Daily Archives: April 1, 2021

2021-04-01: News Headlines

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…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Canadian Solidarity Network Sends 2 Million Syringes to Cuba. telesurenglish.net This initiative is part of the Network's campaign on January 8 to raise funds in Canada to send a donation of much-needed medical supplies to Cuba. | RELATED: | In announcing this new action in solidarity with the Cuban people, the Network recognized the relevant achievements made by Cuba in the area of health and its contributions to other nations, even at a time when Cuba is facing a double pandemic: COVID-19 an…

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…

Fight Back (2021-04-01). Stop anti-Asian hate rally in Tallahassee, FL. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL – On March 27, around 100 activists from across the Tallahassee community gathered in front of the State Capitol building to commemorate the eight victims from the recent Atlanta shooting, and to speak out against Asian American oppression. | The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), along with various local organizations such as Asian Coalition of Tallahassee, FSU's Filipino Student Association, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Dream Defenders and other community members took a stand for the victims of the shooting in grief and healing. | The event started off with Daisy Sim, a Korea…

_____ (2021-04-01). Solidarity With Palestine Activists Being Prosecuted. popularresistance.org On Wednesday, six activists from the Palestine Action campaign appeared at Highbury Magistrates Court charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage and burglary, in connection with their actions at the London headquarters of Israeli arms company Elbit Systems last year. | Outside the court room around a dozen protesters representing various groups showed up in solidarity while inside, the judge committed the case to trial at Crown Court. | Elbit Systems has been the target for direct actions at various sites around the UK, but back in 2016, after their Shenstone factory was closed down by occupiers, the compa…

Peoples Dispatch (2021-04-01). Activists slam UK government commission's denial of systemic racism in the country. peoplesdispatch.org The commission was formed after the Black Lives Matter protests rocked the country last year. It said that while there was racial discrimination in the country, it was not systemic or deliberate…

Amanda Mills (2021-04-01). Biden's American Jobs Plan met with criticism from progressive activists and environmentalists. nationofchange.org "There are a lot wins for us in this package. Despite those wins, the plan lacks a commitment to the full scale of transformation that is needed of our economy."

Johanna Kichton (2021-04-01). People's Action Member Orgs Mobilize to Call On Congress to Pass Transformational Recovery Package. peoplesaction.org As President Biden Announced American Jobs Plan, Grassroots Activists Took Action Across the Country to Urge Congress Pass $10 Trillion Package Addressing Climate, Care, Jobs, and Justice Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 240.206.1145 WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action member organizations across the country yesterday called on Congress to pass a transformational economic recovery and infrastructure package, like the …

_____ (2021-04-01). Tens Of Millions In Florida Properties Linked To Ecuadorian Candidate. popularresistance.org 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 basis. | Four years later, Ecuador is aga…

_____ (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…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Iran Celebrates 42 Years as Islamic Republic Amid US Blockade. telesurenglish.net Iran commemorates on Thursday 42 years since the proclamation of the Islamic Republic and the fall of Shah Pahlevi's regime in 1979. | RELATED: | In a nationwide referendum held just a few months after the victory of the revolution led by Imam Khomeini, 98 percent of the population showed that they wanted the monarchical system to change to an "Islamic Republic." | This political decision implied important social refo…

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). 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…

teleSUR (2021-04-01). Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Borisov: Cuba Is a "Key Partner" telesurenglish.net On Thursday, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said that Cuba is a "key partner" in Latin America as representatives from both countries meet in Havana for the Russian-Cuban intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation. | RELATED: | "Cuba is our key partner and reliable ally in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. We appreciate the strategic nature of Russian-Cuban…

Kim Petersen (2021-04-01). China and Iran: A Natural Anti-imperialist Alliance. dissidentvoice.org On 15 July 2015 — the day after the United States agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; also called the Iran nuclear deal) along with China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, plus Germany — then US president Barack Obama said in an interview that Iran was "a great civilization." Without listing any …

Chase Strangio (2021-04-01). Activists Demand Action on Anti-Trans Laws. zcomm.org On Trans Day of Visibility, we look at the wave of anti-trans laws being enacted across the U.S., with dozens more anti-trans bills making their way through state legislatures…

Jason Ditz (2021-04-01). US Envoy Sees Productive Meetings on Yemen Peace Talks. news.antiwar.com US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking has returned to the US after a series of meetings in Saudi Arabia and Oman. The State Department Details aren't all clear, but the meetings were with Omanis, Saudis, and Yemenis. It isn't clear if the Yemeni participant included any members of the Houthi opposition, or just the Saudi-backed government. | Six years into the war there have…

Jason Ditz (2021-04-01). State Dept Report Faults Iraq on Human Rights Over Shi'ite Militias. news.antiwar.com The annual State Department human rights report has singled out Iraq for criticism with regard to the nation's approach, and The PMF groups are part of the Iraqi security apparatus, but operate somewhat independently. Being Shi'ite militias, the US accuses them of being pro-Iran, and says the government doesn't control them enough. | A particular problem is the civilian protest movements in Iraq, which seek to elect parties that are not d…

Azad Essa (2021-04-01). France must investigate its potential war crime in Mali, activists demand. middleeasteye.net France must investigate its potential war crime in Mali, activists demand | French defence ministry has disputed UN's findings that it bombed a wedding party in January | Thu, 04/01/2021 – 17: 33 | According to Minusma, the UN mission in Mali, a French air strike killed 19 civilians in the Malian village of Bounti on 3 January, 2021 (AFP) | Human rights activists are demanding France open an investigation into…

MEE staff (2021-04-01). Saudi man arrested as child could face execution despite reforms: HRW. middleeasteye.net Saudi man arrested as child could face execution despite reforms: HRW | Abdullah al-Huwaiti is still on death row despite a royal decree that ended death sentences for crimes committed as a minor | Thu, 04/01/2021 – 18: 37 | Demonstrators in Washington protest against death sentences given to children in the kingdom (AFP/File photo) | A Saudi man who was convicted following a "grossly unfair trial" for crimes…

MEE staff (2021-04-01). Turkey exporters re-routing products to avoid Saudi boycott, say traders. middleeasteye.net Turkey exporters re-routing products to avoid Saudi boycott, say traders | Turkish officials have told MEE that Riyadh declared an unofficial blockade on Turkish goods in response to 'hostility' from Ankara | Thu, 04/01/2021 – 14: 42 | The Cosco Shipping Danube, a container ship of the China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), sails in the Bosphorus, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul (Reuters) | Tur…

Staff (2021-04-01). Headlines for April 1, 2021. democracynow.org Witness in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Breaks Down After Viewing Footage of George Floyd's Killing, Four Killed as Gunman Opens Fire on Office Complex in Orange County, California, Biden Defends Infrastructure Plan as Progressives Push for $10 Trillion to Fight Climate Crisis, Wisconsin Supreme Court Voids Governor's Mask Mandate as COVID-19 Cases Rise Across U.S., Brazil's Cemeteries Hold Nighttime Funerals as COVID-19 Deaths Reach New Highs, Yemen Receives First COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments as Doctors Report Surge in Cases, Global Deforestation Increased by 12% in 2020 with Amazon Most Severely Affected, U.S. Cour…

Anonymous767 (2021-04-01). The Saker: "Understanding Anti-Putin PSYOPs: Preparing For War" southfront.org ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE | Written by The Saker; Originally appeared at Intro: cause vs pretext | It is not an exaggeration to say that in the mythology of the AngloZionist Empire Putin is something akin to Satan or, at least, that he is a kind of "Sauron" who is the epitome of evil. And, we all heard that recently, Biden, in a recorded interview, declared that Putin is "a killer". When given a chance to soften…

Anonymous669 (2021-04-01). Houthi Suicide Drones Hit ¥Sensitive' Targets In Saudi Capital. southfront.org Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wingH | On April 1, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) announced that they had attacked several "sensitive" and "important" targets in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. | Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Yemeni group, said that the targets were struck with four suicide drones. The spokesman claimed that the attack was successful, without providing any further details."Our operations will continue as long as the aggression and siege are ongoing," the spokesman said, calling the att…

Anonymous007 (2021-04-01). Military Situation In Yemen On April 1, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 175 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On March 31, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 5 airstrikes on the Khab and Shaaf area | On March 31, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 6 airstrikes on the Sarwah area | On March 31, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on the Majzar area | On April 1, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led for…

Anonymous669 (2021-04-01). Iranian-Backed Liwa Fatemiyoun Held Live-Fire Drills In Southeastern Syria (Photos). southfront.org Click to see full-size image. By Mohamad Jaffari. Source: t.me/Fatemiyoun1434 | On March 29, Liwa Fatemiyoun, an Iranian-backed Afghan group, announced that its fighters had held live-fire drills in Syria. | The drills were held in a unspecified desert area in the southeastern region of Syria, likely near the town of al-Bukamal on the border with Iraq. | Liwa Fatemiyoun shared photos of the live-fire drills, which saw the group's fighters firing heavy weapons. Furthermore, the fighters used night-vision a…

Andreína Chávez Alava (2021-04-01). Venezuela and Russia Ramp up Economic Ties with 10-Year Plan. venezuelanalysis.com The two nations signed treaties to boost the Venezuelan transportation system, oil industry security and access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Fight Back (2021-04-01). MN groups stand in solidarity with Palestinians around the world on Land Day 2021. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On March 30, over 50 activists gathered to show solidarity with Palestinians in their struggle against Israeli apartheid and occupation. They waved Palestinian flags and dropped banners on the footbridge over Interstate 94 between the Walker Sculpture Garden and Loring Park – across all eight lanes of traffic – demanding an end of U.S. aid to Israel, an end of Israeli occupation, the right of return for Palestinians, and an end to vaccine apartheid. The response from people passing by was overwhelmingly positive with a lot of honks from cars. | The action coincided with Land Day, which commemora…

Dave DeCamp (2021-04-01). Report: Biden Reducing Military Forces in Saudi Arabia. news.antiwar.com According to The report said the US has removed at least three Patriot antimissile batteries from t…

Eds. (2021-03-31). A message of love and life from Cuba to Mexico. mronline.org President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez notes the impressive work of the third group of medical professionals from the Henry Reeve Contingent returning from Mexico, after joining the COVID-19 battle there. | March 31, 2021 | Newswire…

Media Lens (2021-03-31). Propaganda By Omission: Libya, Syria, Venezuela And The UK. dissidentvoice.org We live in a war-like society; one that supports, and is in league with, the world's number one terrorist threat: the United States of America. Corporate media propaganda plays a key role in keeping things that way. Ten years ago this month, the US, UK and France attacked oil-rich Libya under the fictitious cover of …

orinocotribune (2021-03-31). Venezuelan Army Pursues Colombian Paramilitaries in Barinas — An Obstacle Course of Land Mines. orinocotribune.com The head of the Strategic Operational Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB), Remigio Ceballos, reported this Tuesday, March 30, that the military personnel assigned to the National Defense System have been deployed in search of Colombian criminal gangs that have tried to undermine the peace of the Venezuelan people. | "We continue to deal strong blows to these criminal drug traffickers. We are just starting, raising forces in all areas of the national territory and also in the unconventional fight against all threats," he said. | In…

teleSUR (2021-03-31). UN: Iran, China Adopt Common Stand on Behalf of Syria. telesurenglish.net China and the Islamic Republic of Iran have jointly expressed at the United Nations Security Council their support for Syria in its efforts to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, stressing the need to eradicate terrorism and end all foreign occupation as elements necessary to resolve the humanitarian crisis facing the Arab Republic. | RELATED: | Zhang Jun, China's perma…

Dr. Vandana Shiva (2021-03-31). Bill Gates and His Empires. "Ushering In the Great Reset" globalresearch.ca We're currently facing enormously powerful technocrats who are hell-bent on ushering …

_____ (2021-03-31). Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Filed By Jewish National Fund Against Palestinian Group. popularresistance.org Washington, DC – A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and others against a U.S.-based Palestinian rights organization. The JNF had accused the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) of engaging in "material support for terrorism," citing their speech and expressive activity, including their support for the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The JNF—a quasi-state institution in Israel that acquires and administers land for the sole benefit of the Jewish people—also sought to hold the USCPR liable for their participation in the "Stop the JN…

Richard Sanders (2021-03-31). Canada Ties to the U.S. Empire: Lester Pearson and the Myth of Canada as "Peaceable Kingdom" globalresearch.ca * | [T]here are two sides whose composition cuts across national and even …

Azza Rojbi (2021-03-31). #YemenCantWait. Hands Off Yemen! globalresearch.ca February 15, 2021, marks one year since the Saudi-led coalition's horrific …

teleSUR (2021-03-31). Cuban Foreign Minister: US Segregation and Racism Are Endemic. telesurenglish.net "Eighty percent of Americans consider that in the U.S. there is discrimination against blacks, 76 percent against Hispanics and 70 percent against Asians," Rodriguez wrote in a message published Tuesday on his Twitter account, about a recent study by the Pew Research Center, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, which puts it this way. | RELATED: | The head of Cuban diplomacy regretted that "racism and segregation are end…

teleSUR (2021-03-31). Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission Meets in Havana. telesurenglish.net The 18th Session of the Cuban-Russian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technical Collaboration started on Wednesday in Havana, where participants are examining issues of bilateral interest. | RELATED: | The delegations are headed by the Commission's co-presidents, Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Mr. Yuri Ivanovich Borisov, vice-president of the Russian Federation's…

Editor2 (2021-03-31). Protests in 60+ Countries Reject Genocidal US Blockade on Cuba. orinocotribune.com Citizens and organizations from at least 60 countries on five continents have begun activities this Saturday to demand the end of the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba. | In a worldwide day, the initiative launched a month ago by the Europe for Cuba channel, in coordination with solidarity movements and groups in different parts of the planet, will take place today and tomorrow, Sunday, with car and bicycle caravans, rallies, marches and mountain climbing, among other diverse actions. | "The call is also to flood the social networks in days of denunciation and repudiation of the genoci…

teleSUR (2021-03-31). Venezuela to Maintain Operations in Border Zones With Colombia. telesurenglish.net On Tuesday, Venezuela's Armed Forces Strategic Operational Commander Remigio Ceballos confirmed military operations in border areas with Colombia to block sabotage actions by irregular armed groups coming from this country. | RELATED: | In recent days, Venezuelan authorities have denounced several aggressions committed by these groups against the civilian population in border zones such in the State of Apure.

MEE, agencies (2021-03-31). Covid-19: Yemen receives first vaccines through Covax initiative. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Yemen receives first vaccines through Covax initiative | Hundreds of thousands of doses arrive a week after country's coronavirus committee warned of public health 'emergency' | Wed, 03/31/2021 – 10: 00 | Yemen has officially recorded more than 4,000 virus cases among its 30 million people, including 863 deaths – but experts say the real toll is likely higher (AFP) | War-torn Yem…

MEE, agencies (2021-03-31). Saudi Arabia plans economic overhaul with $3.2 trillion investment. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia plans economic overhaul with $3.2 trillion investment | Analysts have expressed skepticism about the plans, as Saudi Aramco's CEO says it was not forced into the initiative | Wed, 03/31/2021 – 14: 28 | Unemployment in the kingdom touched 14.9 percent in the third quarter of 2020 (Reuters) | Saudi Arabia unveiled plans on Tuesday to pump investments worth $3.2 trillion into the…

orinocotribune (2021-03-31). Russian Deputy PM Borisov in Venezuela: Strategic Alliance Strengthens. orinocotribune.com This Tuesday, March 30, the Vice President of the Russian Federation, Yuri Borisov, paid a high-level visit to Venezuela to strengthen the ties of friendship between the two nations. Russia's high-ranking official highlighted cooperation and solidarity as vital. | In addition, new agreements were signed to accelerate the bilateral agenda for mutual benefit. "We have taken the opportunity to sign new alliances in energy, mining, and health sectors for the development of both economies," said Borisov. | In the same way, they explained that in the face of the new challenges of the pandemic, cooperation and solidarit…

orinocotribune (2021-03-31). EpicVacCorona Vaccine to be Incorporated into Venezuela's Vaccination Plan (after Medical Trials). orinocotribune.com Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodríguez reported on Monday, March 29, that the EpiVacCorona has arrived in the country. It is the second vaccine developed in Russia that has reported 100% effectiveness against COVID-19. | "The EpiVacCorona vaccine has arrived in Venezuela and will be authorized for trials. We are currently in the process of ensuring its supply to Venezuela," said Vice President Rodríguez. She added that after the protocols for its authorization and testing, it will be incorporated into the national immunization plan, once local medical trials have concluded. | She commented that a new batch of…

David Paul (2021-03-31). Thursday 4/22: Cuba's Approach to Health Care for All. indybay.org on line webinar…

Anonymous007 (2021-03-31). Military Situation In Yemen On March 31, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 178 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On March 30, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on the Haradh area | On March 30, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 17 airstrikes on the Sarwah area | On March 30, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on the Madghal area | On March 30, Ansar Allah captured Idat al-Raa, Dash al-Haqn an…

teleSUR (2021-03-31). UN: Yemen Receives First Batch of COVID Vaccines. telesurenglish.net Yemen, a country in the Arabic peninsula devastated by a salvage war for the last six years, has received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines, the United Nations children's agency said. | RELATED: | The announcement comes a week after the country's coronavirus committee warned of a public health "emergency". The AstraZeneca vaccines "will enable health workers and other priority populations vulnerable to COVID-19 to be protec…

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