(2021-04-11). Former hostage responds to top diplomat calling Al Qaeda a US 'asset' in Syria. thegrayzone.com Lindsey Snell, a journalist who escaped Al Qaeda captivity in Syria, responds to a top US diplomat calling the militant group "an asset" amid a media-enabled PR campaign to whitewash its image. Amid a public relations campaign to rehabilitate the Al Qaeda franchise in Syria — which rules Idlib, Syria's last militant-controlled province — former top US diplomat James Jeffrey has called the group a US "asset." Lindsey Snell, an independent journalist who escaped captivity by Al Qaeda in Syria, …
(2021-04-11). Baku: Multinational Turkic Council applauds Azerbaijani-Turkish war against Nagorno-Karabakh. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, consisting of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, was established in 2009 in Nakhchivan, capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. It was in part to compel Armenia to allow a land corridor between the rest of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan that the Turkish-supported Azerbaijani military onslaught against Nagorno-Karabakh …
(2021-04-11). The Scourge of Militarism. tomdispatch.com The collapse of the Roman republic in 27 BC has significance today for the United States, which took many of its key political principles from its ancient predecessor. Separation of powers, checks and balances, government in accordance with constitutional law, a toleration of slavery, fixed terms in office, all these ideas were influenced by Roman precedents. John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams often read the great Roman political philosopher Cicero and spoke of him as an inspiration to them. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, authors of the Federalist Papers, writing in favor of ratification o…
(2021-04-11). "Capitalism has Become a Weapon of Mass Destruction" zcomm.org Interview on India, nationalism, literature and politics…
(2021-04-11). American Consumers Deserve Better Than US Retailers Like Costco Provide. commondreams.org Grocery chains like Costco in the U.S. need to commit to making substantial changes that improve the welfare of chickens in their supply chains here at home. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/costco-rotisserie-oct-16-19.jpg …
(2021-04-11). Hong Kong reports 13 new COVID-19 cases. ecns.cn Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 13 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, taking the tally to 11,581.
(2021-04-11). India records over 150,000 daily COVID-19 cases, tally at 13,358,805. ecns.cn India reported a record high of 152,879 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total tally to 13,358,805, according to data released by the federal government.
(2021-04-11). Hong Kong selects payment platforms to help disburse consumption vouchers. ecns.cn The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has selected several payment platforms including AlipayHK and Octopus to help disburse consumption vouchers to residents under a pro-consumption scheme.
(2021-04-11). Indonesia's 6.1-magnitude quake leaves 8 deaths. ecns.cn Eight people were killed and 39 injured as the 6.1-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's western province of East Java a day earlier, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Sunday.
(2021-04-11). March 2020-March 2021: Europe And Beyond — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
For months, many argue that our Covid (C-19) response is a planetary fiasco, whose size is yet to surface with its mounting disproportionate and enduring secondary effects, causing tremendous socio-economic, demographic and cross-generational, political and psychosomatic contractions and convulsions. However, worse than our response is our silence about it. | It is an established fact that the quintessence of Nazism was not Hitler and the circle of darkness around him. It was rather a commonly shared 'banality of crime' atmosphere: Benevolent acceptance of ordinary village people living next to Auschwitz, Maut…
(2021-04-11). Funding The Recovery Of Low-Income Countries After COVID — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
Many of the poorest countries in the world are facing the threat of a weak recovery, and setback in their development path. | In
(2021-04-11). India Ignores Media Preaching On 'Net Zero Carbon' — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
First-world 'experts' have no business chiding nations that prefer prosperity over poverty: | India is just one of an increasing number of "developing" nation which have recognized that the mad rush toward a "net zero carbon" economy does not serve the interests of their ordinary citizens. These countries are also waking up to the fact that serving the public interest necessitates major increases in abundant, affordable, reliable, mostly fossil fuel electricity to power their burgeoning economies. | When first-world reporters write about the developing world's ongoing love affair with fossil fuels, the…
(2021-04-11). Lebanon: How Gas Windfall Could Save Country From Bankruptcy — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
By Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib* | Lebanese President Michel Aoun gave a speech last week in which he lashed out at the political elite, the central bank and the banking system, holding them responsible for the bankruptcy of the country. He called for a forensic audit, after which the government would become eligible to receive aid. | The president mentioned those who had saved for their retirement only to see their savings evaporate, as well as those who can no longer send money to their children studying abroad, those who can't afford to go to hospital and those who can't even pay for their daily food. | An aud…
(2021-04-11). Colorado River Basin Due For More Frequent, Intense Hydroclimate Events. eurasiareview.com 
In the vast Colorado River basin, climate change is driving extreme, interconnected events among earth-system elements such as weather and water. These events are becoming both more frequent and more intense and are best studied together, rather than in isolation, according to new research. | "We found that concurrent extreme hydroclimate events, such as high temperatures and unseasonable rain that quickly melt mountain snowpack to cause downstream floods, are projected to increase and intensify within several critical regions of the Colorado River basin," said Katrina Bennett, a hydrologist at Los Alamos Nati…
(2021-04-11). Ralph Nader: Alert Reporters Facing The Void — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
Let's contemplate on good reporters. If you are a regular reader of prominent newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post (and the dispatches by AP and Reuters), do you ever get the feeling that reporters who write great stories of corporate greed and crime are writing into a void? Their reports accumulate on the road to nowhere — no impact, no consequences for the culprits. | Again and again, with a few luminous exceptions, their exposés fall on the inattentive ears of those who are supposed to be doing something about these abuses. | Patricia Cohen of The New York Times just wrote about…
(2021-04-11). Better Metric For Thermoelectric Materials Means Better Design Strategies. eurasiareview.com 
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that a quantity known as "thermoelectric conductivity" is an effective measure for the dimensionality of newly developed thermoelectric nanomaterials. Studying films of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes and atomically thin sheets of molybdenum sulfide and graphene, they found clear distinctions in how this number varies with conductivity, in agreement with theoretical predictions in 1D and 2D materials. Such a metric promises better design strategies for thermoelectric materials. | Thermoelectric devices take differences in temperature betwe…
(2021-04-11). How Will Climate Change Affect Hailstorms? eurasiareview.com 
Hail severity may increase in most regions of the world while Australia and Europe are expected to experience more hailstorms as a result of climate change, an international review led by a UNSW Sydney researcher has found. | The review study, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, examined the effects climate change will have on hail in the future. | It shows a global summary of hail trends from past observations and projected future trends from simulations and models. | The review led to the general expectation that hailstorm frequency will decrease in East Asia and North America, while increasing…
(2021-04-11). Indonesian Lusi Eruption A Significant Source Of Greenhouse Gases. eurasiareview.com 
A new study in Scientific Reports quantifies the amount of methane emissions from the Lusi eruption. The emissions of 100,000 tonnes methane per year are the highest measured from a single terrestrial natural gas manifestation. | Lusi is the nickname of a gas manifestation that developed in 2006 on the Java Island, Indonesia. Today, Lusi is the world's largest active clastic eruption. | Since its inception, Lusi has been relentlessly bursting water, oil, gas and mud, with flow rate peaks of up to 180,000 m3(cubic meters) per day. Its vapour plumes rise several tens of meters in height. During these years the m…
(2021-04-11). An On-Off Switch For Gene Editing. eurasiareview.com 
Over the past decade, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has revolutionized genetic engineering, allowing scientists to make targeted changes to organisms' DNA. While the system could potentially be useful in treating a variety of diseases, CRISPR-Cas9 editing involves cutting DNA strands, leading to permanent changes to the cell's genetic material. | Now, in a paper published online in Cell, researchers describe a new gene editing technology called CRISPRoff that allows researchers to control gene expression with high specificity while leaving the sequence of the DNA unchanged. Designed by Whitehead Institut…
(2021-04-11). Jordan: King Abdullah II And Prince Hamza Make First Joint Appearance Since Rift. eurasiareview.com 
Jordan's King Abdullah and his half borther Prince Hamza made a joint appearance on Sunday attending a ceremony marking 100 years of the Hashemite kingdom's independence. | The royal palace released a photo with Abdullah II, Prince Hamzah, Crown Prince Hussein and other dignitaries at the grave of King Talal in Amman, Jordan's capital. | This is their first public appearance together since a rare palace feud last week.
(2021-04-11). Palm Oil Production Can Grow Without Converting Rainforests And Peatland. eurasiareview.com 
Palm oil, the most important source of vegetable oil in the world, is derived from the fruit of perennial palm trees, which are farmed year-round in mostly tropical areas. The palm fruit is harvested manually every 10 days to two weeks, then transported to a mill for processing, and ultimately exported and made into a dizzying array of products from food to toiletries to biodiesel. | "You probably ate palm oil for breakfast," said Patricio Grassini, an associate professor of agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "There is probably palm oil in your shampoo and for sure palm oil in your makeup." | Doze…
(2021-04-11). Why, As A Developing Nation, Do We Need To Introspect? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
I remember reading an article written years ago by the eminent journalist Pran Chopra — a man who met Gandhi, Mao and Ho Chi Mihh (that's one hell of a combination!). The article was titled: "What others think of us." I am only summarizing the article from memory: It was about how Indian politicians and diplomats are utterly oblivious to the contempt with which they are regarded in the west, especially when they go to those countries and give idealistic speeches while the audiences are pretty much aware of how they are working against the interests of their own people. What Pran Chopra meant was that it…
(2021-04-11). Lightning Strikes To More Than Double In Arctic As Climate Warms. eurasiareview.com 
In 2019, the National Weather Service in Alaska reported spotting the first-known lightning strikes within 300 miles of the North Pole. Lightning strikes are almost unheard of above the Arctic Circle, but scientists led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine have published new research in the journal Nature Climate Change detailing how Arctic lightning strikes stand to increase by about 100 percent over northern lands by the end of the century as the climate continues warming. | "We projected how lightning in high-latitude boreal forests and Arctic tundra regions will change across North Americ…
(2021-04-11). Pakistan: Christian Nurses Saved From Mob After Blasphemy Claim. eurasiareview.com 
By Kamran Chaudhry | Two Christian nurses were rescued by policemen from an enraged mob after being accused of blasphemy by their hospital's staff in Pakistan. | Staff nurse Mariam Lal and student nurse Newish Urooj were detained by police after a first information report (FIR) under section 295-B of the blasphemy law was made by Dr. Mirza Muhammad Ali of Civil Hospital, Faisalabad. | "Labbayk ya Rasool-Allah [Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah]" and "Beheading the only punishment for blasphemer"
(2021-04-11). Hospital Superbug Traced To Remote Island Beach. eurasiareview.com 
Researchers confirmed the presence in the wild of Candida auris, a multidrug-resistant fungus commonly found infesting hospitals. The Bursting onto the
(2021-04-11). Mars Didn't Dry Up All At Once. eurasiareview.com 
While attention has been focused on the Perseverance rover that landed on Mars last month, its predecessor Curiosity continues to explore the base of Mount Sharp on the red planet and is still making discoveries. Research published n the journal Geology shows that Mars had drier and wetter eras before drying up completely about 3 billion years ago. | "A primary goal of the Curiosity mission was to study the transition between the habitable environment of the past, to the dry and cold climate that Mars has now. These rock layers recorded that change in great detail," said Roger Wiens, a coauthor on the paper an…
(2021-04-11). Ramadan, Einstein, And A Memory — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
Yes indeed the Muslim kids in Malaysia today have it easy during the fasting month; their conversations with Time are as speedy as the speed of the 'Internet of Things' (the IoT). Time is compressed in this global village characterized by the rapidization of things. Relativity is the keyword here as we speak of how the mind, body, spirit, and soul respond to the demands of the worldview of Ramadan. | Technology to ease the suffering of hunger and thirst has today progressed in Einsteinian proportions, as to how the advancements have been made since Einstein scribbled his grand theory of everything, of Relativi…
(2021-04-11). Jordan's King Abdullah makes first joint appearance with Prince Hamzah since rift. middleeasteye.net 
Jordan's King Abdullah makes first joint appearance with Prince Hamzah since rift | Prince Hamzah was put under house arrest after he was accused of instigating an attempted coup and destabilising the country | Sun, 04/11/2021 – 12: 07 | A handout picture released by the Jordanian Royal Palace on 11 April 2021 shows Jordan's King Abdullah (C), Crown Prince Hussein (R) and Prince Hamzah (2n…
(2021-04-11). Syrian Mercenaries Deny Fighting In Karabakh After Complaint Video Went Viral. southfront.org 
Screen grab from the new video, originally posted on Twitter by (@rahhalahmad06) | Recently, a The mercenaries seen in the video have now retracted their confession in a laughable manner in an attempt to clear the name of a notorious Turkish-backed…
(2021-04-11). A New Conspiracy Targeting Sinjar. southfront.org 
Displaced Yazidi people, fleeing violence from forces loyal to the Islamic State in Sinjar town, walk towards the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain, near the Syrian border town of Elierbeh of Al-Hasakah Governorate August 10, 2014. | Written by Once more, it seems the Yezidi-populated area Sinjar is under imminent threat — as it has been for quite a while. Sinjar has become a thorn in Erdogan's e…
(2021-04-11). Turkey To Fulfill Egypt's Demands, Withdraw Mercenaries From Libya Within Five Months — Report. southfront.org 
File image | Turkey has laid down a detailed roadmap to normalize relations with Egypt within five months, the al-Arabiya TV reported on April 11. | Earlier this week, Egypt A s…
(2021-04-10). Open letter on the assassination of labour and Indigenous activists in the Philippines. samidoun.net 
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network joined with the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) Canada and 64 more organizations and individuals in response to "Bloody Sunday," the assassination of 9 labour and Indigenous leaders in the Philippines by the Philippines National Army on 4-7 March 2021. Sixty-five organizations (including churches, trade unions and Filipino associations) and prominent individuals based in Canada have jointly sent a letter calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to publicly condemn the state-sponsored terror perpetrated by the government of Philip…
(2021-04-10). Understanding India's Migrant Workers' Crisis Through the Prism of Commodity Fetishism. orinocotribune.com By Yanis Iqbal — Apr 8, 2021 | As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic intensifies in India, migrant workers are returning back to their villages. Imposition of new restrictions to contain the virus — like the announcement of a night curfew in Delhi — has instilled fears in workers that they will be rendered jobless and get stuck in the industrial centres where they are precariously employed. Migrant workers in several states have been seen waiting to board buses and trains bound for their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as their source of income dries up because of Covid-related curbs. The L…
(2021-04-10). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and New Zealand. wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
(2021-04-10). Four Words Gates and His Pals Despise: Democracy and Minimum Support Price. dissidentvoice.org The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and an assortment of high-profile figures and policy makers are pushing for unregulated gene-editing technologies, the rollout of bio-synthetic food created in laboratories, the expanded use of patented seeds and the roll back of subsidies and support for farmers in places like India. These neoliberal evangelists despise democracy and …
(2021-04-10). What Should We Learn from India's Farmers' Protests? zcomm.org From this example, the global community must learn how to face growing ethnic nationalism and political divide with unified inclusivity on common ground, rather than contempt for the other…
(2021-04-10). Brazil At High Risk Of Dengue Outbreaks After Droughts Because Of Temporary Water Storage. eurasiareview.com 
Dengue risk is exacerbated in highly populated areas of Brazil after extreme drought because of improvised water containers housing mosquitoes, suggests a new study in Lancet Planetary Health. | The research was led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's (LSHTM) Centre on Climate Change & Planetary Health and Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases. Using advanced statistical modelling techniques, the team predicted the timing and intensity of dengue risk in Brazil from extreme weather patterns. | The risk of dengue was high in urban areas three to five months after extreme…
(2021-04-10). [Clinical Picture] Bilateral elongated styloid processes: Eagle syndrome. thelancet.com A 40-year-old-woman presented to our outpatient clinic with a 6-month history of pain in her throat and a feeling that she had a foreign body in the submandibular region. She said the pain was pricking, intermittent, bilateral, non-radiating, aggravated by eating solid food, and moderate to severe in intensity. She reported no history of trauma or previous operations—specifically a tonsillectomy. The patient was previously fit and well and had no medical history.
(2021-04-10). Zelensky Goes To Turkey, As Erdogan Calls Moscow. southfront.org 
Source: Press service of the presidential administration of Ukraine | According to diplomatic sources, on April 10, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is going to pay a visit to Turkey due to the 9th assembly of the Turkey-Ukraine High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council."The meeting will be held with the participation of ministers, during which Turkish-Ukrainian relations, the level of strategic partnership in all its aspects will be discussed, measures can also be taken to develop and…
(2021-04-10). Tailoring Government Support — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
The race to vaccinate against COVID-19 continues, but the pace of inoculation varies widely across countries, with access unavailable to many. Global cooperation must be stepped up to produce and distribute vaccines to all countries at affordable costs. The sooner vaccinations curb the pandemic, the faster economies can return to normal. | If the global pandemic is controlled via vaccination, the resulting stronger economic growth would yield more than $1 trillion in additional tax revenues in advanced economies by 2025—and save more in fiscal support measures. The COVID-19 vaccination will thus more tha…
(2021-04-10). US: Congress Advances Slavery Reparations Bill. eurasiareview.com 
The US Congress will take a historic step on April 14, 2021 when a congressional committee is to vote on a slavery reparations bill, Human Rights Watch said Friday. The House Judiciary Committee announced on April 9 its upcoming vote on H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. | H.R. 40 would establish a federal commission to study the legacy of slavery in the United States and its ongoing harm and develop proposals for redress and repair, including reparations. The bill has been introduced at every congressional session since 1989 but has never before reache…
(2021-04-10). UAE introduces its first woman astronaut among fresh class of space-farers. rt.com 
The United Arab Emirates' space ambitions have just become a bit more inclusive, with a woman selected as one of two candidates for NASA-assisted training as crew for missions in space. | The names of the two members of this second batch of Emirati astronauts were announced on Saturday by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE. Noura al-Matroushi was picked as the first female space-travel candidate from the Arab nation. | We announce the first Arab female astronaut, among two new astronauts, selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with NASA for future space expl…
(2021-04-10). New Design Platform Connects Italy, Egypt To Foster Creative Discussion. eurasiareview.com 
By Francesco Bongarra | A digital platform will connect Italy and Egypt on the basis of design, architecture and landscaping, with incursions in fashion and art. | The new digital magazine, called "Cairo Milano Design," a joint venture by Fuorisalone and Egyptian specialized magazine El Beit Magazine, will be active from April 15. | The magazine will be a section of the portal
(2021-04-10). Bora Balaj Has Crafted A Story Of Kosovo In A Crisis — Review. eurasiareview.com 
After the death of Tito, the former Yugoslavia a collective of republics put together after World War 2 , slowly fell into conflict Slovenia and Croatia called for decentralization then declared independence on June 25th 1991 and by 1992 the ethnic cleansing by Serb forces began, with this brutal backdrop Bora Balaj has crafted a story of Kosovo in a crisis, a struggle for the liberation of Albanians soon to be driven out by conflict, threats, rape and genocide. | With a bright confidence in words and language a story told from the heart about Lola a bride to be of the summer, to her promised Flamur, found wit…
(2021-04-10). Japan to dilute radioactive Fukushima wastewater next week. ecns.cn Japan's government is set to announce, as early as Tuesday, a plan to dilute radioactive Fukushima wastewater and release it into the ocean, according to Japan's state broadcaster NHK.
(2021-04-10). Kyrgyz PM, Chinese ambassador discuss enhancing practical cooperation. ecns.cn Kyrgyz Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov has met with Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Du Dewen, and both sides discussed such issues as the development of bilateral relations and strengthening practical cooperation, according to a press release on Friday.
(2021-04-10). New State Department Policy Encourages Stronger Ties With Taiwan Officials. news.antiwar.com On Friday, the State Department "The Department of State has issued new guidelines for US government interaction with Taiwan counterparts to encourage US government engagement with Taiwan that reflects our deepening unofficial relationsh…
(2021-04-10). Aarogya Setu, Data Security, And The Right To Privacy — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
By Vrinda Batra* | With over 150 million downloads, India's Aarogya Setu is the world's most downloaded COVID-19 contact tracing app. Within the first month of its launch, it helped identify approximately 600 COVID-19 hotspots around the country. However, a lack of robust data protection laws and checks on mass surveillance to safeguard privacy and individual autonomy makes Aarogya Setu vulnerable to misuse. It thus presents a case for instituting a comprehensive regulatory framework that governsprivacy and its enforcement mechanisms. | Structural and Functional Aspects: | On the structural level, Aaro…
(2021-04-10). When Prince Philip Became A Monument — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
The student from Ghana was insistent. "I want to meet him." The stubborn, well-attired fool, groomed and keen to make a good impression, was attending the Senate House ceremony in Cambridge for honorary awardees. He was not the only one. In attendance on this warm June day in 2006 were a gaggle of rascals, well-wishers and rogues. This was gawking made respectable. | The
(2021-04-10). Tracing The Role Of Ideas And Tactics In The Kashmir Conflict — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
The conflict in Kashmir has undergone several changes and has kept itself relevant by drawing upon ideas and tactics from elsewhere.: | By Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy* | Since its outbreak in 1989, the conflict in Kashmir has survived by adopting or dubbing ideas and tactics from the events elsewhere. Conflicts in today's globalised and digitalised world often feed on new ideas as monotonous strategies and tactics are easy targets for counterinsurgencies and conflict fatigue. Thus, non-state actors and agents of conflicts often implement and introduce novel tactics and ideas to cope with the changes and…