(2020-09-24). The Sino-Russian Alliance Comes of age — Part 1. mronline.org 
The joint statements between two countries are usually riveted on a particular event but in extraordinary circumstances involving great powers, it could assume an epochal character and can be viewed as diplomatic communication that reflects what the Germans call the zeitgeist…
(2020-09-24). PDF of September 24 issue. workers.org 
Download the 12-page PDF. Whistleblower: ICE abuses detainees ALSO: Migrant caravan for residency; Defend BLM activist lawyers; Trump, Biden, and U.S. decline; 'Free Palestine' webinar; U.S. Cold War vs TikTok; Is Marxism still relevant? WORKERS ORGANIZE: Illinois; North Carolina. WORLD: Editorial: Ginsburg & SCOTUS. WORLD: Belarus; Bolivia. TEAR DOWN THE . . . |
(2020-09-24). France agrees to EU commission migration pact. yenisafak.com The French interior ministers issued a joint press release Thursday to say they support a proposal laid out by the European Commission on a migration pact for asylum seekers coming to Europe.The European Commission met on Wednesday to draft a reform of migration policy which proposes a "compulsory solidarity mechanism." The proposal suggests abandoning a present contested rule which says the country where migrants arrive first must bear the burden of asylum requests.Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin along with cohorts Citizenship Minister Marlene Schiappa and Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune…
(2020-09-24). Turkey surprises investors with first interest rate hike in two years. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey surprises investors with first interest rate hike in two years | Analysts welcomed the step, saying it could help Turkey avoid a balance of payments crisis | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 13: 44 | A currency exchange office worker counts Turkish Lira banknotes in front of the electronic panel displaying currency exchange rates at an exchange office in Istanbul (AFP) | The Turkish Central Bank raised interest…
(2020-09-24). The Heat: COVID-19 soars in US, UK and India. america.cgtn.com 
The World Health Organization says COVID-19 appears to be accelerating, with cases soaring in the United States, the United Kingdom and India.
(2020-09-24). Three UK Labour MPs demoted over opposition to torture prosecution bill. middleeasteye.net 
Three UK Labour MPs demoted over opposition to torture prosecution bill | Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter and Olivia Blake defied a Labour Party whip to oppose Overseas Operations Bill against 'vexatious' lawsuits
| Thu, 09/24/2020 – 14: 31 | Kuwaiti and British soldiers take part in exercises about 40km north of Kuwait City (AFP) | Three Labour MPs have lost their roles in the United Kingdom shadow cabine…
(2020-09-24). Selected Articles: "Second Wave" Faked on False-Positive COVID Tests. globalresearch.ca 
By The confrontation with Russia and the decision to boost America's military presence in Syria is but a microcosm of America's wider struggle to maintain its invasive primacy over the …
(2020-09-24). Foreign Correspondent: Turmoil in Belarus. progressive.org Citizens take to the streets to protest what they see as a stolen election.
(2020-09-24). Russia Intends Military Cooperation with Iran When UN Arms Embargo Expires. globalresearch.ca On issues related to the JCPOA nuclear deal and expiring UN arms embargo on Iran next month, the Trump regime is isolated on the world stage. | Commenting on its unlawful imposition of what it called "snapback" sanctions on Iran, its …
(2020-09-24). America's Broken Syria Project. globalresearch.ca A recent altercation between Russian forces and US occupiers in northeastern Syria helped highlight the increasingly tenuous position Washington holds not only in Syria but across the entire Middle East. | After attempting to block Russian military vehicles, US forces found …
(2020-09-24). Re-design the future, Mary Robinson urges at Transition to Zero Pollution launch. imperial.ac.uk Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, called for "a bold new vision for the future" at the launch of Transition to Zero Pollution.
(2020-09-24). Global Sell-Off Drives European Stocks to Three-Month Lows. sputniknews.com The EU equities suffered the latest losses amid a lack of new stimuli for the US economy and fears of an approaching second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-09-24). Sweden Accuses Russian, Danish Ships of Violating Its Waters. sputniknews.com According to Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist, who called the violations "unacceptable", the alleged Russian intrusion happened on 14 September near Gothenburg and lasted 11 minutes. By contrast, no details of the Danish one were provided.
(2020-09-24). Earthquake rattles Istanbul, surrounding areas. yenisafak.com A magnitude-4.2 earthquake was felt in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Thursday, said the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).AFAD said the quake occurred at 4.38 p.m. local time (1338GMT) and was centered in the northwestern Tekirdag province, neighboring Istanbul.Its epicenter was 6.83 kilometers (4.23 miles) below the surface.No casualties have been reported so far.In 1999, a magnitude-7.4 tremor hit the industrial province of Kocaeli to Istanbul's east, leaving over 18,000 people dead.
(2020-09-24). Turkey says dialogue with EU crucial in East Med tensions. yenisafak.com A senior Turkish diplomat on Thursday urged dialogue and cooperation between the country and the EU on the Eastern Mediterranean as a way to contribute to security, stability and prosperity in the region. Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran was speaking at the International Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, organized by Turkey's Communications Directorate, after making a presentation on Turkey's priorities in the region, as well as its vision of fairness and cooperation.Dialogue between Turkey and the EU is crucial for the Eastern Mediterranean, said Kiran at the videoconference, urging Brussels to w…
(2020-09-24). Ukraine says Lukashenko not 'legitimate' Belarus leader. yenisafak.com Ukraine does not consider Alexander Lukashenko the legitimate president of Belarus, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kulebahours announced Thursday, a day after the veteran leader was sworn in for a sixth term."Today's "inauguration" of Lukashenko does not mean his recognition as a legitimate head of Belarusian state," he wrote on Twitter. "Ukraine has never interfered in internal affairs of Belarus and will always support the Belarusian people."Protests broke out after Lukashenko, who has served as president since 1994, was declared the winner of Aug. 9 polls. Opposition candidates, however, accused the administration of…
(2020-09-24). Turkey's Central Bank raises interest rates by 200 bps. yenisafak.com Turkey's Central Bank on Thursday raised its one-week repo rate — also known as the bank's policy rate — by 200 basis points.The bank's policy rate increased to 10.25% from 8.25%.The decision was announced in a statement following the bank's eighth Monetary Policy Committee (MCP) meeting this year.In the previous three consecutive meetings, the bank kept the rate constant at 8.25%, following a gradual cut of 375 basis points from 12% over the preceding months.Last year, in eight meetings, the bank cut the rate by a total of 1,200 basis points from 24%.After holding eight meetings last year, this year…
(2020-09-24). Iran 'coordinates steps in Syria with Russia, Turkey'. yenisafak.com The Syrian issue requires an exceptional strategy, and Iran coordinates its steps in Syria with Russia and Turkey, the Iranian foreign minister said Thursday."There are serious problems in our region," Javad Zarif told Iranian media during his visit to the Russian capital Moscow."Syrian issue requires special coordination. We coordinate our steps with Turkey and Russia in Syria under Astana process."The Astana peace process to end the Syrian conflict was launched in January 2017 by Turkey, Russia, and Iran.Since the eruption of the bloody civil war in Syria in 2011, thousands of people died, millions fled the cou…
(2020-09-24). Fatah: Intra-Palestinian talks in Turkey 'fruitful'. yenisafak.com A top member of Palestinian Fatah on Thursday said that ongoing talks in Turkey with its longtime rival Hamas are "positive, fruitful, and productive." | "The dialogue is an important step towards reconciliation and partnership, and unifying the Palestinian stance in the light of the consensus on rejecting all the liquidation projects against the Palestinian cause." Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, wrote on Twitter. | Separately, Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah's information office, told Anadolu Agency that a senior Fatah delegation will head to the Qatari capital Doha and then to Cairo…
(2020-09-24). UK preparing sanctions against Belarus: Minister. yenisafak.com The British foreign secretary announced on Thursday the UK was preparing sanctions against Belarus over alleged human rights abuses.Speaking at the House of Commons, Dominic Raab said that Alexander Lukashenko, who was sworn in as Belarus' president last week, has "a wholesale lack of legitimacy."Protests in Belarus broke out after Lukashenko, who has served as president since 1994, was declared the winner of Aug. 9 polls. Opposition candidates, however, accused the administration of rigging the vote.Raab said the UK did not accept the rigged election results, and slammed the "thuggery" used against protestors."I…
(2020-09-24). 'Unacceptable' state of Greek islands must improve: UN. yenisafak.com The Moria Reception and Identification Center was gutted on Sept. 10, forcing some 12,000 people onto the streets, said the UNHCR.It called on European states to continue supporting Greece by offering relocation places for the most vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees.The agency lauded the Greek government for swiftly establishing an emergency facility to shelter those displaced from the Moria camp.Some 9,400 asylum seekers left homeless by the fire are now residing in the new government-run site, which was set up in days, said UNHCR.Several hundred of the most vulnerable have been transferred to safe accommoda…
(2020-09-24). Italian president, in response to Johnson, says Italy also freedom-loving, but serious. yenisafak.com Italian President Sergio Mattarella, responding to comments from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the spread of coronavirus, said on Thursday that Italy loved freedom, but was also serious.Johnson told parliament in London this week that Britain had a worse infection rate than nations like Italy and Germany because it was a "freedom-loving country" which therefore resisted social restrictions to curb the virus.Asked about the comment during a visit to Sardinia, Mattarella said: "We Italians also love freedom, but we also care about seriousness."
(2020-09-24). Virus cases in Eurasia, Central Asia rise by over 4,600. yenisafak.com More cases of the novel coronavirus and fatalities related to the disease were reported in several Eurasian and Central Asian countries on Thursday.- UkraineThe death toll in Ukraine reached 3,757 with 52 more fatalities over the past 24 hours, the country's Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.Confirming another 3,372 cases that brought the total to 188,106, the minister added that 83,458 have recovered from the virus, so far.- UzbekistanAs many as 392 new virus cases brought Uzbekistan's tally to 53,667.One more fatality raised the death toll to 445, while recoveries rose to 49,832, according to the Health Mini…
(2020-09-24). Dogs used to detect coronavirus in pilot project at Helsinki airport. yenisafak.com Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland's Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport.The dogs' efficiency has not been proven in comparative scientific studies so passengers who volunteer to be tested and are suspected as carrying the virus are instructed to also take a swab to confirm the result.A team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors are being trained for the job in Finland by volunteers, sponsored by a private veterinary clinic. Among them is Kossi, a rescue dog from Spain, who was tra…
(2020-09-24). Russia's Lavrov, WHO Europe chief discuss virus fight. yenisafak.com Russia's foreign minister and the World Health Organization's (WHO) Europe director discussed the fight against COVID-19 in a meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.Sergey Lavrov and Hans Kluge met on Sept. 23 to discuss Russia and the WHO's cooperation, paying special attention to the coronavirus situation, the ministry said in a statement on its website."Mutual interest in developing cooperation was confirmed, and plans were considered to assist countries in the region in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other health challenges," the statement said.Lavrov conveyed Russia's support for…
(2020-09-24). UN chief and UK premier announce December climate summit. news.un.org With the COVID-19 pandemic having disrupted plans to hold the annual international UN climate meeting – known as the COP – this year, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom have announced that they will instead co-host a "landmark global event" on 12 December, the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
(2020-09-23). Clashed Visions at the 2020 UN General Assembly: The Speeches of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. globalresearch.ca The speeches given by Presidents Trump, Putin, and Xi via video during the 2020 UN General Assembly predictably revealed that the American leader's assessment of the contemporary international situation and related vision of the future markedly differ from his Russian …
(2020-09-23). No Más Bebés: ICE Hysterectomy Scandal Recalls 1970s LA, When a Hospital Sterilized Chicana Patients. democracynow.org 
As immigration authorities say they have stopped sending women to a Georgia gynecologist accused of sterilizing female prisoners without their consent, we continue our look at United States' disturbing history of forced sterilization with the producer and historian behind the 2016 documentary called "No Más Bebés," which tells the story of how a whistleblower doctor spoke out about a large number of tubal ligations performed on mostly Latinx patients at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center some 46 years ago. "Quite often they did not understand the terminology. They did not, in some cases, understand the lan…
(2020-09-23). A Marxist view from Portugal on U.S. elections and decline of Washington's power. workers.org 
A Portuguese Marxist analyst looks at the Trump vs. Biden election, assessing its possible impact on U.S. foreign policy. This article was first published Sept. 1 on the jornalmudardevida.net website, which is edited by Raposo. Translation by John Catalinotto. The confrontation between Trump and Biden, regarding the upcoming U.S. presidential . . . |
(2020-09-23). Mediterranean Europe Will Continue Dealing with Migrant Crisis Instigated by Germany Despite Alleviation Efforts. globalresearch.ca The European Union has announced a new immigration and asylum policy based on the so-called solidarity of its members. However, this initiative will once again not receive unanimous support from all 27 member states. Since Germany instigated the migrant crisis …
(2020-09-23). EU aims at keeping migrants out with new asylum pact. yenisafak.com The European Commission proposed a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, focusing on returns, pre-entry checks, and partnership with third countries to prevent migration flows.The proposal is "a fair balance of responsibility and solidarity among member states," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the press.The new reform package will help the bloc to "move away from ad-hoc solutions" by setting a "predictable and reliable migration scene", according to the top EU official.Under the new system, the national authorities and EU agencies would carry out pre-entry screenings at the bloc's external bor…
(2020-09-23). Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal | Tracking data showed the Israir Airlines jet flew to the Gulf kingdom over Saudi Arabian airspace | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 12: 41 | This picture taken on 9 June 2020 shows an Israir Airlines ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft landing at Cyprus' Larnaca International Airport (AFP) | An Israeli airliner flew to the Gulf kingdom of Bahra…
(2020-09-23). Stop forced sterilizations! Shut down all detention centers! workers.org 
The Prisoner Solidarity Committee of Workers World Party commends the heroic action of Dawn Wooten, a licensed practical nurse, for exposing forced sterilizations at the Irwin County, Georgia ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) Detention Center operated by LaSalle Corrections, a private for-profit prison. Project South, one of the advocacy groups . . . |
(2020-09-23). No socialist paradise: Sweden's COVID-19 response is nothing to envy. mronline.org 
Eleanor Goldfield reports from Stockholm on how COVID-19 has laid bare the U..S-style capitalist reality creeping into Sweden's already struggling socialized programs.
(2020-09-23). Whistleblower exposes: ICE abuses detainees. workers.org 
EDITOR'S NOTES: As we go to press, a Sept. 21 press release from Georgia Detention Watch announced that Cipriano Chavez-Alvarez, 61, is the third detainee at the Stewart Detention Center located in Lumpkin, Georgia to die of COVID-19. Press conference on ICE abuse, Ocilla, Ga., Sept. 15. Whistleblower Dawn Wooten . . . |
(2020-09-23). Turkey, Greece agree to 'exploratory' talks over Eastern Mediterranean disputes. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey, Greece agree to 'exploratory' talks over Eastern Mediterranean disputes | Officials say talks will be held 'soon in Istanbul' following German-led efforts to defuse tensions | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 11: 34 | Turkey and Greece agreed to hold talks over disputes in the Mediterranean, following a video conference between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Counc…
(2020-09-23). $50 million Russian Su-30 fighter jet accidentally SHOT DOWN during military drills, but pilots survive, reports say (VIDEO). rt.com 
A Su-30 fighter jet that crashed in central Russia might have been accidentally shot down by another jet during military drills, local media has reported. Both pilots managed to eject safely, but the aircraft was destroyed. | The plane, which cost some $50 million back in 2012, came down in a wooded area in Russia's central Tver Region on Tuesday. The two pilots survived the crash and were evacuated. They were in a "satisfactory" condition after the incident, the press service for Russia's Western Military District explained. | While the military remained tight-lipped on the causes of the crash, multiple media…
(2020-09-23). 'I am the only leader': Exiled Belarusian opposition figure Tikhanovskaya claims presidency after Lukashenko's secret inauguration. rt.com 
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a candidate for the Belarusian Presidency in last month's disputed election now in forced exile, has called the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko for a sixth presidential term, a "farce." | Tikhanovskaya, who believes she really won the contest, was speaking after Lukashenko was inducted to the country's highest office for a sixth consecutive term. Unlike previous occasions, this year's was a low-key ceremony, and was not pre-announced. | "Today, secretly from the people, Lukashenko tried to hold his own inauguration. We all understand what's going on," Tikhanovskaya said. "This so-c…
(2020-09-23). 'Absolutely incorrect': Kremlin spokesman ridicules Le Monde report suggesting Putin told Macron that Navalny poisoned himself. rt.com 
Moscow has dismissed a report by Parisian newspaper Le Monde claiming President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Russian "internet troublemaker" Alexey Navalny may have poisoned himself. | "The newspaper is absolutely incorrect in its wording," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday. Peskov was referring to a report, on Tuesday, by the French daily claiming some insights into the content of talks between Putin and the French president. | Le Monde claimed it had obtained the sensitive information from anonymous sources. Which, if true, would be a serious vio…
(2020-09-23). Moderna, Pfizer & AstraZeneca seek urgent approval for their shots, just what Sputnik V was attacked for — don't expect a backlash. rt.com 
Competitors in the Covid-19 vaccine race are publishing clinical protocols in hopes of securing lucrative emergency approval, which Russia's Sputnik V was previously attacked for seeking. This time, however, the media are quiet. | The frontrunners in the US and western Europe's quest to develop a coronavirus vaccine — Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna — have published their trial protocols in response to growing public unease over the rapid rollout of the promised coronavirus magic bullet. They reveal an overwhelming emphasis on being first to secure emergency approval from the relevant regulators, su…
(2020-09-23). 'Jesus of Siberia,' cult leader 'Vissarion' found in possession of weapons, cash, jewellery, & adult toys during police raid. rt.com 
When cops busted Siberia's answer to Christ this week, they discovered plenty of items unbecoming of a self-proclaimed 'Son of God.' Officers found weapons, money and even adult toys in the sect leader's stash of worldly goods. | The haul was uncovered at the cult's compound in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk Region, as contemporary 'Messiah' Sergey Torop was being arrested and charged with "creating a religious association whose activities involve violence against citizens." | Two other members of the sect were arrested alongside its founder on Tuesday, on suspicion of causing "serious harm" to their followers. On top…
(2020-09-23). Officials insist second coronavirus lockdown in Russia 'unlikely,' say recent growth in cases was predicted & is 'manageable'. rt.com 
For ten days now, the number of Covid-19 cases in Russia has been on the rise. While many have expressed concern at the trend, fearing the kind of 'second wave' affecting other parts of Europe, officials appear to be calm. | For instance, Tatiana Ruzhentsova, head of the clinical department of at the national sanitary watchdog's Research Institute of Epidemiology, says she's unconcerned. | "We see no dramatic surge, but the incidence rate is showing upwards tendencies. I would like to stress once again that it was an expected situation because all those who have symptoms of respiratory infections are tested,"
(2020-09-23). Drugs cop in western Russia busted for growing marijuana at home & planting it on innocent citizen to boost his arrest numbers. rt.com 
The deputy head of a Russian city's drugs control department has been arrested for growing cannabis and using it to stage the arrest of an innocent man in a fake possession case. The officer was trying to improve his arrest total.
(2020-09-23). The UK's Latest Trick: "Breaking the Law in a Limited And Specific Way" counterpunch.org 
Boris "BoJo" Johnson signed a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement with the EU that included state aid rules for Northern Ireland, in order to prevent the unfair dumping of UK goods into the EU, made possible by exploiting a "soft border" between the non-EU Northern Ireland and the EU-member Republic of Ireland.
(2020-09-23). Video: Turkish-based Syrian Militants Prepare to Participate in Azerbaijani-Armenian Conflict. globalresearch.ca 1,000 fighters of the so-called Syrian National Army, a coalition of Turkish-funded militant groups, will be moved to Azerbaijan in September as a part of a 6-month long deployment, Syrian pro-militant media reported. According to reports, Turkish proxies will pass …
(2020-09-23). Navalny Incident a US Plot to Block Nord Stream 2's Completion? globalresearch.ca When completed and operational, Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany will double the amount of natural gas Gazprom will be able to supply the country and other European ones — at around a 30% lower cost than US LNG….
(2020-09-23). Twenty Days Of Underground Protests. popularresistance.org Ukraine – "This is not a strike, but a protest action." Yuriy Samoilov, chairperson of the Krivoy Rog (Kryvyi Rih) organization of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, prefers to clarify this point when talking about the underground protest of local miners. Workers of the privatized Krivoy Rog Iron Ore Plant (KZhRK) are afraid to officially call their actions a "strike" because of pressure from the Ukrainian authorities. | Protesters remember the sad experience of striking uranium miners when the leaders of the movement were put on trial.
(2020-09-23). Students occupy schools across Greece to protest unsafe return to classrooms. wsws.org Anger is erupting among youth in Greece at being forced back to school amid a raging pandemic of COVID-19.
(2020-09-23). Proposal to reduce MPs in Italy approved in referendum with support of establishment parties. peoplesdispatch.org The proposal to reduce the number of members of both of houses of parliament was opposed by the left parties which said it would decrease democratic representation…
(2020-09-23). 'COVID-19 has exposed our past mistakes and failures' says Kazakhstan President. news.un.org The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stress test for the world, and has exposed our past mistakes and failures, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, told world leaders, during his address to the General Debate of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.