Daily Archives: February 10, 2021

2021-02-10: News Headlines

Eli Morey (2021-02-11). Attacks on tenants' rights intensify in Indianapolis, activists resist. liberationnews.org Dozens of activists convened on the steps of the Indiana State Capitol building at 9 am on Feb. 8, bearing freezing temperatures to protest the Indiana General Assembly's attacks on the limited rights that tenants have in Indiana. The protest, called for by Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis and supported by the Indianapolis branch of …

Behrooz Ghamari Tabrizi (2021-02-10). A Death on the Anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. counterpunch.org Haleh Lajevardi, an Iranian professor of sociology, died last week in Tehran at the age 56. Her brother who tweeted the news of her passing did not reveal the cause of death. People close to her knew that she had dealt with bouts of depression for many years, particularly after she was dismissed from her

Richard Falk (2021-02-10). Iran's Islamic Republic Celebrates its 42nd Anniversary. zcomm.org I believe it is correct that the failure of the United States to overcome Iranian resistance to its destabilization and counterrevolutionary efforts is viewed as one dimension of American imperial decline…

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). 22 Bahman rallies in provinces (2). en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — Along with their fellow Iranians, people in Tabriz, Birjand, and in Yazd held drive-in rallies amid the pandemic on Wednesday to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution victory on February 11, 1979.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). Revolution occurred for independence, dignity: FM spokesman. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has said that the 1979 Islamic Revolution was the result of a relentless national endeavor for independence and dignity.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). Iranian inmates in Iraq to be handed over to Tehran: official. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — Chairman of Iran's Prisons Organization says the Iranian prisoners held in Iraq will be pardoned or will be handed over to Iran to spend their remaining jail term in their own country's prisons.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). Enemy seeks maximum pressure, minimum commitments: Jalili. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — Representative of Iran's Leader to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili has warned against US claim on JCPOA return, saying that the enemy seeks maximum pressure along with minimum commitments.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). Which feature of Iran revolution causes concern for West? en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — It is the Islamic, ideological, and transnational aspect of the Iranian revolution that has concerned the Western powers.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). EU parl. official says Iran has not violated nuclear deal. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Cornelia Ernst, the Chairwoman of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Iran has stressed the need to resume talks with Tehran.

Rachael Boothroyd (2021-02-10). US Sanctions Obstructing Humanitarian Aid in Venezuela, New Report Finds. venezuelanalysis.com A US Government and Accountability Office report found that sanctions have pushed the Venezuelan economy into crisis.

teleSUR (2021-02-10). UN To Assess the Impact of US Sanctions on Venezuela. telesurenglish.net United Nations representative Alena Douhan visits Venezuela to assess the impact of U.S. economic sanctions imposed on the Bolivarian nation since 2015. | RELATED: | The visit announcement came shortly after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) acknowledged that its country's sanctions on Venezuela have killed tens of thousands of people. | The results of the analysis of the U.S. unilateral coercive measures imposed on this…

Eds. (2021-02-10). Through the "Bolivar Act" U.S. Congressmen intend to tighten the blockade against Venezuela. mronline.org On January 28th, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced to the U.S. Congress a new bill dedicated to Venezuela entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime Act".

teleSUR (2021-02-10). Venezuela to Receive 100,000 Doses of Sputnik V Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday announced that 100,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine will arrive in his country next week. | RELATED: | Once the first lot arrives in Caracas, the national vaccination campaign will kick off, prioritizing health workers who are on the front line against COVID-19 and the people most vulnerable to the disease. | The next to be vaccinated will be the country's t…

Howard Lisnoff (2021-02-10). When It Seemed as If the World Took Notice. counterpunch.org An antiwar protester in Providence, Rhode Island, Jerry Elmer, noted in the middle of the decade of the 1970s that it was difficult to sustain interest in the antiwar movement as the American war in Southeast Asia came to a close. Elmer, and other peace activists, had set up a replica of the tiger cages

Medea Benjamin (2021-02-10). A Pro-Cairo Lobby is Spending Big to Make Sure Biden Doesn't Cut Aid to Egypt's Dictatorship. mintpressnews.com President al-Sisi is afraid that his free rein to commit human rights abuses are over now that Trump is out of office, that's why he hired Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to the tune of $65,000 per month to whitewash his image and keep the American money flowing.

Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold (2021-02-10). Biden should stop payment on US funds to Sisi's Egypt. nationofchange.org They should put a "stop payment" on the U.S. taxpayer-funded check that has enabled Sisi to operate with impunity.

Anand Naidoo (2021-02-10). The Heat: Yemen's war. america.cgtn.com U.S. President Joe Biden charts a new course in an effort to end the war Yemen.

MEE and agencies (2021-02-10). Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi Arabia's Abha airport. middleeasteye.net Yemen's Houthis attack Saudi Arabia's Abha airport | Yemen rebels say four of its drones targeted Abha airport located around 120km from the border, leaving an aircraft in flames | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 13: 26 | The Houthis have previously hit Abha international airport, and regularly launch drones and missiles into Saudi Arabia (AFP) | Yemen's Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a…

Nadda Osman (2021-02-10). Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi activist released from prison. middleeasteye.net Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi activist released from prison | Blogger Nouf Abdulaziz, who was also swept up in Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 crackdown on dissent, also reportedly released | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 16: 56 | In a photo shared by her sister on social media, Loujain is shown smiling after her release (Screengrab/Twitter) | Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has returned home after spendin…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-10). Iran condemns Kabul blasts. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned blasts that hit the Afghan capital of Kabul on Wednesday, claiming at least three lives.

Online News Editor (2021-02-10). Iran marks 42nd anniversary of Islamic Revolution in cars, motorcycles. laprensalatina.com Tehran, Feb 10 (efe-epa).- Tens of thousands of Iranians on Wednesday commemorated the anniversary of the country's 1979 revolution in parades of cars and motorcycles, instead of the usual large-scale rallies organized by the government, due to the coronavirus pandemic. From their vehicles, people held up photos of former Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, who led …

_____ (2021-02-10). The Diplomacy of No Diplomacy. strategic-culture.org By Patrick LAWRENCE | A return to diplomacy: Let us hold this thought up to the light. Among all the promises President Joe Biden is going to break over the next four years, this will prove the most fraudulent and, in the larger scheme of things, the most consequential of his breaches. | As of last week, it is the crisis over the agreement governing Iran's nuclear programs that stands to demonstrate the truth of this judgment. On Sunday Tehran appeared to put the Biden administration on notice that it has two weeks to get serious about reentering diplomatic negotiations, after which time the shutter will come dow…

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-10). Spox rejects report on Flight PS752 as politically motivated. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has dismissed a report by Canadian CBC on Flight PS752 case as politically motivated.

yenisafak (2021-02-10). Iran celebrates 1979 revolution amid virus restrictions. yenisafak.com Iran marked the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 revolution this year in a remarkably subdued way owing to countrywide COVID-19 restrictions. | Instead of massive annual processions associated with Bahman 22, when the rule of Iran's Pahlavi dynasty ended in 1979, this year's celebrations are limited to car and motorcycle rallies in Tehran and other major cities. | On Wednesday morning, a large number of motorcycles and cars marched on the iconic Azaadi Street in Tehran, with revelers waving the country's flag and chanting patriotic slogans. | The similar two-wheeler and four-wheeler marches were carried out in other…

_____ (2021-02-10). GAO Report Shows Biden Should Scrap Trump's Economic Sanctions On Venezuela. popularresistance.org Washington, DC ‚Äï A new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that US economic sanctions on Venezuela are harming the Venezuelan economy, especially by depressing oil production and exports, and that they are also hindering US-backed humanitarian assistance to the country. The report, which looks at the impact of US sanctions on Venezuela's economic crisis, was requested by former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel (D-NY) and committee member Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI). | "This report from the GAO offers more evidence that these unilateral, illeg…

Prof. Ociel Alí López (2021-02-10). Crisis & Critique: A Trumpist Hangover Prevails in Venezuela. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Elliot Abrams has gone missing in the last few days. He …

MEE staff (2021-02-10). Saudi Arabia 'suspended ministry website following criticism of hateful speech'. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia 'suspended ministry website following criticism of hateful speech' | Washington-based think tank says Riyadh has taken steps to remove anti-western and antisemitic content by its own officials and platforms in response to recent revelations | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 13: 24 | The Saudi Crown Prince has promoted himself as a reformist, but the rhetoric found on his government's platforms and by his appoin…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-10). Macron's idea sign of his inability to think strategically. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 10 (MNA)—"The idea to include Saudi Arabia must be seen within that context, i.e. the inability of Macron to think strategically and in more analytical detail about national and international relations", says Prof. Adib Moghaddam.

teleSUR (2021-02-10). Cuba to Produce First 150,000 Doses of Soberana 02 Vaccine. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV) President Vicente Verez on Tuesday announced that his country started producing the first batch of 150,000 doses of the Soberana 02 vaccine. | RELATED: | "Because of the vaccine's encouraging results, we started producing it on a large scale to launch its third phase of clinical trials in March," Verez said. | Over 700 people have already been vaccinated with Sovereign 02 during the…

yenisafak (2021-02-10). 103 years pass since death of reformist Ottoman sultan. yenisafak.com According to historical sources, Abdulhamid II was born in Istanbul on Sept. 21, 1842. Growing up in the Ottoman palace, he was fluent in many languages, including French, Arabic, and Persian.His childhood and youth coincided with the Tanzimat, a period of reform in the Ottoman Empire that began in 1839.Abdulhamid's 33-year reign began on Aug. 31, 1876, as the empire was in dire straits amid threats both at home and abroad.The same year of his ascension, he signed the empire's first constitution, known as the Kanun-i Esasi, on Dec. 23, laying the foundations for constitutional government.Excelling at foreign poli…

_____ (2021-02-10). Why A War In Yemen? popularresistance.org The Saudis decided to enter an ongoing civil war in Yemen in 2015 for several reasons. The two countries share a long border at the southern end of their peninsula. This length of this border is matched by Yemen's coastline on the Arabian Sea, an access to ocean waters that Saudi Arabia does not have. | Even more important is that the southeast corner of Yemen sits at the point where the Red Sea flows into the Arabian Sea through a very narrow passageway. This would enable the Saudis to control shipping through the Red Sea. | Furthermore, Yemen has oil that generates revenue from contracts with private producers.

Nicolas Niarchos (2021-02-10). The Suffering Underclass of War-Torn Yemen. thenation.com The Suffering Underclass of War-Torn Yemen…

Hiroyuki Hamada (2021-02-10). The Mechanism of Invisible Hand, Invisible Cage, and Invisible Empire over Humanity and Nature. dissidentvoice.org When the whole society becomes a theater of absurdity, the puppeteers become kings and queens of insanity. The society loses its logic, history, facts, honesty, sincerity, creativity and imagination, as the monstrous imaginations of the insane kings and queens devour humanity and nature. The invisible cage of authoritarianism comes in the shape of a bottomless pyramid. Fear and hopelessness fill …

Orinoco Tribune (2021-02-10). Washington Openly Spent About $250 Million in Subversive Actions Against Cuba Since 2000. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | On Monday, February 8, Cuban newspaper Granma published a review of …

_____ (2021-02-09). How Rational Can The US Be In Dealing With Yemen And Iran? popularresistance.org This announcement does not augur peace in Yemen any time soon. Rather it looks a bit like political mystification that some have chosen to celebrate now, regardless of what it actually means, apparently in hope of making it a meaningful, self-fulfilling prophecy some time in the future. This does not seem likely, given what Biden actually said, but we shall see. | For the foreseeable future, Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, will remain the victim of a Saudi war of aggression and Saudi war crimes. Since March 2015, with the full support of the Obama administration, Saudi Arabia and its allies have tu…

teleSUR (2021-02-09). Iran Begins Sputnik V Vaccination Campaign Against COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Several doctors, nurses, and first responders were vaccinated this Tuesday with the Russian anti-COVID vaccine. | A vaccination campaign against COVID-19 began this Tuesday in Tehran with Sputnik V's application to the nation's health sector professionals. | RELATED: | The campaign to put an end to the pandemic in the Persian nation began with applying the Russian substance to prevent infection of the new coronavirus. | Parsa Namaki, the son of…

Alan MacLeod (2021-02-09). Facebook hires ex-NATO press officer and social media censor Ben Nimmo as intel strategist. thegrayzone.com Nimmo has previously worked for NATO and the Integrity Initiative, a covert UK govt troll farm. His move to Facebook suggests more censorship on the way for anti-establishment voices. This report was originally published by Mint Press News. Ben Nimmo, a former NATO press officer and current senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, has announced Facebook has hired him to "lead global threat intelligence strategy against influence operations" and "emerging threats." Nimmo specifically named Russia, Iran and China as potential dangers to the …

Phyllis Bennis (2021-02-09). Where is Biden's Foreign Policy Headed? zcomm.org Biden has appointed many old guard interventionists and new Cold Warriors, but there is some hope for a better Iran policy. Watch out for attempts by Israel to scuttle the nuclear deal…

Daniel Hellinger (2021-02-09). Maduro's Brown New Deal for Venezuela. zcomm.org Nicolás Maduro's reforms will deepen Venezuela's oil dependency, slow regional efforts to decarbonize, and shift oil profits to transnational oil companies…

Misión Verdad (2021-02-09). 'Bolivar Act' to tighten U.S. sanctions against elected Venezuelan government. peoplesworld.org On January 28, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced into the Congress a new bill dedicated to smashing democracy in Venezuela, cumbersomely entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act." The creators of the law tendentiously established the …

Misión Verdad (2021-02-09). "Bolivar Act" to tighten U.S. sanctions against elected Venezuelan government. peoplesworld.org On January 28, a group of U.S. Congressmen, led by former Green Beret and now Republican Party legislator, Michael Waltz, introduced into the Congress a new bill dedicated to smashing democracy in Venezuela, cumbersomely entitled the "Bipartisan Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR) Act." The creators of the law tendentiously established the …

teleSUR (2021-02-09). Venezuelan Govt. Launches Proposals to Improve Public Services. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Public Works Minister Nestor Reverol on Tuesday announced proposals to improve the supply of domestic gas, electricity, and potable water to the population this 2021. | RELATED: | "We will install a 'Situational Room' that will be active 24 hours a day so we can have an early warning system for local problems," Reverol explained. | Starting next week, Public Work officials will be deployed throughout th…

MEE staff (2021-02-09). 'Immoral': UK approved $1.9bn arms sales to Saudi Arabia after ban was lifted. middleeasteye.net 'Immoral': UK approved $1.9bn arms sales to Saudi Arabia after ban was lifted | Anti-arms trade campaigners say figures show UK officials are putting 'profit before Yemeni lives' | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 20: 38 | UN has said conflict in Yemen has led to world's worst humanitarian disaster (AFP) | The British government has been accused by campaigners of "putting profit before Yemeni lives" after it authorised the e…

W. T. Whitney (2021-02-09). Cuba's COVID-19 Vaccines Serve the People, Not Profits. counterpunch.org Cuba's socialist approach to developing vaccines against COVID-19 differs strikingly from that of capitalist nations of the world. Cuba's production of four vaccines is grounded in science and dedicated to saving the lives of all Cubans, and to international solidarity. The New York Times's running report on the world's vaccine programs shows 67 vaccines having

W.T. Whitney Jr. (2021-02-09). Cuba develops COVID-19 vaccines, takes socialist approach. zcomm.org Socialist Cuba's production of four vaccines is grounded in science, in a dedication to saving the lives of all Cubans, and in international solidarity…

Staff (2021-02-09). Disabled Advocates Demand Better Vaccine Access as They Face Greater Risks of Dying from COVID-19. democracynow.org As the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus tops 465,000, we speak with two disability rights activists about growing calls to prioritize giving COVID vaccines to people with physical and mental disabilities. Some states, including California, are failing to prioritize vaccines for people with serious physical or developmental disabilities, even though studies show they are up to three times more likely to die from COVID-19. "I use a ventilator to breathe, and I have respiratory failure," says disabled activist Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project and host of the podcast "Disability Visibility…

IMEMC & Agencies (2021-02-09). Analysis: Israel's Crimes, Legitimacy and Free Speech. imemc.org By Ron Forthofer for the Palestine Chronicle Israel is waging an intense campaign against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, a nonviolent campaign called for by Palestinian civil society in 2005. This Movement was modeled on the campaign against South African Apartheid. Palestinians felt compelled to issue the call for a BDS campaign since previous …

teleSUR (2021-02-09). Honduras Demands Justice for Nursing Student Killed by Police. telesurenglish.net Hondurean human rights activists took to the streets at Intibuca Department to demand justice for nursing student Keyla Martinez, who was allegedly murdered by the National Police. | RELATED: | Honduras' Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations (COPINH), which called for the demonstration, held President Juan Orlando's government responsible for the crime against Martinez. | The young woman, 26, died i…

Naureen Shah (2021-02-09). This is Biden's Chance to End ICE's Abuses — For Good. aclu.org President Biden's 100-day deportation moratorium, announced late last month, was a monumental achievement for immigrant justice activists and immigrant communities. Less visible but potentially groundbreaking: The Department of Homeland Security's promise to conduct a top-to-bottom review of programs and policies governing the arrests and deportations of immigrants in the United States. | While a Texas court temporarily enjoined the deportation moratorium (the ACLU has

Ralph Nader (2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. counterpunch.org Donald Trump, has with luck, eluded the consequences of being a failed gambling czar with no respect for the law. But his luck has reached a new level with Congressional Democrats refraining from holding him accountable for breaking the law and violating the Constitution as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun for