(2021-04-28). The Russia/China Space Weaponization Treaty. counterpunch.org 
"Let's be clear: Deploying weapons in space crosses a threshold that cannot be walked back," stated retired U.S. Army Colonel John Fairlamb in a piece in the The Hill, the Washington, D.C. news website. Fairlamb knows the weaponization of space issue. His background includes being International Affairs Specialist for the Army Space and Missile Defense
(2021-04-28). Afghanistan's Green Future? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By John Feffer* | Everyone has a different Doomsday scenario for Afghanistan once U.S. and NATO troops withdraw by September 11. | The Taliban will take over and reimpose their repressive social agenda. Al-Qaeda will multiply rapidly and again become a global threat. Rival warlords will split apart the country. Another wave of Afghan refugees will overwhelm Europe. | And then there's the scenario in which China basically takes over the country, or at least the most sought-after parts of the country: the resources that lie beneath Afghan soil. | "Afghanistan is one of the richest mining regions in the world, ho…
(2021-04-28). Headlines for April 28, 2021. democracynow.org FBI Opens Probe into Police Killing of Andrew Brown as Autopsy Confirms He Was Shot in Back of Head, Video of Police Killing of Mario Gonzalez Prompts Comparison to George Floyd, Call for Probe, India Tops 200,000 COVID Deaths as Hospitals, Cremation Sites Are Overwhelmed, Turkey Orders Coronavirus Lockdown; Brazil Rejects Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine, CDC Says Vaccinated People Can Go Unmasked in Most Outdoor Settings, Seattle City Council Calls on Biden to Support IP Waiver for COVID Vaccine Patents, Biden Proposes Crackdown on Tax Evaders, Changes to Capital Gains Tax to Fund American Families Plan, Protesters K…
(2021-04-28). Trade unions, Podemos and CaixaBank collaborate to cut 8,000 jobs. wsws.org Spain's largest domestic retail bank, CaixaBank, is working closely with the trade unions, CCOO and UGT, and the Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government to axe 8,291 jobs. This would be the largest ever staff reduction in the Spanish banking sector.
(2021-04-28). Prescription Drugs in U.S. Are Quadruple What They Cost Elsewhere, Report Finds. truthout.org 
A new report done by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that drug prices in the U.S. on average are about 2 to 4 times higher than they are in Australia, Canada and France. | The
(2021-04-28). Sanctions, War Preparations And An Endless Supply Of Weapons For Kiev. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 21st a new act entered US Senate that will be voted on soon, titled Ukraine Security Partnership Act. | It passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee without a hitch and aims to increase and improve U.S. military support to Ukraine, and sends a message that the United States will continue to support the people of Ukraine, their ability to defend themselves, and the country's democratic transition."Today, as Russia masses more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border, mor…
(2021-04-28). Russia's "Harsh Response" To US: You Are Not My Friend Anymore. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 27th, in response to all the sanctions, harsh rhetoric, diplomatic expulsions and threats, Russia's Channel 1 released a list of "unfriendly countries". | Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced over the weekend that the U.S. would be on the list following a presidential decree on April 23rd. | Also named were: Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Estonia, United Kingdom and Georgia. Another screen grab from Channel 1, circulating on soci…
(2021-04-28). Military Situation In Donetsk People's Republic On April 28, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | 1. UAF in Avdiivka shelled the village of Spartak with three rockets | 2. UAF in Avdiivka shelled the village of Krutaya Balka with grenade launchers | 3. UAF in Krasnogorovka shelled the village of Staromikhailovka with grenade launchers | 4. UAF in Talakovka and Vodyanoe shelled Kominternovo with 120-mm artillery and grenade launchers | 5. DPR forces in Donetsk targeted UAF positions in Opytne with an ATGM | 6. DPR forces in Donetsk targeted UAF positio…
(2021-04-28). Military Situation In Syria On April 28, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 28, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 31 times: 19 — in Idlib province, 10 — in Latakia province, 2 — in Hama province | On April 27, clashes between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported in the Um al-Jolud area | On April 27, ISIS claimed responsibility for the assassination of a SDF member in the al-Sawr area | On April 27, ISIS claimed responsibility for the assassination of a SDF m…
(2021-04-28). Russian Aircraft Detected On Rare Flight From Israel To Syria's Hmeimim. southfront.org 
An old military vehicle can be seen positioned near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. IMAGE: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS | On April 27, a plane of the Ministry of Defense of Russia landed in Hmeimim Air Base on the Syrian coast after having taken off from Ben Gurion Airport in Israel's Tel Aviv. | The plane was a Tu-134 with the registration "RA-65992," which has previously been detected for the transport of Russia's senior defense and intelligence officials. | Aviation observers tracked the unusual f…
(2021-04-28). Underlying Causes Of Biden's Recognition Of Armenian Genocide. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | Written by Daniel Deiss and J. Hawk exclusively for SouthFront. | The Armenian Diaspora in the United States has fought for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide for a long time. Finally, on April 24, 2021, President Joe Biden used the term "genocide" for the first time not only in a speech referring to the actions against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire—such references have taken place in earlier decades, but not since Turkey's accession to NATO—but also in a presidential pr…
(2021-04-28). Spanish Doctors Say High-Dose Vitamin D Cuts Risk of Death from COVID-19 by 60 Percent. globalresearch.ca A team of researchers from Hospital del Mar in Barcelona, Spain, …
(2021-04-28). Russia to send medical aid to India amid COVID-19 surge. ecns.cn The Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the country has decided to send a large consignment of medical assistance to India, which is hit hard by a drastic increase in COVID-19 infections.
(2021-04-28). AstraZeneca faces legal action over vaccine supply. ecns.cn Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca says it regrets the decision of the European Commission to take it to court over its delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to European Union member states, and has promised to defend itself.
(2021-04-27). Serbian president receives 2nd dose of Sinopharm vaccine. ecns.cn Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday received the second dose of the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine here in southeastern Serbia and expressed gratitude to China and the Chinese people for "enormous support and help."
(2021-04-28). It's Time To End The Embargo Against Cuba — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jacob G. Hornberger* | Now that Cuban president Raul Castro has resigned the presidency of Cuba, will the U.S. government lift its six-decades-long economic embargo against Cuba? | Don't count it. Squeezing the life out of the Cuban people as a way to get regime change has become such a normalized way of life for the United States that it is unlikely that this cruel and brutal policy will be ended anytime soon. | Back in the day, the embargo was justified as part of the Cold War against "godless communism" and, specifically, the international communist conspiracy that was supposedly based in Moscow, Russia,…
(2021-04-28). Putin pledges medical aid to India in phone call with Modi. ecns.cn Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pledging to offer emergency medical assistance to pandemic-battered India.
(2021-04-28). Hundreds protest against lack of coronavirus protection measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. wsws.org Under the slogan "Fight for Life," several hundred people demonstrated Saturday in the capital city of Sarajevo against the‚ÄÜ Bosnian government's murderous pandemic policy.
(2021-04-28). South Front: Azerbaijan to Become a Gateway for New Turkish-Israel Cooperation. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com South Front: Azerbaijan to Become a Gate for New Turkish-Israel Cooperation Background: Azerbaijan And The Caspian: NATO's War For The World's Heartland Pentagon Chief In Azerbaijan: Afghan War Arc Stretches To Caspian And Caucasus Excerpt: Azerbaijan has recently won in a military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Its victory was assured by numerous factors, including military support from Turkey, …
(2021-04-28). China vows to promote Sino-German relations to higher level. ecns.cn Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that China stands ready to work with Germany to keep the overall direction of bilateral relations featuring dialogue and cooperation and promote Sino-German relationship to a higher level.
(2021-04-28). Hidden Air Pollutants On Rise In Cities In India And UK. eurasiareview.com Levels of air pollutants in cities in India are on the rise, according to scientists using observations from instruments on satellites that scan the global skies every day. | Researchers used a long record of data gathered by space-based instruments to estimate trends in a range of air pollutants for 2005 to 2018, timed to coincide with well-established air quality policies in the UK and rapid development in India. | The study was led by the University of Birmingham and UCL and included an international team of contributors from Belgium, India, Jamaica and the UK. The researchers published their findings in th…
(2021-04-28). Russia Expels Diplomats From Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. sputniknews.com The tit-for-tat response follows last week's decision by the three Baltic republics to expel several Russian diplomats from their respective embassies "in solidarity" with the Czech Republic amid the spat between Moscow and Prague over Russia's alleged involvement in ammunition depot explosions in 2014. Moscow has vocally denied the allegations.
(2021-04-28). Europe moves cautiously to lift coronavirus restrictions. ecns.cn Europeans are longing for outdoor gatherings and sunshine as the weather turns warm. This week, in some parts of Europe, people once again crowded streets and parks as governments started to gradually lift coronavirus restrictions.
(2021-04-28). Lavrov Calls Out Perfidious Albion in EU Diplomat Spat. strategic-culture.org The British establishment likes to boast that they "punch above their weight" in terms of influence beyond their territorial size. It's not hard to see how they manage such a feat. It's called duplicity, intrigue, lies, and dividing and ruling. | Britain is fomenting a diplomatic crisis between the European Union and Russia, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Evidence and precedent indicate Lavrov has his sight well-trained. | The British establishment's notorious ability for machination and intrigue — hence the ancient moniker Perfidious Albion — can be seen as stirring the escalati…
(2021-04-28). State Funeral For Leader Of Chad Embraced By Western Nations. eurasiareview.com By Lisa Vives | European and American military leaders lost a key African ally in their fight against insurgent movements across Africa. Foreign forces face an uncertain future with the recent death of the President of the African nation of Chad. | Idriss Deby Itno died on April 20 during a firefight with militants of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) who had crossed into Chad from Libya. His death coincided with his reelection victory for a sixth term that would have made him one of the longest-serving leaders in the world. | Deby, 68, a French-trained officer and pilot, was hailed by his Wester…
(2021-04-28). New EU Climate Target Could Phase Out Coal Power In Europe As Early As 2030. eurasiareview.com Tightening the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) in line with the EU Green Deal would dramatically speed up the decarbonization of Europe's power sector – and likely cause a demise of the coal industry. In a new study a team of researchers from Potsdam, Germany has quantified the substantial shifts Europe's electricity system is about to undergo when the newly decided EU climate target gets implemented. Higher carbon prices, the authors show, are not only an inevitable step to cut emissions – they will also lead much faster to an inexpensive electricity system powered by renewable energies. | "Once the EU t…
(2021-04-28). European Parliament ratifies EU-UK trade deal. ecns.cn The European Parliament on Wednesday ratified the agreement on trade and cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) in a 660-5 vote.
(2021-04-28). Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Hits Assam in India, EMSC Says. sputniknews.com According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC), the earthquake's epicenter was located at a depth of 40 km, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) registered the focus of the tremor at a depth of around 29 km.
(2021-04-28). Vienna Shadow Play Hangs Over Iran Nuke Deal. strategic-culture.org Few people, apart from specialists, may have heard of the JCPOA Joint Commission. That's the group in charge of a Sisyphean task: the attempt to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal through a series of negotiations in Vienna. | The Iranian negotiating team was back in Vienna yesterday, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Shadowplay starts with the fact the Iranians negotiate with the other members of the P+1 — Russia, China, France, UK and Germany — but not directly with the US. | That's quite something: after all, it was the Trump administration that blew up the JCPOA. There is an A…
(2021-04-28). 'It's About Damn Time': Advocates Welcome DOJ Hate Crimes Charges in Ahmaud Arbery Killing. commondreams.org The U.S. Justice Department has announced hate crimes charges against three men accused of murdering unarmed Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in South Georgia last February. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/ahmaud_arbery_0.jpg …
(2021-04-28). Nigerian President Urges US to Relocate AFRICOM HQ From Germany to Africa. sputniknews.com US Africa Command (AFRICOM) was founded under the US Department of Defense in 2007, and ultimately based in Germany due to concerns about Washington's military presence on Africa. While former US President Donald Trump ordered AFRICOM to move locations, the Pentagon's press secretary recently dashed those hopes.
(2021-04-28). Groundbreaking Police Demilitarization Ordinance. indybay.org Berkeley approves oversight and transparency measure for all militarized equipment used by police…
(2021-04-28). Ukraine's Fascist Nightmare and the Growing Risk of a Repeat of World War II. orinocotribune.com By Rainer Shea — Apr 22, 2021 | I warn about World War II repeating itself not because I expect Washington's currently escalating anti-Russian proxy war in Ukraine to turn into a nuclear confrontation any time soon; as Moscow-based international affairs analyst Mark Sleboda recently
(2021-04-28). The Russians Aren't Coming. globalresearch.ca The New York Times
(2021-04-28). Russian FM: US-Russia Relations Worse Than During Cold War. news.antiwar.com On Wednesday, Lavrov said that Moscow was prepared to normalize ties with Washington but warned that if the US would not participate in a respectful dialogue, "we would live in conditions of a 'Cold War' or worse." | "During the Cold War, the tensions were flying high and risky crisis situations often emerged, but there was also a mutual respect," he said. "It seems to me there is…
(2021-04-28). Navy SEALs Shifting Focus Away From Counterterrorism to Face Russia and China. news.antiwar.com The US Navy SEALs are undergoing a major overhaul. The special operations forces are following the rest of the US military and shifting focus away from counterterrorism in the Middle East to face China and Russia. As part of the transition, the SEALs are reducing the number of platoons it has by 30 percent so …
(2021-04-28). Russia fines Apple over 12 mln USD for monopoly. ecns.cn Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog said Tuesday it had imposed a turnover-based fine worth over 12 million U.S. dollars on Apple Inc. for its abuse of dominant position on the mobile apps market.
(2021-04-28). Sleepwalking Into Nuclear War? — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By Jonathan Power* | Last week on Tuesday (April 20), US Strategic Command, the part of the military responsible for nuclear weaponry and its use, posted an official Tweet that read, "We must account for the possibility of conflict leading to conditions which could very rapidly drive an adversary to consider nuclear use as their least bad option". | This came just as Russia was pulling back its large deployment of troops on Ukraine's border which, in turn, was triggered in part by President Joseph Biden's decision to ship for the first time sophisticated weapons to Ukraine. | The crisis has now passed but the…
(2021-04-28). There will be no "JCPOA Plus" in Vienna talks, Ulyanov says. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov says he is optimistic about reaching an agreement on reviving Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) before May 21st.
(2021-04-28). Russia's Black Sea fleet launches naval combat exercises. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Russia's Black Sea fleet launched naval combat exercises on Tuesday as a US coastguard vessel headed to the region.
(2021-04-28). Moscow Believes War in Donbas Against Ukraine Can, Should Be Avoided, Russian Foreign Minister Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A war in Donbas against Ukraine can and should be avoided, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Sputnik.
(2021-04-28). Russia Has Basis for Analogue of SWIFT, FM Lavrov Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia has a basis for creating an analogue of the SWIFT payment system, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
(2021-04-28). US Reportedly Plans to Spend Nearly $18 Bln on Missile Interceptor for Use Against North Korea, Iran. sputniknews.com The United States resumed its work on a missile defence shield in the early 2000s after withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia. Moscow responded by financing the creation of its hypersonic missile programme, meant to guarantee Russia's ability to respond to any potential large-scale aggression.
(2021-04-27). Russia fines Apple over 12 mln USD for monopoly. ecns.cn Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog said Tuesday it had imposed a turnover-based fine worth over 12 million U.S. dollars on Apple Inc. for its abuse of dominant position on the mobile apps market.
(2021-04-28). 46 Taiwan residents sentenced for telecom fraud in Beijing court. ecns.cn A Beijing court handed down sentences to 46 Taiwan residents who were extradited from Spain for involvement in telecom fraud, Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a news conference on Wednesday.
(2021-04-28). US Central Command Chief: US Maintains a NATO Article 5 Commitment to Turkey. news.antiwar.com General Kenneth McKenzie, chief of U.S. Central Command, applauded the scheduled meeting of President Joe Biden and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treatment Organization summit to be held in Brussels on June 14. In a virtual discussion with the American Enterprise Institute think tank, the commander praised Turkey …
(2021-04-28). Planning underway to achieve $30bn trade between Iran, Turkey. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) – Stating that necessary conditions are provided for setting up a permanent fair in Turkey, Chairman of Iran-Turkey Joint Chamber of Commerce said that it is planned to achieve $30 billion worth of trade between Iran and Turkey.
(2021-04-28). Vaezi terms Turkey as Iran's best economic partner in region. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 28 (MNA) — Among the 15 neighboring countries, Iran has the best economic relations with Turkey, said the Iranian President's Chief of Staff in the 28th edition of the Joint Economic Cooperation meeting.
(2021-04-28). Federal Agents Execute Raid Giuliani's Home, Signaling Turning Point in Probe Into Ukraine Dealings. commondreams.org "I doubt this has ever happened before—a former US Attorney having his residence searched in an investigation conducted by the office he once headed," said a former Justice Department inspector general. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1229918096_1.jpg …
(2021-04-28). US Agents Raid New York Home, Office Of Rudy Giuliani. eurasiareview.com U.S. federal agents seized electronic devices in daybreak raids Wednesday at the New York home and office of Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor who became former President Donald Trump's personal attorney, as investigators probe Giuliani's activities in Ukraine linked to Trump's 2020 reelection campaign. | Robert Costello, Giuliani's lawyer, confirmed that agents had executed a search warrant for the two Giuliani locations, but condemned the raids. | "What they did today was legal thuggery," Costello told The New York Times. "Why would you do this to anyone, let alone someone who was the associate attorney…