2021-03-09: News Headlines

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 …

Pavan Kulkarni (2021-03-09). Multiple waves of violence hit Darfur as UN-AU mission starts withdrawal. peoplesdispatch.org A peace deal – in effect a power-sharing agreement between the government and the armed rebel groups – has provided no solution to the root causes of the violence in the region, which has spiked after the decision to end the mandate of the UNAMID to protect civilians…

Online News Editor (2021-03-09). Protests in Asunción end in clashes outside Colorado Party HQ. laprensalatina.com Asunción, Mar 8 (efe-epa).- The fourth day of protests in Asunción against the government of President Mario Abdo Benitez ended on Monday in clashes in front of the headquarters of the conservative Colorado Party after several hours of peaceful demonstrations near the Congress building. Protesters signaled dissatisfaction with the Cabinet shuffle announced by Abdo Benitez …

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)

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 …

RT (2021-03-09). As migrants pour over US border, White House won't admit Biden's dealing with a crisis. rt.com The fruits of Joe Biden's border policies are already apparent: a tripling of children detained at the border, and crossings set to hit record levels. Yet the administration refuses to acknowledge it has a crisis on its hands. | The number of unaccompanied migrant children detained along the southern US border has tripled in the last two weeks to more than 3,250, the New York Times

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…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-03-09). 'Is This Who We Are?': Gitmo is America's Enduring Shame. counterpunch.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.

_____ (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

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.

Raul Diego (2021-03-09). Massive Secret UK Propaganda Campaign in Former Soviet Republics Seeds Contempt. mintpressnews.com From the Skripal affair to Navalny's rise to the Russian Olympic doping scandal, these damning revelations should be enough to dispel any notions of truth in what the UK and allies tell their citizens through mainstream media outlets and the social media landscape they control.

John Wojcik (2021-03-09). American Rescue Act: Government of, by, and for the people. peoplesworld.org Ever since the days of the Ronald Reagan presidency, the defining narrative in Washington has been that big government is an unruly animal that has to be tamed. With the passage of the American Rescue Act in the Senate and the expected second passage in the House today and signing of it into law by …

Minnie Bruce Pratt (2021-03-09). Workers are not robots! Racism, high-tech speedup and the Amazon union drive. workers.org A historic organizing drive is underway in Bessemer, Ala., at the Amazon BHM1 warehouse. Almost 6,000 majority-Black workers — almost half women — are deciding whether to unionize with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). Voting is continuing until March 29. December 12th Movement rally at Harlem's Whole . . . |

Global Research (2021-03-09). The Globalization of War & The Globalization of Poverty: Two Important Titles by Michel Chossudovsky. globalresearch.ca These two titles from Global Research Publishers are available in PDF (e-book) format delivered directly to your inbox, as well as in print format. | . | . | . | The Globalization of War: America's "Long War" against Humanity | by Michel Chossudovsky |

C.J. Hopkins (2021-03-09). The New Normal (Phase 2). dissidentvoice.org So, we're almost a year into the "New Normal" (a/k/a "pathologized totalitarianism") and things are still looking … well, pretty totalitarian. Most of Western Europe is still in "lockdown," or "under curfew," or in some other state of "health emergency." Police are fining and arresting people for "being outdoors without a valid reason." Protest is …

Sameena Rahman (2021-03-09). Trial of killer cop for murder of George Floyd begins as authorities prepare massive repression. liberationnews.org Chauvin, a former cop with the Minneapolis Police Department who brutally killed George Floyd on May 25, is charged with second degree "unintentional" murder and second degree manslaughter.

Eds. (2021-03-09). Discourses of Distrust: Conspiracy Theories and the Critique of Ideology. mronline.org Here the main question is not what is said but why it is said. And this question of why is not related to the personal situation, interests, or discursive strategies of the speakers. Men cannot know what is good for them; they very often profess ideologies that are directly detrimental to their interests.

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…

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-09). Weekend events prepared 'the people's case' against Derek Chauvin. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS—A weekend of marches, rallies, and news conferences kicked off the fight for justice for George Floyd and the conviction of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin charged with murdering Floyd. This overview and photos of the events from Friday to Sunday show a level of commitment to justice by a coalition of groups intent on …

Yanis Iqbal (2021-03-09). Notes on revolutionary hope. mronline.org Humanity stands at a dangerous crossroads: a conflict between making profits and saving human life is clearly emerging, with the latter being sacrificed by the ruling class for the former.

Eric A. Gordon (2021-03-09). 'From the Plough to the Stars: Working People's Prose from Contemporary Ireland'. peoplesworld.org Frequent People's World contributor Jenny Farrell, based in Ireland, has just edited an important new volume, From the Plough to the Stars: An Anthology of Working People's Prose from Contemporary Ireland. It is a successor to a similar recent book she also edited of contemporary Irish working-class poetry. Farrell includes some 50 Irish writers, a …

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 …

Wayne Nealis (2021-03-09). Protests build as jury selection begins in Chauvin trial. peoplesworld.org MINNEAPOLIS—Spirited, determined protesters greeted day one of The People vs. Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. "The whole world is watching" read the main banner behind which an estimated 1,000 people had gathered by 8 a.m., one hour before the trial formally opened. A spokesperson for the National Alliance Against Racist and Political …

George Wuerthner (2021-03-09). Wilderness and Grazing: Time to Send the Cows Home. counterpunch.org Cows in designated wilderness areas? Does that seem like an oxymoron? Wilderness Areas are supposed to be places where natural processes and native species are given priority. With the election of the Biden administration, it may be time to reconsider grazing in designated wilderness, especially in light of the 30 x 30 goal of protecting

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

The Conversation (2021-03-09). Iran's leaders signal interest in new nuclear deal, but U.S. must act soon. juancole.com By James Devine | — On the campaign trail, Joe Biden pledged that if elected he would quickly return the United States to the Joint Collective Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. But negotiations have been slow to materialize, and with Iran's presidential elections scheduled to take place in June, …

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 . . . |

Nick Licata (2021-03-09). The Inspired Terrorists Who Invaded the Capitol Were Your Neighbors! counterpunch.org The major networks and cable news channels largely ignored research findings showing who the people that were "incited" to invade the Capitol. Instead, they focused on those who had "planned" the violent break-in. While the FBI considers both groups to be domestic terrorists, research shows the "incited" people may be your neighbors. Instead of describing

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 …

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 . . . |

Emile Schepers (2021-03-09). Chicago joins list of U.S. cities denouncing Cuba blockade. peoplesworld.org For 60 years, the United States has done everything within its power to destroy socialist Cuba. The tactics used have included a failed invasion, violent sabotage, attempted assassinations of Cuban leaders, and an endless and relentless barrage of lies in corporate-controlled media, academia, and other ideology-forming institutions. Cuban socialism, however, has survived all these assaults. Today, …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-03-09). Women across Latin America and the Caribbean rise up against patriarchy, femicides and capitalism. peoplesdispatch.org From Argentina to Mexico, millions of women took to the streets to demand equality in the most unequal region of the world, and to proclaim that they refuse to continue being marginalized, discriminated against, excluded, and murdered…

John Feffer (2021-03-09). The Talented Mr. Bin Salman. counterpunch.org Mohammed bin Salman is a charming fellow. The tall, dark, and handsome Saudi prince known as MbS has seduced world leaders and eager pundits left and right. To his supporters, MbS became first in line to the Saudi throne by championing reform in a deeply conservative Gulf kingdom, taking on corruption, confronting religious extremists, and

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

PAI (2021-03-09). Avalanche of progressive legislation on the move in the House. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Worker rights. The right to vote. Free and open elections. Partial controls on who can buy guns. And of course, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act. All that is on the congressional plate this week. There will be two big-deal votes in the House alone. One comes March 9 on Democratic President Joe Biden's rescue …

Robert Lipsyte (2021-03-09). Rush, Roger, Rupert, and The Donald May Ride Forever. counterpunch.org 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 the News Corporation, the Fox News empire, and

Kuveni Scanlan (2021-03-09). Abortion ban repealed in New Mexico after years of struggle. liberationnews.org Radical and progressive activists recently led the way to an important victory for working class women in New Mexico.

Arjun Appadurai (2021-03-09). The Future of Postcolonial Thought. thenation.com A pair of books—one by Walter Mignolo and Catherine Walsh, another by Achille Mbembe—consider the unfulfilled promise of decolonization.

Jasmine Norden (2021-03-09). Piers Morgan flounces off live broadcast after co-host calls out his Meghan Markle vendetta. thecanary.co Piers Morgan stormed off the Good Morning Britain set this morning after presenter Alex Beresford criticised his comments about Meghan Markle and prince Harry. | Beresford was expressing his sympathy for the couple and the negative press they've endured. He said: I think that we need to all take a step back. And I understand that you don't like Meghan Markle. You've made it so clear a number of times on this programme — a number of times. And I understand that you've got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off. She's entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said any…

sputniknews (2021-03-09). 'Very Concerned': Top Senate Dem Says Biden Should Reconsider Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal. sputniknews.com While the remaining US troops are slated to depart Afghanistan in May 2021, per the US-Taliban peace deal, the pullout is based on the condition that the Taliban guarantees the country will not fall into extremists' hands. Under US President Donald Trump's presidency, the US reduced its presence in Afghanistan from 14,000 to 2,500 troops.

Jasmine Norden (2021-03-09). Victoria Derbyshire grills head of Society of Editors after he denies press racism. thecanary.co Victoria Derbyshire demonstrated why she's one of the best journalists around as she refused to let the head of the Society of Editors dodge questions on press racism. | In an exchange on BBC News, Derbyshire asked Ian Murray: You told me the British tabloid press was not bigoted. I've just given you some examples. You're denying that those examples are racist, and I'm asking 'why are you denying that?' | Murray then said "someone might make one comment about something" that he refused to call racist, after talking over Derbyshire throughout the interview. Derbyshire subsequently said: But you've just told me the B…

RT (2021-03-09). Turkish court sentences five to life in prison over assassination of Russian ambassador Karlov. rt.com Five Turkish nationals were handed life sentences for their role in the assassination of Russia's envoy to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, in Ankara in 2016. The man who pulled the trigger had been shot dead on site by security forces. | Karlov was murdered on December 19, 2016 as he was delivering a speech at an opening of a Russia-themed exhibition in the Turkish capital. A local off-duty police officer, Mevlut Mert Altintas, fired nine bullets at the diplomat, while also injuring several other visitors. The 22-year-old attacker was killed shortly afterwards in a standoff with other members of law enforcement. | A to…

RT (2021-03-09). RT's German-language service prepares lawsuit after notorious tabloid 'Bild' falsely accuses its journalists in Berlin of SPYING. rt.com RT in Germany is planning to take legal action against the tabloid Bild, after the Berlin newspaper ran a sensationalist tale that relied on leaked Telegram chats from a former employee, who claimed he had to spy for the channel. | In the article published on Tuesday, reporter Julian Roepcke, who has previously been aligned with the 'Disinformation Portal' of NATO's Atlantic Council adjunct, claims that, according to Bild's information, President Vladimir Putin ordered a spy op on his "public enemy number one." It allegedly targeted opposition figure Alexey Navalny and two of his close aides. The supposed snoo…

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…

RT (2021-03-09). Football clubs urged to take action after fans use 'abhorrent' domestic abuse image in meme mocking Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. rt.com A survivor of domestic abuse has spoken of her ordeal after a photo of her was used in a "beaten at home throughout lockdown" social media post which appeared designed to poke fun at Liverpool's recent woes. | Sick fans created and shared a photograph showing a victim of domestic abuse alongside Reds manager Klopp, accompanied by the "beaten at home" caption. | The tasteless joke came days after the English Premier League champions suffered their sixth successive home defeat of the Premier League campaign against Fulham on Sunday. | Katie Walker, whose photo was used in the social media post, said the episode…

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…

RT (2021-03-09). Six and counting: Another woman lines up to accuse NY Gov Cuomo of sexual harassment. rt.com A former member of Andrew Cuomo's Executive Chamber staff has come forward to say she was harassed by him — making her the sixth on a growing list of women reportedly harassed by the four-term New York governor. | The woman, whose name has not been made public, claimed Cuomo "inappropriately touched her" in the governor's mansion, where she had been sent to do some work for the governor late at night. | The governor's reported encounter with the latest accuser happened at the end of last year, though Cuomo's office claimed he was only notified on Monday by an official close to the matter. Last week, he s…

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…

RT (2021-03-09). Police & FBI investigate after student 'accidentally' detonates explosive device in CLASS, injuring 4 students. rt.com A blast ripped through a classroom at a Michigan high school, injuring five students and prompting all county schools to lock down. Police believe the explosive device was brought by a student and detonated in a freak accident. | The explosion took place inside a classroom, shortly after lessons began at Newaygo High School at around 9am on Monday local time. The blast injured at least five people, including a 16-year-old student, who is believed to have brought the device to school in the first place. | to the school. The device detonated in the classroom, injuring the 16-year-old and four additional classmat…

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…