(2021-03-18). Pandemic's impact propels new push for Medicare for All. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Propelled by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which exposed, as never before, the gaping holes in U.S. health care's non-system, proponents of Medicare For All launched a new push for comprehensive health care reconstruction. But the March 17 exuberant "Town Hall" for the bill, re-introduced by House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., …
(2021-03-18). Public Health Care in Canada and the US: A Matter of Justice. dsausa.org The United States and Canada have very different systems of health care. Americans are currently fighting to expand health care with a system of single-payer Medicare for All. Canadians pride themselves on their public healthcare system, but there are still many gaps to be addressed. Join labour leaders and progressive politicians for a discussion on…
(2021-03-18). The Essential Pandemic Relief Bill Is Medicare for All. thenation.com The Essential Pandemic Relief Bill Is Medicare for All…
(2021-03-18). Syria needs Long-Term Housing for the Neediest, and the US needs to Stop Blocking it. juancole.com 
By Hany Al Banna | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — March 15, 2021, will mark a grim milestone—the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the popular uprising that led to the civil war still engulfing Syria. As we all grapple with the deadly crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world's …
(2021-03-18). The International Federation of Journalists calls for Mumia Abu-Jamal's release. indybay.org Mumia Abu-Jamal, an African-American journalist with close ties to the Black Panthers, who has spent nearly 40 years in prison, has tested positive for Covid. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed calls from US (NWU) and French (SNJ-CGT) affiliates for his immediate release amid growing fears over his health.
(2021-03-18). NYT accused of 'fueling anti-Asian racism' over headline on Chinese vaccine 'made from hamster cells'. rt.com 
The New York Times was accused of "soft racism" after running a headline about how China's latest Covid-19 vaccine is "made from the ovary cells of hamsters" on the same day shootings in Georgia left six Asian women dead. | In the Tuesday
(2021-03-18). [Research Paper] Negative impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown upon health-related behaviours and psychological wellbeing in people living with severe and complex obesity in the UK. thelancet.com This study shows the detrimental impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on PLWO in relation to health-related behaviours, mental health and access to WMS. Our findings show that PLWO with poor mental health and those attending WMS were most adversely impacted and highlights the need for greater mental health support and continued provision of support from WMS for PLWO during future lockdowns.
(2021-03-18). Headlines for March 18, 2021. democracynow.org Suspect in Atlanta Spa Killings Charged with Murder Amid Surge in Anti-Asian Hate Crimes, House Votes to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act, Which Lapsed Under President Trump, WHO on AstraZeneca COVID-19 Shots: "Use of the Vaccine Far Outweighs the Risks", Brazil's COVID-19 Cases and Deaths Hit New Highs, Pushing Hospitals to Brink of Collapse, U.N. Reports Pandemic Has Caused 239,000 Child and Maternal Deaths in South Asia, Tanzanian President John Magufuli, Who Denied COVID-19, Dies After Rumored Coronavirus Infection, President Biden Says U.S. Might Not Honor Afghanistan Withdrawal Agreement, Russia Recal…
(2021-03-18). Vaccines flown into Nepal from Bahrain turn out to be unapproved Chinese jabs. laprensalatina.com Kathmandu, Mar 18 (efe-epa).- Nepal on Thursday said the 2,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses brought to the country by a Bahraini prince were Chinese jabs not approved by the health authorities of the Himalayan nation. The vaccine doses brought in by Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed al-Khalifa for an unauthorized small-scale vaccination campaign were thought to be …
(2021-03-18). WHO warns of growing coronavirus cases in Europe. laprensalatina.com Copenhagen, Mar 18 (efe-epa).- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said that there have been three consecutive weeks of rising Covid-19 cases in Europe. WHO regional director for Europe Hans Kluge warned that parts of the region that initially managed to control the spread of the virus, including Central Europe, the Balkans and the …
(2021-03-18). EMA deems AstraZeneca vaccine safe after thrombosis reports. laprensalatina.com The Hague, Mar 18 (efe-epa).- The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Thursday announced that AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is safe and effective, following a review of possible blood clot risks. Small numbers of thrombosis reports in some European countries prompted governments around the world to stop using the AstraZeneca jab, which slowed down already sluggish vaccination campaigns …
(2021-03-18). China and Russia Vaccines Defeat Cold War Virus. dissidentvoice.org 
A friend in need is a friend indeed, and several countries which may have previously sniffed at vaccines produced by China and Russia are finding truth in the old adage. China is ramping up supplies of its CoronaVac to Brazil and other Latin American countries where Covid-19 infections are threatening to overwhelm public health services. …
(2021-03-18). Why Brazil is Losing the Global Race for Vaccines. counterpunch.org 
On January 17 nurse Monica Calazans became the first person vaccinated against COVID-19 in Brazil. The procedure took place during a much-awaited ceremony in Sà£o Paulo. However, after months of denial and heel-dragging from the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's late entry into the global race for vaccines could prove to be fatal for
(2021-03-18). The Geopolitics of Vaccine Nationalism and R&D: Perspectives from Australia. dissidentvoice.org "The eagle has landed", said Australia's federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on 15 February 2021 referring to the arrival of the first international shipment of Pfeizer's Covid-19 vaccines in Australia. On the day which was supposed to be a vaccine response 'D-day' for Australia and to add a boost to the government's approval ratings, the …
(2021-03-18). Ukraine to stick with AstraZeneca vaccine, denounces 'information attack'. laprensalatina.com Kiev, Mar 18 (efe-epa).- Ukraine intends to continue using the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine despite several major European countries suspending its use following reports of isolated cases of blood clots. Speaking at a joint press briefing with the Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda in Kiev on Thursday, president Volodymyr Zelensky said no fatalities had been registered in …
(2021-03-18). Alabama Amazon worker testifies before Congress: "We're not robots." peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—At Amazon's warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., more than 5,800 workers, many if not most of them Black, toil for 10 hours each a day in the middle of a pandemic, shifting goods to loading docks via elevators they can't board themselves. Instead, workers, many middle-aged, must tramp, or limp, up and down four flights of …
(2021-03-18). PSL in Tennessee launches campaign to fight utility shutoffs. liberationnews.org 
The rise in unemployment and poverty coupled with dismal state benefits during a deadly pandemic have left many families unable to pay their bills.
(2021-03-18). Obama joins chorus in dubbing massage parlor shootings as 'anti-Asian hate crime' as Democrats keep narrative on 'white supremacy'. rt.com 
Former President Barack Obama and other political and celebrity voices seized on a murder spree at Atlanta-area massage parlors as a call to dismantle "white supremacy" — despite the lack of any apparent anti-Asian hate motive. | "Although the shooter's motive is not yet clear, the identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence that must end," Obama said Wednesday on Twitter. While also using the horrific shootings to argue for gun laws, he added that America must "root out the pervasive patterns of hatred and violence in our society." | Even as we've battled the pandemic, we…
(2021-03-18). Stop Asian Hate: Connie Wun on Atlanta Spa Killings, Gender Violence & Spike in Anti-Asian Attacks. democracynow.org 
Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-founder of AAPI Women Lead and a researcher on violence against girls of color, says it's impossible to "disconnect rac…
(2021-03-18). "Vaccines" Are the Keys to World Control. globalresearch.ca "It's better to die on your feet than to live on …
(2021-03-18). Using "Herd Immunity" Excuse for Gene Therapy Vaccine on Kids. globalresearch.ca In children and young adults from age birth to 19, the …
(2021-03-18). Vaccine Passports, "Medical Martial Law" and the Stockholm Syndrome. globalresearch.ca The Setup | Almost one year ago, former President Trump declared …
(2021-03-18). 'Vaccine Secrets': What Parents Should Know Before They Vaccinate Their Kids. globalresearch.ca "Vaccine Secrets," an animated video created by parents of vaccine-injured children, …
(2021-03-18). The U.S. Government Should Promote the General Welfare. counterpunch.org 
An event revealing a great deal about the kind of government Americans want occurred this March, when members of the U.S. Congress voted on the American Rescue Plan. This legislation, staunchly supported by the Democrats, provided federal funding for the provision of life-saving vaccines, the re-opening of public schools, expanded benefits to the unemployed, a
(2021-03-18). Burmese Protesters Continue to Demand Democracy as Authorities "Shoot to Kill" in Sweeping Crackdown. democracynow.org 
Martial law has been declared in more parts of Burma as the military junta intensifies its crackdown following the February 1 coup. At least 217 protesters have been killed and over 2,000 have been arrested or detained since the coup began, according to one Burmese group. Protests are continuing across the country amid a crackdown on communications, in which much of Burma is under an internet blackout and independent newspapers have stopped publishing. Despite international criticism, the Burmese military is tightening its grip on power. People are continuing to protest even as they face the risk of arrest, polic…
(2021-03-18). "Immoral & Illegal": U.S. & U.K. Move to Expand Nuclear Arsenals, Defying Global Disarmament Treaties. democracynow.org 
The United States and the United Kingdom are facing international criticism for moving to expand their nuclear arsenals, defying a growing global movement in support of nuclear disarmament. The U.S. is planning to spend $100 billion to develop a new nuclear missile which could travel 6,000 miles carrying a warhead 20 times stronger than the one dropped on Hiroshima, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just announced plans to lift the cap on its nuclear stockpile, ending three decades of gradual nuclear disarmament in the U.K. "We're seeing this united, uniform response of nuclear-armed states to what t…
(2021-03-18). The Ongoing Calamity: US Collective Punishment of the Venezuelan People Must End. counterpunch.org 
Recent statements made by US officials suggest that Washington will continue to pursue a hardline policy on Venezuela. The new Biden Administration, however, needs to urgently rethink its approach. US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, remarked on February 3 that he "certainly" does not "expect this administration to be engaging directly with (President) Maduro." Namely,
(2021-03-18). Sick Society: Crisis of Chronic Diseases in America. globalresearch.ca According to Fight Chronic Diseases.org, nearly half of Americans have one …
(2021-03-18). There Are So Many Lessons to Learn from Kerala. dissidentvoice.org 
Anujath Sindhu Vinaylal (India), My mother and the mothers in the neighborhood, 2017. Indian farmers and agricultural workers have crossed the hundred-day mark of their protest against the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They will not withdraw until the government repeals laws that deliver the advantages of agriculture to large corporate houses. This, the …
(2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5 p.m., three Atlanta-area spas staffed by Asian workers were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of the women were …
(2021-03-18). Rate of demolition of Palestinian homes has increased in 2021, says new report. peoplesdispatch.org 
The report, prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian Territories, says the monthly average of demolition of Palestinian houses by Israeli authorities has increased by 65% in 2021 as compared to the previous year…
(2021-03-18). Guangzhou 1927: The Paris Commune of the East. peoplesdispatch.org 
On the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Paris Commune, its legacy is remembered in the Guangzhou Uprising, when workers and peasants established a popular republic in the southern Chinese capital in 1927.
(2021-03-18). Climate Change is making Sea levels rise fastest in big cities — here's why. juancole.com 
By Sally Brown and Robert James Nicholls | — It is well known that climate-induced sea level rise is a major threat. What is less well know is the threat of sinking land. And in many of the most populated coastal areas, the land is sinking even faster than the sea is rising. Parts of …
(2021-03-18). Author Dan Hicks reveals the backstory of 'contested objects' in Western museums. peoplesworld.org 
The role of museums in Western culture has been a conversation in art and academia for decades. The institution as a whole has had a spotlight shined on its structural biases for years. In response, several museums have attempted to institute reforms to expand diversity. Curator Dan Hicks, of the Pitt-Rivers Museum of Oxford University, …
(2021-03-18). Jason Hickel introduces Degrowth — book review. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). Unelected operatives play an outsized role in crafting foreign policy. peoplesworld.org 
It's probably safe to say that most Americans would hope the major foreign policy actions of the United States would be determined by their elected officials in Congress and the White House. In reality, much of the foreign policy of the U.S. is first crafted behind closed doors by individuals that the public never voted …
(2021-03-18). PDF of March 18 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Bust the filibuster, pass the PRO-union Act! Medical justice: Release Mumia now! International Women's Day: Protest of massacre in Philippines; New York Boricua Resistance; 1970 march on women's prison. ALSO: Solidarity with #BAmazon; Sharpeville 1960: A turning point; Bus drivers blast school reopening; Stimulus for who? UNITE . . . |
(2021-03-18). Let's Stop Pretending Russia and China are Military Threats. counterpunch.org 
Someone needs to say this, and it looks like it's gotta be me: China and Russia are not our enemies. Somehow, the opinion-makers in the media, the bloated military brass with all their ribbons and stars and with little to do but worry about how to keep their massively overbuilt operation afloat with ever more taxpayer money, and the members of Congress who like to gin up fears among the voters so they'll keep voting for them have gotten everyone thinking that Russia is still hell bent on world communist takeover and that China it trying to replace the US as global hegemon. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
(2021-03-18). The Active Forest Management Scam. counterpunch.org 
There are daily news stories about the recent large wildfires in 2020. In nearly all of these media accounts, almost always attributed to a lack of active forest management. In other words, proponents of logging/thinning forests assert fuel reductions would diminish fire severity. The prevailing assumption is that fuels are the major cause of large
(2021-03-18). [Research Paper] Negative impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown upon health-related behaviours and psychological wellbeing in people living with severe and complex obesity in the UK. thelancet.com This study shows the detrimental impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on PLWO in relation to health-related behaviours, mental health and access to WMS. Our findings show that PLWO with poor mental health and those attending WMS were most adversely impacted and highlights the need for greater mental health support and continued provision of support from WMS for PLWO during future lockdowns.
(2021-03-18). Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report | State Department is reportedly mulling over plans to provide $15m in Covid-19 aid in addition to several other initiatives set to mend ties, according to draft memo | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 07 | Palestinians react as Israeli authorities prepare to demolish a house located within a village south of Yatta in southern area of West Bank…
(2021-03-18). Thumb in the Dike: Homelessness and Deepening Inequality. counterpunch.org 
In December 2020, USA Today ran a bold headline declaring, "the federal eviction moratorium expires in January. It could leave 40 million Americans homeless." The article cites Diane Yentel, CEO and president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, who warns, "We're facing potentially the worst housing and homelessness crisis in our country's history."
(2021-03-18). No justice, no peace: Rapsody on art, activism, and the power of music. therealnews.com 
The professors invite Rapsody to discuss the legacy of the Black music tradition and how it continually reiterates itself within "new genres," creating a cultural archive.
(2021-03-18). Anger mounts as police cover for Atlanta murderer of Asian women. peoplesworld.org 
Only two days before the Atlanta-area murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, Georgia State Sen. Michelle Au, herself Chinese American, was warning of rising anti-Asian violence in her state and nationwide. "Asian Americans are part of our country's plurality," said Au. "And all I'm asking, as the first East Asian state senator …
(2021-03-18). Profit Shares Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2009. counterpunch.org 
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
(2021-03-18). New Cold War is built on humanitarian interventionist lies and dismissal of actual War Crimes. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5: 00 p.m., three spas staffed by Asian workers in the Atlanta area were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of …
(2021-03-18). Interpreting contemporary imperialism: lessons from Samir Amin. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). One last failed bid to end the Forever War: Pentagon adviser dishes details of Trump's final failure to end Afghanistan quagmire. rt.com 
Despite an executive order in November mandating the withdrawal of all remaining troops in Afghanistan, Trump's promise to end the US' longest war collapsed — and was set up to fail, according to a senior Pentagon adviser. | Former US president Donald Trump made one last effort to prove he was sincere about prying the US military loose from its two-decade engagement in Afghanistan when he signed an executive order demanding all remaining troops be pulled from the country before the year's end — just days after November's election results suggested the American people had had enough of him. | Accordi…