(2021-04-14). Russia In Midst Of Worst Demographic Decline Since World War II — OpEd. eurasiareview.com The horrific increase in mortality rates among Russians, only part of which is the product of the coronavirus pandemic, pushed Russia in 2020 into the worst demographic decline since World War II and figures for the first months of this year suggest that that decline is continuing, Aleksandr Zhelenin says. | Indeed, if the rates registered since the start of this year continue, Russia will stand to suffer one million more deaths than births, a figure that there is little or no chance the return of migrant workers will compensate for and that could further accelerate the decline as it will produce a smaller coh…
(2021-04-14). Online events with Naomi Klein, Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn, Angela Davis & many others. indybay.org Here are some 2 dozen online events taking place over the next few weeks (and starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14), featuring people such as Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn, Vandana Shiva, Angela Davis, Dave Zirin, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, and many others. | These events are hosted from various locations all across the country, as well from Canada and the UK (however, the listed times are all for our "Pacific time zone"). Of course, feel free to share this info with others who might be interested in it.
(2021-04-14). Do We Have to Hate Lincoln Now? counterpunch.org These days it seems there are two kinds of progressives. Those who have spent months in Florida trying to rally Amazon warehouse workers to approve a union, and those on the San Francisco board of education who sought to rename certain schools after more politically correct progressive heroes. These recent stories out of San Francisco
(2021-04-14). Passing Climate Bills Without Labor Standards Won't Transition the Economy. truthout.org 
This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. | The failed unionization attempt at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, isn't just a setback for the labor movement, it is a setback for all progressive movements, especially the climate movement. Amazon
(2021-04-14). Israel Rejects ICC Investigation: What Are the Possible Future Scenarios? counterpunch.org 
The Israeli government's position regarding an impending investigation by the International Criminal Court of alleged war crimes committed in occupied Palestine has been finally declared by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "It will be made clear that Israel is a country with rule of law that knows how to investigate itself," Netanyahu said in a statement on April 8. Subsequently, Israel "completely rejects" any accusations that it has committed war crimes.
(2021-04-14). What are Turkey and the US Up to in Afghanistan? counterpunch.org 
The zeal with which Washington is soliciting Turkey's services to plot a way to normalize Afghanistan's Taliban raises some troubling questions. Acting on Washington's request, Turkey will be hosting high-level talks on the Afghanistan peace process this April to bring together the Afghan government and the Taliban. Turkey has appointed a special envoy to assume
(2021-04-14). Bonaire: BOPEC Bankrupt due to Dutch Inspectorate and Taxation. orinocotribune.com 
By Handsoffvenezuela.nl — Mar 26, 2021 | The sad story for the employees of Bonaire Petroleum Corporation (BOPEC) on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaàßao ends badly because of Dutch interference. BOPEC, owned by Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), has been severely harmed by illegal sanctions by US and Dutch institutions, and finally was taken over by the Netherlands, after a claim for bankruptcy by the Dutch tax authority. The hawks in Washington and The Hague can be satisfied, but their interference has been disastrous for many of our overseas compatriots. | Curaàßao | When Shell turne…
(2021-04-14). April 13, 2002: The Glorious Day of an Unprecedented Countercoup. orinocotribune.com 
Just 19 years ago, on April 13, 2002, Venezuela was the scene of an unprecedented event in history: the return to government of a president after an atrocious experiment in conservative restoration that failed to remain in power for more than 48 hours. | The coup plotters, after believing that their authority was decreed and obedience deserved, bitterly verified that after three years in the opposition, their ability to command had been impaired, and they misread the landscape of a new country that had emerged after 1998. | On April 13, 2002, the popular reaction against the coup of democracy took hold. The poor,…
(2021-04-14). The Clandestine War on Africa: France's Endgame in Mali. counterpunch.org 
In a recent report, the United Nations Mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, concluded that, on January 3, French warplanes had struck a crowd attending a wedding in the remote village of Bounti, killing 22 of the guests. According to the findings, based on a thorough investigation and interviews with hundreds of eyewitnesses, 19 of
(2021-04-14). Tangled up in Blue: Lessons for Police Reform? orinocotribune.com 
By Steve Early — Apr 2, 2021 | When I attended a Washington, D.C. law school in the early 1970s, everyone enrolled in its criminal law class was required to participate in the Metropolitan Police Department's "ride along" program. Then, as now, "ride along" allows local residents to accompany police officers, out on patrol, in order to get a first-hand view of what police work entails. | My pre-law school interaction with the MPD, during protests against the Vietnam War, had not been friendly. In 1969, I was nearly trampled by a mounted police officer at President Richard Nixon's inauguration. Later that sa…
(2021-04-14). Robot finds more warm water beneath Antartica's doomsday glacier. peoplesworld.org 
(2021-04-14). Ending the United States' 20-year war in Afghanistan. peoplesworld.org 
A war that never should have happened is finally coming to an end. By Sept. 11, 2021—twenty years to the day since the 9/11 terrorist attacks—the final U.S. troops will supposedly be leaving Afghanistan, according to an announcement coming from the Biden administration. It is the longest war in U.S. history. The latest pullout plan …
(2021-04-14). UAE arms deals: US moving forward with sales amid review. middleeasteye.net 
UAE arms deals: US moving forward with sales amid review | Biden administration says the pause on arms sale was routine for a new administration when coming into power | Wed, 04/14/2021 – 10: 12 | Some US congressmen fear the UAE is using America-made weapons in Yemen's civil war (Reuters) | The US will proceed to sell more than $23bn worth of arms to the United Arab Emirates after pausing…
(2021-04-14). 'Enables UAE's reckless conduct': Anti-war advocates slam $23bn US arms sale. middleeasteye.net 
'Enables UAE's reckless conduct': Anti-war advocates slam $23bn US arms sale | Citing the UAE's role in Yemen and Libya, arms experts and rights groups say the sale 'undermines stability in the region' | Wed, 04/14/2021 – 16: 22 | Israel is the only other country in the Middle East to be approved for F-35 purchases (AFP/File photo) | When the Biden administration announced in late January that it p…
(2021-04-14). Russian Forces To Establish Helicopter Pads, New Posts Between Raqqa & Deir Ezzor. southfront.org 
IMAGE: Marina Lystseva/TASS | Russian Forces are building a forward base with a helicopter landing zone along with a number of posts right on the border between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor in central Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on April 14. | According to the London-based monitoring group, the new base and posts are being built in the outskirsts of the town of Ma'adan Atiq."Russian forces have begun transferring equipment and logistical materials to their new base via helicopters," the group said…
(2021-04-14). China Enemy Number 1 In Annual U.S. Threat Assessment Report. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 13th, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released [pdf] The report reflects the collective insights of the Intelligence Community (IC), which is committed every day to providing the nuanced, independent, and unvarnished intelligence that policymakers, warfighter…
(2021-04-14). Russian Forces Return To Syria's Tell Rifaat After Temporary Withdrawal (Video, Photos). southfront.org 
Sergei Novikov/TASS | Russian forces have returned to the northern Syrian town of Tell Rifaat and its surroundings, which are controlled by Kurdish forces, after a widely-reported withdrawal. | On April 13, the withdrawal of Russian Military Police units was reported by the Hawar News Agency. According to the agency, the units withdrew from Tell Rifaat as well as from the nearby areas of Sherawa and Ksht'ar. | Later, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Syrian Arab Army and Iranian-backed…
(2021-04-14). Military Situation In Yemen On April 14, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 278 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On April 13, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on Saadah city | On April 13, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Sawadiyah area | On April 13, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Khab and Shaaf area | On April 14, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led fo…
(2021-04-14). Russian Forces Return To Syria's Tell Rifaat After Temporary Withdraw (Video, Photos). southfront.org Sergei Novikov/TASS | Russian forces have returned to the northern Syrian town of Tell Rifaat and its surroundings, which are controlled by Kurdish forces, after a widely-reported withdrawal. | On April 13, the withdrawal of Russian Military Police units was reported by the Hawar News Agency. According to the agency, the units withdrew from Tell Rifaat as well as from the nearby areas of Sherawa and Ksht'ar. | Later, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Syrian Arab Army and Iranian-backed…
(2021-04-14). Military Situation In Syria On April 14, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 14, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 17 times: 10 — in Idlib province, 5 — in Latakia province, 1 — in Hama province, 1 in Aleppo province | On April 13, US forces conducted a military patrol near the town of al-Malikiyah | On April 13, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions near Ras al-Ayn | On April 13, an explosion were reported in the town of al-Bab. No casualties were rep…
(2021-04-14). Concord Parks Need Reform. indybay.org The governance of parks in Concord needs to be reformed. A year into the Covid crisis, as we get vaccinated and progress back to "normal", Concord residents should look towards parks and nature for celebratory healing. However, new parks projects won't be possible without reformation and citizen action.
(2021-04-14). Video: Saudi Arabia's War on Yemen is Failing. Houthi Counter-Attacks. globalresearch.ca Yemen's Ansar Allah give the impression that it has an endless …
(2021-04-14). Taliban Won't Attend Peace Talks Until US Leaves Afghanistan. news.antiwar.com It is an announcement that's been coming for awhile, but in pushing back the final Afghanistan withdrawal date The effort to sell everyone on this pullout delay is that the peace process is behind schedule. The Istanbul conference was meant to kickstart that process, but that's n…
(2021-04-14). The Promise Of AI: Can It Hold For Environmental Sustainability? — Analysis. eurasiareview.com We need to be in a better position to do our homework and genuinely assess the environmental impact of digital technologies, including AI.: | By Cathleen Berger | We are in a climate crisis and we are living through a global pandemic that is severely affecting economic stability. Aware of the risk, that government incentives to boost growth post-pandemic may well undermine many of the necessary investments and reductions to mitigate the climate crisis, we increasingly hear calls for a "green recovery." Thereby, AI is often presented as a powerful solution to fuel this green transition. But is that true…
(2021-04-14). Headlines for April 14, 2021. democracynow.org Biden Announces U.S. Will Withdraw Its Troops from Afghanistan by September 11, Protests Continue After Police Killing of Daunte Wright as His Family Demands Justice, Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Continues with Defense Calling Its First Witnesses, Iran Ramps Up Uranium Enrichment Following Natanz Attack and Amid Talks on 2015 Nuclear Deal, White House Moves Forward with $23 Billion Weapons Sale to UAE, Russian Troops Amass on Eastern Border as U.S. and NATO Pledge Support for Ukraine, U.S. Sends Unofficial Delegation to Taiwan as China Warns Against Foreign Intervention, Burkina Faso to Try Ex-President Blaise Comp…
(2021-04-14). No, Biden ending the Afghanistan War isn't a Disaster: The disaster was Dropping 7,400 Bombs on the Country Annually. juancole.com President Biden announced Tuesday that he will completely withdraw US troops from Afghanistan around September 1. This move will bring to an end America's longest war, which still costs $50 billion a year. Imagine what that money could do for the US if it is invested in green energy and infrastructure. Worse, a lot of …
(2021-04-14). Video: Ramsey Clark on "Peace on the Korean Peninsula" globalresearch.ca Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark delivers an address on the threat of war in the Asia-Pacific at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on August 1, 2013. | The speech is part of a series of events held in Pyongyang, …
(2021-04-14). Anti-Chavismo Asks US Treasury (OFAC) for $53 Million to Pay Guaidó & Co. Salaries. orinocotribune.com The president of Venezuela's National Assembly (AN), Jorge Rodríguez, today revealed a new corrupt plot against the Venezuelan state involving former deputy Juan Guaidó and other representatives of anti-Chavismo. | At a press conference, Rodríguez presented a series of audio recordings that confirm a virtual meeting held by the opposition's Sergio Vergara (signatory of the agreement with the mercenary company Silvercorp, responsible for Operation Gideon) with former anti-Chavista deputies including Marco Aurelio Quinones, Winston Flores, and Freddy Superlano. | In the recordings, Vergara discusses an alleged budg…
(2021-04-14). Venezuelan Parliament Approves National Communal Parliament Law at First Reading. orinocotribune.com This Tuesday, April 13, the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) approved the Organic Law of the National Communal Parliament after the first reading. This law aims to create spaces within the People's Power where the various realities of each area of the country can be debated and linked to Parliament to deepen democracy. | "On a day like today, this Parliament gives the people of Venezuela a fundamental instrument to deepen participatory and protagonist democracy as it is set out in the Constitution. I ask the deputies that this Law be taken to the whole country for the ne…
(2021-04-14). US Diplomat Todd Robinson Expelled from Venezuela Now Nominated DoS Under Secretary for Anti-Narcotics. orinocotribune.com Former US Chargé d'Affaires in Venezuela, Todd Robinson, was nominated by President Joe Biden to…
(2021-04-14). An Unannounced Rupture in Venezuelan Politics. zcomm.org What clearly sets the Venezuelan people apart from most other peoples in the world is the recent memory of having participated in politics and of having had a government intervening on their behalf.
(2021-04-14). Biden Sends Personal Delegation to Taiwan as China Warns Against Boosting Ties. news.antiwar.com President Biden is The delegation includes former Senator Chris Dodd and former State Department officials Richard Armitage and James Steinberg. The delegation is expected to arrive in Taiwan on Wednesday. Th…
(2021-04-14). Monsanto Fined $289 Million for Failing to Warn Users of Glyphosate-Cancer Link. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published in 2018. | A San Francisco jury …
(2021-04-14). Russia Deploys Two Armies, Three Airborne Units to Counter Threat from 40,000 NATO Troops on Its Border. globalresearch.ca Major Russian officials today have warned of military threats posed by …
(2021-04-14). Ramsey Clark, Former Attorney General of the United States and Principled Critic of the U.S. Warfare State, Dies at 93. globalresearch.ca On April 9th, Ramsey Clark passed away at his …
(2021-04-14). Alabama: Miners vote down agreement, continue strike at Warrior Met Coal. fightbacknews.org Tuscaloosa, AL – Coal miners at Warrior Met Coal near Tuscaloosa, Alabama have been on strike for 13 days since the strike began on April 1. The miners are part of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). After recent negotiations the UMWA members received a contract offer that was good enough for them to go back to work. The miners opted not to ratify the offer and instead to continue the unfair labor practice strike. | UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts, "the UMWA will continue to strike at Warrior Met until an agreement can be reached that provides these miners what they deserve." | As this strike stretches int…
(2021-04-14). Time, Not Cheap Political Theater, is of the Essence. counterpunch.org Thankfully, the disastrous and benighted Montana legislative session is limping towards its ignominious conclusion, which cannot come soon enough for many, many Montanans. Meanwhile, in Congress Democrat "centrists" like Sen. Joe Manchin threaten to hold up the major measures President Biden is seeking to address the tidal wave of very serious threats to the nation
(2021-04-14). Remembering the "Shock and Awe" Macabre Show of 2003. peoplesparty.org 18 years ago this spring, the American people were subjected to an obscene form of TV disguised as news coverage, as the US brought war to the people of Iraq. We were invited to take a seat, pop the corn and watch the explosions on TV, meant to desensitize us to the criminal devastation of a country. | The CNN cameras were well situated in Baghdad, the producers knowing in advance the safe zones to catch a good angle of the incoming tomahawk and other missiles ($1.8 million each) raining on Baghdad and the resulting fire balls. The sky was alight with them, quite a show! | In our living rooms, offices and bars we…
(2021-04-14). Oshkosh, WI: Rally for justice for Daunte Wright. fightbacknews.org Oshkosh, WI — On April 12, people from the city of Oshkosh came out in outrage against the murder of 20-year-old Daunte Wright at the hands of Kim Potter, a police officer from Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. The shooting that occurred took place less than ten miles from the location where Derek Chauvin, a police officer from Minneapolis, murdered George Floyd. Chauvin's trial is ongoing. | Daunte Wright was allegedly pulled over for the air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror; later police claimed Wright had a warrant, which confused him, causing him to sit back down into his vehicle. While trying to fo…
(2021-04-14). Top Belarus commander warns of NATO build-up near Belarusian, Russian borders. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Top Belarus commander warns of NATO build-up near Belarusian, Russian bordersRick Rozoff The Belarusian Telegraph Agency reported today on a statement by the nation's top commander concerning the build-up of NATO military infrastructure on the borders of both his nation and Russia. Speaking at a meeting of the six-nation Collective Security Treaty Organization's (CSTO) Military …
(2021-04-14). Did US Spies Read Russian Lips In UN Security Council Chamber? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Thalif Deen* | The United Nations, along with the 193 diplomatic missions located in New York, have long been veritable battlegrounds for spying, wire-tapping and electronic surveillance. | When the UN Correspondents Association (UNCA) held its annual award ceremony in December 2013, one of the video highlights was a hilarious skit on the clumsy attempts at spying going on inside the highest levels of the Secretariat—and right up to the 38th-floor offices of then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. | When I took the floor, as one of the winners of the UNCA gold medals, I gave the Secretary-General, standin…
(2021-04-14). IMF projects Asia's economy to grow 7.6 pct this year, warns of 'huge uncertainty'. ecns.cn Asia's economy is expected to grow by 7.6 percent this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday, while warning of "huge uncertainty" surrounding the projections.
(2021-04-14). Huawei to invest $1 billion on car technologies in 2021. ecns.cn Huawei will invest $1 billion in its automotive business in 2021, with a focus on building components for smart vehicles, including self-driving software platforms.
(2021-04-14). Solving The Riddle Of Who Won The Second World War — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jonathan Power* | Who won the Second World War? If you go to the United Kingdom people will answer, we did, led by Winston Churchill. If you visit the USA people will say, we did, led by Franklin Roosevelt. If you go to Russia, people will say the Soviet Union did, led by Stalin. | They can't all be right. All three did to an extent, in as much as all three went flat out to defeat Hitler's Germany. | But it's fair to say that most historians in all three countries will say that the Red Army was the toppling force. The Soviet Union was also the one that by far suffered the most casualties, both military and…
(2021-04-14). Thursday 4/15: Northern California War Tax Resisters Redirect $60,000 of Tax Money on April 15 to Groups. indybay.org ZOOM Meeting ID: 848 6187 3552 Passcode: 739561…
(2021-04-13). Western Media Eager to See Ukraine Use US-Supplied Weapons Against Russia. news.antiwar.com With tensions simmering in eastern Ukraine, US media outlets are happy to push the narrative that Russia is the aggressor and is preparing to invade its neighbor. These reports ignore the fact that the Donetsk and Lugansk republics in the eastern Donbas region declared independence from Ukraine back in 2014 in response to a US-backed coup. | Since 2014, the US has provided Ukraine with about $2 billion in military equipment and supported its fight against the Donetsk and Lugansk separatists. Supporting a war on Russia's border is an incredible provocation, but these facts are lost on the Western press, and som…
(2021-04-13). Bill Gates' Global Agenda and How We Can Resist His War on Life. globalresearch.ca First published on Global Research on February 7, 2021 | In March …
(2021-04-13). Amazon Vote Shows Why We Need the PRO act. counterpunch.org Following one of the most high-profile union votes in history, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama — led by Black organizers — ultimately rejected efforts to form a union by 71 percent, according to the National Labor Relations Board. But for labor advocates, this fight is far from over. "The Amazon workers who
(2021-04-13). The Return of Northern Ireland as the Most Dangerous Open Wound in British Political Life. counterpunch.org 
On the night of 15 August 1969, a Protestant mob burst into the Catholic part of west Belfast and burned down houses in and around Bombay Street, forcing the Catholic population to flee. The pogrom had a traumatic impact on Catholics in Northern Ireland, delegitimising the authorities for tolerating or assisting the mob, and playing a key role in the creation of the Provisional IRA.
(2021-04-13). Anti-war Activist Visited by Police After Posting Embarrassing AOC Video. orinocotribune.com 
By Max Blumenthal — Apr 9, 2021 | An anti-war activist was visited by California Highway Patrol officers after posting video of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's bumbling comments on Israel-Palestine. The action, which AOC denies triggering, was initiated by a call to US Capitol Police. | As he waited for a food delivery at his home in Los Angeles on April 8, Ryan Wentz, an anti-war activist and producer for the online viral program Soapbox, heard two men calling his name from over his front gate. When he approached, he realized they were not delivery drivers, but police officers flashing badges of the Califor…