Monthly Archives: March 2021

2021-03-09: News Headlines

RT (2021-03-09). Biden admin grants temporary protection to thousands of Venezuelan migrants, admits US sanctions failed to spur regime change. rt.com The Joe Biden administration will offer temporary protections to thousands of Venezuelan migrants living in the US, vowing to step up pressure on Caracas even while acknowledging sanctions failed to topple the Maduro government. | The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

C.J. Atkins (2021-03-09). Communist Party unveils 'Emergency Relief Unity Program' to confront crisis. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK—A moratorium on evictions or foreclosures, millions of new green jobs through an immediate infrastructure building spree, abolition of student debt, compensation for historical and ongoing racism, a $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All, and new taxes on the rich. All that and more is in a new emergency relief program just issued by …

Patrick Cockburn (2021-03-09). The Internal Feud That May Doom Scottish Nationalism. counterpunch.org Most nationalist movements wait until they have achieved independence before having a civil war over who runs the country. But Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond have jumped the gun by opening hostilities while Scottish self-determination is still well over the horizon. Could it remain an unattainable goal thanks to the open warfare between the past

Binoy Kampmark (2021-03-09). Brawling Over Vaccines: Export Bans and the EU's Bungled Rollout. counterpunch.org The European Union has been keeping up appearances in encouraging the equitable distribution of vaccines to combat SARS-CoV-2 and its disease, COVID-19. Numerous statements speak to the need to back the COVAX scheme, to ensure equity and that no one state misses out. And EU member states could be assured of a smooth vaccine rollout,

Jayati Ghosh (2021-03-09). The political economy of COVID-19 vaccines. mronline.org Vaccine grabs, the refusal to relax patents to enable mass production, and the use of vaccines for diplomacy run the risk that poorer nations may not be protected against Covid-19 quickly enough. This will prolong the pandemic, even for the richer nations.

Staff (2021-03-09). Texas Gov. Lifts Pandemic Restrictions, Defying Public Health Experts, and Blames Migrants for COVID. democracynow.org Texas is the largest state to lift its mandate on face masks and fully reopen businesses, joining a growing movement in states governed by Republicans to ease pandemic restrictions even as experts warn it is too soon to do so, despite the accelerating pace of vaccinations in the United States. "This is completely politically motivated," says Dr. Dona Murphey, a physician scientist and community organizer in Houston who is helping to lead a campaign demanding Texas reinstate the mask mandate. She says Republican Governor Greg Abbott is ending the state's pandemic restrictions as "a maneuver to conceal failures" re…

RT (2021-03-09). Fuming minister Nicola Sturgeon rages that football champs Rangers 'didn't do nearly enough' to stop fans' wild partying (VIDEO). rt.com Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reserved some heavy scorn for title-winning Rangers, saying that the club didn't do enough to stop fans disregarding Covid restrictions to celebrate their first title win in a decade. | Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard's team confirmed their status as Scottish champions on Sunday when fierce local rivals Celtic could only manage a scoreless draw away to Dundee United as Rangers completed their journey from financial ruin back to the summit of the league — ending the Hoops' hopes of a record-breaking 10th successive title in the process. | In the hours after their…

RT (2021-03-09). CNN anchor raises eyebrows after revealing video of him not wearing pants during live appearance. rt.com CNN's Brian Stelter received criticism for proudly airing a clip that showed him without pants on during his live coverage of then-President Donald Trump's Twitter ban. | On his show Reliable Sources on Sunday, Stelter brought up the viral 2020 moment when ABC News' Will Reeve had been caught reporting from home without pants on, during a Covid-19 lockdown. | Stelter then followed by saying he could "relate" to Reeve's situation, airing an old video of himself reporting live without pants on, after being given "just two minutes' notice" to appear on the network to discuss Trump's ban. | Shortly after the segme…

RT (2021-03-09). Wyoming becomes latest state to end mandatory face coverings as GOP continues defiance of Biden's Covid-19 mask push. rt.com Wyoming became the latest state to ease its Covid-19 rules in defiance of the Biden administration's guidelines, as Governor Mark Gordon announced that his mask mandate and restrictions on businesses are ending. | Effective on March 16, bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms will be allowed to resume normal operations, and the statewide mask mandate will end, Gordon said on Monday in a

Editor (2021-03-09). Aumentar el salario mínimo a $15, °al menos! workers.org Un salario mínimo de $15 por hora no puede incluirse en el proyecto de ley de ayuda COVID-19 de $1,9 billones propuesto por los demócratas del Congreso. Así dictaminó la parlamentaria del Senado, Elizabeth McDonough, el 25 de febrero. Este funcionario no electo lo calificó de "irrelevante para la legislación . . . |

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-09). Women's groups across Europe mark International Women's Day. peoplesdispatch.org On March 8, Monday, feminist organizations and women's groups across Europe hit the streets to mark International Women's Day. The raging pandemic, job loss and other distress due to the lockdown, rise in femicide, misogyny, conservative laws fueled by the far-right has worsened the situation of many women over the last year. Braving all odds, women across Europe made their mark by raising the flags of women's emancipation and liberation on March 8 on the streets and workplaces. | On Monday, in Poland, women under the leadership of National Women's Strike (Strajk Kobiet) demonstrated across the country raising th…

Ed Rampell (2021-03-09). Life and death: Two shorts explore a taboo and new romance at PAFF. peoplesworld.org Undaunted, the pandemic can't stop the Pan African Film Festival, and in that immortal show biz tradition, the show must go on! Albeit virtually, as this year in order to stay cinematically safe, America's largest and best annual Black-themed filmfest since 1992 has moved online. This year's 29th annual Pan African Virtual Film + Arts …

Eds. (2021-03-09). Tutors replacing teachers: A failed privatization plot returns. mronline.org The pandemic showed that for students to get quality instruction, especially poor children of color, America must invest in real teachers, smaller class sizes, and better working conditions, including improved school facilities.

Pedrosa Neto (2021-03-09). For Afro-Brazilian 'quilombolas,' pandemic is synonymous with abandonment, racism, and 'necropolitics'. peoplesworld.org MOJU, PARàÅ, Brazil— "We are not even getting access to the basic necessities," says Raimundo Magno, the leader of the Africa quilombola community in Moju, Pará, his face grim with anguish. Magno's complaint points to the abandonment felt in the quilombolas, communities of descendants of Africans brought to Brazil as enslaved laborers. The sense they've …

Emile Schepers (2021-03-09). Chicago joins list of U.S. cities denouncing Cuba blockade. peoplesworld.org For 60 years, the United States has done everything within its power to destroy socialist Cuba. The tactics used have included a failed invasion, violent sabotage, attempted assassinations of Cuban leaders, and an endless and relentless barrage of lies in corporate-controlled media, academia, and other ideology-forming institutions. Cuban socialism, however, has survived all these assaults. Today, …

Global Research (2021-03-09). The Globalization of War & The Globalization of Poverty: Two Important Titles by Michel Chossudovsky. globalresearch.ca These two titles from Global Research Publishers are available in PDF (e-book) format delivered directly to your inbox, as well as in print format. | . | . | . | The Globalization of War: America's "Long War" against Humanity | by Michel Chossudovsky |

Rob Johnson (2021-03-09). The Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal — Bob Pollin. theanalysis.news UMass Amherst professor and PERI Co-Director Robert Pollin discuss his latest book that he co-authored with Noam Chomsky, about the Global Green New Deal and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in addressing the climate crisis. Hosted by Rob Johnson on his podcast Economics and Beyond.

Charles Pierson (2021-03-09). Yemen's Death Sentence. counterpunch.org "Disappointing" was how UN Secretary-General António Guterres described last week's donor conference for Yemen. The fifth UN Virtual High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen resulted in pledges of only $1.7 billion. That's just half of the $3.85 billion called for by the secretary-general. Nor is there any guarantee that donors will make

RT (2021-03-09). Capitol security review urges beefed-up surveillance, permanent 'mobile fencing' & 850 new officers to fill manpower gaps. rt.com The US Capitol's policing and surveillance measures are woefully inadequate, a security review launched in the wake of the January 6 riot concluded, calling for hundreds of new officers and a permanent barrier around the building. | Commissioned by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi following the Capitol riot and published on Monday, the

Raul Diego (2021-03-09). Massive Secret UK Propaganda Campaign in Former Soviet Republics Seeds Contempt. mintpressnews.com From the Skripal affair to Navalny's rise to the Russian Olympic doping scandal, these damning revelations should be enough to dispel any notions of truth in what the UK and allies tell their citizens through mainstream media outlets and the social media landscape they control.

Minnie Bruce Pratt (2021-03-09). Workers are not robots! Racism, high-tech speedup and the Amazon union drive. workers.org A historic organizing drive is underway in Bessemer, Ala., at the Amazon BHM1 warehouse. Almost 6,000 majority-Black workers — almost half women — are deciding whether to unionize with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Voting is continuing until March 29. December 12th Movement rally at Harlem's Whole . . . |

Sameena Rahman (2021-03-09). Trial of killer cop for murder of George Floyd begins as authorities prepare massive repression. liberationnews.org Chauvin, a former cop with the Minneapolis Police Department who brutally killed George Floyd on May 25, is charged with second degree "unintentional" murder and second degree manslaughter.

Nick Licata (2021-03-09). The Inspired Terrorists Who Invaded the Capitol Were Your Neighbors! counterpunch.org The major networks and cable news channels largely ignored research findings showing who the people that were "incited" to invade the Capitol. Instead, they focused on those who had "planned" the violent break-in. While the FBI considers both groups to be domestic terrorists, research shows the "incited" people may be your neighbors. Instead of describing

Sara Flounders (2021-03-09). Stopping Amazon censorship with mass pressure. Good news. workers.org Stopping Amazon censorship is news. Good news. The Amazon corporate conglomerate is notorious for using its power to surveil and control every minute of workers' lives, to dominate labor rates, control local governments and demand huge tax rebates. Its management threatens to close facilities if its demands remain unmet. Amazon . . . |

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-09). Weekend events prepared 'the people's case' against Derek Chauvin. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS—A weekend of marches, rallies, and news conferences kicked off the fight for justice for George Floyd and the conviction of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin charged with murdering Floyd. This overview and photos of the events from Friday to Sunday show a level of commitment to justice by a coalition of groups intent on …

Sara Flounders (2021-03-09). Mass pressure stops Amazon Censorship. workers.org Stopping Amazon censorship is news. Good news. The Amazon corporate conglomerate is notorious for using its power to surveil and control every minute of workers' lives, to dominate labor rates, control local governments and demand huge tax rebates. Its management threatens to close facilities if its demands remain unmet. Amazon . . . |

John Feffer (2021-03-09). The Talented Mr. Bin Salman. counterpunch.org Mohammed bin Salman is a charming fellow. The tall, dark, and handsome Saudi prince known as MbS has seduced world leaders and eager pundits left and right. To his supporters, MbS became first in line to the Saudi throne by championing reform in a deeply conservative Gulf kingdom, taking on corruption, confronting religious extremists, and

The Conversation (2021-03-09). Iran's leaders signal interest in new nuclear deal, but U.S. must act soon. juancole.com By James Devine | — On the campaign trail, Joe Biden pledged that if elected he would quickly return the United States to the Joint Collective Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. But negotiations have been slow to materialize, and with Iran's presidential elections scheduled to take place in June, …

John Wojcik (2021-03-09). American Rescue Act: Government of, by, and for the people. peoplesworld.org Ever since the days of the Ronald Reagan presidency, the defining narrative in Washington has been that big government is an unruly animal that has to be tamed. With the passage of the American Rescue Act in the Senate and the expected second passage in the House today and signing of it into law by …

C.J. Hopkins (2021-03-09). The New Normal (Phase 2). dissidentvoice.org So, we're almost a year into the "New Normal" (a/k/a "pathologized totalitarianism") and things are still looking … well, pretty totalitarian. Most of Western Europe is still in "lockdown," or "under curfew," or in some other state of "health emergency." Police are fining and arresting people for "being outdoors without a valid reason." Protest is …

Yanis Iqbal (2021-03-09). Notes on revolutionary hope. mronline.org Humanity stands at a dangerous crossroads: a conflict between making profits and saving human life is clearly emerging, with the latter being sacrificed by the ruling class for the former.

George Wuerthner (2021-03-09). Wilderness and Grazing: Time to Send the Cows Home. counterpunch.org Cows in designated wilderness areas? Does that seem like an oxymoron? Wilderness Areas are supposed to be places where natural processes and native species are given priority. With the election of the Biden administration, it may be time to reconsider grazing in designated wilderness, especially in light of the 30 x 30 goal of protecting

Eric A. Gordon (2021-03-09). 'From the Plough to the Stars: Working People's Prose from Contemporary Ireland'. peoplesworld.org Frequent People's World contributor Jenny Farrell, based in Ireland, has just edited an important new volume, From the Plough to the Stars: An Anthology of Working People's Prose from Contemporary Ireland. It is a successor to a similar recent book she also edited of contemporary Irish working-class poetry. Farrell includes some 50 Irish writers, a …

Eds. (2021-03-09). Discourses of Distrust: Conspiracy Theories and the Critique of Ideology. mronline.org Here the main question is not what is said but why it is said. And this question of why is not related to the personal situation, interests, or discursive strategies of the speakers. Men cannot know what is good for them; they very often profess ideologies that are directly detrimental to their interests.

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-09). Protests build as jury selection begins in Chauvin trial. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS—Spirited, determined protesters greeted day one of The People vs. Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. "The whole world is watching" read the main banner behind which an estimated 1,000 people had gathered by 8 a.m., one hour before the trial formally opened. A spokesperson for the National Alliance Against Racist and Political …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-09). Women across Latin America and the Caribbean rise up against patriarchy, femicides and capitalism. peoplesdispatch.org From Argentina to Mexico, millions of women took to the streets to demand equality in the most unequal region of the world, and to proclaim that they refuse to continue being marginalized, discriminated against, excluded, and murdered…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-09). 'Is This Who We Are?': Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. counterpunch.org "That's certainly our goal and our intention." This was the non-committal answer given by White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, when, on February 12, she was asked by a reporter whether the new Joe Biden Administration intends to shut down the notorious Guantánamo Bay Prison by the end of the president's first term in office.

PAI (2021-03-09). Avalanche of progressive legislation on the move in the House. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Worker rights. The right to vote. Free and open elections. Partial controls on who can buy guns. And of course, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act. All that is on the congressional plate this week. There will be two big-deal votes in the House alone. One comes March 9 on Democratic President Joe Biden's rescue …

Robert Lipsyte (2021-03-09). Rush, Roger, Rupert, and The Donald May Ride Forever. counterpunch.org The Four Horsemen of our media apocalypse — Rush Limbaugh, Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch, and Donald Trump — have ridden roughshod over us this past half-century leaving their hoofprints on our politics, our culture, and our lives. Two of them are gone now, but their legacies, including the News Corporation, the Fox News empire, and

A Guest Author (2021-03-09). A message on Mumia's health condition. workers.org Workers World received the following message from Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, who is serving as a medical consultant for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Earlier in March Abu-Jamal tested positive for COVID-19 and was treated for congestive heart disease. Worsening dermatitis on Mumia's leg extends all over his body. Mumia is suffering from multiple diseases . . . |

Kuveni Scanlan (2021-03-09). Abortion ban repealed in New Mexico after years of struggle. liberationnews.org Radical and progressive activists recently led the way to an important victory for working class women in New Mexico.

RT (2021-03-09). South Dakota passes bill banning biological males from participating in female sports to mark Women's Day. rt.com South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem vowed to sign the legislation that will ban biological males from competing in female sports, following other Republican-controlled states in sending a message on gender politics. | "We're celebrating International Women's Day by defending women's sports," Noem said Monday on Twitter, minutes after the South Dakota Senate passed the state's Women's Fairness in Sports legislation. "I'm excited to sign this bill very soon." | In South Dakota, we're celebrating

Margaret Flowers (2021-03-09). Attacks On The Rights Of Transgender People Are Rising; Fight Back. dissidentvoice.org A growing and coordinated attack on the rights of transgender people is taking place through state legislation and sadly it is receiving support from people across the political spectrum. The attack is successful because its proponents are using myths about transgender people to cloak their efforts under a veneer of feminism and concerns about children's …

Jasmine Norden (2021-03-09). Victoria Derbyshire grills head of Society of Editors after he denies press racism. thecanary.co Victoria Derbyshire demonstrated why she's one of the best journalists around as she refused to let the head of the Society of Editors dodge questions on press racism. | In an exchange on BBC News, Derbyshire asked Ian Murray: You told me the British tabloid press was not bigoted. I've just given you some examples. You're denying that those examples are racist, and I'm asking 'why are you denying that?' | Murray then said "someone might make one comment about something" that he refused to call racist, after talking over Derbyshire throughout the interview. Derbyshire subsequently said: But you've just told me the B…

RT (2021-03-09). RT's German-language service prepares lawsuit after notorious tabloid 'Bild' falsely accuses its journalists in Berlin of SPYING. rt.com RT in Germany is planning to take legal action against the tabloid Bild, after the Berlin newspaper ran a sensationalist tale that relied on leaked Telegram chats from a former employee, who claimed he had to spy for the channel. | In the article published on Tuesday, reporter Julian Roepcke, who has previously been aligned with the 'Disinformation Portal' of NATO's Atlantic Council adjunct, claims that, according to Bild's information, President Vladimir Putin ordered a spy op on his "public enemy number one." It allegedly targeted opposition figure Alexey Navalny and two of his close aides. The supposed snoo…

RT (2021-03-09). 'Huge middle finger': YouTube tells foreign creators they will soon be charged AMERICAN tax. rt.com YouTube has told its content creators and partners that they need to prepare for paying US taxes on their earnings — even if they live and work elsewhere. The already beleaguered video creators are taking it poorly. | The video platform, owned by Google, actually updated its terms of service to tax US creators shortly after the 2020 election, but the change went largely unnoticed in the uproar about censorship. On Tuesday, however, YouTube announced that the taxes will soon be taken out of earnings by creators outside the US. | Taxes will be deducted from earnings derived from US viewers through "ad view…

RT (2021-03-09). Police & FBI investigate after student 'accidentally' detonates explosive device in CLASS, injuring 4 students. rt.com A blast ripped through a classroom at a Michigan high school, injuring five students and prompting all county schools to lock down. Police believe the explosive device was brought by a student and detonated in a freak accident. | The explosion took place inside a classroom, shortly after lessons began at Newaygo High School at around 9am on Monday local time. The blast injured at least five people, including a 16-year-old student, who is believed to have brought the device to school in the first place. | to the school. The device detonated in the classroom, injuring the 16-year-old and four additional classmat…

_____ (2021-03-09). Biden Iran Envoy Boasted of Depriving Civilians of Food, Driving Up Iranian Inequality in Sadistic Sanctions Manual. strategic-culture.org Richard Nephew has taken personal credit for depriving Iranians of food and driving up their unemployment rates, celebrating the economic destruction he caused as "a tremendous success." Under Biden, he will help direct policy on Iran. | By Max BLUMENTHAL | The Joseph Biden administration has named

Frank Andrews (2021-03-09). Clubhouse: Are users in the Middle East safe from digital authoritarianism? middleeasteye.net Clubhouse: Are users in the Middle East safe from digital authoritarianism? | Citizens and activists across the Middle East have flocked to the new social network. But it is not the safe haven many crave | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 09: 13 | In countries throughout the region, where digital authoritarianism has conditioned many to live in fear of constant surveillance, people have flocked to the app (Reuter…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-03-09). Arabic press review: Detained Saudi dissidents go on hunger strike. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Detained Saudi dissidents go on hunger strike | Meanwhile, Egypt raises drug prices by 60 percent, UN demands release of six Bahraini activists, and Kuwait is set to pardon a number of unidentified detainees | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 10: 36 | Detained Saudi economist Mohammed al-Qahtani has reportedly started a hunger strike at a Riyadh jail to protest his imprisonment (Front Line…

2021-03-08: News Headlines

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2021-03-08). 'A Climate Time Bomb': 370+ Groups Urge Biden to Immediately Halt Line 3 Pipeline. commondreams.org "It's up to President Biden to continue with the country's renewable energy agenda and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. After his action to halt Keystone XL, stopping Line 3 is essential." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12308770711.jpg

commondreams (2021-03-08). Over 350 Groups Urge President Biden to Stop the Line 3 Pipeline and Protect Indigenous Rights, Climate. commondreams.org ______________________________…

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2021-03-08). Blinken Blinks on Human Rights. counterpunch.org On March 3, the US State Department has put on its website a hilarious statement titled The United States Opposes the ICC Investigation into the Palestinian Investigation. In a nutshell, the statement exposes that the Joe Biden Administration has blinked for a second time on the human rights situation in West Asia by refusing to

Calla Randall (2021-03-08). The Weekly Round-Up: Family Benefits and Domestic Abuse (pt. 2). ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: The High Court will hear a case brought by a mother and her 11-month-old baby, who are arguing that they should not be excluded from the UK government's 'Healthy Start' scheme. The scheme provides vouchers for healthy food, nutritional advice, and vitamins to low-income families, but currently excludes many migrant families, including those who …

Alexandra Kollontai (2021-03-08). Celebrating International Women's Day. liberationnews.org To commemorate International Women's Day, we publishe excerpts from Kollontai's 1920 article, "International Women's Day," written just over two years after the October 1917 socialist revolution in Russia.

Byul Ryanim (2021-03-08). The Weekly Round-Up: Ministerial Maternity Leave, a New Offence and Guidance on Visiting Gran (pt. 1). ukhumanrightsblog.com On Monday the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 came into force, allowing the Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC, to be the first minister to take maternity leave. The Act grants cabinet ministers six months' maternity leave whilst retaining their government post, whereas in the past MPs would have to resign to take time off to give …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-08). 'Is This Who We Are?': Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. mintpressnews.com Even if Biden is able to overcome pressure from the military, from the CIA, and from Congress to shut Guantánamo down, justice will still be absent, not only because of the numerous lives that are forever shattered but because America still refuses to learn from its mistakes.

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-08). The marvelous life of Marvel Cooke, pioneer Black woman journalist. peoplesworld.org At the intersection of African American History and Women's History months is a long list of Black women who have made history as civil rights, labor, and peace activists, educators, scientists, elected officials, physicians, astronauts, artists, and much more. Prominent among them, and combining several of those roles, is the journalist and activist Marvel Cooke. …

Eds. (2021-03-08). The birth of Marxism in France: Remembering the Paris Commune and Jules Guesde. mronline.org Guesde (1845-1922) introduced Marxism to France and contributed to building the Socialist Party in the north of the country, where the left, socialism, and then later communism became very strong.

Eds. (2021-03-08). International Women's Day: A militant celebration. mronline.org Women's Day or Working Women's Day is a day of international solidarity, and a day for reviewing the strength and organization of proletarian women.

Chris Orlet (2021-03-08). Did Racist Images in Dr. Seuss Books Contribute to War Crimes? counterpunch.org A friend delights in sending me news stories that demonstrate what he says are the excesses of liberalism. One recent article that arrived in my inbox concerned Dr. Seuss Enterprises' decision to halt publication of six childrens' books it now believes contain racist imagery. "I didn't realize Dr. Seuss made us all racists," he quipped.

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-08). "Is This Who We Are?": Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. dissidentvoice.org "That's certainly our goal and our intention." This was the non-committal answer given by White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, when, on February 12, she was asked by a reporter whether the new Joe Biden Administration intends to shut down the notorious Guantánamo Bay Prison by the end of the president's first term in office. …

John Clamp (2021-03-08). Somalia: a Knotted Web of Causes. counterpunch.org In one translation of Seneca's Oedipus Rex, the unfortunate (anti)hero laments his dark fate by complaining of being 'tangled in the knotted web of causes'. The words have an aptness far beyond their origin. Somalia is a perfect expression of the metaphor. Its dysfunction has so many potential—nay, likely—causative factors that who the hell knows

Liberation Staff (2021-03-08). Rural Washington state rally demands: 'Stop the war on Black America'. liberationnews.org Some 50 assembled in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives Feb. 28 rally in Sequim, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

Liberation Staff (2021-03-08). Rural Washington state rally demands: "Stop the war on Black America" liberationnews.org Some 50 assembled in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives Feb. 28 rally in Sequim, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (2021-03-08). NYT Fails to Examine Its Participation in Brazil's 'Biggest Judicial Scandal'. fair.org The Brazilian Supreme Court on March 8 dismissed all charges against former President Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva made during the Lava Jato investigation, a little over a month after the investigation was A small portion of the leaks, released slowly by the Intercept Brasil and local media partners in <...

Juan A. Lozano (2021-03-08). Deep freeze just latest disaster to befall Houston's needy. peoplesworld.org HOUSTON (AP) — Ernest and Hester Collins already faced their share of hardships before last month's deadly winter storm plunged much of Texas into a deep freeze and knocked out power to millions of homes, including their modest rental in one of Houston's historically Black neighborhoods, Fifth Ward. The brother and sister were getting by …

Simone Chun (2021-03-08). Biden's Hawkish Cabinet Portends Renewed US Militarism in Northeast Asia. counterpunch.org Although the Biden administration has yet to present its North Korea policy, the new president's cabinet includes many career diplomats and business lobbyists advocating the Cold War policy toward Asia and personnel from hawkish think tanks financed by the military industrial complex, leading many Korea experts to predict that an aggressive militaristic policy with respect

Dean Baker (2021-03-08). Economy Adds 379,000 Jobs in February; Unemployment Edges Down to 6.2 Percent. counterpunch.org The establishment survey showed the economy added 379,000 jobs in February. In addition, the figures from December and January were revised up by 38,000. This brings the average job gain over the last three months to 79,700. Employment in the survey stands at 9,475,000 below its year-ago level. The household survey showed the unemployment edging

Eds. (2021-03-08). Digital colonialism: the evolution of American empire. mronline.org American "Big Tech" corporations are gaining massive profits through their control over business, labor, social media and entertainment in the Global South.

Eds. (2021-03-08). Why Cornel West's tenure fight matters. mronline.org I wrote letters for West's hire and renewal at Harvard. The school's administrators completely miss the point of tenure. — ROBIN D. G. KELLEY…

Maria Fernanda Marcelino (2021-03-08). Women take the lead in fight to impeach Bolsonaro in Brazil. peoplesworld.org SAO PAULO—Today in Brazil, women are facing the advancement of predatory neoliberalism, imperialism, an anti-democratic state, the politics of death, and the extermination of the people, which has been escalating with the coronavirus pandemic. In 2016, women were the first to rise up and denounce the coup staged against the first female president elected in …

Tomdispatch (2021-03-08). We're Stalked by the 4 Horsemen of Apocalyptic Media: Rush, Roger, Rupert, and The Donald May Ride Forever. juancole.com By Robert Lipsyte | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — The Four Horsemen of our media apocalypse — Rush Limbaugh, Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch, and Donald Trump — have ridden roughshod over us this past half-century leaving their hoofprints on our politics, our culture, and our lives. Two of them are gone now, but their legacies, including …

Kerry-anne Mendoza (2021-03-08). The real reason England's angry white men hate Meghan Markle. thecanary.co Women of colour operate in the arena where two of society's deepest hatreds collide. It's where racism and patriarchy unite and create their beloved bastard: misogynoir. Most women of colour have experienced some version of what Meghan Markle is living right now. England's monarchy and its useful idiots hold a special hatred for women of colour who dare to grow into their own power. Meghan is Black, beautiful, brave, and she owes them nothing. | Misogynoir: | As women of colour, our bodies are simultaneously reviled and hyper-sexualised. To understand better how this works in reality, we can look at the k…

RT (2021-03-08). WATCH: Minneapolis battens down the hatches with extreme security ahead of trial of George Floyd's alleged killer. rt.com Authorities in Minneapolis have erected steel fencing, barbed wire and concrete barricades outside the city's courthouse and local police stations ahead of the Derek Chauvin trial, set to begin Monday. | The former police officer will stand trial for the May 25 killing of George Floyd in an incident which rocked the US to its core and triggered months of unrest and billions of dollar's worth of damage. | An estimated 15 million to 26 million people participated in Black Lives Matter protests in the US in the aftermath of Floyd's death. | Armored personnel carriers have been deployed and local Minneapolis polic…

RT (2021-03-08). Where's Biden hidin'? EVEN CNN begins asking questions, as president goes record time without press conference with Q&A. rt.com Joe Biden has gone longer without giving a press conference with questions and answers than any US president in modern history. Now the elation of his inauguration's worn off, even his allied media are beginning to wonder why. | Monday marked Joe Biden's 47th day in office, and also his 47th without appearing before the press to take questions. The president has sat down to several taped interviews, and has given brief soundbites to reporters at events, but not a single proper Q&A session has materialized. | He has gone longer without holding a press conference than any of his 15 most recent predecessors, all…

RT (2021-03-08). Biden preparing to launch series of 'clandestine' cyberattacks against Russia — NYT. rt.com The Biden administration is gearing up to carry out cyberattacks aimed at Russian networks, the New York Times has reported, describing the provocation as a retaliatory measure designed to send Moscow a message. | Citing officials familiar with the operation, the Times

RT (2021-03-08). South Korea agrees to 'meaningful increase' in payouts for the privilege of hosting 28,500 US troops. rt.com The US and South Korea have finally reached an agreement on "sharing costs" for stationing American personnel, after talks stalled over demands by former president Donald Trump that Seoul quintuples its spending for the privilege. | Seoul currently pays Washington roughly $920 million a year to host some 28,500 American personnel on its soil, but back in 2019 Trump demanded an increase of annual payouts to $5 billion. With a new commander-in-chief in the White House, the US has moved to soothe disagreements with its military allies as part of Joe Biden's commitment to "reinvigorate" Washington's "democratic al…

RT (2021-03-08). Texas launches 'Operation Lone Star', sending National Guard & state troopers to secure border after Biden opened floodgates. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott is taking border security into his own hands, sending National Guard troops and state police to combat drug and people smuggling as Biden administration policies spur a surge in illegal immigration. | The new 'Operation Lone Star' initiative will send ground, air, marine and tactical security assets to high-threat areas of the state's border with Mexico to stop cartels and other smugglers from bringing drugs and illegal aliens into Texas. Abbott announced the strategy late on Saturday, one day after former president Donald Trump blasted President Joe Biden for creating a "spiraling t…

RT (2021-03-08). Three police injured, SWAT vehicle damaged and local cars FLIPPED as Colorado university party turns violent (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Three SWAT team officers were injured as violent revellers bombarded first responders with bricks and rocks, setting off fireworks and flipping a car during a wild Colorado university street party which attracted up to 800 people. | The violence occurred in the University Hill neighborhood of Boulder, Colorado on Saturday night, as hundreds of partygoers shot off fireworks and flouted social-distancing rules and mask-wearing advice. | #Boulder police arrived pic.twitter.com/t1Yd7Xkclq— Mitchell Byars (@mitchellbyars) Sonali Kolhatkar (2021-03-08). Why Big Pharma Shouldn't Have Any Control Over COVID-19 Vaccines. counterpunch.org At a recent virtual gathering of parents and faculty at my children's school, one parent who is a teacher and therefore eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine mentioned that she got her first Pfizer shot at a local pharmacy, and when she asked about a leftover dose that could be given to her husband rather

Staff (2021-03-08). Close Guantánamo: Ex-Prisoner & Torture Survivor Mohamedou Ould Slahi Calls on Biden to Shut Prison. democracynow.org President Joe Biden is facing new calls to close the U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, an enduring symbol of U.S. abuses in the "war on terror." Since 2002, about 770 men and boys have been held at the prison, and only eight have been convicted of a crime. Three of the convictions were later overturned on appeal. Today the prison's population is down to 40, and shortly after Biden's inauguration, seven former prisoners penned an open letter to the new president pleading with him to finally close the facility. One of the seven authors was Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian man who was held without cha…

Staff (2021-03-08). Millions Mark International Women's Day as Pandemic Deepens Inequality, Violence Around the World. democracynow.org Millions of women around the world are taking to the streets today to mark International Women's Day — in a year where women have been disproportionately impacted by rising poverty, unemployment and violence during the pandemic. We hear voices from protests in the Philippines, Mexico and Guatemala.

Staff (2021-03-08). "The Mauritanian": Film Tells Story of Innocent Man Held at Guantánamo for 14 Years Without Charge. democracynow.org A new feature film, "The Mauritanian," tells the story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian man who was held without charge for 14 years at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo and repeatedly tortured. We speak with Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who says the film is not just about his struggle. "This is not my movie. This is the movie of so many people," he says. "Some of the people who were kidnapped after 9/11 were tortured to death. They did not have a chance to tell their story." We also speak with Kevin Macdonald, director of "The Mauritanian"; Nancy Hollander, the lead lawyer for Mohamedou Ould Slahi; and actor…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-08). Yemen: UN fears many dead after fire in Sanaa migrant detention centre. middleeasteye.net Yemen: UN fears many dead after fire in Sanaa migrant detention centre | Houthis criticised the UN for not deporting migrants, thought to be mainly Ethiopians, detained in the centre | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 15: 21 | Ethiopians in 2018 waiting to be repatriated back to Djibouti from Yemen's Hodeidah (AFP) | Eight people are confirmed dead after a migrant detention centre in Sanaa caught fire on…

Martin Downs (2021-03-08). Our first Blogcast: India and the Rule of Law. ukhumanrightsblog.com The UK Human Rights Blog doesn't write about itself. There is too much of interest in the law of Human Rights to cover and the Blog has been providing this service ever since 1998 when Rosalind English and others started the Human Rights Update. With the know-how and energy of Adam Wagner, this developed into …

Paul Cochrane (2021-03-08). Saudi Arabia's 'Programme HQ': Can Riyadh rival Dubai as a business hub? middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia's 'Programme HQ': Can Riyadh rival Dubai as a business hub? | Plans to make access to mega-project contracts conditional on companies establishing regional headquarters in the kingdom are ambitious but ambiguous | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 16: 29 | Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District in 2018. Saudi Arabia is seeking to persuade more multinational companies to set up shop in the kingdom (…

Nadda Osman (2021-03-08). Saudi Arabia: Online campaign for the release of prominent scholar Safar al-Hawali. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia: Online campaign for the release of prominent scholar Safar al-Hawali | Seventy-year-old has been imprisoned for over 1,000 days and reportedly suffers from various health conditions | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 13: 15 | The Saudi scholar was arrested in 2018 and concerns have been raised about his deteriorating health (Screengrab/Twitter) | Activists have launched an online campaign calling for the…

MEE staff (2021-03-08). France: European Commission urged to investigate Paris over 'imam charter'. middleeasteye.net France: European Commission urged to investigate Paris over 'imam charter' | Civil society groups say a number of French laws disproportionally discriminate against Muslims, violating their fundamental human rights | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 15: 48 | French President Emmanuel Macron wears a mask after delivering a speech in October 2020 (AFP) | A coalition of civil society organisations on Monday urged European Commi…

MEE staff (2021-03-08). Lebanon is next for visit, says Pope Francis. middleeasteye.net Lebanon is next for visit, says Pope Francis | Head of Catholic Church tells reporters on his way back from historic Iraq tour that Beirut will be his next destination | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 14: 57 | Pope Francis speaks to reporters during a news conference while in the air aboard the Alitalia papal plane on his flight back from Iraq (AFP) | Pope Francis has said his next trip will be to Lebanon, which is sufferi…

Tom Westcott (2021-03-08). Iraq: Christians await better future following Pope Francis visit. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Christians await better future following Pope Francis visit | Iraqis express hopes that the Pope's successful visit would send a message that their country is safe for religious and cultural tourism | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 14: 47 | Pope Francis gestures as he bids farewell to his hosts before boarding his Alitalia Airbus A330 aircraft as he departs from the Iraqi capital's Baghdad International Airp…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-08). Syria: Bashar and Asma al-Assad test positive for Covid-19. middleeasteye.net Syria: Bashar and Asma al-Assad test positive for Covid-19 | Assad's office confirmed that the Syrian president and his wife had caught the novel coronavirus | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 12: 11 | Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma have tested positive for An official statement confirme…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2021-03-08). 'Frightening' New Data Shows Humanity Has Degraded or Destroyed Two-Thirds of World's Rainforest. commondreams.org "We need to stop destroying forests and other nature, for the sake of our health, biodiversity, and climate." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/amazon_fires_2.jpg

Comp. Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law UCB (2021-03-08). Tuesday 3/30: Climate Displacement: Intersection of Climate Emergency and Immigrant & Refugee Justice. indybay.org Online event via Zoom…

Kathleen Dean Moore (2021-03-08). Sounds of Silence: Extinction Is Erasing the Earth's Music. globalresearch.ca What does a biodiversity crisis sound like? You may need to …

WSWS (2021-03-08). Two railway accidents in Southern California kill worker and spill chemical waste. wsws.org Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway was involved in two separate accidents in Southern California, one resulting in the gruesome death of a railroad worker while the other resulted in over 40 cars derailing and a toxic chemical spill.