(2021-03-18). Prominent Egyptian activist Sanaa Seif sentenced to 18 months in prison. peoplesdispatch.org Sanaa Seif was prosecuted and sentenced on charges of spreading fake news, "disturbing security and peace and disrupting the institutions of the state from their work" and "insulting a police officer"
(2021-03-18). How the US Military Subverted the Afghan Peace Agreement to Prolong an Unpopular War. globalresearch.ca Appointed in the final days of Trump's presidency to remove all …
(2021-03-18). No justice, no peace: Rapsody on art, activism, and the power of music. therealnews.com 
The professors invite Rapsody to discuss the legacy of the Black music tradition and how it continually reiterates itself within "new genres," creating a cultural archive.
(2021-03-18). Russia urges Taliban, Afghanistan to avoid further peace process delays. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Mar 18 (efe-epa).- An Afghan peace conference began in Moscow Thursday that brought together the Kabul government and Taliban negotiators and foreign observers to help speed up the stagnated peace process. The host Russia urged the two sides to avoid further delays in jump-starting the peace talks that have been going on since September …
(2021-03-18). 'Turkey key in Europe's future as it was in past'. yenisafak.com On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of 18 March statement with the EU, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Turkey is a key country in Europe's future as it was in the past."Our renewed close cooperation with the #EU will continue to bring peace, prosperity and stability to the entire continent," the ministry said on Twitter by sharing an infographic on EU-Turkey 18 March statement.In the infographic, the ministry said that the statement is an example of a positive result when the EU and Turkey cooperate on common goals."[The statement] is also a suitable tool for developing Turkey-EU relations wi…
(2021-03-18). The U.S. Government Should Promote the General Welfare. counterpunch.org 
An event revealing a great deal about the kind of government Americans want occurred this March, when members of the U.S. Congress voted on the American Rescue Plan. This legislation, staunchly supported by the Democrats, provided federal funding for the provision of life-saving vaccines, the re-opening of public schools, expanded benefits to the unemployed, a
(2021-03-18). New Cold War is built on humanitarian interventionist lies and dismissal of actual War Crimes. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). Rate of demolition of Palestinian homes has increased in 2021, says new report. peoplesdispatch.org 
The report, prepared by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian Territories, says the monthly average of demolition of Palestinian houses by Israeli authorities has increased by 65% in 2021 as compared to the previous year…
(2021-03-18). Let's Stop Pretending Russia and China are Military Threats. counterpunch.org 
Someone needs to say this, and it looks like it's gotta be me: China and Russia are not our enemies. Somehow, the opinion-makers in the media, the bloated military brass with all their ribbons and stars and with little to do but worry about how to keep their massively overbuilt operation afloat with ever more taxpayer money, and the members of Congress who like to gin up fears among the voters so they'll keep voting for them have gotten everyone thinking that Russia is still hell bent on world communist takeover and that China it trying to replace the US as global hegemon. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
(2021-03-18). Syria needs Long-Term Housing for the Neediest, and the US needs to Stop Blocking it. juancole.com 
By Hany Al Banna | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — March 15, 2021, will mark a grim milestone—the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the popular uprising that led to the civil war still engulfing Syria. As we all grapple with the deadly crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world's …
(2021-03-18). China and Russia Vaccines Defeat Cold War Virus. dissidentvoice.org 
A friend in need is a friend indeed, and several countries which may have previously sniffed at vaccines produced by China and Russia are finding truth in the old adage. China is ramping up supplies of its CoronaVac to Brazil and other Latin American countries where Covid-19 infections are threatening to overwhelm public health services. …
(2021-03-18). Why Brazil is Losing the Global Race for Vaccines. counterpunch.org 
On January 17 nurse Monica Calazans became the first person vaccinated against COVID-19 in Brazil. The procedure took place during a much-awaited ceremony in Sà£o Paulo. However, after months of denial and heel-dragging from the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's late entry into the global race for vaccines could prove to be fatal for
(2021-03-18). NYT accused of 'fueling anti-Asian racism' over headline on Chinese vaccine 'made from hamster cells'. rt.com 
The New York Times was accused of "soft racism" after running a headline about how China's latest Covid-19 vaccine is "made from the ovary cells of hamsters" on the same day shootings in Georgia left six Asian women dead. | In the Tuesday
(2021-03-18). Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Biden administration planning to 'reset' relations with Palestinians: Report | State Department is reportedly mulling over plans to provide $15m in Covid-19 aid in addition to several other initiatives set to mend ties, according to draft memo | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 07 | Palestinians react as Israeli authorities prepare to demolish a house located within a village south of Yatta in southern area of West Bank…
(2021-03-18). The Ongoing Calamity: US Collective Punishment of the Venezuelan People Must End. counterpunch.org 
Recent statements made by US officials suggest that Washington will continue to pursue a hardline policy on Venezuela. The new Biden Administration, however, needs to urgently rethink its approach. US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, remarked on February 3 that he "certainly" does not "expect this administration to be engaging directly with (President) Maduro." Namely,
(2021-03-18). Cape Verde Greenlights Venezuelan Gov't Envoy Extradition to US. venezuelanalysis.com Alex Saab's defense will appeal to the Cape Verdean Constitutional Court.
(2021-03-18). There Are So Many Lessons to Learn from Kerala. dissidentvoice.org 
Anujath Sindhu Vinaylal (India), My mother and the mothers in the neighborhood, 2017. Indian farmers and agricultural workers have crossed the hundred-day mark of their protest against the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They will not withdraw until the government repeals laws that deliver the advantages of agriculture to large corporate houses. This, the …
(2021-03-18). Unelected operatives play an outsized role in crafting foreign policy. peoplesworld.org 
It's probably safe to say that most Americans would hope the major foreign policy actions of the United States would be determined by their elected officials in Congress and the White House. In reality, much of the foreign policy of the U.S. is first crafted behind closed doors by individuals that the public never voted …
(2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5 p.m., three Atlanta-area spas staffed by Asian workers were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of the women were …
(2021-03-18). Interpreting contemporary imperialism: lessons from Samir Amin. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). PDF of March 18 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Bust the filibuster, pass the PRO-union Act! Medical justice: Release Mumia now! International Women's Day: Protest of massacre in Philippines; New York Boricua Resistance; 1970 march on women's prison. ALSO: Solidarity with #BAmazon; Sharpeville 1960: A turning point; Bus drivers blast school reopening; Stimulus for who? UNITE . . . |
(2021-03-18). Guangzhou 1927: The Paris Commune of the East. peoplesdispatch.org 
On the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Paris Commune, its legacy is remembered in the Guangzhou Uprising, when workers and peasants established a popular republic in the southern Chinese capital in 1927.
(2021-03-18). The Active Forest Management Scam. counterpunch.org 
There are daily news stories about the recent large wildfires in 2020. In nearly all of these media accounts, almost always attributed to a lack of active forest management. In other words, proponents of logging/thinning forests assert fuel reductions would diminish fire severity. The prevailing assumption is that fuels are the major cause of large
(2021-03-18). Alabama Amazon worker testifies before Congress: "We're not robots." peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—At Amazon's warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., more than 5,800 workers, many if not most of them Black, toil for 10 hours each a day in the middle of a pandemic, shifting goods to loading docks via elevators they can't board themselves. Instead, workers, many middle-aged, must tramp, or limp, up and down four flights of …
(2021-03-18). PSL in Tennessee launches campaign to fight utility shutoffs. liberationnews.org 
The rise in unemployment and poverty coupled with dismal state benefits during a deadly pandemic have left many families unable to pay their bills.
(2021-03-18). Profit Shares Fall to the Lowest Level Since 2009. counterpunch.org 
The Federal Reserve Board released an item of good news that might be missed. The Financial Accounts for the fourth quarter showed a decline in profit share of national income to 12.0 percent, the lowest annual share since 2009. It is far too early to know if this shift will be enduring, but it is
(2021-03-18). Climate Change is making Sea levels rise fastest in big cities — here's why. juancole.com 
By Sally Brown and Robert James Nicholls | — It is well known that climate-induced sea level rise is a major threat. What is less well know is the threat of sinking land. And in many of the most populated coastal areas, the land is sinking even faster than the sea is rising. Parts of …
(2021-03-18). Author Dan Hicks reveals the backstory of 'contested objects' in Western museums. peoplesworld.org 
The role of museums in Western culture has been a conversation in art and academia for decades. The institution as a whole has had a spotlight shined on its structural biases for years. In response, several museums have attempted to institute reforms to expand diversity. Curator Dan Hicks, of the Pitt-Rivers Museum of Oxford University, …
(2021-03-18). PSL Statement: Massacre in Atlanta — racist, sexist terrorism and the capitalist system. liberationnews.org Photo: Demonstration last weekend in Los Angeles against the rising tide of anti-Asian hate crimes On Tuesday, March 16 at around 5: 00 p.m., three spas staffed by Asian workers in the Atlanta area were the targets of a racist and sexist mass shooting. Eight people were killed, seven of whom were women, and six of …
(2021-03-18). Thumb in the Dike: Homelessness and Deepening Inequality. counterpunch.org 
In December 2020, USA Today ran a bold headline declaring, "the federal eviction moratorium expires in January. It could leave 40 million Americans homeless." The article cites Diane Yentel, CEO and president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, who warns, "We're facing potentially the worst housing and homelessness crisis in our country's history."
(2021-03-18). Pandemic's impact propels new push for Medicare for All. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Propelled by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which exposed, as never before, the gaping holes in U.S. health care's non-system, proponents of Medicare For All launched a new push for comprehensive health care reconstruction. But the March 17 exuberant "Town Hall" for the bill, re-introduced by House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., …
(2021-03-18). Anger mounts as police cover for Atlanta murderer of Asian women. peoplesworld.org 
Only two days before the Atlanta-area murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, Georgia State Sen. Michelle Au, herself Chinese American, was warning of rising anti-Asian violence in her state and nationwide. "Asian Americans are part of our country's plurality," said Au. "And all I'm asking, as the first East Asian state senator …
(2021-03-18). Jason Hickel introduces Degrowth — book review. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-18). Syria: Hundreds gather in Daraa to celebrate anniversary of uprising. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Hundreds gather in Daraa to celebrate anniversary of uprising | Daraa, currently under Assad control, was the centre of major demonstrations in the early days of the uprising in March 2011 | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 36 | Still from video footage shared on social media (Twitter) | Hundreds reportedly gathered in the Syrian city of Daraa on Thursday to mark the tenth anniversary of the beginning of anti-gove…
(2021-03-18). US warns China it will enforce sanctions on Iranian oil shipments: Report. middleeasteye.net 
US warns China it will enforce sanctions on Iranian oil shipments: Report | Shipments of oil from Tehran to Beijing have soared in recent months, reaching nearly 500,000 barrels a day in February | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 16: 34 | In 2019, the Trump administration stopped providing sanctions waivers to several countries that were importing oil from Iran (AFP) | The US has told China it will enforce Trump-era sanctio…
(2021-03-18). Iranian press review: Khamenei advisor urges move to enrich uranium up to 60 percent. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Khamenei advisor urges move to enrich uranium up to 60 percent | Meanwhile, Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq threaten more attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad, and in northern Iran, thousands of migratory birds die due to environmental crisis | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 04 | A handout picture released by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization on 6 November 2019 shows the…
(2021-03-18). Yemen's Houthis renew call for end to Saudi-led blockade before ceasefire. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis renew call for end to Saudi-led blockade before ceasefire | The Iran-aligned fighters continue their push to take control of Marib, which is home to at least a million displaced people | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 10: 17 | Forces loyal to Yemen's Saudi-backed government sit in the back of a pick-up truck during clashes with Houthi rebel fighters west of Taiz, on 16 March 2021 (AFP)…
(2021-03-18). UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows. middleeasteye.net 
UAE suspends Abu Dhabi Israel summit as frustration with Netanyahu grows | Emirati officials are particularly angry at Israeli PM's pre-election trumpeting of $10bn UAE investment fund | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 46 | An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask with the flags of the US, Israel and the UAE, upon the arrival of the first commercial flight from Israel, 31 August 2020 (AFP)…
(2021-03-18). Egypt faces backlash over response to UN criticism of human rights record. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt faces backlash over response to UN criticism of human rights record | A statement signed by 31 countries has prompted furious denials from Cairo, which in turn have been met with scorn | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 10 | Policewomen stand outside al-Qanatir women's prison during a government guided tour (AFP) | Egyptian opposition figures and rights advocates have lashed out at Egypt's response to a rare…
(2021-03-18). 'Turkey key in Europe's future as it was in past'. yenisafak.com On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of 18 March statement with the EU, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Turkey is a key country in Europe's future as it was in the past."Our renewed close cooperation with the #EU will continue to bring peace, prosperity and stability to the entire continent," the ministry said on Twitter by sharing an infographic on EU-Turkey 18 March statement.In the infographic, the ministry said that the statement is an example of a positive result when the EU and Turkey cooperate on common goals."[The statement] is also a suitable tool for developing Turkey-EU relations wi…
(2021-03-18). Secretary-General appoints Jean Arnault as his personal envoy on Afghanistan. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General on Wednesday announced the appointment of seasoned mediator Jean Arnault as his new Personal Envoy on Afghanistan and Regional Issues, reflecting the Organization's continued commitment to the peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict in the country.
(2021-03-18). EU halts planned sanctions on Turkey in indication of thawing tensions. middleeasteye.net 
EU halts planned sanctions on Turkey in indication of thawing tensions | As diplomatic relations warm, European Union calls off sanctioning members of Turkey's state-owned energy company | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 15: 26 | Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a meeting with EU Council President Charles Michel in Brussels (Reuters) | The European Union has halted plans to blacklist senior…
(2021-03-18). Egypt: Protests break out after police officer allegedly beat man to death. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: Protests break out after police officer allegedly beat man to death | A police officer reportedly crushed the skull of poultry shop owner Mohamed Youssef, sparking angry protests in his Nile Delta village | Thu, 03/18/2021 – 12: 59 | Mohamed Youssef, 34, was the owner of a poultry shop in the village of Monshaat el-Karaam in the Qalyubia governorate. He was reportedly beaten to death on 17 March by a po…
(2021-03-18). Selected Articles: Brazil's Lula in a Wilderness of Mirrors, UK Breaks Law on Nukes, Myanmar: Hidden Opposition Violence. globalresearch.ca 
By A surprising Supreme Court decision that, while not definitive, restores Lula's political rights has hit Brazil like a semiotic bomb and plunged the nation into a …
(2021-03-18). Lorenzo Wolff — The Pearl (featuring Bartees Strange). counterpunch.org 
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(2021-03-18). Stop Asian Hate: Connie Wun on Atlanta Spa Killings, Gender Violence & Spike in Anti-Asian Attacks. democracynow.org 
Deadly shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors that left eight people dead have stoked outrage and renewed fears about rising anti-Asian racism in the United States, which has already seen a rise in violence directed at Asian Americans during the pandemic. Police say the shooting suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies a racial motive behind the killings, blaming "sex addiction" and a "really bad day" instead, but six of the eight victims are women of Asian descent. Connie Wun, co-founder of AAPI Women Lead and a researcher on violence against girls of color, says it's impossible to "disconnect rac…
(2021-03-18). John Kerry caught flouting Biden's mask mandate on flight, dismisses 'elite hypocrite' accusations as 'malarkey'. rt.com 
US special climate envoy John Kerry is under fire after he was spotted without a mask on board a flight, prompting American Airlines to investigate the matter as critics condemn the failed presidential candidate for hypocrisy. | A mostly maskless Kerry was photographed by a fellow passenger while on a flight from Boston to DC on Wednesday, with the image first
(2021-03-18). 'Blackwater had bad days in Iraq too': Outrage after media links sheriff probing Atlanta parlors massacre to mercenary outfit. rt.com 
Twitter erupted after reports that the sheriff who is investigating the Atlanta parlors massacre may have links to the notorious private military company, Blackwater. His office was previously accused of harboring racism. | The Cherokee County Sheriff's office headed by Sheriff Frank Reynolds attracted national attention this week over its role in investigating the killings of eight people, including six women, at massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia. The shooting rampage was quickly labeled by the left to be the latest example of racially motivated violence by a presumed white supremacist. | Also on rt.com…
(2021-03-18). Suspected assailant of elderly Chinese woman in San Francisco ends up handcuffed to stretcher after she BEATS HIM UP with stick. rt.com 
The latest apparent case of unprovoked violence against vulnerable Asian-American people didn't end well for the alleged attacker, who required a trip to hospital after his intended target proved to be too tough for him. | The incident took place on Market Street in San Francisco on Wednesday morning and was first reported by the local CBS affiliate KPIX, whose sports director Dennis O'Donnell happened to be jogging nearby and filmed the aftermath of the altercation. | pic.twitter.com/5o8r0eeHE2— Dennis O'Donnell (@DennisKPIX) (2021-03-18). Obama joins chorus in dubbing massage parlor shootings as 'anti-Asian hate crime' as Democrats keep narrative on 'white supremacy'. rt.com 
Former President Barack Obama and other political and celebrity voices seized on a murder spree at Atlanta-area massage parlors as a call to dismantle "white supremacy" — despite the lack of any apparent anti-Asian hate motive. | "Although the shooter's motive is not yet clear, the identity of the victims underscores an alarming rise in anti-Asian violence that must end," Obama said Wednesday on Twitter. While also using the horrific shootings to argue for gun laws, he added that America must "root out the pervasive patterns of hatred and violence in our society." | Even as we've battled the pandemic, we…