(2021-03-13). Perfidy Meets Putty: Congressional Democrats Betray Voters. dissidentvoice.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. …
(2021-03-13). Celebrating our Declaration of Independence from Covid with Poetry of Omar Khayyam. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — President Biden on Thursday expressed the expectation that the vaccination of the US population will have proceeded to the extent by July 4 that we can look forward to small gatherings of friends and family then. The calculation is that when 70% of the population is inoculated, the virus will …
(2021-03-13). The governor of Texas, Neanderthals and COVID-19. workers.org 
The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, made a surprise announcement March 2 in Lubbock, a city of 200,000 people in West Texas. All state mandates to combat the spread of COVID-19 were being lifted. Counties and municipalities cannot require basic public health policies to limit the spread of disease after March . . . |
(2021-03-13). Right-wing Texas college president assaults free speech, ignores COVID. liberationnews.org 
Matkin, who according to college records could receive a salary as high as $1 million, recently decided not to renew the contracts of three faculty members who have been vocal about unsafe work conditions during COVID-19.
(2021-03-13). Chris Hedges: Bandaging The Corpse. popularresistance.org The established ruling elites know there is a crisis. They agreed, at least temporarily, to throw money at it with the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 bill known as American Rescue Plan (ARP). But the ARP will not alter the structural inequities, either by raising the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour or imposing taxes and regulations on corporations or the billionaire class that saw its wealth increase by a staggering $1.1 trillion since the start of the pandemic. The health system will remain privatized, meaning the insurance and pharmaceutical corporations will reap a windfall of tens of billions of dollars with the ARP,…
(2021-03-13). The Heat: Biden pledges vaccines for all Americans by May. america.cgtn.com 
After a year of unimaginable loss, U.S. President Biden says every American will have access to a COVID-19 vaccine in the next two months.
(2021-03-13). COVID-19 infections in Africa surpass 4m. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 13 (MNA) — According to the latest figures published by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), a number of COVID-19 infections in the continent has topped 4 million.
(2021-03-13). Tunisia begins Covid-19 vaccination rollout with Sputnik V. laprensalatina.com Tunis, Mar 13 (efe-epa).- Tunisia on Saturday got its coronavirus vaccination rollout underway by administering the first of 30,000 Sputnik V doses to healthcare workers and elderly people suffering from underlying health conditions. Tunisia, which has reported Africa's second highest mortality rate from Covid-19, aims to inoculate around 20% of its 15 million inhabitants by …
(2021-03-13). Inside a Brazilian ICU overwhelmed by Covid-19. laprensalatina.com By Carlos Meneses Sánchez Sao Paulo, Mar 13 (efe-epa).- The intensive care unit at the M'Boi Mirim hospital in the suburbs of Sao Paulo looks like a warzone. Legions of health staff are working at full tilt to attend an overwhelming number of Covoid-19 patients of all ages, a situation of life or death for …
(2021-03-13). A week of Paraguay protests marked with dwindling numbers. laprensalatina.com Asunción, Mar 12 (efe-epa).- A week of protests in Paraguay against the government of Mario Abdo Benítez ended on Friday with fewer and more deflated protesters after the president made Cabinet changes and the health authorities declared a red alert due to the increase in Covid-19 infections in the country. Only about 200 people demonstrated …
(2021-03-13). 'It could have been prevented': Relatives of NY nursing home victims tell RT they hold Cuomo responsible for their deaths. rt.com 
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is at fault for the state's disastrous nursing home policies amid the Covid-19 crisis, relatives of care home patients who succumbed to the virus told RT, voicing hopes for accountability. | Grace Colucci, whose elderly father passed away following a 20-day stint in a New York nursing home for physical rehabilitation, told RT's Colon Bray that she and other family members were unable to contact her dad during his stay due to pandemic restrictions, and that he emerged from the home with "very severe symptoms" of what later was confirmed to be Covid-19. | "We were not able to have…
(2021-03-13). Jordan: Health minister submits resignation after Covid-19 patients die of oxygen shortage. middleeasteye.net 
Jordan: Health minister submits resignation after Covid-19 patients die of oxygen shortage | An investigation is underway to determine what led to shortage of oxygen in state-run hospital | Sat, 03/13/2021 – 12: 40 | Jordan's King Abdullah II visiting a room during the inauguration of the health ministry's Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed field hospital for Covid-19 patients in Aqaba on 24 January…
(2021-03-13). [Editorial] Access to COVID-19 vaccines: looking beyond COVAX. thelancet.com Global health leaders have been in a congratulatory mood. On March 1, they celebrated the first vaccinations against COVID-19 in Africa delivered through COVAX—the scheme led by GAVI, CEPI, and WHO to support research and development, raise funding, and negotiate the bulk purchase and equitable global distribution of vaccines for COVID-19. As of March 9, 12 million doses have been shipped to 29 countries, marking the beginning of the largest vaccine roll-out in history. This is an unprecedented achievement.
(2021-03-13). US Chamber Of Commerce Presses WTO Not To Grant Vaccine Waivers. popularresistance.org The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday warned the World Trade Organization's new director-general not to "distract" herself with proposals to suspend global intellectual property rules in order to distribute COVID-19 vaccines around the world. | Patrick Kilbride, senior vice president of the Global Innovation Policy Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, told the WTO to recognize how important "transparent and predictable intellectual property rights" have been in spurring collaborative efforts to develop vaccines. | Kilbride's comments came just a day after the trade body's new director-general, Ngozi Okonjo-I…
(2021-03-13). [World Report] Countries split from EU on COVID-19 vaccines. thelancet.com Czech Republic and Slovakia have turned to the Sputnik V vaccine, despite it not being approved by the European Medicines Agency. Ed Holt reports.
(2021-03-13). Ethiopia begins COVID-19 vaccine rollout. yenisafak.com Hoping to curb a recent spike in infections, Ethiopia kicked off its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday.Jabs were administered in several major cities, including the capital Addis Ababa, where top government officials and UN representatives attended a ceremony at the Eka General Hospital.Doctors, nurses, and support staff at the hospital, one of Ethiopia's main COVID-19 treatment centers, were given shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine.Ethiopia received its first batch of 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last week under the COVAX initiative, a project co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO) that…
(2021-03-13). Libya premier vows to provide COVID-19 vaccines soon. yenisafak.com Libya's new Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh pledged Saturday to provide vaccines against the coronavirus pandemic at the earliest possible time."The vaccine will be provided to Libyan citizens, foreign residents and migrants," Dbeibeh said as he attended an event on COVID-19 in the capital Tripoli."Wearing masks will be mandatory. This is the least thing we can do in our effort to curb the virus," Dbeibeh added in a statement issued by his office.Libya's taskforce on the coronavirus said Tuesday that the country will import 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines this month.On March 2, the World Health Organization…
(2021-03-13). WHO lists Johnson & Johnson vaccine for emergency use. yenisafak.com The World Health Organization on Friday listed the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Janssen (Johnson Johnson) for emergency use in all countries, saying that more than 335 million jabs have been safely administered worldwide to date.The decision followed the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorization a day before and made it the fourth vaccine to receive WHO emergency use approval."More than 335 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally so far, and no deaths have been found to have been caused by COVID-19 vaccines," said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus at a bi-weekly webinar hoste…
(2021-03-13). Turkish Cargo carries UNICEF-supplied COVID-19 vaccines. yenisafak.com Turkish Cargo, a subsidiary of the national flag carrier Turkish Airlines, has carried coronavirus vaccines and other medical equipment supplied by UNICEF across the world."As the air cargo brand that utilizes the widest flight network of the world, Turkish Cargo shoulders an important mission in the fight against the pandemic," it said in a press release on Saturday.The firm has carried 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which were procured from India by UNICEF, from India's Mumbai to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.It also carried hundreds of thousands of syringes from Barcelona t…
(2021-03-13). [Perspectives] A shared COVID-19 testimony. thelancet.com "Six feet away, a father, a man I am yet to lay eyes on, is dying of a disease only named a month ago." This unfamiliar clinical territory starts Rachel Clarke's Breathtaking: Inside the NHS in a Time of Pandemic as she describes reviewing Winston, a patient admitted with COVID-19. She relates the effort to communicate care to Winston and his sons while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the anxiety of trying to do her job in a situation unimaginable only a few months before.
(2021-03-13). [Correspondence] Clinician engineers—the time is now. thelancet.com I read with great interest the Perspective by Roger Kneebone and Claudia Schlegel,1 and I agree about the pigeon-holed approach to medical education.1 COVID-19 has shown clinicians and engineers working side by side to ensure health-care worker safety via personal protective equipment and the management of patients through ventilators.
(2021-03-13). [World Report] Health in Syria: a decade of conflict. thelancet.com 10 years have passed since the conflict in Syria began. Experts warn that the outlook is bleak as the decimated health system faces COVID-19. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2021-03-13). COVID-19 continues to hit Latin America severely. yenisafak.com In Latin America, more infections and fatalities from the coronavirus were reported on Saturday.- BrazilA total of 2,216 people lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing Brazil's death toll to 275,105, according to the latest update by the Health Ministry.The country also reported 85,663 new virus cases, with the overall count standing around 11.3 million.Sao Paulo stands out as the region most affected by the outbreak with over 2.17 million cases and 63,531 deaths.The country has reported over 10 million recoveries thus far.- MexicoAccording to the Health Ministry, Mexico's COVID-19 case ta…
(2021-03-13). Turkey reports over 14,900 new coronavirus infections. yenisafak.com Turkey on Friday reported 14,941 more coronavirus cases, including 834 symptomatic patients, according to the Health Ministry.The country's case tally stands at 2.85 million, while the nationwide death toll reached 29,356, with 66 fatalities over the past day.As many as 11,180 more patients in the country won the battle against the virus, with the total number of recoveries passing 2.67 million.More than 34.8 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in Turkey to date, with 148,856 since Thursday.The latest figures show that the number of COVID-19 patients in critical condition stands at 1,349.So far, more th…
(2021-03-13). Indian premier holds 'fruitful' 4-nation meeting. yenisafak.com In his opening remarks at the virtual meeting, Modi said, "We are united by our democratic values.""[..] our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today, covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies — make the Quad, a force for global good," he said.Quad comprises the US, Japan, Australia and India.Stating that Quad "has come of age", Modi said that it "will remain an important pillar of stability in the region."In multiple tweets later on Friday, Modi said he had a "fruitful discussion" with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison an…
(2021-03-13). On the picket line. workers.org 
Bosses retaliate against Hunts Point workers Business retaliation against union organizing is nothing new. Weak laws and minimal fines embolden corporations like Amazon to hire strikebreaking law firms to intimidate workers into voting down attempts to unionize their workplace. Workers who strike or successfully organize face the threat of losing . . . |
(2021-03-13). Business circles welcome Turkey's new economic reforms. yenisafak.com Business representatives have expressed their appreciation for Turkey's new economic reform package aimed at boosting investment, production, jobs, and exports.Announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, the package included several measures such as reducing foreign exchanges' share in total debt stock and establishing new mechanisms — Healthcare Industries Presidency, Software and Hardware Industries Presidency, Economic Coordination Council, and Financial Stability Committee.It also highlighted accountability, saving and transparency for economy administration in the coming period.Abdurrahman Kaan,…
(2021-03-13). Syria's first lady faces possible prosecution and loss of UK citizenship. middleeasteye.net 
Syria's first lady faces possible prosecution and loss of UK citizenship | Britain's Metropolitan police have opened a preliminary investigation into allegations that Asma al-Assad incited war crimes | Sat, 03/13/2021 – 22: 19 | British-born Asma al-Assad has been under EU and US sanctions since 2012 (AFP) | London's Metropolitan police have opened a preliminary investigation into allegations that Asma al-Assa…
(2021-03-13). Ten Problems With Biden's Foreign Policy and One Solution. dissidentvoice.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 …
(2021-03-13). Human rights report on the Lasalin massacre. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-13). Floyd family gets $27M settlement; activists say 'no substitute for change'. peoplesworld.org 
MINNEAPOLIS—By a unanimous vote of the Minneapolis City Council Friday, the city agreed to pay a $27 million settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by the George Floyd family. According to media reports, it is the largest pre-trial settlement in U.S. history. The settlement was announced as the first week of jury selection was …
(2021-03-13). What's behind the Biden Administration's new $100 billion nuclear missile system? mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-13). Black Lives Matter protests are saving lives. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-13). Sarah Everard vigil cancelled. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Reclaim These Streets v Metropolitan Police Sarah Everard, a 33 year old woman living in London, was walking home from a friend's house at around 9pm on Wednesday 3rd March 2021 when she disappeared without trace. In the days that followed, public appeals for information and press coverage ensured that the case was widely discussed. A …
(2021-03-13). San Francisco: Haitian community denounces murderous coup regime. workers.org 
San Francisco — Waving Haitian flags, a crowd of 80 demonstrated March 1 to mark the anniversary of the bloody U.S.-backed coup d'etat in 2004 that overthrew the popular government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The beloved former president was kidnapped and flown to Africa on a U.S. military plane, beginning a . . . |
(2021-03-13). Knoxville, TN, activists present 'award' to city's top evictor. liberationnews.org 
When activists arrived at the housing complex owned by Robert Greene, the residents who lived there came out of their homes and cheered the protesters on — a visible sign of how urgently these demands speak to working class people.
(2021-03-13). Lula's right to run for president of Brazil restored in major victory for people's movemen. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-13). Sarah Everard vigil cancelled. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Reclaim These Streets v Metropolitan Police Sarah Everard, a 33 year old woman living in London, was walking home from a friend's house at around 9pm on Wednesday 3rd March 2021 when she disappeared without trace. In the days that followed, public appeals for information and press coverage ensured that the case was widely discussed. A …
(2021-03-13). February revolution in Burma. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-13). [World Report] Countries split from EU on COVID-19 vaccines. thelancet.com Czech Republic and Slovakia have turned to the Sputnik V vaccine, despite it not being approved by the European Medicines Agency. Ed Holt reports.
(2021-03-13). Indian premier holds 'fruitful' 4-nation meeting. yenisafak.com In his opening remarks at the virtual meeting, Modi said, "We are united by our democratic values.""[..] our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today, covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies — make the Quad, a force for global good," he said.Quad comprises the US, Japan, Australia and India.Stating that Quad "has come of age", Modi said that it "will remain an important pillar of stability in the region."In multiple tweets later on Friday, Modi said he had a "fruitful discussion" with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison an…
(2021-03-13). [Perspectives] A shared COVID-19 testimony. thelancet.com "Six feet away, a father, a man I am yet to lay eyes on, is dying of a disease only named a month ago." This unfamiliar clinical territory starts Rachel Clarke's Breathtaking: Inside the NHS in a Time of Pandemic as she describes reviewing Winston, a patient admitted with COVID-19. She relates the effort to communicate care to Winston and his sons while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and the anxiety of trying to do her job in a situation unimaginable only a few months before.
(2021-03-13). [Correspondence] Clinician engineers—the time is now. thelancet.com I read with great interest the Perspective by Roger Kneebone and Claudia Schlegel,1 and I agree about the pigeon-holed approach to medical education.1 COVID-19 has shown clinicians and engineers working side by side to ensure health-care worker safety via personal protective equipment and the management of patients through ventilators.
(2021-03-13). [World Report] Health in Syria: a decade of conflict. thelancet.com 10 years have passed since the conflict in Syria began. Experts warn that the outlook is bleak as the decimated health system faces COVID-19. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2021-03-13). FROM THE FIELD: Avoiding unintended pregnancies in cash-strapped Malawi. news.un.org In Malawi, as in many countries across the world, funds meant for sexual reproductive health and family planning are being diverted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and the UN has stepped in to prevent these services from grinding to a halt.
(2021-03-13). Defeating Climate Denialism by showing People how they will Win by Greening Society. juancole.com 
By Sarah Sharma and Matthew Hoffmann | — Canada and the United States are suddenly steeped in policy proposals to aggressively cut carbon emissions. In the face of a climate emergency and on the heels of numerous climate disasters, this is welcome news indeed. In the U.S., the newly minted Biden administration has unleashed a …
(2021-03-13). Perilous Journey — My Experiences as a Delegate Inside the Democratic Party. realprogressives.org 
"I have lived inside the belly of the Monster and know him from within." Cuban revolutionary Jose Marti | I only spent a brief time inside the Democratic Party as an elected delegate for Bernie Sanders in 2020, but it was enough to determine that the monster is indeed irreformable. My delegate journey exposed me to the gross incompetence and corruption within the party. The following reflects my personal experience as a delegate from Colorado's Congressional District 2. My conclusion from these few months is there is no path forward inside the Democratic Party. This should be no surprise at all, as…
(2021-03-13). National Public Radio Makes Stuff Up to Tell a Story About Interest Rates and Budget Deficits. cepr.net 
A story on All Things Considered last night told listeners: "In the early '90s, President Bill Clinton's administration was troubled by this looming problem. Year after year, both government deficits and interest rates were going up. Here's one of his top economic advisers, Laura Tyson. "LAURA TYSON: 'And then he said, oh, my goodness, if …
(2021-03-13). Scammer charged with money laundering & wire fraud after bilking $450k from donors for fake Black Lives Matter charity, DOJ says. rt.com 
A fraudster has been indicted on federal charges for his alleged role in swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors who thought they were giving to a Black Lives Matter group, instead pocketing the funds for himself. | Ohio man Sir Maejor Page, 32, was slapped with four federal counts this week, the DOJ announced in a
(2021-03-13). 'The Bachelor' host who was 'canceled' after defending contestant hounded by 'woke police' won't return for next season. rt.com 
Fans of Chris Harrison were saddened to learn that he will not be hosting the upcoming season of 'The Bachelorette'. Harrison stepped down from the show amid a controversy surrounding an allegedly racist contestant. | Harrison, who went on leave from 'The Bachelor' in mid-February after taking heat for defending one of the participants from accusations of racism, will not be part of the next season of 'The Bachelorette', the gender-swapped version of the show. ABC Entertainment and Warner Horizon confirmed earlier speculation that this would be the case in a statement, saying that former contestants Tayshia Ad…