Monthly Archives: January 2021

2021-01-27: News Headlines

Online News Editor (2021-01-28). EU: Lack of clarity on AstraZeneca vaccine but constructive talks with firm. laprensalatina.com (Update: changes headline; re-ledes with results of meeting between Kyriakides, AstraZeneca CEO; adds details) Brussels, Jan 27 (efe-epa).- The European Commission on Wednesday lamented the "lack of clarity" from AstraZeneca after "constructive" talks between the company's CEO and the European Union's commissioner for Health and Food Safety on when the EU can expect delivery of …

Kenny Stancil (2021-01-27). Kerry touts climate diplomacy, EU says end dirty energy subsidies. peoplesworld.org While President Joe Biden's top climate envoy John Kerry told world leaders at a virtual climate summit that the U.S. will fulfill its commitment to provide financial support to developing countries as they grapple with the deadly consequences of a warming planet, campaigners are urging the U.S. to follow the lead of European Union officials who on …

People's Voice (2021-01-27). Philippines' Duterte plans to take anti-communist campaign global. peoplesworld.org TORONTO—Progressive Filipino organizations in North America and Europe are warning that the government of Rodrigo Duterte is preparing to export its deadly campaign against left-wing activists to those regions. Duterte's "National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict" (NTF-ELCAC) was formed in December 2018 to implement what he calls a "whole nation approach" for …

Jerry Goldberg (2021-01-27). Biden's 'Buy American' plan deceives workers, lets companies off the hook for layoffs. liberationnews.org A remarkable event occurred on Jan. 4. Chrysler, for many years one of the "Big Three" U.S. automakers along with General Motors and Ford, ceased to exist as a corporation. Chrysler, which had already become Fiat-Chrysler after its partnership with Fiat of Italy several years ago, was taken over by PSA, the French maker of …

RT (2021-01-27). Norway to SHUT BORDERS to all except essential travelers to halt spread of Covid-19 variants, PM says. rt.com All foreign arrivals apart from travelers on essential journeys will be banned from entering Norway as of midnight on Friday, in an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19 variants, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Wednesday. | "In practice, the border will be closed to anyone not living in Norway," Solberg told a news conference. She also promised that border controls, virus testing and quarantining would be more strictly enforced. | The few exceptions to the travel shutdown include Swedish and Finnish workers in the Norwegian health service, as well as those in key sectors such as haulage. | However most…

RT (2021-01-27). Moscow issues hefty fines to US state-run media RFERL for failure to declare 'foreign agent' status on material aimed at Russians. rt.com Russia's national media watchdog has slapped a media outlet funded and controlled by the US Government with a large fine, after it was found to have failed to declare its links with Washington to audiences, as required by law. | Roskomnadzor, the country's press regulator,

Dan Cohen (2021-01-27). How a US-Backed Coup in Serbia Inspired the DC Insurrection. mintpressnews.com A MintPress News investigation reveals that the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol drew inspiration from the 2000 overthrow of Serbian president Slobodan Milošević and a conspiratorially-minded Serbian scientist who issued calls for violence.

Dove of Peace (2021-01-27). End of Anti-Russian Electioneering; Palestinian Funding Restored. indybay.org One week after the Inauguration, Pres. Biden called Pres. Putin to extend the START nuclear arms control treaty, due to expire 2/5/21. Pres. Biden's administration also announced restoration of relations with Palestine and aid to Palestinians.

The Canary (2021-01-27). UK's handling of pandemic labelled 'system failure' by public health expert. thecanary.co There was a "system failure" in the UK's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, a public health expert has said.Professor Linda Bauld said the UK was underprepared for a virus like Covid-19, and Europe failed to learn from how south-east Asian countries responded to the pandemic.She said some of the decisions made in the UK "directly contributed" to the second wave, as she described the failure to ramp up contact tracing in March as a "fundamental mistake".Prof Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, was speaking after the number of UK coronavirus deaths passed 100,000. | She told BBC Rad…

_____ (2021-01-27). The Liberation of Auschwitz. strategic-culture.org Seven Facts and Figures About WWII You Need to Know | On January 27, 1945, Red Army soldiers liberated the notorious Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. It was during the Vistula-Oder Offensive which drove the Nazis out of Poland paving the way for the eventual final victorious battle in Berlin some three months later. | (Click the image to enlarge)…

A Guest Author (2021-01-27). BlackRock capital finance works with Republicans and Democrats. workers.org By Werner Ràºgemer The writer is an author and political activist living in Cologne, Germany. Translation: John Catalinotto No sooner was it clear that Joe Biden had won the U.S. presidential election, than he brought Brian Deese on board: Head of the department for global sustainable investing at the . . . |

RT (2021-01-27). After agreeing New START extension, Moscow warns treaty may not last long if US attempts to 'undermine Russia's national security'. rt.com A day after Moscow and Washington agreed on a long-awaited extension to the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, a senior Russian diplomat has warned that the deal may not hold up if the US acts improperly. | Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned Washington against any "destructive action" or attempts to "undermine Russia's national security," noting that it could lead to Moscow deciding on "withdrawal from the treaty." | "All stipulations, all statements, all elements [about the right to withdraw] from the 2011 ratification remain in force," Ryabkov said. On W…

RT (2021-01-27). UEFA boss Ceferin 'optimistic' that European Championships will still be held in 12 cities despite Covid-19 concerns. rt.com UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has doubled down on the original plans for last summer's postponed European Championships, saying that the tournament is vital in padding the coffers of football's various governing bodies. | European football's premier international tournament was slated to take place last summer in 12 European countries, the first time that the tournament was to be held in a continent-wide capacity. However, the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic laid waste to most major sport across the globe and prompted UEFA to reschedule to this coming summer. | The plight of the virus is still being…

Staff (2021-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2021. democracynow.org Biden Ramps Up Vaccine Rollout as World Tops 100 Million COVID Cases, U.S. Records Deadliest Month, U.K. Tops 100,000 Deaths as European Nations Move Toward Requiring Medical-Grade Masks, COVID Curfew Riots Rock Dutch Cities; Canadian Mogul Fined for Receiving Vaccine Meant for Indigenous Group, 45 Senate Republicans Back Dismissal of Trump Impeachment Trial, Biden Orders DOJ to End Contracts with Private Prisons, HUD to End Discrimination in Housing, Biden Issuing Orders Promoting Environmental Justice, Combating Climate Crisis, U.S. Judge Blocks Biden Deportation Moratorium While Texas Challenge Is Reviewed, U.

Stephen Lendman (2021-01-27). Saving the New START Arms Control Agreement between the US and Russia. globalresearch.ca The last remaining arms control agreement between Russia and the US expires on February 5 unless extended at the 11th hour. | Hardline Trump regime's arms control negotiator Marshall Billingslea rejected Vladimir Putin's good faith offer to extend it for another …

Stephen Lendman (2021-01-27). No Likely Change in US Dirty Business as Usual. Pro-Navalny Protests in Russia. globalresearch.ca Straightaway after replacing Trump by election theft, the illegitimately installed Biden/Harris regime targeted Russia, China, and domestic freedoms — the latter by inventing a domestic terrorist threat that doesn't exist except when state-sponsored. | It's an ominous sign for what's likely …

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Turkey looks to be developer of next-gen technologies. yenisafak.com Turkey is looking to be the developer of cutting-edge technologies, not just a market, the country's industry and technology minister said on Wednesday."Our target is clear: to be one of the leading countries of the Fourth Industrial Revolution as a developer, not the market, of next-generation technologies," Mustafa Varank told a virtual conference held by the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD).Noting that the coronavirus outbreak triggered a digital transformation in various sectors, from industry to health, Varank said: "Throughout the pandemic, we showed an exemplary performance in the digita…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Erdogan says Islamophobia, xenophobia must stop. yenisafak.com The world should step up to say "stop" to Islamophobia and xenophobia which have multiplied in recent years through the use of digital platforms, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.His remarks came in a video message released on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day."The International community should take action so that tragedies such as the Holocaust, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Cambodia do not recur," he said.Erdogan said that humanity is going through a difficult period, adding that the "racism virus" has become increasingly widespread along with the pandemic.He underlined th…

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Vaccine War! EU Demands AstraZeneca Hand Over 75m UK-Made COVID-19 Jabs. sputniknews.com The UK's coronavirus vaccination programme is five times more advanced than the EU's, with 10 per cent of the British population inoculated versus just two per cent across the 27-member bloc. the European Commission's response has been to restrict exports of jabs to non-EU countries.

Online News Editor (2021-01-27). Portugal health system struggling as daily Covid deaths hit 293. laprensalatina.com Lisbon, Jan 27 (efe-epa).- Portugal is reaching its maximum hospital capacity as health authorities on Wednesday recorded a new record number of 293 deaths in a single day and dozens had to be transferred from hospitals as oxygen systems failed to match demand. The current wave of Covid-19 in the Atlantic nation, which weathered the …

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-27). Russian-American Relations Under Biden: More of the Same Except for One Thing. globalresearch.ca Russian-American relations will remain just as bad under Biden as they were under Trump except for the 46th President's desire to extend the New START for another five years as part of an implied nuclear detente with Moscow after his …

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Russian bank in talks with Iran to boost currency exchanges. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Referring to the growth of Iran-Russia trade relations despite the sanctions, the head of the Russian Embassy's Trade Representation said a Russian bank was in Tehran last week to expand monetary exchanges with the country.

Online News Editor (2021-01-27). EU says AstraZeneca has 'moral' obligation to fulfil vaccine order. laprensalatina.com Brussels, Jan 27 (efe-epa).- The European Union on Wednesday said AstraZeneca had a moral obligation to fulfill its vaccine order as a spat over delivery shortages continued amid conflicting reports as to whether a meeting to discuss the shortfall was to go ahead or not. Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for health and food safety, said: …

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Sweden Suspends Payments to Pfizer Over Vaccine Dosage Uncertainty. sputniknews.com While each vial was to initially contain five doses of the vaccine, the medical giant started to charge its client countries more after the European Medicines Agency announced that a sixth dose can be extracted with the correct type of needle.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Lavrov suggests Mideast ministerial peace conference. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has backed a Palestinian proposal for a Middle East peace conference which can be held in the upcoming months.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). 146 suspects of collaborating with ISIL arrested in Turkey. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) — Turkish security forces arrested 146 suspects of collaborating with ISIL members during a counter-terrorism operation across the country.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Eurasia has high capacity to export Iran's building materials. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Chairman of Iran-Kazakhstan Joint Chamber of Commerce said that Eurasia enjoys high capacity and potential for exporting Iranian construction materials.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Russia ready to export Iran's extra enriched uranium: Ryabkov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister voiced Moscow's readiness to export Iran's surplus enriched uranium if the United States returns to the Nuclear Deal.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Tehran terms Armenia's territorial integrity as a red line. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the territorial integrity of Armenia is the red line of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Zarif stresses respecting intl. law, minorities rights. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — In his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister, Iranian Foreign Minister stressed respecting international law, the rights of minorities and territorial integrity.

Mehr News Agency (2021-01-27). Zarif describes talks with Armenian officials as productive. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister described the recent talks with Armenian officials as productive and noted that both sides conferred on the expansion of bilateral relations on Wednesday.

Online News Editor (2021-01-27). Remembering the Holocaust with Italy's stumbling stones. laprensalatina.com Rome, Jan 27 (efe-epa).- "Here lived Fortunata Perugia, born in 1881, arrested on 2.2.1944. Deported to Auschwitz. Murdered on 23.5.1944." This is the message engraved onto one of the latest stumbling blocks to be laid in Rome on the lead up to International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Wednesday. The golden-topped cobbles, like this one in …

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Turkey issues arrest warrants for 3 ex-generals under terror probe. yenisafak.com Turkish prosecutors on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for four suspects, including three former brigadiers, over alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.Authorities in the capital Ankara launched the investigation after being notified by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) on three retired brigadier generals and a "covert imam" thought to be affiliated to FETO, according to a statement by the prosecutors' office.The suspects had been in contact with other members of the armed terror group via payphones and other means in Ankara and…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Top Turkish, Azerbaijani diplomats talk pirate attack. yenisafak.com Turkey and Azerbaijan's top diplomats spoke on the phone Wednesday, in a conversation focused on last weekend's pirate attack in which 15 Turkish sailors were kidnapped and one Azerbaijani sailor was killed.Speaking to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov expressed thanks for Turkey bringing home the body of the sailor, slain in the Gulf of Guinea attack last Saturday.The two also addressed recent developments in the region during their conversation, according to diplomatic sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.The body of…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Collection of priceless Roman coins unearthed in Turkey. yenisafak.com Over 650 priceless Roman-era coins have been unearthed in an ancient city in western Turkey, researchers said Wednesday."These 651 silver coins, from the era of the Emperor Augustus, constitute a very special and unique collection," Elif Ozer, senior archaeologist supervising the dig in the ancient city of Aizanoi, told Anadolu Agency.The coins were found in an ancient jug, said Ozer, a professor at Pamukkale University.A Turkish team took over the excavations in 2011 in Aizanoi, located in the Kutahya province, a settlement which draws comparisons to the famed ancient city of Ephesus, she added.Aizanoi also boas…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Extension of START 'step in right direction': Putin. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday said the extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between Russia and the US is a "step in the right direction."He told the World Economic Forum's virtual Davos Agenda 2021 that he had a phone call with newly elected US President Joe Biden, adding: "[START's extension] is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Still, disagreements continue to intensify. As we all know, the inability to resolve such disagreements triggered a catastrophic Second World War in the 20th century."The Biden administration earlier said Washington wants a five-year extensio…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). 'Turkey, EU have new window of opportunity for talks'. yenisafak.com After a turbulent 2020, Turkey and the EU now have "a window of opportunity for renewed dialogue," Turkey's top diplomat said on Wednesday."We believe a genuine Turkey-EU partnership can bring about real changes in vital areas, including migration, trade, energy, security, and defense, as well as Syria, Libya, the Balkans, Caucasus, and other issues," Mevlut Cavusoglu told an online meeting with his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok during the 8th bilateral Wittenburg Conference.Cavusoglu said the past year had been a difficult one that "tested our relations with Europe."However, he said the EU "extended a hand to Turk…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Turkey to bolster Afghanistan's transportation system. yenisafak.com Turkey and Afghanistan will sign a memorandum of understanding on Thursday for cooperation in research and development activities in the fields of motorways, railways and aviation, an official said.Turkey's Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said in a statement after a meeting on Wednesday with his Afghan counterpart Kudretullah Zeki that Ankara will support infrastructure projects in the war-torn country."We are willing to undertake the necessary procedures to increase the possibility of rail transport between our countries and to create new cooperation opportunities," Karaismailoglu said.He added: "We are d…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Erdogan announces upcoming reform packages for Turkish parliament. yenisafak.com Turkey's parliament can expect to get new reform proposals shortly, the nation's president said Wednesday."Soon we will begin to submit new reform packages, which we are about to complete, for parliament's consideration," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group.The public will see "that these reform packages contain very fundamental and important regulations that will carry our country to 2023 and beyond," he added, referring to the Republic of Turkey's centennial year.The sweeping reforms "will prepare Turkey for the future in a wide area from basic rights an…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). Novartis Turkey wins Global Top Employer award. yenisafak.com The company was also certified the top employer in Europe and Turkey for the fourth time in a row by meeting criteria of "talent strategy, talent acquisition, workforce planning, on-boarding, learning and development, leadership development, career and succession management, compensation and benefits, diversity, inclusion and culture," according to a statement from Novartis Turkey on Wednesday.Novartis Turkey is among 16 global top employers certified for their excellence in employee conditions by Top Employers Institute, a global authority on recognizing excellence in people practices.Avinash Potnis, managing di…

yenisafak (2021-01-27). At least 126 Daesh suspects nabbed in Turkey. yenisafak.com At least 126 people with suspected links to the Daesh terror group, were arrested in a large-scale operation in Turkey, a security source said on Wednesday.Prosecutors in the northwestern Balikesir province issued arrest warrants for 148 suspects as part of a probe against the terror group, said the source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.With the warrants issued, a Balikesir-based operation spreading to 57 more provinces was launched by gendarmerie, including its anti-terror teams and intelligence officers.In the operation carried out simultaneously, at least 126 suspects, w…

Shane Quinn (2021-01-27). In the 1930s, UK and US Business Ties to Nazi Germany. Churchill's "Admiration" of Adolph Hitler. globalresearch.ca Early this century Winston Churchill was voted "the greatest Briton of all time" in a nationwide British poll, which attracted more than a million votes, as he finished ahead of figures like the naturalist Charles Darwin. | It is little known, …

news.un (2021-01-27). US witnessed 'echoes of the Holocaust' during breach of the Capitol, says concentration camp survivor. news.un.org Having grown up a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Europe, Irene Butter said on Wednesday during a UN commemorative event online, that the United States had seen for itself "echoes of the Holocaust" on 6 January during what she described as an 'attempted coup' at the Capitol, in Washington DC. Some of the rioters that day, "wore Nazi symbols and used Nazi slogans", she attested.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). UK Foreign Undersecretary Vows to Freeze Russian Assets If London Finds Them Life Threatening. sputniknews.com London introduced a number of sanctions and other punitive measures against Russia over the last several years, accusing it of purported meddling in its elections and being responsible for the alleged poisoning of the former GRU spy Sergei Skripal in March 2018. The UK, however, never presented solid evidence supporting these claims.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Russia, US Agree to Extend New START on Moscow's Conditions, Deputy Foreign Minister Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia welcomes the decision of US President Joe Biden's administration to extend the New START deal for five years, this is the right thing to do, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2021-01-27). Finland Investigating Whether Biden Inauguration Soundtrack Violated Copyright Laws. sputniknews.com The striking similarities between Ryan J Nowlin's "Godspeed", played by the Marine Corps orchestra during Joe Biden's inauguration, and "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius, which many Finns hold dear, have spurred a review of copyright issues.

_____ (2021-01-27). US Proposes 5-year Extension Of Nuclear Arms Treaty With Russia. popularresistance.org The United States will seek a five-year extension of the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia — the last remaining non-proliferation treaty between the two nations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Thursday. | The New START, which came into force in 2011, limits the number of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles that each country can deploy. It was due to expire next month. | "The president has long been clear that the New START Treaty is in the national security interest of the United States. This extension makes even more sense when the relationship wit…

Prof. Sam Ben-Meir (2021-01-27). Humanism in Painting: Remembering the Art of Symeon Shimin. NY Whitney Museum. globalresearch.ca Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros — this is a moment to revisit and reflect on the work of Russian-born artist Symeon Shimin. During his life, Shimin …

teleSUR (2021-01-27). Russian Senate Extends Nuclear Disarmament Treaty With the USA. telesurenglish.net Russia's Senate on Wednesday unanimously endorsed a five-year extension of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). | RELATED: | "When it comes to global stability and security, Russia and the U.S. can show responsible and pragmatic approaches and reach agreements," Senate President Valentina Matviyenko said. | This nuclear disarmament treaty, which was also previously approved by the Lower House (Duma), was set to expi…

Brett Wilkins (2021-01-27). French Court Hears Case Against Chemical Corporations Over Agent Orange Use in Vietnam. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles including the E-Book can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | A court in France on Monday heard a …

2021-01-26: News Headlines

Peter Koenig (2021-01-26). Pandemic, Lockdown, Economic Disaster: Are We at War? globalresearch.ca Are we at War? This has become a legitimate question over the last 12 months in the western world. | And we are not talking of war by the west against Russia or China, or the east in general. It's a …

sputniknews (2021-01-26). Covid19 Compels Us to Fight Harder for Independence not Postpone it. sputniknews.com The unionists defending the UK are yesterday's people. The tide of history is now sweeping in one unstoppable direction and that is towards self-determination for Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

teleSUR (2021-01-26). Iran Approves Use of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif announced that his country has registered Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and expects to start producing it soon on its own territory. | RELATED: | "The Sputnik V vaccine was approved by our health authorities. Soon we hope to be able to purchase it and also start its joint production," Zarif said after meeting with Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Dean Baker (2021-01-26). The NYT's Has Not Heard of China's Vaccine (Or Russia's or India's). counterpunch.org It is more than a bit bizarre that the New York Times can run a major piece about the lack of access of developing countries to Covid vaccines and never once mention the vaccines developed by China, Russia, or India. The piece is very useful in highlighting the fact that the United States and Europe

Andrew Korybko (2021-01-26). Russia's 2020 Foreign Policy. A Thaw in US-Russia Relations? Foreign Minister Lavrov. globalresearch.ca Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov held his annual press conference last week reviewing his country's foreign policy over the preceding year, the top two dozen highlights of which are touched upon in this analysis for those who don't have the time …

Ragip Soylu (2021-01-26). EU delays Turkey sanctions over positive talks with Greece. middleeasteye.net EU delays Turkey sanctions over positive talks with Greece | EU momentum with Ankara over eastern Mediterranean dispute could encourage an update to the customs union, officials say | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 11: 40 | Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, left, and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, pictured in Brussels on 21 January 2021 (AFP)…

Hassina MechaàØ (2021-01-26). Macron's 'imam charter' raises fears of state control over Islam of France. middleeasteye.net Macron's 'imam charter' raises fears of state control over Islam of France | With a remit of aligning French Islam with 'republican values', the charter set out by Macron is ready, but it raises more questions than it answers | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 13: 57 | Mohammed Moussaoui (left), President of the French Council of Muslim Faith (CFCM), signing the 'charter of principles' alongside Presiden…

Juan Cole (2021-01-26). President Biden, We can do this too: Europe generates more electricity with Renewables than Fossil Fuels for First Time. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — A new report from Ember and Agora Energiewende finds that in 2020, the 27 countries of the European Union generated more electricity with renewables (wind, solar, hydro) than with fossil fuels (coal and natural gas). The growth in renewables has all come from wind and solar. These two increased by …

Tom Clifford (2021-01-26). When Biden's "New" America Confronts the New China. counterpunch.org 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 brash start-up promising a whole new way of doing things only to fall out among

Emma-Louise Fenelon (2021-01-26). Law Pod UK New Episode: "Historical" Crimes: Ireland's unmarried mothers and their children. ukhumanrightsblog.com In episode 135 of Law Pod UK, Emma-Louise Fenelon speaks to Máiréad Enright about Ireland's recent Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation Report which prompted an official State apology from the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin. Máiréad Enright is a Leverhulme Research Fellow and Reader in Feminist Legal Studies at Birmingham Law School. Her current work is …

Victor Grossman (2021-01-26). Angela Merkel readies her exit in Germany. peoplesworld.org BERLIN—The U.S.-American nightmare, tight-lipped and pouting, was finally forced to gallop off to its luxurious stable in Florida. Almost every European joined in "Hurrah!" cheers as it watched him go! In Germany, national elections will also be featuring the departure, in this case after sixteen years, of a very different kind of leader, Angela Merkel. …

sputniknews (2021-01-26). Biden Believes Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Bad Deal for Europe, WH Says. sputniknews.com The United States is a fierce opponent of the Russian-led project aimed at carrying up to two trillion cubic feet of gas per year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, as Moscow seeks to export more liquefied natural gas to Europe.

_____ (2021-01-26). Google Workers To Form Global Union Alliance. popularresistance.org The new alliance called Alpha Global, in recognition of Google's parent company Alphabet, was formed in coordination with Union Network International Global Union, a global union that brings together 20 million workers from various sectors in the service economy, according to a UNI Global Union post. | Alpha Global comprises 13 different unions representing workers in 10 countries, with the United States, Britain and Switzerland, being among them, The Verge reported. | It seeks to make Google live up to its ideals. | "[Google] is a place where many workers came to change the world — to make it more democratic –…

sputniknews (2021-01-26). Video: Explosion Rocks Amsterdam Suburb During Anti-Lockdown Unrest. sputniknews.com Protests against new coronavirus-related lockdown restrictions, particularly a curfew introduced in the Netherlands on 23 January, have been ongoing since Sunday. Some of the demonstrations evolved into riots, with violent protesters looting stores, storming through the streets, smashing vehicles and turning them over.

sputniknews (2021-01-26). Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Has Been Registered in Iran. sputniknews.com Last week, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei stated that Iran had held talks with Russia, China, and India on the potential procurement of vaccines against the coronavirus.

sputniknews (2021-01-26). Putin Submits Agreement on New START Extension for Ratification to Russian State Duma. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted an agreement on the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) to the Russian parliament's lower house for ratification, according to the State Duma database.

Peadar O'Cearnaigh (2021-01-26). Labour claims the Good Friday Agreement as its 'proudest achievement'. But it's failed to deliver for Northern Ireland. thecanary.co On 21 January, shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland

Slomski A. (2021-01-26). Simplified Regimen Expands Options for Dual-Therapy HIV Maintenance. jamanetwork.com As a preferred HIV drug based on its efficacy and high barrier to drug resistance, dolutegravir has been combined in treatment regimens with several other anti-HIV agents. Now investigators in Switzerland have reported in PLOS Medicine that dolutegravir taken with emtricitabine was noninferior to standard combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), and it improved patients' quality of life.

jamanetwork (2021-01-26). Appendicitis in France and in America. jamanetwork.com From the discussion regarding appendicitis by the Paris Surgical Society (Bull. et mém. de la Soc. de Chir. de Paris, T. xviii), it is evident that unanimity of opinion upon some points as to treatment is not yet established in France, and that the French are somewhat behind the progress of American surgeons. The discussion as brought out in the society includes the etiology and pathology, the expectant opium treatment and early and late operations upon the inflamed vermiform, and is based upon the histories of cases presented and the results of operations performed. The adherents of the opium treatment (Berger,…

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.

WSWS (2021-01-25). Turkish Trotskyists hold international online meeting on student protests. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Group and IYSSE in Turkey held an international online meeting January 17 titled "Amid the global breakdown of democracy, the way forward for the Boƒüaziàßi University protests."

sputniknews (2021-01-25). India to Register Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Within Next Few Weeks, Indian Ambassador Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – India plans to register the Russian vaccine against COVID-19, Sputnik V, after completion of phase three clinical trials within the next few weeks, Indian Ambassador to Moscow Venkatesh Varma said on Monday.

teleSUR (2021-01-25). Mexico To Get 24 Million Doses of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) on Monday spoke by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin who agreed to deliver 24 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine in the next two months. | RELATED: | "Putin was genuinely affectionate. I invited him to visit Mexico and thanked him for the decision to send us 24 million doses," tweeted AMLO, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. | Besides confirming that these dos…

Dean Baker (2021-01-25). The New York Times Has Not Heard About China's Vaccines (or Russia or India's). cepr.net It is more than a bit bizarre that the New York Times can run a major piece about the lack of access of developing countries to Covid vaccines and never once mention the vaccines developed by China, Russia, or India. The piece is very useful in highlighting the fact that the United States and Europe …

WSWS (2021-01-25). Spain's defence chief resigns amid mounting anger over COVID-19 vaccine theft. wsws.org Anger is mounting in the working class after generals, royalty and politicians got the COVID-19 vaccination even as vaccines are running out for frontline health care workers.

RT (2021-01-25). Tiger euthanized after health deteriorated in Covid-19 outbreak at Swedish zoo. rt.com A tiger, two lions and a member of staff at a zoo in Sweden tested positive for Covid-19, the country's National Veterinary Institute (SVA) said. One of the cats was put down after suffering neurological and breathing issues. | The 17-year-old female tiger was euthanized on January 11 "for animal welfare reasons due to severe respiratory and neurological symptoms," after its condition deteriorated rapidly over a couple of days, the institute said. | The big cat was an older animal with a poor prospect of recovery, it added. | Samples from the animal were then tested for Covid-19, with positive results confirme…

RT (2021-01-25). Italian PM Conte to resign in bid to form new coalition government — cabinet office. rt.com Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will tender his resignation to the president on Tuesday after first informing ministers, the government's cabinet office has said. Conte is expected to then try and form a new government. | The PM faces calls from within his own government to resign and assemble a new administration after losing his Senate majority last week when ex-PM Matteo Renzi withdrew his party from the coalition. | Renzi's Italia Viva party resigned in response to the government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and the country's economic recession — a move that has thrown Italian politics in…

WSWS (2021-01-25). Greece loosens coronavirus lockdown, massively rearms military. wsws.org Despite the dangerous spread of the new UK variant of COVID-19 and the deadly impact the pandemic throughout Europe, Greece is easing its lockdown measures.

teleSUR (2021-01-25). Mexico's President AMLO Tests Positive for COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) tested positive for COVID-19 and he is already receiving medical treatment. | RELATED: | "The symptoms are mild, so for the moment, I will be isolated at the National Palace until my full recovery," AMLO said, assuring that he will continue to monitor public affairs from the government headquarters. | On Monday, "I will attend a call from Russian President Vladimir Putin because there is a possib…

WSWS (2021-01-25). Coronavirus death toll in Germany reaches 50,000. wsws.org A year of the coronavirus pandemic, in Germany and globally, has shown that curbing the virus cannot be left to the capitalist governments.

Jonathan Cook (2021-01-25). The 'Humanitarian' Left Still Ignores the Lessons of Iraq, Libya and Syria to Cheer on More War. commondreams.org That "defence industry" needs villains, like China and Russia, that it must extravagantly arm itself against. And that means fixating on the crimes of China and Russia, while largely ignoring our own crimes, so that those "defence industries" can prosper. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/china_0.jpg

MEE and agencies (2021-01-25). Turkey and Greece resume talks over eastern Mediterranean after five-year hiatus. middleeasteye.net Turkey and Greece resume talks over eastern Mediterranean after five-year hiatus | Ankara and Athens have made little progress on the issue, despite 60 rounds of negotiations between 2002 and 2016 | Mon, 01/25/2021 – 13: 34 | The Turkish seismic survey vessel Oruc Reis. Ankara hoped to improve relations with the European Union after it had threatened to sanction Turkey (Reuters) | Turkey a…

Rosalind English (2021-01-25). Enforced wearing of masks declared unconstitutional. ukhumanrightsblog.com Following my post on the Weimar District Court judgment, here is news from Belgium. This summary of the ruling is from the journal LeVif. The police tribunal in Brussels issued a judgment on 12 January acquitting a man summoned for non-wearing of a mask, according to his lawyer, Hélène Alexandris. The judge concluded that the …

sputniknews (2021-01-25). UK Prime Minister to Visit Scotland Amid Fresh Bid for Independence, Reports Say. sputniknews.com LONDON (Sputnik) — UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will travel to Scotland this week to try to save the United Kingdom from disintegrating after Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon made a fresh bid for independence and threatened to hold a referendum without the central government's permission, the Sun newspaper reported on Monday.

Nick Corbishley (2021-01-25). Eurostar Train Near Collapse, Asks for Bailout, Becomes Hot Potato. globalresearch.ca Eurostar, the company that operates the cross-Channel train service that connects the UK with France, Belgium and the Netherlands, is on the brink of collapse, the company's management warned this week. With passenger numbers down 95% in the final quarter …

Melanie McFarland (2021-01-25). AMC's tense "Salisbury Poisonings" shows how easily terror and toxicity almost consumed a small town. salon.com Based on the true story of how a former Russian intelligence officer was targeted in England and what came next…

sputniknews (2021-01-25). Moscow Sees US Support for Unauthorised Rallies in Russia as Direct Meddling. sputniknews.com Earlier, Moscow voiced its concerns over the fact that the US Embassy had published information about where unauthorised rallies were taking place across Russia.

sputniknews (2021-01-25). Lawmaker Slams Greece's Digital Vaccination Certificates, Calls Idea Form of 'Apartheid'. sputniknews.com Greek authorities began issuing digital vaccination certificates for people vaccinated against the coronavirus last week, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis suggesting the measure should be introduced across the European Union to facilitate travel and tourism.

sputniknews (2021-01-25). Advisor to Winemaker? Putin Reveals What He Might Do After Presidency. sputniknews.com Putin described winemaking as a "noble" industry and said he may one day dabble in the art, but probably from a legal perspective.

sputniknews (2021-01-25). Mastercard to Reportedly Raise Fees at Least Fivefold for EU Online Retailers to British Customers. sputniknews.com The UK has broken with the European Union, as the transition period expired at the beginning of 2021. London and Brussels struck a post-Brexit deal at the last moment, but some trade spheres remain unregulated, leaving the British financial sector, 7 percent of the country's economic output, in turbulence.

Manlio Dinucci (2021-01-25). The UN Prohibits Nuclear Weapons and What Does Italy Do? globalresearch.ca Today, January 22, 2021, is the day that can go down in history as the turning point to free humanity from those weapons that, for the first time, have the ability to erase the human species and almost every other …

teleSUR (2021-01-25). EU Launches Investigation Into How Google Collects Data. telesurenglish.net The European Commission (EC) sent questionnaires to request information from different companies about the way Google collects and uses data. | RELATED: | This is part of a preliminary investigation that encompasses all services, programs, and tools used by Google for digital advertising. | After analyzing the answers to the questions on these topics, the European authorities will decide whether to open a formal and in-depth inve…

WSWS (2021-01-25). Trudeau and Biden to strengthen Canada-US military alliance and trade-war bloc. wsws.org Readouts of Biden's conversation with Trudeau, the first he had with a foreign leader as president, and a flurry of press commentary make clear Ottawa and Washington plan to expand their strategic partnership to more aggressively challenge their great-power rivals, above all Russia and China.

teleSUR (2021-01-25). Italy: Prime Minister to Resign Tuesday, Government Announces. telesurenglish.net "The Council of Ministers is convened for tomorrow morning at 9 AM, during which the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, will communicate to the ministers his will to go to the (Presidential Palace) and hand in his resignation," the statement read. It added that he would then see President Sergio Mattarella. | A calculated move, the resignation may ultimately afford him another chance at forming a coalition government. | RELATED: | Survivi…

F. William Engdahl (2021-01-24). Coronavirus Scandal Breaking in Merkel's Germany. False Positives and the Drosten PCR Test. globalresearch.ca First posted by Global Research on December 11, 2020 | The widely-praised German model of the Angela Merkel regime to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is now engulfed in a series of potentially devastating scandals going to the very heart of …

Peter Koenig (2021-01-24). The Coronavirus Vaccine: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020" globalresearch.ca WHO has most likely received orders from "above", from those people who also manage Trump and the "leaders" (sic) of the EU, European Union. The final decision to go ahead NOW with COVID-19 pandemic, was taken in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos – behind very much closed doors.

MEE and agencies (2021-01-24). Pirates kill sailor, kidnap 15, in attack on Turkish-owned ship off Nigeria. middleeasteye.net Pirates kill sailor, kidnap 15, in attack on Turkish-owned ship off Nigeria | Crew hide for six hours before attackers break into safe area of the cargo vessel | Sun, 01/24/2021 – 11: 38 | Nigerian special forces sail to intercept pirates during a multinational maritime exercise involving 33 countries off the coast of Lagos on 20 March 2019 (AFP) | Armed pirates attacked a Turkish cargo sh…

sputniknews (2021-01-24). UK Firms Reportedly Urged to Set Up EU Bases to Dodge Post-Brexit 'Administrative Nightmare'. sputniknews.com Earlier reports said that companies exporting to the European Union were under pressure as they grappled with new border controls, import taxes, and additional customs paperwork post-Brexit, with turnaround and transit times impacted.

sputniknews (2021-01-24). Kremlin Spokesman Blasts US Embassy for Statements About Unauthorised Protests in Russia. sputniknews.com PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY, Russia (Sputnik) – Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has described the statements by the US embassy on Saturday's unauthorised protests in Russia as interference in the country's domestic affairs.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-01-24). Slovenian artists and political activists protest targeting of cultural space in Ljubljana. peoplesdispatch.org The inhabitants of the Autonomous Rog Factory were evicted on January 19. The abandoned factory had been taken over by activists and artists over a decade ago and converted into a community space for alternative cultural and social initiatives…