(2021-04-13). "The Free World" Died of COVID-19. globalresearch.ca As someone with a background in foreign policy and international affairs, …
(2021-04-13). Saving Pollinators From An Imaginary Bee-Pocalypse — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
Honeybees are doing OK, despite varroa mites, the Covid-driven economy and other problems.: | A torrent of media stories from 2013-2014 presented frightening tales of "unprecedented" colony collapse disorder (CCD) among honeybees, conjuring up visions of a "bee-pocalypse" and "a world without bees," a world in which flowers and agriculture would be decimated. | Many articles blamed neonicotinoid pesticides, while others added climate change and biotech (GMO) crops as likely culprits. Some mentioned Varroa destructor mites and various viruses and diseases as possible causes. Virtually none suggested tha…
(2021-04-13). Vaccine Passports Only Way Out Of Pandemic — Oped. eurasiareview.com 
The issue of the likely use of vaccine passports in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is prompting questions about whether or not they work. The point of a vaccine passport is, in theory, to mitigate disease spread by introducing a system of checks and balances to bring about herd immunity. A debate over their perceived invasion of privacy versus medical necessity is now playing out in many countries around the world. At the heart of the argument is their requirement for human security. | The requirement to be vaccinated against certain diseases ahead of travel and the related documentation…
(2021-04-13). Chinese woman fights back against sexual harassment—with a mop. mronline.org 
A video clip has emerged showing a female office worker beating her over-eager boss with a cleaning instrument, to the delight of women viewers. | April 13, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-13). Vietnam elects new leaders skilled in pandemic containment and economic management. peoplesworld.org 
HANOI—Vietnam has elected a new government, and although many Americans might not pay much attention to Vietnamese politics, there are significant reasons for them to do so—especially now. With one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Vietnam has become an important trade partner with the United States, reason enough to give it consideration. …
(2021-04-13). GOP Smears DOJ Civil Rights Pick Kristen Clarke in Latest Attack on Voting Rights & Racial Justice. democracynow.org 
We look at President Biden's nomination of Kristen Clarke to become the first Black woman to lead the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the conservative smear campaign against the veteran civil rights lawyer. The far-right Fox News host Tucker Carlson has devoted at least five segments to attacking Clarke's nomination, including baseless accusations of anti-Semitism. Ben Jealous, president of People for the American Way and former president of the NAACP, says "the right-wing attack machine" springs into action whenever Black nominees are up for confirmation. "They make sport, quite frankly, of trying…
(2021-04-13). Saudi Arabia: Salvator Mundi 'endangered' on MBS superyacht, says report. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia: Salvator Mundi 'endangered' on MBS superyacht, says report | World's most expensive painting at risk of damage on crown prince's boat, as France-Saudi fallout over Da Vinci work continues | Tue, 04/13/2021 – 13: 19 | A visitor takes a picture of the Salvator Mundi at Christie's New York auction house in November 2017 (AFP/File photo) | The world's most expensive painting has been endange…
(2021-04-13). Lebanon: Half of families could struggle to afford iftar meal. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon: Half of families could struggle to afford iftar meal | A new study has revealed an astronomical increase in price of basic Ramadan meals in Lebanon | Tue, 04/13/2021 – 16: 10 | A man checks a traditional Ramadan lantern at the start of the Muslim holy fasting month, in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon (AFP) | As the holy month of Ramadan begins, many families in Lebanon could struggle t…
(2021-04-13). Arabic press review: Egypt builds 35 new prisons since 2011 revolution. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Egypt builds 35 new prisons since 2011 revolution | Meanwhile, former Qatari PM says US is behind Jordan's crisis, foreign investment in Dubai declines by 53 percent, and 43 percent of Lebanese families struggle to secure food in Ramadan | Tue, 04/13/2021 – 13: 41 | Policewomen standing outside the entrance to al-Qanatir women's prison, about 30km north of the Egyptian capit…
(2021-04-13). Suez Canal: Egypt 'seizes' Ever Given ship over failure to pay $1bn compensation. middleeasteye.net 
Suez Canal: Egypt 'seizes' Ever Given ship over failure to pay $1bn compensation | Negotiations are ongoing between the Japanese company that owns the giant container, insurance firms and the canal authority | Tue, 04/13/2021 – 15: 32 | The Ever Given giant container ship was freed on 29 March after being stuck across the Suez Canal for six days (AFP/Suez Canal Authority) | The giant Ever…
(2021-04-13). UK bill shielding soldiers from war crimes charges challenged in House of Lords. middleeasteye.net 
UK bill shielding soldiers from war crimes charges challenged in House of Lords | Lords vote to amend Overseas Opposition Bill to ensure serious offences by military personnel, including genocide and torture, can be prosecuted | Tue, 04/13/2021 – 16: 51 | British soldiers during a training operation in Basra, southern Iraq, in November 2007 (AFP) | The British government's attempts to shield its armed force…
(2021-04-13). The Role Of Portuguese In The Decline Of Muslims In Maritime Trade — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
European ruthlessness coupled with the Muslims' inability to keep pace with technology caused their downfall: | Muslims of Ceylon and peninsular India, who are ethnologically similar, were in the vanguard of maritime trade in South and South East Asia from the 3 rd., century BC till the emergence of the Portuguese and other European powers in the 16 th. Century. These Tamil-speaking Muslims of part Arab ancestry were trading peacefully in the region for centuries. But they were eventually outmaneuvered by European traders who were ruthless, armed, and technologically better equipped than the Muslims.
(2021-04-13). If Armenians Want Revenge, Azerbaijan Will Destroy Them: President Ilham Aliyev. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 13th, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave a speech at the "New vision for South Caucasus: Post-conflict development and cooperation" international conference held at ADA University. | The speech could be viewed and listened to on Azerbaijan is ready to sign a peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh, but "does not see" readiness for similar steps in the st…
(2021-04-13). Forecasting Biden's Policy in Southeast Asia. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2021-04-13). An Offering to our Asian Sisters. zcomm.org The American Dream is not dreamlike for those who are struggling within it. Opportunities are unequal and punishing…
(2021-04-13). Solidarity With the Asian Community. thenation.com Solidarity With the Asian Community…
(2021-04-13). People protest against the discharge of wastewater into the sea in Tokyo. ecns.cn The Japanese government is set to announce, as early as Tuesday, a plan to dilute radioactive Fukushima wastewater and release it into the ocean.
(2021-04-13). Laos and the CIA: The Most Secret Place on Earth Revisited. globalresearch.ca We met before sunrise, just Richy, the cameraman, myself and Sousath, …
(2021-04-12). Nimble Failure: The Australian COVID-19 Vaccination Program — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
"I am not going to be talking about numbers today," Australia's Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told Australia's Radio National on April 12. This echoed Part of the monumental failings of the government…
(2021-04-12). Headlines for April 12, 2021. democracynow.org Protesters Take to Minneapolis Streets After Police Kill 20-Year-Old Black Man Daunte Wright, Medical Examiner Reaffirms George Floyd Homicide Ruling, Caused by Derek Chauvin's Restraint, Black Army Lt. Sues After Virginia Police Attack, Pepper-Spray Him in Face Without Provocation, Maryland Passes Sweeping Police Reforms, Alabama Amazon Warehouse Organizers Lose Union Vote But Plan Legal Challenge, India Has World's 2nd-Highest COVID Caseload; WHO Blasts Vast Global Vaccine Inequality, Michigan Remains Major COVID Hot Spot But Refrains from Imposing New Lockdown | , Death Toll Mounts in Burma as Military Fires o…
(2021-04-12). Despite Supply, COVAX Distributes Nearly 40 Mln Vaccines: WHO. telesurenglish.net Close to 40 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have already been distributed through the COVAX Facility, half of them in Africa, but vaccine supplies are still stalled due to "tremendous demand" especially in India, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. | COVAX, a WHO-led program to secure equitable access to vaccines for low and middle-income countries, "has, as of today, distributed just over 38.7 million doses and we expect to get past 40 million doses later this week," Bruce Aylward, the WHO's senior advisor to the director general on organizational change, said at a press conference. | "Over 40…
(2021-04-12). 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.
(2021-04-12). 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.
(2021-04-12). Workplace Study During Pandemic Finds Managers Should Talk Less, Listen More. eurasiareview.com 
Workplace communication often took a back seat this past year, as employees and employers rushed to work remotely, struggled with technology barriers and adjusted to physical distancing. But the pandemic has resulted in valuable lessons for communicating on the job, according to a Baylor University study. | During the onset of COVID-19 — along with accompanying layoffs and a recession — "there likely has never been a moment with such demand for ethical listening to employees," said lead author Marlene S. Neill, Ph.D., associate professor of journalism, public relations and new media at Baylor. | "Ethical lis…
(2021-04-12). South Korea's Rural Basic Income Experiment Scheduled for Second Half of 2021. counterpunch.org 
Is a basic income a solution to inequality? Or is it a policy with serious side effects and little impact to show for the massive financial resources channeled into it? Is there any way of pre-testing a policy measure with influences as far-reaching as those of a basic income? For those asking such questions, a
(2021-04-12). No charges against Jordanian prince over 'destabilisation' plot. middleeasteye.net 
No charges against Jordanian prince over 'destabilisation' plot | Prime minister tells parliament there was no coup attempt, despite recent political crisis | Mon, 04/12/2021 – 16: 16 | Jordan's Prince Hamzah will not face trial after an apparent reconciliation with his half-brother King Abdullah (AFP) | The half-brother of Jordan's King Abdullah will not face trial after recent accusations of sedition, the co…
(2021-04-12). Eni Strengthens Presence In Vietnam Through Acquisition Of Block 115. eurasiareview.com 
Eni said Monday that through its affiliate Eni Vietnam it has completed the acquisition from Krisenergy (Vietnam 115) Ltd. of a 100% participating interest and the operatorship in Block 115/09, offshore central Vietnam. | The area is adjacent to Block 114 where the operator Eni Vietnam and its partner Essar Exploration and Production Limited have recently announced the Ken Bau gas and condensates discovery currently under appraisal. | The new acreage also borders with Block 116, also operated by Eni Vietnam with a 100% participating interest. | The block covers an area of 7,382 Km2, with a water depth ranging…
(2021-04-12). No Plan B For Singapore's Leadership Succession — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
By Bridget Welsh* | When Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong went on Christmas leave last year, he chose not to appoint then prime minister-designate Heng Swee Keat in his stead. This was a clear signal that he was unwilling to hand over the reins. This came after the People's Action Party (PAP) performed poorly in the Lee has been i…
(2021-04-12). Ron Paul: Global Taxes — Global Stagnation — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has proposed that governments around the world require payment of at least a uniform "global minimum corporate tax." A motivation for Yellen's push for a global minimum corporate tax is fear that the Biden administration's proposed increase in the US corporate tax will cause some American corporations to flee the US for countries with lower corporate taxes. | President Biden wants to increase corporate taxes to help pay for his so-called infrastructure plan. The plan actually spends more on "progressive" priorities, including a down payment on the Green New Deal, than on infrast…
(2021-04-12). Optically Active Defects Improve Carbon Nanotubes. eurasiareview.com 
The properties of carbon-based nanomaterials can be altered and engineered through the deliberate introduction of certain structural "imperfections" or defects. The challenge, however, is to control the number and type of these defects. In the case of carbon nanotubes – microscopically small tubular compounds that emit light in the near-infrared – chemists and materials scientists at Heidelberg University led by Prof. Dr Jana Zaumseil have now demonstrated a new reaction pathway to enable such defect control. It results in specific optically active defects – so-called sp3 defects – which are more luminescent a…
(2021-04-12). Haiti: Bishops Condemn Kidnappings Of Catholic Priests, Nuns. eurasiareview.com 
Seven Catholic priests and nuns were kidnapped in Haiti on Sunday, and are being held for ransom. | The five priests and two nuns were abducted at Croix-des-Bouquets, a suburb of Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince. 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 culpability for the kidnapping, and is demanding $1 million in ransom. | Two of the kidnapped, one priest and one nun, are citizens of France. | Church leaders in Haiti have condemned the kidnappings, and called for action to be taken ag…
(2021-04-12). Tracking Pervasive Microplastics Across The Globe. eurasiareview.com 
Really big systems, like ocean currents and weather, work on really big scales. And so too does your plastic waste, according to new research from Janice Brahney from the Department of Watershed Sciences. The plastic straw you discarded in 1980 hasn't disappeared; it has fragmented into pieces too small to see, and is cycling through the atmosphere, infiltrating soil, ocean waters and air. Microplastics are so pervasive that they now affect how plants grow, waft through the air we breathe, and permeate distant ecosystems. They can be found in places as varied as the human bloodstream to the guts of insects in…
(2021-04-12). Biden Names Trump Critics To Two Key Immigration Posts. eurasiareview.com 
By Ken Bredemeier | U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday named two critics of former President Donald Trump's immigration policies to key border control and immigration positions at a time when federal authorities are struggling to handle a surge of migrant arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border. | Biden picked Chris Magnus, the police chief in Tucson, Arizona, near the U.S.-Mexico border, to lead the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, and Ur Jaddou as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which handles the country's legal immigration system. | Both will have to be confirmed by the Senate be…
(2021-04-12). India: Troubled Peace In Jammu And Kashmir — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
By Ajit Kumar Singh* | On April 8-9, 2021, seven terrorists, including Imtiyaz Shah, the chief of Ansar-ul-Gazwat-ul-Hind (AuGH), were killed in two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). In the intervening night of April 7-8, Security Forces (SFs) launched an operation following intelligence inputs that terrorists were hiding inside the Central Jamia Masjid in the Jan Mohalla area of Shopian District. As the terrorists rejected the offer to surrender and opened fire, a gun battle ensued and three terrorists were killed towards the dawn of April 8. Another two terrorists were killed and the Masjid was…
(2021-04-12). Road Salts And Other Human Sources Are Threatening World's Freshwater Supplies. eurasiareview.com 
When winter storms threaten to make travel dangerous, people often turn to salt, spreading it liberally over highways, streets and sidewalks to melt snow and ice. Road salt is an important tool for safety, because many thousands of people die or are injured every year due to weather related accidents. But a new study led by Sujay Kaushal of the University of Maryland warns that introducing salt into the environment–whether it's for de-icing roads, fertilizing farmland or other purposes–releases toxic chemical cocktails that create a serious and growing global threat to our freshwater supply and human health.
(2021-04-12). Shift In Diet Allowed Gray Wolves To Survive Ice-Age Extinction. eurasiareview.com 
Gray wolves are among the largest predators to have survived the extinction at the end of the last ice age around11,700 years ago. Today, they can be found roaming Yukon's boreal forest and tundra, with caribou and moose as their main sources of food. | A new study led by the Canadian Museum of Nature shows that wolves may have survived by adapting their diet over thousands of years—from a primary reliance on horses during the Pleistocene, to caribou and moose today. The results are published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. | The research team, led by museum palaeontologist…
(2021-04-12). Tatmadaw Coup D'État As The Ramayana — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
The February 2001 coup d'état by the Myanmar Defense Forces, known as the Tatmadaw, has parallels to the Ramayana, the 24,000 verse Hindu epic that became popular throughout Asia, including Burma. In 1989, the Tatmadaw replaced English translations with Burmese words, changing Burma to Myanmar, Rangoon to Yangon, and so forth. | The Internet provides articles and videos on the Ramayana for those who want to become more familiar with this classic, which compares to the Odyssey, the 12,000 verse Greek epic. Both Rama and Odysseus are on a journey filled with challenges. In Sanskrit, "ayana" means journey. The Ra…
(2021-04-12). India: Polarized Stability In Northeast — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
By Giriraj Bhattacharjee* | On March 22, 2021, unidentified gunman in camouflage killed three Zeliang tribesmen — Itingwangbe Haikam, Hangyi and Asiambo — in an area between the Peren and Dimapur Districts of Nagaland. | On March 20, 2021, a Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) militant was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Purana Hajong village in the Dima Hasao District of Assam. | On March 16, 2021, SFs killed a militant belonging to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Reformation (NSCN-R) in an encounter at Motong under the Yatdam circle of Changlang District, Arunac…
(2021-04-12). Houthi Drones Attacked Aramco Refineries, 'Sensitive Military Sites' In Saudi Arabia. southfront.org 
the Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari | On April 12, the Houthis (as Ansar Allah is also known) claimed that they had launched 17 drones and two ballistic missiles on the territory of Saudi Arabia. | According to the Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, their explosive-laden drones successfully targeted Saudi Aramco sites in the eastern oil terminal of Jubail and the western city of Jeddah late on April 11. | Saudi officials, nor Aramco have not commented on the attack, yet. | The Houthi…
(2021-04-12). Myanmar: The Tenacity of The Protesters Is Relentless. telesurenglish.net The Military Junta led by General Min Aung Hlaing on Friday killed 82 people in Bago City. This massacre was strongly condemned by the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), which asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to act immediately. | RELATED: | Despite a brutal crackdown by security forces shooting to kill, citizens returned to the streets to demand a return to democracy on Monday. In Monywa, people released balloons in…
(2021-04-12). US: Indian Ocean Is Not India's Ocean. asia-pacificresearch.com …
(2021-04-12). Does Canada's Unilateral Sanctions Regime Violate International Law? popularresistance.org Is Canada breaking international law when it applies to unilateral coercive economic measures, commonly referred to as sanctions? | Most countries and international law experts believe sanctions are only legitimate when approved by the United Nations Security Council or the World Trade Organization. Economic sanctions outside the framework of the UN Charter are generally considered "unilateral" and unlawful. | According to a report by the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, "the imposition of unilateral and secondary sanctions on countries through application of national legislation is not-permissible…
(2021-04-12). Bangladesh was born amid Indo-Pak War in 1971 — But on 50th Anniversary, Who Owns that History? juancole.com Chicago (Special to Informed Comment) — "With the Creation of Bangladesh, a Longstanding Dream of the RSS Was Achieved" claims Seshadri Chari. According to Wikipedia, Seshadri Ramanujan Chari "is a veteran swayamsevak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Chari currently serves on the National Executive Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and formerly served …
(2021-04-12). 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.
(2021-04-12). Farmers Block Expressway In Indian State Of Haryana To Protest Against Farm Laws. popularresistance.org Hundreds of farmers from across India have been camping out Delhi's borders for the past four months to protest against newly introduced agricultural laws by the federal government. While the farmers are demanding the laws, passed last September be repealed, the government has agreed to only making amendments and refused to repeal them. | Intensifying their protests against newly introduced agriculture laws, farmers blocked the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway at several places in state of Haryana on Saturday. | Several farm leaders were detained by the Haryana Police even as farmers sitting on the expressway wer…
(2021-04-12). Chinese, Indian militaries agree to maintain contact after 11th round of talks. ecns.cn The Chinese and Indian militaries exchanged views on issues of mutual concern and agreed to maintain communications through military and diplomatic channels in their 11th round of corps commander-level meeting held on Friday, a spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said in a statement late Saturday.
(2021-04-12). 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.
(2021-04-12). Wildfires Have Damaged 775 Hectares in Costa Rica. telesurenglish.net Costa Rica's National Fire Management Program Coordinator Luis Roman reported almost 800 hectares affected by fires in Protected Wildlife Areas (ASP) so far this year. | RELATED: | As of April 4, the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) had tackled 49 fires, 10 of which occurred in the ASP. Guanacaste is the most affected province, where 775 hectares have been damaged. | "Experience tells us that week by w…
(2021-04-12). Saudi Arabia Suffers From Houthi Attacks. Is There A New Job For Turkey's Mercenaries? southfront.org | | | southfront@internet.ru : donationalerts.com/r/southfront : gumroad.com/southfront http: //southfront.org/donate/ or via: www.patreon.com/southfront, 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9 Y…
(2021-04-12). Death toll in Myanmar tops 700 after ruthless military crackdown on Bago city. wsws.org The junta's escalation of lethal violence and repression against protesters has failed to prevent daily demonstrations from continuing across Myanmar.
