(2020-10-17). Why Wasn't There Any Post-Election Turmoil in Tajikistan? globalresearch.ca Unlike fellow former Soviet Republics Belarus and even neighboring Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan's latest elections didn't result in any turmoil even though one might have expected it to have due to some similarly discernible risk factors, but that wasn't the case (at …
(2020-10-17). One hundred years of Indian communism. peoplesdispatch.org (October 17, 2020 marks 100 years of the founding of the Communist Party of India. The party was formed in 1920 in Tashkent. On this occasion, we bring you an analysis of the history of the Indian communist movement by noted Marxist intellectual Prabhat Patnaik) | A theoretical analysis of the prevailing situation, from which the proletariat's relationship with different segments of the bourgeoisie and the peasantry is derived, and with it the Communist Party's tactics toward other political forces, is central to the party's praxis. A study of this praxis over the last one hundred years of the existence of com…
(2020-10-17). US condemns Turkey over reported test of Russian S-400 missile system. middleeasteye.net 
US condemns Turkey over reported test of Russian S-400 missile system | Ankara refuses to confirm or deny reports that it has tested the controversial air defence system near the Black Sea | Sat, 10/17/2020 – 10: 32 | Washington fears the S-400 could be used to gain intelligence on US weaponry (Reuters) | The United States condemned Turkey on Friday after reports emerged that Ankara had te…
(2020-10-17). Jennifer Arcuri 'admits affair with Boris Johnson'. thecanary.co 
Jennifer Arcuri has reportedly admitted to having an affair with Boris Johnson, after allegations he used his position as London mayor to get the businesswoman favourable treatment.The prime minister avoided a criminal investigation after the police watchdog found no evidence that he influenced the payment of thousands of pounds of public money to Arcuri, or that he secured her participation in foreign trade trips which he led.Johnson's conduct: City Hall resumed an investigation into Johnson's conduct after the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) closed in May.The IOPC said it "would have been wi…
(2020-10-17). Fishermen oppose release of contaminated water from Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. peoplesdispatch.org The company which operates the plant, Tokyo Electric Power, has collected over 1.23 million tons of contaminated water since the collapse of the nuclear plant in 2011…
(2020-10-17). Statements of support for Dr. Scalice continue to come in from Australia and Sri Lanka. wsws.org "Scalice's lecture provided a powerful exposure of the catastrophic consequences bequeathed to the international working class by Stalinism and its extension Maoism."
(2020-10-16). Questions Surround Timing and Details of Trump's Recent Yemen Prisoner Exchange. mintpressnews.com 
Like many aspects of the war in Yemen, and of US elections, many questions surround the freeing of two Americans in what may be one of the largest prisoner exchanges in modern history.
(2020-10-16). On the British State-Funded BBC's Pending Smear. thealtworld.com 
The British state-funded BBC, which has a history of perverted war propaganda against the people of Syria, a history of whitewashing the crimes of terrorists in Syria, a history of flat out lying about events in Syria, has decided to launch another smear against myself, Vanessa Beeley, researchers of the Working Group on Syria, a former ambassador to Syria, and others. | This is not just another character assassination, though, this is a serious threat against journalists and those speaking truth against establishment narratives. Thanks to those who have tweeted or spoken about this revolting attack. | On Twitter…
(2020-10-16). Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza. middleeasteye.net 
Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza | Israel has imposed a travel ban on Assaf, revoking his entry permit, which he earned as an UNRWA ambassador | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 12: 12 | Palestinian "Arab Idol" winner Mohammed Assaf described the Israeli travel ban as "a continuation of the policies of oppression" (AFP/file photo) | Israel has imposed an entry ban on Mohammed Assaf,…
(2020-10-16). Israeli Forces Launch Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza Strip – Reports. sputniknews.com Explosions were reported in the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning local time, hours after a rocket was launched from the Palestinian territory into Israel.
(2020-10-16). Syria: Humanitarians 'very concerned' for thousands still living in Al Hol camp. news.un.org Humanitarians are "very concerned" about the plight of more than 64,000 people living in the restive Al Hol camp in northeast Syria, the UN Spokesperson told journalists on Friday.
(2020-10-16). #SinkColumbus: Indigenous Peoples' Day now! workers.org 
Boston United American Indians of New England and North American Indian Center of Boston marched through Boston, several hundred strong, on Oct. 10, in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day. The colonizers' "Columbus Day" is still scheduled by Boston and the state of Massachusetts for Oct. 12, although activists in the . . . |
(2020-10-16). No, China didn't 'stall' critical Covid information at outbreak's start. mronline.org 
Now that some time has passed since the beginning of the outbreak, it's worth revisiting the less-conspiratorial corporate media narrative that the Chinese government maliciously or incompetently delayed the release of critical information early on, thereby causing many unnecessary deaths.
(2020-10-16). Indonesian trade union FSEBUMI supports Denver activists: "Racism must be fought with the power of solidarity" liberationnews.org 
Federasi Serikat Buruh Militan (FSEBUMI) is a trade union who firmly believe in the working class struggle and the power of solidarity. We also believe in internationalism and we are against racism.
(2020-10-16). Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report | The visit was reportedly the first of its kind to the holy site since Bahrain and the UAE signed a normalisation deal with Israel last month | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 15: 00 | The delegation reportedly performed prayers inside the 7th century Dome of the Rock Mosque (Screengrab) | An informal Arab delegation reportedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosq…
(2020-10-16). Saudi Arabia arrests 45 in latest 'anti-corruption' drive. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia arrests 45 in latest 'anti-corruption' drive | Authorities arrest dozens of people, including military officers, and seize $160m as part of kingdom's wide-ranging campaign | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 20: 31 | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh (AFP/File photo) | Saudi authorities arrested at least 45 people, including military officers and public servants, as part of kingdom's so-called anti…
(2020-10-16). After 55 years of repression Indonesian workers, youth take to streets. workers.org 
Thousands of workers and students marched and rallied in Indonesia on Oct. 7 to protest a new antilabor law. "Labor rights activists, workers and students are protesting Indonesia's new labor law they say will undermine pay and benefits, as well as the environment. The law is part of the president's . . . |
(2020-10-16). Can an Eco-Socialist Revolution Save China? counterpunch.org 
On August 19, 2019, I unfurled my degrowth banner in a CounterPunch article titled "Ecological Limits and the Working Class" and followed it up with a review of leading degrowth theorist Giorgos Kallis's "Limits: Why Malthus Was Wrong and Why Environmentalists Should Care" just six months later. Having read dozens of articles on degrowth over
(2020-10-16). Ahead of North Cyprus presidential election run-off, island's fate hangs in the balance. middleeasteye.net 
Ahead of North Cyprus presidential election run-off, island's fate hangs in the balance | Electorate to choose between the incumbent president and prime minister – and drastically different visions for the future of the divided island | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 17: 43 | A Turkish-Cypriot man casts his ballot at a polling station during the inconc…
(2020-10-16). A Historical Reckoning: Oxford Study Challenges Israel's Claims Concerning Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com 
Pro-Israel institutions and spokespeople like to claim that the Palestinian refugee issue has passed some imaginary statute of limitations, but as a comprehensive new Oxford study shows, it "has since become even stronger."
(2020-10-16). Two mockeries of democracy instead of one: Biden and Trump town halls replace debate. liberationnews.org 
Donald Trump and Joe Biden held town hall-style encounters at the same time yesterday in what columnist and political cartoonist Ted Rall described as an event, "long on drama but short on credible solutions." Trump and Biden were initially scheduled to face off in a traditional head-to-head debate. But this was called off due to …
(2020-10-16). European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction. middleeasteye.net 
European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction | Israel approved the construction of more than 2,000 new illegal West Bank settlement homes on Wednesday | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 14: 13 | A Palestinian man confronts a member of the Israeli security forces as Palestinian farmers trying to access their lands to harvest olives in the West Bank village of Burqah were prev…
(2020-10-16). The Heat: Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict. america.cgtn.com 
Tensions escalate between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as both sides accuse each other of violating a fragile ceasefire.
(2020-10-16). ABC ignores elephant in the room, asks Biden ZERO QUESTIONS about censored NY Post scoops on his son's overseas business dealings. rt.com 
ABC held a 90-minute town hall with Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden without asking a single question about this week's New York Post stories on alleged scandals involving his son's business dealings in Ukraine and China. | Host George Stephanopoulos steered clear of…
(2020-10-16). Russian population to fall by 1.2 million by 2024, wiping around 1% off the country's total, says latest government estimates. rt.com 
The population of Russia is predicted to drop by 352,500 people this year, and could be reduced by a total of 1.2 million come 2024. The latest figures are a major revision of the 2020 dip of only 158,000 projected in August.
(2020-10-16). US threatens 'serious consequences' if Turkey puts into operation its Russian S-400 missile systems. rt.com 
The US State Department has warned the Turkish government of "potential serious consequences" to the two nations' security relationship should reports of Ankara testing the Russian S-400 air defense systems prove true. | "If confirmed, we would condemn in the strongest terms the S-400 test missile launch as incompatible with Turkey's responsibilities as a NATO ally and strategic partner of the United States," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Friday. | Ortagus insisted that the air defense system "should not be operationalized," adding, "We have also been clear on the potential serious conseq…
(2020-10-16). 'Putin's proposal a non-starter': White House rejects Russian call to extend nuclear arms control treaty. rt.com 
Washington has refused President Vladimir Putin's offer to extend New START, the last remaining arms control treaty between the US and Russia, for one year without any preconditions. | "President Putin's response today to extend New START… is a non-starter," the US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said in response to Moscow's offer, adding that Washington hopes Russia "will reevaluate its position before a costly arms race ensues." | (2/3) This would have been a win for both sides, and we believed the Russians were willing to accept this proposal when I met with my counterpart in Geneva. President Pu…
(2020-10-16). China 'reserves right to react' if US interferes with Confucius Institute operations. rt.com 
Beijing has defended its Confucius Institute program after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hopes the Chinese cultural centers on American university campuses would be shut down by the end of this year. | The Confucius Institute operates in the US based on voluntary applications from universities under the principles of mutual respect and benefit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday. They contribute to promoting cultural exchanges and have been "widely welcomed by US universities and the American people," spokesperson Zhao Lijian noted. | He accused some US politicians, including Pompeo specif…
(2020-10-16). Zionist War on Palestinian Festival in Rome is Ominous Sign of Things to Come. dissidentvoice.org 
A Zionist-led war on a Palestinian cultural festival in Rome has exposed the fragility of the Italian political system when it comes to the conversation on Palestine and Israel. The sad truth is that, although Italy is not often associated with a 'powerful' pro-Israel lobby as is the case in Washington, the pro-Israel influence in …
(2020-10-16). Yemen — Prisoner Swap and What May be Behind it. globalresearch.ca Background | The fourth batch of Yemeni detainees has arrived the in Sana'a as part of the largest prisoner swap between the country's warring sides. The residents in the capital received 112 prisoners after their plane landed in the Sana'a international …
(2020-10-16). Turkish and Israeli Weapons Fueling Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca Weapons-makers — aka merchants of death and mass destruction — fuel conflicts when occur. | The US by far dominates the global arms trade. | According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 36% of major conventional …
(2020-10-16). Thailand: Western Media Encourages Agitators — Arrests Will Continue. thealtworld.com The Western media collectively took last night's rally as "evidence" that the Thai government's crackdown on US-funded agitators "failed." In a bid to egg on future protests — concerted efforts across the Western media and with their Thai partners were made to inflate the size of the protest — claiming "tens of thousands" attended. | In reality, the area protesters occupied — an area between 10,000 and 15,000 square meters — can only accommodate at most 15,000 if crowd density was at a maximum of 1 protester per square meter across the entire area. However, this never happens since density di…
(2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …
(2020-10-16). Stalinist apologetics and intellectual charlatanry: A response to Teo Marasigan. wsws.org The WSWS is posting Dr. Joseph Scalice's reply to Teo Marasigan, an apologist for the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines and its founder Jose Maria Sison. Sison has slandered Scalice as a CIA agent in response to his lecture detailing the CPP's support for the fascistic Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and explaining its roots in the reactionary politics of Stalinism.
(2020-10-16). Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed Hadi government begin prisoner swap deal in Yemen. peoplesdispatch.org The two sides had agreed to a prisoner swap deal in Switzerland last month, involving 1,081 prisoners, including 15 Saudi nationals. The deal is being implemented over Thursday and Friday…
(2020-10-16). Palestinian administrative detainee on 'verge of death' as his hunger strike nears 90 days. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says more than 350 Palestinians are currently being held under the illegal colonial-era policy of administrative detention adopted by the state of Israel…
(2020-10-16). American Jewish Progressives Declared Irrelevant. counterpunch.org The Dangers of Ideological Boundaries Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper and news outlet. It is considered to be the country's most liberal paper and, at least in its English presentation, often reflects "liberal Zionist" sentiments, such as questioning Israeli settlement and occupation policies. Still, the paper can get things seriously wrong, because Zionism, Israel's official ideology,
(2020-10-16). Esper: Pentagon School to Focus Half of Its Curriculum on China. globalresearch.ca Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Thursday that
(2020-10-16). Protests intensify in Thailand despite government's declaration of emergency. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands of protesters have gathered in the streets despite the government declaring a state of emergency, specifically to put an end to protests. Meanwhile, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha has said he will not resign…
(2020-10-16). New cluster of COVID-19 hits Faurecia Gladstone factory in Columbus, Indiana. wsws.org In spite of stonewalling by management, auto parts workers have been able to verify the infections of at least five individuals, including equipment drivers who move throughout the plant.
(2020-10-16). Waiting for a Vaccine and the Collaborative Research Alternative. cepr.net It seems increasingly likely that China will begin providing vaccines to its own people, as well as those in some other countries, by December, and possibly as early as next month. The prospect of a vaccine being available that soon has to look good to people here, now that the Trump administration's pandemic control efforts …
(2020-10-16). Effectiveness of a novel mobile health (Peek) and education intervention on spectacle wear amongst children in India: Results from a randomized superiority trial in India. thelancet.com Spectacle wear was similar in both arms of the trial, one explanation being that health education for parents was not fully received. Health education messages to create behaviour change need to be targeted at the recipient and influencers in an appropriate, acceptable and accessible medium.
(2020-10-16). Before the Bidens 'Did' Ukraine, There Was Iraq — and Serbia. strategic-culture.org The United States approaches the November 2020 election with growing apprehension, even dread. | Among the possibilities: | Protracted uncertainty about the presidential contest. Think Florida 2000 but with several states' results unresolved for weeks or even months ("Experts held 'war games' on the Trump vs. Biden election. Their finding? Brace for a mess"); | A disputed outcome, perhaps with Donald Trump and Joe Biden both claiming victory, compounded by a "
(2020-10-16). Why You Won't Find Us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. strategic-culture.org Dear readers of the Strategic Culture Foundation website, | In September 2020, the Strategic Culture Foundation was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube following unsubstantiated claims that it was connected with Russian intelligence services and interfered in the US presidential elections on their orders. It means that you can't find us on these platforms and, moreover, if you try to post any links leading to SCF on your personal page, you will most likely not be allowed to do that. This case provides a glimpse into the dystopian future of suppressing dissident voices by governments previously known as dem…
(2020-10-16). Interacting freely with neighbors, Iran's main foreign policy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Iranian Embassy to Pakistan in a statement on Fri. said that interacting freely with neighbors is an important principle of Iran's foreign policy.
(2020-10-16). Baku in talk with Tehran, Ankara, London over Karabakh row. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Media outlets in Azerbaijan Republic on Fri. revealed that Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has held telephone talk with his Iranian, Turkish, Czech and British counterparts over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
(2020-10-16). Iran, Sweden emphasize strengthening bilateral economic coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Islamic Republic of Iran and Sweden stressed the need to enhance and broaden bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
(2020-10-16). VIDEO: Israeli police raid in a wedding ceremony sparks anger. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Zionist police brutally attacked an Orthodox wedding ceremony for breaking the lockdown rules, injuring several people in front of children and arresting several others including the groom.
(2020-10-16). New arrangements forming in WA thanks to martyr Soleimani. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Aide for International Affairs said that new political-security arrangements are being formed in world, mostly in West Asia, thanks to the great martyr Soleimani.
(2020-10-16). Five EU states urge a halt to settlements in occupied lands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — After the United Nations and European Union, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain are deeply concerned about the Israeli regime's plans to build new settler homes in the occupied West Bank.