(2021-04-17). [Perspectives] Mary Susan Malahlela: practising medicine under apartheid. thelancet.com Until well into the 20th century, the only way Black South Africans could train as doctors was to travel abroad. This was an expensive option and there were few scholarships, so the numbers remained small. Not until 1941 did South African medical schools agree to admit a small minority of students of Indian or African ancestry. One of the first through the doors at the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg was Mary Susan Malahlela. In 1947, she became the first Black woman to qualify in South Africa.
(2021-04-17). [World Report] Turkey withdraws from treaty on violence against women. thelancet.com Activists object to Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, amid wider conservative ire over women's rights and attitudes towards gender. Kaya Genàß reports from Istanbul.
(2021-04-16). Science also Wants Jim Jordan to Shut his Mouth— it isn't Just Rep. Maxine Waters. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Ohio Republican congressman Jim Jordan chomped on to Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday like a rabid dog and spewed foam and spittle while prattling on about people being deprived of "liberty" during the pandemic. He also managed to show complete disrespect to the chairman of the session, Rep. Jim Clyburn, …
(2021-04-16). Denis Halliday: A Voice of Reason in an Insane World. counterpunch.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
(2021-04-16). Saryat Ansar Abu Baker As-Siddiq Launched New Attack On Turkish Forces In Greater Idlib. southfront.org 
Turkish army vehicles and military personnel are seen near the Turkish-Syrian border on October 12, 2019. IMAGE: Reuters / Murad Sezer | On April 15, Saryat Ansar Abu Baker As-Siddiq announced that its cells had carried out yet another attack against Turkish forces in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib. | In a statement, the group claimed that its cells struck a convoy of the Turkish military on the eastern corniche of Idlib city with an improvised explosive device (IED). According to the group's claims, at least…
(2021-04-16). Daraa: Four Intelligence Officers, Former Rebels Targeted In Separate Attacks. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | On April 16 and 17, three attacks targeted Syrian intelligence officers and former rebels in the southern governorate of Daraa. | The first attack targeted Yasin Juma'a al-Aboud. Unidentified gunmen shot and killed the former rebel, known as "al-Nisr" [the Eagle], on a road linking the towns of Om Elmiathin and Elnaymah in eastern Daraa on April 16. Al-Aboud, a former fighter of the Free Syrian Army, joined the reconciliation process in 2018. Since then, he has been leading a unit of the Syri…
(2021-04-16). 40 Years Late: Turkish Drone Targets House In Kobane Where PKK àñcalan Once Lived (Video). southfront.org 
Screen grab from the Hawar News Agency (ANHA) video. | Early on April 16, a Turkish combat drone struck a house in northeastern Syria where Abdullah àñcalan, the leader and founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), once lived. | The house is located in the village of Alblur, 5 km to the west of the town of Kobane in northeastern Aleppo. The house is located only few kilometers away from the border line with Turkey."The targeted house is the house the commander stayed in during 1979 while crossing from northern Kur…
(2021-04-16). One More Drone Attack Targeted US Troops In Iraqi Al-Anbar — Report. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | Early on April 16, Iraqi sources, including the The base, Ain Assad, was allegedly struck by three suicide drones. The drones targeted the barracks of US troops, their operations center and an air-defense system. Losses among American personnel were reported. | The Sabereen News shared two posters celebrating the attack on Ain Ass…
(2021-04-16). FedEx's Phone Policy Meant Workers Were Unable to Reach Families After Shooting. truthout.org 
A gunman opened fire at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, Thursday evening, killing at least eight individuals. | All eight who were killed The shooting happen…
(2021-04-16). Jordan: King Abdullah calls woman charged with insulting the throne. middleeasteye.net 
Jordan: King Abdullah calls woman charged with insulting the throne | Jordanian authorities rescinded Athar al-Dabbas's one year prison sentence following a social media campaign
| Fri, 04/16/2021 – 12: 01 | Women walk past a poster of King Abdullah II in Amman (AFP) | A Jordanian woman charged with insulting the throne has received a call pardoning her from King Abdullah, following a social media c…
(2021-04-16). Iraq: Deadly Baghdad blast was not intentional, say security sources. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq: Deadly Baghdad blast was not intentional, say security sources | Army said driver died when explosives he was transporting in a car detonated at a busy second-hand equipment market | Fri, 04/16/2021 – 08: 25 | Security officials have reported previous incidents of accidental detonations of explosives in the possession of various Shia armed factions (AFP) | Security sources say an exp…
(2021-04-16). The Heat: Fukushima Waste Water. america.cgtn.com 
Controversy in Japan as the government announces plans to release treated radioactive water into the ocean from the site of one of the world's biggest nuclear disasters.
(2021-04-16). Headlines for April 16, 2021. democracynow.org Eight Killed After Gunman Opens Fire at Indianapolis FedEx Warehouse, 13-Year-Old Adam Toledo Had Hands Up When He Was Shot Dead by Chicago Officer, Family of Daunte Wright Demands More Serious Charges for Officer Who Fired Fatal Shot, Derek Chauvin, Accused of Murdering George Floyd, Declines to Testify in His Own Defense, Court Vindicates Buffalo Cop Fired for Stopping a Fellow Officer from Choking Handcuffed Man, Dr. Fauci Shuts Down Rep. Jim Jordan in Heated Exchange over Public Health Measures, Pfizer Says COVID-19 Booster Vaccines Likely Needed Within a Year, India Reports Record 217,000 New Cases as Millio…
(2021-04-16). India registers record high of over 200,000 new COVID-19 cases, tally surpasses 14 mln. ecns.cn India's COVID-19 surge continues as a fresh high of 200,739 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 14,074,564, said the latest data released by the federal health ministry on Thursday.
(2021-04-16). Mountain View–Rising Up Against Anti-Asian Discrimination. indybay.org Chanting "Stop the Violence–No More Silence," more than 500 demonstrators marched from the vicinity of the historic Caltrain Station at the end of Castro Street to rally in the Mountain View City Hall Plaza on April 11.
(2021-04-16). Terrorism In Europe — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Kristin Archick and Rachel L. Martin* | Current Trends: | European governments and the European Union (EU) have grappled with domestic and foreign terrorist groups for decades, but numerous attacks since 2014 have renewed concerns about terrorism and violent extremism in Europe. Despite variances in how terrorist events are defined and tracked, studies indicate that terrorism poses a security threat in many European countries (see data from Europol, the EU's agency for police cooperation, in Figure 1). | European countries and the EU are key U.S. partners in the fight against terrorism, and Members…
(2021-04-16). Biden Aligning With the Wrong Side in India. counterpunch.org India's dramatic decline from a shaky but functional democracy into an authoritarian dictatorship under the hard-right Hindu nationalist BJP is nearly complete. But deeply rooted traditions of dissent and tolerance, which had long been in abeyance, have during the past 15 months created a strong democratic challenge that has caught both the government and seasoned
(2021-04-16). Iraq seeks to speed up US troop withdrawal from the country. peoplesdispatch.org US troops deployed in oil-rich Iraq following the NATO-led invasion in 2003 were withdrawn in 2011 but were re-deployed in 2014 following the rise of ISIS. Their presence has caused significant popular unrest in the country…
(2021-04-16). Lawsuit filed after police fracture elderly woman's arm on video. nationofchange.org "This is not community policing. This is community terrorism."
(2021-04-16). Pakistan at the Crossroads, Again. counterpunch.org Several recent events in Pakistan are indicative of trouble brewing in the land of my birth once again. A couple of intertwined regressive discourses, have coalesced at this moment that, depending upon how they are handled and resolved (or not)—could determine the future direction the country takes. The first of these discourses one would like
(2021-04-16). After Elections, Seoul Braces for Environmental Inaction. counterpunch.org An estimated 17,000 people die every year in South Korea from air-pollution-related illnesses. But this top-priority issue was conspicuously absent from the campaign manifesto of the newly elected mayor of Seoul. The death of former mayor Park Won-soon in 2020 triggered the April 7 by-election to fill the remainder of his term. Park's suicide and
(2021-04-16). The EU looks on as the HDP — and democracy itself — falls victim to Erdogan. zcomm.org Despite Turkey's main pro-Kurdish opposition party being subject to years of harassment, the international community remains silent…
(2021-04-15). Consumer Prices Bounce Up, But Fears Of Inflation Baseless — Analysis. eurasiareview.com Nothing in this report should raise fears of inflation problems. We see some bounce back in prices depressed by pandemic, nothing more. Gas prices will be level or fall in April, lowering the overall rate. | Owners' equivalent rent went up 0.2 percent in March, up 2.0 percent year-over-year. It had been rising over 3.0 percent in pre-pandemic months. The sharpest slowing of rental inflation is in the West. Owners' equivalent rent had been rising more than 4.0 percent year-over-year, but now it is down to just 1.6 percent. | A big jump in energy prices pushes the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) up 0.6 percen…
(2021-04-15). From Vaccines To V-Shaped Recovery In Europe — Analysis. eurasiareview.com One year into the pandemic, Europe finds itself at another turning point. New waves of infection are hitting the continent, requiring new lockdowns. But, unlike last year, safe and effective vaccines are now available. While the pace of vaccination is still slow, an end to the pandemic is in sight. | Reflecting the periodic infection waves and the pace of vaccinations, the economic recovery in Europe is still halting and uneven. While industrial production has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the service sector is still contracting. | However, looking ahead, we project that Europe's economic growth will reboun…
(2021-04-15). Grave concerns raised as Japan announces release of radioactive water into the sea. mronline.org 
JAPAN has come under fire after its government announced today that it would release more than a million metric tonnes of radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. | April 15, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-15). Community leaders call for more serious charges in Wright death. peoplesworld.org 
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (AP) — Black community leaders and family members of Daunte Wright were calling for more serious charges against a white police officer in Wright's death, comparing her case to the murder charge brought against a Black officer who killed a white woman in nearby Minneapolis. Former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kim Potter …
(2021-04-15). EU Parliament session gets chaotic as MEP accused of 'fake news' for daring to question OPCW on whistleblower scandal (VIDEO). rt.com 
Despite whistleblower leaks casting doubts on the OPCW's findings, the EU Parliament is determined to enforce the organization's anti-Assad line on Syria. MEP Mick Wallace was accused of spreading "fake news" when he spoke out. | The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has taken an intense interest in Syria's civil war, and has accused President Bashar Assad of deploying chemical weapons against his own people on several occasions. Its conclusions have twice been used to justify US military action against Syria, and a new OPCW report on Monday found "reasonable grounds" to suspect that a Syria…
(2021-04-15). Is ISIS Back To Turkish-Occupied Al-Bab? Two Policemen Killed In Separate Attacks. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | On April 15, unidentified gunmen assassinated two members of the Free Syrian Police in the Turkish-occupied town of al-Bab in northern Aleppo. | The first casualty was 1st Lt. Khalid al-Khatib. Two gunmen riding a motorcycle shot and killed the police officer in al-Bab. Al-Khatib, also known as "Abu Jamal," is originally from the town of Marea. According to opposition sources, he fought with the Free Syrian Army in the early years of the war. | The second casualty was policeman Mohamad Juma'a. His bod…
(2021-04-15). Houthis Targeted Oil Facilities, Patriot Systems In Saudi Arabia With 11 Drones & Missiles (Video, Map Update). southfront.org 
Early on April 15, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) carried out a large-scale attack with 11 drones and missiles on several…
(2021-04-15). At Least 14 Killed Or Injured In Car Bomb Explosion In Baghdad Suburb (Videos). southfront.org 
Screen grab from: youtu.be/14qjArs4PxY | On April 15, two people were killed and at least 12 others were wounded in the eastern outskirts of the Iraqi capital Baghdad as a result of a large explosion. | The explosion took place in al-Habibah area of the Sadr city. An Iraqi security source told the RT Arabic channel that the large explosion was caused by a car backed with explosives as well as an improvised explosive device. | The Iraqi Security Media Cell confirmed RT's report in an official statement and revealed that th…
(2021-04-15). Separate Attacks Target Turkish And U.S. Positions In Erbil. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 14th, a drone dropped explosives near U.S. forces stationed at Erbil airport in northern Iraq. | This was reported by Kurdish officials, and there were no casualties according to initial information."After the relevant authorities investigated the explosion at Erbil International Airport tonight, the results show that it was carried out by a TNT drone and directed at the Coalition forces at the airport. There are no casualties and the investigation continues to find the source a…
(2021-04-15). Kurdish Peshmerga Blamed For Missile Strike On PMU Post In Northern Iraq (Photos). southfront.org 
File image | On April 15, two anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) hit a checkpoint of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh."A checkpoint of the PMU in Nineveh province was subjected to missile strikes this morning," an Iraqi security source told RT. "Hours after the first strike, the checkpoint was subjected to a new strike." | The source said the side responsible for the attack has not been determined yet. The PMU has not yet made an official accusation. However, outlets affiliated with…
(2021-04-15). US lawmakers 'concerned' and plan to review $23bn UAE arms sale. middleeasteye.net 
US lawmakers 'concerned' and plan to review $23bn UAE arms sale | House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman says Congress will have 'ample time' to review the Biden administration's decision to continue with the weapons deal | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 18: 25 | Chairman Gregory Meeks said it was fortunate that the transfers would not occur 'any time soon', leaving time for congressional review (AFP/File photo) | The De…
(2021-04-15). US lawmakers 'remain concerned', plan to review $23bn UAE arms sale. middleeasteye.net US lawmakers 'remain concerned', plan to review $23bn UAE arms sale | House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman says Congress will have 'ample time' to review the Biden administration's decision to continue with the weapons deal | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 18: 25 | Chairman Gregory Meeks said it was fortunate that the transfers would not occur 'any time soon', leaving time for congressional review (AFP/File photo) | Th…
(2021-04-15). Mosul: Egyptian team wins Unesco bid to rebuild Iraq's Great Mosque of al-Nuri. middleeasteye.net 
Mosul: Egyptian team wins Unesco bid to rebuild Iraq's Great Mosque of al-Nuri | The mosque was destroyed in 2017 just as Iraqi forces made a final push to recapture the area | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 20: 55 | An Iraqi worker clears rubble during the reconstruction of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul's war-ravaged old town, on 15 December 2019 (AFP/File photo) | A group of Egyptian architects has won a global Un…
(2021-04-15). Iraq pressing US to agree on troop withdrawal timetable as tensions escalate. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq pressing US to agree on troop withdrawal timetable as tensions escalate | Though Washington has promised its forces are leaving, the lack of defined deadlines has opened the door for further attacks by armed factions | Thu, 04/15/2021 – 15: 30 | A US soldier walks at the Qayyarah airbase, where US-led troops are based near Mosul in northern Iraq, before a planned US pullout (AFP) | Iraq'
(2021-04-15). Iraq drone attack targets US forces at Erbil airport. middleeasteye.net 
Iraq drone attack targets US forces at Erbil airport | The unprecedented attack comes as a rocket hit a Turkish military base in northern Iraq, and a car bomb killed four people in Baghdad
| Thu, 04/15/2021 – 10: 01 | A picture taken on 24 December 2019, shows the entrance of Erbil International Airport, in the capital of the Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region Erbil (AFP) | An attack Wedn…
(2021-04-15). Horizon 2030: Will Emerging Risks Unravel Our Global Systems? — Analysis. eurasiareview.com Introduction: | The new decade is witnessing rising volatility across global systems. Pick any random "system" today and chart out its trajectory: Are our education systems becoming more robust and affordable? What about food security? Are our healthcare systems improving? Are our pension systems sound? Wherever one looks, there are dark clouds gathering on a global horizon marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). | But what exactly is a global system? Our planet itself is an autonomous and self- sustaining mega-system, marked by periodic cycles and elemental vagaries. Human…
(2021-04-15). Airborne Laser Scanning Of Gaps In Amazon Rainforest Helps Explain Tree Mortality. eurasiareview.com A group of researchers led by Brazilians has used an innovative model to map gaps in the Amazon rainforest and identify factors that contribute to tree mortality. Water stress, soil fertility, and anthropic forest degradation have the most influence on gap dynamics in the world's largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest, according to an article on the study published in Scientific Reports. | Forest gaps are most frequent in the areas with the highest levels of soil fertility, possibly because the abundance of organic material drives faster tree growth and shorter life cycles. | The main method of data c…
(2021-04-15). Ucrania — Guerra, rusofobia y oleoducto. globalizacion.ca Con terribles consecuencias para toda Eurasia, Ucrania y Rusia pueden estar al borde de la guerra. Vayamos al grano y sumerjámonos en la niebla de la guerra. El 24 de marzo, el presidente ucraniano Zelensky, a todo efecto práctico, firmó…
(2021-04-15). Indian hospitals overwhelmed amid over 100,000 COVID-19 cases daily. wsws.org On Monday, India recorded 168,912 new COVID-19 cases, replacing Brazil as the second-most affected country in the world hit by the highly-infectious virus.
(2021-04-15). Cyclone Seroja wreaks death and destruction in Indonesia, East Timor and Western Australia. wsws.org The disaster still threatens to trigger a wave of dangerous diseases in multiple impoverished communities, including cholera, dysentery, typhoid—and COVID-19.
(2021-04-15). EU Council Ready To Negotiate On COVID Travel Certificate. eurasiareview.com By Gerardo Fortuna | ( In the approved mandate to start talks with EU lawmakers, member states aim at retaining the possibility to process personal data collected even for non-travel purpo…
(2021-04-15). Short-Term Shot And Long-Term Healing For Latin America And The Caribbean — Analysis. eurasiareview.com Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean recovered briskly in the second half of 2020, yet still more slowly than the global economy and other emerging markets. That's despite unprecedented policy support, strong performance of trading partners, soaring commodity prices and accommodative global financial conditions. The persistence of the health crisis in many countries casts a shadow on the near-term outlook. People and economies continue to require a short-term shot to exit from the COVID-19 crisis, while the aggravation of several underlying structural fragilities poses significant long-term challenges.
(2021-04-15). Vermont Unconstitutionally Distributes COVID Vaccine Based On Race — OpEd. eurasiareview.com Shame on the State of Vermont. Under the state's If anyone bothered to take the matter to court, this racially based vacc…
(2021-04-15). RCEP sends powerful signal of Asia's commitment to open trade: IMF official. ecns.cn The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) sends a very powerful signal of the region's commitment to open and liberal trade.
(2021-04-15). Want To Be Robust At 40-Plus? Meeting Minimum Exercise Guidelines Won't Cut It. eurasiareview.com Young adults must step up their exercise routines to reduce their chances of developing high blood pressure or hypertension – a condition that may lead to heart attack and stroke, as well as dementia in later life. | Current guidelines indicate that adults should have a minimum of two-and-a-half hours of moderate intensity exercise each week, but a new study led by UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals reveals that boosting exercise to as much as five hours a week may protect against hypertension in midlife – particularly if it is sustained in one's thirties, forties and fifties. | In the study publishing in Ameri…
(2021-04-15). Georgieva: Leveraging Digital Money To Facilitate Remittances — Speech. eurasiareview.com Thank you for joining us here today for this virtual workshop about how digital money can facilitate remittances. | The eminent MIT economist Rudy Dornbusch famously said: | "In economics things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then they happen faster than you thought they could." | Digital money is a perfect illustration of this maxim, where after a long period of development, the field is on the cusp of major changes that have the potential to reshape cross-border payments and remittances. | For example, last October The Bahamas launched the Sand Dollar, the world's first central bank digi…
(2021-04-15). Pineapple Ban Another Prickle In Cross-Strait Relations — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Dalton Lin* | Beijing suddenly announced on 26 February 2021 that it would suspend pineapple imports from Taiwan starting 1 March, citing
(2021-04-15). Is Border Chief Nominee Anti-Catholic? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com President Joe Biden has nominated Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus to be the head of Customs and Border Protection. The Senate will have to confirm him. He needs to be asked about some disturbing remarks he made two years ago about Covington Catholic High School students. | After a March for Life rally in the nation's capital, Nick Sandmann, a Covington Catholic student, was taunted by an Indian activist, Nathan Phillips. Although Phillips beat his drum in the student's face, Sandmann did not retaliate. All he did was smile. Immediately, many pundits and the media attacked Sandmann for disrespecting Phillips.