Monthly Archives: April 2021

2021-04-03: News Headlines

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2021-04-03). The US-NATO War of Aggression against Yugoslavia. globalresearch.ca The US-NATO War of Aggression against Yugoslavia : | . | by Michel Chossudovsky: | Centre for Research on Globalization, | Global Research E-Book Series, | | Montreal, March 2021 | . | Copyright, Centre for Research on Globalization. 2021 | . | . |
| . | Preface: | . | Twenty-two years ago in …

orinocotribune (2021-04-03). La Victoria and El Ripial Calm and Under Military Protection (Apure State). orinocotribune.com The commander of the Strategic Integral Defense Region (REDI) Los Llanos, General Alejandro Guevara Hernández, reported that the people of El Ripial, La Victoria and other areas of the Apure state are "calm and under the protection of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB)." | He also informed that the inhabitants of these communities are receiving food, medicine and other necessary items from the social programs of the Venezuelan government. In addition, electrical services and water supply in the regions have already been restored. | La FANB continua desplegada garantizando la paz, la tranquilidad y en cons…

orinocotribune (2021-04-03). Latest Developments in Apure: Families Displaced in Border Clashes Return to Their Homes in El Ripial. orinocotribune.com Inhabitants of El Ripial town in Apure state, who were displaced due to clashes between the Venezuelan military and Colombian paramilitary gangs over the last few days, are returning home with support from the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) deployment protecting the border zones. El Ripial is one of the localities from which the Venezuelan military has expelled Colombian armed narco-paramilitary gangs. This follows violent actions committed by the said criminal groups, reported from multiple locations close to the Colombia-Venezuela border in Apure. | Last week, facing violence from the Colombian narco-te…

WSWS (2021-04-03). Baltimore Amazon workers: Amazon must provide all information relating to the death of Poushawn Brown! wsws.org Amazon should reveal all information it has regarding the working conditions and potential exposure of former warehouse COVID-19 tester Poushawn Brown to the appropriate authorities and the Brown family.

Philip Giraldi (2021-04-03). The Endless War: Afghanistan Goes on and on. globalresearch.ca Given the present atmosphere in Washington in which there is no …

Arab News (2021-04-03). Why Myanmar's Massacres Shame The World — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Yossi Mekelberg* | When representatives of all UN member states met in 2005 for the World Summit, billed at the time as the "largest gathering of world leaders in history," and passed a resolution that set out the parameters for the Responsibility to Protect populations (R2P) from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, there was an air of togetherness and optimism that the journey toward eradicating these horrific phenomena had begun. | In the intervening years, this hope has been dented time and time again when such atrocities have been committed by some of the very countries t…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2021-04-03). Violence Escalates on the Border Between Venezuela and Colombia. globalresearch.ca Once again, tensions are rising on the border between Venezuela and …

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-03). Fake News Warfare in Venezuela: Now an Alleged Morgue Collapse Due to COVID-19. orinocotribune.com Friday, April 2, social media networks in Venezuela were once again the center of a debate in which users revealed a case of fake news. The action began with photographs that were circulated depicting an alleged "COVID-19 death surge" in the Bello Monte morgue in Caracas. | The issue became a trending topic at a time when the country is going through a second wave of coronavirus infections. On the same day, for example, 1,254 new positive cases, and 13 deaths from the illness were reported. |

FPIF (2021-04-03). Is The Long War Finally Ending? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By John Feffer* | In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had The percentages on the piece of paper referred to the amount of influence that the Sovi…

VOA (2021-04-03). Al-Shabab Attacks Military Bases In Southern Somalia. eurasiareview.com By Harun Maruf | The militant group al-Shabab has launched attacks on Somali military forces in Lower Shabelle region, Somali regional officials said. | The attacks in the early hours of Saturday, around 4 a.m. local time, targeted military bases in the towns of Barire and Awdhegle in southern Somalia. | Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attacks. | The forward operating bases are manned by the Somali military to protect several bridges along the Shabelle river that authorities say are key to keeping vehicles carrying explosives from entering Mogadishu. Attacks started off with suicide car bombs on both…

teleSUR (2021-04-03). Bolivia Thanks Public Letter Rejecting Foreign Interference. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's President Luis Arce welcomed a public letter from several Latin-American politicians who rejected the interference performed by the U.S. and the Organization of American States (OAS) on his country's domestic affairs. | RELATED: ' | The letter was signed by 12 former presidents, eight former foreign ministers, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and 20 other personalities. | Among the signatory were Brazil's former P…

orinocotribune (2021-04-03). Venezuelan Minister for Defense: Colombia is Using PsyOps and Media Warfare to Undermine Venezuelan Army. orinocotribune.com This Friday, April 2, Venezuelan Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, denounced the use of psyops and media manipulation on the part of the Colombian government to defend its economic interests, create unrest among the Venezuelan population, manipulate public opinion at the international level and thus destabilize Venezuela. | On his Twitter account @vladimirpadrino, he wrote that "this conflict, in which the Republic makes legitimate use of its weapons to expel the groups that want to use our territory for bastard purposes, is accompanied by other weapons that seek various objectives: | 1 Defend the eco…

_____ (2021-04-03). Is The Long War Finally Ending? popularresistance.org In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, and Churchill agreed. The deal remained secret for nearly a decade. | The percentages on the piece of paper referred to the amount of influence that the Soviet Union and the West would wield in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece, with the first three countries falling in the Soviet sphere, control divided evenly in…

Michael Snyder (2021-04-03). As Russian Tanks Move Toward Ukraine, the Globe Braces for the Possibility that World War 3 Could Soon Erupt. globalresearch.ca At this hour, more Russian military forces are massed near Ukraine's …

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-03). Stop NATO archives: Articles. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Stop NATO articles 2009-2014 The following are available at the link above: Africa: Laboratory and Battleground for Pentagon's 21st Century WarfareMay 29, 2014 Second Stage Interoperability: NATO Trains For Combat In EuropeMay 26, 2014 U.S. Tests Advanced Missile For NATO Interceptor SystemMay 23, 2014 NATO, U.S. Seek to Consolidate Western Military Blockade of Russia in …

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-03). Coal mine workers in Alabama strike over failed contract talks. peoplesdispatch.org More than 1,100 mine workers at Warrior Met Coal have gone on strike over the company's failure to reach a consensus with the workers over the new contracts that went into effect on April 1.

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-03). Biden, Pentagon, NATO signal readiness to go to war against Russia over Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Biden, Pentagon, NATO signal readiness to go to war against Russia over UkraineRick Rozoff Recent press releases from the White House, the Defense Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization uniformly communicate the message that the U.S. and NATO are willing, and perhaps are preparing, to enter into armed conflict with Russia over their joint …

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-03). Georgia: a new Caucasus war could be part of Biden's unfinished business. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Georgia: a new Caucasus war could be part of Biden's unfinished businessRick Rozoff For well over a decade the White House, the State Department, the Defense Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have been jointly preparing Ukraine and Georgia for NATO membership. Throughout that process one of the main architects and executors of the …

Anonymous103 (2021-04-03). Interview With Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycƒ± On Maritime Security And Naval Development In Turkey. southfront.org Illustrative image | The interview with Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycƒ±, Chief of Staff of the Turkish Republic's Naval Forces 2017-2020, originally appeared at Arms Exports 2021 #1, translated by AlexD exclusively for SouthFront. | How do you see the threats to Turkey's maritime security in the near and long term?: | Turkey has faced threats to its maritime security since the early years of the Republic. Although many issues relating to the Adalar (Aegean) Sea were resolved by the Lausanne Peace…

Anonymous669 (2021-04-03). Mali: Four UN Peacekeepers, Two Soldiers Killed In Two Separate Attacks (Photos). southfront.org Click to see full-size image. Source: echosmedias.org | On April 2, four UN peacekeepers, two Malian soldiers were killed and several others were injured in two separate terrorist attacks in Mali. | The peacekeepers were killed in a large attack by gunmen on base of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in the eastern area of Kidal. According to a statement by the MINUSMA, the gunmen, who are yet to be identified, were heavily armed."Heavily armed terrorists carried out an a…

Anonymous103 (2021-04-03). The Saker: Drums Of War In The Ukraine (Open Thread). southfront.org Click to see full-size imageEastern Ukraine is close to become an escalation point for the next full-scale war, which has the potential not only to destabilize the European region, but also to involve all the leading world powers, becoming a global military conflict. SouthFront is closely monitoring developments in the Donbass region and we are concerned about the sharp increase in military activity there. | Our friend The Saker launched an open thread with the most relevant information and discussion of the s…

Anonymous669 (2021-04-03). Saudi-led Coalition Claims It Foiled Houthi Attack With Booby-Trapped Boat. southfront.org Illustrative image, Via: al-Arabiya | On April 3, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had thwarted an attempt by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) to carry out an attack with a booby-trapped boat. | In a statement, the coalition said that the water-borne Improvised Explosive Devices (WBIED) was destroyed off the shores of the town of al-Salif on Yemen's western coast from a safe distance."The Houthi militia threat to shipping lines and global trade continues … The militia uses the Stockholm Agreement [which imposed a…

Anonymous103 (2021-04-03). Artillery Fire, Drone Attacks, Child Killed. Did War In Ukraine Begin? (Videos, Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | The situation in Eastern Ukraine remains tense for weeks already. The ceasefire violations take place on a regular basis. However, the recent days, the situation seems to get worth. Taking into account the on-going deepening of the political crisis, the large-scale military escalation is expected in the nearest future. Or has it already begun? | According to the special statement by Public Militia of Donetsk People Republi (DPR), on April 3, Ukrainian sold…

King, Breaking Silence Project (2021-04-03). Sunday 4/4: 'Breaking The Silence': MLK JR's Anti-War Speech & Anniversary of His Assassination. indybay.org Online event w/ ASL + Spanish translation…

_____ (2021-04-03). Vaccine Nationalism Is Putting World Health At Risk. popularresistance.org It's 9: 21pm, and the phones of journalists across South Africa are buzzing. The health department has just released the country's daily Covid-19 statistics in a WhatsApp message. | 'We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased.' The single line has been repeated in every statement, every night, for the last year. | Officially, 52,846 people in the country of almost 59 million have died of Covid-19 since the epidemic began in March. But experts warn that the true death toll could be in the hundreds of thousands. Today, just 0.4 percent of So…

Vijay Prashad (2021-04-03). The Vaccine Must Be a Common Good for Humanity. zcomm.org Nearly three million people have reportedly been killed by the novel coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) and upwards of 128 million people have been infected by the virus…

_____ (2021-04-03). The Vaccine Must Be A Common Good For Humanity. popularresistance.org Nearly three million people have reportedly been killed by the novel coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) and upwards of 128 million people have been infected by the virus, many with long-lasting health repercussions. Thus far, roughly 1.5% of the world's population of 7.7 billion have been vaccinated, but 80% of them are from only ten countries. In February, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research warned about the 'medical apartheid' that has shaped the vaccine roll-out. | Since 1950, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has celebrated Global Health Day on 7 April. Each year, the WHO choses a different theme for the day…

Ietza Bojorquez, Báltica Cabieses, Carlos Arósquipa, Juan Arroyo, Andrés Cubillos Novella, Michael Knipper, Miriam Orcutt, Ana Cristina Sedas, Karol Rojas (2021-04-03). [Comment] Migration and health in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. thelancet.com COVID-19 has created a syndemic scenario that is deepening pre-existing structural inequalities for migrants in Latin American countries (LACs).1,2 LACs have been severely affected by COVID-19, and migrants are among the populations most impacted by the heightened humanitarian crisis across the region. Socioeconomic inequalities between migrants and local people have widened, and there are fears that progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be reversed.

_____ (2021-04-03). Why Is The United Kingdom Raising Its Nuclear Stockpile Limits? popularresistance.org On March 16, the United Kingdom announced it was significantly raising a self-imposed cap on its overall nuclear stockpile, from a previous target of 180 warheads by the mid-2020s to a new cap of 260. The decision was outlined in the United Kingdom's Integrated Review, a landmark strategic update, which also said the country will no longer declare the size of its operational warhead stockpile (previously 120), or the numbers of warheads and operational missiles deployed on submarines (previously 40 and no more than 8, respectively). A previous review in 2015 had left open the possibility of a future change in nuc…

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-03). Biden, Pentagon, NATO Signal Readiness to Go to War Against Russia Over Ukraine. news.antiwar.com Recent press releases from the White House, the Defense Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization uniformly communicate the message that the U.S. and NATO are willing, and perhaps are preparing, to enter into armed conflict with Russia over their joint client regime in Ukraine. On April 1 U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a …

orinocotribune (2021-04-02). Two More Venezuelan Soldiers Killed by Colombian Paramilitaries in Apure. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, April 1, two Venezuelan soldiers died as a result of the detonation of a landmine by Colombian criminal groups upon a patrol operating in the El Ripial sector of José Antonio Páez municipality, in Apure state, where the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) is executing operation Bolivarian Shield 2021 against drug trafficking and paramilitary cells, which intend to enter Venezuelan territory to expand their criminal networks. | "We report that First Sergeant Andriel Istúriz Sojo and Second Sergeant Jesús Alexander Vásquez Pérez died today," read a statement by the Venezuelan ministry for defense…

Editor2 (2021-04-02). The War Scenario in Apure is Transferred to the Media and Social Media Networks. orinocotribune.com By Misión Verdad — Mar 30, 2021 | Since the beginning of the clashes last Sunday, March 21, between Venezuelan state security forces and armed groups operating in Apure, on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, attempts were made to construct a false narrative aimed at criminalizing the government of President Nicolás Maduro and involving secondary actors. | The discourse framework promoted hours after the events was that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) had bombed the civilian population of La Victoria, a border town in the Venezuelan plains state, and was confronting an alleged faction of the disside…

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-02). Far Right Cries Out for Foreign Intervention Due to Colombian Paramilitary Attacks in Apure. orinocotribune.com In the midst of the struggle by Venezuelan security and defense agencies to expel the threat of Colombian paramilitary gangs from the state of Apure, the spokespeople for Venezuela's extreme right are again launching requests for foreign intervention and military interference in Venezuela. | Since the first skirmishes against criminal organizations were recorded in the border area of La Victoria in Apure state, on March 21, calls for foreign interference proliferated on social media networks, in addition to censure of the work of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB). | One of the representatives of the opp…

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-02). Credit Suisse's 'Suspicious' Forecast for Venezuelan Economy: 4% Growth in 2021. orinocotribune.com In an economic forecast made public by the controversial AP journalist Joshua Goodman last Friday, March 26, which could be defined as a suspicious and unusual compliment, the Credit Suisse bank foresees the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to have a GDP increase of 4% in 2021. | The forecast is a surprise because the international financial institution considers the fact that the South American country is subject to a commercial and financial blockade, to which private corporations such as Credit Suisse itself capitulates, under the direction of the United States government and the European Union. | "We project…

Editor2 (2021-04-02). The War Scenario in Apure is Transferred to the Media and Social Networks. orinocotribune.com By Misión Verdad — Mar 30, 2021 | Since the beginning of the clashes last Sunday, March 21, between Venezuelan state security forces and armed groups operating in Apure, on the Colombian-Venezuelan border, attempts were made to construct a false narrative aimed at criminalizing the government of President Nicolás Maduro and involving secondary actors. | The discourse framework promoted hours after the events was that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) had bombed the civilian population of La Victoria, a border town in the Venezuelan plains state, and was confronting an alleged faction of the disside…

Carlos Arellán (2021-04-02). Four FundaREDES 'Candid Activists' Detained in Apure State. orinocotribune.com On March 31, Venezuelan NGO FundaREDES denounced the arrest of two of its members in Apure state, and of two journalists from the Colombian channel NTN24 by the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB). | The opposition activist Javier Tarazona is promoting a smear campaign on social media, referring to the "forced disappearance" of four Venezuelans for allegedly "documenting the violation of human rights in the area" by Venezuelan military deployed to defend Venezuelan sovereignty. | These claims are contradicted by the fact that, while claiming a missing persons case, organizations like the National Union of Press Worke…

Devin Cole (2021-04-02). After BAmazon/ Alabama mine workers go out on strike. workers.org On April 1, the United Mine Workers of America announced that more than 1,100 workers at the Brookwood, Ala., locations of Warrior Met Coal (WMC) had gone out on strike and were walking the picket line. The strike involves workers at two mines, one preparation plant and Central Shop. The . . . |

Jose Manuel Blanco Diaz (2021-04-02). Undeniable Spike: Venezuela Reports 1,254 COVID-19 Cases, 13 Deaths, and 92% Recovered on Thursday. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, April 1, Venezuela marked its 382nd day in the battle against COVID-19. In the last 24 hours, the country registered 1,254 new cases: 1,237 of community transmission and 17 imported, in addition to 13 deaths. This was reported by the Minister for Communication and Information, Freddy àëáñez. | Thus, Venezuela's totals up until day 382, in the second wave of COVID-19, include 161,751 infections and 1,615 deaths from this disease. On the other hand, 11,480 cases are reported as active. Of this sum, 11,127 are receiving free care in the national public he…

_____ (2021-04-02). How Cutting Down Military Spending Could Bring About Peace. popularresistance.org Since the end of WWII, especially since the breakup of the Soviet Union, it appears as if US political leaders feel they are trapped in a time warp and are unable to break free. They seem to believe that they must repeat the same disastrous foreign policy of regime change over and over. Since 9/11, the US has attacked or supported attacks against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. | The attacks, especially the horrendous US-led war crime against Iraq, have destabilized and created havoc in the Middle East, devastated these nations and caused death and appalling suffering for the people. | In addition, the…

Fight Back (2021-04-02). $13,000-plus kicks off FRSO fundraising drive. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — More than $13,000 has been donated to the Freedom Road Socialist Origination (FRSO) Spring Fundraising drive as of March 31, and thousands more are expected in the upcoming week. Given the rapid growth of FRSO, funds are being raised for a national office and staff, with the aim of carrying out a big leap forward in our efforts to build a strong, revolutionary organization. | A number of members and supporters of FRSO are donating their $1400 stimulus checks. | Sarah Martin, a long time FRSO member and anti-war activist, is giving $1400. Martin stated, "I contributed to the FRSO funding dr…

Moderator (2021-04-02). Maj. Danny Sjursen: What Is It About the Democrats' Love of War? scheerpost.com Click to subscribe on: Apple / Spotify / Google Play Nearly two full decades into the Afghanistan War, with just a month left before the United States under President Trump had agreed to withdraw its remaining troops from Afghanistan at long last, it seems Joe Biden is going to backtrack on his predecessor's promise. At his first press conference as U.S. president, Biden stated, " It's going to be… |

Arab News (2021-04-02). Saudi Foreign Minister Says Normalization Of Israel's Status Would Bring 'Tremendous Benefits' For Middle East. eurasiareview.com Any potential deal to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would benefit the Middle East, but depends on the progress of the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, the Kingdom's foreign minister said on Thursday. | "The normalization of Israel's status within the region would bring tremendous benefits to the region as a whole," Prince Faisal bin Farhan said during an interview with CNN. "It would be extremely helpful economically, socially and from a security perspective." | The foreign minister added, however, that any potential deal would only be possible if progress towards peace be…

Chris Gilbert (2021-04-02). An Unannounced Rupture in Venezuelan Politics. counterpunch.org The brilliant Venezuelan thinker Reinaldo Iturriza has been writing about "disaffiliation" recently. Iturriza believes that a great many Chavista voters and militants have become disaffiliated. They are not exactly depoliticized, in his view. Rather, the country's politics has become so empty — lacking in substance — that they are standing aside and waiting. Iturriza has

Rob Urie (2021-04-02). China Isn't the Problem, Neoliberalism Is. counterpunch.org The ascendance of Wall Street, and of a managerial bureaucracy (PMC) more generally, largely explains the political realignments that have been playing out in the U.S. Beginning in the 1970s, the American political class made decisions at the behest of business interests and oligarchs to restructure the U.S. economy in ways intended to shift the balance of political and economic power towards capital. Finance was, and still is, the method of affecting this transfer of power. However, the current epoch of finance capitalism has run its course. Its logic has been lost. The threats to the neoliberal order are now in…

Michael T. Klare (2021-04-02). Stumbling into War? Could the U.S. and China Face an Unintended Blowup in the Western Pacific in the Biden Years? juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com) — The leaders of China and the United States certainly don't seek a war with each another. Both the Biden administration and the regime of Chinese President Xi Jinping view economic renewal and growth as their principal objectives. Both are aware that any conflict arising between them, even if restricted to Asia and …

UCAN (2021-04-02). Is There No Link Between Terrorism And Religion? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Ryan Dagur | In a statement shortly after the March 28 suicide bomb attack on the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, capital of Indonesia's South Sulawesi province, President Joko Widodo said "terrorism is a crime against humanity and has nothing to do with any religion." | "All religious teachings oppose terrorism, whatever the reason," he added. | A statement with a similar tone came from Anwar Abbas, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, who asked that the incident "not be linked to certain religions and ethnicities. Because it will make the atmosphere more complicated and cloudy."

Editor2 (2021-04-02). Tens of Millions in Florida Properties Linked to Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Guillermo Lasso. orinocotribune.com By Jake Johnston — Mar 31, 2021 | In March 2017, ahead of Ecuador's second-round presidential election, CEPR reported that Florida-based shell companies linked to then-candidate Guillermo Lasso owned 144 properties in Broward and Miami-Dade counties valued at over $30 million. In that election, voters approved a referendum barring politicians and civil servants from holding assets in tax havens and giving them one year to divest or transfer their holdings. Though Florida is not included among the list of tax havens, it is considered a "low tax jurisdiction," which authorities will handle on a case-by-case ba…

Eve Ottenberg (2021-04-02). A Feminist Revolt. counterpunch.org With right-wing hysteria about the feminization of the military landing on our laptops recently, now is a good time to focus on issues dear to the hearts of actual feminists, namely, housing, health and education. These concerns were embraced, very strikingly, by feminists in apartheid South Africa. Toward the end of apartheid, many Black people

John Feffer (2021-04-02). Is the Long War Finally Ending? counterpunch.org In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, and Churchill agreed. The deal remained

Sonja Scherndl, Adam Parsons (2021-04-02). Let's end the insanity of colossal military spending during a global health emergency. dissidentvoice.org Imagine what could be achieved if just a portion of the money spent on military expenditures were pooled into a global fund, and redirected towards ending hunger and massively investing in public health systems. ***** If nations had a referendum, asking the public if they want their taxes to go to military weapons that are …

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2021-04-02: News Headlines

_____ (2021-04-02). How Cutting Down Military Spending Could Bring About Peace. popularresistance.org Since the end of WWII, especially since the breakup of the Soviet Union, it appears as if US political leaders feel they are trapped in a time warp and are unable to break free. They seem to believe that they must repeat the same disastrous foreign policy of regime change over and over. Since 9/11, the US has attacked or supported attacks against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. | The attacks, especially the horrendous US-led war crime against Iraq, have destabilized and created havoc in the Middle East, devastated these nations and caused death and appalling suffering for the people. | In addition, the…

orinocotribune (2021-04-02). Two More Venezuelan Soldiers Killed by Colombian Paramilitaries in Apure. orinocotribune.com This Thursday, April 1, two Venezuelan soldiers died as a result of the detonation of a landmine by Colombian criminal groups upon a patrol operating in the El Ripial sector of José Antonio Páez municipality, in Apure state, where the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) is executing operation Bolivarian Shield 2021 against drug trafficking and paramilitary cells, which intend to enter Venezuelan territory to expand their criminal networks. | "We report that First Sergeant Andriel Istúriz Sojo and Second Sergeant Jesús Alexander Vásquez Pérez died today," read a statement by the Venezuelan ministry for defense…

Chris Gilbert (2021-04-02). An Unannounced Rupture in Venezuelan Politics. counterpunch.org The brilliant Venezuelan thinker Reinaldo Iturriza has been writing about "disaffiliation" recently. Iturriza believes that a great many Chavista voters and militants have become disaffiliated. They are not exactly depoliticized, in his view. Rather, the country's politics has become so empty — lacking in substance — that they are standing aside and waiting. Iturriza has

Carlos Arellán (2021-04-02). Four FundaREDES 'Candid Activists' Detained in Apure State. orinocotribune.com On March 31, Venezuelan NGO FundaREDES denounced the arrest of two of its members in Apure state, and of two journalists from the Colombian channel NTN24 by the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB). | The opposition activist Javier Tarazona is promoting a smear campaign on social media, referring to the "forced disappearance" of four Venezuelans for allegedly "documenting the violation of human rights in the area" by Venezuelan military deployed to defend Venezuelan sovereignty. | These claims are contradicted by the fact that, while claiming a missing persons case, organizations like the National Union of Press Worke…

Rob Urie (2021-04-02). China Isn't the Problem, Neoliberalism Is. counterpunch.org The ascendance of Wall Street, and of a managerial bureaucracy (PMC) more generally, largely explains the political realignments that have been playing out in the U.S. Beginning in the 1970s, the American political class made decisions at the behest of business interests and oligarchs to restructure the U.S. economy in ways intended to shift the balance of political and economic power towards capital. Finance was, and still is, the method of affecting this transfer of power. However, the current epoch of finance capitalism has run its course. Its logic has been lost. The threats to the neoliberal order are now in…

Michael T. Klare (2021-04-02). Stumbling into War? Could the U.S. and China Face an Unintended Blowup in the Western Pacific in the Biden Years? juancole.com ( Tomdispatch.com) — The leaders of China and the United States certainly don't seek a war with each another. Both the Biden administration and the regime of Chinese President Xi Jinping view economic renewal and growth as their principal objectives. Both are aware that any conflict arising between them, even if restricted to Asia and …

Eve Ottenberg (2021-04-02). A Feminist Revolt. counterpunch.org With right-wing hysteria about the feminization of the military landing on our laptops recently, now is a good time to focus on issues dear to the hearts of actual feminists, namely, housing, health and education. These concerns were embraced, very strikingly, by feminists in apartheid South Africa. Toward the end of apartheid, many Black people

John Feffer (2021-04-02). Is the Long War Finally Ending? counterpunch.org In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, and Churchill agreed. The deal remained

Sonja Scherndl, Adam Parsons (2021-04-02). Let's end the insanity of colossal military spending during a global health emergency. dissidentvoice.org Imagine what could be achieved if just a portion of the money spent on military expenditures were pooled into a global fund, and redirected towards ending hunger and massively investing in public health systems. ***** If nations had a referendum, asking the public if they want their taxes to go to military weapons that are …

Fight Back (2021-04-02). $13,000-plus kicks off FRSO fundraising drive. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN — More than $13,000 has been donated to the Freedom Road Socialist Origination (FRSO) Spring Fundraising drive as of March 31, and thousands more are expected in the upcoming week. Given the rapid growth of FRSO, funds are being raised for a national office and staff, with the aim of carrying out a big leap forward in our efforts to build a strong, revolutionary organization. | A number of members and supporters of FRSO are donating their $1400 stimulus checks. | Sarah Martin, a long time FRSO member and anti-war activist, is giving $1400. Martin stated, "I contributed to the FRSO funding dr…

_____ (2021-04-02). New Developments In Alex Saab Case. popularresistance.org The plot around the kidnapping of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab in Cape Verde peaks, intensifies and continues to be a trending topic on Twitter, while the United States government relentlessly applies pressure to bring the diplomat to its territory. | Meanwhile, social media networks again reflect opinions about the case—#EEUUCompraCaboVerde was a trending topic in Venezuela this Wednesday, March 31. This, with respect to the most recent movements of Washington through a policy that, in general, is based on blackmail and financial suffocation. | The complaints about new agreements signed between the US…

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-02). CrossTalk: Democracy vs autocracy. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com CrossTalkApril 2, 2021 Democracy vs autocracy Historically speaking, the Cold War was a great ideological confrontation. Western liberalism vs Soviet communism. According to Joe Biden, the great geopolitical struggle of our time is democracy vs autocracy. For Biden, we are in another great ideological struggle. But there is a difference: the West, particularly the US, …

Mary Frances Berry (2021-04-02). Speaking Out for Women of Color Nominees. counterpunch.org Women know that our progress is often characterized by two steps forward, one step back. For women of color, the obstacles are even greater. And so, as the Biden-Harris administration makes a groundbreaking effort to nominate more women of color to high-level positions, the backlash has been swift and vicious. Anyone watching cable news will

_____ (2021-04-02). 1,100 Mine Workers In Alabama Are Going On Strike. popularresistance.org Over 1,100 workers at two Alabama coal mines and related facilities will go on strike starting Thursday, April 1, at 10: 30 pm. United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) issued the strike notice against Warrior Met Coal on behalf of the workers in the company's two coal mines and related facilities after negotiations over the latest contract failed. | The last contract was negotiated in 2016, as Warrior Met Coal was bringing the company out of the bankruptcy caused by its erstwhile owner, Walter Energy. As the union's press release details, it was on the backs of the labor and sacrifice of their workers that the compa…

_____ (2021-04-02). Extinction Rebellion Sprays Bank Of England With 'Oil'. popularresistance.org City of London – Several people have been arrested as Extinction Rebellion's 'Fossil Fool' protesters sprayed the Bank of England with fake oil to highlight the "societal collapse" the activist group say global financial institutions are driving the planet towards. | XR's latest theatrical protest saw suit-clad activists descend on the heart of London's financial district, demanding the Bank of England regulate the banks which continue to fund fossil fuel companies. | The biodegradable fake oil, a mixture of black pond dye and guar gum extracted from beans, was sprayed from fire extinguishers onto the grand entra…

Richard C. Gross (2021-04-02). Republicans Intent on Destroying Democracy. counterpunch.org More than anything, every attempted liberal or progressive advance this country makes toward helping people will depend on one thing only: voter turnout. It proved its worth in the last presidential election when 81 million people dumped a madman and put Joe Biden in the White House. As for the conservative Republican Party, it seems

Jason Ditz (2021-04-02). Afghanistan's Hekmatyar Urges Negotiators to Settle on Joint Peace Plan. news.antiwar.com Hezb-e Islami leader and former Afghan premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has limited political sway these days, but has regularly been brought into efforts at rapprochement in Afghanistan, and is now Hekmatyar says his party supports the pursuit of the peace process, and says several factions are pushing different sets of plans for post-war Afghanistan. He said he believes ultimately they will need to come together and unify in a single Afghan plan. | His plan appears to resemble the recently prop…

Jason Ditz (2021-04-02). Iran Activates Fourth Cascade of Centrifuges to Enrich Uranium. news.antiwar.com The IAEA has confirmed that Iran has Iran intends to activate six cascades overall and enrich up to 5% purity. The new cascades are IR-2m centrifuges, more advanced and more efficient than those which Iran had at the start of the nuclear deal. | Under the deal, Iran was allowed to improve its centrifuge technology, but putting the new ver…

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-02). Report: Palestinian Authority President Refused Call With Blinken. news.antiwar.com Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas refused to accept a phone call from Secretary of State Antony Blinken in February, So far, an Abbas-Biden call has not happened. Meanwhile, President Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu twice since he was elected. The two leaders spoke in a congratulatory call after Biden's November victory and once…

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-02). Nord Stream 2 Operator Warns Warships and Planes Threaten the Russia-Germany Pipeline Project. news.antiwar.com A senior official from Nord Stream 2 AG, the project company leading the Nord Stream 2 Russia to Germany natural gas pipeline project, "Higher activity of naval vessels, airplanes and helicopters and civilian vessels of foreign states is observed in the work area after restarted construction of the offshore segment of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, whose actions are often clearly provocative," said Nord Stream…

Richard Falk (2021-04-02). Do We Really Want a Second Cold War? zcomm.org The protection of human rights is being geopolitically manipulated to mobilize public support for an anti-Chinese foreign policy in the West that risks generating a dangerous geopolitical confrontation…

Michael T. Klare (2021-04-02). Stumbling into War? zcomm.org Could the U.S. and China Face an Unintended Blowup in the Western Pacific in the Biden Years?>

Joseph M. Schwartz (2021-04-02). The Dangers of Factionalism in DSA. zcomm.org If the Left is to succeed where past generations have failed, it can't allow sectarian organizations to operate as "parties within a party"

Anonymous103 (2021-04-02). Germany's Political Crisis and the Future of Nord Stream 2. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront. | In a Blinken of an Eye: | The Biden Administration entered the White House accompanied by hopes that it would return to some kind of normal in its relations with the European Union. While Biden, unlike Obama, would not score a Nobel Peace Prize solely for his existence, his victory was warmly welcomed in capitals around Europe as a sign that liberalism would vanquish populism ushering in a new era of "business as usual"

Anonymous007 (2021-04-02). Kiev Scrambles To Justify The Incoming Storm. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | The Kiev government is going to great lengths to attempt and justify its incoming attempts at escalating the situation in Eastern Ukraine and towards Crimea. | On April 1st, but not as a joke, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow is trying to put pressure on Kiev by amassing its military forces along the Russian-Ukrainian border.In a Facebook post, Zelensky noted he would highlight two points in the issue of war and peace. "First of all, it's about Donbas. Indeed, escala…

Edward Curtin (2021-04-02). The Assassination and Resurrection of Martin Luther King, Jr. globalresearch.ca "I don't believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me, …

Staff (2021-04-02). Headlines for April 2, 2021. democracynow.org Ex-Supervisor Says Derek Chauvin's Fatal Restraint of George Floyd Violated Use-of-Force Policies , Texas Senate Passes Republican-Led Voter Suppression Bill, Texas Rangers Baseball Stadium to Open at Full Capacity Despite Surging Coronavirus Cases, U.N. Warns Burma Headed for Civil War as Military Junta Continues Brutal Crackdown, At Least 51 Dead, Dozens More Injured in Taiwan Train Crash , Arizona ICE Jail Violated Prisoners' Rights and Failed to Prevent COVID-19 Outbreak, Biden Holds First Cabinet Meeting as Debate over Infrastructure Plan Continues, Unemployment Claims Rise as Pandemic Recovery Remains Uneve…

MEE, agencies (2021-04-02). Beirut explosion: Germany to propose port reconstruction with 'strings attached'. middleeasteye.net Beirut explosion: Germany to propose port reconstruction with 'strings attached' | Multi-billion-dollar proposal aimed at enticing Lebanese politicians to form a government capable of warding off financial collapse | Fri, 04/02/2021 – 10: 31 | Eight months after the port disaster, many Lebanese who lost family, homes or businesses are still awaiting the results of an investigation into the…

Brian Cloughley (2021-04-02). "Global Britain": Flying Flags, Banging War Drums and Going Down the Nuclear Plughole. counterpunch.org Many Britons are in despair about the direction their country has taken under the fraud Boris Johnson. But there are not yet enough of them to make any difference. The United Kingdom is in a dire condition, socially and economically, and as with other countries has a major crisis on its hands in having to

Norman Solomon, Jeff Cohen (2021-04-02). The Liberal Contempt for Martin Luther King's Final Year. indybay.org An antiwar message ignored…

Vijay Prashad (2021-04-02). The Vaccine Must Be a Common Good for Humanity. dissidentvoice.org Vladimir Griuntal' and G. Iablonovskii (USSR), Chto eto takoe? ('What is This?') 1932. Nearly three million people have reportedly been killed by the novel coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) and upwards of 128 million people have been infected by the virus, many with long-lasting health repercussions. Thus far, roughly 1.5% of the world's population of 7.7 billion have …

Holly Ellyatt (2021-04-02). Mutations Could Render Current COVID Vaccines Ineffective in a Year or Less, Epidemiologists Warn. globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of our readers an important article by …

Alyssa Oursler, Anna DalCortivo (2021-04-02). The Derek Chauvin Trial Is One Battle in a Wider War. thenation.com The Derek Chauvin Trial Is One Battle in a Wider War…

Michael T. Klare (2021-04-02). Are the US and China Stumbling Into War? thenation.com Are the US and China Stumbling Into War?

_____ (2021-04-01). Syria War: Who Are The Real Anti-Imperialists? popularresistance.org In the history of post-World War Two US imperialism, there have been various cases of aggression against countries and regimes that many anti-imperialist, socialist leftists around the world have considered reactionary, or at least not worthy of their support. | In some cases, there was a consensus that while the regime in question was not to be defended, the imperialist aggression against it was not intended to save people from its dictatorial predations, but rather to secure imperialist hegemony and economic profits that would continue to oppress people. Even in cases when anti-imperialists thought the targeted…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-01). Amazon workers in Germany strike for binding collective agreements. peoplesdispatch.org Workers of six Amazon warehouses in Germany went on a 4 day strike demanding an increase in wages and to recognize binding collective agreements for the retail sector…

orinocotribune (2021-04-01). #EEUUCompraCaboVerde: New Developments in Alex Saab Case. orinocotribune.com The plot around the kidnapping of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab in Cape Verde peaks, intensifies and continues to be a trending topic on Twitter, while the United States government relentlessly applies pressure to bring the diplomat to its territory. | Meanwhile, social media networks again reflect opinions about the case—#EEUUCompraCaboVerde was a trending topic in Venezuela this Wednesday, March 31. This, with respect to the most recent movements of Washington through a policy that, in general, is based on blackmail and financial suffocation. | The complaints about new agreements signed between the US…

Juan Cole (2021-04-01). Egypt's Sisi threatens 'Instability that no one Can Imagine": Will the Next Mideast War be over Water? juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The closure of the Suez Canal for a week by the Ultra Large Container Ship, the Ever Given, signaled the importance to world commerce and energy supplies of the canal, through which some 12 percent of world trade passes. Another danger to that world artery, which connects the Indian Ocean …

Mark Gruenberg (2021-04-01). Big changes needed to bring kicked-out women back to work. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Big changes, in financing, social programs, and male-centered attitudes towards work and its worth, are needed to bring the millions of working women whom coronavirus-caused closures kicked out of their jobs back into the labor force. Three panelists drew that conclusion at a March 31 seminar hosted by the National Press Foundation, a D.C.-based think …

Sameena Rahman (2021-04-01). Life in prison: New York trial exposes alliance between U.S. government, right wing drug kingpin. liberationnews.org The United States claims to be waging a "war on drugs" internationally, but is perfectly content to ally itself with drug kingpins if they agree to submit to Washington's dictates.

orinocotribune (2021-04-01). Jorge Arreaza: Colombia's Reaction Confirms Accurate Blow to Narco-Paramilitaries in Apure. orinocotribune.com Foreign Affairs Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, criticized Colombia's response to the actions of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces in Apure state, labeling them as "absurd, fanciful and schizoid." Arreaza was referring to an interview conducted by the Colombian news outlet Noticias RCN with the Colombian minister for defense, Diego Molano, who tried to implicate the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) with FARC dissidents, in an attempt to hide the responsibility of his government in the recent clashes between the Venezuelan Army and Colombian criminal groups. | Arreaza wrot…

John Feffer (2021-04-01). The US lost the Afghanistan War and is finally Leaving, but can Biden win the Peace? juancole.com ( Foreign Policy in Focus) — In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, …

_____ (2021-04-01). Government Offices Occupied Across Nova Scotia. popularresistance.org Kjipuktuk (Halifax) — After 23 days Jacob Fillmore is ending his hunger strike in support of a temporary clearcutting moratorium on Nova Scotia Crown lands. He made the announcement during a well-attended rally at Province House, the third one in as many weeks. | "I am feeling increasingly weaker, especially mentally things are getting harder and harder," he told an appreciative and grateful crowd. | This fight is far from over. As I take a step back folks across the province are stepping up," he said. | "If asking politely doesn't work, we are not afraid to resort to peaceful nonviolent direct action. When…

_____ (2021-04-01). Nicaragua And The Western Human Rights Industry. popularresistance.org Every area of reporting has become increasingly shaped by corporate funding either directly or else indirectly, via government bodies strongly under corporate influence. The Western intellectual managerial classes have generally abandoned basic reporting standards. This is self-evident to anyone who has tried to challenge false received wisdom in relation to NATO country aggression against sovereign nations from Cuba and Venezuela to Libya and Syria. | Western organizations and institutions claiming to be accountable and transparent are not — neither UN bodies nor regional institutions like the Organization…

Editor2 (2021-04-01). The Blockade Against Cuba and Venezuela: If they Touch One, we all Respond. orinocotribune.com By Gabriela Cultelli — Mar 29, 2021 | March is the month of women, and the slogan "If they touch one, they touch us all" or "If they touch one, we all respond" as the song says, is more valid today than ever, it resounds everywhere. | The time has come to raise the voice for Cuban and Venezuelan women, because the economic blockade and the restrictive measures that the United States is carrying out against these sisters is a particularly aggressive form of gender violence, fundamentally affecting the most vulnerable populations, and therefore women, girls, young women, adults, workers of yesterday, today, to…

Editor2 (2021-04-01). Subnational Elections in Bolivia: Another Vote of Confidence for MAS Party. orinocotribune.com By Peoples Dispatch — Mar 28, 2021 | The 240 out of the 336 elected mayors and 3 of the 5 elected governors in Bolivia belong to the ruling government of the progressive Movement Towards Socialism party | The results of the subnational elections held in Bolivia on March 7 confirm the faith of the Bolivian people in the ruling government of the progressive Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party and its transformation project. According to the results of the departmental, regional and municipal elections released on March 22, the MAS is the only party that has a broad presence in all the nine departments of th…

WSWS (2021-04-01). Australian government announces missile building program as US steps up war drive against China. wsws.org The plan has been welcomed by the most hawkish sections of the establishment, who have presented it as part of the preparations for an imminent war.

Wafica Ibrahim (2021-04-01). Cuba, Biden, and the Romantic Interlude. orinocotribune.com By Wafica Ibrahim — Mar 28, 2021 | For those who dreamed of an idyl between the United States and Cuba after Joe Biden's victory was confirmed in the U.S. elections, reality is starting to show the confrontational and interventionist nature of the U.S. establishment, once again. | As is the custom in "liberal democracies," after tallying up the final vote totals, the electoral campaign and its promises are left behind. Although in rallies and interviews, Biden may have promised indifferently to change policy toward Cuba and to return to the progress made by Barack Obama, the reality is that, with respect to…

_____ (2021-04-01). Opposing All Governments Equally Is Supporting The Most Powerful Government. popularresistance.org The US-centralized empire is waging nonstop wars that have killed millions of human beings just since the turn of this century, and people will still say things like "We've really got to do something about Cuba." | The US-centralized empire is circling the planet with hundreds of military bases, working to destroy any nation which disobeys its dictates and brandishing armageddon weapons at its enemies like a drunken hillbilly with a shotgun, and people are still like "Something must be done about China's intellectual property theft!" | Among the violent and destructive governments in our world, one towers high ab…

_____ (2021-04-01). China-Iran Deal Aims To Expand 'Common Interests In A Win-Win Manner'. popularresistance.org Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has presented "some points" of a landmark cooperation deal that was recently concluded between Beijing and Tehran. | In a message posted on his Instagram account on Thursday, Zarif underscored that the Sino-Iranian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership focuses on a "practical promotion" of bilateral ties and provides "a roadmap and long-term horizon" toward such relations. | According to him, the accord paves the way for full-blown collaboration between the two sides in the fields of politics, economy, trade, culture, defence, and security. | The Iranian foreign ministe…

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