(2021-03-05). Covid-19 has been 'really good' for CNN's ratings, WarnerMedia CEO says at Morgan Stanley conference. rt.com 
While Covid-19 has claimed more than 2.5 million lives worldwide, the chief executive at CNN's parent firm is looking on the bright side, telling a virtual audience the pandemic has been "really good" for the outlet's ratings. | Jason Kilar — the CEO of WarnerMedia, which owns the cable network — appeared at Morgan Stanley's 'Technology, Media and Telecom' virtual conference on Thursday, where he was asked about CNN and whether it could keep up its current momentum. | "I'd say that it turns out that pandemic is a pretty big part of the news cycle, and that's not going away anytime soon," he replied,…
(2021-03-05). Republican senator forces clerks to read Biden's Covid bill for TEN HOURS, in last-ditch effort to block. rt.com 
Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) has infuriated Democrats by demanding that Senate clerks read each and every page of Joe Biden's $2 trillion Covid-19 relief bill aloud. To some Dems, bills are better passed with no debate. | President Joe Biden's Covid-19 relief bill, which passed the House of Representatives last week, weighs in at a whopping 628 pages. It offers relief checks of $1,400 to eligible Americans, though more than three quarters of its $1.9 trillion
(2021-03-04). From hero to zero: Mainstream media throw disgraced Governor Cuomo under the bus after months of fawning Covid-19 coverage. rt.com 
American liberals who unquestioningly embraced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as their political savior have found themselves holding a potential credibility grenade as the governor's scandal-ridden reputation craters. | First skewered for his office's decision to cover up the massive spike in Covid-19 deaths, which followed his order to house Covid-positive patients with the virus-free, Cuomo was subsequently dragged for sexual harassment allegations coming from three former aides. He's now facing multiple investigations — and legions of his swooning supporters are quietly backing away from — even m…
(2021-03-05). #LettersToBessemer: Black Workers Matter. workers.org 
From People's Power Assembly NYC and Workers Assembly Against Racism: Since early February 2021, a Black women-led unionizing struggle has been happening in a Bessemer, Ala., Amazon warehouse. They've organized in response to dangerous working conditions including: 1) dangerously inadequate COVID-19 protocols; 2) no hazard pay, even as essential workers . . . |
(2021-03-04). Covid-19: Palestinian Authority criticised for VIP vaccine distribution. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Palestinian Authority criticised for VIP vaccine distribution | A significant proportion of the first batch of vaccines have gone to PA government figures and their allies
| Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 45 | An UNRWA employee prepares a shot of the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine for medical staff at UNRWA's al-Sheikh Redwan clinic in Gaza City, on 25 February 2021 (AFP) | Political and security…
(2021-03-05). New York Congressmember Mondaire Jones: Israel Should Ensure Palestinians Have Access to COVID Vaccine. democracynow.org 
Israel has failed to make COVID-19 vaccines available to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, despite its responsibility under the Geneva Conventions. Critics in the United States say this "vaccine apartheid" is another example of Israeli human rights abuses going unpunished, even as the country receives billions in U.S. aid each year. Congressmember Mondaire Jones of New York says Israel must ensure that Palestinians are vaccinated. "There's no question about that," he says. "I don't think that anyone can argue otherwise in good conscience."
(2021-03-04). COVID Deaths Soar in Brazil as Bolsonaro Blasts Lockdowns. Experts Warn It Will "Get Worse." democracynow.org 
Brazil's COVID-19 death toll has now topped nearly 260,000, the world's second worst after the United States, as hospitals are overwhelmed with new cases. International concern is also growing about the P1 variant of the virus, which overwhelmed the Amazonian city of Manaus and caused its hospitals to run out of oxygen. Less than 4% of Brazil's population has been vaccinated. Marcia Castro, demography professor at Harvard University, says the crisis in Brazil is due to "a combination of inaction and also wrongdoing" by officials, including President Jair Bolsonaro, who has opposed lockdowns, masks and other publi…
(2021-03-04). Vaccine Apartheid: Marc Lamont Hill, Mitchell Plitnick on Israel's "Indifference to Palestinian Health" democracynow.org 
Israel has had the fastest vaccination rollout in the entire world, with 40% of Israelis already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but Palestinians in the Occupied Territories have received almost no doses — a situation critics call "vaccine apartheid." By one count, just 34,000 vaccine doses have been administered to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, which has a population of over 4.5 million. "What we're seeing right now is a gross injustice," says Marc Lamont Hill, author and professor of media studies and urban education at Temple University. We also speak with Mitchell Plitnick, political anal…
(2021-03-04). Mumia Abu-Jamal Tests Positive for COVID, Prompting Urgent Call to Release Elder Political Prisoners. democracynow.org 
Renowned political prisoner and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal's lawyers confirmed Wednesday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and also has congestive heart disease. Abu-Jamal also suffers from the preexisting conditions of liver disease, which advocates say is directly related to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' failure to treat his hepatitis C in a timely fashion. Mumia's doctor, Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, says the only appropriate treatment is freedom. Marc Lamont Hill, who co-authored a book with Abu-Jamal titled "The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America," says this is an opportun…
(2021-03-05). Mumia has COVID-19 — the only treatment is his freedom! workers.org 
Word has come that Pennsylvania political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has tested positive for COVID-19. Supporters learned of the diagnosis March 3, as they were gathered in front of the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to call for Abu-Jamal's release and that of all incarcerated people over 50, who . . . |
(2021-03-05). What the Ecuadoran Elections Mean for the U.S. counterpunch.org 
The pink tide is coming back in — much to the chagrin of many in the U.S. government. With leftist governments in Bolivia, Venezuela, Argentina, Nicaragua, Mexico and Cuba, the prospect of yet another, this time in Ecuador, doubtless keeps regime changers, right-wing think tankers and other assorted Washington imperialists up at night. All those leftists the U.S. had murdered over the years, all the death squads the U.S. gave the nod to, all those dictators the North American empire supported — for what? After generations of slaughter, the victims' heirs keep taking over. The U.S. sponsored the exterm…
(2021-03-05). The Private Health Insurance Industry: Should It Be Eliminated? counterpunch.org 
Many Americans assume that the private health insurance industry is an unmovable fixture in the U. S. health care system, but there is a growing need to re-examine that premise. Over recent decades, its performance has been increasingly profit-driven to the point of now becoming unaffordable for patients, their families, employers and taxpayers. The time
(2021-03-05). The case for abolition, for skeptics. mronline.org 
In the final piece of the series, NLG Anti-Racism Committee Co-Chair and one of the proponents of the 2020 policing resolution Kira Kelley makes the case for the abolition of policing and offers examples of individuals and projects taking power and resources away from police and prisons to create non-carceral, non-punitive alternatives.
(2021-03-05). Economic Growth is the Cause of Climate Change, Not the Solution to It. counterpunch.org 
Through 2019, the last year for which data is available, greenhouse gas emissions and global GDP growth remained as highly correlated as they have been for the last half century. What this means is that despite the rhetorical back-and-forth over technological innovation and government policies as potential solutions to climate change, the role of economic
(2021-03-05). Israel: Orthodox Religious Parties Shaken by Supreme Court Ruling on Law of Return. mintpressnews.com 
The Israeli Supreme Court ruling on the application of the Law of Return threatens ultimate dilution of the political power of Israel's Orthodox religious parties, and thus has the potential to shake up the upcoming election's dynamics.
(2021-03-05). ArcelorMittal is 'slowly becoming a burial site'. peoplesdispatch.org 
Three ArcelorMittal workers were trapped in a control room in the early hours of Wednesday 17 February when the room collapsed after a stack structure fell on it, following an explosion. Workers who witnessed the scene at the company's plant in Vanderbijlpark in south Gauteng paint a grim picture. But the company denies an explosion occurred, despite no managers being there at the time. | The workers say the flames from the batteries were unusual that day, resembling an explosion, with large flames in the ovens. Gas escaped to the stack structure adjacent to the control room, where Thami Molefe, 53, Lesenyeho Mof…
(2021-03-05). Failing Upward: Pentagon's more and more Expensive Boondoggles (that don't even work). juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com) — Cancel culture is a common, almost viral, term in political and social discourse these days. Basically, somebody expresses views considered to be outrageous or vile or racist or otherwise insensitive and inappropriate. In response, that person is "canceled," perhaps losing a job or otherwise sidelined and silenced. In being deplatformed by Twitter, …
(2021-03-05). The Odyssey of An Wei, the Forest Gump of China. counterpunch.org 
The story of An Wei overlaps almost perfectly with the story of Communist China. Born in a small village some distance from the northwestern city of Xian, An Wei was seven years old when Mao took control of the country in 1949. As the son of peasants, he was part of the first generation of
(2021-03-05). Abbott forces Texas "OPEN 100%" just weeks after deadly storm. liberationnews.org 
Abbott has billed the new order as a victory for "freedom," even as he undermines cities' freedom to protect their own populations with mask mandates and protective measures.
(2021-03-05). Houston demonstration demands, "Fix our broken pipes, no more airstrikes!" liberationnews.org 
Texans were told to drink pool water while Biden prioritized bombing Syria.
(2021-03-05). Michigan high school students fight racism. liberationnews.org 
"It can be scary to be Black in America. [Our kids] shouldn't have to be scared at school."
(2021-03-05). Killer Kim Reynolds and the Fascist State of Iowa. counterpunch.org 
The affluent and older white male "leftists" who minimize the threat posed by the ever more fascistic Republican Party tend to live in big "blue" cities where the Amerikaner Republivolk are a distinct minority. Some of these privileged urbanites might want to spend some time in a pandemo-fascist white-supremacist state like Iowa, which sent Steve
(2021-03-05). Atlanta DA refuses to prosecute killer cop in Rayshard Brooks' murder. liberationnews.org 
Although nearing a year since the murder of Rayshard Brooks, Fulton County officials have yet to prosecute the two killer cops of the Atlanta Police Department. Brooks was killed by officers Garret Rolfe and Devin Brosnan on the night of June 12, 2020, outside a Wendy's restaurant near Atlanta's Pittsburgh neighborhood. Brooks was shot twice …
(2021-03-05). From the Murder of Berta Cáceres to the Dam Disaster in Uttarakhand. counterpunch.org 
March 2, 2021 was the five year anniversary of the murder of Berta Cáceres, who opposed the Agua Zarca dam in Honduras. That date was less than one month after the deaths of dozens of people from Tehri Dam disaster in Uttarakhand, India. The two stories together tell us far more about consequences of the insatiable greed of capitalism for more energy than either narrative does by itself.
(2021-03-05). From the Murder of Berta Cáceres to Dam Disaster in Uttarakhand. dissidentvoice.org 
March 2, 2021 was the five year anniversary of the murder of Berta Cáceres, who opposed the Agua Zarca dam in Honduras. That date was less than one month after the deaths of dozens of people from Tehri Dam disaster in Uttarakhand, India. The two stories together tell us far more about consequences of the …
(2021-03-05). A fight for free speech in Selah, Wash. liberationnews.org 
In a small, conservative town in central Washington, sidewalk chalk has become a highly contentious issue between residents and the City Council.
(2021-03-05). Top Pentagon commander requests astronomical sum of money to prepare for war with China. liberationnews.org 
The funding increase that Davidson is seeking for his command — not the total allocation — is greater than the entire budget of the whole armed forces of Brazil.
(2021-03-05). Trump and Biden's Secret Bombing Wars. dissidentvoice.org 
Credit: The Intercept: U.S.-led coalition airstrike — Mosul, Iraq on November 7, 2016 On February 25th, President Biden ordered U.S. air forces to drop seven 500-pound bombs on Iraqi forces in Syria, reportedly killing 22 people. The U.S. airstrike has predictably failed to halt rocket attacks on deeply unpopular U.S. bases in Iraq, which the …
(2021-03-05). Trump and Biden's Secret Bombing Wars. counterpunch.org 
On February 25, President Biden ordered U.S. air forces to drop seven 500-pound bombs on Iraqi forces in Syria, reportedly killing 22 people. The U.S. airstrike has predictably failed to halt rocket attacks on deeply unpopular U.S. bases in Iraq, which the Iraqi National Assembly passed a resolution to close over a year ago. The
(2021-03-05). PRO Act, biggest labor law reform in decades, headed for House vote. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The narrowly Democratic U.S. House will vote during the week of March 8 on the nation's most wide-ranging, pro-worker labor law reform in decades, the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize). Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced the scheduled vote on March 3. His schedule statement comes as unions, led by the AFL-CIO, are stepping …
(2021-03-05). GOP, Senate filibuster in way of 'next great Civil Rights bill'. peoplesworld.org 
The Democratic-led House of Representatives is responding to the largest assault on voting rights since Reconstruction with the For the People Act (H.R. 1). The measure passed in the lower chamber on March 3. The fight to win final adoption of the bill now passes to the nearly evenly divided Senate. But passage in the …
(2021-03-05). 'It's the Cuomo way': MORE aides describe 'cult' workplace as top NY Democrat says governor should quit if new accusers speak out. rt.com 
Numerous former staffers for Andrew Cuomo have described the toxic and cult-like work environment they worked under amidst the governor's multiple worsening scandals, including three accusations of sexual harassment. | "There's no right or wrong way. It's the Cuomo way," one staffer told the Gothamist about a warning she received when interviewing for a job in the Cuomo administration. "He wants people who are literally going to fall on the sword for him, and they all will." | Another described being told to wear stiletto heels because she was blonde and the governor "likes blondes" in stiletto heels. Her desk…
(2021-03-05). California's Newsom doubles down (literally) on mask-wearing as he says Texas made 'terrible mistake' in lifting mandate. rt.com 
California Governor Gavin Newsom has urged state residents to double up on their mask-wearing, issuing new guidelines calling for two face coverings in public after condemning Texas and other states for easing their restrictions. | Asking Californians to "get the most out of masking," the state's
(2021-03-05). Gulf Coast says: Support #BAmazon Union! workers.org 
By Sean Miller Members of Black Voters Matter, Workers World Party-Central Gulf Coast branch and others hosted a Feb. 20 rally in downtown Pensacola, Fla., in support of the Bessemer, Ala., Amazon workers union drive. Joining over 50 other cities in a Day of Solidarity actions, they spoke out for . . . |
(2021-03-05). What is Ur, the 'birthplace' of Abraham? middleeasteye.net 
What is Ur, the 'birthplace' of Abraham? | Pope Francis is due to lead an interfaith service at the ancient Iraqi city where the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is thought to have lived | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 13: 14 | The ziggurat at Ur was a temple to the moon god Nannar, and has been dated to the second millennium BC (Reuters) | On Saturday, Pope Francis will hold an inter-faith s…
(2021-03-05). Harris reaffirms US opposition to ICC probe of Israel in call to Netanyahu. middleeasteye.net 
Harris reaffirms US opposition to ICC probe of Israel in call to Netanyahu | US vice president also 'emphasized the United States' unwavering commitment to Israel's security' | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 08: 26 | The call was the first between Harris and Netanyahu since she became US vice president in January (AFP) | US Vice President Kamala Harris, in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Ne…
(2021-03-05). Police hijack helicopter ambulance for aerial surveillance. therealnews.com 
Documents obtained by PAR reveal how an air ambulance service has been used repeatedly to fly surveillance missions over the city of Baltimore, raising troubling questions about the consequences of law enforcement's growing civic influence.
(2021-03-05). Algeria: Bill to revoke citizenship met with anger and fear among activists. middleeasteye.net 
Algeria: Bill to revoke citizenship met with anger and fear among activists | The proposed law would target people deemed detrimental to the state, in a move condemned as dangerous and vague | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 14: 22 | Demonstrators carry the national flag on a march in Algiers to demand political change (Reuters) | A new bill being considered by the Algerian government, which could see people have thei…
(2021-03-05). 'Baba al-Vatican': Pope Francis arrives in Iraq for historic visit. middleeasteye.net 
'Baba al-Vatican': Pope Francis arrives in Iraq for historic visit | Head of Catholic Church greeted by dancing and dignitaries for Iraq's first ever papal visit | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 13: 21 | Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi welcomed Pope Francis at Baghdad International Airport (Reuters) | Pope Francis said he was "happy" to land in Iraq for the first ever papal visit to the country…
(2021-03-05). Egypt: Toddler traumatised after two years in detention with mother. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: Toddler traumatised after two years in detention with mother | Amnesty International says a 27-year-old woman and her baby were 'forcibly disappeared' by Egyptian security services | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 15: 40 | Manar Adel Abu el-Naga and her husband Omar Abdelhamid Abu el-Naga | Egyptian authorities have been urged to fully investigate the two-year-long "enforced disappearance" of…
(2021-03-05). Tens of thousands of Palestinians protest against Israeli police violence and inaction. middleeasteye.net 
Tens of thousands of Palestinians protest against Israeli police violence and inaction | Demonstration held on eighth Friday in a row and said to be the largest in 20 years | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 11: 04 | Palestinians take part in a protest against a wave of crime and violence in their communities, amid tensions with Israeli police who the protesters say are unwilling to deal with th…
(2021-03-05). Germany-Morocco tensions: Why is Rabat so upset with Berlin? middleeasteye.net 
Germany-Morocco tensions: Why is Rabat so upset with Berlin? | Western Sahara, Libya negotiations, German organisations… the suspension of contact between Rabat and the German embassy in Morocco has been attributed to 'an accumulation of grudges'
| Fri, 03/05/2021 – 13: 17 | German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Berlin in November 2019 (AFP) | A d…
(2021-03-05). Arabic press review: Palestine slams Washington's 'lack of understanding' of ICC jurisdiction. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Palestine slams Washington's 'lack of understanding' of ICC jurisdiction | Meanwhile, British ambassador in Jordan says her country is committed to the two-state solution, and Iraq imposes curfew during Pope's visit | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 17: 07 | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks about priorities for administration of President Joe Biden in the Ben Franklin…
(2021-03-05). Princess Latifa: UN 'still waiting' for evidence from UAE that she is alive. middleeasteye.net 
Princess Latifa: UN 'still waiting' for evidence from UAE that she is alive | Recent footage showed the daughter of Dubai's ruler saying she was being held captive by her father | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 11: 27 | Friends of Princess Latifa say she has had little medical care and went over a year without a toothbrush (Screengrab/Sky News) | The United Nations has said it is still waiting for proo…
(2021-03-05). UN expert warns counter-terror policies led to 'further stigmatisation' of Muslims. middleeasteye.net 
UN expert warns counter-terror policies led to 'further stigmatisation' of Muslims | UN Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed said Islamophobia has reached 'epidemic proportions' across the world | Fri, 03/05/2021 – 16: 21 | UN expert Ahmed Shaheed said Muslim women face the triple threat of discrimination due to their gender, ethnicity, and religion (AFP) | A United Nations expert has warned that counter-ter…
(2021-03-05). Rep. Mondaire Jones: Voting Rights Bill H.R. 1 Is of "Foundational Importance" to U.S. Democracy. democracynow.org 
The House of Representatives has approved sweeping legislation protecting the right to vote with the For the People Act, which has been described as the most sweeping pro-democracy bill in decades. The legislation is aimed at improving voter registration and access to voting, ending partisan and racial gerrymandering, forcing the disclosure of dark money donors, increasing public funding for candidates, and imposing strict ethical and reporting standards on members of Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill, which comes amid a nationwide attack on voting rights in courthouses and statehouses, is heading to…
(2021-03-05). "We Do This 'Til We Free Us": Mariame Kaba on Abolishing Police, Prisons & Moving Toward Justice. democracynow.org 
Outrage over police brutality and the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people has generated calls to defund and abolish the police. Longtime organizer Mariame Kaba's new book, titled "We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice," brings together collected essays, interviews and other writings that she and numerous collaborators produced between 2014 — the year of the uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri, over the police killing of Michael Brown — and today. Kaba says the book grapples with "the fact that so many people around the country recognize the complete and utte…
(2021-03-05). Rev. William Barber to Democrats: Overrule the Senate Parliamentarian & Pass the $15 Minimum Wage. democracynow.org 
The Senate has voted to open debate on President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. The legislation has widespread support from voters, with one new poll showing 77% of Americans support the bill, including nearly 60% of Republicans. But the Senate bill has some key differences from the package approved by the House, including a reduction in the number of people eligible for direct stimulus checks and no provision to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. However, the Fight for 15 continues, with the Senate considering an amendment by Senator Bernie Sanders to raise the minimum wage fro…
(2021-03-05). Roaming Charges: No Neanderthal Ever Bombed Syria. counterpunch.org 
+ There were many reasons to vote against Trump, starting with the fact that he was the incumbent running for reelection. All incumbent presidents should be voted against as matter of principle, because they almost certainly started committing war crimes within weeks of taking office, a truism Biden has now reconfirmed with his bombing of
(2021-03-05). Michigan high school students fight racism. liberationnews.org "It can be scary to be Black in America. [Our kids] shouldn't have to be scared at school."
(2021-03-05). Marching Through Georgia. thenation.com 
…
(2021-03-04). WATCH: People flee to higher ground, boats rush to safer waters after New Zealand says tsunami evacuation 'overrides' Covid alert. rt.com 
Coastal areas of New Zealand were under evacuation orders for several hours after a series of powerful earthquakes, sending residents fleeing to safety as officials said the emergency overrode the country's Covid-19 restrictions. | Residents were instructed to evacuate some coastal areas "immediately" in the wake of a series of Friday morning's quakes — three of them registering at more than 7.0 in m…
(2021-03-04). Italy blocks 250,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from reaching Australia in first for EU — reports. rt.com 
The Italian government has reportedly prevented a shipment of some 250,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University from leaving the country for Australia, in the first such action in the EU. | Rome's ban on exporting AstraZeneca jabs made at Italy's Anagni plant for Canberra was first reported by the Financial Times, citing Italian government sources. | It is the first such move by an EU member state since Brussels brought in new rules allowing governments to halt shipments to other countries of vaccines produced in the bloc in order to protect European interests. | The Ita…
(2021-03-04). Ukraine bracing for third wave of Covid-19 infections Prime Minister warns, after turning down Russian offers of Sputnik V vaccine. rt.com 
Cases of coronavirus are again on the rise in Ukraine, the country's Prime Minister Denis Shmigal has said, cautioning that another tough lockdown might be on the cards to prevent its beleaguered health system from collapsing. | Speaking to journalists on Thursday, the politician said that a rise in incidence statistics "cannot be hidden or interpreted in any other way." In future, he claimed, "there may be a strict lockdown… if most of the regions become red zones, it will be necessary to return to the model of lockdowns that Ukraine has already gone through." | "If we see that the medical system is becomin…
(2021-03-04). Iraq approves Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. rt.com 
The Iraqi Ministry of Health has given emergency use authorization to Russia's Sputnik V, the world's first vaccine against Covid-19, joining 44 other countries and territories around the world that have done so thus far. | Baghdad's decision was announced on Thursday by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which financed the vaccine's development at Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute. | "The vaccine is now authorized in 8 countries of the Middle East and we are seeing rising demand for it," said RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev. He added that the total population of the countries and territories that have app…
(2021-03-04). Activists occupy Paris theater as protesters across France demand cultural venues reopen despite Covid-19 fears (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Dozens of demonstrators have taken over Paris's Odeon Theater as part of national protests against the continued closure of cultural venues as the French government brings in tougher Covid-19 curbs. | Police in the French capital closed off all entrances to the area surrounding the historic building, one of France's national theaters, after as many as 80 people reportedly made their way inside on Thursday. | Banners with anti-government slogans were unfurled above the theater entrance, while more than a dozen activists and entertainment workers could be seen occupying the building in videos posted to social me…
(2021-03-04). COVID Deaths Soar in Brazil as Bolsonaro Blasts Lockdowns. truthout.org 
Brazil's COVID-19 death toll has now topped nearly 260,000, the world's second worst after the United States, as hospitals are overwhelmed with new cases. International concern is also growing about the P1 variant of the virus, which overwhelmed the Amazonian city of Manaus and caused its hospitals to run out of oxygen. Less than 4% of Brazil's population has been vaccinated. Marcia Castro, demography professor at Harvard University, says the crisis in Brazil is due to "a combination of inaction and also wrongdoin…
(2021-03-04). AOC Slams Biden Administration Over Lowering COVID Stimulus Income Thresholds. truthout.org 
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) sharply criticized The $1,400 checks, the third round of payments to Americans during the pandemic, will be sent in full to every individual earning $75,000 or l…
(2021-03-04). Biden should force Big Pharma to share taxpayer-subsidized COVID-19 vaccines. therealnews.com 
This week, President Biden announced that, by utilizing the Defense Production Act, the federal government has created an historic agreement between drugmakers Johnson & Johnson and Merck to produce enough COVID-19 vaccines for the entire U.S. adult population by May (months quicker than initially expected). This underscores the ability of the U.S. government to facilitate faster vaccine production, argues Peter Maybarduk of Public Citizen, but that production doesn't have to be driven by the hunt for profit.
(2021-03-04). In Renton, WA, unions, community come out to support 'Bamazon' union drive. liberationnews.org 
Despite the scattered showers and mid-30 ∞s weather close to 300 people showed up to voice their support.
(2021-03-04). After years of propaganda, American views of Russia and China hit historic lows. mronline.org 
Both pro- and anti-war voices have stated that the U.S. is on the cusp of entering a second Cold War, and a new Gallup poll suggests that the groundwork for such a conflict has already been laid.
(2021-03-04). Beyond the Sprouts of Capitalism. mronline.org 
The contemporary political economy of the People's Republic of China, the nature of the Chinese system, has been the subject of much discussion and debate in mainstream academic, media, and political circles, as well as on the left. Yet one can only make sense of contemporary China with a clear understanding of the country's economic …
(2021-03-04). Parliament rejects Moreno's privatization of Central Bank. mronline.org 
Parliament's Legislative Administration Council (CAL) reported that the project had 14 unconstitutional aspects. The bill presented 84 reforms to the Organic Monetary and Financial Code that would allow a $400 million loan from the International Monetary Fund.
(2021-03-04). Connecticut People's World Black History event: 'Building the Third Reconstruction'. peoplesworld.org 
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—On a Sunday afternoon I logged on my computer to attend the 47th Connecticut People's World African-American History Month Celebration, which was being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year's theme was perfectly titled, "Georgia On My Mind, The Third Reconstruction," and emceed by Mary Thigpen. Testimonials and experiences were shared …
(2021-03-04). Trial of Chauvin, George Floyd's murderer, pivotal to reforming racist policing. peoplesworld.org 
MINNEAPOLIS—The consensus among activists speaking at a recent press conference in Minneapolis is that it will take massive street protests to convict Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Frank Chapman, a spokesperson for the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which was founded in 1973, pointed to the national significance of the …
(2021-03-04). Hammer and Hope: Danny Glover on the Amazon union drive in Bessemer, Alabama. therealnews.com 
TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez sits down with world-renowned actor, activist, and TRNN board member Danny Glover to talk about workers' struggles and the historic union vote at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama.
(2021-03-04). Fire Suppression Hyperbole. counterpunch.org 
In almost all media reports about the recent fire seasons, one of the chief explanations given for the larger blazes is "fire suppression" and "fuel build-up." We hear that 100 years of fire suppression has contributed to the "unnatural" accumulation of fuels and is one of the primary reasons for large fires. The solution, we
(2021-03-04). Aurora Police Killed Without Consequence, Now Their Protestors Face 48 Years for "Kidnapping" Cops. mintpressnews.com 
The cops and the district attorneys want people to see what we are going through — the conditions of our arrests, our experiences in jail, and our legal battle — and to think that this is what you risk when you stand up against them. – Lillian House, Aurora Activist and Defendant…
(2021-03-04). Pope's upcoming visit brings attention to the dwindling population of Christians in Iraq. juancole.com 
By Ramazan Kƒ±lƒ±nàß | — Pope Francis will arrive in Iraq on Friday in a first-ever papal visit to the country that is expected to raise awareness about the challenges facing Iraqi Christians — a majority of whom are Catholic. In the past two decades, the Christian population in Iraq has fallen by over 80%. …
(2021-03-04). Texas winter storm crisis the fault of state leaders, big oil, protesters say. liberationnews.org 
Natural gas and fossil fuel executives, as well as officials in ERCOT and PUCT, should face criminal charges for their role in the deaths, injuries, and damages suffered during this crisis.
(2021-03-04). New York politicians push bill to 'kill' rent cancellation movement, organizers fight back. liberationnews.org 
On Feb. 28, tenant organizers in New York City demonstrated outside the home of New York State Senator Brian Kavanaugh in Manhattan to protest his sponsorship of a bill which bails out landlords, not tenants.
(2021-03-04). Renton, Wash., unions, community come out to support 'Bamazon' union drive. liberationnews.org Despite the scattered showers and mid-30 ∞s weather close to 300 people showed up to voice their support.
(2021-03-04). Dr. Beverly Tatum: The ABCs of representation in education. therealnews.com 
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum talks with the professors about the critical importance of having curriculums, educators, and school communities that are dedicated to affirming and embracing Black students and students of color, and explains what she calls the "ABCs": Affirming Identity, Building Community, and Cultivating Leadership.
(2021-03-04). Cornel West: Palestine is a "taboo issue among certain circles in high places" mronline.org 
Activist and scholar says he is being denied tenure at Harvard University because of his views on Israeli occupation.
(2021-03-04). Creating a Safe Space at Work for Discussing Social Justice Topics. dissidentvoice.org 
Image Source: Pexels There's a lot going on in the world at the moment, which means there's a lot we need to talk about. It seems as though every day there is another incident that raises issues related to the socio-economic imbalances in our society, systemic racism, or the political decisions that shape our lives. …
(2021-03-04). The Decades-Long Struggle Over Big Corporations and Poverty Wages. counterpunch.org 
The Senate Parliamentarian has dealt a strong blow to the Fight for $15 movement by ruling that a federal minimum wage increase cannot be included in the stimulus bill. Senator Bernie Sanders is pushing back with an amendment to take tax deductions away from large, profitable corporations that do not pay at least $15 an
(2021-03-04). Myanmar military coup leaders target trade unions for destruction. peoplesworld.org 
For weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been participating in peaceful mass demonstrations across Myanmar in the wake of a coup led by the Army. As the peaceful civil disobedience movement continues to protest against the military takeover, authorities are resorting to violence and cracking down civilians—including trade unions and their leaders. Police have issued …
(2021-03-04). Electricity vs. Broadband: Does History Repeat Itself? counterpunch.org 
Americans take household electric for granted, but this was not always the case. Millions of U.S. households have access to electricity to power water heating, lighting, refrigeration, TV, telephone and other products. And yet, according to one estimate, about 15,000 families — 60,000 people — are not connected to the electric grid; many are located on Native American reservations. (In addition, about 18,000 families don't have running water in their house.) |
(2021-03-04). Activists chant: 'No war on Syria or Iran!'. workers.org 
Buffalo, N.Y. Buffalo, N.Y., March 1. WW PHOTO: Ezra Echo Despite frigid temperatures, determined activists here in Buffalo came out late Monday afternoon March 1 at a busy intersection with demands aimed at the Biden administration: U.S. Out of the Middle East! Stop Bombing Syria! U.S. Out of Iraq and . . . |
(2021-03-04). From the Murder of Berta Cáceres to Dam Disaster in Uttarakhand. mronline.org 
March 2, 2021 was the five year anniversary of the murder of Berta Cáceres, who opposed the Agua Zarca dam in Honduras. That date was less than one month after the deaths of dozens of people from Tehri Dam disaster in Uttarakhand, India. The two stories together tell us far more about consequences of the …
(2021-03-04). Ecuador's leftist candidate ratified as first round winner. mronline.org 
Authorities officially confirmed that Andres Arauz and the banker Guillermo Lasso will compete for the presidency in the second round to be held on April 11.
(2021-03-04). Doctors acted unlawfully in deciding on eligibility for drug — Court of Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Basma (suing by her mother and litigation friend Sara Basma) v Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Anr [2021] EWCA Civ 278 Sophie Basma ("Sophie") is 10. She suffers from Type 3 Spinal Muscular Atrophy ("SMA"). SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease which progressively leads to sufferers being unable to walk or sit …
(2021-03-04). 25 Years of GMOs, and Some New Insights from Argentina. counterpunch.org 
n the winter of 1996, Monsanto and a few other companies first began to sell genetically engineered seeds to commercial growers, and also mounted a massive public relations effort to convince people of their supposed benefits. They hyped their new GMOs as the answer to world hunger, a way to help troubled farmers stay on the land, and as a technology that would bring higher quality, more nutritious food to all. Skeptics in many countries responded swiftly: Greenpeace blockaded shipments and planted symbols in farmers' fields, while decentralized networks of activists organized Global Days of Action. Saboteurs in…
(2021-03-04). NYS politicians push bill to 'kill' rent cancellation movement, organizers fight back. liberationnews.org On Feb. 28, tenant organizers in New York City demonstrated outside the home of New York State Senator Brian Kavanaugh in Manhattan to protest his sponsorship of a bill which bails out landlords, not tenants.
(2021-03-04). Biden, Team D and the Dimming Prospects of Getting Anything Meaningful Through the Senate. counterpunch.org 
It's kinda touching that Team D imagines it will get anything through the Senate with: 1. A nominal 50-50 split, 2. Joe Manchin and Kysten Sinema enjoying the power that having a line-item veto provides, 3. Que Mala Harris's reluctance to do anything she thinks might jeopardize her chances at the presidency, 4. Crazy Uncle
(2021-03-04). Germany's Linke (the Left Party) comes out of its convention united. peoplesworld.org 
BERLIN — Things worked out quite differently than many in the media here said they would at the congress of the LINKE, the country's left-wing party. The pandemic had forced postponements from June 2020 to October 2020 and from last October to last weekend, with most of the 580 delegates at home in front of …
(2021-03-04). PDF of March 4 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Support grows for Alabama Amazon union EDITORIALS: Tell Biden: Stop bombing Syria! Raise the minimum wage! ALSO: Mumia's latest health crisis Decision: No fracking Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021 Anti-war actions WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Nadezhda Krupskaya: Bolshevik revolutionary Cuban 'Red Rose' TEAR DOWN THE WALLS: Angola Prison hunger strike . . . |
(2021-03-04). Surprise on the left. mronline.org 
Surprise, surprise! Things worked out quite differently than expected at the congress of the LINKE, the left-wing party.
(2021-03-04). Biden's Foreign Policy: No Joy in Mudville. counterpunch.org 
Well, at least he hasn't started any NEW wars! | For four years, that was the excuse I got from anti-war Donald Trump supporters every time he escalated one of the several wars he inherited from George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I expect to start hearing it from anti-war Joseph Biden supporters soon.
(2021-03-04). 'We're Not Going Back': New York celebrates Black History Month. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK—Last Sunday night after watching Trump's recycled demagogy at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), I thankfully had the uplifting experience of viewing the "We're Not Going Back" celebration of the African American people's long march to freedom. We're Not Going Back is an annual event initiated by the New York Bureau of People's …
(2021-03-04). National Guard commander charges Pentagon delayed sending troops to Capitol Jan. 6. peoplesworld.org 
By the day, facts uncovered in the ongoing Senate hearings on the security failings connected to the Trumpite attack on the Capitol are raising concern that there may have been, at the least, advance knowledge and, possibly worse, collaboration involving officials on various levels. Testimony Wednesday added the Pentagon leadership to the list of top …
(2021-03-04). Not waiting around: Progressive Caucus already working on next stimulus package. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—The almost evenly split Senate is still wrangling over Democratic President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package, but the Congressional Progressive Caucus is looking ahead to the next one, its chair says. And while Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., didn't throw out any numbers in her Zoom session with Our Revolution Board Chair Larry …
(2021-03-04). Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah sparks controversy, and it hasn't even aired yet. thecanary.co 
Meghan Markle and Harry duke of Sussex's What's race got to do with it?: | The Times published a story accusing Markle of "
(2021-03-04). Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah sparks controversy, and it hasn't even aired yet. thecanary.co 
Meghan Markle and Harry duke of Sussex's What's race got to do with it?: | The Times published a story accusing Markle of "
(2021-03-04). US Capitol Police call for National Guard to be deployed for another TWO MONTHS, citing threats — media. rt.com 
A 60-day extension to the National Guard's deployment to the US Capitol is being reviewed by the Pentagon, the Associated Press has reported. Over 5,000 troops have been stationed there since January's Capitol riot. | Capitol Police made the request for the 60-day extension to the National Guard's deployment to Washington, DC within the last 36 hours, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) told the Associated Press on Thursday. The Guard is reportedly seeking volunteers to fill…
(2021-03-04). YouTube CEO says will lift suspension on Trump's channel when 'we determine the risk of violence has decreased'. rt.com 
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki is claiming the suspension on Donald Trump's channel will be lifted, but at the moment the "risk of violence" is too great. | In a Thursday discussion with the NATO-backed Atlantic Council think tank, Wojcicki was directly asked about the details behind Trump's suspension from the video platform. YouTube was one of numerous platforms to suspend the former president following the January 6 Capitol riot, which he was accused by the House of inciting. | Wojcicki claims the ban is not permanent and Trump's channel will be turned back on "when we determine the risk of violence has decreas…
(2021-03-04). US Capitol Police call for National Guard to be deployed for another TWO MONTHS, citing threats – media. rt.com A 60-day extension to the National Guard's deployment to the US Capitol is being reviewed by the Pentagon, the Associated Press has reported. Over 5,000 troops have been stationed there since January's Capitol riot. | Capitol Police made the request for the 60-day extension to the National Guard's deployment to Washington DC within the last 36 hours, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) told the Associated Press on Thursday. The Guard is reportedly seeking volunteers to fill…
(2021-03-04). 'QAnon Shaman' says he was 'waved' into Capitol by police & stopped rioters from stealing muffins, in bizarre interview from jail. rt.com 
Jacob Chansley, also known as the 'QAnon Shaman', gave his first interview from jail and pushed back against claims that his role in storming the Capitol was an "attack on America." Police "waved" him into the building, he said. | Chansley, who became perhaps the most recognizable face of the Capitol riot on January 6, as images of him shirtless and wearing bull horns quickly went viral, has spoken out ahead of a Friday hearing that will determine whether he will be released from jail ahead of his trial. | In an interview with 60 Minutes Plus reporter Laurie Segall, Chansley claim that police officers "waved"
(2021-03-04). 'Where's our restitution?' Ferguson activists & Mike Brown Sr. demand BLM cough up $20 MILLION, a fraction of its global donations. rt.com 
A Ferguson, Missouri activist group and Michael Brown Sr. are demanding that Black Lives Matter shell out $20 million to local organizers, accusing the org of abandoning "freedom fighters" while it basks in the public spotlight. | Tory Russell, who co-founded Ferguson's International Black Freedom Alliance, appeared in a video alongside the father of the late Michael Brown on Tuesday, calling on BLM's national leadership to send a cool $20 million to the IBFA and other community groups. | "Today, we hold Black Lives Matter accountable. The movement that has catapulted into the limelight has forgotten about Fer…
(2021-03-04). Election reform law passes House and heads to Senate, likely to be killed by filibuster. rt.com 
A sweeping reform of election rules has been re-approved by the House along party lines, with supporters celebrating it. But like its predecessor, the piece of legislation vehemently opposed by the GOP faces a Senate dead end. | The so-called 'For the People Act', also known as 'H.R. 1' after the designation of its House version, was approved in a 220-210 vote on Wednesday. Not a single Republican joined the Democrats in backing the bill, which the two parties see in a diametrically opposing light. | Supporters call the proposed reform the most significant improvement of the US democratic system since the Voti…
(2021-03-04). Texas power grid operator axes its CEO after deadly blackout caused by winter storm. rt.com 
The entity delivering power to most of Texas has decided to fire its CEO, as it faces criticism for failing to prepare the power grid for last month's winter storm and leaving millions without heat for days. | The board of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has given a 60-day notice to President and CEO Bill Magness, the non-profit company said in a statement after a meeting on Wednesday night. During the transition period, he will "work with state leaders and regulators on potential reforms," while the board looks for his replacement. | Magness has served as the head of ERCOT since 2016. In 201…
(2021-03-04). House CANCELS March 4 session after Capitol Police cites 'possible plot' by militia. rt.com 
The US House of Representatives won't be in session on Thursday, after Capitol Police, the FBI, and Homeland Security said extremists were discussing possible threats to Congress. The Senate is not changing its schedule, however. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) moved to Wednesday evening the vote on a police reform bill that was scheduled for Thursday. Multiple media outlets reported that the March 4 session of the lower chamber was canceled altogether. | Earlier in the day, US Capitol Police announced it would bolster its security profile due to "intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach t…
(2021-03-04). Mississippi school asks students to 'pretend to be slaves' for class assignment, gets roasted for 'whitewashing' slavery. rt.com 
A middle school in Purvis, Mississippi is under fire after students were asked to pen a letter from the perspective of a plantation slave, with the assignment condemned as "hurtful" and "tone deaf" by local activists. | As part of a class project, eighth graders at Purvis Middle School were told to "pretend like you are a slave working on a Mississippi plantation" and to imagine their day-to-day lives, their journey to the United States and the type of labor they were forced to perform, among other things. But a photo of the assignment making the rounds on Twitter on Wednesday has stoked outrage among some res…
(2021-03-04). Black teen calls 911 on SELF, claims racial profiling, feared he could be in a 'similar situation as George Floyd'. rt.com 
Seattle police responded to a call claiming a young black man was brandishing a handgun, only to later find out the man in question called 911 himself and later claimed he was racially profiled. | The 911 operator receiving the call believed they were talking to an individual named Stacey Williams who was describing a young black man wearing a hoodie and red bandana, often linked to the Bloods gang, holding a handgun at a bus stop in the metropolitan area of Arlington. | "Well, I'm at the bus stop, and there's a colored young man and I can see a pistol right there," the caller said. "…I saw him fidgeting wit…
(2021-03-04). eBay to remove Dr. Seuss books over 'hate and discrimination' — but you can still buy Mein Kampf there. rt.com 
Six of Dr. Seuss' books recently deemed offensive and pulled from publication will now not even be able to be bought second-hand through online retailer eBay, which is scrubbing listings. | "At eBay, we have a strict policy against hate and discrimination to ensure our platform remains a safe, trusted and inclusive environment for our global community of buyers and sellers," eBay Corporate Communications Specialist Parmita Choudhury told the Washington Examiner on Thursday. The statement came after numerous Twitter users noted that their listings for the six Dr. Seuss books recently pulled from publication wer…
(2021-03-04). Alec Baldwin flees Twitter again, hounded by angry Gillian Anderson fans over his sly dig at her 'switching accents'. rt.com 
Alec Baldwin's attempt to defend his wife from accusations of faking Spanishness by invoking Gillian Anderson's flawless switching between accents backfired badly and forced him to quit Twitter for a second time this year. | In a lengthy 10-minute video posted to Instagram, the 62-year old actor explained that he was off Twitter again, since "you cannot do any irony in the US anymore because the US is such an uptight stressed-out place" and Twitter in particular was full of "a**holes." Baldwin went on to profess his love for his wife and children and say how good and fulfilling his life was now that he works l…
(2021-03-04). WATCH: White House abruptly cuts live feed after Biden says 'happy to take questions' at virtual event. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden said he would be "happy" to field live questions at the tail-end of a virtual event, but was swiftly cut off when the White House inexplicably dropped the video feed, leaving some viewers bewildered. | "I'd be happy to take questions if that's what I'm supposed to do, Nance. Whatever you want me to do," Biden said to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the Democratic "Virtual Issues Conference" wrapped up on Wednesday night. But after a brief pause, the feed was brusquely taken offline. | The White House abruptly cuts the live video feed of a virtual event after President Biden said he was "ha…
(2021-03-04). 'We don't censor books': New York Public Library says it will keep canceled Dr. Seuss titles on shelves. rt.com 
Public libraries across the US are pushing back against the cancelation of Dr. Seuss books, with the New York Public Library being the latest to say it will not censor the suddenly-controversial titles. | "As with all public libraries the New York Public Library does not censor books," spokeswoman Angela Montefinise said of the Seuss books in question, the New York Post reported on Wednesday. | Six titles — including 'If I Ran the Zoo,' 'And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street' and 'Scrambled Eggs Super!' — have been blasted as politically incorrect for supposed racial and ethnic stereotypes, a…
(2021-03-04). Iraq's Nasiriyah calmed by Kadhimi for pope's visit – but violence likely to return. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq's Nasiriyah calmed by Kadhimi for pope's visit – but violence likely to return | With Francis set to lead an interfaith service 17km away at the ancient city of Ur, protests in Dhi Qar's capital threatened to derail visit | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 12: 44 | Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in front of the Dhi Qar Municipal council in Iraq's southern city of Nasiriyah on 27 Febr…
(2021-03-04). Novichok? What Novichok? New US sanctions urge Russia to destroy chemical weapons stockpile, but Kremlin insists it already has. rt.com 
Russian officials are puzzled by demands from Washington to scrap their country's chemical weapons program, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has said, arguing that the country has already disposed of all such substances. | Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Dmitry Peskov slammed America's warning that Moscow must register and eliminate stores of nerve agents, toxic gases and other poisons, or else face sanctions. "Russia declared and verified the destruction of all chemical weapons on its territory many years ago and fully complied with international conventions," he said. "Russia has no chemical weapons."
(2021-03-04). 'Sickening': Palestine advocates slam Biden administration for rebuking ICC. middleeasteye.net 
'Sickening': Palestine advocates slam Biden administration for rebuking ICC | The US State Department denounced the International Criminal Court's investigation into alleged Israeli abuses, arguing that Palestine is not a state | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 21: 47 | Israeli forces block Palestinian protesters during a demonstration in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, 26 February (AFP) | After denouncing the Internati…
(2021-03-04). Houthis call on Yemenis to donate funds for ballistic missile programme. middleeasteye.net 
Houthis call on Yemenis to donate funds for ballistic missile programme | Embassy of Yemen's internationally recognised government in Washington slams crowdfunding campaign as 'brazen' political move | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 16: 20 | A fighter loyal to Yemen's Houthi rebels guards a stack of bills in Sanaa on 24 September 2020 during ceremony to collect cash, food and other donations for fighters (AFP/File photo)…
(2021-03-04). Rights groups urge US to restrict arms sales to Bahrain, promote human rights. middleeasteye.net 
Rights groups urge US to restrict arms sales to Bahrain, promote human rights | In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 15 organisations say Bahrain's rulers have become 'emboldened' by international silence | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 16: 11 | Bahraini anti-government protesters hold signs calling for freedom and change as they gather at Pearl Square in Manama on 16 February 2011 (AFP) | More than a dozen r…
(2021-03-04). Turkish court refuses to admit US report as evidence in Khashoggi murder trial. middleeasteye.net 
Turkish court refuses to admit US report as evidence in Khashoggi murder trial | Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz asked the Istanbul court to add the newly declassified report to the case's evidence file | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 20: 59 | Hatice Cengiz attended the third hearing in the trial (AFP) | A Turkish court trying 26 Saudi suspects in absentia for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi refused on Th…
(2021-03-04). Egypt draft law condemned as setback for women's rights. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt draft law condemned as setback for women's rights | Egyptian feminists oppose bill that enshrines male guardianship and sets new rules for polygamy | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 11: 16 | Egyptian protesters hold up placards and shout slogans during a demonstration in Cairo against sexual harassment on 12 February 2013 (AFP) | In Egypt, a woman can be a minister who signs a multi-billion-dol…
(2021-03-04). Saudi youth take to social media to complain about unemployment. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi youth take to social media to complain about unemployment | Young Twitter users break the silence on lack of opportunities, as under 30s and university grads make up majority of kingdom's jobless | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 50 | Saudi students take exams at a workshop in the Higher Institute for Plastics Fabrication in Riyadh (AFP/File photo) | Saudi youths, including many university graduates, have…
(2021-03-04). Yemen: Car bomb kills southern separatist fighters in Aden. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Car bomb kills southern separatist fighters in Aden | Southern Transitional Council forces said Brigadier General Mohsen al-Wali had survived an attack on a convoy | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 12: 37 | Video footage shared by STC activists on social media showed a white four-wheel-drive vehicle with extensive damage (Twitter) | A car bomb killed and injured a number of fighters travelling in…
(2021-03-04). Yemen's Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi Aramco plant in Jeddah. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi Aramco plant in Jeddah | Houthi military spokesman said attack took place at dawn using a winged Quds-2 missile and had struck its target | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 08: 26 | The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, have struck other Saudi energy assets in the past (Reuters) | Yemen's Houthi forces fired a cross-border missile at a Saudi Aramco facilit…
(2021-03-04). Palestinian election: Israel 'intimidating Hamas supporters' to stop them running. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian election: Israel 'intimidating Hamas supporters' to stop them running | Soldiers reportedly deliver Shin Bet message to Palestinian doorsteps, while others asked to report at stations for interrogation | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 16: 16 | An Israeli soldier gestures in front of a Palestinian man following a protest (AFP/file photo) | Israel's internal intelligence agency Shin Bet is in…
(2021-03-04). Libya's Dbeibah made secret visit to Turkey. middleeasteye.net 
Libya's Dbeibah made secret visit to Turkey | Interim prime minister designate met Erdogan in Ankara days after his election in bid to maintain ties with the Turkish leadership | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 00 | Libyan Prime Minister Dbeibah met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on 11 February, 2020. This picture has been circulating on social media since 18 February (Twitter) | Libya's prime minister designate…
(2021-03-04). Smugglers threw scores of people into the sea en route to Yemen, UN says. middleeasteye.net 
Smugglers threw scores of people into the sea en route to Yemen, UN says | International Organisation of Migration says five bodies have been retrieved from Djibouti's Red Sea coast so far | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 11: 45 | Thousands risk their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to reach Yemen to cross into Saudi Arabia for work. Wrecked ship on a beach in Obock in 2015 (AFP) | Smugglers threw sco…
(2021-03-04). Red Sea cables: How UK and US spy agencies listen to the Middle East. middleeasteye.net 
Red Sea cables: How UK and US spy agencies listen to the Middle East | An expanding network of undersea fibre optic cables from the Mediterranean to the Gulf has made surveillance of regional communications easier than ever | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 23: 23 | A view of the Strait of Tiran from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh in 2014. The Red Sea is an important route for undersea cables (AFP) | The growth of Midd…
(2021-03-04). Saudi Arabia 'fears defeat of Netanyahu' in upcoming Israeli election. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia 'fears defeat of Netanyahu' in upcoming Israeli election | The kingdom sees prime minister as a 'spearhead' against Iran, Saudi sources tell an Israeli TV channel | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 00 | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP/file photo)
| Saudi Arabia is concerned about a possible election defeat for Israeli…
(2021-03-04). Iranian press review: Conservative media says pro-Iran fighters were behind Israeli boat attack. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Conservative media says pro-Iran fighters were behind Israeli boat attack | Meanwhile, Iranian analyst suggests Biden unlikely to reach out to Iran before elections, and school dropout rates increase sharply in Iran's poor regions | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 37 | A view of the Israeli-owned Bahamian-flagged MV Helios Ray cargo ship docked in Dubai's Mina Rashid (Port R…
(2021-03-04). Advocates target Saudi Arabia's PIF over MBS' role in Khashoggi murder. middleeasteye.net 
Advocates target Saudi Arabia's PIF over MBS' role in Khashoggi murder | Campaign targeting sovereign wealth fund is also expected to pressure US and western investors to pull out from the kingdom | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 21: 16 | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks during a virtual session of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh on 28 January (AFP/File photo) | While…
(2021-03-04). Marc Lamont Hill & Mitchell Plitnick on ICC Probe & the "Palestine Exception" in Progressive Politics. democracynow.org 
Israel and the United States blasted the International Criminal Court's decision to open a probe into Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories, as well as crimes committed by Palestinian militant groups. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that the Biden administration "firmly opposes" an investigation. Mitchell Plitnick and Marc Lamont Hill, co-authors of "Except for Palestine," say it's an illustration of the "Palestine exception" that makes even supposedly progressive people unwilling to criticize Israel's human rights abuses and its ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. "We are at…
(2021-03-04). Tuchel makes it 10: Chelsea's run goes on as Premier League champions Liverpool lose five in a row at home for the first time ever. rt.com 
Thomas Tuchel has started his tenure as Chelsea boss by going 10 games unbeaten after his side won at Liverpool on Thursday, condemning the reigning champions to a fifth straight home defeat for the first time in their history. | Owner Roman Abramovich and his board of directors increasingly look to have found the right manager in Tuchel for their gifted and expensively assembled squad, although how much of a masterstroke the move can be considered on their part is debatable given that the 2020 Champions League finalist is thought not to have been their first choice to replace Frank Lampard in January. | Neith…
(2021-03-04). Liverpool vs Chelsea: From Drogba's ghost to Anfield woes, 5 talking points ahead of Tuchel's toughest Premier League test so far. rt.com 
Are Liverpool about to lose a fifth home game in a row? Are Chelsea too defensive to outgun their rivals and bring the best out of the likes of Timo Werner? Here are five factors ahead of the Premier League showdown on Thursday.
(2021-03-04). The Heat: Cautious optimism in U.S. with vaccine push. america.cgtn.com 
U.S. President Joe Biden announces a breakthrough in vaccine availability amid concerns that some states may be lifting restrictions too soon.
(2021-03-04). Academic intolerance on the rise, study finds, highlighting growth of wokeness in younger scholars. rt.com 
Surveying both victims and perpetrators of political discrimination in the US, the UK and Canada, researchers at an academic think tank have found intolerance toward dissent is only just beginning — and things may get much worse. | Purporting to be the first paper of its kind to "investigate authoritarianism and political discrimination in academia," the
(2021-03-04). 'People deserve to have choice': Russia 'open' to supplying Sputnik V to EU but doesn't 'insist' on it — vaccine funder to RT. rt.com 
Russia is ready to supply European nations with its Sputnik V jab as it believes people "deserve" to have a choice of vaccines but it is up to the EU to allow it, said Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
(2021-03-04). Sputnik V beats AstraZeneca in popularity: People in Austria, Germany & Switzerland view Russia's jab more favorably, study says. rt.com 
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which still hasn't been approved in the EU, has nevertheless seemingly won the favor of people in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, beating the already available AstraZeneca jab, a study shows. | The Russian jab which is still unavailable to most EU nations, except for Hungary, has been rated almost twice as positively as the AstraZeneca vaccine by people living in three German-speaking countries, an extensive
(2021-03-04). Flamboyant Spanish drug lord released from prison after raising €200,000 in bail money through crowdfunding. rt.com 
A Spanish drug lord whose high-profile stunts have included appearing in a rap star's video has now been released from jail after he posted ‚Ǩ200,000 ($240,000) in bail money through crowdfunding. | Better known as "El Castana", or "The Chestnut", Francis—Åo Isco Tejon was released late Wednesday night after posting his bail bond, money that authorities said had been collected over three days through a crowdfunding effort that tapped his network of family and friends in the southern port cities of Cadiz and Algeciras. | He has been held since October 2018 when he turned himself in…
(2021-03-04). Nearly a fifth of all food produced around the world ends up in the bin, UN report says. rt.com 
Almost one-fifth of all food that's produced to be eaten by consumers goes to waste, the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) said in a new report, noting that most of the waste (61 percent) is actually produced by households. | The global food waste
(2021-03-04). 'Stop murdering and jailing protesters': UN rights chief condemns Myanmar bloodshed amid rising death toll under military coup. rt.com 
The security forces being led by Myanmar's military junta must halt their violent crackdown on peaceful protestors, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Thursday. | "Myanmar's military must stop murdering and jailing protestors," Bachelet said, describing as "abhorrent" the reports that police and the military are firing live rounds at demonstrators and The country has been under a military coup since February 1, when the armed…
(2021-03-04). Ex-Pro Bowl player Kellen Winslow II cops 14yr sentence for horrific attacks on women after defense citing NFL 'head trauma' fails. rt.com 
A judge has sentenced ex-NFL star Kellen Winslow II to 14 years in prison for "brazen" attacks, including multiple rapes, on five women in California, calling the father-of-two a "sexual predator" who preyed on vulnerable victims. | The 37-year-old, who was once the highest-paid tight end in the NFL and was named to the 2007 Pro Bowl during his four-year spell with the Cleveland Browns, said he had been advised not to speak by his lawyers before hearing his conviction for forcible rape, rape of an unconscious person, assault with intent to commit rape, indecent exposure and lewd conduct in public. | The forcib…
(2021-03-04). '98% of men in the world can't beat me': Claressa Shields declares she's the second greatest boxer of all time behind Muhammad Ali. rt.com 
US boxing star Claressa Shields has compared herself to perhaps the greatest fighter of all time, Muhammad Ali — saying she is second only to him and claiming that "98 percent of men in the world" would be unable to beat her.
(2021-03-04). Georgia Bill Would Criminalize Giving Water to Voters Waiting in Long Lines. truthout.org 
Republicans in Georgia are passing restrictive voting laws, ostensibly to "protect" people's votes but which critics have said create unnecessary burdens to voters, particularly within communities of color. | Georgia House Bill 531,
(2021-03-04). Louisiana Hunger Strikers — Already in Solitary — Are Being Brutally Punished. truthout.org 
On February 13, men being held in one of the solitary confinement wards at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola were discussing how to get out from under their miserably austere physical conditions. These included broken lights in their cells, no underwear, a single blanket and inadequate heating in record cold temperatures for northern Louisiana. The men also experienced brutal psychological conditions, including no time outside in the yard at all and only limited time out in the hall whe…
(2021-03-04). Senators Move to Repeal Some Presidential War Powers After Airstrikes in Syria. truthout.org 
As frustration is building among federal lawmakers over President Joe Biden's recent Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Todd Young (R…
(2021-03-04). Right-Wing Supreme Court Justices May Weaken Key Provision of Voting Rights Act. truthout.org 
The partisan battle over voting rights is boiling over this week, as conservative Supreme Court justices are poised to uphold two provisions of an Arizona voting law that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) argues violates the landmark Voting Rights Act, and the House passes the For the People Act, the most sweeping election reform package in decades. | On Tuesday, Supreme Court justices signaled their willingness to weaken another key provision of the historic Voting Rights Act that p…
(2021-03-04). Selected Articles: The Dangers of A "Sino-American Hot War" globalresearch.ca 
By Unbeknownst to many Americans, the U.S. military and its allies are engaged in bombing and killing people in other countries on a …
(2021-03-04). Suzanne Vallie — Ocean Cliff Drive. counterpunch.org 
…
(2021-03-04). Doctors acted unlawfully in deciding on eligibility for drug — Court of Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com Basma (suing by her mother and litigation friend Sara Basma) v Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Anr [2021] EWCA Civ 278 Sophie Basma ("Sophie") is 10. She suffers from Type 3 Spinal Muscular Atrophy ("SMA"). SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease which progressively leads to sufferers being unable to walk or sit …
(2021-03-03). The devastating, irreparable death of Aruká Juma. peoplesworld.org 
Manaus, Amazonas — The death of the last survivor of the Juma people, the warrior Amoim Aruká, from complications linked to COVID-19, is an incalculable tragedy. The Juma people suffered innumerable massacres throughout their history. There were 15,000 of them at the turn of the 20th century and by 2002 there were only five Jumas …
(2021-03-03). The Bits and Bytes of The Great Reset: COVID-19 and the Scaling Up of Data-Capitalism. mintpressnews.com 
The so-called Great Reset amounts to little more than a campaign to turn humanity into datasets, which the world's most powerful hedge funds and transnational corporations can use to create more profits for themselves and their clients.
(2021-03-03). Masks & social distancing EVERY WINTER? CNN blasted over expert's advice, viewers say they'd rather take their chances. rt.com 
Lockdown critics have slammed CNN over a segment featuring infectious disease expert Paul Offit, who suggested the "lesson" from the Covid-19 pandemic is that people should social distance and wear masks every winter from now on. | "If we mask and social distance every winter, we will see a dramatic reduction in flu, which usually causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths," Offit, who is also a co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, told CNN in the Wednesday segment. | Long-term masking and social distancing, Offit suggested, could very well be the "lesson" we take away fr…
(2021-03-03). You're not supposed to say that out loud! Covid-19 vaccines & 'return to normal' might hurt Facebook's bottom line, CFO admits. rt.com 
Facebook's CFO is concerned that as more people get vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, they'll be less likely to click on Facebook ads and more likely to seek out travel and non-sedentary pursuits. | CFO David Wehner Speaking at the Morg…
(2021-03-03). The class character of the expansion of COVID-19: The case of Peru's Capital City Lima. mronline.org 
At the end of December 2019, the world was notified about the existence of a new coronavirus in the city of Wuhan in China. This virus, SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19), rapidly spread and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020.
(2021-03-03). The Real Threats to America are the Pandemic and Poverty; why Give Ever More Money to the Pentagon? juancole.com 
By Mandy Smithberger | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — This country is in a crisis of the first order. More than half a million of us have died thanks to Covid-19. Food insecurity is on the rise, with nearly 24 million Americans going hungry, including 12 million children. Unemployment claims filed since the pandemic began have …
(2021-03-03). Biden blasts Texas, Mississippi for lifting Covid-19 restrictions: 'No time for Neanderthal thinking'. rt.com 
President Joe Biden voiced his disapproval of states like Texas and Mississippi lifting mask mandates and other Covid-19 restrictions, calling it a "mistake" and "Neanderthal thinking," a term that ruffled a few feathers. | "I think it's a big mistake. Look, I hope everybody's realized by now, these masks make a difference," Biden said when directly asked about the two states. | Despite a promise that vaccines will be available for every American by May, Biden said masks are as important as ever. | "The last thing — the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, everything's fine, ta…
(2021-03-03). Can we kick out immigrants like Denmark does? Critics snicker after AOC lauds McDonald's workers' wages in European nation. rt.com 
A time-tested talking point about wages of McDonald's workers in Denmark was invoked by AOC in a call for a minimum wage boost in the US. Her opponents asked if Washington should also adopt Copenhagen's harsh immigration policies. | The fact that paying workers a living wage is even up for debate is "embarrassing," progressive lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) tweeted on Tuesday as she called to override the Senate parliamentarian and push forward with the $15/hour minimum wage. The official ruled last Thursday that the proposal cannot be included in President Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus bill…
(2021-03-03). Covid-19 in Lebanon: Health workers yet to receive vaccines as MPs jump the queue. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19 in Lebanon: Health workers yet to receive vaccines as MPs jump the queue | After Lebanese lawmakers were controversially inoculated, half of the country's overwhelmed medical workers anxiously await their turn | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 10: 58 | A medic prepares a dose of the Covid-19 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at Lebanon's American University Medical Centre in the capital Beirut, on 14 Februa…
(2021-03-03). Cuomo Must Go: Calls Grow to Remove NY Governor over COVID Nursing Home Cover-up & Sexual Harassment. democracynow.org 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing mounting calls from fellow Democrats and progressive organizations to resign or be impeached over sexual harassment allegations and his cover-up of thousands of COVID-19 deaths in New York nursing homes. New York Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation after three women — two former aides and a woman who met Cuomo at a friend's wedding reception — accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. "Credible accusations of sexual harassment made by these courageous women coming forward show a clear pattern of Cuomo's abuse of power," says New York Assembly…
(2021-03-03). Latinx Farmworkers Risk Their Lives During Pandemic. Many Now Struggle to Access Vaccines. democracynow.org 
There are about 2.5 million farmworkers around the U.S., many of them undocumented immigrants working under dangerous and exploitive circumstances without sick leave or healthcare. Despite their status as essential workers, however, many farmworkers are facing an uphill battle to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Estella Cisneros, legal director of the Agricultural Worker Program for California Rural Legal Assistance, says an uneven rollout in California as well as technical barriers have left many farmworkers unvaccinated. "There's been a lot of inequities that we've seen," she says. We also speak with Mary Jo Du…
(2021-03-03). Sao Paulo to enact Brazil's strictest Covid-19 measures as governor warns state on 'verge of collapse'. rt.com 
Brazil's state of Sao Paulo will adopt the country's most severe Covid-19 restrictions this weekend in a bid to curb the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals being overwhelmed, Governor Joao Doria announced on Wednesday. | "We in Sao Paulo and Brazil are on the verge of collapse. It requires collective and urgent measures," Doria told a press conference. | The governor confirmed that the state would return to the so-called "red phase" of health measures from 00: 00 (Brasilia time) from March 6 until March 19. | Most of Sao Paulo's economy, including bars and restaurants, will be shut down, while shopping m…
(2021-03-03). Latinx Farmworkers Risking Their Lives During COVID Struggle to Access Vaccines. truthout.org 
There are about 2.5 million farmworkers around the U.S., many of them undocumented immigrants working under dangerous and exploitive circumstances without sick leave or healthcare. Despite their status as essential workers, however, many farmworkers are facing an uphill battle to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Estella Cisneros, legal director of the Agriculture Worker Program for California Rural Legal Assistance, says an uneven rollout in California as well as technical barriers have left…
(2021-03-03). Selected Articles: C.Y.A. and "Fraudulent Marketing": The Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine is an "Unapproved Product" globalresearch.ca 
By Pfizer Inc…
(2021-03-03). Andrew Cuomo: Legend of a Fall. counterpunch.org 
Future historians will have a field day examining the daily commentary of the COVID pandemic. Early on there was Madonna sitting nude in a marble bathtub filled with rose petals proclaiming COVID 'the great equalizer.' Trump of course supplied his daily dose of schizophrenic fare so incoherent that even conservative TV hacks were unable to morph it into a convincing picture of brave leadership. Yet nothing tops the spectacle of Ellen Degeneres and Trevor Noah actually declaring themselves to be 'Cuomosexuals', in honor of New York governor Andrew Cuomo, a term that was immediately plastered on various merchandise…
(2021-03-03). Support keeps building for #BAmazon union drive, Biden feels pressure. workers.org 
A people's movement against an anti-people corporation has intensified, backing the union drive at Amazon's Bessemer, Ala., warehouse. The courageous Southern union warriors are finally starting to get the support they need and deserve. People's Organization for Progress rally to support Amazon workers outside Whole Foods, Newark, N.J., Feb. 27. . . . |
(2021-03-03). Workers Should be Wary Now that Private Equity Is Going Retail. cepr.net 
Eight years after passage of the 2013 JOBS Act that let private equity firms market directly to individuals to solicit their investments, retail investors — largely high net worth individuals — finally account for a significant share of assets under management (AUM) at some of the largest PE firms. Apollo claims to be "among the …
(2021-03-03). What the trees of Notre Dame have to tell us. peoplesworld.org 
On April 15, 2019, watching television footage of Notre Dame Cathedral burning, I wept like millions of other French people and others around the world. The flames which invaded the screen brought back memories of my first visit to the cathedral as a child, reading the novel by Victor Hugo (Notre Dame de Paris, 1831), …
(2021-03-03). Ecuador: Indigenous organizations announce national strike. mronline.org 
Supporters of Indigenous presidential candidate Yaku Perez demand the recount of electoral records due to alleged electoral fraud.
(2021-03-03). CDC school reopening guidance suppresses aerosols based on thin evidence and driven by budgetary concerns. mronline.org 
For a period of time after this article was originally published (February 18, 2021) it was scrubbed from Google's search index. When the author, Lambert Strether, realized the piece had been "censored," it was published a second time on March 1, 2021 with an analysis of the purging. Subsequently, the article magically reappeared in the search …
(2021-03-03). Richland, Wash., protesters demand 'no kids in cages'. liberationnews.org 
Facilities used to cage children that were closed under Trump's administration are being reopened under Biden's administration.
(2021-03-03). Biden pick for Secretary of Agriculture no friend of farmworkers or small farmers. workers.org 
President Joe Biden nominated former Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack to head the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a job he held for the entire Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. Vilsack testified before the Senate on Feb. 2 — Groundhog Day — and was confirmed a few weeks later. Vilsack's . . . |
(2021-03-03). Rosa Luxemburg at 150: Toward 'a social order worthy of the human race'. peoplesworld.org 
On March 5, 2021, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rosa Luxemburg's birth. No one who wishes to get a sense of Rosa Luxemburg as a person, both political and private, will regret watching Margarethe von Trotta's meticulously researched 1986 film of the same name. It is available with English subtitles. The film begins on …
(2021-03-03). Biden's Quandary: Proxy Wars and Endless Wars. counterpunch.org 
From the end of the Second World War until the administration of Ronald Reagan, there were very few American battlefield deaths in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and Southwest Asia. Since the administration of George H.W. Bush, however, most American battlefield deaths have taken place in those regions. The turning point took place in 1979 with the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
(2021-03-03). The Bessemer front in the international class struggle. workers.org 
Bessemer, Ala., is now the site of a historic labor struggle between the majority-Black Amazon warehouse workers there and the $1.7 trillion international capitalist monopoly corporation. About 80% of the warehouse workers are African American, and almost half are women. Rally for Amazon workers, Bessemer, Ala., Feb. 6. In March . . . |
(2021-03-03). Solidarity rallies call for end to U.S.-backed dictatorship in Haiti. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON——On the morning of March 1 at the Embassy of Haiti, local D.C. organizers with Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) held a solidarity rally with the people of Haiti who are rising up against a U.S.-backed dictator. Jovenel MoàØse's term of office ended Feb. 7, but he has so far refused to relinquish power. MoàØse, …
(2021-03-03). 7 lies Amazon tells about the union. liberationnews.org 
In a historic development, 5,800 workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, are right now voting on whether to be represented by the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union.
(2021-03-03). Conservation Groups Sue to Stop Massive Logging and Burning Project in Montana's Castle Mountains. counterpunch.org 
The Castle Mountains are a pristine, island mountain range east of White Sulphur Springs, Montana that, despite the small size of the range, provides an important link in the wildlife corridor connecting Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. The range gets its name from its "castle turrets," which are 50-foot high igneous rock spires on the
(2021-03-03). Buffalo demands mental health help, not death-by-cop. workers.org 
Buffalo, N.Y. — Activists demonstrated here Feb. 28 in solidarity with the family of Daniel Prude and the people of Rochester, N.Y, where police killed Prude while answering a mental health crisis call in March 2020. Buffalo, N.Y., City Hall, Feb. 28. (WW Photo: Arjae Red) The police response was . . . |
(2021-03-03). A common soil pesticide cut wild bee reproduction by 89% — here's why scientists are worried. juancole.com 
By Philip Donkersley | — When you think of bees, a hive humming with activity probably comes to mind. But most of the world's 20,000 bee species don't call a hive home. These wild species lead solitary lives instead, and around 70% of them build nests underground where they raise their offspring on the nectar …
(2021-03-03). How Facebook Suppressed Kurdish Site for sake of its Business in Turkey. juancole.com 
By Jack Gillum and Justin Elliott | — ( ProPublica ) — As Turkey launched a military offensive against Kurdish minorities in neighboring Syria in early 2018, Facebook's top executives faced a political dilemma. Turkey was demanding the social media giant block Facebook posts from the People's Protection Units, a mostly Kurdish militia group the …
(2021-03-03). Republicans make the FBI look like the good guys. peoplesworld.org 
Not too many years ago, it would have been unthinkable that at a congressional hearing on right-wing terror the FBI would be defending left and progressive demonstrators, saying that it was not them but rather white supremacists that were the real threat to security in the U.S. At the obvious displeasure of Republican senators Tuesday, …
(2021-03-03). 'Back of the Moon': A Noirish apartheid-era South African film. peoplesworld.org 
Director/co-writer and Oscar nominee Angus Gibson's Back of the Moon is another example of why I love PAFF—the Pan African Virtual Film + Arts Festival. If not for this festival film buffs like moi probably would never have heard of, let alone had the opportunity to see, this highly entertaining South African movie. Moon is …
(2021-03-03). Congelación de Texas: los ricos, más ricos mientras obreros sufren. workers.org 
Houston Una tormenta invernal sin precedentes azotó a Texas el 15 de febrero y trajo temperaturas bajo cero. Una semana después, grandes sectores de la población siguen sin electricidad, calefacción y/o agua. El horizonte de Houston brilla, mientras millones sufren sin calefacción ni agua en medio de cortes de energía . . . |
(2021-03-03). Richland, Washington protesters demand 'No kids in cages'. liberationnews.org Facilities used to cage children that were closed under Trump's administration are being reopened under Biden's administration.
(2021-03-03). Debt relief with Chinese characteristics. mronline.org 
As China is poised to become the world's largest creditor, concerns about debt sustainability have grown. Yet considerable confusion exists over what is likely to happen when a government runs into trouble repaying its Chinese loans.
(2021-03-03). Biden's Quandry: Proxy Wars and Endless Wars. counterpunch.org From the end of the Second World War until the administration of Ronald Reagan, there were very few American battlefield deaths in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and Southwest Asia. Since the administration of George H.W. Bush, however, most American battlefield deaths have taken place in those regions. The turning point took place in 1979 with the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
(2021-03-03). Solitary confinement abuse sparks hunger strike in Louisiana's Angola Prison. workers.org 
Angola State Prison was the 18,000-acre Angola Plantation before the Civil War, named after the African country from which many of the enslaved people in Louisiana were kidnapped. The plantation was worked then by enslaved Africans and now by imprisoned workers of African descent. Incarcerated workers in Louisiana's notorious Angola . . . |
(2021-03-03). Ecuador: from horror to electoral debate. mronline.org 
Amidst denunciations and accusations the campaign for the April 11 runoff begins.
(2021-03-03). Community demands Sanctuary Schools in Philadelphia, a 'sanctuary city'. workers.org 
"Philadelphia has declared itself a 'sanctuary city,' but how can it be a sanctuary city without its schools being sanctuaries for all students?" asked Erika Guadalupe Nuñez of Juntos at a well-attended March 1 press conference outside the School District of Philadelphia headquarters. Erika Guadalupe Nuñez speaking, March 1. A . . . |
(2021-03-03). Ruling Class Joe and the Essence of American Politics. counterpunch.org 
It's a damn good thing that the demented pandemo-fascist oligarch Donald Trump no longer sits in the White House and that his Republifascist Party no longer holds the majority in the U.S. Senate. But make no mistake: Americans continue to live under an unelected dictatorship of money and empire. Just because that class dictatorship isn't quite ready for Door #1, open fascist rule, don't look for Door #2, neo-New Deal reformist social democracy, anytime soon. No, we are still getting slammed in the face with Door #3, a neoliberal corporate-imperial authoritarianism that cancels #2 while setting us up for a harsher…
(2021-03-03). UK media coverage of Scottish politics. thecanary.co 
Image description | This cartoon is titled "UK media coverage of Scottish politics". It shows a bar graph, and the first bar is tiny, coloured green, and labelled "Usual". The second bar is massive, coloured like a Scottish flag, and labelled "When a distraction from Westminster is needed". | By
(2021-03-03). Here's the BBC's most insidious bit of Rishi Sunak propaganda yet. thecanary.co 
BBC News couldn't let Budget day go by without an insidious Who is Rishi Sunak?: | On Wedn…
(2021-03-03). Racist BABIES? Researcher reveals Arizona 'equity' toolkit that teaches 'white fragility' and other woke propaganda. rt.com 
Arizona is recommending teachers promote 'equity' and social justice through an 'antiracist' agenda that sees racism in toddlers and recommends progressive and Black Lives Matter materials as the cure. | An 'equity and diversity'
(2021-03-03). Design firm had 'no idea' CPAC stage resembled Nazi symbol, but takes responsibility after liberal conspiracy spirals out of hand. rt.com 
The design firm behind a stage setup at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has emphatically dismissed conspiracy theories that their work was intended to resemble Nazi insignia. | Design Foundry, a firm based in Maryland, has come forward to say they "had no idea" their stage layout for the conservative conference held last week in Orlando, Florida resembled the Othala Rune, a symbol found on Nazi uniforms. | The resemblance was highlighted by numerous critics on social media following the event, with even host Hyatt Hotels releasing a statement calling the supposed connection "abhorrent" a…
(2021-03-03). US police tighten security at Capitol on intel of 'militia plot' to breach complex on Thursday. rt.com 
Police at the US Capitol have said they are strengthening security arrangements after "intelligence" suggested a militia group was planning an attack on the building — and potentially members of Congress — this week. | "We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4," the US Capitol Police (USCP) said in a statement on Wednesday. | "We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police of…
(2021-03-03). New York Gov. Cuomo refuses to resign despite harassment scandals, claims he 'never touched anyone inappropriately'. rt.com 
Governor Andrew Cuomo directly addressed multiple allegations of sexual harassment on Wednesday, saying he never meant to "offend" or "hurt" anyone but dismissing calls for him to resign. | During a Wednesday press conference, Cuomo turned from talking about vaccine distribution in New York to addressing the allegations of unwanted touching and harassment from multiple women that have led some to say he should step down from the governorship. | "I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable," Cuomo admitted. "It was unintentional and I truly and deeply apologize for it. I feel awfu…
(2021-03-03). WATCH: SpaceX Starship high-altitude test flight aborted at LAST MOMENT on launch pad. rt.com 
The latest high-altitude test flight of a SpaceX Starship prototype has been canceled at the extreme last moment before launch, with the engines' fiery ignition suddenly extinguished just as the countdown clock hit zero. | The test vehicle, Starship serial number 10 (SN10), was set to lift off when the computer aborted the launch. SN10 has been left on the launch pad at Cameron County, Texas, as the SpaceX team evaluates whether it's possible to reset the systems and attempt another launch during the available test window. |
(2021-03-03). Promoting democracy abroad 'by example' at home: Biden administration outlines top foreign policy priorities. rt.com 
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined the urgent priorities of US foreign policy, arguing that American prosperity at home depends on global leadership, promotion of democracy and protecting the world order from China. | In a speech on Wednesday — the first since he took office five weeks ago — Blinken listed the eight most pressing issues the State Department plans to address, noting that they are linked to domestic policy priorities of the Biden administration. | Live Now!
(2021-03-03). 'I wish I never f***ing met him!' Alex Jones trashes Donald Trump in leaked VIDEO. rt.com 
Critics of former president Donald Trump are celebrating a video showing InfoWars founder Alex Jones ranting that he wishes the two had never met, leaked by a filmmaker to a censorship group. | "It's the truth, and I'm just going to say it: that I wish I never would have f***ing met Trump," Jones says in the video, leaked to Southern Poverty Law Center's Hatewatch group and posted Tuesday. | The footage was recorded in January 2019 by Caolan Robertson, a filmmaker hired to shoot a documentary for Jones in Austin, Texas at the time. | "I wish it never would have happened. And it's not the attacks I've been thro…
(2021-03-03). Cuban 'Red Rose' wins journalism honor. workers.org 
By Rubén G. Abelenda This slightly edited article was published in Resumen-english.org. Rosa Miriam Elizalde (Photo: Ismael Francisco) Feb. 27 — It was José Martí who said "Honor for those who deserve honor" — but he could never have imagined that the highest distinction awarded to journalists in Cuba would . . . |
(2021-03-03). Global labor federation backs #BAmazon union. workers.org 
The World Federation of Trade Unions issued the following statement on March 3. USA: WFTU in solidarity with Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama The World Federation of Trade Unions, which is the militant voice of 105 million workers from 132 countries around the globe, extends its internationalist solidarity with Amazon . . . |
(2021-03-03). German security service designates right-wing AfD party as 'suspected' extremist group — reports. rt.com 
Germany's domestic intelligence service, the BfV, has classified the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a "suspected" extremist group, according to the media. The move allows extensive surveillance of the party. | The BfV's head, Thomas Haldenwang, has informed the agency's regional offices about the decision taken on February 25, several German news outlets, including Der Spiegel, Die Zeit and Der Tagesspiegel, reported independently, citing their sources. | Such designation allows the German domestic security service tasked with combating terrorist and extremist activities to monitor a group's…
(2021-03-03). US civilian contractor dies following missile attack on coalition airbase in Iraq – Pentagon. rt.com 
The Pentagon has confirmed that one American died after suffering a "cardiac episode" while sheltering during a rocket attack on the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq early on Wednesday morning. | "There are no current reports of US service member injuries and all are accounted for. A US civilian contractor suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and sadly passed away shortly after," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement later Wednesday. | The statement added that Iraqi security forces were continuing to investigate the rocket attack and were yet to establish the extent of the damage and who wa…
(2021-03-03). Iraq: Christians await Pope Francis's visit. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Christians await Pope Francis's visit | Iraq's drastically diminished Christian communities are full of hope for the pope's trip, while senior church officials remain more circumspect | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 10: 03 | Posters adorn the front of the Mar Yusef church in Baghdad, where Pope Francis will lead a mass on 6 March 2021 (MEE/Tom Westcott) | In the Christian-majority, northern Iraqi town of Qa…
(2021-03-03). Financial Times investigating complaint over Macron's claims about French Muslims. middleeasteye.net 
Financial Times investigating complaint over Macron's claims about French Muslims | UK newspaper examining accuracy of French president's published letter, in which he said young girls were wearing the veil and being separated from boys | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 16: 49 | French President Emmanuel Macron has described Islam as a 'religion in crisis' (AFP) | The Financial Times is investigating a complaint that…
(2021-03-03). Iraq: Christians in Iraq's devastated Qaraqosh await Pope Francis's visit. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Christians in Iraq's devastated Qaraqosh await Pope Francis's visit | Iraq's drastically diminished Christian communities are full of hope for the pope's trip, while senior church officials remain more circumspect | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 10: 03 | Posters adorn the front of the Mar Yusef church in Baghdad, where Pope Francis will lead a mass on 6 March 2021 (MEE/Tom Westcott) | In the Christian-major…
(2021-03-03). Palestinian Authority's push to regulate NGOs raises fear of power grab. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian Authority's push to regulate NGOs raises fear of power grab | New decree restricting activities of nonprofit organisations condemned by campaigners | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 17: 07 | Palestinian lawyers demonstrate in front of the legislative council to reject controversial amendments undertaken by the Palestinian Authority, in Ramallah, West Bank, on 9 February 2021(AFP) | Palestinian civil…
(2021-03-03). Former US envoy says Israel is now 'wedge issue' in American politics. middleeasteye.net 
Former US envoy says Israel is now 'wedge issue' in American politics | In interview with Jerusalem Post, David Friedman says 'uniform support for Israel is being challenged' in the United States | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 16: 16 | Friedman dismissed the prospect of Israeli-Palestinian talks under Biden (AFP/File photo) | Former US ambassador to Israel David Friedman has said that Israel has "become a wedge issue" in…
(2021-03-03). Khashoggi murder: Twitter suspends thousands of pro-Saudi accounts following report release. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Twitter suspends thousands of pro-Saudi accounts following report release | Huge uptick in spam activity as US publicly accuses Mohammed bin Salman of being behind journalist's assassination | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 16: 28 | Thousands of accounts have been investigated by Twitter for suspicious and spam activity (AFP) | Twitter has announced the removal and investigation of thousands of acco…
(2021-03-03). Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: How Baku destroyed Russian S-300s with Israeli suicide drones. middleeasteye.net 
Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: How Baku destroyed Russian S-300s with Israeli suicide drones | The Azerbaijani military used decoy aircraft to lure out the air-defence systems deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 14: 21 | An S-300 missile system at the rehearsals of Victory Day parade in Moscow in 2009 (Creative Common/Vitaly V Kuzmin)
| Azerbaijani forces used a sophisticated method to des…
(2021-03-03). Macron admits France tortured and murdered Algerian freedom fighter. middleeasteye.net 
Macron admits France tortured and murdered Algerian freedom fighter | Ali Boumendjel's death in 1957 was disguised as suicide, French president tells nationalist's grandchildren | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 12: 58 | Malika Boumendjel, the late widow of Algerian lawyer Ali Boumendjel, during an interview in May 2001 (AFP) | French President Emmanuel Macron has admitted that France's army "tortured and murdered"
(2021-03-03). US calls on Saudi Arabia to forgo 'developing' country status at WTO. middleeasteye.net 
US calls on Saudi Arabia to forgo 'developing' country status at WTO | Washington says Riyadh is 'wealthy and influential player' that should not get special treatment by World Trade Organisation | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 19: 02 | Saudi Arabia is a member of the G20, a forum of the world's largest economies (AFP/File photo) | The United States is calling on Saudi Arabia to give up its "developin…
(2021-03-03). Arabic press review: Egypt tries to boost human rights credentials for Biden. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Egypt tries to boost human rights credentials for Biden | Meanwhile, Jordan has reportedly received $1bn from the European Union to fight the pandemic, and Iraq's PM vows to crack down on militias | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 15: 03 | Watchtowers at the notorious Tora prison on the southern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo on 11 February 2020 (AFP) | Egypt concerned by US…
(2021-03-03). 'Digital Suez': How the internet flows through Egypt – and why Google could change the Middle East. middleeasteye.net 
'Digital Suez': How the internet flows through Egypt – and why Google could change the Middle East | Most web traffic between Europe and Asia passes through fibre optic cables crossing Egypt. Could a proposed new route through Israel and Saudi Arabia break the 'Red Sea bottleneck'? | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 14: 55 | Most internet traffic between Europe, the Middle East and Asia passes through Egypt (MEE/…
(2021-03-03). ICC prosecutor opens investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel and Hamas. middleeasteye.net 
ICC prosecutor opens investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel and Hamas | Fatou Bensouda formally begins her investigation after the International Criminal Court ruled it had jurisdiction in the Palestinian territories | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 14: 26 | Bensouda said the decision to begin an ICC investigation comes after a five-year preliminary inquiry (Reuters) | The International Criminal Court's pros…
(2021-03-03). Philippines to allow domestic workers to be employed in UAE after ending suspension. middleeasteye.net 
Philippines to allow domestic workers to be employed in UAE after ending suspension | Move comes after two countries agreed deal guaranteeing additional protections for Filipino domestic staff | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 11: 52 | The Philippines Department of Labour and Employment said the new agreement was similar to one now being used in Kuwait (AFP) | The Philippines will lift a suspension on its maids workin…
(2021-03-03). Iran says US must be held accountable for 'crimes in Yemen'. middleeasteye.net 
Iran says US must be held accountable for 'crimes in Yemen' | Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh rejects Washington's claim that Iran is fanning 'the flames of conflict' in Yemen | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 22: 00 | Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, lashed out at Washington for selling weapons to Saudi-led coalition (AFP) | Iran's foreign ministry hit back at American accusations that Teh…
(2021-03-03). Biden diplomatic nominee suggests some Iran sanctions will remain. middleeasteye.net 
Biden diplomatic nominee suggests some Iran sanctions will remain | Deputy secretary of state nominee says she agrees that US should keep some sanctions on Iran, regardless of nuclear deal talks | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 18: 50 | Serving as Under Secretary of State for political affairs in 2015, Wendy Sherman helped negotiate the nuclear deal with Iran (Reuters/File photo) | Wendy Sherman, US President Joe Biden's n…
(2021-03-03). Biden State Department nominee suggests some sanctions against Iran will remain. middleeasteye.net Biden State Department nominee suggests some sanctions against Iran will remain | Deputy Secretary of State nominee says she agrees that US should keep some sanctions on Iran, regardless of nuclear deal talks | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 18: 50 | Serving as Under Secretary of State for political affairs in 2015, Wendy Sherman helped negotiate the nuclear deal with Iran (Reuters/File photo) | Wendy Sherman, US President…
(2021-03-03). Iraq: Civilian contractor dies in rocket attack on base hosting US troops. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Civilian contractor dies in rocket attack on base hosting US troops | The attack on the Ain al-Asad base comes two days before Pope Francis's historic visit to the country | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 08: 15 | The Ain al-Asad base hosts Iraqi forces as well as troops from the US-led coalition helping Iraq fight remnants of Islamic State (File pic/AFP) | A civilian contractor with the US-led c…
(2021-03-03). Syria: Majority in opposition areas impacted by attacks on medical facilities. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Majority in opposition areas impacted by attacks on medical facilities | New report documents devastating impact of a decade of assaults on health care in the country's northwest | Wed, 03/03/2021 – 16: 10 | An aerial view of a hospital reportedly hit by an air strike in the Syrian village of Shinan, 30 kilometres south of Idlib (AFP/File photo) | A majority of Syrians living in the country's e…
(2021-03-03). Emboldened by Trump and Netanyahu, Jewish Settler Terrorism is Spiking. mintpressnews.com 
"I saw a lot of settlers be proud of attacking Palestinians, be open about annexation and apartheid — all of this behavior came out during the Trump administration." — Issa Amro, Founder Youths Against Settlements…
(2021-03-03). 'Any place, anywhere': Five reasons why Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury could be the perfect match-up as Tyson Fury's brother hypes fight. rt.com 
As "celebrity" fights go, Tommy Fury's call-out to Jake Paul isn't quite as ridiculous as some of the names put forward in recent months. Could the two novices with massive profiles offer a rare case of good matchmaking? | When Jake Paul hammered boxing newcomer Nate Robinson last year, questions were raised about the damage that similar demolition jobs to the one he performed against his unprepared opponent could do to the integrity of boxing. | Now Paul could take on Tommy Fury, best known for his time on British TV show "Love Island", after the 21-year-old called him out in a social media video. | "If Tyson…
(2021-03-03). Asian American Communities Organize Against Rise in Hate Crimes, Say More Policing Is Not the Answer. democracynow.org 
Anti-Asian hate crimes have spiked across the U.S. over the past year, fueled in part by Donald Trump's racist rhetoric about the coronavirus. One recent study found a 150% increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans in 2020, even though overall hate crimes fell last year. Ron Kim, member of the New York State Assembly representing the 40th District in Queens, New York, says anti-Asian sentiment tends to flare up during times of crisis. "There's a long history of Asian Americans in this country feeling targeted and scapegoated whenever we experience economic downturns," says Kim. We also speak with Kim Tran…
(2021-03-03). "Engaging the World": The "Fascinating Story" of Hamas's Political Evolution. dissidentvoice.org 
On February 4, representatives from the Palestinian Movement, Hamas, visited Moscow to inform the Russian government of the latest development on the unity talks between the Islamic Movement and its Palestinian counterparts, especially Fatah. This was not the first time that Hamas's officials traveled to Moscow on similar missions. In fact, Moscow continues to represent an …
(2021-03-03). The Heat: The Arab Spring — 10 years later. america.cgtn.com 
A decade after mass anti-government protests shook the Middle East, we ask what's the legacy of the Arab Spring?>
(2021-03-03). Canadian 'incel' who mowed down dozens on a Toronto street in 2018 found guilty of 10 first-degree murders. rt.com 
A Toronto court has ruled that a Canadian man knew just what he was doing when he plowed a van into terrified people on a crowded city street in 2018, finding him guilty of 10 first-degree murders and 16 attempted murders.
(2021-03-03). UK draws EU's ire by extending waivers on Brexit food checks at N. Irish border without Brussels' green light. rt.com 
The UK government has announced that it will extend waivers on goods entering Northern Ireland as part of the Brexit deal without seeking EU approval, risking a new flashpoint in its already-fractious relationship with Brussels. | Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said on Wednesday that the government would give supermarkets more time to adapt to the stringent new rules, which require checks on live animals and products made from animals or plants at the Northern Irish border. | The Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the UK's post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, has caused major disruption to th…
(2021-03-03). Israel accuses Iran of 'environmental terrorism' over oil spill off its coast, warns culprits 'must pay price'. rt.com 
The Israeli government has said Iran is behind a recent oil spill off Israel's coast which caused huge ecological damage and has been described as one of the worst such pollution incidents in Israel's history. | Israel's Environment Protection Minister Gila Gamliel Speaking at a news briefing,…
(2021-03-03). Several people injured in suspected terrorist attack stabbing in Sweden — police. rt.com 
At least eight people have been injured in what Swedish police are treating as a possible terrorist attack. Officers shot and wounded the suspected attacker, who police describe as a man in his 20s. | Police were called to central Vetlanda after receiving reports just before 3pm local time that several people had been attacked with a knife. Officers later confirmed eight people had been injured to varying degrees, some seriously. | While initially being investigated as attempted murder, the incident is now being described as a "possible terrorist crime," though it's unclear what the motives may have been for t…
(2021-03-03). 'No way this is happening': Humiliation for Manchester United as club accidentally broadcasts Instagram Live to the world (VIDEO). rt.com 
Fans have teased that "a job was lost today" and watched in wonder as an employee appeared to use a microwave on English Premier League giants Man United's Instagram page, broadcasting to millions from the inside of their pocket. | The unsuspecting protagonist of the muffled scene, who is likely to have been an administrator of the club's channel on the social media platform, appeared to be going about their business while unintentionally sending themselves live. | Logged in as United, the nightmare they didn't know they were having was soon being watched by a baffled worldwide audience. | 37,000 people are cu…
(2021-03-03). South Korea's first transgender soldier, forcibly discharged from military, found dead at home. rt.com 
The first South Korean soldier who underwent gender reassignment surgery while on active duty — and who was later forcibly discharged — has been found dead at her home, with the cause of death so far unknown. | Byun Hee-soo, 23, a former staff sergeant who was locked in a legal battle with the South Korean military ever since her discharge over gender reassignment surgery, has been found dead at her home, police confirmed to the Korean news agency Yonhap. | Emergency services were alerted about a potential incident by Byun's mental health counsellor, who said the transgender woman could not be reac…
(2021-03-03). 'A woke franchise': Washington Football Team axes NFL's oldest cheerleading squad for 'more inclusive' entertainment featuring men. rt.com 
NFL outfit the Washington Football Team, which has faced allegations of sexual harassment including reported claims from former team dancers, has copped a muddled reaction after axing cheerleaders for the first time in 50 seasons. | Petra Pope, the team's new senior adviser, has revealed that the team will introduce a mixed-gender dance squad for gameday entertainment from now on, with the aim of "honing in" on a "skillset of being super athletic". | The former long-term manager of popular Los Angeles Knicks squad the "Lakers Girls" also said that racey calendar shoots would be dropped. | Some of you voted for…
(2021-03-03). Top runner cops 3-year ban for dodging drugs test by claiming her sister had suffered serious car crash and faking hospital papers. rt.com 
Leading 800m runner Nelly Jepkosgei has been banned for three years after a bizarre bid to dodge a drugs sample, telling testers that she had rushed to be with her hospitalized sister before concocting fake signatures and papers. | The 29-year-old's husband told doping officers that she was with her sister in hospital when they visited Jepkosgei's home to carry out a test, adding that she would return within the required one-hour window. | After the middle distance athlete did not return in time, her representative sent an email to the Athletics Integrity Unit enclosing purported confirmation of the accident,…
(2021-03-03). 'I want to die!' Wife of ex-con Russian footballer Mamaev found unconscious in Moscow 'suicide attempt' after cheating scandal. rt.com 
The wife of footballer Pavel Mamaev, who served a jail term for assault, has been found unconscious in Moscow after an alleged suicide attempt hours after revealing messages of her husband's infidelity with a Spanish lover. | Alana Mamaeva was found unresponsive in her room by friends in the Russian capital on Wednesday, who called for help and forced their way in when she failed to answer them knocking, according to the Telegram channel Baza. | Mamaeva, who stood by her husband when he was sentenced to 17 months in prison for his part in two city center brawls on the same day that left a driver with brain dam…
(2021-03-03). 'I would take jab at any time': German regional leader urges Berlin to use Russia's Sputnik V in vaccination campaign. rt.com 
The head of eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, has called on Berlin to consider using Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to accelerate the domestic vaccination campaign, adding he would gladly take the jab himself. | "We should do everything possible to accelerate vaccination in Germany," Haseloff, who is a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, told the German Funke media group. | The incumbent head of the Bundesrat — a federal legislative body representing the German states — then urged the government to consider Russia's pioneering Sputnik V vacci…
(2021-03-03). Fracking banned in Delaware River Basin. workers.org 
In a historic ruling, the Delaware River Basin Commission voted Feb. 25 to permanently ban fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for natural gas in the Delaware River Watershed. This ruling formally affirms a drilling moratorium the DRBC imposed in 2010. Protesters call for ban on fracking at Delaware River Basin Commission hearing . . . |
(2021-03-03). Biden's Appointments on Energy and the Environment Are at Best a Mixed Bag. truthout.org 
Four major appointments offer a telling roadmap of the Biden administration's positions on energy and the environment. They range from the very green to the nuclear awful. In Biden's appointments to top environmental positions, he has done well overall. But in his appointments to top energy posts, he has selected nuclear power devotees. | Deb Haaland Will Make History : | Excellent, indeed extraordinary, is the choice of Rep. Deb Haaland to be secretary of the interior. Now facing stiff…
(2021-03-03). Sanders's Staff Talked to White House Nearly Every Day When Pushing for $15 Wage. truthout.org 
If it seems like President Joe Biden has been surprisingly progressive in the first six weeks of his presidency, it might be because his administration is beginning to recognize the power of progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). | New reporting by Laura Barrón-López for Politico finds that the White House
(2021-03-03). With Just 7% of Texans Vaccinated, Gov. Greg Abbott Declares State "OPEN 100%" truthout.org 
Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday to great fanfare that he would be ending several regulations that were originally put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus — a move that caused great consternation among health officials in the state who see it as being premature. |
(2021-03-03). GOP Lawyer Admits to SCOTUS That Voting Rights Disadvantage Republican Party. truthout.org 
An attorney representing the Arizona Republican Party on Tuesday helpfully admitted outright what has long been obvious to observers of the GOP's decades-long assault on the franchise: Easier voting makes it harder for Republicans to win elections. | Asked by right-wing Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett to explain the Arizona GOP's interest in upholding a state law that disqualifies ballots cast in the wrong precinct — a restriction that voting rights advocates say discriminates a…
(2021-03-03). AOC Opposes New Puerto Rico Statehood Bill, Says Puerto Ricans Should Decide. truthout.org 
Lawmakers announced on Tuesday that they will put forth a bill that will create a path to statehood for Puerto Rico that is similar to how Alaska and Hawaii were incorporated as states. | The bill was introduced by Rep. Darren Soto (D-Florida) and Puerto Rico Del. Jenniffer González-Colón and has 50 co-sponsors and
(2021-03-03). House Dems Renew Subpoena for Trump's Taxes After SCOTUS Ruling. truthout.org 
The United States House of Representatives Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena order to former President Donald Trump's accounting firm, Mazars USA, seeking several years of his tax returns and other financial information, renewing a previous subpoena it had made in 2019 seeking those documents. |
(2021-03-03). Democratic Women's Caucus Members Propose Monument Honoring Ruth Bader Ginsburg. truthout.org 
Several Democratic lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation that seeks to honor the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg The bill is sponsored by several members of the Democratic Women's Caucus, and was introduced this week to highlight March as Women's History Month. The proposal's introduction at thi…
(2021-03-03). Sanders Is Making Excellent Use of His Power as Budget Committee Chair. truthout.org 
After his defeat at the hands of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in the 2016 presidential primaries, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders went back to work. Sanders's supporters were in agony that November as they watched Clinton lose to the worst candidate ever put forth by the Republican Party: " Wh…
(2021-03-03). Narrative of fear: Republicans try to block pro-LGBTQ Equality Act. peoplesworld.org 
While the Republican Party is making headlines for opposing President Biden's American Rescue Plan aimed at saving millions of Americans from total ruin, it's still got plenty of energy to block another piece of progressive legislation coming out of Washington. On Feb. 25, a divided House narrowly passed the Equality Act, an historic bill that …
(2021-03-03). Biden: With Defense Production Act, enough vaccines by end of May. peoplesworld.org 
President Joe Biden made history in the nation's fight against the coronavirus Tuesday by announcing that the United States will have enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all American adults for coronavirus by the end of May, two months earlier than the end-of-July date he had previously rolled out. Biden credited the stepped-up timetable to his …
(2021-03-03). Biden inaction on Saudis' Khashoggi assassination angers News Guild. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—Democratic President Joe Biden's decision to take no action, including no sanctions, against Saudi Arabia's de facto supreme ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, for ordering the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is angering The News Guild. A Bin Salman-sent hit squad murdered and dismembered Khashoggi, a contributing writer for The Washington Post, when …
(2021-03-03). Defend the Guard Act Stirs Debate in West Virginia Over Military Industrial Complex. counterpunch.org 
A debate over the military industrial complex is raging in West Virginia. The debate was kicked off in the West Virginia legislature again this year by Patrick McGeehan, a Republican member of the House of Delegates from the northern panhandle. McGeehan has introduced House Bill 2138 — the Defend the Guard Act. It's a short
(2021-03-03). Should We Fear a German Ministry of Social Cohesion? strategic-culture.org 
The idea that there needs to be a ministry to make certain ethnic groups feel a greater sense of equality is of course a red flag. | Hearing the idea of a "Ministry of Social Cohesion" was quite exciting for someone who writes about politics, geopolitics and ideology on a regular basis. On the surface this sounds like a systemic answer to the paradox of our time — that our omnipresent Liberalism only acknowledges the individual and yet humans have always lived in groups from the darkness of prehistory. This sort of ministry sounds like it could be a part of a new rising Chinese Communism or the dreams of a s…
(2021-03-03). Canadian Hypocrisy Shines Embarrassingly With New Accusations of China's Muslim Genocide. strategic-culture.org 
China has managed to both find a sustainable cure for terrorism without destroying a single nation, while providing a foundation for extending the Belt and Road into the Middle East and beyond, Matthew Ehret writes. | This week, the Canadian parliament, became the second nation of the Five Eyes (after the USA) to pass a motion condemning
(2021-03-03). ECtHR orders Russia to release Navalny from prison. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
On 16 February 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) granted further interim measures against Russia in relation to political opposition figure Alexei Navalny, requiring that Navalny be immediately released from prison due to the risk to his life and health. Background This is not the first time that the Court has granted Navalny's …
(2021-03-03). Time for the Warren-Jayapal Wealth Tax. counterpunch.org 
This week Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced her updated wealth tax proposal, the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act. The legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA). According to an analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies/Inequality.org (IPS) and the Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF), America's billionaires alone would have paid
(2021-03-03). Cornel West — "My Ridiculous Situation at Harvard" counterpunch.org 
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(2021-03-03). Policing Universities by Neoliberal Governments in the UK And France. counterpunch.org 
The respective motivations, and their specific underlying conditions, are of course different in the UK and France, but both culminate in plans for universities to curb the expression of leftist points of view. In the UK this gives a potential pulpit to "maverick" speakers on the right, such as Steve Bannon, who (facetiously?) approved the delivery of pipe bombs to critics of Trump, and who lost his book deal for having a favourable view of underage sex.
(2021-03-02). Texas gov lifts mask mandate & OKs businesses to operate at 100% capacity. rt.com 
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has lifted many of the Covid-19 restrictions in his state, permitting businesses to operate at 100-percent capacity starting March 10 and repealing the requirement for people to wear face coverings. | Abbott delivered the "exciting news" during a speech to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, informing the assembled small business and community leaders that the mask mandate — in place since July — was no more. | "We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 percent," Abbott said in a statement on Tuesday — Texas' Indepe…
(2021-03-02). Johnson & Johnson's newly-approved Covid vaccine met with pushback as Catholic diocese condemns it for 'ties to abortion cells'. rt.com 
As Johnson & Johnson rolls out its freshly approved Covid-19 vaccine in the US, it faces a religious controversy as the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans has labeled it "morally compromised" over links to abortion cells. | Catholics are advised not to receive the vaccine because Johnson & Johnson used cell lines derived from decades-old abortions in both testing and production of the new product, the Archdiocese Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have utiliz…
(2021-03-02). Italy shuts all schools in Covid-19 hotspots, toughens travel rules until after Easter amid spread of variants. rt.com 
The Italian government has ordered all schools to close in the areas with the highest Covid-19 infection rates as part of a series of new measures set to last until after Easter amid the threat of more contagious viral variants. | On Tuesday, Italy's new prime minister Mario Draghi signed an emergency decree that will see public health measures tightened in so-called 'red zones' from March 6 to April 6. | Under a new
(2021-03-02). Back from the brink? Chechen head Kadyrov says he's persuaded Chimaev to reignite UFC title dream for 'millions of fans in Russia'. rt.com 
Just as UFC fans were coming to terms with their shock at Khamzat Chimaev's pained retirement announcement, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has claimed that he has convinced the rising star to stay in the sport with a personal call. | Unbeaten MMA sensation Chimaev admitted defeat in his bid to return from Covid-19 complications on Tuesday, stunning supporters who had watched him rapidly become one of the promotion's most hotly-tipped fighters before being forced to call off a succession of bouts while he struggled to recover from illness. | UFC president Dana White had insisted that Chimaev, who he justifiably…
(2021-03-02). Erie, PA: Residents skeptical towards corporation's 'green' promises. liberationnews.org 
The plight of this area has left the door open to the opportunism of "green" industry and it is currently being courted by International Recycling Group (IRG).
(2021-03-02). Erie, PA: Residents skeptical of corporation's 'green' promises. liberationnews.org The plight of this area has left the door open to the opportunism of "green" industry and it is currently being courted by International Recycling Group (IRG).
(2021-03-02). Senate Democrats pull $15 wage from rescue package; progressives target filibuster. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The Senate's barely ruling Democrats apparently have given up for now on raising the minimum wage, but the nation's unions, the New Poor People's Campaign, and their allies haven't. By a 219-212 vote after midnight on Feb. 27, the Democratic-run House approved the $1.9 trillion economic aid bill, called the American Rescue Plan. It includes …
(2021-03-02). Newsweek forced to admit Buffalo schools teaching kids to blame 'all white people' is true, not 'HALF-TRUE' in big fact-check FAIL. rt.com After public schools in Buffalo, New York have been called out for blaming "all white people" for perpetuating systematic racism, "fact-checkers" tried to disprove it — only to be left red-faced when confronted with evidence. | Journalist Chris Rufo has been vindicated after fact-checkers accused him of misreporting the contents of a Black Lives Matter-themed curriculum being employed at Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) last month. The magazine quietly confirmed that BPS was, in fact, teaching its students to blame all white people for the suffering of others. | While Rufo showed the curriculum claimed that…
(2021-03-02). 'People are calling us, crying for help'. Heartbreaking tweets expose how 15 people were left to drown in the Mediterranean. thecanary.co 
As coronavirus continues to dominate headlines into 2021, mainstream news coverage of the refugee crisis has gone from poor to non-existent. We rarely read about the people stuck on Lesbos or Samos, and we barely hear about those who are so desperate to get out of Libya that they are willing to gamble with their lives. But these people still very much exist, and racist Europe is still willing to let them drown rather than provide them with a home. | More than
(2021-03-02). Harry Potter video game will allow transgender characters, but unsated critics want 'reparations' from 'transphobic' JK Rowling. rt.com 
The upcoming Harry Potter video game 'Hogwarts Legacy' will allow players to customize characters beyond two genders, but social justice warriors upset over creator JK Rowling and a "far-right" designer are saying it's not enough. | The game, which is set to be released next year, will let users customize their character's voice, body type, and gender placement, according to a report from Bloomberg citing sources working on the project. The only identifying marker for characters will be whether they are a "wizard" or a "witch." | The move came after some working on the game were concerned with numerous public…
(2021-03-02). WATCH Iranian missiles rain down on US base in Iraq following Soleimani assassination in newly declassified VIDEO. rt.com 
The Pentagon has declassified never-before-seen drone footage showing a barrage of Iranian missiles pounding an American airbase in Iraq last year, launched in response to the US kill strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. | US Central Command released the declassified footage to CBS for a '60 Minutes' segment over the weekend, in which six Qiam 1 missiles are seen raining down on the Ayn al-Asad airbase, which houses US troops in Iraq's western Anbar Province. | Filmed in grainy infrared, the brief annotated video shows incoming missiles as they slam into aircraft maintenance hangars and other base facil…
(2021-03-02). Dr. Seuss canceled: Six of author's beloved books to cease publication over 'hurtful & wrong' racist imagery. rt.com 
Six books by the iconic children's author Dr. Seuss will cease publication after the publishing company said they contain stereotypes that are considered "hurtful and wrong" in the modern age. | In a
(2021-03-02). Labour faces legal challenge over recruitment of former Israeli spy. middleeasteye.net 
Labour faces legal challenge over recruitment of former Israeli spy | British Palestinian party member says ex-military intelligence officer's 'social listening' role raises questions about data security | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 12: 04 | Labour leader Keir Starmer has been criticised by other senior party figures over the appointment (Reuters) | The UK Labour Party is facing a legal challenge over its decision t…
(2021-03-02). Morocco cuts contact with German embassy over diplomatic tensions. middleeasteye.net Morocco cuts contact with German embassy over diplomatic tensions | Officials say the suspension is a warning over Berlin's 'disregard' for Rabat on Western Sahara and Libya issues | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 11: 15 | German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita at the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) conference on 19 November 2019 in Berlin (AFP) | Morocco has s…
(2021-03-02). Biden administration 'enthusiastically embraces' IHRA antisemitism definition: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden administration 'enthusiastically embraces' IHRA antisemitism definition: Report | Secretary of State sends letter to American Zionist Movement in support of controversial definition | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 18: 21 | US Secretary of State said he supported the antisemitism definition in a letter sent to American Zionist Movement President Richard Heideman (AFP) | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said t…
(2021-03-02). Austria: Outrage after authorities target academic as part of 'terrorism' crackdown. middleeasteye.net 
Austria: Outrage after authorities target academic as part of 'terrorism' crackdown | Farid Hafez's house was raided at gunpoint in wake of Vienna terror attack as he was also accused of supporting the removal of Egypt's Sisi | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 11: 10 | Farid Hafez in a photo taken from social media (Twitter) | An Austrian academic's account of being interrogated at gunpoint over alleged "terrorist" sympathie…
(2021-03-02). Egypt: 'Homesick' journalist detained after return from exile in Turkey. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: 'Homesick' journalist detained after return from exile in Turkey | Gamaal el-Gamal, who suffers five chronic illnesses, is at risk of death in custody, his friends warn | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 14: 24 | Gamaal el-Gamal, an Egyptian journalist and columnist, was detained at Cairo airport on 22 February (Social media) | Egypt has ordered the pre-trial detention of journalist and governm…
(2021-03-02). US lawmakers ask Biden to push Turkey on 'human rights abuses'. middleeasteye.net 
US lawmakers ask Biden to push Turkey on 'human rights abuses' | In a bipartisan letter, 170 House lawmakers asked State Department to make 'the gross violation of human rights' in Turkey a foreign policy priority | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 14: 52 | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during an AK Party meeting in Ankara on 24 February (AFP/File photo) | One hundred and seventy bipartisan members…
(2021-03-02). A New Form of Jim Crow: Ari Berman on the GOP's Anti-Democratic Assault on Voting Rights. democracynow.org 
The Republican-led House in Georgia has passed a sweeping bill to make it harder to vote, in a move aimed to prevent Democrats from winning future elections. The bill limits access to absentee ballots, limits weekend early voting hours and curbs ballot drop boxes, among other provisions. Across the U.S., Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 250 bills in 43 states aimed at restricting voting access. Ari Berman, author and reporter for Mother Jones, says Republicans are "breaking democracy" with their push to restrict voting. "The Republican Party has no interest in appealing to a majority of Americans. I…
(2021-03-02). US sanctions leaders of Yemen's Houthi rebels for 'prolonging civil war and exacerbating humanitarian crisis'. rt.com 
The US has slapped sanctions on two key figures of Yemen's Houthi rebel movement following the Biden administration's recent calls for the Iran-backed group to help end the Yemeni Civil War. | The Treasury Department said in a statement on Tuesday that it had blacklisted Mansur Al-Sa'adi, the Houthi Naval Forces Chief of Staff, and Ahmad 'Ali Ahsan al-Hamzi, the commander of the Houthi-aligned Yemeni Air Force and Air Defense Forces. The sanctions effectively amount to US asset freezes. | "The United States condemns the destruction of civilian sites by the Houthi militants designated today. These individuals c…
(2021-03-02). Roads blocked at fiery protests in Lebanon as currency crashes to record low against US dollar (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Fresh protests have erupted in Lebanon on Tuesday, following the record crash of the Lebanese pound against the US dollar on the black market, as the country lurches further into crisis. | Demonstrators blocked off several of the main thoroughfares in the capital Beirut by burning tires and dumpsters, causing traffic jams, including on roads leading to the airport, according to Lebanon's National News Agency. | ŸÖÿ≠ÿߟàŸÑÿßÿ™ ÿߟÑÿ¨Ÿäÿ¥ ŸÅÿ™ÿ≠ ÿ£…
(2021-03-02). 'Absolute legend': Ex-Russia & Chelsea football ace Smertin plays keepy-uppy on ice — then wins notorious extreme marathon (VIDEO). rt.com 
Former Russia captain Alexey Smertin has been filmed delicately juggling a football on the icy surface of a vast lake in Siberia — a day before battling through freezing conditions to win one of the world's toughest marathons. | Dressed in gloves and a woolly hat, brave Smertin showed nifty knee and footwork to keep a ball up on the ice with friends ahead of the annual Baikal Ice Marathon, a remarkable 26.2-mile race which takes place on a lake surface. | The daring 45-year-old showed he still possessed some of the ample skills that took him to the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 in a much-needed warm-up, a…
(2021-03-02). Selected Articles: US Foreign Policy: "War Is Peace" globalresearch.ca 
By As documented below in a September 1998 Senate hearing, Joe Biden was a firm supporter of the Invasion …
(2021-03-02). The Average American Pay Tax on Half of Their Wealth, Shouldn't Rich Americans? counterpunch.org 
Might the United States, home to the world's wealthiest people, sometime soon sport a tax on wealth? Media outlets the nation over have begunspeculating on just that question. But many of these reflections are missing the point: The United States already has a wealth tax. We call this already existing levy the "property tax," and