(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). Why Xinjiang is emerging as the epicenter of the U.S. Cold War on China. mronline.org 
The U.S. government's information warfare against China has produced the "fact" that there is genocide in Xinjiang. Once this has been established, it helps develop diplomatic and economic warfare. | April 19, 2021 | Newswire…
(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). What Bill Gates has wrong about "advanced" nuclear reactors. mronline.org 
If nuclear power needs to be part of the climate solution, why not continue to use what we have? I understand the reactors that we have are aging out. But why not either shore those up or use the same design that we currently have where we wouldn't have to go through the lengthy and […] | April 19, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-19). The Saudi Lobby is Coming for You, Small Town America. juancole.com 
By Ben Freeman, Brian Steiner and Leila Riazi | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — 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 …
(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). Prokofiev's 'Peter and the Wolf': A beloved piece of music for children. peoplesworld.org 
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev is among the great composers of the 20th century. He was born 130 years ago, on April 23, 1891, in Sontsovka, Ukraine, into a rural family. Village life, with its peasant songs, left a permanent impression on him. His musical mother arranged trips to the opera in Moscow when he was a …
(2021-04-19). Advanced Nuclear Dreaming in Washington State. counterpunch.org 
It was once known by one of the most inadvertently appropriate acronyms ever, WPPSS, the Washington Public Power Supply System. "Whoops!," as they called it, in the early 1980s brought on what was then the worst municipal bond default in U.S. history trying to build five nuclear reactors in Washington state at once, completing only one.
(2021-04-19). The UK Sends Two Warships To Black Sea, As Russia Sends Dozens For Military Exercise. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 17, detachment of ships of the Russian Caspian Fleet passed under the Crimean bridge across the Kerch Strait and entered the Black Sea, while earlier it was reported that Russia relocated Su-25SMZ attack aircraft to Crimea. | This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. | It is reported that among the 15 warships of the Caspian Flotilla there are 3 artillery and 8 landing boats, as well as support vessels. | The ships entered the Black Sea allegedly as par…
(2021-04-19). The UK Sends Two Warshpis To Black Sea, As Russia Sends Dozens For Military Exercise. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | On April 17, detachment of ships of the Russian Caspian Fleet passed under the Crimean bridge across the Kerch Strait and entered the Black Sea, while earlier it was reported that Russia relocated Su-25SMZ attack aircraft to Crimea. | This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. | It is reported that among the 15 warships of the Caspian Flotilla there are 3 artillery and 8 landing boats, as well as support vessels. | The ships entered the Black Sea allegedly as par…
(2021-04-19). In Video: Saudi Arabia Used TOS-1A "Solntsepyok" Against Houthis. southfront.org 
TOS-1A "Solntsepyok" | Saudi Arabia used the heavy flamethrower system TOS-1A "Solntsepyok" during operation against the Houthis (as Ansar Allah is known). The leaked photo and video reportedly show the use of TOS-1A in the south of Saudi province of Najran. No casualties have been reported yet as a result of the shelling. Ansar Allah has not commented on the issue yet. | The TOS-1A Solntsepek is a 24-barrel rocket launch (MBRL) system designed and developed by the Russian company — Omsk Transmash D…
(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). The UK Sends Two Warshpis To Black Sea, As Russia Sends 15 For Military Exercise. southfront.org Click to see full-size image | A detachment of ships of the Russian Caspian Fleet passed under the Crimean bridge across the Kerch Strait and entered the Black Sea, while earlier it was reported that Russia relocated Su-25SMZ attack aircraft to Crimea. | This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. | It is reported that among the 15 warships of the Caspian Flotilla there are 3 artillery and 8 landing boats, as well as support vessels. | The ships entered the Black Sea allegedly as part of a cont…
(2021-04-19). Boris Johnson To Reveal New Foreign Registration Scheme Targeting Russian And Chinese "Spies" southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to use the Queen's Speech on May 11th to reveal a new foreign registration scheme for Great Britain. | Essentially, Britain plans to force those working for foreign governments to sign a central register in a bid to counter hostile spy activity, the UK's Home Office has confirmed."Foreign spies operating in Britain face being prosecuted and deported under new laws to protect the nation from hostile states such as China and Russia. Boris Johnson will us…
(2021-04-19). Military Situation In Syria On April 19, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On April 19, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 33 times: 15 — in Idlib province, 12 — in Latakia province, 5 — in Hama province, 1 in Aleppo province | On April 18, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions near Ain Issa | On April 18, US forces conducted a military patrol in the vicinity of the city of al-Malikiyah | On April 18, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in…
(2021-04-19). Did The US Just Try To Murder Lukashenko? Open Thread By The Saker. southfront.org 
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Belarus' counterpart Alexander Lukashenko walk in as they attend a session of the Supreme State Council of the Union State at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 3, 2015. AFP PHOTO / POOL / SERGEI KARPUKHIN (Photo credit should read SERGEI KARPUKHIN/AFP/Getty Images) | On April 17, President Likashenko accused the US leadership of preparing a coup in Belarus and his assassination. After that, the situation has rapidly evolved. We may recommend you to join the open thread Did the US just try to mur…
(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). US Expects Russia to Submit. Will It? globalresearch.ca In his landmark foreign policy
(2021-04-19). U.S. Joins Past Empires In Afghan Graveyard. counterpunch.org An Afghan taxi-driver in Vancouver told one of us a decade ago that this day would come. "We defeated the Persian Empire in the eighteenth century, the British in the nineteenth, the Soviets in the twentieth. Now, with NATO, we're fighting twenty-eight countries, but we'll defeat them, too," said the taxi-driver, surely not a member
(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). The Blurring Of War And Peace: Hybrid Warfare — Analysis. eurasiareview.com In the past few decades, there has been a recurring debate on the division between war and peace. The cold war between U.S. and the Soviet Union and post-war phenomenon of hybrid warfare has emphasized the International Relations experts and military domains that the world politics cannot be only studied and seen through the lens of war and peace. The most recent NATO summit declaration explains that different nations are facing amplified pressure from state and non-state actors who are using hybrid techniques to create uncertainty and blue the line between peace, conflict and crisis. (1) Hybrid warfare is a v…
(2021-04-19). Hopes for revival of nuclear deal rise despite provocations against Iran. peoplesdispatch.org Despite provocations such as the attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility on April 11, the discussions to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the nuclear deal continue through the mechanism of the joint commission…
(2021-04-19). DNA from cave dirt now tells us how ancient humans lived. peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha talks about how researchers were able to unearth Neanderthal DNA by excavating cave floors. This will greatly expand the possibility of finding nuclear DNA which until now was only available from bones and teeth. Thumbnail Image Credit — Javier Trueba/Madrid Scientific Films…
(2021-04-19). Japan's decision to dump nuclear wastewater 'extremely irresponsible': experts. ecns.cn Chinese experts have condemned Japan's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear wastewater into the sea, calling it "extremely irresponsible."
(2021-04-19). Opportunities And Threats Of Iran's Return To 2015 Nuclear Deal — Analysis. eurasiareview.com There were some conflicting speculations regarding the position of US President Joseph Biden's administration on Iran's nuclear program, as optimists believed the new President would return to the nuclear deal as soon as he entered the White House, while pessimists announced that the decision to return to that deal would be very difficult if not impossible under the conditions agreed with President Barack Obama in October 2015. Many things have changed during Donald Trump's tenure as president, as have many attitudes towards the nuclear deal, which today requires that the details of the deal be reconsidered an…
(2021-04-19). US Warns Israeli Attacks Interfering With Iran Nuclear Deal. news.antiwar.com The Biden Administration The current round of Vienna talks opened concurrently with the Israeli sabotage, and the US says they are worried that Israel will derail these talks with its activities. The US seems interested in distancing itself from the incident. | It seems fair to accuse Israel of trying to sabotage the process, as they've been publicly unhappy ab…
(2021-04-19). EU's Borrell cites progress in Iran nuclear talks. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — The European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell says that he saw a willingness to save the JCPOA in Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, adding that there was progress in talks to bring Washington back to the accord.
(2021-04-19). Progress can be seen in Vienna talks: Berlin. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — A spokesperson of the German government announced progress in the current Iranian nuclear talks in Vienna.
(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…
(2021-04-19). Putin's State-Of-The-Nation Address To Focus On Domestic Socioeconomic Developments, Changing Relations With Foreign Countries — OpEd. eurasiareview.com On April 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the Federal Assembly, a combined gathering of members of the Federation Council (Senators), the State Duma (Parliamentarians), Cabinet Ministers, Regional Governors, representatives of selected State Departments, Agencies and the Media. | Almost 450 journalists have been accredited to cover Putin's his state-of-the-nation address, information relating to the media representatives uploaded on Kremlin website. The address will be broadcast live on Rossiya-1, Rossiya-24 and Channel-1 television channels. | Social distancing and wearing masks will be compu…
(2021-04-19). Norway: 40,000 troops in Arctic to train for "larger global conflict involving Russia in the North-Atlantic" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Norway: 40,000 troops in Arctic to train for "larger global conflict involving Russia in the North-Atlantic"Rick Rozoff The Barents Observer reports that next year's Cold Response war games in northern Norway will include the participation of 40,000 troops. The biennial exercise has been conducted since 2006 when 10,000 military personnel were involved. The last iteration …
(2021-04-19). Pentagon adds Africa to global battleground with China and Russia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Pentagon adds Africa to global battleground with China and RussiaRick Rozoff General Stephen Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), and General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, are scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 22. The testimony, both open and closed, will address the proposed 2022 National Defense …
(2021-04-19). Russia expels 20 Czech diplomats in retaliation. ecns.cn The Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday that it is expelling 20 staffers of the Czech embassy in Moscow in response to the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats from the Czech Republic..
(2021-04-19). Hidden Russiagate Docs Expose More Misconduct, Evidentiary Holes: Ex-Investigator. strategic-culture.org Exclusive: Kash Patel, a former Russiagate investigator on the House Intel Committee and senior White House official, says US intelligence leaders blocked the release of documents that expose more malpractice and critical evidentiary holes in their claims of sweeping "Russian interference." Patel also singles out the FBI's "outrageous" reliance on Crowdstrike, and the burying of testimony that the firm had no concrete evidence.
(2021-04-19). Russian Attempts To Enforce Safety In Raqqa And Deir Ezzor. southfront.org | | | southfront@internet.ru : donationalerts.com/r/southfront : gumroad.com/southfront http: //southfront.org/donate/ or via: www.patreon.com/southfront The Syrian Arab Army and its Russian support are perpetually carrying out their containment of ISIS in Syria'
(2021-04-19). Russia expels 20 Czech diplomats as tensions escalate. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — Russia has announced that 20 diplomats from the Czech Republic will be expelled after the Czechs expelled 18 Russian diplomats.
(2021-04-19). Moscow says to welcome any close ties between Tehran, Riyadh. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — A Russian Foreign Ministry official said on Monday that Moscow welcomes any closer relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
(2021-04-19). Differences in Vienna talks on JCPOA required to be agreed. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) – Stating that there are dozens of differences in Vienna talks, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna sad that these differences needed to be agreed by JCPOA member states.
(2021-04-19). Moscow vows tit for tat response to any US sanctions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — Russian authorities stated on Monday that any restrictions imposed by the US administration will trigger a response in kind from Moscow.
(2021-04-19). Russia, US hold meeting on JCPOA in Vienna. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 19 (MNA) — The head of the Russian delegation to the JCPOA talks announced that he met with the US Special Representative for Iran and discuss the lifting of sanctions and the full implementation of the agreement.
(2021-04-19). Learning From the Espionage Malpractice Behind the Steele Dossier. strategic-culture.org Mistakes like relying on Steele and his atrocious reporting must not be repeated | By Daniel N. HOFFMAN | Recently declassified notes of an FBI meeting in 2017 with former British MI6 agent Christopher Steele and his Orbis Business Intelligence partner Christopher Burrows add to the growing mountain of evidence discrediting Mr. Steele's infamous dossier — a virulent, self-injected virus in the U.S. political process. | According to the FBI, Mr. Steele said it was Fiona Hill, senior director for European and Russian affairs on the Trump White House's National Security Council from 2017 to 2019, who introd…
(2021-04-18). The CIA Used To Infiltrate The Media. popularresistance.org Back in the good old days, when things were more innocent and simple, the psychopathic Central Intelligence Agency had to covertly infiltrate the news media to manipulate the information Americans were consuming about their nation and the world. Nowadays, there is no meaningful separation between the news media and the CIA at all. | Journalist Glenn Greenwald just highlighted an interesting point about the reporting by The New York Times on the so-called "Bountygate" story the outlet broke in June of last year about the Russian government trying to pay Taliban-linked fighters to attack US soldiers in Afghanistan.
(2021-04-18). 1,700 bikini-clad snowboarders & skiers hit Siberian slopes to close season in style (VIDEO). rt.com 
Thousands of winter sports lovers dressed in nothing but bikinis or swim shorts have raced down the slopes in Russia's Kemerovo Region as part of an annual event to mark the end of the Siberian ski season. | Some 1,700 people braved the icy temperatures to take part in the sexy descent at the popular Sheregesh ski resort on Saturday, according to the organizers. | Despite the numbers being impressive, they fell short of a Guinness world record for the most crowded semi-naked downhill event, which was set at the same location a few years ago. | The reason for that is the Covid-19 pandemic, which prevented fo…
(2021-04-18). Russia tells 20 Czech diplomats to leave by Monday night in response to Prague's expulsions. rt.com 
Twenty Czech diplomats have been declared personae non-gratae and must now leave Russia before the end of April 19, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, a day after Czech officials expelled 18 diplomats to Moscow. | Earlier on Sunday, the Czech ambassador to Moscow, Vítezslav Pivonka, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, which expressed a "strong protest" over Prague's actions this weekend. Citing allegations of the involvement of the Russian intelligence in a 2014 blast at a military depot in the Czech Republic, which was initially thought to be an accident, the Czech government ordered 18 Rus…
(2021-04-18). Skier reportedly 'dies after striking tree during Avachinsky Marathon' in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com 
A skier has died while competing in the 30km Avachinsky Marathon in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy after striking a tree during Sunday's endurance race, according to reports accompanied by footage which appeared to show a horror crash. | The unnamed participant is understood to have been killed while taking part in the race, with purported footage of the alleged tragedy uploaded to social media showing an incident in which a skier loses control as they navigate a right turn before crashing directly into a tree. | Two other skiers also lost control on the bend but appeared to have escaped uninjured. | The athlete wh…
(2021-04-18). Wave of ridicule on Russian social media as alleged Salisbury poisoning suspects linked to explosion at Czech ammo depot. rt.com 
A wave of ridicule was unleashed on Russian social media after the Czech police identified two suspects, who appeared to be related to a 2014 blast. They are the same people the UK accused of the high-profile Skripal poisoning. | A diplomatic scandal rocked Russian-Czech relations this weekend just before a scheduled visit to Moscow by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Hamacek. Prague expelled 18 Russian diplomats and accused Moscow of sending intelligence agents to blow up a munitions depot a few years ago. | The news would have been received with much less amusement in Russia, were it not for the alleged identity o…
(2021-04-18). Russia to withdraw from International Space Station starting from 2025, deputy PM confirms, as Moscow works on replacement. rt.com 
Russia will end its participation in the International Space Station after it reaches the end of its planned lifespan in 2024, a senior official has confirmed. Moscow is already working on a new station to replace the current one. | Moscow will "notify [partnering countries] about its withdrawal from the ISS starting from 2025," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told TV channel Rossiya-1 on Sunday. He added that the country would hold consultations with other nations about future cooperation once the station ceased to function. | The deputy prime minister's office told the TASS news agency that "repor…
(2021-04-18). Syria Kurds hand over 34 orphans of Islamic State families to Russia. middleeasteye.net 
Syria Kurds hand over 34 orphans of Islamic State families to Russia | The children to be repatriated, aged between three and 14, were handed over to a delegation headed by the Russian president's envoy for children's rights | Sun, 04/18/2021 – 17: 31 | A soldier from the Syrian Democratic Forces stands guard at the al-Hol camp, a Kurdish-run displacement camp for relatives of IS jihadists…
(2021-04-18). Earthquake hits Iranian province housing nuclear power plant. middleeasteye.net 
Earthquake hits Iranian province housing nuclear power plant | Five people reported injured in quake centred 100km from the Bushehr nuclear complex located on country's Gulf coast | Sun, 04/18/2021 – 12: 56 | An Iranian government official said there were no reports of damage at the Bushehr nuclear complex (AFP) | A magnitude 5.9 earthquake on Sunday struck Iran's southern province of Bush…
(2021-04-18). Russia's Rosatom likely to get barred from $7-bn Dukovany nuclear plant tender, Czech minister says, amid ammo depot blast scandal. rt.com 
Russia's Rosatom will likely be barred from tendering for refurbishing the Dukovany nuclear power plant, the Czech industry minister said, amid scandal over a 2014 munitions depot blast, blamed by Prague on Russian intelligence. | The Russian state-owned nuclear energy corporation will likely be kicked out of the pre-qualification round for the Dukovany project, Czech Industry Minister Karel Havlicek said on Sunday. | "I can't imagine that Rosatom would be in the safety assessment at this moment," he told local TV. | The move comes after Prague accused Russia's military intelligence of being involved in an inc…
