Daily Archives: October 11, 2020

2020-10-11: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority'. middleeasteye.net Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority' | Qatar has formally asked to buy US fighter jet, also sought by the United Arab Emirates | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 11: 33 | Israel received F-35 fighter jets in 2016 and has opposed their sale to other countries in the region (AFP) | Israel will oppose the sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Qatar to ensure its own m…

Peter Koenig (2020-10-11). Palestine: Anniversary of the Death of a Child — 30 September 2000. globalresearch.ca Palestine under siege for 72 years. A UK-prompted UN decision in 1947 allowed David Ben-Gurion, then the head of the Jewish Agency, to proclaim on May 14, 1948, the establishment of the State of Israel. | The United Nations Partition …

Women's March (2020-10-11). Saturday 10/17: Alameda: Women's March for Saving the Supreme Court Seat Now! indybay.org Alameda City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 | NOTE: Masks and Social Distancing…

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-10-11). The Saudi campaign against the Palestinians. thealtworld.com A concerted effort is underway to prepare public opinion for normalization with Israel | In June 2006, about a week after Israel's assault on Lebanon began, a Saudi delegation visited Washington and met with President George Bush Jr., who made an exception to receive them at the White House on a Sunday. The delegation was led by the then foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, and included the national security advisor and former ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin-Sultan, and the serving ambassador and ex-intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal. | The day after that meeting, the three princes sent a…

Tom Coburg (2020-10-11). Greek neo-Nazis provoked civil war, seven years later they're finally declared criminals. thecanary.co A Greek court has But there remain unanswered questions about the role of the police. And why earlier warnings that GD hoped to provoke a civil war in Greece as part of a "

Gloria Rubac (2020-10-10). Amid claims of racism, another federal execution set. workers.org The federal government has just set its eighth execution for 2020. U.S. Attorney General William Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the execution of Orlando Cordia Hall for Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. If carried out, this would place federal executions ahead of those by the . . . |

Kaamil Ahmed (2020-10-10). Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria. middleeasteye.net Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria | Firefighters have been tackling hundreds of fires in both countries, while blazes in Israel prompt evacuations | Sat, 10/10/2020 – 15: 52 | A man watches as wildfires burn in Lebanon (Reuters) | At least two people have been killed in forest fires burning through Syria and Lebanon, state media and officials said. | Hundreds of hectares have burned…

The Canary (2020-10-10). Police investigate Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over controversial David Starkey interview. thecanary.co A police investigation has been launched into Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over a controversial interview he published in which historian David Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are "so many damn blacks" still around.In a statement, Metropolitan Police confirmed that "on 4 July, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on 30 June."The matter is currently being investigated."No arrests have been made, the force added.Dr David Starkey faced significant backlash over his comments in the in…

Abdul Rahman (2020-10-10). Israel's man in Washington. peoplesdispatch.org It's election season in the United States and one aspect of president Donald Trump's record that is not up for debate is his role in sustaining and strengthening the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Trump has left no stone unturned to win the support of pro-Zionist groups in his country by subordinating US foreign policy interests to that of Israel. | Trump's use of US power, including its military and financial resources, has helped Israel achieve some of its long-term diplomatic and strategic goals. This includes recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the "normalization" of the relationship with Arab…

sputniknews (2020-10-10). Joe Biden Says Voters 'Don't Deserve' to Know His Stance on Supreme Court Packing. sputniknews.com The issue of court packing – an idea supported by many in the Democratic party – has been one of those most acute for Democratic candidate Joe Biden and his campaign, as he has consistently been reluctant to outline his position on extending the number of Supreme Court judges.

WSWS (2020-10-10). Democrats and corporate media cover-up Trump's role in Michigan coup plot. wsws.org The silence of the Democratic Party and corporate media is giving Trump an opening to move forward with his plot to use fascist militia to overturn the outcome of the election.

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (2020-10-10). Republicans Know They Can't Win If Everyone Casts a Ballot. zcomm.org The Republican Party's voter suppression efforts ahead of the November election, aimed primarily at Black and Brown voters, amount to "surgical racism with surgical precision."

Jessica P Cerdeña, Marie V Plaisime, Jennifer Tsai (2020-10-10). [Viewpoint] From race-based to race-conscious medicine: how anti-racist uprisings call us to act. thelancet.com The brutalisation of Jacob Blake and murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others—coupled with horrifying statistics about the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities—have forced the USA and the world to reckon with how structural racism conditions survival. Although clinicians often imagine themselves as beneficent caregivers, it is increasingly clear that medicine is not a stand-alone institution immune to racial inequities, but rather is an institution of structural racism.

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-10-09). 'Be Afraid—Be Very Afraid': Methane Ruling Seen as Ominous Sign With Barrett Poised to Join Supreme Court. commondreams.org The judge delivered a "puzzling and unsupported conclusion that the Bureau of Land Management can't limit methane waste because that would reduce greenhouse gas pollution." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-09). Despite Ambiguity in International Law, Palestinians are Winning the 'Legitimacy War'. dissidentvoice.org 'International law' remains one of the most discussed terms in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is almost always present, whether the discussion pertains to the Israeli wars and siege on Gaza, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank or the encroaching apartheid throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories. …

Amiad Horowitz (2020-10-09). Right wing fuses anti-Semitism with anti-communism in its conspiracy theories. peoplesworld.org It's hard for anyone reading any reactionary publication to avoid the name George Soros. Many right-wingers claim that Soros, a billionaire Jewish businessman, is funding radical leftists. They claim that Soros pays Black Lives Matter protesters, and some say he helps coordinate leftist activities around the world. Of course, anyone who does the slightest bit …

Eve Ottenberg (2020-10-09). Fascism's Twisted Take on Climate Change. counterpunch.org The climate catastrophe has caught fascism's evil eye. First it spawned eco-fascism, a creed founded on lies about immigrants and population control. More people migrating to first world countries, eco-fascists say, means more people with outsized carbon footprints. Better for those immigrants to stay home, having less climate impact, than coming here to indulge in

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-09). Black Lives Should Always Matter: Delinking Social Justice from Seasonal US Politics. counterpunch.org After viewing the first US Presidential debate on September 29, one is left with no doubt about the degenerating political discourse among America's ruling elites. Following the debate between US President, Donald Trump, and Democratic Presidential nominee, Joe Biden, most analyses focused mainly on the personal insults and name-calling, which, deservedly, earned the event the

John Wojcik (2020-10-09). To Biden and Harris: Don't keep your best policies packed away. peoplesworld.org The Biden-Harris campaign is doing a good job of presenting a small-d democratic alternative to the neo-fascist Trump and his followers in and around the White House and Republican Party. The good job the Dems are doing in this respect was reflected in the Trump-Biden and the Pence-Harris debates. Both Biden and Harris, however, missed …

John Wojcik, C.J. Atkins (2020-10-09). Trump attacks Michigan Gov. Whitmer after white supremacist kidnapping plot foiled. peoplesworld.org Shortly after a dangerous group of white supremacist terrorists were charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan's Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and put her on trial for "treason," President Trump came out with his own attack on her. The apparent motive behind the kidnapping scheme was the dislike the kidnappers had of the governor's quick and …

Mohammad Ersan (2020-10-09). Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation. middleeasteye.net Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation | Hamas member's attempt to appeal to King Abdullah for her husband creates controversy when her line is cut on the radio | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 37 | Ahlam Tamimi speaks to reporters upon her arrival at Queen Alia international airport in Amman on 18 October 2011 (AFP) | The Jordanian government and a popular rad…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership. middleeasteye.net Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership | Ex-Saudi spy chief's rant prompts suspicions Riyadh is clearing the way for Israeli normalisation | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 13: 26 | Bandar bin Sultan during an interview with Al-Arabiya channel (Screengrab) | Palestinians have reacted furiously to comments by top Saudi royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, a former Saudi spy chief and…

Joshua Cho (2020-10-09). Evidence-free 'lab leak' speculation boosts Trump's Xenophobic approach to Coronavirus. mronline.org Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China has been the target of relentless hostile and racist media coverage, depicting the country as a uniquely nefarious source of disease (FAIR.org, 3/24/20, 5/7/20).

Robert Penner (2020-10-09). Killer cop let off the hook for a third time in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org Liberation News eyewitness to massive state repression of protest against racist police terror.

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-09). Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo. middleeasteye.net Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo | The EU-supported project in Ramallah has seen daily intimidation by settlers and serves 50 students | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 10: 03 | Palestinian children from the primary school in Ras al-Tin, eastern Ramallah, that is facing demolition (Shatha Hammad) | An Israeli court rejected on Thursday an appeal against the demolition of an E…

_____ (2020-10-09). Systemic Racism At Wells Fargo & Microsoft. strategic-culture.org Rod DREHER | Here's a letter the US Labor Department sent to Wells Fargo recently. (I had to screenshot it in parts, which is why it's broken up here): | The Labor Department sent a similar letter to Microsoft: | There is no chance at all that a Biden administration Labor Department would investigate major corporations for anti-white discrimination. Keep that in mind. Naturally, there has been negative press coverage.

RT (2020-10-09). DOJ slaps Yale with lawsuit over 'at least 50 years' of discrimination, claiming it put WHITE & Asian applicants at disadvantage. rt.com The US Department of Justice has sued Yale University for racial discrimination in its admissions process, arguing the school deliberately put Asian and white applicants at a disadvantage for decades. | Filed in the US District Court in Connecticut on Thursday, the

Marlee Kokotovic (2020-10-09). Texas Supreme Court denies mail-in ballot application request form Houston. nationofchange.org "It is disappointing that the Court has sided with political forces seeking to limit voter access this November."

sputniknews (2020-10-09). 'Data Speaks': Dr Fauci Calls Supreme Court Nomination Event at White House COVID-19 'Superspreader'. sputniknews.com On 2 October, US President Donald Trump announced that just a few days following a White House event where the president revealed his Supreme Court nominee, he and the first lady, Melania Trump, had contracted the coronavirus disease. At least 37 White House staffers and "other contacts" have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Bill Moyers, Lisa Graves (2020-10-09). Will Amy Coney Barrett Stand by Her Man? He's Betting a Second Term On It. commondreams.org Amy Coney Barrett (R), President Donald Trump's nominee for associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, listens as Trump speaks during an announcement ceremony at the White House on September 26, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chen Mengtong/China News Service via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-10-09). Warning Fundamental Rights and American Lives at Stake, 5,000+ Lawyers Urge Senate to Reject Barrett. commondreams.org "Rushing to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett will cause irreparable damage to the public's faith in the Supreme Court, the rule of law, and our democracy." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Rev. Susan K. Williams Smith (2020-10-09). Amy Coney Barrett Has No Business Ruling on This Election. counterpunch.org Well before Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the United States Supreme Court, every step in the frenzied process had seemed terribly amiss. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his party are playing by two sets of rules, ramming through Donald Trump's nomination to fill a Supreme Court vacancy during an election year, despite McConnell's

splcenter (2020-10-09). America wants to put the brakes on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination. Senate leadership should listen. splcenter.org

WSWS (2020-10-09). The Michigan conspiracy, Trump, and the 2020 election. wsws.org Donald Trump is engaged in a plot to deploy fascist militia to overturn the outcome of the election. The working class must demand answers in order to expose and stop the conspiracy.

WSWS (2020-10-09). New study throws light on Nazi past of Berlin film festival's founder. wsws.org Alfred Bauer (1911-1986) was not the only prominent film personality to cover up his or her connections to the Nazi regime.

Richard McNeil Willson (2020-10-09). Are far right groups just about spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation? zcomm.org Research finds that far right tactics are less about misinformation than looking for community support by highlighting societal inequalities…

_____ (2020-10-09). 'I Am White, Therefore a Racist' Declares Liberal Professor, in Latest Proof U.S. Academics Are Fueling Racial Tensions. strategic-culture.org In the latest sign that the mind of U.S. academia has been hijacked by the left, a professor from the University of California-Santa Barbara described herself "a white American" who is, therefore "by definition racist." | In a webinar lecture entitled, "Undoing White Supremacy in the Language Disciplines," Mary Bucholtz, Professor and Chair of the Department of Linguistics at the University of California-Santa Barbara, broke the news to America's majority white population that white supremacy "is a system that White people have built in order to oppress everyone else." | "As a White American, I am by definition r…

Staff (2020-10-09). Pence Faked Care for George Floyd, But We Know the Truth of His Administration. truthout.org Immediately following this week's vice presidential debate, an explosion of unapologetically racist and misogynist references to Kamala Harris have spread across social media. Trump himself labeled her a "monster" on Fox News. | This kind of vitriol is dangerous, especially with Trump occupying an unfiltered bully pulpit from which he covertly commands right-wing vigilante and militia. We can only imagine the signal that such language sends to those hyped up and armed "patriots," whom he has…

Talia Lavin (2020-10-09). Going Undercover on a Racist Dating Site. thenation.com Going Undercover on a Racist Dating Site…

MEE staff (2020-10-08). Israel and Jordan sign aviation deal to cut time and costs for Gulf flights. middleeasteye.net Israel and Jordan sign aviation deal to cut time and costs for Gulf flights | Agreement comes after UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia also allow Israeli planes to cross their airspace | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 15: 54 | Israeli El Al aircraft are pictured on the tarmac at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, east of Tel Aviv, 24 September (AFP) | Israel and Jordan signed on Thursday an aviation agreement to allow internat…

Gordon Duff (2020-10-08). NEO: Will it be Biden and Putin, Making the New World? thealtworld.com The current situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan has shown the world the dangers of secret pacts and ancient grudges, as a new "August 1914" moves toward reality. | As early as 2012, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and the Gulf States began arming al Qaeda and ISIS, deploying them against both Syria and Iraq. | Other nations aided as well, not just the US, France and Britain. There was also Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and, above all, Ukraine. | We will cover the backstory on this but what is clear is this, the Trump era replacement for NATO, where supposed enemies work in concert seamlessly, presents challenges…

MEE staff (2020-10-08). Palestinian prisoner's hunger strike against administrative detention hits 75 days. middleeasteye.net Palestinian prisoner's hunger strike against administrative detention hits 75 days | Maher al-Akhras has refused to cease his hunger strike unless 'freedom (is granted) to my family and my children' | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 13: 52 | Maher al-Akhras with one of his children before his arrest in July by Israeli forces (Screengrab) | A Palestinian prisoner has been on a hunger strike for 75 days in protest against his…

A Guest Author (2020-10-08). Denver Area Labor Federation condemns fascism in Colorado. workers.org On Sept. 24, the Denver Area Labor Federation delegate body, representing 90,000 union members, unanimously passed the following resolution condemning the actions of Denver District Attorneys Dave Young and George Brauchler following a July 17 protest. They had arrested six protest leaders, held them for over a week without arraignment, . . . |

Ali Harb (2020-10-08). US elections: Four Middle East moments from Harris-Pence debate. middleeasteye.net US elections: Four Middle East moments from Harris-Pence debate | Kamala Harris and Mike Pence discussed US policy on Iran, Israel and Palestine in the first and only vice presidential debate | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 07: 11 | Plexiglass separated the two candidates on Wednesday amid coronavirus concerns (AFP) | If political debates were a sport, US vice presidential debates would be a game between the reserve teams.

Stephen Zunes (2020-10-08). Abortion Foes Should Vote Democratic. progressive.org The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court has brought this contentious issue to the forefront of the 2020 election campaign.

_____ (2020-10-08). High Court Rejects Governor's Private School Aid Plan. popularresistance.org Columbia, SC – The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday a program created by Gov. Henry McMaster to allocate $32 million in federal pandemic aid to private and religious schools is unconstitutional because the public money would directly benefit the schools. | In the court's opinion, Chief Justice Don Beatty acknowledged the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the lives of South Carolinians and the state's education system, and the "unprecedented challenges" faced by state leaders including McMaster.

WSWS (2020-10-08). Macron's anti-Islamic separatism law: The death throes of French democracy. wsws.org This bill, which would impose control of Islam by the state and mass surveillance of the population, exposes the fascistic and anti-secular policies of the Macron government.

WSWS (2020-10-08). German court frees right-wing extremist accused of complicity in assassination of Walter Làºbcke. wsws.org The neo-Nazi Markus Hartmann, who was accused in the trial for the murder of German regional politician Walter Làºbcke, was freed from custody last Thursday.

Freedom News (2020-10-08). Greece: Golden Dawn Trial Ends with Guilty Verdict. globalresearch.ca The heavily guarded Court of Appeals of Athens delivered the verdicts today in a five-year-long Golden Dawn trial. | Thousands gathered in an antifascist rally outside of the court this morning to await the ruling. The trial, widely covered in Greek …

WSWS (2020-10-08). As Brazil's inequality soars, ruling elite sets racialist trap for the working class. wsws.org The efforts of the pseudo left and bourgeois parties like the PT to divide the working class along racial, gender and national lines feed the growth of fascistic forces.