WSWS (2022-02-08). UK rail cleaners strike against poverty pay. wsws.org During the pandemic, rail cleaners have braved hazardous conditions to protect the public from infection. But outsourced cleaners have been paid a pittance and were even denied sick pay.

Staff (2022-02-08). Talk World Radio: Braxton Brewington: End Debt. davidswanson.org AUDIO: Talk World Radio is recorded as audio and video on Riverside.fm. Here is this week's video and all the videos on Youtube. VIDEO: This week on Talk World Radio we're talking about debt, including student debt. Our guest Braxton Brewington is a spokesperson and organizer for The Debt Collective. See debtcollective.org The Debt Collective …

Mark Gruenberg (2022-02-08). Construction union leaders hail Biden's pro-union executive order. peoplesworld.org

Xiaolu Sun (2022-02-08). NFL to host vaccination clinic at Super Bowl. america.cgtn.com This year, the NFL is working with the local department to host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for fans. And they're also offering free tickets to the Super Bowl experience for anyone who receives any dose of the vaccine at the on-site clinic. Find out more.

WSWS (2022-02-08). Turkish health workers strike as COVID-19 pandemic, living costs surge. wsws.org As COVID-19 cases explode and real annual inflation exceeds 110 percent in Turkey, many layers of the working class are increasingly taking strike action.

WSWS (2022-02-08). The far-right occupation of Ottawa: January 6 goes global. wsws.org Absent the political intervention of the working class, all possible outcomes to the current standoff in Ottawa will only produce a further lurch to the right, imperiling the most fundamental democratic and social rights of the working class.

TASS (2022-02-08). Political and humanitarian subgroups of Contact Group for Donbass start work. tass.com Meetings of working groups on security and economic issues are also scheduled for Tuesday, and the Contact Group is due to hold a meeting on Wednesday…

WSWS (2022-02-08). The far-right occupation of Ottawa: January 6 conspiracy hits Canada. wsws.org Absent the political intervention of the working class, all possible outcomes to the current standoff in Ottawa will only produce a further lurch to the right, imperiling the most fundamental democratic and social rights of the working class.

WSWS (2022-02-08). BNSF railroad unions pen letter begging Biden administration to intervene against punitive new attendance policy. wsws.org The letter is an attempt to divert attention from the unions' own treachery and promote illusions in the same capitalist state, which is robbing BNSF workers of their right to strike and to free speech.

Staff (2022-02-08). Hunger-Striking Teachers Say Oakland Plan to Close Schools Will Hurt Black & Brown Communities. democracynow.org We go to Oakland, where a group of teachers are on a hunger strike to protest a plan to close and merge over a dozen schools due to under-enrollment. This comes ahead of a critical school board vote Tuesday that will decide whether to proceed with the plan. Activists argue the move threatens to divert resources to charter schools and displace hundreds of Black and Brown children from their neighborhood schools. The hunger strike across multiple different schools has empowered many to speak up against longtime systemic racism, says Moses Omolade, one of the striking workers and a community schools manager at Westl…

_____ (2022-02-07). Why Airbnb Banned Me (And My Hubby, Too!). strategic-culture.org By Michelle MALKIN | So here is the grim reality of life in Woke America 2022. In November, I spoke at a peaceful conference held by an organization that is deemed a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League. The title of my talk was

rebekah (2022-02-07). America's Inherited Wealth Dynasties Park Trillions Out of Reach of Taxation. inequality.org

Staff (2022-02-07). Is the NFL Run Like a Plantation? Ex-Player Donté Stallworth Responds to Bombshell Racism Lawsuit. democracynow.org Ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend, we speak to former National Football League player Donté Stallworth about racism and anti-Blackness in the league. Last week, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the NFL, as well as three teams — the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants — for discriminating against him as a Black candidate during his interview process. In his complaint, Flores says the NFL is "racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation," with wealthy white owners and head coaches at the top while the majority of players who risk bodily injury are Black. "Hop…

_____ (2022-02-07). Argentina Turns To Russia And Joins China's Belt And Road. popularresistance.org Argentina is trapped in $44 billion of IMF odious debt taken on by corrupt right-wing regimes. Seeking alternatives to US hegemony, President Alberto Fernández traveled to Russia and China, forming an alliance with the Eurasian powers, joining the Belt and Road Initiative.

Antonio C.S. Rosa (2022-02-07). US National Debt Surpasses $30 Trillion for the First Time. transcend.org 2 Feb 2022 – On Monday [31 Jan], the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the national debt surpassed US$30 trillion, which included US$23.5 trillion in debt held by the public and US$6.5 trillion in intergovernmental holdings.

_____ (2022-02-07). After Amazon Tragedy, Workers Come Together To Demand Safe Working Conditions. popularresistance.org The fight for justice and accountability continues for six Amazon employees who were killed when a warehouse roof collapsed during a tornado in December. | Federal officials are investigating possible health and safety violations at the facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis. Illinois lawmakers are considering raising statewide standards for warehouse construction to prevent future tragedies. And family members of one of the employees, Austin McEwen, recently filed a wrongful death suit against the giant retailer.

_____ (2022-02-07). After Amazon Tragedy, Workers Demand Safe Working Conditions. popularresistance.org The fight for justice and accountability continues for six Amazon employees who were killed when a warehouse roof collapsed during a tornado in December. | Federal officials are investigating possible health and safety violations at the facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis. Illinois lawmakers are considering raising statewide standards for warehouse construction to prevent future tragedies. And family members of one of the employees, Austin McEwen, recently filed a wrongful death suit against the giant retailer. | "My daughter was not expendable," said Jeffrey Hebb at a January rally in front…

Anonymous103 (2022-02-07). Military And Political Situation In Iraq On February 7, 2022 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On February 6, one PMU member was killed and four others were injured in an ISIS attack in Diyala province; | On February 6, Iraqi National Security Service in Nineveh arrested a terrorist cell of 3 ISIS members working in logistical support; | On February 7, Iraqi parliament indefinitely postponed the scheduled election of the national president after only 58 of the 329 lawmakers showed up; | The Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iraq have discussed the reasons…

Rick Rozoff (2022-02-07). DW: New German government more Atlanticist than its predecessor. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Deutsche WelleFebruary 7, 2022 Germany's Olaf Scholz is in Washington amid Ukraine crisis The chancellor himself appeared on public broadcaster ZDF on Wednesday night to flatly deny that he was being too passive and that NATO partners considered Germany unreliable: Not only was he working intensively with all NATO partners, he said, but he was …

WSWS (2022-02-07). US death toll from COVID-19 heading toward 1 million. wsws.org America's COVID-19 death toll stands as an indictment of a capitalist social order completely indifferent to the death and suffering of the working population.

International Action Center (2022-02-07). Olympic Games & U.S. propaganda: Have you been lied to about Xinjiang, human rights ‚àí and China? workers.org Feb. 6 update — The U.S. war propaganda machine is working overtime during the Olympics to defame China with false accusations of "human rights abuse" against the Turkic-speaking Muslim Uyghurs, based in its Xinjiang Province. As readers evaluate these claims, keep in mind these facts: 1) There is a centuries-long . . . |

Kassandra Frederique (2022-02-07). Drug Decriminalization Is Working in Oregon. Other States Should Follow. truthout.org As COVID-19 continues to rage, another health crisis persists — one that is decades long. In the first year of the pandemic, the United States hit the devastating milestone of

WSWS (2022-02-07). Pennsylvania Governor Wolf raises minimum wage for state employees, calls for a $15 statewide minimum. wsws.org Facing reelection in the fall, Wolf has called on the Republican-dominated state legislature to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. There is little prospect the proposal will go into effect.

Anonymous Contributor (2022-02-07). Boise Tent Demonstration Remains Strong in Face of Continued Police and Far-Right Harassment. itsgoingdown.org Report on the ongoing situation in Boise, Idaho, as houseless demonstrators continue to face down harassment and attacks from the far-Right and police. Folks are three weeks into the tent demonstration in so-called Boise, Idaho. Lasting through multiple police raids, attacks from local fascist groups, and a whirlwind of misrepresentation in local media; folks are…

Shawgi Tell (2022-02-07). Miserable Bankruptcy of Mainstream Economics. dissidentvoice.org Capital-centered economics is unscientific and irrational. It does not provide people with a coherent, integrated, and cogent understanding of the economy. Instead it increases confusion every day, leaving people rudderless and disoriented about what is really happening. The capitalist economic system is always chaotic, anarchic, and violent, but the last two years have been more …

WSWS (2022-02-07). Australian government at war with itself as parliament resumes. wsws.org The Coalition's meltdown is part of a crisis of the entire political establishment, fuelled by mass popular opposition to the profits-before-lives pandemic policies, social inequality and onslaught on wages and conditions.

Zach Kerner (2022-02-07). U.S.-EU hide their role in Afghan hunger crisis. workers.org On Jan. 24, U.S. and European Union representatives met with representatives of the Taliban in Oslo to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting's purpose, according to the U.S. State Department, was the "urgency in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan" and the need to "help alleviate the suffering of . . . |

Kevin Mwanza (2022-02-07). What Is Liquid Staking? Staking Yields Are Not Enough, Yield-Hungry Investors Turn To 'Liquid Staking' To Juice Yield. moguldom.com Liquid staking, which allows cryptocurrency users to stake any amount of Ethereum without locking up their stake and to effectively unstake their ETH without the requirement of transactions being enabled, has been gaining popularity among investors in recent days. Considered a 'breakthrough crypto technology," liquid staking combines the benefits of staking and DeFi (decentralized finance," …

_____ (2022-02-07). Argentina Turns To Russia And Joins China's Belt And Road. popularresistance.org Argentina is trapped in $44 billion of IMF odious debt taken on by corrupt right-wing regimes. Seeking alternatives to US hegemony, President Alberto Fernández traveled to Russia and China, forming an alliance with the Eurasian powers, joining the Belt and Road Initiative.

WSWS (2022-02-07). US death toll from COVID-19 heading toward 1 million. wsws.org America's COVID-19 death toll stands as an indictment of a capitalist social order completely indifferent to the death and suffering of the working population.

rebekah (2022-02-07). America's Inherited Wealth Dynasties Park Trillions Out of Reach of Taxation. inequality.org

Staff (2022-02-07). Is the NFL Run Like a Plantation? Ex-Player Donté Stallworth Responds to Bombshell Racism Lawsuit. democracynow.org Ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend, we speak to former National Football League player Donté Stallworth about racism and anti-Blackness in the league. Last week, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the NFL, as well as three teams — the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants — for discriminating against him as a Black candidate during his interview process. In his complaint, Flores says the NFL is "racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation," with wealthy white owners and head coaches at the top while the majority of players who risk bodily injury are Black. "Hop…

_____ (2022-02-07). After Amazon Tragedy, Workers Come Together To Demand Safe Working Conditions. popularresistance.org The fight for justice and accountability continues for six Amazon employees who were killed when a warehouse roof collapsed during a tornado in December. | Federal officials are investigating possible health and safety violations at the facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis. Illinois lawmakers are considering raising statewide standards for warehouse construction to prevent future tragedies. And family members of one of the employees, Austin McEwen, recently filed a wrongful death suit against the giant retailer.

WSWS (2022-02-07). Pennsylvania Governor Wolf raises minimum wage for state employees, calls for a $15 statewide minimum. wsws.org Facing reelection in the fall, Wolf has called on the Republican-dominated state legislature to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. There is little prospect the proposal will go into effect.

Anonymous Contributor (2022-02-07). Boise Tent Demonstration Remains Strong in Face of Continued Police and Far-Right Harassment. itsgoingdown.org Report on the ongoing situation in Boise, Idaho, as houseless demonstrators continue to face down harassment and attacks from the far-Right and police. Folks are three weeks into the tent demonstration in so-called Boise, Idaho. Lasting through multiple police raids, attacks from local fascist groups, and a whirlwind of misrepresentation in local media; folks are…

Shawgi Tell (2022-02-07). Miserable Bankruptcy of Mainstream Economics. dissidentvoice.org Capital-centered economics is unscientific and irrational. It does not provide people with a coherent, integrated, and cogent understanding of the economy. Instead it increases confusion every day, leaving people rudderless and disoriented about what is really happening. The capitalist economic system is always chaotic, anarchic, and violent, but the last two years have been more …

WSWS (2022-02-07). Australian government at war with itself as parliament resumes. wsws.org The Coalition's meltdown is part of a crisis of the entire political establishment, fuelled by mass popular opposition to the profits-before-lives pandemic policies, social inequality and onslaught on wages and conditions.

Kevin Mwanza (2022-02-07). What Is Liquid Staking? Staking Yields Are Not Enough, Yield-Hungry Investors Turn To 'Liquid Staking' To Juice Yield. moguldom.com Liquid staking, which allows cryptocurrency users to stake any amount of Ethereum without locking up their stake and to effectively unstake their ETH without the requirement of transactions being enabled, has been gaining popularity among investors in recent days. Considered a 'breakthrough crypto technology," liquid staking combines the benefits of staking and DeFi (decentralized finance," …

Fight Back (2022-02-06). Baltimore: Protest demands: 'No U.S., NATO war on Russia and Donbass'. fightbacknews.org Baltimore, MD — Dozens of protesters gathered on February 5 in downtown Baltimore to speak out against a possible U.S./NATO war on Russia and Donbass. Speakers called on the U.S. government to fight COVID and poverty instead of Russia. | Protesters chanted demands for money for social investments in healthcare, housing and jobs instead of the military budget and war. Cars honked their horns in solidarity as they drove by the picket. A caravan of protesters drove throughout the city after the initial picket, before meeting up with another group for a joint closing rally at a different intersection. | A coali…

Editor (2022-02-06). Chris Hedges and Louis Hyman on the Harmful Gig Economy. scheerpost.com After the end of World War II two generations of workers in the United States were blessed with a period of unprecedented prosperity. Wages for the working class were high. Jobs were stable and came with benefits and health insurance. Unions protected workers from abuse by the business elites. Taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations was as high as 91 percent. The public school system provided a quality education to the poor and the rich. The nation's infrastructure and technology were cutting edge and unrivaled. But by the 1970s it all began to go south. Wages stagnated. Income inequality grew,…

Benjamin Norton (2022-02-06). Trapped in IMF debt, Argentina turns to Russia and joins China's Belt & Road. multipolarista.com Argentina is trapped in $44 billion of IMF odious debt taken on by corrupt right-wing regimes. Seeking alternatives to US hegemony, President Alberto Fernández traveled to Russia and China, forming an alliance with the Eurasian powers, joining the Belt and Road Initiative.

Carlos Aznarez (2022-02-06). Argentina: An Agreement of More Submission. orinocotribune.com By Carlos Aznárez and Roberto Perdía — Jan 30, 2022 | On Friday last week, President Alberto Fernández announced the new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by which he set the will of his government to extend the payment of the debts contracted by former right wing President Macri, and agreed to a series of commitments with the international financial organization where the US has the leading voice. | Since our incorporation into the IMF in 1956, this is the 22nd agreement, and in all of them there are mutual commitments to "lay the foundations for a sustained development". | In none of the…

Morteza Ahmadi Al Hashem (2022-02-06). Iran, Russia to hold joint agricultural working group. en.mehrnews.com Deputy Ministry of Agriculture for Horticultural Affairs said that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation will hold a joint working group in the field of agriculture.

Fight Back (2022-02-06). Baltimore: Protest demands: 'No U.S., NATO war on Russia and Donbass'. fightbacknews.org Baltimore, MD — Dozens of protesters gathered on February 5 in downtown Baltimore to speak out against a possible U.S./NATO war on Russia and Donbass. Speakers called on the U.S. government to fight COVID and poverty instead of Russia. | Protesters chanted demands for money for social investments in healthcare, housing and jobs instead of the military budget and war. Cars honked their horns in solidarity as they drove by the picket. A caravan of protesters drove throughout the city after the initial picket, before meeting up with another group for a joint closing rally at a different intersection. | A coali…

Carlos Aznarez (2022-02-06). Argentina: An Agreement of More Submission. orinocotribune.com By Carlos Aznárez and Roberto Perdía — Jan 30, 2022 | On Friday last week, President Alberto Fernández announced the new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by which he set the will of his government to extend the payment of the debts contracted by former right wing President Macri, and agreed to a series of commitments with the international financial organization where the US has the leading voice. | Since our incorporation into the IMF in 1956, this is the 22nd agreement, and in all of them there are mutual commitments to "lay the foundations for a sustained development". | In none of the…

Morteza Ahmadi Al Hashem (2022-02-06). Iran, Russia to hold joint agricultural working group. en.mehrnews.com Deputy Ministry of Agriculture for Horticultural Affairs said that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation will hold a joint working group in the field of agriculture.

WSWS (2022-02-05). Conceptual artist places gold cube in Central Park: Once again charlatanry meets extreme wealth. wsws.org Artnet News announced this week that "An Artist Placed a Cube Made From $11.7 Million Worth of Gold in Central Park—Protected By Its Own Security Detail."

Fight Back (2022-02-05). Chicago protest demands federal charges against killer cop Jason Van Dyke. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – A delegation of activists demanding Justice for Laquan McDonald met with an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago's Federal Building. They presented a letter signed by 38 organizations and unions, as well as five elected officials, demanding federal charges against killer cop Jason Van Dyke. | A statement released before the protest explained, "VanDyke was given a 'slap on the wrist' by the Cook County Criminal Court after being convicted of McDonald's murder and 16 counts of aggravated assault and is being released from prison after less than 3 1/2 years, when Black and brown and other working-class…

WSWS (2022-02-05). Canadian workers need a socialist program to defeat the threat of far-right political violence, end the pandemic and oppose war. wsws.org With the support and encouragement of a significant faction of the ruling class, far-right thugs have besieged Canada's parliament for the past week to demand all COVID-19 public health measures be abolished. These extraordinary events underscore the urgent necessity of the independent political mobilization of the working class.

WSWS (2022-02-05). With Ôªøre-election of ÔªøMattarella, Italian government will seek to enforce "EU recovery plan" wsws.org The anti-working class offensive of the Draghi government and the rise of the Fratelli d'Italia make clear how urgently necessary an independent working class movement is, a party that resolutely leads the struggle against mass infection, social impoverishment and war.

Udani Samarasekera (2022-02-05). [Perspectives] Ayoade Alakija: advancing equity in the COVID-19 response. thelancet.com Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alakija is running late for our video call because of back-to-back meetings in Geneva as the newly appointed WHO Special Envoy and Co-Chair of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator), a global collaboration to accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 health tools. Her Geneva visit will help her "join the dots to help move us from working in silos to working better collectively to overcome COVID-19", she tells me in between her last meeting and catching a flight back home to Abuja, Nigeria.

Peoples Health Dispatch (2022-02-05). No pause in health workers' struggles in Nigeria. peoplesdispatch.org As health workers' trade unions in Nigeria call their membership to continue strike action over bad working conditions and missed payments, attempts to limit the space for industrial action persist…

Seth Galinsky (2022-02-05). Join Socialist Workers Party, 'Militant' in campaigning. themilitant.com The international In California the fight for ballot status for SWP candidates Eleanor García for U.S. Senate and Joel Britton for governor is underway. García and Britton explain why working people need ou…

WSWS (2022-02-05). In New Zealand, rising inflation, inequality intensify social crisis. wsws.org The Labour-Green Party government's pro-business policies, imposed since it assumed office in 2017, have produced an unprecedented explosion in social inequality since the onset of COVID-19.

WSWS (2022-02-05). Bomb threats sent to historically black colleges across the United States. wsws.org The series of threats against historically black colleges and the law-and-order response of authorities follow protests and demonstrations at schools and universities against inequality and the spread of COVID-19.

WSWS (2022-02-05). Conceptual artist places gold cube in Central Park: Once again charlatanry meets extreme wealth. wsws.org Artnet News announced this week that "An Artist Placed a Cube Made From $11.7 Million Worth of Gold in Central Park—Protected By Its Own Security Detail."

Peoples Health Dispatch (2022-02-05). No pause in health workers' struggles in Nigeria. peoplesdispatch.org As health workers' trade unions in Nigeria call their membership to continue strike action over bad working conditions and missed payments, attempts to limit the space for industrial action persist…

Seth Galinsky (2022-02-05). Join Socialist Workers Party, 'Militant' in campaigning. themilitant.com The international In California the fight for ballot status for SWP candidates Eleanor García for U.S. Senate and Joel Britton for governor is underway. García and Britton explain why working people need ou…

Fight Back (2022-02-05). Chicago protest demands federal charges against killer cop Jason Van Dyke. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – A delegation of activists demanding Justice for Laquan McDonald met with an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago's Federal Building. They presented a letter signed by 38 organizations and unions, as well as five elected officials, demanding federal charges against killer cop Jason Van Dyke. | A statement released before the protest explained, "VanDyke was given a 'slap on the wrist' by the Cook County Criminal Court after being convicted of McDonald's murder and 16 counts of aggravated assault and is being released from prison after less than 3 1/2 years, when Black and brown and other working-class…

WSWS (2022-02-05). Canadian workers need a socialist program to defeat the threat of far-right political violence, end the pandemic and oppose war. wsws.org With the support and encouragement of a significant faction of the ruling class, far-right thugs have besieged Canada's parliament for the past week to demand all COVID-19 public health measures be abolished. These extraordinary events underscore the urgent necessity of the independent political mobilization of the working class.

Udani Samarasekera (2022-02-05). [Perspectives] Ayoade Alakija: advancing equity in the COVID-19 response. thelancet.com Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alakija is running late for our video call because of back-to-back meetings in Geneva as the newly appointed WHO Special Envoy and Co-Chair of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator), a global collaboration to accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 health tools. Her Geneva visit will help her "join the dots to help move us from working in silos to working better collectively to overcome COVID-19", she tells me in between her last meeting and catching a flight back home to Abuja, Nigeria.

WSWS (2022-02-05). With Ôªøre-election of ÔªøMattarella, Italian government will seek to enforce "EU recovery plan" wsws.org The anti-working class offensive of the Draghi government and the rise of the Fratelli d'Italia make clear how urgently necessary an independent working class movement is, a party that resolutely leads the struggle against mass infection, social impoverishment and war.

WSWS (2022-02-05). Bomb threats sent to historically black colleges across the United States. wsws.org The series of threats against historically black colleges and the law-and-order response of authorities follow protests and demonstrations at schools and universities against inequality and the spread of COVID-19.

WSWS (2022-02-05). In New Zealand, rising inflation, inequality intensify social crisis. wsws.org The Labour-Green Party government's pro-business policies, imposed since it assumed office in 2017, have produced an unprecedented explosion in social inequality since the onset of COVID-19.

_____ (2022-02-04). How U.S. Meddling Split Sudan, Creating an Oil Republic Drowning in Poverty and Conflict. strategic-culture.org Following decades of US soft power aid interventions to exploit South Sudan's energy reserves and counter China's influence, the republic is trapped in humanitarian crisis.: | TJ COLES | 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

_____ (2022-02-04). New Puerto Rico Debt Plan Is A False 'Solution'. popularresistance.org Activists and Puerto Rican community members protest against Steven Tananbaum, a board member of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), for his involvement in a hedge fund that owns over $2 billion of Puerto Rico's debt, outside of the newly renovated and reopened MOMA in Midtown Manhattan on October 21, 2019, in New York City. Drew Angerer / Getty Images | On January 18, Judge Taylor Swain of New York's Southern District confirmed Puerto Rico's eighth amended Plan of Adjustment (POA), setting into motion the closure of the largest municipal debt restructuring deal in the history of the United States. The POA modifies…

WSWS (2022-02-04). Poorer countries facing sovereign debt crisis. wsws.org One of the most vulnerable countries is Sri Lanka. Rating agency S&P Global warned last month the country faced a possible default this year as it downgraded its sovereign bonds.

_____ (2022-02-04). Argentina To Russia: We Want To End Dependency On US. popularresistance.org The President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, today visited the Kremlin and told President Vladimir Putin that his country wants to end "dependency" on the US and strengthen economic ties with Russia instead. | Fernández told Putin "Argentina, in particular, is experiencing a very special situation as a result of its indebtedness and the economic situation that I had to inherit. From the 1990s onwards, Argentina has always looked towards the United States. Now, the Argentinian economy depends a lot on the debt it has with the United States, with the IMF, and the role that the US has within the IMF." | The Presid…

David Sirota (2022-02-04). Biden Withdrawing Student Debt Appeal After Outcry. dailyposter.com

Marilyn Bechtel (2022-02-04). Fast Food Sector Council advances in California, but CalCare health bill on hold. peoplesworld.org SACRAMENTO—Legislation to create a first-in-the-nation Fast Food Sector Council charged with regulating wages, working hours, and conditions affecting over half-a-million California fast food workers passed the state Assembly Jan. 31 and is on its way to the state Senate. The measure, Assembly Bill 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards (FAST) Recovery Act, by Assemblymember …

rebekah (2022-02-04). After Amazon Tragedy, Workers Come Together to Demand Safe Working Conditions. inequality.org

Richard Duluth (2022-02-04). Connecticut's Essential Worker Relief Fund a model other governments should follow. peoplesworld.org Connecticut is leading the way in building back better. The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the lives of many working-class families, but some relief is in sight. Recently, the Connecticut General Assembly, with a strong push from organized labor, passed the Connecticut Essential Worker COVID-19 Relief Fund. It' a $34 million program which will allow essential …

WSWS (2022-02-04). An open letter to workers in New Zealand: Join the fight to stop the pandemic and save lives in 2022! wsws.org The Labour Party-led government, backed by the trade unions, insists that schools and businesses must remain open, allowing Omicron to spread. The working class cannot accept this policy of mass infection and death.

Peoples Dispatch (2022-02-04). Human rights lawyer in Egypt slapped with terrorism charges. peoplesdispatch.org Osama Bayoumi was arbitrarily detained after authorities raided his home in capital Cairo last week on Saturday. He has been working as a defense attorney for several political prisoners in Egypt…

WSWS (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."

Joris Leverink (2022-02-04). "City on the Second Floor": Clarion call from a poetic craftsman. roarmag.org Police investigate at a homeless people's encampment in Los Angeles, US. September 15, 2022. Credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock | Matt Sedillo's poetry is electric, like a lightning bolt. He is a man on a mission, with a message to spread and fire on the tongue. With the tone and the tenor of a biblical prophet — though one with a profound sense of the farcical, too — he delivers a scathing critique, a desperate denunciation of the patriarchal, white supremacist and capitalist dystopia that we inhabit. His latest book, City on the Second Floor, is a cohesive and compelling compendium of some 32 poems a…

SAM (2022-02-04). A Labor Stunner in Mexico Augurs Greater Equality — on Both Sides of the Border. inequality.org

WSWS (2022-02-04). Poorer countries facing sovereign debt crisis. wsws.org One of the most vulnerable countries is Sri Lanka. Rating agency S&P Global warned last month the country faced a possible default this year as it downgraded its sovereign bonds.

rebekah (2022-02-04). After Amazon Tragedy, Workers Come Together to Demand Safe Working Conditions. inequality.org

WSWS (2022-02-04). An open letter to workers in New Zealand: Join the fight to stop the pandemic and save lives in 2022! wsws.org The Labour Party-led government, backed by the trade unions, insists that schools and businesses must remain open, allowing Omicron to spread. The working class cannot accept this policy of mass infection and death.

WSWS (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."

Joris Leverink (2022-02-04). "City on the Second Floor": Clarion call from a poetic craftsman. roarmag.org Police investigate at a homeless people's encampment in Los Angeles, US. September 15, 2022. Credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock | Matt Sedillo's poetry is electric, like a lightning bolt. He is a man on a mission, with a message to spread and fire on the tongue. With the tone and the tenor of a biblical prophet — though one with a profound sense of the farcical, too — he delivers a scathing critique, a desperate denunciation of the patriarchal, white supremacist and capitalist dystopia that we inhabit. His latest book, City on the Second Floor, is a cohesive and compelling compendium of some 32 poems a…

Ben Norton (2022-02-03). US-Backed Coup Regimes Trapped Honduras in Unpayable Odious Debt, Warns new President Xiomara Castro. orinocotribune.com By Bejamin Norton — Feb 1, 2022 | At the time of the 2009 US-backed coup, Honduras had $2.48 billion in external debt. Now it has $9.25 billion. New leftist President Xiomara Castro says this odious debt is unpayable. It already eats up 50% of the government budget. | The new leftist administration in Honduras managed to win November 2021 elections in a landslide and defeat an authoritarian coup regime, but now it faces a huge problem that will make it difficult to govern: odious debt. | When a US-sponsored military coup overthrew Honduras' democratically elected left-wing President Manuel Zelaya in 2009, th…

_____ (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…

sputniknews (2022-02-03). UN Survey: Moscow World's Best City in Terms of Quality of Life, Infrastructure Development. sputniknews.com The City Prosperity Index (CPI) measures different kinds of achievements in a city and identifies its prosperity with success, wealth, thriving conditions, well-being as well as confidence in the future, and opportunities for all.

Patricia Ferrer (2022-02-03). Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Demonstrate Against Argentina's Agreement with IMF. orinocotribune.com The President of the Association of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, Hebe de Bonafini, through a letter published this Monday, January 31, expressed the organization's disagreement to the payment of Argentina's external debt with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). An exorbitant loan was issued by the Washington, DC-based IMF to the Argentine government during the mandate of former neoliberal President Mauricio Macri. The $56.7 billion loan was the largest ever issued to a single country. | The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo organization was formed to struggle against the Argentine dictatorship of 1976 to 1983. Par…

sputniknews (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.

WSWS (2022-02-03). Deepening crisis of American capitalism as national debt hits $30 trillion. wsws.org The endless rise of the national debt, now $7 trillion more than the size of the entire US economy, is the outcome of deeply rooted processes whereby profits are increasingly obtained through stock market and other financial operations.

Joachim Hagopian (2022-02-03). Reaching Covid-19 "Turning Point of Critical Mass": Is Nuremberg 2 Next? London Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigation. globalresearch.ca Not only is Britain's largest police force actively involved in the probe, the Hammersmith Police alongside the ICC are working together in what's being called the world's largest international crime investigation.

WSWS (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.

Fight Back (2022-02-03). Florida: Students demand justice for Aramark Starbucks workers. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On February 2, around 80 Florida State University (FSU) students, representing FSU Against Aramark, FSU Students for a Democratic Society, FSUDems, and JStreet, marched across campus from Strozier Library to Dirac Library protesting Starbucks working conditions and standing in solidarity with Aramark workers on campus. | Aramark, a multibillion-dollar corporation, is known for consistently underpaying its workers at universities around the country. The protest, spearheaded by FSU Against Aramark, was the culmination of a three-day boycott of all campus Starbucks locations. The essence of this s…

Staff (2022-02-03). Jan Egeland on Afghanistan Facing Famine, a Massacre in DR Congo & Civilian Casualties in Syria. democracynow.org The United Nations warns Afghanistan is "hanging by a thread" as millions in the country suffer from hunger and are at risk of freezing to death during the winter as U.S. sanctions have devastated the economy. We get an update on what is now the world's largest humanitarian crisis from Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council. He also discusses how the NRC has condemned the deadly attack on a camp for displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the organization's humanitarian concerns after the U.S. raid in Syria targeting an ISIS leader that reportedly killed at least 13, inc…

G. Dunkel (2022-02-03). Hunger, violence and earthquakes — Haiti's problems intensify. workers.org Former Haitian senator MoàØse Jean Charles, was deported to Haiti from Miami, Jan. 25 The last week of January, two moderately severe earthquakes shook southwest Haiti in the department of Nippes. An official said 191 homes were destroyed, and 591 were damaged. At least two people were killed. Dozens of . . . |

Staff (2022-02-03). FAO Removes Venezuela from List of Hunger Hotspots, Incorporates Colombia. orinocotribune.com The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has excluded Venezuela from its list of countries facing severe food shortages. | In a FAO, in its report, stated that this year in Latin America, Colombia, Haiti and Honduras are in the Agency's list of highest levels of concern; but there is not such a forecast for Venezuela…

Benjamin Norton (2022-02-03). Illegal US blockade against Cuba continues harming millions on 60th anniversary. multipolarista.com February 3, 2022 is the 60th anniversary of the illegal blockade against Cuba, which the US admitted aims "to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government." Cuba estimates the embargo has cost its economy $144.41 billion.

Staff (2022-02-03). FAO Removes Venezuela from List of Hunger Hotspots, Incorporates Colombia. orinocotribune.com The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has excluded Venezuela from its list of countries facing severe food shortages. | In a FAO, in its report, stated that this year in Latin America, Colombia, Haiti and Honduras are in the Agency's list of highest levels of concern; but there is not such a forecast for Venezuela…

WSWS (2022-02-03). Deepening crisis of American capitalism as national debt hits $30 trillion. wsws.org The endless rise of the national debt, now $7 trillion more than the size of the entire US economy, is the outcome of deeply rooted processes whereby profits are increasingly obtained through stock market and other financial operations.

G. Dunkel (2022-02-03). Hunger, violence and earthquakes — Haiti's problems intensify. workers.org Former Haitian senator MoàØse Jean Charles, was deported to Haiti from Miami, Jan. 25 The last week of January, two moderately severe earthquakes shook southwest Haiti in the department of Nippes. An official said 191 homes were destroyed, and 591 were damaged. At least two people were killed. Dozens of . . . |

sputniknews (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.

sputniknews (2022-02-03). UN Survey: Moscow World's Best City in Terms of Quality of Life, Infrastructure Development. sputniknews.com The City Prosperity Index (CPI) measures different kinds of achievements in a city and identifies its prosperity with success, wealth, thriving conditions, well-being as well as confidence in the future, and opportunities for all.

WSWS (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.

_____ (2022-02-02). Central Asia becomes a Platform for Cooperation between Russia, India and China. journal-neo.org Central Asia (CA), due to its geostrategic location at the junction of Europe and Asia, its proximity to the leading international actors such as Russia and China, its wealth of natural resources and its yet-to-be fully exploited trade and economic opportunities, has recently attracted increasing interest from international actors. In order to create a stable …

Jake Johnson (2022-02-02). US Has the Highest COVID Death Rate Among Wealthy Countries. truthout.org A new data analysis out Tuesday demonstrates that Covid-19 is now killing people at a significantly higher rate in the United States than in other rich countries, a grim reality that analysts have attributed to the nation's lagging vaccination campaign and — more broadly — its fragmented for-profit Citing figures from Johns Hopkins University, the World Bank, and the U.S. government,…

_____ (2022-02-02). Biden Moves To Block Student Debt Victory. popularresistance.org Despite increasing pressure to fulfill a campaign promise to forgive student debt, President Joe Biden is now going in the opposite direction: His administration has taken an initial step to try to overturn a key legal victory for borrowers, according to court filings reviewed by The Daily Poster. | If the administration wins an appeal, it could bolster a legal precedent against millions of debtors being crushed by bankruptcy laws that Biden infamously helped his finance industry donors sculpt during his four decades in Washington. | On January 14, a federal judge in Biden's home state of Delaware moved to elimin…

ecns.cn (2022-02-02). U.S. national debt surpasses 30 trln USD as Fed prepares to raise rates. ecns.cn The U.S. national debt has surpassed 30 trillion U.S. dollars for the first time, raising concerns about future fiscal sustainability, as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates to tame inflation.

_____ (2022-02-02). In A Single Year, $1.78 Trillion Was Taken From The Working Class. popularresistance.org The fate of the Build Back Better Act is currently unknown. The bill would be the largest social spending achievement in decades and provide needed services and support to millions of families‚Äâ—‚Äâwith more than half of the proposed $1.75 trillion in spending going to child care, preschool, affordable housing, higher education and healthcare. | But this proposed spending, over 10 years, is barely noticeable compared with the wages workers have lost over the past 40 years. In terms of productivity, wages should be significantly higher than they are, and the average worker…

_____ (2022-02-02). Feb. 3 Webinar: Camila Saab, Wife Of Diplomat/US Political Prisoner. popularresistance.org Alex Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat the US government has illegally seized and imprisoned for what the US considers "violation" of the illegal US economic warfare on Venezuela. He was in fact assisting Venezuela in legally working around the US blockade on his country by finding the means to import food, medicine, and materials for the Venezuelan oil industry. The US is seeking to coerce Alex Saab into disclosing the methods Venezuela uses to circumvent the US-Canadian-European sanctions with the goal of further tightening the economic blockade and suffering on the Venezuelan people. These sanctions are illegal ac…

Staff (2022-02-02). Tomorrow February 3 Webinar: In Conversation with Camila Saab, Wife of Alex Saab & Special Guest, Oscar López Rivera. orinocotribune.com Alex Saab is a Venezuelan diplomat the US government has illegally seized and imprisoned for what the US considers "violation" of the illegal US economic warfare on Venezuela. He was in fact assisting Venezuela in legally working around the US blockade on his country by finding the means to import food, medicine, and materials for the Venezuelan oil industry. The US is seeking to coerce Alex Saab into disclosing the methods Venezuela uses to circumvent the US-Canadian-European sanctions with the goal of further tightening the economic blockade and suffering on the Venezuelan people. These sanctions are illegal ac…

Brasil de Fato (2022-02-02). Congolese refugee MoàØse Kabamgabe beaten to death in Rio de Janeiro after asking for wages. peoplesdispatch.org 24-year-old MoàØse Kabamgabe, a Congolese migrant living in Rio de Janeiro, was found dead on January 24 after being beaten to death. Kabamgabe had gone to the Tropicália kiosk, in the Barra da Tijuca beach, to collect payment for working two days as a kitchen helper, according to family members. In response, men from the kiosk beat him for 15 minutes until his death. | In an interview with Folha de S. Paulo, Mamanu Idumba Edou, MoàØse's uncle, said that MoàØse went to collect his overdue salary, when the manager of the establishment took a piece of wood and began to attack him. | "He called…

Fight Back (2022-02-02). USW rejects Marathon's proposal, offers 24-hour rolling extensions of current oil agreements. fightbacknews.org Pittsburgh, PA – The United Steelworkers union (USW) announced today that it rejected Marathon Petroleum's most recent proposal for a pattern settlement on wages, benefits and working conditions for approximately 30,000 USW members in the oil and petrochemical industry. The union then offered rolling 24-hour extensions of the current labor agreements. | The USW has been in talks with Marathon, which represents industry as its lead negotiator, since January 13. The current national agreement expired at midnight on February 1. | "Our members remain strong and united in their commitment to reaching a deal that meets…

Rachel Godin (2022-02-02). US Economic Policy is Bringing Famine to 23 Million Afghans. peaceaction.org People, Not Statistics Without urgent humanitarian support and international cooperation, one million children are predicted to starve this year in Afghanistan. Ever since America's withdrawal of troops from the country, humanitarian partners have been "racing against time to deliver aid and supplies" to half of the country's population that now requires humanitarian assistance to survive. …

_____ (2022-02-02). Central Asia becomes a Platform for Cooperation between Russia, India and China. journal-neo.org Central Asia (CA), due to its geostrategic location at the junction of Europe and Asia, its proximity to the leading international actors such as Russia and China, its wealth of natural resources and its yet-to-be fully exploited trade and economic opportunities, has recently attracted increasing interest from international actors. In order to create a stable …

Julia Rock (2022-02-02). Biden Moves To Block Student Debt Victory. dailyposter.com

ecns.cn (2022-02-02). U.S. national debt surpasses 30 trln USD as Fed prepares to raise rates. ecns.cn The U.S. national debt has surpassed 30 trillion U.S. dollars for the first time, raising concerns about future fiscal sustainability, as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates to tame inflation.

Fight Back (2022-02-02). USW rejects Marathon's proposal, offers 24-hour rolling extensions of current oil agreements. fightbacknews.org Pittsburgh, PA – The United Steelworkers union (USW) announced today that it rejected Marathon Petroleum's most recent proposal for a pattern settlement on wages, benefits and working conditions for approximately 30,000 USW members in the oil and petrochemical industry. The union then offered rolling 24-hour extensions of the current labor agreements. | The USW has been in talks with Marathon, which represents industry as its lead negotiator, since January 13. The current national agreement expired at midnight on February 1. | "Our members remain strong and united in their commitment to reaching a deal that meets…

TJ Coles (2022-02-01). How US meddling split Sudan, creating an oil republic drowning in poverty and conflict. thegrayzone.com Following decades of US soft power aid interventions to exploit South Sudan's energy reserves and counter China's influence, the republic is trapped in humanitarian crisis. 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 …

WSWS (2022-02-01). Poverty in Germany: 2021 report exposes profit-before-lives policy. wsws.org 13.4 million Germans, or 16.1 percent of the population, lived in poverty in the first year of the pandemic, 200,000 more than in 2019.

_____ (2022-02-01). New Gates Foundation Trustee Led Plot To Overthrow Zimbabwean Leader Alongside US Gov't. popularresistance.org In a shake-up of an institution named for one of the world's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs, Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa was appointed to the Gates Foundation's board of trustees this January. He will be joined on the board by a seemingly diverse cast of corporate elites known for their embrace of technocratic and neoliberal policies. | Back in 2007, Masiryiwa helped orchestrate a failed attempt to overthrow the government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe alongside the US and the Zimbabwean opposition party it was backing, the Movement for Democratic Transition.

_____ (2022-02-01). New Gates Foundation Trustee Led Plot To Overthrow Zimbabwean Leader. popularresistance.org n a shake-up of an institution named for one of the world's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs, Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa was appointed to the Gates Foundation's board of trustees this January. He will be joined on the board by a seemingly diverse cast of corporate elites known for their embrace of technocratic and neoliberal policies. | Back in 2007, Masiryiwa helped orchestrate a failed attempt to overthrow the government of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe alongside the US and the Zimbabwean opposition party it was backing, the Movement for Democratic Transition. | Both the Central Intell…

Joel Wendland-Liu (2022-02-01). Michigan, mass incarceration, and the new surveillance society. peoplesworld.org "Prisoners lives matter," chanted hundreds of imprisoned men who had stopped work and occupied the prison yard in the Kinross State Penitentiary, in Kinross, Mich., on Sept. 10, 2016. Nearly the entire 150 or so imprisoned kitchen staff protested inhumane living and working conditions. The event had been planned for the 45th anniversary of the …

Staff (2022-02-01). Role of Workers' Productive Councils in Venezuela's Economic Recovery—Interview with Manuel Páez. orinocotribune.com On February 19, 2020, President Nicolás Maduro decreed an energy emergency and a state of exception in the country's hydrocarbon industry, which led to the creation of the General Staff of the Workers' Productive Councils (CPTT). Manuel Páez, who belongs to the presidential commission of the CPTT for the hydrocarbon sector, in an interview with àöltimas Noticias, explained that there are "71 colleagues who were assigned (by the president and the working class itself) the task of directing the transformation of the industry… presenting a new management model, which is basically collective management." | Páe…

WSWS (2022-02-01). Open letter to New Zealand rail workers: Form rank-and-file committees to fight for safe working conditions. wsws.org Commuter rail operator Transdev, assisted by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, is imposing conditions that will allow Omicron to spread and infect rail workers and passengers.

Deja Gaston, Emma Roberts (2022-02-01). Utah organizers fight to overturn abortion 'trigger law'. liberationnews.org The PSL is engaged in building a coalition of working and oppressed people, women of color and queer activists to oppose the attacks on bodily autonomy and to keep abortion legal in Utah.

WSWS (2022-02-01). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Longshore workers are battling attacks on jobs, working conditions and pay, with inflation rampaging across South America.

_____ (2022-02-01). Another California Minimum Wage Earthquake? popularresistance.org California is the epicenter for a nationwide grassroots movement to raise the wage floor for American workers. On January 1st, the state set $15 an hour as the floor for large employers and $14 an hour for small ones (rising to $15 for all in 2023). Meanwhile, thirty-nine California cities and counties have established higher rates, with Emeryville the highest at $17.13 an hour and most well above $15. | The Fight for Fifteen movement has reshaped public opinion, pushing local and state officials around the country to approve a $15 per hour minimum wage. Eleven states and fifty-four cities and counties have $15 m…

WSWS (2022-02-01). Cold temperatures expose crisis of homelessness and hunger in Missouri. wsws.org A cold snap that hit the state on January 19 exposed the desperate conditions that confront the most vulnerable sections of the population.

Anonymous Contributor (2022-02-01). Boise Community Mobilizes In the Face of Threats of Violence from Far-Right Group. itsgoingdown.org Report back on recent community mobilization against threats of violence from the Idaho Liberty Dogs, a far-Right group in so-called Boise, Idaho. For background information, go here. photo: @RedoubtAFA After a week filled with cops stealing survival items, being stink bombed, and facing multiple threats of violence from local fascists — folks experiencing houselessness and…

Fra Hughes (2022-02-01). Yemen: How Many Must die Before the World Intervenes? orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes — Jan 26, 2022 | A beautiful historic country of poetry and art, of ancient buildings and centuries-old culture, has been devastated, destroyed, and bankrupted by fierce aggression led by imperialist forces. | As the death toll rises and nearly 20 million civilians face starvation… When will the international community intervene to end this suffering? Needless slaughters, bombs, regional politicking, airstrikes, the imposed siege, weapons of mass starvation targeting the infrastructure, including hospitals, prisons, and the fabric of civil society that holds a nation together in Yemen. | As I…

Jessie de Waal (2022-02-01). OXFAM: Pandemic exposes systemic inequality. greenleft.org.au Since the pandemic began a new billionaire has been created every 26 hours, according to OXFAM. Jessie de Waal reports.

In Contempt (2022-02-01). In Contempt #13: Hunger Strikes Spread; Eric King's Mail Ban Ends; Florida Prisoners Launch Sit-In; Arrests in Atlanta. itsgoingdown.org photo: Radical Graffiti We've got a jam packed installment of In Contempt this month! From updates on political prisoners, George Floyd uprising defendants, to news of prisoner resistance across the so-called US, along with birthdays, news, and ways to support those facing repression. There's a lot to cover, so let's dive in! Political Prisoner News…

WSWS (2022-02-01). Poverty in Germany: 2021 report exposes profit-before-lives policy. wsws.org 13.4 million Germans, or 16.1 percent of the population, lived in poverty in the first year of the pandemic, 200,000 more than in 2019.

Staff (2022-02-01). Role of Workers' Productive Councils in Venezuela's Economic Recovery—Interview with Manuel Páez. orinocotribune.com On February 19, 2020, President Nicolás Maduro decreed an energy emergency and a state of exception in the country's hydrocarbon industry, which led to the creation of the General Staff of the Workers' Productive Councils (CPTT). Manuel Páez, who belongs to the presidential commission of the CPTT for the hydrocarbon sector, in an interview with àöltimas Noticias, explained that there are "71 colleagues who were assigned (by the president and the working class itself) the task of directing the transformation of the industry… presenting a new management model, which is basically collective management." | Páe…

WSWS (2022-02-01). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Longshore workers are battling attacks on jobs, working conditions and pay, with inflation rampaging across South America.

WSWS (2022-02-01). Open letter to New Zealand rail workers: Form rank-and-file committees to fight for safe working conditions. wsws.org Commuter rail operator Transdev, assisted by the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, is imposing conditions that will allow Omicron to spread and infect rail workers and passengers.

WSWS (2022-02-01). Cold temperatures expose crisis of homelessness and hunger in Missouri. wsws.org A cold snap that hit the state on January 19 exposed the desperate conditions that confront the most vulnerable sections of the population.

Anonymous Contributor (2022-02-01). Boise Community Mobilizes In the Face of Threats of Violence from Far-Right Group. itsgoingdown.org Report back on recent community mobilization against threats of violence from the Idaho Liberty Dogs, a far-Right group in so-called Boise, Idaho. For background information, go here. photo: @RedoubtAFA After a week filled with cops stealing survival items, being stink bombed, and facing multiple threats of violence from local fascists — folks experiencing houselessness and…

Fra Hughes (2022-02-01). Yemen: How Many Must die Before the World Intervenes? orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes — Jan 26, 2022 | A beautiful historic country of poetry and art, of ancient buildings and centuries-old culture, has been devastated, destroyed, and bankrupted by fierce aggression led by imperialist forces. | As the death toll rises and nearly 20 million civilians face starvation… When will the international community intervene to end this suffering? Needless slaughters, bombs, regional politicking, airstrikes, the imposed siege, weapons of mass starvation targeting the infrastructure, including hospitals, prisons, and the fabric of civil society that holds a nation together in Yemen. | As I…

Jessie de Waal (2022-02-01). OXFAM: Pandemic exposes systemic inequality. greenleft.org.au Since the pandemic began a new billionaire has been created every 26 hours, according to OXFAM. Jessie de Waal reports.

WSWS (2022-01-31). Expiration of expanded tax credit throws millions of US children into poverty. wsws.org Amid a surge in the Omicron variant which has sickened millions, the Democrats have allowed expanded child tax credit (CTC) payments to expire with 30 million families not seeing the payments on January 15 after just six months of the program.

_____ (2022-01-31). New Report: Small Business's Big Moment. popularresistance.org Small businesses build local wealth, with benefits for nearly every aspect of the community and region. They offer a path to prosperity for hard-working entrepreneurs. They keep a larger share of their economic output within the community than businesses with outside ownership, putting that output to work to support schools, public safety, roads, parks, affordable housing, and many other vital public needs. And young, small businesses create the bulk of the nation's new jobs. | But one of the biggest challenges facing America's communities is leveling the playing field for small businesses and intentionally movin…

Alexander Rubinstein (2022-01-31). New Gates Foundation trustee led plot to overthrow Zimbabwean leader alongside US gov't. thegrayzone.com Listed as a US asset while spearheading Zimbabwean regime change plans, billionaire Strive Masiyiwa joins a cast of technocratic zealots on Gates' new board of trustees. In a shake-up of an institution named for one of the world's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs, Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa was appointed to the Gates Foundation's board of trustees this January. He will be joined on the board by a seemingly diverse cast of corporate elites known for their embrace of technocratic and …

_____ (2022-01-31). Is Erdogan Trying to Revise his Foreign Policy? journal-neo.org Turkey has lately shown signs of a clearly growing socio-political crisis in the country. Its economy is going through a difficult, if not disastrous, phase: the lira is plummeting, foreign exchange reserves are shrinking, external debt and unemployment are skyrocketing. Against this background, the approval rate for Recep Tayyip Erdogan as head of state has …

_____ (2022-01-31). How Kroger Is Using DC Spin Doctors To Fight Their Unionized Workers. popularresistance.org In recent weeks, Kroger has faced a rash of negative news reports about its employees' working and living conditions, drawn new scrutiny from lawmakers, and seen thousands of workers go on strike in Colorado — all as the company lobbies on union rights legislation, and bankrolls corporate trade associations trying to kill it. | Now amid the potential for congressional hearings and a federal crackdown, the grocery giant did what so many other corporate behemoths do when they're feeling the heat: pay big bucks to run counter programming claiming it offers "great pay and great benefits" in a Beltway tip sheet…

WSWS (2022-01-31). NYC mayor Adams steps up law and order campaign after two police officers killed. wsws.org The city's new Democratic mayor, along with the entire political establishment and bourgeois media, is preparing increased police repression as a response to growing working class resistance to the pandemic and its consequences.

Editor (2022-01-31). Replacing imports to guarantee greater biotechnological sovereignty in the production of medicine. mronline.org Interview with president of Cuba's leading pharmaceutical enterprise group, BioCubaFarma, working to strengthen the country's technological sovereignty and contribute to the population's quality of life.

WSWS (2022-01-31). Stop the intra-company bidding war at Ford! No concessions—neither in Saarlouis nor in Valencia. wsws.org We are no longer prepared to accept the systematic sellout of our jobs and the constant deterioration of our wages and working conditions without a fight.

WSWS (2022-01-31). Thousands of Sri Lankan health workers hold one-day strike in Western Province. wsws.org Repeated struggles in the health sector indicate that the working class will not accept the government's attack, and is determined to defend its living conditions and social rights.

Adriaan Alsema (2022-01-31). UN flags Colombia as 'hunger hotspot'. colombiareports.com The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that the food security of Colombia's poor could deteriorate in the coming months. The FAO added Colombia to a list of…

Ann Brown (2022-01-31). Driver Video Shows Road Rage Bustin' On Highway: 'Always Assume Americans Have Guns Without Mental Healthcare'. moguldom.com A violent road rage incident on a Florida interstate in which a driver fired nearly a dozen shots toward another car is leaving some on Twitter worried about Americans without adequate mental healthcare. Dashcam footage of the shooter, Eric Popper, 30, was recently released from an incident that took place in June 2021. Around 6: 53 …