Daily Archives: February 6, 2021

2021-02-06: News Headlines

Rachael Boothroyd (2021-02-06). Biden Administration Rules Out Maduro Talks, Pledges Support for Guaido. venezuelanalysis.com State Department Spokesperson Ned Price indicated that the Biden White House will not change tack in its predecessor's Venezuela foreign policy.

Levada (2021-02-06). Just 15 Percent of Russians Believe Navalny's Account of 'Poisoning'. anti-empire.com Machine translated from Russian. | The majority of Russians (78%) are aware of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, although they closely follow the development of events for less than a fifth of the population. The respondents name three main versions of what happened: 30% consider the incident to be a staging of the politician himself, 19% see this as a provocation of the Western special services, 15% speak of an attempt by the authorities to eliminate a political opponent. | Most Russians are aware of Navalny's poisoning today: 17% are watching closely, 61% have at least heard something about it. At the same time,…

R H Behrens, Vipul Patel (2021-02-06). [Correspondence] Avoiding shoulder injury from intramuscular vaccines. thelancet.com With the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination programmes to tens of millions of people, some individuals might receive vaccines, which have received rigorous safety checks and approval from regulatory bodies, via intramuscular injection. However, the safety around the technique used and the site of injection, in particular, has received little attention. As recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), adults aged 16 years or older will be the main population receiving the intramuscular vaccine.

_____ (2021-02-06). Haitians Intensify Struggle Against President Jovenel MoàØse. popularresistance.org Haiti has been experiencing a new wave of protests against US-backed President Jovenel MoàØse. Since January 10, thousands of citizens, students, workers, members of various social movements and opposition political parties have been mobilizing across the country in rejection of MoàØse's decision to hold presidential and legislative elections on September 19 and a referendum to replace the current constitution, which is the main achievement of the democratic movement of 1986, on April 25. | Haitian citizens and the opposition denounced MoàØse's decision as an attempt to extend his term of off…

Lynn Stuart Parramore (2021-02-05). Epidemic of Despair Could Haunt America Long After COVID. zcomm.org Researchers worry the pandemic may have severe after-effects, with deaths of despair impacting more distressed and newly-vulnerable populations…

WSWS (2021-02-05). Police arrest twelve activists demanding housing for the homeless in Olympia, Washington. wsws.org The housing crisis is more critical than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their negative impact on public health, evictions across the country continue to add to the growing numbers of homeless people in the population.

Ralph Nader (2021-02-05). The Struggle Inside Senator Mitch McConnell's Brain. counterpunch.org Since 2015, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled the Senate with an iron hand, describing himself as "the Guardian of Gridlock." He was Senator "NO," except for confirming over 200 mostly corporatist federal judges. Now comes a new challenge for Mitch McConnell as he leads 49 other Republican Senators, twenty of whom are up

Vijay Prashad (2021-02-05). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide and Rule to Get Its Way in South America. counterpunch.org Guyana's government used money from ExxonMobil "to meet the estimated cost in 2018 of presenting Guyana/Venezuela controversy at the International Court of Justice including payment of legal fees." In mid-2020, the Guyanese paper Kaieteur News' senior reporter Kiana Wilburg broke the story that the World Bank had paid $1.2 million to Hunton Andrews Kurth, a law firm long associated with ExxonMobil, to revise Guyana's petroleum laws.

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-02-05). Kerala Communists involve youth and women in carrying out their mission. peoplesworld.org "Kerala, a state in India, is a bizarre anomaly among developing nations … Kerala has a population as big as California's and a per capita annual income of less than $300. But its infant mortality rate is very low, its literacy rate among the highest on Earth … Though mostly a land of paddy-covered plains, …

_____ (2021-02-05). Justice In Nicaragua's North Caribbean Coast. popularresistance.org We have prosecuted six cases of usurpation of the communal domain of Indigenous peoples, where people who are not natives of that community misappropriate land of Indigenous peoples. So, how has this procedure been carried out? In the territories, the owners of the land, who are the presidents of the territorial governments, file a complaint with the National Police. The National Police receives these and it does all the investigative work. Then they refer the cases to the Public Prosecutor's Office, and the Public Prosecutor's Office files the accusation before the Single Local Court. We have sentenced these peo…

Emily Hotez, Peter J. Hotez, Kashia A. Rosenau, Alice A. Kuo (2021-02-05). [Commentary] Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. thelancet.com In December 2020, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccine Working Group issued recommendations for prioritizing and allocating vaccinations for the first available mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna [1]. Notably absent from the Phase 1 tiered guidelines are almost all individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). This population comprises between 1 and 2% of the U.S. population and includes individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, blindness, cerebral palsy, moderate to prof…

Staff (2021-02-05). Trump Is the First President to Leave Office With a Loss of Jobs Since Hoover. truthout.org The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points in January to 6.3 percent. Much of this decline was due to people leaving the labor market as the employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) only rose by 0.1 percentage point. The EPOP now stands at 57.5 percent, 3.6 percentage points below its year-ago level. | The establishment survey showed an increase of just 49,000 jobs, with the private sector only accounting for 6,000 of these jobs. There were sharp downward revisions to job growth for bo…

_____ (2021-02-05). Haiti Begins General Strike. popularresistance.org February 1, 2021 – Industries across Haiti are shut down today as workers in multiple sectors participate in a 48-hour general strike. The strike was called by the labor unions following years of struggle in Haiti against brutal austerity and government corruption. Part of the reason behind the general strike is that the current president of Haiti, Jovenel MoàØse, is refusing to step down on February 7, when many believe that his term is up under the constitution. MoàØse claims that his term isn't up until February 7, 2022, as he was elected to a five year term in 2017. | Many fear that MoàØs…

Yousra Abdulmalik (2021-02-05). Yemeni Journalist: "Saudi Arabia Failed in Yemen Despite US Support" 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). | *** | Yemen has suffered through a violent war on its population by …

Tanya Wadhwa (2021-02-05). Haitian opposition calls for national mobilizations against President Jovenel MoàØse. peoplesdispatch.org From across Latin American and Caribbean leaders and organizations have expressed their solidarity with the struggle of Haitian people and have demanded that MoàØse comply with the Constitution and leaves office when his term expires on February 7, 2021…

Karen Conner (2021-02-05). Unemployment Falls to 6.3 Percent, but Job Growth Weak. cepr.net Trump is the first president to leave office with a loss of jobs since Herbert Hoover. The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage points in January to 6.3 percent. Much of this decline was due to people leaving the labor market as the employment-to-population ratio (EPOP) only rose by 0.1 percentage point. The EPOP now …

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2021-02-04). Cuba develops COVID-19 vaccines, takes socialist approach. peoplesworld.org Cuba's socialist approach to developing vaccines against Covid-19 differs strikingly from that of capitalist nations of the world developing vaccines. 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. Cuba is the only vaccine manufacturer in Latin America; there are …

Daniel Chaitin (2021-02-04). Biden's COVID Guy Says Doubling Face Diapers Could Increase Virus Spread. anti-empire.com An infectious disease expert says wearing two face masks may increase the chances of getting infected by COVID-19. | Michael Osterholm, who was a member of the Biden Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, gave a second opinion after Dr. "When we talk about double masking, remember what we're really talking about is just trying to prevent th…

_____ (2021-02-04). How ExxonMobil Uses Divide And Rule To Get Its Way. popularresistance.org Tensions rise between neighboring Guyana and Venezuela over a piece of land that has been disputed since at least 1835. Both Guyana's President Irfaan Ali and Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have exchanged sharp words about the status of the Essequibo region, which both countries claim. Since 1990, the two countries have pursued their claims through a United Nations "good offices" process; as recently as 2013, President Maduro and Guyana's then-President Donald Ramotar said that the discussions over Essequibo were "going well" under this UN framework. | Everything changed in 2015, and since then the tensions…

_____ (2021-02-04). 111 NGOs Call On Biden To Close Guantánamo. popularresistance.org On February 2, more than a hundred non-governmental organizations joined a letter led by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the Center for Victims of Torture, urging President Joe Biden to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba and end indefinite military detention. The letter is signed by organizations ranging from those working to end anti-Muslim discrimination and torture to immigrant rights organizations and organizations working broadly on civil rights, civil liberties, and racial justice at the national and local level. It emphasizes the devastating and ongoing consequences of the prison, including…

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Ethiopia plans to vaccinate 20% population in 2021. yenisafak.com Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Muluken Yohannes, a senior adviser to the Health Ministry, said a national coordinating committee and a task force have been set up for the purpose to ensure vaccination.Further, the country is actively engaged in a unique global alliance representing more than two-thirds of the world, to ensure that developing nations get vaccines equitably in terms both of access and cost.The alliance includes the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the Gates Foundation, and 191 countries to…

Susan Price (2021-02-04). Inventing reality: Venezuela's parliamentary election. greenleft.org.au The bare minimum the Western mainstream media could do is report accurately on Venezuela's recent parliamentary election, writes Rodrigo Acuna. Once again they have failed.

Susan Price (2021-02-04). President vows to cling to power as Haiti 'on the verge of explosion'. greenleft.org.au The usually clogged and bustling streets were empty in Port-au-Prince, writes Kim Ives, as a general strike called by Haiti's unions and supported by the opposition brought the nation to a standstill on February 1-2.

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Turkey's population tops 83.6M in 2020. yenisafak.com Turkey's population exceeded 83.6 million as of 2020-end, with a 0.55% rise on an annual basis, the Turkish statistical authority said on Thursday.The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data showed that the population residing in Turkey last year increased by 459,365 people compared to the previous year."Male population was 41,915,985 people and female population was 41,698,377 people," the institute said.The share of men in the total population was 50.1%, while women made up 49.9%, according to TurkStat.Official data said annual population growth rate was 0.55% in 2020, down from 1.39% in 2019.

teleSUR (2021-02-04). Haiti: Political and Social Organizations Call for More Strikes. telesurenglish.net Haiti's opposition and social organizations Thursday reiterated the calls for general mobilizations to demand the end of President Jovenal Moise's mandate. | RELATED: | The Pitit Dessalines party leader Moise Jean-Charles called for protests in the run-up to Feb. 7 when the President is due to finish his term. | He also proposed opposition parties establish a common position to define the next two-year transitional period while asking the international community not to inter…

teleSUR (2021-02-04). Cuba Appoints Ambassador To the Eurasian Economic Union. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on Thursday appointed a permanent Ambassador to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). | RELATED: | The appointment was preceded by the acceptance of Cuba as an observer member on last Dec. 11, which proved that the country's application was positively received by the EEU countries. | Russian President Vladimir Putin considered Cuba's designation a very positive develop…

teleSUR (2021-02-04). Namibian Government Nominates Cuban Doctors for Nobel Prize. telesurenglish.net In line with this decision, last December 15, the Namibian Foreign Ministry sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee all the necessary requirements to support the Nomination. | RELATED: | MIRCO highlighted the work carried out by the Cuban medical contingent in different countries around the world. "While the Brigade has been extensively involved in providing support to countries around the world since the beginning…

Ricardo Vaz (2021-02-04). Venezuela: Opposition, Colombian Leaders Allegedly Involved in Foiled Terror Plot. 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). | *** | Venezuelan authorities have reportedly dismantled a terrorist plan. | National Assembly President …

teleSUR (2021-02-04). Venezuela Frees Guyanese Who Fished Illegally in Its Territory. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MPPRE) on Wednesday announced the release of 12 Guyanese fishermen who were arrested on Jan. 23 for illegal fishing in Venezuelan waters. | RELATED: | The decision comes after the mediation of Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago governments and it is a sign of Venezuela's commitment to regional stability and good coexistence. | MPPRE reite…

Pierre-Paul Bermingham (2021-02-03). France, Sweden, Poland, Germany, France: Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine Not for Elderly. anti-empire.com The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine should be prioritized for people younger than 65, according to recommendations by government advisory bodies in France and Sweden on Tuesday, while Poland set its threshold at 60. | "Currently available data for people aged 65 and over are limited by a small sample size and don't allow for a conclusion on the safety and the efficacy of the [AstraZeneca] vaccine for this population," the French national authority for health (HAS) said. "The [AstraZeneca] vaccine is therefore recommended preferentially for health professionals under 65 and people under 65." | The three countries join…

news.un (2021-02-03). Urgent steps needed to alleviate suffering in Ethiopia's Tigray region: Guterres. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General, on Tuesday, voiced grave concerns over the crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region and underscored the need for urgent efforts to protect populations at risk.

_____ (2021-02-03). Minority Rule Always Destined For Collapse. strategic-culture.org Governments that rely on support from a minority of their nation's population are doomed to fail. | The Republican Party of the United States has reconstructed itself as the party of Donald Trump and, as such, has become no different than the minority rule political parties of Rhodesia and apartheid South Africa. | By seizing de facto control of the Republican Party, once a center-right party, and moving it to the conspiratorial far-right fringe of the political spectrum, Trump and his supporters have established themselves and their revisionist party as representing a minority of Americans. Because the U.S. Sen…

Rosa Miriam Elizalde (2021-02-03). The US Is Trying to Provoke a Soft Coup in Cuba. peoplesdispatch.org We are in the era of soft coups. Old-fashioned coups d'état and invasions get terrible press. The images of US troops invading the

Yves Engler (2021-02-03). Guyana, Venezuela & Exxon. counterpunch.org Why is Canada pushing Guyana, an impoverished nation of 800,000, into conflict with Venezuela while helping multinationals grab its oil? Recently Canadian officials criticized Venezuela's position regarding its territorial dispute with Guyana, which sits on the northeastern tip of South America. Soon after the US put out a statement on the century-old dispute, the Canadian High Commission declared "Venezuela's recent