(2022-02-18). West bullies world while citing threats from China, Russia. asiatimes.com 
On January 21, Vice-Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach attended a talk in New Delhi organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. Schà∂nbach was speaking as the chief of Germany's navy during his visit to the institute. "What he really wants is respect," Schà∂nbach said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "And my god, giving someone respect is low-cost, even …
(2022-02-18). Iran ready to help resolve crisis in Ukraine peacefully. en.mehrnews.com Referring to the crisis in the relations between Ukraine and Russia, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that Iran is ready to provide any necessary assistance and take any necessary action to resolve the crisis peacefully.
(2022-02-18). Russia Expels US Deputy Ambassador From Moscow, Says It's a Retaliatory Move. news.antiwar.com The State Department said Thursday that Russia had expelled Bart Gorman, who served as the deputy US ambassador in Moscow, amid heightened tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine. Moscow said the move was a response to the US's "unreasonable expulsion" of a senior Russian diplomat by Washington. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova …
(2022-02-18). How the Russia-Ukraine Conflict is Lose-Lose for Israel. juancole.com By Adnan Abu Amer | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — It is almost 3,000 kilometres from Tel Aviv to Kyiv, and yet the crisis between Ukraine and Russia is having a huge impact on Israel. Why does it seem to be a party to the crisis when it shares no border with either …
(2022-02-18). Ukraine: Waiting for an 'imminent' war to start. asiatimes.com 
The situation in Ukraine continues to be very tense, fluid and evolving. The Donbas conflict that erupted in 2014 threatens to escalate, while Western media, politicians and analysts speculate about the exact date Russia may invade its neighbor. The very same pundits who claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin would attack Ukraine on February 16 now …
(2022-02-18). Second Ukrainian tests positive for banned drug at Olympics. rt.com 
The bobsledder's Winter Olympics sample contained a steroid, doping chiefs announced in the wake of a Ukrainian skier testing positive for three banned substances | Strongwoman-turned-bobsledder Lidiia Hunko has become the second Ukrainian to fail a drugs test at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games this week, the International Testing Agency (ITA) has announced. | The 28-year-old, who is a former world champion deadlifter, was tested by the ITA during an in-competition anti-doping control check on Monday, when she finished 20th in the women's monobob. | A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited (WADA) laboratory in B…
(2022-02-18). War in Europe and the Rise of Raw Propaganda. strategic-culture.org Since the first Cold War, NATO has effectively marched right up to Russia's most sensitive border having demonstrated its bloody aggression in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and broken solemn promises to pull back. Having dragged European "allies" into American wars that do not concern them, the great unspoken is that NATO itself is the real threat to European security.
(2022-02-18). What Red Book Will You Read This Year on Red Books Day (21 February)? dissidentvoice.org 
On 16 February 2015, Govind and Uma Pansare went for a morning walk near their home in Kolhapur, in the western state of Maharashtra, India. Two men on a motorcycle stopped them and asked for directions, but the Pansares could not help them. One of the men laughed, pulled out a gun, and shot the …
(2022-02-18). Indonesia between the US and PRC: Hesitancy Rises. journal-neo.org 
Indonesia is the largest country in South East Asia (SEA), with a population of over 270 million. It is one of the leading states in the region, with considerable weight within ASEAN, and the world powers vying for influence in South East Asia are forced to pay a great deal of attention to Indonesia. The …
(2022-02-18). Dozens sentenced to death for major terrorist attack. rt.com 
An Indian court has handed down punishments for a series of bombings in Ahmedabad in 2008 | A special court in India sentenced 38 defendants to death and 11 others to life imprisonment on Friday for their role in a series of deadly bombings in 2008. | Each convict was also fined and ordered to pay compensation to the victims and their families, the court in India's western Gujarat region ruled. | The court acquitted 28 people due to either insufficient or no evidence against them. One of the 28 was previously released on bail because he was suffering from a mental illness, while the rest have spent nearly 13 y…
(2022-02-18). Iran rejects report on deal in Vienna talks. en.mehrnews.com Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh rejected fake news carried by certain western media about the ongoing JCPOA negotiations in Vienna.
(2022-02-18). Ski superstar Gu hails being a 'biracial young woman' after making Olympic history. rt.com 
The Chinese-American triple medalist says she has helped to lessen male dominance in extreme sports | Former Team USA star Eileen Gu won her third medal for China at the Winter Olympics — and the Chinese-American sensation said her history-making triumph at the Beijing Games is a triumph for "representation and sporting equity" that she hopes will inspire future generations. | California-born Gu, who has an American father, a grandfather from Shanghai and a grandmother from Nanjing and switched teams as a 15-year-old in 2019, added halfpipe gold to her big air triumph and slopestyle silver, capping an exc…
(2022-02-18). Saturday 2/19: Virtual screening of "Stitching Palestine" indybay.org
(2022-02-18). Health experts declare Sri Lanka is being hit by a tsunami of Omicron infections. wsws.org President Rajapakse has made clear that his government will take no action to stem the rising number of Omicron infections.
(2022-02-18). Zuckerberg's Facebook empire collapsing. rt.com 
Meta has lost nearly half its value in the last six months | Once the world's sixth largest firm with a valuation of over $1 trillion, Facebook's parent company Meta finished Thursday's trading with a value of $565 billion. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the social media giant has tumbled out of the world's 10 largest companies by market value, hammered by its worst monthly stock decline ever. | The stock rout has placed Mark Zuckerberg's company in 11th place behind Chinese Tencent Holdings. Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) holds the ninth spot. The list of the world's mo…
(2022-02-17). India Lifts Flight Restrictions With Ukraine After Call for Its Citizens to Leave European Country. sputniknews.com The situation in eastern Ukraine remains tense, with the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic saying on Thursday that the Ukrainian military fired mortar shells and grenades at four localities in Donbass.
(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). Moscow slams US statement on attack on Ukraine as disgraceful. en.mehrnews.com Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has slammed statements by US officials claiming they have data about Russia's alleged plans of attack on Ukraine as disgraceful.
(2022-02-17). Ukraine crisis is part of new cold war on Russia (and China). multipolarista.com The US-manufactured crisis in Ukraine is part of the NATO drive to subordinate Europe and Asia, to prevent their tilt toward the China-Russia alliance and the Eurasian powers' attempt to build a new multipolar world.
(2022-02-17). Moscow responds to US 'intelligence' on Russian invasion. rt.com 
The Foreign Ministry has previously claimed February 15 will be remembered as the day Western 'propaganda' failed | Attempts to work out when Russia might begin an invasion of Ukraine, despite the Kremlin's insistence that war isn't on the cards, only discredit Western intelligence agencies, Moscow has blasted as tensions continue to rise on the shared border between the two Eastern European nations. | In a series of comments issued on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova poured scorn on Washington's persistent announcements that an offensive is on the horizon. | According to her, Kiev, whic…
(2022-02-17). Headlines for February 17, 2022. democracynow.org NATO Defense Ministers Gather in Brussels, Dispute Russia's Claims of Troop Drawback, COVID-19 Pandemic Claimed 75,000 Lives Last Week, U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prepares to Roll Back Guidelines for COVID Restrictions, Hospitals in War-Ravaged Syria Forced to Close Amid Cuts in International Aid, U.N. Says 8 Million Yemenis Could Lose All Humanitarian Aid Next Month Due to Funding Shortages, Colombia Forced Displacement Crisis Worsened in 2021, Mexican Journalists Interrupt Congress to Demand Justice for Assassinated Colleagues, Amnesty International Condemns "Sham Trial" for Jailed Russi…
(2022-02-17). US deputy ambassador was told to leave in retaliation for Russian diplomat's expulsion. tass.com US Department of State defiantly ignored Moscow's request for prolonging minister-counselors' stay at least until a substitute arrived, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said…
(2022-02-17). US Escorts Russian Bombers From East Syria Coalition Airspace. news.antiwar.com While the US and Russia are both largely focused on fighting ISIS in Syria, they still get tangled up in a lot of side arguments. This week, The US says Russia's bombers didn't give them advanced notice, so US fighters were dispatch to escort them away. The bombers reportedly ended up in Latakia. | The area is seldom used, with Russia not crossing the area since last May. US tensi…
(2022-02-17). US journalist pours scorn on Russian skater's Beijing history. rt.com 
Christine Brennan was quick to question Alexandra Trusova's achievements in Beijing | American journalist Christine Brennan has continued her attacks on Russian figure skating by seemingly calling into question the historic performance given by Alexandra Trusova on her way to silver in Thursday's figure skating program in Beijing. | Trusova, 17, carved out a piece of history for herself by becoming the first woman in history to successfully to land five quads in a routine, as part of the 251.73 overall score she was given in the competition. | But Trusova barely had time to remove her skates before she found h…
(2022-02-17). Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists Calls For Escalating Aggression At Russia. popularresistance.org By the time that the scientists at the top-secret Manhattan Project had developed the atomic bomb and the US military had worked out the logistics for deploying it, World War II was for all intents and purposes over. By early May 1945, Germany had unconditionally surrendered; in large part due to the efforts of the Red Army defeating the Nazi Wehrmacht, but at the horrific cost of 27,000,000 Soviet lives. The Japanese too had been defeated militarily and had agreed to "unconditional surrender" with the one caveat that Emperor Hirohito be spared. | So, the world's emerging hegemon had a problem. It had the ultimat…
(2022-02-17). Turkish Drone Strike Hit Kurdish Fighters Near Russian Base In Northeastern Syria. southfront.org 
File image. | On February 17, a Turkish drone strike targeted fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who were manning a post located only 20 meters away from a key base of the Russian Military Police near the town of Tell Tamer in the northern countryside of al-Hasakah. | In a statement, the SDF's Tell Tamer Military Council said that two of its fighters were wounded as a result of the drone strike. | Following the strike, the Turkish military and its proxies shelled the villages of Tell Shinan…
(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). Syrians rally against lawlessness of US-controlled groups. tass.com According to the Russian military official, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria continues to receive information about unlawful acts, committed by US-controlled groups in eastern parts of Syria…
(2022-02-17). The Western Allied Nations Bully the World While Warning of Threats From China and Russia. independentmediainstitute.org On January 21, 2022, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach attended a talk in New Delhi, India, organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. Schà∂nbach was speaking as the chief of Germany's navy during his visit to the institute. "What he really wants is respect," Schà∂nbach said, referring to Russia's President Vladimir Putin. …
(2022-02-17). NATO Headquarters: Norway to sell Romania 32 F-16s. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com AgerpresFebruary 16, 2022 Romanian, Norwegian DefMins meet in Brussels, discuss Romania purchasing 32 F-16 fighter jets Minister of National Defense Vasile Dincu met on Wednesday with his Norwegian counterpart Odd Roger Enoksen on the sidelines of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting taking place until Thursday in Brussels, the National Defense Ministry informs. According to 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). Biden's multi-Billion Afghan theft gets scant mention on TV News. mronline.org 
Two months ago (FAIR.org, 12/21/21), I noted the striking contrast between vocal media outrage—ostensibly grounded in concern for Afghan people—over President Joe Biden's withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and the relative silence over the growing humanitarian crisis in that country, which threatens millions with life-threatening levels of famine.
(2022-02-17). Mali: Macron Withdraws The French Troops, Wagner Arrives. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by Piero Messina | After nine years, the French soldiers leave Mali. For Macron it is a necessary defeat. Three months before the presidential elections in France, the move by the French president was inevitable. The withdrawal of the Elysée troops from the African country had already begun in June last summer. Now, the deployment to the Ivory Coast will be completed in a very short time. Mali risked becoming for France what Afghanistan was for the United States. But, in the face of the…
(2022-02-17). Blinken's Asia-Pacific Tour: Fighting the War by Other Means. journal-neo.org 
Soon after releasing the new anti-China Indo-Pacific strategy, the US secretary of state Antony Blinken embarked upon a significant tour to countries in Asia and the Pacific to reassure these countries of the US commitment — and ability — to protect and defend them against an 'aggressive' China. Even though US officials have been saying, …
(2022-02-17). Native Tribe Sues Bureau Of Land Management And Lithium Corporation. popularresistance.org Orovada, NV — The Winnemucca Indian Colony filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuits against Lithium Americas Corporation's planned Thacker Pass lithium mine on Friday, February 11th, stating that "to build that Thacker Pass lithium mine on lands held sacred to Colony members would be like raping the earth and their culture." | They are the third Native American Tribe to seek to join litigation against the proposed mine, along with the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and Burns Paiute Tribe. The tribes argue that Thacker Pass is a sacred and culturally significant site, and that the federal government failed to…
(2022-02-17). China's Huawei Pledges Full Cooperation After India's Tax Inspectors' Visits, Reports Suggest. sputniknews.com BEIJING (Sputnik) – Chinese telecommunications titan Huawei said it is ready for full-scale cooperation with India, following searches in several Huawei branch offices in India, media reported on Thursday.
(2022-02-17). 'Wear Hijab at Home If You Feel Unsafe': BJP MP Warns Against Wearing Muslim Headscarves in Public. sputniknews.com India is witnessing protests in the state of Karnataka after Muslim girls were banned from entering classrooms in hijabs.
(2022-02-17). Africa Must Not Abandon Palestine by Granting Israel Observer Status. dissidentvoice.org 
The current split in the African Union (AU) over Israel's Observer membership status is emblematic of a larger conflict that could potentially split the African continent's largest political institutions. Africa is currently facing one of its most crucial decisions regarding Palestine and Israel. The repercussions of this decision could be as significant as the 1975 …
(2022-02-17). IOF Assault Steadfast Sheikh Jarrah Residents. orinocotribune.com 
Al Mayadeen correspondent confirms that the occupation is trying to isolate the home of the Salem family, which is threatened with eviction in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and points out that the Israeli occupation is preventing journalists from moving freely in that area. | Al Mayadeen correspondent reported Sunday afternoon that extreme tension is still dominating in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Al-Quds following continued aggression from the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians living there. | Our correspondent from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood added that "the occupation forces are fir…
(2022-02-17). Criminal Cold-blooded Assassination of Palestinian Resistance Fighters. dissidentvoice.org 
Funeral Procession in Nablus for assassinated resistance fighters. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) assassinated three resistance fighters in the Occupied West Bank on February 8. The targeted military operation took place in the heart of Nablus in broad daylight. Israeli soldiers used two private vehicles with Palestinian plates to enter the al-Makhfiya neighbourhood of the northern …
(2022-02-17). Energy, transport and municipal service worker strikes in Kazakhstan. wsws.org Strikes across several industries broke out on Tuesday in Mangystau oblast, a region which contains the country's oil producing Caspian coast.
(2022-02-17). Nasrallah: Hezbollah Can Convert Its Rockets Into Guided Missiles, Make Drone. southfront.org 
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah as seen on Al Manar TV during his speech on 16 February 2022. | Hezbollah possesses the ability to convert thousands of its rockets into guided missile as well as to manufacture drones locally in Lebanon, the group's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, said on February 16. | Nasrallah made the revelation during a lengthy televised speech meant to commemorate three of Hezbollah early leaders."We now possess the ability to transform our thousands of rockets into precision-guided…
(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.
(2022-02-17). AOC warns failure to cancel student debt has 'demoralized' critical voters. mronline.org 
"This really isn't a conversation about providing relief to a small, niche group of people," said the congresswoman. "It's very much a keystone action politically." —AOC…
(2022-02-17). Fidel sobre Almeida: Tuve el privilegio de conocerlo (+ Fotos). cubadebate.cu En el 95 aniversario del natalicio del Comandante de la Revolución Juan Almeida Bosque, Cubadebate y el sitio Fidel Soldado de las Ideas compartimos algunas fotografías poco conocidas de su vida revolucionaria.
(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). South Korean Presidential Candidate Suspends Campaign After Staffers Die in Election Bus. sputniknews.com Police have launched an investigation and are now looking into the exact cause of the deaths. Preliminary reports suggest that the victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning. According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, several days after the tragedy, a similar incident occurred leaving one person in serious condition.
(2022-02-17). Sri Lanka unions betray health workers' indefinite strike. wsws.org Health Minister Rambukwella told the media that the government "strategically used the law courts" and convinced union leaders to stop the strike, without him agreeing to any major demand.
(2022-02-17). SYRAK: The War In The Middle-East. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | SYRAK is a new and unique card-based strategy Will you be able to control Syria and…
(2022-02-17). At Least Four Soldiers Wounded After Syrian Military Helicopter Crashes in Latakia, Source Says. sputniknews.com Preliminary data indicates that the incident happened due to a technical malfunction, according to the source.