2021-01-22: News Headlines

Binoy Kampmark (2021-01-22). Sunk before Service: Australia's Disastrous Submarine Project. dissidentvoice.org One only gets into the submarine procurement business to spite government treasurers and economic managers. Efficiency and effectuality are bonus additions, but hardly necessary. Witness the evolving disaster that is Australia's SEA 1000 Future Submarine program, won by France's DCNS, now Naval Group, in 2016. From the start, this seemed an audaciously peculiar choice. Australia …

Richard Sanders (2021-01-22). Defunding the Myths and Cults of Cold War Canada. dissidentvoice.org For decades the Canadian government has been supporting East European émigré associations whose much-revered founders, leaders and war heroes include veterans of Waffen SS divisions and other fascist military formations, perpetrators of the Holocaust and other ethnic-cleansing campaigns, officials from and apologists for Nazi puppet regimes, postwar CIA propaganda assets, proponents of Cold War terrorist …

sputniknews (2021-01-22). Hungary, Russia Sign Agreement on Sputnik V Coronavirus Vaccine Deliveries, Foreign Minister Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Hungary and Russia have signed an agreement on Russia's coronavirus vaccine deliveries, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Friday.

Tom Clifford (2021-01-22). US President Biden: How to Deal With China. globalresearch.ca The lexicon has changed. Words and phrases that seemed to define our world until quite recently now belong to a bygone era. Remember BRICs? The grouping of the next economic superpowers. Well, Brazil, Russia, India and China now resemble a …

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-21). Sweden Doesn't Need to Join NATO to be a Security Threat to Russia. globalresearch.ca Sweden's growing ties with NATO over the past half-dozen years make many observers wonder whether the Nordic country will soon join the transatlantic bloc, but it actually doesn't even have to do so formally since it's already a de facto …

RT (2021-01-21). 'With lives at stake, politics must be forgotten': Sputnik V sponsor warns demonizing Russian vaccine distracts from saving people. rt.com Saving human lives amid the raging global pandemic is much more important than following political considerations, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund that sponsored Sputnik V vaccine development, told RT. | "We are strongly against the politicization of the vaccine," said Dmitriev, adding that when it comes to health and the very life of many people, "one should forget about politics or any attempts to 'contain' Russia." | In its international dealings related to Russia's pioneering Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, RDIF is simply guided by the principle of helping those in need and is ready…

RT (2021-01-21). France has become 'a nation of 66 million prosecutors,' says Macron, rejecting criticism of government's pandemic response. rt.com French President Emmanuel Macron has defended his government and its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that he laments France's "incessant hunt for errors," adding that such criticism is counterproductive during a crisis. | Speaking on Thursday, Macron took a swipe at his critics, saying France had become "a nation of 66 million prosecutors" constantly on the lookout for mistakes and government failings during the pandemic. | "And I say this because what goes with French mistrust is also this kind of incessant hunt for error. That is to say, we have become a nation of 66 million prosecutors. It is not…

RT (2021-01-21). Lockdown extended in Portugal with schools to close for 15 days amid record spike in Covid-19 deaths. rt.com Portugal is to shut all schools and universities from Friday, its prime minister has said, as the more transmissible strain of Covid-19 first detected in the UK takes hold, putting the health service under enormous pressure. | Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced the new emergency measures in Lisbon on Thursday as coronavirus cases soared, pushing Portugal's national health system (SNS) to the verge of collapse. | Health officials announced a new record daily death toll for the country on Thursday, reporting 221 fatalities, along with a further 14,647 new cases — up from 10,455 the day before. To date,…

RT (2021-01-21). 'Very high risk': ECDC urges tougher Covid-19 measures amid mutant strains from UK, Brazil, and South Africa. rt.com The Covid-19 strains from the UK, Brazil and South Africa pose a very high risk due to their increased transmissibility and must be stamped out with tougher health measures, the EU's infectious diseases agency has said. | The transmissibility of the three variants will likely push infection rates higher, leading to more hospitalizations and "death rates across all age groups," the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a statement on Thursday. | "The overall risk associated with the introduction and community spread of variants of concern is therefore assessed as being high/very high…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-21). French students protest government apathy in education sector. peoplesdispatch.org On January 20, thousands of university students marched in the major cities of France demanding concrete actions from the government to help the students who are in distress due to COVID-19 restrictions.

MEE staff (2021-01-21). HRW demands probe into French air strike in central Mali. middleeasteye.net HRW demands probe into French air strike in central Mali | Residents say about 20 civilians were killed when air strike targeted village during segregated wedding party | Thu, 01/21/2021 – 22: 51 | French military said fighter jet had struck jihadist group at location north of village, killing several dozen combatants (AFP) | Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged France and Mali to "promptly and impartially" investig…

Ragip Soylu (2021-01-21). Refusal to retry Turkish MP triggers second ruling by high court. middleeasteye.net Refusal to retry Turkish MP triggers second ruling by high court | Lower courts continue to dismiss the rulings of higher courts in politically sensitive cases, such as the imprisonment of former MP Enis Berberoglu | Thu, 01/21/2021 – 10: 31 | Enis Berberoglu, a former MP from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leaves after taking his oath at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Oct…

Adlène Meddi (2021-01-21). France vows 'symbolic actions' but no apologies for colonisation of Algeria. middleeasteye.net France vows 'symbolic actions' but no apologies for colonisation of Algeria | While a new French report highlights moves to reconcile Paris and Algiers on 132 violent years of colonisation, some thorny issues remain | Thu, 01/21/2021 – 16: 15 | Algerians arrested during a French military operation on 21 April 1956, during the war of independence, in Algeria's Tablat and Bir Rabalou region (AFP)

Yasmina Allouche (2021-01-21). Mesut Ozil: How the politicised playmaker is already causing a stir in Turkey. middleeasteye.net Mesut Ozil: How the politicised playmaker is already causing a stir in Turkey | Fans and politicians alike have made Ozil's arrival "home" to join Fenerbahce a sporting and political spectacle | Thu, 01/21/2021 – 13: 32 | No stranger to controversy, the German playmaker has seen the last four years of his career marred by controversies for his actions and words off the pitch. (AFP) | "I ha…

Schiff Gold (2021-01-21). European Central Bank Takes Bond Market Manipulation to the Next Level. anti-empire.com Peter Schiff According to

RT (2021-01-21). In non-binding resolution, EU parliament calls for new anti-Russia sanctions that would stop Nord Stream 2 over Navalny's arrest. rt.com An EU parliament resolution, backed by 581 MEPs out of 675 present, directs members to ramp up sanctions against Russia to stop the Nord Stream 2 project "once and for all," linking it to opposition figure Alexey Navalny's arrest. | The EU member states should take "an active stance" on Navalny's 30-day arrest in Russia. This is according to a non-binding

RT (2021-01-21). In non-binding resolution, EU parliament calls for new anti-Russia sanctions in attempt to stop Nord Stream 2 over Navalny arrest. rt.com An EU parliament resolution, backed by 581 MEPs out of 675 present, has directed its member states to ramp up sanctions against Russia to stop the Nord Stream 2 project "once and for all," linking it to Alexey Navalny's arrest. | The EU member states should take "an active stance" on the opposition figure's 30-day arrest in Russia. This is according to a non-binding

RT (2021-01-21). Politicians among 48 arrested in huge Italian bust on 'Ndrangheta mafia, hundreds of millions in cash seized. rt.com Anti-mafia police carried out sweeping early-morning raids against Italy's most powerful mafia, the 'Ndrangheta, on Thursday, arresting 48 people and placing the leader of a political party under investigation. | Officers from the Direzione Investigativa AntiMafia (DIA) immediately jailed 13 people, while 35 were placed under house arrest, with multiple politicians, low-level mob bosses and businessmen among those detained, according to local media. | The crackdown on the organized crime syndicate, based in Calabria, southern Italy, primarily targeted the economic arm of its operations, which prosecutors said…

IMEMC & Agencies (2021-01-21). Major Victory for BDS Movement in Spanish Court Ruling. imemc.org The Electronic Intifada Activists in Spain are celebrating a big legal win against Israel lobby efforts to punish support for Palestinian rights. Their victory also exposes a lie that European Union officials are spreading to discredit BDS — the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. On 11 January a court in Valencia dismissed a criminal complaint …

Jordan Elgrably (2021-01-21). Forgetting in the land of poets and bones: Spain's 'Desmemoria'. peoplesworld.org I've long wondered what might have been the final thoughts of Federico García Lorca in the moments before Franco's mercenaries murdered him in his pajamas, in cold blood. No poet characterizes 20th-century Spain for me more than Lorca, who lost his life near the start of that country's civil war in 1936. Did he perhaps …

Whitney Webb (2021-01-21). Another Mega Group Spy Scandal? Samanage, Sabotage, and the SolarWinds Hack. thelastamericanvagabond.com The devastating hack on SolarWinds was quickly pinned on Russia by US intelligence. A more likely culprit, Samanage, a company whose software was integrated into SolarWinds' software just as the "back door" was inserted, is deeply tied to Israeli intelligence and intelligence-linked families such as the Maxwells. In mid-December of 2020, a massive hack compromised

Philip A Farruggio (2021-01-21). Democracy USA? Biden's Neoliberal "Far Left Wing Agenda" globalresearch.ca You look at what they call 'The Industrialized world' and you can get a feel for how they run their democracies. Canada, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and Scotland, to name a few, all have at least FIVE viable …

oneworld.press (2021-01-21). The Downfall of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. oneworld.press Mark Rutte (right), former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, defending ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Halbe Zijlstra (left) who lied about his visit to the dacha of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2021-01-21). Russia's Financial Strategy for Africa. globalresearch.ca In order to raise its geopolitical influence, Russia has been making efforts identifying mega infrastructure projects such as nuclear power and energy, natural resources exploration and talks consistently about increasing trade with Africa. On the other hand, Russia primarily needs …

_____ (2021-01-21). How use of drones to secure borders threatens all our rights. truepublica.org.uk A new report published by Drone Wars UK investigates the increasing use of military-style drones by governments to patrol state borders. The study, which examines the use of drones at the borders of the UK, EU, US, Russia, China, Australia and elsewhere, concludes that drones are contributing to the militarisation of everyday borders as part …

Michael Day (2021-01-20). Italian Doctors Sanctioned for Raising Questions About COVID Vaccine. anti-empire.com An Italian doctors association has warned or disciplined 10 medics for promoting anti-vaccination propaganda and is considering sanctions against three others who are accused of downplaying the gravity of covid-19. | This comes amid growing concern that public scepticism over covid-19 vaccines could undermine Europe's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. | Antonio Magi, president of the Ordine dei Medici di Roma (Rome Doctors Guild), said that inquiries into 10 medics accused of unwarranted criticism of vaccinations had been completed, with punishments ranging from warnings to two month suspensions. The other…

South Front (2021-01-20). Video: Iran Expands Its Presence in Syria, Deploys Intel Signals System Near Border with Jordan and Israel. globalresearch.ca The situation in Syria's Idlib appears to be, once again, on the brink of escalation, with the US preoccupied with what's happening at home, and Turkey attempting to push towards Ain Issa, while being targeted by its own proxies. | The …

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2021-01-20). U.S. makes aggressive opening move on Russian chessboard. mronline.org A regime change project in Russia was launched on Sunday with the return of political activist Alexei Navalny to Moscow. It was a highly symbolic event—except that Navalny was traveling by an airplane from Germany and not in a sealed train.

The Guardian (2021-01-20). Parler Back Online Thanks to Servers in Russia. anti-empire.com Parler, the social network popular with The network vanished from the internet after it was

Steve Douglas (2021-01-20). Jim Thorpe's 1912 golds still resonate, amaze. peoplesworld.org STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — It has been described as the first major international sports scandal, and still resonates more than a century later. Jim Thorpe, a Native American who seemed to excel at every sport he tried, was seen as one of the world's top athletes after winning gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon …

WSWS (2021-01-20). Disney's Soul in Denmark: New York Times disapproves of a white actor dubbing a black actor's voice. wsws.org The Times is unceasing in its campaign to racialize every important aspect of life in the US and globally, encouraging divisions in the population along ethnic lines and facilitating the growth of the far right.

John Cannon (2021-01-20). Protesters Hold Back Military Takeover of Balkans' Largest Mountain Pasture. globalresearch.ca Montenegro's military — and maybe NATO — want the Sinjajevina Highlands for maneuvers; traditional herding communities want these biodiverse alpine pasturelands conserved. | *** | Mileva "Gara" Jovanoviƒá's family has been taking cattle up to graze in Montenegro's Sinjajevina Highlands for more …

Scott Ritter (2021-01-20). The US has a broken political system & is about to be usurped by China — what Europeans really think about America is telling. thealtworld.com A new survey of citizens of 11 countries suggests that Joe Biden faces an almost impossible task …

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2021-01-19). US Makes Aggressive Opening Move on Russian Chessboard. globalresearch.ca A regime change project in Russia was launched on Sunday with the return of political activist Alexei Navalny to Moscow. It was a highly symbolic event — except that Navalny was travelling by an aeroplane from Germany and not in …

Ragip Soylu (2021-01-19). Turkey hits Twitter and Pinterest with ad ban for resisting new social media law. middleeasteye.net Turkey hits Twitter and Pinterest with ad ban for resisting new social media law | Twitter and Pinterest have yet to assign a legal representative in Turkey, leading ministers to warn of 'digital fascism' | Tue, 01/19/2021 – 11: 29 | Twitter risks having its bandwidth reduced in Turkey, under regulations introduced last year (AFP) | Turkey has imposed an advertisement ban on social media giants Twitter a…

Om Marathe (2021-01-19). Russia Withdraws From Open Skies Treaty After US Departure. anti-empire.com In what experts fear could lead to growing mistrust between global powers, Russia on Friday announced that it was leaving the Open Skies Treaty (OST), an accord between over 30 countries that allows participants to fly unarmed reconnaissance flights over any part of their fellow member states. | In November, the United States left the OST first after accusing Russia of violating the pact— allegations that Russia denied. Moscow has now blamed Washington for its own decision of leaving the treaty. | What is the Open Skies Treaty?: | First proposed in 1955 by former US President Dwight Eisenhower as a…

Ali Salam (2021-01-19). Israeli Settlement Expansion Condemned by PA, EU and Numerous Countries. imemc.org In response to Israel's announcement that they have approved an additional 780 colonial settlement units, a number of countries have issued statements condemning the move. They include the UK, Egypt, Ireland, Jordan, the European Union (EU) and the Palestinian Authority (PA). A spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, stated that it is clear …

Stephen Lendman (2021-01-19). Rolling Out The Dystopian Nightmare: World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Agenda. globalresearch.ca Founded in 1971, the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. | It brings together top business and political leaders, along with likeminded pro-New World Order economists and pseudo-journalists. | Calling itself "an independent international organization committed to improving …

Paul Craig Roberts (2021-01-19). America's First Revolution Is Happening Now. thealtworld.com Hear me out and you will understand the title. | There is a difference between a rebellion and a revolution. A rebellion is what occurred in the thirteen colonies in the late 18th century. A revolution is what occurred in Russia in 1917. | A rebellion occurred in the colonies, because the subjects of the king in the colonies were treated differently constitutionally and in law from subjects of the king in England. The colonists had no representation in Parliament and no voice in how they were ruled. | The rebellion resulted in political independence but not in a change in the belief system. The colonists held to…

sputniknews (2021-01-19). Lloyd Austin Says Will Review US Force Presence in Mideast to Address Russia, China Challenges. sputniknews.com The confirmation hearing for Gen. Lloyd Auston, President-elect Joe Biden's pick to head the Pentagon, took place before the Senate Armed Services Committee on January 19, one day before Biden's inauguration.

sputniknews (2021-01-19). US Defense Chief Nominee Claims Russia Should Be Held Accountable for Recent Cyber Attack. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, January 20 (Sputnik) – US Defense Secretary nominee Gen. Lloyd Austin said during a Senate confirmation hearing that Russia should be held responsible if found to be the culprit behind the recent cyber attack against the IT company SolarWinds.