Daily Archives: March 9, 2021

2021-03-09: News Headlines

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

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

Simon Black (2021-03-09). The CDC Mandate Masks Study: Is the CDC About to be Canceled by Google and Facebook for "COVID Heresy"? globalresearch.ca On Friday afternoon, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

F. Douglas Stephenson (2021-03-09). Biden's Neoliberal American Rescue Health Plan: Covid-19 Showed us Why we Need Single Payer. juancole.com Gainesville, Florida (Special to Informed Comment) — President Biden, the Democratic Party and America's neoliberal vision of world order is rooted in an economic philosophy of privatization and financialization. To assure privatization goals of the 1% oligarchs, distinguished economist Michael Hudson writes that this is achieved by "conquering the brains of a country by shaping …

yenisafak (2021-03-09). Philippines tops, Pakistan nears 600,000 COVID-19 cases. yenisafak.com The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines and Pakistan climbed, with Manila crossing the 600,000 mark on Tuesday after 2,668 new infections were reported.According to the Philippines health authorities, the total number of COVID-19 cases hit 600,428 with 41,822 active cases.With the latest seven deaths confirmed on Tuesday, the total number of virus-related fatalities in the country reached 12,528.Meanwhile, Pakistan's tally of coronavirus cases neared 600,000 as infections climbed again following a decline over the last two months.According to data from the country's Health Ministry, 1,353 new cases were r…

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…

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 . . . |

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). The Urban Poor Are Paying a Steep 'Murder Tax' Since 2020. strategic-culture.org By Sean KENNEDY | While COVID-19 imposed a terrible toll in death and economic destruction in 2020, another epidemic devastates American communities both financially and personally—violence. | Preliminary statistics show murders rose by

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

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…

Staff (2021-03-09). Headlines for March 9, 2021. democracynow.org CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Safely Gather in Small Groups Without Masks, Italy's COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 100,000; Peru and Vietnam Begin Mass Vaccinations, Jury Selection Delayed at Start of Trial of Derek Chauvin, Ex-Cop Who Killed George Floyd, Kentucky Judge Dismisses All Charges Against Breonna Taylor's Boyfriend over Fatal No-Knock Raid, 3,200 Unaccompanied Children of Asylum Seekers Held by U.S. Border Patrol, Biden Administration Grants Temporary Protected Status to 300,000+ Venezuelans in U.S., Brazilian Judge Annuls Convictions Against Ex-President Lula da Silva, Paving Way for 2022 Run, New…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2021-03-09). 70% of US Supports Removing Vaccine Patents, Sharing Recipes Globally to 'Bring This Pandemic to an End'. commondreams.org "In the battle against Covid-19, we must always remember that Covid anywhere is Covid everywhere. We can't end the pandemic or rebuild the economy without a vaccine that is free, fair, and available to all." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

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

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

SF Dept of Health & Partners (2021-03-09). Tuesday 3/9: San Francisco Town Hall: COVID-19 Vaccine Info & LGBTQ+ Community. indybay.org Online event via Zoom…

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

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

The Daily Expose (2021-03-09). Number of Women in the U.K. Who Have Lost Baby as a Result of COVID Vaccine Doubles in Just 7 Days: MHRA Data Shows. globalresearch.ca It saddens us to have to report that as a result …

Pam Long (2021-03-09). No COVID Vaccine? No Travel, Air Force Officials Say. globalresearch.ca The U.S. Air Force Air has created policies intended to restrict …

yenisafak (2021-03-09). Australia seeks pressure on EU over vaccine supply. yenisafak.com Australia plans to build a "coalition of countries" to pressure the EU into delivering planned doses of coronavirus vaccines, local media reported.Last Thursday, Italy decided to stop the shipment of more than 250,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses destined for Australia.The European Commission defended Italy's move, saying it was not targeting Australia but ensuring that AstraZeneca delivers the number of doses agreed with EU authorities.Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan said he is "incredibly disappointed" by the decision, adding he plans to work with Canada, Japan, Norway and New Zealand to push the EU to change…

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…

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). Panama mired in severe economic hardship after year of coronavirus. laprensalatina.com By Ana de Leon Panama City, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- "We have to apply the vaccine and trust in it, we have no other choice," Yolanda Ngichingkee, a nurse in Panama's capital, told Efe while placing a dose in a refrigerator. Tuesday marks the grim one-year anniversary of the start of the coronavirus crisis in Panama, …

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 …

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 …

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…

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

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

teleSUR (2021-03-09). Paraguay: Lawmakers Call for President Abdo's Impeachment. telesurenglish.net Paraguayan opposition lawmakers Monday informed they will call for an impeachment trial against President Mario Abdo for his mishandling of the pandemic, which has sparked a wave of protests nationwide. | RELATED: | The Guasu Front, the Liberal Party, and two opposition parties seek to remove Abdo from power amid the crisis faced by the healthcare system due to drug shortages. | Over the last five days, Paraguayans have been…

WSWS (2021-03-09). UK: NHS protest organiser fined £10,000 under pandemic legislation. wsws.org The abandonment of the lockdown and all public health measures to contain the pandemic and using the virus as a pretext to attack democratic rights go hand-in-hand.

news.un (2021-03-09). Endemic violence against women 'cannot be stopped with a vaccine' — WHO chief. news.un.org Over the past decade, violence against women has been "endemic in every country and culture", according to a new study released by the UN health agency on Tuesday.

alexander (2021-03-09). The Environment of the Vaccine — the Vaccine and the Environment. dsausa.org When Pfizer-BioNTech announced its breakthrough vaccine, 1.1 billion doses were immediately purchased by Japan, the European Union, and the United States. Canada's government secured access to hundreds of millions of doses of various vaccines—for its 38 million people. Meanwhile, the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment was made to share vaccines and inoculate the poorest fifth of the world's population through an aid program funded by the wealthiest. | But the People's Vaccine Alliance, comprised of Frontline AIDS, Global Justice Now, OXFAM, and Amnesty International, warned about the ongoing impact of…

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 . . . |

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 . . . |

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

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 . . . |

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, …

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

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.

Betsey Piette (2021-03-09). Philadelphia / Protest outside Bezos-owned Whole Foods. workers.org Demonstrators supporting union rights for workers at the Bessemer, Ala., Amazon warehouse picketed outside the South St. Whole Foods market in Philadelphia March 5. They greeted workers and shoppers with flyers, banners and chants including "Union busting is disgusting" — indicating Amazon and Whole Foods are not welcome in our . . . |

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.

_____ (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

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

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 |

Staff (2021-03-09). The Murder of George Floyd: Officer Derek Chauvin Trial Set to Begin as New Charges Considered. democracynow.org The murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for killing George Floyd, is proceeding to jury selection despite an order from an appeals court judge that a third-degree murder charge be considered, as well. We speak with Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and racial justice activist, who says that if the trial proceeds, who serves on the jury could prove crucial in the case. "A big part of the concern is whether or not there will be any real diversity on the jury," says Levy Armstrong. "The jury questionnaire had questions s…

Staff (2021-03-09). The Burglary That Exposed COINTELPRO: Activists Mark 50th Anniversary of Daring FBI Break-in. democracynow.org Fifty years ago, on March 8, 1971, a group of eight activists staged one of the most stunning acts of defiance of the Vietnam War era when they broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, and stole every document they found. The activists, calling themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI, began leaking shocking details about FBI abuses to the media. The documents exposed COINTELPRO, the FBI's secret Counterintelligence Program, a global, clandestine, unconstitutional practice of surveillance, infiltration and disruption of groups engaged in protest, dissent and social change. Targets includ…

Staff (2021-03-09). The Murder of George Floyd: Officer Derek Chauvin Trial Set to Begin as Feds Consider New Charges. democracynow.org The murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for killing George Floyd, is proceeding to jury selection despite an order from an appeals court judge that a third-degree murder charge be considered, as well. We speak with Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and racial justice activist, who says that if the trial proceeds, who serves on the jury could prove crucial in the case. "A big part of the concern is whether or not there will be any real diversity on the jury," says Levy Armstrong. "The jury questionnaire had questions s…

yenisafak (2021-03-09). Over 50 asylum seekers held in western Turkey. yenisafak.com At least 55 asylum seekers, all Iraqi nationals, were held in western Turkey on Tuesday, security sources said.The migrants, including 33 women, were found hidden in two containers at a port in the Aliaga district of Izmir province.Gendarmerie forces acted after employees working at the port owned by a private company heard noise from the containers and reported to the officials, according to security forces.The migrants are said to be in good health.An investigation conducted by the gendarmerie found that the asylum seekers were brought from the southeastern Sanliurfa province on March 5 and were planned to be s…

RT (2021-03-09). As migrants pour over US border, White House won't admit Biden's dealing with a crisis. rt.com The fruits of Joe Biden's border policies are already apparent: a tripling of children detained at the border, and crossings set to hit record levels. Yet the administration refuses to acknowledge it has a crisis on its hands. | The number of unaccompanied migrant children detained along the southern US border has tripled in the last two weeks to more than 3,250, the New York Times

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 …