The U.S. Arming of Ukraine Is a Scandal on Its Own
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-10-09
What follows is a conversation between journalist Aaron Maté and Max Blumenthal of The Grayzone. Read a transcript of their conversation below and watch part one of their interview below. | There is growing evidence that President Donald Trump briefly froze U.S. military assistance to Ukraine for political goals. Max Blumenthal explores how the Ukrainegate scandal overlooks the dangers of those weapons sales to Ukraine and the corrupt interests behind it. | Under Trump, U.S. military assistance has prolonged a bloody proxy war with Russia, killing thousands in Ukraine and enabling far-right Ukrainian forces [mdas…
truthdig.com/articles/the-u-s-arming-of-ukraine-is-a-scandal-on-its-own/

Trump's Syria Policy Could Be a Gift to ISIS
Juan Cole | truthdig.com | 2019-10-09
As a result of the turmoil the U.S. and Turkey are causing in the region, 12,000 Islamic State fighters in containment camps could escape.
truthdig.com/articles/trumps-syria-policy-could-let-thousands-of-terrorists-escape/

What to expect from Turkey's coming invasion of Syria
Vijay Prashad | mronline.org | 2019-10-09
Erdogan's government is preparing to enter Syria for a major military operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is made up largely of Kurdish factions who set up this armed force to defend the mainly Kurdish enclave in northern Syria. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/10/08/what-to-expect-from-turkeys-coming-invasion-of-syria/

Midwest Dispatch: What Happens When Trump Comes to Town
Sarah Lahm | progressive.org | 2019-10-09
The President's upcoming visit to Minneapolis is being framed as something of a grudge match with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. But that's just one element of the racial dynamics surrounding this tour stop.
progressive.org/dispatches/what-happens-when-trump-comes-to-town-lahm-191009/

U.S: Eyes on Cuba and Russia for Supporting Venezuela
telesurenglish.net | 2019-10-09
U.S. special envoy on Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, told Reuters exclusively Washington ¥s new sanctions on Cuba for its support for Nicolas Maduro as well as the "closer look" at Russia's role in helping him remain in power. | RELATED: | Almost One Million Migrants Arrested at US Border | President Donald Trump's frustration over the failure of his "maximum pressure" campaign to overthrow Maduro has spurred foreign policy aides to ready further U.S. actions and press for tougher sanct…
telesurenglish.net/news/U.S-Eyes-on-Cuba-and-Russia-for-Supporting-Venezuela-20191009-0017.html

From Kabul: Youth on the Road to Peace
Dr. Hakim Young | counterpunch.org | 2019-10-09
In September 2019, facing everyday dangers of the war and under constant pressure to view those from other tribes as enemies, young people from each of Afghanistan's 34 provinces gathered for a three day "On the Road to Peace" conference in Kabul. 30th September 2019 / 8th Mezan 1398. Despite the violent crises which we…
counterpunch.org/2019/10/09/from-kabul-youth-on-the-road-to-peace/

Russia and China Reach New Level of Military Cooperation. China's Missile Early Warning System
Andrei Ilyashenko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
The government of Japan intends to intensify negotiations with Russia to resolve the territorial issue and conclude a peace treaty. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe once again reminded about this in his keynote speech at the parliament opening session. | "By solving | …
globalresearch.ca/russia-prc-new-level-military-cooperation/5691485

Turkey Begins Operation Against Kurdish Forces in Syria
telesurenglish.net | 2019-10-09
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that the Turkish Army and its Syrian rebel allies have launched their military operation into northeastern Syria. | RELATED: | Turkey Pledge to Pursue Military Plans in Syria Despite US Threats | Erdogan said the offensive, dubbed "Operation Peace Spring", would aim to eliminate threats from the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and the Islamic State militants, and enable the return of Syrian refugees in Turkey after th…
telesurenglish.net/news/Turkey-Begins-Operation-Against-Kurdish-Forces-in-Syria-20191009-0004.html

Urgent UK protests called as Turkey begins 'illegal invasion' of northern Syria
Ed Sykes | thecanary.co | 2019-10-09
Turkey has invaded north-eastern Syria, attacking largely-Kurdish fighters who were key in defeating Daesh (Isis/Isil). | NATO member Turkey targeting "civilian areas" in Syria invasion: | Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the start of the invasion, which followed an announcement on Sunday by Donald Trump that US troops supporting the fight against Daesh would step aside. Erdoğan called the attack 'Operation Peace Spring'.
thecanary.co/global/world-news/2019/10/09/urgent-uk-protests-called-as-turkey-begins-illegal-invasion-of-northern-syria/

Iraq Protests: Death Toll Soars as Militias Target Protesters
Patrick Cockburn | counterpunch.org | 2019-10-09
Iraqi paramilitary groups close to Iran are suspected of joining attacks on protesters in Baghdad and other cities, leading to heavy loss of life among demonstrators. Some 107 people have been killed and over 6,000 wounded in the last six days, though hospital doctors say the government is understating the true number of fatalities.
counterpunch.org/2019/10/09/iraq-protests-death-toll-soars-as-militias-target-protesters/

Student protests in Indonesian Papua suppressed by police violence
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
As social tensions in the West Papua region continue to escalate, authorities are trying to conceal the true nature of the state violence used to quell protests.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/papu-o09.html

India's Modi to Host China's Xi Amid Strained Ties Due to Kashmir
telesurenglish.net | 2019-10-09
India's far-right Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping at an informal summit on Oct. 11-12, the Indian foreign ministry informed Wednesday, their talks come at a tense time over the situation in occupied Kashmir. | RELATED: | '20 Protests Per Day' in Kashmir Despite India's Crackdown | "The forthcoming Chennai Informa…
telesurenglish.net/news/Indias-Modi-to-Host-Chinas-Xi-Amid-Strained-Ties-Due-to-Kashmir-20191009-0018.html

Return to Russia: Crimeans Tell the Real Story of the 2014 Referendum and Their Lives Since
Eva Bartlett | mintpressnews.com | 2019-10-09
Eva Bartlett traveled to Crimea to see firsthand out how Crimeans have fared since 2014 when their country reunited with Russia, and what the referendum was really like.
mintpressnews.com/return-russia-crimea-story-referendum-lives-since/262247/

US Airstrikes on Afghan Drug Lab Killed 30 Civilians: UN
telesurenglish.net | 2019-10-09
U.S. airstrikes on alleged Taliban drug labs in Afghanistan in May killed or wounded at least 39 civilians, including 14 children, and violated international humanitarian law as the victims were non-combatants, a United Nations report said Wednesday. | RELATED: | US Drone Strike 'Accidentally' Kills 30 Afghan Farmers | The U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) issue…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Airstrikes-on-Afghan-Drug-Lab-Killed-30-Civilians-UN-20191009-0010.html

Who Are the Real Friends of the Troops?
Jacob G. Hornberger | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
Ever since the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, it has been an article of faith that Americans should thank the troops for their service in those two countries. | Yet, with the exception of libertarians and few leftists, the fact …
globalresearch.ca/real-friends-troops/5691506

Anti-Trans Lawyers Were Grasping at Straws Before the Supreme Court
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-10-09
| Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether it is legal to fire people for being transgender or LGBQ. I'm on the team that represents Aimee Stephens, the woman fired from her job as a funeral director because she is trans — so I had a front seat. | The lawyer representing her employer opened his argument by saying it has to be legal to fire people for being trans, because, if no…
truthout.org/articles/anti-trans-lawyers-were-grasping-at-straws-before-the-supreme-court/

Amid Anime's #MeToo Moment, Right-Wing Fans Are Attacking Survivors
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-10-09
| I've been on a journey the last few months as a writer and as a fan of a particular nerdy medium known as anime. It's a cartoon medium originating from Japan that has grown in popularity exponentially over the last 13 years. Anime TV shows and films are now being dubbed in English almost simultaneously with their Japanese premieres. Anime conventions have cropped up in most major cities. The anime fanbase is diverse, but it's no stretch to say that most of it consists of young women and other marg…
truthout.org/articles/amid-animes-metoo-moment-right-wing-fans-are-attacking-survivors/

SF Speak Out At Japan Consulate: Stop Olympics in Fukshima- Defend Fukushima Families
No Nukes Action | indybay.org | 2019-10-09
Japanese Consulate | 275 Battery St. | San Francisco…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/10/07/18827113.php

Sri Lankan SEP announces presidential election campaign public meetings
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
The Socialist Equality Party meetings will discuss the vital social and political issues confronting workers, youth and the poor.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/meet-o09.html

Sri Lankan railway unions end strike, after "promises" from President Sirisena
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
Sirisena's assurances are worthless but always seized on by the union bureaucracy to shut down industrial action and impose a sell-out.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/rail-o09.html

Sri Lankan railway unions end strike, after "promises" from President Sirisena
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
Sirisena's assurances are worthless but always seized on by the union bureaucracy to shut down industrial action and impose a sell-out.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/rail-o09.html

Indonesia's Huge Forest Fires, Toxic Haze Will Cause Health Problems for Years to Come
Maria C. Lo Bue | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
Indonesia is currently in the throes of an environmental emergency. Thousands of hectares of forest are burning across the vast country, causing toxic smoke to be released into the atmosphere. This has led to eerie apocalyptic scenes of deep red …
globalresearch.ca/indonesia-huge-fires-toxic-haze-cause-health-problems-years/5691487

Turkey invades Syria to wipe out Kurds after Trump gives green light
Steve Sweeney | peoplesworld.org | 2019-10-09
Kurds are fearing ethnic cleansing today as Turkish forces launch a ground invasion following yesterday's bombing of Kurdish areas in northern Syria. Turkey's aggression comes after U.S. troops withdrew from the region earlier this week. President Donald Trump announced the pullback of U.S. forces suddenly and without warning late on Sunday night. Late Tuesday, Commander …
peoplesworld.org/article/turkey-invades-syria-to-wipe-out-kurds-after-trump-gives-green-light/

Julián Castro Backs Impeachment Effort, Condemns Trump's "Betrayal" of Kurds
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-10-09
| Turkey's government says its troops are prepared for an imminent assault on Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, after President Trump ordered U.S. troops to fall back from their positions on the Turkish-Syrian border. Kurdish fighters said they're bracing for a "humanitarian catastrophe." This follows warnings that former Kurdish allies of the U.S. who feel betrayed by President Trump will abandon thousands of prisoners captured during the U.S.-backed war against ISIS over the past two years.
truthout.org/video/julian-castro-backs-impeachment-effort-condemns-trumps-betrayal-of-kurds/

Video: US Troop Withdrawals? Washington Green-light to Turkish Incursion into Northeastern Syria
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
On October 7, US forces started withdrawing from their positons along the border with Turkey, in northern Syria. The US military had permanent garrisons in Tel Abyad, Tel Musa, Tel Hinzir and Tel Arqam. They were abandoned. | On October …
globalresearch.ca/video-us-green-lights-turkish-incursion-northeastern-syria/5691439

China's revolution at 70: Behind its amazing progress
Editor | workers.org | 2019-10-09
What major country in the world can claim greater progress than People's China in raising the standard of living and the educational level of its people over the last 70 years? In 1949, the leader of the Chinese socialist revolution, Mao Zedong, declared victory over the landlords, corporations, banks and . . . | Continue reading China's revolution at 70: Behind its amazing progress at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/10/08/chinas-revolution-at-70-behind-its-amazing-progress/

Tracking Foreign Interference in Hong Kong
Pepe Escobar | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
Lawrence YK Ma is the executive council chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation and director of the China Law Society, the Chinese Judicial Studies Association and the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation. He also finds time to teach …
globalresearch.ca/foreign-interference-hong-kong/5691447

Trump's Trade War: a Report From the Front
Dean Baker | counterpunch.org | 2019-10-09
Donald Trump is bravely carrying on a trade war, not just with the bad guys with China, but with longtime allies like Canada and the European Union. Incredibly, the media just don't seem that interested in reporting on the ongoing progress. Last week the Commerce Department released trade data for August, and it got almost…
counterpunch.org/2019/10/09/trumps-trade-war-a-report-from-the-front/

China's revolution at 70: Behind its amazing progress
Editor | workers.org | 2019-10-09
What major country in the world can claim greater progress than People's China in raising the standard of living and the educational level of its people over the last 70 years? In 1949, the leader of the Chinese socialist revolution, Mao Zedong, declared victory over the landlords, corporations, banks and . . . | Continue reading China's revolution at 70: Behind its amazing progress at Workers.org…
workers.org/2019/10/43954/

British Unions Vote to Boycott Israel
Glen Davies | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-09
"At the moment we're looking at a people lacking the control that allows them to function as a society — water, the freedom to travel, the basic right to safety," said Martin Sundram, delegate for the Artists' Union of …
globalresearch.ca/british-unions-vote-boycott-israel/5691507

On Hong Kong and more, NBA must adapt to global opinion–or perish
Ian Goodrum | peoplesworld.org | 2019-10-09
Correspondent Ian Goodrum is based in Beijing. When meeting someone from another country, it's sometimes hard to answer that age-old question: "Where are you from?" There are quite a few options. The simplest is just to say "the United States"–with a mixture of shame and regret over the images the person I'm speaking to might …
peoplesworld.org/article/on-hong-kong-and-more-nba-must-adapt-to-global-opinion-or-perish/

Erdogan Says Military Invasion of Syria Has Begun as Turkish Jets Bomb the Kurds
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2019-10-09
Video shows Turkish troops crossing the border, as journalists warn that "a new phase of this bloody regional war could be about to begin."

Erdogan Says Military Invasion of Syria Has Begun as Turkish Jets Bomb the Kurds

Trump's Withdrawal From Syria: Betrayal of Kurds or End to Endless War?
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-10-09
President Trump's intention to withdraw from Syria was met with outrage on many sides, with people calling it a betrayal of a key ally in the Syrian conflict. Kurdish expert Edmund Ghareeb says there is probably a deal between Trump and Erdogan.
therealnews.com/stories/trump-withdraws-from-syria-betrayal-kurds-endless-war

Trump's Erratic Syria Policy Deserves No Anti-Imperialist's Cheers
Jeet Heer | thenation.com | 2019-10-09
Trump's Erratic Syria Policy Deserves No Anti-Imperialist's Cheers…
thenation.com/article/trump-syria-pompeo/

The Battle for the Soul of India
Saad Hafiz | counterpunch.org | 2019-10-09
We are witnessing a battle for the rational soul of India. It has long been the conventional wisdom that the country's historic and admirable diversity and tolerance would prevent the creation of a Hindu-first nation. But it seems increasingly likely that the narrative of India as a Hindu democratic state will prevail. There is a…
counterpunch.org/2019/10/09/the-battle-for-the-soul-of-india/

India: Motherson autoworkers strike at cross roads
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
Motherson workers should break the isolation imposed upon them by All India Central Council of Trade Unions and fight for the broadest mobilization of workers in India and internationally behind their struggle.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/moth-o09.html

Navigating educational empowerment through life conditions: A study of rural women in Indian Punjab
Satvinderpal Kaur | mronline.org | 2019-10-09
Though the voices of rural women in India are some of the least heard, they are not mere passive victims. Many rural women strongly condemn their marginalization and pauperization–highlighting the flawed and biased developmental polices of the state, which they hold largely responsible for their hardships. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/10/08/navigating-educational-empowerment-through-life-conditions-a-study-of-rural-women-in-indian-punjab/

India: Motherson autoworkers strike at cross roads
wsws.org | 2019-10-09
Motherson workers should break the isolation imposed upon them by All India Central Council of Trade Unions and fight for the broadest mobilization of workers in India and internationally behind their struggle.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/09/moth-o09.html

Speech on 'Environmental Protections' by Karl Liebknecht
Eds. | mronline.org | 2019-10-09
This speech was delivered in 1912 to the Prussian House of Deputies in response to a proposal by the Free People's Party. Environmental destruction was not as far-reaching then as it is now, yet Liebknecht was keenly aware of the disappearance of butterflies and insects, of the small changes that bode ill. | Source…
mronline.org/2019/10/09/speech-on-environmental-protections-by-karl-liebknecht/

Russian social media debate: clickbait or information warfare?
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-10-09
What is the Internet Research Agency, and are the claims of a Russian influence campaign against the U.S. well-founded? Aaron…
thegrayzone.com/2019/10/09/russian-social-media-debate-clickbait-or-information-warfare/

'Time to deliver' Elon Musk? NASA nervous as spaceship delays threaten to cut off astronauts from ISS
rt.com | 2019-10-09
With NASA's contract with Russia about to run out without a replacement spaceship ready, the US space agency is leaning on SpaceX to hurry up and deliver. CEO Elon Musk says everything is on schedule — but is it? | Since the Space Shuttle program was scrapped in 2011, NASA has had no crewed spaceship capability, having to pay Roscosmos $80 million a seat to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station. SpaceX and Boeing were both contracted to develop a domestic alternative, but both the Crew Dragon and the Starliner have yet to get beyond the testing stage. | This is a problem for the US space ag…
rt.com/usa/470567-nasa-spacex-nervous-deadline/

Julián Castro Slams Trump's "Deranged" Immigration Policies After Escorting Asylum Seekers to Border
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-10-09
On Monday, 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro escorted a dozen asylum seekers to the U.S. port of entry at Brownsville, Texas, in a challenge to President Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy. The group included a disabled Salvadoran woman and her relatives, as well as nine LGBTQ people from Cuba, Guatemala and Honduras. Many of them report they've been threatened and assaulted while they've been forced to wait in the Mexican border city of Matamoros. The asylum seekers were refused entry into the United States. Castro speaks with us from San Antonio, where he served as mayor from 2009 to 2014.
www.democracynow.org/2019/10/9/julian_castro_asylum_seekers_remain_in

Divided Supreme Court Hears Landmark LGBTQ Workplace Discrimination Case
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-10-09
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in three cases that will determine whether LGBTQ people can be fired from their jobs due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Among the court's conservative justices, only Neil Gorsuch appeared open to prohibiting such workplace discrimination. One of the cases centers on a transgender woman from Michigan named Aimee Stephens, who was fired from her job at a funeral home in 2013. The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its decision in the three cases by early next summer. We speak to James Esseks, director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, who attended Tu…
www.democracynow.org/2019/10/9/supreme_court_lgbtq_sex_discrimination_cases

Julián Castro Backs Impeachment Effort & Condemns Trump's "Betrayal" of Kurds in Northern Syria
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-10-09
Turkey's government says its troops are prepared for an imminent assault on Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, after President Trump ordered U.S. troops to fall back from their positions on the Turkish-Syrian border. Kurdish fighters said they're bracing for a "humanitarian catastrophe." This follows warnings that former Kurdish allies of the U.S. who feel betrayed by President Trump will abandon thousands of prisoners captured during the U.S.-backed war against ISIS over the past two years. We speak to former housing secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro, who says Trump's move is a…
www.democracynow.org/2019/10/9/2020_presidential_candidate_julian_castro_syria

Australia's prisoner swap with Iran contrasts with persecution of Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2019-10-08
The deal exposes the denial of basic legal and democratic rights by the Australian, British and US governments in the continued detention and psychological torture of the WikiLeaks founder.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/10/08/assa-o08.html

China vs NBA: That Tweet Is No Slam Dunk
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-10-08
A tweet from Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey provoked Chinese TV into banning an upcoming NBA game. So instead of talking about Uighur concentration camps, the murder of Chinese protestors, or the upcoming trade war, US media is asking about the future of NBA-China relations.
therealnews.com/stories/china-nba-tweet-no-slam-dunk

Youth Indigenous Activist Speaks on Deforestation in Indonesia
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-10-08
14-year-old Kynan Degar explains how the palm oil industry harms indigenous Indonesian communities through deforestation–an interview at the United Nations Climate Action Summit.
therealnews.com/stories/youth-indigenous-activist-speaks-deforestation-indonesia

It's Not Just Greta: Why are the Developing World's Inspiring Activists Being Ignored?
Chika Unigwe | counterpunch.org | 2019-10-08
Ridhima Pandey was just nine years old in 2017 when she filed a lawsuit against the Indian government for failing to take action against climate change. Pandey's fierce, astounding passion for the environment is not accidental. Her mother is a forestry guard and her father an environmental activist; and the whole family was displaced by…
counterpunch.org/2019/10/08/its-not-just-greta-why-are-the-developing-worlds-inspiring-activists-being-ignored/

The US-Brokered Taliban-India Prisoner Swap Is a Pretty Big Deal
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-10-08
The US-brokered Taliban-Indian prisoner swap might lead to the resumption of the Afghan peace process but the deal also carries with it somewhat uncomfortable optics for Pakistan since it was likely agreed to during US peace envoy Khalilzad's "ice-breaking" meeting …
globalresearch.ca/us-brokered-taliban-indian-prisoner-swap/5691378

Bangladeshis Protest Murder of Student by Ruling Party Workers
telesurenglish.net | 2019-10-08
Thousands of Bangladeshi university students protested Monday after an undergraduate student was allegedly murdered in the capital city Dhaka by the ruling party workers. | RELATED: | Bangladesh Charges 16 for Burning Alive Sexual Abuse Survivor | Abrar Fahad, 21 – a student at the prestigious Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET) was allegedly killed over a Facebook post which criticized the government's water-sharing agreement with India. | During the visit…
telesurenglish.net/news/Bangladeshis-Protest-Murder-of-Student-by-Ruling-Party-Workers-20191008-0005.html