U.S. Peace Council Statement
For weeks, the U.S. corporate media have been shrill in declaring that Russia, having positioned tens of thousands of Russian troops on the border, may be about to invade Ukraine. U.S. State Department spokesmen have been threatening Russia with punishing economic sanctions if there were an invasion. Daily, if not hourly, TV viewers are shown satellite images supposedly showing Russian troop concentrations on the Ukraine border, accompanied by unflattering photos of a scowling Vladimir Putin, depicted as the evil source of the newU.S.-Russia tensions.

The Live Music Support Scheme (LMSS) funding has been extended to the end of October to take account of the restrictions that currently remain in place for the live events sector. The extension is one of the measures announced today by Catherine Martin, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sport and Media.

It is time that the democratic world, and any of those who profess to believe in justice, truth and freedom - to take an effective and powerful stand against the hypocritical, discriminate and racist bully policies of the Israeli administration and to no longer give Israel sanction to continue its obscene actions.

By Reporters Without Borders
The press freedoms watchdog Reporters Without Borders is calling on International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to investigate Israeli airstrikes, which it  says it regards as war crimes.

In a 6 January hearing at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser considered Julian Assange’s application to be released on bail. She ruled against his release, stating that Assange had an “incentive to abscond,” and “as a matter of fairness” she needed to give the US government the chance to pursue an appeal, which it has indicated it intends to do. Baraitser stated that Assange’s mental health is being managed at Belmarsh prison, and that the prison has its Covid-19 situation under control.