(2022-02-26). US Plans to Destroy Taiwan to "Save" It. newatlas.report 
February 26, 2022 (Brian Berletic — NEO) — Tensions between the United States and China exist across a wide spectrum of areas, from economics to geopolitics. Among the many flashpoint issues defining this growing confrontation is the "Taiwan question." Officially, the United States recognizes what is known as the "One China Policy." The US State …
(2022-02-26). US-NATO war threats against Russia heighten geopolitical crisis in South Asia. wsws.org The Biden administration is ratcheting up pressure on India—which Washington has successfully harnessed to its campaign targeting China—to line up full-square behind the war drive against Moscow.
(2022-02-26). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and New Zealand. wsws.org India: Tamil Nadu state transport workers demonstrate over working conditions; Punjab fire fighters workers protest sackings; Pakistan: Quetta municipal workers demand unpaid wages; West Australian Newspaper print workers still locked out; CHEP pallet workers continue strikes in New Zealand…
(2022-02-26). Russia vetoes UN Security Council resolution that condemns its operation in Ukraine. tass.com The draft resolution was supported by 11 countries while China, India and the UAE abstained…
(2022-02-26). Omicron surge in Indonesia tops record for daily cases. wsws.org The death toll is climbing fast, increasing to 257 COVID fatalities on Tuesday from single figures three weeks ago. Over 100 people died every day for the past two weeks, mostly in the capital.
(2022-02-26). Monday 2/28: Have Her Back: Organizing Call to Support First Black Woman for SCOTUS. indybay.org Online via Zoom…
(2022-02-26). The enthusiasm of despair and the rise of Ferdinand Marcos Jr in the Philippines. wsws.org Thirty-six years after the People Power ouster of the brutal Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr is front-runner in the country's presidential election.
(2022-02-26). Territorial Snatch-Back: Will the Yemen War Migrate to Saudi Arabia? orinocotribune.com 
By Karim Shami — Feb 22, 2022 | Yemen's resistance shocked the region when it launched retaliatory strikes on UAE cities. Ansarallah's next external move could be no less than recapturing Yemen's northern provinces from Saudi Arabia. | In the past month, Yemen's resistance movement, Ansarallah, has launched three rounds of retaliatory strikes on Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as part of a new deterrence strategy against UAE attacks on Yemen. | The escalation follows a UAE breach of the tacit agreement with Ansarallah to desist from targeting each other's interests in Yemen. | In the current Yemeni military theater, th…
(2022-02-26). Sri Lanka engulfed by power cuts and fuel shortages. wsws.org Confronting rising popular anger, President Gotabhaya Rajapakse called an emergency cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss the country's worsening debt crisis.
(2022-02-26). The Shanghai Communiqué: Key to Peace — Pivot to Peace/CODEPINK Webinar. peacepivot.org Join Pivot to Peace and CODEPINK's China Is Not Our Enemy campaign this Sunday for a conversation with Xiangyu, Col. Ann Wright, Lauren Gonitzke and Pivot to Peace's K.J. Noh to better understand the Taiwan issue and how the U.S. can avoid war with China over Taiwan. When: February 27, 2022 at 6: 00pm — 7: 30pm …
(2022-02-26). Whenever There's Militants, There's Turkey. journal-neo.org 
Turkey has recently been receiving a considerable amount of attention in the publications of various media outlets. However, much of the reporting revolves around the attitude of Ankara and the Turkish president himself towards various armed conflicts, where Turkey still plays a major role. One example of this is the Turkish leader's offer to mediate …
(2022-02-25). Hundreds reported dead in first day of Russia-Ukraine war. wsws.org Ukraine is in the grips of a full-scale war after Russia launched large-scale bombing raids early Thursday morning local time, in the biggest military operation by Russia since the Afghanistan war.
(2022-02-25). To Maintain Jewish Demographic Control, Israel Cloaks Family Unification Law in Security Concerns. mintpressnews.com Amnesty International described "discriminatory laws and policies that disrupt family life" as "primarily guided by demographic — rather than security — considerations and aim[ing] to minimize Palestinian presence inside the Green Line to maintain a Jewish majority."
(2022-02-25). Events around Ukraine are restoration of balance lost with Soviet Union's breakup — Assad. tass.com According to the Syrian president, Moscow has every right to stand against NATO's expansion plans…
(2022-02-25). War danger surge as Ukraine demands Turkey close straits to Russia, Israel bombs Syria. wsws.org The NATO powers' threats against Russia amid the Russian attack on Ukraine threaten to spread war throughout the Middle East and the world.
(2022-02-25). How far will Putin's Ukraine invasion reach? asiatimes.com 
With Russia's forces attacking Ukraine by air and on land, Western attention is quickly turning to President Vladimir Putin's longer-range goals. Putin plans to push North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allied forces away from far eastern Europe and turn the military clock back to the 1990s, before NATO expanded into former Soviet Baltic republics and …
(2022-02-25). Turkey's Erdogan: NATO should take direct role in Ukraine conflict. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Hurriyet Daily NewsFebruary 25, 2022 President Erdogan accuses NATO, EU of failure to act over Ukraine The West and its institutions, particularly NATO, should have taken more decisive steps on the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, stressing that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky needs more concrete support than advices from Western …
(2022-02-25). France rejects apartheid label for Israel. electronicintifada.net Macron tells Israel lobby that Jerusalem is "eternal capital of the Jewish people."
(2022-02-25). The Next Step in Palestine's Anti-Apartheid Struggle is the Most Difficult. dissidentvoice.org 
When Nelson Mandela was freed from his Robben Island prison on February 11, 1991, my family, friends and neighbors followed the event with keen interest as they gathered in the living room of my old home in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip. This emotional event took place years before Mandela uttered his famous quote …
(2022-02-25). It's Settled That Israel Is Committing the Crime of Apartheid—Now What Should We Do About It? juancole.com ( Commondreams.org ) — When Amnesty International released its report "Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity" earlier the month, it was clearly part of a rapidly expanding trend. Palestinian human rights defenders, members of Congress and faith leaders in the United States, academics, and activists of the Palestinian rights …
(2022-02-25). The American Political Process Is Disconnected From Economic Reality. popularresistance.org The growing disconnect between the capitalist system and the economic realities plaguing the United States is now nearing completion. On the ground, the accumulated problems of U.S. capitalism undermine its empire and challenge its very future. Meanwhile, the ever-deepening inequalities of wealth and income conjure up images of ancient Egypt's pharaohs. Three economic crashes opening the new century (2000, 2008, and 2020) have shaken the system; so have the two wars America lost against very poor countries in the Middle East: Afghanistan and Iraq. The worst public health crisis in a century during the COVID-19 pa…
(2022-02-25). US Drone Strike Targeted Al-Shabab Terrorists In Somalia. southfront.org 
A fully armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle taxis down the runway at an air base in Afghanistan on its way to another wartime mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson). | On February 22, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike on terrorists of al-Qaeda-affiliated Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen in Somalia. | The airstrike, which was carried by General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper combat drone, followed an attack by al-Shabab terrorists on allied Somali forces in Duduble, about 40 miles…
(2022-02-25). China-Australia laser incident raises many questions. asiatimes.com 
Australia has accused a Chinese warship of shining a military-grade laser at an Australian Air Force Poseidon 8A (P-8A) surveillance plane on February 17 in Australia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Department of Defense condemned "the unprofessional and unsafe military conduct." Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the incident was an "act of intimidation." Defense Minister Peter Dutton …
(2022-02-25). China's economic support for Russia is not a panacea. asiatimes.com 
Given the delicate situation in Ukraine and the US imposition of sanctions on Russia, followed by the European Union, it seems important to assess how much Russia can rely on China as a trading partner. Although trade between the EU and Russia has lost some steam since President Vladimir Putin's "Pivot to the East" announced …
(2022-02-25). India Inc worried about Ukraine fallout. asiatimes.com 
Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday rattled Indian industry leaders, who are now worried about the immediate and long-term fallout. While those exporting their produce to Russia are concerned about the impact of war on their trade, others are worried about the soaring crude and commodity prices and their effect on the input costs. In …
(2022-02-25). Yuan's Ukraine safe haven status is Xi's to lose. asiatimes.com 
The clear safe haven role the yuan is playing as Russian forces devastate Ukraine is Xi Jinping's to lose. | As the euro, South Korean won and other major currencies slide, the yuan is seeing solid demand, trading near four-year highs. Along with the yuan "trading like a Can the yuan's status as a refuge currency last? Yes, so long as Pre…
(2022-02-25). Putin's invasion of Ukraine an attack on history. asiatimes.com 
Vladimir Putin has long insisted Ukraine is part of the country he rules. This was painted more starkly than ever as he announced that Russian troops were undertaking a "special military operation" in its western neighbor. But to much of the rest of the world, what Russia is undertaking is simply an invasion. Putin has …
(2022-02-25). Five essential commodities hit by war in Ukraine. asiatimes.com 
The war in Ukraine is threatening further disruption to already stretched supply chains. Ukraine and Russia may only account for a small proportion of the imports of major manufacturing nations like Germany and the US, but they are essential suppliers of raw materials and energy for many crucial supply chains. Though the economic consequences of …
(2022-02-25). China's SWIFT alternative may undercut US sanctions. asiatimes.com 
Washington's new sanctions against Russia were no match for President Biden's rhetoric, leaving out the most obvious measure that the United States might take to hurt Moscow, namely exclusion from the SWIFT international payments system. Banks conduct virtually all hard-currency transactions via SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. But a new Chinese …
(2022-02-25). Taiwan chipmakers weigh Russia-Ukraine war risks. asiatimes.com 
Taiwan's government has been urged by business groups to evaluate the impact of a possible halt of natural resource imports from Russia on the self-governing island's chipmakers and other manufacturers due to the Ukraine war crisis. Taiwanese manufacturers shipped only a small portion of their computing, machinery and semiconductor products to Russia last year and …
(2022-02-25). Muted ASEAN response to Russia's brazen invasion. asiatimes.com 
PRAGUE & SINGAPORE — Russian President Vladimir Putin's "shock and awe" invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since World War II, has been met with condemnation from global democracies for the dangerous new precedent being set by Moscow. Yet in Southeast Asia, a region where non-interference in the internal affairs …
(2022-02-25). What Russia's hold over Belarus means for Ukraine, and Syria. asiatimes.com 
With Russian forces pouring into Ukraine, Moscow's use of Belarus to launch its campaign is as much a test for Minsk's independence as it is for Kiev's. As the Kremlin begins what looks like a large-scale operation against Ukraine, Belarus' role in facilitating Russia's attack could have far-reaching consequences. For now, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko …
(2022-02-25). Decoding Imran Khan's Moscow visit in midst of Ukraine crisis. asiatimes.com 
On his debut visit to Moscow this week, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was seen laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which commemorates Russian soldiers sacrificed during World War II, as President Vladimir Putin had just initiated his "special military operations" dispatching troops into Ukraine. So as world media went abuzz …
(2022-02-25). UAE buys Chinese fighter jets, unveils first swarming drones. asiatimes.com 
The UAE announced this month plans to buy a dozen L15 light trainer-attack aircraft from China and unveiled its first swarming drones with AI technology, the Gulf state's latest effort to diversify its arms providers and bolster its defense industries. The UAE defense ministry announced it would sign a contract with the China National Aero-Technology …
(2022-02-25). US-led sanctions miss mark as Putin marches on Kiev. asiatimes.com 
SEOUL — United States allies in Asia have rallied to the anti-Russian cause, but as the global democratic bloc fumbles its response to the assault on Ukraine, there is no indication that Moscow's military timetables are being thrown off. The contours of a fast-moving battle are emergent, if not fully clear. Though extensive footage of …
(2022-02-25). Doctors on Alert After 12 Cases of Rare Paralytic Disease 'Guillain-Barre Syndrome' Emerge in India. sputniknews.com Experts say that Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a rare disease that weakens one's immune system and attacks the nervous system which eventually leads to paralysis.
(2022-02-25). Ascienden a siete los fallecidos por sismo en Indonesia. telesurtv.net El movimiento telúrico, perceptible también en Singapur, obligó a realizar la evacuación temporal en escuelas y edificios.
(2022-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2022. democracynow.org Russian Forces Close In on Kyiv in Apparent Bid to Topple Ukraine's Government, U.N. Says Over 100,000 Ukrainians Have Already Been Displaced by Russia's Invasion, Some 1,800 Russians Arrested at Protests Against Invasion of Ukraine, "America Stands Up to Bullies": Biden Announces New Sanctions on Russia, Pentagon Says It Attacked al-Shabab in First U.S. Airstrike on Somalia Since August, Missiles Hit Near Damascus in 4th Israeli Airstrike on Syria This Month, Biden Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson as First Black Woman SCOTUS Justice , CDC to Relax Indoor Mask Guidance, 3 Ex-Minneapolis Cop…
(2022-02-25). IAEA to Check the Release of Fukushima Water into Ocean. journal-neo.org 
The run-up to the discharging of chemically treated, but still radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is once again taking center stage in the eyes of many of Japan's neighbors. The Japanese authorities opted to release Fukushima water last April to advance the decommissioning process that has lasted for more than …
(2022-02-25). Beijing Winter Olympics a great success: president of MNOC. ecns.cn The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics have been a "great success" amid the difficult time of the coronavirus pandemic, said Choijgavaa Naranbaatar, president of the Mongolian National Olympic Committee (MNOC).
(2022-02-25). Biden Nominates Former Public Defender Ketanji Brown Jackson To Supreme Court: 7 Things To Know About Her Political Orientation. moguldom.com President Joe Biden has nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill retiring Justice Stephen Breyer's seat, keeping his campaign promise to put a Black woman on the highest court in the land as a guardian and interpreter of the Constitution. Here are 7 things to know about Jackson's nomination and her …
(2022-02-25). China to Impose Sanctions on US Companies Selling Arms to Taiwan. orinocotribune.com According to the South China Morning Post, this was revealed by the Chinese spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Wenbin, who explained that the companies set to be sanctioned for selling weapons to the island are Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. | Two weeks ago, both companies approved a deal worth $100 million. These armaments would be destined fo…
(2022-02-25). Taiwan authorities announce intention to join anti-Russia sanctions. tass.com "Taiwan will continue to coordinate closely with the United States and other like-minded countries to adopt appropriate measures in order to free Ukraine from the horrors of war, as well as restore, peace and stability to the region and the world," the statement said…
(2022-02-25). UAE Edge Reveals Autonomous Suicide Drone Swarm System (Videos). southfront.org 
Screen grab from a video released by Edge Group. | On February 22, Halcon, a subsidiary of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) defense contractor Edge Group, unveiled an advanced autonomous suicide drone swarm system based on the Hunter 2-S suicide drone. | The system was showcased on the sideline of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2022 that's being held in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi. | The Hunter 2-S is part of the Hunter 2 series of drones. The drone has a maximum take-off weight of 8 kilograms,…