(2020-10-13). A Rigged Judiciary Leads to Rigged Elections: Ari Berman on Barrett Hearings & GOP Voter Suppression. democracynow.org 
Amy Coney Barrett's involvement in the court fight over the 2000 presidential election, when she was a member of George W. Bush's legal team, shows she is willing to bend the law to benefit Republican candidates, says Mother Jones reporter Ari Berman. "That's what's so disturbing about Amy Coney Barrett, because that's exactly what President Trump wants to do right now," says Berman. "He wants a justice who will rule his way on the vote count, no matter what the facts or the law actually says." Berman also looks at challenges voters are facing nationwide as early voting is underway from Georgia to Arizona, where…
(2020-10-13). On Contact: Yugoslavia/USA Déjà Vu. popularresistance.org On the show this week, Chris Hedges discusses what happened three decades ago in Yugoslavia when the country broke into brutal warring factions, and the parallels in the US today, with Croatian author and journalist, Slavenka Drakuliƒá. | Drakuliƒá's book 'They Would Never Hurt a Fly' is about the war criminals from the former Yugoslavia who were put on trial in the Hague. She explores not only the motivations of these killers and their sense of themselves, but also how such crimes were allowed to be perpetrated in her country.
(2020-10-13). Headlines for October 13, 2020. democracynow.org Dems Warn of Threat to ACA, Roe v. Wade, as Hearing Begins for Trump SCOTUS Nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Trump Returns to Campaigning as COVID Status Remains Unclear, COVID-19 Cases Soaring in Europe, Russia, as India Becomes Second Country to Hit 7 Million Cases, Johnson & Johnson Halts Vaccine Trials; More Evidence of Reinfection Revealed, GA Early Voters Face Long Lines; CA Officials Warn GOP over Illegal Drop Sites, Pascua Yaqui Tribe Sues in Arizona over Voter Suppression Efforts, WH Moves Forward with Taiwan Weapons Sales as U.S. Officials Tell Taiwan to Ramp Up Defense, Bangladeshi Government Approves Death…
(2020-10-13). Video: Azerbaijani Military Destroys Armenian S-300s as Humanitarian Ceasefire Nears Its Collapse. globalresearch.ca The Armenian-Azerbaijani war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region does not show signs of nearing its end despite the humanitarian ceasefire launched in the region. The ceasefire started in the Nagorno-Karabakh region at 12: 00 local time on October 10. The ceasefire deal …
(2020-10-13). What's behind the crisis in Belarus? liberationnews.org 
Anti-government protests in Belarus continue in the wake of the Aug 9 presidential election. Economic decline, coronavirus mismanagement and the government's response to the protests have driven many Belarusians into the streets, including youth and industrial workers. Pensioners joined the rallies over the weekend, calling for an end to President Alexander Lukashenko's 26-year tenure and …
(2020-10-13). How Azerbaijan Is Lobbying Washington to Sanitize Its War. strategic-culture.org 
Documents reveal a flurry of activity to convince beltway elites that Armenia is the aggressor and the U.S. should favor Azerbaijan. | Barbara BOLAND | As conflict heats up over Nagorno-Karabakh, a tiny Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, a covert battle is taking place on Capitol Hill to win the hearts and minds of lawmakers in Washington. | Since hostilities began on September 27, hundreds of lives have been lost as Azerbaijani drones have flown within 20 miles of Yerevan, Armenia's capital, and an Armenian strike was carried out on a military base in Azerbaijan's second city, Ganja. | "The next targets could be…
(2020-10-13). Activists board supertrawler to prevent it from fishing in 'protected waters'. thecanary.co 
Greenpeace activists have boarded a supertrawler in the North Sea and prevented it from fishing in what it claims are protected waters.The environmental group said the Helen Mary vessel was fishing in the Central Fladen protected area, east of Scotland.Activists from the Greenpeace ship Esperanza boarded the 117 metre-long vessel and hung a banner reading: Ban supertrawlers now!Greenpeace activists board the Helen Mary supertrawler (Greenpeace/PA)Protected areas: They placed fishing deterrents in the supertrawler's nets before the Germany-registered Helen Mary left the area.In 2019, the same vessel was deta…
(2020-10-13). Lack of interpreter at coronavirus briefings leaves deaf 'isolated and misinformed'. thecanary.co 
Deaf people have said the lack of a sign language interpreter at coronavirus briefings in England is leaving the community "isolated" and allowing misinformation to spread.Lacking: British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters attend briefings in Scotland, Wales, and the north of Ireland, but have yet to appear with experts and politicians in England. The BBC provides a superimposed translator on the BBC News channel during briefings, who also appears on Downing Street's live Twitter feed.An interpreter from the BBC is used for Downing Street's Twitter feed of the coronavirus briefing (Screengrab/Twitter)Howeve…
(2020-10-13). US & 7 friendly nations sign Artemis Accords to carve up moon — but satellite is hard to reach without Russia's help. rt.com 
The US has signed a treaty with seven countries governing exploration and exploitation of the Moon and its resources. While many signatories never even landed there, Russia and China were — perhaps unsurprisingly — not invited. | The Artemis Accords, proposed in May to set reasonable boundaries for the growing number of countries eager to stake a claim to Earth's only satellite, have been officially
(2020-10-13). Trump Seeking New START Deal Pre-Election? globalresearch.ca Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has been a deal-breaker, not maker. | Hardliners surrounding him obstructed efforts to extend New START. | The last remaining Russia/US arms control agreement expires on February 5, 2021. | Unacceptable US demands on extending New …
(2020-10-13). Ukrainian government targets media outlet for broadcasting communist leader's message. peoplesdispatch.org The GolosUA media platform has been summoned by the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice for broadcasting the Victory Day message of Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) secretary Petro Symonenko…
(2020-10-13). Cameroonian Asylum Seekers Said to be One Day Away From Deportation Back to the Oppression They Fled. counterpunch.org There is a peaceful room in a safe, joyful home in the Washington metro area waiting for Micah, an English-speaking Cameroonian refugee who spent his 20th birthday on hunger strike in Pine Prairie Detention Center. His 19th birthday was also spent in ICE detention. His uncle, who raised him, has been counseling patience while waiting
(2020-10-13). Video: Is There a Second Wave? The Lockdown, Ireland, Statement of WHO COVID-19 Expert. globalresearch.ca In this Spectator report, the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) states the need to combat the virus while restoring economic activity. | The Irish government dismissed the recommendations of the medical experts who are calling for restoring the lockdown. …
(2020-10-13). Belgian Health Experts Demand Full Investigation into WHO for Faking COVID-19 Pandemic. globalresearch.ca A coalition of doctors and other health professionals in Belgium has issued an
(2020-10-13). Iranian, Serbian wrestling federations sign MoU. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 14 (MNA) — Iranian Wrestling Federation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Serbian Wrestling Federation on Tuesday.
(2020-10-12). The Russia Brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan Ceasefire. globalresearch.ca It was a diplomatic coup for Russia to broker a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan since it restored Moscow's relevance to the conflict, but for as positive of a development as this was, it's uncertain whether it'll last and will …
(2020-10-12). A New Wall for a New Cold War? globalresearch.ca The head of the prestigious Munich Security Conference warned late last month against efforts to "build a new 'wall' between Russia and the West" in light of the Navalny incident and the many other disagreements between both sides, and while …
(2020-10-12). Is Syria's Idlib the Next Gaza Strip? counterpunch.org 
"Many relatives of mine were living in camps near the border with Turkey," says Huda Husein, a 25-year-old teacher living in the rebel-held enclave of Idlib in northwest Syria. "But last month they returned home [to the cities and villages] because they prefer dying under an airstrike to dying in the camps." A cousin told her that "we are just fleeing from danger to danger", explaining that the misery of trying to survive in cramped tents was worse than bombardment by Russia and Syrian government forces.
(2020-10-12). Nagorno-Karabakh: the bigger picture. thealtworld.com A tangled web of alliances and realignments is forming over the latest conflict in the Caucasus | The wars that have afflicted our 'Middle East' region incessantly since the start of the last century have taught us two things: that 'dormant' ethnic and religious conflicts can be reawakened at any moment; and when truces are agreed they prove unreliable and short-lived so long as the underlying causes are not tackled. | The breakdown of the Russian-brokered humanitarian cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh — where hundreds have been killed and thousands displaced on both sides in the…
(2020-10-12). October 12 Declared Black and Indigenous Liberation Day. telesurenglish.net The Black and Indigenous Liberation Movement (BILN) declared this October 12 as Black and Indigenous Liberation Day, in contrast to the other names and types of the commemoration of the date that remembers the beginning of the European conquest of America in 1492. | RELATED: | The BILN describes itself as "a coalition of solidarity-based organizations committed to anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles in six cou…
(2020-10-12). Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process | Meanwhile, an Israeli pop singer performs religious rituals at a synagogue in Dubai, and Kuwait is set to spend $4bn on businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 16: 04 | German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, currently on a visit to Riyadh, tells a Saudi paper that his country seeks to 'bene…
(2020-10-12). Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist | Dursoltan Taganova is at risk of arbitrary detention and torture if deported, human rights campaigners have warned | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 28 | Social media picture of Dursoltan Taganova (Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights) | Human rights organisations have condemned plans by Turkish authorities to deport an activist to Turkmenistan, where they fear she w…
(2020-10-12). Armenia and Azerbaijan clash despite ceasefire declaration. peoplesdispatch.org 
A day after the Moscow-mediated truce deal, Armenia and Azerbaijan traded accusations of violations of the ceasefire and of attacks being conducted on the cities of Ganja and Stepanakert…
(2020-10-12). Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict raises spectre of 'pan-Turkism' in Iran. middleeasteye.net 
Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict raises spectre of 'pan-Turkism' in Iran | Government appears to shift to pro-Azerbaijan position as Iranian Azeris rally to support the country | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 52 | Iranians viewing skins and other merchandise at the bazaar in the city of Tabriz in Iran's northwestern East Azerbaijan province (AFP) | Fears have grown of unrest among Iran's Azeri minority…
(2020-10-12). Unofficial Saudi ban on Turkish exports hits fashion brands. middleeasteye.net 
Unofficial Saudi ban on Turkish exports hits fashion brands | Clothing giant Mango has experienced a ban on 'all imports for made in Turkey products' following months of customs delays and issues | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 17: 09 | Spain's Mango, Sweden's H&M and Britain's Marks and Spencer are among a number of European and US fashion retailers with manufacturing sites in Turkey (AFP/File photo) | An informal Saudi…
(2020-10-12). Trial finds fascists 'Guilty!' in Greece. workers.org 
A blow to neo-Nazi organizations — particularly in Europe, but also throughout the world — was dealt in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 7. After 400 court sessions, over 100 witnesses and five years of prosecution, the fascist Golden Dawn political party was convicted of being run as a "criminal enterprise." . . . |
(2020-10-12). North Cyprus president faces rival in run-off after neither wins majority. middleeasteye.net 
North Cyprus president faces rival in run-off after neither wins majority | President Mustafa Akinci, who supports the reunification of Cyprus, is favourite to win Sunday's secound round of voting | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 15 | The election council said 58 per cent of the almost 199,000-electorate voted, down from 62 per cent in 2015 (AFP) | Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus will head to the…
(2020-10-12). The Nuclearization of American Diplomacy. counterpunch.org 
On August 21st, six nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress bombers, representing approximately one-seventh of the war-ready U.S. B-52H bomber fleet, flew from their home base in North Dakota to Fairford Air Base in England for several weeks of intensive operations over Europe. Although the actual weapons load of those giant bombers was kept secret, each of them is capable of carrying eight AGM-86B nuclear-armed, air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) in its bomb bay.
(2020-10-12). Manhunt underway after teenager SHOOTS HIS GRANDMOTHER then kills 3 innocent people at bus stop in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod. rt.com 
Police in central Russia are searching for an 18-year-old male after a shooting spree in a suburban town near Nizhny Novgorod on Monday. Three people were killed and three injured; one of the victims was the gunman's grandmother. | A police source told Moscow news agency TASS that the teenager, named as Daniil Monakhov, first had an argument with his grandmother, whom he wounded with a gunshot from a hunting weapon. He then killed a neighbor before opening fire on people at a nearby bus stop. | Cops believe Monakhov, who fled from the scene of the murders in a Kia car, is carrying two smoothbore shotguns, one…
(2020-10-12). 'We should not forget who started this stage of war': Armenian president on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in exclusive RT interview. rt.com 
Armenian President Armen Sarkissian told RT that Azerbaijan has initiated the latest round of clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh and expressed hope that the Moscow-mediated ceasefire will hold despite problems on the ground. | "We should not forget… who started this stage of war. It was the Azeri side, not the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," Sarkissian told RT's Ilya Petrenko in an interview. | Inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, Nagorno-Karabakh seceded from Azerbaijan in 1991 and declared itself an independent republic after the 1994 armistice. The government in Baku maintains that the region is an "occupied…
(2020-10-12). Siberian grandfather discovered alive just a week after reportedly 'dying' of Covid-19: family suing Russian authorities for compo. rt.com 
With over a million deaths, there are now countless people who know someone to have passed away from Covid-19. For one Russian family, mourning was followed by a shock, after their 'dead' relative turned out to be very much alive. | In the tiny Siberian village of Shabanovo, around 3,000km east of Moscow, an elderly pensioner was laid to rest in a closed coffin, after being hospitalized with coronavirus. Just a week later, the family received a call from the man's nursing home with news that their dead relative was, in fact, still living — and they had buried a different man. | According to the nursing ho…
(2020-10-12). 'We should not forget who started this stage of war': Armenian president points finger at Azerbaijan in exclusive RT interview. rt.com Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has insisted, in an exclusive interview with RT, that Azerbaijan initiated the latest round of clashes over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, control of which is contested by Baku and Yerevan. | Sarkisian expressed hope that a Moscow-mediated ceasefire will hold despite ongoing problems on the ground. "We should not forget… who started this stage of war. It was the Azeri side, not the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," he old RT's Ilya Petrenko. | Inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, Nagorno-Karabakh seceded from Azerbaijan in 1991 and declared itself an independent republic af…
(2020-10-12). NATO boasts about own expansion in attempt at Twitter meme, prompting online war in replies. rt.com 
A NATO attempt to channel a cutesy Twitter meme sparked fighting in the replies, from calls to kick out Turkey and hopes for expansion in Ukraine, Georgia and the Balkans, to another warfront between Armenia and Azerbaijan. | On Monday, NATO posted the flags of its original 1949 members alongside the greatly expanded membership of today, hopping onto the three-week-old "How it started vs. How it's going" meme train. | How it started How it's going | üáßüá™üá®üá¶üá©üá…
(2020-10-12). European Oil Companies Will Not Tolerate Poland's Attempt to Cancel Nord Stream 2. globalresearch.ca By handing out a ‚Ǩ6.5 billion fine against Gazprom, Warsaw has obviously and massively miscalculated because it did not only antagonize the Russian energy company as was intended, but also European partners of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which …
(2020-10-12). World COVID-19 Updates – October 12. telesurenglish.net Europe eyes stricter measures as countries set all-time daily records | – Brazil reports least daily deaths since April | – Ecuador's largest hospital ready for potential spike in cases | – Egypt confirms 129 new infections, 104,516 in total | – Qatar reports 206 new cases, 128,191 in total | – Myanmar reports 1,344 new cases, 18 more deaths…
(2020-10-12). Iran welcomes war termination between Azerbaijan, Armenia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (MNA) — Iranian President's Chief of Staff said that Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes termination of war between Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh wholeheartedly.
(2020-10-12). Germany remains fully committed to preservation of JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (MNA) — German Mission to the UN emphasized that the country will remain fully committed to the preservation and full implementation of UNSC Resolution 2231, including JCPOA.
(2020-10-12). Belarusian Police Fire Tear Gas at Protesting Pensioners in Minsk. sputniknews.com MINSK (Sputnik) – The Belarusian law enforcement officers used tear gas and stun grenades against pensioners at a recent protest in Minsk, Roman Lashkevich, a spokesman for the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
(2020-10-12). Militants Conduct 15 Attacks in Syria's Idlib De-Escalation Zone, Russian Military Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Terrorists has carried out 15 attacks in Syria's northern province of Idlib, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Centre for Syrian Reconciliation said at a daily briefing on Monday.
(2020-10-12). Italy's Council of Ministers Approves Package of New Measures to Contain COVID, Sources Say. sputniknews.com ROME (Sputnik) – Italy's Council of Ministers overnight to Tuesday approved a package of new measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, government sources told reporters.
(2020-10-12). Massive Lines in Georgia on First Day of In-Person Voting Exemplify Ongoing 'Voter Suppression,' Say Critics. commondreams.org "We're becoming desensitized to unacceptable burdens on the franchise," one political scientist said. "People died for this right. [It] shouldn't take hours to participate in our democracy." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/atlanta_voting_2020.jpg …
(2020-10-12). German imperialism & European ambitions beyond NATO. peoplesdispatch.org European imperialism is on the march and preparing for war. Journalist Jà∂rg Kronauer explains the various military initiatives in the European Union and the German interests in such mobilizations…
(2020-10-12). The Far Right Holds a Grip on European Campuses. thenation.com The Far Right Holds a Grip on European Campuses…
(2020-10-11). Aaron Maté On Western Countries Attacking OPCW Syria Testimony At The UN. thealtworld.com OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and former OPCW director José Bustani, who testified before the UN Security Council, were attacked by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany during two UN Security Council meetings in which they provided testimony. | Bustani was blocked from reading his prepared statement on the OPCW's cover-up of what they uncovered when investigators examined the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, in April 2018. | Henderson was accused of being part of a "disinformation exercise," even though he was personally involved as an investigator, and physicist Ted Posto…
(2020-10-11). Several Observations About The Russian-Brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani Ceasefire. thealtworld.com It was a diplomatic coup for Russia to broker a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan since it restored Moscow's relevance to the conflict, but for as positive of a development as this was, it's uncertain whether it'll last and will thus serve as a litmus test of exactly how much influence the Eurasian Great Power still holds over its "sphere of influence" in the South Caucasus. | Russia's Diplomatic Coup In The South Caucasus | The world is celebrating the Russian-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire which went into effect at noon on Saturday following over 10 hours of negotiations between Foreign Minister…
(2020-10-11). Labour Peer Apologises for Claiming Migrants Could be 'Concentrated' in Camps. sputniknews.com The United Kingdom has faced rising numbers of refugees crossing the English Channel from France this year. Internal Home Office reports made public last month revealed that the government has considered placing migrants arriving in the UK in offshore detention centers.
(2020-10-11). It's Time Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org 
On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"
(2020-10-11). Heavy shelling and civilian casualties dash hopes for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire. middleeasteye.net 
Heavy shelling and civilian casualties dash hopes for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire | Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Sunday of violating a Russian-brokered ceasefire | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 23: 06 | Nagorno-Karaback, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan is home to 15,000 people (AFP) | A Russian-brokered ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to hold on Sunday, with…
(2020-10-11). As War Danger Mounts in the Arctic, Peace Hinges on a Revival of the Wallace Doctrine. strategic-culture.org 
According to the Department of Defense's dismally short sighted vision for the Arctic, U.S. strategic interests were best maintained not by cooperation with Arctic partners, by rather by belligerent sabre rattling under the guise of "competition" with nations who have continuously professed a desire to work with the west as allies. | In recent weeks, this belligerence has taken the form of a new forward posture of 150 advanced U.S. fighter jets to be housed at the Eielson Airforce Base in Alaska including a mix of F22 Raptors and F35 Lighting II jets only 600 miles away from the Russia border. Each fighter plane…
(2020-10-11). Over half of French nurses on brink of professional burn-out amid Covid-19 pandemic — survey. rt.com 
More than the half of French nurses are close to burning out due to the pressure the ongoing pandemic has put on the nation's medical workers, who struggle with increased work and lack of holidays, a new survey indicates. | Some 57 percent of France's nurses have described their condition as "state of professional exhaustion" since the beginning of the pandemic, the national French nursing union has said, publishing results of a