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2021-02-25: News Headlines

Jackie Fox (2021-02-25). Neoliberalism is Killing US. realprogressives.org Following the idea of the Big Other defense falling apart when a truth is seen to be publicly accepted, what would be another similar public acceptance of failure for capitalism? Especially now, I think the US healthcare industry is a great place to look. The more timely issue is one of 'who gets coverage at all?' Barack Obama is the first mainstream, high-profile politician to say the words 'single payer,' descriptors that don't describe the Republican-influenced Obamacare that came to pass. | Bernie Sanders again was a part of the elevation of this idea in the mainstream. As I suggested before, he's not a…

Staff (2021-02-25). Mayim Bialik: 'S*** got deep with me and Cornel West'. therealnews.com Mayim Bialik delves into the long history of solidarity amongst the Jewish people and Black Americans, and details her dismay at the state of racism in America, her upbringing as a staunch advocate for social justice, and her perspective on the apparent contradictions between her faith and her political ideologies.

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2021-02-25). What Planet Is NATO Living On? counterpunch.org The February meeting of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Defense Ministers, the first since President Biden took power, revealed an antiquated, 75-year-old alliance that, despite its military failures in Afghanistan and Libya, is now turning its military madness toward two more formidable, nuclear-armed enemies: Russia and China. This theme was emphasized by U.S. Secretary of

RT (2021-02-25). 700+ children remain in detention at US border, 200 for over 48 hours, amid spike in unaccompanied crossings — media. rt.com Hundreds of unaccompanied minors have been held at the US border waiting to be processed, Axios reported. Almost a third of them have been lingering in detention for more than two days, as the backlog piles up. | Around 700 minors who crossed into the US on their own were kept in Border Patrol Custody as of Sunday, Axios By that time, around 200 children had already been held up for over 48 hours, a…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics. middleeasteye.net Australian historian urged to return Israeli health prize by 250 academics | Hundreds sign letter asking Alison Bashford to turn down Dan David prize over Israel's 'undermining of Palestine's health systems' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 13: 25 | A Palestinian man demonstrates in support of BDS near Ramallah (AFP) | An Australian historian is being urged to turn down a highly lucrative Israeli award in an open letter si…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot co-exist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any ch…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah. middleeasteye.net Occupation and peace cannot coexist, says Jordan's King Abdullah | Amman ready to play part in relaunching peace negotiations with Palestinian leadership, monarch says | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 16: 20 | King Abdullah said US leadership was 'essential' in peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians (AFP/File photo) | Jordan's King Abdullah II has warned that continued unilateral actions will kill any cha…

George Wuerthner (2021-02-25). Degrading Forest Ecosystems in the Name of Collaboration. counterpunch.org A recent article in the Blue Mountain Eagle Finding Common Ground on Active Forest Management quotes several people about restoring forest health. None of these people have expertise in forest ecology, except James Johnson from the OSU forestry school. The irony is that all these people, including Johnson, ignore the science from other scientists in

Sasha Harrison (2021-02-25). Fired up! Harlem's fight for housing in the 1930s. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.

Nicholas Stender (2021-02-25). Chicago Teachers Union's commitment to democracy pays off. liberationnews.org The battle over school reopening in Chicago was a hard fought one.

Sasha Harrison (2021-02-25). Harlem's 1930s housing struggle has lessons for today. liberationnews.org The housing struggle in Harlem during the Great Depression took New York City by storm, as some of the most oppressed sectors of society united and stood tall in the face of exploitation.

Ray McGinnis (2021-02-25). The Doll House the CIA Built. dissidentvoice.org American news these past few decades has been an almost constant non-stop spectacle of shock and awe. Breaking news is emotionally gripping, often disorienting, a 24/7 drama without rest. Key talking points are relentlessly asserted. And with each passing year news commentators grow ever more certain of their talking points, with no sense that dissenting points …

Vincent Emanuele (2021-02-25). Dr. Osterholm's Warning: COVID Hurricane on the Horizon. counterpunch.org Twelve months ago, Dr. Michael Osterholm was interviewed on the Joe Rogan Program. At the time, he warned that anywhere from 400,000 to 1.5 million Americans would die of COVID and that the pandemic would last for many years and significantly impact our lives. So far, his predictions have been eerily accurate. Today, Dr. Osterholm is warning that a "Category 5 COVID-hurricane" is on the horizon, with the B117/UK Variant posing the greatest threat.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram (2021-02-25). Developing Countries struggling to cope with COVID-19. mronline.org SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is adversely impacting most developing countries disproportionately, especially the United Nations' least developed countries (LDCs) and the World Bank's low-income countries (LICs).

The Socialist Program (2021-02-25). Capitalism in Crisis: End Capitalist Control Over Heat & Light. liberationnews.org Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the terrible storm in Texas and elsewhere in the south that has caused death, destruction and a near total breakdown in infrastructure. What does this say about the capitalist system?>

William Boardman (2021-02-25). How Rational Can the US Be in Dealing with Yemen and Iran? dissidentvoice.org We're also stepping up our diplomacy to end the war in Yemen — a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and restore long-dormant peace talks…. And to underscore our commitment, …

Chris Banks (2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20 percent of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …

Eds. (2021-02-25). How did a fateful CIA coup—executed 55 years ago this February 24—doom much of sub-Saharan Africa? mronline.org Fifty-five years ago on this day, the fate of Africa was irrevocably altered when the CIA sponsored a 1966 coup d'état against Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former Prime Minister of Ghana and Pan-Africanist visionary who was voted as "Africa's Man of the Millennium."

Eds. (2021-02-25). Human nature is no barrier to socialism. mronline.org Of all the reasons to be angry during the pandemic—the profit-first response of governments, the neglected state of the health system, the environmental crisis underpinning the disaster, the millions dead—it has been people buying extra toilet paper that has elicited the most outrage.

Eds. (2021-02-25). Cuba has assisted almost one third of the world's population in health care. mronline.org In the six decades of Cuban medical collaboration abroad, its health personnel have assisted 1.988 billion people in the world, almost a third of mankind, said Dr. Jorge Delgado Bustillo, director of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation (UCCM).

Norman Solomon (2021-02-25). Republican Hypocrisy is No Reason to Support Neera Tanden. counterpunch.org Most corporate media outlets have depicted President Biden's effort to win Senate confirmation of Neera Tanden as a battle to overcome Republican hypocrisy about her "mean tweets," name-calling and nasty partisanship. But there are very important reasons to prevent Tanden from becoming the Office of Management and Budget director. They have nothing to do with

Chuck Collins (2021-02-25). Nomadland: The Impact of Gender-Bias in Wages. counterpunch.org If you grew up agitated that "women earn 59 cents on the dollar," for the same work as men, there's a movie for you. At the beginning of the new film, Nomadland, one of the characters tells Fern, the lead character played beautifully by Frances McDormand: "My social security check is $550. How am I

Arthur Zipser (2021-02-25). William Z. Foster—Pioneer fighter for Black equality in organized labor. peoplesworld.org Editor's Note: Feb. 25, 2021, marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of William Z. Foster. One of the most well-known figures of early 20th century labor history, Foster spearheaded the drive to organize the packinghouse industry during World War I and led the Great Steel Strike of 1919. He later joined the Communist Party …

Joe Piette (2021-02-25). 'No war drills on Korean Peninsula!'. workers.org Philadelphia Korea Peace Now Grassroots Network activists hold signs, Feb. 21. Annual U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) combined military exercises are costly and a major obstacle to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. And it's a provocative threat against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Korea solidarity groups in the U.S. . . . |

Chris Hartmann (2021-02-25). To 'Build Back Better,' listen to those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. peoplesworld.org Though often ignored, communities know best what ails them. I am reminded of this often because I hear it in my classroom. I heard it before the COVID-19 pandemic, and I hear it louder now as the pandemic rages on. At the end of last term, amidst the surge in cases after Thanksgiving, I asked …

Chris Banks (2021-02-25). Half a million dead: What's the difference between Biden's and Trump's COVID plans? liberationnews.org The COVID-19 death toll in the United States has now surpassed half a million people — approximately 20% of all COVID-19 deaths on the planet, according to official statistics. The United States continues to lead the world in coronavirus deaths, with January ranking as the United States' deadliest month yet. Reflecting this monumental death toll, …

Anustup Roy (2021-02-25). India's Farm Protests: "If We Don't Stand By Them, Who Will?" counterpunch.org "The company people are certainly irritated with the protest happening here. It has badly affected transportation and the business is running poorly," says 22-year-old Nizamuddin Ali, a security supervisor at a home appliances factory in the Kundli industrial area. He lives about six kilometres from the farmers' protest site at Singhu, on the Haryana-Delhi border.

David Cavendish (2021-02-25). It's time to shorten the workday—and the workweek. peoplesworld.org It's been nearly a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced people in our society to "shelter in place," social distance, and wear masks. Most social activities, such as sporting events, concerts, and parades were canceled. Schools and businesses closed, forcing nearly 50 million people onto the unemployment rolls. And while in recent months the numbers …

The Conversation (2021-02-25). Texas blackouts show why energy should be a universal right. juancole.com By Gordon Walker | — An unprecedented cold wave in the US state of Texas recently left several million households without power for days on end, as temperatures dropped well below freezing. Dozens of people died from hypothermia, car crashes, house fires or carbon monoxide poisoning from running cars or generators simply to keep warm. …

G. Dunkel (2021-02-25). COVID crisis drags down U.S. life expectancy. workers.org The number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the United States is now over 500,000. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. life expectancy dropped by a full year from the first six months of 2019 to the first six months of 2020. This is the biggest drop . . . |

Philippe Marlière (2021-02-25). "Islamo-Leftism": Macron's Witch Hunt Against Critical Academics. counterpunch.org Speaking recently on CNews, France's equivalent of Fox News, the higher education minister launched an unprecedented attack on the whole French academic community. Frédérique Vidal argued that French academia is "gangrened by Islamo-gauchisme" or "Islamo-leftism". The "Islamo-leftism" tag is today used uncritically by members of the government, large sections of the media and conservative academics. It is reminiscent

TN Long (2021-02-25). Virginia comes out to support Alabama Amazon workers. peoplesworld.org ARLINGTON, Va.—On Saturday, Feb. 20, the Southern Workers Assembly coordinated over 40 solidarity events around the country in support of the workers at the Bessemer, Ala., Amazon facility who are currently in the midst of a vote to unionize their workplace. The unionization campaign there, called the BAmazon Union, is organized by the Mid-South Council …

US (2021-02-25). Over 800 Organizations and Individuals in the United States Demand the Biden Administration End Its Support for the Brutal MoàØse Regime in Haiti. dissidentvoice.org Above photo: By Professor Danny Shaw who is currently in Haiti United States — Today, February 24, 72 organizations and 700 individuals published an open letter calling for the Biden administration to end its illegal and destructive intervention in Haiti. While Joe Biden and the Democrats condemned the Trump forces for not respecting the results …

John Wojcik (2021-02-25). Lies and white supremacy fuel Republican voter suppression campaign. peoplesworld.org It is now clearer than ever that the Republican Party is carrying out a strategy of stoking the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump and that it is hanging its ability to make a comeback on supporting the white supremacy that was behind the right-wing insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. …

Howie Hawkins (2021-02-25). HR 1's Campaign Finance Program: A Reform that Doesn't Reform. counterpunch.org HR 1, the For the People Act, is an omnibus voting reform bill that has many progressive measures concerning voter registration, voter roll purges, voter-verified paper ballots, early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots, presidential candidate tax returns, gerrymandering, and more. According to reports, the Democratic leadership will whip their members hard to pass the bill through

David Trujillo (2021-02-25). We have earned the right to look to a new, socialist future. peoplesworld.org The door is wide open. The opportunity for socialism is a serious option for a new political future. Let's get real: The Republicans have abdicated democratic responsibilities. They have given up on our basic democratic values and the U.S. Constitution. The Republican Party and many of its supporters are frankly pushing for a fascist, racist …

Simon Hooper (2021-02-25). US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants. middleeasteye.net US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem banned from reporting by Syrian militants | Idlib-based reporter cannot appear on social media for six months following release by HTS, according to his own news network | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 12: 02 | Bilal Abdul Kareem stands in front of a mural in Idlib showing George Floyd, an American man killed by police, in 2020 (Twitter) | An American journalist based in Syria's o…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy. middleeasteye.net Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to clarify Yemen policy | In a letter to the president, 41 members of Congress say they support Biden's decision to end support for Saudi coalition, but ask for clarification on what that entails | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 17: 54 | The conflict has killed nearly 250,000 people, caused outbreaks of preventable diseases and brought Yemen to the verge of famine (AFP) | Dozens of Democr…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions. middleeasteye.net Republicans introduce bill opposing lifting Iran sanctions | US lawmakers say Biden must maintain sanctions until Iran 'ends its support for violence and terror around the region' | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 21: 00 | The resolution led by Tom Cotton in the Senate was co-sponsored by 25 other senators (AFP) | Republican Senator Tom Cotton and more than 40 other lawmakers have introduced bicameral legislation that oppos…

MEE staff (2021-02-25). Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp. middleeasteye.net Israel: Satellite images show secretive nuclear facility undergoing major revamp | Construction at site near Dimona comes as Israel continues its scathing criticism of Iran's nuclear programme | Thu, 02/25/2021 – 10: 15 | Israel began secretly building the nuclear site with French assistance in the late 1950s in empty desert near Dimona, a city around 90km south of Jerusalem (Planet Labs) | A secretive nuclear…

A Guest Author (2021-02-25). Montgomery Bus Boycott, Bessemer, prisiones: Lucha de clases, antes y ahora. workers.org Los boicoteadores de autobuses, sin importar su edad o habilidad, caminaron millas hasta su trabajo en Montgomery, febrero de 1956. Por Monica Moorehead Cincuenta años después del final de la Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos, y durante el apogeo de los horribles linchamientos de personas negras en el sur . . . |

A Guest Author (2021-02-25). Bessemer Amazon workers: 'They are showing the way'. workers.org Joan Hwang The following remarks were given by Joan Hwang (she/they), an organizer with the Workers Assembly Against Racism, at a Feb. 20 rally in Manhattan, N.Y., in solidarity with Amazon workers organizing a union drive in Bessemer, Ala. Hwang is also an urban farmer. We are out here today . . . |

Global Research News (2021-02-25). Selected Articles: The Covid Outbreak: "Biggest Health Scam of the 21st Century." globalresearch.ca By We are health professionals of the international collective :…

Global Research News (2021-02-25). Selected Articles: What Planet Is NATO Living On? globalresearch.ca By These remarks were delivered at an African American History Month virtual webinar hosted by the Moratorium NOW! Coalition on Monday February 22, 2021. The …

Ed Rampell (2021-02-25). 'Finding Sally': A filmic inquiry into the heart of Ethiopia's revolutionary upheavals. peoplesworld.org The Sixties cliché that "the personal is political" is strikingly true in Tamara Mariam Dawit's Finding Sally. When the Ethiopian-Canadian director/writer stumbles—at the ripe old age of 30!—upon the fact that her father and his siblings had another sister she'd never even heard of, Tamara sets out to piece together the puzzle to find out …

_____ (2021-02-25). Democracy Now Amplifies State Department Propaganda Campaign Against China Behind Progressive Cover. strategic-culture.org By Danny HAIPHONG | While Democracy Now hosts US gov't-funded pundits to spread humanitarian interventionist propaganda about Xinjiang, an analysis by The Grayzone found most of the outlets's China coverage is sharply negative | The U.S. has claimed a humanitarian "Responsibility to Protect" to justify military operations in the name of saving civilian lives from evil dictators. Most notable have been the brutal U.S.-led wars in Libya and Syria which destabilized entire regions in the name of "civilian protection" and "promoting democracy." These operations relied heavily on self-described human rights NGO's and…

RT (2021-02-25). Georgia State House approves bill limiting police budget cuts to NO MORE than 5% as Democrats slam law as unconstitutional. rt.com Georgia lawmakers have passed a bill that would prohibit large cuts to city and county police budgets, handing off the law to the GOP-led Senate as Democrats insist it would violate local autonomy and the state constitution. | The

RT (2021-02-25). Asian-American civil rights group blasts critical race theory as 'hateful, divisive fraud' in fiery letter. rt.com The New York chapter of the oldest US Asian-American civil rights group has denounced critical race theory as actual racism and urged its members to resist, as the Biden administration seeks to mandate CRT-based 'equity'. | CRT "is a hateful, divisive, manipulative fraud," the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) of Greater New York said in a

RT (2021-02-25). No more Mr. Potato Head? Hasbro bombarded with mockery after announcement that famous toy brand is gender neutral now. rt.com Hasbro has announced that their famous Mr. Potato Head toy will soon be rebranded as simply Potato Head to break away from the traditional two genders once offered. | "Culture has evolved," Kimberly Boyd, an SVP and GM at Hasbro, told Fast Company about the change. "Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences. The way the brand currently exists — with the 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.'— is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure." | Since the Mr. and Mrs. Potato head toys have appealed to mainly young children for decades now, this new change will be a way to break down the…

Staff (2021-02-25). Republicans Think Commission to Investigate January 6 Needs More Republicans. truthout.org Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) The commission will be tasked with investigating the events of the at…

2021-02-24: News Headlines

The Socialist Program (2021-02-24). In the News: Capitalism Kills. liberationnews.org On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the COVID death toll in the United States topping 500,000, the winter storm that has left millions without power in zero degree temperatures in Texas, a new independent report that further exposes the police in Aurora Colorado for the brutal murder of Elijah McClain, and more.

RT (2021-02-24). Twitter called out for 'double standards' after it singles out report on UK influence op in Russia with 'hacked materials' label. rt.com Twitter has added a warning to a bombshell expose revealing a covert UK program to plant pro-government narratives in foreign media, telling users the piece may be based on "hacked material," despite letting similar stories slide. | A

MEE staff (2021-02-24). Ahmad Erekat: Killing of Palestinian by Israel was 'extrajudicial execution'. middleeasteye.net Ahmad Erekat: Killing of Palestinian by Israel was 'extrajudicial execution' | New investigation also denounces the lack of medical treatment given to the Palestinian man and the degrading treatment of his body | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 14: 35 | Ahmad Erekat was killed at an Israeli checkpoint on his sister's wedding day last year (Facebook) | The killing of Palestinian Ahmad Erekat at an Israeli checkpoint on his s…

MEE staff (2021-02-24). Israeli watchdog calls out Netanyahu's bid to gain Palestinian support in elections. middleeasteye.net Israeli watchdog calls out Netanyahu's bid to gain Palestinian support in elections | The Prime Minister's Office has been in contact with Palestinian authorities to drum up backing among Palestinian citizens of Israel | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 15: 59 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on a visit to Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, 20 February 2021 (AFP) | An Israeli watchdog on Wednesday called for a cri…

Dan Cohen (2021-02-24). The Empire's Hidden Hand: How The US Established, Sustains and Benefits From Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara. mintpressnews.com Over the decades, the Moroccan settler population expanded while the United States and European Union have illegally exploited the Western Sahara's resources, mining phosphates, fishing in its waters, and in recent years, drilling for oil and gas.

Will Solomon (2021-02-24). Cuomo's Cover-up Will be Most Effectively Weaponized by the Right. counterpunch.org On February 11, news broke that the Cuomo administration intentionally hid data on COVID-related nursing home deaths from the federal government and New York state legislators, ostensibly for fear of a Department of Justice investigation and potential federal prosecution. The revelation was fairly shocking, but hardly out of character. Cuomo's mishandling of the pandemic—coupled with

Michael Otto (2021-02-24). Ecuador elections — The calm before the storm. workers.org Ibarra, Ecuador Feb. 19 — Almost 10 million voters, a record 81% of those eligible, went to the polls Feb. 7, despite the pandemic, to choose among 16 candidates in Ecuador's presidential elections. The two top vote-getters will compete in the April 11 runoff elections. No candidate received enough . . . |

Rajan Menon (2021-02-24). Covid-19 Demonstrated How This Country Fails Its Most Vulnerable: A Field Guide to Our Threadbare Social Safety Net. juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com) — Economic crises shine a spotlight on a society's inequities and hierarchies, as well as its commitment to support those who are most vulnerable in such grievous moments. The calamity created by Covid-19 is no exception. The economic fallout from that pandemic has tested the nation's social safety net as never before. Between …

A Guest Author (2021-02-24). COVID inside: Release prisoners! Lisa Strawn interview, part 2. workers.org The global pandemic has disproportionately impacted incarcerated people in the U.S. In California, during the early days of the pandemic, the transfer of prisoners into San Quentin sparked a massive outbreak of COVID that spread to over two-thirds of the prison population there, causing the death of 27 prisoners, including . . . |

RT (2021-02-24). How do you do, fellow kids? Biden White House leaves followers baffled after tweeting out-of-touch meme with Canadian PM. rt.com The Biden administration has taken a popular meme and mutilated it, leaving what appears to be praise for Canada's Justin Trudeau but which was hard to understand either way. | Biden's White House Twitter account posted two images in a row captioned "How it started. How it's going" on Wednesday. The first showed Biden and Trudeau walking side by side down a hallway lined with flags, apparently from Biden's term as Vice President under Barack Obama. The second featured a large screen on which Trudeau was projected, with Biden turned towards it, seemingly in mid-speech, clearly taken during the pandemic. | How i…

Eds. (2021-02-24). Ice and blood in Texas. mronline.org Avoidable deaths, not avoided.

Peter Koenig (2021-02-24). Identificación del "paquete de vacunas" implantado: El Parlamento de Alemania ha ratificado la "Agenda ID2020" digital de GAVI. globalizacion.ca Noticias alarmantes. En Alemania, el Parlamento (Bundestag) ratificó el 29 de enero de 2021 la implementación de la Agenda ID2020. | Se trata de una recopilación de datos electrónicos generalizados y centralizados de cada ciudadano a la que tendrían acceso todas…

Jackie Fox (2021-02-24). How Capitalism Fails US. realprogressives.org Hello internet, I'm Jackie Fox and I'd like for you to join me in a thought experiment. Imagine an ideal world. What do you see? How do you know it's ideal? If you're anything like me, you're imagining a world without homelessness or hunger, where life expectancy increases along with quality of life, everyone has access to healthcare, the world is healthy and our ecosystem isn't on the verge of collapse. Following the logic of Capitalism though, you'd really just want a strong stock market and around three percent market growth per year; everything else is just icing on the cake. | The problem is that while th…

Beau Peters (2021-02-24). The Ethics of Healthcare Marketing. dissidentvoice.org Spend an evening watching television on any network in pretty much any town in America and you'd probably think that Big Pharma had already created a pill for anything that might ail ya. And, of course, in some ways, that's not entirely wrong. Today we have a world of therapies to extend our lives and …

RT (2021-02-24). Home addresses, social security numbers & sensitive medical data on 500,000 French patients leaked online after hack — reports. rt.com Sensitive medical records on nearly 500,000 patients in France have been stolen in a major cyber attack on dozens of healthcare labs, landing online after an alleged dispute between the hackers, according to media reports. | A file containing names and contact details on 491,840 people has made the rounds online since at least earlier this month, according to French cybersecurity journalist Damien Bancal, who runs the Zataz blog. The data includes home addresses, phone numbers, emails, social security numbers and other sensitive medical information pertaining to medications, pregnancy and diseases such as HIV.

Dean Baker (2021-02-24). The Green New Deal Threatens Republicans' Bread and Butter (It's not Just Competition in the Battle of Ideas). counterpunch.org Naomi Klein has an interesting piece in the New York Times on the implications of the Texas disaster. I would disagree with some parts, which attack the Texas approach to energy as "free market." To my view, this is far too generous. Even Texas' deregulated energy market is still highly regulated. It is possible to

Chauncey K. Robinson (2021-02-24). Biden immigration bill has shortcomings, but shows promise on several fronts. peoplesworld.org The Biden administration has introduced a sweeping new immigration bill that stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump's four years of attacks on undocumented workers and their families. The new bill is being seen by many as a bold step in a better direction, but some immigrant rights activists are pointing out shortcomings in the …

Staff (2021-02-24). Biden Cancels "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Left Waiting. truthout.org One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in,…

Staff (2021-02-24). Biden Canceled Trump's "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Waiting in Squalid Camps. democracynow.org One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in, many thousands are still waiting in dangerous conditions for their chance to cross the border, including in the Matamor…

Staff (2021-02-24). Biden Canceled Trump's "Remain in Mexico" Policy, But Asylum Seekers Still Wait in Squalid Refugee Camps. democracynow.org One of the most controversial Trump-era immigration policies — the so-called Remain in Mexico program, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols — left about 25,000 asylum seekers stranded on the other side of the border while their cases progressed through U.S. courts. President Joe Biden has suspended that program, but immigrant advocates say his administration needs to move more quickly to undo the damage. Although dozens of asylum seekers have been allowed to trickle in, many thousands are still waiting in dangerous conditions for their chance to cross the border, including in the Matamor…

Staff (2021-02-24). Pro-Fossil Fuel Senators Grill Deb Haaland as She Bids to Become First Indigenous Cabinet Secretary. democracynow.org Indigenous communities across the United States are closely following the Senate confirmation hearings of Congressmember Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden's pick to lead the Interior Department, who would become the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary if she is confirmed. Haaland is a tribal citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, and the prospect of an Indigenous person leading the federal department with broad oversight of Native American affairs has galvanized support for her in Indian Country. Several Republican senators have grilled Haaland over her past comments opposing fracking, the Keystone XL oil…

Eds. (2021-02-24). Medical racism has shaped U.S. policies for centuries. mronline.org The link between the 1793 yellow fever epidemic and the coronavirus.

Elizabeth Keyes (2021-02-24). Compartmentalizing Woody Allen … or Not. counterpunch.org I missed the first round of talk about the New York Times' publication of a moving and forthright letter by Woody Allen's adopted daughter, Dylan, regarding his alleged sexual molestation of her over two decades ago. Woody Allen is an American icon as well as a human being capable of all things human, perhaps including

Rosalío Muñoz, Janice Rothstein (2021-02-24). Labor and allies pressure Congress to pass American Rescue Plan. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES—The urgency and historic significance of the American Rescue Plan are being amplified by the gamut of civic and community groups around the country, from labor to civil rights, health care, education, child, senior, unemployed, disability, homeless, and other advocacy groups. Momentum is building for mass public pressure to get the strongest measure passed …

Berry Craig (2021-02-24). Republicans' working class hero re-branding isn't fooling anyone. peoplesworld.org So far, Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Jim Jordan haven't taken up Chris Hayes's challenge. On his show a while back, the MSNBC host laughed out loud when Sen. Cruz—aka The Cancun Kid—Sen. Josh Hawley, and Rep. Jim Jordan claimed the GOP was the born-again blue-collar party. The host of "All in With Chris Hayes" dared the …

United Health Professionals (2021-02-24). Mensaje de Alerta sobre la COVID-19. Profesionales de la Salud Unidos. globalizacion.ca Llamamos la atención de nuestros lectores, este importante comunicado internacional de profesionales de la salud, médicos y científicos, que ha sido enviado a los gobiernos de treinta países. | A continuación se muestra el texto completo que se envió a los…

Ed Rampell (2021-02-24). 'Executive Order': A futuristic 'final solution' to the Brazilian 'race problem' at PAFF. peoplesworld.org Director/co-writer Lázaro Ramos's award-winning Executive Order (Medida Provisória) exemplifies what I love most about the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF): It gives movie buffs the opportunity to see films, often from far-flung destinations around the globe, that we might otherwise never have the chance to watch. Often these are worthy, well-made productions that PAFF is …

John Wojcik (2021-02-24). In plain sight, GOP senators show sabotage is their game. peoplesworld.org Republican senators exposed their true colors at separate Senate hearings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, and those colors are not ones that would typically be shown by anyone interested in "bipartisanship." The nation was treated to the spectacle in hearings on the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol of Senate leaders of that right-wing insurrection …

Ben Slowey (2021-02-24). Milwaukee protesters demand real change from Biden administration. liberationnews.org Around 50 protesters congregated in the cold outside Milwaukee City Hall Feb. 16 to make their demands heard, as President Joe Biden arrived for a town hall conversation with CNN.

MBNJSD (2021-02-24). What Planet Is NATO Living On? dissidentvoice.org NATO headquarters in Brussels (Photo: NATO) The February meeting of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Defense Ministers, the first since President Biden took power, revealed an antiquated, 75-year-old alliance that, despite its military failures in Afghanistan and Libya, is now turning its military madness toward two more formidable, nuclear-armed enemies: Russia and China. This theme …

Editor (2021-02-24). FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE. workers.org Join us Saturday, March 6, from 2-4 p.m. EST, for a Global Virtual Street Meeting for Mumia Abu-Jamal: FREEDOM HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE. Join organizers, artists, supporters and educators as they shine a light on the important history of this international movement to #FreeMumia along with a summary . . . |

Royal Thomas II (2021-02-24). Rush Limbaugh and the rise of the far right. liberationnews.org Photo: Rush Limbaugh and Donald Trump speaking at a 2019 event hosted by Turning Point USA. Credit — Gage Skidmore After more than three decades assaulting airwaves and television screens with his vicious right-wing rhetoric, Rush Limbaugh, the bigoted and imperialist radio personality, died last week from a year-long battle with lung cancer. With his …

Pam Martens, Russ Martens (2021-02-24). GameStop Hearing Exposes a Sick Business Model Destined to Exacerbate Wealth Inequality in America. counterpunch.org The most striking revelations in yesterday's House Financial Services Committee hearing on the wild trading action in New York Stock Exchange-listed shares of GameStop came when Congresswoman Cindy Axne of Iowa questioned Vlad Tenev, the CEO of Robinhood, the trading app being increasingly used by young people to trade stocks and options on their mobile

W. Alphaeus Hunton (2021-02-24). Harlem's 1946 fight against South African starvation foreshadowed anti-apartheid struggle. peoplesworld.org People's World is happy to reprint below an article from the Jan. 3, 1946 issue of the Daily Worker by W. Alphaeus Hunton, then the educational director of the Council on African Affairs (CAA). Hunton, considered "one of the most neglected African-American intellectuals" in U.S. history, partly due to his membership in the Communist Party …

Mirinda Crissman (2021-02-24). Texas freeze — Rich get richer, workers suffer. workers.org Houston An unprecedented winter storm hit Texas Feb. 15, bringing subfreezing temperatures. One week later, huge sections of the population are still without power, heat and/or water. Houston skyline glows, while millions suffer subfreezing temperatures without heat or water amidst preventable power outages, Feb. 15 Across major cities — such . . . |

David Rosen (2021-02-24). Confronting the Digital Divide: New York City vs. Verizon. counterpunch.org The United States is a divided nation, one expressed in all-too-many ways as evident by the 2020 presidential election and the failed January 6th insurrection. Unfortunately, one of its most telling expressions is the digital divide, in which more well-to-do urban and suburban locals get superior if over-priced telecom services while whole swaths of urban

Marlanna Bullock (2021-02-24). Tri-Cities, WA's Katie Barton: 'She wanted to see equal rights for the community, not just herself'. liberationnews.org This article is part of Liberation's commemoration of Black History Month, 2021. T…

Frank Lara (2021-02-24). San Francisco teachers struggle for a safe reopening. liberationnews.org The following was a presentation at the Feb. 20, 2021, Reds in Ed webinar. Afternoon fellow educators, my name is Frank Lara and I am a public-school teacher of 10 years in San Francisco's historic Mission District. I am also on the Executive Board of our union, the United Educators of San Francisco, a 6,500-member …

Liaquat Ali Khan (2021-02-24). First English, Then American, and Now Muslim Francophobia. counterpunch.org Francophobia has been a persistent part of French history, transmitted and modulated through several centuries. 17thcentury England constructed the first significant layer of Francophobia. The Americans may have borrowed Francophobia from England and then developed its version in the 20th century. In the 21st century, the Muslim world has begun to manufacture its variety of

Eds. (2021-02-24). Does the West repeating claims of China committing genocide in Xinjiang reify it? mronline.org The Jewish Virtual Library quotes Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels as having said: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

The Conversation (2021-02-24). Saving the Planet: Why a net-zero future depends on the ocean's ability to absorb carbon. juancole.com By Anya M. Waite, Brad deYoung, Chris Milley, and Ian G. Stewart | — Most of us growing up along Canada's East Coast never worried about hurricane season. Except for those working at sea, we viewed hurricanes as extreme events in remote tropical regions, seen only through blurred footage of flailing palm trees on the …

Mike Walter (2021-02-24). The Heat: Afghanistan-What's next? america.cgtn.com The war in Afghanistan rages on as a major deadline looms for U.S. forces to leave the country.

Staff (2021-02-24). Romney Says Trump Will Be GOP Nominee If He Runs in 2024. truthout.org Speaking about the future of the Republican Party on Tuesday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said it's very likely that former President Donald Trump would win the nomination for president if he decided to run again in 2024. | "I don't know if he'll run in 2024 or not, but if he does, I'm pretty sure he will win the nomination," Romney said Romney also acknowledged that "a lot can happen between now…

Staff (2021-02-24). In What Universe Is a $15 Wage "Too High"? Joe Manchin's. truthout.org Economic justice organizers may soon triumph in their fight for a $15 minimum wage. Thanks to their years of effort, President Biden (and every Democratic contender during the primary debates) vowed to hike the minimum wage to $15 an hour. In keeping with that promise, Biden attached a wage bill to his $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. | Although Republicans and their political allies are firmly opposed to the measure, the Senate could approve it. But Democratic holdouts like West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin could do…

Staff (2021-02-24). Cori Bush Grills Postmaster DeJoy About USPS's Board of "Millionaire White Boys" truthout.org During Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) noted that, despite the fact that people of color make up a sizeable share of United States Postal Service (USPS) employees,…

Staff (2021-02-24). Calls Rise for Louis DeJoy's Removal and for Major Postal Reforms. truthout.org On Wednesday, February 24, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a

Staff (2021-02-24). Texas Power Grid Deregulation Cost Texans $28 Billion Over Two Decades. truthout.org Republican Texas lawmakers often tout their state leadership's contempt and recalcitrance toward the federal government as a point of pride. But a new analysis by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has found that the deregulation and monopolization of the Texas energy market cost Texas residents $28 billion more than they would have paid under a traditional utility. | When Texas changed from fully regulated power generation to the largely deregulated system that's in place today, it began requiring almos…

Media Lens (2021-02-24). 20 Years Of Media Lens: A Selection Of Remarkable Replies From Journalists. dissidentvoice.org The Insiders In a 2002 interview with the Observer, the BBC's John Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE of Kabul, to give him his full name and title, was asked to define the 'essential qualities' of a journalist. Simpson responded with typical left-field quirkiness: There's something slightly wrong with most of us, don't you feel? We're damaged goods, …

CP Editor (2021-02-24). Fossil Fuel Shock Doctrine. counterpunch.org

Yossi Melman (2021-02-24). Israel is worried about the Palestinian elections. It believes Abbas is too. middleeasteye.net Israel is worried about the Palestinian elections. It believes Abbas is too | The Israeli security services have no wish to rock the boat, but they have few measures to influence the upcoming polls | Wed, 02/24/2021 – 14: 17 | An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters) | From the perspective of the Israeli security establishment, it would ha…