2022-02-21: News Headlines

Antonio C.S. Rosa (2022-02-21). The Western Allied Nations Bully the World While Warning of Threats from China and Russia. transcend.org 17 Feb 2022 – Why the chief of Germany's navy, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schà∂nbach, was sacked? Because while in India he said two things that are unacceptable in the West: | ‚Ä¢ That "the Crimean Peninsula is gone and never [coming] back" to Ukraine.

TASS (2022-02-21). Japanese PM views phone call with Putin as part of efforts to ease tensions over Ukraine. tass.com The Japanese prime minister emphasized that he had called on the Russian leader "to abandon plans to change the situation by force and search for a generally acceptable solution through diplomatic negotiations"

Staff (2022-02-21). Iran nuclear deal overshadows Russia worries on oil market radar. rt.com Oil prices have made their first weekly drop since the beginning of the year before recovering on Monday | Global crude prices dropped for the week ending Sunday for the first time this year. The slide came amid reports of a US-Russia summit on Ukraine and hopes of reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran. Both Russia and Iran are major global energy suppliers. | However, the price drop was short-lived as global benchmark Brent crude gained on Monday to trade above $93 per barrel by 10: 00 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading around $91 per barrel. | Both benchmarks reached multiple-year highs las…

John V. Walsh (2022-02-21). WWII Redux: The Endpoint of U.S. Policy from Ukraine to Taiwan. dissidentvoice.org "This is not going to be a war of Ukraine and Russia. This is going to be a European war, a full-fledged war." So spoke Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky just days after berating the U.S. for beating the drums of war. It is not hard to imagine how Zelensky's words must have fallen on those …

Antonio C.S. Rosa (2022-02-21). On Israel as an Apartheid State: An Interview with Richard Falk. transcend.org 19 Feb 2022 – An interview David Falcone originally published in CounterPunch on 11 Feb prompted by the Amnesty Report but extending beyond it.

Staff (2022-02-21). Waste dumped illegally returned to UK. rt.com Sri Lanka dispatched the last shipment of thousands of tons of "hazardous cargo" to their country of origin on Monday | Sri Lankan officials shipped the final batch of illegally imported waste back to the UK on Monday. The containers had been sent from Britain to the South Asian nation claiming to contain "used mattresses, carpets and rugs," when they were actually filled with unwanted biowaste. | The 45 containers, containing thousands of tons of the illegally imported material, were loaded onto a ship at Colombo port. The country's customs official has announced the removal of the last portion of the "hazard…

Antonio C.S. Rosa (2022-02-21). A Scene of Mughal-E-Azam (Music Video of the Week). transcend.org Celebrating the 78-year career of the famous Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away in Mumbai on Sunday 6 Feb 2022. The song's movie is based on the life of Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great and his son who dared to fall in love with a Mughal court dancer.

_____ (2022-02-21). Washington's Indisputable Guilt in Worsening Relations with Iran. journal-neo.org Iran and the United States used to be the closest allies before the 1979 Iranian revolution, but now they are uncompromising enemies. Quite a peculiar political metamorphosis. Makes one wonder how former close friends turned into such enemies in just over forty years? And why it is the US who is still full of such violent …

_____ (2022-02-21). US Turns On Honduran Narco-Dictator Juan Orlando Hernández. popularresistance.org The US government has turned on the right-wing former dictator of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, after it spent years supporting him. | Hernández is the latest in a series of brutal authoritarians who were key US allies until they outlived their usefulness, from Iraq's Saddam Hussein to the Dominican Republic's Rafael Trujillo to Panama's Manuel Noriega. | This February, the United States requested the extradition of Honduran ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández on charges of trafficking cocaine and guns. Local authorities arrested him on February 15. | Hernández, who is popularly known by his initials JOH, ser…

rqorinoco (2022-02-21). Striking for Freedom: Why Palestinian Detainees are Boycotting Israeli Courts. orinocotribune.com Following hunger strike victories last year, Palestinians hope collective action will force Israel to abolish its practice of indefinite detention without trial. | By Yuval Abraham — Feb 17, 2022 | For the past six weeks, hundreds of Palestinian administrative detainees have been boycotting Israeli military courts over their indefinite imprisonment with no trial or indictment. Since January 1, the prisoners have announced that they will not arrive for hearings at courts, and that they are refusing to allow attorneys to represent them in absentia until Israel ceases its use of administrative detention. | Isra…

Staff (2022-02-21). Violent protest erupts over US grant in China's backyard. rt.com Opponents of US plan to develop infrastructure in Nepal fear it comes with a military presence attached | Police in Nepal used tear gas and water cannons on protesters who demonstrated on Sunday against a controversial government plan to get $500 million in assistance from the US. Critics see it as a kind of trojan horse that would be used to drag the small Himalayan nation into Washington's great power competition with China. | The rioting in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, took place after the government submitted to parliament an agreement, under which the US would invest hundreds of millions of dollars into th…

_____ (2022-02-21). Self-Exposure of the Myth of North Korean Hackers. journal-neo.org More recently NEO wrote that the termination of the DPRK moratorium and a potentially new round of tension could have been caused by a series of hacker attacks on the North Korean Internet in the second half of January 2022, since fortunately back in 2018, the United States stated that the first shot of this …

Miko Peled (2022-02-21). My Day in Palestine: The Stunning Beauty and Cruel Reality of an Occupied Land. mintpressnews.com Walking through the low hills of the Naqab as the sun sets and the moon comes up is an experience that allows us to imagine what Palestine was like before it was torn apart by Zionists and what can still be saved if we act fast.

WSWS (2022-02-21). Sri Lankan poet Ahnaf Jazeem jailed under anti-terror laws speaks with the WSWS. wsws.org The notorious Counter Terrorism and Investigation Department arrested Jazeem in May 2020, claiming that his poetry promoted extremism and falsely accused him of teaching extremism to his students.

ecns.cn (2022-02-21). China takes countermeasures against U.S. military firms. ecns.cn China has decided to take countermeasures against Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin, U.S. military firms long engaged in arms sales to the Taiwan region of China, for seriously undermining China's sovereignty and security interests.

sputniknews (2022-02-21). China to Take Measures Against US Over Sale of Weapons to Taiwan – Foreign Ministry. sputniknews.com On 11 February, the Biden administration unveiled its new Indo-Pacific strategy that focuses on strengthening US partnerships and Washington's presence in the region amid the increasing "challenges" posed by Chinese activity.

Staff (2022-02-21). China slaps sanctions on US companies over Taiwan arms deal. rt.com Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies have drawn Beijing's ire for supplying weapons to Taipei | China has imposed sanctions on two major American arms manufacturers, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies. The decision, which was announced by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Monday, targets the two companies over their involvement in the "supply of American weapons to Taiwan." | The measures seek to "protect the sovereignty and security interests" of Beijing, the diplomat explained, as China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory. | The official stopped short of clarifying wha…

WSWS (2022-02-21). Striking ship-breaking workers hold a mass rally in Aliağa, Turkey. wsws.org Striking Aliağa ship-breaking workers held a mass rally in the city's Democracy Square yesterday, demanding a wage increase and better working conditions.

SF015 (2022-02-20). Military Situation In Syria On February 20, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org — On February 20, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib once in Latakia province | — On February 19, SAA forces in south of Hasakah Regiment 123 prevented passage of the US convoy to the city of Hasakah | — On February 19, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in the Ankawi area | — On February 20, two former commanders of FSA survived an assassination attempt in the Daraa al-Balad neighbourhood of Daraa city…

_____ (2022-02-20). What Kind of Transit of Power is Expected in Turkmenistan? journal-neo.org Following Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow's decision that he will hand over power to a "younger generation", Turkmenistan's transit has become a highly debated topic. Experts note that outside powers such as Turkey, Pakistan and the US, which would like to draw Turkmenistan into their orbit of influence, to the Taliban (a movement banned in Russia), …

Anonymous669 (2022-02-20). Russian Warplanes Flew Over US Al-Tanf Base In Southeastern Syria. southfront.org File image. | On February 20, two warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) flew over the southeastern Syrian area of al-Tanf where the US-led coalition maintains a large garrison. | The coalition's main proxy group in al-Tanf, the Revolutionary Commando Army (MaT), confirmed that the warplanes were spotted by its fighters. In a propaganda statement, the group claimed that the two warplanes almost collided over al-Tanf. | Around 200 US troops and some 300 MaT fighters are usually present at al…

New Atlas (2022-02-20). The New Atlas & Keybros Uncover US Imperialism in Hong Kong & Thailand. newatlas.report February 20, 2022 (Keybros) — Keybros from Hong Kong team up with ex-US Marine Brian Berletic, a geopolitical analyst based in Bangkok, Thailand who runs the YouTube Channel The New Atlas, to connect the dots and uncover the true face of American Imperialism in their respective cities, with the aim of fostering harmony and ultimately …

Vijay Prashad (2022-02-20). The Terrible Fate Facing the Afghan People. orinocotribune.com By Vijay Prashad — Feb 15, 2022 | On February 8, 2022, UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund) Afghanistan

Peoples Dispatch (2022-02-20). Yet again, Israel refuses to cooperate with inquiry on human rights violations. peoplesdispatch.org Israel is continuing its policy of not engaging with international investigations into human rights violations in Palestine. In a letter to the head of the international commission of inquiry, Navi Pillay, Israel's representative to the UN Meirav Eilon Shahar refused to cooperate in the investigations to identify possible violations of human rights, war crimes and reasons for protraction of conflict in historic Palestine. | Accusing Pillay of bias against Israel, Meirav claimed that there is simply no reason to believe that Israel will receive reasonable, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment from the Counci…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-20). Turkey approves NATO Baltic, Poland buildup in exchange for support in war against Kurds. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Daily SabahFebruary 20, 2022 Turkey withdraws veto on NATO defense plan for Poland, Baltics NATO Tuesday approved a new defense plan for Poland and the Baltic states after the allies reached a compromise with Turkey which had been vetoing it, officials said. The deal marked a breakthrough after months of talks over Turkey's demand to …

Anonymous103 (2022-02-20). Military Situation In Iraq On February 20, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On February 19, Iraqi special forces reportedly carried out an attack by helicopter on ISIS positions near the border in the Hasakah countryside; | On February 19, an Iraqi engineer was reportedly killed in an armed attack at a gas pipeline construction site in the northwest of Nasiriyah city; | On February 19, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with the US Congressional delegation, headed by Senator Lindsey Graham at…

Anonymous103 (2022-02-20). Military Situation In Afghanistan On February 20, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On February 17, forces loyal to Ahmad Massoud attacked Taliban positions in the Dare district of Panjshir province. Three Taliban members reportedly were killed; | On February 18, Taliban helicopters attacked positions of forces loyal to Ahmad Massoud in the Andarab district of Baghlan province; | The Pakistani military has announced the launch of operations against terrorist groups including Pakistani Taliban along the border with Afghanistan. | MORE ON TH…

_____ (2022-02-20). Terrell Starr And Black Support Of Imperialism. popularresistance.org Terrell Jermaine Starr is among the most prominent of those who defend United States imperialism itself. He is very useful in this role as he is a Black person who claims to hold progressive views. As such he gives cover to a dangerous policy which perpetuates state violence. | Starr is a correspondent at The Root and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Eurasia Center. The Atlantic Council describes itself as "a nonpartisan organization that galvanizes US leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges." In short, it is the p…

Morteza Ahmadi Al Hashem (2022-02-20). Iran determined to expand relations with Central Asian states. en.mehrnews.com Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi said that Islamic Republic of Iran is seriously determined to expand all-out relations with the Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan.

John Pilger (2022-02-20). Western democracies have mutated into propagandists for war. asiatimes.com Marshall McLuhan's prophecy that "the successor to politics will be propaganda" has happened. Raw propaganda is now the rule in Western democracies, especially the US and Britain. On matters of war and peace, ministerial deceit is reported as news. Inconvenient facts are censored, demons are nurtured. The model is corporate spin, the currency of the …

_____ (2022-02-20). Effort To Put History Of Indian Boarding Schools Into Classrooms. popularresistance.org Lansing, Michigan – An effort is underway in Lansing to encourage Michigan's Board of Education to ensure new generations of students would be taught about the history of Native American boarding schools. | The history of the boarding schools would also focus on the atrocities committed at the schools. | Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Travere City, introduced SB 876, which would encourage the curriculum for 8th-12th grades. | "My response for that is very favorable. I'm glad to hear that. You know, it's always good to be heard," said George Jeffrey Martin, Secretary, Gun Lake Tribal Council. "It's the start of allowing us…

sputniknews (2022-02-20). Indian PM Modi Calls Upon Youth to Vote in Large Numbers as Third Phase of Assembly Election Begins. sputniknews.com Over 20.16 million voters in Uttar Pradesh state and 20.14 million voters in Punjab will be casting their votes on Sunday in the third phase of the seven-phase Assembly elections in India. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur states will take place on 10 March.

India Walton (2022-02-20). Biden Promised to Center Racial Justice. He Can Start by Canceling Student Debt. truthout.org It has been said that if the U.S. catches a cold, the Black community catches the flu. Historically in the United States, communities of color feel the negative impacts of policy decisions disproportionately, and the student debt crisis is no exception. Nearly 45 million Americans owe on federal student loans. |

sputniknews (2022-02-20). 'Hijab Isn't a Choice But an Obligation in Islam': Former Bollywood Actress Zaira Wasim on Hijab Row. sputniknews.com Amid the ongoing Hijab controversy in India, an advocate appearing for the Karnataka government at an Indian court on Friday claimed that wearing the Hijab is not an essential religious practice of the Muslim faith and preventing it does not violate the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. This statement has led to a social media uproar.

scorinoco (2022-02-20). National Lawyers Guild Calls for the Immediate Release of Venezuelan Diplomat Alex Saab (Statement). orinocotribune.com By National Lawyers Guild International Committee — Feb 16, 2022 | The National Lawyers Guild International calls for the immediate release of Venezuelan Special Envoy Alex Saab, imprisoned in a Miami federal prison by the United States in a violation of diplomatic norms and protections. The arrest, extradition and continued imprisonment of Saab is a reflection of the extent to which the US government will go in order to enforce its unilateral coercive measures and economic sanctions against Venezuela, Iran and other targeted nations. | Illegal Detention and Extradition (Kidnapping) of Alex Saab | The US gov…

Anonymous669 (2022-02-20). Three Former Rebel Commander Targeted In Syria's Daraa. southfront.org File image. | On February 20, two former commanders of the Syrian Free Army (FSA) survived an assassination attempt in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa. | An improvised explosive device struck a vehicle that was carrying both commanders, Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Masalmah and Abu Jazwan Abu Nabout, as it was passing in the northern part of Daraa city, commonly known as Daraa al-Balad. The explosion damaged the vehicle. However, the two commanders survived with minor injuries. | Both al-Masalmah and Ab…

Benjamin Norton (2022-02-20). US-Saudi war on Yemen has killed 377,000 people — UN estimate. multipolarista.com An estimated 377,000 Yemenis have died in the US-Saudi war on their country, and roughly 70% of deaths were children under age 5, according to a comprehensive United Nations report.

SF015 (2022-02-20). Military Situation In Yemen On February 20, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org Yemen | — The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 169 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah in the past 24 hours | — On February 19, warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition conducted 6 airstrikes on the Haradh district | — On February 19, warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition conducted 6 airstrikes on the Jubah district | — On February 19, warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition conducted 2 airstrikes on the Sawadiyah district | — On F…

Anonymous669 (2022-02-20). Houthis Release Intense Combat Footage From Harad Battle (18+). southfront.org Click to see full-size image. Via the Houthis' Military Media. | On February 20, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) released footage showing recent clashes with Saudi-led coalition proxies in the district of Harad in the northwestern Yemen province of Hajjah. | Saudi-backed forces, led by the Yemen Armed Forces' 5th Military District, have been attempting to push the Houthis out of Harad since the beginning of February. | The footage shows Houthi fighters defending their positions in Harad district center in the face of a large-sca…

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