including anti-aircraft missile systems, fighter jets battleships, etc. But, globally, the most widely sold and well-known Russian weapon is the …
(2022-02-17). U.S. Sanctions on Afghanistan Could Be Deadlier Than 20 Years of War. juancole.com By Mark Weisbrot | — (Foreign Policy in Focus ) — Originally published in Inside Sources. Economic sanctions have, in recent years, become one of the most important tools of U.S. foreign policy. There are currently more than 20 countries subjected to various sanctions from the U.S. government. But if more Americans knew how many …
(2022-02-17). Bigger than bomb threats: The political violence of national oppression. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL – Throughout the months of January and February, there were over 20 bomb threats directed towards historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Black churches, most of which were in the South. These concentrated actions over the last few months are a microcosm of the extensive history of racism and national oppression that Black people have faced within the United States, particularly its southern region. | In general, all Black communities within the United States face systemic racism. The evidence is in the economically depressed ghettos of every city (big and small), riddled with de…
(2022-02-17). Cuba rechaza ante la ONU bloqueo económico y político de EE.UU. telesurtv.net Ya desde abril de 2019 hasta marzo de 2020, el bloqueo había causado pérdidas a Cuba en el orden de los 5.5 billones de dólares…
(2022-02-17). Pessimism rife ahead of Colombia's elections. colombiareports.com Colombia's government is preparing elections amid widespread pessimism and distrust in public institutions, a pollster revealed Tuesday. The country's adult population is particularly pessimistic about economic insecurity, corruption and public…
(2022-02-17). Why the US trade war on China has been an economic disaster for Americans. rt.com 
Trump hailed his 2020 deal with Beijing as "transformative" for the US. He was right — it's made ordinary US citizens much poorer | At the end of January, the US-China 'phase one' trade deal made under Donald Trump expired. The agreement, struck in January 2020 at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and before ties with Beijing fell off a cliff, stipulated that China would purchase (ludicrously) over $200 billion in agricultural products from the US per annum in order to end Trump's trade war. It was more like a one-sided extortion, placing huge demands on Beijing with very little compromise on t…
(2022-02-17). Growing fears over what interest rate hike will produce. wsws.org It is a sign of the fragility of the financial markets and their total dependence on the flow of ultra-cheap money that what were once regarded as small incremental rises in the US Fed's base interest rate are now viewed with some trepidation.
(2022-02-17). The Gains of Nicaraguan Women During the Second Sandinista Government. orinocotribune.com By Stansfield Smith — Feb 14, 2022 | 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 the home, cook the meals, wash the dishes, the clothes, bathe the children, clean the house, mend the clothes. This labor becomes unending manual labor when households have no electricity (consequently, no lights, no refrigera…
(2022-02-17). How Volkswagen plays off temporary workers against each other and the permanent workforce. wsws.org Volkswagen, its contract labour subsidiary Autovision , and service subsidiary Volkswagen Group Services (VGS) employ a treacherous and sophisticated system to divide workers amongst themselves.
(2022-02-17). The UK anti-vax movement is not an "ally" against Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. wsws.org The people confronting Starmer were in London that day on a protest "to end all the jab mandates and the jab programmes in the United Kingdom and the world… to end all the COVID regulations," in the words of their leader Piers Corbyn.
(2022-02-17). Inquest into deadly construction accident convenes 12 years after four workers fell to their deaths in Toronto. wsws.org The interminable delay in the hearings reflects the perennially low priority assigned to cases of unsafe working conditions in Canadian labour jurisprudence.
(2022-02-17). Segunda edición de Biblioteca Abierta tendrá lugar el sábado 26 de febrero. cubadebate.cu La segunda edición de Biblioteca Abierta será el sábado 26 de febrero, a partir de las 8: 30 a.m. Durante toda la jornada la institución funcionará de una manera diferente a su labor cotidiana, para explicar a los interesados, mediante visitas guiadas, las funciones, usos y formas de inscripción de la Biblioteca, sus características y tesoros bibliográficos.
(2022-02-17). 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…
(2022-02-17). Reconoce presidente cubano trabajo de la Fiscalía General de la República. cubadebate.cu Un reconocimiento por la manera en que se crecieron el pasado año y la exhortación a seguir perfeccionando su labor en 2022, hizo el Primer Secretario del Comité Central del Partido y Presidente de la República, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, a las trabajadoras, trabajadores y dirigentes de la Fiscalía General de la República (FGR).
(2022-02-17). Father sentenced in college admissions scandal, ordered to pay $200,000. rt.com 
A wealthy parent arrested as part of Operation Varsity Blues was convicted of bribing US schools with $1.2 million | The head of a private equity firm in Massachusetts was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 months in federal prison for his involvement in a US college admissions scandal that also saw high-profile Hollywood celebrities including Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman face time behind bars. | John Wilson was charged with using $1.2 million to bribe his three kids' way into college as Division I athletes, despite the fact that they were not athletes competing at such a high division. Wilson's arrest was par…
(2022-02-17). Welcome To The Cryptoverse: A Conversation With The Blockchain Socialist. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by Dr. Leon Tressell | On 3 January 2009 the genesis block of the Bitcoin blockchain was mined. Satoshi Nakmoto, the creator of Bitcoin, coded a message within the genesis block. It contained a headline from the Times newspaper, "Chancellor on brink of second bail out for banks". | This new digital currency represented a rejection of the failed capitalist system that in 2008 brought the world to the brink of complete financial meltdown. Since then, Bitcoin has gr…
(2022-02-17). Does the US really need to spend $800bn on its military? rt.com 
Joe Biden's likely request for a record-breaking defense budget shows America's priorities remain all wrong | President Biden is expected to ask Congress for a record-shattering military budget for the fiscal year 2023 that will exceed $770 billion and could reach $800 billion, according to a While the story has yet to be confirmed, there are many reasons to believe its veracity — and it…
(2022-02-17). COVID cases surge in South Korea as virtually all public health measures ended. wsws.org The steps taken by the Moon Jae-in administration are meant to ensure big business will continue to make record profits.
(2022-02-17). Leaked Audio Shows Amazon Official Threatening Workers Over Union Election – Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – An Amazon union avoidance official threatened workers with minimum wage and warned that things might get worse if they unionize and enter negotiations with the company, Vice reported on Thursday, citing a leaked audio from an Amazon meeting that it obtained.
(2022-02-17). Orange County bus drivers: Vote No on Teamster sellout! Prepare for strike! wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site calls on bus drivers in Orange County, California, to reject a new tentative agreement being voted on starting February 17, whose details are being withheld by the Teamsters.
(2022-02-17). Nurses front socialist NSW Senate ticket. greenleft.org.au Two experienced nurses and unionists are heading the Socialist Alliance NSW Senate ticket for the federal elections. Pip Hinman reports.
(2022-02-17). In New Yorker interview, Ocasio-Cortez defends Biden and Pelosi, urges readers not to lose "hope" in reforming two-party system. wsws.org The New York congresswoman urges readers not to lose "hope" in reforming the two-party system, while disclaiming the label socialist.
(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…
(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…
(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.
(2022-02-16). Russian Communist leader: The West is backing fascists and using Ukraine. peoplesworld.org 
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following article is an edited version of an opinion piece written by Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. It was published on Feb. 14, 2022, the day before the State Duma, Russia's Parliament, voted on a CPRF resolution calling on the government to officially recognize the independence …
(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,
(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.
(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…
(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). Canadian communists denounce the right-wing 'Convoy'. workers.org 
The following are edited excerpts from a Feb. 4 statement issued by the Communist Party of Canada and a Jan. 29 statement from the Communist Party of Quebec, a constituent part of the CPC with the right to set its own policies on matters relating to Quebec. Full statements are . . . |
(2022-02-16). Venezuelan Cryptocurrency Petro Reaches Record High Value. orinocotribune.com The Venezuelan cryptocurrency Petro hit a record high on Tuesday, February 15, reaching a price of $57 in the principal currency exchange agencies in Venezuela. | With this new record, Petro has thus become a good protective measure to ward off inflation and protect the national currency, bolívar, and may have a positive impact on the economy of ordinary Venezuelans. | Feliz martes, iniciando la mañana con el Petro a 57.
(2022-02-16). Ruling elite celebrate UK economy's "rebound" at workers' expense. wsws.org It is the removal of all restrictions that might hamper profits and the ever more brutal exploitation of the working class that accounts for the UK economy's rebound, one paid for with the loss of 180,000 lives.
(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…
(2022-02-16). 15 Things To Know About Elijah Muhammad And The Nation's Success In Fish Imports And International Trade. moguldom.com Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad promoted self-sufficiency and nation-building from 1934 until his death in 1975. His economic plan for the Nation and the Black community included creating businesses that would employ both Muslim and non-Muslim Black people. These businesses would bring in revenue and build the economic power base of Black America with …
(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…
(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.
(2022-02-16). Peru Minister: Chairmanship at Governing Council in the IFAD. telesurenglish.net Oscar Graham, Peruvian Economic and Finance Minister, became the chair of the Governing Council of the IFAD, a UN agency in charge of providing resources to improve agricultural productivity. | RELATED: | Graham led the 45th session of the IFAD Governing Council held in Rome via videoconference. The Ministry (MEF) disclosed that he would be in…
(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). 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). 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.
(2022-02-16). One In Three Big Defense Contractors Profits From US Prisoner Suffering. popularresistance.org Washington — America's largest arms companies are increasingly finding lucrative new ways of profiting from the prison industrial complex; in many cases, weapons of war are directly manufactured using coerced prison labor. A new MintPress News study of the 100 largest private Defense Department contractors found that 37% of them were also profiting from incarcerated Americans, either in prisons and jails, or in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) camps. This proportion rose to 16 of the top 25 largest arms manufacturers, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman. The c…
(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…
(2022-02-16). Belmarsh Tribunal On US War Crimes And Julian Assange In New York. popularresistance.org The Progressive International (PI), in collaboration with several like minded organizations, will organize the second Belmarsh Tribunal in New York on February 25. It announced the decision in a press release on February 14. The Tribunal seeks to hold the US government accountable for its war crimes in the two decades of the so-called war on terror and also push for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's release. | The first Belmarsh Tribunal was organized in London during Assange's extradition hearings in October last year. It is named after the infamous prison in London where Assange has been kept for almost three…
(2022-02-16). Fossil Fuel Industry Doesn't Create As Many Jobs As It Says It Does. popularresistance.org For years now, any discussion about climate action or the need to move off fossil fuels has run headlong into a familiar quandary: The industries fueling the climate crisis create good jobs, often in areas of the country where finding work that can support a family is incredibly difficult. | This leaves activists gesturing towards well-intentioned goals like a "just transition," a promise that likely rings hollow for workers and many labor unions because it's hard to see where this has actually happened‚Äâ—‚Äâeven though, by every measure, we need to create some real polici…