(2021-03-11). At PAFF: Nate Parker's 'American Skin' plus Angela Davis. peoplesworld.org 
The undaunted 29th Pan African Film Festival kicked off on the last day of Black History Month and runs through March 14. I am a big fan of the work by actor/director/writer Nate Parker, which powerfully expresses Black consciousness and militancy in movies such as 2012's Red Tails about the heroic Tuskegee Airmen who were …
(2021-03-11). African-American playwright August Wilson honored on 'forever' stamp. peoplesworld.org 
The 44th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors playwright August Wilson (April 27, 1945-October 2, 2005), the "the theater's poet of Black America," who brought fresh perspectives and previously unheard voices to the American stage. The stamp features an oil painting of Wilson based on a 2005 photograph. Behind Wilson, a picket fence alludes …
(2021-03-11). Wits University protest: 'There was no threat to shoot'. peoplesdispatch.org 
The killing of Mthokozisi Ntumba by the South African Police Services (SAPS) marred the protest at the University of the Witwatersrand over financial exclusion. Ntumba, who wasn't part of the march, was killed when police shot without warning in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. It is unclear at this point whether they used live rounds or rubber bullets. | Minutes before he was killed, Ntumba had seen his doctor, Tebogo Sedibe, at the Myclinic Jorissen Medical Centre in Braamfontein. Sedibe, who was seeing another patient, did not witness the shooting but heard gunshots. "My assistant came through to ask me to help out…
(2021-03-11). France's Geostrategic Interests in the Horn of Africa: The Red Sea, Djibouti and Somalia. globalresearch.ca "Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it …
(2021-03-11). U.S. & Other Wealthy Nations Block Effort to Waive Vaccine Patent Rights in Blow to Global South. democracynow.org 
The United States and other wealthy members of the World Trade Organization have blocked a push by dozens of developing countries to waive patent rights in an effort to boost production of COVID-19 vaccines for poor nations. The proposal by South Africa and India was supported by hundreds of civil society organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam and Amnesty International. Without the waiver, vaccine production will remain in the hands of only a few pharmaceutical companies. "Millions of us are basically going to have to wait for a vaccine, putting global immunity, as well as regional immunity, part…
(2021-03-11). Turkey plays important role in election crisis-rocked Somalia. yenisafak.com Turkey is playing a key role in Somalia even amid a political stalemate in the Horn of Africa country due to delays in national elections, according to a Turkish analyst."As a donor country, Turkey has been playing an important role in Somalia since 2011," Serhat Orakci, a researcher at the Istanbul-based Humanitarian and Social Research Center (INSAMER), which is part of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), told Anadolu Agency."And because of that, the political instability in the country has been watched carefully by Turkish officials," said Orakci, also the author of a 2018 book on Turkish-African relatio…
(2021-03-11). National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa writes to PA Gov. Tom Wolf for Mumia. indybay.org This March 9 letter was written by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, written to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf for Mumia Abu-Jamal.
(2021-03-11). Despite Immigration Pledges, Biden Admin Detains Thousands of Unaccompanied Migrant Children. democracynow.org 
The Biden administration is struggling to address the flow of migrant children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without their parents, many fleeing extreme violence, poverty and natural disasters in their home countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. News reports show more than 3,500 children were detained at the border in just the first nine days of March, with many being held longer than the legal limit of 72 hours. "We can call it a crisis. We can call it a surge," says Aura Bogado, senior investigative reporter at Reveal. "What we shouldn't call it is a surprise."
(2021-03-11). Pelosi says Biden's 'humanitarian' approach to migration is based on 'love of children'. rt.com 
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) came to President Joe Biden's defense as a surge of unaccompanied minors have reached the border and the administration has been accused of not being able to handle the situation. | "I trust the Biden administration's policy to be based on humanitarian and love of children rather than political points or red meat for their — for their Republican base," Pelosi said at a Thursday press conference. | Comparing Biden's administration favorably to Trump's when it comes to border policy was a point she hit multiple times, and one that has been echoed by White Hou…
(2021-03-11). Frist Family Leads Pandemic Profiteer Parade in Health Sector. counterpunch.org 
Not everyone is suffering during the pandemic. The Frist family of Tennessee are the founders and biggest shareholders of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), the largest for-profit hospital conglomerate in the U.S. Thomas F. Frist Jr. and his family have seen their personal wealth increase from $7.5 billion on March 18, 2020 to $15.6 billion
(2021-03-11). Rethinking Employment in the Biden-Harris Era. counterpunch.org 
A year ago, just a few weeks before San Francisco locked itself down for the pandemic, I fell deeply in love with a 50-year-old. The object of my desire was a wooden floor loom in the window of my local thrift shop. Friends knowledgeable on such matters examined photos I took of it and assured
(2021-03-11). Michigan health department hit with lawsuit over its refusal to share nursing home data amid comparisons to Cuomo's cover-up. rt.com 
A local reporter is suing Michigan's health department after it denied repeat requests for its nursing home data amid the Covid-19 outbreak, piling pressure on the government as lawmakers demand a probe into its pandemic response. | Journalist Charlie LeDuff launched a "Not only does…
(2021-03-11). Covid has left Americans stressed, drinking more, sleeping less, and struggling with weight issues, psychologists say. rt.com 
A year of living through Covid has left many Americans drinking more, struggling with their weight and sleeping less — and parents, key workers, the young, and people of color are feeling the stress more. | The findings are detailed in a survey released on Thursday by the American Psychological Association (APA), which finds that Americans have been through a collective trauma that will adversely affect their physical and mental health for years to come. | The APA reported that 61% of Americans have experienced undesired changes in their weight since the pandemic started, gaining more than 13kg on averag…
(2021-03-11). UN Rebuke of U.S. Sanctions on Venezuela Met With Stunning Silence. strategic-culture.org 
John MCEVOY | Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, The report laid bare how a years-long campaign of economic warfare has asphyxiated Venezuela's economy, crushing the government's ability to provide basic services both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. | "The [Venezuelan] government's revenue was repor…
(2021-03-11). NATO video talks 'diversity, respect, embrace' but critics see through the wash job. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-11). Amazon worker in Bessemer: 'We gonna win'. therealnews.com 
Darryl Richardson, one of the 5,800 warehouse workers at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama, talks about working conditions at Amazon, and about the historic union election currently underway.
(2021-03-11). Cleared of Corruption Charges, Will Lula Challenge Bolsonaro in Brazil's 2022 Presidential Race? democracynow.org 
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been cleared to run for office again after a judge annulled all convictions against him. Three years ago, Lula, a former union leader who served as president from 2003 to 2010, had been considered a favorite in the lead-up to the 2018 presidential election until he was jailed and forced out of the race on what many said were trumped-up corruption charges. Lula's jailing helped pave the way for the election of the far-right former military officer Jair Bolsonaro and constitutes "the biggest judicial scandal on Earth," says Valeska Martins, one of Lula's lead…
(2021-03-11). St. Vincent nurses strike to demand safe staffing in Worcester, Mass. liberationnews.org 
On March 8, nurses launched an indefinite strike to demand safe staffing and more affordable healthcare at a time when nurse to patient ratios have increased.
(2021-03-11). Top Pentagon commander requests astronomical sum of money to prepare for war with China. mronline.org 
A new U.S. war with China would threaten the world with unthinkable destruction. The danger of such a war cannot be ignored, it must be resisted.
(2021-03-11). How a Colombian Ex-President Went to Bat for Trump in Florida. cepr.net 
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 …
(2021-03-11). Palestinian Elections Under Fire: An Impossible Democracy Dilemma. mintpressnews.com 
Between the nightly raids and crackdowns by the Israeli military and the political intrigues within the divided Fatah movement, one wonders if the elections, if they take place, will finally allow Palestinians to mount a united front in the struggle against Israeli occupation.
(2021-03-11). Neoliberalism's in trouble: A Marxist look at the American Rescue Act. peoplesworld.org 
After more than 40 years of dominating our economic and political life, the extreme free market capitalist ideology of neoliberalism is starting to show some serious cracks. "Trickle down" policies that have for decades shoveled money toward the top at the expense of the bottom are breaking down and giving way to a new willingness …
(2021-03-11). Kroger closes grocery stores to avoid COVID hazard pay for workers. peoplesworld.org 
LOS ANGELES—One of the most profitable corporations in the United States is threatening grocery workers' jobs in response to a new coronavirus-era hazard pay requirement. Reacting to a near-unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council requiring large grocery and drug chains to offer their front-line essential workers an additional $5 per hour for the …
(2021-03-11). Anti-Asian racism never stopped being an outgrowth of U.S. imperialism. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-11). Lorraine Hansberry and Gwendolyn Brooks: Darlings of the white liberal establishment? therealnews.com 
On the 62nd anniversary of the Broadway premiere of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun," Dr. West and Professor Rose reflect on the Black literary tradition as they focus on the legacies of Lorraine Hansberry and Gwendolyn Brooks as revolutionaries and exemplars who are often misunderstood as the "darlings of the white liberal establishment."
(2021-03-11). Displaced persons return home in Latakia, Syria. mronline.org 
MR Online
(2021-03-11). Top Pentagon commander requests astronomical sum of money to prepare for war with China. mronline.org MR Online
(2021-03-11). Organic Farmer Bob Cannard Grows Vegetables, Not Marijuana, and He isn't Sorry. counterpunch.org 
If you want to know a place, get to know and listen to the folks who have been around for a long time, the people who have deep roots in a community, and yes in the soil itself. In Sonoma County there are several prime candidates: Mike Benziger, Phil Coturri and Bob Cannard, all of them men of the soil who collectively grow marijuana, grapes, fruits and vegetables.
(2021-03-11). Displaced persons return home in Latakia, Syria. mronline.org Thousands of people displaced in the last eight years have returned to their towns liberated from terrorism in the coastal region of Latakia province, 337 kilometers north-west of Damascus.
(2021-03-11). Hunger strike against General Iron ends with protests outside Chicago mayor's home. liberationnews.org 
General Iron currently operates in an affluent Northside neighborhood but has requested a permit from the city of Chicago to move their operations to a predominantly Latino neighborhood on the Southeast Side of Chicago.
(2021-03-11). Lula's right to run for president of Brazil restored in major victory for people's movement. liberationnews.org 
This week's legal breakthrough is a major step in wresting the country from the grips of Brazil's right wing elites.
(2021-03-11). Organic Farmer Bob Cannard Grows Vegetables, Not Marijuana, and He isn't Sorry. counterpunch.org If you want to know a place, get to know and listen to the folks who have been around for a long time, the people who have deep roots in a community, and yes in the soil itself. In Sonoma County there are several prime candidates: Mike Benziger, Phil Coturri and Bob Cannard, all of
(2021-03-11). Biden's Korea deal continues a dangerous U.S. foreign policy. peoplesworld.org 
Talks between the U.S. and South Korea are not encouraging to peace activists who want to see a new direction in U.S. foreign policy. It is clear that the Biden administration intends to continue keeping large numbers of troops stationed in that country, leaving unchanged a situation that has been going on since the Korean …
(2021-03-11). El proyecto de ley de inmigración de Biden se muestra prometedor. peoplesworld.org 
El gobierno de Biden ha presentado un nuevo y amplio proyecto de ley de inmigración que contrasta con los cuatro años de ataques de Donald Trump contra los trabajadores indocumentados y sus familias. Muchos ven el nuevo proyecto de ley como un paso audaz hacia una mejor dirección, pero algunos activistas por los derechos de …
(2021-03-11). Some Thoughts About My Cuba. counterpunch.org 
This is a stream-of-consciousness outpouring of my thoughts and memories and learning of Cuba, without any additional research, or "fact checking," because I am sure whatever details I may have "wrong" are inconsequential to the truth of my testimony. And besides, I'm in my "don't give a fuck what you think of me" senior years.
(2021-03-11). City of lost mosques: how Suzhou tells the story of China's Islamic past. juancole.com 
By Alessandra Cappelletti | — The labyrinth of alleys and lanes in the old city of Suzhou hides a secret: historical fragments of the long history of Islam in China. Regular stories in the international press highlighting the treatment of Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region tend to obscure the fact that Islam was …
(2021-03-11). Iranian press review: Defence minister threatens to 'raze' Haifa and Tel Aviv. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Defence minister threatens to 'raze' Haifa and Tel Aviv | Meanwhile, the US allows the release of $3bn in frozen assets, and low-income Iranians rent out their ID cards to foreign currency dealers | Thu, 03/11/2021 – 10: 13 | Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami speaking during the funeral of slain top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in Tehran (AFP) | Defe…
(2021-03-11). Albatross Baby — GospelbeacH. counterpunch.org 
…
(2021-03-11). Israel's Netanyahu 'cancels trip to UAE'. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's Netanyahu 'cancels trip to UAE' | Local media say Israeli prime minister will not now fly to Abu Dhabi on Thursday | Thu, 03/11/2021 – 09: 11 | Benjamin Netanyahu adjusts his mask during a news conference (Reuters) | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled his Thursday trip to Abu Dhabi, local media reported, with his wife's health and Jordanian concerns said to have got in the way.
(2021-03-11). PDF of March 11 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Release Mumia now! Workers are not robots ALSO: On the picket line Where has all the soil gone? Book ban challenged Support for #BAmazon grows Vaccine racism Buffalo antiwar action They're capitalists, not Neanderthals WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Breonna Taylor Khalida Jarrar Warehouse memoir EDITORIALS: The true Amazons . . . |
(2021-03-11). Ready to Work with Netanyahu: Mansour Abbas Splinters Arab Vote in Israel. counterpunch.org 
As Israel readies for its fourth general elections within two years, scheduled for March 23, Israel's Palestinian Arab voters seem to be in a position of power, slated to become the kingmaker in the country's future coalition government. But something peculiar has happened. The Joint List, which has successfully united the Arab vote in Israel in previous elections, suffered a major setback with the split of the United Arab List (Raam) on February 4.
(2021-03-11). GOP senator ridiculed for taking credit for provision of Covid-19 relief bill he did NOT vote for, says he's 'entirely consistent'. rt.com 
Republican Senator Roger Wicker has taken heat online after he took credit for championing direct aid to the restaurant industry. The problem is, the assistance is included in a $1.9 trillion Covid-19 package that he opposed. | Wicker has been accused of trying to score political points on the back of the mammoth Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress on Wednesday after a drawn-out debate. The House voted predominantly along party lines, with Democratic Representative Jared Golden of Maine siding with all 210 Republicans to oppose the bill. | Shortly after the legislation was approved, Wicker extolled the…
(2021-03-11). LA police was unprepared for George Floyd protest violence 'not seen in years,' believed it would be 'peaceful', report says. rt.com 
LAPD was poorly trained, demoralized and disorganized during the May-June 2020 riots, and mistakenly believed they would be peaceful instead of featuring violent and organized "disrupters," according to a new report. | A
(2021-03-11). Biden signs 'historic' $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, promises answers to press later. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden has signed the coronavirus relief bill, clearing the way for some Americans to get a one-time $1,400 check and giving billions to a number of other policy priorities. He left without taking questions. | In a brief photo opportunity at the White House on Thursday afternoon, Biden called the American Rescue Plan a "historic legislation" that is about "rebuilding the backbone of this country," and said it had broad support among all Americans. | He told the reporters gathered at the Oval Office that he will have "a lot more to say" in his address to the nation scheduled for Thursday evening…
(2021-03-11). Michigan bill to require trans student athletes to compete under gender 'identified at birth' as 20 states mull similar laws. rt.com 
A Republican lawmaker in Michigan has unveiled legislation that would require transgender student athletes to play on teams that correspond to their gender as "identified at birth," mirroring bills proposed in 20 other states. | Introduced by GOP state Senator Lana Theis on Wednesday, the "Very simp…
(2021-03-11). Feminist author condemned as 'anti-woman' after claiming stay-at-home mothers are bad examples for children. rt.com 
Author and lawyer Jill Filipovic came under fire online after she seemed to imply that stay-at-home mothers were setting a bad example for their children by not working. | In response to a story published by Slate, featuring a letter from a man who didn't want his wife to become a stay-at-home mother, Filipovic published a long series of Twitter posts supporting the position. | "I would have a really, really hard time being married to a spouse who chose not to work," she wrote, before asking, "What example are you setting when dad works for pay and mom does the care work at home? Lots of reasons not to want to…
(2021-03-11). McConnell says Capitol security measures not warranted by any 'serious threats' & remind him of Kabul. rt.com 
Top GOP Senator Mitch McConnell has likened stepped-up security in the nation's capital to his trip to war-ravaged Afghanistan, arguing the measures are excessive and based on a non-existent threat to lawmakers. | "I'm extremely uncomfortable with the fact that my constituents can't come to the Capitol. With all this razor wire around the complex, it reminds me of my last visit to Kabul," the Kentucky senator told reporters on Wednesday, adding, "I just checked earlier this morning. There are no serious threats against the Capitol." | "I think we are continuing to overreact based on current threat levels… It…
(2021-03-11). Candace Owens backs Piers Morgan, slams 'leftist narcissist' Meghan Markle & questions racism allegations. rt.com 
Conservative commentator Candace Owens tore into "narcissist" Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, following reports that she had made a formal complaint to ITV after comments Piers Morgan made about her mental health. | During a Wednesday appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Owens claimed Morgan "was all of us when he was dressing down Meghan Markle and calling her out on the blatant lies that she's told." | Owens claimed Markle "can't even keep her story straight" and questioned how the press could take such a toll on the Duchess of Sussex's mental health when she previously claimed not to read it.
(2021-03-11). Texas governor brands Gab 'anti-Semitic platform', company's CEO points out Texas GOP is among its users. rt.com 
Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott waded into controversy by branding Gab, a minimum-moderation alternative to Twitter, an anti-Semitic platform. The problem is, the Texas GOP joined Gab in late January. | Abbott's attack against Gab came out of the blue. A short video clip posted by the governor's social media account shows him flanked by representatives Phil King and Craig Goldman, sitting against a backdrop of the flags of the US, Israel, and Texas. | @PhilKingTX & @GoldmanCraig's bill to fight anti-Semitism in our communities.
(2021-03-11). Disgraced establishment journalists, Big Tech attack independent platform Substack in ever-expanding definition of 'harassment'. rt.com 
Journalists, academics and even a Google executive have joined in to attack the independent publishing platform Substack, as the battle over 'harassment' of a New York Times reporter quickly escalated into a censorship war. | What began on Tuesday as an online campaign against Fox News host