Daily Archives: March 9, 2021

2021-03-09: News Headlines

_____ (2021-03-09). National Weekend Of Action: US Out Of Haiti. popularresistance.org March 29 is the anniversary of the 1987 Haitian Constitution written after the 1986 overthrow of the brutal Jean-Claude Duvalier dictatorship. The 1987 Constitution was designed to create "a socially just, economically free, and politically independent Haitian nation." Those ideals are again in crisis. | The US-backed de facto president of Haiti Jovenel MoàØse is refusing to leave office even though his term ended on February 7. MoàØse and his Western allies – the US, Canada, Brazil, France, Spain and the European Union – are trying to push through a new constitution that takes power away from the p…

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 …

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,

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.

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 …

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 …

WSWS (2021-03-09). Mobilize educators and workers to stop in-person learning in Tennessee! wsws.org Our committee condemns the recent decision to reopen all school districts in the state, which threatens a deadly surge of the pandemic just as the population is being vaccinated.

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.

yenisafak (2021-03-09). Why Haredi Jews oppose coronavirus measures, vaccine? yenisafak.com Ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim, have come to the fore recently after staging a series of protests against measures taken by the Israeli government to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. | Haredim, who make up some 10% of Israel's population, are accused of spreading the pandemic across the country as they refuse to comply with restrictions and take COVID-19 vaccine. | On Feb. 9, Haredi Jews clashed with the police amid demonstrations against restrictions imposed by the authorities to combat COVID-19. | Last week, a car carrying Anadolu Agency news crew came under attack by Haredi Jews in…

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…

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

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, …

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, …

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 |

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 …

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

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 . . . |

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.

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 . . . |

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 . . . |

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.

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

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

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 …

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.

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…

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

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

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

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 …

Global Research News (2021-03-09). Selected Articles: The Pentagon's Multibillion Dollar Indo-Pacific Military Deployment. globalresearch.ca By Looking at the county-by-county data, the CDC concludes that mask mandates were associated with …

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 . . . |

RT (2021-03-09). China summons UK envoy over her 'inappropriate' article defending foreign media criticism of Beijing. rt.com Beijing has summoned the British ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson, over an article she penned about the Chinese government's alleged misrepresentation of the international media, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday. | China has "stern" opinions about the "inappropriate" article, the statement from the head of the ministry's Europe department said, adding that it only opposes media outlets dealing in "fake news." | "The whole article is full of 'lecturer' arrogance and ideological prejudice … and is seriously inconsistent with the status of diplomats," it added. | Wilson responded to the pushback…

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…

Jasmine Norden (2021-03-09). Piers Morgan flounces off live broadcast after co-host calls out his Meghan Markle vendetta. thecanary.co Piers Morgan stormed off the Good Morning Britain set this morning after presenter Alex Beresford criticised his comments about Meghan Markle and prince Harry. | Beresford was expressing his sympathy for the couple and the negative press they've endured. He said: I think that we need to all take a step back. And I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle. You've made it so clear a number of times on this programme — a number of times. And I understand that you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off. She's entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said any…

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.

MEE, agencies (2021-03-09). US sanctions complicate Syria's return to Arab League, UAE minister says. middleeasteye.net US sanctions complicate Syria's return to Arab League, UAE minister says | US sanctions on Syria have made it harder for the Arab League to normalise ties with Damascus, Emirati foreign minister says | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 18: 39 | The 22-member Arab League, which suspended Syria in November 2011, has been working on re-establishing ties with the Damascus government | The United Arab Emirates…

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 . . . |

_____ (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

Staff (2021-03-09). Greece's right-wing attack on one political prisoner. therealnews.com Supporters of political prisoner Dimitris Koufontinas say he has been individually targeted by Greece's right-wing prime minister, whose party passed a bill to keep Koufontinas in high-security prison.

Staff (2021-03-09). Greek political prisoner is at death's door. therealnews.com Greek political prisoner Dimitris Koufontinas has been on a hunger strike since Jan. 8, and has refused water since Feb. 22. He may not have much time left.

CP Editor (2021-03-09). The People vs Agent Orange. counterpunch.org

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…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-09). Israel signs Mediterranean energy agreements with Cyprus and Greece. middleeasteye.net Israel signs Mediterranean energy agreements with Cyprus and Greece | Development of Aphrodite gas field had been on hold since 2011 as Cyprus and Israel finally reach an understanding | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 14: 47 | A cyclist rides near Cyprus's southern port city of Limassol, while in the background is seen the Cyprus-flagged oil tanker Carmelia, 11 February 2021 (AFP) | Israel and Cyprus s…

Lily Galili (2021-03-09). Israel elections: As Netanyahu hits a wall with voters, this one is about the best of the rest. middleeasteye.net Israel elections: As Netanyahu hits a wall with voters, this one is about the best of the rest | For the first time, a right-wing prime minister could emerge from Likud's rivals — a scenario that promises neither stability nor progress | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 14: 06 | A waitress serves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a cafe in Jerusalem, as Israel eases coronavirus restrictions (Reuters) | What se…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-09). Tunisian court sentences Ben Ali brother-in-law to ten years in prison. middleeasteye.net Tunisian court sentences Ben Ali brother-in-law to ten years in prison | Businessman Belhassen Trabelsi, the brother of ousted leader's wife, was also fined $14.51m over corruption charges | Tue, 03/09/2021 – 08: 32 | Belhassen Trabelsi, right, brother-in-law of ousted Tunisian president Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, arrives with his lawyer on 19 June 2019 at the Aix en Provence courthouse in F…