2021-11-13: News Headlines

_____ (2021-11-13). Regime Change In Belarus — Following The Same Script Used In Syria. popularresistance.org Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and his Russian counterpart and key ally, Vladimir Putin, have come in for much criticism from the Western media since coverage of the crisis began, with both leaders being accused of 'orchestrating' the current situation, allegedly in a bid to destabilise the EU, and also as a retaliatory measure taken by Minsk in response to EU sanctions imposed as a result of it successfully repelling a Western-backed colour revolution launched against it last August following the re-election of Lukashenko — again, the warmongers who actually created the refugee crisis in the fi…

WSWS (2021-11-13). Workers Struggles: Asia and Australia. wsws.org Thousands of Indonesian workers demonstrate for higher minimum wage; Bangladeshi private sector transport workers strike; South Australian health workers impose bans; Country Road warehouse workers strike in Melbourne…

Binoy Kampmark (2021-11-13). China, stupidity and Paul Keating. greenleft.org.au Paul Keating has been outspoken against the AUKUS security alliance that, he argues, will break a 'strong proud history of engagement with Asia and including China'. Binoy Kampmark reports.

WSWS (2021-11-13). Over 40 killed by floods in South India and Sri Lanka. wsws.org Most affected are working people and the poor, in urban as well as rural areas, who have already been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and hikes in the prices of essentials.

MEE staff (2021-11-13). Iran: Husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ends 21-day hunger strike. middleeasteye.net Iran: Husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ends 21-day hunger strike | Richard Ratcliffe ends latest attempt to persuade UK to secure wife's release, saying their daughter "needs two parents" | Sat, 11/13/2021 – 13: 55 | Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of jailed British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, ends his hunger strike outside the UK Foreign Office on 13 November, 2021 after 21 days (Reuters)…

_____ (2021-11-13). Political Dimensions of Bilateral Ties between the PRC and the DPRK during Spring-fall of 2021. journal-neo.org Throughout 2021, Pyongyang and Beijing continued to actively demonstrate their long-standing traditional friendship by exchanging messages and holding ceremonial events. On February 19, it was reported that Pyongyang appointed Ri Ryong-nam, a former vice-premier in charge of trade policy in North Korea's Cabinet from June 2016 to January 2021, as ambassador to China. Previously, Ri …

Janet Post (2021-11-13). Women in Benin win right to choose abortion. themilitant.com After lengthy debate, Benin's parliament voted Oct. 20 to decriminalize abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. If ratified by the constitutional court, Benin will become the first country in West Africa to legalize a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. | Women's rights organizations have led a long fight to gain this victory. "I am very, very happy that from now on, we can give this right back to the woman, to decide for herself," Angela Kpeidja, president of women's rights group Do Not Be Afraid, told Africanews. | "We have to let women choose," said pro-choice activist Faustine Adjagba. "And…

TASS (2021-11-12). Belavia stops accepting Iraqis, Syrians and Yemenis on flights from Turkey to Belarus. tass.com Earlier, given the migration crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border, Turkish Airlines will not sell tickets for flights to Belarus to the residents of Iraq, Syria and Yemen…

TASS (2021-11-12). Iraqi embassy in Moscow ready to evacuate from Belarus all Iraqis who wish to get home. tass.com Further details regarding the evacuation will be announced later…

Céline Martelet (2021-11-12). Poland-Belarus: Refugees talk of 'unimaginable suffering' on border. middleeasteye.net Poland-Belarus: Refugees talk of 'unimaginable suffering' on border | Thousands of Iraqis, Syrians, Afghans and Iranians trapped between Belarus and Poland become political pawns in spat between Minsk and Brussels | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 13: 58 | People seeking asylum staying in a camp on the Belarusian-Polish border, 12 November 2021 (AFP) | Eighteen days of "inhumanity" is how Hamza described what he experienced at…

Staff (2021-11-12). Headlines for November 12, 2021. democracynow.org New Draft Agreement Weakens Earlier Calls to Phase Out Coal, Fossil Fuel Funding as COP26 Nears End, Beyond Oil and Gas: Denmark and Costa Rica Lead New Push to Phase Out Fossil Fuels, Biden and Xi Jinping to Hold Virtual Summit Amid Ongoing Tensions, NIH and Moderna in Legal Battle over COVID Vaccine Patent Rights, Another Explosion Targets Mosque in Afghanistan, 5,000 Afghan Refugees Fleeing to Iran Every Day as Humanitarian Crisis Worsens, U.N.: 84 Million People Worldwide Displaced by War, Insecurity and the Climate Crisis, Eastern Europe Refugee Crisis Intensifies as Poland Blocks Border, Belarus Issues Thre…

Yusuf Selman Inanc (2021-11-12). Turkey issues Belarus flight ban to avert migrant crisis with Europe. middleeasteye.net Turkey issues Belarus flight ban to avert migrant crisis with Europe | Ankara bans passengers from Iraq, Yemen and Syria from boarding flights to Minsk following a migrant crisis with Poland | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 11: 15 | Migrants in a camp on the Belarusian-Polish border in the Grodno region on 20 November 2021 (AFP) | The Turkish Civil Aviation Authority announced on Friday that citi…

MEE staff (2021-11-12). 'Protecting power': Qatar to act as US diplomatic representative in Afghanistan. middleeasteye.net 'Protecting power': Qatar to act as US diplomatic representative in Afghanistan | Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Doha will represent US interests in the country and provide consular services at the Qatari embassy in Kabul | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 16: 46 | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani shake hands at State Department in Washington DC on 12…

teleSUR (2021-11-12). Bomb Attack On a Mosque Leaves 15 Injured In Afghanistan. telesurenglish.net At least 15 Afghans were injured in a bomb attack on a mosque in Nangarhar province that occurred on Friday, a holy day for Muslims. | RELATED: | "Enemies of Islam and the Afghans planted explosives inside the mosque… fortunately, there are no deaths," said Hanif Nangerhary, the provincial spokesman for the Taliban. | Although no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the jihadist group Islamic state (IS) could be resp…

Joe Glenton (2021-11-12). Court hears evidence UK Special Forces hid war crime evidence. thecanary.co Elite UK soldiers may have covered up evidence of their war crimes, the High Court has heard. An Afghan who lost several family members during UK military operations has brought the case. MOD documents seem to show investigators kept the cases secret. | The man known as Safiullah says four family members died at the hands of UK troops. The alleged murders happened in 2011 and the accused killers were members of the UK Special Forces. The new documents show remarkable details, including comments by concerned senior officers about the legality of killings. | Safiullah claims the incidents weren't investigated pr…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Casualties Reported Following Blast At Mosque In Afghanistan's Nangarhar (Video, Photos). southfront.org File image. | On November 12, a blast hit a mosque in the Spin Ghar district of the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar during Friday prayers. | A local source told the Reuters news agency that the blast was caused by explosives which were apparently planted inside the mosque, which was attended by Sunni Muslims. | Reuters reported that 12 people, including the imam of the mosque, were wounded as a result of the blast. However, other news sources, including the France-Press Agency (AFP), said that three peopl…

WSWS (2021-11-12). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org Danish nurses conclude wildcat strikes; disputes continue across French medical sector over resources, pay and conditions; Greek seafarers' 48-hour nationwide strike on passenger vessels over pay and conditions; Armenian ambulance drivers strike over increased workload during pandemic and low pay; Libyan doctors continue indefinite stoppage over pay cuts…

Rick Rozoff (2021-11-12). Significance of Ukraine using Turkish combat drones against Russian allies in Donbass. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Eurasia Daily Monitor/Jamestown FoundationFirst Strike: The Political Consequences of Ukraine's Bayraktar Drone Attack on Russia-Backed Forces in DonbasYuri Lapaiev On October 26, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) for the first time used the Turkish-produced Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) to strike at forces. Donetsk People's Republic militia in Donbas. [T]he AFU's [Ukrainian …

Rick Rozoff (2021-11-12). Post-war triumphalism: 22-nation "Turkic world"sets sites on Cyprus, land "stolen" by Soviet Union. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com The Turkic Council's full members are Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Hungary and now Turkmenistan are observers. According to the Secretary General of the Turkic Council, Baghdad Amreyev, fifteen more nations have applied or indicate they desire to apply for observer status, presumably including the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (see below), Ukraine …

Staff (2021-11-12). East Timor Massacre Remembered: U.S.-Armed Indonesian Troops Killed 270 Timorese 30 Years Ago Today. democracynow.org Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor, when Indonesian troops armed with U.S. M16s fired on a peaceful memorial procession in the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, killing more than 270 East Timorese. Indonesia had invaded East Timor in 1975 and maintained a brutal occupation until 1999, when East Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence in a United Nations referendum. The massacre on November 12, 1991, sparked widespread outrage against the Indonesian government led by dictator General Suharto, a staunch U.S. ally, and marked a turning point in international public opinion. W…

Bill Meyer (2021-11-12). Masters at Toronto International Film Festival 2021. peoplesworld.org The Toronto International Film Festival has always highlighted the newest works from master filmmakers from around the world. This year, even with its reduced lineup, is no exception. Iran's Asghar Farhadi has a string of award-winning films, including About Elly and A Separation; A Hero, co-winner of this year's Cannes Grand Prix, was featured at …

Habiba Arafah (2021-11-12). Iran: Husband of jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe calls British government 'negligent'. middleeasteye.net Iran: Husband of jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe calls British government 'negligent' | Richard Ratcliffe tells MEE the UK government is 'good at gaslighting' and has not done enough to help free his wife | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 11: 44 | "> | Richard Ratcliffe outside the Foreign Office in London (MEE) | As Richard Ratcliffe enters his 20th day of a hunger strike outside the British Foreign…

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-11-12). Arabic press review: Former Palestinian ministers in Israeli settlement dates scandal. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Former Palestinian ministers in Israeli settlement dates scandal | Meanwhile, Kuwait stops issuing visas for Lebanese nationals, Palestine's government looks to austerity measures, and Yemen troop withdrawal reported | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 16: 15 | The two ex-ministers were arrested after their involvement in 'marketing Israeli settlement dates and changing the origin of those…

Edna Mohamed (2021-11-12). UK bulldozer firm failed to perform human rights checks on sales to Israel. middleeasteye.net UK bulldozer firm failed to perform human rights checks on sales to Israel | JCB did not take carry out due diligence checks over the possible use of its equipment to demolish Palestinian homes, watchdog concludes | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 16: 42 | The rubble of a family home after it was demolished by Israeli authorities in the village of Beit Kahel near the West Bank town of Hebron, on 28 November 2019 (A…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Israeli, Saudi Warplanes Escorted US Strategic Bombers During Patrol Over Middle East (Video, Photos). southfront.org A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer supersonic bomber © Reuters | On November 11, Israel and Saudi fighter jets took turns escorting two American B-1B supersonic strategic heavy bombers during a presence patrol mission over the Middle East. | In a statement, the US Air Forces Central said that Israeli and Saudi fighter jets joined the patrol over their respective airspaces, while US fighter jets provided escort. | 2

Staff (2021-11-12). US journalist jailed for spreading misinformation in Myanmar. rt.com American journalist Danny Fenster has been sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Myanmar court on charges that include spreading false information — months after he was arrested trying to leave the country. | Fenster's lawyer revealed on Friday in Myanmar that his client — an American who works as the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar — had been found guilty by a court on Read…

Roger D. Harris (2021-11-12). Nicaragua Celebrates Democracy: Election Day Report. dissidentvoice.org Leon, Nicaragua, November 7, 2021 — On the fight down to Nicaragua a few days ago to be one of 225 international official election accompaniers from 27 countries, the expat Nicaraguan woman sitting next to me was hostile to the current Sandinista government. She said there will be an election but no vote, because only …

Brittani Banks (2021-11-12). How China Is Addressing Education Inequality. independentmediainstitute.org In China, the educational pressure on children is intense, and it begins when they are very young. A mother living in Shanghai describes the demands of her six-year-old child's education, saying, "In kindergarten, children already need to spend the whole weekend learning pinyin." Pinyin is the system of romanization of the characters based on their …

Anonymous103 (2021-11-12). Pakistan's Economic Woes Could Worsen If It Does Not Impose The EU's Liberal World View. southfront.org Arif Alvi. Illustrative ImagePakistan under pressure from the EU to deal with human rights situation. | Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst | Citing Pakistan's worsening human rights situation, particularly relating to the safety of minorities, women, and journalists, the European Union has raised concerns and put the country's preferred trade status in question. Luis Garicano, a Spanish member of the European Parliament, recently visited Pakistan and met with top leaders and members of civil s…

_____ (2021-11-12). COP26: Governments Play Deaf To Social Movements. popularresistance.org Glasgow, Scotland – One element that runs through all social movement climate summits is their rejection of the official meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the low ambition of its outcomes — and the treaty's 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) was no exception. | The leaders of the UNFCCC "gladly welcome those who caused the crisis. COP26 has done nothing but pretend and greenwash," Mitzi Jonelle Tan, a member of the non-governmental organization Youth Advocates for Climate Action from the Philippines, told IPS during a rally at the Glasgow Screening Room, a…

MEE, agencies (2021-11-12). Qatari foreign minister calls for end to Arab Syria normalisation. middleeasteye.net Qatari foreign minister calls for end to Arab Syria normalisation | Comments follow visit by UAE foreign minister to Syrian capital Damascus | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 15: 45 | A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on November 9, 2021, shows President Bashar al-Assad (R) receiving UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (L) in Damascus (AFP)…

Staff (2021-11-12). Apple quietly files patents for new unannounced product. rt.com Apple has filed multiple patents which describe a method of connecting small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to various wireless controllers — and has seemingly tried to keep its research project a secret. | The US Patent and Trademark Office published two patent applications from the Silicon Valley company on Thursday. | Read more | | In an apparent bid to keep the project secret, Apple initially filed its patents in Singapore, according to Patently Apple, a blog that tracks the firm's IPs. O…

WSWS (2021-11-12). South Korea's KCTU union confederation to stage rally Saturday amid surge in working class anger. wsws.org The KCTU and its affiliated unions are working to prevent the outbreak of a larger working-class struggle, not lead it.

WSWS (2021-11-12). Over 100,000 Sri Lankan workers walkout to demand higher wages and better conditions. wsws.org This week's union-controlled protests were timed to coincide with Finance Minister Rajapakse's austerity budget proposals, which will be presented to parliament today.

Peoples Dispatch (2021-11-12). Heavy rainfall leaves 20 dead in Sri Lanka. peoplesdispatch.org At least 20 people have died due to heavy flooding in Sri Lanka, with thousands devastated across the country. The authorities have issued a level-2 warning over possible landslides in south-central areas of Sri Lanka…

WSWS (2021-11-12). Over 100,000 Sri Lankan workers walk out to demand higher wages and better conditions. wsws.org This week's union-controlled protests were timed to coincide with Finance Minister Rajapakse's austerity budget proposals, which will be presented to parliament today.

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Turkish-Backed Militant Killed, Others Injured In New Round Of Infighting In Northeastern Syria. southfront.org Illustrative image. | On November 12, heavy clashes broke out between two groups of the Hamzah Division in the Turkish-occupied town of Ras al-Ain in the northern countryside of the northeastern Syrian province of al-Hasakah. | The Hamzah Division is a key faction of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, which rules over Turkish-occupied areas in northern and northeastern Syria. | According to Syrian activists, the clashes broke out when militants of a Hamzah Division group led by a local warlord known as…

Anonymous765 (2021-11-12). White Helmets Join In On Justifying Turkey's Upcoming Northern Syria Operations. southfront.org | DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK : | MONERO (XMR): 49HqitRzdnhYjgTEAhgGpCfsjdTeMbUTU6cyR4JV1R7k2Eej9rGT8JpFiYDa4tZM6RZiFrH…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Central Syria: Dozens Of Russian Airstrikes Hit ISIS Cells In Response To Attack On Eastern Homs, Hama. southfront.org Early on November 12, ISIS cells in central Syria launched a large-scale attack on pro-government forces in eastern Homs and…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Advanced British Spy Aircraft Spotted Flying Near Russian Bases On Syria's Coast. southfront.org Image shows an RAF Rivet Joint RC-135W signals intelligence aircraft taking off from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. This file is licensed under the Open Government Licence version 1.0 (OGL v1.0). By Sgt Si Pugsley RAF/MOD | On November 12, an advanced RC-135W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) was spotted by aviation observers while conducting an unusual mission over the Eastern Mediterranean. | The large reconnaissance aircraft flew off the coast of Syria a…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Turkey's 'Drone Killer' System Successfully Completed Its First Test. southfront.org Fedai system launcher, source: aa.com.tr | Turkey's new "Drone Killer" system had successfully completed its first test, Guray Ali Canli, head of the company developing the system, Transvaro, revealed on November 11. | The system, dubbed "Fedai," was showcased during the SAHA Expo, a major Turkish defense event which began on November 10 in Istanbul. | Fedai was designed by Transvaro to engage and destroy all types of unmanned aerial vehicles. The system itself utilizes drone-like mu…

_____ (2021-11-12). Turkey Took Up the Use of Climate Weapons. journal-neo.org Because of drought, crop failures, and shortages of freshwater water wars are today becoming for the population of many regions as urgent as the dangers of wars involving nuclear bombs, chemicals, and other means of mass destruction. They cause mass migration, exacerbate the political situation, hostilities and wars. In this context, for example, the Nile …

_____ (2021-11-12). Turkey in the Light of a "Conspiracy" Stagged by Western Ambassadors. journal-neo.org The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has abandoned his threat to dismiss 10 western Ambassadors due to their joint statement in supporting the imprisoned civil society leader and philanthropist Osman Kavala. The decision came after the United States and several other interested countries issued identical declarations about their compliance with the UN convention, which requires …

Mohammed Amin (2021-11-12). Sudan coup: Could sanctions turn country into the next Yemen or Libya? middleeasteye.net Sudan coup: Could sanctions turn country into the next Yemen or Libya? | Opposition split over international and regional pressure amid concerns country could fracture into rival spheres | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 14: 03 | Sudanese protesters carry a portrait of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok during a gathering Omdurman in last month (AFP) | Sudanese political parties, syndicates and activists are split ov…

Sean Mathews (2021-11-12). US lawmakers warn of 'consequences' after Yemen's Houthis detain embassy staff. middleeasteye.net US lawmakers warn of 'consequences' after Yemen's Houthis detain embassy staff | Leading Republican and Democratic lawmakers say storming of US compound and detention of employees demonstrates rebels have 'no interest in peace' | Fri, 11/12/2021 – 22: 05 | A security member loyal to Yemen's Houthi movement lifts his firearm during a demonstration in front of closed US embassy in Sanaa, on 18 January 2…

Anonymous669 (2021-11-12). Saudi-Backed Forces Withdrew From Dozens Of Positions In Yemen's Al-Hudaydah — Reports. southfront.org File image. | Saudi-backed forces have carried out a surprise withdrawal from dozens of positions in the southern and eastern outskirts of the western Yemeni city of al-Hudaydah, the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen channel reported on November 11. | In November of 2018, the Saudi-led coalition and its Yemeni proxies reached the outskirts of the Houthi-held costal city after a large-scale offensive. The following month, the offensive came to an end as a result of a UN-brokered ceasefire agreement. | A Yemeni source told a…

2021-11-13 20:06 | 16:06 EST | jz | 48 | 0 | 39 | 7 | 0