Daily Archives: March 20, 2021

2021-03-20: News Headlines

RT (2021-03-20). Texas governor shreds Biden for 'inhumane' facilities for migrant kids, opens probe into Covid outbreak & lack of drinking water. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott has opened a probe into conditions at detention centers for underage migrants, one of which faces a Covid-19 outbreak, blasting President Biden for his handling of a "humanitarian crisis" at the border. | "The Biden Administration has been an abject failure when it comes to ensuring the safety of unaccompanied minors who cross our border," Abbott said in a

Eds. (2021-03-20). At least six killed after factory owner calls in military in Hlaing Tharyar. mronline.org Police publicly executed a woman who was the leader of the workers. | Newswire…

Jay Janson (2021-03-20). Britain Threatens Humanity with Nuclear Winter without Explaining Why It Foresees War. dissidentvoice.org Both before the First World War and before the Second World War, the world public basically simply watched the arms build up and other preparations for war. This lackadaisical blandly interested public attitude seems to be present again. Criminally insane investors in war openly race forward with the inventing and manufacturing of ever new and …

Eds. (2021-03-20). Why are hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise? mronline.org Largely missing from this ongoing discussion is the role of the police and the capitalist state. The media has done an excellent job at depicting these violent acts as interpersonal and individual attacks. | Newswire…

The Conversation (2021-03-20). Racism is behind anti-Asian American violence, even when it's not a hate crime. juancole.com By Pawan Dhingra | — Over the past year, attacks on Asian Americans have increased more than 150% over the previous year, including the March 16 murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta. Some of these attacks may be classified as hate crimes. But whether they meet that legal definition or …

Robert Hunziker (2021-03-20). Nuclear Fuel Buried 108 Feet from the Sea. dissidentvoice.org San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission) The most toxic substance on Earth is separated from exposure to society by Ω" of steel encased in a canister. — Paul Blanch, registered professional engineer, US Navy Reactor Operator/Instructor That eye-opener comes from renowned nuclear expert Paul Blanch in reference to spent fuel rods removed …

ANSWER Coalition (2021-03-20). National Day of Action March 27: Call It What It Is, a Hate Crime! Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing! liberationnews.org The following national call to action was issued by the ANSWER Coalition Join the Sat. March 27 National Day of Action! Endorse the national day of action here Organize an event in your city — register your event here Find local actions in your city: San Francisco, CA 11 AM — 12 PM — A …

Alan MacLeod (2021-03-20). Financial press fears Brazilians will be allowed to elect president of their choice. mronline.org The Brazilian Supreme Court this month dismissed all charges against former President Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva. A towering figure in national politics, Lula was the country's president for eight years between 2003 and 2011. | Newswire…

Greg Plancich (2021-03-20). Neoliberal Seattle mayor rejects federal funding, threatens eviction from hotel shelters to 130 people. liberationnews.org The housing crisis in Seattle and the rest of the country is a symptom of capitalism, where homes are built for profit and not shelter.

Brandon Scharles, Julio Cesar Gumeta Ramos (2021-03-20). Milwaukee protesters demand justice for police killing victim Joel Acevedo. liberationnews.org On March 5, several dozen activists and community members gathered at Kosciuszko Park, going door-to-door in the neighborhood where Acevedo was killed, to inform the public about the upcoming trial.

Dean Baker (2021-03-20). Cheap Fun Department: Job Growth Under Trump and Biden. cepr.net Okay, I'll admit that this is stupid, but you know damn well if the situation were reversed the Republicans would have this comparison all over the place. We don't even have to speculate. When President Obama assumed office with an economy in free fall from the collapse of the housing bubble, the Republicans were quick …

_____ (2021-03-20). Make Way for Kamala Harris, the Deep State's Dream President. strategic-culture.org With Biden barely aware of his surroundings, it is mere child's play to foist Harris into the leadership role | In what may become the most unexpected and, perhaps, unwanted political comebacks in American political history, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who never inspired much confidence on the 2020 presidential campaign trail, may soon find herself, through default, the next president of the United States. Should the world start praying for Joe Biden's continued good health? | As U.S. President Joe Biden enters the ninth week of his 'shadow presidency' without a single press conference under his belt, whil…

RT (2021-03-20). New York Times used 'deceptive disinformation' to smear Project Veritas, acted with 'reckless disregard' and 'malice', judge rules. rt.com A defamation suit from Project Veritas against the New York Times is moving forward, as a judge has ruled the newspaper posed opinion as fact in their coverage of the conservative news outlet. | A New York Supreme Court judge handed Veritas, known for its undercover and whistleblowing videos, a big "win" this week, allowing a defamation suit against the paper and two reporters to proceed forward. | In the ruling denying a motion to dismiss the suit, the Times was accused of acting with "actual malice" and "reckless disregard" in multiple articles covering a 2020 video report from Veritas on alleged illegal vot…

RT (2021-03-20). Ex-president Bush, the man who waged brutal never-ending wars, claims Capitol riot left him 'disgusted'. rt.com Former US president George W. Bush claimed that despite the jaw-dropping violence unleashed by his own policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was left "sick to my stomach" by the January 6 raid on the US Capitol. | Admitting he "can't remember what [he] was doing" at the time he learned Trump supporters were swarming the Capitol building, Bush told the Texas Tribune he became physically ill "to see our nation's Capitol being stormed by hostile forces" in an interview conducted last month and published on Thursday as part of the SXSW 2021 festival. | While the vast majority of January's demonstrators were unarmed…

RT (2021-03-20). VP Harris calls out people with 'biggest pulpits spreading hate' during Atlanta visit following spa parlors massacre. rt.com Kamala Harris made a not-so-subtle jab at ex-President Trump as she decried a surge a violence against Asian Americans. Trump and his supporters are accused of fueling hate in their attempts to blame China for Covid-19. | US Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden visited Atlanta, Georgia on Friday as part of their tour across the nation to promote the economic stimulus package and vaccination campaign successes. However, a spree of gun violence on Tuesday, which left eight people killed, six of them Asian American women, threw a wrench in the pre-planned trip's schedule. | Speaking after meeting…

RT (2021-03-20). Parody video showing Trump knocking Biden down Air Force One stairs could lead to ASSASSINATION attempt, MSNBC analyst says. rt.com MSNBC regular Malcolm Nance has suggested that Donald Trump Jr. tweeting a parody video of his father using a golf ball to make Joe Biden fall on the steps to Air Force One "mainstreams the potential for danger." | Following Biden's already infamous falling spell on the steps to Air Force One this week, a parody video was quickly made and spread around social media that humorously shows former President Donald Trump to be the culprit behind the physical blunder after he hits a golf ball a tad too far. | Donald Trump Jr. was one of many users to share the video on Twitter, and a number of people believe this co…

RT (2021-03-20). Revenge of the stairs: White House dismisses Biden stumble as minor mishap in windy weather, but some jokingly blame Kremlin. rt.com Critics of Joe Biden had a field day after his awkward boarding of the Air Force One, bringing up his past mockery of Donald Trump's mobility issues. But some say (in jest) Joe should blame the Kremlin rather than strong winds.

RT (2021-03-20). Bill Gates urges fans to eat synthetic meat to save planet, dismisses 'crazy conspiracies' about vaccines & 5G in Reddit AMA. rt.com Microsoft founder Bill Gates brushed away "crazy" conspiracy theories about himself, 5G and coronavirus vaccines during an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit, where he promoted his new book and sung the praises of synthetic meat. | Gates

Global Research (2021-03-20). Advierten de que en 20 años se duplicó el endeudamiento de América Latina. globalizacion.ca Eric Toussaint y Milan Rivié, especialistas del Comité para la Abolición de las Deudas Ilegítimas (CADTM) señalaron que en los últimos años se asistió a un aumento espectacular del stock y del servicio de la deuda en la región. | ´En…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2021-03-20). MPs and campaigners demand the home secretary stops police clamping down on protests. thecanary.co Campaigners, MPs, and peers have Protecting the right to protest: | The letter was organised by Liberty and Big Brother Watch. It calls on the home secretary to provide guidance for police on how to facilitate protests during the pandemic. And it also asks for

Liberation Staff (2021-03-20). Cuba launches Phase 3 test of COVID vaccine, the first produced in Latin America. liberationnews.org Despite the most severe blockade conditions imposed by the U.S. government, Cuba's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have made outstanding achievements in the campaign to overcome COVID-19.

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-20). The Heat: China-U.S. talks conclude in Alaska. america.cgtn.com Chinese and U.S. officials have concluded their talks in Anchorage, Alaska after a strong and frank exchange. But, did the two economic superpowers find any common ground? The meetings, involving top diplomats from Beijing and Washington, saw fiery exchanges Thursday before the cameras. Relations between …

Eds. (2021-03-20). WSJ rage at 'woke' China foreshadows new redbaiting of social justice activists. mronline.org The Wall Street Journal editorial board has accused a major Chinese newspaper, and by extension the People's Republic of China, of exploiting progressive rhetoric around racial justice to create division in the United States. | Newswire…

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint | Lawsuit seeks compensation for damage caused to journalist's fiancee and US-based Democracy for the Arab World Now | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 10: 51 | Saudi Arabia denies that Mohammed bin Salman had any role in Khashoggi's murder (AFP) | The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the pro-democracy organisation he established…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi. middleeasteye.net Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi | New prime minister says a cover-up could not be tolerated after bodies of more than a dozen people found shot dead | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 50 | The main western and eastern factions that split apart in 2014 have publicly accepted Dbeibeh's government (Reuters) | Libya has ordered an investigation after more than a dozen bodies wer…

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel | Minister of state for foreign affairs also says kingdom has made 'great strides' with regards to human rights | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 12: 45 | Jubeir, left, said relations with the United States were unlikely to change under President Joe Biden (AFP) | Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, has said his countr…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike | Naci Agbal, in post for less than five months, replaced by Sahap Kavcioglu, who had criticised his tight monetary policy | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 11: 28 | Naci Agbal had won market praise by aggressively raising interest rates (Reuters) | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan abruptly sacked Turkey's central bank chief on Saturda…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions. middleeasteye.net Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions | Eight men and two women accused of disguising $300m in transactions, including the purchase of two oil tankers | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 43 | Prosecutors say the scheme dates back to 1999, when some of the defendants opened a business in Los Angeles, which was allegedly used to illegally funnel US dollars to Iran (AFP) | Prosecutors i…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women. middleeasteye.net Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women | President's decision to leave Istanbul Convention described as 'deplorable' amid growing cases of femicide in the country | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 09: 45 | A protest against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, an international accord designed to protect women, in Ankara, 20 March 2021 (Reuters) | Thousands protested…

_____ (2021-03-20). Mutual Aid, Abolition And Movements. popularresistance.org When I first got involved in organizing, in the mid-1990's in New York City, I wasn't aware of the term "mutual aid" but mutual aid was a core part of what I saw around me in all the groups I was in. | Rudy Giuliani (or as we called him, Ghoul-iani) was mayor and his administration was attacking and targeting people on many fronts. He was going after taxi drivers, street vendors, unhoused people, queer bars and public meeting spaces, the sex work industry, people on welfare, and more. His administration's brutality really "remade" the city in ways that are so visible today, increasing displacement and criminaliza…

A3 statement given to the Jamal Journal (2021-03-20). The Angola 3 support Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Color of Change petition. indybay.org In this new statement from from former Black Panther political prisoners Albert Woodfox and Robert King of the Angola 3 declare about Mumia Abu-Jamal: "He has always fought for all of our human rights from inside prison walls. Please fight for his human rights today."

Revolution Books (2021-03-20). Monday 3/22: Dr. Nicole Fleetwood Tour of Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration. indybay.org Revolution Books, 2444 Durant Ave. Berkeley CA 94704…

Nyla Ali Khan (2021-03-19). Transnational and Transformative Movements: BLM, Kashmir, and Prison Reform in Oklahoma. counterpunch.org Considering electoral processes in my state of adoption, Oklahoma, are healthier than they are in my state of origin, Jammu and Kashmir, I remind millennials to identify important issues to them as voters, so they are inspired to make a significant difference by participating. I will not deny the feeling of hopelessness that sets in

Mirinda Crissman (2021-03-19). Outrage over child detention center reopened over toxic dump. workers.org Plans to reopen a migrant detention facility on top of toxic military waste in Homestead, Fla., have sparked anger. Located just south of Miami, the closed facility was the largest center for unaccompanied migrant children — with 3,200 beds — before it was shut down in 2019 due to national . . . |

RT (2021-03-19). 'Not appropriate' for media to see inside border facilities for migrant kids, Dem Rep says defending Biden's lack of transparency. rt.com Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-California) has defended the Biden administration's lack of transparency at migrant facilities, claiming it's "not necessarily appropriate" for the media to see the conditions because they aren't "permanent." | "I don't necessarily think that it's appropriate for journalists to be inside centers that are not permanent places for children," Sanchez told CNN after being asked about the current administration denying press access to the facilities, which are dealing with a surge in migrants, especially unaccompanied minors. | [The] children are not placed there permanently. | "They're proces…

RT (2021-03-19). Migrant children held in US custody soar to 14,000 as Biden press secretary accidentally acknowledges border 'crisis'. rt.com More than 14,000 migrant children are currently held in US custody, a senior administration official said, insisting there's no "crisis" at the border soon after Biden's press secretary invoked the very same term. | The official said the number of youths detained after attempting to cross the border had soared to 14,000 during a Thursday press briefing, noting that they are divided between facilities run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Border Patrol. | While the official argued that "Children presenting themselves at the border is not a national crisis," White House Press Secret…

RT (2021-03-19). Dropping off migrants with unchecked health & criminal history 'like opening Pandora's box' — Arizona border town mayor to RT. rt.com The mayor of a small border town in Arizona has told RT that federal agents did not provide crucial information about the migrants that are being released in the US after the White House relaxed border policies. | "The number of migrants that come across on foot has ramped up substantially in just the last few weeks," Chris Riggs, the mayor of Gila Bend, an Arizona border town of 2,000, told RT. | Mayor Riggs said he began worrying after the town was notified that border control officials will be releasing migrants in the local community after processing them quickly. At the same time, federal agencies did not…

Staff (2021-03-19). Thousands of Immigrants Granted Temporary Legal Status Could End Up Trapped. truthout.org President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats are working to rescue immigrants who've been living in the U.S. for decades under a "temporary" legal status. But the Biden administration is simultaneously extending that same status to hundreds of thousands more immigrants — putting them at risk of getting caught in a similar limbo. | The problems posed by the temporary protective status program came into focus last week when the administration used executive authority to grant the status…

Staff (2021-03-19). Bernie Sanders Is on a Mission to Tax Billionaire CEOs. truthout.org Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders invited both Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Jennifer Bates, one of Bezos's employees, to a hearing on economic inequality on Wednesday, but only Bates agreed to show up and testify. Bates works at a massive Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, where she said the workday is "grueling." | "The shifts are long. The pace is super-fast," Bates told the committee. "You are constantly being watched and monitored. They seem to think you are just another machine." | Bat…

Martha Grevatt (2021-03-19). In Ohio, solidarity with Amazon workers. workers.org University Heights, Ohio A demonstration outside a Whole Foods store March 13 brought out supporters for the Amazon union drive taking place in Bessemer, Ala. They came to this Cleveland suburb from throughout Northeast Ohio and from as far away as Columbus. Outside Whole Foods, University Hts., Ohio. March 13. . . . |

MEE staff (2021-03-19). Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank protest. middleeasteye.net Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank protest | According to the Palestinian Authority, Atef Yousef Hanaysha, 45, was shot in the head in the village of Beit Dajan | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 12: 49 | Palestinians carry fellow protester Atef Hanaysha on 19 March 2021 after he was reportedly shot in the head by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank village of Beit Dajan (Social media handout) | Israeli forces…

Sheren Khalel (2021-03-19). Majority of Democrats say US should focus political pressure on Israel. middleeasteye.net Majority of Democrats say US should focus political pressure on Israel | For the first time, the majority of Democrats surveyed by Gallup say US pressure should be focused on Israel, not the Palestinians | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 18: 55 | Demonstrators call for an independent Palestinian state during a protest outside the White House in 2018 (AFP/File photo) | This year's annual Gallup poll has revealed…

a guest author (2021-03-19). Palestine liberation leader sentenced by Israeli military tribunal. workers.org By Mayana Ashley-Carner Khalida Jarrar is a Palestinian politician, elected representative to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), and a member of the Marxist-Leninist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The Israeli government has been holding her in "administrative detention" since October 2019. Recently, she was sentenced to . . . |

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-19). From the Earth to the Moon: Biden's China Policy Doomed from the Start. counterpunch.org A much anticipated American foreign policy move under the Biden Administration on how to counter China's unhindered economic growth and political ambitions came in the form of a virtual summit on March 12, linking, aside from the United States, India, Australia and Japan. Although the so-called 'Quad' revealed nothing new in their joint statement, the

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2021-03-19). Recruited, Arrested, On Trial: Yemeni Spies Tell of Their Reluctant Work for CIA, MI6. mintpressnews.com The CIA and MI6 have recruited hundreds of Yemenis to work as mercenaries and spies gathering intelligence and coordinates of Yemeni military positions, promising them money and even passports for the dangerous work.

RT (2021-03-19). Taliban threatens with 'reaction' if US does not pull out troops by May deadline. rt.com The Taliban warned the Biden administration to honor a Trump-era agreement and pull US and NATO troops out of Afghanistan by May 1, warning a "retaliation" if the deal is violated. | "They should go," Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban negotiation team, told reporters in Moscow on Friday. Troop presence beyond May 1, Shaheen warned, will qualify as a "violation of the agreement" struck with the Trump administration and will warrant a "reaction." | "We hope that this will not happen, that they withdraw and we focus on the settlement, peaceful settlement of the Afghan issue, in order to bring about a perman…

Ron Jacobs (2021-03-19). A People's History of the Civil Rights Movement. counterpunch.org The story of the Civil Rights movement is often told in a manner that glorifies certain Movement organizers and so-called leaders while ignoring the multitudes in the churches, the cotton fields, the hamlets of the South and the streets of the nation. This portrayal exists in spite of the ongoing reminders from those who have

Staff (2021-03-19). Battleground Baltimore: Brandon Scott sets a progressive path. therealnews.com In this week's round-up of Baltimore news: Mayor Brandon Scott delivers his State of the City address, students and leaders look to end digital redlining, activists push for further cannabis reform, and more.

Éric Toussaint (2021-03-19). The Paris Commune of 1871, banks and debt. mronline.org MR Online

Tom Engelhardt (2021-03-19). The Sports Pages of Death: Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com) — Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened …

Vijay Prashad (2021-03-19). There are so many lessons to learn from Kerala. mronline.org MR Online

David Yearsley (2021-03-19). Travelers, Sour and Sentimental. counterpunch.org "I hate traveling and explorers." —Claude Levi-Strauss, Tristes tropiques (1955) Texas loosens, Italy locks down. With the skies mostly still clear and quiet, one can hear the collective champing at the bit before the gates open and vacationers charge into their first getaway in more than year. As Airbnb bookings surge, it's worth asking what

Hillary Lazar — Paul Messersmith-Glavin (2021-03-19). Love & Rage: The Eros Effect and Spontaneous Combustion. counterpunch.org "Today the fight for life, the fight for Eros, is the political fight." — Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization, 1966 "Eros is historically shaped but eternally emergent. Love binds us together, gives us the courage to make history, to stare down our fears . . . and gives us the nerve to be resolute .

Austin Fisher — David Correia (2021-03-19). How AFSCME and ACLU Gutted New Mexico's Proposed Ban on Chemical Weapons, Attack Dogs, Rubber Bullets. counterpunch.org If police reform could fix what's wrong with policing in the United States, it would have already happened in Albuquerque. No police department in the U.S. has undergone more reform, over more years, than the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). None of it has worked. New Mexico consistently ranks among the states with the highest rate

Staff (2021-03-19). We can't erase the radicalism of the Rainbow Coalition. therealnews.com "Judas and the Black Messiah" has received much-deserved praise, but there are still many facets to the story of the Rainbow Coalition and Fred Hampton's murder that need to be told.

Craig Collins (2021-03-19). Villagers & Pillagers: Who Will Survive the Collapse? counterpunch.org Unless you live in a state of denial you're probably like me, troubled about the future. There's not much left of mine, but my daughter's generation and their children will have to survive the aftermath of fossil-fueled civilization on the ravaged, toxic planet we've left them. How will that look? Will democratic eco-settlements rise from

Devin Cole (2021-03-19). Linked struggles: Trans liberation, women's liberation — WW commentary. workers.org It's just two and a half months into 2021, and already over 25 blatantly anti-trans bills have been introduced in 28 state legislatures. In total, 91 bills are proposed in those states that, in some way, shape or form, attack trans people — some directly, some indirectly, but the destructive . . . |

John Wojcik (2021-03-19). Biden's 'killer' comment about Putin reflects obsolete foreign policy. peoplesworld.org I want to start this critique of Biden's developing foreign policy by stating clearly and unequivocally that his $1.9 trillion rescue plan deserves total support from everyone in our country. It is nothing less than a dramatic disavowal of the right-wing era launched by Ronald Reagan some 40 years ago. Although Biden deserves praise for …

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). A Green New Deal Means a Labor New Deal. dsausa.org What does an "all hands" moment for DSA look like? Perhaps the campaign to pass the PRO Act, the first major campaign of 2021.

Emily Mossman Smiley (2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, California police. liberationnews.org Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.

Jonah Raskin (2021-03-19). Art & Politics in San Francisco, 2021: Portraits of a City in Upheaval, Again. counterpunch.org Bay Area artist and teacher, Miranda Bergman, knows by heart the most famous lines in The Tempest. She ought to. Her Old Left parents named her after Shakespeare's feisty heroine who exclaims, "How amazing! How many wonderful creatures there are here! Mankind is so beautiful! Oh, what a wonderful new world that has such people

Matthew Stevenson (2021-03-19). Letters From Minsk: Travellers in the Third Reich. counterpunch.org This is the second in a series about train and bicycle rides from Switzerland to Belarus, in those carefree days before pandemic lockdowns. On the Train to Minsk Julia Boyd and her book about "Third Reich travellers" were good company on my Deutsche Bahn trains across Germany, heading for Berlin. On the tracks along the

Bob Lord — Chuck Collins (2021-03-19). No, the Rich Aren't Paying Their Fare Share. counterpunch.org We hear it all the time: The wealthy must pay their fair share in tax. Many of the wealthy, and the members of Congress they sponsor, contend they already are. And they have all sorts of facts and figures to make that appear true. After all, for a billionaire, even a tiny tax payment in

Al Neal (2021-03-19). Case of Sarah Everard, kidnapped and murdered by cop, sparks reform in Britain. peoplesworld.org Walking home alone in the darkness of night is a regular experience for many—whether they live in the busiest cities or the quietest towns. It is such a norm that many people never stop to think about safety. But for women everywhere, this action is often fraught with fear and anxiety. Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old …

Callie McGrath (2021-03-19). Poor People's Campaign demonstrates for priorities in 30 state capitols. liberationnews.org Among the policies are "comprehensive, free, and just" COVID-19 relief; universal healthcare; redirection of the military budget to social needs; and many others.

The Conversation (2021-03-19). Startling Discovery of New Dead Sea Scrolls sheds light on Jewish Revolts against Imperial Rome. juancole.com By Gareth Wearne | — On Tuesday news broke of the discovery of fresh fragments of a nearly 2,000-year-old scroll in Israel. The fragments were said to come from the evocatively named Cave of Horror, near the western shore of the Dead Sea. The finds were announced with attention-grabbing headlines that these were new fragments …

Callie McGrath (2021-03-19). Poor People's Campaign demonstrates for priorities in 30 state capitals. liberationnews.org Among the policies are "comprehensive, free, and just" COVID-19 relief; universal healthcare; redirection of the military budget to social needs; and many others.

Robin Broad, John Cavanagh (2021-03-19). Water is Life, Can We Protect It? counterpunch.org From West Texas to Jackson, Mississippi, tens of millions of people struggled through late winter storms that froze pipes, broke water mains, and cut off electricity. They froze without showers, toilets, or washing machines — let alone drinking water — for days or even weeks. The irony that Texas, the state built on fossil fuels,

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-19). Oakland crafting pilot program for response to mental health crises. peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif. — An innovative program to provide trained civilian responders for mental health and other nonviolent crisis calls, instead of armed law enforcement, moved a step closer March 16 with unanimous City Council passage of legislation that will launch a pilot project within Oakland's Fire Department. The Council's actions include an ordinance amending Oakland …

Staff (2021-03-19). Police union defends convicted cops keeping their jobs. therealnews.com Why is it so hard to reform the police, let alone hold police accountable for abusing their power? What are the legal and political protections that have put police above the very law they're supposed to enforce?

Olujimi Alade (2021-03-19). A revolutionary man on solidarity with women. workers.org As many people reading Workers World/Mundo Obrero newspaper already know, March is Women's History Month. In a patriarchal world and society, it is refreshing to see women finally being centered in this way. In order to guarantee full gender equality for all, it is important to shine a light on . . . |

Emily Mossman Smiley (2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, Calif., police. liberationnews.org Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.

Eds. (2021-03-19). How Chesa Boudin is pursuing his promise to reduce incarceration. mronline.org After more than a year in office—and despite pushback—the San Francisco DA's policies have kept people out of jails and prisons. | Newswire…

John Catalinotto (2021-03-19). The Paris Commune's 150th anniversary — A blueprint for revolution. workers.org An uprising in Paris on March 18, 1871, toward the end of the Franco-Prussian War, burst open the structure of 19th-century European capitalist society. The 72-day social explosion in what would become the capital of the French Empire became the iconic blueprint for workers' revolution. Lessons of the Paris Commune, . . . |

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-19). Oakland joins West Coast cities mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif. — Cities around the Bay Area have joined, or on the road to joining, the growing list of West Coast cities requiring large grocery outlets to provide their workers hazard pay while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors now requires large grocers to pay their frontline workers $5 more …

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). TALKING SOCIALISM | Catching up with AOC. dsausa.org Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her way to speak at NYC's Women's March. [Photo by Corey Torpie] | Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, best known as AOC, is DSA's foremost socialist superstar. Her June 2018 primary win—a 29-year-old taqueria bartender defeating the third most powerful Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives—inspired up to 10,000 people to join DSA. : | The Netflix documentary

Eve Ottenberg (2021-03-19). How America Got the Vapors…Over ANTIFA. counterpunch.org It started last summer during the George Floyd Rebellion: alarming tales about left-wing terrorists, about hordes of antifa ready to invade dozy suburbs and burn down the local post office, Walmart and Starbucks. These wild fabrications percolated through right-wing media, causing a panicked spike in gun purchases, followed by announcements from red-blooded Amuricans in the Midwest and matrons from Florida that they were locked and loaded, ready to defend their real estate and SUVs from the battalions of communist terrorist antifa about to overrun their front lawns and trample azaleas, hydrangeas and any other be…

Dianne Mathiowetz (2021-03-19). The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson. workers.org Atlanta A videotape shows 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson walking down a hallway and entering the gym in the Lowndes County High School in Valdosta, Ga., eight years ago on Jan. 10, 2013. That night his mother, Jacquelyn Johnson, called the emergency number 911 to report that her son had not come . . . |

Vincent Emanuele (2021-03-19). The Iraq War: 18 Years Later. counterpunch.org 'You sit in your room, and you talk to the wall You're feeling small but still have a ball And you can't explain what's anyway in vain And you paint your face and dress in black Wear your shades and still can't express The way you feel about a lousy fill And you dance until

Mark Gruenberg (2021-03-19). With renewed union backing, House passes Dream Act. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—With renewed labor backing, this time from the Union Veterans Council, the House voted 227-197 at 6 p.m. on March 18 to pass the Dream Act, formally legalizing and providing an eventual path to citizenship for the 700,000 "Dreamers," undocumented people brought to the U.S. as kids, who are Americans in all but their papers. …

Tom Engelhardt (2021-03-19). Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. counterpunch.org Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened the sports pages

Eds. (2021-03-19). Ten years since beginning of failed regime-change operation against Syria. mronline.org The initial coalition against Syria has collapsed, with Turkey frustrated over the U.S.' sustained support for the Kurds and the Arabs pivoting back to Syria. | Newswire…

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). MEDICAL FRONT LINE | An EMT's Story. dsausa.org Most people who find out I'm an emergency medical technician think I'm first on the scene, saving lives, that sort of thing. There are people who do that, but that's not my job. I, like most EMTs, don't respond to 911 calls. We work for private companies, doing interfacility transports. On paper, it's things like bringing a psych patient from the emergency room to a mental health care center, or a heart attack victim to a hospital equipped for specialized surgery. In reality, it mostly means dumping patients—taking them from the pristine ERs of the private hospitals to the overstuffed, understaffed comm…

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). Gaming the System: Why the Stock Market is Worthless. dsausa.org The drama that swirled around GameStop and the stock market earlier this year highlighted two things: The system is rigged against working people, and the stock market is useless. | The basic story was this: Some hedge fund investors took bets on GameStop's declining profitability through a process called "shorting." This means that investors borrow shares of the company. They then sell those stocks on the assumption that their price will fall. Once the price has fallen sufficiently, they buy back the stocks at a lower price, return the borrowed shares, and pocket the difference. Some day traders communicatin…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-19). Turkey's government moves court to disband opposition HDP. peoplesdispatch.org Turkey's chief prosecutor has filed a lawsuit in the constitutional court to disband the pro-Kurdish left-wing Peoples Democratic Party on charges of having links with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Quite a dangerous place': British minister warns Northern Irish stability could be threatened amid unionist anger at Brexit deal. rt.com Northern Ireland unionists' fury over Brexit arrangements threatens to destabilise the region, Secretary Brandon Lewis has warned, after the Loyalist Communities Council told the EU it was opening a "Pandora's box" of unrest. | "If the unionist community feel that the Protocol is breaching the Good Friday agreement and moving away from the spirit of it, then we're in quite a dangerous place in terms of stability of not just the executive but the north-south institutions," Lewis told reporters. | Earlier, the LCC — an umbrella group of several outlawed paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland — called…

Simon Hooper (2021-03-19). UK court restores citizenship to three British-Bangladeshis who travelled to Syria. middleeasteye.net UK court restores citizenship to three British-Bangladeshis who travelled to Syria | Court found trio had been left stateless because they were not Bangladeshi nationals and said home secretary 'had no power to make orders with that effect' | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 11: 23 | The UK government has used citizenship-stripping powers extensively against British nationals who travelled to Syria since the start o…

MEE staff (2021-03-19). British MPs urge UK to 'reconsider' Bahrain ties over rights abuses. middleeasteye.net British MPs urge UK to 'reconsider' Bahrain ties over rights abuses | More than a dozen members of parliament say UK must pressure Bahrain to stop political detentions and end rights abuses | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 19: 28 | Since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Bahrain has launched a comprehensive crackdown on opposition groups and human rights activists (AFP) | More than a dozen British MPs have renewed calls for…

RT (2021-03-19). Boxing superstar Canelo to face British loudmouth Saunders in front of 100,000 — the biggest crowd since the Covid pandemic began. rt.com Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders will meet in front of what could be the biggest sporting crowd since the start of the pandemic a year ago, with a fight venue and date now confirmed for their title showdown. | Although the super middleweight unification bout between the masterful Mexican and the undefeated Saunders had been on the cards for some time, the clash has now been confirmed for May 8 at one of the vastest settings in the US. | Streaming giant DAZN confirmed on Friday afternoon that the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and The Ring crown clash will take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas &…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Law is a mess': UK parliament committee blasts govt over failure to protect 'right to protest' after Sarah Everard vigil outrage. rt.com The British government failed to make it clear that protests were still permissible under Covid-19 restrictions and confused both the public and the police on the issue, a parliamentary committee has concluded. | The restrictions on gatherings introduced by the government during the pandemic have been "confusing" and ambiguous, the parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights said in a

Jonathan Cook (2021-03-19). Israel election: Why Netanyahu's makeover made him an improbable 'Arab lover'. middleeasteye.net Israel election: Why Netanyahu's makeover made him an improbable 'Arab lover' | After years of inciting against Israel's Palestinian citizens, Netanyahu is running as 'Abu Yair' and keen to be seen sipping coffee with Bedouin elders
| Fri, 03/19/2021 – 08: 58 | An electoral billboard by the Joint List depicting Premier Benjamin Netanyahu with a caption in Arabic saying "the father of the nation…

Berry Craig (2021-03-19). Mitch McConnell's No. 1 priority is Mitch McConnell. peoplesworld.org "He's got more nerve than Dick Tracy," my grandmother would say of a particularly shameless soul. (Okay, young folks, Tracy was a famous funny pages cop.) Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell keeps reminding me of my grandmother's observation. But the minority leader's calculated Road to Damascus conversion on Judge Merrick Garland might be his most cynical ploy. …

RT (2021-03-19). Judge agrees to redact 'sensational and impure' details about Ghislaine Maxwell from public docket. rt.com A federal judge in New York has ruled on requests for redactions filed by the US government and Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged madam of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some parts of her private life will now not be made public.

Staff (2021-03-19). AOC, Elizabeth Warren Introduce Bill to Electrify Public Transportation. truthout.org A group of progressive congressional legislators has introduced a new proposal to invest $500 billion into infrastructure over the next 10 years in hopes of modernizing and electrifying the U.S.'s public transit systems while meeting ambitious climate targets. | The BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act was unveiled by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Andy Levin (D-Michigan) on Thursday. The l…

RT (2021-03-19). Proud Boys members charged with conspiring to block Congress from certifying Biden victory during January 6 riot. rt.com A federal grand jury has charged four prominent members of the far-right Proud Boys movement with conspiring to impede Congress in certifying Joe Biden's presidential victory on January 6. | The charges were revealed in a superseding indictment unsealed on Friday, according to multiple reports. | Federal investigators continued their crackdown on those involved in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol and identified members of the Proud Boys as being chief instigators in the day's events, which led to five deaths, including that of a police officer. | FBI agents arrested Charles Donohoe, a Proud Boys leader fro…

RT (2021-03-19). US accuses Beijing of sabotaging 'rules-based' world order & decries 'protocol violation' after Chinese hit back at Alaska talks. rt.com A war of words erupted as talks between US and Chinese officials kicked off in Alaska, with Secretary of State Tony Blinken accusing Beijing of undermining the global order, prompting a harsh rebuttal from his counterpart. | Blinken opened Thursday's summit with a series of charges against Beijing, voicing "deep concerns" about alleged "economic coercion" against US allies, rights abuses within China and the threat the country poses to the "rules-based order that maintains global stability." | The secretary's aggressive tone was soon matched by China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, seeing the first face-to-fa…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Gestapo tactics': NYC mayor de Blasio blasted after saying police should warn & threaten people over 'hurtful' behavior. rt.com New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio has stunned Americans by suggesting cops should confront people at their homes if they have been accused of "hurtful" but non-criminal acts. Many are asking exactly how that would work in practice. | "Even if something is not a criminal case, a perpetrator being confronted by the city, whether it's NYPD or another agency, and being told that what they've done was very hurtful to another person" could deter people from offending others, de Blasio told reporters on Thursday, in response to a rise in hate crime against Asian Americans. | "If someone has done something wrong, but no…

RT (2021-03-19). Judge denies request to delay Derek Chauvin trial in George Floyd case after defense argues city settlement prejudiced jury picks. rt.com A request from former cop Derek Chauvin's defense team to push back the date and change the location of his trial in the death of George Floyd has been rejected. | Minneapolis Judge Peter Cahill denied the request on Friday. Chauvin's defense lawyers had made the appeal after the city announced a "The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury sele…

RT (2021-03-19). Jack in the Box manager stabbed by homeless Texan after telling him to put on a coronavirus face mask — police. rt.com The manager of a Jack in the Box fast food restaurant in Texas was reportedly stabbed after telling a homeless customer to wear a coronavirus face mask. | According to League City Police Chief Gary Ratliff told re…

RT (2021-03-19). Biden administration staffers asked to RESIGN over past marijuana use, despite campaign support for decriminalization — reports. rt.com The Biden administration has been vigilant in weeding out staffers who have admitted to past marijuana use, despite the drug being increasingly legal across the US, a new report suggests. | Dozens of White House employees were asked to resign or join a "remote work program" this month after admitting to past marijuana use, the Daily Beast reported. | "It's exclusively targeting younger staff and staff who came from states where it was legal," one anonymous former staffer claimed. | Marijuana is now legal in 14 states and the District of Columbia, but it remains illegal at the federal level. Even staffers from…

RT (2021-03-19). Biden falls THREE times as he climbs Air Force One stairs, sends critics & supporters into frenzy (VIDEOS). rt.com President Joe Biden struggled to climb the stairs to Air Force One on Friday, stumbling multiple times, leading to a wave of mockery — and sympathy — over the unfortunate moment, which was caught on video. | The president fell three times while ascending the stairs on Friday, at one point dropping to his knee while still holding the railing. | President Joe Biden trips climbing the stairs to Air Force 1

RT (2021-03-19). #ChickenJoe trends on Twitter after Biden avoids debate with Putin following 'killer' accusation. rt.com US President Joe Biden has landed in the deep fryer after bragging he called out Vladimir Putin for having "no soul" — a claim that led many to cry foul when the politician refused to talk to his Russian counterpart on the phone.

RT (2021-03-19). WATCH: Rand Paul challenges Fauci's ever-more-elaborate 'mask theatre' on Senate floor. rt.com US coronavirus czar Anthony Fauci has again butted heads with Republican senator (and fellow doctor) Rand Paul over the government's mask mandates. Paul got under Fauci's skin by denouncing current mask rules as "theater." | The Kentucky senator demanded Fauci explain why Americans who'd already been sick with Covid-19 and recovered, or received the vaccine should be "wearing masks well into 2022" during a Senate hearing on Thursday. Insisting there "no scientific studies arguing or proving that infection with Covid does not create immunity," Paul demanded the doctor cite "specific studies" to bolster his clai…

Global Research News (2021-03-19). Selected Articles: Permanent Warfare and the "War On Terror", US-NATO Invasion of Libya, The Engineered Destruction of Iraq. globalresearch.ca By Ten years ago, on 19 March 2011, the United States and its military arm NATO unleashed a sustained bombardment against Libya, where Colonel …

AFSCME en Español (2021-03-19). Ley de ayuda por COVID evita miles de despidos en Hawái. peoplesworld.org Hacia finales de 2020, oficiales estatales de Hawái enfrentaban un déficit presupuestario de mas de $2 mil millones en gran parte por la pandemia del coronavirus. El Gobernador David Ige dijo que se podría ver obligado a despedir o descansar a miles de empleados estatales, muchos de ellos miembros de AFSCME, a partir de julio. …

Staff (2021-03-19). Biden's New Oil and Gas Lease Pause May Not Apply in This Everglades Preserve. truthout.org Betty Osceola, an elder of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, lives in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, where a small Texas-based oil developer wants to build seven new wells. Burnett Oil Company slipped in its application on Jan. 22, days before President Joe Biden signed an

Staff (2021-03-19). Cuomo's Gender-Based Violence Includes His Failure to Free Imprisoned Survivors. truthout.org The current spotlight on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's history of sexually abusing his staff is consistent with his history of structurally misogynistic treatment of the people — especially survivors of gender-based violence — incarcerated in New York prisons. | The breadth of Cuomo's interpersonal abuse is disgusting and infuriating. Unfortunately, it is not surprising, given the systemic violence that has characterized the Cuomo administration's attitude to marginalized New Yorkers. | A…

Staff (2021-03-19). Biden Administration Hit Goal of 100 Million Vaccines Administered 42 Days Early. truthout.org COVID-19 vaccine administration is way ahead of schedule for the Biden administration so far. This week, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will have administered 100 million vaccines within the first 100 days of his administration, reaching his goal 42 days early. | "When we took office, there was a lot that had to be done. We needed more vaccines, more vaccinators, more places for people to get vaccinated,"

Staff (2021-03-19). Biden White House Reinstates EPA Climate Change Website That Trump Took Down. truthout.org An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website focused on global climate change was just reinstated, four years after having been removed by the Trump administration. | The reinstatement of the site, In a video message anno…

Staff (2021-03-19). Raphael Warnock Slams GOP Assault on Voting Rights in First Senate Speech. truthout.org Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, whose election in January helped bring the chamber under Democratic control, used his first speech on the floor of the Senate this week to assail Republican efforts to restrict voting rights. He called the raft of voter suppression bills being introduced in states across the country "Jim Crow in new clothes," denounced false claims of voter fraud spread by Donald Trump and others, and called on Congress to pass the For the People Act, also known as H.R. 1, a sweepin…

Staff (2021-03-19). More Than 50 House Democrats Call on Biden to Fire Postal Board. truthout.org A group of more than 50 House Democrats on Thursday called on President Joe Biden to immediately terminate all six sitting members of the

Nick Pemberton (2021-03-19). Why Don't We Take Hate of Asians Seriously? counterpunch.org We have to problematize the purely academic extrapolation of Asians. I remember this slime popping up after Dylan Roof. According to an analysis quoted on NBC Scott Kurasige, Roof was operating on the premise that Asians were a "model minority" and that a core of white supremacy is to mobilize Asians against Black people. Such

RT (2021-03-19). European leaders attempt to restore faith in AstraZeneca Covid vaccine by getting or promising to get jabs after blood-clot fears. rt.com Italian PM Mario Draghi has said he will have the AstraZeneca vaccine, becoming the latest world leader to pledge their faith in the jab after the EU drugs regulator said it was safe, amid fears it may cause blood clots. | "Yes, I will do the AstraZeneca vaccine," the prime minister Italy was among a dozen EU countries to temporarily ditch the vaccine after confidence in the jab was shattered by reports from Austria that a person who took…

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). Question the Data: Go Beyond Fake News. dsausa.org One of my favorite television shows was Numbers, which ran from 2005-2010. It was about a prodigy who helped solve crimes using math. The tagline was, "We all use numbers every day." It's true, whether we're checking the time, running our credit cards, or counting change. We use numbers even when we aren't looking; after all, computers and the Internet are built on numbers —ones and zeros, to be exact. | But do we understand what's going on with those numbers? Do we understand the data and how it's driving policy? Most of the time, we don't. Look at the pseudoscience around vaccines. According to the Wo…

RT (2021-03-19). Prime Minister Jean Castex gets Covid-19 vaccine live on air as France resumes rollout after blood-clot fears. rt.com French Prime Minister Jean Castex received his AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab on live TV Friday as the country restarted its use of the vaccine. Earlier, the EU's drug regulator said it was safe, despite fears it causes blood clotting. | "I didn't feel anything," the 55-year-old said at the Begin military hospital in Paris as he sought to allay fears that the vaccine was unsafe. France was among a dozen European Union nations to pause its rollout of the jab. | Paris announced on Thursday it would resume administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine following a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which found i…

Nina Markovic Khaze — Binoy Kampmark (2021-03-19). The Geopolitics of Vaccine Nationalism: Perspectives from Australia. counterpunch.org "The eagle has landed", said Australia's federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on 15 February 2021 referring to the arrival of the first international shipment of Pfeizer's Covid-19 vaccines in Australia. On the day which was supposed to be a vaccine response 'D-day' for Australia and to add a boost to the government's approval ratings, the

RT (2021-03-19). Finland suspends AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab after 2 thromboembolic events recorded in vaccine recipients. rt.com The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has said it is suspending the administration of the heavily scrutinized AstraZeneca vaccine after two incidents of blood clotting were recorded 4-10 days after receiving the jab. | On Friday, Finland's Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), a department of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health,

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (2021-03-19). Ernesto Falcon on Internet for All, Alexander Kaufman on Future-Proofed Housing Codes. fair.org This week on CounterSpin: Reporters covering the pandemic can't help but note the impact of the digital divide: How do you work from home, or do remote learning, or even register for a vaccine, without not just available, but affordable high-speed internet? Yet a major congressional effort to end that divide is, so far, generating little interest from big media. It's almost as if the corporate press accepted the existence of information haves and have-nots, because that's how goods get divided in this country—even if it doesn't make technological, economic or humanitarian sense. We'll hear about the Access…

Yaakov Rav (2021-03-19). Why is it still so hard to get vaccinated in Massachusetts? liberationnews.org Massachusetts has a reputation for progressive policies, especially in healthcare. So why is the Bay State's COVID-19 vaccine rollout one of the sloppiest?

RT (2021-03-19). French regulator recommends AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab for over-55s ONLY as blood-clot risk deemed higher in younger population. rt.com In a departure from the guidance given by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), France has deemed it too risky to administer AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine to people under 55 amid concerns of more thromboembolic events. | "Given the data provided by the EMA, it is the HAS's belief that vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine can resume immediately," the French regulator HAS (Haute Autorité de Santé) said in a statement on Friday. | However, the EMA has identified a possible increased risk of (thrombosis) in people under 55 years old… The HAS recommends using the AstraZeneca vaccine at this stag…

Manlio Dinucci (2021-03-19). 10 years ago U.S./NATO forces demolished Libya. workers.org Ten years ago, on March 19, 2011, U.S./NATO forces began the air and sea bombardment of Libya. The war was directed by the United States, first through its Africa Command, then through NATO under U.S. command. In seven months, the U.S./NATO air force carried out 30,000 sorties, 10,000 of which . . . |

Manlio Dinucci (2021-03-19). 10 years ago U.S.-NATO forces demolished Libya. workers.org Ten years ago, on March 19, 2011, U.S.-NATO forces began the air and sea bombardment of Libya. The war was directed by the United States, first through its Africa Command, then through NATO under U.S. command. In seven months, the U.S.-NATO air force carried out 30,000 sorties, 10,000 of which . . . |

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-19). The Heat: China-U.S. meeting in Alaska. america.cgtn.com High-level talks between China and the United States. What can we expect? And what will it mean for relations between the two major powers?

MEE, agencies (2021-03-19). Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Saudi Aramco oil refinery that sparked fire. middleeasteye.net Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Saudi Aramco oil refinery that sparked fire | The Houthis have escalated cross-border attacks in recent weeks, as fighting intensifies in Yemen's north | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 09 | A man looks at a damaged silo a day after an attack at the Saudi Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea city of Jeddah, on 24 November 2020 (AFP) | A drone attack on an oil…

Marina Wheeler QC (2021-03-19). Covid, Consent and the Court of Protection. ukhumanrightsblog.com Many of the newly vaccinated booked their appointments with gusto and left with a sense of elation. For others the process wasn't so simple. We see a snapshot of this in a handful of reported cases from the Court of Protection: Re E [2021] EWCOP 7; SD v RBKC [2021] EWCOP 14; and Re CR …

Rosalind English (2021-03-19). The providers of 'Ride Hailing apps' and their drivers: another judgment from Amsterdam. ukhumanrightsblog.com Three applicants v Ola Netherlands B.V. C/13/689705 / HA RK 20-258, District Court, Amsterdam (11 March 2021) An Amsterdam Court has ordered Ola (a smartphone-hailing taxi organisation like Uber) to be more transparent about the data it uses as the basis for decisions on suspensions and wage penalties, in a ruling that breaks new ground …

RT (2021-03-19). Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp experience MASSIVE outages around globe — reports. rt.com Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have gone down, users around the world and service issue monitor Downdetector reported on Friday. | Claims that the social networking services, all owned by Facebook Inc, had gone down first surfaced at around 1: 00pm Eastern Time. | There have been as many as 1.2 million reports of problems with Instagram and at least 23,000 for WhatsApp, according to information on Downdetector.com. | Also on rt.com | | Some users were hit with erro…

Ali Harb (2021-03-19). AIPAC rallies support for Senate letter calling for broader Iran deal. middleeasteye.net AIPAC rallies support for Senate letter calling for broader Iran deal | Hawkish senators are circulating a letter that effectively rejects a return to the nuclear agreement in its current format | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 19: 47 | Democratic Senator Bob Menendez (L) and Republican Lindsey Graham are pushing the AIPAC-backed letter (AFP/File photos) | AIPAC, the Israel lobby group, is calling on its supporters to urge US…

MEE staff (2021-03-19). UN Libya report: Key takeaways, from mercenaries and Erik Prince to murders. middleeasteye.net UN Libya report: Key takeaways, from mercenaries and Erik Prince to murders | Dodgy deals in Jordan and the suspicious presence of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces are some of the details revealed by a United Nations panel of experts | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 09: 30 | Libyan military graduates loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) take part in a parade marking their graduation (AFP) | After a se…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-19). Turkey: Police detain opposition HDP officials and co-chair of rights group. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Police detain opposition HDP officials and co-chair of rights group | Move follows prosecutor's filing of case with Constitutional Court demanding a ban on the pro-Kurdish party | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 07: 49 | People shout slogans during a demonstration in Istanbul on Thursday to protest against the court case launched against the HDP (Reuters) | Turkish police detained three top dist…

MEE staff (2021-03-19). US will not recognise Syria presidency vote without UN supervision. middleeasteye.net US will not recognise Syria presidency vote without UN supervision | Acting deputy ambassador to UN says ongoing peace process has been hindered by President Bashar al-Assad's 'refusal to engage in good faith' | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 51 | The US and its allies have been hesitant to normalise relations with the Assad government (AFP) | The United States has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that it will n…

MEE staff (2021-03-19). Palestinians protest Israeli plans to demolish 100 houses in East Jerusalem. middleeasteye.net Palestinians protest Israeli plans to demolish 100 houses in East Jerusalem | An Israeli municipality's 'biblical' tourism park construction project risks the homes of almost 1,550 Palestinians | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 13: 43 | Palestinians say Friday prayers near a protest tent against the demolition of 100 houses by Israeli authorities in occupied East Jerusalem, 19 March 2021 (AFP) | Hundreds of Palestinians in…

MEE staff (2021-03-19). Gulf royals claimed millions from UK furlough scheme: Report. middleeasteye.net Gulf royals claimed millions from UK furlough scheme: Report | Companies owned by Qatar and royals from the UAE and Saudi Arabia claimed thousands in funds, Guardian reports | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 17: 44 | The furlough scheme was introduced to help struggling businesses stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic (AFP) | Companies owned by some of the world's wealthiest people claimed millions of pounds from a UK…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-03-19). Arabic press review: Lebanon's president seeks Saudi support to replace PM Hariri. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Lebanon's president seeks Saudi support to replace PM Hariri | Meanwhile, Egypt relaxes security restrictions in Sinai Peninsula, and Bahrain bristles over Reporters Without Borders report | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 33 | Lebanon's President Michel Aoun talks to then-Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri during the cabinet meeting in Baabda near Beirut, Lebanon on 5 December 2017 (Reute…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-19). Yemen's Houthis advance on Marib after capturing mountain. middleeasteye.net Yemen's Houthis advance on Marib after capturing mountain | The government's loss of Mount Hilan threatens Marib's first line of defence | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 10: 28 | A fighter loyal to Yemen's Houthis attends the funeral of fellow combatants killed in battles with Saudi-backed government troops, in Sanaa on 28 February 2021 (AFP) | Yemen's Houthi fighters have seized a strategic mountain o…

Staff (2021-03-19). "The Sum of Us": Heather McGhee on How Racism Undercuts the American Dream for Everyone. democracynow.org Amid a national reckoning with structural racism and the dangers of white supremacy, author Heather McGhee's new book details how racism in the United States hurts not just people of color but also white people. In "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together," McGhee details how zero-sum thinking has worsened inequality and robbed people of all stripes of the public goods and support they need to thrive. We speak with McGhee about the cost of racism, Republican voter suppression efforts and what people can accomplish when they come together in solidarity across racial lines. "Fundam…

Staff (2021-03-19). "Jim Crow in New Clothes": In First Senate Speech, Raphael Warnock Slams GOP Assault on Voting Rights. democracynow.org Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, whose election in January helped bring the chamber under Democratic control, used his first speech on the floor of the Senate this week to assail Republican efforts to restrict voting rights. He called the raft of voter suppression bills being introduced in states across the country "Jim Crow in new clothes," denounced false claims of voter fraud spread by Donald Trump and others, and called on Congress to pass the For the People Act, also known as H.R. 1, a sweeping voting reform bill that would greatly expand access to the ballot. "Make no mistake: This is democracy in reverse,"

A Guest Author (2021-03-19). March 7, 1970 — Historic International Working Women's Day march to House of Detention. workers.org by Naomi Cohen The following excerpt is from an article originally printed in the March 25, 1970, Workers World newspaper entitled, "A day of struggle in New York City — Militant demonstration marks International Women's Day" written by Naomi Cohen. YAWF banner leads march to Women's House of Detention, 1970. . . . |

RT (2021-03-19). Iceland volcano Fagradalsfjall between capital & main airport ERUPTS, triggering air travel warning (VIDEO). rt.com A volcano has erupted in southwest Iceland following heavy seismic activity and a series of small earthquakes in the area. All inbound and outgoing flights have been briefly halted amid the eruption. | The Fagradalsfjall volcano, located around 20 miles (32km) south of the country's capital of Reykjavik, erupted late on Friday night, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (ICO), which noted that flights to and from the neighboring Keflavik International Airport had been paused. | The first image of the eruption. Taken from the Coast Guard helicopter. The southern end of the lava flow is about 2.6 km…

RT (2021-03-19). Russian opposition figures demand prosecution of Putin after concert held in Moscow allegedly breaks Covid-19 mass gathering rules. rt.com Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin has sent a request to the country's Investigative Committee demanding that it look into a rally held at Moscow's 81,000-seat Luzhniki Stadium and attended by President Vladimir Putin. | Staged on Thursday in celebration of the seventh anniversary of Crimea's reabsorption into Russia, the festival included a concert featuring Russian celebrities such as Polina Gagarina, Sergey Lazarev, and Egor Kreed. The event also saw Putin make a speech. | According to Yashin, a councilor in the Krasnoselsky District of Moscow, the celebration violated the country's sanitary and epidemio…

RT (2021-03-19). 'I'm shocked every time': Chelsea owner Abramovich blasts 'evil' antisemitism & racism, lauds 'huge potential' of women's football. rt.com Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has opened up on his enduring passion for the club, blasting discrimination while lavishing praise on the Blues' women's team and admitting that he has never wanted to have a "public profile". | Discussing his acquisition of the English Premier League giants for around $194 million in 2002, Abramovich has spoken of his thrill at the move that transformed English football and pointed to the surprise factor of the game as the key reason for his enduring enthusiasm. | Abramovich oversaw the creation of the club's women's team in the second year of his tenure, with the Russian billio…

RT (2021-03-19). Russian Olympic Committee chief 'in cell with no change of clothes' as he 'warns arrest could damage Tokyo Olympics performances'. rt.com The president of three Russian sports federations, Alexey Vlasenko, who was arrested this week on allegations of fraud, is said to have warned that the move could negatively affect the performance of athletes at the Olympic Games. | The 56-year-old, who heads Russia's water polo, diving, and synchronized swimming federations, has been charged with large-scale fraud and could face 10 years in prison. | The former adviser to the president of the Russian Olympic Committee is set to be detained until May 16 and is currently in a four-bed "quarantine cell" for new arrivals to the isolation ward. | "We visited Vlase…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Can the cage hold them?' Monster MMA hulks Pudzianowski & Bombardier face off for first time ahead of clash of the giants (VIDEO). rt.com Superheavyweights Mariusz Pudzianowski and Serigne Ousmane have faced off for the first time before their clash on Polish MMA promotion KSW on Saturday, when the brawling behemoths are expected to weigh more than 600lb combined. | Thrown against one another in a Polish television studio, the pair were respectful and resisted getting in each other's faces too much before comparing biceps after 'Bombardier' Ousmane crossed his arms defiantly. | "Can the cage hold them this Saturday night?" asked the promotion considered by many as one of Europe's leaders in MMA. | A huge star in his native Poland, Pudzianowski i…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Of course I'll talk to GSP & Khabib!' Beterbiev teases crossover to MMA before world title bout in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com World light-heavyweight champion Arutr Beterbiev insists he will talk with close friend Georges St-Pierre and fellow Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov should he make the decision to cross over into mixed martial arts. | Russian-born Beterbiev defends his WBC and IBF light-heavyweight titles against fellow Germany-based fellow Russian Adam Deines in Moscow on Saturday. | The 36-year-ol…

RT (2021-03-19). 'You're all tripping': NBA great Stephen Curry slams basketball bosses in gender equality row over women's weights room (VIDEO). rt.com Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry has waded in to a gender equality row after women's basketball ace Sedona Prince caused outrage by sharing a video showing the starkly different weights rooms for male and female players. | Organizers the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) were slated on Thursday after photos emerged of the facilities provided at its hugely popular March Madness tournament. | An accompanying video presented by Prince, who plays for Oregon Ducks, appeared to show the notable differences between the male and female gyms at separate bubble sites in Indiana and Texas, with th…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Never forget who made you': Ex-UFC champ Conor McGregor offers snarky 'happy retirement' message to one-time bitter rival Khabib. rt.com UFC star Conor McGregor has wished his former foe Khabib Nurmagomedov a happy retirement on social media — but in typically provocative fashion, the ex-champion relished the opportunity to take a dig at the Russian icon. | Writing alongside an old snap of the pair taken in an age before they ignited one of MMA's most bitter rivalries, 'Notorious' appeared to reference Nurmagomedov's dislike of weight cuts in a post to his millions of Instagram followers in the hours following UFC president Dana White's confirmation that his most prized fighter had retired from the sport. | "Happy retirement, kid — s…

RT (2021-03-19). Turkish leader Erdogan slams NATO ally Biden for calling Putin a 'killer,' says US president's remarks were 'truly unacceptable'. rt.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized his US counterpart Joe Biden for calling Russian leader Vladimir Putin a "killer," saying that such statements about a head of state are "not fitting of a president." | Erdogan's statement comes despite Turkey's status as a NATO member, with Ankara appearing to take the side of Moscow over Washington. | "Biden's statements about Mr. Putin are not fitting of a president, and a president coming out and using such remarks against the president of a country like Russia is truly unacceptable, not something that can be stomached," Erdogan said, according to Reute…

V. Copeland (2021-03-19). Sharpeville massacre: A turning point in the anti-apartheid struggle. workers.org The following article first appeared on the front page of the April 1, 1960, issue of Workers World. The original headline was "South African revolution has begun! General strike wins first victory! The mass murder of Africans was a boomerang; South African dictatorship faces abyss!" The article was written by . . . |

news.un (2021-03-19). No 'fix' to police violence, without tackling scourge in society, says rights chief. news.un.org The Human Rights Council embarked on a discussion over police violence against people of African descent on Friday, with a warning from UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet that "brutality and discrimination against people of African descent continue to occur".

IFJ statement posted by the Jamal Journal (2021-03-19). The International Federation of Journalists calls for Mumia Abu-Jamal's release. indybay.org Mumia Abu-Jamal, an African-American journalist with close ties to the Black Panthers, who has spent nearly 40 years in prison, has tested positive for Covid. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed calls from US (NWU) and French (SNJ-CGT) affiliates for his immediate release amid growing fears over his health.

WSWS (2021-03-19). Demonstrations against draconian Police Bill and police brutality held in UK cities. wsws.org The hostility to the two architects of the present clampdown, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, stands as a devastating rebuke to the attempt to channel opposition to the Bill into the dead end of identity politics and "female-centred reform."

teleSUR (2021-03-19). Myanmar: Security Forces Shoot Dead Nine People, Violence Grows. telesurenglish.net Myanmar's Military Junta elements killed at least nine demonstrators on Friday, as international pressure grows over human rights violations and police brutality almost two months before the February 1 coup. | RELATED: | According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, there have been at least 234 deaths since the coup as protests have not ceased. On Friday, the police fired live ammunition in the central tow…

Fight Back (2021-03-19). Photo Essay: Minneapolis protest on day one of the trial of cop who killed George Floyd. fightbacknews.org Kim DeFranco's stunning photographs taken on March 8, when more than 1000 people rallied and marched demanding justice for George Floyd and the conviction of Derek Chauvin, one of the cops who murdered him.

Jon Skolnik (2021-03-19). Tucker Carlson is using the Atlanta spa shootings to downplay anti-Asian racism and white supremacy. salon.com Fox News' top host has been busy trying to blame Black people for a rise in violence against Asian-Americans…

Editor (2021-03-18). Wise Observations on White Racism. scheerpost.com By Paul Von Blum / Original to ScheerPost A review of Dispatches from the Race War, by Tim Wise On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by white police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis. That grisly event catalyzed the massive Black Lives Matter protests in the United States, and shortly thereafter, throughout much of …

Lawrence Wittner (2021-03-18). The U.S. Government Should Promote the General Welfare. counterpunch.org An event revealing a great deal about the kind of government Americans want occurred this March, when members of the U.S. Congress voted on the American Rescue Plan. This legislation, staunchly supported by the Democrats, provided federal funding for the provision of life-saving vaccines, the re-opening of public schools, expanded benefits to the unemployed, a

Staff (2021-03-18). GOP Rep. Glorifies Lynching in Racist Rant During Hearing on Anti-Asian Attacks. truthout.org During a hearing on the increasing discrimination and violence against Asian Americans in the House on Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) suggested that lynching was how justice can be carried out for the families of the Asian women who were murdered in Atlanta, Georgia. | In his testimony, Roy equated the white man who murdered eight people, including six Asian women in a racist murder spree on Tuesday, to immigrants in the south who he claims are "absolutely decimating" U.S. cities, and al…

Mark Gruenberg (2021-03-18). Alabama Amazon worker testifies before Congress: "We're not robots." peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—At Amazon's warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., more than 5,800 workers, many if not most of them Black, toil for 10 hours each a day in the middle of a pandemic, shifting goods to loading docks via elevators they can't board themselves. Instead, workers, many middle-aged, must tramp, or limp, up and down four flights of …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-18). The Ongoing Calamity: US Collective Punishment of the Venezuelan People Must End. counterpunch.org Recent statements made by US officials suggest that Washington will continue to pursue a hardline policy on Venezuela. The new Biden Administration, however, needs to urgently rethink its approach. US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, remarked on February 3 that he "certainly" does not "expect this administration to be engaging directly with (President) Maduro." Namely,

Mark Gruenberg (2021-03-18). Pandemic's impact propels new push for Medicare for All. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Propelled by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which exposed, as never before, the gaping holes in U.S. health care's non-system, proponents of Medicare For All launched a new push for comprehensive health care reconstruction. But the March 17 exuberant "Town Hall" for the bill, re-introduced by House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., …

Dave Lindorff (2021-03-18). Let's Stop Pretending Russia and China are Military Threats. counterpunch.org Someone needs to say this, and it looks like it's gotta be me: China and Russia are not our enemies. Somehow, the opinion-makers in the media, the bloated military brass with all their ribbons and stars and with little to do but worry about how to keep their massively overbuilt operation afloat with ever more taxpayer money, and the members of Congress who like to gin up fears among the voters so they'll keep voting for them have gotten everyone thinking that Russia is still hell bent on world communist takeover and that China it trying to replace the US as global hegemon. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Greg Kearney (2021-03-18). The stain that won't wash (or be whitewashed). peoplesworld.org

Kenya Elliott (2021-03-18). U.S.-Russia tensions: What workers need to know. liberationnews.org New tensions between the United States and Russia emerged this week, revealing deepening U.S. hostility. In an interview that aired March 17, President Biden responded to a recently released report authored by several U.S. spy agencies that alleges Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election. In the interview, Biden called Russian president Vladimir Putin a …

Party for Socialism, Liberation (2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5 p.m., three Atlanta-area spas staffed by Asian workers were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of the women were …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-18). Rate of demolition of Palestinian homes has increased in 2021, says new report. peoplesdispatch.org The report, prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian Territories, says the monthly average of demolition of Palestinian houses by Israeli authorities has increased by 65% in 2021 as compared to the previous year…

Dean Baker (2021-03-18). Profit Shares Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2009. counterpunch.org The Federal Reserve Board released an item of good news that might be missed. The Financial Accounts for the fourth quarter showed a decline in profit share of national income to 12.0 percent, the lowest annual share since 2009. It is far too early to know if this shift will be enduring, but it is

Danny Haiphong (2021-03-18). New Cold War is built on humanitarian interventionist lies and dismissal of actual War Crimes. mronline.org To manufacture consent for its own constant aggressions the U.S. claims its competitors are guilty of even greater crimes—sheer inventions that never happened. | Newswire…

Liberation Staff (2021-03-18). Keep up the fight for Mumia: 'No' to COVID medical neglect! liberationnews.org World renowned political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has contracted COVID-19 in the unsanitary conditions of Pennsylvania's prison system. People around the globe have been mobilizing to demand that he be released instead of being further subjected to brutal medical neglect. Below are several important updates and information about how you can help pressure authorities. Mumia Abu-Jamal's …

George Wuerthner (2021-03-18). The Active Forest Management Scam. counterpunch.org There are daily news stories about the recent large wildfires in 2020. In nearly all of these media accounts, almost always attributed to a lack of active forest management. In other words, proponents of logging/thinning forests assert fuel reductions would diminish fire severity. The prevailing assumption is that fuels are the major cause of large

John Bachtell (2021-03-18). Anger mounts as police cover for Atlanta murderer of Asian women. peoplesworld.org Only two days before the Atlanta-area murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, Georgia State Sen. Michelle Au, herself Chinese American, was warning of rising anti-Asian violence in her state and nationwide. "Asian Americans are part of our country's plurality," said Au. "And all I'm asking, as the first East Asian state senator …

Tings Chak (2021-03-18). Guangzhou 1927: The Paris Commune of the East. peoplesdispatch.org On the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Paris Commune, its legacy is remembered in the Guangzhou Uprising, when workers and peasants established a popular republic in the southern Chinese capital in 1927.

Scott Hiley (2021-03-18). 150 years ago, Paris Commune showed that workers can run society themselves. peoplesworld.org On March 18, Paris arose to the thunder-burst of 'Vive la Commune!' […] When ordinary workers dared for the first time to infringe upon the governmental privilege of their 'natural superiors'… the old world writhed in terror at the sight of the red flag, the symbol of the Republic of Labor, floating over city hall. …

Daniel Renken (2021-03-18). Unelected operatives play an outsized role in crafting foreign policy. peoplesworld.org It's probably safe to say that most Americans would hope the major foreign policy actions of the United States would be determined by their elected officials in Congress and the White House. In reality, much of the foreign policy of the U.S. is first crafted behind closed doors by individuals that the public never voted …

Jayati Ghosh (2021-03-18). Interpreting contemporary imperialism: lessons from Samir Amin. mronline.org MR Online

Michelle Kern (2021-03-18). Author Dan Hicks reveals the backstory of 'contested objects' in Western museums. peoplesworld.org The role of museums in Western culture has been a conversation in art and academia for decades. The institution as a whole has had a spotlight shined on its structural biases for years. In response, several museums have attempted to institute reforms to expand diversity. Curator Dan Hicks, of the Pitt-Rivers Museum of Oxford University, …

David Rosen (2021-03-18). Thumb in the Dike: Homelessness and Deepening Inequality. counterpunch.org In December 2020, USA Today ran a bold headline declaring, "the federal eviction moratorium expires in January. It could leave 40 million Americans homeless." The article cites Diane Yentel, CEO and president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, who warns, "We're facing potentially the worst housing and homelessness crisis in our country's history."

Staff (2021-03-18). No justice, no peace: Rapsody on art, activism, and the power of music. therealnews.com The professors invite Rapsody to discuss the legacy of the Black music tradition and how it continually reiterates itself within "new genres," creating a cultural archive.

The Conversation (2021-03-18). Climate Change is making Sea levels rise fastest in big cities — here's why. juancole.com By Sally Brown and Robert James Nicholls | — It is well known that climate-induced sea level rise is a major threat. What is less well know is the threat of sinking land. And in many of the most populated coastal areas, the land is sinking even faster than the sea is rising. Parts of …

Eds. (2021-03-18). Jason Hickel introduces Degrowth — book review. mronline.org MR Online

Ronda Shelton (2021-03-18). PSL in Tennessee launches campaign to fight utility shutoffs. liberationnews.org The rise in unemployment and poverty coupled with dismal state benefits during a deadly pandemic have left many families unable to pay their bills.

Liberation Staff (2021-03-18). Keep up the fight for Mumia: No to COVID medical neglect! liberationnews.org World renowned political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has contracted COVID-19 in the unsanitary conditions of Pennsylvania's prison system. People around the globe have been mobilizing to demand that he be released instead of being further subjected to brutal medical neglect. Below are several important updates and information about how you can help pressure authorities. Mumia Abu-Jamal's …

Global Voices (2021-03-18). Syria needs Long-Term Housing for the Neediest, and the US needs to Stop Blocking it. juancole.com By Hany Al Banna | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — March 15, 2021, will mark a grim milestone—the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the popular uprising that led to the civil war still engulfing Syria. As we all grapple with the deadly crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world's …

RT (2021-03-18). 'Nothing else explains it': Norwegian scientists say AstraZeneca DID cause blood clots, as British & Dutch experts dismiss theory. rt.com Norwegian scientists have linked the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots — a condition seen in some people that led countries around the world to halt its use. But British and Dutch medics say there's no evidence for such a link. | "The cause of our patients' condition has now been found," Pal Andre Holme, the head of a research group at the Oslo University Hospital,

Staff (2021-03-18). "Immoral & Illegal": U.S. & U.K. Move to Expand Nuclear Arsenals, Defying Global Disarmament Treaties. democracynow.org The United States and the United Kingdom are facing international criticism for moving to expand their nuclear arsenals, defying a growing global movement in support of nuclear disarmament. The U.S. is planning to spend $100 billion to develop a new nuclear missile which could travel 6,000 miles carrying a warhead 20 times stronger than the one dropped on Hiroshima, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just announced plans to lift the cap on its nuclear stockpile, ending three decades of gradual nuclear disarmament in the U.K. "We're seeing this united, uniform response of nuclear-armed states to what t…

RT (2021-03-18). UAE cancels planned summit with Israel and Arab states over Netanyahu 'electioneering' concerns. rt.com The United Arab Emirates has canceled a state summit with Israel and Arab states that was due to be held in April over claims PM Benjamin Netanyahu had referenced his relationship with one of its leaders in a campaign rally. | Israeli media reported the cancelation on Thursday, stating that the summit was called off after Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was unhappy to hear that Netanyahu was apparently exploiting the states' normalization deal for political purposes during his run for re-election. | Netanyahu had claimed during a recent campaign rally that, during talks on normalizing relation…

Mustafa Abu Sneineh (2021-03-18). UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows. middleeasteye.net UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows | Emirati officials are particularly angry at Israeli PM's pre-election trumpeting of $10bn UAE investment fund | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 46 | An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask with the flags of the US, Israel and the UAE, upon the arrival of the first commercial flight from Israel, 31 August 2020 (AFP)…

Mustafa Abu Sneineh (2021-03-18). UAE suspends Abu Dhabi-Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows. middleeasteye.net UAE suspends Abu Dhabi-Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows | Emirati officials are particularly angry at Israeli PM's pre-election trumpeting of $10bn UAE investment fund | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 46 | An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask with the flags of the US, Israel and the UAE, upon the arrival of the first commercial flight from Israel, 31 August 2020 (AFP)…

Staff (2021-03-18). With Atlanta Shootings, It's Impossible to Disconnect Racism From Sexism. truthout.org Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-found…

Staff (2021-03-18). Stop Asian Hate: Connie Wun on Atlanta Spa Killings, Gender Violence & Spike in Anti-Asian Attacks. democracynow.org Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-founder of AAPI Women Lead and a researcher on violence against girls of color, says it's impossible to "disconnect rac…

RT (2021-03-18). John Kerry caught flouting Biden's mask mandate on flight, dismisses 'elite hypocrite' accusations as 'malarkey'. rt.com US special climate envoy John Kerry is under fire after he was spotted without a mask on board a flight, prompting American Airlines to investigate the matter as critics condemn the failed presidential candidate for hypocrisy. | A mostly maskless Kerry was photographed by a fellow passenger while on a flight from Boston to DC on Wednesday, with the image first

RT (2021-03-18). 'Blackwater had bad days in Iraq too': Outrage after media links sheriff probing Atlanta parlors massacre to mercenary outfit. rt.com Twitter erupted after reports that the sheriff who is investigating the Atlanta parlors massacre may have links to the notorious private military company, Blackwater. His office was previously accused of harboring racism. | The Cherokee County Sheriff's office headed by Sheriff Frank Reynolds attracted national attention this week over its role in investigating the killings of eight people, including six women, at massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia. The shooting rampage was quickly labeled by the left to be the latest example of racially motivated violence by a presumed white supremacist. | Also on rt.com

RT (2021-03-18). Newly-hired Teen Vogue editor QUITS as racist tweet scandal resurfaces amid concerns over anti-Asian violence. rt.com Recently-hired Teen Vogue editor Alexi McCammond has resigned after a handful of 10-year-old 'racist and homophobic' tweets resurfaced ahead of her start date at the girls' fashion mag turned social justice soapbox. | McCammond, who was due to take up the lead role at Teen Vogue on Wednesday, has been forced to step down after staffers at the ultra-woke outlet complained about a bevy of offensive tweets she had posted a decade ago mocking Asians and LGBTQ people. Readers and at least two advertisers had also pushed to have McCammond shelved, despite her repeated efforts to apologize for the offending content,…

RT (2021-03-18). Suspected assailant of elderly Chinese woman in San Francisco ends up handcuffed to stretcher after she BEATS HIM UP with stick. rt.com The latest apparent case of unprovoked violence against vulnerable Asian-American people didn't end well for the alleged attacker, who required a trip to hospital after his intended target proved to be too tough for him. | The incident took place on Market Street in San Francisco on Wednesday morning and was first reported by the local CBS affiliate KPIX, whose sports director Dennis O'Donnell happened to be jogging nearby and filmed the aftermath of the altercation. | pic.twitter.com/5o8r0eeHE2— Dennis O'Donnell (@DennisKPIX) RT (2021-03-18). NYT accused of 'fueling anti-Asian racism' over headline on Chinese vaccine 'made from hamster cells'. rt.com The New York Times was accused of "soft racism" after running a headline about how China's latest Covid-19 vaccine is "made from the ovary cells of hamsters" on the same day shootings in Georgia left six Asian women dead. | In the Tuesday

RT (2021-03-18). Obama joins chorus in dubbing massage parlor shootings as 'anti-Asian hate crime' as Democrats keep narrative on 'white supremacy'. rt.com Former President Barack Obama and other political and celebrity voices seized on a murder spree at Atlanta-area massage parlors as a call to dismantle "white supremacy" — despite the lack of any apparent anti-Asian hate motive. | "Although the shooter's motive is not yet clear, the identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence that must end," Obama said Wednesday on Twitter. While also using the horrific shootings to argue for gun laws, he added that America must "root out the pervasive patterns of hatred and violence in our society." | Even as we've battled the pandemic, we…

Global Research News (2021-03-18). Selected Articles: Brazil's Lula in a Wilderness of Mirrors, UK Breaks Law on Nukes, Myanmar: Hidden Opposition Violence. globalresearch.ca By A surprising Supreme Court decision that, while not definitive, restores Lula's political rights has hit Brazil like a semiotic bomb and plunged the nation into a …

Staff (2021-03-18). Georgia GOP Jams 91 New Pages Into Voter Suppression Bill an Hour Before Meeting. truthout.org Georgia Republicans' SB 202 The Republicans introduced the bill…

Staff (2021-03-18). Biden Should Stop Making Excuses — It's Time to Leave Afghanistan. truthout.org War in Afghanistan. In my mind, after all these years, those two words sound like a rock dropped into a bottomless well. | Forty years ago, the

Staff (2021-03-18). 21 States Sue Biden in Attempt to Revive Keystone Pipeline. truthout.org Twenty-one state attorneys general are suing the Biden administration, alleging that the president exceeded his authority in halting production of the Keystone XL pipeline by executive order earlier this year. | The lawsuit, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen,

Staff (2021-03-18). Republicans Are Looking for Ways to Sabotage Biden's Stimulus. truthout.org Even though President Joe Biden just signed the American Rescue Plan, Republicans are not backing down in their fight against the $1.9 trillion Covid relief package. They are now looking for ways to reject the federal funds allotted to state and local governments. | On Tuesday,