Daily Archives: October 10, 2020

2020-10-10: News Headlines

Eds. (2020-10-10). Xinjiang: A report and resource compilation. mronline.org In the mid-2010s, China launched far-reaching de-radicalization and economic development programs in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-10). Iran's rial hits new low against dollar as economy stumbles. middleeasteye.net Iran's rial hits new low against dollar as economy stumbles | Latest US-imposed sanctions on Iran's financial sector are another blow to the country's economy | Sat, 10/10/2020 – 11: 46 | Iranians gather inside the capital Tehran's Grand Bazaar in March 2020, as the Covid pandemic was starting to make an impact on the country (AFP) | The Iranian currency hit a new low against the US dollar…

RT (2020-10-10). Pelosi & husband invest up to $1 million in CrowdStrike, tech firm that launched Russiagate — report. rt.com Newly-filed financial disclosures show House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband have invested up to $1 million in CrowdStrike, American cybersecurity technology company and the originator of 'Russian hacking' claims. | Financial disclosures New from me: Financial disclosure forms show that Nancy and P…

Radha Surya (2020-10-10). This Tyrant Feeds Peacocks. zcomm.org India is burning. In the months from March to May the news and social media were flooded with heart rending stories and images of the trauma of out-of state workers who lost their livelihood overnight when the coronavirus lock down was imposed without adequate notice. With all modes of transportation brought to a halt they

Scott M. Alter, Dennis G. Maki, Suzanne LeBlang, Richard D. Shih, Charles H. Hennekens (2020-10-10). [Commentary] The menacing assaults on science, FDA, CDC, and health of the US public. thelancet.com While health authorities sounded early warnings concerning COVID-19 [1], the United States (US) government practised "pandemic politics" and escalated menacing assaults on science, including repeated denials of epidemic principles of mitigation and containment. The first on December 31, 2019 was that the virus would not enter the US. A second on January 20, 2020 following introduction of the first US case from Wuhan, China was that "the virus would not spread." A third on February 26 was that the 15 cases would "go away" when temperatures climbed [2].

Richard Lane (2020-10-10). [Perspectives] Barbara Stoll: China Medical Board's charismatic new President. thelancet.com "Taking on a new adventure" is how Barbara Stoll views her recent appointment as President of the China Medical Board (CMB), a US-based philanthropic foundation for health development in China and southeast Asia. "I'm incredibly lucky to be given this opportunity, and will try my best to fill the large shoes of outgoing CMB President Lincoln Chen, who has done an extraordinary job over the past 14 years, building partnerships and extending CMB's reach", she says. It was Chen who helped open Stoll's eyes to the wider world of global health, encouraging her to pursue research opportunities in Bangladesh early in he…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-10). Rouhani, Putin discuss Nagorno-Karabakh over phone. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation on Saturday discussing the latest developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-10). US sanctions not to affect Iran-Swiss financial channel. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — Chaiman of Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce noted, "New sanctions of the US on 18 Iranian banks will not affect the Iran-Switzerland financial channel in terms of importing of cereals and pharmaceuticals."

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-10). Iran registers 3,875 new COVID-19 infections, 195 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 10 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 3,875 COVID-19 infections and 195 deaths due to the disease in the past 24 hours.

pip.hinman (2020-10-10). Solidarity sent to Indonesian workers taking action against new law. greenleft.org.au

Alan Macleod (2020-10-09). Critics Say New Iran Sanctions Designed To "Choke off Humanitarian Exports" Amid Pandemic. mintpressnews.com The Trump administration's new sanctions on Iran are so wide-reaching that many fear they are meant to directly harm the Iranian people as they struggle to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Staff (2020-10-09). Netflix's "American Murder" misses story of Indigenous women murdered in oil fields. therealnews.com In this week's Climate Crisis News Roundup, a closer look at a popular Netflix movie. And while Mike Pence downplayed climate change in the debate, Indiana faces dire climate threats as the Amazon turns into a savanna.

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-09). Armenia and Russia Are Sending Each Other Strong Signals Through the CSTO. globalresearch.ca OneWorld is publishing the original English-language version of Andrew Korybko's analysis on the titular topic that was first released in Russian at the Moscow-Baku information portal. | *** | Armenia's decision to skip next week's CSTO drills in Belarus and the bloc's …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-09). Despite Ambiguity in International Law, Palestinians are Winning the 'Legitimacy War'. dissidentvoice.org 'International law' remains one of the most discussed terms in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is almost always present, whether the discussion pertains to the Israeli wars and siege on Gaza, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank or the encroaching apartheid throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories. …

_____ (2020-10-09). Trump Administration Imposes Crushing New Sanctions On Iran. popularresistance.org The Trump administration on Thursday imposed a new, crushing round of sanctions that virtually blacklists Iran's entire financial sector – raising concerns it will cut off the country's ability to import humanitarian goods like food and medicine. | Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement that the sanctions, which target 18 banks and penalize foreign institutions that do business with them, are part of efforts to cut down on "illicit access to U.S. dollars" and won't stifle humanitarian efforts.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-09). US sanctions complicate import of humanitarian items for Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 09 (MNA) — German Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that new US sanctions against Iran will further complicate the import of humanitarian items for the country.

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-10-09). Roaming Charges: A Fly in the Anointment. counterpunch.org A return to normalcy, you say? Normalcy brought us the Iraq War, torture, assassination by drone, 607 billionaires & 600k homeless, the gutting of welfare, warrantless wiretaps, militarized police, the war on drugs, globalized fracking, the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico & an atmospheric C02 level of 411.08 ppm and rising. Screw normalcy.

Juan Cole (2020-10-09). With Crushing Sanctions on 18 Iranian Banks, Is Trump Trying to Leave a War Behind for Biden? commondreams.org So Iran gave up most of its latent nuclear deterrence and not only got nothing in return, it got the most crippling sanctions ever applied to one country by another in peacetime. (Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/no-war_with_iran_0_0.jpg

John Feffer (2020-10-09). Nukes and North Korea: a New Direction. counterpunch.org North Korea's acquisition of nuclear weapons has changed the nuclear balance in Northeast Asia. But it hasn't altered the way politicians and diplomats approach the question of arms control and disarmament in the region. The debate among influencers continues to revolve around two versions of "more of the same." Containment advocates argue that North Korea

Kareem Chehayeb (2020-10-09). In Lebanon, students hit by coronavirus, Beirut blast and continuing economic woes. middleeasteye.net In Lebanon, students hit by coronavirus, Beirut blast and continuing economic woes | Organisations warn of increased risk of school dropouts, as the country reels from the effects of the explosion | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 10 | A Lebanese pupil at Our Lady of Lourdes school in the Lebanese city of Zahle on 30 June 2020 (AFP) | "I asked you to call me at this time because that's when my son has…

Vijay Prashad — John Ross (2020-10-09). Why America's Economic War on China is Failing. counterpunch.org After Trump announced the tariffs against a wide range of Chinese imports, the Chinese government formally took up the matter through the WTO's dispute mechanism. After considerable study, the WTO came back with a verdict. On September 15, 2020, a three-person WTO panel found that the U.S. had violated the provisions of the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the treaty that established the WTO. This was a serious defeat for the United States.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-09). Yemen's Houthis slam World Food Programme's Nobel Peace Prize win. middleeasteye.net Yemen's Houthis slam World Food Programme's Nobel Peace Prize win | Shia movement says UN body has 'largely failed in the biggest task for which it was chosen, and that is combating hunger' | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 18: 03 | World Food Programme tries to feed 13 million people each month in Yemen (AFP/File photo) | Yemen's Houthi rebels accused the World Food Programme (WFP) of failing stop fami…

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-09). Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo. middleeasteye.net Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo | The EU-supported project in Ramallah has seen daily intimidation by settlers and serves 50 students | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 10: 03 | Palestinian children from the primary school in Ras al-Tin, eastern Ramallah, that is facing demolition (Shatha Hammad) | An Israeli court rejected on Thursday an appeal against the demolition of an E…

Nadda Osman (2020-10-09). Iranians mourn iconic musician Mohammad Reza Shajarian. middleeasteye.net Iranians mourn iconic musician Mohammad Reza Shajarian | Thousands of fans paid tribute to the singer and maestro, who died in a Tehran hospital at the age of 80 | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 12: 20 | The legendary singer was known for his distinctive voice and classical style (AFP) | Iconic Iranian singer and vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian died after a long illness on Thursday at the age of 80, leaving many Ira…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership. middleeasteye.net Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership | Ex-Saudi spy chief's rant prompts suspicions Riyadh is clearing the way for Israeli normalisation | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 13: 26 | Bandar bin Sultan during an interview with Al-Arabiya channel (Screengrab) | Palestinians have reacted furiously to comments by top Saudi royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, a former Saudi spy chief and…

Ali Harb (2020-10-09). Trump says Iran is on notice not to 'f**k around' with US. middleeasteye.net Trump says Iran is on notice not to 'f**k around' with US | President Donald Trump says 'you don't see terror' in Middle East because of his sanctions against Iran | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 22: 36 | Atlantic Council's Barbara Slavin says sweeping sanctions against Iran show lack of imagination and 'real sadistic streak' (AFP/File photo) | US President Donald Trump talked up his Iran policy in a profanity-laden tirade o…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). HRW calls on UN states to vote against Saudi Arabia's bid for rights council. middleeasteye.net HRW calls on UN states to vote against Saudi Arabia's bid for rights council | New York-based group warns that lack of candidates running for UN Human Rights Council will likely result in 'problematic' countries winning seats | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 16: 53 | Bandar bin Mohammed al-Aiban, a representative of Saudi Arabia, delivers televised speech before UNHRC on 5 November 2018 (AFP/File photo) | Human Rights Watc…

Alex MacDonald (2020-10-09). Turkey's Mount Ida: The frontline between mining giants and local people. middleeasteye.net Turkey's Mount Ida: The frontline between mining giants and local people | Activists and local residents are mobilising against mining ventures they say will threaten the region's outstanding biodiversity | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 11: 44 | Local activists hold up a banner reading 'Mount Ida is more valuable than gold' as they protest Cengiz Holding (Kazdagi Association) | Turkey is a land of outstandi…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize. middleeasteye.net World Food Programme wins Nobel Peace Prize | UN body given award for its efforts in combating hunger globally | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 10: 04 | A child suffering from severe malnutrition is measured at a WFP treatment centre in the Yemeni capital Sanaa (AFP) | The World Food Programme (WFP) has been awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts in fighting to end world hunger. | The WFP, a United Nations agency,…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). Coronavirus: Oman introduces two-week night curfew after uptick in cases. middleeasteye.net Coronavirus: Oman introduces two-week night curfew after uptick in cases | Those who fail to follow guidelines will be named and shamed, warns committee responsible for country's Covid-19 task force | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 19: 58 | Empty road near Bahwan Mosque in Omani capital, Muscat, amid lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus on 27 July (AFP/File photo) | Oman ordered a two-week curfew following an uptick i…

Joshua Cho (2020-10-09). Evidence-free 'lab leak' speculation boosts Trump's Xenophobic approach to Coronavirus. mronline.org Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China has been the target of relentless hostile and racist media coverage, depicting the country as a uniquely nefarious source of disease (FAIR.org, 3/24/20, 5/7/20).

Mohammad Ersan (2020-10-09). Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation. middleeasteye.net Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation | Hamas member's attempt to appeal to King Abdullah for her husband creates controversy when her line is cut on the radio | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 37 | Ahlam Tamimi speaks to reporters upon her arrival at Queen Alia international airport in Amman on 18 October 2011 (AFP) | The Jordanian government and a popular rad…

Areeb Ullah (2020-10-09). Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar. middleeasteye.net Twitter suspends Saudi accounts that stoked rumours of coup in Qatar | Accounts purported to belong to members of Qatar's royal family and fabricated statements from Amnesty and Human Rights Watch | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 51 | It remains unclear why Twitter took so long to identify the network and delete the accounts linked to Saudi Arabia (AFP) | Twitter says it has deleted more than 30 accounts that sto…

RT (2020-10-09). DOJ slaps Yale with lawsuit over 'at least 50 years' of discrimination, claiming it put WHITE & Asian applicants at disadvantage. rt.com The US Department of Justice has sued Yale University for racial discrimination in its admissions process, arguing the school deliberately put Asian and white applicants at a disadvantage for decades. | Filed in the US District Court in Connecticut on Thursday, the

RT (2020-10-09). 'Imagine': Ex-CIA director Brennan dreams of Navalny becoming president of Russia AND befriending Democrat challenger Joe Biden. rt.com Apparently ditching all tradecraft, former CIA chief and godfather of Russiagate John Brennan has "imagined" Joe Biden in the White House and Alexey Navalny in the Kremlin as part of a (partisan) birthday tribute to John Lennon. | "Imagine prospects for world peace, prosperity, and security if Joe Biden were president of the United States and Alexei Navalny the president of Russia," Brennan "We'll soo…

RT (2020-10-09). 'Imagine': Ex-CIA director Brennan dreams of Navalny becoming president of Russia AND befriending Joe Biden. rt.com Apparently ditching all tradecraft, former CIA chief and godfather of Russiagate John Brennan "imagined" Joe Biden in the White House and Alexey Navalny in the Kremlin as part of a (partisan) birthday tribute to John Lennon. | "Imagine prospects for world peace, prosperity, and security if Joe Biden were president of the United States and Alexei Navalny the president of Russia," Brennan "We'll soon be half…

RT (2020-10-09). Do the Russians love their kitties too? Tourist buys entire train compartment to take pets cats on holiday to the Black Sea coast. rt.com Going on holiday, but have no one to take with you? For one indulgent Russian animal lover, that wasn't a problem, as they brought a bunch of furry friends along for the ride, at a cost of at least 12,000 rubles ($155) one-way.

RT (2020-10-09). 4 killed, dozens injured in gas tank explosion in Beirut neighborhood (VIDEOS). rt.com The Lebanese capital Beirut has been rocked by a powerful blast after a diesel tank blew up in a densely-populated residential area. At least four people died and scores were injured in the explosion and subsequent fire. | Photos and videos published on social media show streets littered with debris and rubble, as well as damaged buildings, as firefighters try to extinguish blazes raging at what appears to be the scene of the blast. | ŸÅŸàÿ¨ ÿßÿ∑ŸÅÿßÿ° ÿ®Ÿäÿ±Ÿàÿ™ Ÿ&agrav…

RT (2020-10-09). Danish politicians spoke for FORTY MINUTES with fake 'Svetlana Tikhanovskaya' via video link – 'animal brothels' were discussed. rt.com The Danish Parliament has revealed that a supposed online meeting featuring leading Belarusian opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya actually involved an unknown prankster, who spoke to them about "animal brothels." | In an embarrassing turn of events for Copenhagen, on Tuesday, a group of the country's MPs were taken for a ride for an entire 40 minutes before they realized something was wrong. And that was despite the obvious giveaway that the fake Tikhanovskaya could not appear on camera, citing technical difficulties. | According to local media, reality dawned after over half an hour of questioning, when…

RT (2020-10-09). Chinese military urges US to stop 'provocative actions' in South China Sea as USS John McCain enters disputed waters. rt.com Beijing has called on the US to "restrict military operations in the sea and air" in the South China Sea and to refrain from provocation, after the US destroyer John S. McCain entered waters around the disputed Paracel Islands. | "We demand the US immediately stop such provocative actions, (and) strictly control and restrict military operations in the sea and air," a Chinese military spokesperson said Friday. | The country's military will take all measures necessary to safeguard national sovereignty, as well as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, the spokesperson added. | Also on rt.com

Bill Moyers, Lisa Graves (2020-10-09). Will Amy Coney Barrett Stand by Her Man? He's Betting a Second Term On It. commondreams.org Amy Coney Barrett (R), President Donald Trump's nominee for associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, listens as Trump speaks during an announcement ceremony at the White House on September 26, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chen Mengtong/China News Service via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/150-groups-letter-oppose-coney-barrett.jpg

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-09). Iran says fresh US sanctions on banking sector are an attempt "to starve its people" peoplesdispatch.org On Thursday, the US treasury department blacklisted 18 major Iranian banks in the latest assault as part of its so-called maximum pressure campaign against the country…

Pepe Escobar (2020-10-09). The Limits of Chinese Power. US-China Relations Hinge Upon the 2020 Presidential Election. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published on Trump 2.0 essentially would turbo-charge its bet on decoupling, aiming to squeeze "malign" China on a multiple Hybrid War front, undermine the Chinese trade surplus, co-opt large swathes of Asia, while …

Catherine Austin Fitts (2020-10-09). "Reimagine and Reset Our World": "COVID-19, The Great Reset" by Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret. globalresearch.ca "In Russia we only had two TV channels. Channel One was propaganda. Channel Two consisted of a KGB officer telling you: Turn back at once to Channel One." ~ Yakov Smirnoff | Professor Klaus Schwab founded and runs the World Economic …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-09). Protests rage in Indonesia against anti-worker "omnibus law", hundreds arrested. peoplesdispatch.org An alliance of trade unions, environmental groups and students' movements have launched an indefinite protest across against the sweeping changes to labor and environmental laws…

WSWS (2020-10-09). Indonesian workers strike against new, pro-business legislation. wsws.org The bill, pushed through parliament on Monday, is a significant attack on workers' conditions and livelihoods.

news.un (2020-10-09). China joins global effort to ensure COVID vaccine access for all. news.un.org China is among three additional countries to have signed on to a global initiative that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine once developed, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday.

news.un (2020-10-09). The World Food Programme: a three-year experiment that became indispensable. news.un.org The need for the World Food Programme, the recipient of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, to exist is starker than ever. From conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to flooding in South Sudan, and the civil war in Yemen, man-made and natural disasters are leaving tens of millions of people unsure if they will have enough food for themselves and their families to survive on.

news.un (2020-10-09). New agreement in Iraq signals 'a first and important step' toward a better future. news.un.org An agreement between Iraq's Federal and the Kurdish Regional governments on Friday paves the way for reconstruction in the north of the country, in what the UN has called "a first and important step in the right direction".

_____ (2020-10-09). Protest Over Arrest Of Pregnant Woman Enters Seventh Day. popularresistance.org A protest in front of City Hall in Kansas City over the arrest of a pregnant Black woman entered its seventh day on Thursday. | Demonstrators have camped out in front of City Hall after videos circulated showing a white Kansas City police officer kneeling on the back of a Black pregnant woman during her arrest last week. | The protesters are demanding Police Chief Richard Smith resign and want the officer involved to be fired. They are also calling for the city to redistribute 50 percent of the department's budget to social services to help the Black community, according to The Associated Press.