(2022-02-04). How Erdogan Scapegoated ISIS Caliph to Appease Biden? dissidentvoice.org Whilst Turkish President Erdogan was in Kiev on Thursday, ostensibly brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine to defuse escalating tensions following the Russian troop build-up along Ukraine's borders and the deployment of 3,000 US forces in Poland and Romania, Biden announced that the Islamic State leader had been killed in a special-ops raid …
(2022-02-04). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Strikes across France by healthcare, transport and employment agency workers over staff shortages, workload and pay; protests by teachers across Iran against wages and conditions following protests of retirees demanding a rise in pensions; 5,000 South African food workers on indefinite strike against pay and job cuts for eleventh week…
(2022-02-04). Ford Saarlouis and Valencia plants: The blackmail continues. wsws.org Ford in Europe has announced electrification plans for plants in Cologne (Germany), Kocaeli (Turkey) and Craiova (Romania). However, the plants at Almussafes and Saarlouis must compete against each other in an internal "bidding war" for the commitment to produce an electric model.
(2022-02-04). Imperial named best in Europe for entrepreneurs as startup competition commences. imperial.ac.uk The hunt for the most promising student businesses continues as part of Imperial's Venture Catalyst Challenge (VCC).
(2022-02-04). New Dutch government lifts COVID-19 measures as infections skyrocket. wsws.org The reactionary and unscientific policy of the European bourgeoisie is going from "living with Covid" to "working with Covid."
(2022-02-04). The new leadership of Germany's Green Party: A toxic mixture of militarism and identity politics. wsws.org The transition of the Greens into the camp of militarism and destruction of social programs is directly linked to the material rise of the social milieu upon which they rely.
(2022-02-03). Russia & China set to make new declaration — Moscow. rt.com 
The announcement comes as Moscow and Beijing increase their cooperation in a number of spheres | Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to declare the two countries will work shoulder to shoulder on their most important missions, Moscow has announced, as relations with the US and its allies in Europe come under increased strain. | Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov revealed that the text of a major announcement would be on the agenda for the Russian leader's upcoming visit to China. | "A joint statement on international relat…
(2022-02-03). Putin slams attempts to politicize sports as 'fundamentally wrong'. tass.com According to Russian President, "the power and greatness of sports are that it brings people together, gives moments of triumph and pride for the country and delights with fair, just and uncompromising competition"
(2022-02-03). Russia reveals plans in case of cut-off from US dollar. rt.com 
The Kremlin has urged calm in the face of massive US sanctions | Moscow is prepared for the possibility that harsh US sanctions could restrict its banks' access to dollar transactions, the Kremlin has said, admitting that the potentially unprecedented measures have officials worried. | Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday that Moscow is well aware of the threat of massive sanctions coming from the American side amid an ongoing row over Ukraine. "Certainly, the Kremlin is concerned, because the sanctions behavior of the US is absolutely unpredictable," he said. | The spokesman wen…
(2022-02-03). Cuba's Resumen Latinoamericano Website Silenced Due to Blockade. orinocotribune.com By Graciela Ramírez — Jan 29, 2022 | This January 27, while we were preparing different notes on national and international affairs, our website cubaenresumen.org was silenced. We could not upload any information, we thought at first it was due to a technical problem with the website. | After an hour we began to receive messages via WhatsApp from friends and readers of Cuba en Resumen in Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Venezuela, Spain, the United States and Italy who were asking what was happening, since they could not access not only what was published in the morning, nor anything on our website. | We immedia…
(2022-02-03). Russia Accuses US And NATO Of Provoking War In Ukraine. popularresistance.org On Monday, January 31, at a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting called to discuss the situation in Ukraine, the Russian envoy to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, accused the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of whipping up war hysteria in eastern Europe. | Nebenzya was responding to the US permanent representative at the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, who reiterated her country's claims of an imminent threat of Russian invasion of Ukraine. She called on the UN to take urgent steps to prevent the war, saying that failure to do so will lead to "horrible consequences." She claimed that deployment at the Russ…
(2022-02-03). Iran's Economy Reveals Power And Limits Of US Sanctions. popularresistance.org Tehran, Iran — As economists, politicians, and pundits mull the threat of "swift and severe" United States economic sanctions against Russia should the latter invade Ukraine, one country that has long been in Washington's crosshairs does not have to ponder what such punitive measures can do — Iran. | Some 655 Iranian entities and individuals were sanctioned under the administration of former US President Barack Obama, according to data compiled by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). But the most brutal punishment kicked off in 2018, after former US President Donald Trump's administration un…
(2022-02-03). Neo-Nazis active in Ukraine as White House adds 3,000 troops. peoplesworld.org 
There's an increasingly surreal air regarding the war scare over Ukraine. The original roles in the drama seem to be reversed. Back in December, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Oleksii Reznikov was warning that "not provoking Russia—that strategy does not and will not work," claiming that Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 because NATO hadn't let it join. …
(2022-02-03). Blackwater Is In The Donbas With The Azov Battalion. popularresistance.org The phone call between President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky "did not go well", CNN headlines: while "Biden warned that the Russian invasion in February is practically certain when the frozen ground makes it possible for tanks to pass through", Zelensky " asked Biden to tone down, arguing that the Russian threat is still ambiguous". While the Ukrainian president himself takes a more cautious stance, the Ukrainian armed forces are massing in Donbas close to the Donetsk and Lugansk area inhabited by Russian populations. According to reports from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, units of th…
(2022-02-03). War in Ukraine Could Be Humanitarian Catastrophe for Millions in the Region. truthout.org 
Image Credit: Norwegian Refugee Council | As tensions grow between Russia and NATO over a potential invasion of Ukraine, up to 2 million people in eastern Ukraine are at risk of massive displacement and violence if the conflict escalates. We speak with the Norwegian Refugee Council's Jan Egeland, who is on the ground in Ukraine and says a war could roll back nearly a decade of humanitarian progress made in the Ukrainian region. "We need reconciliation, we need peace," says Egeland on the messages…
(2022-02-03). Kiev asks embassies to quietly ask foreigners to leave Donbass — Donetsk militia's chief. tass.com At the same time, Ukraine introduced new entry restrictions on visits by foreigners who have no "solid reasons" for entering the country…
(2022-02-03). Kiev Preparing Offensive, Restricts Exit of Those Liable for Military Service, Donetsk Says. sputniknews.com DONETSK (Sputnik) – The people's militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said on Thursday that Kiev had restricted the exit of citizens liable for military service from Ukraine due to preparations for an offensive in Donbass.
(2022-02-03). Ukraine crisis: "The U.S. is climbing the escalation ladder" liberationnews.org 
oordinator of the ANSWER Coalition Richard Becker appeared on KPFA's "Flashpoints" radio to discuss the aggressive actions by the U.S. government bringing tensions with Russia to the brink.
(2022-02-03). Russian Historian: We Need Both the U.S. & Russia to Deescalate Crisis over Ukraine. democracynow.org 
Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to deny accusations of a planned invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration ordered the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Eastern Europe on Wednesday to supposedly protect Ukraine. Moscow-based historian and political writer Ilya Budraitskis says both Russia and the U.S. are gaining more from the threat of conflict than an actual war, and says Russia has no real strategic gain from a potential invasion.
(2022-02-03). Russia takes UN Security Council rotating presidency. america.cgtn.com 
Russia says it will discuss the situation in Ukraine as it takes over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council. The impasse between Russia and other nations over Ukraine highlights limits to the power of the council. CGTN's Sarah Walton reports.
(2022-02-03). "We Need Peace": War in Ukraine Would Be Humanitarian Catastrophe for Millions in the Region. democracynow.org 
As tensions grow between Russia and NATO over a potential invasion of Ukraine, up to 2 million people in eastern Ukraine are at risk of massive displacement and violence if the conflict escalates. We speak with the Norwegian Refugee Council's Jan Egeland, who is on the ground in Ukraine and says a war could roll back nearly a decade of humanitarian progress made in the Ukrainian region. "We need reconciliation, we need peace," says Egeland on the messages he is hearing from Ukrainians.
(2022-02-03). Despite the U.S. Hype about an "imminent" Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow is not Ready to Risk War. juancole.com Belgrade (Special to Informed Comment) — Russia seems to be giving up on the "ultimatum" it issued to the United States in December. After Washington and its allies said no to Moscow's security demands, the Kremlin started to soften its rhetoric regarding a potential NATO expansion eastward. Western media, however, keep spreading rumors of an …
(2022-02-03). Headlines for February 3, 2022. democracynow.org U.S. to Deploy 3,000 Additional Troops to Eastern Europe Amid Tensions over Ukraine, Witnesses Say U.S. Raid That Killed ISIS Leader in Syria Left Civilians Dead, Pentagon Sends Warship and Planes to UAE; Saudi Arabia and Israel Hold Joint Naval Exercises, Militia Attacks DRC Camp for Displaced People, Killing 60, Pfizer Asks FDA to Approve COVID Vaccine for Young Kids Despite Mixed Clinical Trial Results, Ecuadorian Court Rejects Oil Drilling on Indigenous Lands in Amazon Rainforest, Biden Renominates Former Chevron Lawyer First Tapped by Trump to Become Federal Judge, Senate Forges Ahead with Judicial Confirmat…
(2022-02-03). Ilhan Omar Warns Democrats' Ukraine Proposal Only 'Escalates the Conflict'. scheerpost.com 
By Jessica Corbett / Common Dreams Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Wednesday delivered a detailed rebuke of congressional Democrats' proposed legislative response to the escalating crisis involving Ukraine and Russia, declaring that "when the United States says it champions human rights, democracy, and peace, we should mean it." "Instead of spending $500 million on weapons, we should …
(2022-02-03). The Untold History of NATO and Case for Its Abolition. liberationnews.org 
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is moving ever closer to Russia's border. As Biden sends thousands of additional troops to Eastern Europe, the threat of war is growing by the day.
(2022-02-03). The Year of the Tiger Starts with a Sino-Russian Bang. strategic-culture.org The Year of the Black Water Tiger will start, for all practical purposes, with a Beijing bang this Friday, as Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, after a live meeting before the initial ceremony of the Winter Olympics, will issue a joint statement on international relations. | That will represent a crucial move in the Eurasia vs. NATOstan chessboard, as the Anglo-American axis is increasingly bogged down in Desperation Row: after all, "Russian aggression" stubbornly refuses to materialize. | After an interminable wait arguably due to the lack of functionaries properly equipped to write an intelligible lett…
(2022-02-03). US Needs Fear of Russia to Keep Europe under Control. journal-neo.org 
If NATO were to become irrelevant, the US would lose its influence on Europe. If Europe were to become an independent player in world politics, it will effectively defeat the US plan to prevent the systemic shift to multipolarity. Preventing both of these eventualities requires, from Washington's perspective, a constant external threat to Europe that …
(2022-02-03). Warmongering against Russia in the name of Auschwitz. wsws.org The more the USA and NATO intensify their war drive against Russia, the more aggressively the ruling class in Germany behaves.
(2022-02-03). Russia And China Hatch Sanctions-Busting Plan To Limit Use Of Dollar. popularresistance.org Amid a worsening stand-off between East and West, Russia and China are increasingly contemplating using their own currencies in mutual settlements and finding ways to work together to counter sanctions, Moscow's envoy in Beijing has disclosed. | Speaking as part of an appearance on YouTube channel Soloviev Live on Wednesday, Andrey Denisov weighed in on the impact of embargoes imposed by Western nations on ties between the two nations. | "The fact that these sanctions have a negative impact on some aspects of our relations is indeed true," he said, pointing at the impact on financial settlements. "If penalties ar…
(2022-02-03). Argentina President: It's Necessary to End Dependence on US, Develop Cooperation With Russia. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Argentina's large external debt rose largely because of the United States, so Buenos Aires needs to get rid of dependence on Washington and open up new opportunities in cooperation with Russia, President Alberto Fernandez said.
(2022-02-03). US Exacts Revenge on Afghanistan for its Defiance. journal-neo.org 
Ever since the Taliban (an organization deemed terrorist and banned in Russia) took control of Afghanistan last August amid a shameful and chaotic US withdrawal, the country, ravaged by war and occupation for 20 years, has plunged deeper and deeper into disaster, causing new waves of displacement, further impoverishing it and raising the specter of …
(2022-02-03). US sends another 3,000 troops to Eastern Europe. wsws.org Along with these latest troop deployments, the Pentagon is sending another six F-15 fighter jets to Estonia, whose border is only about 200 miles from Russia's second major city, St. Petersburg.
(2022-02-03). Coalition to Prevent War with Russia. indybay.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — TUESDAY, FEB. 1, 2022…
(2022-02-03). Full text of Putin's signed article for Xinhua. ecns.cn A signed article by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin titled "Russia and China: A Future-Oriented Strategic Partnership" was published by Xinhua News Agency on Thursday.
(2022-02-03). Pressing for Cancellation of Brazilian President's Visit to Russia, Reports Say. orinocotribune.com 
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — The United States is putting pressure on Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to call off his visit to Moscow in February saying it may be interpreted as taking sides amid tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border, the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported, citing diplomatic sources. | "During a Sunday phone call with Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Franca, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concerns again that the president's visit might be interpreted as a sign that Brazil takes a side in the conflict", sources in the Brazilian Foreign Ministry told the newspape…
(2022-02-03). Putin calls Russian-Chinese relations "a model of efficiency, responsibility" tass.com The Russian leader stressed that Russia and China are "close neighbors bound by centuries-old traditions of friendship and trust"
(2022-02-03). The Russians Are Coming: Are Beijing and Moscow at the Cusp of a Formal Alliance? dissidentvoice.org 
It should matter little to the Chinese that American diplomats and a handful of their western allies will not be attending the Beijing Winter Olympics in February. What truly matters is that the Russians are coming. The above is not an arbitrary statement. It is supported with facts. According to a survey conducted by China's Global …
(2022-02-03). Is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Beginning to Open Up? journal-neo.org 
After a year and a half of interruption, North Korea has reopened rail connections with China. Since the end of January 2020, the DPRK has halted cross-boarder railway services. Even though on June 26, 2020 one freight train passed from Hunchun (a border city in China's Jilin province) to Tumangang station on the North Korea-Russian …
(2022-02-03). Saturday 2/5: No War With Russia; Yes to Diplomacy and Peace. indybay.org Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, MLK Jr. Way @ Allston Way, Berkeley.
(2022-02-03). How US Meddling Split Sudan. popularresistance.org Like most countries, the Republic of South Sudan is a complex nation of shifting alliances and external influences. | Recently, President Salva Kiir, who sports a Stetson hat gifted him by George W. Bush, signed a peace agreement with old enemies, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-In Opposition. Around the same time, the so-called Embassy Troika consisting of the US, Britain, and Norway facilitated International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs for South Sudan. | When China proposes investment schemes, US politicians call it "debt-trap diplomacy." As has been seen in South Sudan, when Western corporations seek to pl…
(2022-02-03). Burkina Faso Military Coup Reflects Wave Of Insecurity In West Africa. popularresistance.org This time lower-ranking army officers staged a mutiny in Burkina Faso over the weekend of January 22-23 leaving millions domestically and throughout the region wondering who was actually in control of the landlocked agricultural country formerly colonized by France. | During the afternoon on January 24, several soldiers appeared on national television saying they had taken control of the government removing President Roche Marc Christian Kabore who was elected during a transitional process in 2015. The deposed president was reportedly being held at a military camp where one of the mutinies occurred. | Other offic…
(2022-02-03). At least 12 refugees die of cold on Greece-Turkey border. peoplesdispatch.org 
Both Turkey and Greece have blamed each other for the tragic deaths, with the Turkish interior minister calling the European Union's policy of pushing back refugees "inhuman"
(2022-02-03). Breaking: Special Forces Land In Syria's Greater Idlib, Engage Militants In Kill Or Capture Operation. southfront.org 
File image. | Early on February 3, a suspected US special force landed from several helicopters near the northern Syrian town of Atimah right on the border line with Turkey. | The force came from the direction of Syria's northeastern region, where the US-led coalition maintains a number of bases. | After landing, the force, which was backed by several attack helicopters, combat drones and fighter jet, engaged in fierce clashes with unidentified militants while apparently carrying out a kill or capture operation.
(2022-02-03). Situation in Turkey is Putting Erdogan's Abilities to the Test. journal-neo.org 
In the last few years, Turkey's economy has been caught in a drawn-out recession, largely due to the increasing costs related to the current model of economic growth. And as the economy is deteriorating, so is the political and economic situation in the country, forcing President Erdogan to make choices which are far from popular. …
(2022-02-03). Belarusian president says global situation can escalate at any moment. tass.com Among the main triggers of the current state of affairs, Alexander Lukashenko calls systemic destruction of global security and the growing militarization of the European region…
(2022-02-03). Presidente cubano recibe a delegación de europarlamentarios. cubadebate.cu El primer secretario del Comité Central del Partido y presidente de la República, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, recibió este miércoles en el Palacio de la Revolución a los miembros de una delegación integrada por representantes del Grupo de la Izquierda Confederal Unitaria Europea/Izquierda Verde Nórdica, que visitan nuestro país.
(2022-02-03). US autoworkers support European Ford workers' fight against concessions: "We are all behind you in the United States" wsws.org Ford workers in Europe recently formed a rank-and-file committee to organize against attempts to roll back wages and working conditions.
(2022-02-03). The Hypocrisy of the 'Diplomatic Boycott' of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. peoplesdispatch.org Which human rights matter enough to put politics above sports? For decades, the United States and its European allies have gotten to decide the answer at their convenience.
(2022-02-03). Maus, graphic novel about the Holocaust, censored by Tennessee schoolboard. wsws.org The McMinn County School Board has removed Maus, by Art Spiegelman, which depicts the experience of the author's family in Poland during the Holocaust, from the 8th grade curriculum, allegedly because of "rough language."
(2022-02-03). Maus, graphic novel about the Holocaust, censored by Tennessee school board. wsws.org The McMinn County School Board has removed Maus, by Art Spiegelman, which depicts the experience of the author's family in Poland during the Holocaust, from the 8th grade curriculum, allegedly because of "rough language."