2021-03-10: News Headlines

W. T. Whitney, Jr. (2021-03-10). Recurring political crisis in Haiti connects with U.S. racism. mronline.org Haiti faces serious political crisis. The country has experienced great political difficulties ever since gaining independent nationhood in 1804. Impaired governance stems in large measure from U.S. meddling over many years. We examine the current crisis and the basis for U.S. zeal to curtail Haiti's future.

_____ (2021-03-10). The Biden Administration Is Greenlighting Haiti's Descent Into Dictatorship. popularresistance.org As thousands of Haitians protest each Sunday against Jovenel MoàØse, their embattled and increasingly authoritarian president, their protest signs and songs exhort the U.S. ambassador and the head of the United Nations mission in Haiti, who is also a career U.S. diplomat, "to stop supporting a dictatorship." The protests reflect a broad consensus among politicians, intellectuals, lawyers and others in Haiti, supported by human rights experts and members of the U.S. Congress, that the Biden administration is propping up MoàØse and preventing the emergence of a Haitian-led solution to the political cr…

Raul Diego (2021-03-10). Digital Health Pass: IBM and Moderna Hook Up to Capitalize on COVID Reset. mintpressnews.com Using what have already become clichéd industry buzzwords like "transparency," "trust," and even "privacy," IBM's Digital Health Pass marketing describes the mass tracking app as a "smart way to return to society" that allows people to "return to the activities and things they love."

Jason Tschantre (2021-03-10). Detroit workers rally in support of Amazon unionization efforts. liberationnews.org In addition to their support for the Alabama Amazon workers, the protesters called attention to unsafe working conditions inside Detroit Whole Foods, where 24 workers contracted COVID-19 in late February.

PSL Birmingham, Alabama (2021-03-10). A revolutionary driven by love for the people, Zack Patterson (1987-2021). liberationnews.org Zachary "Zack" A. Patterson, age 33, a three time war veteran, member of the Birmingham Branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and our newest representative of the local Education Committee, died on Feb. 9, 2021. His life was taken as a result of the mental traumas inflicted on him by the U.S. imperialist …

Deirdre Griswold (2021-03-10). Remembrances of a warehouse order picker. workers.org Think 1956. That's 65 years ago — the year this writer dropped out of college and took a full-time job in a warehouse to get a more important education: learning what it was to be a worker. Warehouse pickers. In these intervening years, millionaires have gone on to become multimillionaires . . . |

Ian Angus (2021-03-10). Intensive fishing and the birth of capitalism, Part 2. mronline.org While treasure fleets carried silver to Spain, far more ships were carrying men, fish and whale oil across the North Atlantic.

Dean Baker (2021-03-10). The Environment Versus How Many Jobs? counterpunch.org The Washington Post had an article on concerns among unions about job loss due to various measures from the Biden administration to promote clean energy. The article noted concerns that Biden's agenda may lead to the loss of good-paying jobs in the fossil fuel sector. It would have been helpful to point out how many

Editor (2021-03-10). Migrant deaths: Who's the REAL culprit? workers.org It didn't have to happen. But, tragically, it did. And most likely, it may not be the last time. On March 2, 12 people were killed instantly when the SUV they traveled in was hit broadside by a tractor-trailer truck on a California highway. The accident happened on the outskirts . . . |

Eugene Puryear (2021-03-10). Stimulus and struggle: Congress short-changes the working class. liberationnews.org The amended version of the Biden administration's stimulus plan was passed by the House of Representatives today, the last step before it goes to the president's desk to be signed into law. It took over two months to approve the bill which, by any measure, does not meet the scale of the grave economic and …

Monica Moorehead (2021-03-10). One year after her death — Remembering Breonna Taylor. workers.org At first, few people knew of the heinous crime carried out by three white Louisville, Ky., police officers responsible for the murder of a 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician, Breonna Taylor, on March 13, 2020. Breonna Taylor was honored with a 7,000-square-foot mural in Annapolis, Md. Taylor . . . |

Kenneth Surin (2021-03-10). The Future of Gerrymandering in Virginia. counterpunch.org Indexes, such as the Democracy Index published by The Economist's Intelligence Unit, have to be taken with a grain of salt— one suspects that neoliberal western countries get a somewhat easier ride from The Economist. In any event, the Democracy Index is fraught with anomalies. In the 2020 Index, the US is ranked 25thout of

Staff (2021-03-10). Brazil: Lula strikes back. therealnews.com In a huge win for the left and for democracy, Brazil's Supreme Court has annulled corruption convictions against former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, making it possible for Lula to challenge Jair Bolsonaro for the presidency in the next election.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram (2021-03-10). Prioritise pandemic relief, recovery: No time for debt buybacks. mronline.org Developing country governments are being wrongly advised to use their modest fiscal resources to pay down accumulated debt instead of strengthening pandemic relief and recovery. Thus, debt phobia risks deepening and extending COVID-19 recessions by prioritizing buybacks.

Leila Rafei (2021-03-10). Meet the Activists Fighting to Free People from LA Jails. aclu.org Over the last year, the criminal legal system's many injustices dominated mainstream discourse as people took to the streets to grieve and protest the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police, and COVID-19 took a devastating toll on people in jails and prisons. These events galvanized many people into action — in the streets, at statehouses, and online — inspiring them to join activists who have challenged the criminal legal system's disproportionate and often tragic impact on communities of color.
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| One of the organizations at the forefront of this movement is the Youth Justic…

Eds. (2021-03-10). On Covid and the plague of Capital. mronline.org Industrial agriculture, habitat destruction, global commodity chains and the travel network have set up this perfect storm of conditions, not just for COVID, but also for future pandemics.

Jerry Goldberg (2021-03-10). Amazon pays little in taxes, makes record profits. liberationnews.org The union drive of Bessemer, Alabama, Amazon workers has shed the light on the oppressive, unsafe working conditions and low wages for Amazon workers at its warehouses, fulfillment centers and Whole Foods markets.

Eds. (2021-03-10). 100 days of revolt, & still raring to go. mronline.org As the farmers' protest against farm laws enters the summer season, they brave high temperatures and the paucity of basic necessities…

Ted Kelly (2021-03-10). Could depletion of fertile soil trigger a bigger U.S. food crisis? workers.org U.S. farmland in the Midwest has lost over one-third of the soil necessary to sustain crop production, according to scientists at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The study concluded that fertile soil has been destroyed — not as a result of natural wind and water erosion, but by a century of . . . |

Deirdre Griswold (2021-03-10). Remembrances of a warehouse order picker. workers.org Think 1956. That's 65 years ago — the year this writer dropped out of college and took a full-time job in a warehouse to get a more important education: learning what it was to be a worker. Warehouse pickers. In these intervening years, millionaires have gone on to . . . |

Rebecca Gordon (2021-03-10). Can Biden-Harris make a Counter-Revolution against Reaganism and Restore Dignity to Work? juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com ) — A year ago, just a few weeks before San Francisco locked itself down for the pandemic, I fell deeply in love with a 50-year-old. The object of my desire was a wooden floor loom in the window of my local thrift shop. Friends knowledgeable on such matters examined photos I took …

The Socialist Program (2021-03-10). In the News: The Role of Slave Labor in American Capitalism Before and After the Civil War. liberationnews.org This interview is an episode of The Socialist Program with Brian Becker, a podcast providing news and views about the world for those who want to change it. You can follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the …

Monica Moorehead (2021-03-10). One year after her death — Remembering Breonna Taylor. workers.org At first, few people knew of the heinous crime carried out by three white Louisville, Ky., police officers responsible for the murder of a 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician, Breonna Taylor, on March 13, 2020. Breonna Taylor was honored with a 7,000-square-foot mural in Annapolis, Md. Taylor was shot . . . |

Staff (2021-03-10). Bloody Sunday in the Philippines: 9 dead, 6 arrested in crackdown on activists. therealnews.com The killings came two days after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered police and soldiers to kill communist insurgents in all encounters.

Eds. (2021-03-10). Report: U.S. preparing cyberattack against Russia over SolarWinds hack. mronline.org Sources told The New York Times that the first major actions are expected sometime in the next three weeks.

Dan Corjescu (2021-03-10). Reason, Sociability, and Ethics. dissidentvoice.org Aristotle famously said that man was a social animal: Œ∂·ø∑ŒøŒΩ œÄŒøŒªŒπœÑŒπŒ∫œåŒΩ. He also strongly implied that what distinguished man from all other animals was his rationality. Today this description seems to make more sense than ever. Human beings, contrary to the contract theorists such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, were never lone beings in search …

B. R. Gowani (2021-03-10). Sahir at 100: Raising Socio-Political Awareness Through Poetry. counterpunch.org Sahir was a brilliant poet who devoted his poetry to raise awareness of the common folks to the reality of the prevailing social and political issues. His poignant and often heart wrenching words also echoed the intense love and loss of humans in relationships. His great and undying love for his mother created in him

Derek Ford (2021-03-10). "Coronacare Hawai'i" continues despite private security team's harassment. liberationnews.org Coronacare is a mutual aid network organizing to address the unmet needs of their community, whose conditions have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their efforts this past year have focused on delivering food and household supplies to thousands of community members, including expecting mothers, elders, immunocompromised people, and other working families across the entire …

Greta Anderson (2021-03-10). Wolves Will be Wolves, So Let's Manage the Humans. counterpunch.org Let's start with some facts: 1) The majority of New Mexicans want to see Mexican wolves recovered. 2) Public lands livestock are a leading source of conflict for the wolf recovery program. 3) Livestock on public lands displace native wildlife through competition for food and driving them out of preferred habitats. 4) Public lands livestock

PAI (2021-03-10). PRO Act passes House, Senate Republicans plan to kill it. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (PAI)—After another boost from Democratic President Joe Biden, the Democratic-run House passed the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, the most wide-ranging, pro-worker rewrite of labor law since the original National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Debate lasted into the evening of March 9. The 225-206 vote ended at 8: 56 pm EST. Only …

Elic Weitzel (2021-03-10). History Shows Privatized Space Colonization Will Be Disastrous. dissidentvoice.org Elon Musk and his company SpaceX have become a regular feature in news cycles. SpaceX succeeded in landing a team of astronauts on the International Space Station in November 2020, in partnership with NASA. The next month, the company lost a rocket in an explosion while attempting to land after a test flight. Another rocket …

Staff (2021-03-10). Mumia has COVID-19, supporters demand his release. therealnews.com Mumia Abu-Jamal has been in prison since 1982. Already plagued by health issues, including hepatitis C, Mumia was diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, and supporters are demanding he be released.

Ruby Peacock (2021-03-10). 'Revenge porn' is a misnomer. ukhumanrightsblog.com Why we should replace 'revenge porn' with 'image based sexual abuse' and reform the mens rea of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 The digital world is becoming an increasingly dominant part of daily life. This has been thrown into sharp relief by the current public health crisis, which has seen almost every facet …

Nadda Osman (2021-03-10). Bahrain: Detained children abused, threatened with rape and electrocution. middleeasteye.net Bahrain: Detained children abused, threatened with rape and electrocution | A report details how children arrested in protest-related cases have been prosecuted as adults and abused while in detention in the Gulf country | Wed, 03/10/2021 – 15: 05 | Riot police near the British embassy in Manama prior to an anti-government protest in support of Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, 16 Febr…

Rayhan Uddin (2021-03-10). Khashoggi documentary and Palestinian film nominated for BAFTAs. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi documentary and Palestinian film nominated for BAFTAs | Mauritanian Guantanamo detainee film also recognised, among surprisingly diverse shortlist for British award ceremony | Wed, 03/10/2021 – 14: 02 | Khashoggi murder documentary 'The Dissident', and British-Palestinian film about checkpoints earn BAFTA nominations (The Dissident/The Present) | A documentary about the murder of Saudi journ…

RT (2021-03-10). Mumford & Sons banjo player apologizes for endorsing Andy Ngo book, critical of Antifa, 'takes time' off the band amid backlash. rt.com Hounded by a mob of enraged netizens, Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall has retracted an endorsement of conservative journalist Andy Ngo's book on Antifa, drawing accusations of caving in to "bullies." | "Over the past few days I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed," the British musician wrote in a tweet on Tuesday night. "I have offended not only a lot of people I don't know, but also those closest to me, including my bandmates and for that I am truly sorry." | As a result of my actions I am taking time away from the band to examine my blindspots… Please know tha…

Steve Topple (2021-03-10). A BBC article on Piers Morgan is nearly as vile as him. thecanary.co THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS REFERENCES TO PEOPLE TAKING THEIR OWN LIVES. SOME READERS MAY FIND THIS DISTRESSING. | The BBC's media editor just wrote one of the worst articles on Piers Morgan's job loss yet — because he didn't take a critical look at the ex-Good Morning Britain (GMB) host's comments. His article glossed over Morgan's staggering

Ralph Underhill (2021-03-10). GMB leaks Piers Morgan replacement shortlist. thecanary.co Image description | This cartoon begins with the text title "GMB leaks Piers Morgan replacement shortlist". Bellow that are the following list of names: | Katie Hopkins | Jim Davidson | Nigel Farage | Tommy Robinson | The reanimated corpse of Enoch Powell | Each of the names has a caricature of that person beside it. | By

Melvin Goodman (2021-03-10). When Imagination Failed: Revisiting Intelligence Failures. counterpunch.org Yogi Berra opined that "it's tough to make predictions, especially about the future," but over the past 80 years there has been more than enough intelligence collected to prevent costly failures. From Pearl Harbor in 1941 to this year's invasion of the Capitol, there were strong intelligence indicators of the tumultuous events that were to

MEE staff (2021-03-10). Yahya Sinwar re-elected as Hamas chief in Gaza. middleeasteye.net Yahya Sinwar re-elected as Hamas chief in Gaza | Sinwar beat four other challengers to lead Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip | Wed, 03/10/2021 – 16: 00 | Yahya Sinwar (right) has run the Gaza Strip since 2017 (AFP) | Yahya Sinwar was re-elected as the leader of Hamas's political wing in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, fending off a challenge from one of the groups' founders, the movement said in a statement. | "Y…

RT (2021-03-10). Hill reporter suggests Democrats could use BIDEN HOLOGRAM to 'handle his public speeches'. rt.com As President Joe Biden faces scrutiny over his lack of press conferences, and questions about his mental and physical health from the public, the Hill's Sharyl Attkisson has suggested a solution: use a hologram! | "Maybe a Biden hologram can handle his public speeches," she wrote in her Wednesday opinion piece. | Attkisson acknowledges a recent public poll that found half of Americans are questioning whether Biden is physically and mentally up to the task of the presidency, and that over half are concerned about his lack of press conferences — he will reportedly host one before the end of the month. She s…

RT (2021-03-10). 'Borat' star Sacha Baron Cohen gets called out as satire-blind comedian after demanding Facebook censor Bill Gates-vaccine joke. rt.com Sacha Baron Cohen, an actor known for satirical comedy, apparently couldn't spot the satire in an image portraying Bill Gates as a sinister vaccine conspirator and blasted Facebook for failing to censor the joke. | "Mark Zuckerberg, how do you sleep at night?" the "Borat" creator asked Tuesday on Twitter. "This is on Facebook's Instagram right now. Your algorithms are still recommending lies about Covid and vaccines. How many people have to die before you act?" | Mark Zuckerberg, how do you sleep at night? | This is on Facebook's Instagram right now. | Your algorithms are STILL recommending lies about Covid an…

RT (2021-03-10). Senate confirms Merrick Garland, once snubbed for Supreme Court, as Biden's attorney general. rt.com Merrick Garland, a federal judge whose nomination for the US Supreme Court was blocked by Republicans in 2016, was easily confirmed as President Joe Biden's attorney general in a 70-30 Senate vote. | Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who led the effort to ignore President Barack Obama's nomination of Garland following the February 2016 death of Justice Antonin Scalia, was one of the votes in favor of confirming him as the new head of the Justice Department on Wednesday. | "I'm voting to confirm Judge Garland because of his long reputation as a straight shooter and a legal expert," McConnell said…

RT (2021-03-10). NYT journo rages over Tucker Carlson showing widely-available image of her after she claimed online attacks 'destroyed' her life. rt.com The New York Times' Taylor Lorenz blasted Fox News' Tucker Carlson for airing a segment that featured a widely-available picture of her face, insinuating it was part of the harassment she claims has "destroyed" her life. | Lorenz earned widespread attention — and criticism — this week after saying she deals with "deep trauma" stemming from "online harassment." | "It's not an exaggeration to say that the harassment and smear campaign I've had to endure over the past year has destroyed my life. No one should have to go through this," she tweeted on Monday, in commemoration of International Women's Day.

Betsey Piette (2021-03-10). Mumia has COVID-19 — the only treatment is his freedom! workers.org Word has come that Pennsylvania political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has tested positive for COVID-19. Supporters learned of the diagnosis March 3, as they were gathered in front of the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to call for Abu-Jamal's release and that of all incarcerated people over 50, who . . . |

Global Research News (2021-03-10). Selected Articles: The Collapse of Trust in Public Health. globalresearch.ca By Corporate news sources are reporting that Austria has suspended their roll-out of the experiment…

Manlio Dinucci (2021-03-10). La peligrosa estrategia de ‚ÄéEstados Unidos y la OTAN en Europa‚Äé. globalizacion.ca Tanto la OTAN como la Unión Europea son hijas del Plan Marshall. De hecho, son las ‚Äédos caras de una misma moneda. Pero la OTAN está por encima de la Unión Europea ‚Äéen la medida en que —según los tratados—…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2021-03-10). Joe Biden y los idus de marzo del Pentágono: øEl mejor mes para lanzarse a la guerra? globalizacion.ca Una versión anterior de este artículo se publicó el 13 de marzo de 2013 | Actualizado el 5 de marzo de 2020 y febrero de 2021 | *** | Nota del autor: | Actualmente existen amenazas militares de Estados Unidos y la Organización del…

A Guest Author (2021-03-10). Apache Stronghold forces U.S. government retreat. workers.org APACHE STRONGHOLD MAKES U.S. GOVERNMENT RETREAT CAUSING 9th CIRCUIT DENIAL OF EMERGENCY INJUNCTION CASE STILL PROCEEDS ON EXPEDITED BASIS Apache Stronghold activists opposing copper mine gather outside the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in Feb. 2020. OAK FLAT, AZ — This afternoon [March 5] the 9th Circuit Court . . . |

A Guest Author (2021-03-10). Apache Stronghold forces U.S. government retreat. workers.org APACHE STRONGHOLD MAKES U.S. GOVERNMENT RETREAT CAUSING 9th CIRCUIT DENIAL OF EMERGENCY INJUNCTION CASE STILL PROCEEDS ON EXPEDITED BASIS Apache Stronghold activists opposing copper mine gather outside the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in Feb. 2020. OAK FLAT, AZ — This afternoon [March 5] the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied . . . |

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…