(2020-10-05). Regression as a National Theme. counterpunch.org 
Going Backwards Led by a reactionary, autocratic faction of the Republican Party, the United States has taken another step backward in terms of social progress. This comes with Donald Trump's nomination of a religiously motivated conservative, Amy Coney Barrett, to the Supreme Court. Barrett, a devout Catholic and presently a federal appeals court judge, was
(2020-10-05). The Supreme Court's War on Equality. thenation.com 
In Supreme Inequality, Adam Cohen offers a damning indictment of Supreme Court jurisprudence, reminding us of just how political the country's highest court is.
(2020-10-05). Ginsburg Institute for Justice Needed for Our Depleted Democracy. counterpunch.org Jean Monnet — a founder of the European Union once said: "Nothing is possible without men, but nothing is lasting without institutions." I'm reminded of his observation each time our country loses a "just" Supreme Court Justice. So, what will follow after the few days of prominent encomiums at memorial events and editorial praise of
(2020-10-05). A Public Letter to Supreme Court Nominee Amy Barrett. zcomm.org Does a promise that ours is a government "of the people, by the people and for the people?" correspond to the kind of economic system that is currently running our country?>
(2020-10-05). Today Marks the Start of a Truly Terrifying Supreme Court Term. thenation.com Today Marks the Start of a Truly Terrifying Supreme Court Term…
(2020-10-05). Israel: 130,000 protesters demand resignation of Netanyahu government. wsws.org Israeli workers now face measures long associated with the suppression of the Palestinians in the territories illegally occupied by Israel since their seizure in the June 1967 war.
(2020-10-04). Will Lebanon be the Next US-NATO Humanitarian War? The Elimination of Hezbollah is Israel's Top Priority. globalresearch.ca The waters off Lebanon are the scene of a gathering Armada of French and American naval ships. What appeared at first to be a humanitarian response to the devastating
(2020-10-04). Trump's Turn From Immigration to the Enemy Within. zcomm.org Trump's shift from demonizing immigrants to targeting leftists is straight out of the fascist playbook…
(2020-10-04). Houston protesters demand accountability after recent spate of racist police killings. liberationnews.org 
Earlier this year, within a period of just six weeks, Houston police officers shot and killed at least six different people, all of them either Black or Latino.
(2020-10-04). Israel Lobby Will Face Blowback, eventually. dissidentvoice.org 
How much is too much? When will Israeli nationalists in North America completely discredit themselves by overusing their power to crush those defending Palestinians? The recent ruthlessness of the Israel lobby is remarkable. Recently they've convinced Zoom to cancel a university sponsored talk, a prominent law program to rescind a job offer, a public broadcaster …
(2020-10-04). Senate Democrats' leader Schumer slams idea of virtual hearing for SCOTUS pick — but not all the other virtual Senate hearings. rt.com 
"A virtual hearing is virtually no hearing at all," the New York Senator says, suggesting the decision on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett should be postponed, despite Senate already using the practice throughout pandemic. | "If it's not safe for the Senate to meet in session, it's not safe for the hearings to go forward," Chuck Schumer said at a Sunday press conference. | The Senate has already cancelled meetings this week due to several senators, including two on the judiciary committee, revealing they are positive for Covid-19. | The idea of virtual hearings has been suggested, but Democrats have bee…
(2020-10-04). Senate Democrats' leader Schumer slams idea of virtual hearing for SCOTUS pick – but not all the other virtual Senate hearings. rt.com "A virtual hearing is virtually no hearing at all," the New York Senator says, suggesting the decision on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett should be postponed, despite Senate already using the practice throughout pandemic. | "If it's not safe for the Senate to meet in session, it's not safe for the hearings to go forward," Chuck Schumer said at a Sunday press conference. | The Senate has already cancelled meetings this week due to several senators, including two on the judiciary committee, revealing they are positive for Covid-19. | The idea of virtual hearings has been suggested, but Democrats have bee…
(2020-10-04). Israel defense minister accuses Turkey of working against peace efforts and 'supporting regional aggression'. rt.com 
Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz has said Turkey's actions "pushes away from stability" in the region and argued "international pressure" must be used to "make sure they are pulling their hands from direct terrorism." | Speaking on a conference call put together by The Arab Council for Regional Integration, Gantz accused Turkey, a country Israel has a trade relationship with, of helping to destabilize the region and working against peace efforts, including Tel-Aviv's September deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was brokered by the US. | Countries like Iran, Turkey, and Palestine have opposed th…
(2020-10-04). Senate Minority Leader Schumer Urges Delay of Supreme Court Hearing Over COVID-19 Outbreak Among GOP. sputniknews.com Politicians close to the White House have been infected or fear being infected with coronavirus after attending meetings held by President Donald Trump, who, among other officials, has also tested positive for COVID-19.
(2020-10-04). Amy Coney Barrett Would Ensure an Anti-Worker Supreme Court. truthout.org
(2020-10-04). Les ´ guerres nouvelles ª menées par Israà´l et les USA réussiront-elles à affaiblir le Hezbollah? thealtworld.com Comme la guerre conventionnelle n'a pas réussi à vaincre le Hezbollah libanais, Israà´l et les USA ont adopté de nouvelles tactiques dans l'art de la guerre tout en évitant un conflit ouvert aux yeux du public. Ces nouvelles tactiques, qui n'excluent pas la guerre traditionnelle, comprennent une série de guerres ou d'actions reposant sur des formations irrégulières, des actes terroristes, le chaos, les sanctions, les plates-formes électroniques, la guerre médiatique, la propagande, les fausses nouvelles, la division de la société, la politique visant à réduire à la famine et l'engagement de l'ennemi de l'in…
(2020-10-04). Will the Israel-US "New Wars" succeed in weakening Hezbollah? thealtworld.com When conventional military war failed to defeat the Lebanese Hezbollah, Israel and the US adopted different tactics in the art of war whilst avoiding overt conflict in the public eye. The new tactics, whilst not excluding traditional warfare, include a group of wars or actions based on irregular formations, terrorist acts, chaos, sanctions, electronic platform warfare, media wars, propaganda, fake news, the division of society, starvation policy and engaging the enemy from within, to weaken Hezbollah before attacking and finishing it off. This is "fifth generation war"; it is the hybrid war against Hezbollah. | T…
(2020-10-04). The Proud Boys are celebrating Trump telling them to 'stand by'. zcomm.org That expression of solidarity, journalists Sheera Frenkel and Annie Karni report in the New York Times, is not lost on the Proud Boys — who are celebrating the president's statement…
(2020-10-04). Preempting Progress In The South. popularresistance.org A new report from the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) at EPI and the Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) describes the ways in which state interference—in the form of preemption—is impeding local democracy and hamstringing progress on a variety of economic, social, and public health issues for communities throughout the South. The report also describes how this interference is a continuation of long-standing state-imposed policies and practices rooted in anti-Black racism and how modern-day misuse of preemption disproportionately disadvantages workers of color, women, and low-income wo…
(2020-10-04). [Commentary] Targeting bias to improve maternal care and outcomes for Black women in the USA. thelancet.com Black women in the USA face significant inequities in maternal mortality and morbidity. They die from pregnancy-related deaths at a rate three to four times higher than white women, [1] and are more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity (SMM), life-threatening complications caused or exacerbated by pregnancy, in the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. [2] These inequities not only stem from socioeconomic factors affecting access to and quality of care, but are also linked to the stresses of racism—individual and institutional—and their long-term physiological implications.
(2020-10-04). Heels Not Heils: Hijacking the Proud Boys and MAGA Narrative Amidst Ruinous Reality. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-03). Global War on Humanity: America's Unceasing Pursuit of Hegemony. globalresearch.ca Essentially what we're looking at is a broader historical perspective on how the US de facto supported Nazi Germany with a view to destroying the Soviet Union as well as weakening the British Empire and competing empires including of course France, Belgium, Holland, etc. And those countries today are no longer colonial powers.
(2020-10-03). The Next Steps in Eviction Defense. dissidentvoice.org 
A few thoughts on intentions, tactics, and building eviction defense networks. Here in Portland, there are signs that the movement for Black lives and the movement for actually affordable housing are increasingly intersecting in all kinds of ways. Among the networks engaged in popular education and resistance organizing efforts around housing issues, you'll find groups …
(2020-10-03). Thousands declare their solidarity with framed Denver anti-racist organizers: Add your name here. liberationnews.org 
Over 2,000 movement leaders, scholars, journalists and people of conscience have signed their names to the solidarity statement in support of the Denver anti-racist organizers facing decades in prison on bogus felony charges. The outpouring of support across the country and around the world has helped secure the release of the organizers from jail, but …
(2020-10-03). Israelis defy protest ban to keep up pressure on Netanyahu. middleeasteye.net 
Israelis defy protest ban to keep up pressure on Netanyahu | Thousands took the streets on Saturday in latest display of anger against the Israeli PM, despite new law curbing demonstrations during the coronavirus lockdown | Sat, 10/03/2020 – 20: 56 | Israelis protest against Netanyahu and against the second nationwide lockdown imposed in a bid to stem the increase of Covid-19 cases, Tel Av…
(2020-10-03). 'Postpone the Hearing': Democrats Demand Delay in Barrett's Confirmation Process After Third GOP Senator Tests Positive for Covid-19. commondreams.org Democratic lawmakers and progressive advocates demanded on Friday and into Saturday that the Senate Judiciary Committee postpone Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing for the U.S. Supreme Court after at least three Republican senators tested positive for the coronavirus. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-03). 'A Little More Democracy': An Interview with Margaret Morrison. progressive.org Following the release of the new documentary 'Resisterhood,' one activist in the film shares her message of optimism in comparing the march in Selma in 1965 to today's anti-racism protests.
(2020-10-03). Bolivia's Regime Opens to Foreign NGOs & Intervention. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Jeanine Añez has lifted restrictions on foreign Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in a reversal of the pro-sovereignty policy previously implemented by President Evo Morales. | RELATED: | Supreme Decree 4353 ends rules which had been enacted by Morales in order to restrict NGO's, particularly the usual influx of those from the United States, from intervening in domestic politics. | Añez presented the decre…
(2020-10-03). Book Review: "On The Judgment Of History" popularresistance.org The scene in Charlottesville, Va., three years ago — the Confederate flags, the tiki-torch Nazis, the lethal use of a car against counterdemonstrators — left Joan Wallach Scott feeling perplexity and horror, as she recounts in On the Judgment of History (Columbia University Press). | It was not just the thuggish hatred on display, which was nothing new. Beyond that there was a kind of menacing shamelessness about all of it, even before the president gave his wink of approval: a defiance of the idea that slavery, white supremacy and fascism had been consigned to the dustbin of history.
(2020-10-03). [Correspondence] Alternative grant models might perpetuate Black—White funding gaps. thelancet.com The White Coats for Black Lives and #ShutDownSTEM movements have galvanised biomedical practitioners and researchers to eliminate institutional and systematic racism, including barriers faced by Black researchers in biomedicine and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In our study on Black—White funding gaps for National Institutes of Health Research Project grants, we found that the overall award rate for Black applicants is 55% of that for white applicants.1 How can systems for allocating research grant funding be made more fair while improving their efficiency?
(2020-10-03). If We Don't Act Now, the Entire US Could Become a "Cancer Alley" truthout.org People across the country are waking up to structural racism and coping with police brutality and civil unrest while also living through the nightmare of the COVID-19 pandemic. They're mourning losses and longing for life to get back to normal. | But in St. James Parish, Louisiana, where I'm from — a predominantly Black and low-income community nicknamed "
(2020-10-02). US military seeks to "create new base in Syria" — Syrian journalist. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Syrian journalist Bashar Barazi, the correspondent for HispanTV in Damascus, about recent developments in the country. By Anya Parampil They discuss the impact of the new "Cesar sanctions" on the Syrian public, US and Turkish maneuvers within Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to the country, as well as the average Syrian's response to efforts from Gulf countries to normalize relations with Israel. Barazi explains why he believes the US is …
(2020-10-02). Using Human Rights To Promote War. popularresistance.org Red Lines host Anya Parampil debunks a new report issued by the UN Human Right's Council which accuses Venezuela's government of "crimes against humanity". She points out major flaws in the report's methodology and exposes one of its authors as a defender of Chilean fascists. She explains that the US and its allies are weaponizing human right in order to drum up support for a war on Venezuela.
(2020-10-02). In Lieu of a Liberation Strategy: Palestinian Elections Are Designed to Buy Time. dissidentvoice.org 
It is abundantly clear that Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, has underestimated the seriousness of the challenges facing Palestine and the Palestinians. The rushed agreement between his party, Fatah and Hamas in Istanbul on September 24, and the Palestinian leader's speech at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly the following day, indicate that …
(2020-10-02). Federal executions paused, racism continues. workers.org 
Houston In the previous 56 years, the U.S. government had executed just three prisoners. But in 2020, seven federal executions have already taken place since July. The most recent was Christopher Vialva, put to death Sept. 24 at the federal prison in Terra Haute, Ind. He was the first Black . . . |
(2020-10-02). 'Stars and Strife' wants unity but falls short of demanding systemic change. peoplesworld.org 
The new documentary Stars and Strife wants you to know that the world, and particularly the United States, is in trouble. It presents a compelling argument regarding the ills of society like poverty, racism, and political corruption. Where it falls short is in its presentation of a solution. Stars and Strife seemingly has good intentions …
(2020-10-02). Why Far-Right Paramilitaries are Not Just "Vigilantes" counterpunch.org 
Trump's call for the Proud Boys and other armed far-right paramilitaries to "stand by" has finally shed light on the real threat of physical intimidation around the election, to add to the threats of cyberattacks and abuses of the legal system. His call to arms is also a reminder why calling far-right domestic terrorists merely "vigilantes" minimizes and even trivializes the threat, for several reasons.
(2020-10-02). The Third World War, Illustrated. counterpunch.org 
George Grosz was an artist in Weimar Germany. His works lampooned the rich and super rich and condemned war. A Dadaist who was anti-capitalist and antifascist, he exiled himself to the United States in 1933 as the Nazi party began to rise in Germany. Although he changed the nature of his art after he moved to
(2020-10-02). Arabic press review: Plans for Israel-UAE canal enrage Egypt. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Plans for Israel-UAE canal enrage Egypt | Meanwhile, Jordan expels former Palestinian prisoner Nizar al-Tamimi, and three ministers of Arab origin join new Belgian government | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 14 | Egypt is reportedly worried that a new canal between Israel and the UAE might threaten its crucial income from the Suez Canal (AFP/file photo, November 2019) | Canal tri…
(2020-10-02). Armenia withdraws ambassador to Israel over Azerbaijan arms sales. middleeasteye.net 
Armenia withdraws ambassador to Israel over Azerbaijan arms sales | Armenia said it was 'unacceptable' for Israel to continue providing weaponry as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 09: 45 | People demonstrate in support of Armenia and against the war in Nagorno Karabach during the Special European Summit in Brussels (AFP) | Armenia has recalled its ambassador to Israel over the country's…
(2020-10-02). Communist Party election campaign says stop Trump with a #VoteAgainstFascism. peoplesworld.org 
Fascism hasn't arrived in the United States yet, but the country is closer than it's ever been. That's the central message of the Communist Party USA's election campaign in the closing days of the 2020 race. Determined to see Donald Trump turned out of office, the party is mobilizing its members around the slogan "Vote …
(2020-10-02). Mossad chief holds talks with Bahrain as ties with Israel deepen. middleeasteye.net 
Mossad chief holds talks with Bahrain as ties with Israel deepen | Yossi Cohen reported to have discussed 'mutual interests' with his Bahraini counterparts during visit | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 11: 16 | Mossad chief Yossi Cohen pictured in 2017 (AFP) | Israel's top spy chief Yossi Cohen has held talks with Bahrain's intelligence services following the two countries recent normalisation of relat…
(2020-10-02). The Leahy Laws: Why Biden's Promise to Israel is Illegal. counterpunch.org 
While co-hosting an interview on the Palestine Chronicle, I asked Dr. Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, about his thoughts on Kamala Harris' promise to maintain unconditional aid to Israel. "I am disappointed of course by the Harris-Biden positions on Israel. I would have hoped for something closer to what Bernie
(2020-10-02). Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate. middleeasteye.net 
Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate | An instrumental cover and a Hebrew-English-Arabic mashup have caused a stir online, as cultural ties between Israel and the UAE strengthen | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 45 | Two collaborations between Israeli and UAE musicians celebrating normalisation have received mixed reactions online (Screengrabs) | Less than two months since Israel and the…
(2020-10-02). Arrest of Hamas co-founder by Israeli security forces denounced as attempt to undermine Palestinian reconciliation. rt.com 
Israeli security forces have arrested senior Hamas leader Hassan Youssef. The two rival Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah, have both condemned the move as being politically-charged and a bid to ruin their reconciliation talks. | Youssef was taken at his home in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning. While Israeli authorities have not provided any official information about the move, local media
(2020-10-02). Israeli minister quits Netanyahu's cabinet over protest curbs. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli minister quits Netanyahu's cabinet over protest curbs | Emergency laws limit Israelis to protesting only 1km outside of their homes | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 24 | Asaf Zamir who belongs to Gantz's Blue and White Party said Netanyahu was prioritising his interest over the country's (Facebook) | An Israeli minister on Friday resigned because of a new law that limits protests against Be…
(2020-10-02). Big Brother Israel has become Netanyahu's personal playground. middleeasteye.net 
Big Brother Israel has become Netanyahu's personal playground | The prime minister is using coronavirus measures as a pretext to push a self-serving agenda | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 11: 29 | Draconian measures have become a daily reality in Israel (Reuters) | In today's Israel, in the time of
(2020-10-02). Trump's Operation Dictatorship: What the debate exposed. indybay.org Joseph Kishore, the Socialist Equality Party US presidential candidate and David North, the Socialist Equality Party US national chairman explain how the White House is the center of a fascistic conspiracy to overturn the Constitution and establish a presidential dictatorship– and what must be done to avert it. Clue: it will not be voting for Biden.
(2020-10-02). The Law That Sent a Man to Prison for Life for Stealing a Pair of Hedge Clippers — and What Prosecutors Can do About It. aclu.org Last month, the Louisiana Supreme Court
(2020-10-02). Common Cause Response to Supreme Court Granting Cert. Petition in FCC v. Prometheus. commondreams.org ______________________________…