(2021-03-02). Killings By Police Declined After Black Lives Matter Protests. popularresistance.org Since Black Lives Matter protests gained national prominence following the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., the movement has spread to hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S. Now a new study shows police homicides have significantly decreased in most cities where such protests occurred. | Black Lives Matter (BLM) began when Oakland, Calif.—based activist Alicia Garza posted a message of protest on Facebook after George Zimmerman, a neighborhood-watch volunteer who followed and fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., was acquitted of murder in 2013. Patrisse Cullo…
(2021-03-02). Biden just proved to workers that he's got our backs. peoplesworld.org 
Going on 86 years ago, Franklin D. Roosevelt made the most pro-union statement ever uttered by an American president. Joe Biden just broke FDR's record. Said the 46th president in a video posted to Twitter: "…Workers in Alabama and all across America are voting on whether to organize a union in their workplace. This is vitally important—a vitally …
(2021-03-02). Texas gov lifts mask mandate & OKs businesses to operate at 100% capacity. rt.com 
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has lifted many of the Covid-19 restrictions in his state, permitting businesses to operate at 100-percent capacity and repealing the requirement for people to wear face coverings. | Abbott delivered the "exciting news" during a speech to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, informing the assembled small business and community leaders that the mask mandate — in place since July — was no more. | pic.twitter.com/k5SZKnAUg5— Sarah Self-Walbrick (@SarahFromTTUPM) March 2…
(2021-03-02). Twitch reverts back to 'women' after tweet celebrating 'Womxn's History Month' savaged online. rt.com 
Streaming platform Twitch has returned to the conventional spelling for "women" after its social media post hailing "Womxn's History Month" — avoiding any "gender-binary language" — backfired and angered critics on all sides. | Though the company took to Twitter on Monday to inform users that "March is Womxn's History Month," using an alternative styling of "women" in a bid to include non-binary gender identities, it made an abrupt about-face just a few hours later, announcing that it would revert back to the standard spelling. | "While we originally wanted to use a word that acknowledges the short…
(2021-03-02). Federer to miss Miami Open. laprensalatina.com Sports Desk, Mar 2 (efe-epa).- Swiss star Roger Federer will not defend his title at the Miami Open scheduled for later this month, the organizers announced Tuesday. "You will be missed this year, Roger. We'll see you in 2022!" the Miami Open organizers announced on the Twitter account of the tournament, to be held between …
(2021-03-02). Austria: Outrage after authorities target academic as part of 'terrorism' crackdown. middleeasteye.net 
Austria: Outrage after authorities target academic as part of 'terrorism' crackdown | Farid Hafez's house was raided at gunpoint in wake of Vienna terror attack as he was also accused of supporting the removal of Egypt's Sisi | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 11: 10 | Farid Hafez in a photo taken from social media (Twitter) | An Austrian academic's account of being interrogated at gunpoint over alleged "terrorist" sympathie…
(2021-03-02). 'It is time!' Mississippi governor to end mask mandate & lift all Covid-19 business restrictions, following Texas' lead. rt.com 
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said he will soon axe the state's mask mandate and end all coronavirus-related business restrictions, pointing to improved case and hospitalization numbers after Texas took a similar step. | "Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules," Reeves said in a tweet on Tuesday. | Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time! | Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will…
(2021-03-02). 'People are calling us, crying for help'. Heartbreaking tweets expose how 15 people were left to drown in the Mediterranean. thecanary.co As coronavirus continues to dominate headlines into 2021, mainstream news coverage of the refugee crisis has gone from poor to non-existent. We rarely read about the people stuck on Lesbos or Samos, and we barely hear about those who are so desperate to get out of Libya that they are willing to gamble with their lives. But these people still very much exist, and racist Europe is still willing to let them drown rather than provide them with a home. | More than
(2021-03-02). YouTube REMOVES video of Trump's CPAC speech from RT channels — yet it's ok with the SAME video posted by Western outlets. rt.com 
Having a video of former US President Donald Trump's speech at CPAC may get you warnings and a deletion from YouTube, but apparently only if you're RT, as the platform seems to selectively apply its arbitrary and capricious rules. | On Tuesday, RT and its German-language channel RT DE got a notice from YouTube that the video of Trump speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Florida on Sunday was being flagged for a "strike" under the platform's
(2021-03-02). War Mongering for Artificial Intelligence. counterpunch.org 
The ghost of Edward Teller must have been doing the rounds between members of the National Commission on Artificial Intelligence. The father of the hydrogen bomb was never one too bothered by the ethical niggles that came with inventing murderous technology. It was not, for instance, "the scientist's job to determine whether a hydrogen bomb
(2021-03-02). ISIS and the UK: the Case of Shamima Begum. counterpunch.org 
A former Isis fighter once complained to me that western volunteers who travelled to the so-called Islamic State in northeastern Syria were a burden because they did not speak Arabic, had no military experience, knew little about Islam and had often come because they were bored or unhappy at home. He said that their main
(2021-03-02). Small Acts Can Become A Power No Government Can Suppress. dissidentvoice.org 
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) was passed in the House this past week and now heads to the Senate, where it will no doubt be changed before it becomes law some time in mid-March. The current unemployment benefits expire on March 14. While we don't know what the final bill will look like, at least …
(2021-03-02). Nadezhda Krupskaya: Bolshevik revolutionary and educator. workers.org 
Feb. 14 is the birth date of Nadezhda Krupskaya — Bolshevik revolutionary, educator and library advocate. Although born to a formerly aristocratic family, her family had descended into poverty, which led her to study Marxism. She joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party in 1903. Nadezhda Krupskaya In 1905, Krupskaya . . . |
(2021-03-02). Struggle for justice forces reopening of two cases of police violence in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org 
The cases of Christopher Davis, killed by Milwaukee Deputy Juan Ortiz, and Jay Anderson, killed by Wauwatosa officer Joseph Mensah, have been re-opened in the Milwaukee area.
(2021-03-02). The Afghanization of American Democracy? counterpunch.org 
Acrimony and recriminations continue to swirl around the 2020 presidential election. Three out of four Republicans believe that there was "widespread fraud" in the election, while Democrats have sought to turn into criticisms of the election into a "Big Lie" heresy against democracy. Senior congressional Democrats are pressuring the nation's largest cable providers to cease carrying conservative networks such as Fox News that raised too many questions about Biden's victory.
(2021-03-02). Congressional Republicans Kevin McCarthy, Mike Garcia met with protests. peoplesworld.org 
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. — Planned protests against two Congressional Republicans from Southern California, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (23rd C.D.) and Rep. Mike Garcia (25th C.D.) took place as scheduled on Fri., Feb. 26. The actions took place in the cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Bakersfield, three bulwarks of the far right in California, as …
(2021-03-02). Decline of Coal shows Gov't Policy, Renewables crucial to Reducing Carbon Emissions: The Market isn't Enough. juancole.com 
By David Drake and Jeffrey York | — The big idea People often point to plunging natural gas prices as the reason U.S. coal-fired power plants have been shutting down at a faster pace in recent years. However, new research shows two other forces had a much larger effect: federal regulation and a well-funded activist …
(2021-03-02). Faith without workers is dead. therealnews.com 
Working in the Church is a lot like working for other nonprofits, according to Rev. Lindsey Joyce. The work is fulfilling, but it can also be exploitative, and we need to talk about it.
(2021-03-02). Sky-high levels of fracking chemicals detected in children's bodies. peoplesworld.org 
While the hazards of fracking to human health are well-documented, first-of-its-kind research from Environmental Health News shows the actual levels of biomarkers for fracking chemicals in the bodies of children living near fracking wells far higher than in the general population. The research fills a gap in the science between the health harms experienced by …
(2021-03-02). Yellowstone Wasn't Saved by Chance. counterpunch.org 
Yellowstone National Park, the original "Best American Idea", turns 149 on March 1 this year. We tend to take for granted that we have lots of great national parks and that ones like Yellowstone are protected. But Yellowstone was the first national park and we almost lost that wonderland. In the 1870s and '80s, opportunists
(2021-03-02). Erie, PA: Residents skeptical towards corporation's 'green' promises. liberationnews.org 
The plight of this area has left the door open to the opportunism of "green" industry and it is currently being courted by International Recycling Group (IRG).
(2021-03-02). Erie, PA: Residents skeptical towards corporation's "green" promises. liberationnews.org The plight of this area has left the door open to the opportunism of "green" industry and it is currently being courted by International Recycling Group (IRG).
(2021-03-02). The Claudius Presidency? counterpunch.org 
Caligula was by all accounts a nasty piece of work. During the nearly four years that he ruled over the Roman empire in the first century CE, Caligula was notorious for sexual predation and extravagant spending. Never one to sell himself short, he proclaimed early on that he was a god. He held the Senate
(2021-03-02). Blood for Oil. dissidentvoice.org 
Amid the ongoing horror, it's important to find ways to atone for war crimes —including reparations. Thirty years ago, when the United States launched Operation Desert Storm against Iraq, I was a member of the Gulf Peace Team. We were 73 people from fifteen different countries, aged 22 to 76, living in a tent camp …
(2021-03-02). At least 15 refugees dead in Mediterranean shipwreck. peoplesworld.org 
At least 15 people drowned in the central Mediterranean at the weekend while attempting to flee Libya, though the death toll could have been much higher if civilian rescuers had not intervened. Activist network Alarm Phone received a distress call early yesterday morning from a rubber boat carrying about 125 people. The boat was deflating, …
(2021-03-02). Raise the minimum wage to $15 — at least! workers.org 
A $15-per-hour minimum wage cannot be included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill proposed by Congressional Democrats. So ruled the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth McDonough, on Feb. 25. This unelected official called it "irrelevant to budget legislation." This edict is a brutal blow to millions of struggling workers. Nevertheless, the . . . |
(2021-03-02). Senate Democrats pull $15 wage from rescue package; progressives target filibuster. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The Senate's barely ruling Democrats apparently have given up for now on raising the minimum wage, but the nation's unions, the New Poor People's Campaign, and their allies haven't. By a 219-212 vote after midnight on Feb. 27, the Democratic-run House approved the $1.9 trillion economic aid bill, called the American Rescue Plan. It includes …
(2021-03-02). The Average American Pay Tax on Half of Their Wealth, Shouldn't Rich Americans? counterpunch.org 
Might the United States, home to the world's wealthiest people, sometime soon sport a tax on wealth? Media outlets the nation over have begunspeculating on just that question. But many of these reflections are missing the point: The United States already has a wealth tax. We call this already existing levy the "property tax," and
(2021-03-02). Getting it right on Hampton, the Panthers, and 'Judas and the Black Messiah'. peoplesworld.org 
The young freedom fighters of the Black Panther Party, as brilliantly portrayed in the film Judas and the Black Messiah, were most certainly "uncompromising," as described in Brian W. Major's recent People's World review. The recently released film, directed by Shaka King and starring Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfiel, Dominique Fishback, and Martin Sheen, unfolds a …
(2021-03-02). Billionaire Wealth, U.S. Job Losses and Pandemic Profiteers. strategic-culture.org 
Check back for our regular updates on U.S. unemployment and billionaire wealth during the pandemic emergency. | By Chuck COLLINS | February 24, 2021 Update: US Billionaire Wealth Grows $1.3 trillion Since Mid-March 2020. | As the US crosses the threshold of half a million deaths from the Covid pandemic, the nation's billionaires continue to reap extraordinary financial gains. After 11 months of pandemic misery, where millions have lost their jobs, health and wealth, total US billionaire wealth increased $1.3 trillion since mid-March, 2020, an increase of 44 percent. | As of the market close on Friday, February…
(2021-03-02). Khashoggi murder: Press watchdog files criminal complaint against Saudi crown prince. middleeasteye.net 
Khashoggi murder: Press watchdog files criminal complaint against Saudi crown prince | Reporters Without Borders pursues Mohammed bin Salman in German court following declassified US report into assassination | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 11: 28 | Jamal Khashoggi's murder in 2018 sparked an international outcry for justice (Screengrab) | A press freedom watchdog has filed a historic criminal complaint in Germany a…
(2021-03-02). Egypt: 'Homesick' journalist detained after return from exile in Turkey. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt: 'Homesick' journalist detained after return from exile in Turkey | Gamaal el-Gamal, who suffers five chronic illnesses, is at risk of death in custody, his friends warn | Tue, 03/02/2021 – 14: 24 | Gamaal el-Gamal, an Egyptian journalist and columnist, was detained at Cairo airport on 22 February (Social media) | Egypt has ordered the pre-trial detention of journalist and governm…
(2021-03-02). Johnson & Johnson's newly-approved Covid vaccine met with pushback as Catholic diocese condemns it for 'ties to abortion cells'. rt.com 
As Johnson & Johnson rolls out its freshly approved Covid-19 vaccine in the US, it faces a religious controversy as the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans has labeled it "morally compromised" over links to abortion cells. | Catholics are advised not to receive the vaccine because Johnson & Johnson used cell lines derived from decades-old abortions in both testing and production of the new product, the Archdiocese Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have utiliz…
(2021-03-02). Anti-Choice Forces Use Pandemic to Slash Abortion Access in Preview of Post-Roe v. Wade World. democracynow.org 
We look at how people across the U.S. have struggled to access abortions during the pandemic with reporter Amy Littlefield, who says that even before the COVID-19 outbreak, many states had restrictions, including three-day waiting periods and counseling sessions filled with misinformation. Then, many tried to use the pandemic as a pretext for banning abortion as a nonessential service. "Texas, in the early weeks of the pandemic, sort of gave us a dress rehearsal for what it could look like when states try to ban abortion entirely," says Littlefield. "We saw how half a century worth of attempts to whittle away at…
(2021-03-02). Protest demands freedom for Mumia, suffering COVID symptoms. workers.org 
Political prisoner and Black journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including difficulty breathing, Feb 26. Hearing this news, his family and supporters called a protest. Less than 24 hours later, about 70 people turned up outside the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner to call for Abu-Jamal's immediate . . . |
(2021-03-02). Black People Face Higher COVID Infections & Deaths. Should They Have Lower Age Cutoffs for Vaccines? democracynow.org 
As the U.S. vaccine rollout continues to expand, health justice advocates worry about a racial gap in vaccinations. Black communities have been hard hit by the pandemic, but rates of vaccination in communities of color lag behind largely white communities across the country. Dr. Oni Blackstock, a primary care and HIV physician, argues that age cutoffs should be lowered or removed for Black people in order to speed up inoculations, noting that Black Americans are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as white Americans and also dying at rates similar to those of white Americans who are 10 years older. "These fixed-…
(2021-03-02). A New Form of Jim Crow: Ari Berman on the GOP's Anti-Democratic Assault on Voting Rights. democracynow.org 
The Republican-led House in Georgia has passed a sweeping bill to make it harder to vote, in a move aimed to prevent Democrats from winning future elections. The bill limits access to absentee ballots, limits weekend early voting hours and curbs ballot drop boxes, among other provisions. Across the U.S., Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 250 bills in 43 states aimed at restricting voting access. Ari Berman, author and reporter for Mother Jones, says Republicans are "breaking democracy" with their push to restrict voting. "The Republican Party has no interest in appealing to a majority of Americans. I…
(2021-03-02). No fake Trump supporters or Antifa behind Capitol riot, FBI director testifies — adds agency must GROW amid domestic terror threat. rt.com 
FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate the "domestic terrorism" at the heart of the US Capitol riot has been "metastasizing" for years, but there is no evidence of involvement from Antifa or fake Donald Trump supporters. | In a Tuesday hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wray made it clear he believed the January 6 riot was an example of "domestic terrorism," an issue he sees as an increasing problem in the US. | "January sixth was not an isolated event. The problem of domestic terrorism has been metastasizing across the country for a long time now and it is not going away anytime soon,"
(2021-03-02). 'Mass murder' and 'reckless': Texas ending mask mandates triggers Democrat meltdown. rt.com 
The announcement by Governor Greg Abbott that Texas will fully reopen next week is drawing backlash from mask mandate champions such as his California colleague Gavin Newsom and other Democrats — and counter-backlash as well. | Abbott marked the anniversary of the 1836 Texan independence on Tuesday by announcing that the state will reopen "100 percent" by next week in order to "restore livelihoods and normalcy." | Also on rt.com | | While Covid-19 has not disappeared,…
(2021-03-02). Americans more concerned with violent protests in US cities than Capitol riot, more certain pro-Trump rioters get convicted — poll. rt.com 
A new poll has found people are more concerned about protests that turned violent over the summer in major cities than the violence at the US Capitol, and that most believe it's the January 6 rioters who will face full justice.
(2021-03-02). Former CIA director John Brennan 'embarrassed to be a WHITE MALE'… and critics agree they're embarrassed he's a white male too. rt.com 
John Brennan, the former CIA director and perjurer who's now an MSNBC contributor, apparently found a point on which he and his conservative critics can agree: Both sides are ashamed that he's a white male. | Responding to an MSNBC discussion on Monday about Republican claims regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, Brennan said, "I'm increasingly embarrassed to be a white male these days, in light of what I see of my other white males saying." | John Brennan should be ashamed to be John Brennan
(2021-03-02). 'We have to DO STUFF NOW': Biden adviser says White House to start redressing systemic racism, not just wait for reparations study. rt.com 
President Joe Biden will push ahead on making amends for America's "systemic racism," creating more opportunities for black people right away rather than waiting for a reparations study, a White House adviser said. | "We don't want to wait on a study," Cedric Richmond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, said in an 'Axios on HBO' | White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on February 17 that Biden s…
(2021-03-02). Harry Potter video game will allow transgender characters, but unsated critics want 'reparations' from 'transphobic' JK Rowling. rt.com 
The upcoming Harry Potter video game 'Hogwarts Legacy' will allow players to customize characters beyond two genders, but social justice warriors upset over creator JK Rowling and a "far-right" designer are saying it's not enough. | The game, which is set to be released next year, will let users customize their character's voice, body type, and gender placement, according to a report from Bloomberg citing sources working on the project. The only identifying marker for characters will be whether they are a "wizard" or a "witch." | The move came after some working on the game were concerned with numerous public…
(2021-03-02). Former CIA director John Brennan 'embarrassed to be a WHITE MALE'… and critics agree they're embarrassed he's a white male. rt.com John Brennan, the former CIA director and perjurer who's now an MSNBC contributor, apparently found a point on which he and his conservative critics can agree: Both sides are ashamed that he's a white male. | Responding to an MSNBC discussion Monday about Republican claims regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, Brennan said, "I'm increasingly embarrassed to be a white male these days, in light of what I see of my other white males saying." | John Brennan should be ashamed to be John Brennan
(2021-03-02). Attempt at civil discourse on 'Wokeism' ends in Clubhouse room 'coup,' Jewish prof shut down as 'SPICY WHITE' & demands for CASH. rt.com 
Evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein had to relive his Evergreen College moment whe he was attacked from all sides in a Clubhouse room hijacked by hostile "anti-racist" mob aghast at the idea of white people discussing "wokeism." | The room, dubbed "Is Clubhouse Obsessed with 'Wokeism'?" was created by independent journalist Michael Tracey, who said he thought the Clubhouse chats "almost inevitably evolve into a discussion of 'woke-ism'… but there's seldom anyone in the room who identifies enough with the ideology to give a defense of it." | His attempt to create a safe space for a civil discourse and let b…
(2021-03-02). US won't share Covid-19 vaccines with Mexico as Americans must be inoculated first — White House. rt.com 
The Biden administration has rejected the idea of sharing Covid-19 vaccines with the hard-hit neighbor Mexico, White House press-secretary Jen Psaki said, adding that it can only be discussed after all Americans get their shots. | "The administration's focus is on ensuring that every American is vaccinated. And once we accomplish that objective we're happy to discuss further steps," Psaki said when asked about possible vaccine sharing during a briefing on Monday. | The comments came hours before the virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. | Also…
(2021-03-02). 'This is why Americans don't trust media': CNN's Cuomo ripped for claiming he 'obviously' can't cover brother's scandals. rt.com 
CNN's Chris Cuomo is igniting anger by claiming he cannot objectively cover the numerous sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against his brother, with critics pointing to past puffy interviews between the two. | Promising to "shoot straight" with his audience, Cuomo finally acknowledged the numerous scandals plaguing his brother Andrew Cuomo's administration on Monday evening. | "Obviously I am aware of what's going on with my brother," he said. "And obviously I can't cover it because he is my brother." | Cuomo promised his network would "extensively" cover the ongoing situations with the New York go…
(2021-03-02). Newsweek forced to admit Buffalo schools teaching kids to blame 'all white people' is true, not 'HALF-TRUE' in big fact-check FAIL. rt.com 
After public schools in Buffalo, New York have been called out for blaming "all white people" for perpetuating systematic racism, "fact-checkers" tried to disprove it — only to be left red-faced when confronted with evidence. | Journalist Chris Rufo has been vindicated after fact-checkers accused him of misreporting the contents of a Black Lives Matter-themed curriculum being employed at Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) last month. The magazine quietly confirmed that BPS was, in fact, teaching its students to blame all white people for the suffering of others. | While Rufo showed the curriculum claimed that…
(2021-03-02). New York Governor Cuomo faces THIRD sexual harassment accuser after state AG announces probe into prior allegations. rt.com 
Yet another woman has come forward to accuse New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment, becoming the third to go on record with similar charges after the state's attorney general signaled she would open an investigation. | Anna Ruch, a former staffer in the Barack Obama administration and a member of Joe Biden's 2020 campaign team,
(2021-03-02). Wednesday 3/3: Watch Party! House Votes on the For the People Act (#HR1) w/ Voto Latino & More. indybay.org Virtual watch party via livestream: www.facebook.com/votolatino/…