RT (2020-03-11). Slime mold inspires breathtaking recreation of cosmic 'dark matter web' holding our universe together (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Researchers using an algorithm based on the growth patterns of a type of slime mold have managed to create a map of the theoretical 'cosmic web' of gas and dark matter which makes up the substructure of the entire universe. | The bright yellow slime mold, dubbed Physarum polycephalum, is a brainless organism that produces networks of slimy tendrils which can somehow 'solve' spatial problems that are surprisingly complex. By studying its growth patterns, researchers have produced oddly accurate models of the wider universe. | Previous models based on this particular mold have solved mazes, calculated the shorte…

RT (2020-03-11). Greece denies report of secret 'detention center' for migrants near Turkish border. rt.com The Greek government has dismissed a report in the New York Times newspaper that it was holding illegal migrants who cross the border from Turkey at a secret 'black site' where they are denied access to lawyers and cannot file asylum claims. | Tens of thousands of migrants have been trying to get into Greece, an EU member state, since Turkey said on February 28 it would no longer keep them on its territory as part of a 2016 deal with Brussels in return for EU aid for the refugees. | "There is no secret detention center in Greece," government spokesman Stelios Petsas told reporters on Wednesday, adding that if…

RT (2020-03-11). Erdogan slams Greece's 'Nazi' treatment of refugees, vows to keep borders open until EU fulfills migrant deal. rt.com Athens' treatment of thousands of refugees who have massed on the Turkey-Greece border is comparable to atrocities carried out by Nazi Germany, Turkey's president has claimed amid the latest migrant row with the EU. | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Greece in an address on Wednesday, claiming that Ankara's Mediterranean neighbor has mistreated a flood of refugees that are trying to enter the EU through Turkey. | "There's no difference between those images from Greece's border and what the Nazis did," Erdogan said, apparently referring to photographs of clashes between migrants and Greek bo…

C.J. Atkins (2020-03-11). Why Bernie shouldn't quit yet. peoplesworld.org Super Tuesday II was another round of victories for Joe Biden. Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, and Idaho were added to his column on March 10; as of this writing, only North Dakota went for Bernie Sanders, and Washington state is still counting. After two tough weeks at the polls and with endorsements from elected officials rolling …

RT (2020-03-11). Tanker rates soar as Saudi Arabia & UAE get ready to open oil taps. rt.com Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have unveiled plans to ramp up both crude supplies and production capacity as soon as the oil deal with Russia expires. The move has sank oil prices and sent freight rates higher. | After Russia did not agree to new production cuts with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the oil cartel's leader Saudi Arabia set the course for flooding the already oversupplied oil market. On Wednesday, state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco revealed that it would boost production capacity for the first time in more than a decade to 13 million barrels per day (bpd)…

RT (2020-03-11). Ten rockets hit Iraq base housing US troops. rt.com Ten rockets have hit a base near Baghdad that houses US personnel, the Iraqi army has reported. It's not yet clear whether the attack on al-Taji base resulted in any casualties. | The Katyusha rockets struck al-Taji, located 27km north of Baghdad, on Wednesday, the Iraqi army reported. The base houses American forces in addition to Iraqi soldiers. | The attack is the latest of several to hit US and coalition facilities in Iraq within the past several months. Several rockets landed in and around al-Taji in January, injuring a member of Iraq's security forces, and last week two rockets reportedly struck Baghdad'

RT (2020-03-11). Elusive bipartisan cooperation spotted in House leaders' daring last-minute rescue of controversial warrantless wiretapping powers. rt.com Democrat and Republican House leaders have paused their partisan sniping to do the real work of governing: keeping unpopular surveillance programs, including roving NSA wiretaps and access to metadata, alive indefinitely. | With just four days to go before congressional authorization for the controversial provisions expires, a bipartisan contingent has swooped in to save the NSA from experiencing one second of separation anxiety from Americans' private communications. Committee heads from both sides of the aisle wrangled enough votes within their own parties to deliver a reauthorization bill on Tuesday night w…

RT (2020-03-11). Zoya Romanenko, survivor of the siege of Leningrad, will be glad to receive your letters. https: Zoya Romanenko was 16 when Russia entered World War II. She lived near Leningrad, where she survived the deadliest winter of the siege. She held her father in her hands when he died of starvation. Then her mother and grandmother passed away, too. Zoya Romanenko enrolled in the Red Cross program and later worked as a nurse in a field hospital. She was with the Red Army throughout the war and when Victory Day came, she was in Germany. | If you are moved by her story, you can write her a letter for May 9. | Please, send it to RT, 3/1 Borovaya street, Moscow 111020, Russian Federation, marked 'To Zoya Pavlovna Rom…

RT (2020-03-11). Merkel is stirring up panic by warning that up to 70% of Germans could contract Covid-19 — Czech PM Babis. rt.com The German chancellor's sinister prediction that most Germans are likely to be infected with coronavirus — if nothing is done — has unnerved the Czech premier who warned that statements like this are spreading panic. | Babis was not impressed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's alarming remarks that the fast-moving Covid-19 "has arrived in Europe" and everyone has to get real about it. | "I don't want to comment on the situation in Germany, although I believe that such statements rather cause panic," Prime Minister Andrej Babis was quoted by CTK news agency as saying. The Czech Republic, for its part, ha…

RT (2020-03-11). Trump admin blames China for 2 months lost in coronavirus prep as experts warn flaws in US health system doom its readiness. rt.com While the Trump administration continues to blame China for "covering up" the coronavirus outbreak in December, government failures closer to home have left the US unprepared for the epidemic hitting its own shores, experts fear. | Blaming China's failure to "use best practices" for two months in lost response time to the Covid-19 epidemic, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien lamented on Wednesday that "we could have dramatically curtailed what happened" — even as the country's leading doctors and scientists have warned the president is running out of time to effectively respond to the outbreak.

RT (2020-03-11). Moscow calls on Afghan political forces not to obstruct reconciliation process. rt.com Moscow has called on the opposing political forces of Afghanistan to focus on reaching national reconciliation, instead of taking steps that exacerbate disagreements, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. | Commenting on the two parallel presidential inauguration ceremonies that took place in Afghanistan, it urged all responsible political actors in the country "to adhere solely to common national interests." | The national reconciliation process "should lead to end of the civil war and to the rebuilding of a peaceful, united and independent state, free of terrorism and drug-related crime," the ministry s…

The Canary (2020-03-11). Anger as ex-minister Grayling lined up for key intelligence role. thecanary.co Former cabinet minister Chris Grayling is being lined up for a plum job overseeing the work of Britain's intelligence agencies, it has been reported.Boris Johnson sparked anger at Westminster after the Sun reported he wants Grayling to be the new chair of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).The cross-party ISC — which scrutinises the work of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ — is made up of nine MPs and peers and places on it are highly coveted among parliamentarians.Members are bound by the Official Secrets Act and have access to highly classified intelligence material. | Senior MPs warned the choic…

RT (2020-03-11). 'Embarrassing': Jose Mourinho told 'to cheer up' by 'reporter' in cringeworthy scenes after Champions League exit (VIDEO). rt.com A man has been branded "embarrassing" for telling a glum Jose Mourinho to "cheer up" in awkward scenes following Tottenham's Champions League exit in Germany. | A depleted Spurs were dumped out 4-0 on aggregate by RB Leipzig in their last-16 tie, after the Bundesliga outfit won 3-0 on the night on Tuesday thanks to a double from captain Marcel Sabitzer and a late strike from substitute Emil Forsberg. | The result means Mourinho has now gone six games without a win for the first time in his career as he is left to contemplate a maiden season at Spurs that will definitely end without silverware. | | Mourinho c…

The Canary (2020-03-11). Budget 2020: chancellor pledging to invest 'historic amounts' in infrastructure. thecanary.co Chancellor Rishi Sunak has promised to invest "historic amounts" on infrastructure and innovation in the Budget he will deliver against a backdrop of coronavirus instability.The Treasury said hundreds of billions of pounds will be pledged on Wednesday to invest in infrastructure including roads, railways, broadband and housing.It was understood this figure could be more than £600bn over the five-year parliament. | However, the government has faced criticism for delaying its key National Infrastructure Strategy to tackle the climate crisis and boost transport connectivity.Meanwhile, analysts were keeping a w…

RT (2020-03-11). Indian farmer DESTROYS nearly $800,000 worth of chickens & eggs over coronavirus fake news on social media. rt.com The coronavirus outbreak has not killed anyone in India so far, but it has been absolutely lethal to the poultry industry, with a false rumor leading one farmer to destroy his entire livelihood. | Dr. Suresh Bhatlekar, a poultry farmer from the town of Dahanu in the state of Maharashtra, is one of the many local poultry producers that have fallen victim to the coronavirus-linked panic, fueled by social media posts suggesting that the COVID-19 could be transmitted through white meat. | Though unfounded, the rumor has spread like wildfire on messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, prompting many to drop chicken an…

RT (2020-03-11). Recipe from the Times: Want a distraction from coronavirus? Get BoJo's pooch story… a fake one. rt.com The outbreak of coronavirus has ratcheted up anxiety levels in the UK, especially in light of a health minister contracting the disease, but the Times has provided a distraction with a 'fake news' story about Boris Johnson's dog. | On Tuesday evening, it emerged that Junior Health Minister Nadine Dorries had tested positive for coronavirus, less than a week after attending an event hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The diagnosis at the heart of government has sent shockwaves through Westminster, which has apparently prompted Rupert Murdoch's newspaper to print a story about Downing Street's dog — Di…

RT (2020-03-11). India temporarily suspends visas for citizens of Germany, France, Spain. rt.com India has temporarily suspended all visas and e-visas granted on or before March 11 to nationals of three more coronavirus-affected countries — France, Germany and Spain — as part of the measures to contain the spread of the virus. The decision was taken during a review meeting chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, ANI reported. | "All regular visas (including e-visas) which have been granted to nationals of France, Germany and Spain on or before March 11, 2020, and where these foreigners have not yet entered India stands suspended," the statement said. Visas of all foreigners already in India re…

Michael Meeropol (2020-03-11). Government austerity is costing lives in the fight to contain Covid-19. mronline.org I am old enough to remember that shortly after the 1968 election of Richard Nixon to the presidency, his campaign manager (and future U.S. Attorney General) John Mitchell said, "Watch what we do not what we say." |

RT (2020-03-11). Switzerland keeps border to Italy open, directs traffic over main crossings. rt.com Switzerland is closing nine secondary border crossings to Italy and directing traffic over main routes to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, the government said on Wednesday. | However, the country will still let the region's workers get to their jobs, Reuters reported. "The border to Italy remains open for cross-border commuters" with work permits, according to the statement. | Italy has been an epicenter of European coronavirus infections and has imposed severe travel restrictions in an attempt to curb its spread.

Staff (2020-03-11). Nurses on the Frontlines of Coronavirus Pandemic Demand More Protection & Medicare for All. democracynow.org The number of coronavirus cases in the United States has passed 1,000 Tuesday, with the rate of infections likely increasing. Despite this, the U.S. continues to lag on testing, and healthcare workers say they lack adequate protection and protocols to allow them to safely care for infected patients. They also say the country's hospitals are woefully unprepared to handle the crisis. Nurses in the hot zones of California and Washington had already reported having to beg for face masks and lacking guidance on how to address the virus. We are joined by Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, the largest organ…

RT (2020-03-11). 'They have the blessings of God': Modi party official says those who offer ritual prayers won't get infected with coronavirus. rt.com A president of India's ruling BJP party in the state of West Bengal has said that people who turn out for prayer during mass events are immune to the coronavirus, as they enjoy the protection of higher forces. | Dilip Ghosh, president of West Bengal's branch of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appeared to brush off mounting concerns over the novel coronavirus after he took part in a Hindu prayer ritual known as "puja" in the city of Egra on Tuesday. | Look what is happening here… Thousands of people have come out to offer puja. They are drinking water and using the same hands to have the Prasad [food offered to…

RT (2020-03-11). Biden projected to prevail in Idaho after winning Michigan in a major blow for Sanders. rt.com Democratic Party front-runner Joe Biden seems to have edged out socialist Bernie Sanders in the primary in Idaho, while the two are tied in Washington. Many votes are coming in via mail due to fears of coronavirus. | A total of 109 delegates — 20 in Idaho and 89 in Washington — are at stake in the two western states. Sanders carried both in 2016 when he ran against another establishment favorite, Hillary Clinton. | Having suffered a night of

RT (2020-03-11). 'Sorry hipsters!': Coachella music festival postponed for October, succumbing to coronavirus fears. rt.com Becoming the latest to fall victim to COVID-19, the Coachella music festival — along with its sister event, Stagecoach — has been delayed until October over fears of the fast-spreading coronavirus. | The original April date for the 10-day festival was pushed back some seven months, event promoter Goldenvoice announced on Tuesday, noting that local health officials in California's Riverside County had urged the move. | "We must sadly confirm the rescheduling of Coachella and Stagecoach due to COVID-19 concerns," Goldenvoice said in a statement. "While this decision comes at a time of universal uncer…

RT (2020-03-11). Fighting the disease… literally: Asian man punched in face in Belgium for 'spreading coronavirus'. rt.com A Belgian man has taken the fight with coronavirus too literally, punching an Asian person — whom he suspected of spreading the deadly disease — in the face and being detained by the police. | The bizarre incident occurred in country's capital Brussels over the weekend and was confirmed on Wednesday by prosecutors, according to local media reports. | A 24-year-old Asian man, who was walking along Avenue Fonsny late at night, received a heavy blow to the face completely out of nowhere. The attacker shouted that he employed force because he thought that his victim was spreading the coronavirus. | It'

RT (2020-03-11). Council on Foreign Relations cancels coronavirus-themed conference in NYC because of…coronavirus. rt.com The Council on Foreign Relations has nixed a conference on "Doing Business Under Coronavirus," apparently not wanting to risk actually doing its business under the coronavirus epidemic laying siege to New York City. | The notorious think tank cancelled the talk, scheduled for Friday, as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 crept up to 36 in New York on Tuesday. Details of the event were elusive – it's not listed on the organization's website, and it's not clear who was supposed to attend. However, after an unknown number of attendees at both the Conservative Political Action Conference and the American-Is…

RT (2020-03-11). 'I'll listen to the experts': LeBron James does coronavirus U-turn after vowing NOT to play in empty arenas (VIDEO). rt.com Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James says that he will follow the advice of coronavirus experts after previously vowing he wouldn't be agreeable to the idea of playing NBA games inside empty arenas. | This comes amid fears that sports fixtures in the US could follow suit from some European countries by banning fans from attending live events, or any large-scale public gatherings, as attempts to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 continue. | James stated several days ago that he "ain't playing" in empty arenas and that the reason he plays the sport is for the fans. | But as authorities grapple with the ever-worsen…

John Wojcik (2020-03-11). Coronavirus spreads rapidly across U.S., relief plans under consideration. peoplesworld.org The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus is swelling rapidly all across the United States with the number of infected passing the 1,000 mark today. Scientists in the state of Washington, meanwhile, are saying that the real number is ten or more times that amount. They base this on their studies of how the virus …

RT (2020-03-11). WATCH Italians line up in extended supermarket queues amid coronavirus lockdown (VIDEO, PHOTOS). rt.com With Italy racked by a rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak, residents are piling up in elongated queues outside of storefronts, hoping to stock up on diminishing supplies while nationwide travel restrictions remain in place. | The illness claimed another 168 lives on Tuesday, Italy's deadliest day yet, raising the death toll to 631, as the government takes dramatic steps to contain the outbreak that has sickened more than 10,000 people across the country. However, residents still need to eat, prompting many Italians to endure long, snaking lines running for hundreds of meters in order to purchase necessities b…

RT (2020-03-11). World Health Organization declares coronavirus a pandemic. rt.com The World Health Organization has said that the spread of Covid-19 around the world has reached the stage where it can be described as a pandemic. | At Wednesday's daily coronavirus briefing WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, revealed that there are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries around the world, and 4,291 people have lost their lives due to the disease. | "Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death," the director-genera…

RT (2020-03-11). China getting back to business as worst of coronavirus outbreak in country appears to be over. rt.com The Chinese economy is slowly recovering from the Covid-19 epidemic, with production facilities, stores and leisure complexes resuming operations after weeks-long closures. | The coronavirus outbreak could have already "passed its worst," the regional chief investment officer of UBS Global Wealth Management said as the number of new infections is declining in the country, but surges everywhere beyond it. Thus the Chinese economy may become "the first in the world" to get back to normal, the bank's official believes. | | Chinese President Xi Jinping waves to residents who are quarantined at home in Wuhan, Chi…

RT (2020-03-11). Russian security services detain 4 members of Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist group in Crimea — FSB. rt.com Russian security services have busted a cell of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist group in Crimea and detained four of its members, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has said. | Members of the terrorist cell "were engaged in unconstitutional activities in pursuit of the concept of creating a so-called worldwide caliphate, destroying the institutions of secular society and overthrowing the current government by force," the FSB said in a statement on Wednesday. | The cell reportedly held covert meetings to propagate their ideology among local Muslims and recruit them. During the searches, large amounts of banned lit…

Alan Macleod (2020-03-11). The Corporate Media Celebrates After Handing Joe Biden Another Win. mintpressnews.com Biden has deliberately refrained from public or media appearances due to his propensity for making egregious errors, but that hasn't stopped the media from paving the way for a Biden vs Trump contest.

Whitney Webb (2020-03-11). US Army Cites Cybersecurity Concerns In Scrapping Planned Purchase of Israeli Military Tech. mintpressnews.com US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, a former lobbyist for Raytheon, may soon step in to reverse the decision following pressure from Israel, given that Raytheon co-develops the system with Israeli firms.

RT (2020-03-11). Only C MINUS grade: Putin rates Russia-US relations as more bad than good. rt.com Since first reaching the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin has dealt with four different US presidents, and is well placed to judge the status of Russo-American relations. It's hardly surprising that his evaluation is rather negative. | "[On a scale from one to five] I would give it a three," Putin said, in an interview with Russian news agency

The Canary (2020-03-11). Russia passes bill allowing Putin to stay in power past 2024. thecanary.co The Russian parliament has approved a sweeping constitutional reform that will allow president Vladimir Putin to stay in power for another 12 years after his current term ends in 2024.The Kremlin-controlled lower house, the State Duma, endorsed a set of amendments to the constitution and a provision resetting the term count for Putin. A nationwide vote on the proposed amendments is set for 22 April.Kremlin critics condemned the move as a cynical manipulation and called for protests.The Russian Duma passed amendments to the constitution (AP/Pavel Golovkin)Putin, a 67-year-old former KGB officer, has ruled Russia f…

Staff (2020-03-11). Biden Wins, Sanders Lags: Naomi Klein & Alicia Garza on Calls to Shut Down Primaries & Debates. democracynow.org Former Vice President Joe Biden scored decisive primary victories Tuesday night in the key state of Michigan, along with Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho. Sanders won North Dakota and holds a lead in Washington state, but votes are still being counted, and the races are still too close to call. While Biden is less than halfway to the delegates he would need to secure the Democratic nomination, Sanders faces a decision about whether to continue his increasingly uphill fight for the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination. This comes as Biden and Sanders called off their planned campaign rallies in Cleveland…

WSWS (2020-03-11). Julian Assange's mother, doctors warn he is at heightened risk due to coronavirus. wsws.org In comments to the WSWS, Dr Stephen Frost warned that "the UK government is effectively playing Russian roulette with Julian Assange's life" and demanded that he be released from Belmarsh Prison immediately.

Medea Benjamin (2020-03-11). Saudi Arabia's Brave Women Pull Back the Curtain on Crown Prince MBS. mintpressnews.com The case of Al-Hathloul and the other women's rights activists on trial in Saudi Arabia is a tremendous embarrassment for MBS, who has been putting an enormous effort into convincing his Western allies that he is a reformer and that the Kingdom is becoming more liberal.

Medea Benjamin (2020-03-11). Saudi's Brave Women Pull Back the Curtain on Crown Prince MBS. globalresearch.ca Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia's 34-year-old de facto ruler, was on a tear. He

Peter Bolton (2020-03-11). US activists call for election monitors as elitist Joe Biden keeps advancing. thecanary.co Former vice president

Fight Back (2020-03-11). Threats against Prof. Sison are threats against the resumption of the peace talks. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Negotiating Panel. | The reported threats against Prof. Jose Ma. 'Joma' Sison, who is the NDFP chief political consultant threaten any possible resumption of the peace talks. | That the Dutch police went to visit 'Joma' last week and warn him to take precautionary measures indicates that the Dutch authorities have become aware of and are taking seriously the threats against 'Joma'. They presumably know who are behind the threats. | Any threat against Professor Sison or any member of the NDFP…

Jon Britton (2020-03-11). PSL Public Forum: A Women's Place is in the Struggle: Honoring IWD. indybay.org San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 48 S Seventh Street, San Jose, CA 95112…

Mohammed Harun Arsalai, Mohsin Khan Momand (2020-03-11). Afghans Imagine a Future of Lasting Peace. thenation.com Mohammed Harun Arsalai, Mohsin Khan Momand Afghans Imagine a Future of Lasting Peace…

Jessica Corbett (2020-03-11). Millions of Women in Mexico Protest Gender-Based Violence. zcomm.org "In Mexico it's like we're in a state of war; we're in a humanitarian crisis because of the quantity of women that have disappeared or been killed."

teleSUR (2020-03-11). Chile: New Wave of Protests to Demand Piñera's Resignation. telesurenglish.net Thousands of Chileans are taking to the streets again this Wednesday to demand the removal of President Sebastian Piñera, who is turning two years into his term.‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã‚Äã | RELATED: | "The Piñera administration thought that by talking about a hypothetical new constitution it would succeed in placating t…

Alan Macleod (2020-03-11). Creative Coronavirus Responses Appear Across the World, but Not in Trump's America. mintpressnews.com The World Health Organization has officially declared the coronavirus a pandemic and countries across the globe are coming up with clever methods of halting its spread putting the Trump administration's lackluster response to shame.

Ralph Nader (2020-03-11). Trump vs. Sanders—Comparisons for Voters. counterpunch.org It isn't un-American for voters to do some homework before voting. Here's a "concise guide" for the voter with limited time who might want more information. The corporate Democratic Partiers keep questioning the electability of candidates they do not like, namely Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Really? These leading progressives are absurdly presumed to be

South Front (2020-03-11). Video: Saudi-initiated All-out Oil War Could Lead to Collapse of Kingdom Itself. globalresearch.ca Saudi Arabia launched an all-out oil war offering unprecedented discounts and flooding the market in an attempt to capture a larger share and defeat other oil producers. This "scorched earth" approach caused the biggest oil price fall since the war …

Stephen Lendman (2020-03-11). Dirty System Triumph on Mini-Super Tuesday. globalresearch.ca Tuesday results in six states for Dems largely replicated Biden's pre-scripted week ago Super Tuesday triumph over Sanders. | As the saying goes, there never was any doubt. The race to be Dem standard bearer in November against Trump appears all …

Stephen Lendman (2020-03-11). Biden Rejects Medicare for All. globalresearch.ca On major policy issues, Biden's agenda resembles Trump's with a party label difference — both unacceptable, demanding rejection. | Throughout his time in public office, Biden one-sidedly supported and continues supporting privileged interests at the expense of the public welfare — …