(2021-04-08). In Commune: The Che Guevara Commune (Part 2). orinocotribune.com By Katrina Kozarek — Apr 3, 2021 | In the second part of our episode, we look at how the Che Guevara Commune's economic development has improved its political reach and impact on the local community. | Outside of Venezuela, communes are a little-known aspect of the Bolivarian Revolution. Yet the development of the communal state is central to Hugo Chávez's 21st century socialism. | Through the In Commune series, Venezuelanalysis explores diverse rural and urban communes to help better understand what these highly controversial bodies mean, how they work, and what they could signify for the future of the B…
(2021-04-08). Court Upholds $10 Million Judgment Against Bolivian Leaders for 2003 Massacre. orinocotribune.com April 6, 2021, Miami — Yesterday, a federal judge rejected an attempt by Bolivia's former president, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, and former defense minister, José Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, to vacate a $10 million damages award against them for the massacre of unarmed Indigenous people in 2003. A jury found the former officials liable under the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) in April 2018, after a month-long trial that included six days of jury deliberations. The trial marked the first time in U.S. history that a former head of state sat before his accusers in a U.S. human rights trial. In an unusual move…
(2021-04-08). Pentagon campaign to recruit Vietnam as military ally against China exposed delusions of US war strategy. thegrayzone.com After convincing itself Vietnam would grant it access for missile bases against China, the Pentagon got a hard dose of reality. When the Pentagon began gearing up for a future war with China in 2018, Defense Department officials quickly realized that they needed access to Vietnamese territory for troops armed with missiles to hit Chinese ships in a US-China conflict. So they initiated an aggressive campaign to lobby the Vietnamese government, and even Communist Party officials, in the hope that …
(2021-04-08). Why Does Ukraine Want War? globalresearch.ca Ukraine wants war with Russia due to a combination of domestic …
(2021-04-08). The US War on Drugs is Driving the Displacement Crisis. counterpunch.org We are torn by images of unaccompanied minors and overcrowded facilities at our southern border, but few in the United States are asking why so many Central American families are so desperate to escape their own countries that they are willing to risk everything — including family separation. These migrants are not fleeing some Act
(2021-04-08). Shahid Buttar and Dan Kovalik. projectcensored.org Mickey's first guest is Shahid Buttar, who in 2020 ran against Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her seat in the House of Representatives; he speaks about prospects for progressive change in 2021. Then author Dan Kovalik returns to the program to discuss his latest work, "Cancel This Book," which warns of the dangers of 'cancel culture.' | Notes: | Shahid Buttar is a civil-rights lawyer; he's worked at public-interest organizations including the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In the 2020 election, he challenged long-time incumbent Nancy Pelosi for her seat in California's 12th Dis…
(2021-04-08). As Ukraine-Russia war threat grows, a reminder of who America's commander-in-chief is. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The stumbling, avuncular, addlepated, superannuated Joe Biden of 2021 is still the Joe Biden of 2002. Biden's Real Ukraine Scandal: Regime Change and War "I will continue with every fiber in my being to keep America involved with troops that can shoot and kill…." "I believe it is absolutely essential for American troops to be on the ground with loaded rifles and drawn bayonets."
(2021-04-08). Monetary Policy In America Is A Mess: Things Are Even Worse In Europe — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
By Brendan Brown* | High inflation takes off where political forces are too strong to permit the implementation of harsh remedial measures with respect to taxation and monetary policy such as to prevent an implosion of the national currency. In the contemporary global financial marketplace, there has been fluctuating concern about the US heading toward this point, albeit at a highly uncertain date, as evidenced by waves of attack last spring, summer, and autumn on the US dollar. In reality, though, the long-run inflation threat level is higher in Europe than the US. | Any substantial European remedial action s…
(2021-04-08). CO2 levels continue to rise as Biden's climate action falls far short. liberationnews.org 
On April 3, the Mauna Loa research station recorded atmospheric CO2 levels of 421.21 ppm — the highest ever recorded, far above the 1950s levels of 315 ppm and pre-industrial levels of 278 ppm. CO2 remains in the atmosphere and will continue to cause warming for 100 to 150 years — why without comprehensive action, …
(2021-04-08). Ukraine, U.S. drum up war threats against Donbass and Russia. mronline.org 
The USA has the unique condition of being a flagrant violator of human rights within its own borders and in practically every region of the world. No other nation has such a systematic record. Its massive control of media and communications hides this truth from its own people. | April 8, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-08). After the Chauvin Trial, Can Police Culture escape Toxic Masculinity and 'Warrior Cops'? juancole.com 
By Angela Workman-Stark | — The police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd is currently on trial in Minneapolis amid continued calls for defunding or abolishing police forces — not just in the United States, but in Canada and other places that have also grappled with police brutality. The problem with …
(2021-04-08). Western Media Incite Anti-Asian Racism When They Join in Cold War Against China. fair.org 
Over the past few weeks, the subject of anti-Asian racism has received an unusual degree of Western media attention, ever since a video showing the January 28 killing of
(2021-04-08). US Warship Sails Through Taiwan Strait as Tensions Rise. news.antiwar.com 
Ratcheting tensions in the region, the US sailed a warship through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday. The US Navy's Seventh Fleet said the guided-missile destroyer USS John McCain made the provocative passage. As usual, China said it tracked the vessel and denounced the US provocation. "The US move to send warship to sail through the …
(2021-04-08). Military Situation In Eastern Ukraine On April 8, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 7, 55 ceasefire violations were reported in Donetsk region, according to the OSCE | On April 7, 2 ceasefire violations were reported in Luhansk region, according to the OSCE | On April 7, artillery of the UAF targeted DPR positions near Vesyoloye | On April 7, artillery of the UAF targeted DPR positions near Leninskoye | On April 7, artillery of the DPR forces targeted UAF positions near Pisky | On April 7, artillery of the DPR forces targeted UAF…
(2021-04-08). In Video: Kurdish Forces Kill Two Turkish Soldiers In Occupied Afrin. southfront.org 
ALF fighters, illustrative image, By: Hawar News Agency (ANHA) | On April 8, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that two of its soldiers were killed in the northern Syrian area of Afrin. | The Turkish military and its Syrian proxies occupied Afrin following a heated battle with Kurdish forces in 2018. Since then, an insurgency has been ongoing in the area. | In an official statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that the soldiers, identified as Ahmet Akdal and…
(2021-04-08). Military Situation In Syria On April 8, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 8, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 38 times: 22 — in Idlib province, 10 — in Latakia province, 4 — in Hama province, 2 Aleppo province | On April 8, an IED blast targeted a Turkish military convoy on al-Bara-Ahsam road. No casualties were reported | On April 7, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Kansafra village | On April 8, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-b…
(2021-04-08). 15 Chinese Military Aircraft Fly Into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 7th, 15 Chinese military aircraft, including 12 fighter jets, The warplanes in question were eight J-10 fighters, four J-16 fighters, two KJ-500 airborne early warning and control planes, and one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft. | Analysts have linked this week's activity with the move south of China's Liaoning aircra…
(2021-04-08). Military Situation In Yemen On April 8, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | MORE ON THE TOPIC: |
(2021-04-08). 60 ISIS Terrorists Eliminated In Iraqi Airstrikes On Hamrin Mountains. southfront.org 
File image | On April 7, the Iraqi military announced that 60 terrorists of ISIS were eliminated in a recent wave of The airstrikes were carried out by F-16 warplanes of the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) on March 25. The airstrikes destroyed a network of tunnels and dens in the Hamrin Mountains, which are located along the administrative border between the provinces of Saladin and Kirkuk.
(2021-04-08). The Heat: Vaccine inequality and Brazil battles COVID-19. america.cgtn.com 
Vaccinations are ramping up in the U.S., but President Joe Biden warns the country is still in a war against COVID-19. Meanwhile, in Brazil, hospitals and morgues are being stretched to the limit, and the prognosis for other low-income countries is similarly grim, as vaccine distribution continues to be a major challenge.
(2021-04-08). The Capitol Raid And Pandemic Can Help Us Empathize With Venezuelans. popularresistance.org The January 6th raid on the Capitol and the pandemic that has upended the lives of every American seemingly have nothing to do with Venezuela. But the effects they had on U.S. political and economic stability offer a glimpse into what Venezuelans have been going through for the past several years of failed coups and sanctions. | Remember how January 6th felt? The shock, confusion and fear. The constant refreshing of Twitter feeds or eyes glued to cable news, watching a bunch of extremists attempt to overthrow the government. The not knowing what was going to happen next and whether it would impact our daily lives…
(2021-04-08). Vice President Delcy Rodríguez Explains Measures to Curb Economic Effects of the Pandemic. orinocotribune.com Faced with a worsening severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela and the world, which has troubled international markets and the Venezuelan economy—also affected by the blockade and the coercive measures imposed by the United States and Europe—the Venezuelan Executive has designed new policies with which to protect economic stability and maintain social services. | In this sense, the Executive Vice President of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, detailed this Wednesday, April 7, the set of economic and financial support measures for workers, families, micro and small businesses, which President Nicol…
(2021-04-08). What Should We Learn from India's Farmers' Protests? counterpunch.org Outside the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., a saffron-turbaned man distributes water bottles to families of protestors with signs reading, "No Farmers, No Food." The protest represents growing international concern, particularly from Indian diaspora communities, towards Indian farmers peacefully protesting recent farm bills that would deregulate Indian agriculture. As the protest concludes in D.C., my family and
(2021-04-08). Jorge Arreaza Rejects Peru's Comments About Venezuela Obstructing Voting for 20,000 Peruvians in Venezuela. orinocotribune.com The National Office of Electoral Processes of Peru (ONPE) denounced an alleged lack of cooperation by Venezuelan authorities in the organization of voting for Peruvians residing in Venezuela for the general elections on April 11. In response, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza denied the accusation, and assured that the State has not obstructed the right to vote for the over 20,000 Peruvians registered to vote in Venezuela. | In Arreaza's tweet, he shared a post by the former Peruvian ambassador to Venezuela (currently residing in Venezuela), Luis Raygada Souza-Ferreira, in which the latter shared…
(2021-04-08). Venezuela — La cárcel de la dignidad (II). globalizacion.ca I | Damos la bienvenida al mes de abril, tiempo de rebelión popular, de conmemoración de los diecinueve años de la hazaña protagonizada por el heroico Pueblo de Bolívar y de Chávez durante los días 11, 12 y 13 de este…
(2021-04-08). Russia conducts nationwide military exercises as Ukraine, NATO prepare for war. wsws.org Moscow is assessing its own fighting capacity and readiness, as Ukraine prepares for war and NATO conducts massive military exercises across Europe.
(2021-04-08). Ukrainian President Headed to War Zone as U.S., Allies Push NATO Membership. globalresearch.ca The pro-government press in Ukraine has announced that
(2021-04-08). The iWars Survey: Mapping the IT Sector's Involvement in Developing Autonomous Weapons. globalresearch.ca A
(2021-04-08). Toxic air pollution has dropped over the last two decades in California. nationofchange.org Better refined fuels, moves toward electric vehicles, and better public transportation can make the air pollution issue even better over the next decade.
(2021-04-08). Taiwan threatens to shoot down Chinese drones amid mounting US-China conflict. wsws.org Encouraged by the US, Taiwanese officials are escalating their war rhetoric as provocative US military exercises in the region threaten to precipitate a clash with Chinese forces.
(2021-04-08). Washington brings Syria's Al Qaeda in from the cold. wsws.org US media promotion of Syria's former Al Qaeda affiliate is a clear warning that Washington is preparing to escalate its bloody decade-old intervention.
(2021-04-08). Britain Participated in Iraq's March Offensive Against ISIS. news.antiwar.com Details continue to emerge in the 10-day offensive against ISIS in Makhmur Mountains in northern Iraq. The 27 ISIS were reported killed in the strikes, with most of the casualties coming from airstrikes against caves in the area. There were 312 airstrikes reported by Iraq, and it is not clear how many of these were British. | Britain said the strikes were carried out by three Typhoon FGR4 jets, and o…
(2021-04-08). Report: Biden May Expel Russian Diplomats and Impose More Sanctions. news.antiwar.com According to One unnamed source told Bloomberg the moves could involve sanctions on individuals close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the expulsion of Russian diplomats the US will claim have ties to Russian intelligence. | The actions would be framed as "retaliation" for the hack of the software firm SolarWinds and alleged election interference. Both accusations are entirely unfounded, as the US has failed to pr…
(2021-04-08). US Delivers Military Cargo to Ukraine as it Hypes Russian Military Movements. news.antiwar.com While hyping the movement of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine, the US has delivered multiple military shipments to Kyiv. A Newsweek report that cited local media said that over the past two weeks, the US had made three military cargo deliveries to Ukraine. On March 25th, 350 tonnes of cargo was delivered by ship …
(2021-04-08). Report: US Agrees to Withdraw Combat Forces From Iraq, Timetable Not Clear. news.antiwar.com According to The report cited an unnamed Iraqi negotiator and said the timetable on the withdrawal would be determined at a later date. "Timelines for withdrawal will be agreed upon later thr…
(2021-04-08). IAEA to Delay Talks on Iran Uranium Traces to Focus on Bigger Deal. news.antiwar.com IAEA to Delay Talks on Iran Uranium Traces to Focus on Bigger Deal | IAEA doesn't want to risk progress in detente…
(2021-04-08). Israeli Warplanes Attack Syrian Capital, Wounding Four Soldiers. news.antiwar.com Syrian state media is reporting that Israeli warplanes operating in Lebanon attacked the capital city of Damascus overnight, with Syrian air defenses were quick to activate during the attack, and Syria reported that they were able to shoot down most of the missiles before anything was hit. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the attacks were aimed at a military post. | Lebanon's al-Manar TV reported that air defense missiles were heard exploding near the border. The…
(2021-04-08). Report: Israeli Spy Chief Headed to Washington to Work Against Iran Deal. news.antiwar.com According to a report from Israeli TV, Israel's Channel 13 reported on Wednesday that Cohen will be making the trip in the coming days and is expected to meet with senior White House and US intelligence officials. The report said Israel is trying to arrange a face-to-face meeting between Cohen and Biden. | Cohen is expected to claim that Iran is hiding deta…
(2021-04-08). Russia To Protect Donbas Residents if Needed: Kremlin Warns. telesurenglish.net Kremlin Deputy Chief of Staff Dmitry Kozak on Thursday warned that Russia will be forced to defend residents in Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic (the Donbas) if there is a need to do so. | RELATED: | Such a decision will depend on the scale of violence in the region, Kozak said, adding that the "armed formations" in Donbas are experienced and currently able to defend themselves without external assist…
(2021-04-08). Ukrainian president rallies frontline troops after meeting with NATO Military Committee chief. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Ukrainian president rallies frontline troops after meeting with NATO Military Committee chiefRick Rozoff This morning the Ukrainian English-language press confirms that President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived on the front line between government troops and the independent Donbass region of former Eastern Ukraine. While there he presented awards to service members and pledged to "remember every …
(2021-04-08). Israel will not cooperate with ICC probe, government says. middleeasteye.net 
Israel will not cooperate with ICC probe, government says | Israel says the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes | Thu, 04/08/2021 – 19: 41 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously called the ICC's efforts to investigate Israel 'pure antisemitism' (AFP/File photo) | Israel will formally notify the International Criminal Court (ICC)…
(2021-04-08). 'Ecocide' Movement Pushes For A New International Crime. popularresistance.org In 1948, after Nazi Germany exterminated millions of Jews and other minorities during World War II, the United Nations adopted a convention establishing a new crime so heinous it demanded collective action. Genocide, the nations declared, was "condemned by the civilized world" and justified intervention in the affairs of sovereign states. | Now, a small but growing number of world leaders including Pope Francis and French President Emmanuel Macron have begun citing an offense they say poses a similar threat to humanity and remains beyond the reach of international criminal law: ecocide, or widespread destruction…
(2021-04-08). Back to the Future at the Pentagon. tomdispatch.com The future isn't what it used to be. As a teenager in the 1970s, I watched a lot of TV science fiction shows, notably Space: 1999 and UFO, that imagined a near future of major moon bases and alien attacks on Earth. Movies of that era like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey envisioned colossal spaceships and space stations featuring international crews on mind-blowing missions to Jupiter and beyond. Who'd have thought that, 20 years after Kubrick's alternate reality of 2001, we humans would effectively be marooned on a warming "sixth extinction" planet with no moon bases and, to the best of my knowledge, no a…
(2021-04-08). The Future Of Australian Universities. zcomm.org The approach by the University of Melbourne is a template of savagery. In September last year, some 200 professors who sit on the academic board issued a warning at the imminent loss of 450 jobs…
(2021-04-08). Daniel Ellsberg at 90 — "It's Still Possible to Save Humanity" zcomm.org It will take a miracle to avoid catastrophic climate change and nuclear war, but it's still possible we can create such a miracle…
(2021-04-08). Venezuela Rolls Out Economic Support as COVID-19 Infections Spread. zcomm.org The measures include a ban on evictions, a special "stay at home" benefit for two million private-sector workers, and a one-time benefit for 15 million people…
(2021-04-08). Feminism, war and racism. zcomm.org 'Above all, we have to ask ourselves what have we achieved?'
(2021-04-08). Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jody Williams Slams Biden Admin for Claiming Landmines Are a "Vital Tool" democracynow.org 
The Biden administration is facing criticism from human rights groups after it announced this week it will leave in place a Trump-era policy to allow military commanders to use landmines across the globe. A Pentagon spokesperson described landmines as a "vital tool in conventional warfare" and said restricting their use would put American lives at risk, despite Biden's campaign promise to promptly roll back Trump's policy. Jody Williams, recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, says landmines were invented "in order to maim people" and have a devastati…
(2021-04-08). Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jody Williams Slams Biden Admin for Claiming Landmines Are a "Vital Tool" democracynow.org The Biden administration is facing criticism from human rights groups after it announced this week it will leave in place a Trump-era policy to allow military commanders to use landmines across the globe. A Pentagon spokesperson described landmines as a "vital tool in conventional warfare" and said restricting their use would put American lives at risk, despite Biden's campaign promise to promptly roll back Trump's policy. Jody Williams, recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, says landmines were invented "in order to maim people" and have a devastati…
(2021-04-08). "Vaccine Passports": ACLU Warns of Privacy Nightmare That Could Create "Two-Tiered Society" democracynow.org 
As people try to find a safe way to gather and travel during the pandemic, there is growing interest in documenting who has been vaccinated or tested negative for COVID-19. The World Health Organization has warned so-called vaccine passports may not be an effective way to reopen, and healthcare professionals argue vaccine certificates may further exacerbate vaccine inequality. New York is already testing a digital vaccine passport app made by IBM called the Excelsior Pass, while countries including the U.K. and Israel have issued their own versions of electronic vaccine certificates. The U.S. government has ruled…