Author Archives: Admin

2021-02-27: News Headlines

David Perez (2021-02-27). The Working Class Backbone of Hi Tech. dissidentvoice.org In his comprehensive and educational book, Coders (2019 Penguin Press), tech writer Clive Thompson tells the story of computer programmers, a workforce that is undoubtedly one of the "most quietly influential on the planet." Thompson writes: You use software nearly every instant you're awake. There's the obvious stuff, like your phone, your laptop, email and …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-26). Education unions in the UK slams Tory government's plan of reopening schools. peoplesdispatch.org With all schools set to open on March 8, unions have accused the UK government of being unprepared to ensure the safety of the students. The National Education Union said the necessary safeguards had not been put in place…

WSWS (2021-02-26). No to school reopenings in Turkey before the pandemic is contained! wsws.org We call on all educators, parents and students who support this initiative to contact us to establish rank-and-file committees for safe education and to expand this struggle, which is vital for public health.

_____ (2021-02-27). Hunger Strike, Activists Take Fight Against Scrapper To City Hall. popularresistance.org Chicago – Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) announced Tuesday he will join 10 hunger strikers fighting to block another polluter from receiving the city's approval to operate on the Southeast Side. | As the Pilsen alderman joined the strike, United Neighbors of the 10th Ward member Breanna Bertacchi, Southeast Youth Alliance founder Oscar Sanchez and George Washington High School teacher Chuck Stark wrapped up their 20th day without food. They'll complete their third week Wednesday. | The three initial strikers and eight others who have joined the fast in recent weeks are demanding the Chicago Department of Public H…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2021-02-27). Former Ofsted chief calls on teachers to 'sacrifice their lives', but the teachers are having none of it. thecanary.co During an Wilshaw told Emily Maitlis: You have to compare this with the medical emergency over the last year and the commitment on the part of medical professionals, and nurses, and doctors. They've gone the extra mile at great cost to themselves, and their families, their…

_____ (2021-02-27). Students At Fordham University Fight For Their Right To Support Palestine. popularresistance.org Veer Shetty wants what hundreds of other college students have: a school club that speaks out for Palestine on campus. | Shetty grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a close Palestinian friend who told him horror stories about the Israeli occupation. So when he started school at New York's Fordham University, he was determined to get active in the struggle for Palestinian rights. | For the past year and a half, the college senior has had the chance to do so. As vice-president of Fordham's Students for Justice in Palestine club, Shetty has helped to organize various Palestine-related cultural and political events f…

RT (2021-02-27). Boston halts advanced school program over 'equity' concerns after study finds it has too many 'white and Asian' students. rt.com Public schools in Boston, Massachusetts are suspending new enrollment in an advanced study program citing concerns over "inequities" that supposedly emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to be more "anti-racist." | Fourth-graders hoping to get into the Advanced Work Classes (AWC) program are out of luck, after Boston Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius called for a one-year hiatus for the program this week. The district's

RT (2021-02-27). Virginia school district says Dr.Seuss demoted as focus of reading event due to 'RACIAL UNDERTONES', denies complete ban. rt.com Facing public backlash over its alleged cancellation of Dr. Seuss on concern that his stories and illustrations are racist, a Virginia school district denied it banned the author but said it deprioritized his books. | The Loudon County Public Schools system near Washington, DC, clarified on Saturday that it merely downgraded

RT (2021-02-27). Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package narrowly passes US House, $1,400 stimulus checks included. rt.com The US House of Representatives has narrowly passed the massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. The package is now headed to the Senate, where the bill is expected to be stripped of its minimum wage hike provision. | President Joe Biden's relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan, was passed by the House early on Saturday in narrow 219-212 vote. No Republicans have voted for the legislation, while two Democrats broke ranks and voted against it. | The legislation includes $1,400 checks for most Americans, as well as billions for state and local governments, schools and businesses. The package wou…

Eds. (2021-02-27). We have to change our suicidal ways and reconcile with nature to tackle climate crises and pandemics. mronline.org Every day, entrepreneurs in Brazil cut down more of the Amazon to produce cheap soybeans for animals in Europe and America. Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia tear up their forests to produce cheap coffee and palm oil for the world.

Richard Horton (2021-02-27). [Comment] Offline: Thinking the pandemic. thelancet.com The talk is now about data, not dates. But this pandemic has always been driven by facts. A rapid accumulation of evidence about the virus and the disease it causes. Layer upon layer of new information, repeatedly revising and reformulating our understanding. A steady stream of numbers, rates, and risks. Scientists and statisticians catapulted into the media to explain, expound, and explicate. Facts should indeed illuminate interpretations, guide responses, and optimise outcomes. But an emergency such as COVID-19 demands more—moments to think about what this pandemic means for us, to ask questions about its…

Dr. Stephen Malthouse (2021-02-28). Epidemiological Evidence: The "Pandemic" is Over. No "Second Wave" will Follow. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | This text, crossposted on GR was first published in October 2020…

Joe Piette (2021-02-27). Mental health effects of COVID lockdown in prison: Interview from inside SCI Albion. workers.org This telephone interview with Demitrius Grant, imprisoned at SCI Albion near Erie, Pa., was conducted by Joe Piette for Workers World newspaper on Feb. 16. Demetrius Grant: We're going to be covering the issue of COVID-19 today, as to how it impacts prisoners' mental health. About a week ago, a . . . |

John C. A. Manley (2021-02-27). Emergency Room (ER) Sees Surge of Seniors After COVID-19 Vaccination, Says Nurse Whistleblower. globalresearch.ca We're seeing a surge of patients come to the hospital from the nursing homes after getting vaxed. These poor folks, in their 80s and 90s with chronic heart and lung disease, can't handle the metabolic stimulation caused by the COVID vax.

RT (2021-02-27). Biden admin to charge White House reporters $170 per Covid test amid concerns smaller outlets will be squeezed out — reports. rt.com The Joe Biden administration is reportedly set to charge White House correspondents $170 a pop for daily coronavirus tests, stoking anger among reporters, some noting the move could cost struggling newsrooms thousands per week. | The White House press office will begin charging for the tests next week, the Washington Post

Andrew Green (2021-02-27). [Obituary] James Gita Hakim. thelancet.com Cardiologist and HIV researcher. Born in what is now South Sudan on May 14, 1954, he died of complications from COVID-19 on Jan 25, 2021, in Harare, Zimbabwe, aged 66 years.

Children's Health Defense (2021-02-28). One-Third of Deaths Reported to CDC After COVID Vaccines Occurred within 48 Hours of Vaccination. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | According to new data released today, as of Feb. 12, 15,923 …

Christine Johnston, Elizabeth R. Brown, Jenell Stewart, Helen C.Stankiewicz Karita, Patricia J. Kissinger, John Dwyer, Sybil Hosek, Temitope Oyedele, Michael K. Paasche-Orlow, Kristopher Paolino, Kate B. Heller, Hannah Leingang, Harald S. Haugen, Tracy Q. Dong, Anna Bershteyn, Arun R. Sridhar, Jeanne Poole, Peter A. Noseworthy, Michael J. Ackerman, Susan Morrison, Alexander L. Greninger, Meei-Li Huang, Keith R. Jerome, Mark H. Wener, Anna Wald, Joshua T. Schiffer, Connie Celum, Helen Y. Chu, Ruanne V. Barnabas, Jared M. Baeten, for the COVID-19 Early Treatment Study Team (2021-02-27). [Research Paper] Hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin for treatment of early SARS-CoV-2 infection among high-risk outpatient adults: A randomized clinical trial. thelancet.com Neither HCQ nor HCQ/AZ shortened the clinical course of outpatients with COVID-19, and HCQ, but not HCQ/AZ, had only a modest effect on SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding. HCQ and HCQ/AZ are not effective therapies for outpatient treatment of SARV-CoV-2 infection.

Reem Zubaidi (2021-02-27). Exposing Israel's vaccine apartheid in West Bank & Gaza. liberationnews.org Five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza are excluded from vaccine rollouts while Israeli citizens, even those living in illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories, are prioritized.

Joyce Chediac (2021-02-28). Thirty years Ago. The 1991 Gulf War: The Massacre of Withdrawing Soldiers on "The Highway of Death" globalresearch.ca First published in July 2004 | *** | I want to give testimony on what are called the "highways of death." These are the two Kuwaiti roadways, littered with remains of 2,000 mangled Iraqi military vehicles, and the charred and dismembered bodies …

John Catalinotto (2021-02-27). 'Rubin never lost a case' — Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021. workers.org Some younger Workers World Party members met Rubin Kanowitz for the first time when he was a communist elder, still confronting cops on recent demonstrations chanting, "Black Lives Matter." Older ones knew him from when he first joined the party in 1965. All grieved as they learned he died this . . . |

Eds. (2021-02-27). FBI, NYPD exposed: Deathbed confession shines new light on assassination of Malcolm X. mronline.org Without any training, Wood's job was to infiltrate civil rights organizations and encourage leaders and members to commit felonious acts. He was also tasked with ensuring that Malcolm X's security detail was arrested days prior to the assassination, guaranteeing Malcolm X didn't have door security while at the Audubon Ballroom.

Clean Energy Wire (2021-02-27). By the End of the Year, Germany will have a Million Electric Cars on the Road out of 4.7 mn Total. juancole.com By Sà∂ren Amelang | — Germany will probably reach its target of having one million fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars on the road this year, government advisors have said. The head of the country's National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM), Henning Kagermann, told business daily Handelsblatt he was pleased "that it appears we will …

Walter Smolarek (2021-02-27). Deciphering Biden's excuse to abandon the Fight for $15. liberationnews.org President Biden received a major political gift from an obscure, unelected official called the Senate parliamentarian Feb. 25 when she ruled that the provision in the administration's stimulus plan that raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour must be removed from the bill. Unless this maneuver is defeated, millions of workers who could have …

Shabbir Manjee (2021-02-27). Chicago City Council passes unanimous resolution to end the blockade on Cuba. liberationnews.org All 50 aldermen voted to oppose the blockade, adding that normalizing relations can benefit the economic conditions of both Cubans and Chicagoans.

Michael Kowalchuk (2021-02-27). Sojourner Truth's Massachusetts days. liberationnews.org Sojourner Truth, born into slavery in New York as "Isabella Baumfree" in 1797, was one of the most important abolitionists and feminists of the nineteenth century.

Jason Hickel (2021-02-27). Is the world poor, or unjust? mronline.org Social media has been ablaze with this question recently. We know we face a crisis of mass poverty: the global economy is organized in such a way that nearly 60% of humanity is left unable to meet basic needs. But the question at stake this time is different.

The Conversation (2021-02-27). Gulf War: As Biden bombs Iraqis, 30 years on the consequences of Desert Storm are still with us. juancole.com By Lorena De Vita and Amir Taha | — It was a short message to end a short war. On February 26 1991, Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz put his signature to a letter addressed to the United Nations Security Council: I have the honour to notify you that the Iraqi Government reaffirms its agreement …

Caitlin A. Johnstone (2021-02-27). U.S. bombs Syria and ridiculously claims self defense. mronline.org On orders of President Biden, the United States has launched an airstrike on a facility in Syria. As of this writing the exact number of killed and injured is unknown, with early reports claiming "a handful" of people were killed.

John Catalinotto (2021-02-27). 'Rubin never lost a case' — Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021. workers.org Some younger Workers World Party members met Rubin Kanowitz for the first time when he was a communist elder, still confronting cops on recent demonstrations chanting, "Black Lives Matter." Older ones knew him from when he first joined the party in 1965. All grieved as they learned he died this . . . |

MBNJSD (2021-02-27). Biden's Reckless Syria Bombing Is Not the Diplomacy He Promised. dissidentvoice.org Photo: CODEPINK The February 25 U.S. bombing of Syria immediately puts the policies of the newly-formed Biden administration into sharp relief. Why is this administration bombing the sovereign nation of Syria? Why is it bombing "Iranian-backed militias" who pose absolutely no threat to the United States and are actually involved in fighting ISIS? If this …

RT (2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise of Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A

RT (2021-02-27). 'Safely recovered': Lady Gaga's stolen bulldogs brought to LA police after pop star offers $500k reward with no strings attached. rt.com Two French bulldogs have been safely returned to pop star Lady Gaga after robbers stole the animals at gunpoint from her dog walker, who was shot in the struggle, according to LA police. | The pups were brought to an LAPD station north of downtown on Friday evening by a woman believed to be "uninvolved and unassociated" with the theft and shooting earlier this week, police captain Jonathan Tippett Both of Lady Gaga's dogs have been…

RT (2021-02-27). As FBI touts 'unprecedented' speed of Capitol 'insurrection' probe, police still don't know what caused officer's death. rt.com Seven weeks on from the Capitol riot, police say a toxicology report on the officer who was allegedly killed isn't done, raising questions over whether investigators are sitting on facts that don't fit a murder-mayhem narrative. | The medical examiner's report on Officer Brian Sicknick's death following the January 6 riot hasn't been completed, as toxicology results are still pending, the Capitol Police Department said Friday in a statement. More than 50 days after the Capitol attack — and even as other aspects of the "insurrection" investigation race ahead — the department offered no explanation for…

RT (2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise for Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A

_____ (2021-02-27). 'No one cares if we die': Ex-Syrian rebels recount Nagorno-Karabakh nightmare as 'disposable force for Turkey'. strategic-culture.org Repurposed into a mercenary force by Erdogan's Turkey, the remnants of Syria's armed opposition were sent off to fight for Azerbaijan with promises of sweet paychecks. They met abuse, humiliation, and death instead. | By Lindsey SNELL | In the first week of October 2020, Ahmad Hadad* and more than 20 other fighters from the Hamza Division faction of the so-called Syrian National Army stood in the middle of a mountain range in Azerbaijan near the Iranian border. They were lost. | After the Armenian army unleashed a bout of heavy bombardment on the mountains, the Azerbaijani soldiers who had been positioned behind…

MEE and agencies (2021-02-27). Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis. middleeasteye.net Tunisia's Ennahda holds large street protest, fuelling government crisis | The protest is seen as an attempt to mobilise popular backing against President Kais Saied | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 12: 15 | Supporters of Tunisia's biggest political party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, march during a rally in opposition to President Kais Saied in Tunis on 27 February (Reuters) | Tunisia's biggest poli…

Mike Walter (2021-02-27). The Heat: U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi's death. america.cgtn.com A U.S. intelligence report concludes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation to murder a prominent journalist. And U.S. President Biden orders airstrikes in Syria targeting Iranian-backed militias.

MEE and agencies (2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi murder: Bahrain, UAE reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia after CIA report | US intelligence report blames Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 10: 19 | Protesters in London demonstrate against former president Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (MEE/Kaamil Ahmed) | Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) stoo…

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-27). Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net Khashoggi murder: Oxfam calls on Britain to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia | Demand follows release of report in which CIA determines that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind murder of Jamal Khashoggi | Sat, 02/27/2021 – 13: 49 | Britain is the second-largest seller of weapons to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | The release of a CIA report blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering th…

Peter Koenig (2021-02-27). The Coronavirus Vaccine: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020". Vaccination as a Platform for "Digital Identity" globalresearch.ca What is the infamous ID2020? It's an electronic ID program that uses generalized vaccination as a platform for digital identity. The program harnesses existing birth registration and vaccination operations to provide newborns with a portable and persistent biometrically-linked digital identity.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2021-02-28). Video: The 2021 Worldwide Corona Crisis. "The Worst Crisis in Modern History" globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of our readers this Global Research Video documentary produced by Ariel Noyola Rodriguez, featuring Prof. Michel Chossudovsky. | We are at the crossroads of one of the most serious crises in World history. | We are living …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2021-02-27). Joe Biden and the Pentagon's "Ides of March 2021": Best Month to Go to War? globalresearch.ca or the Romans, the month of March (Martius) marked "the time to start new military campaigns." As in the heyday of the Roman Empire, the Pentagon has a mandate to plan and implement a precise "timeline" of military operations.

James A. Lucas (2021-02-28). US Has Killed More Than 20 Million People in 37 "Victim Nations" Since World War II. globalresearch.ca Among Global Research's most popular 2020 articles | . | First published in November 2015 | GR Editor's Note | Let us put this in historical perspective: the commemoration of the War to End All Wars acknowledges that 15 million lives were lost in …

Brian Berletic (2021-02-27). Biden's First Foreign Policy Speech Vows "Forever Wars" globalresearch.ca US foreign policy has clearly continued in the same direction, without missing a beat. Unlike in previous transitions in the White House, this time US President Joe Biden has not even really tried to promise even the faintest hope that …

_____ (2021-02-27). Atlantic Ocean Current At Weakest State In 'Over A Millennium'. popularresistance.org The Atlantic Ocean current that plays a major role in the world's weather is at its weakest state in "over a millennium", researchers have found. | The research combines various lines of evidence to create a "consistent picture" of how the ocean current system, which is known as the "Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation" (AMOC), has changed over the past 1,600 years. | Sometimes called the Atlantic's "conveyer belt", the AMOC is a vast ocean current system that moves warm, salty water from the tropics to regions further north, such as the UK. The gulf stream is part of the AMOC. | As the AMOC carries warm…

Graham Watt (2021-02-27). [Perspectives] Julian Tudor Hart: medical pioneer and social advocate. thelancet.com Julian Tudor Hart is seen variously as a researcher, an expert on high blood pressure, an epidemiologist, scientist, writer, political commentator, and social advocate. But at heart he was always a practising family doctor. Few physicians manage to be expert in so many fields and none while also looking after the primary care needs of some 2100 people, which Tudor Hart did at Glyncorrwg, a former colliery village in south Wales, UK. His dedication to general practice meant his work was relevant and valued by fellow general practitioners (GPs).

Laura A Benjamin, Tamara Phiri, Robert Simister, Tom Solomon, Victor Mwapasa (2021-02-27). [Correspondence] Recognising HIV infection in systems of care for stroke. thelancet.com When it comes to making a case for the growing burden of stroke in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, HIV infection has consistently been neglected. We read with interest the Lancet Series on systems of care and rehabilitation for stroke, particularly the two papers relating to LMICs. However, we were disappointed to see that HIV was overlooked again. According to statistics from WHO, 36 ∑7 million people are living with HIV and 1 ∑8 million become infected each year.

2020 news (2021-02-28). Dr. Wodarg and Dr. Yeadon File Application for Suspension of All SARS CoV-2 Vaccine Studies and Call for Co-signing the Petition. globalresearch.ca First published on December 25, 2020 | On December 1, 2020, the ex-Pfizer head of respiratory research Dr. Michael Yeadon and the lung specialist and former head of the public health department Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg

WSWS repost (2021-02-27). San Francisco Bay Area school districts push to reopen schools. indybay.org The ruling class and its political representatives are pushing to reopen schools before it is safe. Teachers and their earnest supporters in the Bay Area need to organize to oppose this.

2021-02-26: News Headlines

Jeremy Levine (2021-02-26). Massive thousand-car caravan protests unsafe reopening of Montgomery County schools in Maryland. liberationnews.org Photo: Car that participated in the caravan On Feb. 23, the parking lot at the Montgomery County Public Schools central office in Maryland swarmed with car horns, brightly colored signs, and shouts as thousands rallied outside a closed session meeting of the Board of Education (BOE). Among the participants were residents, parents and teachers' union …

Diane Ravitch (2021-02-26). Twenty Years of Failing the Schools. progressive.org To fix education, Biden must not only undo Trump's legacy but reverse two decades of | a disastrous 'reform' movement.

WSWS (2021-02-26). No to school reopenings in Turkey before the pandemic is contained! wsws.org We call on all educators, parents and students who support this initiative to contact us to establish rank-and-file committees for safe education and to expand this struggle, which is vital for public health.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-02-26). Education unions in the UK slams Tory government's plan of reopening schools. peoplesdispatch.org With all schools set to open on March 8, unions have accused the UK government of being unprepared to ensure the safety of the students. The National Education Union said the necessary safeguards had not been put in place…

Eds. (2021-02-26). Hundreds of law students announce boycott of Chevron law firm Seward & Kissel for "unethical" private prosecution of human rights attorney Steven Donziger. mronline.org Students from over 50 leading U.S. law schools—including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and New York University—have announced a recruiting boycott of a prominent Chevron law firm to protest its "unethical" private prosecution of U.S. human rights lawyer Steven Donziger after he helped win a $9.5 billion pollution judgment against Chevron.

Marina Wheeler QC (2021-02-26). India and the Rule of Law: In 2021, is India still a Liberal Democracy? ukhumanrightsblog.com Join expert speakers for this webinar looking at the question of whether India is still a Liberal Democracy on 11th March 2021 at 4.30 — 5.45pm. Chair: Marina Wheeler QC Expert Panel: Dr Mukulika Banerjee (London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE)Dr Shruti Kapila (Corpus Christi College, Cambridge)Professor Tarunabh Khaitan (Wadham College, Oxford) RSVP via …

Stanford Environmental Law Society (2021-02-26). Hundreds of Law Students Announce Boycott of Chevron Law Firm Seward & Kissel for "Unethical" Private Prosecution of Human Rights Attorney Steven Donziger. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | Students from over 50 leading U.S. law schools — including Stanford, …

ACLU (2021-02-26). The Coordinated Attack on Trans Student Athletes. aclu.org Transgender athletes want to participate in school sports for the same reason as anybody else: to find a sense of belonging and social engagement, to be a part of a team, and to challenge themselves. But states and schools across the country are trying to exclude trans people from enjoying the benefits of sports on equal terms with their cisgender peers. Not only do these proposed laws discriminate against trans youth in ways that compromise their health, social and emotional development, and safety, they also raise a host of privacy concerns. | The organizations leading these attacks on trans athletes' rights ar…

Henry Tufnell (2021-02-26). High Court: Covid self-employed support scheme does not unlawfully discriminate against women. ukhumanrightsblog.com R (The Motherhood Plan and Anor) v HM Treasury [2021] EWHC 309 (Admin) — read judgment In a judgment handed down on 17 February 2021, the High Court has ruled that the Self Employment Income Support Scheme ("the Scheme") introduced during the coronavirus pandemic does not indirectly discriminate against self-employed women who have taken a …

Eds. (2021-02-26). The Pandemic: Half a million lives lost in U.S., more than the two World Wars and Vietnam War combined. mronline.org Over half a million people have died of coronavirus in the U.S. Grasping the enormity—half a million people gone—is difficult to visualize.

Mike Walter (2021-02-26). The Heat: One scientist's fight against disease & Racism against Asian-Americans. america.cgtn.com As the pandemic continues to take its toll, we'll talk to one of America's leading science pioneers. Plus — what's behind the alarming rise in violence against Asian Americans?>

Dean Baker (2021-02-26). To Prevent the Resurgence of the Pandemic, Can We Talk About Open-Source Research? cepr.net 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 mutations …

Staff (2021-02-26). Big Tech Shouldn't Be the Arbiter of Our Free Speech Rights. truthout.org Business corporations don't need free speech rights. Nor should they have the power to deny free speech to others. But leading up to and following the 2020 election, we saw both undemocratic realities on display. | The 2020 election was largely "democratic." Due to the pandemic, more voters had more ways to cast their ballots than ever, and the elections were overall free and fair. H…

Richard Horton (2021-02-27). [Comment] Offline: Thinking the pandemic. thelancet.com The talk is now about data, not dates. But this pandemic has always been driven by facts. A rapid accumulation of evidence about the virus and the disease it causes. Layer upon layer of new information, repeatedly revising and reformulating our understanding. A steady stream of numbers, rates, and risks. Scientists and statisticians catapulted into the media to explain, expound, and explicate. Facts should indeed illuminate interpretations, guide responses, and optimise outcomes. But an emergency such as COVID-19 demands more—moments to think about what this pandemic means for us, to ask questions about its…

Bill Sardi (2021-02-26). Politicians Shouldn't be Managing Pandemics They Will Bend Science to Fit Their Political Objectives. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been overlooked in …

Manlio Dinucci (2021-02-26). There Is No Crisis for NATO's Italian Military. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | While Italy is paralyzed by the "economic crisis that the pandemic …

Jeffrey A. Tucker (2021-02-26). Corona Crisis: How Does All of this End? globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | There is a sense in the air that the pandemic is …

Joe Piette (2021-02-27). Mental health effects of COVID lockdown in prison: Interview from inside SCI Albion. workers.org This telephone interview with Demitrius Grant, imprisoned at SCI Albion near Erie, Pa., was conducted by Joe Piette for Workers World newspaper on Feb. 16. Demetrius Grant: We're going to be covering the issue of COVID-19 today, as to how it impacts prisoners' mental health. About a week ago, a . . . |

Marilyn Bechtel (2021-02-26). Calif. essential workers and supporters call for extended COVID-related sick leave. peoplesworld.org Essential workers, labor advocates, and legislators are joining together to urge the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to act immediately to expand emergency paid sick days and paid family and medical leave protection for workers in the state's 2021-2022 early action budget. Both federal and California emergency paid sick leave mandates on employers expired …

Greg Kearney (2021-02-26). When it comes to COVID, why aren't Republicans 'pro-life' anymore? peoplesworld.org Read:

sputniknews (2021-02-26). Oxford University COVID-19 Lab Reportedly Hacked by Cyber Gang. sputniknews.com Researchers have been scrambling to learn more about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. So far, the deadly virus has infected more than 113 million people worldwide and killed more than 2.5 million others.

Global Research News (2021-02-26). Selected Articles: Haiti Betrayed. globalresearch.ca By There's a big mystery that needs to be solved. It's how many people are getting sick and dying from the Covid vaccines. …

Staff (2021-02-26). Sanders Blasts Parliamentarian's Ruling Dropping Wage Hike From COVID Bill. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and several other Democratic lawmakers are lambasting a decision by the Senate parliamentarian, a nonpartisan referee in that legislative body, who determined on Thursday that a provision to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in the COVID economic relief package does not align with the rules for the reconciliation process. | But while Democrats appear upset over the decision, the party may be disunited on what path they should take next to raise the minimum wag…

Andrew Green (2021-02-27). [Obituary] James Gita Hakim. thelancet.com Cardiologist and HIV researcher. Born in what is now South Sudan on May 14, 1954, he died of complications from COVID-19 on Jan 25, 2021, in Harare, Zimbabwe, aged 66 years.

Lubna Masarwa (2021-02-26). Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk. middleeasteye.net Israel's closure of Covid clinic leaves 50,000 people at high risk | Termination of vaccine programme for those living in Israel without legal status may be legally challenged by rights groups
| Fri, 02/26/2021 – 13: 50 | A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on 26 February 202…

MEE and agencies (2021-02-26). Iraq: Protesters killed in clashes with security forces in Nasiriyah. middleeasteye.net Iraq: Protesters killed in clashes with security forces in Nasiriyah | At least five demonstrators have been killed over the past week as activists defied a Covid-19 lockdown to take to the streets | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 16: 00 | Iraqi protesters are pictured next to burning tyres during clashes with police during anti-government demonstrations in the city of Nasiriyah in the Dhi Qar province…

MEE and agencies (2021-02-26). Covid-19: Israel freezes programme to send vaccines abroad amid legal scrutiny. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Israel freezes programme to send vaccines abroad amid legal scrutiny | Bid to garner international goodwill suspended after attorney general said to be seeking clarification about its legality | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 10: 32 | Palestinians have accused Israel of ignoring its duties as an occupying power by not including the Palestinians in its inoculation programme (AFP) | Israel has…

Rosemary Frei (2021-02-26). Video: The Stats on COVID-Vaccine Injury and Death Don't Add Up. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | There's a big mystery that needs to be solved. | It's how …

Staff (2021-02-26). "We Want the Truth Uncovered": Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz Backs New Probe into Assassination. democracynow.org The family of Malcolm X is demanding a new investigation into his 1965 assassination in light of the deathbed confession of a former New York police officer who said police and the FBI conspired to kill the Black leader. Ilyasah Shabazz, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and one of Malcolm's six children, says the latest revelation is further evidence of how the authorities worked to infiltrate and undermine Black organizations during the Civil Rights Movement. "All he wanted was for America to live up to her promise of liberty and justice for all," she says of her father. "I'm happy…

Ron Jacobs (2021-02-26). Health Care and Colonialism: A Sickness unto Death. counterpunch.org Nothing is immune from the stain of colonialism and its associated phenomena of racism. This includes the practice of medicine. Whether one is considering the inequality of medical care between the global north and south, the unevenness of medical care inside imperial nations stemming from those nations' colonial history, or the racist attitudes still endemic

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-26). Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules. middleeasteye.net Shamima Begum not allowed to return to UK, Supreme Court rules | Londoner who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State as a teenager argued she should be able to appeal stripping of citizenship in UK | Fri, 02/26/2021 – 09: 45 | Shamima Begum, photographed in her tent at the al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria in February 2020 (Screenshot) | The UK's Supreme Court has ruled that Shamima Begum, a British wo…

The Socialist Program (2021-02-26). Their Protest Forced Investigation on Elijah McClain Police Killing; Now They Face Decades in Prison. liberationnews.org A damning new independent investigation into the police murder of Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado has been released, but the only people facing charges so far in this case are the activists who led the movement for justice for Elijah McClain.

Diego Sanchez (2021-02-26). El Monte taco vendors and community: 'LA County Department of Public Health, stop harassing us!'. liberationnews.org Community members gathered on Feb. 13 in front of the El Monte Police Department in solidarity with local street vendors. This action comes a week after a violent attack by an LA County health inspector and EMPD on the Los Palomos taco stand. Community members and organizations such as ACAB El Monte, Revolutionary Socialists for …

_____ (2021-02-26). U.S.-Backed Ecuador Government Tries Stopping Socialist Electoral Victory. strategic-culture.org If Arauz wins the presidency, he may appoint an important economist and ideologist of the "Citizens Revolution" to a government post, Ron Ridenour writes. | U.S.-backed Lenin Moreno government is trying to stop the new socialistic UNES political party candidate, Andres Arauz, from winning the national elections underway. | Andres Arauz, won first place, 32.7%, on the first round of national elections, February 7. Arauz is the first presidential candidate of UNES, Union of Hope. | Former president Rafael Correa led the formation of this party, Union of Hope (UNES) after he had backed Moreno for president in 2017.

John Bachtell (2021-02-26). Haaland on track to make history as first Native American cabinet secretary. peoplesworld.org "This is all of our country, this is our mother. You've heard the Earth referred to as Mother Earth. It's difficult to not feel obligated to protect this land, and I feel that every Indigenous person in this country understands that," said Rep. Deb Haaland, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Interior. "It's …

F. William Engdahl (2021-02-26). Texas 'Deep Freeze': Urgent Climate Warning but "Not What You Think" globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | In the unfolding extreme winter tragedy in Texas as well as …

Staff (2021-02-26). The Assassination of Malcolm X: Ex-Undercover Officer Admits Role in FBI & Police Conspiracy. democracynow.org The FBI and New York Police Department are facing renewed calls to open their records into the assassination of Malcolm X, after the release of a deathbed confession of a former undercover NYPD officer who admitted to being part of a conspiracy targeting Malcolm. In the confession, Raymond Wood, who died last year, admitted he entrapped two members of Malcolm's security team in another crime — a plot to blow up the Statue of Liberty — just days before the assassination. This left the Black civil rights leader vulnerable at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, where he was fatally shot on February 21, 1965.

Staff (2021-02-26). "The Whole System Needs to be Indicted": Attorney Benjamin Crump on Overhauling U.S. Policing. democracynow.org The Democratic-led House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on a sweeping police reform bill that would ban chokeholds, prohibit federal no-knock warrants, establish a National Police Misconduct Registry and other measures. The legislation, known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, is in response to a series of high-profile killings of Black people in 2020 and the nationwide racial justice uprising they sparked. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who has represented the families of Floyd, Daniel Prude, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many other victims of police and racial viol…

Andrew Korybko (2021-02-26). Biden's Latest Strike on Syria. The S-300 No-Show. The Russia-Israel De Facto Alliance? globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The Alt-Media Community is suspiciously silent about the S-300s' no-show following …

Vijay Prashad (2021-02-26). Your privileges are not Universal. mronline.org Stencilled in red on the walls of Santiago, Chile is a statement of fact: 'your privileges are not universal' (tus privilegios no son universales).

Shabbir Manjee (2021-02-27). Chicago City Council passes unanimous resolution to end the blockade on Cuba. liberationnews.org All 50 aldermen voted to oppose the blockade, adding that normalizing relations can benefit the economic conditions of both Cubans and Chicagoans.

Clean Energy Wire (2021-02-27). By the End of the Year, Germany will have a Million Electric Cars on the Road out of 4.7 mn Total. juancole.com By Sà∂ren Amelang | — Germany will probably reach its target of having one million fully electric or plug-in hybrid cars on the road this year, government advisors have said. The head of the country's National Platform Future of Mobility (NPM), Henning Kagermann, told business daily Handelsblatt he was pleased "that it appears we will …

John Catalinotto (2021-02-27). 'Rubin never lost a case' — Rubin Kanowitz, 1931-2021. workers.org Some younger Workers World Party members met Rubin Kanowitz for the first time when he was a communist elder, still confronting cops on recent demonstrations chanting, "Black Lives Matter." Older ones knew him from when he first joined the party in 1965. All grieved as they learned he died this . . . |

The Conversation (2021-02-27). Gulf War: As Biden bombs Iraqis, 30 years on the consequences of Desert Storm are still with us. juancole.com By Lorena De Vita and Amir Taha | — It was a short message to end a short war. On February 26 1991, Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz put his signature to a letter addressed to the United Nations Security Council: I have the honour to notify you that the Iraqi Government reaffirms its agreement …

Michael Kowalchuk (2021-02-27). Sojourner Truth's Massachusetts days. liberationnews.org Sojourner Truth, born into slavery in New York as "Isabella Baumfree" in 1797, was one of the most important abolitionists and feminists of the nineteenth century.

Reem Zubaidi (2021-02-27). Exposing Israel's vaccine apartheid in West Bank & Gaza. liberationnews.org Five million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza are excluded from vaccine rollouts while Israeli citizens, even those living in illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories, are prioritized.

RT (2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise of Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A

RT (2021-02-27). NYT columnist faces conflict of interest accusations after singing praise for Facebook 'Groups' feature in tech giant's blog post. rt.com New York Times writer David Brooks has come under fire for a potential conflict of interest after penning a blog post for Facebook's corporate site while a project he helped to found accepted money from the social media giant. | A

Graham Watt (2021-02-27). [Perspectives] Julian Tudor Hart: medical pioneer and social advocate. thelancet.com Julian Tudor Hart is seen variously as a researcher, an expert on high blood pressure, an epidemiologist, scientist, writer, political commentator, and social advocate. But at heart he was always a practising family doctor. Few physicians manage to be expert in so many fields and none while also looking after the primary care needs of some 2100 people, which Tudor Hart did at Glyncorrwg, a former colliery village in south Wales, UK. His dedication to general practice meant his work was relevant and valued by fellow general practitioners (GPs).

Laura A Benjamin, Tamara Phiri, Robert Simister, Tom Solomon, Victor Mwapasa (2021-02-27). [Correspondence] Recognising HIV infection in systems of care for stroke. thelancet.com When it comes to making a case for the growing burden of stroke in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, HIV infection has consistently been neglected. We read with interest the Lancet Series on systems of care and rehabilitation for stroke, particularly the two papers relating to LMICs. However, we were disappointed to see that HIV was overlooked again. According to statistics from WHO, 36 ∑7 million people are living with HIV and 1 ∑8 million become infected each year.