2020-09-24: News Headlines

Staff (2020-09-24). "Two Systems of Justice": Jacob Blake's Father on Son's Case, Breonna Taylor & Black Lives Matter. democracynow.org As outrage mounts over the grand jury ruling in the police killing of Breonna Taylor, we look at the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where an investigation is in its final stages. The case sparked renewed national protests in August after viral video showed Kenosha police shooting the Black father in the back seven times, paralyzing him. We speak with Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr. He says police shootings and killings of Black people reveal there are "two systems of justice" in the United States, and asks, "Why are our children scared to death of people that are supposed to protect and serve them…

Michael Jansen (2020-09-24). Failing Palestinian Self-determination. globalresearch.ca The UN is marking its 75th birthday with a virtual opening of the 75th session of the General Assembly. While UN agencies have carried out successful humanitarian assistance and research programmes, peacekeeping missions and efforts to protect the rights of …

news.un (2020-09-24). Venezuelan President Maduro proposes new UN fund to support countries facing discrimination. news.un.org Venezuela has proposed creation of a "revolving public purchasing fund" within the United Nations system to guarantee access to food and health products, financed with public resources, to facilitate countries suffering "discrimination and economic blockade" acquire necessary goods and services.

A. Majumdar (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 . . . |

Fight Back (2020-09-24). Minneapolis calls for an end to aid to Israel, remembers Sabra and Shatila. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On September 17, over 30 activists in Minneapolis bannered across Interstate 94 during rush hour to remember the Sabra and Shatila massacre and highlight the destructive role the U.S. plays in Lebanon. They waved Palestinian flags and dropped banners across eight lanes of traffic demanding an end to aid in Israel, demanding an end to apartheid, and expressing solidarity against state violence. The response from people passing by was overwhelmingly positive with a constant stream of honks from cars. | From September 16 to 18, 1982, pro-Israel militiamen murdered more than 1000 Palestinian and Leb…

Nadda Osman (2020-09-24). Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled. middleeasteye.net Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled | The event was also later blocked by YouTube and Facebook for featuring the activist and former hijacker | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 15: 02 | The online event was cancelled by Zoom, and later blocked by Facebook and YouTube (Screengrab/ AFP) | Zoom, a video conferencing platform, is facing a barrage of criticism online after cancellin…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years. middleeasteye.net Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years | Deal between the rival Palestinian factions follows normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 12: 01 | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, recites a prayer as he arrives for a meeting in Ramallah on 3 September with representatives of Palestinian factions (AFP) | The Pa…

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says. middleeasteye.net Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says | UN ambassador Kelly Craft declined to name names, but recent moves indicate Sudan or Oman may be next on list of countries to move forward with normalisation deal | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 16: 34 | Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain met with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

Liberation Staff (2020-09-24). Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (South Africa): Release U.S. political prisoners jailed for fighting in the anti-racist struggle! liberationnews.org Political repression in the USA continues against those leading the massive anti-racist protest movement, as seen in the recent arrests of four leaders of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and the ongoing criminalization of the protest movement as a whole.

RT (2020-09-24). 'Vote him out', 'Honor her wish': Protesters chant as Donald Trump pays respect to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. rt.com US President Donald Trump was loudly booed as he paid his respects to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as calls intensify for him to hold off on nominating a replacement until after the November election. | The president and his wife, Melania, silently paid their respects to Ginsburg on Thursday morning at the Supreme Court, where the recently-deceased judge is lying in state as part of a three-day event to honor her life. | As Trump and the First Lady appeared, a crowd that had gathered across the street began booing the pair and chanting "vote him out." They also chanted "honor her wish" [mdas…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb. middleeasteye.net 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb | Move comes after number of daily new cases has reached nearly 7,000 among a population of just nine million | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 08: 04 | Netanyahu has rejected allegations from protesters that a tougher lockdown was essentially aimed at quashing demonstrations against him (Reuters) | Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report. middleeasteye.net Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report | For the first time, US officials have commented on the Israeli prime minister's behaviour, which has been reported on for years | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 11: 16 | One US official said that after multiple trips to Washington it became clear that the bringing of the dirty laundry was intentional (AFP) | Officials in the Un…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-24). Groups from across the world ask UN General Assembly to act against Israeli apartheid. peoplesdispatch.org More than 450 civil society and human rights groups from across the globe released a letter addressed to the ongoing 75th session of the UNGA asking it to revive its anti-apartheid bodies and take action to end Israeli occupation of Palestine…

Kenn Orphan (2020-09-24). RBG and America's Priestly Class. counterpunch.org "It would be naive to depend on the Supreme Court to defend the rights of poor people, women, people of color, dissenters of all kinds. Those rights only come alive when citizens organize, protest, demonstrate, strike, boycott, rebel, and violate the law in order to uphold justice." — Howard Zinn The history of most ancient

Morgan Marietta (2020-09-24). 3 ways a 6-3 Supreme Court would be different. zcomm.org Perhaps the most important ramification of a 6-3 conservative court is that it will return many policies to local control.

ERA Coalition (2020-09-24). Wednesday 9/23: Recording: Supreme Court Lying in Repose Ceremony for Justice Ginsburg (watch anytime). indybay.org Online recording…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). 2020 US ELECTION: What you need to know right now. yenisafak.com Court battles over how votes are tallied have now spread to almost every competitive state, as the effect of the pandemic has led the two sides to clash over seemingly mundane issues such as witness signatures, postmarks, and the use of drop boxes for ballots.- With speculation swirling over his pick for the Supreme Court, President Donald Trump heads to Florida on Thursday, hoping to shore up support in that hotly contested state. On Wednesday, the president, who has repeatedly attempted to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election, declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses.- Retired Gene…

yenisafak (2020-09-24). US to announce more Iran sanctions on Thursday, top envoy says. yenisafak.com The United States will slap new sanctions on a number of Iranian officials and entities including a judge who sentenced Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari to death, U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela Elliott Abrams told a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday.Navid Afkari was executed earlier this month after being convicted of stabbing a security guard to death during anti-government protests in 2018, Iranian state media reported, in a case that has sparked international outcry. Iran's Supreme Court rejected a review of the case in late August.

Elie Mystal (2020-09-24). The Media Is Missing the Republicans' Supreme Court Power Grab—Again. thenation.com The Media Is Missing the Republicans' Supreme Court Power Grab—Again…

Duncan Hosie (2020-09-24). When will DeSantis listen to his own voters on ex-felons' voting rights? aclu.org On Sept. 11, Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Republican leaders won their legal battle to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of people with prior felony convictions. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit embraced Republican politicians' specious arguments that ex-felons should be required to pay all fines and fees before voting., , This decision dealt a blow to Floridians who care about racial justice and basic principles of democracy. The ruling also spited an unlikely and less discussed constituency: Republican voters., , This story starts in 2018, when DeSantis and Republican politicians camp…

Marwa Osman (2020-09-24). Rejecting Normalization with Israel—MES EP.73. thealtworld.com The recent bilateral agreements simply formalized the normalization of Israel's already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. But the agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Arab population because of the Palestinian cause, who view the pacts as a stab in the back of their fellow Palestinians and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state. To discuss this issue with us from London is Jawad Fairouz Former Bahraini MP. | It is not a secret that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with either voiding or emulating the legacy of his predecessor, Barack…

_____ (2020-09-24). The Man Who Inspired A Generation. popularresistance.org My encounter with the Al-Araj family began in 2009, the year I met Basil and Shireen and started joining them in demonstrations in Al-Walaja village. On 6 March 2017, Basil was murdered by the Israeli army. He was 31 years old. Others will speak of his martyrdom, I will speak of his life and what he told me. Basil would have wanted it told this way. I learned intimate details about Basil and his family life the third time we were detained together. He was 24 years old, I was twice his age. This was in what Basil accurately described as "a holding pin not fit for animals" which I and many Palestinian males shared…

Fight Back (2020-09-24). Jacksonville demands People's Budget, stands in solidarity with the Tally 19. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL — On September 19, over 120 people showed up outside city hall in downtown Jacksonville demanding a people's budget and community control of the police. This action was in response to the call by the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression (NAARPR) national call to action. The Jacksonville Community Action Committee is an affiliate of NAARPR. | Speakers from Jacksonville Community Action Committee, University of North Florida SDS, Take 'Em Down Jax, Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, ACLU, Mount Sinai Baptist Church and other organizations participated. The demands have b…

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-09-24). New Middle East Peace Plan Would Use Jobs to "Turn Palestinians Away from Violence" mintpressnews.com The Middle East Partnership for Peace Act relies heavily on the premise that the primary reasons that Israel and the Palestinians have not achieved peace are merely economic.

CJ Polychroniou (2020-09-24). Why Trump's Racist And Neo-Fascist Campaign Resonates In 21st Century US. zcomm.org The major task for progressives is to search for creative ways that will alter public consciousness in the United States about the devastating effects of a political culture engulfed in the flames of racial strife, violence, militarism, and climate change denialism…

Florina Rodov (2020-09-24). Online Charter Schools Are Not a Solution to Education in a Pandemic. zcomm.org Coronavirus and racism combined with online charters would create a plague of injustice that will never be wiped out…

Author (2020-09-24). Racist Gentrifier Victoria Fierce Running for AC Transit At-Large Director. indybay.org Victoria Fierce, known for gentrification advocacy and for making racist policy statements, is running as a candidate for AC Transit At-Large Director…

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-09-24). Sunday 9/27: It's On: The Struggle for the Future. indybay.org Dolores Park | 18th & Church Street | San Francisco…

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Israeli Man Who Lost His Mother in Palestinian Suicide Attack Opens Up About His Loss, Anger & Pain. sputniknews.com It has been 20 years since the onset of the Second Palestinian uprising, during which Palestinian terrorists killed more than a thousand Israelis, many of whom were civilians. The IDF killed over 3,000 Palestinians throughout the 2nd intifada.

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Biden Blasts Violence While Siding With Angry Demonstrators Against Breonna Taylor Verdict. sputniknews.com Rallies against police brutality and racism have erupted across Kentucky and beyond after the state's grand jury ruled two of the three policemen were justified in fire their weapons to 'protect themselves' during a mistaken 'no knock' raid on Breonna Taylor's home.

The Canary (2020-09-24). Courts head apologises after Black barrister mistaken for defendant three times in a day. thecanary.co The acting head of the UK's court service has apologised after a Black barrister was mistaken for a defendant three times in one day. | Alexandra Wilson, a criminal and family barrister and author of In Black And White, tweeted that she was "absolutely exhausted" after staff at the court repeatedly failed to recognise she worked in the legal profession. | Her tweets quickly went viral, drawing accusations of racism within the UK's court system. | Kevin Sadler, the acting chief executive of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service apologised to Wilson and said it was "totally unacceptable behaviour" and he would…

yenisafak (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…

Telesur (2020-09-23). Venezuela Denounces New Aggressions from the US. globalresearch.ca The Simon Bolivar Great Patriotic Pole (GPPSB) alerted that plans are being made to generate violence in the country, after the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to countries bordering Venezuela. | In a press conference held …

Staff (2020-09-23). Who Is Amy Barrett? Front-Runner to Replace RBG Is Anti-Abortion Member of Patriarchal Catholic Group. democracynow.org We look at President Trump's top pick for a woman to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is a devout Catholic who has taken conservative stances on abortion, gun rights, immigration and LGBTQ rights. Barrett's involvement with the conservative Catholic group People of Praise, whose members pledge a lifelong loyalty oath to the group, has also raised questions about her ability to rule independently. "There's some real concerns about whether her involvement in there will affect her ability to be impartial a…

Staff (2020-09-23). Headlines for September 23, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 200,000, On Track to Double by Year's End, FDA Reportedly Planning Stricter Guidelines for Release of COVID-19 Vaccine, Pentagon Spent $1 Billion of Coronavirus Funds on Military Supplies, Trump Says Coronavirus "Affects Virtually Nobody" as U.S. Death Toll Tops 200,000, U.N. Secretary-General Warns of New Cold War as Trump Attacks China over Coronavirus, Sen. Mitt Romney Backs Rapid Vote on Trump's Supreme Court Nominee, Officer Involved in Breonna Taylor's Killing Defends Actions, Calls Protesters "Thugs", Federal Agents Tapped Cellphones of Portland Protesters, President Trump…

Staff (2020-09-23). People of Praise: Former Member of Group Tied to SCOTUS Front-Runner Amy Barrett Calls It a "Cult" democracynow.org As President Trump appears poised to announce a nominee to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, we speak with a former member of the secretive Catholic group People of Praise, known for its rigid gender roles and lifelong loyalty oaths, which apparent front-runner Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a member of. "Many call it a community, but I describe it as a cult," says Coral Anika Theill, who was a member of People of Praise from 1979 to 1984 and is now speaking out against the organization.

_____ (2020-09-23). The End Of The 'Rules Based International Order'. popularresistance.org The 'western' countries, i.e. the United States and its 'allies', love to speak of a 'rules based international order' which they say everyone should follow. That 'rules based order' is a way more vague concept than the actual rule of law: | The G7 is united by its shared values and commitment to a rules based international order. That order is being challenged by authoritarianism, serious violations of human rights, exclusion and discrimination, humanitarian and security crises, and the defiance of international law and standards. | As members of the G7, we are convinced that our societies and the world have rea…

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Donald Trump is spreading 'disease of hate', Ilhan Omar says. middleeasteye.net Donald Trump is spreading 'disease of hate', Ilhan Omar says | US president renews racist attacks against Omar, portraying congresswoman as foreigner telling Americans how to run their country | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 21: 10 | Omar slams Trump's 'cult rallies' ahead of November election (AFP/File photo) | Racist remarks against Muslim-American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are becoming a regular feature of President Don…

Dr. Jack Rasmus (2020-09-23). A Most Dire Warning. The 2020 November Elections. Chaos in America… globalresearch.ca The rumor today is that Romney will reportedly say he'll support Trump's 3rd SCOTUS vote. So there you have it! 2020 election Game Over! | Trump will now get his 3rd Supreme Court nominee accepted by McConnell's Senate—either before Nov. 3 …

Prof. Marjorie Cohn (2020-09-23). Ginsburg's Legacy Is Vast, But a Trump Appointee Could Overturn Her Best Rulings. globalresearch.ca When I was sworn in to practice before the Supreme Court in 2007, I sat near the front of the gallery. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the five-foot-tall justice, was barely visible over the bench behind which she sat. On two …

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech. middleeasteye.net Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech | Saudi monarch suggests kingdom backs its Gulf neighbours' normalisation deals with Israel on second day of UN General Assembly | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 17: 09 | 'We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East,' Saudi Arabia's Salman says (AFP/File photo) | Saudi Arabia's King Salman delivered a scathing at…

Melvin Goodman (2020-09-23). Arming the Planet: the USA as the World's Leading Weapons Dealer. counterpunch.org For the past several decades, the United States has been the world's leading producer of major weapons systems and the leader in global arms sales. More of these sales have taken place in the globe's most volatile region, the Middle East, than in any other region of the world. The so-called peace deals between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrein, which were brokered by the United States, were business deals designed to expand U.S. arms sales in the Persian Gulf.

Staff (2020-09-23). A 6-3 court could cement minority Republican rule for decades. therealnews.com The Appeal's Daniel Nichanian discusses the consequences of Trump filling the seat of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-09-23). Much at stake for workers in federal appeals courts. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON —If there ever were six months which proved the importance of federal appeals courts to workers, the first half of 2020 was it. Both for, and often against, those judges, especially on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, determined workers' fate, even more so than the U.S. Supreme Court or …

Yasmena al-Mulla (2020-09-23). 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation. middleeasteye.net 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation | Cabinet of ministers' statement reflects strong historical relations between the Gulf country and Palestine

| Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 21 | Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah accepts the US Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander on behalf of his father the Kuwaiti emir during a ceremony at the…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-23). TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list. middleeasteye.net TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list | Syrian filmmaker and Egyptian journalist are praised for courageous documenting and reporting, while UAE ambassador gets recognition for building ties with US and Israel | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 15 | (Left to right) Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba made the list for TIME magazine's 100…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-23). Palestinians Are Not Numbers. dissidentvoice.org Palestine can never be truly understood through numbers, because numbers are dehumanizing, impersonal, and, when necessary, can also be contrived to mean something else entirely. Numbers are not meant to tell the story of the human condition, nor should they ever serve as a substitute for emotions. Indeed, the stories of life, death — and …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-23). More Than Just Statistics: On the Future of the Palestinian Discourse. mintpressnews.com A single chart, or a thousand, can never truly describe the actual terror felt by a million children who feared for their lives during those horrific days; or transport us to a bedroom where a family of ten huddled in the dark, praying for God's mercy as the earth shook, concrete collapsed and glass shattered all around them.

MEE staff (2020-09-23). US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets. middleeasteye.net US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets | David Friedman tells Jerusalem Post that Israel's military edge in region is 'matter of law, not a matter of policy' | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 18: 23 | UAE has long voiced interest in F-35 jets and were promised chance to buy them when agreeing to normalise ties with Israel (AFP/File photo) | US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman say…

MEE and agencies (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…