2021-03-20: News Headlines

Editor (2021-03-20). A Brief List of Official Russia Claims That Proved to Be Bogus. scheerpost.com Book Catalog / CC BY 2.0] By Matt Taibbi / TK News The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released a much-hyped, much-cited new report on " Foreign Threats to the 2020 Elections." The key conclusion: We assess that Russian President Putin authorized, and a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations aimed at denigrating President Biden's… |

Eds. (2021-03-20). Why are hate crimes against Asian Americans on the rise? mronline.org Largely missing from this ongoing discussion is the role of the police and the capitalist state. The media has done an excellent job at depicting these violent acts as interpersonal and individual attacks. | Newswire…

Gregory Wilpert (2021-03-20). Biden's Syria Deception: The Norwegian Connection. theanalysis.news Contrary to the Biden administration's claim, it seems that the recent missile strike in Syria was not carried out in consultation with at least one of the US's main allies in the region: Norway. But why is Norway involved in the Middle East anyway? Greg Wilpert talks about the issue with Eirik Vold, a parliamentary advisor to Norway's Red Party.

_____ (2021-03-20). What's Behind The Biden Administration's New $100 Billion Nuclear Missile System? popularresistance.org One of the more important tasks that the Biden administration will undertake this year will be to review the Pentagon's nuclear weapons budget and modernization strategy. | According to a 2019 Congressional Budget Office report, the U.S. is committed to spending $494 billion on its nuclear forces over the next decade, or about $50 billion per year. Over the next three decades, nuclear weapons modernization plans could cost as much as $1.5-$2 trillion. | This total includes investment in a $100 billion Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), a land-based nuclear missile, which is slated to replace the aging Minut…

WSWS (2021-03-20). AFT President Randi Weingarten tells Texas teacher Michael Hull: "We're not going to fight to keep the schools closed" wsws.org Hull raised critical points on the dangers of reopening schools, the role of the American Federation of Teachers in working with the Biden administration to implement this policy, and the underlying class issues involved.

_____ (2021-03-20). We Fight For Haiti Because We Are Haiti. popularresistance.org The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) seeks to recapture and redevelop the historic anti-war, anti-imperialist, and pro-peace positions of the radical black movement. We fundamentally oppose militarized domestic state repression; the policies of de-stabilization and subversion abroad; and the permanent war agenda of the U.S. state globally. | The reason we're here today in front of the Haiti Consulate-General is simple: we stand in solidarity with the Haitian people against the corrupt and illegitimate regime of Jovenel MoàØse, which is propped up by the Joseph R. Biden administration, the United Nations, and…

Dean Baker (2021-03-20). Cheap Fun Department: Job Growth Under Trump and Biden. cepr.net Okay, I'll admit that this is stupid, but you know damn well if the situation were reversed the Republicans would have this comparison all over the place. We don't even have to speculate. When President Obama assumed office with an economy in free fall from the collapse of the housing bubble, the Republicans were quick …

Nick Turse (2021-03-20). Will the Biden Administration Shine Light on Shadowy Special Ops Programs? zcomm.org Amid a broad review of American war-making policy, how and where commandos will be used in the coming years hangs in the balance…

Dan La Botz (2021-03-20). Does Biden's American Rescue Plan Open a New Era of Reform? zcomm.org Biden's reforms are a far cry from the democratic socialist society that we need to address our social problems, one that can only be built by a working-class movement that undertakes to socialize finance and industry…

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir confirms no normalisation deal with Israel | Minister of state for foreign affairs also says kingdom has made 'great strides' with regards to human rights | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 12: 45 | Jubeir, left, said relations with the United States were unlikely to change under President Joe Biden (AFP) | Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs, has said his countr…

_____ (2021-03-20). Biden Continues Conflict With China Through The Quad. popularresistance.org On March 12, the heads of government of four countries, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and US President Joe Biden, met for a virtual meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the Quad. | Modi's opening remarks illustrate the emptiness of the public agenda; he called the Quad "a force for global good" with no details beyond a list of areas of collaboration ("vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies"). There was no direct mention of China during the meeting. | In the details relating to the launch…

_____ (2021-03-20). Make Way for Kamala Harris, the Deep State's Dream President. strategic-culture.org With Biden barely aware of his surroundings, it is mere child's play to foist Harris into the leadership role | In what may become the most unexpected and, perhaps, unwanted political comebacks in American political history, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who never inspired much confidence on the 2020 presidential campaign trail, may soon find herself, through default, the next president of the United States. Should the world start praying for Joe Biden's continued good health? | As U.S. President Joe Biden enters the ninth week of his 'shadow presidency' without a single press conference under his belt, whil…

RT (2021-03-20). VP Harris calls out people with 'biggest pulpits spreading hate' during Atlanta visit following spa parlors massacre. rt.com Kamala Harris made a not-so-subtle jab at ex-President Trump as she decried a surge a violence against Asian Americans. Trump and his supporters are accused of fueling hate in their attempts to blame China for Covid-19. | US Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden visited Atlanta, Georgia on Friday as part of their tour across the nation to promote the economic stimulus package and vaccination campaign successes. However, a spree of gun violence on Tuesday, which left eight people killed, six of them Asian American women, threw a wrench in the pre-planned trip's schedule. | Speaking after meeting…

RT (2021-03-20). Revenge of the stairs: White House dismisses Biden stumble as minor mishap in windy weather, but some jokingly blame Kremlin. rt.com Critics of Joe Biden had a field day after his awkward boarding of the Air Force One, bringing up his past mockery of Donald Trump's mobility issues. But some say (in jest) Joe should blame the Kremlin rather than strong winds.

Susan Jaffe (2021-03-20). [World Report] Biden's first legislative victory: $1 ∑9 trillion for COVID-19. thelancet.com US President Joe Biden's first legislative triumph will fund the COVID-19 response and economic recovery, and address social determinants of health. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.

RT (2021-03-20). Parody video showing Trump knocking Biden down Air Force One stairs could lead to ASSASSINATION attempt, MSNBC analyst says. rt.com MSNBC regular Malcolm Nance has suggested that Donald Trump Jr. tweeting a parody video of his father using a golf ball to make Joe Biden fall on the steps to Air Force One "mainstreams the potential for danger." | Following Biden's already infamous falling spell on the steps to Air Force One this week, a parody video was quickly made and spread around social media that humorously shows former President Donald Trump to be the culprit behind the physical blunder after he hits a golf ball a tad too far. | Donald Trump Jr. was one of many users to share the video on Twitter, and a number of people believe this co…

RT (2021-03-20). Texas governor shreds Biden for 'inhumane' facilities for migrant kids, opens probe into Covid outbreak & lack of drinking water. rt.com Texas Governor Greg Abbott has opened a probe into conditions at detention centers for underage migrants, one of which faces a Covid-19 outbreak, blasting President Biden for his handling of a "humanitarian crisis" at the border. | "The Biden Administration has been an abject failure when it comes to ensuring the safety of unaccompanied minors who cross our border," Abbott said in a

Free Mumia (2021-03-20). Philly Police, Proud Boys & 1/6/21 seditious insurrection. indybay.org Zach Rehl, president of the Philadelphia Proud Boys chapter, a Marine veteran, has family ties to the Philadelphia police department. Philadelphia Police detective Jennifer Gugger is under investigation for her alleged attendance at the attempted coup, the seditious insurrection of 1/6/21 at the US Capitol, when Nazi Trump supporters tried to overthrow the US government by force and violence. This is the same Philadelphia police department that is clearly dictating the policies of Philadelphia's civilian authorities, all Democrats, who are so far refusing to release Mumia Abu-Jamal.

RT (2021-03-20). Ex-president Bush, the man who waged brutal never-ending wars, claims Capitol riot left him 'disgusted'. rt.com Former US president George W. Bush claimed that despite the jaw-dropping violence unleashed by his own policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was left "sick to my stomach" by the January 6 raid on the US Capitol. | Admitting he "can't remember what [he] was doing" at the time he learned Trump supporters were swarming the Capitol building, Bush told the Texas Tribune he became physically ill "to see our nation's Capitol being stormed by hostile forces" in an interview conducted last month and published on Thursday as part of the SXSW 2021 festival. | While the vast majority of January's demonstrators were unarmed…

Alan MacLeod (2021-03-20). Financial press fears Brazilians will be allowed to elect president of their choice. mronline.org The Brazilian Supreme Court this month dismissed all charges against former President Luis Inacio "Lula" da Silva. A towering figure in national politics, Lula was the country's president for eight years between 2003 and 2011. | Newswire…

Robert Hunziker (2021-03-20). Nuclear Fuel Buried 108 Feet from the Sea. dissidentvoice.org San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission) The most toxic substance on Earth is separated from exposure to society by Ω" of steel encased in a canister. — Paul Blanch, registered professional engineer, US Navy Reactor Operator/Instructor That eye-opener comes from renowned nuclear expert Paul Blanch in reference to spent fuel rods removed …

The Conversation (2021-03-20). Racism is behind anti-Asian American violence, even when it's not a hate crime. juancole.com By Pawan Dhingra | — Over the past year, attacks on Asian Americans have increased more than 150% over the previous year, including the March 16 murders of eight people, including six Asian American women, in Atlanta. Some of these attacks may be classified as hate crimes. But whether they meet that legal definition or …

Eds. (2021-03-20). At least six killed after factory owner calls in military in Hlaing Tharyar. mronline.org Police publicly executed a woman who was the leader of the workers. | Newswire…

Greg Plancich (2021-03-20). Neoliberal Seattle mayor rejects federal funding, threatens eviction from hotel shelters to 130 people. liberationnews.org The housing crisis in Seattle and the rest of the country is a symptom of capitalism, where homes are built for profit and not shelter.

Jay Janson (2021-03-20). Britain Threatens Humanity with Nuclear Winter without Explaining Why It Foresees War. dissidentvoice.org Both before the First World War and before the Second World War, the world public basically simply watched the arms build up and other preparations for war. This lackadaisical blandly interested public attitude seems to be present again. Criminally insane investors in war openly race forward with the inventing and manufacturing of ever new and …

ANSWER Coalition (2021-03-20). National Day of Action March 27: Call It What It Is, a Hate Crime! Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing! liberationnews.org The following national call to action was issued by the ANSWER Coalition Join the Sat. March 27 National Day of Action! Endorse the national day of action here Organize an event in your city — register your event here Find local actions in your city: San Francisco, CA 11 AM — 12 PM — A …

Brandon Scharles, Julio Cesar Gumeta Ramos (2021-03-20). Milwaukee protesters demand justice for police killing victim Joel Acevedo. liberationnews.org On March 5, several dozen activists and community members gathered at Kosciuszko Park, going door-to-door in the neighborhood where Acevedo was killed, to inform the public about the upcoming trial.

MEE staff (2021-03-20). Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi: Pro-democracy group serves Saudi crown prince with murder complaint | Lawsuit seeks compensation for damage caused to journalist's fiancee and US-based Democracy for the Arab World Now | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 10: 51 | Saudi Arabia denies that Mohammed bin Salman had any role in Khashoggi's murder (AFP) | The fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the pro-democracy organisation he established…

Global Research (2021-03-20). Advierten de que en 20 años se duplicó el endeudamiento de América Latina. globalizacion.ca Eric Toussaint y Milan Rivié, especialistas del Comité para la Abolición de las Deudas Ilegítimas (CADTM) señalaron que en los últimos años se asistió a un aumento espectacular del stock y del servicio de la deuda en la región. | ´En…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan sacks another central bank chief after sharp rate hike | Naci Agbal, in post for less than five months, replaced by Sahap Kavcioglu, who had criticised his tight monetary policy | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 11: 28 | Naci Agbal had won market praise by aggressively raising interest rates (Reuters) | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan abruptly sacked Turkey's central bank chief on Saturda…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women. middleeasteye.net Anger as Turkey quits European treaty on violence against women | President's decision to leave Istanbul Convention described as 'deplorable' amid growing cases of femicide in the country | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 09: 45 | A protest against Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, an international accord designed to protect women, in Ankara, 20 March 2021 (Reuters) | Thousands protested…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi. middleeasteye.net Libya orders investigation after bodies found in Benghazi | New prime minister says a cover-up could not be tolerated after bodies of more than a dozen people found shot dead | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 50 | The main western and eastern factions that split apart in 2014 have publicly accepted Dbeibeh's government (Reuters) | Libya has ordered an investigation after more than a dozen bodies wer…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-20). Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions. middleeasteye.net Ten Iranian nationals charged with evading US sanctions | Eight men and two women accused of disguising $300m in transactions, including the purchase of two oil tankers | Sat, 03/20/2021 – 15: 43 | Prosecutors say the scheme dates back to 1999, when some of the defendants opened a business in Los Angeles, which was allegedly used to illegally funnel US dollars to Iran (AFP) | Prosecutors i…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2021-03-20). MPs and campaigners demand the home secretary stops police clamping down on protests. thecanary.co Campaigners, MPs, and peers have Protecting the right to protest: | The letter was organised by Liberty and Big Brother Watch. It calls on the home secretary to provide guidance for police on how to facilitate protests during the pandemic. And it also asks for

Eds. (2021-03-20). WSJ rage at 'woke' China foreshadows new redbaiting of social justice activists. mronline.org The Wall Street Journal editorial board has accused a major Chinese newspaper, and by extension the People's Republic of China, of exploiting progressive rhetoric around racial justice to create division in the United States. | Newswire…

RT (2021-03-20). Bill Gates urges fans to eat synthetic meat to save planet, dismisses 'crazy conspiracies' about vaccines & 5G in Reddit AMA. rt.com Microsoft founder Bill Gates brushed away "crazy" conspiracy theories about himself, 5G and coronavirus vaccines during an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit, where he promoted his new book and sung the praises of synthetic meat. | Gates

RT (2021-03-20). New York Times used 'deceptive disinformation' to smear Project Veritas, acted with 'reckless disregard' and 'malice', judge rules. rt.com A defamation suit from Project Veritas against the New York Times is moving forward, as a judge has ruled the newspaper posed opinion as fact in their coverage of the conservative news outlet. | A New York Supreme Court judge handed Veritas, known for its undercover and whistleblowing videos, a big "win" this week, allowing a defamation suit against the paper and two reporters to proceed forward. | In the ruling denying a motion to dismiss the suit, the Times was accused of acting with "actual malice" and "reckless disregard" in multiple articles covering a 2020 video report from Veritas on alleged illegal vot…

Liberation Staff (2021-03-20). Cuba launches Phase 3 test of COVID vaccine, the first produced in Latin America. liberationnews.org Despite the most severe blockade conditions imposed by the U.S. government, Cuba's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have made outstanding achievements in the campaign to overcome COVID-19.

Anand Naidoo (2021-03-20). The Heat: China-U.S. talks conclude in Alaska. america.cgtn.com Chinese and U.S. officials have concluded their talks in Anchorage, Alaska after a strong and frank exchange. But, did the two economic superpowers find any common ground? The meetings, involving top diplomats from Beijing and Washington, saw fiery exchanges Thursday before the cameras. Relations between …

RT (2021-03-20). Ex-president Bush, the man who waged brutal never-ending wars, claims Capitol riot left him 'disgusted'. rt.com Former US president George W. Bush claimed that despite the jaw-dropping violence unleashed by his own policies in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was left "sick to my stomach" by the January 6 raid on the US Capitol. | Admitting he "can't remember what [he] was doing" at the time he learned Trump supporters were swarming the Capitol building, Bush told the Texas Tribune he became physically ill "to see our nation's Capitol being stormed by hostile forces" in an interview conducted last month and published on Thursday as part of the SXSW 2021 festival. | While the vast majority of January's demonstrators were unarmed…

Leonid Savin (2021-03-20). øCuáles son las prioridades de seguridad nacional de Biden? globalizacion.ca A principios de marzo y a iniciativa de la Casa Blanca se publicó un documento provisional que establece los objetivos prioritarios de la seguridad nacional de los Estados Unidos. Este breve documento de 23 páginas es un borrador que hace…

EMMA (2021-03-20). Kentucky Republicans Are Making it a Crime to Insult or Taunt Police After Uprising for Breonna Taylor. peoplesparty.org On Thursday, the Republican-controlled state senate in Kentucky passed a bill criminalizing free speech and peaceful protest. Under Kentucky The bill also defines a "riot" as a "public disturbance" of five or more people whose "tumultuous and violent conduct creates grave danger of damage or injury to property or persons or substantially obs…

Mike Ludwig (2021-03-20). Charles Booker Eyes Running Against Rand Paul by Building Urban-Rural Coalition. zcomm.org "We're unified in our fight to heal, to take care of family, to take care of Kentucky, and that is a message that can build new coalitions, and I am excited to tell that story."

The Lancet (2021-03-20). [Editorial] Myanmar's democracy and health on life support. thelancet.com A violent political crisis in Myanmar is escalating, which begs for more international attention and action before further lives are lost, democratic and health systems collapse, and the health of the people is further imperilled. In a coup on Feb 1, 2021, the military seized control from the newly re-elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government. NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were placed in military detention. A day later, pro-democracy protests against the military's seizure of power began.

Zhenyu He, Lili Ren, Juntao Yang, Li Guo, Luzhao Feng, Chao Ma, Xia Wang, Zhiwei Leng, Xunliang Tong, Wang Zhou, Geng Wang, Ting Zhang, Yan Guo, Chao Wu, Qing Wang, Manqing Liu, Conghui Wang, Mengmeng Jia, Xuejiao Hu, Ying Wang, Xingxing Zhang, Rong Hu, Jingchuan Zhong, Jin Yang, Juan Dai, Lan Chen, Xiaoqi Zhou, Jianwei Wang, Weizhong Yang, Chen Wang (2021-03-20). [Articles] Seroprevalence and humoral immune durability of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Wuhan, China: a longitudinal, population-level, cross-sectional study. thelancet.com 6 ∑92% of a cross-sectional sample of the population of Wuhan developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, with 39 ∑8% of this population seroconverting to have neutralising antibodies. Our durability data on humoral responses indicate that mass vaccination is needed to effect herd protection to prevent the resurgence of the epidemic.