(2020-10-08). OPCW Syria Whistleblower and Ex-OPCW Chief Attacked by U.S., UK, France at UN. strategic-culture.org At the UN Security Council, the US, UK and France were confronted with testimony from OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and ex-OPCW chief Jose Bustani that challenged the rationale for their bombing of Syria in April 2018. They responded by attacking and silencing the witnesses. Aaron Maté recaps the extraordinary events.
(2020-10-08). The Uyghur Issue: How Can the U.S. Dare Lecturing China About the Rights of the Muslims? globalresearch.ca This article by the late Andre Vltchek was first published in 2019. | In 2019, I have written a long analysis about "the Uyghur issue"; analysis which will be soon published as a book. | For some time, I have been warning …
(2020-10-08). Does Damascus Regard the Syrian Armenians Reportedly Fighting in Azerbaijan as Traitors? globalresearch.ca The Turkish reports alleging that the Kurdish-allied Syrian-Armenian militia "Nubar Ozanyan Brigade" is fighting in Azerbaijan on the side of the separatists prompt questions about exactly how Damascus regards this armed group, but if Syria's official statements pertaining to the …
(2020-10-08). Iranian human rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi released from jail. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian human rights campaigner Narges Mohammadi released from jail | Activist had been serving a minimum 10-year sentence for 'forming and managing an illegal group' | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 08: 51 | Iranian opposition human rights activist, Narges Mohammadi, at the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Tehran (AFP/File photo) | Prominent Iranian human rights activists Narges Mohammadi has been released from prison,…
(2020-10-08). The Greatest Failure in Presidential History: Kamala Harris Slams Trump/Pence's Handling of COVID-19. democracynow.org 
Separated by two plates of plexiglass, Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris met Wednesday in the only vice-presidential debate of the campaign season. Pence, who heads the White House Coronavirus Task Force, repeatedly defended the Trump administration's handling of the crisis as the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 nears 212,000 and millions of people remain out of work. The debate also took place against the backdrop of a White House outbreak that has infected President Trump and dozens of other senior figures. "The White House has had more cases than the country of Yemen recently, than Vietnam, tha…
(2020-10-08). 'War is imminent': Iraq's Kadhimi moves to fend off US threat to target pro-Iran groups. middleeasteye.net 
'War is imminent': Iraq's Kadhimi moves to fend off US threat to target pro-Iran groups | Iraqi government scrambling to head off threatened closure of US embassy in Baghdad amid fears move could lead to political and economic collapse | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 14: 07 | Iraqi security forces stand guard in front of the US embassy in Baghdad in January 2020 (AFP) | The United States has drawn up a l…
(2020-10-08). Race, Militarism and the US Scheme to Control the Pacific. counterpunch.org 
Christine Hong's marvelous book, A Violent Peace: Race, U.S. Militarism, and Cultures of Democratization in Cold War Asia and the Pacific, arrives at a time when Washington's Indo Pacific Strategy is driving U.S. political, economic, and military confrontation in the Asia-Pacific, as the culmination of a long process that began in the immediate aftermath of the
(2020-10-08). Turkish F-16s kept in Azerbaijan 'as deterrent against Armenian attacks'. middleeasteye.net 
Turkish F-16s kept in Azerbaijan 'as deterrent against Armenian attacks' | Sources say warplanes haven't participated in raids and denied that they had shot down an Armenian jet, as claimed by Yerevan | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 08: 10 | Five Turkish F-16s took part in the TurAz Eagle military drill in Azerbaijan's city of Ganja on 31 July (Azerbaijan Ministry of Defence / Screengrab) | Turkey has kept a number…
(2020-10-08). Turkish government orders seizure of exiled journalist's property. middleeasteye.net 
Turkish government orders seizure of exiled journalist's property | Turkish authorities issued an arrest warrant against former Cumhuriyet editor Can Dundar in 2018 | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 07: 31 | Turkish journalist Can Dundar (2nd R) greets a fellown participant in a meeting with German and Turkish intellectuals discussing the Mediterranean region and Turkey on 6 October 2020 in Berlin (AFP)…
(2020-10-08). US elections: Four Middle East moments from Harris-Pence debate. middleeasteye.net 
US elections: Four Middle East moments from Harris-Pence debate | Kamala Harris and Mike Pence discussed US policy on Iran, Israel and Palestine in the first and only vice presidential debate | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 07: 11 | Plexiglass separated the two candidates on Wednesday amid coronavirus concerns (AFP) | If political debates were a sport, US vice presidential debates would be a game between the reserve teams.
(2020-10-08). Penelope Cruz bombarded with Nagorno-Karabakh comments on Instagram as users mistake Colombian flag on film poster for Armenia's. rt.com 
Hollywood star Penelope Cruz has been unwittingly dragged into an online battle over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, after social media users falsely assumed she had posted an image of the Armenian flag. | The Spanish-born actress shared a photo of…
(2020-10-08). US-China standoff creating conditions similar to pre-WWI Europe, Kissinger warns. rt.com 
The US needs to rethink its hegemony and talk to China about imposing limits on their competition, because the alternative is the creation of conditions similar to those that preceded World War I, Henry Kissinger has warned. | "Our leaders and their leaders have to discuss the limits beyond which they will not push threats, and how to define that," said Kissinger, a top diplomat during the Nixon administration, who is credited with orchestrating US rapprochement with China. | "You can say this is totally impossible, but if it is, we will slide into a situation similar to World War I," he warned. | Also on rt.c…
(2020-10-08). Scores hospitalized after blaze ENGULFS 33-story apartment block in S. Korea (VIDEOS). rt.com 
At least 77 people have been hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a huge blaze tore through a 33-story apartment block in Ulsan, South Korea. Hundreds were evacuated from the scene. | Footage posted online showed the ferocious flames ripping through the Samhwan Art Nouveau commercial and residential building in the southern city of Ulsan. According to local #Ulsan
(2020-10-08). "Quad" alliance holds summit as U.S. pushes for more aggression vs. China. mronline.org 
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Japan today to attend a high-profile summit of top diplomats from the countries involved in the "Indo-Pacific Quad."
(2020-10-08). Video: Armenians Fight Back Against Azerbaijani Advance, Strike Strategic (BTC) Oil Pipeline. globalresearch.ca Armenian forces launched a missile attack on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, according to Azerbaijan. The country's prosecutors said that Armenian forces had carried out the attack, which was prevented by the Azerbaijani military, on the pipeline in Yevlah at …
(2020-10-08). Hezbollah Slams France—ME EP.75. thealtworld.com Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah responded to French President Emmanuel Macron's disrespect of the Lebanese people, highlighting that he should respect the Lebanese people's dignity when talking to them. Sayyed Nasrullah accused President Macron of practicing intimidation against the heads of Lebanese parties in order to pass a new government that eliminates the parliamentary blocs. To discuss this issue with us from Beirut is Ali Mourad, political commentator. | A series of rockets were launched at a base hosting US-led coalition forces inside Erbil International Airport in Iraq's semi-autonom…
(2020-10-08). Palestinian administrative detainee critical after over 70 days on hunger strike. peoplesdispatch.org Maher Akhras launched his hunger strike shortly after being arrested by the Israeli authorities on July 27. Doctors are now force-feeding him in an attempt to forcibly end his hunger strike…
(2020-10-08). Racism and the Death Penalty. globalresearch.ca Christopher Vialva, 40, was executed by the United States government on September 24 in Terra Haute, Indiana. | Vialva was the first Black person put to death by the federal criminal justice system since the resumption of executions by Washington earlier …
(2020-10-08). India's Hindu Right Are Willing to Bury Democracy. zcomm.org While India's rulers downplay the brutal murder of a Dalit teenager by an upper-caste gang and acquit Hindu nationalists guilty of historic crimes, Arundhati Roy argues, they are concocting another show trial of Muslims and progressive activists to intimidate dissenters…
(2020-10-08). Fishermen Oppose 'Catastrophic' Release Of Fukushima Water To Ocean. popularresistance.org Tokyo – Japanese fish industry representatives on Thursday urged the government not to allow the release at sea of tonnes of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, saying it would undo years of work to restore their reputation. | Tokyo Electric has collected more than a million tonnes of contaminated water since the plant was crippled by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011. | The water is stored in huge tanks that crowd the site and it says it will run out of storage room by 2022.
(2020-10-08). Let's boycott AJINOMOTO! Japan's largest food manufacturer. indybay.org Ajinomoto is the most successful Japanese food manufacturer since before World War II. | Animal experiments have supported and continued the success of the hemother. | Let's boycott this food company. Send an e-mail to the president.
(2020-10-08). The Rebellious Emirate of the UAE: Ras al Khaimah. strategic-culture.org Israel may view the United Arab Emirates as one of its few allies in the Arab World. However, the UAE's embrace of Israel does not enjoy universal support in the seven emirates that make up the oil-rich federation. One of the constituent emirates, Ras al Khaimah — sometimes referred to merely as "RAK" — has had a stormy relationship with the chief emirate in the unequal federation, Abu Dhabi. Israel and the Donald Trump administration may believe that the UAE is part and parcel of the Washington-Jerusalem security bulwark against Iran, but Ras al Khaimah has always marched to its own beat from the ver…
(2020-10-08). Libya Refuses to Take Up Arab League Presidency Following Palestinian Walkout. globalresearch.ca Libya on Tuesday refused to assume the presidency of the current session of the Arab League, after Qatar …
(2020-10-08). How the Theatrics of Banning TikTok Enables Repression at Home. thenation.com How the Theatrics of Banning TikTok Enables Repression at Home…
(2020-10-07). OPCW Syria whistleblower and ex-OPCW chief attacked by US, UK, France at UN. thegrayzone.com At the UN Security Council, the US, UK and France were confronted with testimony from OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and ex-OPCW chief Jose Bustani that challenged the rationale for their bombing of Syria in April 2018. They responded by attacking and silencing the witnesses. Aaron Maté recaps the extraordinary events. Ian Henderson, a veteran OPCW inspector who challenged a cover-up of his organization's investigation of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, recently testified before the United Nations Security Council. …
(2020-10-07). Video: Ex-OPCW Chief Jose Bustani Reads Syria Testimony that US, UK Blocked at UN. globalresearch.ca At the UN Security Council, the US, UK, France and allies have blocked the testimony of Jose Bustani, the OPCW's first Director General, on the chemical watchdog's Syria cover-up scandal. The Grayzone has obtained Bustani's prepared statement and is publishing …
(2020-10-07). Following US Pressure, Aid to Yemen Falls to Just 25 Cents Per Day. mintpressnews.com Secretary of State Pompeo successfully pressured the UN to significantly cut back aid to one of the world's poorest countries, claiming it could fall into rebel hands.
(2020-10-07). COVID-19 Coronavirus: The Crisis. "You Simulate and Then You Go Live" globalresearch.ca On January 30th 2020, the WHO Director General declared a Public Health Emergency (PHEIC) in relation to China's novel coronavirus. This far-reaching decision was taken without the support of expert opinion. There were 150 confirmed cases outside China, when the decision was taken. 6 in the US, 3 in Canada, 2 in the UK, etc.
(2020-10-07). Saudi trial resumes for Palestinian Hamas members detained by kingdom. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi trial resumes for Palestinian Hamas members detained by kingdom | At least 68 Palestinians – including veteran Hamas middleman Mohammed al-Khoudary – are standing trial on unknown charges with no access to lawyers, right group says | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 12: 18 | Mohammed Saleh al-Khoudary, and his eldest Hani have been in a Saudi prison since April 2019 (Screengrab) | Rights groups continue to raise the al…
(2020-10-07). Accept tax revenues collected by Israel or lose aid, EU tells Palestinians. middleeasteye.net 
Accept tax revenues collected by Israel or lose aid, EU tells Palestinians | Palestinian Authority began boycotting Israeli tax payments in May following Israel's plans to annex large swaths of the occupied West Bank | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 20: 50 | Palestinians gather to commemorate the Second Intifada and protest Israeli normalisation deals with the UAE and Bahrain in Ramallah on 28 September (AFP/File photo)…
(2020-10-07). Youth in Brazil's peripheries in the era of CoronaShock. mronline.org 
Across the world, youth have become important political actors, especially since the 1960s. Along with workers, women, and people of colour, youth have been main protagonists in the fight for national, anti-colonial, anti-imperialist liberation in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
(2020-10-07). Why America's economic war on China is failing. mronline.org 
U.S. President Donald Trump—supported by most of the U.S. establishment—deepened the U.S. government's assault on the Chinese economy.
(2020-10-07). Nearly half of young Arabs have considered leaving their country. middleeasteye.net 
Nearly half of young Arabs have considered leaving their country | Economic woes, government corruption, education opportunities and security driving youth from the Middle East, new survey shows
| Wed, 10/07/2020 – 10: 59 | Lebanese youth recorded the highest numbers stating a desire to leave at 77 percent, followed by 69 percent of Libyans, 66 percent of Yemenis and 65 percent of Iraq…
(2020-10-07). Coronavirus: Iran reports record high death numbers as it grapples with third wave. middleeasteye.net 
Coronavirus: Iran reports record high death numbers as it grapples with third wave | Health minister says whole country on Covid-19 red alert as cases soar | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 15: 25 | Hospital admissions have reached record levels as entire country struggles with a rise in coronavirus infections (Reuters) | Iran on Wednesday reported 239 Covid-19 deaths, a record number over 24 hours, as…
(2020-10-07). Car bomb in northern Syrian city of Al-Bab leaves many dead and injured. middleeasteye.net 
Car bomb in northern Syrian city of Al-Bab leaves many dead and injured | UN condemns 'indiscriminate attacks' on civilians after Turkish-controlled city struck | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 07: 40 | A picture shows an aerial view of the town of al-Bab in a rebel-held area in the north of Aleppo province (AFP) | A suspected car bomb in the Turkish-controlled Syrian town of Al-Bab has killed at least…
(2020-10-07). National strike: Indonesia rises up against new anti-worker law. liberationnews.org 
Hundreds of thousands of workers and students in Indonesia have taken to the streets in a powerful wave of strikes and demonstrations opposing the enactment of a new set of laws that would dramatically weaken the rights of the working class and environmental protections. The government of president Joko Widodo pushed through this "omnibus" act …
(2020-10-07). Qatar makes formal request to US for F-35 jets: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Qatar makes formal request to US for F-35 jets: Report | Despite being close allies, potential Qatar deal must satisfy decades-old US agreement to maintain Israel's 'qualitative military edge' | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 22: 47 | Any F-35 sale may take years to negotiate and deliver and would also require congressional approval (AFP/File photo) | Qatar has submitted a formal request to buy US-made…
(2020-10-07). Alleged Islamic State 'Beatles' executioners set to face trial in US, says report. middleeasteye.net 
Alleged Islamic State 'Beatles' executioners set to face trial in US, says report | El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey face charges in the US over the alleged beheading of a number of journalists and aid workers | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 09: 34 | Pictures of El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey released shortly after their capture by Syrian Kurdish-led forces (AFP) | Two alleged members of an Islamic State (IS)…
(2020-10-07). The Heat: Palestinian Elections. america.cgtn.com 
Last month the two largest Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, agreed on a deal to hold elections for the first in almost 15 years. After years of unrest with Israel, and the on-going Israeli occupation of the West Bank, could these elections offer a new …
(2020-10-07). The Tight Rope Live: With Cornel West, Prof. Tricia Rose, Rep. Barbara Lee, Matt Gonzalez. therealnews.com 
Cornel West and Tricia Rose host a live Vice Presidential Debate After Party featuring special guests Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Matt Gonzalez, and Tricia Zunker.
(2020-10-07). Russia's 'Sputnik V' Covid-19 vaccine will cost $13 a pop, officials hope price will quickly go down once production accelerates. rt.com 
Russia's Covid-19 vaccine, the first in the world, will cost less than 1,000 rubles, or $13, per dose, says the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). Despite a low price by Western standards, FAS believes the current price is steep. | "We understand that the price is quite high," said Igor Artemyev, the head of FAS. "[The vaccine is] produced in relatively small batches, and they need capital to expand production." | According to Artemyev, the cost of a dose will reduce as production increases and the vaccine becomes more readily available. The country will also revisit the price when other countries produce the…
(2020-10-07). Cardi B branded 'terrorism supporter' & forced to apologize after unwittingly getting entangled in Nagorno-Karabakh politics. rt.com 
Rapper Cardi B was flooded with online attacks and forced to apologize after promoting an Armenian fundraiser amid the country's escalating conflict with the neighboring Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. | The US singer, whose latest single 'WAP' topped UK charts in September, provoked backlash after she
(2020-10-07). Germany, France & UK to propose sanctions on Russia over alleged poisoning of opposition figure Navalny. rt.com 
Germany, France and the UK will push for EU sanctions on Russian individuals over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, saying they see no other "credible explanation" for the incident than Moscow's involvement. | The proposals will target "individuals deemed responsible for this crime and breach of international norms" as well as "an entity involved in the Novichok program," the French and German foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. | "No credible explanation has been provided by Russia so far. In this context, we consider that there is no other plausible explanation fo…
(2020-10-07). Germany & France will ask EU allies to place fresh sanctions on Russia over alleged poisoning of opposition figure Navalny. rt.com Germany and France will push for targeted EU sanctions against certain Russian individuals over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexey Navalny. They insist the only explanation for the incident is state involvement. | NATO member Britain will also back the proposals which will focus on "individuals deemed responsible for this crime and breach of international norms," as well as "an entity involved in the Novichok program," the French and German foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. | "No credible explanation has been provided by Russia so far. In this context, we consider that t…
(2020-10-07). 'Strategic partnership' worth $1.6 billion: Ukraine to ink agreement with London for eight British fast attack missile boats. rt.com 
Britain has secured a deal with Ukraine to produce military vessels for £1.25 billion ($1.61 billion), in a "historic agreement" signaling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's determination to improve his country's navy. | The president arrived in England on Wednesday and is scheduled to hold talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after which they will sign a "Ukrainian-British Agreement on Political Cooperation, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership." In the afternoon, Zelensky and his wife, Olena, met with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine. | According to reports, th…
(2020-10-07). Russian monastery run by excommunicated criminal cop-turned-monk under investigation for torture & systematic beating of children. rt.com 
Russian authorities have opened a child torture criminal case against the Sredneuralsk Convent, an Orthodox Christian community run by the controversial excommunicated monk Sergius. The clergyman already has a murder conviction. |
(2020-10-07). Britain, the Middle East and arms sales: A breakdown. middleeasteye.net 
Britain, the Middle East and arms sales: A breakdown | New figures reveal how the region has dominated military imports over the past decade | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 13: 28 | The UK government has sold Typhoon aircraft (pictured flying with Britain's Red Arrows) to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia over the past decade (AFP/File photo) | New figures released by the British government have revealed the e…
(2020-10-07). Dying for an i-Phone: an Interview with Jenny Chan. counterpunch.org 
It was January 2010 and Jenny Chan just heard about the suicides of workers at the Foxconn electronics plant in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. In 2010 alone, eighteen Foxconn workers attempted suicide and fourteen died. Chan joined others in issuing a public statement calling on Foxconn, the Chinese government, and the All-China Federation of
(2020-10-07). NATO Increased Warship Presence in Black Sea by 33% Compared to 2019. globalresearch.ca By strengthening the presence of warships from non-Black Sea NATO members in the Black Sea, the military bloc is attempting to demonstrate its dominance in the region and the Alliance's desire to neutralize and pressurize Russia's influence in the area. …
(2020-10-07). Taliban-Kabul Talks May Stall as 40 Years of War Have 'Broken Down Idea of a Nation' in Afghanistan. sputniknews.com As talks between the Afghan government in Kabul and the Taliban rebel group continue in Doha, Qatar, one expert recalls to Sputnik that there are many forces working against a peace deal, including the negotiators' lack of knowledge about anything but war.