(2022-02-26). Palestinian administrative detainees Hisham Abu Hawwash and Miqdad al-Qawasmeh released. peoplesdispatch.org Two Palestinian administrative detainees who went on hunger strikes against their illegal administrative detention were finally released from Israeli custody on February 24, Thursday, according to a report by the WAFA News Agency. Hisham Abu Hawwash and Miqdad al-Qawasmeh, who were on hunger strike for 141 and 114 days respectively, had forced Israeli authorities to agree to end their detention. They were among the several administrative detainees who launched hunger strikes to bring attention to the injustice and cruelty they faced in Israeli prisons. | According to the report, the two detainees were released fr…
(2022-02-26). Russian ship seized by French authorities. rt.com 
The cargo vessel is suspected of being linked to "Russian interests" hit by Western sanctions | A Russian cargo ship has been intercepted in the English Channel by French authorities on suspicion of violating EU sanctions imposed following Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine. | The vessel, which departed from Rouen, was transporting cars to St. Petersburg when it was redirected to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France in the early hours of Saturday morning. | The press office for the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel confirmed to the media that the ship was "strongly suspected of being linked to…
(2022-02-26). PHOTO: Four Illegal Immigrants Stuffed in Toolbox Like Sardines at Texas Border. sputniknews.com A recent CBS News poll showed only 36% of respondents voiced satisfaction with how US President Joe Biden was handling immigration, as the past year witnessed record levels of illicit border crossings and overflowing detention centres struggling to deal with illegal immigrants on the Southern US border.
(2022-02-26). Russian sports minister reacts to IOC banning call. rt.com 
The International Olympic Commitee wants events to be pulled from Russia and Belarus and the countries' flags to be banned | The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) call for the sporting schedule to be pulled from Russia and the national flag and anthem to be banned from events would violate the rights of athletes, the country's sports minister, Oleg Matytsin, has said. | In a statement on Friday, the IOC told International Sports Federations to take strong action against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, as well as applying the same punishments to Belarus. | The committee's Executive Board wants t…
(2022-02-26). Australia suspends RT broadcast. rt.com 
Australia's satellite operator said the move has been made out of "concern about the situation in Ukraine" | Australia's satellite operator, Foxtel, has notified RT on Saturday that it is suspending the channel's broadcast distribution in Australia as part of its services "in view of concern about the situation in Ukraine." The operator will then further "consider" its rights under the channel license agreement, it added, without elaborating on any potential additional measures. | Foxtel is a satellite operator covering all of Australia's territory and has its own over-the-top (OTT) server allowing media servi…
(2022-02-26). Thursday 3/3: Women Who Are Powering Voting Rights & Democracy w/ LWV. indybay.org Online event…
(2022-02-26). 'Final review' of Russia's relations with West now possible — former president. rt.com 
Dmitry Medvedev has dubbed European organizations "meaningless almshouses" | Western sanctions could be an "excellent reason for a final review" of Russia's relations with the nations that have imposed the restrictions, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president, Dmitry Medvedev, said on Saturday. | Russia's military operation in Ukraine, which was launched on February 24, has prompted outrage in the West and a new wave of harsh sanctions against Russia. In a lengthy
(2022-02-26). Canada imposes "severe" sanctions on Russia, puts 3,400 troops on stand-by for deployment to Europe. wsws.org From within Canada's political establishment, including the ostensibly "left" NDP, the only criticism of the Trudeau government's belligerence and war preparations against Russia is that the measures do not go far enough.
(2022-02-26). Russian Space Agency Suspends Cooperation With Europe on Launches in Kourou Spaceport. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian space agency Roscosmos is suspending cooperation with Europe on launches from the Kourou cosmodrome and is recalling its employees from French Guiana in response to sanctions imposed by the European Union, the head of the agency, Dmitry Rogozin, said on Saturday.
(2022-02-26). Chinese banks limit financing for Russian purchases — media. rt.com 
The two largest lenders reportedly restricted funding for the purchase of Russian commodities | China's largest public financial institutions are reportedly limiting financing to purchase raw materials from Russia under the threat of sanctions from the US and allies over the military operation in Ukraine. | The step, which might only be temporary, was taken by at least two of China's largest state-controlled banks, ICBC and Bank of China, which are at major risk of secondary sanctions from Washington, Bloomberg news agency reported on Saturday, citing unidentified sources. | ICBC, the world's biggest bank by a…
(2022-02-26). Russia's space agency responds to Western sanctions. rt.com 
The Russian space agency has turned to China with a collaboration proposal | Roscosmos will cease work on joint space projects with Europe and the United States and instead seek cooperation with China, the head of the Russian space agency Dmitry Rogozin announced on Saturday. | Rogozin told Tass news agency on Saturday that he had given his team an order to start negotiations with Beijing on coordination and mutual technical support of all deep space missions, including the 'Venera-D' project, the first Russian mission to Venus since Soviet times. | "Under the conditions of sanctions, US participation in the p…
(2022-02-26). Moscow may nationalize assets of foreigners — former Russian president. rt.com 
Dmitry Medvedev has called for tit-for-tat measures over the freezing of Russian assets abroad | The former Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, hasn't ruled out nationalizing the Russian-based assets of foreigners registered in "hostile jurisdictions." | The harsh step may be taken in response to the seizure of funds of Russian citizens abroad, the ex-leader, who is currently deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, posted on Facebook. | "They also threaten to seize the money of Russian citizens and Russian companies abroad <...> But this will have to be answered quite symmetrically," Medvedev, the p…
(2022-02-25). Three former Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers convicted of violating George Floyd's civil rights. wsws.org The officers who failed to intervene and stop Derek Chauvin from murdering George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes, were found guilty by a jury of violating federal civil rights laws.
(2022-02-25). Those who violated the Geneva Conventions at Guantánamo are free, while the man who helped expose their crimes languishes in prison: The Eighth Newsletter (2022). mronline.org 
Twenty years ago, on 11 January 2002, the United States government brought its first 'detainees' abducted during the so-called War on Terror to its military prison in Guantánamo Bay.
(2022-02-25). New Cold War Conflict over Ukraine. dissidentvoice.org 
There is an adage that the first casualty in a war is the truth. The US and NATO allege that Putin's Russia is a malevolent aggressor against neighboring Ukraine. They assert that the US and NATO are simply defending the rights of an oppressed nation. Meanwhile, what the sycophantic legacy news media convey to the public is …
(2022-02-25). NO WAR! NO SANCTIONS! NO NATO! iacenter.org February 24, 2022 The International Action Center joins with the many antiwar and anti-imperialist organizations, here and around the world, in raising the unifying slogans: "NO WAR! NO SANCTIONS! NO NATO!" We call for international emergency mobilizations for actions March 1-7 around this program. U.S. Out of Russia demonstration, Portland, Oregon, Feb. 5. Photo: Lyn Neeley The corporate media have spoken with one voice in the period leading up to today's blaring headlines accusing Russia of "invading" Ukraine. For months, the bipartisan message from Capitol Hill and the White House has been to demonize Russian…
(2022-02-25). Katrina vanden Heuvel on Putin's "Indefensible" Invasion & Why NATO Is at the Root of Ukraine Crisis. democracynow.org 
The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel, who has reported on Russia for decades, says many observers were "shocked" that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine, calling it an "indefensible" decision. President Biden ordered strong sanctions on Russia in response, but he has also heeded critics' warnings not to send troops to Ukraine in order to avoid a world war. Vanden Heuvel says that it's vital that instead of further military escalation, there be a "diplomatic escalation" to resolve the crisis and end the war.
(2022-02-25). EU imposes sanctions on Russia as NATO escalates troop deployments. wsws.org The NATO powers are intensifying economic and military pressure on Russia, risking escalation of the conflict into a global war between the major nuclear powers.
(2022-02-25). It's Settled That Israel Is Committing the Crime of Apartheid—Now What Should We Do About It? juancole.com ( Commondreams.org ) — When Amnesty International released its report "Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime Against Humanity" earlier the month, it was clearly part of a rapidly expanding trend. Palestinian human rights defenders, members of Congress and faith leaders in the United States, academics, and activists of the Palestinian rights …
(2022-02-25). Leaked Documents Expose High-Profile Leaders and Spies Holding Billions in Switzerland: Here Are the Names. moguldom.com Leaked documents from one of the world's biggest private banks, Credit Suisse, show that the Swiss bank held billions of dollars for heads of state, intelligence officials and human rights abusers. A self-proclaimed whistle-blower leaked data to German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung showing more than 18,000 bank accounts with a total of $100 billion plus. The …
(2022-02-25). Those Who Violated The Geneva Conventions At Guantánamo Are Free. popularresistance.org Twenty years ago, on 11 January 2002, the United States government brought its first 'detainees' abducted during the so-called War on Terror to its military prison in Guantánamo Bay. US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, 'We do plan to, for the most part, treat them in a manner that is reasonably consistent with the Geneva Conventions'. For the most part. Evidence began to emerge almost immediately — including from the International Committee of the Red Cross — that the Geneva Conventions were being violated and that many of the prisoners were being tortured. By December 2002, the US media began…
(2022-02-25). Docudrama 'Detained' exposes true stories of mass immigrant deportation. peoplesworld.org 
LOS ANGELES — Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Immigrants across America who might years ago have had some minor brush with the law are being rounded up, torn from their families, concentrated in brutal detention centers often halfway across the continent, kept waiting for months, even years for their case to come up, then denied a …
(2022-02-25). Police in Novosibirsk Detain 20 Participants of Unauthorised Protest Against Military Operation. sputniknews.com NOVOSIBIRSK, Russia (Sputnik) – Law enforcement troops in the southern Russian city of Novosibirsk detained 20 participants of an unauthorised protest against Russia's military operation in Ukraine, the regional government said on Friday.
(2022-02-25). Richmond Educators Are First In Virginia To Win Bargaining Rights. popularresistance.org Teachers and other public school employees in Richmond, Virginia, won a major victory in December when the city's school board, in an 8 to 1 vote, approved a resolution granting them collective bargaining rights. | The victory sets a precedent for other districts and public sector employees throughout the state. Richmond is the first school district in Virginia to reinstate collective bargaining rights, after the legislature in 2020 lifted the state's 43-year prohibition on collective bargaining for local government workers. | Members of the school board had made repeated attempts to delay the vote. Winning took…
(2022-02-25). Questions raised on Filipino activist's arrest as authorities continue red-tagging of movements. peoplesdispatch.org The country's rights watchdog as well as lawyers representing activist Naty Castro have raised questions about the serious procedural lapses and irregularities in her arrest…
(2022-02-25). Leverage: Putin And Russia Expected To Respond To Sanctions By Choking Europe's Access To Natural Gas Supplies. moguldom.com Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to respond to Western sanctions by choking Europe's access to natural gas supplies. A major supplier of oil and gas, Russia is linked to European energy markets through a series of critical pipelines. The biggest one flows through Ukraine and it became a stumbling block for both sides in …
(2022-02-25). China to Impose Sanctions on US Companies Selling Arms to Taiwan. orinocotribune.com According to the South China Morning Post, this was revealed by the Chinese spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Wenbin, who explained that the companies set to be sanctioned for selling weapons to the island are Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. | Two weeks ago, both companies approved a deal worth $100 million. These armaments would be destined fo…
(2022-02-25). Venezuela's Delcy Rodríguez: US Sanctions Are Crimes Against Humanity. orinocotribune.com The unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States of America against independent countries constitute crimes against humanity, said the Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, while referring to the latest rounds of sanctions on Russia announced by Washington. | In a tweet summarizing Washington's sanctions on Moscow, Rodríguez stated that the unilateral coercive measures imposed on sovereign countries "are the grossest and most barbaric expressions of extortion against governments not aligned with Western mandates. They also constitute crimes against humanity by collectively punishing peoples. Russia w…
(2022-02-25). West's Resolve to Sanction Any State With Its Own Position Endangers World Order – Russian Envoy. sputniknews.com On Thursday, US President Joe Biden announced a number of new sanctions that he said would "impose severe costs on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time".
(2022-02-25). China's SWIFT alternative may undercut US sanctions. asiatimes.com 
Washington's new sanctions against Russia were no match for President Biden's rhetoric, leaving out the most obvious measure that the United States might take to hurt Moscow, namely exclusion from the SWIFT international payments system. Banks conduct virtually all hard-currency transactions via SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. But a new Chinese …
(2022-02-25). Georgia won't join West in sanctioning Russia over Ukraine. rt.com 
Tbilisi said it would continue to de-escalate its tense relations with Russia despite the attack on Ukraine | Georgia will not participate in economic and financial sanctions on Russia following Moscow's full-scale assault against Ukraine, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told the country's media on Friday, citing national interests. | "During these years, among other issues, we have managed to de-escalate our tense relations with Russia, which was in line with Georgia's national interests, and I will not make any decisions against them," the PM said. | In a statement on Friday, the National Bank of Georgia…
(2022-02-25). EU Sanctions Against Russia Should Be Cancelled, Head of German Party AfD Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Tino Chrupalla, the co-chairman of the German right-wing party AfD, has called for the lifting of all European economic sanctions against Russia, stressing that they have not had the desired effect in the past.
(2022-02-25). Sanctions on Putin, Lavrov Signal Canada, Allies Seek to Rupture Ties With Russia, Envoy Says. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Ottawa's move to impose sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is totally unacceptable and contradicts all principles of both interstate relations and diplomatic ethics, Russian Ambassador in Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik.
(2022-02-25). NASA comments on US-Russia space cooperation in the wake of Ukraine crisis. rt.com 
New US sanctions on Moscow will have no impact on civil space cooperation | NASA will continue working with the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the operation of the International Space Station (ISS), despite fresh sanctions and export controls imposed on Moscow over its military attack on Ukraine. | In a media statement on Friday, a NASA representative said the agency "continues working with all our international partners, including the State Space Corporation Roscosmos, for the ongoing safe operations of the International Space Station." | "The new export control measures will continue to allow US-Russia ci…
(2022-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2022. democracynow.org Russian Forces Close In on Kyiv in Apparent Bid to Topple Ukraine's Government, U.N. Says Over 100,000 Ukrainians Have Already Been Displaced by Russia's Invasion, Some 1,800 Russians Arrested at Protests Against Invasion of Ukraine, "America Stands Up to Bullies": Biden Announces New Sanctions on Russia, Pentagon Says It Attacked al-Shabab in First U.S. Airstrike on Somalia Since August, Missiles Hit Near Damascus in 4th Israeli Airstrike on Syria This Month, Biden Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson as First Black Woman SCOTUS Justice , CDC to Relax Indoor Mask Guidance, 3 Ex-Minneapolis Cop…
(2022-02-25). Moscow Bans UK Aircraft From Using Russian Airspace in Retaliation for Aeroflot Sanctions. sputniknews.com Britain slapped sanctions on Russia on Thursday over Moscow's special operation to protect the people of Donbass and clear Ukraine of neo-Nazis. The restrictions target over 100 Russian individuals and Russian national air carrier, Aeroflot.
(2022-02-25). EU Should Urge US to Change Its Course Aimed at Containing Russia, Chinese Media Says. sputniknews.com On Thursday, the US imposed a string of new "severe" sanctions on the Russian economy after Moscow began a special military operation to demilitarise Ukraine following the Donbass republics' request for Russia's assistance in repelling growing attacks by Ukrainian forces.
(2022-02-25). Matvienko: Russia Preparing Retaliatory Sanctions Against Western States. sputniknews.com The Russian Foreign Ministry previously pledged that Moscow's "strong response" to US sanctions will not be "necessarily symmetric, but well-calculated and painful for the American side".