2021-03-16: News Headlines

Online News Editor (2021-03-16). Meat consumption plunges in crisis-hit Venezuela. laprensalatina.com By Ron Gonzalez Caracas, Mar 16 (efe-epa) .- Disappointment is etched on the face of Maria Ponte as she exits a butcher's shop in Petare, the Venezuelan capital's largest slum. She had gone there in hopes that prices may have somehow plummeted and allowed her to eat meat for the first time this year. But …

Sameena Rahman (2021-03-16). Blood-drenched Bolivian coup leader in prison. liberationnews.org Photo: Demonstration in Fresno, California in solidarity with the Bolivian people's struggle against the coup Bolivian coup leader and former self-proclaimed president Jeanine àÅñez, was arrested on Saturday in the department of Beni, where she was found hiding in a box to avoid detection from authorities. Earlier today, àÅñez made her first appearance in front …

Manuella Libardi (2021-03-16). The 'Biggest Judicial Lie' in Brazil's History — Former Leader Lula Is Back. globalresearch.ca Brazil's former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva showed

Alexandre de Santi (2021-03-16). Brazil's Lula Launches Comeback. zcomm.org As the Judge Who Locked Him Up Falls From Grace…

Online News Editor (2021-03-16). Real Madrid's social media accounts hacked. laprensalatina.com Madrid, Mar 16 (EFE).- Real Madrid's social media accounts were hacked Tuesday and used to publish a false statement announcing that Brazilian winger Rodrygo had suffered an injury just hours before the Spanish giants host Atalanta in the second-leg of a Champions League last-16 tie, the club told Efe. The club removed the false statements …

_____ (2021-03-16). US Department Of Health Pressured Brazil Into Rejecting Sputnik V. popularresistance.org The developers of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus have condemned the actions of the American authorities and stressed that nations should be fighting as a united front against the pandemic. | The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has admitted in its annual report that it used "diplomatic relations" in order to force Brazil, one of the worst-hit countries in terms of the pandemic, to reject authorisation of the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V. | The American authorities put their actions down to the need to "mitigate efforts" by Russia to boost its "influence" in the region, which,…

Afro-Colombian eco-activist Francia Marquez (2021-03-16). Francia Márquez: A Very Warm Ancestral Greeting from Colombia to Mumia Abu-Jamal. indybay.org This is a new statement of solidarity with Mumia Abu-Jamal, made by Afro-Colombian environmental, human rights, and community activist Francia Márquez filmed by the Colombian organization Equipo Jurídico Pueblos.

The Empire Files (2021-03-16). VIDEO: A Guide to US Empire in Africa: Neocolonial Order & AFRICOM. liberationnews.org Abby Martin speaks to Eugene Puryear to discuss the big picture of U.S. imperialism in Africa…

Staff (2021-03-16). Vijay Prashad Warns Biden Is "Doubling Down" on Trump's Anti-China Cold War Policy. democracynow.org Beijing has accused the U.S. of perpetuating a Cold War mentality as President Joe Biden and senior administration officials shore up alliances in the Pacific region to counter China's growing influence and increasingly describe the country as a geopolitical threat. Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, says the "bellicose" tone out of Washington is not because the U.S. sees China as a military threat, but because China threatens U.S. dominance in the scientific, technological and diplomatic spheres. "It's very chilling what the U.S. government is doing in ramping up this cold…

Staff (2021-03-16). Immigrant Advocate: Unaccompanied Minors Are Not a "Border Crisis" But a Humanitarian Crisis. democracynow.org Thousands of migrant children seeking refuge are being held in crowded cells amid an increase in asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite claims by Republican lawmakers during a tour of the southern border aimed at warning against rollbacks of Trump's immigration policy, most adults at the border are still being turned away, while the Biden administration is allowing unaccompanied children to cross while their cases are processed. Thousands of the unaccompanied minors are being sent to cities across Texas to be housed and processed, including Dallas, where FEMA will hold as many as 3,000 unaccompanied te…

Staff (2021-03-16). NY State Senator Alessandra Biaggi Says Cuomo Has Abused His Power for Years & Must Resign. democracynow.org New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is refusing to step down despite growing calls for his resignation after multiple accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct, as well as his cover-up of thousands of COVID-19 nursing home deaths. Alessandra Biaggi, a New York state senator representing parts of the Bronx and Westchester, says it's long past time for Cuomo to go and that the many scandals surrounding the governor reveal a consistent pattern. "The governor has not only abused his position of power, but he has used it in a way that is political and as a way to have the executive branch essentially protect himself…

Areeb Ullah (2021-03-16). Yemen: Evidence mounts that Houthis started Sanaa migrant centre fire. middleeasteye.net Yemen: Evidence mounts that Houthis started Sanaa migrant centre fire | A new Human Rights Watch investigation confirms MEE findings that Houthis started a fire that killed scores of people | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 11: 02 | African migrants, mainly from Ethiopia, receive food and water inside a football stadium in the Red Sea port city of Aden, Yemen, on 23 April 2019. (AFP) | New details revealed by Human Ri…

RT (2021-03-16). US set to face more migrants on Mexico border than in 'last 20 years' — Homeland Security boss. rt.com The US is set to encounter more migrants on its southwestern border than it had over the past 20 years, warns Secretary of Homeland Security, defending Washington's handling of the ongoing influx of unaccompanied child migrants. | The prediction was "The situation we are currently facing at the southwest border is a difficult one. We are tackling it," Mayorka…

RT (2021-03-16). Biden administration to house up to 3,000 migrant kids in Dallas convention center turned into 'decompression' facility — reports. rt.com The Biden administration reportedly plans to use a Dallas convention center to hold as many as 3,000 migrant teenagers, easing overcrowding in detention facilities as open-borders policies spur a surge in illegal immigration. | Federal agencies will use the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for up to 90 days, starting as early as this week, to detain 15- to 17-year-old migrant boys, the Associated Press

Angely Mercado, Naveena Sadasivam (2021-03-16). A record 6 Native Americans elected to Congress, here's where they stand on climate. peoplesworld.org Indigenous peoples have a critical role to play in the fight against climate change. Though they make up just 5 percent of the world's population, their lands encompass more than 80 percent of global biodiversity. Indigenous lands are also at greatest risk from the multiple threats posed by climate change: rising sea levels, warmer temperatures, …

Boaventura de Sousa Santos (2021-03-16). Open letter to two young indigenous Ecuadorians. zcomm.org My wish is that you Ecuadorians, and the Ecuadorian youth in particular, will be the ones to decide the open issues with which you are faced and for which, in all truth, there are no straightforward solutions in sight…

Steve Gillis (2021-03-16). Boston School Bus Drivers Union blasts bosses' reopening schemes. workers.org In direct confrontation with the U.S. ruling class' monolithic drive to "reopen" schools and businesses, even as the pandemic continues to rage, Boston School Bus Drivers picketed their employer, Transdev, March 9. They gave voice to the outrage of frontline workers over this dangerous gamble with the lives of both . . . |

Patrick Cockburn (2021-03-16). Test and Trace is the Dead Elephant in the Room. counterpunch.org As Britain enters a post-pandemic era, its struggle with Covid-19 reveals a country that is a complicated mix of strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, Britain has developed, manufactured and distributed effective vaccines quicker than any other nation. On the other, it has constructed the biggest gravy train in British history, one that pays

A Guest Author (2021-03-16). New York Boricua Resistance: No International Working Women's Day without trans women. workers.org This statement was co-written by Alicia Rodriguez and Gabriela Malespin of New York Boricua Resistance and presented by Malespin during the March 13 webinar sponsored by New York City-based International Working Women's Day Coalition. The webinar was entitled "Women and oppressed-gender workers rise up: The real pandemic is capitalism. The . . . |

Ron Jacobs (2021-03-16). Washington in Afghanistan: How Long Must This Go On? counterpunch.org The United States military and mercenary forces need to leave Afghanistan now. Even Donald Trump understood this, at least in public. The US mission was a failure within a year of its 2001 invasion. It could not and cannot reshape the political landscape in that nation. It tried in the 1970s and the 1980s when it created and armed the mujaheddin to fight the Soviet-supported government. It couldn't mold the nation of Afghanistan into a willing client after the Taliban marched into Kabul. It has failed to do so since it invaded the country in 2001 under the pretense of going after Osama bin Laden. To repeat, the U…

M. Chan, J. Leng (2021-03-16). Bay Area elites attempt to divide and conquer in aftermath of violence against Asian residents. liberationnews.org The violence oppressing both Black and Asian communities is a symptom of capitalism, a system that puts profits over people.

Sheila Malone RN (2021-03-16). Maine Medical Center nurses want a union, need support. peoplesworld.org PORTLAND, Me. — Nurses at Maine Medical Center (MMC) in Portland, the region's pre-eminent referral center, have taken steps to organize a union. On their behalf, the Maine State Nurses Association (MSNA) in January petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to authorize a secret vote on forming a union for the hospital's 1600 nurses. Ballots …

teleSUR Desk (2021-03-16). Court rejects vote recount claimed by Yaku Perez. mronline.org MR Online

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2021-03-16). The Crushing Environmental Burden of Greek Tourism. counterpunch.org Tourism is the heavy industry of Greece. It annually earns a fourth of the country's income. The pestilence year 2020, however, was bad for Greek tourism. In 2020, some 70 percent fewer tourists visited the country. This drastic decline meant less money for debt trapped Greece. Compared to 2019, tourist receipts in 2020 dropped by 78.2 percent.

Eds. (2021-03-16). Biden's retaliatory cyberattacks against Russia are folly. mronline.org MR Online

Ted Kelly (2021-03-16). $1.9 Trillion stimulus bill: relief or ripoff? workers.org These slightly edited remarks were made during Workers World Party's March 11 webinar, "Stimulus Bill — Relief or Ripoff?" moderated by Ted Kelly, WWP-Philadelphia. Ted Kelly. Credit: WW PHOTO Ted Kelly: The U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan stimulus bill on March 6. Tonight's roundtable with young revolutionary workers from Workers . . . |

Conn Hallinan (2021-03-16). Day of the Drone. counterpunch.org In the aftermath of the recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, drone warfare is being touted as the latest breakthrough in military technology, a "magic bullet" that makes armored vehicles obsolete, defeats sophisticated anti-aircraft systems, and rout entrenched infantry. While there is some truth in the hype, one needs to be especially wary of military "game changers," since there is always a seller at the end of the pitch.

Mark Gruenberg (2021-03-16). Poor People's Campaign takes voting rights drive to state capitals. peoplesworld.org &nbsp…

Justin Podur (2021-03-16). India's Right-Wing Government is So Hungry for Profit It Will Risk a Famine for the Country. counterpunch.org India's right-wing government has been deploying all the modern tools of repression against a historic farmers' protest. Much is at stake. For the people of India, their agricultural system is about to get far more precarious. For its farmers, ruin, and bankruptcy for millions, is all but guaranteed. For the government of Narendra Modi and

Cronkite News Arizona PBS (2021-03-16). Senate makes history with vote confirming Haaland as first Native American Interior secretary. juancole.com By Sarah Oven | — (Cronkite News) — (WASHINGTON — The Senate Monday confirmed New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as the next Interior secretary, a historic vote that makes her the first Native American to head a Cabinet agency. The confirmation came over the objection of Senate Republicans, particularly those representing Western states dependent on …

The Conversation (2021-03-16). After the insurrection, America's far-right groups get more extreme. juancole.com By Matthew Valasik and Shannon Reid | — As the U.S. grapples with domestic extremism in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, warnings about more violence are coming from the FBI Director Chris Wray and others. The Conversation asked Matthew Valasik, a sociologist at Louisiana State University, and Shannon E. …

CounterPunch News Service (2021-03-16). Centennial Mountain Heli-Skiing. counterpunch.org On Friday, March 12th, Ashton/Island Park District Ranger Liz Davy withdrew the possibility of a permit to allow helicopter skiing in a portion of the Centennial Mountains on the Idaho side of the range for the following reasons: + Research indicates use of helicopters has significant negative impacts to denning grizzly bears, a threatened species.

contributors (2021-03-16). What is Ramadan? Essential Information for Students and Teachers. juancole.com This FAQ was distributed by Samer Ali, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies at the University of Michigan, but it is useful for any campus and any community with a Muslim minority. RAMADAN 2021 AT U-M This Winter Semester, around finals, many Muslims at U-M will abstain from food and …

Alexander Rubinstein (2021-03-16). Intersectional Imperialism: A Wholesome Menace. mintpressnews.com WASHINGTON (Substack // In order to identify where woke imperialism exists, we have to define it first. So what is it? It's certainly not the first iteration of hegemonic domination buttressed by moralism. | The doctrine of Responsibility t…

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-16). Defense argues Floyd family settlement prejudices potential jury in Chauvin trial. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS—As had been expected, Erik Nelson, Derek Chauvin's attorney raised questions Monday regarding the timing and impact of the city's $27 million civil settlement with the Floyd family that was announced Friday. Typically, such settlements are announced after the conclusion of a criminal trial. Nelson argued that such pretrial publicity can have prejudicial effect on …

Eds. (2021-03-16). 8M: For a revolutionary feminism, which is not a cover photo but a struggle against all exploitation. mronline.org MR Online

Michael K. Emerson (2021-03-16). Sanitized Tyranny: The Weaponization of Truth. dissidentvoice.org On Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the Capitol Hill "insurrection", the Parler social media app was the number #1 most downloaded app in the Apple App Store. On "January 10, 2021, Parler CEO John Matze announced the company had been 'dropped by virtually all of its business alliances after Amazon, Apple and Google ended …

Thomas Klikauer — Norman Simms (2021-03-16). University Spiralists and Aca-Zombies. counterpunch.org As in many places where the ideology of neoliberalism holds sway, universities have been contaminated with the self-invented business imperatives of neoliberalism. For the better part of the last forty years, the conversion of universities from places where academics and students wanted to go to learn because knowledge was good to have into places to

Anurag Deb (2021-03-16). Re B: soldiers and the criminal process in Northern Ireland. ukhumanrightsblog.com Re B's application [2020] NIQB 76 was a challenge to a decision to prosecute a soldier for offences going back to 1972. Part of the small but politically divisive cohort of prosecutions arising out of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Re B provides a classic example of how courts approach the issue of fairness in …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-16). Bolivian judge orders 4 months of preventive detention for coup leader Jeanine àÅñez. peoplesdispatch.org Following the coup d'état against Evo Morales in November 2021, Añez's regime unleashed unprecedented levels of repression against those took to the streets in rejection of the coup…

Qiao Collective (2021-03-16). Race reductionism: Neocolonialism and the ruse of "Chinese privilege" mronline.org MR Online

Ralph Nader (2021-03-16). Perfidy Meets Putty — Congressional Democrats Betray Voters. counterpunch.org Do you remember the promises made by the Democratic Party's presidential and Congressional candidates on universal health insurance? You can forget their pledges and somber convictions now that your votes put the Democrats in charge of the House and the Senate. The Democrats' leaders are abandoning their promises and retreating into a cowardly corporatist future.

Al Neal (2021-03-16). Border influx slows Biden administration's effort to reverse Trump immigration policies. peoplesworld.org The coming of a spring season signifies new beginnings, quite like the transition from one presidential administration to another. And as with all things newly budding and beginning to bloom, some of the changes in Washington are gradual ones. President Joe Biden inherited a politically fractured nation and a Trump-sized mess, yet his first 50-plus …

Paul Haeder (2021-03-16). Shifty Shifters: Movers and Shapers like a Trillion Locusts. dissidentvoice.org The final report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) concludes that the project has been 'the most successful anti-poverty movement in history'. Two key claims underpin this narrative: that global poverty has been cut in half, and global hunger nearly in half, since 1990. This good-news narrative has been touted by the United Nations and …

Steve Topple (2021-03-16). Horrifying research shows two cops a month commit violent or sexual offences against women and children. thecanary.co THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS REFERENCES TO RAPE AND MURDER SOME PEOPLE MAY FIND DISTRESSING | Eight police officers have been convicted of murdering their wives or girlfriends in the past 11 years. This figure comes from

RT (2021-03-16). Bill Burr's black wife is a 'minority sex servant'? Woke activist called out for 'worst tweet ever'. rt.com Comedian Bill Burr has angered the cancel crowd with offensive jokes. They're calling him racist, but the fact that he's married to a black woman isn't placating them. To one, it actually means he owns a "minority sex servant." | Burr hosted last weekend's Grammy Awards, and his jokes rubbed woke viewers up the wrong way. He jibed at feminists, mispronounced Latino names, and (imagine the horror) made fun of K-pop. | A torrent of outrage followed, with some commenters threatening Burr with violence and death. Amid the uproar, one Twitter user stepped in to defend Burr from the racism accusations, posting a pic…

Eric A. Gordon (2021-03-16). Attractive chamber works by Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor on new CD. peoplesworld.org The name Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) often appears on lists of African-descended composers, but in truth I don't know that I'd ever heard any of his compositions, certainly not in live performance. Have you, Reader? A new CD has just appeared from Azica Records called UNCOVERED Volume 1 that is entirely dedicated to his music, and …

MEE staff (2021-03-16). Israel sentences 14-year-old Palestinian boy to two months in prison. middleeasteye.net Israel sentences 14-year-old Palestinian boy to two months in prison | Abdullah Obaid handed himself to Israeli authorities after being accused of throwing stones at police | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 14: 19 | Abdullah Obaid, 14, hugs his mother farewell before handing himself to an Israeli detention centre in West Jerusalem, 16 March 2021 (Screengrab) | An Israeli court on Tuesday sentenced a 14-year-old Palestinian…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-16). Syria: Ambush of government forces in south kills dozens, says monitor. middleeasteye.net Syria: Ambush of government forces in south kills dozens, says monitor | At least 21 Syrian soldiers were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Daraa, according to Observatory | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 15: 51 | A Syrian man rides a motorcycle while carrying a gas cylinder as he drives past the Omari mosque in the southern Syrian city of Daraa (AFP) | A military convoy came under an ambush in…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-03-16). Egypt mobilises institutions to respond to UN statement on rights record. middleeasteye.net Egypt mobilises institutions to respond to UN statement on rights record | Meanwhile, Algeria threatens to withdraw France 24 accreditation over alleged bias, and Saudi Arabia detains hundreds suspected of fraud | Tue, 03/16/2021 – 12: 27 | An Egyptian police officer stands at the entrance of the Tora prison, Cairo, 11 February 2020 (AFP) | Cairo directs response to damning UN report:…

2021-03-15: News Headlines

Online News Editor (2021-03-15). Bolivia's ex-President Añez transferred to women's prison. laprensalatina.com La Paz, Mar 15 (efe-epa).- Bolivia's former interim president, Jeanine Añez, on Monday was transferred to the Women's Orientation Center in the Obrajes district of La Paz, where she will be held in preventive detention during the ongoing investigation into the so-called "coup d'etat" case. Añez was transferred from the custody of the Special Crime …

subMedia (2021-03-15). System Fail #7: Brazil's Little Flu. dissidentvoice.org In this episode of System Fail we look at the devastating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the people of Brazil. We also speak with Brazil-based anarchist Acácio Augusto, of the Universidade Federal de Sà£o Paulo (UNIFESP). This episode was co-produced with our comrades at Antimidia, and we're happy to be dropping it …

Staff (2021-03-15). Headlines for March 15, 2021. democracynow.org FEMA to Deploy to U.S. Border Where 4,200 Migrant Children Are Being Held, States Open Up Vaccine Eligibility as Fauci Warns Flouting Health Measures Could Lead to New Surge, Italy Back in Lockdown, Germany Declares Third Wave, as Brazil Deaths and Cases Surge, More Countries Suspend Use of AstraZeneca Vaccine After Reports of Blood Clots, Burma Sees Deadliest Day of Anti-Coup Protests as U.S. Grants TPS Status to Burmese Nationals, Car Bomb in Afghanistan Kills at Least 8 as U.S. Seeks to Accelerate Peace Talks, Kosovo Opens Embassy, Czech Republic Opens Diplomatic Office in Jerusalem, 39 Students Missing After…

_____ (2021-03-15). Cuba Working on a 'People's Vaccine': the U.S. and the World Should Get Behind It. strategic-culture.org Cuba is now poised to play an important role in global efforts to curb the pandemic. New variants in South Africa and Brazil, all with yet unknown implications for vaccine effectiveness, have shown us that any effort to achieve herd immunity is only as good as it is accessible equitably across the globe. Yet, as predicted, the global north is outpacing the global south dramatically in vaccination.

Online News Editor (2021-03-15). Brazilians protest against Covid-19 restrictions as cases pile up. laprensalatina.com Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mar 14 (efe-epa).- Supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro demonstrations Sunday across Brazil against the restrictive measures imposed by the regional governments to arrest the worsening Covid-19 crisis in the second-worst affected country by the coronavirus pandemic. Protesters took to streets in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, and Belo Horizonte after …

Jeremy Ross (2021-03-15). How a Colombian Ex-President Went to Bat for Trump in Florida. counterpunch.org Latin Americans are used to the US government interfering in their politics. Over the years, the US has helped orchestrate a number of coups throughout the hemisphere, most notoriously the 1954 ouster of Guatemala's Jacobo àÅrbenz, and the 1973 military coup against Chile's Salvador Allende. But there are far more recent examples of meddling, including

Afro-Colombian eco-activist Francia Marquez (2021-03-15). Francia Márquez: A Very Warm Ancestral Greeting from Colombia to Mumia Abu-Jamal. indybay.org This is a new statement of solidarity with Mumia Abu-Jamal, made by Afro-Colombian environmental, human rights, and community activist Francia Márquez filmed by the Colombian organization Equipo Jurídico Pueblos.

John Clamp (2021-03-15). Myanmar: a Defiant Nation, Still Denied Justice. counterpunch.org Considering that the entire population of Myanmar, save the Tatmadaw and its shills, are now effectively prisoners to a politics anathema to all ordinary citizens, here's an update. The army are inveigling and paying villagers and retired military personnel to go and batter anti-coup protesters, in a darkly satirical take on astroturfing straight out of

The Conversation (2021-03-15). Sudan's Progressive, Secular Revolutionary Government faces Food Riots and Ethnic Violence. juancole.com By Andrew E. Yaw Tchie | — Sudan's political transition is in a precarious phase. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's government is facing a wide variety of challenges, including protests over the price of goods and commodities, and a resurgence of violence in the country's Darfur region. If the situation continues to unravel, the country could …

John Wojcik (2021-03-15). GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin backs Jan. 6 insurrectionists. peoplesworld.org Over the past few days, we've seen yet again a major indication that top Republican lawmakers are defending and promoting the white supremacists who attempted to overthrow the government on Jan. 6. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has intensified his prior defense of the right-wing insurrectionists by saying that he had nothing to fear from them …

Huitzilopochtli Marron (2021-03-15). 'Immigrants are welcome here,' San Diego protesters in solidarity with migrant caravan. liberationnews.org All revolutionary and progressive people should defend the freedom of movement for all people fleeing the horrors of U.S. imperialism regardless of their documentation status.

Eds. (2021-03-15). Women and nature: Towards an ecosocialist feminism. mronline.org MR Online

Eds. (2021-03-15). Murdoch Paper gives away the game: Cuomo is on their side. mronline.org MR Online

Tim Wheeler (2021-03-15). Pat Barile: A century of devotion to workers, equality, and socialism. peoplesworld.org Pat Barile learned the meaning of the word devotion from the rank-and-file workers at the Sonotone Corporation plant in White Plains, N.Y. in the mid-1940s and 1950s. Repeatedly, they elected him president of United Electrical Workers Local 428 for ten years—even after Cold Warriors had branded him a Communist and instigated a witch hunt and …

Erik Molvar (2021-03-15). Honor the Tribal Vision for Bears Ears National Monument. counterpunch.org President Obama's team lopped off more than half a million acres from the tribes' proposal in the final designation, including Wilson Mesa, lands between White Canyon and Red Canyon, and the eastern slopes of the Abajo Mountains. These changes were made to appease local concerns, following public meetings senior Obama administration officials held with area residents. In the end, the concessions were fruitless, and the political backlash was immediate.

Stephen F. Eisenman (2021-03-15). The Invisible Professor. counterpunch.org Three years ago, I informed my colleagues I would retire in 2021. That's when I became invisible. I'd never been invisible before. As the youngest of three children growing up in Forest Hills, Queens, I received extra attention from my parents, or so my sister and brother regularly tell me. In college, at SUNY Albany,

Éric Toussaint (2021-03-15). Thomas Piketty and Karl Marx: Two totally different visions of Capital. mronline.org MR Online

Lorri Nandrea (2021-03-15). Amazon alienation: Alabama union drive isn't just about wages. peoplesworld.org In a recent interview with The Real News Network, Amazon worker Darryl Richardson described his job as a picker in the Bessemer, Ala., fulfillment center. He clocks in, and a video stream tells him where to go. He logs in at his station, then waits until the robot comes. A video stream tells him what …

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2021-03-15). Ten Problems With Biden's Foreign Policy — and One Solution. counterpunch.org The Biden presidency is still in its early days, but it's not too early to point to areas in the foreign policy realm where we, as progressives, have been disappointed—or even infuriated. There are one or two positive developments, such as the renewal of Obama's New START Treaty with Russia and Secretary of State Blinken's

Julie Norris (2021-03-15). Bronx tenants to local politicians: 'Cancel the rents!'. liberationnews.org The tenant movement is growing more determined each day to expose and fight the injustice of housing under capitalism.

Richard Rhames (2021-03-15). Farming: A Dirty Truth. counterpunch.org These days it's common for in-crowd folks to adopt trendy and overused lingo. Maybe you've noticed that we don't have towns or cities anymore. We have "communities." "Problems" have been banished in favor of "challenges." Once upon a time there was a notion of "truth." Now everybody apparently has "their truth." Perhaps related is the

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-15). Reflections on Chauvin jury selection: Can anyone really be impartial? peoplesworld.org The commitment and ability to maintain impartiality looms large in the jury selection process in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd. When the judge swears in a potential juror, he asks whether they can maintain impartiality and render judgment based on the facts, evidence, and the …

Bezaleel Jupiter (2021-03-15). Why does Jackson, Mississippi have unsafe water? liberationnews.org The government—at the national, state, and city levels—is responsible for Jackson's water crisis and is also responsible for repairing the water system in its entirety.

Lindsey Tanner (2021-03-15). Long-haulers struggle with symptoms as scientists work to solve coronavirus mystery. peoplesworld.org (AP) There was no reason to celebrate on Rachel Van Lear's anniversary. The same day a global pandemic was declared, she developed symptoms of COVID-19. A year later, she's still waiting for them to disappear. And for experts to come up with some answers. The Texas woman is one of thousands of self-described long-haulers, patients […] | In the aftermath of the recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, drone warfare is being touted as the latest breakthrough in military technology, a "magic bullet" that makes armored vehicles obsolete, defeats sophisticated anti-aircraft systems,…

Dean Baker (2021-03-15). Profit Shares Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2009. cepr.net The Federal Reserve Board released an item of good news that might be missed. The Financial Accounts for the fourth quarter showed a decline in profit share of national income to 12.0 percent, the lowest annual share since 2009. It is far too early to know if this shift will be enduring, but it is …

Nomi Prins (2021-03-15). Making America more Equal . . . by Rebuilding the Country. juancole.com (Tomdispatch.com ) — During the Trump years, the phrase "Infrastructure Week" rang out as a sort of Groundhog Day-style punchline. What began in June 2017 as a failed effort by The Donald's White House and a Republican Senate to focus on the desperately needed rebuilding of American infrastructure morphed into a meme and a running …

Eds. (2021-03-15). Statement of Concern: The OPCW investigation of alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, Syria. mronline.org MR Online

Aaliyah Harris (2021-03-15). A new book is aiming to show how we can have 'life-changing' conversations about race. thecanary.co This fascinating read dives into a world of new vocabulary coined to initiate conversations around race. And it seeks to discuss "the race construct" which keeps "the di…

Calla Randall (2021-03-15). The Weekly Round-Up: Women's Rights — a Long Way to Go. ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: Women's rights and gender equality issues have been at the forefront of the news this week. The appalling murder of Sarah Everard, abducted when walking home in London, has elicited a huge social media response. In particular, it has highlighted the problematic phenomenon of victim-blaming directed at women, with advice focusing on …

RT (2021-03-15). 'Capitol rioter' reportedly told colleagues Nazis 'should have finished the job,' sported 'Hitler mustache' at Navy base (PHOTO). rt.com Army reservist and former Navy contractor Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, charged in the US Capitol riot probe, has been described as a Nazi sympathizer and was reportedly reprimanded by a supervisor for having a "Hitler mustache." | Hale-Cusanelli was arrested on January 15 as part of an ever-expanding investigation into the Capitol riot, which is on course to become the largest investigation in the history of the country. | One contractor colleague said Timothy Hale-Cusanelli discussed his dislike for Jews every day. A supervisor told investigators she had to admonish him for sporting a "Hitler" mustache (images of…

RT (2021-03-15). 'God cannot bless sin': Vatican firmly refuses to bless gay unions. rt.com The Vatican's orthodoxy office has ruled out any possibility of same-sex couples receiving an ecclesial blessing, maintaining that the Church does not approve such unions as God "cannot bless sin." | A detailed explanation delving into the Catholic Church's stance on same-sex unions was

RT (2021-03-15). Biden's border crisis: Number of kids detained soars past record levels as Dems blame Donald Trump. rt.com The surge of unaccompanied children across the US' Mexican border continues unabated, with more than 4,200 kids held in makeshift facilities. Democrats, who accused Donald Trump of caging kids, have blamed the former president. | More than 4,200 minors were being held in "jail-like" holding facilities near the US' southern border as of Sunday morning, according to a

RT (2021-03-15). WATCH: Jeffrey Epstein THANKED at Grammys in cringe-inducing nameswap. rt.com While accepting an award at the 63rd Grammys ceremony, one hapless producer inadvertently dropped one hell of a clanger, thanking disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. | While accepting the award for 'Best Music Film' for his documentary 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice' on Sunday night, producer James Keach, 73, appearing via videolink, made the miserable mixup. | HE ACTUALLY SAID JEFFREY EPSTEIN OMG ?😭😭😭😭

RT (2021-03-15). Elon Musk declares himself 'Technoking' of Tesla, company's CFO now its 'Master of Coin' — SEC filing. rt.com According to a somewhat baffling filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, in addition to being electric carmaker Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk is now also the company's 'Technoking.' | Tesla's chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn also now holds a new position of "Master of Coin," in apparent reference to George RR Martin's 'Game of Thrones' series of books and TV shows. | "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the

RT (2021-03-15). US has 1,000 'off-the-books' troops in Afghanistan, some of whom work with the CIA — media. rt.com The US military's presence in Afghanistan is larger than the public has been led to believe, the New York Times has reported, as Washington mulls a full withdrawal from the country as part of a deal with the Taliban. | Citing US, European and Afghan officials, the Times

RT (2021-03-15). Zuckerberg unveils new Facebook feature aimed at helping people get their Covid vaccine. rt.com Facebook is rolling out a tool that will make it easier for people to find information about where and when they can receive a Covid-19 shot, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced, as the platform fights disinformation about the jab. | In a message posted to the social media platform, Zuckerberg said that Facebook was launching a feature that will show users places nearby that are offering the shot, and will also help them make an appointment for it. The tool, part of the platform's 'Covid Information Center,' could help "millions" of people make vaccination appointments, the CEO said. The tool will also be availa…

Ali Harb (2021-03-15). US lawmakers urge Israel to vaccinate Palestinians as 'occupying entity'. middleeasteye.net US lawmakers urge Israel to vaccinate Palestinians as 'occupying entity' | Seventeen House members call for 'continued pressure' on Israel to meet its obligations under international law | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 19: 12 | Israeli helicopter carrying PM Benjamin Netanyahu flies over demonstrators in the Palestinian village of Susya in the occupied West Bank, 14 March (AFP) | Progressive members of the US Congress renewe…

Yossi Melman (2021-03-15). Netanyahu UAE trip: Israel's PM uses Jordan as fall guy to cover up blunder. middleeasteye.net Netanyahu UAE trip: Israel's PM uses Jordan as fall guy to cover up blunder | Relations between the Israelis and Jordanians hits new low after the prime minister uses kingdom to escape embarrassment | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 45 | A bird flies in front of a Likud Party election campaign banner depicting its leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters) | An odd concoction of a cancelled mee…

MEE staff (2021-03-15). Palestinians lambast Netanyahu's visit to archaeological site near settler outpost. middleeasteye.net Palestinians lambast Netanyahu's visit to archaeological site near settler outpost | The PA's foreign ministry says the visit will embolden settlers to attack Palestinians | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 38 | Palestinian women chant slogans as Israeli soldiers stand guard during a protest in the Palestinian village of Susya in the occupied West Bank, 14 March 2021 (AFP) | Palestine's foreign affairs ministry on Monday…

yenisafak (2021-03-15). Morales slams Bolivian church for backing 'oppressors'. yenisafak.com His remarks came hours after Judge Regina Santa Cruz has ordered Sunday four months pre-trial detention for Anez following her arrest on "sedition, terrorism and conspiracy" charges. Former ministers Alvaro Coimbra and Rodrigo Guzman will be also held in preventive detention for four months.Some hierarchs of the church "side with the oppressor, forget the humble and ask for freedom of the coup plotters subjected to justice when they never claimed or mentioned the victims of the Senkata and Sacaba massacres," Morales said in a tweet.The arrest warrants were issued Friday against Anez and her Cabinet members, inclu…

Beth Geglia (2021-03-15). Cuba Working on a 'People's Vaccine': the US and the world should get behind it. counterpunch.org From my hospital bed, as the global emergency around me escalated, I witnessed how the Cuban government swiftly mobilized resources to protect its citizens from Covid-19: at-home testing for anyone with symptoms, door to door preventative education in the most vulnerable neighborhoods, and coordinated isolation when necessary. While deaths soared toward 100,000 in the U.S., Cuba was able to get the average daily Covid-19 related deaths close to zero for most of May-August.

MEE, agencies (2021-03-15). Syria: UK announces new sanctions on Assad officials. middleeasteye.net Syria: UK announces new sanctions on Assad officials | British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab reveals new targeted sanctions against six members of the Syrian government, including Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 11: 20 | President Bashar al-Assad and wife Asma (R) look at apple-tree saplings in al-Drekish, western Syria, in a picture released by the official Syrian Arab…

Ragip Soylu (2021-03-15). Syria: Turkey asks for western support amid Russia-backed attacks. middleeasteye.net Syria: Turkey asks for western support amid Russia-backed attacks | Erdogan calls for an 'investment in peace and stability', and says Turkey is the only actor that could resolve the Syria crisis | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 10: 20 | Members of the White Helmets extinguish a fire following a reported bombardment of makeshift oil refining installations in the Tarhin area, north of Aleppo province, on 5 March 2021…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-15). Iraqi drug trafficker freed in ambush while travelling to court. middleeasteye.net Iraqi drug trafficker freed in ambush while travelling to court | Armed men posing as soldiers forced more than 100 police officers to hand over the suspected drug trafficker | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 43 | Iraqi policemen who numbered about 100 had no choice but to surrender their prisoner to armed men, a police source said (AFP/file photo) | An Iraqi drug trafficker suspected of having ties…

MEE staff (2021-03-15). Saudi Arabia-Israel normalisaton is 'in sight', says Jared Kushner. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia-Israel normalisaton is 'in sight', says Jared Kushner | Former Trump adviser calls on President Biden to continue push for formal ties between Israel and Arab states | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 16: 16 | Jared Kushner at the Royal Palace in Rabat after the normalisation deal between Israel and Morocco on 22 December 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Jared Kusher, Donald Trump's son-in-law who served as an adviser in…

MEE staff (2021-03-15). Iran warns Israel it will 'consider all options' in response to cargo ship attack. middleeasteye.net Iran warns Israel it will 'consider all options' in response to cargo ship attack | Iranian spokesman accuses Israel of purposefully attempting to 'create unrest' in the region, hinting at plans for retribution | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 54 | Iranian-flagged container ship Shahr e Kord sails in Bosphorus on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey on 9 February 2020 (Reuters/File photo) | Iran's fore…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-15). Saudi scholar Salman al-Odah trial delayed for four months. middleeasteye.net Saudi scholar Salman al-Odah trial delayed for four months | Odah's son says the prominent scholar was handcuffed when he appeared in court on Sunday | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 09: 57 | Odah has spent three years in solitary confinement after being detained for a tweet calling for reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar (AFP) | Imprisoned Saudi scholar Salman al-Odah attended a closed trial…

Nur Ayoubi (2021-03-15). Online fury in Saudi Arabia after Dubai deputy police chief's Mecca tweet. middleeasteye.net Online fury in Saudi Arabia after Dubai deputy police chief's Mecca tweet | Saudi Twitter users criticise Dhahi Khalfan for calling for the mobilisation of Sunni Muslims to protect Mecca from Shia-led forces | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 11: 48 | Khalfan's tweets were in response to Yemen's Houthi movement expressing its loyalty to Iran (AFP) | Dubai's deputy chief of police, Dhahi Khalfan, has attracted backlash fro…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-15). Yemen: Houthis claim drone attack on airports in southern Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net Yemen: Houthis claim drone attack on airports in southern Saudi Arabia | Saudi-led coalition confirms that it had intercepted an armed drone headed to Khamis Mushait | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 08: 29 | Yemen's Houthi soldiers march during a funeral procession in Marib as it escalates its campaign to take control of the city (Reuters) | Yemen's Houthi movement on Monday said its armed drones had s…

MEE staff (2021-03-15). Four-year-old Canadian girl released from Syrian detention camp. middleeasteye.net Four-year-old Canadian girl released from Syrian detention camp | The young child is on her way to Canada, but her mother has been left behind | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 15: 41 | More than 64,000 individuals, mostly women and children, are languishing in detention camps in Syria (AFP) | A four-year-old girl has been released from a detention camp in northeast Syria and is on her way to Canada without her mother, offi…