(2021-03-01). Venezuela To Start on-Site Classes in April. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday announced that in-person classes will begin in April in compliance with biosecurity measures to prevent COVID-19 contagions. | RELATED: | The decision comes after a proposal submitted by Education Minister Aristobulo Isturiz. Classes will be held during the days when the COVID-19 quarantine is relaxed. | This month teachers will be included in the vaccination campai…
(2021-03-01). Chile: Students Go Back To Classrooms Despite Teachers Oppose. telesurenglish.net Chile's Education Ministry (Mineduc) decreed the start of in-person classes as of Monday despite the opposition of education sectors' unions and local authorities which consider that the conditions are not safe yet. | RELATED: | All the country's educational establishment presented their opening plan for 2021 but only 40 percent of them can receive students. | Schools located in COVID-19 quarantine zones are not a…
(2021-03-01). Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation vs Headache Education for Adults With Migraine. jamanetwork.com This randomized clinical trial examines whether mindfulness-based stress reduction and headache education improve migraine day frequency and improvements in disability, quality of life, depression scores, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy for people who experience migraines.
(2021-03-01). Meet Deborah Archer, ACLU National Board President. aclu.org Deborah Archer's earliest memory of protest came early in her childhood. Her Jamaican immigrant parents moved their family from Hartford, Connecticut, to the suburbs, where they felt they could give their children a better life and education. They were one of just two Black families in their new neighborhood, and her white neighbors quickly made it clear they were not welcome. One morning, the family woke to find their new home vandalized, "KKK" spray-painted across their house and car. | Nine-year-old Archer was terrified, and briefly went to live with her grandmother. But her parents encouraged her, telling her…
(2021-03-01). Class dismissed: England's poorer students 'five grades behind' richer ones — report. rt.com 
A report from the UK's Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found that a "disadvantage gap" has emerged between English pupils aged 16-19, with poorer students finding themselves up to five grades behind their wealthier peers. | The EPI has declared that the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and others is "one of the greatest challenges facing England's education system," warning that "the gap grows larger in each phase of education." | On average, the study found that, by the time students reached the age of 16-19, they were the equivalent of three grades behind more affluent peers, with some in par…
(2021-03-01). Thousands of students return for in-person schooling in Chicago. wsws.org An estimated 37,000 K-5 students will return to buildings this week as negotiations with the Lightfoot administration and the Chicago Teachers Union begin for the return of high school students in the spring.
(2021-03-01). Los Angeles educators must learn the lessons of the sellout by the Chicago Teachers Union! wsws.org The central task which educators confront is to unite and mobilize support across the US and internationally in opposition to the drive by the world's governments to sacrifice workers' lives for profit.
(2021-03-01). As schools reopen, UK educators among top groups at risk of catching COVID-19. wsws.org Schools and colleges reopen next week, beginning March 8, forcing millions of pupils and workers, including teachers, support staff, dinner ladies and caretakers into a highly dangerous environment.
(2021-03-01). Malawian COVID-19 Survivors on Quest To Minimize Stigma. telesurenglish.net Malawians who recovered from COVID-19 have embarked on an initiative of sharing their COVID-19 experience into communities. | RELATED: | Felix Khonje, a primary school teacher, who was once tested positive is empowering people in his community about the effects of stigma on people with COVID-19 prevention and dealing away with myths and misconceptions. | At first, it was very hard for Khonje to share his COVID-19 experience among his fellows bec…
(2021-03-01). Charter Schools' Obsession With Test Scores Deliberately Misses the Point. dissidentvoice.org Putting aside the endless problems with punitive high-stakes standardized tests produced by a handful of large for-profit corporations, charter school advocates have never stopped making a fetish out of students' scores on these political instruments. Charter school promoters obsess endlessly over racist psychometric tests that have been rejected by many for decades. They appear to …
(2021-03-01). Black Lives Still Don't Matter in America. counterpunch.org There is a scene in the new film "Judas and the Black Messiah," directed by Shaka King and produced by Ryan Coogler, in which Chairman Fred Hampton of the Illinois Black Panther Party explains to a group of Black students that just because their school was allowing them to change its name to "Malcolm X
(2021-03-01). Making every school greener: 9 easy ways for students to lead the change. nationofchange.org Starting from small, everyday changes in schools, things can change for the better.
(2021-03-01). School shooting reported on FIRST DAY back in the classroom in Arkansas. rt.com 
Students were back in the classroom for less than a day in one Arkansas high school before a shooting broke out. One student was reported injured and the underage suspect has been taken into custody. | The state of Arkansas last week ordered schools to reopen, as the threat of Covid-19 subsides. Watson Chapel Junior High in the town of Pine Bluff opened its doors to in-person learning on Monday, but any sense of normality was soon shattered when a shooting erupted. |
(2021-03-01). After Mass Closures, Post-Pandemic Child Care Options Will Be Scarce. truthout.org 
Driving to work before dawn last winter, Valerie Norris heard an NPR report about a terrible disease spreading in China — a pandemic, people were starting to call it. It sounded sad but very far from Rocky River, Ohio, where she'd led the Rockport Early Childhood Center for 34 years. | A few weeks later, she knew better. | It was still dark on the chilly morning of March 13 when Norris pulled into the big parking lot at the Rockport United Methodist Church, where her school was based. She always…
(2021-03-01). Discovery of Brazilian variant in UK won't derail plans to ease Covid lockdown in England, PM Johnson says. rt.com 
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the discovery of the highly contagious 'P1' Brazilian variant of Covid-19 will not derail his government's plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England in the coming weeks. | The PM said there is currently no reason to change plans to start reopening England after three months of a third national lockdown. Schools and colleges are set to return to in-person learning from March 8, with restrictions on shops and businesses, pubs and gatherings being eased over the next three months — infection rates permitting. | Earlier on Monday, Prof Graham Medley, who head…
(2021-03-01). Financial Reserves and the Racial Wealth Gap. counterpunch.org 
Why is it that the wealthiest country on earth has the highest death toll of any nation in the world? And why are Black and Latino people among those experiencing the greatest mortality and hardship during the pandemic? There is excellent research on how the Black-white wealth gap left Black households more vulnerable (see resources
(2021-03-01). Beijing accused of using Covid pandemic to control journalists — foreign media group report. rt.com 
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) has accused Beijing of using Covid-19 as "yet another way to control journalists," curbing visas and surveilling reporters. China says it's protecting its citizens from the virus. | The FCCC, which is the professional association of Beijing-based journalists reporting on China, has argued that 2020 had seen a "rapid decline in media freedom," implemented under the cover of measures that were used to combat the spread of coronavirus. | In its annual report released on Monday the press group claimed these restrictions were placed on journalists to prevent them fro…
(2021-03-01). Rep. Ro Khanna: Democrats Should Ignore the Senate Parliamentarian and Pass $15 Minimum Wage Hike. democracynow.org 
The House of Representatives has voted to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package that includes an increase to the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, which could now be stripped out in the final bill after the unelected Senate parliamentarian found it does not comply with budget rules. Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have also said they'll oppose the measure. Congressmember Ro Khanna of California says the parliamentarian "misruled" in this case and that Democrats should pass the wage hike anyway. "I don't know any part of this count…
(2021-03-01). CYBERWAR is imminent & will affect ordinary Americans, claims CEO of company that 'discovered' SolarWinds hack. rt.com 
Cybersecurity firm FireEye has warned Americans that they'll be targeted by the next big cyberattack, whether they know it or not. Disrupted supply chains and the chaos of cellular and internet networks crashing will follow. | "The next conflict where the gloves come off in cyber, the American citizen will be dragged into it, whether they want to be or not. Period," FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia told Axios on HBO on Sunday. | "People don't even know all the things they depend on. All of a sudden the supply chain starts getting disrupted because computers don't work," he continued, threatening viewers with his descr…
(2021-03-01). Illinois Must End Youth Incarceration, Not "Transform" It. truthout.org 
Even amid a deadly pandemic, in the U.S., there are
(2021-03-01). To Prevent the Resurgence of the Pandemic, Can We Talk About Open-Source Research? counterpunch.org As the vaccination campaign picks up steam, we have many public health experts warning us about a possible resurgence of the pandemic due to the spread of new vaccine resistant strains. The logic is that, as more people are protected against the predominant strain for which the vaccines were designed, it will allow room for
(2021-03-01). To Combat Inequitable Vaccine Access, Look to the Numbers. aclu.org Since the onset of the pandemic, COVID-19 has disproportionately devastated Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian communities and now, these same communities are being left in the dust in the nationwide race to vaccinate. The racial disparities in hospitalization and death rates among these groups are mirrored in early vaccination rate data. Black people are two to three times less likely than white people to be vaccinated. While statistics like these are disheartening, we can and must do better. States should push back against these disparities by prioritizing outreach and access to the vaccine in geographic area…
(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 . . . |
(2021-03-01). New Haven youth target gun violence, inequality at Black history month march. peoplesworld.org 
NEW HAVEN, Conn.—A caravan of 20 cars and a group of 65 people took to the streets of New Haven on Feb. 20 to call for an end to gun violence and police brutality, taxing the rich, and to demand state and federal relief for communities of color impacted by COVID-19. The Annual Black History …
(2021-03-01). Israeli High Court Limits Shin Bet's Controversial Surveillance of COVID-19 Carriers. sputniknews.com In 2020, the Israeli government allowed the nation's Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet) to use cellphone data to retrace the movements of residents who contracted COVID-19, with the ultimate goal being to inform others who came in contact and ordering them to quarantine. The move was immediately slammed by rights-groups over privacy violations.
(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 . . . |
(2021-03-01). UK authorities' plea for mystery person infected with 'Brazilian' Covid-19 strain to come forward. rt.com 
Health officials in England are looking for an unidentified person who was infected with a mutated 'Brazilian variant' of SARS-CoV-19 and slipped under the radar. They are one of six known cases in the UK. | The P1 strain was first detected in people coming to Japan from the Brazilian city of Manus and resembles the so-called South African variant, which is more infectious than 'regular' variants of the virus. Samples collected from six individuals were sequenced as part of the UK's national research of Covid-19 mutations. Public Health England (PHE) could not determine who provided one of them, the organisati…
(2021-03-01). Macron says France's Covid curfew in place for another '4 to 6 weeks' as contagious UK variant accounts for more half of all cases. rt.com 
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the nation to "hold out" for at least another month before the country can think about easing Covid-induced restrictions and the current 6pm curfew. | Speaking with a group of industrial trade trainees on Monday, Macron dismissed, with a smile, the request of a young man to relax France's 6pm curfew. The president told the students that the nation's curfew would need to remain in place for another four to six weeks, amid indicators the epidemic is on the rise again in France. | Further measures may be brought in across the 20 departments in France which have alrea…
(2021-03-01). Virus reduces fitness of former Covid-19 patients aged 45 to level of 80-year-olds, Israeli researchers discover. rt.com 
One of Israel's top medical centers has published a worrying study about the long-term effects of the coronavirus, revealing that 45-year-old former patients performed during physical tests as if they were aged 80. | Some 30 people aged 45, on average, took part in the survey carried out by the Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva, the Times of Israel Three months after they had been officially cleared of the disease, the former Covid-19…
(2021-03-01). Covid-19 virus didn't originate naturally but is actually a BIOWEAPON, most Russians believe, according to explosive new poll. rt.com 
The world has been savaged by a killer virus that escaped a top-secret lab or was unleashed by shadowy forces. It might sound like the plot of a Hollywood film, but a new poll has found it's also how most Russians see Covid-19.
(2021-03-01). Finland declares STATE OF EMERGENCY over Covid-19 cases surge. rt.com 
Helsinki has declared a state of emergency on Monday in a bid to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus. The measure would allow it to impose a lockdown and potentially "restrict the fundamental rights of citizens." | The state of emergency is effective "immediately" and will stay in force for an indefinite period of time "until it is repealed," the government said in a
(2021-03-01). New Zealand PM urges public to 'call out' family & friends who break Covid-19 rules, who let down 'team of five million'. rt.com 
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has urged obedient members of the public to call out violators of coronavirus rules, as it emerged people have been concealing Covid-19 contacts. | Speaking on Monday about recent Covid-19 cases that are linked to breaches of anti-coronavirus restrictions, Ardern aimed mighty jabs at rule breakers. | Even with the full understanding of human fallibility, it is not appropriate, and it is not okay for members of a team of five million to let the rest of us down. | Ruling out punishments for the violators handed out directly by the government, and citing the separation…
(2021-03-01). Prague deploys troops on Czech streets to enforce severe new Covid rules amid record infection rate, spike in hospitalizations. rt.com 
Some 30,000 police and soldiers have been deployed across the Czech Republic and at 500 security checkpoints set up in a bid to enforce toughened coronavirus rules, as the country battles the world's worst infection rate. | The new measures, introduced on Monday, ban Czechs from leaving their district except for essential reasons, like caring for vulnerable people or working. | Officers are allowed to conduct random spot checks and people are required to produce personal documentation on request, with fines of up to 20,000 Czech koruna ($920) for rule-breakers. | Higher-grade face masks are also now mandatory…
(2021-03-01). Family with young child rescued, warned after camping on CLIFF EDGE known for landslides (PHOTO). rt.com 
Police and coastguard officers responded to a call after a couple were spotted camping on a cliff edge with their young child, in contravention of lockdown rules and, arguably, common sense. | Rescue teams from Staithes and Whitby coastguard agencies, along with responding police officers, happened upon the couple's tent on Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire on Saturday. | www.facebook.com/staithes.coastguard/pos… | The police were called as the family had breached Covid restrictions, though it is unclear whether or not they received a fine. Overnight stays away from a person's primary…
(2021-03-01). NHS Providers calls for urgent review into 'insufficient' critical care capacity. rt.com 
NHS Providers has called for a review into "insufficient" critical care capacity in England, citing three regions as being of key concern, at a time when the NHS found itself overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases earlier this year. | The organisation, which includes NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services, called on the government to conduct an investigation into failings in the current system after an analysis showed the UK has the lowest number of critical care beds per head in Europe. | The analysis by NHS Providers uncovered that, per 100,000 people, the UK only has 7.3 critical care beds, co…
(2021-03-01). Spain begins to ease Covid lockdown, but says border with Portugal will be sealed for at least 2 more weeks. rt.com 
The Spanish border with Portugal will remain largely closed until at least March 16, Madrid confirmed on Monday, even as it began to ease some regional restrictions implemented to slow the spread of Covid-19. | The restrictions have been in place along the 1,200km-long border since January 29, with only Spanish residents or Schengen-area travelers who are en route to their homes allowed to cross. | The Spanish government has begun to ease regional Covid lockdown regulations that imposed overnight curfews and restrictions on restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as limiting the number of people who could meet u…
(2021-03-01). Chinese investment in Australia plunges to RECORD LOW amid escalating trade row. rt.com 
New data from the Australian National University (ANU) showed Chinese investment in Australia dropped by more than 61 percent in 2020, to just over a billion Australian dollars (US$780 million) — the lowest in the past six years. | According to figures from the Chinese Investment in Australia Database (CHIIA), the drop followed a 47 percent fall in 2019, when Chinese investment totaled US$1.57 billion. It was also well short of the peak of US$12.7 billion recorded in 2016. | "It reflects the effects of Covid, but also more scrutiny of foreign investment by the Australian government, particularly that fro…
(2021-03-01). Pfizer CEO: 'Every Year You Will Have to Get Your Annual Shot for COVID'. globalresearch.ca Despite the
(2021-03-01). Deep 'psychological pain': Japan urges China to stop subjecting its citizens to Covid-19 ANAL SWABS. rt.com 
Tokyo has requested Beijing stop subjecting Japanese nationals in China to anal swab testing for Covid-19, urging it use alternative methods instead. The procedure is said to inflict "great psychological pain" on test subjects. | The coronavirus testing issue was brought up by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato during a press conference on Monday. | Some Japanese reported to our embassy in China that they received anal swab tests, which caused a great psychological pain. | Japan has already requested Beijing halt the controversial testing, sticking to other methods instead. So far, China has not re…
(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). 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). Digamosle a Biden: °Deja de bombardear Siria! workers.org La administración de Biden solo tardó 36 días en el cargo para mostrar al mundo, a través de un bombardeo en Siria, que es beligerante, agresivo y empeñado en la guerra. Solo hubo un breve respiro de las viles palabras y acciones de Trump. Ahora tenemos que enfrentar los viles . . . |
(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). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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…