(2021-04-15). 'National Emergency': Biden Administration Is Obsessed With SouthFront. southfront.org 
ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE | No day without shaping the history! Big Bad SouthFront is once again threatening interests of the leadership of the world's sole superpower. | The SouthFront fan club in the US administration, and in particular in the White House and the State Department, seems to be rapidly growing. The scale of popularity of SouthFront on the highest level of the US government reached the level, when the world's superpower imposed sanctions on SouthFront website (southfront.org) and declared the state of a "national e…
(2021-04-15). Mysterious Drone Strike Hit Western Idlib. southfront.org 
A fully armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle taxis down the runway at an air base in Afghanistan on its way to another wartime mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson) | Late on April 14, a large explosion was reported in the western outskirts of Idlib city, the center of the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib. | While some opposition sources played down the explosion, others, including the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said the explosion was the result of a dr…
(2021-04-15). Biden calls for de-escalation of tensions with Russia after placing sanctions over unproven charges of hacking & election meddling. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden called for "dialogue and diplomatic process" with Russia, after ordering sanctions against Moscow for allegedly being behind the SolarWinds hack and interfering in "sacred" elections and American democracy. | Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday afternoon that he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the impending sanctions during their recent phone call, calling it a "proportionate" US response to what Russia allegedly did. | We concluded that they had interfered in the election and the SolarWinds was totally inappropriate. | Russia has denied any interference in the…
(2021-04-15). Protesting Ongoing Israeli Army Arrests, Detention of University Students in Occupied Palestine. juancole.com By Committee on Academic Freedom of the Middle East Studies Association. To: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Minister of Education Yoav Galant, Minister of Higher Education Ze'ev Elkin, Minister of Justice Avi Nissenkorn, Brigadier General Rasan Alian, Head of Civil Administration in the West Bank, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Chief Clerk Init …
(2021-04-15). NED-Funded Uyghur Separatist Network and CAIR Director Rally Around Cold War Propaganda. mintpressnews.com 
At a March 30 demonstration at the Chinese Embassy, the U.S.-funded Uyghur Separatist Network was joined by prominent Muslim figures. "Behind The Headlines" correspondent Dan Cohen spoke to participants and examined their claims.
(2021-04-15). Media Concern Trolling About Afghanistan Withdrawal Again. orinocotribune.com 
Caitlin Johnstone — Apr 11, 2021 | " "Concerns are mounting from bipartisan US lawmakers and Afghan women's rights activists that the hard-won gains for women and civil society in Afghanistan could be lost if the United States makes a precipitous withdrawal from the country," CNN tells us. | What follows is yet another concern-trolling empire blog about why US troops need to stay in Afghanistan, joining recent others geared toward the same end lik…
(2021-04-15). Ramsey Clark dies: an Attorney General who turned against imperialism. mronline.org 
Ramsey Clark, former U.S. Attorney General and renowned international human-rights attorney who stood against U.S. military aggression worldwide, died peacefully April 9 at his home in New York City, surrounded by close family. He was 93 years old. | April 15, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-15). Civil rights tsunami in D.C. over statehood, reparations and Justice Dept. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON — Civil rights issues hit Capitol Hill in a big way on April 14. As might be expected, congressional Republicans were on the wrong side of all of them. One House panel approved statehood for D.C. Another considered statehood for Puerto Rico. A third voted late at night for a bill to study reparations …
(2021-04-15). Denis Halliday: A Voice of Reason in an Insane World. zcomm.org Please Help ZNet Denis Halliday is an exceptional figure in the world of diplomacy. In 1998, after a 34-year career with the United Nations—including as an Assistant Secretary-General and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq—he resigned when the UN Security Council refused to lift sanctions against Iraq. Halliday saw at first
(2021-04-15). Haiti: Archbishop Demands Release Of Abducted Catholics. eurasiareview.com The Archbishop of Port-au-Prince has called for the release of 10 people who were kidnapped in Haiti on Sunday and are being held for ransom. | "We demand security and peace for all missionaries and all people,"Archbishop Max Mesidor said. "We demand the immediate and unconditional release of our detained brothers and sisters." | Five priests, two nuns, and three laypeople were abducted at Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, April 11. According to local news, they were taken while on the way to attend the installation of a parish priest. | According to Haitian media, the "400 Mawozo" gang admitted…
(2021-04-15). In honor of William Ramsey Clark. fightbacknews.org I wish to convey my sincerest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of my friend and legal counsel William Ramsey Clark who passed away last April 9, 2021. I have the highest regard for him as a champion of human rights, a staunch defender of the people's right to national and social liberation, a fierce advocate of just peace and a resolute opponent to the imperialist policies and wars of aggression of the US. | While he was US Attorney General under the Johnson administration, he was well known for standing up for civil liberties and civil rights, fighting against racial segregation and discriminati…
(2021-04-15). Finally, a popular Left born in Peru. peoplesdispatch.org In the decade of the 1990s, the dictatorship of Alberto Fujimori achieved several of its key objectives through a combination of repression, human rights violations, and corruption that permeated through the Peruvian state and society. These "achievements" included the military defeat of the subversive armed groups and the imposition of a Constitution and an ultra neoliberal economic model which have allowed for the unlimited accumulation by the wealthy at the expense of the precarious majorities and those who exist at the juncture of consumption and credit, also known as the "middle class." | Parallelly, or rath…
(2021-04-15). Cultural Relativism as "Counter Enlightenment" dissidentvoice.org It was the intellectual historian Isaiah Berlin who coined the term "Counter-Enlightenment." He was referring to a widespread ideological-reactionary movement in the early 19th century — against the universalizing human rights doctrines which had originated in the 18th century Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Berlin viewed this as primarily a German reaction, powerfully mobilized by …
(2021-04-15). Greenpeace expert: Japan's decision must be overturned. ecns.cn Dumping contaminated wastewater into the sea may be the cheapest way for Japan to deal with its troubles of Fukushima nuclear plant, but the Japanese government's decision completely disregards the human rights and interests of the people in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region, said Shaun Burnie, a senior nuclear specialist with Greenpeace East Asia.
(2021-04-15). Athletes Knock The Legs From Under Global Sports Governance — Analysis. eurasiareview.com Sports governance worldwide has had the legs knocked out from under it. Yet, national and international sports administrators are slow in realizing the magnitude of what has hit them. | Tectonic plates underlying sports' guiding principle that sports and politics are unrelated have shifted, driven by a struggle against racism and a quest for human rights and social justice. | The principle was repeatedly challenged over the last year by athletes as well as businesses forcing national and international sports federations to either support anti-racist protest or at the least refrain from penalizing athletes who…
(2021-04-15). Fourth officer charged in excessive force case. nationofchange.org The maximum penalty for the deprivation-of-rights offenses is 10 years of imprisonment and the maximum penalty for false report offenses is 20 years of imprisonment.
(2021-04-15). Saturday 5/1: SF Bay Area May Day Parade & Rally for Workers' Rights & Racial Justice. indybay.org SF Embarcadero & Market St.
(2021-04-15). For JCPOA Re-entry, Biden Must Tear Down This Sanctions Wall. popularresistance.org It was clear from the outset: Returning to the Iran Nuclear Deal was not a matter of nuclear technicalities or diplomatic savvy. It was and remains primarily a matter of political will and political capital. | Though all eyes will be on the start of formal talks in Vienna this week, the real test will take place in Washington D.C. where President Joe Biden must muster the political will to tear down the "sanctions wall" his predecessor put in place for the sole purpose of preventing an American return to the nuclear agreement, lest the talks in Vienna will be for naught. | With only two months left until the Iran…
(2021-04-15). With new backing from the West, Ukrainian president says "The Army is ready" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com With new backing from the West, Ukrainian president says "The Army is ready"Rick Rozoff The same day that U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order leveling new sanctions against Russia and expelling ten of its diplomats, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated in a session of the National Security and Defense Council and afterward said …
(2021-04-15). Russia Warns US Against New Sanctions. news.antiwar.com A day after President Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow said it warned the US against imposing any new sanctions amid reports that more measures are coming. | According to a report from
(2021-04-15). Biden Imposes Wide Array of New Russia Sanctions, Expels Diplomats. news.antiwar.com In a major escalation with Moscow, In an announcement on the sanctions, "Today, we announced ac…
(2021-04-14). Denis Halliday: A Voice of Reason in an Insane World. dissidentvoice.org 
Photo credit: indybay.org Denis Halliday is an exceptional figure in the world of diplomacy. In 1998, after a 34-year career with the United Nations—including as an Assistant Secretary-General and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq—he resigned when the UN Security Council refused to lift sanctions against Iraq. Halliday saw at first hand the devastating impact …
(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). 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). 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). 'Prolonged' nuclear talks with US would be 'harmful', Khamenei warns as Iran reportedly close to starting 60% uranium enrichment. rt.com 
Iranian-US talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal should not "drag on," Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said, warning Washington against demanding Tehran return to its commitments before sanctions are lifted. | "The talks shouldn't become talks of attrition. They shouldn't be [conducted] in a way that parties drag on and prolong the talks. This is harmful to the country," Khamenei said in Tehran on Wednesday. | "Most of the proposals by the Americans are arrogant and contemptuous. They are not worth looking at," he added in remarks carried by Iranian news network Press TV. | The US and Iran remain at a s…
(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). Italy's senate votes to give citizenship to jailed Egyptian activist Patrick Zaki. middleeasteye.net 
Italy's senate votes to give citizenship to jailed Egyptian activist Patrick Zaki | Zaki is a human rights advocate who has campaigned for the truth about the 2016 Cairo murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni | Wed, 04/14/2021 – 15: 41 | Egyptian authorities arrested Zaki on 7 February 2020 upon his return from Italy, where he had been living and studying (Twitter) | The Italian senate on Wednesday voted to a…
(2021-04-14). AOC Blasts Police Department's "Accident" Excuse in Daunte Wright's Death. truthout.org 
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) blasted the police department of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, this week for suggesting that the police-perpetrated killing of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was merely an "accident." | At a press briefing on Tuesday,
(2021-04-14). Egypt releases two journalists after international outcry. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt releases two journalists after international outcry | Solafa Magdy and her husband Hossam el-Sayyad had been held in pre-trial detention for 16 months over their journalism work | Wed, 04/14/2021 – 10: 59 | Solafa Magdy (L) and Hossam el-Sayyad (R) were released on Wednesday (Facebook) | Egyptian authorities released journalists Solafa Magdy and her husband Hossam el-Sayyad on Wed…
(2021-04-14). 'Palestinians must be protected': UN warns of rise in Israeli settler attacks. middleeasteye.net 
'Palestinians must be protected': UN warns of rise in Israeli settler attacks | UN rights experts document 210 attacks carried out by settlers so far in 2021, and call on Israel to halt settlement expansion | Wed, 04/14/2021 – 16: 42 | Israeli settlers targeted the "livelihoods of rural Palestinians, vandalising livestock, agricultural lands, trees and homes", according to UN experts (AFP) | UN human rights ex…
(2021-04-14). Judge Preska terminates all Zoom access to Donziger trial in effort to limit public access, say lawyers. mronline.org 
U.S. trial judge Loretta Preska has denied all Zoom access to the upcoming contempt trial of human rights lawyer Steven Donziger in a widely condemned move that his lawyers say is designed to limit public access to an unprecedented one-sided trial run by a private Chevron prosecutor. | April 14, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-14). Female union leaders note that labor law reform is a civil rights issue. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—From better pay to paid sick leave, from due process on the job to wider opportunities, working women, union or not, stand to reap huge benefits if Congress passes the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act, a panel of woman union leaders says. And that prompted AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, an Electrical Worker and …
(2021-04-14). Patents and the Pandemic: Can We Learn Anything? counterpunch.org 
I realize that I may seem obsessed with the topic of patents (and copyrights), but it really is a big deal, and few people seem to appreciate the issue in its larger economic context. I have written about the inefficiency and corruption associated with these monopolies for decades, but if there was ever a time
(2021-04-14). Demand Biden issue an executive order to implement the PRO Act. workers.org 
The fight of Amazon workers for union rights has just begun! Union busting is disgusting. It can be stopped! Sign this message to Joe Biden and raise this demand at protests and rallies. Act now to defend Workers' Right to Organize! The PRO Act — Protecting the Right to Organize . . . |
(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). IFCO petition calls on US to lift blockade and 'let Cuba breathe'. liberationnews.org 
The Medical Advisory Committee of IFCO/Pasters for Peace has initiated this petition calling for the U.S government to lift the sanctions on Cuba and allow the people there access to common human resources.
(2021-04-14). Landmark decision: Brazil Supreme Court sides with Indigenous land rights. nationofchange.org The country's Supreme Court has agreed to review the process around a past case that cancelled the demarcation of an Indigenous territory claimed by the Guarani Kaiowá people.
(2021-04-14). AMLO Will Travel to Southern Border Over Children Migration. telesurenglish.net Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador said that he would visit the Southern border to address the children migrant crisis as the phenomenon continues to increase. | RELATED: | "To protect children, we are going to reinforce the surveillance, the protection, the care on our southern border because it's to defend human rights," Obrador said at a press conference. | WATCH: Border Patrol agents have once again captured…
(2021-04-14). Denis Halliday: A Voice Of Reason In An Insane World. popularresistance.org Denis Halliday is an exceptional figure in the world of diplomacy. In 1998, after a 34-year career with the United Nations—including as an Assistant Secretary-General and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq—he resigned when the UN Security Council refused to lift sanctions against Iraq. | Halliday saw at first hand the devastating impact of this policy that had led to the deaths of over 500,000 children under the age of five and hundreds of thousands more older children and adults, and he called the sanctions a genocide against the people of Iraq. | Since 1998, Denis has been a powerful voice for…
(2021-04-14). Egyptian journalist-politician Khaled Dawoud freed after over 18 months in pre-trial detention. peoplesdispatch.org Dawoud was released pending investigations although the prosecution has not presented any evidence in court to support the charges against him. He faces charges of "collaborating with a terrorist organization", "publishing false information" and "misusing social media…
(2021-04-14). 'Stop violating rights of Iranian people'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 14 (MNA) — In a letter to the Secretary General of Council of European Union, Secretary General of Iran's Human Rights Office lashed out at irresponsibility in violation of rights of Iranian people by member states of the Council.
(2021-04-14). Why disability rights advocates are pressing the Senate to allow an internet voting option. nationofchange.org The push for voters with disabilities, and for overseas and military voters, pits civil rights activists against cybersecurity advocates.
(2021-04-14). Safely Past Another Election, Israel Turns Attention Back to De-Arabization of The Zionist State. mintpressnews.com The Zionists openly say that they will allow Palestinians to choose whether they remain in "Israel" as residents without rights, leave, or fight and be killed by the Israeli forces — these same forces that have been killing them for more than seventy years.
(2021-04-14). Ag Gagged!: How the FBI Tried to Get a Pork Industry Whistleblower to Squeal on Animal Rights Groups. projectcensored.org In June 2020, an executive at the pork giant Iowa Select Farms introduced former company truck driver Lucas Walker to an FBI agent who asked him to inform on the…
(2021-04-14). Safely Past Another Election, Israel Turns Attention Back to De-Arabization of The Zionist State. mintpressnews.com The Zionists openly say that they will allow Palestinians to choose whether they remain in "Israel" as residents without rights, leave, or fight and be killed by the Israeli forces — the same forces that have been killing them for more than seventy years.
(2021-04-14). Florida legislature advances bills to suppress voting rights, criminalize lawful protest. wsws.org The new laws are being advanced in spite of widespread popular opposition.
(2021-04-14). IMF's Planned Special Drawing Rights Allocation "A Good First Step," CEPR Co-Director Says. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-04-14). The Coming Decade And Its Implications For LGBTQIA+ Debates — OpEd. eurasiareview.com If the last 10 years give any indication of how the next ten years will unfold, I predict there will be strong and brutal opposition to the advancement of the rights of the LGBTQIA+ people.: | By Angelika Arutyunova* | Let's make something straight from the start of this opinion piece: This will be a very queer perspective. Now that we have gotten the only straight thing out of the way, let's dive in. I believe in the radical ideas that LGBTQIA+ people are people and deserve the right to life, acceptance, and existence without fear of hate and violence. I believe that all policies and agendas must incl…
(2021-04-14). Sunday 4/25: Sanctuary Volunteer Day: One Living Sanctuary. indybay.org 2785 Franklin Canyon Rd, Martinez, CA 94553-9617, United States…