(2020-10-17). [Global Health Metrics] Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950—2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. thelancet.com Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition.
(2020-10-16). Greta Thunberg mocks US Supreme Court nominee as eco-activists paint judge's refusal to OPINE on climate change as DISQUALIFYING. rt.com 
Child enviro-prodigy Greta Thunberg is ripping US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett for declining to give her opinions about the cause of climate change, likening the judge's restraint to lacking a view on gravity. | "To be fair, I don't have any views on climate change, either," Thunberg said on Thursday on Twitter, mocking Barrett's answers in her Senate confirmation hearing. "Just like I don't have any views on gravity, the fact that the earth is round, photosynthesis nor evolution. But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier." | To be fair, I don…
(2020-10-16). Headlines for October 16, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Hospitalizations on the Rise Across U.S. as Confirmed Cases Hit 8 Million, French Police Raid Homes of Government Officials in Probe of Failed Coronavirus Response, WHO Finds Remdesivir Fails to Prevent COVID-19 Deaths, World Health Organization Warns Many Will Have to Wait Until 2022 for Vaccine, Senate on Track to Confirm Far-Right Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 26, Joe Biden Defends 1994 Crime Bill and Calls for More Police Funding, President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Trump Celebrates Apparent Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals Carryi…
(2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org 
During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
(2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org 
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…
(2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org 
The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…
(2020-10-16). Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza. middleeasteye.net 
Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza | Israel has imposed a travel ban on Assaf, revoking his entry permit, which he earned as an UNRWA ambassador | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 12: 12 | Palestinian "Arab Idol" winner Mohammed Assaf described the Israeli travel ban as "a continuation of the policies of oppression" (AFP/file photo) | Israel has imposed an entry ban on Mohammed Assaf,…
(2020-10-16). Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report | The visit was reportedly the first of its kind to the holy site since Bahrain and the UAE signed a normalisation deal with Israel last month | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 15: 00 | The delegation reportedly performed prayers inside the 7th century Dome of the Rock Mosque (Screengrab) | An informal Arab delegation reportedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosq…
(2020-10-16). The Coup Already Underway. counterpunch.org 
This might be a good time for Americans to stop masochistically worshipping at the feet of their nation's authoritarian Constitution. A proto-fascistic genocidal racist maniac and anti-science eco-exterminist determined to kill two million more Americans with COVID-19 sits in the White House thanks in no small part due to the absurdly venerated 1788 United States
(2020-10-16). Trump's Labor Dept. probes Microsoft in search of 'reverse racism' in hiring. peoplesworld.org 
In the eyes of the Trump administration, workers, their families, their health, and their safety are not worth defending. Workers are expendable cogs in the vast capitalist machine. They serve only one purpose: background actors for the various television ads portraying Trump's failures as victories as he aims to win (steal) re-election. The U.S. Dept. …
(2020-10-16). Indonesian trade union FSEBUMI supports Denver activists: "Racism must be fought with the power of solidarity" liberationnews.org 
Federasi Serikat Buruh Militan (FSEBUMI) is a trade union who firmly believe in the working class struggle and the power of solidarity. We also believe in internationalism and we are against racism.
(2020-10-16). How Fascism Has Converged With Capitalism to Redefine Government. counterpunch.org 
The looming election has brought forward intensifying debates over a capitalism in crisis, rising nationalism and state power, and the possibility of a renewed fascism. Polarized politics and ideologies alongside long-accumulated social problems and movements shape the objects and tones of debate. Can fascism happen here; is it underway? Or can current capitalism avoid a return to fascism? Such questions reflect the high stakes of the election and this moment in history.
(2020-10-16). A Historical Reckoning: Oxford Study Challenges Israel's Claims Concerning Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com 
Pro-Israel institutions and spokespeople like to claim that the Palestinian refugee issue has passed some imaginary statute of limitations, but as a comprehensive new Oxford study shows, it "has since become even stronger."
(2020-10-16). Chester County, PA activists hold "Skate for Black Lives" event. liberationnews.org 
Dozens came out to Skate for Black Lives on October 10 at the skatepark in Downingtown, Penn. The event was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Chester County Stands Up. Attendees brought handmade Black Lives Matter signs to show support for the national uprising against racism. The event was planned after skateboarder …
(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…
(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 …
(2020-10-16). Saturday 10/17: Socialist and Labor Contingent to Protest Proud Boys. indybay.org Mission High School steps (3750 18th St. near Dolores), San Francisco…
(2020-10-16). Turkish and Israeli Weapons Fueling Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca Weapons-makers — aka merchants of death and mass destruction — fuel conflicts when occur. | The US by far dominates the global arms trade. | According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 36% of major conventional …
(2020-10-16). Outnumbered on Supreme Court Nomination, Democrats Campaign for ACA. truthout.org Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee know that, barring something unexpected, they lack the votes to block President Donald Trump from installing his third justice in four years on the Supreme Court and creating a 6-3 conservative majority. | They also know that, in a normal year, by mid-October Congress would be out of session and members home campaigning. But 2020 is obviously no normal year. So, while the rest of Congress is home, Democratic Judiciary members are trying something very differe…
(2020-10-16). West Virginia Mom Tells Her Abortion Story in Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. truthout.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a…
(2020-10-16). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. truthout.org During her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Amy Coney Barrett refused to say that voter intimidation is illegal, that armed poll watchers are intimidating, that voter discrimination exists, whether the president could deny someone the right to vote based on race or that Congress has a constitutional duty to protect the right to vote. | She refused to affirm that Medicare is constitutional; that married couples should not lose their right to contrace…
(2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …
(2020-10-16). American Jewish Progressives Declared Irrelevant. counterpunch.org The Dangers of Ideological Boundaries Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper and news outlet. It is considered to be the country's most liberal paper and, at least in its English presentation, often reflects "liberal Zionist" sentiments, such as questioning Israeli settlement and occupation policies. Still, the paper can get things seriously wrong, because Zionism, Israel's official ideology,
(2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…
(2020-10-16). Tuesday 10/20: Fighting Fascism. indybay.org us02web.zoom.us/j/84065571772?pwd=cWg1YX……
(2020-10-16). Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President. thenation.com Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President…
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Won't Say Climate Change Is Real; Forgets 1st Amendment Protects Right to Protest. democracynow.org 
We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives.
(2020-10-15). Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award. middleeasteye.net 
Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award | Hussaini, who has been covering Gaza for MEE since 2018, is among the finalists for the Martin Adler Prize | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 26 | Maha Hussaini reporting on the ground in besieged Gaza (Supplied) | Middle East Eye freelance correspondent Maha Hussaini on Thursday was named among the finalists for a top journalism award, the…
(2020-10-15). How Hitler Found His Blueprint For A German Empire. popularresistance.org Native peoples in the United States continue to struggle for justice. While this year brought some important victories, such as Washington's NFL team finally dropping its racist name and logo, and a landmark win in the Supreme Court for Native rights in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the difficult work of recognizing and redressing the country's legacy of oppressing its first inhabitants continues. | Efforts by Native and allied activists to spread observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day is an important part of this work.
(2020-10-15). Bully on the Bench: the Legacy of Scalia. counterpunch.org 
The mythologizing of Antonin Scalia began only a few hours after his leathery heart stopped beating in West Texas and Satan swept his soul to the 8th Circle of the Inferno, where corrupt barrators are imprisoned for eternity. Here, strapped to a sparking electric chair, Scalia's torments will be supervised by the demon Malacoda, who, Dante informs us, regularly "makes a trumpet of his ass."
(2020-10-15). Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List. middleeasteye.net 
Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List | Lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the deal despite opposition from the third largest political bloc in Israel's parliament | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 10: 39 | In a statement, the Joint Arab List said 'This approach ensures the continuation of the conflict, suffering and bloodshed' (AFP) | The Arab Joint List, the third largest…
(2020-10-15). Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report. middleeasteye.net 
Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report | The Trump administration allegedly told Khartoum that Sudan would be removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list in exchange | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 22 | Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L) speaks with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok during a reception ceremony in the capital Kh…
(2020-10-15). Movement wins arrest of Texas cop who killed Jonathan Price. liberationnews.org 
The brutal, racist killing of Jonathan Price struck a nerve not only in Wolfe City, but throughout the state of Texas.
(2020-10-15). Add voting rights to list of questions ducked by Barrett. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Add voting rights, both at the polls and who has the right to vote, to the list of key issues which U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is ducking. And as for the presidential election this fall, "occasions where courts decide elections should be [cases] where courts protect the right to vote," she said—and …
(2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org 
The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,
(2020-10-15). Anti-Chinese racism sets stage for New McCarthyism. mronline.org 
More than a dozen young visiting scholars from China had their visas abruptly terminated in a letter from administration of the University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, on August 26, in a letter dated …August 26!
(2020-10-15). Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model'. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model' | Meanwhile, senior IRGC commander 'confirms' Israeli former minister's 'collaboration' with Tehran, and political rivalries deepen amid new wave of coronavirus | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 12: 52 | A screen grab taken from a KCNA broadcast on 10 October 2020 shows what appears to be a new North Korean int…
(2020-10-15). Arab League head DENOUNCES Israel's approval of over 2,000 new settlement units in occupied West Bank. rt.com 
Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit has condemned Israel's move to approve the construction of around 2,000 new housing units in the settlements of the occupied West Bank. | In comments released on Thursday, Aboul Gheit
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Is Not Pro-Life. progressive.org Trump's Supreme Court nominee has no regard for Americans protected by the Affordable Care Act.
(2020-10-15). Lindsey Graham Called Out for Illegal Campaign Soliciting in Senate Building. truthout.org Locked in a tight race with Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday urged South Carolinians who are "excited about Judge Barrett" to contribute to his reelection campaign — a blatant violation of Speaking to reporters following the third day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee…
(2020-10-15). Graham Tells Democrats, "Y'all Have a Good Chance of Winning the White House" truthout.org During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) seemed to acknowledge that President Donald Trump, his own party's nominee, was far from guaranteed to win a second presidential term. | Graham made the comment while speculating on how Americans will vote this year based on judicial nominations to the Supreme Court made by presidents belonging to each party. | "Republicans generally look at people of a disposition like Judg…
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Says Climate Change Is a "Very Contentious Matter" truthout.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'
(2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Reveals Senate's Misplaced Priorities. commondreams.org Most people in America believe the next president should fill the Supreme Court vacancy. (Photo: Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-10-15). The Supreme Could Put the LGBTQ Community at Risk for Decades. telesurenglish.net With less than 20 days before the election, President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled senate are holding the vote for a second COVID-19 relief package hostage. | RELATED: | This policy tool would also free nearly a billion dollars for countries suffering from the pandemic. Why? So he can rush through a vote on his Supreme Court nominee in time to steal yet another election as the Republicans did in 200…
(2020-10-15). Sounds Like Hate: Meet the women behind the podcast investigating the proliferation of hate and extremism in modern America. splcenter.org  …
(2020-10-15). Annual Alpine Crucifixions. "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" globalresearch.ca Sometimes it can be useful to be brief. Last year, the wave of worry, promoted by the Swedish Alberich, without at least the artistic virtue of her deceased compatriot, Birgit Nilsson, stimulated predictions of imminent Gà∂tterdà§mmerung. This virtually Wagnerian …
(2020-10-15). Fight to Vote: Florida's poll tax keeps mother from voting for a better future. splcenter.org  …
(2020-10-15). Invest in rural women, help them build resilience to future crises, urges UN chief. news.un.org Rural women play a critical role in agriculture, food security and managing land and natural resources, yet many suffer from "discrimination, systemic racism and structural poverty", the UN chief said on Thursday.
(2020-10-15). In CA, Latino farming communities hardest by COVID-19 and environmental injustice. indybay.org The California Latino community has been disproportionately infected by the coronavirus. Latinos make up 39 percent of the population in the state, but account for 56 percent of COVID-19 infections and 46 percent of deaths. That's three times the rate as Whites. State officials say, many employers have not reliably provided protective equipment to workers or implemented social distancing or mask wearing rules. This is systemic racism. Too often, they live in neighborhoods that are located near oil industry operations in California, one of America's top crude oil and gas producing states. Gov. Newsom needs to addr…
(2020-10-15). Clinical characteristics and outcomes among hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary medical center and receiving antiviral, antimalarials, glucocorticoids, or immunomodulation with tocilizumab or cyclosporine: A retrospective observational study (COQUIMA cohort). thelancet.com In a real-clinical setting, inhibition of the calcineurin inflammatory pathway, NF-κΒ, could reduce the hyperinflammatory phase in COVID-19. Our findings might entail relevant implications for the therapy of this disease and could boost the design of new clinical trials among subjects affected by severe COVID-19.