(2021-04-20). Arizona bans 'vaccination passports' & ends requirement to wear masks in schools, prompting backlash. rt.com 
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey says the state's progress in the immunization campaign means the nearly yearlong school mask mandate can be repealed and that there is no need for people to present proof of vaccination. | The Republican governor signed an executive order prohibiting state and local officials from requiring people to provide their vaccination status in order to receive services or enter a specific area. | Arizona residents must not be required to share their private medical data, Ducey tweeted. "While we strongly recommend all Arizonans get the #COVID19 vaccine, it's not mandated in our state –…
(2021-04-20). Miguel Díaz-Canel Elected First Secretary of Cuba's Communist Party. orinocotribune.com Havana, April 19 (Prensa Latina).- The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) today elected the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel, as first secretary of the leading political organization of the Caribbean nation. | In its first plenary meeting, the new Central Committee—elected one day earlier by the delegates to the 8th Congress of the PCC—also elected the members of the Political Bureau [Politburo] and the Party Secretariat. | Díaz-Canel will hold the position held by Army General Raúl Castro—exemplar of the historic Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro—whose l…
(2021-04-20). Biden's Afghan Withdrawal Isn't a Blow to China. globalresearch.ca Bloomberg published an op-ed last week provocatively claiming that "
(2021-04-20). Biden Regime Behind Czech Expulsion of Russian Diplomats. globalresearch.ca The Czech Republic is virtual US occupied territory, its pro-Western puppet …
(2021-04-20). The Dirty Campaign Underlying Ecuador's "Free and Fair" Election. counterpunch.org Ecuador's April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to be. On the surface, it was a surprisingly clean and professional election, as our CODEPINK official observer delegation witnessed. But a fraud-free process for casting and counting ballots does
(2021-04-20). The Public Should Have Access to the Surveillance Court's Opinions. aclu.org For decades, a special court—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or "FISC"—has issued secret legal opinions authorizing the U.S. government to conduct sweeping programs of electronic surveillance. These opinions have had a profound impact on Americans' rights to privacy, free expression, and free association. But many of them are entirely hidden from public view. | Secret law undermines democracy and the legitimacy of the judicial system—especially when the law being withheld from the public affects the rights of millions of people. So today, the ACLU is asking the Supreme Court to o…
(2021-04-20). Vietnam, Afghanistan, Yemen: What is all this needless death for? therealnews.com 
President Biden announced an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan, but what does that actually mean? What was it all for? Then, we talk with a Yemeni-American activist about their hunger strike against U.S. support for the catastrophic war in Yemen.
(2021-04-20). Cape Verde Trends in Venezuela Due to Contradiction Between Alex Saab Case & Election. orinocotribune.com 
The ruling party of Cape Verde won the parliamentary elections on Sunday. The event was attended by international observers from ECOWAS, the organization that ordered the release of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab through its court. | Cape Verde's government did not recognize the ECOWAS resolution, though it should ostensibly abide by it. Analysts say they have not done so due to pressure from the US regime. | This situation, in which the government of Cape Verde invited electoral observers of ECOWAS, but does not comply with their judicial decisions, triggered a widespread reaction by Venezuelans on social media n…
(2021-04-20). The Chauvin Trial is Dangerously Deceptive. counterpunch.org 
Since most U.S.-Americans know little about social and political reality beyond their own limited experience and bubbles, powerfully deceptive narratives and images disseminated by the corporate media easily distort public perceptions. The election and presidency of Barack Obama fed the dangerous illusion that racism no longer posed barriers to Black advancement and equality in the
(2021-04-20). Unions, lawmakers, Biden administration unite on carbon capture as a job creator. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Top union officials, Democratic senators, energy industry reps, and Biden administration Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm have united in a labor-energy alliance to push carbon recapture projects as one key centerpiece of Democratic President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure American Jobs Plan. Carbon recapture from burning coal and oil has been around for decades. It was …
(2021-04-20). Jurors Deliberate in Derek Chauvin Trial as Prosecution Urges Them to "Believe What They Had Seen" democracynow.org 
As jury deliberations are underway in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with murder and manslaughter for killing George Floyd last May, we go to Minneapolis to discuss final arguments and what is next in the case. We speak with civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, who says the prosecution "started strong and ended strong" by reminding "the jury that they could believe what they had seen with their own eyes."
(2021-04-20). Police Killed John Thompson's Friend Philando Castile. Now He Is a Lawmaker Fighting Racist Policing. democracynow.org 
We look at the long history of police killings of Black men during traffic stops in Minnesota with state Representative John Thompson, a community activist who was elected last year and has attended protests demanding justice for George Floyd and other victims of police brutality. His friend Philando Castile was killed by police during a 2016 traffic stop in a suburb of St. Paul. "We have every right to be angry, we have every right to be mad, and we have every right to use our voices," Thompson says. "We have a problem here in this state with policing." Thompson is part of the People of Color and Indigenous Cauc…
(2021-04-20). Mass Shooting at Indianapolis FedEx Warehouse "Follows Pattern of Violence Against Sikhs" Nationwide. democracynow.org 
As the Sikh community in Indianapolis and across the United States is in mourning after a gunman killed eight people at a FedEx facility last week, where four of the victims are Sikh, we speak with Simran Jeet Singh, scholar, activist and senior fellow for the Sikh Coalition, which is calling for a full investigation into the possibility of racial or ethnic hatred as a factor in the killings in Indianapolis. A majority of the workers at the warehouse are Sikh, and while authorities have not shared evidence Brandon Hole was targeting Sikh workers when he attacked the FedEx facility, police revealed Monday they pre…
(2021-04-20). The Family of FedEx Mass Shooter Warned Police About Him. How Did He Still Manage to Buy His Guns? democracynow.org 
Authorities in Indianapolis say the mother of Brandon Hole, the former FedEx employee who shot and killed eight people at a company facility last Thursday, called police in 2020 to say her son might commit "suicide by cop," prompting them to seize his pump-action shotgun. But officials say they did not push for Hole to have a hearing under Indiana's "red flag" law, which allows police or courts to seize guns from people who show warning signs of violence. "The very thing that the law is designed to prevent — going and buying a new gun — was not even ever sought," says Nick Suplina, managing director f…
(2021-04-20). Sanders and Bowman Push Biden to Bolster SSI for People With Disabilities. truthout.org 
A bicameral group of dozens of lawmakers led by Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and other prominent progressives sent a letter Monday urging President Joe Biden to include "desperately needed" improvements to the Supplemental Security Income program in his forthcoming American Families Plan, which is Bolstering SSI — a li…
(2021-04-20). AOC's Green New Deal reintroduced as she claims 'trampling of indigenous rights' & 'racial justice' are causes of climate change. rt.com 
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) has left critics scratching their heads after citing the "trampling of indigenous rights" and "racial justice" as causes of climate change. | Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) reintroduced the Green New Deal on Tuesday, a redux of the same resolution introduced in 2019 that was quickly used by Republicans to paint Democrats like Ocasio-Cortez as extremist and socialist in their views. | The Green New Deal calls for the decarbonization of the US economy, as well as free higher education for every American, among many other proposals. The reint…
(2021-04-20). Judge says Maxine Waters comments about Chauvin could get case thrown out on appeal, but denies motion for mistrial. rt.com 
Rep. Maxine Waters' public calls for protests and 'confrontation' in the event Derek Chauvin is acquitted could bolster an appeal that gets his case thrown out, the judge said, though refused to declare a mistrial. | Soon after delivering lengthy closing arguments on Monday, Chauvin's lead defense attorney Eric Nelson requested a mistrial, citing media coverage of the trial that he said was unavoidable and what he deemed inflammatory and "threatening" remarks from the California Democrat over the weekend. During a visit to Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, Waters encouraged anti-police brutality activists to step up…
(2021-04-20). Biden hopes Chauvin jury will reach 'RIGHT VERDICT' after calling George Floyd's family. rt.com 
US President Joe Biden has said he is praying for the "right verdict" in the case of the Minnesota police officer charged with killing George Floyd, even after the judge urged public officials to stop talking about the case. | Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Biden said he had phoned Floyd's family the day before, waiting until the jury was sequestered to begin deliberations in the case. | "They're a good family and they're calling for peace and tranquility no matter what that verdict is," Biden said. "I'm praying the verdict is the right verdict. It's overwhelming, in my view. I wouldn't say that unless th…
(2021-04-20). Biden endorses Democrat proposal to make Washington, DC the 51st US state. rt.com 
The Biden administration "strongly supports" a bill that would make the District of Columbia a new US state named Douglass Commonwealth, and shrink the seat of the US government to a tiny enclave in downtown Washington. | In a "statement of policy" released on Tuesday, the White House endorsed "For far too long, the more than 700,000 people of Washington, DC have been deprived of full representation in the US Congress. This taxation witho…
(2021-04-20). Chad's President Killed Day After Winning Presidential Election. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Chad's President Idriss Deby has died of injuries suffered on the frontline where he had gone to visit soldiers battling rebels, an army spokesman said on April 20. Deby died a day after he won a sixth term, according to provisional election results that were released on April 19. | The 68-year-old Deby, who came to power in a rebellion in 1990, took 79.3 percent of the vote in the April 11 presidential election, the results showed, according to Al Jazeera reports. | The National Assembly and th…
(2021-04-20). Military Bases Housing Migrant Children Plagued by Serial Sexual Abuse Claims. orinocotribune.com 
By Whitney Webb — Apr 16, 2021 | The Biden administration is now housing unaccompanied migrant children on military bases in Texas and California. Some of these bases have been plagued for years by record sexual abuse claims, one with the highest in the nation. All of them suffer from dangerous environmental contamination. | Over the first few months of 2021, the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border has exploded. Due to the policies of the Obama, Trump and now Biden administrations, many of those migrants, particularly unaccompanied minors, remain housed in increasingly controversial "overflow facilities."
(2021-04-20). Biden's Anti-China Ambitions. tomdispatch.com Like his immediate predecessor, Joe Biden is committed to a distinctly anti-China global strategy and has sworn that China will not "become the leading country in the world, the wealthiest country in the world, and the most powerful country in the world… on my watch." In the topsy-turvy universe created by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was, however, Jamie Dimon, the CEO and chairman of JP Morgan Chase, a banking giant with assets of $3.4 trillion, who spoke truth to Biden on the subject. While predicting an immediate boom in the U.S. economy "that could easily run into 2023," Dimon had grimmer news on the future as…
(2021-04-20). How To Make A Gulf Monarchy All-American. popularresistance.org Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S., was on the hot seat. In early March 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world, oil prices collapsed and a price war broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia, leaving American oil and gas companies feeling the pain. As oil prices plummeted, Republican senators from oil-producing states turned their ire directly on Saudi Arabia. Forget that civil war in Yemen — what about fossil-fuel profits here at home? | To address their concerns, Ambassador Bandar Al-Saud agreed to speak with a group of them in a March 18th conference call [m…
(2021-04-20). Headlines for April 20, 2021. democracynow.org Jury Begins Deliberations in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial, Thousands Protest in Minnesota as Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Wraps Up, U.N. Warns Planet Is "On the Verge of the Abyss" from Relentless Climate Change, Hundreds of Climate Scientists Warn Against Criminalizing Peaceful Protests, White House Holds Virtual Climate Summit as U.S. and China Pledge Cuts to Emissions, Migrant Workers Flee India's Capital Ahead of Lockdown as Coronavirus Cases Soar, Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Joins Fight for Vaccine Equity, President Biden Urges All U.S. Residents 16 and Over to Get Vaccinated, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Can…
(2021-04-20). Has the Biden Administration Quietly Given Up on Recognizing Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela? orinocotribune.com By Les Blough — Apr 11, 2021 | Has the Biden administration quietly given up on recognizing Juan Guaidó as the President of Venezuela? | Not yet, but they will. They know they picked the wrong horse for destabilization and "regime change" but they have to find a way to dump him while saving face. | Venezuelans, including the opposition, have no love for out-and-out traitors. Poor "Juanito" ("Little John", as he's known here) has found himself in a very very dark place, despised by his fellow citizens, impossible to show his face in the streets anymore, directly responsible for many deaths when grandstanding…
(2021-04-20). The Dirty Campaign Underlying Ecuador's 'Free And Fair' Election. popularresistance.org Ecuador's April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to be. On the surface, it was a surprisingly clean and professional election, as our CODEPINK official observer delegation witnessed. But a fraud-free process for casting and counting ballots does not mean that the election was free and fair. Behind the scenes was a monumentally unequal playing field and dirty campaign designed to quash an Arauz win. | For starters, Arauz—a 36-year-old follower of the political leanings of former president Rafael C…
(2021-04-20). Why the Founding Fathers would have approved of Biden banning phrase "Illegal Alien" juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The Biden administration has announced that it will no longer use the phrase "illegal alien" and will replace it with "undocumented noncitizen." Biden will also drop "assimilation" in favor of "integration." These changes are long overdue and necessary for human dignity. For one thing, human beings cannot be "illegal." They …
(2021-04-20). Make aid to Israel conditional on protecting Palestinian human rights, say Sanders, Warren. peoplesdispatch.org Successive US governments, irrespective of the ruling party, have been providing billions of dollars in aid to Israel each year. Israel has been accused of using the money to sustain its occupation of Palestine…
(2021-04-20). AOC, Sanders Are Reintroducing Their Green New Deal for Public Housing Bill. zcomm.org "We're here to make sure the Democratic Party upholds its values and keeps its promises, and to also push and expand the scope and the ambition of the Democratic Party"
(2021-04-20). Make Aid To Israel Conditional On Protecting Palestinian Rights. popularresistance.org The US Democratic party's leading senators and last year's presidential aspirants, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, on Monday, April 20 called on the Joe Biden administration to use the billions of dollars of aid given to Israel to pressurize it to protect Palestinian human rights and work for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The senators were speaking at the conference of J Street, a "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobbying group in the US. | Both Sanders and Warren, speaking separately, asked for putting conditions on the military aid to Israel. They argued that the US aid is used by Israel to prolong its occ…
(2021-04-20). Country Catching Up to Bernie Sanders' Way of Thinking. zcomm.org Today it's clear that on issue after issue, Sanders' thunder on the left has carried the day among a majority of Americans, including substantial numbers of Republicans…
(2021-04-20). Civil rights groups urge Biden administration to cancel $50,000 in student debt per borrower. nationofchange.org "The $1.7 trillion student loan crisis is crushing individuals, families, and our economy, and the weight of this burden is disproportionately borne by women and Black and Latino borrowers."
(2021-04-20). Israel's Cabinet Concerned US Wants an Iran Deal 'At All Costs'. news.antiwar.com Israel continues to express its opposition to the Biden administration rejoining the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as the JCPOA. "The Americans want a deal at all costs and the Iranians know it," one minister said at the meeting. The minister told…
(2021-04-20). Biden's Amtrak Infrastructure Scam — OpEd. eurasiareview.com By William L. Anderson* | When he was in the US Senate, President Biden was famous for taking Amtrak home to Wilmington, Delaware, each night and he often was called "Amtrak Joe" for his enthusiasm about passenger rail. Indeed, people who live in the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston find rail travel—whether it be from Amtrak or other passenger lines—to be a regular part of life. | I include myself among people who enjoy traveling by rail, and to celebrate New Year's Day 2020, my wife and I took the overnight train from Seattle to Sacramento and thoroughly enjoyed our trip. When we go to…
(2021-04-20). United States: Biden announces 'America is back', pressures Europe on China, Russia. greenleft.org.au President Biden is attempting to shore up the US' role as an international leader through multilateral agreements, with the expectation that Europe will fall in behind Washington, writes Barry Sheppard.
(2021-04-20). US Resuming Arms Sales to United Arab Emirates is Disastrous, Given its Wars on Yemen, Libya. juancole.com By Afrah Nasser | — Yemen Researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division | — ( Human Rights Watch) — United States President Joe Biden called in early February for "ending all American support for offensive operations in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." At the time, I, like many human rights advocates who have been …
(2021-04-20). Russia Increases Its Defense, While U.S. Backs Down From Provoking WWIII. strategic-culture.org The stooge-President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, appears to be trapped between what he has promised to do — which is for Ukraine to retake both Donbas and Crimea — and what will be within his power to do. | Ever since Joe Biden became America's President in January, America's hostile and threatening actions and rhetoric against (as Biden refers to him) the '
(2021-04-20). Estados Unidos — Desaciertos de un prepotente presidente. globalizacion.ca Los vaivenes del Presidente Biden son notorios: primero llamó asesino a su homólogo Putin, después le propuso celebrar una reunión, pues es el momento de reducir tensiones, y el camino a seguir es el diálogo y el proceso diplomático. | Le…
(2021-04-20). Neither the Israeli Elections Nor the Palestinian Elections Are About Democracy. globalresearch.ca Chances are, you are unaware that Palestinian elections are in the …
(2021-04-20). Large protest at U of MN demands justice for Daunte Wright. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Black Student Union held a protest on the University of Minnesota campus, April 17, to demand justice for Daunte Wright, to call for community control of the campus police (UMPD), and to speak out against the recent deployment of the UMPD to brutalize protesters in Brooklyn Center. About 1000 students were in attendance, marking the largest on-campus demonstration in recent history. Speakers included students and community members who have experienced brutality at the hands of the National Guard this week while out in the streets demanding justice…
(2021-04-20). Gen Z and the Battle for Democracy in Myanmar. progressive.org Young people are leading this struggle against a stolen election and ongoing repression.
(2021-04-20). Following US, EU to Boost Presence in Indo-Pacific to Counter China. news.antiwar.com The European Union is following the US and looking to EU foreign ministers released a statement on the strategy. Borrowing language from the US, the ministers said the EU should "reinforce its strategic focus, presence and actions in the Indo-Pacific … based on the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights and intern…
(2021-04-20). After 'the Death of Hong Kong's Democracy,' an Ex-Legislator Fights Beijing From Exile. thenation.com After 'the Death of Hong Kong's Democracy,' an Ex-Legislator Fights Beijing From Exile…
(2021-04-20). As Democrats Rise In Virginia, So Does Intra-Party Distrust. thenation.com As Democrats Rise In Virginia, So Does Intra-Party Distrust…
(2021-04-20). The Grand Old Duke of Edinburgh he had Ten Million Pounds. orinocotribune.com By Fra Hughes — Apr 17, 2021 | So the Duke is dead and to be buried on the afternoon of April 17 2021. | I am not a Royalist in fact I am a Republican. | The time has long since passed when Monarchies should have been condemned to the dustbin of history as a feudal anachronistic parasite that is long past its use-by date. | The history of the Monarchs and their divine god-given right to rule has been overthrown in many societies, while some may claim they are a modern figurehead which promotes consistency in society while governments come and go, we must always challenge their origins their history of slaver…
(2021-04-20). Governor DeSantis Signs Unprecedented Anti-Protest And Anti-Public Safety Law. popularresistance.org Tallahassee, Fla. – This morning, just days after the Republican-led Florida Senate voted to pass an unprecedented, costly and racially charged bill (House Bill 1) to censor protest, preempt local policing budgets and preserve symbols of white supremacy, Governor DeSantis is signing it into law. The bill passed despite widespread opposition by Floridians of all political ideologies and diverse sectors, after Governor DeSantis made it his number one legislative priority and lobbied behind doors to make sure it passed both Chambers as early as possible. The new law, which does nothing more than silence dissent and…
(2021-04-20). Green Bay, WI: Community gathers alongside family of Jonathon Tubby for day of solidarity. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On April 18, nearly 100 members of the Green Bay and surrounding communities gathered for a rally to show solidarity and support with each other in the face of racism and police crimes. Leading the event was Justice for Jonathon, who seeks justice for Jonathon Tubby, an Oneida man who was murdered in 2018 by Green Bay police officer Erik O'Bryan while Tubby was handcuffed on the ground in the station sally port, pepper sprayed, and restrained by a police dog. | Speaking at the event was Marla Mahkimetas, a Menominee woman who spoke for her daughter-in-law Katelyn Kelly, who disappeared in June of…
(2021-04-20). Happy Doge Day! But Hold on to Your (Digital) Wallet. thenation.com Happy Doge Day! But Hold on to Your (Digital) Wallet.
(2021-04-20). Pablo Iglesias quits Spanish government 'to stop' the far Right in Madrid. zcomm.org Members of the left-wing party Unidas Podemos explain their leader's extraordinary decision to stand in Madrid's regional elections in May…
(2021-04-20). Election Season In Syria As ISIS Tries To Lash Out. southfront.org | DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: | PayPal: southfront@internet.ru | Donation alerts: donationalerts.com/r/so…
(2021-04-20). New Green Deal + Old War Deal = Same Rotten Deal. dissidentvoice.org While a new American administration presides over what many believe is a return to normal after the more openly blatant worship of wealth and Israel of the Trump regime, what's missed is that what passes for normal is what needs radical change. As long as market normalcy in the USA means hundreds of thousands of …
(2021-04-19). Pacifica Radio: Let's talk about the debt. zcomm.org Most people support Pacifica because it's community radio, and it no longer will be if the New Day bylaws do away with its democratic governance structure…
(2021-04-19). Alabama Amazon battle continues: Union to file labor law challenge. peoplesworld.org 
BESSEMER, Ala. (PAI)—The battle over unionizing the big Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., continued as the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union announced last week that it would officially file labor law-breaking charges against the monster retailer and package firm, following RWDSU's election loss in the plant there. If the National Labor Relations Board agrees …
(2021-04-19). Union Files 23 Objections Against Amazon for Illegal and 'Despicable' Conduct in Bessemer Election. commondreams.org "Amazon has left no stone unturned in its efforts to gaslight its own employees. We won't let Amazon's lies, deception, and illegal activities go unchallenged." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/amazon-bessemer.jpg …
(2021-04-19). Biden Blames Russia For The Exact Same "Interference" That US Corporate Media Is Guilty Of. southfront.org 
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | Although obviously not an avid reader or fan of Southfront, Michael Tracey's concise post of April 16th very clearly captures the irony and hypocrisy of the latest round of sanctions announced by the Biden administration. The allegations of "influencing" or "interfering" in the U.S election process that undermined the public's trust in the process was actually carried out on a daily basis by right-leaning corporate media such as Fox News or Newmax. Not to mention corporate media's total censorship of the New York Post's story on the infamous Hunter Biden laptop. Why were…
(2021-04-19). Hypocrite of the age prize to McConnell: 'Biden's commission will 'politicize' the Supreme Court'. nationofchange.org McConnell didn't just politicize the selection of justices—he corrupted the entire selection process for our highest court.
(2021-04-19). U.S. expects Russia to submit. Will it? mronline.org 
In his landmark foreign policy speech delivered from the U.S. state department on February 4, President Joe Biden had proclaimed that "America is back. Diplomacy is back at the centre of our foreign policy." That maxim was put to test last week. And it failed to make the grade. | April 19, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-19). Putting the Debt in Context. counterpunch.org 
President Joe Biden's recovery and jobs plans have led to considerable alarm over the resulting increases in the deficit and debt. Most of these concerns are misplaced. The issue of whether a deficit is too large depends entirely on whether it causes us to push the economy too far, leading to inflation. The deficit for
(2021-04-19). Renegotiating JCPOA: Biden, Europe and Iran. counterpunch.org 
After years of negotiations, the U.S., under President Barack Obama (don't get this writer started on him), Iran and several other nations signed an agreement that limited Iran's nuclear development program, in exchange for the lifting of many sanctions issued against that nation. This was good news all around: many nations had a major new market for their goods, Iran was able to export its own products and services, and the world, bizarrely, breathed a sigh of relief that Iran would not develop the nuclear weapons that its spokespeople always said it never had any interest in anyway; its nuclear program was for…
(2021-04-19). Cancel it: Biden pressured to eliminate $50,000 student debt per borrower. peoplesworld.org 
President Joe Biden is under mounting pressure to address the rapidly growing student debt crisis by canceling up to $50,000 in crushing individual student loans. A growing chorus of elected officials and advocates say Biden can cancel the debt through executive action. Also, 415 community, civil rights, climate, health, consumer, labor, food and farm, and …
(2021-04-19). CIA Assassination Plot Targeted Cuba's Raul Castro. orinocotribune.com 
As Castro Retires on 60th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, National Security Archive Posts Declassified Top Secret CIA Cables, Reports from 1960 | Agency Officials Willing to Pay Over $10,000 For 'Fatal Accident' | Another Assassination Plot against Fidel Castro Was Part of Bay of Pigs Invasion Strategy | Washington D.C., April 16, 2021 — In the earliest known CIA assassination plot against leaders of the Cuban revolution, high agency officials offered the pilot of a plane carrying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana "payment after successful completion of ten thousand dollars" to "incur risks in arranging acc…
(2021-04-19). Raúl Castro passes baton to next generation at Cuban Communist Party congress. peoplesworld.org 
Former Cuban President Raúl Castro retired from his last major public office this weekend, standing down as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba at its Eighth Congress. Castro had first come to worldwide notice in 1953, when he, his brother Fidel, and other young rebels attacked the Batista dictatorship's Moncada Barracks in Santiago …
(2021-04-19). Meet Cariol Horne, Black Police Officer Fired After Stopping Fellow Cop's Assault on Handcuffed Man. democracynow.org 
Amid nationwide protests over police abuse, we speak with Cariol Horne, the Buffalo police officer whom a New York court has just vindicated for stopping a fellow cop from choking a handcuffed Black man during an arrest. In 2006, Horne, who is Black, saw a white officer repeatedly punching the man in the face before putting him in a chokehold. After Horne heard the man say "I can't breathe," she intervened by grabbing the officer's arm. Horne was sanctioned by the Buffalo Police Department, reassigned, then fired in 2008, just months before she was eligible to receive her full pension. A new ruling makes her elig…
(2021-04-19). Cops Have Brutalized Chicago's Latinx Community for Decades; Adam Toledo, 13, Is the Latest Victim. democracynow.org 
As protests continue in Chicago and nationwide over the police killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, we get an update from community activist and independent journalist Mateo Zapata, who says, "People in Chicago are just tired of seeing Black and Brown youth murdered by police." Released bodycam video showed Adam had his hands up in the air when he was shot by an officer. We also speak with Rutgers professor Lilia Fernández, who studies Latino Chicago history and says police brutality toward this community is "not a new phenomenon" and goes back many decades. "Adam Toledo would not be dead today if he were white, i…
(2021-04-19). Black & Latinx Lieutenant Sues Virginia Cops Who Threatened to Kill Him During Traffic Stop. democracynow.org 
We speak with the lawyer for a lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps who is suing two Virginia police officers who pepper-sprayed him, pushed him to the ground and pointed their guns at him during a traffic stop at a gas station last December. Video of the encounter has gone viral and shows Caron Nazario, who is a Black and Latino man, was wearing his Army uniform during the stop. When Nazario says he's afraid to get out of his car, one officer responds, "You should be." Nazario says he drove about a mile to the gas station after he noticed a police car flashing its lights at him — a common practice to avoid…
(2021-04-19). Manchin Signs On as Co-Sponsor for Union-Strengthening PRO Act. truthout.org 
West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin announced on Monday he would support pro-union legislation that passed the House of Representatives last month, clearing the first of many obstacles that still remain toward its eventual passage in the Senate. | "I am pleased to announce that I am co-sponsoring the PRO Act," "I look forward to working…
(2021-04-19). Progressives Fume as Democrats Eye Smaller Corporate Tax Hike. truthout.org 
Senate Democrats are reportedly considering lowering the corporate tax rate proposed in President Joe Biden's Citing sources close to…
(2021-04-19). 'My Pillow Guy' ramps up crusade against 'election fraud' with new lawsuit against Dominion, launching new social platform. rt.com 
Trump superfan and pillow-peddling conservative Mike Lindell has launched a new social media platform to coincide with a $1.6 billion lawsuit he's filing against Dominion Voting Systems, which he blames for Trump's election loss. | Lindell launched his social media site FrankSpeech.com on Monday, the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, the first two engagements of the Revolutionary War in 1775. The website itself was represented as a strike-back against Big Tech's domination of the internet, which has solidified in the last several months as social media booted hundreds of thousands of pro-Tru…
(2021-04-19). Texas police arrest ex-deputy over fatal triple shooting, ending search for suspect. rt.com 
A former deputy sheriff has been arrested over a triple shooting in Austin, Texas at the weekend, a local police chief has said. Officers had launched a manhunt for the suspected shooter, following Sunday's killings. | Stephen Broderick, 41, was carrying a pistol as he was detained on a rural road in the Austin suburb of Manor early on Monday morning, Manor Police Chief Ryan Phipps said. | Officers had received two phone calls about a possible sighting of Broderick, who has now been taken to Travis County jail. | Three people were confirmed dead in a shooting in the Arboretum area of northwest Austin on Sunday…
(2021-04-19). Apple lifts ban on social network Parler after it agrees to 'content moderation' but users worry 'free speech' site's now neutered. rt.com 
The self-proclaimed 'free speech social network' Parler will be allowed to return to Apple's App Store after it was previously banned for not censoring enough content and was also accused of allowing threats of violence. | In a Monday letter to Republicans Senator Mike Lee (Utah) and Representative Ken Buck (Colorado) — who had requested info on Parler's ban — Apple claimed that the app could now return to the store as it had "proposed updates to its app and the app's content moderation practices." | "Apple anticipates that the updated Parler app will become available immediately upon Parler releasin…
(2021-04-19). 'I'd love to see her resign': Detroit police chief blasts Rashida Tlaib's 'anti-police rhetoric'. rt.com 
Detroit Police Chief James Craig has blasted Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) for calling policing "inherently and intentionally racist," saying he hopes the lawmaker resigns. | "She's reckless," Craig told Fox 2 Detroit about Tlaib. "I'd love to see her resign. I'd throw her a goodbye party." | In the wake of the death of Daunte Wright after a traffic stop in Minnesota, Tlaib, a member of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Squad,' called for an end to "policing, incarceration, and militarization." She also called policing "inherently and intentionally racist." | It wasn't an accident. Policing in our country is inher…
(2021-04-19). Biden shuts migrant center for underage girls two weeks after opening, amid reports of 'unbearable' conditions. rt.com 
Joe Biden's administration has closed a migrant shelter located at a warehouse in Houston housing hundreds of unaccompanied underage girls, after media reported conditions there were "unbearable." | The Houston area shelter operated by the National Association of Christian Churches (NACC) saw a flurry of activity over the weekend as buses arrived and departed to transfer some 500 young girls living there elsewhere, video shot by ABC News showed. | Nearly 130 of the girls were expected to be handed over to the care of a sponsor, while others were set to be transferred to different facilities or reunited with re…
(2021-04-19). Syria To Hold Presidential Elections, "Moderate Opposition" Calls Them "Farce" southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Syria is to hold presidential elections on May 26th, this is the second election to be held since war began. | The announcement was made by the Syrian parliament speaker on April 18th. | Syrians abroad will be "able to vote at embassies" on May 20th, Hammouda Sabbagh said in a statement, adding that prospective candidates could hand in their applications starting from April 19th."I call on Syrians to exercise their right to elect the president," said the Speaker, Hammouda Sabbagh, after parliame…
(2021-04-19). Arabic press review: Palestinian Authority mulls cancelling elections. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Palestinian Authority mulls cancelling elections | Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia investigates 11 corruption cases, an Egyptian journalist disappears after being deported from Jordan, and thousands of Jordanians are at risk of unemployment | Mon, 04/19/2021 – 14: 28 | Employees of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission display electoral lists at the commission's district offi…
(2021-04-19). Denouncing Sinophobia, the New Cold War, and Anti-Asian Hate. dsausa.org 
In March, the DSA International Committee released a statement that "condemns in strongest terms the Sinophobia and the push for a Cold War with the People's Republic of China that have been encouraged by United States political elites." It adds that "Joe Biden accused the Trump administration of being
(2021-04-19). Teachers announce strike against violence and insecurity in Haiti and other stories. peoplesdispatch.org Today we look at a strike against violence by teachers in Haiti, the severe second wave of Covid-19 in India, the announcement of presidential elections in Syria, and protests against the police killing of Adam Toledo…
(2021-04-19). Syria to hold presidential elections in May. peoplesdispatch.org The elections will be held on May 26 amid a deteriorating economic situation, badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union and the decade of war in the country…
(2021-04-19). COVID protests and Weimar Family Court. indybay.org Democracy lives from criticism and protest. | The Weimar Family Court has banned two schools from requiring students to wear masks and take Corona tests – because the children would be harmed "physically, psychologically, pedagogically and in their psychosocial development."
(2021-04-19). Headlines for April 19, 2021. democracynow.org Police Brutalize Protesters in Minneapolis as Chauvin Trial Moves Toward Verdict, Protests Continue in Chicago over Police Killing of 13-Year-Old Adam Toledo, Florida Poised to Pass "Anti-Riot" Bill, Criminalizing Dissent & Blocking Cuts to Police Budgets, Four of the Indianapolis Mass Shooting Victims Were from Sikh Community; Gunman Bought Arms Legally, Mass Shootings in Texas, Wisconsin Claim at Least 6 Lives in One Day, Globe Tops 3 Million COVID Deaths as India and Brazil Struggle to Contain Devastating Surges, CDC to Issue Guidance for J&J Vaccine After Pause over Blood Clot Reports, Alexei Navalny Transfer…
(2021-04-19). Russia Holds The Key To India's Eurasian Policy — Analysis. eurasiareview.com By Lt Gen (Dr) Yash Malhotra (retd)* | A recent op-ed piece in the Washington Post (13 March 2021), written jointly by the Quad leaders, President Joe Biden of the US, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi, Scott Morrison and Yashihide Suga of India, Australia and Japan respectively, morphs the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD or the Quad) to a "Quad Framework" hailed by Modi as a "force for global good". | It inter alia includes climate change, critical and new technologies, and handling of Covid-19 pandemic, while remaining committed to: "…. a shared vision for an Indo-Pacific Region that is free, open, resili…
(2021-04-19). NATO Looks Even Weaker After Afghanistan and Ukraine Stunts by West. strategic-culture.org Just like the entirely disingenuous reasons for invading Afghanistan in 2001, we should assume that there are other motives at play with the bold Ukraine move, Martin Jay writes. | For many, the decision by Joe Biden to hasten the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan will be a welcome one. Plenty of Americans will argue that if the U.S. can't win the war against the Taliban, then any other role is futile and risks lives unnecessarily. Some military buffs might even argue that the U.S.-led campaign there (more or less a NATO-led one with a few non-NATO members thrown in the mix) makes NATO look less effectiv…
(2021-04-19). The Real Trauma at the Border: Hundreds of Trump's Separated Children Still can't Find their Families. juancole.com Chicago (Special to Informed Comment) — Media outlets consistently describe flight from Central America and Mexico as a "crisis," suggesting that migrants' proximity to our national space is a problem for us, not for them. Fleeing from violence back home and enduring possible assault on their journey here are often construed as threats to the …
(2021-04-19). Was Marx Also a Social Democrat? thenation.com Was Marx Also a Social Democrat?
(2021-04-19). Exiting Afghanistan: Biden Sets the Date. counterpunch.org It had to be symbolic, and was represented as such. Forces of the United States will be leaving Afghanistan on September 11 after two decades of violent occupation, though for a good deal of this stretch, US forces were, at best, failed democracy builders, at worst, violent tenants. In his April 14 speech, President Joe
(2021-04-19). Biden Must Address the Public School Mental Health Crisis Right Now. progressive.org The pandemic has been especially traumatic for students and, to make matters worse, school counselors that could help are in short supply.
(2021-04-19). Putting The Debt In Context — OpEd. eurasiareview.com President Joe Biden's recovery and jobs plans have led to considerable alarm over the resulting increases in the deficit and debt. Most of these concerns are misplaced. | The issue of whether a deficit is too large depends entirely on whether it causes us to push the economy too far, leading to inflation. The deficit for last year was $3.1 trillion, which was equal to 15.2% of GDP. This was by far the largest deficit, relative to the size of the economy, since World War II. | Yet, the inflation rate actually slowed in 2020, as the pandemic related shutdowns created an enormous gap in demand in the economy. It…
(2021-04-19). Vienna talks reveal Biden team's attachment to sanctions that would torpedo Iran deal. thegrayzone.com Biden's foreign policy team refuses to relieve Iran from sanctions illegally imposed by the Trump administration, setting the stage for the collapse of negotiations and a major crisis. The Biden administration signaled once again at the April 9 Vienna meeting on the Iran nuclear deal that it intends to maintain Trump-era Iran sanctions in an effort to win political and military concessions going well beyond the original deal itself. Team Biden continued to insist during the conference that Iran return …
(2021-04-19). Alongside Reps. Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, People's Action Launches Local Green New Deal Campaign. peoplesaction.org Campaign Aims to Unleash Local Power by Winning $1T for Budget-Strapped Local Governments to Organize Environment Projects Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 240.206.1145 WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action today launched a new climate justice campaign, Local Green New Deal, with a joint petition, video, and new Green New Deal federal legislation alongside U.S. Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo. and …
(2021-04-19). Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Rollout Green New Deal for Public Housing Act. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-04-19). Alongside Reps. Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, People's Action Launches Local Green New Deal Campaign. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2021-04-19). To Expand Democrats' Infrastructure Vision, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Push Green New Deal for Public Housing. commondreams.org Such a plan, said Rep. Jamaal Bowman, "would allow people to live with dignity and respect, to know that our federal government cares about their well-being and their health." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/aoc_sanders_gnd.jpg …
(2021-04-19). 'This Whole Thing Is About Saving Lives': Bush, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Green New Deal for Cities. commondreams.org "The urgency of this climate crisis and environmental racism demands that we equip our cities and our local governments with this funding." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/st._louis_1300x681.jpg …
(2021-04-19). 'Absolutely Not': Maxine Waters Owes No Apology for 'Confrontational' Comments, Says Speaker Pelosi. sputniknews.com This past weekend marked one week since the police-involved killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. Since April 11, protesters have gathered outside of the Brooklyn Center police headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), who told protesters to be "more confrontational" and let officials know "we mean business."
(2021-04-19). 'Stop Fossil Fuel Madness': Gulf Coast Advocates Tell Biden to End US Oil and Gas Exports. commondreams.org "To protect our communities and make good on his promises, Biden needs to end fossil fuel exports now." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gulf-coast-exports.jpg …
(2021-04-19). Biden and Suga ramp up confrontation with China over Taiwan. wsws.org The Biden administration is deliberately raising tensions with China over Taiwan—potentially the most dangerous flashpoint for war in Asia.
(2021-04-19). The US War in Afghanistan: A Historic Crime. globalresearch.ca US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that the American military …
(2021-04-19). Climate justice rally marks Earth Day at MN State Capitol. fightbacknews.org St. Paul, MN – Over 200 people gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol grounds, April 17, to demand climate justice from the Walz and Biden governments. The event was organized by the Climate Justice Committee of Minnesota. | The native dance group Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue opened the rally with a performance punctuated by a brief address from member Susana De León, expressing gratitude for us all being able to experience "a day with sun, a day with wind, a day with fire, a day with water," all essential elements of life, she remarked, that future generations may not live to enjoy if we don't care and fight t…
(2021-04-19). France joins "Asian Quad" Indian Ocean naval drills, threatening China. wsws.org These drills highlight mounting war tensions as the Biden administration takes office and calls on the European Union (EU) to support it against China.
(2021-04-19). Five injured in rocket attack on US airbase in Iraq. peoplesdispatch.org After Joe Biden assumed office as the US president, close to 20 such attacks have taken place against US interests and facilities in Iraq as opposition to the presence of foreign troops continues to grow…
(2021-04-19). Biden reflota la Guerra Fría. globalizacion.ca Rusia responde con expulsiones a las sanciones de EE.UU. Rusia y Estados Unidos reviven una vez más los ecos de la Guerra Fría. El gobierno de Vladimir Putin anunció medidas de "reciprocidad" contra Estados Unidos: expulsó a diez diplomáticos estadounidenses…