(2021-10-19). How US-Soviet Cold War Competition led to Fall of the Afghan Left and Collapse of the Country into Fundamentalism. juancole.com By Luis Edel Abreu Veranes | — From the turbulent 1970s ( Middle East Monitor) — With its geographic centrality on the Asian continent, Afghanistan has historically become a corridor and civilisational interstice between Persian and Hindustani empires and peoples flowing in from the north. Some were Turkic-speaking, who marked and shaped the ethnic synthesis …
(2021-10-19). Zalmay Khalilzad Resigns as Special Envoy for Afghanistan. news.antiwar.com Zalmay Khalilzad has resigned as the US special envoy for Afghanistan, Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, was first appointed as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation by the Trump administration in 2018. His negotiations in Qatar with the Taliban led to the signing of the Doha agreement, which paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. | Eve…
(2021-10-19). China's road to economic development. indybay.org While we were all enthusiastically looking at Afghanistan and Central Asia, China has built a railway to the border of Myanmar with an access to the Indian Ocean for transiting goods.
(2021-10-19). Eurasian Women's Forum: Women in the Changing World. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-19). After Austin leaves, NATO Caucasus, Central Asia point man arrives in Georgia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com NATO Special Representative for Caucasus, Central Asia to visit Georgia NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Javier Colomina will arrive today in Tbilisi. Colomina will hold meetings with President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, Parliament Speaker …
(2021-10-19). Narrative Traps in India's Decision-making. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-10-19). Comedian Dave Chapelle's The Closer: A racist tirade disguised as stand-up comedy. indybay.org To an extent without precedent by any entertainment figure in recent memory, Chapelle openly advocates anti-Semitism and gloats over racist violence directed against Asians.
(2021-10-19). Azerbaijan launches new war games in conquered Nagorno-Karabakh. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Azerbaijani army starts command post exercises in Lachin district Command-staff exercises began in the Lachin district on October 19 in accordance with the plan for the preparation of the ground forces of the Azerbaijani army for 2021, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Defense. During the command-staff exercises, the interaction of the Ground Forces with …
(2021-10-19). Azerbaijan's defense chief awards Turkish-trained commandos, meets veterans of Karabakh invasion. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Azerbaijani Defense minister visited the recently established commando military unit According to the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, activities on increasing the combat capability of the Azerbaijan Army are underway, the Ministry of Defense told APA. On October 19, the Minister of …
(2021-10-19). Dispatches from India: Fuel price hikes haunt the poor. peoplesdispatch.org In this episode, we take a look at the latest from the farmers' protest, the dismissal of government employees in Kashmir and the impact of the relentless hike in fuel prices on the poor…
(2021-10-19). How opium trade funded the British Empire. peoplesdispatch.org The British empire and the massive strides made by the United Kingdom in the age of colonization was built on the trade of opium that had a lasting effect on India and China. Journalists Nilanjan and Prabir Purkayastha, and author Thomas Manuel talk about the past and present of opium trade…
(2021-10-19). Demonstrations in New York Against Alex Saab Abduction, Campaigns Relaunched, Russia & Iran Protest (Photos & Video). orinocotribune.com 
Caracas, October 18, 2021 ( In New York this Sunday, October 17, a group of local activists gathered in support of the diplomat to demand justice for the arbitrary actions of the United States last Saturday, when the ambassador of Venezuela to the African Union was illegally extracted from Cape…
(2021-10-19). Colin Powell: The US ruling class mourns a faithful servant. wsws.org Powell headed the US military during the first Iraq war and, as secretary of state, was a leading figure in the second Iraq war.
(2021-10-19). Colin Powell: Iraqis Will 'Not Shed Tears' for 2003 Invasion Architect. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-19). Colin Powell Was a Nice Man Who Helped Destroy Iraq. zcomm.org As secretary of state in 2003, Powell lied at the United Nations about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction…
(2021-10-19). PKK Struggles To Stay On Its Feet; Draws From PJAK's Pool Of Fighters. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | Written by The last three years have proven to be difficult years for the PKK. As Turkey has started operation after operation, increased its permanent military presence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and has managed to expel PKK fighters from several of its camps in North-Iraq. Analysis of data sets concerning PKK fatalities, media announcements of the PKK, and statistics provided by a Kurdish human rights research institute, show a changing trend: PKK is drawing from PJAK's pool of f…
(2021-10-19). A Reluctant Warrior? An Examination of Gen. Colin Powell's Bloody Legacy from Iraq to Latin America. democracynow.org 
We look at the life and legacy of Colin Powell, who is best known for giving false testimony to the U.N. Security Council in 2003 about nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, paving the way for the U.S. invasion and occupation that would kill over 1 million Iraqis. Powell, who was the first Black secretary of state, the first Black and youngest chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first Black national security adviser, died on Monday due to blood cancer and Parkinson's disease that left him vulnerable to infection from COVID-19. Tributes poured in from top U.S. leaders in both Republican and Democ…
(2021-10-19). North Korea launches TWO ballistic missiles less than a month after 'hypersonic' missile test — reports. rt.com 
Pyongyang has reportedly carried out another weapons test, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying that the reclusive nation launched two ballistic missiles on Tuesday, as cited by Reuters. | The reported missile test took place around 10: 17am local time on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff reported. The South Korean military said at least one missile was fired from a launch site near the North Korean port city of Sinpo in central South Hamgyong Province. | There have been few other details about the launch, with Seoul's military noting that they have been conducting a "thorough analysis"
(2021-10-19). Reduced-Dose vs High-Dose Glucocorticoids Added to Rituximab and Remission Induction in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply Dr Chandwar and colleagues comment that the patients in our study had normal kidney function. However, we disagree because the median eGFR was 52 mL/min/1.73 m2, which is lower than the eGFR of the general Japanese population aged 70 to 74 years (median, 68 mL/min/1.73 m2). Second, the higher prevalence of MPO-ANCA positivity has been previously reported in Japanese patients. We agree that the applicability of our regimen to patients with PR3-ANCA positivity should be further investigated, although in our study the regimen was fairly effective in this subgroup of patients. Third, our study's treatment re…
(2021-10-19). North Korea Test-Launches SLBM, Causes A Stir In Washington, Seoul And Tokyo. southfront.org 
Illustrative image. Click to see full-size image | On October 19th, North Korea test-launched at least 1 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), causing a stir in South Korea and the U.S. | United States' INDOPACOM released a statement on the attack, condemning it. | .
(2021-10-19). North Korea Reportedly Used Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile in Latest Test. sputniknews.com TOKYO (Sputnik) – South Korea believes North Korea conducted a short-range ballistic missile test on Tuesday morning, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing representatives of the country's National Security Council.
(2021-10-19). Retinal Artery Thrombosis and Aortic Valve Vegetations. jamanetwork.com A 42-year-old woman had 30 days of blurry vision in the right eye. Dilated-fundus examination and fluorescein angiography showed retinal artery thrombosis; echocardiography showed pedunculated and mobile aortic valve vegetations, and results of testing for antinuclear antibodies were positive at low titer (1: 40, homogenous pattern) with positive dsDNA (5.0 IU/mL). What is the diagnosis and what would you do next?
(2021-10-19). Central Europe, From Postcommunism to Democracy? counterpunch.org Last Sunday, a 94-year-old woman held a small European flag in her hand as she wheeled her wheelchair through Warsaw among thousands of demonstrators protesting against the reform of the Polish judiciary and her government's confrontation with the European Union. That lady, who in 1944 was a young fighter in the Warsaw Uprising against Nazism,
(2021-10-19). Oklahoma woman convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to four years in prison for miscarriage. wsws.org The political context for this reactionary and barbaric case is a full-fledged assault on abortion rights in the United States.
(2021-10-19). 'Karen in the Air': Watch Woman Preach About Pandemic Via Microphone During Midflight. sputniknews.com The choice of time and place was definitely wrong, and though the woman claimed to have good intentions, she nearly drove her fellow passengers mad.
(2021-10-19). A Giant Leap for Palestine? Stay Tuned! globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-19). Oppose the Sri Lankan government's massive price hikes! wsws.org The working class must organise an offensive against the government's austerity measures, independent of the trade unions, pseudo lefts and so-called opposition parties, and based on socialist policies.
(2021-10-19). Military Situation In Syria On October 19, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 18, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 11 times: 5 — in Idlib province, 5 — in Latakia province, 5 — in Aleppo province | On October 18, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions near Tal Tamar | On October 19, Russian warplanes attacked positions of Turkish-backed forces in al-Barah area | On October 19, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SAA positions in the 46th regi…
(2021-10-19). Russian Warplanes Back In Syria's Idlib, Targeting Militants' Hideouts. southfront.org 
(2021-10-19). Turkish-Backed Syrian National Army Announces Merge Of 6 Militant Factions. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 18th, the Azm operations room of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) announced the merge of 6 of the factions under its leadership. | The factions include: | Jabhat al-Shamiyah | Jaysh al-Islam | Glory Corps | Firqat 51 | Sultan Malik Shah | Liwa al-Salam | They are becoming part of the 3rd Legion, which is part of the 3rd Corps. | A 3rd Legion already exists inside SNA, but this one is apparently separate from it, and some of the "original" 3rd Legion factions are also in…
(2021-10-19). Another anti-China provocation: US, Canadian warships transit Taiwan Strait. wsws.org The Biden administration is goading China by continuing Trump's high-level contact with Taiwanese officials, increased arms sales to Taipei and frequent naval transits of the Taiwan Strait.
(2021-10-19). War Talk from the Mad Monk: Tony Abbott goes to Taiwan. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by Dr. Binoy Kampmark | No one can stop him. He can barely stop himself. The former Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, seems to be everywhere, fighting the poor cause. At the very least, he is everywhere with the press cameras, the niggling concerns, the irritations that make it into the twenty-four-hour news cycle before sinking with toxic charm. He is the perfect ingredient in a stew of conflict, the agitator, the irritant. | The range of issues that have seen his intervention have taken him to conservative, often reactionary fora, the world over. He has given a glos…
(2021-10-19). COVID-19: How Thailand Is Using a 'Cheap and Effective' Traditional Herbal Medicine to Treat Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-19). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Next steps, new leader for Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Dr. Cheryl Willman was named executive director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Programs, and director of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in May. In this role, Dr. Willman is leading the expansion and strategic development of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center locations in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, as well as newly developing Mayo Clinic global cancer programs in London and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as…
(2021-10-19). Military Situation In Yemen On October 19, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 18, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 14 airstrikes on the Jubah district | On October 18, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 11 airstrikes on the Sarwah district | On October 18, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Labanat area | On October 19, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continued in the Jubah district | On October 19, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continued in the west of Marib city…
(2021-10-18). Bellingcat Funded by US and UK Intelligence Contractors that Aided Extremists in Syria. orinocotribune.com 
By Kit Klarenberg — Oct 9, 2021 | Supposedly "independent" website Bellingcat raked in money from scandal-ridden Western intelligence firms that wreaked havoc — and reaped massive profits — in Syria. | Since its launch in July 2014, the self-styled open-source investigations website Bellingcat has cemented itself as a darling of mainstream Western media, with its dives into alleged Syrian government
(2021-10-18). Hezbollah Leader Declares Group Has 100,000 'Trained & Experienced' Fighters – Report. sputniknews.com Tensions have been high in Lebanon, where, in addition to an already difficult economic situation, armed clashes took place on Thursday during protests over the lengthy probe into the Beirut port blast. The gunfight in Lebanon's capital last week has evoked memories of the country's bloodiest period, the 1975-90 civil war.
(2021-10-18). Lebanon: Nasrallah says Hezbollah 'never been stronger'. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon: Nasrallah says Hezbollah 'never been stronger' | Hezbollah chief says group has 100,000 fighters and blames last week's killing of seven people on the Lebanese Forces party | Mon, 10/18/2021 – 21: 05 | Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah delivers a televised speech from an undisclosed location on 18 October 2021 (AFP) | Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on Monday that the group has n…
(2021-10-18). Afghanistan Tackles The Islamic State. popularresistance.org On October 8, a terrible blast struck the worshippers attending Friday noon prayers at the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in the Khan Abad district of Bandar, the capital of Kunduz, one of Afghanistan's largest cities in its northern belt. This is a mosque frequented by Shia Muslims, who were referred to as "our compatriots" by Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid. Forty-six people died immediately in the blast, and local officials said that many more people were injured in the incident. Not long afterward, the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K), took credit for the attack on its Telegram channel. The…
(2021-10-18). Explosion Rocked Afghan's Jalalabad As Taliban Prepares Operation Against ISIS In Nangarhar. southfront.org 
Illustrative Image | A large explosion took place in the city of Jalalabad, the administrative center of Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. | According to the local agency Asvaka, the incident occurred in the Kabul-Hada quarter of the city on October 18. | An improvised explosive device (IED) went off on a busy street at the moment when a Taliban's vehicle belonging was passing by. Two civilians were reportedly injured and taken to the hospital. | No photos were released to confirm the reports. | The Taliban are yet to comment on the issue. | The Nangarhar province is an are of increased ISIS activity in…
(2021-10-18). Headlines for October 18, 2021. democracynow.org Gutting Democrats' Climate Plans, Manchin Opposes Renewable Energy Program in Reconciliation Bill, Manchin Wants Strict Conditions on Child Tax Credit, Which Has Lifted Millions of Kids from Poverty, FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Booster Shots of J&J COVID-19 Vaccine, Bronx Man Dies of COVID-19 One Hour After Release from Rikers Jail, COVID Cases on the Rise in the U.K, Russia; Melbourne Ends World's Longest Lockdown, U.S. to Compensate Afghan Families over August Drone Strike That Killed 10 Civilians, Death Toll in ISIS-K Mosque Attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Rises to 47, British Lawmaker David Amess Fatall…
(2021-10-18). Ambassador: NATO heavyweights Turkey, U.S. need to coordinate management of Greater Eurasia. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Time for Turkish-US rapprochement, says envoy The transatlantic alliance is being tested with recent developments in the Middle East, North Africa, Black Sea basin, and Asia, and it is time for rapprochement between Turkey and U.S., according to Turkey's ambassador to Washington [Hasan Murat Mercan]. "…transitioning transatlantic security priorities to an era of great power …
(2021-10-18). Stoltenberg in the Financial Times: NATO to confront rising China. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Nato to counter rising China Countering the security threat from the rise of China will be an important part of Nato's future rationale, the alliance's chief has said, marking a significant rethink of the western alliance's objectives that reflects the US's geostrategic pivot to Asia. In an interview with the Financial Times, Nato secretary-general Jens …
(2021-10-18). Turkey's Greater Ambitions Are Threat To Peace And National Sovereignty In Central Asia And Beyond. southfront.org 
Illustrative ImageThe ideas of Pan-Turkism and "Great Turan" mask a Neo-Ottoman agenda | Written by Uriel Araujo, researcher with a focus on international and ethnic conflicts. | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be testing the waters for yet another military push into Syria, as he stated October 11 referring to Kurdish-controlled Tell Rifaat, a city in northwestern Syria. Turkish forces and their proxies have also controlled the northern Syrian city of Afrin since 2018. It seems Ankara seeks to further annex and to "turkify" an even larger chunk of the rebel areas of Northern Syria: it has backed T…
(2021-10-18). Central Asia's neoliberal tragedy. mronline.org 
Resilience cannot be restored without public spending, but the rentier business plan is to minimize taxes by shrinking the government, especially by privatizing its public utilities and other functions to create opportunities for charging monopoly rents, and to oppose taxation of economic rent.
(2021-10-18). The fourth brother: Qatari deputy prime minister, foreign minister in state visit to Azerbaijan. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com ==== Azerbaijan, Pakistan And Qatar Emiri Air Force Combat Aircraft Stole The Scene At Anatolian Eagle 2021 in Turkey ==== President Ilham Aliyev receives delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister of State of Qatar President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign …
(2021-10-18). As CIA Ramps Up Anti-China Actions, Why Doesn't Congress Oppose Biden's "New Cold War"? democracynow.org 
We speak with Ethan Paul, a former reporter with the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong who is now with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. China's military revealed last week that it had conducted beach landing and assault drills in the province across from Taiwan. This comes as the CIA has set up a new mission center focused solely on China. CIA Director William Burns has described China as "the most important geopolitical threat facing the United States." Paul says there has been almost no "meaningful dissent among Democrats" in Congress about "the need to make sure that we don't let this beast…
(2021-10-18). We Need Accountability for Those Who Commit Violence Against Native Women. aclu.org CONTENT WARNING: The following content contains details of sexual violence and may be harmful or traumatizing to some readers. | When L.B., a Northern Cheyenne woman, called the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to her house for help, she was hoping to receive support. Instead, she was sexually assaulted by a law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect her. | In October 2015, L.B. called the police to report that her mother was driving while intoxicated. Shortly after, a BIA officer arrived at L.B.'s house dressed in uniform in what started out as a routine visit. The officer entered her home and asked L.B.
(2021-10-18). Indonesia: America's Model "Democratic Leadership". A Historical Review. globalresearch.ca First published by GR on April 1, 2018, this article by renowned geopolitical analyst Shane Quinn focusses on | US government support for the notorious dictator General Suharto of Indonesia, and Washington's involvement in the bloodbath which took place there in …
(2021-10-18). Iran, Venezuela to Sign 20-Year Economic Cooperation Deal. news.antiwar.com Iran and Venezuela have announced Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia met with his Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday. After meeting with Plasencia, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the deal will be signed when Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visits Tehran in the "next few months." | The Iranian Foreign Mini…