(2021-10-22). The US Empire: Coercion and Consent. counterpunch.org The U.S. military has nearly 800 military bases scattered over 70 countries. China, its most recent competitor, has one. Spending for the U.S. military is about three times the amount Chinese government spends, and is more than the military budgets of Russia, India, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, France, Japan, Germany and China combined. "The U.S.
(2021-10-22). Kidnapped Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab speaks in court. workers.org 
Saab made the following statement in U.S. Federal Court in Miami on Oct. 16. The statement is lightly edited. My name is Alex Nain Saab Moran, with Venezuelan diplomatic passport number 045778720. I am a special envoy with diplomatic immunity to the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran . . . |
(2021-10-22). More than 10,000 children killed or injured in war torn Yemen. peoplesdispatch.org Latest UN figures state that a total of 3,455 children were killed and more than 6,600 wounded in the fighting in Yemen between March 2015 and September 2021.
(2021-10-22). If all refugees lived in one place, it would be the 17th most populous country in the world: The Forty-Second Newsletter (2021). mronline.org 
On 5 October, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a historic, non-legally binding resolution that 'recognises the right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a human right that is important for the enjoyment of human rights'.
(2021-10-22). Five People Were Killed In Recent Turkish Drone Strike On Syria's Kobane: Monitoring Group. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image, by the Hawar News Agency. | Five people were killed in the The drone strike targeted several cars which were parked in front of the Social Justice Committee building in the center…
(2021-10-22). From Russia, With (Taliban) Love. southfront.org 
The Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan this week believes the country's former foreign occupiers should pay its reconstruction bill Photo Credit: The Cradle | Written by Pepe Escobar, originally published on Facing high expectations, a five-man band Taliban finally played in Moscow. Yet the star of the show, predictably, was the Mick Jagger of geopolitics: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. | Right from the start, Lavrov
(2021-10-22). Belmarsh Tribunal Judges the US For the Assange Case. telesurenglish.net On Friday, the Belmarsh Tribunal held its first face-to-face session at the London Convocation Hall to judge the U.S. government for its crimes against humanity in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and for the imprisonment of Julian Assange, who revealed such information. | RELATED: | With this process, the Belmarsh Court emulates the Russell-Sartre people's court, which sat in Stockholm and Copenhagen in 1967 to try the White House fo…
(2021-10-22). Can We Avoid a Catastrophic War With China? counterpunch.org When he was running for office in 2008, Barack Obama wanted to put an end to the war in Iraq in order to focus U.S. troops and resources on the conflict in Afghanistan. This August, the Biden administration finally withdrew the remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan. It's hard not to get the sense that it
(2021-10-22). Putin Speaks Of Taliban, Ukraine, Values And Energy At The Valdai Club. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 21st, Russian President Vladimir Putin held discussions with members of the Valdai club, after giving an address. | Notably, Putin said that the world was moving towards recognizing the Taliban movement and that Washington and Moscow were on the right track following the Geneva summit. | He also thanked Europe for the sanctions."A thank you goes to the Europeans for sanctions in the field of agriculture." They triggered retaliatory steps and encouraged investment in import subst…
(2021-10-22). UAE arrests broadcast journalist over comments made off-air before football match. middleeasteye.net 
UAE arrests broadcast journalist over comments made off-air before football match | State media says unidentified journalist's comments were leaked online and would harm the 'public interest' in the UAE | Fri, 10/22/2021 – 16: 02 | The comments came ahead of a broadcast of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Asian Qualifiers match between UAE and Iraq at the Zabeel stadium in Dubai, on 12 October 202…
(2021-10-22). Iran Begins "Nationwide" Air Force Military Drills. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | It's military exercise season in Iran, as the country's air force began nationwide drills on October 21st. | These come after Naval drills in the Caspian Sea, combined drills along the Azerbaijan border, as well as air and missile defense exercises all in the past weeks. | Iranian Army's Air Force has showcased its capabilities during a large-scale aerial exercise, which included hitting targets with homegrown Yasin-90 standoff missile and domestically-produced rockets. | The Islamic Republ…
(2021-10-22). Indian workers and students denounce school reopenings and support World Socialist Web Site's global webinar. wsws.org There is a broad opposition among parents to the hasty and unsafe reopening of schools now underway across India.
(2021-10-22). Modi government sells off state-owned Air India for a song to kick-start new privatisation drive. wsws.org The sale of Air India is being touted by the far-right BJP government as the opening salvo in an across-the-board push to privatise virtually all state-owned companies.
(2021-10-22). The Kunming Declaration & Biodiversity Fund Set a Path toward a More Just Global Biodiversity Framework. counterpunch.org In August 2019, in the middle of heavy monsoon rain and floods, my sister Sudakshina Sen (an avid wildlife photographer) and I arrived at the Western Ghats in southwest India, a global biodiversity hotspot. One day, we got stuck on the sinuous state highway SH-78, due to fallen trees on the road from the storm.
(2021-10-22). Iranian press review: Politicians question Tehran's nuclear talks strategy. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Politicians question Tehran's nuclear talks strategy | Meanwhile, high death rate among labourers sparks concerns over workplace negligence, and navy reveals improved long-range cruise missiles | Fri, 10/22/2021 – 11: 10 | Iranian workers load scaffolding onto a pick-up truck at an iron market near Tehran (AFP/File) | Ambiguous strategy in nuclear talks:…
(2021-10-22). Arabic press review: Billions of dollars for military in Morocco and Algeria. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Billions of dollars for military in Morocco and Algeria | Meanwhile, several Iraqi MPs defeated in this month's election leave the country over prosecution fears and UK minister confident of Gulf trade deal | Fri, 10/22/2021 – 14: 06 | Algeria has the largest defence budget in Africa and will increase its military budget by $700m next year (AFP) | Algeria and Morocco boo…
(2021-10-22). Colin Powell, Iraq and the "Good War" counterpunch.org Some commentators are pointing out that former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who recently passed away, played an instrumental role in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Attempting to bolster President George W. Bush's and the Pentagon's plan to invade Iraq and effect regime change there, Powell went
(2021-10-22). The 'Democratic Majority for Israel' is a hate organization. mronline.org 
I argued in my last article that the hatred coming from the Jewish community is not confronted because it comes in the guise of fighting antisemitism. Ten days ago we saw another example of this hatred that has no name.
(2021-10-22). Mandla Mandela calls for boycott of Miss Universe competition in Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Mandla Mandela calls for boycott of Miss Universe competition in Israel | 'Apartheid Israel's occupation is no less despicable than apartheid South Africa,' says Nelson Mandela's grandson | Fri, 10/22/2021 – 13: 55 | Lalela Mswane, the winner of Miss South Africa 2021, has been urged to boycott the event (Screengrab/Instagram) | Mandla Mandela, the grandson of the former President of South Africa, has ur…
(2021-10-22). The Big Lie in Rahm Emanuel's Senate Testimony. counterpunch.org At Rahm Emanuel's confirmation hearing as potential ambassador to Japan before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) deserves credit for questioning Emanuel about what he knew as Chicago's mayor about the police murder of 17-year-old African American Laquan McDonald — and when he knew it. Wednesday's Senate hearing was held on the 7th anniversary of the 2014 killing, to the day.
(2021-10-22). SOVEREIGNTY AND SOIL: NAUSICAàÑ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. peoplesforum.org OCTOBER SCREENING SERIES: SOVEREIGNTY AND SOIL | Join us every month this fall for one weekend of films! The theme for October's films is Soil and Sovereignty, where we examine and revive how we imagine our relationships with the land. The films will be covering culture, land struggles, and agroecology projects from around the world, starting Thursday night, October 21st, with 4 short films. On Friday, October 22nd, evening, we will be watching an earlier work from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki, that advocates against war for the protection of our planet. Finally, on Saturday afternoon, October 23r…
(2021-10-22). Japanese Communists rally opposition parties to elect 'a pro-people government'. peoplesworld.org 
TOKYO—At a street rally held near Tokyo's JR Ikebukuro Station on Oct. 14, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo appealed to large audience, "Let's put an end to the Liberal Democratic-Komei coalition government and establish a pro-people government!" Video of the rally was broadcast live on YouTube to an online audience of at least 10,000 …
(2021-10-22). Walmart Will Allow Bitcoin To Be Purchased At Kiosks In Stores. moguldom.com Shoppers can buy Bitcoin at kiosks in Walmart, the world's largest company by revenue, in a pilot program that kicked off earlier this month in 200 U.S. stores. Walmart made a deal with Coinstar, which operates kiosks that accept U.S. coins in exchange for dollar bills and gift cards, to start offering Bitcoin, Walmart spokeswoman Molly …
(2021-10-22). Saudi Arabia: Theme park to be built on old oil rig. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia: Theme park to be built on old oil rig | The amusement park is the latest addition to the kingdom's entertainment attractions | Fri, 10/22/2021 – 12: 20 | The amusement park is the latest addition to Saudi Arabia's entertainment industry (Screengrab/PIF Twitter) |
(2021-10-22). Half a Million South Korean Workers Walk Off Jobs in General Strike. zcomm.org South Korean workers have thrown down the gauntlet, and we should all pay close attention…
(2021-10-22). Video: A Day of Violent Escalation and Expectation in Syria. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-22). Horas Al-Din Commander Killed In US Drone Strike On Syria's Raqqa (18+ Photos). southfront.org 
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson. | On October 22, a commander of al-Qaeda-affiliated Horas al-Din was killed in US drone strike on the outskirts of the town of Suluk in the northern countryside of Syria's Raqqa. | The commander, Abdul Hamid Al-Matar, was targeted with an AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missile, possibly of the RX9 variant which is armed with a kinetic warhead with pop-out blades instead of explosives. The area where the commander was targeted is controlled by the Turkish militar…
(2021-10-22). Erdogan Warns Turkey Could Use Heavy Weapons Against Syria Army. southfront.org 
Image: aa.com.tr | The Turkish military will use heavy weapons against the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib if necessary, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on October 21."Operations are going on in very sensitive locations in our region. We will not back down. We continue the process in Syria," Sputnik quoted Erdogan as saying. "I do now know what steps the Syrian regime will take but we will do whatever is needed in Idlib,…
(2021-10-22). In Video: Syria Troops Intercepted US Convoy In Northern Al-Hasakah. southfront.org 
Syrian soldiers in Tel Rifaat city, Illustrative image. | On October 21, service members of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) intercepted a convoy of the US-led coalition near a checkpoint in the outskirts of the town of Damkhiyah Sghirah in al-Hasakah's northern countryside. | The Syrian troops prevented the US convoy, which consisted of five armored vehicles, from entering the town. Eventually, the convoy retreated. | This was not the first such encounter. Over the last two years, locals, pro-government fighter…
(2021-10-22). China Rejects US And EU Meddling In Taiwan Issue. telesurenglish.net On Friday, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called on the United States to act and speak out cautiously when addressing the issue of the Chinese province of Taiwan. | RELATED: | The Chinese diplomat's remarks came in response to the words of President Joe Biden who said on Thursday that the United States would intervene if China invaded Taiwan. He also dared to affirm that China, Russia and the rest of the w…
(2021-10-22). More photographers oppose MGM's refusal to release Minamata in North America. wsws.org Australian photojournalist David Dare Parker and Thailand-based documentary photographer John Hulme have added their voices to the growing numbers speaking out against MGM's "burying" of Minamata.
(2021-10-22). The Doctrine Of The "Blue Homeland" And Turkey's Possibilities For Its Implementation. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | Turkey in the 21st century began to rethink its place in the international system. Turkey is not satisfied with the role of a junior partner of western countries; it is aimed at the status of a regional and even world power. If Turkey first acted in an economic and cultural spheres, now Ankara is conducting an aggressive and offensive foreign policy. Now it is not afraid to openly declare its interests and dictate its own rules of the game. Leaving aside the doctrines of "Zero problems with neighbors" and "Strategic depth", Ankara has begun to implement the "Blue Homeland" doctrine. | The doc…
(2021-10-22). Ansar Allah Are Unrelenting In Their Push For Ma'rib. southfront.org 
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(2021-10-21). Who is Samir Geagea and Does he Matter? orinocotribune.com By As'ad AbuKhalil — Oct 19, 2021 | Notorious war criminal Samir Geagea has re-emerged into the Lebanese spotlight, ready to kick off another civil war in his bid for power. But might it be better to deny him the attention he craves? | The sectarian shooting of peaceful protestors last week in Beirut brought into focus, yet again, the name of Samir Geagea, leader of the right-wing, militantly Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) political party. Geagea's name is synonymous with the history of Lebanon's civil war — and with the horrific war crimes committed during those 15 years of strife. | While Geagea was…
(2021-10-21). Lebanon's Geagea summoned over deadly violence in Beirut. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon's Geagea summoned over deadly violence in Beirut | The Lebanese Forces leader says he was not aware of a summons regarding last week's violence that left seven people dead | Thu, 10/21/2021 – 21: 11 | Samir Geagea said residents of Beirut's Christian neighbourhood of Ain al-Remmaneh "defended" themselves against "Hezbollah militiamen" (AFP/File photo) | Samir Geagea, head of the
(2021-10-21). Do You Want a New Cold War? tomdispatch.com Before it's too late, we need to ask ourselves a crucial question: Do we really — I mean truly — want a new Cold War with China? Because that's just where the Biden administration is clearly taking us. If you need proof, check out last month's announcement of an "AUKUS" (Australia, United Kingdom, U.S.) military alliance in Asia. Believe me, it's far scarier (and more racist) than the nuclear-powered submarine deal and the French diplomatic kerfuffle that dominated the media coverage of it. By focusing on the dramatically angry French reaction to losing their own agreement to sell non-nuclear subs to…
(2021-10-21). Headlines for October 21, 2021. democracynow.org Republican Senators Use Filibuster to Block Federal Voting Rights Bill, Biden Touts Compromise Deal After Sens. Manchin and Sinema Reject Build Back Better Agenda, White House Prepares for Mass Vaccinations of Children Aged 5 to 11 in November, Police Unions Oppose COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates, Senate Questions Rahm Emanual on Police Murder of Laquan McDonald in Ambassadorship Hearing, Syrian Civilians Killed in Idlib Shelling; HRW Warns of Abuses Against Returning Refugees, Ethiopian Gov't Continues Airstrikes in Tigray Amid Mounting Humanitarian Crisis, U.S. Court Rules in Favor of Guantánamo Prisoner Held for 14…
(2021-10-21). Taliban Honors Families Of "Heroic" Suicide Bombers Who Attacked Americans. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | Originally published on It hasn't taken long for the Taliban to show who it really is — or who it's always been — after prior initial declarations of a new "moderate" and "reformed" Islamist group (mostly emanating from Western pundits) following its August complete takeover of Afghanistan amid the US troop withdrawal. Late last month it declared it would begin "cutting off hands" again as well as the public hanging of bodies for ex…
(2021-10-21). Iran-Azerbaijan: Baku releases Iranian truck drivers as tensions thaw with Tehran. middleeasteye.net 
Iran-Azerbaijan: Baku releases Iranian truck drivers as tensions thaw with Tehran | Baku's customs department said the decision was guided by 'humanitarianism, mutual respect and good neighbourliness'
| Thu, 10/21/2021 – 17: 38 | In the past, Iranian hauliers had used a road connecting Armenia and Iran to reach Russia and West Asia without restrictions (AFP/File photo) | Azerbaijan rel…
(2021-10-21). US Marines on Taiwan: Major Provocation, but Not News. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-10-21). Melbourne: The Longest in Lockdown. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-10-21). Victoria Police Use of Anti-riot Weapons Condemned. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-10-21). Azerbaijan conference on Karabakh war backed by military academies of Turkey, Pakistan, Ukraine, several NATO members. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The Azerbaijan Armed Forces Military Academy hosts an international conference "The Second Karabakh War — a War of a New Generation" The organization of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense at the Military Academy of the Armed Forces started an international scientific-practical conference on "second Karabakh war — the war of the new generation" in the …
(2021-10-21). What Is The Delta Plus Variant? Here Are The Actual Facts About The Risks. moguldom.com The delta variant, first discovered in India in December 2020 before it spread around the globe, has been making headlines in recent days because it has a new mutation: delta plus. Scientists in the U.K. are investigating new concerns about the delta plus variant, also known as AY.4.2, amid rising caes. They are concerned about …
(2021-10-21). India Walton's campaign for mayor of Buffalo stands up to harassment & intimidation. zcomm.org With two weeks to go to the Nov. 2 elections, Walton remains strong…
(2021-10-21). The Culture Wars Continue: The Fate of Sex Workers. counterpunch.org U.S. politics is played out in many ways. For example, much attention has been rightly focused on the new Texas law, SB8, that undercut the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade, by prohibiting a woman's right to an abortion after six weeks. Equally troubling, new abortion restrictions were enacted in eight additional states during the first six months of 2021– Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and West Virginia.
(2021-10-21). Late Monsoon Rains Claim 200 Lives in India and Nepal. telesurenglish.net Natural disasters such as heavy rains, floods, and landslides brought about by the monsoon in the Hindustan peninsula is a cyclical event every year. Recent monsoon activity this year has so far left more than 200 deaths in the two most affected countries, India and Nepal, according to information from civil defense authorities of both States. | RELATED: | In India, the number of deaths caused by the rains, floods, and landslides would…
(2021-10-21). Of Spirits, Martyrs & Legends: the Magic & Sorrow of Vietnam's Cà¥n S∆°n Island. counterpunch.org This tropical paradise was a penal colony during the French colonial era and the US War in Vietnam. For 22,000 Vietnamese and some Cambodians, Cà¥n S∆°n Island was literally the last stop on a journey that began with their arrest and incarceration on the mainland. Their crime? Resisting the foreign invader du jour and fighting for their country's independence and unification. In addition to execution, causes of death included disease and torture.
(2021-10-21). Video: First Iraq, Then Iran: U.S "Intelligence" Copied and Pasted From the Internet. Colin Powell's February 5, 2003 Presentation to the UNSC. globalresearch.ca Fake intelligence as well as plagiarized quotations had been slipped into an official intelligence report pertaining to Iraq's WMD presented to the UN Security Council by Secretary of State Colin Powell on February 5, 2003.
(2021-10-21). Iraqi Security Forces Foiled Attack With Loitering Missile Linked To Iran In Saladin (Photos). southfront.org 
One of the 358 missiles seized by the US Navy off the coast of Yemen in 2020. | On October 21, the Iraqi National Security Service (NSS) announced that it had foiled a missile attack in the northern Iraqi province of Saladin. | In a statement, the NSS said that the target of the attack was al-Heliwa airport, where the 52nd Brigade of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) is deployed."After receiving intelligence, the National Security Service, the Internal Intelligence and the PMU uncovered a missile equ…