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2021-03-09: News Headlines

sputniknews (2021-03-09). Jinping Calls on China's Military to Prepare for 'Unstable' Security Concerns with Other Countries. sputniknews.com Tensions between the US and China have been high in recent years. Taiwan is considered a part of China's territory, although the US continues to maintain robust unofficial ties with Taiwan. The US also repeatedly challenges China's maritime claims in the South China Sea and has accused China of imposing draconian laws in Hong Kong.

RT (2021-03-09). Teen Vogue publisher under fire for chief editor pick: a black female journo who posted homophobic & anti-Asian tweets in college. rt.com The new editor-in-chief once posted insensitive tweets about Asians and gays, angering members of staff at the magazine, who feel hiring her would be inappropriate. The problematic old posts first came to public attention in 2019. | The pick of Alexi McCammond to lead Teen Vogue was announced by parent company Condé Nast last week. The 27-year-old former Axios reporter "embodies the best of our next generation of leaders," and is to take charge of the publication, which recently took a tilt to being more political, starting March 24. Some of her future subordinates already foresee a problem with their n…

yenisafak (2021-03-09). 'Bias, barriers prevent women to lead big businesses'. yenisafak.com Participating in an online event Giuseppe Busini, the deputy chief of the mission of the EU delegation in Thailand said that by 2025 an amount of $4.5 trillion can add up to the collective GDP of the Asia Pacific region alone by giving equal rights and opportunities to women.The captains of various corporate groups, however, admitted the existence of an invisible bias against women right from assigning them duties to the promotion.Citing an example, Director Franchise Operations of Coca-Cola Jonah De Lumen-Pernia said while men are promoted because of their potential, women get promotions based on their performan…

Stephen Lendman (2021-03-09). Is the US Heading for Confrontation with China? The Pentagon's Multibillion Dollar Indo-Pacific Military Deployment. globalresearch.ca China and Russia pose the main challenge to US hegemonic aims, …

Rafael Poch (2021-03-09). La Unión Europea hacia China: Debilidad y ambigàºedad. globalizacion.ca La doctrina de Bruselas hacia Pekín aprobada en octubre es esquizofrénica: una amalgama de hostilidad y estrecha relación. El gigante europeo es impotente a causa de su división interna y de su hipoteca transatlántica. | Desde por lo menos los años…

_____ (2021-03-09). That's Not 'How Fascism Works'. popularresistance.org Donald Trump's election in 2016 was a watershed moment in the national and international arena, one that marked a new step in the accelerated decline and crisis of the U.S. empire after 2008. Trump's popularity and the support he found in sectors of capital signaled, from the right, a growing rejection of the traditional neoliberal leaders of U.S. capitalism who had led the United States into a multipronged crisis from which it could not fully recover. Internationally, the U.S. faced the decline of its imperialist hegemony and challenges from growing powers like China; nationally, it faced growing inequality and…

RT (2021-03-09). China summons UK envoy over her 'inappropriate' article defending foreign media criticism of Beijing. rt.com Beijing has summoned the British ambassador to China, Caroline Wilson, over an article she penned about the Chinese government's alleged misrepresentation of the international media, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday. | China has "stern" opinions about the "inappropriate" article, the statement from the head of the ministry's Europe department said, adding that it only opposes media outlets dealing in "fake news." | "The whole article is full of 'lecturer' arrogance and ideological prejudice … and is seriously inconsistent with the status of diplomats," it added. | Wilson responded to the pushback…

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-09). The Heat: China's foreign policy. america.cgtn.com Cooperation and multilateralism. China lays out its vision for foreign policy.

Julio Yao Villalaz (2021-03-09). La verdad sobre los derechos humanos en China. globalizacion.ca La guerra ilegal que Estados Unidos libra contra China es el marco de referencia para entender los ataques a Beijing, enfilados a cuestionar el cumplimiento de los derechos humanos en el país oriental. Occidente da una versión abstracta, autocomplaciente y…

Pip Hinman (2021-03-09). Clive Hamilton on China: Why is the 'anti-racist left' siding with the persecutors? greenleft.org.au Clive Hamilton argues that those who interpret the China question, including the question of Chinese state interference in Australia, as a question of race are wrong.

Pip Hinman (2021-03-09). For anti-racism and international solidarity: a response to Clive Hamilton on China. greenleft.org.au David Brophy argues Clive Hamilton's stance on China has led him to make common cause with the hard right. What we need instead is to combine solidarity with victims of repression in China with opposition to racism at home.

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). China blames 'hostile external forces' for Hong Kong electoral reform plans. laprensalatina.com Hong Kong, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- The electoral reform of Hong Kong being studied during Beijing's annual congress was prompted by interference of "hostile external forces," an official from China's foreign affairs ministry said on Tuesday. "Some external forces have openly meddled with Hong Kong's elections," Song Ru'an, China's deputy foreign ministry commissioner based in Hong …

_____ (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

Max Blumenthal (2021-03-09). Biden Iran Envoy Boasted of Depriving Civilians of Food, Driving Up Iranian Inequality in "Art of Sanctions" Manual. globalresearch.ca Richard Nephew has taken personal credit for depriving Iranians of food …

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 . . . |

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.

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 …

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 …

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…

Ramsey Touchberry (2021-03-09). Jim Jordan, GOP fight "cancel culture" (on Capitol's TV system) while Democrats fight pandemic. salon.com Jacket-less conservative firebrand strikes a blow for freedom — or at least Newsmax — as Dems ready huge aid bill…

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…

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.

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…

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). Kazakhstan adopts revised National Development Plan. laprensalatina.com Nur-Sultan, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- The government of Kazakhstan has approved a National Development Plan revised to take into consideration the realities of the coronavirus pandemic, the Economy Ministry said Tuesday. The new version of the document, signed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, stresses the need to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus crisis and to …

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 …

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2021-03-09). India, Pakistan on the Road to Peace. globalresearch.ca Opportunities missed and opportunities seized in the chronicle of international diplomacy …

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 …

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

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 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 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…

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…

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

Jeff Mackler (2021-03-09). Bully Biden bombs Syria, Slashes COVID-19 Payments and Drops $15 minimum wage. counterpunch.org President Joseph Biden's fealty to U.S. imperialism and its ruling class domestic agenda was demonstrated soon after his Jan. 20 White House arrival. Five days later he sent additional troops to northeastern Syria to fortify U.S. control of that U.S. beleaguered nation's oil rich and most fertile agricultural region. On Feb. 25 Biden directed U.S.

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 . . . |

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…

Jon Skolnik (2021-03-09). GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's latest stunt is trying to stall Biden's COVID relief bill. salon.com The Georgia Republican known for her past support of QAnon was supported by members of the House Freedom Caucus…

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 . . . |

yenisafak (2021-03-09). New report holds China responsible for Uyghur genocide. yenisafak.com The report, The Uyghur Genocide: An Examination of China's Breaches of the 1948 Genocide Convention, is "based on an extensive review of the available evidence and application of international law to the evidence of the facts on the ground," said US-based publisher Newlines Institute.Experts examined whether China bears state responsibility for breaches of Article II of the Genocide Convention."Upon application of the said provisions of the Genocide Convention to the mass of evidence presented herein, this report concludes, based on a clear and convincing standard of proof, that China is responsible for breaches…

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). World's fastest supercomputer now fully operational in Japan. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- The Japanese supercomputer Fugaku, recognized as the fastest in the world, began operating at full capacity on Tuesday, according to its creators, who expect it to make valuable contributions in Covid-19 research. Fugaku was jointly developed by the state-owned Riken scientific institute and by the Japanese technology company Fujitsu. It was …

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…

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

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,

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). Israel prepares Covid-safe elections, most expensive in its history. laprensalatina.com Jerusalem, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- Israel is preparing to host Covid-safe elections in a bid to allow people with the virus to vote, even if it is from a hospital bed — a challenging feat that comes at a considerable financial cost, a spokesperson for the Central Electoral Committee told Efe. The logistical complexity of the …

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). Iraqi Shiites continue pilgrimage despite blast, Covid-19. laprensalatina.com Baghdad, Mar 9 (efe-epa).- Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites continued Tuesday to make their way on foot to the Baghdad shrine honoring martyred eighth century imam Musa al-Kazim despite this week's blast at the site and a spike in coronavirus cases. Pilgrims set out three days ago from across Iraq for the mausoleum that …

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…

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)

Charles Pierson (2021-03-09). Yemen's Death Sentence. counterpunch.org "Disappointing" was how UN Secretary-General António Guterres described last week's donor conference for Yemen. The fifth UN Virtual High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen resulted in pledges of only $1.7 billion. That's just half of the $3.85 billion called for by the secretary-general. Nor is there any guarantee that donors will make

_____ (2021-03-09). World's Worst Humanitarian Disaster Triggered By Weapons From US And UK. popularresistance.org United Nations – The United Nations has rightly described the deaths and devastation in war-ravaged Yemen as the "world's worst humanitarian disaster"— caused mostly by widespread air attacks on civilians by a coalition led Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). | But rarely, if ever, has the world denounced the primary arms merchants, including the US and UK, for the more than 100,000 killings since 2015— despite accusations of "war crimes" by human rights organizations. | The killings are due mostly to air strikes on weddings, funerals, private homes, villages and schools. Additionally, ov…

2021-03-08: News Headlines

WSWS (2021-03-08). This week in history: March 8-15. wsws.org 25 years ago: Tensions escalate between US and China after missile tests near TaiwanOn March 8, 1996, China began missile testing and military exercises for war games off Taiwanese coastal areas in the run-up to presidential elections on the island nation, which Beijing regarded as a renegade province. The Clinton administration responded by sailing two US carrier battle groups, backed by submarines, into the waters surrounding Taiwan.

Simone Chun (2021-03-08). Biden's Hawkish Cabinet Portends Renewed US Militarism in Northeast Asia. counterpunch.org Although the Biden administration has yet to present its North Korea policy, the new president's cabinet includes many career diplomats and business lobbyists advocating the Cold War policy toward Asia and personnel from hawkish think tanks financed by the military industrial complex, leading many Korea experts to predict that an aggressive militaristic policy with respect

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2021-03-08). Blinken Blinks on Human Rights. counterpunch.org On March 3, the US State Department has put on its website a hilarious statement titled The United States Opposes the ICC Investigation into the Palestinian Investigation. In a nutshell, the statement exposes that the Joe Biden Administration has blinked for a second time on the human rights situation in West Asia by refusing to

Tina Ngo (2021-03-08). Why are hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise? peoplesdispatch.org This wave of attacks has caused panic and confusion among Asian Americans and forces us to question: What is motivating these cruel and cowardly assaults? Are they purely an organic and spontaneous response to current events?

Sandeep Banerjee (2021-03-08). India's Abnormal "Farmers" Movement Celebrates 100th Day. asia-pacificresearch.com

National Alliance of People's Movements (2021-03-08). India's Farmers Resistance Movement. Repeal the Three Farm Laws. asia-pacificresearch.com

Online News Editor (2021-03-08). US, South Korea reach new cost-sharing agreement on troops. laprensalatina.com New York City, US, Mar 7 (efe-epa).- The United States and South Korea have reached a cost-sharing agreement for US troops stationed in the Asian country, the US State Department announced Sunday, resolving a years-long dispute on the matter. The new pact includes an increase in South Korea's contribution to covering the cost of US …

teleSUR (2021-03-08). The US Pushes Peace Conference in Letter To Afghan President. telesurenglish.net The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken proposed a United Nations-led peace conference on the Afghan issue in a Feb. 28 letter to Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, as reported by the New York Times on Sunday. | RELATED: | Envoys from the United States, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and India would attend the proposed UN-led conference. The proposals included a road map for a future Afghan government with Afgha…

Editor (2021-03-08). A Cold War With China Is the Last Thing We Can Afford Right Now. scheerpost.com By Mandy Smithberger / TomDispatch This country is in a crisis of the first order. More than half a million of us have died thanks to Covid-19. Food insecurity is on the rise, with nearly 24 million Americans going hungry, including 12 million children. Unemployment claims filed since the pandemic began have now reached 93 million. Given the level …

Dave DeCamp (2021-03-08). US Pacific Commander Defends $27 Billion Plan to Confront China. globalresearch.ca Adm. Philip Davidson, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM),

WSWS (2021-03-08). Pacific Islands Forum in crisis following regional split. wsws.org Behind the manoeuvring over the forum leadership lie profound geo-strategic rivalries fuelled by the US-led preparations for war with China.

Shahbazz Afzal (2021-03-08). Is China Planning on Blocking US Sanctions Imposed on Iran? globalresearch.ca According to some reports China has developed a 'blocking statute' to …

Ben Norton (2021-03-08). Right-wing Central American leaders praise neoliberal 'Biden Plan' to strengthen US 'sphere of influence'. thegrayzone.com Right-wing Central American politicians are applauding Plan Biden, a US strategy promising corporate investment in return for neoliberal reforms. They pledge to remain in the US "sphere of influence" and isolate China and Russia, while calling for regime change against Nicaragua's leftist government. The Joe Biden administration has prioritized Central America in its foreign policy, developing a comprehensive plan that pledges $4 billion in funding for the impoverished region, along with foreign corporate investment, in return for aggressive neoliberal "free …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-08). China urges the west to stop baseless propaganda, offers greater cooperation on various issues. peoplesdispatch.org Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi criticized rumors about genocide of Uyghurs minorities spread by the media and claimed that the population of Uyghurs minorities has more than doubled in the last 40 years…

Mehr News Agency (2021-03-08). Iran's crude oil export hit record. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 08 (MNA) — The Islamic Republic of Iran has reportedly increased its crude oil export to China in recent months.

Wilfred Chan (2021-03-08). Jing Fong Couldn't Survive. Will Manhattan's Chinatown? thenation.com Jing Fong Couldn't Survive. Will Manhattan's Chinatown?

_____ (2021-03-08). Blinken Talks the Talk, but Will He Walk the Walk? strategic-culture.org Biden has so far made no move whatsoever to rein in the continued bold and potentially very dangerous US military exercises with allies right up to the very borders of Russia. | Secretary of State Antony Blinken's March 3 speech at the US State Department should be warmly welcomed around the world, especially in Caracas and Tehran: It does indeed mark a highly significant shift in US foreign policy and deserves to be taken at face value: But it does not address fundamental policy conflicts with Russia and China that Biden inherited from his predecessors — and not just Donald Trump. And it is these far bigger…

yenisafak (2021-03-08). China calls for restraint, talks to end Myanmar crisis. yenisafak.com As anti-coup protests continue, China has urged Myanmar's military junta to stop further bloodshed and ease the situation in the country as soon as possible."No matter how the situation evolves, China will not waver in its commitment to advancing China-Myanmar relations and will not change the course of promoting friendship and cooperation," China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news conference via video link in Beijing on Sunday.Wang said the immediate priority is to end "further bloodshed and conflict, and ease and cool down the situation as soon as possible."He said China has maintained "friendly exchange…

Online News Editor (2021-03-08). Nepal's political crisis deepens after top court divides ruling party. laprensalatina.com Kathmandu, Mar 8 (efe-epa).- The Nepalese government's crisis seemed to deepen on Monday a day after the Supreme Court annulled the merger of two parties: the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), that took place three years ago and helped them consolidate power. The Himalayan country has been witnessing …

Julie Lévesque (2021-03-08). From Afghanistan to Syria: Women's Rights, War Propaganda and the CIA. globalresearch.ca Western heads of state, UN officials, military spokespersons will invariably praise the humanitarian dimension of the October 2001 US-NATO led invasion of Afghanistan, which allegedly was to fight religious fundamentalists, help little girls go to school, liberate women subjected to the yoke of the Taliban.

yenisafak (2021-03-08). Funding cuts exacerbate suffering of Yemeni civilians. yenisafak.com A 7-year civil war and funding cuts are aggravating the suffering of millions of Yemeni civilians, who desperately need more aid to survive. | A virtual conference was held by the UN and co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland on March 1 to raise $3.85 billion to help civilians in Yemen fell far short of its aid goal. | The donor conference managed to secure only $1.7 billion for a country described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. | Describing the donation pledges as "disappointing", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "Millions of Yemeni children, women and men desperately need aid to live. Cutting…

Max Blumenthal (2021-03-08). Biden Iran envoy boasted of depriving civilians of food, driving up Iranian inequality in sadistic sanctions manual. thegrayzone.com Richard Nephew has taken personal credit for depriving Iranians of food, driving up their unemployment rates, and celebrated the economic destruction he caused as "a tremendous success." Under Biden, he will help direct policy on Iran. The Joseph Biden administration has named Richard Nephew as its Deputy Iran Envoy. As the former Principal Deputy Coordinator of Sanctions Policy for Barack Obama's State Department, Nephew took personal credit for depriving Iranians of food, sabotaging their automobile industry and driving up unemployment …

Max Blumenthal (2021-03-08). Biden Iran envoy boasted of depriving civilians of food, driving up Iranian inequality in sadistic sanctions manual. thegrayzone.com 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. The Joseph Biden administration has named Richard Nephew as its deputy Iran envoy. As the former principal deputy coordinator of sanctions policy for Barack Obama's State Department, Nephew took personal credit for depriving Iranians of food, sabotaging their automobile industry, and driving up unemployment …

Byul Ryanim (2021-03-08). The Weekly Round-Up: Ministerial Maternity Leave, a New Offence and Guidance on Visiting Gran (pt. 1). ukhumanrightsblog.com On Monday the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 came into force, allowing the Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC, to be the first minister to take maternity leave. The Act grants cabinet ministers six months' maternity leave whilst retaining their government post, whereas in the past MPs would have to resign to take time off to give …

Chris Orlet (2021-03-08). Did Racist Images in Dr. Seuss Books Contribute to War Crimes? counterpunch.org A friend delights in sending me news stories that demonstrate what he says are the excesses of liberalism. One recent article that arrived in my inbox concerned Dr. Seuss Enterprises' decision to halt publication of six childrens' books it now believes contain racist imagery. "I didn't realize Dr. Seuss made us all racists," he quipped.

Eds. (2021-03-08). Why Cornel West's tenure fight matters. mronline.org I wrote letters for West's hire and renewal at Harvard. The school's administrators completely miss the point of tenure. — ROBIN D. G. KELLEY…

Liberation Staff (2021-03-08). Rural Washington state rally demands: 'Stop the war on Black America'. liberationnews.org Some 50 assembled in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives Feb. 28 rally in Sequim, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

Eds. (2021-03-08). Digital colonialism: the evolution of American empire. mronline.org American "Big Tech" corporations are gaining massive profits through their control over business, labor, social media and entertainment in the Global South.

Juan A. Lozano (2021-03-08). Deep freeze just latest disaster to befall Houston's needy. peoplesworld.org HOUSTON (AP) — Ernest and Hester Collins already faced their share of hardships before last month's deadly winter storm plunged much of Texas into a deep freeze and knocked out power to millions of homes, including their modest rental in one of Houston's historically Black neighborhoods, Fifth Ward. The brother and sister were getting by …

Eds. (2021-03-08). The birth of Marxism in France: Remembering the Paris Commune and Jules Guesde. mronline.org Guesde (1845-1922) introduced Marxism to France and contributed to building the Socialist Party in the north of the country, where the left, socialism, and then later communism became very strong.

Dean Baker (2021-03-08). Economy Adds 379,000 Jobs in February; Unemployment Edges Down to 6.2 Percent. counterpunch.org The establishment survey showed the economy added 379,000 jobs in February. In addition, the figures from December and January were revised up by 38,000. This brings the average job gain over the last three months to 79,700. Employment in the survey stands at 9,475,000 below its year-ago level. The household survey showed the unemployment edging

Calla Randall (2021-03-08). The Weekly Round-Up: Family Benefits and Domestic Abuse (pt. 2). ukhumanrightsblog.com In the news: The High Court will hear a case brought by a mother and her 11-month-old baby, who are arguing that they should not be excluded from the UK government's 'Healthy Start' scheme. The scheme provides vouchers for healthy food, nutritional advice, and vitamins to low-income families, but currently excludes many migrant families, including those who …

John Clamp (2021-03-08). Somalia: a Knotted Web of Causes. counterpunch.org In one translation of Seneca's Oedipus Rex, the unfortunate (anti)hero laments his dark fate by complaining of being 'tangled in the knotted web of causes'. The words have an aptness far beyond their origin. Somalia is a perfect expression of the metaphor. Its dysfunction has so many potential—nay, likely—causative factors that who the hell knows

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-08). "Is This Who We Are?": Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. dissidentvoice.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. …

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-08). 'Is This Who We Are?': Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. mintpressnews.com Even if Biden is able to overcome pressure from the military, from the CIA, and from Congress to shut Guantánamo down, justice will still be absent, not only because of the numerous lives that are forever shattered but because America still refuses to learn from its mistakes.

Eds. (2021-03-08). International Women's Day: A militant celebration. mronline.org Women's Day or Working Women's Day is a day of international solidarity, and a day for reviewing the strength and organization of proletarian women.

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-03-08). The marvelous life of Marvel Cooke, pioneer Black woman journalist. peoplesworld.org At the intersection of African American History and Women's History months is a long list of Black women who have made history as civil rights, labor, and peace activists, educators, scientists, elected officials, physicians, astronauts, artists, and much more. Prominent among them, and combining several of those roles, is the journalist and activist Marvel Cooke. …

Liberation Staff (2021-03-08). Rural Washington state rally demands: "Stop the war on Black America" liberationnews.org Some 50 assembled in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives Feb. 28 rally in Sequim, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state.

Alexandra Kollontai (2021-03-08). Celebrating International Women's Day. liberationnews.org To commemorate International Women's Day, we publishe excerpts from Kollontai's 1920 article, "International Women's Day," written just over two years after the October 1917 socialist revolution in Russia.

Iván Restrepo (2021-03-08). Aprender de China. globalizacion.ca En noviembre de 1978 fui invitado a un seminario sobre agricultura y medio ambiente en Tailandia. Enterado de ese viaje, Manuel Becerra Acosta, director del diario Uno m á s Uno, me sugirió visitar Vietnam y escribir sobre cómo ese…

Maria Fernanda Marcelino (2021-03-08). Women take the lead in fight to impeach Bolsonaro in Brazil. peoplesworld.org SAO PAULO—Today in Brazil, women are facing the advancement of predatory neoliberalism, imperialism, an anti-democratic state, the politics of death, and the extermination of the people, which has been escalating with the coronavirus pandemic. In 2016, women were the first to rise up and denounce the coup staged against the first female president elected in …

Tomdispatch (2021-03-08). We're Stalked by the 4 Horsemen of Apocalyptic Media: Rush, Roger, Rupert, and The Donald May Ride Forever. juancole.com By Robert Lipsyte | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — The Four Horsemen of our media apocalypse — Rush Limbaugh, Roger Ailes, Rupert Murdoch, and Donald Trump — have ridden roughshod over us this past half-century leaving their hoofprints on our politics, our culture, and our lives. Two of them are gone now, but their legacies, including …

Kerry-anne Mendoza (2021-03-08). The real reason England's angry white men hate Meghan Markle. thecanary.co Women of colour operate in the arena where two of society's deepest hatreds collide. It's where racism and patriarchy unite and create their beloved bastard: misogynoir. Most women of colour have experienced some version of what Meghan Markle is living right now. England's monarchy and its useful idiots hold a special hatred for women of colour who dare to grow into their own power. Meghan is Black, beautiful, brave, and she owes them nothing. | Misogynoir: | As women of colour, our bodies are simultaneously reviled and hyper-sexualised. To understand better how this works in reality, we can look at the k…

RT (2021-03-08). Biden preparing to launch series of 'clandestine' cyberattacks against Russia — NYT. rt.com The Biden administration is gearing up to carry out cyberattacks aimed at Russian networks, the New York Times has reported, describing the provocation as a retaliatory measure designed to send Moscow a message. | Citing officials familiar with the operation, the Times

RT (2021-03-08). South Korea agrees to 'meaningful increase' in payouts for the privilege of hosting 28,500 US troops. rt.com The US and South Korea have finally reached an agreement on "sharing costs" for stationing American personnel, after talks stalled over demands by former president Donald Trump that Seoul quintuples its spending for the privilege. | Seoul currently pays Washington roughly $920 million a year to host some 28,500 American personnel on its soil, but back in 2019 Trump demanded an increase of annual payouts to $5 billion. With a new commander-in-chief in the White House, the US has moved to soothe disagreements with its military allies as part of Joe Biden's commitment to "reinvigorate" Washington's "democratic al…

RT (2021-03-08). Texas launches 'Operation Lone Star', sending National Guard & state troopers to secure border after Biden opened floodgates. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott is taking border security into his own hands, sending National Guard troops and state police to combat drug and people smuggling as Biden administration policies spur a surge in illegal immigration. | The new 'Operation Lone Star' initiative will send ground, air, marine and tactical security assets to high-threat areas of the state's border with Mexico to stop cartels and other smugglers from bringing drugs and illegal aliens into Texas. Abbott announced the strategy late on Saturday, one day after former president Donald Trump blasted President Joe Biden for creating a "spiraling t…

RT (2021-03-08). WATCH: Minneapolis battens down the hatches with extreme security ahead of trial of George Floyd's alleged killer. rt.com Authorities in Minneapolis have erected steel fencing, barbed wire and concrete barricades outside the city's courthouse and local police stations ahead of the Derek Chauvin trial, set to begin Monday. | The former police officer will stand trial for the May 25 killing of George Floyd in an incident which rocked the US to its core and triggered months of unrest and billions of dollar's worth of damage. | An estimated 15 million to 26 million people participated in Black Lives Matter protests in the US in the aftermath of Floyd's death. | Armored personnel carriers have been deployed and local Minneapolis polic…

RT (2021-03-08). Where's Biden hidin'? EVEN CNN begins asking questions, as president goes record time without press conference with Q&A. rt.com Joe Biden has gone longer without giving a press conference with questions and answers than any US president in modern history. Now the elation of his inauguration's worn off, even his allied media are beginning to wonder why. | Monday marked Joe Biden's 47th day in office, and also his 47th without appearing before the press to take questions. The president has sat down to several taped interviews, and has given brief soundbites to reporters at events, but not a single proper Q&A session has materialized. | He has gone longer without holding a press conference than any of his 15 most recent predecessors, all…

RT (2021-03-08). Three police injured, SWAT vehicle damaged and local cars FLIPPED as Colorado university party turns violent (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Three SWAT team officers were injured as violent revellers bombarded first responders with bricks and rocks, setting off fireworks and flipping a car during a wild Colorado university street party which attracted up to 800 people. | The violence occurred in the University Hill neighborhood of Boulder, Colorado on Saturday night, as hundreds of partygoers shot off fireworks and flouted social-distancing rules and mask-wearing advice. | #Boulder police arrived pic.twitter.com/t1Yd7Xkclq— Mitchell Byars (@mitchellbyars) Tom Westcott (2021-03-08). Iraq: Christians await better future following Pope Francis visit. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Christians await better future following Pope Francis visit | Iraqis express hopes that the Pope's successful visit would send a message that their country is safe for religious and cultural tourism | Mon, 03/08/2021 – 14: 47 | Pope Francis gestures as he bids farewell to his hosts before boarding his Alitalia Airbus A330 aircraft as he departs from the Iraqi capital's Baghdad International Airp…