(2021-03-04). Israeli-Iranian Shadow Naval War in Arabian Gulf puts Arab Gulf States in Cross-hairs. juancole.com By Hazem Ayyad | — ( Middle East Monitor) — The Arabian Gulf has turned into an arena for confrontation and possible conflict between Iran and Israel now that it has become certain that Iranian elements attacked the MV Helios Ray. The suspicious vehicle-carrier belongs to Israeli businessman Rami Ungar, known for his strong relationship …
(2021-03-04). Turkish president urges US to lift sanctions against Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — Turkish President called on US to lift sanctions against Iran, highlighting that move will lead to the economic prosperity and stability of the region.
(2021-03-04). Iran not to accept pressure, threat: AEOI spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said that Iran will not accept pressure and threat, underling that such measures will only destroy the remnants of the Nuclear Deal.
(2021-03-04). US to lift some sanctions if Iran fulfill its obligations. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — US Secretary of State claimed that the US will lift a number of sanctions against Tehran if Iran comes back into compliance with its obligations under the nuclear agreement.
(2021-03-04). Saudi Arabia 'fears defeat of Netanyahu' in upcoming Israeli election. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia 'fears defeat of Netanyahu' in upcoming Israeli election | The kingdom sees prime minister as a 'spearhead' against Iran, Saudi sources tell an Israeli TV channel | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 00 | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP/file photo)
| Saudi Arabia is concerned about a possible election defeat for Israeli…
(2021-03-04). Red Sea cables: How UK and US spy agencies listen to the Middle East. middleeasteye.net 
Red Sea cables: How UK and US spy agencies listen to the Middle East | An expanding network of undersea fibre optic cables from the Mediterranean to the Gulf has made surveillance of regional communications easier than ever | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 23: 23 | A view of the Strait of Tiran from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh in 2014. The Red Sea is an important route for undersea cables (AFP) | The growth of Midd…
(2021-03-04). Iranian press review: Conservative media says pro-Iran fighters were behind Israeli boat attack. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Conservative media says pro-Iran fighters were behind Israeli boat attack | Meanwhile, Iranian analyst suggests Biden unlikely to reach out to Iran before elections, and school dropout rates increase sharply in Iran's poor regions | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 37 | A view of the Israeli-owned Bahamian-flagged MV Helios Ray cargo ship docked in Dubai's Mina Rashid (Port R…
(2021-03-04). Biden Is Bending Rules to Drop Bombs But Not to Raise Wages — That's a Mistake. strategic-culture.org People overcame great challenges to put this administration, and this Senate, in power. We shouldn't be bombing people abroad while families at home struggle to survive. | By Domenica GHANEM | It took barely a month into Joe Biden's presidency for him to boot the U.S. war machine back up, authorizing airstrikes on Syria on February 25. The administration claimed the attack was self-defense against Iranian-backed forces in the region. | Biden had campaigned on revitalizing U.S.-Iran relations by rejoining the nuclear deal that Trump had walked away from. Yet, like so many presidents before him, he reached for t…
(2021-03-04). Iran says 100% of villages now have access to electricity. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — An Iranian official on Thursday announced 100% village electrification, saying that 57,703 villages in the country with a population of 10 to 20 households have now access to electricity.
(2021-03-04). Inauguration of Iranian ethnic culture park in Alborz prov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — The "Little Iran Park" that represents the cultural diversity of various Iranian ethnic groups was inaugurated on Thursday by President Hassan Rouhani along with some other projects nationwide via video-conferencing.
(2021-03-04). Russia praises E3 for scrapping Iran draft resolution at IAEA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Mar. 04 (MNA) — The Russian diplomat in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov has hailed Germany, France and UK for their decision to scrap an anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors as "commendable"
(2021-03-04). Japan maintains plan to dump treated Fukushima plant water. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Mar 4 (efe-epa).- Japan defended its plans Thursday to dump water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea after treating it to remove most radioactive elements, though they didn't say when this controversial measure would be carried out. The government and the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power, opted for this measure …
(2021-03-04). Marshall Islanders Remember 'Castle Bravo' Nuclear Bomb. popularresistance.org Hawaii – Marshall Islanders living on O'ahu joined members of Veterans For Peace, Hawai'i Peace & Justice and Refuse Fascism on Monday, March 1st at Magic Island in Honolulu to remember the 1954 U.S. detonation of the "Castle Bravo" nuclear bomb on Bikini Atoll. After sharing words and song, five Bikinians went sailing on the historic Golden Rule anti-nuclear sailboat, a project of Veterans For Peace. | The Honolulu remembrance was part of the Golden Rule Project's educational program about the growing danger of nuclear war, and the great damage that has already been done by nuclear weapons. | At 15 megatons…
(2021-03-04). Germany's Linke (the Left Party) comes out of its convention united. peoplesworld.org 
BERLIN — Things worked out quite differently than many in the media here said they would at the congress of the LINKE, the country's left-wing party. The pandemic had forced postponements from June 2020 to October 2020 and from last October to last weekend, with most of the 580 delegates at home in front of …
(2021-03-04). U.S. Agricultural System's Deadly Apartheid. counterpunch.org 
The NY Times of March 1, 2021 cited some chilling facts about agricultural workers and Covid 19: "In some areas, up to 40 percent of the workers tested for the virus had positive results. The Rev. Francisco Gómez at Our Lady of Soledad church in Coachella said his parish had been averaging 10 burials a
(2021-03-04). Covid-19: Palestinian Authority criticised for VIP vaccine distribution. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Palestinian Authority criticised for VIP vaccine distribution | A significant proportion of the first batch of vaccines have gone to PA government figures and their allies
| Thu, 03/04/2021 – 14: 45 | An UNRWA employee prepares a shot of the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine for medical staff at UNRWA's al-Sheikh Redwan clinic in Gaza City, on 25 February 2021 (AFP) | Political and security…
(2021-03-04). COVID Deaths Soar in Brazil as Bolsonaro Blasts Lockdowns. Experts Warn It Will "Get Worse." democracynow.org 
Brazil's COVID-19 death toll has now topped nearly 260,000, the world's second worst after the United States, as hospitals are overwhelmed with new cases. International concern is also growing about the P1 variant of the virus, which overwhelmed the Amazonian city of Manaus and caused its hospitals to run out of oxygen. Less than 4% of Brazil's population has been vaccinated. Marcia Castro, demography professor at Harvard University, says the crisis in Brazil is due to "a combination of inaction and also wrongdoing" by officials, including President Jair Bolsonaro, who has opposed lockdowns, masks and other publi…
(2021-03-04). Vaccine Apartheid: Marc Lamont Hill, Mitchell Plitnick on Israel's "Indifference to Palestinian Health" democracynow.org 
Israel has had the fastest vaccination rollout in the entire world, with 40% of Israelis already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but Palestinians in the Occupied Territories have received almost no doses — a situation critics call "vaccine apartheid." By one count, just 34,000 vaccine doses have been administered to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, which has a population of over 4.5 million. "What we're seeing right now is a gross injustice," says Marc Lamont Hill, author and professor of media studies and urban education at Temple University. We also speak with Mitchell Plitnick, political anal…
(2021-03-04). Mumia Abu-Jamal Tests Positive for COVID, Prompting Urgent Call to Release Elder Political Prisoners. democracynow.org 
Renowned political prisoner and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal's lawyers confirmed Wednesday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and also has congestive heart disease. Abu-Jamal also suffers from the preexisting conditions of liver disease, which advocates say is directly related to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' failure to treat his hepatitis C in a timely fashion. Mumia's doctor, Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, says the only appropriate treatment is freedom. Marc Lamont Hill, who co-authored a book with Abu-Jamal titled "The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations on Black Life in America," says this is an opportun…
(2021-03-04). WATCH: White House abruptly cuts live feed after Biden says 'happy to take questions' at virtual event. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden said he would be "happy" to field live questions at the tail-end of a virtual event, but was swiftly cut off when the White House inexplicably dropped the video feed, leaving some viewers bewildered. | "I'd be happy to take questions if that's what I'm supposed to do, Nance. Whatever you want me to do," Biden said to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the Democratic "Virtual Issues Conference" wrapped up on Wednesday night. But after a brief pause, the feed was brusquely taken offline. | The White House abruptly cuts the live video feed of a virtual event after President Biden said he was "ha…
(2021-03-04). House CANCELS March 4 session after Capitol Police cites 'possible plot' by militia. rt.com 
The US House of Representatives won't be in session on Thursday, after Capitol Police, the FBI, and Homeland Security said extremists were discussing possible threats to Congress. The Senate is not changing its schedule, however. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) moved to Wednesday evening the vote on a police reform bill that was scheduled for Thursday. Multiple media outlets reported that the March 4 session of the lower chamber was canceled altogether. | Earlier in the day, US Capitol Police announced it would bolster its security profile due to "intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach t…
(2021-03-04). Marc Lamont Hill & Mitchell Plitnick on ICC Probe & the "Palestine Exception" in Progressive Politics. democracynow.org 
Israel and the United States blasted the International Criminal Court's decision to open a probe into Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories, as well as crimes committed by Palestinian militant groups. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted that the Biden administration "firmly opposes" an investigation. Mitchell Plitnick and Marc Lamont Hill, co-authors of "Except for Palestine," say it's an illustration of the "Palestine exception" that makes even supposedly progressive people unwilling to criticize Israel's human rights abuses and its ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories. "We are at…
(2021-03-04). In Renton, WA, unions, community come out to support 'Bamazon' union drive. liberationnews.org 
Despite the scattered showers and mid-30 ∞s weather close to 300 people showed up to voice their support.
(2021-03-04). Aurora Police Killed Without Consequence, Now Their Protestors Face 48 Years for "Kidnapping" Cops. mintpressnews.com 
The cops and the district attorneys want people to see what we are going through — the conditions of our arrests, our experiences in jail, and our legal battle — and to think that this is what you risk when you stand up against them. – Lillian House, Aurora Activist and Defendant…
(2021-03-04). After years of propaganda, American views of Russia and China hit historic lows. mronline.org 
Both pro- and anti-war voices have stated that the U.S. is on the cusp of entering a second Cold War, and a new Gallup poll suggests that the groundwork for such a conflict has already been laid.
(2021-03-04). NYS politicians push bill to 'kill' rent cancellation movement, organizers fight back. liberationnews.org 
On Feb. 28, tenant organizers in New York City demonstrated outside the home of New York State Senator Brian Kavanaugh in Manhattan to protest his sponsorship of a bill which bails out landlords, not tenants.
(2021-03-04). Cornel West: Palestine is a "taboo issue among certain circles in high places" mronline.org 
Activist and scholar says he is being denied tenure at Harvard University because of his views on Israeli occupation.
(2021-03-04). Trial of Chauvin, George Floyd's murderer, pivotal to reforming racist policing. peoplesworld.org 
MINNEAPOLIS—The consensus among activists speaking at a recent press conference in Minneapolis is that it will take massive street protests to convict Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Frank Chapman, a spokesperson for the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which was founded in 1973, pointed to the national significance of the …
(2021-03-04). Myanmar military coup leaders target trade unions for destruction. peoplesworld.org 
For weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been participating in peaceful mass demonstrations across Myanmar in the wake of a coup led by the Army. As the peaceful civil disobedience movement continues to protest against the military takeover, authorities are resorting to violence and cracking down civilians—including trade unions and their leaders. Police have issued …
(2021-03-04). Pope's upcoming visit brings attention to the dwindling population of Christians in Iraq. juancole.com 
By Ramazan Kƒ±lƒ±nàß | — Pope Francis will arrive in Iraq on Friday in a first-ever papal visit to the country that is expected to raise awareness about the challenges facing Iraqi Christians — a majority of whom are Catholic. In the past two decades, the Christian population in Iraq has fallen by over 80%. …
(2021-03-04). Ecuador's leftist candidate ratified as first round winner. mronline.org 
Authorities officially confirmed that Andres Arauz and the banker Guillermo Lasso will compete for the presidency in the second round to be held on April 11.
(2021-03-04). The Decades-Long Struggle Over Big Corporations and Poverty Wages. counterpunch.org 
The Senate Parliamentarian has dealt a strong blow to the Fight for $15 movement by ruling that a federal minimum wage increase cannot be included in the stimulus bill. Senator Bernie Sanders is pushing back with an amendment to take tax deductions away from large, profitable corporations that do not pay at least $15 an
(2021-03-04). Doctors acted unlawfully in deciding on eligibility for drug — Court of Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Basma (suing by her mother and litigation friend Sara Basma) v Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Anr [2021] EWCA Civ 278 Sophie Basma ("Sophie") is 10. She suffers from Type 3 Spinal Muscular Atrophy ("SMA"). SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease which progressively leads to sufferers being unable to walk or sit …
(2021-03-04). Fire Suppression Hyperbole. counterpunch.org 
In almost all media reports about the recent fire seasons, one of the chief explanations given for the larger blazes is "fire suppression" and "fuel build-up." We hear that 100 years of fire suppression has contributed to the "unnatural" accumulation of fuels and is one of the primary reasons for large fires. The solution, we
(2021-03-04). Creating a Safe Space at Work for Discussing Social Justice Topics. dissidentvoice.org 
Image Source: Pexels There's a lot going on in the world at the moment, which means there's a lot we need to talk about. It seems as though every day there is another incident that raises issues related to the socio-economic imbalances in our society, systemic racism, or the political decisions that shape our lives. …
(2021-03-04). Electricity vs. Broadband: Does History Repeat Itself? counterpunch.org 
Americans take household electric for granted, but this was not always the case. Millions of U.S. households have access to electricity to power water heating, lighting, refrigeration, TV, telephone and other products. And yet, according to one estimate, about 15,000 families — 60,000 people — are not connected to the electric grid; many are located on Native American reservations. (In addition, about 18,000 families don't have running water in their house.) |
(2021-03-04). Texas winter storm crisis the fault of state leaders, big oil, protesters say. liberationnews.org 
Natural gas and fossil fuel executives, as well as officials in ERCOT and PUCT, should face criminal charges for their role in the deaths, injuries, and damages suffered during this crisis.
(2021-03-04). Biden, Team D and the Dimming Prospects of Getting Anything Meaningful Through the Senate. counterpunch.org 
It's kinda touching that Team D imagines it will get anything through the Senate with: 1. A nominal 50-50 split, 2. Joe Manchin and Kysten Sinema enjoying the power that having a line-item veto provides, 3. Que Mala Harris's reluctance to do anything she thinks might jeopardize her chances at the presidency, 4. Crazy Uncle
(2021-03-04). 25 Years of GMOs, and Some New Insights from Argentina. counterpunch.org 
n the winter of 1996, Monsanto and a few other companies first began to sell genetically engineered seeds to commercial growers, and also mounted a massive public relations effort to convince people of their supposed benefits. They hyped their new GMOs as the answer to world hunger, a way to help troubled farmers stay on the land, and as a technology that would bring higher quality, more nutritious food to all. Skeptics in many countries responded swiftly: Greenpeace blockaded shipments and planted symbols in farmers' fields, while decentralized networks of activists organized Global Days of Action. Saboteurs in…
(2021-03-04). From the Murder of Berta Cáceres to Dam Disaster in Uttarakhand. mronline.org 
March 2, 2021 was the five year anniversary of the murder of Berta Cáceres, who opposed the Agua Zarca dam in Honduras. That date was less than one month after the deaths of dozens of people from Tehri Dam disaster in Uttarakhand, India. The two stories together tell us far more about consequences of the …
(2021-03-04). Parliament rejects Moreno's privatization of Central Bank. mronline.org 
Parliament's Legislative Administration Council (CAL) reported that the project had 14 unconstitutional aspects. The bill presented 84 reforms to the Organic Monetary and Financial Code that would allow a $400 million loan from the International Monetary Fund.
(2021-03-04). Biden's Foreign Policy: No Joy in Mudville. counterpunch.org 
Well, at least he hasn't started any NEW wars! | For four years, that was the excuse I got from anti-war Donald Trump supporters every time he escalated one of the several wars he inherited from George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I expect to start hearing it from anti-war Joseph Biden supporters soon.
(2021-03-04). National Guard commander charges Pentagon delayed sending troops to Capitol Jan. 6. peoplesworld.org 
By the day, facts uncovered in the ongoing Senate hearings on the security failings connected to the Trumpite attack on the Capitol are raising concern that there may have been, at the least, advance knowledge and, possibly worse, collaboration involving officials on various levels. Testimony Wednesday added the Pentagon leadership to the list of top …
(2021-03-04). 'We're Not Going Back': New York celebrates Black History Month. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK—Last Sunday night after watching Trump's recycled demagogy at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), I thankfully had the uplifting experience of viewing the "We're Not Going Back" celebration of the African American people's long march to freedom. We're Not Going Back is an annual event initiated by the New York Bureau of People's …
(2021-03-04). 'Where's our restitution?' Ferguson activists & Mike Brown Sr. demand BLM cough up $20 MILLION, a fraction of its global donations. rt.com 
A Ferguson, Missouri activist group and Michael Brown Sr. are demanding that Black Lives Matter shell out $20 million to local organizers, accusing the org of abandoning "freedom fighters" while it basks in the public spotlight. | Tory Russell, who co-founded Ferguson's International Black Freedom Alliance, appeared in a video alongside the father of the late Michael Brown on Tuesday, calling on BLM's national leadership to send a cool $20 million to the IBFA and other community groups. | "Today, we hold Black Lives Matter accountable. The movement that has catapulted into the limelight has forgotten about Fer…
(2021-03-04). Iraq's Nasiriyah calmed by Kadhimi for pope's visit – but violence likely to return. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq's Nasiriyah calmed by Kadhimi for pope's visit – but violence likely to return | With Francis set to lead an interfaith service 17km away at the ancient city of Ur, protests in Dhi Qar's capital threatened to derail visit | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 12: 44 | Anti-government protesters clash with riot police in front of the Dhi Qar Municipal council in Iraq's southern city of Nasiriyah on 27 Febr…
(2021-03-04). Yemen's Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi Aramco plant in Jeddah. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen's Houthis claim missile strike on Saudi Aramco plant in Jeddah | Houthi military spokesman said attack took place at dawn using a winged Quds-2 missile and had struck its target | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 08: 26 | The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, have struck other Saudi energy assets in the past (Reuters) | Yemen's Houthi forces fired a cross-border missile at a Saudi Aramco facilit…
(2021-03-04). Houthis call on Yemenis to donate funds for ballistic missile programme. middleeasteye.net 
Houthis call on Yemenis to donate funds for ballistic missile programme | Embassy of Yemen's internationally recognised government in Washington slams crowdfunding campaign as 'brazen' political move | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 16: 20 | A fighter loyal to Yemen's Houthi rebels guards a stack of bills in Sanaa on 24 September 2020 during ceremony to collect cash, food and other donations for fighters (AFP/File photo)…
(2021-03-04). Palestinian election: Israel 'intimidating Hamas supporters' to stop them running. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian election: Israel 'intimidating Hamas supporters' to stop them running | Soldiers reportedly deliver Shin Bet message to Palestinian doorsteps, while others asked to report at stations for interrogation | Thu, 03/04/2021 – 16: 16 | An Israeli soldier gestures in front of a Palestinian man following a protest (AFP/file photo) | Israel's internal intelligence agency Shin Bet is in…
(2021-03-04). Doctors acted unlawfully in deciding on eligibility for drug — Court of Appeal. ukhumanrightsblog.com Basma (suing by her mother and litigation friend Sara Basma) v Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Anr [2021] EWCA Civ 278 Sophie Basma ("Sophie") is 10. She suffers from Type 3 Spinal Muscular Atrophy ("SMA"). SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease which progressively leads to sufferers being unable to walk or sit …
