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Harvard Law School 'apartheid' report leaves Israel's defenders speechless
Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic's recent report declaring that Israel is practicing apartheid is a victory for Palestinian human rights. In case you missed it, Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) lately issued a report that finds Israel's treatment of Palestinians on the West Bank amounts to the crime of apartheid. The study, "Apartheid in the Occupied West Bank: A Legal Analysis of Israel's Actions" came out on February 28 in the wake of five longer, wider-ranging, apartheid reports published since 2020 - and just before the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories published another apartheid report on March 21. Prepared by the law school's human rights clinic in partnership with Ramallah-based Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, the report was released without fanfare and received minimal press coverage. And it has, so far, drawn no public condemnation by the Israel lobby....
https://www.sott.net/article/466447-Harvard-Law-School-apartheid-report-leaves-Israels-defenders-speechless

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Man in Star Wars shirt eating $12 Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzel wonders 'Where does Disney get so much money to push its leftist agenda?'
According to sources, local conservative/libertarian-ish man Kyle McManus on Monday pondered how Disney has so much money, power, and cultural influence to push its leftist agenda. The man wondered these things as he stood on a bridge inside Disney's California Adventure eating a $12 Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzel. "I just don't get how Disney keeps funding all these LGBTQ agenda-driven movies and shows," said the man wearing a Star Wars T-shirt purchased for $36 at the World of Disney store. "We need to start fighting back to retake the culture, but it's just so tough when Disney has so much funding." "I wonder where they get it all," he mused as he looked out over the fountain display in front of the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel while dipping his $12 Mickey Mouse-shaped pretzel into his $3 cup of cheese sauce. "It's like they have unlimited money. Who on earth would fund this operation that keeps grooming our kids and pushing their radical agenda on us?" "It must be George Soros,"...
https://www.sott.net/article/466448-Man-in-Star-Wars-shirt-eating-12-Mickey-Mouse-shaped-pretzel-wonders-Where-does-Disney-get-so-much-money-to-push-its-leftist-agenda

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Video appears to show Ukrainian troops killing captured Russian soldiers.
A video posted online on Monday and verified by The New York Times appears to show a group of Ukrainian soldiers killing captured Russian troops outside a village west of Kyiv. "He's still alive. Film these marauders. Look, he's still alive. He's gasping," a man says as a Russian soldier with a jacket pulled over his head, apparently wounded, is seen still breathing. A soldier then shoots the man twice. After the man keeps moving, the soldier shoots him again, and he stops. Comment: So, a warcrime. At least three other apparent Russian soldiers, including one with an obvious head wound who has his hands tied behind his back, can be seen dead near the victim. All are wearing camouflage, and three have white arm bands commonly worn by Russian troops. Equipment is scattered around them and there are blood stains near each man's head. The soldiers are lying in the road a few feet from a BMD-2, an infantry fighting vehicle used by Russian airborne units. Some appear to have had their...
https://www.sott.net/article/466449-Video-appears-to-show-Ukrainian-troops-killing-captured-Russian-soldiers

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Black Lives Matter shows how liberal groups weaponize social media censorship
The talking points have apparently gone out, and it is now OK for the mainstream press to gently criticize the Black Lives Matter movement. Accordingly, New York magazine has issued a critique of BLM's financial management — particularly, the organization's purchase in 2020 of a $6 million, 6,500 square foot house in Southern California. Almost exactly a year ago, the New York Post reported on the purchase of four other multi-million dollar high-end homes by BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors. The story described the homes no differently than it would any other celebrity home purchase. All the information contained in the article was gleaned from public records, including the photos. No addresses were listed. But within days, users on Facebook were banned from sharing the story — on the platform itself, on Facebook messenger, and on Instagram, which Facebook owns. Despite the fact that all the information discussed was a matter of public record, Facebook flagged the article for...
https://www.sott.net/article/466450-Black-Lives-Matter-shows-how-liberal-groups-weaponize-social-media-censorship

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BEST OF THE WEB: Ukraine War! What Is It Good For? Propaganda!
Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine has been presented to us, in the West, as unprovoked and unjustified. We have not been told about Russia's legitimate security concerns in the face of NATO expansionism. Nor has Ukraine's significant Nazi problem been honestly reported, with some Western propagandist even promoting them. The Russian government claims that its recognition and defence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) are born from "compassion" for the people who have been under siege for eight years. However, Russia also needs the new republics as satellite states, providing a foothold for its own national security as it opposes NATO's advance. It should be noted that Russia's military actions, in trying to oust Nazis from their strongholds in Mariupol, Kharkiv and elsewhere, has led to the near destruction of many cities and towns in Eastern Ukraine. As of the 19th March the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR) estimate...
https://www.sott.net/article/466451-Ukraine-War-What-Is-It-Good-For-Propaganda

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Central bank smackdown: Glazyev vs. Nabiullina
Why did Putin appoint a financial terrorist to run Russia's Central Bank? Did he know he was putting Russia's future in the hands of someone whose interests align more closely with power-mad globalists than with the Russian people? Does he understand the role the Central Bank chief played in facilitating Washington's theft of Russia's foreign reserves? Does he understand the role the Central Bank chief played in allowing Russia's currency to be ripped to shreds by vicious hedge fund speculators acting on Washington's behalf? Does he understand that doubling interest rates overnight to 20% will wipe out business investment, increase unemployment and push the economy headlong into a protracted slump? Does he like the idea that Russia's national bank is now lending money at the same inflated rate as a Mafia loan shark? Would Putin borrow money at 20%? Would anyone? And if no one borrows money, then there's no credit expansion. And if there is no credit expansion, there's no economic...
https://www.sott.net/article/466452-Central-bank-smackdown-Glazyev-vs-Nabiullina

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Why do Europeans have to sacrifice hot showers to 'stick it to Putin'?
EU citizens are being asked to make great sacrifices to support a sanctions regime against Moscow over its military offensive in Ukraine. But how long will Western consumers be willing to live without creature comforts? What a difference a month can make. Not long ago, Moscow and Berlin had the champagne on ice for an expected ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nord Stream 2, a planned 1,234-km (766 mile) pipeline extending from Russia to Germany that would have kept Europe warm and toasty for decades. Now, EU officials are advising their citizens to dial back their time in the shower and invest in wool sweaters as calls for decoupling from Russian energy supplies ratchet up. "Everyone is asking, 'what can I do,'" remarked Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition. "You can do two things," she recommended. "Control your own and your teenager's showers, and when you turn off that water, you say, 'take that, Putin.'" Comment: Note that this is supposed to be a commissioner, a...
https://www.sott.net/article/466453-Why-do-Europeans-have-to-sacrifice-hot-showers-to-stick-it-to-Putin

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Thievery: Finland seizes $46 million worth of Russian art over EU sanctions
The European Union has imposed extensive sanctions against Russia and Belarus due to Russia's attack on Ukraine. As the implementing authority, Finnish Customs' tasks include enforcing the sanctions on goods agreed at EU level. On 1-2 April 2022, Finnish Customs detained three shipments bound for Russia at Vaalimaa border crossing point. The shipments contained paintings and sculptures. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the EU list of sanctions contains a paragraph on works of art.
https://www.sott.net/article/466454-Thievery-Finland-seizes-46-million-worth-of-Russian-art-over-EU-sanctions

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US, Poland to hold joint military exercises near Ukraine border
A State Department source tells Fox News on Thursday that the U.S. and Poland will hold joint military exercises tomorrow near Rzeszow, about an hour away from Poland's border with Ukraine. President Joe Biden had visited the city during his trip to Europe for a NATO summit in late March. "Tactical and fire training at the training ground in Nowa Dęba is to deepen the interoperability of Polish and American troops and to harmonize Polish military units," the Polish military said in a statement previewing the military exercise.
https://www.sott.net/article/466455-US-Poland-to-hold-joint-military-exercises-near-Ukraine-border

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Ruble stronger than before Ukraine crisis, Russia needs just 6 months needed to offset impact of sanctions
The Russian ruble strengthened to 75 rubles to the US dollar and 81 against the euro on Thursday, reaching its strongest levels against major currencies since February 19. The ruble plunged to historic lows after Russia launched the special military operation in Ukraine, and the US and its allies imposed unprecedented sanctions targeting the country's financial system. On March 7, the Russian currency fell to as low as 150 rubles to the dollar. The ruble nosedived on February 24, immediately after the start of the military operation, as international penalties targeted its freely traded currency. Western countries froze Moscow's foreign reserves, making it difficult for the Bank of Russia to support the ruble by selling foreign currencies.
https://www.sott.net/article/466456-Ruble-stronger-than-before-Ukraine-crisis-Russia-needs-just-6-months-needed-to-offset-impact-of-sanctions

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Ruble stronger than before Ukraine crisis, Russia needs just 6 months to offset impact of sanctions
The Russian ruble strengthened to 75 rubles to the US dollar and 81 against the euro on Thursday, reaching its strongest levels against major currencies since February 19. The ruble plunged to historic lows after Russia launched the special military operation in Ukraine, and the US and its allies imposed unprecedented sanctions targeting the country's financial system. On March 7, the Russian currency fell to as low as 150 rubles to the dollar. The ruble nosedived on February 24, immediately after the start of the military operation, as international penalties targeted its freely traded currency. Western countries froze Moscow's foreign reserves, making it difficult for the Bank of Russia to support the ruble by selling foreign currencies.
https://www.sott.net/article/466456-Ruble-stronger-than-before-Ukraine-crisis-Russia-needs-just-6-months-to-offset-impact-of-sanctions

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Scientists discover ancient cemetery of flying reptiles in Chile's Atacama desert
Scientists in Chile say they have unearthed a rare cemetery with well-preserved bones of ancient flying reptiles that roamed the Andean country's Atacama desert more than 100 million years ago. The remains belong to pterosaurs, scientists determined, flying creatures that lived alongside dinosaurs that had a long wingspan and fed by filtering water through long thin teeth, similar to flamingos. The group of scientists, led by Jhonatan Alarcon, an investigator at the University of Chile, have been searching for pterosaurs for years, but this discovery surpassed their hopes.
https://www.sott.net/article/466457-Scientists-discover-ancient-cemetery-of-flying-reptiles-in-Chiles-Atacama-desert

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At least 12 fatalities after floods and landslides following heavy rain in Antioquia, Colombia
Heavy rain in northwest Colombia has taken its toll on the population of the department of Antioquia where at least 12 people have died in landslides and floods over the last few days. Heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides in Abriaqui municipality on 07 April 2022, destroying part of the El Porvenir mine and a workers' campsite, killing 11 people and injuring 10. More people are feared missing and the number of fatalities could rise. Around 20 families were evacuated from a nearby village. Roads in the area have been blocked by floods and landslide debris. The previous day authorities reported that one person died in a landslide after heavy rain in Barbosa municipality.
https://www.sott.net/article/466458-At-least-12-fatalities-after-floods-and-landslides-following-heavy-rain-in-Antioquia-Colombia

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Meteor fireball over Quebec on April 4
We received one report about a fireball seen over Québec on Monday, April 4th 2022 around 06:13 UT. For this event, we received one video and one photo.
https://www.sott.net/article/466459-Meteor-fireball-over-Quebec-on-April-4

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The German experiment that placed foster children with pedophiles
With the approval of the government, a renowned sexologist ran a dangerous program. How could this happen? In 2017, a German man who goes by the name Marco came across an article in a Berlin newspaper with a photograph of a professor he recognized from childhood. The first thing he noticed was the man's lips. They were thin, almost nonexistent, a trait that Marco had always found repellent. He was surprised to read that the professor, Helmut Kentler, had been one of the most influential sexologists in Germany. The article described a new research report that had investigated what was called the "Kentler experiment." Beginning in the late sixties, Kentler had placed neglected children in foster homes run by pedophiles. The experiment was authorized and financially supported by the Berlin Senate. In a report submitted to the Senate, in 1988, Kentler had described it as a "complete success." Marco had grown up in foster care, and his foster father had frequently taken him to Kentler's...
https://www.sott.net/article/466460-The-German-experiment-that-placed-foster-children-with-pedophiles

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Row in Greece over neo-Nazi Zelensky co-speaker
An Azov Battalion fighter addressed Greek lawmakers during the Ukrainian president's teleconference. A number of Greek politicians have expressed outrage after a member of the far-right Azov Battalion gave a speech during a teleconference between the Greek Parliament and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday. During his address, Zelensky thanked Athens for the sanctions it has imposed on Russia and pleaded for more support, asking the Greeks to use their influence in the EU to help save "our shared heritage" in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.
https://www.sott.net/article/466461-Row-in-Greece-over-neo-Nazi-Zelensky-co-speaker

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China weighs in on root cause of 'Ukraine issue'
Beijing has said that the primary reason for the conflict is the "security imbalance" in Europe. China said on Thursday that the fault lines of European security have caused the current Russian-Ukraine conflict. Moscow has insisted that one of the goals of its ongoing military campaign against Kiev is to make Ukraine declare itself a neutral country which will never join NATO. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed his country's view on the matter during a phone call with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron.
https://www.sott.net/article/466462-China-weighs-in-on-root-cause-of-Ukraine-issue

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Second big April snowfalls in the Alps as season extends into May - up to 2 feet of fresh snow
Another round of heavy snowfall has arrived in the Alps, the second in a week. Many skiers who found warm, dry and sunny conditions when they visited the Alps during march at the end of winter are spotting the irony that colder temperatures and lots of fresh snow is arriving just as resorts begin to close for the season. However for those heading to the Alps for Easter, or even to resorts that are staying open to the latter half of April or into May, the new snow is obviously very welcome.
https://www.sott.net/article/466463-Second-big-April-snowfalls-in-the-Alps-as-season-extends-into-May-up-to-2-feet-of-fresh-snow

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Phone call records shed light on what happened near Kiev
Looking for Russian atrocities alleged by Ukraine, Kiev's security officials and Western journalists find something else Ukrainian security officials and Western journalists who went looking for Russian atrocities northwest of Bucha in the Kiev region found no signs of human rights abuses, according to phone call records obtained by RT. Instead, locals told journalists the Russian troops gave them food and treated them well. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian official complained that his own side's militia looted everything. In a series of satellite phone calls, a reporter identified only as "Simon" tells his colleagues he visited Borodyanka - a town about 25 kilometers northwest of Bucha - and "there's no bodies in the streets at all," contrary to what he was led to expect. The town has been "shelled to pieces," Simon says, "but there's no evidence of any rights abuses here at all." In fact, he and his crew interviewed multiple residents who said the Russian troops had been very friendly and...
https://www.sott.net/article/466464-Phone-call-records-shed-light-on-what-happened-near-Kiev

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Kremlin says sanctions on Putin's mysterious daughters are 'difficult to understand'
The Kremlin does not understand the latest sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin's adult daughters, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday, Reuters reported. Peskov said the sanctions were "difficult to understand and explain," and framed them as being part of a manic Western reaction to Russia in general, Reuters reported. "Of course we consider these sanctions in themselves to be the extension of an absolutely rabid position on the imposition of restrictions," he said, per Reuters. "In any case, the ongoing line on imposing restrictions against family members speaks for itself."
https://www.sott.net/article/466465-Kremlin-says-sanctions-on-Putins-mysterious-daughters-are-difficult-to-understand

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NBC journalists claim hiring Jen Psaki will tarnish the network's brand, report
It has been revealed that NBC News journalists aren't too keen on their sister network MSNBC hiring White House press secretary Jen Psaki, alleging that she will "tarnish" the NBC News brand. "Noah Oppenheim, the NBC News president, even held an impromptu phone call Friday so that he could address the matter with vexed staffers from the Washington bureau, some of whom have complained to their superiors that the tentative hiring tarnishes the NBC News brand," according to CNN. Comment: Is it possible to tarnish a pile of dog excrement? The network reported that "one of the people who was on the call" claimed, "Here's what he was saying: They have perspective programming. This was done on the perspective programming side. Not anything that reflects on NBC News." The person added, "People wanted answers on what NBC's role was in this and NBC News had no role in this. This is MSNBC's perspective programming."
https://www.sott.net/article/466466-NBC-journalists-claim-hiring-Jen-Psaki-will-tarnish-the-networks-brand-report