Daily Archives: September 24, 2020

2020-09-24: News Headlines

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-09-24). The Sino-Russian Alliance Comes of age — Part 1. mronline.org The joint statements between two countries are usually riveted on a particular event but in extraordinary circumstances involving great powers, it could assume an epochal character and can be viewed as diplomatic communication that reflects what the Germans call the zeitgeist…

A. Majumdar (2020-09-24). PDF of September 24 issue. workers.org Download the 12-page PDF. Whistleblower: ICE abuses detainees ALSO: Migrant caravan for residency; Defend BLM activist lawyers; Trump, Biden, and U.S. decline; 'Free Palestine' webinar; U.S. Cold War vs TikTok; Is Marxism still relevant? WORKERS ORGANIZE: Illinois; North Carolina. WORLD: Editorial: Ginsburg & SCOTUS. WORLD: Belarus; Bolivia. TEAR DOWN THE . . . |

Fight Back (2020-09-24). Minneapolis calls for an end to aid to Israel, remembers Sabra and Shatila. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On September 17, over 30 activists in Minneapolis bannered across Interstate 94 during rush hour to remember the Sabra and Shatila massacre and highlight the destructive role the U.S. plays in Lebanon. They waved Palestinian flags and dropped banners across eight lanes of traffic demanding an end to aid in Israel, demanding an end to apartheid, and expressing solidarity against state violence. The response from people passing by was overwhelmingly positive with a constant stream of honks from cars. | From September 16 to 18, 1982, pro-Israel militiamen murdered more than 1000 Palestinian and Leb…

MEE correspondent (2020-09-24). Iranian press review: Middle East's highest peak gravely threatened by mining. middleeasteye.net Iranian press review: Middle East's highest peak gravely threatened by mining | Meanwhile, US sanctions lead to flu vaccine shortage and conservatives want the next president to be a military commander | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 12: 35 | Mount Damavand is under threat from mining in its foothills (Greger Ravik/flickr) | Conservatives say next president should be from military : | Conse…

Media Lens (2020-09-24). The "War Against Us", The Battle of Britain, And Steve Richards On The Prime Ministers. dissidentvoice.org We can report that the skies over South East England have been swarming with Spitfires and Hurricanes this month. Is there a war on? Well, yes. In 1991, the historian Howard Zinn described the two targets of Operation Desert Storm: The American population was bombarded the way the Iraqi population was bombarded. It was a …

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says. middleeasteye.net Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says | UN ambassador Kelly Craft declined to name names, but recent moves indicate Sudan or Oman may be next on list of countries to move forward with normalisation deal | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 16: 34 | Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain met with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

Ragip Soylu (2020-09-24). Turkey surprises investors with first interest rate hike in two years. middleeasteye.net Turkey surprises investors with first interest rate hike in two years | Analysts welcomed the step, saying it could help Turkey avoid a balance of payments crisis | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 13: 44 | A currency exchange office worker counts Turkish Lira banknotes in front of the electronic panel displaying currency exchange rates at an exchange office in Istanbul (AFP) | The Turkish Central Bank raised interest…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years. middleeasteye.net Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years | Deal between the rival Palestinian factions follows normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 12: 01 | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, recites a prayer as he arrives for a meeting in Ramallah on 3 September with representatives of Palestinian factions (AFP) | The Pa…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-24). Groups from across the world ask UN General Assembly to act against Israeli apartheid. peoplesdispatch.org More than 450 civil society and human rights groups from across the globe released a letter addressed to the ongoing 75th session of the UNGA asking it to revive its anti-apartheid bodies and take action to end Israeli occupation of Palestine…

Stephen Lendman (2020-09-24). Russia Intends Military Cooperation with Iran When UN Arms Embargo Expires. globalresearch.ca On issues related to the JCPOA nuclear deal and expiring UN arms embargo on Iran next month, the Trump regime is isolated on the world stage. | Commenting on its unlawful imposition of what it called "snapback" sanctions on Iran, its …

Andrea Prasow (2020-09-24). U.S. War Crimes in Yemen: It's Time to Stop Looking the Other Way. counterpunch.org The longstanding involvement of the United States in the conflict in Yemen is facing renewed scrutiny. On September 16, State Department officials testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about whether the State Department misled Congress — and the American people — by circumventing controls designed to limit arms sales and ensure congressional oversight. The

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-09-24). New Middle East Peace Plan Would Use Jobs to "Turn Palestinians Away from Violence" mintpressnews.com The Middle East Partnership for Peace Act relies heavily on the premise that the primary reasons that Israel and the Palestinians have not achieved peace are merely economic.

Marwa Osman (2020-09-24). Rejecting Normalization with Israel—MES EP.73. thealtworld.com The recent bilateral agreements simply formalized the normalization of Israel's already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. But the agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Arab population because of the Palestinian cause, who view the pacts as a stab in the back of their fellow Palestinians and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state. To discuss this issue with us from London is Jawad Fairouz Former Bahraini MP. | It is not a secret that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with either voiding or emulating the legacy of his predecessor, Barack…

_____ (2020-09-24). The Man Who Inspired A Generation. popularresistance.org My encounter with the Al-Araj family began in 2009, the year I met Basil and Shireen and started joining them in demonstrations in Al-Walaja village. On 6 March 2017, Basil was murdered by the Israeli army. He was 31 years old. Others will speak of his martyrdom, I will speak of his life and what he told me. Basil would have wanted it told this way. I learned intimate details about Basil and his family life the third time we were detained together. He was 24 years old, I was twice his age. This was in what Basil accurately described as "a holding pin not fit for animals" which I and many Palestinian males shared…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-09-24). America's Broken Syria Project. globalresearch.ca A recent altercation between Russian forces and US occupiers in northeastern Syria helped highlight the increasingly tenuous position Washington holds not only in Syria but across the entire Middle East. | After attempting to block Russian military vehicles, US forces found …

Andrea Prasow (2020-09-24). U.S. War Crimes in Yemen: Stop Looking the Other Way. zcomm.org The State Department warned for years that the U.S. was complicit in war crimes in Yemen. No one put a stop to it.

Mike Walter (2020-09-24). The Heat: COVID-19 soars in US, UK and India. america.cgtn.com The World Health Organization says COVID-19 appears to be accelerating, with cases soaring in the United States, the United Kingdom and India.

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Indian Farmers Launch 'Stop Trains' Protest in Punjab Over Modi Govt's Farm Bills – Videos. sputniknews.com Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar have said several times in the past week that the system of buying crops from farmers based on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue. They have clarified the recently passed Bills are aimed at giving cultivators the freedom to market their produce.

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Israeli Man Who Lost His Mother in Palestinian Suicide Attack Opens Up About His Loss, Anger & Pain. sputniknews.com It has been 20 years since the onset of the Second Palestinian uprising, during which Palestinian terrorists killed more than a thousand Israelis, many of whom were civilians. The IDF killed over 3,000 Palestinians throughout the 2nd intifada.

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Sweden Accuses Russian, Danish Ships of Violating Its Waters. sputniknews.com According to Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, who called the violations "unacceptable", the alleged Russian intrusion happened on 14 September near Gothenburg and lasted 11 minutes. By contrast, no details of the Danish one were provided.

yenisafak (2020-09-24). US to announce more Iran sanctions on Thursday, top envoy says. yenisafak.com The United States will slap new sanctions on a number of Iranian officials and entities including a judge who sentenced Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari to death, U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela Elliott Abrams told a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday.Navid Afkari was executed earlier this month after being convicted of stabbing a security guard to death during anti-government protests in 2018, Iranian state media reported, in a case that has sparked international outcry. Iran's Supreme Court rejected a review of the case in late August.

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Earthquake rattles Istanbul, surrounding areas. yenisafak.com A magnitude-4.2 earthquake was felt in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Thursday, said the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).AFAD said the quake occurred at 4.38 p.m. local time (1338GMT) and was centered in the northwestern Tekirdag province, neighboring Istanbul.Its epicenter was 6.83 kilometers (4.23 miles) below the surface.No casualties have been reported so far.In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 tremor hit the industrial province of Kocaeli to Istanbul's east, leaving over 18,000 people dead.

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Fatah: Intra-Palestinian talks in Turkey 'fruitful'. yenisafak.com A top member of Palestinian Fatah on Thursday said that ongoing talks in Turkey with its longtime rival Hamas are "positive, fruitful, and productive." | "The dialogue is an important step towards reconciliation and partnership, and unifying the Palestinian stance in the light of the consensus on rejecting all the liquidation projects against the Palestinian cause." Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, wrote on Twitter. | Separately, Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah's information office, told Anadolu Agency that a senior Fatah delegation will head to the Qatari capital Doha and then to Cairo…

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Three UK Labour MPs demoted over opposition to torture prosecution bill. middleeasteye.net Three UK Labour MPs demoted over opposition to torture prosecution bill | Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter and Olivia Blake defied a Labour Party whip to oppose Overseas Operations Bill against 'vexatious' lawsuits

| Thu, 09/24/2020 – 14: 31 | Kuwaiti and British soldiers take part in exercises about 40km north of Kuwait City (AFP) | Three Labour MPs have lost their roles in the United Kingdom shadow cabine…

Jonathan Cook (2020-09-24). The US is Using the Guardian to Justify Jailing Assange for Life. Why is the Paper So Silent? counterpunch.org Julian Assange is not on trial simply for his liberty and his life. He is fighting for the right of every journalist to do hard-hitting investigative journalism without fear of arrest and extradition to the United States. Assange faces 175 years in a US super-max prison on the basis of claims by Donald Trump's administration that his exposure of US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan amounts to "espionage".

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report. middleeasteye.net Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report | For the first time, US officials have commented on the Israeli prime minister's behaviour, which has been reported on for years | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 11: 16 | One US official said that after multiple trips to Washington it became clear that the bringing of the dirty laundry was intentional (AFP) | Officials in the Un…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb. middleeasteye.net 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb | Move comes after number of daily new cases has reached nearly 7,000 among a population of just nine million | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 08: 04 | Netanyahu has rejected allegations from protesters that a tougher lockdown was essentially aimed at quashing demonstrations against him (Reuters) | Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

Global Research News (2020-09-24). Selected Articles: "Second Wave" Faked on False-Positive COVID Tests. globalresearch.ca By The confrontation with Russia and the decision to boost America's military presence in Syria is but a microcosm of America's wider struggle to maintain its invasive primacy over the …

South Front (2020-09-24). Video: Iran Says Houthis Use Its Military Knowhow in Battle Against Saudi Arabia. globalresearch.ca Iran has supplied Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) with technical expertise and know-how, a spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said on September 22. However, the general claimed that Yemeni forces "have learned how …

Tracy Keeling (2020-09-24). With a 'game-changing' pledge, China makes Donald Trump the pariah of the planet. thecanary.co Humiliating Donald Trump. Offering a rare piece of hopeful news for our ailing planet. What's not to like about China's "game-changing" announcement on climate action? | New aspirations: | China's president Xi Jinping

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Iran 'coordinates steps in Syria with Russia, Turkey'. yenisafak.com The Syrian issue requires an exceptional strategy, and Iran coordinates its steps in Syria with Russia and Turkey, the Iranian foreign minister said Thursday."There are serious problems in our region," Javad Zarif told Iranian media during his visit to the Russian capital Moscow."Syrian issue requires special coordination. We coordinate our steps with Turkey and Russia in Syria under Astana process."The Astana peace process to end the Syrian conflict was launched in January 2017 by Turkey, Russia, and Iran.Since the eruption of the bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, thousands of people died, millions fled the cou…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Russia's Lavrov, WHO Europe chief discuss virus fight. yenisafak.com Russia's foreign minister and the World Health Organization's (WHO) Europe director discussed the fight against COVID-19 in a meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.Sergey Lavrov and Hans Kluge met on Sept. 23 to discuss Russia and the WHO's cooperation, paying special attention to the coronavirus situation, the ministry said in a statement on its website."Mutual interest in developing cooperation was confirmed, and plans were considered to assist countries in the region in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges," the statement said.Lavrov conveyed Russia's support for…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Slim chance for Malaysia's Anwar to form gov't: Analysts. yenisafak.com Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has "small chance" of becoming prime minister as the current government has strong presence and support, according to a political analyst.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Azmi Hassan, a political expert from Malaysian University of Technology, said the National Alliance, the ruling conservative and nationalist political coalition, had declared its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yasin."Muhyiddin still has strong support, especially in Sarawak state from the Sarawak Party Association," Hassan said, adding that the party, which has 19 seats in parliament, has so far been lo…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Virus cases in Eurasia, Central Asia rise by over 4,600. yenisafak.com More cases of the novel coronavirus and fatalities related to the disease were reported in several Eurasian and Central Asian countries on Thursday.- UkraineThe death toll in Ukraine reached 3,757 with 52 more fatalities over the past 24 hours, the country's Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.Confirming another 3,372 cases that brought the total to 188,106, the minister added that 83,458 have recovered from the virus, so far.- UzbekistanAs many as 392 new virus cases brought Uzbekistan's tally to 53,667.One more fatality raised the death toll to 445, while recoveries rose to 49,832, according to the Health Mini…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Turkey says dialogue with EU crucial in East Med tensions. yenisafak.com A senior Turkish diplomat on Thursday urged dialogue and cooperation between the country and the EU on the Eastern Mediterranean as a way to contribute to security, stability and prosperity in the region. Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran was speaking at the International Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, organized by Turkey's Communications Directorate, after making a presentation on Turkey's priorities in the region, as well as its vision of fairness and cooperation.Dialogue between Turkey and the EU is crucial for the Eastern Mediterranean, said Kiran at the videoconference, urging Brussels to w…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Hong Kong activist 'arrested over 2019 protest'. yenisafak.com Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been arrested for attending an "unlawful assembly" last year, a statement on his Twitter account said on Thursday."Joshua [Wong] is arrested when reporting to Central Police Station at about 1pm today [0500GMT]," it said. "The arrest is related to participating in an unauthorized assembly on 5 Oct. last year. He is told to have violated the draconian anti-mask law as well."The 23-year-old was at the forefront of anti-government protests last year demanding the withdrawal of a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition of alleged criminals to m…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Turkey's Central Bank raises interest rates by 200 bps. yenisafak.com Turkey's Central Bank on Thursday raised its one-week repo rate — also known as the bank's policy rate — by 200 basis points.The bank's policy rate increased to 10.25% from 8.25%.The decision was announced in a statement following the bank's eighth Monetary Policy Committee (MCP) meeting this year.In the previous three consecutive meetings, the bank kept the rate constant at 8.25%, following a gradual cut of 375 basis points from 12% over the preceding months.Last year, in eight meetings, the bank cut the rate by a total of 1,200 basis points from 24%.After holding eight meetings last year, this year…

_____ (2020-09-23). 'Confirmed' Has Become a Meaningless Word in Mainstream News Reporting. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | Last week Politico published a The claim was nonsensical on its face; the idea that Iran would see the assassination of some random ambassador to an irrelevant country as a proportionate…

Andrew Korybko (2020-09-23). Clashed Visions at the 2020 UN General Assembly: The Speeches of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. globalresearch.ca The speeches given by Presidents Trump, Putin, and Xi via video during the 2020 UN General Assembly predictably revealed that the American leader's assessment of the contemporary international situation and related vision of the future markedly differ from his Russian …

Anya Parampil (2020-09-23). US & allies ignore Colombia political assassinations. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with human rights lawyer Santiago Salinas Miranda about a wave of massacres and political assassinations sweeping Colombia. They discuss the Colombian government's role in the murders and ask why the international community has turned a blind eye to the killings.

Ben Norton (2020-09-23). Leaked docs expose massive Syria propaganda operation waged by Western govt contractors and media. thegrayzone.com Western government-funded intelligence cutouts trained Syrian opposition leaders, planted stories in media outlets from BBC to Al Jazeera, and ran a cadre of journalists. A trove of leaked documents exposes the propaganda network. By Ben Norton Leaked documents show how UK government contractors developed an advanced infrastructure of propaganda to stimulate support in the West for Syria's political and armed opposition. Virtually every aspect of the Syrian opposition was cultivated and marketed by Western government-backed public relations firms, from their …

Staff (2020-09-23). Who Is Amy Barrett? Front-Runner to Replace RBG Is Anti-Abortion Member of Patriarchal Catholic Group. democracynow.org We look at President Trump's top pick for a woman to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is a devout Catholic who has taken conservative stances on abortion, gun rights, immigration and LGBTQ rights. Barrett's involvement with the conservative Catholic group People of Praise, whose members pledge a lifelong loyalty oath to the group, has also raised questions about her ability to rule independently. "There's some real concerns about whether her involvement in there will affect her ability to be impartial a…

Staff (2020-09-23). No Más Bebés: ICE Hysterectomy Scandal Recalls 1970s LA, When a Hospital Sterilized Chicana Patients. democracynow.org As immigration authorities say they have stopped sending women to a Georgia gynecologist accused of sterilizing female prisoners without their consent, we continue our look at United States' disturbing history of forced sterilization with the producer and historian behind the 2016 documentary called "No Más Bebés," which tells the story of how a whistleblower doctor spoke out about a large number of tubal ligations performed on mostly Latinx patients at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center some 46 years ago. "Quite often they did not understand the terminology. They did not, in some cases, understand the lan…

Staff (2020-09-23). Headlines for September 23, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 200,000, On Track to Double by Year's End, FDA Reportedly Planning Stricter Guidelines for Release of COVID-19 Vaccine, Pentagon Spent $1 Billion of Coronavirus Funds on Military Supplies, Trump Says Coronavirus "Affects Virtually Nobody" as U.S. Death Toll Tops 200,000, U.N. Secretary-General Warns of New Cold War as Trump Attacks China over Coronavirus, Sen. Mitt Romney Backs Rapid Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee, Officer Involved in Breonna Taylor's Killing Defends Actions, Calls Protesters "Thugs", Federal Agents Tapped Cellphones of Portland Protesters, President Trump…

stclair (2020-09-23). Two Capitalisms: A Challenge To Democratic Socialists, Social Democrats, Progressives and Welfare State Liberals. counterpunch.org [O]n September 24, 1599, in a timbered building off Moorgate Fields, not far from where Shakespeare was struggling to complete Hamlet, a new type of company was founded. [O]wnership of the new firm, called the East India Company, was sliced into tiny pieces to be bought and sold freely…Liberalism's fatal hypocrisy was to celebrate the virtuous

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Donald Trump is spreading 'disease of hate', Ilhan Omar says. middleeasteye.net Donald Trump is spreading 'disease of hate', Ilhan Omar says | US president renews racist attacks against Omar, portraying congresswoman as foreigner telling Americans how to run their country | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 21: 10 | Omar slams Trump's 'cult rallies' ahead of November election (AFP/File photo) | Racist remarks against Muslim-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are becoming a regular feature of President Don…

Mark Taliano (2020-09-23). Elected Syrian Government, Led by President Assad, Saves Christianity in Syria. globalresearch.ca Since the beginning of the Regime Change war against Syria, Western -supported sectarian terrorists — al Qaeda, ISIS and affiliates — have actively sought to destroy and extinguish Christians and Christianity from Syria. President Assad and the Syrian people have …

Mirinda Crissman (2020-09-23). How class oppression drives climate crises. workers.org Climate change refugees, Bangladesh. Climate emergencies and U.S. imperialism have quite a bit of overlap. Both are increasingly displacing the living at home and abroad on an almost unbelievable scale. These conditions are creating migrants and refugees who have to stay on the move to survive. To stave off climate . . . |

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom. middleeasteye.net Saudi dissidents launch new party calling for democracy in kingdom | New group calls for independent judiciary, elected parliament and equality under law | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 23: 01 | NAAS aims to 'establish a path to democracy as a governing system' in Saudi Arabia (Twitter) | Exiled Saudi activists have formed a political party calling for democracy and respect for human rights in the kingdom, a move that bri…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-23). Palestinians Are Not Numbers. dissidentvoice.org Palestine can never be truly understood through numbers, because numbers are dehumanizing, impersonal, and, when necessary, can also be contrived to mean something else entirely. Numbers are not meant to tell the story of the human condition, nor should they ever serve as a substitute for emotions. Indeed, the stories of life, death — and …