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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

What the WHO Investigation Reveals About the Origins of COVID-19 | Foreign Affairs

What the WHO Investigation Reveals About the Origins of COVID-19 | Foreign Affairs: And about the vulnerabilities of the system protecting global health

4 Facts about Judas and his betrayal

4 Facts about Judas and his betrayal: While many in Jerusalem plotted a way to get rid of Jesus, it wasn’t until Judas came into the picture that they had a firm plan. Judas was chosen by Jesus to be an apostle and likely helped the other apostles in spreading the good news about Jesus Christ. Yet, in the great mystery of Read More…

The Nationalist and Populist Challenge to Foreign Policy | JIA SIPA

The Nationalist and Populist Challenge to Foreign Policy | JIA SIPA: Calls to accelerate new foreign policy initiatives are premature.  The global dynamics of the Trump legacy remain a serious constraint for President Biden’s agenda.

When Genocide Is Caught on Film - The New York Times

When Genocide Is Caught on Film - The New York Times: “The Ravine,” by Wendy Lower, investigates a rare photograph documenting the murder of Jews in Ukraine during the Holocaust, unearthing a history of perpetrators and victims.

MoA - False Assertions, Misleading Quotes, Fake Sources - How The NYT Writes Anti-China Screeds

MoA - False Assertions, Misleading Quotes, Fake Sources - How The NYT Writes Anti-China Screeds

The Taliban Think They Have Won in Afghanistan, Peace Deal or Not - The New York Times

The Taliban Think They Have Won in Afghanistan, Peace Deal or Not - The New York Times: “We have defeated the enemy.” The international community is scrambling to secure peace in Afghanistan, but the Taliban believe they have the upper hand — and are saying as much.

A US Ambassador Ends His Service on the Front Lines in Syria - Defense One

A US Ambassador Ends His Service on the Front Lines in Syria - Defense One: Reflections on U.S. foreign policy in a wartorn state.

Cold Wars of Choice - Eunomia

Cold Wars of Choice - Eunomia: There is no “superpower contest” between the U.S. and China, but Janan Ganesh has all kinds of advice for how the U.S. should proceed with one: This diplomatic work is harder, and the resulting strength in numbers more formidable, than direct confrontation with Beijing. To that extent, Republican slurs about Democratic softness on China are as asinine as ever. Once more, though, liberal values have perverse consequences. The US can be morally scrupulous. It can string together a mighty web of friends. But it cannot achieve both feats at the same time.

America’s Cities Are Being Turned Into Crime-Ridden War Zones, And Murder Rates Are Way Up Again In 2021 – Investment Watch

America’s Cities Are Being Turned Into Crime-Ridden War Zones, And Murder Rates Are Way Up Again In 2021 – Investment Watch

Article: Stand Up to Tyranny: How to Respond to the Evils of Our Age | OpEdNews

Article: Stand Up to Tyranny: How to Respond to the Evils of Our Age | OpEdNews: Article: Stand Up to Tyranny: How to Respond to the Evils of Our Age - The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state and never its tool.

Variant Proportions in the U.S. | CDC

Variant Proportions in the U.S. | CDC: CDC uses data provided through its national SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance program to estimate the proportion of variants circulating in the United States. These data inform national and state public health actions.

Counting the Costs of the Libyan War Ten Years Later - Antiwar.com Original

Counting the Costs of the Libyan War Ten Years Later - Antiwar.com Original: The U.S.-led military intervention in Libya began ten years ago this month, and a decade later there has still not been a proper reckoning for the failure - Daniel Larison for Antiwar.com Original

Denuclearization Is a Dead End - Antiwar.com Original

Denuclearization Is a Dead End - Antiwar.com Original: President Biden claims to be restoring American diplomacy and rebuilding relations with allies that were strained under Trump, but his handling of the - Daniel Larison for Antiwar.com Original

Pentagon Would Face Costly Lawsuits If US Ended Afghanistan War - News From Antiwar.com

Pentagon Would Face Costly Lawsuits If US Ended Afghanistan War - News From Antiwar.com: Pentagon Would Face Costly Lawsuits If US Ended Afghanistan War | Military made contracts anticipating years of war

Mutations could make current Covid vaccines ineffective soon: Survey

Mutations could make current Covid vaccines ineffective soon: Survey: Mutations of the coronavirus could render current vaccines ineffective within a year, according to a survey of experts.

Germany Recommends AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Only for People Over Age 60 - Bloomberg

Germany Recommends AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Only for People Over Age 60 - Bloomberg: Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany will halt the use of AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 vaccine for people younger than 60 starting Wednesday after a handful of new cases of severe blood clots emerged.

Vaccine Diplomacy: The Surprising Success of Sputnik V - DER SPIEGEL

Vaccine Diplomacy: The Surprising Success of Sputnik V - DER SPIEGEL: For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the development of the Sputnik V vaccine is a welcome boost to his country's image. And it has been received with open arms in Latin America. In Europe, though, people remain skeptical. Rightly so?

A Covid Tragedy: "Wholesale Discrediting of Our Health Science Institutions" | naked capitalism

A Covid Tragedy: "Wholesale Discrediting of Our Health Science Institutions" | naked capitalism: How science, or perhaps more accurately, "Trust the science," is dangerously being treated as just another political chip.

Is Climate Change a Foreign Policy Issue? — The New Atlantis

Is Climate Change a Foreign Policy Issue? — The New Atlantis: Opportunity now, not prophecies of doom, should spur America to become a global leader.

The Deep Waters | All Reflections | Best Lent Ever | Dynamic Catholic

The Deep Waters | All Reflections | Best Lent Ever | Dynamic Catholic: Commerce Cloud Storefront Reference Architecture

Take Down the Flag - The Catholic Thing

Take Down the Flag - The Catholic Thing: Anthony Esolen: It’s not necessary to point at individuals, but that “rainbow” flag, which stands for the whole sexual revolution, must go.

A Closer Look at the Holy Oils | Simply Catholic

A Closer Look at the Holy Oils | Simply Catholic

In a World Gone Mad, What Would St. John Paul Do?| National Catholic Register

In a World Gone Mad, What Would St. John Paul Do?| National Catholic Register: COMMENTARY: Father Karol Wojtyla faced harder times than ours, and he answered them by building an ‘extraordinary network of friendship’ that helped transform...

New Organization Plans To Provide Parents With Tools To Combat ‘Woke Indoctrination’ In Schools | The Daily Wire

New Organization Plans To Provide Parents With Tools To Combat ‘Woke Indoctrination’ In Schools | The Daily Wire: Two opponents of critical race theory have kickstarted a membership group designed to empower parents to combat the “woke indoctrination.”

‘Dig Deep’: Students At Catholic School Instructed To Describe How They Benefit From White Privilege | The Daily Caller

‘Dig Deep’: Students At Catholic School Instructed To Describe How They Benefit From White Privilege | The Daily Caller: Teachers at an elite Catholic school in Chicago instructed students to identify how they benefit from white privilege.

Shock, Disgust as Reporters Finally See Migrant Conditions – CatholicVote org

Shock, Disgust as Reporters Finally See Migrant Conditions – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Many are expressing disgust and anger at the Biden administration after a pool of journalists were finally allowed to tour and report…

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

It's Time To Talk About Ivermectin | naked capitalism An extremely cheap, safe and widely available off-patent medicine appears to be saving the lives of covid-19 patients across Latin America and beyond. Yet hardly anybody's talking about it.

It's Time To Talk About Ivermectin | naked capitalism An extremely cheap, safe and widely available off-patent medicine appears to be saving the lives of covid-19 patients across Latin America and beyond. Yet hardly anybody's talking about it.: An extremely cheap, safe and widely available off-patent medicine appears to be saving the lives of covid-19 patients across Latin America and beyond. Yet hardly anybody's talking about it.

Sindone.org

Sindone.org

Contemplate the Holy Shroud during Holy Week, like St. John Paul II and St. Paul VI did

Contemplate the Holy Shroud during Holy Week, like St. John Paul II and St. Paul VI did: At daybreak, on the morning after Jesus’ death, Mary Magdalene came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple Jesus loved, saying, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (John 20:2). The Apostles rushed to the tomb, where not long before, the body of Christ Read More…

What happened on Tuesday in Holy Week?

What happened on Tuesday in Holy Week?: On Holy Tuesday, Jesus prepares his disciples for what will happen in the next few days.

Measles vaccine used as base for experimental COVID vaccine | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Measles vaccine used as base for experimental COVID vaccine | National Institutes of Health (NIH): Scientists developed a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by adding a key coronavirus gene to the measles vaccine.

Regulators are undermining California’s transition to 100% clean energy | CalMatters

Regulators are undermining California’s transition to 100% clean energy | CalMatters: Gov. Newsom must step in and get the California Public Utility Commission back on track to achieve clean energy targets.

Autocracy vs. Democracy or China vs. America? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

Autocracy vs. Democracy or China vs. America? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: Nor does Biden's faith in small "d" democracy appear to have been shared by the men who founded the United States as a "republic, if you can keep it." They saw democracy not as some object of veneration but as a danger to be avoided. "I've known Xi Jinping for a long time. ... He…

Pro-life, pro-abortion groups included in list of extremist orgs - The Christian Post

Pro-life, pro-abortion groups included in list of extremist orgs - The Christian Post: A report declassified last week by the United States Department of Homeland Security included both pro-life and pro-abortion activists on a list of domestic violent extremist groups.

Arkansas governor signs landmark medical conscience objection law

Arkansas governor signs landmark medical conscience objection law: Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed into law on Friday legislation allowing doctors to decline to perform non-emergency medical procedures that violate their moral or religious beliefs. The law will take effect by August 2021.

Kristi Noem Destroys Bill to Protect Women’s Sports – CatholicVote org

Kristi Noem Destroys Bill to Protect Women’s Sports – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Gov. Kristi Noem, R-SD, effectively vetoed for a second time a bill that would prevent biological males from competing against girls and…

Coronavirus Origins Remain Unclear in W.H.O.-China Inquiry - The New York Times

Coronavirus Origins Remain Unclear in W.H.O.-China Inquiry - The New York Times: Far more work is needed to understand how the pandemic began, the report says, but it is not clear that Beijing will cooperate. “We may never find the true origins,” an expert said.

Infections with ‘U.K Variant’ B.1.1.7 Have Greater Risk of Mortality – NIH Director's Blog

Infections with ‘U.K Variant’ B.1.1.7 Have Greater Risk of Mortality – NIH Director's Blog

Education ties show the real state of US-China relations - Nikkei Asia

Education ties show the real state of US-China relations - Nikkei Asia: John D. Van Fleet is chair of the education committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.It has been a dramatic 10 days since China's top

T cells recognize recent SARS-CoV-2 variants | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

T cells recognize recent SARS-CoV-2 variants | National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH research suggests protective effects of vaccination remain intact.

Senate Democrats Push for Capital-Gains Tax at Death With $1 Million Exemption - WSJ

Senate Democrats Push for Capital-Gains Tax at Death With $1 Million Exemption - WSJ: A discussion draft marks a first attempt to put details on an idea that President Biden endorsed during last year’s campaign.

Israel election: The far-right is triumphant. The only obstacle left is Netanyahu | Middle East Eye

Israel election: The far-right is triumphant. The only obstacle left is Netanyahu | Middle East Eye: Extreme religious and settler parties are a firm majority in Israel’s new parliament. Now they want a leader truly committed to their cause

The Delusions of High-Tech Warfare - CounterPunch.org

The Delusions of High-Tech Warfare - CounterPunch.org: The claim by military planners that we should look to the wars of the future, rather than the wars of the past, should be treated with suspicion. Such self-inflicted blindness to recent history is convenient because what Britain, echoing America, is proposing to do has failed before. Despite their supposed technological wizardry and the expenditure of vast sums,  the US and Britain never found an answer to the mix of IEDs (improvised explosive devices), booby traps, suicide bombers and snipers that they faced in Iraq and Afghanistan. More

The China-Iran Axis - WSJ

The China-Iran Axis - WSJ: Beijing gains influence and helps Tehran evade U.S. sanctions.

Monday, March 29, 2021

Opinion | Everyone should have the retirement plan federal employees enjoy - The Washington Post

Opinion | Everyone should have the retirement plan federal employees enjoy - The Washington Post: Current retirement savings policy is actually exacerbating inequalities.

Journalists Attack the Powerless, Then Self-Victimize to Bar Criticisms of Themselves - Glenn Greenwald

Journalists Attack the Powerless, Then Self-Victimize to Bar Criticisms of Themselves - Glenn Greenwald: Powerful media figures now invoke sexist and racist tropes to cast themselves as so fragile and marginalized that critiques of their work constitute bullying and assault.

Washington Takes First Step to Reform War Powers | Arab Center Washington DC

Washington Takes First Step to Reform War Powers | Arab Center Washington DC: Marcus Montgomery analyzes congressional efforts to reform old authorizations for use of military force, including the Vietnam-era War Powers Act that gives Congress a say in such decisions. He reports on legislative markups of Middle East-related bills; hearings on human rights in US foreign policy; and the pressure Senators Menendez and Graham are applying on the Biden Administration to introduce a modified nuclear deal with Iran.

Did former CDC director offer a ham sandwich theory of COVID-19? Maybe. Maybe not. - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Did former CDC director offer a ham sandwich theory of COVID-19? Maybe. Maybe not. - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

How Anthony Fauci "Systematically Thwarted" the Pause in US Gain-of-Function Research: an Interview with Dr. Richard H. Ebright - CounterPunch.org

How Anthony Fauci "Systematically Thwarted" the Pause in US Gain-of-Function Research: an Interview with Dr. Richard H. Ebright - CounterPunch.org: Molecular biologist Dr. Richard H. Ebright, PhD is one of the twenty six world scientists who signed the Open Letter: “Call for a Full and Unrestricted International Forensic Investigation into the Origins of COVID-19”. A document released last March 4 by the Wall Street Journal and Le Monde that reignited the debate over the pandemic’s More

In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened. - POLITICO

In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened. - POLITICO: After seeing a risky lab, they wrote a cable warning to Washington. But it was ignored.

Trump CDC Director Robert Redfield says COVID-19 ‘most likely’ came from Wuhan lab

Trump CDC Director Robert Redfield says COVID-19 ‘most likely’ came from Wuhan lab: The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed he believes COVID-19 originated through an accidental escape from a Wuhan lab and hinted that this occurred following gain-of-function research by the Chinese scientists there.

Dr. Fauci’s promotion of gain of function research may have contributed to COVID-19 pandemic

Dr. Fauci’s promotion of gain of function research may have contributed to COVID-19 pandemic: There remains little doubt that the novel coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, although no one can say for certain if its release was intentional or not. However, it’s not just the Chinese researchers at the lab who are to blame for the disease; some experts are pointing out that National institute of […]

The Controversial Experiments and Wuhan Lab Suspected of Starting the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Controversial Experiments and Wuhan Lab Suspected of Starting the Coronavirus Pandemic: After reporting that Covid-19 occurred naturally, U.S. intelligence modified its stance to say it might have leaked from a lab.

NYT Headline (Since Changed) Says Wuhan Lab Accident Theory Has Been ‘Debunked.’ It Hasn’t Been. | CNSNews

NYT Headline (Since Changed) Says Wuhan Lab Accident Theory Has Been ‘Debunked.’ It Hasn’t Been. | CNSNews: Ahead of the release by the World Health Organization (WHO) of a report into a coronavirus origin-tracing study, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield raised eyebrows by telling CNN that he believes the likeliest origin of the outbreak was a spillover from a laboratory in China.

Dr. Fauci Backed Controversial Wuhan Lab with U.S. Dollars for Risky Coronavirus Research

Dr. Fauci Backed Controversial Wuhan Lab with U.S. Dollars for Risky Coronavirus Research: Biomedical research ultimately helps protect public health, Dr. Fauci argued in explaining his support for controversial research.

In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened. - POLITICO

In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened. - POLITICO: After seeing a risky lab, they wrote a cable warning to Washington. But it was ignored.

Suez Canal Container Ship Is Partially Freed - WSJ

Suez Canal Container Ship Is Partially Freed - WSJ: Engineers were racing to finish the job of freeing the Ever Given container ship, using tugboats to refloat it and straighten its heading in a bid to reopen the vital trade route and end days of global supply disruptions.

The Ship Stuck in the Suez Canal Is Glorious - The Atlantic

The Ship Stuck in the Suez Canal Is Glorious - The Atlantic: The Ever Given is very big and very stuck.

Three groundbreaking journalists saw the Vietnam War differently. It’s no coincidence they were women. - The Washington Post

Three groundbreaking journalists saw the Vietnam War differently. It’s no coincidence they were women. - The Washington Post: A new book tells the story of war reporters Frances FitzGerald, Kate Webb and Catherine Leroy.

The Church Visible - The Catholic Thing

The Church Visible - The Catholic Thing: Brad Miner: In troubled times, further aggravated by the pandemic, support for the Church and Catholic institutions may wane but shouldn’t.

Roe v. Wade movie should convince viewers that pro-life efforts continue to be a worthy goal | Opinion | LifeSite

Roe v. Wade movie should convince viewers that pro-life efforts continue to be a worthy goal | Opinion | LifeSite: The movie premiered at CPAC last month.

Biden Admin Working On Vaccine Passports That ‘Could Display A Scannable Code Similar To An Airline Boarding Pass’: Report | The Daily Wire

Biden Admin Working On Vaccine Passports That ‘Could Display A Scannable Code Similar To An Airline Boarding Pass’: Report | The Daily Wire

Sunday, March 28, 2021

America's Longest War Winds Down - TomDispatch.com

America's Longest War Winds Down - TomDispatch.com: “Ours is the cause of freedom. We've defeated freedom's enemies before, and we will defeat them again…[W]e know our cause is just and our ultimate victory is assured…My fellow Americans, let's roll.” -- George W.

Catholic prayers for the dying

Catholic prayers for the dying: Death is frightening for many people, as it is something we have never experienced before and we do not know what will happen to our souls. Yet, for people with faith in God, death can be something joyful and peaceful, knowing that it will lead to an end to earthly pain, opening the doors to Read More…

Spiritually participate in Palm Sunday with this meditation

Spiritually participate in Palm Sunday with this meditation: One of the highlights of Palm Sunday is the distribution of palm branches, imitating the actions of the crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem. Yet the physical palm branches are not nearly important as the spiritual palm branches that we bring to this celebration. St. Andrew of Crete, an 8th-century bishop, highlighted this spiritual reality Read More…

How to celebrate the vigil of Palm Sunday at home

How to celebrate the vigil of Palm Sunday at home: This celebration of the Word of God at home is designed for people who are impeded from participating in Palm Sunday ceremonies at their parish, particularly because of the pandemic. However, this Saturday evening celebration could also constitute a great form of family preparation for Sunday Mass at the parish. If you plan on participating Read More…

Holy Week | EWTN

Holy Week | EWTN: Holy Week honors the week that changed the world. From Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, there were many events that are vital to our faith, including the Institution of the Eucharist, the Passion of Jesus, and His Resurrection from the dead.

(4) Will You Stay or Will You Run? — Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon - YouTube

(4) Will You Stay or Will You Run? — Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon - YouTube: Friends, in this sermon for Palm Sunday, I explore three peculiar images in Mark’s account of Christ’s Passion and death, and how these details inspire us to...

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion | USCCB

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion | USCCB: Daily Bible Readings, Podcast Audio and Videos and Prayers brought to you by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Joe Biden's North Korea Strategy: Failure Could Mean War - 19FortyFive

Joe Biden's North Korea Strategy: Failure Could Mean War - 19FortyFive: America’s diplomats are going to have to jettison that self-defeating mentality and engage in genuine, realistic diplomacy with Pyongyang.

Moving Beyond “Motives” in Mass Shootings

Moving Beyond “Motives” in Mass Shootings: Focusing on concerning behaviors may better assist with prevention than sensationalizing individual perpetrators’ motives.

Alternatives to Censorship: Interview With Matt Stoller - TK News by Matt Taibbi

Alternatives to Censorship: Interview With Matt Stoller - TK News by Matt Taibbi: As Congress once again demands that Silicon Valley crack down on speech, the Director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project outlines the real problem, and better solutions

$100 million geoengineering project proposed, to dim the sun - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

$100 million geoengineering project proposed, to dim the sun - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The National Academies of Science says that all options to fight climate crisis must be explored. But critics fear side-effects.

Need Amid Plenty: Richest US Counties Are Overwhelmed by Surge in Child Hunger | naked capitalism

Need Amid Plenty: Richest US Counties Are Overwhelmed by Surge in Child Hunger | naked capitalism: While every U.S. county has seen hunger rates rise, the steepest jumps have been in some of the wealthiest counties, where overall affluence obscures the tenuous finances of low-wage workers.

Graphene and Beyond: The Wonder Materials That Could Replace Silicon in Future Tech - WSJ

Graphene and Beyond: The Wonder Materials That Could Replace Silicon in Future Tech - WSJ: After more than a half-century of making microchips in more or less the same way, profound changes are coming—to the materials they’re made of and the way they’re assembled.

Barabbas: A Holy Week Examen - The Catholic Thing

Barabbas: A Holy Week Examen - The Catholic Thing: Fr. Paul D. Scalia: An inordinate fear of losing our autonomy, a grasping to preserve our lives, is the taproot of all sin.

The Death of Humor - TK News by Matt Taibbi

The Death of Humor - TK News by Matt Taibbi: Review of "Killer Cartoons," edited by David Wallis, and "White," by Bret Easton Ellis

Saturday, March 27, 2021

PG&E's October 2019 shut-offs may have stopped 3 million acres from burning, analysis says

PG&E's October 2019 shut-offs may have stopped 3 million acres from burning, analysis says: PG&E’s October 2019 preemptive outages may have prevented fires that could have...

(4) Biden’s China Policy: A More Polite Trump – Amb. Chas Freeman - YouTube

(4) Biden’s China Policy: A More Polite Trump – Amb. Chas Freeman - YouTube: On US China policy with retired Ambassador Chas Freeman, Nixon's translator during his 1972 trip to China. He says U.S. policy to China remains a desire to h...

Oberammergau: The Passion of a Vow - The Catholic Thing

Oberammergau: The Passion of a Vow - The Catholic Thing: Michele Malia McAloon on the once-every-decade Biblical drama reenacted in Germany since 1634 – human folly and wisdom come together.

NATO Headquarters: Blinken Announces Last Global Crusade - Antiwar.com Original

NATO Headquarters: Blinken Announces Last Global Crusade - Antiwar.com Original: In 1096 Pope Urban sanctioned, and sanctified, the First Crusade with the words Deo vult: God wills it. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s address - Rick Rozoff for Antiwar.com Original

Justice for the Negro Leagues Will Mean More Than Just Stats - The New York Times

Justice for the Negro Leagues Will Mean More Than Just Stats - The New York Times: Major League Baseball now wants to welcome Negro-leagues statistics into its record books — but the numbers are just a small part of what needs to be remembered.

Iran and China sign 25-year cooperation agreement | Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera

Iran and China sign 25-year cooperation agreement | Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera: Deal signed in Tehran is expected to increase bilateral trade and military cooperation as US rivals move to deepen ties.

Liturgical Year : Activities : The Seder Meal as a Christian Home Celebration: Preparing and Celebrating the Holy Thursday Meal | Catholic Culture

Liturgical Year : Activities : The Seder Meal as a Christian Home Celebration: Preparing and Celebrating the Holy Thursday Meal | Catholic Culture: A chief provider and curator of Catholic information on the web since 1996. Our editorial voice, always faithful to the teachings of the Church, assists and inspires Catholic clergy and laity.

EWTN News Nightly on Twitter: "March 27th marks the 5th anniversary of the death of @EWTN Foundress Mother Angelica. We thank God for the life and work of #MotherAngelica! May her soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. https://t.co/etpsIxxKSW" / Twitter

EWTN News Nightly on Twitter: "March 27th marks the 5th anniversary of the death of @EWTN Foundress Mother Angelica. We thank God for the life and work of #MotherAngelica! May her soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. https://t.co/etpsIxxKSW" / Twitter: March 27th marks the 5th anniversary of the death of @EWTN Foundress Mother Angelica. We thank God for the life and work of #MotherAngelica! May her soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. https://t.co/etpsIxxKSW

Locked-Down Women Discover True Freedom

Locked-Down Women Discover True Freedom: It's the home-based woman who finds the most freedom for the things that matter.

America at the End of Empire | Frontpagemag

America at the End of Empire | Frontpagemag

Pro-Life Catholics Defend Bishop From ‘Cancel-Culture’ – CatholicVote org

Pro-Life Catholics Defend Bishop From ‘Cancel-Culture’ – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // A left-wing organization created a petition demanding Archbishop Joseph Naumann be removed from his role as chairman of the U.S. Conference of…

Federal Court: Professor Can’t be Forced to Use Trans Pronouns – CatholicVote org

Federal Court: Professor Can’t be Forced to Use Trans Pronouns – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that it was unconstitutional for university administrators to punish a Christian professor who wouldn’t…

Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Protecting Women’s Sports – CatholicVote org

Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Protecting Women’s Sports – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill Friday that prohibits biological males from competing against females in sports. “I signed the bill…

Biden invites Russia, China to first global climate talks

Biden invites Russia, China to first global climate talks: WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is including rivals Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China among the invitees to the first big climate talks of his administration, an event the...

A Call to Holiness Ralph Martin | March 26, 2021

A Call to Holiness Ralph Martin | March 26, 2021 The following post is taken from Ralph Martin’s first talk for Renewal Ministries’ The Fulfillment of All Desire Advent Mission, which is available on our YouTube channel. It also appeared in Renewal Ministries’ February 2021 newsletter. One of the main points I want to make is that holiness is not an option. We often think holiness is for special people, and that we are just ordinary people. God clearly reveals in Scripture that holiness is essential. We must strive for “the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). Holiness is essential for ending up in heaven. We must have allowed the Lord to bring our whole being into perfect harmony with his will and to impart to us his own characteristics of love, patience, kindness, gentleness, humility, power, love, and self-control. That’s a lifelong process, but we have to allow the Lord to do that in us, and the sooner it happens, the better, because the more we’re transformed, the more we’re under the lordship of Christ, the more we’re going to be a blessing to other people, and the more able we’ll be able to fulfill the purpose for which we are created. Scripture says, you must be holy because I am holy (Lv 20:26). God’s not going to change, so if we want to have communion with God, we have to become holy. In Exodus 33:20, God says, “You cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live.” God’s purity, righteousness, power, and holiness is so great, there has to be a transformation of our soul. We have to become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pt 1:4)—we must become like God in some way appropriate to human beings. This verse very much connects with the journey to God: “Therefore, gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pt 1:13). That’s a strong exhortation. It continues, As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves and all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you have confidence in God. (1 Pt 1:13-21) The Importance of Scripture We’re going to be talking a lot about confidence in God, because this is humanly impossible. Thankfully, Jesus said, “With man it’s impossible, but with God all things are possible” (see Mt 19:3-26)—even you and I becoming holy and transformed because of our confidence in the power of God and in the precious blood of Christ that was shed for us so that we may end up in the kingdom of God rather than in the kingdom of Satan. When people start reading the mystics, they often think it’s a special thing, but everything they teach flows from Scripture. This call is biblically based. We were created to be one with God. We were created to be holy—that’s the whole reason we’re alive, because God is working to bring us into fuller and fuller union with Himself to make us holy. That’s the only reason He created human beings—what a tragedy if we don’t fulfill our destiny, if we never become one with God, if we never allow Him to purify and heal us. God the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, before He created the universe, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:4-5). If you have a chance, read or meditate on John 14-17. It’s the offer of the most intimate personal friendship with Jesus. Definitions of Holiness What’s a good definition of holiness? Sometimes we think about external practices or disciplines, and that’s part of it, but that’s not the essence. Jesus says the law, the prophets, and the Psalms are about loving God with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself. It’s about growing in love. St. Teresa of Avila says you can never separate love of God and love of neighbor, so holiness isn’t something we do cooped up in ourselves. It’s not just personal spirituality; it’s transformation of our lives. It flows into greater and greater love for those who are closest to us: our family members, our literal neighbors, our neighbors in our parishes. Ask Jesus, “Who’s my neighbor?” The answer is, whoever we run across is our neighbor. Love of God and love of neighbor go together, and if you separate them, there’s a distortion in spirituality. Spirituality isn’t self-centered; it expands our heart and our minds to love God more and more radically. A lot of times today, people say, “He’s a good person.” Jesus said, call no man good (Mk 10:18). Just being a nice person doesn’t save you. Not to love God, not to thank Him, not to worship Him is tremendously offensive, it’s tremendously blind. That’s why God gave us the commandments, and the First Commandment says our primary obligation is to worship God. When we don’t worship God, or thank Him, or adore Him, darkness comes into our lives and minds. Romans 1:21 says they knew God but they didn’t worship Him. God has revealed Himself to every human being. Through creation, you can know God exists, and you can know about his divinity and power. Romans 2:15 says God gives a light to every person’s conscience to help us know basic right from wrong, and if you don’t respond to that light and seek God, bad things come from that. Their minds were darkened, they were without excuse, they knew the truth, but they suppressed it. Disorder comes into people’s lives when they don’t thank God and worship Him. Loves dries up, and there is rebellion and disobedience. To grow in holiness is to grow in love. Teresa of Avila gives another definition of holiness. She says to grow in holiness is to bring our will into union with God’s will: love what He loves, hate what He hates. The only thing God hates is sin. God hates whatever separates his beloved creatures from Him. God hates when people do things that block their union with Him and damage other people. God hates sin, because sin objectively wounds people. Therese of Lisieux defines holiness this way: Perfection consists in doing his will, and being what He wills us to be, who resists his grace in nothing. Sometimes we think holiness is a burden God is placing on us, and we groan. But holiness is not a burden; it’s a gift. It’s a blessing, a freedom, coming into our true selves. It’s saying “yes” to whom God created us to be. We will never be happy unless we say “yes” to God’s plan for us, which is for our infinite happiness. What Hold Us Back? What holds us back from a wholehearted, unreserved “yes” to the call to holiness? I often hear people say, “I’m just a lay person.” That means you are created in the image of God! What a tremendous dignity every single human being has! Are you a baptized lay person? Christ shed his blood for you, and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are dwelling in your soul! You have an indelible mark on your soul—you have been claimed by the Lord, and unless you turn away from your baptism and reject, bury, and forget it, the Lord’s never going to let go of you. The only thing that could separate us from the love of Christ is ourselves if we push ourselves away from Him, deaden our consciences, and give ourselves over to disorderly desires and the foolish nonsense of the world and culture. No longer say, “I’m just a lay person.” There is no greater dignity than to be created in the image of God, to be redeemed by the blood of Christ, and to be destined for eternal life. Having the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwelling in us is so special is that that the Lord says, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are” (1 Cor 3:16-17). The Lord is jealous for his people and their holiness, and the wrath of God is breaking out against all those who dishonor the creation and the body of Christ. Other thoughts holding us back from wholehearted surrender are like these: “I’m not the heroic type. I’m selfish. I’m comfort-oriented. I’m lazy. I’m undisciplined. I’m distracted. I don’t think I have spiritual inclinations.” Those are lies that the devil has put in our minds to keep us from the glorious freedom of the sons and daughters of God. You may be selfish and all of those things, but the Lord stands ready to deepen his relationship with you, if you’re willing to do your part. Don’t accept those lies; you were created for holiness. With God, all things are possible. Sometimes, although we know we are called to holiness, and we even get glimmers of the possibility of a deeper union with the Lord on a retreat or during a moment of prayer, we think we are too busy, or we have other problems to deal with right now. We are under the illusion that there is going to be some better time in the future for us to make that unreserved commitment to pursuing the path to holiness—that unreserved surrender of ourselves to the Lord with the practical decisions needed to make it real. What is Needed Each morning, we must wake up and try to put prayer time first. Even if we’re really busy, even if there’s a lot of stress in our life, there’s no better time in the future. I talk to retired people, and sometimes they say they’re busier now than when they were working. There’s always going to be something trying to distract us from seeking first the kingdom of God. When I was engaged to be married, I only had a part-time job, and I was sitting on the floor of our sparsely furnished apartment, thinking, “How can I support a family?” The Lord gave me a Scripture passage that’s been foundational for my marriage and my work at Renewal Ministries. It says unbelievers are always worried about what they’re going to eat, what they’re going to wear, and what the future is going to bring, but seek first the kingdom of God and his holiness, and these other things will be yours as well, because your heavenly Father knows you need them. (See Luke 12:22-31.) This is not the prosperity Gospel. It’s a solemn promise that God the Father knows what we need to fulfill the purpose for which He created us. If we put first things first, the secondary things are going to take their proper place in our life, but if we put the secondary things first, it’s going to cause a lot of stress and distortions, because the secondary things will never provide us what we’re seeking. They’ll never provide us with the security, peace, confidence, freedom, or love that we’re seeking. The only place we can find that is in God, and the other things that we need will then take their rightful place. I can tell you that this is the basis of my life, the basis of my wife’s life, the basis of our marriage, this is how we’re trying to live in Renewal Ministries. I encourage you to try to seek first the kingdom of God and his holiness and let the Lord provide what you need to carry out the mission that He’s called you to. Four Principles and Two Decisions Below are four principles that govern the spiritual life and two decisions to put us on a good path. These are from St. John Paul II’s Novo Millennio Inuente, where he said holiness is not just for a few special people but for everybody. 1. The spiritual journey is totally dependent on God’s grace. You can’t make it yourself. 2. Our effort also is necessary. We’ve got to do our part to dispose ourselves for the action of God in our soul. 3. There are painful dimensions to the purification process. St. John of the Cross said something that hopefully will take away some fear about this. He says God purges more intensely and quickly those who have more considerable capacity and strength for suffering, but the purgation is less intense for those who are very weak, like most of us. He lessens their temptations and frequently refreshes their sense to keep them from backsliding. St. Francis de Sales says the slow cure is the best cure. I’m on the slow cure path, and I’m excited about it. So, painful purifications are part of the process, but don’t be afraid of them. 4. Even though the journey requires effort, and even though there’s painful dimensions to the process, there is no journey more worth undertaking. Even if we make a little progress, it’s the most important blessing that could happen to our life. It brings us into a greater realm of freedom, a greater realm of love, and we can become more the person whom God created us to be. St. Thomas Aquinas said there’s a difference between wishing something to happen and willing something to happen. Wishing something to happen without practical decisions is wishful thinking, and it will never happen. Willing something to happen, in order for it to be real, has to have some practical decisions connected to it. Here are two practical decisions I want to propose to you: 1. Believe the Word of God that you are called to be holy and that it’s impossible for you but it’s possible for God, if you do your part and cast yourself upon his grace and mercy. 2. Strive for that holiness without which no one can see God. About the Author Ralph Martin Ralph Martin is president of Renewal Ministries. He also hosts The Choices We Face, a widely viewed weekly Catholic television and radio program distributed throughout the world. Ralph holds a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome and is a professor and the director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was named by Pope Benedict XVI as a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and was also appointed as a “peritus” to the Synod on the New Evangelization. Ralph is the author of a number of books, the most recent of which are A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward, The Fulfillment of All Desire, The Urgency of the New Evangelization, and Will Many Be Saved? He and his wife Anne have six children and sixteen grandchildren and reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Did the US downgrade its Palestinian ties by 'upgrading' its Jerusalem mission? | The Times of Israel

Did the US downgrade its Palestinian ties by 'upgrading' its Jerusalem mission? | The Times of Israel: The Trump administration said merging the capital's consulate into the embassy was more efficient. But diplomats claim it badly hampered their ability to reach out to Palestinians

China's growing firepower casts doubt on whether U.S. could defend Taiwan

China's growing firepower casts doubt on whether U.S. could defend Taiwan: China's massive arms buildup has raised questions about the future of Taiwan, and whether the U.S. can really guarantee the island's security.

The War in Iraq Exposed Huge Flaws in American Strategic Thinking | The National Interest

The War in Iraq Exposed Huge Flaws in American Strategic Thinking | The National Interest: The leaders who took America to war ignored history and also assumed that hostile regional powers would not push back and aid local resistance.

How a coronavirus variant tore into an English island - and the world.

How a coronavirus variant tore into an English island - and the world.: Genomic scientists raced against time to find out what was causing the deadly surge in cases despite a national lockdown.

Interferon Resistance of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants | bioRxiv

Interferon Resistance of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants | bioRxiv: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with enhanced transmissibility, pathogenesis and resistance to vaccines presents urgent challenges for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. While Spike mutations that enhance virus infectivity may drive the emergence of these novel variants, studies documenting a critical a role for interferon responses in the early control of SARS-CoV-2 infection, combined with the presence of viral genes that limit these responses, suggest that interferons may also influence SARS-CoV-2 evolution. Here, we compared the potency of 17 different human interferons against 5 viral lineages sampled during the course of the global outbreak that included ancestral and emerging variants. Our data revealed increased interferon resistance in emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, indicating that evasion of innate immunity is a significant driving force for SARS-CoV-2 evolution. These findings have implications for the increased lethality of emerging variants and highlight the interferon subtypes that may be most successful in the treatment of early infections. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

How China’s Rare Earths Monopoly Controls Our Destiny

How China’s Rare Earths Monopoly Controls Our Destiny: A world commodities rebalancing is underway, and China is in a position of dominance. Take lithium, where China is a major processor and battery manufacturer; cobalt, where China has dominated the …

What’s Driving The Border Crisis? | Hoover Institution

What’s Driving The Border Crisis? | Hoover Institution: The surge in asylum seekers stems not from problems in Central America but from political decisions in the United States.

Russia and China Are Sending Biden a Message: Don’t Judge Us or Try to Change us. Those Days Are Over | naked capitalism

Russia and China Are Sending Biden a Message: Don’t Judge Us or Try to Change us. Those Days Are Over | naked capitalism: The initial Biden foreign policy backfires are leading to even more cooperation betwen China and Russia.

This is what ‘Jewish democracy’ looks like – Mondoweiss

This is what ‘Jewish democracy’ looks like – Mondoweiss: The news from Israel’s four elections is that there is little ideological debate in Israel. Israeli Jewish voters are overwhelmingly rightwing. They are deeply divided over Netanyahu, but nearly 80 of the 120 members in the new parliament are rightwingers, dedicated to keeping the entire “land of Israel,” and Palestinians be damned.

One's Antifa. One's In A Militia. How An Ancestry Match Led To An Unlikely Bond : NPR

One's Antifa. One's In A Militia. How An Ancestry Match Led To An Unlikely Bond : NPR: Two distant cousins connect online, only to learn that one is a militant leftist and the other is in a right-wing militia. Their story shows the complexities of a timely question: Who's an extremist?

Friday, March 26, 2021

Charlemagne - Why the EU is still wary of America | Europe | The Economist

Charlemagne - Why the EU is still wary of America | Europe | The Economist

Trump-Era Policies Toward Chinese STEM Talent: A Need for Better Balance - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Trump-Era Policies Toward Chinese STEM Talent: A Need for Better Balance - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Immigration is critical to U.S. science success. But policies instituted under Donald Trump threaten STEM talent flows from China. The Biden administration should quickly revisit these changes.

The case for restraint and diplomacy as China turns toward the Arctic – Responsible Statecraft

The case for restraint and diplomacy as China turns toward the Arctic – Responsible Statecraft: Militarization of the Arctic won’t do either side any good.

US Considered Blasting Alternate Suez Canal With Nuclear Bombs in '60s

US Considered Blasting Alternate Suez Canal With Nuclear Bombs in '60s: The plan, drawn up in 1963, would have carved the canal through the Negev desert but did not take into account "political feasibility."

The Suez Canal’s history - The Washington Post

The Suez Canal’s history - The Washington Post: The Ever Given’s accident in the Suez Canal offers a reminder of the strategic waterway’s deep history.

Why Putin’s Pipeline Is Welcome in Germany – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

Why Putin’s Pipeline Is Welcome in Germany – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: What is behind American opposition to Russian natural gas going to Germany, and from there to NATO Europe? During a joint interview with Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian secretary-general of NATO, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, fresh from his bout with the Chinese in Anchorage, took on Angela Merkel and the Germans. Issue: Nord Stream 2,…

Biden sleepwalks into a stagflation nightmare - Asia Times

Biden sleepwalks into a stagflation nightmare - Asia Times: NEW YORK - The Biden administration’s US$1.9 stimulus package, adding to last year’s $2 trillion in Covid-19 related handouts, has the effect of feeding sugar to a diabetic. The patient is on a sugar high, but at risk of collapse. The US doesn’t have the productive capacity to meet the demand created by the federal government and the Federal Reserve. The result is stagflation—a combination of inflation and economic weakness that we last saw during the Jimmy Carter administration in the 1970s. There are two big differences between now and the 1970s, though. The first is the explosion of US government debt. The second is China.

Venice marks 1,600th anniversary of founding with Mass in St. Mark’s Basilica

Venice marks 1,600th anniversary of founding with Mass in St. Mark’s Basilica: The Italian city of Venice has marked the 1,600th anniversary of it founding with Mass in St. Mark’s Basilica

Schism Looms: Pope Francis and the Willfully Rebellious Church in Germany| National Catholic Register

Schism Looms: Pope Francis and the Willfully Rebellious Church in Germany| National Catholic Register: COMMENTARY: The Holy Father’s German gamble failed. He led with an open hand and got a clenched fist in return.

Federal Judge Ends DC Church Restrictions – CatholicVote org

Federal Judge Ends DC Church Restrictions – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // A federal judge ruled against Washington D.C.’s onerous restrictions on churches Thursday, freeing up worshippers considerably just ahead of Holy Week. Judge…

Carrying Guns in Public Is Not a Constitutional Right, Ninth Circuit Rules – Courthouse News Service

Carrying Guns in Public Is Not a Constitutional Right, Ninth Circuit Rules – Courthouse News Service: The majority of an 11-judge en banc Ninth Circuit panel concluded that the Second Amendment does not guarantee the right to carry firearms outside the home.

Resist the “Goldilocks” option and get out of Afghanistan – Responsible Statecraft

Resist the “Goldilocks” option and get out of Afghanistan – Responsible Statecraft: One need only to look to Vietnam for how this alternative plays out in the real world.

Ohio legislature close to revoking nuclear power subsidy | Reuters

Ohio legislature close to revoking nuclear power subsidy | Reuters: Ohio's Senate amended and unanimously passed a House bill that would repeal nuclear subsidies for Energy Harbor Corp's Davis-Besse and Perry reactors in the state.

Biden Meets, and Defeats, the Press | The Nation

Biden Meets, and Defeats, the Press | The Nation: The president should postpone future news conferences. Not because he can’t handle them—but because the White House press corps can’t.

Harris faces big challenge in overseeing migrant border surge | The Sacramento Bee

Harris faces big challenge in overseeing migrant border surge | The Sacramento Bee: For the vice president, it may be one of the most complicated and urgent issues of her political career.

Staring death in the face: “Lazarus, come out!” – Catholic World Report

Staring death in the face: “Lazarus, come out!” – Catholic World Report

A beautiful, enchanting children’s book about “the good thief” – Catholic World Report

A beautiful, enchanting children’s book about “the good thief” – Catholic World Report

The future is here for Catholics in America – Catholic World Report

The future is here for Catholics in America – Catholic World Report

Yes, Pope Francis was involved in the CDF’s document on same-sex blessings – Catholic World Report

Yes, Pope Francis was involved in the CDF’s document on same-sex blessings – Catholic World Report

Israel vaccinates more than half its population, but still far from COVID-19 herd immunity - Israel News - Haaretz.com

Israel vaccinates more than half its population, but still far from COVID-19 herd immunity - Israel News - Haaretz.com: Nearly 4.7 million Israelis get both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, but authorities await the end of clinical trials for under-16s, who make up about a third of the country

The US Secret Prison that Housed Leading Nazis - The Globalist

The US Secret Prison that Housed Leading Nazis - The Globalist: Prominent Nazis were interrogated after the end of World War II in a U.S. prison codenamed "Ashcan" south of Luxembourg. From there they were sent to the war crimes trial in Nuremberg.

Status Quo Joe: Why Biden’s Grand Strategy Is MIA | The National Interest

Status Quo Joe: Why Biden’s Grand Strategy Is MIA | The National Interest: Unfortunately, much of what happens in the foreign-policy arena under U.S. presidents, including important decisions, amounts to ad hoc responses to outside events at home and abroad.

A more humble foreign policy | TheHill

A more humble foreign policy | TheHill: America has to evolve with the rest of the world.

Asking China to Solve the North Korea Problem Is Completely Foolish | The National Interest

Asking China to Solve the North Korea Problem Is Completely Foolish | The National Interest: There is nothing wrong with diplomats believing in miracles so long as they do not base policy on the expectation that unpleasant reality will be magically transformed. Unfortunately, Blinken, an experienced diplomat who should know better, appears to have fallen into that trap.

Arkansas Bans Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports | The Daily Wire

Arkansas Bans Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports | The Daily Wire: Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law on Thursday a bill banning transgender females from participating in women’s sports.

Federal Judge Ends DC Church Restrictions – CatholicVote org

Federal Judge Ends DC Church Restrictions – CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // A federal judge ruled against Washington D.C.’s onerous restrictions on churches Thursday, freeing up worshippers considerably just ahead of Holy Week. Judge…

Paintings and Pictures, Absence and Presence - The Catholic Thing

Paintings and Pictures, Absence and Presence - The Catholic Thing: Joseph R. Wood on the power of art to represent the real, especially real people in their happiness and sadness, sometimes both at once.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Governor Northam signs death penalty repeal at site of 101 executions in Virginia since 1991 | America Magazine

Governor Northam signs death penalty repeal at site of 101 executions in Virginia since 1991 | America Magazine: While standing outside the prison that housed Virginia's execution chamber, Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation abolishing the death penalty in the state March 24.

Pope Francis: Dante, who died 700 years ago, is still a ‘prophet of hope’ today | America Magazine

Pope Francis: Dante, who died 700 years ago, is still a ‘prophet of hope’ today | America Magazine: The life and works of the famed Italian poet Dante Alighieri remain a lasting treasure that embodies the virtue of hope, Pope Francis said.

The fight to unionize Amazon is the most important labor story of this century | America Magazine

The fight to unionize Amazon is the most important labor story of this century | America Magazine: The most ambitious attempt to unionize in Amazon’s 26-year history has been widely endorsed, including by Senator Marco Rubio.

Can COVID-19 Vaccines Prevent Long COVID? - The Atlantic

Can COVID-19 Vaccines Prevent Long COVID? - The Atlantic: People with long COVID were left out of vaccine trials. They are now navigating the new shots on their own.

The Annunciation shows us what to do when God changes our plans

The Annunciation shows us what to do when God changes our plans: They say if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. These words must have extra resonance for all of us who’ve lived through the past year. So many plans we had, large and small, were wiped away in an instant just over a year ago. Now, a year later, we are beginning Read More…

10 year-old's dying wish to be a missionary comes true

10 year-old's dying wish to be a missionary comes true: The star of this extraordinary story is little Teresita Castillo, whom the Archdiocese of Madrid has officially recognized as a missionary. Teresita was suffering from brain cancer. She left this world for the Father’s eternal embrace on Sunday, March 7, 2021, offering her sufferings to God from her hospital bed. #oratorteam Han pulsado botón.Hay una Read More…

4 Fast facts about the Annunciation feast

4 Fast facts about the Annunciation feast

MoA - Stuck In Mud

MoA - Stuck In Mud

US Army Identifies Arctic as Battleground With Russia and China - Antiwar.com Original

US Army Identifies Arctic as Battleground With Russia and China - Antiwar.com Original: Last week the U.S. Army released a new strategic policy document entitled Regaining Arctic Dominance, an exhaustive 48-page work with valuable background - Rick Rozoff for Antiwar.com Original

US Army Identifies Arctic as Battleground With Russia and China - Antiwar.com Original

US Army Identifies Arctic as Battleground With Russia and China - Antiwar.com Original: Last week the U.S. Army released a new strategic policy document entitled Regaining Arctic Dominance, an exhaustive 48-page work with valuable background - Rick Rozoff for Antiwar.com Original

Annunciation of the Lord | Franciscan Media

Annunciation of the Lord | Franciscan Media: Some people consider today the feast of the Incarnation of Jesus—instead of Christmas—since it is today that we celebrate the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity becoming flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary. However, one of the main emphases of this feast is the "fiat" by which Mary agreed to become the Mother of God. Let it be.

Cardinal Napier - ‘The Church in Africa has arrived!’ - The Pillar

Cardinal Napier - ‘The Church in Africa has arrived!’ - The Pillar: A Pillar interview

For Biden, an Anguishing Choice on Withdrawal from Afghanistan | The New Yorker

For Biden, an Anguishing Choice on Withdrawal from Afghanistan | The New Yorker: Five factors will influence the U.S. role and the prospects for peace after two decades of war.

PLO welcomes China’s invitation to broker talks with Israel – Middle East Monitor

PLO welcomes China’s invitation to broker talks with Israel – Middle East Monitor: The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has welcomed the Chinese invitation for Palestinians to talk with Israelis in Beijing, Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday. Member of PLO's Executive ...

How Taiwan triumphed over Covid as the UK faltered | Taiwan | The Guardian

How Taiwan triumphed over Covid as the UK faltered | Taiwan | The Guardian: Taipei’s success shows how lives might have been saved had the UK government acted differently

Iranian missile hits Israeli-owned cargo ship in Arabian Sea - Israel News - Haaretz.com

Iranian missile hits Israeli-owned cargo ship in Arabian Sea - Israel News - Haaretz.com: Last week Haaretz reported that in recent years Israel struck several dozen Iranian oil tankers, which caused Iran cumulative damage of billions of dollars

US Nuclear Completes $256,626 Shipment to China, Signs New Agreement With CNNC Subsidiary

US Nuclear Completes $256,626 Shipment to China, Signs New Agreement With CNNC Subsidiary: US Nuclear Corp. (OTCQB: UCLE) Nuclear Power Plants in China LOS ANGELES, CA, March 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire – US Nuclear Corp. (OTCQB: UCLE) recently completed a shipment to China of USN’S popular tritium and carbon-14 air samplers as well as portable tritium monitors worth a total of $256,626. Furthermore, as part of US Nuclear’s expansion into the Chinese market, US Nuclear signed a new “Cooperation Agreement” on March 1, 2021 with Dalian Zhonghe Scientific and Technological Development Co., a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). Together, the companies will work to design the perfect instrumentation to outfit Chinese nuclear power plants. The instruments are planned to be built at a local factory in China to be cost-competitive and will be optimized for Chinese operators based on the local regulations and procedures. This can be a game changer since currently 80% of nuclear instruments purchased are imported into China at a high cost, and the functionality often does not fit local procedures, regulations, and language. US Nuclear already has a local sales office in Beijing, China, and this new cooperation agreement with Dalian Zhonghe wi

TEPCO to be banned from restarting nuclear plant over safety flaws

TEPCO to be banned from restarting nuclear plant over safety flaws: Japan's nuclear regulatory body decides to effectively ban Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. from restarting a nuclear plant on the Sea of Japan coast after the complex was found to have serious safety flaws.

The U.S. Intelligence Community, Flouting Laws, is Increasingly Involving Itself in Domestic Politics - Glenn Greenwald

The U.S. Intelligence Community, Flouting Laws, is Increasingly Involving Itself in Domestic Politics - Glenn Greenwald: A letter from House Intelligence Committee members demands answers from the DNI about illegal breaches of the wall guarding against CIA and NSA domestic activity.

Suez Canal Is Blocked by Container Ship Causing Huge Traffic Jam - WSJ

Suez Canal Is Blocked by Container Ship Causing Huge Traffic Jam - WSJ: Egyptian authorities were working to dislodge a giant container ship that blocked traffic on one of the world’s busiest shipping arteries and further threatened a global supply chain already under intense strain.

Engineered immune cells deliver anticancer signal, prevent cancer from spreading | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Engineered immune cells deliver anticancer signal, prevent cancer from spreading | National Institutes of Health (NIH): In a study of mice, treatment with the engineered cells shrank tumors and prevented the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Iran: Khamenei Admits His Regime Is Headed for a Dead End - NCRI

Iran: Khamenei Admits His Regime Is Headed for a Dead End - NCRI: In his yearly Nowruz address, Iranian regime's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei implicitly admitted that his regime is in a bad situation, complaining that

7 Palm Sunday traditions at Mass and their symbolism

7 Palm Sunday traditions at Mass and their symbolism: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of preparation before the feast of Easter. In the Roman Rite, the celebration of Mass has particular traditions that make it look much different than a typical Sunday Mass. Many of these traditions are centuries old, having roots in the Read More…

Trump’s Confrontational Approach to China Was All Wrong. Biden Is Making the Same Mistake.

Trump’s Confrontational Approach to China Was All Wrong. Biden Is Making the Same Mistake.: Confrontation may be popular at home, but it won’t make the United States more prosperous or secure.

Vaccinations Are Saving Lives and This Wily Enemy of a Virus Persists | by Dr. Tom Frieden | Mar, 2021 | Medium Coronavirus Blog

Vaccinations Are Saving Lives and This Wily Enemy of a Virus Persists | by Dr. Tom Frieden | Mar, 2021 | Medium Coronavirus Blog: Vaccinations have already saved at least 40,000 lives in the United States, and the pace keeps increasing. But explosive spread of variants in Brazil and lower interest in vaccination are ominous…

How to Make Sense of the AstraZeneca Vaccine Data Drama | by Emily Mullin | Mar, 2021 | Medium Coronavirus Blog

How to Make Sense of the AstraZeneca Vaccine Data Drama | by Emily Mullin | Mar, 2021 | Medium Coronavirus Blog: In a highly unusual move, a U.S. health agency raised concerns on Tuesday that AstraZeneca had not provided the most current data about its Covid-19 vaccine in a press release it issued Monday. In…

Variant or ‘Scariant’: When to Worry About Covid Virus Strains | by Tara Haelle | Mar, 2021 | Elemental

Variant or ‘Scariant’: When to Worry About Covid Virus Strains | by Tara Haelle | Mar, 2021 | Elemental: Although the word “mutation” often conjures frightening associations, such as three-headed fish or The Andromeda Strain, in reality, mutations are simply changes that arise in DNA or RNA…

Vaccine Passports Are Coming, But We’re Not Ready for Them | by Craig Spencer MD MPH | Mar, 2021 | Elemental

Vaccine Passports Are Coming, But We’re Not Ready for Them | by Craig Spencer MD MPH | Mar, 2021 | Elemental: I’m writing weekly for Medium about my experiences as an emergency medicine doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic. You can read my previous posts on vaccine inequities, the variants, and more, here…

COVID infections among vaccinated people are very rare - Axios

COVID infections among vaccinated people are very rare - Axios: The sliver of positive cases show being vaccinated is currently not a free pass into a normal routine.

A Bishop Who Must Decide - The Catholic Thing

A Bishop Who Must Decide - The Catholic Thing

Regeneron Antibody Cocktail Cuts Hospitalization Rate by 70% - Bloomberg

Regeneron Antibody Cocktail Cuts Hospitalization Rate by 70% - Bloomberg: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it would apply for U.S. authorization for a lower dose of its Covid-19 antibody cocktail, after data from a final-stage trial showed early use of the drug reduced hospitalizations and deaths by 70%.

If You Absolutely Must Vaccinate Against Covid-19 Out of Fear or Coercion, Hold Out for This Already Proven Vaccine - LewRockwell

If You Absolutely Must Vaccinate Against Covid-19 Out of Fear or Coercion, Hold Out for This Already Proven Vaccine - LewRockwell: There is a reason why vaccine makers and bought-off politicians are racing to vaccinate 100 million Americans by July 4th.  If prior population studies are any indication, by July 2021 it is likely a safer and more effective vaccine than RNA vaccines (Pfizer/Moderna) will be revealed in a large-group placebo vs inoculum study taking place in Canada. If you are in torment over whether to vaccinate against COVID-19 or not, or forced to mull over vaccination because your employer demands you submit to immunization as a condition of employment, hold on, at least till July 2021, when the results of … Continue reading →

“Tomorrow It Could Be Somebody Else”: Bernie Sanders Comes Out Against Trump Twitter Ban – JONATHAN TURLEY

“Tomorrow It Could Be Somebody Else”: Bernie Sanders Comes Out Against Trump Twitter Ban – JONATHAN TURLEY: Sen Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) came out against the Twitter ban of former president Donald Trump yesterday.  Sanders expressed his discomfort with the role of Big Tech in censorship viewpoints, a sharp departure from his Democratic colleagues who have demanded more such corporate censorship. In an interview on Tuesday with New York Times columnist Ezra…

How stalling growth hurts the planet - Axios

How stalling growth hurts the planet - Axios: Degrowth — deliberately shrinking the global economy to avert climate change — could leave billions in poverty

Why Biden's climate agenda might be very, very 'quiet' | Grist

Why Biden's climate agenda might be very, very 'quiet' | Grist: It’s not big or splashy. It’s “quiet climate policy” and, in the post-COVID-19 era -- with Congress planning a package to revamp the country's decrepit infrastructure -- it just might work.

Why We Can't Leave Nature Alone — The New Atlantis

Why We Can't Leave Nature Alone — The New Atlantis: We shouldn’t be so bashful about tinkering with the environment to save it.

Analysts: Saudi Ties Remain Vital to US, Despite Talk of Recalibration  | Voice of America - English

Analysts: Saudi Ties Remain Vital to US, Despite Talk of Recalibration  | Voice of America - English: Analysts say the world’s dependence on gasoline isn’t likely to return to pre-pandemic levels, as moves step up to increase fuel efficiency and a global shift accelerates to use alternative green energy sources, including electric vehicles.

Playing US politics: Saudi Arabia targets Middle America - The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer

Playing US politics: Saudi Arabia targets Middle America - The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer: Amid Washington chatter about the future of US-Saudi relations, the kingdom has launched an unprecedented public diplomacy campaign to marshal business and grassroots support beyond the Beltway to counter anti-Saudi sentiment in the Biden administration and Congress.

Unaccompanied migrant children at the U.S. border explained | The Sacramento Bee

Unaccompanied migrant children at the U.S. border explained | The Sacramento Bee: “We as a state are more impacted,” one immigration expert said.

The West will not contain Chinese innovation - Nikkei Asia

The West will not contain Chinese innovation - Nikkei Asia: William Bratton is author of "China's Rise, Asia's Decline." He was previously head of equity research, Asia-Pacific at HSBC.My first consulting job i

Joe Biden Must End the Afghanistan War on May 1 - 19FortyFive

Joe Biden Must End the Afghanistan War on May 1 - 19FortyFive: President Biden must show the courage and resolution none of his predecessors did and end the Afghanistan war, on schedule, on May 1.

Graham E. Fuller’s interview on Pacifica Radio on US inept diplomacy with Russia and China–

Graham E. Fuller’s interview on Pacifica Radio on US inept diplomacy with Russia and China–

Podcast: Mouin Rabbani, Nathan Thrall and Adam Shatz · Separateness · LRB 23 March 2021

Podcast: Mouin Rabbani, Nathan Thrall and Adam Shatz · Separateness · LRB 23 March 2021

The Age of Synthetic Biology: Start the War Games! - CounterPunch.org

The Age of Synthetic Biology: Start the War Games! - CounterPunch.org: Eight years of research on H5N1 had convinced him that this cunning little Darwinian demon was capable of ecocide—the wiping out of entire species. –Kennedy Shortridge, microbiologist, University of Hong Kong It was bad enough when, beginning in March, US President Donald J. Trump repeatedly referred to Covid-19 as “the Chinese virus” in speeches, insulting More

DARPA, Operation Warp Speed, and the Covid-19 Ka-ching Ahead - CounterPunch.org

DARPA, Operation Warp Speed, and the Covid-19 Ka-ching Ahead - CounterPunch.org: If/When Eli Lilly and AstraZeneca put out a viable Covid-19 solution in October, it won’t come as a surprise to DARPA. The Department of Defense agency that ‘gifted’ the original Internet (ARPANET) to the world back in the 70s, set up the Pandemic Prevention Program (P3) shortly after Donald J. Trump’s presidential inauguration in January More

The scientists who say the lab-leak hypothesis for SARS-CoV-2 shouldn't be ruled out | MIT Technology Review

The scientists who say the lab-leak hypothesis for SARS-CoV-2 shouldn't be ruled out | MIT Technology Review: For many scientists, challenging the idea that SARS-CoV-2 has natural origins is seen as career suicide. But some say the idea it came from the Wuhan lab should still be discussed.

Article: After a Year Under Lockdown, Will Our Freedoms Survive the Tyranny of COVID-19? | OpEdNews

Article: After a Year Under Lockdown, Will Our Freedoms Survive the Tyranny of COVID-19? | OpEdNews: Article: After a Year Under Lockdown, Will Our Freedoms Survive the Tyranny of COVID-19? - What started out a year ago as an apparent effort to prevent a novel coronavirus from sickening the nation (and the world) has become yet another means by which world governments (including our own) can expand their powers, abuse their authority, and further oppress their constituents.

Fr. Warren's Week Reflection: "Sir, we would like to see Jesus

Clouds FRANCISCAN FRIARS of the ATONEMENT - SERVING OTHERS FOR OVER 120 YEARS - THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION from Fr. Bob Warren, SA - Volume 7 Issue 12 Fifth Sunday in Lent Sir, we would like to see Jesus 3-21-21 We hear in our gospel today about some people who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover. They have heard about this miracle worker Jesus. So, they approach a friend of His-Philip- and they make a request. “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” What would you do if someone made that request of you? We want to see Jesus we want to know Him. What would you say? First, you might have to ask yourself a question. Why are they asking me? Probably, for the same reason that those strangers asked Philip. Because they think that, you know Him, that you have seen Him. Can you see Jesus? Yes, you can. Oh, you cannot see Him exactly as He was back then. Not the Compassionate Healer, the Great Teacher because that is history. But, you can see Him. You see, He did not become human only that you might see Him after you die. He did not sweat blood in a garden only that you might know about Him like a smart theologian. He lived and died that you might know Him, love Him, have direct experience of Him NOW. And, you see Him or know Him. The way He told you to, in your sisters and brothers. This is not just pious talk to keep us from beating up on each other. He meant it when He said, “When you take care of the hungry and thirsty, when you clothe the naked, when you visit the sick and those in prison. You are not just doing something nice; you are doing it to me.” But, it would be a mistake to identify Christ only with the disadvantaged, see His face only in the crucified. All of us reflect the Face of the Lord because God’s own book tells us that we are made in His image and likeness. At this moment the Living Christ, the Lord who died for you, rose for you, this Risen Christ is alive in you. Do not take my word for it. Listen to His words the night before He died. If anyone loves me, my Father will love them. And we will come to them and make our home with them. More than that, in a little while you will welcome the same Risen Christ. His body and blood and your body becomes a tabernacle. To know Christ, to see Christ does cost. Because it means that, you must journey with Him to Jerusalem and share His way of the cross. And here our gospel is plain. It links encounter with Christ to experience of Lent. The clue, I solemnly assure you unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and it remains alone. Just a grain of wheat but if it dies it bears much fruit. My friends, Lent is nothing more than a religious joke. A caricature, if all it means is that I shift from steak to salmon, give up Godiva’s, limit my before dinner cocktail or tighten my waistline for the beach. Lent is learning how to die. Not when I am 90 but today. Die to myself to all that is less than human in me. Less than Christlike. Scripture tells us that to be a Disciple of Christ you have to lose your life in order to find it. As time goes on, you experience increasingly some of what Christ went through in His passion. And you find for all life’s joys and occasional ecstasies, human living can tear you apart. The question is-how does this affect you? What does it do to you? Does the pain that life can bring you lock you into yourself? Make you captive to your own misery? So that nothing matters save your loss or your loneliness, your insecurity. Or does your hurt open you to others? Because you are beset with weakness, do you deal gently with the weak? When you watch the news, do you ever stop to think what it is like for the mother of the child who has just been shot or caught in the crossfire? Can you experience the emptiness of some of the elderly in our land who live in nursing homes? Who have no future, no present, only memories? To feel hurt is to be human, to link that hurt to others is to be Christlike. Lent and Holy Week have an aura of sadness because it centers on suffering and death. But, there is also joy. Because we know that all of His suffering and death was for one reason only. It was for you. Our Lord did not simply die He died for you. If He loves you that much, you must be quite extraordinary, very special. The last-no the best- you can do in return is do not simply live, live for Him. Make Him part of your life, so if anyone wants to see Jesus you can say, “Here He is.” Yours in Christ, Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. FRANCISCAN FRIARS of the ATONEMENT - SERVING OTHERS FOR OVER 120 YEARS www.AtonementFriars.org GRAYMOOR P.O. Box 301, Garrison, NY 10524 For more information call us at 888-720-8247. © 2021

The Urgent Need for a Biden-Putin Summit - Antiwar.com Original

The Urgent Need for a Biden-Putin Summit - Antiwar.com Original: Last week’s outbreak of rhetorical hostilities between the White House and the Kremlin has heightened the urgent need for a summit between Joe Biden and - Norman Solomon for Antiwar.com Original

Winning the Phase 0 war – Foreign Policy

Winning the Phase 0 war – Foreign Policy: Warning — this contains spoilers for the new novel, Ghost Fleet.

The New Concert of Powers | Foreign Affairs

The New Concert of Powers | Foreign Affairs: A great-power steering group is the best option for managing an integrated world no longer overseen by a hegemon. A global concert fits the bill.

It’s Time to Fold America’s Nuclear Umbrella Over Its European and Asian Allies

It’s Time to Fold America’s Nuclear Umbrella Over Its European and Asian Allies: Using Washington’s nuclear arsenal to protect its allies no longer makes any sense.

John F. Kennedy’s Warning to the Republic | History Today

John F. Kennedy’s Warning to the Republic | History Today

JFK vs. the Military - The Atlantic

JFK vs. the Military - The Atlantic: President Kennedy faced a foe more relentless than Khrushchev, just across the Potomac: the bellicose Joint Chiefs of Staff argued for the deployment of nuclear weapons and kept pressing to invade Cuba. A presidential historian reveals that Kennedy's success in fending them off may have been his most consequential victory.

The General and World War III | The New Yorker

The General and World War III | The New Yorker: Curtis LeMay believed that the only sure nuclear defense was to launch a preëmptive first strike. During the Cuban missile crisis, he almost did it.

After Covid-19 Vaccine, Grandparents Relish Long-Awaited Reunions With Families - WSJ

After Covid-19 Vaccine, Grandparents Relish Long-Awaited Reunions With Families - WSJ: Emotional reunions come after difficult pandemic separations; “We wanted to see our grandchildren. That’s all that mattered.”

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

DoorDash to provide on-demand delivery of at-home COVID test collection kits - Axios

DoorDash to provide on-demand delivery of at-home COVID test collection kits - Axios: The kits will be available in 12 DashMart locations around the country.

Why Is Biden Creating His Own Crises? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

Why Is Biden Creating His Own Crises? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: What Gov. Andrew Cuomo did to the nursing homes of New York — send COVID-positive patients back into them — Biden is doing to the USA... How do you control a pandemic when our 2,000-mile southern border is a crossing corridor for thousands of infected every single day? Our mainstream media largely ignored it, the…

California, US issue grim warnings on summer water supplies | The Sacramento Bee

California, US issue grim warnings on summer water supplies | The Sacramento Bee: Farms and cities should expect far less than originally forecast. Here’s how bad it looks for the summer.

What’s Driving The Border Crisis? | Hoover Institution

What’s Driving The Border Crisis? | Hoover Institution: The surge in asylum seekers stems not from problems in Central America but from political decisions in the United States.

H.R. McMaster: Afghanistan is America's longest war – it's time for the delusion about it to end | Fox News

H.R. McMaster: Afghanistan is America's longest war – it's time for the delusion about it to end | Fox News: If the Biden administration abandons the weak agreement that the Taliban have already broken, it is possible to reverse a self-defeating strategy and sustain a long-term effort at a cost acceptable to the American people.

Biden Should Stick With May 1 Withdrawal From Afghanistan | Time

Biden Should Stick With May 1 Withdrawal From Afghanistan | Time: Joe Biden should stick to the May 1 deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan, write Trita Parsi and Adam Weinstein of the Quincy Institute

Deadly Blaze Caused by PG&E Power Lines Contacting Pine Tree - Bloomberg

Deadly Blaze Caused by PG&E Power Lines Contacting Pine Tree - Bloomberg: Contact between PG&E Corp. power lines and a pine tree sparked the Zogg Fire that killed four people and torched about 56,000 acres in Northern California in September, state investigators said.

MoA - Syria - The War Is Resuming On Several Fronts

MoA - Syria - The War Is Resuming On Several Fronts

Hell hath no fury like a superpower in decline: Biden and Blinken address Moscow and Beijing

Hell hath no fury like a superpower in decline: Biden and Blinken address Moscow and Beijing

Germany imposes strict lockdown over Easter | News | DW | 23.03.2021

Germany imposes strict lockdown over Easter | News | DW | 23.03.2021: "We are in a new pandemic" due to the spread of coronavirus variants, Chancellor Angela Merkel has said. German federal and state leaders have agreed on a radical shutdown over the Easter holidays.

The Test of Heartbeats for Judges – and other Former Fetuses - The Catholic Thing

The Test of Heartbeats for Judges – and other Former Fetuses - The Catholic Thing: Hadley Arkes: Laws to ban abortion when the fetal heartbeat is detected represent progress, but the fact remains: life begins at conception.

Biden Team Prepares $3 Trillion in New Spending for the Economy - The New York Times

Biden Team Prepares $3 Trillion in New Spending for the Economy - The New York Times: A pair of proposals would invest in infrastructure, education, work force development and fighting climate change, with the aim of making the economy more productive.

The Afghanistan Papers a Year Later: A Live Q&A with Washington Post Investigative Journalist Craig Whitlock - Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

The Afghanistan Papers a Year Later: A Live Q&A with Washington Post Investigative Journalist Craig Whitlock - Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: QI hosts a live Q&A with 'Afghanistan Papers' journalist Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post

Washington is awash in debt, yet hawks want us to borrow even more – Responsible Statecraft

Washington is awash in debt, yet hawks want us to borrow even more – Responsible Statecraft: We're busting the deficit for allies who don't necessarily want it. Is this what Biden means by “foreign policy for the middle class?"

We have no intention of fighting Russia so stop arming Ukraine for battle – Responsible Statecraft

We have no intention of fighting Russia so stop arming Ukraine for battle – Responsible Statecraft: Other than making China happy, nothing good can come out of escalating tensions with Russia over its former Soviet territories.

Capitulation Diplomacy: Washington Keeps Making Unrealistic Demands of Other Countries - Antiwar.com Original

Capitulation Diplomacy: Washington Keeps Making Unrealistic Demands of Other Countries - Antiwar.com Original: The Biden administration seems intent on maintaining an especially counterproductive practice in U.S. foreign policy. For decades, US officials have - Ted Galen Carpenter for Antiwar.com Original

The Sports Pages of Death - TomDispatch.com

The Sports Pages of Death - TomDispatch.com: Here's one of the things I now do every morning. I go to the online Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center and check out the figures there -- global coronavirus cases and deaths, U.S. coronavirus cases

On January 6th, the U.S. Became a Foreign Country - TomDispatch.com

On January 6th, the U.S. Became a Foreign Country - TomDispatch.com: Just about everyone was shocked by what happened at the Capitol building on January 6th. But as a former soldier in America's forever wars, horrifying as the scenes were, I also found what happened strangely

The Greater the Disaster, the Greater the Profits - TomDispatch.com

The Greater the Disaster, the Greater the Profits - TomDispatch.com: In late February, I drove to see the Trump wall in Sasabe, Arizona. As soon as I parked, a green-striped Border Patrol vehicle stationed a quarter of a mile away began to creep down the

The Greater the Disaster, the Greater the Profits - TomDispatch.com

The Greater the Disaster, the Greater the Profits - TomDispatch.com: In late February, I drove to see the Trump wall in Sasabe, Arizona. As soon as I parked, a green-striped Border Patrol vehicle stationed a quarter of a mile away began to creep down the

They Had Mild Covid. Then Their Serious Symptoms Kicked In. - The New York Times

They Had Mild Covid. Then Their Serious Symptoms Kicked In. - The New York Times: A new study illuminates the complex array of neurological issues experienced by people months after their coronavirus infections.

How to Vaccinate Homebound Seniors? Take the Shots to Them. - The New York Times

How to Vaccinate Homebound Seniors? Take the Shots to Them. - The New York Times: Millions of older Americans, chronically ill and trapped at home, pose a big challenge to inoculation efforts. Doctors are on it.

Moderna Starts Testing Its Covid Vaccine in Babies and Young Children - The New York Times

Moderna Starts Testing Its Covid Vaccine in Babies and Young Children - The New York Times: The company will study its vaccine in children ages six months through 11 in the United States and Canada.