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Democracy?: As the Capitalist Robber Barons Steal from the 99% — Only the 1% Voted For Austerity — The 99% Should Decide On Austerity — Not Just The Who Profit From Austerity! Under Austerity, All of the World Will Eventually Be Pauperized, Humbled, and Desecrated Like Greece and Puerto Rico
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While most political leaders and U.S. media outlets continue to perpetuate the “power-serving” notion that the West has played little to no role in causing and worsening Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, U.K. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn penned a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday slamming American and British forces for fueling the Saudi-led bombing campaign and demanding an independent war crimes investigation. “At least 10,000 people have been killed since the conflict started in 2014 and 7 million people are in extreme hunger. Food shortages and the cholera outbreak are a direct result of the continuing blockade of Yemen by the U.S.- and U.K.-backed Saudi-led coalition,” Corbyn wrote. “Whilst the immediate priority should be humanitarian assistance to Yemen, it is time the government takes immediate steps to play its part in ending the suffering of the Yemeni people.” The “devastation and destruction in Yemen” Corbyn highlights has been ongoing for years while garnering relatively little attention, but in recent days the crisis has increasingly been spotlighted by American media outlets—albeit with one “glaring” omission. As journalist Adam Johnson notes in a piece for Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), U.S. coverage in particular has peddled a “reductionist narrative” that accurately singles out Saudi Arabia for criticism but conveniently leaves out the fact that the Saudis rely heavily on the U.S., the U.K., and Canada for weaponry, ongoing military intelligence, and political support. In contrast to the dominant media narrative, Corbyn’s letter places the American and British role in arming Saudi Arabia front-and-center. — Unlike Most Western Leaders, Corbyn Demands End to US-UK Complicity in Yemen’s Suffering
Videos of the Day:
Why is Police Brutality Against Women So Often Overlooked? Women’s experiences with police violence are often absent from the discussion about police brutality. TRNN’s Taya Graham and Stephen Janis discuss the issue with attendees of the National Women’s Studies Association Conference in Baltimore
The Anti-Iran Axis Tries to ‘Blackmail’ Palestine The Trump administration’s threat to close the PLO mission in Washington, DC is part of a wider US-Israel-Saudi effort to assert regional dominance, says Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies
Saudi Financial Crisis at Heart of Prince’s Rage The severe financial crisis and foreign policy failures are making Prince Mohammed bin Salman increasingly belligerent, says Vijay Prashad
U.S.:
The Merchant of Weapons President Trump has turned into a merchant of weapons, coaxing nations to buy American weapons and warfare systems. Inevitably, modern U.S. presidents are obligated to support the manufacturers of warfare systems. The Republican presidents do it openly whereas the Democratic presidents do it through deceptive quietude. Trump has been most assertive in his rambunctious ways to push the sale of lethal weapons. (Recall how Trump the realtor boasts fooling Libya’s Gadhafi by overcharging him for pitching a tent on Trump’s New York City estate.) The U.S. warfare establishment sees war as a necessary evil that must always remain the prime factor in foreign policy .by L. Ali Khan
We All Know the Rich Don’t Need Tax Cuts The Republican tax plan has plenty of critics, but not enough it seems. And the plan’s critics in Congress, where the battle is being waged, seem unable or unwilling to attack the plan where it is most vulnerable. Neither does the corporate media (most everything) strike where it will do the most good. Instead it poses periphery questions such as, ‘who will the winners and losers be’, followed by the box scores. by James Rothenberg
The Greatest Threats to the Middle East are Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Salmanby Patrick Cockburn
Environment:
The Monsanto Papers, Part 2 — Reaping a bitter harvest In order to save glyphosate, the Monsanto corporation has undertaken an effort to destroy the United Nations’ cancer agency by any means possible. Here is part two of an investigation from Le Monde.
Rising Grizzly Bear Deaths Raise Red Flag About Delisting With the recent cold snap, some Yellowstone grizzly bears are slowing down — but it will still be another week or more before they are snug in dens and out of harms’ way for the winter. In a disturbing trend, this year the bear body count continues to mount at a time when the population has been, by weight of evidence, declining. This problem will likely worsen with the federal government’s decision last spring to strip endangered species protections from Yellowstone’s grizzly bears and give management authority to the states (“delist”). by Louisa Willcox
Ongoing Big Energy Crisis:
Civil Rights/ Black Liberation:
Haiti Police, Like the Old Army, Work for Uncle Sam: The U.S.-backed regime in Haiti plans to reactivate the national army, which was disbanded for terrorizing the population. The 15,000-strong national police force recently massacred a number of teachers and students, said Brooklyn-based radio host and Haitian community activist Dahoud Andre. “This police force was created by the United States and trained by Canada and the United States,” he said. “This is the means by which they are trying to determine the future of our country.”
Hundreds Prosecuted for Breaking the Same Window: Trial begins this week for some of the 214 people charged with conspiracy to riot during Donald Trump’s inauguration, in Washington, January 20th. “The prosecution’s theory is that, just by being there, you are engaging in a crime,” said Chip Gibbons, of Defending Rights and Dissent. “They actually charged 214 people with breaking the same window.” Scores of defendants face up to 61 years in prison.
Africa: A Continent Under Lockdown: “AFRICOM perpetuates the myth that Africa needs policing,” said Washington DC human rights activist Netfa Freeman, representing the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) at the national conference of the Black Is Back Coalition, at Howard University. “AFRICOM has to be seen in the same light as the militarization of our communities” here in the U.S.
Mumia’s New Book: The nation’s best known political prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, told supporters that his new book, Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? “reflects the people’s struggles in the invisible sectors of American society.”
Black Agenda Radio on the Progressive Radio Network is hosted by Glen Ford and Nellie Bailey. A new edition of the program airs every Monday at 11:am ET on PRN. Length: one hour
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Hundreds Prosecuted for Breaking the Same Window Trial begins this week for some of the 214 people charged with conspiracy to riot during Donald Trump’s inauguration, in Washington, January 20th. “The prosecution’s theory is that, just by being there, you are engaging in a crime,” said Chip Gibbons, of Defending Rights and Dissent. “They actually charged 214 people with breaking the same window.” Scores of defendants face up to 61 years in prison. By Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
Africa: A Continent Under Lockdown “AFRICOM perpetuates the myth that Africa needs policing,” said Washington DC human rights activist Netfa Freeman, representing the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) at the national conference of the Black Is Back Coalition, at Howard University. “AFRICOM has to be seen in the same light as the militarization of our communities” here in the U.S. By Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
Mumia’s New Book The nation’s best known political prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, told supporters that his new book, Have Black Lives Ever Mattered? “reflects the people’s struggles in the invisible sectors of American society.” By Nellie Bailey and Glen Ford
Economy:
Shadow Government Statistics Real GNP ‘Growth’ is not Growing, But Hovering at Minus 2% Since 2011!
World:
Robert Mugabe resigns as president of Zimbabwe 93-year-old leader steps down one week after he was detained by military Robert Mugabe has resigned as president of Zimbabwe with immediate effect after 37 years in power, the speaker of the country’s parliament has said. The announcement came during a parliamentary hearing to impeach him and launches the nation into a new era as uncertain as it is hopeful. The move caps an astonishing eight-day crisis, which started when the military took over last week in order to block the rise to power of Mugabe’s wife and her faction within the ruling Zanu-PF party then developed into a popular revolt against the ageing autocrat. By Jason Burke and Emma Graham-Harrison in Harare
Zimbabwe crisis deepens as ZANU-PF turns against Mugabe (Note: this article was published shortly before Mugabe announced his resignation, with immediate effect, at approximately 4pm (UTC).) On Monday morning, Zimbabwe was on a knife-edge after Robert Mugabe failed to announce his resignation as state president the previous evening. His resignation was widely expected after he lost complete control of his party over the weekend. By Ben Morken
Unlike Most Western Leaders, Corbyn Demands End to US-UK Complicity in Yemen’s Suffering In letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, British Labour leader slams the West’s role in arming Saudi Arabia and perpetuating world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe by Jake Johnson
Health, Science, Education, and Welfare:
During This Economic Crisis, Capitalism’s Three Point Political Program: 1. Austerity, 2. Scapegoating Blacks, Minorities, and ‘Illegal Immigrants’ for Unemployment, and 3. The Iron Heel.