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In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org


As Antarctica Melts Away, Seas Could Rise Ten Feet Within 100 Years
By Deirdre Fulton

http://www.countercurrents.org/fulton010315.htm

Rapid melting of Antarctic ice could push sea levels up 10 feet worldwide within two centuries, "recurving" heavily populated coastlines and essentially reshaping the world, the Associated Press reported. Parts of Antarctica are thawing so quickly, the continent has become "ground zero of global climate change without a doubt," Harvard geophysicist Jerry Mitrovica told AP


Killing Of Boris Nemtso Has Relevance For World Politics
By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava

http://www.countercurrents.org/srivastava010315A.htm

Killing of Boris Nemtso, a strong critic of Putin in Moscow is shocking, sad and highly difficult to figure out, who killed? Why was he killed? And what will be its political fallout for Putin and for Russia as a whole?


Who And What Is The Real Bibi Netanyahu?
By Alan Hart

http://www.countercurrents.org/hart010315.htm

Is he a smooth-talking, disingenuous, cunning salesman who knows that everything he asserts about Israel being in danger of annihilation and not having a Palestinian partner for peace is propaganda nonsense, or, does he really believe what he says?


US Again Considering “Leave It To Bibi” Option On Bombing Iran?
By Robert Barsocchini

http://www.countercurrents.org/barsocchini010315.htm

What appears to be happening is that Obama is easing off the US aggression throttle towards Iran, while Israel is simultaneously on the precipice of teaming up with Saudi Arabia (another close US client/ally) to aggressively bomb Iran – the top international crime


Skipping Netanyahu's Speech For All The Wrong Reasons
By David Swanson

http://www.countercurrents.org/swanson010315.htm

Imagine if we had one Congress member who would say, "I'm skipping the speech because I'm opposed to killing Iranians." I know we have lots of constituents who like to think that their progressive Congress member secretly thinks that. But I'll believe it when I hear it said


Ukraine Prepares For An Attack Against Russia
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse010315A.htm

The post-coup leaders of Ukraine have routinely said that Ukraine should destroy Russia; and, now, starting on February 24th, they are placing into position the key prerequisite for doing so, which is the advanced Anti-Ballistic-Missile, or ABM, system, S-300


Making Sense Of Obama's Foreign Policy
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse010315.htm

On February 22nd, NBC's “Meet the Press” presented reporter Richard Engel in a terrific four-minute documentary on Barack Obama's and Hillary Clinton's catastrophic policy-results in Libya. (You can watch it by clicking on that link.) The segment concluded that Obama and his Administration (including Hillary Clinton) didn't know where they were going in this operation


The Entire Case For Sanctions Against Russia Is Pure Lies
By Eric Zuesse

http://www.countercurrents.org/zuesse010315B.htm

U.S. President Barack Obama has stated many times his case against Russia — the reason for the economic sanctions. In his National Security Strategy 2015, he uses the term “aggression” 18 times, and 17 of them are referring specifically to only one country as “aggressive”: Russia. However, not once does he say there what the “aggression” consisted of: what its target was, or what it itself was. He's vague there on everything except his own target: Russia


When Growth Trumps Freedom: The Chill In Canada
Comes From Our Government, Not The Weather
By James Magnus-Johnston

http://www.countercurrents.org/johnston010315.htm

With the introduction of Canada’s so-called “secret police” bill, there is increasing concern the rights of the oil patch will trump the rights of ordinary citizens in a new and chilling way–through the kinds of fear tactics you’d sooner expect in Soviet Russia than a western liberal democracy


The ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ Lyrics That Get Swept Under The Rug
By Robert Barsocchini

http://www.countercurrents.org/barsocchini010315A.htm

The US national anthem, the “Star-Spangled Banner”, has four verses, though only one is commonly sung or discussed. The reason for this becomes apparent when the lyrics are read and the history behind them known


Bitter Lakes - "McJihad" By US And Saudi Arabia
By Dr. Ludwig Watzal

http://www.countercurrents.org/watzal010315.htm

Adam Curties' documentary "Bitter Lake" documents brilliantly the total failure of the US intervention and the arrogance of its Western stooges in Afghanistan


The American Dream" In A Pill: Miracle Cure Or
Policy Change For The Shrinking Middle Class?
By Jon V Kofas

http://www.countercurrents.org/kofas010315.htm

Did you know that the American Dream now comes in the form of a miracle pill? A recent marketing and advertising trend is peddling what they call the “smart pill”, presumably a brain pill that not only makes you smart, it can also make you rich because you optimize your brain capacity! This is essentially a vitamin supplement that claims to boost memory, energy, and creativity, but it can also make you rich, very rich because it allows you to use your head more effectively when making those difficult career and investment decisions. You too can realize the “American Dream” just by taking this pill, without going to college, without working hard, without any effort on your part


GMOs And Green Blob Hallucinations: The Twisted World Of Mr Paterson
By Colin Todhunter

http://www.countercurrents.org/todhunter010315.htm

Speaking last week in Pretoria, former UK Environment Minister Owen Paterson described critics of GMOs as comprising part of a privileged class that increasingly fetishizes food and seeks to turn their personal preferences into policy proscriptions for the rest of us. He called them backward-looking and regressive. He claimed their policies would condemn billions to hunger, poverty and underdevelopment because of their insistence on mandating primitive, inefficient farming techniques


Postcard From The End Of America: Center City, Philadelphia
By Linh Dinh

http://www.countercurrents.org/dinh010315.htm

Though the most visible homeless are still the old and middle-aged, they are becoming younger and younger, and the other day, I met 30-year-old Stephanie sitting behind a plastic cup with a sign, “HOMELESS AND HUNGRY / ANYTHING HELPS / THANK YOU.”


Check Your Privilege, Become An Ally
By Mickey Z.

http://www.countercurrents.org/mickeyz010315.htm

In a society built upon a foundation of hierarchy, declaring “we're all one” -- regardless of our intentions -- is yet another example of privilege run amok. If we wish to profoundly connect with our fellow humans, we must become allies... not “one.”It takes no extra time to choose solidarity instead of privilege. The payoff for this transition is not only a richer, more compassionate life for yourself but also, a deeper commitment to collective liberation


A Journey To Niyamgiri, A Celebration Of Life, Activism And Struggle!
By Shobha.R

http://www.countercurrents.org/shobha010315.htm

We are once again reminded of the goondaism that prevails in regions like these, where communities face threats of abuse, intimidation and forced eviction due to mining and other so called development projects; where human right defenders and activists who believe in and abide by the law are made to feel like criminals and where the rich corporates who violate the law, rule the land


Budget 2015 : A Step Towards Inequality
By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava

http://www.countercurrents.org/srivastava010315.htm

The abolition of Wealth Tax, with a reduction in rate of corporate tax to 25% over next four years may have its own spiraling effects. There is always talks to reduce subsidy in the agricultural sector but benefits to corporate groups may outnumber the subsidy benefits to rural people


From Barpeta To Lucknow: Journey Of Waste-Pickers
By Dr. Roli Misra & Parvin Sultana

http://www.countercurrents.org/sultana010315.htm

Internal migration from Assam to other parts of India for a better livelihood is very common. But the condition of these waste pickers worsen once they move from Barpeta to Lucknow. Poverty, issues of identity circumscribed by larger question of illegal immigration makes it harder for them to work and sustain themselves. What is required is a move from rhetorical politics and a humanitarian take on the issue of these people who are stuck in the lowest rung of social ladder. Only then policies will be successful in true sense and people can break free from stigmas and move ahead


Healthcare System Of Jammu And Kashmir: We Haven’t Learned Lessons!
By Kashoo Tawseef

http://www.countercurrents.org/tawseef010315.htm

In Jammu and Kashmir, everything has significance and worth of something even the foot-ware that one purchases from the market but ‘Human Lives’ remain valueless. So outlandish that we didn’t ascertain the connotation of famous maxim ‘health is wealth.’


Condemn The Brutal Murder Of Avijit Roy
By People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism

http://www.countercurrents.org/pads010315.htm

People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism strongly condemns the brutal murder of Mr Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi secular blogger and author on 26th February in Dhaka. His wife Ms Rafida Anwar Banna has suffered grievous injuries in the attack. Mr Roy was a popular blogger and author who wrote a number of books against religious extremism and the threat to human dignity and democracy from it. He had been on the hit list of Islamic fundamentalists for a number of years


Release 145 Undertrial Maruti Workers On Bail
By People’s Union for Democratic Rights

http://www.countercurrents.org/pudr010315.htm

PUDR welcomes the bail granted by the Supreme Court to Sunil s/o Satpal and Kanwaljeet Singh, two of the Maruti workers on February 23, 2015. Sunil and Kanwaljeet are among the 147 workers who were arrested in the aftermath of the violence on July 18, 2012, in the Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki in Haryana which led to the death of the factory's HR manager Awaneesh Kumar Deb. However it is hardly a cause for celebration given that the bail was long overdue, and the other 145 workers still continue to languish in jail


Narmada Jeevanshala’s Balmela: From The (Play) Ground
By National Alliance of People’s Movements

http://www.countercurrents.org/napm010315.htm

The Narmada Jeevanshalas (Schools of Life) celebrated its 16th annual Balmela (Children’s fair), from 12th February to 15thFebruary at a resettlement site of the Project Affected Families (PAFs) of the Narmada - Sardar Sarovar Dam