(2021-03-01). Ecosocialism versus degrowth: a false dilemma. mronline.org 
Ecosocialists and degrowthers need to map the many overlaps of their views to improve the effectiveness of their shared struggle for an ecologically-sound and socially-fair world free from patriarchal, racial and colonial legacy.
(2021-03-02). Nadezhda Krupskaya: Bolshevik revolutionary and educator. workers.org 
Feb. 14 is the birth date of Nadezhda Krupskaya — Bolshevik revolutionary, educator and library advocate. Although born to a formerly aristocratic family, her family had descended into poverty, which led her to study Marxism. She joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1903. Nadezhda Krupskaya In 1905, Krupskaya . . . |
(2021-03-02). Small Acts Can Become A Power No Government Can Suppress. dissidentvoice.org 
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) was passed in the House this past week and now heads to the Senate, where it will no doubt be changed before it becomes law some time in mid-March. The current unemployment benefits expire on March 14. While we don't know what the final bill will look like, at least …
(2021-03-01). U.S. State Department accusation of China 'genocide' relied on data abuse and baseless claims by far-right ideologue. mronline.org 
The Trump and Biden administrations have relied on the work of a right-wing religious extremist, Adrian Zenz, for their "genocide" accusation against China. A close review of Zenz's research reveals flagrant data abuse and outright falsehoods.
(2021-03-01). Biden declares support for Alabama Amazon workers' union drive. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Democratic President Joe Biden has officially backed the union organizing drive at the big Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala. In a two-minute-20-second video he posted on Twitter Feb. 28, and an accompanying shorter tweet, Biden declared the choice by the 5,800 workers there is "vitally important" to both them and the country. "Today and over …
(2021-03-01). 'Don't come NOW': DHS chief laments US border isn't ready to handle influx of illegal migrants in 'orderly, safe & humane' fashion. rt.com 
The Biden administration is warning migrants to delay flooding the US border as the government works "around the clock" to repair an immigration system shattered by former President Donald Trump's "cruelty." | "We are flooding the space with that critical message," US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Monday in a White House press briefing. "I cannot overstate its criticality to the wellbeing of those individuals who are thinking of coming," explaining that Washington is working with NGOs and the governments of Mexico and Central America to get its message out to migran…
(2021-03-01). U.S. exceptionalism surges again. Will it fly? mronline.org 
In a statement marking the "return" of the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken disclosed that the Biden Administration is placing democracy and human rights at the centre of American foreign policy.
(2021-03-02). Raise the minimum wage to $15 — at least! workers.org 
A $15-per-hour minimum wage cannot be included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill proposed by Congressional Democrats. So ruled the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth McDonough, on Feb. 25. This unelected official called it "irrelevant to budget legislation." This edict is a brutal blow to millions of struggling workers. Nevertheless, the . . . |
(2021-03-01). New Haven youth target gun violence, inequality at Black history month march. peoplesworld.org 
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—A caravan of 20 cars and a group of 65 people took to the streets of New Haven on Feb. 20 to call for an end to gun violence and police brutality, taxing the rich, and to demand state and federal relief for communities of color impacted by COVID-19. The Annual Black History …
(2021-03-02). Protest demands freedom for Mumia, suffering COVID symptoms. workers.org 
Political prisoner and Black journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including difficulty breathing, Feb 26. Hearing this news, his family and supporters called a protest. Less than 24 hours later, about 70 people turned up outside the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to call for Abu-Jamal's immediate . . . |
(2021-03-01). Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Should Ignore the Senate Parliamentarian and Pass $15 Minimum Wage Hike. democracynow.org 
The House of Representatives has voted to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that includes an increase to the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, which could now be stripped out in the final bill after the unelected Senate parliamentarian found it does not comply with budget rules. Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have also said they'll oppose the measure. Congressmember Ro Khanna of California says the parliamentarian "misruled" in this case and that Democrats should pass the wage hike anyway. "I don't know any part of this count…
(2021-03-01). New Zealand PM urges public to 'call out' family & friends who break Covid-19 rules, who let down 'team of five million'. rt.com 
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has urged obedient members of the public to call out violators of coronavirus rules, as it emerged people have been concealing Covid-19 contacts. | Speaking on Monday about recent Covid-19 cases that are linked to breaches of anti-coronavirus restrictions, Ardern aimed mighty jabs at rule breakers. | Even with the full understanding of human fallibility, it is not appropriate, and it is not okay for members of a team of five million to let the rest of us down. | Ruling out punishments for the violators handed out directly by the government, and citing the separation…
(2021-03-01). Finland declares STATE OF EMERGENCY over Covid-19 cases surge. rt.com 
Helsinki has declared a state of emergency on Monday in a bid to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus. The measure would allow it to impose a lockdown and potentially "restrict the fundamental rights of citizens." | The state of emergency is effective "immediately" and will stay in force for an indefinite period of time "until it is repealed," the government said in a
(2021-03-01). Virus reduces fitness of former Covid-19 patients aged 45 to level of 80-year-olds, Israeli researchers discover. rt.com 
One of Israel's top medical centers has published a worrying study about the long-term effects of the coronavirus, revealing that 45-year-old former patients performed during physical tests as if they were aged 80. | Some 30 people aged 45, on average, took part in the survey carried out by the Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva, the Times of Israel Three months after they had been officially cleared of the disease, the former Covid-19…
(2021-03-01). Family with young child rescued, warned after camping on CLIFF EDGE known for landslides (PHOTO). rt.com 
Police and coastguard officers responded to a call after a couple were spotted camping on a cliff edge with their young child, in contravention of lockdown rules and, arguably, common sense. | Rescue teams from Staithes and Whitby coastguard agencies, along with responding police officers, happened upon the couple's tent on Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire on Saturday. | www.facebook.com/staithes.coastguard/posts/1857131324439338 | The police were called as the family had breached Covid restrictions, though it is unclear whether or not they received a fine. Overnight stays away from a person's primary…
(2021-03-01). Spain begins to ease Covid lockdown, but says border with Portugal will be sealed for at least 2 more weeks. rt.com 
The Spanish border with Portugal will remain largely closed until at least March 16, Madrid confirmed on Monday, even as it began to ease some regional restrictions implemented to slow the spread of Covid-19. | The restrictions have been in place along the 1,200km-long border since January 29, with only Spanish residents or Schengen-area travelers who are en route to their homes allowed to cross. | The Spanish government has begun to ease regional Covid lockdown regulations that imposed overnight curfews and restrictions on restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as limiting the number of people who could meet u…
(2021-03-01). Covid-19 virus didn't originate naturally but is actually a BIOWEAPON, most Russians believe, according to explosive new poll. rt.com 
The world has been savaged by a killer virus that escaped a top-secret lab or was unleashed by shadowy forces. It might sound like the plot of a Hollywood film, but a new poll has found it's also how most Russians see Covid-19.
(2021-03-01). Prague deploys troops on Czech streets to enforce severe new Covid rules amid record infection rate, spike in hospitalizations. rt.com 
Some 30,000 police and soldiers have been deployed across the Czech Republic and at 500 security checkpoints set up in a bid to enforce toughened coronavirus rules, as the country battles the world's worst infection rate. | The new measures, introduced on Monday, ban Czechs from leaving their district except for essential reasons, like caring for vulnerable people or working. | Officers are allowed to conduct random spot checks and people are required to produce personal documentation on request, with fines of up to 20,000 Czech koruna ($920) for rule-breakers. | Higher-grade face masks are also now mandatory…
(2021-03-01). UK authorities' plea for mystery person infected with 'Brazilian' Covid-19 strain to come forward. rt.com 
Health officials in England are looking for an unidentified person who was infected with a mutated 'Brazilian variant' of SARS-CoV-19 and slipped under the radar. They are one of six known cases in the UK. | The P1 strain was first detected in people coming to Japan from the Brazilian city of Manus and resembles the so-called South African variant, which is more infectious than 'regular' variants of the virus. Samples collected from six individuals were sequenced as part of the UK's national research of Covid-19 mutations. Public Health England (PHE) could not determine who provided one of them, the organisati…
(2021-03-01). Discovery of Brazilian variant in UK won't derail plans to ease Covid lockdown in England, PM Johnson says. rt.com 
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the discovery of the highly contagious 'P1' Brazilian variant of Covid-19 will not derail his government's plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England in the coming weeks. | The PM said there is currently no reason to change plans to start reopening England after three months of a third national lockdown. Schools and colleges are set to return to in-person learning from March 8, with restrictions on shops and businesses, pubs and gatherings being eased over the next three months — infection rates permitting. | Earlier on Monday, Prof Graham Medley, who head…
(2021-03-01). NHS Providers calls for urgent review into 'insufficient' critical care capacity. rt.com 
NHS Providers has called for a review into "insufficient" critical care capacity in England, citing three regions as being of key concern, at a time when the NHS found itself overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases earlier this year. | The organisation, which includes NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services, called on the government to conduct an investigation into failings in the current system after an analysis showed the UK has the lowest number of critical care beds per head in Europe. | The analysis by NHS Providers uncovered that, per 100,000 people, the UK only has 7.3 critical care beds, co…
(2021-03-01). Macron says France's Covid curfew in place for another '4 to 6 weeks' as contagious UK variant accounts for more half of all cases. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the nation to "hold out" for at least another month before the country can think about easing Covid-induced restrictions and the current 6pm curfew. | Speaking with a group of industrial trade trainees on Monday, Macron dismissed, with a smile, the request of a young man to relax France's 6pm curfew. The president told the students that the nation's curfew would need to remain in place for another four to six weeks, amid indicators the epidemic is on the rise again in France. | Further measures may be brought in across the 20 departments in France which have alrea…
(2021-03-01). Chinese investment in Australia plunges to RECORD LOW amid escalating trade row. rt.com 
New data from the Australian National University (ANU) showed Chinese investment in Australia dropped by more than 61 percent in 2020, to just over a billion Australian dollars (US$780 million) — the lowest in the past six years. | According to figures from the Chinese Investment in Australia Database (CHIIA), the drop followed a 47 percent fall in 2019, when Chinese investment totaled US$1.57 billion. It was also well short of the peak of US$12.7 billion recorded in 2016. | "It reflects the effects of Covid, but also more scrutiny of foreign investment by the Australian government, particularly that fro…
(2021-03-01). Beijing accused of using Covid pandemic to control journalists — foreign media group report. rt.com 
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) has accused Beijing of using Covid-19 as "yet another way to control journalists," curbing visas and surveilling reporters. China says it's protecting its citizens from the virus. | The FCCC, which is the professional association of Beijing-based journalists reporting on China, has argued that 2020 had seen a "rapid decline in media freedom," implemented under the cover of measures that were used to combat the spread of coronavirus. | In its annual report released on Monday the press group claimed these restrictions were placed on journalists to prevent them fro…
(2021-03-01). Deep 'psychological pain': Japan urges China to stop subjecting its citizens to Covid-19 ANAL SWABS. rt.com 
Tokyo has requested Beijing stop subjecting Japanese nationals in China to anal swab testing for Covid-19, urging it use alternative methods instead. The procedure is said to inflict "great psychological pain" on test subjects. | The coronavirus testing issue was brought up by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato during a press conference on Monday. | Some Japanese reported to our embassy in China that they received anal swab tests, which caused a great psychological pain. | Japan has already requested Beijing halt the controversial testing, sticking to other methods instead. So far, China has not re…
(2021-03-01). Indian PM Modi receives domestic coronavirus vaccine as country expands inoculation program to seniors. rt.com 
Indian PM Narendra Modi has received his first shot of the country's domestically produced Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, kicking off the second stage of the nation's massive inoculation drive, which is now focused on the elderly. | India entered its next stage of the mass-vaccination campaign on Monday, expanding the drive to include people aged over 60 and those over 45 who have chronic illnesses. The 70-year-old prime minister became the first person to get the jab at Delhi's AIIMS hospital. | "Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against Covid-19,"
(2021-03-01). Just ONE dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine slashes Covid hospitalisations for over-80s by 80%, English study says. rt.com 
A single dose of the Pzifer or AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 cuts the hospitalisation rate of those aged 80 years and older by 80 percent, Public Health England (PHE) officials said on Monday, citing a pre-print study. | The So far, more than 20 million people across the…
(2021-03-01). EU-wide Covid-19 vaccine passport proposals to be brought forward by Brussels, says von der Leyen. rt.com 
The European Commission president has said Brussels will launch a proposal for the introduction of digital vaccine passports for use across the bloc in March, after the German chancellor said it should be ready by the summer. | "As for the question of what the digital green passport could look like, we will submit a legislative proposal in March," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told German conservative lawmakers on Monday. | Von der Leyen's remarks came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed that the vaccine passport would be ready in time for the summer, with a number of southern European st…
(2021-03-01). 'I don't want the vaccine': Jamaican running champ Yohan Blake insists he 'would rather miss the Olympics' than take Covid-19 jab. rt.com 
Sprint star Yohan Blake has said he is staying "strong in his mind" over taking a Covid-19 vaccine and would rather miss the rescheduled 2021 Olympic Games than receive a jab — even if it's made obligatory for Games participation. | The former men's 100m world champion has revealed that his strident stance on not getting a Covid-19 jab hasn't changed, stressing that even the threat of not being allowed to compete in Tokyo wouldn't dissuade him from rejecting one. | The four-time Olympic medalist said he had his "own reasons" for abstaining from the Covid-19 vaccination program and wouldn't be drawn into…
(2021-03-01). Fauci brushes off critique after South Dakota Governor Noem says Biden's Covid czar 'IS WRONG A LOT' to standing ovation at CPAC. rt.com 
White House adviser Anthony Fauci and his media allies have joined forces in rebuking Kristi Noem after the lockdown-skeptic South Dakota governor had the temerity to criticize the Covid czar's forecast she said hadn't come true. | Noem on Saturday took on Fauci's lockdown advice while making her case at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) for conservative values and respecting individual liberties. | "He told me that on my worst day, I'd have 10,000 patients in the hospital," Noem said. "On our worst day, we had a little over 600. Now, I don't know if you agree with me, but Dr. Fauci is wrong…
(2021-03-01). School shooting reported on FIRST DAY back in the classroom in Arkansas. rt.com 
Students were back in the classroom for less than a day in one Arkansas high school before a shooting broke out. One student was reported injured and the underage suspect has been taken into custody. | The state of Arkansas last week ordered schools to reopen, as the threat of Covid-19 subsides. Watson Chapel Junior High in the town of Pine Bluff opened its doors to in-person learning on Monday, but any sense of normality was soon shattered when a shooting erupted. |
(2021-03-01). Progressives make last push for $15 minimum wage as relief bill heads to Senate. rt.com 
Progressive Democrats have made a desperate call asking the Biden administration to overturn a Senate rule keeping a minimum-wage raise out of the upcoming Covid-19 relief bill. But Biden is unlikely to listen. | Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough
(2021-03-02). Johnson & Johnson's newly-approved Covid vaccine met with pushback as Catholic diocese condemns it for 'ties to abortion cells'. rt.com 
As Johnson & Johnson rolls out its freshly approved Covid-19 vaccine in the US, it faces a religious controversy as the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans has labeled it "morally compromised" over links to abortion cells. | Catholics are advised not to receive the vaccine because Johnson & Johnson used cell lines derived from decades-old abortions in both testing and production of the new product, the Archdiocese Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have utiliz…
(2021-03-01). Israel annexation: European lawmakers denounce 'de facto' takeover of the West Bank. middleeasteye.net 
Israel annexation: European lawmakers denounce 'de facto' takeover of the West Bank | Over 400 parliamentarians have called on EU nations and the Biden administration to work together to halt annexation | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 13: 04 | Israeli workers dismantle tents during a demolition operation of a Palestinian Bedouin encampment in the area of Humsa, in the Occupied West Bank on 22 February (AFP) | Hundre…
(2021-03-01). Israel demolishes Palestinian family's home in Jerusalem for fourth time. middleeasteye.net 
Israel demolishes Palestinian family's home in Jerusalem for fourth time | Hatem Hussein Abu Rayaleh's house bulldozed on grounds of lacking building permits, as Israelis step up demolitions in occupied territories | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 16: 17 | Palestinian Hatem Hussein Abu Rayaleh points at his house which was demolished again by Israeli forces in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, 1 March 2021 (AFP…
(2021-03-01). Supreme Court: Shamima Begum may be barred from UK. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Special Immigration Appeals Commission and Secretary of State for the Home Department v R (Begum) [2021] UKSC 7 Since 2019 when Shamima Begum was found in a camp in north Syria, her hopes of returning to the UK have ebbed and flowed (see here and here). Stripped of her British citizenship, she brought three sets …
(2021-03-01). Culpability and Recalibration: MBS and the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi. counterpunch.org 
It was a brutal way to go, and it had the paw prints of the highest authorities. On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Arabian insider turned outsider, was murdered by a squad of 15 men from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was dismembered and quite literally cancelled in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
(2021-03-01). Coup Leaders, Aung San Suu Kyi Betrayed Democracy in Burma. counterpunch.org 
What is taking place in Burma right now is a military coup. There can be no other description for such an unwarranted action as the dismissal of the government by military decree and the imposition of Min Aung Hlaing, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, as an unelected ruler.
(2021-03-01). Military coup leaders, Aung San Suu Kyi both betrayed democracy in Burma. peoplesworld.org 
What is taking place in Burma right now is a military coup. There can be no other description for such an unwarranted action as the dismissal of the government by military decree and the imposition of Min Aung Hlaing, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, as an unelected ruler. However, despite the endless talk about democratization, …
(2021-03-01). It's always Putin! Russian president engineered coup in Armenia because Pashinyan insulted Moscow's missiles, Western media claims. rt.com 
Not content with fixing US elections and making sure your favorite sports team loses, Vladimir Putin's shadowy hand is now behind a power struggle in Yerevan, after a row over rockets. At least, that's according to American media. | In an article by journalist Anna Nemtsova published on Friday, New York-based outlet The Daily Beast
(2021-03-02). Erie, PA: Residents skeptical towards corporation's "green" promises. liberationnews.org 
The plight of this area has left the door open to the opportunism of "green" industry and it is currently being courted by International Recycling Group (IRG).
(2021-03-02). Digamosle a Biden: °Deja de bombardear Siria! workers.org La administración de Biden solo tardó 36 días en el cargo para mostrar al mundo, a través de un bombardeo en Siria, que es beligerante, agresivo y empeñado en la guerra. Solo hubo un breve respiro de las viles palabras y acciones de Trump. Ahora tenemos que enfrentar los viles . . . |
(2021-03-02). Struggle for justice forces reopening of two cases of police violence in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org 
The cases of Christopher Davis, killed by Milwaukee Deputy Juan Ortiz, and Jay Anderson, killed by Wauwatosa officer Joseph Mensah, have been re-opened in the Milwaukee area.
(2021-03-01). SEIU Graduate Workers Union in stalled talks at Illinois State University. peoplesworld.org 
NORMAL, Ill.—In October 2018, Illinois State University's more than 400 graduate workers voted to officially unionize and be represented as SEIU Local 73. The long months of meetings, difficult one-on-one conversations, procedural documents, and learning the process of organizing a workplace paid off for the graduate workers involved. All unionizing efforts are difficult, and the …
(2021-03-01). Hollywood's New Blackface. counterpunch.org 
Many more black faces on your movie screen. Same old shuck and jive from finance capital. AND . . . why are so many foreign Blacks impersonating African-Americans? I saw "Selma" six years ago. I could feel earnest sincerity radiating from the screen. It was pretty clear the filmmakers were trying to do justice to
(2021-03-02). Twitch reverts back to 'women' after tweet celebrating 'Womxn's History Month' savaged online. rt.com 
Streaming platform Twitch has returned to the conventional spelling for "women" after its social media post hailing "Womxn's History Month" — avoiding any "gender-binary language" — backfired and angered critics on all sides. | Though the company took to Twitter on Monday to inform users that "March is Womxn's History Month," using an alternative styling of "women" in a bid to include non-binary gender identities, it made an abrupt about-face just a few hours later, announcing that it would revert back to the standard spelling. | "While we originally wanted to use a word that acknowledges the short…
(2021-03-02). Former CIA director John Brennan 'embarrassed to be a WHITE MALE'… and critics agree they're embarrassed he's a white male. rt.com 
John Brennan, the former CIA director and perjurer who's now an MSNBC contributor, apparently found a point on which he and his conservative critics can agree: Both sides are ashamed that he's a white male. | Responding to an MSNBC discussion Monday about Republican claims regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, Brennan said, "I'm increasingly embarrassed to be a white male these days, in light of what I see of my other white males saying." | John Brennan should be ashamed to be John Brennan
(2021-03-02). Attempt at civil discourse on 'Wokeism' ends in Clubhouse room 'coup,' Jewish prof shut down as 'SPICY WHITE' & demands for CASH. rt.com 
Evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein had to relive his Evergreen College moment whe he was attacked from all sides in a Clubhouse room hijacked by hostile "anti-racist" mob aghast at the idea of white people discussing "wokeism." | The room, dubbed "Is Clubhouse Obsessed with 'Wokeism'?" was created by independent journalist Michael Tracey, who said he thought the Clubhouse chats "almost inevitably evolve into a discussion of 'woke-ism'… but there's seldom anyone in the room who identifies enough with the ideology to give a defense of it." | His attempt to create a safe space for a civil discourse and let b…
(2021-03-02). 'We have to DO STUFF NOW': Biden adviser says White House to start redressing systemic racism, not just wait for reparations study. rt.com 
President Joe Biden will push ahead on making amends for America's "systemic racism," creating more opportunities for black people right away rather than waiting for a reparations study, a White House adviser said. | "We don't want to wait on a study," Cedric Richmond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, said in an 'Axios on HBO' | White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on February 17 that Biden s…
(2021-03-02). US won't share Covid-19 vaccines with Mexico as Americans must be inoculated first — White House. rt.com 
The Biden administration has rejected the idea of sharing Covid-19 vaccines with the hard-hit neighbor Mexico, White House press-secretary Jen Psaki said, adding that it can only be discussed after all Americans get their shots. | "The administration's focus is on ensuring that every American is vaccinated. And once we accomplish that objective we're happy to discuss further steps," Psaki said when asked about possible vaccine sharing during a briefing on Monday. | The comments came hours before the virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. | Also…
(2021-03-01). Where does the 10 Million Tons of Plastic we put into the Oceans Annually actually go? juancole.com 
By Bruce Sutherland, Michelle DiBenedetto and Ton van den Bremer | — Of the hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic waste we produce each year, it's estimated that around ten million tonnes enters the ocean. Roughly half of the plastics produced are less dense than water, and so they float. But scientists estimate that …
(2021-03-01). BJP begins to pay political price as farmers struggle completes three months. mronline.org 
IN the week before the historic nationwide farmers' struggle completed three months on February 26, the BJP has begun to pay a heavy political price for its pro-corporate adamancy.
(2021-03-01). Family of Navy veteran murdered by Antioch police in George Floyd-style killing seeks justice. liberationnews.org 
Two members of the Antioch, California, Police Department murdered Navy veteran Angelo Quinto (age 30) in his home on Dec. 23, 2020, while he was experiencing a mental health crisis. Quinto's mother and sister, who witnessed the execution of their loved one, initially called the police believing they would help Quinto through his crisis. However, …
(2021-03-01). Heterodox Properties with Lua Kamal Yuille. mronline.org 
Money on the Left is joined by Dr. Lua Kamal Yuille to discuss heterodox economics, property law & the politics of vulnerability. Dr. Yuille is professor of law and affiliated professor of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Kansas. Her work, which spans property theory, heterodox economics, business law, critical pedagogy, and …
(2021-03-01). Black mass incarceration in the so-called Free State. therealnews.com 
Maryland holds itself up as a progressive state when it comes to criminal justice, but a recent report highlights a stark reality: Maryland incarcerates Black people at more than twice the national rate.
(2021-03-01). Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a Veteran For Peace. peoplesworld.org 
Many have been the obituaries and tributes to radical poet and civil libertarian Lawrence Ferlinghetti, including this one from City Lights Booksellers and Publishers. Ferlinghetti died on February 22 at 101 in his home in North Beach, the literary heart of San Francisco. Many readers may be unfamiliar with another facet of the writer's life. …
(2021-03-01). The "Murder" of John Hunt Morgan: "You Have Just Killed the Best Man in the Confederacy!" counterpunch.org 
John Hunt Morgan, the "Kentucky Cavalier," readily embraced the role he was born into. Raised in wealthy Lexington, a scion of Bluegrass planter aristocrats, famously expelled from Transylvania College for dueling, he had eagerly enlisted in the 1848 invasion of Mexico, where he had performed with honor and the requisite gallantry. After that that brief, one-sided conflict he had returned to Lexington, traded in slaves, hemp and wool, and unerringly faithful to the ideal of the Southern gentleman, gambled, drank, raced horses, hunted squirrels, charmed the ladies and defended his honor from rivals both real and i…
(2021-03-01). Parent company owes duty of care in transnational cases — Hague Court of Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
The Hague Court of Appeal has recently handed down a ruling that is of profound importance to environmental lawyers. It is not only the first case at the appellate level in Europe that has resulted in a victory on the merits for the victims, but also the first case to hold that a parent company …
(2021-03-01). 'Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story' at PAFF. peoplesworld.org 
Co-directors Royal Kennedy Rodgers and Kathy McCampbell Vance's Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story is a nonfiction biopic about the African-American talent who rose to become the so-called "Architect of the Stars" when Jim Crow was still the scourge of the land. Born 1894 in L.A., Paul Revere Williams's real-life story of overcoming adversity …
(2021-03-01). The Weekly Round-Up: Unconventional Harm Reduction and Shamima Begum's Final Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: The UK has seen an increasingly falling rate in arrests and prosecutions for cannabis possession over recent years, as police forces no longer see the point in enforcement. The Liberal Democrats have campaigned for its legalisation since 2016, and the first medically-prescribed cannabis was permitted in the UK in 2018. However, crucial …
(2021-03-01). Financial Reserves and the Racial Wealth Gap. counterpunch.org 
Why is it that the wealthiest country on earth has the highest death toll of any nation in the world? And why are Black and Latino people among those experiencing the greatest mortality and hardship during the pandemic? There is excellent research on how the Black-white wealth gap left Black households more vulnerable (see resources
(2021-03-01). Black Lives Matter vigil mourns Derek Hayden, shot by Seattle police. peoplesworld.org 
Scores of protesters joined a Black Lives Matter street-corner vigil in Sequim, Wash., Sunday, Feb. 28, several holding signs protesting the Feb. 16 slaying by Seattle police of Derek J. Hayden, who grew up in Sequim and had many friends and admirers here. Marion "Honeybee" Burns, held a sign, "Derek Hayden: His Life Matters" as …
(2021-03-01). Law Pod UK: AI and the Law. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the latest episode of Law Pod UK Rosalind English talks to Matt Hervey, co-editor with Matthew Lavy of a new practitioner's text book on Artificial Intelligence. Matt is Head of Artificial Intelligence at Gowling WLG., and advises on all aspects of AI and Intellectual Property, particularly in relation to the life sciences, automotive, aviation, …
(2021-03-01). 'Nomadland': Moving on with America's homeless van dwellers. peoplesworld.org 
Fern stands forlorn, surveying the desert before her. She is a small figure looking out over the beautiful, austere, infinite landscape. The desert is her own world writ large. She navigates that world in "Vanguard," her turtle shell van remodeled to carry her few possessions on her back. She drifts toward temporary jobs as low-skill …
(2021-03-01). A Modest Proposal for Establishing a Strategic Toddler Reserve. counterpunch.org 
For the purpose of maintaining adult friendships, protecting household pets, saving monkeys, and benefiting biomedical research — prompted by a recent, reckless article in the NYTimes (With Apologies to Jonathan Swift) How many times have we had the unfortunate experience of visiting the home of a dear friend or colleague, only to discover everything changed.
(2021-03-01). Oregon wolf makes historic journey to California, raising conservation hopes. peoplesworld.org 
An Oregon-born wolf named OR-93 has sparked conservation hopes with a historic journey into California. A young male, OR-93 traveled hundreds of miles from an area southeast of Mount Hood, Oregon, to California's central Sierra Nevada mountain range, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Friday. The agency said he traveled farther south …
(2021-03-01). 'We've made this kind of war invisible'. therealnews.com 
The reality of war has become so distant and abstract for U.S. civilians that most have no idea how many wars we're actually engaged in. And that, as writer and combat veteran Danny Sjursen argues, is by design.
(2021-03-01). Pushing the Tempo at Mumbai's Farmer Sit-In. counterpunch.org 
Navshya Kuvra had just finished playing his dhumsi (drum) for about 40 protestors dancing at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan. Just as he sat down to rest, around 11 at night, three man approached him. "Is it a wedding? What date?" asked Navshya. They conversed, phone numbers were exchanged, and the three moved away. Navshya turned
(2021-03-01). Perspectives on the Storming of the Capitol from a Military Spouse. counterpunch.org 
"Are you okay?" asked a friend and military spouse in the voicemail she left me on the afternoon the mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol so violently. At home with a new baby, her Navy reservist husband stationed in Germany, the thoughts running through her head that day would prove remarkably similar to mine. As she said when we spoke, "It's as if the U.S. has become a war zone."
(2021-03-01). GOP: We'll destroy the country in order to return to power. peoplesworld.org 
With the economy on the brink of collapse for so many, Republicans are totally united against a rescue plan that is the last hope to save millions of Americans from total ruin. The stand they are taking can have far worse consequences than the last time, in 2009, that they opposed a national stimulus plan …
(2021-03-01). The Unpatriots: What the Storming of the Capitol looks Like to a Military Spouse. juancole.com 
By Andrea Mazzarino | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — "Are you okay?" asked a friend and military spouse in the voicemail she left me on the afternoon the mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol so violently. At home with a new baby, her Navy reservist husband stationed in Germany, the thoughts running through her head …
(2021-03-01). Top US Senate Republicans warn Biden against reviving Iran deal. middleeasteye.net 
Top US Senate Republicans warn Biden against reviving Iran deal | Leading Republicans on national security-related committees urge White House to engage Congress, Israel and Gulf partners on Iran | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 17: 12 | The letter was signed by key Senate Republicans, including (L-R) Jim Risch, Marco Rubio and Jim Inhofe (AFP/File photos) | Top US Senate Republicans have warned President Joe Biden against…
(2021-03-01). 'Disastrous decision': UK slashes aid to Yemen while approving arms sales to Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
'Disastrous decision': UK slashes aid to Yemen while approving arms sales to Saudi Arabia | Politicians and non-governmental organisations condemn major humanitarian cut as military exports to Riyadh continue | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 17: 50 | A Yemeni civilian receives food aid in a displacement camp in northern district of Abs (AFP/File photo) | The UK will halve its foreign aid to Yemen in 2021, in a mov…
(2021-03-01). Oman crackdown over criticism of plans to develop Dhofar camel-grazing area. middleeasteye.net 
Oman crackdown over criticism of plans to develop Dhofar camel-grazing area | Poet Salem Ali al-Maashani the latest to be arrested as discontent over governor's decision to remove camel herders grows online | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 13: 07 | A camel walks on a road in Salalah, in Oman's Dhofar governorate, January 2018 (MEE/Joe Gill) | Authorities in Oman have intensified a crackdown on critics of plans to remove camel…
(2021-03-01). US probes Israeli spyware firm NSO following WhatsApp lawsuit: Report. middleeasteye.net 
US probes Israeli spyware firm NSO following WhatsApp lawsuit: Report | Justice Department reached out to WhatsApp over hacking of 1,400 of its users through NSO Group's spyware Pegasus, Guardian reports | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 16: 16 | NSO says it should benefit from "sovereign immunity" because it sells its software to unidentified sovereign government clients (AFP) | The US Department of Justice has renewed its…
(2021-03-01). Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Israeli defence system shot down Russian missile Yerevan fired at Baku. middleeasteye.net 
Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Israeli defence system shot down Russian missile Yerevan fired at Baku | Russia urged Yerevan to fire rocket at Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's final days as Moscow pushed for a ceasefire | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 12: 30 | Russian officials give a presentation of the Iskander M missile at the 4th international military technical forum in August 2018 in Kubinka. (AFP) | Ar…
(2021-03-01). Oman: Crackdown in Dhofar over criticism of plans to develop camel-grazing areas. middleeasteye.net Oman: Crackdown in Dhofar over criticism of plans to develop camel-grazing areas | Poet Salem Ali al-Maashani the latest to be arrested as discontent over governor's decision to remove herders grows online | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 13: 07 | A camel walks on a road in Salalah, in Oman's Dhofar governorate, January 2018 (MEE/Joe Gill) | Authorities in Oman have intensified a crackdown on critics of plans to remove camel…
(2021-03-01). Beirut explosion: Diamond-encrusted ring 'inspired' by disaster draws ire. middleeasteye.net 
Beirut explosion: Diamond-encrusted ring 'inspired' by disaster draws ire | Jeweller's design, which costs more than $7,000, has been denounced as distasteful | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 15: 53 | The ring represents the resilience of Beirut, but has not been well received online (Screengrab/Social media/Forbes) | A champagne diamond-encrusted ring, which has been designed to represent the resilience of Beirut fo…
(2021-03-01). Avi Shlaim slams UK government over 'shameful legacy' of support for Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Avi Shlaim slams UK government over 'shameful legacy' of support for Israel | Oxford historian says efforts to push IHRA antisemitism definition on universities are part of a long history of support for Zionism | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 11: 59 | Shlaim has called for British universities to resist the threat to their autonomy posed by government's efforts to push them to adopt the IHRA definition (AFP) | An…
(2021-03-01). Selected Articles: Joe Biden and the Pentagon's "Ides of March 2021": Best Month to Go to War? globalresearch.ca 
By According to the research data analyzed and published by Comprar Acciones, imports from China to the EA increased …
(2021-03-01). Iran says not behind blast on Israeli-owned ship. middleeasteye.net 
Iran says not behind blast on Israeli-owned ship | Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused Tehran of attacking the ship in the Gulf of Oman last week | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 08: 01 | This picture taken on February 28, 2021 shows a view of the Israeli-owned Bahamian-flagged MV Helios Ray cargo ship docked in Dubai's Mina Rashid (Port Rashid) cruise terminal (AFP) | Iran strongly rejects I…
(2021-03-01). Iran says it is not behind blast on Israeli-owned ship. middleeasteye.net Iran says it is not behind blast on Israeli-owned ship | Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused Tehran of attacking the ship in the Gulf of Oman last week | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 08: 01 | The Israeli-owned Bahamian-flagged MV Helios Ray cargo ship docked in Dubai's Mina Rashid cruise terminal on 28 February (AFP) | Iran strongly rejects Israel's claim that Tehran was behind a blast aboa…
(2021-03-01). 'Unjust': Egypt's property registration plans face popular backlash. middleeasteye.net 
'Unjust': Egypt's property registration plans face popular backlash | Millions of homeowners in Egypt could be forced to pay three percent of their property's market value or lose access to water and electricity | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 10: 36 | Up to 95 percent of properties in Egypt are unregistered, according to the minister of justice (Reuters/file photo) | "Angels don't enter homes unre…
(2021-03-01). Biden "Illegally" Bombs Iranian-Backed Militias in Syria, Jeopardizing Nuclear Talks with Tehran. democracynow.org 
The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 22 people died. The Pentagon called the assault a response to recent rocket attacks on U.S. forces in northern Iraq. Those attacks came more than a year after Iraq's parliament voted to expel U.S. troops — an order ignored by both the Trump and Biden administrations. "Very quickly the Biden administration is falling into the same old patterns of before, of responding…
(2021-03-01). Burmese Scholar: Military Junta Using Terror Against "Entire Population" to Keep Power After Coup. democracynow.org 
In Burma, mass protests continue after at least 18 people were killed in anti-coup protests, marking the deadliest day since the February 1 military coup which deposed and detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Police fired live ammunition into crowds as Burmese forces steadily escalated their crackdown. One local group says 1,000 people were arrested, including journalists and medical professionals. "The coup group and the entire security sector … have essentially terrorized the entire population," says Maung Zarni, a Burmese scholar, dissident and human rights activist. "I have seen absolutely nothing lik…
(2021-03-01). Ex-French president Sarkozy sentenced to year in prison for corruption, plus 2 years suspended. rt.com 
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of corruption on charges of trying to bribe a magistrate. The judge sentenced Sarkozy to three years in prison, with two years suspended. | Judge Christine Mee, who presided over the case, stated that the 66-year-old former political leader had "used his status as former French president" in a "particularly serious" act of wrongdoing, as she handed down the sentence. | Sarkozy was put on trial over accusations of trying to bribe Gilbert Azibert, a French magistrate, by offering him a well-paid job in Monaco in return for information about a criminal…
(2021-03-01). Amman condemns Israeli authorities after orthodox Jews break into Al-Aqsa Mosque during Jewish festival. rt.com 
The Jordanian foreign ministry has blasted Israeli authorities after police failed to stop a group of orthodox Jews bursting into the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, in Jerusalem on Sunday. | Daifallah Al-Fayez, a spokesman from the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates, claimed the failure to prevent the breach represents a "stark violation" of a historic and legal status quo. | On Sunday, dozens of people, reportedly comprising Jewish settlers, broke into the holy site while celebrating the Jewish festival of Purim. Some of the intruders were seen dressed in colorful costumes, dri…
(2021-03-01). Tehran rejects Netanyahu's accusations over explosion of vessel in Gulf of Oman and is 'closely monitoring' Israeli actions. rt.com 
Tehran has dismissed claims made by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that Iran was behind an attack on an Israeli merchant ship in the Gulf of Oman last Thursday, adding that security in the region is just as important for Iran. | "The Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman are Iran's immediate security areas," Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on Monday, adding that Tehran would not allow these priorities to be undermined by Israeli accusations. | Khatibzadeh lambasted Israel for its "incorrect" claims that Iran was behind last Thursday's attack on the vessel. | Not only do we strongly reject…
(2021-03-01). Two Ukrainian diplomats ARRESTED at border in Poland-bound minibus allegedly packed with cigarettes and gold (PHOTOS). rt.com 
A pair of Ukrainian diplomats have been recalled after being arrested for trying to smuggle 16kg of gold, thousands of packets of cigarettes and tens of thousands of dollars into neighboring Poland, officials said. | A driver for Ukraine's embassy in Warsaw and an attache for consular affairs were detained by Ukrainian border guards on Sunday after being stopped in an official minibus at a checkpoint on their way to Poland. | Two other officials were also allegedly involved in the attempted smuggling, including the attache's father, who works at the embassy, Ukraine's state investigative bureau said in a state…
(2021-03-01). Scientists discover THOUSANDS of previously unknown virus species in the human gut. rt.com 
A new database project has identified and classified some 140,000 viral species found in the human gut, more than 50 percent of which were previously unknown to science. | The Among the truly staggering amount of data were tens of thousands of newly discovered viruses and 142,809 viral species that call the human gu…
(2021-03-01). 'I'd rather be called a b**ch': Twitch unites commenters in disgust with tweet celebrating 'Womxn's History Month'. rt.com 
Streaming platform Twitch is so woke that it managed to enrage women, conservatives and the transgender, all in a bid to celebrate "Womxn's History Month." | March is Women's History Month, and Twitch wants its users to celebrate. It's putting female streamers on its front page, showcasing female musicians, and dishing out thousand-dollar grants to deserving female students and entrepreneurs. Oh, and it's also spelling "Women's History Month" as…
(2021-03-01). 'He'll be gone in the spring': Belarusian opposition figurehead Tikhanovskaya says Lukashenko will be removed from office in 2021. rt.com 
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will leave his post this year, maybe even before spring ends. That's according to former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who says peaceful protest will soon reap rewards. | Speaking to the German weekend newspaper Bild am Sonntag, Tikhanovskaya revealed her belief that both external and internal pressure on the long-time leader will lead to his replacement. | "We hope for a strong alliance with the new US administration and the EU. Pressure will increase day by day, and at some point, it will become too much for Lukashenko, and he will leave," she said.
(2021-03-01). Myanmar's ousted leader Suu Kyi is seen for first time in weeks & now faces new charges, as anti-coup protests rage on. rt.com 
A Myanmar court has slapped the country's ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi with additional charges, as mass-protests against the military coup that toppled her refuse to die down, even after a deadly weekend. | The ousted politician appeared before the court via videolink on Monday, and was seen in public for the first time since the February 1 coup. | Suu Kyi was slapped with two additional charges, one stemming from the colonial-era penal code over alleged publication of information that may "cause fear or alarm" or disrupt "public tranquility." The other one was brought under a telecommunications law…
(2021-03-01). Nationalists stage torch-lit march, demand 'return' of Nagorno-Karabakh amid Armenian political crisis. rt.com 
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Yerevan to demand the resignation of embattled Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and the reinstatement of control over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh in a torch-lit march. | The nationalists hit the streets of the Armenian capital on Sunday, marching with lit torches and Armenian flags to folk tunes that blared from a car. As the music paused, protesters chanted "Free and independent Armenian" and "Retake Nagorno-Karabakh" among other slogans. The protesters have also repeatedly called for Pashinyan's resignation. | The fiery procession, led by the supporters of the Sasna Tsr…
(2021-03-01). Bitcoin soars after Citi says it could become 'currency of choice' for global trade. rt.com 
The world's largest cryptocurrency, bitcoin, bounced back above $48,000 on Monday, following a report by Citi which suggested that the digital asset could one day become the preferred currency for international trade. | Bitcoin was up almost nine percent as of 2: 22pm GMT, at $48,193. | According to Citi, bitcoin's recent performance has been inspired by involvement of institutional investors in recent years, in contrast to its heavy retail investor focus for most of the past decade. With the recent embrace of the likes of Tesla and Mastercard, bitcoin could be at the start of a "massive transformation" into th…
(2021-03-01). Russia triples gas supplies to China via Power of Siberia pipeline. rt.com 
Russia's energy major Gazprom said on Monday that it had pumped more gas to China in February via the Power of Siberia pipeline than it had initially planned, more than tripling supplies compared to the same month last year. | "The export of gas to China through the Power of Siberia gas pipeline continues to grow. Supplies regularly exceed our daily contractual obligations. The actual monthly volume of supplies in February is 3.2 times more than in February 2020," Gazprom said in a statement. | The 3,000km (1,864 mile) cross-border pipeline started official deliveries of Russian natural gas to China in 2019. T…
(2021-03-01). German soldier, relatives arrested over 'hoarding' weapons & ammo, and making 'extremist statements'. rt.com 
In the latest suspected insurgency case, a German Army soldier and two of his relatives were arrested in a special police forces operation. Police say the suspects have been "hoarding" weapons and making "extremist" statements. | On Monday, police in the German western state of Hesse said they arrested two men, including a 21-year-old Bundeswehr soldier, as part of a series of raids over the weekend. While searching their apartments, the Special Forces officers discovered "extensive evidence" of their illegal activities and seized "military-grade weapons, various ammunition and explosives." | Also on rt.com…
(2021-03-01). Latvia for the Latvians! Baltic nation's President says it will be true ethnic homeland by 2030, despite fact 1 in 4 are Russians. rt.com 
In less than a decade, Latvia could take its place among the top tier of European nations, its president has claimed, arguing that its language and culture will become dominant despite much of the country speaking Russian at home. | Egils Levits made the remarks in a discussion on parliamentary democracy on Friday, insisting that, by 2030, "we could become one of the most modern European countries." This, he claimed, is not because the nation would accept every innovation, but because it would accept only the most important ones, and can discern what really matters. | However, he added, Latvia will "also becom…
(2021-03-01). Plane forced to land in Sudan after CAT ATTACKS pilot mid-air, 'hijacking' cockpit. rt.com 
A passenger plane was forced to return to the airport in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum after an angry cat, which somehow got into the cockpit, attacked the pilots shortly after takeoff, local media reports. | This Wednesday's flight of the Sudanese Tarco airline bound for Qatar's capital, Doha, was proceeding in a totally routine manner — that is, until a most unlikely passenger caused an emergency mid-air. | Having departed from the Khartoum International Airport, the plane was in the air for roughly half an hour when an unregistered passenger was spotted inside the pilot's cabin. The passenger in que…
(2021-03-01). Syria & Russia accuse US of funneling supplies on pretext of 'humanitarian aid' to militants in war-ravaged Middle Eastern nation. rt.com 
Washington is pressuring the United Nations to deliver international assistance to an overpopulated desert refugee camp but secretly planning to use the cargo to resupply armed militias it supports, Moscow and Damascus claim. | In a joint statement issued on Monday, the coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria insisted that their military coalition is "making significant efforts to restore peaceful life in the country and provide comprehensive assistance to Syrian citizens in voluntary and safe return to their homeland." | However, they add, the US is actively working to fuel fighting in the bloody civil…
(2021-03-01). 'Being Muslim raises fundamental problems with living a Danish life': Political party wants would-be citizens' religion on record. rt.com 
The Danish People's Party has renewed calls for the religion of would-be citizens to be recorded on a publicly visible register, while also proposing a ban on granting citizenship to applicants married to foreign nationals. | The right-wing populist Danish People's Party (DPP) is proposing that, as part of an ongoing overhaul of immigration and naturalization rules in the country, in future, would-be citizens should declare their faith, or lack thereof, in order to be considered for Danish citizenship. | "For many people being Muslim raises some fundamental problems with living a Danish life. Whether that is v…
(2021-03-01). Russia's wealthiest official, local Sakhalin politician Dmitry Pashov, arrested over links to 'Crab King' murder & smuggling cases. rt.com 
Dmitry Pashov, named by Forbes as Russia's richest official, has been arrested over the case involving Oleg Khan, the man dubbed by the media as the 'Crab King' who is accused of smuggling shellfish and killing an entrepreneur. | In September 2020, Pashov topped Forbes' ranking of the highest-earning civil servants and deputies, with a supposed yearly income of 6.2 billion rubles ($83 million). The businessman is the owner of Moneron, a large crabbing company, and became a member of the Sakhalin Regional Duma in 2017. | Pashov was arrested on January 27 at his island home in Russia's Far East, near Japan. He i…
(2021-03-01). US touts patrol boats unwanted by its own Navy in $125 million package of 'lethal aid' to Ukraine. rt.com 
Washington is so eager to help Ukraine counter what it calls "Russian aggression," it is sending Kiev patrol boats the US Navy wants to phase out, and holding another $150 million back pending "defense reforms." | The Pentagon
(2021-03-01). Class dismissed: England's poorer students 'five grades behind' richer ones — report. rt.com 
A report from the UK's Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found that a "disadvantage gap" has emerged between English pupils aged 16-19, with poorer students finding themselves up to five grades behind their wealthier peers. | The EPI has declared that the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and others is "one of the greatest challenges facing England's education system," warning that "the gap grows larger in each phase of education." | On average, the study found that, by the time students reached the age of 16-19, they were the equivalent of three grades behind more affluent peers, with some in par…
(2021-03-01). Plane forced to land in Sudan after CAT ATTACKS pilot in mid-air, 'hijacking' cockpit. rt.com A passenger plane was forced to return to an airport in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum after an angry cat, which somehow got into the cockpit, attacked the pilots shortly after takeoff, local media report. | Wednesday's flight of the Sudanese Tarco airline bound for Qatar's capital, Doha, was proceeding in a totally routine manner — that is, until a most unlikely passenger caused an emergency in mid-air. | Having departed from Khartoum International Airport, the plane was in the air for roughly half-an-hour when an unregistered passenger was spotted inside the pilot's cabin. The passenger in question wa…
(2021-03-01). Canberra should reflect on reasons for poor relations with China, says Beijing, as Chinese investment in Australia falls by 60%. rt.com 
Beijing has urged Canberra to take a look at the reasons behind worsening relations between the two nations and called on Australia to abide by the free-market conditions and trade rules it has always advertised. | On Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, cited a study by the Institute of East Asian Economics of the Australian National University, showing that China's direct investment in Australia fell by 61 percent last year to US$783 million, a six-year low. | Wang said the data was cause for Australia to reflect on the reasons behind the deteriorating economic and politics relations. | "Austr…
(2021-03-01). Duterte threatens to end military cooperation with US if he gets 'hard info' on nukes stored in Philippines. rt.com 
President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed that he will "immediately" demand that US troops leave the Philippines if Washington ever attempts to place its nuclear weapons in the Southeast Asian country. | While there appear to have been no recent statements from American officials about plans to place nukes in the Philippines, Duterte was on Sunday asked about the possibility during a press conference. | "We do not want it… but I am warning you that if I get hold of hard information that nuclear armaments are brought by you here, I will immediately ask you to go out and I will terminate the Visiting Forces Agreemen…
(2021-03-01). Saint Petersburg cop arrested after allegedly leaking information about flight on which opposition figure Alexey Navalny fell ill. rt.com 
A Russian policeman has been arrested, suspected of leaking information from the country's centralized database of travel records, which is available only to law enforcement. He is accused of transferring data to a third party. | That's according to Moscow daily Kommersant, which reported that the unnamed St. Petersburg police officer could have handed over information to the team of Alexey Navalny, the Russian opposition figure who was allegedly poisoned and fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow in August. The newspaper claims that, in September, the individual concerned checked the database for informati…
(2021-03-01). 'Zionist' is not hate speech, activists say. therealnews.com 
A Saturday Night Live joke about Israel's vaccine apartheid sparked outrage from some ardent supporters of the Israeli government, but the controversy speaks to larger threats to free speech in the digital age, especially when it comes to criticisms of Zionism. At this very moment, tech giant Facebook is considering whether or not to respond to calls to ban the term "Zionist" as anti-Semitic hate speech. | TRNN's Jaisal Noor speaks with Jewish Voice For Peace's Rabbi Alissa Wise about the "Facebook, We Need to Talk" campaign and the long history of tech companies censoring the voices of Palestinians who are…
(2021-03-01). Icelanders: Can This Peaceful, Politically Engaged People So Continue? strategic-culture.org 
More people in Iceland than in most countries are politically conscious and motivated to take on corruption in politics and business in Iceland than in most countries, Ron Ridenour writes. | We all can learn from the Icelandic people, from their sense of assuming responsibility, for their political consciousness, their tenacity, from their culture that fosters more authors per capita than any country in the world, where there is no army, and folk live in tight-knit fellowship. | I am concerned, however, that if the current trend with the fast life continues, especially in the ever-growing Capital Region where 60%…
(2021-03-01). Mars striking back? Extremely bright meteor ignites wild banter on social media (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Befuddled Brits from Scotland in the North to Somerset in South were astonished by a phenomenally bright flash in the night sky which lasted some seven seconds and ended with a loud boom, according to some reports. | The fireball was so bright it triggered doorbells across the UK shortly before 10pm local time from Manchester to Cardiff, Bath, and Milton Keynes and everywhere in between, with the UK Meteor Network receiving over 120 reports of sightings. | Social media was flooded with videos purporting to show the celestial fireworks display. | Nice meteor hit the earth's atmosphere at 21: 54 slightly obscured…
(2021-03-01). Myanmar military reportedly fire on anti-coup protesters a day after 18 killed on 'bloody Sunday'. rt.com 
Demonstrators in Myanmar were shot at by law enforcement on Monday, local media reported, less than a day after 18 protesters were killed on what was the country's bloodiest day yet since the military seized power on February 1. | In the southern city Yangon — Myanmar's largest — police and the military fired live rounds at protesters and used tear gas on Monday, according to Burmese-language broadcaster RFA. Security officials also reportedly deployed sound bombs, a crowd control device that emits high frequency sound waves, which can cause deafness. | Amid the violence, which reportedly took place…
(2021-03-01). Japanese PM apologizes after spokesperson quits over expensive dinner scandal that breached ethics law. rt.com 
Japanese leader Yoshihide Suga has apologized after his spokeswoman, Makiko Yamada, resigned for "breaching the ethics law" by attending expensive dinners hosted by the prime minister's TV executive son, Seigo Suga. | Yamada formally quit her position as the cabinet public relations secretary in the wake of the scandal around her attendance at the expensive dinners after being admitted to hospital due to ill health, according to a statement from the government. | Japanese officials are barred from accepting gifts, including dinners and entertainment from companies under the National Civil Service Ethics Law, m…
(2021-03-01). CPAC Showed That Trump's Personality Cult Is Still Alive — and Still a Threat. truthout.org 
In the classic 1950 movie Sunset Boulevard, Gloria Swanson plays the has-been Hollywood diva, Norma Desmond, desperate for adoration, utterly infatuated with the spotlight. One of its most famous lines — " "You see," the has-been actress utters w…
(2021-03-01). Illinois Must End Youth Incarceration, Not "Transform" It. truthout.org 
Even amid a deadly pandemic, in the U.S., there are
(2021-03-01). Biden Jeopardizes Nuclear Talks With Iran by Bombing Militias in Syria. truthout.org 
Image Credit: 2021 Maxar Technologies (photo left) | The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 22 people died. The Pentagon called the assault a response to recent rocket attacks on U.S. forces in northern Iraq. Those attacks came more than a year after Iraq's parliament voted to expel U.S. troops [mda…
(2021-03-01). Elizabeth Warren Unveils 2 Percent Wealth Tax on "Ultra-Millionaires" truthout.org 
On Monday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) unveiled legislation proposing a wealth tax that she championed during her presidential campaign. | The bill, called the
(2021-03-01). After Mass Closures, Post-Pandemic Child Care Options Will Be Scarce. truthout.org 
Driving to work before dawn last winter, Valerie Norris heard an NPR report about a terrible disease spreading in China — a pandemic, people were starting to call it. It sounded sad but very far from Rocky River, Ohio, where she'd led the Rockport Early Childhood Center for 34 years. | A few weeks later, she knew better. | It was still dark on the chilly morning of March 13 when Norris pulled into the big parking lot at the Rockport United Methodist Church, where her school was based. She always…
(2021-03-01). Vaccine Process Discriminates Against Non-English Speakers, People Without Cars. truthout.org 
It's a fact that simply being eligible for a vaccine in America doesn't mean that you can instantly get one. Yet the ability to get to the front of the line isn't the same for everyone. ProPublica has found that, whether intentionally or not, some vaccine programs have been designed with inherent barriers that disadvantage many people who are most at risk of dying from the disease, exacerbating inequities in access to health care. | In many regions of the U.S., it's much more difficult to s…
(2021-03-01). Biden's Trade Rep Nominee Backs Policies That Hinder Global Vaccine Distribution. truthout.org 
Katherine Tai, President Joe Biden's nominee to serve as the next top U.S. trade negotiator, acknowledged during
(2021-03-01). U.S. Says Saudi Crown Prince MBS Approved Assassination of Khashoggi, But He Avoids Any Sanctions. democracynow.org 
The Biden administration has released a declassified report that finds Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, responsible for the assassination of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. But the U.S. does not plan to sanction the crown prince, though the administration has announced travel restrictions to dozens of other Saudi officials. The decision is being criticized by human rights groups and friends of the late Khashoggi. "It's important to not point fingers but also to sanction MBS … and to treat him as the pariah he is, like Biden promised during…
(2021-03-01). Release of Khashoggi report sparks new push to punish Saudi crown prince. middleeasteye.net 
Release of Khashoggi report sparks new push to punish Saudi crown prince | Advocacy groups start campaigning for sanctions against Mohammed bin Salman and deep reforms inside the kingdom | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 21: 31 | A demonstrator dressed as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with blood on his hands protests outside Saudi embassy in Washington DC on 10 October 2018 (AFP/File photo) | Any hopes Sau…
(2021-03-01). 'Case closed': Saudi diplomat calls for moving on from Khashoggi murder. middleeasteye.net 
'Case closed': Saudi diplomat calls for moving on from Khashoggi murder | UN's Agnes Callamard rejects assertion by Saudi envoy, saying case will not be closed until masterminds are 'held accountable' | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 22: 07 | US intelligence report found that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi (Reuters/File photo) | Saudi Arabia's envoy to the United Nations has cri…
(2021-03-01). 'He'll be like Khashoggi': Wife fears for Saudi-Australian detained in Morocco. middleeasteye.net 
'He'll be like Khashoggi': Wife fears for Saudi-Australian detained in Morocco | Australian consular officials intervene, as fears grow that dual citizen arrested last month may be extradited to Riyadh | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 13: 02 | Osama al-Hasani was arrested on 8 February hours after arriving in Morocco to visit his newborn child (Screengrab/Twitter) | A Saudi-Australian citizen detained in Morocco l…
(2021-03-01). Khashoggi murder: Fiancee demands punishment for Saudi prince 'without delay'. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Fiancee demands punishment for Saudi prince 'without delay' | A CIA report has accused Mohammed bin Salman of approving Khashoggi's murder, but Washington stopped short of sanctioning him | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 08: 36 | Hatice Cengiz says 'there is no longer any political legitimacy' for Mohammed bin Salman after US intelligence report concluded he authorised the murder of J…
(2021-03-01). Khashoggi murder: Three Saudi names disappear from revised US intelligence report. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Three Saudi names disappear from revised US intelligence report | US says it removed names 'erroneously' included in the initial report, which identified individuals complicit in the killing of the journalist | Mon, 03/01/2021 – 11: 17 | A man lights a candle by posters of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a gathering outside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 20…
(2021-03-01). Champion trainer Gordon Elliott 'apologizes profoundly' after Grand National winner admits controversial dead horse photo is real. rt.com 
Industry-leading racehorse trainer Gordon Elliott has issued a "profound apology" after a photograph showing him straddling a dead horse drew outraged accusations of animal cruelty after it began circulating on social media. | Elliott, who trained the world-famous Tiger Roll to two successive Grand National wins in 2018 and 2019, came under fire after the image, which shows him taking a phone call while sitting atop the deceased animal, went viral on social media over the course of the weekend. | The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) announced that they were opening an investigation into the matter, to…
(2021-03-01). Man United's Shaw facing BAN after backtracking on claim that ref rejected penalty in Chelsea draw because he feared public uproar. rt.com 
Luke Shaw could be banned by the Premier League after he accused the referee who shunned Man United's penalty claim against Chelsea of malpractice — but Harry Maguire has admitted his fellow defender misheard the conversation. | United were unlucky not to be awarded a spot kick in the first half of Sunday's stalemate against Thomas Tuchel's re-energized Chelsea team after the ball appeared to strike Callum Hudson-Odoi's hand as be battled for possession with Mason Greenwood. | Following a brief delay in which both the VAR and referee Stuart Attwell considered and ultimately denied the penalty claim, full…
(2021-03-01). Paige Spiranac sermonises about being 'more real on social media' as golf stunner backs Max Homa over Tiger Woods tribute backlash. rt.com 
Golf stunner Paige Spiranac has hit out at fans who criticized Max Homa for not taking part in the "red-and-black" tribute to Tiger Woods following his severe injuries in a high speed car accident outside of Los Angeles last week. | Several top golfers, including Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Tommy Fleetwood, donned red and black gear in tribute to Woods' trademark colors at Sunday's final round of the WGC Championships event in Florida, with Woods himself later tweeting that he was "touched" at the wide-ranging gesture from several members of the field. | However, there are many sides to social media — and…
(2021-03-01). Police 'arrest former Barcelona president Bartomeu and two club bosses' as staff see football giants' offices raided by officers. rt.com 
Josep Maria Bartomeu has been arrested alongside two senior Barcelona officials in the latest development in a police investigation less than a week before the club's presidential elections end, a Spanish news source has said. | Catalonian cops have raided the offices of the Spanish football giants and reportedly swooped on ex-president Bartomeu, who resigned at the end of October along with the club's entire board of directors. | Local force the Mossos d'Esquadra are said to have taken action — moving in just six days before the long-awaited presidential elections to permanently replace Bartomeu end …
(2021-03-01). Tiger Woods praises 'really touching' red-and-black tribute from stars after golf icon was badly injured in high-speed car wreck. rt.com 
Tiger Woods has thanked golfers who donned his famous red and black attire on the final day of a tournament, saying it was "hard to explain" his emotions as he recovers from multiple leg injuries suffered in a car crash last week.
(2021-03-01). 'Everything offends everybody': US football rep axed over speech querying 'social justice warriors', knee-taking & slavery claims. rt.com 
The US Soccer Federation's athletes' council has axed one of its members after he gave a speech at an AGM criticizing "progressive culture", sports stars who take a knee for Black Lives Matter and "social justice warriors". | Seth Jahn, a former member of the US seven-a-side Paralympic team, was speaking in opposition to the policy which was put in place in support of United States football superstar Megan Rapinoe's decision to follow the lead of ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick by carrying out silent "kneeling" protests before games. | The United States Soccer Federation voted at the weekend to repeal the 2017…
(2021-03-01). Ex-US president Trump uses major speech return to warn Biden that 'crazy' transgender athlete rules will 'destroy women's sports'. rt.com 
Ex-US president Donald Trump has won widespread support after reports claimed he had "attacked" the transgender community and "mocked" athletes in his first major speech since leaving office, voicing his fears for women's sports. | Reacting to the move by his replacement in the White House, Joe Biden, to sign a new gender discrimination act as one of his first jobs in office and a sign of his departure from his predecessor's policies, Trump said that women's records were being "smashed with ease" by competitors whose biological gender was male. | Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sund…
(2021-03-01). Russian 'striptease' skating star Elizaveta Tuktamysheva says she wants to 'get satisfaction' from 2021 World Championships. rt.com 
Figure skating ace Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, who recently earned the right to represent Russia at the showpiece, has said her main goal at the upcoming 2021 World Figure Skating Championships is to "enjoy it and get satisfaction." | The 24-year-old beat reigning European gold medalist Alena Kostornaia at the Russian Cup final in Moscow, earning the sole remaining spot on the national squad, which will travel to Sweden later this month. | Known as The Empress by her fans, Tuktamysheva finished third, behind legendary coach Eteri Tutberidze's trio, led by 14-year-old Kamila Valieva. | However, as none of the podiu…
(2021-03-01). Novak Djokovic closes in on eclipsing Serena Williams run as Serbian tennis ace admits 'relief' at equaling mammoth Federer record. rt.com 
Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic has matched a remarkable feat achieved only by rival Roger Federer in the men's game — and he is targeting Serena Williams and several women's records after topping the ATP rankings for 310 weeks. | Just a week after winning his 18th Grand Slam by beating Russian Daniil Medvedev to retain his Australian Open crown, the sporting legend will break Federer's record for the longest time as men's number one next Monday and wants to scale new heights. | After becoming the sole holder of the record in the men's game, Djokovic will be just eight weeks shy of catching up with women…
(2021-03-01). Punch drunk: UFC star Paulo Costa mocked by fans over claim he 'drank too much wine' the night before Israel Adesanya title fight. rt.com 
Paulo Costa had a novel excuse for his unusually tepid performance in his world title bout against Israel Adesanya, earning derision for admitting that he was "hungover" from a full bottle of wine he had drunk hours beforehand. | Brazil's Costa surrendered his unbeaten professional record when he was beaten by middleweight champion Adesanya in Abu Dhabi last September, but more more disappointing than the result was the performance of the usually ferocious slugger. | Rather than hunting down his opponent as he had done in his previous 13 fights, Costa stayed at range and presented an easy target to the laser-s…
(2021-03-01). Quarantine hotel in Toronto accused of running out of FOOD & WATER as guests let loose on staff (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Quarantined travelers formed an angry mob in the lobby of a Toronto hotel after it allegedly ran out of food and bottled water, leaving guests waiting hours to be fed during their mandatory stay. | Canada's system of mandatory quarantine hotels for those entering the country from abroad are now in question, after a series of endless, chaotic setbacks including food shortages and even alleged sexual assaults. | Some of those experiencing the quarantines, which are mandatory for all incoming travelers for a minimum of three days and at a cost of up to Can$2,000, have documented the problems on social media. | Al…
(2021-03-01). Russia slams Twitter for breaking regulations as US tech giant ignores demands to delete thousands of posts with illegal material. rt.com 
By not deleting banned material, Twitter has 'maliciously violated' Russian law. That's according to media regulator Roskomnadzor, which has revealed that the tech giant has refused to remove 2,862 posts with illegal content. | On Monday, the watchdog revealed that it had sent the California-based company a combined total of 28,000 deletion demands, with around 10 percent being refused. These include 2,336 posts on suicide, as well as 352 containing pornographic images of minors. | According to Russian law, violating the rules governing the restriction of access to illegal content could see the firm hit with a…
(2021-03-01). US inspector finds AT LEAST $2.4 billion 'wasted' on buildings in Afghanistan in 'clear pattern' of misuse and destruction. rt.com 
Billions of US taxpayer dollars have been wasted on building infrastructure in Afghanistan that isn't actually needed or can't be used or maintained properly, says a new report from a special inspector, unlikely to change things. | The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) identified "about $2.4 billion in assets that were unused or abandoned, had not been used for their intended purposes, had deteriorated, or were destroyed" out of nearly $7.8 billion the US has spent on capital assets in the country. | Only $1.2 billion worth of assets were being used as intended, and only $343.2 m…
(2021-03-01). Cuomo accused of 'gaslighting' after he rejects sexual harassment allegations as 'jokes' & 'being playful'. rt.com 
New York Governor Cuomo's attempt to apologize after two former aides accused him of sexual harassment backfired online, after he suggested his "good-natured" teasing about personal life was "minsinterpreted" as flirtation. | A day after emphatically denying any improper conduct towards his second accuser, former aide Charlotte Bennet, Cuomo appeared to make a U-turn on Sunday, admitting that some of his "jokes" might have come across the wrong way. | In a lengthy statement, the embattled governor said that he "now understands" that some of his interactions with the staffers "may have been insensitive or too p…
(2021-03-01). Vanity Fair says Saturday Night Live sucked, and DONALD TRUMP is to blame. rt.com 
While Saturday Night Live's ratings fell during the Trump years, it wasn't the writers' fault for churning out 'Orange Man Bad' sketches, Vanity Fair claims. No, it was Donald Trump's fault for being so "noxious." | By the time Donald Trump left office, Saturday Night Live's reliance on the divisive president as a source of material had worn thin. 2019's season opened to the show's lowest ratings in five years, parodies of Robert Mueller, Rudy Giuliani and Jeff Sessions fell flat, and former cast member Gary Kroeger admitted last year that Alec Baldwin's Trump impersonation had been "done to death." | Also on…
(2021-03-01). 'Pretty-much everything on Gab': Leaks publisher offers private data of 'alt-tech Twitter' users to researchers of 'neo-Nazis'. rt.com 
The Gab accounts of Donald Trump and Gab's own CEO are among those "compromised" by a hack of the microblogging service popular among US conservatives and right-wingers. The data is being offered to researchers and journalists. | A 70-gigabyte trove of data dubbed "Gableaks" includes public posts on the platform, but also "private posts, user profiles, hashed passwords for users, DMs, and plaintext passwords for groups,"
(2021-03-01). 'Mass craziness': Daily Beast uses Al-Qaeda torture survivor to compare Capitol rioters to ISLAMIST TERRORISTS. rt.com 
Mainstream media took its demonization of Donald Trump supporters to a new level, with the Daily Beast using an Al-Qaeda torture survivor to compare the US Capitol rioters to his brutal captors, and the former president to ISIS. | "Most of these MAGA guys, they believe they are on a spiritual quest to make America great," the Daily Beast quoted journalist They have…
(2021-03-01). CYBERWAR is imminent & will affect ordinary Americans, claims CEO of company that 'discovered' SolarWinds hack. rt.com 
Cybersecurity firm FireEye has warned Americans that they'll be targeted by the next big cyberattack, whether they know it or not. Disrupted supply chains and the chaos of cellular and internet networks crashing will follow. | "The next conflict where the gloves come off in cyber, the American citizen will be dragged into it, whether they want to be or not. Period," FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia told Axios on HBO on Sunday. | "People don't even know all the things they depend on. All of a sudden the supply chain starts getting disrupted because computers don't work," he continued, threatening viewers with his descr…
(2021-03-01). 'This is Nazi Germany!': Airline faces calls for boycott after Jewish family booted from flight over mask-less BABY. rt.com 
A Hasidic Jewish family was allegedly kicked off a flight because their 18-month-old child was not wearing a face mask. The airline is now facing accusations of anti-Semitism. | In a series of videos that were posted to Twitter on Sunday, the family could be seen making its way off the Frontier Airlines flight as other passengers shouted, "This is Nazi Germany!" and "This is gonna go all over the news!" | Disturbing incident the last hour on a
(2021-03-01). US slaps Saudi officials with entry bans over 'dissidents abuse', still hails 'sustaining partnership' with Riyadh. rt.com 
Washington has announced a set of measures against dozens of Saudi officials following a report on murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but said that maintaining good relations with Riyadh is "important to US interests." | A total of 76 Saudi officials involved in what was described as "acts of repression" against various dissidents, including the 2018 killing of Khashoggi, have been banned from entering the US, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said on Monday as he announced the new strategy to "recalibrate" relations between Washington and Riyadh. | The measures also involved adding another former senior…
(2021-03-01). NY attorney general gets green light to investigate sexual harassment claims against sinking Cuomo. rt.com 
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has been given the authorization to move forward on an independent investigation into two former staffers' sexual harassment claims against Governor Andrew Cuomo. | James has received the letter from the governor's office that she needed to open an independent investigation into Cuomo's alleged sexual harassment, her office revealed on Monday. Cuomo will not receive weekly updates on the probe; however, the investigation's findings will be made public at its conclusion. | Cuomo's office had previously called on James to "select a qualified private lawyer to do an i…
(2021-03-01). White House refuses to release 'virtual visit' logs, claims they are like phone records, as watchdogs urge transparency from Biden. rt.com 
The Biden administration has refused to release details of "virtual" White House visitor logs despite fresh calls for transparency from watchdogs and repeated promises of accountability. | Biden's virtual visits "will not be subject to release," an unnamed White House official told
(2021-03-01). Trump calls for breaking up Big Tech, says failure to restore freedom of speech would doom Republican Party. rt.com 
Former president Donald Trump has called for giant technology companies to be broken up and for their Section 230 liability protections to be removed. He argued that the Big Tech mutes conservative voices like his own. | "The time has come to break up Big Tech monopolies and restore fair competition," Trump said on Sunday at the CPAC in Orlando. "Republicans, conservatives must open our platforms and repeal section 230 liability protections," he added. | While in the past the public had a chance to hear both sides of the argument before making an informed decision, Big Tech censorship disproportionately target…
(2021-02-28). How the CIA Helped to Crush Turkey's Post-War Left. counterpunch.org 
After the Second World War (1939-45), the U.S. became the dominant global power and fought its rival, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for international supremacy. Many countries became proxy battlegrounds between U.S. and Soviet influence. In addition to beating the Reds, U.S. war planners used secret militias, many of them allied with fascists
(2021-02-28). Biden faces growing pressure to lift Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutors. middleeasteye.net 
Biden faces growing pressure to lift Trump's sanctions on ICC prosecutors | International Criminal Court officials sanctioned starting probes on alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, Palestine | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 13: 46 | An Israeli soldier stands on a Merkava main battle tank stationed near the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on 30 March 2019 (AFP) | US President Joe Biden face…
(2021-02-28). Amazon union struggle takes hold in Southern state with radical labor history. liberationnews.org 
It should be no surprise that a place like Bessemer, Alabama is exactly where Amazon's first union in the United States is likely to form–given its radical labor history.
(2021-02-28). The Anatomy of Fascism Denial. counterpunch.org 
When I am being interviewed by a member of the old guard and point to the concrete and steel, the tiny electronic listening device concealed in the vent, the phalanx of goons peeping in at us, his barely functional plastic tape-recorder that cost him a week's labor, and point out that these are all manifestations
(2021-02-28). 'Without parallel in democratic world': Watchdog slams Israel's 'extreme' entry ban imposed to stem Covid-19. rt.com 
Israel is the only democracy in the world to prohibit its citizens from returning home during the pandemic, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) said, urging authorities to relax an entry ban that, it says, violates human rights. | All entry points into Israel by land, sea and air remain shut tight since January 25 as part of the Benjamin Netanyahu government's measures to prevent the new coronavirus variants from getting into the country. No one may come or go, except the few who have received a special permission from the Exceptions Committee. | The harsh restrictions that resulted in thousands of Israelis b…
(2021-02-28). Covid-19: Israel to administer vaccines to Palestinian workers. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Israel to administer vaccines to Palestinian workers | Vaccination campaign could include around 130,000 Palestinians working inside Israel | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 15: 18 | Palestinian workers line up for a security check at the entrance to Israel's Mishor Adumim industrial zone near the Maale Adumim settlement in the occupied West Bank on 1 July 2020 (AFP) | Israel will vaccinate Pa…
(2021-02-28). Biden Won't Allow Cancellation of Standardized Testing Amid COVID-19. Trump Did. truthout.org 
Danny* was an active 10 year old — in class we always gave her free reign to pace the back of the classroom, play with silly putty at her desk, and take a break when she needed to. The happiest I ever saw her was when we took students to a local farm; she was at home milking cows and learning about science outside. Even though she was a city kid, she always found ways to climb trees and find and take care of wounded animals. She was a really smart kid, quick to understand hard concepts an…
(2021-02-28). Under Israeli Apartheid, There Are Two Different Pandemics. truthout.org 
There is growing concern regarding the inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine, nationally and internationally. As the rollout continues, some U.S. states are allocating more vaccines to health centers, local health providers and tribal programs, focusing on vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, and paying attention to outreach to communities of color. | There is also serious discussion of a global approach, lifting patents for vaccines that were largely developed using governmental funding. The pandem…
(2021-02-28). The real Boston revolutionaries: three stories of Black resistance. liberationnews.org 
The usual "revolutionary" history taught about Boston centers colonizers, who waged war for a "democracy" that only served white land-owning men. History books often stop there.
(2021-02-28). Housing crisis: Pittsburgh politicians' patchwork solutions fall short. liberationnews.org 
In spite of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium "pausing" evictions, Pennsylvania landlords are abusing loopholes to kick people out of their homes.
(2021-02-28). How Miracle Workers made 60% of S. Australia's Electricity Green in only 20 Years. juancole.com 
By Michael McGreevy and Fran Baum | — Less than two decades ago, South Australia generated all its electricity from fossil fuels. Last year, renewables provided a whopping 60% of the state's electricity supply. The remarkable progress came as national climate policy was gripped by paralysis — so how did it happen? Our research set …
(2021-02-28). Andre Cailloux and the Siege of Port Hudson. liberationnews.org 
Not widely known, and certainly not celebrated enough, Andre Cailloux was the first Black military hero functioning as an officer in the Union Army.
(2021-02-28). Israeli private arms export is too terrible even for Tel Aviv. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli private arms export is too terrible even for Tel Aviv | Israel cracks down on sales of suicide drones to China to avoid heavy diplomatic cost in relationship with US | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 11: 17 | An Israeli UCAV IAI Harop drone displayed at Bourget airport during the International Paris Air Show on 21 June 2011 (AFP) | At least 20 Israeli arms dealers have been arrested by Israel's secret police over…
(2021-02-28). Iran refuses direct nuclear talks with US amid rising tensions. middleeasteye.net 
Iran refuses direct nuclear talks with US amid rising tensions | Tehran has demanded Washington take the first step to revive the nuclear deal by scrapping sanctions
| Sun, 02/28/2021 – 21: 37 | Iran has suspended commitments to the 2015 deal in response to the US failure to lift its sanction (AFP) | Iran on Sunday dismissed Europe's offer for an informal meeting involving the United S…
(2021-02-28). Syria intercepts Israeli missiles over Damascus: State media. middleeasteye.net 
Syria intercepts Israeli missiles over Damascus: State media | A war monitor said the strikes hit an area where Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Lebanese Hezbollah are present | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 22: 11 | Israel is thought to have carried out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since civil war broke out in 2011 (AFP/File photo) | Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli missiles ov…
(2021-02-28). Turkey and Iran summon envoys, escalating Iraq row. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey and Iran summon envoys, escalating Iraq row | Moves follow Iran's representative to Baghdad criticising Ankara's involvement in Iraq after Kurdish attack on Turkish forces there | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 13: 59 | The coffin and image of Turkish Lt Ertug Guler are carried during the funeral of three Turkish military personnel killed in action in northern Iraq's Gara region, on 12 February…
(2021-02-28). Nuclear deal on brink of collapse as Iran rules out meeting with US. middleeasteye.net Nuclear deal on brink of collapse as Iran rules out meeting with US | Tehran has demanded Washington take the first step to revive the nuclear deal by scrapping sanctions
| Sun, 02/28/2021 – 21: 37 | Iran has suspended commitments to the 2015 deal in response to the US failure to lift its sanction (AFP) | Iran on Sunday dismissed Europe's offer for an informal meeting involving the Uni…
(2021-02-28). Israel blames Iran for explosion on Israeli-owned ship after 'initial assessment'. middleeasteye.net 
Israel blames Iran for explosion on Israeli-owned ship after 'initial assessment' | The MV Helios Ray has arrived at a port in Dubai, where an Israeli delegation is to investigate the event | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 09: 37 | Tensions have risen in the Gulf of Oman after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other major powers (AFP) | Israel has blamed Iran as being behind an…
(2021-02-28). Yemen: Five civilians killed, including a child, in Hodeidah. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: Five civilians killed, including a child, in Hodeidah | Warring parties accuse each other of the attack, with the Houthis threatening new attacks on Saudi Arabia | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 11: 01 | Yemen's civil war has cost the lives of thousands and displaced millions, which the UN says has led to the world's worst humanitarian crisis (AFP) | Five civilians, including a child, were kille…
(2021-02-28). US activists condemn Boris Johnson's voter ID plan, accuse him of copying Trump. rt.com 
As Boris Johnson prepares to introduce voter ID laws in the UK, US activist groups such as the ACLU have spoken out against the proposal, comparing its proponents to Donald Trump and warning it would "suppress the vote." | Johnson is expected to introduce a bill this spring mandating photo ID at polling stations across the UK — a Conservative Party campaign promise during the 2019 General Election. While Northern Ireland, like the Irish Republic, already requires voters to prove their identity, the rest of the UK has thus far only asked them to confirm their name and address. | The proposal is opposed by…
(2021-02-28). At least 18 killed on bloodiest day of Myanmar protests as UN demands military stop using force. rt.com 
Myanmar security forces have again employed live fire against those protesting the military coup in the Southeast Asian country, killing at least 18 protesters and injuring dozens, the UN human rights office said. | Sunday became the bloodiest day of protests that have been ongoing since early February, when the army arrested the democratically elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, over claims of election fraud. | "Police and military forces have confronted peaceful demonstrations, using lethal force and less-than-lethal force that — according to credible information… — has left at least 18 people dead…
(2021-02-28). Syrian air defenses repel 'Israeli aggression' over Damascus, intercept most of the missiles — state media. rt.com 
Syrian air defenses have shot down most of the missiles in a strike targeting the area outside Damascus from the territory of the occupied Golan Heights, the country's state media reported, blaming Israel for the attack. | The missiles were launched towards the Syrian capital at around 10.16pm local time, Syria's SANA news agency reported, citing a military source. Few of the projectiles are believed to have reached the ground. The source said that the country's missile defenses took down "most of the enemy missiles." | The agency has published several videos showing interceptions in the night skies over Damas…
(2021-02-28). Bad timing: Iran rejects EU & US offer to hold direct talks on reviving 2015 nuclear deal. rt.com 
Iran won't take part in an informal meeting with the EU and US on ways to restore the nuclear deal, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, citing recent US actions. It said sanctions must first be lifted before any talks can begin.
(2021-02-28). Quarantine hotel 'inmates' are told to stop smoking and buy nicotine patches after party in car park. rt.com As many as 15 guests have been placed under additional lockdown while undergoing their mandatory stay at a quarantine hotel in the UK, after they were caught smoking and drinking together this week. | The British government has yet to reveal how many coronavirus cases have been found through its controversial quarantine hotel scheme but this latest tale of woe from weary, homeward-bound travellers is unlikely to improve public perception. | Residents, some of whom didn't bother wearing masks, were spotted drinking, sharing cigarettes and hugging in the designated smoking area of what they have dubbed 'HMP Radi…
(2021-02-28). 'It's not about geopolitics, but human health': Czech PM signals country could use Russian Sputnik V vaccine without EU approval. rt.com 
Local approval of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine would be enough for the Czech Republic to begin using it, PM Andrej Babis has said, signaling that the country would not wait for a green light from EU health regulators. | Speaking to CNN Prima News on Saturday, Babis confirmed that Prague will not wait for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to approve Sputnik V and that an approval from the country's State Institute for Drug Control (SUKL) would be enough to begin the vaccine's rollout. | "We cannot wait for EMA, when Russia has not applied [for approval]," Babis stated. "SUKL must examine the documentati…
(2021-02-28). Police forces are still unable to explain why they're so racist. thecanary.co 
According to a The report highlights that: Over 35 years on from the introduction of stop and search legislation, no…
(2021-02-28). Politicians and religious groups are fuelling homophobic attacks on Ghana's LGBTQI+ community. thecanary.co 
On 24 February, National Security raided the offices of Sharing the incident in a At this moment, we no longer have access to o…
(2021-02-28). Unsurprisingly, leaked files confirm the Foreign Office coordinates multi-agency propaganda programmes. thecanary.co 
A tranche of leaked files shows that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is coordinating multi-agency propaganda programmes. These files show that the programmes mainly target the authoritarian regimes in Russia and Syria. This is not unexpected. More significantly, perhaps, documents also show that these programmes are not confined to just foreign targets. | Leaked files: | The leaked files, were released to The Canary by 'Anonymous': | OP. HMG Trojan Horse. Part 4:
(2021-02-28). Is the American Dream Still Alive? strategic-culture.org 
 …
(2021-02-28). Child of Black Activists Bombed by Police: "My Activism Is My Religion" truthout.org 
Last summer, as protests against police-perpetrated killings of Black people emerged across the world, Philadelphians watched as officers from the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) corralled protesters against an embankment along the side of the highway, trapping them between a wall and an onslaught of attacking police officers. Philadelphians watched as those officers continued to violently attack the panicked crush of bodies. Police officers sprayed tear gas and fired "less-than-lethal" rubber b…
(2021-02-28). Health Care for Trans Youth Is Under Attack in UK — and It's Impacting the US. truthout.org 
Fourteen years ago, Susan Evans
(2021-02-28). Khashoggi murder: Qatar joins other Gulf states in showing support for Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Qatar joins other Gulf states in showing support for Saudi Arabia | Doha, Bahrain, UAE have stood by Riyadh after CIA report blames Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for journalist's killing | Sun, 02/28/2021 – 16: 44 | Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim Al Thani (L) has confirmed his support for Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the CIA's damning report naming Crown Prince Mohamme…
(2021-02-28). 'Stomach-turning': Norwegian ski star airlifted to hospital after horrific crash leaves her screaming in agony (VIDEO). rt.com 
Skiing fans have admitted to having their "stomachs turned" after an horrific accident involving Kajsa Vickhoff Lie in the super-G in Val di Fassa which left the Norwegian screaming in obvious pain with a suspected broken leg. | The 22-year-old lost control as she descended the Italian slopes Sunday after hitting an edge at high speed which caused her to plummet backwards and collide with the safety net. | Replays of the incident appeared to show Vickhoff Lie's left leg twist at an awkward angle and when she finally came to rest, her anguished cries of pain could be clearly heard on the television broadcast.
(2021-02-28). WATCH: Wild scenes in Dagestan as junior judo event descends into mass brawl. rt.com 
A junior judo event in Dagestan erupted into a mass melee as competitors and dozens of fans traded blows. | The tournament at the Ali Aliyev Sport Complex in Kaspiysk witnessed ugly scenes as the brawl was captured on camera and quickly shared across social media on Saturday. | Footage of the carnage starts with one of the competitors seen leaning over the barriers, throwing punches. | By that point a broader punch-up is already underway as dozens of spectators trade blows. | –î–µ—Å—è—Ç–∫–∏ –∑—Ä–&prod…
(2021-02-28). 'If I'd scored more, maybe he'd still be here': Misfiring Timo Werner laments lack of goals may have cost Lampard Chelsea job. rt.com 
Timo Werner has been anything but a rousing success since joining Chelsea from RB Leipzig last summer and the German forward admits his lack of goals may have played a part in Roman Abramovich's decision to sack Frank Lampard. | Werner was hailed as the new focal point of Chelsea's forward line when he signed a big-money deal to spearhead the Blues' attack as part of Abramovich's major investment into the club's playing staff over the summer months. | So far though, the 35-times capped international has flattered to deceive up front, finding the net just five times in 24 Premier League appearances ahead of Sun…
(2021-02-28). 'He's BACK!' Spurs fans delirious as Bale stars for Mourinho's men in rout against Burnley. rt.com 
Gareth Bale finally gave Tottenham fans a taste of why they brought him back on loan from Real Madrid as the Welshman inspired Jose Mourinho's team to victory against Burnley. | Bale showed shades of his very best as he assisted one goal and scored two himself in a 4-0 Premier League win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which keeps Spurs in the hunt for a top-four place. | Making a rare start in the Premier League, Bale rewarded Mourinho's show of faith after just two minutes when he poked home a cross from Son Heung-min. | | Bale poked home Spurs first against Burnley. © Reuters | The on-loan star then…
(2021-02-28). 'If it's real, it's disgusting': Grand National-winning trainer under fire for 'social media picture of him sitting on dead horse'. rt.com 
Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott is under investigation by horseracing authorities after a picture emerged online which appears to show him posing on top of a deceased horse, though some say the picture is a fraud. | Elliott, who oversaw Grand National wins for the world-famous Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019, says that his is co-operating with the investigation launched by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) after the potentially damaging picture began circulating online. | However, some have suggested that the photograph – which shows Elliott flashing a two-fingered 'peace sign' to the cam…
(2021-02-28). Widow of NBA icon Kobe Bryant rages at Hollywood actress Evan Rachel Wood over 'rapist' comment. rt.com 
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, has hit out at actress Evan Rachel Wood over a tweet she posted in the aftermath of the basketball star's death in which Wood labeled Bryant "a rapist." | "What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe's family," Wood had tweeted last year in the wake of the helicopter crash in California which killed Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others. | "He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously." | Despite the tweet being in existence for more than a year, it has only just been seen by V…
(2021-02-28). 'I understood that the governor wanted to sleep with me:' 2nd former aide to NY Gov. Cuomo accuses him of sexual harassment. rt.com 
Another ex-aide has accused New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, already facing allegations of sexual harassment, of improper advances. Charlotte Bennett, 25, said he asked about her sex life and whether she ever dated an 'older man.' | Bennett joined Cuomo's administration in early 2019 and was promoted from her entry-level position to that of a senior briefer and executive assistant to the governor within several months. She told the New York Times that she was constantly grilled about her sex life by her former boss. | The former aide said that she reported Cuomo's alleged sexual overtures to his chief of staff,…
(2021-02-28). 'United and strong like never before': Trump won't break with Republican party at CPAC speech, will back GOP. rt.com 
In an upcoming speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, former president Donald Trump will reportedly not announce a break from the Republican Party, and will walk "right up to the line" of announcing a 2024 run. | Trump has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the White House last month, and his public statements have been few and far between, likely owing to his deplatforming from every major social media outlet. As such, his headline appearance on Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has been hotly anticipated. | According to an excerpt from the speech obtained…
(2021-02-28). WATCH: Portland protest turns chaotic with businesses trashed, fist fights on the street and bike cops slamming into 'press'. rt.com At least two arrests were made after a mostly peaceful protest in Portland turned violent. Banks and other businesses were trashed as beleaguered residents pleaded with protesters to "go home!" and leave them in peace. | A group of dozens of people were reportedly demonstrating against immigration policy under the Biden administration in the Pearl District in downtown Portland, but quickly began vandalizing the area. | Businesses had their windows smashed, vehicles were vandalised and graffiti was sprayed over a number of walls in the area, as video uploaded to social media purports to show. | A security vehic…
(2021-02-28). After backlash over 'outside review' of sexual-harassment claims, Cuomo asks AG & chief judge to pick counsel to investigate. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, seeking to allay concerns that an investigation of sexual-harassment claims against him would be politically influenced, has called for state officials to choose a lawyer to handle the case. | The governor's office wants the review of allegations by two former staffers to be
(2021-02-28). Epstein jokes touched a nerve? After Trump, Golden Globes host Tina Fey says 'don't expect much politics' in this year's ceremony. rt.com 
With Donald Trump out of office and after Ricky Gervais' take-no-prisoners performance last year, the Golden Globes won't get political this year, host Tina Fey said. "I wonder why?" commenters replied. | Tina Fey and Amy Poelher were announced last January as this year's hosts, after comedian Ricky Gervais used his hosting gig to roast the elitism of the virtue-signalling celebrities in attendance. | Also on rt.com | | Gervais' Jeffrey Epst…
(2021-02-28). California gov. Newsom accused of breaking own lockdown rules for 2nd time amid growing cries for him to be recalled. rt.com 
Embattled California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has been accused of once again breaching his own coronavirus restrictions after he was allegedly caught dining indoors. | Newsom himself posted a video with comedian George Lopez to his TikTok aimed at promoting how citizens can check their coronavirus vaccine eligibility. The video was taken inside the Los Amigos restaurant in Fresno, which is under the state's strictest lockdown restrictions, complete with a ban on indoor dining. | California Governor
(2021-02-28). GOP NY Rep. calls on 'criminal sexual predator' Cuomo to resign after 2nd former staffer alleges sexual harassment. rt.com 
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) doubled down on her call for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down "immediately" after another of his former staffers, the second one since December, accused him of sexual harassment. | "Governor Cuomo is a criminal sexual predator and he must immediately resign," Stefanik said in a statement issued shortly after the New York Times published a detailed account of Cuomo's former aide Charlotte Bennett, accusing the governor of unwanted sexual advances, on Saturday. | Stefanik noted that she "was one of the first and one of the only elected officials to call on the Gove…
(2021-02-28). GOP NY representative calls on 'criminal sexual predator' Cuomo to resign after 2nd former staffer alleges sexual harassment. rt.com Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) doubled down on her call for embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to step down "immediately" after another of his former staffers, the second one since December, accused him of sexual harassment. | "Governor Cuomo is a criminal sexual predator and he must immediately resign," Stefanik said in a statement issued shortly after the New York Times published a detailed account of allegations by former aide Charlotte Bennett on Saturday, accusing the governor of unwanted sexual advances. | Stefanik noted that she "was one of the first and one of the only elected officials to call on th…
(2021-02-28). Multitasking 101: California doctor appears at court hearing via Zoom DURING surgery. rt.com 
A plastic surgeon in California attended a virtual court hearing in relation to a traffic violation from an operating theater while a patient was on the table. The court was not exactly pleased with his multitasking, however. | The usually mundane traffic violation hearing at Sacramento Superior Court was spiced up this week when the defendant, Dr. Scott Green attended via Zoom from his surgery room, baffling other participants. The bizarre in-court surgery, which was livestreamed online, was first
(2021-02-27). We have to change our suicidal ways and reconcile with nature to tackle climate crises and pandemics. mronline.org 
Every day, entrepreneurs in Brazil cut down more of the Amazon to produce cheap soybeans for animals in Europe and America. Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia tear up their forests to produce cheap coffee and palm oil for the world.
(2021-02-27). Biden's Reckless Syria Bombing Is Not the Diplomacy He Promised. dissidentvoice.org 
Photo: CODEPINK The February 25 U.S. bombing of Syria immediately puts the policies of the newly-formed Biden administration into sharp relief. Why is this administration bombing the sovereign nation of Syria? Why is it bombing "Iranian-backed militias" who pose absolutely no threat to the United States and are actually involved in fighting ISIS? If this …
(2021-02-27). Exposing Israel's vaccine apartheid in West Bank & Gaza. liberationnews.org 
Five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza are excluded from vaccine rollouts while Israeli citizens, even those living in illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories, are prioritized.
(2021-02-27). Mental health effects of COVID lockdown in prison: Interview from inside SCI Albion. workers.org 
This telephone interview with Demitrius Grant, imprisoned at SCI Albion near Erie, Pa., was conducted by Joe Piette for Workers World newspaper on Feb. 16. Demetrius Grant: We're going to be covering the issue of COVID-19 today, as to how it impacts prisoners' mental health. About a week ago, a . . . |
(2021-02-27). Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package narrowly passes US House, $1,400 stimulus checks included. rt.com 
The US House of Representatives has narrowly passed the massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. The package is now headed to the Senate, where the bill is expected to be stripped of its minimum wage hike provision. | President Joe Biden's relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, was passed by the House early on Saturday in narrow 219-212 vote. No Republicans have voted for the legislation, while two Democrats broke ranks and voted against it. | The legislation includes $1,400 checks for most Americans, as well as billions for state and local governments, schools and businesses. The package wou…
(2021-02-27). IDF soldier killed in training accident 'saves' Covid-stricken Israeli man with lung transplant. rt.com 
An Israel Defense Forces trooper died after an officer accidentally shot him in the head, but his family decided to donate his organs, reportedly saving a coronavirus patient with wrecked lungs and a man who needed a heart. | Yonatan Granot, 22, who was a Nahal Brigade infantry unit soldier, suffered a gunshot wound to the head during training at a firing range on Tuesday. | According to the IDF's initial probe, a Ruger rifle, which had just been used by one of the troops, accidentally discharged a bullet after being picked up by the unit's commander. | Granot was struck with a .22-caliber round, usually used…
(2021-02-27). Biden Can Save Lives From COVID by Supporting Intellectual Property Rules Waiver. truthout.org 
Calling it a moral imperative as well as an urgent public health and economic necessity, over 400 progressive groups on Friday
(2021-02-27). Biden admin to charge White House reporters $170 per Covid test amid concerns smaller outlets will be squeezed out — reports. rt.com 
The Joe Biden administration is reportedly set to charge White House correspondents $170 a pop for daily coronavirus tests, stoking anger among reporters, some noting the move could cost struggling newsrooms thousands per week. | The White House press office will begin charging for the tests next week, the Washington Post
(2021-02-27). Boston halts advanced school program over 'equity' concerns after study finds it has too many 'white and Asian' students. rt.com 
Public schools in Boston, Massachusetts are suspending new enrollment in an advanced study program citing concerns over "inequities" that supposedly emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to be more "anti-racist." | Fourth-graders hoping to get into the Advanced Work Classes (AWC) program are out of luck, after Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius called for a one-year hiatus for the program this week. The district's
(2021-02-27). Deciphering Biden's excuse to abandon the fight for $15. liberationnews.org 
President Biden received a major political gift from an obscure, unelected official called the Senate parliamentarian Feb. 25 when she ruled that the provision in the administration's stimulus plan that raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour must be removed from the bill. Unless this maneuver is defeated, millions of workers who could have …
(2021-02-27). 'Rubin never lost a case' — Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021. workers.org 
Some younger Workers World Party members met Rubin Kanowitz for the first time when he was a communist elder, still confronting cops on recent demonstrations chanting, "Black Lives Matter." Older ones knew him from when he first joined the party in 1965. All grieved as they learned he died this . . . |
(2021-02-27). Sojourner Truth's Massachusetts days. liberationnews.org 
Sojourner Truth, born into slavery in New York as "Isabella Baumfree" in 1797, was one of the most important abolitionists and feminists of the nineteenth century.
(2021-02-27). FBI, NYPD exposed: Deathbed confession shines new light on assassination of Malcolm X. mronline.org 
Without any training, Wood's job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations and encourage leaders and members to commit felonious acts. He was also tasked with ensuring that Malcolm X's security detail was arrested days prior to the assassination, guaranteeing Malcolm X didn't have door security while at the Audubon Ballroom.
(2021-02-27). U.S. bombs Syria and ridiculously claims self defense. mronline.org 
On orders of President Biden, the United States has launched an airstrike on a facility in Syria. As of this writing the exact number of killed and injured is unknown, with early reports claiming "a handful" of people were killed.
(2021-02-27). By the End of the Year, Germany will have a Million Electric Cars on the Road out of 4.7 mn Total. juancole.com 
By Sà∂ren Amelang | — Germany will probably reach its target of having one million fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars on the road this year, government advisors have said. The head of the country's National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM), Henning Kagermann, told business daily Handelsblatt he was pleased "that it appears we will …
(2021-02-27). Is the world poor, or unjust? mronline.org 
Social media has been ablaze with this question recently. We know we face a crisis of mass poverty: the global economy is organized in such a way that nearly 60% of humanity is left unable to meet basic needs. But the question at stake this time is different.
(2021-02-27). Chicago City Council passes unanimous resolution to end the blockade on Cuba. liberationnews.org 
All 50 aldermen voted to oppose the blockade, adding that normalizing relations can benefit the economic conditions of both Cubans and Chicagoans.
(2021-02-27). Gulf War: As Biden bombs Iraqis, 30 years on the consequences of Desert Storm are still with us. juancole.com 
By Lorena De Vita and Amir Taha | — It was a short message to end a short war. On February 26 1991, Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz put his signature to a letter addressed to the United Nations Security Council: I have the honour to notify you that the Iraqi Government reaffirms its agreement …
(2021-02-27). Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis. middleeasteye.net 
Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis | The protest is seen as an attempt to mobilise popular backing against President Kais Saied | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 12: 15 | Supporters of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, march during a rally in opposition to President Kais Saied in Tunis on 27 February (Reuters) | Tunisia's biggest poli…
(2021-02-27). Dozens killed as fighting intensifies in Yemen's Marib. middleeasteye.net 
Dozens killed as fighting intensifies in Yemen's Marib | The bloodshed comes amid a Houthi offensive to capture Marib city, which lies close to some of Yemen's richest oil fields | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 22: 08 | The Houthis launched a new offensive to take the strategic city in February (AFP) | Clashes between Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels intensified on Saturday in the strategic…
(2021-02-27). Polisario blames UN for 'political deadlock' over Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net 
Polisario blames UN for 'political deadlock' over Western Sahara | The UN has failed to hold a referendum on Sahrawi self-determination that was part of a settlement plan it brokered in 1991 | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 22: 55 | Senior Polisario official Khatri Addouh said they had little choice but to go to war after the UN failed to find a solution to the conflict (AFP) | Pro-independence rebels…
(2021-02-27). Murder most fowl? Fighting cock that killed owner with three-inch knife to appear in court in India. rt.com 
A rooster named Raja will appear in court in India after he killed his owner with a knife while attempting to flee an illegal cockfight. | The incident took place on February 23 in the Jagtial district in the Indian state of Telangana. | Raja was brought by his owner Thanugula Satish to a cock fight at the Yellamma temple on the outskirts of Lothunur village in Gollapalli mandal. Satish affixed a three-inch knife, known as kodi kathi, to his rooster's leg before sending it into the fighting arena. | When Raja attempted to flee the fighting ground, Satish caught him but the blade attached to the cock's leg pier…
(2021-02-27). Police charge at anti-lockdown protesters in Dublin after man launches FIREWORK at officer's face (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Hundreds of demonstrators have gathered in Dublin to protest Ireland's restrictive lockdown policies. But the Saturday gathering soon turned violent, as police were pelted with bottles, cans, and even fireworks. | Ireland's first national lockdown in 2020 was the longest in Europe, and the nationwide restrictions currently in place have been ranked the
(2021-02-27). Armenian crisis: President refuses to sack military chief, says PM Pashinyan's order 'unconstitutional'. rt.com 
Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian has refused to approve an order to fire the country's armed forces chief, who is accused of staging a coup, returning the draft to PM Nikol Pashinyan. The move was applauded by protesters. | Pashinyan ordered the dismissal of the head of the General Staff, Onik Gasparyan, on Thursday, in response to what he called an attempted coup against him. The order followed a joint statement by Armenian military commanders and two former presidents, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, who called on the prime minister to swiftly resign. | Pashinyan has been under increasing pressure s…
(2021-02-27). China's Xiaomi wants to create global manufacturing hub in India. rt.com 
Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is planning to boost its presence in India by building three new facilities there. When it meets growing local demand, the firm may use India's production capacities for exports. | Xiaomi teamed up with two local companies, BYD and DBG, to set up mobile phone manufacturing plants, the Chinese firm announced on Thursday. One of the facilities, located in the northern state of Haryana and owned by DBG, is already operational. The other plant in Tamil Nadu is set to go online within the first half of this year. | A television manufacturing plant has been set up in partnership with Radian…
(2021-02-27). World's wealthiest clash over bitcoin: Gates advises to stay away, while Musk causes cryptocraze. rt.com 
While Elon Musk has been driving a buying frenzy in the cryptomarket, anyone who has less money than the richest person on the planet should avoid investing in bitcoin, multi-billionaire Bill Gates says. | The Microsoft co-founder, who boasts the third-largest fortune in the world and calls himself a "bitcoin skeptic," took on the world's most popular cryptocurrency several times this week. In one of his recent chats on the popular Clubhouse app, he pointed out that the production of bitcoin is harmful to the environment. "Bitcoin uses more electricity per transaction than any other method known to mankind," G…
(2021-02-27). Where's your god now? Study finds atheists no less moral than believers. rt.com 
A recent series of surveys found numerous areas of overlap in the morality of believers and the non-religious, but also distinguished key differences in terms of group identity versus individuality in guiding people's morality. | Psychologist Tomas Stahl found that both the religious and atheists share a great deal of common morality, but added that while non-believers do indeed have a moral compass, "…it is calibrated somewhat differently than that of religious believers in some respects, but not in others." | Stahl's research involved four online surveys conducted across the US, seen as a somewhat more rel…
(2021-02-27). US airstrikes 'strengthen & expand' terrorist activities in the region, Iran says. rt.com 
The recent US airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Syria has shown that Washington is seeking to "revive" terrorism in the region and support now-shattered Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), a senior Iranian official has said. | The airstrike on militias stationed on Syria's border with Iraq commissioned by US President Joe Biden earlier this week, was harshly criticized by the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani on Saturday. | "America's recent action strengthens and expands the activities of the terrorist Daesh [IS] in the region," Shamkhani stated as he met visiting Iraqi F…
(2021-02-27). Lockdowns are NOT 'quietly improving cities,' World Economic Forum concedes, deleting its much-ridiculed tweet. rt.com 
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has taken down its tweet that claimed lockdowns have been "quietly improving cities," and admitted that is not the case. But the backdown didn't spare the globalist titan from a new wave of mockery. | The WEF's controversial message turned out to be quite short-lived, surviving less than a day on its feed under a barrage of outraged comments. The tweet was accompanied by a video, showing deserted streets and silent factories, that noted a record drop in carbon emissions. It also linked to an article claiming that silent cities contributed to better detection of minor earthquakes.
(2021-02-27). Drama over Amnesty's Navalny move raises important point: prisoner of conscience tag shouldn't be reserved only for those we like. rt.com 
Amnesty International's statement that it doesn't consider Alexey Navalny a prisoner of conscience has his supporters up in arms. The group's efforts to defend the activist don't stack up, but the decision is wrong nonetheless. | A prisoner of conscience, simply defined, is somebody who is imprisoned because of his or her religious or political beliefs. The term is value-free. It doesn't matter what you believe, or the nature of your character; if your beliefs land you in jail, you're a prisoner of conscience. You can be quite revolting, but the label still fits. | One might say that there are limits — so…
(2021-02-27). Former Ofsted chief calls on teachers to 'sacrifice their lives', but the teachers are having none of it. thecanary.co 
During an Wilshaw told Emily Maitlis: You have to compare this with the medical emergency over the last year and the commitment on the part of medical professionals, and nurses, and doctors. They've gone the extra mile at great cost to themselves, and their families, their…
(2021-02-27). 'No one cares if we die': Ex-Syrian rebels recount Nagorno-Karabakh nightmare as 'disposable force for Turkey'. strategic-culture.org 
Repurposed into a mercenary force by Erdogan's Turkey, the remnants of Syria's armed opposition were sent off to fight for Azerbaijan with promises of sweet paychecks. They met abuse, humiliation, and death instead. | By Lindsey SNELL | In the first week of October 2020, Ahmad Hadad* and more than 20 other fighters from the Hamza Division faction of the so-called Syrian National Army stood in the middle of a mountain range in Azerbaijan near the Iranian border. They were lost. | After the Armenian army unleashed a bout of heavy bombardment on the mountains, the Azerbaijani soldiers who had been positioned behind…
(2021-02-27). 'Propaganda arm of the British regime?' BBC reporter hounded for misquoting former Scottish premier. rt.com 
Scots are demanding the BBC's Sarah Smith be held accountable after she claimed that former First Minister Alex Salmond said that current leader Nicola Sturgeon "should resign." The only problem: Salmond said no such thing. | Former Scottish National Party leader and First Minister Alex Salmond appeared before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday, nearly a year after he was acquitted of serious
(2021-02-27). Backlash Over the Equality Act Is Fueling State-Level Attacks on Trans Youth. truthout.org 
The
(2021-02-27). Water Protectors Say Enbridge Is Pressuring Local Governments to Silence Them. truthout.org 
Palisade, Minnesota — Even in the bitter cold, the pretty little park along the Mississippi River is inviting, a typical gathering spot for community events with its broad trees and public pavilion. | But Berglund Park stood empty recently as families and community members huddled around warming fires in an open field nearby, listening to music and eating Indian tacos as they learned about the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline cutting through their community. | A group of pipeline opponents kno…
(2021-02-27). Factory Workers in Burma Are Resisting the Military Coup With Strikes. truthout.org 
This article was originally published by Update: Late Friday evening, February 26 (local time), the Burma (also known as Myanmar) military On February 1, the Burma (also known…
(2021-02-27). White Journalists' Use of the N-Word Is an Intolerable Assault on Black Freedom. truthout.org 
When I read about the two Black Capitol Police officers who were called the n-word during the storming of the Capitol on January 6, I thought about my own experiences of being called that uniquely horrible word from some white readers of my public philosophical work. | The word — which is vile, ugly and violent — is part of an anti-Black vocabulary meant to defile Black people. The word has a long history and has been the subject of debate within academia (around who gets to say…
(2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia | Demand follows release of report in which CIA determines that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind murder of Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 13: 49 | Britain is the second-largest seller of weapons to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | The release of a CIA report blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering th…
(2021-02-27). The Heat: U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi's death. america.cgtn.com 
A U.S. intelligence report concludes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation to murder a prominent journalist. And U.S. President Biden orders airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian-backed militias.
(2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report | US intelligence report blames Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 10: 19 | Protesters in London demonstrate against former president Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (MEE/Kaamil Ahmed) | Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stoo…
(2021-02-27). 'F*cking disgrace!': Fury as Premier League referee disallows goal, then allows it, before ruling it out AGAIN (VIDEO). rt.com 
Referee Lee Mason has been slammed as a "f*cking disgrace" after he flip-flopped on a decision to award a goal after Brighton's Lewis Dunk found the net with a quick free-kick in Saturday's game with West Brom. | The opportunistic Dunk was quickest to react when his side was awarded a free-kick, curling an effort into the bottom right corner of the goal as Sam Johnstone attempted to fortify his defensive wall. | Dunk's smile soon turned to a frown as referee Mason opted to disallow the goal amid Brighton celebrations – before apparently changing his mind and awarding the goal. | ùêÇ…
(2021-02-27). LeBron vs Zlatan: Please, spare us this clash of overinflated egos. rt.com 
When two men with super-sized delusions of grandeur start trading blows, everyone else has to suffer. That's exactly what's happening with the spat between NBA icon LeBron James and football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. | If you haven't heard, Swedish egomaniac Zlatan has irked LeBron with his suggestion that the basketball saint should quit playing politics and basically shut up and dribble. | "That is the big first mistake people do when they become famous and they become in a certain status," said the 39-year-old AC Milan forward in a recent interview. | "Stay out of [politics]. Just do what you do best because…
(2021-02-27). Russian ski star Bolshunov puts 'attack' row firmly behind him to win World Championship gold (VIDEO). rt.com 
Russia's Alexander Bolshunov claimed victory in the skiathlon at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 in Germany as the 24-year-old edged out two rivals from Norway in a scintillating finish. | In a barnstorming end in the men's 15/15km C/F in Oberstdorf, Bolshunov clocked a time of üôå Alex…
(2021-02-27). Ronaldo has made Juventus WORSE and big-money transfer has been failure, claims former Italy star. rt.com 
Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Juventus has been a failure and the Portugal star is not compatible with manager Andrea Pirlo's footballing philosophy, according to former Italy forward Antonio Cassano. | Ronaldo joined Juve from Real Madrid in the summer of 2018 for a reported fee of €100 million and has netted 90 goals in 117 appearances across all competitions for the Turin giants. | The 36-year-old star has helped Juve to successive Serie A titles as well as a pair of Supercoppa Italiana triumphs, but success in the Champions League has thus far eluded the Italians during Ronaldo's time at the club.
(2021-02-27). In the pink: Floyd Mayweather feeds flamingos as he holidays in Aruba alongside 'girlfriend' Anna Monroe. rt.com 
Undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather has been photographed feeding flamingos as he shared a sunshine break in Aruba alongside his supposed new girlfriend, Anna Monroe. | The ring legend celebrated his 44th birthday on the Caribbean island where he was photographed feeding flamingos on a beach while dressed in matching pink shorts and a baseball hat. | True to form, the man nicknamed 'Money' took the opportunity to show off some of his 'bling' as he was wearing one of his expensive collection of watches – as well as TWO gold chains. | The 50-0 retired boxer had previously stated that he brings one of his di…
(2021-02-27). 'What was he trying to do to him?!' Fans mock Sevilla star as Messi gives him runaround in 2-0 win for Barca (VIDEO). rt.com 
A resurgent Barcelona side are now within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid after they cruised to a 2-0 win at Sevilla on Saturday – with one incident from the game going viral after a particularly ungainly challenge. | Messi scored one and created another for Ousmane Dembele as they narrowed the gap at the summit of the table to Diego Simeone's Atletico – who retain two games in hand over the Catalan giants. | Messi slid Dembele in to open the scoring just before the half hour after United States international Sergino Dest struck…
(2021-02-27). 'Unstoppable': Guardiola racks up remarkable personal milestones as Man City win TWENTIETH game in a row. rt.com 
Manchester City were indebted to defensive duo John Stones and Ruben Dias as they edged past West Ham 2-1 to rack up a record-extending 20th straight victory, in a game which also saw Pep Guardiola reach a personal milestone. | City were made to work hard by the high-flying Hammers at the Etihad, seeing Dias' 30th-minute opener cancelled out by an equalizer from Michail Antonio just before the break. | It was Stones who rescued the three points as he swept home a cut-back from Riyad Mahrez with just over 20 minutes to play. | 27 – Man City are unbeaten in their last 27 games in all competitions (W24 D3), the s…
(2021-02-27). Italian researchers create world's 1st 'smart tattoo' using OLED tech. rt.com 
Scientists in the US and Italy claim to have created the world's first temporary 'smart' tattoo using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which could revolutionize multiple fields, including sports science and food technology. | Researchers at UCL and the Italian Institute of Technology used the same basic principle as a temporary tattoo, which is transferred onto the skin by soaking and pressing, but combined it with OLED tech to produce the new devices. | When combined with other wearable technologies, the smart tattoos could emit light when an athlete is dehydrated or alert sunbathers of impending sunbur…
(2021-02-27). Israel's defense minister points finger at Iran over explosion on Israeli-owned vessel in Gulf of Oman. rt.com 
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has accused Iran of likely being behind Friday's blast on an Israeli-owned transport ship in the Gulf of Oman, saying it's their "initial assessment" that the incident was an Iranian attack. | Based on the Saturday statement, it would appear that the claim by Gantz wasn't backed by any actual intelligence, but was rather based on the geography of the incident and the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East. | "Iran is looking to hit Israeli infrastructure and Israeli citizens. The location of the ship in relative close proximity to Iran raises the notion, the asse…
(2021-02-27). Virginia school district says Dr. Seuss demoted as focus of reading event due to 'RACIAL UNDERTONES,' denies complete ban. rt.com 
Facing public backlash over its alleged cancellation of Dr. Seuss over concern that his stories and illustrations are racist, a Virginia school district denied it banned the author but said it deprioritized his books. | The Loudon County Public Schools system near Washington, DC clarified on Saturday that it had merely downgraded
(2021-02-27). Virginia school district says Dr.Seuss demoted as focus of reading event due to 'RACIAL UNDERTONES', denies complete ban. rt.com Facing public backlash over its alleged cancellation of Dr. Seuss on concern that his stories and illustrations are racist, a Virginia school district denied it banned the author but said it deprioritized his books. | The Loudon County Public Schools system near Washington, DC, clarified on Saturday that it merely downgraded
(2021-02-27). 'Safely recovered': Lady Gaga's stolen bulldogs brought to LA police after pop star offers $500k reward with no strings attached. rt.com 
Two French bulldogs have been safely returned to pop star Lady Gaga after robbers stole the animals at gunpoint from her dog walker, who was shot in the struggle, according to LA police. | The pups were brought to an LAPD station north of downtown on Friday evening by a woman believed to be "uninvolved and unassociated" with the theft and shooting earlier this week, police captain Jonathan Tippett Both of Lady Gaga's dogs have been…
(2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise of Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com 
New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A
(2021-02-27). As FBI touts 'unprecedented' speed of Capitol 'insurrection' probe, police still don't know what caused officer's death. rt.com 
Seven weeks on from the Capitol riot, police say a toxicology report on the officer who was allegedly killed isn't done, raising questions over whether investigators are sitting on facts that don't fit a murder-mayhem narrative. | The medical examiner's report on Officer Brian Sicknick's death following the January 6 riot hasn't been completed, as toxicology results are still pending, the Capitol Police Department said on Friday in a statement. More than 50 days after the Capitol attack — and even as other aspects of the "insurrection" investigation race move ahead — the department offered no explana…
(2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise for Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A
(2021-02-26). When it comes to COVID, why aren't Republicans 'pro-life' anymore? peoplesworld.org 
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(2021-02-26). Looking into Palantir: Activists want NHS to come clean about secretive deal with data-mining company. rt.com 
Under a deal negotiated in secret with the British government, shady data firm Palantir will continue to manage NHS data for two years. Activists calling for transparency have now brought the NHS to court. | When the British government unveiled its 'Covid-19 data store' last March, controversial "spy tech" firm Palantir was given control of the data collected from the public, which included sensitive data such as patients' ages, addresses, health conditions, treatments, and whether they smoke or drink, among other private information. Awarded the contract for a nominal fee of £1 ($1.40), Palantir was onl…
(2021-02-26). Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk | Termination of vaccine programme for those living in Israel without legal status may be legally challenged by rights groups
| Fri, 02/26/2021 – 13: 50 | A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on 26 February 202…
(2021-02-26). Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules. middleeasteye.net 
Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules | Londoner who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State as a teenager argued she should be able to appeal stripping of citizenship in UK | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Shamima Begum, photographed in her tent at the al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria in February 2020 (Screenshot) | The UK's Supreme Court has ruled that Shamima Begum, a British wo…
(2021-02-26). Catastrophe and Utopia: Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Ministry for the Future'. mronline.org 
We need no longer speculate about whether we live in a climate emergency. The scientific verdict has been out for some time now, each year's report grimmer than the last.
(2021-02-26). Facebook's news blockade in Australia shows how tech giants are swallowing the web. juancole.com 
By Jennifer Grygiel | — When Facebook disabled Australians' access to news articles on its platform, and blocked sharing of articles from Australian news organizations, the company moved a step closer to killing the World Wide Web — the hyperlink-based system of freely connecting online sites created in 1989 by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Though the …
(2021-02-26). Health Care and Colonialism: A Sickness Unto Death. counterpunch.org 
Nothing is immune from the stain of colonialism and its associated phenomena of racism. This includes the practice of medicine. Whether one is considering the inequality of medical care between the global north and south, the unevenness of medical care inside imperial nations stemming from those nations' colonial history, or the racist attitudes still endemic
(2021-02-26). North Korea Steadfastly Resisting US Hegemony. dissidentvoice.org 
I learned a while back to be especially skeptical of western mass media and their governments.1 My experience of life in China is nothing like how western demonization portrays it to be. Therefore, I looked forward to the chance to experience North Korea first hand. I traveled there with a Chinese group departing China. Starting …
(2021-02-26). Mitch Jones on Texas Freeze-Outs, Joe Torres on News for All the People. fair.org 
New York Times ( This week on CounterSpin: As Texans continue to deal with impacts of a deadly combination of frigid weather and power outages, the New York Times
(2021-02-26). Massive thousand-car caravan protests unsafe reopening of Montgomery County schools in Maryland. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Car that participated in the caravan On Feb. 23, the parking lot at the Montgomery County Public Schools central office in Maryland swarmed with car horns, brightly colored signs, and shouts as thousands rallied outside a closed session meeting of the Board of Education. Among the participants were residents, parents and teachers' union members. …
(2021-02-26). àÅlvaro Cunhal's prison novel 'The Six-Pointed Star'—A chat with the translator. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's note: Eric Gordon is translating several fictional works written by Portuguese Communist Party leader àÅlvaro Cunhal under the pseudonym Manuel Tiago. The Six-Pointed Star is the second in what is hoped to be a series of works put out in English for the first time by International Publishers. Below is an interview between People's …
(2021-02-26). Arabic press review: UN official says Libya has 20,000 mercenaries. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: UN official says Libya has 20,000 mercenaries | Meanwhile, Kuwait sends letter to Qatar as part of continued effort to end Gulf tensions, and a Kuwaiti minister says country's treasury 'lacks liquidity' | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 12: 26 | UN official Stephanie Williams speaks in Geneva on 5 February following the election of a new interim government for Libya (AFP) | Libya has…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr detained. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia: Father of political prisoner Ali al-Nimr detained | Family lawyer tells MEE Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr is a 'prominent intellectual' who maintains a 'moderate' discourse regarding Saudi government | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Ali al-Nimr was imprisoned as a minor in 2012 and had been sentenced to death before the penalty was commuted earlier in February (Reprieve) | Saudi Arabia has de…
(2021-02-26). The Heat: One scientist's fight against disease & Racism against Asian-Americans. america.cgtn.com 
As the pandemic continues to take its toll, we'll talk to one of America's leading science pioneers. Plus — what's behind the alarming rise in violence against Asian Americans?>
(2021-02-26). "We Want the Truth Uncovered": Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz Backs New Probe into Assassination. democracynow.org 
The family of Malcolm X is demanding a new investigation into his 1965 assassination in light of the deathbed confession of a former New York police officer who said police and the FBI conspired to kill the Black leader. Ilyasah Shabazz, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and one of Malcolm's six children, says the latest revelation is further evidence of how the authorities worked to infiltrate and undermine Black organizations during the Civil Rights Movement. "All he wanted was for America to live up to her promise of liberty and justice for all," she says of her father. "I'm happy…
(2021-02-26). Five people killed & scores wounded as Iraqi security forces open fire on anti-govt protesters — reports. rt.com 
At least five people were killed and more than 170 wounded in clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Iraq's fourth largest city, Nasiriyah, according to local reports. | The unrest in the main city of the Dhi Qar Governorate, located some 360 km southeast of Baghdad, has continued since erupting on Sunday when demonstrators armed with rocks and Molotov cocktails tried to storm the provincial government building. | But Friday saw a major escalation, with witnesses saying that law enforcement deployed live fire against the crowds, who had taken to the streets in defiance of the coronav…
(2021-02-26). NASA warns of 2nd stadium-sized space rock headed Earth's way as it delays asteroid hunter mission to 2022. rt.com 
NASA is warning of the second 'stadium-sized' asteroid headed towards the Earth in as many weeks, shortly after announcing…
(2021-02-26). Syria condemns 'cowardly aggression' by US as Biden says he wanted to send Iran message about 'impunity'. rt.com 
The Syrian government has denounced a US airstrike on its border with Iraq as an act of aggression contrary to international law, as President Joe Biden told reporters he ordered the strike as a warning to Iran. | "The Syrian Arab Republic condemns in the strongest terms the US aggression against its sovereignty," the Foreign Ministry in Damascus Also on rt.c…
(2021-02-26). The $15 Minimum Wage Isn't Dead. Here's How Democrats Can Still Get It Done. truthout.org 
On Thursday, the Senate parliamentarian dealt a blow to Democratic and progressives hopes of passing a $15 federal minimum wage in the upcoming stimulus package, ruling that it did not fit under the budget reconciliation process. Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), however, a longtime champion of the $15 minimum wage, came prepared with a plan B. | Shortly after the ruling, Sanders announced a proposal to take away tax deductions from big corporations that don't pay their workers at le…
(2021-02-26). Biden's Syria Airstrike Prompts Demands for Answers From Social Media, Lawmakers. truthout.org 
Democratic lawmakers and anti-war activists have slammed the Biden administration for carrying out illegal airstrikes in Syria while abandoning progressive policy priorities. | The United States carried out an airstrike in Syria on Thursday, claiming it was targeting militias allegedly backed by Iran in what is the first known military action by President Joe Biden since he was sworn into office. | "We didn't flip Georgia Blue for Biden to air strike Syria. We flipped Georgia Blue for our $…
(2021-02-26). Progressives to VP Kamala Harris: "Use Your Power. Keep $15 in." truthout.org 
The attention of the Fight for $15 movement and its allies turned to Vice President Kamala Harris Thursday night after the Senate parliamentarian opined —
(2021-02-26). 'Her body would inspire masterpieces': Coach defends skating star Tuktamysheva's revealing men's mag photoshoot. rt.com 
Russian figure skating coach Alexei Mishin has expressed his support for skater Elizaveta Tuktamysheva who posed for men's magazine Maxim, saying that antique artists would have been inspired by her beauty. | The 79-year-old specialist, who brought to fame figure skating legends Alexei Yagudin and Evgeni Plushenko, compared Tuktamysheva's beauty to an ancient piece of art, saying that her recent photo session would have attracted even "primitive men." | "Tuktamysheva's body would have attracted the attention even of primitive men. | "Undoubtedly, in ancient times she would have inspired artists to create ma…
(2021-02-26). Bill demanding $15 minimum wage from corporate giants surprisingly comes from pro-Trump Senator Hawley. rt.com 
US Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) has announced a bill requiring large employers to pay a $15 minimum wage, seemingly aligning him more with left-wing Democrats than his conservative colleagues on the issue. | Hawley, who was demonized by Democrats for challenging the validity of President Joe Biden's election victory, said Friday that his new legislation would require companies with annual revenue of $1 billion or more to pay their employees at least $15 an hour. Smaller companies would be spared the mandate, but Hawley's plan also would provide tax credits to US citizens who make less than $15 an hour, bas…
(2021-02-26). Saudi Crown Prince APPROVED plan to 'capture or kill' Khashoggi, newly-declassified US intelligence report says. rt.com 
A report by the US intelligence community states that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. The brief report restates what activists have long claimed. | "We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," reads the report, which was released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday. | The report cites Prince Mohammed's "control of decisionmaking in the Kingdom," as well as the involvement of some of his security det…
(2021-02-26). 'A real American samurai': Bizarre video featuring Japanese 'futurologist' shown at CPAC hails Trump as communist-fighting hero. rt.com 
Attendees at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference were treated to a bizarre video featuring a Japanese "samurai futurologist" praising Donald Trump's communist-fighting prowess, two days before Trump's own speech. | A one-stop-shop for all things Republican, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) serves as a barometer of sorts for the direction of the GOP. From the list of pro-Trump speakers to a Sunday night appearance from the former president himself, this year's conference is all about Donald Trump. | Aside from the usual cast of Trump-friendly lawmakers and conservative…