(2021-03-19). Palestine liberation leader sentenced by Israeli military tribunal. workers.org 
By Mayana Ashley-Carner Khalida Jarrar is a Palestinian politician, elected representative to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), and a member of the Marxist-Leninist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The Israeli government has been holding her in "administrative detention" since October 2019. Recently, she was sentenced to . . . |
(2021-03-19). Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank protest. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli forces kill Palestinian in West Bank protest | According to the Palestinian Authority, Atef Yousef Hanaysha, 45, was shot in the head in the village of Beit Dajan | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 12: 49 | Palestinians carry fellow protester Atef Hanaysha on 19 March 2021 after he was reportedly shot in the head by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank village of Beit Dajan (Social media handout) | Israeli forces…
(2021-03-19). Oakland joins West Coast cities mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. peoplesworld.org 
OAKLAND, Calif. — Cities around the Bay Area have joined, or on the road to joining, the growing list of West Coast cities requiring large grocery outlets to provide their workers hazard pay while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors now requires large grocers to pay their frontline workers $5 more …
(2021-03-19). Poor People's Campaign demonstrates for priorities in 30 state capitols. liberationnews.org 
Among the policies are "comprehensive, free, and just" COVID-19 relief; universal healthcare; redirection of the military budget to social needs; and many others.
(2021-03-19). Why is it still so hard to get vaccinated in Massachusetts? liberationnews.org 
Massachusetts has a reputation for progressive policies, especially in healthcare. So why is the Bay State's COVID-19 vaccine rollout one of the sloppiest?
(2021-03-19). The Geopolitics of Vaccine Nationalism: Perspectives from Australia. counterpunch.org 
"The eagle has landed", said Australia's federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on 15 February 2021 referring to the arrival of the first international shipment of Pfeizer's Covid-19 vaccines in Australia. On the day which was supposed to be a vaccine response 'D-day' for Australia and to add a boost to the government's approval ratings, the
(2021-03-19). WATCH: Rand Paul challenges Fauci's ever-more-elaborate 'mask theatre' on Senate floor. rt.com 
US coronavirus czar Anthony Fauci has again butted heads with Republican senator (and fellow doctor) Rand Paul over the government's mask mandates. Paul got under Fauci's skin by denouncing current mask rules as "theater." | The Kentucky senator demanded Fauci explain why Americans who'd already been sick with Covid-19 and recovered, or received the vaccine should be "wearing masks well into 2022" during a Senate hearing on Thursday. Insisting there "no scientific studies arguing or proving that infection with Covid does not create immunity," Paul demanded the doctor cite "specific studies" to bolster his clai…
(2021-03-19). Ley de ayuda por COVID evita miles de despidos en Hawái. peoplesworld.org 
Hacia finales de 2020, oficiales estatales de Hawái enfrentaban un déficit presupuestario de mas de $2 mil millones en gran parte por la pandemia del coronavirus. El Gobernador David Ige dijo que se podría ver obligado a despedir o descansar a miles de empleados estatales, muchos de ellos miembros de AFSCME, a partir de julio. …
(2021-03-19). "The Sum of Us": Heather McGhee on How Racism Undercuts the American Dream for Everyone. democracynow.org 
Amid a national reckoning with structural racism and the dangers of white supremacy, author Heather McGhee's new book details how racism in the United States hurts not just people of color but also white people. In "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together," McGhee details how zero-sum thinking has worsened inequality and robbed people of all stripes of the public goods and support they need to thrive. We speak with McGhee about the cost of racism, Republican voter suppression efforts and what people can accomplish when they come together in solidarity across racial lines. "Fundam…
(2021-03-19). "Jim Crow in New Clothes": In First Senate Speech, Raphael Warnock Slams GOP Assault on Voting Rights. democracynow.org 
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, whose election in January helped bring the chamber under Democratic control, used his first speech on the floor of the Senate this week to assail Republican efforts to restrict voting rights. He called the raft of voter suppression bills being introduced in states across the country "Jim Crow in new clothes," denounced false claims of voter fraud spread by Donald Trump and others, and called on Congress to pass the For the People Act, also known as H.R. 1, a sweeping voting reform bill that would greatly expand access to the ballot. "Make no mistake: This is democracy in reverse,"
(2021-03-19). In Ohio, solidarity with Amazon workers. workers.org 
University Heights, Ohio A demonstration outside a Whole Foods store March 13 brought out supporters for the Amazon union drive taking place in Bessemer, Ala. They came to this Cleveland suburb from throughout Northeast Ohio and from as far away as Columbus. Outside Whole Foods, University Hts., Ohio. March 13. . . . |
(2021-03-19). Migrant children held in US custody soar to 14,000 as Biden press secretary accidentally acknowledges border 'crisis'. rt.com 
More than 14,000 migrant children are currently held in US custody, a senior administration official said, insisting there's no "crisis" at the border soon after Biden's press secretary invoked the very same term. | The official said the number of youths detained after attempting to cross the border had soared to 14,000 during a Thursday press briefing, noting that they are divided between facilities run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Border Patrol. | While the official argued that "Children presenting themselves at the border is not a national crisis," White House Press Secret…
(2021-03-19). Dropping off migrants with unchecked health & criminal history 'like opening Pandora's box' — Arizona border town mayor to RT. rt.com 
The mayor of a small border town in Arizona has told RT that federal agents did not provide crucial information about the migrants that are being released in the US after the White House relaxed border policies. | "The number of migrants that come across on foot has ramped up substantially in just the last few weeks," Chris Riggs, the mayor of Gila Bend, an Arizona border town of 2,000, told RT. | Mayor Riggs said he began worrying after the town was notified that border control officials will be releasing migrants in the local community after processing them quickly. At the same time, federal agencies did not…
(2021-03-19). Ernesto Falcon on Internet for All, Alexander Kaufman on Future-Proofed Housing Codes. fair.org 
This week on CounterSpin: Reporters covering the pandemic can't help but note the impact of the digital divide: How do you work from home, or do remote learning, or even register for a vaccine, without not just available, but affordable high-speed internet? Yet a major congressional effort to end that divide is, so far, generating little interest from big media. It's almost as if the corporate press accepted the existence of information haves and have-nots, because that's how goods get divided in this country—even if it doesn't make technological, economic or humanitarian sense. We'll hear about the Access…
(2021-03-19). From the Earth to the Moon: Biden's China Policy Doomed from the Start. dissidentvoice.org 
A much anticipated American foreign policy move under the Biden Administration on how to counter China's unhindered economic growth and political ambitions came in the form of a virtual summit on March 12, linking, aside from the United States, India, Australia and Japan. Although the so-called 'Quad' revealed nothing new in their joint statement, the …
(2021-03-19). Biden's 'killer' comment about Putin reflects obsolete foreign policy. peoplesworld.org 
I want to start this critique of Biden's developing foreign policy by stating clearly and unequivocally that his $1.9 trillion rescue plan deserves total support from everyone in our country. It is nothing less than a dramatic disavowal of the right-wing era launched by Ronald Reagan some 40 years ago. Although Biden deserves praise for …
(2021-03-19). Travelers, Sour and Sentimental. counterpunch.org 
"I hate traveling and explorers." —Claude Levi-Strauss, Tristes tropiques (1955) Texas loosens, Italy locks down. With the skies mostly still clear and quiet, one can hear the collective champing at the bit before the gates open and vacationers charge into their first getaway in more than year. As Airbnb bookings surge, it's worth asking what
(2021-03-19). Villagers & Pillagers: Who Will Survive the Collapse? counterpunch.org 
Unless you live in a state of denial you're probably like me, troubled about the future. There's not much left of mine, but my daughter's generation and their children will have to survive the aftermath of fossil-fueled civilization on the ravaged, toxic planet we've left them. How will that look? Will democratic eco-settlements rise from
(2021-03-19). How AFSCME and ACLU Gutted New Mexico's Proposed Ban on Chemical Weapons, Attack Dogs, Rubber Bullets. counterpunch.org 
If police reform could fix what's wrong with policing in the United States, it would have already happened in Albuquerque. No police department in the U.S. has undergone more reform, over more years, than the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). None of it has worked. New Mexico consistently ranks among the states with the highest rate
(2021-03-19). Water is Life, Can We Protect It? counterpunch.org 
From West Texas to Jackson, Mississippi, tens of millions of people struggled through late winter storms that froze pipes, broke water mains, and cut off electricity. They froze without showers, toilets, or washing machines — let alone drinking water — for days or even weeks. The irony that Texas, the state built on fossil fuels,
(2021-03-19). How America Got the Vapors…Over ANTIFA. counterpunch.org 
It started last summer during the George Floyd Rebellion: alarming tales about left-wing terrorists, about hordes of antifa ready to invade dozy suburbs and burn down the local post office, Walmart and Starbucks. These wild fabrications percolated through right-wing media, causing a panicked spike in gun purchases, followed by announcements from red-blooded Amuricans in the Midwest and matrons from Florida that they were locked and loaded, ready to defend their real estate and SUVs from the battalions of communist terrorist antifa about to overrun their front lawns and trample azaleas, hydrangeas and any other be…
(2021-03-19). How Chesa Boudin is pursuing his promise to reduce incarceration. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-19). Police union defends convicted cops keeping their jobs. therealnews.com 
Why is it so hard to reform the police, let alone hold police accountable for abusing their power? What are the legal and political protections that have put police above the very law they're supposed to enforce?
(2021-03-19). No, the Rich Aren't Paying Their Fare Share. counterpunch.org 
We hear it all the time: The wealthy must pay their fair share in tax. Many of the wealthy, and the members of Congress they sponsor, contend they already are. And they have all sorts of facts and figures to make that appear true. After all, for a billionaire, even a tiny tax payment in
(2021-03-19). The Paris Commune of 1871, banks and debt. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-19). Transnational and Transformative Movements: BLM, Kashmir, and Prison Reform in Oklahoma. counterpunch.org 
Considering electoral processes in my state of adoption, Oklahoma, are healthier than they are in my state of origin, Jammu and Kashmir, I remind millennials to identify important issues to them as voters, so they are inspired to make a significant difference by participating. I will not deny the feeling of hopelessness that sets in
(2021-03-19). Nuclear Fuel Buried 108 Feet from the Sea. counterpunch.org 
"The most toxic substance on Earth is separated from exposure to society by Ω" of steel encased in a canister." (Blanch) That eye-opener comes from renowned nuclear expert Paul Blanch in reference to spent fuel rods removed from San Onofre Nuclear Generation Plant buried near the sea on California's southern coastline 50 miles north of
(2021-03-19). National Day of Action March 27: Call It What It Is, a Hate Crime! Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing! liberationnews.org 
The following national call to action was issued by the ANSWER Coalition Join the March 27 National Day of Action! Endorse the national day of action here Organize an event in your city — register your event here Initial list of cities, check back for updates! San Francisco, CA1 PMLocation TBD Atlanta, GATime & Location …
(2021-03-19). Startling Discovery of New Dead Sea Scrolls sheds light on Jewish Revolts against Imperial Rome. juancole.com 
By Gareth Wearne | — On Tuesday news broke of the discovery of fresh fragments of a nearly 2,000-year-old scroll in Israel. The fragments were said to come from the evocatively named Cave of Horror, near the western shore of the Dead Sea. The finds were announced with attention-grabbing headlines that these were new fragments …
(2021-03-19). The Paris Commune's 150th anniversary — A blueprint for revolution. workers.org 
An uprising in Paris on March 18, 1871, toward the end of the Franco-Prussian War, burst open the structure of 19th-century European capitalist society. The 72-day social explosion in what would become the capital of the French Empire became the iconic blueprint for workers' revolution. Lessons of the Paris Commune, . . . |
(2021-03-19). Case of Sarah Everard, kidnapped and murdered by cop, sparks reform in Britain. peoplesworld.org 
Walking home alone in the darkness of night is a regular experience for many—whether they live in the busiest cities or the quietest towns. It is such a norm that many people never stop to think about safety. But for women everywhere, this action is often fraught with fear and anxiety. Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old …
(2021-03-19). Love & Rage: The Eros Effect and Spontaneous Combustion. counterpunch.org 
"Today the fight for life, the fight for Eros, is the political fight." — Herbert Marcuse, Eros and Civilization, 1966 "Eros is historically shaped but eternally emergent. Love binds us together, gives us the courage to make history, to stare down our fears . . . and gives us the nerve to be resolute .
(2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, Calif., police. liberationnews.org 
Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.
(2021-03-19). The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson. workers.org 
Atlanta A videotape shows 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson walking down a hallway and entering the gym in the Lowndes County High School in Valdosta, Ga., eight years ago on Jan. 10, 2013. That night his mother, Jacquelyn Johnson, called the emergency number 911 to report that her son had not come . . . |
(2021-03-19). A People's History of the Civil Rights Movement. counterpunch.org 
The story of the Civil Rights movement is often told in a manner that glorifies certain Movement organizers and so-called leaders while ignoring the multitudes in the churches, the cotton fields, the hamlets of the South and the streets of the nation. This portrayal exists in spite of the ongoing reminders from those who have
(2021-03-19). There are so many lessons to learn from Kerala. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-19). With renewed union backing, House passes Dream Act. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—With renewed labor backing, this time from the Union Veterans Council, the House voted 227-197 at 6 p.m. on March 18 to pass the Dream Act, formally legalizing and providing an eventual path to citizenship for the 700,000 "Dreamers," undocumented people brought to the U.S. as kids, who are Americans in all but their papers. …
(2021-03-19). Art & Politics in San Francisco, 2021: Portraits of a City in Upheaval, Again. counterpunch.org 
Bay Area artist and teacher, Miranda Bergman, knows by heart the most famous lines in The Tempest. She ought to. Her Old Left parents named her after Shakespeare's feisty heroine who exclaims, "How amazing! How many wonderful creatures there are here! Mankind is so beautiful! Oh, what a wonderful new world that has such people
(2021-03-19). Ten years since beginning of failed regime-change operation against Syria. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-19). Covid, Consent and the Court of Protection. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Many of the newly vaccinated booked their appointments with gusto and left with a sense of elation. For others the process wasn't so simple. We see a snapshot of this in a handful of reported cases from the Court of Protection: Re E [2021] EWCOP 7; SD v RBKC [2021] EWCOP 14; and Re CR …
(2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, California police. liberationnews.org Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.
(2021-03-19). The Iraq War: 18 Years Later. counterpunch.org 
'You sit in your room, and you talk to the wall You're feeling small but still have a ball And you can't explain what's anyway in vain And you paint your face and dress in black Wear your shades and still can't express The way you feel about a lousy fill And you dance until
(2021-03-19). Turkey's government moves court to disband opposition HDP. peoplesdispatch.org 
Turkey's chief prosecutor has filed a lawsuit in the constitutional court to disband the pro-Kurdish left-wing Peoples Democratic Party on charges of having links with the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)…
(2021-03-19). UK court restores citizenship to three British-Bangladeshis who travelled to Syria. middleeasteye.net 
UK court restores citizenship to three British-Bangladeshis who travelled to Syria | Court found trio had been left stateless because they were not Bangladeshi nationals and said home secretary 'had no power to make orders with that effect' | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 11: 23 | The UK government has used citizenship-stripping powers extensively against British nationals who travelled to Syria since the start o…
(2021-03-19). Why Don't We Take Hate of Asians Seriously? counterpunch.org 
We have to problematize the purely academic extrapolation of Asians. I remember this slime popping up after Dylan Roof. According to an analysis quoted on NBC Scott Kurasige, Roof was operating on the premise that Asians were a "model minority" and that a core of white supremacy is to mobilize Asians against Black people. Such
(2021-03-19). Israel election: Why Netanyahu's makeover made him an improbable 'Arab lover'. middleeasteye.net 
Israel election: Why Netanyahu's makeover made him an improbable 'Arab lover' | After years of inciting against Israel's Palestinian citizens, Netanyahu is running as 'Abu Yair' and keen to be seen sipping coffee with Bedouin elders
| Fri, 03/19/2021 – 08: 58 | An electoral billboard by the Joint List depicting Benjamin Netanyahu with a caption in Arabic saying "the father of the nation-state l…
(2021-03-19). Arabic press review: Lebanon's president seeks Saudi support to replace PM Hariri. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Lebanon's president seeks Saudi support to replace PM Hariri | Meanwhile, Egypt relaxes security restrictions in Sinai Peninsula, and Bahrain bristles over Reporters Without Borders report | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 33 | Lebanon's President Michel Aoun talks to then-Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri during the cabinet meeting in Baabda near Beirut, Lebanon on 5 December 2017 (Reute…
(2021-03-19). UN Libya report: Key takeaways, from mercenaries and Erik Prince to murders. middleeasteye.net 
UN Libya report: Key takeaways, from mercenaries and Erik Prince to murders | Dodgy deals in Jordan and the suspicious presence of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces are some of the details revealed by a United Nations panel of experts | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 09: 30 | Libyan military graduates loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) take part in a parade marking their graduation (AFP) | After a se…
(2021-03-19). Turkey: Police detain opposition HDP officials and co-chair of rights group. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Police detain opposition HDP officials and co-chair of rights group | Move follows prosecutor's filing of case with Constitutional Court demanding a ban on the pro-Kurdish party | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 07: 49 | People shout slogans during a demonstration in Istanbul on Thursday to protest against the court case launched against the HDP (Reuters) | Turkish police detained three top dist…
(2021-03-19). Palestinians protest Israeli plans to demolish 100 houses in East Jerusalem. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinians protest Israeli plans to demolish 100 houses in East Jerusalem | An Israeli municipality's 'biblical' tourism park construction project risks the homes of almost 1,550 Palestinians | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 13: 43 | Palestinians say Friday prayers near a protest tent against the demolition of 100 houses by Israeli authorities in occupied East Jerusalem, 19 March 2021 (AFP) | Hundreds of Palestinians in…
(2021-03-19). Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Saudi Aramco oil refinery that sparked fire. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis claim attack on Saudi Aramco oil refinery that sparked fire | The Houthis have escalated cross-border attacks in recent weeks, as fighting intensifies in Yemen's north | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 09 | A man looks at a damaged silo a day after an attack at the Saudi Aramco oil facility in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea city of Jeddah, on 24 November 2020 (AFP) | A drone attack on an oil…
(2021-03-19). Yemen's Houthis advance on Marib after capturing mountain. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis advance on Marib after capturing mountain | The government's loss of Mount Hilan threatens Marib's first line of defence | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 10: 28 | A fighter loyal to Yemen's Houthis attends the funeral of fellow combatants killed in battles with Saudi-backed government troops, in Sanaa on 28 February 2021 (AFP) | Yemen's Houthi fighters have seized a strategic mountain o…
(2021-03-19). US will not recognise Syria presidency vote without UN supervision. middleeasteye.net 
US will not recognise Syria presidency vote without UN supervision | Acting deputy ambassador to UN says ongoing peace process has been hindered by President Bashar al-Assad's 'refusal to engage in good faith' | Fri, 03/19/2021 – 14: 51 | The US and its allies have been hesitant to normalise relations with the Assad government (AFP) | The United States has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that it will n…
(2021-03-19). Mitch McConnell's No. 1 priority is Mitch McConnell. peoplesworld.org 
"He's got more nerve than Dick Tracy," my grandmother would say of a particularly shameless soul. (Okay, young folks, Tracy was a famous funny pages cop.) Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell keeps reminding me of my grandmother's observation. But the minority leader's calculated Road to Damascus conversion on Judge Merrick Garland might be his most cynical ploy. …
(2021-03-19). Judge agrees to redact 'sensational and impure' details about Ghislaine Maxwell from public docket. rt.com 
A federal judge in New York has ruled on requests for redactions filed by the US government and Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged madam of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some parts of her private life will now not be made public.
(2021-03-19). Jack in the Box manager stabbed by homeless Texan after telling him to put on a coronavirus face mask — police. rt.com 
The manager of a Jack in the Box fast food restaurant in Texas was reportedly stabbed after telling a homeless customer to wear a coronavirus face mask. | According to League City Police Chief Gary Ratliff told re…
(2021-03-19). US accuses Beijing of sabotaging 'rules-based' world order & decries 'protocol violation' after Chinese hit back at Alaska talks. rt.com 
A war of words erupted as talks between US and Chinese officials kicked off in Alaska, with Secretary of State Tony Blinken accusing Beijing of undermining the global order, prompting a harsh rebuttal from his counterpart. | Blinken opened Thursday's summit with a series of charges against Beijing, voicing "deep concerns" about alleged "economic coercion" against US allies, rights abuses within China and the threat the country poses to the "rules-based order that maintains global stability." | The secretary's aggressive tone was soon matched by China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, seeing the first face-to-fa…
(2021-03-19). Judge denies request to delay Derek Chauvin trial in George Floyd case after defense argues city settlement prejudiced jury picks. rt.com 
A request from former cop Derek Chauvin's defense team to push back the date and change the location of his trial in the death of George Floyd has been rejected. | Minneapolis Judge Peter Cahill denied the request on Friday. Chauvin's defense lawyers had made the appeal after the city announced a "The fact that this came in the exact middle of jury sele…
(2021-03-19). Biden administration staffers asked to RESIGN over past marijuana use, despite campaign support for decriminalization — reports. rt.com 
The Biden administration has been vigilant in weeding out staffers who have admitted to past marijuana use, despite the drug being increasingly legal across the US, a new report suggests. | Dozens of White House employees were asked to resign or join a "remote work program" this month after admitting to past marijuana use, the Daily Beast reported. | "It's exclusively targeting younger staff and staff who came from states where it was legal," one anonymous former staffer claimed. | Marijuana is now legal in 14 states and the District of Columbia, but it remains illegal at the federal level. Even staffers from…
(2021-03-19). 'Gestapo tactics': NYC mayor de Blasio blasted after saying police should warn & threaten people over 'hurtful' behavior. rt.com 
New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio has stunned Americans by suggesting cops should confront people at their homes if they have been accused of "hurtful" but non-criminal acts. Many are asking exactly how that would work in practice. | "Even if something is not a criminal case, a perpetrator being confronted by the city, whether it's NYPD or another agency, and being told that what they've done was very hurtful to another person" could deter people from offending others, de Blasio told reporters on Thursday, in response to a rise in hate crime against Asian Americans. | "If someone has done something wrong, but no…
(2021-03-19). The Heat: China-U.S. meeting in Alaska. america.cgtn.com 
High-level talks between China and the United States. What can we expect? And what will it mean for relations between the two major powers?
(2021-03-19). The providers of 'Ride Hailing apps' and their drivers: another judgment from Amsterdam. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Three applicants v Ola Netherlands B.V. C/13/689705 / HA RK 20-258, District Court, Amsterdam (11 March 2021) An Amsterdam Court has ordered Ola (a smartphone-hailing taxi organisation like Uber) to be more transparent about the data it uses as the basis for decisions on suspensions and wage penalties, in a ruling that breaks new ground …
(2021-03-19). Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. counterpunch.org 
Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened the sports pages
(2021-03-19). The Sports Pages of Death: Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com) — Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened …
(2021-03-18). Selected Articles: Brazil's Lula in a Wilderness of Mirrors, UK Breaks Law on Nukes, Myanmar: Hidden Opposition Violence. globalresearch.ca 
By A surprising Supreme Court decision that, while not definitive, restores Lula's political rights has hit Brazil like a semiotic bomb and plunged the nation into a …
(2021-03-18). Keep up the fight for Mumia: No to COVID medical neglect! liberationnews.org 
World renowned political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has contracted COVID-19 in the unsanitary conditions of Pennsylvania's prison system. People around the globe have been mobilizing to demand that he be released instead of being further subjected to brutal medical neglect. Below are several important updates and information about how you can help pressure authorities. Mumia Abu-Jamal's …
(2021-03-18). Keep up the fight for Mumia: 'No' to COVID medical neglect! liberationnews.org World renowned political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has contracted COVID-19 in the unsanitary conditions of Pennsylvania's prison system. People around the globe have been mobilizing to demand that he be released instead of being further subjected to brutal medical neglect. Below are several important updates and information about how you can help pressure authorities. Mumia Abu-Jamal's …
(2021-03-18). Syria needs Long-Term Housing for the Neediest, and the US needs to Stop Blocking it. juancole.com 
By Hany Al Banna | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — March 15, 2021, will mark a grim milestone—the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the popular uprising that led to the civil war still engulfing Syria. As we all grapple with the deadly crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world's …
(2021-03-18). China and Russia Vaccines Defeat Cold War Virus. dissidentvoice.org 
A friend in need is a friend indeed, and several countries which may have previously sniffed at vaccines produced by China and Russia are finding truth in the old adage. China is ramping up supplies of its CoronaVac to Brazil and other Latin American countries where Covid-19 infections are threatening to overwhelm public health services. …
(2021-03-18). 'Pass' of no return? EU's free-travel certificate (aka 'vaccine passport') risks falling victim to members' row over conditions. rt.com 
While supporting the idea that freedom of travel should be restored, EU member states may be dragged into endless debate about the details of the common pass that will contain data about Covid-19 immunity or proof of vaccination. | On Wednesday, the European Commission formally We are proposing to create a Digital Green Certificate to facilitate safe f…
(2021-03-18). Why Brazil is Losing the Global Race for Vaccines. counterpunch.org 
On January 17 nurse Monica Calazans became the first person vaccinated against COVID-19 in Brazil. The procedure took place during a much-awaited ceremony in Sà£o Paulo. However, after months of denial and heel-dragging from the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's late entry into the global race for vaccines could prove to be fatal for
(2021-03-18). Italy, France and other EU states to restart AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine use after EU regulator's blood clot review. rt.com 
The rollout of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine will resume in Italy from Friday, Prime Minister Mario Draghi has said, as a handful of EU nations announced returns to the jab after the bloc's drug regulator reaffirmed it was safe. | "The government's priority remains to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible," Draghi said in a statement, after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) found no overall risk of blood clotting linked to the jab. | The French prime minister and the health ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Cyprus quickly followed suit in announcing their countries would also restart the…
(2021-03-18). 'Safe & effective': EU drugs regulator backs AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab, though 'can't definitively rule out' blood clot link. rt.com 
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is continuing to study reports of rare blood clot events potentially linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but said on Thursday that the jab "is safe and effective in preventing Covid-19". | Following a review of the vaccine and reported rare incidents of blood clots among recipients, the EMA did not find a link to an overall risk of blood clotting, but will continue its investigations. | The regulator's findings come after 13 EU member states halted their rollouts of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company developed with Oxford University. | Spe…
(2021-03-18). Mexican army seizes 'counterfeit' shipment of Sputnik V as developers of Russian Covid-19 vaccine warn of efforts to discredit jab. rt.com 
Fears of fake vaccines have been heightened after authorities in Mexico raided a private plane they say was attempting to smuggle a thousand vials of what appeared to be the Moscow-made Sputnik V coronavirus jab into the country. | In a statement published on Wednesday, the Mexican government
(2021-03-18). NYT accused of 'fueling anti-Asian racism' over headline on Chinese vaccine 'made from hamster cells'. rt.com 
The New York Times was accused of "soft racism" after running a headline about how China's latest Covid-19 vaccine is "made from the ovary cells of hamsters" on the same day shootings in Georgia left six Asian women dead. | In the Tuesday
(2021-03-18). UN Security Council condemns Houthi efforts to take Yemen's Marib. middleeasteye.net 
UN Security Council condemns Houthi efforts to take Yemen's Marib | The council calls on all parties to halt hostilities so humanitarian aid, including Covid-19 vaccines, can be administered and a peaceful resolution agreed upon | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 17: 14 | Forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed government get into position during clashes with Houthi fighters in Yemen's northeastern province of Marib on 4 March…
(2021-03-18). QAnon Conspiracy Theorists Doubt Trump's Endorsement of Vaccines Was Real. truthout.org 
Although former President Donald Trump has now strongly urged everyone in the U.S. to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a number of his most ardent supporters — particularly those who subscribe to the QAnon set of conspiracy theories — are continuing to express skepticism about the vaccines. Some have even started spreading baseless conspiracy theories claiming that the person who promoted the COVID vaccines in a video interview with Fox News wasn't really Trump. | During his interview…
(2021-03-18). Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report | State Department is reportedly mulling over plans to provide $15m in Covid-19 aid in addition to several other initiatives set to mend ties, according to draft memo | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 07 | Palestinians react as Israeli authorities prepare to demolish a house located within a village south of Yatta in southern area of West Bank…
(2021-03-18). Republicans Are Looking for Ways to Sabotage Biden's Stimulus. truthout.org 
Even though President Joe Biden just signed the American Rescue Plan, Republicans are not backing down in their fight against the $1.9 trillion Covid relief package. They are now looking for ways to reject the federal funds allotted to state and local governments. | On Tuesday,
(2021-03-18). 'Risk of transmission negligible': Iceland opens borders to tourists vaccinated against Covid-19. rt.com 
Iceland has become one of the first countries in the world to let in foreign visitors without mandatory quarantine or Covid-19 testing upon arrival since the pandemic hit. However, only vaccinated tourists are welcome. | The North Atlantic nation, whose economy relies heavily on its tourism industry, has fully opened its borders to those vaccinated against Covid-19. Starting March 18, citizens from outside the Schengen area, including from the US and UK, may enter Iceland and travel around freely without restrictions, having first presented proof of inoculation. | Previously, only vaccinated visitors from the…
(2021-03-18). "Immoral & Illegal": U.S. & U.K. Move to Expand Nuclear Arsenals, Defying Global Disarmament Treaties. democracynow.org 
The United States and the United Kingdom are facing international criticism for moving to expand their nuclear arsenals, defying a growing global movement in support of nuclear disarmament. The U.S. is planning to spend $100 billion to develop a new nuclear missile which could travel 6,000 miles carrying a warhead 20 times stronger than the one dropped on Hiroshima, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just announced plans to lift the cap on its nuclear stockpile, ending three decades of gradual nuclear disarmament in the U.K. "We're seeing this united, uniform response of nuclear-armed states to what t…
(2021-03-18). Stop Asian Hate: Connie Wun on Atlanta Spa Killings, Gender Violence & Spike in Anti-Asian Attacks. democracynow.org 
Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-founder of AAPI Women Lead and a researcher on violence against girls of color, says it's impossible to "disconnect rac…
(2021-03-18). Burmese Protesters Continue to Demand Democracy as Authorities "Shoot to Kill" in Sweeping Crackdown. democracynow.org 
Martial law has been declared in more parts of Burma as the military junta intensifies its crackdown following the February 1 coup. At least 217 protesters have been killed and over 2,000 have been arrested or detained since the coup began, according to one Burmese group. Protests are continuing across the country amid a crackdown on communications, in which much of Burma is under an internet blackout and independent newspapers have stopped publishing. Despite international criticism, the Burmese military is tightening its grip on power. People are continuing to protest even as they face the risk of arrest, polic…
(2021-03-18). Pandemic's impact propels new push for Medicare for All. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Propelled by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which exposed, as never before, the gaping holes in U.S. health care's non-system, proponents of Medicare For All launched a new push for comprehensive health care reconstruction. But the March 17 exuberant "Town Hall" for the bill, re-introduced by House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., …
(2021-03-18). The union fight at Amazon is a fight for Black lives. therealnews.com 
With the historic union election at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, underway, we sit down with Joshua Brewer, one of the lead union organizers involved with the campaign, to talk about what a union would mean for this majority-Black community.
(2021-03-18). Alabama Amazon worker testifies before Congress: "We're not robots." peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—At Amazon's warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., more than 5,800 workers, many if not most of them Black, toil for 10 hours each a day in the middle of a pandemic, shifting goods to loading docks via elevators they can't board themselves. Instead, workers, many middle-aged, must tramp, or limp, up and down four flights of …
(2021-03-18). The Ongoing Calamity: US Collective Punishment of the Venezuelan People Must End. counterpunch.org 
Recent statements made by US officials suggest that Washington will continue to pursue a hardline policy on Venezuela. The new Biden Administration, however, needs to urgently rethink its approach. US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, remarked on February 3 that he "certainly" does not "expect this administration to be engaging directly with (President) Maduro." Namely,
(2021-03-18). GOP Rep. Glorifies Lynching in Racist Rant During Hearing on Anti-Asian Attacks. truthout.org 
During a hearing on the increasing discrimination and violence against Asian Americans in the House on Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) suggested that lynching was how justice can be carried out for the families of the Asian women who were murdered in Atlanta, Georgia. | In his testimony, Roy equated the white man who murdered eight people, including six Asian women in a racist murder spree on Tuesday, to immigrants in the south who he claims are "absolutely decimating" U.S. cities, and al…
(2021-03-18). Rate of demolition of Palestinian homes has increased in 2021, says new report. peoplesdispatch.org 
The report, prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian Territories, says the monthly average of demolition of Palestinian houses by Israeli authorities has increased by 65% in 2021 as compared to the previous year…
(2021-03-18). New Cold War is built on humanitarian interventionist lies and dismissal of actual War Crimes. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). The U.S. Government Should Promote the General Welfare. counterpunch.org 
An event revealing a great deal about the kind of government Americans want occurred this March, when members of the U.S. Congress voted on the American Rescue Plan. This legislation, staunchly supported by the Democrats, provided federal funding for the provision of life-saving vaccines, the re-opening of public schools, expanded benefits to the unemployed, a
(2021-03-18). Let's Stop Pretending Russia and China are Military Threats. counterpunch.org 
Someone needs to say this, and it looks like it's gotta be me: China and Russia are not our enemies. Somehow, the opinion-makers in the media, the bloated military brass with all their ribbons and stars and with little to do but worry about how to keep their massively overbuilt operation afloat with ever more taxpayer money, and the members of Congress who like to gin up fears among the voters so they'll keep voting for them have gotten everyone thinking that Russia is still hell bent on world communist takeover and that China it trying to replace the US as global hegemon. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
(2021-03-18). The Active Forest Management Scam. counterpunch.org 
There are daily news stories about the recent large wildfires in 2020. In nearly all of these media accounts, almost always attributed to a lack of active forest management. In other words, proponents of logging/thinning forests assert fuel reductions would diminish fire severity. The prevailing assumption is that fuels are the major cause of large
(2021-03-18). Interpreting contemporary imperialism: lessons from Samir Amin. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). 150 years ago, Paris Commune showed that workers can run society themselves. peoplesworld.org 
On March 18, Paris arose to the thunder-burst of 'Vive la Commune!' […] When ordinary workers dared for the first time to infringe upon the governmental privilege of their 'natural superiors'… the old world writhed in terror at the sight of the red flag, the symbol of the Republic of Labor, floating over city hall. …
(2021-03-18). Anger mounts as police cover for Atlanta murderer of Asian women. peoplesworld.org 
Only two days before the Atlanta-area murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, Georgia State Sen. Michelle Au, herself Chinese American, was warning of rising anti-Asian violence in her state and nationwide. "Asian Americans are part of our country's plurality," said Au. "And all I'm asking, as the first East Asian state senator …
(2021-03-18). PSL in Tennessee launches campaign to fight utility shutoffs. liberationnews.org 
The rise in unemployment and poverty coupled with dismal state benefits during a deadly pandemic have left many families unable to pay their bills.
(2021-03-18). Jason Hickel introduces Degrowth — book review. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). Climate Change is making Sea levels rise fastest in big cities — here's why. juancole.com 
By Sally Brown and Robert James Nicholls | — It is well known that climate-induced sea level rise is a major threat. What is less well know is the threat of sinking land. And in many of the most populated coastal areas, the land is sinking even faster than the sea is rising. Parts of …
(2021-03-18). No justice, no peace: Rapsody on art, activism, and the power of music. therealnews.com 
The professors invite Rapsody to discuss the legacy of the Black music tradition and how it continually reiterates itself within "new genres," creating a cultural archive.
(2021-03-18). Guangzhou 1927: The Paris Commune of the East. peoplesdispatch.org 
On the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Paris Commune, its legacy is remembered in the Guangzhou Uprising, when workers and peasants established a popular republic in the southern Chinese capital in 1927.
(2021-03-18). Author Dan Hicks reveals the backstory of 'contested objects' in Western museums. peoplesworld.org 
The role of museums in Western culture has been a conversation in art and academia for decades. The institution as a whole has had a spotlight shined on its structural biases for years. In response, several museums have attempted to institute reforms to expand diversity. Curator Dan Hicks, of the Pitt-Rivers Museum of Oxford University, …
(2021-03-18). The stain that won't wash (or be whitewashed). peoplesworld.org 
(2021-03-18). Profit Shares Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2009. counterpunch.org 
The Federal Reserve Board released an item of good news that might be missed. The Financial Accounts for the fourth quarter showed a decline in profit share of national income to 12.0 percent, the lowest annual share since 2009. It is far too early to know if this shift will be enduring, but it is
(2021-03-18). Thumb in the Dike: Homelessness and Deepening Inequality. counterpunch.org 
In December 2020, USA Today ran a bold headline declaring, "the federal eviction moratorium expires in January. It could leave 40 million Americans homeless." The article cites Diane Yentel, CEO and president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, who warns, "We're facing potentially the worst housing and homelessness crisis in our country's history."
(2021-03-18). Unelected operatives play an outsized role in crafting foreign policy. peoplesworld.org 
It's probably safe to say that most Americans would hope the major foreign policy actions of the United States would be determined by their elected officials in Congress and the White House. In reality, much of the foreign policy of the U.S. is first crafted behind closed doors by individuals that the public never voted …
(2021-03-18). 'Nothing else explains it': Norwegian scientists say AstraZeneca DID cause blood clots, as British & Dutch experts dismiss theory. rt.com 
Norwegian scientists have linked the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots — a condition seen in some people that led countries around the world to halt its use. But British and Dutch medics say there's no evidence for such a link. | "The cause of our patients' condition has now been found," Pal Andre Holme, the head of a research group at the Oslo University Hospital,
(2021-03-18). International airline body hails 'successful' use of health passport while industry tussles over how much intrusion is enough. rt.com 
The International Air Transport Association has claimed a win for its vaccine certificate program, pointing to a Singapore-to-London flight as proof of concept for its health-tracking app. But not everyone's thrilled by the idea. | The first traveler to use the IATA's purpose-built Travel Pass digital health certificate successfully landed at London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday on a flight from Singapore, the airline industry body announced in a
(2021-03-18). Northern Ireland police arrest man in investigation into bomb-making by 'New IRA' dissidents. rt.com 
Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a 52-year-old man as part of an investigation into bomb-making activities by the self-styled New IRA, following a search for explosive devices in the Creggan area of Derry City. | Detective Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray called the arrest a "significant development" in the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) investigation into the activities of the dissident republican group. | In a statement released after the arrest, Murray warned that "the New IRA continues to pose a very real danger, most especially to the communities in the areas where they construct a…
(2021-03-18). UAE cancels planned summit with Israel and Arab states over Netanyahu 'electioneering' concerns. rt.com 
The United Arab Emirates has canceled a state summit with Israel and Arab states that was due to be held in April over claims PM Benjamin Netanyahu had referenced his relationship with one of its leaders in a campaign rally. | Israeli media reported the cancelation on Thursday, stating that the summit was called off after Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was unhappy to hear that Netanyahu was apparently exploiting the states' normalization deal for political purposes during his run for re-election. | Netanyahu had claimed during a recent campaign rally that, during talks on normalizing relation…
(2021-03-18). UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows. middleeasteye.net 
UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows | Emirati officials are particularly angry at Israeli PM's pre-election trumpeting of $10bn UAE investment fund | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 46 | An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask with the flags of the US, Israel and the UAE, upon the arrival of the first commercial flight from Israel, 31 August 2020 (AFP)…
(2021-03-18). UAE suspends Abu Dhabi-Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows. middleeasteye.net UAE suspends Abu Dhabi-Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows | Emirati officials are particularly angry at Israeli PM's pre-election trumpeting of $10bn UAE investment fund | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 46 | An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask with the flags of the US, Israel and the UAE, upon the arrival of the first commercial flight from Israel, 31 August 2020 (AFP)…
(2021-03-18). Turkey requests Egyptian opposition channels to tone down criticism of Sisi. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey requests Egyptian opposition channels to tone down criticism of Sisi | Turkish and Egyptian sources deny reports that Ankara has called for Turkey-based Egyptian opposition TV channels to stop broadcasting | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 21: 23 | The logos of the two main Egyptian opposition channels broadcast from Turkey, Al-Sharq (L) and Mekameleen (R) (Screengrab) | Turkish authorities have requested Egypt…
(2021-03-18). Turkey requests Egyptian opposition channels tone down criticism of Sisi. middleeasteye.net Turkey requests Egyptian opposition channels tone down criticism of Sisi | Turkish and Egyptian sources deny reports that Ankara has called for Turkey-based Egyptian opposition TV channels to stop broadcasting | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 21: 23 | The logos of the two main Egyptian opposition channels broadcast from Turkey, Al-Sharq (L) and Mekameleen (R) (Screengrab) | Turkish authorities have requested Egyptian…
(2021-03-18). Syria: Hundreds gather in Daraa to celebrate anniversary of uprising. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Hundreds gather in Daraa to celebrate anniversary of uprising | Daraa, currently under Assad control, was the centre of major demonstrations in the early days of the uprising in March 2011 | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 36 | Still from video footage shared on social media (Twitter) | Hundreds reportedly gathered in the Syrian city of Daraa on Thursday to mark the tenth anniversary of the beginning of anti-gove…
(2021-03-18). Egypt faces backlash over response to UN criticism of human rights record. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt faces backlash over response to UN criticism of human rights record | A statement signed by 31 countries has prompted furious denials from Cairo, which in turn have been met with scorn | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 10 | Policewomen stand outside al-Qanatir women's prison during a government guided tour (AFP) | Egyptian opposition figures and rights advocates have lashed out at Egypt's response to a rare…
(2021-03-18). Yemen's Houthis renew call for end to Saudi-led blockade before ceasefire. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis renew call for end to Saudi-led blockade before ceasefire | The Iran-aligned fighters continue their push to take control of Marib, which is home to at least a million displaced people | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 10: 17 | Forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed government sit in the back of a pick-up truck during clashes with Houthi rebel fighters west of Taiz, on 16 March 2021 (AFP)…
(2021-03-18). Iranian press review: Khamenei advisor urges move to enrich uranium up to 60 percent. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Khamenei advisor urges move to enrich uranium up to 60 percent | Meanwhile, Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq threaten more attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad, and in northern Iran, thousands of migratory birds die due to environmental crisis | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 04 | A handout picture released by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization on 6 November 2019 shows the…
(2021-03-18). Biden's Iran envoy says Trump's maximum pressure campaign was a failure. middleeasteye.net 
Biden's Iran envoy says Trump's maximum pressure campaign was a failure | Rob Malley stresses the need for talks with Iran to revive the nuclear deal, offering negotiations through a third party | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 20: 18 | 'Neither side is going to go first entirely,' Malley told the BBC (AFP/File photo) | The US envoy for Iran has reaffirmed the intention of President Joe Biden's administration to revive the…
(2021-03-18). US warns China it will enforce sanctions on Iranian oil shipments: Report. middleeasteye.net 
US warns China it will enforce sanctions on Iranian oil shipments: Report | Shipments of oil from Tehran to Beijing have soared in recent months, reaching nearly 500,000 barrels a day in February | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 16: 34 | In 2019, the Trump administration stopped providing sanctions waivers to several countries that were importing oil from Iran (AFP) | The US has told China it will enforce Trump-era sanctio…
(2021-03-18). EU halts planned sanctions on Turkey in indication of thawing tensions. middleeasteye.net 
EU halts planned sanctions on Turkey in indication of thawing tensions | As diplomatic relations warm, European Union calls off sanctioning members of Turkey's state-owned energy company | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 26 | Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a meeting with EU Council President Charles Michel in Brussels (Reuters) | The European Union has halted plans to blacklist senior…
(2021-03-18). Turkey rejects condemnation over pro-Kurdish HDP closure case. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey rejects condemnation over pro-Kurdish HDP closure case | Foreign ministry said commenting on an ongoing judicial process amounts to 'intervention' in the country's domestic affairs | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 19: 53 | Over the past two years, the Turkish government has launched a crackdown on the HDP party (AFP) | Turkey on Thursday told foreign countries to stay out of its domestic affairs after the US and Eur…
(2021-03-18). Egypt: Protests break out after police officer allegedly beat man to death. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: Protests break out after police officer allegedly beat man to death | A police officer reportedly crushed the skull of poultry shop owner Mohamed Youssef, sparking angry protests in his Nile Delta village | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 59 | Mohamed Youssef, 34, was the owner of a poultry shop in the village of Monshaat el-Karaam in the Qalyubia governorate. He was reportedly beaten to death on 17 March by a po…
(2021-03-18). The Housing Crisis: One Year After Lockdown. counterpunch.org 
All the folks moving to Portland from California or New York and talking about how great the real estate prices are here may not know it (note: I was once one of them), but this city is the most rent-burdened city in the United States, and it exists within a country that, like this city, is undergoing multiple long-term crises, one of which is a housing crisis. The housing crisis, like so many other crises, got much worse one year ago this week, when the country, and much of the rest of the world, shut down.
(2021-03-18). 21 States Sue Biden in Attempt to Revive Keystone Pipeline. truthout.org 
Twenty-one state attorneys general are suing the Biden administration, alleging that the president exceeded his authority in halting production of the Keystone XL pipeline by executive order earlier this year. | The lawsuit, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen,
(2021-03-18). With Atlanta Shootings, It's Impossible to Disconnect Racism From Sexism. truthout.org 
Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-found…
(2021-03-18). Biden Should Stop Making Excuses — It's Time to Leave Afghanistan. truthout.org 
War in Afghanistan. In my mind, after all these years, those two words sound like a rock dropped into a bottomless well. | Forty years ago, the
(2021-03-18). Youth Activists in Over 800 Cities Worldwide Gear Up for Friday's Climate Strike. truthout.org 
Following a year of relative dormancy, the international youth
(2021-03-18). Georgia GOP Jams 91 New Pages Into Voter Suppression Bill an Hour Before Meeting. truthout.org 
Georgia Republicans' SB 202 The Republicans introduced the bill…
(2021-03-18). GOP Senator Blocks Bill to Protect Stimulus Checks From Debt Collectors. truthout.org 
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) blocked an attempt to protect stimulus payments from being seized by predatory debt collection agencies, after several Senate Democrats requested a vote of unanimous consent on the issue Thursday. | As part of the latest coronavirus economic relief package, every American
(2021-03-18). Lorenzo Wolff — The Pearl (featuring Bartees Strange). counterpunch.org 
…
(2021-03-18). White supremacist propaganda increased in 2020, report says. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK (AP) — White supremacist propaganda reached alarming levels across the U.S. in 2020, according to a new report that the Anti-Defamation League provided to The Associated Press. There were 5,125 cases of racist, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ, and other hateful messages spread through physical flyers, stickers, banners, and posters, according to Wednesday's report. That's nearly double the …
(2021-03-18). Newly-hired Teen Vogue editor QUITS as racist tweet scandal resurfaces amid concerns over anti-Asian violence. rt.com 
Recently-hired Teen Vogue editor Alexi McCammond has resigned after a handful of 10-year-old 'racist and homophobic' tweets resurfaced ahead of her start date at the girls' fashion mag turned social justice soapbox. | McCammond, who was due to take up the lead role at Teen Vogue on Wednesday, has been forced to step down after staffers at the ultra-woke outlet complained about a bevy of offensive tweets she had posted a decade ago mocking Asians and LGBTQ people. Readers and at least two advertisers had also pushed to have McCammond shelved, despite her repeated efforts to apologize for the offending content,…
(2021-03-18). 'Blackwater had bad days in Iraq too': Outrage after media links sheriff probing Atlanta parlors massacre to mercenary outfit. rt.com 
Twitter erupted after reports that the sheriff who is investigating the Atlanta parlors massacre may have links to the notorious private military company, Blackwater. His office was previously accused of harboring racism. | The Cherokee County Sheriff's office headed by Sheriff Frank Reynolds attracted national attention this week over its role in investigating the killings of eight people, including six women, at massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia. The shooting rampage was quickly labeled by the left to be the latest example of racially motivated violence by a presumed white supremacist. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-03-18). John Kerry caught flouting Biden's mask mandate on flight, dismisses 'elite hypocrite' accusations as 'malarkey'. rt.com 
US special climate envoy John Kerry is under fire after he was spotted without a mask on board a flight, prompting American Airlines to investigate the matter as critics condemn the failed presidential candidate for hypocrisy. | A mostly maskless Kerry was photographed by a fellow passenger while on a flight from Boston to DC on Wednesday, with the image first
(2021-03-18). Suspected assailant of elderly Chinese woman in San Francisco ends up handcuffed to stretcher after she BEATS HIM UP with stick. rt.com 
The latest apparent case of unprovoked violence against vulnerable Asian-American people didn't end well for the alleged attacker, who required a trip to hospital after his intended target proved to be too tough for him. | The incident took place on Market Street in San Francisco on Wednesday morning and was first reported by the local CBS affiliate KPIX, whose sports director Dennis O'Donnell happened to be jogging nearby and filmed the aftermath of the altercation. | pic.twitter.com/5o8r0eeHE2— Dennis O'Donnell (@DennisKPIX) (2021-03-18). Obama joins chorus in dubbing massage parlor shootings as 'anti-Asian hate crime' as Democrats keep narrative on 'white supremacy'. rt.com 
Former President Barack Obama and other political and celebrity voices seized on a murder spree at Atlanta-area massage parlors as a call to dismantle "white supremacy" — despite the lack of any apparent anti-Asian hate motive. | "Although the shooter's motive is not yet clear, the identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence that must end," Obama said Wednesday on Twitter. While also using the horrific shootings to argue for gun laws, he added that America must "root out the pervasive patterns of hatred and violence in our society." | Even as we've battled the pandemic, we…
(2021-03-18). Russian champion freediver Molchanov collects his 20th world record after descending 80m below Siberia's icy Lake Baikal (VIDEO). rt.com 
Champion Russian diver Alexey Molchanov has broken the world record for constant weight freediving with a monofin, by plunging 80 meters below the ice of Lake Baikal, the world's largest freshwater lake, located in Siberia. | Molchanov is a 14-time freediving world champion, and his latest achievement is another in a long list of accomplishments. With his latest dive recorded by a judge from the AIDA, the sport's international governing body, he is now the holder of 20 world records. | His mother Natalia Molchanova is a legend of the sport and has been dubbed the world's greatest freediver. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-03-18). Seven years after Crimea rejoined Russia, Western leaders are fooling themselves if they hope peninsula can ever return to Ukraine. rt.com 
Western leaders like to talk about returning Crimea to Ukraine. However, the reality is that such a move would be against the will of the local population. Somehow, Russia and the West need to find a solution to this impasse. | "Crimea is ours!" Seven years ago this week, that cry resounded across Russia, following what people in the West call the "annexation" of Crimea but what Russians prefer to call the "reunification" of Russia and Crimea. The annexation/reunification, or "reabsorption," if you prefer, had serious ramifications. | For Ukraine, they were disastrous. For Russia's international relations, the…
(2021-03-18). 'I'll be damned!': Stray deer adds excitement to commuters' day in Moscow suburb (VIDEO). rt.com 
Another day, another out-of-place animal amuses Russian commuters. A video from a satellite city near Moscow shows a deer busying its way down a large street, much to the excitement of eyewitnesses. | The footage, published on Thursday on Russian social media, shows an unusual encounter in the city of Korolyov, located near the Russian capital. A deer was shown strolling carefully towards car traffic before crossing over to the sidewalk and making its way deep into a residential area. The excited cameraman filming the deer from inside a car can be heard repeatedly exclaiming the Russian version of "I'll be dam…
(2021-03-18). Russia's Putin ups ante in new Moscow-Washington rift: Challenges American counterpart Biden to urgent live broadcast debate. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin has challenged his American counterpart, Joe Biden, to a livestreamed online discussion, without a delay, and suggested they debate bilateral relations and issues of importance to the wider world. | The president named the fight against the pandemic, regional conflict resolution, and strategic stability issues as possible topics, noting that he would be ready to talk to Biden on Friday or Monday in an "open" chat. | "I would like to suggest to President Biden that we continue our discussion, but on the condition that we actually do it live, without any delays, directly in an op…
(2021-03-18). Fearless Russian hikers climb up Eurasia's highest active volcano while it erupts — then cook sausages on lava! (VIDEO). rt.com 
A group of daring Russian hikers has gone viral after climbing up an active volcano in the Far Eastern region of Kamchatka. The daredevils went up to the volcano's rim and looked inside, before cooking sausages on cooling lava. | The tour group was climbing up Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia and a part of Kamchatka UNESCO World Heritage Site. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, thought by locals to be a holy site, erupts almost every year. | Now, this is awesome: a group of Russian hikers climbed up Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia, and cooked sausages on the cooling lava!
(2021-03-18). French city deploys more police after riots over fatal car crash saw store looted, cars torched & truck rammed into cops. rt.com 
Police chiefs in the French city of Blois said on Thursday they are bracing for another night of violence after rioters attacked officers, ransacked a shop and lit fires following a car accident that killed a teenager. | On Tuesday night, officers in Blois, situated southwest of Paris, were pelted with a barrage of fireworks and other objects, while a delivery driver was kicked out of a truck that was then used as a battering ram against police, according to AFP. | Officers reportedly fired a dozen shots at the vehicle as it sped away and crashed into a hedge, without causing any injuries. | Footage posted to…
(2021-03-18). Crock-ing off: Dethroned UFC champ Yan blasts 'b****' Sterling after rival calls Russian a 'f***ing moron' over disqualification. rt.com 
Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling have thrown the gloves off over the ex-champ's disqualification from their now-infamous UFC scrap, with the Russian elaborating on Sterling's perceived fake injury after being called a "dirty p****". | Yan was on top in the much-anticipated fight before sending the apparently-concussed Sterling sprawling around the octagon at UFC 259 on March 7, eventually earning a disqualification for what was deemed to have been an illegal knee in the fourth round. | Champion-by-default Sterling has been widely mocked by fighters and fans over his fight-ending reaction to the ill-judged blow,…
(2021-03-18). One last failed bid to end the Forever War: Pentagon adviser dishes details of Trump's final failure to end Afghanistan quagmire. rt.com 
Despite an executive order in November mandating the withdrawal of all remaining troops in Afghanistan, Trump's promise to end the US' longest war collapsed — and was set up to fail, according to a senior Pentagon adviser. | Former US president Donald Trump made one last effort to prove he was sincere about prying the US military loose from its two-decade engagement in Afghanistan when he signed an executive order demanding all remaining troops be pulled from the country before the year's end — just days after November's election results suggested the American people had had enough of him. | Accordi…
(2021-03-18). 'They want a guy to beat him': UFC legend St-Pierre says Dana White wants Khabib comeback in order to END his undefeated streak. rt.com 
Former two-division champion Georges St-Pierre says that Dana White and the UFC are keen to see Khabib Nurmagomedov make a comeback to the cage because "they don't want to see him leave on his own terms". | St-Pierre is one of just a handful of fighters to have walked away from mixed martial arts at the absolute top of his game, announcing his retirement in the weeks after he defeated Michael Bisping in New York to join the UFC's exclusive double-champ club. | Given his somewhat unique exit from his future Hall of Fame career, he says that he knows exactly why promotion boss White is so resistant to allowing N…
(2021-03-18). 'I don't give a damn whether it raises the popularity of skiing': Russian boss on controversial clash between Bolshunov and Klaebo. rt.com 
The president of the Russian Ski Association, Elena Vyalbe, has said she "doesn't give a damn" whether on-track clashes between skiers help raise the profile of ski sports if Russian athletes are unfairly deprived of gold medals. | Vyalbe reacted emotionally to the suggestion that a heated set-to between the Norwegian star Johannes Klaebo and Russian champion Alexander Bolshunov, which occurred at the finish of the men's 50km race, might have helped to attract more fans to the sport. | She emphasized that she didn't care about the sport's popularity because the Russian had lost the chance of winning the marath…
(2021-03-18). 'It gives you sense of purpose to live': Skating star Tuktamysheva says call-up for world championships left her 'overwhelmed'. rt.com 
Russian figure-skating star Elizaveta Tuktamysheva has spoken of her joy at being selected for the national team on the grandest stage, revealing how it drives her on and provides extra motivation to grow as an elite athlete. | The 24-year-old, who will return to the major international figure skating event following a six-year break, said she was overwhelmed with joy and happiness after learning that she'd earned her place in one of the three sports on the national women's team to take part in the world championship. | Tuktamysheva was officially included in the team after finishing fourth at the Cup of Russi…
(2021-03-18). 'Woke' brigade slams Saudi Arabia's 'abysmal' human rights record as images of awe-inspiring Jeddah Formula 1 circuit are revealed. rt.com 
Formula One has showcased images from the newly-built Jeddah street circuit which will host the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix — but human rights campaigners have slammed the decision to hold the race in the region. | Last November, it was revealed that Saudi Arabia would pay £50 million per annum as part of a 10-year deal to host F1 races in a move that was immediately met with opposition from campaign group Amnesty International, who called on some of the sport's biggest stars, including reigning champion Lewis Hamilton, to speak out against perceived human rights breaches. | The debate has once a…
(2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5 p.m., three Atlanta-area spas staffed by Asian workers were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of the women were …
(2021-03-17). Covid-19: West Bank receives first Covax vaccine doses. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: West Bank receives first Covax vaccine doses | World Health Organisation's vaccine-sharing initiative adds 62,000 doses to the occupied West Bank's struggling inoculation programme | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 18: 00 | A worker unloads a refrigerated truck carrying the first Covax delivery to a Palestinian Authority storage facility in the West Bank city of Nablus on 17 March (AFP) | The Palestinian Authority…
(2021-03-17). Covid-19: West Bank hospitals inundated while Israel tosses surplus vaccines. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: West Bank hospitals inundated while Israel tosses surplus vaccines | Palestinians describe scenes in hospitals reminiscent of 'war zones', calling out both Israel and the Palestinian Authority for inaction in the occupied territory | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 16: 44 | An intubated Covid-19 patient lies in an ICU of Dura Public Hospital, west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on 16 March 2021…
(2021-03-17). With First Native Interior Secretary, Deb Haaland, Hope Grows U.S. Will Confront Toxic Uranium Legacy. democracynow.org 
Deb Haaland, a tribal citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, is being sworn in as secretary of the interior and will be the first Native American ever to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet. Just four Republicans joined Democrats in voting to confirm Haaland, who will manage 500 million acres of federal and tribal land. Haaland will also oversee government relations with 574 federally recognized tribal nations and is expected to address the legacy of uranium mining on Indigenous land and other areas. Leona Morgan, a Diné anti-nuclear activist and community organizer, says that while it's "impossible to expect one person…
(2021-03-17). UK to be hit by 'significant reduction' in Covid vaccine supplies within a fortnight, prompting rollout change — leaked NHS letter. rt.com 
A letter leaked to the UK media has detailed how the country's oft-praised Covid-19 vaccine rollout could be hit by major supply shortfalls in less than two weeks' time, with orders for inoculation centres to halt new bookings. | "There will be a significant reduction in weekly supply available from manufacturers beginning in the week commencing 29 March, meaning volumes for first doses will be significantly constrained," reads the letter, sent on Wednesday by National Health Service (NHS) chiefs to local officials and trusts. | NEW: Major contraction in supply of vaccine means new guidance issued today to foc…
(2021-03-17). Selected Articles: COVID — Bioethics, Eugenics and "Death Panels": "A Warning" globalresearch.ca 
By 193 UN member countries, in unison and lockstep, closed their borders, economies and live-societies. It marked the beginning of the planet's economic and societal …
(2021-03-17). Covid-19 and Ramadan: UAE issues strict social measures. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19 and Ramadan: UAE issues strict social measures | UAE said residents and citizens must avoid evening gatherings and the exchanging of food to break the fast, except for members of the same household | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 12: 17 | A man registers before receiving a Covid-19 vaccine at the Dubai International Financial Centre, UAE, 3 February 2021 (AFP) | The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday introduced a nu…
(2021-03-17). Nepal probes Bahraini prince's 'gift' of 2,000 vaccines to Himalayan village. middleeasteye.net 
Nepal probes Bahraini prince's 'gift' of 2,000 vaccines to Himalayan village | Nepal's medicines regulator said vaccine doses were brought into the country without a licence or prior knowledge of the health ministry | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 19: 32 | Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed al-Khalifa (second right) poses for pictures upon arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu (AFP) | An investigation has bee…
(2021-03-17). CNN ripped for article admitting anti-lockdown Florida is 'booming' but implying Gov. DeSantis shouldn't be 'taking credit'. rt.com 
Critics are accusing CNN of playing politics and spinning the success of 'booming' Florida, which defied typical Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, as having nothing to do with Gov. Ron DeSantis. | "Everyone told me I was wrong," DeSantis said this week at a fundraiser about pandemic lockdowns. "I faced continued pressure from radical Democrats and the liberal media, but I refused to back down. It's clear: Florida got it right." | While many states are just beginning the process of reopening businesses and rolling back pandemic-era restrictions, Florida has been open for the better part of the last year — an…
(2021-03-17). The Heat: COVID-19 in Brazil. america.cgtn.com 
Brazil is fighting to control a devastating COVID-19 outbreak while it tries to save its economy.
(2021-03-17). Strikingly-high Covid-19 mortality rate reported in Spanish children could have been centenarians 'misreported as kids'. rt.com 
Figures published by The Lancet journal last week suggest Spain has an alarmingly high mortality rate from Covid-19 among children. But there's a catch — most of the deaths included were likely old people misreported as minors. | The figures
(2021-03-17). 'The only acceptable treatment for Mumia Abu-Jamal is his freedom!'. workers.org 
Organized in less than 24 hours, around 50 supporters of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal rallied outside Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office March 12. They demanded Krasner immediately release 66-year-old Abu-Jamal, who has tested positive for COVID-19. At a protest outside DA Larry Krasner's office, Pam Africa compares photos of . . . |
(2021-03-17). Pandemic NHS workers should be granted indefinite leave to remain — Aaron Gates-Lincoln. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Migrant workers have been essential to the operations of the NHS ever since its inception in 1948. Over the decades, many programmes have been used to encourage and find overseas workers and help them migrate to the UK to be employed in the healthcare system, demonstrating our governments acknowledgment of how important they are. As …
(2021-03-17). Jackson Mayor Demands Help After Month-Long Water Crisis Amid Pandemic, Racism, Broken Infrastructure. democracynow.org 
Residents in Jackson, Mississippi, have been facing a water crisis over the last five weeks, with many people lacking reliable access to clean drinking water after deadly February winter storms caused pipes and water mains to burst. While water delivery has largely been restored, "boil water" orders remain in effect for most people. The city estimates it could cost $2 billion to fix the city's water system. The crisis in Jackson, which is 82% Black, highlights how climate catastrophe threatens much of the nation's aging infrastructure. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba says while the city "contributes millions of dollar…
(2021-03-17). "Suave": New Podcast Follows One Man's Journey to Freedom After a Life Sentence Without Parole at 17. democracynow.org 
A new Futuro Media podcast, "Suave," tells the story of one person's journey to freedom after receiving a life sentence without parole at the age of 17. David Luis "Suave" Gonzalez met journalist Maria Hinojosa in 1993 during a talk at the prison in Pennsylvania where he was serving a sentence for first-degree homicide. For years, Gonzalez and Hinojosa stayed in touch through letters, visits and phone calls that Hinojosa recorded. The seven-part podcast series chronicles Gonzalez's experience as he is eventually given the opportunity to experience life on the outside for the first time, after the 2016 Supreme Cou…
(2021-03-17). California rally: 'Union busting is disgusting!'. workers.org 
San Francisco, March 12 San Francisco March 12 — Labor union and community members rallied today in front of the offices of Morgan Lewis, a law firm with offices in 31 cities around the world with a sordid history of union busting. Morgan Lewis was recently hired by Amazon to . . . |
(2021-03-17). Federación mundial del trabajo respalda a sindicato #Bamazon. workers.org 
La Federación Sindical Mundial (FSM) emitió el siguiente comunicado el 3 de marzo. EE.UU.: FSM en solidaridad con los trabajadores de almacén de Amazon en Alabama La Federación Sindical Mundial, que es la voz militante de 105 millones de trabajadores de 132 países de todo el mundo, extiende su solidaridad . . . |
(2021-03-17). Amazon Is Hiring Aggressive Firms to Bust Union Efforts. truthout.org 
Since the start of the year, Amazon has subjected its almost 6,000 warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama, to a relentless and
(2021-03-17). False alarm or malicious rumor? Twitter account claiming to be Ecuadorian FM falsely announces death of Julian Assange. rt.com 
A Twitter account purporting to belong to Ecuador's newly promoted foreign minister has falsely reported Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's death, acknowledging the news is "unconfirmed." It's not clear who's behind the report. | A recently created Twitter account supposedly belonging to Ecuadorian FM Manuel Mejía Dalmau posted an "URGENT" message on Wednesday declaring "diplomatic sources in London" had reported "the news of the death of Julian Assange," the Wikileaks founder's partner Stella Moris revealed on Wednesday, posting a screenshot of the tweet that noted the report was "unconfirmed." | Julia…
(2021-03-17). Biden administration 'tackling' difficult border situation, progressives say step up the pace. peoplesworld.org 
In its attempts to deal with rising numbers of immigrants at the southwest border, the Biden administration is facing strong criticism from many different sources, some of it legitimate but much of it outrageously hypocritical. The administration's head of Homeland Security insisted yesterday that the situation is "under control." He made that assertion during a …
(2021-03-17). Yemen's Houthis express 'deep regret' for Sanaa migrant centre fire. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis express 'deep regret' for Sanaa migrant centre fire | Houthis said 44 people died, as evidence grows that the rebels caused the fire | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 12: 53 | East African refugees wait for then-head of UNHCR Antonio Guterres in 2010 when he visited a refugee camp in Djibouti (AFP) | The Houthi rebel movement in Yemen expressed "deep regret" on Wednesday for the deaths of dozens of mig…
(2021-03-17). With US immigration crisis escalating, Biden administration attempts to ban Border Patrol agents from talking to media — reports. rt.com 
One of President Joe Biden's latest tactics in dealing with a growing flood of illegal aliens — especially unaccompanied child migrants — is reportedly to muzzle Border Patrol agents, banning them from speaking to reporters. | Biden's administration has verbally passed down an unofficial
(2021-03-17). Biden tells migrants 'Don't come over,' downplays own DHS chief's warning of biggest immigration surge in 2 decades & blames Trump. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden has urged migrants and refugees to stay home, telling them not to attempt to cross the US border, even as his own officials sound alarms over what they say is the largest influx of immigrants in two decades.
(2021-03-17). °Que se abran las fronteras! workers.org 
Muertes de migrantes: øQuién es el VERDADERO culpable? No tenía por qué suceder. Pero, trágicamente, así pasó. Y lo más probable es que no sea la última vez. El 2 de marzo, 12 personas murieron instantáneamente cuando la camioneta en la que viajaban fue golpeada de costado por un camión . . . |
(2021-03-17). Pittsburgh's city budget works for the police but not for the people. liberationnews.org 
The Pittsburgh city budget is a further entrenchment of the same capitalist status quo…
(2021-03-17). Twitter Deletes QAnon to Protect US from Upheaval; Russia May Delete Twitter for the Same Reason. mintpressnews.com 
With American social media companies increasingly controlled by the national security state, Russia is considering bans on the likes of Twitter and YouTube.
(2021-03-17). Trigger words and the duty of revolutionaries in the Internet era. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-17). Every day is war' — a decade of slow suffering and destruction in Syria. juancole.com 
By Ammar Azzouz | — Abduljalil sent me a photo of his ruined home in Homs, Syria. "It is the third floor", he told me over WhatsApp. The building still stands but it looks like an empty skeleton. Most of its facade has been destroyed, while piles of debris surround it. Residents have not been …
(2021-03-17). John Locke and the Roots of White Supremacy in the US. counterpunch.org 
Ideas count — sometimes, they are even stronger than material interests. This is the case with the legacy of 17th century philosopher John Locke in the United States, which is central to explaining why class solidarity is so weak while white racial solidarity is so strong. Recent events have confirmed the unfortunate fact that there
(2021-03-17). The University Deception: Rankings and Academic Freedom. counterpunch.org 
Forget the global university rankings of any list. The global university promotion exercise is filled with snake oil and perfumed refuse, an effort to corrupt the unknowing and steal from the gullible. The aim here is to convince parents, potential students and academics that their institutions of white collar crime are appealing enough to warrant
(2021-03-17). Magellan, inquisition and globalisation. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-17). The watchdogs of imperialism and the Uyghur genocide slander. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-17). Columbia University forces TAs, RAs to strike, again. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK—For the second time in four years, Columbia University's intransigent bosses' refusal to meaningfully bargain for a contract with their more than 2,000 teaching assistants and resident assistants forced those workers to strike. The walkout began on March 16, even though a three-and-a-half-hour bargaining session was scheduled for that afternoon. The two sides are …
(2021-03-17). Killings of Korean women reflects U.S. misogyny and racism. workers.org 
Demonstrators at "Love Our Communities: Build Collective Power" rally to raise awareness of anti-Asian violence in Los Angeles, March 13. Atlanta Beginning at 5 p.m., March 16, the first horrific news of the murders of four people and the wounding of a fifth at Young's Asian Massage in Acworth, a . . . |
(2021-03-17). Greek unions say 'No!' to police violence. workers.org 
The banner of the Federation of Construction Workers (member of the All Workers Militant Front — PAME) at an anti-police violence march in Greece, March 9. Behind the union banner of the Federation of Construction Workers of Greece bearing the slogan "Money for health and education! No to repression and . . . |
(2021-03-17). Philippine activists demand: 'Stop the killings and arrests!'. workers.org 
"Kill them all!" ordered Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, addressing the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines on March 5. Two days later, state forces following the dictator's edict carried out a deadly attack on progressive activists in the Southern Tagalog region. Protest against the March 7 massacre . . . |
(2021-03-17). One year later: Don't forget about Breonna Taylor. peoplesworld.org 
Her death sparked a movement for change. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets to demand accountability for months following the killing of Breonna Taylor and other African Americans at the hands of police. On the one-year anniversary of Taylor's death, there is still justice to be fought for. The fight goes beyond a trending …
(2021-03-17). Environmentalists seek climate action in U.S. infrastructure bill. peoplesworld.org 
Environmental groups are launching a $10 million push for Congress to make climate change central to infrastructure legislation. "The Great American Build" campaign, a joint effort of Climate Power, the League of Conservation Voters and Potential Energy Coalition, will pressure lawmakers to include funding for climate action as part of the emerging infrastructure package. "Americans elected pro-climate …
(2021-03-17). India's Farm Crisis: "How Long Will the Lies Work?" counterpunch.org 
If it weren't for the violent blows of police lathi s, the farmers protesting in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district would not have left their protest site on January 27. "The protest had been going on for 40 days," says Brijpal Singh, 52, a sugarcane farmer from Baraut town, where the sit-in was held. "It was not
(2021-03-17). Racial Justice and Civil Liberties: An Inseparable History at the ACLU. aclu.org 
After World War I, it quickly became clear that the war to make the world "safe for democracy" had not made America safe for equality. Anti-Black race riots ripped through Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., and even Elaine, Arkansas. In October 1919, after Black sharecroppers in Elaine convened a union meeting, newspapers labeled the effort a "Negro uprising." The state mobilized troops and mobs to quell the rebellion. The result was "possibly the bloodiest racial conflict in the history of the United States," concluded the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. | The American Civil Liberties Union's origin…
(2021-03-17). On January 6th, the U.S. Became a Foreign Country. juancole.com 
By Kevin Tillman | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — Just about everyone was shocked by what happened at the Capitol building on January 6th. But as a former soldier in America's forever wars, horrifying as the scenes were, I also found what happened strangely familiar, almost inevitable. I thought that, if only we had taken our …
(2021-03-17). Bust the filibuster! Pass the PRO Act! workers.org 
On March 9 the House of Representatives passed the Protect the Right to Organize Act, the most sweeping amendment to the 1935 National Labor Relations Act since the notorious, union-busting Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. Unions are now demanding the Senate pass the PRO Act, which undoes parts of Taft-Hartley and . . . |
(2021-03-17). Why are hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise? liberationnews.org 
Eight people were murdered in the Atlanta area the the night of March 16 when a white supremacist carried out a series of terrorist attacks targeting spas staffed by Asian workers. The Party for Socialism and Liberation expresses our deepest sympathy and solidarity to the loved ones of those who lost their lives in these horrific massacres. The following article was originally published March 7, and analyzes the roots of the wave of anti-Asian hate sweeping the country.
(2021-03-17). The Impossible Peter Oborne. dissidentvoice.org 
On the face of it, Peter Oborne is impossible. It's not possible to be educated at Sherborne independent school, at Cambridge University, to work as political editor of the Spectator, as chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, as a journalist at the Evening Standard, as a commentator at the Express, to make nearly 30 …
(2021-03-17). Diversity and False Dichotomies at Smith College. counterpunch.org 
Can exchanges between individuals always unproblematically be characterized as either racist or not racist? Bret Stephens appears to think so. Smith College hired an independent law firm to investigate what a student argued was a racist incident on campus back in 2018. The investigation ended with a finding of "no persuasive evidence of bias." This
(2021-03-17). 'Making it' in America as pure fantasy: Ayad Akhtar's 'Homeland Elegies: A Novel'. peoplesworld.org 
The book jacket describes Homeland Elegies as "art family drama, part social essay, part picaresque novel." The decision to confuse these genres is both tantalizing and frustrating. Its subtitle identifies it as "a novel." This pre-pandemic text refers often to real-life events, such as to his own plays and to main actors in those plays …
(2021-03-17). Infrastructure Should Be the Great Economic Equalizer. counterpunch.org 
During the Trump years, the phrase "Infrastructure Week" rang out as a sort of Groundhog Day-style punchline. What began in June 2017 as a failed effort by The Donald's White House and a Republican Senate to focus on the desperately needed rebuilding of American infrastructure morphed into a meme and a running joke in Washington.
(2021-03-17). OSHA targets coronavirus inspections to health care, meatpacking firms. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Carrying out Democratic President Joe Biden's executive order, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's inspectors will put health care firms—including hospitals and nursing homes—and meat and poultry packers at the top of its inspections and enforcement list in the war against the coronavirus. It's especially going to focus its ire on employers who retaliate against …
(2021-03-17). Muslim organisations boycott UK government's Prevent review. middleeasteye.net 
Muslim organisations boycott UK government's Prevent review | Letter also backed by mosques, prominent scholars and academics accuses reviewer William Shawcross of a 'track record of hostility to Islam' | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 12: 49 | A man prays in a mosque in Bury, northern England, in April 2020 (AFP) | Leading British Muslim civil society organisations and mosques said on Wednesday they would boycott…
(2021-03-17). Trial of cop who murdered George Floyd: Day One protest demands conviction. workers.org 
By Linden Gawboy From FightBack! News Minneapolis Large protest March 8 demands justice for George Floyd, conviction of killer cop. More than 1,000 protested March 8 outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis, as the trial of Derek Chauvin, the disgraced ex-police officer who murdered George Floyd on . . . |
(2021-03-17). Pro-Palestinian groups urge Canada to cancel purchase of Israeli drone. middleeasteye.net 
Pro-Palestinian groups urge Canada to cancel purchase of Israeli drone | Canadian NGO says Ottawa's recent purchase of civilian version of military drone implicitly rewards Israel | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 14: 24 | Canada first announced its purchase of Israeli-made drone last December (AFP) | Pro-Palestinian groups are urging the Canadian government to cancel a $36m purchase of an Israeli-made civilian…
(2021-03-17). Washington pressured Brazil not to buy 'malign' Russian vaccine. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-17). Documentary 'The Boys Who Said No!' recalls anti-draft, anti-war movement. peoplesworld.org 
A highly effective and moving new documentary about the young American men who refused to be sucked into the maw of the Selective Service System during the Vietnam War has just appeared. The Boys Who Said No!: Draft Resistance and the Vietnam War is featured in the Socially Relevant Film Festival online and is available …
(2021-03-17). Health officials investigating 'white woman only' job posting by Canadian hospital. rt.com 
Canadian health officials are investigating a Quebec hospital over a recent job posting asking for a candidate with "white skin" to help with a patient who refused service from people of color. | A "This situation is totally unacceptable…
(2021-03-17). Secret Service agents at VP's mansion arrest ex-drone pilot 'paranoid' about govt seeking to kill him, find guns & ammo in car. rt.com 
A man wanted by Texas police was arrested outside Vice President Kamala Harris' residence in the nation's capital, charged on several counts after authorities discovered a long gun and ammunition stashed inside his vehicle. | Paul Murray, a 31-year-old army veteran from San Antonio, Texas was detained by Secret Service officers on Wednesday afternoon near the US Naval Observatory, which contains the VP's mansion in Washington, DC. Local police later made a formal arrest. | Footage was taken at the scene by a man who happened to be traveling through the area, filmmaker Andrew Leyden, showing a large security pr…
(2021-03-17). Turkey: Chief prosecutor files lawsuit to close pro-Kurdish HDP party. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Chief prosecutor files lawsuit to close pro-Kurdish HDP party | Bekir Sahin accuses party of attempting 'to destroy the inseparable unity of the Turkish state and the nation' | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 15: 35 | A man flashes a V sign as members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) take part in a protest against the detention of HDP members, in Istanbul, on 25 September 2020 (AFP) | Turkey's…
(2021-03-17). Turkey: Chief prosecutor files lawsuit to close down pro-Kurdish HDP. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Chief prosecutor files lawsuit to close down pro-Kurdish HDP | Bekir Sahin accuses party of attempting 'to destroy the inseparable unity of the Turkish state and the nation' | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 15: 35 | Turkey's chief prosecutor on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court to disband the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HDP), the third largest in parliament, public news agency An…
(2021-03-17). Turkey: Parliament unseats outspoken pro-Kurdish MP after court verdict. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Parliament unseats outspoken pro-Kurdish MP after court verdict | Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, also a human rights advocate, has decided to hold a sit-in in parliament to protest the 'illegitimate decision' to revoke his membership | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 14: 01 | HDP MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu (C) reacts as he is surrounded by MPs applauding and brandishing placards after he was dismissed following a vo…
(2021-03-17). 'No indications' of withdrawal of Russian mercenaries from Libya, says UN report. middleeasteye.net 
'No indications' of withdrawal of Russian mercenaries from Libya, says UN report | UN experts cite 'extensive, blatant' violations of 2011 embargo imposed on war-torn country | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 11: 46 | Libyan cadets attend a graduation ceremony at the Military College in the Libyan capital Tripoli (AFP) | There have been "no indications" that around 2,000 Russian mercenaries have withdrawn from Libya, despit…
(2021-03-17). Egypt's mass demolitions of Sinai homes 'likely war crimes'. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt's mass demolitions of Sinai homes 'likely war crimes' | Human Rights Watch estimates that at least 12,350 buildings have been demolished by the Egyptian military in the restive Sinai | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 11: 32 | Image grab, taken from a video released by the official Facebook page of Egypt's military spokesman on 8 December 2020, shows Egyptian army vehicles driving in the desert (Screengrab)
| The…
(2021-03-17). Iraq: Iran's competing power centres in the country are creating havoc. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Iran's competing power centres in the country are creating havoc | Four Iranian intelligence agencies are giving contradictory commands to Tehran's Iraqi proxies, leaving armed factions scratching their heads | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 12: 01 | Iraqi youths watch an event celebrating the inauguration of a street named after the late Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the southern city of…
(2021-03-17). Khashoggi murder: Biden defends decision to not punish MBS. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Biden defends decision to not punish MBS | US president says sanctions against Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince would have been unprecedented | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 19: 18 | Saudi government agents murdered Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 (AFP/File photo) | US President Joe Biden defended his administration's decision to not impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia's Cr…
(2021-03-17). Khashoggi murder: Biden defends decision against punishing MBS. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi murder: Biden defends decision against punishing MBS | US president says sanctions against Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince would have been unprecedented | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 19: 18 | Saudi government agents murdered Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 (AFP/File photo) | President Joe Biden defended his administration's decision against imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia'
(2021-03-17). Iraq: Iran's competing power centres are creating havoc in the country. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Iran's competing power centres are creating havoc in the country | Four Iranian intelligence agencies are giving contradictory commands to Tehran's Iraqi proxies, leaving armed factions scratching their heads | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 12: 01 | Iraqi youths watch an event celebrating the inauguration of a street named after the late Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the southern city of…
(2021-03-17). US senators from both parties lambast Iran at MEK-linked event. middleeasteye.net 
US senators from both parties lambast Iran at MEK-linked event | Amid Biden administration efforts to revive nuclear deal, Republican and Democratic lawmakers express hawkish views against Tehran | Wed, 03/17/2021 – 17: 43 | MEK leader Maryam Rajavi speaks at conference in the Albanian town of Manza, 13 July 2019 (AFP) | US senators, including several Democrats, rebuked the Iranian government at a virtual event h…
(2021-03-17). Time to Call Mitch McConnell's Bluff on the Filibuster. truthout.org 
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell indulged himself on Tuesday in some
(2021-03-17). Sanders Pitches Bill to Close Wide Pay Gap Between CEOs and the Average Worker. truthout.org 
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Wednesday unveiled legislation that would hike taxes on large corporations that pay their CEOs over 50 times more than the median worker, an effort to combat the decades-long trend of skyrocketing inequality in the United States. | Under the
(2021-03-17). Spain Plans to Begin Experimenting With a Four-Day Workweek. truthout.org 
As the coronavirus pandemic changes the way societies around the world view work, Spain has announced it will begin a limited trial of a four-day workweek in a bid to boost productivity, mental health, and the environment. | The Guardian
(2021-03-17). Asian Americans Reel in Response to Gun Attack on Massage Parlors in Georgia. truthout.org 
A 21-year-old white man was taken into custody Tuesday night as the primary suspect in three metro Atlanta massage parlor shootings that left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent. | While law enforcement officials have yet to determine suspected gunman Robert Aaron Long's motive, advocacy groups and lawmakers feared that the massacre was an anti-Asian hate crime given the establishments targeted and the victims, which also included a white man and woman. | Stop AAPI Hate, a…
(2021-03-17). Wisconsin GOP Rejects Black History Month Resolution But Honors Rush Limbaugh. truthout.org 
The Wisconsin State Senate refused this week to take up a resolution that would honor a number of Black figures in recognition of Black History Month, but within the same session also voted in favor of a resolution giving honors to the late talk show host Rush Limbaugh. | Ostensibly, Republicans said they did not want to pass the Black History Month resolution, authored by Black lawmakers in the Wisconsin legislature, because it was too specific and included figures they deemed to be controv…
(2021-03-17). 'White supremacist' propaganda incidents nearly DOUBLED across US in 2020 — report. rt.com 
The US saw a major spike in white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ propaganda last year, hitting a record level, a report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has said. | Last year, the country saw a record number of incidents related to dissemination of such propaganda, with the group registering 5,125 cases. The new The figure turned out to be nearly two times higher than in 2019, when some 2,700 such incidents were registered. At the sa…
(2021-03-17). Georgia mass shooting suspect may have 'SEX ADDICTION' and wanted to 'eliminate temptation' at massage parlors — police. rt.com 
The suspect behind a string of shootings at massage parlors in Georgia has told police he wanted to "eliminate" sexual temptation and the massacre was not racially motivated. | Robert Aaron Long, 21, told police he was trying to eliminate the temptation of the spas, which he allegedly visited, and claimed he had an addiction to sex. | "He gave indications that he has some issues, potentially sexual addiction," Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds told reporters, adding that Long "may have frequented some of these places in the past" and could have been "lashing out." | Eight people were killed in the shootin…
(2021-03-17). Georgia mass shooting suspect charged with murder & assault, may have had 'SEX ADDICTION'. rt.com The suspect behind a string of shootings at massage parlors in Georgia has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of assault, according to authorities. | Robert Aaron Long, 21, told police he was trying to eliminate the temptation of the spas, which he allegedly visited, and claimed he had an addiction to sex. | "He gave indications that he has some issues, potentially sexual addiction," Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds told reporters on Wednesday, adding that Long "may have frequented some of these places in the past" and could have been "lashing out." | The Cherokee County sheriff's offi…
(2021-03-17). The U.S. Pivot to Asia: Cold War Lessons From Vietnam for Today. strategic-culture.org 
There were Cold War preparations underway as early as August 1945 and the two regions selected, Korea and Vietnam, were pre-planned years in advance before the actual wars were to take place, Cynthia Chung writes. | In L…
(2021-03-17). Blinken Talks the Talk, but Will He Walk the Walk? strategic-culture.org 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken's March 3 speech at the US State Department should be warmly welcomed around the world, especially in Caracas and Tehran… | (Click on the image to enlarge)…
(2021-03-17). 'Anti-racism' training at consulting giant Deloitte warns employees that 'microaggressions' are now punishable offenses — reports. rt.com 
Employees of Deloitte, one of the world's largest accounting and consulting firms, can reportedly be reprimanded and even fired for "microaggressions" in the workplace, according to new "anti-racism" training. | During the mandatory training, employees were told they must constantly promote an "anti-racist" culture by adhering to "equity" instead of "equality." | The difference, according to slides from the PowerPoint
(2021-03-17). US intel report claims Russia 'probably' tried to sway 2020 election (as well as Iran, Venezuela & Cuba… but not China). rt.com 
The Joe Biden administration is reportedly preparing new sanctions against Russia after an intelligence assessment claimed to find attempts at interference by Moscow, Tehran and other usual suspects in the 2020 presidential race. | A
(2021-03-17). Biden bait & switch? Almost HALF Americans think someone else is making the president's decisions. rt.com 
As many Americans believe someone other than President Joe Biden is making the important day-to-day decisions in the White House as believe Biden's the man in charge, according to a recent Rasmussen poll. | Just 47% of American voters believe President Joe Biden is actually calling the shots regarding his presidential duties, according to a
(2021-03-17). US road safety regulator sides with GM after widower's lawsuit over deadly car crash. rt.com 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has refused to open a formal investigation into GM after a lawsuit alleged that a defective steering sensor from the company had led to a car crash that killed his wife. | Lance Cooper's 42-year-old wife died after her 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV crashed, with the lawsuit alleging it was caused by a defective steering sensor issue that GM was aware of but failed to warn drivers about. | The NHTSA was informed of Cooper's concerns in February 2020, when he contacted the regulator, asking them to investigate the car company over the issue, to identify…
(2021-03-17). 8 killed in string of shootings at THREE different spas across metro Atlanta, Georgia. rt.com 
A series of shootings at three different spas in the Atlanta, Georgia area has left at least eight people dead and several others injured. A 21-year-old suspect was taken into custody following an intense manhunt. | Police responded to reports of a shooting at Young's Asian Massage near Acworth, Georgia — a suburb of Atlanta — on Tuesday, finding five suffering from gunshot wounds when they arrived, Cherokee County Sheriff's spokesperson Howard Baker told local media. Two were pronounced dead at the scene, while two more victims succumbed to their injuries after being transported to a hospital for tr…
(2021-03-17). With Trump gone & despite 'BLAME RUSSIA' remaining MSM's favorite rallying cry, Americans perceive China as nation's top adversary. rt.com 
Russia is no longer the No. 1 geopolitical bogeyman in the eyes of Americans, falling from that spot for the first time in three years, as a new Gallup poll shows people are far more concerned about the threat posed by China.
(2021-03-17). With Trump gone & despite 'BLAME RUSSIA' still MSM's favorite rallying cry, Americans perceive China as nation's top adversary. rt.com Russia is no longer the No. 1 geopolitical bogeyman in the eyes of Americans, falling from that spot for the first time in three years, as a new Gallup poll shows people are far more concerned about the threats posed by China.
(2021-03-17). French ex-president Sarkozy on trial over 'illegal financing' of 2012 campaign, two weeks after corruption conviction. rt.com 
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has gone on trial over allegations of illicit financing of his failed 2012 re-election bid. The new trial comes just two weeks after he was convicted for influence peddling and corruption. | The hearings kicked off in a Paris court on Wednesday in the ex-leader's absence. | The case, widely known in France as the Bygmalion affair, stems from allegations of illicit funding of Sarkozy's failed presidential campaign in 2012. The former president is accused of massive overspending with the help of the now-defunct Bygmalion PR agency. | According to prosecutors, the campaign…
(2021-03-17). After day of drama, Russian ambassador to US summoned back to Moscow for consultations on future relations with Washington. rt.com 
Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, has been recalled to Moscow for in-person discussions on the country's ongoing relations with Washington and Joe Biden's administration, the Foreign Ministry has said. | In a statement announcing the envoy's recall on Wednesday night, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the ambassador was needed in Moscow for "consultations to analyze what to do and where to head in the context of the relations with the US." Representatives of the Foreign Ministry and other relevant agencies will participate in the discussions with Antonov about US relations…
(2021-03-17). Locals furious as 'fire resistant' Russian World War II monument BURNS DOWN after kids playing accidentally set it alight (VIDEO). rt.com 
A newly built statue in the Russian republic of Tatarstan has burned down after four teenagers used the nearby eternal flame memorial to set fire to a wreath on the memorial. The 'fireproof' monument was erected just last year. | The monument, dedicated to the 'Warrior-Liberator,' is in Zainsk, a town around 1000km east of Moscow. | As seen on a video posted by online news outlet Baza, four children on Tuesday night were playing with sticks, setting them alight using the 'eternal flame,' a World War II memorial found in almost every Russian city. | Then, using one of the sticks, the kids are seen setting fire…
(2021-03-17). Lebanon's president demands PM quit if he can't form govt to tackle pandemic fallout and economic crisis. rt.com 
The Lebanese Prime Minister-designate, Saad Hariri, has been handed a dramatic ultimatum by the country's president — to either form a new cabinet or quit, as the country remains paralyzed by a deep-seated economic crisis. | President Michel Aoun put Hariri on notice during a televised speech on Wednesday as he said the latter must form a government "without excuses or delays" in the hope of "saving Lebanon." | "If Prime Minister-designate Hariri finds himself unable to form a government…, he should make way for those who are," Aoun said. | In October 2020, Hariri was tasked by Aoun with forming a new…
(2021-03-17). Iran blames shooting-down of Ukrainian passenger jet on defense operator 'mistakenly' firing in wake of Soleimani killing. rt.com 
The downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was caused by the mistake of an Iranian air defense operator, poised for attacks in the wake of the killing of General Soleimani, Iran's civil aviation body has said. | All 176 passengers and crew died in the incident in January last year, when the plane was hit by two missiles after it was wrongly identified as a hostile target, Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said on Wednesday, in its final report into the crash. | "The plane was identified as a hostile target due to a mistake by the air defence operator…near Tehran and two missiles were fired at…
(2021-03-17). Half of Austrians fear stating opinions publicly, citing over-the-top political correctness & fear of being branded 'alt right'. rt.com 
One in two Austrians prefers to keep their opinions to themselves, partly due to fear of being labeled an "alt right," a new survey shows, as people in the Alpine land appear to grow wary of "exaggerated" political correctness. | An increasing need to watch one's mouth, which is in no small way influenced by modern "woke" trends, seems to be "getting on the nerves" of many Austrians, a survey commissioned by Der Standard newspaper
(2021-03-17). 'It's not looking good for him': Mike Perry says ex-UFC star Askren will struggle against Jake Paul after training with YouTuber. rt.com 
Controversial MMA fighter Mike Perry says that Ben Askren is in for a shock in next month's boxing match with internet prankster Jake Paul, singing the YouTuber's praises after spending time in the training room with him. | The younger and marginally more successful boxer of the two Paul brothers, Jake, has to be commended for positioning himself as being a genuine "money-fight" and surefire box office attraction after beating up a fellow YouTuber in his debut and following that up in November by knocking out ex-NBA pro Nate Robinson on the undercard of the Mike Tyson comeback card. | Paul's latest fistic curi…
(2021-03-17). 'The best goal I've ever seen': Football fans stunned by 70-YARD wonderstrike in Italian Serie B game (VIDEO). rt.com 
Cremonese midfielder Michele Castagnetti had a moment he won't forget during a recent Serie B fixture against Virtus Entella after he volleyed the opposing goalkeeper's clearance back into the goal from well inside his own half. | Castagnetti's Cremonese side were leading by a single goal and were in hot pursuit of another when Virtus Entella 'keeper Alessandro Russo attempted to relieve some pressure on his goal by hitting a long goal-kick upfield. | Russo, however, would be seeing the ball again a lot sooner than he may have thought after defensive midfielder Castagnetti tracked the flight of the ball in the…
(2021-03-17). 'Ban them': Fans call for SUSPENSIONS after players attack referee and chase him off in abandoned Bulgarian football match (VIDEO). rt.com 
Football fans are calling for harsh penalties for a host of players, one of whom is thought to be an ex-international, who attacked a referee during a semi-pro game in the Bulgarian fourth tier, causing the match to be abandoned. | Incredible footage has emerged from the lower leagues of Bulgarian football showing several angry players remonstrating with the match official after he showed a yellow card in a hotly-contested game. | One of the players, thought to be ex-Bulgaria international Kaloyan Karadzhinov, then appears to strike the referee in the face before he and some of his teammates began chasing him…
(2021-03-17). 'The heat is incoming': Uproar after Champions League side sends coach to train women because he had a row with a female official. rt.com 
Critics have leapt to slam Borussia Monchengladbach after a candidate to become the German side's next manager was told to coach their women's team — although the measure appears to be less shocking than their detractors believe. | Gladbach under-23s coach Heiko Vogel has been ordered to lead six sessions with a female team at the club by the end of June alongside a punishment for "unsporting behavior" towards match officials during a recent match, the West German FA has confirmed. | Critics of the move swiftly pounced after reading the news, with the general manager of one English club labeling it as a…
(2021-03-17). 'This is freedom & tolerance': UEFA will not penalize Russian refereeing team who chose not to kneel before Champions League match. rt.com 
UEFA will not impose any sanctions on a team of officials, led by Russian referee Sergey Karasev, who decided not to kneel in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign before Tuesday's Champions League game at Manchester City. | All of the players from both squads took the knee at the Etihad Stadium, where the English Premier League leaders and German side Borussia Monchengladbach met in the second leg of the round of 16 tie. | Karasev and his assistants Igor Demeshko and Maxim Gavrilin, as well as fourth official Aleksey Kulbakov, of Belarus, did not join the contentious call to action, sparking some viewers…
(2021-03-17). Innovation Slaves and Lurking Technoplutocorporatism. dissidentvoice.org 
Company Blockchains LLC, co-owned by a millionaire Jeffrey Berns, bought over 67,000 acres in Northern Nevada in 2018. The plan is to build infrastructure including hotels, truck stops, and housing according to the latest technological achievements. This purchase is part of the project Innovation Zones. It aims at providing a space for innovation by employing …
(2021-03-17). The Anti-Semitic Birth of the Zionist State: A History of Israel's Self-Hating Founders. mintpressnews.com 
When the victims of Zionism finally have their day in court, the world will see just how cruel and racist the early Zionists really were.
(2021-03-17). Mediation with Marina Wheeler QC on Law Pod UK. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In Episode 138 Emma-Louise Fenelon speaks to Marina Wheeler QC about the burgeoning field of mediation, and outlines a number of useful tips for practitioners from her own experience as a mediator. As clinical negligence practitioners will know, in 2016 NHS Resolution became one of the first indemnifiers in the UK to establish a mediation …
(2021-03-16). Test and Trace is the Dead Elephant in the Room. counterpunch.org 
As Britain enters a post-pandemic era, its struggle with Covid-19 reveals a country that is a complicated mix of strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, Britain has developed, manufactured and distributed effective vaccines quicker than any other nation. On the other, it has constructed the biggest gravy train in British history, one that pays
(2021-03-16). Many Agricultural Workers Still Can't Get COVID Vaccine as Growing Season Begins. truthout.org 
A key group of essential workers in New York State are strangely still unable to get vaccinated: farmworkers. | As of
(2021-03-16). Israel spent $788mn on Covid-19 vaccines, paying much more per dose than US & EU, health ministry data suggests. rt.com 
Israel has paid a hefty price for its pacy Covid-19 immunization drive, with the health ministry saying that it has already spent $788 million on vaccines against coronavirus — and is set to dish out the same again if necessary. | The figures were disclosed for the first time on Tuesday on a request from Knesset Finance Committee chairman Moshe Gafni. | The country has so far paid 2.6 billion shekels ($788 million) to vaccine makers, with another 2.5 billion shekels ($758 million) reserved for further purchases, a ministry representative told legislators. | The sum also indicated that the price that Isra…
(2021-03-16). Dutch hospitals on 'code black' standby for beds as Netherlands sees biggest Covid-19 infection rise since 2020. rt.com 
The Netherlands has seen its sharpest weekly rise in new Covid-19 infections since December, Dutch health officials reported on Tuesday, as a minister warned that hospitals were preparing for having more patients than beds. | The Dutch Institute for Public Health (RIVM) reported a 24% increase in infections in the week to Tuesday, during which 1,234 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital — also a rise on the previous seven days. | The so-called UK variant of the virus, which is more infectious than earlier strains, comprises 75 percent of the country's total infections, and the reproduction number ha…
(2021-03-16). Immigrant Advocate: Unaccompanied Minors Are Not a "Border Crisis" But a Humanitarian Crisis. democracynow.org 
Thousands of migrant children seeking refuge are being held in crowded cells amid an increase in asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite claims by Republican lawmakers during a tour of the southern border aimed at warning against rollbacks of Trump's immigration policy, most adults at the border are still being turned away, while the Biden administration is allowing unaccompanied children to cross while their cases are processed. Thousands of the unaccompanied minors are being sent to cities across Texas to be housed and processed, including Dallas, where FEMA will hold as many as 3,000 unaccompanied te…
(2021-03-16). Sanitized Tyranny: The Weaponization of Truth. dissidentvoice.org 
On Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the Capitol Hill "insurrection", the Parler social media app was the number #1 most downloaded app in the Apple App Store. On "January 10, 2021, Parler CEO John Matze announced the company had been 'dropped by virtually all of its business alliances after Amazon, Apple and Google ended …
(2021-03-16). Blood-drenched Bolivian coup leader in prison. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Demonstration in Fresno, California in solidarity with the Bolivian people's struggle against the coup A Bolivian coup leader and former self-proclaimed president, Jeanine àÅñez, was arrested on Saturday in the department of Beni. She was found hiding in a box to avoid detection from authorities. Earlier today, àÅñez made her first appearance in front …
(2021-03-16). Boston School Bus Drivers Union blasts bosses' reopening schemes. workers.org 
In direct confrontation with the U.S. ruling class' monolithic drive to "reopen" schools and businesses, even as the pandemic continues to rage, Boston School Bus Drivers picketed their employer, Transdev, March 9. They gave voice to the outrage of frontline workers over this dangerous gamble with the lives of both . . . |
(2021-03-16). VIDEO: A Guide to US Empire in Africa: Neocolonial Order & AFRICOM. liberationnews.org 
Abby Martin speaks to Eugene Puryear to discuss the big picture of U.S. imperialism in Africa…
(2021-03-16). UK imposes fresh round of sanctions on Syrian officials, businessmen. peoplesdispatch.org 
On the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in Syria, the UK imposed sanctions on five Syrian individuals including the foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad…
(2021-03-16). University Spiralists and Aca-Zombies. counterpunch.org 
As in many places where the ideology of neoliberalism holds sway, universities have been contaminated with the self-invented business imperatives of neoliberalism. For the better part of the last forty years, the conversion of universities from places where academics and students wanted to go to learn because knowledge was good to have into places to
(2021-03-16). Centennial Mountain Heli-Skiing. counterpunch.org 
On Friday, March 12th, Ashton/Island Park District Ranger Liz Davy withdrew the possibility of a permit to allow helicopter skiing in a portion of the Centennial Mountains on the Idaho side of the range for the following reasons: + Research indicates use of helicopters has significant negative impacts to denning grizzly bears, a threatened species.
(2021-03-16). Washington in Afghanistan: How Long Must This Go On? counterpunch.org 
The United States military and mercenary forces need to leave Afghanistan now. Even Donald Trump understood this, at least in public. The US mission was a failure within a year of its 2001 invasion. It could not and cannot reshape the political landscape in that nation. It tried in the 1970s and the 1980s when it created and armed the mujaheddin to fight the Soviet-supported government. It couldn't mold the nation of Afghanistan into a willing client after the Taliban marched into Kabul. It has failed to do so since it invaded the country in 2001 under the pretense of going after Osama bin Laden. To repeat, the U…
(2021-03-16). Iran blasts Johnson's 'utter hypocrisy' for 'concerns' over Tehran plutonium risk after PM announces UK nuke warhead increase. rt.com 
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been branded a hypocrite by Iran's foreign minister for raising concerns of the risk of Tehran developing nuclear weapons minutes after announcing an expansion to the UK's own nuke arsenal. | On Tuesday, Javad Zarif condemned what he called Johnson's "utter hypocrisy" in a statement on Twitter, adding: "Unlike the UK and allies, Iran believes nukes and all WMDs [weapons of mass destruction] are barbaric and must be eradicated." | Earlier in the day Johnson revealed that the UK would lift a cap on its own nuclear stockpile, allowing it to keep a total of 260 warheads, ra…
(2021-03-16). Statement by New York Boricua Resistance 'No International Working Women's Day without trans women'. workers.org 
This statement was co-written by Alicia Rodriguez and Gabriela Malespin of New York Boricua Resistance and presented by Malespin during the March 13 webinar sponsored by New York City-based International Working Women's Day Coalition. The webinar was entitled "Women and oppressed-gender workers rise up: The real pandemic is capitalism. The . . . |
(2021-03-16). Mumia Abu-Jamal's health emergency: Interview with Dr. Ricardo Alvarez. workers.org 
Mumia Abu-Jamal, the internationally renowned journalist, Pennsylvania prison inmate and former Black Panther widely considered to be a political prisoner, is now experiencing a health emergency. A Feb. 27 call from Mumia alerted supporters who immediately began a campaign to telephone Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzl, Philadelphia District Attorney . . . |
(2021-03-16). Horrifying research shows two cops a month commit violent or sexual offences against women and children. thecanary.co 
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS REFERENCES TO RAPE AND MURDER SOME PEOPLE MAY FIND DISTRESSING | Eight police officers have been convicted of murdering their wives or girlfriends in the past 11 years. This figure comes from
(2021-03-16). Selected Articles: Ten Years Ago: The US-NATO-Israel Sponsored Al Qaeda Insurgency in Syria. globalresearch.ca 
By It was not a protest movement,…
(2021-03-16). Yemen: Protesters storm presidential palace demanding payment of wages. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Protesters storm presidential palace demanding payment of wages | Yemen's Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik and other officials were initially trapped in the building in the port city of Aden | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 11: 22 | Security forces loyal to the separatist Southern Transitional Council stand next to vehicles as they are deployed in the southern port city of Aden (Reuters) | Yemeni…
(2021-03-16). Lebanon currency hits new low on black market amid political crisis. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon currency hits new low on black market amid political crisis | The Lebanese pound has lost 90 percent of its value on the black market over the last 18 months | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 13: 45 | A protester blocks a bridge with burning tyres on the Saida-Ghazieh highway, southern Lebanon, after demonstrations erupted following the sharp drop of the Lebanese pound, 16 March 2021 (AFP) | Leb…
(2021-03-16). 'We have a problem': Two Capitol riot suspects are Lebanese American. middleeasteye.net 
'We have a problem': Two Capitol riot suspects are Lebanese American | Julian Elie Khater and George Pierre Tanios have been charged by the US government in connection to 6 January unrest | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 20: 54 | Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on 6 January to protest the election result (MEE/Ali Harb) | Since announcing his campaign in 2015, former US President Donald Trump regularly used ra…
(2021-03-16). Syria: Ambush of government forces in south kills dozens, says monitor. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Ambush of government forces in south kills dozens, says monitor | At least 21 Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Daraa, according to Observatory | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 15: 51 | A Syrian man rides a motorcycle while carrying a gas cylinder as he drives past the Omari mosque in the southern Syrian city of Daraa (AFP) | A military convoy came under an ambush in…
(2021-03-16). Erdogan says Saudi Arabia wants to purchase armed Turkish drones. middleeasteye.net 
Erdogan says Saudi Arabia wants to purchase armed Turkish drones | Turkish president voiced displeasure at kingdom's decision to conduct joint air exercises with longstanding rival Greece | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 18: 40 | Turkey has emerged as one of the world's premier makers of armed drones (AFP) | Saudi Arabia is seeking to buy armed drones from Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, as he voice…
(2021-03-16). Iran calls on US and its allies to halt military actions in Syria at Security Council. middleeasteye.net 
Iran calls on US and its allies to halt military actions in Syria at Security Council | Iran's envoy to the UN slammed the US and Israel for striking Iran-backed targets in Syria and called for a political settlement to end 10-year war | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 17: 22 | Israeli troops take part in a drill on 2 March in the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, which it says it has permanen…
(2021-03-16). Two killed after single-engine plane crashes into car with woman & child inside (GRAPHIC VIDEO). rt.com 
Two people were killed and two others injured after a small plane crashed in south Florida, erupting into flames as it smashed into a car carrying a mother and child, leaving them in a serious condition. | The single-engine plane crashed down outside North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Florida on Monday afternoon, killing the two people on board. The incident was captured in shocking footage, showing the craft as it careened into a vehicle and skidded across the ground, with its fuel igniting a sizable fire. | "We heard like a bomb, like a tremendous noise and everything was on fire and it dived into a car,…
(2021-03-16). Plane-sized asteroid passed between Earth and the Moon on Tuesday, followed by THREE more. rt.com 
Stargazers were on high alert as a plane-sized asteroid made an extremely close flyby of Earth overnight, but three more space rocks are due to graze the planet's backyard before Tuesday is done. | Asteroid 2021 EQ3 shot past Earth at 12 kilometers per second or roughly 43,000kph at 9: 45pm PT Monday night. | About the same size as the Chelyabinsk meteor, which damaged more than 7,200 buildings in southwestern Russia in 2013, the 21-meter 2021 EQ3 passed the planet at a distance of 269,000km (for comparison, the distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,400 km). | Before March 16 is over however, amateur a…
(2021-03-16). House of Commons passes 'draconian' policing bill that vastly expands protest crackdown & boosts penalties for 'public disorder'. rt.com 
Legislation vastly expanding the UK government's powers to suppress peaceful protests for the sake of public order, promoted by Home Secretary Priti Patel, has been backed by the House of Commons after heated debate. | Lawmakers voted 359 to 263 to pass the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill on its second reading on Tuesday. After clearing the Commons, it's set for consideration in the House of Lords. | Spanning nearly
(2021-03-16). Shifty Shifters: Movers and Shapers like a Trillion Locusts. dissidentvoice.org 
The final report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) concludes that the project has been 'the most successful anti-poverty movement in history'. Two key claims underpin this narrative: that global poverty has been cut in half, and global hunger nearly in half, since 1990. This good-news narrative has been touted by the United Nations and …