(2022-02-09). On Contact: The Gig Economy. popularresistance.org After the end of World War II, two generations of workers in the United States were blessed with a period of unprecedented prosperity. Wages for the working class were high. Jobs were stable and came with benefits and health insurance. Unions protected workers from abuse by the business elites. Taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations was as high as 91%. The public school system provided a quality education to the poor and the rich. The nation's infrastructure and technology were cutting edge and unrivaled. But by the 1970s, it all began to go south. Wages stagnated. Income inequality grew, until by 2…
(2022-02-09). How Nicaragua Fights Poverty & Empowers Women Through the Ministry of Family Economy. libya360.wordpress.com Camila EscalanteMinister Justa Pérez of the Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperative and Associative Economy (MEFCCA) in Managua. January 2022. In Managua, Nicaragua, we interviewed Minister Justa Pérez of the Ministry of Family, Community, Cooperative and Associative Economy, known as MEFCCA. Could you start us off with a summary of what MEFCCA does to stimulate, develop…
(2022-02-09). Two right-wing figures to contest South Korean presidential election. wsws.org The candidates from the two main parties are both determined to further open the economy despite the surge of COVID-19 cases and have backed the US war drive against China.
(2022-02-09). The Pandemic Has Created an Opportunity for Black Artists in Oakland to Reshape the City's Economy. independentmediainstitute.org In recent years the impacts of gentrification have displaced many BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) communities in cities across the United States. Oakland, California, had the highest rate of gentrification in the country according to a recent national study, detailed in the 2020 San Jose Mercury article, "Oakland, S.F. neighborhoods fastest gentrifying in …
(2022-02-09). Black Alliance For Peace Condemns The 'America COMPETES Act'. popularresistance.org On Friday evening, February 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. 4521). The stated intent of the legislation is to strengthen "America's national and economic security and the financial security of families, and advance our leadership in the world." While this claim, found in Nancy Pelosi's press statement on January 20th, seems to be addressing some of the most important political and economic issues currently plaguing the United States, from the supply chain to the shortage of semiconductors, the Black Alliance for Peace sees this piece of legislation as sinophobic…
(2022-02-09). The Great Covid Class War. libya360.wordpress.com Alex Gutentag A panhandler in Genoa, Italy during lockdown. (photo: John Perivolaris / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) The pandemic has created the perfect pretext for enacting economically destructive policies. On January 19, 2020, Washington state reported the first US case of coronavirus. By the end of March, 245 million Americans were under stay-at-home restrictions to "flatten the curve."…
(2022-02-09). European banks panicking over Russia-Ukraine crisis — reports. rt.com 
Banks in Italy, France, and Austria are most exposed | European banks are concerned that the payment system which connects them to Russia could become a casualty of the Ukraine crisis, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing its sources. The banks describe the potential disconnection of Russia from SWIFT as an "atomic bomb" for the industry because it would prevent the repayment of debts, it said. | According to research by JPMorgan, European banks with subsidiaries in Russia are most at risk from economic restrictions. The study said a handful of lenders, including UniCredit, RBI, France's Societe Generale, and…
(2022-02-09). Modi Government Taking Revenge from Farmers for Victorious Struggle Through Budget, says SKM. orinocotribune.com By Ravi Kaushal — Feb 2, 2022 | The morcha also emphasised that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention about doubling of farmers' income even once as it failed to achieve the results in several years. | Coming down heavily on the Union Budget 2022—23, Sanyukta Kisan Morcha on Tuesday said that the Modi Government was punishing the country's farmers for leading the historic struggle against three central farm laws by slashing the allocation of agriculture and allied activities. The morcha emphasised that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention about doubling of farme…
(2022-02-09). Growing concern about New Zealand government allowing Omicron to spread. wsws.org There is growing concern and opposition to the Labour Party-led government's decision to reopen schools and businesses and allow masses of people to become infected with Omicron.
(2022-02-09). Workers at Largest GM Plant in Mexico Win Historic Independent Union Vote. truthout.org 
In Mexico, thousands of workers at the country's largest General Motors plant have won a historic vote to form an independent union, breaking from a tradition of corrupt unions tied to elites who cut deals with corporations to keep wages and benefits low. We go to Guanajuato, Mexico, to speak with historian Javier Bravo about the victory and the passage of critical labor reforms in 2019, which ensure workers can create new unions independent of the will of their employers, says Bravo. | TRANSCR…
(2022-02-09). Biden's task force on unionization: A corporatist agenda for austerity and war. wsws.org The task force proposals are all aimed at the strengthening of a labor police force, comprised of upper-middle class executives, to enforce the dictates of the ruling class.
(2022-02-09). Strike At CA College Of The Arts SF Campus: We Want A Contract & Living Wages NOW! indybay.org Staff and adjuncts went on a unfair labor practice at the California College of the Arts. A rally was held on February 8, 2022 on the first day of the strike.
(2022-02-09). ILWU Local 6 California Waste Solutions Workers Demand Justice At Oakland Education Rally. indybay.org ILWU Local 6 California Waste Solutions workers spoke out for justice on the job at the Oakland City hall rally against education cuts.
(2022-02-09). How Lobstermen Formed A Union Co-Op To Claw Back Fair Prices. popularresistance.org When you think of workers hamstrung by the "independent contractor" label, you probably don't think of Maine lobstermen. | But it turns out that lobstermen—a title claimed by women as well as men who catch and sell lobster for a living—have something in common with warehouse temps and Uber drivers. As independent contractors they're denied the collective bargaining rights and various other workplace protections and benefits afforded (to some) by U.S. labor law. | And the strategy they used to confront low wages is one that similarly exploited workers might want to try too: they teamed up with a union…
(2022-02-09). Workers at Largest GM Plant in Mexico Win Historic Vote for New Independent Union After 2019 Reforms. democracynow.org 
In Mexico, thousands of workers at the country's largest General Motors plant have won a historic vote to form an independent union, breaking from a tradition of corrupt unions tied to elites who cut deals with corporations to keep wages and benefits low. We go to Guanajuato, Mexico, to speak with historian Javier Bravo about the victory and the passage of critical labor reforms in 2019, which ensure workers can create new unions independent of the will of their employers, says Bravo.
(2022-02-09). Labor condemned for supporting Kurri Kurri gas. greenleft.org.au Criticism is being levelled at the Labor Party for switching to support a new gas-fired power station at Kurri Kurri in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, Jim McIlroy reports.
(2022-02-09). Cost Of Living Crisis Was Caused By Privatisation And Austerity. popularresistance.org On official forecasts, the British public is facing the biggest fall in living standards since records began. | This is in the headlines now because of the huge rise in energy bills, which will force more households into choosing between eating and heating. | Blaming Russia for the surge in energy prices is a classic conjuror's trick of misdirection. The US gets almost zero oil from Russia, but is currently experiencing even higher consumer price inflation. | In reality, a laissez-faire approach to the energy sector is at the root of the problem in both the UK and the US. In France, where EDF is largely nationali…
(2022-02-09). Russia Can Increase Gas Supplies to EU if There Are Requests, Envoy Says. sputniknews.com BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Russia can increase the volume of natural gas it supplies to European countries once there is a request for it, which is currently not being made due to high spot market prices, Russian Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Sputnik in an interview.
(2022-02-09). Reasons for Tax on Large Financial Transactions Law in Venezuela. orinocotribune.com 
The Law of Tax on Large Financial Transactions (IGTF) reform is being carried out by the Venezuelan National Assembly, with the aim of strengthening the bolívar in commercial and financial transactions, as well as creating stability in regard to the exchange rates of foreign currencies. | It is also supposed that there will be a positive impact on price stabilization, which in turn will be effective in reducing speculation once the country has overcome the hyperinflation induced by financial warfare mechanisms of the US-imposed blockade. | "Our intention is to charge more those who have more, and charge less or n…
(2022-02-09). 'Crocodile of Wall St' Arrested as DOJ Seizes Billions in Bitcoin Linked to Bitfinex Hack. sputniknews.com The Department of Justice has announced its biggest financial seizure ever ($3.6 billion), after arresting a New York couple for attempting to launder 119,754 bitcoins.
(2022-02-09). SDG&E is robbing and endangering San Diego residents. liberationnews.org 
SDG&E's rate increases, which started in 2013, are expected to outpace inflation by almost 70% by 2030.
(2022-02-09). B&Q, Wincanton workers should reject below inflation pay offer! Mobilise a unified fightback against B&Q and its subcontractors! wsws.org While Unite called the strike, it has enforced the isolation of the dispute by warehouse workers even as conditions exist for a broader fightback within the workplace and across the logistics and distribution network of B&Q.
(2022-02-09). ww3 : a wall street crime against humanity. indybay.org wall street working both sides against eac other for double war profits…
(2022-02-09). Dystopia Disguised as Democracy: All the Ways in Which Freedom Is an Illusion. dissidentvoice.org 
The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the …
(2022-02-09). Neoliberal capitalism and the commodification of social reproduction, from our home to our classroom. mronline.org 
It is official: we are getting ready for another round of industrial action in the UK higher education sector.
(2022-02-09). Having Learned Nothing From 900,000 Deaths, Governors Lift Mask Mandates. truthout.org 
We've been here before, you and I, right here at the fulcrum between controlling COVID-19 and letting it run wild. Here we are again, swaddled in the dented surety that doing the same thing over and over will bring about a different conclusion, just because we really really want it to… wait, strike that: Just because capitalism really, really wants it to. The rest of that "we" is most of us, baggage stacked down in the dripping darkness of steerage, waiting for the next viral iceberg to smack thi…
(2022-02-09). Feds Recover $3.6B In Bitcoin From Hacker Attack, Couple Couldn't Figure Out How To Launder So Much BTC. moguldom.com The U.S. Justice Department has seized $3.6 billion from a married couple in New York who allegedly conspired to launder $4.5 billion worth of stolen BTC directly connected to a 2016 hacker attack of the Bitfinex crypto exchange. Ilya "Dutch" Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife, Heather Morgan, 31 — who raps under the name "Razzlekhan" …
(2022-02-09). US Court Allows $8Mln Bail for Spouses Arrested Over Stolen Bitcoins, Reports Say. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A US court authorised Ilya Lichtenstein and his wife Heather Morgan who were arrested on charges of laundering $4.5 billion in stolen bitcoins to be released from jail on $8 million bail, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
(2022-02-09). Solana Launches PayPal Competitor 'Solana Pay' As SOL Token Price Recovers Over $100. moguldom.com Solana Labs has launched a new payments protocol, Solana Pay, that allows merchants to accept payments in cryptocurrencies directly from consumers. Solana pay will accept USDC, SOL and other tokens on the Solana blockchain. The announcement came as Solana's price moved against a critical resistance of $100 and headed towards $120 on the back of …
(2022-02-09). Remembering When China's Chairman Mao Met With WEB Dubois. moguldom.com It may not be well known, but in 1959, civil rights activist, pan-Africanist and Black socialist W. E. B. Du Bois traveled to China to meet with Chinese leader Mao Tse-tung. A communist revolutionary, Chairman Mao was the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC). He ruled as the chairman of the Chinese …
(2022-02-09). United protest in New Orleans against US, NATO war on Russia. fightbacknews.org New Orleans, LA — Anti-war protesters gathered on February 5 in New Orleans at Lafayette Square Park to demand an end to NATO aggression against Russia. Activists carried signs and chanted slogans calling for peace and the disbandment of NATO. | The protest was organized by a coalition including the Communist Party USA, the Democratic Socialists of America, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the Party for Socialism and Liberation. | Speakers decried the latest U.S. attempt to escalate the situation in Ukraine, which they said threatens us with a nuclear conflict with Russia. The protest also highlight…
(2022-02-09). Anatomy Of A Cancellation. popularresistance.org I'll just assume everyone knows who the Democratic Socialists of America are. If not, you can look them up easily enough, but they probably represent the biggest organized political group to the left of the Democratic Party today (or on the left of the Democratic Party, depending). As any sensible democratic socialist organization would do, they are actively supporting the Portland city workers in their contract negotiations with the city, and their plan for an imminent strike. | Then we need to introduce another prominent character in the sordid tale, me. Those of you reading this on my blog probably don't need…
(2022-02-09). Morning Commute: 2-9-2022. anchor.fm Hope everyone is well! Today we're doing a little news coverage based on sources I've been reading like People's Dispatch, Hoodcommunist.org, By Any Means Necessary, Liberation News, Kawasachun News, TeleSur English, Guerrilla History Podcast, etc. We go over Russia/China Relations, the Olympics, the African Union meeting, Oakland and Chicago schools ongoing issues, movements against Police Brutality and the murder by Minneapolis Police Department (yup, that one!) of Amir Locke who was 22 years old! No justice, no peace!! Go organize!
(2022-02-08). Not By Diet Alone: Overweight People May Become Thinner by Sleeping Extra Hour. sputniknews.com The researchers touted their study as game-changing because it was carried out in a real-world setting rather than a laboratory. The overweight participants, who habitually slept in their own beds fewer than 6.5 hours a night, managed to add an extra 1.2 hours of sleep after they underwent counselling to improve their sleeping habits.
(2022-02-08). Why on Earth Does George Soros Want Xi Jinping to Go? journal-neo.org 
Mister "Open Society," George Soros, the symbol of globalist regime change Color Revolutions since the 1980s, has just signaled that he and his globalist circles have targeted China's President Xi Jinping for what looks a lot like regime change. On the surface, Soros' latest sharp critique of Xi and his management of China's economy seems …
(2022-02-08). The Link Between Gun Violence and Economic Hardship in Black Communities. cepr.net If the US wants to reduce gun violence, it is important that to address the profound jobs crisis among Black men.
(2022-02-08). Anticomunismo prolonga bloqueo de EE.UU. a Cuba. peoplesworld.org Cuba's answer to 60 years of the U.S. economic blockade | > >
(2022-02-08). Battle of ideas: Anti-communism prolongs already long U.S. blockade of Cuba. peoplesworld.org 
Remarkably, the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba is 60 years old. It began with President John F. Kennedy's executive order signed on Feb. 3, 1962, that broadened existing restrictions on U.S.-Cuba trade. When the blockade reached its 35-year milestone, it was already "the longest embargo in modern history," according to one observer. Equally remarkable is …
(2022-02-08). The 2020-22 Worldwide Corona Crisis: Destroying Civil Society, Engineered Economic Depression, Global Coup d'État and the "Great Reset" globalresearch.ca We are at the crossroads of one of the most serious crises in modern history. We are living history, yet our understanding of the flow of events since January 2020 has been blurred. Worldwide, people have been misled both by their governments and the media.
(2022-02-08). Nicaragua Asks El Salvador to Abide by International Law. telesurenglish.net On Monday, Nicaragua recommended that El Salvador resolve any eventual territorial dispute through peaceful methods and using international norms and institutions. | RELATED: | Previously, the Salvadoran Naval Forces made statements claiming sovereignty in the Nicaraguan exclusive economic zone in the Golf of Fonseca. Since Feb. 5, Salvadoran military vessels remain less than 30 miles from the Nicaraguan coasts in a maritime terr…
(2022-02-08). Olympic Games & U.S. propaganda: Have you been lied to about Xinjiang, human rights ‚àí and China? iacenter.org February 7, 2022 Feb. 6 update — The U.S. war propaganda machine is working overtime during the Olympics to defame China with false accusations of "human rights abuse" against the Turkic-speaking Muslim Uyghurs, based in its Xinjiang Province. As readers evaluate these claims, keep in mind these facts: 1) There is a centuries-long history of racist U.S. crimes — through state force and economic exploitation — against Indigenous, Black, Latinx and Asian and other oppressed peoples, on land now occupied by the U.S. These crimes, which continue to this day, are integral to U.S. tactics of military…
(2022-02-08). Mexico To Strengthen Trade & Diplomatic Relations With Honduras. telesurenglish.net On Monday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) announced his willness to strengthen economic and diplomatic cooperation with Honduras' President Xiomara Castro. | RELATED: | "Castro is a woman of ideals and principles, a social fighter who knows how to face adversities and whose government has her people's support," AMLO stated and regretted not being able to attend her swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 27. | Cas…
(2022-02-08). Political and humanitarian subgroups of Contact Group for Donbass start work. tass.com Meetings of working groups on security and economic issues are also scheduled for Tuesday, and the Contact Group is due to hold a meeting on Wednesday…
(2022-02-08). Germany promises 'very tough sanctions' on Russia. rt.com 
If Moscow launches an invasion of Ukraine, it will be hit with "far-reaching" measures, Chancellor Scholz says | Russia will face serious consequences if it decides to launch a military incursion into Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned on Sunday, ahead of a trip to the US to meet President Joe Biden at the White House. | Speaking to German channel ARD, Scholz said that current Western efforts are aimed at ensuring there is no need to impose economic measures against Russia, but that a range of ideas had been discussed. | "We have very concrete preparations with our allies in the EU and the US. We ar…
(2022-02-08). Argentina joins China's Belt and Road Initiative. peoplesdispatch.org On February 6, the governments of Argentine President Alberto Fernández and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a memorandum of understanding on collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative, a global trade infrastructure project promoted by the People's Republic of China. | The memorandum, which promotes the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was signed during President Fernández's official three-day visit to China. President Fernández visited China, at President Jinping's invitation, to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games on Februa…
(2022-02-08). Washington pushes UK Conservatives to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs. wsws.org Washington is intent on using the war threats against Russia as a stick to beat its European allies, forcing them to fall in line with its broader economic and financial demands.
(2022-02-08). How Targeting Programs To Poor People Leaves Out Poor People. popularresistance.org Less than one year ago, the United States government enacted one of the most effective anti-poverty programs in modern history. The Child Tax Credit (CTC), originally established in 1997, was expanded through the American Rescue Plan to provide families with children substantially larger payments, delivered monthly, while making low-income families eligible for the full benefits. This expansion changed the face of child poverty in the United States, lifting over 4 million children above the poverty line—a decrease in poverty of more than 40%‚Äâ—‚Äâand decreasing food…
(2022-02-08). How US Meddling Split Sudan, Creating an Oil Republic Drowning in Poverty and Conflict. orinocotribune.com By T.J. Coles — Feb 1, 2022 | Following decades of US soft power aid interventions to exploit South Sudan's energy reserves and counter China's influence, the republic is trapped in humanitarian crisis. | Like most countries, the Republic of South Sudan is a complex nation of shifting alliances and external influences. | Recently, President Salva Kiir, who sports a Stetson hat
(2022-02-08). UK rail cleaners strike against poverty pay. wsws.org During the pandemic, rail cleaners have braved hazardous conditions to protect the public from infection. But outsourced cleaners have been paid a pittance and were even denied sick pay.
(2022-02-08). Is The California Coalition Fighting Subsidies For Rooftop Solar A Fake Grassroots Group? popularresistance.org In the fight over California's rooftop solar policy, a coalition that claims to represent low-income, senior and environmental leaders is running ads warning about a cost shift that forces consumers to subsidize solar for people who live in mansions. | This message, by Affordable Clean Energy for All, is trying to influence the debate as California regulators consider rules that would sharply reduce the financial benefits of owning rooftop systems. | But Affordable Clean Energy for All is not a grassroots movement. It is a public relations campaign sponsored by big utility companies that stand to benefit from pol…