Monthly Archives: March 2021

2021-03-20: News Headlines

Eds. (2021-03-20). Why are hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise? mronline.org Largely missing from this ongoing discussion is the role of the police and the capitalist state. The media has done an excellent job at depicting these violent acts as interpersonal and individual attacks. | Newswire…

The Conversation (2021-03-20). Racism is behind anti-Asian American violence, even when it's not a hate crime. juancole.com By Pawan Dhingra | — Over the past year, attacks on Asian Americans have increased more than 150% over the previous year, including the March 16 murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta. Some of these attacks may be classified as hate crimes. But whether they meet that legal definition or …

ANSWER Coalition (2021-03-20). National Day of Action March 27: Call It What It Is, a Hate Crime! Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing! liberationnews.org The following national call to action was issued by the ANSWER Coalition Join the Sat. March 27 National Day of Action! Endorse the national day of action here Organize an event in your city — register your event here Find local actions in your city: San Francisco, CA 11 AM — 12 PM — A …

RT (2021-03-20). VP Harris calls out people with 'biggest pulpits spreading hate' during Atlanta visit following spa parlors massacre. rt.com Kamala Harris made a not-so-subtle jab at ex-President Trump as she decried a surge a violence against Asian Americans. Trump and his supporters are accused of fueling hate in their attempts to blame China for Covid-19. | US Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden visited Atlanta, Georgia on Friday as part of their tour across the nation to promote the economic stimulus package and vaccination campaign successes. However, a spree of gun violence on Tuesday, which left eight people killed, six of them Asian American women, threw a wrench in the pre-planned trip's schedule. | Speaking after meeting…

Sit Walk Listen (2021-03-20). Sunday 3/21: Sit Walk Listen at San Francisco City Hall: #StopAsianHate. indybay.org San Francisco Civic Center Plaza…

Dean Baker (2021-03-20). New York Times Debates When It Will Tell Readers that China Has the World's Largest Economy. cepr.net That seems to be the implication of a David Sanger piece commenting on the state of U.S. relations with Russia and China. At one point Sanger notes that China is a rising economic power: "Economists debate when the Chinese will have the world's largest gross domestic product — perhaps toward the end of this decade" …

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-20). The Heat: China-U.S. talks conclude in Alaska. america.cgtn.com Chinese and U.S. officials have concluded their talks in Anchorage, Alaska after a strong and frank exchange. But, did the two economic superpowers find any common ground? The meetings, involving top diplomats from Beijing and Washington, saw fiery exchanges Thursday before the cameras. Relations between …

Xulio Ríos (2021-03-20). Estados Unidos y China: De Hawái a Alaska. globalizacion.ca El interés de la cumbre que EEUU y China celebrarán en Alaska los días 18 y 19 de marzo se centra en saber si hay o no fundamento para atisbar un relativo deshielo en la relación bilateral. Un encuentro similar,…

_____ (2021-03-20). Biden Continues Conflict With China Through The Quad. popularresistance.org On March 12, the heads of government of four countries, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and US President Joe Biden, met for a virtual meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad. | Modi's opening remarks illustrate the emptiness of the public agenda; he called the Quad "a force for global good" with no details beyond a list of areas of collaboration ("vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies"). There was no direct mention of China during the meeting. | In the details relating to the launch…

Richard Strugnell, Nancy Wang (2021-03-20). [Comment] Sustained neutralising antibodies in the Wuhan population suggest durable protection against SARS-CoV-2. thelancet.com SARS-CoV-2 infections were first reported in Wuhan, China, in 2019,1 and quickly became a global pandemic, as declared on March 11, 2020.2 SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious3 and COVID-19 is variable in its presentation, with many infected individuals, as detected by viral nucleic acid screening, being asymptomatic.

Zhenyu He, Lili Ren, Juntao Yang, Li Guo, Luzhao Feng, Chao Ma, Xia Wang, Zhiwei Leng, Xunliang Tong, Wang Zhou, Geng Wang, Ting Zhang, Yan Guo, Chao Wu, Qing Wang, Manqing Liu, Conghui Wang, Mengmeng Jia, Xuejiao Hu, Ying Wang, Xingxing Zhang, Rong Hu, Jingchuan Zhong, Jin Yang, Juan Dai, Lan Chen, Xiaoqi Zhou, Jianwei Wang, Weizhong Yang, Chen Wang (2021-03-20). [Articles] Seroprevalence and humoral immune durability of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Wuhan, China: a longitudinal, population-level, cross-sectional study. thelancet.com 6 ∑92% of a cross-sectional sample of the population of Wuhan developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, with 39 ∑8% of this population seroconverting to have neutralising antibodies. Our durability data on humoral responses indicate that mass vaccination is needed to effect herd protection to prevent the resurgence of the epidemic.

Editor (2021-03-20). A Brief List of Official Russia Claims That Proved to Be Bogus. scheerpost.com Book Catalog / CC BY 2.0] By Matt Taibbi / TK News The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released a much-hyped, much-cited new report on " Foreign Threats to the 2020 Elections." The key conclusion: We assess that Russian President Putin authorized, and a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations aimed at denigrating President Biden's… |

Matt Taibbi (2021-03-20). Aaugh! A Brief List of Official Russia Claims that Proved to be Bogus. globalresearch.ca The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released …

Brandon Scharles, Julio Cesar Gumeta Ramos (2021-03-20). Milwaukee protesters demand justice for police killing victim Joel Acevedo. liberationnews.org On March 5, several dozen activists and community members gathered at Kosciuszko Park, going door-to-door in the neighborhood where Acevedo was killed, to inform the public about the upcoming trial.

Robert Hunziker (2021-03-20). Nuclear Fuel Buried 108 Feet from the Sea. dissidentvoice.org San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission) The most toxic substance on Earth is separated from exposure to society by Ω" of steel encased in a canister. — Paul Blanch, registered professional engineer, US Navy Reactor Operator/Instructor That eye-opener comes from renowned nuclear expert Paul Blanch in reference to spent fuel rods removed …

Greg Plancich (2021-03-20). Neoliberal Seattle mayor rejects federal funding, threatens eviction from hotel shelters to 130 people. liberationnews.org The housing crisis in Seattle and the rest of the country is a symptom of capitalism, where homes are built for profit and not shelter.

Eds. (2021-03-20). At least six killed after factory owner calls in military in Hlaing Tharyar. mronline.org Police publicly executed a woman who was the leader of the workers. | Newswire…

Jay Janson (2021-03-20). Britain Threatens Humanity with Nuclear Winter without Explaining Why It Foresees War. dissidentvoice.org Both before the First World War and before the Second World War, the world public basically simply watched the arms build up and other preparations for war. This lackadaisical blandly interested public attitude seems to be present again. Criminally insane investors in war openly race forward with the inventing and manufacturing of ever new and …

Alan MacLeod (2021-03-20). Financial press fears Brazilians will be allowed to elect president of their choice. mronline.org The Brazilian Supreme Court this month dismissed all charges against former President Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva. A towering figure in national politics, Lula was the country's president for eight years between 2003 and 2011. | Newswire…

Dean Baker (2021-03-20). Cheap Fun Department: Job Growth Under Trump and Biden. cepr.net Okay, I'll admit that this is stupid, but you know damn well if the situation were reversed the Republicans would have this comparison all over the place. We don't even have to speculate. When President Obama assumed office with an economy in free fall from the collapse of the housing bubble, the Republicans were quick …

Global Research (2021-03-20). Advierten de que en 20 años se duplicó el endeudamiento de América Latina. globalizacion.ca Eric Toussaint y Milan Rivié, especialistas del Comité para la Abolición de las Deudas Ilegítimas (CADTM) señalaron que en los últimos años se asistió a un aumento espectacular del stock y del servicio de la deuda en la región. | ´En…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2021-03-20). MPs and campaigners demand the home secretary stops police clamping down on protests. thecanary.co Campaigners, MPs, and peers have Protecting the right to protest: | The letter was organised by Liberty and Big Brother Watch. It calls on the home secretary to provide guidance for police on how to facilitate protests during the pandemic. And it also asks for

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions. middleeasteye.net Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions | Eight men and two women accused of disguising $300m in transactions, including the purchase of two oil tankers | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 43 | Prosecutors say the scheme dates back to 1999, when some of the defendants opened a business in Los Angeles, which was allegedly used to illegally funnel US dollars to Iran (AFP) | Prosecutors i…

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel | Minister of state for foreign affairs also says kingdom has made 'great strides' with regards to human rights | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 12: 45 | Jubeir, left, said relations with the United States were unlikely to change under President Joe Biden (AFP) | Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, has said his countr…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike | Naci Agbal, in post for less than five months, replaced by Sahap Kavcioglu, who had criticised his tight monetary policy | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 11: 28 | Naci Agbal had won market praise by aggressively raising interest rates (Reuters) | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan abruptly sacked Turkey's central bank chief on Saturda…

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint | Lawsuit seeks compensation for damage caused to journalist's fiancee and US-based Democracy for the Arab World Now | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 10: 51 | Saudi Arabia denies that Mohammed bin Salman had any role in Khashoggi's murder (AFP) | The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the pro-democracy organisation he established…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi. middleeasteye.net Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi | New prime minister says a cover-up could not be tolerated after bodies of more than a dozen people found shot dead | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 50 | The main western and eastern factions that split apart in 2014 have publicly accepted Dbeibeh's government (Reuters) | Libya has ordered an investigation after more than a dozen bodies wer…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women. middleeasteye.net Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women | President's decision to leave Istanbul Convention described as 'deplorable' amid growing cases of femicide in the country | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 09: 45 | A protest against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, an international accord designed to protect women, in Ankara, 20 March 2021 (Reuters) | Thousands protested…

RT (2021-03-20). Revenge of the stairs: White House dismisses Biden stumble as minor mishap in windy weather, but some jokingly blame Kremlin. rt.com Critics of Joe Biden had a field day after his awkward boarding of the Air Force One, bringing up his past mockery of Donald Trump's mobility issues. But some say (in jest) Joe should blame the Kremlin rather than strong winds.

_____ (2021-03-20). Make Way for Kamala Harris, the Deep State's Dream President. strategic-culture.org With Biden barely aware of his surroundings, it is mere child's play to foist Harris into the leadership role | In what may become the most unexpected and, perhaps, unwanted political comebacks in American political history, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who never inspired much confidence on the 2020 presidential campaign trail, may soon find herself, through default, the next president of the United States. Should the world start praying for Joe Biden's continued good health? | As U.S. President Joe Biden enters the ninth week of his 'shadow presidency' without a single press conference under his belt, whil…

RT (2021-03-20). Ex-president Bush, the man who waged brutal never-ending wars, claims Capitol riot left him 'disgusted'. rt.com Former US president George W. Bush claimed that despite the jaw-dropping violence unleashed by his own policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was left "sick to my stomach" by the January 6 raid on the US Capitol. | Admitting he "can't remember what [he] was doing" at the time he learned Trump supporters were swarming the Capitol building, Bush told the Texas Tribune he became physically ill "to see our nation's Capitol being stormed by hostile forces" in an interview conducted last month and published on Thursday as part of the SXSW 2021 festival. | While the vast majority of January's demonstrators were unarmed…

RT (2021-03-20). Parody video showing Trump knocking Biden down Air Force One stairs could lead to ASSASSINATION attempt, MSNBC analyst says. rt.com MSNBC regular Malcolm Nance has suggested that Donald Trump Jr. tweeting a parody video of his father using a golf ball to make Joe Biden fall on the steps to Air Force One "mainstreams the potential for danger." | Following Biden's already infamous falling spell on the steps to Air Force One this week, a parody video was quickly made and spread around social media that humorously shows former President Donald Trump to be the culprit behind the physical blunder after he hits a golf ball a tad too far. | Donald Trump Jr. was one of many users to share the video on Twitter, and a number of people believe this co…

RT (2021-03-20). New York Times used 'deceptive disinformation' to smear Project Veritas, acted with 'reckless disregard' and 'malice', judge rules. rt.com A defamation suit from Project Veritas against the New York Times is moving forward, as a judge has ruled the newspaper posed opinion as fact in their coverage of the conservative news outlet. | A New York Supreme Court judge handed Veritas, known for its undercover and whistleblowing videos, a big "win" this week, allowing a defamation suit against the paper and two reporters to proceed forward. | In the ruling denying a motion to dismiss the suit, the Times was accused of acting with "actual malice" and "reckless disregard" in multiple articles covering a 2020 video report from Veritas on alleged illegal vot…

RT (2021-03-20). Texas governor shreds Biden for 'inhumane' facilities for migrant kids, opens probe into Covid outbreak & lack of drinking water. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott has opened a probe into conditions at detention centers for underage migrants, one of which faces a Covid-19 outbreak, blasting President Biden for his handling of a "humanitarian crisis" at the border. | "The Biden Administration has been an abject failure when it comes to ensuring the safety of unaccompanied minors who cross our border," Abbott said in a

RT (2021-03-20). Bill Gates urges fans to eat synthetic meat to save planet, dismisses 'crazy conspiracies' about vaccines & 5G in Reddit AMA. rt.com Microsoft founder Bill Gates brushed away "crazy" conspiracy theories about himself, 5G and coronavirus vaccines during an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit, where he promoted his new book and sung the praises of synthetic meat. | Gates

Liberation Staff (2021-03-20). Cuba launches Phase 3 test of COVID vaccine, the first produced in Latin America. liberationnews.org Despite the most severe blockade conditions imposed by the U.S. government, Cuba's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have made outstanding achievements in the campaign to overcome COVID-19.

Juan Cole (2021-03-20). German Greens come out against Russian Gas Pipeline: "It ought not to Exist" juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Germany's Green Party has come out strongly against the Nord Stream II Baltic natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The pipeline's construction is already advanced. Der Tagesspiegel reports, "Green Party leader Annalena Baerbock warned that the pipeline would undermine European sovereignty and pose an obstacle to a common European …

Aaron Maté (2021-03-20). Fmr. Ambassador Robert Ford on the US role in Syria's 10-year war. thegrayzone.com Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford speaks to Aaron Maté about the 10th anniversary of the Syrian war, the US role in the conflict, and why he now supports the withdrawal of US forces. Robert Ford served as US Ambassador to Syria from 2011 to 2014. On the tenth anniversary of the Syrian war, Ford speaks to Aaron Maté about the roots of the conflict; the US role; the current US sanctions that target Syria's reconstruction; chemical weapons allegations …

Middle East Monitor (2021-03-20). Can Gaza's Venerable Almond Groves survive the Israeli Occupation? juancole.com By Wafa Aludaini | — ( Middle East Monitor) — As we headed to the east of Deir AlBalah, a town in the middle of the Gaza Strip, I was shocked to see barren land. The area was once home to thousands of almond trees that dotted the landscape but farmers have been forced to …

Richard Strugnell, Nancy Wang (2021-03-20). [Comment] Sustained neutralising antibodies in the Wuhan population suggest durable protection against SARS-CoV-2. thelancet.com SARS-CoV-2 infections were first reported in Wuhan, China, in 2019,1 and quickly became a global pandemic, as declared on March 11, 2020.2 SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious3 and COVID-19 is variable in its presentation, with many infected individuals, as detected by viral nucleic acid screening, being asymptomatic.

Zhenyu He, Lili Ren, Juntao Yang, Li Guo, Luzhao Feng, Chao Ma, Xia Wang, Zhiwei Leng, Xunliang Tong, Wang Zhou, Geng Wang, Ting Zhang, Yan Guo, Chao Wu, Qing Wang, Manqing Liu, Conghui Wang, Mengmeng Jia, Xuejiao Hu, Ying Wang, Xingxing Zhang, Rong Hu, Jingchuan Zhong, Jin Yang, Juan Dai, Lan Chen, Xiaoqi Zhou, Jianwei Wang, Weizhong Yang, Chen Wang (2021-03-20). [Articles] Seroprevalence and humoral immune durability of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Wuhan, China: a longitudinal, population-level, cross-sectional study. thelancet.com 6 ∑92% of a cross-sectional sample of the population of Wuhan developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, with 39 ∑8% of this population seroconverting to have neutralising antibodies. Our durability data on humoral responses indicate that mass vaccination is needed to effect herd protection to prevent the resurgence of the epidemic.

Eds. (2021-03-20). WSJ rage at 'woke' China foreshadows new redbaiting of social justice activists. mronline.org The Wall Street Journal editorial board has accused a major Chinese newspaper, and by extension the People's Republic of China, of exploiting progressive rhetoric around racial justice to create division in the United States. | Newswire…

_____ (2021-03-20). How the U.S. Military Subverted the Afghan Peace Agreement to Prolong an Unpopular War. strategic-culture.org Appointed in the final days of Trump's presidency to remove all US troops from Afghanistan, Douglas Macgregor tells The Grayzone how military leadership undermined the withdrawal and pressured Trump to capitulate. | By Gareth PORTER | In an exclusive interview with The Grayzone, Col. Douglas Macgregor, a former senior advisor to the acting secretary of defense, revealed that President Donald Trump shocked the US military only days after the election last November by signing a presidential order calling for the withdrawal of all remaining US troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. | As Macgregor explained…

_____ (2021-03-20). U.S. Intel Thinks You're Stupid: ODNI Report Blames Russia, Ignores Colombian Election Interference. strategic-culture.org By Dan COHEN | Russiagate is back! That's right. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence ( I know what you're thinking: Where is the evidence? Well, the ODNI report doesn't show any. But phrases like "we judge,""we assess," "probably," and "likely" are used dozens of times. Apparently for corporate media, that's good en…

_____ (2021-03-20). 18 Years Ago The US War On Iraq Began. popularresistance.org Friday, March 19, 2021 was the 18th anniversary of the U.S. government political decision to invade and occupy oil-rich, Arab/Muslim Iraq, a country of 32 million persons. U.S. elected officials and their advisors decided it would be in the U.S. national security interest to attack and overthrow the Iraqi government. We saw how the military attack on Iraq which was based on the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives, homes, infrastructure and culture and unleased a whirlwind of unintended (or sometimes intended) consequences that we are dealing with even now 18 year…

Gregory Wilpert (2021-03-20). Biden's Syria Deception: The Norwegian Connection. theanalysis.news Contrary to the Biden administration's claim, it seems that the recent missile strike in Syria was not carried out in consultation with at least one of the US's main allies in the region: Norway. But why is Norway involved in the Middle East anyway? Greg Wilpert talks about the issue with Eirik Vold, a parliamentary advisor to Norway's Red Party.

ProPublica (2021-03-20). Is Facebook Collaborating with Turkey to Censor Free Expression? juancole.com By Jack Gillum | — ( ProPublica) — Facebook's move to censor social media posts of a Syrian militia group in 2018 at the request of the Turkish government raises serious questions about the company's commitment to free expression, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee wrote in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg …

India Bourke (2021-03-20). Naomi Klein on overcoming doomism with climate action. zcomm.org Klein's new handbook-style account of the climate crisis is not only an attempt to help youth activists hone their voices, but a clarion call to her own generation…

2021-03-19: News Headlines

ANSWER Coalition (2021-03-19). National Day of Action March 27: Call It What It Is, a Hate Crime! Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing! liberationnews.org The following national call to action was issued by the ANSWER Coalition Join the March 27 National Day of Action! Endorse the national day of action here Organize an event in your city — register your event here Initial list of cities, check back for updates! San Francisco, CA1 PMLocation TBD Atlanta, GATime & Location …

Juan Cole (2021-03-19). Attacks on Asian Americans are Rooted in over a Century of Racist Exclusion. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The spine-chilling attacks on Asian-Americans around the country, in San Francisco, New York, and now most bloodily in Atlanta, are manifestations of a white supremacism that has deep roots in American history. The odious Trump and his minions whipped up hatred by branding the novel coronavirus the "Chinese flu" or …

Max Parry (2021-03-19). America's National Humiliation by Eurasia: Uncle Sam is 'Sick Man' of the West. dissidentvoice.org As American economic power continues to decline, a division has emerged within the U.S. political establishment as to which of its designated adversaries is to blame for the country's woes — Russia, or China. The dispute came to a head during each of the last two presidential elections, with the Democratic Party first blaming Moscow …

Staff (2021-03-19). Headlines for March 19, 2021. democracynow.org House Holds First Hearing in Decades on Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans, European Nations Resume Using AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine After Blot Clot Fears, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Challenged by Sen. Rand Paul, Declares "Masks Are Not Theater" , Senate Confirms Xavier Becerra to Lead HHS, William Burns as CIA Director, Deb Haaland Sworn In as Interior Secretary, Becomes First Native American Cabinet Member, House Passes Bills with Path to Citizenship for Farmworkers & DACA Recipients, 14,000+ Unaccompanied Children Held by U.S. as One Texas Facility Reports Over 50 COVID Cases, 12 GOP Lawmakers Oppose Medals for U.S…

Sit Walk Listen (2021-03-19). Sunday 3/21: Sit Walk Listen at San Francisco City Hall: #StopAsianHate. indybay.org San Francisco Civic Center Plaza…

RT (2021-03-19). 'Gestapo tactics': NYC mayor de Blasio blasted after saying police should warn & threaten people over 'hurtful' behavior. rt.com New York's Mayor Bill de Blasio has stunned Americans by suggesting cops should confront people at their homes if they have been accused of "hurtful" but non-criminal acts. Many are asking exactly how that would work in practice. | "Even if something is not a criminal case, a perpetrator being confronted by the city, whether it's NYPD or another agency, and being told that what they've done was very hurtful to another person" could deter people from offending others, de Blasio told reporters on Thursday, in response to a rise in hate crime against Asian Americans. | "If someone has done something wrong, but no…

Nick Pemberton (2021-03-19). Why Don't We Take Hate of Asians Seriously? counterpunch.org We have to problematize the purely academic extrapolation of Asians. I remember this slime popping up after Dylan Roof. According to an analysis quoted on NBC Scott Kurasige, Roof was operating on the premise that Asians were a "model minority" and that a core of white supremacy is to mobilize Asians against Black people. Such

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-19). From the Earth to the Moon: Biden's China Policy Doomed from the Start. dissidentvoice.org A much anticipated American foreign policy move under the Biden Administration on how to counter China's unhindered economic growth and political ambitions came in the form of a virtual summit on March 12, linking, aside from the United States, India, Australia and Japan. Although the so-called 'Quad' revealed nothing new in their joint statement, the …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-19). From the Earth to the Moon: Biden's China Policy Doomed from the Start. counterpunch.org A much anticipated American foreign policy move under the Biden Administration on how to counter China's unhindered economic growth and political ambitions came in the form of a virtual summit on March 12, linking, aside from the United States, India, Australia and Japan. Although the so-called 'Quad' revealed nothing new in their joint statement, the

Dongsheng News (2021-03-19). News on China | No. 43. dissidentvoice.org &nbsp…

Stephen Lendman (2021-03-19). Frosty China-US Talks in Alaska. globalresearch.ca US foreign policy isn't pretty. Rhetoric suggesting otherwise is subterfuge. | Hegemons …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-19). How China Won the Middle East Without Firing a Single Bullet. mintpressnews.com "If oil and influence were the prizes, then it seems China, not America, has ultimately won the Iraq war and its aftermath – without ever firing a shot." — Jamil Anderlini…

RT (2021-03-19). US accuses Beijing of sabotaging 'rules-based' world order & decries 'protocol violation' after Chinese hit back at Alaska talks. rt.com A war of words erupted as talks between US and Chinese officials kicked off in Alaska, with Secretary of State Tony Blinken accusing Beijing of undermining the global order, prompting a harsh rebuttal from his counterpart. | Blinken opened Thursday's summit with a series of charges against Beijing, voicing "deep concerns" about alleged "economic coercion" against US allies, rights abuses within China and the threat the country poses to the "rules-based order that maintains global stability." | The secretary's aggressive tone was soon matched by China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, seeing the first face-to-fa…

_____ (2021-03-19). From the Earth to the Moon: Biden's China Policy Doomed from the Start. strategic-culture.org By Ramzy BAROUD | A much anticipated American foreign policy move under the Biden Administration on how to counter China's unhindered economic growth and political ambitions came in the form of a virtual summit on March 12, linking, aside from the United States, India, Australia and Japan. | Although the so-called 'Quad' revealed nothing new in their joint statement, the leaders of these four countries spoke about the 'historic' meeting, described by 'The Diplomat' website as "a significant milestone in the evolution of the grouping". | Actually, the joint statement has little substance and certainly nothing new…

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-19). The Heat: China-U.S. meeting in Alaska. america.cgtn.com High-level talks between China and the United States. What can we expect? And what will it mean for relations between the two major powers?

Staff (2021-03-19). We can't erase the radicalism of the Rainbow Coalition. therealnews.com "Judas and the Black Messiah" has received much-deserved praise, but there are still many facets to the story of the Rainbow Coalition and Fred Hampton's murder that need to be told.

Vijay Prashad (2021-03-19). There are so many lessons to learn from Kerala. mronline.org MR Online

Emily Mossman Smiley (2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, California police. liberationnews.org Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.

Tom Engelhardt (2021-03-19). The Sports Pages of Death: Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com) — Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened …

V. Copeland (2021-03-19). Sharpeville massacre: A turning point in the anti-apartheid struggle. workers.org The following article first appeared on the front page of the April 1, 1960, issue of Workers World. The original headline was "South African revolution has begun! General strike wins first victory! The mass murder of Africans was a boomerang; South African dictatorship faces abyss!" The article was written by . . . |

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-19). Oakland joins West Coast cities mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif. — Cities around the Bay Area have joined, or on the road to joining, the growing list of West Coast cities requiring large grocery outlets to provide their workers hazard pay while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors now requires large grocers to pay their frontline workers $5 more …

Staff (2021-03-19). Police union defends convicted cops keeping their jobs. therealnews.com Why is it so hard to reform the police, let alone hold police accountable for abusing their power? What are the legal and political protections that have put police above the very law they're supposed to enforce?

Callie McGrath (2021-03-19). Poor People's Campaign demonstrates for priorities in 30 state capitols. liberationnews.org Among the policies are "comprehensive, free, and just" COVID-19 relief; universal healthcare; redirection of the military budget to social needs; and many others.

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-19). Oakland crafting pilot program for response to mental health crises. peoplesworld.org OAKLAND, Calif. — An innovative program to provide trained civilian responders for mental health and other nonviolent crisis calls, instead of armed law enforcement, moved a step closer March 16 with unanimous City Council passage of legislation that will launch a pilot project within Oakland's Fire Department. The Council's actions include an ordinance amending Oakland …

Eds. (2021-03-19). Ten years since beginning of failed regime-change operation against Syria. mronline.org The initial coalition against Syria has collapsed, with Turkey frustrated over the U.S.' sustained support for the Kurds and the Arabs pivoting back to Syria. | Newswire…

Callie McGrath (2021-03-19). Poor People's Campaign demonstrates for priorities in 30 state capitals. liberationnews.org Among the policies are "comprehensive, free, and just" COVID-19 relief; universal healthcare; redirection of the military budget to social needs; and many others.

Mirinda Crissman (2021-03-19). Outrage over child detention center reopened over toxic dump. workers.org Plans to reopen a migrant detention facility on top of toxic military waste in Homestead, Fla., have sparked anger. Located just south of Miami, the closed facility was the largest center for unaccompanied migrant children — with 3,200 beds — before it was shut down in 2019 due to national . . . |

Mark Gruenberg (2021-03-19). With renewed union backing, House passes Dream Act. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—With renewed labor backing, this time from the Union Veterans Council, the House voted 227-197 at 6 p.m. on March 18 to pass the Dream Act, formally legalizing and providing an eventual path to citizenship for the 700,000 "Dreamers," undocumented people brought to the U.S. as kids, who are Americans in all but their papers. …

Eds. (2021-03-19). How Chesa Boudin is pursuing his promise to reduce incarceration. mronline.org After more than a year in office—and despite pushback—the San Francisco DA's policies have kept people out of jails and prisons. | Newswire…

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). TALKING SOCIALISM | Catching up with AOC. dsausa.org Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her way to speak at NYC's Women's March. [Photo by Corey Torpie] | Bronx Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, best known as AOC, is DSA's foremost socialist superstar. Her June 2018 primary win—a 29-year-old taqueria bartender defeating the third most powerful Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives—inspired up to 10,000 people to join DSA. : | The Netflix documentary

Tom Engelhardt (2021-03-19). Life in a Wounded and Wounding Land. counterpunch.org Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there — global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths. And I do so the way that, not so long ago, I would have opened the sports pages

Eds. (2021-03-19). Ten years since beginning of failed regime-change operation against Syria. mronline.org MR Online

Éric Toussaint (2021-03-19). The Paris Commune of 1871, banks and debt. mronline.org 150 years ago, on 18 March 1871, the Paris Commune was born. | Newswire…

Eve Ottenberg (2021-03-19). How America Got the Vapors…Over ANTIFA. counterpunch.org It started last summer during the George Floyd Rebellion: alarming tales about left-wing terrorists, about hordes of antifa ready to invade dozy suburbs and burn down the local post office, Walmart and Starbucks. These wild fabrications percolated through right-wing media, causing a panicked spike in gun purchases, followed by announcements from red-blooded Amuricans in the Midwest and matrons from Florida that they were locked and loaded, ready to defend their real estate and SUVs from the battalions of communist terrorist antifa about to overrun their front lawns and trample azaleas, hydrangeas and any other be…

Devin Cole (2021-03-19). Linked struggles: Trans liberation, women's liberation — WW commentary. workers.org It's just two and a half months into 2021, and already over 25 blatantly anti-trans bills have been introduced in 28 state legislatures. In total, 91 bills are proposed in those states that, in some way, shape or form, attack trans people — some directly, some indirectly, but the destructive . . . |

Craig Collins (2021-03-19). Villagers & Pillagers: Who Will Survive the Collapse? counterpunch.org Unless you live in a state of denial you're probably like me, troubled about the future. There's not much left of mine, but my daughter's generation and their children will have to survive the aftermath of fossil-fueled civilization on the ravaged, toxic planet we've left them. How will that look? Will democratic eco-settlements rise from

Bob Lord — Chuck Collins (2021-03-19). No, the Rich Aren't Paying Their Fare Share. counterpunch.org We hear it all the time: The wealthy must pay their fair share in tax. Many of the wealthy, and the members of Congress they sponsor, contend they already are. And they have all sorts of facts and figures to make that appear true. After all, for a billionaire, even a tiny tax payment in

Austin Fisher — David Correia (2021-03-19). How AFSCME and ACLU Gutted New Mexico's Proposed Ban on Chemical Weapons, Attack Dogs, Rubber Bullets. counterpunch.org If police reform could fix what's wrong with policing in the United States, it would have already happened in Albuquerque. No police department in the U.S. has undergone more reform, over more years, than the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). None of it has worked. New Mexico consistently ranks among the states with the highest rate

Ron Jacobs (2021-03-19). A People's History of the Civil Rights Movement. counterpunch.org The story of the Civil Rights movement is often told in a manner that glorifies certain Movement organizers and so-called leaders while ignoring the multitudes in the churches, the cotton fields, the hamlets of the South and the streets of the nation. This portrayal exists in spite of the ongoing reminders from those who have

Juan Cole (2021-03-19). Attacks on Asian Americans are Rooted in over a Century of Racist Exclusion. zcomm.org The white supremacists would create a declining America, a monochrome America, an anti-science and anti-technology America, a dirty-carbon America, an America that would be weak and backward just as the white nationalists are weak and backward…

Robert Hunziker (2021-03-19). Nuclear Fuel Buried 108 Feet From the Sea. counterpunch.org "The most toxic substance on Earth is separated from exposure to society by Ω" of steel encased in a canister." (Blanch) That eye-opener comes from renowned nuclear expert Paul Blanch in reference to spent fuel rods removed from San Onofre Nuclear Generation Plant buried near the sea on California's southern coastline 50 miles north of

Don McIntosh (2021-03-19). A Green New Deal Means a Labor New Deal. dsausa.org What does an "all hands" moment for DSA look like? Perhaps the campaign to pass the PRO Act, the first major campaign of 2021.

Dianne Mathiowetz (2021-03-19). The mysterious death of Kendrick Johnson. workers.org Atlanta A videotape shows 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson walking down a hallway and entering the gym in the Lowndes County High School in Valdosta, Ga., eight years ago on Jan. 10, 2013. That night his mother, Jacquelyn Johnson, called the emergency number 911 to report that her son had not come . . . |

Robin Broad, John Cavanagh (2021-03-19). Water is Life, Can We Protect It? counterpunch.org From West Texas to Jackson, Mississippi, tens of millions of people struggled through late winter storms that froze pipes, broke water mains, and cut off electricity. They froze without showers, toilets, or washing machines — let alone drinking water — for days or even weeks. The irony that Texas, the state built on fossil fuels,

Éric Toussaint (2021-03-19). The Paris Commune of 1871, banks and debt. mronline.org MR Online

Nyla Ali Khan (2021-03-19). Transnational and Transformative Movements: BLM, Kashmir, and Prison Reform in Oklahoma. counterpunch.org Considering electoral processes in my state of adoption, Oklahoma, are healthier than they are in my state of origin, Jammu and Kashmir, I remind millennials to identify important issues to them as voters, so they are inspired to make a significant difference by participating. I will not deny the feeling of hopelessness that sets in

David Yearsley (2021-03-19). Travelers, Sour and Sentimental. counterpunch.org "I hate traveling and explorers." —Claude Levi-Strauss, Tristes tropiques (1955) Texas loosens, Italy locks down. With the skies mostly still clear and quiet, one can hear the collective champing at the bit before the gates open and vacationers charge into their first getaway in more than year. As Airbnb bookings surge, it's worth asking what

Emily Mossman Smiley (2021-03-19). Text scandal exposes bigoted character of Eureka, Calif., police. liberationnews.org Five Eureka police officers are on paid leave following the exposure of a bigoted group chat.

John Wojcik (2021-03-19). Biden's 'killer' comment about Putin reflects obsolete foreign policy. peoplesworld.org I want to start this critique of Biden's developing foreign policy by stating clearly and unequivocally that his $1.9 trillion rescue plan deserves total support from everyone in our country. It is nothing less than a dramatic disavowal of the right-wing era launched by Ronald Reagan some 40 years ago. Although Biden deserves praise for …

Vijay Prashad (2021-03-19). There are so many lessons to learn from Kerala. mronline.org 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. | Newswire…