(2021-02-02). Palestinian political activist and analyst Abdel Sattar Qassem dies of Covid-19. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian political activist and analyst Abdel Sattar Qassem dies of Covid-19 | Qassem, 72, had announced in January that he would be running as an independent candidate for the presidency in the upcoming Palestinian election | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 11: 33 | Qassem was born in the village of Deir al-Ghusun in 1948, in the present-day occupied West Bank (social media) | Prominent Palestinian academic and politica…
(2021-02-02). Israel faces legal — and practical — obligations for including Palestinians in vaccine success. juancole.com 
By Yara M. Asi | — As nations scramble to vaccinate populations against COVID-19, one country has been ahead of the rest: Israel. By late January, Israel had vaccinated more than 30% of its population — more than double or triple the rate of other high-income states like the U.S., the U.K., France and Germany. …
(2021-02-02). Covid-19: Netanyahu basks in vaccine success as Israelis suffer his pandemic failures. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Netanyahu basks in vaccine success as Israelis suffer his pandemic failures | Coronavirus is running amok in Israel, but the prime minister won't let you hear it as he embarks on yet another election campaign | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 14: 22 | Benjamin Netanyahu receives a Covid-19 vaccine injection at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv (Reuters) | Muslims pray five times a day; observant Jews thre…
(2021-02-02). Sunday 2/7: Dope + Capitalism = Genocide. indybay.org Zoom Meeting | LOG-IN INFO AT ICSSMARX.ORG…
(2021-02-02). 'Slow-motion genocide': West Papuan liberation leader describes Indonesian occupation. peoplesworld.org 
This article was first published in Morning Star on Jan. 29, 2021. It has been an incredible journey for exiled West Papuan leader Benny Wenda. From a childhood spent living in poverty in the mountains where he witnessed his auntie being raped by Indonesian soldiers to a daring escape from prison in 2002, his "long …
(2021-02-02). Israeli Forces Demolish Residential Tents in the Northern Jordan Valley. imemc.org 
Israeli occupation soldiers, on Monday, dismantled residential tents and agricultural structures, and seized a vehicle in the northern Jordan Valley, Quds News Network has reported. Israeli forces stormed the northern occupied West Bank village of Khirbet Humsa al-Fouqa, sealing off the area, before demolishing Palestinian-owned residential tents and farming structures, according to QNN correspondent. He …
(2021-02-02). Bangladesh purchased Israel-made surveillance equipment, says report. middleeasteye.net 
Bangladesh purchased Israel-made surveillance equipment, says report | Dhaka, which denies the claims made by Al Jazeera, has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 11: 18 | Bangladesh's foreign minister has denied that his government had purchased the Israeli-made surveillance equipment (AFP) | Bangladesh has been accused of buying Israeli-made surveillance equipme…
(2021-02-02). Israeli Soldiers Injure Three Palestinians, Abduct Another, Near Jenin. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers injured, Monday, three Palestinians, and abducted one, in Jenin governorate, in northern West Bank. Medical sources have confirmed that the soldiers shot, on Monday evening, a young man, from Sielet al-Harithiya town, northwest of Jenin, while he was walking near the Annexation Wall near Barta'a town, southwest of Jenin. They added that the …
(2021-02-02). Settlers Damage 15 Palestinian-owned Vehicles, 3 Homes near Salfit. imemc.org 
Fifteen Palestinian-owned vehicles and three homes were vandalized, on Monday, by illegal Israeli settlers in Kifl Hares town, west of Salfit, in the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported. Issam Abu Yacoub, the mayor of Kifl Hares said that illegal settlers stormed the town, under the cover of the Israeli army, adding …
(2021-02-02). UAE confident F-35 jets sale will go through despite Biden review, says ambassador. middleeasteye.net 
UAE confident F-35 jets sale will go through despite Biden review, says ambassador | UAE ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, says if US plans to pivot from Middle East to China it cannot 'take tools away from your partners' | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 15: 52 | The US agreed to sale of F-35 jets to Abu Dhabi following normalisation agreement between UAE and Israel (AFP) | The United Arab Emirates is confident t…
(2021-02-02). Catholic panel wrestles with gap between Biden, bishops on sexuality issues. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—When it comes to comprehensive immigration reform, combatting climate change, tackling endemic racism, and closing the yawning gap between the rich and the rest of us, the nation's Catholic bishops, its president who is a practicing Catholic, Joe Biden, and Pope Francis I are all on the same page. So are Biden, the bishops, and …
(2021-02-02). The nation can't afford Republicans' stimulus sabotage. peoplesworld.org 
In his first ten days in office, Joe Biden launched an intense effort to address the "cascading crises" that America faces. In addition to issuing executive orders to reverse several of Trump's most poisonous acts—ending federal contracting with private prisons, reviving enforcement of discrimination laws, ending the Muslim ban, re-entering the Paris Climate Accord, and …
(2021-02-02). Covid-19: Jamaal Bowman calls on Israel to vaccinate Palestinians. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Jamaal Bowman calls on Israel to vaccinate Palestinians | US congressman likens racial disparities in US and his own experiences as Black man to 'hopelessness' Palestinians face | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 18: 53 | Jamaal Bowman defeated staunch Israel supporter Eliot Engel, a senior Democrat, last year (AFP/File photo) | Congressman Jamaal Bowman, a first-term progressive Democrat, has called on the Israeli go…
(2021-02-02). Reproductive Rights: The Nationwide State of Play. progressive.org Between a pro-choice President and a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, there are many factors that could change domestic and global abortion rights.
(2021-02-02). On Inauguration Day, Police Nationwide Went After Left-Wing Protesters. truthout.org 
The storming of the U.S. Capitol by armed far right activists shifted the political climate for much of the U.S., despite the fact that anti-fascist activists and researchers had been warning for years that this type of response was imminent. While the tone and behavior of the far right had escalated since the election — a result of Donald Trump's failure to win a second term and his explosive conspiracy theories — the events on January 6 showed that the risks were not just street-level…
(2021-02-02). Biden urged to publicly support rights of citizens to boycott Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Biden urged to publicly support rights of citizens to boycott Israel | Human Rights Watch calls on Biden administration to renounce Trump-era policy that labelled BDS movement as antisemitic | Tue, 02/02/2021 – 16: 47 | The BDS movement was founded in 2005 and modelled after a similar campaign credited with ending apartheid in South Africa (AFP/File photo) | A leading human rights group has called on US Presid…
(2021-02-02). Google agrees to $3.8 million payout to settle US discrimination lawsuit. rt.com 
Tech giant Google has agreed to a $3.8 million settlement with the US Department of Labor after a lawsuit accusing the company of "systemic compensation and hiring discrimination" with thousands of women and Asian applicants. | The Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs investigated Google's actions between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2017, finding differences in the company's hiring rates between female and Asian individuals and other potential employees. | Google will distribute $1.3 million in backdated pay to 2,565 employees, and $1.2mn to over 3,000 applicants, as part o…
(2021-02-02). Acronyms are 'symptoms of white supremacy', says San Francisco public schools' art dept, after dropping its abbreviation. rt.com 
The San Francisco Unified School District Arts Department has decided to abandon its acronym, apparently in a bid to end racism — but many Twitter users have failed to appreciate this historic step forward for equality. | Formerly known as 'VAPA', short for 'Visual and Performing Arts', the department announced that going forward it would be referred to as the SFUSD Arts Department because "acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture," a local ABC affiliate
(2021-02-02). General strike in Israeli city after two Arabs killed. yenisafak.com A general strike was staged in the Israel's Arab city of Tamra on Tuesday after the killing of two Arabs by Israeli police a day earlier.Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that all stores and markets in the city closed amid a state of anger over the killing. | Israeli police said the two Arabs were shot dead while confronting armed suspects."Policemen noticed four suspects firing at a home in the city and when they tried to arrest them, fire was opened at the policemen," a police statement read.Media reports said later that one of the dead was not involved in the incident.The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation networ…
(2021-02-02). Google agrees to pay over $2.5M for job discrimination. yenisafak.com American tech firm Google has agreed to pay over $2.5 million in total in a job discrimination case to more than 5,500 female employees and overlooked Asian applicants.In a case against the US Department of Labor, the California-based firm will pay a total settlement amount of $2.58 million, according to the document released by the department on Monday.The settlement includes payments of over $1.3 million to 2,565 female engineers, and more than $1.2 million to 1,757 female engineering applicants along with 1,219 Asian engineering applicants for "engineering positions not hired."The company will also set more th…
(2021-02-02). Iran less than 2 years away from nuke weapons: Israel. yenisafak.com Israel's Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz warned on Tuesday that Iran needs a year or two to acquire a "nuclear weapon".Speaking to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Steinitz claimed that Iran needs "around half a year" to produce enough uranium for a nuclear weapon."As for nuclear weaponry, the range is around one or two years", he said.Steinitz also credited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US President Donald Trump for weakening Iran's goal of acquiring nuclear weapons."The withdrawal [of Trump] from the nuclear deal has weakened Iran," he said.Senior Israeli officials, including…
(2021-02-02). Kosovo establishes diplomatic relations with Israel, will open embassy in Jerusalem. peoplesdispatch.org Kosovo is the latest in a line of countries which have decided to normalize their relations with Israel, while being only the third to open its embassy in Jerusalem…
(2021-02-02). White or Wealth Supremacy? realprogressives.org The Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 authorized the dissemination of US state department propaganda to foreign nations deemed a threat to American democracy. This act has been a useful tool for intelligence operatives who have repeatedly sought to stamp out populist revolutions in countries with access to valuable natural resources. Through the spread of propaganda and the arming of US aligned insurgency groups, the US has been able to foment confusion and discord in foreign populations resulting in unwinnable political battles, power struggles and weak leadership representing the working people's interests. In the pow…
(2021-02-02). Switzerland's Dangerous Turn to the Far Right. 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 25 September 2020, the Swiss Parliament passed a revision of …
(2021-02-02). Tallahassee: Slave-owner statue officially removed. Victory for 5-year SDS campaign. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL — Florida State University's (FSU) Presidential Task Force on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion recently released their recommendation to permanently remove the Eppes statue and change the names of Eppes Hall and B. K. Roberts Hall. On January 27, FSU President John Thrasher approved the task force recommendation. This decision comes after years of campaigning and struggle from FSU's campus chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). | FSU SDS had been organizing around this issue for about five years, and the campaign has seen many victories and losses. In 2016, SDS sponsored a non-…
(2021-02-02). Wednesday 2/3: Black Lives Matter At School: California Schools Edition. indybay.org Online event…
(2021-02-01). The Year in Hate and Extremism 2020: Hate groups became more difficult to track amid COVID and migration to online networks. splcenter.org  …
(2021-02-01). UK Labour Party's Hiring of Former Israeli Spy Completes the Post-Corbyn Transformation. mintpressnews.com UK Labour is in the throes of a makeover as the new leader of the opposition taps a notorious Israeli Unit 8200 alumnus to lead its social media in the push for a 2024 victory.
(2021-02-01). Take Action To End The Economic War At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org It is the same neoliberal economic system, white supremacy and disregard for human life that underlie sanctions abroad and at home. The current recession and pandemic have exposed this in a brutal way in the United States. The populations that are harmed the most are Indigenous peoples and communities of color. The United States government could have taken the effective steps of cancelling rent and debt, providing a monthly income and nationalizing healthcare that other countries took but instead passed laws that funneled wealth to the top while providing minimal relief to the majority.
(2021-02-01). Israeli aggression will never destroy the Syrian wall of resistance. thealtworld.com 
"Our children are terrified, the slightest noise makes them afraid now" a resident of Kazu, a sprawling western suburb of the city of Hama, Syria, told me when I visited the scene of the latest Israeli aggression against the Syrian people. | On the 22nd January at around 4am, Israeli warplanes reportedly flew
(2021-02-01). Reaching Beyond "Black Faces in High Places": An Interview With Joy James. truthout.org 
With the advent of the Biden administration, it's a crucial time to examine the role anti-Blackness plays not only when it comes to overt white supremacist actions, but also the actions of the government — and other forces of power — more broadly. | What does Black suffering look like historically? What is the complex relationship between "progressive" racial politics and the subtle operations of capitalism? How is Black suffering monetized, especially within the context of celebrity ac…
(2021-02-01). Israeli Army Injures Several Palestinians In Hebron. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Sunday evening, Beit Ummar town, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and caused many residents to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation. Media sources in Beit Ummar said several army jeeps invaded 'Aseeda area in the town, and attacked Palestinian youngsters, who protested the invasion. They added that …
(2021-02-01). Miriam Adelson Now Leads Sheldon's Pro-Israel Empire. anti-empire.com 
Casino magnate He is survived by his Israeli widow One of the He…
(2021-02-01). Death threat targeting Israeli ambassador found at site of India embassy blast. middleeasteye.net 
Death threat targeting Israeli ambassador found at site of India embassy blast | Letter addressed to Israel's ambassador to New Delhi, Ron Malka, warns him to 'count the days', and was signed by unknown group 'India Hezbollah' | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 18: 25 | Last Friday, a small explosion occurred near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi (AFP/File photo) | A death threat was found near the scene of a blast outside t…
(2021-02-01). Kosovo formally establishes ties with Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem. middleeasteye.net 
Kosovo formally establishes ties with Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem | In exchange for setting up mission in Jerusalem, Kosovo gets recognition from Israel, as it seeks to further legitimise independence from Serbia | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 21: 18 | In a ceremony held over Zoom, Israel's foreign minister and his Kosovar counterpart signed a joint declaration establishing ties (AFP) | Kosovo and Israel establi…
(2021-02-01). Israeli Forces Invade Jayyours Village; Injure One Palestinian. imemc.org 
A Palestinian youth was injured on Saturday night when Israeli forces invaded the village, known for its decade-long weekly non-violent protests against the Israeli takeover of their land. The soldiers were met by stone throwing youth who tried to get the soldiers to leave their village. According to local sources, the Israeli soldiers involved in …
(2021-02-01). Soldiers Abduct Three Palestinians In Jerusalem, One In Tulkarem. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday evening, three young Palestinian men in the at-Tour town, in occupied East Jerusalem, in the West Bank, and one in Tulkarem, in northern West Bank. Media sources said several army jeeps invaded at-Tour, and attacked Palestinians who protested the invasion. They added that the soldiers fired gas bombs, concussion grenades, …
(2021-02-01). Chinese investment in Haifa port could compromise US-Israel intelligence sharing: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Chinese investment in Haifa port could compromise US-Israel intelligence sharing: Report | A pro-Israel think tank expressed concern over Chinese investment in Israel, including proximity of Chinese company to US Sixth Fleet in Haifa | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 14: 15 | A general view of the city of Haifa and an Israeli military ship sailing in the Mediterranean Sea on 17 July 2019 (AFP)…
(2021-02-01). Former head of Twitter Europe warns anonymity ban won't stop racism on social media. rt.com 
Twitter's former Europe boss, Bruce Daisley, has warned social media sites that simply removing the anonymity of users will not solve the problem of racism on their platforms, calling on companies to do more to address the issue. | Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Daisley addressed some of the proposals that have been presented to tackle the growing issue of racism and other abusive behavior on social media, with culprits often accused of hiding behind fake or anonymous profiles. | Calling on social media firms, including Twitter, to do more to address toxic content on their platforms, Daisley warned that a "sim…
(2021-02-01). Is Far-Right QAnon Conspiracy Theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene the New Face of the GOP? democracynow.org 
Republicans face increasing pressure to strip Georgia Congressmember Marjorie Taylor Greene of her post on the House Education Committee. Greene was elected in November 2020 and is a far-right conspiracy theorist who has promoted QAnon, supported the execution of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and claimed the school shootings in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, were staged — as was the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. She also has a history of racist, anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic comments. Bee Nguyen, a Democratic state representative in Georgia, recently joined other lawmakers in signing a…
(2021-02-01). Protest groups join forces to occupy Israeli arms company building. thecanary.co Demonstrators have blocked the entrance of a factory where they claim deadly arms are made. | Protesters from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion, armed with banners and red paint, said their early-morning raid on the Israeli-owned Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester, is because they "will not accept an economy based on devastation, occupation and war". A press release from the two groups stated that: Activists from Palestine Action and Extinction Rebellion are occupying an Israeli-owned arms factory in Oldham, forcing the site to halt its production of deadly weapons. Several have blocked t…
(2021-02-01). Israeli Health Official Says One in Ten People Vaxed for Coronavirus Can Still Be Infected. sputniknews.com Israel has become a world leader in vaccinations for SARS-Cov-2, with about 2.5 million of its nine million citizens receiving at least one of two required vaccine jabs by late January. Last week, Covid commissioner Dr. Nachman Ash complained that the protective effect of the first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's preparation was lower than advertised.
(2021-02-01). Israel rolls out vaccine with promising results. laprensalatina.com Jerusalem, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- With more than 30 percent of its population vaccinated in just a month and a half, Israel — which has the highest ratio of Covid-19 vaccinations per capita — is the world's testing ground for how effective coronavirus vaccines are, although experts are also urging caution because of the unprecedented speed …
(2021-02-01). Uganda's presidential election challenged in court. yenisafak.com Recent presidential elections in Uganda, won by President Yoweri Museveni, have been challenged in the country's top court by opposition leader Bobi Wine.Ugandan pop music star Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, Monday challenged the recent presidential elections in Supreme Court.The East African country's Electoral Commission on Jan. 16 announced Yoweri Museveni as the winner in the elections held on Jan. 14 followed by Bobi Wine, who refused to concede defeat.His legal team comprising over 10 lawyers is led by Medard Ssegona and Anthony Wameri.Briefly addressing the media outside the court, Medard…
(2021-02-01). Why We Must Do More To Recognize The Application Of Indigenous Law. popularresistance.org In the Supreme Court of Canada's 1996 decision in R v Van Der Peet, Justice Beverley McLachlin[1] famously made reference to a "golden thread": | The history of the interface of Europeans and the common law with aboriginal peoples is a long one. As might be expected of such a long history, the principles by which the interface has been governed have not always been consistently applied. Yet running through this history, from its earliest beginnings to the present time is a golden thread — the recognition by the common law of the ancestral laws and customs of the aboriginal peoples who occupied the land prio…
(2021-02-01). Putin orders officials to prepare plans for creation of Russian Court of Human Rights as possible alternative to pan-European ECHR. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the country's Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice to assess the feasibility of creating a national court of human rights. He first expressed interest in the idea last year. | As things stand, Russia is a party to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), a body that is part of the Council of Europe. Membership of the court has been costly for Moscow, and in 2019 alone, the Ministry of Justice spent more than 1.1 billion rubles ($14 million) on 1,240 judgments. | An order published on the Kremlin website gives the Supreme Court, Russia's highest judicial bo…
(2021-02-01). Biden Asks US Supreme Court to Suspend Trump Immigration Cases. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Biden administration has asked the US Supreme Court to cancel oral arguments scheduled in the coming weeks on Trump-era cases concerning border wall funding and the so-called "Remain in Mexico" asylum program, officially known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), court documents revealed.
(2021-02-01). Chris Hedges: Papering Over The Rot. popularresistance.org The death spiral of the American Empire will not be halted with civility. It will not be halted with the 42 executive orders signed by Joe Biden, however welcome many are, especially since they can, with a new chief executive, be immediately revoked. It will not be halted by removing Donald Trump, and the crackpot conspiracy theorists, Christian fascists and racists who support him, from social media. It will not be halted by locking up the Proud Boys and the clueless protestors who stormed the Congress on January 6 and took selfies in Mike Pence's Senate chair. It will not be halted by restoring the frayed allia…
(2021-02-01). Jared Kushner nominated for Nobel peace prize for brokering Israeli-Arab deals. middleeasteye.net 
Jared Kushner nominated for Nobel peace prize for brokering Israeli-Arab deals | Trump's son-in-law and his deputy Berkowitz have been nominated by a friendly attorney who defended the former president in his impeachment trial | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 06: 42 | Jared Kushner played a key role in brokering Israel's normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Moroccco (AF…
(2021-02-01). California teacher says Bernie's mittens are symbol of 'WHITE PRIVILEGE,' in 'stupidest op-ed ever'. rt.com 
Progressive godfather Bernie Sanders has been cancelled and is now, according to a San Francisco journalist and teacher, the embodiment of "white privilege," all because he wears meme-able mittens, or something. | Few people would associate Bernie Sanders with "white supremacy." An elederly Jewish progressive whose ill-fated presidential campaign last year promised to build a left-wing "multi-generational, multi-racial coalition," the Vermont senator is about as far from the prototypical skinhead as it's possible to be. | Not so for Ingrid Seyer-Ochi, a high school teacher (that's right, she shapes the youth o…