(2021-01-15). [Commentary] Addressing public health's failings during year one of Covid-19. thelancet.com By almost any measure, public health fell short during 2020. In retrospect, the list of what public health professionals, including federal and state public health officials, public health practitioners, and academics, could have done better is easy to articulate, and has already been the subject of angry books about the disasterous responses to the pandemic in Europe and the US [1,2]. It falls to all of us to pause, reflect, and ask: how do we move forward? We have five suggestions.
(2021-01-15). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Around 55,000 Swedish care workers to begin industrial action today over pay, conditions and increased workload during pandemic; British gas workers plan further strikes to defend pay and conditions as Telecom workers in strike ballot.
(2021-01-15). How Germany's Left Party promotes herd immunity. wsws.org As was the case with the federal government in Berlin and every other state government in the pandemic, profits took precedence over human lives for the Left Party's only state premier, Bodo Ramelow in Thuringia.
(2021-01-15). Iraq: Bird flu blamed for deaths of tens of thousands of chickens. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Bird flu blamed for deaths of tens of thousands of chickens | Local authorities said a buffer zone was being imposed on the infected region | Fri, 01/15/2021 – 16: 04 | Iraqi vets check chickens that entered Iraq from Turkey at a market in the southern port city of Basra (AFP) | An outbreak of bird flu was responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of chickens in central Iraq, officia…
(2021-01-15). 'Dear Tayyip': Erdogan and Macron exchanged letters to repair ties. middleeasteye.net 
'Dear Tayyip': Erdogan and Macron exchanged letters to repair ties | Turkish president made the first move, with the two leaders seeking to meet in person soon | Fri, 01/15/2021 – 14: 01 | France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) meets Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka on June 28, 2019. (AFP) | The presidents of Turkey and France hav…
(2021-01-15). Germany draws another line in the sand for the U.S. mronline.org 
Maas underscored that Berlin "does not need to talk about European sovereignty if that is understood as us (Germany) doing everything in future the way Washington wants."
(2021-01-15). Will the Senate Confirm Coup Plotter Nuland? counterpunch.org 
Who is Victoria Nuland? Most Americans have never heard of her because the U.S. corporate media's foreign policy coverage is a wasteland. Most Americans have no idea that President-elect Biden's pick for Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs is stuck in the quicksand of 1950s U.S.-Russia Cold War politics and dreams of continued NATO
(2021-01-15). Neo-fascists found their voice in Trump. Where will the left's voice come from? therealnews.com 
With COVID-19 still raging and Biden's inauguration around the corner, Warnock and Ossoff win big in Georgia, Trumpist insurgents storm the U.S. Capitol, and Democrats and Republicans seethe with internal strife. What's next?
(2021-01-15). PDF of January 14 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. Special Coverage: Resisting White Supremacy No fascist coup! Fight back with workers' power Georgia grassroots victory; Marcy on violence and the state; Threat of fascism remains; Black Lives Matter and 'democracy'; 'Fraudulent' elections; as imperialist ploy; Charlottesville's how-to lessons; Fascists, the FBI — and legislators; Capitol . . . |
(2021-01-15). Fascist coup in Washington accelerates Spanish army's coup plotting. wsws.org Spain's conservative Popular Party, the main parliamentary opposition to the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government, is debating whether to endorse the campaign waged by army officers and the fascist Vox party for a coup d'état.
(2021-01-15). Argentina Awaits Its Second Batch of Sputnik V Vaccines. telesurenglish.net Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez Thursday sent a second plane to Russia to transport the second batch of Sputnik V vaccines which will be used in a nationwide vaccination campaign. | RELATED: | The flight AR-1060 departed from Ezeiza International airport at 21.14 local time in a direct route to Moscow where it will load 300,000 doses of the vaccine. | The plane is expected to land on Argentine soil on Saturday morni…
(2021-01-15). Georgia Organizers Won Because They Didn't Treat Elections as a Be-All, End-All. zcomm.org "We are undoing a history of voter suppression and injustice in Black and Brown communities. The changes we are seeing now didn't happen overnight, and we are not solving our challenges with just one vote."
(2021-01-15). Protests continue in Ireland following murder of George Nkencho by police. peoplesdispatch.org Over the past two weeks, protests have been held in Dublin following the shooting of George Nkencho, a 27-year-old Black man, by the police on the outskirts of the city…
(2021-01-15). Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born this Day: Prophet Who Saw the "Far Deeper Malady" globalresearch.ca January 15 is the day on which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born, in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929. | He would go on to become one of the most powerful voices of all time against racism, oppression, violence, imperialism, and …
(2021-01-15). Martin Luther King's Warning of America's Spiritual Death. globalresearch.ca On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. is born in Atlanta, Georgia | Martin Luther King Jr.'s Riverside Church speech was titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence." It was delivered exactly one year before his April 4, …
(2021-01-14). Over 600,000 dead from coronavirus in Europe. wsws.org Scientists are warning that the pandemic is entering into an even more catastrophic stage than anything that has preceded it.
(2021-01-14). Financialization, Fascism and the Jan 6th Riots — with Paul Jay. theanalysis.news Paul Jay is the guest on The Barricade, a news outlet set up by a group of left-oriented activists from around Eastern Europe — Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, and Serbia. Paul was asked to provide background on the events in D.C. on Jan 6th.
(2021-01-14). Twitter RESTORES account of Sputnik-V, Russia's coronavirus vaccine, restricted over suspicious log-in. rt.com 
Sputnik-V, the Russian-developed coronavirus vaccine, was back on Twitter after getting locked out of its official account on Thursday. When the official explanation finally came, it cited a suspicious log-in attempt from the US. | The account, @sputnikvaccine, showed up as "temporarily restricted" for a brief period on Thursday afternoon, due to "some unusual activity." | Users could click on a warning to see…
(2021-01-14). Far-Eastern Russian island Sakhalin to introduce mask exemption for those inoculated against Covid-19, regional head reveals. rt.com 
People inoculated against Covid-19 in the Far East's Sakhalin Region will be given a badge to show they are exempt from wearing a face mask. That's according to Valery Limarenko, acting governor of the island, located near Japan. | Sakhalin, one of Russia's wealthiest places per capita, is home to a substantial oil and gas industry. On Thursday, Limarenko revealed that the island will soon receive 9,000 doses of Russia's domestically produced Sputnik V vaccine and will get over 10,000 every month after that. | "Everyone who gets vaccinated will receive a special badge," he said. "[The badge] will give the wear…
(2021-01-14). Covid-19: Turkey says more than 250,000 health workers vaccinated so far. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Turkey says more than 250,000 health workers vaccinated so far | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives first dose of Sinovac as Turkey begins vaccinating health workers | Thu, 01/14/2021 – 16: 58 | Turkish President Erdogan receives shot of Sinovac's CoronaVac coronavirus vaccine in Ankara (Reuters) | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced more than 250,000 health wor…
(2021-01-14). Covid-19: Turkey announces more than 250,000 health workers vaccinated so far. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Turkey announces more than 250,000 health workers vaccinated so far | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives first dose of the Sinovac jab as Turkey begins vaccinating health workers | Thu, 01/14/2021 – 16: 58 | Turkish President Erdogan receives a shot of Sinovac's CoronaVac coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine in Ankara (Reuters) | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan anno…
(2021-01-14). Arms campaigners call on UK companies to stop supplying Turkish drone parts. middleeasteye.net 
Arms campaigners call on UK companies to stop supplying Turkish drone parts | British firms urged not to supply parts to Turkish drone giant Baykar Makina over involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict | Thu, 01/14/2021 – 16: 53 | Bayraktar TB2 drone flying at Gecitkale military airbase near Famagusta in self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) (AFP) | Rights groups have called…
(2021-01-14). UK bans all arrivals from Portugal and South America after discovery of Brazil Covid-19 variant. rt.com 
The UK will ban all travel from South America and Portugal from 4am GMT on Friday after the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant in Brazil, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Thursday. | UK-bound travellers from Argentina, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela who do not live in the UK will be banned from entering the country. | "This measure does not apply to British and Irish Nationals and third country nationals with residence rights — but passengers returning from these destinations must self-isolate for 10 da…
(2021-01-14). 12hr Covid curfews announced for all of France for at least 15 days, PM says pressure on hospitals is 'high'. rt.com 
The entirety of France will be placed under a 6pm-6am curfew for at least 15 days from Saturday in a bid to ease the pressure of Covid-19 on the country's health system, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Thursday. | The 12-hour curfews are currently already in place for 25 of mainland France's 95 administrative areas — known as departements — but they will now be extended to the rest of the country, which is currently under an 8pm curfew. | "While the resumption of the epidemic was concentrated at the end of December in certain departments, viral circulation now concerns the entire country," th…
(2021-01-14). China-EU investment deal bypasses U.S., denting Washington plan to isolate Beijing. peoplesworld.org 
On Dec. 30, 2020, the European Union and China concluded a new landmark investment deal called the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). The pact marks a historic level of investment, cooperation, and intermingling of the 27-member bloc's economy with China's. The CAI will replace 26 separate investment agreements previously signed between China and individual member …
(2021-01-14). Nicaragua To Allocate Over $115 Million for COVID-19 Vaccines. telesurenglish.net Nicaragua's Vice President Rosario Murillo on Wednesday announced her government's effort to secure COVID-19 vaccines to immunize 55 percent of the country's population. | RELATED: | Highligithg the approval of a high budget to ensure vaccines' conservation, Murillo pointed out that over 7 million doses would be applied at a cost of almost US$90 million. | "We propose the purchase of the Russian Federation's Sputnik V vaccine, the Modern vacc…
(2021-01-14). Sweden's COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 10,000. telesurenglish.net Sweden's COVID-19 death toll surpassed 10,000 on Thursday, with authorities warning that the fatalities would continue to rise. | Swedish Public Health Agency on Thursday registered another 351 deaths caused by COVID-19, taking the national death toll to 10,185. Meanwhile, 6,580 new confirmed cases brought the cumulative infections to 518,783. | "Unfortunately, we expect that the increase will continue as we have an extensive spread of infection in the country," Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of the department of microbiology at the Public Health Agency, said at a press conference. | Wisell revealed that southern…
(2021-01-14). Irish health system on brink of collapse as COVID-19 figures surge. wsws.org Ireland's health services are being rapidly overwhelmed by escalating rates of coronavirus infection.
(2021-01-14). Progressive sections in Netherlands demand rise in minimum wage. peoplesdispatch.org The demand for setting the hourly minimum wage to EUR 14 Euros (USD 17.04) has been highlighted by the Socialist Party (SP), the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV) and trade union activist forum Voor 14, among others…
(2021-01-14). The History of US and British Support to Mussolini's Fascism. globalresearch.ca A figure like Benito Mussolini could only have taken power in a nation plagued by severe illness. Italy, a resource poor state, had been virtually bankrupted by expenditure in World War One, with the Liberal-led Italian governments dispensing with more …
(2021-01-14). The UK Strain Has Been Detected in 25 European Countries. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge on Thursday confirmed that the British strain of the new coronavirus has been detected in 25 European countries including Russia. | RELATED: | Although the possible consequences of this new strain are generating concern, he recalled that the new coronavirus "changes over time" just like any other virus. Therefore, European countries must…
(2021-01-14). Environmental and Farmers Organizations in Italy Stop Government Attempt to Give Green Light to GMOs and NBTs. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-01-14). QAnon congresswoman vows to impeach Joe Biden one day after his inauguration. salon.com Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashes out after ten House Republicans vote to impeach Trump…
(2021-01-14). Bolivian Govt Reaches a Deal With Striking Transit Workers. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's finance Minister Marcelo Montenegro Thursday announced that an agreement on debt payments was reached with transport sector representatives to secure the continuity of public transportation services. | RELATED: | Besides establishing a six-month grace period without paymen…
(2021-01-14). Hundreds take to the streets in Belgium demanding justice for Ibrahima Barrie. peoplesdispatch.org 23-year-old Ibrahima Barrie, a Black man, died following a heart attack he suffered while in police custody in Brussels. According to reports, more than five people were injured in the protests and close to 120 people were arrested…
(2021-01-14). US Places Sanctions on China, Cuba, Iran, Russia and Venezuela. telesurenglish.net "We cannot allow the foreign military and intelligence organizations of our adversaries in China, Cuba, Russia, Venezuela, and Iran (…) to benefit from U.S. technology," U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement Thursday. | RELATED: | According to the note, these new controls linked to U.S. technologies prevent those countries' military intelligence industries from "benefiting." | A week before…
(2021-01-13). A long goodbye? Russian expert says pandemic will be over by summer, but Covid-19 here to stay as seasonal virus. rt.com 
The coronavirus pandemic in Russia could begin fading away by summer, one of the country's top scientists has said. According to him, infections and deaths should tail off as more and more people develop protective antibodies. | Albert Rizvanov, the Director of the Center for Precision and Regenerative Medicine at Kazan Federal University, told TASS on Wednesday that, whereas the end of widespread infection might be in sight, society would have to learn to live with an evolving virus for years to come. | "There are seasonal diseases that usually die out in late spring and early summer," the academic said. He a…
(2021-01-13). Berlin, Germany transport worker dies of COVID-19. wsws.org The Berlin Transport Company's pandemic policy, which endangers the lives and health of workers, is supported by the Berlin Senate consisting of the SPD, the Greens and the Left Party.
(2021-01-13). Marx, the Civil War and the U.S. today. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Karl Marx observed over a 150 years ago that "the biggest thing happening in the world today are on the one hand the movement of the slaves in America started by the death of John Brown and on the other the movement of the serfs in Russia." | According to Marx, the defining event leading up to the Civil War was not the Slaveholders' Rebellion announced by the cannon fire on Fort Sumter but the raid on Harpers Ferry led by John Brown and Shields Green – a Black and white band of abolitionists. In other words, the movement of the slaves inspired by Harpers Ferry, and the election of a president – Linc…
(2021-01-13). Estonian prime minister resigns amid corruption scandal, citing loss of public confidence in government. rt.com 
Juri Ratas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, announced on Wednesday that he will stand down from the role amid a row over state-backed loans and government contracts, which were allegedly offered to political donors. | In a Facebook post, Ratas said that he "made a value-based decision to resign from office over the situation." However, he argued that an investigation launched by Tallinn's public prosecutor's office did not, by itself, imply that he or his colleagues had acted "in an illegal way." But he added, "in such a situation, it seems only right that I give myself a chance to shine light on the circumstan…
(2021-01-13). 'High protein content': Insects set to crawl their way onto Europeans' plates as EU regulator rules MEALWORMS are SAFE to eat. rt.com 
Europeans are a step closer to finding all sorts of creepy crawlies on the menu as the EU Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has officially deemed the first such species — a yellow mealworm, to be specific — safe to eat. | The development means that people buying pasta, burgers and even biscuits in a store somewhere in Europe might soon find out that their food is made of mealworms, thoroughly dried and ground into powder, while those of a more adventurous nature may be able to buy a baggie of whole dried insects as a snack. | Such possibilities are about to open up following the decision by the European fo…
(2021-01-13). 'Perfect storm': WHO warns second year of fighting Covid-19 could be 'even tougher' than the first. rt.com 
Ongoing transmission dynamics show the world needs to brace for an even tougher year of fighting Covid-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, while the disease has turned into the "perfect storm" in Europe and the US. | "We are going into a second year of this, it could even be tougher given the transmission dynamics and some of the issues that we are seeing," WHO's Health Emergencies chief, Mike Ryan, said during a Q&A session broadcast Following a drop in new cases reported over the…
(2021-01-13). Before it begins, COVID-19 vaccination in Turkey already a fiasco. wsws.org The Turkish government's murderous ruling class "herd immunity" policy continues with a chaotic and incompetent roll-out of the vaccine.
(2021-01-13). German hospital group terminates nurse after criticism of situation in ICUs. wsws.org As new infections reach record levels in Germany, the number of people requiring hospitalization for COVID-19 is growing.
(2021-01-13). Video: Massive Unrest Rocks Brussels Amid Death of Black Man in Police Custody. sputniknews.com According to reports by local media, the Belgian capital city saw protests following the death of a young man in police custody. The man reportedly tried to escape from officers when they asked for his documents.
(2021-01-13). History of the Russian Revolution: Separating Truth from Myth. globalresearch.ca There is a deceitful and ahistorical myth that frequently resurfaces in right-wing circles seeking to discredit socialism with lies about the Russian Revolution. No matter how many times it has been invalidated as fabrication, the reactionary mythos endures. As might …
(2021-01-12). 133,010 steps to take back the Senate. peoplesworld.org 
Marcey Lynn Jones was one of 70 UNITE HERE volunteers from New Haven, Conn., who spent one month knocking on doors to speak with voters in Georgia about how they could make a difference in the Senate runoff elections. She shares her experience below. In the beginning, when I arrived in Georgia from New Haven, …
