(2021-04-03). Increasing Applied Pesticide Toxicity Threatens Plants And Insects. eurasiareview.com 
A group of scientists from the University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany, has shown that for plants and insects the applied pesticide toxicity in agriculture has substantially increased between 2004 and 2016. In a paper published in the current issue of Science, the authors show that this pattern is even relevant in genetically modified (GM) crops that were originally designed to reduce pesticide impacts on the environment. | "We have taken a large body of pesticide use data from the US and have expressed changes of amounts applied in agriculture over time as changes in total applied pesticide toxicity," says lead…
(2021-04-03). Luxembourg A Tax Haven For Finnish Companies And Super-Rich. eurasiareview.com 
By Pekka Vanttinen | ( The list of names, revealed by the Finnish Broadcasting Company's investigative journalism programme MOT on Monday, includes former Nokia CEO Jorma Ollila and Ilkka Herlin, member of the Herlin family, which owns Kone, a leading international engin…
(2021-04-03). Russian Opposition Must Shed Its Illusions About Navalny, Putin And Possibilities For Change — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
The chief problem of the Russian opposition, Vladislav Inozemtsev says, is that its hopes and expectations increasingly take precedence over a sober assessment of the realities of their situation, one in which they expect to be able to liberate Aleksey Navalny and create "a beautiful Russia of the future." | Their world, however, is imaginary, the Russian analyst says, and it is getting in the way of taking the kinds of steps needed to make real progress in more limited ways possible. The opposition doesn't understand that it needs to operate within the Russia that exists and not the one its members have dream…
(2021-04-03). OPEC+ Agrees On Gradual Output Increase. eurasiareview.com 
The 15th Under the agreement, Opec+, which includes Russia, will increase output by 350,000 barrels a day in both May and June and by 441,000 barrels a day in July. Over the same period, Saudi Arabia will gradually unwind additional cuts of 1 million barrels a day that it has been making voluntarily, reports said. | It's estimated that Opec+ has been withholding 8 million barrels a day from the market. | Reports said Russia…
(2021-04-03). Fewer African Students Came To Russia In 2020. eurasiareview.com 
As federal government scholarships are highly limited, Russia's educational institutions are ready to train more and more specialists on tuition paying basis for Africa. There are plans to boost the number of African students, but currently, approximately 60% of the total African students are on private contracts in the Russian Federation. | "The present and the future of Russia-Africa relations is not about charity, it's about co-development," stated Evgeny Primakov, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) and also a member of the Secretariat of the R…
(2021-04-03). Revoking The Coup In Myanmar — Analysis. eurasiareview.com 
The situation in Myanmar following the Tatmadaw's coup d'état of February 1, 2021 is at a critical point. The insular Tatmadaw, backed by China and Russia, along with supportive regional players, is unlikely to capitulate from traditional sanctions and a compromised United Nations (UN). | The first step in crafting an effective response is to identify the primary drivers and objectives of the coup. Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief, General Min Aung Hlaing, controlled the Ministries of Defense (armed forces), Home Affairs (national police force), and Border Affairs. Myanmar soldiers, police, militias, and the courts…
(2021-04-03). Turkmenistan's Currency Slides Sharply To New Lows. eurasiareview.com 
( The manat has been under pressure for months now, a slide blamed in part on a decrease in remittances sent by Turkmen migrant workers from Turkey to their families. | In mid-January, the manat was trading on the black market for around 27 or 28 to the dollar. | In recent weeks, however, the currency has slid further, and on April 3, RFE/R…
(2021-04-03). Is The Long War Finally Ending? popularresistance.org In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, and Churchill agreed. The deal remained secret for nearly a decade. | The percentages on the piece of paper referred to the amount of influence that the Soviet Union and the West would wield in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece, with the first three countries falling in the Soviet sphere, control divided evenly in…
(2021-04-03). Stop NATO archives: Articles. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Stop NATO articles 2009-2014 The following are available at the link above: Africa: Laboratory and Battleground for Pentagon's 21st Century WarfareMay 29, 2014 Second Stage Interoperability: NATO Trains For Combat In EuropeMay 26, 2014 U.S. Tests Advanced Missile For NATO Interceptor SystemMay 23, 2014 NATO, U.S. Seek to Consolidate Western Military Blockade of Russia in …
(2021-04-03). As Russian Tanks Move Toward Ukraine, the Globe Braces for the Possibility that World War 3 Could Soon Erupt. globalresearch.ca At this hour, more Russian military forces are massed near Ukraine's …
(2021-04-03). Biden, Pentagon, NATO signal readiness to go to war against Russia over Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Biden, Pentagon, NATO signal readiness to go to war against Russia over UkraineRick Rozoff Recent press releases from the White House, the Defense Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization uniformly communicate the message that the U.S. and NATO are willing, and perhaps are preparing, to enter into armed conflict with Russia over their joint …
(2021-04-03). [World Report] New EU health programme comes into force. thelancet.com EU4Health, a ‚Ǩ5 ∑1 billion project spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to strengthen the response to health crises and challenges across Europe. Udani Samarasekera reports.
(2021-04-03). Biden, Pentagon, NATO Signal Readiness to Go to War Against Russia Over Ukraine. news.antiwar.com Recent press releases from the White House, the Defense Department and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization uniformly communicate the message that the U.S. and NATO are willing, and perhaps are preparing, to enter into armed conflict with Russia over their joint client regime in Ukraine. On April 1 U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a …
(2021-04-03). The Saker: Drums Of War In The Ukraine (Open Thread). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size imageEastern Ukraine is close to become an escalation point for the next full-scale war, which has the potential not only to destabilize the European region, but also to involve all the leading world powers, becoming a global military conflict. SouthFront is closely monitoring developments in the Donbass region and we are concerned about the sharp increase in military activity there. | Our friend The Saker launched an open thread with the most relevant information and discussion of the s…
(2021-04-03). New Batch Of Syrian Militants Moved To Turkey. What Is The Next Stop? southfront.org 
Illustrative image | A batch of Syrian militants has arrived in Turkey in preparation for a possible deployment in Libya or other countries, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on April 3. | According to the London-based monitoring group, around 380 militants were taken to Turkey in the last few days. Libya is the most likely end destination. | Despite recent
(2021-04-03). Interview With Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycı On Maritime Security And Naval Development In Turkey. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | The interview with Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycƒ±, Chief of Staff of the Turkish Republic's Naval Forces 2017-2020, originally appeared at Arms Exports 2021 #1, translated by AlexD exclusively for SouthFront. | How do you see the threats to Turkey's maritime security in the near and long term?: | Turkey has faced threats to its maritime security since the early years of the Republic. Although many issues relating to the Adalar (Aegean) Sea were resolved by the Lausanne Peace…
(2021-04-03). Artillery Fire, Drone Attacks, Child Killed. Did War In Ukraine Begin? (Videos, Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The situation in Eastern Ukraine remains tense for weeks already. The ceasefire violations take place on a regular basis. However, the recent days, the situation seems to get worth. Taking into account the on-going deepening of the political crisis, the large-scale military escalation is expected in the nearest future. Or has it already begun? | According to the special statement by Public Militia of Donetsk People Republi (DPR), on April 3, Ukrainian sold…
(2021-04-03). Why Is The United Kingdom Raising Its Nuclear Stockpile Limits? popularresistance.org On March 16, the United Kingdom announced it was significantly raising a self-imposed cap on its overall nuclear stockpile, from a previous target of 180 warheads by the mid-2020s to a new cap of 260. The decision was outlined in the United Kingdom's Integrated Review, a landmark strategic update, which also said the country will no longer declare the size of its operational warhead stockpile (previously 120), or the numbers of warheads and operational missiles deployed on submarines (previously 40 and no more than 8, respectively). A previous review in 2015 had left open the possibility of a future change in nuc…
(2021-04-03). Netherlands Halts Vaccination With Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine. telesurenglish.net The Netherlands' Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced a temporary suspension on the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for people below 60 years of age. | RELATED: | At least five cases of serious adverse effects in women between 25 and 65 years of age, one of whom died, were reported in the country. | The decision comes days after the German government also decided to halt inoculations with AstraZeneca's vaccines over concerns of "unusual blood clot…
(2021-04-03). European Plans for 'Vaccine Passports' Were in Place 20 Months Prior to the Pandemic. Coincidence? globalresearch.ca With the world being told that so-called 'vaccine passports' will be …
(2021-04-03). Ukraine To Regain 'Occupied Territory' in Crimea and Sevastopol. orinocotribune.com In 2014, the Russian-speaking population living in the Donbas region set the Donetsk and Luhansk republics. Ukraine does not recognize that decision to date. | Over the last week, Ukraine has been moving military vehicles and troops to the front lines, a measure that increases its military tensions with Russia. | On March 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the Decree 117/2021 approving the "strategy of disoccupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol city." | In practical terms, Ukraine's decision could trigger actions lea…
(2021-04-03). Mediterranean Sea: Charity says 270 migrants stranded in 'critical' state. middleeasteye.net 
Mediterranean Sea: Charity says 270 migrants stranded in 'critical' state | Organisation Alarm Phone says coastguard, merchant ships have refused to rescue three boats off the coast of Italy | Sat, 04/03/2021 – 14: 56 | Sea Watch Italy posted photos on 2 April 2021 of boats carrying hundreds of people attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe (Sea Watch/Twitter) | Around 270 migrants…
(2021-04-02). Letters From Minsk: Echoes of Munich Over Wroclaw, Poland. counterpunch.org 
This is the fourth in a series about train and bicycle rides from Switzerland to Belarus, in those carefree days before pandemic lockdowns. My Wroclaw train dropped me at the main station just outside the downtown in the middle of the afternoon, when chilly winds off the central European plains were whipping around the cobblestoned
(2021-04-02). Mapping Policy For How EU Can Reduce Its Impact On Tropical Deforestation. eurasiareview.com 
EU imports of certain products contribute significantly to deforestation in other parts of the world. | In a new study, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and University of Louvain, Belgium, evaluated thousands of policy proposals for how the EU could reduce this impact, to assess which would have the largest potential to reduce deforestation – while also being politically feasible. | "Unsurprisingly, there is weaker support for tougher regulations, such as import restrictions on certain goods. But our study shows that there is broad support in general, including for certain policies t…
(2021-04-02). Sign our online birthday card to say: "Free Georges Abdallah!" on his 70th birthday! #MacronLibérezAbdallah. samidoun.net 
It's Georges Abdallah's 70th birthday. This Lebanese Arab communist struggler for Palestine is marking this birthday in Lannemezan Prison, after being jailed by France for over 36 years. Join us today to take action online to demand his immediate liberation. First, join the Twitterstorm! #MacronLibérezAbdallah Twitter Storm Friday, 2 April 2021 10 am Pacific — 1 pm Eastern — 7 pm central Europe — 8 pm Palestine Use the hashtag: #MacronLibérezAbdallah Sample Tweets: bit.ly/freeabdallah Tag: @EmmanuelMacron @GDarmanin to direct your demand to French officials. Sign our collective birthday…
(2021-04-02). Is the Long War Finally Ending? counterpunch.org 
In October 1944, with the end of World War II in sight, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin passed a note back and forth to each other at a conference in Moscow. On the piece of paper, Churchill had assigned percentages to several Eastern European countries. Stalin amended the numbers, and Churchill agreed. The deal remained
(2021-04-02). Saudi Arabia's Plans To Grow Forests In Desert Could Change The World — OpEd. eurasiareview.com 
By Zaid M. Belbagi* | For any country that relies upon hydrocarbons to provide 99 percent of its energy, you might imagine that announcing an ambitiously huge entry into the renewables space would be daunting. | Not for Saudi Arabia. With average annual sun hours in excess of 3,000, miles upon miles of untouched shoreline and a landmass the size of Western Europe, the potential is immense. | For decades the Saudi Ministry of Petroleum was OPEC's poster boy, leading the way on the pricing of crude and helping to keep cars moving, ships sailing and the global economy ticking over. The oil crisis of 1973 undersco…
(2021-04-02). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org 2,000 Amazon workers at five German fulfilment centres in four-day pay strike; one-day general strike of Belgian private sector workers against 0.4 percent pay rise cap; 2,000 coal miners' strike in Bosnia and Herzegovina over months of unpaid and inconsistent wages; French primary school teachers to walk out over school reopenings…
(2021-04-02). Credit Suisse's 'Suspicious' Forecast for Venezuelan Economy: 4% Growth in 2021. orinocotribune.com In an economic forecast made public by the controversial AP journalist Joshua Goodman last Friday, March 26, which could be defined as a suspicious and unusual compliment, the Credit Suisse bank foresees the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to have a GDP increase of 4% in 2021. | The forecast is a surprise because the international financial institution considers the fact that the South American country is subject to a commercial and financial blockade, to which private corporations such as Credit Suisse itself capitulates, under the direction of the United States government and the European Union. | "We project…
(2021-04-02). Belgium Must Lift 'All COVID-19 Measures' within 30 Days, Brussels Court Rules. globalresearch.ca The Belgian State has been ordered to lift "all coronavirus measures" …
(2021-04-02). Rebuttal Letter to European Medicines Agency (EMA) from Doctors for COVID Ethics. globalresearch.ca Emer Cooke, Executive Director, European Medicines …
(2021-04-02). WSWS publishes Chinese translation of "800,000 COVID-19 deaths in Europe: capitalism, social murder and the case for socialism" wsws.org Translated into Chinese, the article explains how the political representatives of the financial aristocracy have condemned hundreds of thousands to death and the necessity for the international working class to put an end to the capitalist system.
(2021-04-02). Macron's pandemic speech and the politics of "social murder" wsws.org The ruling elite in France and internationally refuses to take meaningful action to stop a new wave of COVID-19 deaths that is sweeping the globe.
(2021-04-02). Spain: Headquarters of Leftist Party Podemos Vandalized. telesurenglish.net The Podemos President Pablo Iglesias denounced an attack with explosives on this leftist party's headquarters in Cartagena city in Murcia province. | RELATED: | In May and September last year, the same building was vandalized and threatening graffiti with neo-Nazi symbology appeared on the walls. | "Far-right terrorism is not going to intimidate us… Democracy, freedom of expression, and social justice is the response to thes…
(2021-04-02). Russia Says Iran and US Are On Track to Return to Nuclear Deal. telesurenglish.net In a positive sign, both parties agreed to meet formally in person in Vienna on Tuesday. | Based in the Austrian capital, the joint commission's virtual meeting followed a breakthrough earlier in the week in private talks on how Iran and the US could both rejoin the deal on a step-by-step basis. | RELATED: | The commission, comprised of France, the UK, Germany, China, the EU, and Russia, is responsible for monitoring the deal's i…
(2021-04-02). "Defender Europe 21": The US Militarization of the Balkans. A Threat Against Russia and Serbia? globalresearch.ca Twenty two Years Ago. 24 March 2021 marks the commemoration of …
(2021-04-02). Speaking Out for Women of Color Nominees. counterpunch.org Women know that our progress is often characterized by two steps forward, one step back. For women of color, the obstacles are even greater. And so, as the Biden-Harris administration makes a groundbreaking effort to nominate more women of color to high-level positions, the backlash has been swift and vicious. Anyone watching cable news will
(2021-04-02). NATO appoints Turkey to lead drive into the Middle East and Asia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com NATO appoints Turkey to lead drive into the Middle East and AsiaRick Rozoff On the first of the year the North Atlantic Treaty Organization transferred command of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) to Turkey. On March 30 NATO turned over its current mission in Afghanistan to Turkish Brigadier General Selàßuk Yurtsizoƒülu. …
(2021-04-02). 'Vaccines our best way out of this pandemic,' including 'effective & safe' Sputnik V jab — WHO Europe executive director to RT. rt.com 
All vaccines will be needed to defeat Covid-19, including Russia's Sputnik V and UK's AstraZeneca, Robb Butler, WHO Europe executive director, told RT, calling on governments to ramp up their immunization drives. | WHO Europe covers 53 nations on the continent, not just European Union member states, and Sputnik V has come to the "aid and support" of the countries that were unable to get EU-approved Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna jabs, Butler, the head of the World Health Organization's Europe regional office, told RT on Friday. | "Sputnik V vaccine, from what we've seen from the Russian Federation, from the d…
(2021-04-02). Europe's drought-induced crop losses tripled in 50 years, threatening future global food supply chain. rt.com 
New research has found that EU crop losses driven by heat waves and drought, as well as other extreme weather events, have tripled in 50 years, a startling figure which could upend food-chain supply dynamics around the globe. | The
(2021-04-02). Netherlands suspends use of Vaxzevria Covid jab among under-60s 'as a precaution' after woman's death. rt.com 
The Dutch Health Ministry said it has temporarily halted administering AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, to people aged under 60 after a woman who had received one of the shots died. | In a statement on Friday, the
(2021-04-02). US and Iran Agree to Indirect Talks to Revive Nuclear Deal. news.antiwar.com Negotiations on how to bring the US back into compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, will begin in Vienna next week. While US and Iranian officials will attend the talks, The decision to meet in Vienna was decided on Friday during virtual talks between Iran and officials representing the remaining JCPOA participants; Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany. | The EU
(2021-04-02). Nord Stream 2 Operator Warns Warships and Planes Threaten the Russia-Germany Pipeline Project. news.antiwar.com A senior official from Nord Stream 2 AG, the project company leading the Nord Stream 2 Russia to Germany natural gas pipeline project, "Higher activity of naval vessels, airplanes and helicopters and civilian vessels of foreign states is observed in the work area after restarted construction of the offshore segment of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, whose actions are often clearly provocative," said Nord Stream…
(2021-04-02). Russia Fines Twitter Over Illegal Child-Sensitive Posts. telesurenglish.net On Friday, a Russian court fined Twitter for not deleting posts summoning minors to participate in illegal rallies demanding the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny. The ruling comes after pressure upon the U.S. platform to remove content or be blocked. | RELATED: | In the last weeks, Russia's state communications watchdog Roskomnadzorn reported that Twitter had failed to remove over 3,000 posts with banned content…
(2021-04-02). Germany's Political Crisis and the Future of Nord Stream 2. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by J.Hawk exclusively for SouthFront. | In a Blinken of an Eye: | The Biden Administration entered the White House accompanied by hopes that it would return to some kind of normal in its relations with the European Union. While Biden, unlike Obama, would not score a Nobel Peace Prize solely for his existence, his victory was warmly welcomed in capitals around Europe as a sign that liberalism would vanquish populism ushering in a new era of "business as usual"
(2021-04-02). Kiev Scrambles To Justify The Incoming Storm. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Kiev government is going to great lengths to attempt and justify its incoming attempts at escalating the situation in Eastern Ukraine and towards Crimea. | On April 1st, but not as a joke, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Moscow is trying to put pressure on Kiev by amassing its military forces along the Russian-Ukrainian border.In a Facebook post, Zelensky noted he would highlight two points in the issue of war and peace. "First of all, it's about Donbas. Indeed, escala…
(2021-04-02). Problems Plague Turkey's Proxy Coalition In Syria. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | Several problems continue to plague the so-called Syrian National Army (SNA), Turkey's main proxy coalition in Syria. | The SNA was formed in 2017 by a number of Turkish-backed factions. Today, the coalition rules Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northeastern Syria. The coalition is also present in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib. | On April 1, the Suleyman Shah Division, one of the largest SNA factions, announced its defection from the coalition's 1st Brigade. The group…
(2021-04-02). "Global Britain": Flying Flags, Banging War Drums and Going Down the Nuclear Plughole. counterpunch.org Many Britons are in despair about the direction their country has taken under the fraud Boris Johnson. But there are not yet enough of them to make any difference. The United Kingdom is in a dire condition, socially and economically, and as with other countries has a major crisis on its hands in having to
(2021-04-02). Iran Says Removal Of US Sanctions First Step In Reviving JCPOA. eurasiareview.com 
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi made it clear at an online session of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that the verifiable termination of the US sanctions on Tehran is the first and foremost step in restoring the 2015 nuclear deal. | The 18th meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission was held via videoconference on Friday, April 2. | The webinar was chaired on behalf of EU High Representative Josep Borrell by the Deputy Secretary General and Political Director of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora. | The meeting was attended by the representatives of Iran,…
(2021-04-02). Selected Articles: The PCR False Positive Pseudo-Epidemic. globalresearch.ca 
By 24 March 2021 marks the commemoration of the illegal US-NATO war of aggression against the Federal Republic …