(2021-09-16). The Winner In Afghanistan: China. popularresistance.org The collapse of the American project in Afghanistan may fade fast from the news here, but don't be fooled. It couldn't be more significant in ways few in this country can even begin to grasp. | "Remember, this is not Saigon," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a television audience on August 15th, the day the Taliban swept into the Afghan capital, pausing to pose for photos in the grandly gilded presidential palace. He was dutifully echoing his boss, President Joe Biden, who had earlier rejected any comparison with the fall of the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon, in 1975, insisting that "there's going to be…
(2021-09-16). Taliban call on world community to unfreeze Afghanistan's financial assets. tass.com Mujahid called on the international community to recognize the Taliban government and light the freeze on Afghanistan's financial assets, stressing that the current government is interim and discussions on how to make it more inclusive continue…
(2021-09-16). The Other Afghan Women: Rural Areas Hope Taliban Rule Will End Decades of U.S. & Warlord Violence. democracynow.org 
Violence in Afghanistan's countryside has reportedly dropped after the Taliban takeover and the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but the country continues to face an ongoing humanitarian and economic crisis, with millions of children at risk of starvation. Joining us from Kabul, New Yorker reporter Anand Gopal says he was shocked by the "sheer level of violence" Afghan women outside the cities have experienced in the last two decades of war. "The level of human loss was really extraordinary," Gopal says. "I think we've grossly undercounted the number of civilians who died in this war."
(2021-09-16). The Heat: Europe-U.S. tensions and role of NATO. america.cgtn.com 
Europe condemns the United States for its withdrawal from Afghanistan. We'll discuss what the souring of relations means and the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(2021-09-16). Black and Asian American Workers Falling Behind in Getting Back Jobs. cepr.net This article investigates how demographic groups are transitioning from unemployment into employment and how that compares to their historical relationship between job openings and transitions.
(2021-09-16). Australia gets N-powered subs in US, UK partnership. asiatimes.com 
The United States announced a new alliance Wednesday with Australia and Britain to strengthen military capabilities in the face of growing rivalry with China, including a new Australian nuclear submarine fleet and cruise missiles. The announcement of the alliance — made in a video meeting by President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and …
(2021-09-16). Nuclear White Elephants: Australia's New Submarine Deal. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-09-16). US, Britain, Australia announce major military pact against China. wsws.org The fault lines of a disastrous new world war are rapidly emerging as the Biden administration forges alliances in the Indo-Pacific against China which the US regards as the greatest threat to its global hegemony.
(2021-09-16). An American General Has Suggested that His Country Could Attack China. globalresearch.ca
(2021-09-16). U.S. media support tech regulation—unless it comes from China. mronline.org 
Recently, U.S. media have been aghast at legislation affecting China's tech sector.
(2021-09-16). How US Media Misrepresent The Wuhan Institute Of Virology's Laboratories. popularresistance.org Wuhan, China — While many people have already criticized the lack of evidence and scientific basis for the hypothesis that the Covid-19 pandemic originated from a laboratory, both critics and proponents of the lab-leak theory appear to have uncritically accepted false or unproven premises regarding work done at the laboratory most often implicated in these speculations, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). | Some of the most prominent accusations pointed at the WIV are that it was conducting research as part of China's alleged biowarfare program, and was conducting its experiments in substandard biosafety…
(2021-09-16). The Dangerous Exaggeration of the Threat. counterpunch.org Threat perception is central to decision making regarding war and the use of force; alliance politics; and the role of deterrence. Exaggerations of threat make war more likely and weaken the ability of an alliance to function effectively and rationally. Since the end of World War II, the United States has consistently exaggerated the threat, particularly with regard to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Once again, the United States is embarking on a campaign of exaggerated threat perception as politicians and pundits exaggerate the "threat" of a so-called "resurgent" Russia and a so-called "aggressive" China.
(2021-09-16). Indian court exhorts Modi to "protect Hindu rights" with further communalist "cow protection" legislation. wsws.org The Allahabad High Court judgment is emblematic of the extent to which the vile Hindu communalism promoted by Modi and his BJP has become firmly entrenched in India's supposedly secular judiciary.
(2021-09-16). Smashing the Heads of Farmers: A Global Struggle Against Tyranny (India). orinocotribune.com By Colin Todhunter — Sep 13, 2021 | According to Reuters, more than 500,000 farmers attended a rally in the city of Muzaffarnagar in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on 5 September. Hundreds of thousands more turned out for other rallies in the state. | Rakesh Tikait, a prominent farmers' leader, said this would breathe fresh life into the Indian farmers' protest movement. | He added: | "We will intensify our protest by going to every single city and town of Uttar Pradesh to convey the message that Modi's government is anti-farmer". | Tikait is a leader of the protest movement and a spokesperson of the Bhar…
(2021-09-16). Military Situation In Syria On September 16, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On September 15, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 28 times: 14 — in Idlib province, 6 — in Latakia province, 4 — in Hama province, 4 — in Aleppo province | On September 15, Russian warplanes attacked positions of Turkish-backed forces in Darkush area | On September 15, Russian warplanes attacked positions of Turkish-backed forces in Banin area | On September 16, the first tankers carrying Irani…
(2021-09-16). From the "Iron Wall" to the "Villa in the Jungle": Palestinians Demolish Israel's Security Myths. dissidentvoice.org 
Twenty-five years before Israel was established on the ruins of historic Palestine, a Russian Jewish Zionist leader, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, argued that a Jewish state in Palestine could only survive if it exists "behind an iron wall" of defense. Jabotinsky was speaking figuratively. However, future Zionist leaders, who embraced Jabotinsky's teachings, eventually turned the principle of …
(2021-09-16). Does Israel want to end its forever wars in Gaza? juancole.com Daud Abdullah | — ( Middle East Monitor) — Israel is finally waking up to the stark reality that it can no longer continue with its forever wars in Gaza. This was the critical message from Foreign Minister Yair Lapid when he spoke at a conference at Reichman University in Herzliya last weekend: "The State …
(2021-09-16). Israel denies treatment to Palestinians with brain tumors. electronicintifada.net Gaza patients are still being blocked from medical care in the West Bank.
(2021-09-16). Consumer Health: 5 types of gynecologic cancer. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn about the five types of gynecologic cancer. Gynecologic cancer is any cancer that starts in a woman's reproductive organs. More than 116,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer this year, according to the Foundation for Women's Cancer. The five main types of gynecologic cancer are: Cervical cancerEarly stage cervical cancer generally produces no signs or symptoms….
(2021-09-16). Headlines for September 16, 2021. democracynow.org 1 in 500 U.S. Residents Have Died of COVID-19; FDA Scientists Skeptical of Vaccine Boosters, Pope Calls Out Anti-Vaccine Sentiment in Catholic Church, USA Gymnasts to Senate: FBI Failed to Investigate Reports of Larry Nassar's Sexual Abuse, Survivor Recounts Walking in on R. Kelly Sexually Assaulting Aaliyah When She Was Just 13 or 14, Chinese Court Rejects Landmark #MeToo Case, But Survivor Vows to Appeal, ICC to Open Full Probe into Rodrigo Duterte's Deadly War on Drugs in Philippines , Brazil's Top Court Delays Ruling on Case That Could Reshape Indigenous Sovereignty , U.S., U.K. and Australia Form New Coaliti…
(2021-09-16). Russia afraid that humanitarian aid to Syria could be embezzled — diplomat. tass.com The Russian diplomat welcomed the delivery of UN humanitarian assistance to the Idlib de-escalation zone but stressed that the task of its delivery to those in need cannot be considered attained without a mechanism of humanitarian aid distribution…
(2021-09-16). Europe's Energy Price Hike Could Have Been Avoided If Nord Stream-2 Was Not Delayed. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size imageNo immediate relief for European energy consumers as winter approaches. | Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst | The price of gas in Europe has exceeded $950 per thousand cubic meters for the first time in history, according to the latest ICE Futures trading data. Such records have been continuously broken in recent times, especially since only days ago the price was $810. With Europe now creeping towards winter, the media and so-called experts are uncritically accusing Russian company Gazprom, the largest supplier of natural gas across the continent, as resp…
(2021-09-16). Syrian Flag Raised Over Muzayrib In Western Daraa (Photos). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image. | On September 16, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) raised the Syrian flag over Army troops entered Muzayrib a day earlier to implement the agreement, which was reached with help from Russia on September 14. A unit of the Russian Military Police was also destroyed…
(2021-09-16). Saudi Arabia Is Eyeing Russia's S-400 As Replacement For US THAAD & Patriot Systems — Report. southfront.org 
S-400 systems. FILE IMAGE: Alexey Malgavko / Sputnik | Saudi Arabia is eyeing the Russian-made S-400 "Triumf" long-range air-defense system as a possible replacement for the missile defense systems recently withdrawn from the Kingdom by the US, the London-based Over the las…
(2021-09-16). EU Releases Report Calling Not To Recognize Russia's General Election Results Even Before They Happen. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The essence of the European Parliament's report on Russia can only cause regret, said the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov."There is no talk about the need to establish a dialogue <...> to resolve existing problems and disagreements through communication at various levels and through various channels," he said. | Brussels today approved a document developed by the former Prime Minister of Lithuania Andrius Kubilius, calling for tougher EU policy towards Moscow. It suggests: — to expand s…
(2021-09-16). Anonymous Source Rebukes Anonymous Claims That Mali Is Hiring "Wagner PMC" southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | French Defence Minister Florence Parly has warned Mali against an alleged deal with Russian mercenaries. | This comes amid rumors that the country's military government is close to hiring 1,000 mercenaries. | These are, of course, from MSM favorite mythical Wagner PMC. | Two anonymous French sources told the AFP news agency that the Malian government was nearing a deal with the controversial Russian firm, which would underline Moscow's growing influence in the region."If the Malian author…
(2021-09-16). South Korea: Combating the COVID-19 Regime in Seoul One Step at a Time. globalresearch.ca
(2021-09-16). HTS And Friends Get Punished, As Assad And Putin Exchange Praises. southfront.org 
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(2021-09-16). Third Town In Western Daraa Reach Reconciliation Agreement With Syrian Authorities. southfront.org 
Illustrative image. | On September 16, local leaders in Tafas, one of the largest towns in the western countryside of Daraa, accepted a reconciliation agreement that was offered by Syrian authorities. | Under the agreement, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) will redeploy its troops in several posts inside and around Tafas. Army troops withdrew from the town to avoid being attacked by local gunmen during the last crisis in the southern part of Daraa city, known as Daraa al-Balad. | The SAA will also launch a combing oper…
(2021-09-16). Military Situation In Yemen On September 16, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 297 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On September 15, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Majzar district | On September 15, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Jabal Murad district | On September 15, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 10 airstrikes on the Nate area | On September 15, Saudi-led coalition…
(2021-09-15). U.S. Drone Killed 10 Afghans, Including Aid Worker & 7 Kids, After Water Jugs Were Mistaken as Bombs. democracynow.org 
We speak with reporter Matthieu Aikins about how his investigation for The New York Times found an August 29 U.S. drone strike, which the Pentagon claimed targeted a facilitator with the militant group ISIS-K, actually killed 10 Afghan civilians, including seven children and Zemari Ahmadi, an Afghan engineer who had worked since 2006 for an American aid group. A review of video evidence by the Times shows Zemari loading canisters of water at the charity's office, after the Pentagon claimed surveillance video showed Zemari loading what they thought were explosives into a car at an unknown compound earlier in the d…
(2021-09-15). Kabul Diaries Part 11: Afghans say no to trade in Pakistani currency. greenleft.org.au There are growing concerns over the Pakistan establishment's influence in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, reports Yasmeen Afghan.
(2021-09-15). How China's Realpolitik Approach to Venezuela, Iran & Afghanistan Upends US' Geopolitical Game. orinocotribune.com 
By Ekaterina Blinova — Sep 13, 2021 | China is dealing a blow to Washington's sanctions strategy by stretching a helping hand to developing states labelled by the US as "pariahs" which have been subjected to tough restrictions. This shows that the world has reached a point of no return along with the accelerating decline of the US, says Asia Pacific commentator Thomas W. Pauken II. | The value of tough US sanctions against Venezuela's oil sector will substantially decline if China steps in to fill the void, energy observers say, citing Bloomberg's September report that China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), o…
(2021-09-15). Taliban will welcome Australia's cricket boycott. greenleft.org.au In post-9/11 Afghanistan, music and cricket became an escape from twin-violence of United States-occupation and Taliban-terrorism. Farooq Sulehria reports that with the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, these cultural activities are now under attack.
(2021-09-15). Taliban Central Bank Seized $12,4 Million From Former Top Afghan Officials, Including Ex Vice President. southfront.org 
File image. | On September 15, the Taliban-run central bank of Afghanistan announced that it had seized nearly $12.4 million in cash and gold from former top government officials, including former vice president Amrullah Saleh. | In an official statement, the central bank said that it is still unclear why the money and gold were kept in officials' houses. | Earlier this week, a
(2021-09-15). Following Afghanistan Defeat: Can EU Win Own 'Independence' from the US? counterpunch.org Suddenly, the idea put forth by French President, Emmanuel Macron, late last year does not seem so far-fetched or untenable after all. Following the US-NATO hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan, European countries are now forced to consider the once unthinkable: a gradual dismantling from US dominance. When, on September 29, 2020, Macron uttered these words: "We,
(2021-09-15). British Soldier Arrested For Protesting Against Yemen War. popularresistance.org The war in Afghanistan appears to be drawing to a close. But Western atrocities in the Middle East continue, with the 20-year-old War on Terror estimated to have displaced over 37 million people globally. | One particularly noteworthy example is the onslaught in Yemen, driving the country to become "the world's worst humanitarian crisis," in the opinion of the United Nations. Currently, more than half the country — 14 million people — are considered to be at risk of starvation. | While the Saudis may be doing the majority of the fighting, they are being armed, trained, aided and supported by the Unite…
(2021-09-15). The Debacle of "Nation Building" in Afghanistan and Iraq. counterpunch.org In one of his interviews before the Taliban retook Afghanistan, John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser, blamed the American failure in Afghanistan on a change in Washington's mission from anti-terrorism to "nation building." In his view, Washington should just have held strategic sites in the country to keep terrorists off balance and not engaged
(2021-09-15). Is Britain's Security Chief for Real? Top Spook's Rant on Afghanistan Smacked of Fake News. strategic-culture.org Is there a dark game being played here by the spooks in Britain, using a cavernous and inept media machine to create a smoke screen to the real issues? | One wonders if Britain's MI5 chief, Ken McCallum is a real person or some banal technical creation of the boffins of the UK's home security service. His recent comments about the Taliban giving rogue winnable terrorists around the world a moral boost after the calamity of the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan not only smacks of 'stating the bleeding obvious' but also of paternal baloney nefariously designed to distract the UK's public attention away from the real i…
(2021-09-15). US expands military presence in Micronesia targeting China. wsws.org The Pentagon's push into Micronesia is part of the wider militarisation of the Pacific by the US and other imperialist powers, as the drive to war against China accelerates following the Afghanistan debacle.
(2021-09-15). Venezuela celebrates Day of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme. mppre.gob.ve At the invitation of the Ambassador of the Republic of India to Venezuela, Abhishek Singh, the Foreign Vice-minister for Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, Capaya Rodríguez, participated in the celebration of the Day of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme. In her statement, Rodríguez conveyed greetings from the Bolivarian Government, led by […] | La entrada
(2021-09-15). The 2nd Afghan War and Retreat from Central Asia. counterpunch.org We've just hit the 20th anniversary of the Afghan war. But which one? There were actually two Afghan wars. The first began within a few weeks of the 9-11 tragedy, when the US was attacked by Al Qaeda with the assistance of elements of the Saudi Arabia ruling elite. In the first war US forces invaded
(2021-09-15). A short, sordid history of brands and warfare. mronline.org 
Burger King's foray into recent conflict in Azerbaijan is part of a historical trend of corporations weighing in—and benefitting from—conflict, writes Tommy Hodgson…
(2021-09-15). Senior Chinese official stresses making China better known globally. ecns.cn A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has encouraged foreign publishing professionals to help people around the world better understand China.
(2021-09-15). Origins-tracing should not be blame game. ecns.cn Earlier this year, with China's full cooperation, an international group composed of WHO experts from the United States, Britain, Germany, Japan, Australia and other countries unanimously concluded "laboratory leakage in Wuhan is extremely unlikely" in the first phase of COVID-19 origins-tracing. This conclusion has been supported by more and more evidence since its release, and it has become consensus in the academic world.
(2021-09-15). US Keeps Accusing Other Countries Of Being Behind Enigmatic Microwave Attacks. southfront.org 
Illustrative ImageIn a recent report, researchers concluded that generic symptoms are being manipulated to create a narrative about the existence of a new disease. | Written by Lucas Leiroz, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. | Washington continues to insist on the existence of a "syndrome" that affects its diplomats in Cuba and China. In addition to the complete lack of scientific evidence in the alleged cases of reported health problems, there is a strong conspiratorial content in the accusations against the Cuban and Chinese governments — which, according to…
(2021-09-15). Can China's 'red line' eco strategy be a model for biodiversity? mronline.org 
Authorities have set aside millions of square kilometres of land and sea as protected areas. It's an ambitious plan but compliance still an issue, environmental group says.
(2021-09-15). New book details Trump's efforts to instigate war with China as part of January 6 coup attempt. wsws.org The new revelations shatter all attempts to downplay the significance of the events of January 6. Moreover, they emerge just days after Trump used the 9/11 anniversary to deliver fascist rants to police and firefighters in Manhattan.
(2021-09-15). The U.S. is Turning Oil-Rich Nigeria Into a Proxy for Its Africa Wars. strategic-culture.org 
Under the cover of counterterrorism, AFRICOM is beefing up Nigeria's military to ensure the free flow of oil to the West, and using the country as a proxy against China's influence on the continent. | By TJ COLES | Last month, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari
(2021-09-15). Differences Over China Breaking Close Relationship Between Poland And Lithuania. southfront.org 
Illustrative ImagePoland opts to not participate in Lithuania's provocations against China. | Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst | Lithuania and Poland, which in recent years fostered a growing and prosperous relationship rooted in Russophobia, is now beginning to show signs of strain as Warsaw refuses to engage in Vilnius' newfound hostilities against Beijing. Following foreign policy initiatives in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on September 6, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau was noted for trying to find what interests still connects the two countries together | Lithuania's F…