(2021-03-15). More EU countries halt use of AstraZeneca vaccine. laprensalatina.com (Update: adds EMA and WHO statements, minor edits) Madrid Desk, Mar 15 (efe-epa).- France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Slovenia on Monday became the latest countries to suspend the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. At a joint press conference with the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, after a bilateral summit …
(2021-03-15). Spain's deputy premier to resign to run in Madrid vote. yenisafak.com Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias on Monday announced he will be stepping down to run in Madrid's regional elections.The announcement by the leader of the left-wing Unidas Podemos party sent shockwaves through Spain, where the political scene has been shifting rapidly since the coalition between Citizens and the Popular Party ruptured last week.Iglesias said Monday that he hopes to defeat the "Trumpist" politics and "enormous danger" posed by the right-wing politicians in Madrid."It will be an honor to hold a position where I'll be more useful, as a Madrid citizen and as an anti-fascist," he said in an…
(2021-03-15). Amazon alienation: Alabama union drive isn't just about wages. peoplesworld.org 
In a recent interview with The Real News Network, Amazon worker Darryl Richardson described his job as a picker in the Bessemer, Ala., fulfillment center. He clocks in, and a video stream tells him where to go. He logs in at his station, then waits until the robot comes. A video stream tells him what …
(2021-03-15). U.S. Lawyer Steven Donziger Speaks from House Arrest in NYC After Suing Chevron for Amazon Oil Spills. democracynow.org 
Decades of reckless oil drilling by Chevron have destroyed 1,700 square miles of land in the Ecuadorian Amazon, but the company has refused to pay for the damage or clean up the land despite losing a lawsuit 10 years ago, when Ecuador's Supreme Court ordered the oil giant to pay $18 billion on behalf of 30,000 Amazonian Indigenous people. Instead of cleaning up the damage, Chevron has spent the past decade waging an unprecedented legal battle to avoid paying for the environmental destruction, while also trying to take down the environmental lawyer Steven Donziger, who helped bring the landmark case. Donziger, who…
(2021-03-15). 'Immigrants are welcome here,' San Diego protesters in solidarity with migrant caravan. liberationnews.org 
All revolutionary and progressive people should defend the freedom of movement for all people fleeing the horrors of U.S. imperialism regardless of their documentation status.
(2021-03-15). Headlines for March 15, 2021. democracynow.org FEMA to Deploy to U.S. Border Where 4,200 Migrant Children Are Being Held, States Open Up Vaccine Eligibility as Fauci Warns Flouting Health Measures Could Lead to New Surge, Italy Back in Lockdown, Germany Declares Third Wave, as Brazil Deaths and Cases Surge, More Countries Suspend Use of AstraZeneca Vaccine After Reports of Blood Clots, Burma Sees Deadliest Day of Anti-Coup Protests as U.S. Grants TPS Status to Burmese Nationals, Car Bomb in Afghanistan Kills at Least 8 as U.S. Seeks to Accelerate Peace Talks, Kosovo Opens Embassy, Czech Republic Opens Diplomatic Office in Jerusalem, 39 Students Missing After…
(2021-03-15). Ten Problems With Biden's Foreign Policy — and One Solution. counterpunch.org 
The Biden presidency is still in its early days, but it's not too early to point to areas in the foreign policy realm where we, as progressives, have been disappointed—or even infuriated. There are one or two positive developments, such as the renewal of Obama's New START Treaty with Russia and Secretary of State Blinken's
(2021-03-15). Bronx tenants to local politicians: 'Cancel the rents!'. liberationnews.org 
The tenant movement is growing more determined each day to expose and fight the injustice of housing under capitalism.
(2021-03-15). Thomas Piketty and Karl Marx: Two totally different visions of Capital. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-15). Farming: A Dirty Truth. counterpunch.org 
These days it's common for in-crowd folks to adopt trendy and overused lingo. Maybe you've noticed that we don't have towns or cities anymore. We have "communities." "Problems" have been banished in favor of "challenges." Once upon a time there was a notion of "truth." Now everybody apparently has "their truth." Perhaps related is the
(2021-03-15). Myanmar: a Defiant Nation, Still Denied Justice. counterpunch.org 
Considering that the entire population of Myanmar, save the Tatmadaw and its shills, are now effectively prisoners to a politics anathema to all ordinary citizens, here's an update. The army are inveigling and paying villagers and retired military personnel to go and batter anti-coup protesters, in a darkly satirical take on astroturfing straight out of
(2021-03-15). GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin backs Jan. 6 insurrectionists. peoplesworld.org 
Over the past few days, we've seen yet again a major indication that top Republican lawmakers are defending and promoting the white supremacists who attempted to overthrow the government on Jan. 6. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has intensified his prior defense of the right-wing insurrectionists by saying that he had nothing to fear from them …
(2021-03-15). How a Colombian Ex-President Went to Bat for Trump in Florida. counterpunch.org 
Latin Americans are used to the US government interfering in their politics. Over the years, the US has helped orchestrate a number of coups throughout the hemisphere, most notoriously the 1954 ouster of Guatemala's Jacobo àÅrbenz, and the 1973 military coup against Chile's Salvador Allende. But there are far more recent examples of meddling, including
(2021-03-15). Long-haulers struggle with symptoms as scientists work to solve coronavirus mystery. peoplesworld.org 
(AP) There was no reason to celebrate on Rachel Van Lear's anniversary. The same day a global pandemic was declared, she developed symptoms of COVID-19. A year later, she's still waiting for them to disappear. And for experts to come up with some answers. The Texas woman is one of thousands of self-described long-haulers, patients […] | In the aftermath of the recent war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, drone warfare is being touted as the latest breakthrough in military technology, a "magic bullet" that makes armored vehicles obsolete, defeats sophisticated anti-aircraft systems,…
(2021-03-15). Reflections on Chauvin jury selection: Can anyone really be impartial? peoplesworld.org 
The commitment and ability to maintain impartiality looms large in the jury selection process in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd. When the judge swears in a potential juror, he asks whether they can maintain impartiality and render judgment based on the facts, evidence, and the …
(2021-03-15). Pat Barile: A century of devotion to workers, equality, and socialism. peoplesworld.org 
Pat Barile learned the meaning of the word devotion from the rank-and-file workers at the Sonotone Corporation plant in White Plains, N.Y. in the mid-1940s and 1950s. Repeatedly, they elected him president of United Electrical Workers Local 428 for ten years—even after Cold Warriors had branded him a Communist and instigated a witch hunt and …
(2021-03-15). The Invisible Professor. counterpunch.org 
Three years ago, I informed my colleagues I would retire in 2021. That's when I became invisible. I'd never been invisible before. As the youngest of three children growing up in Forest Hills, Queens, I received extra attention from my parents, or so my sister and brother regularly tell me. In college, at SUNY Albany,
(2021-03-15). Honor the Tribal Vision for Bears Ears National Monument. counterpunch.org 
President Obama's team lopped off more than half a million acres from the tribes' proposal in the final designation, including Wilson Mesa, lands between White Canyon and Red Canyon, and the eastern slopes of the Abajo Mountains. These changes were made to appease local concerns, following public meetings senior Obama administration officials held with area residents. In the end, the concessions were fruitless, and the political backlash was immediate.
(2021-03-15). Murdoch Paper gives away the game: Cuomo is on their side. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-15). Why does Jackson, Mississippi have unsafe water? liberationnews.org 
The government—at the national, state, and city levels—is responsible for Jackson's water crisis and is also responsible for repairing the water system in its entirety.
(2021-03-15). Sudan's Progressive, Secular Revolutionary Government faces Food Riots and Ethnic Violence. juancole.com 
By Andrew E. Yaw Tchie | — Sudan's political transition is in a precarious phase. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's government is facing a wide variety of challenges, including protests over the price of goods and commodities, and a resurgence of violence in the country's Darfur region. If the situation continues to unravel, the country could …
(2021-03-15). Women and nature: Towards an ecosocialist feminism. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-15). Statement of Concern: The OPCW investigation of alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, Syria. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-15). Making America more Equal . . . by Rebuilding the Country. juancole.com 
(Tomdispatch.com ) — During the Trump years, the phrase "Infrastructure Week" rang out as a sort of Groundhog Day-style punchline. What began in June 2017 as a failed effort by The Donald's White House and a Republican Senate to focus on the desperately needed rebuilding of American infrastructure morphed into a meme and a running …
(2021-03-15). Black Farmers Hail $5 Billion in COVID Relief to Redress Generations of Racism. truthout.org 
A major provision in President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill aims to address decades of discrimination against Black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian American farmers who have historically been excluded from government agricultural programs. The American Rescue Plan sets aside $10.4 billion for agriculture support, with about half of that amount set aside for farmers of color, and allocates extra federal funds to farmers who were "subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice bec…
(2021-03-15). Biden to Push for Higher Taxes on Wealthy, Most Ambitious Plan Since Early 1990s. truthout.org 
President Joe Biden is expected to push to raise taxes in the near future, primarily for corporations and for those earning higher incomes, in order to fund future high-spending priorities for the U.S. |
(2021-03-15). Congress Urged to Stop Debt Collectors From Snatching Relief Checks. truthout.org 
Direct payments from the newly approved coronavirus relief package began landing in people's bank accounts with Unlike the Covid relief bi…
(2021-03-15). CDC Insisted Surgical Masks Were Enough. Caregivers of Color Suffered Most. truthout.org 
This story also ran on Since the start of the pandemic, the most terrifying task in health care was thought to be when a doctor put a breathing tube down the trachea of a crit…
(2021-03-15). More Surveillance Won't Stop White Supremacy. It Will Target Activists of Color. truthout.org 
For mainstream lawmakers, the January 6 attack was a wake-up call to a simmering threat. No longer able to pretend white nationalist violence is a fringe remnant of a bygone era, some elected officials have drawn attention to law enforcement's negligence to prevent the violence at the capitol and are calling for new approaches. | However, some of their calls to action point toward old approaches that have only entrenched the forces of white supremacy: domestic terrorism laws. In the immediat…
(2021-03-15). Stacey Abrams Calls GOP Voter Suppression Effort "Jim Crow in a Suit and Tie" truthout.org 
On Sunday, Stacey Abrams panned the slate of voter suppression laws being pushed by Republicans in Georgia, saying that the "racist" laws are "a redux of Jim Crow in a suit and tie." | "We know that the only thing that precipitated these changes — it's not that there was a question of security. In fact, the secretary of state and the governor went to great pains to assure America that Georgia's elections were secure," Abrams told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday. | Following their losses in t…
(2021-03-15). Stimulus Aid and Child Tax Credit Should Be Made Permanent Say Senate Democrats. truthout.org 
After passing a stimulus package last week that is projected to raise Several Democrats are specifically focused on making the expanded child tax credit permanent; currently, the expansion only lasts for the next year. Some Democrats have pushed…
(2021-03-15). Infrastructure Should Be the Great Economic Equalizer. truthout.org 
During the Trump years, the phrase "Infrastructure Week" rang out as a sort of Groundhog Day-style punchline. What began in June 2017 as a failed effort by The Donald's White House and a Republican Senate to focus on the desperately needed rebuilding of American infrastructure morphed into Despite the focus in rec…
(2021-03-15). WATCH: Jeffrey Epstein THANKED at Grammys in cringe-inducing nameswap. rt.com 
While accepting an award at the 63rd Grammys ceremony, one hapless producer inadvertently dropped one hell of a clanger, thanking disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. | While accepting the award for 'Best Music Film' for his documentary 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice' on Sunday night, producer James Keach, 73, appearing via videolink, made the miserable mixup. | HE ACTUALLY SAID JEFFREY EPSTEIN OMG ?üò≠üò≠üò≠üò≠
(2021-03-15). Syria: UK announces new sanctions on Assad officials. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: UK announces new sanctions on Assad officials | British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab reveals new targeted sanctions against six members of the Syrian government, including Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 11: 20 | President Bashar al-Assad and wife Asma (R) look at apple-tree saplings in al-Drekish, western Syria, in a picture released by the official Syrian Arab…
(2021-03-15). A new book is aiming to show how we can have 'life-changing' conversations about race. thecanary.co 
This fascinating read dives into a world of new vocabulary coined to initiate conversations around race. And it seeks to discuss "the race construct" which keeps "the di…
(2021-03-15). 'Capitol rioter' reportedly told colleagues Nazis 'should have finished the job,' sported 'Hitler mustache' at Navy base (PHOTO). rt.com 
Army reservist and former Navy contractor Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, charged in the US Capitol riot probe, has been described as a Nazi sympathizer and was reportedly reprimanded by a supervisor for having a "Hitler mustache." | Hale-Cusanelli was arrested on January 15 as part of an ever-expanding investigation into the Capitol riot, which is on course to become the largest investigation in the history of the country. | One contractor colleague said Timothy Hale-Cusanelli discussed his dislike for Jews every day. A supervisor told investigators she had to admonish him for sporting a "Hitler" mustache (images of…
(2021-03-15). The Weekly Round-Up: Women's Rights — a Long Way to Go. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
In the news: Women's rights and gender equality issues have been at the forefront of the news this week. The appalling murder of Sarah Everard, abducted when walking home in London, has elicited a huge social media response. In particular, it has highlighted the problematic phenomenon of victim-blaming directed at women, with advice focusing on …
(2021-03-15). 'God cannot bless sin': Vatican firmly refuses to bless gay unions. rt.com 
The Vatican's orthodoxy office has ruled out any possibility of same-sex couples receiving an ecclesial blessing, maintaining that the Church does not approve such unions as God "cannot bless sin." | A detailed explanation delving into the Catholic Church's stance on same-sex unions was
(2021-03-15). Biden's border crisis: Number of kids detained soars past record levels as Dems blame Donald Trump. rt.com 
The surge of unaccompanied children across the US' Mexican border continues unabated, with more than 4,200 kids held in makeshift facilities. Democrats, who accused Donald Trump of caging kids, have blamed the former president. | More than 4,200 minors were being held in "jail-like" holding facilities near the US' southern border as of Sunday morning, according to a
(2021-03-15). Spanish deputy PM Pablo Iglesias steps down to launch Madrid election bid. laprensalatina.com Madrid, Mar 15 (efe-epa).- The leader of Spain's left-wing Unidas Podemos party Pablo Iglesias on Monday announced he would leave his post as a deputy prime minister in the coalition government to run against the conservatives in Madrid's regional elections. It was the latest twist in a dramatic week for Spanish politics triggered by a …
(2021-03-15). Elon Musk declares himself 'Technoking' of Tesla, company's CFO now its 'Master of Coin' — SEC filing. rt.com 
According to a somewhat baffling filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, in addition to being electric carmaker Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk is now also the company's 'Technoking.' | Tesla's chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn also now holds a new position of "Master of Coin," in apparent reference to George RR Martin's 'Game of Thrones' series of books and TV shows. | "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the
(2021-03-15). US has 1,000 'off-the-books' troops in Afghanistan, some of whom work with the CIA — media. rt.com 
The US military's presence in Afghanistan is larger than the public has been led to believe, the New York Times has reported, as Washington mulls a full withdrawal from the country as part of a deal with the Taliban. | Citing US, European and Afghan officials, the Times
(2021-03-15). Zuckerberg unveils new Facebook feature aimed at helping people get their Covid vaccine. rt.com 
Facebook is rolling out a tool that will make it easier for people to find information about where and when they can receive a Covid-19 shot, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced, as the platform fights disinformation about the jab. | In a message posted to the social media platform, Zuckerberg said that Facebook was launching a feature that will show users places nearby that are offering the shot, and will also help them make an appointment for it. The tool, part of the platform's 'Covid Information Center,' could help "millions" of people make vaccination appointments, the CEO said. The tool will also be availa…
(2021-03-15). Syria: Turkey asks for western support amid Russia-backed attacks. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Turkey asks for western support amid Russia-backed attacks | Erdogan calls for an 'investment in peace and stability', and says Turkey is the only actor that could resolve the Syria crisis | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 10: 20 | Members of the White Helmets extinguish a fire following a reported bombardment of makeshift oil refining installations in the Tarhin area, north of Aleppo province, on 5 March 2021…
(2021-03-15). Saudi Arabia-Israel normalisaton is 'in sight', says Jared Kushner. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia-Israel normalisaton is 'in sight', says Jared Kushner | Former Trump adviser calls on President Biden to continue push for formal ties between Israel and Arab states | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 16: 16 | Jared Kushner at the Royal Palace in Rabat after the normalisation deal between Israel and Morocco on 22 December 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Jared Kusher, Donald Trump's son-in-law who served as an adviser in…
(2021-03-15). Online fury in Saudi Arabia after Dubai deputy police chief's Mecca tweet. middleeasteye.net 
Online fury in Saudi Arabia after Dubai deputy police chief's Mecca tweet | Saudi Twitter users criticise Dhahi Khalfan for calling for the mobilisation of Sunni Muslims to protect Mecca from Shia-led forces | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 11: 48 | Khalfan's tweets were in response to Yemen's Houthi movement expressing its loyalty to Iran (AFP) | Dubai's deputy chief of police, Dhahi Khalfan, has attracted backlash fro…
(2021-03-15). Iran warns Israel it will 'consider all options' in response to cargo ship attack. middleeasteye.net 
Iran warns Israel it will 'consider all options' in response to cargo ship attack | Iranian spokesman accuses Israel of purposefully attempting to 'create unrest' in the region, hinting at plans for retribution | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 54 | Iranian-flagged container ship Shahr e Kord sails in Bosphorus on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey on 9 February 2020 (Reuters/File photo) | Iran's fore…
(2021-03-15). Four-year-old Canadian girl released from Syrian detention camp. middleeasteye.net 
Four-year-old Canadian girl released from Syrian detention camp | The young child is on her way to Canada, but her mother has been left behind | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 15: 41 | More than 64,000 individuals, mostly women and children, are languishing in detention camps in Syria (AFP) | A four-year-old girl has been released from a detention camp in northeast Syria and is on her way to Canada without her mother, offi…
(2021-03-15). Syria: Landmark legal case in Russia brought against Wagner over abuses. middleeasteye.net 
Syria: Landmark legal case in Russia brought against Wagner over abuses | Three rights groups are facilitating a legal case against mercenary group over involvement in death of Syrian man in 2017 | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 15: 19 | Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visit the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus, one of the oldest Greek Orthodox churches in the Syria…
(2021-03-15). Iraqi drug trafficker freed in ambush while travelling to court. middleeasteye.net 
Iraqi drug trafficker freed in ambush while travelling to court | Armed men posing as soldiers forced more than 100 police officers to hand over the suspected drug trafficker | Mon, 03/15/2021 – 14: 43 | Iraqi policemen who numbered about 100 had no choice but to surrender their prisoner to armed men, a police source said (AFP/file photo) | An Iraqi drug trafficker suspected of having ties…