(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). 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). 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 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). 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). 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). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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). 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). Saturday 2/19: Virtual screening of "Stitching Palestine" indybay.org
(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). 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). 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). 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.
(2022-02-17). Vietnam To Resume Int'l Tourism From March 15. telesurenglish.net Vietnam will reopen borders for international tourism starting from March 15. Foreign travelers aged 12 and over must prove that they have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19, and show a negative test result as per requirements by local health authorities. | Photo taken on April 1, 2020 shows a tourist attraction in Hoi An ancient city in Vietnam's central Quang Nam province.
(2022-02-17). As US Renews Support for Saudi War in Yemen, Civilian Death Toll Nearly Doubles. mintpressnews.com 
"The civilian death toll in Yemen has almost doubled since the United Nations rights body dissolved its monitoring mechanism in the war-torn country." — Norwegian Refugee Council Report…
(2022-02-16). Headlines for February 16, 2022. democracynow.org NATO, U.S. Express Doubt over Russian Troop Pullback as Putin, Biden Say Diplomatic Path Still Open, Sandy Hook Families Reach Historic $73 Million Deal with Remington, Prince Andrew Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuit with Survivor Virginia Giuffre, Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández Arrested for Drug Trafficking, U.N.: Pollution Causes More Premature Deaths Than COVID-19, U.S. Coastal Sea Levels Will Rise Another Foot by Mid-Century, Climate Change-Fueled "Megadrought" in Western U.S. Worst in 12 Centuries, Flooding and Mudslides Kill at Least 34 People in Petrópolis, Brazil, Israeli Forces Kil…
(2022-02-16). Turkey calls for mediation in Ukraine as US presses for war with Russia. wsws.org As NATO powers escalate their war drive against Russia in Ukraine, Ankara is calling for de-escalation and mediation between Moscow and Kiev.
(2022-02-16). India: students resist rise in Islamophobia, communal violence. iacenter.org By Tania Siddiqi February 15, 2022 In December 2021 a government college in India's Karnataka province denied entry to six students attempting to enter class, because they were wearing hijab, a headscarf worn by many Muslim girls and women. School administrators alleged that wearing a headscarf was against the school's dress code and stated that the students could not attend class until they removed their hijab. Students protest against hijab ban. Instead of complying with the school's discriminatory policy, the students protested outside their classroom, asserting that they had a constitutional right to wear a h…
(2022-02-16). Russia: Defense Chief Visiting Syria Warns US and NATO. telesurenglish.net According to a Lebanese expert on military strategy, General Charles Abi Nader, the U.S. and NATO were surprised by the working visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu's visit to Syria, as it was linked to the current tensions between Moscow and Washington over the Ukraine crisis. | RELATED: | "In the conditions when the United States and Western countries are deliberately escalating the international situation, exploiting…
(2022-02-16). 'Operation Cyclone — Ukraine Edition' The Real plan? popularresistance.org For almost three months, the Western mainstream media, in a move not dissimilar to its previous assertions that Saddam Hussein had the capability to launch WMDs within 45 minutes, or that Iran was building a nuclear bomb, has repeatedly claimed that Russia is planning an 'imminent' invasion of its Western neighbour Ukraine — under the rule of the successive US-EU friendly governments of Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky since the 2014 Euromaidan, a CIA and MI6-orchestrated regime change operation launched in response to then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's November 2013 decision to suspend an…
(2022-02-16). Ice Skater Valieva May Take Part in Olympics Gala Exhibition Despite Doping Test Controversy – ISU. sputniknews.com The athlete has already won a gold medal, becoming the first woman to successfully perform a quadruple jump at the Olympics, and now is in first place after completing her short programme.
(2022-02-16). Valentines Day Vigil To Promote Aid To Afghanistan. popularresistance.org With the UN reporting that hunger in Afghanistan could kill more civilians than the 20-year Afghanistan war, an international debate is raging over the policy by the U.S. and other governments about getting aid to that country. The president just announced a plan to confiscate $7 Billion in Afghan funds and set aside half of it for families of 9/11 victims and to create a "third-party trust fund" to pay for humanitarian aid with the other half. Critics of the decision, including those who worked for the former U.S.-backed Afghan government, lambasted Biden's decision saying that the currency reserves belong to th…
(2022-02-16). America's Disastrous 60-Year War: Three Generations of Conspicuous Destruction by the Military-Industrial Complex. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com ) — In my lifetime of nearly 60 years, America has waged five major wars, winning one decisively, then throwing that victory away, while losing the other four disastrously. Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, as well as the Global War on Terror, were the losses, of course; the Cold War being the solitary win …
(2022-02-16). US housing bubble about to burst, leading economist warns. rt.com 
Higher interest rates could trigger collapse | The US real estate market could crash this year, leading economist Desmond Lachman predicted in an interview with Nikkei Asia on Tuesday. Adjusted for inflation, house prices in America are now higher than they were 15 years ago, before the last housing bust, he added. | Lachman, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former deputy director at the International Monetary Fund, explained that last year the US government was buying large quantities of bonds, which created an equity price bubble, and led to "equity valuations at levels only seen once…
(2022-02-16). Who are the killers of Govind Pansare? peoplesdispatch.org Seven years after the fatal attack on Indian communist and author Govind Pansare, the case remains unsolved. The International Union of Left Publishers calls for those responsible to be brought to justice…
(2022-02-16). Israeli Occupation Arrested 504 Palestinians, Including 54 Children, in January 2022. orinocotribune.com Occupied Palestine (Palestine Online)—Israeli occupation authorities arrested 504 Palestinians, including 54 children and six women, in the month of January 2022 only. | In a report released last Thursday, February 10, by a number of Palestinian prisoners advocacy groups, inclduding Addameer, Palestine Prisoners' Society and the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and ex-Detainees' Affairs, the groups said that 'Israel' arrested 504 Palestinians in January 2022. | Among the arrested are 54 children, all under the age of 18. One of them is a child who is under the age of 12. There are also six women among t…
(2022-02-16). Nancy Pelosi Vows 'Ironclad' US-Israel Alliance. telesurenglish.net U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Israel on Wednesday, vowing that security alliance with Israel "is ironclad." | RELATED: | Heading a congressional delegation, Pelosi was welcomed in the morning in a ceremony and visited the Israeli parliament. She hailed the alliance between the two countries, saying she was "very proud that America is Israel's oldest ally." In joint statements with I…
(2022-02-16). Will Third Countries Stop Using Syria as an Area of Contention? journal-neo.org 
In recent years, Syria, unfortunately, has increasingly become an arena of confrontation between many countries, primarily through the fault of the US, Israel and Turkey. As a result of Washington's blatant neo-colonial approach to Syria, US military personnel, that has been illegally deployed to the country in violation of all international norms (as has been …
(2022-02-16). Time For UK Government To Come Clean On Ties To US Torture Program. popularresistance.org We Americans have had a painful and difficult national debate over the past 20 years relative to torture. Torture was official U.S. government policy from 2002 until at least 2005, and that iteration was not formally outlawed until passage of the McCain-Feinstein Amendment in 2015. (The torture program was a highly-classified secret from 2002 until I revealed it in a nationally-televised interview in December 2007.) | In truth, torture has been illegal in the U.S. since at least the end of World War II. In 1946, the U.S. Government executed Japanese soldiers who had waterboarded American prisoners of war. In Janu…
(2022-02-16). Why Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon See No End in Sight for Their Suffering. mintpressnews.com 
The donors to the NGOs want us to remain as victims; they fear us being instrumental in the struggle for liberating our country. — A Palestinian living in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp…
(2022-02-16). Pat O'Shane inspires supporters at election launch. greenleft.org.au Kuku Yalanji woman Pat O'Shane's campaign for the seat of Leichhardt for Socialist Alliance in Far North Queensland was launched on February 13. Alex Bainbridge reports.
(2022-02-16). Woman beats HIV using novel treatment. rt.com 
The American became the fourth person ever to be cured of the virus | A New York woman who had undergone a risky treatment for HIV appears to have been cured of the disease. She finished her medication a year ago, and now doctors say they are unable to find any trace of the virus in her system. | The woman, known only as the "New York patient," was diagnosed with HIV in 2013, and developed leukemia in 2017. Her situation seemed hopeless, but it also made her a perfect candidate for a rare and extremely risky stem-cell treatment. | Due to its high fatality rate, the procedure is only being offered to HIV patien…
(2022-02-16). Another Edition of the Chronicles of the Taiwan Issue. journal-neo.org 
The previous chapter of this Chronicle discussed perhaps the most relevant question of all — how strong the position of the Democratic Progressive Party ruling since 2016 (its second consecutive term) and led by Tsai Ing-wen, the current president of Taiwan, is among the Taiwanese. The answer to this question will largely determine the answer …
(2022-02-16). Land rights activists in Thailand face prosecution for sit-in protest in Bangkok. peoplesdispatch.org A total of 16 activists have received summons for participating in a two-week long protest in Bangkok for land rights and the rights of the Indigenous Bang Kloi community…
(2022-02-16). 2 killed and 172 injured in 18th country-wide protests against military coup in Sudan. peoplesdispatch.org 
At least 15 barricades have been erected along the Sudan-Egypt highway to disrupt trade with the northern neighbor, known to be supporting the coup generals…