(2022-01-28). US-NATO escalate war threats against Russia: Are you ready for World War III? wsws.org The drive to war is fueled by an utterly toxic mixture of deranged geopolitical ambitions and insoluble internal crisis.
(2022-01-28). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org One-day national strike across public sector in France over pay and pensions as wave of strikes continues in healthcare; South African Clover dairy workers' strike against job and pay cuts continues into tenth week, joined by other affected sectors; Lebanese teachers begin indefinite walkout against deteriorating conditions and for higher pay…
(2022-01-28). Spain's PSOE-Podemos government backs NATO war threats against Russia. wsws.org Popular opposition is mounting against the decision of the PSOE-Podemos government to send warships to join NATO naval forces in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia.
(2022-01-28). BA.2 subvariant of Omicron in more than 40 countries across the globe. wsws.org The Omicron subvariant BA.2 is now dominant in Denmark. This variant of the virus has also been detected in more than 40 countries across the world and is beginning to displace the original Omicron.
(2022-01-28). US-UK Antagonism of Russia Threatens to Pull NATO Apart at the Seams. sputniknews.com The NATO alliance was formed by Western capitalist powers in 1949 as a deterrence to potential invasion by the Soviet Union. Dependent on the US for support, Western Europe had little other choice; however, in the 21st century, that they will have convergent interests can no longer be taken for granted.
(2022-01-28). Ukraine cannot survive without loans, resembles lung ventilation patient — diplomat. tass.com The Russian diplomat said the European Union had announced another package of financial aid to Ukraine totaling 1.2 billion euro on January 24…
(2022-01-28). NATO response 'embarrassing' — Moscow. rt.com 
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slams the bloc's reply as ideological | NATO's reply to Moscow's proposals for a European security treaty is entirely ideological and has too much of a focus on the bloc's so-called "special purpose" and "exceptionalism," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday. | Speaking to news outlets as part of a broadcast interview on Friday, the chief Russian diplomat described the response produced by Brussels as "embarrassing" for the people who wrote the text. | Last month, Russia publicly released two treaties it had proposed to the US and NATO. The draft documents includ…
(2022-01-28). All COVID restrictions ended in UK amid deepening government crisis. wsws.org The crisis wracking the Johnson government is only spurring on its reactionary agenda at home and abroad. MPs left the capital amid discussions on the UK possibly sending thousands of troops to Eastern Europe to confront Russia.
(2022-01-28). Ex-Russian president reveals Moscow's thinking on China. rt.com 
The Sino-Russian relationship is acting as a balance of power against the EU & the US, the former president said | The close relationship between China and Russia has been noticed by politicians in the US and the European Union and is therefore helping to balance power in the sphere of international diplomacy, the former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, has claimed. | Speaking to news agency TASS, in comments published on Thursday, the former head of state said that Moscow's close relations with Beijing are positive for the world as a whole. Medvedev currently serves as deputy chairman of the Security Counc…
(2022-01-28). Russia is dividing Europe — but not in the way you'd think. rt.com 
Western disunity over NATO is both an opportunity and a danger for Moscow | A number of Washington's normally steadfast European allies have begun distancing themselves from the US's increasingly confrontational approach to the standoff over Ukraine. However, despite the White House's appeals for unity, the cracks in its foreign policy partnerships are beginning to show. | A West that agrees on less is one where Russia's efforts to get concessions on security arrangements are more likely to succeed, but also one where America must crack the whip against it to keep its bloc in line. | A growing split?:…
(2022-01-28). Tuesday 2/1: Emergency Action: "Negotiate, Don't Escalate: No War With Russia!" indybay.org San Francisco Ferry Bldg., foot of Market Street…
(2022-01-28). Russia comments on risk of war with West. rt.com 
Lavrov's comments come amid a growing diplomatic stand-off with NATO | With tensions running high between Russia and the US, Moscow's top diplomat has insisted that his country does not want a full-blown conflict to break out, but also warned it will not stand aside and watch well-flagged security concerns be ignored. | Speaking to news outlets as part of a broadcast interview on Friday morning, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was asked whether fighting could break out after talks over guarantees that NATO will not expand ended in deadlock. | "If it is up to the Russian Federation, there will be no war," he de…
(2022-01-28). White House calls CNN report on Russian invasion 'completely false'. rt.com 
The White House denies a report that Biden told Zelensky to "prepare for impact" and that Kiev could be "sacked" | The White House has pushed back on a CNN report about Thursday's phone call between US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it "completely false." | "President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false," Emily Horne, a spokeswoman for the National…
(2022-01-28). Fueling Tensions? CNN Claims Biden Told Zelensky Russian Invasion 'Imminent', White House Denies It. sputniknews.com Washington and some NATO states have been pushing claims that Russian troops deployed to its southern regions for drills were a prelude to an "imminent" invasion of Ukraine, despite both Moscow and Kiev dismissing the notion. The Kremlin has asserted its right to send troops anywhere inside its own borders, accusing NATO of whipping up tensions.
(2022-01-28). Serbia cancels Rio Tinto's lithium mining project. greenleft.org.au Rio Tinto's plan to mine lithium in Serbia has been scuttled in the wake of Novak Djokovic's deportation and against a backdrop of huge anti-mining protests and the country's upcoming elections in April, reports Binoy Kampmark.
(2022-01-28). VIDEO: Emergency Town Hall on the Ukraine Crisis. warisacrime.org
(2022-01-28). GOP & pundits demand to #ReleaseTheTranscript after Biden-Zelensky call. rt.com 
CNN's report on phone conversation between the presidents of US and Ukraine triggers throwback to Trump impeachment | Political opponents of the sitting US president are demanding the White House release a full transcript of his call with Ukraine's President Volodymir Zelensky, which reportedly didn't go as smoothly as the two nations stated. It's time for Joe Biden to face what Donald Trump faces in September 2019, conservative pundits say. | The hashtag #ReleaseTheTranscript trended on Twitter in the US as opponents of President Biden reacted to a controversy surrounding his Thursday conversation with Zelens…
(2022-01-28). US may provide additional economic aid to Kiev, Biden tells Zelensky. tass.com President Biden noted the United States has provided Ukraine with over half a billion dollars in development and humanitarian assistance in the last year…
(2022-01-27). Russia warns of NATO nuclear threat. rt.com 
The military bloc is training its members to unleash atomic hellfire, the Foreign Ministry claimed | NATO is developing the capacity for devastating nuclear strikes against Russia — which includes involving members of the alliance who don't have such weapons in training operations — Moscow's top arms control official has claimed. | In an interview with TASS on Thursday, Vladimir Yermakov, Director of the Department of Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the US was in the process of modernizing its atomic capabilities in Europe and had deployed missiles in the…
(2022-01-27). PSL Statement: No War on Russia! Abolish NATO! liberationnews.org 
The Party for Socialism and Liberation condemns the anti-Russia campaign and calls for an end to the imperialist NATO alliance.
(2022-01-27). France told to rein in its 'colonial reflexes'. rt.com 
France was asked to show 'restraint and respect the basic principle' of non-interference | A spokesperson for Mali's transitional junta government has reiterated the demand for Danish troops to leave the country and taken a swipe at the country's former colonial overlords. | Speaking late Wednesday to news broadcaster ORTM1, Abdoulaye Maiga warned the Danes about France's "colonial reflexes." Denmark had previously sent 105 military personnel to the West African nation as part of a French-run counterterrorism unit. | "We invite them [the Danes] to be careful about some partners who sadly have problems getting…
(2022-01-27). Russia & Ukraine find common ground. rt.com 
Representatives from the two nations met as part of the Normandy Format talks | Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed that a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine's war-torn Donbass region must be observed "unconditionally," following talks held as part of the Normandy Format, which also includes France and Germany. | The group met in Paris on Wednesday to discuss de-escalation in the region amid an ongoing standoff between Russia and Western nations, who have accused Moscow of planning an imminent invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin denies. The meeting lasted for over eight hours. | After discussions conc…
(2022-01-27). Military And Political Situation In Europe On January 27, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On January 26, Moscow was handed the U.S. and NATO response to its proposals concerning collective security in Europe; | The United Russia party proposed to support the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics and supply them with certain types of weapons; | On January 26, negotiations of political advisers of the leaders of the Normandy format (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine) took place in Paris; | Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a telephone conversation wi…
(2022-01-27). CNN: U.S. troops may be deployed to Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com US and allies discussing deploying more troops to Eastern Europe prior to any Russian invasion of Ukraine The US and a handful of allies are in discussions to deploy thousands more troops to Eastern European NATO countries before any potential Russian invasion of Ukraine as a show of support in the face of Moscow's ongoing …
(2022-01-27). China warns US over standoff with Russia. rt.com 
Regional security cannot be ensured by expanding military blocs, according to Beijing's top diplomat | Russia's concerns about safety on the European continent cannot be pushed aside by the US and warrant genuine consideration, China has warned, amid a tense stand-off between Washington and Moscow. | In a telephone call on Thursday, Beijing's Foreign Minister Wang Yi offered US Secretary of State Antony Blinken advice on how to calm growing tensions in the region. | "Today, in the 21st century, all parties must completely abandon the Cold War mentality and form a balanced, effective and sustainable negotiated…
(2022-01-27). Cracks Open Up in America's Fragile Leadership Over Ukraine Crisis. strategic-culture.org The world is realizing the price for American hegemony and vanity is criminally insane as the Ukraine debacle demonstrates amply. | This is precisely what Washington fears most: cracks appearing in its presumed leadership of European allies. The U.S.-led pressure campaign against Russia over Ukraine has been dangerously stoked up to the hilt to the point where a catastrophic war in Europe could be ignited. | And the Europeans are getting nervous about Uncle Sam's recklessness. Nerves are fraying and with that, the hallowed "unity" — meaning U.S. hegemony — is coming undone. | German Chancellor Olaf Sc…
(2022-01-27). Better Late Than Never? Catalonia Pardons 1,000 People Tortured, Killed for Witchcraft. sputniknews.com An anti-witch and wizardry frenzy swept much of Europe during the early modern era, with the regions of Basque and Catalonia witnessing some of the largest and most gruesome judgements against witchcraft in the Iberian Peninsula despite general scepticism toward the phenomenon by the Spanish Inquisition.
(2022-01-27). How Europeans Get Energy to Heat Their Homes. strategic-culture.org 
"Natural gas is the cleanest burning and fastest growing fossil fuel, now accounting for about a quarter of global electricity generation. But its longer-term use is uncertain in a transition to net zero energy systems" — iea.org. | (Click on the image to enlarge)…
(2022-01-27). FIFA boss responds to backlash over African migrant remarks. rt.com 
Gianni Infantino says he was 'misrepresented' through his controversial remarks | FIFA president Gianni Infantino has attempted to clear up controversial comments he made that appeared to suggest a biennial World Cup could help reduce 'death in the sea' among African migrants. | Releasing a statement on Twitter, the Italian denied that his intention had been to directly link more frequent editions of the FIFA showpiece event with preventing loss of life among refugees. | "Given that certain remarks made by me before the Council of Europe appear to have been misinterpreted and taken out of context, I wish to cl…
(2022-01-27). TANCOL in Arauca-Apure: NATO Projection into Latin America? orinocotribune.com 
By Misión Verdad — Jan 24, 2022 | The violence that has recently occurred on the border between Venezuela and Colombia, specifically in the municipality of Paez, Apure state, should be regarded as a symptom of lines of tension being drawn with concrete geopolitical interests in mind. | There provide strong reasons to analyze these events as a projection of the tension created by the Atlanticist axis against Russia in Ukraine, into which the European Union has been drawn, due to the latest actions of Uribismo in the Colombian government, with respect to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). | Recent…
(2022-01-27). Germany threatens to sanction Russian gas pipeline. rt.com 
The controversial pipeline could be doomed if Russia invades Ukraine | The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, built to deliver gas to Germany from Siberia, could be hit with harsh sanctions from Berlin if Russia decides to attack Ukraine, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. | Speaking at a session of the Bundestag, the German parliament, on Wednesday, Baerbock confirmed that the underwater energy link was on the table as a possible target for restrictive measures. "We have a whole spectrum of responses, including Nord Stream 2," she stated. "Yes, we are always attempting dialogue, but in the light of today's situati…
(2022-01-27). Sticking to No Weapons Policy, Germany Offers Ukraine Helmets. news.antiwar.com Under increasing pressure to send weapons to Ukraine, Andriy Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, said he appreciated the "symbolic gesture" but that it isn't enough. "What we need the most are defensive weapons," he said. | The mayor Kyiv took a stronger tone and said the German offer was a "joke" that left him "speechless. "What kind of support will Ger…
(2022-01-27). Berlin justice system prosecutes anti-fascist artists. wsws.org The Berlin state public prosecutor's office is proceeding with house searches and substantial charges against the artists' collective Centre for Political Beauty (ZPS) for carrying out an art action against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
(2022-01-27). War Fever Is In The Air, As The West Confuses Russia With Nazi Germany. southfront.org 
As tensions grow between Russia and the West, more and more false comparisons are made with World War Two… | Johanna Ross, Russian Studies graduate and political analyst based in Edinburgh, Scotland. | The 'war hysteria' which has taken over our airwaves in the West of late in relation to tensions on Ukraine's border, is like a Hollywood style movie, being entirely scripted, produced, directed and acted in by the West. It bears no resemblance to the real actions and words of Russia and its representatives. The US is starring in its own drama, with the lines between fantasy and reality increasingly blurred. | Ne…
(2022-01-27). Youth on Italy's streets are fighting for their lives. peoplesdispatch.org After a young student Lorenzo Parelli died in a working accident, students all over Italy have expressed their discontent and taken to the streets against precarity and lack of future.
(2022-01-27). Romania ready to host more U.S., NATO troops, serve as southern spearhead against Russia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com As it did in 1941. Transnistria should be very apprehensive, boxed in as it is by Moldova/Romania and Ukraine. Decision to send US troops to Romania exists, it is not conditioned by possible intervention of Russia in Ukraine The Minister of National Defence, Vasile Dincu, declared on Wednesday evening that the decision regarding the deployment …
(2022-01-27). Tales of invasions past: The facts about Russia's 'annexation' of Crimea. peoplesworld.org 
Kate Clark is the former Moscow correspondent for Britain's Morning Star newspaper. She was stationed there from 1985-90, during the Soviet Union's final years. As part of her work, she spent time in Crimea, whose people voted in 2014 to return to Russian administration rather than Ukrainian. With the hype around a possible Russian "invasion" …
(2022-01-27). Former Soviet Republics exchange fire on the border. rt.com 
Several people were reportedly injured as the militaries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan engaged in cross-border skirmishes | Violence broke out at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border late on Thursday, with the clashes occurred at a poorly-demarcated part of the frontier, where the territories of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet, at a point where each country has multiple enclaves in the territory of its neighboring states. | The trouble reportedly began when a Tajik vehicle was pelted with stones from the Kyrgyz side of the border. The incident triggered a response from the border guard of both nations, with serv…
(2022-01-27). Epidemic of insanity strikes America's leaders. asiatimes.com 
It must be a hitherto unreported side-effect of the Omicron strain, perhaps a malignant protein activated by the rays of the full moon. America's political class, Democrat and Republican alike, appear to have gone babbling, barking mad, starting with President Joe Biden, but afflicting his political opponents as well. | Biden's January 19 press conference drew pity from the global press, with verbal gaffes unlike anything that has escaped the mouth of an American president before. He predicted a Russian military move into Ukraine: "My guess is he will move in. He has to do something." Russia will be "held acco…
(2022-01-27). Headlines for January 27, 2022. democracynow.org Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to Retire, Handing Biden Chance to Nominate Replacement, U.S. and NATO Offer No Concessions to Russia in Standoff over Ukraine, U.S. Approves $2.5 Billion Arms Sale to Egypt Despite Human Rights Abuses, House Democrats Demand End to U.S. Servicing of Saudi Warplanes Used in War Crimes, 180 Killed as U.S.-Backed Forces Retake Syrian Prison Where Children Are Imprisoned, U.N. Renews Calls to Free Up Aid for Millions of Afghans Facing Starvation, Extreme Poverty, Global COVID Cases Break New Record as COVAX Falls Short on Vaccine Delivery Goal, Spotify Sides with Joe Rogan in Vac…
(2022-01-27). UK: "Partygate" report delayed as Johnson seeks political survival through warmongering and untrammelled COVID herd immunity. wsws.org Johnson stood his ground on his ability to "deliver" the policies dearest to the heart of the Tory right-wing, historically Brexit and today the reopening of the economy and assuming a leading role in US-led military provocations against Russia.
(2022-01-27). US rejects Russian demands for security guarantees, escalates Ukraine crisis. wsws.org The NATO alliance is stoking a war crisis, demanding that the far-right regime in Ukraine be armed to fight an invasion of Ukraine it alleges Russia is preparing.
(2022-01-27). Mr. President, Stay Out of Ukraine. strategic-culture.org By Ted Galen CARPENTER | The onset of a belated bout of common sense in Joe Biden's administration has reduced the danger that the United States would intervene with its own military forces if war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. At one time,
(2022-01-27). Military Situation In Syria On January 27, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On January 27, the Russian Ministry of Defence recorded no cases of hostilities and opening fire in Idlib region in the past 24 hours; | On January 26, clashes between the SDF and Turkish-backed militants were reported west of Tal Tamar; | On January 26, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Ankawi area; | On January 26, the SDF imposed full control over the Sina'a prison. The total number of individuals detained for involvement in the ISIS att…
(2022-01-27). Serbia Stomps on Rio Tinto's Lithium Mining Project. dissidentvoice.org On the face of it, there seems to be little in the way of connection between the treatment of Novak Djokovic by Australian authorities and the cooling of the Serbian government towards Rio Tinto. The Anglo-Australian mining giant was confident that it would, at least eventually, win out in gaining the permissions to commence work …
(2022-01-27). Ukraine: Biden Administration's 'Wag The Dog' Diversionary War? popularresistance.org The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) along with the ANSWER Coalition, CODEPINK, Maryland Peace Action, Popular Resistance, and many other organizations will gather in Washington today at noon in front of the White House as part of an emergency mobilization of anti-war activists to express opposition to the unnecessary and extremely dangerous possibility of war in Ukraine. | With a 39% job approval rating, more deaths from covid than during the Trump administration, and a failure to deliver on most of promises made during the 2020 presidential campaign, the intentional escalation of tensions by the United States wit…
(2022-01-27). Over 30,000 Ukrainian troops trained so far, Canada to extend, increase troop deployment. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Canada extends military operation in Ukraine for three years Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday the extension of Operation UNIFIER for three years, and the deployment of 60 more troops to Ukraine in the coming days. Trudeau made the announcement following a cabinet meeting, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie …
(2022-01-27). 10 killed, wounded in shooting at a military plant in Ukraine. en.mehrnews.com At least five people have been killed and five others were injured in a shooting at a Ukrainian military plant on Thursday.