By Cindy Harper | Reclaim The Net | April 25, 2026
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has used the German state to pursue around 300 criminal investigations against people accused of insulting him, and his Chancellery spent months trying to keep the public from finding out which prosecutors were handling the cases. That wall has now come down. … continue
MEMO | April 25, 2026
Holding municipal elections in the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip is an “important step,” a Hamas spokesman told Anadolu on Saturday.
Hazem Qassem’s remarks came as voting for local elections in the occupied West Bank and Deir al-Balah began earlier in the day.
“Holding elections in the city of Deir al-Balah is an important step, and we hope that appropriate conditions will be provided to hold them in all governorates and municipalities of the Gaza Strip,” Qassem said.
“We also hope that conditions will be created to hold comprehensive elections,” he said, calling for “reorganizing the Palestinian house and holding legislative and presidential elections.”
Saturday’s voting marks the first time in 22 years that municipal elections are taking place in Deir al-Balah, relatively one of the least damaged cities in the enclave during Israel’s two years of genocidal war.
Qassem appreciated the efforts of authorities in Gaza to complete the electoral process, saying: “Our instructions were clear on the need to ensure the success of this process, and that it takes place under suitable conditions so that the Palestinian citizens can express their opinion through the ballot box.”
Palestinian factions, including Hamas, held meetings with various parties “to ensure a suitable political and field environment,” he added.
Regarding the situation on the ground, Qassem said Israel “committed a major massacre against the people of the Gaza Strip in continuation of the war of extermination,” arguing that this is “evidence that the war has not stopped.” … Full article
MEMO | April 25, 2026
A pregnant woman and her two children were killed in a strike on a residential building in Beit Lahia, located in the northern Gaza Strip, on Saturday, Anadolu reports.
The victims were identified by Khaled El-Tanani, the husband and father of the deceased, who stated that the family believed the location was a safe area.
He further noted that the strike occurred during a period of a declared ceasefire, a claim that underscores the ongoing volatility and danger faced by civilians in the region. … Full article
By Stephen Prager | Scheer Post | April 24, 2026
One Palestinian American researcher warned that Israel is seeking “annexation without legal burden.”
Israel’s gradual advancement of its “yellow line” to occupy more territory in the Gaza Strip is fueling concerns that it is seeking to effectively annex and colonize the majority of the territory without any formal agreement.
The Guardian reported on Wednesday that Israel has been steadily pushing the truce line to take control of more Palestinian territory in the six months since a “ceasefire” was reached in October.
The yellow line drawn on the ceasefire maps had Israeli troops in control of about 53% of Gaza’s territory, cramming nearly 2 million displaced Palestinians into a territory less than half the size of the one they inhabited before.
But an analysis by Forensic Architecture shows Israel has unilaterally shifted the line westward over the past six months to the point where it controlled about 58% of the strip by December in an occupation zone that continues to grow.
Palestinians living in Gaza reportedly woke up to learn that large yellow concrete blocks denoting the ceasefire line had suddenly moved and that they were now living in a free-fire area, where the Israeli military considers any Palestinian person or vehicle a legitimate target.
The Associated Press found in January that at least 77 Palestinians have been shot on sight when they’ve found themselves on the wrong side of the yellow line or even just near it, even though the line’s boundaries are ill-defined and fluid. … continue
Al-Manar | April 25, 2026
Six Lebanese citizens were martyred on Saturday as the Israeli enemy steps up attacks on southern Lebanon, in violation of the ceasefire that took effect earlier this month.
Al-Manar’s correspondent in southern Lebanon reported two drone strikes targeting a truck and a motorcycle in the town of Yuhmor Al-Shaqeef, near Nabatieh.
Shortly after, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced that the Israeli strikes on Yohmor Al-Shaqeef led to the martyrdom of four people.
Earlier on Saturday, an Al-Manar correspondent in Western Bekaa reported that a mother of four children, succumbed to wounds sustained by an Israeli attack on the town of Suhmor.
Meanwhile, the Israeli enemy continued its systematic campaign to destroy southern border towns, with wide-scale demolitions being carried out in the towns of Khiam, Bint Jbeil, and Naqoura on Saturday, our correspondents across southern Lebanon reported.
Our correspondents reported Israeli artillery shelling targeted the towns of Houla, Al-Qantara, Al-Tiri, and Deir Seryan. Occupation forces also torched a number of homes in the town of Taybeh.
Later on Saturday, the warplanes carried out airstrikes on the southern Lebanese towns of Kounin, Safad Al-Batikh, and Al-Jmeijmeh.
The Public Health Ministry’s Emergency Health Operations Center announced in a statement that an Israeli enemy raid on the town of Safad al-Batikh in the Bint Jbeil district resulted in two martyrs and 17 wounded. … Full article
Al Mayadeen | April 25, 2026
A US State Department legal memo has confirmed that Washington’s military attacks on Iran were carried out in support of “Israel”, contradicting earlier claims by President Donald Trump that the decision was made independently.
Published on April 21 by Legal Advisor Reed D. Rubinstein on the state government website, the document titled “Operation Epic Fury and International Law” outlines the “justification” for US attacks launched on February 28 against Iranian missile systems, naval assets, production facilities, and nuclear infrastructure.
The memo explicitly states that the United States is engaged in the war “at the request of and in the collective self-defense of its Israeli ally,” invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter. … continue
By Ivan Kesic – Press TV – April 25, 2026
The Israeli regime has quietly embarked on an effort to relocate production of its most important long-range strike drone – the Hermes 900- outside the occupied territories.
In Serbia, it has found its latest and most controversial partner. The strategy is simple: protect Tel Aviv’s supply chain from Iranian ballistic missiles.
On March 7, 2026, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić made a cryptic announcement. Serbia, he said, would soon open a factory for “the most serious drones in the world” with a foreign partner from the Israeli regime.
By early April, reports had uncovered the full scope of the deal. Elbit Systems – the largest military company in the occupied territories and a firm repeatedly named by UN experts as profiting from the ongoing genocide in Gaza – had agreed to establish a joint drone production facility in Šimanovci, just thirty kilometers west of Belgrade.
The factory, which could begin operations as early as late April 2026, is designed to produce two types of unmanned aerial vehicles, including a long-range model capable of flying at altitudes exceeding six kilometers.
While most media attention has focused on the emerging arms race between Serbia and Croatia, a far more consequential story has gone largely unreported.
What makes this deal particularly significant is not merely the technology transfer or the financial terms, but the strategic logic driving it.
The Israeli regime, having suffered devastating losses of its Hermes 900 fleet during the recent US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, is desperately seeking to diversify its production base – outside the reach of Iranian retaliation. … continue
Sputnik – 25.04.2026
The cost of the US operation against Iran has exceeded $61 billion, according to the Iran War Cost Tracker.
The portal updates data in real time and calculates the funds required to maintain personnel, ships deployed to the region, and other related expenses. The calculation methodology is based on a Pentagon report to Congress, which stated that the first six days of the operation cost $11.3 billion, and further expenses will amount to $1 billion per day. … Full article
“Why have CNN, NBC, ABC not covered the story?”
RT | April 25, 2026
Major US networks have turned a blind eye to an explosive undercover video in which a senior Pentagon official spoke about Ukraine’s rampant corruption and civilian casualties resulting from the war on Iran, O’Keefe Media Group journalist Michael Casey has told RT.
Speaking to RT on Friday, Casey weighed in on footage that O’Keefe Media Group released earlier this week, apparently showing Andrew Hugg, a Pentagon nuclear safety officer, revealing secrets to a woman he met on a dating app.
The official was recorded confirming that US airstrikes did cause collateral child casualties in Iran, discussing nerve agents stored in Maryland, and alleging that Ukrainian officials had pocketed US taxpayer funds going back to the Obama administration. … Full article
Sputnik – 25.04.2026
The United States will find it difficult to justify the legality of the imposed maritime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Subeom Choi, secretary general of the Korea Arctic Shipping Association said.
“Under traditional law governing naval blockades, key requirements include prior notification, effectiveness, impartial enforcement, and due regard for humanitarian considerations. Accordingly, the legal defensibility of a unilateral blockade of Iranian ports remains highly questionable,” Choi said.
He added that maritime blockades are typically considered part of a maritime military conflict and are imposed under the UN Charter and in accordance with UN Security Council sanctions.
“From the standpoint of international law, the action is open to serious legal dispute,” he added.
On April 13, the US Navy began blockading all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s oil, petroleum products, and LNG supplies. Washington maintains that non-Iranian vessels are free to transit the strait as long as they do not pay a toll to Tehran.
Al Mayadeen | April 25, 2026
The administration of US President Donald Trump on Friday imposed new sanctions on a Chinese independent oil refinery under the pretext of purchasing large volumes of Iranian oil, in a move that comes ahead of anticipated talks between Washington and Tehran.
The US Treasury Department named Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery as a key buyer of Iranian crude and petroleum products, placing it under sanctions alongside roughly 40 shipping firms and vessels alleged to be part of Iran’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
Beijing condemned the measures, describing them as unilateral and unlawful. China’s embassy in Washington warned against disrupting normal trade and called on the US to stop using sanctions as a political tool against Chinese companies. […]
Analysts note that smaller refineries remain relatively insulated due to minimal exposure to US financial channels, suggesting that sanctions on Chinese banks facilitating transactions would be more effective in limiting purchases. … Full article
Strategic Culture Foundation | April 24, 2026
The European Union announced its 20th round of economic sanctions against Russia this week. The bloc of 27 nations began imposing sanctions on Moscow when the conflict in Ukraine erupted in February 2022. Every six months, the EU has been extending these economic measures, which Brussels claims is support for Ukraine to “deter Russian aggression.”
The 20th round of sanctions unveiled this week attempts to go much further in inflicting damage on the Russian economy. It was flagged as the biggeset package yet and a “multi-layered targeting of key sectors” of the Russian economy, primarily its energy industry.
It is tempting to dismiss the EU sanctions policy as feeble and a form of insanity. The bloc keeps repeating an action expecting a different result each time, when the record shows that the action of sanctions is having little detrimental impact on Russia. If anything, it is the EU that has suffered an economic downturn as it unilaterally cut itself off from Russian oil and gas, the traditional source of affordable energy feedstock for European industries. Russia’s economy has not crashed as was anticipated when the sanctions were first imposed more than four years ago. In fact, the Russian Federation has maintained a robust economic performance as it finds alternative markets in Asia for its oil and gas products. The soaring price for a barrel of crude due to the reckless U.S.-Israeli aggression on Iran has given Russia a further boost.
However, it would be a mistake to simply brush off the EU sanctions as futile and self-defeating.
There is a more blatant and sinister aspect to the new round of sanctions. … continue
RT | April 25, 2026
Six people were injured early on Saturday when a Ukrainian drone hit a residential building in central Ekaterinburg, about 1,700 km inside Russia, according to regional Governor Denis Pasler. He added that fifty residents were evacuated due to safety concerns.
Moscow has repeatedly highlighted that Kiev is attacking civilians because it cannot halt Russian advances on the battlefield.
One woman was hospitalized following the attack, Pasler said. […]
The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that 127 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight over several regions.
The remote-controlled aircraft were shot down over Crimea, Tatarstan, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Orel, Smolensk, Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as over the Black Sea. … Full article
teleSUR | April 25, 2026
A United States military strike in the Pacific Ocean left at least two people dead after a vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking was destroyed in international waters near Colombia, according to official information released Friday.
The operation is part of an ongoing campaign led by U.S. Southern Command under the “Southern Spear” plan. The command reported the results on its official X account and shared video footage of the strike.
U.S. authorities state that the campaign aims to disrupt drug trafficking routes toward the United States. Since August 2025, at least 182 people have been killed and 55 vessels destroyed in U.S. operations across the Caribbean and Pacific.
The latest strike was the fourth in a two-week period. It took place on the same day Colombian President Gustavo Petro held his first meeting with Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez after visiting Miraflores Palace in Caracas. … Full article
Sputnik – 25.04.2026
MOSCOW – Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Russia’s special presidential representative for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, said on Saturday that the countries of the world will cooperate with each other when they defeat the “globalist virus.”
“Imagine Russia, the US, China, the EU, India and other countries working together once the world overcomes the globalist virus,” Dmitriev said on X.
Dmitriev was commenting on remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who claimed that the United States, Russia, and China had supposedly joined forces to confront Europe.
By Jon Fleetwood | April 20, 2026
Pfizer and Valneva have advanced their experimental Lyme disease vaccine, PF-07307405 (LB6V, formerly VLA15), using the same core biological mechanism that sparked autoimmune arthritis concerns, lawsuits, and the eventual withdrawal of the only previous Lyme vaccine, LYMErix.
The jab works by forcing the body to produce antibodies against a bacterial protein that resembles a protein found in your own joint tissue, meaning those antibodies may also recognize similar structures in your joints and trigger an immune response there.
That means a mechanism previously tied to immune responses against joint tissue—producing Lyme-like symptoms—is now being brought back and positioned for broad public rollout.
Moreover, current data tracks antibody levels in the bloodstream over months, but does not map where those antibodies distribute in human tissues or how repeated boosting affects immune activity over the long term. … continue
By Jon Fleetwood | April 24, 2026
A newly released npj Vaccines study confirms that U.S. government–funded researchers constructed hybrid influenza viruses in the lab and used them to trigger complete mortality in animal experiments, while framing the work under vaccine development.
The experiment, titled “Dual-Route H5N1 Vaccination Induces Systemic and Mucosal Immunity in Murine and Bovine Models,” was conducted by University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists Joshua Wiggins, Adthakorn Madapong, and Eric A. Weaver.
You can contact the university’s Center for Virology here and the School of Biological Sciences here.
The creation of deadly chimeric pathogens was financed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). … Full article
By Robert Inlakesh | Palestine Chronicle | April 24, 2026
A string of high-profile settler attacks on villages across the occupied West Bank is part of a trend of ever-escalating assaults aimed at ethnically cleansing the territory. These extremists, backed by the Israeli army, are emboldened by the refusal of the Palestinian Authority to act.
Earlier this week, an Israeli settler assault on a school in the village of al-Mughayyer, near Ramallah, resulted in the killing of a 14-year-old school boy, Aws al-Naasan, along with 32-year-old Jihad Abu Naim, who had attempted to come to the aid of the children who had been opened fire upon. The incident caused an uproar, yet only a day later, another Palestinian man was executed by a settler in the village of Deir Dibwan, after which the Israeli military rounded up dozens of men and placed them under humiliating detention.
These assaults and ongoing series of pogroms, where settlers alongside their army comrades will burn down homes, businesses, and vehicles, are part of a larger effort aimed at ethnic cleansing.
Since October of 2023, at least 75 Palestinian villages and communities have been partially or completely ethnically cleansed, according to the latest statistics published by Israeli rights group B’tselem. Life in general has been greatly impacted throughout the occupied West Bank as a result of the ultra-emboldened settler violence problem.
However, there is a deeper-rooted issue at play here. … continue
IMEMC | April 24, 2026
Illegal Israeli colonizers injured a Palestinian man on Thursday while he was working on his land in the village of Orif, south of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank. In the town of Madama, settlers damaged citizens’ property, while clashes erupted after colonizers stormed the village of Jalud, south of Nablus.
Israeli colonizers attacked a citizen while he was working on his land and fired live rounds after storming the village of Orif on Thursday evening.
Media sources reported that the citizen Abdul Fattah Al-Safadi suffered injuries to his face and head after a group of armed settlers assaulted him on his land. The invading settlers opened fire with live rounds; no further injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, a group of colonizers stormed the village of Jalud, south of Nablus, on Thursday night, sparking protests from local Palestinians. … Full article
Palestinian Information Center – April 24, 2026
GAZA – At least two civilians were killed and others injured on Friday after Israeli forces targeted a group of people in the Sheikh Radwan area, west of Gaza City.
Local sources said an Israeli drone struck a police post in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, killing two people and injuring several others.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that Israeli aircraft targeted a police patrol near the Sheikh Radwan Police Station in northwest Gaza City, leading to multiple fatalities and injuries.
In a separate incident, a young girl was wounded by Israeli gunfire early Friday in the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, as ceasefire violations continue.
The Northern Gaza Medical Services Directorate said in a statement that its teams transferred a 10-year-old girl in critical condition to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after gunfire targeted residents and displaced people in the Beit Lahia Project area.
Eyewitnesses reported that the girl was shot in the head while inside Khalifa School, which is sheltering displaced families. … Full article
Palestinian Information Center – April 24, 2026
GAZA – The Gaza Center for Human Rights has strongly condemned the escalating targeting of police and security personnel in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces, describing it as part of a recurring pattern aimed at weakening the structure of public order and creating conditions conducive to chaos and lawlessness. This, the Center warned, facilitates the movement of collaborators and armed gangs at the expense of civilian safety and security. … continue
Al Mayadeen | April 24, 2026
In an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen, former Pakistani Information Minister and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in facilitating indirect and direct communication between Iran and the United States, describing the process as a rare breakthrough in regional diplomacy.
Sayed stated that Pakistan “achieved something close to the impossible” in the initial round of discussions by helping bring Iranian and US representatives to the same table. He emphasized that the significance of the effort lay in “bringing the Iranian and American sides into the same room,” describing it as a notable diplomatic achievement.
According to Sayed, expectations remain high for a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington, though he stressed that such progress depends on the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran.
He also told Al Mayadeen that the continuation of dialogue is contingent on a shift in US policy, adding that Pakistan remains in active contact with both Tehran and Washington. He also noted that communication channels include engagement with Pakistan’s military leadership, which has played a facilitating role. … continue
Press TV – April 24, 2026
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will not hold any talks with US officials during his underway visit to the Pakistani capital Islamabad, despite CNN’s claiming otherwise, a report says.
On Friday, Tasnim News Agency rebuffed a report published earlier by the network concerning the top diplomat’s visit to the city, which is to be followed by trips to the Omani capital Muscat and the Russian capital Moscow.
CNN claimed that Donald Trump intended to send regional envoy Steve Witkoff as well as the US president’s son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner to Pakistan for “negotiations with Araghchi.”
Commenting on the report, Tasnim wrote, “This is despite the fact that, at present, no negotiations with the Americans are on the agenda at all, and Mr. Araghchi’s trip to Islamabad is not for talks with the United States.” … continue
By Larry C. Johnson | SONAR21 | April 24, 2026
I have previously addressed the lie that Iran is the number one sponsor of terrorism. Now I want to look specifically at the question of how many Americans, both civilian and military, have been killed by proxies who have received assistance from Iran. I will flip the script… How many Iranians, civilian and military, have been killed by US proxies? The numbers are staggering. US proxies have killed almost 28,000 times the number of Iranians than Iranian proxies have killed Americans. These numbers come primarily from US Department of Justice indictments, State Department reports, American Jewish Committee (AJC), and compiled victim databases. … continue
By Kit Klarenberg | Al Mayadeen | April 24, 2026
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s April 13th announcement that Rome will suspend a longstanding defense agreement with “Israel” sent shockwaves throughout Europe. Historically, Italian governments – even when led by figures who abhor Zionism – have enjoyed constructive, close ties with Tel Aviv. Mossad and Rome’s security, intelligence, and military apparatus also have a long-running clandestine relationship. In fact, the entity’s putrid overseas spying, assassination, and sabotage nexus was effectively born in Italy and has wreaked havoc in the country ever since.
Details of how Zionist spies secured a firm foothold in Italy are provided in a fascinating paper by academic Massimiliano Fiore. Drawing on archival sources, he “traces the evolution of Israeli clandestine activity” in Rome, demonstrating how Zionist intelligence connivances were waged in and against the country even before the entity’s May 1948 founding and throughout the war of erasure against Palestine that subsequently erupted. Several case studies map how Mossad’s criminality evolved over time, growing ever bolder, while informing how the agency operates globally today. … continue
By Mohammad Molaei | Press TV | April 24, 2026
For over two decades, US-Iran nuclear negotiations have been wrapped in secrecy and sold as a mechanism for reducing tensions. Yet a closer examination reveals a far different reality.
Negotiations were never intended to deliver a just or lasting solution. As the evidence suggests, they were simply a tool, a mechanism for the United States to maintain pressure on Iran while preserving the facade of diplomacy.
From the early 2000s through the signing of the nuclear deal in 2015 and its eventual unraveling three years later, the nuclear negotiation process has been defined by a single, consistent reality: the United States has never been a trustworthy or reliable partner at the table, and the negotiations have never produced the outcomes that were initially expected. … continue
Sputnik – 24.04.2026
The conflict in the Middle East has deprived the world of approximately 120 billion cubic meters (bcm) of total liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies between 2026 and 2030, accounting for about 15% of expected global supplies during that period, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) out on Friday. … Full article
The Cradle | April 24, 2026
The Somali government announced on 22 April that it will impose a ban on Israeli shipping passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, framing the move as a response to Tel Aviv’s recognition of the breakaway Republic of Somaliland.
The announcement was made by Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, Abdullah Warfa.
He warned that violations of his country’s sovereignty “would not be tolerated.” … continue
Press TV – April 24, 2026
Iran says the United States has turned into a state sponsor of terrorism after President Donald Trump endorsed a Washington Post op-ed that called for the assassination of Iranian leaders.
The op-ed by Marc Thiessen suggested giving Iran’s government a 72-hour ultimatum before ending the current ceasefire, resuming attacks, and “killing the ones who don’t want a deal.”
“The United States, which once presented itself as a cradle of democracy, freedom, and human values, now appears to become a promoter of terrorism, murder, and mass violence,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on X on Thursday.
“What should one call this, if not a profound moral failure?” he asked. … continue
Sputnik – 24.04.2026
The US Department of State spent $39.7 million on Aegis Defense Services, a firm with a documented history of recruiting former child soldiers from Sierra Leone to reduce labor costs during the Iraq War.
The contract for professional security services at the US Embassy in Kiev was signed on October 31, 2022, months after the start of the Ukrainian conflict. While approximately $39.7 million has been spent to date, the total potential value of the agreement reaches $279.1 million, with a performance period that extends through May 13, 2033, according to a Sputnik correspondent’s analysis of public contract records from the official US government portals Sam.gov and USAspending.gov.
The award comes despite a history of ethical controversies surrounding the firm’s recruitment practices. A 2016 report by The Guardian cited a former senior director at Aegis Defense Services who acknowledged that the company had recruited mercenaries from Sierra Leone for operations in Iraq in order to reduce costs for the US presence there. The director admitted the firm had not screened recruits to determine if they were former child soldiers, defending the practice by claiming that excluding such individuals would penalize them for actions they were forced to commit as children.
Aegis Defense Services was acquired by Canadian security company GardaWorld in 2015 and now operates as GardaWorld Federal Services LLC. While the company has rebranded, both names are still used across US government systems and the entities share the same Unique Entity ID.
According to the contract records, the Kiev agreement is part of a much larger institutional relationship. The firm holds a massive global mandate under a Worldwide Protective Services III umbrella contract with a combined potential award value of $1.6 billion. This broader agreement includes high-value task orders for embassy security in other volatile regions, including a $387.3 million contract for the US Embassy in Baghdad and additional services in the Central African Republic.
Sputnik – 24.04.2026
MOSCOW – More than 8,000 Russian civilians have been killed and almost 20,000 have been injured in attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces since February 2022, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for crimes of the Kiev regime, said on Friday.
“The total number of injured civilians from the actions of Kiev’s armed formations since February 2022 has already reached 27,872 people, of whom more than 8,000 were killed, more precisely 8,012 people,” Miroshnik told reporters.
At least 1,725 civilians have been injured as a result of attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces in the first 90 days of 2026, the ambassador said.
Additionally, since February 2022, the Ukrainian armed forces have fired more than 400,000 rounds of ammunition at civilian targets in Russia and more than 43,000 in the first three months of 2026, Miroshnik said.
teleSUR | April 24, 2026
On Friday, Russian authorities confirmed a new oil spill in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian drone attacks on a crude oil export port terminal.
The spill occurred following attacks on March 16 and 20 at the port of Tuapse, in the southern Krasnodar region, one of the main targets of the Ukrainian military in recent weeks.
The oil slick reached the sea from the Tuapse River, overcoming floating containment barriers due to heavy rains that raised the river’s water level.
Dozens of people are involved in cleanup operations, using special equipment to collect crude oil that has also reached the shore.
Emergency services were only able to extinguish last night the fire that broke out four days ago at the Tuapse refinery.
On April 20, Krasnodar authorities reported that Ukraine had caused oil spills through attacks on petro-gas and port infrastructure. … Full article
The Cradle | April 24, 2026
The UK Foreign Office unit tasked with documenting violations of international law by Israel in Palestine and Lebanon has been closed because of funding cuts, The Guardian reported on 24 April.
The decision to shut the international humanitarian law (IHL) cell follows a review by Olly Robbins, the permanent secretary at the Foreign Office. Robbins was dismissed last week following the security vetting controversy regarding Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US.
The decision also means funding will be cut for the Conflict and Security Monitoring Project run by the Center for Information Resilience (CIR), and the project will be shut down.
The center had been conducting the world’s largest open-source monitoring of human rights violations and conflict incidents in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Lebanon.
The closure of the Conflict and Security Monitoring project means that the Foreign Office will lose access to a database of 26,000 verified incidents dating back to 7 October 2023, the start of Israel’s Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
The database is used by the Foreign Office to decide whether arms export control licenses to Israel should remain suspended and to determine whether principles of international humanitarian law, such as proportionality, are being violated by Israel. … Full article
Al Mayadeen | April 24, 2026
A lobbying organization, ELNET, has been quietly arranging trips to “Israel” for British journalists and retired military personnel, according to an investigation published by Declassified. The tours coincide with the Israeli military’s ongoing campaign that has killed over 259 Palestinian and Lebanese journalists since 2023. … continue
RT | April 24, 2026
A lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has said that he was detained by police for wearing a kippah with the Israeli and Palestinian flags on it.
Alex Sinclair said in a post on Facebook on Thursday that he had been sporting the kippah for 20 years due to “a messy ambivalence of my Jewish-Zionist identity” and it was never a problem.
But a few days ago, a man approached him at a cafe in his hometown of Modi’in in central Israel, telling him that his skullcap was illegal and that he was going to call the police, he wrote.
Officers arrived some five minutes later. “They immediately tell me that my kippah is against the law and that they are going to confiscate it,” Sinclair recalled.
The lecturer said he refused to give up his head covering as it “meant so much” to him and he ended up being detained. He was swiftly released, but the police tried holding on to the kippah.
When he demanded it back, a female officer returned it to him only after cutting the Palestinian flag out of the head covering, the educator wrote. The symbol is not illegal under Israeli law. … Full article
Al Mayadeen | April 24, 2026
The US Department of War will not disclose the price tag of its wars in the Western Hemisphere, but a new analysis by Brown University’s Costs of War Project, provided exclusively to The Intercept, offers the first window into the ballooning costs. By the most cautious estimate, the US military’s aggression on Venezuela and attacks on boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific have already cost taxpayers at least $4.7 billion.
The Costs of War analysis is the most comprehensive accounting of US air, naval, and Special Operations expenses used in the two campaigns between August 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026. The need for such an estimate stems from the refusal of the Department of War to provide a tally of costs to lawmakers or The Intercept.
The researchers behind the estimate say it is almost assuredly an undercount. “Operations do not have a clear end date and are actively expanding. They carry significant human, financial, and strategic costs and risk,” wrote authors Hanna Homestead and Jennifer Kavanagh.
The naval deployment, which comprised the largest concentration of US ships in the region since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, constituted the single largest expense at an estimated $3.8 billion. Costs of War puts the daily operating costs of these ships at around $9 million per day.
The steep naval expenditures are followed by at least $616 million spent on the deployment of aircraft, including P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, F-35A Lightning II fighters, and MQ-9 Reaper drones used in both operations. The continuing daily cost of operating at least 20 aircraft that remain deployed in the region is $2.6 million.
Under “Operation Southern Spear,” the US military has conducted 53 attacks on alleged drug boats since September 2025, killing more than 180 civilians. The latest strike, on April 19 in the Caribbean, killed three people. The Trump administration claims its victims are members of cartels and criminal gangs but refuses to name them.
Experts in the laws of war and members of Congress from both parties say the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians, even suspected criminals, who do not pose an imminent threat of violence.
The summary executions are a significant departure from standard practice in the long-running US war on drugs, in which law enforcement agencies arrested suspected drug smugglers.
The Costs of War analysis puts the price tag of the munitions employed in these attacks on boats at between $12.5 million and $50 million, the range owing to the lack of transparency surrounding the strikes. The report notes that the individual cost of armaments used in each strike may top $1 million.
Beyond expenses captured under “Southern Spear”, ancillary costs of “Operation Absolute Resolve,” a large-scale air campaign and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, top $206 million.
This includes the deployment of at least 150 aircraft along with precision munitions, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and JASSM-ER missiles. […]
Trump has said he expects the US to be running Venezuela for years. The Intercept previously reported that Department of War procurement documents indicate the US plans to maintain a massive military presence in the Caribbean until late 2028.
“Much of the military forward presence involved in these operations appears to now have become the ‘steady state,’ that is, it is likely to remain in the region for the foreseeable future,” said Kavanagh. “This means that the costs will continue to accumulate.” … Full article
Videos show riot police beating children and defenseless protesters
Remix News | April 23, 2026
For three consecutive nights, locals in the Dutch city of Loosdrecht have protested against a proposed asylum seekers’ center, resulting in serious police violence targeting the protesters with baton charges, which left at least one protester unconscious on the pavement, which was caught on film.
The North Holland police response resulted in at least two arrests and left one officer injured, according to the municipality of Wijdemeren. Protesters are fighting against the arrival of 110 asylum seekers in their small town of approximately 8,000 people. However, scenes of violence involving riot police have spread across social media. Former MEP Robert Roos condemned the police violence, writing on X:
“A baton may only be used in cases of necessity, proportionately, and aimed at less vulnerable areas (arms/legs). Striking someone until they are unconscious raises serious questions: was there really acute danger, or has the boundary been crossed here?”
“Also highly concerning, someone who is unconscious should be placed in the stable side position to prevent suffocation. Why does the police just leave him lying there?”
By Dan Frieth | Reclaim The Net | April 23, 2026
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) have introduced the Surveillance Accountability Act, a bill that feels like someone took the Fourth Amendment and actually meant it.
The legislation aims “to ensure that all searches that significantly impinge on the privacy or security of a person require a warrant based on probable cause” and to create “a right of action for violations of Fourth Amendment rights.” That covers the kinds of searches federal agencies currently conduct without judicial oversight: pulling your financial records from banks, requesting your browsing history from ISPs, buying your location data from brokers, and harvesting your biometric information from surveillance cameras.
The bill lands in the middle of a brutal Congressional fight over FISA Section 702, the surveillance authority that currently lets the FBI search Americans’ communications.
The new legislation goes much further than the various reform bills circulating around that debate. Where the SAFE Act and the Government Surveillance Reform Act target specific loopholes in FISA, the Surveillance Accountability Act tries to close all of them at once by rewriting the baseline rule: if the government wants your data, it needs a judge’s permission. … continue
Press TV – April 23, 2026
A petition has been launched calling for the release of Yousof Azizi, an Iranian researcher, journalist, political analyst, and PhD candidate at Virginia Tech, who has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite holding valid legal status.
According to a website launched by his supporters, Azizi was taken into custody in front of his home in Maryland on April 13 and denied access to a lawyer. … continue
Press TV – April 23, 2026
Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts says US-Israeli terrorist attacks have so far caused damage to 149 historical and cultural monuments across 20 provinces.
The damaged sites include five registered on the World Heritage Sites list, seven historical structures and 54 museums, it added on Thursday.
Latest assessments show that Tehran, Isfahan, and Kurdistan provinces had the highest number of damaged historical monuments with 70, 27, and 13 monuments, respectively.
Khuzestan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Qom were the other provinces that suffered the most damage from the aggression, with 12, 5, 4, and 3 monuments, respectively. … Full article
By Jamal Kanj | MEMO | April 23, 2026
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the temporary ceasefire is the culmination of an American policy defined by strategic incoherence. At the center stands Donald Trump, whose shifting positions, confused war objectives, and conflicting actions have not only failed to ease regional tensions but have actively deepened them.
Nowhere is this clearer than in Trump’s threats to blow up the whole country, including its bridges and power plants. At the same time, he touted a military “big day,” presenting potential war crimes as diplomatic tool, aggression as diplomacy, and destruction as leverage.
Trump’s inflated, almost delusional, promises ahead of potential talks come across less as statesmanship and more as a calculated sales pitch to the American public. His vows “to end up with a great deal,” coupled with an almost obsessive focus on Barack Obama by insisting his agreement will be “far better” than the one negotiated over a decade ago. An approach that reflects a tendency toward messaging driven less by policy depth and more by projection, comparison, and to frame outcomes in terms of self-aggrandizement and personal glory.
Instead of articulating clear strategic objectives, his policy relies on distinguishing himself and image cultivation to project authority and superiority, leaving the underlying substance vague and open to question. … continue
Press TV – April 23, 2026
The Iranian Red Crescent Society says a commercial vessel pirated by US forces near Iran’s coastline in the Sea of Oman was carrying vital raw materials needed to produce medical supplies for kidney dialysis patients, warning that disruption of the shipment could threaten lives.
The US forces targeted the vessel on Sunday in a blatant act of piracy, boarding the ship and disabling its navigation systems.
The supplies belong to Saha Medical Equipment Company, a subsidiary of the Iranian Red Crescent, the organization said in a statement on Thursday.
Part of the ship’s cargo, it said, consisted of raw materials required to produce consumable medical supplies for dialysis patients.
“Any disruption in the supply of these critical items could directly threaten the health and lives of patients in need of dialysis services,” the Red Crescent warned.
The Red Crescent added that the US action, which it said created threats and intimidation and endangered the lives of civilian crew members, contradicted fundamental principles of humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction and precaution in military operations.
It said the act could violate international obligations regarding the maintenance of peace and stability and could be examined as an instance of unlawful use of force under UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (1974). … Full article
RT | April 23, 2026
Veteran German politician Sahra Wagenknecht has lashed out at Chancellor Friedrich Merz after a €90 billion ($106 billion) emergency loan to Ukraine, which Berlin had been actively promoting, was approved by the bloc.
On Thursday, the European Council announced that the interest-free loan has been finalized and that it will begin disbursements “as soon as possible” in the second quarter of 2026. A day earlier, EU ambassadors agreed the transfer of funds to Vladimir Zelensky’s government, just hours after Kiev resumed the flow of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline.
The financial package had previously been vetoed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who rejected Ukrainian explanations about the pipeline being damaged in a Russian strike and insisted that Kiev halted oil supplies in January deliberately to influence the outcome of the election in Hungary. Orban’s Fidesz party ended up losing the April 12 vote to the pro-EU Tisza party led by Peter Magyar.
Wagenknecht took to X on Wednesday, saying: “Great! Another 90 billion for Zelensky’s corrupt cronies in Kiev – this is going to cost the German taxpayer dearly.” “Merz, who bears significant responsibility for this madness, has turned his own citizens into cash cows for Ukraine.” … Full article
RT | April 21, 2026
The upper age limit for military reservists in Germany should be raised to 70 given that people stay fit longer, Bastian Ernst, the newly elected president of the country’s Reservists’ Association, has said.
Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Germany has pursued a major recruitment drive, aiming to increase Bundeswehr personnel from the current 186,000 to 260,000 active soldiers and another 200,000 reservists by the mid-2030s. […]
Late last year, another EU and NATO member state, Finland, announced that it would raise the upper age limit for rank-and-file military reservists from 50 to 65, starting in 2026.
The UK government has similarly hiked the maximum liability age for reservists from 55 to 65.
Andre Denk, the head of the European Defense Agency (EDA), suggested earlier this month that compulsory military service could be reinstated in the EU. … Full article
RT | April 23, 2026
France and Poland are preparing joint military exercises simulating conventional and nuclear strikes on Russia and Belarus, according to Polish media. Moscow has claimed that NATO will practice the blockade and seizure of Russia’s Kaliningrad Region at the same time.
The Wirtualna Polska (WP) news outlet reported on Thursday, citing sources within the military, that the nuclear drills are set to take place “soon” over the Baltic Sea and northern Poland, and are meant to develop a “Polish-French military arm… outside of NATO bureaucracy” to deter supposed Russian aggression. […]
Meanwhile, the Finnish parliament took up a bill to allow the import and storage of nuclear weapons on the country’s territory. The move would overturn legal barriers that had banned such devices in the country since the 1980s.
Moscow has warned that any deployment of nuclear weapons in Finland would be a direct threat to Russia and would trigger retaliatory measures. … Full article
Press TV – April 23, 2026
The United States has suspended arms deliveries to NATO ally Estonia as its aggression on Iran has put a major strain on US weapons stockpiles.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur announced the news on Tuesday, saying that his American counterpart Pete Hegseth had told him in a phone call that the US would be suspending all arms deliveries to the Baltic state.
According to Pevkur, Washington will no longer ship HIMARS light multiple rocket launcher ammunition and Javelin missiles to its NATO ally, which borders Russia.
The US, in collaboration with Israel, waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on February 28. … Full article
MEMO | April 23, 2026
Hebrew media reported on Wednesday that the United States has set up an air bridge to replenish Israeli Air Force stockpiles with munitions, in preparation for a possible renewal of war with Iran.
Channel 12 previously cited sources as saying Washington had informed Israel that US President Donald Trump had set next Sunday as a deadline for negotiations with Iran.
According to the report, Trump did not formally announce such a date, but Israeli officials understood this to be the timeline following updates received from the Americans.
The channel added that this period would allow a third US aircraft carrier to reach the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold further discussions on Thursday to complete preparations on both the defensive and offensive fronts.
Palestinian Information Center – April 23, 2026
NABLUS – A Palestinian teenager was martyred on Thursday after being shot by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) during a raid in Nablus City.
According to eyewitnesses, as IOF vehicles withdrawing from the western side of Nablus, specifically in the Beit Wazan area, they opened fire directly at the boy while he was near a road, critically injuring him in the upper part of his body.
The boy, identified as 15-year-old Yousef Shtayyeh, was immediately rushed to one of the city’s hospitals, where doctors attempted to save his life, but he was later pronounced dead from his injury. … Full article
Press TV – April 23, 2026
At least five people, including three children were killed in the northern side of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip after an Israeli airstrike struck a group of civilians.
Gaza’s civil defense agency announced in a statement on Wednesday that the Israeli aerial attack targeted several individuals near al-Qassam Mosque in the city of Beit Lahia. It added that their bodies were taken to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
The agency, however, did not provide any information on how old the children were.
The Gaza Health Ministry announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 72,562 people amid ongoing Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023.
Since the announcement of a ceasefire on October 11, 2025, at least 786 people have been killed and 2,217 injured, the ministry said.
These figures, combined with earlier records from the genocide that began on October 7, 2023, bring the total number of injured individuals to 172,320. … Full article
By Dr Mustafa Fetouri | MEMO | April 23, 2026
The international community remains fixated on a phantom: Gaza’s “Day After.” While Washington, Cairo, and Doha debate elaborate governance frameworks and the “Board of Peace,” these plans share a fatal flaw—they lack a viable “buyer” on the ground.
This diplomatic theatre has been eclipsed by the US-Israeli aggression against Iran that began on 28th February. Since then, Gaza has been sidelined globally, yet the genocide—begun in October 2023—has never stopped. Even before the Iran escalation, the 10th October ceasefire was a hollow promise; Israel violated the agreement over 2,400 times through near-daily air raids and shelling. … continue
By Robert Inlakesh | Palestine Chronicle | April 22, 2026
Hezbollah has shifted to waging a guerrilla war against the Israeli occupiers in southern Lebanon, reminding Tel Aviv why it decided to withdraw from the country in the year 2000. Instead of allowing Israel to violate the ceasefire unchecked, the responses have been immediate and painful. … continue
Al Mayadeen | April 23, 2026
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health announced on Thursday that three people were martyred in an Israeli airstrike targeting the area of Shoukin in the Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon.
According to the ministry, two others were wounded in a separate artillery attack on the town of Yater in Bint Jbeil district, including a child.
Field reports indicated that an Israeli drone strike targeted a civilian vehicle on the road to Shoukin, resulting in casualties and injuries. The attack forms part of a broader escalation of Israeli aggression on Lebanon, further adding to the list of violations of the ceasefire.
Israeli artillery also carried out heavy shelling on Yater, while additional air raids targeted the town of Rshaf in the south.
In a separate development, Israeli forces reportedly conducted a large-scale demolition of houses and civilian infrastructure in the town of Shamaa, near the coastal city of Tyre, further expanding the scope of military activity in the region. … Full article
Palestinian Information Center – April 23, 2026
BEIRUT – Reports from Israeli media and field testimonies have revealed widespread looting by Israeli occupation forces during operations in southern Lebanon, as outrage grows over the assassination of a Lebanese journalist in the same region.
According to accounts published by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, soldiers and officers involved in ground operations in southern Lebanon said both regular and reserve troops have been systematically looting civilian property from homes and shops. Items reportedly taken include motorcycles, televisions, artwork, furniture, and carpets.
Soldiers described the looting as widespread and routine, with both junior and senior officers aware of the practice but largely failing to stop it. Some testimonies indicated that troops openly transported stolen goods in military vehicles without attempting to conceal them. … Full article
The Cradle | April 23, 2026
Lebanese Civil Defense confirmed late on 23 April the death of Amal Khalil, Lebanese journalist and reporter for Al-Akhbar newspaper, who was deliberately targeted by Israel and trapped for hours under the rubble as the Lebanese government awaited permission to rescue her.
Khalil was reporting in south Lebanon’s Tayri with fellow journalist Zainab Faraj when the strikes took place.
A civilian vehicle accompanying the journalists – who were in a separate car – was first hit by an Israeli drone, killing the two people inside it.
Khalil and Faraj exited their car and took cover behind a tree upon the first strike. Contact was then made with ambulance teams and Lebanese army intelligence, yet the Red Cross was not allowed to act until receiving clearance from the US-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
Another drone strike hit right near the journalists’ vehicle shortly after, prompting them to shelter near a house.
About an hour later, amid reports that access to the site was being refused and that UNIFIL was asked to avoid the Haddatha–Bint Jbeil Road, a warplane hit Tayri. It was later confirmed that the house where they were sheltering was targeted.
The Red Cross was not given approval to move until 10 minutes after the Israeli warplane struck home.
Rescue workers reached and rescued Faraj, who was seriously wounded, while also retrieving the bodies of the two who were killed in the first strike.
Israeli forces fired at the rescue teams as they attempted to reach Khalil, halting search efforts, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. … continue
The Cradle | April 23, 2026
A British media monitoring group accused major UK media outlets on 23 April of “systematic” anti-Palestine bias in their coverage of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza over the past two years.
NewsCord announced it had analyzed thousands of articles published by BBC, The Guardian, and Sky News in their coverage of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since 2023.
The group quantified various bias metrics, including “attribution, passive voice, source qualification, humanization, legal framing, and the reporting of documented genocidal statements by Israeli officials.”
NewsCord found systematic patterns of anti-Palestine bias in the reporting of all three news outlets. For example, the BBC names Israel as the perpetrator in just 50 percent of reports of casualties and uses passive voice, which obscures responsibility, in 80 percent of sentences reporting casualties from Israeli attacks. … continue
Israeli spies-for-hire interfered in elections in Cyprus and Slovenia
RT | April 23, 2026
Political hit-jobs in Cyprus and Slovenia are just the tip of an election interference iceberg in Europe, involving a dark nexus of Israeli spies, defense chiefs, and tech companies. The threat is real, but the EU is staying silent. … continue
RT | April 23, 2026
A US special envoy is pressuring FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the three North American nations.
Italy failed to qualify for the tournament for a third successive time after a humiliating loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff, triggering widespread backlash at home and leading to the resignation of the head of the national football federation. […]
The proposal is impossible and inappropriate, Sports Minister Andrea Abodi told the Italian news agency La Press, stressing: “You qualify on the pitch.” Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the idea “shameful.” […]
Separately, media reports last week stated that Trump’s special envoy for combating anti-Semitism, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, warned European officials they could face travel restrictions during the World Cup in retaliation for alleged lapses in addressing the issue. … Full article
Al Mayadeen | April 23, 2026
The US naval blockade of Iranian ports has disrupted the country’s oil machine, but its loading infrastructure remains intact, and cargoes are still flowing toward China, according to maritime analytics firm Kpler.
US Central Command announced overnight that American forces have redirected 31 vessels to return to port or turn around as part of the ongoing US blockade against Iran. Most of the redirected vessels were oil tankers, CENTCOM posted on X.
The US has also seized an Iranian-flagged vessel in the Gulf of Oman and boarded a sanctioned vessel in the Indian Ocean.
Despite the blockade, tankers are still positioned in Iran’s loading zones and Iranian crude continues to move toward China, Kpler data shows. The maritime analytics firm estimated the flow of crude from Iran to China to be 985,000 barrels per day in the first half of April. Since then, this flow has not been interrupted, Kpler said. … continue
RT | April 23, 2026
Three sailors were injured after a fire broke out aboard USS Zumwalt while the stealth destroyer was sitting pierside at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, undergoing a costly modernization meant to give the ship a whole new identity. … continue
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By Kit Klarenberg and Wyatt Reed | The Grayzone | October 5, 2025
A roving reporter who covered Italy’s top politicians explains to The Grayzone how his country was reduced to a joint US-Israeli “aircraft carrier,” and raises troubling questions about an Israeli role in the killing of Prime Minister Aldo Moro.
For years, Israel’s Mossad monitored and secretly influenced a violent communist faction that carried out the March 16, 1978 kidnapping and murder of Italian statesman Aldo Moro, veteran investigative journalist Eric Salerno has documented.
Having worked closely alongside multiple Italian heads of state during his 30-year career as a correspondent, Salerno published an expose of their secret relationship with Israeli intelligence in 2010 called Mossad Base Italy. … continue
Aletho News If Americans Knew No Tricks Zone
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