(2021-01-28). Headlines for January 28, 2021. democracynow.org U.S. Records Another 4,000 COVID-19 Deaths as White House Warns Vaccinations Will Take Months, DHS Warns of Threat from "Violent Extremists" as More Arrests Are Made over Jan. 6 Insurrection, Leader of Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, Was a Government Informer , Biden to Reverse "Global Gag Rule," Expand Reproductive Healthcare in U.S., Democrats Reintroduce Bill to Make Washington, D.C., the 51st State, Western Hemisphere COVID-19 Deaths Top 1 Million , 4th Zimbabwean Cabinet Official Dies of COVID-19; WHO Begins Probe into Pandemic Origins in Wuhan, Hungry Lebanese Protesters Clash with Police over Coronavirus Lockd…
(2021-01-28). Beyond Slogans: Palestinians Need an Urgent, Centralized Strategy to Counter Israel in Africa. dissidentvoice.org 
Arab normalization with Israel is expected to have serious consequences that go well beyond the limited and self-serving agendas of a few Arab countries. Thanks to the Arab normalizers, the doors are now flung wide open for new political actors to extend or cement ties with Israel at the expense of Palestine, without fearing any …
(2021-01-28). Beyond Slogans: Palestinians Need an Urgent, Centralized Strategy to Counter Israel in Africa. counterpunch.org 
Arab normalization with Israel is expected to have serious consequences that go well beyond the limited and self-serving agendas of a few Arab countries. Thanks to the Arab normalizers, the doors are now flung wide open for new political actors to extend or cement ties with Israel at the expense of Palestine, without fearing any
(2021-01-28). US calls on Turkey and Russia to 'immediately' withdraw forces from Libya. middleeasteye.net 
US calls on Turkey and Russia to 'immediately' withdraw forces from Libya | The deadline for withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries passed on Saturday with no movement observed on ground | Thu, 01/28/2021 – 21: 38 | Haftar failed in his bid to wrest control of Tripoli last year, ultimately leading to stalemate with GNA (AFP) | The United States has called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian and Turki…
(2021-01-28). Presidential staff in Tunisia hospitalised after opening suspicious letter. middleeasteye.net 
Presidential staff in Tunisia hospitalised after opening suspicious letter | The official suffered 'almost total loss of vision', the office says, adding that Tunisian president was not affected | Thu, 01/28/2021 – 19: 19 | Tunisian guards stand to attention at Presidential Palace in Carthage on 31 January 2018 (AFP/File photo) | The director of Tunisia's presidential office fell unconscious earlier this week…
(2021-01-28). 'Pfizer jab effective against UK, S.Africa strains'. yenisafak.com The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the virus strains detected in the UK and South Africa, the companies said late Wednesday.The US drugmaker and its German partner said in a statement that tests were carried out on 20 people with three coronavirus strains; mutations common to both the UK and South Africa variants, mutations common to the UK variant, and mutations common to the South Africa variant."The sera from individuals vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine neutralized all the SARS-CoV-2 strains tested," the statement said.It stressed that "small differences" detected in…
(2021-01-28). South Africa Covid-19 variant found in US after two adults in South Carolina test positive. rt.com 
A new Covid-19 variant first discovered in South Africa has now been detected in the US, after two cases were reported in the state of South Carolina, health officials announced on Thursday. | The two cases of the B.1.351 variant do not appear to be connected to each other, and neither person is known to have traveled recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said in a statement. | Both people are adults — one is from the Lowcountry area and one is from the Pee Dee region, the DHEC said, without giving further details. | The variant was discovered in samples from South Ca…
(2021-01-28). US freeze on F-35s sale to Abu Dhabi won't hurt normalization between Israel & UAE — PM Netanyahu. rt.com 
The suspension by US President Joe Biden on selling F-35 fighter jets to the UAE won't derail normalization between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi, as the process has gone too far already, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted. | "It won't affect them," Netanyahu said, when asked about the possible impact of the announcement by Washington on relations between Israel and the UAE. | The mending of ties between the two former foes has "passed the point of no return," the prime minister insisted during a press conference broadcast on Facebook. | "Everyone understood that this [normalization deal] was a historic step…
(2021-01-28). Could Turkey-EU relations normalize? yenisafak.com The volatile climate that marked US foreign policy in the Donald Trump era not only harmed EU-Turkey relations, but also adversely affected US relations with the European Union. There is no question that this is not the first crisis in the transatlantic relations. For instance, the Bush administration's unilateral policies widened the gap between Washington and Brussels in 2003, as Europe and the USA, two transatlantic partners, "lost each other somewhere between Kabul and Baghdad," as Robert Kagan put it. Around the same time, we have started to hear about what began to be referred to as "two Wests". According t…
(2021-01-28). Zionists may be involved in Saied assassination: politician. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (MNA) —The secretary-general of the Tunisian "Al-Shaab" movement has said that the Zionist regime of Israel might have played a role in the assassination attempt against the Tunisian President Kais Saied.
(2021-01-28). The Right Normalizes Fascism. The Best Response: Normalize It Back. zcomm.org Before fascism can win power, it has to win support, which it seeks to do by polarizing politics to the point where only fascists represent the "true" nation…
(2021-01-28). France Vows 'Symbolic Actions,' No Apologies For Colonisation Of Algeria. popularresistance.org On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron received a much anticipated report on France's 132-year colonial rule of Algeria and the war that led to Algeria's independence in 1962, as part of an effort towards reconciliation of historical memory between the two countries. | A specialist of contemporary Algerian history, French historian Benjamin Stora, was tasked by Macron in July with "making a precise and just inventory of the progress done in France of colonisation and the Algerian war", which remain painful subjects for millions of Algerian and French citizens nearly 60 years later. | Algerian President Ab…
(2021-01-28). Bobi Wine remains determined to challenge Ugandan presidential election results in court. peoplesdispatch.org On January 26, soldiers finally withdrew from the house of Boni Wine who had been under house arrest after he alleged fraud in the conduct of the electoral process…
(2021-01-28). Chad: First Country Requests Debt Relief from G20 Process. indybay.org Chad became the first country to officially seek debt reduction under a G20-established coronavirus response process.
(2021-01-27). 8.3 Million South Sudanese in Need of Humanitarian Aid. telesurenglish.net UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday warned that the number of people in South Sudan in need of aid has jumped from 7.5 million last year to 8.3 million. | RELATED: | This country of 11 million people has been devastated by internal conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Those in need include 310,000 refugees and asylum seekers. | "Conflict, insecurity, and natural disasters have disp…
(2021-01-27). Saudi Arabia begins repatriation of detained workers to Ethiopia. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia begins repatriation of detained workers to Ethiopia | Ethiopian migrants said they were chained and forced to relieve themselves on the floor of their cells | Wed, 01/27/2021 – 11: 39 | Ethiopian officials hope to repatriate at least 1,000 workers every week and aim to increase that number (Screengrab) | Saudi Arabia has begun repatriating thousands of Ethiopians who have been held in detent…
(2021-01-27). Central African Republic: Rights expert welcomes transfer of war crimes suspect to ICC. news.un.org The handover of a former Central African Republic (CAR) militia leader and war crimes suspect to the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sent a strong warning to rebel groups, political actors and others who thrive on impunity, a UN independent human rights expert said on Wednesday.
(2021-01-27). Chicago teacher opposing return to school maligned for citing anti-Nazi poem. wsws.org The Chicago Teachers Union's support for the Anti-Defamation League's specious attack on high school teacher Stu Abram highlights the CTU's complicity in the reopening of schools, and its downplaying both the severity of the pandemic and the danger of the far right.
(2021-01-27). Famine Approaching: Tigray, Ethiopia. counterpunch.org 
First, the locusts came. It was hard to discern the impact. That's because Donald Trump was doing something stupid at the time, closely watched by the world's media. Then, on November 4, 2020, came the soldiers, the looting, the press gangs, and the rapine. If you don't know where I'm talking about, it's because only
(2021-01-27). Incoming US envoy Thomas-Greenfield vows to 'stand with Israel' at UN. middleeasteye.net 
Incoming US envoy Thomas-Greenfield vows to 'stand with Israel' at UN | Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at confirmation hearing she would pressure normalising Arab countries to support Israel at UN | Wed, 01/27/2021 – 20: 14 | The nominee denounced BDS, saying the Palestinian-led movement 'verges on antisemitism' (AFP) | Incoming US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield has pledged to shield Israel from what she c…
(2021-01-27). The 'Humanitarian' Left Still Ignores the Lessons of Iraq, Libya and Syria to Cheer on More War. counterpunch.org 
The instinct among parts of the left to cheerlead the right's war crimes, so long as they are dressed up as liberal "humanitarianism", is alive and kicking, as Owen Jones revealed in a column last week on the plight of the Uighurs at China's hands. The "humanitarian war" instinct persists even after two decades of
(2021-01-27). Erdogan says Islamophobia, xenophobia must stop. yenisafak.com The world should step up to say "stop" to Islamophobia and xenophobia which have multiplied in recent years through the use of digital platforms, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday.His remarks came in a video message released on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day."The International community should take action so that tragedies such as the Holocaust, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Cambodia do not recur," he said.Erdogan said that humanity is going through a difficult period, adding that the "racism virus" has become increasingly widespread along with the pandemic.He underlined th…
(2021-01-27). A decade into Arab uprising: Tunisians keep on protesting. yenisafak.com A decade after the Jasmine Revolution, which ousted longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power, anger and frustration among young Tunisians continues to brew. Protests [1] have been held in various cities across the country over the last few days, defying restrictions in place following a surge in coronavirus cases.While the daytime demonstrations are overwhelmingly peaceful, clashes occur with security forces take place during the night. More than 600 people were arrested [2], and the army was deployed to quell the tensions.Protestors' grievances are the same as they were a decade ago: unemployment, s…
(2021-01-27). Top Turkish, Azerbaijani diplomats talk pirate attack. yenisafak.com Turkey and Azerbaijan's top diplomats spoke on the phone Wednesday, in a conversation focused on last weekend's pirate attack in which 15 Turkish sailors were kidnapped and one Azerbaijani sailor was killed.Speaking to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov expressed thanks for Turkey bringing home the body of the sailor, slain in the Gulf of Guinea attack last Saturday.The two also addressed recent developments in the region during their conversation, according to diplomatic sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.The body of…
(2021-01-27). 'Turkey, EU have new window of opportunity for talks'. yenisafak.com After a turbulent 2020, Turkey and the EU now have "a window of opportunity for renewed dialogue," Turkey's top diplomat said on Wednesday."We believe a genuine Turkey-EU partnership can bring about real changes in vital areas, including migration, trade, energy, security, and defense, as well as Syria, Libya, the Balkans, Caucasus, and other issues," Mevlut Cavusoglu told an online meeting with his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok during the 8th bilateral Wittenburg Conference.Cavusoglu said the past year had been a difficult one that "tested our relations with Europe."However, he said the EU "extended a hand to Turk…
(2021-01-27). Iran House of Innovation, Tech. inaugurated in Nairobi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jan. 27 (MNA) — VP Sattari expressed hope that the inauguration of the Iran House of Innovation and Technology (IHIT) will become a turning point in bilateral economic cooperation between Iran and Kenya in East African region.
(2021-01-27). Blood on the Tea Leaves: Kenyan Workers Demand Reparations From Unilever. thenation.com Blood on the Tea Leaves: Kenyan Workers Demand Reparations From Unilever…
(2021-01-27). Tigray's children in crisis and beyond reach, after months of conflict: UNICEF. news.un.org Three months since fighting began in Ethiopia's northern state of Tigray, there's grave concern for the plight of youngsters there, the UN Children's Fund UNICEF has warned.
(2021-01-27). #PeacefulProtestsContinue: Farmers Blame Miscreants for Maligning Their Image on Republic Day. sputniknews.com As part of their Tractor Protest Rally, thousands of farmers entered Delhi on Tuesday morning riding SUVs, cars, and wheeled farm equipment. A faction of the rally soon invaded Delhi's iconic Red Fort, leading to violent clashes with police as the farmers seek the repeal of several farm laws recently decreed by the central government.
(2021-01-27). Rehabilitation of 1700 cape cormorant chicks in Cape Town. laprensalatina.com Volunteers assist abandoned cape cormorant chicks during rehabilitation at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coast Birds (SANCCOB) in Cape Town, South Africa, 27 January 2021. SANCCOB is currently rehabilitating approximately 1700 abandoned cape cormorant chicks. Scientists cite a few factors leading to the cormorants parents and colonies abandoning their young, among which …
(2021-01-27). We Must Remind President Biden That the Time to Fully Restore Net Neutrality Is Now. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/netneutrality_1.jpg …
(2021-01-27). Ugandan soldiers withdraw from Bobi Wine's house after court directive. peoplesdispatch.org On January 26, soldiers finally withdrew from the house of Boni Wine who had been under house arrest after he alleged fraud in the conduct of the electoral process…
(2021-01-27). Forty-three refugees drown off Libya's coast: victims of the European Union's refugee policy. wsws.org Chief responsibility lies with the governments in Berlin, Rome, Paris, Vienna and The Hague, which have blocked all legal avenues to Europe.
(2021-01-27). Agitations in Tunisia intensify after death of a protester. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands marched to the Tunisian parliament in Tunis on Tuesday, January 26, demanding change in the political system and opposing state violence. The Tunisian police used heavy violence to prevent the protesters from reaching the parliament leading to several getting injured. | Hundreds of Tunisians started their march from Ettadhamen in Tunis, the hotspot of the current protests, to the parliament building in Bardo calling for the "overthrow of the system" and "development, jobs, freedom and dignity." More people joined in the march in various other locations on its route making it the largest protests so far…
(2021-01-26). South Africa Asks Governments for Fairer Vaccine Distribution. telesurenglish.net South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on Thursday for a fairer distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines as his country struggles to immunize its population. | RELATED: | During a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum, Ramaphosa remarked that "the rich countries of the world went out and acquired large doses, some even acquired up to four times what their population needs … to the exclusion of other countries…
(2021-01-26). In a new first, Israel's intelligence minister visits Sudan to advance relations. middleeasteye.net 
In a new first, Israel's intelligence minister visits Sudan to advance relations | Weeks after Khartoum signed a normalisation deal with Tel Aviv, Eli Cohen becomes the first ever Israeli minister to visit the African country | Tue, 01/26/2021 – 11: 35 | Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen (L) elbow-bumping Sudanese Defence Minister Yassin Ibrahim in Sudan's capital Khartoum on 25 Janu…
(2021-01-26). Muslim Brotherhood vows to tread path of revolution. yenisafak.com Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood pledged on Monday to continue the path of struggle on the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring protests.In a statement, the group vowed to continue their efforts to ensure Egyptians are able to elect their rulers based on fair elections.It said the sacrifice of the martyrs, injured and victims will never be forgotten and urged the international community to support the aspirations of the Egyptian people.The protests on Jan. 25, 2011, led to the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, ending his 30-year rule.The first democratic elections in the country brought president Mohammed Morsi to powe…
(2021-01-26). Ethiopia asks Sudan to pull troops out for border talks. yenisafak.com Ethiopia on Tuesday reiterated its call for Sudan to pull back from disputed territories its troops have been in since late last year.In late December, Sudanese soldiers reportedly moved up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) into Ethiopian-held territories, including the contested fertile agricultural region of Al-Fashaga, which Ethiopia called an act of blackmail by its western neighbor.Ethiopia then launched a diplomatic effort to get Sudanese forces out of the territories to promote a return to the normal mechanisms of dialogue to resolve the century-long border dispute."Ethiopia is committed to a peaceful resolution…
(2021-01-26). President Biden: The Time To Restore Net Neutrality Is Now. aclu.org Just over four years ago, Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission eliminated
(2021-01-26). The US-Kenya Bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Garbage In, Garbage Out. globalresearch.ca Washington hopes a free trade pact with Kenya will give it a beachhead in its hot war with Al-Shabab and cold war with China—and an African dumping ground for GMOs and plastic waste. What Kenya gets in exchange is not …
(2021-01-26). Action Education in Morocco: An Enduring Throwback for the Future. globalresearch.ca Social scientists across their different disciplines have shared an enduring observation. They have found that the people who apply methods in real settings to understand social life find more elucidation of the inquiry process than those who seriously analyze the …