2021-01-26: News Headlines

The Canary (2021-01-26). Tory MP, aged 40, defends decision to accept Covid-19 jab. thecanary.co A Conservative MP who volunteered at a local hospital has defended accepting a dose of Covid-19 vaccine, despite being 40 years old. | Brendan Clarke-Smith, who represents Bassetlaw in north Nottinghamshire, was given the AstraZeneca jab on Friday after having done a shift at Retford Hospital vaccination centre. | Vaccinations are currently limited to the government's four priority groups; the over-80s, over-70s, frontline health workers and those people classed as extremely clinically vulnerable. | Clarke-Smith said the dose he got was "left over" from that day's vaccine stock, preventing it going to waste. | On…

F. William Engdahl (2021-01-26). After COVID, Davos Moves to The "Great Reset" globalresearch.ca With the USA Biden Presidency, Washington has rejoined the Global Warming agenda of the Paris Accords. With China making loud pledges about meeting strict CO2 emission standards by 2060, now the World Economic Forum is about to unveil what will …

Staff (2021-01-26). Biden's First Climate Actions Are a Result of Years of Indigenous Activism. truthout.org Indigenous activists emerged as leaders of a climate movement that put increasing pressure on Joe Biden, who revoked a key permit for the Keystone XL pipeline shortly after becoming president. So, what happens next? Mike Ludwig speaks with Jade Begay, the Climate Justice Director of NDN Collective, an Indigenous led-organization building Indigenous power by working with front line activists. | Music by TRANSCRIPT: | Note: This a rush…

Associated Press (2021-01-26). First Native American to win Caldecott Medal for children's book illustration. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK — Illustrator Michaela Goade became the first Native American to win the prestigious Randolph Caldecott Medal for best children's picture story, cited for "We Are Water Protectors," a celebration of nature and condemnation of the "black snake" Dakota Access Pipeline. "I am really honored and proud," the 30-year-old Goade told The Associated Press …

Andrew Rosenberg (2021-01-26). Impactful Biden climate actions nobody is talking about. peoplesworld.org The first 24 hours of the administration of President Joe Biden were filled not only with ceremony, but also with real action. Executive orders and other directives were quickly signed. More actions have followed. All consequential. Many provide a basis for not just undoing actions of the previous administration, but also making real advances in public policy …

news.un (2021-01-26). Climate litigation spikes, giving courts an 'essential role' in addressing climate crisis. news.un.org A rise in climate litigation cases has made courtrooms increasingly important as a venue for addressing climate change around the world, according to a report released on Tuesday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Center for Biological Diversity (2021-01-26). Federal Bill Proposes Fracking, Drilling Halt on California's Central Coast, Bay Area. indybay.org WASHINGTON, January 25, 2021 — U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) reintroduced legislation today to create a moratorium on fracking and drilling along California's Central Coast and in the Bay Area.

Asad Ismi (2021-01-26). The US-Kenya Bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Garbage In, Garbage Out. globalresearch.ca Washington hopes a free trade pact with Kenya will give it a beachhead in its hot war with Al-Shabab and cold war with China—and an African dumping ground for GMOs and plastic waste. What Kenya gets in exchange is not …

Zach Conti (2021-01-26). High-Level Climate Summit to Launch Action Agenda. indybay.org World leaders, including Pope Francis, UN General Secretary António Guterres and the IMF's Kristalina Georgieva, gather for a high-level climate summit hosted by the Netherlands through Tuesday.

Liz Kimbrough (2021-01-26). Death by 1,000 Cuts: Are Major Insect Losses Imperiling Life on Earth? globalresearch.ca Scientists warn of ongoing global insect abundance losses and say we lack a full understanding of invertebrate extinction causes and synergies. Action to curb extinction rates desperately needed: Studies. | *** | Chances are, the works of the world's insects touch your …

INMSBUT (2021-01-26). Tuesday 1/26: Car Caravan: Climate Resistance Protest at Chevron Refinery in Richmond. indybay.org Fallas Paredes parking lot @ 13220 San Pablo Ave, San Pablo, CA 94806-3908 | Masks & Social Distancing Required…

Jasmine Norden (2021-01-25). The US has re-joined the Paris Agreement. But it's not enough to save our climate. thecanary.co The US has re-joined the Paris Agreement and committed to climate action. But experts and activists On the first day of his presidency, Joe Biden

news.un (2021-01-25). In Davos speech, UN chief highlights private sector role in pandemic recovery. news.un.org The private sector has a key role to play in lifting countries out of both the COVID-19 and climate crises, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told international business leaders on Monday.

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2021-01-25). Groups Launch Grassroots Campaign Urging Senators to Reject Tom 'Mr. Monsanto' Vilsack for USDA Chief. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/vilsack-campaign-biden.jpg

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-01-25). Enough 'Blah Blah Blah' From Global Elites, Greta Thunberg Declares at Digital Davos. commondreams.org "I'm only here to once again remind you of the emergency we are in. The crisis that you and your predecessors have created and inflicted upon us." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/chill-donald-thunberg_0.jpg

news.un (2021-01-25). Scale up funding for climate adaptation programmes, Guterres urges. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General on Monday called for urgent scaling up of funds for climate change adaptation and resilience building programmes, so they can offer real and lasting protection against the impact of major events such as droughts, floods and rising sea-levels.

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-01-25). As Kerry Touts US Commitment to Climate Diplomacy, Biden Urged to Follow EU Lead by Ending Dirty Energy Subsidies. commondreams.org "Biden should act boldly on his campaign commitments to end finance for dirty energy projects." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/build_back_fossil_free.jpg

Pip Hinman (2021-01-25). Activists take aim at Santos' greenwashing. greenleft.org.au Fossil Free SA and Extinction Rebellion SA organised a week of climate action from January 24 to draw attention to the disastrous impact of gas on the climate and to call for the Tour Down Under to #BreakAwayFromGas, reports Kerry Smith.

Jodi Archambault (2021-01-24). Biden Canceled Keystone XL. Indigenous Leaders Demand Same for DAPL. zcomm.org "The best thing that he can do is drop the appeals to this and stop the oil from flowing now."

Indigenous Environmental Network & partners (2021-01-24). Tuesday 1/26: Climate Crisis: Digital Rally to Build Back Fossil Free w/ Indigenous Frontline Leaders. indybay.org Virtual Rally…

sputniknews (2021-01-24). Biden, Macron Discuss Common Foreign Policy Agenda, COVID-19, Climate. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – US President Joe Biden has held telephone talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron agreeing on close cooperation, including in what concerns the global economic recovery and the pandemic, as well as foreign policy issues.

Rebecca White (2021-01-24). Burning Questions About the Future of Pacific Northwest Forests. commondreams.org Climate change has played an overarching role in the blazes, but a perfect storm of government mismanagement — privatization, lax enforcement, and outright corruption — has contributed a major share | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/oregon-wildfires-2020.jpg

Lothar Galow-Bergemann and Ernst Lohoff (2021-01-24). Why capitalism compels renunciation and we could work less. indybay.org The corona and climate crises demonstrate how 'our economy' is failing before the existential challenges of the time. Eternal growth, maximum profit and rising share prices are the lifeblood of the economy. Without them, it immediately begins to crumble. The climate crisis reveals that growth programmed for infinity will amount to the destruction of the planet in the medium rather than the long term.

Media Lens (2021-01-23). "A Ghastly Future"? Israeli Apartheid, Biden, Starmer, Assange and Mass Extinction. dissidentvoice.org Back in 2017, before WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange was silenced by Twitter, he used the platform to highlight an immutable truth: 'The overwhelming majority of information is classified to protect political security not national security.' Power hates being exposed. It hates having its inner machinations, its selfish priorities and ugly operations opened up to public …

Anoo Bhuyan (2021-01-23). [World Report] India begins COVID-19 vaccination amid trial allegations. thelancet.com Trial participants in Bhopal say that they could not read consent forms and have not been able to report adverse events. Anoo Bhuyan reports from Bhopal.

Rachel M. Cohen (2021-01-23). Climate Groups Begin Vying for Power in the Biden Era as Pressure for Unity Fades. zcomm.org As the BlueGreen Alliance gears up for a big staff expansion, debates around carbon capture, natural gas, and nuclear energy resurface…

_____ (2021-01-23). Washington Rejects Massive Methanol Refinery. popularresistance.org Kalama, WA —The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) denied permits for the massive fracked gas-to-methanol refinery proposed in Kalama, WA. Ecology nixed the fossil fuel processing and export proposal after deciding it would have a significant negative impact on the climate, Washington's shorelines, and the public interest. [read the full letter from WA Ecology and Director Watson] | "Without the necessary state and federal permits, this climate-wrecking proposal is going nowhere," said Brett VandenHeuvel, Executive Director with Columbia Riverkeeper. "Ecology's decision is cause for celebration for…