(2021-10-31). Why the troubled US empire could quickly fall apart. asiatimes.com 
The US wars lost in Iraq and Afghanistan exposed imperial overreach beyond what even 20 years of war could manage. That the defeats were drawn out for so many years shows that domestic politics and the funding of the domestic military-industrial complex were, more than geopolitics, the key drivers of these wars. Empires can die …
(2021-10-31). UK Covers Up War Crimes for Political Reasons. journal-neo.org 
It is common knowledge that the British armed forces have been heavily involved in the conflicts of the last decades incited by the United States as they used their troops on a large scale in Iraq and Afghanistan, to name a few. Due to the US and UK military actions in those countries a lot …
(2021-10-31). Israel reactivates administrative detention for Kayed al-Fasfous, who is on hunger strike. peoplesdispatch.org Kayed al-Fasfous, who has been on hunger strike for 108 days, will be in detention until December 14 at least. His health has deteriorated considerably and organizations have warned his life is in danger…
(2021-10-31). US should cease persecution of Assange. asiatimes.com 
I am deeply concerned over the precedents the fallout from the situation involving the detention and potential extradition of Australian editor and publisher Julian Assange will set. While the legal grounds for the charges against Assange bring up many important questions that should not be overlooked, we risk a more flagrant assault on the principles …
(2021-10-31). Saudi Arabia: Dealing with Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon 'pointless'. middleeasteye.net 
Saudi Arabia: Dealing with Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon 'pointless' | Gulf diplomatic crisis over Lebanon minister's comments on Yemen war deepens as Saudi foreign minister claims Hezbollah proxies dominant in country and the UAE urges its citizens to leave | Sun, 10/31/2021 – 19: 02 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan: 'There is a crisis in Lebanon with the dominance of Irani…
(2021-10-31). Lebanon: Embattled minister says resignation 'out of the question' amid Gulf row. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon: Embattled minister says resignation 'out of the question' amid Gulf row | Information Minister George Kordahi has been in Saudi Arabia's crosshairs since his comments critical of the Yemen war aired earlier this week | Sun, 10/31/2021 – 14: 39 | Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi arrives to meet with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai in Bkerki, Lebanon, on 30 October 2021 (Reuters)…
(2021-10-31). Cover-up of U.S. Nuclear Sub Collision in South China Sea. dissidentvoice.org "When elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled." So warned Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in his address to the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2020. He was referring to the consequences for East Asia of a conflict between the US and China. Fast forward to October 2, 2021, about one year later, …
(2021-10-31). Friday 11/5: Prints & Protest: The Legacy of Poster Making in Social Justice Movements. indybay.org Oakland Asian Cultural Center | 388 9th Street | Oakland, CA 94607…
(2021-10-31). What and when Big Oil knew about climate change. asiatimes.com 
Four years ago, I traveled around America, visiting historical archives. I was looking for documents that might reveal the hidden history of climate change — and in particular, when the major coal, oil and gas companies became aware of the problem, and what they knew about it. I pored over boxes of papers, thousands of …
(2021-10-31). Chinese, Indonesia FMs voice serious concerns over AUKUS nuclear submarine deal. ecns.cn Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Indonesia counterpart Retno Marsudi met Friday, vowing to enhance bilateral ties and voicing serious concerns over the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
(2021-10-31). Vuelta a la Patria: 94 Venezuelans Return Home from Ecuador for Free. orinocotribune.com 
The Venezuelan government, by virtue of its commitment for the protection of Venezuelans abroad, in coordination with State airline CONVIASA, facilitated the safe return of 94 Venezuelans from the Republic of Ecuador, free of charge, as part of the Vuelta a la Patria (Return to the Homeland) program. | Among the repatriated Venezuelans are children, adolescents, adults and the elderly, natives of the states of Zulia, Yaracuy, Trujillo, Táchira, Sucre, Nueva Esparta, Monagas, Miranda, Mérida, Lara, Carabobo and the Capital District, according to a press release. | During their boarding at the José Joaquín Olmedo I…
(2021-10-31). Morocco: PJD elects veteran leader as head of party after electoral defeat. middleeasteye.net 
Morocco: PJD elects veteran leader as head of party after electoral defeat | Abdelilah Benkirane named secretary-general of the Islamist party, which suffered a serious blow in September elections | Sun, 10/31/2021 – 16: 01 | The secretary-general of the Islamist Justice and Development Party and former prime minister, Abdelilah Benkirane, arrives for a meeting in Sale, Morocco on 18 March…
(2021-10-31). Two Syrian soldiers wounded in attack of Israeli fighter jets near Golan Heights. tass.com Apart from that, Kulit pointed out that Russian military personnel were continuing to fulfil peacekeeping missions in northern Syrian cities of Ain-Issa and Tel Rifat…
(2021-10-31). Playing with fire on Taiwan question is doomed to fail: Chinese UN ambassador. ecns.cn Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Friday spoke to the press on the recent erroneous statements by the U.S. government in support of Taiwan's "meaningful participation" in the United Nations.
(2021-10-31). US-Turkey: Biden says Erdogan's request for F-16s has to go through process. middleeasteye.net 
US-Turkey: Biden says Erdogan's request for F-16s has to go through process | Leaders hold 'constructive' talks and pledge to improve relations after days of tensions over Osman Kavala
| Sun, 10/31/2021 – 14: 36 | President Joe Biden and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo as they attend a bilateral meeting, on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit in Rome, 31…
(2021-10-30). Assange Must Not Be Extradited for Exposing War Crimes in Afghanistan. zcomm.org Ali calls the case "a political trial" and a "punitive attempt by the British government … to try and punish Julian on behalf of the United States."
(2021-10-30). Lebanon Hit By Another Crisis: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Expel Lebanese Ambassadors. southfront.org 
Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi | On October 29th, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Lebanon and gave the Lebanese ambassador 48 hours to leave the Kingdom. | The Kingdom ordered the immediate ban to all Lebanese imports, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday. Saudi citizens were also banned from traveling to Lebanon. | The same day, the Kingdom of Bahrain followed the Saudi example and ordered the Lebanese ambassador to leave the country within two days. | The diplomatic conflict followed the footage that emerged earlier this week and showed a Lebanese min…
(2021-10-30). Lebanon: Gulf diplomatic crisis mounts over minister's Yemen war comments. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanon: Gulf diplomatic crisis mounts over minister's Yemen war comments | Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait recalled their ambassadors to Beirut after critical comments made by the Lebanese information minister on Yemen war | Sat, 10/30/2021 – 11: 58 | Lebanon's Information Minister George Kordahi speaks at the presidential palace in Baabda on 13 September 2021(Reuters) | Pressure was mou…
(2021-10-30). La alianza Cuba-Venezuela es un puente de solidaridad. cubadebate.cu Con total apego a la ética y al sentido del deber, más de 255 000 colaboradores de la Isla han prestado servicios en la República Bolivariana a través del Convenio Integral de Colaboración Cuba-Venezuela que este 30 de octubre celebra su vigésimo primer aniversario de existencia y evoca las firmas históricas de los Comandantes Fidel y Chávez.
(2021-10-30). US Watchdog Says State Dept., DoD Pressured it to Redact Afghan Reports, 'Impeded' Honest Reporting. sputniknews.com In August, amid the chaos unleashed in Afghanistan as US troops withdrew from the country and Taliban swiftly gained ground, a Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) agency report questioned whether gains from America's intervention in Afghanistan were "commensurate with US investment or sustainable after a drawdown".
(2021-10-30). Taliban Calls for US to Release Billions in Frozen Afghan Funds. news.antiwar.com The Taliban on Friday repeated a call "The money belongs to the Afghan nation. Just give us our own money," Taliban Finance Ministry spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal told Reuters. "Freezing this money is unethical and is against all international laws and values." | The US has frozen about $9 billion in Afghan funds, including about $7 billion that is held by the US federal reserve. Wa…
(2021-10-30). Religious Ultra-Conservatism Has A Field Day In Pakistan. It Puts Saudi Arabia on The Spot. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Written by Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism is having a field day. | Barely three months after the Taliban claimed victory in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the second most populous Muslim-majority state, is moving to join Kabul in becoming an outpost of religious intolerance and Muslim supremacy. | In doing so, Pakistan, alongside Afghanistan, has come down on the side of countries like Turkey and Iran that advocate various forms of political Islam and public adherence to the faith as opposed to Gulf state…
(2021-10-30). US Watchdog Says State, Pentagon Withholding Information From Public About Afghan Collapse. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Biden administration is withholding information from the public that could have predicted the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban,* US Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko said on Friday.
(2021-10-30). [Correspondence] The World Health Network: a global citizens' initiative. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic has cost more than 4 million lives, left millions of people with persistent symptoms (ie, long COVID), and has devastated societies, with already disadvantaged communities being hit hardest. The tragedy is that much of this harm was preventable, as shown early on by many Asia-Pacific countries that pursued elimination of COVID-19 and protected both their public health and economies.1—3 The rest of the world can still work towards elimination. The World Health Network (WHN) is a coalition of citizens and experts who are committed to global action to protect public health through progres…
(2021-10-30). The Glasgow summit, climate change, and the case for socialism. wsws.org The past two years have seen a series of escalating climate disasters in all regions of the globe, including massive wildfires from the Australian bush to the American west, devastating flooding in Europe, Asia and the Americas, and deadly heatwaves the world over.
(2021-10-30). [Correspondence] When suspicion replaces evidence in public health. thelancet.com The UK Government's decision not to recognise people as vaccinated if they received COVID-19 vaccines in most of Latin America, Africa, and south Asia received widespread condemnation.1 Many commentators have rightly called out this discriminatory policy, which unfairly targets people from low-income countries. However, as a group of scholars from the medical humanities and social sciences, we are particularly concerned that the way in which the government makes decisions about which countries are exempt from quarantine once fully vaccinated dispenses with evidence-based policy making.
(2021-10-30). Modi makes spectacle of India's 1 billionth COVID vaccine shot to cover up his government's culpability for mass death. wsws.org By rights, Modi should be charged—as his Brazilian counterpart, the fascist Jair Bolsonaro, has been—for promoting quackery and presiding over crimes against humanity.
(2021-10-30). President Maduro's Message for Chavismo and Opposition Candidates in the 21N Elections. orinocotribune.com On Thursday, October 28, President Maduro called upon the people of Venezuela to inform themselves about the diverse political proposals in the upcoming November 21 regional elections, and also sent a clear message to all the candidates competing in the elections. | The president exhorted the political aspirants, both Chavistas and from the opposition, to effectively formulate their agendas as part of a major political event that will materialize as an expression of peace, harmony and democracy in Venezuela. | "The day has arrived, October 28," stated the president. "The electoral campaign has begun in the run-up…
(2021-10-30). Iran nuclear deal: Western leaders urge Iran to act in 'good faith'. middleeasteye.net 
Iran nuclear deal: Western leaders urge Iran to act in 'good faith' | Leaders of the US, the UK, Germany and France, who are hoping to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels, say they want a negotiated solution | Sat, 10/30/2021 – 19: 32 | Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi (L) accompanied by the chief of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, Mohammad Eslami,…
(2021-10-30). Military Situation In Iraq On October 30, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On October 29, ISIS mortar attack was reported in the Miqdadiyah area | On October 29, Iraqi Army repelled ISIS attack in Adhim area | MORE ON THE TOPIC: |
(2021-10-30). Remembering Israel's Brutal massacre of Palestinian Civilians in Kafr Qasem. juancole.com By Nasim Ahmed | — ( Middle East Monitor ) — Israel's seemingly never-ending drive to uproot Palestinians from their homes by force of arms and threat of imminent slaughter resulted in one of its bloodiest massacres on 29 October 1956 in the village of Kafr Qasem, on the Israeli side of the 1949 Armistice …
(2021-10-30). It is the Israeli Occupation of the Stateless Palestinians that is the settler Colonial State, and, yes, Apartheid. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Apologists for Israeli policy have taken umbrage at the characterization of Israel as a settler colonial state that practices Apartheid. They argue that Israel is unlike the settler colonial societies (the United States, French Algeria, Brazil, Mexico and all of Latin America, Australia, South Africa, Rhodesia) in that it established …
(2021-10-30). Israeli Fighter Jets Escorted American Strategic Bomber En Route To Persian Gulf (Video, Photos). southfront.org 
An Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jet flies during an aerial demonstration. (photo credit: AMIR COHEN — REUTERS) | On October 30, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced that its fighters jets escorted an American B-1B supersonic strategic heavy bomber over Israel on its way to the Persian Gulf. "The joint flight illustrates the continued strategic cooperation of the Israel Defense Forces with the United States in the area," the Israeli military said on Twitter. | The American bomber was escorted by F-15 figh…
(2021-10-30). Israel's 'terrorist' designation of Palestinian rights groups credits 'apartheid' label U.S. political establishment denies. mronline.org 
For much of this year, Israel's defenders have waged a successful battle to keep the word "apartheid" from entering the mainstream discourse. Israel just set that process back by smearing Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations.
(2021-10-30). Philippines: Condemn Philippine National Police massacre of peasants in Masbate. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Oct. 25 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). | The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemns in the strongest terms the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the massacre of at least five peasants yesterday early morning in Barangay Bugtong, Mandaon town in Masbate province. | Contrary to the PNP's claims in their press releases, the victims were not members of the New People's Army (NPA). The PNP identified one of the victims as Eddie/Arnold Rosero, a local resident. | According to the NPA's Regional Operational Command in Bicol,…
(2021-10-30). Sri Lankan government abandons limited COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. wsws.org In order to justify its relaxation of COVID-19 health security measures, Colombo is seeking to artificially engineer lower official statistics of infections and deaths.
(2021-10-30). 75 years & counting: a history of Western regime change in Syria — Part I. mronline.org 
Washington and London's latest war against Syria was incubated in CIA and MI6 offices long before the manufactured "uprising" erupted in 2011.
(2021-10-30). Three Attacks Reported In Syria's Daraa In Less Than 24 Hours. southfront.org 
File image. | On October 30, at least three attacks took place in different parts of the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa where the situation is still unstable. | The first attack targeted Abdul al-Kafi al-Ali, an alleged informer of the General Intelligence Directorate. The man was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen on a road between his hometown al-Shajarah and the nearby town of Nafa'ah in the western countryside of Daraa. | A few hours later, doctor Widad al-Harriri was seriously wounded when her veh…
(2021-10-30). Turkish Combat Drone, Artillery Target SDF Positions In Syria's Raqqa. southfront.org 
File image. | The Turkish military and its Syrian proxies continue to harass the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in what appears to be an attempt to start a military confrontation in Syria's northeastern region. | On October 30 afternoon, a Turkish combat drone, reportedly a Bayraktar TB2, carried out an airstrike on a checkpoint of the SDF near the town of Ain Issa in the northern countryside of Raqqa, according to Syrian opposition sources. No losses were reported. | A few hours after the airstrike,…
(2021-10-30). Taiwan's DPP authority slammed for lies, deception. ecns.cn A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday slammed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan for misleading people of the island and deceiving the international community.
(2021-10-30). China opposes official exchanges between Lithuania and Taiwan region. ecns.cn The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Saturday China firmly opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China.
(2021-10-30). Biden again lashes out against China over Taiwan. wsws.org Biden's remarks are the latest in a rising drumbeat of inflammatory statements from Washington that undermine the diplomatic and strategic status quo in the Taiwan Strait that has existed for four decades.
(2021-10-30). Military Situation In Yemen On October 30, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 180 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On October 29, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 18 airstrikes on the Sarwah district | On October 29, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Jubah district | On October 29, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Markha district | On October 29, Saudi-led coalition warplanes…
(2021-10-30). At Least 12 Killed In Explosion Near Yemen's Aden Airport (Videos, Photos). southfront.org 
File image. | On October 30 afternoon, a large explosion rocked the entrance of the International Airport of the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, which is held by Saudi-backed forces. | Yemeni officials said that a small truck carrying petroleum products blew up at an outer gate to the airport. It is still not clear whether the incident was an attack, as suggested by several news sources. | An unmanned Yemeni official told the France-Press Agency, AFP, that twelve people were killed as a result of the explosion. Doz…
(2021-10-30). Yemen: At least 12 dead, including children, in Aden airport blast – security official. middleeasteye.net 
Yemen: At least 12 dead, including children, in Aden airport blast – security official | Explosion, the deadliest since December, came almost three weeks after six people had been killed in a car-bomb attack that targeted Aden's governor, who survived | Sat, 10/30/2021 – 20: 13 | Yemeni emergency service staff at the site of an explosion near the airport in Yemen's southern city of Aden on…