From the Editors: Our first issue of 2015 looks forward to our adopted mission for this year: Defeating the British Empire and bringing the United States and Western Europe into collaboration with the BRICS. This mission is coherent with two major anniversaries that the world will celebrate this year. First, the United States' victory over the British Empire and its Confederacy in 1865-which led to the takeoff of U.S. industrial might, and the spread of its model throughout the world. Anton Chaitkin's History feature in this issue, on the battle in the 1870s U.S., brings this period to life in a way that should inspire you about what can be done today. The world this year also celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory over Fascism, even as the globe is threatened by a fascist upsurge once again. Russia and China, in particular, are commemorating this event with great emotion, as they face new aggression from the West. Will sane forces in the West reject this resurgence of evil in time? The hope lies in the BRICS dynamic, which our Feature identifies as of year-beginning, with a necessarily small snapshot of the dramatic process that is upending power relations over the entire planet, and creating the promise of a better life for billions. As we have over the last six months, we will be focusing heavily on publicizing the BRICS developments, and on the political motion in their support, which have been subject to unconscionable blackout by the "major" news media. We feature coverage of the war front with Russia in our International section, providing an inside view seldom available to English-speaking readers, of Russia's preparations to defend itself, both militarily and economically. This view includes our report on a recent event at Dubna University, which was keynoted by Lyndon and Helga LaRouche by video. The transcripts of their well-received messages are included. Under Economics, we lead with the imminent threat of a Wall Street blowout, likely to be detonated by the crashing oil price. All the more urgent that Glass-Steagall be put into effect beforehand, so that Wall Street speculators are the ones damaged, not "Main Street." Then we can get on with investing in the science mankind needs, including in the food supply. The prerequisites for that are outlined in an interview with the 2014 World Food Prize winner, Sanjaya Rajaram, done by our Mexican colleagues. Don't miss it.