• Mexico, which recently revised its Covid-19 death toll 60 percent higher than previously reported, now has the world’s second highest number of deaths after the U.S. The number of deaths attributable to the virus totals over 320,000. Based on the more accurate count of coronavirus fatalities, Mexico’s mortality rate is 254.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, higher than the official rate of any other nation.
(“Mexico Revises COVID Death Toll Up 60 Percent,” BBC, March 29, 2021; “Some Mexicans Travel to the US for COVID Vaccinations,” NPR, March 26, 2021)
• Myanmar’s generals who led the coup that deposed the popularly elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi launched a new wave of violence on “Armed Forces Day,” firing live ammunition at anti-coup protesters in 40 cities, killing over 100 people. The junta also launched attacks on ethnic rebel-held areas, forcing 3,000 people to flee across the border into Thailand.
(“Myanmar’s Rising Body Count,” (Worldview), Washington Post, March 27, 2021; “Thailand Pushes Back Thousands Fleeing Myanmar,” CNN, March 30, 2021; “Myanmar Death Toll Mounts Amid Protests, Military Crackdown,” Associated Press, April 3, 2021)
• In the aftermath of the Republican 2020 sweep of the New Hampshire House and Senate, a major fight has erupted over an effort to make the Granite State a “right to work” state. Previously, Democrats had blocked the right-wing campaign to make New Hampshire the first Right to Work state in the northeast. The U.S. labor movement has much at stake in the fate of the “right to work” legislation, which is backed by the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity, the Libertarian “Free State Project” and out-of-state anti-union groups with very deep pockets.”
(“Right To Work Cleaves the Granite State,” In These Times, March 29, 2021; “House Labor Committee Votes Along Party Lines To Pass Right To Work Bill,” WMUR, March 30, 2021)
This week’s News Summary was narrated by Anna Manzo.
