Monthly Archives: October 2020

2020-10-19: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-19). The Expiration Of The Iranian Arms Embargo Opens Up Exciting Opportunities. thealtworld.com The 13-year-long anti-Iranian arms embargo expired on Sunday, which creates exciting opportunities for the Islamic Republic to strengthen its national defense capabilities and cultivate even deeper relations with its top strategic partners such as China and Russia, possibly even playing them off against one another in a "friendly competition" so as to derive the greatest benefit. | The End Of The Embargo | The US is enraged that the UN let the 13-year-long anti-Iranian arms embargo

_____ (2020-10-19). Chris Hedges: The Politics Of Cultural Despair. popularresistance.org The physical and moral decay of the United States and the malaise it has spawned have predictable results. We have seen in varying forms the consequences of social and political collapse during the twilight of the Greek and Roman empires, the Ottoman and Hapsburg empires, Tsarist Russia, Weimar Germany and the former Yugoslavia. Voices from the past, Aristotle, Cicero, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Joseph Roth and Milovan Djilas, warned us. But blinded by self-delusion and hubris, as if we are somehow exempt from human experience and human nature, we refuse to listen.

Staff (2020-10-19). Headlines for October 19, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Cases Surge as Trump Continues Unmasked Campaign Rallies, Cases Mounting Across Europe as New Restrictions Enacted, Top Palestinian Official Saeb Erekat in Critical Condition with COVID-19, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Accuses Trump of Inspiring, Incentivizing and Inciting Terrorism, White Supremacists Indicted for Arms Trafficking, Murder and Plotting to Bomb Synagogue, Death Toll in Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting Mounts as New Ceasefire Falls Apart, Kyrgyzstan Installs New President, Who Will Also Serve as Prime Minister, Alexei Navalny Calls on Trump to Denounce Use of Chemical Weapons, Car Bomb in…

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-19). Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire 2.0? globalresearch.ca An October 9 Russia-brokered ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh (NK below) failed to take hold. | On Saturday, warring sides again agreed to halt fighting, effective Sunday, citing humanitarian reasons. | An Azeri Foreign Ministry statement said the following: | "The …

Ragip Soylu (2020-10-19). EXCLUSIVE: Turkey to abandon some observation stations in Syria's Idlib. middleeasteye.net EXCLUSIVE: Turkey to abandon some observation stations in Syria's Idlib | Withdrawal comes as Russians hinder resupply efforts and Damascus stokes protests against Turkish presence | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 08: 53 | A Syrian army soldier looks at a Turkish military observation post in al-Rashidin district, in Aleppo's southwestern countryside in January (AFP) | Turkey has decided to abandon some of its militar…

_____ (2020-10-19). Treason in America: An Overview of the FBI, CIA and Matters of 'National Security'. strategic-culture.org "Treason doth never prosper; what is the reason? Why, if it prosper, none dare call it treason." | — Sir John Harrington. | As Shakespeare would state in his play Hamlet, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," like a fish that rots from head to tail, so do corrupt government systems rot from top to bottom. | This is a reference to the ruling system of Denmark and not just the foul murder that King Claudius has committed against his brother, Hamlet's father. This is showcased in the play by reference to the economy of Denmark being in a state of shambles and that the Danish people are ready to revolt…

RT (2020-10-19). Wikipedia says Hunter Biden scandal 'DEBUNKED', as editing war rages & new page emerges calling it a 'conspiracy'. rt.com Allegations of corruption against ex-Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter have apparently been "debunked" and are merely a "conspiracy theory" according to Wikipedia, where editors are battling over the terms. | Hunter Biden was the subject of an explosive report last week as the New York Post published emails alleging that he involved his father in dodgy business dealings in Ukraine and China. | While the story is still unfolding, the Wikipedia page for Hunter Biden simply

RT (2020-10-19). US charges six Russian 'intelligence agents' with hacking Ukraine, Georgia, France and 2018 Olympics. rt.com The US Justice Department has announced charges against six alleged officers of Russian military intelligence, accusing them of cyber attacks against Georgia, France, the UK, the OPCW, Ukraine and the 2018 Winter Olympics. | A grand jury in Pennsylvania indicted the six men for "conspiracy, computer hacking, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false registration of a domain name," the DOJ announced on Monday, describing them as officers in Unit 74455 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU. | The indictment identifies them as Yuriy Sergeyevich Andrienko, Sergey Vladimirovich Detistov, Pavel…

RT (2020-10-19). DNI Ratcliffe says 'NO EVIDENCE' of Russian interference in Hunter Biden scandal, accuses Schiff of 'politicizing intelligence'. rt.com US Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has refuted claims that alleged emails detailing Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine and China when his father was VP are part of a Russian election interference effort. | "Hunter Biden's laptop is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign," Ratcliffe said during a Monday interview on Fox Business. "The intelligence community doesn't believe that because there is no intelligence that supports that," he added. | pic.twitter.com/49SSjhfQuN— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) MEE staff (2020-10-19). UK parliament to probe reports UAE 'torture' chief could become head of Interpol. middleeasteye.net UK parliament to probe reports UAE 'torture' chief could become head of Interpol | Inquiry will hear that the global police organisation is open to manipulation by 'rogue' member states including Russia, China and the UAE | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 13: 11 | UAE security chief Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi, left, pictured in 2018 (Wikicommons) | British MPs will be told this week that Russia is a "criminal state" which is "ab…

MBNJSD (2020-10-19). How Biden Flubbed Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. dissidentvoice.org Toward the end of Joe Biden's October 15 town hall session, a Trump supporter asked Biden the only foreign policy question of the night. "So peace is breaking out all over the world," the questioner claimed. "Our troops are coming home. Serbia is talking to Kosovo. And the Arabs and Israelis are talking peace, which …

Raul Diego (2020-10-19). With an Eye on Nearby Iran, Israeli Weapons Fuel the Violence in Azerbaijan. mintpressnews.com Hoping to profit, protect an important source of oil, and to antagonize nearby Iran, Israel is selling drones and weapons to Azerbaijan, fueling the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Yonat Shimron (2020-10-19). Catholic Priest Is Sentenced to Time Served after 2018 Break-in at Nuclear Naval Base. globalresearch.ca Since his arrest nearly three years ago on trespassing charges after invading a nuclear submarine base with six others as part of a symbolic nuclear disarmament action, the Rev. Stephen M. Kelly has been held in a Brunswick, Georgia, county …

WSWS (2020-10-19). COVID-19 pandemic surges in Turkey as government continues to hide data. wsws.org The government is allowing the virus to spread, citing false data to refuse any demands for lock-downs and suppress growing anger and concern within the working class.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-19). Swedish Left opposes dilution of employment protection act. peoplesdispatch.org The Left Party, the Communist Party of Sweden, and the Communist Party have raised strong objections against the dilution of labor rights embedded in the current employment protection act…

WSWS (2020-10-19). Danger of Russian-Turkish conflict grows as Armenian-Azeri ceasefire fails. wsws.org Casualties are rapidly mounting as heavy artillery and precision missile strikes rain down on civilian and military targets in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Newsclick (2020-10-19). What's behind the conflict in Caucasus, Central Asia? peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha analyzes the developments in Kyrgyzstan and Nagorno Karabakh and examines the geo-political issues involved. He looks at the strategy of western powers to destabilize the region and the response of countries like Russia and China.

Nauman Sadiq (2020-10-19). The Biden Campaign and China's Oligarchs. globalresearch.ca In two bombshell reports, Emma-Jo Morris and Gabrielle Fonrouge of the New York Post have leveled damning allegations of Hunter Biden's murky financial dealings with Ukrainian and Chinese oligarchs. As expected, $50,000 remuneration paid by Burisma Holdings of Ukraine …

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2020-10-19). Energy Research Platform Takes Central Stage Under Russia's BRICS Chairmanship. globalresearch.ca After the Ufa declaration in 2015, BRICS, an association of five major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has made energy cooperation one of its priorities besides attaining an admirable significant influence on regional affairs …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-19). Workers' Party of Belgium demands measures to combat worsening COVID-19 crisis. peoplesdispatch.org Amid a steep rise in COVID-19 cases and the subsequent impact on workers' livelihoods, the Workers' Party of Belgium has demanded that incomes be protected and the rich be taxed…

WSWS (2020-10-19). German parents' associations protest against dangerous school openings. wsws.org More and more workers and young people in Germany and Europe as a whole oppose the policy of herd immunity decreed by ruling circles, a policy that will result in the death of hundreds of thousands of people.

news.un (2020-10-19). Focus on fundamentals as COVID-19 caseloads rise: WHO. news.un.org As COVID-19 cases continue to accelerate, particularly in Europe and North America, the World Health Organization (WHO) is advising governments and people everywhere not to let their guard down, for the benefit of those hospitalized, or working on the front line of the battle to end the pandemic.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-19). Virtual panel on Iran-Serbia Coproduction Held at 33rd ICFF. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 19 (MNA) — The first virtual panel about Iran-Serbia cinematic coproduction was held with Miroljub Vuckovic and Mirko Bojovic from Serbia and Ali Mosaffa and Ra'ed Faridzadeh from Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-19). Russia's policy not determined by US threats: Ulyanov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 19 (MNA) — In reaction to the US threat in the event of any arms deal with Iran, Russian senior diplomat said that Washington's threats are not determining Moscow's policy.

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Mayor of Copenhagen steps down over sexual harassment. yenisafak.com Frank Jensen, the mayor of Denmark's capital Copenhagen, told a news conference on Monday he was stepping down after having admitted to several episodes of sexual harassment.Jensen, who also serves as deputy of Denmark's governing Social Democratic Party, has served as Lord Mayor of Copenhagen since 2010.

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Europe braces for second COVID-19 wave with tough measures. yenisafak.com The European countries are taking new measures to stem the spread of coronavirus as the rising daily cases triggered fears of a second wave. Belgium was hit hard by the COVID-19, according to data released by the country's health authorities on Monday.Between Oct. 9 and 15, an average of 7,876 new infections a day were reported, an increase of 79% from the previous week.In the country with a population of 11.4 million, the total number of cases increased to 222,253 since the beginning of the pandemic, while 10,413 people died.Speaking to Belgian broadcaster RTL, Frank Vandenbroucke, the federal minister, said the…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Turkey to plant saplings in fire-hit southern province. yenisafak.com Turkey is all set to plant saplings on 50 hectares [nearly 124 acres] of land in the southern Hatay province, the country's agriculture and forestry minister said on Monday."We have already completed the preparation for planting seedlings on 50 hectares of land," Bekir Pakdemirli wrote on Twitter.Sharing photos of the field work from the area affected by recent fires, Pakdemirli said they are quickly eliminating the negative impact of the fire.On Oct. 8, a fire erupted in Hatay, affecting some 400 hectares (988 acres) of area and damaging many buildings.

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-18). 'The Emails Are Russian' Will Be The Narrative, Regardless Of Facts Or Evidence. thealtworld.com Fight it all you want, but there's nothing you can do. "The emails are Russian" is going to be the official dominant narrative in mainstream political discourse, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Resistance is futile. | Like the Russian hacking narrative, the Trump-Russia collusion narrative, the Russian bounties in Afghanistan narrative, and any other evidence-free framing of events that simultaneously advances pre-planned cold war agendas, is politically convenient for the Democratic party and generates clicks and ratings, the narrative that the New York Post publication of Hunter Biden's emails is a R…

news.un (2020-10-18). Both sides obliged to 'spare and protect civilians' over Nagorno-Karabakh fighting declares UN's Guterres. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General on Sunday condemned "all attacks on populated areas" in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh zone of conflict, as Armenia and Azerbaijan reportedly accused each other of violating the latest humanitarian ceasefire agreement.

_____ (2020-10-18). How Can People In The US Support Peace In Nagorno-Karabakh? popularresistance.org Americans are dealing with an upcoming general election, a pandemic that has killed over 200,000 of us, and corporate news media whose business model has degenerated to selling different versions of "The Trump Show" to their advertisers. So who has time to pay attention to a new war half way round the world? But with so much of the world afflicted by 20 years of U.S.-led wars and the resulting political, humanitarian and refugee crises, we can't afford not to pay attention to the dangerous new outbreak of war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

sputniknews (2020-10-18). Maduro Says Venezuela Received Thousands of Doses of Coronavirus Treatment From Russia. sputniknews.com LA PAZ (Sputnik) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says thousands of doses of a coronavirus treatment have arrived from Russia.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). Erdogan-backed Tatar wins shock victory in North Cyprus presidential poll. middleeasteye.net Erdogan-backed Tatar wins shock victory in North Cyprus presidential poll | Right-wing nationalist Ersin Tatar favours two-state solution for Mediterranean island and says 'they will never tear the ties between us and Turkey' | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 17: 51 | Turkish Cypriot President Ersin Tatar celebrates with supporters after winning the North Cyprus presidential election, in Nicosia, 18 Oc…

RT (2020-10-18). Chicken company targeted by boycotters over Sen. Perdue's 'racist' Kamala remarks despite ZERO affiliation. rt.com Perdue Farms has struggled to distance itself from Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) after he 'mispronounced' Kamala Harris' name in a 'racist' way, triggering a wave of outraged calls for a boycott of a totally unrelated firm. | Twitter users have scolded the Georgia senator for his remarks at a Friday Trump campaign rally where he appeared to mock Harris' name, poor humor some are chalking up to racism. | "The most insidious thing that Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden are trying to perpetrate, and Bernie and Elizabeth and Kamala — Kah-ma-la or Kah-mah-la or Kamalamalamala, I don't know…" Perdue said. | Perdue…

RT (2020-10-18). RESPECT after battle: Mateusz Gamrot SALUTES Guram Kutateladze after victorious UFC rival tells him, 'It was YOUR fight' (VIDEO). rt.com The martial arts spirit was present in abundance after Guram Kutateladze defeated Mateusz Gamrot on UFC Fight Island, as the Georgian fighter told his rival that he believed the judges had given the wrong man the victory. | Kutateladze and Gamrot were both making their respective UFC debuts on UFC Fight Island, and battled all the way to the scorecards in a bout that saw both men earn $50,000 "Fight of the Night" bonuses. | After their bout went the distance, the result was left in the hands of the three octagonside judges, and although Kutateladze's hand was raised after he edged a split-decision verdict, the…

RT (2020-10-18). Erdogan accuses Russia, US & France of providing 'weapon support' to Armenia amid Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. rt.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused members of the OSCE Minsk Group of providing "weapon support" to Armenia in the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, reiterating his own support for Azerbaijan. | Speaking at an event of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the southeastern Sirnak Province on Sunday, the Turkish president accused Russia, France, and the US — the states that co-chair the OSCE Minsk Mediation Group on Nagorno-Karabakh — of siding with Armenia in the conflict. The three countries are providing "all kinds of weapon support" to Yerevan, Erdogan claimed without g…

RT (2020-10-18). Belarus protests: Dozens detained by cops & rubber bullets fired during another large anti-opposition march in Minsk (VIDEOS). rt.com Thousands of people took to the streets of Minsk again on Sunday, as mass anti-government protests continued across the country. Sporadic scuffles erupted between demonstrators and police, with dozens reportedly detained. | The Belarusian capital has played host to weekly protests against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko, since a disputed presidential election in August. This Sunday, the procession was dubbed 'The Partisan March' by its organizers. | Tens of thousands marched through the city's center, where they repeatedly ran into cordons erected by riot police and were forced to change cours…

RT (2020-10-18). France to 'strengthen' control on funding of Islamist groups, finance minister says after teacher killed in terrorist attack. rt.com French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire promised to "do better" in the oversight of Islamist entities, as the nation is left reeling after the shocking beheading of a school teacher by a terrorist. | Speaking on France 3 TV channel, Le Maire said that he will prepare "proposals to strengthen the control over financial flows" of Islamist groups. | "There is a problem of financing a number of Islamist associations on which I think we can and must do better," he said. | Le Maire's statement came as the latest response to the brutal murder of middle school teacher Samuel Paty in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine…

RT (2020-10-18). France mourns beheaded teacher as thousands take to Paris' streets (VIDEO). rt.com Rallies have been held across France in tribute to a history teacher beheaded in a terror attack near Paris. One of the largest gatherings was staged in the French capital, as thousands flocked to the Place de la Republique. | Central Paris was flooded with people as thousands gathered at the Place de la Republique to pay homage to Samuel Paty, a teacher from the neighboring town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, who was killed earlier this week after showing cartoons of Islamic prophet Mohammed during a lesson. | Government officials, including Prime Minister Jean Castex, as well as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and…

RT (2020-10-18). Russia football manager's son suffers FRACTURED JAW & head trauma after being KNOCKED OUT in horror collision with opponent's knee. rt.com Russia boss Stanislav Cherchesov's son, who takes his father's name and is also a goalkeeper, has been taken to hospital in an ambulance after being left unconscious when he took an opposition player's knee to the head in a match. | Cherchesov junior was playing for FC Olimp-Dolgoprudny, a Russian Professional League group two side, when he advanced from his line in a bid to thwart an opposition Rodina player who was rushing towards goal. | The match was stopped for several minutes after the 25-year-old was hit in the head by the player's knee with 26 minutes played, requiring medical staff to bring him back t…

RT (2020-10-18). 'Milan NEVER had a king': Zlatan declares he's GOD in attack on ace Lukaku after recovering from coronavirus for Italian derby win. rt.com Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally taken his chance to hit back at fellow striker Romelu Lukaku in an exchange of taunts on social media, dismissing the Inter Milan forward's claim to be "king" of the city by calling himself god. | AC Milan forward Ibrahimovic had bided his time to reply to Lukaku's thinly-veiled barb following Inter's thrilling 4-2 win at home to Milan in February, when the Sweden legend scored one of the goals as the visitors took a surprise 2-0 win. | Lukaku scored a last-gasp goal to cap a dismal second half for Ibrahimovic and Milan, who were well below their title-challenging arch-rivals at…

South Front (2020-10-18). Video: Azerbaijani Successes in Karabakh Conflict Come Together with War Crimes. globalresearch.ca The Azerbaijani Armed Forces have been developing their advance on Armenian positions in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region. As in the previous several days, the main clashes are taking place in the southern part of Karabakh. | As of October 16, Azerbaijani …

Richard Gale (2020-10-18). Playing Russian Roulette with a COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca America, we need to have a conversation. It is a very serious and dire conversation that has been intentionally ignored and swept under the rug for far too long. It concerns a dialogue that our entire mainstream media, in its …

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-18). Russia emphasizes developing defense coop. with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) — Russian officials on Sunday announced that they will expand technical-military cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in…

sputniknews (2020-10-18). Erdogan Congratulates Pro-Turkey Winner in Northern Cyprus Presidential Election. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the president-elect of the unrecognized Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, on his victory in Sunday's election.

The Canary (2020-10-18). Government adviser on Islamophobia calls for unity in the wake of France attack. thecanary.co Everyone should "work together" to counter extremism following an attack on a history teacher in France, the government's Islamophobia adviser has said. | History teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded near Paris on Friday 16 October. Paty had previously been threatened for discussing caricatures of Islam's Prophet Mohammed with his class, according to French police. | The suspect, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee unknown to intelligence services, was shot dead by police. | "We must not play into their hateful rhetoric": | Qari Asim MBE, imam of Makkah Mosque and government adviser on Islamophobia, spoke out agai…

yenisafak (2020-10-18). France: Horrific decapitation unfolds as act of terror. yenisafak.com "It is at the same time a teacher who was assassinated but it is also the freedom of thought, of expression, which were infringed," Ricard said at a news conference in which he said an anti-terror probe was opened with charges of "assassination in connection with a terrorist enterprise" and "criminal terrorist association." | The killing of the history and geography teacher in the commune of Conflans-Saint-Honorine on Friday has caused upset for the continued terror threats in France and at the same time produced an outpouring of support about the tragedy.The attack occurred just after 5.30 p.m. (1500GMT) in the…

yenisafak (2020-10-18). France's Le Maire says to propose more controls on some 'Islamist' groups. yenisafak.com French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday he would propose reinforcing controls on the financial flows of some Islamist associations, after the beheading of a teacher by a suspected Islamist attacker."There is a problem of financing a number of Islamist associations on which I think we can and must do better," he told France 3 Television.

yenisafak (2020-10-18). Spanish republicans take to streets to call for prosecution of former king. yenisafak.com Waving red, purple and yellow republican flags, demonstrators in 24 Spanish cities on Sunday called for the prosecution of the former king Juan Carlos who left Spain embroiled in controversy.The 82-year-old former monarch has been living in the United Arab Emirates since leaving Spain in August to avoid further embarrassing his son, King Felipe VI."We are here to call for the corrupt former king to be prosecuted and to demand a republic," said Juan Morillo, 74, a retired teacher, who joined hundreds of demonstrators in Seville.While not formally under investigation, Juan Carlos could become a target in two inquir…

yenisafak (2020-10-18). Young US poll workers brace for Election Day as virus fears keep elders home. yenisafak.com After scrambling to replace an aging force of poll workers most at risk from the coronavirus, U.S. election officials face the challenge of running the Nov. 3 voting with untested volunteers tasked with following strict health protocols in an intensely partisan environment.A nationwide drive that recruited hundreds of thousands of younger poll workers – the people who set up equipment, check in voters and process ballots – means most battleground states will not be understaffed, a Reuters review of Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin found.In nearly all of those states, mo…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-18). Workers of Volkswagen Group subsidiary stage protests over closure of plant in Austria. peoplesdispatch.org Workers of the commercial vehicle manufacturing plant of MAN Truck & Bus àñsterreich AG (MTBàñ) in Steyr staged a protest following the announcement on closing their plant, which will put nearly 2,000 jobs at risk…

2020-10-18: News Headlines

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-18). 'The Emails Are Russian' Will Be The Narrative, Regardless Of Facts Or Evidence. thealtworld.com Like the Russian hacking narrative, the Trump-Russia collusion narrative, the Russian bounties in Afghanistan narrative, and any other evidence-free framing of events that simultaneously advances pre-planned cold war agendas, is politically convenient for the Democratic party and generates clicks and ratings, the narrative that the New York Post publication of Hunter Biden's emails is a Russian operation is going to be hammered and hammered and hammered until it becomes the mainstream consensus. This will happen regardless of facts and evidence, up to and including rock solid evidence that Hunter Biden's emails w…

Richard Gale (2020-10-18). Playing Russian Roulette with a COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca America, we need to have a conversation. It is a very serious and dire conversation that has been intentionally ignored and swept under the rug for far too long. It concerns a dialogue that our entire mainstream media, in its …

The Canary (2020-10-18). Government adviser on Islamophobia calls for unity in the wake of France attack. thecanary.co Everyone should "work together" to counter extremism following an attack on a history teacher in France, the government's Islamophobia adviser has said. | History teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded near Paris on Friday 16 October. Paty had previously been threatened for discussing caricatures of Islam's Prophet Mohammed with his class, according to French police. | The suspect, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee unknown to intelligence services, was shot dead by police. | "We must not play into their hateful rhetoric": | Qari Asim MBE, imam of Makkah Mosque and government adviser on Islamophobia, spoke out agai…

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-17). Why Wasn't There Any Post-Election Turmoil in Tajikistan? globalresearch.ca Unlike fellow former Soviet Republics Belarus and even neighboring Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan's latest elections didn't result in any turmoil even though one might have expected it to have due to some similarly discernible risk factors, but that wasn't the case (at …

Juan Cole (2020-10-17). At Townhall, Biden Promises Big Green Infrastructure and Jobs. zcomm.org Spain's Example Suggests he is Right…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-17). US condemns Turkey over reported test of Russian S-400 missile system. middleeasteye.net US condemns Turkey over reported test of Russian S-400 missile system | Ankara refuses to confirm or deny reports that it has tested the controversial air defence system near the Black Sea | Sat, 10/17/2020 – 10: 32 | Washington fears the S-400 could be used to gain intelligence on US weaponry (Reuters) | The United States condemned Turkey on Friday after reports emerged that Ankara had te…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-17). Nine arrested over France teacher beheading. middleeasteye.net Nine arrested over France teacher beheading | The 47-year-old history teacher Samuel Paty was killed after showing his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad | Sat, 10/17/2020 – 15: 56 | The suspect was shot and killed by police near the school in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, northwest of Paris (AFP) | French police have arrested nine people over the beheading of a teacher near his school in…

_____ (2020-10-17). COVID-19: The Case Against Herd Immunity. strategic-culture.org Marcello Ferrada de Noli has studied Sweden's response to the virus and advises countries elsewhere to reject the neoliberal model and survive instead. | Marcello FERRADA DE NOLI | The elderly have comprised the vast majority of Covid-19 fatalities in Sweden, either dying in care homes or their own residence, often alone. | By mid-May 2020, only 13 percent of the care home victims had received treatment at Swedish hospitals. In August 2020, only five percent of the Covid-19 patients admitted for treatment at Swedish hospitals came from care home facilities. | Sweden has by far the highest proportion of deaths am…

RT (2020-10-17). India gives go-ahead to domestic trial of Russia's pioneering 'Sputnik V' Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com India's vaccines regulator has given the green light for a clinical study of the Russia-developed Covid-19 vaccine. Similar trials of the formulation are underway in Russia itself and in some other nations. | The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), a department in India's drug regulator that is responsible for licensing vaccines, has given its approval for a domestic clinical study of the Russian candidate vaccine dubbed "Sputnik V," Indian and Russian partners have announced in a joint statement. The "multi-center and randomized controlled study" will be conducted by Dr Reddy's Laboratories, a Hyderabad…

RT (2020-10-17). 'American stupidity': Furious Italian governor imposes CURFEW on Halloween, blaming partygoers for Covid-19 spread. rt.com The governor of the south-western Campania region didn't mince his words as he lashed out at those defying social distancing rules to enjoy nightlife, and vowed to stop Halloween celebrations he called "American stupidity." | Vincenzo de Luca said he plans to "close everything at 22: 00" and impose a curfew from the last day of October — supposedly to prevent "uncivilized" Italians from throwing Halloween parties right in the middle of the Covid-19 epidemic. | And the official did not hide the fact he thinks nothing of the occasion itself. "Halloween weekend is … immense idiocy, immense American stupidit…

RT (2020-10-17). 'Our children are not safe': Parents recall horror moments after teen terrorist beheaded teacher outside French school. rt.com Residents of the French suburb where history teacher Samuel Paty was brutally slain and beheaded on Friday have been shocked by the incident, with some even saying they are afraid to allow their children back to school. | "Our children are not safe, we don't know what to do. We won't allow them to school anymore," a parent of a child attending the school where the murdered teacher worked says, in a video published by RT's video agency Ruptly. | Another parent, whose child is studying in the same class where the teacher showed cartoons deemed offensive by some, gave his account of the school incident that is be…

_____ (2020-10-17). The U.S. Did Not Defeat Fascism in WWII, It Discretely Internationalized It. strategic-culture.org Gabriel ROCKHILL"The U.S. has established itself as the mortal enemy of all people's government, all scientific-socialist mobilization of consciousness everywhere on the globe, all anti-imperialist activity on earth." | — George Jackson | One of the founding myths of the contemporary Western European and American world is that fascism was defeated in WWII by liberal democracies, and particularly by the United States. With the subsequent Nuremburg trials and the patient construction of a liberal world order, a bulwark was erected—in fits and starts, and with the constant threat of regression—agai…

WSWS (2020-10-17). 7,000 new infections in 24 hours: Germany's highest COVID numbers since beginning of pandemic. wsws.org The German chancellor and leaders of the federal states are maintaining their policy of herd immunity despite the eruption of a second wave of coronavirus cases.

WSWS (2020-10-17). Mobilize the working class against the European Union's "herd immunity" policies! wsws.org As Europe emerges as an epicenter of a global resurgence of COVID-19, the EU is pursuing a policy leading to deaths on an unprecedented scale, far surpassing the 200,000 deaths this spring.

teleSUR (2020-10-17). Trump Says He May Leave the US If Biden Wins. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump Saturday suggested that he would "have to leave the country" if he loses against the Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the upcoming November election. | RELATED: | Trump made that statement amid a campaign event in Macon, Georgia, where he mocked the social distancing and face masks that Biden urges to his campaign events' attendees. | "Running against the worst candidate in the history…

teleSUR (2020-10-17). France: Authorities Identify Man Who Beheaded A Teacher. telesurenglish.net French authorities Friday identified the attacker who beheaded a history teacher in a Paris suburb after the professor had shown a caricature of Muhammad in a classroom. | RELATED: | The crime was committed after a father of a student posted a video on social networks denouncing that the murdered 47-year-old teacher, Samuel Paty, had shown a caricature of Muhammad in a class on freedom of expression. | France's National Anti…

_____ (2020-10-17). The US Did Not Defeat Fascism In WWII. popularresistance.org One of the founding myths of the contemporary Western European and American world is that fascism was defeated in WWII by liberal democracies, and particularly by the United States. With the subsequent Nuremburg trials and the patient construction of a liberal world order, a bulwark was erected—in fits and starts, and with the constant threat of regression—against fascism and its evil twin in the East. American culture industries have rehearsed this narrative ad nauseum, brewing it into a saccharine ideological Kool-Aid and piping it into every household, shack and street corner with a TV or smartphon…

_____ (2020-10-17). Why Conflict in Caucasus Is Erdogan's Revenge for Syria. strategic-culture.org Turkey's outsize role in fueling the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is becoming more apparent. That's why a peace deal will be hard to cut and indeed the conflict may blow up further into a protracted regional war. A war that could drag Russia into battling in the Caucasus on its southern periphery against NATO proxies. | In a phone call this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-17). Iranian embassy in Baku condemns attack on Azerbaijan's Ganja. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (MNA) — The Iranian embassy in Baku, in its Saturday statement, strongly condemned the rocket attack on Azerbaijan's Ganja.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-17). 2nd round of Iran-Ukraine plane crash talks to start on Mon. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (MNA) — While the first round of the Iranian delegation's talks about the flight 752 incident in Ukraine ended in early August, the second round of the related talks is slated to be held in Tehran, from Monday to Wednesday.

sputniknews (2020-10-17). Chechen Republic's Head Slams Paris Beheading Attack, Cautions Against Focus on Criminal's Ethnicity. sputniknews.com The French prosecutor earlier in the day confirmed that the gruesome beheading attack in France on Friday was perpetrated by an 18-year-old Chechen man born in Moscow.

sputniknews (2020-10-17). Joe Biden Rants About 'Smear Campaign' and Insults CBS Reporter Who Asks About NY Post Story. sputniknews.com Twitter and Facebook have both moved to suppress New York Post reports that the former vice president lied about never talking to his son Hunter about his business dealings in Ukraine, where Biden had the prosecutor general fired.

sputniknews (2020-10-17). Russia to Respond to US Deployment of Missiles in Asia-Pacific Region, Ambassador Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow will adequately respond to Washington's deployment of intermediate and short-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.

sputniknews (2020-10-17). Tehran Declares Arms Embargo Lifted, Iran Free to Procure, Export Arms as Sees Fit. sputniknews.com In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the European Union, requiring Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction. middleeasteye.net European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction | Israel approved the construction of more than 2,000 new illegal West Bank settlement homes on Wednesday | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 14: 13 | A Palestinian man confronts a member of the Israeli security forces as Palestinian farmers trying to access their lands to harvest olives in the West Bank village of Burqah were prev…

Scott Ritter (2020-10-16). Washington's 'no' to Putin's proposal of a New START extension is a political victory for Moscow. thealtworld.com Putin intervened to state clearly and directly that a one-year extension of the New START treaty was the only option. The White House declined, setting the stage for a new arms race should Trump win in November. | Less than a week after US-Russian talks on the future of the New START treaty collapsed — amid recriminations from both sides stemming from a misunderstanding, whether deliberate or otherwise, regarding Moscow's position — President Vladimir Putin intervened in a high-profile bid to inject both clarity and a sense of urgency about the future viability of the last remaining arms control agree…

Dennis Laumann (2020-10-16). 'A Perfect Crime,' gripping Netflix documentary on the looting of East Germany. peoplesworld.org A Perfect Crime, a new four-part documentary series on Netflix about the 1991 assassination of German politician Detlev Rohwedder, surprisingly offers critical viewpoints about German reunification. October 3 marked the 30th anniversary of the reunification of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). While German reunification is …

Scheherezade Faramarzi (2020-10-16). Ahead of North Cyprus presidential election run-off, island's fate hangs in the balance. middleeasteye.net Ahead of North Cyprus presidential election run-off, island's fate hangs in the balance | Electorate to choose between the incumbent president and prime minister – and drastically different visions for the future of the divided island | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 17: 43 | A Turkish-Cypriot man casts his ballot at a polling station during the inconc…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). France's Sarkozy charged with criminal conspiracy over Libya money. middleeasteye.net France's Sarkozy charged with criminal conspiracy over Libya money | Nicolas Sarkozy faces charges linked to money provided by former Libyan leader Gaddafi for his election campaign | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 13: 56 | Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, poses during a studio photo session in Paris ahead of the 2017 presidential election (AFP) | Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has bee…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). French police fatally shoot man after school teacher decapitated. middleeasteye.net French police fatally shoot man after school teacher decapitated | Authorities describe killing of teacher who showed cartoons of Prophet Muhammad as 'murder linked to a terrorist organisation' | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 20: 05 | Local mayor says attack in Paris suburb was "incredibly violent" (AFP/File photo) | French police shot a man dead after he reportedly decapitated a middle-school teacher…

Anand Naidoo (2020-10-16). The Heat: Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict. america.cgtn.com Tensions escalate between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as both sides accuse each other of violating a fragile ceasefire.

RT (2020-10-16). ABC ignores elephant in the room, asks Biden ZERO QUESTIONS about censored NY Post scoops on his son's overseas business dealings. rt.com ABC held a 90-minute town hall with Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden without asking a single question about this week's New York Post stories on alleged scandals involving his son's business dealings in Ukraine and China. | Host George Stephanopoulos steered clear of…

RT (2020-10-16). Terrorism investigation launched after teacher 'decapitated' in Paris suburb attack. rt.com A man has been found decapitated in Conflans Saint-Honorine, located some 28 km northwest of Paris, according to media reports citing police sources. The suspect was reportedly shot and killed by law enforcement. | The victim was attacked and "decapitated," BFMTV reported on Friday. Other media reports suggested the individual had been "stabbed" in the throat and succumbed to his wound. | The incident reportedly occurred outside a local school, and a police spokesman has confirmed that the victim was a middle-school teacher. |

RT (2020-10-16). Russian population to fall by 1.2 million by 2024, wiping around 1% off the country's total, says latest government estimates. rt.com The population of Russia is predicted to drop by 352,500 people this year, and could be reduced by a total of 1.2 million come 2024. The latest figures are a major revision of the 2020 dip of only 158,000 projected in August.

RT (2020-10-16). 'Putin's proposal a non-starter': White House rejects Russian call to extend nuclear arms control treaty. rt.com Washington has refused President Vladimir Putin's offer to extend New START, the last remaining arms control treaty between the US and Russia, for one year without any preconditions. | "President Putin's response today to extend New START… is a non-starter," the US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said in response to Moscow's offer, adding that Washington hopes Russia "will reevaluate its position before a costly arms race ensues." | (2/3) This would have been a win for both sides, and we believed the Russians were willing to accept this proposal when I met with my counterpart in Geneva. President Pu…

RT (2020-10-16). WATCH scene of attack in France where man 'beheaded' teacher who 'showed cartoons of Prophet Mohammed' at school. rt.com An anti-terrorism investigation is underway in a Parisian suburb after a middle-school teacher was fatally stabbed by a man who reportedly cried "Allahu Akbar" while assaulting him. | The incident occurred in Conflans Saint-Honorine at around 5pm local time on Friday. The knife-wielding suspected attacker was shot dead by police. | According to local reports, the teacher was recently the subject of complaints from parents after he showed caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed to students during class, and investigators are looking into the incident as one potential motive for the attack. | Visiting the scene o…

RT (2020-10-16). WATCH scene of France attack where man 'beheaded' teacher who 'showed cartoons of Prophet Mohammed' at school. rt.com An anti-terrorism invstigation is underway in a Parisian suburb after a middle school teacher was fatally stabbed by a man who reportedly cried "Allahu Akbar" while assaulting him. | The incident occurred in Conflans Saint-Honorine at around 5pm local time on Friday. The knife-wielding suspected attacker was shot dead by police. | According to local reports, the teacher was recently the subject of complaints from parents after he showed caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed to students during class, and investigators are looking into the incident as one potential motive for the attack. | Visiting the scene on…

RT (2020-10-16). US threatens 'serious consequences' if Turkey puts into operation its Russian S-400 missile systems. rt.com The US State Department has warned the Turkish government of "potential serious consequences" to the two nations' security relationship should reports of Ankara testing the Russian S-400 air defense systems prove true. | "If confirmed, we would condemn in the strongest terms the S-400 test missile launch as incompatible with Turkey's responsibilities as a NATO ally and strategic partner of the United States," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Friday. | Ortagus insisted that the air defense system "should not be operationalized," adding, "We have also been clear on the potential serious conseq…

Romana Rubeo and Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-16). Zionist War on Palestinian Festival in Rome is Ominous Sign of Things to Come. dissidentvoice.org A Zionist-led war on a Palestinian cultural festival in Rome has exposed the fragility of the Italian political system when it comes to the conversation on Palestine and Israel. The sad truth is that, although Italy is not often associated with a 'powerful' pro-Israel lobby as is the case in Washington, the pro-Israel influence in …

WSWS (2020-10-16). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-16). Health workers protest in France amid new COVID-19 spike. peoplesdispatch.org In the wake of a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases, a state of health emergency has been declared in Paris. Health workers have demanded increased workforce and resources to fight the pandemic…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-16). Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed Hadi government begin prisoner swap deal in Yemen. peoplesdispatch.org The two sides had agreed to a prisoner swap deal in Switzerland last month, involving 1,081 prisoners, including 15 Saudi nationals. The deal is being implemented over Thursday and Friday…

Paul Joseph Watson (2020-10-16). WHO Europe Director Says Governments Should Stop Enforcing Lockdowns. globalresearch.ca The World Health Organization's Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge says governments should stop enforcing lockdowns, unless as a "last resort," because the impact on other areas of health and mental well-being is more damaging. | In an interview with Euro …

WSWS (2020-10-16). Large-scale police deployment evicts alternative housing project in Berlin, Germany. wsws.org The mobilization of thousands of police officers to evict an alternative housing project must be understood as a serious warning. In the face of social tensions and the catastrophic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the ruling class is preparing to violently suppress any opposition from below.

Thomas Klikauer (2020-10-16). Profits àºber Alles — MBAs in Germany. counterpunch.org Currently, German universities offer about 300 MBA or Master of Business Administration degrees. Although invented in the USA, MBA and adjacent business degrees are the new vogue in Germany. Germans use the unpronounceable term Betriebswirtschaftslehre or BWL when talking about business studies and MBAs. According to two German BWL professors — Christian Kreiàü and Heinz

_____ (2020-10-16). Before the Bidens 'Did' Ukraine, There Was Iraq — and Serbia. strategic-culture.org The United States approaches the November 2020 election with growing apprehension, even dread. | Among the possibilities: | Protracted uncertainty about the presidential contest. Think Florida 2000 but with several states' results unresolved for weeks or even months ("Experts held 'war games' on the Trump vs. Biden election. Their finding? Brace for a mess"); | A disputed outcome, perhaps with Donald Trump and Joe Biden both claiming victory, compounded by a "

_____ (2020-10-16). Why You Won't Find Us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. strategic-culture.org Dear readers of the Strategic Culture Foundation website, | In September 2020, the Strategic Culture Foundation was banned from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube following unsubstantiated claims that it was connected with Russian intelligence services and interfered in the US presidential elections on their orders. It means that you can't find us on these platforms and, moreover, if you try to post any links leading to SCF on your personal page, you will most likely not be allowed to do that. This case provides a glimpse into the dystopian future of suppressing dissident voices by governments previously known as dem…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). Five EU states urge a halt to settlements in occupied lands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — After the United Nations and European Union, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain are deeply concerned about the Israeli regime's plans to build new settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). Iran, Sweden emphasize strengthening bilateral economic coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Islamic Republic of Iran and Sweden stressed the need to enhance and broaden bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). Baku in talk with Tehran, Ankara, London over Karabakh row. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Media outlets in Azerbaijan Republic on Fri. revealed that Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has held telephone talk with his Iranian, Turkish, Czech and British counterparts over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.