EFTA00148305 ## IRS Delays Deadlines For IRA, HSA Contributions Until May.
Politico(3/29,Faler,6.73M) reports the IRS announced Monday it is moving“several more tax deadlines into next month.”The agency is“delaying until May 17,from April 15,the deadlines for making 2020 contributions to individual retirement accounts,health savings accounts and Coverdell education savings accounts.”However,it“emphasized that it is not delaying the deadline for making estimated tax payments,on income that isn't subject to withholding,as some have demanded。”
## Suez Canal Traffic Resumes After Cargo Ship Is Freed. The AP (3/29, DeBre, Magdy) reports salvage teams on Monday freed the Ever Given, “the colossal container ship stuck for nearly a week in the Suez Canal, ending a crisis that had clogged one of the world’s most vital waterways and halted billions of dollars a day in maritime commerce.” Reuters (3/29, Mohamed, Awadalla, Lewis) says with the ship dislodged, “113 ships were expected to transit the canal in both directions by early Tuesday morning, Suez Canal Authority (SCA) chairman Osama Rabie told reporters. He said a backlog of 422 ships could be cleared in 3 -1/2 days.”
Bloomberg(3/29,Koh,Wardany,Magdy,3.57M) reports,“Authorities expected operations to return to normal within days.”
Axios(3/29,Knutson,1.26M) reports that“the Suez blockage was estimated to cost $400 million per hour in delays to goods shipments。”
In a separate story, Reuters (3/29) reports that on Monday, Russia’s energy ministry made the case that the Suez blockage “highlighted the safety and sustainability of its Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Russian energy pipelines.” According to Reuters, Russia “expects cargoes to increase through the Northern Sea Route, an Arctic Ocean route to Asia which trims 4,000 nautical miles off the southern alternative via the Suez Canal.” The New York Times (3/29, Yee, 20.6M) says this was “one of the most consequential shipping accidents in history,” and “the global supply chain industry will have a cascade of costly delays to contend with and much to assess: the size of container ships, the width of the Suez Canal, the wisdom of relying on just-in-time manufacturing to satisfy consumer demand around the world, and the role, if any, of human error.” Similarly, the Washington Post (3/29, Raghavan, Taylor, Mellen, 10.52M) says “the spotlight is now likely to turn to the investigation of how the vessel got wedged into the Suez Canal, leading to billions of dollars in losses globally.” USA Today (3/29, Bacon, 12.7M), the Wall Street Journal (3/29, Jones, Subscription Publication, 8.41M), and the Los Angeles Times (3/29, 3.37M) provide similar coverage, as did the CBS Evening News Vi (3/29, story 6, 1:20, O'Donnell, 4.55M), ABC World News Tonight Vi (3/29, story 6, 1:10, Muir, 7.27M) and NBC Nightly News Vi (3/29, story 9, 1:25, Holt, 5.9M) Monday evening. ## CDC Extends National Eviction Moratorium Through June. Axios (3/29, Saric, 1.26M) reports that in a statement on Monday, the CDC “extended its nationwide ban on evictions through the end of June.” The New York Times (3/29, Thrush, 20.6M) says the CDC’s extension was “widely expected,” and the Department of Housing and Urban Development “earlier this year extended its own moratorium on federally financed housing to June 30.” According to Politico (3/29, O'Donnell, 6.73M), “Monday’s extension makes no substantive changes to the policy, despite housing advocates pushing the administration to boost enforcement measures to prevent landlords from going around the moratorium.” The Washington Post (3/29, Swenson, 10.52M) says the extension comes “as the policy faces a growing number of challenges from landlords. Tenant advocates also question the policy’s effectiveness, particularly in states like Virginia, where evictions continue due to loopholes and misinformation.” EFTA00148306 The AP (3/29, Khalil, Casey) reports to be eligible for the protection, “renters must earn $198,000 annually or less for couples filing jointly, or $99,000 for single filers; demonstrate that they’ve sought government help to pay the rent; declare that they can’t pay because of COVID-19 hardships; and affirm they are likely to become homeless if evicted.” The CBS Evening NewsVi (3/29, story 9, 0:15, O'Donnell, 4.18M) provided similar coverage in a brief report Monday evening. ## Stocks Finish Mostly Lower, But Dow Posts A Record. The AP (3/29, Choe, Troise, Veiga) reports stocks finished “mostly lower Monday, pulling the S&P 500 slightly below the all-time high it set last week, while nudging the Dow Jones Industrial Average to another record high.” According to Reuters (3/29, Valetkevitch), “optimism over the economy limited the day’s declines.” The Dow climbed 98.49 points to 33,171.37, the S&P 500 fell 3.45 points to 3,971.09 and the Nasdaq closed 79.08 points lower at 13,059.65. Bloomberg (3/29, Papuc, 3.57M) and the Wall Street Journal (3/29, Otani, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provide similar coverage. ## Ballot-Counting In Amazon Union Election To Begin Tuesday. The Washington Post (3/29, Greene, 10.52M) reports although voting “in the high-stakes, high-profile union election at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama ends Monday,” the “final tally may days, or even weeks or months, to determine.” The vote, which the Post says is “one of the most important labor battles in recent history,” will not “be decided quickly.” The votes must be counted and “there are several opportunities in that process for both Amazon and the union to contest results.” The losing side “could challenge the results through the National Labor Relations Board or in court, which could delay the outcome for weeks if not longer.” The New York Times (3/29, Weise, Corkery, 20.6M) says counting will begin on Tuesday. The Times adds, “If the union prevails, workers fear that the company may shut down the warehouse.” ## WSJournal: Vermont Wants To Use Federal Aid For Pension Funds. A Wall Street Journal (3/29, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) editorial says Vermont’s budget has a surplus because the state received $1.3 billion from the Cares Act and is getting another $1.3 billion from the American Rescue Plan. The Journal says Democrats in the legislature want to put $150 million of the surplus into state pension funds though the federal law prohibits it and implement reforms. Meanwhile, state unions want to raise taxes to fund the pension rather than support the reforms. It is, the Journal says, an example of progressive government in action. ## China Warns Apparel Makers Not To Promote Xinjiang Forced-Labor Claims.
Reuters(3/29,Cadell) reports that on Monday,Chinese officials“said Sweden's H&M and other foreign brands should not make rash moves or step into politics after the companies raised concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang,sparking a furious online backlash and boycotts.”According to Reuters，“H&M,Burberry,Nike,Adidas and other Western brands have been hit by consumer boycotts in China since last week over comments about their sourcing of cotton in Xinjiang.”On Monday,Xinjiang government spokesman Xu Guixiang said,“I don't think a company should politicize its economic behaviour. ...Can H&M continue to make money in the Chinese market? Not anymore。”
The Washington Post (3/29, Dou, 10.52M) says the CCP has been “seeking to control the domestic narrative over Xinjiang, flooding social media platforms for days with official media posts defending the work conditions there” and “calls to boycott Western fashion brands.” According to the Post, China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying “has posted primarily about Xinjiang in recent days, with a dozen tweets defending its cotton industry and criticizing U.S. policies on Muslims since Sunday.” EFTA00148307 The New York Times (3/29, Zhong, Mozur, 20.6M) reports that in September, when H&M “said…that it was ending its relationship with a Chinese supplier accused of using forced labor, a few Chinese social media accounts dedicated to the textile industry took note. But by and large, the moment passed without fanfare.” However, the Times adds that “half a year later, Beijing’s online outrage machine sprang into action,” and “its wrath was unsparing.” According to the Times, “The Communist Party’s youth wing denounced H&M on social media and posted an archival photo of slaves on an American cotton plantation,” and “within hours, a tsunami of nationalist fury was crashing down upon H&M, Nike, Uniqlo and other international clothing brands, becoming the latest eruption over China’s policies in...Xinjiang, a major cotton producer.” ## Olsen Welcomes Biden’s Delay In Lifting Trump’s China Tariffs. Henry Olsen writes in the Washington Post (3/29, 10.52M) that after President Biden’s criticism of former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on goods from China during the campaign, it is “both surprising and welcome…that so far they are staying put.” Olden says Biden’s “change of heart is welcome because of the increasingly obvious threat Communist China poses to the United States and world. China’s government uses the wealth it receives from foreign trade to build its military and finance its global influence,” and “trade with the United States is a significant source of the wealth China is using to bolster its influence abroad.” Biden, Olsen argues, “should keep the pressure on China, and that means keeping the tariffs.” ## Supreme Court Reinstates Death Sentence For Tennessee Inmate. The Hill (3/29, Kruzel, 5.69M) reports the Supreme Court in an eight-to-one decision on Monday reinstated the death sentence of Anthony Hines, “a Tennessee inmate convicted of the 1985 murder of a hotel maid, reversing a lower court finding that the defendant had received unacceptably poor defense counsel.” The Hill says the Supreme Court “ruled that any shortcomings in Hines’s defense had failed to clear the high legal hurdle needed to set aside his conviction” and concluded that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals “had failed to adequately take into account all of the facts supporting Hines’s guilty conviction.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor “dissented without comment.” ## Romney Says He Will Not Vote For New Federal Gun Laws. The Salt Lake (UT) Tribune (3/29, Rodgers, 284K) reports Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) on Monday “indicated he will not support attempts to tighten federal gun laws in the wake of recent back-to-back mass shootings, although he’s open to working with his colleagues on improving background check technology.” Romney told the Tribune’s editorial board that he would “honor [his] commitment” not to vote for new federal gun legislation, which he “argued [is] more appropriate….at a state level.” Graham Says He Owns AR-15 To Defend Home Against "Gangs." USA Today (3/29, Mendoza, 12.7M) reports Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “said on ‘Fox News Sunday’ he would use his AR-15 to defend his home if needed, a comment that drew the ire of some gun control advocates.” He stated, “If there is a natural disaster in South Carolina where the cops can’t protect my neighborhood, my house will be the last one that the gang will come to because I can defend myself.” According to USA Today, “Gun control advocates were outraged by Graham’s comments, including Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, whose father died from gun violence.” A Washington Post (3/29, Bump, 10.52M) analysis says that Graham laid out “a very specific scenario, evoking a Rambo-esque Graham standing on his front porch spraying bullets at encroaching marauders – gang members, to use Graham’s specific evocation,” but “despite the specificity, it’s a familiar framing for such debates: I need to be able to protect myself in a what-if scenario.” However, the Post adds this scenario “is not the reality of South Carolina gun violence,” and asserts “it is safe to say, based on the numbers above and on past research, that EFTA00148308 it is more likely that a firearm in someone’s home will be used for a suicide than for self-defense in a police-free dystopia.” ## Education Department Cancels Student Debt For Some Students With Disabilities. The AP (3/29, Binkley) reports the Education Department on Monday announced that it “is canceling student debt for more than 40,000 Americans who were previously granted loan forgiveness because of disabilities but later had their debt reinstated after they failed to submit certain paperwork.” This loan forgiveness program “was created to help people who are ‘totally and permanently disabled’ and unable to generate significant income.” The Washington Post (3/29, Douglas-Gabriel, 10.52M) reports the Social Security Administration and Department of Education found about 400,000 individuals eligible for the loan forgiveness “and encouraged those borrowers to apply, but few did.” Thus, “nearly 70 percent of those eligible borrowers, who hold an estimated $14 billion in student debt, have not received relief, according to data the department provided Congress.” ## WSJournal Celebrates That States Are Seeing Progress With School Choice. A Wall Street Journal (3/29, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) editorial hails how the pandemic has pushed states to advance school choice reforms. ## Supreme Court To Hear Kentucky Abortion Case. The Washington Post (3/29, Barnes, 10.52M) reports the Supreme Court on Monday announced it “will decide whether Kentucky’s Republican attorney general can defend the state’s restrictive abortion law against the wishes of its Democratic governor.” The Post says that while the law “would effectively ban after 15 weeks a common procedure used to terminate a pregnancy in the second trimester,” the Supreme Court case “does not ask the court to reconsider its abortion jurisprudence.” The Post adds the Supreme Court will instead rule on “whether the appeals court was right to bar Attorney General Daniel Cameron from taking over the case to further challenge the ruling.” CNN (3/29, Vogue, Kelly, 89.21M) reports on its website that Cameron "sought to defend the law after the state's Democratic administration declined to continue doing so." Politico (3/29, Ollstein, 6.73M) reports the abortion case is the Supreme Court's first "with a newly fortified 6-3 conservative majority." ## WPost Criticizes Republican Officials For Blocking Americans From Access To Medicaid Expansion. A Washington Post (3/29, 10.52M) editorial says the past year “has been a landmark year for the Affordable Care Act. For the first time, due to the covid-19 epidemic, the safety net that Congress created 11 years ago has had to catch large numbers of Americans as they lose their jobs and their health-care insurance. Thankfully, President Biden wants the law to succeed, unlike his predecessor.” The Post calls out Republican officials in several states who continue to “block access for 2 million Americans.” The Post concedes that although “some holdout states appear to reconsidering” their opposition to Medicaid expansion, Florida and Texas are not, which means “more than 1 million low-income Americans will lack coverage that the federal government wants to provide them.” ## Administration "Still Struggling With A Surge Of Migrant Children." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (3/29, story 7, 1:40, Holt, 5.9M), Antonia Hylton reported that “despite opening more housing facilities, the Biden Administration is still struggling with a surge of migrant children at the border.” Hylton added, “According to new data obtained by NBC News, a record 5,400 unaccompanied children are now being held in border patrol’s jail-like facilities. Nearly 4,000 children are being detained longer than the 72 hours allowed by law. Here in Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol facilities are at 800% capacity.” EFTA00148309 On the CBS Evening NewsVi (3/29, story 5, 2:15, O'Donnell, 4.18M), Lilia Luiano reported the San Diego convention center “now housing 500 migrant girls between the ages of 13 and 17 who crossed the border alone. Another 250 are expected to arrive later tonight where they will stay until they can be reunited with family, a sponsor, or head to a long-term shelter.” According to Luiano, “It is part of the race to find space for the more than 18,000 unaccompanied migrant children now in US custody. The Department of Health and Human Services will open nine emergency facilities with more than 16,000 beds and is considering opening more sites for children.” Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times (3/29, Carcamo, 3.37M) profiles a five-year-old Honduran boy who has been separated from his family for a month since crossing the US border. Guatemala Announces New Border Restrictions. The AP (3/29) reports that Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday “decreed a ‘state of prevention’” on his country’s border with Honduras, “amid reports that a new migrant caravan may be forming in Honduras.” The AP adds Giammattei’s decree “would restrict open-air gatherings and demonstrations without permits, and will be in effect for two weeks in the five Guatemalan provinces along the border with Honduras.” New York Post Criticizes Administration’s Immigration Policies. A New York Post (3/29, 7.45M) editorial says that while President Biden last week tasked Vice President Harris “with leading the White House response to the near-record surge of migrants crossing the southern border,” her schedule “doesn’t have a single immigration-related meeting.” The Post concludes, “Biden & Co.’s only real priority is to do absolutely nothing to secure the border. After that, they’ve got nothing but confusion – including over who’s in charge of the crisis . . . if anyone is.” ## INTERNATIONAL NEWS ## WHO-China Report On Pandemic’s Origin Rules Out Lab Leak Hypothesis. The AP (3/29, Moritsugu, Keaten) reports that “a joint World Health Organization-China study on the origins of COVID-19 says that transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is `extremely unlikely.'” According to the AP, “The findings offer little new insight into how the virus first emerged and leave many questions unanswered.” The AP notes that the researchers “proposed further research in every area except the lab leak hypothesis.” Bloomberg (3/29, Krasny, Czuczka, 3.57M) says that on Sunday, “Top Biden administration officials...expressed concern about the way” the “pivotal” report was “crafted, including the possibility that the Chinese government had a hand in writing it.” Bloomberg reports that the Biden Administration “has maintained pressure on China and the WHO for weeks over what it has portrayed as a flawed investigation.” According to the New York Times (3/29, Hernández, 20.6M), “Critics have assailed the inquiry by the W.H.O. team as insufficient, saying the global health agency has been too deferential to Beijing.” The Times says Chinese scientists, “many of whom are affiliated with the government, helped oversee the inquiry, and the report was repeatedly delayed amid delicate negotiations with Chinese officials.” The Times also notes that “for months, China sought to delay the visit of the investigators in an apparent attempt to avoid scrutiny of its early mistakes in handling the pandemic.” The Wall Street Journal (3/29, Hinshaw, Page, McKay, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) covers the WHO-China teams findings in an article titled “WHO Report Into Covid-19 Origins Leaves Key Questions Unanswered.” The Washington Post (3/29, Rauhala, 10.52M) reports that on Monday, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “said ‘all hypotheses are open’ and warrant future study.” According to the Post, “Given China’s coverup of the outbreak in Wuhan, the WHO’s early praise for the country’s response, and the fact that it took a full year to get independent EFTA00148310 foreign experts on the ground, the critical but challenging search for clues faced skepticism from the start.” The Post adds, “Questions about Chinese interference will be hard to shake” considering that “much of the data was collected by Chinese scientists ahead of the visit and then analyzed by the joint team.” Bloomberg (3/29, Gale, Adghirni, Gretler, 3.57M) says the report’s “findings mirror what researchers said last month, at the end of their mission to Wuhan. … A spillover from bats via another animal is the most likely scenario in the report, followed by direct spillover. Introduction through frozen food was deemed possible, and a laboratory accident considered extremely unlikely.” Bloomberg adds, “The research center…wasn’t storing or testing coronaviruses or bat viruses ahead of the outbreak, the report said. The authors also said that the three laboratories working in Wuhan on coronaviruses and vaccines had high biosafety levels and there was no evidence of Covid spreading among workers there.” CNBC (3/29, 7.34M) reports on its website that “the closest relative of the virus that causes Covid-19 has been found in bats, which are known to carry coronaviruses. However, the report says that ‘the evolutionary distance between these bat viruses and SARS-CoV-2 is estimated to be several decades, suggesting a missing link.’” However, Keir Simmons reported on NBC Nightly NewsVi (3/29, story 3, 1:55, Holt, 5.46M) that critics “say the WHO team only made brief visits to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and never received all of the information they requested from Chinese officials.” Politico (3/29, Owermohle, 6.73M) points out that last week, former CDC Director Robert Redfield “said he still thinks the virus escaped a Wuhan lab.” On ABC World News TonightVi (3/29, story 4, 0:25, 6.92M), David Muir said that “China’s delay in allowing outside experts in has cast a shadow over the investigation.” ## WHO, Leaders Of 23 Countries Endorse Pandemic Treaty For Future Health Emergencies. Reuters (3/29, Strupczewski) reports the World Health Organization and the leaders of 23 countries on Tuesday “backed an idea to create an international treaty that would help the world deal with future health emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic now ravaging the globe.” The concept “of such a treaty, which would ensure universal and equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for pandemics, was floated by the chairman of European Union leaders Charles Michel at a G20 summit last November.” ## Canadian Health Officials To Stop Using AstraZeneca’s Vaccine For People Under 55. Reuters (3/29, Ljunggren, Martell) reports Canadian health officials “said on Monday they would stop offering AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to people under age 55 and require a new analysis of the shot’s benefits and risks based on age and gender.” Reuters says the suspension “affects both versions of the vaccine approved in Canada: One granted to AstraZeneca Canada, and a second for the Serum Institute of India (SII) – which is manufacturing its own version of the vaccine under license – and its Canadian partner Verity Pharmaceuticals.” Meanwhile, the AP (3/29, Gillies) reports Canada “received its first shipment of AstraZeneca this month – 500,000 doses from India,” and Axios (3/29, Perano, 1.26M) reports the US had been “set to send Canada 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines this week.” In addition, Bloomberg (3/29, Bolongaro, Bochove, Argitis, 3.57M) says the suspension “comes as new virus cases are on the rise: Canada reported an average of 4,352 new cases a day over the seven days ended March 28, up 23% from the previous week.” ## Cuba Has Developed Five Vaccine Candidates, Two In Late-Stage Trials. The Washington Post (3/29, Faiola, Herrero, 10.52M) reports Cuba is “on the cusp of a singular breakthrough: Becoming the world’s smallest country to develop not just one, but multiple coronavirus vaccines.” The Post says “five vaccine candidates are in development, two in late-stage trials with the goal of a broader rollout by May.” According to the Post, “Should they prove EFTA00148311 successful, the vaccines would be an against-the-odds feat of medical prowess – as well as a public relations coup – for an isolated country of 11 million that was added back to the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism in the final days of the Trump administration.” ## UK Begins Easing Lockdown. The New York Times (3/29, Landler, Castle, 20.6M) reports that even as Germany and France are “ordering people back into their homes,” the British government “moved on Monday to relax its strict national lockdown, allowing people to gather outdoors in groups of up to six people.” According to the Times, “The latest cautious steps, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, widened the gulf between how Britain and much of Europe have handled the latest phase of the pandemic. From the rate of vaccinations to new cases of the virus and hospital admissions, the two seem to be moving in opposite directions.” ## López Obrador Announces Autopsy Result For Murdered Prisoner. The AP (3/29, Verza, Aleman) reports Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador “said Monday that an autopsy of a Salvadoran woman who died in police custody confirmed that police broke her neck.” The examination “found `a fracture of part of the upper spinal column produced by the rupture of the first and second vertebra which caused the loss of the victim.” Reuters (3/29) reports López Obrador “said 36-year-old Victoria Salazar Arriaza had been subject to ‘brutal treatment and murdered’ after her detention on Saturday by four police officers in the tourist resort of Tulum on the Caribbean coast.” He vowed justice for Arriaza, saying, “It’s a situation that fills us with sadness, pain and shame.” The New York Times (3/29, Lopez, 20.6M) reports Arriaza “died on Saturday after being detained by the police in Tulum, a resort town on the Yucatán Peninsula.” Social media videos “show an officer kneeling on the woman’s back as she cried out.” The Los Angeles Times (3/29, 3.37M) reports that the attorney general of Quintana Roo announced the arrests of the four officers on Monday. The officers “were charged with feminicide, a special category of homicide linked to misogyny or sexism.” and conviction “could bring prison terms of between 20 and 50 years.” The Washington Post (3/29, Hassan, Sheridan, 10.52M) also reports. ## Thailand Begins Sending Ethnic Karen Back To Burma. The AP (3/29) reports that on Monday, “Thai soldiers began sending back some of the thousands of people who have fled a series of airstrikes by the military” in Burma. The AP says, “The weekend strikes, which sent ethnic Karen people seeking safety in Thailand, represented another escalation in the violent crackdown by Myanmar’s junta on protests of its Feb. 1 takeover.” According to the AP, “The violence by the Myanmar military – both on the border and in cities around the country – raised the question of whether the international community would respond more forcefully than it has thus far to a coup that ousted the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and reversed years of progress toward democracy.” Bloomberg (3/29, 3.57M) reports that the Karen National Union, “which controls an area in the southeast along the Thai border, confirmed Monday that about 10,000 residents fled to a safe zone last weekend.” Bloomberg reports that the airstrikes “came out in retaliation for an attack by ethnic Karen rebels on a base of the national army...in which 10 soldiers were killed and another eight were arrested.” Bloomberg adds, “The attacks came on the same day at least 114 people were killed in clashes with the military and police...sparking condemnation from governments around the world.” According to Bloomberg, “With the death toll now standing at nearly 500 over the past two months, the prospect of a wider fight with potentially dozens of armed militias risks even more bloodshed.” Reuters (3/29) reports, "Despite the violence, crowds turned out in towns across the country, according to media and social media posts. One of the main groups behind the protests, the General Strike Committee of Nationalities, called in an open letter on Facebook for EFTA00148312 ethnic minority forces to help those standing up to the ‘unfair oppression’ of the military. ‘It is necessary for the ethnic armed organisations to collectively protect the people,’ the group said.” According to the Washington Post (3/29, Mahtani, 10.52M), the Burmese military “targeting of children, civilians and peaceful protesters, human rights experts say, constitute acts of terrorism, designed to subjugate a population that has risen up against the army’s seizure of power.” The Post adds, “After an especially bloody weekend, protesters and human rights groups are calling for stronger action from the international community, and warn that children are at particular risk.” Reuters (3/29) reports that on Monday, the Kremlin “said...that it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar despite a high profile visit by Russia’s deputy defence minister to the southeast Asian nation to deepen military ties.” According to Reuters, “The visit, by Alexander Fomin, the deputy defence minister, drew strong criticism from rights activists who accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar’s military junta.” Reuters says junta leader Min Aung Hlaing “said Russia was a ‘true friend’ and welcomed the presence of Russian forces at the annual Army Day parade on Saturday, the bloodiest dav so far.” WPost Says US Must Expand Pressure Campaign On Burma. The Washington Post (3/29, 10.52M) argues that the latest massacres mirror the 1988 and 2007 crackdowns, but it warns that continued repression could result in a “Syrian-style civil war” as opposed to a return to peace. It calls on the international community to unite in protest against Burma’s military leadership in an effort to curtail the violence, and adds that the US should lead by widening the sanctions regime to include exports as well as foreign companies supporting the military. WSJournal: US Must Stand In Solidarity With Burmese Protestors. The Wall Street Journal (3/29, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) lauds US statements in support of Burmese protestors, but it warns that the escalating crisis risks the region as a whole. It adds that that while additional sanctions may not convince the Burmese junta to end its violent repressive measure, the US must continue to act in concert with its allies to end the violence. ## US Considering New Sanctions On North Korea. The AP (3/29) reports UN Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said the Biden Administration is “looking at ‘additional actions’ that the United Nations might take to respond to North Korea’s recent missile tests.” Thomas-Greenfield “wasn’t specific about what those actions might entail, but noted that the UN Security Council had met last week and renewed the mandate of experts who monitor sanctions against the North.” ## NYTimes Analysis: China Working To Build New World Order Not Beholden To US. The New York Times (3/29, Myers, 20.6M) says, “Only days after a rancorous encounter with American officials in Alaska, China’s foreign minister joined his Russian counterpart last week to denounce Western meddling and sanctions. He then headed to the Middle East to visit traditional American allies, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as Iran, where he signed a sweeping investment agreement on Saturday.” At the same time, President Xi Jinping “reached out to Colombia one day and pledged support for North Korea on another.” According to the Times, “Although officials denied the timing was intentional, the message clearly was. China hopes to position itself as the main challenger to an international order, led by the United States, that is generally guided by principles of democracy, respect for human rights and adherence to rule of law.” ## Australian PM Announces Cabinet Reshuffle Following Assault, Harassment Scandals. The New York Times (3/29, Cave, 20.6M) reports Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a cabinet reshuffling on Monday, “demoting two ministers tied to separate scandals, but keeping them in senior positions.” Defense Minister Linda Reynolds will “become the minister for government services,” while Attorney General Christian Porter will “give up that role while continuing to serve in the cabinet as the minister for science, industry and technology.” EFTA00148313 ## Politico Report: Biden Will Present Iran With Interim Nuclear Deal As Soon As This Week. According to Politico (3/29, Toosi, 6.73M), “If President Joe Biden is serious about rejoining the Iran nuclear deal, then the next few weeks could prove make-or-break,” and Biden Administration officials, “mindful of the increasingly unfavorable calendar, plan to put forth a new proposal to jump-start the talks as soon as this week.” Politico says Biden’s “proposal asks Iran to halt some of its nuclear activities, such as work on advanced centrifuges and the enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity, in exchange for some relief from U.S. economic sanctions.” Politico adds that both US and Iranian officials are “aware that if no breakthrough takes place over the next few weeks, little is likely to happen until September at the earliest, and that’s if the deal can be saved at all.” WSJournal: New China-Iran Economic Deal Shows Limits Of Biden’s Election. The Wall Street Journal (3/29, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) argues that the latest 25-year economic partnership signed between China and Iran shows that the election of Biden did not solve the world’s problems as well as the limits of US foreign policy thinking in both parties. The Journal warns that the growth of the Chinese-Iranian alliance will only threaten US interests as it continues to expand in the coming years. ## Hagel Dismisses May 1 Afghanistan Deadline As Unrealistic. The Hill (3/29, Mitchell, 5.69M) reports former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday dismissed May 1 deadline set by then-President Donald Trump to remove all US troops from Afghanistan as unrealistic. He told The Hill, “I think it’s time that we will have to leave and I think we will leave, but it has to be done responsibly.” Hagel also “called the Trump-era agreement ‘very irresponsible,’” but he “said the United States still must move to untangle itself from military commitments in the country.” ## Millions Of Syrians Face Starvation Amid Aid Shortfall. The AP (3/29, El Deeb) says that “despite the worsening humanitarian situation across warravaged Syria, it’s been getting tougher every year to raise money from global donors,” and “the aid community is bracing for significant shortfalls ahead of a donor conference that starts Monday in Brussels...co-hosted by the United Nations and the European Union.” According to the AP, “Nine out of 10 people live below the poverty line and in northwest Syria, close to three-quarters of the 4.3 million residents are food insecure.” ## UN Report Concludes Houthis Responsible For December Attack On Aden Airport. Reuters (3/29, Landay, Ghantous, Mourad) reports that UN sources say that a forthcoming analysis “found Yemen’s Houthis were responsible for a Dec. 30 attack on Aden airport that killed at least 22 people as members of the country’s internationally recognized government arrived.” The investigators “presented their report to the U.N. committee that oversees Yemen-related sanctions during closed consultations on Friday, but Russia blocked its wider release.” ## Report: Mozambique ISIS Militants Behead Residents Of Palma. The AP (3/29, Meldrum) reports that the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a new attack on the city of Palma, which “left beheaded bodies strewn in the streets.” The group said that the ISIS Central Africa Province led the operation. ## THE BIG PICTURE ## Headlines From Today's Front Pages. Wall Street Journal: EFTA00148314
Goldman, Morgan Stanley Limit Losses With Fast Sale Of Archegos Assets
Ship Stuck In The Suez Canal Is Freed
Coronavirus Was Supposed To Drive Bankruptcies Higher. The Opposite Happened.
NCAA Faces Showdown Over Player Compensation – And Future Of College Sports You're Going Back To The Office. What Happens To Your Nap Habit?
## New York Times: `Believe Your Eyes,’ Prosecutor Tells Jury On First Day Of Derek Chauvin Trial Biden Pushes Mask Mandate As CDC Director Warns Of ‘Impending Doom’ Virus Origins Remain Unclear In WHO-China Inquiry Why Transgender Girls Are Suddenly The GOP’s Culture-War Focus Biden Administration Announces A Major Offshore Wind Plan Biden’s Lesson From Past Green Stimulus Failures: Go Even Bigger ## Washington Post:
Biden Team Shifts Its Tax Strategy On Next Big Bill
Emotional First Day In Chauvin Trial
Signs Of A Virus Surge Multiply
Pro-Trump Groups Jockey For Donors
I'm Never Going To See My Son Again'
## Financial Times:
Credit Suisse And Nomura Warn Of Losses After Archegos-Linked Sell-Off
Suez Canal Ship Finally Free In Boost For Global Trade
What Is At Stake As Mozambique Conflict Flares?
Cameron Faces Probe Into Links With Greensill At Heart Of Government
## Story Lineup From Last Night’s Network News: ABC: Chauvin Trial; Chauvin Trial Analysis; COVID Update; CDC-Wuhan Report; Cuomo-Accusations; Suez Canal; Ghislaine Maxwell; Iowa State Crew Club-Boat Capsized; Reuniting With Pets. CBS: Chauvin Trial; Chauvin Trial Analysis; COVID Update; Tennessee-Floods; Border Crisis; Suez Canal; Cuomo-Accusations; Alaska-Helicopter Crash; Eviction Ban; Biden-Vietnam Memorial. NBC: Chauvin Trial; COVID Update; CDC-Wuhan Report; Cuomo-Accusations; Ghislaine Maxwell; Tennessee-Floods; Border Crisis; Georgia-Election Laws; Suez Canal; COVID-Vacation Rentals; North Carolina-High School Football. ## Network TV At A Glance:
Chauvin Trial-15 minutes, 55 seconds
COVID Update-9 minutes,0 seconds
Suez Canal-3 minutes,55 seconds
Cuomo-Accusations-3 minutes,25 seconds
## WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE ## Today's Events In Washington. ## White House: - President Biden — Signs the PPP Extension Act of 2021 into law; the Vice President and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration also attend. EFTA00148315 - Vice President Harris — Joins the President when he signs the PPP Extension Act of 2021 into law. ## US Senate: - Senate on recess from 26 Mar – 12 Apr ## US House: • House of Representatives on recess from 26 Mar – 12 Apr ## Cabinet Officers: ## Visitors: - No visitors scheduled. ## General Events: - Fed vice chairman speaks on Peterson Institute event (virtual) – Peterson Institute for International Economics virtual event with Federal Reserve Vice Chair Randal Quarles, discussing his work as chair of the Financial Stability Board (FSB); 9:00 AM - Heritage Foundation discussion on Russian interference in U.S.-Czech missile defense cooperation (virtual) – ‘Confronting Russian Interference in U.S.-Czech Missile Defense Cooperation’ Heritage Foundation virtual event, to discuss how Russia advanced its goals in the Czech Republic, and how the U.S. and NATO can work together prevent this from happening again. Speakers include National Institute for Public Policy Research Scholar Michaela Dodge, Czech Republic Ministry of Defense Security Expert Otakar Foltyn, and European Values Center for Security Policy Executive Director Jakub Janda: 10:00 AM - U.S. Supreme Court hearing – U.S. Supreme Court hearing: ‘TransUnion v. Ramirez’ （Whether either Article III or Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 permits a damages class action when the vast majority of the class suffered no actual injury, let alone an injury anything like what the class representative suffered?); 10:00 AM - - Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff visits a COVID-19 vaccination site in Silver Spring, Maryland with U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD); 10:00 AM - Washington Post Live discussion on ‘Reimagining a Just Society’ – ‘Opportunity in Crisis: Reimagining a Just Society’ Washington Post Live virtual discussion, with former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Democratic Rep. Marilyn Strickland, and Ford Foundation President Darren Walker; 10:00 AM - Army chief of staff discusses role in the Indo-Pacific (virtual) – ‘The Army in the Indo-Pacific’ Center for Strategic and International Studies online discussion, with Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville and Army Pacific Commanding General gen. Paul LaCamera; 11:00 AM - Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki; 12:30 PM - Dem Rep. Suzan DelBene discusses her Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act (virtual) – NDN webinar with Democratic Rep. Suzan DelBene, who discusses her EFTA00148316 Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act, legislation which would `create a national data privacy standard to protect our most personal information'; 1:00 PM - EPA White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council virtual meeting; 2:00 PM - CSIS discussion on Chinese security threats (virtual) – ‘Securing America’s Networks Against Chinese Security Threats’ Center for Strategic and International Studies online discussion, with Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr discussing the steps the agency should take to secure our 5G networks and address the use of Uyghur forced labor in the telecom supply chain. Other speakers include U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner Nury Turkel and Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow Dean Cheng; 2:30 PM Copyright 2021 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. Content is drawn from thousands of newspapers, national magazines, national and local television programs, radio broadcasts, social-media platforms and additional forms of open-source data. Sources for Bulletin Intelligence audience-size estimates include Scarborough, GfK MRI, comScore, Nielsen, and the Audit Bureau of Circulation. Data from and access to third party social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others, is subject to the respective platform’s terms of use. Services that include Factiva content are governed by Factiva’s terms of use. Services including embedded Tweets are also subject to Twitter for Website's information and privacy policies. The FBI News Briefing is published five days a week by Bulletin Intelligence, which creates custom briefings for government and corporate leaders. We can be found on the Web at BulletinIntelligence.com, or called at EFTA00148317