On Friday evening, armed assailants stormed the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the Moscow region, unleashing a terror attack that has left the international community in shock. | Russian state media, including TASS and RIA Novosti, report that three gunmen opened fire indiscriminately within the confines of the packed venue, leading to an unspecified number of casualties amid chaos. ● The attack swiftly escalated as explosives detonated by the assailants ignited a fierce blaze, engulfing the building in flames and sending a massive plume of black smoke into the sky, as captured in harrowing video footage. ● RIA Novosti’s correspondent at the scene reported, “People in camouflage, at least three, burst into the ground floor of the Crocus City Hall and opened fire with automatic weapons.” The trio “threw a grenade or an incendiary bomb, which started a fire” within the concert venue. ● Emergency services responded as approximately 100 people were rescued from the fire by firefighters, with ongoing efforts to save those trapped on the roof, according to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation. Despite the swift action of rescuers, the number of dead and injured remains uncertain.

■ Mass shooting and explosion reported at concert hall near Moscow (RT.com)(VIDEO)
■ Terrorist attack in Moscow Crocus City Hall leaves dozens dead (Al Mayadeen)
■ 60 Russians killed, 150 injured in Moscow terrorist attack; Iran condemns (PressTV)
■ Large blaze rages at Russian mall hit by terrorist attack (VIDEOS) (RT.com)
■ Gunmen attack mall near Moscow, dozens presumed dead (VIDEOS) (RT.com)
■ LIVE UPDATES: 40 Dead, Over 100 Injured in Mass Shooting at Moscow Concert Venue, FSB Says (Sputnik)

The United Nations Security Council encountered a deadlock on Friday regarding a resolution urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal. Permanent members Russia and China voted against the proposed measure put forward by the United States, resulting in its failure to pass.

■ APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP (ORDER OF 26 JANUARY 2024) (.pdf) + APPLICATION INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS (.pdf)
■ THE EXPRESSION OF HATRED FOR GENTILES (Richard Edmondson/Nahida Izzat) (10/04/14)

A delegation of American and British doctors is in Washington DC to tell the Biden administration the “Israeli” military is systematically destroying Gaza’s health infrastructure in order to drive Palestinians out of their homes. | The doctors, who have recently returned from volunteering at Gaza’s besieged hospitals, are expected to meet White House officials and senior members of Congress this week to warn that pledges of increased aid to Palestinians under bombardment are largely meaningless without an immediate ceasefire to allow safe distribution of food and the revival of healthcare services. ● Professor Nick Maynard, the former director for cancer services at Oxford University who worked at the al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza at the beginning of the year, accused the “Israeli” army of “appalling atrocities”. “The ‘Israeli’ are systematically targeting healthcare facilities, healthcare personnel and really dismantling the whole healthcare system,” he said.

■ “Israel” Martyrs 8 Palestinians, Including 3 Children in Rafah (Alahed News)
■ Fasting and mourning: Israeli attacks darken Ramadan in occupied West Bank (TRT World)
■ Live blog: Israel army bombs building in Gaza's Al Shifa Medical Complex (03/21/24)

Thomas Fazi | For decades, Israel has supported many of the world's most brutal dictatorships, contributing to the repression and suppression of democracy and popular movements across the globe | Aside from the United States, no other single country has contributed to the repression and suppression of democracy and left-wing popular movements around the world as much as Israel has. As Loewenstein notes:

💬 "The Global South has been controlled and pacified with (principally) Israeli and US weapons. … Israel has worked closely with Washington for decades, often operating in places where the US preferred covert support rather than public backing."

This is particularly evident in region that the US has long considered its backyard, Latin America, home to some of the most savage dictatorships of the Cold War era — virtually all of which were politically and militarily supported by Israel, including at least one government that openly targeted and persecuted Jews.

Türkiye has slammed Israeli government members who have targeted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the continued attacks by the Israeli security forces in Gaza. |

💬 “Since the first day of the occupation of the Palestinian territories, the Israeli authorities have made every effort to cover up the grave crimes they committed against the Palestinians and tried to create a shield of impunity for themselves,” it said. ● “They have targeted President Erdoğan for speaking the entire truth,” the statement said, underlining that “the crimes committed by Israel in Gaza over the past six months can no longer be hidden, and Israel is on trial for genocide”.

■ Global community 'eagerly' waits for Israeli officials to be brought to justice: Türkiye (aNews)

■ ‘Be quiet:’ Israel summons Turkish envoy after Erdogan threatens Netanyahu (Times of Israel) | In a speech on Thursday at an election rally Erdogan vowed to “send [Netanyahu] to Allah to take care of him, make him miserable and curse him.” ● He also claimed that “Netanyahu and his administration, with their crimes against humanity in Gaza, are writing their names next to Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, like today’s Nazis.”

Netanyahu, has proposed the use of the “new port” to be built by the US on the Gaza coast to displace Palestinians from the enclave. | The head of the Israeli occupation government, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has proposed the use of the “new port” to be built by the US on the Gaza coast to displace Palestinians from the enclave, Israel’s Kan broadcaster has reported. Kan noted that the proposal was presented by Netanyahu at a special meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.

💬 “The port can facilitate the exit of the Palestinians from Gaza,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying. “There is no obstacle to the Palestinians leaving the Gaza Strip, except for the unwillingness of other countries to accept them.”

Kyiv does not have the resources or manpower to continue the fight against Russia, Rajmund Andrzejczak has said | Ukraine’s losses in the conflict with Russia should be counted “in the millions,” the former chief of the Polish General Staff, Rajmund Andrzejczak, has claimed. Kyiv “is losing the war” and does not have the resources to sustain the fight against Moscow, he added. In an interview with the Polsat broadcaster on Monday, the retired general described Ukraine’s battlefield situation as “very dramatic” and insisted that “there are no miracles in war.” ● Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to replace his top general, Valery Zaluzhny, with Aleksandr Syrsky has failed to make a significant difference as the same issues remain for Kyiv’s new commander-in-chief, Andrzejczak added. According to the retired general, Ukraine is suffering deficits in equipment and manpower, with losses taking their toll on its capabilities.

■ Russia hits Ukraine with deadly barrage, Zelensky appeals for aid (Hürriyet)
■ West [...] discusses 'unthinkable' idea of sending troops to Ukraine — Hungarian PM (TASS)
■ Ukraine Talks Haven't Started Because of US Threats to Zelensky, Seymour Hersh Says (Sputnik News)

Military officers should visit schools to build “relaxed” relations with students, Bettina Stark-Watzinger has suggested | German children should be made to prepare for war to boost “resilience,” Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger stated on Saturday. She said kids should be taught what to do in the event of conflict and suggested introducing “civil defense” drills in schools so that youngsters will be prepared for the years ahead.

Pepe Escobar | The saga of Bundeswehr officers plotting to blow up the Kerch bridge with Taurus missiles and getting away with it is a gift that keeps on giving. | The Four Stooges saga of Bundeswehr officers plotting to blow up the Kerch bridge in Crimea with Taurus missiles and getting away with it is a gift that keeps on giving. President Putin, in his comprehensive interview to Dmitry Kiselev for Russia 1/RIA Novosti, did not fail to address it:

💬 “They are fantasizing, encouraging themselves, first of all. Secondly, they are trying to intimidate us. As for the Federal Republic of Germany, there are constitutional problems there. They correctly say: if these Taurus hit that part of the Crimean Bridge, which, of course, even according to their concepts, is Russian territory, this is a violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

Yet it gets curioser and curioser. When the transcript of the Taurus leak was published by RT, everyone was able to hear Brigadier General Frank Gräfe – head of operations of the German Air Force – speaking with Lieutenant Colonel Fenske from the German Space Command Air Operations on the plan to deploy Taurus systems in Ukraine. A key point is that during the plotting, these two mention that plans were already discussed “four months ago” with “Schneider”, the successor of “Wilsbach”. Well, these are German names, of course. Thus it did not dawn on anyone that (Kevin) Schneider and (Kenneth) Wilsbach could instead be… Americans.

Glenn Diesen | The self-deception practiced by journalists writing about the country is leading to dire consequences | Western media coverage of every Russian election is bad. But this time it was even worse than usual. Instead of lashing out at the incompetence on display, it's more constructive to explore why rational discussions about the country continue to appear impossible. Not to mention the dire consequences of the ongoing self-delusion. [...] We expect journalists to be objective in their reporting of reality, which is especially important during war. But this seems to be almost impossible, especially during conflicts. When human beings experience external threats, their herd instincts are triggered as society demands group loyalty and we punish those who deviate. The political obedience demanded during war time usually results in the weakening of freedom of speech, the role of journalism, and democracy.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said it is the sovereign decision of Pakistani government to move forward on Pakistan and Iran gas pipeline project. | She expressed these words while responding to the queries of the media persons regarding yesterday’s US congressional hearing, at her weekly news briefing in Islamabad today. She made it clear that at this point, there is no room for any discussion or waiver from any third party for the construction of the pipeline inside Pakistan’s territory. She said Pakistan has also conveyed to the US authorities the importance of this project for its energy security.