(2022-01-18). Israel Knocks Out Simulated Iranian Missile Using Arrow-3 Interceptor. sputniknews.com The Arrow-3 is one of several missile and drone defence systems in Israel's arsenal, and is meant to counter threats including long-range ballistic and cruise missiles. Unlike the Iron Dome air defence system — which has seen plenty of testing against simple Hamas rockets, the Arrow-3's capabilities have yet to be proven in a real-life conflict.
(2022-01-18). Iran-Russia, closer than ever. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) — According to the Russian state TV, President Vladimir Putin will receive his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in the coming week.
(2022-01-18). Iran absolutely right to ask for guarantees in Vienna talks. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) — Stating that some people don't want to learn lessons from the failed maximum pressure policy, the Russian diplomat said that Iranians are absolutely right when they ask for guarantees in Vienna talks.
(2022-01-18). The Afghan Syndrome and the Same Old Mistake of American Neoconservatives. journal-neo.org 
After the disgraceful flight of United States troops from Afghanistan, when the whole world watched with surprise and horror the nightmarish scenes at the airport, the rate at which the once-US-friendly government collapsed, giving way to the Taliban (banned in Russia), and experienced the tragic human stories of those Afghans who remained in the country, …
(2022-01-18). Oxfam report highlights widening pandemic inequality in Asia. wsws.org Like other similar reports, the Oxfam analysis is marked by the stark contrast between the devastating facts and figures it presents and the empty policy prescriptions it advances.
(2022-01-18). Think of the many — don't worry for the few. greenleft.org.au Oxfam International revealed that Asia's billionaires have increased their wealth by 74% while 148 million others in the region have been pushed into poverty since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, writes S. Arutchelvan.
(2022-01-18). Asian nation to move capital to jungle. rt.com 
Indonesia wants to create a "smart metropolis" to attract "global talent" and combat Jakarta's current urban problems | Indonesia's parliament has passed legislation paving the way for the nation's capital relocation from Jakarta to a forested patch of land on one of its biggest islands — Borneo. | Indonesia is on the way to getting a new capital. Called 'Nusantara', the new city is to be built from scratch in the East Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo that Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei. | On Tuesday, Indonesian lawmakers voted to support a law approving the relocation that would se…
(2022-01-18). Vaccination rate in HK may pass 80% before Feb 24. ecns.cn Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said Tuesday the overall vaccination rate is expected to exceed 80 percent before the start of the city's planned vaccine bubble on Feb 24.
(2022-01-18). Modi calls world to arms against crypto. rt.com 
Indian leader compares threat of cryptocurrencies to inflation and climate change | India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all nations should unite in tackling the threats posed by cryptocurrencies, speaking virtually at the 2022 World Economic Forum's annual conference in Davos, Switzerland. | "Cryptocurrency is an example of the kind of challenges we are facing as a global family with a changing global order. To fight this, every nation, every global agency needs to have collective and synchronized action," Modi said in his address. | Modi compared crypto to major economic challenges like supply-chain dis…
(2022-01-18). Pro-Israel Canadians Pressure Ottawa over Iran. dissidentvoice.org 
Those Canadians who take their political cues from Israel are obsessively stoking conflict with Iran. In a clear example, former CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre Avi Benlolo has published a half dozen National Post columns critical of that country over the past year. In a recent article headlined "As the Doomsday Clock closes …
(2022-01-18). Israeli Prime Minister Bennett Speaks on Second Day of 'Davos' Virtual 2022 WEF. sputniknews.com The World Economic Forum (WEF) summit which traditionally takes place in January in Davos, Switzerland is being held virtually this year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
(2022-01-18). Japanese PM Kishida Delivers Speech on Second Day of Davos 2022 WEF Virtual Event. sputniknews.com The World Economic Forum had previously postponed its annual in-person meeting in Davos due to the omicron coronavirus strain. A face-to-face meeting in Switzerland is expected to take place this summer.
(2022-01-18). Cross-border freight value exceeds 1 billion yuan on China-Laos Railway. ecns.cn The newly-opened China-Laos Railway has carried over 1 billion yuan (about 157.4 million U.S. dollars) worth of international freight, announced Kunming Customs in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
(2022-01-18). Over 70 house ruins dating back to Neolithic Age unearthed in north China. ecns.cn 18 (Xinhua) — More than 70 semi-subterranean house ruins have been excavated in Balinyou Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, said the region's institute of cultural relics and archaeology on Tuesday."ÄÄ"ÄÄCovering around 20,000 square meters, the prehistoric "Wulantuga" site consisting of house relics can date back to the Neolithic Age.
(2022-01-18). In South Africa as in Palestine: Why We Must Protect the Legacy of Desmond Tutu. dissidentvoice.org 
Long before intersectionality became a prevailing concept which helped delineate the relationship between various marginalized and oppressed groups, late South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu said it all in a few words and in a most inimitable style. "My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together," he said. Like other …
(2022-01-18). 162 projects inked under China-Singapore connectivity initiative by 2021. ecns.cn A total of 162 business cooperation projects worth 25 billion U.S. dollars had been inked under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity by the end of 2021.
(2022-01-18). Crude hits 7-year high on low supply. rt.com 
Rising tensions in the Middle East adding to fuel supply worries | Oil prices surged more than $1 on Tuesday, reaching their highest levels since October 2014, amid hostilities in the United Arab Emirates. | Global benchmark Brent crude futures jumped $1.37, or 1.6%, to $87.85 a barrel by 7: 38 GMT. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose even more — by $1.71, or 2%, reaching $85.53 a barrel. | The oil market was reacting to news from the United Arab Emirates after reported attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement, sparking fears of supply disruptions. The Houthi group reportedly launched d…
(2022-01-17). Is the West determined to starve the people of Afghanistan? greenleft.org.au Afghanistan is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, writes Vijay Prashad.
(2022-01-17). Iran Official Proposes Formation Of Countries' Union Against Sanctions. popularresistance.org All, with consolidation, should stand against the US sanctions and plots, Rezaei said in a meeting with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, according to the IRNA Saturday report. | In his remarks, Rezaei said that the Iranian nation and government pay special respect to Nicaragua's resistance against excessive demands. | He went on to stress that the resistant countries should make further efforts to expand their relations and friendship because the bullying powers, particularly the United States, are after preventing nations' development and cooperation. | Further, he noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran has…
(2022-01-17). Iranian, Russian FMs discuss Vienna talks, Raeisi's visit. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in a telephone conversation on Monday discussed Vienna talks and the upcoming Raeisi's visit to Moscow.
(2022-01-17). Iran not playing with time in Vienna talks: FM. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that "If the parties can resume their commitments under the Iran nuclear deal, Iran will also return to commitments based on the agreement."
(2022-01-17). Implementing Iran-China deal not to depend on Vienna talks. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — Chairman of Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said that the implementation of a 25-year deal between Iran and China does not depend on the outcome of the Vienna talks.
(2022-01-17). Iran oil passes through Suez canal despite US sanctions: SCA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) — The chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said that despite US sanctions, the Iranian oil passes through the canal.
(2022-01-17). Who is Biden's unblinking chief negotiator on Russia & Ukraine? rt.com 
Wendy Sherman has helped Democratic presidents negotiate now-failed deals with North Korea and Iran | Veteran US diplomat Wendy Sherman is the woman conveying Washington's messages about NATO expansion in Europe to Moscow — but the 'hard-nosed' negotiator was previously involved in sealing security deals with Pyongyang and Tehran. | Neither the Clinton-era Framework Agreement with North Korea nor the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) acted as the enduring restraints on nuclear proliferation that they were meant to be. | Who is Wendy Sherman? | The 72-year-old diplomat heading the US de…
(2022-01-17). Bored after end of Afghan war, U.S. congresspersons stoke fires of war in Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The delegation is largely comprised of leaders of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. Heaven forbid Washington should not be fighting a war or proxy war in one or more nations for several months running. Denizens of the Citadel of Democracy can't expect to go from a simple salary, however generous, to fortunes of $25 million or …
(2022-01-17). MLK Day Special: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in His Own Words. democracynow.org 
Today is the federal holiday that honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was born January 15, 1929. He was assassinated April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was just 39 years old. While Dr. King is primarily remembered as a civil rights leader, he also championed the cause of the poor and organized the Poor People's Campaign to address issues of economic justice. Dr. King was also a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy and the Vietnam War. We play his "Beyond Vietnam" speech, which he delivered at New York City's Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, as well as his last speech, "I've Been to…
(2022-01-17). The Turkic Military Alliance or Why has Ankara Accused Russia of Occupying Kazakhstan? journal-neo.org 
The January events in Kazakhstan and the CSTO's response proved to be a real litmus test of many countries' attitudes towards Russia and the regional balance of power in modern times. Turkey was no exception here, as it showed what was behind its active assurances to Russia and the Central Asian countries of "bona fide …
(2022-01-17). Are Western Countries Determined To Starve The People Of Afghanistan? popularresistance.org On January 11, 2022, the United Nations (UN) Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths appealed to the international community to help raise $4.4 billion for Afghanistan in humanitarian aid, calling this effort, "the largest ever appeal for a single country for humanitarian assistance." This amount is required "in the hope of shoring up collapsing basic services there," said the UN. If this appeal is not met, Griffiths said, then "next year [2023] we'll be asking for $10 billion." | The figure of $10 billion is significant. A few days after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in mid-August 2021, the US gove…
(2022-01-17). The Epic Struggle over the Epicenter of U.S. Global Power. scheerpost.com 
From Brave Rabbit on By Alfred McCoy / Throughout 2021, Americans were absorbed in arguments over mask mandates, school closings, and the meaning of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Meanwhile, geopolitical hot spots were erupting across Eurasia, forming a veritable ring of fire around that vast land mass. | Let's circle that continent to visit just a few of those flashpoints, each one suffused with si…
(2022-01-17). Asiatic cheetah Homino spotted in Bafgh for 1st time in years. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — The director-general of the Environment Department of Yazd Province in southeast Iran said a male Asiatic cheetah called "Homino" was spotted for the first time in 6 years in Ariz Wildlife Sanctuary in Bafgh County.
(2022-01-17). 'Divine Miracle': Three-Eyed Calf Born in India Taken for Reincarnation of God Shiva. sputniknews.com Despite some Indian villagers link the birth of the animal to the reincarnation of Lord Shiva, widely mentioned in Hindu mythology for having a third eye in his forehead, a veterinary doctor disagreed with the comparison.
(2022-01-17). India to Deploy First S-400 Missile Defense System Unit by April, Reports Say. sputniknews.com NEW DELHI (Sputnik) – India has launched a deployment of the first regiment of S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile defence system, with the first unit to begin operation in April, media reported on Monday.
(2022-01-17). Volcano Monitoring Ineffective in Detecting Deadly Hazards Like Indonesia 2018 Tsunami, Warns Study. sputniknews.com A tsunami wall of water up to four metres high was triggered around the Sunda Strait when the Indonesian island volcano Anak Krakatau collapsed in December 2018, with the mass sliding into the sea. More than 400 people died in the tragedy; some 7,000 were injured and nearly 47,000 were displaced from their homes.
(2022-01-17). Iran-China ties to be at positive level during Raeisi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA)— Dr. Alagoz says Iran-China ties will be at a positive level during the Raeisi Administration because Iran's foreign policy has endorsed further relations with China and the neighbors on the axis of its "Look to the East" view.
(2022-01-17). 'China firmly opposes US sanctions against Iran'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions against Iran, political manipulation on human rights and other issues, and gross interference in the internal affairs of Iran, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
(2022-01-17). Covid-19 daily deaths in Iran drop to 20 despite cold winter. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA)— The daily death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic in Iran has fallen to 20 for the first time after nearly two years since the outbreak of the contagious disease in the country.
(2022-01-17). IRGC Quds Force cmdr. visits Iraq's Najaf, Karbala. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — The IRGC Quds Force commander Esmaeil Ghaani traveled to Najaf city in central Iraq on Sunday.
(2022-01-17). Two explosions hit Karrada area of Baghdad (+VIDEO). en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 17 (MNA) — Iraqi news sources reported that two explosions took place in the Karrada area of Baghdad, injuring two people.
(2022-01-17). Podcast Ep 49: How UK activists closed an Israeli arms factory for good. electronicintifada.net We talk with Palestine Action members who did it.
(2022-01-17). Solidarity with Ahmad Sa'adat, Palestinian resistance leader, in the heart of downtown Toulouse. samidoun.net 
On Saturday, 15 January, the Collectif Palestine Vaincra, a member organization of the Samidoun Network, organized a Palestine Stand outside the Capitole metro station in Toulouse, France, as part of the International Week of Action to Free Ahmad Sa'adat, General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, unjustly imprisoned by the Israeli […] | The article
(2022-01-17). 'The State of Israel vs the Jews' — important new book chronicles Israel's spiritual demise. mronline.org 
Sylvain Cypel's "The State of Israel vs. The Jews" shows how bereft of human decency Israelis have become in their treatment of Palestinians, and how much Jewish moral patrimony has been given up in creating, supporting, and tolerating a Jewish State.
(2022-01-17). The Real 'Doomsday Scenario': How Palestinian Hunger Striker, Abu Hawash Forced Israeli Concession. orinocotribune.com By Ramzy Baroud — Jan 12, 2022 | As soon as media reports emerged regarding a deal between Palestinian prisoner, Hisham Abu Hawash and the Israeli prison authorities, Israeli extremists, led by Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir, angrily A Palestinian political activist, Abu Hawash, 41, is a father of five. He was arrested by the Israeli army from his home in the town of Dura near Al-Khalil (Hebron) in October 2020. For the last consecutive…
(2022-01-17). Gazan Fishermen Struggle to Stay Afloat Despite Israel's Decision to Loosen Its Grip Over The Strip. sputniknews.com Before 2007, when Hamas seized power in the enclave, local fishermen were able to fish in the open sea. But as Israel tightened its blockade over the area, it limited the fishing zone, leaving many in the sector impoverished and unemployed.
(2022-01-17). Kishida and Morrison Sign the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement. journal-neo.org 
On January 5, Reuters, citing Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, reported the signing of the so-called Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with his Japanese counterpart Kishida. This event is certainly one of the most significant ones in the process of development of the political and strategic situation in the Indo-Pacific region. The November 2020 visit to Japan …
(2022-01-17). A Lesson in Source Studies or Did Kim Jong-il Really Invent Shawarma? journal-neo.org 
In early January, several media outlets ran a clickbait headline, "North Korea Claims Kim Jong-il Invented Shawarma." This fast-food dish is popular in post-Soviet countries. The statement about its North Korean roots immediately broke into negative comments about how North Korea is duping the people and making them believe that its top leaders have invented …
(2022-01-17). Doctor discusses desperate situation at Sri Lankan COVID-19 treatment hospital. wsws.org "Health workers held protests demanding a lockdown, as well as more tests and health facilities. The government only declared a second lockdown because this opposition was developing." — Sri Lanka doctor…
(2022-01-17). Management-union collaboration ends àáimsata≈ü wildcat strike in Turkey. wsws.org The wildcat strike of metalworkers at the àáimsata≈ü factory in Mersin has been ended as a result of management-union collaboration.
(2022-01-17). Management-union collaboration ends àáimsata≈ü wildcat strike in Turkey. wsws.org The wildcat strike of metalworkers at the àáimsata≈ü factory in Mersin has been ended as a result of management-union collaboration.
(2022-01-17). 'Drone attack' kills three at Abu Dhabi airport. rt.com 
Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the strike | Three people were killed and six wounded in an apparent drone attack on Abu Dhabi on Monday, UAE police have said. Yemen's Houthi rebels have announced a strike "deep" in Emirati territory. | Three fuel trucks exploded in the industrial Mussafah area near storage facilities used by oil firm ADNOC, after which a "minor fire" broke out at a construction site at Abu Dhabi International Airport, the Emirati WAM news agency reported, citing police. | Preliminary investigation suggests that the blast and the fire were caused by a drone attack. | Poli…